FanFic - Other
"Fade to Black"
Part 4
by Love
Disclaimer: I own nada.
Category: Other
Rating: PG-13
Liz walked back into the Crashdown calmly, Marc trailing behind her. Her eyes were soulless, blank. An empty smile was spread across her lips. Marc's expression was the same, only his eyes showed a little bit of life in them. Liz stopped right in front of Max, turned to Marc, and planted a passionate kiss on his lips. She heard the collective gasps from Max, Isabel, Michael and Maria, and she smiled into Marc's lips. When the kiss was finished, she smiled evilly and walked to the back room, leaving the others to look after her.

"I thought you said she didn't like him," Max accused, hurt invading his voice. Isabel glared at him.

"That's what she told me." Her eyes flashed defiantly, and Max hung his head, ashamed.

"I'm sorry, Iz. I just...." His words were choked off by a sudden catch in his voice. Isabel reached across the table and placed a soothing hand over his.

"I know. Look, I'm going to go see what that was about. You stay here, and try not to look to pathetic." She smiled and got up, walking back where Liz had disappeared too. She found her in the back room, holding Maria's green sweater in her hand, her eyes closed and her mouth moving. Isabel watched in fascination as Liz continued this, unaware of Isabel's presence.

The green sweater was cool in her hand as she held it. "I wish that things could all go back to the way they were." She repeated it over and over again, and on what must have been the fiftieth time, her eyes flew open. Images ran through her mind, images from the past. She and Max kissing. Michael and Maria kissing. Alex and Isabel kissing. Tess. The images started to come faster and faster, running through her head like a move. The Father-Child camping trip. Max lighting the streetlights with his powers. Max and Isabel's mother. Liz telling Max that he should follow his destiny. The day at the Crashdown when he saved her life.

And then they stopped. Liz shook her head, trying to get the dizziness to wear off. She turned around, Maria's sweater still in her hand. But something was different. She walked slowly to the door and peered out the window. Isabel, Michael, and Max sitting at their usual table. Maria waiting tables. Jose behind the counter.

Wait. Jose? They had dismissed Jose after he had been caught taking money from the cash register. So why is he here?

Suddenly the back door flew open and Maria came breezing in, her hair shorter than Liz remembered. "Liz, what are you doing back here?" She questioned, looking at her. "Are you cold? Because you can borrow my sweater." Liz realized the sweater was still in her hands.

"No. I'm...fine." Maria squinted and leaned in closer.

"Are you sure? You look pale." Liz nodded her head quickly; anxious to get out of this situation and figure out what was going on.

"Yeah. Come on." She grabbed Maria's hand and pulled her out the door, dropping the sweater on a chair. They walked slowly to the cash register, and Liz leaned against the counter, dazed.

"Max Evans is staring at you again." Liz whipped her head around to stare at Maria.

"No, he's not." Why would he, after the way I treated him? "Maria, that's all in your imagination. Why would he even want to look at me?" Maria stepped up to Liz and placed her hands on her cheeks.

"Please. With those cheeks? And that hair?"

"Maria, stop." Maria removed her hands from Liz's cheeks.

"If Kyle sees him looking at you, he'll pound his face in." Kyle! Liz had forgotten all about him. For some reason, this scene was very familiar to her.

"Give me the money now!" An angry voice shouted. Liz looked up and saw the two guys in the corner booth fighting. The other one pulled out a gun and pointed it at the first one.

"You won't need the money if you're dead." He pulled the trigger as the other guy launched at him, causing the bullet to completely miss his target and head straight for Liz and Maria. Liz suddenly realized why she remembered it all so vividly. Because I've lived it before.

"Duck!" She yelled, hitting the ground and pulled Maria with her. But it was too late. The bullet hit Maria, sinking into her skin, six inches below her abdomen, draining the life out of her.

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