ROSWELL on PLANET-SF

Chapter Five

Maria rolled over, surprised to find Michael looking at her. She smiled, placing her arm over her eyes. "It's early. Did you sleep at all?"

"Not really." He leaned over and kissed her lips. "I had a nice weekend with you."

"Yeah, me too. Maybe we could do it again sometime?" She pushed the blankets down exposing her bare breasts.

He groaned and reached to her, rolling her nipple with his fingers. "I don't want to leave this bed. Ever." He moved in closer to her, capping his mouth over his distended nipple and sucked. He smiled into her when a small moan escaped her mouth. The blankets moved down around their legs and Michael's hand skimmed in between her legs. He pressed it to her and then into her. Her legs spread, her hands pulled Michael up to her. Resting on his elbows above her, staring into her eyes. "Beautiful."

She smiled love at him, caressing his unshaven cheek with the back of her hand. He manoeuvred inside of her. Her legs tossed off the remainder of the blankets before they crossed around his waist. He sank into her, burying his face in her hair. Inhaling the scent of sleep. The scent of her. Keeping his eyes closed trying to block the rest of the day he had ahead of him. Focusing on Maria. Maria.

"You okay?" she asked breathlessly in his ear. He smiled and raised his head so she could see it. She smiled back at him and felt the desire in him transfer to her. Reaching forward she brushed his mess of hair back off his forehead. "You need a haircut."

He nodded and plunged deep inside of her forcing the air from her lungs. She grinned as his legs shook alongside hers, his arms no longer able to hold him up. Trembling he lowered himself next to her. He nuzzled her neck keeping one across her chest. "I know this is going to be a crappy day, but I'm so glad it started out good."

"What's going to happen to Max, Michael? I mean, you can't fake a DNA test. Can you?" she asked, rolling onto her side to face him.

"Kyle," he sighed. "He's providing the samples." He didn't want to tell her too much. The less she knew the better off she was in case he got caught.

"How?"

"Don't worry about how." He ran his hands through his damp hair. "I don't want you involved in this Maria."

"Not involved? What's really going on?"

"I don't know everything yet, but if there's trouble, I don't want you involved. You're a crappy liar."

"Is there a possibility that you'll get caught?"

"There's always a possibility for everything." He didn't face her - he knew the accusatory stare was evident. He got out of bed after kissing her forehead.

She heard the shower running and called Liz. Isabel answered and refused to put Liz on the phone because she was with Max and it wasn't a life or death circumstance. Frustrated, Maria slammed the phone down and called Kyle. Morgan answered and told her Kyle already left for work. He was going in early because he had an appointment in the afternoon. Maria thought before she spoke; she said goodbye and hung up. Morgan didn't know either, she reflected, that was probably not a good sign. Liz would know. She cursed Isabel again for not putting her on the phone. A flicker of jealousy she thought she had banished nearly caught ablaze knowing that Michael still confided almost everything in Liz. A friendship. That's all it was, Maria got sidetracked, they're friends and nothing more. More like siblings than friends.

Hearing the water stop brought her back to the current situation. She got out of bed, putting on her robe, and waited for Michael to come back out. She was tapping her foot, arms crossed over her chest. He opened the bathroom door with a towel wrapped low around his waist and cringed. "What the hell is going on Michael? You have to tell me, maybe I can help."

"You can't help," Michael shook his head and sat next to her. He picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. "Just leave everything to me."

"I used to help out with a lot of things Michael, you know that? You guys used to depend on me for a lot and since I had Leia I don't get to do anything." She pouted. "Don't get me wrong, I love my life, but damn it! I actually miss some of the excitement. Isn't there anything I can do?"

"No sweetheart, there isn't."

"I don't believe you. Anyway, what is the big plan?"

"I'll take care of it."

"You don't have a big plan, do you?" She cracked a smile. "You're winging it, aren't you?"

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'll take care of it Maria, okay? Let it go." He stood and walked to the closet; then turned around to face her. "Listen to me. If something happens, you have to make me a promise. If I can't get to you, there's enough money in the savings account to get you and Leia far away from here. Go to Isabel and have her change IDs for you and the licence plates on the car. Go away and go away fast. When, and if, it's safe I'll find you."

"What?" Maria held her hands out in front of her. "What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere."

"Maria, just promise me. If something happens, take Leia and go."

"You're scaring me, Michael."

"I'm scaring myself."

* * *

Liz and Isabel watched Max leave alone to go to the hospital. They had both offered to go with him; both had been denied. He mumbled something about having to do it alone and left after hugging his wife and kissing his daughter on the top of her head. The elder Evans women sat at the table in silence. Max would be gone for a couple of hours and all they had to do was wait for him.

Sloane seemed to understand the gravity of the morning and was content to lay on the couch colouring. Isabel walked by once and marvelled at the colourful crayoning of snowcapped mountains and skiers in bright snowsuits. Isabel shook her head in awe. Her niece was a very talented artist.

"Oh, Maria called a while ago." Isabel bit her bottom lip. "You were with Max and I didn't want to disturb you."

"What'd she want?" Liz reached for the cordless phone on the table, looking irritated by the electrical tape that was holding the phone together. She knew she could have any of the other three alien-it back together, but for Liz it served as a reminder of her husband's infidelities.

Isabel shrugged. "I don't know, but she sounded kinda funny."

"Funny like 'off' or funny like iin 'I'm goning back into brood mode'?" Liz asked carefully before dialling.

"She sounded off a bit."

As Liz dialled a frantic knock at the door made her jump. Isabel was already out of her chair going for the door. She opened it and Maria walked in. "Isabel, next time I need to talk to Liz, damn it, put her on the freakin' phone!"

"I told you she was with Max when you called." Isabel glared at her. "Don't ever tell me what to do."

"Whatever," Maria dismissed her, walking towards Liz. "I want to know what the hell is going on."

"Maria!" Liz smiled. "What are you talking about?"

"Michael's acting all cryptic this morning and I'm shit outta luck because I lost my secret decoder ring when I was eight." She sat in the chair next to Liz. "So, tell me. I'm not going to be left in the dark."

"Michael?" Liz recalled the phone call from him late last night.

"Yeah," she glared at Isabel as she reclaimed her chair across from Liz. "He said if there's trouble that I should take Leia and run. Isabel's supposed to get us new IDs and plates."

"Run from what?"

"That's my question!" Maria threw her hands in the air. "He said Kyle's giving the samples for Max and that's all he'd tell me."

"Shit!" Isabel slapped the tabletop. "He's going to go out and do something reckless. Damn it, I should have known better. Of course he has a plan and from the way he's acting it's not a good one. Did he say anything else?"

Maria shook her head. "Nope, that's it. I tried to call Kyle and got Morgan who seems as clueless as I am, maybe more."

"He'd told me to be home after twelve and to have Max gone." Liz looked to her friend. "I think he's doing the switch here. Listen, if Michael knows what he's doing, let him do it."

* * *

Sheriff Guerin didn't have a clue how he was going to make the DNA switch. The samples were going to be locked at the hospital under the following morning when they would be sent by courier to Santa Fe to begin the tests. He stood outside the exam room with Deputy Jo Davie next to him. She had insisted in coming along and without a good reason, Michael couldn't say no.

"This must be hard on you," she commented, popping another piece of fruity smelling gum into her mouth. "I mean, he's your friend."

"He'll be found innocent, Jo." Michael looked down the empty hallway while wiping the sweat off the back of his neck. He caught a reflection of himself in a mirrored door across the hall. He stared at the image of himself, plain brown Sheriff's shirt tucked into tight blue jeans riding low on his waist. Black work boots and hat and sunglasses. The shiny gold star pinned proudly to his chest. At that point he saw himself as a human man living in a human world.

"Are you so sure?" She cocked her pixie face to the side and seemed to admire his reflection in the mirrored door.

"Yeah, I'm sure." He pivoted from his reflection and looked down at her. "You don't really have to stay here if you have something better to do."

"Oh, no. I'm good." She cracked her gum. "Besides, I don't know if it's such a good idea for you to be the law enforcement witnessing this, you know, him being your friend and all."

"What the fuck are you saying Davie?" His heart rate quickened. Did she know what he was thinking?

"I'm only saying that I know you want to see Max go free as much as apparently everyone else in this creepy little town." She stood closer to him and spoke quietly. "You're a damn good Sheriff, Guerin. I don't want to see you do anything that would cost you your job."

"I don't think I llike what you're insinuating." He fought the urge to take off his hat and run his hands through his hair.

"I'm not insinuating anything," she sighed as two nurses walked by. She waited until they were down the hall before speaking again. "If you're thinking about doing anything stupid, don't."

"Davie, you don't really know me well enough to know what I think. I take my job very seriously and I would never do anything to jeopardise it. Got it?"

Jo Davie nodded although Michael thought she looked most unconvinced. Michael looked down at her. "Is that why you're here?" The sudden realisation dawned on him. "Is that why you wanted to be here so bad? To make sure that I didn't steal his blood and run away?" Michael considered how close to the truth that was.

"I was only telling you that I thought." She looked up to him. "You're a good boss, I don't want to lose you as that."

Michael began another protest but silenced himself as he saw Max walking down the hall, his lawyer Jared Knox was with him. They nodded at Michael and Jo followed and stood back against the wall. They were the last ones to arrive. The exam room was crowded with suits. Two attorneys from the Franks family stood to the side and watched Max with distaste. Max didn't face anyone.

The doctor taking the samples wasn't familiar with either family and seemed to want to be anywhere but there. He had Max sit in a chair and drew blood. Sealing and labelling the blood, he handed it to the nurse in back of him. He plucked a few strands of Max's hair and sealed them in a clear envelope. He asked Max to lower his pants for a pubic hair sample. Max did as he was told without saying a word or meeting anyone's eyes. It was over minutes after it started. He walked from the room and down the hall without uttering a word to anyone.

Michael watched intently as each matter was taken and organised. He tried to memorise the amount of hair and blood. Tried to memorise everything that he was going to have to remember later. He watched so closely that he didn't notice Deputy Jo Davie watching him. After the samples had been catalogued and secured and witnesses signed statements, the suits left the room talking and joking. Michael and Jo followed. They saw Max in the hallway as he disappeared around a corner with his lawyer.

"It always seems like a bigger deal on TV," Jo commented as they walked down the white corridor towards the front entrance. "I thought there would be more drama."

"You don't think that was dramatic?" Michael snorted.

"You know what I mean," she pushed through the revolving door first and waited for her boss on the other side. "Hey, if you know he's innocent, why do you look so stressed about all this?"

Michael looked at her without an answer; there wasn't one. "I'm not."

"Yeah, you are." She got in the passenger side of the 4x4. "Why don't we get some coffee before he head back?"

Michael declined her invitation and drove back to the station in silence. Although he was aware of the glances Jo gave him, he ignored her. He had more important things on his mind.

* * *

Kyle and Morgan arrived at the Evans' condo at exactly twelve thirty. They walked in and Kyle immediately looked for Max.

"He's not here," Liz said. "He took Sloane to the park."

Morgan rolled her eyes at her husband. "I hope you don't mind that I'm here. I knew something was going on and I insisted on being here."

"You and me both," Maria commiserated looking at the person she had not yet apologised to. She motioned Morgan away from the small crowd and stood by the kitchen door. Morgan joined her expectantly. "I'm sorry, Morgan. I should have apologised before now."

"It's alright. I didn't know what was going on with you, I shouldn't have been such a bitch."

"I didn't know either," Maria smiled. "You tried to help when no one else knew what to do. Thank you."

"I tried to help by yelling at you," Morgan finally smiled. "I'm sorry. And I'm glad that everything's okay now."

Maria smiled and hugged her. "It was Sloane and Max, I think they might have saved my life."

"Michael told me the story the other day, it's amazing." Their conversation was interrupted at the front door opened and Michael let himself in. "Michael."

Michael looked from face to face of his family and friends and wondered when this had turned into a party. "Why is everyone here?"

"I'm here to find out what the hell you're going to do." Maria walked towards him. "Her too." She motioned to Morgan.

"We live here," Isabel smiled, pointing to Liz and then back to herself trying to break the tension. "And Kyle is the guinea pig."

"I've been called worse," Kyle let some of the anger ease from him. "Alright, let's get this show on the road."

Michael nodded and set down a little brown bag he had been holding. He explained to Liz how much blood was drawn from Max and how much hair and from where. He handed her a syringe and labelled vial and two labelled clear plastic bags. He had spent the rest of the morning making labels he thought were identical to the ones used in the hospital on his computer. After trying to make sure all traces had been erased and deleted he was confident of his work.

Kyle and Liz went into the bathroom and she set out all the necessary equipment. Kyle smiled. "I always thought you'd become a doctor or a research chick." He rolled up his sleeve and winced as she tapped his arm looking for a vein. "I never thought that you'd stay here and work here. I remember when you had the stars in your eyes."

"I still have them," she smiled. "They just changed a long time ago."

"Why are you staying with him?" Kyle asked quietly. He hadn't spoken to her since his rampage on her husband and knew very well that this line of questioning was out of order.

"He's my husband, Kyle." She sighed and leaned aginst the vanity. "He didn't hurt that girl, you know that."

"Yeah," he nodded. "I know he didn't hurt her physically. But I also know he did fuck around with her."

"It's over."

"After everything he's done to you -"

"Yeah, like making me happy. Being a wonderful husband and father."

"You know damn well what I mean." He let out a breath. "I know we won't agree and I hope you know that I'm not doing this for him. I'm doing this for everyone else except him."

"I know," she finally smiled. "Thank you. You're saving all our lives."

Kyle nodded and waited for her to draw blood. He winced when she plucked hair from his head and blushed when he pulled down his pants. "I never thought you'd get in my pants."

Liz blushed and sealed up the bags. She opened the bathroom door and walked out with the contraband back in the bag. She handed it to Michael and looked at him expectantly as a crack of thunder shook the windows and set off car alarms in the parking lot below. "Now what?"

Michael shook his head. It was something that he needed to do alone. Although still a little fuzzy on exactly how to do it, he knew he had to do it alone.

The front door opened and Max and Sloane walked in. Sloane immediately went to Maria and hugged her legs. Maria was near tears at the gentleness and kindness of the little girl.

"What's going on?" Max looked to Liz after pausing on each of the faces in the room.

"We're leaving." Kyle reached for Morgan's hand and led her to the door. Without a look back, they left.

"Why is everyone here?" Max spoke over the rain that was now pelting the windows.

"Don't worry about it Maxwell," Michael clapped him on the back. He kissed Maria on the cheek and walked from the condo without another word.

"Liz?"

"Just let Michael do what he's doing."

"Which is?"

"We don't know Max," Maria broke free of Sloane's grasp and stood in front of him. "All I know is that Kyle just had blood drawn and hair snipped. Michael's switching the samples somehow and he won't tell anyone anything."

"He can't."

"Well, he is dear brother," Isabel joined the conversation. "And he's doing it alone."

Max looked to his wife before retreating into the bedroom.

"Okay," Isabel clapped her hands together. "That went well."

Sloane pulled on her mother's leg trying to get here attention. Liz finally looked down at her. "He needs help."

"Who needs help, sweetheart?" Maria asked getting down on the floor in front of her. "Your daddy?"

Sloane shook her head and pointed at Maria. "Yours."

"Michael?" Maria heard the panic in her voice as Sloane nodded.

* * *

Liz was worried, it was after nine and Max had left the condo almost four hours ago without a word. Michael hadn't answered a page after the first one and Maria was nowhere to be found. She had put Sloane to bed an hour before and paced the living room. As she walked down the hall she heard her daughter talking. She paused outside her bedroom door and looked in. Sloane was sitting up in bed looking across the room towards the window.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Where are you?"

Lightning flashed across the room lighting Sloane's face in bright gold. "If he's your daddy too, why do you want to hurt him?"

Liz felt the gooseflesh as she backed away from the door. She shook her head back and forth. No. No.

to be continued / back to the top

STORY OF LINES:
BOOK 7 - TREADING LIGHTLY

CHAPTER FIVE

Written by BECKY W

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