Rating: PG-13, for language and intensity
Author: Ash
Disclaimer: Written purely for entertainment purposes. I have borrowed their characters, but have no intention of stealing any glory from the most excellent show on television. Simply a tribute.
Dedication: to N/A, whose trilogies are awe-inspiring
Feedback: please...good, bad and the ugly
Summary: After "Sexual Healing"; Mostly M/L and M/M, some M/T and others in background; a "T" storyline, so bail now if you don't want to walk the walk of the damned
Spoilers: well, up to and including the whole "T" storyline, although I really tried to go off in a different direction from the show
Part 11
Liz wasn't answering her phone.
Max hadn't been able to talk to her at all since that episode at lunch and it was driving him crazy. All her parents would say was that she was resting.
But if Liz had seen the vision that he had, then she would think that he and Tess were... had...
And it would have to be killing her.
Max hung up the phone with a grim look.
He looked back into the family room where Tess and Isabel were seated. Tess had totally freaked him out with that telepathic message last night. So much so that he couldn't bring himself to tell Isabel and Michael about it. Not until he understood it more, anyway.
All Tess would say is that it was normal for them. But she couldn't explain why none of the three could do it with each other. And she wouldn't consent to test it with the others.
Honestly, she didn't seem to trust them very much.
But the telepathy had to mean something. Either something was different about her, or something was different about the connection between he and Tess.
Like what?
Together, they had been over every scrap of information about their lives, and they could find no special link between Max and Tess. Besides the obvious, anyway.
But Max wasn't ready to chalk it all up to him just being a jerk and betraying the girl he loved.
Yes, alright... that was what it felt like.
And yes, that was even what it looked like. Especially to Liz.
But it wasn't that. It couldn't be that.
He grabbed the chips and napkins and headed back to the den. They would sit here all night if they had to.
Liz needed him to find out what the connection was.
He felt that with every fiber of his being.
******
It was this part of her plan that Liz absolutely dreaded. Maria was on her way over to Max's and here she was at Michael's... again.
She knocked on his door... after cursing herself for having to do this.
He opened the door warily, scrubbing his hair in a sleepy motion.
"Liz? What's up?"
Liz strode past him into the apartment.
"I need to ask you a favor."
She turned and met his eyes with determination.
Michael tilted his head and crossed his arms.
"You're obviously feeling better. What is it?"
Nodding at his admonishment, she began, "I'm going to talk to Max. But I have this bad feeling that something may not let me get through it, so I need a back-up, preferably someone from... up north."
She stopped and watched for his reaction.
"So, let me get this straight. You want Max back, and you want me to help," Michael smirked. "I can see one big problem with this scenario." Liz glared at him.
"You mean besides the fact that that's not what I'm trying to do at all?"
Michael blinked and shifted his body slightly.
"Okay, so what are you trying to do?"
Liz wasn't quite sure how to answer him.
"Yeah, I... need to warn him about Nasedo."
Michael's eyes narrowed.
"What the hell do you know about Nasedo?"
Liz took a step forward and raised her hands in an effort to calm Michael.
"He's trying to keep Max and I apart, I think."
Michael snapped at her.
"What? That's ridiculous. Liz, the entire world is not concerned with your love life!"
"Michael, something's not right-" she began stubbornly.
He turned back to the door and opened it for her.
"Yeah. You accusing Nasedo isn't right. You can leave now."
Liz stared at him and then shook her head as she walked toward the door. Just as she passed him, she stopped.
Strengthening her resolve, she turned to him one more time.
"I realize that I sound..."
"Self-absorbed," Michael supplied with a raised eyebrow.
"Uh, yeah... yeah," Liz glanced down quickly, trying not to look as desperate as she felt. "But if I'm right and something does happen to me before I can talk to Max, just please tell him what I said. Please. He may not listen to Maria."
Michael's face was unreadable, but he finally nodded.
"Sure."
Liz nodded, feeling like she'd just burned her last bridge behind her.
******
"Things are getting worse, but I feel a lot better.
And that's all that really matters to me."
- Counting Crows
******
Max opened the door with a surprised look on his face.
"Maria?"
She launches into her prepared speech.
"Yeah, I don't want to be here, either, but Liz and Michael are on their way over to talk to you and I'm supposed to run interference."
"Liz and Michael?"
"Don't worry, Michael's just an escort because Liz is... worried that she won't make it or something."
Max shifts nervously as he speaks, "Yeah, how is she? I've been trying to call all afternoon, but her parents won't let me talk to her."
Maria examines her nails.
"Pity. I guess they have something against two-timing guys who completely demolish their daughter's heart. Go figure."
Max sighs.
"Yeah, well, I would ask you to come inside, but I have company."
Maria looks past Max to see Tess standing in the hallway, listening.
"Oh, her? Tess won't mind, will you," Maria pushes past Max and seats herself on the living room couch. "Liz will be here in just a sec."
Tess and Max enter the living room and exchange a glance.
Maria looks up at them innocently.
"Oh, did you want the couch? How rude of me," she says as she stands. "Go on, grope to your heart's content. I'm sure you won't mind if I sit here and glare at you. Just pretend like I'm not here."
Isabel, sitting at the table, covers her mouth with her hand to hide the smile on her face.
Max rolls his eyes.
Tess shoots Maria a superior look.
"Thank you, don't mind if I do," she says as she moves closer to Max and stares into his eyes.
Max glances away, uncomfortable, but a touch from Tess on his arm brings his eyes back to hers.
He gets lost in them immediately.
Tess leans in close to Max, looking directly at his lips...
"Dogs in heat," Maria mumbles as she looks around and grabs a nearby cup.
Jumping to her feet, she desperately flings the ice cold contents at them.
Tess gasps and pulls away from Max as he bellows.
"Maria!"
"Oops, did I do that," Maria asks innocently.
Tess' eyes practically bore holes in Maria's head. She waves her hand once over the spilled soda dripping down her body and it disappears.
Maria's smile fades and she backs away from Tess.
"What's wrong, Maria," Tess taunts her. "If you can't bowl with the big girls, stay out of the tacky shoes."
Max goes to grab a towel out of the kitchen, then reaches back and pulls Tess with him.
She hesitates, then looks back at Maria as she exits.
"I guess we do want a little more privacy, don't we, Max?"
Maria stares after them a moment, trying to calm herself.
"Well," she turned to Isabel. "I guess some aliens are green and slimy after all. Big surprise."
She sat back on the couch with a huff and shook her head.
Maybe Tess wasn't Nasedo, but she was an alien just the same.
And coming here is probably the last thing Liz should be doing.
Part 12
Liz hated walking alone at night, regardless of the circumstance.
And tonight, when she was expecting a visit from some unknown, shapeshifting alien who wanted God-only-knows-what from her... well, it was definitely worse.
But what could she do? Beg Michael to go with her?
No way. She had gotten all the way to Michael's without incident. She would just continue on to Max's- a few blocks away.
And Maria should be looking out for her. Maybe Max, too...
Don't get your hopes up, she lectured herself. This visit is strictly business. You are so over the alien. Right?
Yeah... right.
Okay, left on Maple, past the church and straight through the light. There was plenty of traffic there, a few people. Liz breathed more easily now.
Until the turn for Max's street.
The noises of cars had faded into the background.
She was almost there. She could see the Evans' house ahead and her breath caught in her throat.
Maybe she should have let Maria give her a ride.
No, she was much safer this way.
Liz hunched her shoulders.
When your life starts resembling an episode of the Twilight Zone, it's time to cut your best friends loose. Otherwise, they'd be walking this long, dark road with you, just waiting for-
Good grief! Stop thinking like that, she ordered herself. Max is going to think you're a lunatic if you get there all out of breath and frantic. He may not even-
Liz's feet suddenly refused to move any farther.
A dark figure had stepped out from behind a tree. She squinted in the half-light.
It was the Indian man that she and Max had seen in the desert that night when they found the orb.
He was about 30 feet away, watching her. Waiting for her.
Her breath came out in a rush.
Nasedo?
Of course! He must've known about the orb. Was he guarding it when they discovered it?
The man began to walk slowly in her direction.
She fell back a step, then stopped herself. She was so close to Max's house. She had to go on.
What other option was there?
She clenched her fists tightly.
Maybe she should just try to talk to Max at school... although Nasedo had been able to get to her there, too.
Liz fought back tears of fear and frustration.
It was inevitable. Whatever he was going to do to her was going to happen regardless of where or when. She couldn't run from him.
So she slowly started walking forward.
Maybe he just wanted to show her something, something in the visions that she hadn't seen before. Maybe she could talk to him, even if he wouldn't let her talk to Max.
His face was passive, registering no emotion at all.
Liz stopped.
He was raising a hand toward her.
Maybe...
A chill crept up her spine.
Wait...no-
She saw white-
Her head jerked back in a spasm of pain.
FLASH
Max and Tess kissing...
FLASH
flesh entertwining...
FLASH
under sheets...
FLASH
Liz standing on the street outside Max's house
FLASH
Liz lying on the ground, lifeless
She couldn't see- couldn't think-
The stabbing pain slashed through her mind bringing blinding light, pulsating red spots and finally, blackness.
On her knees now, she opened her mouth to scream for help, but another burst of pain forced the breath from her lungs.
Pain... like her brain was being squeezed, manipulated.
This time the pulsating red spots stayed, with residual pain and warm, sticky wetness flowing from her nose.
Blood...
Finally, the pain receded and Liz realized that someone had picked her up.
Through the dizziness, she heard Michael's voice calling her name. He was walking, holding her close to his chest.
Liz weakly grabbed at his shirt, just trying to breathe normally again. Suddenly, Michael stopped and groaned in pain. He dropped to his knees, Liz falling limply out of his arms.
She opened her eyes and gasped.
Blackness.
She pressed her hands to her eyes as she sat up, trying to make them see something, anything.
A whisper of pain touched her mind, and she braced herself for another onslaught. But it never came.
Something was buffering it...
"Michael," Liz ventured in between breaths. She could hear his ragged breathing in front of her.
She hesitated, then reached her hands up to touch his face.
He was grimacing, hands to his head.
Liz swore to herself. He was protecting her somehow. This was her fault. A strange dizziness overcame Liz as the red spots returned.
She felt a... presence in her mind... taking over, leaving a burning trail as it branched its way throughout her body.
It felt... wrong, very wrong.
She tried to fight it.
NO!
In response, the warmth radiating through her became scorchingly hot, burning, boiling...
She dimly heard Michael beside her let out an agonized cry.
Pain...
Darkness.
******
Max hit the door running.
That vision- Liz, lifeless- was seared into his brain.
It only took seconds to see them in front of his neighbor's house- two dark figures writhing against the white of the sidewalk- one on his knees, hands to his head; the smaller one coiled tight against the ground, barely moving.
Max moved forward in horror, feeling each heartbeat like a hammer in his chest.
Someone was hurting Liz and Michael...
And when someone stepped directly in front of Max, he shoved them out of the way and continued on faster.
Now he could see the blood on Liz's face, the agony on Michael's...
But there was a sudden burst of light from in front of him, and someone was standing in his way again.
Max blinked. It was the Indian from the desert, the night Liz and he found the orb.
This man had just produced light from thin air.
******
Maria was sitting on the couch inventing interesting and painful ways to get rid of Tess when Max rushed by with terror in his eyes.
And Maria was on her feet in an instant, blocking Tess' path. "Going somewhere," she smirked.
Tess took a step back, murder in her eyes.
"You have no idea what you're doing," she spat out. "I'm not gonna' let you screw this up for me."
Tess reached out her hands, her fingers taunt.
Maria flew back against the couch, her head cracking loudly against the wooden frame.
Fear coursed through Maria as she felt the knot on her head.
Tess was a lot more dangerous that she seemed.
But Maria had only a second to be glad that she couldn't get up to follow Tess.
Isabel was beside her in an instant.
"Maria," she pulled her up and propelled her towards the door. "We've got to help Max. Something's happening."
Part 13
"Nasedo," Max managed as he stepped toward him, his dark eyes growing dangerous.
The Indian approached slowly, then stopped with a nod.
"Why are you hurting them," Max managed as his anger found a focus. "Stop hurting them!"
Nasedo shook his head.
"You don't understand-"
"No! You don't understand," Max snarled as he reached out to grab him. "Stop it, or-"
As soon as he touched him, they made a connection.
Max started to jerk back, but the rush of images came immediately...
FLASH
Close up Max's face, moving into his hazel eyes, magnifying the iris, then the individual cells in the iris, even down to the DNA structure (a strange shifting double helix structure)
FLASH
Close up Tess's face, moving into her blue eyes, magnifying the iris, then the individual cells in the iris, even down to the DNA structure (an identically strange shifting double helix structure)
FLASH
The two DNA strands side by side, mirror images of each other
FLASH
Max and Tess kissing
FLASH
Tess holding a baby
FLASH
Max with his arm around Tess, watching a boy fly a kite
FLASH
Max turning away from Tess...and toward Liz
FLASH
The little boy fading away....
FLASH
The blinking orb sounding off...
Max is frozen in place.
"Max," he hears Isabel's questioning voice behind him.
Then Maria's, dangerously close to tears, "Oh my god, Liz... Michael!"
She runs past them, Isabel right behind her.
Max releases his hold on Nasedo, but can't pull his eyes away.
"The orb is...?"
Nasedo's face is emotionless as he finishes, "The guardian."
Max nods and swallows hard.
He looks back at Tess behind him, then back at Nasedo.
"And if I choose her, then..." he trails off.
Nasedo gives Max a long look and steps out of the way, showing Liz lying motionless, her head in Maria's lap.
Max feels panic seize him as he automatically starts toward them. Liz looks dead already...
Suddenly, a small but strong hand on Max's arm stops him. Despite himself, Max feels a connection spring up with Tess at the touch.
Before he can pull away her fear, her love for him and her anguish at the situation wash over him. And he suddenly understands.
"You already knew," he whispers, looking back at her. "That we're..."
She nods, "Made for each other. You can't leave me, Max. You can't choose her."
******
Maria can't see through the tears blinding her eyes.
She can't see Michael's face, just the blur that she knows is him. He is still in agony, though he has become more still since Isabel connected to him.
She's helping him somehow.
Please, Isabel, help him.
She looked down at Liz, who was again unconscious, and groaned.
What's happening?
Maria glanced up in Max's direction. She instinctively knew that he was the key. Tess was pleading with him, saying something she couldn't quite hear from this distance.
And he was listening...
What the hell's the matter with him?
******
Max's heart twisted at Tess' words. He wouldn't willingly hurt her, especially now that he knew who she was.
"Max, this is it for me. Please."
Her eyes are pleading with him, trying to tell him something he can't quite read.
But Liz-
The orb will kill her to keep he and Tess together.
He doesn't even have time to think.
"Tess, I'm sorry. I love her."
"Max," Maria screamed at him, "Max, for god's sake, do something!"
He is gone before Tess can object any further, before even one of her tears falls.
She watches with dead eyes as Nasedo heads toward her, not even flinching when he reaches out.
******
Max connected with Liz as soon as he touched her, and in that moment, he knew what was happening.
The orb was using the connection Max had made with Liz's mind to kill her...
Somehow Michael had been fighting the orb, keeping the intense energy flowing through her from doing too much damage.
But even with Isabel helping, the orb was pushing them back, taking over Liz's body and burning her up from the inside.
Max focused his mind on the blood in her veins, cooling the temperature and slowing her heartbeat to normal.
And then the orb was on him.
An explosion of pain rocked his senses, and a searing pain behind his eyes told him that the orb was trying to blind him as he knew it had Liz.
He pulled back his mind and stopped the damage to his nerves, regenerating the tissue quickly.
The pain receded as his connection to Liz faltered, and he immediately sensed the blood in her veins heat up again.
The orb was too strong, he couldn't protect himself and Liz.
Somewhere, he was vaguely aware of Isabel and Michael being let go.
Their presence was gone from Liz's body. He hoped they were alright.
Liz's heartbeat was frenetic now, and weakening by the second.
Max again reached out with his mind; he had to save her.
As her heartbeat once again slowed, the onslaught on his mind began again- full tilt, and in screaming neon colors.
Suddenly another presence joined him, strong enough to hold off the orb, pulling him back from Liz.
*No, she'll die!*
*The orb will kill you instead,* Nasedo whispered.
*I don't care. No! Don't pull me back!*
And suddenly, the connection was broken.
Max was thrown back from Liz, and found himself three feet away on his back.
He wanted to get up, to go to Liz, but the pain was too intense.
"Liz, hang on," he winced, and focused his sapped strength on healing himself.
He felt hands on him, and the warmth that flooded through him brought feelings of fear, love and despair. The combined powers of Michael and Isabel mended his body in seconds.
He looked up at them questioningly, "Is she okay?"
Isabel looked over and gasped.
As Max followed her gaze, his heart lurched. Maria was passed out on the ground beside Liz. Over them, Nasedo was bending down, his hand on Liz's neck- glowing.
"No," Max yelled as he jumped up. He was by Liz's side in two seconds, throwing Nasedo back away from her.
He glanced over at Maria stirring, glad to see Michael already by her side.
Liz was waking up, too, her face pale and on the verge of panic as she sat up. She swiped at the blood on her face and looked around with unfocused eyes.
"Max," she whispered.
He grimaced as he realized that she couldn't see him.
"I'm right here," he whispered.
She was startled by his closeness, but immediately reached out a shaking hand towards his face. Before she could reach him, she stopped herself and lowered her hand.
Max suddenly remembered all that had come between them. He blinked. It was all over. She had to know it.
He grabbed her hand and pulled it to his face, desperate for her to feel his love.
Liz reached her thumb over and gently touched his lips as he spoke. "I am so sorry. Are you okay," he asked softly.
He reached out, palm facing her and the remaining blood disappeared from her face.
Liz couldn't help the tears that filled her eyes.
"Yeah... I'm just a little..."
"Shaken up," he asked, his tone light.
"Yeah," she smiled painfully and dropped her hand from his face. "My head is killing me. Got aspirin?"
"I've got something better," Max said with a smile.
Liz wondered at the tone in his voice, but understood when he leaned in close and kissed her tenderly.
She was so shocked she almost pulled away. What had changed?
He placed his hands on her neck and made a connection as he kissed her one more time.
Liz felt a warmth flood through her again, but this time it brought feelings of love and regret. It soothed away the pain. Max was healing her body.
He pulled back after a moment, watching her carefully as she opened her eyes.
Her face immediately clouded up.
"I still can't see you," she whispered. "Why can't I see?"
Maria gasped quietly.
Max couldn't stand to see the panic on Liz's face. He grabbed her and pulled her into an embrace, looking up at Isabel desperately.
"We'll fix it, Liz. Don't worry. Whatever it is..."
He quickly went over in his mind the steps he had taken in healing her, sure that he had repaired the damaged optic nerve-
"Max, Michael, where's Nasedo," Isabel's voice interupted his thoughts. Max jerked his head back up, only now realizing the sidewalk was empty.
"What is it, Max," Liz whispered fearfully as she pulled away, her eyes darting around.
Max cursed under his breath.
"Nasedo is gone."
Maria's voice carried strongly over to them. "And it looks like he took the slimy little soul mate-snatcher with him. Maybe he is a good guy after all."
Part 14
The realization that Tess was gone hit Max with a thud.
They had all searched the entire house as quickly as possible and found nothing.
That is, everyone searched except for Liz.
Max had squirreled Liz away up to his room, away from his parents' prying eyes. He left her sitting ramrod straight on his bed, obviously fighting for control of her emotions.
He rubbed his face wearily as he pulled his thoughts back to the present.
The four of them were having a whispered meeting in the hallway and Max was trying to ignore Maria glaring at him.
"Okay, Tess is gone. Let's just assume we'll see her at school tomorrow," he said low, even though his gut instinct told him that she wouldn't be there. "I don't know what else to do. Right now, we need to figure out what to do with Liz."
"What to do with her," Maria barely kept her fury to a whisper. "You're talking about her like it's not your total fault that this happened. You and that alien bitch did everything you could to make her life miserable. You should have been the one bleeding on the ground, you bastard! Not Liz!!"
By this point, Michael was not only holding Maria back, but dragging her out into the fourier.
"Maria, calm down," Michael held her close to his side as she punched at him angrily.
"Let me go, you son-of-a-"
"Hey! I'm trying to be a guy here. You like that, remember," he set her down, still holding her arms at her side.
She finally broke down in tears and he pulled her into an embrace. He looked back at Max who was watching from downcast eyes.
Isabel put her hand on Max's arm, but he shoved it off and headed for his room.
Michael led Maria over to the couch and sat her down, where she immediately leaned into him.
Michael hesitated a moment, then put his arms around her. He looked up at Isabel uncomfortably.
Isabel raised her eyebrows, then suddenly understood his predicament. She pantomimed petting Maria's hair and patting her on the back.
Michael nodded and tentatively raised a hand to Maria's hair. He stroked it softly, then used his other hand to rub her back.
Isabel gave him a double thumbs up sign and smiled as she exited the room.
******
Max opened the door to his room as quietly as possible, but Liz still jumped up off the bed about a foot.
"Max," she called out as she half-turned to the doorway. "Is that you?"
"Yes," he answered quickly, shutting the door behind him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
He stopped as he noticed her hands gripping the comforter on his bed tightly.
Her knuckles were white.
"Liz, I am so sorry," he whispered as he took a step toward her. She didn't move a muscle.
Max slowly sat down beside her, wondering how much he needed to explain. And how in the world to begin.
Her next words gave him a clue.
"I saw you kiss her," Liz said faintly. "I was waiting for Alex outside the Crashdown... and there you were. And then I started having the visions... and the warnings... and the pain."
Liz stood up, as though she couldn't stand to be near him one more second, and slowly moved to the window.
"Oh god, Liz..." Max buried his head in his hands.
He was sorry.
Oh god, was he sorry.
He knew that he had lost every right (if he had ever had it) to comfort Liz or explain his behavior over the last weeks. But he had to try.
"This has been a nightmare for you. And I am so sorry," he finally managed, putting every ounce of feeling into the words that he could. "But she was...is... genetically my mate. Tess is from my world."
Max looked up, hating to speak the name into such a brittle silence. Liz was standing at the window, head held high, her arms stiff at her sides.
Max rushed on, despising himself for having to say that.
"I don't know how it works on our planet. If there's only one person you can be with or if there are choices. But the orb brought Tess here and tried to make us bond because we're... genetically compatible... survival of the species and all that."
Max stood, waiting for some sign from Liz.
She took a deep, controlled breath, but said nothing.
The door suddenly opened and Maria burst into the room.
Liz whirled around and gasped.
"Oh, Liz, I'm sorry," Maria exclaimed as she rushed over to her. She stopped in front of her and gently reached out to pull her into a hug. Liz laid her cheek on Maria's shoulder and covered her face up with her hand as she lost her composure.
Maria turned and glared at Max.
"If you don't mind, Mr. Fixit, I'm taking her to the hospital so we can find out what the hell you've done to her. And if you know what's good for you, you'll stay away."
Max felt tears sting his eyes.
He watched Maria lead Liz carefully to the door, growing more desperate by the second.
"Liz, wait! Tess is gone because I didn't choose her. I told her I loved you," his voice cracked with emotion.
Liz froze.
Max searched her face intently. "Liz?"
She slowly turned toward him and did something that shocked all three of them.
Her hand whipped up and smacked him across the face.
It wasn't the hardest he had ever been hit, but Maxwell Evans felt the blow to the core of his being.
He sat down on his bed, not even raising his eyes to watch them leave. He was vaguely aware of Maria's whispered words as they walked down the hallway.
"Good girl, Liz."
******
Liz sat in Maria's Mom's car as she had done seemingly millions of times before, but the feelings inside of her were anything but familiar.
She had listened to Maria's ramblings for a minute, but then realized that she was mainly talking to herself. That was Maria's way of dealing. And Liz's way... well, Liz's way wasn't working.
Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, but their very stillness was evidence of the war of emotions going on inside of her.
At the forefront was genuine panic. Breath-stealing, alogical, spastic panic.
Because ever since the nightmare, the one she still couldn't remember... darkness had terrified her.
And this, this everlasting yawning pit of blackness, was coming very, very close to claiming her sanity.
As if it weren't already hanging by a thread...
She took a shaky breath.
Max had said he loved her.
But Max kissed Tess.
Max had kissed Liz.
Max and Tess were alien something-or-others.
But Max had chosen Liz instead...
And Liz felt... Liz was... completely numb.
She had slapped Max.
She couldn't even see his face or how much it had hurt him.
She had hoped that it would pull away some of the layers of pain built up inside of her.
She had hoped, in that brief second before her hand stung his cheek, that it would make them even. That he would feel as ravaged as she did.
Did he?
Not that it mattered. Now she was on her way to the hospital.
She couldn't even think of what story she could tell to cover their butts this time. She couldn't even make herself care if someone found out what had really happened... that there really were aliens in Roswell.
Not that anyone would believe me...
Liz smiled.
Yep, that blackness was absolutely mind-numbing...
Part 15
Alex woke up from his short nap to the most beautiful sight...
Isabel was leaning over him, loose hair falling around her face as she gazed at him with those deep brown eyes.
"How's Liz?"
Alex blinked and jerked his head up.
Liz?
He glanced down at the sleeping girl in his lap and it all came rushing back at him:
the phone call at midnight, the hurried ride to the hospital and the long wait in the e.r.
"Oh, god, what time is it," Alex groaned.
"It's almost 2 a.m.," Isabel said as she pulled up a chair. "Has she not even been back yet?"
Alex rubbed his face with both hands in an effort to wake up more.
"Nah, nah. We're way down on the list. Apparently, this is the night everyone in the tri-county area decided to experiment with alcohol, drugs and, strangely enough, power tools. " Alex frowned. "I mean, what are the chances that someone would have a pruning accident at midnight?" Isabel shook her head, "How is Liz? Can she see anything?"
"No, not at all," Alex looked down and lightly brushed a few hairs back from Liz's face as she slept. "She got a migraine and practically passed out at about 1:00."
Isabel sat back in her chair with a worried look.
Alex noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see Max and Michael entering from the hallway, coffee in their hands.
"Great," Alex muttered. "He came to finish her off."
He stared at Max with cold eyes. Maria and Liz both had been so exhausted and frightened by their experience that it was difficult to get any details from them about what happened. Finally, Alex had resigned himself to comforting the girls, figuring he could pummel the truth out of Max later.
Isabel looked back at Max and shook her head slightly.
Max halted, a worried look on his face.
Alex placed one of his long arms over Liz's sleeping form. "I'll take it, Maxwell."
Michael reached over for the coffees.
Max met Alex's eyes for another second and then turned to sit down alone.
Michael walked over to Isabel with a frown.
"Alex, Iz, coffee?"
Isabel took a cup from him.
"No thanks," Alex said. "I thought Maria told Roswell's own Maquis de Sade to stay away from Liz."
Isabel sighed. "I know you're really mad at Max, Alex, but he feels as rotten about this as everyone else does. Worse, in fact. Tess disappeared."
Alex raised his eyebrows. "And I'm supposed to care... why?"
"Because, Alex," Isabel looked around and whispered nervously. "She's one of us."
Alex's jaw dropped.
He looked over at Maria, who was slumped down in a nearby chair, asleep. "Am I, like, always gonna' to be the last to know this stuff," he said with exasperation.
Isabel glanced at Michael as he frowned at Alex and stalked away.
"Alex," Isabel went on quickly. "She asked us not to tell anyone, especially Liz."
Alex frowned.
"Why especially her?"
"Tess and Max are... linked somehow," Isabel said as she glanced away nervously. "Some sort of genetic match that makes them mates. Or atleast they would have probably been at home. Here, well, things are more complicated."
Alex tried to stay calm.
"So, Liz is... a complication?"
"Alex... I'm just explaining the facts. And for your information, Max went totally against everything the connections and his instincts were telling him to do. He chose Liz."
But Alex was already shaking his head.
"Whatever. What I want to know is-" Alex's voice had gotten louder during the conversation and he paused as Liz began to stir.
She grew still again and Alex continued in a whisper, "is why was Nasedo there? And why didn't any of you stop Liz from getting hurt?"
Isabel looked away guiltily, "We tried, Alex. Michael and I both tried, but the orb was too strong. We all had to be healed from coming into contact with it."
Liz moaned softly in her sleep, "No..."
Alex looked down and put his hand on her head softly.
"Liz, it's okay."
"No..."
She awakened suddenly and thrashed around as she scrambled to sit up. "Liz, it's me," Alex said, reaching out to calm her.
She was still breathing heavily.
He watched with concern as she become perfectly still.
"Liz?"
She hesitated a moment, then whispered, "Alex?"
"I'm right here," he said as calmly as possible.
Liz swallowed convulsively.
"I can't see, Alex."
He nodded, although he didn't know why, and said firmly, "I know. But it's okay."
Liz was shaking her head nervously, "No, you don't understand. I can't see, Alex! I CAN'T SEE!"
She stood up, frantically groping around her.
"It's all black. Everything is black. Oh God..."
Alex stood slowly, unsure of what to do. Liz was in a complete panic. He traded glances with Maria, who was now awake and watching Liz with terrified eyes.
Then Max was suddenly there, crushing Liz close to him, whispering words no one else could hear.
A war was going on inside of Liz, but all they could hear of the struggle was a few broken sobs.
She sagged against Max, and finally allowed him to sit her down on the couch.
Alex watched Max's pained expression as she immediately pushed him away. "No it won't be alright," she whispered fiercely. "It won't ever be alright again. Don't you understand? I can't see anything." Her voice choked on the last words.
Alex moved over beside her on the couch, his face grim.
He wasn't going to kill Max in the middle of the hospital, but he was definitely going to pencil it in for the future. For now, he needed to concentrate on Liz. He put his arm gently around her shoulders.
She leaned over into his embrace, and Alex couldn't keep the smirk off his face as Max stood up and walked away.
Maybe I won't have to kill him after all. Liz is doing a pretty good job of it herself.
"It's going to be okay, Lizzie. Shhhh," he whispered as he settled back to hold her close.
Her breathing was calm again, but he noticed that she kept her eyes closed and her body was far from relaxed.
He glanced over to see Michael enveloping a sobbing Maria in his arms. Someone is going to pay for all of this misery, Alex thought, and pay big.
******
About thirty minutes later, they finally got the call to send Liz back. Alex helped her to her feet and excused himself to go phone Liz's parents, as he and Maria had already agreed upon.
But Liz had a death grip on his arm, and he finally motioned to Isabel to make the call.
"Okay, Liz, I'm here."
As they followed the nurse down the long hallway, Alex fervently wished the doctor would give them some good news, or anything that might be classified as such under these circumstances.
But somehow, he was sure they wouldn't get it.
Part 16
Maria glared at the doctor's back as he exited behind the Parkers, saying that he wanted to speak with them alone in the hallway.
The way he had questioned Liz made Maria want to scream.
His tone had been so condescending! As if Liz was a child who had simply had a nightmare.
But after Mrs. Parker's hysterical reaction to the news, Liz needed strength right now, not emotional outbursts.
So Maria just gritted her teeth and walked over to Liz.
She was huddled on the table, as miserable as Maria had ever seen her. Maria shook her head and reached out for Liz's limp hand.
"We'll figure it out, okay? He doesn't know crap. He doesn't even know what really happened."
Liz just pulled her hand away to wipe at a tear.
"Neither do I."
Maria turned away, her head aching.
This lump on the back of my head isn't helping anything, that's for sure.
She felt it with her fingertips as she had been compulsively ever since that Martian "ho" had thrown her back against the couch like a sack of potatoes.
God, did she want to get even with her for that!
She glanced over and saw Michael watching her with concern.
She pulled her fingers away from her head.
This was nothing.
And there was no *freakin'* way she was going to do what Michael wanted her to.
She crossed her arms.
She didn't care if he could heal her with one touch, Max Evans had better not come within ten feet of her or there would be hell to pay.
*****
Max had thought his life was pretty miserable before he saved Liz's life. And then again, when they were back to "just friends", it had been even worse.
But this... this was pure hell.
He knew what it was like to kiss Liz, to hold her and to have her want him.
And to go from that to this...
He sat still as stone, forcing the agonizing emotions down deep inside of him.
Right now, he couldn't afford to feel.
So he stood up... and paced.
This waiting was so useless.
The doctors wouldn't be able to tell them anything Max didn't already know. Her eyes were fine; he had healed her completely.
Something else was keeping her from seeing.
But what?
If only Nasedo hadn't disappeared. He would know for sure.
And Tess...
Max winced.
Her name brought up a maelstorm of emotions.
He shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned back against the wall.
Anger. Tess had watched Liz hurting, fighting for life just yards away, and all she was concerned about was keeping Max for herself.
Fear. There was something else behind her eyes, something she wasn't telling him, something vital.
Frustration. He felt the drive for them to be together, to be mates as they were made to be, even though he knew they couldn't be.
And relief. That she was gone; that she had accepted his decision. He loved Liz. He had chosen her. It was the only choice he could have made.
If only Liz could understand...
Max pushed off the wall as he saw Isabel walking over to him.
Her face was grim.
Max sighed.
The next few days were going to be rough ones, for everyone.
******
Liz was exhausted.
After two days of further testing, numerous specialists and lots of waiting, they were no closer to an answer.
She still couldn't see anything but darkness. Had to be helped everywhere, to do everything. It ate away at her to be so dependent on everyone else.
And her mom was driving her crazy. She had been overprotective before, but now she was practically psychotic about it.
Liz rolled her eyes.
Her poor little crippled daughter couldn't be trusted alone for one minute.
Which was why Maria was sitting out here on the balcony, too.
Of course, it was nice not to be alone... with all that darkness crowding in on her.
And Maria was one of those comfortable kind of people who could be around a lot and not get in the way.
Liz smiled.
Like now, for example.
Even a newly-blind person could tell that Maria was fast asleep. For one thing, she was actually quiet.
And she was making those little gurgly noises in the back of her throat. Trust Maria to be completely original. She doesn't even snore like a normal person.
The cool night air brushed across Liz's face and she pulled the blanket up tighter.
God, how she wanted to write in her journal.
Her thoughts had been whirling around since that night, a jumble of worries, theories and fear.
They had gradually distilled into two sentences that she so desperately wanted to write down:
I now know that I can survive almost anything.
I'm just not really sure that I want to.
Part 17
Morning came too early for Liz.
She yawned again as Maria chattered on. "I have been dying to get my hands on your face all year. How about plum eyeshadow? It'll look great."
Liz set her mouth in a stern line.
"Maria, I am not a Barbie doll. Just do my make-up the way I usually do it," she demanded. "...please."
Liz listened to the sounds Maria made carefully.
She was rummaging through the make-up bag for something else.
They had already fought once over what outfit Liz would wear. It had been like pulling teeth to make Maria get out Liz's jeans and plain red sweater.
Maria had wanted Liz to wear a skin-tight black dress with some shawl she brought with her.
Like Liz wasn't already going to call enough attention to herself by having to grope around the school like an idiot.
She tilted her head questioningly.
"Maria?"
"Fine. Boring brown it is. Shut your eyes," Maria sighed again as she started lightly touching the shadow to Liz's eyelid.
The sensation relaxed Liz and unbidden tears sprang into her eyes. "Thanks, Maria," she whispered, "for everything."
Maria stopped suddenly.
"Hey, no tears when we're doing the eyes, okay," she exclaimed with a choked voice.
Liz nodded and took a deep breath.
This was going to be hard enough without breaking down every five minutes.
Maria quickly returned to a professional tone.
"Okay, you just relax. You are going to look fabulous!"
******
"Well, Mrs. Parker," said Principal Adams quietly. "I assure you that we can accomodate the special needs of any student and we'll go out of our way to help Liz until she can get back on her feet."
Liz nodded slightly.
Yep, that's me. Poor little blind girl.
Maria slipped her hand into Liz's.
"We have reworked her schedule so that she has Alex Whitman or Maria in each one of her classes. She can tape the lectures, have one of her friends read her assignments to her and take her tests orally."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Adams," Nancy Parker said warmly.
"May I ask what the doctor's report was, as far as what the future holds for Liz?"
They were talking about her like she wasn't even in the room!
Liz bit back angry words.
"Well..." Mrs. Parker hesitated. "It doesn't seem to be a physical malady, so we're assuming that she was just under too much stress. From work and from school. So... we're taking the specialist's advice and trying to keep her in her normal routine as much as possible, just trying to back off the level of stress."
Just then Maria leaned over, a smile in her voice, "Thanks, babe. No more long shifts at the Crashdown for us. We'll be too busy working on your homework!!"
Liz managed a small smile into the darkness around her.
"Very good, Mrs. Parker. We will do everything we can to further your efforts in that area. Liz has always been a favorite with her teachers, and I know they will want to help."
Tears stung Liz's eyes at the unexpected kind words.
She could hear her mother stand up from her chair and knew she was shaking the principal's hand.
Oh god...
Liz gripped the arms of her chair. She wasn't ready to face this, not by a long shot.
******
Maria walked slightly ahead of Liz, trying desperately to ignore the stares and whispering around them.
Liz's hand on her arm felt burning hot.
She must feel like a freak show.
Think of something to say, to take her mind off of it....
"Umm... oh, you should see the tacky dress Bobbie Mayfield is wearing today. If she's going for that Oscar the Grouch look, why doesn't she just wear a trash can instead of subjecting everyone to that awful green color."
Liz gave a strained laugh.
"I just found a reason to be glad that I can't see."
Maria grimaced but tried to join in the laugh.
Nice going, flake. Let's try to NOT talk about seeing, O-KAY?
They were finally there.
"Here's your locker. Good thing I know your combination already... Now I don't have you in this class, but Alex will be here in a sec to pick you up. Here's your book and workbook," she said, glad to focus on the task at hand.
Liz mutely accepted the items.
Maria stopped when she saw the tears standing in her eyes.
"Oh, god. I need to stop being so nice to you, or you'll never make it. Want me to smack you around a little bit," Maria asked with a small smile.
Liz laughed and wiped at her eyes.
"Careful, careful," Maria cautioned her as she caught Liz's hands in hers. "Eyes, eyes."
"Liz," Isabel exclaimed as she walked up. "You look fabulous! I like the new make-up."
Liz's jaw dropped and she glared in Maria's general direction.
"Maria! You said it was boring brown."
Maria smiled.
"Yeah, it is. And a few other more spiffy colors. Don't worry, you look gorgeous!"
Liz sighed, but she had to smile.
******
That night, Alex took one last swig of caffeine-blasted Jolt cola.
"Okay, Liz, I am now fortified to cram all night, if need be. Bring on the books!"
But one look at Liz told him that the all-nighter would have to be postponed. She was leaning over the counter at the Crashdown, eyes closed.
It was after hours and they had the whole place to themselves. Liz's parents had actually left them alone for a few minutes.
"Great, Alex," she whispered. "But I think I'll need a six pack of that stuff."
Alex raised his eyebrows.
"Liz, have you ever seen someone high on Jolt? It's not a pretty sight." She laughed and lifted her head, smiling serenely at him.
But one look at her vacant eyes took away his smile.
He didn't understand why it bothered him so badly, but it did. He found himself longing for the old Liz, who always looked him straight in the eyes. That stubborn glare of hers used to frustrate him so bad.
"Alex," Liz suddenly looked apprehensive.
"I'm here," he said quickly.
That was something else to get used to. When you're with a newly blind person, you don't sit still and stare at them. They can sense that. He grabbed his backpack and started shoving books around.
"So, Liz," he said lightly. "How are you doing?"
"Tired, but good," she answered, remaining maddeningly still. "How are you?"
Alex laughed at the exxagerated look of polite inquiry on her face. "Okay, I know, pretty lame," he said as he sat in the stool beside her. "But I really want to know how you're dealing with this. We've been so busy trying to get stuff done that we haven't actually talked about... what happened to you."
"Yeah," Liz said softly. "I know."
Alex decided to go for broke.
"You know, I hate to mention the spawn of Satan without my crucifix handy, but what about Tess? I mean, where was she during all of it? I was really beginning to think that she was behind some of this stuff. Weren't you?"
Liz sighed.
"Yeah. Um... I don't know what happened to her. Max said she just... disappeared after she talked to him."
"Yeah, he seems to have that effect on people," Alex said vaguely. His instincts were telling him that something else was going on. "Liz, are you sure you're okay?"
She turned her head towards him and smiled.
"Alex, I am fine. Everything is going to be fine."
He frowned.
He wanted answers. And he hoped he knew where to find them.
"Liz, I think I might have to go home early after all. Let's get through this Biology review quick, okay?"
"Sure. I'm not much good tonight, anyway. School is really... exhausting now," Liz reached out for Alex's hand. "Thanks for helping me. I honestly couldn't have made it today without you."
That clenched it. Alex was now sure he had to do something. Liz was just... accepting this... like it was supposed to happen.
Forget it. Liz Parker was not going to stay blind. No way.
******
Max awoke in a sweat.
He was breathing hard, and the waves of need that were crashing through him were intense.
His body was throbbing with the heat.
It wanted relief, needed release from the urges pent-up inside of him.
What... what had happened?
He tried to clear his fuzzy mind.
What he was thinking was impossible...
Someone... somone had been touching him... intimately.
He could still feel the trail of fire down his chest, where it started, down through his groin and inner thigh.
Glancing down, he could see a glowing red line slowly fading.
But he was alone...
His mind raced as he grappled with the meaning of what had just happened.
A dream?
If it had been a dream, it was definitely the most physically affecting dream he'd ever had, even though he couldn't remember a thing about it.
He eased himself into a sitting position, willing away the desires stirred up.
In this state, Liz wasn't far from his mind.
But had the dream been about Liz?
He frowned.
For some reason, he was almost sure it hadn't been.
And he wasn't even about to whisper the name that first came to his mind.
Damn.
Bring on the guilt.
Part 18
Maria watched Liz and Isabel carefully making their way through the crowded halls.
Liz looked a little bit more relaxed today. That was a good sign. Maria called out a greeting.
"Hi, guys."
They halted for a moment.
"Hi, Maria," Liz sighed. "We're on our way to make the hand-off."
Isabel quickly handed a note to Maria and shook her head to indicate the need for secrecy.
"Beginning to feel like a baton, are we," Isabel asked Liz brightly.
"Not beginning to," Liz shook her head as they walked off. "I'm way past the baton stage. At this point, I feel more like a package than a person."
"Which would make me a mail carrier," Isabel tilted her head slightly. "A less than flattering image, that's for sure. Bye, Maria."
As they walked off, Maria opened the note. It was a list of names and numbers from Alex.
This was what she had been waiting for.
She wouldn't wait until after school; she would love to skip a class for this.
Finally, "Operation Bury Tess" was now under way.
******
Michael glanced in the Principal's office as he walked by, strictly out of habit. But what he saw stopped him cold.
Max Evans coming out of the Principal's office?
He couldn't stop the sideways grin that passed over his face.
Now this could be really fun.
Lots of pigs-flying and hell-freezing-over jokes. He lived for that.
But his smile disappeared quickly when Valenti came out of the office next, chatting with the secretary.
Michael swore to himself.
Max met his gaze and indicated the hallway on the left as he exited the outer office door.
Michael fell in step beside him.
"Tell me that had nothing to do with Tess."
Max's face was grim.
"It had everything to do with Tess. She not only disappeared, but she falsified all of her school records."
Michael grabbed Max's arm and pulled him to a halt.
"Cut to the chase, Max."
Max sighed.
"It's not that bad. At least, I don't think it is. There was just no one living at the address she listed. All the family names and numbers were bogus. Even her old school records were wrong. They have no way of knowing if she's okay or if they should be worried."
Michael frowned. Max seemed to be worried enough about her for everybody.
"What did Valenti want?"
Max started walking again.
"He just knew that we had been seeing each other. He wanted to know if anything strange happened this weekend between us. So I lied. Again." Michael thumped him on the back.
"Good. Look, don't sweat the small stuff, Maxwell. Lies are our friends."
Michael sauntered away.
As long as Tess didn't spill the beans about what she knew, she could disappear forever and it wouldn't bother him a bit.
He frowned as he thought of her.
Max was so trusting, he could easily be taken in by people.
But Tess had never seemed exactly open and honest to Michael. In fact, he knew she was hiding something, something besides the usual alien stuff. Something that would have made Max feel differently about her. Her false records weren't a surprise to Michael at all.
******
Maria handed her list to Alex quickly as she came in the door.
Alex glanced at it, then over at Liz, who was quietly waiting for class to begin.
Every name on the list was crossed off.
He sighed and looked back at Maria, just taking her seat beside Max. She shrugged as she noticed Alex watching.
He raised a hand and nodded.
He still had one more name to check on, one that hadn't returned his call last night.
It had to be the one.
******
Tess was the farthest thing from Max's mind as he watched Liz and Alex working on a lab together.
Or rather, Liz was sitting there, listening to Alex do it. Occasionally she would call out instructions, or hold the flask for him. But it was too dangerous for her to work the Bunsen burner or pour the elements.
So she just sat on her stool, back straight, a slight frown on her face. It had to be frustrating to just sit there.
But she still looked beautiful.
Max smiled slowly, his eyes taking in her profile.
Especially in that sweater. The red color was perfect for her and it was just low cut enough to drive him crazy. It had always been one of his favorites.
And her hair was loose, flowing over her shoulders... he was dying to touch it.
Max shoved the thought out of his head.
Liz wanted nothing to do with him right now.
Max sighed.
"So," came a clipped voice beside him. "Any sign of the E.T. Wonderbra girl?"
He half-turned to glance at Maria.
She had certainly been keeping up her end of the bargain to make his life a living hell, as best friends of your ex-girlfriend are wont to do from time to time.
"No," he said, tightly. "I don't know where she is. No one does."
She kept her eyes on the flask she was pouring, but he could see she was angry.
What had Ms. Hardy been thinking, putting he and Maria together as lab partners?
Just when Max turned back to his workbook, she turned to him and whispered fiercely.
"Look, I still don't know whose fault all of this was, but it really doesn't matter. You need to give Liz some time. She is... reeling right now, trying to deal with the fact that she may be, like, blind for life because some psycho pet rock from outer space wanted her dead. The last thing she needs is you messing with her head right now. Just respect what she's been through enough to stay away. Do you think you can handle that?"
Max saw her fighting tears as she turned away.
He glanced down, realizing she had seen him watching Liz. "Yeah. But, Maria-"
Maria reluctantly looked over at him.
"I do love Liz. And I would give anything to go back and stop it from happening," Max stared straight ahead. "All of it... You will probably forgive me long before I will forgive myself."
Maria stared at him for a minute.
"Well, it's Liz's forgiveness you need to worry about. Not mine."
Part 19
Alex slammed the phone down.
The child placement services in Tucson, Az was possibly the worst run state office left of the Mississippi.
He had left three messages with their dubiously named message service, and no reply. He shook his head in disgust.
Things seemed to be going well for Liz, but he could see how much effort it took for her to get through what used to be a normal day.
And it pissed him off. It really did.
If these so-called public servants didn't get off their asses and call him back...
Words failed Alex at this point and he shoved the phone into the wall.
******
Maria looked in the mirror in Liz's bathroom and took a deep breath.
There were still two more days in the school week and she was exhausted.
She hated to admit it even to herself, but being with Liz was so draining.
How would she make it? How would any of them make it?
Tears welled up in her eyes.
No, she lectured herself, blinking them away quickly.
Don't let Liz see you-
She stopped herself cold.
See you?
God, when am I going to get used to this?
The tears flooded back.
She couldn't wait to see Michael. She needed his arms around her like she needed air to breathe.
When she was surrounded by his familiar scent, warmed by his touch... then she might just be able to feel like everything would be okay.
******
Liz was still on her balcony after Maria left.
Three days of the school week gone and this was her first chance to relax on her balcony, alone.
Maria was actually spending the night at home tonight.
Of course, she had been so wonderful, but...
It was a relief to be alone, to be able to forget that she was handicapped now and depending on so many people.
But there were trade-offs, she readily admitted.
Being alone also meant that she felt the presence stronger... the darkness.
Even now, she felt it creeping around her, as it had been ever since that night.
A shiver passed through her.
In her mind, she had finally given it a name, although she had told no one.
It wasn't that she thought they wouldn't believe her... it was just that... well, yeah, okay, they wouldn't believe her. And they would think she was obsessing over the Max thing again.
And she wasn't.
Really.
I mean who had time to obsess over a lost relationship when you had to count the steps from the cash register to the counter and from the counter to the swinging doors, just so you wouldn't run into something and completely embarass yourself?
In all honesty, counting was a fairly numbing occupation. It was impossible to worry and count at the same time, even for her.
Which was why she was beginning to wish for something to count right about now.
In the dark silence, she could feel the presence strongly now... the envy... the hatred... and something unrecognizable.
And she knew she should be afraid.
But Liz Parker wasn't going to play that game anymore.
A slight smile graced her face.
"You won't break me, Tess. You can't."
The silence was palpable.
Her response was immediate.
Liz fell back as the lawn chair began to slide under her and gain momentum quickly.
She barely had time to hold her arms out into the darkness in front of her before she slammed into the brick wall lining the roof.
******
Alex's eyes immediately went to the answering machine as he entered his room.
No messages.
He sighed and sat down, bringing his hands to the top of his head as he thought.
"Bye, Alex," came his Mom's voice. "We'll be home around 11:00 or so." "Yeah, have a great time," he called out distractedly.
He was getting desperate. Maybe he could find out the home number of the lady in charge of the-
His eyes fell on the fax machine.
There was a printout... and from upside-down, it looked like a photograph of someone very familiar.
Part 20
Ringing. Her head was ringing.
Liz slowly opened her eyes and winced.
Her hand automatically went to the right side of her face, which felt, for the most part, completely paralyzed.
Why was her face wet?
There's that ringing again...
Liz stared at her fingers, covered in bright red blood.
What...
The ringing was coming from inside.
She pulled herself to a sitting position, wondering why nighttime suddenly seemed so much brighter than the last time she had seen it.
Seen it? Liz froze.
She was seeing it.
Nighttime. The balcony. The chairs. The stars.
She could see!
The ringing again.
Liz dizzily walked to the window.
She was so happy to see her hand as it reached for the sill, blood and all.
By the time she finally made it to the phone, a silly grin was plastered on her face.
"Hello?"
"Liz, hey it's me. I've got-"
"Alex! I can see," Liz glanced excitedly in the mirror straight ahead, momentarily taken aback by the bloody abrasion on her forehead and cheek.
Alex sounded stunned.
"What?"
Liz grimaced and turned away from the mirror, wanting to enjoy the moment.
"Yes, I can see. I can see everything!"
She reached out and wiped her hand off on a tissue haphazardly. "That's great! What...what happened?"
"Oh, well," Liz was having a hard time remembering exactly how she ended up there. "I sort of... fell and my face hit the wall on my balcony. My head is killing me, but I really couldn't care less!!"
She could hear Alex's voice turn serious.
"Well, um, I hate to ruin your first moments of sight, but I've just gotten some info about Tess' adopted parents that you are... are not going to believe... hold on... what the-"
Liz bent forward, trying to hear better.
"Alex?"
There were thudding noises, and the receiver fell to the floor. "Alex!"
She heard him cry out amid a flurry of noise on the other end.
Liz was frozen, her emotions and logic fighting for control.
Alex was being attacked?
She dropped the phone, grabbed her purse and fled down the hallway, yelling as she went.
"Mom, I can see now and I've got to go to Alex's!"
"What??"
Her Mom's yell caught up with her on the stairs: "Elizabeth Parker, you better get your butt back up here!"
******
Isabel was walking by Max's room when she heard his answering machine pick up.
Who would be calling Max?
She shrugged and headed to the bathroom.
Tonight was the night she did her weekly facial mask and her mind was on getting the perfect mix of ingredients this time. The homemade masks just worked so-
Wait a minute, that's Liz's voice... she sounds upset.
Isabel reached Max's room in three strides, intent on hearing the message.
"...not there. But something just happened at Alex's," Liz's strained voice continued. "I'm not sure what, but I'm on my way there now. I don't want you to..."
Liz's voice faded behind as Isabel grabbed her purse and raced to the front door.
Oh my god... what's wrong with Alex?
******
Liz cautiously pushed open the front door of the Whitman's house. No one was answering her knock and she was desperate.
The entire house was cold and still, shrouded in darkness.
Liz could barely choke out the question, "Alex?"
She headed for his room quickly, afraid to find out why he wasn't answering.
"Alex?"
A soft groan came from inside.
She turned the doorknob, only to find it locked.
She pounded on the door.
"Alex!"
The knob wouldn't give.
She looked around frantically for something to break the door open with...
But suddenly, it clicked and swung open in front of her.
Liz's heart thumped in her chest.
The entire room was ransacked... furniture toppled, windows broken, books strewn about and objects embedded deeply into the walls.
"Oh god," Liz cried as she moved toward Alex.
He lay awkwardly sprawled beside his bed, his eyes open.
He was mumbling something and Liz felt tears sting her eyes as she bent over him.
"Alex?"
His face was rapidly showing black and blue bruises, his nose bloodied and obviously broken.
She touched his face lightly and finally asked, "God, Alex, who did this to you?"
He shifted painfully, moving a hand away from his side.
As Liz's eyes followed his movements, she gasped.
The shiny handle of a pair of scissors were stuck out of his abdomen. Blood was collecting all over the floor beneath him.
Liz was so horrified, she almost didn't hear the loud clatter from the main room.
She whipped around.
"Someone's here," she whispered.
Her eyes darted around the room, looking for a weapon of any kind.
Alex grunted loudly and grabbed her hands, pressing something in them. The scissors... covered in his blood. Liz gave an involuntary cry.
Their eyes met and Liz nodded mutely at Alex's unspoken question.
She touched his face once more, then turned to slowly walk to the door. The scissors felt slippery in her hands as she raised them up, blades open.
Could she really stab someone...?
Then a soft noise reached her ears from right outside the door.
Liz gulped and quickly stepped to one side.
A face appeared in the darkness and Liz desperately jabbed the scissors at it-
And Isabel grabbed her hand in midair.
They stared at each other for a long moment, each exhaling loudly.
Then Isabel released her arm and Liz fell back against the wall in relief.
"Liz," Isabel gasped, "Your face? What happened... oh my god. Alex!" Liz watched Isabel run to Alex and kneel beside him.
She must've gotten my message for Max.
Liz pushed herself off the wall and followed Isabel.
"You can heal him, right?"
But Isabel apparently didn't hear her...
Liz's eyes widened as she realized she was already making a connection to him.
"Oh... good."
As Liz watched, she felt a prickling sensation on the back of her neck. She was being watched.
She slowly turned her head and looked around the room.
A familiar feeling was creeping over her...
She shivered.
The darkness would be soon to follow.
She glanced once more at Isabel and Alex, then ran for the car.
She knew who had done this.
And why.