Max stared at Liz, disbelieving. He blinked slowly and watched her carefully, allowing her words to sink in.

Could it possibly be true? Three years? That meant that so much that he’d thought had happened, hadn’t. His mind raced as he thought about what suddenly was his reality.

He and Liz had never kissed. They’d never broken up. Tess had never come into their lives. There was no destiny. There was no Royal Four. He wasn’t a king. There were no Skins. Kyle had never been shot. The Sheriff had never been brought into their inner circle. He and Liz had never found the communicator in the desert. Nesado had never returned. Alex had never died. There was no Jesse. Isabel wasn’t married. Liz had never pretended to sleep with Kyle. There was no Sean. There was no Brody. The time he and Liz had been apart never happened. There was no baby. He had never had sex with Tess. There had never been a Granolith. There was no Khivar. There was no Nicholas. He wasn’t a hybrid. There had been no wedding.

There was no destiny.

There was no Royal Four.

There was no Tess.

Max knew he was suddenly grinning. Liz looked at him, apprehension in her eyes. He couldn’t help it, all the bad things that he’d thought had happened had only occurred in his mind. A small voice reminded him that the good times had also been wiped away and he paused, looking at Liz.

Looking at her, he realized he was looking at a different Liz than the one created in his mind. When the accident had happened they’d been so tentative around one another. Slowly moving towards something more, but still a ways off. This Liz he’d never kissed. He’d hardly touched her. And he realized, looking deep into her brown eyes, that he and she were both so much more innocent still.

Slowly he reached out his hands for her, cupping her face. He couldn’t help it, he seemed to be drawn to her. And touching her, he knew. She was the same Liz that had lived in his mind. Because his dream Liz had been created from her and she could only be that same person.

As his fingers grazed the soft skin of her face he almost shuddered. Suddenly it felt like it had been almost three years since he’d touched her. And before he could even control it, their connection flared briefly, like a sputtering spark. It vanished almost as quickly and Max watched as confusion crossed Liz’s face.

"Max? What was that? It almost seemed like the day you healed me," she said, searching his face for answers.

"I think it might take some time to explain. What did you see?" he asked. Liz looked thoughtful for a minute, covering his hands with hers.

"It was fuzzy, kind of like a dream. I saw a little white chapel, and us, running down the steps. I was barefoot. You were wearing a tuxedo. And we’d just been married. Was that what you meant? Was that what you saw?" she asked curiously. Max nodded.

"That and so much more. Liz, I don’t know if you can understand, but I’ve lived a whole life since the crash. It’s like my coma never happened. This could take some adjustment for me," he admitted, his eyes glancing around his room, exactly how he remembered it from his sophomore year.

"This other life, was it better?" Liz asked, her voice full of uncertainty.

"Let me ask you a few questions: Have you ever heard of a planet called Antar?" he asked. Liz looked at him as if he were crazy.

"No."

"Have you ever heard of a person named Zan?"

"Um, no."

"Have you ever met a girl named Tess Harding?"

"Uh uh."

Max smiled again, his grin wide.

"Then no, that other life was not better. In a way it’s a relief to wake up from what was mostly a nightmare and find out it was all a creation of my active imagination," Max said. Liz nodded slowly, then remembered the snatch of a memory she’d seen.

"But there was good, wasn’t there? I mean, that wedding looked beautiful, and we—we looked so happy," Liz said, blushing slightly at the intense look Max was giving her. She’d almost forgotten how his eyes could practically slip into her soul.

"Yeah, there was good. And it was few and far between, but it always involved you, Liz. But knowing that it wasn’t real, it makes me miss you more. It’s been so long, and you’re still here. That proves to me that I was right in my dreams, you were always there. I’ve never doubted that I loved you Liz," Max promised. At Liz’s widening eyes, he suddenly realized that he’d never said those words to her.

Then he tried to reason with himself. Was it just the dream talking, or did he really feel that way? The answer was sure and quick. Of course he did. Even back then, before they’d kissed, he’d loved her. Even before he’d healed her he’d loved her. His coma didn’t change that feeling, it actually seemed to sharpen it. But he didn’t want to scare her.

"I’m sorry, Liz, that was kind of sudden. I don’t want you to think that—that it’s a sudden decision. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember, before I healed you. Just knowing now that I’ve been asleep for three years and you’re the first and last person I see—"

Liz cut him off, a finger to his lips. She was smiling and her eyes were filled with tears.

"Max it’s ok. Sometime I want to hear all about this other life, and I want to hear about whatever it is that makes you so sure of me. Because whatever it is, it’s what has kept me here, waiting for you to wake up," Liz said truthfully, realizing she couldn’t even fully explain it to him. Max’s eyes filled with pain for her as he realized what she was saying.

"God Liz, I just realized. I’ve had you in my dreams for three years, but what about you?" he asked, his fingers tracing her face and threading in her soft hair. She shrugged.

"I had my dreams too, Max. And in them I always had you, even if in the waking world you were asleep. Max, I know this is silly, but could you just hold me? I’ve wanted to feel your arms around me for so long and now that I can—"

Max halted her words, his arms swiftly encircling her and bringing her against his chest. He cradled her close, tucked against him as he marveled at how small she was. Her arms clutched at him and her hands drifted over his body, touching his hair, his shoulders, his back. He closed his eyes to the light caresses as his own hands moved of their own volition over her body.

They stayed that way for a long time, holding each other close and listening to one another breathe. Finally, Liz pulled back and sniffled, drying the tears that streaked down her face. And then she laughed and smiled.

"I just can’t believe it, that you’re awake and here. I mean, I woke up this morning thinking it would be like any other day, and then you wake up. Oh, my God! Max, I need to get your mother," Liz said, standing quickly to run to get Diane. Max caught her arm and stopped her.

"Liz, let me come with you. I’d like to be able to stand when she sees me," he said. Liz looked uncertain.

"Max, I don’t know. You’ve had physical therapy, but I don’t know that you can walk," she replied.

"I can if you help me," Max answered, pushing the covers back and swinging his legs around to the floor. Liz nodded and leaned over him as he put pressure on his feet and attempted to stand. Max realized that Liz was right, that it would be difficult, as he swayed against her.

But then, he wasn’t surprised at her strength as she wrapped an arm around his waist and brought one of his arms around her shoulders. She took much of his weight on her and walked them towards the door and to the kitchen. Max noted the ramps throughout the house and realized how much his family had sacrificed for him.

They slowly turned the corner to the kitchen, Max’s bare feet touching the tile and Max looked up at his mother. She was washing vegetables in the sink, humming quietly to herself, her back to them. Max’s eyes warmed at the sight of her and then he looked at Liz, nodding to her.

"Mrs. Evans?" Liz said softly. Diane turned off the sink and put the lettace in a bowl as she grabbed a towel to dry her hands and turned. Her face was friendly and open at Liz’s voice.

"Yes, Liz—"

Diane’s words stopped and the towel in her hands fluttered to the floor, forgotten as shock covered her face. A hand went to her chest and she took a tentative step forward, her other hand reaching out.

"Max—Max?" she said, her voice wavering uncertainly. Max smiled and nodded.

"Yeah Mom, it’s me," he confirmed, realizing how silly the conversation would sound in any normal circumstance. He looked at Liz and found that bright smile on her face and she helped him step forward to his mother.

"He just woke up," Liz supplied, rubbing Max’s back in slow circles.

Diane visibly trembled as she reached for her son. Liz started to move away, but Max realized he’d probably fall without her and he tightened his hold. Liz moved with him until Diane finally touched him, engulfing him in a tight hug. Liz slowly let go and allowed Max’s mother to hold him close and support him. Diane’s voice sobbed out almost impossible to understand words.

"Sweetheart, I didn’t know if you’d ever wake up—" she trailed off. Max nodded, patting his mother on the back.

"I know Mom, but I’m here now," he murmured in response.

Liz watched mother and son and a light smile covered her face. Max waking up seemed like a miracle. One she’d always dreamed about but almost been convinced would never happen. And now, with him awake and in front of her, she had so many questions.

She’d caught a glimpse of the images in Max’s head and they’d both amazed her and piqued her curiosity. And Max’s few questions to her had really only confused her more. What was this world he’d lived in for three years.

As Diane pulled back from Max and dried her eyes, Max stooped close to her and kissed her on the cheek.

"You ok, Mom?" he asked gently. Diane nodded quickly.

"Yes Max, better than I’ve been in a long time. Oh, just wait until your father hears. And Isabel! Oh Max, everyone will be so happy to see you," Diane said earnestly. Max turned to look at Liz for information.

"Where is Isabel now? And the others? Maria, Michael, Kyle?" he asked. Max saw the surprise and sadness cross her face and then she hid it quickly. He realized without asking that things were different in this world.

He thought back, remembering that he and Kyle had disliked each other at the time of his accident. Liz must have thought it strange for him to ask about her ex-boyfriend.

"They’re probably all at the Crashdown Max. But there’s a few things you should probably know before we go," Liz suggested. Max nodded and reached for Liz, needing her support as he gestured to his room.

"I’m sure there is. Let me get changed and we can drive to the Crashdown. Mom, I hate to just go, but I need to see my friends," Max said. Diane smiled and nodded in understanding and Max turned back to Liz.

"You can tell me everything I need to know on the way. Better yet, just give it to me all at once," Max asked. Liz looked doubtful so Max pushed ahead.

"It’s ok, Liz. After the place I’ve been, nothing could possibly shock me," Max reassured her. Liz still looked skeptical, but he smiled at her in encouragement.

"Ok, but don’t say I didn’t warn you," Liz said, wagging a finger at him. Max nodded sheepishly.

"Yes Ma’am."

Liz smiled at Max’s playful voice and she took a deep breath as she led Max into his room, thinking about everything that Max had missed.

"Maria’s mom and Kyle’s dad got married a year ago. Kyle knows about you, we needed his help to keep the Sheriff from digging too deep. The Sheriff stopped trying to find out information about you, Michael, and Isabel when Michael left town," Liz paused, biting her lip at Max’s shocked expression.

"Michael left town? When?" he asked, shocked.

"About six months after the accident. He said he had to figure out what the translations meant. No one’s heard from him in almost two years. Isabel took your accident and Michael leaving really hard. She’s a completely different person now, Max. So quiet around everyone but the four of us. It’s just been me, Maria, Kyle, Alex, and Isabel for the last two years. We’ve stayed low, not attracting attention. No one suspects any of us," Liz vowed, knowing how important it was for them to keep the aliens low profile.

"And what about our pasts? What do we know about why we’re here?" Max asked, fearing he already knew the answer. At the strange look Liz gave him, he had is answer.

"Max, after we found those cave drawings we didn’t find anything. Michael wanted to know, so he left. Isabel wanted nothing to do with it, she almost wanted to totally forget her alien side. We don’t know anything about your pasts, or why you’re here," Liz explained.

Max stared at her, his mind coming to grips with the reality that she was explaining to him. And suddenly, his reality went crashing back three years, to a time when they didn’t know anything about who they were.

Even though the destiny, the Royal Four, and their heritage had been a past he didn’t really want, it had at least been an explanation. And now there was none. But, looking up at Liz, he realized that he could live with that, as long as he had her. The past had always gotten in the way before, and there was no way he would allow that to happen a second time.

Lost in his thoughts, he reached behind his head and pulled his t-shirt off, casually tossing it on the bed. When he looked back at Liz he almost grinned at the flush on her face and the widening of her eyes.

And he knew he should feel shy around her, since now he was half naked and this was new territory in this reality. But it was impossible to feel that way.

"Um, I better wait outside—" Liz said hurriedly, practically racing for the door. She walked out into the hall and closed the door, leaning against it and closing her eyes with a sigh.

Even at three years bedrest he still looked amazing. The broad shoulders, the dark skin, it all danced in her memory as she replayed the vision of him pulling his shirt off, right in front of her. And just inside the door, she could swear she heard him chuckling.

Smiling a little to herself, she knew she would have to ask him for more details about the dream world he’d lived in. Because in that world she seemed to share a familiarity with Max Evans that she’d only dreamed about.

TBC . . .