Starcrossed

1/?

by Court

Classification: Max/Liz, Maria/Michael

Rating: this part PG

Spoilers: 285 South, and the preview for River Dog

Summary: Max, Liz, Michael and Maria spend the night under the stars and

sparks ignite between both couples.

Author's note: Since River Dog and the M/M kiss hasn't aired at the time

of this story. I wrote it with the assumption that after the kiss they

hadn't really spoken much.

"Today's November 14th. I'm Liz Parker, and when I imagined Maria and I

 growing up together, I always pictured both of us falling in love with

nice normal guys, getting married, and having our kids play together as

they grew up. I don't think either of us ever thought that those nice

guys would end up being from another planet..."

Max Evans hummed a tune to himself as he arranged the "other wordly

beings" around a styrofoam UFO. His job didn't really bother him as much

as he thought it would, considering the irony. His boss was a pretty

decent guy. You just had to overlook the bizarreness of his personality.

Despite all that he was more than willing to answer questions and give

details about any type of UFO sighting. In fact that was part of the

reason Max as in such a good mood.

His boss had told him about a sighting just two nights ago. Usually he'd

end up searching up there with Michael since Isabel didn't really fancy

going into the desert and getting her hands dirty. So, he and Michael

would go and look for anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately

finding such things were hard, and they just ended up stargazing. But,

Max wasn't going with Michael this time.

Liz Parker had heard about it too, and had seen his interest in it. Max

was pleasantly surprised when she seemed genuinely fascinated and asked

if he wanted to sleep under the stars together with her. Max felt his

body tingle with excitement as he thought about seeing her tonight...The

stars reflecting in her eyes as they locked gazes and he reached for her

soft little hand...Oh, but he knew it was wrong. His heart was proving

too strong though, and had took rank over his brain when he had agreed.

So, after he finished arranging the silly props he was off to pick Liz

up for their first real date.

Max hummed a little louder as a smile broke out across his face.

***

Liz wiped her sweaty palms across her jeans as she inspected the

contents of her backpack. Sleeping bag, flashlight, matches, two cans of

coke, pillow, bag of Lays potato chips, sweatshirt, tic tacs, and

chapstick. Everything looked ready, but there still was a part of her

that wasn't.

A real date with Max Evans. The possibilities were endless, but so were

the complications. She knew it was bad to get her hopes up. Max was a

good friend, and she hadn't pushed it further than that. Sometimes it

seemed that he wanted more , and God knows that she did too, but other

times Liz felt like such an outsider to the alien trio. She hoped Max

would start letting her in. After the trip to the dome, she had told him

"no more secrets," and she meant it. She couldn't be with Max with

sometihing huge like that standing between them. Their relationship was

already complex enough. She didn't want whatever they had to end before

it even started.

Liz took a few deep breaths and glanced at her watch. He would be there

any minute now, and there was no turning back.

"Hey! So, where you going?"

Startled, Liz looked up as Maria DeLuca bounced into the room. "Hey

Maria," she said quickly recovering with a big smile.

"Hi," she smiled, plopping herself down on Liz's bed. She looked over at

her backpack. "Oh good! I just remembered that I need to borrow your

History book. Mr. Potinski assigned a killer project. I'm sure it's

going to take me hours to finish. I totally hate that guy. You know, I

heard that he used to be in some type of satanic cult. Doesn't surprise

me one bit."

Liz bit her lip anxiously as Maria started to unzip the bag. "Wait!"

Maria opened the bag and peered inside with a confused look on her face.

She reached in and pulled out two items in particulat. She gave her best

friend a look.

"Okay, spill it. Where are you going?"

"Oh yeah, um, that's right. I forgot to tell you that my cousin,

Charlie, is in town and we're going camping tonight."

Maria shook her head. "Uh uh, try again." She held up the chapstick and

tic tacs. "Unless you and Charlie have become very close, I'd say that

you're telling a big fat one. Liz, it's me. You don't have to lie."

"What makes you say that? Just because I packed breath freshener and

chapstick?" Liz crossed her arms defensively.

Maria nodded, fluffing her short blond hair. "Exactly. Chapstick implies

you want soft lips. Tic tacs mean you want fresh, inviting breath. It

doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out."

"Uh..."

Maria rolled her eyes. "Liz, just drop it. Chapstick and tic tacs, well

sometimes breath spray, are the universal tools to a major makeout

session! So, with the big secret out now...Where are you and Max going?"

Liz pursed her lips. "Fine! Okay. I wanted to tell you anyway, but I was

just so nervous."

Maria raised and eyebrow knowingly. "And you should be! Liz, hon, we

talked about this. In fact I think we talked this particular subject to

death. Human girls and alien boys, no matter how really cute they are,

just do not mix. I mean, I like Max. He's a good guy and all. But he

isn't normal. And we need normal Liz. You and I can't fall for any type

of....," she lowered her voice, "Czechoslovakians."

"I know... I just. Maria, he's different..."

She snorted. "No, he's not. Just because he's not from this planet

doesn't mean he won't act like a typical male. You know, get under your

skin and drive you crazy. He who has a penis, often thinks with it. It's

just how it is."

Liz sat down on her bed, feeling weak. "Yeah, I guess so... But Max-"

Maria shook her head. Liz, listen to me. It's only for the best." She

looked at her friend feeling a twinge of guilt. "I'm coming with you."

"What?"

"You need backkup, Liz. Reinforcement. Your head is totally clouded

around Max, so you need someeone there with you watching and evaluating

the situation."

"Evaluating the situation? You mean, whether Max and I should kiss?"

"Yes! Okay, when's he picking you up?"

"Right now actually..."

Maria chewed on her bottom lip excitedly.. "Ack! I better get ready. Can

I borrow your mom's sleeping bag?" she asked, as she dashed about the

room getting ready.

"Sure," Liz said slowly, trying to process what just happened. Maria

could be such a whirlwind sometimes. One minute she was nervously

excited about the prospect of a first kiss from Max. Now, the romantic

evening was now a buddy night, with her buddy watching and 'evaluating'

her and Max's every move. Liz sighed. How could she fall in love if she

never let herself?

***

Max stuck his hands in his pockets nervously, waiting for Liz to open

the door. He had picked out a green button down shirt and comfortable

jeans. Isabelle had even helped him put a little gel in his hair, even

though she had laughed the whole time. He wanted to look good and give

off a confident look because his stoomach was twisted into nervous knots

inside.

The door opened suddenly, and he prepared a big smile, then blinked in

shock.

"Oh hey Max. Liz is almost ready. I'll just go put my stuff in the car,"

Maria said, hurrying by him.

"Um...okay," Max managed to recover from the shock. Was Liz having

second thoughts? Did she invite Maria as some type of back up buddy?

Maybe he'd just plain misunderstood Liz. She never did say that they

were going alone. He cursed inwardly, feeling his hopes dashed. He felt

like such a fool for getting so excited.

Max turned to go to the Jeep when Liz appeared.

"Hi. Um, I hope you don't mind Maria coming. She seemed interested when

I told her where we were going, so she kind of invited herself. So...,"

she trailed off looking at him uncertainly.

"No," Max assured her with a smile. "It's okay."

She nervously tucked a stray lock of hair away. "Okay, good."She dared a

look up at him again. She smiled. "I like your hair."

He flushed. "Oh yeah. Iz kind of forced me to try it. You sure it looks

alright?"

Liz patted his arm reassuringly, touched that he cared. She suddenly

wondered how Maria had gotten her to believe that being with Max was

wrong.

"I like it," she repeated.

***

The site they had picked was out in the desert, near a large mountainous

formation. It was about a half mile from any real road. Pulling up in

the Jeep, Max realized he had been there before. It was nice and

peaceful. And really beautiful too. He felt a twinge of sadness. He'd

hoped that he would be sharing this beautiful night with just Liz.

"Okay, so I brought marshmellows and I figured you could make us a fire

quickly with your magic powers and all, right Max? Oh, this is going to

be so much fun! I haven't camped out for years," Maria exclaimed from

the backseat.

Max stole a quick glance at Liz in the rearview mirror, and smiled when

he caught her looking back at him.

Having decided this was the very best spot Max stopped the car and began

to help the girls unload their things. After gathering everything they

headed over a small hill to his favorite spot near a hidden cave.

"Oh! I forgot my jacket," Maria blurted, suddenly running back to the

Jeep. "You guys go set up. I'll be right there."

***

Maria slowed down her pace as she walked back over the hill, jacket in

hand. She was feeling guilty about being here and lying to Liz. But she

knew that if she didn't freak out or say something sarcastic about Max

and the...Czechoslovakians..., Liz would definitely know something was

up.

It wasn't like anything really was up, though. One spontaneous kiss with

Michael Guerin wasn't earth shattering. It was just what it was. A kiss.

Maria didn't even like Michael that much. He was arrogant sometimes,

rude, and totally a loner rebel type. And the way he teased and goaded

her drove her crazy. There really wasn't much to tell. But for some

reason she hadn't told Liz, who she usually told everything.

There was definitely something about that kiss, though. Maybe it was the

whole Czecoslovakian thing. Maybe genetically they were really good

kissers. Maybe it wasn't Michael that had made her feel lightheaded and

hot. It could have just been his Czecoslovakian DNA. Or whatever...

Maria shook her head to clear it, and continued up over the hill. She

could hear Max and Liz talking. As she got closer she realized they

weren't talking to each other. Someone else was there.

***

"What are you doing here with her?" Michael exclaimed.

Max sighed, feeling annoyed. "Camping for the night. Same as you it

looks like. And she has a name, you know. I'd like to hear you use it,"

he warned.

Michael shrugged. "Sorry, Liz. No offense. I just wasn't expecting you.

Max and I usually go to these sighting things alone."

"Well, we didn't have any plans. That's why I came with Liz."

"Fine. Whatever..." Michael rolled his eyes. He just didn't get it. Why

was Max so mushy over this girl? Their ship could come to take them away

and he'd miss it because he was making eyes at Liz. Michael stared down

at the ground. He didn't feel like being a third wheel tonight, and was

beginning to consider leaving when a loud 'THUMP' broke him from his

thoughts. He chuckled as the blond girl tumbled down the hill and landed

beside him.

"Hi," he smirked.

Maria looked up, cheeks flaming. "What are you doing here? I thought

we... Wait, how'd you get here?"

"Hitched," he replied offhandly.

Maria snorted. "Figures."

They stared at each other for another moment before Liz interrupted.

"Maria, are you alright?"

Maria stood up quickly, wiping the dirt from her denim jacket. "What?

Oh. Oh yeah, I'm peachy." She looked between the four of them.

"Well, this is going to be fun," she said.

Next...

Part 2
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