Title: Good Advice
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Summary: A short follow-up piece to Independence Day. The rest of the
Max/Liz scene that got cut.
Author Name: Liz
Email: [email protected]
Category: M/L
Once again, for what seemed like the millionth time since that day, she
allowed her reasoning flutter away from her grasp and into the night. He
seemed to have that effect on her.
She watched as he looked at her hand, slowly slipping onto his shoulder,
squeezing lightly as it came to rest there.
All of her promises, the torture she had put herself through over him didn't
seem to matter anymore. All of it was gone when she reached out and touched
him.
"I'm here for you, Max."
She saw his shoulders heave with his silent sigh, the struggle that was going
on underneath that calm exterior.
"Talk to me."
He raised his eyes to meet hers. She felt the familiar dull ache in her
heart as she saw all of the pain that lie there.
"I don't know what's right anymore."
She held her breath, hoping, wishing that he would finally let her in.
Really let her in.
"I keep thinking about the other week....when all that stuff with Mom was
happening. What you and Isabel and Michael kept telling me..that I was
controlling, and that I needed to depend on someone else for once. It didn't
really hit home until now. All this with Michael now...he's pulling away,
and I don't know what to do. I try and I try to make him understand what he
means to us, that we're there for him..but all i seem to be doing is pushing
him away. I'm hopeless."
He stopped and met her eyes again, and she could see that he was waiting for
her to help him. Pleading with her to make it all better.
"Max, sometimes you are controlling. But that's the way you are. Michael
knows you, and he loves you. Not the person he wants you to be. All of us
do,"
She took a deep breath, hoping that he didn't catch the meaning of those last
few words.
"He's going through a lot right now. And no matter how much you want to, you
can't understand. Some of the things he does may be selfish, and there are
things he could do to help himself. But he has to find that out for himself,
Max. He has to figure out for himself...how wonderful it is, what he has.
No matter what troubles he has, no matter how much trouble he gets himself
into, he always has people who love him. Who he has a connection with. And
when he finally does grasp that, really grasp it, he'll come back to you. I
promise."
He didn't say anything for a long time. She knew that he was thinking about
what she'd said, trying to soak it all in. And she knew that it was hard for
him, it was hard for all of them. She had faith, though, that their
connection would be strong enough to hold them together through anything. No
matter how hard.
"Talk to him, Max."
Finally, she could see the realization dawning in his eyes. Hope surged even
stronger within her.
He smiled at her then, that little half-crooked smile that she adored, and
leaned closer to her.
"Thanks, Liz."
"I'm always here, Max."
She never wanted him to forget that.
"I know."
There was a moment of hesitation in his eyes, but then he leaned in to her
and placed a soft kiss on her lips.
"Thanks," he repeated.
She smiled.
"Good luck."
He stood then, wiping his hands accross his jeans and quickly crossing the
roof to the ladder.
Swinging himself over easily, he climbed down a few rungs until only his head
peeked over the top.
"What about our..talk?"
She smiled again.
"I don't think it's necesary anymore. Everything's going to be fine."
He nodded.
"Yeah, I think so too."
"Goodnight, Max."
"Night, Liz."
His head disappeared from view, and she smiled into the night as she listened
to the sound of her Max climbing down the ladder.
END