By Starlight * The Only One by Courtney* 1/1

Title: The Only One
Author: Courtney
Email: [email protected]
Rating: NC-17
Classification: Max/Liz
Summary: In every person's life, there is only one first time.
Disclaimer: Roswell and its characters do not belong to me. I'm just borrowing them. I promise to put them back where I found them when I get finished.
Distribution: Anywhere as long as my headers stay with it and you drop me a line to tell me where it's going.

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Max Evans walked into trigonometry and scanned the room quickly. When his eyes fell on the face he was looking for, Max smiled. Liz Parker, his girlfriend, sat in her usual seat near the center of the room. He caught her eye and she turned to smile at him as well. Her eyes followed him as he went to his seat near the back of the class. They hadn't seen each other before school because she'd come in late from a dentist appointment so this was the first time he'd laid eyes on her all day. He wanted more than anything to go over and kiss her, but the ringing of the bell brought him back to reality and into his seat. The teacher, Ms. Tyler, was talking about logarithms, but Max couldn't seem to concentrate on anything but Liz. He watched her toss her hair gently over her shoulder; observed the way she chewed her pencil when she was thinking about something. It drove him crazy. All her little quirks were so endearing to him. They just made him want her all the more.

The previous night they'd been on the phone until nearly 2am. Max knew that she was probably exhausted, but whenever they spoke he just couldn't seem to say good-bye. They often talked into the night trying to avoid the inevitable end to the calls.

He'd been dating Liz for nearly a month. Though he'd been infatuated with her since he was 8 years old, Max never could have imagined how wonderful actually being the man in Liz Parker's life could really be. He'd spent nearly a year since she'd discovered his secret trying to convince her that a relationship between the two of them would be too dangerous. He wasn't willing to take even the slightest risk where she was concerned.

Still, the unseen force that drew them to one another was too much for them to deny for long. They'd finally given in to it at the homecoming dance just a month earlier. They'd gone as a group with their friends, neither really intending to spend the whole night staring at each other from opposite sides of the gym. But, that was what they'd ended up doing. Finally, when the last dance started, Max got up the nerve to go over and ask her if she'd dance with him.

"So, Liz, what do you say? I think I should dance at least once tonight. After all, it is a *dance*," he grinned as he held out a hand to her. She was sitting on the bleachers and looked up to smile at him. He could still close his eyes and see how beautiful she'd looked that night. She'd taken his breath away.

"I'd love to, Max," she'd replied softly as she took his hand and allowed him to help her up and out to the gym floor.

Max didn't recall what song had played or remember anyone else being around them. All he could see in his mind was Liz, all he was aware of was the feel of her skin and the smell of her hair and the heat of her body pressed so close to his as they danced. The dance seemed to last an eternity. His hands wandered up and down her back, from the base of her neck all the way to just below her waist. She had clung to him, holding on tightly as if she never wanted to let him go.

When the music had ended, Max knew that he'd never be able to walk away from this woman in his arms. Never again could he turn the other cheek and tell her that they couldn't be together. He knew that he should do that, but he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to survive for more than a day outside of her arms. She was his lifeline, and he suddenly wondered how he'd ever managed his life without her in it.

They'd left together that night, something unspoken but profound having changed between them on that high school dance floor. Michael, Maria, Isabel, and Alex had seen the couple leaving together but had not tried to catch up to them. It was obvious that they needed some time to be alone together

Max opened the door of his Jeep for Liz, then walked around and got in on the other side. He drove them out to the desert to a quiet spot near one of the many caverns that spotted the rough terrain. He had a blanket in the back of the Jeep and took it out to spread it over the floor at the lip of the cavern. They sat together on the blanket and looked at one another.

It occurred to him that not one word had been spoken between them since he'd asked her to dance, but that didn't seem to have made much difference. So much was said with just a simple touch or a lingering look that words were hardly even necessary. Still, there were some words he wanted to say out loud, just to prove to himself and to Liz that he could finally say them for all to hear.

"I love you, you know. I always have."

She smiled and reached down the grasp his hands in hers. His eyes followed her movements and he stared at their entwined fingers as they lay between them. Then, his gaze drifted upwards, over her body, coming finally to the face that would forever be his ideal vision of beauty. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked back at him and, as he watched, one slid precariously down her cheek. Max reached up and wiped it away, then leaned closer to brush his lips over her cheek. The warmth of his breath against her skin caused a tremor to pass through her body.

"It's still dangerous for us to be together," he warned in a whispered voice as he kneaded her palms in his own.

"I don't care about that," she said. "I can't keep doing this. I can't keep trying to pretend that I don't want you; that every day without you isn't tearing me apart."

He nodded and let go of one of her hands to bring his fingers up to trace over her cheekbone. "I feel the same way," he replied softly.

"For something so wrong, this definitely feels right, doesn't it?" she asked as she stared into his endless brown orbs.

Becoming lost in her returned stare, Max could only nod. It seemed like an eternity had passed as their faces inched closer and closer. His fingers had tangled in her hair, then his lips had met hers. It had been tentative at first, then had become hungrier, deeper, as they let themselves get lost in this, their first kiss.

The rest of the evening had been a blur. Max was still on an absolute high for hours after dropping Liz off at home. He'd returned home to be met at the door by his sister. She'd given him a look which he knew well; the I-don't-know-exactly-what-you've-been-up-to-but-I-am-not-stopping- until-I-know-everything look. Classic Isabel.

But, Max hadn't told her anything that night. He hadn't said more than two words as he walked passed her and into the house. Then, he'd gone to his room and lay down in bed, not even bothering to remove his suit coat. He'd fallen asleep that night with Liz the last thought on his mind before sleep had carried him away.

Max had been so lost in his reverie that he hadn't even heard the bell ringing to announce the end of 3rd period. He was still sitting in his seat, staring off into space, when Liz had finally approached.

"This must be some daydream. Care to share?" she asked with a grin.

He looked up at her and smiled broadly. Getting up from his seat at last, he pulled her into his arms and bent his head for a quick kiss. "I missed you this morning," he said.

"Me too," she replied.

"How'd the appointment go?" he asked.

"Fine, everything went good," she said. She showed her teeth and said, "No cavities."

"That's good," he grinned as he leaned down to kiss her again. She brought her arms up to wrap around his neck as she returned the kiss. They were still completely wrapped up in each other when the bell rang to signal 4th period.

"Ahem," they heard behind them. Max and Liz pulled apart and looked sheepishly towards the front of the classroom. Ms. Tyler stood there looking at them with eyebrows arched. "Don't you two have a class you should be attending?" she asked. She was trying to look stern, but couldn't completely disguise her amusement at the sight of her two young students.

"Yes ma'am, sorry," Max replied as he reached down and collected his book bag from the floor. He took Liz's hand and started out of the classroom. Liz looked up apologetically at Ms. Tyler, then followed her boyfriend into the hallway.

"Oh my God, that was totally embarrassing," she groaned as they started down the hall together.

"It could have been worse," he reasoned.

"Only if we'd been lying on the desk," she said.

He grinned. "That doesn't sound like such a bad idea actually . . ."

She turned and socked him in the arm and Max laughed jovially. "She thought we were cute, I could tell."

"Well, at least she didn't give us detention," Liz said. "So, you're free this period, right?"

"Yeah," she replied, "And you're late for English Lit."

"I'll catch up tomorrow," he said.

"What? Do my ears deceive me? Max Evans is--" she gasped, then whispered dramatically, "skipping class?!"

He smirked and slipped his arm around her waist to pull her against his side. "I can think of better things to do than read Beowulf for the next hour," he told her.

"I swear, I think you're a bad influence on me," she giggled as they made their way outside together.

"Me? I'm the one skipping class. You're just spending your free period making out with me," he pointed out.

"And who says I'm going to make out with you?" she asked with a smirk.

"Oh, well, if you really want to study then I could always catch up with good ole Beowulf . . ." he started.

"Okay, well maybe just a little making out," she conceded with a grin.

"I thought so."

"Where are we going?" she asked as he led her by the hand across the quiet campus.
"I thought we'd go over behind the library on the side with no windows. We don't want to put on a show for the entire student body," he pointed out.

"Nope, there's only one student body I'm interested in," she quipped. They both laughed, then headed towards the library.

* * * * *

A half an hour had passed by the time Max and Liz came up for air. They were sitting on the grass beneath some tall trees, wrapped in each other's arms.

"I could do this every day on my free period," she said as their lips parted.

"I'd probably fail English," he pointed out as he leaned forward to touch her lips to his again.

"A small price to pay," she said.

He smiled, "Yeah, I'd have to agree." He sat back against the trunk of a tree and pulled her close. Her back rested against his chest and his arms covered hers to wrap around her body. "This is so perfect," he said softly.

"Nothing could be better," she agreed.

"I've been thinking lately, Liz . . ." he started.

"Yeah? About what?" she asked.

"About . . . well, about us," he told her.

"What about us?" He hesitated and she turned her head to look at him. Grabbing his hand, she squeezed it in reassurance. "Max, you can tell me," she said softly.

"I . . . well, um . . . I mean, Liz, I don't want you to be disappointed with me," he said faintly.

"Why would I ever be disappointed in you, Max? That could never happen."

"I'm not so sure . . ."

She turned around fully to kneel in front of him. Looking him in the eyes, Liz asked, "What exactly is it that you're worried about?"

"Well . . . it's sort of . . . I mean . . . um, I just wonder . . . where do you think this whole thing is going?"

"Going? Well, I think it's going in the right direction. I mean . . . well, what do you mean, Max? I'm not sure that I understand," she admitted.

He looked at the ground beside him and shrugged. "I dunno, Liz . . . it's just . . . well, you know that I haven't exactly, well, um, gotten around, so to speak," he mumbled. She could see his cheeks were flaming red and his eyes skirted from side to side as they tended to do when he was nervous. Suddenly she understood where he was going with this conversation.

"Max, look at me," she instructed. He did, reluctantly. "You know I love you, don't you?" she asked. His eyes brightened and he nodded. "Nothing means more to me than that," she assured him. "What we do, or don't do, won't change how I feel about you. There's nothing in the world that could make me stop loving you."

He nodded, but still looked unsure. "I just . . . I know that with Kyle you were, um . . ."

"I can't even fathom the differences between me and Kyle and you and I. We couldn't be more different." She looked at Max and he didn't quite look convinced. "Okay, look Max, I know you know about me and Kyle. Yeah, we went out for a few months and I will admit that we did our fair share of making out in the front seat of his car . . . but you have to know that that is all it was. We didn't *do* anything. I mean, nothing really happened."

"I'm sorry, Liz. This is none of my business," he said.

"No, it's okay. I want you to know. I want to be sure that you are positive that when we get to that place in our relationship, it'll be a first . . . for both of us."

He looked at Liz shyly. It was hard to discuss this with anyone, but he felt like she knew him so well. She'd never belittle him for his lack of sexual prowess. In fact, she knew him as well as he knew himself. If he could trust his most well-kept secrets with any living soul, it had to be Liz Parker.

"Thank you," he said softly as he pulled her into his arms.

"What for?" she asked.

He tilted his head to look down at her and replied, "For being you; for not judging me; for letting me feel like for once in my life I have nothing to hide. It's nice to know that there is one person in this world that I can count on no matter what."

She smiled and laid her head on his chest. The peaceful morning waned into early afternoon as the couple sat silently content under the canopy of trees. For once, everything in their lives felt perfect.

* * * * *

"Hey Lizzie, order up!" Jose, the Crashdown Caf�'s best cook, called to one of his favorite waitresses. She came over and took the plates, offering him a smile.

"Thanks," she said sweetly.

"You sure are in a good mood today," he commented.

"That's because her love God is coming in for dinner tonight," Maria teased as she walked up behind Liz.

"Shut up!" Liz said, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Jose laughed a little, then sighed. He said with mock sadness, "And here I thought she was saving herself for me."

"You're still my favorite cook in the world," she assured him with a grin.

"Okay, alright," he grinned. "Now, go serve that food before it gets cold and you ruin my reputation." She nodded and walked off to deliver the plates to her customers.

When Liz returned to stand behind the counter with Maria, she gave her friend one of those looks. "You, I swear . . . Sometimes I don't know what to do with you, Maria."

Maria laughed. "You act like it's not the truth. You know good and well that you're all happy today because Max is coming in here to eat tonight."

"And how do you know that he's coming?" she asked her friend.

"Because Michael told me."

"Michael . . . figures," Liz replied.

"What does that mean?" Maria asked.

Liz smiled sweetly and replied, "Nothing."

"Liz--" she started, but was cut short as Liz grabbed her arm and looked excitedly towards the door.

"There they are, they're here," Liz hissed.

Maria looked to see Michael and Max enter the restaurant. She waved and they returned the gesture, then sat together in their regular booth. Maria turned to Liz. "So, they're here. It's not as if you don't see Max *every* day. What's the big deal?"

"It's just . . . Oh, I dunno, Maria. Lately something's been happening between us. I think that maybe--"

"Maria, order up!" Jose called from the kitchen.

"Ugh!" Maria groaned. "Look, go help them, but we are having this discussion later, got it? I don't want to miss this."

"Okay, later," Liz grinned, then took out her order pad as she walked over to the table where her boyfriend and his best friend sat waiting. "Hi guys," she greeted them.

Max reached out and took her hand. "Hey," he replied. They stared at one another for a long moment.

Finally, Michael rolled his eyes. "People are eating," he pointed out. Max smirked, but turned back to the menu.

"So," Liz asked, "What can I get for you guys?"

"I'll have a Martian melt plate and a Coke," Michael replied. She nodded and took his menu, then turned to Max.

"Um . . . I guess just a cheeseburger . . . uh, whatever kind."

"Okay," she quickly wrote down the orders. "Anything else?" she asked as she grinned at the two of them. Max looked like he was going to say something, but then changed his mind and shook his head lightly. "No? Okay, well I'll be back in just a second with your drinks then," she said and walked back towards the kitchen.

"Chicken," Michael said once she was out of earshot.

"Shut up," Max grumbled.

"Just ask her whatever you were going to ask," Michael said.

"You act like it's easy," he said.

"It is," Michael replied.

"You don't even know what this is about," Max told him.

"Well, that doesn't really matter. I know that this has something to do with your relationship with Liz and I just think you should quit stalling. Just *ask* her, man! I mean, she's obviously into you. I don't think there's much that could change that."

Max just looked at his best friend but didn't reply. He looked back to the counter where Liz was laughing with Maria as she fixed their drinks. God, she looked so beautiful when she laughed. Sometimes it was hard to describe even to himself what being in love with her was like. It changed everything in the world . . . made everything that much better.

He thought again about what he wanted to discuss with Liz and decided that Michael might be right. He should just come out with it. He'd meet her here after work tonight and they'd go some place and talk. There really was nothing he couldn't talk to her about.

Having finally made his decision, Max's mood was suddenly much better. He talked casually with Michel as the two of them ate, but his eyes kept drifting back to Liz as she moved from one table to the next. Every once in a while she'd steal a glance at him and he'd smile. Yes, tonight they would definitely have some things to discuss.

* * * * *

Liz was inside the restaurant after closing, sweeping the floors. Maria was the only other person left and she was in the back restocking for the next day. A knock on the glass turned Liz's attention to the door. She looked up to see Max standing there and smiled. Setting aside the broom, she walked over to the door and unlocked it.

"Hey," she said with a grin as she opened the door and let him in.

"Hey," he replied softly as he grinned back.

"It's pretty late," she said.

"Yeah . . . I came by to see if you could talk after work," he told her. He seemed a little nervous, but she found that incredibly endearing and had to smile.

"Sure, give me five minutes, okay?"

He nodded. "Okay."

"You want to sit down and wait for me?"

"Nah, I'll wait out here so you can finish up," he told her. She nodded in agreement and watched him walk out and over on the curb out front.

"Who's here?" Maria asked as she came out of the backroom and saw Liz looking outside.

"Max," she replied rather dreamily.

"What's he doing here?" Maria wanted to know.

"He says he wants to talk to me after work," she told her as she turned back to her broom and dustpan.

"What about?"

"I'm not sure."

"But you can't wait to find out," Maria said with a knowing smirk. Liz didn't reply. "Go on," she told her friend.

Liz looked up. "Huh?"

"Go. Go talk to him. I can handle this."

"Are you sure, Maria?" Liz asked hopefully.

"Positive, now go see what tall, dark and extraterrestrial has on his mind," she said with a quirk of her lips.

Liz grinned and said, "Thanks Maria," then headed outside to Max.

* * * * *

He was completely lost in thought when Liz stepped up next to him and sat beside him on the curb. He felt her arm go around him and turned to smile at her. "Hey there, you finished?"

"Maria said she'd finish up," she said.

"Oh, cool . . ."

"So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked.

"Not here . . . can we take a drive maybe?"

"Sure," she replied and they both got up from the curb. He took her hand in his and led her across the street to where he'd parked his car, then opened the door for her to get in.

Once they were driving down the highway, she asked again, "So, what's on your mind?"

"Well . . . I've been thinking Liz," he began.

"About what?"

"About . . . well, about us."

She moved closer and laced her fingers with those of his free hand. "What about us?" she asked.

"Well, you know how we've been talking about . . . um . . . the next step in our, uh, relationship?"

She nodded. "Um hmm."

"Well . . . I think maybe, um, maybe we're ready," he managed to say. He was stuttering in his nervousness and thankful that he was driving because it gave him a reason not to look at her as he said these words. Unfortunately she was about to put a stop to that.

"Max, pull over."

"Liz--"

"Pull over," she repeated. At least she didn't sound mad. That was a good sign. He pulled the Jeep to the shoulder of the lonely desert highway and cut the engine. "Look at me," she instructed. He did. "Yes," she said simply.

He couldn't speak for a moment, so he just stared at the woman in the passenger's seat with his mouth slightly open. Finally, he repeated, "Yes?"

"Yes," she said again.

"Are you sure? I mean, if you don't want to--"

"You're sure, right?" she asked.

"Well, um, yes. Mostly sure . . . I mean, I'm nervous, but sure," he said.

"Okay, then yes. I think we should," she said. Her eyes never quavered, just stared straight into his, into his very soul. She was so sure of herself, of them . . . she amazed him.

"I . . . I'm not . . . I mean . . . what should, um . . . do you think, uh . . ." he stammered as he tried to think of the best way to form his question.

She interrupted, understanding without his even saying the words. "I'm off work Friday night. I can tell my parents I'll be at Maria's. She'll cover for me."

"Oh . . . well, okay. Then, um . . ."

"You decide where. I'll be ready at 8 o'clock, okay?"

He looked back at her and nodded. He was so incredibly nervous that his palms were sweating and he couldn't seem to form a coherent sentence, but she didn't seem to even notice. She just sat there, smiling demurely up at him and looking straight into his eyes. He felt his breath catch when she brought one had up to rest on his cheek, then moved her head in closer to capture his mouth in a long, sweet kiss. As much as he'd imagined this conversation differently, he couldn't say that he wasn't happy with the results. And he couldn't wait for Friday night.

* * * * *

Liz was sitting on the balcony that Sunday morning when the sound of her best friend's voice broke her from her silent reverie. She turned to see Maria approaching and smiled.

"Your mom told me you were out here," she explained as she sat in the chaise lounge beside Liz's. "So, are you going to tell me or do I have to beat it out of you?" she asked bluntly. Liz opened her mouth to speak but Maria held up her hand. "No, I don't want to hear that there is nothing to tell because you and I both know that that's a lie. Come on Liz, I'm your best friend. Just tell me."

"Okay, fine," Liz said with a sigh. She looked over the back of her chair towards the door to make sure that no one else was around, then leaned in closer to Maria. "It's about Max," she said in a hushed voice.

"Well, duh," Maria said with a roll of her eyes.

"Friday night I'm staying over at your place," Liz said in a whisper.

"Uh . . . okay," Maria replied, clearly confused.

"Maria, I won't *really* be staying over, ya know?" Liz said as she stared emphatically at her friend.

"Oh. Ohhhh. Okay. Really?" she asked. "You're really serious?"

"Yes, definitely," Liz told her.

"So you guys are finally gonna . . ." Maria smiled as she shook her head. "Well, it's about time."

"Not a word of this to another living soul," Liz said. "Do *not* tell Michael!"

"Why would I tell him? I don't even talk to him. Well, okay, sometimes . . . but, I'd never tell him *this*. Wait, what makes you think Max won't tell him?" she asked.

"Well, I dunno, he might. But that's up to him, not me and certainly not you. And don't tell Alex either."

"I won't, I promise."

Liz looked away for a moment, then turned back to her friend. "So, am I nuts?" she asked.

"Nuts for waiting so long, yeah," Maria grinned. "I mean, Max is just so . . ."

"Watch it," Liz warned in a playful tone.

"Don't worry, I'm strictly a hands off spectator, but you do have the best looking boyfriend in the school," Maria said.

"Yeah," she agreed, "I do. But hey, Michael's not bad either."

"Michael is *not* my boyfriend for the three thousandth time!" Maria protested.

Liz just gave her a knowing look and nodded. "So, any advice?" she asked.

"From *me*?"

"Well, who else am I going to ask?"

Maria smiled at her and said, "Just follow your heart. It got you this far so I'm sure things will work out just fine."

Liz nodded and looked back out at the bright, late morning skyline. It definitely felt like thing were finally coming together.

* * * * *

"Okay Max, what's going on with you?" Isabel Evans asked as she came quickly into her brother's bedroom, closing the door behind her.

He looked up in surprise at his sister for a moment, then turned his eyes towards the floor. "Nothing. I don't know what you mean," he replied quickly.

"You most certainly do, too," she retorted. "Something is up, Max. Something has you all nervous the past few days and I want to know what it is."

"It's nothing, Izzy, really. Everything is fine. It's just . . . its personal, okay?"

"But you admit that you have been on edge the past few days?"

"Well, yeah, I guess so," he admitted.

She came closer to sit next to her brother on the bed. "Tell me, Max," she said, now less annoyed and more concerned.

"I . . . I really can't tell you this, Isabel," he replied.

"You used to be able to tell me anything," she retorted in a somewhat hurt tone.

"Not this," he said.

"It's about Liz, isn't it?" He didn't reply and she just nodded. "Did you guys have a fight?"

"No, sort of the opposite," he said, then immediately regretted his comment.

"You and Liz didn't . . ." Her eyes widened as she looked at her brother. "Max Evans, did you?" she demanded.

He looked at her and saw the smile she was trying to hide. As much as Isabel was jealous of the closeness he shared with Liz, he also knew that his sister cared about him and wanted him to be happy. And, Liz made him happy. He knew that Izzy approved of her even if just for that reason alone.

"Not yet," he admitted.

"But you're going to," she concurred.

"Well . . ."

"And you're nervous," she said definitively.

"Do we *have* to discuss this?" he asked uncomfortably.

"What's wrong? Look Max, if you can't discuss sex then you certainly don't need to be having it," she said.

"Well, I don't want to discuss it with my *sister*, that's for sure," he said.

"Why not? I have more experience than you do. You might even learn something," she smirked.

"Isabel!"

"What? Oh, for God's sake. Will you loosen up already? Look, this is not something you want to go into with so many worries. There are enough *real* things to worry about where sex is concerned without all the imagined ones that I know you have floating around in that overly analytical head of yours."

"We are not having this discussion," Max mumbled, more to himself as Isabel had obviously quit listening.

"I assume it's her first time, too?"

"I can't believe this is happening to me," he groaned as he covered his face with his hands.

"Well, it's good that she's inexperienced, too. You won't have to worry about living up to someone else. The two of you can figure things out together."

"Please kill me know," he said.

"If you'd listen to me you might feel better about this whole thing," she advised.

He looked at her and asked, "Why did I tell you about this?"

"Do you want my help or don't you?" she asked.

"No! What have I been saying to you? No, I don't want to talk about my sex life, or lack there of, with my sister!"

"Max, it's okay to be a virgin," she said.

"I really want to die," he moaned.

"She knows, right?"

He sighed, seeing that she was not going to let up until he gave in to what she wanted. "Yes," he replied, "she knows."

"So then what are you worried about?" she asked.

"I can't believe I'm going along with this, but since it can't possibly get anymore embarrassing anyway, okay. I guess I'm worried that . . . well, that I won't know what to do," he admitted.

"It'll come naturally," she assured him.

"And how will I know that she's, um . . . well, that she likes it?" he asked.

"That's not hard if you really know her well and you're really in tune with her. I think you are with Liz so you'll just know," Isabel said.

"This is going to change things forever, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah," she agreed. "It is. Sex always changes things. But, if you're really in love and you're really ready, it usually changes them for the better. You guys have been dating for a long time now. And you're both way more responsible than any seventeen-year-old should be so I'm sure you've thought it all through and talked about it until you're both blue in the face. I don't think you're going into this blindly."

He thought about what she'd said and nodded slowly. Much as he hated to admit it, this chat with his sister had helped. "Thanks Izzy. I really do feel a little better."

"That's what I'm here for bro," she grinned. She got up and walked to the door of Max's bedroom, then turned back towards him. "Hey Max, good luck. Not just with this, with everything. I hope things work out for you and Liz."

He smiled at her. "Thanks Iz, I'm glad to hear you say that." And, with that, she left.

* * * * *

Liz was retouching her hair and make-up for the hundredth time when she heard the knock at her bedroom door. "Come in," she called.

"Hey, it's me," Maria said as she entered. "Ready?"

Liz nodded and grabbed her overnight bag, then they left together. Since her parents thought that she was staying over with Maria, Liz had to leave with her friend. They'd told them they'd be at the movies, then the mall, then they'd be home late. Liz had her cell phone just in case anything happened and Maria thought they were going to get busted.

They were driving to the park, where Max was meeting them. From there, she'd leave with him and Maria would go home by herself. The closer they got to the park, the more nervous and excited Liz became.

"Quit bouncing up and down like that," Maria giggled.

"I am not," she protested.

"Practically," her friend replied.

"I can't believe this is happening," Liz said with a nervous grin.

"Me either," Maria admitted. "I thought you and Max were going to die virgins at this rate," she laughed. Liz tried to glare at her but ended up chuckling along with her.

"There he is," she whispered as they pulled into the parking lot beside the town park and saw him leaning against the Jeep, waiting. "God, he looks great."

Maria turned to her and smiled. "Good luck, call me if . . . well, you won't need to call me. But if you do I'll be home."

"Okay, thanks Maria," she replied and leaned over to hug her friend before grabbing her bag and getting out of the car. She waved to Maria and watched as her little, red Jetta pulled back onto the road and sped away.

Looking at Max, Liz said, "So, hi."

"Hi," he smiled. "You look fabulous."

She looked down at the outfit she'd chosen. She wore a short skirt with a light blue tank top and a jacket to block the cool, desert night from her bare arms. "Thanks," she replied. "You look good, too." He was wearing black jeans and a black T-shirt with his well-worn leather jacket over it.

"Ready?" he asked.

She nodded and walked towards the Jeep. He took her bag and threw it in the backseat, then turned towards her as they stood outside the passenger's door together. Max cupped her face in one of his hands and bent to kiss her gently. When they parted, she smiled at him. "Let's go," she whispered, and he opened the door for her to get in.

Before long, they were on the road. He hadn't told her where they were going so she as paying close attention to their surroundings to try and determine their destination. They seemed to be heading out of town.

"Just how far from Roswell is this place?" she asked.

"Just outside the city," he replied.

"There's nothing just outside the city except the desert," she pointed out. He didn't reply, just smiled and kept his eyes on the road. She eyed him curiously, but said nothing more. She decided she'd just sit back and enjoy whatever surprises he had in mind.

When Max finally pulled the Jeep to a stop, Liz wasn't sure exactly where they were. It looked like the middle of the desert, though the pitch black of the desert night made it hard to determine even that for certain. "Well, here we are," Max said.

"Yeah, but where is here?" she asked.

"You'll see," he said, then got out and came around to open her door and grab her bag from the backseat. Since his vision was much clearer at night than a human's would be, he was able to navigate the terrain around them with no problem. He led her across the seemingly endless landscape of rocks and sand and clay until finally he came to a stop near a cluster of large boulders.

"Here?" she asked.

"Not quite," he answered. He let her hand go to move aside one of the boulders to reveal what looked like a crack in the earth. "There," he said.

"You want me to go down there?" she asked.

"It's perfectly safe. Me, Michael and Isabel used to come here a lot. It's the cave where our pods were hidden," he explained.

She nodded. It suddenly occurred to her that he'd brought her to what was probably the most special place on earth to him. This was the place where whomever had saved his life had last made contact with him. It was perhaps his last connection to that life he'd never really had the opportunity to know. He was not only letting her into his heart and his head in this place, but also giving her access to the deepest reaches of his soul. She felt tears well in her eyes at the magnitude of this gesture.

"I'll go down first and then help you down," he said. She nodded and watched as he disappeared into the crevice. He then reached up to her and she took his hands and allowed him to lower her into the subterranean cave with him.

Liz looked about the small room and marveled at the sight she saw before her. Max had obviously spent a lot of time here ahead of time getting things ready. The room was small, but felt cozy. He'd placed several candles about the room and their glow cast faint shadows on the stone walls. In one corner, a pallet of blankets and pillows sat waiting for them and as soon as they'd entered he turned on a CD player to a soft, romantic melody that floated around them. She smiled at him. "Max, this is perfect," she said.

He moved closer to her and took her in his arms. "You're perfect," he told her softly as he lowered his lips to her for a kiss.

They stood there kissing for what seemed like forever, then finally he pulled back slightly. "Liz, I want you to be sure. I mean, if you don't think you're ready, we won't. I won't be mad," he assured her.

"Max, I've never wanted anything as much," she said and the certainty in her voice seemed to ease his worries. He let her hands slid beneath his jacket as she moved closer for another kiss.

Her hands slid over his chest as her mouth moved in time with his own. Their kisses were slow, languid . . . he savored the taste of her on his lips. When they finally began to move towards the blankets he'd laid out, his mind was too occupied with her to have room for his anxiousness.

She got down on the blankets and stood on her knees, pulling him down to face her. He watched as she shrugged off her jacket, then watched her carefully remove his jacket. "Way too many clothes," she said with a grin. He nodded and shrugged his T-shirt over his head quickly, then looked at her tentatively for just a second before pulling off her tank top. Underneath she wore a low cut, black lace bra. His eyes traveled over her body in appreciation. He'd seen Liz in her bra before, but never with the thought in mind that he'd soon be seeing her in even less. He could literally feel the blood rushing through his veins as he looked at her.

Liz pressed herself closer to him and moved her lips to his ear. He groaned softly as she kissed her way down his neck, stopping just before his shoulder. Her hands moved to his jeans and she deftly undid the buttons and pushed them down to his knees. His hands caressed the backs of her thighs, then moved higher to ease up her skirt. When his hands came up to cup her behind, she moved her lips back to his mouth for another long kiss.

They continued to kiss and touch, in areas not as intimate as others, for quite a while. It seemed this seduction was taking an eternity, but neither of them minded that a bit. Moving slow was just what they both wanted. They'd waited seemingly forever for this night and they both wanted to make it last.

When they were finally both lying on the blanket side by side, Max in his boxer shorts and Liz in her bra and panties, he finally said the first words he'd spoken to her in an hour. "I always knew it would be you."

She smiled softly at him as she lay facing him. "You did?"

"Yes. Always. From the first moment I laid eyes on you I knew that I'd never be the same."

"I love you, Max," she said quietly.

His voice was hoarse with emotion as he reached up to brush his fingers over her cheek and replied, "Me too."

"I'm glad it's you. I think it was meant to be this way," she told him.

He nodded. "So do I."

"Are you scared?" she asked.

"Are you?"

"A little, yeah."

"Yeah, me too," he admitted.

"We'll just take it slow," she said.

He nodded. "If you want to stop . . . I mean, just tell me."

"Okay," she replied.

He moved slowly, pulling her close to him as they lost themselves in another kiss. His tongue danced with hers as their bodies pressed impossibly close. She could feel his hardness against her upper thigh and moaned into his mouth. His hands moved to her bra and he fumbled with the clasp for a moment before finally getting it undone. She pulled back from him a little and looked up into his eyes.

He watched her closely as she slowly took each bra strap down her arms, then removed the garment entirely. She looked back to him as she lay bare before him, waiting for his next move. She didn't wait long.

Max moved forward, bringing his hands up to cup her bare breasts as he pressed his lips to hers again. He kneaded her tender flesh with his gently fingers until she was wriggling against him in anticipation. "Max," she said breathlessly as they broke from yet another kiss, "I . . . ohhh . . . that feels good."

He bent his head, then, and moved his hand to capture one of her nipples in his lips as his hand continues its ministrations on the other breast. She moaned as she threw back her head and let the sensations wash over her.

When she felt his hand move to her hip, she looked back down. He was looking up at her and she could see the questions in his eyes. He was still tentative, still wanting her approval with every step they took. It made her feel special, like she must mean the world to him for him to be so concerned about every last detail. She smiled tenderly at this man that would soon be her first lover and gave him the slightest but most significant nod. He nodded back and slowly slipped his fingers into the elastic of her panties. Their eyes remained locked as he slid the fabric away an inch at a time until they were finally atop the growing pile of clothes to their left. He moved back up her body until they were face to face again and their lips met in a searing kiss.

She moved her arms around his waist and lowered her hands to slip beneath his flannel boxer shorts and over his behind. She gripped his flesh as they kissed frantically. She could feel the heat building within her as his hardened flesh pressed eagerly against her leg again. She began to tug away his shorts and Max quickly moved to help her until they were both fully naked to one another at last.

Liz had never actually seen her boyfriend naked. They'd fooled around, but it had all been pretty innocent, over the underwear kind of stuff. This was a new experience for them both.

She looked down, taking in the sight before her. He was truly beautiful. Her hands traveled over his well-muscled chest, playing in the sparse hair sprinkled delicately over his skin. His arms, strong and sure, were wrapped possessively around her, but held her loosely enough that she could see all of him. He was watching her look him over, seeming fascinated with her inspection of his bare form. His eyes never left hers as she glanced lower, over his flat stomach to the only part of him that she had yet to see. The one thing that excited and terrified her all at the same time. Her gaze lingered only a moment before she looked back to him.

"You okay?" he asked softly. He could see a faint trace of fear in her eyes, which he was sure was mirrored in his own. However, he also saw the overwhelming desire that she felt; a desire that he shared with her fully. They both wanted this. There was no question of that.

"Make love to me, Max," she said softly as she looked into the endless pools of his eyes.

He smiled softly. Reaching beside them, he found his jeans and took a condom from the front pocket. He quickly put it on and pulled her close as he rolled them over to place himself atop her. They shared another kiss, exploring one another fully as they sat on the brink of the next phase of their relationship. After this night there would be no going back. But, they were sure that neither of them would ever want to go back. This was where they belonged, where they'd always belonged . . . to each other.

She felt him rise up over her and opened her eyes to look into his. They both struggled to maintain that eye contact as he began to push slowly and carefully inside of her. Tears sprang to her eyes at that first feel of him, more from the emotional overload than anything, but this instantly made Max stop. He pulled back and looked down at her with worried eyes.

"What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Oh God, I'm sorry, Liz. I didn't mean to. I'm sorry," he said frantically as he caressed her cheek with his palm.

"Max, I'm fine, really," she assured him. "I want this. I want you."

"You're sure? You're really sure that you're okay?"

"I'm really sure," she whispered as she brought his hand to her mouth and pressed a kiss to his palm. "Please Max . . ."

He nodded and began to press into her body again. He tried to be as gentle as he could, but she knew it would hurt a bit. She was prepared for that. And, even with the pain, there was nothing in the world she could compare to the feeling of having this wonderful, beautiful man inside of her body. She clenched her teeth against the slight ache and tried to focus on the love that she saw in his eyes and felt in his touch. It was more than she'd ever dreamed of. He was everything she'd ever wanted and more.

When he was finally fully sheathed within her, Max stopped. He lay over her, leaning most of his weight on his arms, and sat still for a long time, just watching her and waiting for her to say it was okay to continue. He didn't want to hurt her. That was the last thing he wanted. He just wanted her to remember this as something special. That was the most important thing of all in his mind.

She finally reached up and touched his cheek, meeting his eyes in a silent sign that it was okay. He could continue. He began to move within her very slowly, biting back his groans at the feel of her body all around him. The pain she'd felt began to slowly melt away as his pace quickened and she began to moan at the sensation traveling over her body.

"Is this . . . okay?" he asked. "Are you . . . alright?"

"Good," she managed to say. "It's good."

"You feel . . . so good . . . Liz," he told her. "So . . . good."

She moaned and arched up against him, quickening his movements that much more. His body moved within hers as they began to establish a rhythm. He could feel that this wasn't going to last very much longer and wanted badly for this first time to be worthwhile for her. With this thought, he moved his hand down between them to the tiny bundle of nerves that hid just above where they were joined and moved his fingers in tight, tiny circles over her flesh. She bucked against him and cried out as her orgasm washed over her. As her contractions pulled him deeper within her body, his control slipped as well and he came with a strangled groan of her name on his lips.

They lay together for several long minutes in the aftermath, their bodies intertwined in a boneless heap. When he'd finally slipped out of her body, he quickly discarded the used condom, then moved to hold her once again. She snuggled in close to him, wrapping her arms around his back and burying her face against his chest.

"God, I love you," she whispered to him.

He kissed her hair and blinked back tears as he replied, "I love you, too."

They didn't need any other words between them. The moment was perfect in its silence. All they needed was each other.

They held each other for the rest of the night, falling asleep in each other's arms and waking to make love again as the sun rose over the desert. Liz felt safe with Max. She felt like nothing could ever hurt her as long as she was in his arms. And he felt the same. He wasn't an outsider when he was with her. When she held him close, he was the most important person in the whole world; the only person that mattered.

She'd fallen back to sleep in his embrace as the sun's rays began to creep in around them. They'd have to leave this perfect place very soon. They'd have to return to the rest of the world, to the place where they weren't the only two people that existed, where there were other things that mattered besides the two of them. But not here, not now. Nothing mattered to Max Evans at that moment except the angel who slept peacefully in his arms. No sight had ever been more stunning than that of her sleeping face resting against his bare chest as the sun rose outside. The world would go on, but he wanted to ignore it just for a little longer. He wanted to stay here just for a bit more . . . in this place where they could be the only ones.

* * * * *

THE END

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