FanFic - Crashdown After Hours
"The One"
Part 9
by Jennaev
Disclaimer: I do not own Roswell, Max, Liz, Maria, Brody or Sydney. I do own Adarah Davis and Tierzah Rodruiguiz.
Summary: When Brody recieves an omnious call about his estranged wife, he Max and Maria travel across state. Once there old feelings are rekindled and new feelings are discovered.
Category: After Hours
Rating: NC-17
Authors Note: A very special thank you to plumeria, who was an absolute God send and edited this story. Thanks for letting me harasass you so much! Feedback: Please, I beg of you. Send all comments, pro or neg to jennaev@hotmail.com
4 1/2 weeks later Max tossed the remainder of the "Elvis was abducted" display into the storage box and sealed it tightly. He hummed softly. Life was good to him. Liz had agreed to rekindle their romance...one step at a time. It suited him just fine. School was out and he spent the remainder of his time helping Brody out. He didn't mind. Brody needed the support.Ever since that trip to Sarasota last month Brody was even more sullen and depressed. Sydney had refused to visit him for weeks. But she had come a few days ago and things seemed to have smoothed over a little. He hadn't heard from Tierzah, but he hadn't actually expected to.

"Max?"

"Yes..." That voice sounded familiar. He turned around quickly. "oh, uh, Adarah?" He quickly questioned.

"Yah, its me." Adarah smiled. For a second the boy looked like he'd seen a ghost. Tierzah had mentioned to send her regards from Paris to him, but she thought maybe now wasn't the best time. Especially since a tiny brunette was watching them intently from the top of the stairs.

"Brody is just in his office. I'll go get him." He quickly wandered off to find Brody.

"Uh, Adarah is here, in the lobby, for you."

"Adarah?" Brody spun around in his chair. "Really?" Of course really. Why would the boy lie, Brody thought. But it just seemed a little surreal. She hadn't even spoken to him since that night. His heart did a double slam in his chest. She was standing right outside his door. He felt giddy. "I'll be right out." A wave a nausea suddenly took over. Maybe she was here to serve him divorce papers. Maybe that night had been the final straw. Not that he would blame her.

"I'll tell her." Max sensed the man's reluctance. He patted the doorframe as he slipped out. Whatever she was doing here, he hoped it was good. "He'll be right out," Max informed her. Then he noticed Liz standing just a few feet from them. He excused himself.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself." Max kissed her cheek.

"Who's that?" Liz pointed to the dark-haired women.

"That is Brody's wife." Max stated, watching her eyes widen in surprise.

"Wow. She's, ah, really not what I was expecting," Liz explained. Then she trained her gaze on him. "You made out with *her* twin sister?"

"Yah." Max blushed. "I guess I can see why." Liz pouted.

"You're much prettier." Max whispered, stealing another kiss.

"Hey." Brody approached Adarah cautiously. God, she was still breathtaking to him. She was wearing a simple strappy summer dress, but she may as well have been wearing a red teddy for the way his body reacted to her presence.

"Hey." She smiled uneasily.

" Where's Syd?" He glanced around, hoping to catch sight of her.

" She's at my parents' today. I just came to see you," she explained. "We have to talk." She watched as the color actually drained from his face.

"Yah. We could go into my office," he offered, feeling a weight settle over him.

"Let's go for a walk." She waited for him to nod, then lead the way outside. They walked in silence until they reached the park. Brody was constantly stealing glances in her direction. He walked close to her side, but far enough that he wasn't touching her. "Look." She pointed to the group of kids chasing each other across the play ground, a wistful smile on her face.

"You're still angry about the other night." Brody was first to broach the subject. The silence was killing him. Adarah simply nodded, continuing to walk.

"We need to decide things once and for all Brody," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her curvy waist.

" What do you propose?" he asked, dread making each step difficult to take.

" We can't live like this. It's not good for any of us." Adarah stopped, leaning against an old birch tree.

That was what he had been dreading. He wasn't ready to let her go. He'd never be ready...ever.

"You want a divorce, Darah?" He forced the words through his tight throat. "Why didn't you just send me the papers?" he asked bitterly.

" Because I need you to know all the facts first.." Adarah explained, her gaze falling on an infant crawling on the lush grass. She smiled sadly. "I never got to hold him.." Adarah trailed off.

Brody's gaze snapped back to his wife. She looked so sad that he almost reached for her

"Our son. I never even got to see him. When I woke up from surgery...he was just gone." She whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

" Darah.." Brody touched her hair. She had never spoken about him before. And he had never asked. It was just too damned painful to remember.

" I never blamed you. I was never angry with you." Adarah explained. "I was disappointed, and I was sad."

"I'm so sorry." He watched as she shook her head.

"I know. Don't apologize. This isn't exactly why I came here today. I don't want to bring up the past." Adarah glanced again at the laughing baby. "We have a future Brody."

"No, Adarah." He pulled his hand from her hair. "We don't..... I don't." He stammered.

"Yes you do." Adarah grasped his hand before he could pull it fully away. She held it firmly, then guided it to her body.

Brody didn't register what she was doing, until he felt a slight swell under his palm. He looked down at their hands, adjoined over her lower abdomen. Oh God. He felt suddenly lightheaded. There was no way she was telling him what he thought she was telling him.

"This is your future Brody. We are all yours to take, just say the word," she whispered hoarsely, tears already welling in her eyes.

"Adarah." He was stunned. A baby. Their baby. It thrilled him, it petrified him. He had already let her down, let their unborn child down.

"I know you're scared. So am I," Adarah began. " I *can* raise this baby on my own." She lamented, " meeting his gaze straight on. "But I don't want to. So I'm giving you this last chance. Either you be my husband and our children's father. Or our children's father. It's up to you." She could feel him tremble from where his hand still rested on her. He glanced down, then up to her face again. "You don't have to decide right now. I leave tomorrow." She tried to make it as simple as possible for him. He nodded, not removing his hand from her belly immediately after she released him. "I'm staying at that fancy hotel downtown. You can come by tonight." She began to walk away. " Think about it." She requested.

Brody stood for what seemed like ages, leaning heavily against the birch bark. He wasn't sure how he made it back to the center, but Max was still there waiting anxiously for him. He was joined by an equally anxious Maria.

"So?" she demanded as soon as he entered. "Did she want a divorce?"

"No... yes...uh, not exactly." He flopped into his desk chair.

"Then what? You look like you've seen a ghost." Maria insisted.

" She's pregnant." He could hardly believe it even as the words rolled off his tongue.

"Whoa." Maria sat on his desk, stunned. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." he whispered hoarsely.

"Maybe it's time to put the past behind you." Max suggested. He had told Brody about his and Tierzah's conversation in the hot tub. Brody had confessed his fears, that whoever had taken him would go after Adarah and Sydney, and he'd be helpless to stop them.

"I can't... I don't trust myself not to hurt them."

"Then maybe you should trust your wife. She seems to put a lot of trust in you." Max outlined. It seemed to have an impact on Brody.

"We should go." Maria grabbed Max's hand and lead him out into the hot sun.

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