#I’ve even seen people suggest she just get tickets on a regular plane but guess what

[idekwtf-is-happening]

Seeing people on Twitter trying to hate on Taylor swift is so funny like, she’s living in their heads rent free as they scramble for reasons to hate her

[bestillmyslashyheart]

Who can you call?

On Ao3

Thanks to @caitlesshea and @el-gilliath for reading this over and helping me work out the kinks

1.

The first year, surprisingly, was the easiest. Fresh off of Rosa’s death and fleeing Roswell, Liz assumed that it would be the most painful year of her life and in some ways it was but in others, in the ways Liz expected, it really wasn’t.

For someone who had never been away from home before getting in her car and driving to California, she wasn’t homesick. Maybe it was the near constant communication with Maria and the regular check ins with her dad or even the pretty regular phone calls from Kyle, but she didn’t miss Roswell. She missed her sister, of course, and she missed seeing the people she loved, but she didn’t miss home. 

She thought the holidays would get to her but her dad came out to visit and they did some sightseeing in Southern California and it was good. It wasn’t their usual Christmas celebration but it was a new tradition. For all that they didn’t talk about Rosa, they felt her with them the whole time. 

So no, the first year wasn’t hard. 

The second year, however. Well, that was a different story.

She got through the summer okay. Maria came out to see her for a few days and she spent the rest of the time with her new college friends and it was good. 

If she missed Roswell a little bit, that was to be expected. If she missed a regular girls night out with Maria, well she could call her up. If she missed her dad, that was what Skype was for. 

At some point, she missed Roswell with an almost physical ache, though. And it was that point that she picked up the phone and dialed a number she hadn’t called since she left Roswell in her rear view mirror.

The phone rang. And rang. And then went to voicemail.

Liz hung up without leaving a message. She cradled her phone in her hands, staring at the front screen, practically daring it to ring.

It didn’t but that didn’t stop her from staring.

“Uh, Liz?” Her roommate asked.

Liz grunted in response. 

“You okay?”

“Fine.”

She heard her roommate start to say anything else but the phone started ringing and cut her off. Liz stared at it in amazement for long enough that it stopped ringing and beeped with a missed call.

She shook her head and quickly called back. As it rang she threw her legs over the side of the bed and fled the room for some privacy.

“Hello?”

Liz almost sobbed in relief at the voice. 

“Liz?”

“Yeah, I’m here. I’m here,” she assured. “Hi.”

There was a light chuckle. “Hi.”

Liz found a corner in the common room and crouched down behind an empty chair. There were other people in the room but she ignored them.

“I’m sorry to call out of the blue like this. I know it’s been a while.”

“That’s okay. I get it.”

Liz closed her eyes. “I’m really sorry. I should have-”

“Liz,” she stopped, “it’s okay. Really. What’s up?”

She sighed and rested her head on the wall. “I miss home. I don’t want to but I do.”

There was a pause. “So go home. I’m sure your dad would love to see you. Maria too.”

“I know. I would love to see them too, I just- I can’t. I just- I hate that place.”

“Yeah, I know the feeling.” 

Liz smiled. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.”

There was a loud sound on the other end followed by mild cursing.

“Shit, I have to go.”

“Oh ok,” Liz paused. “Could I-” she stopped.

“I’ll call you later? We can commiserate on the hellhole that is our hometown?”

Liz smiled. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

“Ok. Talk to you later, then. Bye, Liz.”

“Bye, Alex.”

2.

After that first phone call, they became far more regular. Both of them loved and missed Maria and talked to her regularly but there was something that the two of them shared that Maria just wouldn’t be able to understand. Neither of them really missed Roswell, per se, but there were times when they just really needed to talk to someone who would understand. Someone who grew up in that town and who got away. Neither really had any intention of ever going back, either, despite the fact that their fathers and Maria were there.

Sometimes Liz got the sense that Alex had something else in Roswell for him to go back for but he never talked about it and she didn’t push.

It wasn’t until Liz’s junior year that either one of them suggested meeting up in person. By that time, Liz had already transferred schools. She liked her school but she’d chosen it partly because Rosa had talked her into it and she still saw echoes of her sister around every corner. 

Alex had laughed at her when she told him she was transferring to a school on the east coast but she just ignored him. He told her that she wouldn’t be able to handle winter but Liz wanted a change of pace. She wanted to see the Atlantic, dip her toes in another ocean.

She loved it and she thrived (something she gleefully pointed out to Alex during one of their chats. He just laughed at her and told her he was happy for her). Right up until winter hit.

It snowed in New Mexico, okay? It wasn’t like she’d never seen snow or experienced the cold. But cold in New Mexico was not cold in Massachusetts. They were too very different beasts altogether. 

“You’re the one who decided to move to the Northeast.” Alex was entirely unsympathetic when she told him.

Liz stuck out her tongue at the phone. “Fall was wonderful, okay?”

“Fall isn’t winter.”

Liz rolled her eyes. “Like your an expert in the seasons, Alex Manes. How’s Florida?”

“Hot,” Alex replied quickly. “Boring.”

“What the military’s not all fun and games?” She teased lightly. Alex’s military service was still something she didn’t understand but she knew enough to tread easy.

Alex hummed. “Nothing to do. Mandatory leave.”

Liz sat up in her bed. “You’re on leave?”

Alex hummed again. “I tried to switch with someone to cover them for the holidays but apparently I have to take leave.”

“Why?”

“Because I haven’t,” Alex admitted. “It’s just been accumulating and they told me I have to use some of it.”

Liz paused. “So what are you doing with all this free time you suddenly have?”

“Nothing.”

Liz arched an eyebrow. “Nothing?”

She could almost hear Alex shrug. “It’s Christmas, everyone I know has gone home to their families and like hell am I going back to Roswell so I’ve just been in my apartment.”

A smile slowly etched its way across her face. “Wanna take a trip?”

Alex paused. “Where?”

“Massachusetts.”

“What?” Alex laughed. “Is this you inviting me to visit?”

“Yup!” Liz told him. “Look, I’m not going home for Christmas either and my dad can’t afford the time or plane ticket to come all the way out here so it’s just me in my empty apartment for the next two weeks while my roommates are all at home. You should come up. That way we are slightly less pathetic for the holidays.”

Alex didn’t say anything for a beat. “I’d like that. I’d really-”

“Great!” Liz said brightly. “I’ll text you my address and you just come up whenever you want. I promise I’ll be here.”

Alex agreed and they hung up and Liz put the thought out of her mind. She loved Alex but she knew how much he valued the distance he’d gotten from Roswell and for all their phone calls, she was a reminder of Roswell. There was a greater than average chance that Alex wouldn’t ever show up.

The next day there was a knock at her door late at night. Liz eyed it warily from her spot curled up on the couch. With the school deserted for winter break, she didn’t know anyone in town and she hadn’t ordered anything. 

There was another knock. “Liz?” She heard Alex’s voice call tentatively. 

Liz kicked off her blankets and raced over to the door, sliding a bit in her socks. She unlocked the door and yanked it open to find Alex Manes standing outside. His hair was shorter than she’d ever seen it, the make up and the jewelry absent for the first time in years, his shoulders stiff, and his clothes neatly pressed. He looked nothing like her friend from high school and yet it was undeniably him. 

He shifted idly on his feet under her scrutiny and Liz had to smile. “You’re actually here,” she exclaimed softly as she stood on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around him. She heard a thud as his bag hit the floor when he hugged her back. They swayed back and forth for a few minutes, both reluctant to let go. 

Eventually, though, Liz pulled away. “Come inside. It’s fucking freezing out here.”

Alex laughed but picked up his bag and followed her into the warmth.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Liz said again.

“You invited me,” Alex reminded her.

“I know and I’m super glad you came but I kind of thought you wouldn’t? I know you hate any reminders of Roswell.”

Alex ducked his head and smiled. “You’re not a reminder, Liz. You’re my friend.” 

Liz cooed and hugged him again. “Okay, you’re probably exhausted. I can grab some blankets and pillows and set you up on the couch.”

“I’m actually okay. The flight wasn’t too bad. I mean, if you’re ready to go to bed, then-”

Liz shook her head. “No, I was just watching TV.”

“Mind if I join?”

Liz nodded. “Yes, actually, I do.”

Alex nodded back solemnly. “I understand. Some shows are just sacred.” He picked up his bag. “I guess I’ll go home then.”

He got one step before they both started laughing. Liz pointed him to her bedroom to put his stuff down and change and then got resituated on the couch.

A few minutes later, Alex tucked himself under the blanket with her and they watched the show in silence. It was surprisingly comfortable. Liz had thought that there might be an awkwardness after so long apart but it was like they’d just seen each other yesterday. 

Alex stayed for almost two weeks, through Christmas and New Year’s, before heading back to Florida and it was the best two weeks Liz had spent in Massachusetts. That’s not to say that she hadn’t made any friends at school, she had, but there was something about the comfort of an old friend who understood you in ways you barely understood yourself.

3.

Her phone rang in the middle of her graduation ceremony, Alex’s name flashing brightly on the screen. Liz hurriedly sent him to voicemail before her (former) professor could do more than glare at her. 

She tucked her phone away and slouched in her seat as she looked around. Most of her peers were clearly zoned out as the speaker droned on but there were a few that actually seemed to be paying attention. Liz tuned back in for a few minutes before diverting her attention back to more interesting matters like counting the number of water stains on the ceiling. 

Why had she graduated from here? Oh yeah, because she needed to actually get a degree instead of bouncing around schools for fun. Liz rubbed at her eyes, mumbling an apology as her elbow jostled the girl next to her. Liz was reluctant to call her a friend, after all she’d only known her for a semester. The unfortunate by product of completing her undergrad in five years at three different schools was that she didn’t really have a chance to form lasting friendships. 

Most of the time that was fine with her, she didn’t need deep friendships really, she had Alex and Maria. Though it had been a while since she talked to Maria, she knew she could always count on her to be there if Liz needed her.

Her phone buzzed again. Liz frowned at Alex’s name and sent it to voicemail again.

[To: Alex]

I’m at graduation

[From: Alex]

Shit. Sorry. Call me later.

[From: Alex]

Congrats!

Liz huffed a quiet laugh at the delayed second text and put the phone away as her row stood up to walk across the stage. 

It was a while later, after the ceremony and the pictures with her dad and the few friends who asked, and after the celebratory dinner, and after the ice cream, that Liz remembered to call Alex back.

She waited until her dad was lying down in the hotel room before she pulled out her phone and dialed his number.

“Hey,” she greeted brightly when he connected. 

“Hey,” he returned, notably subdued compared to her. “How was graduation?”

Liz scoffed and flopped back onto the spare bed. “Boring. I should have skipped it but my dad wanted pictures so…”

“Well if Arturo wanted pictures-”

“Then Arturo gets his pictures,” Liz finished with a grin. “What’s up with you?”

Alex didn’t answer right away.

“Alex?” Liz sat up. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m being deployed.”

Liz stilled. “Where? How long? When?”

“Afghanistan. Eight months. I leave in three weeks.” Liz let out a breath. 

“Eight months? Your first one was only three.”

“I know. They’re usually six so I guess it evens out or something, I don’t know.”

“You still in Oklahoma?” Liz asked. It was Alex’s new posting but she wasn’t sure if he was still there or if he had more training. He was always off somewhere doing more training.

“Yeah, I’ll be here until I deploy. Why?”

“Because I’m going to come visit, of course.”

“Liz, you don’t have to do that.”

“Shut up, yes I do. Besides, I just graduated and I have literally no idea what I’m going to do next. Might as well take a few days or whatever to come see you.”

Alex made a noise like he was going to keep arguing but eventually he just sighed. “I’d like that.”

“Good. Give me a few days to pack and drive and I’ll be there by the end of the week?”

“Sounds good.” Liz could almost hear his smile over the phone.

“You’ll have to take me to that ice cream place you were telling me about. Best shakes in Oklahoma right?”

Alex laughed. “That’s what they say. I still think the Crashdown’s are better.”

“You’re biased.”

“Yeah, I am. Tell your dad his shakes are better than the best in Oklahoma, okay?”

“I will. See you soon, Alex.”

“See you.”

Liz hung up and stared at the phone, the panic of sending her best friend into a warzone slowly seeping in.

“How’s Alex?” Liz looked over her shoulder at her dad and forced a small smile.

“He’s good. He’s being deployed again, this time to Afghanistan.”

“He’ll be okay,” Arturo assured her. “He’s smart, he knows how to stay out of trouble.”

Liz snorted. Alex was smart enough to stay out of trouble so long as he wanted to. Sometimes he found trouble far more interesting than safety, though. “I hope so.”

“You going to see him?”

She nodded. “Yeah, he’s stationed in Oklahoma right now so I’ll drive out there for a few days, maybe a week. He’s gonna take me to this ice cream joint that boasts the best milkshakes in Oklahoma.” She smiled. “He says yours are better, though.”

Arturo smiled. “He’s a filthy liar but I’ll take it.”

Liz laughed and switched over to her dad’s bed and cuddled up next to him, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. “He’s gonna be okay.” She didn’t pose it as a question. Her dad answered it anyway.

“Of course he’s going to be okay,” he kissed the top of her dad. “He survived his father, he can survive anything.”

A week later Liz sent her dad a photo of her and Alex sipping milkshakes with the caption Yours are better.

Both were grinning brightly around the straws.

Arturo tacked a copy of it to the wall in the kitchen of the Crashdown and told everyone who came in that his shakes were better than all of Oklahoma’s.

4.

Liz positively skipped up the steps to Alex’s apartment. They’d been living in the same city for months now but she still hadn’t gotten over the slight thrill it gave her that she could just pop over to Alex’s apartment.

“Hey Patrick!” She greeted when she stepped onto Alex’s landing only to see his roommate closing the door behind him. “Alex home?”

Patrick gave her a weird look. “Is he expecting you?”

She frowned and shook her head. “I had something to do downtown so I just came over. I thought we could go check out this new band I heard about. Is he not home?”

Patrick looked at the door. “No, he’s home. But Michael’s here so I don’t know how free he’s gonna be.”

Liz cocked her head in question. “Michael?” Patrick’s eyes widened and he glanced between her and the door and back to her.

“You know what? I have got things I need to do so I’m gonna go. Alex is inside but he has company so enter at your own discretion. Door’s unlocked.” He patted her awkwardly on the shoulder as he passed. Liz stared after him for a beat before walking slowly over to the door. Alex hadn’t mentioned that he was seeing anyone but she wasn’t sure what else Patrick could have meant. She dilly dallied for a few seconds before shrugging her shoulders and pushing the door open. 

Liz eased the door closed slowly and followed the faint sounds to the living room. “Oh shit. Sorry!” She clapped a hand over her mouth and turned on her heel when she saw Alex straddling a guy on the couch, his shirt on the floor behind him. “I’ll call you later!” She tossed over her shoulder as she hurried out the door laughing. She made it one step outside before her brain processed exactly what she had seen. 

Alex, half naked, in a hot guy’s lap. A hot guy with a head of gorgeous curls currently wrapped around Alex’s fingers. Curls that Liz recognized. 

She spun on her heel and went back inside. “Michael Guerin?”

Alex’s head snapped up to stare at her, his feet now firmly on the floor and his shirt in his hands. Michael motherfuckin’ Guerin sat on the couch in front of him, his hand outstretched towards Alex. When she said his name he half turned towards her, a scared look on his face before he plastered on a smile. 

Michael waved cheekily. “Hey Liz.”

Liz stared at him then glanced up only to stare at Alex. He had the most awful expression on his face, like he was legitimately afraid of how she’d react. She shook her head. “Hey, Michael. Sorry to interrupt.” Alex stared at her like she had three heads but she powered on. “I was coming over to see if Alex wanted to go check out a new band with me tonight but I can see that he probably has other plans.” She smiled at him and he relaxed slightly. “But if you want to see downtown Denver, though honestly I don’t know why you would, then call me.”

She waved awkwardly and turned to leave when Alex’s voice stopped her. “Wait, Liz.” She spun back around. 

“Sorry to barge in like that, really, I should’ve called to tell you I was coming over.”

“No, that’s not-” Alex stopped and took a deep breath. He looked at Michael, a clear question in his eyes that Liz couldn’t decipher. Michael didn’t say anything for a beat before he pushed himself off of the couch.

“I’m going to run to the store and get stuff for dinner,” he announced. Alex glared at him but Michael just smiled. He took a step towards Alex before he froze. He didn’t actually look at Liz but she knew it was her presence that stopped him and she frowned.

Michael moved away and Alex made a noise, his eyes flickering to her before he grabbed Michael’s arm and pulled him back in. Liz turned her head away as they kissed.

“Don’t take too long, yeah?” Alex said softly after they separated. “You just got here.”

She turned back in time to see Michael nod and kiss Alex again. When he pulled away, Alex’s fingers stay tucked in his belt loops until he physically couldn’t hold on anymore. Michael smiled wistfully at Alex and nodded to Liz before leaving.

In his wake, Liz shifted her weight awkwardly as she looked at Alex. Alex played with his fingers and didn’t look at her. “Why are you scared?” She asked softly. 

Alex flinched. “I’m not-” he stopped and closed his eyes. “Just- the last time we got caught like this was by my dad and he-”

He didn’t continue but Liz didn’t need him to. Alex was rubbing at his left hand almost unconsciously and Liz wasn’t an idiot. She could connect the dots just fine. 

She dropped her purse on the floor and stepped over the back of the couch and landed in an awkward heap in front of Alex, her arms already outstretched to pull him into a hug. He resisted briefly before hugging her back. 

“You don’t have to be scared, Alex. Not of me. Not ever.”

“I know,” he whispered into her shoulder.

She slowly pulled away but kept her arms on his shoulders so he couldn’t go too far. “Are you okay?”

Alex smiled sheepishly and nodded. “Yeah, you just startled me really. Kinda threw me back to high school and it just-” He shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“Okay,” she said slowly. “So uh- what the hell?”

Alex rubbed at the back of his neck, a faint blush rising on his cheeks. “Which part?”

Liz let go of him and settled back onto the couch. She stopped and considered where she was sitting and quickly shifted to the other end of the couch. Alex rolled his eyes and she laughed.

“Michael Guerin?”

Alex nodded and sat down. “Remember the guy in the museum?”

Liz’s eyes widened. “The guy who kissed the life out of you? The one you would be willing to stay in Roswell for?”

Alex blushed but nodded. “It was a really good kiss.”

“Damn. That was almost eight years ago! Why didn’t you tell me?” She picked up the pillow lying on the ground and smacked him with it.

He looked away. “I don’t know, honestly. There were plenty of times when I could have, should have, even. I just- I didn’t.”

“Who knows?”

“From Roswell? No one.”

Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “No one? What about Max or Isobel? Or Maria?” Liz’s own communication with Maria had sort of fallen by the wayside but she knew Alex kept in touch with her. Alex shook his head.

“I’m not there and I don’t want to be there. It’s hard to talk about it I guess. You’d have to ask him but I imagine it’s easier to just let it be something that happens when he visits. Patrick and my friends know but that’s about it.” 

“So he visits often?”

Alex shrugged. “It depends. When I was stationed in Florida we met up in California once and he came out to Oklahoma a few times. Since I got posted here last year he’s been up a couple of times.”

“When was his last visit?”

Alex blushed and tried to hide a grin. “Remember when we got that blizzard? The city was basically shut down for a few days?”

Liz nodded slowly. It had only been about two months since then, really. “Yeah, I tried to get you to come over before it started and you said you couldn’t be on the opposite side of the city from the base in case you got called in.”

“Yeah,” Alex drawled. “I actually had that whole week off, I wasn’t even on call. Michael came up. He got here the day before the snow started.”

Liz laughed. “You could have just said you wanted to get snowed in with your boyfriend instead of me, I would’ve understood.” Alex stilled when she said the word boyfriend. “Alex?”

He shook his head. “Sorry. Yeah, I know I could have but I’ve gotten used to not mentioning him? I knew at some point I needed to tell you, it’s been long enough that it’s getting absurd, but I didn’t know how to bring it up.” He paused and shifted in his seat. “Do you remember when you started at UC Boulder and we went out for drinks?” Liz nodded. “We talked about lost loves or whatever?” Liz looked away. “You talked about Max Evans and you said if you ever had any regrets about leaving Roswell it was him.”

“What about it?”

“Michael came up the next weekend. I was going to tell you then and have you come over and we could hang out but after you mentioned Max and missing someone from Roswell, I didn’t want to bring up the fact that I’ve been sort of hanging on to someone from Roswell.”

Liz reached over and grabbed Alex’s hands. “Hey.” She waited until he looked at her. “First, don’t ever be afraid to tell me something, okay? Even if it might make me a little maudlin for a day or so. And second, what do you mean ‘sort of hanging on’?”

Alex shrugged. “We’ve never really defined our relationship. It’s not like we’re dating. I know he hooks up with women when he’s in Roswell and I’ve gone on my fair share of dates between his visits.”

“But he keeps visiting?”

“Yeah.”

“...and you keep wanting him to visit?”

“Yeah,” Alex nodded. 

“That doesn’t sound like you’re hanging on.” Liz told him softly. “It sounds like a relationship. An undefined, unconventional one sure, but a relationship nonetheless.”

Alex shrugged. 

“Do you love him?” She asked softly and she watched in amazement as Alex’s whole face softened, his lips turning up in a smile.

“Yeah. I do.”

She smiled. “I’m glad. You look happy, Alex.”

“I am.”

They sat in companionable silence for a while before Liz stood up. “I should go. I don’t want to intrude on your time with him.”

Alex rose with her. “Text me the name of the bar you’re going to. We’ll see if we’re up for it.”

“Will do,” Liz promised as she gathered her purse. She was halfway to the door before something occurred to her. “When I visited you in Oklahoma, before your last deployment, I remember the day I left I asked if you were okay and you said you would be. I assumed you meant that you were dealing with it but I remember distinctly that you were looking at your phone and smiling when you said it.”

Alex stared at her. “How- why do you remember that?”

She shrugged. “On the phone, that was Michael right?”

Alex rolled his eyes but nodded. “He got there like an hour after you did.”

“Good,” she said firmly. “I’m glad he was there for you.”

Alex smiled softly. “He’s always there when I need him. Even when we fuck up and don’t talk for a while.”

Liz furrowed her brow at that. She opened her mouth to ask when the door opened and Michael came in, his arms laden with grocery bags. He froze when he saw her. “Should I go back out?”

Alex smiled and Liz laughed and shook her head. “I’m leaving.” She turned to Alex. “I’ll talk to you later?” He nodded and gave her a quick hug.

“Michael,” she nodded at him. “Nice to see you again. We’ll have to catch up while you’re here.”

“Liz,” he smiled and jerked his head at Alex. “Set it up with the bossman. He controls our schedule.”

Liz laughed and let herself out while Alex protested loudly.

5.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up,” Liz chanted softly as she paced the small bathroom.

“Do you know what time it is?” Alex’s voice was groggy and Liz silently apologized for forgetting the time difference now that he was on the east coast again.

“Diego proposed!” She hissed.

Alex paused. “Oh god. What did you say?”

“Yes?” Liz grimaced.

“What? Why? You don’t love him.”

“I know! I panicked!” Liz told him, a touch too loud. “Fuck, they’re gonna hear me.”

“Who? Where are you?”

“I’m in the bathroom at his parent’s house.”

“What? Why?”

“Because he just proposed! It’s his birthday so we came over for dinner and after dessert he announced that the best birthday present would be me agreeing to be his wife and then before I knew what was happening he was down on one knee and his family were all looking at me and I’m pretty sure his mom was recording it and I panicked okay?!” Liz continued to pace.

Alex snorted and tried to stifle his laughter.

“Don’t laugh asshole. This isn’t funny.”

“It’s a little funny,” Alex told her. “Why the hell did he think proposing was a good idea? You guys have only been dating what a year?”

“Almost two,” Liz admitted. “We started dating before you got relocated.”

“True, true. Wow time really does fly when you get older.”

“Oh shush, we’re 27, we’re not old.”

Alex laughed. “Okay, real talk. How are you going to let him down?”

“It’s his birthday and I’m at his parent’s house and I already said yes.” Liz dropped her head against the door in a loud thunk. “What was I thinking?”

“You weren’t, clearly.”

“That’s not helpful.”

“What do you want me to say? You just agreed to marry a man you don’t love.”

Liz groaned. “But I could! He’s so sweet and kind and he loves me.”

“All good qualities,” Alex agreed easily. “But he’s also boring.”

“There’s nothing wrong with boring!” Liz tried to defend.

“See you’re not even arguing that he’s not boring.”

Liz groaned. “Ok fine but my point still stands. Boring doesn’t mean he’s a bad choice.”

“Your heart’s not in it and you know it.”

“Oh who are you to give me relationship advice? How’s Michael these days?” Liz snapped. “Shit, no. Alex, I’m sorry.”

“Wow,” Alex remarked faintly. “Fuck you too. You called me remember?”

“I know. I know. I’m sorry,” Liz apologized.

Alex sighed heavily. “It’s late. I need to sleep and you have a fiance to go talk to.”

He hung up before Liz could say anything more. She pulled the phone away from her ear only long enough to hit redial.

It went straight to voicemail.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Liz began after the beep, “what I said was completely uncalled for. I was just feeling defensive for some reason and I lashed out and I took a cheap shot that was cruel and unnecessary and I’m sorry. I love you for answering the phone when I called even though I know it’s late there and thank you for listening to me ramble on about my problems. I did call you for advice and I shit on you when you tried to give it and I’m sorry.” Liz paused to consider her next words. She knew Alex wouldn’t like them but if she was already in the doghouse she might as well make it worse. “But Alex- you should call him, okay? I know you said you wanted to do rehab on your own and you didn’t want him showing up at the hospital again but you don’t need to shut him out completely. He’s worried and he misses you and you should really call him.”

Liz jumped at a knock on the door. “Liz?” Diego’s voice came through.

Liz closed her eyes and finished her message, her voice lower so Diego couldn’t hear. “I hope you know if I end up going through with this you’re gonna be my Man of Honor so I need you to forgive me my big mouth, okay? I love you.” She ended the call and pulled the door open to see Diego’s worried face.

“Everything okay?”

Liz smiled. “Yeah. I just called Alex to tell him.”

Diego grinned. He’d always liked Alex more than Alex liked him. “What did he say?”

“He said he’s happy for us, of course.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. “And that the next time I wake him up in the middle of the night somebody better be dying.”

Diego laughed. “That sounds like Alex.” He pressed a kiss to her lips and pulled back. “Do you want to rejoin everyone or go home?”

Liz barely held in her sigh of relief. “Home, definitely.”

+1

Liz drove up the long driveway almost on autopilot. She’d come out here countless times in high school with Kyle and she could find her way easily enough that her thoughts started to wander. 

Back in Roswell one day, less than that really. It had only been a couple of hours since she pulled up outside the Crashdown and saw her father for the first time in years. In that time, she’d run into Max Evans twice and someone had shot up her family home. Liz was even half convinced that she herself had been shot, despite the lack of a wound of any kind. 

She slowed to a stop and got out. There was a light on in the cabin and the flickering of a TV through the window. Liz smiled as she tugged the door open.

Alex looked up and over at her from his spot on the couch. “Hey stranger.”

She groaned dramatically as she closed the door and flopped down on the couch next to him. “I hate this town,” she whined into his blanket.

Alex laughed. “You’ve been back, what, six hours?”

Liz nodded. “I ran into Max Evans.”

“Oh.” She looked up at the odd tone in his voice but he just waggled his eyebrows.

“Not like that!” She sat up. “He was running a police check point outside of town and then he came by the diner and we shared a shake and then someone shot up the place and he-”

“Someone shot up the Crashdown!?” Alex sat up and looked her over. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she waved him off. “I think I hit my head when Max pulled me to the ground but other than that I’m fine, I swear.”

Alex searched her eyes before nodding. “Okay. So Max Evans, personal hero, huh?”

Liz groaned and fell back against the couch. “He’s so hot.”

Alex laughed. “If Max Evans being hot is the least of your problems right now, you’re doing okay.”

Liz didn’t say anything.

“Liz?” Alex prodded.

“I forgot how much everyone hates us here,” she said quietly. “Hates Rosa. I just- I’m really glad you’re here Alex. I don’t know what I would do in this town if you weren’t.”

Alex didn’t offer any platitudes, he just reached out and wrapped her in a side arm hug. 

“How’ve you been since getting back? It’s been what? Two weeks?”

Alex hummed in agreement. “It’s been an adjustment. I’ve pretty much been avoiding town, honestly. Just go in for groceries and whatnot before coming back here.”

“You seen Michael yet?”

“No,” Alex exhaled. “I drove out to his trailer a few days ago but he had company so I left.”

“Alex-”

“It’s fine.”

“Doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck.”

Alex took a deep breath. “That’s true. But I don’t have any right to be upset. Not anymore. Not after I shoved him away.”

“You should go see him. He misses you.”

“And how do you know that?”

“Who do you think he texts when he’s drunk and feeling sorry for himself that he’s not with you?”

“Patrick,” Alex answered. Liz tilted her head in concession. 

“Okay, besides Patrick.” She nudged him. “He doesn’t really have a lot of people to talk to about it, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” He shifted so he could look at her, a sudden gleam in his eye. “Ok, enough about me. Tell me about Diego.”

Liz groaned and covered her face with her hands. “Oh god, no. I can’t-”

“How did you do it?”

“I was awful.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.”

“Oh it was. I just- fuck I just started packing up my car and he came by with Richard-” 

“That’s his best friend, right?”

Liz nodded. “Yeah so they came by to pick me up for something that I had completely forgotten about and they just pulled up next to the car and Diego was all confused and so so dumb about it.” Liz hated to speak ill of him because she did care for him but there was a reason she left. “He kept asking if I was cleaning or donating some stuff. Just trying to come up with any reason besides the obvious. And finally I just gave him the ring. God, Alex, I didn’t even have it on. I’d already taken it off. How awful am I?”

“Okay, yeah, that’s pretty awful.”

Liz smacked him lightly. “You’re not supposed to agree with me. You’re supposed to make me feel better.”

“How about I be honest instead?”

Liz sighed but nodded. “Yeah okay let me have it.” She waved him on.

“There were quite honestly a thousand different ways you could have broken up with him that would have been better than that. Number one would have been not accepting his proposal in the first place.” He leveled her with a stern look.

“Yeah, I know,” Liz agreed easily. Because she did know. And if she hadn’t fucked up with Alex so badly she might have been thinking about Diego enough to have corrected herself then and just told him no. 

“So…” Alex started after a while.

Liz raised an eyebrow in silent question.

“You are no longer engaged. A free woman once more…”

“Yes…”

“Exactly how hot did Max Evans look in his deputy uniform?” Alex grinned.

Liz scrunched up her face and sank down into the couch with a slight squeal. “So hot. I think it was the hat.”

“The hat definitely doesn’t hurt.” Alex remarked idly. Liz stared at him.

“You think Max-”

“I have eyes and the guy’s hot, okay? But no, I wasn’t talking about him.”

“Michael wears a cowboy hat?”

Alex nodded. “It looks so fucking good on him, too.”

Liz laughed. “Ok now that I have to see.”

“Take a picture and send it to me, yeah?”

“Or…” Liz replied. “You could just go see him yourself.”

“Maybe tomorrow.” Alex said. “When are you gonna see Max again?”

Liz grinned. “Maybe tomorrow.”