FanFic - Max/Liz
"Finding My Way Back From Sanity"
"Betrayal, Reconciliation, and Truth"
Part 8
by Camilla
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Roswell. I have borrowed the characters from this excellent program and the books.
Summary: This is a Max/Liz Dreamer story with a shocking ending. Larek comes to give the Pod Squad history lessons in an effort to help them understand what part they each played in the downfall. He wants to help them understand what they need to do to correct this, but even he doesn't know everything. In between his visits, the aliens and the humans interact in ways that bring them closer. Everything that has happened from the Pilot through a Roswell Christmas Carol has still happened. I tried to answer those nagging little questions in a way I would want to see them.
Category: Max/Liz
Rating: PG-13
Authors Note: Might be a little spoilerish. I hope you like it. I would love feedback.
Larek - "Kivar worked his way into Vilandra's favor and the betrayal of your throne was set."

Max - (Immediately noticing the pain on Isabel's face) "That's enough!"

At this point Isabel had a look of pure terror and shame. Everyone else in the room just looked confused. Max walked over to her and gently rubbed her arm. He quietly and gently said, "It's ok, he doesn't have to continue."

Larek - " I understand that you loved him very much and you must have been very hurt when he betrayed both you and your brother"

Isabel looked up at this and Max turned to look at Larek.

Isabel -"Then I didn't betray Max?" Everyone in the room turned to look at Isabel.

Larek - "No, but he made it look like you did."

Isabel - "And Max believed this?"

Larek - "Not in the end."

Getting close to Vilandra, gave Kivar access to the palace. Vilandra was feeling hurt and rejected by the two most important people in her life, her brothers. They wouldn't talk to her. They wouldn't listen to her. This more or less pushed her into the arms of Kivar. He courted her through her passion for reading and love of ancient mythology. He showed her one story about beings from a primitive world and how those people were the ancestors of the ruling class. He tricked her into obtaining the ancient documents to prove this story wrong.

Once he had the proof and the ancient texts. He released the information to the masses, making sure to let them know that Zan knew this and was trying to keep it a secret from them. He made great speeches that his race was the pure race. He knew that he would never be able to fully rule without one of the Royals though, so he proposed marriage. Vilandra loved him and accepted.

After that Zan did everything that he could to destroy Kivar and his followers. These were the people that he had wanted to help all of his life. These were the people that he thought he was helping by changing the laws. Now they wanted his throne. His sister wanted his throne. He couldn't have felt more betrayed. I think at this point, he really did go mad.

Max took Isabel's hand and squeezed it lightly at this. He looked at her with a look of such guilt and just quitely said, "I'm so sorry."

There was a small group who felt that Rath should take over. He was, after all, part Royal, trained and educated by the ruling class. The ruling class would accept him, as would their people. He was of both races and could lead both, be accepted by both. He was the perfect choice. Rath was loyal to Zan and his family and refused their every request to overthrow Zan.

Rath understood more than anyone what was really happening. His followers had told him of Kivar's treachery and that he was only using Vilandra. Once married, he planned to kill her and share the throne with no one. He also knew what was happening to Zan.

Rath arranged a meeting between himself, Vilandra and Zan. It was a reconciliatory meeting. They shared an evening together and resolved old differences. Rath told Vilandra of their "adventures" and his capture. Zan told her of his love for the woman he had left behind. He shared his great pain and emptiness of no longer being with her. He confessed that for years, he could still hear her -sometimes- in his mind. He blamed himself for Rath's capture. Rath reassured him that he wasn't at fault. They both begged Vilandra's forgiveness for abandoning her. She told them she had been tricked into obtaining the ancient documents. Then Rath told her of Kivar's plans. Vilandra never went back to Kivar after that.

Zan seemed to rally after this, but by this time he had to contend with the betrayal of both the ruling class and Kivar. And his resources were becoming depleted. In an effort to end the fighting, Rath arranged peace talks. On the appointed night, Kivar and Nicholas came to the palace. As you talked, his men entered the palace. Zan, you put up no resistance. It was as if you had expected it, welcomed it. Your mother told me years later, that she never saw you smile after you returned from the "great adventure" until that night. Ava had tried to protect you, but was no match for Kivar. Vilandra was too shocked and hurt to do anything. Rath died at the hands of Nicholas, as he tried to protect Vilandra.

The four all exchanged looks at this point. Each with tears in their eyes. It was one thing to know that you had died. It was quite another to visualize your loved ones dying. Larek was quite amazed at the next thing that happened. Each human made some gesture to comfort each of the four. The humans looked as devastated as the four. Maybe they weren't as primitive as he had thought.

Larek - "After your deaths, a plan was devised, by those who were still loyal to you, to send you to Earth. You were mixed with human DNA to allow you to survive on this planet. Decoys were also created to protect you and keep your true identity hidden. Your mother insisted that they send the Granolith with you, Zan. It contains all the power you will need to defeat Kivar. They gave each of you different gifts as a means of protection. It was important that the four of you stayed together to allow you to work as a team. They told your protectors to keep you together at all costs. You needed each other's gifts to survive. They were afraid that you wouldn't necessarily be inclined to stay together, so they created the books to help ensure that you would.

Maria - "Oh my god, Liz that's just what Future Max said."

Liz - "Maria!"

"Oops! Sorry, but come on Lizzy, don't you think that its time for complete honesty here." Maria pleaded.

Alex looked in confusion. "What about a future Max?"

Liz had a look of complete devastation on her face. She was already having doubts about her reconciliation with Max. She had just heard how Zan's falling in love had affected the fate of Max's entire planet. She had just heard about the death's of Michael and Isabel, again. Maybe Future Max was right after all. She desperately felt the need to continue this lie for the safety of everyone. She shot a look to Maria that both scared and startled her. She quickly stood, and started for the door, but Max grabbed her arm and refused to let her go.

While holding onto Liz, Max looked up, "Answer the question, Maria."

Maria shot an 'I'm sorry' look to Liz and continued. "Future Max modified the Granolith to come back 14 years in time. He told Liz that he needed her help to prevent the end of the world. He said that because the two of you got married and the way he treated Tess, that she left. And that the three of you weren't as strong without her and your enemies took over Earth too. He asked Liz to help his younger self fall out of love with her."

"So that explains why you wanted to fake sleeping with me." Kyle blurted out without thinking.

Max turned to look at Kyle. "So you didn't……"

Kyle - "That's right Superman, Lois Lane still loves only you. I can't believe you didn't figure it out before this."

Tess - "That's why you tried to get Max and I together. It's ok. I'm not going anywhere. After seeing what Nicholas is capable of I would never leave. I have other reasons for staying now."

Max - "Liz?"

Realizing that she had no other choice at this point, "Max, you - he-- was so devastated by Michael and Isabel's deaths, how could I not help him. He told me what to say, but nothing worked. Then when Maria told me how she felt after catching Michael with Courtney, I went to Kyle. I'm sorry, I just didn't want anything to happen to you, all of you."

Max took Liz into an embrace and held her, trying to contain the various emotions that once again threatened to overpower him. "I am so sorry for putting you through that." (Then whispering) "So we were married?" Liz looked up at him and shyly said, "Yes, but apparently I wasn't your first love."

Looking very determined, Max just looked deeply into her eyes and said, "Well you are in this lifetime and I will never leave you." Larek realized now how wrong he had been about the humans.

Larek - "There's more."

After a brief moment of continuing to stare into Liz's eyes, Max said, "Why here? Why Earth?"

Larek -"Your mother chose it. Probably because of the high pollution. Your enemies couldn't survive in it in their natural state."

Larek - "After we had heard rumors that your ship had crashed, many began to give up hope. Some of the loyal followers of the throne devised a plan to go back and prevent the secret from being discovered. If their plan worked then everything would return to normal. They felt that the royal family would be restored."

Michael - "What do you mean go back?"

Larek - "As you know we live in multiple time dimensions on our planet. We can basically travel backwards and forward in time. Although it is strictly forbidden to travel back in time. The risk to the present is too great. But these were desperate times."

Isabelle - "What did they do to try to prevent this?"

Larek - "They destroyed the ancient records on our planet and sent assassins to kill the scientist on the planet that Rath and Zan visited, before the information could be discovered. They sent assassins to kill the scientist before Rath was captured. This way no one would ever know. They wanted to make sure that they killed the scientist in a completely local, barbaric fashion to avoid suspicion of aliens. They decided to do it even before the scientist had grown up, again to avoid suspicion that it would have anything to do with what the scientist had been working on."

Max begins pacing and has his back to Larek at this point. He is deep in thought, but still listening intently.

Alex -(Disgusted) "So they killed a child to prevent all this?"

Maria- "Who's barbaric?"

Michael - (With his usual angry tone) "Well we are still here, so I guess they changed their minds."

Larek - "That's what they planned, but things didn't exactly go as planned."

Kyle - "You mean with all your powers they couldn't kill one little child?"

Michael - "That doesn't make sense."

Just then Amy walked in, again possessed by Vilandra and Zan's mother and said, "That's what they thought."

Isabel - "What barbaric method did they use?"

Kayla was looking at Max as he stood gazing down at Liz.

Kayla - "They shot her ….…and just imagine their surprise when their King just happened to be there and saved her life that day."

A slow realization begins to fall on Max as he slowly turns toward his mother. "What planet did Rath and I visit?"

Kayla - "Earth"

Larek looked up at this piece of information, as surprised as everyone else in the room.

Max - "When?"

Kayla - "You chose the Earth year, 2015 to visit. That's when you met and fell in love with the renowned molecular biologist, Dr. Elizabeth Parker."

Kayla let the full weight of her words sink in. Everyone was struck dumb by what they had just heard. Even Larek. They couldn't believe it. Everyone except Max.

Each person just stared at Liz and then Max and then back at Liz, desperately trying to comprehend what had just been said.

Max turned to face Liz. She was just looking up at him in amazement. He had always made her feel loved. She treasured that. She had believed in his love from the first moment he had connected with her. But this, this was more than she ever thought possible. He had loved her across time and space and even death. There were no words to describe how this felt. It was overpowering. She was glad that she was sitting down, because she knew her legs would not have supported her.

Max just looked into Liz's eyes. And after he felt she would actually hear him, he spoke, "Apparently, you were my first love after all. I always knew it was you, only you, from the first moment I saw you. Do you remember what I told you just a few days ago? Well, this just proves that I am a better person with you than without you. I need you. You have to promise me that you will never let anything separate us again, no matter what happens."

Going on instinct, Liz simply said, "I promise."

(Morning smiles like the face of a newborn child, innocent, unknowing, Winter's end, Promises of a long lost friend. Speaks to me of comfort….. Sarah McLachlan - Fear. - From the Pilot episode)

Kayla had been watching this entire exchange. She then saw something that she had waited over 50 years to see. She saw her son smile.

Her son, everything he had planned was working so far. Now for the next step of his plan.

Part 7 | Index
Max/Liz | Michael/Maria | Alex/Isabel | UC Couples | Valenti | Other | Poetry | Crossovers | AfterHours
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