Title: One
Author: Brynn
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: Sniff, sniff, these characters are not mine.
Rating: PG-13
Setting: Somewhere after Four Square, before Max to the Max
Summary: It's a restless night for Max and Liz
Category: In case its not already clear-Max and Liz
Author's Note: What can I say-I can't get enough of Max/Liz sweet moments!
And I can't let my dreamers down now can I?
Liz Parker laid in her bed, hugging the covers close in an attempt to block
out the chilly breeze. She stared towards the ceiling, stuck in the restless
stage between sleep and full-consciousness. As she peered into the darkness
she couldn't help but be reminded of one thing-Max Evans's soulful eyes. The
deep dark pools that burned into her mind and into her heart. The
mesmerizing orbs that she could spend the rest of her life looking into.
Yes, with Max on her mind, sleep was not an option.
Her body ached for him. Things were not the same since the Tess ordeal, that
much was obvious. They were still together, no doubt, but stuck in some kind
of rut. There was only one explanation-fear. Max was weary of Liz's
forgiveness, knowing he had to slowly win back her trust. She was afraid to
jump into things. Whatever had been going on between them before was
powerful. It had changed her life. Never had Liz felt so alive, so happy,
then when she was in Max's arms. He came to her that rainy night and held
her face. His gentle touch. His eyes. His words..."You're the one, Liz."
And he meant it...or so she thought.
When she saw Max kissing Tess her whole body was paralyzed. She couldn't
move, couldn't speak, couldn't even cry. The rest of her body felt distant,
like her head was a balloon slowly floating away, her broken heart in tow,
dragging along in the dirt. Liz Parker had bore a fatal wound to the chest
but that paled in comparison to seeing Max kiss another girl.
But things changed. When she walked into the Crashdown the next day and
avoided Max's stare he panicked. He never looked so vulnerable as when she
told him she had seen him and Tess. Not finding the words, he tried to
explain, to provide her with what she needed to hear. Funny how it'd been so
easy the night before to pour his heart out, and now he was at a sudden loss.
But the eyes. His greatest weapon. They echoed the truth-something was
terribly wrong, his attraction to Tess was not human and most of all, not
real. That's when the tears came. In a normal relationship Liz could dump
Max with obvious cause. But there were other things to take into
consideration. Max and Liz were anything but normal.
Her heart told her to forgive Max, it was out of his control. When she was
in trouble at the Hardings her instincts directed her to him. When he showed
up at Tess's front stoop and offered himself to danger in exchange for her
escape she knew. She was the one. But Max was her one, and she refused to
leave without him.
There was an awkward silence as they drove to the warehouse, both
contemplating what to say. Later he thanked her for putting her neck out to
get to the truth. "You still kissed her Max." She reminded him that things
weren't the same, but she was willing to get to the bottom of it. And they
did-seconds later it became apparent-Tess was an alien. She and Max were the
same, and destined.
She couldn't help but wonder where she would fit into the equation. Four
aliens, three humans, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that
was an odd number. But the way Max looked at her was still the same,
never-changing. He was just more hesitant, not daring to go further than the
kiss on the forehead as she made her way to the bathroom to confront Tess.
They would have to move slowly, but at least it was together, at least they
were moving forward. Baby steps, but forward nonetheless.
But she was tired, slow and steady wins the race, but patience was a killer.
She was ready to forgive and forget, to move on. She waited a long time for
Max. He finally gave in and kissed her that fateful night, only to take a
step back the next day. And she waited some more, even through an inebriated
false alarm on Valentine's, she kept waiting. This was the real thing, no
more waiting, she was sick of waiting.
Her body was cold, lacking. She sat up in her bed and wrapped the covers
around her frail form. Sleep was an impossibility at this point. She was
trembling as she sat still, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. She breathed
in the cool night air, when she smelled him. Max. His unmistakable scent
permeated the room. She inhaled and exhaled slowly and looked out into the
starry night. But a figure blocked her view. It was him.
"Did I scare you?" The moonlight danced on his brown leather coat and
illuminated his handsome face.
She shook her head.
"I didn't wake you did I?" It was a rhetorical question, they both new that
neither could sleep.
She patted her bed, motioning for him to sit next to her. He did.
"You're trembling."
"I'm fine." And they sat in silence, lost in each others' eyes-as usual.
"Max-did you want to talk?"
She had interrupted the trance. "Oh...yeah, I did."
She nodded and watched in anticipation. He opened his mouth to speak but
instead neared his face until he was level with hers. Then he kissed her.
She would never forget the taste of him but it had been far too long since
she had had it to enjoy. And boy did she savor it. She wrapped her arms
around Max's neck. His fingertips danced along her back, massaging her body.
They became one.
They stopped for air. "Thank you," she whispered, "I needed that."
As did he, evident in the all too infrequent smile that crossed his face. "I
was hoping you wouldn't mind."
His seriousness alarmed her. "Never," she replied. Liz hesitated, "I missed
your kisses, Max."
" I couldn't wait another moment without your touch..."
"I only wish you'd come sooner."
"I was afraid," he looked down.
"Don't be Max, we need to move on."
" I know, but I didn't want to rush things, I thought you needed time."
"I did, and I appreciate that, but I want to be with you."
He gingerly grabbed her hand. Their fingers entwined into one and she smiled.
He lifted his head, and once again his eyes pierced hers. "Liz, I want you
to know that nothing can come between us."
"I know that Max..."
"No, but I want you to hear it. We can't deny that I'm...that I'm..."
"Different," she finished for him.
"Right...so things will always be unpredictable. But you're a part of it now.
I want us to face everything together."
"So do I..." she stared off, he knew she was thinking of Tess.
"Don't worry Liz, you're the one."
"I just can't help but won-"
"Don't."
"I know." More silence as they were lost in their own thoughts but also in
each others' eyes.
His deep voice broke the icy stillness of the room. "I love you."
It came out of nowhere. She gasped in surprise. He said it. It had been
thought and assumed so many times but never spoken. Liz liked the sound of
it and let the words hang in the air as her whole body lit up and her heart
began to beat a little faster.
"I love you too."
She broke their embrace as she bent down and untied Max's laces before
pulling off his shoes. Then she slowly helped him take off his coat. She
opened up the blankets surrounding her body and invited him in. He didn't
hesitate to accept.
"I'm glad you said that Max."
"I'm glad I did too."
They clung to each other until it was virtually impossible to draw nearer.
Liz loved the feel of him, loved snuggling her face into his strong shoulder
as she treasured his presence. His chest slowly heaved up and down and she
could hear his heart beating just as fast as hers. Deep down inside, Max was
just as human as her.
They laid down, sharing the single pillow. He turned to face her and left a
brief but passionate kiss on her lips.
"I can't even begin to explain to you how happy I am we found each other," he
said.
"You already did," Liz assured him.
"I love you," he obviously was getting used to saying it. She knew she would
never get sick of hearing it.
"I know," she smiled, content for the first time in a while. In fact, the
most content she had ever been.
They continued holding each other, not knowing where one ended and the other
began. They were one. Sleep came easy from there. Liz wasn't cold anymore.
END