Title: Elsewhere
Author: AnneB.
E-mail: dreambehr@yahoo.com
Rating: R
Category: M/L (duh…who’s the author?)
Background: Sequel to Take My Hand and Breathing…both fics can be found at: www.angelfire.com/tv2/dreambehr/fanficarchive.html
Summary: M/L deal with everything brought about by the consequences of their actions.
Disclaimer: As much as I’d love to take creative control of the show Roswell and end all of our pain…sadly none of this belongs to me…Roswell belongs to the WB, Jason Katims, and all of those producer people, and Melinda Metz…please don’t sue me…you’ve caused me enough pain already! The song Elsewhere is by Sarah McLachlan. I don’t own that either, surprise, surprise!

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Elsewhere

The trees were bare, the branches, naked as they wove their way up to the sky, reaching up high towards the stars, completely open to the world. They had no more secrets, nothing more hidden…in a way, they were free.

Weeks earlier, all of the leaves had come swirling down as the wind rushed through and tore them from the branches. It had been beautiful, a storm of red, brown, and golden raindrops, falling from the sky into huge, knee deep piles that were absolutely irresistible. He and Liz had played in them, stomping and diving through the piles, burying each other from sight, until they were rolling on top of each other, laying in the bed of crunched leaves, kissing each other softly, passionately. It was like they were young, carefree children again…except for one small detail. You don't get to experience the joy of fallen leaves in autumn when you grew up in the middle of the desert…so in reality, the joys of fall were like a whole new experience to the couple.

Max sighed contentedly, a half-smile gracing his lips, his eyes dancing in delight as he sat on the porch of the cabin, watching the memory fly past his eyes. Returning to reality though, his eyes sought out the bare branches again, and the playfulness slipped from his gaze.

Change…that's what the trees represented to Max Evans. Change…how quickly it can come…how completely it can dominate your life. Change can crush all your dreams and hopes…or as in Max's case, it can make all your dreams come true, even sooner than he could have ever possible imagined.

But as his eyes studied how quickly the seasons had changed before his very eyes, his mind was consumed with the reality behind change…how quickly it could all happen, how time could fly past him so effortlessly.

It had been only eight months since his life had changed…since he and Liz had stepped forward together and embraced the change in their lives. Max's eyes lit up from the memory. Back then, the leaves had been green, the air warm, while now it was cold, stinging his face as the wind went rushing past their tiny cabin.

So much had happened in that eight months…it seemed like the change had come so quickly, but at the same time Max felt like he had this wonderful life for an eternity…the nightmares so far in the past now. So much change…but all of it had brought Max to where he was right now…sitting on the porch of the cabin, breathing in the cool, refreshing mountain air.

It was seven months earlier that Max and Liz had realized their mistake…he could still remember the moment that Liz had come to speak to him like it was yesterday. Her voice had fluttered nervously as she had sat across from him in the Crashdown, the lights low after closing, and told him that she needed to talk to him. The moment was burned into Max's mind's eye, as her eyes glowed seriously into his own as she had finally spoken the soft words, "I'm pregnant."

She had been so afraid of his reaction…Max couldn't possibly understand why. He could only have one response to the news…complete and utter joy. A piece of himself was slowly growing, deep inside Liz's womb, a beautiful creation entirely of their love…he was overjoyed.

But in retrospective, he supposed that he now understood her nervousness…it's not every day that you have to tell someone that your life is about to change.

The shy smile on her face after she finally told him was forever etched into Max's mind, and the overwhelming emotions that had rushed through him in the moments following: disbelief…wonder…amazement…joy…excitement…fear.

Liz had told him that he had the silliest grin on his face…that it had eased all of her fears instantly. She could see how much the news had hit right to his heart…even before he picked her up and swung her around in his arms, smiling and laughing, before pulling her flush against his body and pressing a soft, sweet kiss on her lips that was so full of love that it left her clinging to him breathlessly.

"We're going to have a baby." Max whispered in amazement, easing all of her fears by telling her that he had always dreamed that they could have a family together. In an instant he had not only told her that it was possible, but that it was happening sooner than he had ever dreamed.

Everything had happened so quickly. The school year came to an end, and Max and Liz had passed the 11^th grade with flying colors. Once finals ended though, reality hit them both hard. They had to start making plans for the future. Assuming that their pregnancy was normal, Liz would give birth in December, right in the middle of what was supposed to be their senior year of high school.

Suddenly Max and Liz found themselves face to face with the harsh reality of the changes they were dealing with. Their old goals were void, their future entirely based on their new life…on the child growing deep within Liz's womb.

Mutually, though, they decided that they had no regrets…and that had yet to change, in all of the months that had passed since they faced their new responsibilities side by side.

It was a rough evening the night that Max and Liz decided to break the news to their parents. At that point, it was still a secret shared just between the couple…and as much as Max and Liz would have loved to keep it that way, they both knew that they needed to start making plans for the future.

Max finally initiated 'the talk', inviting Liz's parents over for dinner one night. They had tried to break it to them lightly, but there was no easy way to do it, and the reaction had left Max feeling like the lowest form of life on Earth.

His parents had shook their heads sadly, the disappointment apparent on their faces, while Liz's parents had screamed at him, their words echoing in Max's mind as they insisted that he was ruining their daughter's life.

Quickly though, the couple overcame the initial hurt and shame, and Max had stood and looked Liz's parents straight in the eye as he told them that he couldn't apologize for their child. The infant growing within Liz was a part of both him and Liz, and he would always love and cherish it. He swore, so passionately that it had left all the parents speechless, that he would always care for Liz and their child…that this was what he wanted in life.

The shock wasn't quite enough though…their anger still remained, as did the Evans' quiet disapproval. Their parents grew to be unbearable, leaving Max and Liz with very few options. They finally opted to leave Roswell, together, disappearing one warm July night.

No regrets…that was the way everything remained, and Max had been trembling with excitement as he packed his bags. What they were doing was crazy, impulsive, and totally out of character for them both, but these were the kinds of decisions that you make for love…and for your child.

It wasn't until Max sat down to write his goodbye letters that he started to feel a tiny bit guilty for leaving. He hated to leave his family, and it wasn't fair to Michael and Isabel. Saying goodbye to them was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do, and he had pressed that deeply into his letters. He and Liz needed to go, and they would certainly be back one day, once their child was born and things were settling down.

All the doubts went flying from Max's mind though, the moment he pulled up in front of the Crashdown, and saw Liz's shining eyes. The weight of her love for him came crashing across his mind as he pulled her into her arms and thoroughly kissed her lips.

They definitely needed this.

So late that summer night, Max and Liz found their way to the abandoned cabin, high in the Colorado Mountains. It was beautiful, completely isolated…the perfect place for Max and Liz to disappear for as long as they needed to be away. The cabin belonged to Max's grandparents, and none of their family ever visited it, except for Max when he needed to get away. Max knew for certain that his parents would never look there for them…if they looked at all.

The months passed quickly, as Max and Liz settled in the tiny cabin, slowly making it their home, as little pieces of Max and Liz began popping up all over the place…pictures that Liz had brought along, whatever new furnishings Max would bring home from a thrift store a few hours away on his rare visits into town. What changed the most over the months though, was Liz…and Max loved every moment of it.

The changes were slow, almost unnoticeable…at first Max almost had to search to find them, the new roundness in her abdomen invisible to the naked eye, but Max could feel the differences as he ran his hands over her womb late at night. Her appetite changed…and occasionally she grew moody, dark…but Max handled it all with grace, always seeming to know when she needed him, or when she needed space.

But through it all, there were the other changes that Max studied just as closely, but never spoke aloud…the changes that Liz didn't notice about herself. The way she glowed with love, as she sat by the fire, rubbing her hands over her womb as she softly talked to their child. She was so attentive, so loving already…Max could already see what an incredible mother she was already becoming. She had grown up in their time away.

Today was one of the days where she wanted her space…and Max let her be, as he sat patiently on the porch, watching the bare trees, as he waited for her to come back to him. The changes had grown more obvious now…Liz was due any time, and she had never looked lovelier to Max.

His eyes dropped from the trees to the figure sitting beneath the trees. The winter air was chilly, and Max had to fight the urge to run to her and wrap his arms around her…but she looked warm enough, in her snow coat and hat, with a warm blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She had already been out there for over an hour, writing in her journal as she did frequently…but now the book had been abandoned to the side, and Max could see the way she had her hands pressed to her womb, and he knew she was talking to their child again.

Max smiled softly at her as she glanced up and met his eyes briefly, and he couldn't help wondering what she was telling their child about him. Max chuckled to himself…knowing Liz she was probably explaining how overprotective he was when it came to his family…how he let Liz take her time alone, but he always watched her from far away, making sure she was safe. He couldn't help himself though…she was his whole world…she and the tiny being growing within her, that would soon be entering their world.

Max's smile deepened as Liz pushed herself to her feet, and slowly padded across the hillside back towards the cabin. He sat and patiently waited for her, knowing that she had moved past her mood and was ready for him again. Max stood to greet her as she stepped up onto the porch, wrapping one arm tightly around her as his other hand slipped down her belly, lightly caressing her skin.

"How's the little one doing?" He murmured huskily, staring deep into his loves eyes.

"Pretty active today." Liz replied. "I think our baby's getting restless in there…it wants to come out and see the world."

"It won't be long now." Max agreed, bending down to brush his lips across their child. "You don't have to be afraid." Max whispered against her stomach. "We're ready and waiting for you…and we promise we'll be here to take care of you and see you through everything. I love you, sweetie…come on out."

Max raised his eyes to meet Liz's and was surprised to see them shining with the hint of tears.

"What's wrong, love?" He asked gently, as he stood and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, leading her back into their home.

"Nothing's wrong." Liz breathed, wiping at her eyes in an attempt to hold back the tears. "I was just wondering how I got so lucky to find you?"

"I ask myself the same thing every day." Max smiled.

"You see!" Liz pointed out breathlessly. "You don't even know how amazing you are. You're so good to me, and to our child…you take my breath away!"

"Ditto." Max replied huskily, sitting on their couch, and pulling Liz down beside him. "Anything that you think I am, I only am because of you. You brought out a side of me that I never knew existed." Pausing, Max let his lips slide gently over Liz's in a feather light caress. "I love you, Liz."

"I love you." Liz swore back, wrapping her arms around Max's neck and deepening the kiss. They lost themselves in their embrace, their lips slowly, languidly dancing, as the passion slowly built, the heat between them rising, as Max eased Liz down, covering her body with his own, as his hands slowly began to roam, fumbling with the buttons on her coat, as he eased it away from her body.

"You're amazing." Max whispered, as his hands made their way back to her face, gently caressing her cheeks as he gazed into her eyes.

Change…it all happens so fast…sometimes unexpectedly. This time it came quickly for Max in the change in Liz's gaze. One moment she was completely wrapped up in the passion of the moment, lost in Max's eyes, when suddenly they darkened in pain.

Fear boiled up within Max, the moment forgotten, as he grasped Liz's face in fear, peering desperately at her as he frantically asked: "Liz…Liz? What's wrong, love?"

"Max…" Liz gaped weakly. "I think it's time…"