FanFic - Max/Liz
"The Butterfly Effect"
Part 1
by Alexandra
Disclaimer: A work of fiction based on characters created by Melinda Metz and Jason Katims.
Summary: What would have happened if Max hadn’t saved Liz that day in Crashdown.
Category: Max/Liz
Rating: PG-13
Authors Note: Thanks to LowlandRoswellian for the suggestion and Fisch for proof reading.
Scene One (Crashdown. Lights are low. Chairs are stacked on tables. Liz is refilling the condiments. The bell over the door rings.)

LIZ: “Sorry we’re closed. I thought I had locked the door.”

UNKNOWN PERSON: “You did. I didn’t come for the food. I came for you.”

LIZ: “Me?” (Liz starts backing away from the unknown person towards the backroom)

UNKNOWN PERSON: “I don’t think so.” (Liz collapses in a heap before she gets to the door.)

Scene Two (Michael and Maria are sitting on the couch watching It Came From Outer Space on television. Laughing like it was a comedy. Maria takes a hand full of popcorn. She eats a piece only to discover that Michael had put Tabasco on it. She throws the remainder at him. The phone rings Michael answers it.)

MICHAEL: “Yeah. (pause) No Mr. Parker, I haven’t seen Liz. She said that she would finish up and I could go.” (pause) “About 9.” (Pause) “No Maria’s here.” (Pause) “Definitely if I hear from her.” (Michael hangs up the phone.)

MICHAEL: (to Maria) “Liz is missing. She never finished closing up. The lights were on and the door was unlocked.”

MARIA: “Oh My God.”

Opening Credits

Scene Three (Liz is handcuffed to a chair in the middle of a large room. It is dimly lit. She struggles to get free. She looks around. Trying to figure out where she is. It looks vaguely familiar but she can’t place it. She calls out.)

LIZ: “Is anyone there? Can someone help me? Please?

Scene Four (Valenti in his office. He is sitting at his desk.)

VALENTI: (on the phone) “Yes Jeff, I have everyone on it. Yes, we’re taking this very seriously. (pause) No, I agree Liz would never just take off. Let us do our job and I’ll call you the moment we hear anything.” (Hangs up the phone)

VALENTI: (yelling) “Hanson.” (normal speaking voice) “Call the Highway Patrol. Tell them we are looking for Liz Parker. She is 17-year-old Caucasian female, about 5’4” 110 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes. She was last seen wearing an Aqua and Silver waitress uniform and a red cardigan sweater. Tell them we are treating this as a kidnapping.”

HANSON: “Sheriff, you sure the girl didn’t just run away?”

VALENTI: “Hanson. Just do it!”

HANSON: “Yes sir.”

Scene Five (Michael’s apartment. Michael, Maria, Alex, and Isabel are there. Max and Tess show up last and together.)

MICHAEL: “Liz is missing. Her dad called here looking for her.”

MARIA: “ Liz would never just leave without locking up. Oh God.” (Sniffing cedar oil) “Someone must have taken her.” (sob)

ALEX: “The Skins must have taken her.” (pacing)

TESS: “Calm down you two. Why would the Skins take her? They aren’t after her. They’re after us.”

MARIA: (Looking accusingly at Max, Tess and Isabel) “You took her to Copper Summit. They know she knows about you and them. What if they are torturing her?”

(Max looks stricken)

MICHAEL “Mr. Parker said he was going to call the Sheriff. Maybe we should let Valenti handle this.”

MARIA: “ No. We have to do something.” (She looks at everyone in the room. She stops at Isabel.) “Isabel can’t you look for her? You found Max when Pierce had him.”

ISABEL: “Max was drugged. He didn’t resist. Who knows what shape Liz is in?”

MAX: “Iz, you have to try. If there is any chance you can find Liz. Maria is right we put her in danger. Please try.” (Tess is looking at Max His anxious concern for Liz is obvious. She puts her hand on his arm.)

ISABEL: (Looking at Maria.) “Do you have a photo of Liz on you?”

MAX: (Reaching for his wallet.) “I do.”

Scene Six (Liz is still struggling with her bindings. Lights come on, illuminating the old soap factory. Liz is seated alone in the middle of the floor. A figure approaches from behind, making loud footsteps. The figure slowly moves into Liz’s view. He leans close and puts his face next to Liz’s.)

NICHOLAS: “So the young king has found himself a girlfriend? How sweet! Now what could he possible see in you? Hmmm.”

LIZ: “I’m not his girlfriend. Tess is. You’ve made a mistake. He is not even talking to me anymore.”(Liz shakes her head vehemently)

NICHOLAS: “I think not. You see, I have looked into his mind.”

(Nicholas puts his hand on Liz’s head. He sees the scene from “Destiny” Max and Liz in the overturned delivery truck)

MAX: “I wish I could go back Liz. Back to when things were normal”

LIZ: “Me, too. I just wished I could have stopped you from saving my life that day in the CrashDown.”

MAX: “Don’t say that.”

LIZ: “Max, the day you saved my life, your life just ended.”

MAX: “No, that was the day my life began. Liz, when I was in that room, and they did what they did to me. You’re what kept me alive. The way your eyes look into mine. Your smile. The touch of your skin. Your lips. Knowing you has made me human. Whether I die tomorrow or fifty years from now, my destiny is the same: it’s you. I want to be with you, Liz. I love you.”

LIZ: “I love you.”(They kiss)

(Nicholas removes his hand from Liz’s head and looks at her critically.)

NICHOLAS: “Yuck! I think I’m going to be sick. So you wish that he never saved your life. I think that can be arranged.”(Nicholas pulls out a black device with a white crystal pentagon center from his pocket)

Scene Seven (Isabel is curled up on Michael’s couch. She is holding a photo booth strip of photos of Max and Liz. Everyone else is watching her from across the room. She closes her eyes. She has trouble getting into Liz’s mind. She catches the end of the Destiny scene. LIZ:”I love you.” Isabel sees Nicholas through Liz’s eyes.)

NICHOLAS: “Yuck! I think I’m going to be sick. So you wish that he never saved your life. I think that can be arranged.”

(Isabel sees the device move towards Liz’s face. There is a flash of light. Isabel is thrown out of Liz’s mind. She opens her eyes and suddenly stands up unsteadily.)

ISABEL: “Oh God. Nicholas has her. And he has done something to her.” (She only looks at Max.)

MARIA: “No!” (Maria buries her face in Michael’s shoulder.)

MICHAEL: (holding Maria) “Did you see where?”

ISABEL: “It looked like the old soap factory.”

MAX: “Let’s go!”

ALEX: “Shouldn’t we tell Valenti?”

Scene Eight (Liz is back at that Day at the CrashDown. Her now self tries to merge with her then self but she bounces off. Now Liz sees everything as an observer, as Isabel does when she dream walks. Her then self staggers a step.)

MARIA: “Are you ok?”(Steadies Liz) “Oh and Max Evans is staring at you again.”

THEN LIZ: “No way. Maria, that is so in your imagination. Max Evans? This?” (Points to her face.)

MARIA: “And with those cheeks”

THEN LIZ: “Maria!”

THEN LIZ: “And even if it weren’t I’m going out with Kyle. I mean, he’s steady and loyal, and he appreciates me.”

MARIA: “Sounds like you are describing a poodle.”

GUY #1: “….you ask me to give you another day!!?? You are running outta time.”(He knocks all the dishes off the table and they break.)

MARIA: “Liz!!”

GUY #1: “I want my money today. NOT tomorrow!!”

(Guy #2 pulls a gun. There is a struggle, everyone drops to the floor except Liz, the gun goes off and Liz falls to the floor, the guys run off.)

MARIA: “Liz….”

(Max looks over at Liz laying on the floor and gets up to help her. Michael stops him and drags him out of the CrashDown. Maria is next to Liz frantically trying to stop the bleeding to no avail.)

Scene Nine (Max and Michael are out at the quarry over-looking the lake. Liz is observing.) [MUSIC: My Father’s House by Ben Harper from the Badlands CD]

MAX: (Pushing Michael) “Why did you stop me? I could’ve saved her.”

MICHAEL: (Pushing back) “Yeah and right after that you would be starring in the next Alien Autopsy video.”

MAX: (Turning his back to Michael) “What is the point of having powers…”(Turning to face Michael. Yelling) “I’ve loved Liz Parker since the third grade.” (Sobbing) “And now she is dead. And I feel like I’ve died too.”

MICHAEL: (Angrily) “Humans die all the time. We have to stick together.”

MAX: “Save yourself then if that’s all you care about.” (Max gets in the jeep, leaving Michael alone.)

Scene Ten (The CrashDown is closed down and the building is for sale. Max is leaning against the building looking depressed. Isabel walks up to him. Liz observes.)

ISABEL: “Hey Max. What’s up?”

MAX: (in a near unintelligible monotone voice) “Not much.”

ISABEL: (Trying to pull him out of his funk.) “Why don’t we find Michael and get something to eat at that new place?”

MAX: “You go. I don’t feel like it.” (Walks off leaving Isabel standing there.)

Scene Eleven (Liz is outside Michael’s trailer. It is dark and pouring rain. She hears yelling from inside.)

HANK: “You rotten good for nothing kid. I told you to do the laundry. I don’t know why I keep you around.”

MICHAEL: “For the monthly check or are you too drunk to remember?”

(Loud sound of someone being slapped across the face.)

HANK: “You two-bit punk. No wonder your parents left you in the desert to die.”

MICHAEL: “Screw you. Now you won’t have to worry about me either. I’m leaving.” (Michael runs out the trailer slamming the door. He is carrying a duffel bag. He passes Liz. He wipes the tears from his eyes.)

[End MUSIC]

Scene Twelve (Max, Michael, Tess, and Isabel arrive outside the old soap factory in the jeep. Maria and Alex arrive behind them in the Jetta.)

MAX: (To Maria and Alex) “I thought I said it was too dangerous for you to be here.”

ALEX: “We’ll stay outside. Who knows you might need us.”

MARIA: “This is Liz we’re talking about. We couldn’t just sit and wait.”

(Valenti arrives with Kyle.)

VALENTI: “It’s just me and Kyle. If anything happens I couldn’t explain, the FBI would be back here in a flash even though the Special Unit has been dissolved.”

MAX: “I agree Sheriff. I wouldn’t want to deal with another Pierce.” (To Kyle) “I’m sure Liz wants you here more than me, but you don’t stand a chance against them.”

KYLE: “Hey man, I don’t know what happened between you two. But nothing’s going on between Liz and me.”

MAX: “I saw you.”

KYLE: “Yeah I know. You were supposed to. You need to talk to Liz.”

MAX: “No Kyle, I want to hear it from you.”

VALENTI: “Gentleman, let’s concentrate on finding Liz. Shall we?” (Max and Kyle look sheepish)

VALENTI: “Michael, Kyle, you go around back. Isabel, Tess, you take the roof. Max and I will go in the front. Alex, Maria, you’re look out in case anyone comes. Maria, you have a cell phone? (She nods.) If things go bad, call 911. Got it?!”

MARIA: “Yes, Sheriff.”

MAX: “Let’s do it.” (They break up into assigned groups and get into position.)

Scene Thirteen (Liz observes Michael using his powers to break into a building to get out of a snowstorm. He is cold and tired. He doesn’t notice that he has triggered a silent alarm. Next he is asleep in a sleeping bag he has scavenged from the store. There are snack food wrappers and an empty Tabasco bottle next to him. A security guard wakes him by prodding him with his foot.)

SECURITY GUARD: (Angrily) “Alright punk. This is not a Motel 6. Get up.”

(Michael tries to stand up quickly. He trips forward in the sleeping bag. The security guard feels threatened. He pulls his gun and shoots Michael. Michael falls to the floor tangled up in the sleeping bag. There is a bleeding bullet wound in the center of his chest.)

LIZ: (Watching in horror, puts her hands to her face whispers.) “Dear God No.”

Scene Fourteen (At Buckley Point. Isabel is in a car, a convertible with the top down, with a rough looking guy. He has her pinned against the door. Liz comes upon the fight already in progress. She is standing behind the car watching.)

GUY: “Don’t give me that you bitch. You know you want it.” (He gropes her and kisses her.)

ISABEL: “Stop it!” (She pushes him off her.) “Get away from me!”

GUY: “Everyone always says what a tease Isabel Evans is.” (He backhands her across the face.) “Well it’s time you learned a lesson.” (He hits her again.) “No one treats me like that.”

(Isabel is very afraid and is getting angry. Suddenly a hand reaches over her shoulder and lands open palmed on the guy’s chest. The guy screams in agony and falls against Isabel.)

NACEDO: (as Ed Harding) “You never did have any sense about men Your Highness.”

ISABEL: (Frightened. Looking at the glowing handprint on her boyfriend’s body.) “Wh..Wh..Who are you? What did you do?” (Getting hysterical.) “You killed him!”

NACEDO: “Protecting you of course. Though you should’ve taken care of him yourself.”

ISABEL: (very shaken voice rising) “But you killed HIM!”

NACEDO: “Get a hold of yourself.” (Opens the car door and pulls Isabel out.) “Now let’s get out of here. Where is your brother?”

ISABEL: (Digs her heels in. Shakes off Nacedo’s grasp.) Who ARE you? What do you want from me?”

NACEDO: (Exasperated) “I am here to protect you. You have enemies and they know about you. They will be coming to Roswell now. Now that they have the

results of Michael’s autopsy.”

ISABEL: (Collapses to the ground. She is devastated and sobbing.) “Michael’s autopsy? NO! Michael can’t be dead.”

Scene Fifteen (Later that evening Max is slouched on a park bench. He looks disheveled and his hair needs washing. Liz is standing a few feet away watching as Isabel rushes up to him with Nacedo and Tess trailing.)

ISABEL: (With tears in her eyes. She grabs Max’s hands and pulls him up standing.) “Max! Oh Max, I’ve some terrible news. It’s about Michael. He’s dead.”

MAX: (Startled) “No. That is not possible. How?”

NACEDO: (He and Tess join Max and Isabel.) “He died foolishly. He had broken into a sporting goods store in Colorado Springs. When security checked out the alarm, they found him and shot him. What he was doing there I don’t know. More importantly the FBI has his body. They know he wasn’t human. Well not entirely. They also know he was from Roswell. They will be coming here and when they do they will be looking for you.”

MAX: (confused) “Who are you? How do you know this?”

NACEDO: “I’m your protector. I thought you would be safe in Roswell until I could take you home. I guess Michael was not as safe as I thought. Come we need to get out of this town. I have much to tell you.”

MAX: (Beginning to feel guilty about Michael’s leaving.) “No. I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.”

NACEDO: (Exasperated) “You, your sister, and your bride (points to Tess) are our planet’s only hope. Michael was your second in command. Now you are going to have to reclaim your throne without him, Your Highness.”

TESS: (Gushing, Hugs Max.) “Oh, Max. I have been waiting for you all my life. I knew we would be together. You are my destiny. Now we are together at last.”

MAX: (Pushes Tess away.) “I don’t know you. I don’t know either of you. I’m not a king. I don’t want to be a king!”

NACEDO: “Get a hold of yourself. You have a destiny. Your planet, your people need you. Need you to be strong to save them.”

TESS: “I love you, Max. I have always loved you. And I know you love me too.”

MAX: “No. NO! I don’t love you.(Looking angrily at Tess) The only girl I’ve ever loved is dead.(To Nacedo) No I don’t believe you. What you’re saying just can’t be true!” (Max turns away from Isabel, Nacedo and Tess. He runs away from them. He is too upset to pay attention. He runs into the street without looking into the path of an on coming truck.)

LIZ: (Unheard by anyone.) “No! Max LOOK OUT!”

Scene Sixteen (Max and Valenti cautiously enter the old soap factory. There is a Skin guarding the door but he is more interested in watching Nicholas circling Liz bound to the chair. Valenti hits him in the small of the back and the Skin dissolves.)

NICHOLAS: (Talking to himself and the unconscious Liz. He is unaware that Max and Valenti just entered the room.) “So what went wrong? What are you still doing here? (He prods Liz’s leg with his foot.) “The mind’s obviously gone but the body is still here.”

(Max and Valenti rush towards Nicholas and Liz.)

MAX: (Angrily Shouting) “Get away from her.”

(Max throws up a green force field and uses it to push Nicholas away from Liz. Nicholas realizes that Max is stronger than the last time they met.)

NICHOLAS: (Moving backwards pushed away from Liz by the force field.) “Well you can have her if you can find her.” (Nicholas uses his power to knock Michael and Kyle aside as he rushes out the back door.)

[MUSIC: The Moon is Shining by Indigenous from the CD Circle]

(Max runs to Liz. Slides the last bit on his knees, coming to rest in front of her. Liz is very pale and limp. Max uses his powers to open Liz’s handcuffs. Liz slumps forward and Max catches her before she falls out of the chair. Isabel and Tess come down the ladder from the roof. Michael and Kyle pick themselves up, Kyle more slowly than Michael. Valenti, Isabel, Tess, Michael, and Kyle move toward where Max and Liz are.)

MAX: (Takes Liz’s face in his hands. He tries to forge a connection.) “Liz, can you hear me? Liz, you have to come back to me.” (Max can’t make a connection with Liz. His voice becomes desperate.) “Liz where have you gone?”

MAX: (To group in despair.) “I can’t find her. It’s like she’s not there.”

(Max suddenly sees Tess and Isabel standing together. He grabs them and pulls them towards Liz.)

MAX: (Grasping for any chance.) “Isabel, you were dream walking Liz when Nicholas did whatever he did. Tess, do whatever you do when you mind warp. You have to help me find her.”

ISABEL: (with sympathy) “I don’t think that is how it works. It might be that she is gone for good. I’m sorry Max.”

TESS: “Max, you remember what Courtney said about Nicholas being stronger than us at mind powers.” (Tess realizes that Max has never gotten over Liz.)

MAX: (Not about to take no for an answer.) “You’re going to help me try. You can’t say she is gone until you try.”

(Tess and Isabel join Max, Tess with her hands on Liz’s right shoulder and Isabel holding her left shoulder. They each also have a hand on Max who is still holding Liz’s face. They concentrate on finding Liz. Liz who is watching a truck hit Max is wrenched away from that reality and pulled back into her body. Tess, Isabel and Max get glimpses of Liz being shot, Michael being shot, Isabel nearly being raped, Max’s crushed body with all the attendant emotions. The scene suddenly shifts. They see Tess leaving from Future Max’s reality. They see them lose the battle for Earth, Future Max holding a dead Future Michael, Future Max and Future Liz at the Granilith with Future Max inside the Granilith. Tess and Isabel are kicked out of the vision. Max continues to see Future Max arrive in the present and convince Liz to break his heart in order to save the world. He feels Liz’s pain as she sees Max finding her and Kyle together. Max feels Liz’s desolation as she dances with Future Max and he just disappears. The strength of emotions breaks the connection between Max and Liz.)

LIZ: (Slowly regains consciousness and throws her arms around Max. Tears streaming down her face.) “Max, you’re alright. (Pulling back, seeing Isabel and Michael.) “Everyone’s alright.”

[End MUSIC]

VALENTI: (Trying to lighten the emotional atmosphere.) “Of course we are all right. You were the one who was kidnapped not us. Let’s get you home. Your parents are worried sick.”

(Max helps Liz up. She is stiff from being cuffed for so long.)

KYLE: “Are you ok. Liz. You look so pale.”

MICHAEL: (As they all escort Liz out of the soap factory. Liz is leaning on Max for support. Alex and Maria meet them at the door.) “What did he do to you?” (Michael notices Max, Isabel, and Tess giving him a strange sideways look.) “What!?”

Scene Seventeen (Liz’s patio. All the candles are lit. Liz is sitting on her chaise with a blanket across her knees. She has her journal propped up against her knees and is writing.)

LIZ:(voice over) “I’m Liz Parker and today I saw what would have happen if I had died that day at the CrashDown. I don’t know what to think anymore. Max came back from the future to break us up because our being together led to the end of the world. I can almost accept that. Max has a destiny. He is his world’s king. But because of whatever Nicholas did to me I saw what the world would be like if Max hadn’t saved me. I am not anyone important. I’m just a girl from Roswell. It’s like Mr. Seligman said in science class about Chaos Theory. That a butterfly flapping its wing in Hong Kong can mean it will rain in New York. I guess everyone and everything matters. No matter how small the action, it all affects the world.

“I don’t know what is going to happen now. I love Max so much it hurts but there is still the world to think about. How much of what Future Max said is still true and what has changed? I know he no longer exists but has the future truly changed. Max is always saying how we create our own destinies.”

MAX: (in a sotto voice from the alley) “I know you’re there. Can I come up?”

LIZ: (She puts down her journal and walks over to the edge and looks down on Max. Hesitantly) “Sure I guess.”

MAX: (Bounds up the ladder. Smiling at Liz. He notices her journal on the chaise.) “I hope I’m not interrupting?”

LIZ: “No. No, I was just thinking about …things.”

MAX: “I’ve been thinking too. Liz when we brought you back from wherever you went, I saw things. I need your help. I need to know what I saw.”

LIZ: (wary) “What did you see?”

MAX: “I saw what would have happened if I hadn’t healed you that day you were shot. And the consequences.”

LIZ: “Nicholas said he was going to shift the time line so that would have happened. But something went wrong.”

MAX: “Isabel…” (Liz cocks her head sideways to ask him to elaborate.) “Isabel was trying to dream walk you. To find out were you were. She said she saw Nicholas hold something to your face.”

LIZ: “Oh! That’s why it didn’t work.”

MAX: (He touches her arm so she will look at him) “But Liz, Nicholas didn’t have anything to do with what you did to break us up. Did he?”

LIZ: “You saw that too?” (She suddenly sits on her chaise.)

MAX: (He sits next to her.) “I saw you and me many years from now at the Granilith. I saw him, I mean me, here with you that night I sang to you. I saw you and him watching Tess and me. He was there when I saw you and Kyle together, wasn’t he? But why did you do it, Liz?”

LIZ: “Max you told me that if I didn’t the world would end. Michael and Isabel would die. That Earth would fall. (She is on the verge of tears) I didn’t want to hurt you. But you, the future you, said I HAD TO make you fall out love with me.”

MAX: “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you trust me?”

LIZ: “I did trust you, him. It’s too confusing. I couldn’t take the chance he wasn’t right, not with the world depending on it. I did what I thought I had to. What you saw, Kyle and me together. Nothing happened. You, the future you knew you would be at my window that night. That in his reality, you and I..ummm.. made love that night. That was the beginning of the end. I am so sorry I hurt you. I just didn’t know what else to do.” (Tears start slowly running down Liz’s cheeks. Max wipes them away.)

MAX: “Oh Liz, I didn’t know. We’ll think of something together. Always together from now on” (Max wraps his arms around Liz and holds her close. She is still crying on his shoulder.)

{FADE TO BLACK}

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