//You'll never see - the courage I know

Its colors' richness won't appear within your view

I'll never glow - the way that you glow

Your presence dominates the judgements made on you //

Throaty, dulcet tones ran throughout the bar. She rarely sang, but when she did....it was pure honey.

//But as the scenery grows, I see in different lights

The shades and shadows undulate in my perception

My feelings swell and stretch; I see from greater heights

I understand what I am still to proud to mention - to you//

She sang a song by a popular artist, but few recognized it. They’d say it sounded familiar, but they couldn’t place it.

She gave the song its due though, her voice reveling in the depressing lyrics. Her soul cried whenever she played it.

//You'll say you understand, but you don't understand

You'll say you'd never give up seeing eye to eye

But never is a promise, and you can't afford to lie //

She sees them. They’re all sitting in the back, draped in shadows. They don’t want her to know they come every each time she performs, they don’t know she knew from the start. They would never guess that this is the only place she feels a part of, don’t know this is the only time he seems like her true love.

That they seem like her family.

//You'll never touch - these things that I hold

The skin of my emotions lies beneath my own

You'll never feel the heat of this soul

My fever burns me deeper than I've ever shown - to you //

In an old, rundown bar she sings. And she remembers what it was like to taste the sunrise, to smell the sky. She remember the caress of soft, white rain, and a light, pink breeze. She remembers laughing and running, playing as a child. She remembers meeting him, and feeling pangs throughout the years as they fell slowly in love.

She remembers their wedding days, and their funerals.

//You'll say, Don't fear your dreams, it's easier than it seems

You'll say you'd never let me fall from hopes so high

But never is a promise and you can't afford to lie//

It is only in this little bar that she truly feels alive. And only in this bar, that she can look at him and see her true love.

Maybe it’s the way the shadows fall across his face, or the way his eyes seem to, for once, see her.

//You'll never live this life that I live

I'll never live the life that wakes me in the night

You'll never hear the message I give

You'll say it looks as though I might give up this fight//

Sometimes she wishes it could be different, that he could be different. That he could be the same, could be her husband once again. He has so many of the same mannerisms, the same ideas. But when she looks into his eyes she doesn’t see love.

She sees duty. She sees pleading.

And she wishes for love.

//But as the scenery grows, I see in different lights

The shades and shadows undulate in my perception

My feeling swell and stretch, I see from greater heights

I realize what I am now too smart to mention - to you //

She can see the wishing in his eyes too. But his are so different.

He wants her to listen, to understand, to agree.

So she puts up shields, builds walls around herself. Makes the decision to stop wishing for both of them. He is the King, and she may have the title of Queen-- but she had never felt more like a servant.

//You'll say you understand, you'll never understand

I'll say I'll never wake up knowing how or why

I don't know what to believe in, you don't who I am

You'll say I need appeasing when I start to cry

But never is a promise and I'll never need a lie//

Maybe if she saw her wishes in his eyes, she’d stop running. Maybe she’d rise up, and stand tall, proud of her position.

Maybe not.

************************************************************

Liz stood up, exiting the stage. As her three secret spectators exited the bar. She didn’t know how they thought they could hide from her. She was the master at silent observing, they were pure amateurs. She could feel their presences lingering outside *Maybe they’re actually gonna stay this time?* Perhaps they’d each grown a pair. Even after all these years, her own brother hadn’t said anything about it.

Then it hit her, a wave of pure rage-coming from Max. She jolted out of her thoughts, and walked calmly out the backdoor, lighting a cigarette on the way. *No sense in rushing out their all bull-headed, nope that’s something Michael would do.* But even with all the anger she felt towards the others, she’d still do anything in her power to protect them. Although they didn’t know that, since the opportunity had never struck.

Then she felt a sharp tug from Michael’s mind, he was in pain. That got her feet to start moving.

************************************************************

She arrived outside, hand already raised.

Then she saw them.

Max, Michael, and Isabel were lined up to her left. And two duplicate Michael and Isabel's were standing to her right, sharp white lights were emitting from the Michael look-a-like. Seemingly burning her brother. Her brother.*Okay, now I’m pissed royally pissed.*. She saw her brother in pain, and her former husband in an unholy rage.

They hadn’t noticed her yet, too engrossed in making some sort of public spectacle in a deserted alley, behind a rundown, old bar. Who they were showing off for, she had no idea. The only thought running through her head was kill, kill now.

Kill the one hurting Michael.

She raised her hand, a furious glare marked her face. An angry purple glow started to rise in front of her outstretched hand, finally gaining their attention. They turned to her, gasping at the sight before them.

Liz, in all her glory.

She flicked her wrist, and saw the Michael dupe fall, grabbing his throat as he felt her hand, choking him. Michael also fell, hands were pressed to his chest. She lowered hers, ignoring everyone, and ran over to him. He stared up at her, smiling shakily. She heard him speaking telepathically, and frowned. He only did that when he was in great pain. She looked up at Max, for the first time in her life pleadingly. "Heal him, he’s hurting."

Max nodded, and kneeled beside her, placing his hand over Michael’s chest, as he concentrated on reforming his molecules back to normal. A few seconds later, Michael opened his eyes and grinned reassuringly at them as he stood. The grin turned menacing when he faced his twin.

They were all silent.

Until Liz stood and turned, stopping dead at the sight before her. Her angering slowly ebbing away, replaced by shock and wonder. She looked over at Max, who was watching her expression cautiously, she saw the eyebrow creep up questioningly and laughed. The eyebrow arched higher.

She shook her head, chuckling now."Its just, when you do that-thing, with your eyebrow, well....the look is pure Zan." She closed her eyes softly, remembering the same look on a face, a lifetime ago.

Then she felt an overwhelming presence creep up behind her. Her chest tightened, and she closed her eyes, breathing in a familiar scent. It seemed to envelope her, and she turned slowly. Hoping against hope what she felt was real.

It was.

He was standing before her, his face mirroring hers. He dropped the duffel he was holding, his arms limp at his side. Finally they reached out, each whispering reverently at the same time.

"Zan...."