Roswell/X-Files Crossover Fic: The Truth Revealed (3/3)
Author: X_tremeroswellian
Email: X_tremeroswellian@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: *Sniffles* Not mine. They belong to Melinda Metz, Jason Katims, and Chris Carter. The song "I Know" is by Jude, and does not belong to me, either. It does however, appear on the City of Angels soundtrack, and if you have it, I would suggest listening to it as you read this final part of "The Truth Revealed."
Rating: R for language and violence.
Spoilers: Up through "The Toy House" for Roswell; up through this season of The X-Files, but with a concentration of spoilers ranging from 2nd through 5th season.
One | Two | Three
The Truth Revealed (Part 3)
Liz stared at the FBI agents as she and Max climbed to their feet and she held her waitress uniform together at the top. Her heart pounded wildly and she swallowed hard, her eyes meeting the eyes of Agent Scully.
For a long moment, the four of them all stared at one another, not speaking.
"Max Evans," Mulder said again.
Max nodded his head slowly. There was no denying it at this point. They knew the truth now. He felt Liz's grip on his arm. He allowed himself to feel what she was feeling, and wasn't surprised to find that she was feeling the same way he was: terrified.
Sirens were wailing in the distance, coming closer. "Max!" Liz cried.
He turned his head to look at her, and he met her fearful gaze. "Whatever happens, know that I love you," he whispered.
"I love you, too," she whispered back, a tear running down her cheek.
Dana Scully swallowed hard and fought back tears of her own. "Mulder, let's get them out of here," she said urgently, grabbing his arm.
Mulder turned his head to stare at her in surprise. "What?"
"Mulder, let's go. Now!" she commanded. "Can you do something to get rid of the blood?"
Max stared at her, wide-eyed. Then he nodded. He knelt back down and waved his hands over the floor, cleaning up Liz's blood. Then he stood back up.
"Come with us," Dana said, gazing directly at him.
Max swallowed hard and followed the agents, Liz gripping his hand tightly the whole way to the car.
Dana quickly unlocked the car doors. "Get in back," she told them, and they obeyed without a word. She climbed into the driver's seat after snatching the keys away from Mulder and Mulder got into the passenger's seat.
Max looked at Liz, who was confused and terrified at the same time. He reached over and pulled her into his arms, and they huddled together in the back seat. He buried his face in her hair. Please, God, he prayed. Whatever happens, just don't let Liz get hurt.
Dana started the car and pushed the gas pedal to the floor, and without another spoken word, the four of them zoomed off into the deserts of New Mexico.
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Michael and Maria stared at one another. "What did you say?" he asked, his voice barely audible.
Maria looked away, trying to avoid the question. "I believe we were talking about Max and Liz."
"No, I don't think we were," Michael answered. He stared at her. "Maria, do you--do you love me?"
She swallowed hard. "What difference does it make?" she asked, staring at the napkin holder on her night table.
"Just answer the question. Please."
She looked up and met his eyes, her tone calm and even. "And if I said yes? Then you'd turn around and walk out on me anyway. So now, Michael Guerin, tell me what the hell difference does it make?"
Michael swallowed hard. "No one's ever told me that before."
"Told you what?" Maria demanded.
"That they loved me."
She stared at him and silence fell between them. Maria swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Then she moved towards him. He didn't back away. She was surprised to find tears in his eyes. "Michael, I love you," she whispered, blinking back her own tears.
Michael touched her cheek and then bent down and kissed her gently. His tears fell and mingled and mixed with hers. Then he wrapped his arms around her, broke the kiss, and just held her tightly.
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Dana stopped the car on the side of the road. She'd been driving for nearly two hours straight. No one had spoken a word during the entire time. She stared straight ahead of her, out the windshield, gripping tightly onto the steering wheel.
"Scully?" Mulder questioned, turning his head to look at her.
"We need to talk, Mulder," she said. She reached for the door handle and opened her car door, stepping outside. Mulder did the same. She walked across the road and stared into the open desert.
"What's going on?" he asked, glancing at her and then back at the two teens, still sitting huddled in the back seat.
"I still have nightmares, Mulder," she said softly, folding her arms across her chest and staring into the distance.
Mulder remained silent, unsure of what she was talking about.
"Of my abduction," she said, as if answering his thoughts. "I can't help it. I don't want to remember, and most of the time, I don't. But I can't stop the dreams."
He laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "I still have the nightmares, too, Scully," he whispered.
She turned to face him, and then nodded. "About Samantha."
He shook his head and then gazed into her eyes. "About you."
Dana swallowed hard and looked away. "They almost killed me, Mulder. I almost died. And Emily..." her voice trailed off and she closed her eyes.
Mulder's breath caught in the back of his throat and he pulled her into his arms. "It's okay, Dana," he whispered. For some reason, using her first name this time felt...right.
She buried her face in his shoulder and she felt him press his lips against her forehead. "I can't let them do that to anyone else, Mulder. Not if I can help it. I lost my daughter because of them...I can't put someone else through that."
Mulder nodded. "I know what you mean. And I understand."
Dana pulled away from him and met his eyes. "Thank you, Mulder."
He shook his head. "It's Fox."
She stared at him in shock for a moment and then accepted it. She wasn't sure where this left them, but she accepted it. "Thank you, Fox."
He smiled at her. Then they both turned to look back at the kids. "So, Max Evans is just a normal kid, huh?"
"One of the most human kids I've ever met," Dana answered. She took his hand and they walked back to the car. She opened the door to the backseat and motioned for Max and Liz to get out.
Max climbed out first and then helped Liz. He gripped her hand tightly in his own and they stared up at the two FBI agents, who stood staring at them, also holding hands. For a long moment, no one spoke.
"It's okay, Max," Dana said softly.
Max locked eyes with her. "What do you mean?" he asked carefully.
"We're not going to say anything," Mulder answered, smiling at Liz, who looked terrified. "When we get back to headquarters, I'm filing a report that states there's nothing to investigate here in Roswell."
"What if they don't believe you?" Max asked worriedly.
The agents exchanged an amused look. "That's something you really don't have to worry about," Dana answered. "If Agent Mulder says there's nothing abnormal to look into, the whole thing will be dropped. Trust me," she added.
"Thank you," Liz whispered, releasing the breath she'd been holding.
Dana smiled at her. "Just go back and be normal kids who live a normal life and everything's going to be just fine."
Max and Liz looked at one another and he squeezed her hand gently. She squeezed it back.
"Let's get you kids home," Mulder said.
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Max and Liz waved at the agents as they drove away, headed back to their hotel room, where Max suspected they were going to have a long heart-to-heart. They walked into the Crashdown.
Music was playing from the jukebox, even though the cafe was empty. "You've got such a pretty smile...It's a shame the things you hide behind it...Let 'em go, give it up for awhile...Let 'em free and we will both come find it..."
"I guess I should go upstairs," Liz said quietly. She turned to go.
Max's eyes drifted to the floor, to the spot where he had almost lost her. Again. An image of her lying on the floor of the Crashdown, broken and bleeding, flashed into his mind. His heart ached. "Liz."
She stopped but didn't turn around.
"...I know there's no where you can hide it, I know the feeling of alone...I know that you do not feel invited...but come back...come back in from the cold..."
"When I saw you there on the floor today, I felt like I was dying. All I could think was what if I couldn't save you..." his voice trailed off.
"But you did. Again. Thank you." She still faced away from him.
"Did you mean it, Liz? What you said before?"
Liz knew immediatly what he was talking about. She brushed a tear off her cheek. "Yes. I love you, Max. I meant it."
A moment later, she felt him standing directly behind her and she felt his arms slide around her waist and pull her up against him. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against him, choking back a sob.
"...Step away there from the edge...Your best friend in life is not your mirror...Back away, come back away..come back away...come back away...I am here and I will be forever and ever..."
"Liz?" he whispered.
She couldn't respond. If she opened her mouth, she was afraid she would break down. So she remained completely silent, completely still.
"Liz, I love you," he whispered.
"...And I know there's no where you can hide it...I know the feeling of alone...Trust me and don't keep that on the inside...Soon you--you'll be blocked out on your own..."
Max heard the sob that escaped her mouth and she dropped her head as the tears spilled down her cheeks. He moved one hand to her face, still standing behind her, holding her close, cradling her with his other arm against his own body. He touched her face and very gently wiped away the tears with his thumb.
"...You're not alone...You're not alone...And don't say you've never been told...I'll be with you til we grow old, til I'm in the ground and I'm cold..."
She turned her face and kissed his hand softly. Then she turned around and faced him. Her tear-filled eyes met his. "You risked everything for me...Even when you knew the FBI was here...You risked everything to save me again today," she whispered.
"I'm nothing without you, Liz," he whispered back, gazing into her eyes. "I can't be without you...I'm sorry for hurting you. I never wanted to hurt you."
"I know, Max."
He dropped his head and stared at the floor. "I was wrong to step away from you. It's not what I wanted..." his voice trailed off and then he raised his eyes to meet hers again. "And if it's okay, I'd like to take it back...If you'll have me," he added, tears filling his own eyes.
Her tears spilled over again. "Oh, Max," she said softly. "You're all I need."
They leaned their heads together and his arms circled her waist. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss.
"I'll be with you until we're both gone..."
The End
Email: X_tremeroswellian@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: *Sniffles* Not mine. They belong to Melinda Metz, Jason Katims, and Chris Carter. The song "I Know" is by Jude, and does not belong to me, either. It does however, appear on the City of Angels soundtrack, and if you have it, I would suggest listening to it as you read this final part of "The Truth Revealed."
Rating: R for language and violence.
Spoilers: Up through "The Toy House" for Roswell; up through this season of The X-Files, but with a concentration of spoilers ranging from 2nd through 5th season.
One | Two | Three
The Truth Revealed (Part 3)
Liz stared at the FBI agents as she and Max climbed to their feet and she held her waitress uniform together at the top. Her heart pounded wildly and she swallowed hard, her eyes meeting the eyes of Agent Scully.
For a long moment, the four of them all stared at one another, not speaking.
"Max Evans," Mulder said again.
Max nodded his head slowly. There was no denying it at this point. They knew the truth now. He felt Liz's grip on his arm. He allowed himself to feel what she was feeling, and wasn't surprised to find that she was feeling the same way he was: terrified.
Sirens were wailing in the distance, coming closer. "Max!" Liz cried.
He turned his head to look at her, and he met her fearful gaze. "Whatever happens, know that I love you," he whispered.
"I love you, too," she whispered back, a tear running down her cheek.
Dana Scully swallowed hard and fought back tears of her own. "Mulder, let's get them out of here," she said urgently, grabbing his arm.
Mulder turned his head to stare at her in surprise. "What?"
"Mulder, let's go. Now!" she commanded. "Can you do something to get rid of the blood?"
Max stared at her, wide-eyed. Then he nodded. He knelt back down and waved his hands over the floor, cleaning up Liz's blood. Then he stood back up.
"Come with us," Dana said, gazing directly at him.
Max swallowed hard and followed the agents, Liz gripping his hand tightly the whole way to the car.
Dana quickly unlocked the car doors. "Get in back," she told them, and they obeyed without a word. She climbed into the driver's seat after snatching the keys away from Mulder and Mulder got into the passenger's seat.
Max looked at Liz, who was confused and terrified at the same time. He reached over and pulled her into his arms, and they huddled together in the back seat. He buried his face in her hair. Please, God, he prayed. Whatever happens, just don't let Liz get hurt.
Dana started the car and pushed the gas pedal to the floor, and without another spoken word, the four of them zoomed off into the deserts of New Mexico.
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Michael and Maria stared at one another. "What did you say?" he asked, his voice barely audible.
Maria looked away, trying to avoid the question. "I believe we were talking about Max and Liz."
"No, I don't think we were," Michael answered. He stared at her. "Maria, do you--do you love me?"
She swallowed hard. "What difference does it make?" she asked, staring at the napkin holder on her night table.
"Just answer the question. Please."
She looked up and met his eyes, her tone calm and even. "And if I said yes? Then you'd turn around and walk out on me anyway. So now, Michael Guerin, tell me what the hell difference does it make?"
Michael swallowed hard. "No one's ever told me that before."
"Told you what?" Maria demanded.
"That they loved me."
She stared at him and silence fell between them. Maria swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Then she moved towards him. He didn't back away. She was surprised to find tears in his eyes. "Michael, I love you," she whispered, blinking back her own tears.
Michael touched her cheek and then bent down and kissed her gently. His tears fell and mingled and mixed with hers. Then he wrapped his arms around her, broke the kiss, and just held her tightly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dana stopped the car on the side of the road. She'd been driving for nearly two hours straight. No one had spoken a word during the entire time. She stared straight ahead of her, out the windshield, gripping tightly onto the steering wheel.
"Scully?" Mulder questioned, turning his head to look at her.
"We need to talk, Mulder," she said. She reached for the door handle and opened her car door, stepping outside. Mulder did the same. She walked across the road and stared into the open desert.
"What's going on?" he asked, glancing at her and then back at the two teens, still sitting huddled in the back seat.
"I still have nightmares, Mulder," she said softly, folding her arms across her chest and staring into the distance.
Mulder remained silent, unsure of what she was talking about.
"Of my abduction," she said, as if answering his thoughts. "I can't help it. I don't want to remember, and most of the time, I don't. But I can't stop the dreams."
He laid a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "I still have the nightmares, too, Scully," he whispered.
She turned to face him, and then nodded. "About Samantha."
He shook his head and then gazed into her eyes. "About you."
Dana swallowed hard and looked away. "They almost killed me, Mulder. I almost died. And Emily..." her voice trailed off and she closed her eyes.
Mulder's breath caught in the back of his throat and he pulled her into his arms. "It's okay, Dana," he whispered. For some reason, using her first name this time felt...right.
She buried her face in his shoulder and she felt him press his lips against her forehead. "I can't let them do that to anyone else, Mulder. Not if I can help it. I lost my daughter because of them...I can't put someone else through that."
Mulder nodded. "I know what you mean. And I understand."
Dana pulled away from him and met his eyes. "Thank you, Mulder."
He shook his head. "It's Fox."
She stared at him in shock for a moment and then accepted it. She wasn't sure where this left them, but she accepted it. "Thank you, Fox."
He smiled at her. Then they both turned to look back at the kids. "So, Max Evans is just a normal kid, huh?"
"One of the most human kids I've ever met," Dana answered. She took his hand and they walked back to the car. She opened the door to the backseat and motioned for Max and Liz to get out.
Max climbed out first and then helped Liz. He gripped her hand tightly in his own and they stared up at the two FBI agents, who stood staring at them, also holding hands. For a long moment, no one spoke.
"It's okay, Max," Dana said softly.
Max locked eyes with her. "What do you mean?" he asked carefully.
"We're not going to say anything," Mulder answered, smiling at Liz, who looked terrified. "When we get back to headquarters, I'm filing a report that states there's nothing to investigate here in Roswell."
"What if they don't believe you?" Max asked worriedly.
The agents exchanged an amused look. "That's something you really don't have to worry about," Dana answered. "If Agent Mulder says there's nothing abnormal to look into, the whole thing will be dropped. Trust me," she added.
"Thank you," Liz whispered, releasing the breath she'd been holding.
Dana smiled at her. "Just go back and be normal kids who live a normal life and everything's going to be just fine."
Max and Liz looked at one another and he squeezed her hand gently. She squeezed it back.
"Let's get you kids home," Mulder said.
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Max and Liz waved at the agents as they drove away, headed back to their hotel room, where Max suspected they were going to have a long heart-to-heart. They walked into the Crashdown.
Music was playing from the jukebox, even though the cafe was empty. "You've got such a pretty smile...It's a shame the things you hide behind it...Let 'em go, give it up for awhile...Let 'em free and we will both come find it..."
"I guess I should go upstairs," Liz said quietly. She turned to go.
Max's eyes drifted to the floor, to the spot where he had almost lost her. Again. An image of her lying on the floor of the Crashdown, broken and bleeding, flashed into his mind. His heart ached. "Liz."
She stopped but didn't turn around.
"...I know there's no where you can hide it, I know the feeling of alone...I know that you do not feel invited...but come back...come back in from the cold..."
"When I saw you there on the floor today, I felt like I was dying. All I could think was what if I couldn't save you..." his voice trailed off.
"But you did. Again. Thank you." She still faced away from him.
"Did you mean it, Liz? What you said before?"
Liz knew immediatly what he was talking about. She brushed a tear off her cheek. "Yes. I love you, Max. I meant it."
A moment later, she felt him standing directly behind her and she felt his arms slide around her waist and pull her up against him. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against him, choking back a sob.
"...Step away there from the edge...Your best friend in life is not your mirror...Back away, come back away..come back away...come back away...I am here and I will be forever and ever..."
"Liz?" he whispered.
She couldn't respond. If she opened her mouth, she was afraid she would break down. So she remained completely silent, completely still.
"Liz, I love you," he whispered.
"...And I know there's no where you can hide it...I know the feeling of alone...Trust me and don't keep that on the inside...Soon you--you'll be blocked out on your own..."
Max heard the sob that escaped her mouth and she dropped her head as the tears spilled down her cheeks. He moved one hand to her face, still standing behind her, holding her close, cradling her with his other arm against his own body. He touched her face and very gently wiped away the tears with his thumb.
"...You're not alone...You're not alone...And don't say you've never been told...I'll be with you til we grow old, til I'm in the ground and I'm cold..."
She turned her face and kissed his hand softly. Then she turned around and faced him. Her tear-filled eyes met his. "You risked everything for me...Even when you knew the FBI was here...You risked everything to save me again today," she whispered.
"I'm nothing without you, Liz," he whispered back, gazing into her eyes. "I can't be without you...I'm sorry for hurting you. I never wanted to hurt you."
"I know, Max."
He dropped his head and stared at the floor. "I was wrong to step away from you. It's not what I wanted..." his voice trailed off and then he raised his eyes to meet hers again. "And if it's okay, I'd like to take it back...If you'll have me," he added, tears filling his own eyes.
Her tears spilled over again. "Oh, Max," she said softly. "You're all I need."
They leaned their heads together and his arms circled her waist. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss.
"I'll be with you until we're both gone..."
The End