| PART SEVEN Scene: Alex is driving and Ava is nervously fiddling with her piercings. Michael and Liz are still curled up in the backseat. Each are awake, although both have their eyes closed. Michael is leaning his head on Liz’s while she absently strokes his forearm. “New York City, straight ahead,” Alex announced from the front seat. My eyes popped open and I looked out the window at the rising sun and the increasing traffic. I sighed and leaned my head back on Michael. He squeezed me a little in reassurance. “So Ava, where to?” Alex said. “Straight to the city. We’ll leave the car at the Y.” She gave a quiet laugh. “Ain’t no place to park where we’re going.” Then she turned to look out the window. “Where do you live?” Alex replied. When she didn’t reply, Alex turned to her. “Ava?” he asked. Still looking out the window, she hesitated a moment more and said, “We live below the city.” Alex and I exchanged concerned looks in the rear view mirror, but didn’t press the issue any further. She seemed very uncomfortable talking about it. When we reached the city, Ava directed us to the local YMCA where we could leave the car. As we left it, she changed the license plate to a New York tag so it would be less conspicuous. We walked in silence, Ava leading, then Michael, and Alex and I bringing in the rear. We Roswellians kept looking around in wonder, taking in the scenery. I caught a glimpse of Central Park and wanted nothing more than to go check it out. But we followed Ava, who was weaving in and out of the crowd. She disappeared from sight suddenly and Michael sped up, tossing a quick “Hurry up” over his shoulder to Alex and me. We caught up to her as she reached a subway entrance. She glanced over her shoulder then to make sure we were behind her. Once below the city, she mind warped to hide us from the crowd and took us past the subway tracks. It was like being in the empty basement of some huge building. There were cement columns and tunnels leading everywhere. I guess we were in some kind of abandoned sewer-subway area. “It’s just ahead,” she said, slowing up some. She suddenly got very tense and looked down at her clothes, a skirt, top, and jacket I’d let her borrow. She waved her hand over her clothes and suddenly the skirt was much shorter and the shirt became a severe midriff. I guess my clothes weren’t punk enough for her. When we got to the corner she slowed until she was almost completely still and took a deep breath before rounding the corner. The rest of us were right behind her. Michael bumped into her and I had to stop short just so I wouldn’t hit him. “What’s going on?” Alex asked, as he and I stepped to Michael’s side to see what had stopped Ava. The room was a mess. The pods were in the corner, still hanging on the wall. There wasn’t much there. Clothes piled everywhere and a couple couches. Oh, God … Max and Tess were on one of the couches. Lying flush against each other, curved in each other’s bodies. There was a blanket over what could only be their naked bodies. I couldn’t breath. Tess stirred then. She nudged her head gently against Max and smiled before opening her eyes. She looked over at us and her eyes grew huge. Speechless, she nudged Max until he woke, her eyes still looking directly at me. No one had moved or spoken. Max’s eyes opened slowly and he looked at Tess, smiling but confused as to why she would wake him up. He followed her gaze and his eyes locked on us newcomers. “What … what are you doing here?” he asked, sitting up slightly and pulling the covers closer around he and Tess. Michael and I looked at each other and he took the lead. “We didn’t know how to reach you,” Michael said, obviously uncomfortable. “We have to talk. It’s important,” he finished. Max nodded slightly, his eyes turning to me. I looked down and away. “You should get dressed,” I whispered. Then I turned and rounded the corner. I kept walking, trying to get away. “Liz!” I heard Michael call. I stopped reluctantly and turned around. Alex, Ava, and Michael had followed me and were looking worriedly at me. God, I didn’t need this. “I’m …” I started, then stopped to regain my composure. “I’m going for a walk.” Then I turned away from their staring eyes and started walking again. Hurried footsteps caught up to me and Michael put a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. “Running away isn’t going to make anything better,” he whispered. I let out a low, sarcastic laugh and shook my head slowly. This coming from the guy who always runs from his problems. Michael stepped around me so he was facing me. I know he wanted me to look up, but I couldn’t stand to look in his face. He thought he knew why I wanted to leave, but he was wrong. “I’ll be fine,” I said harshly. I tried to step around him then, but he followed my movements so he was still in the way. “Michael, let me go,” I snapped, still not looking at his face. “I’m not letting you go out into a strange city. I know you’re upset, but it’s not happening. It won’t do any good to run away,” he said. I looked at him then, fury in my eyes. “I can take care of myself and it won’t do us any good for me to be here. You have to tell Max what we know and me being there will only be a distraction. So get out of my way and let me go!” My voice rose with each angry word and my fists clenched at my sides. Power was coursing through my body and I suddenly understood how hard it must be for the hybrids to control their powers when they got angry. Michael’s face was angry and his eyes dropped to the ground, signaling his reluctant defeat. I stepped around him and headed back the way we came, trying to calm down. He didn’t try to stop me again. When I got to the street, I slipped into the crowd and kept their pace. When I got to the edge of Central Park, I waited until traffic stopped and crossed the street. Most of the trees were already bare from the winter and the grass wasn’t quite as green as I’d hoped. But it was still beautiful. After walking a bit, I found a bench and sat down. My mind was swimming with so many thoughts I could hardly handle it. Max and Tess were obviously together. Destiny had won out. I didn’t have to worry about her leaving. I’d done what Future Max had wanted. I felt strange. I wasn’t hurt the way Max had been when he saw Kyle and I together. It’s horrible, but I was actually relieved. He’s not stuck on me. I’d been so worried that he would go through life pining for me. I was so worried he’d be lonely and that he’d never move on. And then I’d feel horrible for moving on. That’s exactly what I told Tess weeks ago during the Future Max fiasco when I went to her and insisted on helping her get Max. I laughed a little at the irony. I was so absorbed in my thoughts, I hardly noticed when Alex sat next to me. We sat in silence, looking at the kids playing on the giant Alice in Wonderland sculptures. After a few minutes, I finally spoke. “Did Michael send you?” “Yeah. Although I was planning on coming anyway.” I nodded, my eyes still straight ahead. “I’m okay with it Alex.” I saw him turn towards me but I kept my eyes forward. “Are you? Or are you just trying to save face?” I looked at him then. He was so worried. I remembered what had happened when Isabel had wanted to date Greg Sorenson and how similar the situations were. I smiled a little reassuring smile. “I’m serious Alex. Part of me has always known he and Tess should be together. I knew it when I saw them kiss last year. I just … tried to deny it.” I turned back to watch the kids then. Alex didn’t say anything but scooted closer and put his hand in mine. “And I knew he was denying it,” I continued. “I’m his first love and he was afraid for that to end. I felt the same way.” I looked back to him. “But Alex, I really am okay with Max and Tess being together. I’ve been getting over him for a while now. It’s part of the reason I pushed him away so much when I got back.” I shifted my body so I was completely facing him and got more emotional, trying to explain myself. “Alex, I want to move on. And I want him to move on.” Alex smiled a sad little smile and said, “He has.” I smiled back. “I know. And I’m happy for him.” Alex put his arm around me and I leaned into him. We sat silently for about ten minutes. “You think Michael is done telling them yet?” Alex asked. I smiled wryly. “I bet he and Max are down there yelling at each other.” “He’s probably yelling at Max to defend your honor,” he chuckled. I laughed a little and looked at Alex. “You think so?” Alex nodded. “I never thought the day would come that Michael would defend me. Just a year ago he completely resented me,” I replied. Alex nodded slowly. “Liz, I’m gonna say something. And don’t get angry, ok?” I nodded, wondering what this was about. “I’m, uh … I’m pretty sure Michael has a thing for you.” He looked at me closely, gauging my reaction. I couldn’t stop the smile that came to my lips. “You think so?” He smiled knowingly and replied, “Glad to see you don’t mind. I had a hunch you were falling for him.” “You did, did you?” I said, looking at him with playful suspicion. “Why of course, my dear. I am the all-knowing Alex Charles Whitman,” he said with a playful cockiness in his voice and a raised eyebrow. I laughed out loud. Then a cold wind blew from the side and I shivered, pulling the front of my jacket closed. “Come on, let’s go back,” Alex said, standing and holding out his hand. I smiled and took his hand. We walked casually through the park, heading back to the subway entrance. It was comfortable and I basked in the sudden glow I had. “So Alex, what makes you think Michael likes me?” I had to ask. He grinned and put his arm around my shoulder as we walked. “You should see how he looks at you. It’s not obvious, but …” “You are the all-knowing Alex Charles Whitman,” I cut in with a mocking look of awe. “Don’t you forget it,” he replied with a grin. “But really, Liz. He’s been different lately. The way he is with you, it’s just … different. I can see his respect and concern for you.” I nod, a little dejected. That’s because I saved the world. “Plus it’s pretty obvious he’s attracted to you,” Alex added. “Really?” I asked with a grin. “I noticed when you guys were wrapped up in each other in the backseat.” I blushed deeply and he grinned even more. We reached the busy streets then and joined the crowd. It had thinned out some, since most people were in work now, but it was still pretty busy. Alex removed his arm from my shoulders and held my hand so we wouldn’t get separated. “Oh look! There’s Lonnie and Rath talking to some kid,” Alex said, pointing. I looked over. “That’s no kid, Alex,” I said fear running through my body. “That’s Nicholas.” |