| At School, Max found Liz before class standing in front of her locker trying to turn the combination lock. He watched as she glanced his way and then back at her lock. She began fumbling more intensely with the metal circle. He watched the sides of her face begin to turn pink from effort. She started lightly banging it, grumbling, �Open up! Open now!� Oh boy I am really starting to lose it. I am yelling at my locker! Oh, Max is right over there. I�ve got to get my book, close the door and get out of here. I can�t talk to him. Not after Vegas. I just have to stay away from Max before I blow it! Oh my gosh here he comes. Damn lock open! Max gently placed his warm hands over her cool and shaking fingers and smiled. �What did that lock ever do to you? Abusing it isn�t going to help. Here, let me help, Liz.� As always, there was that look of heart-melting concern on his sweet face. She hardly dared move, loving the warm feel of his hand on hers as helped her turn the combination. Liz awkwardly looked up at Max and couldn�t help smile back as he opened the door of her locker. I can�t help myself. I am becoming euphoric. My drug of choice is here, I think, ready to give me a fix. Oh-m-God, I really need a twelve step program� �Thank you, Max.� Max saw how tired Liz looked and his eyebrows furrowed slightly, asking, �Liz, are you okay? You don�t look so good�� �Yeah, I�m okay Max.. Thanks again, Max�..� You�re welcome. Now that I have opened you up Liz Parker, you owe me a favor. Liz, I was wondering what you are doing tonight?� Liz looked down at her shoes and responded shakily. � Well, I have to work the late shift at the Crashdown and afterwards study for the biology and history exam tonight�. �Oh�,� Max frowned, rubbing his forehead.. When Liz looked up at his frowning face, all her resolve melted away. �Well, maybe you could come by after my shift and we could �study together?� Max smiled again and said, �I could use some help in biology. Tonight, then.� -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Max could hardly wait until he could see Liz. He was so excited that the day slipped away in a blur. Every time a teacher began another lecture, Max�s brain went off into deep space. All he could think about was what he would say to Liz. He couldn�t help but remember (over and over again) the feeling of her dancing in his arms and the curve of her back when they danced that night in Vegas�Liz, Liz, Liz. He couldn�t stop smiling. The last alarm of day went off and Max was free to go home. Finally, the torture was over. Nobody would try to teach him anything else today or make him focus--as if he could! Max ran out of the school, heading toward the student parking lot. His head was so full of thoughts of Liz that he didn�t even see the slight, golden-headed form at the bottom of the stairway waiting for him -- until he practically ran over it. His body slammed into the soft form. He fell down on top of it, the impact of the fall lessened by the soft, warm cushioning of�a body beneath him? Was it Liz? No. Definitely not Liz. Max dazedly realized it was Tess underneath him. Yes, it was definitely Tess he had hit, looking disheveled but beautiful in a pink-V top and tight blue jeans, that had caught his breath. �Tess� are you all right?� Max could feel the warmth emanating from her skin. She is so amazing�so slender, so strong, How amazing that such a slender built alien could have so much strength. She is like a ballerina�slight but powerful, with alien talents vital in this play with the Skins. Tess exploited the moment, placing her curves, more firmly on intimate parts. She longed for him to recognize what was so generously offered. �Oh, Max, why aren�t I The One you love? I am your queen. Can�t you see that?!� �Nice bumping into you like this�, she laughed. Oh shit! I am acting like a hussy, throwing myself at him! I promised myself not to. Okay, Tess-baby, get a hold of yourself! Max smelled her sweet and spicy breath and it suddenly reminded him of his dream from last night. The part about the drinks. Max�s stomach rumbled. Max gently untangled himself and helped her to her feet. �What are you doing here Tess?� �Oh, Buddha-boy had practice tonight. He ran home early to pick up his suit and I asked him for a lift here hoping to catch you here before you ran off.� Tess grabbed his arm and caressed it, continuing, �Looks like I did.� Oh shit, I did it again! I am a miserable alien! She smiled at him as she always did with such a look of hero-worship and caring. It always made Max feel just a little bit queasy. He still didn�t really understand why he felt like that. But he did. �So Max, what do you say� Can I have a ride home? I need to talk to you about some things -- Alone.� Oh My Gosh, I can�t seem to stop myself! Max looked around the empty lot and responded , � Sure I would be happy to. Hop in. � -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Valenti�s house wasn�t the kind of house you�d find in a Home Decorating Magazine --- unless it was the �before� picture. But, it was kind of cozy and warm. Tess had helped make it a real home for Kyle and the Sheriff mused Max as he looked around the kitchen. No longer just a bachelor pad but a home�. �Thanks for coming Max. I know you must have other things to do. But I really just wanted a friendly ear to talk to. Can I get you something to eat first� maybe a snack? Kyle has been �in training� for his matches lately and we have been doing a lot of fresh vegetables� , � Tess said looking up at him, holding a bunch of celery hearts. �Sure�� Max said looking at the arrangement of unappetizing celery hearts she carried in her hand. Tess noted the look on his face and turned away from him. �I�ve got some kicking tabasco sauce I just made mixed with some oriental sweet and sour dipping sauce�let me just chop these hearts up�� �K�� Tess grabbed the chopping knife and quickly began to cut the hearts up, trying to appear confident. Although she was no Martha Stewart, she had been learning a lot more about cooking since moving in with the Valentis. It made her feel like she was part of a real family. �Ouch�� Tess sliced a piece of her finger open. Blood poured out unwittingly from her fourth finger. Max looked down at the wound and grabbed a warm washcloth, �Here, let me help Tess.� He gently grasped the stubborn wound and closed his eyes� willing it to heal. At that moment, for some reason, his head began to whirl. In an attempt to heal her--a connection was forming. It was their connection. He knew it. She knew it. She was there with him, feeling it and seeing it just as he was. They were taking a dark tour of the blue heavens together. Stars whirled past them on their journey. Max saw the beautiful bright light of Venus pass before his eyes. He knew he was leaving his world and his galaxy behind him. �Max, we�re leaving�going somewhere�� Tess looked at him fearfully. �Yesss�,� Max responded. �Just keep holding my hand. � Both of them became aware of standing on new ground. New but familiar ground, he thought as their feet were firmly planted down upon rich otherworldly soil. He looked down and marveled at its strange color. So different and so familiar. Max looked up. He saw beautiful electric blue eyes behind a veil of white. He knew he was still holding her hand, but this time he had a ring made of precious metal in his other hand, not a washcloth. He was ceremoniously encircling her wounded finger with this ring while his own hands pulsated to heal the wound. Suddenly, he knew that it was the healing that metamorphisized their relationship. He knew that this was his first act as King and husband to complete the healing ritual. It was this act that combined with the sentient stone, the granolith, that enhanced the powers of the King as well as the powers of his lifelong mate. From now on, her natural abilities would become enhanced. From now on he would know her thoughts and she would know his. From now on and this day forward for better or worse, they would be inseparable, driven to be together, heart, mind, body and soul. And in this union, it would be the essence of their bond, be it good or bad that would ultimately determine the well being and unity of those on their planet. Their purity of heart and the strength of their love would determine the destiny of their world in and through and with the powers of the sentient stone. He heard the official before them say �The metamorphosis is complete! You are truly one mind in kinship. You may kiss the bride.� �I am content with our commitment to one another my queen,� said the King. �Max, he said you may kiss the bride�� Tess prompted. He looked at his bride and lifted the wispy veil as his lips descended to hers� and someone was ringing�a ceremonial bell�he thought to himself? �NO. It�s the doorbell. Someone is ringing the doorbell, Max. I usually lock it behind me. Don�t want to take any chances,� Tess said. They were on earth again, in the Valenti home. Max let go of Tess and turned away. �Max, don�t turn away. It was beautiful. It was our moment. Our wedding day. I felt what you felt. We were happy�� No, maybe content Tess, but�. Tess turned his face back toward her and inched her lips to his finely chiseled ones. The lightest of breaths brushed his lips� The doorbell stopped ringing and then they heard a click. Someone had entered. �HEY! YOU JERK! I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM MY FAMILY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING� GET AWAY FROM HER.!� Kyle came running in screaming and ranting at the top of his lungs. Max quickly pushed Tess away just in time for Kyle to punch his face. �Kyle, it wasn�t like that!, Get off of him, Kyle!� Tess screamed. Max flew across the kitchen floor from the weighty punch. Kyle stood and gave him a look of pure rage. �Max! What the hell is it with you Max? Do you always have to take away everything and anyone that is important to me. You screwed up my Dad�s life. And now you�re screwing up everyone else�s life too! Not content to have just Liz mooning over you but you have to have Tess too?� �If I remember correctly, Kyle it was you and Liz that botched things up--not the other way around,� Max corrected. Kyle ranted, �You, Man, are a jackass! Liz Parker has and will always be in love with you� anything you think you might have seen that night in her bedroom was just a set up, a plan. Something Liz begged me to do and asked me not to ask any questions about. Max, Liz and I were never together, not ever. We did not do the horizontal bop. End of story. She is and has always been in love with you. Are you stupid? Can�t you see it in her eyes? I do, Man, everytime she looks at you. Can�t you see her?� Max breathed heavily, painfully, and looked down at his shoes. �And you Tess! I don�t care what planet you came from or what happened between you and Max before. But Earth is the planet you�re on now. And in this world, and in this country you have the freedom of choice!� he yelled, and then added more quietly, �Tess, can�t you see what you mean to me?� Tess looked dumbfounded. She thought irrationally, My Gosh, does that mean he wants me to go to the prom with him |
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