you all know the drill.
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The drive back to Roswell was quiet and somber, a far cry from the laughing foursome that had driven out to the hills for some fun. They’'d packed up their stuff as soon as they got back to camp, deciding to drive home a day early.
Michael was still tense and withdrawn. He’'d been upset since he realized he couldn’'t heal Liz, but he refused to talk about it. He might have been uncommunicative with words, but his need for Liz was evidenced by his constant physical contact.
Even now as they sat in silence in the back of the small pick-up truck’, he held her hand close to his heart and the steady beating of it comforted Liz.
Isabel had apparently decided that both couples needed some privacy and an hour into the drive she had created a division, effectively sound-proofing both sections of the cabin from each other.
Liz and Michael stayed in silence at first and watched as Isabel and Kyle appeared to speak while on mute.
"“What do you think they’'re talking about?”" Liz asked curiously after a while.
“"The caves, probably.”"
“"Michael—"…”
"“I don’'t want to talk about it, Liz.”"
“"Oh, Michael. Please. Just listen to me a moment, baby.”" Liz turned to face Michael directly. He was pretending to evade her gaze by looking out the window.
“"Fine. What is it?”" He said when he realized she wouldn’'t give up.
“"I think I know why you couldn’'t heal me.”"
“"Yeah, sure." He shrugged, "I'’m the screw-up, the killer, the one who—“—"
“"Michael. Stop it. You are none of those things. You could have healed Kyle right?”" Liz looked at Michael expectantly.
“"Yeah. I guess.”"
"“Did you really not think to heal me all those months ago when I got shot at the Crashdown?”"she asked curiously.
“"I don’'t remember.”" Michael replied sullenly. He did not want to be having this conversation. He already knew where it would end up. Inevitably all things ended up discovering that he was mediocre while Max was perfection.
"“Fine. I’'ll tell you what I think. I think you can’'t heal when you feel too much.”"
“"What?”"
“"You loved me even then.”" Liz smiled at the dumbfounded look on Michael's face.
“"When?”" He sputtered.
“"Back then, when Max healed me instead.”"
“"What—why—Liz what are you talking about?"
“"When you feel strongly about something it short circuits your powers. It's so obvious, I don't know why you haven't figured this out."
"“I still don’t know what you are talking about.”" Michael huffed in frustration. He heard what she said, but that couldn't be it. Could it?
"“Michael. When your powers don’'t work, usually you’'re under some severe emotional stress. You love me so much it takes my breath away. And because you love me so much you feel that much more afraid of losing me. You’'ll never lose me, Michael.”"
"“Liz, I can’'t save you if you are in danger. What kind of protector does that make me?”"
“"Who said I wanted protection? I want you. I love the way you complicate my life.”"
“"But you’'ve been hurt.” And what if Max or Isabel weren't around and you were severely injured. I'd do anything for you Liz. But I can't heal you and knowing the threat we are under and that you are in danger tears me up inside."
“"I understand sweetie. But I believe that I'll be okay. And you have to know that the wounds that hurt the most were the ones you healed, Michael.”"
“"What wounds?" He asked fiercely. ”
“"What hurt me most, weren’'t the cuts and bruises that avalanche of rocks may have caused. It was Max’'s betrayal of everything I thought was important to both of us. You made me forget that pain. You gave me back my heart, only you gave it to me with yours, and so I was able to give you mine.”"
“"Liz—“—"
"“Michael, wait, just hear me out. I love you. And you love me so much you can’'t bear the thought of my being hurt. But because your emotions have always affected your powers you couldn’'t heal me then, and you couldn’'t heal me now. You should realize though, that it was because of you, we got out of there. You really were the hero today. I would never want the sensitivity to your emotions to change Michael. You have so much heart. It makes you an amazing man. The love you have to give—baby, you have no idea how it makes me feel.”"
Michael listened to Liz’'s words and for the first time began to feel better about himself, about his place in the group of aliens. He hushed Liz with a slow lingering kiss to the lips. “"Thank you.”"
"“For what?”"
"“For believing in me. For loving me. I love you, Liz.”"
"“I know. I love you too.”"
*****
They pulled up in front of the Crashdown sooner than they imagined and were quietly unloading Michael and Liz’'s stuff when Max showed up.
“"Hey guys. Liz. Michael”." He greeted them curtly. Anger and hurt flashing in his eyes. Michael and Liz looked at each other, instinctively knowing that it was the time to come clean about their relationship.
“"Hey Max.”" Isabel smiled at her brother and went to give him a hug, and was surprised when he stepped back. “"What’'s going on?”"
“"I think I should be the one asking that".”
“"Max."” Liz greeted him simply. “"We should talk.”"
“"Fine.”" Max nodded at Michael and Kyle curtly before following Liz around the corner to the back alley of the Crashdown.
“"You just going to let her go?”" asked Kyle.
“"Yeah. I think telling Max what he already knows falls to her. I’'ll just take the punches later.”"
"“Oh. Well, Maria’'s inside.”"
“"Great. Think she knows too?”" Michael looked at Kyle’'s face and sighed. “"I guess I’'d better go talk to her. But she’'ll want to talk to Liz too.”"
“"See you guys later then. Good luck.”" Kyle slapped Michael on the back before climbing into the driver’'s seat of the truck.
Isabel smiled and said, “"If you need anything. Call us. Both of you.”"
“"Sure."” Michael gave her a hug before she settled into the truck’s cabin, and watched as they sped off to safety. With a grimace on his face, he walked into the Crashdown. Telling Maria about Liz and him wasn’'t going to be fun. He just hoped her shrieking wouldn’'t pierce his ears.
*****
“"You know.”" Liz said without preamble as soon as she and Max were far enough out of earshot.
"“Yeah. Liz, how could you guys do this? To me? To Maria? Why Michael? Was it just to take revenge on me for Tess?”"
“"This has nothing to do with you or Maria. This is about Michael and me. We love each other Max. I’'m not giving him up. Not for you or future versions of you, I’'ve found happiness. I’'ve found my place in life. And it’s by Michael’'s side.”" Liz said angrily.
Her voice softening she continued, “"And I’m sorry if we’'ve hurt you, Max. For that certainly was never our intention. But we realized that if we denied what was in our hearts, we would be hurting ourselves far worse in the end.”"
“"Liz. I’'m sorry. I guess I thought we still had a chance. And I know that if you’'re with Michael, there will never be another chance. There’'s always been something between you, in your anger towards each other that I never wanted to look at too closely, because I was afraid of what I might see.
“"But finding out the way I did—“—" Max shudders with the memory.
“"How did you find out?”" Liz asked curiously.
"“I had visions of you and Michael making love on the couch in the break room."”
"“Oh. Sorry."”
"“I could see the love, Liz. I guess I just didn’'t want to admit it. And I wish you guys would have told me about it, even though I understand why you didn’'t.”"
"“Max. There’'s something you should know.”"
“"What? Did you guys find anything at the caves?”"
“"Actually, the caves I’ll' save for later. It’'s about Michael and me."”
“"Oh. What is it?"
"“We’'re getting married. Probably within the next month.”"
“Oh.” Max just looked at Liz blankly before offering her a weak smile. "“Congratulations. I guess this will take some getting used to.”"
"“Max, I just want you to know that I’'m happy. And I hope that you can someday find the same things that I’'ve found with Michael.”"
Max sighed and nodded. "“Thanks, Liz. I’'ve got to get back to the UFO Museum, so' I’ll let you get inside.”"
“"Goodbye Max."”
“"Bye.”"
Liz watched as Max walked away. For the first time in a long time, she knew that they would both be okay. It was with finality that Max walked away from her now. And she couldn’'t regret it. Because she had Michael. Because she had found love.
*****
“"Maria. Can I talk to you for a minute?”" Michael stopped Maria as she barreled through one of the many aisles in the Crashdown.
Glancing up at him, she frowned before nodding. "“Alice, cover my tables. I’'m taking a break.”" She called out to the blond waitress standing behind the counter.
Not bothering to glance back at Michael, she turned on her heel and walked towards the break room. Sitting on the edge of the couch before grimacing and standing up and pacing. “"So? Talk.”"
Michael had been watching Maria’'s flurried activity with a bemused smile. It was surprising how different it was from being with Liz. Everything with Maria had been frenzied, electric. While with Liz things were serene and graceful. Passionate yet quiet. Maria was like a fire raging out of control, while Liz was a steady burning flame. Love takes on so many forms; it’ was surprising to realize which ones work best.
“"Um. I’'ve been meaning to talk to you about something—“—"
“"If this is about you and Liz, I already know." Maria interrupted shaking her head. "I can’'t believe you had sex on that couch. It is just so gross. God, when I think about all the times I’'ve sat there and I didn’'t know—“."
Michael blinked and blurted, "“How do you know about that?”"
“"Max had a vision of it. Why are you with her Michael? Don'’t put her through shit. She’'s already been through enough.”"
“"You’'re not mad.”" He whispered with surprise. He looked at her. And she really wasn't mad. She was concerned for Liz. For him too a little bit. But this hadn't hurt her. And it was a relief, because it meant that she didn't love him. He had known that he didn't love her the way one should love someone significant, but hadn't wanted to hurt her.
“"Well, I was at first. But then I realized I really had no right to be mad. I broke up with you, and in my own way, I feel as if I even pushed you two closer together. Just love her Michael. Liz is an incredible girl. And if she loves you, well, you are very lucky.”"
“"I do. Love her I mean. And I know I’'m lucky. She’s ten times the person I'’ll ever be. Maria, I just want to apologize.”"
"“For what, space boy? I was very wrong to behave the way I did towards the end. I guess we weren’'t ready for that kind of intimacy, or we weren’'t meant to share that kind of intimacy. I’'m very happy with Jerry. And I know I always made you feel like you were doing something wrong as a boyfriend, that was wrong of me.”"
“"Thanks. I guess I could have put more effort into trying to be more open about my feelings.”"
“"Yeah, well no need to share that now. Listen, Michael. I’'m glad we talked. And I’'m sure we’'ll eventually figure out how to be friends, but for today I’'ve had enough talk. And I really need to get back to work. Tell Liz to call me later."”
Maria swept out of the break room just as Liz walked in through the back door. and straight into Michael's arms. He tightened his grip around her and kissed her on the head.
“"Hey. So how’'d it go with Max?”"
"“Okay. He’'s a little upset, I think it will take some time for everything to sink in. He kind of found out in the worst possible way.”"
“"Yeah, Maria told me about the flash he had on the couch.”"
“"Maria knows?”"
"“Yeah. It was weird. We talked and I think things might actually be okay.”"
“"She wasn’'t mad?"
“"No. Not the way I’'d thought she would be. Mostly, she was grossed out by the idea of having sat on the couch after we’'d made love on it. She told me to tell you to call her.”"
“"Wow. So that’'s that then. Now we just have to talk to my parents.”"
“"Yeah. Well, I didn’'t tell Maria I’'d proposed.”"
“"Makes sense. I guess you want me to tell her?"
"“I think it will make more sense if you tell her.”"
“"Ok. But what about my parents?”"
“"Can we talk to them later? We still have a group meeting to get through and right now all I want to do is curl up with my fiancée and watch some bad TV and eat some good old-fashioned junk food.”"
“"That sounds heavenly.”"
Michael and Liz went out to pick up their belongings and carried them upstairs to the Parker’s' apartment where they just vegged out in front of the TV with some popcorn and Tabasco sauce for the rest of the afternoon.
catch up here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34.
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Part 35
The drive back to Roswell was quiet and somber, a far cry from the laughing foursome that had driven out to the hills for some fun. They’'d packed up their stuff as soon as they got back to camp, deciding to drive home a day early.
Michael was still tense and withdrawn. He’'d been upset since he realized he couldn’'t heal Liz, but he refused to talk about it. He might have been uncommunicative with words, but his need for Liz was evidenced by his constant physical contact.
Even now as they sat in silence in the back of the small pick-up truck’, he held her hand close to his heart and the steady beating of it comforted Liz.
Isabel had apparently decided that both couples needed some privacy and an hour into the drive she had created a division, effectively sound-proofing both sections of the cabin from each other.
Liz and Michael stayed in silence at first and watched as Isabel and Kyle appeared to speak while on mute.
"“What do you think they’'re talking about?”" Liz asked curiously after a while.
“"The caves, probably.”"
“"Michael—"…”
"“I don’'t want to talk about it, Liz.”"
“"Oh, Michael. Please. Just listen to me a moment, baby.”" Liz turned to face Michael directly. He was pretending to evade her gaze by looking out the window.
“"Fine. What is it?”" He said when he realized she wouldn’'t give up.
“"I think I know why you couldn’'t heal me.”"
“"Yeah, sure." He shrugged, "I'’m the screw-up, the killer, the one who—“—"
“"Michael. Stop it. You are none of those things. You could have healed Kyle right?”" Liz looked at Michael expectantly.
“"Yeah. I guess.”"
"“Did you really not think to heal me all those months ago when I got shot at the Crashdown?”"she asked curiously.
“"I don’'t remember.”" Michael replied sullenly. He did not want to be having this conversation. He already knew where it would end up. Inevitably all things ended up discovering that he was mediocre while Max was perfection.
"“Fine. I’'ll tell you what I think. I think you can’'t heal when you feel too much.”"
“"What?”"
“"You loved me even then.”" Liz smiled at the dumbfounded look on Michael's face.
“"When?”" He sputtered.
“"Back then, when Max healed me instead.”"
“"What—why—Liz what are you talking about?"
“"When you feel strongly about something it short circuits your powers. It's so obvious, I don't know why you haven't figured this out."
"“I still don’t know what you are talking about.”" Michael huffed in frustration. He heard what she said, but that couldn't be it. Could it?
"“Michael. When your powers don’'t work, usually you’'re under some severe emotional stress. You love me so much it takes my breath away. And because you love me so much you feel that much more afraid of losing me. You’'ll never lose me, Michael.”"
"“Liz, I can’'t save you if you are in danger. What kind of protector does that make me?”"
“"Who said I wanted protection? I want you. I love the way you complicate my life.”"
“"But you’'ve been hurt.” And what if Max or Isabel weren't around and you were severely injured. I'd do anything for you Liz. But I can't heal you and knowing the threat we are under and that you are in danger tears me up inside."
“"I understand sweetie. But I believe that I'll be okay. And you have to know that the wounds that hurt the most were the ones you healed, Michael.”"
“"What wounds?" He asked fiercely. ”
“"What hurt me most, weren’'t the cuts and bruises that avalanche of rocks may have caused. It was Max’'s betrayal of everything I thought was important to both of us. You made me forget that pain. You gave me back my heart, only you gave it to me with yours, and so I was able to give you mine.”"
“"Liz—“—"
"“Michael, wait, just hear me out. I love you. And you love me so much you can’'t bear the thought of my being hurt. But because your emotions have always affected your powers you couldn’'t heal me then, and you couldn’'t heal me now. You should realize though, that it was because of you, we got out of there. You really were the hero today. I would never want the sensitivity to your emotions to change Michael. You have so much heart. It makes you an amazing man. The love you have to give—baby, you have no idea how it makes me feel.”"
Michael listened to Liz’'s words and for the first time began to feel better about himself, about his place in the group of aliens. He hushed Liz with a slow lingering kiss to the lips. “"Thank you.”"
"“For what?”"
"“For believing in me. For loving me. I love you, Liz.”"
"“I know. I love you too.”"
*****
They pulled up in front of the Crashdown sooner than they imagined and were quietly unloading Michael and Liz’'s stuff when Max showed up.
“"Hey guys. Liz. Michael”." He greeted them curtly. Anger and hurt flashing in his eyes. Michael and Liz looked at each other, instinctively knowing that it was the time to come clean about their relationship.
“"Hey Max.”" Isabel smiled at her brother and went to give him a hug, and was surprised when he stepped back. “"What’'s going on?”"
“"I think I should be the one asking that".”
“"Max."” Liz greeted him simply. “"We should talk.”"
“"Fine.”" Max nodded at Michael and Kyle curtly before following Liz around the corner to the back alley of the Crashdown.
“"You just going to let her go?”" asked Kyle.
“"Yeah. I think telling Max what he already knows falls to her. I’'ll just take the punches later.”"
"“Oh. Well, Maria’'s inside.”"
“"Great. Think she knows too?”" Michael looked at Kyle’'s face and sighed. “"I guess I’'d better go talk to her. But she’'ll want to talk to Liz too.”"
“"See you guys later then. Good luck.”" Kyle slapped Michael on the back before climbing into the driver’'s seat of the truck.
Isabel smiled and said, “"If you need anything. Call us. Both of you.”"
“"Sure."” Michael gave her a hug before she settled into the truck’s cabin, and watched as they sped off to safety. With a grimace on his face, he walked into the Crashdown. Telling Maria about Liz and him wasn’'t going to be fun. He just hoped her shrieking wouldn’'t pierce his ears.
*****
“"You know.”" Liz said without preamble as soon as she and Max were far enough out of earshot.
"“Yeah. Liz, how could you guys do this? To me? To Maria? Why Michael? Was it just to take revenge on me for Tess?”"
“"This has nothing to do with you or Maria. This is about Michael and me. We love each other Max. I’'m not giving him up. Not for you or future versions of you, I’'ve found happiness. I’'ve found my place in life. And it’s by Michael’'s side.”" Liz said angrily.
Her voice softening she continued, “"And I’m sorry if we’'ve hurt you, Max. For that certainly was never our intention. But we realized that if we denied what was in our hearts, we would be hurting ourselves far worse in the end.”"
“"Liz. I’'m sorry. I guess I thought we still had a chance. And I know that if you’'re with Michael, there will never be another chance. There’'s always been something between you, in your anger towards each other that I never wanted to look at too closely, because I was afraid of what I might see.
“"But finding out the way I did—“—" Max shudders with the memory.
“"How did you find out?”" Liz asked curiously.
"“I had visions of you and Michael making love on the couch in the break room."”
"“Oh. Sorry."”
"“I could see the love, Liz. I guess I just didn’'t want to admit it. And I wish you guys would have told me about it, even though I understand why you didn’'t.”"
"“Max. There’'s something you should know.”"
“"What? Did you guys find anything at the caves?”"
“"Actually, the caves I’ll' save for later. It’'s about Michael and me."”
“"Oh. What is it?"
"“We’'re getting married. Probably within the next month.”"
“Oh.” Max just looked at Liz blankly before offering her a weak smile. "“Congratulations. I guess this will take some getting used to.”"
"“Max, I just want you to know that I’'m happy. And I hope that you can someday find the same things that I’'ve found with Michael.”"
Max sighed and nodded. "“Thanks, Liz. I’'ve got to get back to the UFO Museum, so' I’ll let you get inside.”"
“"Goodbye Max."”
“"Bye.”"
Liz watched as Max walked away. For the first time in a long time, she knew that they would both be okay. It was with finality that Max walked away from her now. And she couldn’'t regret it. Because she had Michael. Because she had found love.
*****
“"Maria. Can I talk to you for a minute?”" Michael stopped Maria as she barreled through one of the many aisles in the Crashdown.
Glancing up at him, she frowned before nodding. "“Alice, cover my tables. I’'m taking a break.”" She called out to the blond waitress standing behind the counter.
Not bothering to glance back at Michael, she turned on her heel and walked towards the break room. Sitting on the edge of the couch before grimacing and standing up and pacing. “"So? Talk.”"
Michael had been watching Maria’'s flurried activity with a bemused smile. It was surprising how different it was from being with Liz. Everything with Maria had been frenzied, electric. While with Liz things were serene and graceful. Passionate yet quiet. Maria was like a fire raging out of control, while Liz was a steady burning flame. Love takes on so many forms; it’ was surprising to realize which ones work best.
“"Um. I’'ve been meaning to talk to you about something—“—"
“"If this is about you and Liz, I already know." Maria interrupted shaking her head. "I can’'t believe you had sex on that couch. It is just so gross. God, when I think about all the times I’'ve sat there and I didn’'t know—“."
Michael blinked and blurted, "“How do you know about that?”"
“"Max had a vision of it. Why are you with her Michael? Don'’t put her through shit. She’'s already been through enough.”"
“"You’'re not mad.”" He whispered with surprise. He looked at her. And she really wasn't mad. She was concerned for Liz. For him too a little bit. But this hadn't hurt her. And it was a relief, because it meant that she didn't love him. He had known that he didn't love her the way one should love someone significant, but hadn't wanted to hurt her.
“"Well, I was at first. But then I realized I really had no right to be mad. I broke up with you, and in my own way, I feel as if I even pushed you two closer together. Just love her Michael. Liz is an incredible girl. And if she loves you, well, you are very lucky.”"
“"I do. Love her I mean. And I know I’'m lucky. She’s ten times the person I'’ll ever be. Maria, I just want to apologize.”"
"“For what, space boy? I was very wrong to behave the way I did towards the end. I guess we weren’'t ready for that kind of intimacy, or we weren’'t meant to share that kind of intimacy. I’'m very happy with Jerry. And I know I always made you feel like you were doing something wrong as a boyfriend, that was wrong of me.”"
“"Thanks. I guess I could have put more effort into trying to be more open about my feelings.”"
“"Yeah, well no need to share that now. Listen, Michael. I’'m glad we talked. And I’'m sure we’'ll eventually figure out how to be friends, but for today I’'ve had enough talk. And I really need to get back to work. Tell Liz to call me later."”
Maria swept out of the break room just as Liz walked in through the back door. and straight into Michael's arms. He tightened his grip around her and kissed her on the head.
“"Hey. So how’'d it go with Max?”"
"“Okay. He’'s a little upset, I think it will take some time for everything to sink in. He kind of found out in the worst possible way.”"
“"Yeah, Maria told me about the flash he had on the couch.”"
“"Maria knows?”"
"“Yeah. It was weird. We talked and I think things might actually be okay.”"
“"She wasn’'t mad?"
“"No. Not the way I’'d thought she would be. Mostly, she was grossed out by the idea of having sat on the couch after we’'d made love on it. She told me to tell you to call her.”"
“"Wow. So that’'s that then. Now we just have to talk to my parents.”"
“"Yeah. Well, I didn’'t tell Maria I’'d proposed.”"
“"Makes sense. I guess you want me to tell her?"
"“I think it will make more sense if you tell her.”"
“"Ok. But what about my parents?”"
“"Can we talk to them later? We still have a group meeting to get through and right now all I want to do is curl up with my fiancée and watch some bad TV and eat some good old-fashioned junk food.”"
“"That sounds heavenly.”"
Michael and Liz went out to pick up their belongings and carried them upstairs to the Parker’s' apartment where they just vegged out in front of the TV with some popcorn and Tabasco sauce for the rest of the afternoon.
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