Snapshot · (Roswell Fanfiction) · √

37. Christmas Presents

Christmas Eve
Max and Liz's home
(2017) Max is 32, Liz is 31

She could hear the giggles from outside the house, the sound spreading love throughout her body. Wiping her hands on the kitchen towel, she began loading the plastic container with freshly baked cookies, a small smile dancing across her lips as she listened in on the voices that had increased marginally in intensity as the front door had opened.

"But it was different than before!" Liz heard the young clear voice protest.

"Different, huh?" the warm dark timbre of her husband's voice asked.

A small girl, measuring only about 2.5 feet, walked around the corner with her honey-colored eyes brightening at the sight of Liz.

Liz's answering smile, however, froze on her face at the sight of her four-year-old daughter.

"Hi mommy," the girl announced, plopping her small pink bag on one of the kitchen chairs.

"Hey sweetie," Liz said calmly, before throwing an annoyed look at Max as he appeared around the corner. She looked back at her daughter before she could see the answering grin on Max's face. "Did you have fun?"

"I got a present," the girl announced.

Liz narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, a smile lingering at the edges of her mouth. "You got a present?" Then she looked up at Max that was leaning against the wall, looking very casual.

Liz's heart missed a beat and she quickly swallowed the desire that rushed through her. They had been married for almost ten years and he still had the ability to make her knees go weak. Especially when he knew he was in trouble. There was a certain glint in his eyes that reminded her of their turbulent relationship as teenagers, which always enticed her in the most tempting of ways.

He raised an eyebrow as he noticed the blush coloring her cheeks and a knowing smile spread across his lips.

Zoe's fervent nodding had Liz focusing onto her daughter once again. "A present for Christmas!"

"Really?" Liz mused. "I thought Santa brought all the presents."

"Daddy wanted to give me one," the four-year-old announced with glittering eyes.

Liz held back a snort and shook her head in disbelief at her husband as his eyes just grew lighter with amusement. "What did Daddy give you?"

Zoe shrugged. "I dunno. It's a present."

"Did you point it out for him?" Liz asked.

Zoe bit her lower lip and shook her head. "Nope. He thought of it aaaall by himself."

Max chuckled at the hint of awed surprise in Zoe's voice.

That her father could actually come up with a present all on his own was a very big thing in her world.

"Well, isn't he a good daddy," Liz said, happy that her daughter was too young to understand sarcasm. "Did he give you ice cream too?"

Zoe's eyes grew into the size of saucers and her mouth fell open in wonder. She spun around and addressed her father, "Daddy, did you tell her?"

Max looked puzzled when he answered, "No, baby. I don't know how she knows these things. Your mom sees everything."

Zoe looked back at her mom and nodded slowly, her little mind perplexed with the idea of an all-seeing mother. Did every kid have a mother like her? A mother who knew everything that happened?

"You've got ice cream all over your face," Liz said softly, bending down to tickle her stomach.

Zoe erupted in delighted laughter as she shied away from her mother's tickling hands and ran over to her father, hiding behind him. Looking up at him, she announced happily - and slightly relieved, "Dad, she knew because of the ice cream on my face."