Between You and I (AU,M/L,M/T,ADULT) Pt 9 - [WIP]

[Blue*Soul]

Hey guys. The title might seem familiar to some of you and yep it is me (babybunny), just got a bit fed up with my old user name so here I am back with a new name and reposting a challenge fic, I took absolutely ages ago. And I really mean AGES ago. Thank you for waiting so patiently and if your still interested here it is again. Parts are re-edited so it is slightly different from the older version.

Before I start I just want to warn you guys that the updates will most likely be few and far between, especially once I get to uni. So I apologise in advance.

Title: Between you and I.
Author: BabyBunny/Blue*Soul
Category: M/L/AU and tidbits of others
E-mail: cuteangelical1@boxfrog.com
Rating: I still don’t know, but just to be safe I’m going to say it might venture into the ADULT category.
Summary: Response to Talena’s challenge about a certain circumstance that pulls Max and Liz closer. I hate giving away the storyline, so if your dying to know PM me or something because the challenge thread is um, most likely deceased.
Disclaimer: I don’t own.
Pairings: CC/UC. Just to let those with a weaker stomach know that there will be some M/T scenes at the beginning. Don’t worry I won’t subject you to highly explicit detail or anything. I can guarantee Dreamer Insurance if it means anything...
Feedback: Please, I love to read what your thinking!

I think that’s it for now. So, let me know if you want me to continue.




Between you and I.


PROLOGUE

Liz's Diary.

January 8th 1998

There comes a certain moment in your life which you know, will pretty much pinpoint the rest of your existence. Something that you’ll never forget. The way you perceive the future, the decisions you make, influenced by that one lone moment. Forever.

That moment for me, was last night.

Last night, was truly the greatest realisation of how utterly stupid I had been.

You always hear stories about poor women who are cheated on through circumstances, there’s always that sense of sadness, pity, but you never know the full extent of the inner hurt until it happens to you. I sound like a sorry case, and I’ll be the first to goddamn admit it. I am. I suppose there is something called being all cried out, because just a couple of hours ago I was far from sitting this calmly at my desk and writing this entry by the dim lamp light to give the impression to Aunt Lynne that I’m asleep.

Others said they saw it coming, that Sean never treated me right. That I could do so much better then him. But I was blinded by something . . .by love, because whenever I fall, I fall hard. This fall from utopia hurt, I was dropped from the sky like some lead weight and I’m bruised.

Aunt Lynne’s words keep echoing through my ears. “Why are you doing this Elizabeth? Why are you giving up going to Harvard, your career, your life? The world is your god-damned oyster, you weren’t made to be someones aproned maid at 18. You have ambition. Go get what you want, don’t let us down”

I always told her she was being silly, that I loved Sean and it would work out. I was stubborn. I thought love was all I needed, I thought he was all I needed . . .But now I realise how right she was and how blind I was. And, no matter how much I try I can’t turn back time and change the past. Can’t go get that interview. Can’t ask for those friends back.

God, When I saw them together, I was paralysed. I couldn’t breathe. How could he do this to me? In our flat, on our couch... It was a shock to each and every sense. Was it even possible to feel so lonely and utterly afraid stood there in your own living room? It was. Because right then, it occurred to me that it was over. That this relationship wasn’t going to last forever The only thing I had, was through, finished, gone. I had been tossed to shore with nowhere to go.

The most painful thing other then my torn heart was my broken dreams. Worse then every feeling that I had just been put through was the pity I felt for myself. The anger at being so stupid. It was all my fault . . . I had given up everything that my parents had ever wanted for me, for him, everything that I had ever wanted for myself, for him.

Aunt Lynne, Eddie, pretty much everyone else I knew here in Roswell, had always been right. I had bought this on myself.

As I stood rooted to the spot with tears scorching my cheeks, watching the bastard scramble for his clothes-- I vowed that this was it, I would no longer wear my heart on my sleeve. I would never be dependent on anyone. I need no one. I, Liz Parker would make my dreams come true. I’d make my own destiny. Alone.

~~~~~~~


Slamming her diary closed, Liz switched off the table lamp and tip toed over to her bed in the dark, slipping her diary into the lightly packed rucksack, she gently zipped it shut.

With trembling hands she hoisted it over her shoulder, knowing that she had to do this now, whilst she had the will. She’d prove them wrong. This time Liz would prove that she’d made the right decision and only then, would she return to Roswell.

Taking one glance back at her undisturbed bed and the piece of lined paper she’d left there waiting for her aunt, she gently eased open her window and crawled through the tiny space, jumping onto the balcony and down the fire escape without as much as a single glimpse backward.[/img]

[Blue*Soul]

Hey guys. :waves: Some of you may remember Ch.1 being longer, just this time when editing it got so long that I had to make it into two parts. Next part coming in a small while.



Chapter 1

7 years later


Liz sat comfortably in the after work hour office building, looking through the articles pasted on her laptop, that would be in production as a magazine ‘Vision’ by the next day. She thumbed through all the features one by one, pasting bits, crossing parts out with the cursor at lightening like speed.

The tapping of the keys, were the only sound that accompanied her in her spacious office along with the familiar ticking of the clock. It was late. But she didn’t notice. This wasn’t work to her, this is what she loved. Her office was more of a home then her Apartment in Rowley Square had ever been, she spent most of her time here, her main acquaintances were her office buddies, her greatest fulfilment was meeting the deadline for the production of her magazine.

Liz enjoyed the different array of thoughts and feelings that were put into these articles, she enjoyed expressing her own this way at times, controversial though they were. But when readers praised her for saying what they had never dared speak up about, for her, was the greatest sense of achievement. Liz loved the collaborative effort that everyone put into making the magazine successful. It had come to a point where she could even tell who wrote what, by the style and feel of each and every writer that worked with her, by first glimpse.

From the fictional stories, to the letters seeking advice from Pollyanna, the magazines very own agony aunt. From the first day she had set foot in this large company, making teas and coffee and hearing the raw gossip of the reporters to the day she worked herself to editor, she’d known this was what she wanted to do.

A small, half knock on the door made her look up from over the head of her laptop as Carter her new junior assistant came into view. He stood there awhile fidgeting, until Liz finally broke the silience, asking him what he wanted.

“I’m, um, all, everything you wanted me to do is um, done. Is there anything else?” he asked nervously looking at the ground.

Liz tilted her head, wondering why he was so nervous around her. She had tried to be as approachable as possible yet, some people continued to act like frightened bunny rabbits in her company. The more she gazed at him, the more he seemed to bury his head in the carpet, until she said finally, “Its okay Carter. You can go home now”

“Ok. Thank you. I guess I’ll see you Monday,” he mumbled in a relieved tone whilst making a quick dart toward the door backwards.


“Monday.” Liz called after him, shaking her head, her eyes inadvertently falling on the now unusually loud tick tocking of the silver clock opposite. 9.30 pm. Shit. Was that really the time? No wonder, he’d been so desperate to go. Sometimes when she worked, she lost all track of time.

She reached for the phone supposing she’d better tell Julia her secretary to home too, but as her hand touched the coolness of the receiver, the phone rang out, breaking the eerie stillness of he office, Liz picked it up on second ring, plastering it to her ear. “Hmm?”

“Liz, there’s a Ms Guerin on the line”

“Yep, put her through—and Julia, you may as well go”

“Okay. See you Monday”

There was a small static noise whilst Julia put her through, and then instant overexcited voice of her half brothers wife. “Liz Marie Parker!”

“Maria Elsabeth Guerin” Liz grinned at Maria’s catching enthusiasm, “how is my dear sister in law doing?”

“Absolutely stupendous” came the reply, “and how is chief editor of Vision? Not overworking herself again I hope?”

“Overworking? Of course not” Liz said trying to stifle a yawn, but it came out louder then expected.

There was a haughty laugh from the other end, “Seriously Liz, do you ever not work? This time I didn’t even bother trying your apartment, I just knew you’d be at the office and big surprise here you are,”

“I have to get this editorial finished by tomorrow,” Liz answered whilst continuing to type. Everything had to be perfect, and anyway, most people tried her office first. If she wasn’t home which known to most she usually wasn’t, she’d most likely be in her office.

“Yeah well there’s always something isn’t there? Editorials. Meetings. Fill ins. Work from the week before, just wasting random time at the impairment of your could be social life”

“You know me too well,” Liz commented dryly. “How’s little Marcus?” she inquired changing the subject. A smile appearing subconsciously across her face, in remembrance of her little nephew born just a few weeks ago, weighing just over six pounds. Her heart had melted at the elation on her half brothers face when Marcus had arrived and his large green eyes had popped open and looked straight up at them for the very first time. Michael was in near tears and that was really saying something as Liz had never see Michael get involved in much emotion from the years that she had known him.


“He’s fine” Maria’s voice softened, “absolutely fine, hey you want to talk to him? I’m holding him right now”

Liz nodded. “Yeah”

Maria held the receiver to the baby and Liz heard, rapid breathing little gurgling sounds on the other end. “Hello sweetie you there? . . .this is Aunt Lizzie honey, how are you doing? Not making mama work too hard I hope?”

“ Oh look. He’s blowing bubbles at you!” she heard Maria yell excitedly, before she took over the receiver again. “Speaking of Marcus—there’s a little something that I need to talk to you about”

“What?” Liz sat up straight in her office seat.

“Wait till you hear this. I think Michael should be the one to tell you,”

“Okay,” Liz murmured, her curiosity definitely irked as she held the receiver to her ear and heard Maria calling out her brothers name several times before he finally made it to the phone.

“Liz,” he sounded slightly irritated. But, that was nothing new. Michael sounded irritated when he was happy, or upset, or angry, or when he was just plainly irritated.

“Hey Michael”

”Hey”

“There was something you needed to tell me?” she questioned, when he failed to say anything. Michael wasn’t exactly the greatest conversationalist.

“Yeah I don’t know why Maria couldn’t have told you,” he said distractedly, “we’re moving into a house across from you next week”

“Really?” Liz asked, her mouth agape. Before she managed to murmur, “Wow, that’s a surprise, ” It had been about 6 years since Liz had got into contact with Michael for the first time. For the first 3 his work had been based in the UK and even though they talked occasionally over the phone they never got to see each other. It had been a little strange getting to know the half brother that she had never been in contact with at first. Michael had been the first child of a teenage Nancy Parker and a father who had disappeared as soon as she had told him she was pregnant. When Nancy had refused to terminate her baby, her parents had forced her to give Michael up for adoption.

Aunt Lynne had often told Liz when she had been back in Roswell that was the best decision ever made for Nancy. She would never have been able to look after a baby at such a young age. Liz though, had often wondered what it would be like to get into contact with her older brother and she never regretted that she did. It was like they had never been apart. Both settling in the brother, sister role naturally. Michael had married Maria and moved Boston and the three had grown close. In fact sometimes Liz thought it was like they had never been apart.

“Yeah. Well I wanted to tell you when you came over last week, but Maria decided it was going to be a big surprise. Even though she’s been packing like over a millennium,”

“Michael, I’d really love that. I so cannot wait.” Liz laughed, her body tingling with excitement. Sometimes when she woke up, all she wished was for a familiar face. There were times when the longing was so bad; she’d even comprehended going back to Roswell. But she wasn’t ready to go back. Not yet.

"Good. Though you didn’t have much of a choice anyway. We’ve bought the house and we’re moving in”

“Well, let me know if you need any help with anything.” Liz grinned, “Its going to be so good to have you so near and Marcus—“

“--Living across from someone who no doubt will spoil him to death,”

“You’re going to have to learn to deal Michael,” Liz chirped. She would definably spoil her nephew to death and nothing in the world was going to stop her. Not even Michael.


She could hear Maria saying something else but couldn’t quite catch it. Michael shuffled on the other end. "Yeah Jesus I'm getting there . . . wait . . .” another shuffle. “And um . . .there’s something else” Michael continued as prompted.

“Spill,”

“Maria and I talked about this before Marcus arrived— and we’d like it if you’d be his god mother”

Liz opened her mouth then shut it again, “Me?”

“Uh huh”

“I’m not sure what to say,”

“Yes might be a good start”

“Of course yes you doofus,” Liz’s heart was almost bursting with joy, “thank you Michael!” Her brother was going to move across from her and now she was godmother to someone that held a huge place in her heart. Unrestrained Happiness coursed through her veins. This was turning out to be a better night then she had expected.

“Nah—don’t thank me. It was a choice between pick you or become slaughter house meat”

“Too right” Liz mused.

There was a stealthy pause, where Liz realised that Michael was no doubt watching TV and it was confirmed by, “Is there anything else Liz? I’m missing soccer here”

“Nope Michael. And thank you again”

“Don’t mention . . .damn you ass, you could have gotten that goal!” Liz heard him yell into the receiver. Before silence reverberated through her ears once again.

Slowly putting the receiver back on its stand, she looked at her laptop and moved the cursor key to the nearest article, only this time she couldn’t concentrate no matter how hard she tried. Marcus’s beautiful face and the look on Michael and Maria’s faces when he was born kept playing through her head repeatedly. It made her feel hollow inside, unfulfilled. Somehow she had the feeling that Michael and Maria moving in wasn’t going to be enough. A feeling that them moving across from her was just going to make her yearning stronger. A yearning for something she'd been mulling over for a while now.

Groaning she pushed her work to the edge of the desk. She’d just have to come in estra early on Monday to finish off.

*****

[Blue*Soul]

Chapter 2

Sighing tiredly, Liz pushed the door of her airy yet plainly decorated apartment open, to hear jazz music playing in the background along with the heated aroma of cooking food. She peered around curiously wondering what was going on when a head of none other then best pal and confidant Alex popped from around the Kitchen door. He leant his slim profile against her the doorframe and continued to wipe at his fingers with the tea towel. “Parker—late shift again, I knew you’d mess up and forget our dinner date”

Liz screwed her eyes, “dinner date?” she threw her purse on the couch and shuffled out of her stilettos as she walked past Alex into the steam filled kitchen. “What dinner date? --Woaah . . . I do want a kitchen after you’ve finished!” she began coughing and waving her hand in front of her face, trying to get rid of that searing smell that hit her nostrils, reaching for a window to pull it open.

”I’m not making any promises Parker and I called you earlier but there was no answer,”

“Yeah well I got a call from Maria,”

“As in Guerin?”

“Yep. And guess what?!” Liz said almost jumping up and down on the spot, unable to control her excitement.

Alex folded his arms, “Is this where I guess or was that a rhetorical question?”

Liz rolled her eyes, “Alex, they’re moving across from us!”

“As in across from this apartment building?”

“Yaha”

“Great.”

“What?” Liz asked, this wasn’t exactly the kind of reaction she was hoping for. Alex looked less then enthused.

“Just your brothers a bit . . . you know,” Alex shuddered slightly, “You know, intimidating,”

“Come on Alex,” Liz said shaking her head, reaching for another window behind him to push it open, “Michael’s a big puppy dog at heart”

“Don’t give me that,” He looked at her awkwardly walking over to the cooking pot, reaching for the pot lid that was steaming at the sides. “Last time I met him, he gave me the third degree and told me if I ever put a foot wrong he’d more or less kill me and then he tried to run me over with his motorbike--, oh shit—“ the burning hot lid fell to the floor. “Jesus Christ” he shook at his burning fingers before sticking them in his mouth. “Is spinach soup meant to look like this?” he mumbled, looking pointedly into the pot and then shifting his head to the side as if studying something in a lab.

”That’s cause he thought you were my boyfriend,” Liz murmured, cautiously peered over the pot before taking an instant step backward, as a stringent stench hit her nostrils. “No idea. But its definitely not meant to smell like that” she pulled a face, half wanting to back out of the apartment and run for it.

“Oh Jesus” Alex hung his head in defeat, “holy mother, looks like we’re banished to be stuck in an obsolete never changing routine, which spirals down and down in some never ending sphere”

Liz raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

“This. I try to do something new and this happens.”

Liz walked over and turned the cooker off, before the smell got any worse. All she hoped was that she’d get rid of the disgusting stench sometime soon. “It would be useful if either one of us could cook—I gave up ages back, I’m glad you’ve still got the spirit” she grinned and patted him on the back “I’ve got the ice-cream,”

“I’ll get the wine—“ Alex sighed, “what are we watching?”

Liz looked up from the freezer, “Whatevers about”

Shimmying back into her living room and making a guttural noise at the back of his throat Alex, pulled out a copy of Gone with the wind, Titanic and a few other tragic romances. When was god going to have mercy on him, so he could break out of this never ending routine of watching the same girly movies, eating the same thing and mourning over the same person day after day?

“Don’t like spinach anyway” he grumbled.

“Nor me” she replied.

*****



4 hours later, various tubs of ice cream, bags of popcorns, bottles of alcohol and tissues sat around The Parker living room floor.

Alex sniffed into his tissue and Liz giggled and stretching out a kicking his side, “You imminent wuss”.

It was like a ritual. It was depressing and something they’d never share with anyone. It happened all the time, they’d watch disaster romance movies and cry. It was relief, somehow watching their pain, made their own easier.

Alex pushed her away and crawled over to the nearest bottle of red wine, sitting up on his knees he downed the contents, “Jesus Parker, what am I doing here, with you, at this point in my life?”

Liz twirled her hour around on her finger, “Gee. Thanks a lot Alex. Why don’t you just piss off then?”

”you know what I mean” he groaned and lay flat across the floor, arms spread out like an aeroplane either side of him.

“Yeah” Liz crawled over and lay down next to him, “You should be with that busty, blond, beach babe, that fantasy dream walks you every night”

“Uh huh” he groaned. “Where is she? My fantasy woman?”

Liz sighed at the rhetorical question. “Right here”

Alex pulled a face, “You still on for marrying me if I don’t get a date by age 40?”

“I’d marry you right now—I’m just waiting for a proposal” Liz burped and then giggled at herself, suddenly realising how drunk she was.

Alex rolled his eyes. “Utterly disgusting”

Liz giggled again and whacked him across the arm before taking her place next to him again. They both lay in comfortable, companiable silence, just staring at the white swirl patterns on the ceiling.

“Alex”

“Hmm?”

“Say if Jack had never died, do you think they’d grow old together, make loadsa babies and live happily ever after, like forever?”

Alex chewed on his lips, somewhat fascinated by the ceiling. “I don’t know . . .maybe he’d find a more attractive female and have an affair”

Liz paused slightly. “Your right. I mean who has a fascination with drawing hands anyway? He was a big pervert that just wanted Rose to get her clothes off. Jacks an ass. A jack-ass”

“I was joking,” Alex said weakly, turning to look at her. “I’m sure they’d live happily ever after” he smiled softly.

“Seriously though. What’s the point of saying never let go, when your just going to chuck him in the ocean two seconds later?” Liz half roared. She sat up, legs crossed, arms folded, sure she was debating serious topic. “I hate that movie.” She declared.

”Don’t say that,”

“Why? Its stupid. Overtly romantic, escapist, untrue. It makes me utterly sick,”

“So, would you rather watch Fast and the Furious? I have that too”

“Do you have a movie where someone viciously and horrifically murders all cheating male scum?”

“No. But your freezer has more Ice cream”


Liz shook her head and rested her banging head against the couch, “I’ll hurl”

“You’re going to do that anyway” Alex looked at her pointedly and the empty bottles across her floor.

“ Choco Chip”

Alex stumbled into the kitchen then reappeared with a tub and handed her a spoon. Liz took it cautiously and dipped into her favourite tub. She placed a little in her mouth, swallowed and paused until she was absolutely sure she was going to keep it down at the same time as watching Alex gulp half the tub down at a disgustingly fast pace, making her feel nauseous.


Liz licked her spoon. “Thanks for being my girlfriend Alex” They’d found each other at work and realised that they had much more in common then thought. The last seven years had been a struggle for them both and Liz couldn’t be thankful enough for the strength that they had found in one another.

“Since I can’t get one, may as well do what I’m best at” he shrugged his shoulders and continued to devour the ice cream.

“Some people are just destined to be lonely” she sighed and looked down at her spoon, examining its shininess and the way her face came about all contorted, when she looked at her reflection in it.

“Not me” Alex looked up at her defiantly.

Liz giggled all of a sudden. Wondering where all the alcohol had gone, “Oh yeah? Then what are you doing with me every second night of the week, watching the same movies and having the same conversation?”

Alex gave her his serious look, “We’ve been cheated in the past, but it doesn’t mean that we cant start off over again, I for one plan on doing more then, spending rest of my life replaying my bad luck through tragic romance movies— ugh . . . what if someone at work finds out? “

“I won’t tell, I promise”

“Seriously Parker, give it a go” he licked off his spoon and leant back against the couch, giving her a somewhat pointed look and Liz instantly knew where he was taking this.

“OH GOD. We’ve been through this,” she moaned. Liz really didn’t have the strength to argue this out anymore. Especially not when she was this drunk.

“Yes and we’ll continue this conversation, until you give in, he’s been dying to date you since he first time he saw you”

Liz grunted and twirled over reaching for the popcorn, “Love at first sight, how beautiful, makes me all gooey on the inside,”

“Watch the sarcasm Parker”

“Rah, rah, rah”

“You’ve got to move ahead, it’s been five freaking years!” Alex said leaning forward, trying to catch her eyes. “Look-- give him a chance unless you plan to die a celibate nun, who thrill seeks by flashing by passer-by’s on the highway”

“Oh jeez” Liz rolled her eyes, when was Alex going to give it rest? And then grimaced at the image of a flashing nun flashed in front of her eyes.

Alex grinned. “He’s a law enforcer, a hard working police man. Independent. Fit. Look . . .just imagin that body”

Liz shook her head, throwing Alex a disgruntled look. “I’m worried your even thinking about that”

“Is that a yes?”

“ May I answer later?”

Alex glared at her. “No. Absolutely not.”

Liz rolled her eyes; assuming she didn’t have much choice in the answer. She could tell he wasn’t going to give in, “Christ YES, but only one date . . .you hear?”

Alex clapped his hands together, a lame attempt at showing how happy he was. “Great I’ll ring Kyle as soon as I’m less drunk”

“Nuns have it easy” she muttered scathingly.

*****

After a few a more tubs of ice cream and a lot more alcohol Alex decided on going home because his personal curfew was at 3am. He opened the apartment door and stumbled outside singing ‘Livin Lavida Loca’ at the top of his lungs.

Liz was sure he’d get back on time, to remain true to his self inflicted curfew. After all, he only lived a couple of doors down from her. Unless of course he collapsed before he got there. It had happened before. She found him snoring his hearts delight out in the corridor the following morning.

After hurling in the toilet for 15 minutes, Liz lay in her bed, tossing and turning. A coldness settling at the pit of her stomach. She was having second thoughts at that quick decision she had made about Kyle. According to Alex it was time to start going other men a chance, but really what was the point? She was numb now. Having a partner in her life didn’t matter to her anymore. Liz believed that much of the need to have a significant other was something contrived and idealised by society. She had made it alone so far hadn’t she? No man excited her since that night in January, exactly 7 years ago. She needed no one. She groaned inwardly, hoping Alex would forget by the time he was ‘less drunk’

Liz pulled the duvet cover higher over her head. Trying to look at the situation optimistically, if she was going to be forced into this dating chaos to make Alex happy and finally prove that she was better off alone. It might as well be Kyle. He seemed like a nice enough guy and had a hand over others, a) he was totally besotted with her and b) He was a policeman. She guessed if she was going to start dating it might as well be a man in uniform.

*****

He pulled off his uniform and climbed into the shower. He stood directly beneath the shower head, the water caressing his muscular back, rivulets mingling with his skin, hitting his head and body, spraying off of him and onto the shower wall. He let the warmth of the water release the tension from his muscles, easing him, making him more relaxed. Leaning back water fell on his hard torso as he rubbed himself clean, rivulets dripping down his manly chest, past his navel and past the rippling muscles of his legs. He closed his eyes feeling the water pinprick his eyes, bluish black lights, dancing beneath his closed lids as he turned his head upward so the water from the showerhead fell directly onto his face.

Minutes later shaking his head of excess water and thoroughly cleaned, Max wrapped a towel loosely around his lithe thighs and made his way into the bedroom, noticing his fiancée lying seductively across the middle of the bed, in her rather risqué and he was sure minus underwear nightie.

“Tess” he smiled making his way over to the walk in wardrobe and pulling off a pair of pyjama bottoms from the nearest rack. “Thought you were asleep” he called out.


Max jumped slightly, when he realised that she had followed him inside, her arms wrapped around his naked torso. Turning around to look at her, he instantly recognised the look of pure want. Of a cat that had spotted full cream Milk. Tess was in no doubt extremely horny. “You have to stop creeping up on me like that” he said simply.

Tess pulled at a blonde ringlet and licked her lips seductively, “I can’t help it—especially when your all mussed and wet from the shower.”

Max grinned and pulled her arms away from his body, walked back into the bedroom and sat down at the edge of the bed. He watched her as she followed him back inside and sat down close to him. She was clearly in huntress mood. He brushed his hand through his wet hair, making it look even more unkempt and mussed in the process. Tess wriggled a finger up his arm then kissed his shoulder blade.

Not that she wasn’t attractive, he thought as he glanced sideways at those creamy legs, at times she was good company too. It was just that . . .sometimes he felt there was something missing. A certain spark . . .no one else seemed to notice though. Especially not his father who had been intent on merging businesses with Mr Harding as far back as he could remember. That was the reason he had gotten to know Tess. That was the reason their friendship had turned into something more.

He felt a sharp nail claw down his back and he sat up straighter, “honey come to bed” she purred in his ear.

Max turned to look at her, and her blue eyes gazed back at him full of desire. Max wished he could mimic that expression. Her hand moved from his back to the front of his chest, her manicured nail trailed down his bare torso and seductively down between his abs, he watched it trail slowly past his belly button and down farther.

Max grabbed her hand before it got to its desired location, gently easing it back onto the mattress. ”Not now Tess, I’m really tired”

Tess pouted and leant back looking hurt, “Your always tired Max”

“Sorry,” he moved away from her and crawled over to his side of the bed, “It was a hard day at the station today”

“Yes. . and that’s why I’ve told you so many times -”

Ut oh. Here it was.

“Work for your father, he does well in the stock market—you could be making so much money, but instead you choose to spend day after day, working as an officer at some stupid station—I really don’t understand it.”

Max groaned, “I wish you would Tess, its what I like doing . .. All that office work just isn’t for me.”

“You’ve got a degree in accountancy for sakes!”

“You know I hated every moment of it. I enjoy what I do. Helping people. I couldn’t imagine working for my father--I’m more a hands on guy”

Tess pouted again. “Well you sure as hell aren’t acting like Mr Hands on!! And why do we have to go to New York? I like it here”

“We can’t leave with your parents forever, plus I have to move because I’m being transferred to the department over there”

“Ugh. I hate this” she bounced up and down on the spot she was sitting.

“No ones forcing you to come with me” Max shrugged, “Your welcome to continue living in California”

“Don’t be stupid Maxwell!” Tess said irritatedly, “I’m your fiancée and plus there’s no way you’d be able to make it on your own,”

Max stared at her. Unsure whether her last words had been a joke. The strange thing was, her face was poker serious.

”God,” she moaned shaking her head of ringlets, which reminded Max of pig-faced girl in school, called Delilah that used to steel everyone’s lunch. By this time Tess was doing what she did best. Throwing a tantrum. Max closed his eyes and tuned out her ranting. Not bothering to say a word in defence, because he knew she’d cool down in a moment.

Tess’s temper never lasted long and he guessed that she couldn’t help her outbursts. After all she was the only child of wealthy, corporate broker, Thomas Harding and she was absolutely spoilt to death and like he’d reminded himself earlier. She was good company when she wasn’t throwing a tantrum.

“You work at some filthy department . . .you kept putting the wedding date off . . .my plans are going to rot . . .New York is dirt . . .”

Max opened his eyes and back came Delilah. Crying and ranting and raving because she was still hungry. Her blonde ringlets, just like Tess' bouncing up and down as she screeched for attention. His mouth twitched, threatening to break out into laughter.

“It feels like we’ve been together for eternity . . .this ring on my finger . . .I’m a shame on the family . . .”


Tess glared at Max, extremely red in the face, seething from head to toe. What was it with him? He never listened. “Max, hello?” she tilted her head to the side, her eyes scrunched together in confusion, “Are you laughing? You were just laughing at me?” she accused in a disbelieving tone, clearly unable to believe that was actually what he was doing.

“No. Not laughing,” he denied, grinning broadly.

“Great. I’m a joke. I’m a fucking joke!”

Max shook his head, but Delilah came rushing back. He tried to control his emotions, reminding himself again and again that he should be serious in this situation. He shouldn’t laugh. He should never laugh when Tess was in a mood with him. “Honey, its just that—“ he half choked out.

Tess stared at him flabbergasted. “What?”

“Its just that . . .”

“It’s just what?” she screeched.

“You look so much better with straight hair,” and then burst into laughter. He couldn’t help it. After so many years of this. He sometimes found it hard to take her seriously.

“Huh? Max. What?” Tess still looked annoyed, but his reaction of holding on to his sides laughing seemed to calm her down somewhat. He had learnt over the years to never give Tess any bait. Other wise these arguments would stretch on forever.

“ I’m going to sleep on the couch” she threatened as a last attempt at getting a serious reaction, “and when I get a bad back in the morning you’ll have a grouchy Tess to tend to”

“Tess!” Max groaned, dejectedly sitting up, as she grabbed the duvet cover off their bed and began heading downstairs, “wait”

Tess’s eyes lit up as she turned around, “Yes honey?” she asked with hope ringing in her voice. Clambering closer to him she let her hand rest on his thigh.

“I’ll sleep on the couch” he picked up his pillow and climbed off the bed. This wasn’t the first time the sleeping arrangements had ended up this way.

Max didn’t notice the expression of utmost fury cross her face as he closed the door behind him and made his way to the couch. After all it was almost as large as the bed and just as comfortable.

[Blue*Soul]

I'm on a roll today. Yeehaw. Only one more part worth of editing to do. Thank you to those of you who are coming back to read this.

Chapter 3

2 weeks later.

“Yes you cute little Aunties boy. Yes darling, sugar, pumpkin pie. I’m talking to you! Yes, you!!” Liz leant gently over baby Marcus and pressed her nose against his button like one, widening her eyes and pulling back slightly to see all emotions mimicked on little babies face. It was weird how they could do that. Copy an adult expression just perfectly. She poked out her tongue and saw him trying to mimic her by doing the same thing.

“Yes…” she bought her hand down to his belly and tickled him. She watched his legs kick that little bit higher before leaning into press a kiss on his soft forehead “Oh we like that don’t we? Yes we do.”

He was so wonderful, she thought with awe. She wanted to pick him up and squeeze the living breath out of him. “Grow up soon sweetie, your Aunty has lots and lots of things planned for you” She couldn’t remember how it had been without him. Marcus had become an enormous part of her life, since Michael and Maria had bought this house across from her. She couldn't imagine life without them.

“I wish he’d grow up,” Michael yawned from behind her, holding out the baby’s milk feeder to her. “I haven’t slept for three months”

“Michael! He’s hardly a month old,” Liz grasped the feeder from him and leant over the baby mat, propping on one elbow gently easing it into the baby’s mouth.

“Yeah. Well you didn’t spend the other two months sleeping with a heavily pregnant woman, who had sudden urges to eat grapefruit in the middle of the night”

“Someone talking about me?” Maria walked into the lounge and playfully hit Michael on the back, resting her arm on his shoulder.

“Yeah. You were grouchy during pregnancy” he accused and moved away from her, plonking himself down on the couch.

Maria rested her hands on her hips, “Pregnancies not the only time I’m grouchy Mr. G, believe you me—if you want another dose of my hormones then carry on like you are” she plonked herself down next him.

Michaels features flexed in horror, “Uh.oh. What did I do?”

Maria sighed exaggeratedly, flashing Liz a look. “You really have no clue Guerin”

Liz laughed silently as she continued to hold the bottle to Marcus, “Maria I don’t think he’ll ever get a clue”

“I guess I had my hopes up too high, when I married him”

“I guess you did”

“HEY!” Michael looked from his wife to his sister, “stop the ganging up. I don’t need this right now. Rugby championship is on,” he reached for the remote and flicked on the TV.

Liz and Maria exchanged another unspoken look. Maria slowly nodded her head, giving Liz the needed signal. Liz nodded back, understanding. It was time.

She waited until Marcus was finished and reached for a baby wipe to wipe off the excess milk on his chin. She slowly sat up leaving Marcus on the baby mat.

“Um—Michael” she began hesitantly. Wondering the best way to tell him about the decision she had made.

“Uh?” Michael answered distractedly. Eyes glued to the TV, skittering back and forth across the TV screen.

“There’s something I need to put past you”

“Okay”

“Well, actually tell you more really, because I’m going to do this anyway” she began slowly, scared of how Michael would react to her confession. The reactions of those she had told so far had been hesitant and then realising how determined she was to do this, grown positive. “This may sound kind of strange at first . . .in fact it I know it will sound strange. But really, just try and understand ok?”

“Sure” he answered face still glued to the screen.

“I’ve thought about this a lot and since you and Maria moved here, this thought has become more insistent—always at the back of my mind and it’s become something I want to make into reality, very fast.”

Michael nodded his head, eyes following the rugby players.

Carefully assessing his reactions, Liz continued. “I’m, uh-- going to . . .have a baby”

“Okay”

There was silence for a few minutes.

Liz looked at Maria helplessly. Was that it? Michael—was going to let it all pass that easily?


“WHAT?” the sudden response made Liz jump. “Whose baby? When?” Michael glared at her. She definitely had his full attention now. But here it was. This was more the reaction she expected. Delayed, yet strong.

“That’s the thing Michael—“

“Is it that scrawny guy you hang around—is it his? I’ll. . .”

“What?” Liz pulled a face, “Alex . . .oh no! —He’s just a friend”

“Paul?”

“No”

“Steve, your desk clerk!” he pointed at her, sure he had got it this time.

“Michael if you let me explain—“

“Carlos from the grocery store?”

“NO”

“Whose is it then?”

“Guerin!” Maria rolled her eyes.

“Are you back with Sean again?” Michael continued to hammer the questions.

Liz gulped feeling a sudden wave of numbness hit her. “No . . .”

Maria groaned, “Jeez . . .listen to her Michael!”

“What the hell do you think I’m doing?” Michael turned to Liz, “I’m listening”

Liz took in a breath of much needed air, “I’m not pregnant”

“You just said—“

“Listen Michael. I’m not pregnant . . . Yet”

Michael screwed his eyes; “I’m totally lost here” he looked between the two women, face clouded with confusion.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you—if you let me explain,” Liz bit in, “I’ve decided to get a fertility procedure done—to get pregnant”

Liz waited for it to settle in. Alex had reacted pretty much the same when she had told him. Telling her she was crazy, she couldn’t do something like that; that she was only 25 had her whole life ahead of her and had no experience with babies. But, she had been adamant. Why couldn’t she have something she had desired for most of her life? Especially now that she felt truly ready. She wanted a baby now. Not five years down the line. It was now she was ready. Alex had finally come around and said he’d support her no matter what. She just hoped Michael would too. It was important to her.

“Get it Guerin?” Maria posted her face in front of her husbands “Look—“ she held out her both her hand in “Here—male sperm, here—Liz’s egg” she bought both hands together, “baby!”

Michael glared at Maria, “thanks for enlightening me”. He turned back to Liz, “So your going to have some random guys baby?”

Liz groaned, “its not some random guys baby—“

“It is”

“Michael” Maria interrupted, “There’s this whole profile thing on the man, lots of information, hair colour, eye colour, background. Liz can choose what kind of father she wants, without having to deal with the hassle of knowing him. The guy donates sperm, knows he’s doing a good deed for the day and goes home. If you think about it, the idea absolutely rocks”

“Right,” Michael sat up stiffly, “and how does reading a profile, not make it some random guys baby?”

Liz groaned, “Jeez Michael you make up for us not having parents times one hundred"

“Well someone has to talk sense into this family,” Michael looked between the two girls and shook his head. “This is a stupid idea”

Liz sighed, “Jesus Michael! I don’t care. I’ve thought about this and want to do this more then you’ll ever know. I’ve made up my mind. I’m having this done. I’m having a baby . . . okay?”

As if on cue, Marcus started crying. Liz looked down at him with the usual pang of utter longing in her heart.

Michael shook his head in defeat. Still not happy with the idea. “Whatever Liz. Fine.”

“Fine” Liz said stiffly, looking between Michael and Maria and Marcus. “I’m just going to go now,”

“Liz. You don’t have to—“ Maria began.

“I’ll be back later” Liz shrugged her shoulders. Wanting to get out of here before she blew up completely. She hated arguing with Michael. “I have a date.”

“Right.” Maria nodded unsurely.

Michael’s eyebrows rose up even higher. But when Maria shot him a warning look, he kept his mouth closed.


”Bye.” Liz closed the door behind her. Its not like she’d come up with the idea over night. This was something she’d planned for ages. She’d always wanted a family, even if it wasn’t working out the way she had planned originally, she was still going to have one. Michael didn’t understand how much it meant to her. How much she needed this.

Maria watched Liz storm off and clapped her hands together, “Well that’s that then!” She rose from the couch to calm her crying baby.

Michael grumbled something inaudible and turned back to the TV. Well it was her life—even though he didn’t agree, he guessed couldn’t stop her. He just wanted to protect his little sister that was all, but he also knew how stubborn Liz was, if this was what she had decided this was what she was going to do.


*****


Liz glanced through the menu again and tilted her head, looking at the vast array of foods and different dishes, wondering what to try.

Kyle had picked her up at eight and he had bought her to a highly regarded French cuisine restaurant. Liz felt rather under dressed in her jeans and tank top, whilst Kyle sat opposite her, looking rather cute in his formal dinner suit. She was feeling the awkwardness of the first date, especially since she hadn’t done this in ages.

She looked at him from the corner side of her menu, to see him staring right back at her. Caught off guard she looked away, and then slowly bought the menu down to rest on the table.

“I’m sorry Kyle—I feel so incredibly under-dressed” she looked down at herself, “I had no idea you were going to take me somewhere so expensive”

“Liz,” Kyle leant forward reaching across the table for her hand, “You look great . . .really, this place is my favourite and . . . I always take my favourite people to favourite places”

Liz looked down at her hand, which was now covered with Kyle’s and back down at the menu. Favourite person?

She cleared her throat and unsuccessfully tried to read the menu.

“Um excuse me, I need the ladies room,”

Kyle nodded and pulling her hand from under his, she made a rush for the bathroom. She made her way into the nearest cubicle and took a deep breath. Kyle was such a sweet guy, maybe at some point she could feel something for him too . . .but right now, she was feeling a little overwhelmed. She wasn’t comfortable in this situation at all. Even thinking of Kyle as more then a friend was rather unappealing to her. Not that there was anything wrong with him. No. He was sweet and caring and thoughtful, but . . . but what Liz? God. She didn't even know.

Damn Alex for getting me into this situation...she thought to herself, thinking she was going to have to get him back for this.

Giving herself a mental shake, she walked out of the cubicle and straightened out her maine of shiny hair, as she turned around she collided head on with a tall blonde.

“Hey watch out—“ the girl began, but then her eyes met with Liz’s and a smile appeared on her lipglossed pout, “Hey I know you!”

Liz looked at the tall blonde, “You do?”

“Yeah—Vision editor, Elizabeth Parker—right?”

“Ahh yeah,” Liz gave the girl a warm smile. Liz sometimes forgot that she was well known enougth to be recognised. This wasn’t an uncommon occurrence, people often recognised her. Especially avid readers of the magazine.

“I’m Isabel Evans” the girl raised her hand and Liz took it to shake. “Just moved to New York.“

“Really?”

“I’m a hopeful model, there are a lot more opportunities in NY so I’ve moved in with my brother and his fiancée who just moved here a few days back”

“Oh—a model?” Liz nodded, spotting talent when she saw it. Isabel had a modern, yet chic look about her. She instantly knew that Jez her photographer would like her. “Your brother in the same business?”

“Oh no—“ Isabel’s eyes widened and she shook her head, “He's not really the type to model. He’s just been transferred to the Middleton Police station”

“I know Middleton, yes" That was where Kyle worked.

“Uh huh.” The Isabel smiled widely “I absolutely love your magazine—hip, yet original. And the no barred things you have in voicing your opinions, is really great. It’s so good to hear an unmarred voice. Oh and that article on the real male evolution, what riot.”

Liz laughed. “Don't tell anyone, but that was written in sad moment of drunkenness, which somehow led up to being published after being pushed by my associate. If I could go back I'd never had done it.”

”Hmm, It always manages to give me a chuckle when I’m in one of those you know,: Isabel rolled her eyes exageratedly, "male hating moods."

"Task accomplished... I guess."

"I better be getting back to my brother before he sends out a search party for spending too long in the bathroom. You know the type?”

“Oh, believe me I do” Liz nodded.

“Nice meeting you.”

“You too Isabel --You should give us a call sometime,” Liz reached for the back pocket of her jeans. Looking for a card. This girl definitely had potential and Alex had told her the magazine was searching for some young girls to do some modelling jobs. This girl would make a great cover model.

Phaffing around in the back pocket of her jeans she realised she had no card. “Um . . .” she looked around for a pen.

“Oh!” Isabel’s eyes twinkled and she reached for a pen in her handbag. Disappointed she shook her head. “Oh wait--I know someone that'll have one”

“My brother,” she added at the confused look on Liz’s face. “He’s just out there—excuse me a moment” Isabel rushed off and Liz slowly followed her. She saw her walk past a few tables and watched as she leant down and talk to the back of a dark head. In return saw him nod and pass her a pen.

Curiousity got the better of her, and she took a few steps forward. She couldn’t help but want to put the face to the name Isabel had kept referring to. She took another two steps and found herself two tables behind him, having the greatest urge just to reach out and touch his shoulder. Without thinking she was about to do just that, when she felt a sharp tap on her shoulder.

“Kyle” She jumped, feeling as if she had been caught red handed.

“Hey Liz—you okay?” he looked at her with concern in his eyes.

“Oh I’m fine” Liz smiled guilty, “I was just—“

Isabel reappeared with a pen in her hand, “Pen”

Liz wrote down her number on the napkin and handed it to her, “Give me call, I’m sure we can help you in some way.”

“Of course—Thank you Liz,” Isabel smiled greatfully and Liz watched her walk back to the table with the dark haired man.

Turning back to Kyle she began to speak, “I was just—“

“Giving out your number?”

“Uh huh. I’m a popular girl”

“I can tell” Kyle rapped. “So will popular girl be willing to give me the time of day so we can eat our ordered food?”

Liz nodded her head and followed him to the table. “Do I have any other choice?" she laughed, whilst Kyle playfully elbowed her from beside.

*****


Max picked up the menu and looked at it distastefully as Isabel rushed back with a big smile plastered on her face.

“Looks like I’ve gotten my big break”

“Really?” he asked, putting the menu down. “So which guy have you talked into giving you a chance this time?” He was always curious about Isabel’s dates. She hadn’t dated the best of men in his opinion.

“Hey” Isabel raised her eyebrows, “stop looking at me like that. It wasn’t a guy; in fact it Vision editor. Liz Parker . . .”

“Liz Parker?” Max tilted his head. The name struck a chord but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Uh huh. Women’s magazine. Vision. Come on, you must have read Tess’s copies. You used to peek into my magazines all the time!”

“Did not”

“Did too—don't think I've forgotten those secret glances at the problem pages.”

Max shook his head, “Women are way too complex to be understood by any magazine”

“Ahh yes, Mr Simpleton—your quite right there. Do I sense some bitterness? Another meritorious argument with the fiancée?”

Max cleared his throat, deciding to change the subject. One of his many groundless arguments with Tess was the last thing he wanted to talk about. “So this Liz Parker—what is she like?”

“Well” Isabel began critically assessing the other girl. “ Even though she was dressed way to casual for a place like this. She’s actually quite pretty and feminine”

“You sound surprised,” Max said taking a sip of champagne.

“Well some her articles kind of cry out lesbian. But she’s here with a guy” Isabel shrugged. “So I guess not.”

“Lesbian?” Max swerved his head, to follow Isabel’s eyes. Diverted past tables of people and somewhere amongst them he noticed a glimmer of dark, shiny, hair. Which was soon hidden by a waiter standing in the way. “Why a lesbian?”


Isabel shrugged her shoulders, trying to hide the secret smirk, at Max's suddenly quirked interest at the word 'lesbian'. Guys, they never grow up. “Never really seen her with a guy”

Max shook his head. “Just because she isn’t seen with a guy doesn’t make her into females”

“Yeah, well you never know—“ she was cut off by the waiter who asked for her order. After politely ordering nearly everything on the menu. Isabel casually turned her attention back to her brother.

“So will Tess by accompanying you to that dinner at your friends, tomorrow evening?"

”I suppose” Max nodded his head, “though she did seem to be feeling quite down today.” Max was guessing she's get over it. Tess was one of those people that needed time to simmer.

“Hmm” Isabel commented. “You do realise the real reason she was feeling down, right?”

“Besides the argument with me?”

“She went for a little visit to see her mother today”

“Oh god” Max ran his hand through his hair. Not Mrs. Harding. Tess always seemed to have a 360-degree personality transplant after she had been to visit her mother. Mrs Harding, lived happily with her diamonds and big houses on the divorce money she had taken from her husband and was a highly exaggerated version of her daughter having a whining fit.

“Yes” Isabel looked straight at him, “Her mothers pressuring her to pressure you—so, um, expect a little pressure when you get home”

Max shook his head and continued to stare down at his glass of bubbly.

“I don’t get why you don’t set a date and get it over and done with, she’s a totally in love with you and you obviously want to be with her since you’ve been together for—god . . .like years” Isabel pulled a face which resembled someone wincing in pain. Isabel couldn’t imagine dating a guy for more then a few months. In fact her track record was three. Three whole months of huge arguments, slagging off and smelly socks. It wouldn't be happening again any time soon.

She watched her brother fiddle with his food and again wondered what it was that made him so reluctant to commit. Maybe it was just a typical guy thing. Though when growing up she had always assumed that Max would commit at a very young age. He was just that caring and sensitive type. Maybe she had been wrong.

“Max—Earth to Max . . .”

Max threw her a ‘drop it’ look. “Isabel not right now, can we just not talk about wedding cake and white dresses for a while?”

Isabel sighed and rolled her eyes. “How did I know you were going to say that?”

*****


“So I once had this guys hold a gun to my head,” Kyle continued. “It was the most shit in your pants type moment- ever”

Liz’s eyes widened as she chewed on her food. “Wow, thats pretty full on”

Kyle nodded his head. “Something like that— he was some psycho child stalker but we have a great unit and thanks to them I'm still here"

"And I'm glad"

"Gee, I really thought that was the last day of my life”

“Wow” Liz repeated. “Nothing like that happens at my workplace—the only time I’ve been hurt is the paper cuts from shuffling through the written hand ins”

Kyle grinned. “Those can be pretty painful you know”

Liz sighed belatedly. “Tell me about it.”

Kyle’s grin widened and he reached for her hand. Playfully Liz pulled it back, but he keep a firm grasp on it. “Kyle!” Liz playfully hit him with other hand. “What are you doing?”

He bought his hand closer to him and opened up her palm. “Let me see”

“What are you doing?” Liz shrieked, trying to pull her hand back but continually kept steady by Kyle’s firm grip.

“My grandma was quite clairvoyant you know"

Liz stopped struggling and leant forward, “oh yeah?” She found the stuff quite fascinating. “Are you trying to tell me you have the gift too, Mr Valenti?”

Kyle raised his blue eyes to meet her. “Yes I have many, many gifts”

Liz laughed off his comment and, held out her palm wide. “Well then Kyle—tell me my fortune, what does the future hold for me?”

“Hmm” he peered into her hand a look of concentration on his face. “One things very, very, clear”

Liz tilted her head, “and what would that be?”

“Love is on the horizon—a dark haired, extremely handsome stranger is going to sweep you off your feet”

Liz raised her eyebrows. “ I hope this guys going to make an appearance soon. Looks like he’s worth waiting for” she winked at him playfully and pulled her hand away.

Kyle sighed. “Well it was worth a try . . .”

“Keep trying Kyle—you might actually get lucky some time”

Kyle’s eyes seemed to brighten in surprise. “Lucky?”

Liz shook her head. Why was it every time she opened her mouth, Kyle seemed to interpret it into something sexual? “Kyle—you are such a guy! I thought you were different,” she pouted playfully.

“Hey, I’m a guy and proud” he put his hand on his chest, “and I swear I’ll continue to honour being a guy throughout the rest of my guy life till the end of life”

Liz laughed. Now that the date nerves had gone, she was beginning to relax and enjoy his company.

Kyle sighed exaggeratedly, silently peering at the menu again. “You on for some coffee?”

“Well as you’re offering . . .”

“At my place or yours?”

Liz’s mouth fell open as she scrunched up the napkin and threw it at him.

*****


The car pulled outside Green-Leave Apartments in Rowley Square and Liz turned to look at Kyle’s profile highlighted from the streetlight behind her. “Thank you Kyle—for the great time” Even though her nerves had been jangling incredulously. Kyle had been pretty easy to get along with.

“No. Thank you” Kyle smiled sincerely. “I was seriously beginning to think at one point that this date would never happen again . I’m glad you finally decided to fit me into your busy schedule”

“Oh—that’s okay” Liz replied, “there were a lot of cancellations this week—my secretary managed to slot you in, you should really be thanking her.” she grinned playfully and reached for the door handle. “Well I guess I’ll see you some—“

Kyle was already out already and in a gentlemanly way he opened the car door her. “I’ll walk you up to your apartment”

Liz stepped outside and stood facing him. “Oh no, you really don’t have to-”

“No Liz, its fine—I must fulfil my manly duties”

Liz sighed but nodded reluctantly as they began they began walking across the sidewalk and up the stairs that would lead them to the apartment receptions.

She turned to face him as they stood outside the door. “Thank you Mr caveman. I think I can take it from here”

“Not a problem. This is what I do. Its my job to keep people safe” he rubbed his hand together trying to keep out the biting air that was causing them both to feel a little chill now.

Liz nodded her head, knowing that he was waiting for something. “Well I would invite you in—but—“

“Aah,” Kyle nodded his head in understanding. “But, there’s always one of those”

“I have so much to do. The whole magazine needs a thorough look through before it goes into printing tomorrow” She answered truthfully.

“Not a problem, not a problem” Kyle nodded his head. “I’ll see you Liz”. He leant in and pecked her on the cheek and Liz smiled up into his warm blue eyes.

“Bye” She watched him retreat the steps with a bounce in his step. Turning around she reached for her key ring. Pressing a silver plate to the electronic transfer plate.

“Liz!”

“Kyle?” she turned to look at him through the half open door.

“I forgot to ask you—are you doing anything tomorrow evening?”

Before Liz could think she found herself shaking her head. “No”

“How about you come with me to the balloon fiesta?”

“Um” Liz bit her lip. But then she saw the enthusiastic little boy expression Kyle’s face and couldn’t help but nod her head. “Sure- why not?”

Kyle scrunched up his hand in a fist and punched thin air. “Great. See you tomorrow”

“Yeah. Great” she muttered to herself. Waving him off as he drove off. Hoping that she wasn't biting off more then she could chew.

[Blue*Soul]

So this is the last of my repost chapters. Begonia—Lookie- Chapter 4. Max and Liz have just met and I’m done for the day.

Chapter 4

Liz watched Michael skitter around the kitchen, her features contorted in amusement. Back and forth, looking through drawers, slamming cupboards, cursing, yelling, the whole lot.

“Shit. Christ” Michael spat frantically, “Where’s the freakin . . . no that’s not it”

He jumped when another timer went off and he looked frantically around the kitchen for the appropriate thing to do.

Liz casually pointed at the oven, “the chicken”

“Oh” Michael looked at the oven and then at the amused expression on his sisters face. “Your enjoying this aren’t you?” he glowered.

"No I'm just admiring how cool you look in that apron," Liz grinned cheekily, nodding her head. “You were asking for it Michael, you really were”

“Well she said I ‘couldn’t’ do anything apart from sit with my ass plastered to the couch, I wanted to prove her wrong” he spat out and then tumbled around the kitchen trying to look for oven gloves.

“Good job Michael. Really.”

Michael hissed. “Shut up sis. Just shut up”

Liz raised her eyebrows, “hope this friend of yours is in to burnt dinner”

“Well he did eat enough of them back at college”

Liz tried to suppress a laugh as the timer went off again. Indicating that something else was cooked, ready to start, slice up or put in. The only thing was trying to figure out what it was.

Her brother was bearing the brunt of another Michael/ Maria bicker session. Which had resulted in Maria outright refusing to cook anything for dinner or help him out in anyway, for the evening where Michael had invited his college friend and now Marcus’ godfather over. They had been best friends in high school and college and Michael hadn't seen him face to face in years. It was evident that Michael wanted this to go well. Only as usual, it was working out the exact opposite.

Michael looked around in panic and Liz pointed to the microwave. “I think the ‘pot noodle type substance’ is ready now”.

“Aaah” Michael walked toward the microwave and pulled out his dish. Then leant down to smell it.

It was going to be an interesting evening. Liz could tell already. “What is up with that woman?” he muttered, “Why is she having a lesion over, me not picking up my dirty washing?” he shook his head in forlorn, “the woman’s absolutely crazy, she’s been with me for almost 5 years and never had a problem before”

Liz shrugged her shoulders, “I’m guessing that’s not what’s bothering her”

“What the hells that’s supposed to mean? She just threatened to burn every dirty piece of laundry I have”

“That would be about everything Michael” Liz answered dryly, “but still I don’t think that’s the problem, look a little deeper. What have you done, said? Or more matter of fact not done, said?”

“Huh?” Michael looked at Liz with his mouth open. The timer went off once again and in frustration he picked it up trying to look for the stop button. Unable to find it, he threw it to the floor.

“That’s more like it” he breathed a sigh of relief, when the beeping stopped. “So what are you talking about? Quit speaking in riddles”

Liz rolled her eyes, knowing that there was more to this Maria rant then she let on. Just Michael wasn’t the most clued up guy on women. ”When was the last time you took her out Michael, made her feel special, bought her a present for no reason?”

“Well . . .” Michael looked upward, as if in deep in thought.

“Exactly” Liz gave him a flippant look reaching for a carrot stick.

Michael opened his mouth to answer her. Why would she want a present for no reason? If Maria wanted anything she’d tell him and he opened his mouth to tell Liz just that ardently stopped by a burning smell filling his nostrils. “Oh shit,” he groaned as he ran toward the oven. He had forgot to take the chicken out!

Liz got up and carefully wiped her hands on the towel beside her, “I would help you, but I can’t cook either—you should apologize to the only cook in this house”

“If there was anything to apologise about,” he muttered stubbornly, prodding the rock hard chicken with a fork.


*****

“These are the locker rooms,” Kyle pointed to the newly renovated rooms, to his new work colleague Max Evans. He had been assigned as his newest partner and now was showing him around on his first day. Kyle hoped he wasn’t like some of the moronic partners he’d worked with before and thankfully so far, Max Evans seemed like a nice enough guy.

Kyle led him into a room with a few messy looking desks. “This is our office—we work on making it as homely as possible”

Max could definably see that. The room hardly looked like the office. The whole place was a tip. Papers all over the place, walls covered with pictures and photographs of the officer’s families.

Max could already tell he was going to enjoy working here. It was laidback. He liked laidback.

“Can I get you anything? Tea, coffee, biscuits?” Kyle came around to face him.

Max began to shake his head no, and then changed his mind. “On second thoughts, do you do donuts?”

Kyle nodded his head, “Sure . . .donuts coming right up”

Max watched him walk away and sat down at the edge of his desk. Nodding to a fellow team mate across the room. This place was nice. The officers were friendly and he had a good team. Kyle, Mohac and himself, they’d get on well.

He looked at his watch, wondering if he’d be able to get off of work early today. He had dinner at Michaels, his college buddy. Michael had called him just a few weeks back now to ask him to be his son’s godfather. Of course he had agreed.

Max was sad he had missed so much in his friend’s life, after college Michael had moved to the UK where he had married Maria. When he had got back it was only twice Max had gotten to visit him and then after that things had gotten a lot busy. It would be good to be near his buddy and who knew, New York might actually bring him some other pleasant surprises.

*****


The smell of sterilization and chlorine filled her nostrils, making her want to gag. The butterflies cascaded across her tummy and although she knew this was something that she was definitely going to do this, the first feelings of doubt were dying to drag her down. What if she was taking on too much as a single mother? What if she was a terrible mother? Liz thought she was already suffering from morning sickness even though she hadn’t even gone through with the DI procedure yet.

Oh god, what if her baby hated her! She had to stop for a second to collect her thoughts, after all this was the biggest decision that she’d probably make in her whole life and to say it was nerve wracking was way too much of an understatement.

Maria on the other hand, continued her insistent blabber, “Michael never listens. I mean you really want to do this, but where’s his support? Any decently sane person woud at least show some moral understanding to the only real relative you have. I swear to god, one of these days . . .”

Liz’s mind wondered off. Finding it harder and harder to keep track of what she was saying.

“So here we are now chica . . .wow, how long do you think it’ll take? Would you prefer a boy or a girl? Liz? Liz…”

“Huh?” Liz turned to Maria who was looking at her with curious green eyes and then looked at the large white, threatening door in front of her labelled. ‘Jane Doe’. “Dr Doe that’s who we have to see” she whispered quietly, as if she a child afraid of being spotted talking in a classroom.

“Yes” Maria nodded her head, “ I just said that Liz, are you okay? You look kind of pale” she gave her sister in law a stern look. “You will tell me if something’s wrong, right?”

“I’m fine”

“Are you sure? If you need more time or anything . . .”

“No Maria, I want this” Liz met the girls eyes directly, speaking with so much determination that Maria was automatically nodding her head.

Before anymore could be said, the door was flung open and blonde haired woman, attractive woman wearing a rather luminous pink lipstick around the age 40ish was standing in front of them. “Miss Parker?”

Liz nodded her head, “that’s me”.

That older woman flashed her a mile, “If you’d like to follow me”

Liz and Maria exchanged another look before following the blonde women into her office. Liz’s heart beating hard in her chest.

****

Max flipped through the papers. He was sitting down at the office table trying to read through cases as Kyle explained the ins and outs of the station. It was pretty much the same as the one he had worked in before he had been transferred, just a little bigger and more efficient.

“And here’s the major case we’ve been working on for almost two months now” Kyle pulled out a paper from behind him. He was sitting on the desk with coffee in one hand the piece of paper in another.

“Lansdale Road, Eastville- It’s a drugs hotspot, run by the Biggs. The crime is mega, two shootings resulting in deaths of two heroin addicts happened there last week. It’s all related, but these guys are as clever as hell. We can’t seem to get hold of any evidence no matter how hard we try”

Max nodded his head, motioning for him to continue.

“We’ve already done two police raids this week, but they manage to clear up everything, any piece of evidence before we get there, its all gone, rambled, finito” Kyle motioned with his hands.

Max took a sip from his coffee, “How is that possible? I mean they couldn’t know unless . . .”

“Yeah,” Kyle pointed at him leaning forward from the desk he was sitting on, “unless they were getting insider information”

“You think that’s the case?” Max lowered his voice, even though there was no one else on the office now, besides the two of them.

“I never rule out possibilities man” Kyle slid off the desk and looked at his watch, I’d love to sit here and talk about beating the crap out of the Big’s but I think I’ll leave that tomorrow. I gotta rush. Got this date.”

“Oh?” Max asked him curiously, sliding off his own desk.

“Yeah” Kyle reached for his jacket, “She’s been a hard catch this one and she’s a little bit special”

Max noticed the way Kyle fumbled with the buttons, “Oh yeah?”

Max thought he saw Kyle’s cheek tinge, “Enough about that, you want a lift home?”

“Yeah. That’d be great.” Max nodded his head, noticing Kyle’s quick shift in subject. Boy, the guy had it bad.

*****

“After you’ve looked through the profile's and decided, we’ll take you into the operation room to get the procedure done. Its very simple really, nothing to worry about”

Liz nodded her head and Dr Doe continued. “Once its done, there is an eighty five percent chance of it working. It may take up to a couple of weeks to realize if the procedure has worked. You’ll have more the normal signs of pregnancy, morning sickness, nauseous feelings, change in hormones, sudden cravings etc. A normal pregnancy test should be able to determine the results, of if you prefer you may come in for a check-up”

Liz nodded her head again, “That sounds good to me” she was beginning to feel a little more confidant, now that she was more relaxed. Dr Doe was authoritative, but helpful and she great at assuring Liz that everything was going to be okay. Dr Doe had explained that semen samples had just been taken from a few suitable male participants that morning and as this was fertile day for Liz, the procedure should be done straight away.

She had said that some clients preferred the chance to get to know the donor first, however that would make the whole procedure longer. Liz had chosen to opt out of that choice. She wanted this with no strings attached.

“That great” the older woman, smiled at her, “We’ll be monitoring how your doing all the way through, now if you follow me I’ll show you the profiles of this mornings donors that you narrowed down with Dr Stevens last week”

Liz and Maria followed her to a side room on the opposite side to where they had walked in earlier. Dr Doe opened the door and the room was decorated with the length of a table around the edges, the table was covered in plastic covered papers.

Maria was instantly running inside and reaching for the nearest booklet, “Liz you get to choose the daddy of your baby!” she shouted excitedly.

Liz flashed Dr Doe an apologetic look and followed Maria inside.

“Stats-“ Maria read out aloud, she looked at Liz and raised her eyebrows, “5’10, hazel eyes, dark hair, career in the acting business” She peered at the paper, “Gee, your baby could easily be the child of Tom Cruise”

Liz rolled here eyes and moved onto the next profile. “I really doubt that Maria”

“Oooh” Maria peered over her shoulder, “Likes to work out, works for the navy . . . hobbies include break dancing . . .break dancing—always wanted to do that”

“Maria!” Liz sighed send moved to the next paper, wanting a little privacy. This was extremely important to her, she wanted everything to be right . . . and a little silence.

“6", dark hair, hazel/green eyes, son of a corporate banker, is in the police business” Liz read out loud. “Has no children, not married . . .”

She took a deep breath and stroked her hand through her hair. How on Earth was she going to decide?

****
12th April 2005

Liz Diary.

It’s not like something I came up with whilst watching last nights Seinfield. Its something I’ve wanted for so long. Too much to let it go. Can’t say I’m too surprised at Michael’s reaction. He thinks I’m being stupid, that it’s all because I’m feeling a little motherly toward Marcus, but that isn’t it. I truly feel ready and after choosing a profile, which is now firmly set in my mind, I feel more ready then ever. I sat in the procedural room feeling more confidant about this. I began to think this was the best thing I’d do for myself ever. That this event would, somehow lead to so much more. Surely that must mean something . . .right?

Afterwards when I was changing back into my clothes, I had to take a step back and breath. I had the weirdest feeling that my life was going to take the ultimate twist. God, I was going to have a baby. It was a joyous occasion for me. A personal happiness.

I just hope that Michael will understand. We're talking but everything about whats happening is being ignored. I don't want to bring up the subject and he's avoiding it too. In my heart, I know he’ll come around soon enough. And I know, in the end, it’s going to be okay.

Liz shut her diary and glanced up at the clock, she had half an hour before her date with Kyle. She was so tired after the emotionally draining day she had, had. But didn’t have the heart to turn him down when he had just called a moment ago.

After showering, she blow dried her hair and pulled on a red tank top with black drawstring pants. She pulled on a jacket and made her way across the street to see Marcus just before, she went. She was also intrigued into knowing how Michaels cooking was going. She had helped him a little, but then her and Maria had gone to the appointment, to Michaels dismay leaving Marcus AND the cooking with him.

She hoped he hadn’t spontaneously combusted or something. Michael already found the juggling task of watching the TV and talking hard enough.

Liz opened their front door with her spare key and trudged inside to the living room, “Its me!” she yelled, and was greeted with a wave from Maria who was sitting on the living room couch, nursing Marcus.

Smiling, she stroked her godson’s cheek as Maria held him to her breast. She inhaled a deep breath, thinking it wouldn’t be long, before she Elizabeth Parker was in Maria’s shoes, holding a little one to her breast just like that.

She wondered what was happening to her right now. Was it working? Was she carrying a life? Was a beautiful baby like Marcus going to make her a proud mother? The hedging excitement followed by nervousness was encompassing her, becoming a familiar feeling.

“How are you feeling?” Maria gazed up at her, whilst striking her babies forehead. Liz had been pretty quiet on the ride home. Though, she guessed she was just adjusting. Trying to take into account all that had happened.

“No morning sickness just yet” Liz grinned back, “where’s Michael?”

Maria nodded toward the kitchen, “I haven’t had the courage to go in there yet, be brave and don’t forget the safety goggles”

Liz walked into the kitchen, to see the worktop splattered with cooking substances, whilst Michael struggled with some flour and butter in a bowl.

“Our family must have lost the cooking gene somewhere along the line” Liz walked up behind him.

Michael grunted and pulled out a weird looking oddity from the oven. Looking disappointed he turned back to whipping the flour and butter, “ I need eggs” he groaned, “How am I meant to make cake without eggs?”

Liz was about to say that if she were him, she wouldn’t take the risk, but then decided to let it be.

Michael turned to look at her slightly, “going somewhere?”

“ I have a date with Kyle, I’m sorry I couldn’t be here to see Marcus’s godfather”

Michael shrugged his shoulders, “You’ll see him again, and he’s sticking around for a while”

Liz nodded her head, “You want me to go get you some eggs? I’ll be five minutes”

“That’d be good”

Liz began walking out of the kitchen.

“Liz,” she turned back to look at Michael. “How did it go?”

“What?” she wondered what he was talking about, and then it hit her because Michael still looked a little uncomfortable talking about it.

“It was fine Michael, everything went as planned” feeling happy thatit was Michael that had bought up teh subject. “If all goes well, I’ll . . . probably be a mummy soon”

“Good” Liz thought she saw emotion flicker in his eyes but before she could put her finger on it and drag it out, Michael had turned back around, “ Good,” he repeated, “Now go get me the eggs”

“Aye, aye cap’ain” Liz knew that this was Michaels way of telling her that he was going to stand by her. He may not have accepted her decision, but he’d be there. Liz would make him come around, she was sure. Absently she reached for the door handle, opening the door and finding herself face to face with the blonde girl she had met just yesterday at the restaurant Kyle had taken her to.

They both looked at one another, stunned. Wondering what the other girl was doing here.

Liz was the first to break the stupored silence. “Isabel . . .right?” Liz tilted her head, sure that it was in fact the same girl. Well, what a coincidence.

“Hi! Nice to meet you again Liz” Isabel removed her hand from in front of the doorbell and crossed them over her chest.

“Hi . . . “ Liz looked at the girl confused, why was Isabel at Michael’s front door all of a sudden?

Isabel peered at the door behind Liz, “ Well, this is the right door number . . . I was beginning to think we had the wrong address, you don’t know a Michael Guerin do you?”

Liz slowly nodded her head, “Yeah. Michael Guerin is my brother” She shrugged. Extremely curious now.

"Well imagine that!” Isabel smiled broadly showing off her set of white teeth. She turned to look behind her, “Michael Guerin is Liz Parkers brother”

“Yeah, he’s my half brother” Liz curiously followed her gaze wondering who she was talking to, she took a step outside to see a bundle of blonde curls walking toward her with a dark head . . .the dark head she had seen at the restaurant yesterday too.

Isabel’s brother she guessed..

Liz licked her dry lips as she watched him lift his head, and for a moment, totally against her own will she was caught off guard by those darkened green eyes of his. She smiled, “Hi, I’m Liz Parker,”

Max’s grin broadened as his eyes caught hers. “Liz?” he held out his hand, “It’s a small world after all, I’m Max, an old friend of Michaels—nice to meet you”

She automatically took his hand, “Hi” she smiled, “Your Marcus’s god father?”

He nodded. Liz was unable to tear her eyes from his. It was a shame he wasn’t in the same business as his sister, because he definitely had the looks for it. Liz found herself staring and mentally shook herself, feeling horrendously fazed at the way she was acting.

“I’m Tess” a blonde girl appeared from beside him and. Liz nodded her head and realizing that she was still holding onto Max’s hand she quickly pulled free. Dropping her own to her side.

“Uh hi, Tess”

Tess seemed to give her a once over and gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Max’s fiancée” she drawled.

“You guys should go in” Liz opened the door further for them to enter. Now that their eyes weren’t connected she felt somewhat in control again. “Michaels in the kitchen, I’m on a mission to get some eggs for him”

Tess was the first one to disappear, followed by Isabel.

“He’s cooking?” Max glanced at her; “should I be frightened?” his incredible amber eyes never left hers once. Liz felt the connection again, her insides quivered, yet she couldn't help but mentally scold herself at how teen like she was acting.

Not like you havent' seen a good looking man before Liz!

“No,” Liz shook her head, “Its usually okay, if you swallow without chewing, really quick. I’ll give you a quick tips on how to do it, if I get back on time,”

Max grinned, watching as her eyes fell from his face to his chin and to the floor. So this was the Liz Parker he had heard so much about and what a coincidence that she was Michaels long lost sister too. Well there was only one thing that Max was thinking right now and that was, that she was beautiful. Not in the obvious, in your face, Isabel, type beautiful. She had inner glow. She made his heart thump. “Do you need a ride? To the shop I mean?” he half stuttered.

Liz shook her head, running her fingers through her hair. “Its just across the block,”

“Okay” max nodded his head and began making his way inside, following her with his eyes the whole way, "I, um, guess I’ll see your eggs”

“huh?”

Max reddened slightly.

Sheesh had he just said that? “I mean I’ll see you with you eggs . . . ” he scratched the side of his cheek absently, “Not your eggs. The ones from the store”

Liz’s eyes widened and she looked up at him, trying to suppress the giggle that was coming on. Watching Max’s face turn a brighter and brighter scarlet. Poor guy, he looked so embarrassed. She nodded, taking a couple of steps backward. “I’ll see you Max”

“In a bit” he said after her.

When she reached the driveway, Liz knew she should keep going. That she should carry straight on as if just then nothing had happened. Of course it hadn’t. Nothing had happened. Nothing. But the tiniest of nagging voices, somewhere in the back of her mind made her turn back. She turned, hair whipping around her face, a soft smile caressing her lips, her eyes met Max’s.

He was still there. Stood on the darkening porch looking straight at her. Both feeling embarrassed as if caught doing something they shouldn’t instantly turned away.

Her heart incredibly speeding up, Liz continued her walk. Almost jogging to the store. Liz was now utterly bewildered. For the first time in years, she had felt her stomach somersault.

[Blue*Soul]

You know, I vaguely remember saying that the updates were going to be few and far apart. LOL. Here’s Chapter 5.

Begonia9508, Frenchkiss70, Max4Liz4Ever, Alien614, roswellluver, AznGurl87. Thank YOU for reading.

Chapter 5

Liz returned to see that everyone was well acquainted by the time she got back. They were all sitting around the dining room table, obviously ready to start eating, only the disdain on their faces showed they weren’t quite so ready. Liz took a glance down on the food placed around the table and bit her lip, feeling exceptionally bad for her brother. It wasn’t the most attractive looking food. And just hoped with all her heart thst it tasted better then it looked.

Tess had a horrified expression on her face, and kept constantly touching her throat, looking as if she were about to throw up. Isabel looked like someone only used to eating in the best of the finest of restaurants and ultimately looked rather uncomfortable. Max was casually tapping his fork against the table a mild smile on his lips. Alex was also there, looking like he had just popped out of the shower and then been dragged into eating dinner with them. Liz noticed the way he kept giving Isabel sideways glances and Isabel on the other hand hadn't noticed or was totally ignoring him. Liz guessed it was probably the latter.

Noticing Liz, Maria flashed her an evil smile she said, “Oh Liz, just in time. Come join us, before we start”

All faces looked at her expectantly.

“Ah, no, you guys enjoy,” Liz nodded toward the table, “I’m just going to put these eggs and the cake in the kitchen,” she ran into the kitchen, placing the eggs and a cake that she had decided to bring on a spur of the moment decsion as a Plan B dessert. Looking at how well everyone was getting on with the food Michael had cooked so far, she had probably made a very good decision.

When she got back, the plates and the food was being passed around. Michael seemed oblivious to the slowness of his guest’s movements and their lack of enthusiasm to get started. Liz walked over to the window, trying her utmost best to act normal. Normal. What was that meant to be? Everything was normal. She wasn’t fazed and extremely attracted to Michael’s best friend, who ultimately had fiancée too. She wasn’t finding that her nerves were jangling incredulously in his close company and now that she was standing right behind him, she wasn’t going to take a quick peek at him. His long neck and that lithe back of his. No, Liz was known for her stamina and her self-control.

Liz turned away from the window and let her eyes landed on his back and groom of dark hair, which curled slightly at the nape of his neck. Her eyes were drawn to the movements he made when he reached for the food, passing the various dishes around. The way his body rippled beneath his shirt as he moved.

Max scratched the side of his neck, feeling a prickling at the back of his neck; he turned just to catch her just as she whipped her head around to the window. “Liz, you sure you don’t want to join us?”

Liz turned to see that his grin was almost mocking.“Uh, no. I’m not really hungry.” She answered, wondering if he’d caught her staring like a moron.

But Max’s words had only seemed to add fuel to fire. Maria smirked, “Your brothers delved into substantial effort to make this. The least you could do it try some,” She pointed to a spare chair and Liz felt her stomach drop, it was the seat directly in front of Tess and right beside to Max.

“No…” she began shaking her head. That was the last place she wanted to sit, she couldn't help but be a little concerned that her attraction toward Max would be picked up by Tess.

“There is enough to go around really.” Isabel added, flashing her a smile.

Liz looked around the table and all the expectant eyes on her. Without saying a word she pulled the seat and plonked herself down, right next to Max, throwing Maria an angry look. Maria in return smiled even more broadly.

Max watched her as she pulled up the chair and perched herself there. Finding the whole situation rather amusing as Liz looked like she’d rather be anywhere but here. He took hold of the nearest bowl of pasta and passed it to her. “Here try the pasta,” he lowered his voice, “Not much can go wrong with pasta,”

“Thanks,” Liz said appreciatively.

As she reached for it, her hand brushed against his and the tingling feeling he had felt earlier resonated through his body. In that same instant Liz snatched her hand away and looked up at him startled. His body hummed when his eyes connected with hers. What was wrong with him? Or maybe the more obvious question was, what was happening to him? He had never felt such an obvious attraction to anyone before. It was crazy. What was it about Liz that made him feel this way? He shouldn’t be feeling like this. Not when his fiancée was sitting right by him.

Liz took a quick scan around the table, thankful no one had noticed her childish reaction to Max. They all seemed too preoccupied with what was lying in their own plates. She grabbed the bowl and began quickly scooping pasta on to her plate, without saying a word.

Max scratched the nape of his neck and shot Tess a smile.

Maria cleared her throat looking down at her plate, “Well here goes nothing!”

Alex coughed, “Um, maybe we should, say grace” he wanted to put off this experience as much as possible. Smiling broadly at Isabel he said, “My mother taught me its polite, courteous and good willed to thank for all that you have,”

Isabel’s eyebrows rose up to her hairline and she looked at Tess. What was this guy?

“Ok” Michael shrugged at Alex’s comment. “Grace.” He said making it simple and easy. No messing with Michael.

There was silence around the table, as Michael scooped up his fork and began shovelling down everything on his plate.

Liz watched Max look at his fork and grimace. Possibly remembering effects of Michaels cooking from the past. His tongue reluctantly darted out, bringing the food to his mouth and he slowly began chewing, his frown turned into a surprised expression. “This is well, um, this is . . .”

“Nice,” Tess finished off for him beside him, looking pleased.

“Yeah. Really nice.” Isabel agreed.

Michael smiled and gave nod.

Looking around the table, Liz noticed now that everyone was indeed eating. Not forcing the food down, but tasting, chewing, liking.

Even Maria was surprised. “Michael you can cook?” she said astonished. “I’ve known you for 5 years and, you’ve never made anything this nice!”

Michael shrugged. “Maybe cause I’ve never cooked.”

****

The sky outside was darkening as they sat around the living room, in two small groups. Isabel sat on a cushioned oak chair, Tess in the rocking chair next to her and Alex stood in front of them trying his best to entertain them by showing them how he could cleverly twist his clasped arms his head and back again without unclasping them because he was born with the gift of being double jointed. His actions however were only rewarded by horrified looks from both Isabel and Tess.

Maria stood a little further away bouncing her baby on her shoulder. Marcus had just woken up 10 minutes ago and she had just fed him, he was becoming drowsy again. Max sat opposite her on the crook of the couch next To Michael and Liz on the floor with her legs folded.

“May I?” Max got up and held his arms out reaching for the baby that Maria was holding.

“Sure,” Maria placed the small mound in his arms.

Max took to the baby naturally, his eyes twinkling as he peered down at his chubby round face, bouncing him up and down softly. He grinned, “He’s tiny,”

Maria watched her features covered in a smile as she peered down at her son. “Your mama’s itty bitty boy, aren’t you darling?”

Marcus gurgled in response.

“See. He’s answering me. Did you hear that Max?”

“Sure did,”

Maria turned to Michael. “Told you it wasn’t wind!” she said victoriously. They still weren’t on real talking terms, tending to talk at each other, rather then to each other.

Marcus made a small mewing sound and Maria head perked up, instantly picking up what it was, like some radar that mothers wore. “He needs burping.” She said reaching for him

“I’ll do it.” Liz watched as Max gently positioned the baby from cradle position, to over his shoulder and gently began rubbing his back. Instantly Marcus let out a small burp and another gurgle.

“You’re a natural my friend.” Michael quipped, “It took me ages trying to figure how to get one out of him.”

“Definitely a natural." Marias eyes twinkled, " Are you and Tess planning on children sometime in the future?” Maria questioned.

“Nope,” All turned to look around at Tess who had made an appearance behind them, interrupting Max before he had even started, causing him to close his opened mouth. “I don’t think kids are for me,” she said impudently.

Max’s face was blank, as he watched his fiancée give it her all again.

“Whys that?” Maria asked.

“Well, the havoc they create on your figure for one.” Tess let out a chortled laugh.

Maria looked down at herself and back at Tess.

“Actually Maria’s lost most of the weight she put on during pregnancy.” Michael jumped in.

“The key word is most isn’t it?” Tess gave out another high pitched laugh.

Maria’s face turned deathly white. “What are you trying to say?”

“Oh nothing.” Tess noticed the aggressive expression on Maria’s face and took a step back. “I don’t really like kids." she sneaked a little glance at Marcus, " That’s all.”

“Excuse me?” Maria looked half surprised and half like she was about to lunge for Tess.

“Actually we have different opinions on the matter,” Max put in curtly, trying to dig Tess out of the hole she had created for herself.

“Your not changing my mind, sweetie!” Tess shimmied next to him, stroking his cheek like he was a little puppy, yet at the same keeping as much space between herself and Marcus as possible in the process.

Max was annoyed. This was one of the sensitive topics that they had argued over many times before. He couldn't believe that Tess would say something so blatant like that, in front of everyone. When he wanted kids so much. Especially when she knew it was his dream to start a family sometime in the future.

Liz felt incredibly comfortable watching all this. So she did the first thing she could do to ease the tension. She changed the topic.

“Anyone for Tea or Coffee?”

****


“Can you believe that bitch?” Maria groaned, “She’s got her rich fathers hot property stuck up her ass. How dare she call me fat?”

Liz reached for the kettle, “She didn’t call you fat.”

“It was close enough. Then she said she didn’t like my baby! How dare she?” Maria raged. “How dare . . .”

“Maria, Maria!” Liz turned away from switching on the kettle, and took her friends face in her hands. “She didn’t call you fat. She didn’t say she didn’t like Marcus. She was generalising. Tess is just one of those girls that . . .”

“Should die?”

“I was going for, opens her mouth without thinking, myself. Now go back in there and calm down okay?”

“Okay” Maria nodded, taking deep breaths,

“Okay.” Liz turned back to the coffees.

“Okay” Maria said again.

*****

“Isn’t she just the most gorgeous woman alive?” Alex was half dancing around the kitchen behind Liz, “She’s brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Witty. Intelligent. Beautiful. Liz, isn’t she brilliant?”

“Brilliant” Liz murmured, pushing her hair away from her face. Pulling the fridge open to grab a carton of milk. “Hey Alex could you pass me the good china?”

Alex opened the cupboard, picked out the china and came stumbling back with half dazed expression on his face, “I think I’ve found her Liz . . .my mystery woman. . .Isabel Whitman. Its got a ring to it hasn’t it?”

****

“Right done.” Liz smiled at her to herself, after various interruptions, pep talks and confessions she had finally done it. The coffee was ready. Putting the last of the cups on the tray she turned around.

“WATCH IT!” Was all she heard before everything went haywire.

She bashed into a hard male chest, tray slipping from her hand and as if slow motion, all of Michael and Maria’s best wedding china smashed all over the floor. Coffee splashing upward, spraying a mess all over her trousers. A cup had bounced off his chest and now coffee was dripping all down his shirt, down his jeans. Liz’s eyes widened and her hand came to cover her mouth in delayed reaction, “Oh god!”

All Max could do was stare at the mess he had made, he looked down at himself, the dark stain running down his shirt, all over his jeans, the kitchen floor, covered with broken cups and saucers, biscuits. Liz stood in front of him, hand over her mouth and she slowly turned to look up at him.

Max shrugged goofily, “Just wondered if you needed some help”


The racket seemed to have bought everyone else into the kitchen too.

“Are are you okay?” Alex yelled.

“What happened?” Michael questioned.

“Fantastic," Maria rolled her eyes from the doorway, “And I thought it would be Michael for sure, that would cause the damage”

“I’m so sorry,” Max, said tugging at his ear, embarrassed. “It was my fault. I’ll clean it up”

“Its fine.” Maria waved him off, “Its insured. No biggie. Michael will do it”

Michael looked irritated but reached for the broom anyway. He glared at Max and Liz who were still standing in the middle of the mess looking bewildered. “I might be able to do this quicker if you moved,”

“Sorry,” they both murmured moving to the side. Liz looked at the big splash of coffee across Max's shirt and her eyes widened at what might have happened. “Are you okay?” she said quickly, “Your not burnt are you?” she moved closer, looking at his shirt as if she’d be able to see the damage from the outside.

“No. I’m fine,” Max assured her, touched by how frightened she looked. “Just a little wet” he shook himself, pulling the sticky shirt away from his chest.

“Oh Max!” Tess looked shattered as she bobbed up beside them, Liz was about to tell her that he was fine when she said, “That’s the Shirt I bought you. The stain will come out won’t it?”

“I’m sure it will.” Liz said deftly, trying to qualm the urge to roll her eyes, at Tess' concern for the shirt rather then her fiancee. “Maybe we should get you a change of clothes”

Max nodded and followed her as they walked out of the kitchen and up the staircase, leaving everyone crowded around the mess behind them.

Max concentrated on stopping his dripping shirt making a mess over the cream carpet and keeping his eyes averted from the girl infront of him. The view from back here was as good as it was from the front. Liz's dark trousers were splattered and stained but she had suffered visibly less damage then him. His eyes moved from the bottom of her trousers to her cute butt that moves swiftly as she carried on the steps and he had to drew his eyes away from her.

No Max, no. You shouldn’t be wondering about this girl in front of you. You shouldn't even be curious. NO! DO NOT think about your best friends sister that way. Not when you have a fiancée. God, what the hell was wrong with him?

“Here we go” Liz opened the door to her brothers room, waiting for him to go inside and held still as he brushed past her.

“Um,” she followed him further into the room, sliding open the nearest wardrobe, “Lets see what we have, Ben Sherman, Metallica, aha,” she pulled a dark blue shirt with a side pocket off the hanger, “This should do…” her voice trailed off and her mouth hung open as she watched his muscles flex as reached down to the hem and pulled off his shirt right on front of her. He pulled it over his head and threw it to the floor beside him.

Liz gawped. There was simply no other word for it. She gawped. He was exquisite. All muscles and hard rigid lines and dusky brown nipples that stood on end. She could write pages and pages on him and she wanted to do just that, only she wanted to do something else even more. She wanted to touch him. Against her on will she felt her had tremble.

Max felt subtly conscious of himself, knowing that Liz was checking him out. He hadn’t done it for impact, he had just taken off his shirt without thinking about it and now he stood in front of her feeling a blush rise up to his cheeks, feeling naked, he was surprised when she threw the shirt at him and darted for the door.

“Liz?”

“You should um, put it on . . .” she called from the doorway, "I, uh, have to go.”

“You do?” he asked, pulling the shirt over his head, dismayed that she was leaving.

“I have a date . . .” Liz’s eyes widened, when those words escaped from her mouth. Damn she had a date. SHE HAD A DATE! Liz looked down at her watch. Kyle was supposed to pick her up from her apartment. Over an hour ago!! Kyle must have thought she had stood him up, when in fact she had forgotten about it completely. Without saying another word, she made a run for it.

****

[Blue*Soul]

Please praise Lolita Behrbuns for the wonderful banner.

Between You and I

Chapter 6

April 14th 2005


What the hell is wrong with me? It makes no sense. It has no sane, logical explanation. Every time he’s near me my insides turn to mush. Every time we accidentally touch my senses go haywire. Every time our eyes meet, its like he’s the only one that exists. I’m being completely irrational it has to stop. Like I said to Maria, this is just some guy. A friend of my brothers, who I hardly know. I have no feelings for him whatsoever; he just seems to be around when my hormones go haywire.

Everything that’s happened over the last couple of days is affecting me. All the stress, the emotional feelings are engulfing me, because of the big decision I’ve made. I’m sure it’ll pass. I'll make it.

He’s just some guy. He’s not affecting me.

Everyone at works seems to be suffering from the same crazed disorder that I have. Samantha burst into tears because her husband is filing for a divorce. Eddie keeps constantly drinking coffee and looks like he hasn’t been to bed for a couple of weeks. Carters just awful, every time I walk by he turns bright red and drops pens or deletes everything he’s typing up. Alex just won’t shut up about Isabel. He’s a total goner. And well, after the little date disaster yesterday, which I apologised for as soon as I got home last night. Kyle keeps calling me. He called me twice today at work just to see ‘how I was doing’ and wanted to plan another date. He eventually kind of invited himself around to my place tonight. He’s a great guy and even though I’m putting it off, I know that i have to tell him the truth. I’m not ready for a relationship. With anyone.

Maria had one of her crazy ideas today and decided we should all go out to the new Nightclub, Horizon that’s opened up in town. I was totally, not going to go at first. Probably some dingy, seedy place with loads of horny teenagers making out. Only when Kyle turned up, with a huge bunch of roses, a small wrapped up package (that got me a bit panicky at first) and an extremely excited smile on his face. I changed my mind.

Poor Kyle. He’s just so extremely excited about being with me and there’s so much I want to say to him. He deserves so much better, only after what happened tonight I doubt he’ll ever want to hear anything I have to say.

4 hours earlier.

Liz was quite impressed by the place. It wasn’t the seedy cellar club she had thought it would be. In fact it was pretty glitzy, large, well done up and buzzing with people. There were small booths located to her left, a dance floor in the middle covered in shiny glass like material, so you could see yourself dancing. On the far right hand side a bar that covered most of the left wall.

Not that she knew much about this type of thing; Liz wasn’t exactly the party type. She’d prefer to curl with a book and a hot cup of cocoa any day. A male arm, tugged at her waist and she found herself clambering in a booth next to Kyle.

Kyle grinned broadly and Liz returned his affections with a smile, but moved away slightly, so that her body wasn’t squeezed quite so tightly to his side.

“Hey I have something for you,” he said softly against her ear, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out a small package that Liz had seen him holding earlier.

“Oh, Kyle,” Liz’s eyes flared open and she looked around her in panic. Michael had disappeared to the bar to get drinks. Maria was chatting away to Alex and just behind them, Liz could see Max walking side by side with Isabel. His face was masked in different colours as a result of the alternating lights, her eyes connected with his for the tiniest moment before she turned back to Kyle. “You shouldn’t have,” she said meekly, thinking that box looked too much like a ring box for her liking. “I mean . . .”

“Liz, take it,” he said defiantly cutting her off. Looking at the unsureness in her eyes he said, “I’ll take offence if you don’t”

Sighing in defeat Liz took the box from his hand and snapped it open. Her eyes widening in amazement as a small gently coloured gold necklace nestled inside, came into view. It was intricately designed with subtle, deep turquoise beads hanging from the front of it.

“Kyle, I can’t” Liz shook her wave of chocolate hair, “I can’t accept, its too soon, it must have been so expensive . . .”

“Shh,” Kyle pressed, his fingers to his lips, hearing none of it he pulled out the necklace from the box. "Let me,” moving toward her, he brushed her hair from her back and hooked it closed.

Max watched his work buddy, uncoil the necklace from the box and place it around her neck. Liz looked awestruck and happy. Imagine that. Out of all people it had to be Liz Parker that Kyle was crazily 'in love' with. He hadn’t stopped talking about her all day and even when he called her , right in front of him. Max had failed to put two and two together. What were the chances of it being the same Liz Parker? New York was a big place, afterall.

Apparently not big enough.

She tilted her head, her hair falling like a waterfall around her face as she touched the necklace and looked down at it. A small smile appeared around her lips and nodding her head she leant over and said something to Kyle, leaning closer to say it in his ear. Max clenched his jaw and looked away.

Michael had rang him earlier in the day, saying that they were all going to check out the new club that had opened and that he should come along too. Max had agreed, without hesitation. One thing had made him agree more rashly then anything. Liz. Only when he thought back to what had gone through his mind when he had taken up the offer, did he realise how illogical his thoughts were.

He wasn’t same teenage chasing after his teen crush. He was a fully-grown man, who had a fiancée. Liz was a woman, with a loving, caring boyfriend. Still, even with those thoughts at the back of his mind, his excitement only sharpened as the evening drew closer. He’d see Liz again. She had run off the day before without as much as a goodbye and to Max’s own surprise he had spent much of the evening and the day after, thinking about her. Tess had refused to come saying she had a growing migraine, so when himself and Isabel had pulled outside the Guerin door and seen Liz with Kyle it hadn’t registered at first. He wondered what Kyle was doing there.

Then it had began to fall into place. Kyle was talking about her. Beautiful brown hair . . . She had stood him up last night due to dinner with friends . . .Liz Parker . . .Of course. Who else.

Liz had barely said two words to him since all of that. Yet his eyes kept travelling to look at her. Kept raking up and down her body, noticing how sexy she looked in that small red number of hers, kept checking to see if she was looking at him too.

“Max? Max!” Isabel broke him from his train of thought as she motioned for him to come sit next to her in the booth. Max willingly followed, but not before Alex darted in front of him, beating him to the place next to Isabel.

He slid in next to Alex. Eyes accidentally falling on the couple in front of him. Kyle had his arm around her shoulder, his eyes kept brushing all over her, he was leaning extremely close and whispering in her ear, whilst Liz, oblivious to everyone else was nodding and laughing.

Liz tried not to look at anyone, she was feeling rather afflicted with Kyles rather brash public display of affection. The constant whispering in her ear, rubbing at her arm. His possessive arm around her shoulders, was beginning to feel like a weight and she had the hugest urge to push him off of her.

“Hey bud,” Kyle grinned, nodding at Max. “Imagine us both having connections with the same family. So you’re the god father of Michaels kid right?”

“Right,” Max agreed.

“And the lucky guy has a joint god-mother too? As in my girlfriend here?”

“Yeah.” Max nodded his head stiffly. “Coincidence,”

Liz stared at Kyle startled. Since when had he decided that they were boyfriend and girl friend? God. This was getting out of hand. Soon he’d be marrying her and she wouldn’t know until the next day. She knew she shouldn’t have agreed to this in the first place. She should have never have given into Alex. Liz had to sort this out as soon as they had moment alone. It wasn’t fair on either of them.

“I say its fate.” Kyle said squeezing Liz’s shoulder, not noticing the astonished look on her face, “Everything happens for a reason. I say there’s a reason behind this” he gave Liz a wink.

Liz gave him an uncomfortable smile. “There’s no reason behind anything.”

Kyle looked a bit taken aback when she spoke and Liz realised it had come out sharper then expected. But part of her didn’t even care any more. Especially since this whole situation with Kyle was getting so out of control. “ What I mean is, if we sit around waiting for things to happen. For destiny to take its course. We’d be sitting like mere puppets forever. You make your own destiny. Take control”

“True,” Max nodded, looking slightly impressed.

“Maybe we were destined to get together in this nightclub and get blind drunk,” Alex added, grinning widely at Isabel.

Isabel sighed and looked down at her nails. Liz felt somewhat sorry for Alex and the lack of attention Isabel was giving him. She turned to Isabel, focusing her attention on her and in the process turning away from Kyle.

“ Isabel, do you remember we were talking about you modelling for Vision briefly yesterday?”

“Mhmm,” Isabel looked up from her nails and toward Liz.

“Well Alex is the guy you should talk to. Photographic assistant and spotter,”

Isabel’s head perked up, “Really?”she looked at Alex, undecididly.

Alex looked surprised now that she was directly looking at him and actually paying him some kindof real attention. “Yeah, uh, yeah that’s me,” he said perking up his collar.

“Really Alex, you haven’t told her yet?” Liz said mock playfully. Watching Isabel’s eyes widen in interest, in satisfaction.

“I can explain all the ins and outs . . .I mean anything you want Isabel. " Alex said quickly. Isabels smile widened.

Michael arrived, plonking the drinks down on the table and picking up a stool from a near table to sit down. Liz saw that there was one orange juice in the middle of the array of alcohol beverages and smiled at Michael, grateful. He had remembered.

Though, right at that moment she didn’t feel like a drink at all. She felt slightly claustrophobic. Liz needed space and, Kyle’s arms around her shoulder weren't helping. As she sat there, beginning to think she was going to have make another rush to the ladies bathroom, which seemed to be becoming quite a ritualistic occurance during her dates with Kyle. Maria came to the rescue. Almost as if she had sensed her discomfort she asked her to dance. Liz went thankfully.

They made their way to the dance floor, the thumping of the music growing, louder as they got lost in a throng of people. Maria instantly began shimmying away, her blonde hair bouncing along with her to the music.

“So whats the story sister?” Maria asked, as soon as they were far away from the rest of them to talk.

“What?” Liz asked, as they moved closer together in the rhythm.

“You and Kyle. I’m not quite sensing fireworks,”

“Is that so?” Liz said sardonically and then sighed, wanting her frustrations to disappear with her exhalation. “I don’t know Maria, he called me his girlfriend . . .”

“Why, the bastard!”

“Seriously, though. It’s moving too fast for me. I don’t feel . . .”

“Like he’s the one?” Maria said, with her extraordinary knack of finishing senetences off for others.

Liz shrugged her shoulders. Truthfully she didn’t know any more. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. Maybe she was too self reliant to ever have a relationship. Maybe she was too destroyed. Kyle was such a lovely guy, yet from her side there was nothing. Nothing at all. Maybe she’d never feel anything like love for any man and she felt bad about that. But that was the way it was. Her eyes drifted as she danced. Right back to the booth, where they had been sitting. Alex had Isabel had disappeared. Michael, Kyle and Max sitting around the booth, talking and drinking. Max. Her eyes landed on him and she was sure she felt her heart speed up a few notches.

****


“Maria I’m going to go . . .” Liz yelled, trying to be heard over the music. The floor had gotten even more crowded if it was possible and they had somehow been pushed right next to the loud speakers. Liz’s ears were beginning to ring and she needed to get some fresh air into her lungs.

“Ya what?!” Maria asked, bobbing up and down with a drink in her hand.

“I need to get some fresh air!!” Liz tried again.

“WHAT?”

Liz pointed to the door behind her and Maria nodded waving her off. Liz trotted to the exit, swinging it open and stepping out into the almost deserted back alley-way. As the door closed behind her, it became instantly quieter, though the heavy bass sound sound could still be heard, reverberating through the air.

Moving away from the couple making out next to the exit sign and walking past another guy who was clearly stoned. He was leaning back against a wall and making inventive patterns in the air with every puff of smoke he blew. Liz came to halt behind the wall, that over looked another alley-way exiting from a chinese take out. Liz welcomed the fresh breeze of night air that filled her lungs. As she stood rubbing her arms, her eyes caught a glint of gold hanging down from her hair, and she pulled at it, untangling it loose from her hair. She squinted at the chain Kyle had given her. Fiddling with it, twirling it around in her fingers, she saw the back hook had come off.

“You okay?”

A voice broke her from the preoccupation with the necklace and Liz looked up to see Max looking back at her, a darkened figure, she hadn’t noticed, sitting on the wall she had stopped behind. “Oh hey. What are you doing out here?” she asked, her senses instantly going on alert.

“Same thing your doing I expect” he grinned. Liz smiled back, noticing the way half his mouth turned up, making his smile cutely crooked and giving him a young boyish look, “Anything I can help with.” He asked, nodding toward the necklace.

Liz sat down on the opposite side of the wall, next to him. Placing the necklace between them she shook her head. “The hooks come off clean. There’s nothing you can do. It’ll have to be replaced.”

“The one Kyle bought for you?” Max looked down at the necklace and back up at Liz’s profile as she nodded, remembering how he had felt earlier when Kyle had put that necklace around her neck. He had felt jealous. An emotion that he knew, he had completely no right of feeling, yet one he couldn’t help either. “Its pretty” he said softly, looking straight at her.

“Yes. Yes it is.” Liz’s eyes dropped from his riveting eyes, to the necklace as she fingered it slightly and then back to meet his again.

Max paused, watching her as she smiled warmly at him and he had to fight extremely hard, not to acknowledge his attraction to her. Guessing it would probably fade. He was in a lot of trouble if it didn’t. First sight attraction usually led to two things, dying out, or turning into long-term love. He thought it would be the first. A crazy part of him hoped it would be the second, no matter how much trouble it led him into. "Have you and Kyle been together long?” he asked boldly. Curious about the relationship the two of them had.

“No.” Liz said quickly. Finding important to clarify this to him. “This is actually our second date.”

“Really?” he asked surprised, “Its just that. It didn’t seem . . .”

"Hard to believe I know.”

He had a somewhat intense expression on his face when he said, almost as if testing water. “He’s a good guy. Kyle”

Liz wasn’t going to disagree.“Yeah.” Just not the guy for her. “How are you settling down in NY?” she questioned, deciding to change the subject to more light hearted matters.

“Actually pretty good.” Max nodded, not missing a certain look the crossed her face. He wasn’t entirely sure what it was though, but he left the topic at that, Liz didn’t seem the type to confide in just anyone about her private matters. And it was none of his business anyway. “I’ve met a few cool people,” he added.

“Well, I try.” Liz said fluttering her eyelashes over exaggeratedly. "So where are you staying at the moment?"

Max grinned. “We’re actually staying in a bed and breakfast at the moment. Michael said there are a few houses up for sale around his area,"

"Oh, yeah there are," Liz nodded, “It’ll be nice to have you nearby,”

“Will it?” Max asked teasingly.

“I mean, as Marcus’s godfather . . .you know . . .” her voice trailed off and she shivered at the way he was looking at her. He was making her insides turn into jelly and suddenly she felt like it was only the two of them, alone. It felt dangerous, like she couldn’t control what was happening to her. Part of her even wanted to confide in him about everything, about Kyle and the way she was feeling, and she had a feeling that if he had probed further she would have. Liz had always been a private person, but on instinct, she knew she could trust Max. On instinct, she knew he would understand. “Maybe we should go inside,” she suggested, hurrying herself before she started blabbering to him or did something even more rash. “You know, get a drink or something before we go home,”

Max shrugged, “Sure. Only if its on me,”

“Ok. Since you’re insisting.” Liz laughed, her hands up in surrender.

Side by side they entered the club again. Pushing and occassionally shoving themselves through the palpitating dancefloor. Liz squeezed in front of Max and he found it hard to keep up with her, as she was a lot smaller then him, Liz found it definably easier to squueze heself around the crowds.

Her shiny hair kept reappearing and disappearing in front of his eyes. “Hey hold up,” Max said huskily against her back as he reached her. “Can’t have you running away like that, “ To keep tabs on her Max slid her arms around her waist directing her to the bar. Automatically Liz’s own hands clasped his, making his hold on her even more solid.

Slowly moving to the beat, they got to the bar, releasing one another they took a seat side by side. Max ordered himself a martini and turned to Liz. “You want one too?”

“No. Just a coke.”

The Bartender passed their drinks over and Max pushed coke toward Liz. “You don't drink I take it?”

“Why do you say that?” Liz asked, peering up from her straw.

“I mean, I couldn’t help but notice, you didn’t have any earlier either.” Max shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly when Liz continued to stare at him.

“Pretty observant guy.” Liz winked at him, amorously.

“Yeah. Well I’ve started to be recently.”

“A reason for that?” she asked, fiddling with her straw.

Max paused. You. He wanted to say. It was Liz that made him observe, everything she did, just made him want to watch her, admire her, savour her.

It seemed that she didn’t want an answer to that question, because she continued anyway. “Actually if you must know,” he watched her take a deep breath, as if she were about to tell him something important. Max could almost see the inside of her head working, weighing the pros and cons and then conclusively making a decision.

“I might be pregnant,” she said finally. There it was. She had said it, apart from family and Alex, Max was the first she had told. There was no point in keeping it a secret; if it worked it was going to make it pretty obvious anyway.

Max’s hart lurched to the bottom of his stomach and he nearly choked on his drink, “What?”

She didn’t seem to be taken aback by his reaction. “Pregnant. Having a baby.” She simply.

Max suddenly felt extremely foolish. Even though he had been denying himself that Liz would be even slightly interested in him. That there could be anything between them, there was a glimmer of hope that remained. The glimmer of hope that forgot about the odds of Tess and Kyle and everything else. But now, he couldn’t even believe that he even thought anything of the sort. Him and Liz together equalled ludicrous.

“Whose—is it Kyle’s?” he asked slowly. Still reeling from shock.

“Nope.” Liz watched his face intently, “A donor.”

Again Max had to stop his mouth from touching the ground. Why would a young beautiful woman like Liz go through donor insemination when she didn’t have to, unless of course she wasn’t able to have kids? But its not like she didn't have plenty of time ahead to seek treatements if that was the case. His eyes scanned hers and Liz instantly knew what was on his mind.

Why would she do it? Alone. So young? Without a significant other.

“I know you have questions,” Liz said coolly, as if she was reading his mind. But Max guessed it was more due to same questions she faced every time she had made this revelation, “But I don’t think the middle of this club is the best place to answer them all,”

“Your right . . . ” Max answered, still watching her intently.

‘What?” Liz mused as he continued to stare at her, “Why is it every time I tell someone I might be pregnant, they look at me like I’m dying on a hospital bed?”

“Oh no its not that,” he denied, leaning forward, “Its strange to think that people actually go through with that kind of thing you know. I mean when you donate sperm. You just donate it . . .you tend not to think that somehow it’s going to be created into a baby,”

Liz understood where he was coming from, “Have you ever donated?”

“I’m registered at a couple of clinics. Its just one of those things you do. I couldn’t bare someone out there, who really wanted kids not having the opportunity to do so. It’d be like having the greatest opportunity being taken away from you. Actually just a couple of days ago, they asked me for more samples. They didn’t say much but I was guessing they’d probably found a suitable donor . . .”

“A couple?” Liz bit at her lip, her mind beginning to drift. She had, had her procedure done just two days ago too. Wouldn’t be strange if . . . she shook her head. It was just purely coincidental. It couldn’t be. Ridiculous thought. Max wasn’t the only donor in the whole of NY after all.

“Liz,” Max waved his hand in front of her face, watching as she jumped slightly. “You OK? You just drifted off a bit, there”

“I’m fine,” Liz said shaking the loose thoughts from her head.

He grinned, looking slightly embarrassed.

"What?" she asked. Sure she had missed something.

“I said, would you like to dance with me?” he asked. Liz found it adorable that all of a sudden he was blushing whilst asking her for a simple request like that. "I mean if your tired . . ."

"I'd love to," she beamed.


***


Liz was giggling like a little girl, when he took hold of her hand and twirled her around twice before, swaying in movement to her. The nightclub was full of people, but when Liz moved closer with her arms in the air, the pulsating beat, humming through him, overtaking his body. Her body moving, swaying, just inches away from his, she was the only one he could see.

As they moved, both bodies fluctuated closer to one another. Unable to stop himself his fingers touched hers, the familiar tingly feeling arousing his already on edge senses. His hands stopped briefly, before deliberately slidding down her bare arms, all the way down past her elbows, forearms, past her bouncing breasts, where they lingered slightly and down to her stomach and her hips. Without stopping to think he abruptly pulled her closer, so that his body melded with hers. His eyes dropping to their fuzzy reflections depicted on the shiny floor below.

His need for her was growing stronger the more she was with him. The more they danced. The rousing, ferevent atmosphere of the night club only adding to his feelings for her. For that moment, as they danced together, everything she had told him, everything that was happening around them, was shot from his head.

Liz gasped when she felt her body come into contact with his, yet she was so drunk was the need to be close, she did absolutely nothing to push him away. Automatically their movements had slowed, becoming lingering, sexier. Legs tangling, abdomens and chests pressing against one another, eyes never leaving contact.

Liz breathlessly leant her head back, her eyes darkened with desire, the creepings of a blush on her cheeks and her lips red and pouted. His eyes duelled with her, before travelling down to her gracefully elegant neck that he wanted to kiss so badly, and further down to the neckline of her dress, from where further on, she was pressed entirely against him.

The air had become hotter, thicker and Liz felt sweat on her brow as she ground herself against him in the surreal like, ambience of the club. She could feel his strong hands, tugging her toward him, pressing her harder against the part where they were joined most, she could feel his need stirring to life, to which she answered to by parting her legs further.

Dizzily she moved forward to press her head to his shoulder, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as their bodies melded, feeling every single movement he made against her. Joining him as they flowed together in the merging of bodies. Her hand rested on his back as she buried herself in his shoulder, slowly and lightly moving downward to his butt.

Everything was misty and Liz felt intoxicated by the air as she danced on cloud nine, giving into urges and needs that she had sheltered away for so long and it felt so good. It felt amazing. At that moment, it was only Max and Liz, alone. It didn’t matter that there were people all around them or that this was the most public place possible that they could be doing something so rampant. It didn’t matter that there was no hope of them being together.

It didn’t matter that Kyle was staring straight at them.


Liz’s half closed eyes snapped straight open and she took on step backward, her heart beating rapidly now for another reason. Shit. Shit Shit! What was she doing?

Max who had been nuzzling her neck gave her a confused look, when she jumped backward. Only when he caught the expression on her face did he seem snap back to reality himself. He straightened and looked around him quickly. Before either could say anything, Liz’s arm was snatched and she was being pulled away against her own will.

TBC

Just wanted to let you know, some of this donor stuff is from my head. I doubt that’s how they really do it. But If I started going into the real details, it’d get really (even more) complicated for my story and Max and Liz, and we don’t want that do we?

[Blue*Soul]

I hardly ever get to thank every single person that’s given me feedback, so here goes.

AznGurl87, BehrObsession, Begonia, Itzstacie, Jason’s lover, FrenchKiss, roswellian137. The general gist of your questions will be answered throughout. O.k. Kyle might be a little clingy but dumping Tess on him? Hmm. I’m not that cruel.

Roswellluver, Rosbuffyangelfanatl.Thanks for reading.

Max4Liz4Ever- Stop it. Stop it! No Puppy dog eyes! Not yet. The suspense is just beginning.

Eccentric One- Glad your still reading this. As for the updates. My muse is being nice, I’m lazing around, trying to put off packing as long as I possibly can. Which means frequent updates for as long as I can continue to be a lazy bum and find my comp when I wake up in the mornings.

Between you and I

Chapter 7

“Uh, Liz what was that?” Maria demanded, as soon as the door of the ladies rest room closed behind them.

Liz tugged her arm free from Maria’s firm grasp and looked at her sister in law flippantly. “What was what?”

Maria sighed exaggeratedly. Like Liz didn’t know what she was talking about. “Out there on the dance floor,” she belied. “All the…” Liz watched, her eyes widening, as Maria began swaying slowly, eyes half closed, hair swinging behind her, hands erotically moving up and down her body.

“I was dancing,” Liz said stonily. “And you looked like you were on LSD.” Ignoring the disbelieving look Maria was giving her, she walked over to the sink and began washing her sweaty palms. She looked into the mirror and an incredibly flushed face stared back at her. Grabbing a paper towel she began dabbing at her all over her face, wondering why it was so hot. Her body was burning up. Maybe she had a temperature or something.

Dancing? Maria shook her head in the mirror behind Liz, “That’s not what I’d call it.”

“Well what would you call it then!?” Liz snapped. Twirling around to face her angrily. And then wishing she’d just kept her mouth shut when Maria didn’t hesitate to answer.

“Ever heard of dry humping?” Maria informed, moving closer to Liz, “Having sex with your clothes on? Gave us quite a view out there.”

Liz groaned. “Why do you have to exaggerate everything?” Ok. So, she’d really let it loose out there and maybe she had been dancing pretty close to Max. But there was no way it went further then dancing. No way it could go any further. No way. Pure and simple.

“All I’m saying,” Maria continued relentlessly, “Is that you’re on a date chica. You don’t go humping another guy in front of your date. And Max, cute though he is, has he no shame? Fiancée at home and here he is trying to get it on, its not right,”

“We weren’t getting it on.” Liz denied. “It was just an innocent dance with . . . a friend”

“Sweet and innocent. Sure,”

Liz ground her teeth together, feeling temper rise, like slowly boiling water. “Since when did you become mother fucking Teresa saint of saints? What I damned well do is up to me. My life, my body. You had no right to drag me off the dance floor like that.”

“Liz, I was . . .” Maria tried to cut in.

“I’m an adult, capable of making my own decisions. When are you and Michael going to understand to stop treating me like so dumb baby doll?”

“I was just trying to look out for you,”

“Look out for me huh?” Liz said bitterly, shaking her head, “My parents died when I was three. I’ve been looking out for myself since I was a child. I’ve spent six years alone. When I first left Roswell I spent a week on the streets, during which, I was almost raped. I went through job after job, just trying to make ends meet. I would even go for days without food at times so I could pay for bus fare for my next interview. And you really think I need to be looked after?” Liz glared at Maria pointedly, “Don’t you use that as a damned excuse to tell me what to do.”

“Jeez,” Maria breathed out as she stood, stunned to the spot. She opened her mouth and shut it again and suddenly; guilt clouded Liz for yelling at her like that. It hadn’t meant to come out that way. That was harsh. It was true Maria was only doing her job as a friend, but Liz wished sometimes, that those around her would have more faith in her, to do what they were trying to do for her.

“I’m really tired and stressed out right now.” Just got things on my mind. Liz admitted softly.

“Ya think?” Maria said acidly. She shrugged. “All I’m saying is, Max is a heart break waiting to happen. Just . . . take care.”

Liz let out a disgruntled sigh. “Please believe me when I say, I don’t have any interest in Max. Don’t you think I know that he’s about to get married?” How did Maria get the idea into her mind, that she was interested in Max at all, in the first place? Sure he was an attractive guy and maybe Liz was well, slightly attracted to him. But that didn’t mean she didn’t have any common sense. She would never become an obstacle in his relationship. She’d never be the reason for putting anyone through the heartbreak that she’d been through. There was obviously a reason that Max and Tess had stuck together for so long and Liz had one fact straight in her mind. She wasn’t going to be the one that destroyed what they had.

Maria stared at her and rolled her eyes, shaking her head she said, “That’s not what I see.” She put her hands up when Liz began to protest, “I’m not here to argue with you. Especially when you were close to killing me for saving your sorry ass from being permanently labelled a home wrecker, with about a thousand witnesses to prove it,”

“I wasn’t doing anything!” Liz protested.

“Whatever” Maria shrugged simply, before turning to the nearest cubicle. “I need to pee,”

****


To Liz’s utter discomfort, herself and Kyle were the last ones left in the parking lot.

Michael and Maria had disappeared first and she had just waved Max, Isabel and Alex off just a moment ago. After she arrived from the rest room, Max had been extremely quiet. Liz had the feeling that he wanted to say something to her, yet every time they were near one another for her to ask him what it was. They were distracted by others, or sidetracked by something else. Liz was dying to know what he felt about their little dance earlier. Had it meant something to him? Had he felt as out of control as her? If the little session on the dance floor had been more then friendly to him, she wanted to apologise. She wanted to apologise for making him feel that way, when those feelings so clearly weren’t right.

Liz hated feeling like this. Helpless. So out of control. It was like there was something ignited inside her when she was around Max. Ready to blow, ready to explode and take everything with it.

She turned to Kyle, refusing to feel guilty for the crime she hadn’t committed. This whole thing was unfair, being roped into dating Kyle, then being chastised for being unfair to him. Kyle hadn’t spoken to her since she had joined the group, avoiding her, not meeting her eyes. Since, Liz doubted that he was going to be the one to break the silence, she guessed it'd better be her.

Liz glanced sidewards at Kyle, as they walked toward his green Mustang, in the dark and deserted car park, “So, um, did you enjoy the night?” she asked, trying to make light, polite conversation.

The look Kyle gave her jilted her before she could say anymore. “It was wonderful. Tried looking for my date. Found her cozying up with my work partner,”

“Kyle,” Liz sighed slowing her pace, until she was standing still. “It’s not like it seemed,” How was she going to explain what it was? It was too complicated. She didn’t know how to put into words that even though she had been dirty dancing with Max. It meant nothing. It couldn’t mean anything.

Then what were you feeling? The voice at the back of her mind protested. Why did you do it? It tapped at her mind, trying to penetrate her skull. Why couldn’t you stop it? Liz forced the intruding voice, to the back of her mind as quick as it had popped to the forefront. Ignoring it.

“This gets better.” Kyle groaned, running his hand through his hair. “As well as being unworthy, I’m apparently blind too,” He moved his hands in the air in an exasperated motion, before dropping them back to his sides. “God, Liz, I tried so hard with you. To make you happy, to make you comfortable. I don’t understand what I have to do. Its never been this hard.”

He looked sorely disappointed and Liz wanted to give him a hug, but she doubted that was what he wanted right now. He wanted answers. Ones she couldn’t give. “Trust me Kyle. You’re not unworthy. Its me . . .”

Kyle looked at the gravelled ground of the parking lot and gave a bitter laugh. “That’s what they all say. Easier to just cut losses. Just say it was your fault. Spare the poor guy heart break.”

“Kyle . . .”

“Don’t.” he moved a step back when she moved forward to hug him. “Its okay, its fine,” he shook his head, not looking at her and finally letting out a loud sigh he motioned toward his car, “Come on Liz, get in. I’ll drop you off home. Suppose you’ve got loads of articles to go through as usual and I have to admit I’ve got of an early start myself tomorrow,”

Liz’s voice was struck in her throat and suddenly she felt even guiltier then she had imagined possible. He was talking like he didn’t care. Yet she could see the hurt written all over his face, why oh why, had she gone through with this?

Kyle wasn’t some guy she had just dated. She had known him for quite some time, through Alex. And through all the time she had spent with him. He had been nothing but polite, courteous, gentle. Liz had just caused one more broken heart to add to the sphere of things and it made her feel horrible. Even though it wouldn’t have been right, she would have almost preferred to lead him on, then to seeing the hurt, wounded expression, she was seeing now.

Feeling bad, her hand went to swipe around her neck for the necklace he had given her earlier. Someone that respected and loved Kyle deserved to have it. Someone that could give him what he wanted and needed. Someone that wasn’t her.

Only it wasn’t there. Liz felt around her neckline again, this time Kyle spotted the look of astoundment on her face.

“Liz, what is it?”

Oh god. Liz you haven’t. Please tell me you haven’t! To add to everything else she had gone and lost the necklace, Kyle had given her. She began running, her pace fastening as she turned the corner and ran around the outside of the nightclub in to the alley way she had been talking to Max in earlier, knowing that Kyle was following her the whole way. Liz ran up to the wall and slid her hand across the whole length of it, looking behind it, in front of it. But that dread that had settled in her heart only deepened when she didn’t find it.

Her voice came out in a struggled gasp, and the guilt was overbearing, “I’m so sorry Kyle. I’m so sorry.”

****

Max tiptoed into the bedroom, closing the door quietly as possible, behind him. He was still feeling extremely aroused, yet unsatisfied after his experience at the nightclub. The ride home with Isabel had been pretty silent, he guessed she was tired, but he on the other hand was fighting to control his hormones like some horny prepubescent teen.

He kept replaying how Liz’s body moved against him. How her breasts had bobbed steadily against his chest, making him want to revel in the thought of how they would feel if he touched them. Her soft femininity rubbing against his awakening desire had made him want to experience more.

In that throbbing nightclub, full to the brim of people, Max had felt crazy and unleashed. He had wanted to pick her up and take her for all she was worth. He had wanted to feel completeness by pushing his need deep inside her depths. He had been so close to kissing her, just seconds before she had pulled away. And with certain disconcertment he realised that he had never felt this much urge, this much need, this much desire for anyone. He had never felt the need to be with anyone the way he had felt the need to be with Liz in that club. Some primal hunger had taken over and left him wanting more. Wanting something he couldn’t have.

He had full intention of fully relieving himself in the shower when the lamp on bedside table was switched on. Tess sat up rubbing at her eyes, “You're home,” she announced, tilting her head to the side to look at him properly. She then stretched, eyeing him the whole time, “Have a nice time?”

“Sure,” Max shrugged, trying to force away the images of Tess morphing into Liz in his bed. Liz waiting for him, her nipples protruding through the silk nightgown. Calling out him. Writhing beneath . . . Max shook his head, hoping the images would disappear with it, but they didn’t. They remained firmly implanted in his mind. His body still stunned by the after affects of her closeness.

“What about you,” he asked turning away from Tess and beginning to unbutton his shirt, “Migraine gone?”

“Uh, huh,” she nodded.

Max pulled down his pants and clambered on top of the bed sheets and pulled Tess toward him not gently. He had to release the tension, the crazy energy. It was enveloping him, eating him up inside. He leant forward and pressed his mouth against hers, taking her breast in one hand whilst his other hand reached to further stimulate the semi- hard on in his boxers.

Tess was ready to consent for a while, kissing him back, but she soon moved away, “Uh, uh, uh,” she said teasingly, shaking her head at her fiancée.

“What?” Max pulled away agitated. When he went to reach for her again, he was rewarded with a slap against his hand. He snatched his hand back stunned.

“There’s something we should talk about,” she smiled brightly looking pleased with herself.

Max sat back, trying to fight off his utter discomfort due to this abolute need for physical satisfaction. “Talk about what?” he asked glancing at the time at the table clock on the small bedside table beside him, “Its after 2am Tess, can’t the talk wait?”

“Its not like your dying to get sleep now is it?” she drawled, “Plus this is only going to take a couple of minutes then you can go back to what you were doing,”

“Right.” Max sighed slumping against the bed, “What is it?”

Tess sat up on her knees, “So mother called me today and she totally and utterly surprised me,”

“She did?” Max asked carefully. He doubted a surprise by Mrs Harding was one that suited him, but he waited for Tess to finish anyway, because he knew she wouldn’t stop until she had.

“Ok. So do you remember the Hargrove wedding service in L.A? You know the one where they do the whole wedding outside? But it takes months, even years to book that place because it’s so busy”

“I do,”

“Well. . . ” Tess clapped her hands together, prolonging the news as much as she could, watching Max’s reaction the whole time, “Mom booked it for us!”

There was a long pause as Max tried to come to terms with what she had said. Finally he got the words out, “She what?” he wondered if had heard right. Had Tess just said her mother had booked their wedding?

“She booked it for us!” Tess continued just as animatedly. Failing to notice the alarmed expression on Max’s face, “She said it’s a present from her toward our wedding, which is in June by the way.”

“She what, what?” Max asked, his mouth agape.

“I said, she—“

“And you accepted,” Max said blankly, “Without even telling me,”

Tess’ serious expression had definably calmed now that she had heard the deathly quiet tone to his voice, she had known Max long enough to know, when he spoke like that he was ready to explode. Max looked non the two pleased about her good news. Sure, she had known that he wouldn’t be bouncing off the walls with excitement, but did he have to be such an ungrateful ass all the time?

“Do you have to be so ungrateful?” she asked. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime. We can’t let it go,”

“Yes we god- damned can,” Max bit out, “I don’t know how you accepted, but you should now ring her and just as politely decline,”

Tess looked flabbergasted, “Max!” she cried, “Please, don’t make me do this. I won’t do it!” she shook her head of bouncing curls, “I won’t do it, . There was this cancellation and its not often it happens but mother is good friends with the PA person and she managed to get that date. It's June Max! A summer wedding... I’m marrying that day. At Hargrove weddings serviceI don’t care,”

Max couldn’t believe the ridiculousness of it all. “Well you better find a man to marry you that day, at Hargrove wedding service,” Max answered, “Because it isn’t going to be me,”

Tess mouth snapped shut and fat tears appeared at the corner of her eyes. “You ass-hole, how could you even say that? I chose you over rich stockbroker Tommy Jenkins. And you—you give me this,” she sobbed hitting the bed with her fist, “Stupid old bed, with creaky springs in a stupid bed and breakfast,”

Max sighed; he couldn’t stand it when she cried. He hated the idea of fighting or hurting anyone. But she got him so riled up sometimes it was hard to ignore her. He moved toward her slowly, taking her face in his hands, and spoke soothingly as he could manage, “This isn’t our permanent home you know,”

“I hate it!” Tess yelled, “I HATE IT!”

“Whoa, Whoa,” Max held up his hands up in surrender like fashion, before wiping away her tears. If she carried on like this she was going to get them chucked from this place and he doubted that Tess would enjoy the experience of living on the streets that much, “Don’t say that.” he said quietly.

“I will. I hate it.”

“I'm working on getting you a new home. Okay?”

Tess sniffed.

“Look Tess. We’ve been through lots together. We’ve known each other for so long. We’ve worked through your . . .problems. Just don’t let your mom spoil it for you okay?”

“She’s my mother!” Tess bellowed, “I can’t just dump her,”

"I]m not asking that." Max gave her an exasperated look, “But you know how many problems she causes. Every time you talk to her. Every time you visit her. We argue, you end up in tears,”

Tess’ mood had now swung from emotional low to extremely icy, “Whatever Max. “ she said swiping at her eyes, “Sometimes I wonder if it’s my mother or its you that’s causing the problems,”

“Well then,” Max lamented climbing off the bed, “You’ll have to decide who you want to spend the rest of your life with. Me or your mother.”

The strange thing was, he was beginning to hope, she chose her mother.

TBC

[Blue*Soul]

Between you and I

Chapter 8

Liz pulled up the hem of her shirt until it rested just beneath her breasts. Splaying her right hand of her stomach, she ran it over the over her creamy coloured skin, soft and straight beneath her palm. Still holding the shirt, she turned to the side, studying her profile in the full-length mirror of her bedroom. As always an effortlessly, slim body greeted her. Of course, Liz didn’t expect there to be any type of change so soon, after all it had been 6 weeks only since she had been inseminated with the donor sperm, and only three since an impending pregnancy had been confirmed. Yet, standing in front of the mirror day in, day out, just to check, had become a ritualistic affair since the news had been broken that the treatment was working.

Liz Parker would be a mother in coming months, even though the idea was solid in her head, it was somewhat hard to believe it was really true until there was some sign of confirmation. She had neither seen, nor felt that yet.

Liz had no morning sickness, no dizziness, no weight gain, nothing. The obstetrician had told her that in some women the symptoms were delayed and or alternatively Liz was of the lucky ones that didn’t have to go through with the side effects of pregnancy. This did nothing to calm Liz’s panic that something was wrong, so last week she had bought home three pregnancy home test kits, just to make sure. Only when she had checked and double-checked with Maria that the two pink lines meant she was pregnant did her hyperactive mind rest.

Broken from her train of thought as familiar laughter drifted through the nearby window, Liz dropped her shirt, walking toward it. Three figures of Alex, Max and Michael stood on the porch of the house directly opposite to her. The family that had lived there had been looking to sell their property for a while now, as soon as Max had heard this, he had been eager to buy. This had happened quickly in a couple of weeks and now he was living directly opposite from Liz and just a few houses down from Michael and Maria. Liz smiled to herself as Max fiddled with the garden hose, laughing and joking with Michael and Alex, finding it hard to believe that just a couple of years ago she had been so alone. She had been lonely, living her in Rowley Square. There had been acquaintances, but not real friends and family like this.

Alex, Maria, Michael, and now Max Tess and Isabel. Liz couldn’t help but think her street was starting to feel like a small community. Sometimes she found it hard to go buy a loaf of bread without the loveable harassment everyone around her gave her. From Maria wanting advice from baby diapers to non-solid foods, Alex’s constant griping about how the senior photographer was now a rival for Isabel’s attentions, to Max traipsing over for a coffee or tea, or sometimes just randomly to ask her how she was. With a surprising longing she realised all of this reminded her of Roswell. Even though Liz had left it behind, she was still eager to go back and visit it someday. Sure, she had moved on, but the small town in New Mexico, where her parents had once lived, where she had been born and raised, still haunted her from time to time. Aunt Lynne had died years back and her remaining relatives had dispersed, but Liz’s roots were still there.

She remembered making a promise, when she had been a lot younger and a lot more naïve. The day she had escaped to this new world from her bedroom balcony. One day she’d go back. She was positive, she would.

Scanning the porch from her window, her eyes locked on Max. Instantly, almost as if sensing her, his eyes moved upward, creeping up Green-leave building and up to her window, until he saw her there, looking down at him.

Over the time, the usual rush of feeling that tingled through her veins had become a warm comfortable feeling that spread from her stomach, rather then a disconcerting one that caught her off balance. Max’s features contorted into a wide smile and he greeted her with a wave, Liz returned the gesture.

Smiling, she turned around—with a sudden craving for herbal tea. Herbal tea was her fill in for coffee, even though her body constantly craved for caffeine that she was so used to. All reporters were. Liz was glad that she was a non-smoker; she wasn’t sure what she’d do if she had to give up smoking too.

With a large cup in her hand she walked back into the living room, walking past a huge array of paints, sets of brushes, DIY and home furnishing catalogues and sample wall papers. She had planned to redecorate her place, as well as converting her spare room into a nursery, so everything could be new and fresh for the baby.

Liz came to the stop by a window facing Max’s house again. Alex and Michael had disappeared. As she looked down at him, in his water sprinkled wrinkly shirt, jogging bottoms and scruffy hair that stood on end, making sure every plant, bush and weed, got the same amount of attention; Liz couldn’t help but marvel how beautiful he was. From that magnificently flawless body, to those deep, intense eyes. And how he managed to make watering the garden like such an art form was beyond her.

Max lifted his head again. Somehow he knew she would be there. He scrunched in the bright morning rays of the sun, trying to get a better view. Most of their communication, incomprehensible though it was, was done through that window. It was a lot easier then rushing up and down the stairs to her building. Though if it came to it, he wouldn’t have thought twice about doing just that. He was the first to admit, he had been wrong about his attraction fading, there was always a restless and unsatisfied need to see her and be in her company all the time. When she wasn’t at the window, he’d pop around to her place as much as he could. Just making the stupidest excuses to stay and talk. About nothing usually. But recently he had to cut his visits short, especially when Tess had started getting suspicious of him. The thing was, just yesterday, Tess had gone to see her parents in California so Max was pleased, that he could do as he pleased.

Making sure she was still there, he motioned for her to come down to him.

Liz tilted her head to the side in confusion, wondering hat he was mouthing to her. Unable to understand, she shook tumble of brown hair.

Max groaned, motioning with his hands once again. Noticing the confused expression on her face, he mouthed, ‘come down here,’

“Oh,” Liz whispered in understanding, shrugging her shoulders and pointing behind her to the paints. She mouthed ‘work,’ at him, watching him roll his eyes. He had already told her more the once that she worked too hard.

Determined not to give up, Max threw the watering hose to the floor. He motioned again, harder. Maybe if he were more animated, she would comply. Just as determined she shook her head. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he pointed at himself, seeing her eyebrows furrowing, he pointed at her.

‘Your coming here?’ Liz mouthed, laughing. She got an eager nod and milliseconds later he had abandoned everything and ran across the street and up the stairs to the intercom, connected to her room. Liz jogged over to the receiving end, watching his face in a small black and white security camera located beside it. Hearing a ring tone she pressed the on button and heard his enthusiastic voice filter through. “Evans calling Parker,”

“Come on up,” Liz answered.

Seconds later, Max burst through the doors to her apartment with an over enthusiastic expression on his face. He bent over, resting his hands on his knees, trying to get the air back into his lungs. He had rushed up here so fast, he’d forgotten to breath.

“You okay?” Liz asked walking toward him.

“Great,” Max breathed, standing straight up. Eyes scanning her. He was great now that he was here.

“Before you say anything. I really do have lots to do,” Liz quickly explained, painting behind her to the paints. “Redecorating not going as fast as I hoped it would,”

Max walked toward her, his eyes falling to where she was pointing and then back up at her smirking, “You could work for America and you’d still have lots to do,”

Liz shrugged. “I can’t help it. I can’t seem to decide on the right colours for my apartment,”

“If I help you with this,” Max pondered walking toward her, “Would you go out with me tonight?”

“Go—out?” Liz shook her head, “Where?”

“They have this new restaurant over at New moons, or they’re having some people perform at the Times Square, Broadway—“

“Not tonight,” Liz cut him off. “I’m really tired tonight.” This hadn’t been the first time he had asked her. Liz knew this wasn’t a date or anything. Just a friend asking a friend out and what different would it be from him spending time alone with her in her apartment? Yet she refused every time.

Maybe because it would mean a lot more to her.

Max’s expression turned defeated, “You say that every time,”

“Its just . . .”

“Its okay.” Max wasn’t sure what it was. Or why she refused to go out with him. But it didn’t matter to him. As long as he got to spend time with Liz Parker that was enough. It was ammunition to keep going. Something he looked forward to every single day. “Lets see,” Max picked up a nearest brochure, his eyes scanning the different types of colours and designs. “How about this…”

Liz moved forward to stand next to him. Scrunching up her nose, “I prefer the other one,”

“No, see that would go with your furniture,”

“I’m changing that too,”

“Ok, maybe this . . .”


*****


Max ended up spending longer, picking out colour schemes, curtains and furniture then he had intended. His intention had been to spend maybe 10 minutes, half an hour at the most. But now a darkened curtain of night was falling across the post evening sky. Every time he willed himself to get up and leave his heart willed him to do otherwise. When Maria had arrived during the afternoon, with things Liz had ordered from the supermarket, he had told her he was on his way home, and now she was back with the baby 3 hours later he was still here.

Maria didn’t seem surprised to still see him sitting in Liz’s living room. Even though his fiancée continued to bother her no end, over the last weeks she had grown a certain fondness toward Max. Who could resist such a fun, charming guy? Her first impressions had been wrong. Max wasn’t some male slut. He was as cute as apple pie. Maria also learnt hat Max spent most of his hours with her husband’s sister. She had teased Liz about this at first, but Liz continued to deny any form of feeling toward him. Maria knew better.

“So, what do you think?” Liz snapped open the small velvet box, both Max and Maria peered at inside.

“I thought you lost that?” Maria wondered out loud. “You know the day you ruthlessly dumped Kyle.”

Liz rolled her eyes, “I did. It’s a new one.”

Maria fingered the delicate necklace. “You bought the exact same necklace, for yourself?” she asked, even more confused.

Liz shook her head. “Not for myself.”

“To give back to Kyle.” Max finished off. Only Liz would do something as honourable as that.

“Uh,huh,”

“Wow, that’s a noble thing to do chica,” Maria said approvingly.

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate it,” Max said, nodding toward the box. He was sure Kyle would. The fact that Kyle avoided him like the plague and stayed away from him as much as was possible in a work partner situation, reminding Max again and again, that he was a big factor in their break-up, made Max even more sure he still had a soft spot for Liz.

“I hope he does,” Liz had put some of her savings that she had put together for the baby toward the necklace, hoping it would somehow lessen the guilt she felt for dumping Kyle and losing the necklace she had bought him on the same night. Any hope of friendship had gone down the drain. Maybe with this necklace they could reconcile things. “I still feel so bad. And I feel like I owe him it . . .and maybe, just maybe he’ll reconsider friendship.”

“He’s losing out if he doesn’t,” Maria said promptly.

Liz shrugged, hoping that things could be resolved between them. “So you guys want anything to drink?” She queried, unfolding herself from the couch next to Max. It was comfortable there, sitting like that. With his solid strength, warm by her side. Time had flown so fast she wasn’t sure where it had gone.

“Its ok. I’ll get it,” Maria cut her off, “You need your rest,”

Liz shook her head amused, “Maria . . .”

“Seriously let me,” Maria smiled patting her on the lap. “What did you want Max?”

“Just juice,” Max, shouted after her.

“Liz?”

“Herbal tea,”

Liz watched Maria walk into the kitchen dubiously, “From the way she acts, you’d think I was a day away from having this baby not 8 months.”

He studied her, “Maybe you should sit back and allow yourself to be pampered once in a while.”

Liz shrugged. “I’m not that type.”

“What type?”

“I don’t know, being pampered type, I guess. I just can't seem to be able to sit back and do nothing”

“Everybody likes to be pampered Liz. I think the problem is you don’t know how.” Maybe Liz should spend more time with Tess. She’d definitely learnt how to sit back and do nothing in no time.

Liz sighed, knowing he was right, “Just kind of used to doing things on my own,”

“I know,” he said simply.

Liz laughed, “You seem to have learnt an awful lot about me in these quick few weeks,” She swallowed, realising that even though that statement had been meant as a joke. It was actually true. Max had learnt so much about her over the last few weeks they could have known each other for a lifetime. It felt like they’d known each other for a lifetime.

Max leant forward, “Well, I do, much more then you think actually,”

Liz fingered the cushion lying next to her. “You do, huh?”

He nodded, oblivious to the mock joking tone of her voice, “Determined, independent and one of the bravest people I’ve ever come across”

“Brave?” Independent, determined sure. But Liz had never likened to being brave. She pulled a disbelieving face. “Your quite a mood booster Max. I know there was a reason I kept you around,”

Her eyes fell onto his face and for the billionth time that evening her heart missed a beat. No wonder, she tried so heard to not look directly at him. His gaze was one that entranced completely, that said so much without saying a thing, and right now he was looking at her with utter awe. Liz couldn’t help but be surprised at the genuineness of it. People often praised her, thanked her, questioned her because often they wanted something someway or another. But every time Max said something like that, she couldn’t help but be touched to the soul. Because every word reeked with honesty and she couldn't help but believe him.

“Its so brave to take something like this alone,” Others would be scared. But not Liz. She was having this baby with such determination, such pride. She knew that there would be questions asked and that there would be those out there that didn’t fully support her. But this was want she wanted. This was what she believed in. Her mind was set. Max thought she was beautiful, good company and attractive, but most of her he respected her. She was a woman of substance, one who did what she believed in.

Marcus let out a sleeping gurgle from the couch opposite them and both heads jerked his direction, “He’s so beautiful,” Liz whispered, subconcosiouly rubbing her hand across her belly, “I sometimes wonder of my baby’s going to be that darling,”

Max watched her hand splay over her belly. If the baby looked anything like Liz it would be extremely beautiful, he was sure.

“Well we do have somewhat of a clue,” Maria proclaimed as she arrived back in the room, placing the drinks on the table in front of them, “Remember the profile Liz?”

Liz nodded. Of course she did. It was etched in her mind. She thought about it everyday.

“Something like, green, hazel eyes, dark hair, 6’. Something, wasn’t he a fireman?”

“In the police,” Liz corrected, reaching for her steaming cup of tea.

“Yeah,” Maria nodded, eyebrows furrowed in remembrance, “Actually he kinda reminds me of you Max, wouldn’t it be funny if you were donor guy?” laughing she walked to the couch to check on Marcus.

Liz’s heart slammed tight against he ribs. The cup stopped dead on her lips, before she could even take a sip. She would be lying if she said the thought hadn’t crossed her mind. The first time was in the club when she had revealed to Max that she was pregnant. But she had became a master at pushing those nagging thoughts far, far to the back in her mind, thinking it was silly. Impossible. What were the chances?

But, why was it that, Maria confirming her thoughts out loud had made the whole scenario more plausible? Why was it scaring her to death? Why did it suddenly seem believable that Max was the father of the baby she was carrying? It couldn’t be true. It would be too much of a coincidence. Liz battled with the thoughts in her mind, suddenly feeling sick to the stomach. The corner of her eyes not missing the curious stare the Max was giving her.

[Blue*Soul]

Between you and I

Chapter 9

May 24th 2005

Wouldn’t it be strange if you were donor guy?

I don’t think Maria realised, how much that comment sent my world spinning.

Bizarre. Weird. Disconcerting. Scary. are only some adjectives that I can use to describe the feelings that are steadily spiralling through me, squeezing my heart, choking me. I know it can’t be true. I’ve told myself so many times that it’s impossible. Yet, the thought won’t leave me. It’s grasped me by my neck and refusing to let go. I’ve been looking through my old entries, at the profile that I had written last month, and then just to double check, I rummaged through my folders and pulled the copy of the authentic version of the donor profile and broke into cold sweat.

Job, colouring, hobbies, age. It’s surreal

Was it even possible for this guy to have so many similarities to Max?


Liz looked up from her diary. Combing through her hair, her fingers came down to touch the edge of the dark green copy of the donor profile, settled just beside her. In the basking glow of the lamplight, she pulled back to nervously chew at the pen lid. Her eyes drifting to the window and outside to the darkened street. Then, just across, where Max was most likely asleep.

****


Max lay in his bed, unable to sleep. He tossed and turned repeatedly. Then muttering a few obscenities picked up the pillow from behind his head, squeezing it together and fluffing it, before throwing it back behind him. Yeah. Right. Like that was the problem. Unceremoniously, his eyes drifted to his curtain-less window and then at the apartment building opposite it. Light was emitted from the window that he sneaked glances at a little too often. He wondered if just like him she was unable to sleep too.

Groaning he sat up, fisting his hands up beside him. He had to do something about that nagging voice in his head. This so called attraction he felt for Liz was driving him insane, crazy. He thought about her all the time. Wanted to spend every breathing minute in her company, he was totally obsessed. He couldn’t even eat, sleep. Was that even right? Was it even normal to be so infatuated with another? Especially when you had a fiancée.

His fiancée.

Max gulped. What was he even thinking? Traitorous thoughts clouded his even in Tess’company and guiltily; many times he had to stop himself from yelling Liz’s name, in moments of passion between the two of them. Even though his attraction to Liz felt like the most normal thing in the world, he couldn’t help but wonder if what he was doing was wrong. If what he felt was wrong. After all if it were him and the tables where turned, he’d never have forgiven Tess, what made it any different for him?

Tess was pretty, intelligent and someone he had known for so long. Someone he whole family approved of, someone that everyone he knew expected him to get married to. But now one thing was alarmingly clear. More clear then anything had been in his life. Tess was not Liz.

Turning to the answering machine he pressed the button, the bleeping sound marking the beginning of the messages she had left him earlier that day.

Morning sweetheart. Rise and shine. It’s a beautiful morning here in Cali. You will not believe who I met at Daddy’s office today. Remember, Tommy Jenkins? I’m sure you’ll remember him as the rich stockbroker who proposed the same time you did. We had quite a chat and he’s invested in so much since we last saw him. He must have dollars coming out of his ears by now.


Beep.

Max, Mommy and I are out shopping just wondered I you’d prefer Green Gucci or Grey Versace shirt. I know you’re averse to spending so much money on shirts, but its my treat. Ok?

Beep.

I bought the Green Gucci one. Can’t wait to get it on you. Its beyond cute

Beep.

Honey where are you? I just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you.”

Beep.

“Max… Where the hell are you, how much does it take for a ring back? Where have you been all day? My cells switched on all night if you need me.


Silience followed the last beep and Max scratched the back of his neck, watching as the light in Liz’s apartment was switched off.

Tess was not Liz.

****


June 2005



Max studied the colour he had just mixed up in the palette then compared it to the sample rusty copper coloured card in his hand. “Hmm, how about this…its lighter then the other—Liz?” with the palette in his hand, he stood up, making his way around to stand in front of her.

Liz had spaced out on him again. She had been doing that frequently over the last couple of weeks, like she had something on her mind. Even though she was pretty open with him. This was something she wasn’t sharing with him, no matter how much he prompted and prodded for information. Whenever he asked, she told him it was nothing. He guessed it was quite possibly some worry nagging her about the baby. He wished she would just tell him, so he could help.

“Oh,” Liz looked surprised to see Max’s figure in front of her, “She glanced at the palette in his hand vaguely seeing it, ”Sure its fine,” she waved him off.

“You okay?” he queried, thinking she looked adorable in her loose fitting, paint covered dungarees and matching blue bandana to cover her hair.

“I’m fine!” she said transparently, failing to meet his eyes once again. “I’m just going to get started on this wall okay?” she pulled the ladder closer to the wall next to the apartment door and began climbing it.

“Whoa, hold on,” Max leapt toward her, just as she placed her foot on the first step, “I don’t think you should be doing that”

“Doing what?” Liz asked, confused.

“Climbing ladders”

“Oh come on Max, don’t do a Maria on me,” she bit, “Pregnancy hasn’t crippled me, so much that I’m incapable of climbing ladders.” Her voice softened, when he looked taken a back, unfortunately she had taken to snapping at people a lot lately. Liz smiled, “I’ll be fine, I’m not big enough to topple it over with my weight yet.”

There was definitely something on her mind, he guessed he'd have to bring it up with Maria later. Ignoring her groans and moans of protest, he double checked everything was secure and latched in place before taking a step back, “Be careful,” he said, giving her a stern look.

“Okay Dad. Whatever you say Dad.” she said rolled her eyes and saluted him before making her way up.

Liz pulled the yellow-based paint pot closer as she got the top of the ladder and dipped the brush inside, throwing half a look at Max who had turned back to mixing on the palette. He had been insistent in helping her redecorate her place. Only along with it, he had completely taken over, calling the shots, whilst she just nodded dumbly to everything he said. Not that she minded. It was shaping up pretty well. He hadn’t been lying when he had said he knew his stuff.

But yet, around him, she was totally on edge. The anxiousness that clouded her was turning into suffocation. It was sending her life into frenzy. She hadn’t mentioned it to anyone, yet it was the only thing she could think about. There wasn’t a moment that passed by, where Liz didn’t think about the consequences that would occur if Max turned out to be the father of her baby. The situation that she had one thought ridiculous was beginning to feel more real then anything. She couldn’t stop thinking about the similarities of the donor and Max. No one had that many similarities…unless they were the same person.

But she couldn’t tell him. She was afraid, how would she do it? Liz envisioned herself just trotting up to him one day and saying, ‘hey Max, nothing to worry about. I’m just going to have your baby. It’s okay though. You carry on with your life. Me and you child will just be across the street if you need us?” It would change everything, completely. Her life. His life. Quite possibly the way they saw one another. On her part that would be totally unfair.


Liz couldn’t help but wonder why fate was being so cruel. He hadn’t asked for this. She hadn’t asked for this. She had asked for anonymity. All she had ever wanted was for herself and baby to be happy. And if she knew the father lived just across from them, she’d never be able to keep that from her child. But then, if she revealed all, the price she’d have to pay would be extortionate.

As she stirred the paint, looking into the far off distance, trying to sort through the tremulous emotions going through her. The paintbrush dropped from her hand and onto the floor with a loud clatter. “Christ!”

Max turned around and looked up at Liz and the paintbrush on the floor. Thankgod, he'd remembered to cover it with news paper earlier. Shaking his head, he picked ihe brush up, as she climbed down the ladder to meet him, “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong with you today?” she was even more jumpy then usual.

“Nothing,” Liz denied quickly. Avoiding his penetrating stare, yet not looking at the brush either, she grappled for it grabbing the wrong end and ending up with paint all over her hands. Great,” she moaned as the brush clattered against the floor again. Her temper rising, to match her mood. Was anything going to go right today? “Even Marcus would be better at this redecorating shit then me,”

Max couldn’t help but smile at her. Holding her hands in front of her, a pissed off expression on her face, just made her look even more adorable. “Come on Liz, your not that bad…just a little unpolished,”

“I’m worse!” she lamented, “You’ve been slaving away for free, whilst I’ve done nothing but get in your damn way.”


“Your not in the way.” he denied. “Why don’t you get yourself some coffee or herbal tea or something?”

He expected her to have a coffee, whilst he did all the work? “Max. You’ve been working all morning too. You haven’t had one break either.”

Max looked down at her belly, he was about to tell her circumstances were different. But the dangerous expression on her face caused him to keep quiet, he knew how she hated people using her pregnancy as an excuse for anything. “Your not in the way…really.” He assured.

Liz had the hugest urge to stamp her foot. “And why do you have to be so laidback about everything?”

“I’m sorry.” He muttered turning around to pick the palette up.

“No.” she pointed at his back. “Don’t say that.” There was nothing to apologise about.

“Sorry,” he said shrugging his shoulders and turning back around, confused. What did she want from him?

“God” Liz squatted in sitting position, placing her head on her hands. She couldn’t believe herself. She was yelling at Max for absolutely no reason. Max who had spent day and night, for the last month helping her out with apartment. Max had helped pick out every single colour and almost every piece of furniture on order, as well as driving her to furnishing and DIY stores whenever she needed him. Max who had heard her moan, gripe and bitch, about everything and everyone without a word. Max, her shoulder to cry on.

Shaking her head at herself, she leant against the ladder went to wipe a stray hair that had come loose from her bandanna, to feel something yellow and damp trickle down. Liz stood up straight, when Max tried to hide the grin taking over his face, yet without saying a word he turned his profile toward her and began painting around the ledge.

Liz stood staring at him suspiciously. Her arms crossed. “What?” she finally said.

“Hmm?” Max looked up from what he was doing.

“I said, what were you laughing at?”

“Nothing.”

“Right.” Liz glared at him.

“So Liz, the canary looks in right?”

“Huh?” she asked, eyebrows furrowing.

Putting his palette down he came up behind her and twirled her around to face the large mirror behind her. Liz’s gasped, her mouth falling open. The right side of her face was covered in paint. And the left side was now growing a brighter red with steady embarrassment. She glanced at him in the mirror, standing behind her with his hands resting on her shoulders and an evil smile played itself away cross her face.

“Its so in, that I think everyone should have it,” Before he had time to digest what was happening, she caught him off guard, running her yellow stained hands through his hair all over his face. Max was only stunned for a second before he too dipped his hands in the nearest pot of paint and gave as good as he got. Just minutes later they were laughing and rolling across the floor, grabbing at each other, tugging, pulling. Max had now grabbed a paintbrush and was flicking her with paint, aswell as trying to defend himself from attack-- as she lavishly pressed her paint covered hands on every bare inch of his skin.

They came to halt, Max crouching on top of her, his hands, spread over her face, spreading the yellow paint as evenly as possible. “Stop!” Liz yelled, shaking her head from side to side, “I call a truce, time out. Okay…Max! Stop”

“Take that.” He laughed, messing up her hair, “How do you like a taste of your own medicine?”

Gasping, his eyes stopped on her as she peered at him from beneath her lashes. Her hair a tumble of waves, her bandanna was now lying a few feet away from them in the scuffle.

Max grinned crookedly. “You have paint…” he breathlessly, ran his finger down her cheek, stopping at her lips, lingering on the softness of her mouth, “…here,” he wiped the excess blob paint from her face, even though it made little difference.

“You have paint here,” Liz mimicked. Her eyes now steadfast, locked with his as she reached up wipe a blob of paint of his nose. Giggling at herself, she made a movement to get up, but stilled when Max made no effort to get off her. His weight continued to pin her down to the ground.

Liz lay back again, noticing once again, how intensely he was looking at her. It made her tremble and suddenly she was fully aware of the proximity between them. The closeness of their faces. Their bodies melded tightly against one another. Her own, totally surrendered beneath his. She could feel his heart beat speeding up in rhythm to hers. His finger now drawing small circles on her bottom lip and Liz had to fight with all control she had to stop from snaking her tongue out and licking it, just to catch a small taste of him.

Max did the only thing that he could at that point. The thing he had dreamed about for so long now. He leant forward, his eyes refocusing from her eyes to her mouth. His breath mingling with hers in pleasurable satisfaction, he brushed his lips against hers softly, lightly.

The gentle butterfly caress of his lips against hers, made her close her eyes. She had hardly felt the near kiss, yet it was the most beautiful thing she had ever experienced. Her whole body felt as light as the small brush of his lips against hers had been. Liz wanted to remain in that moment forever. When her eyes opened, Max was looking at her, with darkened pupils. A look of pure want, pure need. A look that made the breath rush from her lungs as well as bringing her back to ground with cold, harsh logic. When he swept down again, she turned her head to the side, feeling his lips brush against her cheek. The longing in the pit of her stomach, not going un-noticed. A longing of something she would never have.

The smallest pf pushes against his chest, made him move back and sit up, Liz following closely behind.

They sat for a while. Words weren’t needed to explain what had happened between them. Silence stretched on as guilty eyes gave it all way.

Max pushed his hands through his paint filled hair. He hadn’t meant for that to happen, yet part of him was glad it had. It must mean something that he was unable to keep his hands off her, to stop himself touching her. Perhaps it was time to say what he had kept inside him for so long. Liz had turned down every single time he had asked her out. Yet he wouldn’t let himself believe that she felt nothing at all for him. He wasn’t that irrational. Just as he was about to open his mouth, she interrupted him.

“I’ll, um go clean up,” trembling she got and wondered aimlessly into her bedroom. She knew, deep inside her thumping heart, that if he had kissed her then, she wouldn’t have been able to stop herself from giving him whatever he asked of her. What had she become? Just like Maria had said, a home wrecker. One of those people that she hated and blamed for ruining her life.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

Liz twirled around to the doorway. Even his paint covered face and clothes did nothing to lighten her sombre mood. She looked at the ground and back up at him, trying to lighten her expression.

Telling hersself it could be sorted, it was just a misunderstanding. She forced out a smile, "What, Max?”

Max was surprised at the suddenly detached tone of her voice. He had a feeling, if he hadn’t bought this up. Liz would have let this pass like nothing had happened. Yet it had. It had happened; the first time he had saw her on Michael’s front porch, that night at the club. It happened again today. It had happened every time she was in his close company. If he didn’t do something, he was going to either going explode or die very unhappy man.

“Liz,” he murmured, walking further into the bedroom toward her, “This is really hard to explain. For a long time I’ve been putting this off…just hoping that I'm being irrational. If I was, it’d probably be easier for both of us…but what happened in there,” he paused.

NO. Panicking Liz shook her head. No. She couldn’t do this. “Max…” she cut him off. Knowing he’d understand what she meant, pleading with her eyes to not say it. Some things were better left unsaid.

“Let me finish Liz,” he strode toward her, desperate now. “ These feelings between you and I. Me and you…”

“Max please don’t.” her voice coming out harsher then intended. It would change everything. She didn’t want to spoil the growing friendship between the both of them; she didn’t want to wreck what he had with Tess.

Hearing the apartment door slam made her turn quickly.

“Liz, I’ve bought ice-cream!”

Alex. Liz had never been so glad to have him here.

Max stood deftly, staring at her. Why. He wanted to ask. They both knew what was between them. What difference would it make bringing it to the open? Max had battled with these feelings a long time now. It wasn’t his fault that they wouldn’t go away. He was willing to do anything now. Admit his feelings for Liz, even break up with Tess.

“Yeah, uh,” Looking at him and back toward the Alex’s voice, Liz frantically brushed past him into the kitchen. “Just chuck it in the freezer...”

Alex closed the freezer door, his eyes landing on her paint covered attire, “Nice, look Liz, Tweety been giving you fashion tips?”

Liz let out a small fake laugh, shuffling her feet uncomfortably. Running her hand through her hair nervously when Alex’s eyes landed behind her. His face turning into an amused smirk, “Must I remind you two that it’s the walls and not each other, you should be painting?”

Max gave him a small smile, glancing at Liz.. He had no idea why Liz was so unwilling to talk to him, but it was childish and unfair. Especially when he cared for her and she obviously cared for him too. “I’m, um going to go,” he said, hoping that she would somehow acknowledge him. His desire to talk to her was huge, he just wanted to let her know how many sleepless nights she was giving him. Wanted to know if the feelings were mutual.

“Don’t go on my account,” Alex said.

“No. I was about to go anyway…things to do,” he said slowly, continuing to stare at Liz’s back fruitlessly, before turning away. “Bye Alex, Liz”

“Bye,” Liz turned around, but by that time he was already gone.

“So today I walk into the dark room and you will not believe that sight that meets my eyes,”

Liz shrugged. “What?” She reached for a kitchen towel, wiping at her face with it. Her heart was still hammering crazily in her chest, she couldn’t believe what Max had been about to do. She couldn’t afford him doing something like that. Especially with so much at stake. She’d just have to make sure that nothing like that happened between them again.

“Isabel making out with the senior photographer”

Liz scrunched her eyes, “Jez?”

Alex nodded, looking bummed.

“I’m really sorry Alex,” Liz said knowing how much Alex adored Isabel. She was the only topic of their conversation for the last month.

“The utterly disgusting thing about it. Besides that fact he’s not me, is that Jez is 20 years her senior. He might be rich, but damn.” He punched his fist against the counter top, “I want to kill him,”

“There’s plenty more fish in the sea, Alex,”

“I don’t care. I liked this fish Liz. Its like, when you know someone’s right for you, that, that’s the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with, that’s the person that just fills your day with sunshine…” Alex sighed. “I don’t know how. But you just know…”

For some reason knowing exactly what he meant.

“Ugh, do you mind if I take that ice cream back out?” leaning down he pulled out the tub from the freezer again “Did you sort things with Kyle yet?”

Liz shook her head, only half listening to what he was saying. “No.”

“You sure you okay, Liz?” Alex eyed her.
.
“Fine,” she mumbled. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“He’s smitten you know,”

Liz eyes flared open and she half stumbled backward.“W-who?”

“Kyle. Who did you think I was talking about?” he asked, pulling the spoon out of his mouth.

Liz brightened, “Oh I thought…” she gulped, shaking her head. “You know there was a reason Kyle and I broke up. Its because we didn’t get on,” she walked into the living room, shoving news papers out of the way to sit down.

“Was that really the reason?”

“Yes,” Liz wondered what he was getting at.

“Or was it because you’re too afraid of commitment?”

“What are you talking about Alex?” Liz hissed.

“Sean Liz. He messed you up. Your scared that whatever happened in the past will happen again. You gave your whole heart to him and he stomped on it, broke it and your scared it’ll happen with someone you really care about. But you can’t live in fear like this forever. There’s someone out there for you. It wasn’t Sean,”

Liz shook her head. “First this has nothing to do with Sean. And your right. It wasn’t Sean and it isn’t Kyle,”

“Fine,” Alex gave her a pointed look, “Who is it then?"

“Its…no one,” chewing at her bottom lip, she stood up, feeling Alex’s gaze boring into her back as she walked over to the window.