FanFic - Max/Liz
"Taking a Step Back "
Part 17
by Mary N.
Disclaimer: Roswell, the characters, and situations are owned by the WB. No infringement intended.
Category: Max/Liz
Rating: PG-13
After finishing their conversation, Max and Liz decided to move into the Living room. They agreed that it wasn't a good idea to tempt themselves any farther, by staying behind closed doors sitting on Max's bed.

Now lounging on the couch, Max takes his shoes off and props his feet up on the coffee table. After taking off her own shoes, Liz sits down on the couch facing Max. She pulls her legs up on the couch and crosses them, sitting Indian style. Feeling more relaxed they begin to talk about whatever comes to mind. Eventually the topic of their conversation is how close the whole group has become, and how they are both shocked at how easily Kyle fit in.

"I feel bad that we're not going to Kyle's game tonight." Liz is torn between going to the game and supporting Kyle at the game and heading out to the house to see what else they can find.

"That's funny, he was telling me that he felt bad about not going with us out to the house." Max laughs lightly. "Actually, I think he's enjoying all the excitement of the past week. Keeping our secret from his father, the adrenaline rush of facing Teomner, sneaking around, and snooping around the his father's office. He's really surprised me."

"Like today at lunch; standing up for Sandie the way he did. It's hard to believe that he used to hang out with guys like Tommy."

"Yeah, he was never really like them. They just had their sports in common." Liz found herself thinking about Sandie again, she couldn't shake the strange felling that she knew Sandie from somewhere, but she couldn't figure out from where. She thought that maybe Sandie just reminded her of someone else. "What do you think of Sandie?"

"She seems nice."

"Yeah, I think so too." Liz looks distant.

"What's on your mind Liz?" Max asks with concern.

"It's nothing really. I'm just getting this feeling about her, it's like I've met her before. You know, like when you run into a friend that you haven't seen for a long time."

"That could be, she did say that she comes to Roswell from time to time to visit her Grandparents. Maybe you two met one of those times."

"That makes sense."

"What makes sense?" Michael asks after letting himself in.

"I was just saying that there's something about Sandie that feels familiar."

Michael nods like no big deal and asks, "So where is everyone, I want to get going."

Maria's picking up Alex, and then we'll be ready" casually says Isabel as she came down the stairs.

Max looks surprised to see Isabel, he thought he and Liz had the house to themselves. "When did you come in Is? I though you were going over to Alex's."

"Yeah well that fell apart. Alex's dad had something he wanted him to do before he could go out tonight. Since he's going with us tonight, he let me borrow his car, so I could run my errand. I got back about an hour ago." She smiles at Max and Liz with that look. The look that says I know what you've been up too. "You and Liz were in your room with the door closed. I didn't want to disturb you too." The door bell rings and Isabel walks away to answer it.

"What are the plans for tonight? Do we keep looking for the ship or search the house?" Ask Michael as he sits in the recliner.

Max lowers his feet from the table and puts his shoes back on. "I say we finish searching the house. I'm hoping we will find a clue to where the ship is. Plans, a map, a sketch, something. I'm hoping that we find a clue of how to deal with Topolski as well. If we could figure out where she is and when she'll be back that would be great.."

Liz adds, "You know once she gets back, she's going to know something has happened to Teomner. If we don't figure out how to deal with her, this whole thing is going to blow up in our faces. We will never be able to find the ship or the answers we're all looking for."

"Are you talking about, Topolski?" asks Alex as he, Maria, and Isabel enter the room.

"Yeah, I was just saying that we have to figure out how we are going to deal with her."

"Now that we are all here, can't we talk about this on the road." States Michael as he stands to his feet and starts moving toward the front door. "We are losing precious time people, lets go!"

Liz reaches down and picks up her shoes. They all follow Michael out the door.

**********************************

As they enter Teomner's house Liz and Max head straight for the Lab with the information Alex printed from the Internet. Isabel, Alex, Michael, and Maria head upstairs. Michael and Maria turn into Topolski's room, while Alex and Isabel proceed down the hall to the master Bedroom.

While searching through the cabinets and drawer's in the Lab, Liz comes across a scientific journal. She opens the to the first page, and begins to scans through the pages trying to understand what it is saying. Max moves up behind, "What's that?" "SHHHH ....... just a minute." Liz turns the page reads for a few more minutes. "Max this is unbelievable. It seems that whatever causes the green energy in your blood is some kind of bacterial cell. They were experimenting on humans to find if there was a way to increase the level of energy produced. They succeed with a 3 year old girl." she looks back down at the journal. "In 1966, here she is referred to as subject TR1024. It says that they were able to Manipulate her DNA by injecting her with altered samples of this bacterial cell. It also says that she was showing sign of heightened awareness and that she had a photographic memory. It also says that the Commander, probably Teomner, believe that she could prove to be useful to them. I think this is talking about Topolski. But wait there's more, they used cells taken from her to increase their own power levels. That's why Teomner was able to kill Nasado so easily, and still had the energy to battle against us."

"Your telling me Topolski is more than we thought, that she's able to what exactly?

"Read emotions for one, other than that I don't know. The last entry states that Teomner was taking charge of her.

***************************

The six friends sit around the kitchen table to go over what each of them has found. Michael starts thing off. "While we were searching Topolski's room I touched a stuffed animal on her bed, and I had a flash. She was probably about 12. She was sitting on her bed writing in a notebook. Teomner walked into her room and she jumped, and looked really afraid. Teomner move towards her and took the notebook away. Then he started yelling at her for whatever it was she was writing. He then placed a hand on her shoulder and she started screamed in pain. Then I saw Teomner's face, he was smiling down at her. Then the flash ended.

The girls looked horrified. "That's awful." says Maria followed by Liz saying "Just for writing. He did that just for writing something down. What on earth could she have been writing that made him so mad?"

"I think it was a journal." The room stays quiet for a moment as they realize how badly Ms Topolski was treated by Teomner. "I think that Ms. Topolski is deathly afraid of Teomner, I don't think that she loved him at all, and from what I saw I don't think she would miss him, but would be glad that the scum bag is dead."

"That's not all that they did to her." Liz explains everything that she learned from the journal. She explained it the same way she explained it to Max. When she finishes Michael asks, "This experiment that they did, could we duplicate if we wanted to? He's excited about the idea of his powers being stronger. To finally be able to do some of the things that Max and Isabel have been able to do.

"There's so much to it. I wouldn't know where to begin. Even if I did, I wouldn't do it. Michael you have to remember they tried this on other people besides Topolski, and she was the first to survive. I couldn't find any other records after this one. So I think once they got from her what they wanted. They didn't try it on anyone else.

"She's right Michael, we can't risk anyone's life trying it."

"I realize that Isabel, I just figured that since it was done once. And we have a record of everything that they did that we could duplicate it."

"That would be great if I understood everything that they did, but I don't. I don't have the training it would take to try something like this."

Max agrees with Liz, this isn't something they should even consider trying. It's above their abilities and he really doesn't see any beneficial purpose to even trying it. Teomner's out of the way, they are in no danger other than to deal with Topolski. Max looks at Isabel and Alex. "What did you two find?

Alex spreads four different print ups of four different account records across the table and opens the laptop up. "This guy was loaded. Remember how he said that he'd killed a lot of people and how he enjoyed it. Well, he wasn't kidding." Alex pushes some keys on the laptop, and turns it around for the other to see. If I'm right and I think I am. The guy made his money killing. He was a hit man for hire. Get this, his code name was Alien for hire. We also found Topolski's cell number and address listed in here. Teomner was sure that no one would ever be able to catch him that he didn't even bother to put pass codes on his computer." Alex turns the computer back around and pushes some more keys, then turns it back around facing the others. "This is a list of his contacts."

We also found out that this guy only shopped at the best stores. Everything came from the same store in Paris. A lot of the other things in this house came from there as well."

He didn't buy American. What's the big deal? Michael asked sarcastical

Aggravated by Michael sarcasm, Isabel snapped back. "That means that he spends a lot of time abroad, Michael. Which means, Topolski wouldn't be surprised by Teomner's absence. You get it now?"

"Calm down Isabel, I didn't mean anything by it."

**********************

Max dropped Liz off at home. They were a little late getting back. They gave each other a quick kiss good night. Liz turned to head inside. "Hey Liz, were do you want to go tonight?"

Liz smiled a tired smile. It had been a long stressful day. "How about the beach for some relaxation in the sun."

"Sound good, the beach it is." Max waited to make sure that Liz made it in side okay. Isabel moved to the front seat while she watched how intensely her brother was watching Liz. "So you to like the beach." Isabel nodded her head in approval. "So what other places do the two of you like to go?" Max smiled mischievously at his sister, then pulled the jeep away from the curb and headed home. She continued trying to get him to answer her question, but he just sat there smiling. He figured that even though they didn't go anywhere really out of the ordinary; where they did go was between himself and Liz.

*******************************

Max and Liz enjoyed a relaxing dream together. They walked along the beach hand in hand, stopping periodically to hold each other tightly and share a few passionate kisses. Max taught Liz to build a real sand castle, not just on that you dump buckets of sand over and call it a castle, but one where they slowly cut away the unwanted sand. As they stepped back to admire their work they realized that it definitely looked like the work of two artists. One with skill, and the other, purely a novice.

**********************

Maria and Liz are in the employee break room putting on the finishing touches before heading onto the floor of the Crashdown Cafe. They have to work the afternoon shift.

Liz, still feeling drawn to Sandie is trying to figure out why she feels so familiar , and what this familiar feelings mean. When it finale hit her she had to laugh at herself. Even though she still couldn't place Sandie, she did place the feeling. It was the same felling she had the first time she saw Maria so long ago, and then later when she saw Alex for the first time. It was this feeling that they would become lifetime friends. She couldn't help wondering if Maria and Alex had felt it too. Liz turned to Maria, "What did you think about Sandie?"

"She seemed okay, kind of sweet." Maria felt Liz was fishing for something. She wanted to know what. Slowly she asked, "Why Lizzy? What's going through that busy little head of yours?"

"Nothing Maria, I was just thinking that she seems familiar to me."

"How so?"

"It's like we've met before, and I'm getting that same feeling I got when I saw you the first time. I knew that we were meant to be friends. I had the same feeling the first time I saw Alex." Liz starts to laugh. "Do you remember the time we saw him? It was his first day at school, we were all in the forth grade, and those fifth grade bullies started picking on him. He was so shy then; he just stood there just taking it. You grabbed my hand and off we went to the rescue."

Oh yeah, I haven't thought about that in years. Do you remember the look on those guys when we got in their faces? It was priceless."

"How could I forget, I was scared out of my wits."

"Me too, but I was determined that I wasn't going to let them know that." Maria looks in the mirror one last time, and closes her work locker. "Well we better get out there before the natives get restless."

***********************

Max had the morning shift at the UFO museum. He's adding a few new items to a display about crop circles, he looks at his watch anticipating his lunch break. He is anxious to see Liz even if it's just for a little while.

***********************

Sheriff Valenti is driving down the street by the Museum and the Crashdown. He sees Kyle entering the Museum. He really doesn't think much of it and drives on.

Kyle walks up to Max in the museum. "Hey Evans! How did it go last night?"

"We found out a few things about Topolski."

Milton walks up to Max, "Go take your lunch break, I'll finish up here."

************************

Sandie walks into the Cafe with a woman that looks like an older version of Sandie, and an older couple. Liz and Maria both recognized the older couple as a couple that comes in every now and then. Liz walks over to take the order.

Liz can't believe that Sandie was there. It was kind of strange that she and Maria had just been talking about her and here she was. "Hello Sandie."

"Oh hi, Liz right?" Sandie says shyly. She still doesn't feel really comfortable with Liz.

"Yeah, how are things going?"

"Fine thanks." Sandie looks at her family and realizes that they are waiting for her to introduce Liz. "Mom, Grand, Grandpa this is Liz one of the kids I was telling you about. Liz this is my mom Alisha Gates, and her parents, my grandparents Rosa and Truett Miller."

"Hello Liz, thank you for coming to my daughters aid yesterday."

"It was really Kyle that did it."

"That's what Sandie told us." She looks at her daughter who is blushing. "She also said that you and your friends made her feel welcomed."

"Well yea, Sandie made it easy for us." Liz was feeling awkward talking to Mrs. Gates about Sandie while Sandie sat right there. Liz noticed how Mrs. Gates was looking at her as if she was trying to place her. She wondered if maybe they had met before.

The bell on the door rings. Liz looks up to see Max and Kyle walking in together. Liz smiles at Max and mouths a hello, she then smiles at Kyle. Liz drops her hand to her side and Max brushes his fingers over hers as he starts to walks by. Max stops beside Liz and intertwines his fingers with hers when he sees Sandie at the table. This tender gesture doesn't go on noticed by Mrs. Gates.

"Hey Sandie, how are things going? asks Max. He knew from his conversation with Liz the day before that she wanted them to try to get to know Sandie a little better, and he figured if he said hello he could hold Liz's hand a little longer.

Sandie introduced Max and Kyle to her family the same way she had introduced Liz.

"So Kyle your the one the rescued my baby?" asked Sandie's mom

Sandie blushed when she heard her mother refer to her as her baby. "Mom!"

Kyle, Max, and Liz had to fight back their smiles. They felt Sandie's embarrassment, knowing how they would have felt if their own Parent's had referred to them as their baby in public.

"It was no big deal, Tommy can be a jerk sometimes, but he's harmless. We've gone against worse." Kyle flashes Max a knowing smile.

"See ya at school Sandie. I have to get back to work shortly, and I need to get a bite to eat first. Nice meeting you Mrs. Gates, Mr and Mrs. Miller." Max released his grip on Liz's hand and walk over to his usual both followed by Kyle who said, "Nice meeting you."

"They seem nice." Alisha says.

Liz turns and smiles at Max; who is staring at her. She looks back at Mrs. Gates and says, "He is, I mean they are."

Alisha smiles at Liz. "Are you seeing Max?"

"You could say that." Liz pulls her order book from her pocket. "Are you ready to order?"

Maria walks over to Max and Kyle and takes their order. Max begins to explain to Kyle what they discovered at the house the night before.

Liz turns in the order, gets their drinks and delivers them. She and Maria meet at Max and Kyle's table. Liz is standing beside Max looking at the door as it opens. She sees Sheriff Valenti and Amy DeLuca walk in. She motions to Kyle and Maria who turn around and then look at each other.

The Sheriff notices his son and the company he is with, and is not too happy about it. Kyle looks back at his father and he knows that he is in for it tonight.

The Sheriff and Amy sit in the booth just past Sandie's family. Alisha looks closely at Amy. "Amy, Oh my stars, is that you?" she says as she climbs out of the booth

Amy looks at Alisha. "Oh my heavens, Alisha Miller, I mean Gates. I can't believe it. What has it 10, 11 years?

"Just about, how are you doing?"

"Great, great. And how is that husband of yours. I'll bet he's as cute as ever." Amy slides into the booth with the Sheriff and pulls Alisha with her. She quickly introduces them and then asks, "Well?"

"As cute as ever, and still in the service. Dad was really proud when he heard he finally made Coronel."

"Well what brings you back here?"

"My mom has to have surgery and with her past history, I thought it best to stay to help had and my dad out." Alisha's face looks down trodden as she thinks about her mother then it quickly goes from one of sadness thinking about her mother, and it quickly changes to excitement. "I am dying to know about Nancy and Jeff Parker, are they still here in town."

The conversation between Amy and Alisha continues until Liz delivers Sandie's family's order. During the conversation Amy pointed Maria and Liz out to Alisha.

"I thought you looked familiar Liz, I remember you when you were only five. You and Sandie played so cute together."

Now Liz knew why she had that familiar feeling about Sandie. They had been friends years ago, when they had been younger. Liz had always had memories about a childhood friend but didn't remember her name or even what her face looked like, now she finally had a face to go with those memories, it was Sandie's.

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