Roswell: A lovers' Journey
By Quick-n-Popular
Disclaimer: Michael would kick the crap out of me if I ever claimed I owned any of this, so I'm keeping my mouth shut.
Friday, June 12th
Michael Guerin had never expected his life to have gone the way it did, nor to be in the company of so many friends. Having grown up with a chip on the shoulder, being the poster child for domestic child abuse, the only two people he ever tried to let in were Max and Isabel Evans. Ever since the sixth grade, where he had met Isabel and soon after Max, did he understood that he wasn't alone as he thought he was. Max was always someone he looked up to, an inspiration, a friend, and a brother. Isabel was a comfort. His love for her went so deep; it probably could never be extracted. She was a good supporter of him and thus a wonderful friend. These two helped him so much in school, made damn sure that they were for him no matter what happened.
Then there was Maria. That fateful day at the Crashdown Café, where despite Michael's warnings, Max took it upon himself to do a noble thing and save the life of Liz Parker, who had been shot. Their fate was sealed after he did that, but it soon brought in more people. Maria being the first. Michael wasn't sure of what to make of her, other than her being the only girl in school to have her nose inside a vial and inhaling god only knows what, and being friends with Max's, then, crush, Liz. The more time they spent together meant, the more time Michael was with Maria. At first, he just thought she was going to be the one who would destroy their secrecy. Her consistent paranoia around the three made it obvious that she was unsettled by the information on who they really were. Thank god for Isabel changing that. Soon, Michael's relationship changed with Maria's as well, when he stole both her and her car to go and find the destination to the "key" he had found. Stopping off at a sleazy motel, he actually found out there was more to her than he thought, and he expected it was likewise. Michael laughed to himself as he remembered them being discovered, with Maria, who had rolled in her sleep, came off the bed and on top of Michael, just when Max, Isabel, and Maria had stepped in. Michael would never tell this to Maria, but he actually enjoyed it.
Now, driving across Interstate 84, close to the crossing into the Potato State, Idaho, with Maria's sleeping head resting on his shoulder while he drove, Michael Guerin smiled.
They've been driving for two months now, had to retreat back west when someone from a police department had recognized their vehicle as one of those who were being labeled as the suspicious ones that had left Roswell short of the graduation ceremony. Two hours ago, Michael had volunteered to drive and they had just now crossed over from Wyoming. Their travel has been as it always had, with no destination in mind.
Michael's eyes were diverted from the road as Maria, sleepily, moved her head from side to side against his shoulder. Michael kissed her on top of the head. Seeing a turn off at a town called Twin Falls, Michael decided to pull over and get some Snapple and some food. As soon as he was off the off-ramp, he saw to the right of him a gas station called the "Flying J". Moments later he pulled in. The over bright lights of the place awoke the passengers in the vehicle.
"Where are we?" Max asked groggily.
"Twin Falls, Idaho. I'm getting some supplies, anyone want anything in particular?" Michael asked as he took off his seat belt.
"No, but I gotta take a whizz." Kyle said.
"Me too." Liz said, and kissed Max as she slid open the side door of the van allowing her, Kyle, and Isabel to get out.
"How about you?" Michael asked Maria. "Can I get you anything?"
Maria smiled and kissed him. "I'm fine. Just need to stretch my legs."
"I'll join you." Said Max as he too got out of the van.
Getting out, Michael took out a small box containing large amounts of ones, five hundred to be precise. This was the money Liz had for them when she got back the refund for her plane ticket that she had originally to go to Sweden. Max had the large bills converted into ones, just in case someone broke into the van. They also had several amounts of cash lying around in their pockets, and in their bags, should they ever need it. Michael took out four one-dollar bills and converted them into twenties.
Making his way inside, he noticed how a lot of the state's paraphernalia was on the potato. There was everything from potato shot glasses, salt shakers, hats, and t-shirts. Michael laughed, having grown up in Roswell where there was nothing but Alien junk it was funny to see a different sort of craze.
Michael went over to the fridges and brought out six bottles of Snapple and to his delight, found a large bottle of tobascco sauce as well. Then, he found several self-cooking meals and took everything up to the counter.
"Is this everything?" The woman asked.
Michael nodded and handed her two twenties. She then took out a black pen and marked a line on the bill. When the ink came up brown she put the two bills into the till and handed Michael the change back.
"You have a great evening, sir." She said.
Michael nodded, courteously, "Thanks."
After se had bagged the items and handed them to him, Michael went into the back to see if Kyle was still in the bathroom. Seeing that he wasn't Michael went outside and found group leaning against the van, all were waiting for him.
He took out the Snapple and handed out one for each of them.
Kyle groaned, "Ah, man. I've told you guys I'm a Dr. Pepper guy. I'll be back." He sighed and handed his bottle to Isabel and went back in.
"I asked him. Too bad." Michael grinned.
Max, taking a look at a local state plate and having it memorized, walked over to their plate and masked it to be an Idaho plate; he then went to the back of the van and did the same. Michael then waived his hand in front of the van and turned it dark green, from its previous gold color.
"Thank God." Remarked Isabel. "I was so sick of us driving in a giant Twinkie."
This got a chuckle out of the five.
Kyle returned with his drink along with a road map.
"Arrgh! Thanks, Kyle, I forgot." Michael said, hitting himself on the forehead.
Michael took the map and laid it down on top of a newspaper bin.
"Okay, we're in Twin Falls, where to from here?" Michael asked everyone.
"I'm not sure. I don't know anything about Idaho." Said Max.
Maria looked over the map and pointed to a city with a star below it, symbolizing it being the state's capital. "Why not here?"
"Boise? Why there?" Michael asked.
"Well, it's the capital, and I'd really to go shopping."
Michael gave her an "Are you kidding me?" look.
"What are you talking about, Maria? If you want to have different clothes you know we could always help you with that." Max said.
Maria sighed, "Thanks but, I'd really liked to see what's out there in a state I've never been to."
Both Isabel and Liz nodded.
Michael knew he wasn't going to win over this so he decided to bow out.
"Fine. We'll go to Boise. Maybe they'll have something for all of us." Everyone then popped back into the van and Max took over the driving leaving Michael and Isabel to snuggle next to each other in the back.
Jeff Parker looked to the doors of the café, after hearing the door chime, hoping that his daughter was to be coming through those doors. He sighed upon seeing it was only Jim Valenti going over and taking his usual spot on the stool next to the register.
After having read his daughter's journal and then going through several bottles of Jim Beam, Jeff Parker still, to this day, had no idea what encouraged her daughter to depart the way she did. Nor did Amy DeLuca, Maria's mother, who was at bigger lost after reading Liz's journal.
Jeff and Amy had agreed that all of this happened when their daughters had spent more and more time with Max and his friends.
Did he blame Max? That was harder to answer. He was convinced at one point, after Liz had been arrested along with Max for robbing a convenience store, that Max was burden in his daughter's life. But now, after reading his daughter's journal, and having related it's material to both Jim and the Evans', he was brought more and more into uncertainty. Amy was convinced that Michael was a drug dealer and that Maria was pregnant with his child and was forced to be with him. And Jeff? He knew in his heart that trusting his daughter's words could he hold onto any sanity he had left. Even though her own words seemed too incredible to be believed, never once did Liz ever lead him to believe anything negative about her. Nancy was even more of a wreck than he was. Her announcing her marriage to Max and her disappearance had her sitting up in Liz's bedroom for long periods of time, crying her eyes out. Jeff, for the life of him, didn't know what to do.
Jeff looked to the doors again, this time to see Sean DeLuca, Maria's cousin, come in and sit down in a booth. Jeff sighed as he got up from his place and walked over to take Sean's order.
"What can I get you, Sean?" Jeff asked.
Sean looked at the menu and then reached into his back pocket and produced a photo.
Jeff looked at the photo, which was a picture of a van.
Jeff immediately seized the photo.
"Is this what I think it is?" He asked feverishly.
Sean smiled, "Yeah, but not only that." He then extracted two others of the six sitting outside of a gas station.
Jeff sat down in the booth holding his hand against his mouth as he closed his eyes.
Jim, who was taking interest in Jeff's change of behavior, joined them.
"What'cha got there?" He asked. Sean handed him the photo.
Jim Valenti looked squarely at his son in the picture. "Thank god they're all right."
Jeff Parker looked at Sean, "Where did you get these?"
Sean smiled again, "Some old buddy of mine from when I was in Juvie took these after I tried calling out to anyone who might know where they might have gone."
"Where were these taken?" Jeff asked.
"Well, that one was taken in Aspen, Colorado two weeks ago, the other was taken yesterday. I tried going to Aspen but they were already gone by the time I got there." Sean said.
Jeff put a hand on Sean's shoulder, "Thank you son. Tell me, does anything give us a clue, besides that they switch vans?" Jeff asked.
Jim was feeling nervous about talking about these kids with so many people in the café.
"Uh, Jeff, maybe we should talk about this somewhere a little more discreet. How about at the Evans', I'm sure they'll want to know their kids are doing okay and we'll call Amy as well."
"Aunt Amy has already seen these." Sean said. "She's on her way back from Aspen as we speak."
Jim smiled, he knew how Amy acted once she had her heart set on something, and when it came to her daughter that went into overdrive.
"By the way, Jeff, that's the same van. They just changed the paint job, that's all." Jim remarked pointing at the photos.
"I'll be…you're right. We need to see if we can get these license plate numbers down, have the highway police track them down for us." Sean stated.
Jim shook his head, "No, we can't. These kids don't need any exposure. They're marked. We can't get them back here."
Sean stood up and poked Jim in the chest. "Listen! They're on the run because you allowed them to leave! You, an officer of the law! Now, I'm going to find my cousin and them and get them back here!" Sean then slammed his shoulder against Valenti's and stormed out.
Jim was wondering if he was going to get the same treatment from Jeff.
Jeff sighed, still clutching the photo, "I don't know what to do anymore, Jim. Liz, you, and the Evans' are saying Max, Michael, and Isabel are aliens? Liz is saying she has powers? They're all running from everyone, and we can't do a damn thing to protect them…Why? Why us? Why OUR kids?"
Jim sat down in Sean's vacant seat, shrugging. "I don't know, Jeff. The only thing I do know is that I can trust them to make good decisions."
Jeff sighed, again, "I guess. But to not even say goodbye, hurts the most."
Jim nodded, "I know. I'm sorry you all weren't with me that night."
Jeff looked up; "I don't blame you Jim. With the FBI trashing this place and my home, I'm surprised they didn't leave sooner."
Liz awoke when they'd arrived to Boise, stopping at a hotel called the "Red Lion Inn" Kyle and Michael were unpacking their things and Max, Isabel, and Maria were talking with the clerk inside.
Liz got up and stretched. She silently cursed Max for not having wake her when they had arrived, which she expressed vocally to him once she met back up with him inside.
"You could've nudged me or something."
Max scratched the back of his head, "I'm sorry but you looked like you wanted the extra hour."
Maria smiled, "Told ya, Max."
They were soon set up with four rooms and they had help with their luggage from the bellhops.
Michael and Maria had their room as did Liz and Max, the only ones who slept alone were Isabel and Kyle.
Maria walked around the room she and Michael were given with silence. They had been to numerous hotels and motels ever since their departure of Roswell, and this one seemed to blend in with those others, showing no sign of uniqueness.
Michael soon came in and crashed down on the bed.
"I always look forward to this time, when I have a bed instead of a cramped seat." He said, stretching.
Maria smiled, looking at him. Whatever possessed her to stay with him as long as she has, has been a mystery to her. This man-child could be a charming, well meaning, loving man. Then there were times when he acted in his most self-serving ways. But, when it all came down to it, she loved him.
Maria lay down next to him as he grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels.
"Crap…crap…crap…crap…" He continued.
Maria sighed and snatched away the remote and turned off the set.
She then kissed him.
"I love you." She said.
"I know. I do too." He replied.
The two then went back to kissing each other, which led to him being on top of her, and then the removal of clothes…
Day soon set in and birds outside were giving their wake up call to the entire world. The light slowly setting in to the room, soon shined it's light on the two.
Maria closed her eyes and placed a hand out in front of her to castaway the glare from her face. Getting up, holding the bed sheet around her like a toga, she moved her way to the bathroom. Michael shifted to the opposite side to get away from the sunlight.
Maria looked at the digital clock on the counter in the bathroom, noting that it was almost noon.
Maria turned on the shower and got inside. The warm hot water brushing away the morning after glow's coat from her. Maria inhaled the warm, soothing vapors that arose from the water, and took a bar of soap and proceeded to further cleanse herself. It was only when she moved the bar from her stomach, back up to her left shoulder blade, did she feel something strange. Looking down she saw ripples come from the skin of her stomach. As if the skin was a wave upon a beach, it seemed to ripple from an area above her belly button. Maria gasped when she saw a tiny red hand print glow and appear from that area.
To be continued…