FanFic - Crashdown After Hours
"Taking A Step Back"
Part 49
by Mary N.
Disclaimer: Roswell, the characters, and situations are owned by the WB. No infringement intended.
Category: After Hours
Rating: NC-17
Mr. Woods made a choice, which in effect brought about our choice.

I keep thinking about what we did to him, and the look of panic and fear on his face when he realized that he didn't know who he was, or where he was from. At that moment, I question whether we made the right choice, or not. For the first time, I thought about how it must feel like to not know if there is someone I loved, that loves me, looking for me. What if I lost my memory. Lost everything, everyone I cared about and didn't know how to find them. Isn't that what we did to him? Will he spend his whole life trying to find the answers about who he was? Hopeful for him and for us, he never finds out.

I know we didn't have choice, one that we could live with. I just hope that he is able to live with the choice we made for him. I find myself rationalizing, that we offered him a chance to make a better life for himself. One with a brighter future than the one he has forgotten. A life with new possibilities. I know what he does now with his live is completely up to him, but in a weird way, I can't help feeling responsible for him. He doesn't even have a name.

~*~*~

Liz closes her journal and stares up at the sky. She knows Max is on his way, because his thoughts are getting clearer in her mind. She closes her eyes and smiles to herself. *Hello there.*

*Hello yourself. I thought I would come see you for a while. Are you up to having company?*

*If it's just you, I think I could handle it.* Her thoughts never really leaving Mr. Woods, she asks. *Max, I keep thinking about Mr. Woods. Do you think he will make better choices this time around?*

*I can only hope so. In a way he's lucky. He doesn't have all the bad memories to lead him down the same path. He gets a new, fresh start.*

*Yeah, I guess.*

Max can hear the doubt in her thoughts. *What's bothering you babe?*

*It's just, with us we have good people in our lives. People that love and care for us. We have our past to look back on, to compare with, to help us make the right choices. It's like each step we have taken, has been leading us to the next. Even when we slip and have to take a step back, we still seem like we are always on the same path forward. He doesn't even have any of this. No memories, no one to lean on when times are tough, not even happy memories to help him through these tough times. I can't help feeling bad for him.*

*That's part of why I love you so much. You are always thinking about other people. You're right, we are lucky, we have each other and those that we care about, that care about us. If it makes you feel better, we can be there for him, help him make a better start. That's what it's about, helping each other through the ruff times, being there to celebrate the good.* Max begins his climb up the ladder to Liz's balcony. Once reaching the top, he climbs over the wall and protectively wraps her in his arms. *Who knows Liz, maybe this is the first step to moving FOREVER FORWARD, NEVER BACK.*

Part 48 | Index
Max/Liz | Michael/Maria | Alex/Isabel | UC Couples | Valenti | Other | Poetry | Crossovers | AfterHours
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