Pt 8

The remainder of dinner passed on without any problems. Everyone was making a strong effort to interact with everyone else. Liz couldn’t help but smile as she noticed Alex staring adoringly at Isabel, and Michael watching Maria when she wasn’t looking. Some things just never changed.

Liz turned towards Max and noticed him studying the group before them. "What is it, Max?" Liz asked him.

"I was just thinking about how right all this feels. The six of us together. You and I together. It just feels natural. I haven’t felt this completely at ease in…well…my entire life. It’s nice. I know it wasn’t your choice, Liz, but thank you for coming here, and making a world that in so many ways seemed wrong to finally feel right."

Liz nodded in reply, but couldn’t find herself to say anything. It did feel good, having the six of them together, but Liz was used to this feeling. It was new to everyone else at the table. But as accepting as the circle felt, Liz knew deep inside of her that she didn’t belong there. It wasn’t her home. She still didn’t even know how she got there, and she didn’t know how to get back. As nice as it felt, to be able to be there with Max, to stay in his bed, to hold him in her arms, she knew that she had to go home eventually.

Liz felt the tears well up in her. She didn’t want to cry, not in front of all of them. They were happy, complete, and she didn’t want to destroy that feeling for them.

"Will you guys excuse me for a minute? I need to get some air." Without even giving them time to respond, Liz jumped up and ran outside to the parking lot.

She stood there in the middle of the street, her chest heaving up and down, with the tears streaming freely down her cheeks, and all she wanted in the world was to go home. Her cheeks stung in pain as the cold night air met her wet face, and she shivered, suddenly feeling very alone.

Liz felt a hand on her shoulder, and she whipped around to face Max.

"Hey, are you okay?" He reached out to pull her to him. Liz took a step back.

"Don’t. Not right now. I can’t…" She looked around and saw her other four friends standing not too far away.

"Liz, is there something I can do? What is it?"

"It’s just… Max, I don’t belong here."

"Yes you do, Liz."

"No, don’t say that, because it isn’t true, Max. As much as you want me to, as much as I want me to at times, this isn’t my home. It never will be my home. My Roswell is somewhere else out there. As much as I may not always like how things turn out there, it’s where I belong."

"Couldn’t you try to belong here? I mean, I love you, Liz. And I want to be with you. I mean, it may not be easy, but we can make it work. I’ve been through life without you, Liz, and it’s an agony that I’m not sure I want to feel again."

"I’m sorry, Max. I love you too, but I want to go home."

Liz took another step backwards, and Max could do nothing, but watch as she stepped on a glass beer bottle, lying in the road. Liz’s feet flew out from underneath her, and she hit the ground with a thud, her head hitting the cement curb behind her. The last thing Liz saw was Max’s frightened face over her, before he disappeared into darkness.

"Don’t leave me, now, Liz. Stay with me. I’m so sorry about everything. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you now. Please come back, Liz. I love you."

Liz heard Max’s voice first. Where was he? It was dark, so dark. She couldn’t see him, but she needed to! She needed to see him.

Slowly, painfully Liz cracked her eyes open. They felt so heavy, like huge boulders blocking her vision. It was blurry, but she thought she could see Max standing over her. Then she felt his hands…

Max’s hands were stroking her head, his fingers tangling in her hair, and combing through it. Liz felt him gently kiss her on the forehead, and she couldn’t hold back the smile, which automatically reached her lips. Max seemed to have that effect on her. Any touch from his was just electrifying to her.

She wrenched her eyes open the rest of the way, and smiled up at him.

"Liz? Oh my God! Liz, you’re awake!" Max shouted towards the door, "Hey everyone, she’s awake!"

Maria, Alex, Isabel, Michael, and her parents came rushing into the room, surrounding her, and all talking at once.

"I’m so glad you’re awake," Isabel shrieked

"Girl, you freaked us all out! For a second there, I was thinking I’d have to find a new best friend." Maria freaked.

"Don’t ever do that to us again," Alex warned her.

"You look like shit," Michael told her bluntly.

"How are you feeling, honey? You okay?" Her mom asked her.

"I’m fine, you guys, just fine. What happened? What did I miss here?"

"Well we were hoping you could tell us." Her dad said, "When you didn’t get up for school on Monday morning, we went looking for you, and found you unconscious out on the balcony."

"The doctors think you cracked your head, but they’re not sure." Her mother said.

Liz slowly sat up. "Well, my head definitely hurts." Liz groaned.

"Hey, take it easy, Liz. Don’t get up before you’re ready." Her dad warned her.

"I’m fine, really."

Liz looked around at her loved ones, and knew without a doubt that she was back home, with her Max, her Maria. She hit her head, huh? What did that mean about everything that she experienced? Was any of it real? Or was it all just a figment of her imagination.

It sure felt real. She could still feel Max’s arms around her, the warmth she felt as their lips met. The electricity flowing through her. But it wasn’t real, was it? They all just told her that she had been lying there in her bed for…how long has it been? Liz voiced her question aloud.

"Two days, Liz. You’ve been out for two days. It’s Wednesday afternoon right now."

"Wednesday afternoon, huh?" She didn’t really loose any time in her mind. Liz had experienced all day Monday and all day Tuesday in that other world.

"Hey mom, could I talk to my friends alone? Dad?"

"Sure sweetie. Let us know if you need anything." Liz nodded as they exited the room.

"What’s up, Liz?" Isabel asked her curiously.

"Okay, you guys will not believe what I experienced the past two days. I was, like, somewhere else." Liz related the story of her time in the other Roswell to her friends, them shaking their head in shock at the story.

"Liz, that’s incredible," Maria breathed.

"What do you guys think, was it all just a dream?"

"Probably." Alex responded.

"I know I can vouch that you were in this bed the whole time," Max quietly told her.

Liz looked over at him. When everyone else came in, he had slid back into a corner of her room, staying in the background the entire time. Their eyes met briefly, and in that instant, Liz saw a world of love and affection, and concern for her well being in his eyes, before he quickly turned away.

Liz sighed. She was back to the "take a step back" world, where Max didn’t want anything to do with her anymore. Suddenly she felt very cold without Max’s arms around her.

"It sure felt real." She whispered.

The six friends stayed at Liz’s for a few more hours, talking and laughing with one another. Liz couldn’t help but enjoy their company. It all felt so right, so natural. She finally knew how the other Max had felt when he first felt the company of this group. Liz felt the same way now that she was back home. Everything felt right. Well, almost everything.

Finally they decided to call it a night. Maria had to go down and work a closing shift at the Crashdown, and Alex wanted to get to his homework. Isabel and Michael decided it was as good a time as any to go.

"You coming, Max?" Isabel asked as she headed out the door.

"Not yet. Tell mom I’ll be home later."

Isabel smiled. She knew what that meant. "Okay, Max. See you tonight."

Liz looked up at Max, who was still standing off in the corner. Again, she met his eyes, and this time he didn’t shy away from her gaze. Slowly, he moved himself over to her bed, and sat down beside her.

"You really scared me, Liz. You have no idea. When I went to school Monday morning, and you didn’t show up to class, I immediately started worrying. After bio, I cut the rest of the day and rushed to your house."

"Isn’t that against the whole step back idea, Max?"

"Well. Yeah. But I was worried about you. I’ve been by your side every moment it was humanly possibly since you’ve been unconscious. I thought I was going to loose you for a while there, and that scared me more than you could ever know. I can’t imagine my life without you in it, Liz. It would kill me, absolutely kill me, if you died."

"Max…" Liz started, but Max interrupted her.

"Let me finish, otherwise I may not be able to get it out. I’ve had a chance to rethink everything while I’ve been sitting here with you. I couldn’t stand the idea of you dying without knowing how I really feel. I love you, Liz. I need you in fact. I know I told you that I needed some time apart, but I was stupid. I was scared of what I was feeling. But I couldn’t stand the idea of us never having a chance to be together. I know I hurt you the other day, but I’m sorry, and I want us to have another chance. If you’ll have me that is."

"I want to be with you, Max." Liz said simply.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," Liz smiled at him. "I love you too Max. I love everything about you, and I wouldn’t change anything about you. Ever since you entered my life the day of the shooting, you’ve been the center of my life, my whole world. And I think that no matter how many steps backwards you take, I’ll be there to take as many steps towards you."

Max gazed lovingly into Liz’s eyes one last time, before pulling her to him, and embracing her in a passionate kiss.

As Max and Liz kissed, they connected to one another, and Max got a series of visions from Liz, visions, which confused him a great deal.

FLASH

Max and Liz in a cemetery.

FLASH

Max and Liz stargazing.

FLASH

Max and Liz in bed together.

FLASH

Max staring at Liz with complete fear in his eyes.

FLASH

Max broke the embrace, staring down at Liz in shock. Liz looked up at him, her eyes worshipping his.

"What is it, Max?"

"Um, Liz. Correct me if I’m wrong, but we’ve never slept together right?"

THE END!

I’ll be writing a follow up, for Linda’s fanfic challenge soon! I’m going to finish Starting Over first though ;)