First, Do No Harm...

Author: Meredith (roswelldreamer@aol.com)
Category: M/L future fic- YIPPEEE!!! :)
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Roswell belongs to the WB.
Author's Note: Takes place fifteen years after "Destiny". Liz ran down that cliff and never came back. This story does have some UC couples in it (Maria/Kyle, Isabel/Michael, Tess/Alex) so be warned.
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He hadn't woken up in a sweat for at least ten years.

 He could still feel her tiny hands all over him, her voice whispering in his ear, her mouth encased with his own. He shuddered as he touched his hand to his heart. It was racing fervently in his chest- that couldn't be good. He growled as he looked over at the clock. The large red numbers glared back at him, mockingly laughing at him that it was 1:30 AM and he had to get his ass out of bed and go to work.

 He didn't mind it one bit, though. He loved his job. He'd been working in Seattle Memorial Hospital for almost three years. Only one more month of residency to go before he could practice pediatric medicine on his own. He ripped the damp sheets off his body and climbed out of bed, walking into the bathroom and yawning. He had ER rotation again tonight and cringed at the thought. It killed him to know that he could save every gunshot wound victim that came through the doors with the palm of his hand- but had to resign to regular medical methods in order to keep his secret.

 "Max, you are struggling, man." He said to himself as he caught a glimpse of his image in the bathroom mirror. His cheeks were sunken in and he had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. This graveyard shift was killing him. He had heard the expression "you've got to pay your dues" but this was ridiculous. He turned on the water in the shower and jumped inside the tub, relishing the feel of the warm water cascading down the crevices of his body. With every breath, he felt the memory of her surround him. Her eyes were haunting him, her lips begging him to remember her.

 He hadn't seen Liz Parker since that day she left him in the cave.

 No one had.

 Through the years, few people had heard from her. She'd talked to Maria long enough to let her know she was staying in Florida with her aunt for good. Her parents sold the Crashdown and moved out there soon afterwards without an explination to anyone. Max, Michael, Isabel, and Tess had fought hard against the evil aliens that had come to earth to destroy them and they had won. After high school, Max had gone to college to become a doctor. Isabel had tried to make it work with Alex for a while, but felt an undeniable pull towards Michael, and the two of them moved to New York City- she for modeling, he for art. Alex and Tess had gotten married and moved to California when they were 21, and Maria and Kyle were married with kids in Roswell. Kyle, naturally,  had followed in his father's footsteps and become the sheriff of the town when his father had retired.

 It had been so long since he'd even thought of Liz, or what they'd shared seemingly ages ago, though her virtual abandonment continued to sting his heart to this day.

 What was so different about this night? Why could he sense her all around him? Why could he almost hear her crying out to him, to help her?

 Something was wrong with her, that much he knew. But what?

 He turned off the shower and grabbed a towel from the rack, drying himself off with it. Once he was dressed in his scrubs, he grabbed his car keys and headed to work with an image of Liz in pain seared onto his brain.

 He felt like someone was squeezing his heart deep inside his chest. He forced himself to stop thinking of his lost love and to concentrate on driving. He didn't need to be wheeled into work on a stretcher.

 His shift was painfully slow. The ER was fairly quiet for a Friday night. A woman who was in labor had come in and was quickly shipped off to Obstetrics, and a man who had accidently sliced his finger open with a kitchen knife had come in and had been quickly sewn up and sent home. He was sitting at the main desk, helping the nurse file charts at the front when the doors to the emergency room swung open and a bruised, battered woman wearing sunglasses and covered in a sweatshirt and sweatpants slowly walked through them and made her way to the front desk. Max walked towards the waiting room as he grabbed another chart, not even noticing the woman who had walked in.

 "Oh, sweetie," The nurse said, gasping. "You need help- here, let me get you a chair..."

 "No-" The woman moaned. "I--I feel better--standing..."

 "You're shivering! Let me get you a blanket at least." The nurse said, running to a nearby blanket and grabbing a large white sheet from the warmer. The woman's teeth chattered as the nurse wrapped her in the warm blanket.

 "Thank--thank you." She managed to stutter out as the nurse returned to her post at the computer.

 "OK, now I need your name..." The nurse said. "What happened to you? Did someone hurt you?"

 "I--I--you need my n--name?" She stuttered.

 "Yes, your name. This is completely confidential, just for hospital records. What is your name, sweetie?" The nurse asked. The woman looked down at her feet and appeared to be thinking.

 "Elizabeth." She whispered. "Elizabeth Par--, I mean, Elizabeth Evans."

 "OK, Ms. Evans...take a seat right over there and a doctor will be with your shortly."

 "Th-thank you." She said quietly, pulling the blanket closer to her and walking towards a remote part of the waiting room where no one was sitting. She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head in them. She began to cry softly.

 Max walked back towards the front desk and grabbed a stack of charts. "OK, it looks like I've got someone else who needs stitches, right?"

 "Um, Dr. Evans, there's a woman here who needs to be seen immediately. She's sitting right over there-- I think someone has hurt her--very badly. She should be looked at right away." The nurse said with sad eyes.

 "OK, thanks Teri." Max said, taking the chart from her hands and walking over towards where the woman was sitting. He kneeled down in front of her and she gasped with recognition.

 "Hello, Ms. Evans...I'm Dr. Max Evans, why don't we go back to an exam room and we can talk about what happened to you?" He said, looking at the chart in his hands. The woman in the chair let out a quiet moan that sounded a lot like his names.

 "Oh, my God--Max!" She said. His ears perked up at the sound of the voice he hadn't heard in fifteen years--well at least, not in his dreams.

 He searched her bruised and battered face, pulling her sunglasses off and feeling his whole body turn to mush.

 "Liz!" He cried out.

* * * * *

"Oh my God!" Max screamed. If he wasn't already kneeling in front of her, he would have lost all feeling in his legs by now. Her face was frozen in a look of utter shock.

 "Liz- Liz what--what happened? Why are you...?" He dropped her chart on the floor with a loud clang and leaned towards her, putting his hands on either side of her face. His heart was being torn in a million different directions. "Liz, oh, Liz...God, I've missed you so much..." He threw his arms around her frail body, completely ignoring the fact that she was covered in bruises.

 "Ouch!" She cried. He pulled away from her and saw the tears shining in her eyes. "Max..." She put a hand to the side of his face as her bottom lip quivered. "Max...I can't believe you're here...I prayed--" She was forcing herself to smile through the pain. Her body was a wreck but her heart was elated to see the only man she ever truly loved, worshiped, burned for...

 "Shh..." He said, putting a finger to her lips to silence her. "We can sort out everything later. Let's go to an exam room so I can help you." He instinctively laced his fingers in hers and gently pulled her off the chair to lead her back to the exam room. They were almost through the double doors when she stopped in her tracks. He looked back at her with concern.

 She flung her arms around him and crumbled. He cradled her in his arms as she buried her face into his neck, making it wet with her tears. He kissed the top of her head and ran his fingers through her hair, which was a little longer than it had been in high school.

 He was almost afraid to find out what had happened to her. He could feel the anger in him rising like a hot flame consuming every part of his body. "Liz." He whispered in her ear. "Who did this to you? Tell me." He said firmly, pulling her away from him and placing his hands gently on her shoulders. Liz took a deep breath and exhaled. She knew this conversation would have to come one day. She just hadn't anticipated it being today.

 "We should go somewhere private. There's a lot I need to tell you." She said, raising her left hand gently to the side of his face. It was then that he noticed the diamond ring on her finger.

* * * * *

 "You knew the assignment long ago, Simon. Don't try to back out of it now."

 "I hate him, I hate him, I do. But why did I have to do that to her? I think I'm falling in love with..." A blonde-haired, green-eyed man said. He was walking around his dark bedroom, staring onto the balcony of his apartment. He clutched the phone to his ear with contempt in his eyes.

 "Don't even say it, Simon! You're an alien. Aliens are not meant to be with humans! You were sent to this planet to destroy the Zebuarian race, not to fall in love with a....pathetic human." The voice on the other end reprimanded him.

 "She is not pathetic! Don't bring her into this!" Simon screamed into the phone.

 "You're letting your feelings for this...creature...get in the way of your duty. Kill them- kill them, kill their mates, kill their children...kill all of them. Kill them or *you* will suffer the consequences!" The man on the other end seemed to be enjoying the idea of murder and mayhem.

 "But...I just want to--" Simon tried to protest but was cut off by the phone. "..marry her." He pounded the receiver against his forehead and screamed with frustration, knocking over a nearby lamp. He got a flash as he cradled it in his hands. He remembered how he last used it and he began to feel sick. He ran to the bathroom and hovered over the toilet, wondering how in the hell he was going to explain this all to his girlfriend...

 ...if she was even still talking to him.

* * * * *

 "OK, tell me where it hurts, Liz." Max said, gently holding the back of her neck while she laid on the examination table. He pressed two fingers into the side of her ribcage.

 "OUCH! It's Elizabeth. I go by Elizabeth now." She managed to choke out through the pain. He hated that he was hurting her but he needed to know exactly where she'd been injured. He moved to the other side and pressed there, emitting the same response from her. "You can stop pushing all over me. I hurt all over. Is that good enough?" He pushed one more time in the center of her abdomen, right over her womb. "God, Max, I said stop it! Please!"

 Max gasped at her coldness. He took his hands off her body and grabbed her chart from a nearby table. He silently started writing notes on it and she turned her head slightly to face him. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I didn't mean to--I didn't mean to yell."

 "I understand, Liz--I mean, Elizabeth. You're in a lot of pain and it's serious." She tried to sit up in the bed but he quickly moved back towards her to push her body back into the bed. "Don't move, OK? I think you have a lot of internal bruising and maybe even some internal bleeding. We'll have to do an X-ray to make sure."

 Elizabeth nodded as the tears formed in her eyes. "I guess I have to tell you, what happened--since you're my, doctor and all..."

 Max grabbed her hand and kissed it. "As your doctor and as your...friend, I think it would be best for you to tell me. You don't have to tell me details, just general stuff. This guy needs to pay for what he did to you, Liz--I mean, Elizabeth."

 She smiled at him. "You're still trying to protect me after all these years? You don't have to protect me. I can take care of myself, Max."

 "I hate to be rude, Liz, but you didn't do such a good job of taking care of yourself tonight." She looked away from him as he tried to search her eyes for answers. "So...you going to tell me what happened?"

 "It's Elizabeth."

 "Quit dodging the question...you'll always be my Liz." Max said firmly.

 Liz couldn't help but smile at his comment. She would always be "his Liz". Oh God, if things could only be different... "It's kind of...a long story..." She uttered out as the tears began coming again.

 Max shook his head, taking her hand and holding it close to his chest. "Long stories later... tell me what happened to you tonight."

 Liz took a deep breath and cringed, the tears of disbelief falling again.

  "I was raped."

 Max's heart squeezed painfully in his chest. He reeled with disgust. "WHAT?" He screamed, finally finding his voice. "I'll kill him! I'll kill him!" He jumped up and walked around the room, his face red with anger and his fists clenched together by his sides. "Who did this to you?" He kneeled down beside her, taking her hand gently and kissing it. He was openly crying now.

 The look he gave her then was the saddest look she'd ever seen. Even sadder than the last time she'd ever seen him- the day she left him in the cave. She didn't want to tell him... she didn't want to break his heart again.

 "My...fiance'." She said quietly.

 Max gasped. "No." He shook his head. "Oh, God, Liz...let me help you, you have to get away from him! Why in the hell would he do this to you? Why would he want to hurt the most precious, beautiful, sacred creature on this planet?" He let the words fly out of his mouth, not comprehending what they meant.

 *Now she knows, great. Now she knows you've spent the last fifteen years obsessing over her. Nice one, Evans.* Max thought to himself, pressing her open palm to the side of his face and closing his eyes at its soft warmth. His mind reeled with images of Liz being brutally beaten and sexually attacked by her fiance'... the images made him hurt so bad that he cried out in pain. Liz looked at him with regret.

 "Max, he's never done this before...I don't know what got into him tonight..." She said, shaking her head from side to side and gently pulling her hand away from his cheek. "He's not a bad person, Max."

 "Like hell he isn't, Liz. What's his name? Are you going to press charges?"

 "No!" She cried, her eyes lit up with fear. "I mean, yes. I mean, no. I don't know!" She cried. "I'm confused, can we not talk about this right now Max?"

 "Oh, Liz," He said quietly, still not quite believing that his angel was lying in front of him, beat to all hell and not wanting to do anything about it. He felt his heart breaking again in his chest. "I should have been there. I should have been there to protect you."

 "Max, don't blame yourself. There's no way you could have possibly known what was happening to me! You didn't even know I lived in Seattle! I didn't even know YOU lived in Seattle! Oh, my God! Max!" Her stubborn mind finally wrapped itself around the concept- after all these years, fate had brought she and Max Evans together once more. She raised her hand to the side of his face, engaging him in a light, tender kiss. Max felt his legs give out under him and he placed both hands on the exam bed to support himself. He felt like he was floating. He hadn't kissed anyone in so long, let alone been kissed by the love of his life. She let out a small moan in the back of her throat as she deepened the kiss between them. Images raced in his mind of their whole life apart.

*Liz living in Florida, sunbathing with her aunt almost every day.*
 *Liz speaking at high school graduation where she was the valedictorian.*
 *Liz in college at Florida State, working intently on a chemistry lab.*
 *Liz hanging out with her sorority sisters at bars and at parties.*
 *Pulling out her journal and watching an old picture of she and Max fall out of it.*
 *Opening up the acceptance letter from Harvard Grad School.*
 *Working at a coffee shop and studying between breaks.*
 *Meeting a blonde-haired, blue-eyed man and dating him.*
 *The same blonde-haired man getting down on one knee and proposing to Liz.*
 *Moving to Seattle and going to the University of Washington.*
 *Smiling and kissing her fiance as he presents her with a gold name plate that read "Professor Elizabeth Parker-Brown."*
 *Then, the terrible events that took place that very night....*

 She pulled away suddenly, their eyes sealed with passion. He rested his forehead against hers and kept his eyes shut tight. He was afraid if he opened them, this would have been some really cruel dream.

 "Liz..." He whispered, his voice barely above a moan.

 "Max, we can't do this..." He softly captured her lips in his again. His lips traveled down to her neck, tenderly kissing every inch of battered skin there. "...Max, no... I'm with someone else..."

 Max pulled his lips away from her neck and looked at her, devastated. He turned away as the tears rolled down his face. He then turned to her, his face full of determination.

 "Tell me Liz. Tell me now. Tell me that you're not in love with me. Tell me you're not in love with me and after tonight, after we get you fixed up, you never have to speak to me again."

 Liz's bottom lip quivered and tears threatened to spill over on to her face. She looked at her hands and whispered.

 "I--I--can't!" She cried, beginning to sob. "I can't tell you that...because I would be lying... and we swore we'd never lie to each other...remember?"

 Max's heart felt whole again for the first time in fifteen years. He managed to smile through the flurry of sensations running through his body and brought his lips to her forehead. He took a deep breath and said what he'd thought about saying every day since the one and only time he saw his real mother.

 "I'm completely, hopelessly, unabashedly in love with you, Elizabeth Parker. No matter what you decide to do about him, that will never change." He said firmly, bringing her hand up to his lips and kissing it.

 "Oh, Max..." She whispered, kissing his forehead, then planting tiny, soft kisses all over his face, just like she had done the night they rescued him from Pierce. Max felt all the pain and longing from the last fifteen years melt away. It felt like yesterday when they were in that van- when they'd professed their love for each other.

 The time between then and now seemed to disappear into oblivion as she took his lips in hers once more, letting herself melt into his embrace. "Max, I love you, too...I love you so much." She breathed onto his face. "...Never stopped..." She managed to spurt out between loving kisses from him. She eased away from him carefully, burying her face in his neck and planting light kisses there as well, emitting a small moan of satisfaction from the doctor.

 "Max, wait... wait... I can't do this... not yet..." Liz said, her eyes shut tight, shaking her head back and forth.

 "Liz, don't say that-- don't ever say that." He pleaded with her.

 "I mean, I'm *engaged*, Max! Engaged!"

 "Engaged to a man who raped you! Doesn't that constitute a...clean break?" He asked in a hurt tone.

 "I think something got into him tonight-- he wasn't normal-- he's not really like that..."

 "You keep saying that...why? He claims to love you, but he beat you within an inch of your life--then raped you! That sure sounds like love to me!" Max said, standing up from her and moving across the room in frustration.

 "Max, it's not that simple." She said quietly. "I love him, yes, but you know I love you, too."

 "Do I?" He asked. She frowned.

 "Of course you know. You were always in my heart... but what makes you think it can work between us this time? What about your destiny? What about Tess?"

 "Liz! Stop it, will you? That was fifteen years ago! We defeated the evil aliens right after you left... they surrendered to us unconditionally... and as far as Tess goes,"

 "You can tell me the truth, Max. Are you still with her?" Liz asked, her voice quiet with fear and anticipation of his answer.

 Max had to laugh at that one. She sighed with relief. "We were never together, Liz! I haven't been with anyone since you left."

 "Oh, Max... that's not how I wanted your life to be... I wanted you to be happy, to fufill your destiny with Tess..." Liz said, sadness and regret coloring her voice.

 "You were my destiny, Liz. You always will be. We make our own destinies, remember?" He returned his hand to her face. "And as far as Tess goes, she and Alex started dating and now they're married with a daughter and a son."

 "What?" Liz asked, almost laughing. "*My* Alex... and Tess? Married with kids?"

 "I guess they were both feeling rejected." Max commented. "They have this mutual understanding that none of us can really grasp."

 "*Rejected?* Did Isabel marry Michael? Oh my God...Maria must have been devastated..." Liz said, turning her head to the side and feeling her heart break for her best friend.

 "Well, Maria was too busy with Kyle to notice." Max said, stifling a smile.

 "Maria and KYLE? What? I thought they hated each other!"

 "Liz, sweetie, we have enough time to catch up later. Right now, we need to concentrate on making you well."

 "Wow...Maria and Kyle..." Liz said looking off into space and smiling as Max laid her gently down on the exam table and kissed her forehead.

 "Now, if you decide to press charges...." He began, his voice turning serious once more. "We need to do this thing called a...a rape kit..."

 "Max, I don't know..." She said, her face looking uneasy at the idea of sending her fiance' to prison.

 "Liz, I promise, they won't hurt you. Another doctor will come in and examine you, collect the evidence they need...from you." He felt his face blush with embarrassment. "Someone else will come in and make sure nothing is going on, like the doctor isn't harassing you. I can leave and I'll come back when they're finished."

 "No!" Liz cried. "I mean, I want you to stay. I need you to hold my hand, Max. Stay with me...please?"

 He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Whatever you need." He said quietly. She looked up at him and smiled sweetly. "If you decide not to press charges, we can just get rid of the evidence."

 "OK. Sure, Max." She closed her eyes and tried to relax.

 "But, in the meantime..." He pulled up the sleeve of her hospital gown and placed his hand over the bruises on her arm. She felt a warm, gentle heat radiate off him and the bruises and the pain vanished.

 She smiled, looking up at him. "Thank you."

 "It's the least I can do. I couldn't be there to protect you, but I can take the pain away... at least the physical pain..." He said, moving his hand to the back of her hospital gown, relishing in the feel of her soft skin against his hand as he healed the large gash on her back. He noticed the fingerprint-shaped bruises on her wrists and ankles and cringed. Those would have to stay for evidence.

 "No, Max. You're wrong. You're taking away all my pain..." She said, her eyes fluttering closed, still not believing that he was standing above her, healing her for the second time in her life.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**I remember thinking
I'll go on forever only knowing
I'll see you again
But I know
The touch of you is so hard to remember
But like that touch I know no other
And for sure we have danced
In the risk of each other
Would like to dance
Around the world with me

I'll be falling all about my own thing
And I know your the heaviest weight
When your not here that's hung
Around my head

And your lips burn wild
Thrown from the face of a child
And in your eyes
The seeing of the greatest few
Do what you will, always
Walk where you like, your steps
Do as you please, I'll back you up*
-Dave Matthews

* * * * *

"Just one more step..." Max said, whispering into Liz's ear. "We're here," He added as he carried her up the final steps to his condo. "Keys?"

 She nodded, handing him the key ring in her hand without opening her eyes for fear that the beginnings of morning light would sting her tired eyes. They had just finished talking to a police detective and had filed sexual assault charges against her fiance. Now, she just wanted to sleep...to forget about the horrible things that happened the night before and remember that she was in Max Evans' arms again.

  Max managed to get the key in the door and bring Liz inside his home. She perked her head up as he carried her through the hallway into the main living area and up the stairs.

 "Ooh! Max, I love your place..." She said, tilting her head to get another look at his living room and kitchen before he carried her up to his room. He kissed her forehead and laid her carefully on his bed. He had to work hard to push all the thoughts out of his head that were screaming at him to come out - just by watching her lying on top of his sheets.

 "There will be time for the grand tour later. Now, we need to get you in bed to rest." He managed to choke out, letting the caretaker in him come out instead of the lover.

 "Yes, Doctor." She said, giggling, her internal fire and life that was extinguished by her ordeal began slowly but gradually rising within her once more. He smiled back at her, happy to see that she was starting to push down the wall she'd built up around herself. Max walked over to her, handing her a pair of his pajama pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt for her to wear.

 "Here, wear these. You'll be more comfortable. It may help you to get out of those clothes you've been in all night." Max said softly.

 "Thank you, Max. What would I do without you?" She said, softly kissing him on the cheek and yawning.

 Max sighed. "Let's not think about that anymore. It's in the past. Let's focus on the present... and in the present, you need to rest. Doctor's orders." He smiled. "You change and I'll go downstairs and get you some water."

 "OK, Max. That would be wonderful." She sighed, pulling the covers back on his bed and burying herself into his sheets and pillows. He took one last look at her before jogging down the stairs to the kitchen. He felt so alive, so happy- this was so... right. This was meant to happen, Max was sure of that.

 Liz changed into his clothes and pressed the hem of his Stanford University T-shirt up against her face, breathing in his scent and smiling. She was afraid to sleep, afraid that she'd fall asleep on his heavenly-smelling pillows and wake up alone again, it having all been some twisted dream. Max wasn't even gone for five minutes and by the time he came back, she was sound asleep with a smile on her face, her entire body wrapped tightly in his sheets.

 How many times he'd dreamed of this...dreamed of Liz Parker falling asleep in his bed. Now it was really happening, and he could hardly believe it. He walked towards his bed, placing the glass of water on the nightstand and kneeling next to the bed, watching her sleep for a while before giving her one last kiss on the forehead and walking into his guest room to fall asleep himself.

 Her strangled cry woke him out of a dead sleep around 9 AM.

 "No!" She screamed, sitting up in bed with a jolt, her arms wrapped tightly around a pillow, sweat streaming down her face. "No, Simon, don't! Max! Max!" She screamed. Max bolted up from his bed in the guest room and ran into Liz's bedroom. He climbed into the bed with her and gently wrapped his arms around her.

 "Liz...shh...Liz, I'm here...I'm here..." He smoothed her long brown hair that was pasted to her head with sweat.

 "Max, oh Max, you're here! It wasn't a dream!" She said, burying her face in his neck and wrapping her arms around him as tight as she could manage.

 "You had a nightmare, Liz?"

 "Max, Simon killed you in my dream! He took you away from me! It was so real, Max, I thought it was happening-- I thought I was losing you all over again! I can't lose you again, Max!"

 "Shh, shh, baby, you're not losing me. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here with you until you're better."Max said, pressing his face into her hair and kissing it. "Do you want me to get you anything?" He started to stand up from the bed but she grabbed his arm frantically.

 "No, Max...stay with me? Please?" Liz pleaded with him.

 Max sighed. "Of course." He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek. "I'll just sit here with you until you fall asleep."

 "No, Max..." She whispered. "That's not what I meant...I meant stay with me, hold me...I need to feel you...all around me." She wrapped her arms around herself. He looked at her with disbelief. She wanted him to hold her, sleep with her in his arms like they'd done in high school.

 He couldn't get her in his arms fast enough.

 Without a word, Max climbed into bed with Liz, pulling his body under the covers and lying with his stomach pressed up against her back, their hands resting together over her womb. He rested his face in the crook of her neck and breathed in the intoxicating scent of her. She could feel the breath escaping his nose, tickling her neck and she smiled, snuggling her body closer to his.

* * * * *

 Max woke up with Liz still tucked in his arms. He smiled to himself as he watched her chest rise and fall under his favorite old T-shirt. He couldn't help but wonder if it would be just as wonderful to wake up next to her every morning for the rest of their lives.

  Too much wishful thinking.

 Max gently and carefully pulled himself away from Liz's arms. She barely noticed. She hadn't moved all night and she was currently wearing a smile on her beautiful face while she slept. He wrapped her back up in the sheets and kissed her forehead. He took one last look at her before he grabbed the cordless phone in his room and walked downstairs so he wouldn't disturb her.

 He walked into the kitchen and scanned the phone list on his refridgerator. He found the number he needed and began dialing. The phone rang three times and he was tapping his foot with anticipation.

 "Heh-lo, Valenti Residence."

 Damn- not who he wanted to talk to.

 "Hey, Kyle...it's Max."

 "Evans-- long time, no speak man... save any lives today?" Kyle Valenti chuckled. Max smiled, catching the slight reference to the night he had saved Kyle's life when they were sophomores in high school.

 "Actually... one- my life..."

 "OK, I don't understand all the cryptic B.S. so why don't you get to the point?" Kyle said, looking over a stack of files spread out on the kitchen table. Maria breezed in the room then, a pad of paper and a pencil in her hand.

 "Something amazing has happened... I wanted Maria to know that--" Max was interrupted by noise on the other end of the phone. "--Kyle, is everything OK over there?" He chuckled, knowing Hurricane Maria had stormed into town.

 "Dammit, Kyle, how many times have I asked you to PLEASE not spread your work crap all over my kitchen table?" She cried, rolling her eyes and dropping her sketch pad on the counter. She reached into the fridge to look for a bottle of water and Kyle chuckled.

 "Babe- you've got a phone call. It's Evans...he says something *amazing* happened?" He handed her the phone and she looked at him with confusion.

 "Max?" She asked, holding the phone to her ear. "What's up? Is everything OK?"

 Max sighed. "Everything's *more* than, OK, Maria... this is the best day of my life."

 Maria squealed. "Are you getting married, Max?  Oh, I'm so happy you're finally moving on with your life-- I'm so proud of you!" She said, making kissing noises into the phone.

 "Maria, you should probably sit down..."

 "What? What's he saying?" Kyle asked as he stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her waist and his face pressed up next to the side of her head so he could listen in.

 "...He wants me to sit down..." Maria said, starting to move towards the chair.

 "I knew it, Evans! You're gay! I knew it all along! You're coming out of the closet! Good for you, man!" Kyle said, cheering. Maria smacked him on the arm and quieted him with a finger to her lips.

 "Did Kyle just say that I'm gay?" Max asked, laughing.

 "Don't mind him. He hasn't had his hourly feeding so he's a little antsy." Maria said, smirking at her husband. Kyle grabbed Maria's hand and kissed it, holding it between his own. "So, TELL ME! What happened?"

 Max took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Liz is here."

 "Liz!" Maria squeaked. "Oh, my God! Are you serious? Please tell me you're not kidding!"

 "What's the matter with Liz?" Kyle cried. "Is she OK?"

 "I'm not kidding, Maria...she spent the night here last night...she had kind of a...bad thing happen to her last night and she ended up in the ER where I work... " Max ran his hand through his hair nervously.

 "Max! Oh, Max! Let me talk to her!" Maria cried. "Oh, I missed her so much!" Maria's eyes flooded with tears.

 "She's sleeping... she had a... really rough night last night."

 "Max, you're such an animal! Attacking Liz as soon as you see her- shame, shame, shame on you, young man." Maria said, mocking him and smirking.

 "Maria, I didn't attack her... someone else did though." Max said with an angry tone.

 "What? Who hurt Lizzie? Is she all right?" Maria cried.

 "She's going to be fine." Max said quietly. "But...she was... Maria, she's engaged... she was beaten... and raped ... by her fiance' last night." The words were coming out fast and furious... although the words "engaged" and "raped" made his heart hurt.

 Maria was silent. "Oh, no... Oh, God, no... poor Liz... Oh, my poor Lizzie!" She cried, tears streaming down her face. Kyle looked at her with concern and she gave him a tight hug.

 "Darlin', what's wrong?" He breathed into her ear. "What happened to Liz?"

 "Her fiance'... the bastard raped her last night." Maria cried, disgusted.

 "What! Why? Her FIANCE'? She's engaged?" Kyle screamed, jumping up from his chair. He hadn't seen Liz in fifteen years but he still cared about her so much. "Poor Liz," He muttered to himself as he raised his hand to his forehead in disbelief.

 "Max, listen to me, OK? You tell Liz that we love her so much, and we're so sorry... Oh, Max, this is terrible..."

 "Maria, I've never felt so horrible in my entire life. I think the day she was shot is up there on the list too, but that wasn't as bad....cause I knew I could save her then... but this--"

 "--Max, I hate to tell you this...but I've read stuff about this... about rape victims-- who completely...change-- their personalities..."

 "Maria,  I... don't think I know what to do... I mean what do I do? This horrible thing has happened, and there's nothing I can do to change that..."

 Maria sighed. "Max, just be there for her, OK? Love her. It's the best thing you've ever done in your life. Just love her."

 "Maria, loving her is the only thing I've ever done right in my life... believe me." He sighed, thinking of how beautiful she looked while she was sleeping beside him last night.

 "Max-- you know that's not true. You're a doctor! You help people everyday of your life... you have done *plenty* of things right. Listen...I have these sketches I have to finish and fax to New York by 5, and Eliza has her dance recital tonight, but after that I'm getting on the next plane to Seattle and coming to see you guys." Maria said, firmly. She turned to Kyle. "Honey, will you grab me the phone book?"

 "You're going to Seattle?" Kyle asked, grabbing the phone book from a nearby cabinet and placing it on the table in front of her.  "But...it's our anniversary tomorrow, Maria...I thought we could go out or something...." His voice trailed off as he looked away. Maria looked at him and frowned.

 "I'm sorry, hon, I guess it just slipped my mind..." Maria said, her eyes brightening with an idea. Kyle looked away with pain, but she kissed him and he smiled once more. "Why don't we all go... you, me, and Eliza? I know you'd love to see Liz too and Liza's never met her namesake..."

 Kyle sighed, looking over at the stack of papers on the table he had to sort through. She knew what he was thinking and she quickly answered his glance. "Take it with you, hon!"

 "Well... I guess a few days would be OK. And it would be nice to see Liz... and I guess Evans too." Kyle smirked.

 "Great!" Maria cried. "I'll call you later to let you know when our flight comes in!"

 Max smiled. It would be nice to see little Eliza again. She was blonde and cute and fun, just like her mom. "OK. I'm going to try to get out of my shift tonight so I can spend more time with Liz... so we can come get you guys at the airport."

 "That would be wonderful...Are you sure you don't mind?"

 "Of course I don't. I'm used to being up all night anyway." Max walked over to the refrigerator, pulling out coffee grinds and taking them over to the coffee machine.

 Maria sighed, pressing forward. "Max, did she tell you why she never came back... never contacted anyone?" She asked slowly.

 Max frowned. "I don't know, Maria... I'm trying not to assault her with too many questions right now. But we will talk about it eventually... I guess..."

 "What do you mean, 'you guess'? Don't you want to know... everything?" Maria asked, sipping on her water and jotting down airline phone numbers.

 Max paused. "All I know is that I love her with everything I have. She's here now, and I'm not letting her get away again." He said firmly.

 Liz sat on the steps, listening intently to everything he said.

 She was crying.

* * * * *

 "Mr. Brown, open up, Seattle PD!" Four policemen stood outside Simon's apartment door and pounded loudly.

 No answer.

 "Mr. Brown... Simon Brown, open up right now... this is the Seattle Police Department. We have a warrant for your arrest..." They continued to pound.

 No answer.

 The taller man turned to the shorter one and nodded. "Bust it down." The four policemen began pounding on the outside of the door with their batons. They finally made it into the apartment and found the place empty.

 One of the policemen picked up his radio and began talking into it. "Homebase, this is 44-10 Charlie. We were unable to serve the warrant to Mr. Simon Joesph Brown... he has vacated the premises. Over."

 "Roger, 44-10 Charlie, come on back to the station."

******

"You were close... too close, Simon."

 "Who cares? If they had arrested me, I could have busted out of jail... no problem." Simon Brown looked up from the folding chair he was sitting in as his superior officer barked orders and insults at him.

 "No PROBLEM?" The older man screamed, getting closer into his face. "HERE'S the problem, Simon... you bust out of jail, they see you use your powers, then you'd have to kill them! You weren't sent here to kill pathetic humans..."

 "Well I nearly killed Elizabeth..." Simon grumbled, glaring up at the man towering inches from his face.

 "Get over it, Simon. You pushed her towards the subject. Your business with her is finished."

 Simon paused, trying not to let his tears of frustration and anger spill over.

 "Now what do we do?" He asked sheepishly.

 "You know what you have to do."

 "Don't make me shapeshift again, *please*?" Simon groaned. "Don't make me hurt her again..."

 "Simon, you won't be going anywhere near Elizabeth Parker anytime soon."

 Simon thought about what his boss was telling him. "But... I want to say goodbye... before I leave... this body." He looked down at himself and felt the tears begin to fall.

 "NO!" The man yelled at him. "You must NOT pull the target towards you until the time is right! It will ruin everything! The moment he sees you, he will know who you really are! Didn't I teach you ANYTHING?"

 "Stop yelling. What if I... what if I snuck into her place and waited for her there? To apologize? To say goodbye?" Simon pleaded.

 The man glared at him. "Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me. Why are you bothering with this... human... girl? She means nothing. I am all that matters to you. Without me, you are nothing."

 Simon clenched his fists together and clenched his teeth. "I have been in this body for SIX YEARS, Nathaniel. I was with Elizabeth for the last three! Can't you see? She's a part of me-- Simon Brown is who I am now... I don't want to let that go."

 Nathaniel narrowed his beady eyes into a disapproving glance. "I'm sorry... but that's unacceptable. And if you don't change now, I will change for you... and I don't think you will like what I have in store for your NEXT six years..." The man smirked, holding up his hand to Simon's head.

 "No!" Simon cried. "I'll do it." He stood still for a moment, bracing himself for the large burst of energy he would soon be using. He shut his eyes and breathed in deeply, moving his hand from his head to his toes, changing his form as he went. He was now a tall redheaded man with freckles and green eyes. "There- are you happy now?"

 "Yes." The man said firmly, nodding his head with a smug look on his face. "Now... on to phase two."

 "What's that?" Simon asked, looking at his new face in the mirror and frowning.

 "We wait."

 "Wait for what?" He ran his hands through his thick head of red hair.

 "They will all come to Elizabeth, they all cared for her very much. The trap will be set. We'll be able to take them out one by one."

 "I *won't* hurt her, I won't. Not again." Simon said firmly.

 The man looked up at him and glared at him fiercely. "You will do as you're told. You will kill them, their mates, and their children."

 "I can't take them all on at the same time, I'm only one... they will be too strong for me!" Simon cried.

 The man smirked and walked towards a nearby cabinet, pulling out a small dark-colored vial. He put it into Simon's open palm. "Here. When the time is right, you will shapeshift into one of them and put this into their food. But make sure it's at a time when they're all together..."

 "What is this stuff? And How do you know they will all come to see Elizabeth?" Simon asked, arching his eyebrow.

 "It's a drug to suppress the neurotransmitters in their cerebral cortexes. Their powers will be rendered useless. And as far as bringing them all here... we can do some persuading." The man asked, pointing to his brain and smiling with sadistic glee.

* * * * *

 "I can't believe it... he just vanished into thin air..?" Max commented as he cooked dinner for he and Liz. "Liz....?" He looked towards her, his heart wincing with the pain he knew she felt deep inside her.

 Liz sighed, pulling her legs closer to her body and snuggling deeper into Max's couch. She pulled her engagement ring off her hand and stared at it for a moment. It was a beautiful gold band with diamonds in a marquis setting. She had treasured it until the night before. Max put the top on the tomato sauce he had been stirring and walked across the kitchen into the living room, kneeling in front of Liz.

 "Liz... are you ready to take that off now?" Max asked her cautiously. "Cause I could fix it for you- but only if... you're really ready... to let go."

 Liz's eyes were filling with warm, wet tears. She nodded without a word, squeezing the ring one more time in her hand before handing it over to him. He squeezed the ring in his right hand and held her hand with his left, concentrating on the ring. By closing her eyes and touching her hand as he held the ring, he was able to connect with her. Max cringed when he saw Liz kissing Simon passionately after he slipped the ring on her finger. He cringed as he got another flash of her throwing her head back in pure ecstasy as Simon had made love to her that night. Another flash came of her waking up the next morning, cradled in his arms as he watched her sleep. Max wanted so desperately to break the connection but something inside was forcing him not to sever it.

 A flash of Simon came from her then... then another quick flash of him changing into an alien. Max felt a rush of fear wash over him at that moment. Something inside of him was telling him that Simon was someone dangerous... not only to Liz, but to himself and his family as well.

 Max shrugged off this ominous feeling, chalking it up to the fact that he hated this guy with every fiber of his being for what he did to his Liz.

 Within moments, the flashes ceased, and Max opened his eyes. He peered down at the object in his hand, which had changed into a wide silver band with the words "With you always" engraved on it. Max smiled as he looked at it. Liz peered into his hand to see what he'd made. She gasped.

 "Max... it's so beautiful!" Without thinking, he took her left hand and slipped the ring onto her ring finger, leaning his face down to kiss her knuckles.

 "I'm glad you like it." He smiled. She twirled it around on her finger so she could read what it said. Her breath caught in her throat.

 "Oh, Max..." She said, raising her hand to the side of his face. He turned his cheek, kissing her open palm. She felt her eyes flutter shut as Max let his mouth linger on the soft skin inside her hand, her skin burning up from his hot breath. He let his lips travel in soft circles on her palm and Liz shook her head in protest. "No, Max, we can't...we can't be... the way you want it to be... not yet..."

 "Just let me be here for you... let me be with you..." He pleaded, not allowing his lips to leave her hand.

 "Max..." Her breath quickened as she felt his mouth move slowly and lightly up her arm, pausing a moment to heal the fading bruises on her forearm with a touch of his palm. "Max, stop. Please." Her voice went from a quiet plea to a vocal threat. Max broke contact with her arm and raised his eyes to meet hers. God, why did he have to look at her like that?

 "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." He couldn't hide the upset tone in his voice.

 "No, Max, you didn't hurt me." She smiled slightly, trying to handle the pain in his eyes and deep in her soul. "You could never hurt me. I'm just not... ready... for all this." She pleaded with him.

 "This... what?" He looked at her, confused.

 "You know, this... the kissing, the touching, the heavy breathing..." Liz shivered not so much from being cold but feeling a shockwave of desire course through her. Max grabbed a nearby blanket and wrapped it around her arms, letting them linger there. "Max...please..."

 He sighed, finally dropping his hands from her arms and back down to his sides, sliding to rest on the backs of his legs . "Listen... I'm sorry for freaking you out... it's just," he took a deep breath and continued, looking at his hands so he wouldn't begin sobbing with reckless abandon. "It's just that, I'm so madly in love with you that sometimes I can't see straight, and all I want to do is... touch you and hold you in my arms ... it's not fair to you and I'm sorry. I understand that you need your space right now."

 Liz smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a gentle hug. He responded by raising his body higher up onto his knees and burying his face in her neck. She still hadn't grasped the depth of Max's love for her- she didn't know if she ever would again. At that moment, she just wanted to touch him, smell him, hold him, be protected by him.

 Shielded by the darkness of the night sky, Simon watched the pair embrace from outside Max's living room window with a sadness buried so deep in him it was hard to comprehend. Until that moment, he had forgotten what was really important in all this-- the reason he was on this planet in the first place. Loving Elizabeth had changed him, made him forget who he really was. But now that he saw this... saw the gentle, quiet grace, the loving, unbreakable bond between Elizabeth and his greatest enemy awakened a fire buried within him that he'd tried to suppress for years. He cursed himself under his breath as he thought about all the years he'd wasted trying so desperately to be human, to be worthy of Elizabeth Parker's love. At the sight of Max Evans so gingerly touching, kissing, and holding her, Simon realized it wasn't worth it to try to be human anymore. He had lost so much by trying to deny who he really was.

 He had so much time to make up. He would make his people, especially Nathaniel, all proud... single-handedly killing the enemy race that had overrun his planet for so many centuries before.

 He would be the one to do it-- to kill the heir to the throne and his entire family and to bring his people to glory and power.

 He would be the one to kill Max Evans.

*****

 "No, God, Max!" Isabel Evans screamed, sitting up in bed like a rocket and putting her hand to her sweat-drenched forehead. Her heartbeat began to slow as she looked at her surroundings, realizing she was out of her brother's dream and safe in her own bed.

 Just then, Michael Guerin padded in from the guest room, rubbing his hands over his face and yawning. "What's wrong?" He sat next to Isabel on her bed, watching intently as the beads of sweat rolled down her face and neck and down the rest of her body before disappearing underneath her nightgown.

 She reached for his hand- something she hadn't done as long as he could remember- and sighed. "I don't know, Michael... I dreamwalked Max to see what was going on with him. I kept getting these signals from him in the past few days... like something had dramatically changed in his life. Since he isn't talking to me much lately, I decided going into his dream would be the best thing to do."

 "Makes sense." Michael said, leaning back on the bed to rest on his elbow and yawning again. "What did you see?"

 "Liz. She was... everywhere." Isabel said, looking off to the side and wrapping her arms around herself.

 Michael rolled his eyes. "So what else is new?"

 "No, Michael. Max hasn't dreamed of her in a while... I wonder what's changed?" Isabel asked.

 "I don't know... I haven't seen Liz in fifteen years, so I'm not exactly an expert on the subject." Michael said, his heart quickening slightly as he remembered the good times they had with Maria, Liz, and Alex Whitman in high school before the whole "Destiny" fiasco.

 Isabel sighed. "I'm going to call him the morning." She shuddered. "Michael... I think he's in danger." She said quietly but firmly.

 Michael raised his eyebrow at her. "What do you mean?" He moved in closer to her.

 "I don't know... I just *felt* something... I felt an *evil* presence in his dreams... like something was close to him... something dangerous." Isabel said, her eyes widening with fear as she recalled the feelings she'd had while walking through her brother's dream.

 "Isabel, all our enemies are dead. We took care of them years ago, remember? You have nothing to worry about."

 "How do we *know* that Michael? How do we *know* there still aren't people out there that were sent here to kill us?" Tears began slipping from her big brown eyes as she looked over at the picture of the little boy on her nightstand. Michael sensed what she was going to say and replied to her unasked question.

 "Nothing's going to happen to him." Michael said firmly, putting his hand on her shoulder.

 "I'm just... scared... Michael. Even more so than when we were fighting them before... because now we have *him*... oh, God, Michael... if anything happened to Seth..."

 "Nothing's going to happen to him." Michael said firmly as he looked into Isabel's eyes, trying to comfort her. "We'll protect him- whatever happens."

 "Daddy?" A quiet voice echoed through the hallway. Michael looked at Isabel and gave her a kiss on the cheek as he left the room and walked into the guest room where their three-year-old son was sleeping with him. "Where are you?"

 "I'm here, Seth. Mommy had a bad dream." Michael said, tucking himself back into the bed with Seth and kissing the top of his head, filled with thick ash blonde hair. "She's fine now. Go back to sleep."

 Seth yawned and snuggled closer to the teddy bear he'd been holding tightly in his grasp. He called it "Max" for the Uncle who had given it to him the day he was born.

* * * * *

 "Lizzie,  it was *so* fun. I wish you could have been there. I was the best dancer in the *whole* recital..." Six-year-old Eliza Valenti smiled, her blonde hair pulled up into a french braid. She took another bite of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich that Max had made her before he went off to work. Kyle and Maria had gone out for their anniversary so Liz had babysitting duties.

 Liz stared at the six-year-old across the table from her and smiled. She was so much like Maria... she was so much like Kyle. Liz was astonished at how much Eliza was a perfect mix of her two parents.

 Did it *always* work out like that? Liz smiled as she imagined a little girl with slightly prominent ears, long eyelashes, defined cheekbones and long brown hair. "So, Eliza, did you and your Mom and Dad have fun at the aquarium?"

 "Yes! We had so much fun and everyone was so nice. We walked by this place where people were *throwing* fish!" Eliza said, her mouth gaping with delight.

 "Isn't that weird?" Liz asked before leaning her head closer to Eliza's face. "The first time I saw that, it freaked me out."

 "I wasn't afraid." Eliza stated proudly. "I love this place... what is it called again?" She asked shyly.

 Liz smiled. "Seattle. Seattle, Washington."

 Eliza nodded. "And me, Mommy, and Daddy live in Roswell. Roswell, New Mexico."

 "Very good!" Liz said, smiling. The sound of the phone ringing interrupted Liz and Eliza's little geography discussion. "I'll get it." She said, looking over once more at Eliza before picking up the cordless phone from its receiver. "Hello?"

 There was a pause.

 "Hello?" Liz repeated firmly.

 "Can I... can I speak to... is this... Liz?" The voice shook on the other end of the phone.

 Liz gasped. "This *is* Liz... Max is at work right now. Who is this?" She asked, her heart racing. She didn't have to ask who it was, she already knew.

 There was another pause.

 "Hi, Liz. It's... Tess."

 Liz's heart dropped into her stomach. She forced herself to breathe.

  *Breathe, Liz. She's different now. She's married to Alex. She's not going to hurt you ever again.*

 "Tess..." Liz said anxiously. "It's been..."

 "... a while, I know." Tess said, her voice wavering. "How... are you? How long... have you and Max...?"

 Liz quickly answered her. "No, no, Tess... we're not *together.*  We just recently... found each other again."

 Tess wrinkled her brow. "Wait, you live in Seattle too?"

 "Yeah. I've lived here for a couple of years. I'm getting my doctorate at the University of Washington."

 "Weird!" Tess quickly finished her sentence. "Not that you're going to be a professor, but that... you and Max were in the same city... and never knew it." She couldn't help but grin at that fact.

 Liz shrugged her shoulders. "Those things happen I guess."

 "Well, I have to admit, I wasn't expecting you to answer Max's phone!" Tess said, giggling nervously.

 "Yeah, I wasn't either. So how... are you doing, Tess? I mean, how's Alex? You're in... L.A., right?" Liz asked, trying her damndest to be friendly to the girl she used to despise.

 Tess grinned at Liz's curiosity. "We're fine, thanks for asking. Alex and I have been married for almost ten years. He's a music teacher at a private high school in the Valley..."

 "Alex is a teacher?" Liz smiled at their shared profession. Well she wasn't a professor *yet* but she had been a T.A. for microbiology for three semesters now. "That's so awesome."

 "He's wonderful." Tess said, continuing. "I do P.R. work for the Walt Disney Corporation..."

 "Wow! Tess, that's... so cool." Liz said, trying to contain her mild jealously that Tess had such a glamorous profession. "So, do you guys have any...?"

 "Kids?" Tess smiled. "Yes, we have two. Angelique is eight, she's in third grade. Teagan is five, he's in kindergarten."

 "Wow, Alex is a dad..." Liz smiled. It was all hitting her now. All her friends had grown up. She hated herself for missing it all. She didn't regret the decision she made to end things with Max and leave him to his duty... but she missed so much of Alex and Maria's lives, and that just wasn't fair.

 "He's a great dad, Liz. You should see him with Teagan... he looks like a miniature version of him." Tess smiled.

 "I'm sure he's adorable." Liz mused.

 "Hey, Lizzie, who are you talking to?" Eliza asked as she finished her sandwich and walked over to Liz, tugging on her pant leg.

 Tess's face scrunched into a puzzled look. "Is that Eliza?"

 "Yeah." Liz said, smiling. She turned to the little girl at her feet. "I'm talking to Tess."

 "Aunt Tess? Tell her I said 'hi'."

 Aunt Tess? Liz looked at her with confusion. "Okay." Liz turned back to the phone. "Eliza says 'hi'."

 "Are they visiting you?"

 "Yeah." Liz sighed. "Max called her the night after he... found me. They came up right away."

 Tess frowned. "Why didn't he tell us?"

 Liz paused. "I don't know... everything has happened so fast... and Max is really busy now with his residency ending and everything... he's interviewing at practices all over town."

 "But Liz, Alex would have loved to talk to you. Why didn't *you* call us?"

 Liz paused. She really couldn't answer that question. "I guess... I didn't want to face the past. The past that I missed."

 Tess was quiet, nodding. "You've been gone a long time, Liz. A lot has happened. And just so you know, Max and I... nothing ever happened." Even though she was happily married, she still felt a slight twinge of pain in her heart.

 "I know." Liz nodded. "He told me. But that's not why I left."

 "Look, Liz, I don't want to drudge up bad memories with you right now. It's been good to talk to you and I hope... maybe someday... we could be... friends?" Tess's voice rang with insecurity.

 Liz's jaw dropped, her mouth hanging open so wide she could catch flies in it. *This* was Tess Harding?

 No. This wasn't Tess Harding, this was Tess Whitman.

 Liz paused. "Sure. I mean, yes. Yes, I don't see why not."

 Tess grinned. "Good. Because if you are going to be a part of our family, I want us all to get along..."

 "I'm not part of the family..."

 "...Not yet." Tess said, smiling.

 Liz couldn't help but grin. She felt like she was talking to a completely different person.

  Someone... human.

First, Do No Harm-- part 5 and 6

Max looked up at the clock on the wall in the triage room of the ER... only ten more minutes until he could go back home and see Liz again. She had class at 9 so she only had a little bit of time to see her before she went off to school. It had been almost a week since her attack and Kyle and Maria had taken Eliza and gone back to Roswell, so they had the place all to themselves again. Liz hadn't been strong enough to go back to the place she'd shared with Simon. Now that he'd disappeared, she was just too afraid that he would return and hurt her again. Max was more than happy to have a roommate, especially since it meant he could protect Liz from anymore harm. They had gone back to retrieve her things several times, and Liz was calling the papers this week to look for someone to take the apartment off her hands.

 Max smiled as he thought about the quiet dinner they'd shared the night before. Liz had been grading papers for her lab section, and he had been looking for more practices to apply to. They had decided to order pizza and had sprawled out on the living room floor, Liz with her papers and Max with the phone and his contact lists. Max had tried to make it romantic and lit a couple of candles around the room but Liz wasn't paying much attention.

 He remembered how the silver band on her finger had shined in the reflection of the candle light as she looked over the lab reports in her lap. He had been mesmerized by the slight movement of her hand as she wrote and flipped pages back and forth, back and forth.

***"You're amazing, you know that?"

 Liz had looked up from her papers, giving him a small grin. "No, I'm not."

 "Yes you are. After everything that's happened to you in the past week, you still find the strength to sit there and grade labs." He had shuddered mockingly as he took another bite of pizza.

 "I enjoy science. You know that." Liz had said, shrugging off his question and returning to lab reports.

 "You also enjoy pizza... but you have hardly touched your piece. Is everything alright?"

 She had sighed, putting her hands to her head and dropping her pen. "I'm fine, Max. You don't have to babysit me all the time. I'm just trying to get things back to normal... one of those things being grading lab reports."

 Max had looked over at her with hurt in his eyes. "Liz..."

 She had returned his gaze and was shocked at the sadness in his eyes. "Oh, Max. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump down your throat." She had crawled on her hands and knees over to where Max was sitting and had given him a soft kiss on the cheek.

 "I understand." He had said, smiling. "I'm just worried about you."

 "I'll be fine." She had said, returning to his face and caressing it with her hand. "You don't need to worry."

 "I can't help it, Liz. That maniac is still out there... and I just have this feeling..."

 "What? What feeling?" She had asked, her eyes bright with fear. He had seen how scared she was so he decided to drop the subject.

 "Forget it." He had said, reaching out for her hand and holding it gently. She had looked into his eyes and realized that he was genuinely worried about Simon. It had scared her even more. ***

 "Dr. Evans!" The nurse shook him out of his daydream. "Dr. Evans..."

 "Oh, yes, I'm sorry. What is it?" Max asked, blinking his eyes a few times and looking down at the nurse sitting beside him.

 "Dr. Evans, it's pretty dead around here... and it's seven... why don't you go home and get some rest?" Nurse Teri asked him.

 Max nodded. "Of course. You have everything taken care of here?"

 "Yes, Doctor. Now, go home to that lucky woman of yours." She winked at him. He rolled his eyes and smiled.

 "Thank you, Teri."

 After retrieving his things from the doctor's lounge, Max walked out to the ER parking lot to find his car to start the drive home. Opening up his car door, he smiled when he found Liz's University of Washington sweatshirt lying casually in the passenger seat. He pulled the oversized shirt over his head and  relished in its warmth.

 Max started up the car and pulled out of the parking lot, turning in the direction of home. He began fiddling with the radio but was disappointed to find that there was nothing but talk shows on, so he popped in a nearby tape.

 He pulled into the left lane to turn onto the highway and panicked as he saw a dog run out into the road.

 "Shit!" Max screamed, jerking the wheel to the right to avoid the animal and landing upside down in a ditch on the side of the road.

 And the world went black.

* * * * *

 "Teagan Alexander Whitman, it is time to go to school! If you're not sitting at this kitchen table at the count of five, you're in big trouble, buddy!" Tess called up the stairs to young son who seemed determine not to make it to class today. She rolled her eyes and sighed as she heard him padding down the hallway, followed by his big sister Angelique.

 "Mom, he's coming. I was just helping him with his hair." She said quietly, her blonde curls pulled in a high ponytail as she patted Teagan's dark brown hair gently. Tess smiled at her kids and felt guilty that she'd yelled at her baby.

 "Mommy, what's for breakfast?" Teagan asked as he pounded into the kitchen and sat at the table.

 "Your Dad fixed eggs for you before he left for school."

 "And I can make toast, cause I know how." Angelique smiled proudly. Tess nodded her head and grinned, walking into the kitchen to get plates out for breakfast. As she pulled the dishes out of the cabinet, she was hit with a shooting pain that rocked her body. The force of it was so great that she dropped the dishes, shattering them on the floor. Both children screamed and ran over to where their mother was huddled on the floor.

 "Mommy!" Teagan screamed.

 "Mom, are you alright?" Angelique cried, sitting behind Tess on the floor and cradling her head. She was slow to respond so Angelique shook her lightly. "Mom! Wake up!"

 "Max..." Tess groaned, holding her head and fluttering her eyes open. "Something's happened." She said with renewed force.

 "Something's wrong with Uncle Max?" Angelique asked as Tess shuffled to her feet.

 "Mommy, are you okay?" Teagan asked, flinging his arms around her legs and holding her tightly.

 "I'm fine, sweetie. Remember how I told you that sometimes I can feel what Uncle Max is feeling?" Tess asked her son as she leaned against the kitchen counter for support. She could still feel pain throbbing in her head and her chest.

 "Yeah," Teagan asked, tears shimmering in his eyes. "Is he...hurt, Mommy?" Tess gasped for air, clasping her hand to her chest.

 "Mom?" Angelique asked. "Mommy, why don't you sit down? You're scaring me!"

 "Someone's near... he's in danger." Her eyes glazed over with a look of fear that terrorized Angelique. Teagan climbed into Angelique's arms as their mother blindly reached for the phone.

* * * *

 "Max, don't leave us. We need you. We love you."

 Max opened his eyes as the darkness that had passed over his brain seemed to fade into the light, and he swore he could hear Liz calling to him. But as the lightness grew, he knew he was wrong. The voice was distinct and different than Liz's. It belonged to Tess.

 Fear crushed around his heart as he realized where he was once again. His car had rolled upside down into a ditch and he was currently pinned inside of it. He shut his eyes tight and concentrated on shattering the window and melting the seat belt off his body so he could escape. His body inched slowly out of the car window, trying to avoid the large shards of glass poking out from the side. As he was able to slide completely out of the car, he laid still for a moment until he saw a red-haired man hovering over him with a look of concern.

 "Are you okay, man?" He asked, extending a hand to help Max stand up. Max placed his hand in the stranger's as he helped him to his feet. "Jeez, not a scratch on you! You're lucky, pal." He put his hand on Max's shoulder and Max suddenly had a flash of Liz in the throws of pleasure, moaning and pulling at the sheets around her as she reached her final peak of ecstasy. Max broke the connection quickly, staring at the stranger with confusion. He didn't think that was a flash from his *own* fantasies, even though it very well could have been...

 "Yeah," Max stuttered out finally, leaning against the wreckage that used to be his car. "I'm... I'm fine." He looked at the man again before turning to look at his car. "I'm fine, thanks for stopping... but you don't have to stay."

 "That's okay dude, I can stay with you. You look pretty shaken up. Do you want to use my cell phone?" The man asked, gesturing to the phone in his pocket. Max looked around for his bag and found it lying about ten feet from the car.

 It began to ring.

 He ran over and retrieved the phone out of his bag, picking it up with a shaking hand and placing it by his ear. "H-hello?"

 "Max! It's Liz. Are you okay? Tess called frantically saying you were in danger or something? She was crying and I couldn't really make it out. She said she's flying up tonight... that someone was going to try to kill you?" Liz asked as she paced around the kitchen of Max's apartment.

 "Liz." He said firmly, looking towards the man whose eyes had lit up when he heard her name. "Sweetheart, Tess overreacted. I'm fine. I was in an accident." His heart sped faster as the stranger continued to eye him as he spoke.

 "Oh my God! Where are you? I'll be there right away!" Liz cried as she stuffed books into her messenger bag.

 "No, don't come down here!" Max cried frantically. He didn't want her anywhere near this guy!

 "Max, don't tell me what to do!" Liz screamed at him. "You need someone to wait with you until the cops and the tow truck come, right?"

 "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you. I just meant, don't come down here-- cause you have school." Max soothed her.

 "I don't have class for two more hours. I can come down there and wait with you and I'll drop you back home."

Home. She called his apartment her home. He loved that. "Liz... please don't..." He pleaded with her. He just did not feel good about this guy.

 "Max! If you don't tell me where you are right now, I'll drive around Seattle until I find you. And don't think I won't do it!" She cried in frustration.

 Max sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get his way with Liz. He smiled as he thought she is a lot more stubborn than she used to be. He loved that about her. "OK. I was turning left onto Highway 90 to come home when I saw a dog run out in the road. I swerved to miss him. Now my car's stuck in a ditch right next to that gas station on the corner, right down the street from the hospital. You know, next to the grocery store?"

 Liz nodded. "I'll be right there." As Max hung up the phone, he looked back over at the man, who was leaning up against his car, on the phone with the police. There was something vaguely familiar about him. Max couldn't put his finger on it, but he knew the guy- of that much he was sure. But why in the hell did he get such an intimate flash of Liz like that? It felt more like a memory than a fantasy- like it had actually *happened*. That was the moment Max knew that the flash hadn't come from his own brain. He and Liz had never made love.

 He looked once more at the guy as he made his way back over to Max and the wreckage of his car. "I just got off the phone with the police. They should have some guys down here soon." Max just nodded, placing his cell phone back in his bag and dropping it to the ground by his feet. "So, who did you call?"

 Max looked at him with surprise. "Um, my... friend."

 "A friend, huh? She seems like she's more to you than just a friend, man..." The guy said, raising his eyebrows. Max remembered the flash he'd seen when the guy had touched him and he retched. He couldn't take seeing Liz like that, not unless she was close enough for him to touch...

 "She's my best friend, and she's going to be here any minute, so you can leave now if you'd like. I wouldn't want to take up any more of your time." Max said, motioning towards the stranger's car.

 "It's not a problem, man." The guy repeated.

 Max glared at him. "I *said* you can leave now. Liz will be here any minute. She can take me home. Thank you for stopping," He said strongly and slowly. The stranger held his gaze for a moment and began walking towards his car.

 "Sure. No problem, dude. You take care." The stranger opened his car door and filed inside, waiting a moment before pulling out of the grass and back onto the highway. Max felt a sense of relief wash over him as he watched the car drive away. The driver chuckled to himself. "So, Tess, is it? The grand King reunited with his young bride? How sweet. Now they can die a second death together."

*  *  *  *

PART 6--- added December 8, 2000.

"We are now beginning our final approach Seattle International Airport. Please secure your tray tables and make certain your seats are in their upright position. Flight Attendants, please prepare the cabin for arrival." The calm voice of the pilot floated lightly through the plane headed from Los Angeles to Seattle.

 "Honey, how's your head?" Alex reached across the aisle and gently squeezed his wife's forearm. She looked up at him and grimaced, pulling her arm more tightly around her son, who was sleeping beside her.

 "Oh, it feels a little better..." Tess began quietly, squeezing her eyes shut.

 "But...?" Alex prodded.

 "I still feel like something's happening... something really terrible." She whispered, not wanting her children to hear.

 "Honey, we'll be off this plane in like fifteen minutes. You'll see Max, and everything will be fine, okay?" Alex said firmly. He couldn't help but feel jealous at the connection Max Evans and his wife still shared. Tess could tell her husband was annoyed and gave him a quick smooch before the flight attendant came bounding down between them in the aisle.

 "You must be excited to be seeing Liz for the first time in years." Tess added, turning her head to look at the precious sleeping little boy Alex had given her.

 She was in love with her husband. Nothing had changed. She was fine.

 "I can't wait to see her. I bet she looks exactly the same..." Alex smiled.

 Tess gave a small smile. "That's wild that we ended up with two teachers in the bunch..."

 "Yeah, two teachers, a PR rep for Disney, a doctor, an artist, a sheriff, a fashion designer, and a model. We have the bases pretty much covered, huh?" Alex smiled. Tess nodded in agreement and nudged a sleeping Teagan.

 "Mommy, are we there?" He asked with a yawn. She kissed the top of his head full of black hair.

 "Yes, sweetie. We're here. We're going to see Uncle Max and we're going to meet a very special friend of your Daddy's." She said sweetly as she leaned over to push some fallen items back into his knapsack and pulled it up onto her lap.

 "Dad, can we get something to eat when we get on the ground? I'm starving." Angelique whined. Alex nodded.

 "Of course, Angel. I'm a bit hungry myself." Alex began and he and his daughter laughed as they heard his stomach begin to rumble. Their conversation got softer and softer to Tess, who was staring out of the window and not paying attention much.

Relax Tess. She's a different person now. She can't hurt you anymore. The little voice in Tess's head continued to comfort her.

 "Of course she can." She said outloud quietly. Alex looked at her with confusion.

 "Of course she can...what?" Alex startled her. She looked back at him, flustered and confused.

 "Nothing, nothing..." Tess said. "I'm just tired." Alex looked at her with worry. Could seeing Max and Liz together again really be effecting her that badly?

 God, he hoped not.

*  *  *  *

*Alex! I'm going to see Alex soon!* Liz thought, trying to calm herself down at the thought of coming face to face with Tess again after all these years. Max sat next to her in a chair at the gate and squeezed her hand.

 "Liz. You okay?" He asked her quietly.

 "Y-yeah. Just thinking about the labs I have to grade when we get home..." She managed to make up some excuse. Max sighed and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

 "I know you're worried, about... seeing her again." His voice trailed off. "She's a completely different person now. You'll see. She and I-- it never happened. And it will never happen, she's married now and she's a mother, and I--" Max began, trying to find the words to defend the woman who had become a close friend of his.

 "You have me." She breathed out, closing her eyes as the nervous tears began to fall. She didn't even notice when he lowered his warm lips to her cheek.

 "Thank you." He added, his warm breath tickling her ear.

 "For what?" She asked, strangled.

 "For saying that." He sighed as they looked up at the podium by the gate door. The employee was moving towards the door and propping it open. The plane was rolling in. Max pulled Liz to her feet and they walked towards the door hand in hand as they breathlessly waited for all the people to mill through the door. It didn't take long until Max began smiling as the three-year-old spitting image of Alex Whitman came charging towards him, running into his arms and smiling.

 "UNCLE MAX!" Teagan cried as Max scooped down to pick him up in his arms. Liz looked at them in awe. She wasn't sure what she was more fascinated by- Teagan's striking resemblance to his father or seeing how Max interacted so wonderfully with this little boy.

 An older looking blonde girl soon followed into the hug with Max and Teagan. *Angelique.* Liz deduced. The tight curls gave her away. Liz looked up slowly as she saw Alex and Tess finally. Each was carrying a large carry-on bag and she saw Alex's face light up as it met her own.

 "Liz!" Alex cried as he flung his arms around his old friend. "Jeez, girl, you didn't write, you didn't call... we thought you'd dropped off the face of the earth." Tess hit his arm softly, giving him a warning look. Liz looked pained and Alex quickly thought of a save. "But, it's so great to see you, Liz. I've missed you so much." He squeezed her more tightly and Tess looked down at her feet. Max sat Teagan down on the ground and walked closer to Tess, hugging her close to him.

 "It's good to see you." Max said, smiling in her hair.

 "You too, Max. Are you alright? I was just so worried." She looked at him frantically as they pulled back from their embrace. She searched his face with her hands, looking for any sign of injury. Alex and Liz noticed this connection and turned their attention to them.

 "See, honey, I told you--- he's fine." Alex said firmly. Tess nodded quietly, dropping her arms and moving away from Max.

 "I just thought---"

 "Tess, it's okay. We're glad you guys could come up. I know you guys have a lot of catching up to do." Max said, smiling and motioning to Tess, Alex, and Liz. Liz looked at Tess and smiled uncomfortably. Angelique walked over to her Mom and hugged her.

 "Teagan, Angelique... this is a good friend of Uncle Max's. She's my old friend too. Her name is Liz. Liz, these are my kids, Teagan and Angelique." Alex said, smiling. Liz leaned over to be at eye level to Teagan.

 "Hi, Teagan. It's nice to meet you. You look so much like your Daddy." The little boy smiled shyly at the stranger and Liz looked closely at Angelique, who was the spitting image of Tess. She waved at her and the girl barely managed a smile. "Hi Angelique. It's nice to meet you, too. It's good to see you--- Tess." Liz said quietly with a small smile. Tess returned the small smile and nodded.

 "Yes, Liz. It's been a long time." She said firmly. They stared at each other for a moment and Alex and Max exchanged a concerned look. Angelique studied the look between her mother and the strange woman and decided to change the subject.

 "Dad, I'm hungry. You promised we'd get food when we landed." She pleaded, walking towards Alex and tugging at his jacket.

 "I'm hungry, too, Mommy." Teagan said, squeezing his Mom's hand. Tess looked from Liz's face over to Max's and back down to her little boy's and smiled.

 "OK, sweetie. Let's get some food. If that's okay with Uncle Max." Tess replied.

 "Of course it is, Tess." He said quickly, ushering them towards the food court nearby. With the Whitman family and their bags in tow, Max grabbed Liz's hand and lead them over to the dining area. Alex looked painfully at his wife's shocked look when noticing the romantic gesture between Liz and Max. He lowered his head and continued walking with Angelique in tow.

 "So," Max said, turning around to face them as they walked. "How long can you guys stay?"

 Tess spoke up first. "Well, the kids have spring break right now which means Alex does too. I can take off work pretty much whenever I need to, especially since I told them it was a family emergency."

 "Oh. Where are you guys staying?" Liz asked, trying to continue the polite dialogue with Tess. Max squeezed his hand and smiled down at her effort to be civil to the girl for which she once had bad feelings.

 "We're staying at the Plaza downtown. We've got it booked for five nights." Tess said firmly, looking up at Alex who was staring in the other direction pensively.

 "Hotel room, Mommy?" Teagan asked, his ears perking up with excitement.

 "Yes, baby. We're staying at a hotel. Uncle Max needs his privacy." Tess said quietly, looking down at his son and then back at Liz, who's hand was still joined with Max's.

 "How come *she* gets to stay with Uncle Max and we don't?" Angelique asked pointedly, motioning towards Liz.

 "Angelique Theresa Whitman! That is none of your business! Apologize to Liz right now." Alex said firmly. Tess's face went sheet white at her daughter's indiscretion. Was Liz really staying with Max? How did Angelique know that?

 "I'm sorry." She murmed quietly, not looking at Liz. Max and Liz blushed furiously but Liz quickly spoke up.

 "It's okay, Alex, really it is. She didn't know." Liz said quietly, looking down at she and Max's joined hands.

 "Hey kids, you want pizza? Tacos? I think there's a sandwich place--" Max tried to change the subject but was interrupted by a side comment from Tess.

 "--But Max, Alex and I didn't know either." Tess said, looking at Max curiously. Max and Liz looked down at Angelique, who was eyeing Liz with intensity.

 "Well, isn't that funny? Angel must be psychic!" Alex chuckled uncomfortably, smiling and patting his wife's back. "Teagan, what do you want to eat, son?"

 "Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!" Teagan chanted. Angelique turned up her nose at the idea. She tugged her dad's jacket as she continued to stare coldly at Liz.

 "Dad, I changed my mind. I'm not that hungry. I'm tired." She said to him as she looked at Liz.

 "OK, baby, well you can take a nap when you get to the hotel." Alex said, running his hand through her blonde curls. She nodded quietly.

 "Are you sure you're not hungry, Angelique? It was a long flight." Tess piped in as they made their way over to the pizza place.

 "I'm sure, Mom." She said firmly. "I just want to go to the hotel." Max looked down at Liz, who looked like she was going to cry. He linked his arm with her own and she rested her chin on his shoulder. Angelique continued to glare at them as Alex and Tess busied themselves with ordering food for Teagan to eat.

 "Max." Liz whispered. "I think I'm just going to sit down at that table over there. I'm not feeling too well all of the sudden." She motioned to a table nearby. Max looked down at her, concerned.

 "Are you okay?" Max asked her as she broke away from him to slump down at the table.

 "Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine. It's just been a long day. The lecture was really complex this morning and I had three lab sections this afternoon. I'm just drained. Liz replied.

 "Okay, sweetie." He said quietly, turning back to Alex, Tess, and their kids. "Hey, Teagan, when we get back to my house, do you want to play that computer game I showed you last time?"

 "Is that the jungle one? I didn't like that one, Uncle Max." Teagan said, wrinkling this nose.

 Max laughed at the serious tone in Teagan's voice. "Okay, buddy, what do you want to play?"

 "Anything but that, Uncle Max." Teagan replied as Alex handed him a Sprite to drink. Max laughed again and Liz watched him intently. He was so easy with Teagan. She smiled knowing that he would make a great father one day. How nice that would be...

 "Liz?" Max asked, walking over to the table after a few moments and touching her elbow.

 "Wh-what?" She asked, shaking her head lightly.

 "You ready to go?"

 Liz nodded as he took her hand. Tess tried not to look at how easy the couple was with each other, only having been back in each other's lives for a few weeks. Alex grabbed his wife's hand and she gave him a small smile.

 "Mom, I think the parking lot is this way." Angelique said, pointing to a nearby sign, trying to distract her mother. Tess nodded and smiled as she took her daughter's hand and Teagan munched on his small slice of pizza wrapped in tin foil.

*  *   *   *

 Simon pulled a black box out from under his bed and searched frantically through it's contents, finally pulling out a small black-and-white photo buried deep at the bottom of the pile. He fingered the curves of the image gently, taking in the subject's creamy skin, huge eyes, full lips, and luscious long blonde hair. He snuggled back into his pillows, holding the picture out in front of him and concentrating.

 "Let me in, you beautiful creature, you." He muttered before he shut his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

*  *  *  *

 Isabel was floating inside a cave. In the darkness, she could see the gentle, peaceful glow of the pod chamber- the sacs that housed she, her brother, her son's father, and her friend Tess before they were born. She could feel her body moving forward, trying to reach out and touch it, but just as her fingers grazed the soft coating of the sacs, she was jerked away and fell to the cold floor, knocking her out cold. Isabel saw a bright light, followed by darkness-- then she was overwhelmed by fear.

 "Max!" She cried out, searching through the darkness, trying to find her beloved brother. "Max, where are you?" Suddenly, she felt two strong hands on her shoulders, caressing the sides of her arms. "Max?" She whispered, the darkness cloaking the identity of the person. "Max, is that you?"

 "Zan is dead," The man whispered in her ear, his hot breath stinging her skin. "And soon you will be too, Vilandra."

 "What are you talking about?" Isabel screamed, trying to wiggle away from his grasp. "Who are you talking about? My name is Isabel. Max is not dead!" She screamed.

 "He will be soon. There's nothing you can do about it Vilandra." The intruder said quietly, calmly, pushing a strand of silky blonde hair behind her ear.

 "STOP CALLING ME THAT! Who are you? Leave me alone!" Isabel cried, raising her hand to him and trying to use her powers to free herself. She screamed when she realized that her powers were rendered useless in this world.

 "Oh, Vilandra, don't cry--- it will be quick--- and soon. I promise." He planted a kiss on her forehead.

 Isabel woke up in a cold sweat, screaming. "NO! Oh, God, NO! Max!" It took her a moment to realize her surroundings, but soon she realized she was in her own bed, in her apartment. Her baby boy was sleeping soundly in the next room.

 "Mommy..." Seth Michael Guerin's voice echoed into the hallway. "Mommy... Uncle Max? Uncle Max hurt?" She could hear his whimpering as she threw back the covers and ran down the hallway into his room. She flipped on the soft lamp next to his bed and pulled him into her arms.

 "It's okay, sweetie. Mommy just had a bad dream about Uncle Max again. It was a dream, it wasn't real." Isabel tried to reassure herself as well as her son.

 Seth's lower lip quivered. "I had bad dream, too, Mommy. Uncle Max hurt. I scared, Mommy." He began crying into her shoulder as Isabel soothed his sandy brown hair.

 "Look at me, sweetie. Uncle Max was in danger in your dream, too?" She asked him firmly. He nodded slightly and hugged his stuffed animal--- the one named Max--- closer to him. "Baby, would you want to get on a plane and go see your Uncle Max?" Seth nodded quickly, his face brightening. Isabel hugged him tightly and kissed his head. "Okay, baby. I'm going to call your Daddy now. We'll go tomorrow. You, me, and your Daddy. Would you like that?"

 "Yeah!" Seth cried, bouncing up and down, causing the bed to shake slightly. Isabel smiled at his enthusiasm.

 Seth was the only one of the children that was full-blooded alien, and his communication abilities were already very strong. If he had a bad dream about Max, Isabel knew something was very wrong. Max was in danger--- and they had to help him. She kissed her son's head and tucked him back into the covers before switching off the lamp and returning to her room. She picked up the cordless phone next to her bed and dialed the number she knew by heart.

 "Michael, get packed. We're going to Seattle tomorrow."

first, do no harm -- parts 7 and 8 (the end!)

"Damn rain. Why couldn't the King be from somewhere sunny and beautiful? Like Hawaii? I could use a tan..." Simon grumbled quietly to his companion.

 "Oh, just shut up and give me those things so I can---" Nathaniel growled, reaching for the binoculars gripped tightly in Simon's hands.

 "Hey, for your information, I was handling this just fine..." Simon said firmly.

 "Sure you were--- the queen, the sister, the second, and their slave children have been here for days and you have yet to do anything but sit on your lazy---" Nathaniel ranted, only to be interrupted by Simon yet again.

 "I'm HANDLING it. I'm not just going to break in there unprepared, I've been watching..."

 "Well, you're done WATCHING, Simon. It's obvious you can't handle a simple break-in and attack." Nathaniel said as he followed Simon's gaze on Liz. "Or is it just the attack on the pathetic *human* you're avoiding?"

 Simon narrowed his eyes in anger. "No, Nathaniel. I can do this. I'm not going to miss this opportunity. It's like they're begging for us to crash this happy little party..." He grabbed the binoculars back from Nathaniel and went back to watching Max's back window carefully.

 Nathaniel sighed. "Fine. You have twenty-four hours. I want the Royal Four and their families dead, or you will pay...with your life. Goodnight, Simon," he said coldly. As Nathaniel walked away, Simon looked through the binoculars with fear. Sure, his powers were strong, but could he really sustain a mind warp for that long... and with that many people?

  He watched carefully as Liz and Isabel prepared the dining room table in Max's condo with different types of food and drinks. Everyone was dressed up and Simon wondered what this little party they were having was for. He followed the voluptous curves of Isabel back into the kitchen as she returned to stirring a large pot on the stove. She brought the wooden spoon up to her mouth to taste the contents, then looked back to Liz, beckoning her to come taste the sauce too. In another pot, Isabel was stirring what looked like pasta. Simon racked his brain for a way to get the suppressive serum Nathaniel gave him into the food. He watched as Liz walked back into the living room and picked up her purse, pulling car keys out of them. She and Isabel talked and then they hugged--- Liz was obviously leaving the house to go get something.

 Liz would be gone, and Isabel would be there all alone with the food.

 Jackpot.

*  *  *  *

 Isabel was upstairs checking on Seth as he, Angelique, and Teagan played in Liz's room when she heard the front door swing open and the sound of keys jingling. "Max? Guys? Are you all home from the store?" She called down the stairs.

 "No, Iz, it's just me again. I forgot my list down here. I'm just going to get that and then I'll be leaving..." Liz called from the kitchen.

 "Okay, Liz. I'm just checking on the kids. That sauce isn't burning, is it?" Isabel asked from the top of the stairs.

 Liz pulled a bottle out of her jacket and lifted the lid on the sauce, quickly pouring its liquid contents inside the pot. "No, it's just fine!" Liz called to her. "I'm out of here-- again-- I'll be back!"

 "Alright!" Isabel called back. Liz quickly walked out of the condo and looked around, making sure no one saw as she walked behind a large group of bushes behind it. A large beam of light emerged and suddenly, the form of Simon replaced that of Liz.

 "Everything's fine, Isabel..." Simon whispered quietly in Liz's voice, laughing as he returned to his watching post further behind Max's condo.

*  *  *  *

 Tess stood up at the side of the table, raising her glass of sparkling apple cider and looking across the faces of her family all gathered around at her. "I'd like to propose a toast. First of all, congratulations to Max for getting that job at Seattle Children's Hospital..." She looked over to the head of the table where Max was smiling back at her. "...and thank you so much to my dear husband and my incredible children, for dropping everything back home to join me on my little 'wild goose chase'. You're always willing to support me in my---sometimes insane--- paranoia about things, and I love you for it." She leaned down to Alex, who was sitting beside her, and he gave her a kiss. Teagan sat up further in his chair and took another bite of his spaghetti.

 "I love you, Mommy." he said with his mouth full. Everyone at the table laughed and Tess smiled.

 "I love you too, baby. Moving on--- I just want to say how wonderful it is to see you Isabel, and Michael. I know we don't get to see each other that often and I'm so glad that we've had this chance to all be together... I've missed you too, Seth." Tess continued. Seth ducked his head into the side of Isabel's arm and smiled. He was a shy thing. Michael tousled his son's sandy blonde hair and everyone laughed. "And lastly, to you Liz. I'm thankful for this chance to start over with you. I know we had our problems in the past, but it really is nice to see you again and I truly am happy that you are back in all of our lives. I mean that."

 Liz smiled softly and looked at Tess in awe. "Wow, Tess. Thank you. I just-- thanks." Liz was speechless as Tess looked at her and raised her glass. Each adult at the table responded in kind by raising their glass, reaching to clink them together.

 "Cheers."

*  *  *

 "Dinner was so wonderful, Isabel." Liz said as she, Isabel, Michael, and Max sat out on Max's patio talking. She sipped daintly on the glass of white zinfandel in her hand. Max had bought her a bottle for the party, because he knew how much she liked it.

 "Thanks." Isabel beamed as Max cleared his throat in protest. "Oh, well, Max helped too." She quickly added and Liz nodded.

 "Helped? I made everything! You only made the sauce for the spaghetti." Max cried. Liz smiled and Michael rolled his eyes.

 "Jeez, Maxwell, touchy tonight, aren't we?" Michael commented as he sipped on his Coke with a splash of Tabasco. Max rolled his eyes at his best friend and cross the distance of the patio to wrap his arms around Liz's waist.

 "What are you thinking about?" He whispered in her ear as she looked up at the night sky. Liz took another sip of wine before turning her body around to lean up against the railing.

 "Mmm," she said, raking her eyes up and down Max's body. She then pressed her body against his to breathe in his ear. "I was thinking... that you look *so* incredibly sexy right now." He smiled against her hair as she nibbled slowly on his earlobe. He moaned softly into her ear.

 "I wish we were alone." He whispered low in his throat.

 "Oh, and what would you do if we were, Dr. Evans?" She whispered as she darted out her tongue to circle his ear.

 Michael slammed his Coke on the table and grabbed Isabel's hand, pulling her to her feet. "You know, you could have just said you guys wanted to be alone..." He rested his hand on the small of Isabel's back as he lead her into the condo.

 "Yes, I don't want to see my brother making out. That's so--- juvenile." Isabel shuddered jokingly. Max and Liz turned beet red. Max turned around from her embrace to wave at his sister and best friend.

 "Sorry, guys," he cried to them.

 "Yeah, yeah, whatever Maxwell. Just don't stay out here all night." Michael warned as he closed the patio door behind them. They heard the sound of the door click and Liz returned her attention to him. Pressing her mouth in the hollow of his throat, she placed tender kisses on his neck and collarbone.

 "Liz---" He moaned out quietly, his voice heavy with desire. "Liz, what are you doing to me...?" He shut his eyes and buried his face in her hair.

 "I'm kissing you. Can't I kiss you?" She whispered. He nodded. "Good." She smiled, breaking away from his neck and moving to his lips. They shared a series of intense, passionate kisses. Liz's hands drifted down his back as his moved slowly down her sides to rest on her hips. They pressed their bodies firmly together and began to caress each other ever so slowly...

 "Liz---" He cried into her hair. "What's happening...?"

 "Max," she nuzzled the tender flesh under his ear. "I need you."

 "Oh, Liz---" his body was helplessly responding to her words. "What are you saying---" He felt her lips drift up to his ear and speak softly.

 "I love you, so much that it hurts. I want you to make love to me." She pushed her hands under his shirt so she could feel the skin of his back. He looked at her and captured her lips in a slow kiss.

 "Are you sure? If you're not ready yet---" he said quietly as he rested his forehead on hers.

 "Max, I'm sure. I'm sure that I love you. I'm sure that I need you." He smiled, pushing her hair behind her ear and kissing her once more.

 "I love you, Liz Parker." He felt his heart swell with passion and love. All he could do was hold her tightly to his body and dream about what was soon to come.

 He turned his back for a moment before grabbing her hand to lead her back into the condo but was horrified to feel that hand slip away from him.

 "Max!" Liz cried before a phantom arm came up behind her to muffle her screams.

 "Liz!" He cried, desperately trying to pull her back into the safety of his arms. Max heard the clicking of the gun before he saw it being put to her head.

 Then finally, he saw the face of the assailant. It was the hunter that haunted his dreams. His face was different, but Max would know him anywhere.

 It was Simon. And he had Liz at gunpoint.

 "Don't take another step, your Highness!" He screamed, pressing the gun further into Liz's temple. Tears streamed down her face as she shook under his tight grip.

 Max ignored the "your highness" comment, even though it perplexed him. "Let her go. I know you're here for me- for us." Max said slowly, his voice wavering.

 "Max, you obviously don't know me well at all. I would never hurt my precious Elizabeth." Simon said cooly as he made his way around the railing and onto the patio. He let his hand drift down her curves, settling his large hand over her breast and massaging it gently.

 "LET GO OF HER!" Max cried, lunging for her again, extending his hand towards Liz's attacker and channelling his powers to knock the gun out of his hand.

 The gun didn't budge.

 "Max!" Liz screamed again as Simon laughed. She couldn't control her fear as she watched Max struggle to regain his power. Suddenly, as if on tape delay, the words Simon uttered a few moments ago registered in her ears.

 "'My precious Elizabeth...'"

 "Simon?" Liz asked as he tightened his grip on her body. "Simon, is that really you?"

 "Yes, Elizabeth, it's me." He nipped at her earlobe with his teeth. "You've missed me. I can feel it here---" He pushed two fingers to her neck. "--here--" He lowered that hand down the valley of her breasts. "--here--" His fingers brushed across one nipple and lowered down her stomach. "--and here--" His hand continued to drift lower and Max screamed. Liz's face was streamed with tears.

 "STOP IT! What do you want from us?" Max was biting back tears now. "What did you do to me?"

 Simon laughed. "Let's just say I've rendered your powers useless for the evening. All of you."

 "What? How?" Max looked around and up to the stars, vainly searching for an answer to his question.

 "Oh, I have my ways. How did that spaghetti taste tonight, King Zan? A little funny?" Simon asked with a gleam in his eye.

 "What? How did you get to our food---" Max was cut off by Simon pushing Liz into his arms and pointing the gun at both of them. Liz clung to Max, burying her face in his chest as he crushed her body to him for her protection.

 "I'll show you. I have more talents than you could ever realize." Simon said proudly as he extended his arm in front of his body and shapeshifted into the form of Liz in a lacy red negligee.

 "Oh, God, yes, Simon, don't stop!" Simon cried out in Liz's voice, as his hands drifted over his body and he moaned with pleasure.

 "ENOUGH!" Max screamed as the real Liz cried on to his shoulder. "Change back to yourself. Right now!"

 "Oh, does this bother you, King Zan?" "Liz" said in a voice think with desire. "Does it bother you that I look like your beautiful little girlfriend here? Does that make you not want to hurt me?"

 Max shut his eyes and pulled the real Liz closer to him, if that was possible. "No."

 "Aww, shucks." Simon said, and with that, he shapeshifted back into himself, pulling the real Liz back into his arms and putting the gun back to her head.

 "No! Max!" Liz cried before Simon cupped his hand over her mouth once more.

 "God, Liz!" Max said, slumping to his knees and dissolving into tears. "Please, Simon. I'll do anything... just let her go." He said firmly, his voice unwavering.

 Simon smiled. "Good. Now we're getting somewhere. Actually, what I want is very simple. See, I was put on this planet for one reason. To destroy the Royal Four. If I do that, then I get to go back home for good."

 "The--the 'Royal Four'?" Max croaked out.

 Simon laughed. "Wow, for a King, you really are sadly uninformed, aren't you?" Max looked at him with dead eyes. "Your mother came to you in a vision, no? She told you that you were once 'the beloved leader' of your people? Well, that's halfway true. Leader? Yes. Beloved? Not exactly. And your 'young bride'? Queen Avaria? She's here too." Simon pointed to the figure of Tess in the window. "Vilandra, your sister.... and Rathard, your second-in-command. You're all here. This makes my job SO much easier. Thanks!"

 Just then, Michael, Isabel, and Alex ran out onto the patio as they finally realized something was going on.

 "Let go of her!" Michael screamed, raising his hand to knock Simon out of the way, but pulling back when he realized his powers were useless. "Shit..." He muttered under his breath and pushed Isabel behind him.

 "Vilandra! Rathard! So nice to see you again! As you can see, your powers are nice and... well... gone, I guess is the word you would use." Simon chuckled as Liz squirmed against him.

 "What?" Isabel breathed out, struggling to breathe. "How?"

 "He shapeshifted into Liz and put something in the spaghetti sauce. Something to suppress our powers." Max said solemnly. "Did you guys put sauce on your spaghetti?"

 Isabel nodded. "Yeah," Michael managed to say. Alex ran towards the door when he saw Tess walk through it.

 "Honey, no! Go back inside!" Alex cried, putting his arms around her.

 "Um, excuse me, hello! Over here, yeah? Scary guy with the gun?" Tess said, waving her arms in the air so she could get Simon's attention over the sea of tall people around her.

 "Ah, Queen Avaria. So nice to see you again." Simon said, smirking.

 "Yeah, whatever. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that your little plan? It's not going to work." Tess said non-chalantly.

 "Oh, but it seems to be working perfectly so far..." he added.

 "Well, um, that's about to change. I guess you didn't know this--- but I eat my spaghetti with tabasco sauce, not regular spaghetti sauce." Tess said with a slight smile on her face.

 Simon's face sank. In his deflation, he dropped the gun on the ground beside Liz and she managed to kick it towards the others. Max reached out and grabbed it and Liz ran towards him. He pushed her behind him to protect her and she gladly obliged.

 "It's over, Simon." Max said coldly as he pointed the gun at him.

 "Like hell it is." Simon cried, raising his hands up and thrusting all the power he had inside towards the group of six.

 Tess immediately ran in front of them and screamed, reflecting the tremendous power he was throwing at her and breaking him. He was flung from the patio in a huge ball of fire.

 There was a pause between them. They all silently prayed that Simon wouldn't get up.

 He didn't.

 Liz ran over to Tess and hugged her fiercely. "Tess! You saved us! Thank you! You saved my life!" The others just stood around in shock at what just happened. Michael slowly walked over to inspect Simon's body.

 Tess was too weak to answer, so she just nodded. Alex caught her in his arms as she sank to the ground.

 "Tess!" Alex and Isabel cried. Max ran over to them as they circled around their friend.

 "Tess, are you okay?" Max asked, holding a hand to her forehead.

 Tess's eyes fluttered open and she nodded slowly. "I'm fine. I just need to-- lie down for a while." Alex scooped her up in his arms and began carrying her inside.

 "You can put her up in my room." Max called behind him.

 "Thanks, bro." Alex called to him as he carried his tired wife in the condo. Michael walked back on to the patio and nodded.

 "Yup, he's dead, all right. Who was that guy? And why did he call us Vilandra, Rathard, and Avaria?" Michael asked as a teary-eyed Isabel fell into his arms for a tight hug.

  Max held Liz close to him as he told them. "That was Simon. He used to be Liz's fiance'."

 "Wait a minute, that was the bastard that--?" Michael cried.

 "Yeah." Max nodded. Liz broke into tears again and he ran his hands through her hair soothingly. "Anyway, he's from our planet. Our home. He called me King Zan. Apparently I was---"

 "The King, huh?" Michael asked. Max nodded. "Weird."

 "And your name was Rathard. Isabel was Vilandra, and Tess was Queen Avaria." Max continued. Michael just nodded. Isabel looked at him with horror.

 "Seth! We should check on Seth. I hope he didn't hear or see any of that, oh God!" Isabel cried, her eyes lighting up in horror. Michael grabbed her hand.

 "We'll go check on him. Will you guys be alright out here?" Michael asked, looking from Max to Liz.

 "Yeah, we'll be fine. We need to do something with---" Max motioned to the body lying in the backyard.

 "We can move it later. Then we can get rid of it, when our powers come back." Michael said. Max nodded as he watched Isabel and Michael walk hand in hand back into his condo. He finally looked down at Liz and found that she was still clutching his shirt.

 "Liz, my angel..." He breathed into her hair. She continued to cry. "Are you going to be all right?"

 "I just can't believe-- Simon was-- he really was out to kill you Max! My dreams---" Liz looked at him in disbelief. "Oh, my God, I hope the neighbors didn't see anything!"

 "It's late, sweetie. I'm sure no one is up." He brought his lips to hers softly.  "Tess killed him. He's gone. He's never going to hurt you or anyone else again." Max soothed her. She looked up at him and stopped his words with a kiss. He never wanted it to end. Every time she would try to break away, he would capture her lips again, bringing a part of her back inside him. His lips moved down to her neck.

 "Max, Max---" She moaned. "Max, marry me..."

 He broke away and looked at her with shock. "What?"

 She intertwined their hands and raised them to her heart. "Max, I want you to marry me. I love you so much."

 "I love you, too, angel. But shouldn't I be the one to ask you?" He joked with her.

 "Hey, pal. It's the new millennium. Women are empowered. If I want to ask an incredible, brave, handsome, sexy, smart, loving, perfect man to marry me, that's my right." Liz said, playfully hitting him on the arm.

 Max nodded, kissing her. "Noted."

 "Max." She moaned into the night.

 "What?" He asked, breaking away from her kiss again.

 "You didn't answer my question." She said firmly. He pulled away from her to look into her beautiful eyes. She smiled. "I'm waiting..." She tapped her foot impatiently on the deck.

 "Here. Let me give you an answer." He pulled her to him and encircled his arms around her waist, pulling her in for another soul-searching kiss.

 "I'm warning you. I consider that a 'yes'." Liz said, smiling into his neck.

 "Yes, Elizabeth Claudia Parker. I will marry you." Max got down on his knees and hugged her waist, burying his face in her stomach. Liz squealed with delight and began jumping up and down. "Um, honey? Down here?"

 "Oh!" Liz cried, realizing she was causing problems for Max, who had his face buried in her abdomen. "I'm sorry." She slowly kneeled down and kissed him.

 "Are you guys getting married?" Little Teagan had snuck downstairs and was watching them kiss from the doorway. Max laughed and ran over to the little boy that he considered his nephew.

 "Shouldn't you be in bed, little man?" He cried, tickling him. "You know what Uncle Max does to little kids who are up past their bedtime!" Teagan squealed with delight.

 "Uncle Max!" Teagan cried, squirming as Max tickled him.

 Liz smiled, hardly able to hold her tears back as she watched Max interact with the little boy. She felt her heart swell and knew that someday she would be watching Max play with a little boy or girl of their own. She melted at the thought.

* * *

 "What are you up to, sweetheart?" Isabel walked into her son's playroom and squatted down to his eye level. "You like those blocks your Aunt Lizzie got for you?"

 Seth nodded enthusiastically. "I'm make a big castle with the bwocks, Mommy! You and Daddy and me can eat in there and can pway in there..."

 "A whole castle? That's a big job, baby! You think you can do it?" Isabel asked him, smiling.

 "Of couse I can, Mama. I not a baby!" Seth cried, knocking over the tower of blocks he'd made in frustration.

 "Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry. You're not a baby. You're Mommy's big boy. Mommy loves you so much, my little prince." Isabel wrapped her arms around him and kissed the top of his head. "Daddy and I have something to tell you. Can you come out in the living room with me?" She grabbed his hand and struggled to stand up.

 "Suwah, Mama." Seth said, gladly taking Isabel's hand and following her into the living room. Seth ran over to the couch and tackled Michael, who was stretched out and watching a movie on the TV.

 "Hey, buddy, how's the castle comin'?" Michael asked as he tickled his son.

 "Daddy, stop tickling me!" Seth cried in a fit of laughter.

 "Michael, I told our son that we have something to tell him." She motioned for him to scoot over so she could sit next to them on the couch. Michael looked over at Isabel and she kissed his cheek. It was a silent gesture, urging him to speak.

 Michael cleared his throat. "Seth, your Mommy and I have decided that we're going to get married."

 Seth paused and cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Get mawied? Like Uncle Max and Aunt Lizzie?"

 "That's right, sweetheart." Isabel nodded. "Remember how we went to the church and Aunt Lizzie wore that pretty white dress? And you sat with Grandma and Grandpa while Mommy and Daddy helped with the wedding?"

 Their son nodded in remembrance."Does this mean you gonna live wif us all the time, Daddy?" Seth asked hopefully.

 Michael smiled. "Yes, Seth. I'm going to live here all the time with you and Mommy."

 "And my name is going to change too."

 Seth looked at her confused. "You not going to be 'Mama' anymore?"

 Isabel and Michael laughed and he put his arm around her, kissing her forehead. "Yes, sweetie. I'll always be your Mama. But the name that everyone else calls me will change. You, your Daddy, and I will all have the same last name. Would you like that?"

 Seth nodded happily. "Mama Guewin. I like it." Michael and Isabel laughed and scooped their son in their arms.

 "I do too." Michael whispered in Isabel's ear as they kissed.

 "Eeeewww! Mama, Daddy stop it!" Seth cried, covering his face in horror. He pulled at Isabel's left hand and noticed the ring on her finger. "Oh, Mama, pwetty wing!"

 "Your Daddy gave it to me." Isabel said sweetly.

 "Did you tank him, Mama?" Seth asked, smirking like his father. Michael laughed at the face. It was the same signature smirk he owned. Like father, like son.

 "Of course I thanked him, Seth." Isabel replied. "Now sweetie, would you like to be in the wedding?"

 "Ooh, can I walk down the eye-ull?" Seth asked excitedly.

 "Yes, and you're going to carry this little pillow that has Mommy and Daddy's wedding rings on them."

 "A pi-woah? Won't they fall off, Mama?" Seth asked in curiosity.

 "They won't fall off, son. They're tied onto the pillow with ribbons. You just have to carry the pillow down the aisle while everyone claps for you." Michael said with a smile.

 "Otay, Daddy." Seth said, suddenly shy. He buried his face in between his parents' bodies and they hugged him tightly.

 "Sweetie, how about we go work on that castle now?" Isabel asked him.

 "Otay, Mama. Let's go." He grabbed her hand and squirmed off the couch. As he dragged her back into the playroom quickly, she turned back to look at Michael on the couch. He smiled back at her and her heart swelled.

 "I love you." He mouthed to her.

 "I love you." She mouthed to him.

*  *  *

 "Honey! I'm home! Kids?" Tess called through the foyer of her California home, depositing her briefcase and purse in the front before walking through the hallway to the kitchen area.

 "Hi, Mom." Angelique said, looking up from the laptop computer sitting on the table.

 "Hi, sweetie. Did you have a good day at school? Where's your Dad and Teagan?" She asked her daughter as she gave her a kiss on the top of her head.

 "Teagan had a checkup, remember? School was okay." Angelique replied, sighing. "I've got to research some stuff on the computer for our dinosaurs project. That's why I have the computer out here."

 "It's fine, Angel. Are you finding everything okay? Do you need me to help?" She asked as she began sifting through the mail on the counter.

 "I can do it, Mom. I don't need any help, but thanks." She replied as she continued to type. Tess laughed as she saw the amount of Christmas cards that had already begun to filter into the house. Christmas was still a good three weeks away.

 She stopped when she got to the letter that was postmarked Seattle, Washington. She ran her finger daintly over the return address label. It read: Maxwell and Elizabeth Evans, 3467 Hideaway Place, Apt. 115, Seattle, Washington, 98101. Tess opened up the card quickly and scanned over the handwritten note.

 "Alex, Tess, Angelique, and Teagan: We love you! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! With Love, Max and Liz."

 Tess opened up the folded piece of paper that slipped out of the card and strained to read the computer print. It was one of those form letters. Tess rolled her eyes. She hated those. She already knew all this stuff. She scanned the mess about how much it rains in Seattle, how fulfilling Max's job is, how Liz is already one of the most sought after microbiology professors at the University of Washington, and how they are looking forward to their first Christmas as a married couple.

 It was the next line that almost took the wind out of her.

 "The happiest news we have to report is that we will be blessed with the birth of our first child next May."

 Tess's jaw hung wide open. "A baby?" She whispered. It didn't matter how much she loved Alex and their kids, a tiny part of her was still programmed to believe that *she* should have been the having Max's children. She hated that part of herself. She suddenly felt very dizzy and rested her upper body on the counter for support.

 Angelique looked over from the computer and frowned. "Mom, are you okay?"

 Tess took a moment to compose herself before looking up to face her daughter. "Of course, sweetie."

 "Mom, why are you crying? What's the matter?" Angelique asked, walking over behind the counter and standing next to her mother.

 "Nothing, nothing's the matter. Max and Liz are... having a baby." Tess said firmly, wiping a tear away from her cheek.

 "Who cares?" Angelique said, walking over to the fridge and grabbing a soda.

 "Angelique Theresa Whitman! What did you just say?" Tess cried, her mouth dropping open with shock at her daughter's rudeness.

 "I said, WHO CARES if Liz is having a baby? You hate her anyway! And she's done nothing but ruin your life, am I right?" Angelique asked, walking into the living room. Tess felt her heart break.

 "Liz--- she did not ruin my life. We weren't always friends... a long time ago, when she and Uncle Max first started dating, he and I were kind of---involved, and that upset her---" Tess tried to explain, but she found herself stumbling.

 "Mother, I'm not stupid. She *took* Max from you. She took him from you and you still hate her for it. Do you think I don't ever hear you and Dad talking about 'destiny'? And what happened the day Liz left Roswell in the first place? I know everything. You were created to be with Max. Michael was created to be with Isabel. I guess only one of those destinies worked out, huh?" Angelique said, sipping on her soda.

 Tess collapsed to the floor under the weight of her daughter's words. "Is that-- is that why you've always disliked Liz? You think she-- you think she ruined my life?"

 Angelique ignored her. Tess took that for a "yes." Her daughter could be so stubborn sometimes. They were so much alike it was scary. "Angelique." Tess said softly, crawling over to the couch where her daughter was sitting. "Liz did not ruin my life. And I don't hate her. I never did hate her. We didn't get along at first, but I never hated her. If anything, she *gave* me my life. She gave me your Dad. Your Dad gave me you. Your Dad gave me Teagan. You all are my life! I wouldn't trade you for anything."

 Angelique looked at her. Tess noticed that there were tears forming in her daughter's eyes. She raised a hand to caress her child's cheek. "Not even for your destiny? Not even for Uncle Max?"

 "Never. Never, Angelique!" Tess cried, pulling her daughter in her arms and hugging her tightly. As they pulled away, she pushed a stray piece of blonde hair behind her ear. "Sweetheart, promise me you'll make an effort to be nice to your Aunt Liz. She's going to be having your cousin soon. Aren't you excited that you're getting another cousin?"

 A small grin creeped over Angelique's face. "Yeah. I hope she has a girl. I already have a boy cousin."

 Tess smiled and kissed her daughter's forehead. "I love you. You are my favorite girl in the world."

 "You're my favorite Mom."

 "Hey," Tess replied, tossing a pillow to her playfully. "I'm your only Mom!"

 "Yeah," she continued. "But you're the best."

 Tess smiled. "What do you want for dinner, kiddo?"

*  *  *

 "Stop it." Liz Evans said firmly as she and her husband lay on the couch watching TV. "Stop tickling me." She cried, giggling. Her legs were stretched out on Max's lap and she held a pillow between her legs for support. Max smiled mischeviously and continued rubbing his fingers lightly on the bottom of her feet.
"Max Evans!"

 "What are you going to do to me, huh?" Max asked as she continued to wiggle. She broke free of his grasp and crawled on her hands and knees to climb in his lap.

 "Oh, I can think of something." She whispered in his ear, breathing on his neck hotly, lightly brushing his skin with her lips.

 "Mmm, if this is my punishment, I should tickle you more often." Max said, smirking as he captured his wife's lips with his own. As their hands and mouths caressed each other, Max gently laid her down on the couch and stretched out over the length of her. As they continued to kiss, Liz broke away and began laughing. "What?" He asked. "Why are you laughing?"

 "It's just-- so funny, we're here--together-- on the couch like this and I'm all big and pregnant... we're going to be parents soon and we still make out on the couch like teenagers-- it is too laughable!" Liz cried, arching her back upwards and rubbing his tight stomach with her pregnant belly.

 "Mmm, love, we're going to make out until we're well into our 100's. So get used to it." Max said, nibbling on her neck. Liz broke away and forced him to look at her.

 "100? You know, we'll have to take out our false teeth before we make out." Liz said, smiling. Max paused for a moment, getting a mental picture of the two of them as centigenarians. He then began hysterically laughing. He buried his face in her neck as the tears began streaming down his face. "What?" She asked incrediously. "It wasn't that funny."

 Max nodded as he continued to laugh. "Yes, yes it was!"

 "I don't know why you want to make out with me anyway. I'm fat and swollen and I can't see my feet." Liz said, tears forming in her eyes. Her hormones were running wild and she was very sensitive about her weight. Max kissed her cheeks and smiled.

 "Oh, sweetie. You are totally wrong... you have no idea what it does to me just to see you like this. You are absolutely beautiful. I wish you could be pregnant all the time..." He murmured into her hair. She smacked him on the arm playfully.

 "Don't even think about it, mister! We haven't even gotten through the first one yet!" Liz cried. Max silenced her with another kiss. His hand wandered down her side and gently massaged the muscles of her arms, continuing lower to her thighs and legs. He pulled one leg up to his side and began gently rocking into her.

 "Max..." She breathed as they continued to kiss.

 "Liz..." He moaned as he continued to slowly and tenderly move with her.

 "Max... MAX!" Liz cried. She pulled away from him and her eyes lit up. "Did you feel that?" She grabbed his hand and pressed it up near the top of her belly. They waited patiently for a moment and suddenly they felt it.

 "The baby! The baby--- she kicked!" Max said ecstatically. "Is this the first time--?"

 "Yes! Of course it is!" Liz cried. "I would have told you if---" She continued and felt the baby kick. "There she is again!" Their smiles were beaming as they stared in wonder at each other. Max lifted up her shirt and rested his cheek to her stomach. He felt the gentle movement against his face and smiled. Liz bent down and kissed the top of his head as she played with his hair.

 "Hi, Erin, Hi honey--- only a few weeks now. Then we'll finally get to meet you. Your Mommy and I love you so much, angel." He kissed her stomach and pulled her shirt down again. He crawled up by her side and rested his head on her chest.

 "Max, do you ever wonder---" Liz began, stopping herself. "No."

 "What? Do I ever wonder what?" Max replied curiously as he drew lazy circles on her arms.

 "Do you ever wonder what our lives would be like now-- if I hadn't walked down the cliff that day?" Liz asked him, looking into his eyes to gauge his answer. "If I hadn't been selfish and left you when you needed me the most?"

 Max buried his face in her neck and kissed it. "Sweetheart, first of all, you weren't being selfish. You were hurt. If I had been in your position-- I might have done the same thing."

 "Might have?" Liz asked, raising her eyebrow.

 "OK, I wouldn't have done it. I would have kissed you breathless and fought for your affections until you submitted to me." Max replied, smirking.

 "You wouldn't have had to fight hard..." She kissed his forehead.

 "But just because I wouldn't have done the same thing doesn't mean that it was the wrong decision. You felt that it was the right decision for you at the time. I love you, and I respect you, so I respect you for doing what you had to do." Max said, his voice cracking with emotion. He hated thinking about that day. It was the single worst day of his life. He drifted his hand to his wife's belly again and rubbed it gently. Liz rested her lips on his forehead and he felt a wet tear hit his skin. "Liz, baby, don't cry."

 She tried to smile through her tears. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for putting you through that. If I could go back and do it differently, I would have. I would have stayed with you and supported you through the fighting and the war..." She wiped her face with the back of her hand. Max leaned up to her face and kissed her cheeks. He held a finger to her lips and she kissed it.

 "Shh. What's done is done. I would do every single day of that fifteen years all over again if it meant I still got to be here now with you and our daughter." Max said, smiling up at her with all the love in her eyes. Liz's eyes filled with tears as they kissed.

 "Our daughter," she breathed as they broke away from each other. "I like the sound of that."

 "How about our son," Max added, nibbling her earlobe. She smacked his arm playfully.

 "Maybe we'll only have girls," Liz smiled, sighing and relaxing into the couch cushions.

 "Well, I guess we'll just have to keep trying for that boy, huh?" Max kissed her cheeks and neck. Liz looked down at him and raised her eyebrow.

 "Or we could sure have fun practicing," Liz began, smirking at him.

 "Ooh, yeah, we should probably practice our--- technique," Max teased her, rubbing his hands gently over her tender breasts and kissing her passionately.

 "Hmm, I definitely agree. We're *good*, but we could always use the practice..." Liz said as she lowered her mouth onto his.

 "Mmm... the bedroom would be a nice place to practice," Max said as he pulled her to his body and to their feet. "Cozy,"

 "Mmm... warm," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

 "Most importantly, lots of room," Max said as he gently pulled her towards the bottom of the stairs. Liz patted her stomach, measuring the width with her hands.

 "I know, for me and my fat ass," she replied as he pulled her close and nuzzled her.

 "You're many things, but fat, you're not," he whispered in her ear. "I'll race you upstairs!" He said, laughing as he pretended to bolt up the stairs. She stood at the bottom with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot.

 "I'm almost eight months pregnant. I'm in no condition to race you anywhere," she reminded him carefully. He turned around and smiled at her.

 "That's right. You are a Queen, and you're carrying our little princess. You deserve to be pampered," he said, scooping her into his arms.

 "Max! My big strong man," she teased him. "You just amaze me more and more everyday." She kissed his forehead as he carefully carried her up the stairs.

 "Right back at you, angel," he kissed her sweetly as they made their way into the bedroom.

 Next door in the nursery, a large stuffed teddy bear from Tess sat in the rocking chair in the corner. The silence comforted the various stuffed animals scattered around in the darkness until Princess Erin Isabella Evans arrived, cradled in the warm arms of her loving parents.

~ The End ~