FanFic - Max/Liz
"THE BALANCE STATEMENTS II"
Part 9
by John
Disclaimer: Roswell Characters belong to Warner Brothers. No infringement intended.
Summary: To give a summary would be to give away the plot. One word of CAUTION…our ratings have been weak so the network has insisted we try to liven things up a bit.
Category: Max/Liz
Rating: PG
(Liz took the slide with Matthew's blood on it to her biology class. She and Max stayed after school to study it. Isabel is always accusing them of studying each other more than biology, but that's another story for another day…maybe even on another network. Now it's early evening and the scene is Michael's place again…)

Isabel: So there's no question?

Liz: There are definitely traces of the same components we see in Max' blood in Matthew's…but they're not nearly as pronounced as I thought they'd be. I doubt anyone would catch them if they weren't looking for them.

Michael: So maybe he's not even a first generation hybrid.

Max: We don't even know for sure that he's a hybrid…although it sure looks like it.

Alex: How would his blood have any of those components then?

Max: Good question. OK…I guess he must have some connection to us.

Liz: I expected to see a more equal mixture of blood types. The elements that are so prominent in Max' sample are really repressed in Matthew's.

Maria: This is exciting. It appears it can and has worked. (Stares lovingly at Michael.) We can make babies together, Michael.

Michael: Better be careful what you wish for Maria…you might get another me.

Maria: Hmmm!

Liz: I gotta say…what I saw makes me happy. One of my dreams is someday having a child with Max. This really gives me hope.

Max: It might come out invisible.

Liz: Don't even joke about that, Max.

Max: All I'm saying is we should temper our excitement…it's only one positive sign. It's not that I'm unhappy about what we saw; but all it really proves is that Isabel and Alex might have a chance. It doesn't prove it works the other way.

Liz: It has to Max…it just has to.

Isabel: You guys…we're still in high school you know. I think it's great to know the biology might work…but parenthood should be a long way off, if ever.

Alex: How am I supposed to take that?

Isabel: Well, before I'm a mom…I want to be a teenager for awhile…graduate from high school…maybe start college…get a job…stage a dreamy wedding…

Michael: Avoid the FBI…

Maria: Michael, think positively.

Michael: OK…I'm positive she should avoid the FBI.

Alex: Can I have a part in all of those things, Isabel?

Isabel: As long as you keep me in Tabasco sauce.

Alex: After the weekend, I bought stock in the company. I wanted a vested interest.

Michael: So...what about Matthew?

Isabel: What about him?

Michael: Don't we have some decisions to make…like should we give him back his stones?

Max: I compared them to the ones we have…they're almost identical in make up.

Isabel: I think he should get them back…his mother did give them to him.

Max: At least that's what he says.

Liz: You don't trust him?

Max: I don't have a solid feeling about him one way or the other. You'd think I'd be anxious to talk to him and tell him about us…but I'm not.

Michael: Giving him back his stones and telling him about us are two different things. You know our agreement…even if Max likes to break it…no one gets told unless we all agree.

Maria: Just remember…you probably wouldn't have ever told me if it had been up to you.

Michael: True! Would you still love me if you didn't know…everything else being equal?

Maria: You better believe it pretty boy!

Michael: Then Max is almost forgiven.

Isabel: Matthew knows about our connecting powers. I think we could limit our discussions with him to that…and maybe the stones.

Max: I don't see how you can talk about the stones without talking about their…and our… origins.

Liz: Isabel, didn't you say he might not believe or accept the alien concept?

Isabel: Yes! We may not want to tell him what we know about him. Right now it's easy for him to be a human. Just think…what if we didn't know what we know about ourselves? We'd probably be just like he is…just making sure no one ever considers us freaks.

Michael: But if he knows anything…especially about his mother, we need to know it too.

Max: That's the trade off. I just don't think I feel comfortable telling him everything.

Alex: I have a suggestion.

Isabel: What?

Alex: You have his stones. Why don't you see if you can get any impressions from them.

Michael: Why did it take you to think of that?

Alex: I guess because you didn't.

Michael: Duh! That was my point. Give them to me.

(Michael takes the stones to his bedroom while the others continue to talk.)

Maria: Michael is better balanced these days…but he still is like a bloodhound if someone mentions origin.

Max: It's still important…and we should find out what we can…but even if we never find out anything else, I'm OK. That doesn't mean we shouldn't do all we can to trace our history though. (Hugs Liz.)

Liz: As close as everyone's become since the re-balance, this one has to be you three's decision.

Isabel: You know though…Matthew thinks we're all related. There may be an advantage in keeping it that way.

Liz: It goes without saying if we can help we will…I just mean…well… it's your secret to keep or not.

Max: Let's see if Michael comes up with anything.

(Michael comes back in the living room.)

Isabel: Any flashes?

Michael: Yes! Several!

Maria: …And?

Michael: He knows!

Max: Knows what?

Michael: He knows he's part alien. I got a flash of his mother giving he and his brother these stones. She told both Matthew and his brother where the stones came from that day she met them at school. It was just like he described.

Isabel: So where are they…we…from.

Michael: I couldn't understand that part.

Max: It figures.

Isabel: So it really was their mother who gave them the stones.

Michael: I think so.

Alex: So why didn't he tell us?

Max: Probably the same reason we didn't tell him what we are.

Maria: Did you learn anything else about him?

Michael: Not much…seems pretty normal. Wife…kids…home…messed up brother.

Max: Milan actually may be more of a problem than Matthew will ever be…and you say he knows too?

Michael: That's what I saw.

Alex: Then he also knows why the stones do what they do.

Michael: I have to think so.

Alex: And he still used them the way he did?

Max: That really worries me about him.

Isabel: I think Matthew is worried about him too. He's out of balance.

Max: So what do we do?

Michael: Let's return the stones to Matthew and see if we can get him to open up. If we dropped some knowing hints…

Isabel: I get the idea…lead him to where he feels comfortable…or we do.

Max: Let's plan to go to his house tomorrow evening.

Isabel: Should we all go. He doesn't really know you, Max.

Michael: I think we all need to go. If we tell him anything it should be by mutual agreement.

Isabel: OK…we'll plan on it.

Liz: …And we'll plan on a lonely evening.

Max: We've really got to do this, Liz.

Liz: I know…I think you should go.

Maria: Speaking of go…we need to get to work gal.

Liz: Is it that time already? OK!

(Max takes Alex home and drops the gals at the Crashdown; then he and Isabel head for home.)

Isabel: Aren't you excited about talking to Matthew. He could be a missing link.

Max: I'm being cautious. I'm trying to figure out a scenario that explains him.

Isabel: What do you mean?

Max: Suppose his mother was one of our people. Where did she come from? How did she escape the crash? Why wasn't she in stasis like we were?

Isabel: I don't think Matthew knows any of those answers. He's just trying to be normal. Michael said he thinks Matthew has a family. We shouldn't interfere with that.

Max: I don't want to…let's just see where this goes.

(The alien trio is kind of excited about talking to Matthew but they're not sure where it might lead. The next day went slowly, but finally it's time to make the visit. Isabel convinced the guys that, since Matthew helped rescue him, it might be a good idea if Alex came along. They arrive at Matthew's house…he answers the door…)

Matthew: I wasn't sure you'd come.

Michael: We brought you something.

(Pulls out the stones.)

Matthew: Let's go out to my shop around back where we can talk.

(He leads them around to his workshop situated off the garage.)

Isabel: Matthew; this is my brother Max. He wasn't with us…

Matthew: I remember you mentioning him. I'm sorry any of you got involved with my brother and his scheme, especially you Alex. How's that leg?

Alex: It's OK.

Matthew: It looked like it was bleeding badly when you ran out of the cavern.

Alex: (Alex is uncomfortable, afraid he might ask to see it.) I'm fine.

(Matthew smiles, as if Alex being OK was not unexpected)

Isabel: It's ironic that we got drawn into this?

Matthew: Does that mean that blood sample I gave you showed you something?

Isabel: Do you remember when we were talking and you said you were afraid people might consider you and your brother strange?

Matthew: Yes…I've been trying to get through to Milan on that point. He's shown the stones to too many people.

Isabel: You said living here you were afraid someone might consider you guys aliens or something.

Matthew: Did I say that?

Isabel: Yes…you did. Was that significant?

Matthew: (Pause) Since you're asking that question, maybe you already know the answer?

Max: Careful where you go Isabel.

Isabel: It's OK Max…I'm feeling all right about this.

Matthew: Are you…?

Max: I looked at the blood slide…I saw things I've only seen in our blood samples.

Matthew: This isn't possible.

Michael: Kinda what we thought about you.

Matthew: No wonder I can connect with you.

Michael: What can you tell us about your mother?

Matthew: Not much really…I told you we only met her once that we can remember. My dad divorced her before we were even a year old. There is something I didn't tell you. My dad forced her to stay away from us. He told us that because of her witchcraft, he didn't want her anywhere near us. He apparently told her if she tried to contact us, he'd tell everyone that she was a witch. She couldn't risk any scrutiny of her.

Isabel: He knew then?

Matthew: No…I don't think he did. I don't think she could ever bring herself to tell him the truth…and especially not after the divorce. He died believing she was a witch.

Michael: But she told you the truth, didn't she?

Matthew: How do you know?

Michael: The stones told me.

Matthew: That's what I needed to hear. I've gotten flashes from them too. I think we can be very frank with one another now. Agreed?

Isabel: OK!

Matthew: Mother told us that she was born on another world and that the stones were once a part of it. She said, because of her, Milan and I were part of it too.

Michael: Did she say what world it was?

Matthew: You know, she did…but at eight years old it didn't register. It was a very foreign sounding word. Can you tell me where you are from?

Max: We don't know either…we were hoping that you might lead us to the answer. We think we were part of the 1947 crash and we were in stasis for a long time. We think our parents were on that ship, but we don't know what happened to them. If your mother was on that ship too…but didn't go into stasis…your age would be about right.

Michael: We were really hoping you were a lead to our past.

Matthew: And since I can't help you, are you going to erase my memories of you?

Isabel: I don't think we can do that.

Matthew: You certainly have more advanced powers than I do.

Alex: What do you mean?

Matthew: In the cavern…I tried to knock the gun out of Scott's hand…but I'm sure I didn't do it. I never could have before. I also heard a voice from somewhere in there. I couldn't tell where it was coming from.

Michael: Let's just say you did have a little help.

Alex: (Looks at Max.) With the door slat too.

Matthew: I should have known. (Pause.) Look, I've got a family here. My wife and kids have no idea about any of this. I'm a pretty normal guy. Can we just keep it that way?

Michael: We have lives too.

Max: Normal is important…very important. That's why we are so cautious.

Michael: We're kind of concerned about your brother.

Matthew: Me too!

Michael: Let me show you something.

(Isabel and Max didn't know it, but Michael brought their set of stones. He shows them to Matthew.)

Matthew: Wow! No wonder you knew what was going on. So these things really do change lives?

Max: They did for us. Before we re-balanced we were all about to go crazy. I didn't know what I should be doing with my life. They really made a difference for all of us.

Alex: I recognized the feeling one gets from the rays even though I was blindfolded. Before we used these, I was getting the life history of anybody I'd look at for more than 5 seconds hammered into my brain. I couldn't control the connections. I was scared I was going to get my balance messed up again by being in there with Milan.

Michael: Your brother was using something we consider almost sacred in a very bad way.

Matthew: I agree…and I've told him so many times.

Isabel: In some ways, I'm not sure it was a total accident that Alex stumbled onto that tunnel.

Michael: I assume you let your brother and his friends out. What is he doing? How much of this does he know? Is he still unbalanced?

Milan: (Opens the door, steps in pointing a gun.) The only thing unbalanced around here is you people. (Looks at Alex.) I had a feeling something was up when I started reading this little squirt down in the cavern. I knew if I watched my brother's house long enough you'd show up. And you brought me some fresh stones. How wonderful! Ours were getting a little weak. These should keep us in business another six months or more. I'll take them all…ours and yours.

(Our heroes stare at each other in disbelief. Matthew looks stunned. Michael takes the lead…no way is this going to happen he thinks. He makes a silent connection to Max and Isabel, which of course is read by Milan and Matthew)

Milan: That won't help you…I can read everything you say. Now give me those stones.

Matthew: Milan…this is wrong. What's the matter with you? You're not acting like my brother.

Milan: Matthew, you are so naive. We finally have a chance to benefit from the curse our mother left us. Why won't you join me?

Matthew: Our mother didn't curse us…she gave us what she was. You are so dead wrong to cheapen it.

Milan: Cheapen it…hell I'm getting rich from it. If you can't see it, just leave me alone...and tell your alien friends to leave me alone too...or their little world of normal is gonna be on the 10 o'clock news [BS Network of course].

(The group looks horrified…he must have been outside the door and heard everything. Michael connects again with Isabel and Max…he tries to block Milan. He succeeds because Milan continues to argue with Matthew and is distracted. Isabel reminds Michael not to forget that Alex can help. Michael brings him in to the connection.)

(Silent communication)

Michael: Follow my lead folks…we can't let this happen…let's drop bombs on his brain.

(He aims his connection at Milan…the others get the idea.)

Michael: You'll never make this work, Milan.

Max: You're evil, Milan.

Isabel: It's wrong, Milan.

Alex: I hate you for what you did to me, Milan.

Michael: We'll expose you too, Milan.

Max: How can you cheapen your heritage, Milan?

Isabel: It not worth it, Milan.

Alex: The money won't make you happy, Milan.

Michael: Your destroying your brother, Milan.

Max: Your wasting the stone's power, Milan.

Isabel: Remember who you are, Milan.

Milan: STOP IT!

Michael: What's the matter, Milan?

Max: You know we're right, don't you Milan?

Isabel: You're not yourself, Milan.

Alex: What about your family, Milan?

Michael: You're not so tuff, Milan.

Max: The stones can help you, Milan.

Isabel: We're your friends, Milan.

Milan: Stop…I can't take it!

(Matthew figures out what's going on, he joins the fray.)

Matthew: I don't like what you've become, Milan.

Michael: Are we communicating, Milan?

Max: We'll haunt you, Milan.

Isabel: You're not really helping people, Milan.

Alex: You're not a bad person, Milan.

Matthew: Give it up, Milan.

Michael: Nothing good can come from what you're doing, Milan.

Max: Use the stones yourself, Milan.

Isabel: The stones have affected your thinking, Milan.

Alex: You never smile, Milan.

(Finally, all four people in the connection aim a thought at the same time.)

Matthew, Michael, Max, Isabel, Alex: Put down the gun and let us help you, Milan.

(Slowly, Milan lowers the gun. He begins to cry…he's dazed…)

Milan: Matthew…I know you're right. I don't know what's been happening to me.

Matthew: It was the stones…they changed you.

Milan: That night at your house…when they first began to glow…I was thinking about how I was going to pay for my new house.

Max: I'll bet you were thinking about the stones too. They reset your balance to focus on money. We can change that if you'll let us.

Milan: How?

Isabel: The same way you've been using the stones to re-balance other people. If you'll just decide where else you want to focus your life, we'll make them work for you.

Matthew: Please…for me…for your family…for mom…for all of us…let us bring back the brother I know.

Milan: I don't have the strength to resist right now. That was quite an attack you folks waged.

Max: It won't work unless you do the focusing…the stones only set a balance point you ask for.

Milan: OK…I'll try.

Max: Michael; put the stones out…we might as well use them all.

Matthew: Sit down in my big chair, Milan. Just relax and think about a new direction for your life. Think about your family. Think about mom.

(Matthew, Max, Isabel, Michael, and Alex gather in a circle. A cup is shared and they concentrate…recharging the stones with their collective energy. The stones begin to glow…and the expression on Milan's face changes…his whole countenance is altered. When they finish…)

Matthew: Are you OK, Milan?

Milan: I feel refreshed…I feel like I haven't felt for weeks.

Matthew: How do you feel about the stones?

Milan: I want to forget what I did with them. It was bad. Matthew, you take your three. I'll put mine away to remember mom. Give our friends back theirs. This is over.

Matthew: Welcome home brother. Friends, this is my brother Milan….my real brother Milan.

Isabel: (Smiling) Milan…I'm Isabel. It's nice to meet the real you. I was happy to meet your brother. I really like him. He had the courage to help our friend even though it meant incurring your wrath.

Milan: I'm sorry I made him do that…but he was right and I was wrong.

Matthew: That's all behind us...the best thing to do is forget it and move forward.

Alex: I forgive you for what you did to me in the cavern…I know it wasn't the real you, Milan.

Milan: Thank you…all of you…especially you Matthew, for not giving up on me.

Matthew: (Pause) I don't want any of you to take this the wrong way, but when I said we should forget this and move forward, I meant that literally. Milan and I have our own families…our own lives…and all of you do too. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I think the best thing would be for us not to have any further contact. If we do, something might get exposed that should be kept secret. As I said, my family knows nothing of this and I really don't want them too.

Milan: I agree. What Matthew and I share of our heritage we want to be just between us. I want to be a normal person…with a normal family. I suspect you all do too. Let's not meet any more after today. You can trust both of us. We'll never even acknowledge knowing you, much less tell any of your secrets. All we ask is the same thing.

Isabel: If that's what you want…

Matthew: We do.

Michael: Can I ask one thing?

Matthew: Of course.

Michael: Your mother may be a key to our heritage as well as yours. If you ever hear from her or anymore about her, will you contact us?

Milan: We could possibly do that.

Max: If you do, go to the Crashdown cafe. Ask for Liz...she works there…tell her your name and that you want to talk to us. She'll get us the word.

Matthew: Wasn't she with us at the cabin?

Michael: Yes.

Matthew: I'll know her. Yes, we'll do that much. If you uncover anything, you can contact me here too…but only if it's warranted.

Max: We understand. Best of luck to both of you.

Matthew: And to all of you! Oh…Alex…

Alex: Yes.

Matthew: Take care of that leg.

(Pulls up pant leg…Matthew sees no wound.)

Matthew: (Amazed…but frowning, he looks at Alex.) No! I don't want to know…all of you…please go now …I want to get back to my family.

(The group takes their leave, all anxious to return to their "normal" lives. They decide it's not to late for a Crashdown stop…Liz and Maria will make the group complete…and there's always something to talk about. This adventure is over. What's in store for our friends in the future? A new network perhaps? We'll just have to wait and see. For now, this is the BS Network- signing off!)

Invisible Max…Happy Liz…Contended Michael…Well Balanced Alex…Sprightly Isabel…Bubbly Maria….where else could you find them all except on the Balance Statements Network? We hope you enjoyed our show…and man do we ever hope the ratings are good. We understand our renewal depends on them. Our time slot next week will be filled with a BS Network documentary on physic hotlines. It's called "My Mind To Your Mind". Don't miss it if you can!

Part 8 | Index
Max/Liz | Michael/Maria | Alex/Isabel | UC Couples | Valenti | Other | Poetry | Crossovers | AfterHours
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