Part 14

The wind whispered in through her bedroom window and Liz turned with a smile as it ruffled her long blue skirt with the sound of satin on silk. She turned around slowly, feeling the hem of the skirt brush against her bare feet and she watched as it settled against her again, looking up to meet her own eyes in the mirror.

She was wearing her dress for the Homecoming dance and she’d just finished pining up her hair as the light breeze had entered her room. Her dress was pale blue, making her hair seem an even richer brown against her skin. Picking up a pair of silver earrings Liz tried to suppress her growing excitement.

With one last look at her reflection she smiled and gave up trying to calm down. It was the night of the dance and Max was taking her. There was nothing in the world that could possibly get her to settle down.

It had been a shaky week since they’d all been in the pod chamber. Liz had revealed to Max what had happened, what his nightmares were about. And like many things, including Max himself, things were not what they seemed. Max had told her soon after that he always feared that he was a monster and that his nightmares had had something to do with that. Finding out that the root was a human fear of drowning was both a shock and relief.

Liz had almost been able to see the weight lifted from his shoulders. And she could see how happy it made him that she knew the truth and that it didn’t change how she felt. The past few days had been better than a dream. They’d done all the things that couples did; go to the movies, dinner at the Crashdown, and a picnic in the park. And they did things only they could do as Liz sat with Max in the pod chamber and he contemplated out loud what had happened, as Liz joined Max to search for the desert for more clues about what had happened.

She knew it should feel strange, having an alien for a boyfriend, but it didn’t. He was still Max, just like Michael was still Michael and Isabel was still Isabel. In fact, because of what he was Max was the person she loved. His nature was cautious and methodical because of having to hide. He was considerate and caring. And above all else, he was careful and protective of her.

Even though time had passed since Kyle had attacked her, Liz couldn’t completely shake the memory. She hadn’t seen Kyle since he’d hurt her and the rumor around school was that he’d been sent to a mental institute. Liz’s heart ached for his father, she saw the Sheriff around town and could tell how hard he was taking his son’s breakdown. And she hated that she had been the catalyst for that breakdown.

It had brought Max to her but she couldn’t quite shake the guilt she felt for whatever part she’d played in Kyle’s outburst. Michael and Maria tried to reassure her, tried to tell her otherwise, but the feeling was always there.

She shook her head to push the thoughts aside and she slipped into her heels before quietly pushing her door open to walk down the hall towards Michael’s room. Liz had a feeling that Michael might be a little nervous. In everything that had happened, somehow, he and Maria had crossed over the line between friends and something more. This would be their first real "date" and Liz thought her brother might be worried.

Liz stopped at his door and looked in, a smile dancing across her face and she watched her brother, standing with their mother, in the middle of the room. They hadn’t noticed her in the doorway, so she watched with amusement, her eyes warming at the sight in front of her.

Nancy was deftly tying Michael’s bowtie as Michael looked down at her, his eyes grateful. Nancy was concentrating hard on tying the tie correctly and Liz’s eyes softened as she saw her mother’s hands shake a little. As she finished she patted the bowtie gently and smiled up at Michael. He saw the shine of tears in her eyes and he put a hand over hers.

"Thanks Mom," he said softly. Nancy smiled and nodded.

"My little boy’s growing up," she whispered, blinking carefully so she wouldn’t cry. Michael took in her wistful eyes and the emotion behind them, seeing something he’d never completely realized before. It was like Liz had told him, their parents had chosen him.

Michael looked as though he were considering something as he lowered his head. Nancy waited patiently until he lifted his head and fixed her with an earnest gaze.

"Mom, have you even wondered about who it was that you found that night on the road? Did you ever question what it was that you were bringing home?" Michael asked. Nancy looked a little perplexed at his questions.

"Michael, we found you. By luck, chance, fate or destiny, we found you. It doesn’t matter where you came from, you were ours. We wanted you. And now I have two of the most wonderful children in the universe. I never questioned it because it was never a question," Nancy said simply.

Michael swallowed carefully and nodded, finally looking up at Liz by the door. He whistled and motioned her closer as she came towards him with a laugh.

"Look at you! Am I going to have to watch Max tonight?" Michael questioned. Liz grinned and joined her brother and mother in the room.

"I don’t know, am I going to have to watch you and Maria tonight?" Liz replied archly. Michael simply smiled and kept his mouth shut and Liz smiled at the change in her brother. More than anything he was happy and comfortable, something he hadn’t really been in a long time.

"Both my babies are growing up! Michael, Liz, we want to get pictures of you in the living room," Nancy said, walking out of Michael’s room. Liz and Michael dutifully followed and stood where Nancy positioned them as Jeff set up the camera.

While their parents talked, Liz leaned closer to Michael, her voice low so their parents couldn’t hear.

"It looks like maybe you’ve come to terms with some things," Liz suggested. Michael nodded and then fell silent for a minute. Liz waited, knowing that it was normal Michael behavior. Just as she’d known that she could ask him anything. Because in some ways, since they’d been together, two of only four people who knew his secret, for eight years, they were able to be more than honest with one another.

"I think maybe I’ve just come to see who I am isn’t really that different than anyone else. In a way it actually makes me appreciate my human side more," Michael said. Liz met his eyes with her own.

"And what about Maria?" she asked. Michael’s smile was wide.

"Maria makes me see that any differences that there are, they don’t matter," Michael replied. Liz nodded, satisfied.

"Good, because if you hurt her, I’ll have to kill you," Liz said, her face serious. Michael smiled and nodded.

"Got it," he said. They both turned as the doorbell rang and Liz felt her stomach drop and her fingers tighten on Michael’s arm. A sudden excitement at seeing Max claimed her, as it always did when he was near. And she didn’t question that it was Max on the other side of the door, she just knew.

Voices mumbled quietly from the door as her father let Max in and she looked up, a smile of anticipation on her face, as footsteps approached. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped and Liz met Max’s eyes, his eyes staring back with unabashed admiration.

Max looked more handsome than she’d ever seen him and his face wore a smile unlike any she’d ever seen. It was wide, it was open and it was trained on her. In his hands he loosely held a corsage with white roses and a blue ribbon tied around the wristband. Oblivious to her parents and brother Liz walked to Max, stopping just a breath away. He ducked his head down to meet hers and Liz saw his hesitation as he held himself back from kissing her. Liz’s eyes twinkled as she realized he was still shy around her family.

Max took in the vision of her in a filmy blue dress that clung to her body and he realized her couldn’t breathe. It was almost like an aura of light centered on her and everything around them disappeared. Instinctively he’d gone to kiss her but suddenly he’d recalled that her parents were standing right there. Reluctantly he’d pulled back, not missing the amused look on Liz’s face. He opened the box holding the corsage and reached for Liz’s hand, which she gave willingly.

With his fingers on her wrist he could feel the steady, increasing pulse just under her skin and he couldn’t resist the urge to rub the warm, soft skin gently as he slipped the corsage on. Looking up, Max saw Liz’s smile and blush as she lifted her wrist to inhale the scent of the flowers. As she closed her eyes and enjoyed the smell Max felt his heart skip a beat. It seemed like every little move she made, every twitch of a muscle or inhalation of breath was a fascinating experience that left him awestruck.

Isabel had commented on how Max watched Liz like he was studying her, like everything she did was new. When Max had replied affirming her view, Isabel had been puzzled. He’d tried to explain that everything was new, that it was like seeing life for the first time, she’d looked both skeptical and jealous at the same time. Max could tell that she didn’t quite understand what he was talking about, but he knew she would. She just had to realize that it was less about Alex winning Isabel over, it was about her seeing Alex for who he was. And Max knew that it might take time, but it would happen. And he had a feeling Alex was patient enough to wait for her.

He turned his attention back to Liz, his eyes gentle as he looked at her. When he eyes finally opened, lazily, happily, they met his and she whispered loud enough only for him to hear.

"They’re my favorite. How did you know?" she asked. Max smiled knowingly and leaned his forehead against hers, his voice quiet.

"I just knew," he said simply. Liz didn’t question him, just smiled and nodded, thinking she could stare into his deep brown eyes all night.

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes never leaving his. Max just nodded, not able to voice aloud his thoughts without fearing his words would tumble over themselves.

Watching Liz show her mom the corsage Max couldn’t believe where he was. In only a month things had changed so drastically, in ways that he never would have imagined. He and Isabel were no longer alone. They’d found Michael, Maria, Alex and Liz. For Max there could be no comparison to the realization that they had people they could trust and people they could love.

"I’m going to pick up Maria, we’ll see you at the dance?" Michael said, looking at his sister. Returning to Max’s side and slipping her hand into his, Liz nodded happily. Michael kissed his mother on the cheek and then left, unable to hide the ease of his muscles in his body. That was the biggest change in Michael, he’d finally accepted who he was and his family around him.

Max looked down as he felt Liz’s fingers under his lapel and he smiled as she struggled to pin a white rose to his jacket. Her eyes were focused on the project at hand and she bit her bottom lip in concentration. He found himself leaning closer, unable to resist the pull of her until she suddenly finished and looked up, her lips brushing against his.

Their kiss was short as Liz pulled back, giving Max one last brief kiss before turning to her parents. Max’s hand automatically found the bare skin on her back and he felt her shiver under his hand, a smile creeping across his face at what he seemed to be able to do to her.

"Are you kids getting ready to go?" Jeff asked. Liz nodded, allowing her father to take a few pictures before they exited the apartment and walked through the Crashdown to the street where Max had parked his father’s car. As he held open the door for her she arched her eyebrow.

"What, no jeep?" she asked jokingly. For an instant Max was confused, thinking she would have preferred the covered roof of the SUV and not the openness of the jeep. He quickly realized she was teasing him and walked around to climb in the driver’s seat.

Max turned on the ignition and then glanced over at Liz, her hands folded loosely in her lap. He reached over and took one of her hands, loving how her fingers automatically sought to link with his.

"You ready for this?" he asked, feeling more than a little nervous just for himself. This would be their first real formal date and he didn’t want the night to have any problems.

Liz reached over with her free hand and took Max’s chin, brushing her lips against his cheek with a soft kiss.

"I’m ready for anything with you."

At the dance the six of them had quickly found each other and secured a table away from the dance floor. They largely stayed away from it as each couple went to have their pictures taken, jumped up at a particular song or took another trip by the food table.

Somehow along the way Michael and Alex had begun to shed the pieces of their tuxedoes so that the jackets and ties were strewn about the table. Neither Maria nor Isabel seemed to mind. In fact, as Liz watched her brother and best friend dancing, she thought she saw Maria’s fingers loosening another button on Michael’s shirt.

Smiling, she turned her head back towards Max’s neck, leaning her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes as they swayed slowly to the music. Their first date couldn’t have been a better night.

Her fingers played with the ends of his hair by his collar, curling the black strands around her fingers. She felt his fingers caressing and skittering over his skin as his hands finally came to rest at her waist, bringing her as close as space could possibly allow.

She could stay like this forever, held in Max’s arms, so at peace. Because she knew that they were together and that they both knew with every core of their beings that they belonged together. When Max suddenly stopped she looked up in surprise, seeing her brother and Maria standing close by, Michael with an amused look on his face.

"I think the song’s over," Max mumbled in her ear. Reluctantly Liz stepped away from Max, away from the warmth of his arms.

And then Michael surprised her. He held out his hand towards her and she looked up, meeting his eyes with hers. She saw the question there, and even the slight fear that she would say no. Resolving to prove to Michael someday, and make him believe it, that she would never reject him, she took his hand and followed him, waving to Max as she walked away to dance with her brother.

"I’d love to," she told him, his wide smile the only response she needed. They were both a little clumsy at first, Michael afraid of where he put his hands and Liz having to compensate for his difference in height. She’d automatically become accustomed to molding her body against Max’s when they danced, something she had to adjust when dancing with her brother.

"You know, I never got to really thank you," Michael murmured.

"For what?" Liz asked.

"For just being there for me. I don’t deserve to have you, Maria, Alex, Isabel and Max as friends, but somehow, you’ve all let me in," he replied. Liz’s face softened.

"Michael, I think you’ve got the friends thing all wrong. Friends don’t deserve one another, they just are. You know it’s the best when you don’t have to make any effort, when the feelings and the thoughts are already there. That’s what makes it special. We all may have problems, but we’ll always have each other," Liz said. Nodding, Michael agreed and he leaned over to kiss his sister’s cheek gently.

"Thanks all the same, Lizzie."

Liz nodded and watched her brother as he concentrated on dancing as he surprised her once again. She knew life would never be boring with him around.

Finally they established their own movement and Liz found it easy to look around him to try and find the others. She laughed suddenly and Michael turned her around, looking to see Maria and Isabel dancing together, smiles on their faces as Isabel turned Maria around and dipped her.

Michael grinned and looked at Liz, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Does that mean we’re going to find Max and Alex dancing together around here?" Michael questioned. Liz burst out laughing at the idea when suddenly the music stopped and the lights went dark in the room.

Liz felt her eyes go wide as she tried to see in the dark and she turned to Michael.

"What’s going on?" she asked above the noises of people in the crowd asking the same question. Michael shrugged just as a light shone on the stage. Liz blinked, unable to see as she heard a familiar voice over the loudspeakers.

"Um, sorry about the lights. With the help of a friend I have a gift for an amazing woman. It’s been a long time coming and I know she’s been waiting for it. Liz Parker, this one’s for you."

Liz felt her jaw drop as she recognized Max’s voice. She realized what he was doing, giving her his karaoke song, as he spoke and she felt the color rising in her cheeks at the sudden attention as people in the crowd cheered, always ready for public embarrassment of any kind.

She could finally make Max out, standing on stage, a microphone in hand, Alex standing next to him with a grin on his face. Alex motioned to the DJ and music started, reaching Liz over the crowd. Slowly, Max began to walk across the stage to the floor and towards her. His voice finally came through the speakers, strong without hesitation, mixing with familiar piano chords.

Liz locked her eyes on Max as he got closer and closer, not quite able to believe he was singing for her. She knew how he hated to be in the spotlight and yet there he was, more than figuratively bringing the attention of the entire school right down on him. He wouldn’t look anywhere but at her as the crowd of students parted for him, cheering him on, as he got closer to her.

Liz smiled as Max changed the words of the song just a little to accommodate her own dark eyes and he gave her a boyish smile as he got closer. Liz heard Isabel, Michael and Maria behind her, clapping and whistling, but all she could see was Max as he finally got close enough to touch her. His free hand reached out and wiped her cheek, taking away the tears that she hadn’t realized had fallen.

Max knew they were tears of happiness, he could tell she was happy and that’s all that mattered to him. He’d wanted to prove how much she meant to him. Cupping her chin he kissed away her tears just as the song was finishing.

As the last note died away Liz’s arms went around Max’s shoulders and she met his lips with her own, smiling and laughing as the students around them clapped.

Away from the crowd of students, far into the shadows of the dark room a pair of sharp eyes watched as Max Evans sang to Liz Parker. The anger boiled until the eyes shut painfully in rage and then, just as suddenly, opened with an eerie calm.

He knew what he had to do. And he knew that it was only a matter of time. He just had to wait a little while longer, be patient and things would be as they should.

Liz Parker would be his.

TBC