Roswell Fanatics

Hey all, a lot of flashbacks in this one. Though they’ll be getting less as Max and Liz begin to meet up more

I know I've got all the prom and final dates mixed up, but forgive me! I'm british! (my excuse for everything btw...


Time Changes Everything

Chapter 11



Liz frantically shoved as many clothes as she could get into her mid-sized luggage case. She didn’t care that her Mom was standing above her disapprovingly, arms crossed and glaring. Nancy’s eyes were slit into angry lines, yet when she spoke there was more than anger in her tone.

Her Mom was fearful and sad. It actually surprised Liz. Nancy wasn’t one to wear her heart on her sleeve

“Think this through honey…please don’t be so rash.” Nancy pleaded.

Nancy knew well enough how stubborn her daughter was. She also knew that once Liz had made up her mind, the world would turn upside down before she even considered changing it. But all the same, there was no way Nancy was going to stop trying. She didn’t want Liz to go. She was her only daughter and the only family she had here in Roswell.

“I have,” Liz said simply. “and I’m going.”

She moved past her mother to the nearest dresser and pulled out a handful of underwear and lingerie, throwing into her luggage case.

“Don’t worry about me Mom, I’ll be fine.” Liz smiled trying to reassure her mother, but she knew her smile didn’t meet her eyes.

There was no way she was going to stay here though. There was no way that she could do this anymore. Maybe she was being selfish, stubborn and irrational- all the adjectives that her Mother had called her in frustration, earlier. But Liz had to get away before her world became even more tattered and torn than it was now.

And only Liz knew how torn it was right now.

How naïve Liz had been. She hadn’t realized that love was like a physical ache that took over your body, being and self all at once. It had grasped her so tight that she couldn’t think about anything but him anymore. It had gotten so bad, that she had started to imagine herself in Serena’s place.

She had started to imagine what it would feel like to have Max Evans run his hands through her hair in that slow, sensuous way he did with Serena, or have him kiss her on the neck, and play passionate with her lips. She had begun to imagine waking up with his fabulous arms around her naked and spent body.

Sure, Max had stayed over and often even slept in the same bed as her, but Liz had never felt anything as half as intense as what she felt when she was around him nowadays. She was actually scared that she might lose control one day – and do something she might regret. In fact she was sure she was going to do something regrettable soon. There was no rational thinking around Max Evans anymore.

So that’s why Liz had to go. To protect herself from the hurt. To stop herself causing anymore pain to herself and others.

Hell, it wasn’t like she didn’t have enough to regret already.

Nancy slumped onto the bed with a sigh. “That boy… I knew he would hurt you. I could see it coming a mile off…why didn’t I do more to stop it… why?”

Liz straightened, startled. “It’s nothing to do with Max…Its all me.”

She didn’t want her mother holding grudges against Max when he was totally clueless. It wasn’t his fault. It was her. She was crazy…stupid… enamoured…

…. and crazily in love with him.

“Lizzie, baby….please tell me what happened! Why are you going like this… what did he do?” Her mom continued desperately, refusing to let it go, “are you pregnant?...did he get you pregnant?...you have to tell me, even if you want to keep it…we’ll work something out.”

“Mom!” Liz cried in disbelief. What did she have to do for her mother to believe that she hadn’t had sex with Max!

“Really Liz, when was your last period?”

“Oh god… just stop it, mom!”

Did her mother ever listen to anything she said about Max?

Rolling her eyes she turned away and back into her wardrobe. The clock struck seven and that reminded her that Max hadn’t even called….it wasn’t like she was going to answer, but that was beside that point. After all it was prom night. Max and Liz always went together to prom every year. Even when they had dates.

Her eyes began to water. She wished her Mom would get out of here before she collapsed in hysterics. She needed to be alone, but from the looks of it, her mom wasn’t going anywhere too soon.

She hated the way he made her feel. She hated Max Evans!

“Liz, what about your finals-“ her mom began again, but was cut off by the door bell. “I’ll get that –“ Nancy stood up reluctantly, eyeing Liz the whole way to the door, like her daughter might make a run for it, out of the window or something. In fact, that was exactly what Liz felt like doing and she was so glad when her mom walked out and let her have some peace, space and damned quiet.

Liz was just zipping up her bag, when she heard him. It was Max and he was rioting with her mother to let him in. Nancy of course was reluctant, she didn’t like to let him in on the days when Liz hadn’t decide to leave home.

Liz quickly shoved her luggage bag under her bed and hoped her mom would be successful in getting him to leave. She didn’t want to see him right now. However, five minutes later she could still hear voices downstairs.

Curiously Liz took a step outside and into the hallway. She could make out Max’s dark hair outside the front door as he continued his verbal struggle with Nancy. He was wearing a black suit. Her Mom was holding tightly onto the front door with one arm, blocking his entrance.

“Look, Nancy, you have to let me see her.”

“I told you Max, she’s busy…now go along to the prom and I’ll see you —“ Nancy made an attempt to close the door, but Max placed his hand on it shoving it back open.

“Nancy, where is she? Is she okay…she’s not answering any of my calls…”

Max looked up and his eyes connected with Liz’s before she could move back into the shadows.

“Liz!” he groaned a sigh of relief, dodging past a caught off guard Nancy and into the house. He climbed up the staircase two at a time and made his way into her room.

Liz sighed tiredly and followed, closing the door behind her, she turned to face him. He looked magnificent, much older and polished up in his prom suit. Grunge, polished, or in tatters, Max always looked fantastic to Liz.

“What do you want Max?”

“Why aren’t you answering my calls… are you okay?” He took quick steps toward her and Liz took an instant step back, away from him, trying to retain the distance she had managed over the last few days.

“I’m fine.”

This did nothing to qualm Max’s curious expression. Instead he looked even more confused. Liz decided she didn’t want too many questions from him, so she resorted to the oldest trick in the book. “I have a really bad case of period pains and I don’t want to talk to anyone.”

“For that last five days?”

“Yes.”

She supposed that would keep him quiet, yet his worried expression had heightened. “Do you want me to take you to the doctor?”

Liz rolled her eyes, and played with the threads on her curtains. “Aren’t you going to the prom?”

“Only if you are.”

“What?” Liz couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing.

“I’m not going if you’re ill.” Max confirmed, making himself comfortable on her bed, as he undid his jacket and threw it behind him.

“Isn’t Serena waiting for you or something?”

“I’m sure she’ll understand.” He answered nonchalantly.

Liz was unsure if he was being serious. She turned toward him, exasperated. “Max… you can’t ditch Serena on her first prom ever at Roswell High, albeit it's obviously going to be crap… it’s just against all girl- boy rules.”

Max shrugged, “I hate the prom anyway.”

Liz bit her lip in utter vexation. She hated it when he put her in a difficult situation like this. Why couldn’t he just get that she didn’t want damn well go?!

“Why are you doing this?”

“Doing what?”

“Please don’t.” Liz moaned, trying to stop her voice shaking from emotion. “Look, I want you to go …and you don’t need me around. I mean, I don’t feel like going…so please just go have fun okay?”

Liz closed her eyes tight. Please. Just go and leave me to my miserable and lonely existence.

Max grasped her hand before she walked away. “Fun for me is hanging out with you, Liz. That’s what makes me happy. Not going to the shitty prom.”

Liz stared at him. Was he SERIOUSLY thinking of ditching Serena and the prom, for Liz in an ugly tracksuit and greasy, unwashed hair?

She watched helplessly as Max stood up and unbuttoned the top collar of his shirt. He stretched a little and Liz almost melted at the way the muscles of his taught stomach hit the white material.

“Okay I’ll tell you what? I’ll give Serena a call and get Tommy to pick her up, then I’ll go get some ice-cream and rent a couple of movies and we’ll just chill. I kinda miss sleeping here anyway.”

Liz opened her mouth and closed it again, unsure of what to say.

This was all so…wrong.

It was wrong of Max to sleep here when he had a steady girlfriend of his own. It was wrong for Max to ditch Serena, when she was ready and waiting for him, just because Liz was having a tantrum. It was wrong for Liz to feel so utterly turned on as her best friend stood in her bedroom wearing black pants and an unbuttoned white shirt, whilst he casually talked to her in his “friendly” manner….

…It was wrong for him walk in here and claim Liz’s life and room like it was his own. It was wrong for her to accept that behaviour from him without question.

“I…” Liz began as Max looked down at her expectantly. It was so tempting to forget about the world, to just snuggle in his arms and take in his scent as they watched some crappy rented movie and talked about what they had missed over the last few days.

She was so close to losing it all, that claiming it back seemed like the biggest treat in the world. It would be so easy to cause animosity between Serena and Max by asking him to stay, whilst Serena waited for him in that beautiful white dress she had purchased in the mall two weeks ago. It would be so easy today, to simply spill her feelings, just because she was going to lose it all anyway. It was probably her last chance to change her own destiny…but at what cost?

Liz smiled bitter sweetly at his questioning expression, “Let me find a dress.”

****


Max sat in the front yard, in reminiscent thought. He hadn’t had time to actually sit and ‘think’ in a long time. He wasn’t entirely sure if that was a good or bad thing. But here he was, after driving Miriam to Lucy’s place because apparently his daughter had some ‘urgent matters’ to discuss with her best friend, and now he was alone. It was eerily quiet for evening time, and he wished there were more noise. As well as many other qualities, his daughters laughter bought with it distraction and he was already missing that.

Max was still in shock over Liz Parker. He had found her! And after finding her he was sitting alone in his front yard, with yet again no contact details. He remembered the meeting earlier that day only vaguely. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but he knew there had been a lot of distance.

Who would have thought Max Evans and Liz Parker would ever be so distant? Liz had always been a part of him as far back as he could recall. Liz was a part of his earliest memories, and then, there was this blank place in his life. The last ten years…all that time without her.

Serena had tried to fill the hole for a while, but even she had left him after eighteen months together.

Pancreatic cancer.

By that Miriam was born it had spread too far to be stopped by chemotherapy. Survival rates were low as it was. She had known she was dying, and hadn’t even been bothered by it.




Max stood outside darkened room, lit by nothing but a small table lamp that threw a darkened, orange tinted shadow on his wife and six week old baby girl.

He watched from the doorway, as Serena sat in the rocking chair, covered in a heavy blanket, singing a lullaby to their sleeping daughter. Serena was weakened and on the brink, yet he had never seen as much vitality in her as he saw in her now, as she touched her child’s face, lips, and hands with a fervency that could only come from someone desperate to know their child before she was dragged away from her forever.

Max blinked away the forming tears, and coughed to acknowledge Serena of his presence.

She turned toward him, thin and frail, only a caricature of before. “Hey, baby, come here.”

Max walked toward her and kneeled down next to the rocking chair, he grasped her small fingers in his. “How are you?”

She looked so feeble and fragile and he hated that he couldn’t do anything to help her.

She smiled at him knowingly, “Not long left now...”

“Serena.” Max warned. He hated it when she started like this.

She placed a finger on his lips. “You’ll be fine.”

Max shook his head. Unable to stop his eyes filling up, he turned away, but the wetness seemed to run down his face anyway. “Please… don’t go. I can’t… don’t leave me Serena…please.”

His voice was helpless, desperate and burdened with a small plea of hope. Almost as if she had wanted to enough, she could make herself stay. He had only known her for two and half years. There was a whole life time left yet. Why was this happening? Why?!

Apart from the birth of his daughter the last year had been complete and utter chaos for Max. First Liz, now Serena. Half the time he couldn’t even tell if he was coming or going. Why was god punishing him like this? What had he done?

Like she was reading his mind, Serena said wistfully. “Everything happens for a reason Max.” She looked toward her sleeping daughter with admiration. “I think our reason is here, in my arms.”

Max shook his head in denial. That was all he seemed to be able to nowadays “No-“

Serena continued, “I know it will be hard at first, but it will be okay, I promise you.” she leaned in and dropped a small kiss on his forehead and despite himself, Max felt a little soothed.

“…can you open that for me?” Serena pointed toward the nearest drawer. Max leaned over and Serena nodded when Max’s hand touched the soft leather of a journal.

“I wrote some things that I want Miriam to know. Will you give it to her for me?”

Max shook his head, no and grasped Serena’s fingers even more tightly. “I won’t. I won’t need to…because you’ll be here. You’re not going anywhere.”

Serena looked at him sadly and held him, as he buried himself in her lap and cried.

Max clenched his jaw tightly. It had been ten years now. He still missed her kindness, her wisdom and her words… but now, the sadness was replaced by a kind of peace. She had left a huge part of her wisdom in his life, and even if she only been with him for a short while he would always remember her.

Whilst Serena had been dragged away from him, Liz had just decided to walk out. Max had always wondered how Liz could do that to him and he still held a little resentment toward her for doing it. When Liz had gone it had been like a death, but without any firm resolution.

Was she gone forever like Serena? Was she coming back?... Did she even care? The wondering had just killed him.

Liz was the only one that knew him like no other. Liz had been the only one that he would have grabbed the moon for, if he could. She was the only one he thought about every single day without fail. She was the only one he loved so much but resented so much at the same time.

So why had she done this to him?

*****




Liz watched from above her punch cup. Serena was by far the most beautiful and elegant girl at the prom. When she had appeared on her front door step wearing an elegant pure white dress to match swaths of flawless skin and lights curls that dropped on to her dainty shoulders, Max wasn’t the only one that had gasped out loud. Liz thought she looked like an angel that had descended from the heavens. At that moment she nearly didn’t blame Max for falling for Serena.

Things had changed a little since then. Now, as she watched them dance, pure jealousy burned through her skin. They were close, bodies melded together in rhythm; they glanced into each others eyes, whispered sweet nothings and laughed. Liz watched as Max slowly ran his hand down Serena’s back and then up again. There was no guessing as to what they’d be doing tonight.

And to think… she could have missed all this to have him sleep by her side and hold her all night. Though the big question was, would he really have missed all this for her?

Perhaps he had just been lying. Perhaps he really wouldn’t have stayed behind with her with a tub of ice cream and a movie. It had all been a ploy to get her to the prom and make himself feel less guilty.

Liz could feel tears stinging her eyes again. She looked around helplessly.

“Liz, come dance with me.”

Liz came face to face with her blonde haired lab partner, Brett.

“Oh…” she wiped at her eyes. It was better than watching them. “Oh –ok-“

“Sorry, buddy I’ve got dibs for the next dance…”

Liz stared helplessly at Brett’s falling face as Max dragged her into his arms.

“Hey.” She said a little annoyed. “Why’d you that for?”

“I haven’t danced with you all evening, Parker.” Max smiled down at her in that charming way of his and Liz could already feel herself drowning into his golden eyes. “You weren’t gunna brush me off for that dweeb were you?”

“What is your problem with Brett?” Liz sighed. Max had, had a problem with Brett ever since he had become her lab partner and was constantly treating him off handedly. Liz always had a thousand questions to answer to, whenever she had a class with Brett. Max almost acted…jealous.

“…and anyway where’s Serena?” Liz wondered out loud.

“To the first question - no problem. He just shouldn’t get in my way when I want to dance with you and to the second question, she’s dancing with Aaron.”

Liz’s eyes travelled to Serena and Aaron across the crowd, when she turned back, Max was looking at her a little strangely.

Liz felt herself blush. She often caught him giving her an unnameable look when she wasn’t looking. This time, she widened her eyes at him brazenly. “What is it Max?”

Max shook himself off. “Uh, I kind of wanted to ask you something.”

Liz’s heartbeat fastened a notch, “What?”

“I was… well, is everything okay, Liz? You’ve been acting really distant and… well, if there’s a problem just, you know… I’m here.” He looked down at her and then blushed wildly.

Liz smiled, “that’s sweet.”

Max was still looking at her eyebrows raised, “So…”

“Oh, there’s no problem.” Liz felt something catch in her throat and she coughed slightly to let it out.

“Good.” Max said unsurely.

His fingers slowly traced her cheek, and Liz instantly closed her eyes at his touch, trying to stop herself from moaning out loud. It sent shivers down her spine. It was like he was teasing her!

“’cuz, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Her eyes flew open. Where did that come from? “…why do you say that?” she asked cautiously.

Max seemed unhindered by her surprise as he slowly kissed her forehead. “I dunno… you’ve been not around…and I was thinking how much I miss you…”

Liz bit her lip, wondering if her guilt was written all over her features, but she had to do this. She hoped that one day he would understand and if he didn’t…atleast he’d be happy.

Max’s eyes were wide. He was still waiting for an answer or some kind of confirmation from her.

Liz placed her fingers on his lips. “Listen to the song.”


Liz closed her eyes and cushioned herself against his chest as they danced together in a rhythm that was unique to only them. Max’s hands lay solid and unmoving on her hips, whilst Liz wished she could stay in that place that made her feel so warm and protected forever. That was right here in his arms.


I've been loving you too long to stop now
There were time and you want to be free
My love is growing stronger, as you become a habit to me
Oh I've been loving you a little too long
I don’t wanna stop now, oh
With you my life,
Has been so wonderful
I can't stop now

There were times and your love is growing cold
My love is growing stronger as our affair grows old
I've been loving you a little too long, long,
I don't want to stop now
oh, oh, oh
I've been loving you a little bit too long
I don't wanna stop now
No, no, no

Don't make me stop now
No baby
I'm down on my knees Please, don't make me stop now
I love you, I love you,
I love you with all of my heart
And I can't stop now
Don't make me stop now
Please, please don't make me stop now
Good god almighty I love you
I love you, I love you, I love you
I love you, I love you
I love you in so many different ways...
I love you in so many different ways....


She was going to miss him too.

Morning Dreamgirl wrote:Just read that you graduated... Congratulations!

Now you just have to worry about the rest of your life! YAY!

Ashley

Thats exactly my worry. If only we could stay in the ignorance called college forever. Gathering debt, and sleeping in!

Mezz: I think it worked!




Time Changes Everything

Chapter 12

Max roamed the corridors like a homeless man in search of shelter. He had been roaming aimlessly forever now. Where was she? He had left for another dance with Serena and then Liz had disappeared. She had been gone for the last thirty minutes and in that time Max had searched out every square inch of school. Liz was nowhere to be seen.

The only place he hadn’t looked was the playing fields. But Liz wouldn’t be out in the playing fields. There were only two types of people who went out on the playing fields at this time. One, the over enthusiastic athletes and two, horny teens looking for a good time….

Max turned and was running, leaving the echo of the prom music behind him.

Liz had been seen last with Brett. He knew too well about Thomazin’s reputation with the girls. He also had heard a fair amount about the bottles of whiskey that the guy snuck around at dances to ‘loosen’ them up before he took them up to the playing field.

Out of breath and frantic, Max jogged around the playing fields, scanning. He hoped he was wrong. He hoped that Liz was taking her good time in the girl’s bathroom. But dread hit him like a pile of rocks when he caught sight of a dark and blonde head melded together on the top bleacher.

Max stopped.

What he felt wasn’t dissimilar to a heavy knock to the ground during football training. The air is forcefully pulled from your lungs and you lie on the grass seeing red stars. That was exactly what Max felt when he saw Brett’s hands in Liz’s hair, the straps of her dress falling down her arms as they vehemently kissed. The kiss was fierce…almost angry.

This made Max extremely angry. Fists clenched, he started up the bleachers – two sometimes three steps at a time. Not once did Liz or Brett look up from their secret tryst, which only worked to add fuel to Max’s fire.

Max was unaware of why he was angry. All that he knew was that he was seeing red and when Brett put his hand down Liz’s top Max lost any cool that might have allowed him to keep it together. Grabbing the boy from behind, he flung him away from Liz, not caring in the slightest when Brett let out a small yelp as he hit the side of the fence and fell onto the closest step.

Liz jumped up at the sudden intrusion, startled. First surprise and then horror came over her features. Max looked like someone completely different and it scared her. She had never seen such a thundering expression on his face or such anger in his eyes.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Max yelled breaking the millisecond of quiet.

Brad spluttered, and ran his hands through his hair still shocked at suddenly being thrown against the fence.

Liz opened and then closed her mouth in misplaced, yet extreme guilt. She felt like she had been caught doing something that she wasn’t meant to and the pain in Max’s eyes didn’t make it any better. She quickly began straightening out her dress unable to say anything that might match Max’s anger.

Actually she was unsure about what she was doing out here with Brett. All she knew was that it had all gotten a little too much in the dance room – and Brad had been the next caring and tentative body.

Brett suddenly stood up, regaining his composure and shoved at Max’s back with all his might. “No.” Quiet rage was apparent in his tone.

Max looked into the smaller boys eyes. “No?”

“No.” Brett answered seething. “The question is – what the fuck are YOU doing?”

“I’m protecting my friend,” Max answered gregariously. “keep away from her.”

“How about if I don’t?”

Max could feel burning in his veins at Brett’s cockiness. Liz was right. He had never liked the guy and his dislike had just intensified. In fact Max could easily say he detested Brett right now, and if Max didn’t hate fights so much he would probably have beaten the crap out of him too.

“Then I’ll have to make you,” Max answered in full confidence.

Brett shook his head in repulsion. “Who do you think you are?”

“A good friend that thinks you’re no good for Liz,” Max answered tightly.

Brett shook his head. “Don’t you think Liz is capable of making her own decisions?”

“Not in this state”

“What state?” Brett shrugged, looking between Max and Liz.

“She’s drunk,” Max hammered, his fury rising. He wished Brett would go before he did something he would regret. “What’d you give her Thomazin? Whiskey? Rum? Vodka?”

“She’s sober,” Brett shook his head in annoyance, “ask her.”

Max looked at Liz disbelievingly, who nodded silently.

“And now ask her who pursued this whole thing.”

Again, Max looked at Liz in disbelief and with it uncertainty. Maybe he had jumped to conclusions too fast. But for some reason his mistake did nothing to calm the fury within him. He was just so damned angry!

Against her wishes, Liz reddened considerably in response to Max’s incisive gaze. She knew that she had every right to do whatever she wanted with Brett. She knew that besides being led by unconsidered teen emotion, she wasn’t in the wrong. Yet, the air outside had become suddenly too chilly and Liz was shivering with remorse.

A spontaneous laugh from Brett broke the sudden silence. He mock bowed before the both of them. “And there my friends lies an extremely fucked up ‘friendship’.” He emphasized the word friendship making Liz want to bury herself in the ground.

Had she really made it that obvious?

“Get outta here,” Max seethed in a deadly quiet tone.

“With all my pleasure,” Brett answered as he descended. “Just remember you can’t have your cake and eat it too Max. It just isn’t gunna work.”

“What are you trying to say?” Max questioned.

Brett didn’t bother answer as had already broken into a jog down the steps.

Max and Liz stared after him. Liz tortured with guilt and confusion and Max perplexed at his own actions.

When Max turned toward Liz. Her face was buried in her arms. He had obviously embarrassed her. “Liz… Hey, I’m sorry. I thought that he’d given you something to drink.” When she didn’t look up, Max continued, slowly walking toward her. “I just assumed y’know?.... plus he hasn’t exactly got a great reputation.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Sorry?” Max was aback at her harsh tone.

“You heard,” Liz’s head snapped up and Max realised that she was crying. Huge tears trickled down her cheeks and when she spoke she was stuttering. “you always do this. If e-ever I get close to anyone you’re always there… in the way. S-stopping it. “

“I…” Max had never looked at things from that perspective. “Are you saying I prevent you from getting close to guys?”

“Yes.”

It had never bothered Liz before. She had always loved his protection. It felt like warmth. But not anymore….Brett was right. He couldn’t have his cake and eat it too.

“That's moronic, Liz. I’m just protecting you,” Max hit back.

“You’re OVER protecting me. You have no RIGHT. Why don’t you get that I’m capable of making my own decisions!”

Max squeezed into the seat beside her, a little shocked at her outburst. “Because I care about you…”

“I care about you too.” Liz banged her fist against the bench. “But I didn’t get in the way of you and Serena!”

She wished she had. Only if she had got in the way…. things might have been so different.

“Is this what it’s about?... Serena and I? Are you doing this because I have Serena?” He could understand that him spending time with Serena was making her feel a little lonely. He had always tried to include Liz in whatever he did – but Liz wasn’t exactly making it easy for him with all the ignoring she had been doing.

“No…it’s not.” She was only half lying. It was about Max and Serena, but just not the way he thought. How could she tell him that it was HIM that was making her feel this way?

Max watched in puzzlement as Liz sat beside him and battled with forth coming tears. Altering between closing her eyes and becoming suddenly still and having sudden sobbing fits. Her face was red from exertion and he was unsure whether touching her in any way might make her explode further.

“Liz, please don’t,” he said slowly, leaning forward and wiping her falling tears, only to be brushed away.

“I c-can’t help it…”

“Please stop. Just tell me what’s wrong. I’ll help you.”

“N-n-n-o…p-please let me c-cry.”

They sat a long time. Side by side. Liz crying and Max yearning to offer comfort whilst she took none. Max was helpless and he hated every moment of it. He had always been able to offer Liz comfort easily before. There was something clearly wrong here and he wished that she would tell him…. Maybe it was Brett. But how could he talk to her? Now wasn’t a good time and recently no day had been.

“Do you want me to go and get Brett?…” Max asked finally. He’d throw his pride down the gutter if it meant Liz would stop crying.

But when she shook her head, he was lost again.

“Look, I’m sorry I don’t know what overcame me,” Max tried again. “I guess I do kinda ask too much of you. When I saw you and Brett I was angry. I’m not quite sure where it all came from, but I was boiling… I didn’t get why you were kissing him you know? But I understand that it’s up to you,” He touched her arm softly, “Please don’t cry. It makes me sad to see you like this.”

Liz looked up at him and sniffled. “He’s really nice to me. It’s nice to be h-hugged and loved and k-kissed.” Even if it was from someone else.

Max looked into her eyes. They were so beautiful, yet so full of sorrow like the work of a tortured poet.

“I understand.”

He stroked her cheek carefully and slowly moved his fingers over her lips as she stared up at him tearfully, looking intense and broken. He thought he had imagined it then. Perhaps it was the whisper of the wind, or the shuffle of some leaves. But when she said it again it was clearer then the moon in the midnight sky.

“Kiss me.”

He didn’t contemplate at her words. There was nothing to contemplate. She was sad and needy. She was weeping. She had asked it of him. She was … Liz.

His fingers slowly kneaded her cheek, and he watched, as her head fell back exotically, her eyes closing in heaving want.

The wind whistled breezily in his ears as he leant forward, pausing for a second to feel the warmth of her parted lips before slowly brushing his mouth against her soft, wet mouth. He was stilled for a moment; unable to taste anything but her breathing and the salty residue of tears that moistened his mouth.

Liz stopped breathing when his mouth touched hers. Her hiccoughing was replaced by a huge intake of breath as a few more tears trickled down her face and onto her lips. She couldn’t believe what she had asked him. She couldn’t believe that he had complied without question and finally she couldn’t believe that this was happening. It was what she had always dreamed of, but had never imagined it would take place.

It seemed like minutes had passed as they sat in unspoken unison, mouths barely touching, like the brush of cotton candy or a caress of butterfly wings. Both in heightened shock from the turbulence of emotion, yet savouring the new depths of feeling that this forbidden territory bought them.

Liz felt her palms tingle with electricity when Max adventurously nudged her lips a little more assertively. The movement was soft, yet persistent. Automatically Liz bought her hand to his face. Both mouths began to move in the rhythm of a kiss. Slow, unattended and sensual.

All Liz could hear was his breathing, his heart, his soul.

When he pulled away Liz realised that his cheeks were wet. She was still crying.

Max hoped that he hadn’t upset her even more. Perhaps Liz was thinking that this kiss would have bad repercussions on their friendship. Perhaps he should have declined. But truth be told, despite everything, he had enjoyed the kiss immensely.

Of course there had been other times when he’d thought about kissing her. Like when she lay snuggled against his chest sleeping with that peaceful smile on her face, or when she was all glowing and victorious after beating him at a basketball game, or when she was intensely concentrating on a crossword puzzle. But those thoughts had been repressed. He shouldn’t and couldn’t think about Liz like that. He was with Serena and Liz had no interest in him at all. In fact her disgust at him in a romantic sense was often clear.

Yet if she asked him to kiss her a million times over, he would do it. Simply because it might break her free from this downward spiral she seemed to be taken by over the last few weeks. Even if it made her feel the tiniest bit better… he would do it.

Max leant forward to touch Liz’s crying face, yet to his dismay she pulled back, shaking her head.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to touch her, but Liz was scared. Because she wanted more. So much more. And he simply couldn’t give it to her. Wiping the falling tears, she jumped up.

Max’s eyes followed her, in confusion. “Liz, where are you going?”

“Home.”

“Should I drop you home?“

“No. Just leave me alone.”

Max watched in silence, still touching his lips as Liz ran down the bleachers and disappeared into the night. Little did he know that this was the last night he would see her for a long time to come and once she was gone, this kiss would be the memory that would haunt him most.


****

Miriam nodded to her friend across the playing field. The nod meant that their plan was going to be put in action very, very soon. And it was about time too! Miriam didn’t think it was the best plan in the world, but after much elaborating, plotting and mulling, Lucy and Miriam had decided it was a start.

And a start was exactly what they needed.

They needed to get Miss Parker and Dad talking as soon as possible and…in anyway possible. This meant two things. It meant they had to meet and of course, this meant Miriam had to find a way for Miss Parker and her Dad to meet without making it too obvious.

Miriam nibbled her lower lip thoughtfully. Getting her Dad and Miss Parker together was only the main problem of problems. Nan was hadn’t stopped giving her those weird looks ever since parent-teacher night, so Miriam had to dodge her as well. Otherwise Nan would find out and her plan and everything would go kaput.

“Oh, come on. Are we ever going to start this?” cried Rory, breaking Miriam from her pondering.

Miriam nodded. “You’re it!” she called at Rory.

“I am not it,” Rory answered, stubbornly folding his arms.

Miriam rolled her eyes. “Yes you are.” Rory always made things so difficult for her. What was his deal? But then again, perhaps today it wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.

“Who says?” Rory said stubbornly.

“I do.”

Then Miriam started running before Rory could protest anymore. Miriam was a pretty fast runner so it wasn’t hard to get away from Rory. Her prediction was right too. Rory chased only her. Lucy had pointed it out to her – and Miriam had noticed it was true. Whenever he was ‘it’ Rory chased only Miriam.

So they ran and ran and ran. On the school field, they passed the parked cars and passed the school gates. Miriam running slightly ahead and Rory chasing only her.

She stopped suddenly and doubled over.

“Miriam…are you okay?”

Rory’s voice was unsure.

Miriam looked at him, and felt only the tiniest bit guilty when she said; “I think I’m having an asthma attack... Get Miss Parker”

Everything went faster than Miriam had expected.

Rory ran to the teacher on duty even faster than she had ever seen him run when he was ‘it’. The teachers came over and rushed her to the nurse’s office, who made her take an inhaler and then before she knew it, Miriam was waiting for Miss Parker to come and see if she was okay. Excitement was running through her veins. Her plan was working! But she was a little scared too. What if her Dad and Miss Parker decided that they didn’t want to be together? After all it had been a long time… what if they had fallen out of love?

Miriam pulled her mothers diary out of her back pack. It was reassurance, strength and hope all rolled into one. With a small smile she began to read.

Nobody is perfect.

This realisation is often hard because some of us like to think we are. Then we look back at our pasts and realise that perhaps amongst the good we tried to do, we made a mistake that changed everything. Just like the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil may cause a tornado in Texas, the change I made by embedding myself in the lives of those I came to ultimately love most, may have changed their destinies forever.

Sometimes I contemplate…

I contemplate that perhaps my largest mistake was following my heart.

-----

Serena coughed and spluttered in the washbasin and rinsed out her mouth for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning. What the hell was wrong with her? The constant dizziness, fatigue and aching bones could have been put down to her anemia a couple of months back. But now, morning sickness as well?

It seemed that it was time to book an appointment with the doctor.

Serena stumbled into her bedroom and picked up the phone. It was already ringing in her hand.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me.”

“Hey, Max.” Serena smiled, suddenly forgetting the worries that plagued her. “You manage to get through to Liz yet?” Apparently she had run off at the prom extremely upset and Max had been unable to get through to her since.

“No, but her Mom called.”

Serena sat up, screwing her brow together.

“Liz is going.”

“What? Where? ”

“I don’t know.” His voice was breathless. “She’s gone totally crazy. I have to talk her out of it… Would you mind–“

“- Of course not, I’ll drive you.”

“Thanks so much…“

“Don’t even - I’ll pick you up in five.”

***

Max ran through the hustle of airport noise looking everywhere for a sight of darkened or flame hair.

He spotted Nancy first. She was sat next to departures wiping her reddened eyes with a damp tissue. As soon as Max appeared, she jumped up and grabbed him, holding him to her chest like he was her long lost son. Serena joined them a few seconds later, almost as breathless as Max, trying to keep her light headedness in check.

Max pulled away from Liz’s distraught mother carefully. “Where is she?”

Nancy pointed a shaking finger to ticket collections before collapsing into tears again. Serena moved forward to console her and in an instant Max was at Liz’s side, watching as she slid her ticket into her jacket pocket and shoved her heaving suitcase on the conveyor belt.

“France? Oh, you have to be kidding me.”

The hairs on the back of Liz’ neck stood on end before Max even spoke. Now he was here, it was going to make all of this a hundred times harder.

With a stubborn tilt of her chin, Liz flicked her pony-tail over her shoulder and moved toward departures. She fisted her palms, in utter battle to keep it together. “Hey, Max,” she answered off handedly, without even looking at him. “Yes, I thought France would be a good idea for a couple of weeks. My cousin lives in Paris so I already have a tour-guide.”

“And then?”

“The Louvre, Notre- Dame, the Eiffel tower perhaps –“

“-After France I mean –“ Max cut off sardonically.

“Wherever the wind takes me.”

Max groaned out loud, grabbing her shoulders he made her turn toward him, but let her go when she shook out of his grasp.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Are you outta your mind?”

“Nope,” Liz answered flippantly, “I think its time I left Roswell.”

“All of a sudden?”

“All of a sudden.” Liz answered fiddling with her hand luggage and still not meeting Max’s eyes. They were so frantic, so needy that she would melt in a second. That was why she had to keep it together, before she melted completely. From the corner of her eye she could see her Mom crying whilst Serena tried consoling her.

“This is ridiculous, Liz. Look at what you’re doing to your Mom. Have some consideration for others.” Max snapped irately.

“She’ll get over it.”

“Liz!”

“Don’t yell at me, Max,” Liz answered tightly.

Max ran his hand through his hair, and groaned, trying to keep his temper under control. What was wrong with her?! The last few weeks had been so strange. Liz had become closed, detached and upset. It seemed that there was nothing he could do to make anything better and now she was going. Leaving the damned country to go half way across the world for no reason. It was all so outrageous!

“What is wrong with you? You’ve been acting so weird. I don’t think I even know who you are anymore.”

“Maybe you don’t,” Liz said stealthily.

Max couldn’t understand what her problem was… and whatever it was why she couldn’t just talk to him? He had tried so hard, yet here she was defiant and stubborn as ever.

He crossed his arms. “You want to go? Then go. Go on. Just GO!”

Liz nodded her head, but couldn’t help but be hurt at the unharnessed harshness of his words. A small tear trickled down her face as she moved forward and gave him a small stiff, hug.

Max didn’t respond, he stood still, arms crossed angrily against his chest. But she didn’t really expect it. Here she was, quite possibly leaving the dearest person in her life without any explanation at all. In Max’s position she would be angry too. In fact she would be boiling with rage. She hoped that Max could forgive her for being selfish.

Liz noticed Serena walking toward her with a complacent, thoughtful look.

“Um… Liz…”

Liz shook her head, not really wanting to hear anything that might change her mind. Serena had given her a lot of chances, and Liz didn’t have any right to take away her happiness now.

“Bye Serena.” Liz answered giving the other girl a quick hug and then turning away, almost running toward departures with bleary eyes. She handed her passport to the officials.

“Hey. HEY! Liz! Wait!”

Max was running toward her.

Liz threw the official a half sorry look. “I’m going to be late, Max.”

“Please don’t go.” The begging in his voice only half surprised her. She hadn’t expected it from Max … but she hadn’t expected to be let off so easily either.

“Come on, Max.” Liz shook her head in mock annoyance, even though her whole body was wracked with guilt and pain and if she didn’t get away right now she was simply going to pop.

“No. No. Listen. “ Max took her hand as she held it to collect her passport. “Liz, just wait.”

Wearily she turned toward him, making eye contact for the first time since he arrived. There was determination in his features and it made her sad. No matter what he said, she was going to go anyway.

Max touched her cheek and gulped away the forming notch in his throat. “Don’t leave me. I’ll be broken without you. I don’t remember life without you. I need you. Just… please…”

“Max…” Liz answered in an agonized whisper. The mere desperation in his tone was making it so difficult. “Please.” This was breaking her in two. “Maybe its time we… you know… stopped this.”

“Stopped what?”

“Relying on each other so much. I’ve told you before, I don’t belong to you.”

Max let out a tortured sigh. She was right. She didn’t. But did she really have to prove it to him? It was too painful.

“I…Is there anything I can do to stop you?”

“No…”

“Oh, come on – “

Liz pressed her fingers against his mouth in a plea for silence.

But Max was intent not to take no for an answer. “Did I do something?... What did I do? Can I make it better? because I swear I’ll do it. I promise. No late runs for basketball. I won’t ask you to do my homework. I won’t step on your feet when I’m dancing. I’’ll even stop seeing you…whatever you want, just please stay.”

“Shh…” Staring into his eyes, Liz begged him to stop. This was breaking her into pieces. Seeing his pain was a billion times worse than her own. “I have to go now.”

"No..." But his voice was only a mere whisper. Max slowly became silenced as he watched Liz brush the tears from her eyes. A wretched despair had taken over his body and his gut had sunk to the floor. He was helpless and torn.

She was going and there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop her. Nothing.

Liz turned away before she witnessed the clouding in Max’s eyes turn into actual tears. She hated seeing him this sad, but soon she would go and it would be okay. He would be happy again with Serena and she wouldn’t be around to cause a fuss. That was all she wanted.

Liz rushed through departures before she gave in completely, leaving a broken Max staring behind her.

Serena watched the scene before her in utter discomfort. A dread had overtaken her body too, but for a different reason. She had always thought herself a perceptive person, but she had been so blind. It was like the veil of darkness had lifted in the scene before her and made everything clear. She walked toward Max and the disappearing Liz.

Gently she tapped Max on the shoulder, he seemed to be lost in a different world. But before she could say anything more, a huge wave of nausea had her falling to the floor.

---

That day it became crystal clear. Liz loved Max.

There were a lot of times when I had my doubts. But these doubts were often over-ridden by what I wanted to believe. I wanted to believe that they were just friends and nothing more. I let myself believe… until that day at the airport.


After Liz went, we became those that build lives when all that is left are remains of a tornado. Little specs of joy and hope, cascaded by huge lurking shadows of sorrow. I found out I was pregnant that evening. The week after Max asked me to marry him and not long after I was diagnosed with my illness. It was a little too much. All this sudden happiness, sadness and doubt rolled into one. I had many decisions to make… and I chose to follow my heart. I chose to have Max by my side, rather than tell him about Liz. That is what made me happy. I wish that I had done more and I regret that I didn’t. I hope that they can both forgive me…and I hope that you my darling Miriam Elizabeth Evans, can do for them what I wasn’t able to.

Time Changes Everything

Chapter 13


The creaking of the door in the nurse’s office broke Miriam from her involvement in the alternative world that pulled her in whenever she opened her mother’s diary. Sometimes she would just read it over and over, hours on end, and when she tried hard enough, she could hear her mother really speaking to her. Her Mom’s voice was soft and delicate, with a hint of humour that offset the kindness in her eyes. She had been extremely kind. Everyone had told her so.

Her mother had written about the sadness and doubts that had clouded herself and Miriam's father when Liz had left and to Miriam it seemed like such a sad story. With all her heart she hoped that her Daddy had been able to make the last moments of her Moms’ life the happiest she had ever seen, because she deserved it.

When Miriam looked up, Miss Parker’s concerned brown eyes were looking down at her. She was standing above her in a light blue blouse and straight black, knee-length skirt, holding Miriam’s school file, looking pretty as usual. Miriam wasn’t often in the nurse’s office, but she knew from the one time that she had, had an actual asthma attack, that either her class teacher or nurse would make a record of what happened. Miriam was glad it was her teacher. She didn’t really like ugly, hairy mole on the nurse’s cheek. She was convinced that it wanted to eat her up alive.

“Hey, Miss Parker,” Miriam grinned.

Liz’s heels clunked lightly across the linoleum floor as she walked toward the sitting child. Everyday since the evening she had met Max, the likeness between the two had become more and more pronounced. Everyday she wanted to kick herself for not noticing sooner. Although, what she was beginning to understand was why she had instantly gained a soft spot for the cute, brown haired girl in front of her– she was adorably all Max.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Liz smiled, taking a seat at the edge of Miriam’s bed. “How are you feeling?”

Miriam’s widened her eyes and let out a mock cough, but seeing the concern in her teachers’ eyes she didn’t prolong it. “Better, Miss Parker.”

“That’s great. Jeanine has called home. Someone should be here to pick you up shortly.”

Miriam nodded her head fervently. The only person home today was her Dad. Her palms were already tingling from excitement!

“What happened outside?” Liz asked.

“Well… we were playing tag - Lucy, Rory, Conner and I. I was running whilst Rory was it and then the attack just came on all of a sudden.” Miriam explained, trying to sound convincing as possible.

“I see,” Liz nodded, opening up Miriam’s school file and scanning through. “Did you leave your inhaler at home?”

“Yes,” Miriam coughed, trying to cover her fib she looked down. Her Dad always made sure she had her inhaler at least five times over every morning. There was no way she could ever have forgotten it!

“From now on we’ll make sure there’s a spare one available in the classroom…” Liz trailed off as her eyes fell across something in Miriam’s file.

Miriam’s Mom was entered as deceased. Liz shook her head, flipping a few pages, looking for any extra information. There must have been some mistake. Miriam’s mom was Serena – she wasn’t dead. She had seen her well and alive not so long ago.

The last time you saw Serena was ten years ago. Liz harshly reminded herself. It has been a long time, Liz. A long, long time since you’ve had any contact with her.

The writing on the file was clear and bold. If it wasn't writing it would be yelling. Serena was dead. She had died of cancer when Miriam was only two months old. Liz felt the uncanny prick of tears at the back of her eyes, because for a second all she could remember was Serena’s kind smile, her caring words and how she was always there for anyone that needed her. She was so young!

A small knock on the door broke Liz from the shocking revelation that had impended her and Jeanine the nurse appeared. “Miriam your father is waiting outside.”

Liz shook herself back to earth, swiping at her eyes she gave Miriam a slight smile, who was looking at her curiously. “Shall we?”

Miriam nodded eagerly and Liz stood up. This meeting was inevitable; she couldn’t avoid the father of her student forever. However, despite preparing herself mentally the odds were working against her. Now that she knew about Serena, retaining a cold air of distance around Max was going to be harder than expected. He must have been through so much, and Liz felt almost guilty for not being there to share his grief.

Max almost pounced on his daughter when she walked out of the nurses office. Every time Miriam had an asthma attack it scared him absolutely senseless. It was hardly life threatening, but the mere idea that her life might be in danger made his world just stand still. He didn't know what he'd do without her.

“Dad. I’m okay, I’m okay… jeez!” Miriam cried pushing her fawning father away. “It was just a small one.”

“But you’re okay, right?…”

“Yes, Yes. I’m fine!” Miriam laughed, shaking her head at Miss Parker, who was standing quite a far behind looking like she wanted to fade into the wall.

“I think she’s a little embarrassed,” Max started, expecting to be speaking to the woman with the interesting mole on her cheek. He instead found himself eye to eye with Liz. She was staring at him expressionless, like she was trying to figure something out. Like every time he saw her he felt the wind had been knocked from his lungs.

“Hey, Liz.” He smiled, genuinely pleased to see her again. He had been thinking a lot about trying to contact her, but with her indifference at their last meeting, he had been unsure how to. He guessed right now was a good opportunity as any other.

“Hello Mr. Ev – “

“ – Max,” Max cut off quickly. “Its just Max.”

Liz looked up at him sharply. Of course. It was just Max… that was entirely the problem. It was the Max that had hurt her. It was the Max that had left her at the reunion again. It was the same Max that was standing right in front of her looking like his usual, casual and uncaring self in old jeans and a white shirt whilst he gave her that extremely charm-your-ass-off smile of his, that only made her want to just hug him and become all ‘pally’ again. Liz had to remind herself that, that was EXACTLY what she did not want. She had already risked it at the reunion with not so great circumstances.

“Okay, Max ,” Liz began sardonically, “Miriam is absolutely fine now. You can take her home and if there are any problems you don’t hesitate to contact the school.”

“Right.” Max nodded, still feeling extremely perplexed at Liz’s behaviour. She had been her old self at the reunion, but here she was again, acting all strange and awkward. Just like before she had left.

Miriam looked cautiously between the two. The awkwardness was still there! What was she to do now?! Using the last tactic she had, she said quickly, “You can finish off here, Daddy, I’m going to go sit in the car.”

“Okay, M,” Max agreed, “I won’t be long.”

When his daughter had left, Max turned toward the woman in front of him. He regarded her a while silently, and when she didn’t speak, he did. “Is there a problem?”

Liz raised her eyebrows in response to his forthrightness, “Problem? What problem?”

Max shrugged, “I feel that you’re being a little distant actually, Liz.”

“Distant? I’m not being distant,” Liz answered, defiantly.

“Well different,” Max offered, adding, “at the reunion you were fine.”

“This is a professional setting, Max,” Liz proclaimed forcefully, “not a high school reunion.”

Max couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing. Had things changed so much between them that Liz couldn’t even acknowledge him as more than a father to one of her students? … First she had left him and now this. What the hell had he done?

“Well then, perhaps you’d like to talk somewhere else?”

Liz bit her lip and then gathering all that was left inside of her answered, “not really, no.” Truth be told she didn’t really want to bring up old memories. They haunted her too much as it was.

“There’s a coffee shop at the end of Eastman Avenue. We could have a chat there this evening?” Max offered ignoring her discrepant behaviour. He had decided that once and for all he was going to get to the bottom of this. Besides her strange behaviour he had many other questions to ask her – they had been gathering force over the last ten years and even more so after his visit with Jeff. He would finally get answers even if it was the last thing he did.

Liz sighed, “Max…”

“Please, Liz,” Max grated, digging in his pocket and pulling out a business card, “all I want is a chat, and after all those years you owe me one. Don’t you think?”

Liz rolled her eyes in irritation, yet took the card that Max was holding in front of her.

“That’s my card, give me a call if anything comes up.” Max looked down at her petite form, “I guess I’ll be seeing you soon.” With that he turned and walked toward the car park.

Liz groaned at his self satisfied smirk, “I haven’t said yes yet Max!” she yelled behind him, yet he didn’t turn back to acknowledge that he had heard her in any way.

Liz shook her head, as Max turned the corner, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

If you have any sense, you’ll throw that card into the waste-basket right now! Liz scolded herself.

But for some reason, she didn’t.


**

Grinning to himself Max got into his car. His daughter was waiting for him, her eyes widened and her movements fidgety. Max gave her a curious look. Something was up.

When he offered nothing, Miriam could do nothing else but ask. “So?”

“So what?” Max offered back, as he reversed his car out of the school gates.

Miriam crossed her arms impatiently. “What did you talk about?”

Max hid the small smile that appeared on his lips. It was clear that his daughter had taken a huge liking to Liz and since she and Diane were always on his case – it wasn’t hard to figure out what Miriam was trying to do here.

Max wasn’t about to offer up information that easily however. “Curious much?”

“Is there anything for me to be curious about?”

Max laughed as he turned the car around, and started speeding down the road. “We’re having coffee this evening if you must know.”

“That’s GREAT!!!” His daughter’s reaction had him turning sideways to look oddly at her. “Um…” Miriam sat back in her seat. “I mean… I’m just glad that you and Miss Parker are meeting up after such a long time... It must be so nice to get in touch and everything…”

Max nodded.

It sure was.

***


Liz ran the comb through her hair and switched the hair-dryer on as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She stared at herself hard, her huge brown eyes were the most prominent feature on her heart shaped face. They always had been. Since she was young people had always told her she had the most expressive eyes. But her general look had changed, her cheekbones had become more prominent, her hair silkier and longer, her body more curvy, her movements more elegant.

She wasn’t the most beautiful of girls, but she was attractive. Her growth since high school had taught her this.

Yet inside, she still felt like a raging bundle of hormones, not unlike the girl from high-school. Mixed up, confused and totally clueless about relationships.

Its not that she hadn’t been giving them thought. She had. Particularly her relationship with Max. She had reached a final conclusion too – Max couldn’t affect her life as long as she didn’t let him. It was simple as that. Her mistake was that she had been letting him affect her. She had been failing to draw the line between who she was in high-school and who she was now and like that she had been confusing her feelings and fouling up her relationship with Kyle.

Kyle hadn’t called her since their argument a few nights back and Liz was too stubborn to call him too. She didn’t know what was going to happen between the two of them, but she did know this: five years was just too much to throw down the drain just like that… and well, Kyle was nice. They got on. He made her smile, and she could easily tick off all the boxes that she looked for in a man when she was with Kyle.

Liz had been settled with Kyle, but then Max had come along and as usual disturbed any sane flow that she had with another man. It was so damned typical of him! He hadn’t done it directly – but the argument had been because of Max. It was because of Max that she hadn’t spoken to her fiancee for the last three days.

This was exactly why Liz wanted to blow him off. She didn’t want Max complicating her life any longer. It had taken her a long time to fall out of love with him…but the doubts, the memories, the times that she had loved him would never go away. She didn’t want them to ruin the relationships that she had now.

Albeit she couldn't help but be a little curious. She couldn’t help but wonder what he had done with himself all these years. How had he coped after Serena’s death? How had he managed being a lone parent figure? Did he still play basketball and sport? Was he still that slightly ignorant yet charming boy he used to be? There were so many questions.

Liz turned off the dryer as the answering machine beeped red. She walked toward it curiously.

“Hey, Liz its Kyle. If you’re there pick up….” Liz bit her lip in contemplation as Kyle continued due to a lack of response, “Are you still mad at me?... Listen, I’m sorry. I had no right to pry like that. I trust you totally and you don’t have to tell me things that make you uncomfortable…but when I asked you if you still loved him and you didn’t answer….”

Liz quickly picked up the phone, “Kyle, I’m here.”

“Oh. Hi.” She could hear his sigh of relief over the phone.

“Hey. You don’t have to worry about Max and I.... I don’t love him, please understand that. It’s just that I did… a lot... and thinking about everything I went through back then just upsets me.”

“I understand.”

“Thanks Kyle,” Liz smiled, “ I really appreciate it.” In fact she was beginning to think it was a bit of a relief, that her past with Max was out in the open. There were no secrets between them now.

“So, um, can we meet up? I’m dying to see you and make it up to you.”

Liz looked at the clock. She was meant to meet Max in ten minutes… but it looked like the decision was already made. She had to concentrate on her life now.

She nodded. “Sure, I’ll see you soon.”

***


Max waited breathlessly at the coffee table that overlooked the breezy streets of Roswell. Breathless for a number of reasons. The main one being that Miriam had absolutely refused to let him go until she had picked and then re-picked his shirts, one after the other until she thought he looked completely right for the occasion. This of course was despite Max trying to explain that the ‘occasion’ was just a coffee with a friend. But his daughter was relentless when she set her mind to something, which resulted in him taking the longest time to get dressed. Ever.

Then of course there were the nerves. Sure it was a friend. However, it wasn’t any old friend that was meeting him today. It was Liz. He was even wearing his favourite aftershave.

Max smiled wryly to himself. From the way he was acting no one would ever believe that Liz had seen him at his worst. This included various states of undress and sleep, uncombed hair and more distastefully, he supposed there were things involving saliva and sweat as well.

The reunion aside, it had been a long time since Max had heard from Liz Parker. Although it seemed to crop up now and then, the hurt and anger of her sudden departure had mainly faded away, replaced by a kind of inane loneliness, so deep, that he had just accepted it as a part of himself. Many years had passed and he hadn’t really expected Liz to come back into his life.

Yet here he was waiting for her.

Max glanced at his watch for the third time. He was late, yet Liz was nowhere to be seen. It was an odd feeling, he had never been the one to wait for Liz. Even at high-school she had been the one that was punctual and succinct.

He waited another ten minutes before delving into his pocket and pulling out his cell.

There was an answer message.

She wasn’t going to come.

***

Liz’s pulled at the edges of her scarf and straightened out her peach dress, her eyes darting across the constantly buzzing Senor Chows. Spotting Kyle at the corner table, she slid into a seat opposite him.

Kyle looked up suddenly from the menu he was a reading, a huge smile spanning his face, “Thanks for coming.”

Liz returned the smile, “I said I would.” And why wouldn’t she? He was her fiancée after all.

Kyle leaned forward to grab the hand of the girl in front of him, “Again Liz, I really am sorry. I shouldn’t have pried without asking you.”

“Its okay, Kyle. Let’s drop it.”

“Fine, there will be no mention of Max Evans again.” Kyle promised earnestly.

Liz bit her lip in silent reflection before she spoke, “Actually that might be a bit difficult,” when Kyle gave her a questioning glance, she continued, “A girl in my class… Miriam, is Max’s daughter.” She shook her head in silent bemusement, “What are the chances, right? In fact before you called Max asked me for a coffee but I had to blow him off.”

“You were planning to meet up?” Kyle questioned, carefully tracing the menu with his fingers.

“You’re not worried are you?” There was no reason for him to be. It was nothing like that.

“No,” he spoke fast. A little jealous perhaps, but no way was he worried. “Not at all…not at all.” He scratched the back of his neck, “Though it was just a coffee, right?”

“Oh, did I forget to mention the luxury, midnight cruise to New York that came with the Nescafe deal?”

“New York, huh?” Kyle challenged, “ That’s so passé. If you have a coffee with me tonight, I’ll promise to show you the world.”

Liz raised a brow at her fiancée, “Is that so?”

“Absolutely.”

“It’s a deal.” Liz grinned, glad that she had made the decision to come and meet Kyle instead of Max. He was helping her forget about Max's last visit already.

***


Max flopped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling in utter silence.

Liz hadn’t come and hadn’t even said why.

Apparently ‘something had turned up’ so she had decided to blow him off.

Max closed his eyes tight in frustration. He hoped that this ‘something’ had been important; he had been looking forward to this meeting since what seemed like forever. For Liz to cancel all of a sudden had been kind of harsh and frankly a bit uncalled for. In fact he could feel that so called rage that he had long ago forgotten creeping up his veins.

Groaning he jumped out of bed and stripped down, stepping into the shower.

He let the hot water run over his body, hoping to get rid of the growing tension in his body. For a long time now Max had learnt to live intwined in past memories of those that he had loved. But for some reason those memories weren’t working to relieve the loneliness or the sadness that had overcome him anymore.

All of a sudden Max Evans was beginning to yearn for more.

Here you go peeps. Enjoy. I'm off to bed now cause I;m tired outta my brain but I'll be back later...


Time Changes Everything

Chapter 14



“It’s so not fair!” Miriam cried. She threw her pillow across the bed so it landed on the floor on the far side of Lucy and then fell across her pony duvet covers with a soft plonk. “I can’t believe she didn’t turn up!”

Miriam had been glum all day. Her spirits had sunk to the lowest of the low as soon as she had heard the news that Liz hadn’t turned up to meet her Dad. Why did this have to happen? … She had been hoping that this would be it!

“I know,” Lucy commiserated, “This is harder than I thought it would be.”

Miriam looked so upset that she was actually scowling and if Lucy could read minds she supposed there were some not very nice things going through Miriam’s head.

“Is your Dad okay?” Lucy asked.

“He was pretty upset,” Miriam admitted. He hadn’t said anything but Miriam knew that her teachers blow off had hit him hard. He hadn’t been his usual self at breakfast and had looked really tired like he hadn’t slept all night. “I really don’t know what to do anymore,” she moaned again.

“Well there’s still the camping trip.” Lucy offered, hoping that the idea would cheer her friend up a bit.

Lucy thought it was definitely a bummer that their teacher hadn’t turned up for a coffee. She was as eager as Miriam for this love story to begin. Especially since she loved romantic books!

Miriam shrugged, still feeling defeated. “They’re still so awkward, it seemed like Miss Parker didn’t even want to talk to my Dad when he came to pick me up at school.”

“I’m sure it will get better at the trip. My mom says patience always pays off.”

“I hope so…I just wish it was sooner.”

“So where is your Dad right now?” Lucy thought the best thing to do was to change the topic. Maybe it would cheer Miriam up a bit.

“He’s at a work dinner in Washington.” Miriam groaned even more loudly than she was groaning inside, “with that horrid woman.”

“The lady who’s uncle owns the company that your Dad works for?” Lucy asked screwing her nose in distaste.

Miriam closed her eyes tight in repulsion. “Yep.”

“I hate her,” Lucy admitted, “She totally ignores me all the time!”

Miriam nodded, “the only person she listens to is my Dad.”

“Do you think she wants to marry him?”

“I really don’t care.” Miriam answered haughtily, “There’s only one person that will marry my Dad and that’s Liz!”

Lucy began to giggle at Miriam’s sudden tone and yelled, “AMEN!” really loudly, which led Miriam into hysterics as well. Both girls continued to giggle until Miriam’s nanny walked in and asked what was on earth was so funny.


****

Like most of the dinners hosted by the committee head of LBV Inc. the meal today was boring and uneventful. Despite being hosted in a five star hotel with the top of the range wining and dining, Max found himself picking at his plate. Even the blonde in the extremely revealing, blood red dress beside him, failed to capture his attention in the slightest, although she was doing pretty well at acquiring lustful looks of the many other men that sat at the table around her. Hardly anyone had taken their eyes off of Tess since she had arrived, occasionally throwing Max a wonderment filled look, but Max was hardly listening to a word she was saying. After all it wasn’t like he hadn’t mastered the art of the polite nodding along.

“Uncle Albert wanted me to join the firm in London. Apparently they’re in fast need of a managing director and obviously no one knows that ins and outs like I, but of course I declined –“

“-Why did you decline?”

“Huh?” Tess turned away from Max, a little annoyed that someone had interrupted her flow of conversation. She had only been half aware that the entire table had been listening.

“Why did you decline?” Joshua Manger the accountant in the office across from hers asked sweetly. “The London branch is much more thriving than the one here, and you’ll be closer to your uncle.” Everyone knew that was the only family Tess had, yet she continued to hover around Washington.

“Well,” Tess smiled brilliantly at Joshua, throwing a recognizable look at Max. “Let’s say that I have commitments here.” She clicked her tongue softly, carefully brushing his leg. The movement was subtle, but enough so that Max noticed.

Max sat upright and turned toward her sharply, trying his utmost to refrain from expelling the biting remark that had threatened to burst forth from his lips. Commitments? What commitments? He had told Tess many times that no such thing that involved commitment had happened or would ever happen between the two of them. Yet, she continued to carry on like what he thought or said was irrelevant.

Normally Max would have brushed such a remark off, but it wasn’t like he wasn’t dealing with enough in his head already. All he had been thinking about was Liz and it was driving him absolutely insane. Anything he touched, smelled or looked at reminded him of Liz. He was in agony about what he might have had done that could have possibly led Liz to abandon him at high-school. What had upset her so that she seemed to still hold a grudge so many years later?

He had some ideas of course. Jeff Parker had said that love had played a part. Had Liz been in love with him? He found this hard to believe and had quickly brushed the idea from his head. Such a ridiculous idea made his heart hurt to even think about. If she had been in love with him then why hadn’t she said anything? Especially when he had asked her over and over again?

Sure, there had been Serena – but Liz had been closer to him than that. She could have told him anything, shared any secret with him. He would have definitely done the same with her.

Tess was spilling cleavage at him and talking again and Max tried his utmost not to groan out loud or just tell her to shut up. It was absolutely killing him to have to listen to her when all he wanted to do was get away.

Had Max really broken the heart of the one he cared about most?

He was still willing to deny it to himself, but it had gotten past that. Liz had started haunting him again and there was no way he could get her out of his mind unless he faced the issue. But how?

If Liz wasn’t going to talk to him, there was truly only one other way to find out the truth.

“So I was thinking the Opera tomorrow. I’ve never seen The Phantom-“

Max’s chair made a loud screech as he pushed it back to stand up, reaching for his jacket and shrugging it on.

“Alberto wanted to come along – Max?” Tess followed him up. “Where are you going?”

“I’m feeling a bit ill Tess. I’m going for a drive.” Max answered heading for the foyer.

Tess followed him into the foyer. “Oh okay, well let me grab my coat.”

“Alone.” Max said a little loud, causing Tess to take a step back at his tone. “Alone...I just need to be alone okay?”

Tess opened her mouth to protest but was unable to finish as Max had opened the heavy glass door and disappeared into the stormy night.


****

There was a heavy weight on her shoulder and her tiny body was finding it hard to hold him up. He was breathing heavily against her neck and the feeling that it caused was both weird and arousing. The heavy bass of the music made her ears ring and the flashing lights was making her feel a little dizzy, yet she was uncharacteristically warm. So warm.

Liz twitched her right shoulder and misty, amber eyes looked down at her. Max’s expression was a mixture of glazed, blissful and naughty. He was smiling down at her like he had some secret to tell, and that was exactly how he looked when he was wasted out of his mind. But today, Liz thought he looked exceptionally beautiful. His hair was messy and un-mussed; his lips were a pillow of red, almost like he had been kissing too many girls, even though he had been with her all night. Although she was trying to keep him steady on his feet she was finding it hard to ignore the way that his hard body was pressed against hers. Or the way his hands were running up and down her hips sensually.

“Max…stop that!” Liz hissed with a shake of her hips, shrugging his hands off her.

Max’s leaned toward her, placing his head against her forehead and almost making her trip backward. He groaned and in a slurry voice imitated, “Don’t do this Max. Don’t do that. Don’t get too close Max. What are you doing Max? Why are you doing that Max? My personal bubble Max!”

Liz screwed her eyes at him. “Shut up, that’s not the way I am!”

Max leaned back and pointed against her chest with his index finger. “That’s EXACTLY the way you are.”

“You’re just drunk,” Liz hit back feeling a little self conscious because he was now looking down at the finger that was pointed, very conveniently, right between her breasts.

When Liz had grown as red as a tomato, Max managed to pull away and look back up at her and sighed. “And you are just…”

Liz looked up at Max briskly. Max was staring down at her with strange expression on his face, almost like he wanted to kiss her. However he didn’t make the slightest move. Instead, he caressed her cheek with his thumb and his hand travelled down to her lips whilst he simply just stared, swaying to the music in silence.

His fingers on her lips felt like electric on her sensitive skin, Liz had never been touched in a sensual, love- filled way like that before and it was making her whole body tingle in ways that she had never tingled before.

Max suddenly mumbled something and withdrew and Liz was both half surprised and half relieved. What the hell had he been doing? And had she heard what she had thought him say?

Had he just said that she was beautiful!?

No he couldn’t have. Max wouldn’t say something like that. This was all too weird!

Liz was starting to feel really awkward. She was beginning to like the touch of his chest against hers… the movement of his thigh against hers, and that strange way he was staring….

Oh god!

It was…gross! They were just friends! Weren't they?

Liz suddenly pushed him back and Max had to stumble to keep himself from falling on his ass.

“Damn it, Parker!” Max groaned, holding onto her lightly for support again, “that’s just the trouble with you.”

“What is?” Liz asked, even though she let him hold her, her arms were folded, making sure there was a plausible distance between them this time.

“You’re so close… yet so untouchable.” Max said huskily, a small smile touching the corner of his lips.

“You’re just a horn-dog Max. You want to touch up anything feminine in sight.”

“Oh come on…”Max said a little poutily, making her loosen up and laugh. “Is that what you think of me?”

“Yes.” Liz said with a toss of her head, even though on the inside she wasn’t so confident.

Max was pulling her toward him. “I won’t you know ,”

“- Won’t what?” Liz asked blushing wildly. His face was close to hers again.

“Touch you…. if you don’t want me to.”

Liz stared into deepening pools of amber and brown, changing colour with every beat of the music. Exactly what was Max trying to say? Touch her? How? When? Under what circumstances?


“I -“ Liz shook her head, telling herself off over becoming so wound up over a drunken Max. He must have said the same thing to so many others. He was wasted and that was all he was…. She was reading too much into it. “Max – I…” Liz gently pulled herself away from him and turned toward the bar.

This was just Max, so why was he making her feel so weird?!

At the bar, Liz watched a small while whilst Max slumped against the wall and shook his head at something that only he knew about. Liz wondered what he was thinking about… in fact she didn’t want to know. She closed her eyes. The bass of the music becoming louder and louder in her ears. Louder and louder.

Liz opened her eyes suddenly. There was something heavy against her shoulder. It was Kyle.

He lay on her arm, snoring peacefully and for a mere second she was almost devastated. Shaking herself from ridiculous thought, Liz moved Kyle away and moved herself to the side of the bed. Holding the covers around her she took deep breaths, trying to calm that tingling that had started to pinprick her body. She hadn’t tingled like that in a long time.


****

Max’s suit and hair were plastered to him and he could barely hear himself or the banging he was doing, over the racket of the rain. He hoped with all his heart that the person inside could.

“Open up, damn it!” he shouted, finishing off with a loud bang and frustrated kick.

“Max?” The door opened almost throwing Max into the darkened hallway.

“Oh.” Max breathed a sigh of relief catching himself just in time. He combed his dripping hair away from his eyes. “Hello, Jeff”

Jeff on the other hand didn’t look too pleased to see him. He tightened his gown around him, taking a step back from the harsh rain. “What are you doing here? It’s late.”

“I wanted to talk. I hope you’re not too busy,” Max persisted.

“If you call catching up on sleep, busy… then yes I was.” When Max didn’t make any sign of moving away, Jeff let out a defeated sigh and nodded, “I guess you better come in”

Max took a step into Jeff's cramped hallway, blinking as light flooded him. He followed Jeff into the paper scattered living room and took a seat on the nearest chair, welcoming the quiet and the warmth. He had been standing in the cold rain for ten minutes at least.


Jeff nodded toward the kitchen. “Coffee?”

“Uh…”

“You can say, no.” Jeff commented in all seriousness.

“No.” Max said quickly.

Jeff shook his head in mock annoyance and took a seat on the battered couch across from Max. “So what brings you to my door at this time?”

“It’s Liz.”

“Ah. Thought so,” Jeff answered unwrapping a mint and popping it into his mouth.

Max paused, eyes screwed. “Really?”

“Yes. It was my mistake to offer up anything about Liz,” Jeff silenced and then seemed to be talking to himself when he said, “but I’m growing old you see. Sometimes I say things which I shouldn’t”

“I’m glad you did,” Max offered,” Even though it had flung him off his comfy couch, Jeff’s words had made him question himself and bring things to the fore that he may never have wondered about. Perhaps it had been laziness. Perhaps it would have bought up issues that he didn’t want to know about, because it would highlight the mistake he had made. And he made a huge one.

“Uh, did Liz actually tell you who broke her heart?” Max asked jumping straight in. He was afraid that if he didn’t ask now, he would bury the question to the depths of his mind and never have the courage to ask again.

Jeff didn’t answer. Instead he stared at Max with raised eyebrows and a condescending expression. Max felt his heart drum a million times faster and when the silence couldn’t become anymore unbearable, he spoke.

“It was me.” It wasn’t a question. He simply knew.

Jeff coughed. “You didn’t need me for this Max. In fact I don’t think I or anyone else can help you unless you search within yourself.”

Max stared, shattered. There was no running away now that the truth has struck him like lightening, bright, stark and harsh.

How could he even have been that stupid?


****

You guys ready for another one? Tell me what you think!


Time Changes Everything

Chapter 15



Liz helped shove the last of the luggage into the luggage compartment of the bus that would drop herself, the kids and the parents to Frazier woods in the first parent-child camping trip that had ever been organized at Grantsville Elementary. It had been a bit of brain wave on her part. It was a good way to organize an activity as well as get her familiar with the children and the parents as a new teacher. It had all gone pretty well and nearly everything was covered on her list suggesting that most of the parents were here. In fact some parents had already been waiting and ready when she had arrived at seven this morning. It was now ten and she was ready to get everyone on the bus.

“Okay class, can everyone line up here, in front of the bus so I can do the head count before Miss Mimi starts reading out your names.”

A small queue began to form even though a number of parents were still tugging at collars on their kids and fussing with bits of hand luggage. Apart from a few couples, mainly one, either the mother or father had arrived with their child. There were a few whose parents hadn’t turned up or just cancelled at the last minute. Those were the kids that Liz would have to be entertaining a lot. Hence, one of the reasons she had bought Kyle along. Besides that, she also knew that Kyle and herself needed some time together to rebuild after their last argument. Their schedule hadn’t really allowed the both of them any alone time and she guessed now was a good an opportunity as ever.

“Okay in a line please? …Cal you too…Rory is it really necessary that you have to stand next to Cal all the time? It’s just a head count…come on boys, get it together!”

Her eyes scanned the premises and noticed a dark haired girl standing by the school gates peering anxiously out. Realizing who it was, Liz hurried toward her.

“Hey, Miriam… your Dad not here yet?” Liz guessed old habits died hard. Max had never been on time for her either.

“Uh, not yet,” Miriam replied, smiling, even though Liz could tell that little girl was anxious as she bit down hard on her lip and fiddled with her back pack. “He was meant to get a flight in today from Washington. I guess it’s delayed.”

“Oh,” Liz smiled reassuringly, “well I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

Miriam nodded. “Um… Miss Parker? You won’t go without him will you?”

The desperation in the little girls face tugged at Liz’s heart strings. She was suddenly reminded that Miriam had no mother and Max being so busy was bound to be extremely hard on the young child. Miriam was still looking at her wide eyed and expectant and Liz couldn’t help but envelope her in a sudden embrace.

“Don’t worry sweetheart, we’ll wait for him.” Even if it meant making the coach wait all evening.

Miriam was a little surprised by the huge hug from her teacher. She hadn’t been expecting it, but it made her feel fuzzy and comfortable so she stood like that, buried in her teacher’s breast, taking in her sweet, apply scent. When Liz pulled away, Miriam thought she looked a little upset and wanted to comfort her, but she wasn’t sure what her teacher was so sad about.

Just then, a car zoomed past at lightening speed, almost knocking Lucy’s Dad down in the process. Liz and Miriam exchanged knowing smiles. It was pretty obvious as to who had arrived. Miriam did a small jump of happiness and ran toward the Mercedes and Liz watched Max jump out in jeans and a faded blue t-shirt, leaning down to kiss his little girl before nodding toward the trunk. Miriam ran toward it as Max pocketed his cell-phones in his jeans, slammed the door closed, and joined his daughter at the rear of the car.

Liz couldn’t help but smile. They were both acting like bus was about to take off any moment at rocket speed, when clearly there were lots of parents and children still mulling about on the school grounds, nearby. As they fiddled with their things in the trunk and Max pulled out two large hiking bags, Miriam whispered something in her fathers ear and Max’s eyes traveled across the grounds before landing right on Liz.

Liz felt a small blush creep up her spine. It had been nearly two weeks since she had seen Max last. At their last meeting, Max had boisterously passed her his card and asked her to meet him for coffee. She hadn’t turned up, or even called him to apologize for that matter, instead she had blown him off with a mere answer message. Yet, the large smile that lit up his face and the hesitant wave of his hand, followed by shoving his hand through his hair, showed that he was nothing but pleased to see her. Liz nodded in response and went back to join the rest of her students to continue the head count. She was glad that Max had turned up for Miriam, but from her end, she was going to have to quickly master the art of nonchalant indifference.

Max watched as Liz joined the hubble of people, and not soon after, her brown hair had disappeared into the crowd. He had been looking forward to this trip for what seemed like forever now. Everyday he had wondered what he would say to Liz, how he would bring up their situation, or how he would tell her how sorry he was. But not once had he come up with a plan. He guessed he was going to have to improvise.

“Daddy, I’m going to have to go,” Miriam nodded toward the coach. “I’ll see you in a sec.”

“Okay babe,” Max smiled down at his beaming daughter as she trotted off.

He picked up the hiking bags and alarmed the car behind him. Shoving his bags into the luggage compartment, he nodded hello at the coach driver and joined the huddle of parents that were waiting for their children to be counted and cleared. Max didn’t get the point of that. Surely, the parents would know if their children were there or not?

When his eyes sought her out again and Max found himself entranced by Liz’s silent ease as a teacher. She was counting, checking off sheets, making conversation and controlling the children with a natural fluency. She was so busy in her own world that it made him feel as if he was somewhere outside; like a voyeur, peeking into the life she had now. If he had been at high school, Liz would have been battling with the person nearest to the front of the coach so that she could get the back seat. Then he and Liz would camp out at the back like it was their territory, sharing basket ball magazines, passing around candy to those lucky to be prestigious enough, and taking photos of their sleeping peers.

Max wondered if Liz was even going to talk to him now. He doubted it and in fact he didn’t really care. No matter how much Liz pushed him away, he was going to make sure that she noticed him one way or another. He had to.

Soon after, the parents were being herded onto the coach, Max observed that it was rather like a bunch of cattle being branded and led. He also noticed, much to his dismay that Liz wasn’t going to make eye contact as he brushed past her.

So he cleared his throat loudly and said, “How does this work?”

Liz looked up from her clipboard, and without pausing stated, “Miriam should be on the coach, she should have a free seat beside her.”

“I thought I might be able to sit next to you.”

Liz hesitated a second, wanting to wipe that smirk off his face with a witty retort of her own. But with so many parents around she couldn’t risk it. Instead she put on a strained smile and answered, “It would be better to sit next to your daughter Max, the seat next to me is already filled.”

“Who gets that privilege?” Max pushed, trying to smile at her annoyed expression.

Liz looked straight at him. “My fiancée.” And then she pointed inside the coach, asking him to move along.

Feeling rather like he had been punched in the stomach. Max followed the parent in front of him.

“Oh that’s too bad!” A young platinum haired mother called from behind him. “You can sit next to me if you want!” When Max turned to look at the owner of the voice, she giggled loudly and Max wondered how someone that looked so young could have a nine year old child. Max smiled politely at her and headed toward his daughter who was waving frantically at him from the middle of the coach.

“I’m so glad you made it!” Miriam grabbed her father’s bicep and dragged him down next to her.

“Whoa.” Max tried steadying himself as he fell on the seat next to his daughter.

Noticing that the platinum haired woman was on the isle beside him, he commented hastily, “She’s a lot stronger than she looks,” which elicited another head throwing giggle from his easily amused companion. Throwing her a perplexed look because he was being completely serious, Max turned back to his daughter.

“When have I ever not made it?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. He would have made it no doubt, even if it meant driving all the way to Frazier woods.

“I know. But I’m so much more excited today all the same.” Miriam replied hugging his arm harder.

The large smile on her face said exactly that, and Max was glad that whatever it was, was making her this happy. He lived for moments like these.


“Hello, everyone.” Max turned away from his daughter toward Liz’s voice as she stood in front of the bus with the coach mic held to her mouth, tapping it a few times before continuing, “we’re going to be starting off now. We should be at Frazier Woods in approximately half an hour where we’ll be finding spots to erect our tents.... Now just to let you know that there will be some spots where their will be no cell-phone signal; so those of us who are surgically attached... might want to find their spot with care… If anyone wants to use the bathroom there is one located at the front and one at the back of the coach. Meanwhile if you need anything, Miss Mimi, myself or our very kind volunteer - Kyle,” Liz smiled lavishly at Kyle at this point, “- will to offer any assistance. Enjoy the journey.”


There was a soft click, Kyle held out his hand and Liz easily fell into her fiancés arms. That’s how they sat for the next fifteen minutes of the journey -laughing, cuddling and enjoying each others company. Max watched the whole thing with dawning dread.

Though, what had he expected? Max had been introduced to Kyle at the reunion and he had seemed like a nice guy. Solid, reliable and even funny and Liz deserved someone like him. However, that didn’t stop him feeling envious all the same.

Fifteen minutes in, Max got the break he wanted - Kyle moved past his seat to use the bathroom. Carefully moving his daughters lolling head away from his shoulder and placing it against the seat, Max walked to the front of the coach and agilely slid into the seat next to Liz.

Liz turned toward with him with a huge smile on her face but as soon as she saw him, it faded to nothing.

“Nice to see you too,” Max retorted at the girl next to him. If Liz looked any less happy she’d be crying.

“Max,” Liz found her voice was colder than intended. Actually, she decided it was too full of feeling. Complete indifference was what she had been aiming for. Trying again, Liz cleared her throat and raised her eyes toward Max. “What are you doing here?”

Max leaned toward her, and noticed that Liz moved back in response. Wow. And to think- he didn’t even bite! “I thought I’d come say hi since you didn’t seem to be in a hurry to.”

Liz’s smile was stale, “Hi.”

“Hey, Liz.”

Liz folded her hands primly over her lap and turned to look out at the desert plane moving past her with speed. Everything about Roswell reminded her of her childhood. The desert, the heat, the tacky cafes, the woods. Yet the man sitting next to her reminded her of her childhood most of all; and right now she wanted nothing to do with him. However, he continued to sit in all his stubborn glory, without any intention of moving or turning away at all. It was making Liz feel rather antsy.

Liz sighed loudly and turned toward Max. “Kyle will be back any second”

“Worried?”

“No,” Liz retorted trying to keep her voice low. “It’s just that it’s kinda his seat that you’re sitting in.”

“There are plenty of other seats,” Max answered, “plus I like it here.”

Liz fixed Max with a firm glare. He was acting so pig headed and in turn her temper was beginning to rise to heights that it hadn’t in quite a while. “You’re unbelievable, do you know that?” When he responded to her sudden outburst with a facetious smile, Liz couldn’t help but continue, “You’re…its just…uh!... unbelievable!” she shook her head and turned away from him not believing that she had lost her cool already.

Damn it. Just…damn Max Evans!

“I’m unbelievable?” Max responded languidly, “I wasn’t the one that stood my best friend up after ten years of meeting him, even though I was the one that left him in the first place.”

Liz turned her body fully toward him for the first time that morning. “How old are you?”

“Well…” Max paused, “Is there any other way I can get through to you?”

Liz slumped against her seat. “Max, just go back to your seat.” There was more urgency in her voice this time. Liz had been expecting something like this. However she had hoped that if she distanced herself, Max might forget that she had ever left him…or that they had ever been friends.

“And you’ll talk about this to me, later?”

“No, Max,” Liz answered starkly again, straining her utmost to keep her voice down so the other parents wouldn’t hear, “No. There is absolutely nothing to talk about. I have my own life. You have your own. It’s been ten years and we’ve both moved on and well…relationships change.”

That was all there was to say. They had both changed and she couldn’t go through the pain or trauma of befriending Max all over again. Now only if he would just get up and go!

“Does that mean that we stop making an effort?” Max questioned resolutely, “that we can’t even bother to offer up an excuse for not turning up for a coffee?”

Liz paused and glared at Max with a look that was meant to depict annoyance. “I had to meet with Kyle,” she snapped.

“You couldn’t do that another time?”

Liz couldn’t believe this. How could he have the nerve to tell her how to run her life?! “I’m not in high-school and surprise my world doesn’t revolve around His Greatness Max Evans anymore…We’re adults now. You know we can’t be the way we were before. Our lives have grown apart.”

She wanted him to go. The persistent look in his eyes was making her feel on edge.

“I know Liz. But why does that mean we can’t build something new?”

And persistence was Max’s middle name.

Liz exhaled slowly. “Why do you even want to?”

“Because I miss you.”

Liz closed her eyes in turmoil.

And she missed him. Every single day.

“No. Max. Just…no.” Why was he asking her for the hardest thing to give? As usual it was so utterly selfish of him!

“Oh, Come on!” Max moved toward her, moving past the barrier of her seat and whispered slowly, “If you’re worried about me finding out about the past…. I already know….”

Liz’s eyes snapped open and she stared. He knew?

She slowly gulped and pushed her hair behind her ear. All of a sudden feeling extremely caught off guard, Liz asked softly, “What do you know?”

He was staring at her. Honey eyes meeting chocolate ones in a blaze of understanding and already she could feel the resistance around her beginning to fall.

When he said it his breath tingled her ear and her gut dropped to the floor. “You loved me.”

“I… No I didn’t!” Liz hit back in utter shock.

Max looked at her pointedly. Wide eyed, she stared back in silence. Utter silence. Liz couldn’t speak, so she just stared.

“Hey, there Max, you’re in my seat, buddy.” Max and Liz both jumped, startled at the intruding voice.

“Hey, Kyle,” Max said, glancing at him before turning back to Liz. “Give me a minute.”

All he needed was a minute. He was so close to breaking her. If he could…maybe he could explain that he hadn’t meant to cause her all that pain....

… that he had loved her too.

Liz shook her head wildly. “Actually, Max was just leaving.”

Max bit his lip, trying to make some… any sort of eye contact with Liz. Maybe he could try to make her understand that his purpose was not to threaten or scare her in anyway, but to make her open up to him. But Liz paid no heed to him and instead, Max was greeted by a sharp cough from Kyle.

“I guess we’ll talk later.” Max sighed and sidled out of the seat next to Liz and back to his own.

As Max walked away without a word and Kyle took his place, Liz could feel her fiancés questioning eyes boring into her skull. What had she been thinking inviting Kyle to this trip with her? It was turning out to be a bad idea already.

“What did he want?” Kyle asked.

“ Oh. Max just came to catch up, you know…” Liz shook her head and waved him away like it didn’t matter, then placed her head on Kyle’s shoulder and closed her eyes tight.

He knew…

Hey! I missed ya'll..hope you are well and enjoying the summer!

FSU/MSW-94 wrote:Bring It On GF

Well here is!


BehrObsession – You always get exactly what I’m trying to portray. Love it!

FrenchKiss 70- oh there will defo be a battle of will between these two. They’re both as stubborn as each other


Thanks all for reading!...


This is the extra long new part(s) (split into two chapters) to make up for all my MIA tendencies.


Time Changes Everything

Chapter 16


He knew.

If anyone else knew Liz’s story as deeply as she did, perhaps they wouldn’t have been surprised that all Liz could do after Max got up from beside her and walked away, was think about what he had just told her.

He knew.

For how long? What was he going to do? What did this mean?

It devastated Liz because already Max was breaking the resolution of indifference that she had planned to have with him. She hated admitting the fact that when Max was nearby, it was impossible to feel indifferent because the least she could do was feel. After all, she had never been able to be indifferent to Max, and Liz realized with dawning dread that she was probably never going to be.

Max had always brought on some type of emotion for Liz. Be it laughter, happiness and joy, anger or jealousy…or heart break.

As the scenery zoomed past in haze of jungle green and sunshine yellow, Kyle fell into a light slumber and Liz soon found her shocked state giving way to an angry one. Her blood had started to slowly heat and boil. How dare Max bring up the fact that he knew that she had been head over heels in love with him, just so simply? He had brought her past up like some simple issue, not giving a damn that it would turn Liz’s world upside down. It was just like Max to be so selfishly careless!

Back then, Liz had lived with an ache that she had thought she might have to carry for the rest of her existence – and uncaringly Max had brought it all up again, content with seeing her in pain.

How dare he?

By the time the coach had stopped at their destination, Liz was burning with fury; ready to give Max a mouthful and more. But her professional duty called, so what Liz did instead was stand up, make announcements and usher everyone off the coach- all the while not even glancing at Max.

“We’ll be meeting at 5 pm for a group activity. Meanwhile, find a camping spot for your tents and try not to get lost!” Liz waved the last group of children and parents goodbye and found herself pressed against Kyle’s side, as he nuzzled the side of her head, while they began their own walk away from the empty bus, and into the woods.

“Finally,” Kyle mumbled in her ear, putting on a husky tone, “we get to be alone….”

“Well, enjoy it while it lasts,” Liz replied smiling up at him. “I have a feeling our alone time won’t be lasting very long.”

Kyle frowned, “why do you say that?”

“We’re in a wood with over thirty kids, half of them have never been hiking or camping in their lives, and I’m the main authority around here. Go figure.”

“Oh, really?” Kyle moaned, “I was hoping you could use some of that authority on me!”

Liz couldn’t help but beam as Kyle grabbed her fingers and wrapped her closer. “I am so damned horny.”

“Shhh!” Liz threw Kyle a warning look. There were too many kids around to be acting like a love sick bunny. Though Liz should have known she’d be getting some of this. They hadn’t seen each other for such a long time and after all… this was Kyle. He was always horny and well, at least he was making her smile. “We have separate tents Kyle. Remember that,” Liz cautioned.

She was not planning on any type hanky panky in the middle of the woods, especially not with all her kids right next to her!

“Horny, horny, horny!” Kyle sang shamelessly.

Liz shoved him, shooting him a warning glance.

“Uh-humm!”

Liz turned to find a brightly smiling Max, right behind her. Miriam was following a few steps back, trying to keep up with her father, and Liz couldn’t help but blush considerably by the idea that Max may have heard what Kyle had been singing.

“Hey, Liz, Kyle,” Max said in a friendly manner, not giving anything away. Or seemingly not noticing the tight scowl that Liz was giving him either. “Find any good spots yet?”

“Hey, Max,” Kyle answered and Liz wasn’t sure if she had imagined the grip of his arm tighten around her. “We’re still looking actually.”

“It isn’t easy finding a place.”

“Frazier woods are a huge place Max,” Liz offered as politely as she could even though she wanted to spit fire at him. The absolute last thing she wanted was Max to put up his tent right next to her and Kyle's. Imagine that! It would be just unbelievably awful!

She was just about to turn Kyle away from Max and toward the right, and down a winding path, then left and left again- in other words as far away from Max as she possibly could- when a little voice stopped her.

“Hey, Miss Parker!” Miriam beamed widely as she finally caught up with the three adults. “Where are you staying? Can I stay near you?” Miriam grabbed her fathers arm and shook it lightly, “Daddy, can we stay near Miss Parker?”

Max opened his mouth like he was surprised at Miriam’s request and feigning befuddlement said, “I guess you’ll have to ask Liz and Kyle if they mind.”

Liz snapped her mouth shut as two pairs of similar eyes stared at her in question and she shook her head mutely, unable to speak.

Kyle was already replying however, “Not at all, how about this spot right here?” Kyle pointed toward a small area which wasn’t over crowded with too many trees. “It’s not too far from our morning showers either.” He nodded toward the glittering lake and Liz sighed loudly as they all began to get settled.

This was a nightmare. An absolute nightmare!

“What’s the problem, Liz?” Max smirked as he threw his bag to the floor and began fiddling with the tent that would be home to himself and his daughter for the next few days .

Liz replied fast, “Just…bathing in the lake…” though of course that wasn’t really the problem. She was sure Max knew this.

“I’ve heard the water’s really clean!” Miriam announced.

Liz smiled at Miriam. Even the little girl’s enthusiasm wasn’t lifting her spirits right now. Max sleeping near them was a bad idea. Bad. Bad. Bad. And why was Kyle acting like everything was fine and dandy with him?

“What did you expect? Portable showers?” Kyle chuckled and rolled his eyes, “that’s the problem with girly- women.”

“You never had a problem with the lake before, Liz.” Max said, with a cheeky grin on his face. “In fact as far back as I can remember skinny dipping was your favorite hobby.”

Kyle looked a bit surprised at this revelation, “Liz? Really?”

Liz looked up from the bag she was opening up and slit her eyes at Max.

What the hell was his problem?

“No, not really honey,” Liz offered, in response to Kyle’s question, trying her utmost hardest to keep it together and not lunge at Max and strangle him, “I just did it a couple of times in school… I was dared and you know … we’ve all done it…” She trailed off at Kyle’s hugely amused expression.

“We have, huh?”

Liz gave Kyle a stiff smile. How she detested Max and his big mouth. He obviously hadn’t changed much.

“What’s skinny dipping, Daddy?” Miriam asked chirpily.

Now it was Max’s turn to look lost for words and Liz couldn’t help but shake her head in disapproval as Max mumbled something about her being too young and casually tried to – not so successfully- change the subject. After Max had managed to tell his daughter a little something about lakes, adults, and nakedness, Miriam admitted she was bored and rushed over to Lucy’s camping spot.

“Oh god,” Max mumbled when she disappeared, “Any type of splashing noise I hear from now on, is going to scare the hell out of me.”

Kyle laughed. “If we see any half clothed kids in the lake we’re gunna blame you, Max.”

“Kyle, that is so inappropriate!” Liz groaned. She had been wrong in thinking Kyle’s ‘horny’ song was the worst it could get.

“When did you get all prim and proper, Liz?” Max asked nonchalantly fiddling with his hiking bag.

Liz glared at him. Why was he so adamant on bringing up her past? If he thought it was going to make her melt, he was wrong. All he was doing was adding fuel to her anger, whilst in turn, Liz tried her utmost to stop the explosion.

“Perhaps it was when she left high school…” Kyle said in a wondering tone. He trailed off and Liz couldn’t help but think he was probing for information.

Both the men turned to look at Liz. Kyle was looking at her questioningly and Max knowingly. Feeling like she was getting rather ganged up on, Liz refused to answer and continued unpacking stuff from her bag. It was none of Kyle’s business and well, Max should just keep out of her life.

God. She hated Max right now. He was being such a jerk, and this was despite the fact that he knew she had been in love with him!

Getting the message, her fiancée tactfully changed the subject. “Well, I’m going to do my manly duties and go find some firewood, just incase some BEARS –“ Kyle took a lethal step toward Liz at the words ‘bears’, causing her to roll her eyes at his attempt to frighten her “-come in the night and eat us alive – want to join me, Max?”

“Sure, though I just gotta finish up here.” Max motioned toward his tent. “I’ll join you in a second.”

Without even a slight grimace Kyle was off and Liz found herself alone with Max. Liz watched Kyle’s back reproachfully. He was acting rather chipper sharing a camping site with someone he knew his fiancée had been in love with.

“I take it you’ve never come camping with Kyle?”

“No.” Liz’s head snapped up and Max realized that she did not look happy. He watched her as she took the flask out of her bag, put it back in and then frustratedly took it out again.

Happiness aside, she was as agitated as hell, and even though it wasn’t the kind of reaction he was hoping for, Max guessed he was breaking her, because at least it was some kind of reaction.

“It’s just that… he doesn’t seem to realize that you’re pretty good at living life out in the rough,” Max continued.

“What is your problem?”

“What?” Max was taken aback by the fury in her tone, “I was just trying to make conv –“

“Stop!” Liz warned and Max knew this was when he should shut up. “All you’ve done all morning is made me feel as uncomfortable as hell. Exactly what is it that you want?”

The question thickened the air around them and Max couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the way Liz’s was glaring at him. Fists clenched and nostrils flared, looking like she was about to charge him down any second…

….It reminded him of Liz’s high school temper. Free, uncontrolled and fierce. Right now there was no difference between the girl she had been at school and for a moment Max felt like he knew her anger better then he knew the way she acted toward him as an adult.

When the air couldn’t be filled with tension any longer, with a shrug, Max answered softly, “Your friendship?”

“Oh please.” Liz rolled her eyes begrudgingly, and ran a few obscenities under her breath. This adult Max was even more infuriating than the younger one!

Max folded his arms over his lap. “Is that too much to ask?”

“Yes,” Liz replied without hesitation. “I don’t want to be friends with you anymore.”

Max could feel the tension dancing around them like bittersweet clouds from the past.

“Liz –" Max began in hope to offer some kind of incentive to apologize for what he had accidentally blurted out earlier. He guessed that was one of the reasons she was so mad at him. It couldn’t be easy having someone throw your broken heart in your face like that.

But he shut his mouth when she held her hand out to him, stopping him from speaking. Her head had dropped into her knees and she was silent for a really long time. When she looked up her eyes were red rimmed and tired.

“Liz?” Max asked cautiously, a little afraid of what he might have caused.

She said one word, “Why?”

Max stared.

“Why are you making a joke out of this? Out of me? You know everything, yet you carry on like this is easy for me. …bringing up my past…repeatedly. It’s like you’re purposely trying to hurt me!”

“I didn’t,” Max shook his head, a little taken aback at her sudden outburst. “I mean… I didn’t mean to do that Liz. I just want you to... speak to me.”

“Max, just leave me alone. All you do is cause me pain!” Max watched in silent shock as Liz shoved her hiking bag into her tent and walked into the woods, not even giving him a chance to explain why he had done, what he had.

All he wanted was acknowledgement. All he wanted was her friendship again…. because truthfully that was all he was rightful for. But Max was beginning to understand that it wasn’t going to be easy to get it. Especially if he knew how stubborn Liz was.

However there was no way Max was going to give up either. He had let her go away for too long. He had let too much time pass, and even though things may have changed, he wanted her back in his life this time, for good.

****

Liz cursed under her breath as she scoured the woodland in search for Kyle.

Max was intent on making her life as hard as he possibly could.

“What a surprise.” she mumbled under her breath, its not like Max had made things easy for her in the past.

Liz noticed Kyle kneeling down to pick up firewood, a few feet ahead of her and she jogged to catch up with him.

“Kyle, I’m so sorry.” Liz said breathlessly joining him, “I couldn’t say no to Miriam.”

“Sorry about what?” Kyle looked truly unconcerned and it was making Liz feel a little on edge. Did he not care AT ALL?

“You know, Max sharing a campsite with us.” She looked into his eyes for any type of avoidance or concern.

But all Kyle did was shrug. “Why would that matter to me? I’m fine with it. In fact it’s fun becoming more familiar with your past.”

How weird that was. It was just her past that was making her feel as uncomfortable as hell.

Yet, Liz was determined to get the truth from Kyle. How could he just be ‘alright’ with the ex love of her life, suddenly appearing and sharing a campsite with them? “You’re fine?” she asked again, searching his face.

“Really I’m fine, “ Kyle laughed. “Liz.” Kyle put his hand on her shoulder. “The only reason I did a check on you was because Max was something you were trying to hide from me. Everything’s out in the open now. So, I’m fine….” He paused, “Are you?”

Liz shrugged, “I’m okay too, I guess.” If Kyle was okay with it all, she guessed it was one of the worst of her problems out of the way.

“Anyway, I kinda like him,” Kyle said, bending down again to pick up some more wood. “He seems like a fun guy.”

Liz sighed, taking some of Kyle’s wood as they trailed back to their camp. “He’s not that great.”

Kyle grinned and dropped a kiss on her forehead, “Well, not anyone can be as great as me, can they?”


---

Back with the next one in five...

Time Changes Everything.

Chapter 17

“Who is she?” Miriam cried outraged, whilst Lucy tried to pull Miriam back from storming off in a temper.

She had no idea that her friend had such a short fuse!

“That’s Dona’s Mom,” Lucy explained.

“What is she doing with my Dad?”

“Talking to him?” Lucy bit her lip, trying not to laugh at the expression on her friends face. It was a classic. Miriam looked like she was simply going to… explode.

“I know that!” Miriam snapped, “She’s not giving him a chance to go anywhere else!”

Lucy and Miriam had been monitoring Max and Liz like predators stalking their prey. Much to Miriam’s dismay, her Dads every attempt to talk to her teacher had ended in disappointment.

“I don’t think she’s the real problem,” Lucy pointed toward Liz. She was surrounded by a huge circle of parents and children. “I’ve seen your Dad try a few times, but Miss Parker keeps running away.”

“I know, I noticed that too. What am I meant to do?” Miriam pouted, “obviously leaving them alone in the woods clearly isn’t the answer.”

“Well, it could be,” said Lucy thoughtfully, “they haven’t actually had the chance to be alone yet, remember?”

“So, what do we do to get that woman away from my Dad-“

“- And Miss Parker away from all those people?” Lucy finished off as Miriam replied with a nod. Her face lit up. “I have the perfect solution!”

Lucy motioned Miriam toward her. Because there were so many others around them she had to whisper in her best friends ear.

When she pulled away, she was glad to see Miriam’s face break into a huge smile as she screeched, “Oh my god Lucy, you are a genius!”

*****


Max was confused as hell. No matter what he did, or whatever tactic he tried to use, Liz was intent on ignoring him. When she had asked for a volunteer to help wash dishes in the lake, she had ignored his extremely loud volunteer noises. When she had picked parents and kids for eye-spy game she had completely ignored Max despite his protesting. Every time he had tried to talk to her, she had dodged him, and every time he had 'accidentally' managed to brush her arm to make her take notice of him, she had given him a death ray glare that scared him witless.

In fact, by now that whole parenting community had probably gathered that either he was an attention seeking psychopath or he had a huge crush on his daughters teacher.

Speaking of crushes, he wasn’t the only one suspected of one. The young platinum lady who, kept laughing raucously at every passing comment he made, hadn’t moved from his side since the beginning of the trip. Since he really didn’t know anyone here, and Liz was making his life quite a misery, he supposed he would have been glad for her company… IF she didn’t have such an annoying laugh. Sure, Max had a sense of humor, but even he was ready to admit he wasn’t that funny.

Eventually the kids had started to go to bed one by one and Max looked around for his daughter, but she was nowhere to be seen. Guessing she had already made her way to the tent, Max trailed back, finally glad that the blonde- Mandy had bid him goodbye.

At the campsite he was fondly greeted with the sight of Liz leaning into Kyle as they sat around a dwindling fire. He felt a small stab through his stomach at the intimacy between the two.

He was unsure why he felt so jealous. Liz deserved a right to be happy with whomever she wanted…

Perhaps because he had never seen Liz be quite so intimate with any guy before. Perhaps, he was finally beginning to acknowledge that he was truly envious of any guy that dared get close to Liz.

Max was suddenly recalling Brett’s words from the last prom night that he and Liz had shared. Brett had claimed that Max and Liz’s friendship had been absurd in some not so many nice words. In reflection Max suspected that he had always felt more than just a simple friendship toward Liz, and even though ten years had passed, those feelings remained. It would still take him a while to get to terms with Liz having a fiancée. In fact, truth be told, he hated the idea of it.

Right now, he was pretending that Kyle was just her friend. It was better the way.

“Hey, man,” Kyle nodded in acknowledgment as Max joined them. “You manage to get rid of your shadow?”

Max had to think for a moment about what Kyle meant, because he was too busy trying to ignore Liz’s distasteful glare. She’d only grown better at them with time.

“Oh, Mandy? Yeah, she’s gone to bed,” Max bit his lip, “though I have a feeling she might be sitting next to me when I wake up during the night.”

Kyle chuckled, “Can you padlock tents?”

“Oh for gods’ sake,” Liz cried, “Mandy’s wonderful. If there’s anyone that needs to be watched it’s the attention seeking guy, that attaches himself to any vaguely attractive female in sight.”

“Ouch,” Kyle grinned.

“We’re both single,” Max commented, off handedly, “So what’s the problem?”

Liz snorted not bothering to answer his remark. Suddenly too aware of gender stereotypes, she was certain if Max was a girl he’d be called a cheap whore.

In fact Liz didn’t care if he was a guy. She had decided he was a whore all the same. She had noticed the way he had been all nice and charming to Mandy and despite the fact that it was cheap and revolting, it had done nothing to calm the anger within her. In fact it had been more of a reason for her to ignore him.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were throwing insults at me with your mind,” Max commented dryly.

Liz tightened her lips and frowned at him, not bothering to answer that remark either.

Indifference. That was the ultimate goal.

Max shook his head to himself. She was definitely cursing him. He’d never mistaken that look of hers. “Have you seen Miriam?” he asked remembering his earlier dilemma.

“No,” Kyle shook his head. “I saw her with Lucy earlier though.”

“Yeah, she’s probably with Lucy.” Max internally scolded himself for over- exaggerating the uneasiness in his heart. Miriam had always told him he was over protective. He’d wait ten minutes and then go find her if she didn’t turn up.

He picked up a nearby branch and threw it into the fire.

Liz closed her eyes on Kyle’s shoulder.

Ten minutes was too long. He’d wait five.

“Have you seen Lucy? She’s been missing for over half hour.” All three looked up to see Lucy’s Dad, Dan, standing above them.

Max’s heart lurched into his gut and he stood up in a hurry. “Where the hell are they? Are they lost? Kidnapped?”

Liz was getting up herself, her mind ticking as to where the girls may have disappeared to. However, she found herself distracted at the pure anxiety on Max’s face.

Despite her anger toward him, she couldn’t help but offer him some comfort. “They’re not kidnapped, Max,” she reassured, speaking to him directly since first time they had reached the woods. “They’ve probably gone for exploring; Kyle and Dan stay at the site. Max and I will go find the girls.”

Max was shocked at the sudden reassurance. He hadn’t been expecting it, but he was thankful all the same. He nodded. “Sure, lets go.”


****

“How long do we have to stick around here, and are you sure your Dad will be able to find this place?” Lucy asked a little worriedly.

“Hey, it was your plan!”

“Well, I was thinking more along the lines of hiding in the bushes near the campsite not miles away, in the middle of the woods,” Lucy answered, “I don’t even know where we are!”

“Don’t worry,” Miriam reassured, “My Dad has a pretty good sense of direction. We just have to wait here until my Dad calls. Plus, there was nowhere to hide near the campsite.”

On cue, Miriam’s cell started to ring.

“It’s my Dad.” She said excitedly before answering. “Hey, Dad.”

“M? Where are you?” his voice was on edge.

“Um, Dad… don’t be mad…” Miriam winked at Lucy, who rubbed her hands together in glee. “Me and Lucy went for a walk, and then we got kind of…um, lost.”

There was silence and Miriam felt a bit uneasy. When it was silent it normally meant her Dad was trying to calm himself down.

Her suspicions were confirmed because her Dad said, “M baby, I am so mad at you right now. Where the hell are you?”

Miriam paused at her Dads tone. Crap! He was mad. She could already feel her euphoria dying away. Sure, she wanted to get Miss Parker and her Dad together. But she HATED when he was mad at her.

She coughed, “Um, we’re by this old…like this old water fountain thing.”

“An old water fountain? How the hell am I meant to--?”

There was mumbling and some static in the background and then her Dad was talking again.

“Okay, we know -- Liz says she knows where it is. Just stay there okay? Just stay right where you are… we’re coming.”

Her cell went dead.

Miriam looked from her cell to Lucy.

“Was he mad?” Lucy asked in a small whisper, because judging from Miriam’s face, she already knew the answer.

“He was so mad.” Miriam answered. Then she shrugged, like she had no choice but do what she was doing. “Well, let’s go.”

“Go where?!” Lucy asked.

“Back to the campsite.”

“…But aren’t they coming here?”

“Don’t you get it Lucy?” Miriam said, her eyes churning with ideas, “If they come here they only get half the time to talk, than if they come here and then go back again.”

Lucy smiled as she began to follow Miriam back to the site, “You’re so right!”

“And so in trouble.” Miriam mumbled under her breath.



****


The sound of breaking branches, and rustling leaves surrounded them as they headed deeper into Frazier woods. Night was coming, and Max was eager to reach the old ‘fountain’ or wherever Miriam had just said she was before it went completely dark. He was still panicked even though he knew where the girls were now. After all, it was getting darker and darker… and they were all alone in a big forest.

Why on earth she had decided to go for a late night walk was beyond him. Sure, he could remember quite a lot of his childhood, but he certainly couldn’t remember the reasoning behind some of the stupid stunts he had pulled.

They pretty much ran through the woods. Max following Liz because apparently she had a better memory than him when it came to Frazier woods. When they reached the opening to the fountain the girls were nowhere to be seen.

“Miriam?” Max yelled around the opening. The woodland seemed to eat his voice up. “MIRIAM? LUCY?”

Where the hell were they?

He was about to call her cell again, when Liz’s phone started to ring.

Liz picked up her cell, mumbled a few words and hung up. She sighed, “They’re with Kyle and Dan.”

“They’re with—what?”

“They’re safe, Max,” Liz took a step toward him. He looked so distraught. “they’re safe...”

She saw his expression change at once. “Oh, thank god,” he whispered, relief dawning on his features.

Liz bit her lip, as she took the few final steps closer to him. Miriam and Lucy were only her students and she had been pretty damned scared, she could only imagine how worried Max might have been. “It’s okay…” She placed a comforting hand on his arm but when he stiffened and looked down at her hand, Liz pulled away.

It was too soon for that.

Liz coughed, “shall we um, go back?”

Max nodded, cursing himself for stiffening up like that. It was just that seeing the sudden kindness from Liz had shocked him. It seemed from the way Liz had reacted, she had thought it a mistake on her part too. He groaned when they began to trek back to the campsite. He was frustrated, and Miriam’s tactics were adding to the raging turmoil inside him.

“How could she just walk off like that? God, I’m so angry at her.”

“What are you going to do?” Liz wondered out loud. She knew it took a lot to get Max’s anger going and even when he did get angry, he was always the first to calm down.

Max pondered and just ended up shrugging, “God, I don’t know…I just melt when it comes to Miriam. I have like this whole dialogue planned out… like how I’m going to yell and ground her, but it just doesn’t happen.” He looked at Liz, who was smiling to herself, like she was lost in her own head. “I know what you’re thinking. I’m a shitty father. Always late. Never there...I can’t even keep a handle on where the hell she is half the time.”

Liz shook her head. A mass of thoughts had gone through her head, but none of them had been about Max being a bad father.

Instead, she had wondered how he had managed all on his own. She had wondered if he had broken at any point. She had reflected on how lucky Miriam was, because Max was the kind of guy that had the ability to make you feel like you were queen of the world, and judging from the way he was with Miriam, Liz could only imagine that he had magnified that trait as a father.

She didn’t say all of that though. She said, “you’ve done a good job, Max. She’s a good kid.”

Max was still surprised that she had changed her mind and decided to talk him and now, even more surprised that she had given him a compliment on top of that. “Thanks,” he replied sincerely.

Liz suddenly stopped at a large clump of trees and Max found he was almost tripping over himself in order to refrain from falling into her. He looked at her questioningly.

“Don’t worry. I know where I’m going,” Liz said mockingly, “just getting my bearings…”

“The both of us being lost, alone, in the woods?” Max smiled brusquely, “imagine that.”

Liz raised her eyebrows, “In your dreams, Max.”


Max laughed, “I’m not worrying, Liz. You always knew these woods like the back of your hand.”

He knew he had said the wrong thing then. Max could sense the discomfort shoot through her body, he had mentioned her past, and all of a sudden her mood had changed. “Please, don’t,” she said quietly.

“Are you still mad at me?”

“A little,” Liz admitted, as she began walking again. Max noticed she hadn’t looked at him through the whole time they had started walking back. “I’m only being nice because you’re vulnerable and anxious because of your daughter.”

“Oh,” he guessed that this meant she was going to go back to her ‘professional’ self when they were re-united with the girls. “So this niceness is just a pity thing, huh?”

“I guess you could say that.”

Max sighed at her reluctance to show anything but disdain for him. Sensing his now or never opportunity, Max said, “Liz? Can I just say how sorry I am?”

“For what Max?”

Despite the question she still refused to look at him him, her eyes averted to the floor as she walked. Yet Max noticed that her voice wasn’t so harsh anymore.

“Everything.”

There wasn’t just one thing that Max was sorry about. He was simply sorry for all of it. Every ounce of pain that she had gone through, because of him.

Liz looked down at the leafy greens and acorn browns of the woodland ground. She could sense his gaze boring into her skull, and already her eyes were starting to burn with tears.

God… She had to stop this!

“I know that I’ve caused you a lot of hurt. If there’s anyway I can possibly make it up…I will.”

Liz sighed, “there’s nothing to make up, Max.”

“Isn’t there?”

“No,” Liz tried to keep her voice steady as she spoke, “It’s the past now. Can we please just forget about it?”

Why was he so adamant about trying to make up for the past instead of focusing on the future? A future that didn’t involve her.

“I can’t--”

Liz sighed, fastening her pace. This was just ridiculous.

“--because it’s impossible to forget you, Liz,” Max called from behind her, “Believe me, I’ve tried.”

Liz shot a look at him. “It wasn’t so hard back in high school was it, Max?”

“Hey, that’s unfair!” Max replied, fastening his own pace to keep up with her. “Name one time that I’ve ever forgotten about you.”

“I have an idea, why don’t you just forget it now?” Liz shook her head and stomped in front. She could hear Kyle’s voice and Miriam’s giggling just ahead of her.

There was no way she was willing to re-live all that crap again. This was exactly all the stuff she didn’t want to bring up and Max for some insane reason, was so determined to.

“Liz, wait,” Max caught up with her in a second. When she refused to stop he grabbed her arm pulling back toward him.

Liz felt like electricity had just tingled up her spine, as her back bumped into Max's chest, and they both took apologetic steps away from one another.

She glared at him fiercely, “What is it?”

“I’ve said sorry, Liz. I’ll say it a thousand times if you want me to. What more can I do to make it up to you?”

His voice was desperate, yet Liz wouldn’t let herself melt. She couldn’t let herself…. “That’s the problem Max. You can’t.” There was nothing more he could do.

Max groaned in annoyance as she left him and walked onto the campsite to join the others.

It seemed there was no way Liz was going to agree into giving him the time of day. Ever.

****

Morning DreamGirl: Well hope you had fun reading it too. And you should sleep. Sleep is good. I don’t get how people survive without it. I’m like miss bitch without my sleep.

LairaBehr4: So have you seen KANK yet?

Emz80m, begonia9508, frenchkiss70, Earth2Mama, Kitten, FSU/MSW-94, Heavenli24, Jasons Lover, BehrObsession, Ellie, Walking Contradiction, Alien614, behrluv32, sunrise102, jamy21 and omwf

Thanks all for reading. I know I’m not too big on FB on FB but I really don’t know what to say without giving away the whole fic. Apart from a big fat thanks for reading... I do re-read all FB like 100 times. I'm sad like that...


Time Changes Everything

Chapter 18

Max observed in silent enjoyment as he sat as a spectator on a heightened island of grass, surrounded by group of chattering parents and children. Another group of children kicked around a ball in a game of soccer a few feet in front of him.

Max was enjoying himself immensely for two reasons. One of them being he had finally managed to get rid of Mindy or whatever her name was – to another, more interested, single Dad. Single Dad, aka Jon. had set up his camp not far from his own, and they had got to talking this morning over breakfast. When he had introduced Jon to Mindy a couple of hours later, she had been more than willing to leave Max alone, especially since she had found that Jon drove an incredibly expensive sports car. This was good because it meant that Max finally got to give his ears some peace from all the high pitched laughing that was driving him a bit insane and, plus he didn’t have to do all his ‘Liz pursuing’ with Mindy following his lead like a wet blanket.

The second reason Max was enjoying himself, was because he was watching Liz. Yes, watching. Not chasing, or bickering, or being ignored by Liz.… simply watching. It was nice, because for a damned change Liz wasn’t giving him any trouble. She seemed perfectly happy to run about in a long skirt, act crazy with the children and laugh herself to oblivion. Right now, she was leaping about in the grass in front of him, whilst the wind whipped her hair all around her face. All her movements were effortless and Max could vouch that he had never seen anyone so…alive. She was that same carefree and wild Liz he had fell for in high school... minus the skirt of course (she would have never worn a skirt)… and god, watching her like this made him realize with a gut wrenching ache, how much he had missed her.

Max found himself suddenly recalling how tough the days had been when she had left. Everything from the weather to the evening news to his own bedroom had reminded him of Liz. At one point he had thought he would never stop feeling so miserable, and then some time had passed, and surprisingly the pain had lessened.

It was true… despite how much he had refused to believe it at the time –time did have a precious type healing power. He hadn’t forgotten of course. He could never have forgotten…but the ache hadn’t been as heart numbingly raw as it had been a few months after she had left. He had managed to get on with his life without sinking into depths of depression or denial every few hours and he owed that mainly to his daughter. That was until the reunion. It had all come back like a freight train smashing through his skull.

Now, as Max sat and just simply watched her scream, riot and act totally crazy with the kids, he contemplated that if someone had come up to him that very moment and asked what the one thing he wanted most in the world… he wouldn’t have had any trouble answering.

All Max wanted was his Liz.

Max couldn’t help but smile in irony. Because, oh no, Liz was intent on being anything but Liz. She was more on par with being grouchy, stubborn, I have a stick shoved so far up my ass that I can barely smile, Liz. And truth be told, it was slowly killing him. Max wasn’t one to admit defeat easily but from the way Liz was reacting, the only thing that would make her happy was if a big warp hole appeared and swallowed him up whole.

Max eyes traveled around the playing area and he saw his daughter and her partner in crime- Lucy march up to their playing peers like they were going to arrest them. He frowned. Those two had been acting incredibly suspicious about something. Normally, Max let Miriam get on with whatever she wanted, but after her tryst in the woods two nights before, Max had been keeping much more of an eye on her and he hadn’t missed all her secretiveness either.

Shrugging himself off he followed the two, just in time to hear Miriam turn on that sweet charm of hers and smile, “Please, Miss Parker?”

“I don’t know,” Liz sighed, and when she eyed Max turn up behind Miriam and Lucy she shook her head. “No, I don’t think it’s a good idea, though you can play soccer with us if you want.”

Max shoved his hand in the pocket of his jeans and watched on curiously. Being her father, he could see right through that sweet smile of Miriam’s – it came hand in hand with the ‘I’m going to do something really naughty, but I want you to grant me permission to do it without you knowing’ look. Kids these days were so clever like that.

“Soccer is so boring and I suck at it!” Miriam cried, with a dainty stamp of her foot.

“I agree,” Lucy put in, “I’d rather play basketball too.”

“Why don’t you and Lucy gather a few others and go play over the other side of the grass? We’ll continue our game here.” Liz was about to turn back to her game when Max decided it was time to butt in.

“Why don’t we all just play the better game together?”

Max had no idea what his daughter was planning but it seemed kinda fun. Plus, at least he got to participate in a game that he enjoyed. Sure, he was enjoying watching Liz, but it would be even more fun beating her. At her own game, no less. Who the hell played soccer anyway?

Liz was frowning in distaste like she hadn’t heard such an absurd idea her whole life. Max wondered what her deal was, after all she had tortured him with the game every single frigging day in high school. Yet, right now, she looked like basketball was nothing but a harmful child killing virus, and she was the only nurse with the vaccination.

Sensing Max’s eagerness, Liz turned her nose at him, “We’re in the middle of a game. I think it’s totally inappropriate –“

“--I don’t mind!” Rory said, suddenly appearing from behind her. “I agree with Miriam, I’d rather play basketball.”

Miriam smiled widely as Lucy gave her a playful shove.

“Nor me, soccer sucks!” Callum agreed.

And suddenly, Liz’s protests were over thrown with a huge roar of agreement from a crowd of nine and ten year olds.

“Okay, fine!” Liz groaned dejectedly. She should have known how pushy these kids could be. “But where on earth are we going to get the hoops from? They don’t exactly grow on trees.”

It was her last try at triumph, but that was quickly squashed when Miriam spoke up.

“Oh, I brought my self-make ones from home. Let me go get them.” And with that Miriam and Lucy trotted off.

Both Liz and Max watched the kids disappear into their tents and in less than two minutes, there was a home made basketball kit ready made, presented in front of them. Ball and hoop included.

Max watched his daughter suspiciously. Had she planned this game of basketball? And when had she packed the hoops? When his daughter caught his eye, she threw him a cheek filled smile, but before Max could contemplate any further about her scheming, Liz’s voice was dragging him back.

“Okay, well, who wants to play?” she said dully, like she had just been banished to a life time of torture and then looked extremely shocked at the sudden roar of noise that greeted her with a yes.

“Oh, uh, well… it looks like basketball is a popular game... so we’ll have two teams. We need two captains who get to choose the players and then we’ll sort out the rules from there--”

“--You and my Dad!”

“Er…” Liz turned toward the owner of the voice. Of course. It was Miriam. Who else would it be?

Okay, so she had agreed to swap soccer for basketball. However, there was no way she was agreeing to play against Max. If he was playing she was going to sit out. It was final. She was shaking her head in refusal but Lucy was speaking too.

“Come on, Miss Parker! We know you play basketball really well.”

“My Dad tells me you used to be like, pro.” Miriam added.

Max coughed, like he had been caught off guard. “I think we should reiterate that M, Liz used to play well...”

Liz’s eyes snapped up to meet Max’s. “What do you mean used to?”

Max scrunched up his nose, like it pained him to say it. “Come on Liz, you’re blatantly out of practice…”

Liz folded her arms, shook her head and almost stamped her foot in order to keep it together and Max couldn’t help but smile at the way he she had started to stubbornly tilt her chin outward. It was an absolute ‘Liz classic’ and he was ready to punch the air with joy. Max was definitely going to have to thank his daughter, because hell, she was a genius for coming up with this!

Liz finally managed a, “Why would you say that?” Max didn’t miss the lethal quality to her voice.

“Well,” Max didn’t offer up information quickly, quite pleased to see her squirm. “You’ve changed a lot and lets just say your sport skills aren’t gunna be up to scratch.”

“Max, are you saying I can’t play basketball because I now wear a skirt? “ Liz asked, clearly infuriated.

Max shook his head. “Could be a slight problem, but not exactly. I’m just saying. Well, I’m going to be better than you.”

Liz almost snorted at the audacity of Max’s statement. “Yeah right, that’s really…” she trailed off realizing a huge group of children were hanging on to her every word. She cleared her throat and smiled icily. “I don’t quite agree, Max”

Max looked at her challengingly. “You want to put that to the test?”

“No!”

Liz wasn’t entirely sure where it came from but to her utter horror someone had started a yell of “Go miss Parker!”. And suddenly it had spread like wildfire; everyone was yelling her name in unison. Liz wanted to cry, but most of all she wanted to wipe that cocky smile right off Max’s face. She wouldn’t be surprised if he planned this!


“No,” Liz shook her head adamantly, “this is just ridiculous …”

“--We can call it off if your skills have gone so down the sewer that you can’t even bring yourself to –“

Liz grabbed the ball from Miriam’s hands and said ferociously, “--you’re on.”

Max grinned widely as the group of excited children starting to make their way to sitting area to give them space. He winked at her. “That’s more like it.”

Liz raised her eyebrows. Max was absolutely crazy to challenge her. She had never lost against him in her entire life. And she wasn’t going to start. Max was going to have a hard time getting the ball off her, let alone scoring. What on earth was he thinking?

She sighed boredly as Miriam put up the hoop with the help of Mandy and Max took his position across from her.

Max and Liz faced one another as a stealthy silence overtook the air around them. At that moment it could have been only the two of them in the whole of Frazier woods, it was that quiet.

They stared at one another.

Eye to eye.

Head to head.

In challenge positions.

A small breeze swept past them, causing Liz’s hair to cover her face. She whipped it out of the way and looked straight back into Max’s hazel eyes. For a moment was taken aback at the goose pimples that had started to pinprick her arms and neck as he stood opposite her, a rather lazy smile covering his lips.

“I hope you’re prepared to lose,” Liz said with a toss of her head, giving Max her game smile.

Max smirked, unable to hide his amusement. “My losing is history.”

“Now where have I heard that before?”

Liz began to bounce the ball, warming up. She was eyeing Max the whole time. His movements, the way he was staring at the ball and that little twitch of his left shoulder was a dead give away of what he was about do next.

That twitch. It had always been her secret to winning.

There was a whistle somewhere in the background and Liz heard Max mumble, “ Best outta three,” before he was moving past her at lightening speed and in possession of the ball.

Liz looked down at her empty hands. Wait a minute. Where had that stupid twitch gone?

Liz watched as Max got close to the hoop, getting ready to score.

Never mind. He was still a bad player and thus she had that to her advantage.

She jogged toward him, coming in from the left, but much to Liz’s surprise, Max managed a behind the back crossover, switching hands.

“Well… well… “Liz started, just enough to catch him off guard, before retrieving the ball and throwing it into the hoop.

It was an instant score and a myriad of clapping greeted her.

Max couldn’t help but grin at the smug smile on her face as she saluted him and made a huge show of tripping over her skirt. She leaned right into his face, “Is it embarrassing that a girl beats you every single time, Max?”

“I said best out of three, Liz. I have two more chances.” Max answered as he eyed her lazily and then the way she bounced the ball with hardly any effort at all.

“I could give you a billion and you still couldn’t win.”

She aimed for the hoop, but this time missed and then Max was in possession of the ball.

“Wanna bet?”

This time he was running from her as he bounced. Liz was shadowing him. He was pretty fast she noted. In fact he was really fast. How on earth had he learnt--

--Max scored.

Liz stared, He had actually scored! …Whilst she was in a game against him!

Liz took an immediate step toward him. “That was a fluke—“ she began, but at that exact time the ball dropped from the hoop and at their feet. Liz jumped to reach for it, but Max suddenly had it in his hands, he bounced a few times, taking in Liz’s expression of shock before throwing it in the hoop and scoring agan.

Liz’s mouth fell to the floor.

What.the.frigging.hell.had.just.happened?

Max walked past her and gave a modest shrug. “I warned you I’d been practicing.”

Against all her quiet modesty, Liz was shaking her head disbelievingly.

“That wasn’t right! No that couldn’t…it wasn’t…”

She just couldn’t believe that Max had beat her at basketball!!!

She barely got to acknowledge Max’s comfortable smirk before a lot of kids ran behind him to join his team. In fact they all wanted to join his team. Liz suddenly felt deflated.

“I think I’m going to sit out for a bit…”

“What about the game?” Max called behind her.

“Appoint someone else captain.”

Liz needed to go. Get away. She needed to get over the damned shock! Liz started to head away from the group with the feeling of Max’s eyes boring into her back as she trailed unenthusiastically back to camp.

She found herself sitting on the mattress of her tent with a small huff. Still stunned. Sure, she hadn’t played basketball for a long time and sure, Max had had all that time to practice…but him actually beating her had shocked the hell out of her all the same.

It was like… impossible and Liz couldn’t help but contemplate how much time had really changed the both of them.

“What are you thinking?”

Liz turned around to see Max’ head poking around into her tent. She glanced at her watch. Had she really been sitting here thinking about Max for over an hour?!

“Nothing.” Liz shook her head at herself.

“Liz… are you… sulking?” Max asked with a small smile playing his lips.

Rolling her eyes, Liz crawled out of the tent. “Like hell, I was.”

“Though you were thinking about me weren’t you?” Max asked following her around and then stretching a little before he faced her.

Liz felt her heart fasten a couple of notches. How the hell did he know? “Why would you say that?”

“I’ve had a lot of practice face reading you, plus I do the exact same expression when I think about you…”

Liz opened her mouth in astonishment. “What expression? And Oh please, you so do not think about me.”

Max gave her a somewhat bitter smile. “What did you think I spent the last ten years doing?”

Liz felt a chill go up her spine, but she brushed his comment off. “Practicing basketball by the looks of it”

Max chuckled lightly and Liz couldn’t help but stare at the way he still managed to look so boyishly handsome when his face broke into a grin. He really was so darned beautiful. “So, now you do actually believe that I –?“

Liz cut him off, “I still think it was a fluke, actually.”

Hell, there was no way he was better than her. Just. No way.

Max raised his eyebrows. “I challenge you to prove me wrong then.”

Liz hesitated. Already the sun was setting into a mixture of red and yellow, and Kyle would be back soon with his own group of kids that he had taken hiking this morning/

“Come on Liz,” Max interrupted her thoughts. “Let go. Be free. Let it loose.…yada yadda…would it really kill you to play one more game of basketball with me?”

“Okay.” Liz nodded.

“Okay?” Max parroted, unsure if he had heard correctly. That had been easier than he had thought.

Liz shrugged. “Sure, Max Evans. Let’s go kick your ass whilst I’m wearing a skirt, no less.”

Max grinned, unable to hide the happiness that had jolted inside him. “Why you’re wearing a skirt on camping trip is so beyond me, but I’m wholly looking forward to it.”


****

“So they’re like…. playing basketball.”

“I know. All on their own.”

“.. And they’re even talking.”

“…No one even forced them!”

Water blue and pine green eyes met and Miriam let out a small squeal which was soon met by a just as excited one from Lucy. In no time the girls were skipping around the campfire in a child-like tribal dance.

Miriam eyes were gleaming with mirth, “Who would think that a game as stupid as basketball would bring them together?”

“Its great isn’t it?” Lucy giggled.

“Absolutely!”

“What’s great?” Both girls stopped their bantering as they turned to look up at the owner of the voice- Kyle. He was standing above them with a half curious, half amused expression on his face and Miriam’s mouth set into a grim line wondering how much he had heard.

“Um, nothing…” she said quickly.

“Oh, okay.” Kyle said quizzically. “Anyway, has anyone of you seen Liz? I’ve been looking for her for ages.”

Both girls exchanged looks of dread.

“Oh, she went to sort something out.” Lucy said quickly.

“What?”

“I don’t know. But she said she’d be back soon.”

Kyle frowned, clearly deciding whether he should go look for her or not. There was silence for a while as both girls minds whirred, and Lucy gave Miriam a small push.

“Um, Mr. Kyle?” Miriam said slowly, “Would you help me with something?”

“What?”

“I have…I have like this pack of cards and we really…. want to learn how to play poker.”

Kyle paused. “Play… poker?”

“Yep.” Both girls said in innocent unison.

“Hell, no.” Kyle chuckled.

He didn’t want to get his ass kicked when Max found out what he’d been teaching his daughter!

Both girls looked at each other disappointed, but it didn’t take long before their faces broke out into huge grins when Kyle sat down across from them and said, “Though, I have some card tricks I can show you if you want…”

***

Liz’s hair was blowing in all directions, as was her skirt, but the wind had a comforting quality to it. It wasn’t a brittle cold, nor did it carry with it the mildewy warm heat that the New Mexico weather often brought, but it was rather like a blanket that tangled in comfortable unison with the skin. It was an odd feeling and so was the sound of Max’s laughter. Liz realized with a startling certainty that the familiarity of everything here was catching her off guard.

Being in Roswell. In Frazier woods where she had camped many times as a child. Playing basketball under a starry sky. With Max.

She couldn’t help but admit she was having the time of her life. She hadn’t laughed this much, since… forever.

Liz found her eyes being drawn back to Max as he bounced the ball with the energy that had never evaded him.

“This is the last game, Liz. We’re equal so with this one we should establish the winner, aka. me.” He pointed shamelessly at him self at this point, incase Liz had missed it the first twenty times around.

Liz rolled her eyes. “You so could not beat me, even if you used your last and dirtiest tactic on me.”

Liz was running toward him and she gained the ball effortlessly. As Max made a move toward her, Liz hesitated and then dribbled, scooting around him. Her hands were in the air and she was inches away from throwing the ball in the hoop and proving to Max that things hadn’t changed so much after all, when Max pinched her on both sides, causing Liz to fall backward into his arms.

“Max!” Liz cried disdainfully, brushing herself off and turn to face him. “That was just… dirty!”

Max shrugged nonchalantly. “What? I didn’t do anything.”

Liz sneered, and said rather gently, “I would kick your ass if I didn’t have a bunch of kids relying on me to behave appropriately.”

“And how you got the role, is so beyond me.”

“Watch it Max Evans!” Liz teased as she casually picked up the ball and aimed it at his head.

Max managed to dodge just in time, the ball trailed off behind him.

“Still violent I see…”

Liz clicked her tongue. “And you’re still a moron.”

There was silence for a second and then Max took a step toward her with a pained expression on his face. “That I am. …god, I’ve been such a moron.

“About what?” she asked nonchalantly, but found herself staring at the ground because already she knew what he was going to say.

“About you know, not realizing…I just thought that… I don’t know… I guess I never thought you would have feelings for me.”

Liz shrugged her shoulders, “Well, I never thought you’d care for me the way I did for you.”

Max watched her silently. “I did you know. A lot.”

Liz smiled up at him in a way that made his heart hurt. “I know. Just not the way I wanted…”

Max opened his mouth to protest but Liz brushed him off. “Well we’ve gathered that you’re a moron. So let’s forget it and move on.” She took a step backward and Max realized they had been surprisingly close. “Hey, do you want to -- “ she paused and shook her head, like brushing cob webs out of her brain.

“Do I want to what?”

“No, never mind.”

Max realized she was biting her lip agonizingly hard and running her hand through her hair shyly. Her behavior was making him even more curious.

Max pushed her gently on the shoulder causing her to look up at him in surprise. “No, tell me, Liz. Really.”

“Do you want to…play another game?” And then to his astonishment, Liz blushed wildly.

Max started to laugh. Really laugh. “Oh god. I knew it!”

“Knew what?” Liz looked offended.

“I just knew you got off on playing this game. I’ve never… in my life seen anyone as fanatical about playing basketball as you. I swear, you could keep going and going and going and going…” Max paused from his laughter, giving her a once over and Liz couldn’t help but blush even more from head to toe. “Though, I must admit that your stamina is pretty hot.”

Liz shook her head, but despite herself started to giggle at his choice of wording. That was an interesting way to put it. “Okay I admit it, Max,” she cried, “I’m obsessed… and a bit freakish about the game…. but give me a break, I’ve missed playing it…” she paused and bit her lip in contemplation before adding, “with you.”

Max smiled.” I think we must be basketball soul mates, because I missed it too.”

It wasn’t so much the basketball, as it was the playing with Liz. But Max didn’t bring that little point up. Although she was still brushing off the past like discussing it didn’t matter, at least she was acknowledging it. And they were playing together, like the old times… If nothing else, it was a definite start.

As they ran through the woods, with a clear star filled night and deepening breeze surrounding them… Max chasing Liz, Liz occasionally slapping him around the head, intent on beating Max at every single game, whilst Max enjoyed her easy presence and her laughter; Max became more and more convinced about something that had been tangling his thoughts like a tightening noose refusing to let go.

He began to understand the feeling that had overtaken his senses for years. It was like comfort and joy wrapped together all at once; like how he could purposely lose basketball again and again, just to see that one look of triumph on her face, simply because it made him feel like he’d achieved more than anything he could dream of. Or the stab of jealousy and prick of rage he felt any time any other guy came close to Liz…. It was the same feeling that caused him to suffer the bittersweet pull of angst every time he saw a couple of kids playing basketball in the park.

It was belonging, laughter and this weird type of ache.

Max paused with hands on his knees, and then held his hand out for her to stop as he caught his breath. When he looked up, Liz was standing above him, hand on hip, tapping her foot impatiently. Their eyes met and she smiled in a way that took his breath away.

Max realized that the feeling was love.

----

I think I hear a collective sigh of hall-friggin-lujah?

As usual all, thank you for reading. I’ve started keeping a diary of my fave FB on days I need that special high.

Time Changes Everything

Chapter 19

Max stared upward, enchanted by the million glistening stars that coated the charcoal sky. He had sat many times like this, just as he was today, with Liz. When they were younger, they would sit in the tree house of his garden seeing who could tell the most frightening ghost story. When they were a little older it had been during school camping trips, daring one another and sharing secrets. Then during high school they had spent many evenings discussing the intricacies of nothing on Liz’s balcony, as they lay in lounge chairs and stared up at the sky. Yet he had never recognized how wonderful the feeling of coming home was. Had it always been like this? Why had he never realized?

“So, what have you been doing with yourself?”

Max looked down and shuffled his body to face her, his knee touching the basketball that sat between the both of them. She was leaning on her elbows, stretched out on the grass lazily, a small smile covering her moonlit face. Max couldn’t help but contemplate how ethereally beautiful she was.

He shrugged in response to her question, not sure where to start, “Working out how to be a father most of the time.”

Liz sighed, shaking her head like she was trying to contemplate his situation and then she looked straight up at him, her eyes sincere. “You’ve done well Max. You’ve raised a good kid; secured a great job… you must be happy.”

Max smiled blithely. Was he happy? He wasn’t quite sure. There had been times when he had laughed, but Max hadn’t experienced happiness for a long time. He had almost forgotten what it was to feel completeness.

It was this. Being here, with Liz.

Taking his silence for something else, Liz’s face contorted in pain and she sat up suddenly. Leaning forward she touched Max’s hand and this time he didn’t stiffen, so she kept it there.

“I’m so sorry Max… I didn’t mean…about Serena…what happened?”

“Cancer. She was diagnosed a week after you left.”

“Oh god. I --” Liz shook her head, at a loss of words. “She was so young. I can’t believe it… are you okay?”

Max chuckled lightly and Liz’s expression turned to befuddlement. “Why are you laughing?”

“It’s just ironic that you’re asking now. It’s been so many years. I’ve made my peace with it, Liz. Serena had made her peace with it long before I had… she had lived her life the way she wanted, and perhaps… it was time for her to go.”

“…but so young?” Liz may have held animosity toward Serena for her own reasons, but Serena’s gentle nature and wisdom filled words were hard to forget. She had never met anyone as compassionate.

“Liz, some things are meant to be.”

Liz searched Max’s face and surprisingly she found there was no anguish. It seemed like he was content to admit that Serena had truly gone. And as she sat and thought she found it a little absurd at first, but in retrospect it truly wasn’t. After all Max had spent nine years without Serena. Nine long, hard years, all alone. Liz felt a sudden jolt through her heart. It was agonizing to even think how hard it must have been, because Max hadn’t lost one, but two of the closest people in his life and that was partly her own fault.

“Has there been anyone else?” Liz asked a little too casually, not really sure if she wanted the answer. In one way she hoped that Max hadn’t been alone, but a totally illogical and selfish part of her hoped that he had.

Max shook his head, his amber eyes looking directly at her. “No. No one.”

“Oh.”

Max watched her a while as silence danced around them. Her eyebrows were furrowed together in thought, and the revelation that had sprung on him a couple of hours ago was only heightening in intensity.

He had loved Liz. He had always loved Liz. He had only been truly happy when he was with Liz. Yet somehow he had managed to confuse his feelings. He had managed to look past it, pretending that his feelings for Liz were merely friendship. And now it was too late. Liz had a fiancée, she had moved on, and Max didn’t deserve her. Not one bit. However, now that he was here, he had her alone and he couldn’t help but savor every single moment of the talking, laughing and recalling they were doing together. Even if she did spend most of her time looking like she was going to give herself extremely deep frown lines.

Max leaned forward and nudged her arm gently, causing her to look up from her thoughts.

“What have you been doing since you left me, then?”

Liz jolted slightly at his wording. Since she had left him. He wasn’t going to let her forget that easily.

This was what it had come to. Her life with Max and her life after Max.

“Does that really need explanation? This is my work, my fiancée, my life laid in front of you.”

Max picked at the grass. “So you’re getting married, huh?”

Liz’s face was unreadable. “I guess so. Yes,” she paused, “we haven’t set a date though…”

“Why?”

Liz sighed, “I don’t know. I guess I’m just not ready yet.”

Max eyes widened, but he was only half mocking, “You got engaged and you’re not ready? Sounds kind of strange.”

Liz didn’t notice his teasing tone. “Some days… I don’t know… some days, I feel like I could marry him that very moment and others I think that I might not be able to handle the responsibility. It’s pretty scary and a little ridiculous.”

“What responsibility?”

Liz opened her mouth to respond but shut it again all of a sudden, “Oh god! What is the time? We’ve been out here for ages,” She stood up hurriedly. They’d been talking so long that time had completely passed her by!

“It’s...” Max looked down at his watch, “whoa… it’s past midnight. I guess time flies when –“

“You’re playing a good game of basketball,” Liz finished with a huge smile.

Max grinned, “I guess.”

“So, um, Max…” Liz said picking the basketball off the ground, and looking everywhere but at him.

Max’s brow furrowed. She was blushing again. It could only mean one thing.

“No. No. No and No,” Max said promptly standing up to face her.

Liz pouted at him, “Oh, come on.”

“Liz, I’m drained, I’m tired, I’m dying from thirst. I can-NOT play another game.”

“Fine,” she cried, as they began their trek back toward the camps. “I wasn’t asking anyway.”

“Right.”

“Yes. Right,” Liz bit her lip as they walked, then turned toward Max, tilted her head and widened her eyes innocently. “Please? You’ll make my day.”

“Are you trying to kill me? I was enjoying the talk. Hey, I know, let’s talk more.”

“Since when did you like talking?”

“Since I’ve been playing basketball, non stop for the last 7 hours.”

“You’re weak.”

Max chuckled. “Hit a man where it hurts why don’t you? If you keep Kyle going like this, that man must have some stamina.”

“I don’t play basketball with him.”

“Who was talking about basketball?”

“Max!” Liz warned throwing the ball at him and missing horrendously. The ball rolled past and fell into the glistening lake behind him with a small splash.

Max only turned slightly to look at the drifting ball before putting his hands up in surrender at Liz’s ferocious expression, but he couldn’t help but add, “though I’m pretty sure basketball is the bigger orgasm. For you.”

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this!” Liz screeched, “…and my ball!” Liz jogged past Max and toward the edge of the lake, but the ball had already passed reaching distance. She turned back toward him, “Max, can you get that?”

Max peered over her shoulder, “Are you kidding me? Its freezing and cold and god knows what lurks – offff!”

In seconds Max found himself in the lake, drenched from head to foot.

“Jesus Christ, Liz!” She had pushed him!

Liz folded her arms trying to stop the oncoming smile from breaking out too soon. “It’s not that cold. It’s never that cold once you get in… Is it?”

“Its fuh- Its f-freezing!” Max’s teeth were already chattering, “You’re bad,” he said sulkily.

Liz started to laugh as she squatted at the lake side. A wet and dripping Max was quite a treat for sore eyes. “I don’t deny that. But since you’re in there you might as well get the ball.”

“And me being in here is a mere coincidence, right?” Max growled, before turning and swimming toward the ball with strong strokes.

“I don’t know…” Liz shouted after him, “I guess I’m not the only one who likes a bit of a dip.”

“Oh, that’s funny.” Max retorted, knowing that Liz was only getting him back for spilling some of her long kept secrets to Kyle. Grabbing the ball and swimming back toward the bank he leaned toward Liz, but grabbed her and pulled her in with him, relishing the shock on her face.

“Oh my god, MAX!” Liz cried, “I’m all wet…. and see through!” Liz’s entire shirt had become completely transparent and to her utter horror her bra was going down the same track.

“Oh god. Oh god. Oh god!” Liz mumbled under her breath not believing that her nipples were on display …to Max Evans no less. She stumbled deeper and deeper into the water until she was wading and covered by waves of shadowed blue. Her foot touched rock and she stood on it, so that she was still, and covered in all the right places. Her breath was coming out in small pants and her body was becoming numb. Max really hadn’t been joking when he said the water was cold.

It was freezing and she was pretty much naked to the bone. On top of that, Liz really couldn’t remember a time she had been more self conscious than she was right now.

“Its okay, Liz,” Max laughed, at her panicky expression, “its nothing I haven’t seen before.”

Max’s eyes met with Liz’s bewildered ones and to his surprise they both turned away suddenly. Something told him he had spoken too soon, because it clearly wasn’t okay with Liz. In fact she looked like she would rather drown. And it seemed it wasn’t that okay for him either, because he had just caught an eyeful of Liz’s cleavage and despite what he had said, what he felt now was absolutely nothing like what he had felt when seeing her before. It was weird how a simple revelation to the mind, could make the body react with sudden force. Max shifted uncomfortably, glad that he was under water. Liz had been right. You did get used to the cold. Either that, or the water was beginning to heat up…or something.

Max realized that Liz’s eyes were darting around nervously. He swam closer to her, unsure of what to do to make her feel more comfortable. “Um, Liz…”

“Max. Don’t. You may have seen all this before but…but I’m… I…” she blushed.

“I know.”

Liz looked up at him. He was close, looking down at her all intense and beautiful. Even though it was dark, she could see the vivid liquor color of his eyes and she was entranced.

“I know it’s not comfortable. I know it’s going to be different from the way it was before…but I also know I can’t let you go again.”

Liz’s eyes widened, as she tried to figure out what he was saying. “What are you proposing, Max?”

The water moved around them as Max’s arm appeared and he gently cupped the softness of her moist cheek. It was warm against his palm and the way she gasped at his touch did nothing to calm his body’s previous reaction.

“I want you in my life again.”

Liz gulped. She was so close to giving in. Saying yes, because she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. She had missed and thought about him every single day. She knew she was absolutely crazy and she knew her thinking had gone to pot. Yet right now, all she could think about was the way his proximity was strangely erotic and the way the innocent touch of his fingers was sending her body into frenzy.

“Max…I…” she paused, spellbound by the way his thumb was stroking butterfly circles on her cheek. However, even though she was enjoying every moment of Max’s intrusion on her senses, Liz also knew she had responsibilities, she had a fiancée, and she had her own heart to look after. Liz moved her head away from him and his arm dropped into the water with a small splash.

“Please, Liz.”

Liz looked away. His eyes could be so persuasive.

“Can we just get out of here?”

Max groaned. “Fine. Fine... Do you want my shirt?”

Liz could sense annoyance in his tone but pretended not to notice. However, her eyes couldn’t help but fixate on him as he began to reach under the water and peel off his dripping shirt. His skin was a gentle brown under the glow of the moonlight and shadows bounced off the indentations that carved his masculine stomach.

“No.”

Max paused midway through taking his shirt off. “What?”

“You um, don’t need to do that.” Liz gulped, “I’ll wait here, could you just go and get some clothes from my tent?”

Max pulled his shirt back over his body silently. “Sure.”

Without a single word he began to climb back over the bank. He hadn’t even told her how he felt about her and already she was barely looking at him. What did he have to do to make her feel at ease with him?

“Actually,” Liz called behind Max, as he shook himself off at the lakeside, “could you ask Kyle to come instead?”

Max turned toward her exasperated at her sudden prude behavior, but before he could speak someone interrupted.

“I’m right here, Liz. What the hell were you doing?”


---

Time Changes Everything

Chapter 20



“I’m going to start up a fire outside so you can warm up.”

Liz looked up from the warm fleece that she had just pulled over her head. Her hands and fingers were still numb from the after effects of standing in freezing cold water for over twenty minutes, but she had guessed she had deserved it after pushing Max in the lake like that. However, if she had thought being naked, wet and vulnerable was the most awkward it could get, she had been wrong. Kyle’s stony silence was much, much worse.

He had remained in nonchalant silent mode when Liz had stuttered something about her accidental tryst in the lake, and about how time had just passed her and Max by, when they had been playing basketball. Kyle had remained silent on their walk back to the tents, he had remained silent when Liz had said goodbye to Max, and he had remained silent when Liz had started stripping out of her soaked clothes. Liz had dreaded every moment of the angry words that might cascade from his mouth, when he did manage to break his silence.


Yet as Liz peered at him from beneath the collar of her fleece, she was awestruck at his cool attitude. Kyle was always a bit suspicious of guys that ever flirted with Liz, yet he hadn’t asked one single question specifically about Max since their post-argument dinner at Senor Chows. Plus he didn’t sound angry or resentful in the slightest that Liz had ignored him throughout the whole day, to spend time with the ex love of her life.

Liz bit her lip, wondering if he was really this wonderful? He was being so understanding and sweet. She would have never reacted the same way if Kyle had been in the same position.

“Liz?” Kyle pressed, when she didn’t speak.

“Oh. Sure, that would be good.” Liz smiled weakly. Kyle nodded and started to walk out. “Kyle?” Liz hesitated, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Liz,” He paused whilst Liz counted the seconds in her head, and then spun to face her. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well, I just checked my cell and there are 9 missed calls from you. I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize…”

“Liz,” Kyle smiled, walking toward her. “I already told you that it’s fine, but you keep acting like I should be worried about something when simply I don’t think there is anything to worry about.” He raised his eyebrows, “is there?”

Liz shook her head, only too aware of Kyle’s gaze and the way her cheeks had started to burn. “No… there’s…nothing.”

“Good,” Kyle said calmly, “And I trust you completely…” he smiled politely again, yet his words hung in the air like an innuendo filled, thick mist of smoke, clouding up Liz’s vision. Liz took a gulp of air as Kyle kissed her briskly, spun around and walked away.

Liz stared at his back as the tent flapped shut. He trusted her completely. And he had every reason to.

Hell, what did he think she had been doing?! She would never cheat on Kyle.

Never.

Not even with Max.

****

Max moved quietly past the sleeping bundle under a huge pile of thin blankets. The mass was moving softly up and down in a steady rhythm which meant that his daughter was sleeping. He stood in silence and watched her a while with a small smile on his lips. She looked huge with all those blankets bundled on top of her. He had packed many blankets, just incase she might feel chilly, then as she slept he would steadily add a blanket on top of her every time he felt a twinge of cold throughout the night. It was odd, like adding them to her collection might make him a little warmer.

Right now though, he doubted a sauna could even warm him up. His toes were numb, and a small chill was creeping up his spine. He shivered as he carefully got out of his dripping clothes and into warm ones. He would have gone outside and joined Liz by the healthy looking fire if she hadn’t been cuddling Kyle like the only warmth she could get, would come from him. The jolts of jealousy that went through his heart every time he saw Liz get close to another guy hadn’t lessened; in fact it seemed to intensify every time he saw her with Kyle. Max knew his whole thought process was ridiculous, because Kyle was her fiancé.

Yet it also meant there was less hope for him.

Hope. It was what had helped him survive. Hope that his Miriam would grow into a beautiful, strong, young woman, like any other kid who had the love of both parents in their lives. Hope that Serena was in a better place. Hope that one day he would find Liz again. Hope… that maybe, despite her indifferent behavior, somehow, someway, Liz might still love him.

Max grunted out loud as he shuffled inside the sleeping bag and closed his eyes. Yeah, right - that was definitely some hope.

“Daddy is that you?” his daughters slurry voice made him sit up slightly and stretch his neck toward her to make sure she was alright.

“Yes, M it’s me.”

He watched in silence as her silhouette turned toward him. “Did you just get back?” she asked yawning.

“Yeah, I did.”

“Oh….” She trailed off like she was trying to figure something out in her sleep filled mind, “because Mr. Kyle was looking for you and Miss Parker.”

Max smiled wryly, “well, he found us.” And in quite a state too.

Max hadn’t cared much for Kyle’s sudden appearance, but Liz had looked extremely embarrassed and Kyle had looked none too pleased, to see his fiancée prancing around in the lake in see through clothes, with another man. He didn’t really blame him, but that’s why it had surprised Max, when he saw Liz getting cozy with him, by the fire outside.

Max waited a while and just when he thought his daughter had fallen back asleep again, she said, “So, Daddy… did you have a good time?”

Max paused, in wonderment at Miriam’s choice of question, but the passed night quickly over took his memories. His night with Liz had only worked to remind him with utmost fervency about how much he had missed her, and how much he wanted her back. He hadn’t felt so much contentment, or had that much fun in such a long time.

“…. It was amazing,” he said simply. There was no other way to describe what tonight had been.

“Good.”

He could sense the smile in her voice and couldn’t help but laugh in response. “Go to sleep, M.”

There was pause before she spoke again, her tone satisfied and sleepy. “Love you Dad, Goodnight.”

“Night, sweetheart.”

In seconds he could see the blankets moving in a steady rhythm, followed by the sound of dainty little snore. She was definitely asleep. Max fell back onto his covers with a soft thump. Now it was his turn.

He was tired to the bone after playing so much basketball, but as he tossed and turned, tried counting sheep and bunched up his pillows into a thousand different shapes, he got the feeling that sleep wasn’t going to come so easily tonight.

****



“Does anyone want anymore toast?” Liz asked motioning toward the last piece of toast, which sat next to the disposable grill.

“Do you want it?” Max asked.

“No, I don’t. I guess we’ll throw the extra food away.“

“I’ll have it.” Max said quickly reaching for the buttered toast and stuffing it in his mouth, like him eating it might please her somehow. Liz watched in awe, wondering if was even possible for him to swallow the whole thing without chewing. When he was done, he looked up at her and beamed a ‘Plates all clean’ smile.

Liz tried to resist breaking out into a grin at at the eager expression on Max’s face. She guessed her reaction in the lake, the night before had caused him to be unsettled, because right now Max was doing everything in his utmost power to keep Liz on his good side. It was all subtle of course, it had to be with so many parents around them, yet to her it was as obvious as obvious could be. It was always the same with him, after all she did know him like the back of her hand.


Liz arched her eyebrows playfully, “You a little hungry today?”

“I always eat this much.”

Liz’s poked the corner of her cheek with her tongue, to stop herself smiling. “Oh, really?”

“Yep.”

Their eyes met in knowing unison, and Liz couldn’t help but giggle out loud at the huge grin on Max’s face, a sudden reaction to the joke that only they shared. She stopped abruptly when Kyle, Mindy and Jon looked up at her promptly.

Liz cleared her throat and let out a small cough, wondering why she was acting all giddy headed today. “Well, I’m going to uh…. wash the dishes…um, yeah.”

She began picking up the used plates, trying to ignore the way Max’s eyes were following her around the eating area. His eyes were causing pins and needles to run up and down her spine.

“I’ll come.”

Liz paused only slightly. She didn’t have to guess as to who had offered up his voluntary services without as much as a seconds hesitation. She knew that it had been coming too. Picking up a plate from beside him, Liz flashed Max a meaningful look of consent, as he jumped up and began helping her collect the rest of the dishes. Without another word, Liz began to walk away from the talking group with a bucket of dishes and in seconds Max had caught up beside her.

“You don’t have to follow me around everywhere you know. I won’t disappear,” Liz mumbled without looking at him, as the gently flowing lake came into full view. If she hadn’t known Max so well, Mr. Stalker would probably have been the title she labeled him. Besides it wasn’t like she was going to admit the fact that she kind of wanted Max to come along.

Not that there was anything wrong with that.

Kyle didn’t have a problem so why should she?

Max clambered on a jutting rock at the river bed, so he was sitting beside Liz and placed his bucket of dishes to his left, ignoring them completely as he turned toward her. “I can’t help but keep tabs on you, it’s hard to believe sometimes that you’re really here.”

“What?” Liz laughed lightheartedly shaking her head at him.

“Well, you know,” Max ventured carefully, knowing he was treading on thin ground. He couldn’t really tell how she was going to react, but he couldn’t help but risk it. “I had a pretty amazing time last night.”

Liz quietened, concentrating on squeezing the anti-bacterial liquid onto the cup. She was still smiling though. This was good.

“ So you didn’t answer my question yesterday.” Max prompted a little more.

Liz stopped smiling and swallowed. Max watched her carefully as she began scrubbing the cup. Fluffy bubbles covered her fingers. Ut, oh, when she got all quiet like this, it normally meant that she was going to throw one.

“Liz…”

“Max, wait let me speak.”

“I know what you’re going to say but I’m not backing down,” Max said with firm resolution. He couldn’t back down now. He was too damned close to breaking her.

“No,” Liz shook her head wildly. “You don’t know.”

“You can say whatever—“ Max paused mid sentence and caught her brown eyes. “I don’t?”

Liz shook her head. “I couldn’t sleep all night.”

Oh. “…Nor me.”

She beamed unexpectedly at his response and it lit up his heart. She was smiling again.

“I was thinking about you…us I mean…”

Max waited with bated breath, not missing the way that Liz was trying to hide the nervous look in her eye. He hoped this whole thing wasn’t going to end in a big ‘thanks, but no thanks’. He didn’t know how much more of this rejection he could take.

“And?” Max pressed.

She sighed, like it pained her to finally say it. “I want you back in my life too Max… but you have to give me my own space. It can’t be like what it was before. It’s going to be really… different.”

Max nodded slowly, trying to keep a façade of calm, even though his heart had started to sing hallelujahs in his chest. She was right. It was different… yet it was also exactly the same in so many ways. He didn’t say this however. He didn’t want to spoil the baby steps she was taking toward him. He didn’t want to scare her away before she had even started.

“Liz. It won’t be, I won’t get in your way. I’m ready and willing to do whatever you want. I promise.”

“Ready and willing, huh?”

“Always.”

Liz began rinsing out the dishes, still not looking at him, even though she could feel his eyes boring into her. It was making her whole body feel warm. Then she said so softly, that Max had to lean forward to hear her, “thanks.”

Max screwed his eyes. It was him that had so much to be thankful for.

“I appreciate you have your own life now,” he shrugged to himself, “without me.”

“Don’t do that,” Liz sighed dipping her fingers in the lake.

“Do what?” Max asked, realizing that he hadn’t touched one of his own dishes.

“The guilt tripping thing.” She said softly, running the water over her fingers. “I left for a reason.”

“And I’ll always live with the fact that it was me who drove you away.”

In a moment of shock Liz’s eyes jerked up to meet Max’s. Was it strange that it hurt her that he felt so much guilt? She could almost feel it, utmost remorse, just seeping out of his body and engulfing her, surrounding her, choking her. He was so sorry and despite everything…she didn’t want him to be. She didn’t want him to hurt simply because he had unknowingly hurt her. She just wanted to forget the whole…mess that had been their past.

“Max…” Liz began in a low whisper, unsure of how to make it stop. Her whole world had slowly started to spin because she had looked into his eyes and sensed a turmoil that she felt to the bottom of her own heart. This always happened when she looked into him and that’s why she always avoided it.

It was too dangerous to look at Max Evans.

“Its okay, Liz. I have to live with what I did,” Max smiled tightly.

“Max,” Liz warned again, softly leaning forward to place a hand on his knee.

Max turned toward her, but just as he did, Liz had a sudden feeling of being watched, it was a weird type of prickling along her neck, a small cough had her turning a deep shade of red and pulling her hand off Max’s knee, like she had been caught doing something she wasn’t meant to. Even though she had only been comforting Max. Nothing else.

“Kyle!” Liz exclaimed in mock surprise as her fiancée looked down at the both of them.

Kyle stepped forward, no hint of anything being awry on his face. He smiled pleasantly, “Something urgent has come up at the station, Liz. It’s all getting a little too much for Stu, I need to go and sort some things out.”

Liz stepped up and walked toward him. “When are you going?”
.
“Now. It’s really important. I’m so sorry baby.” Kyle stroked her cheek and planted a small kiss on her cheek.

“Oh,” Liz couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. Kyle had warned her before hand that he might have to leave earlier if something came up, but she had been enjoying his company. “Well, hold on. I’ll help you gather your stuff. Max will you finish off here…” Liz began to pull him toward the camp.

Max stared at the retreating backs of Liz and Kyle with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had felt her reaction, he had felt her warmth, yet in a second she could just forget that he was sitting there. She could forget that he even existed. It was clear as to who was the more important man to Liz, yet Max couldn’t help but yearn for more then a simple touch on his knee. He wanted much more than that.

So much more….