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something from the archives: say goodbye - part 52

and this is it. this is the end of say goodbye. i was so intent on preserving this somewhere for myself, though i did just recently find my original files.

i had started posting this at the beginning of the year, and with 52 parts it scheduled out perfectly. i still have more fan fiction to post, but none as long as this one. thanks for sticking it out!

if you need a refresher, you can click on the links to catch up with the story: 123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930,  3132333435363738394041424344454647484950, and 51.

the conclusion to say goodbye follows the jump with part 52...





Part 52

“I remember the first time I ever saw Max Evans. Maria, Alex and I were on the playground before the first day of third grade and he walked off the bus. In the brief moment our eyes met, I remember thinking he was someone I would like to know. Of course, I was too shy to ever approach him. It wasn’t until the shooting incident at the Crashdown that we ever spoke. He made sure I was all right after I had fainted, and that was enough to change everything between us. We became friends after that.

“Max was someone special and his loss is something I’ll feel deeply for the rest of my life.  I loved him. He was my first love,” Liz said as she addressed the church filled with members of the town of Roswell. It surprised her that so many would attend his funeral, considering how much he and the other aliens had kept to themselves. She moved away from the microphone and took her seat next to Michael at the center pew. She gave his hand a squeeze before he stood up. It was his turn to address the crowd.

“Ahem, uh, I’m not very good with speeches or anything. I would honestly rather be anywhere else in the world than here, especially for this reason. But Max was my best friend. Sometimes the only person I confided in, the only person who truly understood me, my life.  Not to say that we didn’t have our differences of opinion. We did. But with Max, I knew it didn’t matter. Because we were friends beyond that. I’m going to miss him always. He was a good person, a great friend, the brother I always wanted. I’m going to miss having his window to climb through. Knowing that there was a place I could always crash for a few hours often helped me get through the day, through all the hard stuff,” Michael’s voice cracked and without any further ceremony he walked away from the eyes of the crowd and took his seat next to Liz.

Kyle took this as his cue to stand at the podium. “I didn’t like Max when I first met him. I was convinced he was out to steal away the people I loved. But at some point we became friends. I’m still not sure why or how. But I genuinely liked him. He was a good guy. He was someone I enjoyed hanging out with. Someone I enjoyed competing with, even if he won most times. I don’t understand why this happened. He made things better, it was his gift. And I’ll miss that. I’ll miss our friendly competition,” he finished emphatically, almost angrily. He had wanted to say more, he knew Isabel wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her brother yet, he had wanted to spare her this small thing. But it was impossible. There was no avoiding it. He took his seat as she stood and walked to the microphone.

“I never wondered what I’d would do without Max. It was never a possibility. He was my brother. When we were found in the desert by our parents our only memories were of each other, and that experience gave us this special bond. No one but my brother understood my fears, there was no one else I could talk to about them the way I could talk to Max. I’m going to learn what it’s like to live without my brother. I hate this idea. I’m afraid he didn’t realize how much I truly loved him, how much I depended on him for stability. Max was the rock, I was the sand and Michael was the powder keg. These last two years have wrought change, they have meant loss, and they have meant incredible gains. I’m still learning how I’m going to live with all of it. Thank you all for being here to say goodbye. The planetarium was Max’s home away from home, it means a lot that you have joined us here tonight. I know it would have meant something to Max. We ask that you join us for a buffet lunch at the Crashdown, where the Parker’s have generously donated their restaurant for the evening,” Isabel spoke through tears, she hadn’t stopped crying since people began to share their memories of Max. She sat down next to Kyle and clutched his hand tightly. She hoped he wouldn’t be frightened if she never let him go.

*****

“Hey sweetie,” Liz said as she sat down next to Michael in one of the booths at the Crashdown. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay. It’s been a tough day for all of us,” Michael sighed. He pulled Liz closer to him and kissed her head. “I’ll be happy when it’s just the two of us.”

“Me too.”

“Have Isabel and Kyle left?”

“Yeah, I think Isabel had all she could take today.”

“She did really well at the funeral.”

“I know, but she’s devastated. Thank God for Kyle. He’s been staying at the Evans’s house with Isabel.”

“She’s been having nightmares,” Michael said flatly.

“Did she tell you?”

“No. I’ve been having them as well.”

“Michael, I can’t believe—”

“Please, don’t argue about this. Or ask me too many questions. I didn’t want to talk about it until now. We haven’t had a chance to talk about it until now.”

“I’m sorry baby, I just worry.”

“I know. But I need to do this my way.”

“I understand. Do you want me to go?”

“Go where?”

“I don’t know. I just thought you wanted to be alone.”

“I do, in a way. But I also always want to be with you.”

“Baby, that you can always be.”

“I know. Just stay, let me hold you. I need to hear your heartbeat and feel your warmth. I still feel so numb.

Liz smiled through a sheen of tears and slipped into Michael’s open arms. She knew that their hurt would ease as long as they took comfort in each other., as long as Michael didn’t lose faith in the amazing future that loomed just ahead.

She ran her fingers through his hair, buried her face in his shoulder, and thought fleetingly of the moments that brought them together. It was enough, she thought, to know that they would never have to say goodbye, that no matter what the future held, they would always be a part of each other.

The End




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