Part 17

It was dark when she woke up. Impossibly dark. The shadows seemed like clouds of ink, filling every space around her. She moved slowly under the bedsheets, her hands finally reaching the cool uncovered air.

Liz sat up quickly and immediately regretted it. Her head swam with dizziness and she groaned out loud. She heard the soft sounds of movement at the foot of her bed and she tried not to jump as Maria’s head poked up over the edge to look at her worriedly.

"Liz? Oh, my God, are you ok?" she asked, her voice low and urgent. Liz nodded slowly and then realized Maria probably couldn’t see her that well.

"Yeah, I think so. What happened?" she asked, her mind drawing a total blank. Maria climbed onto the bed next to her and gave her a quick and fierce hug before meeting her eyes.

"Lizzie, you drowned," she said. Liz stared at her, not comprehending the words.

"Maria, I couldn’t drown. What are you talking about?" Liz’s voice trailed off and her eyes went blank as she suddenly remembered.

Kyle pulling her away from Max. Max bleeding on the grass. Struggling against Kyle. Falling into the swimming pool. The sting of the chlorine in her eyes. How the water weighted her dress down. Kyle yelling at her, holding her just out of arms reach under him, under the water. She remembered the water, shimmering in front of her like a mirage, distorting Kyle’s face and words as he held her under the water. She’d tried to fight against him, but she wasn’t strong enough. And when she’d finally given in and ran out of breath, her lungs had expanded and filled with water.

Shuddering, Liz hugged her body, trying to forget the coldness that was the last thing she remembered. Looking around her room, with Maria sitting close to her, she wondered what had happened. She was supposed to be dead.

And then she remembered further back.

"Max! Oh my God, Max! Maria, what happened to him?" Liz cried desperately. Maria shushed her gently and pointed to her chest.

Puzzled, Liz looked down at her shirt and noticed a faint glow underneath, seeming to eminate from her skin. Gasping, she lifted the hem up just a little and saw the handprint splayed across her chest, just above her breasts.

"Max healed you," Maria replied simply. Liz looked at her in wonder, realizing the pieces were falling together.

"I started to get worried that you and Max hadn’t shown up. It had been a long time since the dance while we’d been waiting at the Crashdown. Something was wrong, I just knew it. I told Michael and he and Alex went looking for you. They found the spot where Kyle must have shot Max, there was some blood and they found your shoes nearby. Somehow they went in the right direction and got to the swimming pool where they found you and Max, both alive, and Kyle cowered in a corner," Maria said. Liz nodded slowly.

"Max must have just healed you because you were still coughing up water. He was out though, Michael thinks it’s because he wiped out all his energy healing you, not to mention the bullet wound on his head wasn’t helping any," Maria said. Liz’s eyes widened.

"He was shot! He’s ok, though, right? Oh my God, Maria, I have to go see him," Liz exclaimed, leaping off the bed and searching for a pair of shoes. Maria stood up and tried to get Liz to sit back down.

"Hold on a second, Liz. You’ve been through a lot, don’t you think you should rest?" Maria suggested. Liz shook her head.

"I’ll rest once I know Max is ok. I have to go Maria, please," Liz said, her eyes filling with tears.

"Let her go, Maria."

Both girls turned to face Michael, who had crept into the room as Liz had pulled on shoes and rummaged for a sweatshirt. Liz launched herself at her brother, giving him a hug. He closed his eyes and hugged her back, finally allowing himself to let go of all the fear he’d felt when he thought he might have lost her. Liz pulled back and smiled at her brother.

"Thanks Michael. Don’t wait up for me, I’m not leaving until I know he’s fine," Liz said strongly. Maria nodded wearily and waved goodbye as Liz climbed out her balcony and went over the stairs at the edge. Then Maria whirled around to face Michael, her finger stabbing him in the chest.

"What were you thinking? Just letting her go after she drowned!! Michael, don’t you think she should rest?" Maria asked furiously. Michael shrugged.

"She won’t rest until she sees for herself that Max isn’t hurt. I know if I were in the same situation there’s nothing in the world that could keep me from you," Michael replied, his eyes flashing with intensity. Maria immediately softened and couldn’t stop the silly, happy grin from spreading across her face.

"Ok, you win this time Space Boy," she said, wagging her finger at him. Michael grinned and stepped forward, his hands reaching out for Maria. She easily stepped into his embrace, her fingers lightly resting on his arms.

"Oh, yeah, I’d say I win. I got you, didn’t I?" Michael whispered. Maria smiled and kissed him gently on the forehead. When their eyes met again Maria’s were shining with happiness.

"You sure did," she replied.

Liz ignored the cold as she approached Max’s house. It was nearing dawn and she’d been shivering since she’d woken up. It seemed like the cold was overwhelming and she just couldn’t shake it. It reminded her of the cold water and what she remembered of drowning.

Shaking her head, she walked softly around the side of Max’s house, easily finding his window and pushing it open quietly. She climbed inside, her heart pounding as she wondered what she might find. She knew Maria had said Max was fine, but she had to know, she had to touch him, see him, smell him for herself.

It was dark in Max’s room as she approached the bed, kneeling down at the head, and letting a deep sigh of relief out as she saw that Max was fine. He was sleeping soundly, his breath not quite a snore as he laid on his side, his hands curled up under his pillow. Liz rocked back on her heels, riding the waves of dizziness as they passed over her.

She’d been so worried, so convinced that he wouldn’t be safe when she found him. To find him safe and sleeping was such a weight of relief, she could hardly see straight. And then she realized the reason she couldn’t see straight was because she was crying.

Liz covered her mouth and tried to keep the sobs to herself, desperate not to wake Max but refusing to leave him. The tears flowed down her face and she couldn’t stop the cries from leaving her throat. And she was still so cold.

When Max’s hand reached out to gently grasp her arm, she didn’t flinch. When he tugged her towards him, his eyes fixed on her face, she didn’t pull away or try to leave. She merely climbed into the bed next to him, under the sheets and curled up against his chest.

His hands smoothed over her hair as her sobs slowly turned to sniffles and eventually stopped. Liz dried her eyes on her sweatshirt and when she looked at Max, she found him smiling down at her, a playful glint in his eyes.

"You know, I think your shirt is too wet. Maybe you should take it off," he suggested. Liz laughed and then hiccuped, silencing Max as he continued to smooth her hair and rub her back. Liz wiggled her toes, finally starting to feel some warmth returning to her body.

"You ok?" Max asked, trying to hide the worry in his voice. He’d woken up to the sight of Liz Parker crying next to his bed and had felt his heart nearly stop. Liz nodded and moved closer to him, burrowing her face in his neck and breathing deep.

"I just had to know that you were ok," she said. Max nodded, understanding more than she knew. He didn’t doubt that if he had woken up first he would have been climbing the fire escape to her balcony in a matter of minutes.

"I know. We’re both ok, no thanks to me," Max said, his voice full of regret. Liz pulled back and looked at Max’s troubled face, her own eyes clouded with confusion.

"What on earth do you mean, Max? It’s thanks to you that I’m alive," Liz replied, her voice full of wonder. Max shook his head.

"I told you I would protect you, that you’d be safe with me. The first time Kyle came back, the first time he tried to get close, it was like I wasn’t even there!" Max exclaimed. Liz’s eyes softened and she reached up to smooth back Max’s hair, her fingers trailing behind his ear, her fingers light.

"Max, you saved me. You came for me after what he did to me and you pulled me from the water. You overcame your greatest fear, and you did it for me," Liz said softly. Max listened to her words and he met her dark brown eyes, still not totally convinced. Liz saw his uncertainty and she smiled slightly, her hand trailing down Max’s body to find his hand and twine her fingers with his.

"It’s ok, I can believe enough for both of us," Liz replied. Max nodded slowly and kissed Liz gently, closing his eyes with awe as he pulled her close, hugging her body against his.

"There’s something I never got a chance to tell you," Max started.

"Hmm?" Liz murmured, Max’s words punctuating through the sleepy haze that had begun to enter her mind.

"I love you."

Liz was wide awake and she gave Max a bright, brilliant smile as she kissed the underside of his jaw and buried her face in his neck, her mouth next to his ear.

"And I love you, more than I thought I could love anyone," Liz replied, still not able to fully explain how she felt what she did, just knowing that she did.

"Liz, you’ve made me feel normal, something I never thought would be possible. I never thought that I could be a normal teenage guy with the most amazing girl looking at me the way you do," Max admitted. Liz smiled and nodded.

"I’m glad I make you feel normal, Max. Because I think we’re going to have an amazing life together," Liz said. Max thought for a minute and then nodded happily.

"Yeah, I think you’re right," he replied, drawing Liz close for a deep kiss. When they pulled back and Liz laid her head on Max’s chest he finally closed his eyes in contentment.

And within minutes, lulled by the gentle sound of her breathing, Max’s eyes drifted closed. And with Liz Parker in his arms Max Evans fell into a deep sleep.

The End.