posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:44:25 PM
Author--RoswellJunky, but you can call me RJ, (it's easier to type).
Email--Roswellfan1003⊕cs.com
Catagory--Max/Liz
Disclaimer--Like you guys haven't read this a thousand times before. OK, just to make it official, I own nothing of the original characters. However, I will be introducing some characters that I would NEVER let TPTB have. TPTB would only destroy them. These new characters are MINE! MINE! MINE! (But you can borrow them if you ask nicely and promise to return them in the original condition in which you got them.)
Summary--OK, I have tried to write what I am about to summarize as part of the story (did that make any sense?), but it just wasn't working. It was long and boring, so here it is in a nutshell. This is after the episode Ask Not. There was no EOTW. (Yeah, me!) However, Max did win Liz back by singing to her below her balcony. And they did make love instead of going to the Gomez concert. (Don't worry, I plan to write about these wonderful scenes in flashbacks.) So, Max and Liz are back together, and the ho . . . I . . I . . . mean Tess is GONE! But, not for good. (Sorry, but we do need a villain to this piece). So, here we go. . .



Max and Liz, A New Story


Chapter 1


"Max! Max!" Liz called out breathlessly as she raced down the school's hall.

Max turned around and forgot about making it to his English class. Her dark-brown hair flew out behind her, and her cheeks were flush a rosy pink.

His beautiful Liz. Sometimes he wondered if he was dreaming. Was Liz really his? Had all of his dreams really come true?

"Hey!" he said as she reached him. He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "What's all this? You're eyes aren't supposed to sparkle like that until after I kiss you."

Liz smiled and laughed. Sometimes, it was hard to believe that Max had once been so silent and shy. One time, after they had first became biology partners, she had turned to him and smiled, hoping to get him to say something. He had turned so red that she had been afraid that his blood pressure had gone up.

Now he smiled and laughed and made jokes. She was glad he had come out from behind his tree.

"Max, I have such wonderful news! I'm so excited!" She was nearly bouncing on the balls of her feet with excitement. Max put his arm around her, turned them, and started towards their classes.

"Wait! Let me guess! Um . . . you found us a new make out place!" Max said grinning.

"Max. . ." Liz said in a warning/laughing voice.

"No? OK. I know. . .Maria's mom is leaving town, soooo. . .that means Michael can stay over at her place, so we can have his place all to ourselves, so we can . . . you know," Max leered at Liz and whispered in her ear, "make out!"

"Is that all you think about?"

"Of course!" Max grins.

Liz groaned. Boys! Not that she didn't like making out with Max. But honestly. . . "Max, if it were up to you, I'd be in a permanently horizontal!"

"Oh, I don't know," Max leered. "I'd have you in a few other positions, too."

As they passed by the eraser room, Liz opened the door, grabbed Max by the shirt and pulled him in, and closed the door.

"Wow! In the middle of class change, too! With people around. Getting brave are we, now?" He dropped his backpack to the floor and put his arms around Liz. Kissing the side of her neck, she sighed. He knew she had pulled him in for reasons other than making out, but it was so much fun to tease her. And she was so close, and she smelled so good.

"Mmmmm. . . Max, I wanted to tell you something." Now, if only she could remember what that was. . .

posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:46:01 PM
Chapter 2


Max's breathing became heavier as his hands found their way under her shirt. Touching her bare skin was like running his hands across fine silk. He never wanted to stop touching her.

How could anyone's skin possibly be so soft?

"Liz," he sighed.

He gently sucked on her neck, knowing he was going to leave his mark, which aroused him even more. He pressed closer to her. Her moans were driving him crazy.

"Max!" Liz cried as she ran her hands down his chest. Running her hands up and down his chest was like touching heated steel. She never wanted to stop touching him.

How could anyone's body possibly be so sculpted and hard?

The sudden pounding on the door jarred them out of their erotic world.

Mr. Sleigman's voice came through the door. "Ms. Parker. Mr. Evans. I saw you both sneak in there. Now you have three minutes to get yourselves together, get out of there, and get to class, OR we can get the principal involved. Your choice. Now, I'm going to walk away. In three minutes, I'm coming back, and you both better be gone."

Max groaned.

Liz started to giggle. "Maybe I should find us a new make out place." She said as she gently bit the line of his jaw.

Max groaned.

As Liz reluctantly pulled back and started to adjust her clothing, Max picked up his book bag. He sighed, and opened the door.

"Max, wait . . . look!" Liz pointed to her neck. And Max immediately closed the door again.

The glowing hickeys he had left on her neck made his body heat up.

Again.

They were his marks. And they showed his claim to her. And he didn't want to remove them, but he knew he had to. So, he gently placed his hand over her neck and watched as his hand began to glow.

Liz sighed as she felt the tingle of Max's power flow from her neck all the way down to her toes. "Mmmmmm. . ."

"Do you like that?" Max whispered.

"I always love the way you touch me, Max," Liz paused for a moment and turned back to face him. "Your hands and body are always so . . . warm." She laid her head on his chest, and he put his free arm around her. "It's like you have a furnace inside you. . ."

Pounding at the door again. This time, Maria's voice, "Guys, Mr. Sleigman is heading this way, I suggest you leave, like, now!"

Max opened the door to see Maria's retreating back. His face turned red when he saw the knowing looks of the other students. Liz followed Max, and felt similarly embarrassed. But that didn't stop them from grinning at each other.

Again, they headed for class.

"So, what's this big news?" Max asked.

"Huh?"

"The exciting news you were going to give me, remember?"

"Oh, my gosh! I completely forgot!" Liz started bouncing in excitement. Max looked down at her chest. He liked it when Liz became excited.

"Max, I'm going to Sweden!"

posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:48:01 PM
Chapter 3


"Sweden!" Max exclaimed.

"Yes! Isn't it exciting?!" Liz danced around in excitment. "Mr. Burns just told me about it . . ."

"Whoa! Slow down." Max laughed. "Who is Mr. Burns?"

"The new school councilor. He said there was a letter to the school from Doctor Holt. Apparently, she has her own research lab in one of her homes in Sweden, and she wants me to do research with her there," Liz's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Is this the infamous Dr. Laura Holt from Harvard?" Max asked as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"Yes!" Liz couldn't believe it! The famous scientist actually knew who she, Liz Parker, was. "I can't believe it! She actually asked for me personally!"

"Of course she did." Max said. "She can tell how smart you are from all those letters you sent her." Max laughed.

Liz groaned. "Those letters!! I think about those now, and they seem so juvenile."

"Liz, you are the least juvenile person I know."

"I know. But I was afraid that she might think I was some kind of freaky, nerdy, obsessed Laura Holt fan."

"You are a freaky, nerdy obsessed Laura Holt fan," Max grinned.

Liz snorted, "Well that can't be any worse than being an alien's girlfriend."

"Hey! You're not talking about me, are you?" Max put his hand over his heart and acted offended. "And remember, I'm not just an alien. I'm a 'beloved king' too."

"So says Mommy. Just because she said you were beloved, doesn't mean you were, ya know," Liz teased.

Max grinned. "But you love me."

Liz stopped, turned, and looked deep into his amber eyes. The earth stood still.

All that was, was them.

"Yes, Max. I do love you. With all my heart."

Max looked deep into her eyes. And for the first time in all his eighteen years, he felt completely at peace.

He put his lips on her brow and said, "That's all that matters."

They continued on to class.



Chapter 4


"Sweden!" Alex and Maria exclaimed in stereo.

"Why in the world would you go to Sweden?!" Maria said as she took her books out of her locker. "It's friggin cold there!"

Liz rolled her eyes. Trust Maria to come up with the negatives.

"You hate cold weather, Liz. Remember that camping trip your dad made us go on when we were ten? One night it got below 50 degrees and all you did was whine and complain, and then, you tried to use two sticks to start a fire inside our tent."

Horrified, Liz exclaimed, "I did no such thing!"

Alex, "Uh, Liz. I'm afraid I have to side with Maria on this one. I mean, usually, she's like, way off, but this time her warped memory is actually right. I was there, too." He pointed at Liz, "You and cold weather just do not go."

Liz huffed. "Well, . . . I'll just make sure to stay bundled."

"Bundled!? Liz, you start wearing sweaters when it gets below 80 degrees!" Maria said. "Just how much 'bundling' do you plan to do?"

"Maria, I'm sure they have indoor heating. It's not like they live in igloos."

"Hey! I just thought of something incredible," Alex exclaimed. "Since we all slept together in the same tent, that means, I'm probably one of the only guys at Roswell High who has slept with two girls at the same time!" Alex grinned.

Liz and Maria stared at him, thunderstruck. Then, they dissolved into laughter.

"Alex! We were only ten," Maria gasped between laughter.

"And the operative word is 'slept,'" Liz chuckled.

"Hey! It was just a thought!" Alex paused. "And it got you two to stop fighting," Alex said.

Liz and Maria stopped laughing.

"Liz, I don't want you to go all the way to Sweden," Maria cried. "I'll be stuck here with 'Space Boy' and all our intergalactic problems. And our friend 'Skip' here," Maria motioned towards Alex, "will be no help."

"Hey!" Alex said, affronted, "I can give advise on relationships as well as Liz can."

"Oh, reeeaaallllly?" Maria said with raised eyebrows. "So. How are things going with Isabel?" Maria smiled innocently.

Alex thought for a moment, "OK. Never mind. Forget I offered my counseling services for 'The Dating an Alien Inc."

"That's what I thought," Maria said.

Grumbling, Alex headed towards the computer lab.

"Maria, this is such a great opportunity for me," Liz said. "And besides, this is the information age. All you have to do is pick up the phone and call me."

Maria closed her locker, and they started towards their next class.

"It's not the same," Maria said. Then, she smiled. "But I am happy for you." She thought for a moment, "How long are you going to be gone?"

Liz grinned, "Six weeks."

Maria groaned. "Six weeks with no one to discuss my 'special' relationship with one Michael Gurein."

"It'll go fast, Maria! And you can also email me."

"Like I know anything about computers," Maria snorted.

"Alex can help you," Liz replied.

"When are you going?"

"November! Right after Halloween."

"So, you'll still be able to make my annual "Come As You REALLY Are" Halloween party? Which is sponsored by my dear mother, of course," Maria asked.

Liz rolled her eyes. How do you tell your best friend that she gives 'Mary Tyler Moore' parties? Maybe I can talk Dr. Holt into letting me come early.

"Yes, Maria," Liz sighed. There really was no way out of it. "I'll be there."

"Cool!"

They walked along for a moment. Each in there own thoughts.

"How did Max take the news," Maria asked.

Liz frowned. "Surprisingly well." Liz thought for a moment. "Hhhmmm. I'm not too sure I like that."

posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:49:42 PM
Chapter 5


"Sweden!" Michael exclaimed. "Why would she go to Sweden? It's friggin cold there!" Michael scowled.

They sat at their regular place in the school cafeteria.

Max rolled his eyes. Michael and his pessimistic attitude.

"I think she knows its cold there, Michael," Max said.

"Who is this Dr. Holt, anyway," Isabel asked as she bit into her sandwich.

"She's in charge of the Department of Microbiology at Harvard," Max said. "Liz has read some of her books. She really admires her."

"So, how does Dr. Holt know Liz?" Isabel asked.

"Through letters Liz has written to her," Max said. "Mr. Burns said that Dr. Holt has been keeping those letters. She also admires Liz's tenaciousness. Getting in to Harvard isn't easy. Liz has had to make sure she keeps up with all the interviews, papers, etc. She's also written letters to several staff members. . ."

"Who's Mr. Burns?" Michael asked.

"He's the new school councilor."

Max felt Michael stiffen beside him. Here we go, Max thought. But before Michael could say anything, Max turned to him and said, "I want you to check him out."

Michael and Isabel sat stunned for a moment.

"You mean you actually, like, want me to, like, take some, like, actual action," Michael asked in amazement.

"You've been around Maria, too much," Max chuckled.

"Huh?"

Max grinned, "Like, yes. I, like, want you to, like, do some, like, actual investigation on Mr. Burns."

Michael turned red, "Great I'm starting to speak the 'Maria' language, now."

Isabel couldn't help it, she started laughing.

"I thought you were going to try and stay away from Maria," she said. "You know, the whole 'being with me could get you killed,' thing?"

"I've tried, but everywhere I go. . . .there she is!" Michael's voice rose. "I go to the movies, and there she is with Liz watching the same movie I am, or in the same class, or at work, or she comes over to my place to stock my fridge. I even ran into her at the hardware store!" Michael's voice rose another notch. "THE HARDWARE STORE! Can you picture Maria at the hardware store?!"

Max and Isabel were doubled over laughing.

"What was she doing at the Hardware store," Max gasped trying to catch his breath.

"She said that a thingamajig in her sink wasn't working, and that the store clerk was not being helpful. So, of course, I had to go over to her house to fix the damn thing."

Isabel nearly fell off the cafeteria bench, laughing.

"You didn't have to go over to her house, Michael," Max pointed out.

"No, I didn't. But somebody had to have mercy on that poor store clerk," Michael grinned.

Max chuckled.

"Max. Do you really think that this new councilor could be trouble," Isabel asked as she calmed down.

Max thought a moment.

"The chances that the FBI would put another agent into the same disguise as a former dead agent are slim. But I'm not taking any chances," Max said. "Not with Liz."

"Hey, I'm on it," Michael said.

"But, be careful Michael," Max warned. "I don't want anything to happen to you either. And ask Valenti to help. He has the resources and experience we need. He knows how to investigate a person without starting trouble."

Max paused, letting his order sink in.

"Comprende?" Max asked.

Michael didn't like to admit that they needed help. They had depended on just the three of them for so long. . .

However, he was willing to compromise. If Max was behind him on investigating this guy, then he'd do it Max's way.

"Comprende," Michael responded.

And since you can never take action too soon, Michael got up and headed out of school.

"He's going to miss class again," Isabel sighed.

"And Valenti is going to kick his butt for it," Max grinned.

They ate in silence for a while. Each in their own thoughts.

Isabel glanced at Max. She knew her brother too well. She watched him as he ate. He had that preoccupied all I can think about is Liz look again. Isabel rolled her eyes.

She put down her sandwich.

"OK, Max. You can't fool me," Isabel said.

Max looked up, surprised. "What?!"

"I know it makes you feel miserable that Liz is going to be gone a whole six weeks," Isabel scoffed in her 'I'm the big sister and know everything tone'.

"No!" Max denied. "No. . . no, I . . . I . . . I'm not miserable," Max said in a low tone. "This . . . this is . . . is so great for her. I . . . I'm . . . glad that she's going to see a whole other country . . ." Max's voice trailed off as Isabel looked at him with her eyebrow raised.

Max put down his sandwich and sighed. He couldn't choke another bite down anyway.

"Fine," he said. "I'll admit it. I'm not happy that Liz is going to be gone for six weeks." Max groaned. "Six Weeks! That's forever!" And he plunked his head down on the cafeteria's table.

Isabel patted his bent head.


posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:51:22 PM
Chapter 6


"So, what are you going as?" Isabel asked her brother as he walked into their living room.

"Huh?" Max replied.

"What costume are you going to wear?" Isabel rephrased the question.

"Costume?" He gave her an open mouthed 'fish' look.

Isabel rolled her eyes. She put the Cosmo magazine she had been leafing through down on their coffee table, and spoke slowly, "What-are-you-going-to-wear-to-Ma-r-ia's-Hall-o-ween-part-y?"

"I'm not a child, Isabel," Max snapped.

"Then, stop acting like one," Isabel snapped back.

"What the hell are you talking about!" Max raised his voice.

"Weelll, let's see," Isabel started counting off on her fingers, "there's the sulking and the pouting and the surliness, the moodiness. . ."

Isabel stopped to let all this sink in.

Embarrassed, he scratched his head. "Have I really been pouting?" Max asked sheepishly.

"Like a five-year-old who just had his teddy bear taken away."

"My teddy bear is being taken away," Max pouted.

"Max!" Isabel admonished.

"I know, I know!" Max sighed. "I just can't believe she's going to be going so far away."

Isabel sighed. "I know you love her. But Max really. . ."

"I'm sorry Isabel. I have been a jerk these past few weeks." He really hadn't meant to be. He was just so depressed about Liz going away. "Forgive me," Max came around the couch and sat beside Isabel, giving her his sad 'puppy dog' look.

"Max. Who do you think you're fooling with that 'puppy-dog-feel-sorry-for-me' look?" Isabel asked crossing her arms.

"It's always worked before," Max replied grinning.

Damn, him. He's right. But not this time, she thought.

"Nope. Not this time. I don't forgive you," Isabel huffed, picked up her magazine, and laid back on the couch. The magazine hid her face so that Max couldn't see her grin.

"Aww, come on Is. I'm really, really, really, reeeeeeally sorry," Max said as he grabbed her ankle and shook it to try and grab her attention.

Isabel flipped to another page. Pretending to ignore him.

Max got down off the couch to his knees and 'walked' to where Isabel was reading. "Izzy. Come on! What do I have to do to get you to forgive me? I'll do anything," Max grinned. He missed this playfulness that he and his sister used to share. They rarely teased each other anymore. Everything had been too serious lately. And this was fun.

Isabel glanced at Max out of the corner of her eye, "Anything?" she asked.

Max thought for a moment. Oh, no. I've been set up. He cleared his throat, "It depends on what 'anything' entails."

Isabel immediately sat up. "OK. Here's the deal. Maria and I get to dress you up for her Halloween party, and I won't give you the silent treatment and make your life a living hell."

"What!"

Isabel sighed. "Max, I know you! You'll come as a waiter or something equally boring," Isabel reasoned.

"What's wrong with being a waiter," Max asked. Truly affronted. "Liz says I look good in a tux."

"Yes, Max. I know you want to please Liz," Isabel rolled her eyes. "But I'm sure Maria and I can come up with something else that she would like to see you in. Even a tux gets boring after seeing your man in it for the last three parties."

Max stood up and began to back away. "Isabel, there is no way I'm going to let you and Maria dress me up like some. . . . . . some . . . . Barbie doll!"

Isabel stood up, "We won't dress you up like Barbie! You'll be more like. . ." Isabel thought for a moment. "Ken!"

Max looked at Isabel, horrified. "I remember what you used to do with your Ken dolls! And no thank you. I am not going to that Halloween party dressed in a ballerina costume!"

"Aww come on, Max, " Isabel grinned and took a step towards Max. "Liz would love you in tights."

This isn't fun anymore, Max thought.

This is fun, Isabel thought.

Max dashed around the couch and made for their hallway that lead to his bedroom.

"Forget it, Isabel," he yelled back as he jogged down the hall.

Isabel heard his door slam shut.

With a smug grin, she pick up her cell phone and hit the automatic dial button.

Her grin got wider as she heard Maria's voice in the background over the phone.

"Michael!! Will you please give me my damn phone!"

"Who is this!?" Michael demanded. Isabel could picture his scowl.

Still in a playful mood, she spoke in a low tone, pretending to be a man. "This is Maria's fiance. Who the hell is this?"

The silence spoke volumes.

"FIANCE!!!!" Michael shouted. Isabel held the phone away from her ear. "You didn't tell me you had been seeing other men, Maria!"

Isabel started to giggle, "Michael! It's just me, Isabel. Now, stop yelling at Maria and let me talk to her."

"Isabel!!!" She could hear how relieved he was. Then, "Don't ever do that again," Michael shouted.

There was commotion as he handed the phone over to Maria.

"Isabel! What are you trying to do to me," Maria scolded Isabel.

"I almost got him, Maria." Isabel said excited. Ignoring Maria's scolding. "Just give me one more day. He'll break. Trust me."

Maria sighed. "Well, once you've got him compliant, call me, and we'll take him shopping." Maria snorted. "It's ironic that we can't get Max out of a tux, and I can't get SpaceBoy here to even try one on."

Isabel could hear Michael make a tart retort in the background.

"So, how are things going with Michael," Isabel asked.

"I'm working on him," Maria replied.



Chapter 7


"There is no way I'm wearing this. . . this. . . thing in public, Maria!" Max yelled through the dressing room door.

"Oh, come on, Max! Be adventurous!" Maria encouraged.

"Adventurous?! I have no interest in getting arrested for indecent exposer, Maria!" Max yelled back.

Maria sighed.

Four hours. We've been trying on costumes for four, freakin' hours. And my best-friend's boyfriend is sssssoooooooooo picky and shy that he can't even decide on a costume. She thought. Isabel had given up on Max over an hour ago. And though Maria had been very patient, she was about to reach her limit. She suddenly appreciated Michael's habit of making hasty decisions.

"Max!" Maria said impatiently, "What the hell is wrong with showing a little skin? Liz will love it!" Especially with a bod like yours. Maria thought. Then, grinned a little sheepishly.

"This is not a little skin, Maria! This is full-body exposure."

"Oh, Max! Stop exaggerating!"

"It's a loincloth, Maria!"

"It covers the important parts."

"Think of something else, Maria."

Maria rolled her eyes.

"Four hours, Max! We've been doing this for four freakin' hours! Make up your mind already!"

"I thought that's what you and Is wanted to do. You know, make up my mind for me," Max said sarcastically.

"Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhggggggggggg!" Maria through up her hands experation. "Oh, I give up!"

"May I make a suggestion?" a voice said.

Maria looked towards the changing area's entrance. A sales lady stood there holding a shirt and pants.

"I think I have something that would be perfect," she said.

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

Liz's costume jangled as she jogged down the backstairs of their home into the Crashdown's kitchen.

Her red harem costume was accented with gold trim. Also a metal 'belt' wrapped itself around her, showing off her tiny waist. Her stomach was smooth and flat and trim. The red outfit made her skin glow sensually. She knew she looked good. But she had no idea of just how beautiful she really was.

A gold-coined head piece adorned her forehead. And her red headscarf flowed down her back, and bellowed out as she ran down the stairs.

She was so excited.

This would be the last night she and Max would be together before she left for Sweden. They had been taking things slowly . . . in the sex department, since the night of Gomez.

And tonight she planned to change that.

Seduction was her plan.

She simply could not be away from him for six weeks without feeling him inside her one more time. She remembered the night they had made love for the first time. It had been so unexpected. And so wonderful.

He had come to her bedroom window with Gomez tickets, begging her to go with him. Even if it's just as friends, he had suggested.

But she hadn't wanted to be just friends. That's why being around Max had frightened her. He belonged to Tess. They were practically married, and they had belonged to another world.

They may not remember being married, but it was still a fact. And that world was depending on them.

From time to time, Liz still felt guilty about this. Tess had left, of her own free will. And Liz had to admit that she was glad. But somewhere out there, a planet full of beings were waiting for Max, Isabel, and Michael to come and save them. She realized there was nothing that she could do about this, but she still couldn't help but feel that she was holding Max back from helping these beings.

She tried to shake off these thoughts. She could not help these beings, and neither could Max. He was stuck here on earth with no way home. And it was useless to waste energy thinking about it. Though she did think about it often. More than she would like to admit.

And she knew Max did, too.

"Look at you!" Alex exclaimed as he pushed through the Crashdown's 'employees only' doors. "Plan on doing a little belly dancing for us at the party," he asked wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

Liz blushed. "Shut up, Alex!" And she punched him playfully.

Alex snickered.

"So, what are you supposed to be," Liz asked. She saw that he was wearing an 'Errol Flynn' costume. Complete with the big hat with the outrageously long feather sticking out of it. His costume consisted of a shirt which was barely laced up the front and his black pants molded to his body. A fake sword was seethed at his hip.

"Can't you tell!" Alex exclaimed. He turned so that his profile faced her.

"You're going as Pinocchio," Liz exclaimed.

Alex looked at Liz. Horrified. "No! I am not Pinocchio!"

"Then, what's with the looong plastic nose?"

"I am Cyrano de Bergerac," Alex said with his 'nose' stuck up in the air.

"Who?"

"Cyrano De Bergerac," Alex stated in experation. "You know the guy from the play of the same name." Alex started to use a snobbish/English accent as he spoke. "He was terribly romantic, funny and smart. But none of the girls would go for him because of his reeeeally long nose. So, finally he fell in love with the most beautiful girl of them all. Only to find that this really stupid but handsome guy was in love with her too. So, he coached the guy to read his poems and love sonnets to her. Because he knew that she would never fall in love with him and his nose."

Alex paused. Then, taking off is hat, he sighed. "It just seemed appropriate for Maria's 'Come-as-You-Really-Are-Halloween' Party."

Liz reached up and hugged him. "Having trouble with Isabel?"

"We'd have to actually 'be' together to be having troubles," Alex replied sadly.

Maria came through the door. "Hey, what's going on?"

Alex sighed. "Just feeling a little sorry for myself for a moment."

"Alien troubles," Maria asked.

Alex nodded.

"Tell me about it," Maria mumbled. Then, "But tonight, there is no moping allowed. All must, and will have fun at my party."

Alex and Liz rolled their eyes and gave each other a knowing look.

Before Alex could make a smart retort Liz asked Maria, "Why aren't you dressed up?"

Maria just smiled. "Oh, I have something special planned for my grand entrance at the party."

"Like what," asked Alex.

"It's a surprise," Maria said. Then, she turned to Liz. "Liz there's a customer sitting outside who specifically asked for you. I think you better go see what he wants," Maria grinned.

"This late!" Liz exclaimed. "Maria, Max will be here any minute to pick me up! And besides, we're closed."

"I know," Maria turned to hide a smile. "But he was really insistent. I just couldn't turn him down."

"Well, I'll just go and tell him we're closed, and that I'll be happy to serve him tomorrow when we're open," Liz said as she marched through the swinging doors, scarves bellowing out behind her.

As she charged forward, she could hear Maria ask Alex, "What's up with the nose?"

Liz grinned. But it disappeared as she neared her latest customer. He was sitting in Max's favorite booth. Not only does this jerk think he can get service after we're closed, he uses Max's booth to do it in.

She couldn't see the guys face as he lounged back in the booth. He was obviously dressed to go to a costume party also, though his costume was more subtle than most.

He wore all black. From the cowboy hat covering his face to the spurs on his boots. His shirt had the top three buttons undone and his chest looked massive as his black shirt hugged it.

I don't care how good he looks. Liz thought. This guy can go take a hike!

"Sir," Liz started, "I'm afraid we're closed for this evening. If you'd like to come back tomorrow before 9pm, we'll be glad to give a great meal."

So there! Liz thought.

"I don't know about that, little lady," Max's voice said with a Texas accent, "I came an awful long way . . . "

"Max!" Liz exclaimed.

Max reached up with his thumb and pushed back his cowboy hat. He grinned at her, until, he saw what she was wearing. He sat up straighter as he looked her up and down.

"Wow!" he whispered.

"Max Evans! That was not nice. Getting Maria to play a trick on me like that. . . " she teased.

Max could not stop looking at her.

Damn! She looked good in red!

He wanted to lay his hands on her smooth, flat, exposed stomach. Then, he'd run his hands up to her harem bra and gently massage her breasts. He had discovered the night of Gomez, that she liked him to gently put his hands over her breasts and massage and knead them. . .

"Max."

"Huh?" He couldn't stop looking at her.

"Maaaxxxxxx. . . ." Liz used a sing-song voice. Knowing that she had his full attention, she asked, "Do you like my costume?"

She raised her arms above her head and slowly swung her hips back and forth causing the belt around her waist to jangle in time with her movements.

Max had to gulp twice before he could answer her.

"Yes. I like it." It was all he could get past the lump in his throat.

She slowly brought her arms down back to her sides. Then, she slowly leaned over the table til their faces were almost touching.

"You know what . . ." She whispered.

"What," Max whispered back.

Liz smiled seductively. She then made sure that Max could see her eyes travel his body . . . very slowly while her hand caressed his skin that was exposed by his shirt.

"I like your costume, too," she breathed the words onto his lips as she closed the distance between them, and gave him a kiss that had no other purpose than to seduce. She quickly licked his lips. Then, gently she bit and tugged on his lower lip as she pulled away.

She turned around and started towards the back of the Crashdown.

"Wait for me. I'll be back," she said.

Max cleared his throat, and tried to talk in a tough 'cowboy' voice as he said, "Well, don't keep me waitin' little lady."

Liz had reached the swinging doors. She looked back at Max with her eyes lowered seductively. Again she raised her arms above her head and gave quick shake, causing her belt to jangle.

Max felt his mouth water.

She pushed through the doors and was gone.

Max grinned. He lounged back again in his favorite booth and pulled his hat over his face.

It was going to be an interesting evening.

He couldn't wait.


[ edited 1 time(s), last at 5-Jan-2003 9:26:42 PM ]
posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:53:04 PM
Chapter 8


The party was in full swing as Max, Liz and Alex walked into the school gym. Maria's Mom had the gym decorated with Halloween paraphernalia from the top of the festooned ceiling to the newly polished floor. A modern 'disco ball' hung from the ceiling, and it rotated slowly as it flickered light in the dimly lit gym.

The Monster Mash played as people wearing every type of costume from vampires to dinosaurs were out on the dance floor moving awkwardly to the music.

Liz craned her neck and looked around the room, "I don't see Maria."

"Well, she said she wanted to make a grand entrance," Alex said.

"An entrance?" Max asked.

"Don't ask," Liz laughed. "Not even, I know what Maria has planned, and I don't think I even want to know."

Max and Alex laughed as they started to make their way around the gym.

"Is Isabel going to be here," Alex shouted above the music.

"Yeah, she left home about an hour before I did," Max yelled back.

"Was. . .a. . ." Alex hesitated. "Was she, like, with someone?"

Max thought about lying. He liked Alex, and he didn't want to see him hurt, but he knew that Alex would find out the truth in the end.

"Yes. She came with Josh Reily," Max said.

Alex's heart fell. He had thought about asking Isabel to the Halloween party, but he had decided that his heart just couldn't take another rejection.

But this felt worse. She was here with someone else.

And his heart broke.

Liz saw the look on his face. "Alex, it doesn't mean anything. Isabel's dated lots of guys. It doesn't mean that she's bound and tied to any of them." She hated seeing Alex hurt like this. She love Isabel, more so because she was Max's sister than anything, but it made her angry that Isabel's actions kept hurting Alex.

"Yeah. Lots of guys," Max yelled, trying to help.

Liz gave Max a you're not helping things look.

Max looked sheepish.

Alex sighed, "Well you two kiddies have fun. I think I'm just going to mingle with the crowd. . ."

And he turned and started to walk away.

"Alex . . ." Liz started after him.

Max held her by the arm, "Let him go," he said. "He needs to be alone right now."

She looked at Alex's retreating back.

"But Max . . ."

"Trust me, Liz. He needs to be alone right now," Max said. And when she seemed unsure, Max said, "It's a guy thing. Trust me."

Liz sighed. She didn't like it, but she accepted it.

"Hey," Max said pulling her closer and giving her a little shake. "I'm an expert on pining a way for the girl I love. So, trust me, I would know."

He put one hand on her tiny waist, and brought her even closer. Then, using the other hand to take off the cowboy hat, he whispered in her ear, "Besides, I've been just aching and wanting to be alone with you . . ."

Liz closed her eyes and sighed as Max gently kissed the side of her neck.

Amy Deluca's cough broke them apart.

"Sorry, guys. But this is a public place, and I am your chaperon," Amy said resigned. "Not my favorite job. But, being the adult here, I am responsible for all you kiddies."

Max and Liz blushed, then Max moved to stand behind Liz.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Max said, "Great party, Mrs. Deluca."

"Aaawww. Thanks, Max!" Mrs. Deluca picked up the tail that completed her sensual cat costume and whirled it around, and said, "Twirnt, nothin' stranger."

Liz laughed while Max blushed.

"I'm surprised that everything is going so well," Liz said. "I mean, no offense, Mrs. Deluca, but Maria's parties don't usually turn out so well."

"That's why I took over this year," Ms. Deluca replied, laughing. "I love my daughter, but she has no organizational skills."

"So, where is she," Liz asked.

"She said she and Michael would be here later."

Stunned, Max said, "She talked Michael into coming?"

"Apparently so," Ms. Deluca replied. But before she could say more, she spotted a group of boys about to pour something suspicious into the punch bowl.

"Hey! You there! Just what do you think you're doing," she said as she marched in their direction, tail bouncing behind her.

Liz laughed. "She'll be busy tonight."

Max smiled. "Looks like it."

The Monster Mash ended and the DJ put on a song where the beat was sensual and alive.

Max put his hand on Liz's shoulder and looked down at her. He watched as she moved her body to the new music. Her face glowed with life, and her smile was one of excitement as she watched the others dance. Her eyes sparkled and her lips looked soooo temptingly kissable with the pink 'strawberry' gloss she had smoothed on them. The red color of her costume made her skin look tan and smooth, and the gold in her head piece made her eyes seem dark and mysterious.

She closed those eyes and raised her hands above her head and began to move her hips back and forth to the music. Max moved in front of her and gently placed his hands on her hips and slowly moved backwards, moving with the beat of the music until they were on the dance floor.

She followed him blindly, and with absolute trust.

He watched her body as it moved to the music. With every swish of her hips, her breasts swayed a little in her harem bra, and he could see them strain against the material. Again, it made him ache to move his hands up to them. The night of Gomez he had discovered that those breasts were one of the main keys to Liz's physical passion. Just breathing on them had made the nipples pucker and swell.

As they entered the dance floor, her arms came down to wrap themselves around his neck. Eyes still closed, she stepped into his space just enough so her body brushed against him. Teasing him. Taunting him. But never giving him all.

He groaned and moved his hands up almost to her breasts before detouring to around her back.

Liz pouted.

"Aww, Max . . . " she teased.

"Liz," he hissed. "We're in a public place." He reminded her.

Liz just smiled at him with her eyes lowered.

Suddenly, the beat picked up and Liz pushed away from Max. The disco ball began to spin faster making everything appear in slow motion.

Liz danced and gyrated to the new beat. And even though they were in the middle of the dance floor, her dance was just for him.

She spun around and around making her hair and scarves fly around, and Max walked around her and watched her as she moved. He didn't even pretend to dance. He was a voyeur. And she was his obsession. And when the beat reached its ending crescendo and Liz was at the height of her passionate dance, he was there to catch her up and raise her in the air only to let her slide down his body so her lips would be with his.

He knew that no matter how long he lived, and no matter how long they were together, this was the way he would always remember her. Alive, special, indescribable, beautiful, innocent. All those words and more described Liz Parker.


Chapter 9


Their kiss went on and on and on.

Even though the song had ended

Even though the dance had ended.

But Liz and Max were still in their own passionate world.

His hands found their way under the silky head scarf into her hair, and he leaned back so that her feet didn't touch the ground. He groaned as her breasts flattened out on his chest, and he could feel her nipples go hard.

When they came up for air, they gazed into each others' eyes.

Seeing each other's souls.

Breathing each other's air.

So, it took them a moment to realize that the thundering in their ears was not from within, but from the crowd that had surrounded them and was clapping and cheering them on.

"Woohoo!! Go Max Evans!!" Said the guy dressed as a policeman.

Several others wolf-whistled.

Girls were whispering to each other, "Who would have though that nerdy Liz Parker. . ."

Max set Liz down, and she buried her face in his chest. Max, though embarrassed too, could not stop from grinning.

"Maaaxxxx!" Liz swatted his chest. "This isn't funny!"

"Yes. . ." he tried to catch his breath, "Yes it is!" he said breaking into laughter.

Liz punished him by inconspicuously bumping her hips into the evidence of his arousal.

Max groaned and hissed, "Lizzzzzzz!"

It was Liz's turn to grin.

After a few more moments of cheering, a new song began to play, and the crowd started to break up and dance. But several guys walked by Max and gave him the age old male 'thumbs up' sign. Some even thumped him on the back, and told him to 'go-for-it.' And gave him a conspiratorial male wink.

Getting all this attention for kissing Liz was. . .interesting.

"Hey! Aren't you aliens supposed to be like, a little more, inconspicuous," A slurred voice said from behind Max.

Liz and Max both froze. Petrified.

Oh, my God! Liz thought.

Max slowly turned around.

And breathed a sigh of relief.

"Kyle! Don't ever do that again!" Max said.

"And don't say such things so loudly," Liz admonished looking around to see if anyone had heard Kyle's statement.

Then, she started to laugh when she saw Kyle's costume. He was wearing a prohibition 1920s gangster outfit. Complete with pinstripe suit and hat.

"Kyle! A gangster outfit?! What made you dress up as a criminal?" Liz asked laughing.

Kyle dropped the Brooklyn slur as he laughed and said, "Teenage, rebellion!" Kyle grinned. "You know, my dad being a cop and all, I thought it would drive him crazy. Make him wonder what's really going on in my head." He tapped the side of his head. "Keeping parents awake at night is every teenager's responsibility," Kyle grinned.

They all shared a moment of laughter.

Then . . .

"Kyle!" Kyle cringed as he heard his name being called by one Ms. Amy Deluca. "Kyle," she said as she marched up to him. Tail swinging. "I had you on punch-bowl duty! Where were you? I just caught several of your football buddies trying to spike the punch."

"Uh . . . sorry, Ms. Deluca," Kyle looked sheepish. He liked Ms. Deluca, and he knew his dad did, too. He didn't want her to be angry at him.

"Well . . ." Amy couldn't stay angry at Kyle for long. She grinned. He looked too much like his dad. But she hid her grin and turned to Liz and Max with a stern look. "I can see that you were . . . distracted by the floor show," she drawled.

Max and Liz didn't know what to say. They both blushed.

All three were saved when Amy suddenly squawked. She whirled around to see someone dressed as a ghost running in the opposite direction.

"If one more person pulls on my cat tail," Amy said through gritted teeth. Then, she began pursuit. "Come back here you. . . "

They watched Amy disappear into the crowd of dancers in hot pursuit. Liz, Max and Kyle stood there for a stunned moment, then dissolved into laughter.

"Did. . .did you see the look on Ms. DeLuca's face," Kyle gasped.

His comment only made them laugh harder.

Then, they made their way off the dance floor. Kyle telling them that he had to get back to his 'punch bowl' duty before 'Attila-the-Kitty-DeLuca' came back and found the post abandoned again. Not only would he have her wrath to deal with, but his dad's too.

Max and Liz waved him off.

"You want to sit down and rest a moment," Max asked. "That . . . um . . . dance must have exhausted you."

He wiggled his eyebrows.

Liz laughed.

"No, I'm not tired at all. As a matter of fact," Liz got closer to Max. "I feel, very, very revved up."

She smiled seductively.

Max couldn't stand it any more, "Let's just leave . . .now!"

Liz sighed. "Oh, Max! I want to. But we can't leave until we see Maria. It is her party. And if I leave without seeing her, it'll hurt her feelings."

Max sighed in expiration. "Well, she better hurry. Or I'm going to kidnap you and give you no choice."

"Ooohhhh. Max! I just love it when you're sooo forceful," Liz grinned, raised her arms and gave a little shake.

Max groaned. "Don't do that!"

Liz grinned and laughed.

"I'll go get you some punch. Yes. That's it! I'll go get you something to drink. You must be thirsty," Max babbled. He started off towards the serving table.

"Just make sure it's not spiked!" Liz called after him. Laughing. It was so good to be having fun after all they'd been through.

She watched him disappear into the crowd.

"No! No!" Liz heard Alex yell in frustration. "I'm Cyrano De Bergerac! Not Pinocchio!"

Startled and anxious by the anger and frustration in his voice, Liz followed Alex's voice. She found him with a bunch of his nerdy, computer buddies.

Obviously, they did not understand his costume.

"Don't any of you read anything besides computer manuals!" Alex was yelling at them. He could be heard half way across the gym.

All the cyber-nerds were standing there, stunned, with their mouths open.

The one dressed as a floppy disk looked especially ridiculous.

"Alex!" Liz called as she ran towards him.

"What's a matter?" he said sarcastically. "Don't you know how to be romantic?"

All he got were fish looks.

"Don't you know how to tell her she's the most beautiful princess in the whole universe!" His voice was getting louder and louder.

"Alex!" Liz yelled as she came to his side.

"What!" He yelled back. Then, he saw it was Liz and did a double take. "Oh, sorry Liz."

"Alex, calm down. Everyone can hear you."

"At least if everyone hears me, I won't have to explain my costume 200 more times!" Alex's voice rose in frustration.

"Come on Alex," she began to pull him away from his cyber friends.

But he kept muttering.

"What does she see in that over-muscled-over-haired Josh Riley anyway? Like, when are they supposed to actually converse? After he finishes, remedial English? The only words I've ever heard him say are 'uga-buga'. "

"Alex! Stop it! This isn't like you."

"Well, . . . I don't feel like myself tonight."

"You don't normally feel sorry for yourself like this."

"Well, I feel like feeling sorry for myself tonight, OK. So, just leave me alone!"

"Alex!" Liz exclaimed. Hurt.

Alex sighed. "I'm sorry, Liz." He didn't know what else to say.

"I . . . I just need to be alone right now!"

He looked into his empty paper cup.

"And I need more punch. I'm thirsty again."

He began to head towards the serving table.

Liz noticed that he staggered and swayed a bit.

Liz rolled her eyes. So much for the punch bowl not being spiked.

Alex was drunk as a skunk.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:54:05 PM
Chapter 10A


"Alex!" Liz yelled chasing after him. He wasn't walking that fast, but his long legs meant that Liz had to run to catch up with him.

She caught him just as he reached the punch bowl.

"Alex, don't drink that!"

Alex frowned in confusion. "Why? I'm thirsty."

"Alex, it's spiked."

"Oh!" He looked down into the bowl, still confused. "How did you know?"

Liz rolled her eyes. "Because you are drunker then a wino who's been locked all night in a liquor store!"

"Oh." Alex swayed back and forth, looked down into his empty cup, and said, "That would explain why the gym floor suddenly isn't level anymore."

"I would say so." Liz said. She took the cup out of his hand, placed it on the table, and grabbed his arm. "Let's find Max and get you into some fresh air."

She began to look frantically around for Max.

Shouldn't he be somewhere near the punch bowl?

She caught a flash of someone in black towards the front of the gym. She headed towards the figure, pulling Alex along.

"Liz." Alex moaned. "Not so fast! My head is swimming!" He put his hand on his head and moaned again.

"Max!" Liz called, still dragging Alex behind her.

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

Max heard her calling his name.

He had panicked when he could not find her after leaving the punch bowl table--without punch. He had smelled the alcohol before he even got to the table.

Max grinned. Kyle was in BIG trouble!

But, he had not immediately gone back to Liz. He needed to cool down. So, he had taken a few moments to calm his racing heart.

Deep breaths. Just take deep breaths. Max kept telling himself.

After he had gained control of his libido (somewhat), he had returned to Liz, only to find that she wasn't where he had last left her. He began to frantically look around. He knew it was a little preemptive and silly to panic, but it wasn't like Liz to just disappear like that. She knew how worried he got when he didn't know where she was.

They just couldn't be too careful.

Then, he had heard Alex's voice coming from the back of the gym. He grinned. So, that's where she's got to.

He headed in their direction, only to find a bunch of Alex's computer pals in a state of shock. Max had heard the majority of Alex's comments and could understand their open mouthed fish looks.

He continued his search until he heard her call his name.

He turned around and saw her coming towards him, dragging a very sluggish and obviously drunk Alex behind her.

"Max," she said out of breath. "We need to get Alex out into the fresh air to sober him up," she paused. ". . . before we take him home. You know, so he won't get in trouble with his parents."

"Trouble!?" Alex exclaimed. "Why would I be in trouble? I didn't know the punch was spiked." Alex said with much indigence. "And why is the room spinning around and around and . . ."

Alex began to topple. Liz tried to hold him up, catching the feather from his hat in her face. She sputtered.

It took Max's strong arms to detour disaster.

"Whoa, Alex," Max drawled as he pushed Alex upright. "You're a leanin' a bit far over ther' partner." Max grinned.

"I was doin' jus fine," Alex said with as much dignity as a soused friend could.

Maybe, if I stand reeeaaallllyyy still, the world will come back into focus. Alex thought to himself.

Max laughed.

"Max, we need to get him out. . ." Liz began. But before she was able to finish, the party music stopped and the lights went out.



Chapter 10B


Max knew a moment of trepidation. He could not see Liz. "Liz! Where are you!"

"I'm over here . . . oommff. Ouch! Aleeeex!"

"Liz, are you all right?" Max asked in desperation.

The crowd around them murmured in the dark.

"I'm OK," Liz replied. "If I can just keep Alex upright." Her voice sounded strained, like she was carrying extra weight.

Max tentatively put his hands out in front of him to see if he could help.

He didn't like what he touched.

"Hey!" Alex yelped.

Max snatched his hands away and felt his face flame.

"I'm not that drunk buddy!"

"I'm sorry," Max said, horrified. "I didn't mean . . ."

Liz giggled.

Somewhere from above, a spotlight broke through the darkness and shown on the open front gym doors.

The cool night air filtered in, and there was a moment of silence and stillness.

Then, old Egyptian music began to play as five girls dressed in long white dresses and black bobbed wigs came through the door tossing rose petals on the gym floor. Their eyes were outlined in thick black eyeliner, and each one wore a lose gold belt around their middle. On their foreheads they wore bands of gold that crested into the image of snakes and eagles.

After them, came a man dressed in a white tunic and sandals strumming a lyre.

"It may be," Alex hiccupped, "that I'm jus too drunk . . . but isssnt that the gayesssst thing you ever sssaw?"

Liz doubled over laughing.

After the 'gay lyricist', came a small troop of marching 'Roman' soldiers.

Maria, what is this? thought Liz.

The party goers were getting in to the act, cheering on the small parade. Curious as to what came next.

"Look," said Alex. "They even have ssshh--oorrddd--sss--a!"

Next, came Maria . . .

Or rather, Cleopatra.

She was lying on her side, along a canopy-like bed that was being carried by four very tall, very muscular men.

She wore an Egyptian wig, and she was adorned with Egyptian jewelry. Gold. Silver.

In front of her was a plate of grapes she munched on when she wasn't waving to her adoring new fans.

Everyone loved it! They cheered her on.

"Hail! Cleo!" Someone yelled.

"Yo! Cleo, babe! You. Me. A date. Friday night!" Another yelled.

The Queen lifted her eyebrow and gave a thumbs down to the suggestion.

"Awww. Come on babe! Your breakin' my heart!" The heckler continued good-naturedly.

Cleo sniffed. And continued to eat her ambrosia.

"Look," Alex snickered. "Thosssse men carrin' Mar . . . I mean Cleo are wearing diaperssss!"

Liz laughed. "Alex! They're not diapers! They're loincloths!"

"Same thing," Alex reasoned.

They paraded Maria around the gym.

Everyone cheered and tried to reach up and touch their new 'Queen'.

Maria acted bored.

As she passed by Liz, Max and Alex, Liz called up to her.

"Maria! Maria! Down here!"

Maria sighed and addressed her dutiful carriers. "Slaves! Stop! Lower me down, so I can speak with 'the little people.' "

"Maria! How did you get all this . . . nuttiness together?" Liz shouted above the crowds cheers.

"Maria? Maria? Who's this . . . Maria? I'm Cleopatra. Queen of the Nile." Maria drawled. Then, she winked at Liz and popped a grape into her mouth.

"Ooooo. Touchhhyyy!" Alex drawled back.

Liz laughed. "OK! Cleopatra where did all this come from?"

"Why, from my slaves of course!" Maria's eyes lingered on her muscled carriers. "They have to do everything I tell them to do." And she gave a feline smile.

Max and Liz grinned.

"Where's Michael?" Max asked looking around.

Maria grinned. "Oh, don't worry. He's coming. The night's not over . . . yet."

"Should I be worried?" Max joked.

Maria acted bored.

"Up! My Slaves! Up! Up, I say!" Her carriers hoisted her upon their shoulders once again. "You have to keep on these slaves or they get sooo lazy."

Everyone turned towards the front doors again as they heard a commotion.

"Will you hurry up and get this damn thing inside! It's frickin' cold out here!" Everyone could hear Michael's voice even though he was still outside the doors.

"And here he comes," Max laughed.

"And make sure you get me low enough so my head doesn't hit the door frame. I'm a tall guy, you know . . ."

And in came Michael.

Or rather Caesar . . .

He was sitting on a throne-like chair that was being carried by four very burly men. He wore a toga, and a wreathed 'crown' around his head.

But Caesar was not happy.

He held on to the arms of the chair for dear life. It was obvious he did not trust his carriers.

"I'm sliding a little forward here guys. Think you guys can lift up a little more?" Michael commanded.

Meanwhile, the crowd cheered.

"All hail, Caesar!"

"Long live, Caesar!"

"Yea, Yea. Whatever." Michael replied.

Max and Liz looked on in amazement.

"I hope Maria's paying those guys well," Liz said.

Max looked up at Maria/Cleopatra, "How in the world did you persuade him to do this?"

Maria began to laugh, "He lost the bet."

Max and Liz looked at each other in confusion.

"What bet?" Liz asked.

Before Maria could answer, Michael shouted across the gym.

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL THEM MARIA! DON'T YOU DARE!"

He was pointing his finger at Maria in utter frustration.

Maria lost it.

She began to shriek in laughter. She fell on her back in the canopy and laughed so hard she started kicking her legs.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:55:13 PM
Chapter 10C


Maria rolled back and forth on her 'bed' as laughter took her breath away.

"Will you stop laughing like a hyena!" Michael shouted across the gym.

"Michael always was a poor loser," Max told Liz.

"Slaves!" Maria said between fits of laughter. "Take me to my Caesar!" She drawled out dramatically. Then desolved into giggles again.

They turned her canopy and headed through the crowd for Michael.

Max and Liz were loving the show.

As was everyone else.

They kept chanting. . .

"Long live Caesar! Long live Cleo!" They shouted.

Max put his arm around Liz. "Come on. Let's go over there with them. Maybe I can give Michael some words of encouragement and support." Max laughed. He was having the time of his life.

Literally. He could not remember having such a good time.

Except when he made love with Liz of course.

"Oh, no!" Liz exclaimed.

"What!?"

"Alex is gone!"

"What!" Max turned around. Looking. Liz was right. He had disappeared.

How could someone so tall, just vanish like that?

Liz craned her neck. Looking for Alex's feathered hat.

"We have to find him before he gets into trouble," Liz said.

"Let's go over to Michael and Maria. They have a better view of the gym," Max suggested.

Liz agreed.

Max took her hand and weaved them through the crowd towards the 'royal' couple.

By the time they reached them, Max had a grin on his face again. He couldn't help it. He just had to say it.

"Hey, Michael. I thought I was supposed to be Caesar."

"Oh, shut up!" Michael huffed. "This," Michael spread his arms wide, showing off his attire, "was not my idea!"

"But Michael," Maria purred, "you look so goood in a bed-sheet."

"I can't believe the idiots in Rome used to wear these things." Michael complained. "I mean how did they stay warm wearing bed-sheets with no underwear underneath?"

Maria blinked.

"Michael," she used her 'I'm speaking to a child' voice, "when I told you that the Roman's didn't wear underwear, I didn't mean, that you had to go without, too."

There was a moment of silence as Michael's dignity popped and fizzed out.

"Oh." He said.

Then, "Well, I wish you had told me that before! This thing is kind of drafty, you know!"

Liz was hiding behind Max with her face in his back trying to contain her laughter.

Maria sighed. Then, a thought hit her, and her demeanor changed. She laid out on her stomach, her chin in her hand and looked directly at Michael.

"So," she said, eyebrow raised. "You. . .uh. . .really have, like, nothing on under there . . . Spaceboy?"

Michael looked everywhere except at Maria.

Maria looked at his lap.

And grinned.

"Oh, yea! You're definitely nudy-tudy under there!"

Michael didn't blush. He never blushed. Or so he told himself. But this was just too much.

I mean, in front of the whole damn world!!

In desperation, he whipped off his 'wreathed crown' and placed it in his lap.

"Ooooo. Now, we can have target practice," Maria teased.

"Damit, Maria!"

Liz was sure she was going to pass out. Between, keeping her face pressed into Max's back and trying to control her laughter, she was just sure she was going to faint dead away.

And she could not let that happen. She had to find Alex.

Alex!

She tugged on Max's sleeve. He wasn't much better off than she was. His shoulders were shaking.

She took in a gulp of air and said, "Remember, Alex . . ."

But then, she needed air again.

"Right!" Max said, getting back to the business of keeping their friend out of trouble. But still grinning.

"Look, Alex is drunk, and he's missing. We need to find him before he caused himself trouble. Can either of you see him from way up there on you're lofty royal perches?"

"Alex's been drinking!" Maria shrieked.

"Punch bowl got spiked," Liz said.

"Oh."

Maria and Michael scoped out the gym. They looked in every direction. But there was no sign of Alex.

"Spread out, everyone," Max said.

They all went in different directions. Calling out his name.

And the party went on.

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

Alex stumbled as he reached the outside steps that lead down from the gym.

Fresh air. Liz said that I needed fresh air.

He took a deep breath of crisp cold air.

And almost fainted.

He grabbed the rail and sat down heavly on the third step.

Much to his relief, closing his eyes made the tilting, twirling world fade for a moment.

He took off his hat, sat it beside him and leaned his head against the arm that still held on to the railing.

He took another deep breath and felt the cold air go all the way down to his lungs.

This time he felt more revived. So, he took a chance and opened his eyes.

Then, he quickly shut them again.

Great! Just great! Now, I'm having visions! And the vision is, is that I am going to make a drunken fool out of myself in front of one Isabel Evans!

"Alex? Are you all right," she asked.

Alex sighed, "Sure. Fine. Just great!"

"Are you sure, you look a little . . . flushed."

"Yea. Flushed. Flushed right down the toilet," he murmered.

"What?"

"Never mind."

They were silent for a moment. Isabel not knowing what to say, and Alex afraid he might say something stupid.

Finally, Isabel said with a forced laugh, "That was great entrance! Wasn't it? Maria and Michael," she paused, uncertain. "Don't you think?"

"I didn't see Michael. Was he there, too?" Alex still had his eyes closed and was trying to sound interested in the conversation. Trying to get her image out of his head. It was easier when he didn't have to look at her.

"Don't you have a date, Isabel," Alex reminded her.

Isabel sighed, "'Mr. Caveman, let's club her over the head and drag her off to my cave and have way with her Reily,' went a little too far. . ."

Alex was at immediate attention. Wide eyed and sober. "Did he hurt you? Did he lay a hand on you?"

"No! No! Alex. I'm fine! Really. He just wanted more than I was willing to give," Isabel smiled. "But thanks for caring. It's nice to have a defender."

She walked up the steps, moved his hat and sat down beside him.

"Isabel, your dress . . ." Alex reminded her. Then, he realized the irony of her costume.

She was dressed as a . . . princess. Complete with pink and purple ruffles and the pointy hat with the silky material hanging down from the tip.

"Don't worry, Alex. One advantage to being an Alien, is with a quick wave of the hand, quick spot removal," Isabel smiled.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment.

Isabel sniffed.

"Alex?"

"Yea."

"I don't mean to be rude, but have you been drinking?" She couldn't believe that she was actually smelling alcohol on Alex Whitman's breath.

Alex sighed in resignation. "Punch bowl got spiked."

"Oh." Isabel gave a little laugh. "You better be careful now! Some girl might want to come along take advantage of you in your state," she teased.

"Couldn't have that now could we?" Alex said. Only if it were you. He thought.

"You know, maybe I should drive you home," Isabel suggested.

"The party's just getting started! You don't want to leave now!"

"What could top, Maria and Michael's entrance," Isabel scoffed. "It'll be boring from hear on out. And I'm sure Max and Liz will disappear soon, so there's really no reason for me to stick around and watch Michael and Maria skirt around each other. I'd rather drive a friend home."

Friend. At least she thinks of me as a friend. It's a start.

"OK," Alex said.

"Let me give Max the keys to the Jeep and we can take your car."

"Sounds good to me."

Isabel stood up and handed Alex back his hat. She headed towards the gym.

Before she reached the entrance, Alex called out, "Isabel!"

She turned around and looked his way.

"Aren't you going to ask about my costume?"

She frowned, confused. "What about it?"

"Don't you want to know what I am?"

Isabel rolled her eyes, "Alex! I'm not dumb, I know who you are. It's so obvious! You're Cyrano de Bergerac!"

Alex's felt his mouth gaped open.

"I'll be right back," Isabel turned and disappeared into the gym.

Alex whispered into the night . . .
My heart to yours sounds but one cry:
If kisses fast could flee
By letter, then with your sweet lips
My letters read should be!
If kisses could be writ with ink,
If kisses fast could flee!'




God! I love that woman's mind!

posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:57:14 PM
Chapter 11A


Max spotted his sister as she walked through the gym doors.

Maybe she's seen Alex.

He began to make his way over her, ducking underneath Maria's 'bed' on the way. While under there, he playfully poked the underside.

"Hey!" Maria exclaimed.

Max turned back and grinned at her.

Maria pouted.

"Isabel!" he yelled, trying to get her attention.

The party was still going on around them.

Isabel turned to him, keys stretched out for him.

Max frowned. "What's this?"

"I'm taking Alex home. He's in no condition to drive."

Max smirked, "Tell me about it."

"Anyway, here's the keys to the jeep. So, you and Liz can have your makeout session in the comfort of your very own vehicle," Isabel teased.

"Isabel!" Max turned red.

I seem to be doing that a lot lately. He thought.

Isabel smirked at her brother. "Like you two don't plan on playing "Kissy-Face" later on tonight . . ."

"Well. . . . yes. But I don't want to talk about it with my sister!

Isabel just rolled her eyes.

"Where is he?" Max asked.

"He's outside on the steps," Isabel responded.

"Need any help?"

"No. He's not that far gone. Besides, I'm a strong alien girl. I can handle it."

She turned and walked out the doors.

Max was relieved. He knew that Is would take good care of Alex. He knew that Liz would be relieved, too. So, he went in search of his beloved.

He saw her talking to Maria. Cleopatra's 'slaves' had lowered her canopy to Liz's level.

He began to make his way towards them when he saw Michael waving him over.

He detoured and headed towards Michael.

Grinning, Max looked up at Michael and said, "Did you call me over, oh mighty Caesar?"

"You're just loving this, aren't you?" Michael asked. He shifted in his seat. "Will you guys keep that front end up!" Turning back to Max, "I'm gona fall out of this damn thing and break my ass or expose myself! And the way the night's going, it'll probably be both!"

Max laughed. "What are you complaining about? You get to be carried around like royalty! Have fun with it!"

Michael looked down at Max. He had never seen Max like this. So carefree and . . . loose. Max was the one who worried about everything. Max was the one who kept telling him that they always had to be careful, to never let themselves be noticed. To hide in plain sight Max was the one who never let anyone in but him and Isabel . . .

But seeing such happiness and joy on Max's face, gave Michael pause.

Maybe we do need to have fun once and a while.

He looked over at Maria. She was talking animatedly with Liz.

My, Cleopatra. Michael smiled.

She wasn't always a pain in the ass. He thought. So, sometimes she talked too much, or sometimes she was too dramatic . . .

Maria was smiling when she turned her head and caught Michael's eyes.

I've missed you. He wanted to tell her.

His heart beat faster, his palms became sweaty and he had the undeniable urge to slay all her dragons and make her his. He wanted to be her warrior, her protector, to be anything and everything she would ever need.

All this would be very difficult to do while being naked in a toga.

His thought made him smirk, and Maria's smile turned to a sad frown. She sighed and turned back to Liz.

Shit! Will I ever get this 'love thing' right! He asked himself in frustration. He cared about her, and all he ever did was hurt her.

"Michael?"

He looked down at Max.

"Are you all right?" Max asked.

Michael sighed, "Yeah . . . just . . . stuff . . ."

Max turned to see what Michael had been looking at.

Hhhhmmmm. . . .

He thought for a moment.

"Michael," Max began, "I don't know what our lives were like on Antar, but I do know this . . . we are now here . . . on earth, . . . on this planet. And there are people here who love us."

Michael looked up and gazed at Maria.

Max continued, "And we should embrace that."

"I know what life was like before Liz---before she knew who I really was. And, even though I had you and Isabel, I wouldn't want to go back to that life. I had this emptiness, this need that only Liz can fill."

When Michael smirked down at him, he continued a little defensively. "And it's not just physical or sexual, Michael. It's more personal." Max smiled. "I can now let someone in and be accepted for who I really am without the fear that she will think I'm a monster . . . or worse. Michael, do you know how freeing that is? Do you know how much peace that gives me? I was bound in a self-made cage, and Liz unlocked the door and let me out."

Max paused.

"Michael, you are my brother, and I want you to be able to feel this way. To be free. So, don't lock that door to your cage and keep everyone out. OK?"

Michael looked down and smiled, "That's quite a speech, Max."

Max smiled sheepishly.

Michael thought for a moment.

"I'll think about it, Max. But I'm not promising anything."

Good! It's a start. Max thought. "That's all I ask, Michael."

"Now, what did 'Caesar' want?" Max teased, picking up where their conversation had originally started.

Michael laughed. Well, why the hell not?

"I thought you might want to know what my spies found out about one councilor Burns," Michael said furtively.

Max immediately became serious. Liz was leaving tomorrow. Would she be able to go?

"What did you find out?"

"Nothing," Michael said.

"What!?" Max yelled. "What do you mean? Nothing at all?"

"Well, nothing out of the ordinary. Valenti did a background check. Burns grew up in suburban Dallas, Texas, had average grades, parents divorced, attended and graduated from North Texas University. His final major was Education with a minor in Mathematics. The dude changed majors, like, 15 times before he settled on becoming a low paid government lackey."

"No obsessions about aliens or UFOs, or anything like that?" Max asked.

"This guy doesn't even like Star Trek, Max."

Max sighed in relief. He would have liked to have had an excuse to keep Liz here, but not at the expense of having her life in danger.

A thought came to Max.

"Michael, how do you know that Burns doesn't like Star Trek?"

Michael turned to his 'slaves' grinned and shouted, "Up, slaves! Up! Keep that front end up! I don't want to have to flog any of you today!"

"Michael, please, say you didn't break into Burns' house."

"I didn't break into Burns' house." Michael parroted back.

"Michael!!!!" Max yelled.

"It was just to have a look around," Michael defended.

Max felt Liz come up behind him before she placed her hands around his waist.

"Kyle told us that he saw Isabel driving off with Alex," she whispered into his ear. "But how are we getting home?"

"Is gave me the keys to the jeep," Max replied. He turned his neck so that he could waggle his eyebrows and smile at her suggestively.

"Mmmmmmmm, nice. But we won't need the jeep. Except to drive to The Crashdown," Liz smiled back.

"I have plans for you . . ." Liz drew out the seductive whisper as she played with a button on his shirt.

It popped open.

Max's body was instantly on fire.

"We are leaving, like, now," Max stated. He grabbed Liz's hand and headed for the gym doors.

Liz giggled.


posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:58:46 PM
Chapter 11B


"Max!" Liz laughed. "Slow down!" Her hair and scarves were flying all over as Max raced out of the school parking lot.

At the sound of her voice, he looked down at his speedometer.

He gasped in shock.

How did we get up to 80mph!? We've just barely cleared the school parking lot!

He eased off the accelerator.

Deep breaths, Evans. Deeeeeeeep breaths. He kept repeating.

"Max, we have all night," Liz said as she eased her hand into the open collar of his black shirt.

Max groaned, "Liz! Don't do that!"

"Why, Max? Don't you like it?" Liz pouted. God! I love how hot his skin gets. Liz thought to herself.

"Max," she breathed. "You're skin is already so hot."

"That's what happens when you touch me, Liz."

Her pinkie rubbed across his nipple.

He nearly ran off the road.

Liz didn't even notice.

"I changed my mind, Max. Don't slow down. Hurry! Go faster!" Her breath was coming faster. She felt his nipple harden beneath her finger, and it made her so wet and hot that she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to go through with her plans. She had planned a slow seduction. She had wanted this to last all night.

But the way this was going, it'd be more like a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am/sir.

Her hand crept in further. In between her pinkie and third finger she pinched his nipple.

Max hissed. It took all his will to concentrate on the road. He wanted to close his eyes and concentrate on the feel of her hand teasing him.

Then, her hand was gone, but he could feel her opening the buttons on his shirt. She opened them all the way down to his belt buckle. She tore the ends out of his jeans and let the open sides flap in the wind.

The air was cold on his hot chest, and the wind made his nipples grow even harder.

"So, it's not just my nipples that are sensitive . . ." Liz teased.

We're almost there. We're almost there. Became Max's new mantra.

She began to run her hand all over his chest.

His breaths came faster and faster.

Oh, God!

When the lights of the Crashdown came into view, he almost sobbed. He was never so glad to see those lights. When they came into view, his hands tightened on the wheel, and his body's hardness doubled.

He didn't bother to park in front of the restaurant. He drove the jeep right around to the alley where the ladder that led up to Liz's room was.

Liz unbuckled her seat belt and was out of the jeep and up the ladder almost before the jeep had come to a complete stop.

"Max! Come on!" She commanded.

Max grinned. "Yes, ma'am!" Max slowly climbed out of the jeep.

"Max! Hurry up!" Liz had already reached the top of the ladder. She looked over her shoulder and gave Max an impatient look.

Max grimaced. "Liz, I have to walk a little slower right now. Otherwise, I may not be of much use to you when I get to the top of that ladder."

"Oh," Liz blushed. She pulled herself over the balcony. Then, she looked down and grinned. "We can't have that now can we?"

Max took some deep breaths. Jeezs!! Our last night together for six-weeks, and all I want to do is pump inside her until I can't think.

Not very romantic, Evans.


"Mmmaaaaxxxx!!!!!!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!"

"Not yet, I hope!"

Max groaned. He walked right into that one.

He slowly started up the ladder, "Just wait til I get up ther' missy."

"Oooooooo," Liz rejoined.

When he reached the top, he was amazed at what he saw. The lawn furniture was gone and had been replaced by . . . pillows. Lots and lots of pillows. In every different shape size and color. They covered the balcony's floor. He then noticed that Liz had set up a white 'tent' around the balcony. The edges of the 'tent' reached from one side of the balcony to the other, with an opening on the side where the ladder was.

"Wow!" Max breathed.

"Do you like it?" Liz asked eagerly.

"Like it? You're kidding, right?" He climbed over the last of the ladder and took her in his arms. "I love it! But I have just one question."

"What?"

"Am I the sheik or are you?"

"Max!!"

Max laughed and kissed her on the nose.

It was so much fun to tease her.

But Liz was not in a teasing mood. She grabbed his hand, pulled the opening of the tent closed to keep the rest of the world out, and pulled him towards the middle of her 'sheik's den'.

Taking a deep breath, she blushed and said, "I want to dance for you Max."

"You already did, remember?" he replied. He leaned forward and put his forehead on hers and smiled at the memory.

"No, not like that. A different sort of dance. A. . .a . . strip . . . striptease." Liz stuttered. Her heart pounding. She was a little nervous. Asking Max if she could strip for him was not an everyday occurrence for her.

She wants to dance and take off her clothes for me. I've died and gone to heaven. I'm just sure of it.

"Well," the air was rushing out of his lungs, "If you really want to. I'm all for it."

She gave a nervous laugh. "OK." She pointed to the pillows. "Just make yourself comfortable. Lay down. I'll start the music."

She walked over to her window and climbed through. Giving Max a nice backside view. A few moments later he heard music coming through her window. She climbed back on to her balcony. The music had a seductive drum beat.

Liz closed her eyes and began to move to the beat.

Max had arranged the pillows so that he could lay on his side and watch her as she moved. He had taken off his shirt in hopes that the cool air would keep his libido in check.

However, in their enclosed world, the heat began to rise.

She raised her arms over her head making her breasts push against the material. Her hips slowly rotated as only a woman's hips can. And the gold-coined 'belt' that circled her tiny waist jangled and kept time with the music.

Her arms came down as she turned her back to Max, her hands stopping at the headband that held her silky head scarf in place. She took it off and let it fall to the ground.

The drum beat immediately picked up and Liz's hips gyrated so fast that Max couldn't catch his breath.

She turned back to him and looked directly into his eyes.

Gone was the shyness she had displayed earlier. And in it's place was a turned on seductress on a mission.

Horns joined in on the drums and Liz began to twirl, scarves began flying everywhere. One came off, then another. All were thrown off with abandon.

She danced closer and closer to Max.

Her hair whipped across her face.

Her tongue kept darting out to moisten her pink lips.

Her face was flush with arousal.

Sweat trickled between her breasts.

And Max had never been more turned on in his life.

Even his most erotic fantasies of her had not aroused him this much.

He was so far gone that he wanted to reach down and touch himself; something he wasn't normally tempted to do. Not because it was immoral, but because he knew it would be nothing in comparison to being with Liz.

He controlled himself by clinching both his fists. His nostrils flared, and Liz's own special scent filled him. He closed his eyes a moment trying to get a hold of himself. Only to open them again to gaze into her normally deep, deep brown eyes only find them almost black with arousal.

The music slowed down again. She had come close enough to touch, but Max held back as her hips slowly swished in front of him. By now she had lost so many of the scarves that he could see her pubic hair through the remaining material.

He could also see that the material was wet.

He looked up at her. He saw that all knowing, feline smile. The smile that said, I WILL make you lose control. And you WILL be mine.

Max smiled back. I'm not the only one who will lose control.

The music picked up again. And she lost herself in the beat again.

She tore away the last scarves.

Max's heart thundered.

The music came to a sudden stop.

And so did Liz.

Right in front of Max.

She was left in nothing but see-through red panties that V'ed down her crotch, her gold-belt, and her harem bra.

She stood there. And her message was clear.

I'm here. We're turned on. Now, what do you plan to do about it?

Her heavy breathing made her breasts strain against her bra.

Max slowly rose to his knees.

His face level with her breasts.

He looked up. And they stared each other down.

Each daring the other to lose control first.

Breaths heavy.

Liz reached up and slowly unhooked the front of her bra.

Max watched. His body on fire.

One hook.

Then, the second.

Then, the third.

Each making a popping noise as she undid them.

She parted the sides.

Her pink hard nipples had nipple rings on them.

And Max lost it.

He made an almost inhuman sound. Then, he hauled her to him with one arm around her waist.

He devoured her breast. He sucked on it, bit it, licked the sweat off it.

Liz whimpered.

His other hand reached up into her hair and pulled her head back so that her chest was thrust forward and he could get more of her in to his mouth.

Liz whimpered again and buried her hands into his hair. Trying to pull him in closer.

There were no thoughts in his head. Just sensation. All of it surrounding Liz. Her smell, her taste . . .

He released her breast, took a needed breath, and began on the other.

Sucking.

Licking.

Tasting.

Liz could not stay still.

She went wild.

Her head tossed wildly back and forth in his hand as she choked back sobs and whimpers that only made Max harder.

Liz was dying of pleasure. It was like everything that was her was now pooled down in between her legs. She was so hot and wet down there that she was afraid that the material covering her would melt off.

A concern that soon ended when Max promptly ripped them off.

His eagerness made her gasp.

Max fell back against the cushions taking her with him. Her gold belt jangled as she fell on him.

She immediately reached for his belt.

She clawed at it until she finally got it open.

She whipped out of the jeans loops and threw it aside.

Max pulled on her nipple rings and smoothed his hands over her breasts.

Liz through her head back and cried, "Max! Please! Now! I can't take it any more!"

Max reached down and finished opening his pants.

Before he could turn her on to her back and enter her, she rose above him and slid down on to his shaft.

He hissed as he felt her slick, hot walls close around him.

She began another dance.

A dance for two.

Her arms rose above her head and she rode him. And he pushed up to meet each of her movements. Her metal belt making the only sound besides their heavy breathing. The jangle sounds that matched her rhythm made the blood roar through his veins. The rings in her nipples flopped up and down with Liz's movements. Max watched entranced. Her hair flew around her face, sweat dripped from her body on to his.

He knew when she was almost there. Her movements became sharper and he could feel her inner walls become hotter. He was pumping into her, with such intensity that his ass wasn't even touching the pillows anymore.

"Liz!" Her name was choked from his lips.

Her eyes looked down into his as she neared cumming. "Max," she breathed.

Then, she closed her eyes and froze.

Her mouth opened in a silent scream.

He could feel the muscles of her inner walls clamp down around him. Milking him.

And Max's body jerked, and he poured everything he was into her.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 8:59:55 PM
Chapter 12


Max starred up at the tent's pinnacle. Pensive. Liz was on her stomach pressed to his side, lying across his out stretched arm. Max ran a hand up and down her smooth back, loving the softness of her skin.

She had fallen asleep.

It's no wonder. She must be exhausted. Max thought smiling.

Max turned his gaze towards her. He cherished this moment. There was something wonderful about someone trusting you enough to fall asleep in your arms.

Trust.

Liz trusted him. At one time, he had had no hope of having her trust. Now, not only did he have her trust, but also her love and loyalty.

And her body.

And what a body.

He let his eyes take her in.

He began at her sweet face. At the moment, it was hidden by her hair which was haphazardly flung in all directions. He reached around and gently moved the strands out of her face.

He loved her pert nose and slightly plump rosy cheeks, her forehead and her round chin. Her lips were shiny and full and were meant to be kissed.

Then, his eyes followed the line of her smooth neck down to her shoulder blades. His breathing picked up slightly as he continued to follow the small curve of her back past the gold 'chain' wrapped around her waist to her small tight ass.

He ran his hand down her back, and lightly touched the skin of her ass, and felt himself harden.

"Naughty, boy," Liz murmured, half asleep.

"You're calling me naughty," Max murmured back. "Who set all this up?"

Liz gave Max a sleepy, feline smile. She raised her arms above her head, grabbed a pillow and stretched like a satisfied cat who had just got the cream.

Unfortunately, stretching made her breasts rub against the arm that was beneath her, and she winced.

"Sore?" Max asked.

Liz nodded.

"Turn over."

Liz did so.

Max gently removed the rings, put them in his jeans pocket, and placed his hands over her breasts. His hands glowed, and she felt the warm healing power of his hands spread throughout her body.

She sighed, "You have such wonderful hands, Max."

Max smiled.

"And you have such wonderful . . ." Max's eyes traveled down her body once again, ". . .everything."

Max rolled over and placed himself between her legs. He still had his black jeans on and Liz ran her legs up and down his, liking the feel of the material against her skin.

He rubbed himself against her, letting the fabric of his jeans stimulate her clitoris. His penis was swollen and ready, but he had zipped up his fly earlier.

"Max?"

"Mmmm?"

"Do you realize we haven't actually 'kissed' since we got here?"

"Mmph?"

"All we've done, is. . ." Liz blushed, "You know. . ."

"Fucked?"

"Max!"

Max grinned. He leaned down on his forearms until he was a breath hair's away from her lips.

"So, you want a kiss," he teased.

"A proper kiss," she pouted playfully.

"Does that include any tongue action?"

Liz burst out laughing. "It better!"

Max laughed and nuzzled her nose with his.

"Here it comes," he whispered.

"Hurry," she whispered back.

And their lips meet.

It was a sweet, almost innocent kiss. His lips meeting hers. He brushed his across her's, and, at that moment, it was the only movement their bodies' made.

Then, she put her arms around his neck, and he licked her bottom lip causing her to gasp and part her lips.

His tongue dived in.

And the flashes began.

Liz saw herself through his eyes. She felt what he felt. She saw the back of her head in Mr. MacGee's fifth grade math class. He could not stop staring at her. He had wanted to reach out and touch her hair so badly, that he had almost done so. Isabel had stopped him.

She saw herself, again, in third grade as Tommy Leaderman teased her, telling her that 'girls couldn't be scientists'. When she started to cry and insisted that it wasn't true, he pushed her to the ground. Suddenly, Max was there. He stood in between Tommy and herself. Not saying anything. Just standing in between Liz and any harm that might come to her. And even though she felt his fear of the tall bully, his anger was greater. He had wanted to pummel Tommy. The only thing that had stopped him was the fear he saw in Isabel's eyes across the playground.

And Max saw himself though her eyes. And he felt what she felt. He saw himself at the freshman state finals wrestling match. (A match that he had lost on purpose to avoid any added attention.) He was amazed to find that the site of him in his wrestling gear had turned her on. And she had cheered as loud as she could in support. Praying and hoping he would win. But he had lost. And she had felt so terrible for him.

Then, another flash of them in biology class together. Her heart racing because he was standing so close to her. Her palms sweaty causing her to drop one of the test tubes she was passing to him.


Liz broke off the kiss and gasped for air.

"I'd forgotten about that," she breathed.

"What," Max moved his lips to suck on her shoulder blade.

"Tommy Leaderman, third grade bully."

Max froze. "The asshole who pushed you down?" Liz could hear the anger in his voice.

His jaw was ticking.

"Max," Liz soothed him by rubbing his back, "It was a long time ago. You can't still be angry?"

"Let's just say it's a good thing he moved to Minnesota."

Liz continued. "Do you remember, that I tried to talk to you the next day? To say, thank you," Liz asked, running her hands down his chest.

Max closed his eyes as he felt his skin burn where she touched him.

He whispered, "I remember."

Her hands reached the button of his jeans.

"You didn't answer me, when I asked if I could sit next to you," she said a little sad.

"I couldn't get anything past the lump in my throat."

He sucked in his breath as she slowly pulled the zip down.

"I thought you didn't like me."

"I wanted you to sit next to me," Max whispered, remembering. Her sweet, quiet voice had spoken his name for the first time. And he had lost all vocal skills. She had thanked him for standing up for her, then, she had asked if she could sit next to him. His angel wanted to sit next to him!!!!! Overjoyed, he had opened his mouth to say 'yes' only to find that no sound would come out. He had been horrified. And the expression on his face must have shown his feelings because Liz's eyes had watered up and she quickly moved to the front of the class.

The incident had caused him to be depressed for the rest of the school year.

Liz reached inside his briefs and grabbed his swollen member. She slowly ran her hand up and down.

Max hissed and pumped his hips in time with her hand.

"Lizzzz!" He laid his forehead on her's and stared into her eyes.

"Do you like that?" Liz teased.

"Yes!" She had to be kidding!!

She took his hard cock out of its confinement and placed it at her opening. Slowly guiding it in.

Max was gasping for breath.

Liz could feel her inner walls close around his hardness. Heat radiated off his cock.

Max could feel her slick, heated walls burn his flesh. He took deep breaths to try and control himself. He didn't want it to be over too fast.

Liz raised her legs up in the air, causing her inner walls to twitch around Max's cock.

Deep breaths, Max. Deeep breaths!

She wrapped her legs around his waist.

Max sighed.

"Now," Liz said with a twinkle in her eye, "let's talk."

"W . . .wwhat!?" Max stammered. Did she just say 'talk'? 'Talk!' Now? I can barley keep my eyes open, much less talk!!!

Max groaned.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:01:13 PM
Chapter 13


"Are you going to miss me, Max," Liz whispered the question into his ear tightening her legs around his middle.

Max felt her breath in his ear. Listen to Liz. She's talking to you. This is more than sex. A woman needs conversation. A woman needs love and tenderness. Think of her. Don't come. Don't come. Don't come. Max closed his eyes and chanted to himself.

Liz lifted her legs straight up and pulled them back towards her causing Max to go deeper into her.

"Oh, my God! Liz! You have to stop that! I won't be able to hold back!" Max was shouting. He couldn't believe the sensations her new position caused. He tried not to bounce his hips, but his control was diminishing. His cock fit into her so tight. She was so small. And her walls molded around his cock.

His breaths came in short gasps as his hips twitched.

"Tell me, Max," Liz breaths were coming faster, too. "Tell me how much you're going to miss . . ." Liz gasped as Max push forward touching the back of . . . her.

Max felt the tip of his cock flatten against her. He looked down into her enraptured face and felt like the cavemen used to when they mated. He wanted to beat his chest, howl at the moon, grab Liz by the hair and drag her into his cave.

Only Liz made him feel this way.

And she was going to be gone!!

"God, yes, Liz!! I'm going to miss you. . . this. . . everything!!" He yelled as he began pumping in and out of her as fast as he could. "I don't want you to go. . ." Max's voice was filled with agony. He felt guilty for voicing his feelings. He wanted Liz to have no regrets about going to Sweden. But his guard was down, and he could not hold back.

He looked down to see Liz thrashing her head back and forth. The breaths coming from her lips were sharp and fast. Her eyes were closed. Her breasts bounced with his every thrust. Strands of her beautiful, dark hair whipped across her face.

In that moment, he became like those cavemen. His teeth clinched as he grabbed her ass and moved her slightly for a new sensation. He rubbed his chest against her breasts as he listened to the pounding of their bodies and the metallic sound of the belt Liz wore.

She was his!!

No one else could have her!!!

Mine!!

His orgasm came fast and hard. He cried out as the now familiar tingling began at the base of neck and shot down his spine to his toes then back up again. He felt his balls tighten just before his semen shot into the back of her vagina.

After it was over, they held each other, trembling.

"Max. . ." Liz sighed in wonder.

"Oh, God, Liz!! I'm so sorry!"

Liz frowned, "Sorry for what?"

"You didn't come."

Liz looked at Max, thunderstruck. "Max! I came twice!!"

"Wh. . .what!?"

"You were going so fast. . ." Liz laughed breathlessly.

Max closed his eyes in relief. "Oh." And he pulled her closer.

They held each other until their breathing returned to normal.

Then, Liz said, "Maybe I shouldn't go."



Chapter 14


"Liz, you have to go," Max stated as lay beside her. "Working with Dr. Holt is a giant step towards reaching your dream."

Liz stared up at the tent thoughtfully.

Max continued.

"I'm not going to let you pass up this chance just because I'm not happy about you going to a foreign country where there are a lot of tall, blonde, good-looking men who are going to be fascinated," Max rolled over on top of Liz, supporting himself on his forearms. Looking into her eyes, he punctuated the next remarks with kisses. ". . .by my doe-eyed, (kiss) dark-haired, (kiss) incredibly beautiful, (kiss) short (kiss) girlfriend."

Liz snorted, "I'm not short!"

"Yes, you are," Max grinned.

"Am not," Liz grinned back.

"Are too."

"Am not."

Liz shrieked as she felt Max's fingers tickling her ribs.

"Say, 'you're short,' Max laughed.

"No, no, no, no!!!!" Liz shrieked and she tried to buck Max off, kicking her legs. "I won't! I won't! I won't!"

Max moved up to her underarms.

She was laughing so hard, tears were in her eyes.

"Come, on. Say it!" Max was laughing as hard as Liz.

"Ok, ok, ok!" Liz gasped for breath.

Max stopped tickling. He waited a moment as she caught her breath.

She pushed him off her.

He rolled over.

"You're short," Liz said as directed.

She hopped up and raced toward her bedroom window, but Max was too fast, and he caught her before she made it.

They both were laughing so hard they could not stand, and they fell back on the pillows again.

After they caught their breaths, Liz said, "So, you're worried about me being around all those good-looking Swedish men?"

I like jealous Max. Liz thought.

"I'm not 'worried', per se," Max denied. "Just . . . concerned."

Liz snorted.

Max sighed in defeat. "All right, I'm jealous as hell."

"Max!" Liz raised herself on her elbow and looked down into his face. "You have nothing to worry about. I 'love' you."

Max looked into her eyes and smiled. He ran his hand through her hair.

"And I love you."

They just looked deep into each others' eyes. Communicating without speaking.

Liz sighed.

"My parents will be home in a few hours."

Max reached up and gently kissed her.

"I'll help you clean up."

They both rose and dressed. Liz went into her bedroom slipping on jeans and a red T-shirt.

"Where are you going to store all these pillows," Max asked.

"I cleared my closet," Liz replied.

They worked together in silence. Occasionally brushing up against one another, stealing kisses as they passed each other.

When they were done, Max put his arms around her, kissed her on the forehead, and asked, "When do you leave?"

"My bus leaves for Albuquerque at one o'clock tomorrow. Then, I hop on a jet to Sweden."

They held each other in silence. Knowing it would be the last time for a long time.

"Six weeks isn't forever," Max sighed.

"But it will feel like forever," Liz replied.

"I want to come to the bus terminal to say, 'Good-bye.'"

"You better!" Liz teased.

Then, she felt Max stiffen.

"What?"

"We didn't use protection," Max groaned.

"I'm on the pill," Liz assured him.

Max relaxed. But then he became angry at himself.

"How could I have been so stupid!! To put you at risk like that!"

Liz put her fingers to his lips. "Ssshhh. Let's not let our last night together be filled with regrets."

Max agreed.

They held on to each other until they heard her parents' car.

"You have to go," Liz said in a choked voice looking down at her bare feet.

Max placed his hands on both sides of her face and raised her face up to his.

His lips gently touched hers. In that kiss, he made sure that she felt all his love for her. It made her toes curl.

And she sighed.

It was the sweetest kiss they had ever shared.

And as Tess watched the tender moment through her binoculars, her blue eyes burned with hatred.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:02:20 PM
Chapter 15A


Alex sat very still in his seat at the bus terminal. His sunglasses hid his red veined eyes.

However, he could not hide his expression as the lady made an announcement on the bus terminal's speaker system.

"Attention! Attention please! Bus number 44 is now boarding! Repeat! Number 44 is now boarding for Albuquerque!"

Alex winced and groaned. Do they have to yell? His head was pounding and his ears were already ringing.

Isabel sat beside him in the next seat. She and Max had given him a ride to the bus station.

"That bad, huh?" Isabel asked.

"Only if someone speaks, moves or breathes," Alex whispered.

Isabel put her hand over his in sympathy.

"Hey, about last night," Alex began, "thanks for explaining to my parents how I got so drunk."

Isabel smiled, "Well, it wasn't your fault. And your dad seemed very understanding . . . "

Alex started to grin, but stopped because it was too painful to lift the corners of his mouth.

"Yeah, my dad's pretty cool. He knows I wouldn't do something like that on purpose."

They sat in silence for a moment. Isabel watching the people mill around. The driver of bus 44 was loading the last of the luggage.

Liz, Max, Maria and Michael were talking with Liz's parents.

Michael and Maria had their backs towards each other. They obviously weren't speaking. Again.

Isabel sighed. What had they fought about now?

Alex felt Isabel's hand on his as she moved her well manicured finger back and forth over his knuckles. He felt a tingle of energy shoot up his arm, and he wondered if the tingle was something 'alien'.

He looked over at Isabel. She was looking around the terminal, watching people go by. Her beautiful blonde hair was pulled back in a pony tail, and she was wearing a red sweater. Red was her best color.

She's not even aware of what she is doing. Alex thought.

Suddenly, she turned to him and said, "You owe me for taking care of you last night."

"Ww. .. .hat?" Alex stuttered. Stunned.

Isabel huffed playfully. "I think you should take me out to a movie and dinner."

Whoa! Play it cool, Alex. Play it cool. A date! Isabel's demanding a date. With YOU!

"Dinner?" Alex winced as his voice came out squeaky.

He cleared his throat and tried again. "Dinner. Sure. When?" They were the only words he could get past his dry mouth.

"How about this Friday?"

"Sure."

The 'bus terminal' lady began yelling again. Alex groaned and brought his hands up to hold the 200 pound round 'thing' that was now his head.

"Attention! Attention please! Bus number 50 is now boarding! Repeat! Number 50 is now boarding for Los Angeles!"

Max, Liz and Maria walked up to Isabel and Alex.

"Are you sure you don't want me to do something about your hangover, Alex," Max offered.

Alex sighed, tempted, but he replied, "No, that's OK. I'd look pretty silly with a silver hand print in the middle of my forehead. But you can go kill that lady who keeps yelling into that damn microphone every 5 minutes."

Everyone laughed. Then, an uncomfortable silence fell upon the group. No one was quite sure what to say.

Liz was leaving.

Max reached out a hand to his sister. "Come on Is. Let's let them have a few moments alone before Liz goes."

Liz smiled gratefully at Max.

Isabel released Alex's hand and stood up. She turned back and asked, "Would you like me to bring you some water?" She had read somewhere that hangovers left humans very dehydrated.

Even though it hurt, Alex smiled. "Yeah. Sure. That'd be great."

Max and Isabel walked towards one of the shops located within the terminal.


Chapter 15B


Maria and Liz sat on either side of Alex. They each laid down their heads on his shoulders as he stretched his arms out behind them and pulled his 'sisters' in for a close group hug.

"Hey!" He said quietly. "What's all this? You both look like you've just lost your best friend."

Maria sighed. "Six weeks. We've never been apart for that long. It's just . . . . depressing."

"It'll go by fast, Maria," Liz said for the umpteenth time.

"Well, I'd wish it'd go faster," Maria pouted.

Alex wasn't sure what to say. He was going to miss Liz, too. And Maria was right, they had never been away from each other for more than a week.

Not sure what else to say, Liz changed the subject. "So," addressing Alex, "you got home OK with Isabel?"

"Yeah. She took good care of me. Explained everything to my parents."

Then, he frowned. "I don't remember much of the party though. All night, I kept having dreams about Michael dressed in white pajamas. And he had leaves in hair. What the heck was up with that?"

Liz and Maria lifted their heads off Alex's shoulders, looked at each other with stunned expressions and burst out laughing.

Confused, Alex looked back and forth from laughing Maria to giggling Liz.

"Last call for bus 44! Last call for bus 44 to Albuquerque!" The announcer yelled.

"I'm going to kill that stupid lady," Alex groaned.

Liz sighed, "I guess this is it." They all stood up and started towards the bus.

Max and Isabel met them half way.

Alex thanked Isabel for the bottled water she gave him.

As they reached the bus, Alex wrapped his long arms around Liz and gave her a big bear-like hug.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do. OK?" Alex said. He was sad to see his friend leave, even for a short time.

Liz smiled. "OK." And she hugged him back.

Maria was next. Tears were in her eyes. Liz hugged her, and she suddenly understood why Maria was so upset.

All those years ago, when Maria's dad had left.

He hadn't come back.

"Oh, Maria!" Liz whispered in her ear. "I'll be back. I promise."

Maria tried not to sob. She knew she was being way too emotional. "You better!" She whispered back.

They pulled back and smiled at each other.

Each couldn't imagine being without the other.

Her parents were next in line for good-bye hugs.

"Thanks for letting me go on this trip," Liz said.

"Anything for my baby's education," Mr. Parker said. He was so proud of Liz. Some times he felt like he would burst. His hug lifted her off the ground. Liz squealed.

"Are you sure you have everything you need?" Mrs. Parker worried. She wasn't so sure about letting her 17 year old daughter travel to another continent.

"Yes, Mom. We went over the list, like, twenty times, remember," Liz responded rolling her eyes.

Still unsure, "Well, . . . . . OK." Then, she smiled. Liz had just grown up too fast. She reached out and hugged her. "Just be careful, OK baby."

Liz got teary, but she joked, "I won't take candy from strangers, and I'll always wear clean underwear, just in case I'm in a skiing accident and have to go to the hospital . . ."

Mrs. Parker laughed. "Very funny."

And standing next to Max was a very uncomfortable Michael.

Michael cleared his throat and said, "Look, I'm not too good at this emotional 'good-bye' thing, so I'll just say 'so-long' and have a good time."

"Heart wrenching, isn't he," Maria mumbled under her breath.

Michael turned away.

Liz felt sad that two people she loved so much weren't getting along. But she knew it was best not to get into the middle of it. They would either work out their problems or they wouldn't.

"Hey," Max put his hand on her shoulder, "They'll work it out, don't worry about them." Liz found it profound that he knew just what she was thinking.

Then, he put his arms around her and held her as they watched the bus driver put the last pieces of Liz's luggage into the bottom of the bus.

Max sighed, kissed the top of Liz's head and said, "You better get on the bus."

Then, right in front of her parents and everyone, he gently kissed her.

As the bus driver watched the tender exchange, he got misty eyed. Being a romantic himself, he hated to breakup the moment, but he had a schedule to keep.

Oh, to be young and in love . . .

"I'm sorry, miss. But it's time for us to leave."

Max and Liz broke off their kiss. They stared into each other's eyes.

Eyes that said what words could not.

She slowly turned away, holding Max's hand to the last, and started towards the front of the bus.

Just before she boarded, she turned, and looked back.

They were all standing together. It was so incredible that such different people from such different backgrounds (and different planets) could come together and be a 'family'. Her family. She smiled. Thinking about how lucky she was. Then, she waved and boarded the bus.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:03:20 PM
Chapter 16A---Week One


Max turned and looked at his clock. The red neon glared back at him.

2:27 AM.

Liz has been gone 3 days, 13 hours, and 27 minutes.
And there is 38 days, 10 hours, and 33 minutes until she's back.


Max flopped back on to his bed and groaned. He didn't dare look at his Timex watch that broke down the minutes into seconds.

Only three days! It seemed like three months!

And he had barely been able to sleep since she left.

After her bus had driven out of site, Maria and Alex had taken off in the Jetta.

While he, Isabel, and Michael had taken off in the jeep towards their 'fortress of solitude' to check on the granolith. They didn't go out there often. However, it was imperative that they check to make sure that nothing had happened to the giant whirling beast.

Even if they didn't know what the hell it was.

Or what the hell it did.

Liz had been understandably curious when Isabel had first described it to them--being the scientist that she was. She had wanted to come out and take a look at it.

But Max knew her too well. She would have wanted to try some kind of experiment to see what it did. And Max just couldn't allow it.

What if it exploded?

What if it imploded?

What if it was some kind of nuclear weapon?

What if some poisonous gas came out of it?

What if it held the secret to getting home?


There were just too many questions he didn't want answered . . . . . . yet.

After making sure the granolith was secure, they drove home.

And here he was, three days later, another sleepless night.

And just like the summer she had gone to Florida, he felt like the wind had been knocked out of him.

"Liz just needs time to think," Maria had counseled him. "Let her come to you," she had also advised.

He had felt so much frustration during that summer. His only relief came during his workouts at the gym. He had used his dad's health club membership at "Muscles or Bust." The membership had been a gift from his mom to his dad. But it went unused, and Philip had been more than happy to give it to Max.

It had been a long summer. But if the workouts had cleared his mind, the nights had been a time of remembering, wanting, and planning.

Max looked at the clock again.

2:35AM.

38 days, 10 hours, and 19 minutes to go.




Chapter 16B---Week One


He rolled out of bed and headed for his computer. Maybe getting some school work done will help take my mind off Liz being gone.

Hitting the "ON" button, Max blinked as the light from the screen momentarily blinded him. He clicked the icon symbol that would connect him to the Internet. He cringed when the dial sounds seemed louder than usual, and he hoped the sounds wouldn't wake others in his home.

"You've got mail," the system chimed as he logged on.

Max's let out a sigh of relief when he saw Liz's screen name on his 'received mail' list. She must have arrived in Sweden in one piece. He hadn't realized he was so worried until that moment.

He opened the email.

quote:
ScientistExtraordinar writes to ExtraterrestrialGuy:
Hey! I just got here! Man, is it cold! It's windy too! Just wanted to let you know that I got here Okie Dokie!
Liz



Okie Dokie?????? Max thought with a frown.

He was a little disappointed. He had expected a little longer note. Her emails were usually long winded. Liz was definitely into details. He loved to read her emails. He always printed them out and stored them in a special box his mother had given him on his 10th birthday to store treasures.

This is just too weird. Max thought. Then he sighed. I'm being selfish. She's probably just too exhausted to write a long note. After all, she just traveled thousands of miles. Better to get something small then nothing at all.

Max printed out the email and began to type a response.

quote:
ExtraterrestrialGuy writes to ScientistExtraordinar:
Dear Liz,
Got your email! It's 2:30am, and I just couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about you. I miss you so much!

How was your flight? Are you keeping warm? Is Dr. Holt nice?

It already feels like you've been gone too long. I'm counting the minutes (Max looked at his Timex) and seconds until we are together again.

Take care of yourself.

I love you.

Forever and Always Yours,
Max



Max sent the email, and logged off.

Now he could get some sleep.

His eyelids felt heavy. He closed them with a smile on his lips. Thinking about Liz.

Within minutes he was in a deep sleep.

And that's when the nightmares began.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:04:29 PM
Chapter 16C---Week One


Max's eyes moved violently beneath his eyelids as the nightmare took hold.

He didn't know what was happening. He couldn't see. Something was covering his eyes. And his arms hurt. Someone had tied them behind his back. The ropes were so tight that the circulation to his hands were cut off, and he couldn't feel them anymore.

He tried to quell his rising panic.

He was being pushed forward. Even though he couldn't see where he was going, they prodded and poked at him. Forcing him to move on.

And he was afraid.

It was the fear he had felt in The White Room. Where Pierce had tortured him beyond anything he had ever imagined.

Oh God!

Please, No!

His heart thundered, and the blood rushed to his head, making him feel faint.

There were sounds all around him. Echoes. Like from a tunnel. And people spoke, but he didn't understand their words.

Someone grabbed his elbow and pulled him forward. He wanted to scream at the pain, but the gag in his mouth muted his cry.

Then, the dream changed.

He felt air on his face. Not outdoor air, but like air conditioning air. And it blew cool on his face.

And then everything went numb. His body, his feelings, everything.

And he was even more afraid.


Max awoke with a startled cry. A layer of sweat covered his body. And his breathing was fast.

He looked out his window to see daylight shining through.

It took him a moment to realize it was his alarm clock that had awoken him, not the intensity of the dream.

He rose and began to get ready for school.

Questions about his dreams swirled in the back of his mind.

Was it a flashback from The White Room?

He didn't think so. The dream was just too . . . different. He had never been gagged or blindfolded during Pierce's 'interrogation'.

Maybe it was just a weird dream, and I'm making too much out of it, Max thought to himself.

It was just a dream. Right?



Chapter 17A---Week Two


"Ssssoooooo, how did 'The Date' go with Isabel?" Maria asked as she walked with Alex toward their third period History class.

It was Monday, and this was the first chance Maria had had to ask Alex about his much anticipated date with Isabel.

The entire week before "The Date" (as they had come to call it), he had been a bundle of nerves. Wondering what to wear, where to take Isabel for dinner, what movie she would like. . .

Maria had given him council.

However, she had had to work all weekend in Liz's absence. So, unfortunately she had not had time to interrogate Alex about the results of her advice.

Alex blushed slightly and grinned, "I don't kiss and tell," he said, tongue in cheek.

Maria squealed and grabbed his arm, "Ooooo. So, it got, like, hot, huh?"

"Saying it was a'hot' date might be going a bit too far," Alex said. "But she did show her appreciation for the candlelight dinner and the romantic movie." Alex smiled.

"See," Maria bragged. "I told you she'd like to be romanced. Remember, that 'ice-princess' act is only an act."

"Yeah, I knew that. But who would have thought she would have liked Casablanca and Glen Miller."

"Isabel is an old-fashion girl. If you treat her with respect, you can win her heart, Alex. I'm sure she's tired of all those jerks who try to get into her pants."

"Is it a bad thing that I want to treat her with respect, AND get into her pants," Alex grinned.

"Alex!" Maria admonished.

He laughed and put his arm around Maria, "Don't worry. I intend to treat Is like the lady she is. If for no other reason, then that her brother can blast me into the next time zone if I don't."

"And don't you forget that," Max's stern voice came from behind them.

Maria and Alex had almost reached their class. And as Alex whirled around, he felt the wall against his back.

Oh, please God, let him not have heard my comment about getting into Isabel's pants. Alex prayed.

"I....I ...was just kidding, Max," Alex stammered.

"About what? Respecting my sister?" Max had to struggle to keep a stern voice. Alex's discomfort was highly amusing.

"NO! I ...... I .... mean YES! I mean, NO. . . ."

The corners of Max's lips began to lift as Alex tried to stammer an apology.

Alex tried again, "I mean, I was just kidding about getting into Isabel's pants."

Did I really just say that? Alex groaned as Max's semi-smile turned to a scowl. Oh, please Lord, let my death be painless.

"I certainly hope you're just kidding!"

"I have to get to class," Alex skirted along the wall until he reached the classroom door. Opening it, he slipped in as soon as the opening was wide enough for his slim figure.

Max made to follow. He couldn't help it. He liked Alex. But like every brother, he was fiercely protective of his sister. For some reason, he had considered, Alex 'safe'. However, his sudden realization that Alex had urges, just like every other boy, was a little disconcerting.

Maria decided that she was the only thing between Alex and certain harm.

So, she stepped in Max's way.

"Hi, Max!" she said a little too loudly, catching his attention. "How's life been treating you lately? You know we don't talk enough anymore. Remember how, during the summer we used to talk about how sucky our love lifes were? I miss those times." She pretended to laugh. "Oh, yeah! YOUR love life isn't sucky anymore. Just mine." Maria jabbed her finger into Max's chest, "So, you listen," then pointed to herself, "and I'll talk."

At first Max was slightly annoyed at being detoured. But as Maria jabbered on, he began to realize how silly he was being.

Alex wasn't going to hurt Is. And of course he had a teen boy's urges.

He just better keep those urges away from his sister.


And he did miss Maria's 'girlfriend' talks.

He pulled Maria out of the way of the classroom's door.

"Actually, I do want to talk with you about Michael."

Maria sighed, resigned. "I don't even know if there's anything left to talk about," she said sadly.

"Maria, he's been acting moody, surly, and depressed," Max said.

"And this would be different? Like, how?" Maria drawled.

Max had to laugh a little at her response, "This is different. He's really hurting. And he wouldn't talk to me OR Is. And we're really worried about him." Max sighed. "Did something happen at the party after Liz and I left?"

Maria looked down at her feet and sighed. "Yeah, something did happen."

Max could see that she was hurting, too.

Max waited a moment. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked gently, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"It's really not that big a deal," she mumbled.

Then, she looked up and her voice rose in agitation.

"I just wanted him to have a good time, Max. I know his life hasn't been a bundle of laughs. I just wanted to do something, you know . . . . normal with him."

Remembering the zaniness of their entrance, Max had to hide his smile at Maria's idea of 'normal'.

"What happened Maria?"

The third bell rang.

Max sighed in frustration.

"Meet me for lunch," Maria said. "We'll talk, then."

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:05:42 PM
Chapter 17B--Week 2


Max sighed in relief as he heard the lunch bell ring. He and his temporary lab partner, Missy Elms, began to put their lab equipment away.

Max liked Missy. She was a good lab partner. And he thought it was amusing how her name belied her intelligence.

'Missy' the Scientist was like 'Buffy' the Vampire Slayer.

The names just didn't match with the jobs.

I just like smart women, I guess. Max thought.

And, I like one in particular . . . Max grinned, thinking about Liz.

But as much as he liked Missy, she wasn't Liz.

In the lab, Liz and Max were a team, and they worked like a well oiled machine. Mostly because Max was aware of how Liz's mind worked.

Liz was the scientist. And in her mind, every question had an answer. You just had to be persistent enough to find it.

His job in the lab -- make sure she had everything she needed to find those answers. And to make sure those things were handed to her in the right order.

"Listen, folks," Mrs. Becker, their Biology teacher, spoke loudly to get their attention. "Before you leave, I need to tell you that starting next week, you're going to have a substitute teacher."

Members of the class began to mummer in anticipation.

One kid pumped his fist and whispered, "Yes!" to himself.

"But before you get too excited," Mrs. Becker smiled smugly, "Ms. Bryce is a College Biology professor. So, she'll know exactly what's to be going on in this class." She paused. "And part of your grade will be based on how well you behave while I'm gone. So, don't even think about giving her a hard time!"

The class groaned in disappointment.

"I'll be gone for about four months," Mrs. Becker smiled and looked down at her swollen belly smoothing her hand over her stomach. "Or for however long this little guy needs me."

The class filed out the door.

Max made his way to the cafeteria. He spotted Maria at her usual table sitting next to Alex, and he began to move in their direction.

Alex looked like he was about to bolt. But Maria grabbed his arm and held him down before he could make his escape.

Max tried not to laugh. He had gotten over his momentary insanity concerning Alex and his sister. But he didn't want Alex to know that.

It wouldn't hurt to keep Alex just a little afraid of him. Just to protect is sister.

Max sat across from the two friends and began to casually unpack his peanut-butter and jelly and Tabasco sandwich.

Maria scrunched her nose, "How can you eat that stuff."

"With delight," Max responded remembering a time when food had been so bland that he could hardly eat.

Alex remained silent and tried to fade into the background.

"OK, Maria. Spill. What happened?" And he took a bite out of his sandwich.

Maria picked up her fork and started picking at her salad. But she really wasn't hungry, so she put the fork back down.

She looked up, right into Max's eyes, and said, "He mooned all my party guests."

Max dropped his sandwich to the table and choked on the bite he had taken. When he could breath again, he said, "You're kidding me!"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Maria was dead serious.

Alex tried not to snicker.

Oh, Michael! Why couldn't you have taken my advice and just enjoyed the moment? Max thought.

"Why would he do such a thing?" Max asked incredulously.

Maria sighed. "We were actually having a good time. And I think he was really into it." She smiled. "He was issuing orders like any king would."

Oh, yeah. I can picture that. Max thought.

Maria continued. "A girl who had had too much 'punch'," Alex winced, "came up to him and asked if she could, and I quote 'see what Caesar had under his toga.' And Michael being Michael, he began to flirt with her."

Max sighed, "Go on."

"Well, of course, I did the most BRILLIANT thing I could possibly do," Maria said sarcastically.

Alex chimed in, "And that was . . .?"

"I grabbed the closest guy I could reach and gave him tongue."

"And I bet I can guess how Michael reacted to that," Max said grimly.

Maria's voice rose a notch. "I didn't know Michael could move that fast. He was off that chair and punching on that poor guy before I could tell him it was all my stupid, jealous fault."

Maria pushed her plate away.

"That doesn't explain why he mooned everybody," Alex persisted. Boy! The fun you miss when you leave a party too early!

"Michael backed off as soon as he realized the mistake, but this guy had some buddies with him. And they started talking all tough . . . "

"And of course, Michael just had to smart mouth them," Max finished. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. He could feel a headache coming on.

"Don't stop there, this is getting good. Did they start fighting?" Alex asked, ignoring their glares.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but, no, they didn't get into a fight," Maria said. "My Mom just happens to have connections with someone in the Roswell police department." Maria smirked. "And that 'connection' made some of his police officers 'volunteer' their services for the party. Once they had made themselves known, the guy's buddies backed off and left. But they made Michael leave too. It was as he was leaving through the gym doors, that he decided to flash everyone. Although, the officers were pretty close, and I think the gesture was mainly meant for them."

Max could not help but laugh ruefully.

"And the damn thing about it, is that my damn 'slaves' had me turned the wrong way, so I couldn't see anything," Maria pouted. "Now, I get to hear from all the girls, who did see, about what a great ass my ex-boyfriend has."

Alex didn't hold back his snicker which earned him an elbow in his midsection.

"That's quite a story," Max mused. "But it doesn't explain Michael's 'excessive' moodiness."

"I just think he was embarrassed, Max," Maria said. "And it's all my fault."

Much to Max and Alex's surprise, tears came to Maria's eyes. She quickly got up from the table before she totally humiliated herself.

In a whisper she said, "Excuse me I have to go to the Lady's Room." And she made a quick exit.

Max felt horrible. "I didn't mean to make her cry."

Alex sighed. "She's been so emotional since Liz has left. I don't think she's been without Liz's 'girlfriend' support for this long before. I mean, she does talk to me some. But, there are just sometimes you need a 'girl' girlfriend."

"That reminds me, Alex. Have you heard from Liz, yet?"

"No, actually, I haven't," Alex frowned. "What about you?"

"I got an email from her," Max pondered a moment. He leaned forward, "But it was so strange. Usually, she writes two or three pages. And that's just being at home. Now, she's in a new country with new things happening to her, and she sends me a four line email." Max sat back. "I just hope they aren't working her too hard."

Alex rolled his eyes. "More like Liz is probably working them too hard."

Max grinned. "You're probably right." He knew how absorbed Liz got when she was working on a new Bio project. Sometimes, he wondered if she even knew he was in the room when they were doing labs.

Maria came back and sat next to Alex again.

"Maria, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Max said gently.

"Who's upset?" Maria said firmly. "These are the best days of my life. The only time I'll be young. And I'm not going to waste it away bawling the the girl's bathroom!"

"That's the spirit!" Alex said.

Max reached over and pushed her salad back towards her. "And being in that spirit. Eat your lunch."



Chapter 18A-Week 3


Edward Herbert Sleigman looked into his bathroom mirror as he finished buttoning up his shirt. His appearance was always tidy, neat and clean. But today, he took special care.

His short, wavy redish-blonde hair had been combed into place. He made sure his bow-tie was neat and straight. And his just polished glasses, sat firmly on his nose.

He looked every bit like a snobbish, stuffy wannabe College professor.

The thought made him grin.

Nothing could be further from the truth. He loved teaching high-school science. The kids were young and fresh, and, intellectually, they kept him on his toes.

High-school students were smarter than most adults realized. You just had to make school challenging enough to actually interest them.

He thought about his own high-school experience.

He could remember how much he had hated school. He had learned things so quickly that he had often times upstaged his own teachers (an act that did not exactly make him the teacher's pet).

And he had been sooooo bored. So, in order to challenge himself, he had intentionally failed papers and assignments for most of the school year. Then, towards the end, he would calculate just how many passing grades he needed to pass the bare minimum requirements for the school year. He also calculated teacher's grading mistakes into the equation. (He had often found mistakes in teacher's grading scores. He still didn't know if those were honest mistakes or intentional mistakes to get back at him.)

He grinned again.

He had been hell to some of his teachers. Some probably still had ulcers because of him. Not to mention school Principals, for his grasp of science had often made him a hellion.

He had done some interesting things to teachers' chairs and desks. Not to mentions students' lunches, lockers and backpacks.

But his crowning achievement had been the time he'd made it snow in the gymnasium during the school's basketball championship game.

Aaaaaaa. To be young and irresponsible again. . . He grinned.

He left his bathroom, walked into his bedroom, and opened his sliding closet doors.

Which would look better on me. Theeeee brown jacket with pockets ooooorrrrrr the brown jacket without pockets. He laughed at his own corny joke.

At least they don't have patches on the elbows.

He reached in and grabbed the one without pockets. Somehow it looked less sever. Putting it on, he made one final check in the closet door's full-length mirror.

Not bad for a 38 year old. He thought.

After all, he still played basketball with some of his buddies, now and again. That, and science field work, kept him in reasonably good shape. He turned, and looked at himself sideways.

I don't even have to suck in my gut. He thought a little smugly.

Still, he didn't know what kind of man she would like.

He had briefly met her yesterday in the school's office just before she was whisked away by Edna Becker into the councilors office.

He had been immediately enchanted.

"Who was that!" he had asked the school's secretary.

The secretary, Jan, raised her eyebrows and informed him that she was Mrs. Becker's temporary replacement.

He had been slightly surprised. He had heard that Edna's replacement was a college professor.

And most college professors didn't look like leather-clad-motorcycle-mama-gypsies.

She had been wearing high-healed boots which had made her almost as tall as he was. She was slender, but not skinny. And her curly mane of jet black hair had been pulled back into a ponytail. Her eyes were amber. And the hooped earrings made her look almost wild.

Now, that was a teacher in which guys would pay attention.

He checked his watch and headed for the door.

Passing the kitchen, he walked in, grabbed an apple out of the fridge, and left for work.

**************************************************************
Dr. Serena Anne Bryce was on a mission.

That's why she arrived early for her first day of class.

She walked briskly down the empty hallway toward her new classroom.

She knew how lucky she was.

She had been trying to join the Roswell High School staff for sometime. However, Roswell still carried that 'small-town' feeling that made people feel safe. Therefore, the school had low employee turnover. But her name was on their list of "Who to Call when there's an Opening."

And even though the position was temporary, she had jumped at the chance. It was the very important that she blend in with the Roswell faculty.

This thought made her wince when she considered her appearance at yesterday's meeting.

So much for blending in, she thought.

She had been running late for her appointment. And she hadn't had time to change. Instead of looking like a professional, she had looked like some motorcycle-mama-chick. And although she definitely loved her motorcycle, she was no one's 'mama-chick'.

She had walked into the school's office and handed over her file to the secretary, who had given her a very disapproving look, just before she paged Edna Becker into the office.

While waiting, she briefly met a very nice looking man. Tall, well mannered. Seemed a little stuffy. But cute.

He made an attempt to introduce himself just before Whirlwind Edna plowed through the office and whisked her into the Councilor Burns' office.

After convincing Burns that she 'really and for true' was indeed a qualified teacher, Edna Becker had gone over the class material. She continued with information about class troublemakers, failing students, and the kids who were the best tutors for other students.

Bryce felt more than ready to meet her new students.

But that was just part of her assignment.

She found her classroom number and walked in. Setting her briefcase on top of the desk, she began opening draws to see if all the material she needed was accounted for.

While searching, she noticed the apple that had been placed at the corner of her desk. Beside it was a note.

She looked around the classroom in trepidation. No one was supposed to know that she was here.

They weren't even supposed to know of her existence!

Carefully she reached for the note. Inside it read . . .

quote:
From your mystery man of yesterday.
I'm with the rabble in room C 125.
Why don't you come over and see me some time?


Soooo, he wasn't so stuffy after all. Hhhhmmmm. Corny, but cute. She smiled. And tall. It was always hard to find someone taller than her. Not that she thought less of shorter men, but taller men always made her feel more famine.

She shook her head at her thoughts. She really didn't have time for romance. She was here on a mission. She was here to find them. She couldn't get distracted.

She picked up the apple and stared at it as she turned over and over in her hand.

However, she thought, I'd look very odd if I didn't make friends. Or kept to myself. And her plan was to blend in with the crowd. To hide in plain sight.

Maybe I will get to know this guy.

As she contemplated, she took a bite of the apple. Her nose scrunched in distaste.

Too sweet.

She reached into her purse and brought out a bottle of Tabasco sauce. She pored a generous amount into the crater were she had bitten.

She took another bite and sighed with bliss.

She sat down in her chair, ate her apple with Tobacco sauce, and contemplated how to find her king and his family.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:06:53 PM
Chapter 18B-Week 3


"What do you mean the line's still busy!! I've been trying it for the last twelve hours!! Nobody stays on the phone that long!!" Max yelled at the European operator in frustration.

"Your forgetting your sister," his dad joked as he walked by Max on his way to the kitchen.

Max barely heard him.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

He'd had another dream. A nightmare worse than the one before. And this time it involved Liz.

He had to hear her voice before he left for school, or he'd go crazy!!!

He slammed the phone down in frustration.

He stood there a moment thinking about that dream. One that had started out so wonderfully, and had ended in horror. This time, it had happened during the middle of the day.




He'd been sitting on his bed, doing his English assignment--reading Romeo and Juliet, which of course reminded him of Liz. So, he had laid back on his bed and began to day dream about their 'first time' together. Only sometime during this daydream he had fallen asleep and started to dream. . .

He had missed her so much while she'd been away in Florida.

But he'd also made plans. Plans to get her back.

Step one, was to let her know that there was nothing between him and Tess.

Step two, was to let Liz mull this over. He knew he couldn't push her. Even though his very soul urged him to do so.

Step three, get her attention by romancing her. This step led him to do the most embarrassing, cheesiest thing he'd ever done.

He serenaded her. He even hired a mariachi band.

He also bought Gomez tickets. Liz loved Gomez. Their first kiss happened during her favorite Gomez song. Even if he couldn't get her to go on a 'date', he would try to persuade her to go to the concert as 'friends'. The songs would bring back wonderful memories, and he would work up from there.

But they never made it to the concert.

The night after his serenade, he had gone to her room in order to ask her to the concert.

At first, she had been excited.

"Gomez! Max, these are front row! They must have cost you a fortune!" She'd said.

"I don't care. I knew you'd want to go." Max had replied.

He had looked at her excited face, and ached to kiss her.

But her excitement had disappeared and she said, "Max, we can't go. What about Tess? It's like," she had paused, "like you're a married man! Do you know what kind of girl that would make me?" Tears started to form in her eyes.

He had grabbed her shoulders and gently shook her.

"Don't you dare say that about yourself! You are not like that! And Tess and I are not married!" His voice rose in frustration. "I don't even like Tess!"

They had stared into each other's eyes. Both filled with longing.

She was so beautiful in her pink sweater. It highlighted her still tanned skin. And the moister in her eyes made them sparkle.

He moved his hands from her shoulders to cup her face. "I've missed you so much, Liz." His words sounded like those of a man who had ached forever for her.

He couldn't not kiss her.

And as his lips touched hers, he caught flashes of her on a Florida beach, curled up under a beach umbrella, crying her eyes out, trying to find a way to get over the boy who had her heart.

His kiss became more passionate as he took a step forward and pressed her against her bathroom door. Pressing as much of himself against her as he could. Wanting to feel all of her.

It had been forever since he'd touched her! He couldn't get close enough!

Liz sobbed and threw her arms around him, burying her fingers in his hair as the kiss went on and on. And she got flashes of him working out vigorously in as he tried not to think about her. Tried not to miss her. And finally, as he started making plans to win her back.

She pulled her head back, breaking the kiss.

"You planned all this?" she asked. Almost accusingly.

"No! Not 'this'. Not us kissing. Just Gomez." He was breathing too hard to form complete sentences. "I just," he took a deep breath, "I just want to be with you. I don't care how. Just to be near you. . ."

He moved his hands down to her hips and started kissing and sucking on the side of her neck. His hands moved up slightly towards her breasts. He wanted to touch them so badly. He never had dared to do so before, and he was uncertain if that would be going too far. So, he ran his hands up and around her back, letting his thumbs lightly touch the sides of her breasts.

Liz gasped and threw her head back as she felt her nipples harden. Catching her breath she said, "If. . .if . . . we're going to make. . .make it to the . . . concert," she lost her train of thought when Max sucked so hard that it made her stand on her toes to get closer.

"Yeah, I guess we better go if we're going to make it." Max had mumbled into her neck.

But neither of them moved from their spot. Neither of them broke their physical or mental connection.

Max moved from her neck to her chin up to her mouth where he began vigorously thrusting his tongue in time with the motions of his lower body.

Liz used the arms she had around his neck to pull herself up against him as hard as she could. Rubbing her body up against his. Feeling the heat come off him. Feeling his hardness. It always amazed her how different their bodies were. Her's melted with passion while his became hard as steel.

She whimpered when she couldn't get close enough. And became frantic in her passion when she couldn't feel his skin against her's. She began tugging at his coat. Trying to get it off him without moving too far away from him.

Max felt her frustration and helped her tear off his coat.

It was too damn hot in here anyway.

He gasped and threw his own head back as he felt her hands frantically move beneath his shirt.

"Liz!" He'd groaned.

But Liz had suddenly stopped her roving and looked down at her feet shyly and said in a quite voice, "I don't have any protection, Max."

Oh, God! Did she just say . . . But that meant . . . Were they really going to. . .

"I do," Max breathed.

Liz smiled teasingly and breathed into his chest, "So, you did plan to get lucky tonight."

"No! No!" Max frantically denied. "I've been caring it around for some time. . ." He groaned again as he saw Liz's raised eyebrows.

But she had gently laughed and asked, "Where is it?"

"In my pocket," he breathed as her hand began their wonderings again.

Slowly she moved her hand down his chest until she reached his left front pocket.

He jumped as her hand slowly reached in to search for the condom that she knew wasn't there.

She wasn't touching his hard dick, but she was so close to it that it made Max close his eyes in ecstasy.

His hips twitched, trying to move his hardness toward her hand.

Please, touch it! Just once! He wanted to beg her.

Her other hand made the same journey down to his right front pocket. And he jumped in response again.

Both hands were sooo close. And searching.

Liz pouted playfully and said, "I can't find it, Max."

Max placed his hands on the wall on either side of her, pushing himself slightly away and putting his forehead on hers.

He grinned at her seductively teasing look and said, "Back pocket, Liz. Back pocket! Inside wallet." He gasped as Liz had started running her hands rhythmically up and down his thighs as far as his pockets would let her.

Oooooohhhhh, to have holes in those pockets.

"Are you sure, Max?" Liz whispered into his jaw as she kissed and sucked on it.

Max's head was spinning. She could search those front pockets aaalllll she wanted!

"I'm sure," he whispered as he moved his hips in time with her hands.

Much to his disappointment, she took her hands out of his front pockets. But his disappointment turned to delight as she moved her hands around to his ass and began searching his back pockets.

And he had been worried about touching her breasts!?

He hissed when Liz kneaded his butt.

She slowly took his wallet out.

"Tease," he whispered into her hair.

Liz just smiled.

She took out the condom and put his wallet on the night stand next to her bed.

She turned the packet over and over in her hand. "How does it work?"

"I've already read the instructions," Max said. He took it out of her hands and put it on the night stand where it would be within easy reach when needed.

He turned back to Liz who had her hands under his shirt again. Only this time she was trying to lift it above his head.

Max couldn't contain himself anymore. Within moments they were both naked and pressed as close together as they could possibly get. The feel of her naked breasts against his chest made his head swim.

He moved his hands between their bodies and began to knead and play with her breasts. Liz thrust her chest forward and groaned.

He picked her up and carried her over to her bed. He gently laid her down and made to follow, but he had a moment of uncertainty. He stayed on his knees, between her legs. She was so small, he didn't want to crush her. And who knew what was going to happen? He was part alien and she was a human. What if something went wrong? What if he hurt her? What if . . .

"Max, what is it?" Liz asked quietly as she sat up and smoothed her hand over his jaw.

He kissed the inside of her palm. "Liz," he groaned. How was he going to stop? "We don't know what will happen if we . . ."

"Maxwell Evans! Don't you dare think of stopping," she whispered vehemently. "I want you so much!"

"But Liz . . ."

She didn't let him finish. He was still on his knees between her legs. And she moved up the bed and sat on his lap and wrapped her legs around his middle. She rubbed her wet center up and down his shaft.

His body jerked in reaction.

She was kissing him where ever her lips could reach. His lips, his chin, his chest, his nipples.

Oh, God! Was she actually biting his nipple!

And then she was kissing him. And every fantasy she had ever had about him was flashing through his mind.

There was no way he could stop.

He fell forward and pressed her flat on the bed. His member was wet with her juices and as it pressed between their bellies, the wetness allowed him to thrust in time with his tongue in her mouth. When he came up for air and looked down at her sweet face. Flush with passion for him, her cheeks were pink, here eyes sparkled, her beautiful hair wild around her.

"Now, Liz. I need you, now," he whispered.

Liz nodded.

He reached for the condom.

He said a prayer of thanks that his dad had told him to read the instructions before sex. There was no way he could make his eyes focus on those tiny words now.

He opened the package and began to roll it on.

Liz looked on. Curious. She reached down and helped him unroll it the last few inches. And then began to move her hand up and down his shaft. Max gasped and grabbed her hand, stopping her.

He was too close to losing it.

He gently laid her back down.

He positioned himself between her legs.

He cupped the sides of her face and threaded his fingers through her hair and said the truest words he had ever said.

"I love you, Liz."

She smiled and said the sweetest words he'd ever heard, "I love you, too."

"If I hurt you, tell me, and I'll stop," he said.

Liz made a sound of part laughter, part frustration. "Max make love to me before I die!"

Far be it for him to not give Liz what she wanted.

He placed the head of his dick at her opening and thrust forward as gently as he could. She gasped. He made himself stop.

"Am I hurting you?"

"No! Don't stop!"

Her juices and heat coated the part of him that was inside her and her inner muscles twitched and flexed adjusting to his size. He closed his eyes in ecstasy and pushed forward.

She bent her knees trying to open herself wider to him. To let all of him in.

All of it was so sweet, so wonderful, and so hot.

Max thrust in and out, letting a little more of himself go in each time.

Liz matched his rhythm perfectly, and the only sounds were those of their heavy breathing and the bed as it jostled and bounced in time with their movements.

Max began to feel the tension build up in his body. He wanted to go slow for Liz, but his movements became faster, almost frantic. He couldn't pump his hips fast enough.

Liz had wrapped her legs around him. But as the tension began to build in her too, she couldn't keep still. Her legs were now on either side of his hips bending and unbending in an attempt to ease the ache between her legs.

This made her muscles do wonderful things to Max's thrusting cock.

His face was buried in her hair. His hands were entwined with hers at both sides of her head.

He wanted to say all those sweet words he had been rehearsing since he was 14 and had his first wet dream about her. But all that he could think as he felt his balls tighten in readiness as he thrust and thrust and thrust into her heated wetness was . . .

OhGodOhGodOhGodOhGodOhGodOhGod . . .

Over and over again.

And then he heard Liz cry out, and he felt her body tighten and her inner muscles began to milk him. He felt the most wonderful tingle start at the base of neck shoot throughout his body and he raised himself off Liz, arching his back in order to put as much of himself into her as he could, pounding into her as he watched her breasts bounce as his orgasm shook him to his very soul.

When it was over, they were both shaking.

"Hold me," Liz pleaded.

Max made to move to her side, but she shook her head and pulled him down on top of her.

And burst into tears.


And that's when the nightmare began.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:08:33 PM
Chapter 18C--Week 3


The night of Gomez, Liz had cried with joy. She had been overcome with emotion at the beauty of their lovemaking. And he had held her through the night after she finally cried herself to sleep.

However, that was not the direction his dream took . . .

He was drawn into the dream by the sound of her crying. It was almost like being 'awakened' by the sounds.

But her sobs were different from the the night of Gomez.

These were horrible, gut wrenching sounds that rocked the foundations of his soul.

She was afraid.

Very afraid.

Her cries echoed around the room they were in.

It was cold there. And there was little light.

His back and legs hurt and throbbed as he laid on something hard.

He wanted to get up and go to her, to hold her in his arms and tell her that everything was alright.

But everything hurt so bad.

He heard himself groan as he tried to roll over to push himself off the stone he lay on.

Liz! Liz! Where are you! He cried in his mind. But he could not speak the words.

And then, she was before him. Leaning over him. Trying to comfort him. Her face was red from crying and worry.

And she looked tired. The dark rings under eyes made her eyes look hollow and weary. Her hair was a mess and her clothes looked like they hadn't been changed in days.

He couldn't hear the words she was saying but he knew they were meant to comfort him. She tried to smile. But he could see the fear in her eyes.

She made him roll so that he was laying parallel with his stone 'bedding' again. Then, she ran her hand through his hair and spoke softly.

He couldn't hear her, but he could see her beautiful face. And he could be comforted by her touch.

Until cool air took whipped around him again and he knew the terror was to begin again.

A door had been opened---letting in that air. And a meaty arm wrapped around Liz's waist and lifted her off the floor.

She struggled. Kicking and using her fists to beat the arm away.

Max knew she was screaming in terror--even if he couldn't hear it.

He tried in vain to rise, only to be roughly pushed back down by another beefy, sweaty arm. He too struggled, but he was too week.

He looked over at where Liz was still struggling against her captor. As they carried her through the door, Max got just a glimpse of a very smug Tess just before the door swung shut.


That's where his dream had ended.

He had been trying to reach Liz every since.



Chapter 18D--Week 3


Max tried not to panic. After all they were just dreams. But he had to hear her voice. He had to know she was OK.

An idea struck.

Isabel!

***************************************************************
"You want me to do dream-walk Liz!?" Isabel exclaimed. She looked up from her mirror where she had been applying her 'Apple Cheeks' colored blush.

"Yes," Max tried to keep the anxiety out of his voice. "I've been having these strange dreams about her. I'm there with her. . ."

Isabel threw up her hands. "Whoa!! Whoa!! Hold the phone! I don't want to know aaannyything about those kind of dreams! Not from my brother!" Isabel grimaced at the images that flashed through her mind and began applying matching lipstick.

"Is, I'm not talking about those kind of dreams," Max said exasperated. "These are seriously scary. Like some one's hurting us! And I can't do anything about it! Liz looks so scared. Sh . . . she's crying! And frightened!" He shuttered remembering his dream. "And, now, I can't seem to reach her on the phone. When I try, all I get are European operators who don't speak English and busy signals. Is," Max pleaded. "I just need to know that she's OK."

Isabel looked at Max's reflection in her mirror and could tell he was truly worried. "Max. Are the dreams really that bad?"

"Yes! And I know they are only dreams. But. . ." he struggled to express his feelings. " . . . but I've wanted all my life to be with her. I . . . I . . . I'm just so afraid that she's going to be taken away from me. And I can't bear the thought that something awful might actually be happening to her."

Isabel turned from her mirror and wrapped her arms around her brother. "Oh, Max! You really are worried!" She whispered.

Then, she smiled wryly and sighed, "You're the one who keeps telling me to keep out of other people's dreams."

"This is different."

"I know," Is replied.

She released him and stepped back. "Max, I don't know if I can dream-walk someone who's all the way in Sweden. And what about school?"

"Tell Mom your sick."

Is rolled her eyes, "That's all we need. Mom making a doctor's appointment for one of us."

Max scowled at his sister, "Is! She won't call a doctor just because you have cramps!"

Is crossed her arms and rolled her eyes at her brother's chauvinistic remark, "Do you really think Mom and Dad aren't going to start asking questions about the fact that I am sick for the FIRST TIME," Isabel nearly shouted the words, "in my entire life!?"

Max blew out a breath. Is was right. Getting sick was too suspicious. There would be too many questions.

Max closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to calm down.

Think, Max! Think!

His eyes popped right back open.

"Is. I have an idea."

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

Isabel walked into their family's kitchen.

"Morning, dear," Mrs. Evans looked up from her lumpy blue-berry pancake mix that was turning a very dark brown in the skillet.

"Morning, Mom," Is walked over and gave her mother a peck on the cheek and a hug. "Mmmm. That smells good!"

"I know it's your favorite," Mrs. Evans smiled. "But I'll never understand how you and Max can eat blue-berry pancakes with Tabasco . . ."

"Bbbbbbrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!"

Isabel had to struggle to not launch herself at the phone. Instead, she causally reached past her mother, and picked it up.

"Hello?"

Mrs. Evans walked over and dumped a very lumpy, very brown pancake into her husband's plate.

"Oooohhhhh! I'm sooooooo sooorrryyy!" Isabel's voiced.

Pause.

Gasp!

"That's terrible!!!!" Isabel put as much woefulness into her expression and words as she could without being too suspicious.

Mr. Evans had put his newspaper down, glad to have an excuse to ignore the lump in his plate, and turned to listen to his daughter's conversation.

Mrs. Evans was equally intrigued and stopped on her way back to the stove to listen and watch Isabel.

"Well, of course I'll come over!" Pause. "Oh, don't worry! My parents are wonderful! They won't mind if I miss one little ole day of school to console a friend!"

Is gave her mom and dad a beseeching look.

Mr. Evans rolled his eyes and went back to his paper.

Mrs. Evans hurried over to turn off the stove that was now smoking.

Max, who was in his bedroom, on his cell, gritted his teeth. "You're over doing it, Is! They'll catch on!"

Isabel, back in the kitchen, "Ooohh. You don't have be so grateful!" Is struggled to keep sarcasm out of her voice. "No, no. I don't mind missing that Trig test today. What's a grade point average in comparison to consoling a friend in their time of need?"

It was Max's turn to roll his eyes.

"All right, Is! I get the point! Just finish up in there, so we can go!" He turned off his phone, so he wouldn't have to hear any more of her biting remarks.

Dear brother. I'm going to hurt you. Isabel thought to herself as she gritted her own teeth.

"I'll be right there," Isabel quickly finished 'the call' and hung up.

"Mom? Dad?"

Mrs. Evans fanned the smoke to the now open kitchen window. "First of all, tell us what this is all about."

Isabel parroted what Max had told her to say, "It's kind of private. She wouldn't want me to gossip about her problems to everyone."

I hate lying them. Isabel grumbled to herself.

"We aren't everyone," Mr. Evans shuffled his papers and put them down on the kitchen table. He gave his daughter a piercing look. "We're your parents. And when you ask to miss a day of school, especially a day in which you have a test, it had better be for a darn good reason."

Isabel fidgeted. It was always easier to fool her mom than her dad.

Note to self. Make sure Dad's left for work before we try anything like this again.

"Phillip!" Mrs. Evans admonished her husband. "Can't you see that you're making Isabel uncomfortable! This friend of hers trusts her! And Isabel's never asked to do anything like this before." She turned to Isabel. "Honey, if you feel that this girl needs your friendship, then I trust you to make the right decision."

Isabel felt terrible.

I'm going to burn in hell forever. I just know it!

Phillip Evans still looked unconvinced.

Max walked hurriedly into the room.

"Is, come on! We have to go," he raised his eyebrows at her. "We're going to be late for school."

Isabel gave him an exasperated look.

"Isabel isn't going. A 'friend' needs her. She's going to go help," Mrs. Evans looked so proud. Neither of her children had let themselves get close to anyone, except for this past year. The fact that Isabel had made a close friend warmed her heart.

"Fine," Max swung his backpack over his shoulder. "I'll drop her off at her 'friend's' house. Just hurry."

And he walked out the kitchen door.
***************************************************************
"You could show a little more gratitude, you know," Isabel sat in their jeep, arms crossed.

"You were over acting, Isabel," Max replied.

She uncrossed her arms and threw her arms out, "Well, I'm not an actress, Max! And I hate lying to them!"

Max turned in his seat to look at his sister. They were several houses down from their home, in Mrs. Rums driveway which was hidden by her bushes and a tall tree, watching for their parents to leave.

"We can't tell them the truth, Is."

Isabel huffed. "I know that!"

There was silence between them as they continued to watch the house.

Isabel sat. Arms crossed.

Max glanced at Isabel out of the corner of his eye. It wasn't a good idea to let Isabel stay angry at him. If he let her anger fester and grow, he would get the silent treatment for weeks.

Maybe months.

Sighing resignedly. Max turned to his sister and said, "I'm sorry, Is. . ."

"Look! Mom and Dad just came out!" Isabel interrupted.

Max and Isabel watched as both their parents walked out of their house, kissed each other good-bye, got into their respective cars, and drove away.

As soon as their parents were out of sight, Max drove out from behind the bushes and screeched to a stop right in front of their home.

Isabel jumped out and headed inside.

"Is!"

She turned back.

"I am grateful. I. . ."

"I know! I know! You just want to be sure she's OK." She smirked a little. "Well, dear brother. Missing a day of school won't be all 'that' bad. And I'm acing Trig. So, one test won't matter."

Max put the jeep in first gear. "Thanks. And if you see anything unusual. Call me. I'll leave my phone on."

"Your teacher's will love that!" Isabel said sarcastically.

"I don't care. Call me!"

And he drove off.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:09:52 PM
Chapter 18E--Week 3


Max fidgeted in his chair.

He was in his second period history class.

How long can a teacher go on about the stupid Neapolianic Wars?

Mr. Fairmont's colorless voice droned on and on.

And on.

His voice like a steady machine in a factory workshop. Hummming away in the background. Heard, but never really listened to.

Max sighed and drew circles on his notebook.

Come on, Isabel! Call me! What have you found out?

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

Isabel sat on her bed, and looked at Liz Parker's yearbook picture.

She had never understood her brother's fascination with 'Miss Plain Jane Parker.'

The girl rarely wore makeup. She never dressed in the latest styles.

Isabel stared.

Still. . .

She had kept their secret.

Except for Maria, of course. Isabel raised her eyebrows.

And the girl did love her brother.

And she had gotten them out of a jam or two.

Isabel became determined.

All right Miss Elizabeth Parker. Where are you? And what's going on?

Isabel touched the picture and watched as it wavered slightly.

Then, she laid down, and let herself relax.

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

Max weaved his way between students on his way to Councilor Burn's office. He figured, maybe the councilor had another phone number where Liz could be reached. After all, it was through Burns that Dr. Holt had contacted Liz.

"Hey! Max!" Maria's voice called out to him as she raced to catch-up with him.

He stopped and turned.

"Hey, Maria," he said.

She was out of breath by the time she reached him. "Where in the world are you going to so fast?" She asked, breathing hard.

Max didn't want to worry Maria. Excluding Isabel, he hadn't told anyone else about his dreams. There was no reason to get Maria concerned, too. She had enough to worry about with Michael.

"I was on my way to Biology class," Max lied.

"Isn't it in the other direction," Maria said pointing down the hall in the opposite direction.

Crap!

"I. . .I was just going to go get something from the vending machine, first," Max stammered.

Maria wagged her finger at him and teased, "Tisk, tisk! Just because Liz is away doesn't mean that you should start eating junk-food to compensate for your loneliness."

Max laughed. Mostly in relief that she didn't catch on to his lie.

"Now, Max," Maria looped her arm through his and started leading him towards his Bio class, "My job as Liz's best friend is," she started to count on her fingers, "Number One--Make sure no other chicks try and steel you while Liz is away getting herself better educated."

And to demonstrate, Maria gave another 'Max gawker' a dirty look.

Then, she looked up at an obvious Max. He really has no idea, does he? Maria thought.

Max snorted at Maria's comment. Yea, right! Like any other girl could compare to Liz!

"What's number two," Max asked.

"Number two--Make sure no other chicks try and steel you while Liz is away getting herself better educated."

Max laughed. "Let me guess what number three is."

"I think you've got the idea," Maria grinned.

They enjoyed a good laugh as they walked down the hall.

Then, Max, turning serious, asked, "Maria, have you heard from Liz?"

Maria looked up at him. "Si! She left a message on my answering machine yesterday. Why?"

Max felt some measure of relief.

"What did she say? How is she? What has she been doing? How did she sound? Tired? Worried? Did she ask about me?" Max babbled on.

"She just left a message that she was sorry that she missed me. And she'd try back later," Maria said. Confused by his reaction.

"Oh."

"Max? Is everything OK?" Maria asked.

"Sure! Sure!" Max said overly brightly. "I just miss her. That's all."

They walked in silence for a moment.

"By the way," Max's lip quirked, changing the subject. "What was that bet you and Michael made?"

They had reached his classroom.

Maria just grinned, "I don't kiss and tell."

"So,'it' involved kissing?"

"Hhhmmmm. Could be. Could be," Maria teased.

He pointed his finger at Maria, "I'll find out one day, young lady."

Maria just smiled and flounced away towards her own class.

Max, with a huge grin on his face and feeling slightly better about the whole situation, opened the door to his AP Biology class, and walked in.

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

Isabel's relaxed on her bed as she entered the dream world.

She walked on clouds, and there was nothing but sky all around her.

The color blue went as far as the eye could see.

She hopped from one cloud to the next. Not sure what was holding her up. The clouds didn't feel like there was anything substantial beneath them.

She giggled as she bounced up and down on one, seeing if she would break through the thin, invisible layer of 'whatever' was holding her up.

I'm not in anybody's dream. Isabel thought.

She didn't know how she knew this. She just did.

Instead she was on some plain or dimension, or 'whatever' between reality and the dream world.

What do I do now? Isabel wondered.

This had never happened before. She had always been able to enter into the dreams she wanted.

Maybe Liz was just too far away?

But it was certainly nice here.

Drifting on clouds.

Maybe I'll bring Alex here, someday.

Isabel lay down on a cloud and felt more comfortable and secure than she had ever felt in her life.

Was it possible to fall asleep in your own dream?

Isabel giggled at the thought. Who cares?

And for the next hour she enjoyed her new found 'Land In-Between Dreams.'

She looked up at the clouds and she discovered she could 'think' the clouds into images she wanted.

She turned one into a horse, then a rabbit, a frog, and then a dog.

A lamb.

A giraffe.

A tiger.

A lion.

She giggled.

She sang.

She danced.

And for the first time in her life, she was free.

But freedom never lasts for long. And in a moment of conscience, she remembered what she was here to do.

A door suddenly appeared on one of the clouds.

A door?

With fluffy whiteness all around it.

'The Door' was far off. She was going to have to jump, hop and skip on many clouds to reach it.

Isabel could see that light was trying to escape around the frame of the door.

Were there more wonders through that door? What else was waiting for her in this 'Land In-Between Dreams?'

I have to come up with a better name for this place.

So, Isabel started hopping from cloud to cloud. Anxious to see what new possibilities waited for her behind the closed door.



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

"Hey, Missy," Max said as he put his books away beneath their lab table.

"Hey, Max," She responded absently. She was staring at one of the test tubes that had a funny dark-blue liquid in it.

"What's that?" he asked.

"The next assignment in our book," she said and looked up. She smiled. "Thought I'd get started."

"Trying to impress the new teacher, huh?" Max joked. Maria's teasing had put him in a more lighthearted mood.

Missy blushed and laughed. "She is a college professor. Wouldn't hurt to get noticed."

Max smiled and opened his Bio book to their next assignment.

Suddenly, he felt a blast of white, hot energy slam into his body, and he gasped. He had to hold on to the desk to keep from falling to the ground.

What the hell. . .!!!!!

Little spots of color and light started to dance before his eyes.

"Max! Max! Are you all right," Missy had heard his gasp and could see he was hanging on to the desk for dear life.

He couldn't answer.

He looked up, as Dr. Serina Bryce walked into the room.

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

She was almost there. She could see the golden knob on the door and the shiny angel knocker.

One, two, buckle my shoe!

Three, four, shut the door!

Five, six, pick up sticks!


Isabel sang the childhood rhyme as she hopped from cloud to cloud until she was directly in front of the door.

Just one cloud hop away.

The light beams shining from the cracks around the door frame were pearl white.

If they were to shine directly into your eyes, they'd blind you. Isabel thought.

She wasn't on the last cloud that disappeared beneath the door. But she was close enough. It was a big door, and she wanted to make sure she left enough room for it to open completely.

She reached out and turned the knob.

It didn't budge.

It wouldn't turn left nor right. So, she tried just pulling on it. But that didn't work either.

She released the knob and huffed in frustration.

Maybe I should knock. After all, it's rude to just walk in univited.

Isabel reached over and grabbed the heavy angel knocker with both hands and used it to bang on the door three times.

The bangs were so loud, they shook the door.

Some one had to have heard that!

But at first, she heard nothing from behind the door. Just stillness. Then, she heard what sounded like scurrying sounds. Like someone trying to cleanup their house before they let an unexpected guest come in. Then, silence.

Then more silence.

Isabel let out a frustrated sound and grabbed the knob and pulled with all her might. The door started to creak open, but slipped out of her hands and slammed shut as if on a strong spring.

Determination set in Isabel's jaw line.

I am opening that damn door! No matter what!

Again, she grabbed the knob, stepped forward on the cloud supporting 'the door'.

And promptly, fell through.


Isabel woke with a start.

Startled out of her dream world, she looked around her room as if seeing it for the first time.

What the hell is going on?

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

After taking several deep breaths, Max's vision cleared, and he was able to stand on his own.

Pushing himself away from his desk, he gave Missy a reassuring smile, and with shaking hands, he finished opening his book.

But he was badly shaken.

What the hell had just happened?!

"Good morning class. I'm Dr. Bryce," Serena's voice was steady and firm with a no nonsense attitude. "Mrs. Becker has given me the itinerary for the class, and I need to warn you that I intent to follow it to the letter! So, no falling behind. If you are having trouble in any area of this class, I suggest you come up and talk to me after this lesson."

As she talked, she walked down the aisle. When she came flush with Max's desk, she froze. But only for a moment. Then, she continued.

"Open your books to page 89 and we'll get started on the next assignment. . ." And she continued as she walked back to the front of the class.

Max watched Dr. Bryce as she worked at the chalkboard and talked with her students.

She deliberately avoided looking his way.

He worked on the assignment with Missy, but at the end of the class, much to his chagrin, he realized that Missy had done most of the work.

Missy didn't seem to mind.

As they put away their items, Dr. Bryce packed up her briefcase and made a hasty retreat.

Max watched her leave.

Through out his life, Max's alieness had made him very unsure about a lot of things in this very human world. But there was one thing he was absolutely sure of.

Serena Bryce was an alien.

But was she friend or foe?

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:11:08 PM
Chapter 19A--Week 4



Maria rewound the tape and hit the play button.

She laid back in her bed as she replayed Liz's message.

"Hi! It's Liz! Sorry, I missed ya!"

Her friend's 'over-bright', 'over-perky' voice made Maria's stomach turn. Sort of like when Marsha Tucker (teachers' pet) sucked up to one her respective teachers.

Gag-a-Maga.

"How are things going with Michael? Is he still being a jerk? Well, that's just Michael, I guess?"

Maria scowled as Liz laughed hysterically at her own statement.

What was with the that!? Only I can call Michael a jerk.

"Well, gotta run. Can't ask Dr. Holt to pay a big long-distance telephone charge. Bye!"

Maria sighed as she heard the sound of the dial tone. As a going away present, Maria had jokingly given Liz a prepaid phone card.

Why doesn't she just use it?

And more importantly, why would Liz call her on a Wednesday night? Liz knew, Maria worked every Wednesday night at The Crashdown.

At first, Maria hadn't thought much about Liz's message----how strange it sounded nor its timing. But Max had reacted so strangely. Maria knew he missed Liz, but his reaction was just so . . . overkill.

So, she had come home from school, and rewound her answering machine and played the message over and over.

And the more she played it, the weirder it got.

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

Serina sat in the teachers' break-room, eating an apple. She was becoming very fond of her daily treat. Every morning, she came into her classroom, and found another apple with another note.

Today's note said:
Roses are Red.
Violets are Blue.
Haven't I said,
I'd like to meet you!!

Serina smiled. OK. So his notes were a little corny. But she didn't mind.

They were corny . . . but cute.

And it was nice to have an admirer.

In the past, she had dated------but mostly for appearances. To the human world, she had to make her life as normal as possible.

But she had never really been interested.

She had a job to do. A mission to complete.

And besides, most of the guys she had dated only wanted one thing.

Sex!

But now, she was being romanced.

Well, sort of.

I think I like this.

They still hadn't spoken to each other. But there had been glances as they passed each other in the halls.

It was a fun, sexy game.

Serina moistened her lips at the thought and took another bite of her Tabasco drenched apple.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmm."

"I've never seen anyone like apples as much as you do," Mr. Burns said with a grin as he seated himself across from her.

"Well, you know what they say. An apple a day. . ." Serina let the sentence trail off as she chewed on her last bite.

Serina liked Burns. He was one of the few African-Americans in Roswell. And some people found him intimidating. Not because he was black, but because his broad shoulders and six-foot, 4-inch frame made him look like a former defensive guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Actually, he was an easy man to talk to. And he truly cared for the kids at Roswell High. He showed concern for each and every one of his students. He could tell you almost anything about each one of them.

Which schools they had come from.

What clubs they were in.

Weather they were troublemakers, class clowns, 'A' students.

Whose parents were involved in the PTA.

Which gave Serina another reason to get to know him. . . he was a gold-mine of information.

Mr. Burn's deep laugh made Serina smile.

"I don't think you have doctors in mind when you eat those apples," he teased her.

Serina blushed.

Oh, for heaven's sake!! Am I really that obvious?

As Serina's face got redder, Mr. Burn's chuckle turned into a hearty laugh.

Serina decided to tease him back. "So, you're laughing at me now, . . ." Serina paused, "Guntheri . . ."

Mr. Burns stopped laughing, but he still had a grin on his face, "Hey!! You said you wouldn't tell anyone! I didn't ask for that name you know!" He put up his hands in surrender. "I'm completely innocent. It was aaaallll my Mama's fault."

"How typical," Serina teased. "Blame everything on your parents . . ."

They shared a good laugh.

"So, how was your first week at Roswell High," Burns asked.

This is my chance. Serina thought to herself. Time to start digging for that information.

"Mostly, everything has been going very well. I just have a few questions to ask about some of the students," Serina said.

"Oh!" Mr. Burns was a little surprised. He didn't normally have trouble with students in his AP classes.

She asked the obvious questions first.

She asked about Tommy Lane, aka 'Mr. Can't Pay Attention Because I'm Too Busy Looking at My Partner's Legs.' "I swear, if he ever puts as much energy into his projects as he does into looking at Katie's legs, he'd be a certified genius," Serina huffed.

Burns laughed and said, "They're just at that age. . ."

And the talk went on.

One student who was having trouble getting to class on time.

Another who was having problems with the academics of AP Biology.

"What about this student in Sweden? When is she going to be back," Serina asked. She had looked over Mrs. Becker's notes about Elizabeth Parker. She didn't impress easily, but Serina had to hand it to this Parker girl. She definitely was going to make something of herself in the world of science.

Serina looked forward to meeting her.

"Liz is studying with Dr. Laura Holt. She'll be back around mid-December," Mr. Burns replied.

"The Doctor Laura Holt!" Serina was shocked.

Wow! Now she was definitely impressed.

"You know Dr. Holt?"

"Not personally. I've heard her speak a few times. She's quite famous in the world of Science. She's even cured a few diseases."

"Well, Liz Parker is Roswell's own aspiring scientist. She really admires Dr. Holt. Wrote her some letters, so Dr. Holt invited her to her lab in Sweden to show her the ropes. So to speak."

"All the way to Sweden!" Serina was still amazed. Then, she huffed. "Dr. Holt must get paid a lot more than I did as a college professor to have her own place in Sweden."

Burns frowned slightly. "I thought Dr. Holt was from Sweden."

"Nope. She's an all American girl. Grew up in Idaho, I think," Serina said taking a drink from her coffee.

"Hhhmmmm." Burns had a distant look on his face for a moment.

Serina looked at the clock over vending machine. She didn't have a lot of time left.

Must ask the question. . .

"Also," she stated as casually as she could, "I'd like to know more about Max Evans."

"They're dating," Burns said his mind occupied.

Funny. I had his complete attention a moment ago.

"Excuse me?"

Burns collected himself and turned back to Serina.

"Max Evans and Liz Parker. They're dating."

Serina felt her eyes go round, and her heart start to pound.

That . . .

was not

. . . good.


Serina cleared her throat, took a deep breath to try and slow her panicked heart rate, and asked as casually as she could, "How serious is their relationship?"

Burns had to chuckle. "Well, . . . you know kids."

Serina was literally on the edge of her seat.

"No, I'm afraid I don't. Why don't you tell me," she couldn't quite keep the sound of panic out of her voice.

Burns frowned at Serina's reaction.

"Well, most teachers who have had both students in their class have seen Max moon over Liz Parker for ages."

Shit!!!

". . . .they've been caught in the eraser room couple of times . . . ."

Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!

". . . one teacher said that she became concerned when Max stared so long at Liz that he hadn't blinked the entire class period . . ."

"How long has this been going on?"

Burns paused, surprised at her abrupt interruption.

"Rumor has it that he's had a crush on her since 3rd grade . . ."

Double Shit!

The fourth period bell rang signaling an end to lunch.

"I have to go," Serina hastily picked up her purse and briefcase. She tossed the half eaten apple away, forgetting why it was so special.

"Serina . . ."

"Can't be late for class. Must fill all those brains with science, theorems, knowledge . . ." Serina babbled as she quickly walked out the door.

Serina marched down Roswell High, muttering every swear word she could think of.

This was not supposed to happen. Getting involved with humans was not part of the plan. What was Zan thinking!!!?? And where the HELL was their idiot protector? Why was he letting this happen?

Serina let out a sound of frustration.

When I find that stupid shape-shifter, I'm was going to give him the once over!! I never liked the creep to begin with. The coward had only cared what he got out of protecting the king. He had never cared about the fact that their entire planet and thousands of lives hung in the balance!!!!

Oh, nnnnnoooooooooooooooo. All that stupid, cowardly, idiotic, moronic, doofus-faced, shape-shifter had cared about was his reward for taking care of the king.


Serina walked into her empty classroom and threw her stuff down on the desk.

She took several calming breaths.

She sat heavily down into her chair as some of her anger drained out her. She rubbed the bridge of her nose and told herself to calm down. There wasn't anything she could do to change the situation.

Their king had found his queen.

And Liz Parker was in terrible danger.

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

Burns walked into his office and headed directly to his filing cabinet. He squatted down and opened the third drawer marked O-R.

"Parker, Parker. . ." he muttered to himself.

He was so intent on looking for Liz's file, that he didn't hear the foot falls behind him.

"What the hell are you doing in my files!" Marge said in her drill sergeant voice. Burns hastily stood up and turned to look at his secretary. Realizing he had just committed the ultimate crime, he stepped away and put up his hands in surrender. The file cabinet was Marge's territory--and you ventured in at your own risk.

He said, "Uh, I need Liz Parker's file." He pause as Marge raised her eyebrows. "Please?"

Burns stepped back as Marge marched up to her file cabinet. She squatted and opened the bottom drawer. Muttering to herself, she began to search.

As she looked through her files, Burns gave in to a childish urge he'd had for years and made monster faces behind her back. He put his arms out and made what his Mama used to call his 'Frankenstein' face. Then, he clawed his hands above her head and rolled his eyes and bared his teeth.

"Here it is!" Marge grabbed the file and slammed the file drawer shut as if to lock out any further intruders. She stood up and turned to her very innocent looking boss and handed him the file.

"Where was it," Burns asked, confused.

"It was filed under Science Club, sir," Marge explained.

"Science Club! Is that how you file everything?!"

"Of course, sir."

"What if a student doesn't belong to any club?"

"Every student should belong to a club, sir," Marge replied. And promptly marched out.

Burns just threw up his hands in frustration. I'll never understand that woman. And he didn't have time to figure her out right now.

He walked behind his desk and sat down. He opened up Liz Parker's school file. The very first thing in her file, was the permission slip signed by her father for the school board to send his daughter to study with one Dr. Laura Holt.

Burns and Mr. Parker had spoken with Dr. Holt over the phone. She had reassured them Liz would be looked after and that she would be in bed every night by 11pm.

Burns smiled as he thought about Mr. Parker's very serious face as he made the last condition. It was nice to see a parent so involved in his kids life. Too often, Burns saw the other side----parents, (especially fathers) who didn't give a big rip about their kids or their education.

He turned to the next page that gave all the information about how to reach Dr. Holt--the name and address of her place in Sweden.

Burns picked up the phone and dialed for international long-distance.

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

quote:
ScientistExtraordinar writes to ExtraterrestrialGuy:

Max! Hi! So sorry I haven't written, emailed, or called! Dr. Holt has been keeping me busy! Lot's of science stuff to learn. I tried calling Maria, but she wasn't home. Wrote to Mom and Dad. Lot's to do. Can't get caught on the computer. Have to see if Zan is OK. Oooopppssss!!! LOL!! Zan's the BIG science secret around here! Can't tell anyone about Zan! I miss you. I'm so tired.


Max stared at his screen--a frown on his brow.

"What the hell is a Zan," Michael asked reading over Max's shoulder.

"I have no idea Michael," Max made a sound of frustration. "She's not even using complete sentences."

"She did say she was tired, Max," Isabel tried unsuccessfully to sound positive. The note was a little weird.

A look of determination crossed Max's face. He'd had enough of this. Something was wrong. She hadn't called. She barely emailed.

That was just not Liz.

He turned from his computer and looked at Isabel sitting on his bed. "Isabel, I want you to dreamwalk Liz again," he said.

"Max, I told you what happened. . ."

"I don't care! Try again!"

Isabel sat up straighter on Max's bed, "Don't order me around, Max!"

"Isabel. . ." Max's voice warned.

"Hey, guys," Michael came in-between them, ". . .come on now, don't make me play the part of peace keeper here. Things are weird enough already."

Isabel and Max eyed each other until Isabel huffed and flounced off the bed and made her way to her own room.

"It's not a good idea to piss off Is," Michael warned Max.

"I'm past caring at this point, Michael. At the moment, I'm ready to get on a plane and go to Sweden."

"Like your parent's would let you."

Max sighed and turned back towards Liz's email message.

There was a moment of silence as they both reread the note.

"So, tell me again about this Dr. Bryce," Michael said changing the subject.

"I'm not sure there's much to tell. I got this blast of . . .energy. . . just before she walked into the classroom. When I saw her, I knew she was different, like us. I just knew."

"But she hasn't talked to you?"

"No, she avoids looking at me or even letting me answer questions in class," Max said.

"I'll check her out," Michael said.

"Michael. . ."

"I mean, I'll go to Valenti and we'll check her out," Michael amended.

"You are not to break into her apartment, Michael."

Michael sighed. "Ok, I won't break into her apartment."

"Promise?"

Michael lifted his right hand and put his left hand on Max's Biology book, "I swear on this school Biology book, that I will not break into Serena Bryce's apartment."

Max looked doubtful.

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

Burns slammed down the phone in frustration. For two hours he'd tried to contact Dr. Holt in Sweden.

Without success.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair. It was the middle of the night in Sweden.

Still . . .

He had let the phone ring and ring and ring. Then, on his tenth try he finally got an answering machine.

Dr. Holt's voice had come on the phone asking the caller to leave a message and a phone number and the nature of the call.

Burns had done just those things. He specifically asked for Liz Parker to call him back. He and the school were eager to know of her progress in Sweden.

Or so he told them.

The truth was that he was worried about Elizabeth Parker.

His conversation with Serina came back to him . . .

quote:
. . . all American girl. Grew up in Idaho. . .


If Laura Holt grew up in Idaho, then why did she have a Swedish accent?


[ edited 2 time(s), last at 5-Jan-2003 9:19:47 PM ]
posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:14:31 PM
Chapter 19B-Week 4


Serina pulled into her regular parking space at the Desert Oasis Apartment Complex, and shut off roar of the motorcycle's engine.

There's nothing like the sound of well built engine, Serina thought to herself.

She climbed off her bike and headed towards the entrance.

Tonight, it's a little dinner, then a nice long hot bath to help me relax.

She had a lot to think about. She had spent most of her earthly life looking for Zan, his family and his Second. But now that she had found them, she wasn't quite sure what to do next. She knew Zan, (or Max as he's called now) was aware of her 'alieness', but he had not approached her.

She reached her apartment door. Before she put her key in the lock she heard the sound of something breaking inside her apartment.

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

Michael felt a little guilty. . .

He'd promised Max he wouldn't do this. . . .

But when Sheriff Valinte's investigation turned up nothing significant, he knew he had to take matters into his own hands.

It was always up to him. . .




The police report had read . . .

quote:
Serina Ann Bryce

Born: April 21, 1967
Place: Phoenix, AZ
DMV Vital Statistics: Ht' 6ft 1in;
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Weight: 150lb
No record of citations
Education: Baylor University--Major: Human Biological Sciences with a Minor in Human Physiology Graduate Student-Honors
Current Address: Desert Oasis Apartment Complex
55215 Juno Street
Apt. 12
Roswell, NM 88202


All the information Valenti had come up with was interesting, but hardly satisfying.

Michael figured it wasn't just curiosity that led Bryce to Human Physiology and Physiological studies.

Serina Bryce wanted to know as much about humans as possible.

So, here he was. All it took was a little alien power, and he let himself into Apartment #12.

Michael looked around at the ultra neat apartment. It made him think of Liz and the few times he had been in her room.

Were all scientists so anal about having a place for everything? Why did they have to keep everything so damn neat?

He sighed and looked around the living room.

It wasn't too bad. The black leather couch was OK.

The coffee table had magazines neatly stacked between a candy dish and a candle holder. He picked up the small stack and took note of their titles.

Science Today.

BioTech.

Human Physiology Magazine.

He froze in surprise when he came to a magazine simply titled Harley.

He flipped through several pages and found certain machines circled. Some had the word 'Cool!' writen in the margins while others were 'X'ed out with a thumbs down drawing sketched on the page.

She liked Harleys, huh. Well, at least she was a cool alien.

He put the science magazines back on the coffee table and kept the Harley Mag. He flipped through the pages as he headed to the kitchen and went directly to the fridge. As he opened the door, he wasn't surprised to see rows and rows of Tobacco sauce. She also had other foods . . . lettus. . .tomatoes. . .baloney. . .milk . . .

And apples. . .

Three plastic bags filled with them.

Can one person eat that many apples before they go bad?

His stomach growled.

He reached in and helped himself to a couple. She won't miss a few. Anyway, sustenance is needed when 'breaking and entering'.

Holding a couple apples in one hand, he reached for a Tabasco bottle.

Standing up straight, he nearly jumped out of his skin as he felt a hand grab his left shoulder.

Dropping the bottle and apples, ignoring the sound of breaking glass, he raised his hand--ready to defend himself.

"I thought I told you not to come here," Max said taking a step back.

"Shit! Max!" Michael's yelled, eyes bugged out. Then, he lowered his voice to a hissing whisper. "What the hell are you trying to do? Scare the crap out of me?"

"If only I could."

"How the hell did you get in here, anyway?"

"Same way you did. Would you mind putting your hand down? That thing's loaded and I don't want it pointed at me."

Michael hastily lowered his hand.

"If you didn't want me to break into her apartment, then why are you here breaking and entering?"

"Because, I knew you'd come anyway. I figure if we both look around, I can get you out of here faster without too much trouble. But what do I find? You. Raiding her fridge."

"I was hungry."

"Then, eat something before you break into someone's apartment next time!"

Serina watched the exchange from the corner of her kitchen with a smirk on her face. She rarely used this power. She didn't like to abuse her gifts. But they were useful for survival purposes.

However, she practiced using them often in private to keep her 'Alien' gifts in top form. After all, it was her 'assignment'----her 'goal'----to teach her King and Second how to use their powers.

How to become warriors and defend their people.

She just wondered how they'd react to the fact that they could become invisible.

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:20:59 PM
Chapter 20-Week 4


Serina watched as Michael reached out his hand over the broken Tabasco bottle. She felt the energy pour out of his hand, and the pieces of glass began to hum and vibrate. Then, the glass and Tabasco juice flew off the floor and hovered in midair.

Next, the shards of glass and sauce began slowly turning around and around--like a whirlwind. As the whirlwind moved faster and faster, the bottle began to put itself back together until all the pieces were back in place with the Tabasco sauce housed inside.

So. They do know how to use some of their powers. Serina thought.

Then, noticing the object under Michael's other arm, Hey! What the hell does he think he's doing with my Harley Mag?

Max grabbed the bottle from the air and set it on the kitchen counter.

He turned to Michael, "Neat trick, now put her apples back."

"Aawww, Maaaxx."

Max just pointed at the fridge. Michael huffed, opened the door, and tossed the apples back inside. He started to reach for the Tobacco bottle . . .

"Michael! Don't put that back in there, the sauce has been all over the floor!"

Michael looked down at the linoleum, "It's clean," he pointed out.

Serina rolled her eyes.

"Don't be gross, Michael," Max replied. He took the bottle and tossed into the trash can.

He turned to Michael, "Why don't you take a look in her bedroom. AWAY from the kitchen. I'll check out here."

"For what?"

Max threw up his hands in exasperation, "I don't know! What do you usually look for, when you mill around in other alien's apartments?"

Michael stomped out of the kitchen, "You don't have to be so sarcastic you know!"

Max watched him disappear into Serina's bedroom.

I don't believe this! Max thought.

Taking a deep breath, Max scanned the apartment.

Couch. . .

Television. . .

Table. . .

Desk. . .

Desk!

He made his way over to her desk and began opening drawers. As he searched through the contents, he didn't find anything unusual. Just papers, bills, insurance. . .

Serina watched Max from her kitchen. She didn't follow him into the living area of her apartment. The carpet would show her footprints. And she didn't want herself revealed just yet.

She wasn't too happy about Michael searching around in her bedroom, but she let it go.

For now.

Max turned from the desk and scanned the room once more.

Just what the hell are we supposed to be looking for?

Michael came and stood in the door of Serina's bedroom. "Find anything?" He asked.

Max shook his head, brow furrowed.

"You, find anything," Max asked as he looked at Michael.

"Just lacy underwear and pushup bras," Michael replied.

Serina's face flamed.

Max gave Michael a look.

"What!?" Michael looked offended. "Underwear drawer is were most people hide their secrets."

Max sighed, "This is pointless. What if we did find something? What would we do with it anyway? Go to the police?"

"This alien might be dangerous, Max. . ."

Serina watched the two as they bantered back and forth.

Zan . . . Max was King. But he obviously was not in charge of the situation.

And Michael obviously wasn't a follower.

Serina sighed. Those two needed a lot of work. Obviously they didn't know the meaning of the words 'team work'.

And Serina knew that alien 'superpowers' just weren't enough to save their people.

". . .approach her and ask her who she is. . ."

"Max, what if she blasts you!"

"She won't in a public place. . ."

Serina decided it was time to make her presences known. "Are you sure about that Max?"

Max and Michael jumped in surprise at the sound of her voice.

"What the hell. . ." Michael raised hand, ready to defend himself. His eyes searched the empty apartment. But he saw nothing.

"Are you really sure that I'm not dangerous, Max," Serina taunted her king.

Max also had his hand raised, ready to deploy his shield.

"Who are you," Max demanded. He tried to sound authoritative and commanding. But his voice quivered slightly.

"You already know who I am, Max," Max and Michael swung around in surprise as the voice came from behind them.

"You hear my voice everyday," Serina continued.

"H . . . how are you doing that? What are you," Michael asked the empty air.

"I'm just like you, Rath," Serina whispered into Michael's ear, making him jump sky-high.

He swung around and stepped back.

"You're an alien. But are you like us? Are you here as a friend or an enemy," Max demanded, his voice was a little stronger. He and Michael had their backs to each other, hands out.

"You tell me, Max. You are the king. Are you not?"

"Look, I don't know what kind of sick game you're playing. . ."

Serina closely watched them. They were covering each other's back and slowly circling her apartment, waiting for the next sound of her voice.

Not a bad move.

For amateurs.

It made for a good start in their training.


But Serina had a few more tests for them. She released just a little of her energy.

And gave Max just a little shock.


Max and Michael were astonished to see a small lightening-bolt come out of nowhere and strike Max in his forearm.

Max cried out more in surprise than from actual pain, and he reached around with his other hand and covered the new wound.

"Max!" Michael cried out.

Enraged, Michael felt his alien side take over. He felt a fiery sensation begin at the base of his neck and run down his arm and out from his hand releasing a blast of energy.

Serina cringed as the vase on her small kitchen table shattered into a thousand pieces.

Then, her television exploded.

O swell!

"You're not even aiming in the right directions, Rath," she taunted. She let another lightening bolt strike Michael, using a little more power this time.

That was a freaking new television!

Her power struck Michael in the his thigh, and he collapsed to his knees.

Max stepped in front of him, raised his hand and deployed his shield.

Whoa! Now, that is cool! Serina thought. She had never seen anybody do that before!

"Come on Michael! Get up! We have to get out of here! Can you move?"

Michael grimaced as pain shot up and down his right thigh. He tried to stand only to fall back to his knees, "Can't make it," Michael said in a choked whisper. "Leave without me. . ."

"I won't leave you here, Michael!"

Serina rolled her eyes. Oh, puleeeaaassseee!

"Enough with the dramatics, boys," Serina slowly let herself be seen. Her form slowly took shape before their astonished eyes.

"You guys are pretty pathetic," she told them. Her form wavered through Max's green shield.

"Although the shield thing is cool," she continued. "What kind of forces can it stand against?"

Max shrugged and gave Serina a suspicious look, "I don't know."

Serina had to fight not to roll her eyes again, "You mean you haven't practiced or even been curious as to what it can do?"

"I haven't exactly had time to try it out," Max replied, aggravated, "Who are you? What do you want?"

Serina was silent for a moment. Willing Max to bring his defenses down.

Michael staggered to his feet.

Max drew in his shield.

Then, Serina spoke. . .

"What I want, is my king back. And my people free."

Max and Michael just looked at her, thunderstruck.

Serina sighed.

"And that means, I . . .we have a lot of work to do."

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:21:59 PM
Chapter 21-Week 5


Serina stood in the middle of Michael's apartment and surveyed the aliens and humans who surrounded her.

Kyle and Maria sat on Michael's couch, mouths gaping, astonished that one of their teachers was an alien.

Max stood behind and to the right of Serina. He watched her closely, still suspicious.

Isabel sat on the arm of Michael's overstuffed chair. She wasn't sure she liked this new alien. Isabel was used to being the only female alien. She wasn't sure she was ready to share her hierarchy with another female.

Alex stood across from the couch on the other side of Serina. He could tell that Isabel was not happy.

Michael was in the kitchen raiding the fridge.

"Well? Is this it?" Serina threw her arms out wide, "or is the entire city of Roswell going to show up for this meeting?"

Serina was seriously freaking out.

She turned to Max, "Just how many humans know about us, Max? Who else did you guys tell?" Her voice rose, "The mayor? The student body president? The governor?"

Michael walked over and plopped down on the couch beside Maria, who gave him a dirty look for not even saying 'Hi' to her. His mouth was full of hot-dog and Tabasco, "Just the sheriff."

"The sheriff!!!" Serina screeched. "You guys involved the sheriff?!"

Shit!!!!!

"It's a long story," Max began to explain, but a knock at Michael's door interrupted him.

"Come in," Michael called out.

Sheriff Valenti walked in.

"I just cannot believe this. You guys got 'the law' involved in this? What were you thinking!" Serina yelled.

Valenti stopped in his tracks at Serina's abrupt attack on the people surrounding her.

"Look, I don't know what's going on here. . ." he began.

"A catastrophe, sheriff. That's what's going on here. A complete and total catastrophe."

"Serina if you'll just listen," Max started again. "We didn't just walk up to these people and say 'Hey, I'm an alien, will please keep it a secret'."

Serina sighed.

"OK. Begin at the beginning and don't stop till you get to the end."

She backed up so that she had a good view of them all as they talked.

Max began, "About a year ago, Michael and I were in the Crashdown when two guys started arguing very loudly. One of them pulled out a gun. . ."



Chapter 22-Week 5


(This scene happens around 9pm at Councilor Burns school office. And just for everyone's information, there are nine hours difference between New Mexico time and Swedish time.)




"The number you have dialed is no longer in service. . ."

Guntheri Burns slowly puts the phone down. Over the past few days, he had left several messages at the phone number that Dr. Holt had left him.

No one had returned his calls.

And the recorded message meant that, now, there was no way to reach Liz Parker.

He picked the phone up and dialed the number for the Roswell Sheriff Department.

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

Jeff Parker sighed in relief as he closed the front doors of The Crashdown, turned the OPEN sign to CLOSED, and turned the key in the lock.

"I thought those people would never leave," Nancy Parker said in exasperation.

Before Jeff could reply, they both heard the phone ring in the back.

While Nancy went to answer, Jeff moved behind the counter, grabbed the broom and began his nightly routine.

As he worked, his thoughts were far away.

Every corner of The Crashdown Cafe contained memories.

On this very floor, he had taught his daughter how to dance. When she was just 12, they had pushed tables aside, and she had stood on his feet as he taught her how to count her steps.

He had given her her first 'date' here. A 'Father's Date' where he had taught her how a gentleman should treat a lady on a date.

They had had many 'Father to Daughter' discussions over Alien Smoothies.

A sad smile touched his face as he thought about those moments.

They were gone now.

In the past.

And his baby girl was moving on into the adult world. Soon she would be going out into the world and make a life for herself. With a family of her own. A promising career that . . .

"Jeff," Nancy interrupted his thoughts. "Jeff, Councilor Burns just called. He's on his way over."

Jeff frowned, "Why? Is something wrong? Liz. . ."

Nancy's voice shook a little, "I don't know. He said he'd tell us when he got here. And he said that Sheriff Valenti is on his way too."

Jeff put his arm around his wife's shoulders and hugged her close, "It's probably just about those pranksters who spray painted graffiti all over our windows last month . . ."

"But why would a school councilor call us and not the police?"

"Burns probably heard something from one of his students," Jeff said quietly. He kissed her on the her forehead.

"I don't know, Jeff. I still think we shouldn't have sent her so far away. And every time she calls. She talks about this 'secret' experiment they are doing in Sweden. Our baby's just too young to be involved in any science stuff that's 'secretive'."

Jeff put on a brave front, "I'm sure it's just some 'corporate' secret. You know, like some new cough or allergy medicine. . ."

The phone began to ring again before he could finish his thought.

He gave Nancy one last squeeze before he left to answer the phone.

"Crashdown Cafe, how may we help you?"

Silence greeted him.

"Hello? This is the Crashdown Cafe. . . ."

Before he could finish, he heard the dial tone.

He slammed the phone back into it's cradle in frustration.

Some people were just so damn rude!

posted on 5-Jan-2003 9:23:06 PM
Chapter 23--Week 5


After calling the Parkers, Burns hurried out to his car. He threw his briefcase in the back of his Toyota Carola and climbed in behind the wheel. Starting the engine, he made his way out on to the main street and headed for The Crashdown Cafe.

He wondered how he was going to inform the Parkers their only child was missing. And he felt so guilty. He remembered how Liz Parker's face had lit up when he had informed her about Holt's offer. And now it had all gone wrong.

But why?

Why would someone go to so much trouble to kidnap Liz Parker?

Burns pondered on this.

Liz Parker was a small town girl who lived a normal life, just like thousands of other All-American girls.

And yet. . .

He began to think of resent and past events.

Burns took special care to know about the lives of his students.

As a freshman, Liz Parker had been a shy girl. A direct opposite of her best friend, Maria De Luca.

He had often found it amusing to see them walk down the school's halls. Maria jabbering while Liz so patiently listened.

But if Liz was shy socially, in the classroom she was much more confident. All her teachers sang her praises. Her science teachers were especially impressed.

Then, during her sophomore year, things changed. She was still an "A" student, but her sphere of friends expanded. She started dating the Evans kid which also connected her with Isabel Evans and Michael Guerin.

Burns winced. He has suspected that the Guerin kid was being abused by his alcoholic foster dad. Burns had tried to do something about it, but it was hard without evidence. And Michael wouldn't talk about it. He had been relieved when the kid's "dad" had left town, and Michael had become emancipated.

Burns attention was diverted from his thoughts. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a light. Checking his rearview mirror, he saw a pair of headlights baring down on him.

He put on his blinker and moved into the right hand lane to let the car pass.

The car followed him over to the right lane.

Burns moved back into the left lane, only to be followed again.

Burns frowned, Was this guy drunk? Or was he just an idiot?

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

Jim Valenti stepped out of the Crashdown as he took a long swallow of the rich, hot coffee Jeff and just made for him. He glanced up the street looking for a tan Toyota Carola. When he didn't see one, he sighed and took another drink of his coffee.

He had talked only briefly with Burns on the phone. Apparently Burns had been trying for some time to reach Liz in Sweden. When his last call revealed that Liz was now unreachable, he had called the Roswell sheriff's department.

Valenti knew that there was more than ample reason for concern. After all, Liz Parker was just one of the few humans in the world who knew for a fact that aliens existed.

After hearing from the councilor, Valenti had immediately called Max. Max explained about the strange dreams he had been having. Isabel had tried something called a 'dream-walk' to try and reach Liz.

Valenti shook his head.

Dream-walking! Going into people's heads! Jim sighed. Would the surprises never end!

He turned and looked through the Crashdown's window. Inside, Jeff was comforting his wife. They were holding each other closely. Her shoulders were shaking as she sobbed into Jeff's shoulder.

Jeff was desperately holding back tears, as he tried to assure her that everything would be all right.

Jim winced as he witnessed their pain. How can I tell them there's a possibility their daughter's been kidnapped by aliens.

Jim sighed and looked back down the street.

Still no Toyota.

He checked his watch. It was over two hours since Burns had called him at the station.

Where the hell was he?

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

Max decided that it was time to try something different.

He was scared out of his mind for Liz. Valenti's phone call was the final straw.

It was time to find out what was happening to Liz.

He laid down on his bed and closed his eyes.

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

Isabel was in her own room sitting in the middle of her bed. She wasn't going to sleep just yet. She wanted to give Max enough time to fall asleep before she dream-walked him.

Maybe in Max's dream, they could figure out what was happening to Liz.

When she felt like enough time had passed, she laid down and closed her eyes.

posted on 14-Jan-2003 6:15:54 PM
Chapter 24--Week 5A

Isabel sighed as she entered the dream world. She didn't need Max's photograph. All she had to do was picture her brother's image in her mind . . .

And she was in. . .

As Max's image faded against the bright light that surrounded him, darkness took over, and Isabel was left in a room she didn't recognize.

Brick walls surrounded her.

A single light bulb provided dim light.

She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. She didn't usually feel climatic elements in her dreams, but the air here was so cold. It seeped out of the brick walls and into her bones. She turned, squinting at the darkness, trying to make sense of where she was.

There was a door to her left. She uncrossed her arms and reached out to turn the knob. She let out a frustrated sound as her hand passed through.

What is this place? Isabel thought.

She knew she wasn't in Max's (or anyone's) dream. There was no cloudy or glazed look to the scene that usually accompanied peoples' dreams.

So, where the hell am I?

She was thinking about trying to 'pass through' the door, when the sound of someone groaning made her jump in fright.

The sound was coming from a darkened corner.

"Who's there?" she asked. Her voice shook slightly.

No answer came.

And she took a step forward.

posted on 14-Jan-2003 6:49:23 PM
Chapter 24B--Week 5

"Who's there?" she asked again. Making her voice sound stronger.

Still no answer.

In a dark corner of the room someone moved and groaned again.

Isabel couldn't see. There was barley any light.

"Who's there," she whispered.

No one answered.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

More groans and shuffling sounds came from the corner.

She could see the person's shadow take form in the darkness as someone sat up from a horizontal position.

The shadow's chest puffed in and out as he struggled to get air into his lungs. Isabel could hear him struggling for each breath.

"Are you OK?" Is asked again. She took a step forward, then stopped when the shadow abruptly stood. He swayed back and forth for a moment, about to topple before catching his balance.

Then, he took a couple of deep breaths and stepped forward.

One foot in front of the other. His boots shuffled on the floor as he moved towards Isabel.

The lone bulb was dim, but it was bright enough to show the hard edges of his face, the stubble of his goatee and the shine of his earring.

Isabel gasped.

"Max?" she whispered in shock.

He had her brother's face, but this stranger's eyes were not melting chocolate brown, but a hard black coal-like quality.

He walked straight towards her, then past her. He limped as he moved, favoring his left leg.

"Shit!" He winced and swore as he stepped too hard with his damaged leg

Isabel jumped in shock at the harshness of his language. She'd heard Max swear a few times, but never with such vehemence.

The stranger raised his hand and supported himself against the wall.

Isabel maneuvered herself around him and placed herself right in front of him.

He looked right through her.

"You don't see me. Do you?" Isabel watched the changing expressions on his face. The lines of it were harsher and more sever than Max's. His lips were tight as if he were getting ready to snarl in frustration.

"Who are you?" Isabel asked in wonder.

Isabel wanted to ask a thousand questions.

Why do you look like Max? Where did you come from? Are you alien, like us? What is this place? How did I get here into your reality?

A sound came from where the door was. The turning of a key and the sound of metal scrapping metal as the door was slowly pulled open.

Isabel watched his reaction as the door opened.

His hand quickly dropped from the wall, and he stood straight. His eyes turned even darker and his face showed his defiance.

Isabel turned to see who was coming through the door.
posted on 10-Feb-2003 8:37:21 PM
Chapter 24C--Week 5

Max moved restlessly as he slept. He tried reaching out with his mind for Isabel but was blindsided by a darkness that intruded into his dream world.

Then, thoughts fluttered into his mind---images that were not his own. Scenes of city sky scrapers and dank cold subway tunnels. Strange visions of Isabel with spiked hair, and Michael with a tall mohawk that was just too strange to be real.

The flashes went into slow motion as he felt a push from behind him. He fell into the street. Then, he turned and saw the lights of a New York bus baring down on him. There was no time to move, and the pain of the bus rolling right over him was only out weighed by the pain of betrayal that flashed in his heart and mind. Then, all went dark.

Now, he was lying here in this fucking prison on this bed of steel waiting to heal or die.

Zan hated feeling so helpless. He was used getting what he wanted, and now he couldn't even heal himself. Every time he felt his powers start to come back they came and pumped more of that shit into his arm. He didn't know what it was, but after each shot he felt as weak as a new born kitten.

Even in his weakened state, anger flowed through his veins. He felt the heat of his blood as his alien powers began to emerge again.

How could they do this shit to him! His own sister . . . after everything they'd been through together!

He groaned in anger and in pain. Fueled by adrenaline produced by his anger and alien regeneration, he jolted upright in defiance of his circumstances. He groaned again as he pivoted and swung his body around so that his feet fell to the floor. He gritted his teeth as pain shot up his bad leg, and he forced himself to stand.

He bared his teeth against the pain. His eyes turned hard and his jaw ticked in determination as he shuffled his first step.

And another step.

Then, another.

Each step took his full concentration. Each step sent lightning bolts of pain up and down his body.

He kept moving forward until he was near the only source of light in this hellish prison. Being near the light meant he could see some of his surroundings. And this brought some measure of comfort.

He swore as he stepped a little too hard on his wounded leg. Reaching out his hand, he leaned on the wall for support.

If he took one more step, he knew he'd puke. Sweat beaded his brow, and the small brick enclosed world he was in spun around him. So, he concentrated on taking deep breaths.

Max wasn't sure what to think of all this.

And where was Liz?

Zan's head jerked up at this question, for the thought had not come from him.

What the hell. . . Was he delirious now?

A sound jolted him out of his thoughts as the door to his prison was scraped open.

His hand fell from the wall, and he turned his defiant stance to the door.

He struggled not to cringe as a very smug Lonnie came through the door, holding a syringe aloft in her left hand. She looked like some punked up Lauren Becall holding a cigarette in some old black & white movie.

All that was missing was the smoke billowing seductively off the end of the needle.

"Well, bratha, yous looked nice for someone got runover by a bus," Lonnie smirked as she sashayed into the cell.

Zan remained silent. He looked at his woman he had once called sister.

What had happened between them? What did she feel such hatred for him? Her only brother?