Fanfic

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Max Evans and Liz Parker

Other Roswell Stories

Michael Guerin and Maria DeLuca

Unconventional Couples*

Alex Whitman and Isabel Evans

Poetry*

Sheriff Valenti Stories*

Crossover Stories*

* No new stories were submitted, yet.

B

Bona Fide - Max/Liz, written by Helena

E

Elevator Etiquette - Michael/Maria and Max/Liz, written by Einah26

H

Hell's Gate - Other Roswell Stories, written by Helena
Home - Michael/Maria, written by Eva

M

Marple, Maria Marple - Michael/Maria, Max/Liz and Alex/Isabel, written by oyhumbug (Charlynn)

O

Oblivion - Michael/Maria and Max/Liz, written by Einah26

Michael and Maria

Elevator Etiquette - Michael/Maria and Max/Liz, written by Einah26
Home - Michael/Maria, written by Eva
Marple, Maria Marple - Michael/Maria, Max/Liz and Alex/Isabel, written by oyhumbug (Charlynn)
Oblivion - Michael/Maria and Max/Liz, written by Einah26

Max and Liz

Bona Fide - Max/Liz, written by Helena
Elevator Etiquette - Michael/Maria and Max/Liz, written by Einah26
Marple, Maria Marple - Michael/Maria, Max/Liz and Alex/Isabel, written by oyhumbug (Charlynn)
Oblivion - Michael/Maria and Max/Liz, written by Einah26

Alex and Isabel

Marple, Maria Marple - Michael/Maria, Max/Liz and Alex/Isabel, written by oyhumbug (Charlynn)

Bona Fide

Written by Helena

Title: Bona Fide
Author: Helena, freelancer
Write Helena via the contact form.

Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: Written for love, not for profit. The characters do not legally belong to me. They belong to: Melinda Metz and Laura Burns who created them, Jason Katims who developed them, 20th Century Fox Television and Regency Television who produced them and the WB and UPN who broadcasted them.
Summary: Set in "The Departure". The conversation Max and Liz were supposed to have.

Category: Max/Liz
Author's Notes: After reading the cut scenes for the "The Departure", I still wished the conversation between Max and Liz would've been longer. There's one line from "The Harvest".
Acknowledgements: Thank you so much, fmecs — for your time, for your patience and for your invaluable feedback.


Feedback: If you think it's worth giving it, I'll be glad to read it!

On their way back to Roswell, Liz and Max were haunted by the acrimony that separated them – now more than ever. Despite the whirling thoughts in his head, despite the gulf between them, despite the dimness, Max stole glances at Liz anytime he could, studying her; she resembled a soldier, fallen in combat in a hopeless war... Her words echoed strongly in his mind, bringing to the surface countless sleepless nights he had spent searching for clues that would explain her strange behavior.

He turned off the engine in front of the Crashdown Cafê and placed his hands on the steering wheel... He couldn't leave Earth with lingering doubts in his mind.

"You didn't sleep with Kyle," he said, finally sure of himself.

His tone stirred something in her soul. He knows, she thought. A rush of relief cracked through the wall around her heart. It suddenly dawned on her that her sturdy wall had started to crack back when they were in the lab.

"Please, tell me the truth," he asked.

The primordial struggle in her mind started anew. Yes, Max deserved her honesty (now more than ever!), but what good could possibly come from the truth? She couldn't tell him just to appease her heavy heart – it would be cruel of her to do it! Liz swallowed hard; she didn't know how much longer her wall could withstand...

"I'm not sure, Max, it won't do you any good to–"

"Try me," he pleaded.

Max's request shook the stronghold she had so carefully built around her heart until it collapsed. But Liz had no idea how to begin telling Max the truth. Would he understand? Would he even believe her? Sometimes, she had trouble believing it all...

"Because I'm all out of leads..." Max said, interrupting her train of thought. "If it weren't for your outburst earlier, I would have had no concrete evidence that you've been hiding something from me..."

Liz looked at him; the confusion and the pain that swirled in his beautiful amber eyes haunted her.

"I've always had the strangest feeling that you were leaving 'bread crumbs' for me to follow... or maybe it was wishful thinking, I don't know," he said, shaking his head.

Maybe I did, maybe this plan wasn't bulletproof, maybe it's because I kept hanging around you, maybe it's because I never stopped loving you like I should have, Liz thought.

"It's just that nothing made any kind of sense to me... You said you wanted a normal life, you said you wanted to fall in love with a normal boy... but you kept helping us... you kept coming back to me... And when I saw you with Kyle–" Inadvertently, he shut his eyes, trying to exorcise that vision, now that he knew it was not true... but he couldn't help the shortness of breath, the pain of his still shattered heart... "you didn't look happy at all, you didn't look like someone who was moving on with her life..."

Liz couldn't decide if he felt happy or sad by the fact that she was stuck in life... Strangely, she couldn't decide what to feel herself!... Max put his head between his hands, helplessly.

"I tried everything to prove that you were hiding something from me, after you said– what you said to me."

He took a piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to Liz. She looked at it carefully, and could barely believe her eyes. Max had scribbled every minutia of her behavior on that paper: from tone of voice to eye movement and other details of body language. Everything was there: her overwhelming sadness when he gave her the pocketknife back; when she saved his life in New York City; when she gave him advice and comfort during his Christmas crisis; when she asked him to see the world with her, when she pleaded with him never to stop being her friend; the fact that she was not in a stable relationship with anybody else... Liz's eyes paused in a particular place: the sentences "I made a mistake. Kyle and I made love. The end. I'm sorry" were underlined three times with a written note on the side, saying "mutually exclusive!! If Liz had made love to Kyle, it wouldn't have been a mistake."

"Wow, this looks like that panel from 'The Usual Suspects'," she said, amazed at all the evidence he had compiled of her behavior since that fateful night.

"It was excruciating to gather all of that... It was even worse to think about it... objectively, I mean." He looked at her. "You were always more rational than I was..."

Liz noticed that his last statement betokened a beacon of hope that was still absent from his afflicted gaze.

"Well, you did an amazing job at it," she said, looking at him, wishing she could comfort him.

"I learned that from you," he said, smiling at her. "Even though my heart was telling me you were hiding something, I just couldn't figure out how to prove it..." And then the beacon vanished again. He lowered his tear–filled eyes, as he said: "At some point... I stopped trusting my instincts. I don't know why... I should've known better."

Liz felt a pang in her heart, even though Max had not spoken the accusing words that echoed in her head. How could he have ever known, she thought, deductive reasoning would never lead him to the truth. "It's not your fault, Max," she said, choked up. "There's no way you could've known," she whispered. Max watched her, still seeking clues, which would give him the answer to that infernal puzzle.

"I know that whatever it was, it's still gnawing away at you," he said. The moments he had spent gathering this information were the closest he could feel to her. I've healed a gunshot wound, what could possibly be so terrible that she can't tell me? He thought. They used to share everything so completely. No questions needed. Now, he yearned to know what was hurting her so. He ached to ease the burden that was crushing her soul beyond recognition.

Liz tried to take a deep breath, but the air never seemed to reach her lungs. Holding the paper in her hand, seeing all the pain Max had gone through over the last months, tipped her over the edge. She tried to focus, tried to mask her own pain behind a calm voice. "When you do what I did... the only way you can live with yourself is if the person you trust the most assures you that you are doing the right thing," she said, quietly, looking at the floor. She raised her head and faced him. "So I need you to know... that everything I did to you..." She tried to hold back the tears but, without her sturdy wall for protection, she was fighting a losing battle. "I never wanted you to get hurt," she said, in a whisper of a voice.

Max swallowed hard: it was excruciating seeing her like this. He desperately wanted to comfort her, to hold her in his arms and tell her that nothing bad would happen to her ever again... But he couldn't. He waited patiently for her to continue.

"The truth is: if I hadn't pushed you away from me, we would've gotten together... Tess would've left Roswell and you, Isabel and Michael would never be powerful enough to fight off the invaders that would've destroyed the entire planet fourteen years from now..."

Max's thoughts whirled fiercely in his head. How did she know all those things; who could have possibly poisoned her heart with such terrible tales? "Who told you that?!"

She looked at him with tear–filled eyes and whispered: "You. Rather, a future version of you used the Granilith as a time machine and came back to warn me... to ask me to avoid an apocalyptic war. And the only way we could achieve that–" She could barely hold her breath; the pain was choking her. "was to make you fall out of love with me." Max watched, dumbfounded, as silent tears ran down her beautiful face, her words echoing painfully in his ears. "I tried everything I could think of to make you turn to Tess..."

"So, you staged everything: Tess at the Crashdown with Steinbeck's book, the Romeo and Juliet speech..." Max said, softly, feeling his reasoning come back to him.

"Yeah, that speech... A bunch of truths sandwiched between two lies," she blurted. "But nothing seemed to be working..."

"Kyle... You knew that if I saw you with Kyle..."

Liz nodded, silent. "When Future Max disappeared, we knew that everything was changed." She took a deep breath for the first time in months, even though the heaviness in her heart hadn't diminished a bit. "I know this is all hard to believe." Liz said.

"No, I believe you," Max assured her. "Besides, how could you possibly know about the Granilith's power, unless someone told you?" He swallowed hard, struggling against the anguish building up inside him. He tried to smile but she saw right through him, his turmoil growing.

"I shouldn't have told you, I mean, I know it doesn't change anything now. I'm sorry, Max."

"I'm glad you told me. Please, don't be sorry, Liz," he said eagerly, while his fingertips tried to catch the tears that ran freely down her cheeks. He wasn't lying. Despite all the pain they'd been through in the past few months, he was amazed by her strength. "I'm proud of you, Liz!" He held her gaze. "And if you had succeeded in making me fall out of love with you, I would've had plenty of other moments to fall in love with you all over again."

She felt a rush of tenderness in her heart, instantly recognizing the tone he was using – the exact same one he had used when he reversed the connection, just two years earlier, when he let her see into his soul.

"I'm sorry I didn't figure it out earlier," he said in the same tone. Liz shook her head slowly, but she knew that Max would never change his mind about this.

"I'm sorry I caused you so much pain," she spoke simply, trying to make him understand that it hadn't been his fault. For a moment, silence took hold of them, even though it was clear neither of them wanted to be the first to move away. After Max's brain caught up with his emotions, he couldn't prevent a faint smile from illuminating his face.

"So... in that other life... we would've really been together?" He asked, with a mixture of fear and curiosity that Liz recognized immediately. She just nodded and returned his smile.

"Yeah... happily married for fourteen years," she said with a dreamy look.

Max was stunned. He knew happiness was not something he could afford to feel, but he couldn't prevent the smile from growing wider on his face, imagining the possibility. "Happily married..." he mumbled. The light vanished from his face in the same instant. The vision of Liz – twirling in his arms, sharing their second kiss as husband and wife – passed before his eyes.

"It was true," she said, matching his tone.

"What was?"

"The vision you had in Vegas..." She confirmed.

Max's breath caught in his throat. How easy it would be to give in to the despair after the pressure of the ropes that had strangled him for so many months. But how could he, possibly?! Watching this girl (apparently exhausted), seeing her strength, her tenderness, her unquestioning love and devotion, made him want to wrap his arms around her and never let her go...

"What you did for all of us... mortgaging your happiness... to keep this secret... How can anyone go through that alone?!"

"I wasn't alone... You were with me every step of the way."

Her words transported him back to that world where there was nothing but those two teenagers, gazing at each other lovingly, giving their hearts to one another. Why couldn't they have that back?!

"I should've known... I mean, I knew it, I could feel it," Max repeated, bowing his head in shame, feeling the weight of the pain that threatened to suffocate him.

I should've kept my mouth shut, Liz thought. "Please, Max, don't do this to yourself..." She said. Her wish was sincere, but she knew full well that the anguish and pain that welled up inside him was impossible to contain.

"It was a no–brainer all along, wasn't it?... We love each other – that's the way it's been from the start... that night I saw you with Kyle... was an unfortunate but necessary exception to that rule. You keep telling me that I couldn't have known, but I knew it, Liz..." Max said, grabbing her hands. "My heart knew it!" He whispered.

"You just couldn't prove it," she added, knowingly.

"I can't explain it... It was like... all the lights went out in my mind..." he said, slowly massaging his temple with two fingers. "I don't really understand anything very well..." He said, trying to unravel the tangle of thoughts and emotions that populated his brain. "After everything that happened between us... I ran out of questions... I ran out of answers... I ran out of hope! And lost myself in the lies..." Max tried to explain it in his own words, but it felt like keeping fog in a jar. "I just lied to myself, thinking I had to move on with my life, thinking you just didn't want me in your life anymore... It was the worst thing I ever did... And now I can't take it back!" He said, feeling the despair hammering in his throat.

"I know..." Liz mumbled, quietly.

Max was shocked by the lack of anger and accusation in her tone. "I wish we could start over... there are so many things I want to change with you. With us." He said, choked up. Max's heart skipped a beat when he noticed a distinguishable glow in Liz's gaze. Her eyes brimmed with love and an anticipated longing. He felt as if he was gone already...

"Me too!" She said, matching his tone.

Another tear rolled down her cheek without permission. Max reached out to her and wiped her tear with his thumb, without thinking. He ignored that little voice in his mind that said he had no right to touch her anymore. He gasped at her reaction: she leaned into his hand in dire need to feel him. Impulsively, he took her in his arms, allowing himself to comfort her. His fear that she would push him away, enraged by his boldness, never materialized. Liz relaxed in his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder. Her body was lacerated by a sob; she only had enough time to hide her face in Max's chest.

Max nestled her in his embrace, swallowing back his own impending downfall. The boy focused his attention on comforting her, but he couldn't help it – his heart soared with contentment to have her in his arms again. It was as if time had stopped and he was back in the van, after his rescue from Eagle Rock. She looked after him on that tenebrous night, following his captivity, as her unbounded love, patience and generosity lulled him to sleep. He held on to that memory as he held on to this girl he loved above all things.

The more cradled Liz was in Max's arms, the more tears ran from her face. She was prepared for the confrontation, for the anger, for the hatred, even – that was the price she knew she had to pay for keeping this secret from him – but not for this. She imagined this conversation so many times in her head, but this scenario never once crossed her mind. She looked at him, her eyes still brimming with tears. Why did he have to smile like that, she wondered, why couldn't he just be angry with her?... That would be so much easier to handle.

With an ever–present smile, Max focused his attention on the stream of tears, wiping it clean. He took a deep breath and Liz mimicked him, losing herself in his sorrowful gaze, enjoying the soothing sensation of his hands caressing her cheeks.

With no regard for how late it was getting, Max leaned over and kissed her forehead – his lips lingering on her skin, breathing her familiar fragrance in. His tender gestures felt like a balm to her tortured spirit. They gazed at one another and saw that familiar blaze flaring in each others' eyes. After countless months of unendurable pain, they welcomed the fire that coursed through them like a warm breeze, whisking them away from their current predicament. It was the only certain thing they had left in their lives...

His lips descended on hers and they shared a passionate, desperate kiss. As they deepened the kiss, they felt the familiar surge of their connection. They were immediately transported into the flashes – image after image passing before their mind's eye. From their first hug to their last dance and nearly every emotion in between, Max and Liz savored their kiss, reveling in the memories, even the most agonizing ones. Their souls naturally intertwined, as they had done in simpler times – neither of them tried to fight the momentum, their need to take comfort in each other...

When they finally broke the kiss – his eyes still closed, feeling her soft breath caressing his face – a wicked thought crossed his mind: tell Tess to vanish with the baby and return to where you belong. The words bubbled in his brain and on the tip of his tongue ... Oh, to just let them out!... It would be so easy to stay there. With her. Forever! Until... Until when, he asked himself, until the morning you look into Liz's eyes and start silently resenting her, poisoning her life with your putrid conscience? He backed away from her and shuddered at the thought of two innocent people suffering from his mistake.

"Is it time?" Liz whispered, dismayed. Max nodded an almost imperceptible yes, not wanting to believe it, not wanting it to be true.

"You're gonna be happy, right?" Liz asked. Max's heart hammered in his chest. Her question wasn't a question, it was a wish: she wished for him to find happiness with his new family. The boy felt the tears prickling his eyes, and feared he would lose his composure in front of her. Don't add that burden to her shoulders, he ordered himself. But he couldn't lie to her.

"I'm gonna be okay," he whispered, caressing her cheek with his thumb. Liz could see the wave of tears in his eyes, threatening to overtake him and the way his adam's apple bobbed dreadfully... That's when his words sank in.

Liz offered him one last smile (just to let him know that she got the message). She wanted to take his pain away, but felt powerless for the second time in her life...

Silence covered them like a cold blanket. There was nothing left to say...

Liz got out of the jeep, before she lost her nerve. Max felt the jeep shake slightly and become insufferably lighter, as he watched Liz drift away from him. She turned around one last time and Max returned the smile she had blessed him with earlier. After she finally crossed the threshold of the Crashdown Cafê, Max allowed himself to bow his head and let the curse of destiny swallow him whole, with the tears running down his face as his only solace...

After a while, he gathered himself, he put the key in the ignition and turned the jeep around. Time to face his future. Forever in pain... Forever alone.

Home

Written by by Eva

Title: Home
Author: Eva
E-Mail:


Rating: ./.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of "Roswell" and I have no connections to the Warner Bros. Network... or "Roswell"...
Summary: This scene comes just after "The departure" and is set in Michael's apartment.
Category: Michael/Maria

Michael opened his apartment with his key. Without saying a word they both walked in. He hadn’t spoken since they saw Tess leaving earth. Afterwards Michael had only taken her hands to lead her to the car to go home. “Home”... The word sounded strange in Maria’s head. As if she could not believe it what had just happened. That Michael stayed... With her....

Michael threw his keychain on the table. And still speechless he walked to the coach and lowered himself onto it. With his head in his hands, he just sat there. Alone with his thoughts.

Maria couldn’t take it anymore. The silence crept her out. And his attitude too. It was as if he was still in shock. As if he just realized what had happened. That he gave all his dreams and his real home up, just for a stupid human girl.

Maria took a deep breath and forced herself in his direction. She sat down, next to him. Trying to comfort him, she softly grabbed his shoulder. Her fingers ran lightly across his back. He didn’t react.

“Are you all right?” she demanded. He just nodded.

It took some minutes before she moved on. “Why did you stay?” She repeated her question, he didn’t want to answer before.

Michael opened his mouth, then closed it and swallowed. As if he couldn’t find the words to explain what was going on inside him.

“You were right all along.” he croaked out. “I was not capable to form an emotional band with anyone.”

“That’s not true! You...” Maria called out.

He interrupted her tightly. “Just hear me out, Maria. And it was true, you know. And it was no wonder either. Where would I have learnt it? You can’t learn what you don’t see. In the past, I was that weird kid everyone just tolerated. They swept me to so many places, I stopped counting.”

His voice cracked and tears filled his eyes. “And besides Max and Isabel, nobody really cared about me. I was just ... there. And then you came along. With your kindness, compassion and your enthusiasm, you were the first person who wouldn’t take no for an answer. You took the time to see beside the stone wall I build. You took the time to really see me. And I’m not talking about the flashes you saw earlier. You saw the real me already the first time on our road trip. When we drove back, you literally said, that underneath my weird, poorly bathed exterior, there's a whole...deeply wounded, vulnerable guy.”

“You remembered that,” she wondered.

Through his tears, he smiled now. “I remember everything. I... I just wasn’t ready to believe it. And you waited until I was. You made me feel complete. You made me feel home. And that’s why I stayed... It was you I was looking for.”

Moved by his words, she hugged him tightly and started kissing his tears away. “Maria,” he said. He couldn’t choke out another word. He pulled her closely, wrapping one hand in her long hair, locking her body to his with the other hand. And then he kissed her. They deepened their kiss. After a while Michael lifted her up in his arms and, without even stopping his kiss, he carried her to his bed.

Afterwards they were still enjoying the moment. While Michael laid down on his back, Maria was curled up in his arms. Her cheek on his chest. She could hear his heart beating. She felt so happy sharing this moment with him. Sharing even her life with Michael.

Softly she murmured “I love you, Michael...”

He immediately role over and took her face in his hands. He looked her right in the eyes. Made sure she could see he was completely honest while saying “I love you, Maria. I really do.”

It was the first time he actually said it out loud. She smiled and embraced him even closer.

The end.

Oblivion

Written by Einah26

Title: Oblivion
Author: Einah26
E-Mail:

Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: Don't own them. Belong to Katims and Metz.
Summary: After Destiny, Maria and Liz try to blow off some steam but instead end up confronting Max and Michael in the desert. The summer between the end of season 1 and the beginning of season 2.
Category: Michael and Maria, little bit of Liz and Max too.

Friday, the last day of school.

“Oblivion ladies and gentleman is something to think about, imagine being completely forgotten” Mr. Oats finished just as the bell rang. Maria and Liz got up from their seats and walked out into the hallway. Coming back to school had been a challenge, after the whole destiny thing. Alex, Liz and Maria had been keeping to themselves as much as possible waiting for school to be over.

Maria walked up to her locker while Liz leaned against the closed ones. Maria continued her rant “I mean, how depressing is that? To be forgotten. It would be like –BOOM- you were never here and you never mattered.” Just as the words rolled out of Maria’s mouth, the pod squad came walking by. Liz turned to face Maria to avoid any awkwardness that would be there. Seeing Max with Tess was almost too much to bear. Maria turned around and stole a glance of Michael and Isabel. She turned to Liz after they had passed by and said. “They are going to forget us, aren’t they?” Liz closed her big brown eyes. “I think they already have.” The bell rang. One more class.

“Two Tommy Lee Jones, hold the tomato on one” Liz called into the kitchen. Maria was in the back taking a break when they walked in. Max and Michael, alone. She hadn’t seen them without the girls in weeks. She quickly snuck into the back to get Maria. Whispering she called for her “Maria, Maria...where are you?” Maria walked down the stairs singing. “Maria, where were you?” She whispered. “I was laying down for a sec, and why are you whispering?” Maria said fixing her hair and tying her apron back on. Liz rolled her eyes at Maria, “They are out there.” Maria ran up to the small circular window and looked through, “Oh God, they are alone too, I’ll rock-paper-scissors you for who has to wait on them.” Liz weighed her odds in her head for a moment and then decided to take a chance.

“What can I get you” Maria drawled out as fast as she could. “Hi Maria” Max said politely to her. She didn’t look up from her tablet. She couldn’t take the chance that her eyes would meet with Michael’s. She put up a good front but inside, inside every time she saw him her breath escaped her. Finally after what seemed like hours of standing there Michael spoke “I’ll just have a MIB Basket”. To her, this seemed like an insult. He couldn’t say anything to her, just bark an order. She looked up at him rolled her eyes and walked away.

In the backroom Liz was standing nervously waiting for Maria. What would they say to her? Would they try and make conversation or just order and be done with it? Max wouldn’t do that, he is too nice even if he did break her heart. Maria pushed through the door with her usual fervor. Liz jumped forward “What happened? What did they say?” she asked anxiously. Maria threw her notepad on the ground in frustration. “Nothing, Michael wants a hamburger. A freaking hamburger! We saved his life and took care of him and he wants a hamburger? Oh, Miss Liz Parker that is it-we are officially getting over them now. We are going to go out tonight and raise some hell. Paint this town red.” Maria walked into the kitchen and yelled the order to Jose. She walked back out to Liz with purpose “They aren’t going to believe the good times we are going to have!” With that Maria walked out of the backroom, leaving Liz a bit confused and just a little excited. Her Maria was back.

Later that night, Liz was sitting on her balcony writing in her journal.

I just can’t believe that this is it and that he is okay with us being nothing more than awkward acquaintances. I am trying not to be mad because I told him to go after his destiny but this is just too much—can I take it back? Can I tell him to be with me and never leave? He saved me that day in the Crashdown in more ways than one. I felt alive. I felt in charge. And now I just feel like an idiot.

Maria burst through Liz’s bedroom door and stuck her head outside. “Come on Chica, we’re getting out of here.” Liz looked over at Maria who was wearing one of her usual off the wall outfits. Gold Mesh top, a million jelly bracelets, dark black pants. She always knew how to make them feel better. Maria yelled “Get in here; you need to get out of whatever it is that you are wearing.” Liz smiled at Maria, and climbed inside.

They got into the Jetta; Maria put the car in reverse and started to back up. “Wait” Liz said “Where are we going?” Maria pulled a little forward and put the car in park. “Well I was thinking that we could go to that end of the year party out in the desert tonight, there’ll be tons of hot guys and tons of girls to make fun of and you know the pod squad won’t be there.” Liz looked out the window trying to decide if this was a good idea or not. Maria continued on “Liz, we need this. We cannot lose all this time being sad-”Liz interrupted. “I am not sad.” Maria looked at her best friend and knew she was lying because she had said the same lie to herself a million times over. “Liz, you are sad. I am sad. I cry over him everyday and I am sick of it. He doesn’t love me like I love him and if we don’t start moving on or at least trying we are going to be stuck forever.” Maria put the car in reverse and drove out of town.

They arrived at the party a little after ten; there were already a bunch of people there from school. Maria took her seat belt off and turned to Liz. “We are going to have a good time tonight Liz Parker, even if it kills us.”

“Maria, there are a lot of hot guys here.” Liz yelled forward at her friend over the loud music on their way to the keg. After much back and forth they decided that drinking at a high school party was basically a rite of passage and had to be done. Maria turned around to face Liz “I am so proud of you!” She yelled back and gave her a big hug. “For what?” Liz asked. “You are like noticing that there are other guys in the world besides Max Evans.” Liz smiled at her; she was getting quite a buzz on this awful tasting stuff. “Yeah, screw him.” Maria’s eyes opened wide in shock “WOOO that is my girl!”

They had been dancing next to the fire for so long that Maria could barely feel her feet. “I need to take these shoes off. Let’s take a break” She yelled over at Liz who was lost in the music. “K!” The girls walked off a little ways to sit down and maybe finally go to the bathroom when they saw Max’s Jeep parked about a quarter mile away. Maria took one look at it and screamed “Are you kidding me?!? One night is all I ask for away from all that crap and there it is slapping us in the face.” Liz plunked down on the sand too tired to sit up any longer. Maria joined her soon after.

“Maria?” Liz asked. “Yeah Liz” Maria answered. “Tonight has been really fun. Thanks for getting us out.” Maria rolled over onto her side to face Liz. “I’m still sad though. I’ve never been in like real love before besides like JTT but that was TV love which I think is totally different. I think I really love him and that’s what makes it so hard. I always pictured my first love would kind of a mutual thing” Maria giggled at herself. Things were hardly ever what she expected nowadays. Liz rolled to her side as well so they were facing one another, the exhaustion from a long day and a long summer was starting to creep up. “I know what you mean. When I see him I can barely think about anything else. I just didn’t think that he would break my heart”. Just as the word came out of Liz’s mouth they saw a bright flash of light above their heads. Liz jumped to her feet. “Did you see that Maria?” Maria was on her feet in two seconds. “Yeah, I hope no one else saw. I’ll go check the party and see if anyone is talking about it.”

Maria was back within a few minutes and reported that no one seemed to notice anything. “Should we go over there?” Liz inquired. “Hell yes” was all Maria needed to say and they were off. Maria continued “Two intoxicated girls trying to bust a few Czechoslovakians in the middle of the desert, what’s the worst that could happen?”

Meanwhile, Max and Michael had decided to try and use the orbs to get some more information. They couldn’t do it at the Evans and Michael’s neighbors were sick of all the noise all the time. The desert felt like a second home to them, they had spent so many nights out here pondering where they came from, where they will go, and lately how they will do it all. Max had suggested holding the orbs and concentrating like with the healing stones. They stood that way for a few minutes when all of a sudden an intensely bright beam of light shot up from each one of the orbs and mixed together up into the heavens. The light only lasted for a few seconds but it was bright enough for people to see with the naked eye for miles away. “Maxwell what was that? Michael questioned. Max turned to Michael with a shock and worried look on his face, “I have no idea”.

Liz and Maria walked over a large hill to see Max and Michael sitting on a rock looking up into the sky. Maria looked to Liz, “Isn’t this perfect-they are star gazing together”. Liz chuckled at Maria just hard enough to trip over her own foot and come barreling down the hill just a few feet from Max and Michael. Maria came running down after her half laughing half concerned. “Liz, babe are you okay?” Liz rolled onto her back, looked up at Maria laughed and said “I think I broke my ass.” This was too much for Maria to handle; Liz was not one to swear like ever. And especially swearing for the sake of a joke was a new and refreshing thing to hear. “Ass, huh?” Max asked walking over to her.

Liz jumped up off the ground and brushed the sand off her. “Max.” Maria stood next to Liz staring at the two boys. They had come to find them but that was about as far as the plan went.

Michael rose an eyebrow to them “Yep, that’s his name. Good old Max.” Maria was not going to tolerate any of his attitude. “Hey Buddy, nice light show you provided half of the school that is just over that hill. Nice one, really. Super smooth.” The sarcasm in Maria’s voice was just enough to set Michael off.

“What were you doing over there with half the school Maria? Were you having a good time? Or were you just following us? Michael retorted. Maria snapped.

Maria yelled back at him, “We were trying, we were trying for once, one time in six months to have fun, to do something that did not revolve around your identities, and secrets and lies. But no, ZOOM up into the sky is a constant reminder that our lives will never be the same. Before all of this every day I thought about myself first-me Maria Deluca was number one. That’s not possible anymore. We will never be the same! Things will never go back to normal! We will not be ourselves ever again! And the worst part is that we were fine with that. We accept that everything about our lives has changed because of a decision that Max made but you didn’t or couldn’t accept it.

Michael moved closer to Maria, trying to intimidate her. He continued on, “No one asked you to be involved.”

Maria spat back at him with all the passion she could muster and all the hurt she had been feeling since he left her in the UFO museum. “No Michael, no one asked us to be involved we just are. I will feel like this forever and I will never go back to normal. You ruined me. You ruined all of us. You think that this great destiny that we keep hearing about is the end all be all for you four but the truth is you have no idea. The one sure thing in your lives is gone and you welcomed that change. Look at Liz, I had to take her out here and get us drunk to see her smile. I used to not go five minutes without seeing her smile.” Maria turned her attention to Max. “You know that girl you fell in love with watching at the Crashdown—was she this girl in front of you? The sad one that can’t get past that she did something cosmically wrong in her life to deserve this kind of pain?

Michael turned away from Maria, Max looked down at the ground knowing that everything she had just yelled at them was true.

Maria finished with tears in her eyes. “It’s sucks huh? To have someone say exactly what they are thinking exactly when they are thinking it with no regard for anyone else’s feelings. I only hope that you can be as heartless in the future as you have been in the past few months so that you don’t have to feel a fraction of the pain that I have felt in my heart every single day.” She tried with all her might to blink away the tears away. To be strong, not only for herself but for Liz.

With that Maria grabbed Liz’s hand and walked back up the hill. The tears had been streaming down Liz’s face during Maria’s entire meltdown. She didn’t know if it was the honest words or seeing Max again or worst of all if it was both. She knew that Maria was right, that they would in some ways never recover from the knowledge they had acquired such a short time ago. That on her wedding day she would think of Max, when she had her first child she would think of Max, when she laid in bed on a warm summer night he would occupy her thoughts. This was the truth, the hard painful truth.

Maria held onto Liz’s hand for dear life walking around the party trying to find someone sober enough to drive them home. Back to reality, back to the town that was filled with memories of this short but wonderful period of pure bliss. There was no one, everyone was too drunk or too busy sucking face to drive them out of there.

Michael and Max stood in relative silence for what seemed like forever. Maria’s words had infected Michael’s mind. Did he ruin her life? Max couldn’t get over the look on Liz’s face, she looked broken and it was all his fault. Finally Michael broke the silence.

“Max, I don’t know if I can live with it.”

Max was slightly confused. “Live with what?”

“Ruining her life.”

“Unfortunately Michael, I think you already have. I think we already have.”

Maria and Liz debated for some time whether or not they could just live in the desert instead of asking for a ride home. They got too tired and finally caved and hiked back over to Max and Michael.

“We need a ride.” Was all Liz said. There were no words that they could say to each other in that moment. They piled into the Jeep, the words of Maria hanging stiffly in the night air.

A song came on the radio and Max turned it up in an effort to drown out the silence. Max tried to steal glances at Liz in the rear view mirror and realized that Maria was right and he hadn’t noticed the change in her face. She looked like a different person; she probably even was a different person.

The song began.

I’m only pretty sure that I can’t take anymore.

Maria looked out the side of the Jeep, wondering how they got there and if there was anything any of them could do to get back.

    Before you take a swing
    I wonder what are we fighting for

If only they didn’t know what they were fighting for. These two young girls were fighting for love and they had tried their best and still failed. The two young men were searching for an identity, for a sense of belonging.

    When I say out loud
    I want to get out of this

They all told themselves that this was it. They were done. If only that were the whole truth. No matter what it always felt like there was more to come.

    I wonder if there is anything
    I’m going to miss

Michael sat in the passenger seat, running the lyric over and over in his head. There would be something he would miss. Something that he could never forget, someone that had saved him from his awful world. And he had ruined her, in her own words ruined her. How could he ever imagine to make up for that?

    I wonder how it’s going to be
    When you don’t know me
    How it’s going to be
    When you’re sure I’m not there
    How’s it going to be

None of them knew what would happen after that night. None of them knew how they would cope, what they would decide to fight for and more importantly who they would fight for.

    When there’s no one there to talk to
    Between you and me
    Cause I don’t care
    How’s it going to be
    How’s it going to be

The weather was gorgeous, the kind of night that made wonderful memories. Max drove as slow as he could without being noticed to try and buy some time. Time to figure out what to do. He knew what he wanted and that always was and will be Liz but the destiny of an entire race was on his shoulders. Could he just forget that for her?

    Where we used to laugh
    There’s a shouting match
    Sharp as a thumbnail scratch

Michael smiled thinking of his Maria, the Maria he had left at the UFO Museum. Sharp, that was her. Her whole persona was sharp.

    A Silence I can’t ignore
    Like the hammock by the
    Doorway we spent time in swings empty
    Don’t see lightning like last fall

If only they could go back, back to before everything got so out of control. Before destiny, before the FBI, when they were just kids falling in love.

    When it was always about to hit me
    I wonder how it’s going to be
    When it goes down
    How’s it going to be
    When you’re not around
    How’s it going to be

A tear ran down Liz cheek. She wasn’t ready to give up. She wasn’t ready for him to leave; she wasn’t ready for any of it. And something about tonight felt final, felt like they were ending this whole wonderful mess.

    When you found out there was nothing
    Between you and me
    Cause I don’t care
    How’s it going to be
    And how’s it going to be
    When you don’t know me anymore
    And how’s it going to be

This night that started out so wonderful, a chance to start fresh and let loose became a night that would change their lives forever. Deep down they knew that they wanted to be more than a faint memory to each other but the path that they were going down could only lead one place.

    Want to get myself back in again
    The soft dive of oblivion
    I want to taste the salt of your skin
    The soft dive of oblivion
    Oblivion

The word echoed in Maria’s head. Just a day ago the word haunted her and now it was doing it again. Would they be remembered? Would he still hold a place in his heart for her? She knew that she would never forget the way he made her feel that night in the Crashdown, those hot days in the Eraser room, or the night in her room when she knew she loved him.

    How’s it going to be
    When you don’t know me anymore
    How’s it going to be
    How’s it going to be
    How’s it going to be

How would it be? Tomorrow would things be different? Had Maria’s words started the end of the beginning? The feeling of sitting in that Jeep all together closing in on Roswell with the night almost coming to an end was indescribable. A kind of feeling that sits up between your heart and your throat and feels like it will never go away until it does and then you kind of miss it.

Before they knew it the song was over and Max was pulling up behind the Crashdown so Maria and Liz could sneak up her fire escape. Max turned the key to the ignition. Liz contemplated saying something before climbing out of the Jeep. There was nothing to say besides “Thanks.” Max smiled at her to accept her thanks. Maria wiggled out of the back, her sobriety starting to return.

Both girls had exited the car and stood at the base of the ladder reaching up to Liz’s balcony. They turned to take one last look at Max and Michael, both desperately hoping that someone would say something. Something that would give them a little shred of hope that things weren’t completely over between them. The noise of the Jeep starting scared both of them. Max backed up and began to drive off.

Maria jumped up to the ladder and pulled it down to climb up. Liz stood so very still watching Max drive away. She tried briefly to convince herself that he wasn’t driving away from her. She begged him in her mind to look back, to stop the car, to change his mind, to understand that what they had doesn’t come around everyday. Certainly in her life no one has ever made her feel the way that he does.

But he didn’t turn around. He didn’t stop the car. He drove off into the night, the perfectly beautiful night. She let one final tear drop down her cheek.

Max and Michael drove away from the Crashdown, Max torn up inside and Michael trying to fight whatever nagging feeling was in his chest. Max drove past Michael’s apartment.

“Where are you going?” Michael asked.

“We need to have a meeting.” Max said.

The determined sound in Max’s voice was enough for Michael not to question anything. Max drove to pick up Tess. She needed just a little coaxing to come with them. Her desperation to make Max love her was so obvious, even to Max. They drove to get Isabel. She argued and wanted to know what this was all about but she finally gave in. The four of them drove out to the reservoir where Max knew they would not be overheard.

“Okay, we’re here. Now what is going on?” Isabel yelled at her brother.

Max took his time to gather his thoughts before saying “I don’t think I believe in our destiny.” The look on all of their faces was a mix of shock and confusion.

“I don’t think it’s a matter of believing it or not Max, it just is.” Tess argued.

“No, I don’t think so. I don’t think that this destiny took into account that we are part human. That we are erratic.” Max looked to Michael. He continued on “That we are not guided simply by logic, we have feelings. How could we possibly know what we are supposed to do or who we are supposed to be?”

“Max, what happened tonight?” Isabel asked with concern.

Michael exhaled loudly and turned around to face the water. Isabel lifted her eyebrows at her brother to spill. “We went to the desert to try and make the orbs work and ran into Liz and Maria.”

“Them-again Max? I thought that we were passed this.” Tess angrily yelled at Max.

Of all people Michael came to Max’s defense. “None of us were passed this, besides you Tess.” This was the truth, Isabel never stopped dreaming of Alex, Max was consumed with thoughts of Liz and Michael, well Michael fought loving Maria every step of the way but nevertheless he loved her.

Michael didn’t try to be mean; it just came off that way most of the time. “I think what Michael means is that we had started things before you got here and it’s not easy to let them go.” Max explained.

“What about home Max?” Isabel reasoned. “I mean the whole reason we tried this is to find home, to find our mother. What if we give up on this destiny thing and we never find them?”

Max walked to his sister and put his arm around her. “Look what has happened since that day in the Crashdown, we found out all of this information about ourselves and home with their help. I don’t think that cutting them out of our lives was the right thing to do. Not after everything.”

Isabel pulled away. “Then why did we do this? Why did we all have to say goodbye, to end things. God Max, Alex hates me now. Hates me! I can see it in his eyes every time I see him and for what? So that we could decide to follow our destiny long enough to mess up our lives here?”

Isabel walked away; the tears were starting to form in her eyes. She knew that Alex thought that she wanted to be with Michael. That she had only used Alex to try and fight her destiny. That wasn’t true at all; she could never be with Michael. She could never kiss him or dance with him the way she did with Alex. He was the last person she saw herself with but somehow was the only person right for her.

Back in the group Tess had been trying to convince Max that he was wrong, that going back to the way things were would only put them in harms way again. “The humans are a liability, we don’t need them.”

With that comment, Max, Michael, and Isabel turned and walked towards Tess. She couldn’t be more wrong.

“We only got caught by the FBI after you showed up Tess, before that we did pretty okay figuring things and staying safe.” Isabel told her. “I know that we can trust them and only bad things have come from us not trusting them.” She explained.

Tess had no interest in staying on Earth; her main objective had been made clear to her by Nasedo. Get the Royal Four back home. She didn’t think that leaving the humans would be this much of a challenge. Somewhere deep inside her she felt a little jealous that she was not able to connect like they all had. She believed that at least Michael would be on her side but he was as far gone as Max and Isabel.

“You really are children. You think that your destiny is to fall in love and stay on Earth pretending to be human your whole lives?” Tess condescending said to them. “Our goal is not to play house here on Earth but to save our people-can you not understand that?”

“We understand just fine Tess” Max’s voice was filled with anger. “We don’t even know how to get back there, we don’t know if there is anything to go back to-”

“MAX. Just stop.” Tess yelled. “What do you all want, ignore our destiny? Wait here until the FBI finds us and kills us all? Great plan. I don’t think that I am going to sit around and wait to die.” Tess walked to the Jeep and sat there waiting to be taken home.

Michael looked at Max. “She’s right Maxwell.” But Max already knew this. He knew that the decision to stay away from Liz, Maria and Alex was right but it just felt so wrong. He broke her heart and was just going to have to live with it. Isabel chimed in “I hate all of this, I hate that who we are has to hurt all these people.”

Max looked to Tess in the Jeep, he still felt that pull towards her that he couldn’t explain. “Than we stick with the plan. This summer we stay away from all of them.”

Max dropped Michael and Tess off at their houses and drove him and Isabel home. Isabel got out of the Jeep. Max stayed in the driver’s seat. “Max, are you coming in?” Isabel asked. “Is, I just need to talk to her.” Isabel nodded. She understood that this was the hardest thing he ever had to do.

Max drove to Liz’s house, a smile across his face even though he knew that this would be the last time he would be able to see Liz in the way he needed to see her. He parked in the alley a ways down so that no one would see the Jeep and walked to see Liz. He just hoped that she was still awake.

As Max neared the ladder to Liz’s balcony he saw a figure reaching up to get the ladder. He ran towards it and pushed the man out of the way making some noise in the process. He grabbed the person by the collar and pulled him up. “What are you doing? ”He asked with force in his voice. “Max” Michael said, “Let go of me.”

Max complied, “Michael, I thought we agreed to stay away.” Michael arched an eyebrow up, “You’re here too Maxwell.” Max took a step back forgetting that he had also been breaking their new rule. “Well, yeah but-” Michael interrupted Max “But what Max? I need to tell her. I can’t live with her hating me like that.”

Max nodded his head to Michael. Not to give him permission, just to let him know that he understood his motives. Just above them Maria cleared her throat. The two aliens looked up to see Maria and Liz standing on the balcony.

Liz’s eyes were red from crying. “You don’t need to see me again Max, just say good bye.” That was the meanest thing Liz had ever said to Max. She couldn’t lose him again. They would have a wonderful night and he would be back with Tess in the morning. She wouldn’t do that to herself.

“Liz, I need to talk to you” Max whispered up to her trying to make the least amount of noise as possible.

“About what Max? Has anything really changed from a couple hours ago?” Liz spoke down to him.

Max gave her that look, that soulful look that only those two could share. “It won’t work Max. You know what you need to do and it’s not fair to have me make that decision for you.” She was right and he knew it. Liz climbed in her window and lay down on her bed.

Michael looked up to Maria, “Maria, I’m...”Michael couldn’t find the words so instead he launched himself up the ladder before Maria knew what to do. He grabbed her face in his hands and pulled her close to him. He slowly moved closer to her, the heat between them undeniable and kissed her for only a moment but it was enough to make her knees weak. He pulled away and said “I’m sorry.” With that he dropped down to the ground and walked away leaving Max there. Maria shook her head to try and bring herself back to reality. She called down to Max. “You should just go Max.” And he did. He wasn’t proud of himself.

Max drove himself back to the desert that night, sat in the pod chamber and cried for all that he lost that day. He lost his hope. He lost Liz. In return, he had a planet to save and a destiny to follow.

Maria climbed inside to console Liz. She curled up next to her best friend with tears streaming down her face. “Oh Lizzie, I miss him. I don’t want to but I do. With every inch of my being I love him.” Liz could barely speak. She had no tears left to cry. Over Maria’s sobs she said, “Maria I need to get out of here.”

The next day Liz left for Florida.

The future was uncertain, the only constant in their lives was the pain that they had caused each other to feel.

The End

Elevator Etiquette

Written by Einah26

Title: Elevator Etiquette
Author: Einah26
E-Mail:

Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Roswell, they belong to creator Jason Katims and WB/CW network.
Summary: Liz is apartment sitting for her aunt for the weekend. Maria and Liz plan on having a boy free alien-less movie night, but they never quite get there. A little mush at the end.
Category: Michael/Maria, Max/Liz
Author's Notes: I decided to have a little fun with the whole stuck in the elevator cliché.

INT CRASHDOWN DINER-Day

Maria and Liz stand in the Crashdown diner waiting for their orders to be up near the cooks window. Liz picks up her tray with a couple malts and a basket of fries.

MARIA
So, you get to stay there all by yourself?

LIZ
Yeah...

Liz sets the two Mulder Malts down on a table, smiling at the customers. Maria is trailing her as she makes her rounds.

They trust me Maria, it’s not that big of a deal.

Liz and Maria stand at the cooks window waiting for their next orders to come up.

MARIA
(sarcastically)
What do you mean, not that big of a deal?
Your parents practically had a heart attack when
you stayed out all night with Max.

LIZ
I explained to them that I made a poor decision and it wouldn’t happen again, and it won’t.

Maria grabbed her plate of burgers and fries, rolled her eyes at Liz and walked away. Liz shakes her head and laughs at Maria.

LIZ
What?

Maria smiled knowingly at her best friend.

MARIA
Oh, honey. I don’t think you could control anything about you and Max. Not even with your “try your hardest” face on.

Liz walked into the backroom. Just as Maria was serving her next plates, Max and Michael walked into the Cafê. They sat at their usual booth. Maria dropped the plates at her table, and came to ask their order.

MAX
Hi Maria-

Max smiled at her, trying to get a glimpse of where Liz was.

MARIA
Hey Max, she’s in the back right now but I’ll go get her.

MAX
(nonchalantly)
No big deal, we were just hungry...

Max blushed as his eyes dived back down to the table.

MARIA
Sure, you aren’t here to stare at Liz and make googly eyes or anything.

Michael leaned against the wall and outstretched his legs in the booth.

MICHAEL
Um, I am ready to order...unless you are too busy.

Maria looked Max directly in the eyes like a deer in headlights.

MARIA
Want just the usual Max? You, you, you look starving, I’ll bring that right out for you.

Maria turned and walked away towards the kitchen.

MICHAEL
What is her deal?

MAX
Well, you broke it off and she’s mad, what did you expect Michael?

MICHAEL
Not this...

Michael turned to watch Maria walking into the back room.

I really am hungry.

INT CRASHDOWN-Backroom

Maria bounces through the door of the backroom at the Crashdown, Liz is getting her bag out of her locker.

MARIA
So, your aunt will be gone all weekend, right?

LIZ
She is going to a seminar for divorced women, but apparently I am not supposed to tell my mom that because she’s embarrassed.

Maria chuckled.

MARIA
She should be embarrassed, sounds more like a dating seminar.

Liz looked at Maria, nodded her head and laughed.

MARIA
Max and (grunt) Michael are out there

Maria nods her head towards the restaurant.

LIZ
(happily) Really?

Liz walked over to stick her head up to the circular window in the door to peer out at Max.

Maria sat down on the dilapidated couch and started to rant. Liz is barely listening as she is preoccupied with looking at Max.

MARIA
He wants me to bring him food, what am I? A cave woman? Bringing him food whenever he wants. I am so sure that I am just going to like bring him a burger, when he can choose when and more importantly when he doesn’t want me...

LIZ
Maria, you are kind of a waitress.

MARIA
Liz, my dear, that is besides the point, he just drives me crazy

Maria pulled herself up off the couch to check on Max’s order.

INT CRASHDOWN-Diner

Max and Michael sat at their booth whispering back and forth, but by the time Maria got over with Max’s food they had stopped their secret behavior.

MARIA
Here you go Max, make sure to eat it all, you are a growing boy after all

Maria glared at Michael. Liz walked up beside Maria.

LIZ
Hi Max, hi Michael.

Liz looked at Max longingly like only those two can.

MICHAEL
(interrupting)
Hey Liz! Nice place you got here, I’d like it just a little more if the service wasn’t so sketchy.

Maria turned on her heel and walked away huffing.

MAX
So what are you doing this weekend Liz?

Michael slid the plate away from in front of Max and started to devour his burger.

LIZ
Um, I am actually house-sitting for my aunt while she is at a seminar. Actually I guess it would be apartment sitting.

Liz stared intently at Max. Max’s face turned a little red, he hoped against hope that she did not see what he was thinking. Alone with Liz, all weekend. A smile crept across his face.

INT CRASHDOWN DINER-later that day

The hustle and bustle continued in the Cafê until it was closing time, Liz and Maria were cleaning up and getting ready to go. Maria sings while she mops the floor, her song is a made up one and its subject is Michael.

LIZ
(yelling)
Maria, you almost ready?

MARIA
You better believe I am, just a sec-

Maria continued yelling not realizing Liz had walked into the front section of the diner.

Do you want to watch a movie tonight?

Liz laughed behind her back. Maria jumped and swung around with the mop in her hand

MARIA
(clutching her chest)
You scared the crap out of me.

LIZ
(laughing)
Sorry Maria, I thought you would have heard me, what do you feel like watching?

MARIA
Something oozing with romance, not this plausible ending ruin my life kind of movie, a movie where the geek gets the girl, or the princess falls for the pauper. I need a little distance from real life.

Liz nodded in agreement.

LIZ
We do deserve a night off from all this...

Liz points up towards the sky.

MARIA
(nods in agreement)
Do you want me to swing over to the video store?

LIZ
Yeah, if you could and then I’ll start making some food.

INT APARTMENT BUILDING-evening

Liz walked into the apartment building just as the landlord was hanging up a sign that the elevator was broken.

LIZ
(under her breath)
Great, my feet are killing me. 4 flights here I come.

Liz smiled at the landlord and pulled open the door to the stairs. The landlord’s cell phone started to ring.

LANDLORD
Hello?

She rolled her eyes at the phone call.

Yes, I can be over there in a minute, I just need to finish some things over here.

The caller on the other ends starts to yell incoherently

Okay, okay I am on my way.

She hurriedly sticks the out of service sign on the elevator and walks out of the building. A second later the sign falls down the shaft leaving the elevator looking in perfect working condition.

INT LIZ”S AUNT APARTMENT-Evening

Liz throws a pan of readymade lasagna in the oven. She shuts the over door and puts her hands on her hips.

INT EVANS HOUSE-Max’s Bedroom

Max picks up the phone, pretending he talks into the phone.

MAX
Hey Liz, do you have the assignment for Chemistry?

Max presses the talk button and dials Liz’s cell phone number.

INT LIZ’S AUNT APARTMENT

Liz wipes her hands on a dish towel and her phone rings. She answers.

LIZ
Hello?

MAX
Hi Liz, it’s Max

Liz jumps a little while standing in the kitchen.

LIZ
Oh, hi Max. What are you up to?

MAX
I don’t have the assignment for chemistry, I didn’t bring it home.

Liz’s shoulders slump in disappointment.

LIZ
Yeah I have it, did you want me to re—”

Liz stops herself from finishing her sentence. I could read the assignment over the phone or he could come pick it up.

Urr did you want to pick it up?

Max was silent on the other end of the phone. A large smile spread across his face.

MAX
I’ll be over in a minute”

LIZ
Max

MAX
Yeah.

LIZ
Remember I’m at my aunts on 5th Street not at home, take the stairs the elevators out, apartment number 403.

MAX
Okay, Thanks Liz. I’ll see you in a minute.

Just as Max hung up the phone it rang again, he answered it slowly.

MAX (cautiously)
Hello?

MICHAEL
Max, it’s Michael, I just saw Valenti talking to a man in a black suit, can I come over?

MAX
I’m heading over to Liz’s aunts house to pick something up.

MICHAEL
Ooh so sorry. Is our existence getting in the way of your very busy social calendar?

MAX
Okay, she lives on 5th we could talk on my way back here—meet me there in twenty.

MICHAEL
Gotcha

Michael answered into the phone. He pulled up the army green collar of his jacket, hung up the pay phone and headed towards 5th street.

EXT APT BUILDING-NIGHT

Maria had picked out a couple cheesy chick flicks and was rounding the corner to Liz’s aunts apartment building, she parked and got out. At the very same time Michael was coming from the opposite direction. They reached the door at the same time.

MARIA
What are you doing here?

MICHAEL
Not looking for you.

Michael stares at Maria, as if to say that he needs no one.

I’m meeting Max here, we’re going to back to his house after he picks something up from Liz, if you have to know.

Maria opened the door.

MARIA
Was that so hard?

MICHAEL
As a matter of fact it was

They both walked through the doors and pushed the button to the elevator for up.

MARIA
She lives on the 4th floor and I don’t feel like walking

MICHAEL
Fine, whatever.

MARIA
Uhhhh

Maria let out the gasp showing her annoyance. The elevator door opened and they got in, Maria pushed the button for the fourth floor. The doors shut and Maria continued.

You don’t have to be such an ass all the time, you know.

MICHAEL
Don’t I?

MARIA
You are so frustrating, you know that though don’t you. Cause you’re Michael king of... wherever you are from.

MICHAEL
You’re just upset that I dumped you

MARIA
Excuse me?

Maria turned towards Michael, her angry growing fast. The elevator came to a hault, neither one of them noticed.

INT APT BUILDING-

As Michael and Maria continued fighting in the elevator. Max entered the building pressed the up button, and then remembered that he needed to take the stairs. Max walked up the fourth floor, paused before knocking on the door. He straightened his already straight jacket, rolled his eyes at himself and knocked.

INT LIZ’S AUNT APT
Liz nervously stood up from the half-sitting half-standing position on the edge of the couch. She opened the door and there he stood.

MAX
Hey Liz

LIZ
Hey Max

They stood in the doorway for a moment before Liz realized she would have to invite him in.

LIZ Oh, come in. Sorry.

Max walked into the apartment, it was decorated very stylishly and had a nice living room with two big couches. He tried not to look at them.

MAX Thanks, sorry to bother you but I totally spaced out and forgot to bring my assignment home.

LIZ
Oh no problem. I’ll just grab it.

Liz walked into the bad bedroom where she threw all her stuff. Max continued to talk to her.

MAX
It smells great in here, are you making something?

LIZ
Yeah, Maria and I were going to watch some movies- if she ever gets here with them-and eat lasagna my aunt left.

MAX
That sounds like fun, what movies are you watching.

Liz came walking back into the room with the assignment. She hands it to Max.

MAX
Do you have a pen and paper and I’ll copy it down?

LIZ
Sure

Liz walks into the living room to grab some paper.

MAX
Anyway, what movies is she bringing over?

LIZ
Girlie movies, Maria has kind of been in a mood since the whole breakup...

MAX
I kind of picked up on that.

LIZ
I think she just wants things to either go forward or back to the way it was before all this

Max looked at Liz, he couldn’t help reading between the lines. Liz handed him the pen and a piece of paper.

MAX
Thanks.

Max started to write down the assignment as slow as possible.

LIZ
What are you going to do this weekend?

MAX
I am going to try and get some homework done tonight so I don’t have to do it on Sunday like I always do.

LIZ
That’s a good idea, I hate that panicky feeling.

MAX
Michael is going to meet me outside in a little bit to talk about some stuff.

LIZ
( nodding her head)
Some stuff, huh?

Max smiles at her.

MAX
Yeah. Stuff.

INT APT ELEVATOR-Night

Michael and Maria are in the elevator standing facing forward.

MARIA
I can’t believe how rude you are?

MICHAEL
Really? Because by now I would think you could believe it.

MARIA (turns her head to the side) There are just no words...

They stop arguing and stare straight forward at the doors.

They stand there for a few minutes in silence.

MARIA
What is with this elevator?

MICHAEL
I don’t know, did you press the button right?

MARIA
How exactly could I press it wrong?

Michael presses button number 4, the elevator does not move. He presses the open door button, nothing happens. Maria lunges forward towards the buttons and presses all of them. Nothing happens.

MARIA
(yelling) You have got to be kidding me! I am not going to be stuck in here with this lunatic.

MICHAEL
Thanks, thanks for that.

MARIA
You pick now to get offended? I am sorry, I am not familiar with the elevator etiquette for this particular situation.

Maria and Michael start to bang on the doors to try and get someone to hear them and help. Maria starts scraping against the metal by the button.

MICHAEL
What are you doing?

MARIA
I am looking for a box with a phone in it.

MICHAEL
Do you think they would keep it that hidden?

Maria shoots Michael a look of death. She slumps down on the floor of the elevator.

MARIA
My feet hurt, Liz is waiting for me with dinner, and I am here with you. How much does my life suck!

They sit in silence for a few minutes.

MICHAEL
What kind of food?

Maria doesn’t answer him, she just slumps her head in disgust.

INT LIZ’S AUNT APT-Night

Liz and Max are in the living room. Liz laughs at something Max said. The timer to the oven dings.

LIZ
Alright, it’s done!

Max watches her as she takes the lasagna out of the oven.

I wonder where Maria is, she was like 5 minutes behind me.

MAX
I should probably get going, I told Michael to meet me a little while ago downstairs.

The two are both saddened that this can’t be the way the whole evening goes.

LIZ
Okay, well maybe I’ll talk to you later?

MAX
Yes, maybe you will.

They both smile like idiots at each other. Liz opens the door, and Max walks out. He heads for outside.

EXT APT BUILDING-NIGHT

Max is standing outside waiting for Michael. He has been out there for a few minutes. He sees a man in a black suit drive by very slowly. Max walks around the building to the alley, he pokes his head back out. The car is backing up. Max hides behind a dumpster. The car drives by. Max heads back inside the building, running up the 4 flights of stairs.

He knocks on the door.

INT APT BUILDING-Hallway/ apt

Liz looks out the peephole and is surprised to see Max again. She opens the door. Max walks in.

MAX
Hi, sorry. Can I come in?

LIZ
Yeah, what’s going on? Have you seen Maria?

MAX
She’s not here yet?

LIZ
No, which is really weird.

MAX
I was outside waiting for Michael, and a guy in a black suit drove by and paid special attention to look at me. I walked around the corner and he followed . Michael has mentioned something on the phone but I thought it was just a weird Michael thing.

LIZ
Did he ever show up?

MAX
No, and I called him before I came here the first time.

LIZ
Oh, no Max, This is really weird.

MAX
Don’t get worried, there could be an explanation for all of this.

LIZ
What if they took Maria? Or Michael? Or both of them?

MAX
I am sure they are fine, Michael is probably eating somewhere and Maria is probably having a hard time picking out a movie.

LIZ
You’re probably right, I just get nervous with all this new stuff.

MAX
Me too, I’m used to lying to my parents but having to look out for people following me is all new.

Liz laughs a little.

LIZ
Do you want to eat some lasagna? It’s going to get cold, and Maria isn’t here yet.

MAX
Yes. I am starving actually. Michael ate my dinner. Liz smiled and walked into the kitchen to dish them up. Maybe you should try calling the video store.

LIZ
Ooh, that is a good idea. I am just going to throw this in the microwave cause it’s cold now.

Max walked over behind Liz in the kitchen. He put his hand over the pan of lasagna and heated it up.

LIZ
(smiling)
Wow. That works too I guess.

Liz dished up two plates of food for them and sit them down on the breakfast bar. Liz picks up the phone to call the video store. She looks at the phone and then at Max and sets the phone back down.

MAX
This is really good.

LIZ
It is, huh?

MAX
So, are you going to stay here all weekend?

LIZ
That’s the plan, my aunt gets back on Sunday night.

MAX
That’s going to be so nice, just to be away from everything.

LIZ
Yeah. There has been a lot lately.

Max turns towards Liz and looks at her.

MAX
I’m sorry, that’s kind of been my fault.

LIZ
No it hasn’t, if it weren’t for you I wouldn’t have a crazy life to complain about at all.

MAX
But... you kind of had things figured out.

LIZ
I kind of like having them not...figured out.

Liz looks at Max, sets down her fork and pulls her hair behind her ear. Max can’t help but look at her. Just then they hear a loud noise coming from outside the apartment door. Max stands up and walks to the door. Liz follows close behind him. Max looks out the peephole and sees nothing. He turns around to Liz and raises his shoulders in confusion.

LIZ
(whisper)
Do you want to check it out?

MAX
(whisper)
Yeah, wait here.

LIZ
(whisper) No.

MAX
(whisper) What?

LIZ (whisper) No I will not wait here and be left out again.

MAX (in regular voice) Okay.

Max opens the door and sticks his head, there is nothing in the hallway. Liz and Max both come out into the hallway. Liz is following close behind. They get halfway down the hallway and they hear the noise again, Liz jumps forward and stands as close to Max’s back as she possible can. They freeze and listen. There is a muffled noise coming from straight ahead. They start to slowly move forward. Max grabs Liz’s hand. They get closer and closer to the noise.

MAX
(whisper) I think it is coming from the elevator.

LIZ
(whisper) Really? Do you think they are on their way up here?

MAX
(whisper) I thought it was broken?

LIZ
(whisper) Yeah, it was when I got here.

MAX (Whisper) Me too. And it’s not moving. Do you think someone is stuck?

Max and Liz walk closer to the elevator doors. They can hear yelling from inside the elevator. Max and Liz both press their ears right up the elevator door to get a better listen in. At first, they only hear jumbled words. And then...

MARIA
(yelling)
Friggin Spaceboy IDIOT!

MICHAEL
(yelling)
I’m the idiot? Who is the one who HAD to take this friggin elevator cause her feet hurt.

MARIA
(yelling) Don’t talk to me! Don’t look at me! Don’t even think about me!

MICHAEL
No problem.

Max and Liz step away from the elevator.

LIZ
(chuckling) I think I might know who is in there.

Max laughs.

MAX
Should we get them out?

LIZ
Probably. I wonder if they have been in there the whole time.

MAX
(laughs) Poor Maria.

LIZ
Poor Michael.

LIZ
You know, maybe now that they are quiet we should leave them in there to work this out.

MAX
You think?

LIZ
Definitely. What’s the worst that could happen? They already hate each other, maybe if they stay in there they will have to talk about what happened.

MAX
Does this mean we can go finish eating?

LIZ
That’s exactly what it means. Liz and Max walk back into the apartment and shut the door behind them.

INT ELEVATOR-Night

Maria is sitting with her back to Michael who is carving his name into the elevator with a key.

MARIA
Do you have to do that? It’s making an awful noise.

MICHAEL
I thought you weren’t talking to me.

MARIA
(huffs) You’re right, I’m not. Sorry.

Michael looks at the back of Maria’s head. He goes to say something and then closes his mouth. Maria is leaning over her bag and digging it through it.

MICHAEL
What are you looking for?

MARIA
My chap stick. It’s really dry in here.

MICHAEL
I have some.

MARIA
That’s okay, I know mine is in here somewhere.

MICHAEL
Maria-just use mine.

Michael is holding out a tube of chap stick towards her back.

MARIA
No thanks Michael, I can find my own.

MICHAEL
Don’t be stupid, mine is right here.

Michael tries to pull on her shoulder to get her to turn around and she resists.

MICHAEL
Come on, Maria.

MARIA
NO! I like my chap stick, and I don’t need to use yours.

MICHAEL
Fine.

Michael leans back against the back of the elevator. And kicks the front doors of the elevator, it makes a loud noise.

MARIA
Hey!

MICHAEL
What?

MARIA
Instead of kicking it, why don’t you use something else.

Maria makes the I Dream of Jeannie head bob to indicate to Michael to use his powers.

MICHAEL
I can’t.

MARIA You can’t or won’t?

MICHAEL
I can’t, you know I’m not that good at it.

MARIA
Maybe you should try harder.

MICHAEL
GOD! What is with you?

Maria turns around to face him for the first time in more than an hour.

MARIA
You know what is with me.

MICHAEL
Well, when is this going to stop?

MARIA
Seriously? I don’t know Michael. I don’t have a timeframe on how long I am going to be mad at you for making me feel like an idiot.

MICHAEL
What?

MARIA
You think that this whole Czechoslovakian thing doesn’t affect anyone but you but you’re so wrong. It affects me, it affects Liz. And you and Max just get to do whatever and use this higher purpose as your excuse.

MICHAEL
Okay. Yep. That’s it. You’re right Maria.

MARIA
Don’t do that, don’t agree with me.

MICHAEL
You don’t know how it is.

MARIA
THEN TELL ME!

MICHAEL
Ugh.

MARIA
Exactly. Man of many words.

Maria turns back around to face the wall. Michael stands up and starts to pound on the doors.

MICHAEL
Come on! We’re stuck in here!

INT. LIZ’S AUNTS APT

Liz is washing dishes and Max is sitting at the breakfast bar taking to her while she cleans up.

MAX
Is she really that mad?

LIZ
Oh yeah, Maria is so passionate about everything, she gets more upset about things than anyone I have ever met. How’s Michael?

MAX
You know Michael, he acts like he couldn’t care less. But he does.

LIZ
Can I ask you a question?

MAX
I guess.

LIZ
(smiles)
If you weren’t, you know, would that make things different for me and you?

Max looks at Liz and smiles bravely. He stands up and walks around the bar to her.

MAX
Liz, you know that I don’t want it to be like this but what if something happened?

LIZ
I get that, I’m just asking if it were different.

MAX
Then, yes it would be different for us.

LIZ
Okay. Well....

MAX
What?

Liz’s brow furrows as she is thinking about something intently and washing the dishes very hard.

LIZ
Well, that sucks big time. Because how can I compete with who you are?

MAX
You don’t have to compete.

LIZ
Yes I do, I like you Max-do you like me?

MAX
Yes, you know I do.

LIZ
Than what is the problem?

MAX
What if something happens to you?

LIZ
Like what? I get shot? That already happened Max and I am still here. I don’t think I want to live my life thinking about what could have been.

Liz throws the dish in the drying rack and walks into the living room. She sits down on the couch, obviously upset. Max walks over and sits down next to her.

MAX
Liz, this isn’t how I wanted it to be. Believe me, I want to be with you and I hate that I can’t.

LIZ
Than be with me! What in your life is for sure-right in front of you everyday that you want? You don’t know where home is, you don’t know who you are. But I am right here and it seems so stupid to avoid what we both want.

Max leans forward, grabs Liz’s face. Looks at her and pulls her into him and kisses her with everything he has. They finally pull apart and Max leans back a little to look at Liz’s reaction.

MAX
Please don’t ever think that I want anything more than you.

Liz smiles and moves the pillow in between them and inches closer.

LIZ
I understand that you have this like whole other part of your life, and I don’t want to get in the way of that. But I also don’t want to be sad all the time. And I see you looking at me and I know you are thinking the same things.

MAX
Am I that obvious?

Liz laughs at him, holds onto his face and leans into kiss him.

LIZ
Yes, you are.

INT ELEVATOR-Night

Maria and Michael are leaning against the back wall of the elevator with their feet stretched out.

MICHAEL
I’m bored.

MARIA
You could try banging on the door again for the 18th time.

MICHAEL
You don’t know who is going to be walking by and hear me. I didn’t exactly plan on spending the night in an elevator with you.

MARIA
Not what I planned either, I am supposed to be watching movies and eating junk food with Liz-you remember her don’t you? Someone I like and can stand to be in the same room as.

MICHAEL
(mocking) Ha ha, very funny. What were you going to watch?

MARIA
Nothing.

MICHAEL
Do you have the video store bang with nothing in it?

MARIA
Yes, that is exatly right.

MICHAEL
Let me see.

MARIA
No.

MICHAEL
Let me see.

MARIA
No.

MICHAEL
Maria, come on. Let me see. Is it that bad?

Michael starts to grab the bag from her. They go back and forth but eventually Michael wins out. He slides to the side of the elevator and begins to open the bag. Maria tries to go for it again and he holds her off with one hand. She gives in and leans against the opposite side so they are facing each other.

Michael starts to open the bag again.

MICHAEL
This should be interesting... your taste in movies leaves a little to be desired.

MARIA
Is that right? Sorry, it’s not a Metallica video-

MICHAEL
Don’t knock Metallica, they have no part in this.

Maria covers her face as he looks into the bag. Michael looks up at her and decides not to embarrass her. He hands the bag back to her.

MICHAEL
Here, I won’t look.

Maria grabs the bag from him and sticks it behind her.

MARIA
Thanks.

A moment goes by.

MICHAEL
Maria-

MARIA
Yeah.

MICHAEL
I really am...sorry.

MARIA
That’s okay, it’s just embarrassing chick flicks.

MICHAEL
No, not about that.

Michael moves a little closer to Maria and crosses his legs in the middle of the elevator.

About everything. I didn’t think it would change everything.

MARIA
Well, it did. I wish that I could just shut it off and not care. But I do. I just wish that you cared half as much as I did.

MICHAEL
I do, but it’s just so heavy.

MARIA
Sometimes that’s what it is when you like someone. And don’t try to deny it, I know that you like me.

Michael smiles at her.

Dear God, is that a smile from Michael Guerin? I don’t think we have seen this rare of a site in decades.

MICHAEL
(jokingly)
Shut up.

MARIA
Seriously though, I just feel like you got to start this and finish it and I don’t get any say. And as you may know, I usually get at least a say in things.

MICHAEL
I just can’t get close to someone and then when the time comes I might have to make that decision to stay or go, and I don’t know if I could do that.

MARIA
God Michael, I am not asking for you to stay here forever, I would just like to see you now. For all I know, I might hate you in a month.

MICHAEL
I don’t think I would hate you in a month, though. And that’s the problem.

MARIA
I think that is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.

MICHAEL
Well, you need to get out more.

Maria laughs and meets Michael half way in the middle of the elevator. She grabs his hand and twists his ring around his finger. She looks at his eyes.

MICHAEL
Maria, I...

Just as he is about to say something that they can’t go back from the elevator starts to move. Both of them jump up to their feet, anxious to get off the elevator.

MICHAEL
Finally!

MARIA
Finally? Oh, was it really that bad?

MICHAEL
No, I just meant that I want to not be stuck in this elevator.

MARIA
With me?

MICHAEL
No, just not at all.

MARIA
(defeated)
Oh. Okay. Because it sounded like you didn’t want to be stuck in this elevator with me anymore, not just anyone but specifically me. But if that’s not the case then, okay, fine.

MICHAEL
Maria, honestly.

MARIA
Well, excuse me. But you broke up with me not that long ago, forgive me if I am a little sensitive about people not wanting me. So, just be nice or something because-

Michael looks up to the sky, the elevator is moving at a snail like speed. He looks over at Maria, who is still ranting on and on. He grabs her waist, she drops her bags, he pulls her close, she raises her toes to reach his face. He leans in and interrupts her with a kiss. A whopper of a kiss. The elevator starts to move again, they break apart. They both look straightforward at the door. The elevator doors start to open, a woman is standing there holding some tools.

LANDLORD

How long have you two been in there?

MARIA Awhile.

LANDLORD
I am so sorry, I put a sign up but it must have fallen down.

MARIA
That’s okay. We’ll just take the stairs now.

Michael and Maria walk towards the stairs to head up to the apartment.

LANDLORD
(calling after them)
Sorry, again.

Michael and Maria are walking up the four flights of stairs, before they open the door to the fourth floor Maria steps in front of the door and puts her hand against Michael’s chest to stop him.

MICHAEL
What? Did you forget something?

MARIA
No, I just don’t want to walk in there and not know where we stand.

MICHAEL
(whining)
I don’t know.

MARIA
You know how it will be, we will go in there and it will be all weird and I won’t know what to say so I will be mean to you, and you’ll be mean cause you are mean and-

MICHAEL
I’m not mean.

MARIA
Yes, you are. It’s fine, I like it. But you are mean. But I don’t want this all weird. So are we or aren’t we...

MICHAEL
What?

MARIA
ARGH! Don’t make me say it, really it’s just too embarrassing.

MICHAEL
I don’t know what you’re talking about.

MARIA
You just kissed me, like 5 minutes ago. Do you remember that?

MICHAEL
Yes, I do. That was a shut up kiss.

MARIA
Oh my God, I hate you.

Maria pushes him back, she turns and swings open the door to walk towards the apartment. Michael laughs and walks after her to catch up. Maria walks up to Apt 403 and knocks on the door. Michael comes up behind her.

MARIA
I swear if you even say one word to me, I will find a way to kill you.

Michael grabs her face and she resists for a moment and then gives in to the kiss. Michael stops for a moment.

MICHEAL
We are.

Michael kisses her again. Maria pulls away for a second.

MARIA
What?

MICHAEL
(mocking her) Don’t make me say it, it’s too embarrassing.

Maria and smiles and lifts up on her tippy-toes and continues to kiss him. Inside Liz wakes up with the knock on the door, she has fallen asleep on the couch with Max. She stumbles over to the door and opens it to see Michael and Maria kissing.

LIZ
Hi guys, come in...whenever you’re ready.

Michael and Maria stop kissing and turn and walk in the door. Liz and Max are both laying on the couch, waking up slowly from the knock on the door.

MARIA
Hello? No-where have you been? Are you okay?

LIZ
You were stuck in the elevator with Michael.

MARIA
Why didn’t you try and get us out? I can’t believe you, we could have run out of air or something.

MICHAEL
Or committed murder.

Maria slaps his arm.

MICHAEL
What have you guys been doing?

MAX
Not much. She doesn’t have any movies and the channels don’t come in.

MARIA
Hmm, how ever did you pass the time?

LIZ
Maria! You two are the ones sucking face at the door.

Max turns around to face Michael and Maria from his spot on the couch.

MAX
Sucking face, huh?

MICHAEL
Whatever. Is there anything to eat?

Michael doesn’t wait for an answer and walks into the kitchen and opens the fridge.

MARIA
I have to pee so bad.

LIZ
Me too.

The girls walk back towards the bathroom and shut the door. Max peels himself off the couch and walks into the kitchen to talk to Michael. Michael is eating cheese out the fridge, he grabs the pan of lasagna.

MAX
Sorry, we didn’t call anyone to get you out.

MICHAEL
It’s cool, I think she won’t be so mad at me now.

MAX
Are you back together?

MICHAEL
I guess so.

MAX
Does she know that?

MICHAEL
You know, I am not a total idiot. Yes. We are together and yes she knows, and I know too.

MAX
Okay, okay. I am just checking cause sometimes you think something is happening one way and it’s not.

MICHAEL
Yeah, yeah.

Michael starts to heat up the lasagna with his hands.

So, what did you and Liz Parker do tonight?

Michael lifts his eyebrows up and down to indicate funny business was afoot.

MAX
We talked about if it could work for us to-

MICHAEL
Blah, blah, blah. No, I am saying what did you do?

MAX
I am not telling you that.

MICHAEL
Made out huh? Us too.

Michael walks over to the living room, grabs the movies that Maria rented and flops down on the couch.

MAX
What movies did she rent?

MICHAEL
I don’t know, she wouldn’t let me look.

Michael tosses the bag of movies at Max.

MAX
Should I not look?

MICHAEL
No, she only said I couldn’t look.

Max pulls out the two movies in the bag, the first one is The Matrix and the second one is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Michael has a look of pride on his face, Max is confused.

MAX
These aren’t chick flicks, right?

MICHAEL
The Matrix isn’t but Crouching Tiger is pretty weak.

Max throws the copy of The Matrix at Michael and puts Crouching Tiger into the VCR.

Hey, we should get to watch mine first.

MAX
I want to stay awake so we have to watch this one first.

MICHAEL
Fine, fine. Let’s just watch it.

INT APARTMENT BATHROOM-Night

Maria is going to the bathroom while Liz looks at herself in the mirror.

LIZ
So, are you back together then?

MARIA
Yeah, I guess.

LIZ
You guess?

MARIA
Yes, we are. I mean he didn’t say ‘we’re back together’ but he kissed me and said ‘we are’. That counts right?

LIZ
Totally. I’m so happy for you Maria, Michael is a good guy.

MARIA
No he’s not, but he’s the one that I want.

Maria flushes the toilet and walks up to the sink to wash her hands. It’s now Liz’s turn to use the toilet.

MARIA
What about Max? Did he really use that lame excuse to come over here?

LIZ
What excuse? He just needed to write down an assignment?

MARIA
On a Friday night? He needed homework and had to come over here to get it?

LIZ
I kind of suggested that part.

MARIA
Saucy minx! Did you talk or did you just stare at each other longingly.

LIZ
Maria, we do not do that.

MARIA
Whatever, you do too but go on.

LIZ
I asked him if we could be together if it weren’t for all this-

MARIA
Czechoslovakian-

LIZ
Stuff, right? And he was like yeah. And I told him that sucks

MARIA
Which it does.

LIZ
Thank you, and then I told him that we have to think about now and not the future and then he kissed me

MARIA Ay!

LIZ
Maria, it was so sweet. I just hope that something won’t happen and he will go back into this self sacrificing mood again.

MARIA
Is it a full moon tonight?

LIZ
I don’t know.

MARIA
I heard my mom talking to her psychic on the phone, and she was talking about a full moon in line with something and that people say things they don’t mean and will cause strife when things go back to normal.

LIZ
Well, is that tonight?

MARIA
I don’t know.

Liz flushes, washes her hands and the girls run out the balcony and unlock the balcony door and stare up at the sky.

MARIA
Phew! That was a close one.

The moon is not full, almost but not quite.

LIZ
(laughs)
How pathetic are we?

MICHAEL
(yelling from the couch)
What are you doing?

THE GIRLS
Nothing!

MICHAEL
Come watch the movie.

Liz and Maria come back into the living room, Maria walks over to Michael and sits down on the floor in front of him while he eats. Liz sits back on the couch next to Max. They settle in and watch the movie.

MARIA
What’d we miss?

Michael and Max answer at the same time.

MICHAEL
Nothing!

MAX
Everything.

FADE TO BLACK

Marple, Maria Marple

Written by oyhumbug (Charlynn)

Title: Marple, Maria Marple
Author: oyhumbug (Charlynn)
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Rating: Teen
Disclaimer: I can claim no ownership of the show Roswell nor the characters used in this story. Unfortunately.
Summary: Set during the final episode of season one, Maria realizes that Tess isn't exactly who she claims to be, and she sets out to save all her friends from the fourth alien.
Category: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex
Author's Notes: This is my first Roswell story. I just recently watched the show online in its entirety (or, at least, what is available, for there are a few missing episodes), and, once I finished, I was struck by how little sense the whole Tess debacle made. Someone should have realized the holes to her story, and I hated the fact that Max and Isabel’s mother agreed with it. So, taking my objections, I wrote a little one shot where Maria recognizes that things with the fourth alien don’t add up the way they’re supposed to, long before Tess has enough time to do any real damage. Let’s just say that this is my attempt to right some wrongs and to retell the final episode of season one. Thanks and enjoy!

Marple, Maria Marple
A One Shot

Czechoslovakians were weird. It was a commonly accepted and known fact... amongst those who knew what Czechoslovakians were. But Tess... Well, she was more than just weird. There was something about the girl that bothered Maria, and it was more than just the fact that she was sprouting off about the aliens’ destiny and trying to come between both she and Michael and Max and Liz.

Frankly, the girl pissed her off.

Typically, she was a laid back sixteen year old. She went to school, she went to work, she made out with her not-so-human, alien boyfriend, just like any other normal teenager. Sure, there were the occasional patches of danger, but they did live in Roswell, and she did hang out with extraterrestrials. Wasn’t a little risk to be expected? And, yes, Michael could annoy more than what was commonly accepted as healthy, but Maria was convinced that was all just a part of some crazy, kind of hot alien mating ritual. However, it was different – the annoyance she felt towards her boyfriend and the sheer animosity that the newly arrived Czechoslovakian inspired within her. What she felt towards Tess was deeper, harsher, not put upon, and there was something about the blonde that set her radar off. Something wasn’t right about her.

Sitting off with Alex, separated by both distance and DNA from Isabel and Tess, the diner waitress observed the girl who bothered her so much. If she could just put her finger on what it was that made the other alien so... well, alien, then she knew that she would be figuring out a pretty significant piece to the whole crazy puzzle they were all working together to solve. She was missing something, though, something key, but, maybe if she talked her way through the problem, maybe if she bounced her ideas around and off of someone else, someone more objective, then she would be able to crack the case.

“Hey,” she started, elbowing her best friend in the ribs, and that’s what Alex was – her best friend, because Liz was more than that. To the only child, Liz was more like the sister she didn’t have and had never particularly wanted while growing up. “Pss!”

“What,” the brunette beside her asked, sounding exhausted, aggravated, and slightly perturbed. Although his voice wasn’t elevated, it still echoed throughout the hollow salt mine, and the reverberations of his response drew both of the female aliens’ attentions towards their direction. Quickly, though, both Isabel and Tess looked away, evidently too worried about other matters to concern themselves with mere human issues, but that suited her purposes just fine.

“I want to talk to you about something.”

“Well, did you have to resort to physical violence to do so,” Alex complained. “That hurt.”

“And you’re a wimp,” Maria countered, rolling her eyes. She knew that her soft elbow to the ribs hadn’t really done any damage. Her friend was merely whining for the sake of whining... kind of like Michael. Were all boys that exasperating, even the ones she didn’t date?

Lowering her voice several notches, she asked, “so, what do you think about Tess?”

The teenager beside her fixed her with a pointed stare. “You really want to have this discussion now?”

Snapping, the waitress replied, “just answer my question. I have a point here, you know.”

“I’m sure you think you do, but you probably don’t, so just do us both a favor, and...”

“And would you just listen to me for a minute,” she beseeched him. When he still held his stern glare, she added, “please? This isn’t about me; this is about Tess, and Max... and Liz.”

“Alright, fine,” her best friend agreed, “but, for the record...”

“You don’t think now is the appropriate time,” Maria mocked, waving away his concerns. “Yeah, yeah, I heard you. Whatever. Anyway,” she segued, “like I asked, what do you think of her, of Tess?”

“She’s... nice, I guess.”

“Alex, come on, that’s a Michael response, and it tells me absolutely nothing.”

“Well, I don’t know,” the brunette wavered, running a distracted hand through his close cropped hair only to stop and rub the back of his skull as if he had a headache. “She kind of makes me feel... uncomfortable.”

“Exactly,” the waitress exclaimed, throwing her hands up in animated agreement. When she received curious glances from the Czechoslovakian in question and her more humanized counterpart, she grinned sheepishly as a silent form of apology. Soon, both Tess and Isabel returned to ignoring both she and Alex. Once they did, she looked again towards the teen beside her. “She’s just so blonde, right? I mean, Max is this dark and dangerous, brooding kind of guy, and here comes his supposed mate, and she’s all blonde with bright eyes and curly hair, and she’s perky. It just doesn’t make any sense.”

Standing up, her best friend glowered down upon her. “I thought you were being serious, Maria.”

“I was,” she protested. “Have you looked at the two of them lately? They just don’t fit. I mean, like, at all!”

“No,” Alex whispered harshly, ending her rant. “I thought you were really worried about Liz, that you found out something about Tess that could potentially put our friend in jeopardy, but all you’re worried about is the fact that Tess and Max don’t look good as a couple. What’s wrong with you?”

“Oh, come on,” she hissed back, standing up to meet his gaze... or, at least, come as close to meeting his gaze as she possibly could. Even with heels on, compared to the brunette, she was still vertically challenged. “She’s always going on, sprouting off at the mouth about how they’re destined to be together. Well, if that’s true, don’t you think that destiny would have, at least, made them look good together? I mean, he’s a Czechoslovakian king, for crying out loud! His queen should look the part.”

“Maria, this isn’t some movie you’re casting; this is real life... with a freaky Roswell twist. So what if Tess and Max don’t match up well together. We have more important things to worry about right now. Oh, say, I don’t know – surviving! You know what,” the brunette said, holding his hands out before him and moving several steps away from her. “I can’t talk to you right now. Take your crazy conspiracies to someone else, and leave me alone. I’ve had enough.”

“Fine,” the waitress shouted at his retreating form. “That’s just fine. I’ll do that.”

But Alex didn’t respond. He just shook his head in dismissal, in disappointment, and looked away from her. If he wouldn’t help her, though, somebody would. She just had to find a sympathetic ear. Already, the sixteen year old knew that she couldn’t talk to her boyfriend about the matter. Michael was too... Michael to understand. Plus, he was gone, off risking his life to save Max and Liz, which she both appreciated and resented at the same time. Obviously, she wouldn’t talk to Tess, Max hardly talked at all, and Liz was too close to the issue. Roving her narrowed, intense gaze around the salt mine, Maria stopped upon Isabel.

If a human couldn’t understand her qualms, then maybe a Czechoslovakian would. After all, they had all those weird, creepy powers. Maybe it was time Isabel put her supernatural abilities to good use, helping her to expose the traitor amongst them. The more she thought about the matter, the more she was convinced that there just wasn’t something right about Tess, and, in Roswell, something not being right often translated to disturbing, wrong, and just plain dangerous. One way or another, with or without Alex’s help, she was going to figure this out. Her next stop for help: female alien intuition.

~ & ~

“Doesn’t it bother you?”

“What?”

They were in position at the UFO Center, lying in wait for Pierce to come waltzing... or, more accurately, investigating his way into their trap. Max had gone after Kyle and the agent stationed at the Valenti’s, Liz and Tess were handling the second suit, and Michael was busy as well, leaving Maria with both Isabel and Alex, only her best friend was still mad at her and off pouting somewhere. Boys could be such big babies.

“Tess,” the waitress expanded upon her previous question, eyeing the extraterrestrial beside her closely. They were kneeled down, out of sight, and whispering. “And how she always sides with Max, doesn’t that just annoy the crap out of you?”

The natural blonde beside her narrowed her gaze in consideration. “What do you mean?”

“Well, she’s just so damn simpering. I swear, she’s like one of those cheesy, 50’s housewives who live to please their husbands. Can you say, ‘Hello, Donna Reed?’ Seriously!”

Isabel just stared at her, confused. “I have no idea what you just said.”

“Okay, it’s like this,” she laid it out there for her. “You and Michael, while you typically will eventually follow Max’s decisions, you’ll stand up to him, too. You’re not afraid to speak your peace and tell him that he’s full of crap when he’s wrong, but Tess isn’t like that.” Noticing that her Czechoslovakian counterpart was following along, Maria pressed on. “She agrees with anything and everything your brother says. I swear, if he told her to cover herself in peanut butter, roll herself in feathers, and then walk around clucking like a chicken, she’d do it. It’s freaky.”

“It’s maddening is what it is,” the alien argued. “And you’re right. Tess never stands up to Max.”

“And it’s more than just that, too,” the waitress continued. “Have you noticed how she always tries to stand as close to him as possible. She’s way too touchy feely in my opinion, especially since he is still Liz’s boyfriend, not hers, no matter what sort of weird Martian mind tricks she tries to pull on him.” Recognizing the less than pleased glower washing over the natural blonde’s features, she added, “no offense.”

“Aside from your choice of words, you do have a point.”

“Thank you,” Maria cried out, nodding her head in self-recognition. “It’s about damn time somebody realized that.”

However, her victory was short lived. “But that probably has something to do with the fact that they’re supposed to be together, that she is... or was... or will be, I don’t know, his wife.”

“Says Tess,” she argued vehemently. “Do we have any proof that what she is telling us is more than just a big, stinking load of bull?”

“There’s the book,” Isabel pointed out.

“What, that piece of carved tin? Yeah, whatever,” the sixteen year old human dismissed. “How do we even know if that thing is legit? Tess could have carved it herself. Besides, back to your original argument, if she really is your... kind’s queen, shouldn’t she be strong enough to stand up for herself? God, grow a backbone already. Old Queen Elizabeth’s rolling around in her grave right this very minute at the thought.”

At first, the alien adjacent to her just looked perplexed, overwhelmed, then realization and acknowledgement started to set in, but it was quickly ignored, pushed aside, disregarded. “Maybe you have a point, maybe you don’t. I don’t know. But what I do know,” Isabel stated, standing to move away from her, “is that now is not the time to be talking about this. We have more important things to be worried about, and I can’t waste my time coming up with conspiracy theories with you. I need to stay focused, and, if you’re going to help us, Maria, you need to do the same thing.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve heard this speech already once before,” the waitress grumbled. When the challenging Czechoslovakian raised a single brow in opposition, she relented... momentarily. “Fine, I’ll let it go – for now.”

Satisfied, the natural blonde walked off, calling out softly for Alex and leaving Maria, once again, on her own – to think, to plan, to sort through the very few pieces of true knowledge that they had about the extraterrestrial in question. When Tess got back, she was going to be watching her closely, looking for clues. For some reason, it felt as though time was running out, and she didn’t want to be too late. In fact, she had a feeling that she couldn’t be, because, if she was, well... Some thoughts were better off not expressed. After all, once they were put out there into the universe, they couldn’t be taken back, and, if growing up in Roswell had taught her anything, it was not to tempt fate, for it was such a fickle bitch.

~ & ~

“So, check this out,” Maria began, sliding into the booth seat opposite her best friend. “I have the ultimate skinny on Tess.”

Sighing, Alex begged in a hushed tone, “would you please just let this bias you have against the Czechoslovakian rest already? I’m a little distracted with what... oh, I don’t know – worrying about whether or not the girl I like is going to live or stay on this planet long enough for us to figure out what exactly is going on between us.”

She just ignored him. “Alright, forget about earlier. I still stand by what I said – she and Max don’t make any sense together look wise, but whatever. And forget about the whole Donna Reed impersonation thing, too.”

Sitting back stunned, the brunette observed, “oh, you’re totally right about that. She does have that freaky, simpering 50’s housewife routine down pat, doesn’t she?”

“Exactly, that’s what I told Isabel!”

Appearing interested, Alex asked, “and what did she say?”

“Oh, she agreed with me, too, and we both find Tess’ whole submissive routine to be quite irritating... and disgusting, for that matter, but I have something even more enlightening to tell you.” Taking a deep breath, she spread her hands out on the Formica tabletop before her and lowered her voice conspiratorially. “She has the ability to make people see things, things they either don’t want to see or can’t.”

Her best friend’s gaze widened, appropriately shocked. “Whoa. Can they all... can all Czechoslovakians do that?”

“No, just Tess.”

“Talk about trippy,” the human teen remarked, sounding slightly dazed. “Do you think she’s ever pulled it on one of us?”

“Oh, I have no doubt,” Maria answered. “And just think about what that means. Basically, she has the power to control our minds. In her hands, we’re mere puppets. ‘Love me, Max.’ ‘No, I love Liz.’ Bam! Presto! Bibbity, bobbity, boo! She makes him see himself loving her, and he all of a sudden does. It’s classic Czechoslovakian relationship manipulation. Liz has absolutely no shot whatsoever.

“And, what’s more,” the waitress continued, “she could make us turn against each other; she could make us physically hurt each other. She could even make Michael do her homework for her, and I think we all know just what kind of miracle that would be.”

“Yeah, and high school career suicide, too,” Alex quipped.

“So, you see my point, right? There’s something... off about her, about Tess.”

Nodding in affirmation, her best friend stated, “I see your point, and I agree with you. My only question is: what are we supposed to do about it? In case you’ve forgotten, we’re just your every day, run of the mill humans. We don’t stand a chance against a mind controlling Czechoslovakian. We’ll just have to sit here and wait for them to come back, and, when they do...”

Standing up, Maria interrupted him. “If you want to stay here, sitting on your hands, then fine. Do that. But I can’t.”

Following her out of his seat, the brunette protested, “but you have no idea where they would take Nasedo if they did manage to find him.”

“Duh, they’d take him to the pods. It’s the safest place.” Realization dawning, she stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh my god – the pods!”

“What, what,” Alex queried, sounding slightly panicked. “What about the pods?”

“Why didn’t I think of it before,” the sixteen year old mentally berated herself. “It’s so simple, and it’s been right there, staring us smack-dab in the face this whole time.”

Feeling herself being spun around by the elbow, she stood facing her best friend right outside of the Crashdown’s doors. With his dark eyes boring into hers, the human teenager repeated, “what about the pods?”

“I’ll tell you on the way,” the waitress promised, “but we don’t have time right now. We have to get to them... like yesterday!”

“What,” Alex objected, his voice rising several octaves. “Are you insane?” Shaking his head no, he stated, “I’m staying right here. When it’s safe, Max, Michael, Isabel, and Liz will come back, and we’ll tell them... whatever it is that you’ve thought of then.”

“Sorry, no can do,” she disagreed. “I’m going. You can either come with me, or you can stay here. It’s up to you, but you can’t stop me.” After waiting several seconds during which her best friend simply dropped her arm, Maria nodded in acknowledgment of his decision. “Wish me luck,” she yelled out before jumping into her car. Before she even had the door shut, the engine was already turned on, and she was pulling out of her parking spot.

It was so simple, so obvious! She couldn’t believe that she hadn’t thought of it before, but better late than ever and all that other corny mumbo-jumbo. At least she knew it now, and Tess was going down!

~ & ~

Out of breath (seriously, did Czechoslovakians really need to make their top secret, hidden hideouts on the very tippy-top of a freaking cliff?), sweaty, and pissed off, Maria arrived at the pods just in time to see a partially solid, pretty much normal looking figure appear... if you ignored the whole glowing thing... and start to speak to the alien-human assembly present. The woman’s tone was mechanical, almost robotic, and she found herself realizing where the extraterrestrial trio she knew so well got their sometimes cardboard speaking habits from.

“My son,” the blonde image greeted Max before turning towards Isabel and Michael, “my daughter, my son’s second-in-command.” When her gaze stopped upon Tess, the woman paused, and her brow wrinkled. “Who are you? Are you Michael’s girlfriend?”

“Nope,” the waitress revealed herself, stepping out of the shadows and into the center of the pod room. “That would be me. Tess is, well, I was hoping you could tell us who she is exactly.”

Whispering harshly, Liz attempted to chastise her. “Maria, what do you think you’re doing? Shut up!”

However, she ignored her almost-sister and the glowers coming from the aliens surrounding her and pushed on. “You see,” the sixteen year old explained, “Tess claims that she’s destined to be with Max here, that she’s his former Martian bride, and that they’ll someday be together again.”

The image laughed, the sound both melodious and amused. “That’s preposterous. Smiling serenely, the physical representation of Max and Isabel’s mother stated unequivocally, “Liz is my son’s destiny – here, on earth. They will together guide and protect our kind and welcome new generations to this world.”

“I couldn’t have said it better myself,” Maria agreed. Leaning comfortably against one of the cavern’s walls she continued on. “Everything about her has been bothering me for a while now – her looks, her attitude, her freaking mind controlling abilities.”

“Well, it’s the first you’ve mentioned it to me,” Michael griped. He was so cute when he was pouting, but she couldn’t get distracted, not now.

“However, none of that proved anything,” the waitress admitted, “especially since all Czechoslovakians have creepy powers. But that was before I remembered the pods.”

“What about them,” Tess challenged. “They are where we were born – all four of us.”

“Oh, I know, but let’s return to that adorable birthing story, shall we?” Folding her hands in front of her, the human sixteen year old smirked. “Max, Isabel, and Michael, they were all born at about the same time, but you were still stuck inside your pod, blowing bubbles. If you and Max were so destined to be together, why’d he leave you here? He felt such a strong connection to Isabel, his sister, that they were fold holding hands, wandering around the desert together, and their connection with Michael is so strong, they eventually found him again, too, but they forgot about your imposter ass.”

Standing up to her full height and pushing away from the wall, Maria advanced towards the alien in question. “You’re not his destiny, you’re not his Martian bride, and you’re sure as hell not going to come into my town and break us all up. So, go back to Uranus... or whatever the hell planet you came from, Tess, because you’re not welcome here.”

For several seconds, time seemed to stand still, but, once the fog lifted, Maria realized that Tess was gone. Despite the action being useless, she glanced around the small, enclosed space, but the blonde had magically gone poof... almost literally. “Ugh, sometimes your stupid powers are really inconvenient!”

“Do not worry,” the image reassured them. “She will not be able to hide forever. I do not know who she is, or why she is here, but she is not your destiny, Max, and I have faith that between you, your sister, your second in command, your bride, Maria here...” Pausing long enough to bestow the waitress with a warm grin, the glowing blonde finished, “and whomever you choose to be with, my daughter, that you will stop this threat. After all, it has been written; it is fate.”

The image continued to speak for several more minutes, but she found herself zoning out. Really, what she had to say didn’t particularly concern her. After all, she wasn’t the one phoning home. Besides, if there was anything that she did need to know, Michael would fill her in later. Instead, the sixteen year old was basking in the knowledge that she had been right all along. That would show those Czechoslovakians! While she might be human, and while she might not be a junior scientist like Liz or a computer expert like Alex, she was still pretty damn smart, too.

Eventually, they made their way back outside to the two parked vehicles. Splitting up, she took her clueless boyfriend and Isabel with her so that Max and Liz could have some alone time together on the way back to town, and, as she and the two aliens riding with her settled into her mom’s trusty if not beat up sedan, Maria found herself grinning from ear to ear.

“I think I’m going to officially change my name. From now on, just call me Maria Marple.”

Rolling his eyes, Michael complained, “that’s the most ridiculous name I’ve ever heard of. And where did you get it from anyway?”

She shook her head in frustration. “What, don’t you not read like at all?” When the alien in question just stared at her, she replied, “it’s from a famous literally detective, Miss Marple. You know, Agatha Christie... None of this is ringing a bell, is it?”

“Nope.”

“You’re hopeless. You’re practically illiterate!”

He tossed the tin book Tess had given them onto her lap. “Yeah, well, I’m not from around here, remember? When you learn to read my book, I’ll consider reading one of yours. Now, let’s get a move on. I’m hungry.”

Grumbling under her breath, the waitress started the car and began the trip back to the Crashdown. Here, she had pretty much saved the day, the Czechoslovakians, and maybe even the fate of the entire world, and, still, her boyfriend refused to give her any credit. Female humans got absolutely no respect!