By Starlight * Something Real by Kay 1-20/? *

Title: Something Real
Author: Kay (aka verybehry)
Rating: Starts out PG13, but will progress to NC17 after part four.
Category:Mi/L
Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own Roswell or I would be sitting in Covina ogling the talent instead of wasting my time surfing the net. All praise falls solely at the feet of Jason Katims and Melinda Metz. I own nothing. (Though I would love to get my hot little hands on Jason Behr and Brendan Fehr!!!!!)
Author�s Notes: There are no spoilers in here. I started writing this at the beginning of season 2, but I never got around to finishing it. The recent increase in Polar fics convinced me to dust it off and give it another try. I hope you like it. This is my first attempt at fanfic so I would be eternally grateful for any feedback - good or bad. Just try to keep the flames to a minimum please, I�m a fragile girl! (J/K)

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PART 1

Liz was getting fed up. There were too many tourists in town and the cafe had been packed since she started her shift after school. She had been messing up orders all night and the customers were being typically rude. She couldn't concentrate. Maria had been looking at her strangely all night and even Michael was throwing concerned glances her way from behind the grill. She knew they were wondering what was going on with her. She hadn't been herself for weeks. She just wanted to get out of there for a few minutes. She needed to take a break and try to pull herself together.

"Maria, I�m taking my break.� She said as she pushed through the door to the backroom, sending it slamming against the wall. She kept walking straight out the door to the alley behind the restaurant and leaned against the wall with a sigh of relief.

'God, I have to stop this!� She didn't know what to do. All she could think about anymore was Michael and she didn't know how to stop. Working with him everyday was torture. She was constantly tense and irritable. Maria had been trying to get her to talk for weeks, but she couldn't talk to her about this. Maria thought she was upset about Max; she couldn't tell her that she was falling hard for Michael. Even though they had been broken up for months, she knew that Maria still had some feelings for Michael. They had managed to become friends after awhile, but Liz knew that she still cared about him. Unfortunately, she didn't know how much. Since she had started having these feelings for him, Liz had tried to avoid the subject of Michael at all costs when she talked to Maria. She was afraid to find out if Maria was really over him like she claimed. What if she wasn't? Then what? Maria is my best friend. I can't give that up, but God, I want him so much!

Hot tears streaked slowly down her cheeks and she slid down the wall until she was sitting on the hard pavement. This was so hard. How come she always wanted things she could never really have? First Max and now Michael. Obviously, she had an obsession with alien hybrids. Liz laughed quietly. Life would be so much simpler if she could just fall in love with someone from her own planet. She leaned her head back against the brick wall and closed her eyes.

She sat there for a long time lost in thought and didn't even hear the door open when Michael came out to put the trash in the dumpster. As he turned back toward the door, he saw Liz sitting on the ground with her head leaning against the wall and her eyes closed. She was so still he almost thought she was sleeping, but when he walked closer he saw the tear tracks on her face and wondered for the millionth time what was going on with her, lately.

He crouched down in front of her and slowly reached out and touched her wet cheek. "Liz?" he whispered softly.

Her head snapped up and her eyes flew open. "Michael!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.� He dropped his hand from her cheek self-consciously.

"No, it...it's okay.� She said softly, her heart was beating wildly from the touch of his hand on her face and the proximity of their bodies. He was so close she could touch him without hardly moving at all and she wanted to so badly, but she knew she couldn't. She lifted a shaky hand to her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Wow, this was embarrassing. She must look awful. It figures that Michael would be the one to see her like this. There was definitely no justice in the world.

"Are you okay?� Nice going, moron. Obviously, she's not okay. "I mean do you want me to go get Maria or something?"

"No!....I mean, no I�m fine. You don't need to get Maria.� The last thing she wanted to do right now was try to explain to Maria why she was sitting in the alley crying like an idiot. Not to mention the fact that this was probably about as close as she'd ever been to Michael physically and she did not want him to leave, yet.

"Okay, I won't get Maria, but Liz obviously something is going on with you and you should talk to someone.� Michael was confused about her reluctance to talk to her best friend. She always told Maria everything. What the hell was going on?

"I will...just not right now, okay.� Liz said quietly and laid her head on her raised knees to avoid Michael's questioning stare. She had to get this under control, they were starting to get suspicious. God, all she wanted right now was for Michael to touch her again. She wished she had the nerve to touch him, she wanted to know what his skin felt like. What it tasted like. Whoa, down girl! She had to quit thinking like this before she completely humiliated herself. She groaned softly.

Michael didn't know what to do, she looked so sad. He had the sudden urge to comfort her, but he wasn't sure how she would react. He wasn't exactly known for his sensitivity and they had never really been that close. He knew that was his fault. Liz had tried to talk to him many times, but he always ignored her or pushed her away with some rude remark. He was afraid to let her get too close. He had been somehow drawn to her since Max first pointed her out in the third grade. But she had always seemed to have this label that said 'property of Max Evans' in bold letters and Max was his best friend; the closest thing he had to family. So, he had avoided her at every opportunity. Besides, he was certain that the perfect Liz Parker would never be interested in someone like him. They were complete opposites. She belonged with someone like Max.

He just sat there silently for a few minutes until he heard her groan and then he reached out instinctively and grabbed her arms, pulling her towards him. "Come here.� He was surprised when she practically leapt into his arms. He had expected resistance, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him tightly. Michael carefully slid his arms around her waist and hugged her to him. It was very awkward in their current position so he stood up and gently pulled her to her feet, keeping his arms wrapped around her. She pressed herself closer to him and he had to bite back a moan at the intense feeling that flooded through him. She felt so good and she fit perfectly in his arms, with her head resting on his shoulder. He leaned down and brushed his cheek against her hair. It was incredibly soft and silky and smelled like warm vanilla. He squeezed her tighter and took a deep breath to try to slow his racing heart. He had never wanted to kiss someone so badly in his life.

Liz was in heaven. She had never been this close to Michael before and he felt so amazing. She wanted to run her hands over his smooth skin and feel the hard muscles underneath. Of course she knew that was out of the question, but maybe she could get away with a little bit of subtle touching. This was too good an opportunity to pass up completely even if she couldn't do what she really wanted to. She slowly turned her head and pressed her face against his neck. Her lips lightly brushed his skin as she moved, hopefully he didn't notice, but if he did, he would probably think it was an accident. Her lips were tingling from the light contact and she had to resist the urge to press her open mouth to his neck and find out what his skin tasted like. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. He smelled incredible, like soap and sweat and something indescribable that was just Michael. She wanted to stay here and breathe him in forever.

Michael squeezed his eyes shut tightly and tried desperately to reign in his raging hormones. 'Think about something else - think about Max or Maria or anything, but how good she feels' he told himself. His body seemed to have cut off all communication with his brain. Shit! Michael's entire body tensed as Liz's mouth brushed lightly across the sensitive skin of his neck. It felt like a bolt of electricity shot through him and he could feel every cell in his body heat up. This was wrong, he knew he should do something. Step back, go get Maria, anything but stand there. He knew that, but he couldn't seem to make himself let go of her. He had never been this close to her and he had always wondered what it would feel like to hold her. It was different than he had imagined. He had thought that she would feel good in his arms, but he had never expected it to be like this. It was like every nerve in his body had jumped to attention the moment he touched her. In the back of his mind he had always known that he felt admiration and attraction and maybe even love for the tiny brunette, but now he was completely blindsided by an intense wave of desire and longing. He had never actually thought of Liz in a sexual context, somehow she had always seemed so innocent and sweet that perhaps he had felt it would be disrespectful in some way. Or maybe he was just afraid. He had always tried to keep up his defenses around her. He had learned very early in life not to expect anything good to happen to him. Growing up with an abusive alcoholic as your only family; if it could even be considered that; had taught him not to get his hopes up about things. Nothing he had ever wanted had been given to him. It was easier just to pretend that he didn't want anything at all and save himself the inevitable disappointment.

He snapped out of his silent reverie as he felt her warm hand softly stroking the bare skin of his lower back underneath his t-shirt. Whoa! Underneath his t-shirt? What the hell was she doing?

"Um, Liz?� She lifted her head and looked at him with glazed eyes. He just stared down at her with a confused and slightly wary expression on his face. He had no idea what was going on and he was starting to get nervous. He had the strange feeling that he had somehow landed in an alternate universe. There was no way in hell that this what it seemed like. Liz Parker could not possibly be coming on to him, it was crazy to even think it. So then, why was her hand under his shirt?

'Oh my God! What am I doing?� He's going to think I�ve lost it. I can't believe I just put my hand up the back of his shirt. This is so not good. She slowly slid her hand off his back and let it drop to her side. 'How the heck am I going to explain this' she thought frantically. If it was anyone else, such a small gesture could probably be blown off fairly easily, but this was Michael; he wasn't exactly the type of guy that you could be randomly physical with. He was not going to buy some lame excuse. Damn.

"Um.....I..I�m sorry I do-don't know what I was thinking...� She looked around nervously avoiding the tall alien's intense stare. Oh God, how do I get myself into these situations? What the hell was I thinking?! She stood there afraid to move, waiting for his reaction. Would he be angry? Would he just pretend that it didn't happen and go back to ignoring her like he usually did? She was scared out of her mind that he was going to demand some kind of an explanation. What could she tell him? There was definitely no way in hell that she was going to confess to having feelings for him. Nuh uh, not gonna happen.

Michael wasn't sure what to say. Should he ask her what she had thought she was doing or should he just drop it? She was obviously very uncomfortable, but she hadn't moved away and that was confusing him even more. Maybe she had thought he was Max for a second or maybe it had just been an unconscious reaction. She was clearly very upset about something and he had been trying to comfort her; maybe she had just gotten confused about who was holding her? If that was the case though, why was she still holding onto him? Wouldn't she have stepped away when she remembered who he was? He didn't know what to think and the more he tried to figure it out, the more confused he became. He just needed to get away from her right now and after he managed to calm his body down, he could try to think about this rationally. With that thought in mind, he abruptly stepped back away from her.

"I better get back in there before people start rioting for their food.� He turned quickly towards the back entrance of the cafe just wanting to put some distance between them before he lost his mind and gave into the temptation to grab her and kiss her until neither one of them could breathe. Fuck! Why is my life always so damn complicated?

He pulled the door open and started to step through, before turning briefly to look at the girl standing behind him. She had wrapped her arms around herself as though she was cold and she was shaking slightly. He had to repress the urge to go back and slide his arms around her again. He took a deep breath. "Are you going to be okay out here?� he asked quietly. He didn't know why, but he suddenly didn't want to leave her out here alone.

"Yeah...I�m fine. Go ahead.� she said softly. She watched him turn back towards the door and wished more than anything that she was back in his arms. "Michael?"

He stopped and turned to face her again. "Yeah?"

"Thank you.� She whispered so softly he barely heard her.

Michael looked at her for a long moment and then nodded his head slightly and walked into the restaurant, closing the door quietly behind him.

PART 2

Michael was off for the next two days dealing with some type of 'otherworldly' business. Liz didn't know what it was about and she didn't ask anyone. Ever since she returned from her summer in Florida she had tried to distance herself from the aliens, or more accurately, from Max. Over the months since her return, they had slowly given up on trying to include her and she was now just a fringe member of the 'I know an alien club'. They came to her occasionally if it was something they needed her help with or to alert her to any new dangers that happened to pop up, but she no longer attended their so called meetings.

She missed seeing him at work. It was the only place she was able to be around him these days since she didn't hang out with the aliens anymore and they didn't have any classes together at school. She hoped what ever was going on wasn't serious. Maria had let it slip that he was out of town, but she hadn't seemed overly concerned so Liz figured he was probably just looking for more clues. She was nervous about facing him after the other night. Hopefully he would just let it slide and pretend nothing had happened, but you could never tell with Michael. She couldn't read him like she could Max. He was so closed off most of the time. She was pretty sure that if he did suspect that she had feelings for him, he would probably avoid talking to her about it at all costs. Michael was definitely not the sensitive 'tell me how you feel' type like Max. She knew from Maria that getting him to discuss anything of that nature was next to impossible.

Ugh. She hated this. She was not used to hiding her feelings. She was normally very up front about how she felt, but this time the situation was just too complicated and fear of the possible repercussions kept her silent. God, all of this would be so much easier if she knew how Michael felt about her. She might be willing to risk the wrath of her friends if she really thought she had a chance with him. Actually, she might be willing to risk it either way if things didn't change soon, just to end the uncertainty. If she didn't find out one way or the other, she could very possibly find herself a resident in a padded room. Well, maybe it wasn't quite THAT bad...yet.

Liz looked up from her spot behind the counter when she heard the ding of the bell as the door opened. She bit back an irritated groan as Max and Isabel walked in and sat down in their favorite booth. She was so not in the mood to deal with Max, right now. Even though she had tried to remain friends with him in the wake of their tumultuous relationship, it was a shaky friendship at best. Max somehow always managed to make her feel like he was just indulging her. Biding his time. As though her breaking up with him had just been a minor rebellion against fate and she would eventually come to her senses. She fervently hoped that it was just her overactive imagination playing tricks on her and that Max wasn't actually waiting for her to go running back to him. If he was, he would be waiting for a very long time. She sighed heavily, wishing that she hadn't sent Maria home when it had gotten slow after the dinner rush. Now she was going to have to wait on them herself. Oh, joy.

"Hey, guys. What can I get for you?" she asked with forced cheerfulness.

Max was staring at her intently and didn't seem to hear her question.

Isabel cleared her throat to get his attention and he immediately lowered his gaze to the table top as his faced turned red with embarrassment. "Um...I�ll have a Will Smith burger, an order of Saturn rings and a cherry coke, please." he mumbled quietly, still staring at the table top as if it was the most fascinating thing on earth.

Concern flashed across Isabel's face as she looked at her brother's sullen expression. She finally glanced up at Liz and smiled faintly in apology for Max's distracted behavior. "I'll just have some fries and a Blood of Alien smoothie.� She grimaced slightly as she said the name.

Now it was Liz's turn to smile in apology. "I've been trying to get dad to change that.� She gave a sympathetic and embarrassed shrug. "I'll be right back with your drinks." she stated quietly as she turned toward the kitchen.

She walked through the door to the back and stopped barely far enough into the room to avoid being hit by the swinging door behind her. Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, she covered her face with her hands. She could feel a monster of a headache coming on and was narrowly avoiding screaming loud in frustration. Liz didn't want to deal with any of this right now, she was too stressed about Michael. Her nerves were stretched to the breaking point and she just wanted him to hurry up and get back so she could stop worrying about it. The suspense was driving her crazy. She took a deep breath and sighed anxiously. There wasn't time to think about this right now, she needed to get back to work. 'God, I hate my life' she thought tiredly.

"I seem to have a knack for catching you at a bad time, lately.� A deep, husky voice said evenly.

Liz's head snapped up and she found herself staring straight into Michael's beautiful brown eyes. They were dark and mysterious and for a long moment, she just stared into them mesmerized. He was back. He had never looked better to her than at that very moment. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him.

"Michael." she sighed breathlessly.

Liz automatically moved towards him and then stopped as her anxiety over confronting him rushed to the fore again. Oh God, what do I say? He didn't seem angry, in fact he was smiling slightly. She stood still, unsure what her next move should be. Was he smiling because he was happy to see her? Maybe he was just glad to be back. She shouldn't read anything into it, right?

"Your home...I-I mean..back..." she stuttered and felt her face flush red with embarrassment. Damnit, when did I become such a fumbling idiot?!

"Yeah. I didn't find what I was looking for so I decided I better get back to work before you find a new cook."

"Oh. You know we wouldn't do that, Michael. You're not an easy man to replace." Where the hell did that come from? Great, I think I just discovered a brand new shade of red.

Michael just looked at her with raised eyebrows and his patented smirk. "That's good to know." he laughed.

She stepped toward him again. "Um look, Michael...I uh..I just wanted to tell you that I�m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, you know...the other night..." she trailed off uncertainly.

"You didn't."

"Really?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes, really." he repeated with a slightly mocking tone and a teasing grin.

"Um...okay. So...are you here to work, because you're not scheduled until tomorrow." This was too weird. Michael was actually being friendly - Michael is never friendly. At least, not to her.

"I know, I just stopped by to pick up something for dinner. I haven't had time to go shopping this week and there's a serious lack of food at my place. I thought I�d just grab something to go before I head home." He smiled and started to walk past her towards the dining room.

"Wait!" She grabbed his arm as he passed her and spun around to face him. She just couldn't leave it at that. She was suddenly so tired of hiding how she felt. She just wanted to talk to him about it and get it out in the open. Keeping it a secret was tearing her up inside and she finally realized that she needed to fix her life. Right now, before things got any worse. That meant resolving her issues with Michael, no matter what the outcome. It was time to make some decisions. If Michael didn't want her, she needed to know that so she could try to move on.

Liz snapped out of her little mental pep talk to find Michael staring down at her with a confused and slightly impatient look on his face. "What?"

"Um, I uh...look, Michael I.." Dammit! If I keep acting like a moron, he's never going to be interested in me. She took a deep breath and tried to summon a confident smile.� Michael, I have something I really need to talk to you about. It's important." she said seriously.

"Well, can it wait? I'm starving and I really just want to get my food and go home."

"Please, Michael? I really need to do this now, before I change my mind."

What could she possibly need to talk to me about that is so important, Michael wondered. He was getting a little nervous. What if she'd noticed the way he kept staring at her, lately? What if she wanted to confront him about it?

"My shift ends in about 15 minutes, will you wait for me? Please?" she pleaded nervously.

"Fine. It'll probably take Jose that long to cook my food anyway."

"Thank you, Michael." she sighed in relief and released the breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. She turned back toward the dining room quickly so he wouldn't see the ridiculous grin she was suddenly sporting.

Liz grabbed Max and Isabel's drinks just as Jose rang the bell signaling that their order was ready. She took them their food and apologized for the delay, quickly moving on to her next customer before they could respond. She didn't have time to worry about them, she had less than 15 minutes to figure out exactly what she was going to say to Michael.

The minutes had been ticking by like hours all day and now they seemed to fly by like seconds. Before she could even get her jumbled thoughts, in order, Agnes was taking over her shift and she was standing in front of her locker putting away her apron and antennae. Michael had been talking to Max and Isabel when she left the dining room, so she decided to run upstairs and change before their 'talk'. Liz quickly exchanged her uniform for a pair of black lowrider jeans and a red baby-T. She wanted to look good, but not obvious. She brushed her hair out and sprayed on a little of her favorite perfume. Last, she smoothed on a light coat of cherry lip gloss and popped a fresh piece of her favorite cinnamon gum in her mouth (just in case) and bolted out the door.

Michael was coming in through the dining room door before she got to the bottom of the stairs. He looked up at her and his eyes widened for a second before he looked away. "Hey, I�m just gonna grab my food and then we can talk, okay?" He started toward the kitchen without looking at her again.

Liz followed him into the kitchen and asked Jose if her order was ready as well. Michael looked surprised, but didn't comment. She had placed her own dinner order after he had agreed to wait for her. See, Liz had a plan. Oh yes. She was going to subtly suggest that they take their food to Michael's place, so they could talk 'privately'.

They grabbed their take-out boxes and she followed Michael into the backroom that served as the employee lounge. He was about to sit down on the couch when she touched his back tentatively to get his attention. He turned to face her with one eyebrow raised in question.

"Actually Michael, the stuff I want to talk to you about is kind of personal. I don't want to risk anyone overhearing us. I-I was hoping we could go to your apartment. I mean...if you don't mind, that is." She bit her lower lip and shifted her weight from foot to foot nervously as she waited for his answer.

She wanted to do what? Michael knew something was up now. Liz never came to his apartment anymore, she hadn't stepped foot in there since the whole 'destiny' fiasco. Even then, it was never just them alone - it was the group. He actually couldn't remember ever being alone with Liz, anywhere. The idea appealed to him in spite of the faint voice in the back of his mind that was telling him that she belonged to Max and he should stay away from her.

"Yeah, that's cool with me. Do you want to ride over with me on the bike or are you gonna drive?"

"Um, I�ve never ridden on a motorcycle before. I've always wanted to try it. Do you mind?" she asked shyly, glancing up at him from under her eyelashes.

She'd ended things with Max 6 months ago, she hadn't gone out with anybody else since then, either. She was available. Michael knew that rationally, yet still he felt she was somehow forbidden to him. He shook off his musing and decided to just wait and hear her out before he started jumping to conclusions. It was highly doubtful that she was even interested in him that way. She probably just wanted to talk about Max or something.

"Nah, it's cool." He said as he walked out the door to the back alley where he had parked his bike. He grabbed his helmet off the back and handed it to her. "Put this on." He got on and turned to look at her. "Can you hang on to this, too?" he asked, holding out the take-out container.

"Sure." She took the box from him and set it on top of hers, then carefully climbed on behind him and settled the boxes in her lap.

"Hang on to me." he yelled over the roar of the engine as he started the bike and pulled out onto the street.

'Don't have to tell me twice' Liz thought smugly as she moved closer so the containers of food were wedged solidly between them and slipped her arms around his waist. She squeezed him tightly and laid her head against his back. What felt like mere seconds later, but must actually have been several minutes, the bike slowed to a smooth stop in front of Michael's apartment.

Liz reluctantly let go of him and climbed off the bike. Michael turned the engine off and slid off to stand beside her in one fluid movement. He reached out and took the boxes from her shaky hands. She pulled the helmet off her head, shaking her hair out of her face as he led the way to his front door; not bothering with the key, simply holding his hand over the knob until he heard the lock click. He held the door open for her to precede him into the apartment, following her in and kicking the door shut behind him. He headed straight for the kitchen setting the containers of food on the counter and reaching into the fridge for a bottle of tabasco.

"You want something to drink?" he asked, holding up a can of cherry coke.

"Yeah, that would be great."

Michael grabbed another can for himself and set them down next to the food.

"Thanks." Liz smiled as she sat down on one of the stools in front of the counter. Her breath caught in her throat as Michael walked around the counter and sat next to her on the other stool. She let it out in a nervous sigh as she opened her soda and took a drink to ease the sudden dryness in her throat. His close proximity was causing the butterflies in her stomach to somersault wildly.

"So, can we eat first? I'm starving."

"Of course." she replied quickly. Now that the moment of truth was at hand, any excuse to delay was welcome. She still didn't know what she was going to say to him. How much was she willing to risk? Should she tell him the whole truth or just give him the edited version in hopes of avoiding utter humiliation if he wasn't interested?

They sat there in surprisingly comfortable silence. She liked that Michael wasn't one of those people who felt the need to fill every void with meaningless chatter. She was still terrified of course, but it was kinda nice. Liz had never really had an opportunity to spend time alone with him like this before.

She thought about what she was going to say while Michael ate. She was too nervous to eat anyway. When he was finished, he got up and took his soda into the living room. He sat down in the chair and waved a hand towards the couch. "Have a seat."

Liz sat on the edge of the couch and turned slightly so she was facing him. Her hands were starting to shake again, so she carefully set her soda down on the coffee table and folded them in her lap. He looked at her curiously, but thankfully didn't say anything.

Michael was studying her intently, trying to figure out what on earth could be making her so nervous. She was visibly shaking and looked like she was about 10 seconds away from jumping up and running out the door. He had never seen her so rattled before. It was difficult to reconcile this Liz with the calm, serious version he was used to. He put his coke down on the table and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Liz, what is going on? Is it an alien problem? Are you afraid of something?"

"No! No, it's nothing like that. I told you...it's personal. I'm not scared exactly, just a little nervous." He snorted in disbelief. "Okay, alot nervous." She admitted in exasperation.

"Why are you nervous? More importantly, why do you want to talk to me about it? Wouldn't you rather talk to Maria or even Alex if you need a guys point of view? We've never really been the kinda friends that share personal information."

"I know Michael, but you�re the only one who can help me with this. See, it's sort of a...re-relationship problem. Um..I'm sure you probably haven't noticed, but I haven't dated anyone since I broke up with Max last spring and I wanted to...to ask you..um...." She lost her nerve at the look he gave her. He seemed almost angry. She felt tears welling up and tried desperately to blink them back. Oh god, please don't let me cry in front of him. Not now.

"This is about Max, isn't it? You want him back now don't you. I'm sorry Liz, but if you came here to ask me to help you the answer is no. There is no way I�m getting involved in that. Besides, me and the 'fearless leader' aren't really seeing eye to eye on a whole lot these days. You'd be better off asking Isabel." He stood up, intending to usher her out the door. He was irrationally angry at the idea that she would come to him for help with Max, even though he had suspected that was what she wanted to talk to him about. He was also attempting to ignore the little voice in the back of his mind that kept whispering that he was jealous.

"Michael wait, you don't understand. This doesn't have anything to do with Max." she said hoarsely. She tried to swallow past the lump that had suddenly taken up residence in her throat as she stared up at 6'2" of pissed off alien. This was not going well at all. She clenched her hands together tightly and scrambled for the right words to convey what she wanted.

"Michael, please just give me a chance to explain. Please?" She was practically begging now.

"Fine." he said evenly, folding his arms across his chest and looking down at her. His anger drained away at her expression. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Could you sit down, please? Having you towering over me is making me even more nervous."

He sat back down in the chair and they stared at each other silently for a few moments. He was startled when she got up and walked towards him, looking down at him uncertainly. His body stiffened in shock as she dropped down to her knees in front of him and placed a tentative hand on his denim covered leg. She raised wide eyes, sparkling with unshed tears to stare into his.

"Michael, the reason I haven't dated anyone since Max is that the only guy I�m really interested in is you." She paused and looked away briefly, then turned back to him with a determined light in her eyes. "What I was trying to say before was that I would really like to know if you would consider trying a relationship...with me." She sat perfectly still, hardly daring to breath as she waited for his reaction. She was almost afraid he would laugh at her. Humiliation and rejection all rolled into one. If he did, she was going to head straight to the nearest bridge and jump off, she thought sarcastically. Whoa. Okay, that was definitely not the explanation he was expecting. Michael's head was spinning with the rapidly shifting emotions that were running through him. The anger and jealousy he had been feeling moments before had given way to shock, confusion, disbelief and was now slowly settling into a surprisingly warm feeling in his chest that he was reasonably sure was happiness. Though having never really felt anything like it before he was not positive. All he was sure of at the moment was that it felt really good. Liz Parker wanted him. She could pretty much have her pick of all the guys at school, but she wanted him.

"You don't have to answer right now; if you need time to think about it I understand." His continued silence was driving her crazy. What if he was trying to think of a way to let her down easy? She removed her hand from his knee self-consciously and started to stand up to move towards the door.

Her movement jolted Michael out of his thoughts and he focused his gaze on her. His hand reached out instinctively to grab her wrist. "Where are you going?" he asked quietly.

"I don't know." She shrugged helplessly, close to tears again. "Do you still want me to leave?"

"No." he said softly. He slid his hand down her wrist and laced his fingers through hers, squeezing gently.

"Does this mean...." Liz stared down at their entwined fingers, hoping that this was Michael's way of telling her that he wanted to be with her.

"Yes." He stared down at their fingers also and gently rubbed his thumb in small circles on the back of her hand.

Liz's breath hitched in her throat and then emerged in a quiet sob as the tears she had been holding back all night streamed down her cheeks.

Michael was momentarily stunned by the sight of her crying and the unfamiliar feeling of tenderness it evoked in him.

"Liz, come here." Michael tugged gently with their entwined hands, urging her closer. Reaching up with his other hand, he slowly pulled her down until she was sitting in his lap. He carefully wrapped his arms around her and held her close, a little cautious of the new intimacy between them.

"Shh. Please don't cry." he murmured, softly stroking her silky hair.

Liz slid her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest, holding onto him tightly. They stayed that way for a while, him stroking her hair and murmuring soothingly, her releasing months of pent up emotion in a steady stream of salty tears. Eventually the tears stopped flowing and she lay quietly against him, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. It felt so good being in his arms, so safe. She wanted to stay like this forever. Well, maybe not exactly like this - there were a few other things she'd like to do, too. She laughed softly.

Michael slipped a hand under her chin and lifted her head up so he could see her face. He gently stroked his fingers across her cheeks, wiping away the remaining moisture. "Feel better?"

She nodded, smiling tremulously at the concerned look on his gorgeous face. "I must look awful." she laughed, bringing her hand up to rub at her puffy eyes.

He swiped a hand in front of her face briefly and Liz felt a warm tingle. "Good as new." he said with a slight smile.

"Thank you." Liz said seriously. She knew that Michael didn't like to use his powers for frivolous things, but he'd done it anyway to make her feel better. She was pleasantly surprised at his thoughtfulness.

Liz cupped his face in her hands and leaned in to brush his lips with a sweet kiss. She was startled by the jolt of electric energy that swept through her at the first touch of her lips on his. Liz had never felt anything like it, not even with Max. She leaned back to look at Michael, wondering if he felt it to. He didn't give her a chance to ask, just raised his hand up to cup the back of her neck and pulled her mouth back to his. This time he controlled the kiss, nuzzling her lips softly before sliding his velvety tongue across her bottom lip in a silent request. She immediately opened her mouth to allow him entry. He tasted incredible. Sweet and spicy, like cherry coke and tabasco. It was intoxicating, she wanted to drown in him.

Michael moaned in pleasure at his first taste of her warm mouth. It was a perfect combination of sugar and spice. The mix of sweet cherry lip gloss and cinnamon gum seemed to have been tailor made just for him. He was instantly addicted, he couldn't get enough of her.

Eventually they came up for air, both breathing heavily. Liz felt like she was dreaming. She had fantasized about being with Michael like this hundreds of times during the past few months, but none of her fantasies came close to the reality. It was intense and passionate and amazing in ways she hadn't even imagined.

"Wow! That was...." He shook his head, unable to come up with a word that would do justice to what he felt.

"Yeah." Liz whispered huskily.

"Liz...I can't believe I�m saying this, but I think maybe I should take you home now." he whispered reluctantly.

"What?! I thought you said....I don't understand. Why do you want me to leave?"

"I don't want you to leave. In fact, I want you to stay so bad it hurts." he laughed softly. "Literally."

"Then why?"

"Because this is all really new right now and I just think it would be better if we take some time to calm down and process everything before we let ourselves get carried away. I've never felt anything this intense before, Liz. I'm not sure if I could control myself right now. I just don't want to take the chance, okay? Will you please just trust me?"

"Your not changing your mind are you?" she asked anxiously.

"No! I want to be with you Liz, I do. I just want to take it slow and make sure we do everything right. I don't want to ruin it by rushing into things we're not ready for. You understand that, don't you?"

"Of course, your totally right. I've just been waiting so long for you to look at me like this and I�m afraid that when I leave it's all going to disappear. I don't want to lose this, Michael."

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise. Tomorrow's Saturday - we're both working the 8 to 4 shift, right?" She nodded. "So we'll be together all day and we can talk as much as we want. Then if you want to we can come back here after work and spend some time together, okay?" He brushed some wayward strands of hair off her face and kissed her forehead gently.

"That sounds perfect. Thank you." She gave him a brilliant smile. They stood up and he hugged her tightly, dropping a gentle kiss on her lips before leading her out of the apartment.

Five minutes later, they pulled into the alley behind the Crashdown and Michael got off the bike and held his hand out to Liz. She took it and slid gracefully off the motorcycle to stand in front of him. He stared down into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes for a moment and lifted a hand to caress her soft cheek. "Get some sleep, I�ll see you in the morning okay?"

"Okay." She raised up on her toes and pressed her lips to his briefly. "Goodnight Michael." She turned swiftly and walked to the back door of the restaurant.

"Goodnight Liz." He watched until she was safely inside and then got back on his bike and headed home.

PART 3

The next morning Liz was awake a long before her alarm clock went off at 7:00, lying in bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about Michael. She couldn't wait to see him. She took special care getting ready for work, taking an extra long shower, making sure to shave her legs and then slathering on her favorite vanilla body lotion. Next she dried her hair and curled it until it fell in soft waves and ringlets around her shoulders. She applied some light makeup in natural, earth tones and topped it off with her 'luscious cherry' lipgloss which Michael seemed to love last night. She pulled on her uniform, laced up her tennis shoes and adjusted her antennae headband. Finally ready, she grabbed the pack of 'cinnamon burst' gum off her dresser, popped a piece in her mouth and put the rest in her apron pocket along with her lipgloss. She had a feeling her lips were going to need a lot of touch-ups today. One last quick glance in the mirror told her she was definitely looking her best this morning. Still fifteen minutes to spare. She decided to head downstairs early, maybe Michael would be early too and they could grab a couple of minutes alone before their shifts started.

She heard Michael's motorcycle pull into the alley as she started down the stairs. He came in through the back door just as she reached the bottom. They both stopped and just stared at each other for a second. It was strange, this new feeling between them, but still somehow so right.

Michael was speechless. She looked amazing this morning, she was practically glowing. The excited grin that lit up her face when she saw him made warmth spread throughout his body. He couldn't remember anyone ever being so happy to see him. It made him feel wanted in a way he'd never experienced before.

God, he looks sooo good. Michael always looked gorgeous as far as she was concerned, but this morning he was just HOT. He was wearing a pair of faded Levi's, black leather boots and a black t-shirt that fit him like a second skin. Not really a remarkable outfit on any normal guy, but on Michael it just screamed sex appeal. She was half surprised that she wasn't actually drooling. She decided that their new couple status called for a little flirting (she had fantasized hundreds of times about flirting with Michael while they worked, but she'd never had the guts to actually try it).

She stepped closer until their bodies were just barely touching and ran a single fingertip slowly up his bare arm. "Good morning." she purred, giving him a slow suggestive smile that was clearly meant to be an invitation. Her voice was low and husky, just like he remembered it from their heated make-out session the night before.

"Well, well, someone's in a good mood this morning." he said with a smug grin.

He pulled her fully against him and dipped his head down to meet her lips in a searing kiss. She opened her mouth and let her tongue slide out to caress his. Oh god. There was that taste again. The one he couldn't get enough of . The one he dreamt about that kept him tossing and turning all night with the need to have it again. The one he was starting to think he would never be able to live without now.

"Mmm. You taste so good." he moaned against her mouth. She pressed her body closer to his, wishing she could crawl inside his skin with him and never leave. She had never felt this kind of desire before. Had never been overwhelmed with the need to be skin to skin with someone with no barriers between them. To be as close as you can be to another person.

They jumped apart as they heard the bell ringing over the cafe door in the dining room. The restaurant was opening and they had to get to work. They also needed to avoid getting caught making out before they had a chance to talk about things. Despite the aforementioned making out, Liz wasn't sure exactly where she stood with Michael. He said he wanted to be with her, but she didn't really know what that meant to him. Did he mean he wanted to make out with her on the sly without letting anyone find out? Or did he want what she wanted; to be up front with everyone and try to build a real relationship. She knew instinctively that if Michael would just open up to her, they could have something wonderful together. Something real and lasting. She just didn't know if he would.

She pushed the negative thoughts aside and decided to just enjoy being with him. They couldn't discuss any of this right now, so there was no sense in brooding about it. Besides, maybe she was worrying for nothing, maybe he wanted the same things she did.

She looked up to find him staring at her with concern. He reached out and smoothed her tousled hair off her face. "You okay?" He asked softly.

"Better than okay." she whispered back with a sweet smile. She raised up on her toes to give him one more quick kiss and then drew back reluctantly. "I should get out there."

"Yeah." He leaned down and dropped a light kiss on her forehead. "Get to work, Parker." He pushed her in the direction of the dining room with a laugh.

She turned back to flash him a brilliant smile before she slipped through the door into the front of the restaurant.

The morning passed quickly. Saturday's were always busy and they didn't have time to exchange more than an occasional heated glance until lunch. Luckily Maria was working the closing shift today so they didn't have to worry about her and so far none of their other friends had come in either. Liz was relieved. She didn't want to see any of them until she knew for sure how Michael wanted to handle it.

Liz walked into the kitchen and saw Michael standing in front of the sink washing his hands. She snuck up behind him and slid her arms around his waist. "Hey stranger, want a date for lunch?"

He dried his hands off and turned in her arms, pulling her against him and attacking her lips in a hungry kiss.

"I've been wanting to do that for the past four hours. So, what did you have in mind?"

"Huh?" Liz asked, still dazed from the kiss.

"For lunch. Did you want to go somewhere? I really don't feel like eating any greasy alien themed food, right now."

"Yuck, me neither. Actually I thought maybe we could just go upstairs and make some sandwiches or something. My parents went to Albequrque for that restaurant convention this morning. They won't be back until tomorrow night."

"Sounds good to me. Let's go."

Michael followed her up the stairs with his hand gently resting on the small of her back. She loved it. It made her feel safe and protected. Thinking back she realized she had always felt safe in Michael's presence. She had never been threatened or intimidated by him even though she knew most people were. Maybe she should have paid more attention to those little signs. Over the past months she had analyzed every conversation they had ever had trying to pinpoint exactly when her feelings for Michael had started to change. The more she thought about it the more she realized that they hadn't really changed at all. She had always been attracted to Michael on some level she just hadn't acknowledged it. She had gone for the obvious choice. Max had seemed to be her perfect match, they were so much alike. Only recently had she discovered that maybe that wasn't what was important. All of the things that had happened to her in the last year and half had forced her to grow up. She'd done allot of soul searching since her break-up with Max and she finally felt like she knew who Liz Parker was. What she wanted and what she needed to be happy.

Unfortunately, knowing what she wanted didn't keep her from turning into an emotional basket case at the thought of how everyone else was going to react to it. Guess you just have to learn to take the bad with the good. Michael was definitely worth it.

Liz hopped up on the kitchen counter and started swinging her legs nervously. She wanted to ask him what they were going to tell everyone, but she was a little afraid. What if the answer wasn't what she was hoping for?

Michael was leaning against the doorframe watching Liz. It was obvious that something was bothering her, but he decided to wait it out. He didn't want to push her, he figured she would tell him when she was ready.

Okay, I guess I should just get this over with. Our lunch break is only a half hour long. That doesn't leave much room for stalling.

"Michael, I-I was wondering if you had thought about what you wanted to tell everyone? We didn't talk about it last night and I need to know before they show up and I say the wrong thing. If you don't want me to say anything yet, I...I won't. I would rather be honest with them, but if your not comfortable with that we can wait." She chewed on her lower lip and watched his face. He looked thoughtful, but not upset or anything. Which was good, wasn't it?

He had never noticed until last night that she bit her lip when she was nervous or worried about something. It was kind of cute. He realized she was afraid that he wouldn't want to tell the others that they were a couple. She was actually worried that he might want to keep the fact that they were dating hidden like some dirty secret he was ashamed of or something. He almost laughed at the irony. He had been wondering the exact same thing about her.

Michael crossed the room to stand in front of the counter where she was sitting. He nudged her knees apart with his body and moved closer to stand between them. His hands slid up to rest on her hips as he leaned forward to meet her lips in a warm kiss. Leaning back slightly so he could see her face, he said softly "I have enough secrets to worry about, without adding this to the list. I've never let other people's opinions effect what I do, I don't see any reason to start now. You said you wanted us to try a real relationship; we can't do that if we spend all our time sneaking around and lying to everyone. I want to make this work, Liz. I stayed up most of the night thinking about everything. It feels a little awkward and strange right now, but that's only because we haven't had a chance to really talk about it, yet. We need to spend some time learning about each other. Sure we're friends, but being involved like this is a whole new ballgame. We have to learn how to relate to each other on a different level than what we're used to, ya' know? " She nodded.

He brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers and looked into her eyes. "In spite of the awkwardness, it feels right to me. It feels real."

Liz reached out and traced her fingertips lightly across his warm lips. She loved his lips. Actually she loved everything about him. He was strong and smart and unbelievably sexy. Michael was everything she had ever wanted and she couldn't believe it had taken her so long to realize it.

"Your right. Changing a friendship into a romantic relationship is bound to feel a little odd at first. It'll just take some time to get used to the new boundaries." She leaned in for another kiss. This one lasted a little longer and when she finally pulled away they were both breathing heavily. "This feels right to me, too. Almost like my whole life has been leading up to this. Like this is how it was always meant to be. Me and you together."

Michael pulled her closer and licked teasingly at her lips before sliding his tongue inside her mouth to tangle languidly with hers. He didn't think he would ever get tired of the taste of her. His hands caressed her hips, sliding up and down her back occasionaly. He was amazed at how hot she made him. It was like his body was on fire with the need to touch her everywhere, but something was holding him back from touching her more intimately. Before he could figure out what it was she pulled back and looked at him anxiously.

"Michael...you want us to be honest with each other, right?"

"Of course." He nodded. She looked too serious all of the sudden.

"Good. That's what I want, too. I need to be able to be completely open with you and I hope that you can do the same. I think that's the only way we can make this work. So, I need to tell you something and I don't want you to take it the wrong way, okay?"

"Okay."

"This is kind of hard to explain. I am really, really attracted to you um..physically." Her face flamed and she looked away in embarassment. "I love kissing you and I want to touch you, to be closer to you, but I....See, my heart is telling me that being with you is right, but there's still this little voice in my head that keeps whispering that I don't have the right to touch you that way. That you belong to Maria. I know it's over between you and Maria, but it's just kind of hard. I'm so used to thinking of you as off limits, you know?" She peeked up at him from underneath her lashes trying to determine by his expression whether he understood what she was trying to say.

Michael was listening to her and he suddenly knew that this was what he had been feeling earlier. He wanted to be more intimate with her, but something was holding him back. As she was explaining how she felt he had realized that it was Max. He had always kept Liz at a distance out of respect for Max and it had just sort of become second nature. It was difficult to overcome that instinct after doing it for so long.

"Michael?" She was concerned by the far away look in his eyes.

"I just realized that I was having the exact same reaction. I kind of feel like i'm trespassing on Max's territory. I know it's not true, but I think it's gonna take a little while to get used to."

"Exactly. I'm so glad we got that out in the open. I feel better already." She kissed him and whispered "Luckily, I don't think it's going to be a lasting problem. It's definitely not going to stop me from kissing you every chance I get!" she laughed as she kissed him again.

"Ditto." he whispered as he slanted his mouth across hers and deepened the kiss.

A few long minutes later Liz broke away from his lips and glanced over his shoulder at the clock on the wall. "Damn. We only have about 10 minutes left. We better hurry up and eat." She leaned her forehead against his and smiled. "You taste great, but I don't think you qualify as a food source."

Michael laughed and hugged her for a moment before lifting her off the counter to stand in front of him. "Guess we better find you something that does then, huh? I wouldn't want you to waste away from starvation before i've had a chance to have my wicked way with you."

"No we certainly don't want that." she agreed, looking him up and down with a sexy grin.

"You better stop looking at me like that if you plan on making it back to work on time." He threatened with a wicked smirk and a twinkle of amusement in his gorgeous brown eyes.

They quickly made some sandwiches and Liz poured two glasses of Ice Tea with extra sugar for Michael. She grabbed the tabasco sauce automatically and set it on the table in front of him. They ate quietly, both thinking about the things they had discussed. After they finished they put their dishes in the sink and hurried downstairs. They grabbed a quick kiss on the landing and both were smiling as they went back to work.

The rest of the afternoon passed swiftly and surprisingly none of the other members of their small group made an appearance. Liz was glad. She wanted to tell them about her and Michael, but she was grateful to have a little more time to prepare. She knew their reactions were not going to be positive and she figured that it would be a lot easier to deal with their anger if her and Michael presented a united front. That would be easier to do if they had a little more time to get comfortable with each other.

Michael was waiting for her in the backroom when she finished her last customer. "Hey." He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her loosely. "Finished?"

"Yep." She slid her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a long lingering kiss.

"So, what do you want to do tonight? Do you want to come to my place or stay here?"

"Your place. Is it okay if I use your shower, though? I smell like fried food and cigarette smoke." She made a disgusted face.

"I know the feeling. Go get your stuff, i'll meet you at the bike." He turned her towards the stairs and playfully smacked her butt.

"Hey!" She glared at him in mock outrage and giggled as she ran up the stairs.

Michael whistled in admiration as he watched her go and she laughed louder.

PART 4

When they arrived at Michael's apartment Liz hopped off the bike and handed him the helmet with a giddy grin. "I'm beginning to see why you love this thing so much." She waved a hand to indicate the motorcycle.

"It's a rush, isn't it?" Michael said excitedly. Maria had hated it. He was glad that Liz didn't feel the same way.

They went inside and before Liz could even put her bag down she found herself pressed up against the door and attacked by a very hungry mouth. Michael buried his face in her neck, pressing hot kisses against her skin. He moved up to her ear and gently nipped her earlobe, then sucked on it lightly. She moaned helplessly. His hot breath sent tingles down her spine as he whispered in her ear "You like that?"

"Mm hmm." Liz mumbled hazily. She tilted her head to the side to give him better access. He moved back down her neck, sucking and biting teasingly. She shivered and pressed closer to him. Her bag fell to the floor with a thud as she wrapped her arms around him and slipped her hands under his shirt to caress his bare back. He lifted his head to look at her with a knowing grin. "You were coming on to me, weren't you?"

She blushed, knowing he was talking about their encounter in the alley behind the Crashdown. "Not intentionally. I just wasn't really thinking clearly. I'd never been that close to you before, I guess I just got a little carried away."

"Oh yeah? Wanna get carried away again?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, most definitely." She kissed him and then pushed him off her. "After I take a shower."

"Ooh." He groaned loudly holding his hand to his chest to cover an imaginary wound.

"Ha-ha, very funny." She smacked him lightly on his arm. "Believe me, this would be a whole lot more romantic if my hair didn't smell like onion rings."

"Can't argue with that logic. You go first and i'll go grab us something for dinner. Chinese sound good?"

"Perfect. How did you know that was my favorite?"

He shrugged. "I didn't - it's mine, too." He kissed her forehead and headed out the door. "Be right back."

Liz picked up her gym bag and took it into the bathroom with her. It felt strangely intimate to be taking a shower at Michael's, even though he wasn't here at the moment. She grabbed her shampoo and vanilla body wash from her bag and put them on the edge of the tub. Turning the water on, she quickly got undressed as she waited for it to heat up. As she stepped into the steamy shower she couldn't help wondering what it would be like to be in here with Michael. Maybe she'd find out soon.

She'd just finished her shower and was drying off when she heard Michael re-enter the apartment. She wrapped the towel around her body and brushed the tangles out of her hair, before opening the door slightly to talk to him. "Um, Michael?" He was standing in the kitchen with his back to her, removing cartons of food from a paper bag.

Michael turned around to face her and almost dropped the container of fried rice he was holding. Wow! Liz Parker wet and wearing nothing but a damp towel was definitely easy on the eyes. Michael filed the image away for future fantasy material before answering her. "Yeah?"

"Um...I was just wondering whether you wanted me to stay here or go home?" she mumbled nervously.

"I thought we were going to talk. Why would I want you to go home?" Michael asked with a confused frown as he set the fried rice on the counter. He walked over to where she was standing in the bathroom doorway, raising his hand to tenderly brush her damp hair behind her ear. "Is something wrong?"

"No, everythings great. What I meant was - do you want me to stay here tonight or just go home?"

"You mean sleep here?"

"Yeah. My parents won't be home until tomorrow night, so I could stay if you want. I don't mean...you know..it's too soon to think about that. I just thought it might be nice to sleep together. Wow, this is really embarassing. Never mind, I don't know what i'm talking about." She stepped back into the bathroom and started to close the door, but Michael put his hand out to stop her.

"Liz, of course I want you to stay. It'll give us more time to talk and get used to being with each other. I would really like that." he said softly, running his fingers through her wet hair. He was surprised, but very pleased that she wanted to spend the night with him.

"Me too." Liz sighed in relief. "Actually the reason I brought it up now is I need to get dressed and I didn't know what to put on." She blushed and bit her lip as she looked up at him. "See, I wasn't sure if you'd want me to stay or not so I brought pajamas, um..just in case." She looked away in embarrassment.

"Wear whatever makes you comfortable. I'm going to get the food ready. I picked up some videos, too. Feel like watching a movie?"

"Sounds great, I'll be out in a minute."

"No rush."

Liz closed the door and dug through her bag for her 'pajamas' which in actuality were a pair of dark blue boxers with tiny white stars all over them and a white spaghetti strapped lycra tank top. She knew she looked good in them which of course is why she brought them. She twisted her hair up into an artfully messy bun and left a few wavy strands hanging loose to frame her face. It was very flattering and had the added bonus of looking casual. She didn't want him to think she was trying to impress him - even though she was. She sprayed on a light mist of vanilla body spray and checked out her face in the mirror. She was still very tan from her summer in Florida so she didn't need much make-up, just a quick coat of mascara and lipgloss. She bundled up her dirty clothes and set them on the floor next to her gym bag.

When she came out of the bathroom Michael was sitting on the couch watching t.v. He had the food laid out on the coffee table with two cherry cokes. She smiled to herself - the aliens seemed to love cherry coke almost as much as tabasco. "Hey, watcha watchin'?" She said to get his attention. He looked up at her and his eyes widened in appreciation. Mission accomplished! she thought smugly.

"Why don't you come over here and find out?" he suggested with a wicked grin.

He was obviously up to no good, so Liz approached him cautiously. She yelped in surprise when he grabbed her arm and pulled her off balance so she fell in his lap. He tickled her mercilessly until she was squealing with laughter and begging him to stop. "Michaaeel! Stop, please!" she laughed breathlessly.

He finally took pity on her and ceased his evil torture. Sliding his hand to her neck he stroked her gently, moving up to cup her cheek and lift her lips to his. He invaded her mouth with his velvety tongue over and over, stopping occasionally to gently nibble and suck on her bottom lip. He finally left her lips to trail moist kisses down her throat to the sensitive hollow where her neck met her shoulder. He bit teasingly at the smooth skin, then laved it with his warm tongue. She gasped softly as he returned his mouth to her neck and sucked hungrily. When he finally broke away to look at her she whimpered at the loss of his lips and tried to pull him back to her.

He smiled gently and brushed the damp tendrils of hair off her flushed face, leaning forward to drop a slow kiss on her lips. "As much as I want to continue this, we should eat first and I really need to take a shower."

She pouted in childish displeasure until he rolled his eyes at her and laughed. "That is not going to work with me, Parker. Now get your cute butt off me so we can eat."

"It's your fault my butt was on you in the first place." She grumbled under her breath as she got up and went into the kitchen to grab some napkins. The tabasco sauce was still sitting on the counter. Michael must have forgotten it. She scooped it up and took it with her.

"Here, you forgot this." she said as she held the bottle out to him. He took it from her and set it down on the table with an odd look. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." he said, avoiding her gaze and busily opening cartons to inspect the contents.

Liz frowned and circled around the coffee table to stand next to him. He still refused to look up so she pushed his hands away from the table and moved to kneel on the floor between his legs. She cupped his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. "Michael, come on, we promised to be honest with each other." No way was she going to let him get away with avoiding her question. She wanted him to get used to being open with her right from the start.

"Liz it's no big deal just drop it, okay?" If she didn't know better she would swear that he was blushing.

"Well if it's no big deal then it won't matter if you tell me will it." She said in a no-nonsense tone of voice.

"Fine!" he grimaced. "You know that stubborn streak is going to get you in trouble one of these days." He sighed in exasperation and hugged her to him.

"I know." she smirked. Her expression turned serious as she stared into his eyes. "I'm not trying to push you Michael. I care about you and if something's bothering you, no matter how minor it is, I want to know. Can you please just humor me?"

"Okay, okay. I guess I can handle that. Anyway I told you it's not a big deal. I just decided to skip the tabasco. It's not the end of the world."

"Why?"

He laughed. "You don't give up do you?"

"Nope. Might as well get used to it."

"I was just trying to be considerate."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Liz asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Well...I figured we were probably going to pick up where we left off later."

"So?" She still didn't get it.

"So.." He sighed. "Maria used to bitch when I ate tabasco sauce before we made out, she hated the taste of it. I just didn't want to ruin the mood." He grinned sheepishly.

"Are you serious? Michael, I am not Maria. I love the way you taste. I really do and I don't want you to change anything for me. I want you to be exactly who you are. I want to get to know the real Michael Guerin and I want you to know the real me, inside and out. I want that so much."

Michael was humbled and grateful and so many other things he couldn't put a name to. Nobody had ever really cared about him enough to want to dig past the surface and find out what was underneath. Max and Isabel loved him like a brother he knew, but even they accepted him at face value. They had never considered that there might be more to Michael than what he chose to show them. He was amazed that this beautiful, intelligent woman wanted to see what he kept hidden from the world and wanted to share her most private thoughts with him as well. "Thank you." he said softly.

"I know it sounds cheesy, but I want to share everything with you, Michael." She whispered as she met his lips in a slow, sweet kiss. After a minute she pulled away and grinned at him. "Now let's hurry up and eat so we can get back to the good stuff." They both laughed and nodded in silent agreement.

Turning around to face the table she sat down on the floor between his legs, leaning back against him. She twisted around to look at him questioningly. "Is it okay if I sit here?"

"Sure." He leaned forward and nuzzled his face in her silky hair, kissing the top of her head. "So, what do you want to eat first?" he asked, resting his chin on her shoulder and surveying the cartons of food.

"Sesame chicken?"

"Good choice." Michael held his hand over the container for a second to heat it up before handing it to her.

Liz picked up her fork and took a bite of the warm chicken. "You're kind of a handy guy to have around, aren't you." she grinned.

"You ain't seen nothin' yet."

They talked and laughed easily as they ate. The food was good and they were feeling more relaxed with each other than ever. When they finished Michael threw away the empty containers while Liz cleaned off the table. He walked up behind her and pressed his lips to the exposed skin on the back of her neck. He couldn't seem to stop kissing her, wanted to taste every inch of her warm skin. His hand smoothed over her back and slipped around her waist to caress her flat stomach, pulling her back against him. He nuzzled the side of her neck and whispered in her ear "Do you mind if I jump in the shower now?"

Liz shook her head silently, enjoying the feel of him against her. His body was strong and firm. She slid her hand over his and tangled their fingers together, pushing back against him. Michael groaned softly in her ear and moved his other hand down to squeeze her hip, gently pressing his obvious arousal against her cotton covered buttocks. She tipped her head back and stretched her free hand up to grasp the nape of his neck and pull him down to meet her urgent lips. Michael kissed her deeply, letting his tongue find all the hidden recesses of her delicious mouth.

"Go. Shower. Hurry." Liz mumbled incoherently against his mouth.

He chuckled at her dazed expression, kissed her once more and disappeared into the bathroom.

Liz took a couple of deep, calming breaths and waited for her heart to slow down to a more natural pace. My god, that boy could kiss! He should come with a warning label attached.

After she recovered sufficiently she started wandering around, checking things out. She picked up the videos he rented and looked them over. 'Scream 2' and 'Halloween H2O'. Huh. Obviously he was hoping she'd get scared and hang all over him like a cheap suit. Well she had been planning to do that anyway, so she might as well indulge his macho guy ego, she chuckled to herself.

She peeked through the door of his bedroom and looked around. She'd never been in there before. It was simple, but comfortable looking. There was a neatly made double bed in the center with a night stand next to it and a dresser on the wall across from it. She walked over to the night stand and switched on the lamp. There was a worn copy of James Joyce 'Ulysses' and an alarm clock next to it. She picked up the book and turned it over in her hands. So Michael was a fan of Joyce. It just served to prove that she had been right about him all along. She had always suspected that there was an amazing depth and intelligence buried under that mask of scornful disinterest he displayed to the world.

Liz heard the bathroom door open and turned around warily. She hadn't intended to get caught in here, she hoped he wasn't angry. Oh my god! Michael was standing in the doorway half naked. He had a towel wrapped around his waist and his skin glistened wetly. His blonde hair was tousled and damp. He quirked one eyebrow at her in question.

She flushed guiltily and stammered "I-I'm sorry...I was just waiting for you and... Don't be angry. I wasn't snooping, I just saw the book and I..." She shrugged helplessly, at a loss to explain what she was doing in his bedroom uninvited.

Michael smiled reassuringly and went to his dresser to grab some clothes. "Relax, Liz. I don't mind. I want you to feel at home here." He turned back around with a pair of blue and grey flannel boxers and a grey t-shirt in his hand. "You might want to turn around, though." He laughed as her face turned an even darker shade of red and she whirled around quickly to face the wall. She could hear fabric rustling as he discarded the towel and got dressed.

"All clear." He informed her with amusement still coloring his voice. When she turned back around she was struck speechless for a moment. The minimal clothing didn't provide much more coverage than the towel had. There was a generous amount of golden skin left bare to her appreciative gaze. She unconsciously licked her lips in anticipation. Michael watched her and swallowed convulsively.

"Do you feel like watching a movie, now?" he asked casually; trying to ease the tension that had suddenly settled over them like a heavy blanket.

"Yeah, I think that's probably a good idea." She made an effort to slow her breathing down as she walked ahead of him into the living room. She paused briefly in front of the couch, suddenly remembering that she had almost had sex with Max on this very couch last year. She didn't even want to consider what Michael may have done with Maria on it. Liz immediately banished the unwelcome images from her mind and sat down. She wasn't going to let thoughts of their previous relationships intrude on their time together.

Michael popped a tape in the VCR and stretched out beside her, propping his feet up on the coffee table. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. Liz snuggled against him and let her hand rest on his bare leg just above his knee. She felt his muscles tense briefly and then relax beneath her fingers. Michael's hand was gently caressing her bare shoulder. She shivered. "Cold?" He stared down at her with raised eyebrows. She shook her head.

The movie was predictably scary and provided numerous opportunities for her to bury her head in his chest and cling to him in supposed fright. She enjoyed every second of it.

PART 5

Liz spent most of the movie, when she wasn't clinging to Michael in terror that is, contemplating what was going to happen after it was over. Though she was technically still a virgin, she didn't consider herself to be innocent anymore. After that night in the desert with Max things had progressed in their relationship. They had come close to having sex several times after that night, but they had always held back. Max had been afraid that something might happen to her. He said it was too risky; that they didn't know for sure if it was safe for humans and aliens to mate. Eventually they had come up with what Liz had called the 'everything but' rule, which basically meant that anything except actual intercourse was acceptable. As long as both of them were okay with it, of course. This had mostly just consisted of a lot of touching, but they had experimented with oral sex a few times.

She knew they should probably set some boundaries before they went to bed. The way he made her feel was deeper and more intense than anything she'd ever experienced before. Sleeping in the same bed was bound to be tempting, but they were nowhere near ready to consider having sex. They still had a lot of ground to cover with each other before they got to that point.

The problem was; she wasn't quite sure where they should draw the line. There were two sides to the coin so to speak. On one hand, their relationship was brand new and normally that would call for keeping physical contact to a minimum until they knew each other better. On the other hand, she and Michael were nowhere near strangers. They had known each other casually since elementary school and had been part of a very tight group of friends for the past year and half. They had been through some very dangerous times together. She knew his biggest secret and he knew, well pretty much everything about her since he had read her journal last year. Even Maria didn't know half the stuff she put in there. That journal contained her most private thoughts, the things she couldn't tell another living soul. So you could probably say that Michael knew her better than anyone, now. Because of these things she didn't think that the usual time frame for a new relationship really applied in their situation.

Liz finally decided that she would make it clear to Michael that she was not ready for intercourse, but she was open to other things. Then they could just let things happen naturally without trying to stear them in any particular direction. She knew that she could trust Michael to back off if she was uncomfortable with anything that happened.

Unbeknownst to Liz, Michael was contemplating similar issues. He had realized after their first kiss that he felt connected to her in an odd way. He couldn't explain it. He had never felt anything like it before. It was completely different than what he had felt with Maria or the few other girls he had fooled around with before her. His first taste of her had stirred something in him. It was almost like a memory. As though they had always been a part of each other and just hadn't remembered until now. It was strangely familiar and yet new at the same time. He imagined that it was what home would feel like if he ever got the chance to go back. Comfortingly familiar and terrifyingly new all at once. He knew that in reality they had only been a couple for a little over 24 hours, yet it somehow felt much longer to him. Like they had been slowly moving in this direction for a long time and this was simply the final stage of the journey. He instinctively knew that once he let himself open up to her, he would never be able to let her go.

All of these things worried him, because his attraction to Liz was so strong. The more time they spent together, the closer he wanted to be to her. He didn't know what she expected of him. Max and he had never discussed the intimate details of their relationships like most guys did. Michael had no clue how far they had gone and thus no idea what she was comfortable with physically. He didn't want to scare her off or insult her by initiating things she wasn't ready for. He finally decided that the smartest thing to do was just tell her how he felt and ask her what she wanted to do. He didn't want to risk ruining this by moving too fast for her. He would go as slow as she needed him to. Even if it killed him.

"Liz..."

"Michael.." They both laughed.

"You go first." Michael said.

"Okay." She turned sideways so they were facing each other. "I think we need to discuss what's going to happen tonight. I mean, we're going to be sleeping in the same bed. I think we should make sure we both know where we stand, you know? I don't want there to be any misunderstandings between us." She reached out for his hand, entwining their fingers.

"That's exactly what I was going to say." He nodded definitively.

"Oh, good. We're on the same page, already." she giggled.

"Yeah, now we just have to make sure we stay there." Michael said seriously. "I don't want to make any mistakes with you, Liz. I'm more attracted to you than i've ever been to anyone before, but we can take things as slow as you need to."

"Thank you, but you don't have to worry. I feel the same way and i'm not going anywhere. I've never felt anything like this in my life."

"Even with..." He stopped abruptly, deciding the rest of that sentence was better left unspoken. Bringing up their past relationships would only cause trouble.

Liz knew what he was going to ask and she decided that he deserved to know the answer, even if he couldn't bring himself to ask the question. "Yes, Michael. I have never felt this strongly about anyone before, not even Max." She kissed him softly and then sat back to look at him. "I've thought about this carefully and I think that we need to be more settled and comfortable with each other before we consider having sex."

Michael nodded in agreement. "But..." Michael looked at her questioningly.

"But what?"

"But...there are a lot of other things we could do between now and then." she said evenly, giving him a suggestive smile. She had to resist the urge to laugh at the look on his face.

Michael was stunned. She didn't mean what he thought she did, did she? "Liz.....what exactly do you mean by that?" he asked carefully. Liz looked at his gorgeous face for a minute and then stood up, tugging at their joined hands.

"Let's go to bed, Michael. We'll just take it one step at a time and see where it leads. No pressure and no expectations, okay?" She walked backwards towards the bedroom pulling him in front of her. Michael grinned and followed her, waving his free hand over the room behind him. The t.v and the lights turned off and her favorite Dave Matthews cd started to play. The apartment was dark except for the dim glow of the bedside lamp Liz had turned on earlier. When they reached the edge of the bed she stopped and looked up at him. "Which side do you sleep on?"

He laughed. "The middle."

"Oh. Somehow I don't think that's going to work too well. Unless I'm...and we already decided not to go there yet." She turned 12 different shades of red at the image that popped into her head.

"Relax, Liz. No pressure remember? We're not going to do anything you don't want to do. You don't have to be nervous or embarrassed. I want you to feel comfortable with me. I want you to trust me, Liz. I would never hurt you, I hope you know that." he whispered seriously as he caressed her cheek.

"I do trust you, Michael. I feel safe with you." she replied honestly.

"Good." He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and smiled. "Why don't you take whatever side you normally sleep on." Liz climbed in bed and scooted over so Michael could lay down beside her. He propped himself up on his elbow and leaned over her. "You sure you're okay with this?" he asked quietly as he brushed the loose hair off her face.

"Definitely." She lifted her head slightly and reached up to pull the clip out of her hair.

Waves of chocolate colored silk tumbled down over her shoulder's and Michael thought he had never seen anything more beautiful. He combed his fingers through the dark strands, fanning it out on the pillow around her. "You are so beautiful." he sighed against her lips as he kissed her so slowly and sensuously she felt tingles spread to every part of her body.

She briefly wondered how Michael had learned to kiss like that. Was it something you were born with? Did his DNA read 'blonde hair, brown eyes, amazing kisser'? He continued to kiss her with the same slow, soothing rythm for a long while. It made her feel totally relaxed and yet aroused at the same time. It was a unique blend of sensations. Liz let her hands wander over Michael's chest and shoulders as he kissed her.

She wanted to feel his smooth skin under her fingertips. Reluctantly tearing her mouth away from his, she whispered breathlessly "Michael, can I take your shirt off?" He looked into her luminous brown eyes and nodded silently. Liz grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head, tossing it carelessly onto the floor.

She stared in wide-eyed appreciation at the broad expanse of naked skin and firm muscles laid bare before her. She smoothed her hand down his chest and over his tight stomach muscles. She hadn't realized what a great body Michael was hiding under those baggy clothes. He sucked in his breath as her hand caressed his stomach lightly. She lifted her eyes from his chest to look at him and he immediately descended on her mouth with another drugging kiss. Liz moaned and pressed her body closer to his.

She squirmed in frustration. He hadn't even attempted to touch her, yet. She wanted to feel his hands on her. Liz twisted her face away from him, breaking the kiss. She was fully intending to tell him to stop treating her like a china doll.

Michael pulled back and looked at her with concern. "What's wrong, baby?" He seemed alarmed at the idea that he might have done something to upset her.

Liz felt her insides melt at the endearment and the look in his eyes. She had never thought of herself as the type of girl who'd like being called by all those mushy pet names, but hearing Michael call her 'baby' caused her heart to skip a beat. She didn't think he was the type of guy who normally used mushy pet names, either. It made her feel special.

"Nothing's wrong, Michael. It feels wonderful, but you don't have to be so careful with me. I promise I won't break." she laughed softly, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "Touch me."

His eyes darkened with desire and he leaned down to kiss her again. This time the kiss was deep and hungry; like he had been holding back, waiting for her to give him permission to take it further. His hand moved down to the hem of her shirt and slipped under it to caress her bare stomach. His fingers traced intricate patterns over her soft skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. She moaned against his mouth and kissed him harder. As his hand finally moved up to cup her breast she broke away from the kiss and cried out softly. He brushed his thumb over her nipple and it tightened instantly, flooding her body with a tingling warmth. God, he was incredible. Every kiss, every touch was more intense and arousing than the last.

PART 6

Liz had never felt anything like this. Even when she thought Max was the love of her life, her 'soulmate' his touch had never had this kind of power over her. They had been intimate many times, but it had never been like this. She was desperate to feel Michael's bare skin against her own. She pulled away from him and sat up; yanking her shirt over her head and tossing it to the floor. She lay back down and laughed at the surprised look on Michael's face. Apparently he hadn't been expecting that.

His face took on a reverant expression, as though he was looking at a beautiful piece of artwork. She squirmed impatiently under his intense gaze. Finally he reached out and ran his fingertips slowly from her shoulder down over her breast to her stomach, stopping at the waistband of her shorts. He wanted to see all of her. He tilted his head up to gaze at her questioningly. "Do you mind?"

She shook her head and reached down to help him slide her shorts off. Liz was somewhat surprised at the way she felt. She was naked except for a pair of tiny blue silk panties, and yet she was completely relaxed. She thought she should be embarassed or self-conscious having Michael see her virtually naked for the first time. She wasn't. It felt natural, like she had been made to be seen by him.

Michael lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered in a low, husky voice that sent shivers down her spine "You're perfect." He sucked lightly on her sensitive earlobe, eliciting a series of throaty gasps and moans that filled him with a warm rush of satisfaction. He was amazed at how much she seemed to enjoy his touch. It gave him a heady sense of pride, made him want to give her as much pleasure as he possibly could.

He trailed moist kisses down her neck to her breast and closed his mouth over her nipple, sucking gently. Her back arched off the bed and she brought her hand up to grip his hair, holding him to her. "Oh my god, Michael!"

Liz's heart was beating wildly and she could feel the warm rush of arousal between her thighs. Her breath hitched in her throat as Michael caught her nipple between his teeth and bit delicately, then laved it with his tongue. Tendrils of electric heat spread through her and made her body pulse with need. "Michael...please..I need.." she gasped desperately.

Michael lifted his head from her breast and searched her face carefully. "What do you need, baby? Tell me."

"I.." She closed her eyes in panic. How could she tell him what she wanted? She wasn't a prude, but she didn't think she could say the words out loud.

"Liz? Baby, look at me. Please?" She did, turning several shades of red as he stared into her eyes. "I need to know what you want, Liz. I don't want to do anything that will make you uncomfortable. If you can't tell me - will you show me?"

Liz pulled him down to her and kissed him passionately. She reached for his hand and moved it slowly over her body, stopping at the elastic band of her underwear. She released him and Michael slid his hand underneath the thin silk. He groaned loudly when he felt how hot and wet she was. He closed his eyes and bit his lip hard. The need to be inside her was nearly unbearable. His blood was pounding in his veins and his cock was throbbing painfully. Several deep breaths later, he finally managed to regain control of his traitorous body again and began to caress her softly. His index finger rubbed tiny circles over her clit, applying a gentle pressure that made her whole body shiver with pleasure. "Oh my god...Michael..don't stop." Her head thrashed from side to side on the pillow.

Michael gazed at her in wonder. He had never imagined she would be so passionate. He was fascinated with her bodies response to him. He watched her closely as he carefully slid a finger inside her. The expression on her face made his heart contract painfully. God, she was so beautiful he could barely breath. He began to stroke her tight inner walls in a gentle rhythm that made her hips lift instinctively to meet him. When he felt her muscles relax slightly he entered a second finger and she almost screamed in ecstacy. "Oh god! Michael!" He increased his pace a little and massaged her clit with his thumb. Her inner muscles were contracting, squeezing his fingers. Michael was suddenly consumed with the need to taste her. He wanted it so badly he was shaking. He slowly removed his fingers from her body and used his other hand to brush the damp hair away from her flushed face. She stared at him through half opened eyes, her pupils dark with desire. "Don't stop."

"I won't. Can I take them off?" he asked quietly, while running his finger back and forth across the elastic edge of her underwear.

Liz looked into his eyes for a long moment. He seemed a little hesitant, as if he didn't really believe that she would allow him to strip her of her last piece of clothing. He also looked extremely aroused and his hands were shaking slightly. That's what finally decided it for her. His hands. She didn't think she had ever seen Michael Guerin nervous about anything, but right now he was afraid that she was going to tell him no. The mere idea that she could have such a powerful effect on him made her feel unbelievably confident and desirable.

Liz reached down to remove the small scrap of material, but Michael gently brushed her hands away. He moved down the bed until he was kneeling next to her legs and hooked his fingers under the sides of her panties. He slowly pulled them down until they reached her feet and she kicked them off. His eyes glazed over as he stared down at her in mute appreciation. She could feel herself getting wetter at the way he was looking at her. The tension was tightening her belly; her skin felt hot and tingly.

Michael ran his hand lightly up the inside of her leg, pressing gently, urging her to open for him. His fingertips brushed teasingly over her skin, intentionally avoiding touching her where she wanted it the most. He smiled when she whimpered in frustration.

Liz watched through hooded eyes as Michael changed positions to lie on his stomach between her legs. She held her breath as he started trailing soft nibbling kisses across her inner thighs. When he flicked her clit with his tongue, it sent a jolt of electric heat through her body that almost made her hit the ceiling. Michael licked and nuzzled her sensitive flesh until she thought she was going to pass out from the intesity of the feelings he was creating.

Michael was also lost in a dizzying array of sensations. The exquisite softness of her skin beneath his tongue. The warm silkiness of her bodies liquid response to him. The intoxicating taste of her in his mouth. Sweet and spicy just like the rest of her. Everything about this woman was perfect. The fleeting thought that she was made for him whispered across his mind once again. He thrust his tongue deep inside her body and more warm fluid rained down to be savored by his eager mouth. He lapped it up greedily, not stopping until she was thrashing wildly beneath him. Michael finally gave in to her desperate pleas for release and returned his mouth to her clit. He closed his lips over the tiny bundle of nerves and sucked gently. Liz's back arched off the bed and Michael pressed one hand to her stomach to hold her still. He moved his other hand down and slid his fingers inside her again. She moaned his name over and over deliriously. Michael could feel her muscles clenching rythmically around his fingers and he knew she was close. He increased the pressure on her hypersensitive clit, just enough to push her over the edge. She screamed in pleasure and shuddered violently against him.

When her body relaxed Michael moved up to lie beside her, drinking in the expression of ecstacy on her face. He felt a fierce posessiveness he hadn't known he was capable of welling up inside him as he watched her. Her body was flushed and quaking slightly in the aftermath of her release. Knowing he could give her this kind of pleasure brought him such a deep feeling of satisfaction.

When she finally came back to earth Michael was looking down at her with a gentle smile. He tenderly brushed the sweat dampened hair away from her face and gave her a lingering kiss. "All right?" he whispered.

"Mmmhmm." she sighed, still too dazed to form a coherent response. That was the most incredible orgasm I have ever experienced, she thought in awe. How can everything he does be so perfect? He seemed to know instinctively how to please her. He couldn't have done it any better if he had read her mind.

Michael gathered her into his arms and held her close, burying his face in her hair. Emotions he wasn't used to feeling were flowing through him in relentless waves. Every word, every kiss, every touch that passed between them seemed to bind them more tightly together. He nuzzled her neck, whispering in her ear "This isn't going to be easy, you know. I hope you realize what your getting yourself into, because it's too late to change your mind. I don't think i'm ever going to be able to let you go now."

Liz looked directly into his eyes and said in a quiet, serious tone "I won't let you. I fought it for all those months, telling myself that you were forbidden territory. That I had to be insane to let myself fall for you. You were the worst possible choice. My best friends ex-boyfriend and my ex-boyfriends best friend. I could lose everyone I cared about." She caressed his cheek with gentle fingers. "You know what I finally realized?" He shook his head slightly. "If I spend my life denying what I want to keep other people from being hurt, the only person who suffers is me. I don't want to look back and realize that I made everyone around me happy except myself. I know it's going to be hard, the people we're closest to are going to feel angry and betrayed. It's probably going to take allot of time and work to repair the damage to our friendships." She kissed him softly. "I can handle it as long as I have you. I love you, Michael."

Michael stared at her in awe. She loved him. Liz Parker was in love with him. He felt the most incredible joy fill his heart until he was sure it would burst. Hot tears slipped unnoticed down his cheeks to pool against her skin. His reply was immediate and unwavering "I love you, too. I love you so much, Elizabeth Parker." He held her tightly to him and the tears continued to fall silently, while Liz stroked his back and ran her fingers through his hair, whispering soothing words of love and devotion in his ear until they both fell asleep tangled in each others arms.

PART 7

Michael woke to the sound of the telephone ringing. He groaned in irritation and pulled his pillow over his head to muffle the sound. Maybe if he ignored it they would give up. Liz mumbled sleepily and snuggled against him. A rush of tenderness for the tiny brunette made his insides melt as memories of the night before came flooding back to him. She loved him. He couldn't imagine how he had gotten so lucky. It made him want to get down on his knees and thank God or whatever divine providence had deemed him worthy of such a gift.

The persistent ringing intruded on his musings and Michael sighed in resignation. Clearly they were not going to give up anytime soon. He carefully extracted himself from Liz's embrace and made his way to the kitchen to answer the phone.

"What?!" he growled into the receiver in leu of 'hello'.

"Well good morning to you, too." Isabel returned sarcastically.

"It's Sunday, Isabel. This is the only day I get to sleep in and you had better have a damn good reason for waking me up."

"Max called a meeting. Everyone's supposed to be at the Crashdown at 11:00."

"What's going on?" Michael asked in annoyance as he glanced at the clock. It was already 9:40. So much for spending the morning in bed with Liz.

"I'm not sure." She replied evasively, which usually meant she knew, but wouldn't discuss it over the phone.

"Fine, but this had better be important." he snapped, hanging up before she could say anything else.

Michael leaned against the counter and sighed heavily. This was not the way he wanted to end their first night together. He had planned to make Liz breakfast and spend the morning cuddling in bed. Wait-cuddling? Where the hell had that come from? As far as he knew that word had never entered his mind in all of his seventeen years. What had she done to him?

His 'stonewall' defense had been crumbling steadily since her confession Friday night. All of the sudden he was thinking and feeling and even God forbid saying things he would never have considered before Liz Parker. Everything was changing so rapidly. He supposed that should worry him, but it didn't. Michael had always had a strong intuition; he assumed it was part of his alien heritage. An instinct for danger was essential when you were constantly being hunted by the FBI, enemy aliens, and various other wackos. His intuition was telling him that this was the way it was supposed to be. He knew without question that he could trust Liz with his life and had on several occasions. She had proven her loyalty to them all time and again. Michael figured that if he could trust her with his life than he certainly ought to be able to trust her with his feelings.

He made coffee while he tried to figure out how to break the news to their friends. It was not going to be pretty.

When the coffee finished brewing he poured two cups and took them into the bedroom with him. He put them down on the night stand and sat on the edge of the bed. Liz was lying on her stomach with the sheet tangled around her waist. Reaching out to caress her bare back he spoke softly, not wanting to startle her "Liz? Wake up, sweetheart." She mumbled something into the pillow that Michael vaguely recognized as a truculant 'no'. He laughed. Sometimes she acted like a spoiled brat. He actually thought it was cute, but he still wasn't going to let her get away with it.

Leaning over her he placed featherlite kisses along her spine. She moaned, but didn't move. He grinned wickedly and started to slowly slide the sheet off of her until her body was completely bare. He continued to trail soft kisses down her back, smiling as she started to squirm. He smoothed his hand over the curve of her bottom and down her thigh. His fingertips brushed teasingly along her inner thigh and she rolled away from him laughing "Okay, okay i'm up."

When she turned over to look at him she was smiling. "You're evil, you know that right?"

"Max called a meeting this morning. We have to be at the Crashdown at 11:00. It's almost 10:00 right now, so we need to get moving." He reached out to cup her cheek, rubbing his thumb over her soft lips. "I'm sorry, baby. This isn't the way I wanted this morning to end."

Liz kissed his thumb and reached up to cover his hand with her own. "Michael, it's not your fault. You don't have anything to apologize for. Besides.." she gave him a wicked grin and moved in to kiss him slowly. "I could be persuaded to let you make it up to me later."

Michael looked her up and down with a suggestive smirk. "I just might take you up on that."

"Might?" she asked with one eyebrow raised inquisitively at him.

"Well, I'll have to check my schedule, of course. Hot alien lovin' is a popular commodity these days. I'm a pretty busy boy. I might be able to fit you in, though - if you make it worth my while."

Liz fell back on the bed, laughing hysterically. "Hot alien lovin'?!" she gasped out breathlessly, her side starting to ache from laughing so hard.

"It wasn't that funny, Parker." he stated as he looked at her with an expression of exaggerated insult. Then he smiled and reached for her hands, pulling her up to stand in front of him. He gestured to the night stand. "I brought you some coffee. Do you want to shower first or should I?" he asked, not sure if she would prefer to wait until she was a little more awake.

Liz looked up at him with a sly grin. "Why don't we go together?"

Michael was speechless for a full minute. He was completely thrown by her suggestion. He had already seen her naked, of course. She was in fact standing in front of him without a stitch of clothing on at this very moment, but she had not seen him naked. He had kept his boxers on the entire night. He was surprised that she was willing to take that next step right now, though he certainly wasn't going to complain.

"I don't know...I really need my space." he teased.

"Oh well. Guess i'll just have to find someone who's a little more into sharing." she teased back with a thoughtul expression, pretending to be considering her options.

"Over my dead body, woman." he stated matter-of-factly and grabbed her by the waist, throwing her over his shoulder caveman style.

Liz giggled helplessly as Michael carried her into the bathroom. She kicked her feet until he smacked her bare bottom playfully and ordered her to "behave". She smiled when his hand returned to her bottom to caress the spot he had just slapped.

"Okay, smart ass, stay put while I get the water ready, 'kay?" Michael asked with an indulgent grin, setting her down on the counter next to the sink. Liz smiled at him and nodded obediently. "Yes, honey." she quipped sarcastically.

Michael sent her a mock threatening look over his shoulder as he adjusted the water temperature in the shower. "You're just begging for trouble this morning."

Liz chuckled and shot him a daring look. "And I bet your just the Alien to give it to me, aren't you?"

"Oh I'll give you something, allright." he returned, mumbling under his breath with a sexy grin.

Liz caught her breath at the sight of that grin. Her insides melted like warm butter. God, he was so unbelievably HOT! How had she known him for so long and not noticed how sexy he was? It seemed impossible to her now.

"Michael?" she whispered hoarsly, the sheer magnitude of the love she felt for him suddenly making it difficult to speak.

"Yeah?" he turned around to look at her and was surprised at the seriousness of her expression.

"I love you."

Michael's heart almost stopped beating as he stared at the intense emotion visible on her beautiful face. He tried to swallow past the lump that rose in the back of his throat, but when he finally spoke his voice still sounded choked. "I love you, too." He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly.

After a few minutes they seperated and Michael gently guided Liz into the shower. He looked at her hesitantly and leaned down to place a sweet kiss on her lips. "Are you sure about this, Liz?" he asked seriously, gesturing to his boxers.

"Yes." she stated confidently. Liz slid her hands over Michael's sides and down, pushing his boxers with them until they slid to the floor. She stared at Michael's naked body in blatant admiration until he started to fidget self-consciously. She reached out to caress his chest, looking at him with an expression of awe that made his knees weak. "You're so beautiful, Michael." His body was perfect, not bulging with muscles like those guys in the magazine's - ew! She hated that. Michael was lean and toned. He looked strong and ready for action. She could look at him forever and not get tired of it.

She took his hand and pulled him into the shower with her. Gently pushing him under the spray, she picked up the washcloth off the ledge and lathered it with soap.

PART 8

Michael watched her with half closed eyes as she ran the washcloth slowly over his chest and shoulders. He had never had anyone take care of him like this before. It made him feel warm and loved, unfortunately it was also a serious turn on. By the time she got to his stomach Michael was completely hard and totally embarrassed. He didn't want Liz to think he couldn't control himself, especially when she was being so sweet. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on something other than her small hands on his stomach.

His eyes flew open in surprise however when he felt her venture lower and wrap her fingers around his hard flesh. She met his eyes with a seductive grin as she caressed him gently. Michael was vaguely surprised that he didn't cum right then just from the combination of that look in her eyes and her soft hands stroking him. He was still feeling the residual effects of his restraint from last night. Every muscle in his body was tense with the need for release, his breath was coming in labored gasps. He continued to look into Liz's eyes, speaking volumes without words. The emotions he could read in their dark depths were more arousing than anything he had ever seen.

Liz was thrilled with Michael's response to her touch. She briefly wondered if he had felt like this last night when he was pleasing her. It gave her a profound sense of satisfaction to be able to give him pleasure. He groaned loudly when she ran her thumb over the tip of his erection, smearing a silky drop of pre cum over his sensitive skin. She smiled wickedly and thought to herself that if Michael was this responsive to her hands on him, her mouth would probably give him a heart attack. She suppressed the laugh that welled up at the image that popped into her head and still smiling, slid slowly to her knees to test her theory. In the name of research, of course. Her smile widened to a grin of amusement at her thoughts before she ran her tongue over his velvety smooth skin and thinking gave way to feeling. She could feel Michael's hand in her hair and taste the slightly salty, but definitely not unpleasant flavor of him on her tongue. She could hear the hoarse moans and gasps escaping his lips. She ran her tongue down the length of him and then slowly back up, finally closing her lips over him and sucking gently.

Michael thought he was going to lose it when he saw her drop to her knees in front of him. At the first touch of her tongue, his knees got weak and his head started to spin. He braced one hand against the shower wall and the other reached done automatically to caress her hair, wanting to reassure her. When she closed her mouth over him he had to fight to stay standing, his entire body was weak and trembling. The intense pleasure of her soft mouth on him was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

She was slow and cautious at first, she had only done this to Max twice, she was still very inexeperienced. His hand continued to caress her hair tenderly, relaxing her. She was gradually getting more confident, his whispered words of encouragement helping her overcome her nervousness. Michael's obvious enjoyment made her want to give him even more pleasure. She increased her pace and brought her hand up to gently stroke the base of his erection where her mouth couldn't reach. Her other hand wandered up to grip his hip, holding him still. Michael's moans were getting louder and his breath was coming faster. She knew he was almost there. She felt him tugging gently at her hair, trying to move her away.

"Liz, baby you have to stop. I'm too close." He was trying to warn her, but she didn't want to stop. She wanted to give Michael something she had never given Max. She raised her eyes to his, without removing her mouth from him. His eyes were dark with need, but he was holding back for her. He whispered desperately "Liz, please, I can't hold on much longer" and gently tried to push her away from him again. She shook her head slightly and pulled him closer to her. Michael finally realized that she wasn't going to stop and his need for her increased unbearably at the look in her eyes. The unconditional love and desire he could see shining in them pushed him past the point of no return.

"Oh God! Lizzz!" he moaned loudly as his body began to convulse in ecstasy, filling her mouth with warm, salty fluid. She swallowed it eagerly and continued to move her mouth over him gently until his body was still. Michael leaned heavily against the wall, too shaken to remain standing on his own. When he finally opened his eyes, Liz was standing in front of him, watching him with a loving smile. She looked so pleased with herself he had to laugh.

"All right?" She returned his question of the night before with a cheeky grin.

"Amazing." Michael sighed. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him, threading his fingers through her wet, silky hair and kissing the top of her head. "You didn't have to do that, you know." he said quietly.

Liz lifted her head to look at him and traced her fingers softly over his lips. "I know." she replaced her fingers with her mouth, giving him a scorching kiss. "I wanted to, Michael."

He squeezed her tighter and whispered in her ear "I love you, baby. More every minute."

"Me too." she sighed happily.

By the time they got out of the shower it was 10:30. They dressed hurriedly and then Michael sat on the bed to wait for Liz. She was frantically searching the contents of her bag. "What's the matter?"

"I forgot my blowdryer." Liz absolutely did not want to have show up at the meeting with wet hair. It was going to be hard enough to tell them about her and Michael without looking like they had just gotten out of the shower. She could just imagine the reaction that would get. What could she say 'Hey, guess what? Michael and I are in love and we decided to spend the night getting naked with each other before we broke the news to you guys.' Way too much information.

Michael came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She relaxed against him instantly, marveling at the calming effect his touch had on her.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear "I can fix that problem for a small fee."

Liz smiled and tipped her head back to look at him. "Oh really? What kind of fee?"

"I'll show you later." he leered suggestively and winked at her.

"You're bad." she laughed as he gently tipped her head forward and started running his fingers through her hair, drying it with a little alien magic that made her scalp tingle. She closed her eyes and moaned softly. "Mmm that feels so good."

"Yeah? Maybe i'll open a salon and change my name to Paul Mitchell. I could spend my days running my fingers through the hair of gorgeous women." he said teasingly.

She reached behind her and smacked his leg. "Don't even think about it, Guerin. Those hands are not touching anyone but me."

He turned her around to face him and leaned down to give her a heartbreakingly sweet kiss. After a moment he pulled back and looked deeply into her eyes until Liz felt a connection opening between them, but it was different than the way Max had connected with her. He wasn't sending her flashes of memories, it was more like he was letting her see into his soul. She was surrounded by his emotions, swirling around her like mist in every color she could imagine. Like a rainbow of hopes and dreams and feelings. The intensity was almost overwhelming, but she couldn't look away. It was the most incredibly beautiful gift she had ever received. Michael reached for her hand and pressed it to his chest directly over his heart. "No one but you ever again. I belong to you Liz. Heart, mind, body and soul. Everything I have is yours. We were meant to spend our lives together. I know it. I feel it in my soul."

Liz felt it, too. It was flowing over her stronger and brighter than any of the other emotions he was sharing with her. She brought his other hand up and held it to her heart, blinking back the tears that were welling up in the corners of her eyes. "You are so amazing. I love you so much, Michael. Everything I am belongs to you, too. Always."

PART 9

30 minutes later - Michael pulled into the Crashdown parking lot and shut the bike off with a heavy sigh. He got off and held his hand out to Liz. "Are you ready?" he asked quietly, searching her face for any sign she might have changed her mind. They had talked about what they were going to tell everyone before they left the apartment. She looked nervous, but still as determined as when they left.

"Don't worry, i'm not going to change my mind. I love you and I refuse to start our life together with a lie. This is the right thing to do, Michael." she said firmly.

They locked eyes for a moment and then Michael nodded encouragingly. "It'll be okay, baby. Just try not to let them get to you. People say things when they're upset that they don't really mean." He leaned down to give her a lingering kiss. "C'mon, let's get this over with."

Liz entered the cafe first, Michael walking closely behind her with his hand resting on the small of her back. The bell above the door rang as they entered and everyone looked up at them in surprise. They were the last ones to arrive, so they had the misfortune of facing all of their friends at once. Liz took a shaky breath and heard Michael whisper just loud enough for her to hear "Relax."

Maria was the first to speak. "Liz! Are you okay? We've been worried sick about you! Where have you been?"

"What are you talking about, Maria?" Liz asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"You weren't home when I closed up last night and I've been trying to call your apartment and your cell phone all morning. We thought something happened to you. Thank god Michael found you. We were about to call the Sheriff."

Isabel looked puzzled at this last part. "Michael how did you know Liz was missing? I didn't say anything about it when I called you."

"I didn't." Michael said flatly.

All six pairs of eyes looked back and forth between Liz and Michael in confusion. Max was the first to voice what they were all thinking. "If you didn't know Liz was missing; how did you find her?"

"I didn't find her, she was with me when Isabel called. If she had told me what this meeting was about I could have saved everyone the trouble." he snapped in irritation.

"Why was she with you?" Max asked, even more confused now.

Isabel shook her head, trying to dislodge the suspicion that was niggling in the back of her mind. It couldn't be - it wasn't possible. She was just overreacting, right? "Michael, I thought you said you were sleeping when I called?"

Michael pressed his lips tightly together to keep from saying something else he would regret. He looked at her without speaking, trying to think of the best way to handle this. This was not going the way they had planned. He unconsciously tightened his hold on Liz, worried that he had let her down with his stupid slip of the tongue. They had agreed not to tell the group that she had spent the night at his apartment. He was only supposed to tell them that he and Liz were together now, she said that the details of their relationship were private. Michael agreed with her, he didn't think what he and Liz did with their time was anybody else's business. He had forgotten what he had told Isabel this morning and now it was too late to deny it. He just hoped Liz wasn't angry with him for ruining their plans.

Liz felt Michael's hand on her back tighten nervously. She could feel a mild sense of panic radiating from him, but she knew it was for her, not himself. He was afraid she would be angry with him. Liz's heart clenched in pain for him. It broke her heart to realize how insecure his rough childhood had left him. He had such a hard time believing that someone could love him unconditionally. She was going to change that no matter what it took, she vowed silently to herself. Starting right now. Michael needed her support and he was going to get it, no matter how scared she was.

"I didn't have my cell phone with me. I'm sorry you were all worried for nothing." she said firmly; trying to distract attention from Michael until he could get his bearings again.

"Liz, what the hell were you doing at Michael's?" Maria asked in disbelief.

Liz sighed in resignation as Michael guided her towards the group. He refused to relinquish his hold on her, despite the odd looks he was receiving from the others. Max, Maria, Isabel and Alex were occupying a booth, while Tess and Kyle had pulled two chairs up next to it. Michael used his free hand to grab a chair and set it down beside Kyle, gently pushing Liz into it and moving to stand behind her with his hands resting on her shoulders. This earned them more weird looks, but they were too distracted to notice. Liz looked back at him questioningly and he smiled, trying to let her know he was okay. She turned back around quickly when Max began firing off questions without waiting for the answers. "What's going on, Michael? Is something wrong? Liz, did something happen to you? Why didn't you come to me if you needed help?" he finally paused for air and Liz jumped in to stop his rambling.

"Max, stop! Nothing happened to me, everything's fine. Michael and I just had some things we needed to talk about." Liz tried to keep her voice calm, even though she was completely terrified. Michael's steady presence behind her was the only thing keeping her from freaking out. She wanted to be strong for him, she was not about to let Michael deal with their anger alone while she sat there like a scared 5 year old.

"What could you and Michael possibly have to talk about? You barely even talk to each other when we're all together, unless it's to argue. We all know how you feel about each other." Isabel said condescendingly, referring to the fact that everyone believed they disliked each other. Even Liz and Michael themselves had believed that to be true, until they realized what they thought was resentment was actually just them fighting their attraction to one another.

"No I don't think you do, Is." Michael said evenly, looking directly at her until her eyes widened in disbelief. She stared at him openmouthed, but didn't say a word.

"Alright that's it! I want to know what the hell is going on. Isabel said you were sleeping when she called, how could you be 'talking about things' with Liz if you were sleeping?" Maria yelled furiously at Michael.

"She said we had things to talk about, she didn't say we talked this morning." Michael stated calmly. He was used to Maria's ranting and rarely let it effect him anymore.

"Well if you weren't talking this morning than what was she doing there?" she yelled louder this time, obviously frustrated by Michael's uniformative response.

Michael glanced down at Liz to find her already looking at him. He raised an eyebrow in inquery, silently asking for her permission to answer the question honestly. She nodded almost imperceptibly, though Michael could tell she was worried. He squeezed her shoulders gently, lending her his strength. When he looked back at the others their expressions were more confused than ever.

Michael returned his gaze to Maria's, looking directly into her green eyes that were sparkling with fury. "Sleeping." he said truthfully.

Shocked gasps came from Isabel and Maria, whose hand flew up to cover her mouth. Max and Kyle both shouted "What the hell!" Alex was speechless and Tess was simply watching the drama unfold without comment, although privately she was wondering if this would help her get Max.

"How could you do this to Max and Maria?!" Isabel stood up, screaming at Liz.

Michael was instantly standing in front of Liz, blocking Isabel from coming any closer to her. "Back off, Isabel." he growled menacingly.

Isabel looked stricken. Michael had never spoken to her in that tone of voice before and he had never taken anyone's side over hers. She felt like she had been slapped in the face.

Maria finally recovered from her shock and angrily jumped up to stand in front of Michael, pointing a finger at his chest. "What the hell did you do to her?"

Liz circled in front of Michael to face Maria. "Maria, he didn't do anything to me."

"Liz, I can not believe that you would let Michael use you like that! What the hell did he say to convince you to betray your best friend?" Maria shouted hysterically.

"We didn't betray anyone, Maria. You and Michael broke up six months ago." Liz shouted back.

"He's just using you to get back at me! How could you be so stupid?"

Michael pulled Liz to his side and glared at Maria angrily. "How dare you say that to her! My relationship with Liz has nothing to do with you and you have no idea what your talking about!"

"Relationship?" Maria snorted in disbelief. "You don't even know what that word means." She shook her head at Liz with a snide smirk. "You don't have a clue what your setting yourself up for. Don't come crying to me when he drops you."

"Liz know's that I love her and there is no way that I will ever leave her." Michael stated unwaveringly.

Everyone was stunned speechless once again at this startling anouncement. A statement like that from Michael Guerin was enough to make everyone want to search the sky for flying farm animals.

Maria recovered first. "Yeah, right! Until the mother ship comes to take you home." she snapped.

"I don't care if a whole fleet of spaceships lands on top of the UFO center tomorrow. I. AM. NOT. GOING. ANYWHERE. WITHOUT. LIZ." Michael stated with absolute conviction.

"I can't believe i'm hearing this! Have you lost your mind?!" Isabel screamed. "You have been searching for a way home since the day we came out of the pods! It's your dream! Now you expect me to believe that you would give that up for a girl?"

"I'm not giving anything up, Isabel. You're right - I have been searching for something all my life, but it wasn't a planet. It was Liz. Liz is my home. I will never go back if I can't take her with me." He felt Liz sink back down on the chair and he turned to look at her in concern. Her eyes were wide with shock and as he watched, tears began rolling silently down her face. Michael was instantly panicked. He dropped down to kneel in front of her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Liz?" He cupped her face in his hands and leaned back to look at her. "Baby, what's wrong? Talk to me." he pleaded.

She met his eyes with a sad smile and reached out to caress his cheek tenderly. "Oh, Michael. You can't give up on finding your home. It's important to all of you and I don't want to be the reason for you giving up on your dreams. You need answers; you can't give up until you find them. Promise me."

"Ssh, don't cry. I promise sweetheart. I'm not going to stop trying to find out where I came from, but even if we found a way to go back - you know I would never leave you behind."

"I wouldn't let you. Where you go, I go. Always."

"Always, baby. Don't cry anymore, okay? You know I can't stand to see you cry."

"I can't believe i'm seeing this! This has to be some kind of alternate universe the skins cooked up or something! Baby? Sweetheart?! The day Michael Guerin calls anybody baby it's all ov....Oh my God!" Isabel stopped as she realized what she was about to say.

"This is a fucking nightmare. How long has this been going on?" Max yelled furiously.

"It doesn't matter." Michael said firmly, enterlacing his fingers with Liz's. "Liz and I have spent allot of time discussing how we feel about each other and how it would effect all of you. We didn't want to hurt any of you and we both hope that you'll be able to forgive us eventually. We're willing to do whatever we can to save our friendships, but the fact is - we've made a commitment to each other and nothing any of you can say will change how we feel. I love her and she loves me and we've decided to build a future together. This is not open for discussion, the decision has been made."

"Michael, if you do this it's going to ruin everything. Max and I will not support you on this. I'm sorry, but I won't accept it." Isabel said icily.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Is. You know I love you like a sister. You and Max are the closest thing I have to family. I care about you both, but I will not give up Liz for you. If you can't accept us together, then there's nothing left to say." he said quietly, his expression leaving no doubt that he was serious.

PART 10

Isabel just stood there, her mouth hanging open in disbelief. She had known Michael all her life, he was as much her brother as Max was, and she knew that he would never joke about something like this. He was giving her an ultimatam. She didn't know what to do. As angry as she was at him, she knew she couldn't bear to lose him. She slowly backed up and sank down into the booth, burying her face in her hands. She needed to stop and think about this before she said anything else.

Max looked at Isabel and then turned around to glare at Michael. "After everything we've been through together, I can't believe you would do this to us-to me. You were my best friend." he opened his mouth like he wanted to say more, but finally just mumbled "Fuck it" and strode angrily out the door.

Maria started to follow him, but turned around and spoke harshly to Liz "I thought you were my friend, but I guess I was wrong. Have a nice life." Then she ran out the door after Max.

Liz stood there numbly with tears rolling down her cheeks as she watched her go. She hadn't meant to hurt Maria, but there was nothing she could do about it now. She just had to hope that after she'd had some time to calm down she would at least give her a chance to explain.

Michael's arm sliding around her waist reminded her why she was doing this and she smiled at him slightly to let him know she was okay. She could feel the sadness emanating from him and she knew it was because he thought he had lost Max and Isabel. Liz knew Michael didn't regret choosing her, still it was only natural for him to mourn the loss of his only real family. She took a deep breath and made a quick decision. There wasn't anything she could do about Max right now, but she was going to do her best to make sure that he didn't lose Isabel as well. Liz turned back to face the four remaining members of the group with a determined glint in her eye that Alex immediately recognized.

"Liz-" Alex started, but she cut him off before he could finish.

"Alex please, you and I have been best friends since kindergarten, you know I would never hurt Maria on purpose." she looked pleadingly at him before facing the others. "I know you are all angry right now and I respect that, but I don't want to leave it like this. Can you please just give us a chance to explain how we feel before you make any decisions? I don't think that's asking too much." She looked directly at Isabel, silently begging her not to turn her back on Michael without listening to his side.

Isabel stared at her silently for a long while and finally nodded her agreement. Alex repeated the gesture and put his arm around Isabel, pulling her close as they both sat back to wait. Liz turned her attention to the other two. Kyle shrugged and sat back down. He was really the least affected by this so he didn't have a problem with doing as she asked. Besides, once his initial shock had worn off, he had to admit, he was curious. Finally, Liz focused her gaze on Tess. Once her feelings for Max had changed, she had let go of her resentment toward her and had often found herself wishing that they could be friends. Maybe now that Tess knew they weren't competing for Max anymore she would feel the same. She knew Tess was lonely, she had been kind of lost since Nesado had died. She smiled at her former rival "I know we've never really been friends, but I would like to put all that behind us and try to start over. Will you stay?"

Tess was surprised that Liz cared enough to ask her. Normally she was the outsider that nobody talked to unless they had to. It felt nice to be included for once. "Okay."

Liz smiled gratefully at them all and turned back to Michael. He had been standing silently behind her, ready to offer his support, but letting her say what she wanted to say.

"Is this okay with you?" she asked quietly, fully aware that Michael was not one to discuss his feelings openly. She was prepared to do all the talking if he wanted her to, but she was hoping that she wouldn't have to. Liz was positive that the only way to get Isabel to accept them was for Michael to tell her in his own words how he felt.

Michael knew exactly what she was thinking. The connection he had opened between them earlier had not fully disappeared. He could still read her emotions if he concentrated. Although he was nervous about baring his soul in front of everyone, he knew Liz was right. He had to make Isabel understand how important this was to him.

They sat down in the empty side of the booth that Max and Maria had vacated, automatically reaching out to lace their fingers together. The others noted the action, but decided to just stay silent for now and let the couple say what they wanted to say.

Liz cleared her throat nervously before she started to speak. "First of all, I just want you to know that Michael and I didn't make this decision lightly. We never wanted to hurt any of you, but you can't choose who you love. I tried, believe me. I argued with myself for months before I finally decided to tell Michael how I felt. I knew Max and Maria would be hurt by it and i'm not trying to excuse that, but you can't always put other peoples feelings ahead of your own. Sometimes you just have to do what's right for you and hope that the people around you care enough about you to try to understand." Her eye's filled with tears again as she looked at the angry faces of her friends, all staring at her in silence. Michael squeezed her hand gently and she instantly relaxed enough to continue.

"I love him more than i've ever loved anybody in my life. I can't be happy without him. Even though we've only been together for a short time, I already know that I am going to spend the rest of my life with him. I knew it the moment we kissed for the first time. He's the other half of my soul. He complete's me in a way nobody else will ever be able to. I know that it's going to be hard to get used to, but can't you at least try? Max and I have been over for a long time, so have Michael and Maria, they just haven't accepted it. Those relationships ended for reasons that had nothing to do with this, Michael and I didn't even realize how we felt about each other until much later, so I honestly don't believe that we betrayed them. We just want to be happy, don't we deserve that?"

Alex sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. When he finally looked up at her his eyes were soft again, no longer carrying that glint of anger that was so out of place in someone who was normally so understanding. She knew Alex could always be counted on to see both sides of any arguement, it was his nature. Her eyes filled with tears of relief at the familiar half smile he gave her. Over the years they had had many disagreements as all friends do, but that smile had always been Alex's way of letting her know that they were okay. She had never appreciated it more than she did right now. "Thank you, Alex." Liz whispered softly.

The other members of the group didn't know exactly what was being communicated between the two best friends, but it was clear that Liz and Alex had reached an understanding. Michael could feel the relief and happiness flowing through her and he smiled gratefully at Alex, thankful that Liz hadn't lost both her best friends because of him.

Kyle had watched this exchange thoughtfully. It was obvious to him that Michael really cared about Liz. He had known Liz Parker for most of his life, had been in love with her for part of it and he knew without a doubt that she meant every word she had said. He was happy for her, believe it or not. He had hated the way that Max had played with her emotions, declaring his undying love one moment and saying he needed to 'take a step back' the next. Liz was a good person and she hadn't deserved all the heartache he had caused her. Kyle was glad that she had finally found someone who could make her happy. He stood up and offered his hand to Michael. Michael looked at him warily at first, but finally smiled and shook Kyle's hand.

"Congratulations man." He looked over at Liz and Michael got up so Liz could slide out of the booth. She stood before Kyle a little uncertainly until he reached out and pulled her into a hug. "You do deserve to be happy, Liz. Don't let anybody take that away from you." He stepped back and smiled at her. "Now i'm gonna go, because I think you guys need some time alone." he said quietly, glancing pointedly at Isabel, who was staring down at the table. Being a less than talkitive guy himself, he knew Michael would feel more comfortable opening up to Isabel if there were less people watching him. He grabbed his jacket off the chair and raised his eyebrows at Tess. "Do you need a ride home?"

"Um yeah, thanks Kyle." She stood and slowly approached Michael, reaching up to hug him. They had spent allot of time together over the summer, working on Michael's powers. She felt closer to him than any of the others. He was the only one who had even tried to accept her, so the least she could do was support his decision. "You're a good man, Michael. Don't feel guilty for being happy. After all you've been through, you deserve it more than most."

When she stepped back her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. She blinked them back and locked eyes with Liz. "You're right, we aren't really friends, but I think we could be. I would really like to try." she said shyly, stepping forward hesitently to give Liz an awkward hug.

Liz could tell that Tess wasn't used to physical contact and she felt a rush of sympathy for her. It must have been very lonely being raised by Nesado.

"Me too, Tess. Thank you." Liz smiled warmly and hugged her back.

Michael wrapped his arms around her from behind as they watched Tess and Kyle leave. She felt hopeful for the first time since they had decided to tell everyone. They had the support of Alex, Kyle and Tess. If they could just convince Isabel to give them a chance she would be content. She was well aware that it was going to take allot to rebuild their friendships with Max and Maria, but she didn't want to think about that right now. The most important thing at the moment was making sure that Michael didn't lose Isabel. The rest was going to take time.

Liz follwed Michael back to the booth and they sat down. He stared intently at Isabel until she finally gave in and looked at him. "I love you, Is. We may not be related by blood, but you will always be my sister. Please don't force me to choose, I don't want to lose you."

The tone of his voice made it obvious to Isabel that any choice he made would not be in her favor. She felt a pang of jealousy and something close to regret, but she pushed it aside. Maybe she had loved him as more than a brother in her previous life, but things were different now.

"Michael, I just don't understand. You know how Max feels about Liz, I don't like to see him hurting like this." She was still angry, but she wanted him to help her understand how this had happened. She knew deep down that Michael would never intentionally cause Max pain. They were more than just best friends. They loved each other like brothers, even though they were both too stubborn and macho to admit it.

Michael closed his eyes and sighed, trying to think of a way to explain how he felt."I don't know if I can put it into words." Finally he opened his eyes and looked at her, scratching his eyebrow absently. "I've always felt out of place here, Is. There was this part of me that was waiting for something, but I never really knew what it was. The minute I kissed her, I knew. Everything just fell into place and made sense. I felt whole for the first time in my life." He searched her face for some sign that she understood what he was trying to say, but he could tell that she was still unwilling to accept that he could feel that strongly about Liz.

He laid his hands on the table between them with his palms facing up. "Take my hands, Isabel. Let me show you." Her head jerked up and she stared at him in shock. Michael had never allowed her to connect with him before. He had always said his thoughts were private and didn't need to be seen by anyone but him. He wouldn't even let her dreamwalk him. Very slowly she brought her hands up to clasp his and looked into his eyes...

PART 11

Isabel hesitated for a second when she looked into Michael's eyes. They were not the dark impenetrable brown that she was so used to seeing. They were lighter, almost golden and overflowing with emotion. It was like looking at a stranger and all of the sudden she was afraid of what she might see when they connected. Afraid that the Michael she had known all her life had become someone she didn't know at all. She started to pull back, but it was too late. She was surrounded by darkness for an instant and then the darkness gave way to colors, dozens of colors in every shade were swirling around her with liquid grace, she could reach out and touch them as they flowed past her like a beautiful kaleidascope she remembered playing with as a child. Each color she touched gave her a fleeting impression of him. Memories of the past and hopes for the future, all of the many thoughts and feelings that were the essence of Michael. His heart and soul were completely open to her and she felt his pain and loneliness as though they were her own. She also felt the overwhelming love and sense of belonging that he felt with Liz.

Isabel gradually became aware of her surroundings again as Michael released her from the connection. She felt wetness on her cheek and raised a hand to brush it away, only faintly surprised to discover she was crying. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vice as she remembered the things she had seen and felt. Guilt weighed heavily on her. So much loneliness and pain. How had she not known? She knew that his life with Hank had been hard, but only now did she realize that the reality was more awful than she had ever dreamed. Was she really so selfish that she had allowed his pain to go unnoticed? So many of the things she had felt were a shock to her; it was impossible to deny what that meant. The Michael she thought she knew had been nothing more than a mask, a barrier to protect the wounded soul beneath it. She was utterly ashamed to admit that she had never seen past it. She, who was supposed to be his friend, his family.

She looked at Michael through eyes still blurry with tears and felt utterly lost. How could she make up for all the years that she had failed him? It was impossible. "Oh Michael, i'm so sorry...I-I didn't know...I should have..God, I don't know what to say." She stood up abruptly, covering her mouth with her hand. Her tears were coming faster now and she sobbed brokenly, backing away from them. "I have to go...it's too much..I have to get out of here so I can think." She turned and ran out the door before anyone could stop her. Alex jumped up to follow her. "I'm gonna make sure she gets home alright. If you guys wanna talk, i'll be home later okay?"

Liz looked cautiously at Michael after they were gone. She could feel his hurt and confusion over Isabel's reaction. She wished she could make it better for him, but she knew she couldn't. "Michael?" she whispered softly, lifting a hand to stroke his cheek. His eyes were glittering with tears. She hated seeing him so upset. He'd already had more pain in his life than anyone should have to deal with. "Michael? Let's go upstairs and lay down for awhile, okay baby? C'mon."

She pulled him to his feet and led him upstairs to her room. Thank god the cafe was closed today. Her parents wouldn't be home from the convention until late, so they had the place to themselves. She pushed him down to sit on the edge of the bed and knelt in front of him to take his shoes off. Michael reached out to caress her hair. "I'm okay, Liz. You don't have to take care of me." he whispered quietly.

"I want to." She turned her head to place a kiss against his palm. "We didn't get much sleep last night, why don't we just lay down and relax for awhile?" She put his shoes next to the bed and climbed up beside him, gently pushing him back until he was lying flat. She reached for his t-shirt and pulled it over his head in one smooth movement. "Turn over." He looked at her questioningly, but did as she asked. Liz straddled his hips and began to massage his back, starting at the base of his spine and working her way up to his shoulders. She smiled when she heard him groan.

"That feels really good, baby." he moaned tiredly, stifling a yawn. He loved the way she took care of him. Washing his hair in the shower this morning, taking off his shoes for him, rubbing his back; so many little things she did that showed him how much she cared. He'd never had that kind of attention from anyone before. It made him love her even more if that was possible. He let his eyes drift closed, his problems forgotten for the moment as he basked in the warmth of Liz's love.

After he fell asleep Liz climbed off him and snuggled against his side, pulling the blanket up to cover them. She fell asleep almost instantly.

It was much later when Michael slowly opened his eyes. The light coming in the window was dim, they must have been sleeping for hours. He felt Liz's warm body pressed against his side, could hear her breathing softly. He rolled over to face her and just watched her sleep for awhile. She looked so peaceful, he didn't want to wake her. The loud rumbling in his stomach reminded him that they hadn't eaten anything all day. It must be close to dinner time now. Liz scooted closer to him and nuzzeled his neck, murmuring his name sleepily. The rush of love he felt for her would have sent him to his knees if he had been standing. He felt the sting of tears welling up and closed his eyes, burying his face in her silky hair. He didn't care what happened as long as he had her.

He slipped his hand under her shirt and rubbed her back gently. "Liz? Wake up, baby." Her eyes fluttered opened reluctantly.

"Michael. What time is it?" she yawned and stretched, her body rubbing against his provocatively. He moaned low in his throat and she giggled.

"What's so funny, Parker?" he growled playfully and rolled on top of her, attacking her mouth with a hungry kiss. Now she was the one moaning and he pulled back to smirk at her. "Not so funny now, is it?"

Liz rolled her eyes at him and reached down to smack his butt. "You just think your God's gift, don't you? How do know I wasn't moaning in pain because you weigh a ton? I think my ribs are crushed." She pushed him off her and rolled to her feet, ducking to avoid the pillow he threw at her. She stuck her tongue out at him and laughed as she ran into the bathroom, locking the door. She should have known that was a futile gesture. She yelped in surprise as the door burst open and Michael picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, striding into the bedroom and dropping her back on the bed. His eyes gleamed mischeviously as he stared down at her and Liz raised her hands to fend him off. "Oh no! Please? I take it back! You're a total stud muffin! Michaeelll!" she screamed with laughter as he pounced on her, tickling her mercilessly.

"Stud muffin? That's gonna cost you." he chuckled evilly. He captured both her wrists in one hand and held them above her head, using the other to push her shirt up. Her breath caught in her throat as he lowered his head to kiss the swell of her breast just above the lace edge of her bra. He opened his mouth and sucked lightly at the soft skin, leaving a small red mark. When he lifted his head to look at it, he smiled in purely male satisfaction. He liked the idea of leaving his mark on her, branding her as his. It appealed to him on some primal level.

Liz was watching him and she knew exactly what he was thinking. Truth be told, she liked it too. She wanted to wear his mark. It made her feel special. She wished there was a way to make it permanent. "Michael?"

"Hmm?" he mumbled against her skin. He was trailing languid kisses across her bare stomach.

"Can you leave a mark on me with your powers?"

"What do you mean?" his forehead was scrunched up in confusion.

"I mean some kind of symbol or something. Like a tattoo?"

"I guess it's possible. Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"I want you to leave a mark on me. Something permanent where no one can see it, but us." He looked like he was about to protest, but Liz laid her fingers over his mouth. "Please Michael? I really want you to."

He searched her eyes carefully, but all he saw was love and desire shining in their dark depths. "Liz, you know i'm not very good at controlling my powers. What if I hurt you?" he whispered anxiously, terrified at the thought of marring her perfect skin.

"You won't. I trust you, Michael." She smiled lovingly at him, reaching up to brush his hair off his forehead.

Michael hesitantly lifted his hand and placed it over the hickey. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the picture in his mind. Liz felt a little heat as his hand started to glow, but it didn't hurt. When he opened his eyes, she smiled at him. He kissed her slowly and then pulled back to look at his artwork. Liz stared down at it in awe, tears rolling silently down her cheeks. "It's beautiful Michael." He had given her a small pink heart that said 'Michael's Forever Love' acrossed it in darker pink flowing letters. It was feminine and sweet. She whispered sincerely "I love it. It's perfect."

Michael watched her in silence for a moment. He could feel sadness lurking underneath the pleasure she felt as she stared at his 'mark'. "What's wrong?" he prodded, when it became apparent that she wasn't going to tell him on her own.

"Nothing, I just...." she shifted her gaze to the ceiling, avoiding his eyes. Michael was having none of that. He gently gripped her chin and forced her gaze back to his.

"Tell me." he said firmly as he rubbed his thumb back and forth over her soft lips, waiting patiently.

"I wish that I could do it to you." His eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed as he gazed at her thoughtfully. Finally he smiled and grabbed her hand, pulling it up to his chest. He placed it carefully over the same area he had marked her and covered her hand with his. She watched in fascination as their combined hands started to glow softly and the now familiar heat flowed through them. When he lifted their hands there was a dark red heart, just slightly larger than hers that said 'Liz's Forever Love'. The ever present tears continued to streak down her face as she hugged him tightly.

He smoothed her sleep mussed hair away from her face and placed tiny butterfly kisses on her eyelids. "Better?" he murmured.

She nodded. "I love you, Michael."

"I love you, too." He kissed the tip of her nose and sat up, pulling her with him. "Now get up and feed me, woman. I'm starving." he laughed loudly at the outraged look on her face and barely ducked in time to avoid the pillow she launched at him.

PART 12

After dinner (which Michael actually cooked by the way)they went back to Michael's apartment. When they got there Isabel was waiting. Michael stopped abruptly in the doorway when he saw her sitting on the couch and Liz almost crashed into him. She had to grab onto his waist to steady herself. He reached back automatically to pull her to his side, though his eyes never wavered from Isabel's. She could feel the anxiety pouring off him. She knew Isabel's acceptance was very important to him.

Liz quickly decided that Michael and Isabel needed to have this discussion alone. They had been each other's family since they came out of the pods, they didn't need her here for this. She smiled slightly at Isabel and then turned to face Michael. "I'm gonna go home, okay?" she said quietly.

"Liz..." He knew she wanted him and Isabel to talk, but he didn't want her to leave.

"Michael, i'll just be in the way. This is between you and Isabel, you guys need to work this out on your own." She kissed him and smiled reassuringly. "I love you. If you need me i'll be at home, okay?"

Michael pulled her to him and squeezed her tightly. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and whispered "I love you, too. I'll call you as soon as i'm done, okay?"

She turned around to say goodbye to Isabel. The taller woman stood up as she approached her and Liz was surprised when she was pulled into a hug by the normally reserved 'Ice Queen'. Isabel whispered quietly "I'm sorry about earlier."

Liz nodded her acceptance of the unexpected apology, but said fiercely just loud enough for Isabel to hear "If you hurt him again, i'll do whatever it takes to make sure it's the last time." It was meant as a threat and Isabel acknowledged it as such, nodding slightly to indicate that she understood what Liz was implying.

After Liz was gone Michael started to fidget nervously. He had no idea what to say, he'd already showed her everything. If she didn't understand now there wasn't anything else he could say.

Isabel could feel how nervous he was. Knowing that her approval was so important to him made her feel even worse. She had never been this concerned about his feelings. Just one more thing to add to my mountain of regrets, she thought with a grimace. "Michael, please sit down. You're gonna wear a hole in the carpet."

He sat down in the chair across from her; still avoiding her gaze.

"Look Michael, i'm sorry that I ran out on you earlier. I just...I didn't know how to deal with the things I saw." She sighed and shrugged helplessly. "I've been a horrible friend. I can't tell you how sorry I am. I wish that I could start over at the beginning and be there for you every time you needed me, but I can't and that hurts so much. I don't know how to apologize to you. There isn't anything I can say that will make up for not being there. I just wanted to come and tell you that i'm so glad that you've finally found what you were searching for, even if it is with Liz. I realize now that you need her more than Max does and i'm not going to let you down again. I'll support you any way I can. You're my family, you and Max. I love you both and I don't want to lose you." She was crying again, but didn't seem to notice. Her eyes were glued to Michael, waiting for him to say something.

Michael moved over to sit beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Thank you. That means allot to me, but you didn't let me down, Is. It was my fault. I always knew that you would be there if I let you, I just couldn't open up. I had created this wall to keep out all the bad stuff and it took me a long time to figure out that it was keeping the good stuff out, too. It wasn't your fault. I don't know what I would have done without you and Max."

Isabel smiled tearfully at him, relieved that he hadn't felt abandoned by her. She never wanted him to feel like she didn't care. "Can I ask you something?" she said hesitantly.

"Ask away." Michael smiled encouragingly at her.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but why Liz? I mean you guys just seem so different. I thought you were still in love with Maria?" She was genuinely curious about this. She would never have considered Michael and Liz to be compatable. They were complete opposites.

"I don't think I was ever really in love with Maria. She was fun to be around sometimes and she made me feel a little less lonely, I guess. But....I was never happy when I was with her. She never accepted me. No matter what I did, it was never good enough because she wanted me to be something I wasn't. Liz doesn't make me feel like that. She accepts me the way I am and she doesn't judge me or try to change me. I can be myself with her, you know? I don't have to worry, because I know that even if I make a mistake, she'll still love me."

Isabel could see the love shining in his eyes when he talked about Liz and she was so grateful that he had her. He had been through so much, he deserved all the happiness he could find. She hugged him and planted a sisterly kiss on his cheek. "Well now that we got that all cleared up, i'm going to go home and have a little talk with Max." She said haughtily, her 'Ice Queen' personna slipping back into place. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She got up to leave. "Oh and tell Liz I said thanks for the warning." She threw him a smirk as she headed out the door, leaving Michael scratching his eyebrow and staring after her in confusion.

He called Liz after she left and they spent the next hour talking about anything and everything. They were both a little surprised by their friends reactions. They had been sure that it was going to take allot more to convince them, but they definitely weren't going to complain. Max and Maria were still a problem, but neither one wanted to dwell on that at the moment. They were happy and if Max and Maria really cared about them, they would come around eventually.

After they hung up Michael decided to take a shower and go to bed. It had been a long, emotionally exhausting day and he had to get up early for school. He was actually looking forward to school for once. He would be able to see Liz and now that everything was out in the open, they would be able to act like a real couple. He was actually excited by the idea of walking down the halls holding her hand. He laughed quietly to himself. It was going to be fun to see the looks on everyone's faces. Never in a million years would they expect the perfect Liz Parker to fall for Michael Guerin, West Roswell High's resident bad boy. They were in for a shock.

Michael woke in a cold sweat, gasping for air. His eyes filled with tears as the dream came rushing back. Oh god no. Why now? He hadn't dreamt about Isabel since the pregnancy scare last spring. And this....this was different than before. The other dreams had been happy and filled with love for Isabel and the baby that they had been holding. This was....it was just him and Isabel having mindless sex. It was rough and dirty and even in the dream it had felt very wrong. Now that he was awake it was so much worse. He felt sick to his stomach and almost violated, like he had been used against his will.

This couldn't be happening. How could he explain this to Liz? He didn't know what he would do if he lost her. Michael turned over and hugged his pillow, burying his face in it. It still smelled like Liz's shampoo and he sobbed uncontrollably. She would never understand this-he didn't even understand it. He had never thought about Isabel like that before, never. He loved Liz, he didn't want to be with anyone but her. Especially like that-he would never treat any woman like that.

PART 13

(MONDAY MORNING)

Michael was waiting impatiently in front of Liz's locker. He was early, but he couldn't bear to stay in his apartment for another minute. He had slept fitfully after the dream, waking long before his alarm went off. He had taken a long, scalding hot shower, nearly scrubbing his skin raw and still hadn't been able to get rid of the unclean feeling the dream had left him with. He didn't understand where it had come from. He had fantasized before, of course, he was a seventeen year old guy. He was no stranger to wet dreams, either. This had not been like any of those. He didn't know exactly what the hell was going on, but whatever it was he knew it was alien. There was no way he had come up with that stuff on his own. If he had, it stands to reason that he would have enjoyed it, but nothing could be further from the truth. The behavior of his dream self had sickened him and he knew without a doubt that someone else had been responsible for the images in his head. Somehow he was going to find out who it was and what they hoped to gain by giving him visions of Isabel.

Right now though, he desperately needed to hold Liz. To feel her in his arms and let the smell of her perfume and the sweet taste of her mouth wash away the ugly feeling inside him. He wanted to tell her about the dream, but he was afraid that she would be hurt by it. Just witnessing it had felt like a betrayal to him, what if she saw it that way as well? He had no proof that anyone other than his subconcious was responsible for manufacturing those lurid images. His rational mind knew that it would be better to come clean now, just spill the whole story and hope that she believed that an outside influence was responsible, as he did. His heart on the other hand was unwilling to risk losing the most important part of his otherwise meager existence.

He was pulled back to reality by the sound of her laughter, floating toward him like soothing music to his battered senses. He watched her walk down the hall with Alex, smiling and laughing at something he said. For a moment all thought deserted him and he was utterly still; enraptured by the sight of her. So unbelievably fucking beautiful he could barely breathe.

Liz felt the heat of his gaze and looked around, smiling brilliantly when she saw him. Their eyes locked and suddenly everything was okay and just as it should be, because she was there and she loved him.

When she was within reaching distance he pulled her into his arms, not caring that they were in the middle of a hallway crowded with people. The only thing that mattered at that moment was her. He buried his face in her soft hair and breathed deeply. The familiar scent of warm vanilla wrapped around him like a favorite blanket and he sighed in contentment.

Liz felt the relief and love flowing off of him in waves, but she could also sense an underlying anxiety that worried her. He was so happy when they talked last night, what could have happened since then? She tipped her head back to look at him, his eyes were a little red and puffy. He looked tired and if she didn't know better she would swear that he had been crying recently. "What's wrong, baby?" she whispered softly, reaching up to brush her fingers over his cheek.

Michael smiled and leaned down to kiss her, murmuring against her lips "nothing now". He kissed her deeply and passionately and after a moment she barely remembered her own name. When he finally drew back her breath was coming in harsh pants and the only thing preventing her from melting into a puddle at his feet was his strong arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She leaned into him and pressed a kiss against his chest over the spot where she knew her 'mark' lay hidden under his shirt. Her lips curved into a purely feminine smile of possessiveness. She loved knowing that it was there. She wanted to rip his shirt off and show the whole world that he was hers.

Michael grinned down at her in amusement. The connection he had opened between them had never fully closed, he could still pick up her thoughts if he tried and that one was coming through loud and clear. "I dare you" he whispered huskily, giving her a sexy smirk.

She was confused at first until it dawned on her that he knew what she had been thinking about. She laughed and buried her face in his chest to hide her embarrassment. "You could at least warn me before you go eavesdropping on my private thoughts." she grumbled goodnaturedly.

Michael held his hands up in mock surrender. "Hey, I wasn't trying to, but that was coming across too loud to ignore." he chuckled when she stuck her lip out in a childish pout; which ironically he found to be a major turn on. He wanted to drag her off to the eraser room for some serious makeout time, but just as he was about to do so, the bell rang. He almost groaned in frustration.

"I gotta go, honey. I have a chem test first period and Mr. Seligman will kill me if i'm late." she reached up to give him one more quick kiss. "I'll meet you in the quad for lunch, 'kay?"

"Yeah." She started to walk away and he pulled her back to him briefly to whisper against her hair "I love you".

"I love you, too." She smiled and turned to leave again, only now noticing the crowd of people standing around them, staring at them with varying degrees of shock and disbelief. Catcalls and whistles erupted from some of the guys, but Liz noticed quite a few girls glaring daggers at her. She knew from numerous conversations she had overheard in the girls locker room over the past two years that at least half the female population of West Roswell would kill to get their hands on the 'mysterious and oh so sexy' Michael Guerin. She met their glares with narrowed eyes and a wicked grin, turning around with deliberate slowness and sliding her hand up to grasp the back of Michael's neck. She pulled him down to meet her in a deep kiss and then walked away with a smug little smirk, winking at the disgruntled girls as she passed.

Michael watched her leave with an indulgent grin. It was obvious that was her not so subtle way of saying 'hands off - he's mine'. He had never seen this side of her before, but he had to admit he liked it. He was smiling happily as he walked to his first class, too immersed in his thoughts of Liz to notice the incredulous stares of his classmates.

Michael entered the quad at lunchtime, his eyes searching for Liz. He spotted her sitting at a table off to the side with Alex and Isabel. He snuck up behind her, bending down to whisper huskily in her ear "Hey sexy, how about joining me for dessert..in the eraser room?"

Liz jumped a bit, but recovered quickly. She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder and pretended to think about it. "Hmm, that's a sweet offer, but my boyfriend isn't really into sharing. Sorry." She gave her him her best wide eyed and innocent look.

"Good answer" he grinned, sliding his hand under her hair to grasp the back of her neck and pull her close for a long, lingering kiss.

"Ew, I so did not need to see that." Isabel said haughtily, smiling to let them know she was teasing. She wasn't used to seeing Michael so openly affectionate. When Alex had told her about the incident in the hall this morning, she had been surprised. PDA's were not really Michael's style, at least they never used to be. It was nice to see him loosening up and actually being happy for a change.

Alex groaned in mock disgust. "Please tell me i'm not going to have to watch you guys maul each other every time we get together now." He smiled. It was good to see Liz happy again, she hadn't been for a long time.

Liz laughed, but Michael just raised his eyebrow's at him as if to say 'what of it?' and Alex realized belatedly that he was probably right on target with that joke. "Oh great, I am aren't I?" he moaned, looking very put out.

"Better get used to it, man." Michael smirked and leaned down to nuzzel Liz's neck.

"Mmm" she moaned softly and turned to face him with a suddenly intense expression. "Let's get out of here." she whispered.

Michael wasted no time complying. He jumped up and pulled her with him, barely giving her a chance to wave goodbye to Alex and Isabel, who were laughing hysterically at his eagerness. They were half way to the eraser room before she knew what hit her. She smiled to herself. She liked that she could get him so worked up, it made her feel kind of powerful.

Michael pulled her into the eraser room and locked the door. As soon as he turned around she found herself pressed against the wall by his hard body. "God, I missed you." he murmured as he attacked her lips in a hungry kiss. She melted into him and he groaned urgently as she rubbed against his already rock hard arousal. He lifted her lithe body up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. This was what he needed. To feel her all around him. Skin and breath and souls merging. Nothing else existed in this moment.

He carried her to a desk that was pushed up against the wall and sat her down on the edge, freeing his hands to wander over her body. His palms slid up her thighs, gripping her hips and pulling her tight against his throbbing hardness. He moved subtly, grinding against her. Liz whimpered as desire flooded her system. The slow, erotic rythym of his movements was driving her crazy with need. He grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head, fingers fumbling for a second with the front closure on her bra, sighing with relief when it finally opened. His eyes gleamed with pride when he saw his 'mark' just above her breast and he smiled as he lowered his head to place a kiss on it before moving lower to capture her nipple in his mouth. It tightened instantly beneath his talented tongue and Liz had to bite her lip to keep from moaning. She was afraid to make noise, worried that someone might hear them in the hall. Michael could feel her nervousness and he kissed his way up her neck, whispering in her ear "Relax, baby. Everyone's still at lunch, nobodies gonna hear you." He ran his hands up and down her sides, nuzzeling her neck until he felt her relax again then returned to her mouth, licking and nibbling on her lower lip before sliding his tongue inside to tangle languidly with hers.

Liz tightened her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her. The feeling of his arousal pressing against her made her shiver with lust. The heat of it rushed through her, wiping out all conscious thought. She needed to feel his hands on her, she didn't care if the whole world heard them. She broke the kiss and raised her eyes to look at him, lids half closed, the desire in her gaze searing him. "Michael, I need you...please.." her face flamed with embarrassment at her boldness, but she kept her eyes locked on his. Michael knew what she was asking for and he obeyed eagerly, trailing his hand down the front of her body to unbutton her jeans. Liz buried her face in his neck, letting his skin muffle the sound of her moans as his fingers slipped inside her panties to ease the ache that was consuming her. He grazed teasingly over her sensitive clit and dipped down further, sliding a gentle finger inside her. She held her breath as he slowly thrust in and out of her tight body.

Michael closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of her liquid warmth. Once she had adjusted to his invasion he carefully slid a second finger inside her while she bit down on his shoulder to keep from screaming in pleasure. He nudged her gently with his cheek and she lifted her lips to his, knowing instinctively what he wanted. He devoured her mouth, muffling her cries as his other hand stroked her breast, lightly pinching her nipple. Michael gradually increased the pace, thrusting a little faster and a little deeper until she was writhing against him, her kisses becoming frantic, her orgasm building rapidly under his skillful ministrations. When he felt her muscles start to clench rhythmically around his fingers, he pressed his thumb firmly against her throbbing clit and whispered into her mouth, encouraging her with his deep, soft voice. Liz closed her eyes and threw her head back, biting her lip hard as her body shuddered in ecstacy.

Michael held her close, feeling her rapid heartbeat slowing against his chest. He kissed her forehead tenderly and buried his face in her silky hair, whispering "I love you, Liz". He didn't want to let go of her, wanted to keep her near and safe and never let any pain or sadness touch her, ever again.

Liz released the deathgrip she had on his arm and slid her hands down to his belt buckle, using one to undo it while the other slipped lower to caress his hard length through the denim. Michael released a gutteral moan and grabbed her hands, reluctantly removing them from his body. "You don't have to do that, baby. I can wait, besides it's almost time to go. Just relax and let me hold you for a minute, okay?" he said quietly as he brushed a loose strand of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. "I missed you so much last night, Liz." He sighed deeply and gazed into her eyes with a mixture of love and desire and something else....something more profound than anything she remembered seeing there before.

PART 14

Liz spent the rest of the afternoon ignoring the stares and gossip of her classmates, avoiding Max and Maria like the plague and wondering what was going on with Michael. She was positive that something was bothering him. It wasn't that he was acting any differently really. He was being just as sweet and loving as he'd been the day before, but something was off. Something had happened last night, she could feel it. She didn't know what it was, but she knew that he was worried about it.

When she got home her dad was sitting at the kitchen table with papers spread out all over and he was wearing his 'serious' face. Her dad was normally pretty laid back, except when it came to the cafe, so she knew as soon as she saw his expression that whatever he was working on had to do with the Crashdown. "Hey dad, what's goin' on?" She smiled when he jumped slightly. He was so absorbed in what he was reading that he hadn't even heard her come in.

Jeff Parker smiled at his little girl and thought once again how lucky they were to have her. She was a straight A student, a resonsible and loving daughter, not to mention the best waitress he had. He had listened to enough of his friends complain about their children to know that he had allot to be thankful for. He knew she was more than capable of running the cafe without him, but he didn't want to put that burden on her. He and Nancy had spent allot of time discussing the best way to do what they wanted to do without adding to her responsibilities. They had finally come up with a workable solution that would give her the freedom she needed to be a teenager and still keep the cafe going.

"Your mother and I have decided to do a little restructuring."

"What kind of restructuring?"

"We're going to make a few changes in the staff and we have some other plans that we want to discuss with you, but I want to wait until your mother gets home so we can talk about it together, okay?"

"Okay. I need to go change for work anyway." She shrugged, not really concerned and started down the hall to her bedroom.

"Hey, Lizzy?" her dad called after her.

"Yeah, dad?" she yelled back. She threw her backpack on her bed and went back to the kitchen.

"When Michael gets here could you ask him to come up and see me before he starts his shift?"

Liz's heart started pounding in panic. Why did her father want to talk to Michael? Oh God! He said they were going to make some changes in the staff, what if he was planning to fire Michael?! He needed this job. "Dad, why do want to talk to Michael? You're not going to fire him are you? You can't fire him!" she rambled nervously.

Jeff was surprised at her concern. He didn't think her and Michael were that good of friends. They were usually either bickering or avoiding each other when they worked together. "Of course we're not going to fire him, he's the best cook we have. Since when are you so worried about Michael?"

Liz's eyes widened as he looked at her. She had that 'deer caught in the headlights' look that she always got when they questioned her about her personal life. She had never been very comfortable talking to her parents about guys. This was different though. This was serious. Michael was 'the one' and she wanted her parents and everyone else to know how she felt about him. She sat down across from her father and looked him straight in the eye. "Dad, Michael and I are dating." she said slowly, watching his expression closely. She knew her parents liked Michael, but sometimes they could be really overprotective. They hadn't approved of Max at all. Liz chewed on her lip as she waited for him to say something. She didn't want to go against her parents, but if they disapproved of Michael, she wouldn't have a choice. She couldn't stop seeing him for anybody, not even her parents. She hoped it wouldn't come down to that.

Jeff was shocked. Not just that Liz was dating Michael, though that was pretty startling, but that she had told him about it. Usually getting her to talk about her personal life was like pulling teeth. "You're dating Michael? Since when? I didn't think you even liked him."

"Of course I like him, it just took me a long time to realize how much. I think that's why we were always argueing, I had all these feelings for him that I didn't really understand and it scared me. I didn't know how to deal with it, so I ended up trying to avoid him most of the time. It was easier that way. If I didn't talk to him I could pretend that everything was fine, you know?"

"So what changed?" he asked, trying to act casual. He was so pleased that she was opening up about this stuff, he didn't want to say anything to make her regret it.

"I don't know. I guess I finally just got to the point where I couldn't deny it anymore and I had to do something. I was getting so depressed worrying about how all my friends would react if they knew that I was in love with Michael, after awhile I just decided to forget about everyone else and do what was best for me for a change. So, I told Michael how I felt and it turns out he feels exactly the same way." She stared off into space with a dreamy smile that he couldn't help but chuckle at. It was nice to see her acting starry-eyed for a change, she was so serious all the time and she'd been so unhappy since her relationship with Max ended. They'd been so worried about her, he was glad she was happy again. Him and Nancy both liked Michael allot. He knew Nancy would be thrilled that Liz was dating him, she had never liked Max.

I'm happy for you, honey. Michael's a good kid, your mother and I both think highly of him. This will actually fit in rather nicely with the plans we made. Your mother's probably going to be upset that we didn't wait for her, but I might as well tell you now. We've been thinking about opening another restaurant."

"Really, where?" Liz asked with a slightly puzzeled frown, Roswell wasn't exactly big enough for another cafe.

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about. We met someone at the convention that is interested in our business, he has a restuarant in Las Cruces that's not doing too good. He likes the alien theme and thinks it might be the hook he needs to bring in more customers. He's offered to sell us half of his restaurant at a reduced price if we help him turn it into another Crashdown. If it works out the way we hope, we plan on making it a chain. In a few years we could have Crashdown Cafe's all over New Mexico. Maybe even out of state, but we don't want to jump the gun on that, yet. We'll have to wait and see how this one does first. It's going to take a little while to get it going, though. We'd have to spend allot of time going back and forth between here and Las Cruces for the next couple of months, that's why we wanted to talk to you. We wanted to know how you felt about that. I know you're a responsible girl and you're capable of taking care of yourself, but you're still only seventeen and we don't want you to feel like we're neglecting you. If this bothers you at all, we don't have to do it, Lizzy. We haven't signed the papers yet and we won't until we're sure you're okay with it. So, what do you think?" He was talking fast and there was a gleam of excitement in his eyes that Liz hadn't seen in a long time.

"I think it's great, dad! Of course I wouldn't feel neglected. I know you love me, but your right, I can take care of myself. I don't need you guys to be here 24 hours a day. Besides, it's only a couple of months. Who's going to run the cafe here, though?"

"Well, my first thought was to have you do it, but your mother wouldn't hear of it. She said you have more than enough to deal with right now between school and work and planning for college. She doesn't want to give you anything else to worry about. That's actually why I wanted to talk to Michael. We talked it over and we both think he's the best choice. He told me a few months ago that he's not going away to college. He plans on staying in town and taking courses at the community college and he said he'd like to keep working here. So if he agrees, we're going to train him to manage this place. Do you think he'll be interested?"

Liz squeeled excitedly and jumped up to hug her father. "I think he'd love it! I'm so glad you trust Michael enough to give him this chance. He won't let you down, dad. People never give him enough credit, I think this could be exactly what he needs to prove them wrong. Thank you so much!" Liz was crying and laughing at the same time. Her parents had started the cafe together when they first got married, they'd put allot of hard work into it and they were very protective. It was almost like their second child. If they were willing to trust Michael to run it alone, that meant they thought very highly of him. She couldn't be happier.

"I guess you approve." he joked, laughing as she jumped up and down.

"I have to hurry up and change! I'll send Michael up as soon as he gets here!" Liz ran back to her room and threw her clothes off, changing into her uniform in record time. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and touched up her lipgloss, then raced downstairs to start her shift. She couldn't wait to see Michael, unfortunately his shift didn't start for another hour.

Michael spent most of the afternoon daydreaming about Liz, completely oblivious to all the stares and the comments circulating about their relationship. Nobody had the guts to approach him directly and he had never been the type of person who listened to gossip anyway. He did notice the murderous looks Max was throwing his way, though. He didn't like the fact that Max had been hurt by this. He wanted to tell him how sorry he was, but he figured it would be best to give him some time to cool off first.

As soon as he walked into his apartment after school, the fear and anxiety he had felt the night before returned full force. It was a violent shock to his system after the happiness he had been reveling in all day. He stood there motionless, watching the disturbing images from his dream rush by in a blur of motion. Being near Liz all day had pushed it to the back of his mind, but now he was alone again. Michael turned around and walked right back out, locking the door behind him. He knew running away was stupid, the dream was in his head, not his apartment for christ's sake. It didn't matter, he just couldn't take being there right now. He got back on his bike and headed to the Crashdown.

PART 15

Liz was getting seriously fed up with all the hateful glares and nasty remarks Maria had been throwing her way since she came down to work. She was going to have to talk to her dad about changing shifts so they weren't stuck working together all the time. Part of her sympathized, she knew Maria had a right to be angry with her, but they had been best friends their whole lives. She hadn't really believed that Maria would write her off so easily. The way she was acting you'd think Liz was having a fling with her boyfriend behind her back, but that wasn't the case. Her and Michael had called it quits over six months ago. Maria had been out with several other guys since then, she didn't have any claim to Michael anymore.

A little shiver of expectation ran down her spine and she unconsciously shifted her gaze to the door. Michael entered a bare second later and she smiled. She must have Michael radar now.

Michael saw her watching him and grinned as he walked towards her. She was looking at him like he was the most important person on earth. He loved the way she always made him feel so wanted, like there was nobody in the world she'd rather see. "Hey." he said quietly.

"Hey stranger, you're early." she laughed softly and leaned across the counter to give him a quick kiss. "Come in the back with me?" she smiled invitingly as she turned toward the kitchen and purposely let her hips swing seductively as she walked away, knowing he would follow.

Michael's eyes darkened with predatory intent as he followed her into the back room. He was still turned on from their little encounter in the eraser room at lunch. She stopped just inside the room and he stepped up close behind her so their bodies were touching from head to toe. "Keep teasing me like that and i'm not going to be held responsible for my actions." he murmured in her ear. His hands slid down to grip her hips and he let his lower body grind against her gently, just enough to let her feel how aroused he was.

Liz smiled and pressed back into him, wiggling her bottom just enough to make him groan. "Hey, I offered to help you with that little problem. You're the one who said you could wait. It's not my fault you're having a hard time now." she giggled.

"Little problem?" he quirked an eyebrow at her, pretending to be insulted.

Liz turned to face him and let her hand trail boldly over the obvious bulge in his jeans. "Maybe little wasn't exactly the right word." she conceded with a wicked grin.

"You think?" he mocked her, giving her a little smirk that clearly said 'Duh'.

"You know, we're going to have to do something about that ego of yours. If it gets any bigger they're going to have to assign it it's own area code." she rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue at him.

Michael laughed at the silly face she was making and then decided there were better things for her to do with her tongue. She moaned low in her throat as he crushed her against him and attacked her mouth with his. They kissed hungrily, hands roaming over each other's bodies with equal fervor.

The sound of the door swinging open behind them put a reluctant end to their explorations. Liz peeked around Michael and grimaced when she saw who their audience was. She was sooo not in the mood to put up with any more of Maria's attitude today.

"Well, isn't this sweet." Maria snapped visciously. "The intergalactic reject and his backstabbing slut. Should I call Jerry Springer for you?"

"Shut up, Maria." Michael growled angrily, turning to face her and putting a protective arm around Liz. He didn't give a shit what she said to him, but he wasn't going to let her talk about Liz like that. He glared at her and she unconsciously backed up a step.

Her anger overcame her fear though and she ignored the clear warning in his eyes. "Gee Liz, I always thought Max and Kyle chased after you because they were in love with you, but now i'm thinking maybe they just knew you were an easy lay."

Michael stalked towards her until he was mere inches from her face and she could feel the barely restrained fury pouring off him. He looked straight into her eyes and spoke in a cold, harsh tone that she had never heard from him before, "I realize you're pissed off, but if I ever hear you say anything like that to Liz again, you'll regret it for a very long time." She stepped back quickly, her green eyes clouded with fear. "Don't worry, Maria. Not even a 'reject' like me would stoop low enough to hit a woman, but I know all kinds of things that you wouldn't want anybody to know about and believe me, if you keep acting like a raging bitch, I won't hesitate to make them public knowledge." She gasped and her hand flew up to cover her mouth as she remembered the times he had gotten flashes of her life when they were making out. She didn't know exactly what he had seen, but the way he was smirking at her gave her a pretty good idea. Her face flushed red with humiliation and she turned away from him, practically running back into the dining room.

Michael stared after her, his mind replaying images of Maria fucking Kyle's idiot friend Paulie in the backseat of her car like a bitch in heat. He never told her about that flash, he hadn't even been sure that it was real, but the look on her face just now was pretty clear confirmation. He wouldn't really tell anyone about the things he saw, but she didn't know that. He felt Liz's soft hand on his face, pulling him back to the present and sighed gratefully.

"Are you okay?" she murmured quietly, caressing his cheek with her warm fingers. He nodded and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "What were you talking about, Michael?"

"It's not important, baby. I don't want to think about Maria anymore. I want to pick up where we left off before we were so rudely interrupted." he waggled his eyebrows at her suggestively until she giggled. "That's better. Don't let her get to you, okay?" he touched his forehead to hers, "I love you."

"I love you, too." she rubbed her nose against his and smiled. "I have to get back to work and you have to go upstairs. My parents want to talk to you."

"Uh oh, I don't like the sound of that. What's up?" Michael was genuinely worried. What if they found out about him and Liz and wanted him to stay away from her. He had never been very popular with adults, they always thought he was a trouble maker, but Mr. and Mrs. Parker were different. They were really nice to him, but that didn't necessarily mean they thought he was good enough to date their daughter.

PART 16

Liz couldn't help laughing a little at the worried look on Michael's face. "Relax, Michael. I already told my dad that we're dating and he was fine with it."

"He was?" Michael looked skeptical.

"Yep. It's not about us anyway, they wanna talk to you about work." His face kind of paled and his eyes closed wearily. She could feel his panic and knew he had jumped to the same conclusion she had earlier. She cupped his face in her hands, rubbing his cheekbones with her thumbs and kissed him. His eyes opened and she smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, baby. It's good, I promise."

"What's it about?" His brow crinkled slightly. He couldn't think of any reason for them to talk to him about work, unless they we're going to fire him.

Liz chuckled and pushed him toward the stairs. "Are you kidding me? My dad would have a fit if I told you before they had a chance to talk to you. Just go up there and find out." He started up the stairs reluctantly and Liz chewed on her bottom lip as she went back to the front to finish cleaning the milkshake machine. Truthfully she was a little nervous about how Michael was going to react to the offer. Sometimes he had a hard time accepting good things when they came his way. She silently cursed Hank Guerin for making Michael feel so unworthy, for giving him such a warped view of himself. It made her heart ache to know that he didn't realize what an amazing person he was. She hoped he would be as excited as she was about this. He was so smart and she wanted him to stop trying to hide that fact and realize that he had just as much right to succeed as everyone else did. She knew he would be great at whatever he chose to do if he would just believe in himself a little more. Maybe running the cafe would help him do that.

Liz was waiting anxiously in the back room when Michael came downstairs a half hour later with the biggest smile she had ever seen gracing his beautiful face. He swooped her up and spun her around until she was dizzy and breathless with laughter. Finally he collapsed onto the couch with her in his lap. "I just got a promotion and a big fat raise, let's celebrate!" Before she could respond he was kissing her and running his hands over her body like he hadn't seen her for a week.

An eternity later, Liz pulled away to gasp for some desperately needed oxygen. Michael leaned his forehead against hers, his low groan of frustration filling the room. She looked down to see his eyes tightly closed, his teeth biting down on his bottom lip, his hands clenched into fists at her waist. He made a visible effort to relax, gently dislodged her from his lap and stood up.

"Suddenly it's really, really hot in here." he joked lightly, attempting to ease the tension between them. She could tell he was straining for control, but he never tried to push her. When she thought about it she realized that he had always allowed her to control their intimacy, to set the pace. Sure, he kissed her constantly and he might even feel her up, but he never went beyond that unless she initiated it. It was clearly getting difficult for him and she could feel the same need pulsing through her veins and suddenly wondered why she was denying them what they both so obviously wanted. When she told him that they weren't ready to consider having sex she meant it, but things had changed so much in such a short time. He had let her see everything he felt for her. She really couldn't imagine feeling any more secure in their relationship than she already did. There was no doubt in her mind that he was completely commited to her, so what exactly was she waiting for?

"Liz? Did you hear me?" she was so absorbed in her thoughts she didn't even notice he was talking to her.

"Hmm? Oh sorry, I was just thinking." she murmured distractedly.

"About what?"

"Um...I'm not sure yet. I'll tell you later, okay?" his eyes searched hers for a moment, but he let it go. He knew she would tell him when she was ready. "So, what were you saying?"

"I asked if you wanted to go out tonight, dinner maybe...or somewhere else if you want?" he cocked his head to the side and scratched his eyebrow absently. She loved it when he did that. It was an endearing habit, most of the time she didn't think he was even aware of it.

"Dinner sounds good, but I don't really feel like going out. I'd rather spend some time alone with you. Can we just get some take out and go back to your apartment instead?" she smiled and raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Even better. I like the way you think, Parker." He flashed her a wicked grin and reached his hand out to help her up. "Your dad gave me the night off, he said he wouldn't be able to start training me until tomorrow. You're only working until 7:00, right?"

Liz nodded and looked at her watch. "Yep. I have about an hour and a half to go."

"I'm gonna go home and take a shower then. Do you want me to pick you up?"

"Michael, it's like four blocks, i'm sure I can handle it." she rolled her eyes at him.

"Brat." he grinned and gave her a soft, loving kiss. "Okay then, why don't I pick up dinner while i'm waiting so we don't have to go anywhere later?"

"Mmm, I like that idea." she whispered, leaning in to nuzzle his neck.

Michael wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, tilting his head a little to give her better access. His neck was very sensitive and the little nibbling kisses she was giving him were sending electric currents to all the right places. He was debating how much longer he could let her do this before he went totally nuts. Why did she have to be so damn irresistable? He never had this much trouble controlling himself when he was with Maria.

"Uh..Liz...that feels really good, but I um..think you better stop, okay?" he was about thirty seconds away from laying her down on the couch. He took a deep breath and tried to concentrate on the cheesy alien poster next to the bathroom door. Where the hell did people get the idea that aliens looked like that, anyway?

Liz reluctantly removed her mouth from Michael's neck and looked over her shoulder to see what he was staring at so intensely. When she saw the disgusted way he was eyeing the alien, she giggled. "What's the matter, honey, is the little green man making you nervous?" she leaned close to whisper conspiratorily.

"Very funny, smart ass." He pulled her ponytail teasingly. "Just tell me what you want for dinner, so I can get out of here, before I decide to throw you down on that couch and jump you."

"Well, in that case....." he gave her a warning look. "Oh fine." she sighed in disappointment. "How about mexican?"

"Anything specific?''

"Nah, you pick. I have to shower and change after I get off, so i'll probably be there between 7:30 and 8:00, okay?"

"Yeah. I'll see you then." he kissed her briefly and left before he gave into temptation. Liz smiled as she watched him leave. He was so sweet. The way Maria always used to complain about him, she had half expected him to be all over her, but he wasn't like that. He had this great way of letting her know how much he wanted her while still respecting her space. She never felt pressured at all.

Liz spent the rest of her shift thinking everything over. They had barely been together long enough to hit first base, but this was not an ordinary relationship. Allowances had to be made. Afterall, the beginning of any relationship was usually about getting to know each other and figuring out how the other person felt about you. They already knew each other so that wasn't really an issue, especially after the whole 'missing journal' thing. She blushed just thinking about that. It was kind of embarrassing knowing that Michael had read all those things and especially all that ridiculous 'soulmate' junk she had written about Max. God, looking back on it now, she couldn't believe she had ever felt that way. As for knowing how they felt about each other, the aliens power to connect was a real timesaver in that department. Plus it made her feel more secure. You could never really be sure if people were telling you the truth or just telling you what you want to hear. It was so much better to be able to actually feel what he was feeling than to listen to the words.

By the time her shift ended she had weighed every argument for and against and had finally come to a decision. She was done waiting.

She took extra special care getting ready. She shaved, she moisturized, she made sure every inch of her was soft and smooth and smelled like vanilla because she knew that scent made Michael feel secure for some reason. Practically every piece of clothing she owned was strewn across her bed before she finally settled on a pair of black pants with a low waist and a silky gray sleeveless top that left an inch or two of her midriff bare. She had tried on a skirt first, but Michael might feel uncomfortable if she dressed up too much. He wasn't really a dressy guy.

She fixed her hair in big loose curls that fell softly over her shoulders and used just a little more eye make-up than usual to get that smoky effect and of course she topped it off with the 'Luscious Cherry' lipgloss that Michael loved. She couldn't help laughing a little at the name, it was rather appropriate for what she had planned tonight. She packed a bag with a change of clothes and make-up, toothbrush, all the essentials, smiling to herself as she deliberately left out her blowdryer. She would much rather have Michael dry her hair again. When that was done, she checked her appearance once more before she left. She wanted everything to be perfect tonight. There was just one little stop she needed to make on the way.

PART 7

Michael surveyed his apartment critically. He actually put some effort into cleaning it up. It looked pretty good, he thought, giving himself a mental pat on the back. Dinner was laid out on the table, he had one of Liz's favorite CD's playing on low, everything was ready. He lit the candles he had placed around the apartment and turned off the lights. "Nice" he said outloud to himself.

He still couldn't believe that the Parker's were not only happy that he was dating Liz, but they also put him in charge of the Crashdown. A promotion was the last thing he was expecting when he went upstairs to talk to Liz's parents. Not to mention the raise, he was going to be making almost double what he made now. It felt good to know that they trusted him with the two most important things in their life, their daughter and their business. The extra money would definitely make his life easier, too, he wouldn't have to stress so much. Actually he could probably afford to look for a better apartment, now. Not that he cared what his place looked like really, but he would like to make things better for Liz.

Michael was thinking about changing his shirt again for the fourth time when she knocked. He didn't know why he was so nervous, he just had this feeling that tonight was important. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans as he walked to the door, mumbling to himself "Chill out, Guerin, it's not like she hasn't been here before." When he pulled the door open his breath stuck in his throat for a second and he just stared at her.

"Aren't you going to let me in?" she asked with a sly grin. She was very pleased that her efforts had paid off, Michael was speechless. She looked him up and down and almost forgot how to breathe herself. He was wearing black jeans and a charcoal gray button up shirt with a black t-shirt underneath. He looked altogether yummy, but she had to smile at their choice of clothing. "I guess great minds do think alike, huh?"

"What?" he shook his head, trying to focus on what she was saying.

"Our clothes, Michael." He still had that blank expression. "You know, same colors? Are you okay?"

He finally seemed to snap out of it. "Right, sorry, I just...you look really beautiful." He smiled and held the door open for her to enter.

She looked around the apartment with wide eyes. "Wow, you've been busy."

When she came in he noticed the stuff she was carrying and raised his eyebrows, looking at her curiously. "What's all that?"

"This is dessert. Chocolate cake from the Crashdown." she said, holding the box out for him to take.

"Mmm, my favorite. So, what's in the bag?" he glanced at the gym bag in her hand as he took the cake into the kitchen.

Liz set the bag next to the door and followed him. "My clothes." she said lightly, wondering if maybe she should have asked him instead of assuming he would want her to spend the night again. "My parents left for Las Cruces, I guess they're supposed to sign the paperwork for the new restaurant tomorrow. Dad said it would be easier to leave tonight and get a motel than to get up at 4:00 in the morning to drive there. Anyway, I thought since they were gone..."

Michael was positive this day couldn't get any better. A promotion, a raise and the woman he loved more than anything in the universe sleeping in his arms all night. He slid his hand over her cheek and threaded his fingers in her silky hair, gently pulling her toward him. "That's the best news i've heard all day." he murmured before kissing her thoroughly.

Liz could swear she actually felt her toes curl. His mouth was warm and firm, insistent and demanding, loving and tender all at once. He tasted like tabasco and cherry coke and she never wanted him to stop kissing her.

Dinner was perfect, they talked, they laughed, they kissed...allot..and after dinner Michael fed her bites of chocolate cake, stopping now and then to lick the frosting from her lips.

"Ugh, no more." she groaned as he tried to give her another bite. "I'm stuffed! Let's go in the living room, I wanna give you something." She tugged his hand, pulling him with her to the other room. She let go of him to grab her bag and he dropped down on the couch, propping his feet on the coffee table, while she found what she was looking for. When she turned around, his head was tipped back against the couch, his eyes were closed and he was smiling contentedly.

Michael's eyes popped open when she straddled his legs and sat in his lap, facing him. She held out a small red gift bag with a card attached and he took it automatically, his brow furrowing in confusion as he looked at her. "What's this?"

"It's a gift...kind of..not really, but.....you'll see. Just open it, Michael." She was suddenly so nervous, her stomach was filled with butterflies. She knew she was ready, but what if he wasn't? 'Okay Parker, that's just stupid, who ever heard of a seventeen year old guy turning down sex?!' she thought. Besides, he loved her and he wanted her just as much as she wanted him, so there was nothing to be nervous about.

Michael opened the card, his hands shaking slightly as he read it.

________________

Michael,

Thank you for making my life complete. I never knew that this kind of love existed, until you. You are so much more amazing than you realize and I am so grateful that you love me. I want you to know that I have never wanted anyone as much as I want you and I know I never will again. I love you so much more than I can express with words. I want to share everything with you.

Liz

_________________

He felt tears welling up in the corners of his eyes and tried to blink them back, as he opened the bag. There was a small box inside and Michael felt his heart drop to his stomach as he pulled it out. Condoms. Liz was giving him condoms. His mouth opened and closed several times, but he couldn't force any words past the lump in his throat. He was floored. She wanted them to make love, now, tonight? "I..I don't know what to say..." he stammered. His body was screaming 'hell yes', but he didn't think that was really an appropriate response.

"Well, I can help you out with that. How about 'I love you and I want to share everything with you, too' or even just a simple 'yes'. It's not a trick question, Michael."

"Of course I love you and God, I want you desperately, but are you absolutely sure...I mean, if you're not ready to....." he stared into her eyes, nothing but love and sincerity shining from his. " I know I probably came off a little...hormonal..earlier, but I didn't mean...Liz, I hope you know that I would never really 'throw you down and jump you', it was just a stupid comment. The last thing I want is for you to sleep with me, because you feel pressured."

"I don't feel pressured. I knew you were joking and this doen't have anything to do with what you said. I know I said that we should wait until we were more settled and comfortable with each other, but think about it, can you honestly tell me that you're going to feel more comfortable in a month or even a year than you do right now? Because I can't. I am settled, I am comfortable, and I know without a doubt that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. What is there left to wait for, Michael?"

"We still don't know if it's safe....." he trailed off.

She knew he was warring within himself, still trying to put up one last resistance. She understood that he wanted to protect her, but she wasn't above giving him a little push to help him along. "I want you, Michael" she whispered "I want you so much I ache..."

He stared into her luminous brown eyes that reflected the same need that he felt and he knew that he'd never had a chance, not really. He was afraid of hurting her, but he wanted her so much and she was making it impossible to say no. "Damnit, Liz..." he growled helplessly, before surrendering and covering her mouth with his own. The room around her seemed to disappear as she melted into him, offering herself up to the hunger in his kiss. His hands wandered over her body, making her ache for more. He pulled away long enough to tug her shirt over her head and returned to plunder her mouth with ruthless tenderness. He slipped the small box into his pocket and slid his hands down her body, wrapping her legs around his waist as he lifted her and made his way to the bedroom.

He stopped beside his bed and let her slide down until she was standing in front of him. Together they dragged his shirt over his head and fumbled with buttons and zippers. When the last article of clothing had been kicked away, they faced each other, flushed and breathless with desire and a little bit of fear.

Michael's hot gaze traveled the length of her. It felt like forever since he had gazed at her nude body, instead of just yesterday. She was so incredibly beautiful, petite and slender, but rounded in all the right places. Her lips parted and her tongue ran across her bottom lip, still tasting him in her mouth and like a starving man he reached for her again.

He gently lowered her onto the bed and stretched out beside her, propped on one elbow, looking down at her. The fire in his eyes traveled through her like lightening. His mouth descended on hers, at once loving and demanding, gentle and passionate. Her fingers ran up over his shoulder, tangling in his hair as he trailed kisses along her jawline. She closed her eyes, moaning restlessly as his lips devoured the sensitive skin of her neck and then moved lower. He cupped one breast and rubbed his thumb over it as he kissed the other tenderly, encircling her nipple with his tongue before pulling it into his mouth. Liz's back arched and she gasped as he nipped her lightly with blunt teeth, sending currents of electric heat to every cell and fiber of her being. Michael slid his hand slowly over her stomach and hip, trailing it down the outside of her thigh and then back up the inside. She whimpered softly when his fingers brushed against her moist center, dipping briefly into her and then moving up to tease the little bundle of nerves that controlled her pleasure. His fingers were moving back and forth over her clit, drawing moisture from below and rubbing over the sensitive area with sweet friction.

He brushed his mouth over hers and licked her lips with just the tip of his tongue, teasing her, daring her to invite him in. She did and the kiss deepened, his fingers keeping up their exquisite pressure, spreading fire through her veins. Every inch of her body throbbed with need and she tugged at his hair trying to bring him closer, but he resisted, pulling back to look at her. The grin he flashed her was so primal, so sexy, that she wondered if it was possible to come without even being touched. She watched as his mouth traveled down over her breasts, stopping briefly to kiss the pink heart that marked her as his, then continuing down her body, leaving light kisses along the way.

The first touch was achingly soft, the merest brush of lips across moist flesh. He closed his eyes, breathing in her scent. He rubbed his cheek against one thigh, then the other, and nuzzled his face into her damp curls with a moan that was almost a sigh. She arched up and let out a cry of her own as he fastened his mouth on her, licking and sucking gently at first, then more insistently in response to her pleas. His tongue explored every fold, delved deep inside her, swirled over her tender, swollen nub, while she writhed beneath him. He could hear her moaning his name over and over. Oh God, her voice...it was sweet like honey and dripping with so much desire and love it made him shiver.

Liz tugged at his hair, urging him to stop. As much as she wanted this sweet torture to continue, she wanted something more. "Michael...please..I don't want...not this way. I want you inside me.."

He slid his body up the length of hers and kissed her deeply. She could taste herself on him, a new and somewhat disconcerting experience for her, but he tasted like other things, too. He tasted like life and love and hope, like dreams come true and laughter and he felt.....God, he felt so good.

Michael ended the kiss and they lay there for a moment, looking into each other's eyes. He rubbed her cheek softly, taking his time to look at her, to feel her. They exchanged soft, undemanding caresses, remembering what they were doing, who they were and who they used to be. They both knew that everything would be different once they took this final step together.

Liz moved closer to him so their bodies were touching toe to toe, thigh to thigh, chest to chest. The sensation of his warm skin on hers was all she had imagined and more. She rubbed her legs against his, enjoying the feel of hard muscle and course hair against her smooth skin.

When her slender body stretched beneath him, Michael groaned at the feel of warm satiny smooth skin against his, at the touch of moist heat grazing his painfully hard cock. All he wanted was to bury himself inside her and stay there forever. "Liz, are you sure..." he murmured, giving her one last chance to turn back.

"Yes" her heart and mind, body and soul all agreed at once. But then he was pulling away...Liz blinked, surprised at the loss of his bodyweight, but relaxed when she realized he was getting a condom. She sent up a silent prayer of thanks for Michael's thoughfulness, because she had almost forgotten about the necessity for protection.

He settled over her again, between her parted thighs and whispered gently "There's no going back after this..."

Liz moaned deep in her throat as she felt the evidence of his desire for her pressed tight against her heated feminine core. She shifted her weight, wrapping her legs around him and granting him better access. "There never was any going back." she whispered in his ear.

His kisses were slow and sweet and soothing at first, distracting her from the slight pain as he gently entered her, one torturous inch at a time. When he reached her barrier, he stopped and waited for her muscles to relax a little. She was so tight, he didn't want to hurt her any more than necessary. "Liz, I know this is gonna hurt, but I think it'll be easier for you if we get it over with fast." he whispered softly.

Liz's eyes opened and she smiled reassuringly as his dark, worried gaze fixed on her face. "Michael...it's okay, just do it" she whispered, trying to take him deeper, but he held back.

"Relax..." his hands moved to her hips, forcing her to still her impatient movements and he kissed her with a slow, languid rhythm that made her body turn to mush. When he felt her inner muscles loosen their hold on him slightly, he broke through the barrier with one hard thrust and stayed perfectly still, trying to make it as quick and painless as possible for her. She gasped his name, her intake of breath sharp and audible in the quiet room. Michael brushed her hair off her forehead, dropping light butterfly kisses over her face and whispering soothingly "It's allright. I'm right here, baby."

Liz bit her lip and waited for her breathing to even. It wasn't at all like she had thought it would be. You hear all those horror stories at school about how painful it is, so she had been expecting it to hurt allot. It was more of a burning sensation than actual pain. His lips returned to hers, soft and gentle, reassuring. She opened her mouth beneath his, relishing his passion and hunger and need for her, all wrapped up in an almost painful tenderness.

Michael was drowning in the taste of her. He was completely sheathed inside her now, her silken walls surrounding him and he almost wept at how good it felt. So wet and so damn hot. She yeilded around him, her body opening itself to him more fully, accepting as much of him as he could give her. He pulled back slightly and felt her inner muscles clench around him, creating a delicate and indescribable friction as he thrust forward again, still keeping his movements agonizingly gentle.

He was moving so maddeningly slow that Liz thought she'd surely die from the exquisite torture of it. He thrust into her again, a little faster this time and she responded instinctively, lifting to meet him. A gasp of pleasure tore from her throat as he began a new rhythm, deeper and more satisfying.

She never wanted him to stop making love to her. She wanted this night to go on and on forever. Never wanted his body to leave hers or his arms to let her go, even for a moment. This was the only place in her entire life where she'd ever felt so safe and whole. The only place where she'd ever just...been. She felt utterly possessed by him, utterly shaken by the depth of his love for her. A sharp cry was wrenched from her as he quickened the pace. "Yes.....Oh God, Michael...don't stop.."

Michael felt the rhythmic contractions of her inner walls around him and knew she was close. He drove into her hard and deep, his hands sliding under her shoulders and lifting her slightly, so his mouth could capture her breast. His tongue teased her nipple mercilessly until she cried out and arched closer to him, her hands coming up to tangle in his hair and pull him back to her mouth again. Her teeth nipped at his bottom lip, her tongue sliding into his mouth to taste him, devour him. She could feel herself cresting, her body tensing in anticipation as her fingernails dug into his back and she broke away from his mouth and buried her face in his neck. "Michael..." her breath was hot on his skin. She sobbed his name over and over until the ecstasy overwhelmed her.

Liz screamed as her body exploded in hot, delicious rapture, her silken walls clenching around him like a vise, pushing him over the edge with her and he roared her name as he shuddered with the most intense climax he'd ever had. Sweat-slick skin and tangled limbs, bodies trembling as he pulsed inside her one last time and she arched up to hold him there.

Michael's hands were in her hair, his face pressed against her neck, trying to catch his breath. He could feel her shaking beneath him and then something warm and wet touched his face. Raising his head, he stared at her with glazed eyes. "You're crying" he murmured. He shifted slightly, resting his weight on his forearms so he wouldn't crush her. "What are you thinking about, baby?" he asked softly, as he rubbed his thumb across her cheek, wiping away her tears.

She looked at him with huge eyes that were sparkling wetly. "I never expected it to be so...so....."

"That makes two of us." Smiling ruefully, he brushed her lips with his. "No regrets then?" he asked, holding his breath as he waited for her answer.

"No" she smiled back. "No regrets."

"Good." He eased off of her and disposed of the condom, returning quickly to lie beside her. He settled her so that she was curled up against him with her head resting on his chest. She shivered and he reached down for the blanket, dragging it up over them both. She snuggled closer and gave a tiny sigh of comfort and contentment. Michael let his fingers thread through her silky hair and kissed the top of her head. "Liz?" "Hmm?" she murmured, her lips caressing his skin lightly, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

"Are you sure you're okay? I know I....hurt you. If you're still...I could try to heal you." he stammered, feeling guilty even saying the words. Making love to Liz had been the most incredible experience of his life, but he hated that she had to suffer because of it. He felt terrible about the pain he caused her.

Liz lifted her head to meet his worried gaze. She smiled softly and reached up to kiss him. "You didn't hurt me, Michael. There's supposed to be some pain, but you were wonderful. You were sweet and gentle and I barely felt any pain at all. I'm fine, better than fine. I promise." She rubbed her cheek against the red heart on his chest and kissed it lovingly.

He sighed deeply, relieved beyond measure and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. "I love you so much" he murmured, pressing his lips to her forehead. She yawned and he laughed softly. "Go to sleep, baby. We have to get up early tomorrow."

"I love you, too." She closed her eyes, drifting off with a smile on her face and his heartbeat like a lullaby in her ear.

PART 18

Liz opened her eyes and looked around in confusion. A noise had woken her up, but she couldn't hear anything now. She looked around the room once more, everything looked normal. She decided she must have been dreaming and laid back down, snuggling up close to Michael. She was just starting to doze off when she heard it again. Michael was moaning in his sleep. He must be having a nightmare. Liz reached over and shook him gently. "Michael? Wake up, baby." She was startled when he tangled his hand in her hair and pulled her down, kissing her with almost bruising force. As soon as their lips met she got a vivid flash that made her stomach clench in agony. She tried to pull away from him, but he held her tighter and moaned a single word that made her heart shatter into a million pieces. She began to struggle frantically and Michael finally woke. His eyes opened at the same instant that his grip on her relaxed and she scrambled off the bed, backing up against the wall. She covered her mouth with her hands to stifle the sobs threatening to burst out of her throat, tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Michael blinked to clear his vision. For a moment he thought he must be dreaming, but he knew he wasn't. Liz was pressed against the wall, sobbing hysterically and looking at him as though he had just ripped her heart out. What the hell was going on? He started to move towards her and she instantly backed farther away. Michael stopped and looked at her in dismay. "Liz, what's going on? Why are you crying?" He held his hand out to her, but she shook her head violently. He started to panic, why was she acting like she was afraid of him? "Baby...please tell me what's wrong?" he pleaded anxiously.

Liz just stared at him with wide, pain filled eyes. She was shaking and sobbing so hard now that she couldn't speak.

Michael moved to stand in front of her, ignoring the hand she put out to hold him off. "Liz, baby your scaring me...are you okay? Say something!"

She held her hands straight out in front of her to prevent him from getting any closer. "No! Don't touch me." she whispered desperately.

Michael reared back as though she had slapped him, his heart breaking at her rejection, his eyes instantly filling with tears. "Liz?" he whispered brokenly, his eyes begging her to tell him what was going on.

Liz crossed her arms in front of her chest protectively. She gasped for air and stuttered accusingly "You-you k-kissed me......"

Michael shook his head in confusion. Why would she be so upset over a kiss? "I don't understand..."

"Y-you were m-moaning in your sleep. I thought you were having a nightmare, so I tried to w-wake you up. You grabbed me and kissed me..h-hard. You wouldn't let go. I got a f-flash of yo-your dream." She glanced away from him. "And then you...you c-called me....I-Isabel." When she looked back at him, she was sobbing harder.

Michael felt his world falling down around him as he stared at her in pained disbelief. She saw his dream. Oh god, this couldn't be happening. How could he explain this to her? He should have told her when it happened the first time, but he was too scared and now it was too late. He didn't even notice the tears streaming down his face, he was numb with fear. He couldn't lose her. Not now, not ever. He had to make her understand somehow.

"God Liz, please...." he sobbed, holding his hand out pleadingly. "Please..just let me explain..."

She shook her head. "There's nothing you can say that would explain THAT! You were dreaming about having SEX with Isabel, Michael! Not me! ISABEL! Why?! Why were you dreaming about her when you just made love to me?" she shouted furiously.

He couldn't say anything. He just stared dumbly at her and shook his head while the hot tears splashed down his face. He didn't know what to say, what to do, to fix this.

Liz grabbed her clothes and pulled them on hurriedly, pushing passed Michael on her way to the living room. She avoided his face, the devastated look in his eyes was too much to deal with right now. She couldn't think, she just kept seeing that flash. It was playing over and over in her mind like a video on endless loop. Nothing made sense and everything around her hurt. She fell asleep happier and more content than she'd ever been in her life and now the whole world was just ugly and wrong. How did this happen? She had to get out of here so she could breath. She grabbed her bag and ran out the door before he could stop her and just kept running.

Michael closed his eyes tightly, he didn't want to watch her walking away from him. When he heard the door slam, his whole body went weak with fear and he slid down the wall until he was sitting on the floor. He pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his forehead on them, sobbing uncontrollably. She was the only thing that had ever been right in his life. How could he live without her now?

Liz finally stopped when her lungs felt like they were going to burst. She was gasping for air and looking around her in shock. 'What am I doing? How could I just run away like that without giving him a chance to explain?' She wiped the tears off her face and turned around, walking back to Michael's apartment. She was thinking a little clearer now and she realized that there could be all kinds of explanations for what she saw. It was more than possible that this was alien related. It wouldn't be the first time.

She replayed the flash in her head again. Now that she had calmed down, she could look at it more objectively and it was suddenly glaringly obvious that something wasn't right. It looked like Michael and Isabel, but it didn't feel like them. The personalities were wrong. It was sort of like the dream had been created by someone who didn't know them. The behavior was totally out of character and not in the way you would expect if they were just having uninhibited sex. The whole thing just seemed off somehow, like it was staged.

When she opened the door the first thing she heard was Michael crying. Guilt washed over her in relentless waves. She should have stayed and listened to him. If this was alien related and she was almost positive it was, than it wasn't his fault. He was probably just as confused as she was.

She closed the door and went in to the bedroom. Michael was sitting on the floor, with his knees pressed to his chest and his face buried in his arms. Her heart clenched painfully, she hated to see him hurting. She knelt down in front of him and stroked his hair, whispering how sorry she was and how much she loved him.

Michael raised his head as the soothing sounds broke through the haze of anguish, his eyes were blurry with tears and the room was dark, but he knew it was Liz. He could feel her. Her soft hands caressing his face, her warm lips brushing his. He grabbed for her with both hands, afraid she'd disappear.

They just held each other and cried for awhile, great gulping sobbs echoing in the air until they lost track of whose were whose. The confusion, the fear, the hurt belonged to them both.

"It'll be allright, baby." Liz murmured when the sobbing finally stopped. She kissed him and wiped away his tears and her own. "It hurts, but we'll be okay. I'm sorry I left you, I should have listened."

"I'm so glad you came back. I love you, Liz." He clutched her tightly, unwilling to let her go even for a second. All he cared about was never being away from her, ever again.

PART 19

Liz slowly surfaced from a deep sleep with a smile on her face. She could feel Michael all over her skin. Michael's lips�warm and soft�his hands..so gentle. She opened her eyes slowly and watched him as he trailed a line of soft kisses over her hip and down her thigh, sighing blissfully when he raised his head to look at her. "Finally" he chuckled. "I didn't think you were ever going to wake up."

Liz lost herself in his eyes for a moment, they were rich and deep and so inviting, like hot chocolate on a rainy day and she could see herself so clearly in them. He reached a big, gentle hand out to touch her face, moving up to kiss her. His lips brushed hers and they were so warm�his tongue so sweet as it slid inside to caress her own. "Mmm, now this is what I call a good morning." she murmured against his mouth, wrapping her arms around him to pull him closer.

Michael ran his hands over her bare skin as they kissed. He liked the way her body tensed, then relaxed, each time he touched it. She never held anything back; she was so giving, so open. He was constantly in awe of the way she trusted him. He pulled away reluctantly and combed his fingers through her silky hair, fanning it out on the pillow around her. He loved the contrast between her dark, chocolate colored tresses and the stark white of the pillowcase beneath her head. "How do you feel?" he asked quietly, staring intently into her eyes.

"Michael, I'm fine. I told you last night, you didn't hurt me, okay? So stop worrying." She rolled her eyes at him and sighed in exasperation. Truthfully, she was a little sore, but she knew that was normal. There was no way she was going to confess that to him, though. He was so overprotective right now he would probably start hyperventilating. She smiled and reached down to smack his butt playfully. "On second thought�I do feel kind of weak. Why don't you get your gorgeous butt out of bed and cook me some breakfast before I faint!" she giggled.

Michael stared at her, speechless for a full minute before his lips curved up in amusement. It occurred to Liz that she had never really seen him just be happy, without any worry clouding those beautiful eyes, but at this moment his face was practically glowing with genuine delight and he laughed. Really threw back his head and laughed. It was the sweetest sound she had ever heard. It made her tingle, because she knew that this was something no one else had ever shared with him. He was looking down at her, his eyes sparkling with laughter and she felt her heart swell as she fell in love with him all over again.

"Whatever you say, Parker." His mouth descended on hers and they shared a long, lingering kiss before he got out of bed. He grinned wickedly at her as she watched him pull on a pair of boxers and a T-shirt. "See something you like?" he teased her. He loved the way her face flushed with color when she looked at him. He didn't understand how she could act so bold and still get embarrassed so easily, but he loved it.

Liz knew he was deliberately trying to make her blush and she wasn't about to let him get away with it. "Nope." She said in a bored tone of voice. "Been there, done that. I'm not much for repeat performances."

His eyes narrowed as he advanced on her. "Oh really?" He pounced, tickling her until she was squirming and giggling uncontrollably.

"Stop it!" she shrieked. When she could finally catch her breath, she gasped out, "God, you're demented. What am I doing with you? I must be crazy!"

"Nope. You're the sanest person I know. Spoiled and bossy maybe, but not crazy." He grunted as a small elbow slammed into his ribs. "Ow! Mean, too." He mumbled, ducking as she swung a pillow at his head. He made a quick exit, laughing all the way to the kitchen.

Liz smiled as she watched him leave. They had stayed up half the night talking. Michael told her about the dreams and she understood. She knew it wasn't his fault, but that didn't mean that she liked having his head filled with images of Isabel. She resolved to find Isabel when she got to school and talk to her about it. Dreams were her specialty; maybe she could help them figure out what was going on. She gathered up her clothes and headed to the bathroom, yelling to Michael as she went. "I'm gonna jump in the shower, okay?"

"Okay, baby. Hurry up though, breakfast will be ready in ten." He yelled back from the kitchen.

Liz rushed through her normal morning routine, anxious to spend as much time as possible with Michael before they had to leave for school. She couldn't seem to keep the smile off her face this morning. Last night had been the most beautiful experience of her life. From the way people always talked about it she had been expecting her first time to be less than spectacular, but Michael had managed to make it absolutely perfect and she wasn't about to let anything ruin it now, especially not some alien induced dream starring a cheap imitation of her boyfriend. She had first hand knowledge of Michael's 'bedside manner' and whoever was responsible for that stupid dream obviously didn't know a thing about him.

She dressed hurriedly in a pair of black hipster jeans and a tight, red top with three-quarter length sleeves that left a good two inches of her stomach bare. She turned sideways in front of the mirror, inspecting her reflection critically and then walked out to the kitchen, brush in hand. Michael was sitting on a stool at the counter drinking coffee. He looked her up and down and whistled appreciatively, laughing when she stuck her tongue out at him. He turned around on the stool so he was facing her and she nudged his legs apart so she could stand between them. "I forgot my blow dryer again, do you mind?" she asked sweetly, tipping her head towards him.

Michael raised his eyebrow at her suspiciously, but he was more than happy to oblige. The temptation of running his fingers through her thick, silky hair was all the incentive he needed. "I think you planned this, Parker." He murmured, closing his eyes to concentrate on sending just the right amount of energy to dry her hair. He loved the way the soft strands slipped between his fingers.

"Maybe. Are you complaining?" she laughed and then moaned as he massaged her scalp. "Mmmm, I am never bringing my blow dryer over here."

"Is that a fact? I might have to start charging you for my services." He chuckled wickedly.

"Uh huh, where have I heard that before?" she rolled her eyes at him. "Just what kind of charge are we talking about here?" she asked, feigning reluctance.

Michael lowered his hands to her hips and pulled her against him, eliciting a gasp of surprise when she felt how aroused he was. "I'm sure we can negotiate a deal that will service both our needs." He whispered huskily in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. The double entendre' was not lost on her.

Liz rubbed against him teasingly and then moved away with a little smirk. "I'm sure you're right, but the negotiations are going to have to wait, Romeo. We have less than an hour before school and you haven't even taken a shower, yet." She grinned at the sullen expression that took over his face. "Don't pout, baby" she purred seductively, leaning close to whisper in his ear, making sure her lips brushed his skin just enough to make him groan. "I'll make it up to you, later."

He brightened a little at that and set off for the shower with a happy little smile. It was so good to see him happy. Knowing that she was the reason for it made her want to dance around the room, screaming at the top of her lungs how much she loved him.

She poured herself a cup of coffee and took it into the bedroom so she could put her makeup on while he was in the shower. She had just finished when he came striding into the bedroom buck-naked rubbing his damp hair with a towel. Little droplets of water were clinging to his chest and she clamped her mouth shut to hold back the moan that was rising to the surface as desire flooded through her. No matter how many times she saw him naked she didn't think she would ever get tired of the perfection of his body.

Michael was completely oblivious to the effect he had on her. He grabbed his clean clothes off the dresser and started to put them on, raising his eyebrow in question when he saw her staring at him. "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned by her serious expression.

"You really have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?" she murmured, smiling slightly as his brow crinkled in confusion. She knew he didn't concern himself with physical appearances, he was much too introspective to value something so shallow. And though he was unquestionably gorgeous on the outside, it wasn't what made him so irresistible to her. There was just something about him that drew you in. He projected so much strength and purpose, but underneath that there was something else as well. She couldn't really think of a word to describe it, maybe it was the result of his rough childhood. There was just a sense that he knew how painful life could be and he would never allow anyone he cared about to feel that pain, you know? He was protective to the point that she knew he would sacrifice his self before he would let anything happen to her or any of their friends. She actually wouldn't be surprised if he would do the same for anyone who happened to cross his path. He had an awareness of suffering that went beyond most peoples and he made you feel safe, like nothing could hurt you when you were standing next to him.

"I love you so much, Michael." She said softly, blinking back the tears that were threatening to spill down her cheeks at any moment. His love was a gift. She didn't know what she could have done to deserve it, but she made a silent vow to herself to make every day of his life happier than the one before it.

Michael reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the familiar scent of warm vanilla with a sigh of contentment. Everything was finally coming together for him. He never imagined he could be this happy. He only wished that he had told Liz about the dreams after the first night, so she wouldn't have had to find out the way she did, it would have saved them both some unnecessary heartache. He had honestly believed that he might lose her when she ran out last night, but she came back and they talked for hours. Everything was out in the open now; no more secrets and he felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. He could feel the dreams effect on him ebbing away, made insignificant by the strength of her love. Nothing could come between them now.

"I love you, Liz." He whispered into her hair and squeezed her briefly, dropping a kiss on her forehead as he stepped back. "If we had a little more time, I'd show you how much." He laughed when she swatted his arm and he leaned his forehead against hers, serious once again as he stared into her eyes. "Let's go eat, baby. This is the first time I'm going to be able to look at you across the breakfast table and there's no way I'm going to miss it."

Liz spent most of the morning looking for Isabel, but she didn't see her until lunch. She was sitting by herself luckily and Liz hurried over so she could talk to her before the others showed up. "Hey, Is. Can we talk for a sec?" she asked as she sat down, anxious to get to the point before they were interrupted.

Isabel looked startled for a second, but she just shrugged and said "Sure, what's up?"

"Um, it's about Michael. Have you been having any weird dreams about him, lately? You know, like the ones you had last spring, but a little more�. intense?" Liz watched Isabel's face closely and saw the flash of fear in her eyes before she hid it behind her usual shutter of icy disdain. Liz knew by now that it was her form of protection. She was just like Michael in that way, always trying to hide behind a mask of contempt. She thought it would keep people from getting too close, so she wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt. "You have, haven't you? I can tell by the look on your face so don't lie to me, Is. Tell me about them." Liz used her no nonsense voice that usually had her friends scrambling to obey, but Isabel was harder to crack than most. "Please, Isabel? You know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

Isabel sighed and looked away, avoiding Liz's eyes. "Yes." She closed her eyes wearily. "They started the day you and Michael told us that you were together."

Liz sighed in relief. If Isabel was having them too than they had to be alien. "Michael, too." She said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was close enough to overhear them.

Isabel's eyes widened and she leaned closer to Liz, almost whispering. "Are his�graphic..too?" She didn't want to say 'sexual'. She felt awful telling Liz that she was having X-rated dreams about her boyfriend.

"Very." Liz said shortly, not pleased with the reminder, but she knew it wasn't Isabel's fault any more than it was Michael's. Isabel was obviously as upset about it as he was, so she pushed her anger aside and tried to comfort her. "Don't worry about it, Is. I know it's not your fault. Michael and I already figured out that it was alien, this just confirms it. The timing is what worries me. I don't think it's a coincidence that it started after we told everyone about us. I think somebody's trying to break us up, but why would anyone care enough to do that?" She was chewing on her bottom lip as she ran through the list of possible suspects in her mind. It was a very short list.

Isabel shook her head. "I've been trying to figure it out, but the only one I know of who has that kind of power is Tess and that just doesn't make sense. Tess wants Max and she knows she wouldn't stand a chance if you were available. There's no way she would do anything to jeopardize your relationship with Michael."

Liz nodded in agreement. She had already discarded Tess as a suspect. It just didn't fit. "Maybe we should talk to her anyway? I mean, she does know more about the alien stuff than you guys do. Maybe she can help us figure it out."

"Yeah, I already thought of that. The only reason I didn't do it before is I didn't know that Michael was having them, too." She averted her gaze again, her creamy skin turning an unflattering shade of red. "I was afraid that it was me�. When you told us about you and Michael, I was a little�jealous." She gave an embarrassed shrug. "I don't think of Michael that way, I swear. I just� You looked so happy and it was obvious how much he love's you. I just want someone to love me like that, you know?" She laughed self-consciously, trying to gloss over the intimate truth she had inadvertently revealed. She caught a glimpse of Michael and Alex out of the corner of her eye, heading towards them and almost sighed with relief at the interruption. She didn't want to talk to Liz or anyone else about how lonely she was.

Liz felt Michael before she saw him and she smiled to herself. She really did have Michael radar and it was even stronger now that they had 'bonded' in the most intimate sense of the word. She briefly wondered if he had noticed it, too, but was distracted from her thoughts by the feel of strong arms wrapping around her and warm lips grazing her neck. She turned her head to look at him as he slid onto the bench next to her, without relinquishing his hold. "Do I know you?" she asked, assuming an innocent expression. "You vaguely resemble this guy I know, but I haven't seen him for" she checked her watch "4 hours and I can't remember for sure."

Michael rolled his eyes at her and leaned in to kiss her, nipping her bottom lip with his teeth in reprimand for her sarcasm. She jumped back and swatted him on the arm. "Ouch, now I'm glad I don't remember you. You're obviously evil." She huffed, turning away from him in mock distaste.

Michael laughed and yanked her back against him, attacking her neck with loud exaggerated kisses until she gave in, giggling helplessly. "Why don't we go somewhere a little less public and I'll see if I can jog your memory?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Liz wiped the smile from her lips and faced him with a bored expression, sighing dramatically. "I guess. I don't really have anything better to do for the next five minutes."

He pretended to glare at her. "Oh that's cute, Parker. I'll show you five minutes." He pulled her up with him and dragged her toward the eraser room, trying not to laugh. She could be such a brat sometimes, but it was adorable.

Their two friends watched them leave, both wide-eyed and speechless. When they disappeared into the school, Isabel looked at Alex. "Okay, who the hell was that and what did they do with Michael?"

PART 20

Michael was waiting for Liz next to her locker when she finished her last class. Their all too brief make-out session at lunch had left him craving her like a man stranded in the desert craves water. She had teased him mercilessly and he was determined to collect on her promise to make it up to him.

Liz laughed when she saw him; she knew exactly what he was thinking. Her new Michael senses were working overtime and she could feel his tension all afternoon. "Hey" she said casually, still laughing a little at the pained look on his face.

"It's not funny, Parker." He grumbled uncomfortably, which just made her laugh harder.

"Yes it is, you should see your face! You look like a little boy pouting because somebody stole his candy." She gasped for breath, trying to stem the giggles pouring from her.

"Whatever, just get your stuff so we can get out of here." He was still grumbling and she smiled at him, not bothered in the least by his grouchy attitude. She knew he wasn't mad, just a little frustrated. She could fix that easily enough, besides it was kind of cute. She grabbed her backpack and closed her locker, turning around with an amused smirk.

"You know you're acting like a big baby, right?" she said as she brushed past him and started down the hall.

Michael's eyes narrowed in outrage as he followed behind her. He leaned his head down to whisper right behind her ear "We'll see." In a voice that clearly promised retribution.

As soon as they entered his apartment, Michael collapsed onto the couch, leaning back and closing his eyes tiredly. Liz watched him, suddenly remembering how little sleep they had gotten the night before. She dropped her backpack on the floor beside the couch and climbed onto his lap, straddling him. Her arms slipped around his neck and she touched her forehead to his. "Are you okay?"

Michael opened his eyes and smiled at her, reaching out to play with a strand of her hair. "I will be" he murmured softly and slid his hand up to cup her cheek, pulling her in for a slow, sweet kiss.

Liz wriggled closer to him and smiled against his mouth when he let out a strangled moan. She reveled in the power she had to arouse both his emotions and his body. She abandoned his lips to scatter light kisses along his jaw and down to his throat and he arched his neck, offering himself to her mouth. She trailed openmouthed kisses over his skin, moving up to his ear and seizing his earlobe between her teeth and her bottom lip, scraping it gently as Michael kissed the top of her shoulder, running his lips along her collarbone until they found the pulse at the base of her throat.

All thoughts were driven from her mind by the sensations Michael was stirring in her. He had slipped his hand under her shirt and was gently kneading her breast through her bra. She arched her back, pressing herself more firmly into his hand.

"Liz" Michael murmured his voice thick with longing. "I think we're both really�mmmm�.overdressed." Liz nodded in agreement, already breathing too raggedly to bother with speech. She raised her hands to the buttons on his shirt, undoing them hurriedly. He shrugged out if it and let it fall to the floor as she ran her hands possessively over his bare chest, moving down to unfasten his jeans with trembling fingers.

Michael leaned in to brush his lips across hers, his fingers tracing lightly over her cheek. "Are you sure it's not too soon? Are you�" he trailed off, not wanting to say what he was thinking.

"I'm fine, I promise. Make love to me, Michael."

Needing no further incentive, Michael slanted his mouth over hers again, this time deeper, hungrier. His hands slid down to her waist and slipped beneath the edge of her shirt again, slowly dragging it up, releasing her lips to pull it over her head. He took the time to memorize the way the lace molded to her breasts before he unhooked her bra, letting it slide slowly from her shoulders to join their discarded shirts on the floor.

Liz let out a low moan as he pressed soft kisses against her skin, lingering over the pink heart on the swell of her breast. "So beautiful, baby. You're so beautiful." She gasped sharply as he took one nipple into his mouth, sucking gently as he rubbed the other with his thumb. Clutching at his shoulder with one hand, she ran the other through his soft, blonde hair, holding him to her. She whimpered in protest as he removed his mouth from her breast, a whine that he quickly silenced with a scorching kiss.

Michael stood and Liz instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, burying her face in his shoulder as he carried her to his bedroom. She twirled her tongue into his ear and he almost stumbled. "Be careful" she giggled, moving her attentions to his neck.

He managed to make it to the bedroom without dropping her, although her wandering mouth made it difficult. He laid her gently on the bed and traced his hands over her bare skin as he stared down at her. Liz's breath left her in a quiet gasp, her skin tingling beneath his fingers. Bracing his arms on either side of her, Michael lowered himself down to the creamy skin of her breast. Liz's back arched off the bed as his mouth closed over her nipple and sucked insistently at the tight bud. He lifted his hand to her other breast, massaging the warm flesh as he scraped his teeth lightly over her skin. "Oh�God.." Liz breathed, her eyes drifting closed as she surrendered to the feel of his hot mouth on her.

"Something wrong?" he asked quietly, giving her a wicked smirk as he moved his mouth to her other breast, giving it the same attention. Liz shook her head, offering him soft whimpers of denial. Michael grinned as he licked the tip of her nipple then closed his mouth over it once more. "Good, because�.." he trailed his tongue down the side of her breast, raising goosebumps on her skin, "I haven't even started."

He nipped at her skin lightly, then soothed it with a stroke of his warm tongue, moving back to her nipple to taste her again. Liz was moaning as she lay beneath him, her chest rising and falling rapidly as his hands skimmed along her sides, settling on her hips as he slowly started making his way down her flat stomach. He traced an invisible line down her body, dipping his tongue into her navel before moving on to suck lightly at the soft skin just above her jeans, his fingers slipping under the waistband and tugging teasingly as his warm breath danced across her skin. He deftly undid the button and then the zipper, pulling away from her just enough to ease the denim off her body.

Michael's dark eyes skimmed over her lacey underwear appreciatively as she lifted her hips, allowing him to slide them off. He trailed his fingers over her hip and then bent down to follow their path with his lips. Delicate kisses traveled across her skin as he worked his way down to the inside of her knee and swirled his tongue over the sensitive flesh, smiling when she gasped. His teeth gently nipped at the inside of her thigh, his hands massaging the smooth skin.

"You're trying to get me back for teasing you, aren't you..�" Liz's breath was coming in short bursts now as her excitement grew, her body squirming impatiently beneath him.

Michael chuckled softly, but didn't relent. She was ready to scream in frustration when he finally reached her moist center. He inhaled the hot scent of her arousal, groaning as the need to bury himself inside her became almost unbearable. He forced it back, determined to give her the most intense pleasure of her life. His tongue slid slowly over her heated flesh moving up to tease her clit with light, fleeting touches, making her crazy with need. Liz moaned deliriously, her head thrashing back and forth on the pillow. He slid his hands under her hips to pull her closer to him and suddenly the slow, teasing caresses were gone, replaced by firm pressure.

She gasped his name and arched off the bed, opening herself up to him. He moaned against her skin and she shuddered, muscles clenching as sensation rippled along her spine. "God, Michael�.."

He could hear her fists beating against the bed, echoing the rush of blood pounding through his body. He brought his fingers up and ran them gently over her tender skin as his tongue massaged her clit. She was practically begging now, her velvet and honey voice sending shivers down his spine. He let two of his fingers dip into her wetness, rubbing the slick fluid around the edge of her entrance before easing them inside of her.

Liz was moaning almost continuously now. It hadn't taken him long to figure out exactly how to touch her, to know just how to drive her crazy. She started rambling incoherently, vague threats mixed with promises to never tease him again.

Michael replaced his tongue with his thumb, applying light, steady pressure against her clit as his fingers slid in and out of her tight body. He rained soft kisses laced with murmured words of love and desire along her silky inner thigh, his hot breath searing her skin.

He continued to torment her, bringing her close to release over and over, but keeping his touch light, refusing to apply the pressure that would send her over the edge. Forcing her eyes open, she stared down at him, almost forgetting how to breathe as his dark, hungry gaze fixed on her face. "Michael�.." she whispered pleadingly.

He grinned then and increased the pressure on her clit as his fingers thrust deeper within her trembling body. Liz threw her head back, her mouth opening on a silent scream as the pleasure welled and crested over her, her body shuddering and clenching around those skilled fingers.

Michael watched her as she came floating back to earth, his fingers still moving gently within her. When she finally lay quiet beneath him, he carefully withdrew his hand and got up from the bed.

Liz watched through half closed eyes as he removed the rest of his clothes. When he was naked, she held out her arms and he went into them, kissing her deeply as he nestled into the curve her body created for him. Michael tangled his hands in her hair, relinquishing her lips to press openmouthed kisses to her throat. He loved the sweet taste of her skin, the feel of her fingers gliding over his back, her warm breath on his neck.

Liz stared up at him, flushed and breathless, her eyes smoky with desire. She lifted her head, catching his lower lip between her teeth and sucking on it gently. He rubbed his body against her and closed his eyes as she shuddered, pulling away from her slightly to reach for the condoms on his nightstand. Liz watched in fascinated interest and reached down to help him slide the latex on.

Michael sucked in his breath as her soft fingers brushed over his painfully hard cock. Hunger, endless need, lust�one emotion with many faces. It consumed him, the heat of it rushing through his veins as he stared down at her trembling body. "God, I want you" he murmured as he settled over her again, smoothing his hands up her arms until they were stretched out on the pillow above her head.

Their eyes locked, coffee brown intensity matched by the glowing warmth of amber. She whispered his name like a prayer as he slowly slid inside her.

She was so tight; he could feel her muscles clenching desperately as they stretched to accommodate him. "Easy, baby" he murmured gently in her ear and she moaned, feeling her entire body melt as he nuzzled her neck.

"Michael�" she breathed, arching closer and closer to him as he moved against her, the steady rhythm building quickly. She loved the way he felt inside her body, the sight of his muscled chest enveloping her, and the feel of his hot mouth worshipping her skin.

Caught up in the agonizing pleasure, Michael sucked insistently at the creamy skin of her neck, leaving behind a dark purple bruise. He whispered her name with every stroke, the warm haven of her body caressing him with a heady combination of tightness and liquid heat, creating exquisite friction.

He shuddered above her, his body tightening as the hot pulse of impending orgasm flooded through him and he slid his hand down between them to gently rub her clit. He matched the soft pressure with one last, deep thrust, mesmerized by the sight of her beautiful body writhing beneath him. Liz screamed, her mind splintering into tiny pinpoints of light, her body exploding in the grip of blinding ecstasy. Michael's voice merged with hers as he roared her name, the sound rumbling through her as his body convulsed, his climax sweeping over him in a hot rush.

He collapsed against her, sucking in great gusts of air and trying to regain his equilibrium. Liz shifted, wrapping her arms around him and entwining her legs with his. She stroked his hair comfortingly and murmured in his ear "I love you, Michael".

"Mmm, I love you, too, baby." He murmured, barely able to form coherent speech. When his body finally calmed, he pulled himself up on his forearms, intending to lie beside her, but she held him tighter, preventing him from moving.

"Don't leave me" she whispered, raising her head to kiss him. Something inside him shifted and changed at her words, something powerful and achingly sweet. It overwhelmed him with its intensity, making the love he felt for her before seem inadequate in comparison. He let her pull him back down, utterly willing to follow where she led, needing to do whatever it took to make her happy.

After awhile she loosened her grip on him, allowing him to move beside her. He gently turned her on her side and spooned himself against her back, wrapping his arms around her tightly. Snuggling back against him, Liz sighed as she felt his lips brush her shoulder. "We should probably get up." She whispered, though she made no move to do so.

Michael glanced over her shoulder at the clock and shook his head. "We still have an hour and a half before our shifts start. Rest for awhile, baby."

Liz smiled in contentment as her eyes drifted closed. 'Rest for the wicked. Yes.'

**TBC**

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