Chapter Twenty-Two

He didn't have time to pull away before the flashes came. Images and emotions raced through his mind, some he recognized and some he didn't. As Max began to respond, though, Liz removed her arm and pulled away.

She was still breathing heavily when she spoke. "You believe me now?"

He nodded. "Yes, I do. Liz, how did this happen?"

"Like I said, an accident," she replied sadly. "Brody was playing around with some equipment; he had these virtual reality goggles and convinced Tess and I to give them a test-drive. There was some power surge, and suddenly this is me." Liz smiled sadly at him and touched her blond hair absently.

He stood across from her silently, contemplating the facts, when her other statements finally sunk in. "Liz, when this- Future Max- came back to, um, change the future. He made you pretend to sleep with Kyle?" Max's voice trailed off and Liz could see the pain, still fresh, in his eyes.

"No. That was my idea," she answered just as quietly. "Max, for some reason I don't feel it's my place to tell you everything that happened in October. I can't risk messing up the timelines any more than I have to, but what's more is I know I would want to tell you myself. You know, the me who's sitting in my room right now." Her eyes met his. "Do you understand?"

"I guess I'll have to." He looked away from her. "Can you tell me what you mean about Tess' true nature, though? And how did you manage to get back here if no one was on your side?"

At the reminder of Tess' wrong doings, Liz began to pace across Max's carpet in an agitated manner. "Yes, Max. Tess- Tess has been betraying your trust ever since she arrived in Roswell." She sat heavily down onto the bed and twisted her hands angrily in her lap. "Nasedo made some deal with Nicholas that Tess was supposed to-" She stopped suddenly, too overwhelmed again by Tess' betrayal.

Max rubbed his hand over his eyes wearily, trying to control his anger. "She made a deal with Nicholas," he whispered angrily. "I can't believe that."

"It's true." He came and sat beside her on the bed.

"I know. But why?" Liz shrugged at him, unable to answer.

"I don't think we'll ever know. But Max, that's not the only reason I came back and sought you out." She paused and her arm touched his shoulder gently. "I have a plan, and I need your help."

Max met her serious gaze and asked, "What's your plan?" She stared at him for a second, memorizing his face, and then began to answer him.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~

The melody of "We Do What We Can" faded out on Liz's stereo, and the girl sat frozen for a few long moments. Her hand was hovering over the stop button, trembling. As the first chords of the next song became audible, Liz practically slammed her hand against the machine to make it stop.

She couldn't do this anymore. It was masochistic and ridiculous. She was trying to get over Max, and listening to their would-be wedding song if they ever got married, which they weren't going to anyway, was not helping. Her fingers reached out to grab the phone and call Maria, but she decided against it. Her best friend seemed to love her beauty sleep even more lately, and a quick glance at the bedside clock told Liz the call would not be appreciated.

Her eyes were pulled involuntarily to her window and further outside to her balcony. The night sky was clear and the weather was warm. It was a perfect night for a walk.

"No," Liz said out loud, trying to get a grip. "I am not going to go watch him anymore. I am not a stalker."

The latter was true, but Liz knew even as she said it that the former wasn't. Ever since Christmas, when Liz had bundled herself up and walked blindly in the middle of the night to Max's bedroom window, watching him while he slept was a regular occurrence. She told herself that it was wrong and there would be dire consequences if he saw her, but she couldn't stop. Maybe she was supposed to be with him those times when she felt the need to stare at his sleeping face.

That was her theory, anyway.

Giving up on resisting, Liz pulled on some socks and shoes. She turned the radio on to make it seem like she was still in her room in case her parents came to check and made sure to lock the door. Her window came open easily, not a creak escaping from its well-oiled panes, and she slipped out onto the concrete.

The stars shone down on her as Liz descended her ladder into the alleyway, but she didn't look up. Wishing on a star hadn't done much to help her lately.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~

"No, Liz." His voice broke. "You can't do that."

"Yes, I can," she replied forcefully. "Max, if I do this successfully then I will cease to exist anyway, because we're creating a new timeline. I came to tell you because someone needs to know what happened to her and not have you all think she got kidnapped by other aliens or something." She exhaled. "And you need to heal Alex."

"Alex..." His voice trailed off and he remembered an impression he'd gotten in the flashes of the boy with a statement of hatred on his face. Toward Liz. No, toward Tess. "What did she do to him?"

He could see the tears well in Liz's eyes as she fought to keep control. "Tess was mindwarping Alex to get him to translate your destiny book for you. It was so complete it began to destroy his brain. When you- when you healed him in my timeline I think you said he might have died."

The issue of Liz sacrificing herself was forgotten as Max fought to take in this new information. Alex had only ever done good for their group, and the thought that Tess had been using him and hurting him made him incredibly angry. "But Liz, what if it doesn't work? What if nothing happens?" He was pleading with her, unwilling to lose any version of his Liz.

"I've thought of that," she acquiesced, "but I have a theory that supports my plan." She got up from the bed and walked to the window, gulping in fresh air. "If I'm wrong, we'll come up with something else. We've got to." She turned to him, suddenly desperate. "I can't be her, Max," she cried. "I couldn't look at you and see the utter disgust in your eyes at me. I know- I know it was Tess you hated, but I just couldn't stand you ever looking at me that way." She shivered. "I feel so dirty now."

Max was suddenly standing beside her, taking her hands in his warm ones. "Don't ever feel that way, Liz," he whispered. "I'll never hate you. Never."

She removed her hands and shook her head sadly. "You did. After you saw me with Kyle, too." Max sighed and forced her to look at him so he could show her he was telling the truth.

"I never hated you. I might have been more hurt and angry with you than anyone else, ever, but I always loved you. Nothing could ever make me stop even when I wished I could." At his admission, Liz gave in and leaned against him, closing her eyes as her face pressed into his shirt.

"I am so exhausted," she murmured. "I feel like I haven't slept in a week."

Gently, he replied, "Then let's go to sleep. You can do it tomorrow morning when you're fully rested."

Her eyes rose to meet his. "It won't matter," she answered sadly, the trace of a smile on her face.

"It matters now," he protested. "To me. Please, Liz."

"Okay." She backed away from him and looked at the bed, suddenly nervous. "In your bed?"

He smiled comfortingly. "Don't worry, I'll just sleep on the floor. Michael's been doing it for years, so it can't be that bad." She shook her head.

"It's your bed, Max." When he started to protest, she put a finger on his lips. "And it looks big enough for both of us."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Liz exhaled. "Yes." Then she asked just loud enough for Max to hear, "Would you- could you hold me?" Before he could answer, she rushed ahead. "I know you think I'm all set on this, Max, but I am scared, and you- you always make me feel like I can do anything I want."

"I would have said yes anyway." Max smiled softly at her and then appraised her appearance. "That doesn't look like comfortable sleep-wear," he noted. "Do you want something else to wear?"

She looked vaguely uncomfortable. "No, that's okay."

"I meant something of Isabel's," he explained.

"Oh." She blushed. "Yeah, okay."

Max nodded. "Here, why don't you go in the bathroom and wash up if you want. I'll knock and give you the clothes in a minute." He gestured to the adjoined bathroom. "Just make sure the other side is locked and Isabel doesn't come in."

"Thanks for the warning," she replied.

Ten minutes later, Liz and Max were both in clothes fit for sleeping. Max checked once more that his door was locked, looking apologetically at Liz, then gestured toward the bed. "Make yourself comfortable."

"Right." She moved onto the bed and slipped between the covers awkwardly, choosing the pillow closer to the wall. Max joined her, laying on his side so they could look at each other.

"Hey, it's all right," he murmured. "I believe you when you say everything's going to be okay. You should too." He reached out to brush a curl from her eyes. "Come here," he whispered.

She moved closer, just enough so their arms were pressed side to side, and her eyes closed at the contact. "Good night, Max," she said drowsily.

"Night." And he closed his eyes too, wondering what the morning would bring.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~

Liz's sneakers made little sound on the grass as she peered carefully around, making sure no one saw her slip into the Evans' side yard. She breathed a sigh of relief that all the lights in their house were off, including Max's.

Her eyes sought out his face when she looked into her room, but what she saw made her breath hitch in her throat.

Max was there, all right, sleeping with his arms wrapped around Tess Harding.