Roswell Fanatics

Another great part!

Unfortunately, I will have to read back because it was along time ago and I don't get the co ntext in this part... Next FB will be better, for sure!
EVE

I know it's been a long time, so I imagine that hardly anyone will remember this… But I'm posting Part 7 anyway, for any brave soul who had the patience to hold on.


Previously, on "Everloving":

Feeling time now on his side, Max extended his hand. Her mind was filled with previous moments when that same gesture had honored her, and she had to smile at his same righteous conduct, even in the face of a new situation. How could Liz resist such invitation? Max leaned back and she followed him promptly, with a locked gaze.

Their smiles illuminated the dark New Mexico night. A gentle breeze seemed to bless them, imposing itself upon the balmy evening. Quickly, Max straightened the blanket that shielded them from the night – his last minute of divided attention. From that moment on, he just focused on Liz – on her delicate features and the love that emanated from her winsome eyes… the warmth of her smooth skin, the heady feeling of her body snug against his… her trembling breath mingling with his… her heart pressed against his chest, beating as wildly as his own… Max enfolded her slender waist with his arms, nestling himself between the softness of her thighs.





Author's Notes: This part contains references to Melinda Metz's The Outsider, "Pilot" and "Sexual Healing".

His chiseled body molded deliciously against hers, and Liz knew that if he kept his arms around her like that she would just melt… She knew she was far gone; the first clue was her total inability to formulate coherent thoughts… There was no use opening her mouth now, she would just babble like a crazy person! After that loss, she would have no choice but to surrender to the whirlwind of emotions that rushed through her.

Liz knew she was facing a magnificent force that enabled animals and plants to thrive equally on this planet, but she could feel a force grander than that one – the grandest of them all – and, looking in Max's eyes, she knew he felt it, too! She knew he wanted to fight the fog that had settled in his brain and would not let him think; wanted to escape the maelstrom of sensations that would soon force him to yield, stopping him from using limpid eyes to find his truest self in her heart.

But to resist Nature's most beguiling spell was no easy task! Earlier that night, it had been somewhat easy to avoid, but now the challenge had been magnified tenfold. She could feel him so eager against her inner thighs… with his muscles brushing against her flushed skin. Somehow, it didn't seem just Nature's whim anymore… His eyes were narrow and he breathed deeply, trying to control his dizzying yearning. He was fighting his own desperate battle. It's just hormones, she reasoned with herself. It shouldn't be so difficult to thwart! She couldn't lie to herself. In a moment, all will to resist would drain from her, and she would forget ever wanting anything else in her life other than to be with him. It's not just hormones… it's lust!, and it has been fermenting for three years! It's like trying to stop a runaway train with our pinky toes, she thought. Hey, this metaphor makes sense. She smiled. Maybe there was some hope after all. As that surge grew in intensity, so did their refusal to obey it.

For a long time, their resolve teetered on the edge of their passion… but they held steady, strengthened in the knowledge of a force that surpassed all others, driven by the embrace of an abysmal love that was just there, waiting for their patience to transcend the exhilarating fever of their desire. Every breath was dedicated to creating a state of deep relaxation… Little by little, each second seemed to expand as the space between their inhalations and exhalations widened. After an immeasurable time, Liz felt her heart beating happy and calm once more, pounding together with Max's. She beamed at him, feeling their love as it kept expanding.

Max was amazed by the woman Liz had become. He had witnessed her stepping up at every occasion in her life, and now, her strength, her perseverance, her patience had paid off once more. Max was wreathed by the rhythm of her soft puffs of air warming his cheeks, by her solid heartbeat pounding in his chest, by her blood blazing through his veins, and with the greatest clarity, by her love binding with his soul. He beamed at her. The darkness could not obscure the sparkle in her eyes, that triumphant glitter, the glow of the brightest love overflowing from her. As she bent over him, Max felt the silky luscious caress of her hair cascading on his cheeks. A familiar wave of jasmine filled his nose, while her fingers stroke the back of his head gently, inundating him with incredible tingles… She touched her forehead to his – they could still see each other under the sleek curtain. They were amazed that the moon's absence did nothing to impair their vision.

Each one had the details of the other's eyes etched in their memory, or perhaps the strength of their bond allowed them to see each other so perfectly in the most absolute darkness! Yes, it was the stoutness of their connection that allowed them to see well beyond the iris.

Liz enjoyed an appeasing understanding; since she saw Max for the first time, her soul had started to revolve around a new orbit. At such an early age, it was impossible for her to grasp the strength of that unfamiliar emotion, unimaginable to recognize what her soul so ardently yearned for… That emotion had puzzled her for years, frightened her even! Time had helped her to get acquainted with those feelings, helped her to understand them, but until that moment, she had never felt them so clearly. She wished to give him every part of her soul, every inch of her flesh… Never before had this longing been so profound.

Max's feelings for Liz – a human – had once been a concern, but since he had come to terms with them, they had never again troubled him; their greatness was too beautiful for him to see them as anything but a blessing in his hapless existence. Time had only magnified them in his heart. Feeling her most ardent aspirations, Max couldn't help but to look at her with increased wonderment and Liz smiled because she knew. Overwhelmed by her emotions, he held her closer in his arms and let out a shaky sigh.

It felt wonderful – as if his spirit was touching her face – as smooth as a kiss. Liz inhaled it, entranced by his perfume. His strength was outstanding… not of his arms around her, but rather what this gesture revealed – his sense of reverence, his complete lack of pretension, and the grandeur of his surrender. Max had gone through a multitude of things, but she would've never known it by looking at him. His emotions didn't carry the weight of that past, they were very genuine, very pure, very raw, but it was his willingness to feel, his willingness to share his heart with her that shook and humbled her. Max deserved all the best that life could give him, but Liz didn't want to be on the sidelines. She wanted to give him everything that life denied him, wanted to give herself to him at least, if she couldn't give him anything else in life. Her breathing became slower and gentler as she felt his strength and his vulnerability in his slow and warm puffs of air. She took her time absorbing them, entranced by their rhythm, her eyes lingering at the tip of his nose…

They were exposed to the night and to the rugged elements, but Liz was unfazed by the Roswellian darkness and the harshness of the balcony. Max's enveloping aroma and the solid strength of his body were like a venerable spell that left her wondering if letting her live until that day hadn't been the Universe's plan all along… It was so natural for her to feel safe with him, but she had never felt so good about herself until that moment; never in her most ardent wishes had she imagined that her need for comfort and shelter would be so easy to attain.

Liz rubbed her nose against his in a playful movement. A wave of warm tingles permeated them, rising from their feet to the top of their heads; it enveloped them, cuddled them, and inflamed them like a full-bodied thrill. His eyes roamed over her face as she gazed at him, caressing the back of his head lovingly, as if asking for permission.

Max raised his head from the pillow and brushed his lips over hers in a slow and inviting gesture.

She sighed, closing her eyes involuntarily, tasting his wish as it lingered on her lips.

He felt her trembling above him; he was struck by what her eyes told him, and he couldn't help but tremble himself as he held her closely to him.

Liz parted his lips with hers.

In the few seconds it took him to close his eyes, Max realized, dumbfounded, that he had never been kissed like that. How come he didn't foresee her gesture? How could Liz have saved that kiss for that very moment? He could feel an immense rush of emotion through their bond; he had never thought a human heart could handle love like that… or an alien heart, for that matter.

Their bond pulsed in sync with their hearts, animated by the feelings they shared with one another; a love that begot so much more love, and expanded their bond's solidity.

Despite its soundness, Max smiled to himself, overjoyed and grateful for her surprise. Some things never changed, though… His stomach still rumbled as her lips caressed his; only now, the sensation seemed to reverberate throughout his entire body. Each kiss was like a wrapped gift – one after the other, no two ever alike, and Max delighted in the flavor of them all. They did nothing but spur his eagerness for more kisses.

He buried his hands in her smooth hair and deepened the kiss. From her lips came the breath of life – the only sustenance he would ever want. He rubbed her shoulders with his palms, tenderly, before letting his fingers trail lazy patterns down her back. Her skin seemed to get warmer as he traveled down; he could feel her arching against his touch and purring sweetly into his right ear as she nibbled it. His hands rested on her hips, as if they were his final destination. He treasured the heat of those exquisite curves; then he swerved, abandoning them, leaving only coldness where his touch had been.

Liz felt his steady arms falling, slowly but surely, to his sides. She raised her eyebrows, despite her complete lack of surprise. She was awestruck and thrilled by his gesture, and was incapable of restraining a proud smile.

It was a picture worthy of contemplation – the coolness of his gesture rivaled his heated skin and the fire blazing in his eyes. How could such disparate feelings inhabit the same body?! On one side there was him, thoroughly licking his swollen lips as if he could still taste her, and on the other side was his carefully calculated move. His eyes shone with the strength of someone who had total mastery of his feelings; with the wisdom of a boy who had leaped across the chasm of the two disparate forces to turn into a man.

A rush of emotion filled her heart at his triumphant gesture. The rest of his body couldn't quite keep up yet, but his hands told her everything she needed to know. His gesture was the culmination of his sympathy, his friendship, his trust and his unconditional love.

There was nothing sweeter or more revealing than that gesture, and Liz smiled because she knew exactly what to do next. Once again, she brushed her fingertips over his chest. Her doting fingers – five, and then five more – roamed down his chest like heated kisses. Still, there was no glow, but unlike last time, she could feel his skin trembling with her delicate touch.

She was amazed at the way his breath caught in his throat as he abandoned himself to her hands. She gulped, astonished by the power of those ten small pads of skin…

Her fingers caressed him for a while, before her right palm rested on his chest, like an anchor on his heart. She felt it beat for her, strong and happy, matching the love in his eyes.

Max grinned from ear to ear when he felt the tips of her fingers beating in the same rhythm, as if her heart was answering his.

Without wasting another beat, Liz put her lips over his heart, answering him with a warm, rapturous kiss. The most generous of kisses, one that delivered the promise she had made to him earlier that night; her greatest gift – her love, her life, her very self. The gentle strength of her lips entered his heart, her warmth melting ecstatically into him, creating a mild uplift, and that love that he recognized as part of him climbed his body in a growing tide of totally new thrills.

Max felt his heart expanding… those delicious tremors flooding his soul, rolling up his body, growing in waves, until the initial thrill was revived as a soft, hot pulse that echoed throughout all of him. Just as it had echoed through Liz earlier that night… those same tides of joy, fulfillment, and unbridled ecstasy that stirred through all of him. Max felt himself trembling again; every part of his body reminding him of Liz's experience. The glimmer in her eyes assured him that she shared his thoughts.

His answer to her caresses was an honor to her, one she sought to elevate to unknown heights. Her fingers trailed his skin, slowly, with renewed sense of purpose, feeling his body relaxing under her touch. Her fingers felt the details of his bones, of his nerves and taut muscles, as her palms lingered on his skin, igniting her hands and reaching her heart.

His eyes followed her hands – the instruments of her will – as they roamed over his body.

She kissed him again, wanting to give him all she was. Sweet, tender lips, and enthusiastic warm hands roamed his body, in a wish to memorize him whole.

His body mirrored her feelings with an intensifying strength, a vibrancy that spread all over him and gained momentum in its ascending course.

Her love was becoming almost visible in its magnitude… She could see it rooting itself in that sensitive spot, crossing other parts of the body and dispersing in multiple directions, forming a kind of shimmering grid. Certain points, where a greater number of lines intersected, were more intense than others. Liz could not explain what her eyes were telling her, even if there was really nothing to be seen; but when she looked back at Max, she noticed his knowing smile. Yes, whatever it was that she was seeing, Max had seen it before as well. That blessing – whether alien or otherwise – enabled her heart to learn his rhythms thoroughly. It was a sacred map, a matrix of eternally interconnected paths, and she would follow each of its tracks, inch by inch. She would make this their most momentous journey – his happiness would be her zenith, her Everest.

Liz felt Max's breath catch in his throat as her hands hovered over him. She could feel the heat emanating from his body, even with her hands inches away… Her fingers – elegant, playful and charged with emotion – met his hips, his navel, and the play of his solid muscles. She could feel his dormant power and the thrill in his smooth skin, as all her love was slowly spread in ten directions.

For Max, that moment was a study in contradictions. Liz's light touch hid the most powerful jolt of love he had ever felt – a warm, vibrant energy that mixed with his own and enhanced it, somehow – and he felt a fiery, buzzing energy flourishing in his body, intoxicating him with the sweetest pleasure. At the same time, he had never been so relaxed in his life! He was tempted to think that the glorious ecstasy he was feeling wasn't coming from his body at all, only from his soul. He saw the love brilliant in her eyes; a force that emanated effortlessly from her youthful gaze, one she seemed to have absolute power over. Her touch was curious, but deliberate; the love that shone in her eyes caressed him with the same delight as her hands. Her hands explored his skin with a slow eagerness; her touch was delicious and comforting as a hug given after a long separation. She was so attuned with his energy, his mind, his skin… How could she know such intimate details, if he had never uttered them out loud?! He exhaled a gradual and contented breath, trusting her instincts, and relaxing even further.

While her kisses and caresses circled through him, her love trailed new paths on his skin, growing on itself, mingling with his emotions and ingraining itself in his soul. This languor was spreading through parts of his spirit he didn't know existed… It was a strange new feeling: not at all familiar, not at all distasteful!… It continued to bloom, to proliferate in his deepest self, rolling up his body – like a snowball breaking the laws of gravity – spreading ecstasy and serenity. Would that mean they were no longer confined to the laws of Nature?! Were they making their own laws?!

Max smiled, thrilled by the possibility…

Call in the fire department.....that was hot!! And yes, Max and Liz are making their own laws and rules at this point.
I've been checking and waiting for this next part a long, long time. Thanks for delivering.
Your words flow so effortlessly, and it certainly showed the three years fermenting for these moments,
Beautiful!
Carolyn

WOW!!! beautiful part <3 you describe Max and Liz perfectly ♥

[keepsmiling7: thank you so much for your kind words and your support!

saori_1902: thanks for your feedback and for sticking around!

This is a special day: I started writing writing this story four years ago… That was such a great time!
I hope you enjoy this last part!



Previously, on "Everloving":

For Max, that moment was a study in contradictions. Liz's light touch hid the most powerful jolt of love he had ever felt – a warm, vibrant energy that mixed with his own and enhanced it, somehow – and he felt a fiery, buzzing energy flourishing in his body, intoxicating him with the sweetest pleasure. At the same time, he had never been so relaxed in his life! He was tempted to think that the glorious ecstasy he was feeling wasn't coming from his body at all, only from his soul. He saw the love brilliant in her eyes; a force that emanated effortlessly from her youthful gaze, one she seemed to have absolute power over. Her touch was curious, but deliberate; the love that shone in her eyes caressed him with the same delight as her hands. Her hands explored his skin with a slow eagerness; her touch was delicious and comforting as a hug given after a long separation. She was so attuned with his energy, his mind, his skin… How could she know such intimate details, if he had never uttered them out loud?! He exhaled a gradual and contented breath, trusting her instincts, and relaxing even further.

While her kisses and caresses circled through him, her love trailed new paths on his skin, growing on itself, mingling with his emotions and ingraining itself in his soul. This languor was spreading through parts of his spirit he didn't know existed… It was a strange new feeling: not at all familiar, not at all distasteful!… It continued to bloom, to proliferate in his deepest self, rolling up his body – like a snowball breaking the laws of gravity – spreading ecstasy and serenity. Would that mean they were no longer confined to the laws of Nature?! Were they making their own laws?!

Max smiled, thrilled by the possibility…




Author's Notes: This part contains references to Melinda Metz's The Salvation, "Pilot" and "Sexual Healing".

Without a warning, he pulled Liz closer. The unexpected gesture snatched a chuckle from her, which quickly turned into laughter, 'til they were facing each other once more.

"It's really difficult to stay still, isn't it?" Liz asked.

Max shook his head. "Not really… You were just too far away," he laughed.

"I know what you mean," she mumbled.

It was the strangest thing… they touched each other across the abyss that separated them still, in a never materialized eagerness to unite.

Something in him was different… something that immediately caught her attention… Liz studied him, utterly fascinated by the change in him. His eyes sparkled; stripped of the disproportionate weight they carried since the day she first met him. With this haunting burden now removed, love poured freely from his gaze.

Her loving arms wrapped around him in a warm, languid movement, stroking his nape as it shivered under her fingers.

His own fingers did not remain idle; his arms draped around her waist in one fluid motion while his fingertips circled the curve of her hips. Those resolute fingers lingered on her waist, fascinated, rising slowly and trailing her back, her shoulders and her arms, in a soundless appeal that she would never let him go. He had to swallow hard when he focused his attention on her thighs as they cradled his hips. The feel of her whole body cushioned against his – warm and every inch so inviting – was the most sensual thing he had ever felt. His own skin heated up, as if agreeing with hers. Her usually sweet fragrance was becoming delectable in his nostrils; it seemed as if her perfume was enveloping his entire being. He smiled when he noticed a charming blush greeting her cheeks, and then he fixed his gaze on her. Her eyes bored into his with stirring intensity.

Usually, a look like that was inebriating enough to make his blood boil and for the powerful current of the whirlpool of emotions that consumed him to drag him to oblivion… So why was he still conscious? Most importantly: why was Liz so calm? Well, even if they couldn't have a connection as powerful as the one they shared, Liz's demeanor left no room for doubt about her feelings in that moment!… Max could easily read them in her clear brown eyes… Was the relaxation that they fought to conquer for themselves – just like their connection previously – permanent now?!

Max was at the center of that huge swirl of feelings, immune to the cussed current that would haul him into that benign spell that Nature put on all of its creatures. Those inflamed feelings were as vivid as an inferno, with its ever rising sultry flames licking at him without ever scorching his flesh. Would his heart truly be able to contain all that flurry of sensations in its depths?

"Closer?" Liz purred, her lips brushing against his.

Max nodded with a mischievous smile. He wanted nothing less than the warmth of her body forever etched in his!

She pulled away for a second and they gazed at each other again. The promise of something big seemed to loom in the hot puffs of air she gifted him with.

While wondering what Liz might do next, he felt her lower lip brushing against his upper lip… Max's eyelids fluttered closed at the feeling; no matter how playful the gesture was, or how small the area of her attentions, her whole earnestness and passion converged on that gesture and expanded on that diminutive area… It made him blush to the roots of his soul!

His response was swift – he brushed her bottom lip, enfolding it in a lush surge, greater than the one she had started, exulting in her deliberate patience, trying to match her diligence, trying to stretch that moment before she could react…

Her supple lips worshiped the corners of his mouth, touching him lightly, and backed away for a second, before tempting him with more. Some unruly strands of her hair cascaded over his face, cupping his cheeks with their silky quality. While Liz traced the corners of his mouth, he parted his lips, deepening the kiss. They could feel their hearts calmly thudding in each other's lips, exhorting them to take their time to rejoice in their embrace. Each kiss was smooth, slow and timeless as an ocean wave, perpetually fondling the golden sands. Each kiss was less arousing and more calming, less playful and more consuming. He wrapped his arms around her, tangling his fingers in her hair, hoping she wouldn't stop it this time. She deepened the kiss, as if she wanted to reassure him. In other times, he would've considered it a bold action, but her languid movement was so unhurried that he let out a sigh of relief. She wanted to savor their moment together just as much as he did; it was as if by slowing down their kiss she could slow down Time itself. Their lips melded tenderly against each other, and their tongues played freely in the safe haven of their kiss.

They only relinquished this sanctuary when their yearning to shine in the unity their loving swollen lips had experienced became undeniable. They saw that feeling mirrored in each other's eyes, as if a beacon from their hearts was showing them the way.

Max gulped (as if preparing to say something) but Liz smiled and rested two fingers on his burning lips. Her touch told him everything he needed to hear. Her hands strolled delicately around the contours of his firm chest. His left hand stopped hers as it found his heart resonating against her palm. It was not an abrupt or immoderate gesture at all; it was a simple touch, an invitation to contemplate the panorama of his soul. Liz didn't know what it was exactly, but something in his meek gesture shook her with a force that almost tossed her back to that whirlwind of emotions they both had worked so hard to overcome. She could feel that sweet primal fog tangling her thoughts again… She wanted to kiss him senseless, to envelop him in her love constantly, so that she could thank him appropriately for offering her his greatest treasure. Max's hands sliding down her waist and resting on her hips wasn't exactly helping her snap out of that fog… It wasn't helping him, either… Oh, it was enough for the sanest person to lose her mind!

His hands didn't move any further, though… He was just trying to steady her – she could feel it. After a deep cleansing breath, Liz felt the fog receding again. Max blinked in relief. A sense of wonder and awe soared in her heart: for his patience, his enviable composure, and his burning desire to not let anything interfere with their love. A long, conscious breath took her back to their sanctuary.

In the quietude of her unfaltering heart, she yearned to find a proper answer to his gesture, a proper way to thank him… but, perhaps, it was impossible to reciprocate… perhaps the only way to honor his gift would be to mirror his offering… Maybe even increase it!

Max's gaze shifted between her descending fingers and her lively eyes; there was a mystery in them, a hint, perhaps… The adoration he felt from her through their bond magnified, while her eyes gleamed with an intensity he knew all too well. Yes, he could see ideas taking form in her glittering gaze – an understanding all their own that made him smile instinctively.

Her hands moved with strengthened purpose over the skin of his abdomen and continued on their journey. While his eyes followed Liz's actions, Max let out a sigh, rapt by the tenderness of her hand on its southerly trail. Ever since the minute they embraced their relationship, he had devoted countless hours thinking about how this moment would be between them; but in the middle of the 'wheres', the 'whens' and the 'hows', was it really possible he had never thought about this scenario?! Of all propositions, none made as much sense as this one, none seemed as right as this one. It wouldn't feel so right if he had imagined it, though… He wondered if Liz's imagination had ever ventured that far… The conviction of her movements seemed a good enough answer; yet, the surprise sparkling in her eyes told a very different tale. He knew then why he was smiling – her surprised echoed his own, after all.

Liz could feel his passion and his readiness blazing underneath that enchanting cloak of relaxation; a fact that would be fatally unnoticed by anyone else. He was aware that she could feel the fire blazing in his heart, even if the flames weren't consuming his body. That miracle they shared, their bond, would not let her be deceived by what her eyes told her. Her hands slid uninhibited down his thighs, in slow motion, resting there, in the most eloquent gesture he had ever witnessed.

They gazed at each other; her eyes reflected her passion as it rose, grew and widened, equaling his own. She took him in her loving palms in a tacit invitation.

Max couldn't help a soft intake of breath when he felt her warmth seeping into his sensitive skin, and he answered her with an abandoned smile. He wanted nothing but to immerse himself in that love that was radiating from her, to merge completely with her, as their lips had done just seconds before. He watched her, amazed… Liz was holding him with a fervent half-lidded gaze that made his pulse quicken in sheer jubilation.

She straddled his hips. It was a seemingly inconspicuous gesture, but of a monumental importance to him – not so much for the gesture itself, but for the intent it carried. Her eyes were affectionately dark, and her rosy cheeks could be seen perfectly in the Roswell night. Her determination transfixed him and warmed him, causing a thrill of anticipation to flare through him.

Is she really doing this?! It didn't seem possible that this was happening… As far-fetched as all of this seemed, these puzzling forces were manifesting before him: her reverential touch, so passionately charged, mimicked his blazing heart inside his cool body, and the second that took her to subtly raise her hips seemed to stretch for centuries! Then, everything changed, when she touched him a microsecond later. Max shuddered at the contact.

Only then did his incredulity begin slipping away… Max was flooded with a strong sense of relief… That mellow feeling afforded him the golden opportunity to realize that he had once felt what Liz was sharing with him now – a feeling that had been hidden even from him. It was a most welcomed epiphany! His eyes rose slowly until they settled on hers.

Liz's eyes fluttered as if she was struggling to keep them open against the waves of sensation that rushed through her. Max looked down to where they would soon unite, and let out a frustrated sigh that things weren't happening the way he so often imagined… Liz could feel his disquiet blushing on her cheeks.

Her response was swift; he felt a tremendous serenity imbuing him, and joining his own. Once he had embraced that feeling, a prodigious force took hold of him, lifting a long, cumbersome veil from his psyche. In that moment, he recognized it, as though it were a friend he had not seen for many years.

It was curious that when he felt that same force, as he stepped out of the bus as a child, he didn't need to explain it to himself. (His youth wouldn't have the words, anyway). Years of rationalism and a turbulent existence took over, and the force lost some of its luster. Now, that same inexplicable force came back with a vengeance and all the purity of his childhood, drawing him again to that girl, that woman he loved above all else.

The power of this magnetic force was unfamiliar to them; yet, they embraced it, eager to learn this new language of energy. This force was consuming and reassuring; they abandoned themselves to it, trusting the path through which it was guiding them.

Max nodded, his shimmering eyes asking for permission…

Liz's own eyes softened, realizing that he now believed that the path of that higher purpose could be traveled despite its tortuousness. Her eyes shone with an inviting glow; she shifted her position above him and welcomed him in again.

That subtle movement seized Max; that unsuspected thrill swept through his soul and his body, making him want to scream at the top of his lungs, to make sure the world knew how blessed he was feeling. But with all his energies so absorbed in those unique sensations, the only sound that escaped his lips was a faint moan. That avalanche of sensations that Liz knew were not hers, but merged with hers, filling her body and soul, extracted an unusual sigh from her.

That passion of theirs (that they had tamed with so much patience and effort) had been simmering, unable to consume them, but their union revived it, like a warm gust of wind that transformed into a fiery whirlwind. He wanted her now as never before; and to be allowed to feel that desire in all its plenitude, complete with such a startling lack of urgency – how could anything be better than this?!

Growing waves of gratitude emanating from her slowly covered his entire being, answering his question. Each wave became stronger, overwhelming, truer than every inch of sublime friction that brought them inexorably closer together. In a slowness that anticipated the most delightful of all contemplations, the sensations poured through them, flooding them, soaking them in an exquisite feeling.

All her doubts faded away the moment she realized they were, in fact, made from the same primordial mold, and now it was their turn to come together. She tightened her legs around him, reveling in that magical feeling of how well they fitted together.

What were you so worried about?! The thought thundered in his mind, unannounced.

He watched her with new eyes, adoringly, as if looking at a goddess, wholly enveloped in her warmth and sweetness. Liz's gaze reflected a bare light whose luminescence radiated over his conscience. All the strength, courage, honor, devotion and love (traits he feared had never existed or thought were defunct by the trials of life) shone now before his eyes. That was how Liz saw him, his truest self – an unusual and welcomed sight! His new awareness rendered him unable to recall the reason of his earlier terror; he would never hurt Liz!

His eyes widened as he drank in the sight of her… she was so serene above him… her soft sighs filled his ears, and made him tremble with the contentment she emanated… he inhaled a lungful of air… the sweet fragrance that she alone possessed permeated him with a curious intensity that made him believe that was the safest of places… it both soothed him and invigorated him… his hands cupped her hips, basking in the sensual touch of her smooth skin, feeling her tingling everywhere…

Then, Liz leaned over him, – her luxuriant canopy of silky strands feathering around his face – took him between her palms and kissed him… a kiss sweeter than the sweetest molasses! Her tender lips were offering him her being. Her entire being. All for him! Liz's arms surrounded him. It was a peaceful triumph; without fanfare, but as magical as a fairy tale kiss. That embrace had a unique warmth, an immense kindness and an unwavering assurance – there was no more comfortable place in the universe! The heavenly feeling of her velvety caress meant that not a molecule stood between them anymore.

That magnetic force they both had felt when they first saw each other shone brightly in their souls, as if it were an ancient beacon: inviting them, beckoning them, guiding them... The flames rose up in their souls as a sacred bonfire. Max felt her melt around him as the flames engulfed them both.

Mind meeting mind, soul meeting soul, body meeting body: like a divine combination for a mystical lock, those were the terms of their covenant with that magnetic force, and soon – they realized – the key to their emancipation. As that divine magnetism blazed in their souls, Liz was enraptured by the vivacity it imprinted on their every gesture and every glance. The secrets of every touch and every kiss were revealed, as if a long lost treasure chest had finally been opened.

Emotions emerged from the far reaches of their souls, flowing to their skin, to their hands and to their lips, in a continuous stream of caresses and kisses, from him, to her, to him, as two circles of a lemniscate. Everything began and ended in this moment; every time Liz dreamt of a future alongside Max, the moment they exchanged their first kiss, all the sweat and tears spilled during the difficult times, and all the majesty of that marriage proposal, were designed to sanctify this moment. The current of emotions they gave and received from each other was eternal and widely amplified by the magic of being lavished with the familiarity of each other's feelings. That entrancing expression of their bond enveloped them, overflowing their souls and their bodies, setting the rhythm of their movements.

All the sensations they shared among them were multiplied times two, creating endless waves of amplified feelings. The abyssal power of that expansion impelled them to move slowly and sporadically. But even that gentle pace threatened to overfill their bodies with the pleasure erupting from their molten desire.

Liz realized their moment would be abruptly interrupted; all their efforts would be purposeless if they kept that rhythm… Max felt her apprehension emerging in his spirit, but before he could react, Liz gazed at him in absolute quietness and he felt the echo of his own words – we can't let this moment end!

Max grinned and his thankful hands roamed her body in a solemn, almost liturgical touch, with a delight of someone enjoying their favorite landscape. The absence of movement focused their attention back to their union.

What a wondrous feeling; that magnetic flame had engulfed them altogether, melting away their bodies and souls, making it impossible to distinguish where one ended and the other began! They could still feel their hands, arms and legs but, in some mysterious way, they were becoming formless. Max felt Liz's warm breath caressing his face as his eyes beheld hers, and they mused on the joyous flames that consumed them so. That was a slow-dissolving process (part puzzling, part hallowed), that threatened to change their nature, free them and give them a new form.

As that magnetic pull kept growing inside them, they felt enveloped in it as if it were a cosmic cocoon where Time could never again interfere. They had already felt that Time couldn't catch up with them, but it had been a small taste of freedom, seconds, minutes perhaps... Now it was different. These minutes were expanding and they seemed timeless to them now.

Their stillness made them realize that something grander was happening to them: their hearts were reverberating with the hot, thrilling energy of that magnetic force. The warmth tingling in their chests started simmering less gently, threatening to overflow the confines of their hearts. Their glimmering eyes widened, surprised by the power of the emotion that welled inside them, and they kissed again, when they felt their hearts yielding to the love that ran free through their bodies, becoming one with it. That warmth grew torrid, sprawling in increasingly robust waves throughout their bodies. Each caress was saturated in that magnetic, sumptuous love that soaked through their skin, their internal organs and made their blood boil, stirring every cell in their bodies. This satiety became their foundation. It was as if this joyance had wrapped them in its cosmic embrace. Their love was permeating their every cell in an immense rapture, soothing and enduring. The mixture of the combined energy they exuded was a boundless string (beyond all forces) that animated every electron, every quark, every atom, every molecule, every cell of Life.

Their bodies were purged of their mundane substance and filled again with a holy substance. Their egos' ashes dispersed, colliding with the heavenly weight of that bond that enveloped their souls.

They hummed and trembled all over, unable to contain the magnitude of their own energy. This ecstasy vibrating through them now was something that had permeated the Universe since its inception. A smile blossomed on their lips when they saw this everlasting force shine in each other's eyes. That gleam was free of any questions or contradictions; its beauty was ineffable, its tenderness was boundless, and its depth was timeless!

Liz lowered her head and her burning lips met his once more in a triumphant kiss, drinking the sweet nectar from his lips. Max delighted in the utmost eloquence of that gesture and held her closer still. That body and spirit that he embraced as his greatest treasure was a mate of his own, and that desire for unity that had haunted them since before they were born was now sated, at last. That was the only medicine for all maladies of their souls, their fountain of youth – their long-awaited home!

From a distance came a breath of air, impossibly hot for that late hour; it was a joyous, compelling energy that matched this new gust of power that had emerged from their hearts and had taken hold of their entire beings. The paradox of the puff's heat and the late hour made them think that it was more than just air moving about; it was almost as if the Universe was exhaling, happy for them, blessing them!



Only the Epilogue is missing now. I'll post it on Max and Liz's wedding anniversary.

Beautifully written........amazing, what else can I say?
Thanks,
Carolyn

Beautiful part! <3 cant believe the end is near.

For O2Shea, who believed in this story from the beginning. I could never have done this without your support!



Author's Notes: The Epilogue contains references about Melinda Metz's The Watcher, "Sexual Healing", "Leaving Normal" and "Blind Date".

The mystery was extinguished and the flame of understanding shone brightly between them; so brightly that for long moments they were unable to do anything other than admire each other, while that luxuriant energy steadied within them.

Everything seemed so magic: not in the illusory sense, but as if they had legitimately been born again. And just like newborns, words were inappropriate, irrelevant, and incapable of expressing what had happened between them or what they were feeling at that moment.

Having answers to questions they didn't even know they had made them feel relaxed, happy and blissful. The Universe was an intricate but orderly soul, like a benevolent parent, full of tenderness and acceptance, whose single aim was to unify all that was and would ever be at its core like an immense hug.

They felt indescribably grateful for that exuberant love and incessant bliss. The Cosmos' intrinsic cozy eternity took the fear of the passage of Time and Death away from them, making them realize that they would always be together. Love was the only constant that vibrated through Space, through the Ages… Could there ever be a greater fortune than to embody such a coveted secret?!

"I'd like nothing more than to spend the rest of the night here, making love with you," Liz cooed, caressing his face with her palms.

Max savored the galvanizing effect of those honeyed words and that charming touch. He swallowed hard and let out a contained sigh. "'The rest of the night' sounds wonderful… The rest of our lives sounds even better, doesn't it…?" He asked, in an eager tone, enfolding her in his arms.

"Much, much better!" Liz whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck, and playfully rubbing her nose against his.

"Then again, you'd never disappoint your parents by missing a graduation ceremony," he sighed, with a knowing smile. "I bet they've been dreaming about nothing else for the past year!"

Liz let out a gentle laugh. True to his spirit, Max wanted her all to himself, without depriving her from the company of her loved ones. He was protecting the wishes of a man who had done his best to chase him away… His words were of her deepest interests, and to know he held them so close to his heart rendered her speechless. Their nobility made her knees tremble and she melted into him with a profound admiration shining in her eyes.

"You're such a tease!" She said, with a playful grin. She lowered her lips to his and Max felt all her gratitude in that tender kiss. His thrilled hands roamed a lazy path from her shoulders, resting on the small of her back. "So let's go to the ceremony," Liz whispered against his lips.

What ceremony? Max mused, amazed at how such a virtuous kiss could steer him away from his noble intentions. He had to say something quickly before he lost his nerve. “Besides, do you really think I’d miss the opportunity to see the most beautiful, the most intelligent girl in this world, receiving the laurels she deserves,” he asked with a jaunty smile.


"You can't be serious," Liz said, laughing again.

"I'm as serious as your serious effort to make up for lost time! I want to be on the front row seat to cheer you in your glorious moment," he said, with an endless smile, feeling her blush burning on his cheeks.

Liz could feel his excitement rippling through her; his words didn't even begin to cover how proud he was of her. Liz took a deep breath. "We should get going, then…" she said, smiling at him.

Max joined Liz in a quick shower, even though he hadn't brought any change of clothes along. Happiness spilled from their palms as they massaged each other, spreading the aromatic lather evenly. The steam swirled around them, thicker and thicker, but the hot water couldn't compete with the warmth they felt beneath their skin. That dulcet and bewitching energy flowed vividly through them, warming them like no water could; something they had feared would be lost upon their return to the world. The awareness of this entrancing presence intensified it further, and they shared a knowing, victorious smile.

Liz could hardly believe her eyes when Max reached for the rack… Her jaw dropped slowly while he wrapped her in a fluffy towel, rekindling that lost fantasy.

"You really know how to get a girl's attention," she smiled, feeling the emotion well up in her eyes.

"There's more where that came from," he said, taking a terry towel for himself. "And the rest of the night is ours!"

Liz pulled him by the edges of the towel, threw her arms around his neck and peppered him with kisses along his jaw, moving to his cheeks, and reaching his lips. Then, in a swift movement, she playfully rubbed his head with the towel. She couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of his tousled hair. Infected by her good humor, Max started a contagious laughing fit that lasted several minutes.

"Has Michael spoken to you about having experienced anything even remotely like this?" Liz wondered.

Max could barely contain a giggle when he saw Liz putting her head outside of the bathroom, with her hair half combed, as if she couldn't wait another second, as if curiosity had overwhelmed her. "No," he said, shaking his head thoughtfully. "Maria…?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Nothing at all…! And she would've said something if there was something to tell… I'm sure of it!" Max turned around, let out a relieved sigh, and resumed tying his shoes. His mind became abstracted from his chore and he focused on that comfortable energy he shared with Liz… His lips parted in an enraptured smile; it was more than obvious that what had happened between the two of them had no precedent for any of their friends, in any book they had read… This was, quite possibly, a unique event in the history of humanity!

Max observed as Liz walked past him with her regal step, heading for the wardrobe and getting her commencement gown out. He leaned back on the bed and watched as she put it on in front of the mirror.

Another feeling blazed under that fiery red gown… a modest amount of academic pride and recognition of the magnitude of hard work that had granted her the honor of wearing that outfit. As his pride expanded in her heart, Liz watched him from the corner of her eye.

Max got up from the bed in a fluid, noiseless movement, and went to Liz, never once blinking away from the apple of his eye. His hand slid down from her waist to her hips, cupping her. She leaned into him, melting into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her. His hands slid around her waist, as if there were no barriers between them, and the exquisite warmth emanating from his palms filled them and lulled them to the core of their souls.

She felt the depth of that compelling foundation in every sub-atomic particle surrounding them. That loving energy vibrating through every elementary particle was the only permanent and indissoluble thing that existed. Liz grinned as every cell in her body waltzed to that new rhythm, that soothing thrill.

Their hearts had been attuned to each other with metronomic precision, and enveloped in the sublime flame of love. She threw her head back in a quiet and contented gesture, and Max couldn't resist covering her with soft kisses – her cheek, her neck and that sensitive spot behind her ear.

"If you keep kissing me like that, I'm not taking responsibility for what happens next, and then we'll be late to the ceremony," Liz chortled.

Max stopped mid-kiss, his eager lips on her flushed cheek while he remained perfectly still, glancing at her, weighing the pros and cons… He moved away with a lively step, almost leaping across the bedroom. His eyes were fixed on the mortarboard, forgotten on the edge of the bed, and he glanced at Liz again, with a proud smile. He picked it up slowly, crossed the room in a solemn step and placed it on Liz's head, as if it were a crown. He straightened the cap on her head and turned the tassle to the right, admiring her for a moment, as one admires a Michelangelo's fresco.

Liz felt a rush of emotion well up in her heart until the tears blurred her eyes.

"I'll spend the rest of my days making sure this magical light never leaves your eyes." Max whispered, caressing her cheek. Liz smiled, but Max saw a hidden feeling lurking behind her admiration.

His jaw tightened; he knew she could feel his ambivalence – how could he not want to stay there with her for the rest of the night, for the rest of his life?!… "Shall we go to the ceremony?"

Liz took a long breath and met his gaze. "Well, like you said, the rest of the night is ours…" They were going to enjoy their graduation ceremony and the rest of the night would belong to them; they would sleep intertwined, in an embrace that would make Francesca and Paolo blush with envy.

"Can we have a little treat before we go?" Liz asked, with an enticing smile.

Max cocked his head to the side and studied her face, trying to foresee her plan; then, he closed one eye, as if he was beating his brains out… His goofy expression made Liz laugh out loud.

"You're gonna love it! Come on," she said, holding out her hand to him.

While his mind considered what the surprise could consist of, his arm rose willingly, taking her smooth hand, which carried him with her promptly. They flew down the stairs and into the kitchen. With the lights out, and the stove turned off, the kitchen was a cold, gloomy and uninviting place – the opposite of what they were used to.

Liz, however, didn't need great mental focus to remember the steam billowing around them while they kissed, and she was certain that Max didn't, either. In those moments, they were the center of the universe; they lived their rightful passion while, on the other side of the kitchen, the rest of the world was completely out of whack. The memory coursed through her like a pleasant shiver, making her smile. "You know, I think you better go sit down in your booth, I'll be with you shortly," she said, leading him through the door.

Max smiled, kept his questions to himself and walked towards his usual booth. He had barely warmed the seat when a delicious aroma pulled him out of the seat. He stuck his head inside the door and said, "Either you put a clothes pin on my nose, or you let me in… I can't stay back there, because I can smell whatever it is you're cooking in here!"

"Dang…" Liz said, stamping her foot on the floor. She gestured for him to come in.

"Hey, don't look so defeated," Max said, entering the kitchen. "If it's really that important to you, you can add a blindfold to the clothes pin… or… you can let me stay here and make me swear a blood oath."

Liz sighed, defeated, and Max approached her with a lively bounce in his step. "Are you cooking what I think you're cooking? Because the aroma is awfully familiar…" He murmured.

"It's exactly what you think it is," Liz said, with an impish smile.

"Great! It's been too long since I've had one of these," Max said, swallowing hard, barely able to contain his excitement.

"You've never had one quite like this before, Max, I can assure you… The Crashdown uses a watered down version of this recipe," she revealed, with an enthusiastic tone and a smile to match. "What I mean is, well, uhm... You see… I created a stronger version of the original Crashdown recipe."

Max felt a deep thrill go through him; he swallowed hard, trying to appease the eagerness of his taste buds, realizing that, if Liz was going to turn that recipe up to eleven, then the best was yet to come – a kind of best he had never known! Max took a deep breath, trying to focus on the present moment – there was a vaguely familiar whiff in the air of boundless possibilities, just like on that day, when he tasted that treat for the first time.

Liz was busy whisking a big bowl full of cream. "Can I do anything, besides swearing on my soul not to breathe a word of this to anyone?" Max asked, smirking.

"You can whisk the milk," she said, pointing at the pot simmering in low heat. Max nodded and went to his post, delighted to help. He stirred the invigorating liquid, soon realizing that it wasn't just milk – the slightly thicker consistency announced the presence of condensed milk.

Liz finished preparing the whipped cream, put the bowl in the fridge and pulled out a chocolate bar. Max's eyes widened when he saw what she held in her hand, understanding the significance of that rectangular package.

"That's your secret ingredient, I take it…" He gulped, barely containing his enthusiasm.

"The original Swiss formula! This chocolate bar was imported. No one would think of using this type of chocolate for this kind of recipe, but in this life you have to struggle to be original," she said, putting the chocolate cubes inside the pan. To use that kind of chocolate was more than reinventing the wheel, it was thinking of a whole new way to use it. This impressed Max more than the revelation of the brand of chocolate.

Liz mixed a touch of a brown powder in her potion under Max's increasingly inquisitive eyes. "Are you adding more cinnamon?" he asked, with a frown.

"No, this is just so you don't have to add Tabasco sauce," she said, admiring his top-notch whisking. The chocolate was near melting point, and Max's gentle motions added a full-bodied, velvety character to the drink.

Her nostrils flared involuntarily when the first whiff of chocolate invaded her lungs… "Keep whisking the beverage, Max, I'll go get the mugs," Liz said, moving away as fast as she could, before she began drooling all over their drink.

Max nodded, silently begging her to hurry, because the spell the chocolate cast proved too powerful, and he could swallow it all in one gulp, regardless of its boiling stage, if she didn't come back quickly!

Max heard the soft jingle of the mugs behind him and felt like a little kid on Christmas Eve, ready to open his presents. He poured the drink into the mugs and, from the corner of his eye, saw Liz going towards the fridge again. Before he could spell chocolate, she returned with the bowl of whipped cream and two other familiar packages…

"Shall we go?" Liz asked, with an encouraging grin.

Max trotted to his usual booth holding both steamy mugs. With a large spoon, Liz garnished both mugs with whipped cream. Then she picked up the conspicuous orange jar and, with another spoon, sprinkled more Swiss chocolate on top of the whipped cream. Max watched that sweet and sumptuous spectacle – he was mesmerized by the combination of Liz's fluid movements and the irresistible aroma of the delicacy they were about to relish… Finally, she opened another package and took two strawberries, placing one on top of the chocolate sprinkled whipped cream in each cup, as if it were a flag of their love.

"Bon appétit!" Liz said with a dazzling grin.

Max glanced at the restaurant clock. "We don't have to hurry… The hands are moving, but time is on our side," he said, his voice deep with emotion.

Liz looked at her wristwatch and compared it with the restaurant clock. Those manmade gears would never admit to such a conspiracy; Time marched on… but it seemed to move in a relaxed and languid step, inviting them to contemplate that moment. "You're right," she said, wrapping her strawberry in the whipped cream. "Time seems to slow down for our benefit!"

"We should make the most of it, then!" Max replied, imitating her. A nibble on the chocolaty strawberry transported him to another world… The ripe, juicy strawberry mixed with the crunchy chocolate flakes in the whipped cream and clung to his teeth and to the roof of his mouth, slowly releasing its overpowering taste… Oh, if only all tortures resembled this one! Max mused, closing his eyes from the intensity of that single bite.

Liz's eyes, also half closed, seemed to sparkle as much as his. He knew this was only a small sample, and the best was yet to come, which stirred his taste buds even more.

"Would you like another one?" She asked, pointing at the strawberries, when she noticed that there was little whipped cream left on top of his mug.

"I had my fill," he sighed, with gaiety shimmering in his eyes. Then, he lifted his mug in a solemn movement and Liz mirrored his gesture.

Max had a glimpse of their honeymoon… Maybe it was a premonition, maybe nothing more than wishful thinking… but, in a strange way, he felt as if he and Liz were married already! That moment was more than he imagined any honeymoon could be – that glint of novelty between them, that smile that was always the first they exchanged, that total presence in the mystery of a present moment, and that total awareness of what they shared with each other… Could they ever have a better time than that after a minister declared them husband and wife?!

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could toast with these Blasts at our reception, rather than with champagne?"

"Yeah, it would be exceptionally wonderful for you," Liz agreed, smiling, as the memory of a drunk Max came to her mind.

"Of course, you'd have to either share your secret recipe or prepare it yourself, and I just would not let you work on your wedding day!" Max said, shaking his head.

"I think we better make that toast now," Liz said, entwining her arm with his.

They sipped their potion in a companionable silence, as if they were sampling champagne from the best vintage. For Max, there was no drink more perfect than that one: it was cold and it was hot; it was sweet but not nauseating; peppery without burning your insides, and that velvety texture invited one to drink it slowly and then have another!

"I didn't know you had developed such refined tastes," he said with a playful smile.

“Thanks to you! I never wanted it like this before… This is a whole new universe for me!” she admitted, beaming, basking in his delight with that full-bodied Blast, and she was astonished to realize their breaths were still in sync.

“Now I understand the reason behind this name!” Max said, sampling another swig. “I feel as if I swallowed a box of Duracell batteries!… Sorry, it’s not the most pleasant image, but I can’t find a better one…” He took another swig of the potion, and cocked his head, trying to think of something more elegant to say. “It’s infinitely more pleasant than swallowing batteries, no doubt about that!”

Liz burst out laughing… maybe because of his puzzled frown, maybe because of his hyperbolic metaphor, maybe even both.

Max also began laughing at his inability to find a witty metaphor for his experience, but he felt that, after drinking one of those Blasts, he could go a year without food or rest…

Then, he became thoughtful again. "Are you sure you don't want to share your recipe with the world? Do you want to condemn your customers to a life of drinking a watered down version of this absolute wonder?!…" Max looked at the ever lighter mug and swallowed hard, realizing their private moment was coming to an end… The intrusion of that other less distant reality made him lose his train of thought.

He had a vision: an ocean of customers sprinting into the Crashdown, gobbling up their burgers and their colas, only to sprint out of the restaurant, eager to enjoy all the amusements and souvenirs the city had to offer…

Liz watched him, trying to read his silence, his lost gaze, and his arm holding the mug, suspended in the air as if he was missing something…

When he looked at her again, there was a new light in his gaze, and she became aware of his revelation. Max whispered: "You should really write this recipe down… in a sealed envelope… and tell your great-grandchildren not to open it until a hundred years after your death!"

Liz nodded and gave a soft chuckle – pleased that he came to that conclusion – and raised her dreamy mug for them to toast one more time.

"To us," Liz whispered, with a wide smile.

"Forever!" Max added, also whispering, with the intense certainty of someone who could foresee every day of his life. His warm whisper reverberated throughout her core, comforting her in the imperviousness of their love. They clinked their mugs together and sipped their unique concoction with the leisure of those who never wanted it to end.

After that nourishing delicacy, they silently shared the task of erasing their presence from that kitchen, safe in the knowledge of their secret's shelter, leaving only the walls as witnesses to what had happened there. They left the Crashdown and headed for his house to fetch his commencement gown.

While he changed, her inquisitive eyes roamed around the room and noticed a poster he had on the wall. The picture looked familiar; in fact, she had seen it before but had never attributed great importance to it. Kyle had lent her that album by Moby years earlier, shortly after she broke up with him. Maybe that's why she'd never listened to it all the way through. It must be a great album, she thought, otherwise, why would Max have a poster of it in his bedroom?! She walked to the shelf where the CDs were and traced the cases with her finger until she found the album she was looking for.

"I'm ready," Max said, adjusting his gown.

Liz turned, her eyes appraising him, traveling up and down his figure slowly, thoroughly… Her bated breath, her shimmering eyes lingering on him, and the sudden flurry of her emotions billowing in his heart made him blush. "Oh, I can hardly wait to see you graduating from college," she said, as a proud smile emerged on her lips.

"I thought you were gonna say I looked incredibly charming in this gown!" He said, with a beguiling smile.

"I thought you already knew that, but I can repeat it as many times as you want… You look absolutely stunning in that gown!" Liz said, gazing minutely at him with an overcome nod. "But you're gonna look even better in it when you reach your senior year in college… trust me!"

Her words fell on fertile soil; envisioning himself in such a ceremony stirred his heart up in hopeful anticipation. "What kind of college?" He asked in a voice that belied everything his face could not hide. His excited eyes glistened, illuminating his whole face, while his cheeks blushed in expectancy.

Liz really had to smile at his restrained thrill! "All in good time," she said, caressing his cheek, trying to keep her own enthusiasm in check. She knew that Max had gone through a very difficult phase of his life and that the aftershocks were nearly as violent as the tragedy that had given rise to them, but he had crossed that obstacle with stoutheartedness – something she admired. She rejoiced in his avidness. What a sad thing it would be if all that potential went to waste! "Shall we get going?" She asked, touching her forehead with his.

"If you insist…" he retorted in a playful whisper that made her giggle and hold him closer in her arms. "Do you want to listen to 'Play' in the car?" Max asked, pointing at the CD that Liz held.

"Now I'm curious; I mean… it must be a really good album, or you wouldn't have a poster of it, right?"

"It's one of his best!" Max guaranteed.

"Really?! What's your favorite track?" Liz asked, while her eyes searched the back cover.

"Oh, we could be here all night talking about Moby," he smiled, opening the door, and gesturing for her to pass. "That's why naming a favorite is so difficult, you know?" Max said, as they headed out to the Chevelle, after telling her the history of that album.

"In short, the entire album is great, is that it?"

"Well, I am a bit biased… but there are a few tracks I listen to more often than others."

"Such as…?"

"Well," he started, opening the car door for her, "lots of them, actually."

Liz laughed, realizing that the topic was too complex, but as soon as they got in, she took the CD and put it in the player, while Max put the key in the ignition.

"Gimme a number, quickly, just off the top of your head," she said, glancing at him.

"Fourteen," Max said, without thinking.

Liz changed the tracks one by one, until she reached track fourteen. Three unassuming taps announced the melody. The rough sound of the guitar contrasted with the primal nature of that entrancing, ethereal theme that was gently insinuating itself throughout the car. At first, the subtlety of the acoustic guitar and the piano made her hesitant about what the music was trying to convey, but as the song progressed in a fervid crescendo the compelling language of those sounds seemed to her more and more splendid; almost divine! In her chest, her heart was seething with the excitement of those notes; tears prickled in her eyes and her soul swelled with the emotion she felt from Max. When that bewitching tune couldn't reach any higher, she could feel the same sense of peace that was filling his heart. She leaned back in the seat as a smile lit her face, feeling that all was right in the Universe. Max glanced at her with a knowing smile, and she gave an exhilarated laugh, silently agreeing with him.

"Can I…?" Liz started, and Max just went ahead and hit the rewind button. She nodded in appreciation and relaxed into the seat. The school was just a tune away.

Maria was all alone, waiting for them near the school entrance. Her head moved from side to side, and she stretched her neck repeatedly, hoping to see a familiar face.

"There's Maria," Liz said, pointing in the direction of the school entrance. "I hope she just got here."

Maria was startled when she heard the Chevelle approaching and she smiled when Max flashed the headlights at her. She went to meet them promptly, not even waiting for Max to park the car.

Maria froze when she glimpsed a strange being with four legs and four arms looming in the evening shadows, walking in a tranquil step towards her and murmuring sweetly; she became truly transfixed when the energy that emanated from that extraordinary presence reached her heart. It wasn't long before she recognized the whispers as those of her best friends. Her heart started pounding as she felt wrapped in a wild, unknown wave of energy and, obeying an irresistible urge for something intangible, she quickened her pace to join them. She threw herself into her best friend's arms without even seeing her face, but her eyes were still able to capture that image of both of them with their arms wrapped around each other.

"It's so good to see you! Have you been here long?" Liz asked.

Maria let go of that hug, took a few steps away from her friend and stared carefully at them. There was something different about them, something she couldn't discern… It was like there was an energy field enveloping them – a staunch, warm, thick and comforting energy field, a consecrated space just for them… "I just got here five minutes ago," she mumbled, leaving her mouth opened in astonishment. Maria could not control the turmoil that had taken hold of her heart… "What happened to you guys?..." she asked, unable to untie that Gordian knot that had formed in her throat and had stolen all the right words from her tongue.

"Do you think there's something different about us?" Liz asked, hiding behind a smile that gave her away completely.

"Different is an understatement, babe! What happened?"

"Remember what I told you before you left the Crashdown," Liz asked, with a smile that only her best friend could decipher.

"Oh no, something definitely happened between you guys, but it has nothing to do with the ending of the sleeping cure! That much I know!"

"I'm sure you'll hear all about it when the ceremony is over, don't worry!" Max said, lacing his arm around Liz again.

Under the cover of darkness, Max's arm looping around her and Liz leaning against him were invisible gestures, but utterly unmistakable to Maria's understanding. She had never understood why they were attracted to each other; never understood why they had started dating; never understood how they managed to live when they were away from each other, nor had she understood why they had gotten back together after all the pain and suffering they had gone through… That demure gesture increased their energy field exponentially; the connection between them shone with greater fervor than the light of two giant stars!

The bumpy ride of those two (the one she had sponsored even before its inception) made her smile, while Michael's face flashed into her memory and she felt a pang kick her heart. Why did I waste so much time without him? she thought to herself, feeling the pain burning in her throat.

While she was lost in her thoughts, Isabel arrived, hand in hand with her husband. Maria had never seen Isabel hug her brother so enthusiastically, or Liz for that matter. "Well, I think graduation ceremonies really agree with you both, you look amazing in those gowns; it's like you're glowing!" Isabel said, with a celebratory grin. "I really have to thank you, Liz; your influence over him is really good… I've never seen my brother so ecstatic!"

He's ecstatic, all right, and so is Liz, but it has nothing to do with the ceremony, Maria mused, studying them for any clues that would give them away…

Liz's parents arrived at school while they were engaged in a spirited conversation; it was natural for Mr. and Mrs. Parker to be delighted that their daughter was finishing high school, but Maria had never seen them fawning over Max before… The favorable pats on the shoulder and the ceaseless smiles were all the more impressive coming from Mr. Parker!

To see them all orbiting around Max and Liz made her smile and shake her head; they could obviously feel the energy emanating from them, just as much as she did, from whatever it was that had happened between them earlier that night, even if they were misidentifying it as 'graduation cheer'. They were small planets, just like herself, orbiting around those two giant stars, whose immense, magnetic light had guided their steps ever since the day of the shooting.

As more and more people arrived, the group thought it best to head into the school grounds to attend the ceremony that was about to begin. As they started walking, Mr. Parker put his arm around his wife and Jesse did the same with Isabel. While Maria cursed her luck for not having Michael there with her, she realized that Max and Liz were gone. She looked around and found them a few yards behind the group with their arms around each other at the very moment their lips met in a long, grateful, amorous kiss.


I'm very grateful to the creators and the actors for making Max and Liz so special to us! I'm also grateful to the readers who took time out of their lives to read this fic. Writing this story was such an adventure to me, like climbing a great mountain, but the view was well worth all the effort! I hope you enjoyed it as well! If you have a favorite passage, I'd love to hear about it!

The creators made the TV special to us, but your story made Max and Liz even more special to us. If only the TV show would have followed your story more, what a wonderful time it would have been.
Thanks for sharing your talent and time,
Carolyn

Wonderful! They went a long way to get there. Thanks for sharing your talent with us.