The Language of Longing
Part 13-14
By Meredith
"Okay, we have to have a plan." Alex said, sighing. "We can't just barge
in there..."
"What?" Maria asked, her hands gripped on the steering wheel of the
Volkswagon Jetta she shared with Michael, not taking her eyes off the front
door to Morgan's condo. She was in an obvious daze.
"Maria...a plan. We need a plan." Alex said. He was sitting in the
passenger's seat. He looked over at Maria and noticed her obvious distress.
He put his arm around her, kissing her head.
"Y-yeah I know. A plan. But what, I mean are we just going to sit out
here? I mean until we just LET Tess kill her? I mean I have a plan, how about
this, how about we GO IN THERE and get Liz and the baby out of there?" Maria
said, extremely close to losing control of her blinding rage.
"Maria, we know you're upset. We're all upset...but we have to be
rational about this. If we just run in there, Tess and God-knows-who else
will just go ahead and kill Liz without a second thought." Isabel said,
sitting in the backseat, breastfeeding Michaela.
Maria's eyes filled with angry tears. "No. I'm not going to let that
happen...I can't...it will kill me. It will kill Max. I can't see him hurt
like that, he's too important to us- too important to Michael." As she
uttered Max and Michael's names, she looked outside of the car window.
Michael and Max were crouched on the ground, hiding behind Max's Jeep
Cherokee parked across the street. Adam-Michael clutched his father's arm
protectively.
Max's entire body was shaking. This was making it very hard for him to
speak. Instead, his words were coming out in jolted, fragmented parts of
sentences.
"Max- we really need to go in there. It's not going to do Liz any good to
sit out here." Michael said firmly.
"What...we, what are you..." Max uttered.
"I'm going to talk to Tess...try to talk her out of it. You know, a
brother-sister pep talk." Michael rolled his eyes to mention the thought of
he and Tess actually being related somehow. "Then you'll come in, bring
Adam-Michael..." Michael turned his gaze to the young boy sitting snuggly
between them. He looked deep into the young boy's eyes, and it still shocked
him with every glance- he was so much like Max. "Adam, buddy, you remember
what we talked about?"
Adam looked up at his uncle and nodded. "Daddy's going to pick me up and
take me that house over there." He pointed to the front door of Morgan's
condo. "Mommy has Lizzie in there. She's hurting Lizzie. You're going to talk
to Mommy then Daddy's going to pretend to hurt me with that." Adam-Michael
pointed to the knife Michael was holding in his left hand.
Max looked over at the knife with disgust. He would never even think
about harming Adam-Michael to get to Liz, but threatening his son's life did
seem like a viable option in getting Tess to release her. "I...I can't hold
my son...hostage...like th-that, Michael."
"Well, I can't do it, Max. She'll only believe that we'd really do it if
it's you. I'm sorry, but it has to be you. It's the only way." Michael said.
Max looked down at his son and kissed the top of his head.
"You know I'd never hurt you, right Adam-Michael?" Max asked the tiny boy.
"Yes, I know that Daddy. You're doing this to help Lizzie and Jordana.
Because you love them, they're your family. I'm your family, right Daddy?"
Adam said.
For the first time since he walked through the apartment door to find Liz
missing, Max actually smiled.
"I love you, son. Very much." Max said, holding his son tightly to him.
"I love you too, Daddy. So let's stop Mommy ok?" Adam said, extending his
hand to his dad's.
As their hands touched, Max got a flash.
***Liz, still bound to the steel chair in Morgan's living room, was
looking down at her belly and cooing at it.
"Max...he's outside." She said softly.
"He's here, he's come to get us, your Daddy's here, baby girl. Don't cry
anymore."
Just then, Tess walked over and smacked her across the face.
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO SPEAK!" She screamed at Liz. Liz's bottom lip
quivered. Her soft brown hair cascaded down her face. She closed her eyes as
the sting from the slap washed over her.
Nasedo, who had shape-shifted back into Morgan's form, ran over to them
then.
"I just spotted Max's car, along with a Volkswagon Jetta, parked out
front." Morgan/Nasedo said to her.
Tess smiled devilishly. "Perfect! The gang's all here, back together
again. This will be fun, kind of like a West Roswell reunion, huh Liz? Now
they can all be here to see you die."
Liz was outwardly upset, but she was ecstatic inside that they were so
close to saving her.
"Max...Max...I love you..." She thought as she closed her eyes.***
Just then, the flash ended, and Max felt a wave of empowerment rush
through his body. He felt Liz's love, he felt his purpose. Where the fear of
what might happen used to live inside him, rage took its place.
"It's time." He said firmly to Michael and his son. Michael nodded,
handing Max the knife. Max slipped it into the inside of his coat pocket.
Michael stealthly crept back into the Jetta, climbing inside the backseat
next to Isabel.
"Ok. Here's the plan." Michael said, out of breath.
Alex raised his hands up in relief. "Finally, someone who has some
ideas...spill, Michael."
"I'm going in there first. I'm going to try to initially talk to Tess,
try to get her to stop it..."
"Brother-sister pep talk? I know those well." Isabel interjected. Michael
nodded, embarrassed to be considered the brother of such a great evil.
"Then, Max is going to bring Adam inside."
"Then what?" Alex asked.
Michael paused before continuing. "He's going to pull a knife on him."
"WHAT?" Alex, Isabel, and Maria screamed in unison. Michaela woke up then
and started screaming.
"No way, Michael, no way, that's crazy." Maria said, shaking her head
furiously.
"Yeah, Michael, Tess will go psycho-mom on us! Then Liz is a goner for
sure!" Alex pleaded, rubbing his crying daughter's back as Isabel cradled
her.
"It's the only way. We get Tess to back off by threatening to take the
most precious thing to her..." Michael said.
"Her son..." Isabel said, looking off in terror. She rocked Michaela back
and forth on her shoulder, cooing in her ear, trying to get her to calm down.
It was almost like she could sense that something was wrong with her family.
"I can't believe Max would go for this plan, Michael...it's horrible,
it's an awful plan, it's going to backfire, Adam's going to end up scarred
for life, Liz is going to end up...dead!" Maria screamed, banging her head
against the steering wheel.
"MARIA-WOULD YOU GET A GRIP ALREADY?" Michael screamed at her, which only
caused the baby to cry louder to try to compete with him. "Freaking out is
not going to help the situation at all. Adam will be fine. We've already
talked about what's going to happen. He knows that Max isn't going to really
hurt him, he's only going to pretend. Adam wants Liz and his sister out of
there as much as we do..."
"But you have to agree with Maria...I mean, this is going to cause some
lasting damage...pitting his mother against his father- using him as a pawn?"
Alex said.
"A little bit of Mommy/Daddy conflict- that's better than watching your
whole family die now isn't it?" Michael said to Alex pointedly.
The group of four shuddered at the thought of losing Max and Liz.
"That's not going to happen." Isabel said. "We can't let it."
"Well, I'll go in there with you, Michael." Alex said.
"I'm going too." Isabel chimed in.
"No, you're not going in there... it's too dangerous. Michaela can't
lose...both her parents." Alex said firmly.
"I'm not letting you go in there alone." Isabel said. She locked gazes
with her husband for a moment. "Besides, what if you guys need me or
something? I mean, my powers..."
"Well if Isabel and Alex are going, I'm going in, too. I'm not going to
sit out here and let that bitch take my best friend away from me. No way."
Maria said, shaking her head.
"Maria...no." Michael said firmly.
"What, Michael? Save your breath. You know you can't stop me." Maria
replied.
Michael reached over and grabbed Maria's hand. He leaned into her, giving
her a soft, sweet kiss. "I love you, you know that?"
"Ditto, spaceboy." She said, smiling up at him. "Just be careful, okay?"
"I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Michael said, rubbing his
hand through her soft blonde hair.
"That goes double for me." Alex said, playing with Isabel's gorgeous
golden locks and kissing the top of his daughter's head.
* * * * *
"Tess! Open up, it's Michael!" Michael screamed at the door, banging it
forcefully. A long minute went by with no response from inside Morgan's
condo, so Michael pounded again. "TESSA, OPEN UP! WE KNOW YOU HAVE LIZ IN
THERE! WE'RE NOT LEAVING WITHOUT HER!"
Just then, the door swung open, and Tess's piercing blue eyes stared back
at Michael.
"Hello, brother. So nice to see you." She said, smiling. "What brings you
by so unexpectedly?"
"You know why, Tess. Where's Liz?" Michael asked, pushing his way into
the condo.
"I assume she's with Max, how should I know where he keeps his whores?"
Tess asked sweetly, trying to block his entrance into the living room, which
was proceeded by a door. She held her small body up against the door. Michael
smirked.
"I know Liz is back there. Now move, before I have to move you myself."
Michael said firmly.
"Don't you want to talk first? Have a cup of tea? I miss you, dear
brother, we need to catch up." Tess said, trying to push him towards the
kitchen.
"I know what you're trying to do, it's not going to work."
"What?" She asked, fluttering her long eyelashes up at Michael and
smiling.
"You're going to get me in the kitchen, then you're going to put one of
your voodoo mind hexes on me and I'm going to forget you're in there
torturing my best friend's girlfriend and baby. No way, 'sissy'. I'm not
falling for that."
"Well then why are you here? You think you can just waltz in and save
Liz? Surely you're smarter than that, Michael." She said, chuckling.
"Actually, I was going to come in here and try to convince you to stop
it." Michael said, smirking.
"Well sit down. I'd like to hear what you have to say." Tess said,
leading him to two small chairs set up in the foyer, right in front of the
door.
"Well, I do have one strong case..." Michael said. "MAXWELL!" He cried
loud enough for Max to hear him outside the door. Max pushed the door open,
holding Adam-Michael in his arms, a knife to his throat.
"ADAM!" Tess cried, jumping up from her chair. She ran towards them.
"NOT so fast, dear Tessa. Give me Liz, and Adam will live." Max said, his
hand steady, gripping the knife. Michael came between Max and Tess.
Tess's eyes were filling with tears. "You monster...you'd kill your own
child...for that...whore?"
Michael pushed her away. "No, Tess. You're the monster. Now let Liz go.
She's completely innocent. Her baby is completely innocent. You're going to
kill two innocent beings- you're the monster."
"I'm not...I'm not a monster...LET GO OF MY SON!" She screamed, lunging
towards Max. Max backed away. Michael restrained her, pushing her up against
the living room door.
"Give us Liz." Michael said firmly. "And we won't hurt your son."
Tess's eyes blackened with rage. She opened the door to the living room,
where Liz was tied up.
Michael quickly followed her in there, but was too late. Tess had run
towards Liz and slashed her arm before Michael could get to her.
"OH MY GOD!" Liz screamed. The sight of Liz in pain was too much for Max
to bear. He let go of Adam-Michael, running towards his love. Adam quickly
followed his father. Michael had wrestled Tess to the ground, pushing the
knife out of her hand. It slid across the hardwood floor.
Max placed his hand over Liz's wound on her arm, healing it instantly. He
showered her with tiny kisses all over her face and neck. "You're safe now."
He said breathlessly. "We're not going to let her hurt you."
Liz's eyes brimmed over with tears. "I love you, Max. I love you so
much." They rested their foreheads together in relief.
"She may not have hurt you, Liz...but I can!" A voice came from the other
side of the room.
It was Nasedo. He bent over, picking up the blood-stained knife that had
slid across the floor during the scuffle between Tess and Michael.
Max, Liz, and Adam looked up at Nasedo in terror. "Oh, God, Max..." Liz
said. Max huddled Adam behind Liz's chair and quickly stood up in front of
Liz.
"You're not getting near her, Nasedo. Not this time." Max said firmly.
"Is that so, Max?" Nasedo asked.
"Yeah, it is!" A voice from outside the living room screamed. It was
Maria. Nasedo turned around and smirked. Maria was holding a large vase she'd
picked up from inside the foyer as she crept into the condo. Without another
thought, she smashed it over the top of his head. This sent Nasedo to the
ground, unconscious.
"MARIA!" Michael screamed. He let go of Tess and ran over to her. He held
Maria tightly in his arms and she quickly grabbed the knife Nasedo dropped in
his fall.
"I told you I wasn't going to sit in the car." Maria said, smiling up at
Michael. He kissed her.
"Aww, what a sweet reunion. Too bad you're going to have to watch her die
now." Tess said, raising her hands toward Maria as a blinding white light
pulsed from her body.
"NO!" Michael screamed, putting his body in front of Maria's and acting
as a shield. He harnessed his own energy and anger and thrust it back at Tess
in an even more powerful and deadly light.
With that, Tess was knocked to the ground.
Max, who was steal shielding his son and fiancee, looked up in shock.
Michael stood in front of Tess's lifeless body, frozen. Maria clutched onto
him in complete fear.
"Michael..." She whispered to him. "You...killed her."
"Oh my God...I killed her...I killed my sister..." Michael said, his eyes
filling with tears. The realization of what he'd done began to sink in.
Max ran over to Michael, hugging him. "Michael, don't beat yourself up
again, okay? She was going to kill Liz, Maria...You saved us. You didn't mean
to kill her."
"I actually did it..." Michael uttered, in shock. He sank into Maria's
arms, sobs rocking his body. She couldn't support the weight of his body so
they fell to the ground. She rubbed his hair and kissed his head and cried
with him.
"Michael..." Liz uttered out in choked sobs. "Thank you... I can't thank
you enough...I'm so sorry you had to..." Adam-Michael hugged Liz tight to his
chest. "Oh, God..." Liz said, realizing the little boy in her lap just saw
his mother being killed.
Max sunk down, clutching Adam into his arms. Adam's bottom lip quivered.
"Mommy's gone." Adam said to Max.
Max could barely speak...he felt like the most awful person in the world
for doing this to his son. "Yes, Adam. She's gone. We never meant for it to
happen like this."
Adam fell into Max's arms, silently crying. "I loved my Mommy."
"She loved you too, Adam-Michael." Liz said, soothing his soft black
hair.
Adam looked up into Max and Liz's eyes. They knew explaining this all to
him wasn't going to be easy. He wiped his tears with the back of his hand.
Just then, Nasedo started to move around, rubbing his head in pain.
Michael grabbed Maria, pulling them closer to Max, Liz, and Adam. Nasedo
walked over to Tess's body, pushing her eyelids closed.
"So you killed her, Michael." Nasedo said. "All for a human? How could
you?"
"I would have done the same thing for Liz." Max said to him firmly.
"You two don't know anything." Nasedo said. "You've just lost something
precious...don't you see that?"
"No!" Max cried. "Our life is here! We've made our own destiny! And it's
with Maria, with Alex...with Liz." He said, grabbing her hand and kissing it.
Nasedo shook his head. "Well, I don't care if you don't think you're
important...you are...and the day will come when our people will need you
again...I can't risk losing the three of you. I've already lost one..."
"You don't want to lose us?" Michael asked, his eyes stained with tears.
"Then stay away from us- all of us- that includes the three of us, Maria,
Alex, Liz, Adam-Michael, Michaela, Jordana, everyone..."
Nasedo looked at them, then nodded. "I understand. But I will be watching
you."
"Fine, you can watch, be our guardian...whatever you have to do...just
don't interfere..." Max said, putting his arm around Liz and kissing her
head.
Nasedo nodded, picking up Tess's body and taking it with him as he walked
out of the door. The door shut behind him and Liz screamed out in relief.
"THANK GOD!" She screamed, kissing Max and grabbing Maria and Michael
into a huge embrace. "I love you all so much. You saved us. God, I've never
been so scared in my whole life..."
Michael started to speak, but was interrupted by Alex, Isabel, and
Michaela, who had just walked in the door.
"Was that Tess's body Nasedo was carrying?" Alex asked them. Michael
looked up at him, his eyes red with tears. Max calmly explained.
"Michael wrestled Tess to the ground, and she dropped her knife. Nasedo
came in and picked it up... then Maria came in and Nasedo was about to go
after Liz...so Maria smashed a vase on top of his head. He fell to the
ground, and Tess used all her energy and power to try to kill Maria. Michael
put his body in front of Maria's to block the field, and returned it back to
her doubly strong. Tess died." Max finished, winded. He hugged Adam-Michael,
kissing his head.
"Oh my God!" Isabel gasped. "So they're really gone? Adam, honey, I'm so
sorry." She leaned down and hugged her nephew.
Adam broke away from them, climbing into Liz's lap. "Lizzie?" He
whispered.
Liz leaned in to him, smiling. She put her hand on the side of his tiny
face. "What is it sweetie?"
"I want you to be...my Mommy." He said quietly. Liz smiled. Everyone in
the room was crying now.
"I would love to be your Mommy, Adam-Michael. You precious thing. I love
you so much." Liz said, hugging him tightly to her. "Now we can really be a
family."
Max held her hand, kissing it.
"Well, there is one more thing we have to do..." He said, smiling.
Part 14 Conclusion
"Come Live with me and be my love and we will all the pleasures
prove."-Marlowe
You are cordially invited to witness the blessed union of
Elizabeth Marie Parker
and
Maxwell Phillip Evans
Saturday, the Twenty-second of June, Two Thousand Five
One o' clock in the afternoon
At the home of Mr. and Mrs. Phillip John Evans
6540 Murray Lane
Roswell, New Mexico
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"My baby girl...you're all grown up. And now you're getting married and
having your own baby girl. I'm just so..." Nancy Parker said, walking over to
her daughter and cupping her face in her hands.
"Mom," Liz said, rolling her eyes and smiling. She rubbed her hands over
the mid-section of her dress, which showed off her very-pregnant belly
beautifully.
"Elizabeth, I love you. Your Mom and I love you so much, we're so proud
of the wonderful young woman you've become...you're going to be a wonderful
wife and an even better mother..." Jeff Parker said, enveloping his daughter
and wife into a group hug.
"...And doctor..." Nancy chimed in, beaming with pride.
"Guys, stop it. You're going to make me cry..." Liz said, smiling, the
tears of joy shining brightly in her big brown eyes.
Maria knocked on the door, opening it a crack before entering. "Can I
come in?"
"Of course...we're all done in here..." Nancy said, taking Jeff's hand
and leading him out of the door. She blew her daughter a kiss on the way out.
"You look beautiful, honey."
"We'll see you out there." Jeff said.
"Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad. I love you." Liz replied, blowing them a kiss in
return. Maria walked over to Liz and smiled.
"Liz...you look so beautiful...you're glowing." She gave her best friend
a huge hug.
"Stop it...I'm big as a house." Liz said, turning around to look at
herself in the mirror.
"No, you're not...you look incredible." Maria replied.
"I'm so glad your mom agreed to make this dress for me, Maria...the
maternity section in the bridal shop was a bit lacking, to say the least..."
Liz said, laughing.
"You know, the whole pesky 'morals' issue..." Maria said, smiling.
Liz rolled her eyes. "Those pesky morals, they'll get ya everytime!" She
sighed, looking around the room she was in. "It's hard to believe, this was
Max's room...he just seems so different now...." Max and Liz had decided to
have a small wedding in the Evans' backyard back in Roswell, so all their
family and close friends could come.
Maria smiled, walking over to a dresser and picking up a photo of Max,
Isabel, and Michael in a silver frame. "Yeah...well we've been gone from
Roswell for like four YEARS, Lizzie...things have changed..."
"Yeah..." Liz said, sighing. She sat down on Max's bed, snuggling up with
one of his pillows. She closed her eyes.
"Lizzie...no time for a nap, chica, you're getting married in like 10
minutes!" Maria said.
"It's not that, Maria...I just feel really...funny." Liz said, holding
her head in her hands.
"Funny?" Maria said with alarm. She rushed over to Liz's side. "What kind
of funny?"
Liz shook her head. "No, it's nothing." She said, smiling. "I'm just
being paranoid."
"No, tell me, what is it, Liz? No secrets, remember?" Maria said. "Let me
feel your head." She put her hand to Liz's forehead. "You're burning up!"
"It's just nerves...it's nothing..." Liz said, reaching out for Maria's
hand to help her stand back up.
Then she felt it... a sudden, sharp, blinding pain ripping through her,
then a warm surge of water sliding down her legs.
"Oh GOD!" Liz cried, falling backwards onto the bed.
"What, Lizzie, what? What is it? Is it the baby?" Maria asked, holding
her hand.
Liz shook her head. "This can't be happening..."
"What?" Maria asked, suddenly looking down at the growing pool of wetness
on the floor between Liz's legs. "Oh my God!" She whispered. "I-I..."
"Do something, Maria!" Liz said, between forced breaths. She was only
four months pregnant, she had figured the lamaze classes would come much
later on.
"I, I-- I can't handle this pressure!" Maria screamed. "Where's my cedar
oil?" She began frantically searching the room for her purse.
"Go get Max! I'm having this baby!" Liz screamed, grabbing Maria's arm.
"You can't possibly be having this baby! You're only four months
pregnant, Lizzie! Don't be silly! We'll just sit here until the pain passes,
then we'll go downstairs and you'll tie the knot with Mr. Wonderful...okay?"
Maria said, hyperventilating.
"NO, MARIA! Aren't you forgetting...this baby..." Liz moaned in pain.
"This baby is PART CZECHLOSLOVAKIAN? Who knows how long it takes
CZECHLOSLOVAKIAN babies to come into this world! GO GET MAX!" She squealed.
"Oh, God, oh, okay, Lizzie, I'll be right..." Maria didn't get to finish
her sentence, she was halfway down the stairs to find Max.
* * * * *
"Max, what the hell is the matter with you... There's no time for one of
your 'headaches' again..." Michael said, pacing in the Evans' kitchen. People
were milling about outside in the backyard, waiting anxiously for the
ceremony to start. Meanwhile, the groom was hunched over at the kitchen
table, complaining of a piercing headache.
"Michael, this is different...something's wrong..." Max replied, shaking
his head.
"It's just nerves, Maxwell...okay? So get up, you're marrying your
dreamgirl in like 10 minutes..." Michael said, patting his best friend on the
back.
A squealing noise carried throughout the house, finally ending up in the
kitchen. Maria appeared to Max and Michael, out of breath.
"Maria! What is it? Is there something wrong with Liz?" Max cried,
jumping up from the table.
"Get Alex and Isabel. WE'RE HAVING A BABY!" Maria screamed.
Max's eyes lit up with a mix of complete elation and utter terror.
"She can't be having the baby...she's only four months..." Michael cried
to Maria.
"Czechloslovakian babies? Jordana's a Czechloslovakian baby, you people
failed to realize this one..." Maria said. "I promise you, this isn't a
joke...Liz is in a lot of pain...her water just broke..."
That was all Max needed to hear. He needed to be with her. He pushed
Maria out of the way, leaving she and Michael in the kitchen. He bolted up
the stairs and ran into his room.
"Liz! Liz, honey, I'm here, I'm here..." He ran into the room, flinging
his arms around her.
"Oh, Max! I'm so scared! So scared..." Liz screamed in pain. Her face was
covered in sweat and she'd already ripped apart one of his pillows.
"Liz, I'm not going to leave you baby, never...I'm here...let's get you
out of this dress and prop you up onto some pillows... maybe that will
relieve some of the pressure..." Max said, quickly moving into "Protective
Husband" mode.
"Oh, Max...Max..." She groaned in pain, falling into his arms. "I can't
do this...I'm not ready...it's too soon..."
"Shh..." He said, putting a finger to his lips. "Yes you can. I'm
here...we can do anything." He carefully undid the zipper in the back of her
dress and slid it down around her hips, laying it on the back of his desk
chair. He started pulling out the tiny clips holding her hair back tightly
into soft brown tendrils. "There...that will relieve some of the stress to
your head..." He walked over to his dresser drawer, relieved to find some old
house clothes lying inside. He pulled out an old West Roswell High School
t-shirt for her to wear. He walked back over to the bed, propping the pillows
up against the headboard so she could sit up slightly while still feeling
somewhat comfortable. He pulled the shirt over her head and rubbed her belly,
chuckling. "Hey, little one...you sure have terrible timing..."
Liz laughed at him, putting her hand on his cheek. He kissed her open
palm. "Max..." She whispered. "I'm really afraid... what if I can't do this?"
Just then, another painful contraction washed over her. Without thinking, Max
placed his hands on her lower abdomen, suddenly feeling a shocking pain
ripping through him. He was connecting with her, taking some of the pain away
from her and feeling it himself.
"Oh, man..." He cried, his body crashing onto hers in pain. "God, Liz..."
"Max...no...please...you don't have to do that!" Liz said, frantically
shaking her head in disapproval.
"Liz, I'm not going to sit here and watch you in pain while knowing that
I can do something to help relieve it." Max said, sweat pouring off his brow.
They shared one of their trademark looks...the one that made Maria
comment one time when they were in high school, "you and Max- you've got that
whole...look into my eyes-soulmate thing."
"In that case..." Liz replied, smiling. She began undoing his bowtie and
tuxedo shirt. "...let's get you out of those clothes, Daddy...we're having a
baby." She then knew that she had no fear, no regrets, no pain was too great-
this perfect man was here, was hers, and nothing else mattered...
* * * * *
"How's my precious little grandbaby doing?" Diane Evans said, smiling.
She was bouncing Michaela on her knee while Adam-Michael sat in Isabel's lap
next to her, coloring in a coloring book she had bought for him. Mr. and Mrs.
Evans had joyfully accepted Adam-Michael into their lives with open arms, and
he seemed to accept them just as easily as he had Max, Liz, Maria, Michael,
Isabel, and Alex.
"Grammy, see what I made for you?" Adam said, holding up a finished page
in the book for Diane to see.
"Oh, Adam, it's beautiful! That's for me?" She replied, smiling. It was a
picture of a woman pushing a baby in a baby carriage.
"Yes, it's for you. It's Mommy pushing Jordana in the baby stroller."
Adam said, smiling.
"Well Adam, she's just beautiful. You did a wonderful job on the brown
hair." Diane replied, putting her gentle hand on her grandson's jet black
hair. She couldn't get over how much he looked like Max at his age.
Adam nodded proudly. "Long brown hair, just like my Mommy's." Adam hadn't
called Liz "Lizzie" since the day Tess had died. He kept a picture of he and
his mom next to his bed in a gold frame, but he rarely talked about her. As
far as he was concerned, his mother was gone, and Liz was his Mommy now.
Diane was saddened to hear that Tess had died in a car accident (that's what
they told everyone back home) but relieved that Adam-Michael had come into
their lives before that happened, and that Liz Parker, who Diane had always
loved and respected for making her son so happy, had adopted Adam-Michael
into her heart just like he was her own son.
Isabel smiled, holding her baby's tiny hand as Diane bounced her on her
knee. She looked over to her mom with concern. "Mom, it's getting kind of
late...shouldn't Max and Michael be out here by now?"
Diane looked at her watch. "Yeah...I hope everything's alright..." She
said, turning her head back towards the house. "Maybe they need our help with
something..."
Isabel then felt a surge of pain rock through her body. "Oh, God..." She
moaned. Diane looked over at her daughter with alarm.
"Honey! What's the matter?" Diane asked, putting her arm around Isabel.
"You need some medicine? I can go inside the house and grab you some..."
"No, Mom...it's not that...I just have this strange feeling...like
something's wrong..." Isabel said, holding her head in her hands in pain. Max
was in pain. She could feel it, he was connecting with her. What was going
on? Adam-Michael looked up at her with delight.
"Jordana's coming!" He cried, climbing quickly out of Isabel's lap and
running towards the house.
"What?" Diane cried. "That can't be! What is he talking about, Izzy?"
"Oh, it's nothing...you know how weird 4-year-olds can be...I'll go check
on them...can you watch Michaela for me?" Isabel said, looking at her Mom
with concern.
"Of course dear. I hope everything's alright. Please come out and get me
if something is wrong, ok?" Diane asked.
"Of course, Mom." Isabel said, kissing Diane on the cheek and looking
through the crowd, trying to find Alex. She found him over by the refreshment
table set up in the back of the yard. "Alex!" She cried out to him.
"What? What's up? Are they finally ready to start?" Alex asked her.
"No, I think something's wrong with Liz..." Isabel said, frantically.
"WHAT?" Alex cried. He grabbed Isabel's hand as they walked quickly back
towards the house.
They ran right into Maria and Michael.
"Michael- thank God, what's going on with Liz and Max? I felt this really
sharp pain, then Adam went running towards the house..." Isabel said.
"That's cause Liz is in labor." Michael said casually.
"WHAT?" Isabel and Alex cried at the same time.
Maria and Michael walked out towards the crowd as Isabel and Alex ran
back into the house to be with Liz and Max.
"Excuse me, everyone, can I have your attention please?" Maria asked,
standing on the makeshift altar in front of the rows of chairs. The minister
looked at her with confusion. The buzzing noise of voices slowly creeped down
to silence as she continued. "Um, there isn't going to be a wedding today..."
A chorus of "WHATS?" and "Oh Nos!" floated through the crowd until Maria
explained. "There isn't going to be a wedding, because there's going to be a
birth instead...Liz has gone into labor."
Gasps floated through the crowd. Nancy and Jeff stood up from the front
row and ran towards Maria.
"Where is she?" Jeff asked.
"Have you taken her to the hospital?" Nancy asked, frantically.
"No, Liz's contractions are too close together. There isn't any time..."
Maria said. *And we don't know if the baby's going to come out green and
slimy...* She added in her mind.
"That's ridiculous! We'll call an ambulance right now! She'll be at the
hospital in five minutes!" Jeff cried.
"NO!" Michael screamed at them. Jeff looked at him with anger and hatred.
He wasn't going to have his niece prodded by doctors at the hospital.
"What did you say to me?"Jeff asked.
"I said No. Max and Liz want to have the baby at home. They're having it
here. There will be no ambulances called, we have everything under control."
Michael replied calmly.
"UNDER CONTROL?" Nancy cried. "You all are just a bunch of kids, you
don't know anything about having babies..."
"Michael and I don't. But Max's sister, Isabel Whitman does. And so does
her husband, Alex. They just had a baby girl at home a few months ago. With
no help. They were by themselves." Maria said calmly.
"And they're up there with Lizzie now?" Jeff asked.
"Yes." Michael said.
"We know you're worried, but everything's going to be fine." Maria said,
putting her hand on Nancy's shoulder. Nancy hugged Maria tightly in fear.
"Well Jeff and I are staying here. We won't get in your way, just promise
us that you'll let us know if something's wrong...and then we can take her to
the hospital?" Nancy said, looking up into Maria's eyes.
"Of course, Mr. and Mrs. Parker." Michael said. Maria linked her arm with
Nancy's as she and Michael led them into the house. Michael walked over to
Diane and Phillip Evans and led them inside the house, taking baby Michaela,
who was named after him, into his arms.
"I'll gather up some blankets...some washcloths...you're going to need
some ice for Liz, and a small tub or something to wash the baby in after
she's born..." Diane began, rummaging through the downstairs of her house in
frantic search of the necessary items. She began piling them into Michael's
arms.
"Yeah...we're going to need some scissors, too...to cut
the...the..thing..." Michael said, trying to remember the name.
"The umblical cord? Yeah. You'll need scissors. And something to suction
the baby's nose and mouth...I'll see what I can find around here." Diane said
as she and Michael walked back into the kitchen to find the rest of the
items. Phillip was playing with his granddaughter, flying her around like a
superhero.
"And here comes 'SUPERBABY'!" Phillip said, making Michaela giggle with
glee. Her face then began to quiver and she began screaming hysterically.
"Oh, that's a hungry cry, Phillip..." Diane said, smiling.
"Well, did Isabel leave anything for her...?" Phillip asked, looking
through Michaela's diaper bag on the table.
"She said there was a bottle of breast milk in the fridge. Just put it in
the microwave and heat it up for like 20 seconds...you can give her that."
Diane said. Phillip walked over to the fridge, grabbing the bottle and
putting it in the microwave. He bounced Michaela in his arms, but she
wouldn't stop crying.
Michael looked over at him. "Can I take her?" He reached out his arms.
"Sure, Michael. Give it a shot." Phillip said, smiling and handing the
screaming baby to him. She was immediately calmed by Michael's soothing
touch. For the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Evans actually saw their children's
mysterious friend smile.
"Wow..." Diane said. "You're a natural!"
Michael nodded, in awe of this precious thing nestled in his arms.
He knew then what he was ready for... what he had wanted all along.
* * * * *
"Push, Liz, you have to push!" Isabel cried, throwing instructions to Liz
as Maria and Max pushed against her feet. Michael, Alex, and Adam were near
Liz's head, holding her hands and feeding her ice chips. Adam held a cool
washcloth and dabbed it on Liz's forehead every few moments, pushing her
sweat-covered hair back from her face.
"I can't..." Liz moaned. She'd been pushing for over an hour. Maybe
Jordana decided she didn't want to come out today after all. "I can't do it
anymore..." She closed her eyes and a vision rocked through her mind...
***The same one she had of she, Max, and Jordana at the beach.
Max and Jordana playing in the sand.
Liz watching from a safe distance, fixing her family's lunch.
Max and Jordana pleading to play for a little while longer.
Tess grabbing Jordana out of Max's arms and running with her into the
ocean.
Jordana screaming and crying.
"Mommy! Daddy! Help me!" Jordana squealed, as Tess disappeared with her,
further into the dark, lifeless ocean.***
Liz was brought out of her mind by a screaming Max. "Liz...baby, Liz you
have to push. Look. Look at your stomach. The symbol's fading. It's getting
dark. You have to get her out of there, she's dying..."
Liz looked into Max's eyes with terror and exhaustion. "I'm just
so...tired, Max..."
Max put his hands on her abdomen as she pushed. "Push, Liz, push!" He
connected with her once again, feeling the absolute torture ripping through
her body. He fell over her in a great amount of pain, but kept the connection
open.
"That was good, Liz! That was awesome!" Isabel cried. "The baby's head is
crowning! One more good push and she's out of there, okay?"
"Hang on, Lizzie, you're doing so great!" Maria said, scared for her best
friend but so excited that her goddaughter was coming into the world.
Max and Liz looked into each other's eyes, knowing in the next few
minutes, their lives would be changed forever.
"Okay, Liz, I'm going to count to ten, alright? I want you to bare down
for me as hard as you can, and I think that will do it..." Isabel said,
motioning for Alex to hand her one of the towels set up by the head of the
bed.
"Okay..." Liz said, exhausted, as Adam put the washcloth back down on her
forehead.
"Mommy, you can do it." Adam-Michael said. Liz smiled at him.
"Thanks, kiddo." She said, breathlessly. She looked up at Max as Isabel,
Alex, Maria, and Michael began to count.
"One...two...three..."
Max put his hands on Liz's belly and got another flash.
*The first time he ever saw Liz. They were seven. He was getting off the
school bus for the first time and Liz smiled at him as she played with some
of her friends.
Liz in biology class, the sun streaming in from the windows, her looking
so beautiful as she took notes from the chalkboard.
The day at the CrashDown when she was shot.
Their first kiss.
Melting into each other.*
"Four...five...six..."
*Spending the night in the desert, finding the orb that would eventually
tell him his destiny with Tess.
The mind-numbing pain they both felt when Liz let him go.
All the times he saw her in the hallways of school, wanting to hold her,
touch her, kiss her...
Graduation. The night they made love at the rock formation.*
"Seven...eight...nine..."
*Their happy memories in college.
Their lazy afternoons.
The night he asked her to marry him.
Moving in together, Tess and Adam-Michael coming back into their lives.
The night she almost died.
The night Tess took her from him.
Max vowing never to let Tess get near them again.
Liz vowing to take care of Adam-Michael after Tess died.*
"Ten!" They all cried as Liz, with help from Max, pushed down for the
last moment when the baby was free of her body.
A breathless moment passed before Jordana began squealing.
"Oh my God!" Isabel cried, smiling. Tears streamed from Isabel and
Maria's face. "She's got ten fingers, ten toes, she's beautiful! She's
perfect!" Isabel wrapped her up in a towel, suctioned the fluid out of her
mouth and nose, and put her onto Liz's stomach.
Liz and Max looked at each other blissfully. They kissed.
"We did it!" Max cried. "We did it!"
"Hi, baby..." Liz cooed, kissing her head. "I love you so much,
Jordana... we're so glad you're finally here."
"Hi Jordana." Adam-Michael said, kissing her forehead. "I'm your big
brother."
Max smiled, tears streaming down her face. "You are so beautiful..." Max
said. "I love you, sweetheart..." He leaned down and kissed her tiny forehead
as she began to stop crying.
"Hey, big Daddy- you want to cut the cord?" Isabel asked Max, handing him
the scissors.
"Of course." Max said, smiling, cutting the cord as Jordana was finally
free from Liz's body. Liz felt an immediate disconnection- not a sad one, but
one that made her baby so much more real.
As Isabel and a hysterical Maria took the baby to clean her up in the
sink, Alex wrapped his arms around Liz and kissed her cheek.
"Great job, Mama." Alex said.
"Thanks, Alex. Thanks so much for being there." Liz said.
Michael stood in the corner, smiling. Max walked over to him as Adam
climbed into Liz's arms and closing his eyes.
"That's one lucky baby." Michael said. "Thanks for letting me be here,
you know..." He hated these emotional moments.
"Michael...you're my brother, man...if you weren't here, it wouldn't have
been right..." Max said.
"I know, it's just..."
"Just what?" Max asked.
"Seeing a baby come into the world like that... it really got to me..."
"What do you mean?" Max asked, intrigued.
"I think...I think it's time...Maria and I got..."
Max smiled, hugging him. "I think I know what you mean." Max walked back
over to Liz and Adam and cuddled with them on his bed.
"So Adam, what did you think about all that, huh, son?" Max asked his
tiny son.
"It was great, Daddy...scary, but good. I'm glad Mommy and Jordana are
okay now." Adam said. Liz smiled through her closed eyes. She definitely
deserved a catnap.
Max leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I love you so much. Thank you
for giving me a beautiful baby."
Liz opened her eyes and kissed him. "Thank you."
Just then, Nancy, Jeff, Diane, and Phillip burst in, with Michaela in
tow. Alex grabbed his baby out of their arms and smiled.
"Let's go meet your cousin, Mimi!" Alex said, smiling and walking into
the bathroom to see how Maria and Isabel were coming with the baby
preparations.
"Lizzie! Baby!" Nancy cried, flinging herself into her daughter's tired
arms.
"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad." Liz said, exhausted.
"We heard a baby squealing...is she alright?" Jeff asked Max.
"Jordana is fine...she's beautiful, perfect- ten fingers, ten toes- a
head full of dark brown hair." Max said, beaming. Jeff hugged his soon-to-be
son-in-law tightly.
"Thank you, Max. Thank you for taking such good care of Lizzie." Jeff
said, tears forming in his eyes. He walked over to his daughter and kissed
her head "Are you okay, pumpkin?"
"I'm fine, I'm just tired..." Liz said, yawning.
Nancy smiled. "That's understandable."
Diane and Phillip hugged their son, then walked over to greet Liz.
"We're so proud of you kids...for doing this on your own..." Diane said,
smiling.
"Yeah, it seems so much more special with everyone here, doesn't it?"
Phillip asked.
Max and Liz looked at each other, sending each other a message
telepathically. "It was the most special thing that has ever happened to us."
"Grandpa!" Adam said, running into Phillip's arms as he scooped him up.
"Hey, kiddo!" Phillip said, tickling his grandson. "How do you feel?
You're a big brother now! Lots of responsibility!
"I love Jordana, I only want to be her big brother, no one else's..."
Adam-Michael said, smiling. "We're going to go to the beach, and play in the
water, and make sandcastles, and color together, and ride bikes together, and
fly kites..."
Everyone in the room smiled at Adam's excitedness.
The room got silent when Isabel, Maria, and Alex walked back into the
room. Maria was holding the now-clean baby in a pink blanket. Her eyes
streamed with tears at the excitement of holding her goddaughter. "Here she
is, everyone..." The grandparents gasped at the child's beauty.
"She looks just like Lizzie did when she was born..." Nancy commented as
Jeff put his arm around his wife, tears falling from both their eyes.
Maria placed the baby carefully in her best friend's arms as Liz was held
in Max's arms. Michael's heart swelled with love as he saw how natural Maria
seemed with the baby. She walked over to him and he put his arms around her,
kissing her cheek.
"Mom, Dad..." Max said, smiling.
"Mom, Dad..." Liz said, smiling.
Max continued. "May we present to you...Jordana Isabel Parker Evans."
Isabel squealed with delight to hear her own name as the baby's middle
name. "Max, Liz..." She said, her eyes filling with fresh tears. She leaned
the side of her face against her own daughter's sweet-smelling hair.
Liz looked up at Isabel. "You helped bring her into the world...and you
are her aunt...it seemed natural..."
"Isabel is a form of Elizabeth, too...so..." Max added.
"It's perfect!" Nancy said, smiling.
"I love you guys." Isabel said, kissing Liz's head, Max's head, and the
baby's soft head.
Diane and Phillip looked at each other in pride. Their children had grown
into such wonderful adults. They were so proud.
"Oh my gosh!" Maria cried. "You guys... you need to get married!"
"Maria, we can get married another day..." Liz began, yawning. "I'm a
little tired right now..."
Max looked down at her smiling. He kissed her head. "No, you can be my
wife right now."
"What?" Liz asked, confused. Max looked to his father, who was a federal
court judge.
Phillip smiled. "You want ME to marry you guys?"
"Yeah. Can you do it?" Max asked him.
"Well...it will be legal, cause I'm a judge..."
"And we have our marriage liscense already!" Liz added.
Phillip nodded. "Okay, let's get married!"
Max and Liz looked at each other, smiles spread across their face.
Jordana opened her eyes and looked up at her Mom and Dad.
"Jordana approves, let's do it!" Max said. Everyone in the room laughed.
"Okay, Max...do you take Liz to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and
to hold, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in
want, as long as you both shall live?"
Max looked deep into Liz's eyes. "I'll love you forever. I do."
Liz's eyes began filling with tears. Phillip continued.
"Okay, Liz, do you take Max to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have
and to hold, in joy and in sorrow, in sickness and in health, in plenty and
in want, as long as you both shall live?"
Liz looked into Max's eyes. "I'll love you in heaven. So I do."
"Okay then, by the power vested in me by the State of New Mexico, I now
pronounce you husband and wife." Phillip smiled. "Kiss your bride, son."
Max and Liz kissed and claps and cheers surrounded them.
"Jordana...you hear that?" Adam said, whispering into his baby sister's
tiny ear. "Mommy and Daddy just got married!"
Everyone laughed.
Michael grabbed Maria's hand and led her out into the hallway.
"Michael, what are you doing?" Maria asked him.
"I'm tired of playing games, Maria..."
"Games?" Maria was confused.
"Life's too short...I love you and you love me, so let's just do it,
okay?"
Maria's heart stopped as she saw the man of her dreams kneeling down in
front of her.
"Maria Amelia DeLuca...will you marry me?" Michael asked.
She squealed, flinging herself into his arms.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" She screamed. She showered his face witha
million kisses and Michael spinned her around in the air.
* * * * *
Later that night....
Max and Liz had fallen asleep together in Max's old bed, with Jordana
fast asleep in Michaela's portable crib. Adam-Michael was next to the bed and
the crib, on a cot his Grandmother had found in the garage and fixed it up
for him to sleep on.
Max woke up, cradling an exhausted but content Liz in his arms. He pulled
her close to him, removing a single strand of hair that was pasted to her
forehead from the evening's revels. "I forgot...to tell you...I love you..."
He began to slowly sing in her ear, more like whisper in her ear, with the
slightest hint of a tune. He didn't want to wake their children.
*Their children.*
That had such a nice ring to it.
"...a night's too long, and cold here without you...I grieve in my
condition...for I cannot find the words to say I need you so..." He sang to
her, rubbing her arms and hands, bringing one of her hands up to his mouth to
kiss it. She moved around in his arms, opening her eyes up to him.
"I never knew my husband had such a beautiful voice..." Liz began,
turning her body around so their chests were touching.
"I never knew I could love my wife more than I already did...but I keep
falling in love with you....everytime I look at you...you amaze me..." Max
said.
Liz's eyes filled with tears. "I think that's the most beautiful thing
you've ever said to me."
They kissed and held each other through the night as their son and
daughter slept peacefully beside them. And their lives were filled with
nothing but endless streams of these perfect moments... because they were
soulmates...and their love was a perfect one which would last through all
eternity.
~*The End*~