Part 3

Max opened his eyes and blinked as he sat up. He hadn't moved at all. He
was still sitting on his own bed in his own bedroom. Had it worked? There
had to be some way to tell…

His eyes fell on a framed picture sitting in the center of his desk. It was
a picture of him and Liz, sitting together. She was laughing, her whole
face lit up in happiness, and he was smiling at her, his arm around her.

Max had to smile. He knew for a fact that he had never seen that picture
before in his life. He was…somewhere else. In her Roswell, he hoped.

He had to see her, to find her. Max slipped out his bedroom window, and
hurried towards the Crashdown. She had to be there, and if she wasn't, he
knew she'd eventually end up there.



"Maybe it's intuition but something's you just don't question
Like in your eyes I see my future in an instant
And there it goes I think I've found my best friend
I know that it might sound more than a little crazy but I believe

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life"


Max slowly pulled the jeep into an empty space in front of the Crashdown,
and turned off the motor, before turning and facing Liz. Their night had
finally come to a close, although neither of them really wanted to end it.
It was late though. The Crashdown was already closed, and Liz knew that if
she didn't go up soon her parents would be worried. She just wanted to stay
with Max though…forever.

The night had been as perfect as she and Max had both dreamed it would be.
After dinner, Max had driven her out to a secluded place in the desert,
where they lay out on a blanket, talked and watched the stars for hours.
For once, there were no interruptions. No emergencies, no one had walked in
on them. They had been given the entire night just to drown in each other's
presence. It had been beautiful…one of the best nights of their lives thus
far, and neither of them wanted it to end.

Max turned to Liz, and took her hand. "Liz, I have something for you, that
I've wanted to give you all night. This is for you." He slipped a small
jewelry box out of his pocket and into her hand.

"Max!" Liz gasped in shock.

"Open in." He gently pushed. Inside was a simple gold band with a small
diamond in it.

"It's beautiful, Max, but…" He cut her off with one gentle finger pressed to
her lips.

"Shhh… Let me explain. I know we've only officially been together for two
months, but you've owned my heart my entire life, Liz. This isn't me saying
we should do something rash and run off and get married or anything. This
is just a promise to you, Liz, that my heart belongs to you and it will be
yours forever, or however long you want it. If you don't want to wear the
ring, you don't have to, but I want you to have it, as a token of my love
for you."

"There's just no rhyme or reason only this sense of completion
And in your eyes I see the missing pieces
I'm searching for I think I've found my best friend
I know that it might sound more than a little crazy but I believe

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life"

"I love it, Max, as I love you. And I'd be proud to wear it." Max grinned,
as he took the ring and slipped it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit.
"Thank you." Liz whispered against his lips, as she leaned in to kiss him.

Liz slid onto Max's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, and passionately
taking his lips. Max's arms slid around her, as he pulled her closer
against him. The feel of her, the taste of her was dizzying to him, but he
wanted more, and he slipped his tongue between her lips. Liz groaned at the
sensations surging through her.

Max pulled away and looked deep into her eyes. "It's late. We'd better
call it a night while we still can." He leaned in for another quick kiss,
before grasping Liz at the waist and gently sliding her off his lap, and
onto the ground next to the jeep.

Liz stepped up onto the sidewalk, and headed towards her door, before
turning back, and meeting Max's eyes once more. He was transfixed to her
eyes, glued there, and he couldn't pull away from her. He knew that he
should turn the key, pull out, and drive home, but he just couldn't. Not
yet.

"A thousand angels dance around you
I am complete now that I've found you

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life"

"What's a few more minutes." Max muttered to himself, as he hopped out of
the jeep, and headed towards the most beautiful woman on the planet.

They stood there facing one another for a long moment, before Liz slid her
arms around Max's waste and pulled him to her. Their lips met again, and
their tongues dueled hungrily, as they kissed each other with all the love
and passion stored deep in each other.

Finally they broke apart for the second time, and Liz met Max's eyes one
last time. "I love you." She swore reverently to him, before turning her
back and rushing into the house.

"I love you too." Max whispered as the door shut. He stood there for one
long moment, barely believing that the night had ended.

Suddenly Max felt cold, and he shivered. Something told him that it would
be a while before they had another night that was this perfect.


Max Evans stepped out from the shadows of the alleyway beside the Crashdown
Café and watched as the jeep pulled away. Rage had boiled up inside him as
he had watched the exchange between Liz and…him, but now it had settled down
to a slight contentment.

At first as he had watched them, the pain was immense. Liz had forgotten
about him. There had been no doubt in his mind. As he thought about it,
though, he knew that it just wasn't true. There was a connection between
them, that was for certain. Liz must have wanted to ease the pain of being
without him. That's why he had turned to the other…him… for comfort after
their separation. With that other guy there constantly, looking exactly
like him, it must have been hard. Max probably would have done the same
thing if there was a Liz-like person wandering around his world. He was
sure that once Liz saw him, she'd forget all about that other guy, and come
back to where she belonged: by his side.

Max slipped his hands into his pockets, and turned to watch the window
above, where a light had just flipped on. A huge part of him wanted to run
up the ladder, wrap her up into his arms, and stay with her for the night,
as she had stayed with him when she came to his world, but there was plenty
of time for that tomorrow. Right now, he'd let her get some sleep, and
dream happy dreams of the two of them together.

He'd wait until morning. Then they could be together forever.

Part 4

The next morning, Liz and Maria were working a busy shift at the Crashdown,
as the café was stuffed full of people for the breakfast rush. Liz was
rushing from one table to the next, taking orders and delivering meals so
quickly that she barely even had a chance to stop and breathe,

Max had been sitting in a booth by the window for an hour, his eyes
following Liz as she rushed around caring for the multitudes of people who
came in and out all morning. Liz threw him an occasional smile, but she
hadn't had the time to go over and talk to him yet. She didn't even get to
serve him. He was sitting in Maria's section.

Max watched as Liz glided gracefully from one table to the next, filling
orders, and talking to the customers. He could tell that she was tired; she
had gotten home late the night before, but she was hiding it, as usual,
behind a bright, beautiful smile.

The rush finally began to slow, and the café emptied out a bit. Liz glanced
towards Max, who was still patiently waiting for her.

"Take a break, girl!" Maria called to her with a smirk. She threw a towel
at her best friend. "Either that or wipe that lovesick look off your face.
Don't forget that we still have to work the lunch rush."

"Thanks, Maria." Liz grinned at her, and finally headed towards her
boyfriend. She slid into the booth next to him.

"Hi." She warmly greeted him, as he slid his arm over her shoulder, pulling
her up against him. He leaned down and gently captured her lips with his
own.

"Hey," He gently whispered as they broke apart. "I've missed you."

"Missed me, huh?" Liz laughed. "In the past few hours? Well, I missed you
too."

"It seemed like a lot longer to me. Any time without you seems like an
eternity."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Liz whispered, her mind reaching back to the
night before. She had tossed and turned for hours after getting home. She
missed Max's arms around her, wanted him there beside her. It had been
driving her crazy. She truly didn't know if she had slept at all the night
before. All she could remember was her body aching for his.

"Hey, you okay?" Max asked her softly. "You seem tired."

"I'm fine. I didn't sleep well last night, and it's been a tough shift to
top it off. I'm a little sore, but it's okay. I'm used to it."

"Here…" Max helped Liz to slide around and lean back against him, as he
slowly began to massage her shoulders. "Just relax a bit."

"Mmmm…that feels good." Liz mumbled, as she concentrated on his hands as
they roamed gently over her shoulders and neck, squeezing and kneading her
tight muscles. Slowly Liz felt the tension ease out of her shoulders…and
her legs and her feet too.

"Cheater." Liz mumbled as she playfully shoved her boyfriend.

Max grinned. "Well, no one can say that there aren't benefits to being
loved by an alien."

Liz smiled and reached up to stroke the line of his jaw. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"I hate to do this, but I need to get back to work. The lunch rush is going
to start any time."

"Of course. Go ahead." Liz stood to leave.

"Wait, Liz!" She turned back to Max. "Can I take you out tonight? Nothing
special, just you, me, Chinese, and pool?"

Liz grinned. "Any time I spend with you is special. Pick me up around 7?"

"Okay, I'll see you then."

Max watched as Liz tied her little silver apron back around her waist and
headed back to the kitchen, and he smiled. He had a date with Liz tonight.
The entire night it would be just him and Liz, alone together, for the first
time in two months. He whistled a little tune to himself as he threw some
money on the table for Maria, and then headed out the door. Tonight was
going to be great.


The lunchtime rush was just as busy as the morning rush had been, but Liz's
energy had been revived by Max, thanks to his healing, and the time passed
very quickly. Two hours later, the café had emptied out again, and Liz was
left alone with Maria and a few stray customers.

Maria and Liz had settled down at the counter for a little girl talk, when
the bell from the door dinged again.

"Hm…lover boy's back." Maria teased. "I'll just leave you two alone."

Liz turned towards the door to see that Max had indeed just entered the café
again, and was making his way towards her.

"Hey beautiful." Max greeted her as he leaned down for a quick kiss.

"Hey! Back so soon?" Liz asked him.

"Well, it seemed like an eternity to me. I couldn't sleep last night. All
I could think about was you, lying up here in your bed, with that ring on
your finger. I'll tell you, it was a really nice thought."

Liz blushed. "Can I get you a cherry coke?"

"No, I probably shouldn't. I just wanted to drop in and see you now, since
it'll be my only chance."

"Your only chance? What about tonight?" Liz asked in confusion.

"Tonight? Oh God, Liz? Did I forget to tell you? Today's my dad's birthday.
I'm spending the whole evening with my family. I meant to say something
last night, but, uh, well, my mind was kind of focused on something else."

Liz's face dropped. She was really looking forward to their date tonight.

"Hey, don't be upset. I'm sorry. How about this, I'll pick you up before
school on Monday, and we'll catch up then, okay?"

"Sounds great. Have a really good night, Max. And wish your dad Happy
Birthday for me."

"I will. I'll call you later, Liz."

"Bye Max."

Go to Part 5-6