"This is a strange place to bring me." Liz commented as she stepped out of the Chevelle, and breathed in the fresh scent of pine tingling through the afternoon air.
"Yeah…well I figured that Frazier Woods is the place where our connection really began…at least this time around." Max explained softly.
"Yeah…I guess you're right." Liz laughed, making her way around the car to walk beside Max as they headed away from the car and into the trees. "I haven't really been out here since that night."
"Yeah…me neither."
They strolled slowly through the woods, and Max couldn't help studying their surroundings. Frazier Woods was cool, peaceful, beautiful, with its dense pines, shading the couple from the warm desert sun. You almost couldn't even tell that they were in the middle of the desert…it was like pulling them into a completely different atmosphere. It was hard to believe that this was where all of their current problems had begun, when it felt like such a safe haven.
"Liz…about last night." Max started with a sigh, nervous to broach the subject even if he needed to know what happened. "I'm sorry if I did anything to make you uncomfortable…I didn't mean to make you run off the way you did."
"Oh, no Max!" Liz exclaimed. "Please don't think that! You didn't do anything wrong. You were perfect. It was me…" Liz's voice trailed off as she searched for the right words to explain what had happened.
"Last night, when we were saying goodnight, I had this weird moment…it was my first memory flash." Liz admitted. "It took me by surprise, that's all…I'm sorry I ran off…I was just in shock."
"A memory flash." Max mumbled. "What happened?"
"It was you and me, hugging like we were last night, only we were a lot younger."
"Oh my God." Max gaped, unable to hide his reaction. "You felt it too." He hesitated a moment before continuing. "You were crying…I hated seeing you cry. I needed to do something, anything to ease your pain."
"You were the one person I needed at that moment." Liz breathed. "And you were there, just like I needed. I think it was the first time…it all felt so new in the flash."
Max nodded in agreement, while Liz gazed up at him in amazement for a long moment.
"I can't believe you felt it too." Liz marveled. "How is that possible?"
"Maybe whatever is going on here isn't just random occurrences. " Max theorized. "Maybe it's connected…everything you're going through and everything I'm going through. Maybe we were here together that night and this happened to both of us for a reason…"
"…and maybe we're the only people who can help each other remember our past." Liz finished for him.
"The only question is how." Max sighed.
"Well…I have a theory about that." Liz started, summoning her courage for the suggestion she was about to make. "Our first flash came the first time…that we touched." Liz hesitantly explained. "Maybe if you…touch me again, we'll get another one."
Max couldn't hide the way his eyes darkened with desire at her suggestion…Liz's heart raced at the sight of it, as she anticipated his next move, which he readily gave, as he began to inch closer to her.
"You want me to touch you?" Max asked hoarsely, as he moved to stand before her, his eyes staring down hungrily into Liz's own passionate gaze.
"Yes." Liz murmured, her heart racing.
"Okay." Max breathed.
They were so close…Liz's whole body was burning, electrified in anticipation of Max's next move. Where…how…what would happen? He was overwhelming all of her senses, surrounding her so completely, that Liz could barely comprehend the fact that he hadn't touched her yet.
When it finally came it was soft, gentle, as he snaked his hands towards her face, and softly cupped her cheek with one large, warm hand, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Liz sighed happily and leaned into his touch, just as his other hand made it's way to her face, lightly caressing her cheek before sliding it down to her jawline.
Trembling, Liz's eyes fluttered shut…right as it came…
"Maybe I can make the connection go the other way…so you can see, you know…that I'm still me."
Liz nodded, knowing the nervousness she felt in her heart was plastered across her face. Max wanted her to believe so much that everything was the same…but so much had changed. She didn't know who he was anymore…she was afraid of him…but at the same time she knew she didn't need to be, she knew she could trust him…and above all…she knew she wanted him to touch her.
As if mirroring her thoughts he spoke the words that made her heart race in anticipation.
"I have to touch you."
Slowly, he cupped her cheeks, touching her so gently, so tenderly, like he was trying to savor every moment. He looked deeply into her eyes with such love, such intensity, that it took Liz's breath away, right as the images started flashing across her mind.
She saw…Max…
For the first time she saw Max Evans…his heart, his soul…and it was the most incredible thing she had ever seen…and when she felt what he felt when he saw her it almost knocked Liz over with the intensity of it all.
He pulled away much too soon for Liz…and she still felt herself standing there in a daze as he asked her gently: "Did it work."
Liz could only nod…she couldn't find the words to say the one thing that her heart was screaming at her at that moment. She would never be able to be away from Max Evans again.
The flash faded away as Liz found herself back in reality, her mind reeling in confusion from the flash…it overwhelmed her mind, the intensity of the emotions…the flashes…she saw them in her head, but they made no sense.
The must have overwhelmed Max as much as her, because he didn't move away from her…instead moving closer and leaning his forehead down against hers, as he stared deeply into her eyes for a long moment…before the memories surged forward again.
Liz's emotions ran rampant as she turned and rushed away from Max, making up excuses of classes or homework or something…even as she said it she didn't know exactly what she was saying…she just knew that she needed to get out of there…as far from him as possible.
The things he was saying…they meant the impossible. But what he had done the day before was the impossible. If what Max was saying was true though…what was impossible anymore?
She didn't move quickly enough…he stopped her at the door, blocking her exit, as he stood painfully close to her, their faces mere inches apart.
" Liz…listen to me. You can't talk to anyone about this. Not your parents, not Maria. No one. You don't understand what'll happen if you do. Liz, please? Now my life is in your hands."
He freed her, allowing her to run from him, and she takes the opportunity, hurrying towards the women's bathroom. She needed time to process this on her own…to process what Max was…
Liz gasped and pulled away as the images began to fade from her mind. Taking a step backwards, she stared up at Max with wild eyes.
"Max…what was all of that…what did it all mean?" Liz asked frantically, her heart pounding harder at the pained expression in his eyes, as she knew without a doubt that whatever this was…he wasn't planning on telling her.
"Max…what are you?"
