Chapter 23

They woke early the next morning, quickly preparing for the day’s events in silence. The tension was thick in the room though, as each of them kept passing lingering glances at each other. Occasionally, their eyes would meet, and they would quickly look away, trying desperately not to be caught staring, to no avail.

Even as he pulled a clean shirt over his head, while she ran a brush through her hair in the opposite corner, Max found himself remembering the last time they had slept wrapped up in each other’s arms. It seemed like an eternity in the past…the night that he had escaped from the white room. She had been his lifeline then, the only thing keeping him going as he fought his inner demons and regained enough strength to lead them towards defeating the F.B.I.

This time it was the exact opposite. She was the leader, the warrior, the one loaded down with inner scars. And she was the strong one. She was the one that was going to do what needed to be done, at all costs.

Max didn’t think he had ever admired Liz Parker more than he did at that moment.

"Okay…I’m ready." Liz announced softly, turning and meeting Max’s probing eyes head on. Her gaze was gentle, loving in a manner that was almost unnerving to see in Tess’s eyes. Tess was incapable of looking at him with such unconditional love…just another piece of evidence proving that Liz was who she claimed to be.

"Are you sure?" Max asked her gently. "You don’t have to do this. We can find another way."

"No…we need to do this." Liz insisted. "I need to do this. It’s the only way I can ensure your future."

"I love you." His whispered oath took her by surprised, and she stared at him through tear glazed eyes for a long moment, silence filling the room, and the rest of the world fading away.

"I know." She answered him softly. "But you’re not going to lose me, Max. You’re going to walk out that door, and go to me, to the real me, and you’re going to tell her everything. And I swear to you, Max. I will love you so much that I will never let you go again. And we’re going to be so happy together."

A tear dripped down Liz’s face, and Max took an step towards her, ready to wrap his arms around her for comfort, but she quickly gestured for him to stay back, wiping her own tears away.

"Don’t." She softly scolded. "It will only make this harder. Go to her, Max."

Hesitantly, Max nodded his agreement, meeting her eyes one last time in a loving gaze, before slipping through his bedroom door, calling a quick goodbye to his mother, and heading out the front door to the jeep.

Tears stung at his own eyes as he forced himself not to look back, and say goodbye to the woman he loved, who was willing to give up everything for him.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

Liz Parker lay in her bed, the blankets pulled up around her chin for warmth, yet she still shivered from the cool air blowing in through the open window. She had forgotten to close it the night before as she stumbled into her bedroom, seeking her bed for solace and comfort.

She had barely slept that night…just lay in her bed, her eyes wide and bloodshot, stinging with the tears that wanted to fall, but just couldn’t break the surface. The image of Max and Tess curled up together kept haunting her, flashing before her eyes, and she just couldn’t shake it away.

She felt sickened, disturbed…miserable and alone, and admitting it for the first time since Future Max had left months earlier. All of this time, she had always been clinging to the smallest shred of hope that something would change…that she didn’t push Max to Tess…that he still loved her.

But now that hope was gone. It was over.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

Liz ran a weary hand through her blonde curls, as she watched Max pull away in the jeep, without looking back. That was the one thing that she was thankful of. He wasn’t looking back…he wasn’t lingering on her. He was moving forward, securing his future, as he rightfully should be, rather than wasting his time worrying about her imminent demise.

The time had come for her to end it.

Taking a deep breath, and shivering from all the built up tension inside of her, Liz swiftly turned, heading by foot across town towards the Valenti house.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~

Max paused beside her window, squatting down as he peeked through her window. The room was dark, except for the morning light streaming through the open window, and Max could see her figured, laying stiffly in the bed.

In his months of loneliness and misery, Max had come here often, hoping to say something, anything to Liz, but unable to find the words. Often he had found himself crouching beside her window, as he was at that moment, just peeking through, and watching her sleep. He knew it was stalkerish, but he couldn’t help it. He missed her.

As a result, he knew her sleeping habits. And he could tell that she was not sleeping at that moment.

"Liz…" He quietly called out. "Can I come in?"

Max waited for a response and was surprised when she didn’t answer…just stiffened visibly in her bed, and continued to stare at the ceiling.

"I know you’re awake." He continued softly. "Please…I really need to talk to you."

Liz sighed, a soft sound that was like music to Max’s ears, and he watched as she sat up and allowed herself to meet his eyes.

"What do you want, Max?" She asked him in a dull voice, and it was only then that Max noticed her bloodshot eyes.

"Liz…what’s wrong?" Max quickly asked worriedly, sliding through her window, and quickly crossing the room to her bedside. "Are you okay?" He pressed, his eyes searching hers wildly.

Unhesitantly, he leaned forward to gently cup her cheek in a loving gesture, and was shocked when she turned her head to avoid his touch.

"I’m…I’m sorry." Max stammered, realizing that he had overstepped his boundaries…but he couldn’t help it. With everything going on…all he wanted to do was make Liz, his Liz, the happiest girl alive, after learning all that she had been through, and all that the future version of her was going through at that exact moment.

"What are you doing here, Max?" Liz sighed again, breaking his gaze and studying her blankets awkwardly. "Shouldn’t you be with Tess right now?"

"Tess?" Max asked in confusion. "God, no. Only you…I need to talk to you."

"About what?" Liz asked softly.

"About you." Max answered firmly. "And how amazing you are."

"What are you talking about?" Liz murmured softly, still refusing to meet his eyes.

"I’m talking about the truth, Liz. I know the truth." Max explained quickly. "I know that you never slept with Kyle. And I know about the visitor you had from the future."

~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Liz stood in front of the Valenti’s house…the place where she had lived for the past eight days, and took a deep breath, preparing herself for what she was about to do. She was making a risky move…and she prayed that her calculations were correct…that she would not fail.

Still, it was an odd feeling to know that in a matter of moments she would cease to exist. What did that mean? Would she die? Go to heaven? Or would she simply be wiped from existence. Would it be painful?

None of it mattered of course…it didn’t change what she had to do.

Still, even as she stood, silent and still on the sidewalk, beneath the early morning sun, she remembered the life that she had led over the past seventeen years…and Max’s loving eyes appeared within her mind, watching her proudly.

With a determined step, Liz remembered why she was doing this. She was giving herself, and Max, a chance at a future. They were going to live a happy life together, and nothing was going to prevent it now.

Quickly, with determination, Liz crossed the Valenti’s front lawn, headed quickly up to the front porch, and unlocked the front door with her powers. Slipping through the door, Liz closed the door behind her, and turned to head down the hallway, before a curious voice stopped her.

"Tess…where did you go so early?" Kyle murmured, his voice heavily muddled with sleep.

"Don’t worry about it, Kyle." Liz comforted him softly. "I had to take care of something."

"Okay." He accepted, rolling over and quickly falling back asleep. Liz breathed a sigh of relief at his quick trust, before heading down the hallway, and placing her hand on the doorknob. Her hand shook with tension and fear, yet she ignored her own doubts, as she quickly turned the knob, and stepped into the room.

~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"That’s impossible." Liz stated firmly, sending Max a sharp gaze. "You couldn’t possibly know what you’re talking about…unless…." Liz’s voice trailed off, as she pondered the possibilities. Her eyes darkened angrily as realization hit her gaze. "Aw, hell." She swore. "It was Maria, wasn’t it? I’m going to kill her."

"No." Max denied quickly, not wanting to get his friend in trouble. "It wasn’t Maria, Liz. I swear. She didn’t break your trust."

"Then how?" Liz demanded. "How could you possibly know about what you claim to know?"

"I’ve had my own visitor from the future, Liz." Max explained gently. "Last night, she came to me from a mere nine days in the future, because…"

"Last night?" Liz laughed bitterly, cutting Max off quickly. "I thought you were with Tess last night."

"Tess?" Max gaped, staring at her in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, Tess?" Liz spat out at him in disgust. "Your destined bride? The one that you slept with last night. That Tess."

"That I slept with?" Max repeated, a slow smile sliding across his face. "You came to my room last night?"

Liz froze, a guilty expression on her face. "I was just…I wanted to…I mean…" She stammered shamefully, trying to find an explanation for her actions.

"It’s okay, Liz. You don’t need to explain." Max comforted quickly, smiling gently at her. "However, I think I do need to explain a little more thoroughly here."

Liz nodded her agreement, and Max took a deep breath, searching for his words, before finally continuing.

"The person that you saw me in bed with last night was not Tess." Max explained truthfully. "It was you, from nine days in the future."

"How is that possible?" Liz asked, her voice loaded down with firm disbelief.

"She came back from the future to prevent an accident that would have occurred tomorrow. There was some sort of power surge at the UFO Center that you and Tess got caught in, and somehow, when you both woke up, you were in each other’s forms. That was when you, the future version of you, discovered the truth. Tess has been working against us all this time."

"What?" Liz gasped. "That’s not possible. You need her. She’s imperative to your survival."

"She’s not." Max disagreed firmly. "She cut a deal with Nicholas years ago that if completed would result in my death…and Michael and Isabel’s as well."

"But Future Max said…"

"Future Max must have never known." Max guessed. "After the switch, you ended up with Tess’s powers, and Tess’s life. You took the fall for her. She basically destroyed your life. So you took matters into your own hands, and used the granolith to come back here and stop it from ever happening."

"Where is she right now?" Liz wondered softly.

"Taking care of Tess." Max murmured, his own voice sad. "She wouldn’t let me help. She said it would be easier if she just went. We’re never going to see her, or Tess, again."