Title: Open Your Eyes
Author: Mel (LizParkerEvans@aol.com)
Rating: M/L Auish
Disclaimer: Roswell isn’t mine. It belongs to 20^th Century Fox. Please don’t sue me.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Max grinned at the justice’s words and turned his head quickly to look at Liz. He felt his own gaze turn blurry as he drank in the sight of her, long hair drifting in the breeze and a gauzy white dress over her slim form. In her hand she clutched a thick stem of white roses he’d given her just before the wedding.

But his eyes were quickly drawn to hers as he savored those first few seconds as her husband. She had a smile on her face wider and brighter than the sun and her eyes sparkled in the outdoor light.

"Hey Liz Parker Evans," he whispered. If possible, her smile widened further.

"Hey Max Evans," she replied softly, wiping gently at the happy tears that fell down her cheeks.

Gently caressing he reached out and touched the bare skin at her waist, drawing her near. His other hand nestled in her hair and tipped her willing face to his as he lowered his lips to meet hers. Her lips parted under his in a sweet kiss as he closed his eyes, losing himself in the feel off her under his hands and under his mouth. The pressure of her hand on his shoulder gripped and squeezed gently.

Max heard the voice far away, in the back of his mind and for an instant he thought it sounded like Liz. He shook it away, not wanting to interrupt the perfect memory of his first kiss with his wife.

Somehow, the sunlight around him suddenly seemed colder. The warmth of Liz was fading and he tried to open his eyes, desperately sensing that something was changing and wanting to stop it. His eyes felt glued shut and he couldn’t open them.

Her voice sounded closer now, quiet and sad next to his ear. Where he’d felt her happy tears as they’d kissed, he felt her tears again, falling on his face.

With every ounce of strength he had he tried one last time to open his eyes, to follow her bidding.

And suddenly, they were open.

He immediately squinted in the dim light of the room, shutting his eyes to narrow slits. He listened carefully around him, hearing her softly sniffling, very close. Her warmth seeped into him from his side and he realized she was laying next to him in bed.

Disappointment washed over him as he realized the wedding had all been a dream, a glorious and short dream. The only consolation was that it was a reality that would happen soon, he was sure of it.

He took a deep breath, sighing unhappily, but enjoying the feel of her so comfortingly close. He turned his head slowly, knowing she was right there and opening his eyes again.

He tried not to look puzzled as his eyes opened to see Liz staring at him in shock. She looked different somehow. More tired and sad than he’d ever seen her, even through all the mess with Tess. Beneath the weariness he saw the spark in her brown eyes and how they filled with tears as she looked at him.

She scooted away from him in hast, falling into the chair by the bed but not letting go of his hand. Max was starting to worry when he tried to sit up, feeling the ache of muscles that he hadn’t moved in a long time.

Liz saw his effort and she leaned over him, her arms going expertly around him as she helped him sit up. He leaned back against the pillows and looked around in confusion.

"Liz—" he started, his voice sounding dry and rough to his own ears. "Liz, what am I doing in my room?"

He spoke with confusion, uncertain about why he was at his parent’s house. Liz was still staring at him in shock until she finally spoke.

"Max, where else would you be?" she asked. He scratched his head, wondering why he felt like it was a trick question.

"Michael’s apartment, I guess. Liz, I was having this amazing dream. It was our wedding and we were finally happy, we were leaving Roswell to get away from everything. Everything was finally how it was meant to be," he said, looking to her face for some recognition. He felt his heart drop at the confusion that flitted across her face.

"Max, what’s the last thing you remember?" Liz asked carefully. Max looked at her strangely, not sure what she meant.

"The wedding. It was so real, I though it was actually happening. Before that, graduation," he said haltingly as Liz covered her mouth with one hand, obviously shocked by his words. Then she reached out and squeezed his hand tightly in hers.

Grasping it like a lifeline, he waited for her next words, somehow knowing that they would change his world forever.

"Max, you’ve been in a coma for almost three years. That day sophomore year when you and I cut class to go for a drive on the old freeway you swerved to avoid a horse and we crashed. You never woke up after the crash, until now."

TBC . . .