Chapter 13

"Well then," Isabel practically yelled. "I guess we're done, then, huh?" Her nerves were shot, but the way Max and Michael were looking at her made her lower her voice. "So, Max and Liz are going to go to Las Cruces tomorrow? Alone?"

"Yes, that seems to be the plan," Max replied evenly. "I think Alex should rest, and we can't have too many of us go missing anyway. You can cover for me and Maria can cover for Liz."

"But why don't you go with Michael then?" she asked, her voice a pitch too high. "I mean, he doesn't have anyone to check up on him."

"Michael went to Las Vegas," Max replied. "I know I did too, but I'm going, and that's final. And Liz is going with me. Okay?"

Tess was staring at Isabel strangely, assessing her. Realizing that her behavior was erratic and suspicions could not be raised, Isabel backed down. "Yeah, that's fine." Tess couldn't know Isabel knew the truth. She had Max wrapped around her finger, and if Tess sensed she was about to be exposed, Isabel had the feeling she wouldn't hesitate to take what she wanted and run. It was the reason why she agreed to keeping quiet in the first place. Tess not only had Max, but Liz, as well. "Anyway, I promised Mom I was going to help her with something in a few minutes, so would you guys mind if we break this meeting up? Max, you're driving me home, right?"

"Sure," he sighed. Giving Tess a chaste kiss, he rose and moved to remove his keys from his pocket. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Bye, Max," Tess replied. "Love you."

"Love you too," he responded. Isabel bit back the urge to scream. She promised the real Liz silently that she would never roll her eyes at the two of them when things were right again. At least then she would know who lived and breathed behind Liz's face.

The two siblings walked out of the diner and got into the Jeep. Isabel smiled at Alex, who was leaving with Maria, when she passed him in leaving. Otherwise, the ride was silent and still to the Evans' house. It wasn't until they pulled into the driveway that Isabel opened her mouth.

"Max, can I talk to you about something?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," he sighed, turning off the car engine. "What's up?"

She faltered, not knowing how to approach what she was going to say. When Max stared at her expectantly, she finally blurted out, "What do you think about me and Alex, Max? Do you think we should give it a try?" It wasn't what she'd meant to say at all, but Max's look softened.

"Yes," he replied. "If you care about him, and you think you're ready again. I know you didn't like what I thought about Grant and maybe you think I want you to be with Alex only because he knows our secret... but Iz, Alex is a wonderful person. He wants to be with you, too, you know."

"I know." Isabel smiled a little. Even though this wasn't what she had to talk about at all, it made her feel a lot better sharing how she was feeling with Max. He was her brother, after all. "Thanks, Max." He was her brother, and she had to be looking out for him. She didn't know if she was doing that, though. Isabel swallowed.

"No problem," he responded. He moved to open the door, but Isabel's hand on his shoulder stopped him. Max turned to look at her and was unnerved by the fearful look in her eyes.

"Be careful with you and Liz, Max."

"What?" he asked quickly, startled. "Where is that coming from?"

"Just don't go too fast too soon with Liz, Max," Isabel pleaded.

Max was disgusted. "I thought you got over your problems with Liz and I being together, Isabel," he said angrily. "You're telling me you want a relationship with Alex but you can't accept me and Liz?"

"No!" Isabel reached desperately for words. "I think you and Liz should be together, Max. I just want you to think, and not... not do something you would regret." Then, before he could reply, she opened her door and hurried into the Evans' house. Max sat for a few seconds, trying to dismiss her words as the usual Isabel jealousy act, but he couldn't. There had been something in the way she'd looked at him that had begged him to take her words to heart. Or maybe it was his heart telling him to do so.

~~~~~ ~~~~

Tess sat in Liz's room with a frown on her face. At first, it seemed like a great idea for her and Max to go to Las Cruces alone, but now she wasn't sure. Of course she wanted the translation as quickly as possible, especially now since she had Max, but she was wary of having too much alone time. Max was openly affectionate with her and he seemed happy, but Tess sensed he thought something was a bit off. Of course, his feelings were valid, because while Tess could imitate Liz pretty well in mannerisms, she didn't have her memories. She could act in love with Max all day long, but she knew nothing truly specific about Max and Liz's relationship. If only there were some way for her to learn about Liz through the girl's own thoughts, Tess thought.

She wandered downstairs into the back room of the diner and spotted Michael working the grill. A vague idea flitted through her mind and she sauntered over to him, smiling casually.

"Hey, Michael."

"Liz," he nodded, flipping a burger.

"Michael, you know me pretty well, right?" she asked.

"Sure," he grunted, not bothering to look at her. "Do you want something? If this is about Max, I don't know anything about it."

"No, no," she reassured him. "I just have this... project to do, and I was thinking about getting started on it. We have to make... um... a time capsule. Yeah, we have to make a time capsule and I was wondering what you thought I should put in it."

"I don't know." Michael sounded irritated. "Why are you askin' me, Liz? Go bother Maria or something. What do I know?"

Tess frowned and wondered how Liz would react to that statement. Deciding on the unfazed approach, she said amiably, "Well, you're here and Maria's not, Michael. Besides, Maria knows too much about me. What do you think I should include that's pertinent to my character...?" She trailed off.

Michael finally turned to her, looking fully annoyed. "Why don't you just put in that journal of yours and a big picture of you and Max mooning over each other," he said sarcastically. "Of course, that would either land you in therapy or Max in some lab, again, so never mind." He snorted and then mumbled, "You should burn that thing, if you haven't already."

But Tess wasn't listening to him. "Thanks, Michael," she replied carelessly. "I'll talk to you later." And then she was gone, treading the stairs to the Parker's apartment two at a time.

"Now where would Liz put a journal filled with secrets about her handsome alien lover?" Tess wondered idly, opening drawers in Liz's room methodically. "Sadly, she's not stupid, so I don't think she left it in some easily accessible place." When all the drawers, closets, nooks, and crannies of Liz's room and bathroom had been search, Tess stepped out to the balcony.

At first glance, it didn't look like there was place to hide anything on the balcony, much less a sizable journal. Then Tess' eyes narrowed.

"She wouldn't be that cliché, would she?" Tess muttered, staring at the wall. Then she let out an odd chuckle, her voice contained against the brick. "Yes... yes, she would."

Though feeling the entire brick wall for irregularities that might or might not have been there was an arduous and boring task, Tess stuck with it. She was fairly confident that the journal would turn up, stuffed in some hollow brick, only because of how sickeningly romantic the whole idea was. It was bad enough to keep a diary, because that's what it was- regardless of the euphemisms one could use to make it sound less child-like, but to hide it in a brick wall was amazingly cinematic.

It was with a great sense of achievement that Tess uncovered the black notebook.

She nodded her head with mock sadness. "Poor Liz. You are just so predictable." Then, Tess climbed easily back into the girl's room. After placing the journal on Liz's pillow, Tess rummaged through the closet for some more comfortable clothes. She changed into them quickly, eager to begin her night's reading, but then the phone rang.

She picked it up quickly, knowing it was Max but wishing it wasn't just the same. "Hello?"

"Hey," Max whispered. "How was your afternoon?"

"Great," Tess answered cheerfully. "I just did some homework and relaxed. It feels so good to know we're going to get some answers tomorrow." She smirked, flipping through the journal at the same time.

"Yeah, it does," Max murmured happily. He paused for a second. "And I'm glad we're going together- I know there isn't anyone else I'd want to on a little trip more with."

Tess grinned, looking down at the words scrawled in Liz's handwriting on paper. "Let's hope it will be more successful than our other little road trip, huh?" she asked.

Max didn't respond for a second, but then let out a husky laugh at remembrance. "God, yeah," he chuckled. "We don't need any more surprise trips to the hospital, right?"

Score one point for me, Tess thought triumphantly. "No," she agreed. "Max, I have to take a shower. Can I see you tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah, sure," he replied. "I'll pick you up in normal time for school and we'll go, okay?"

"Okay. Night, Max." She hung up the phone and let herself fall back into the soft pillows once again. Her hands flipped to the first page of the notebook to begin her full reading.

I'm Liz Parker, and five days ago I died.

~~~~~ ~~~~

The next morning, Liz and Kyle sat in Kyle's car talking quietly. The day before had been spent in a fruitless search for clues as to where the destiny book had gone. Even finding the supercomputer itself and several campus computer whizzes had turned up nothing, and mentions of "Ray' receive recognition but not much else.

"Kyle, there's nothing else to be found." Liz's voice was full of resignation. "We know Alex decoded the book, but we can't find it or the translation, and Leanna was the only helpful one to us at all. Wherever the translation is, it's hidden very well, and either Alex or Tess knows the spot. Either way, we've come to a dead end." She slumped back into Kyle's car's seat, rubbing her neck tiredly.

"So, you want to go back to Roswell with nothing?" He sounded incredulous. "You're not a quitter, Liz."

"I'm not quitting," Liz returned acidly. "We came to discover what was going on, and we did." Kyle looked down in apology and Liz felt guilt wash over her. "I'm sorry, Kyle," she whispered. "You are being so wonderful about everything and all I do is order you around. I'm just scared of what all this means. Alex would have decoded the book for Tess if she'd asked, you know? She didn't have to mindwarp him, he would have just done it. That's why I know there's something more going on here, something that made Tess keep the whole operation a secret. And I feel like we're running out of time."

Kyle rubbed his brow wearily. "I feel it too, Liz. I just hope we're not too late." He leaned over the cup holder and shift and gave Liz a light hug. "C'mon. Let's go home."

~~~~~ ~~~~

For Max and Tess, getting the translation was incredibly simple. Alex sent Max an e-mail with the directions, he picked Tess up the next morning, and they found the book without a hitch. It almost seemed too easy, but Max and Tess weren't complaining.

Instead of leaving the town and returning to Roswell right away, Tess persuaded Max to have them spend the day outside, just enjoying themselves. She was feeling very confident because of the journal, and the conversation flowed easily between them. It was early evening before the two headed back to Roswell, with Max's heart significantly lighter. He held answers to his future in his hand and the girl he loved was next to him. There wasn't much more to ask for.

"Do you want to come up?" she asked him, smiling brightly and placing her hand on his thigh.

He fingered the key in the Jeep uncertainly. "I don't know, Liz." His voice was honest. "I should probably get back home and tell Isabel that everything went fine. Everyone is probably worried that we were gone so long."

"Max, it's us," she laughed. "I think they'll understand. Come up," she urged, moving her wayward hand upward. "I'll make it worth your while."

His eyes traveled to look at her hand nervously, and he was surprised at how bold she was being. "O-okay. For a little." He shut the Jeep off and climbed up to the balcony while she went the normal way to greet her parents.

A minute later, she poked her head out, beckoning him in with a devilish smile. "The coast is clear," she stage-whispered.

"Where are your mom and dad?" Max asked nervously. He didn't ever want to get in trouble with the Parkers again, especially in their own home.

"Out," Liz said easily. "Another one of those pesky conventions. They'll be back tomorrow. Lucky us, huh?" She took their joined hands and led him to the bed. "Sit down, Max," she coaxed. "Don't be so worried. Everything is wonderful."

He nodded. "You're right." He let out a deep breath. Then, Tess leaned over and kissed him. Her arms went around him easily, one hand playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"Max," she murmured into his neck. "Oh, Max." She lay down sideways on the bed, pulling Max with her. Her hips pushed closer to his and she began to move against him slightly.

Max pulled his mouth away from hers, and she moved to kiss his neck. Isabel's words rang in his ears and his head suddenly felt so confused. He could feel her skin against his, the warmth of her mouth touching his, but he couldn't feel anything else. His body wasn't reacting to hers; he felt cold, so numb.

"Wait, Liz," he cried suddenly, pulling away. She looked at him in shock, her hair messy and eyes wild.

"What's wrong, Max?" she panted.

"I'm sorry," he managed. "I just- I can't do this now. It's too soon." He leapt off the bed and grabbed his jacket from the floor, and before she could say anything else, he repeated his apology and was gone.

Max nearly fell off the ladder on his way down, his hands were shaking so badly. The thought crossed his spinning mind that he was in no condition to drive, so he turned slowly and began to walk home.