FanFic - Max/Liz
"Epiphanies 1: The Ties that Bind"
Part 3
by Carol
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters except Josh; they are owned by Melinda Metz and the WB (or whomever!)
Summary: This story involves all characters, but centers around Max and Liz. This takes place a couple of months after Destiny. The Pod Squad meets someone with some answers, Liz is in danger, Mrs. Evans has a shock.
Category: Max/Liz
Rating: PG-13
Authors Note: Thanks to Sheldon and Dee for some valuable feedback, and for the support of my listserv, who really encouraged me! I love this show in an unprecedented way: It feels right--it feels right like nothing has ever felt in my life before.
Liz had avoided getting out of bed for half an hour since her alarm went off. Most mornings were like this now. There was no reason to get up, nothing to look forward to. Each day was the same: in those first moments between dreaming and wakefulness, she experienced the joy of her first conscious thought of Max. Within seconds, though, the reality of the past two months hit her with a nauseating violence and any shred of happiness or excitement became a bitter memory.

The pattern remained true today, and she struggled to convince herself that there was a point to getting up. The phone ringing beside her startled her into action, and she reached for the receiver.

"Liz?"

It was Max. Instantly, her body reacted-a purely physical response to the sound of his voice. She fought to sound natural as she answered him.

"Max? Uh . . . yeah. What's goin' on?"

"Liz, listen, there's been a . . . development, and I thought . . . We thought it was important enough for us all to meet . . . to talk. Does 8:00 tonight at Michael's sound okay?"

A meeting. Not what she was hoping for, but all she should expect, she knew. After all, she was the one who insisted on separating. She had been the mature, rational one who told him he must follow his destiny and she couldn't be a part of it. Nothing had changed.

"Liz, are you there?"

"Oh . . . yeah. Sorry. Sure, I'll be there."

Another pause.

"Liz?"

"Yeah."

"I really wish . . . things were . . . different."

"Yeah," choked Liz. "I know."

Liz hung up the receiver and stared at the phone. Well, at least now she had a reason to get up. She would see Max tonight. Liz wondered idly about the "development."

Liz's plans included a shift at the Crashdown and then she, Maria, Alex, and Kyle were going to rent a movie and order pizza. She guessed that plan would remain unchanged except they would all go to Michael's after dinner. The four of them had been sticking close together this summer. It was comfortable and safe. They could share their collective heartbreak without saying a word, and when they did speak, there was no need for caution or euphemisms. They had no secrets from one another. Besides, they had little in common with their other classmates anymore. They lived in different worlds.

Liz realized she was running seriously late now and couldn't even shower. She threw on her uniform, brushed her teeth and hair, and ran downstairs to start her shift. Maria was already there.

"Hey, Maria. Did you get a call about the meeting tonight?"

"Yeah. Michael even called me himself. Do you know what's up?"

"No," replied Liz." Just something about a 'development'-whatever that means."

"That's pretty much what Michael said, too. I think he wanted to say more, but he was being such a dork on the phone. He wasn't talking, but he didn't hang up, either." Maria put her hands on her hips and tried hard to look annoyed. "What does he think? Like I don't have more important things to do than listen to him breathe?"

Liz suppressed a smile. Maria's best defense against her broken heart was anger, especially toward Michael. She wasn't fooling anyone.

Time flew during the busy lunchtime shift and by mid-afternoon, the girls were happy to see Alex and Kyle come through the door of the Crashdown.

"Be right with you," Maria yelled.

"We rented There's Something about Mary, okay?" asked Kyle.

"Whatever," laughed Maria, rolling her eyes at Liz. "I just wanna veg for a while."

On the way to Alex's house, they confirmed that the guys had also been summoned to a meeting at Michael's later that evening.

"Anybody know why?" asked Kyle. He was still more uncomfortable than the others about even acknowledging the existence of aliens, let alone knowing them personally, but Max had saved his life, and his father seemed committed to protecting them, so he found himself a cautious, but willing, member of this very unique circle of friends.

"Not a clue," confessed Alex, "but I won't complain about a chance to see Isabel."

The group exchanged glances. They were each both excited and nervous about seeing their alien friends tonight. Liz, Maria, and Alex had all pushed love aside in acknowledgment of what seemed like the aliens' inevitable destiny. Even Kyle, who had felt a certain attraction toward Tess, felt pleased to be seeing her, but awkward about what to do or say. Collectively, they were wondering what it was that could have made such a meeting necessary.

After the movie and pizza, the teens were cleaning up.

"I'm going to go feed the cat and change," said Liz as she opened the door to leave. "I'll just run home and then take my own car to Michael's. Maria, are you coming with me?"

"No, I brought a change of clothes. I'll wait til the tape's rewound and we'll return it on the way. About a half hour?"

"Yeah," waved Liz as she jogged toward the street.

Liz was glad for the chance to run off some of this nervous energy and be alone with her thoughts. She had managed to keep Max in the back of her mind for most of the day, but he was filling her now; she could feel him, smell him, hear him telling her he loved her. She was totally absorbed in the sensation of him, oblivious to her surroundings. As she ran up the back stairs and into her room, she was completely unaware of the two figures waiting on her rooftop patio. As soon as she turned toward her closet, they jumped into her room. As one restrained her, the other pressed a handkerchief to her face, and Liz sank to the floor.

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