You're Not My Mom - Tag Liz Parker

When Annie saw Liz in the bakery alone, she decided to approach. She had mixed feelings of the girl. She knew her parents would want her to be understanding, but Liz made Annie feel uneasy.

"I saw you kiss him," She said, crossing her arms. "And you have that bracelet on. You lied. You didn't break up."

Liz looked up from where she was doing homework at the counter and paused. She had sort of been dreading this, but she knew that being stuck in an inn meant she and Annie would have to talk about everything eventually. She pressed her lips together and stood up a bit more, to give Annie her full attention.

"I tried... but I couldn't, in the end. I'm sorry."

Annie bristled. Why is she apologizing? Apologies made it harder for Annie to hate her.

"You're not my mom," She said stubbornly.

Liz nodded. "I know. And I wish she were here. I know this is probably really confusing." Liz still had a hard time understanding the inn and she was both older and had more experience here.

Annie looked away. I wish my mom was here too. She looked back to Liz with a hard expression that borderlined a tantrum.

"I don't want you to see him anymore." She said. "I want you to stop seeing my dad."

Liz paused and then she moved around the counter to be closer to Annie. She crouched. Liz remembered doing summer camp with Maria one year and the kids seemed to like it when you got down to their level, so she was going to try that now too.

"I love Peter." Even if she tried not to. She knew Peter loved her too, but she wasn't going to necessarily state that to the kid. "I tried the other day, to stop being in his life, but it was really hard on both of us. He's... well, you know how amazing he is, right?" She offered a small smile.

"You can't be with him because he has to be with my mom," She said. "If you're with him, then he won't be with her and then I won't be alive either. Everything will be ruined."

Liz closed her eyes for a moment before opening them back up. The things she were about to say stung, but there was truth in them.

"I don't know how old your dad was when he had you, but it probably wasn't when he was a teenager. Peter and I.. We're not planning to get married or have kids." Even if Liz thought about it a lot. Even if she had a dream or two. "And they had you back home, right? I, um. I can't go to your world. So, when Peter leaves here, he'll be without me when he goes back... so he'll be able to meet your mom."

Annie's brow squished as she tried to understand. It all made sense and it eased something in her. Her arms loosened around her chest.

"You both said something about other Peters," She said. "Why?"

That would be a little harder to explain. It took Liz a moment, her eyes wandering the room for a moment before she stood up and reached for a knife and brownie. Then she gestured for Annie to come to one of the tables. When the girl did, Liz started to explain.

"Okay, think of this brownie as Peter. There's this theory the the inn sort of has confirmed to be true that there are multiple universes. There are similar versions of ourselves in them, just that different choices were made. Like maybe in one World War II never happened. Or you decided to go to a party instead of stay home." She gestured to the brownie. "So with every new decision, -" Liz cut a few stripes off the brownie. "new worlds with new futures happen."

She pointed to the strips. "Each has a new world, but the person, so Peter, for example, is still Peter." Because the brownie was still a brownie, even when it was cut up.

Liz wondered if that made any sense at all.

Annie listened and watched. She sounds... just like dad. She frowned at her own thought, but soaked in the information.

"So... there could be another world where dad comes to the bunker with me and mom?" She asked.

Liz had no idea what that meant, but she nodded. "Yeah. Or one where you have brown hair like him." Or were a boy or they chose not to have kids, but Liz decided to not mention any of the other sorts of outcomes.

Annie's arms lowered and her shoulders relaxed. She liked the idea in another world her dad might be safe. She would have to think on this 'multiverse' more.

"If my mom comes here, and she sees you and him...she'll be really sad." Annie murmured.

Liz paused, then nodded - that she completely understood.

"I know." Another pause. "Annie? What would you like me to do?" Liz looked over to the girl and even though the question was scary, she wanted to ask it. She needed to. "I want you to be happy here. I want you and Peter to be happy so... whatever you want me to do, I'll try my best."

Annie opened her mouth, but hesitated. Why can't I say it? Why can't I tell her to leave my dad alone? She looked confused and annoyed. Annie looked away again.

"I don't know," She said, thinking.

She thought about the whole situation. Even though Peter tried to hide it, Annie had seen he was a little sad when Liz left.

"You can stay with my dad," She said. "On a few conditions."

Liz nodded, somehow both relieved and nervous at the same time. "Okay... what are they?"

"You can't make him sad, ever." Annie stated. "Or hurt him. And you need to keep him safe even though you're normal. And... and if my mom comes, you have to promise to leave him alone."

These all seemed like reasonable terms and, in fact, they were all ones Liz already decided upon herself. Still, she nodded. "I can do all that... is there anything else?"

"I don't know." Annie replied. "If I think of more... can I add to it later?"

Liz smiled just faintly and nodded again. "Yeah... yeah, that's fine." Whatever it took, really, for everyone to be happy.

Annie still wanted to hate Liz, but she couldn't muster the feeling. Maybe I can sort of see why dad would like her... but mom's better

"Okay, then, I'm going to go now." She said, but eyed the brownie.

Liz pushed the brownie in Annie's direction. "On the house." Technically everything was on the house, but whatever.

Annie took the plate and even smiled.

"Bye," She declared, then left.