MIRRORS

Written By: Kal-El and LeeryAndPotter(yes, that's right...we're the same person. Just call me 'Peter', okay?)

Disclaimer: Max, Liz, Michael, Maria, Kyle, and Isabel belong to Jason Katmis and UPN. Dawson, Joey, Pacey, and all the rest belong to Kevin Williamson and the WB. I don't own either of them, so don't sue me.

Classification: M/L and D/J, maybe I'll throw a bit of Jen/Drue and Michael/Maria in too.

Rating: PG-13, if you can watch the show(s), you can read this

Spoilers: It takes place after both season finales(Departure and Coda). That's all I'm saying for now.

Editors Note: I'd like to thank Frances for helping me out with this story, and for introducing me to Roswel in the first place. I've only seen about 8 and a half episodes of it, so she's helping me with all the small details I may not know. On the other hand, I have almost every single DC ep on tape, so any mistakes on that end are mearly because of my own forgetfullness.

At the Crashdown café, Max Evens is looking through a 'National Geographic' magazine.

"Michael, look at this" he hands the book over to Michael.

"Scientists report that this rock is made of a metal 'not of this earth'" he reads. "Yet, carvings of the meteorite appear to not be natural occurrences. Perhaps alien in origin, but still, skeptics believe it to be elaborate hoax."

Michael puts the book down.

"What is this?"

"If it's true, it may help us." Max tells him. "It might be able to help us get to Antar."

"I know, I know" he says. "The whole 'rescue operation'. Or maybe it is just an elaborate hoax? You ever think of that, Maxwell?"

"Still, better safe than sorry." Max replies, then looks elsewhere.

He sees Liz walking into to room in uniform. She smiles at a few customers, but doesn't notice Max looking at her.

Max turns to face Michael, a pained look in his eyes.

"We have to find a way to get to Antar" he tells him. "Once we're there, we find Tess, rescue the child...and then...

"What?" Michael asks him.

"...and then I'm going to kill her." Max finishes. Causing Michael to have a surprised expression.

"Ok, hold it, think about this for a moment." Michael tells him.

"I have." He replies. "She killed Alex, and she was going to turn us in to K'var. She made me look like an idiot."

"No" Michael begins "You made you look like an idiot, she just helped along. You know what happened to Alex after two months, no way you would still be alive if she had been mind warping you for a year."

"She still has to pay." He says, and looks back at the magazine. "And odds are that if Nasedo or the skins are still alive, they'll be after this thing too. I've got to go to LA."

"Great" Michael replies. "I'll tell the others, we'll pack our bags and..."

"No" he orders. "I'm going alone."

"What?" he asks. "No way, look, at least bring Liz along. We owe her..."

"If there is any danger, I'm not going to risk her life." He informs him. "If I go alone, there's less danger of being discovered."

"I don't know..." Michael starts.

"No arguments." He orders. "I'll be back in a week."

*****

Nightfall, at the Parker's house.

Liz is sleeping peacefully when she hears a nock at her window. She gets up and goes over to see Max standing outside.

"Let me guess?" she asks him. "You saw the meteor?"

She opens the window and lets him in. Max nods his head 'yes'.

"I'm probably not the only one, either" he tells her. "I'm going to head to LA. See whether it's a hoax or not."

"Good idea." She tells him. "Just let me pack my bags and..."

"No" Max says, suddenly. "I'm going alone."

Liz does a double take.

"What?"

"I'm not going to put you in any risk" he informs her.

"Then take Michael, or Isabel" she says. "At least some one to help..."

"I have to do this." He replies. "I made this mess, and now I'm the one who has to fix it."

"It's more than that, isn't it?" she insists. "Come on, Max...talk to me? You can trust me."

Max thinks for a moment, then walks up to her.

"There's something that's been bugging me for a few weeks" he admits to her. "Could you answer one question for me, Liz?"

"What?" she asks.

"Why did you want me to think you slept with Kyle?" he asks her.

Liz just freezes.

"I...I can't tell you." She answers, and turns her back towards him.

"Why not?" he asks her. "It's just a simple question. Why did you want me to think that something that didn't really happen happened?"

"I promised him I wouldn't tell you." Liz says as she turns to face him.

"Who made you promise this?" he asks. "Was it Larek? Michael? Nasedo? Is he still alive?"

Max looks her in the eyes.

"Was it Tess?" he asks, finally. "She's gone now. She can't hurt you anymore, I'll make sure of it."

"God Max..." Liz complains. "If I was afraid of Tess, you would probably be on Antar right now."

"The who...?" he asks.

Liz doesn't answer. A look of pain crosses Max's face.

"How can you expect me to trust you when you can't trust me?" he asks her, a pained expression evident in his voice. "You know how I feel about you, how can I just..."

Max sighs, and turns towards the window.

"I'm going to kill her." He says, his voice containing hardly any emotion now.

"What?" Liz asks.

"Tess" he continues. "I'm going to find my way to Antar, and then I'm going to kill her."

"Max, I have more reason to hate her than anyone, but..." she says. "You can't just..."

"I have to" he says, and then looks at her one last time. "Bye Liz."

"Bye" she answers, her voice almost a whisper.

*****

Max looks up at her window one last time before he walks off into the night.

"See you, Liz"

*****

"See you, Joey"

"Dawson!" his father yells "We've got to hurry, or you'll miss your flight."

Dawson Leery quickly turns away from his former bedroom window and heads towards the car. True, Joey wasn't actually up there, but that window was the spot he always associated with her.

He hops in the car, ready to go to the airport.

"Is something wrong?" Mitch asks him. "You seemed troubled."

"No Dad." He answers. "It's just the usual 'leaving' stress."

Mitch smiles.

"I know, I'll miss you too, Dawson." He says, and starts the car.

As the car begins to drive towards the airport, Dawson looks out the window, across the creek. He sees a small rowboat, with a single passenger.

He recognizes the passenger immediately. The long, brown hair, the jean-jacket, the posture.

Joey Potter. His best friend. His confidant. His soul mate. His love.

Dawson reaches up and touches his mouth, still feeling her kiss on his lips.

She looks his way and smiles at him. Him eyes give her a silent 'goodbye' and the car drives off.

*****

Dawson settles into his seat on the airline, thinking.

What did that kiss...correction...kissES mean? Does she...

Dawson smiles.

Is it possible. Well, looks like I'll have something to REALLY look foreword too on Christmas.

His eyes go wide.

Pacey is soooo going to kill me.

The answer: something neither one expected.