Part 3

Max opened his eyes and blinked as he sat up. He hadn’t moved at all. He was still sitting on his own bed in his own bedroom. Had it worked? There had to be some way to tell…

His eyes fell on a framed picture sitting in the center of his desk. It was a picture of him and Liz, sitting together. She was laughing, her whole face lit up in happiness, and he was smiling at her, his arm around her.

Max had to smile. He knew for a fact that he had never seen that picture before in his life. He was…somewhere else. In her Roswell, he hoped.

He had to see her, to find her. Max slipped out his bedroom window, and hurried towards the Crashdown. She had to be there, and if she wasn’t, he knew she’d eventually end up there.

Max slowly pulled the jeep into an empty space in front of the Crashdown, and turned off the motor, before turning and facing Liz. Their night had finally come to a close, although neither of them really wanted to end it. It was late though. The Crashdown was already closed, and Liz knew that if she didn’t go up soon her parents would be worried. She just wanted to stay with Max though…forever.

The night had been as perfect as she and Max had both dreamed it would be. After dinner, Max had driven her out to a secluded place in the desert, where they lay out on a blanket, talked and watched the stars for hours. For once, there were no interruptions. No emergencies, no one had walked in on them. They had been given the entire night just to drown in each other’s presence. It had been beautiful…one of the best nights of their lives thus far, and neither of them wanted it to end.

Max turned to Liz, and took her hand. "Liz, I have something for you, that I’ve wanted to give you all night. This is for you." He slipped a small jewelry box out of his pocket and into her hand.

"Max!" Liz gasped in shock.

"Open in." He gently pushed. Inside was a simple gold band with a small diamond in it.

"It’s beautiful, Max, but…" He cut her off with one gentle finger pressed to her lips.

"Shhh… Let me explain. I know we’ve only officially been together for two months, but you’ve owned my heart my entire life, Liz. This isn’t me saying we should do something rash and run off and get married or anything. This is just a promise to you, Liz, that my heart belongs to you and it will be yours forever, or however long you want it. If you don’t want to wear the ring, you don’t have to, but I want you to have it, as a token of my love for you."

"I love it, Max, as I love you. And I’d be proud to wear it." Max grinned, as he took the ring and slipped it onto her finger. It was a perfect fit. "Thank you." Liz whispered against his lips, as she leaned in to kiss him.

Liz slid onto Max’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, and passionately taking his lips. Max’s arms slid around her, as he pulled her closer against him. The feel of her, the taste of her was dizzying to him, but he wanted more, and he slipped his tongue between her lips. Liz groaned at the sensations surging through her.

Max pulled away and looked deep into her eyes. "It’s late. We’d better call it a night while we still can." He leaned in for another quick kiss, before grasping Liz at the waist and gently sliding her off his lap, and onto the ground next to the jeep.

Liz stepped up onto the sidewalk, and headed towards her door, before turning back, and meeting Max’s eyes once more. He was transfixed to her eyes, glued there, and he couldn’t pull away from her. He knew that he should turn the key, pull out, and drive home, but he just couldn’t. Not yet.

"What’s a few more minutes." Max muttered to himself, as he hopped out of the jeep, and headed towards the most beautiful woman on the planet.

They stood there facing one another for a long moment, before Liz slid her arms around Max’s waste and pulled him to her. Their lips met again, and their tongues dueled hungrily, as they kissed each other with all the love and passion stored deep in each other.

Finally they broke apart for the second time, and Liz met Max’s eyes one last time. "I love you." She swore reverently to him, before turning her back and rushing into the house.

"I love you too." Max whispered as the door shut. He stood there for one long moment, barely believing that the night had ended.

Suddenly Max felt cold, and he shivered. Something told him that it would be a while before they had another night that was this perfect.

Max Evans stepped out from the shadows of the alleyway beside the Crashdown Café and watched as the jeep pulled away. Rage had boiled up inside him as he had watched the exchange between Liz and…him, but now it had settled down to a slight contentment.

At first as he had watched them, the pain was immense. Liz had forgotten about him. There had been no doubt in his mind. As he thought about it, though, he knew that it just wasn’t true. There was a connection between them, that was for certain. Liz must have wanted to ease the pain of being without him. That’s why he had turned to the other…him… for comfort after their separation. With that other guy there constantly, looking exactly like him, it must have been hard. Max probably would have done the same thing if there was a Liz-like person wandering around his world. He was sure that once Liz saw him, she’d forget all about that other guy, and come back to where she belonged: by his side.

Max slipped his hands into his pockets, and turned to watch the window above, where a light had just flipped on. A huge part of him wanted to run up the ladder, wrap her up into his arms, and stay with her for the night, as she had stayed with him when she came to his world, but there was plenty of time for that tomorrow. Right now, he’d let her get some sleep, and dream happy dreams of the two of them together.

He’d wait until morning. Then they could be together forever.