As much as Tess Harding's image had tempted Liz to take her yearbook and throw it as hard as she could across the room…Liz knew she wasn't done yet.

Smiling longingly, Liz continued to flip through the yearbook, smiling at the faces she recognized: Michael, Maria…Alex. She couldn't fight the tears that started flowing at the sight of an entire page in memory of the boy that she knew had been her close, personal friend, even if she had no memory of him.

Finally she had turned to the empty pages in the back, reserved for autographs and signings, and found herself reading a haunting message from the boy who had captured her heart.

Dear Liz…

After all that we've been through together I find myself sitting with your yearbook in hand, and I have no idea what to say. I know this is supposed to be a happy moment, where we relive all the good times, and forget all the bad…but the good times were so few and far between, I find it hard to do.

I know what the good times were for me…any time I saw your beautiful smile, every time I held you close…hell, any time I was even in the same room as you. Anytime you're near me it makes the world that much better.

You probably think it's presumptuous of me to say things like this…but I can't help it. You mean the world to me, Liz.

If I could have just one wish, I would take away all the pain I have caused you…everything that I did to hurt you. I know how much you've paid to know me. I just hope it's still worth it.

Thank you for everything that you have ever done for me Liz…I could never repay you enough.

I love you,
Max

Liz sat there staring blankly at the page for a long moment after she finished reading, and found herself left with even more questions than before finding her yearbook. And as she finally shut the book, placing it off to the side, she found herself wondering if she would ever find the answers she was looking for.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"I think something happened…something bad." Max mused, as he and Liz sat together the next day at lunch, going over all that they had learned the night before. "I talked to Isabel last night, and she was being really weird about it…she wouldn't give me any straight answers, but I think she lost someone close to her because of us."

"Do you think it was Tess?" Liz asked curiously.

"No…I asked her about Tess, and she got really angry with me. She said that we don't want to know anything about Tess and it's better off that she's out of our lives."

"That's really weird." Liz shook her head in frustration. "There's just so much I wish we knew. I did a little research last night…looked into finding Tess. There wasn't too much…but I did find a picture of her in last year's yearbook."

"What is she like?" Max wondered.

"Well…about the exact opposite of me from the look of it. An overdressed, over primped blonde."

Max crinkled his nose slightly at the image he conjured in his mind. "Liz…what were you thinking?" He laughed.

Liz smirked at him and slapped him playfully before replying. "That's what I was asking myself last night too. Still…I wonder what happened to her. Maybe we could find her?"

V"Maybe Isabel's right and we shouldn't find her." Max rebutted. "We don't know what to do here, Liz. We don't have enough information to do anything here, except for the word of our friends, who we know may not be working for our best interest here. We need to learn more."

"I know." Liz sighed. "I just wish I knew how."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that afternoon, Max pulled the Chevelle up in front of the Crashdown, sighing as he turned to say goodbye to Liz.

"I wish you didn't have to work." He lamented. "I'd love to have you to myself all afternoon."

"I know." Liz grinned, rolling her eyes mockingly. "I know you can't live without me…but I have to work. Can you come over tonight after my shift? We could talk more then."

"I'll be here." Max swore. "Come on…I'll walk you in."

"Okay." Liz laughed, as Max got out of the car, and walked around to let her out with a bounce in his step. "My lady…" He gestured in a fake, stuffy voice, as he opened the door.

"Thank you." She replied in a playfully serious voice, stepping past him and up onto the sidewalk. He followed her closely…so close in fact, that Liz's heart started pounding, as he reached over her shoulder to push the door to the Café open. She crossed beneath his raised arm, and entered the restaurant, stopping right inside the door, and turning to face him, as he came in behind her, letting the door close behind him.

They stood there for a long moment, just staring into each other's eyes, the door framing their figures, before Max reached up and gently caressed her face…

He was so cold…Liz could tell. The rain was clinging to his hair, plastering it to his forehead, but still, he just stood there, outside in the rain, staring in at her…waiting for her to notice him. His gaze was so intense, so desperate, that Liz couldn't help crossing the distance to the door, and slowly unlocking it to let him in.

They stood there in the doorway for a long moment, nothing but small talk, until Max started to speak in that pleading, beautiful voice that spoke right to her heart…the voice that told her that his soul was talking…he was pouring it out, putting himself on a limb for her. It was a rare action from a boy that was normally so shy.

He reached out a hesitant hand, cold and wet from the rain, and caressed her cheek so gently, so tenderly…love was pouring from everything he did.

"Liz, about what Michael said before, about Tess, I just...I want you to know that I don't feel anything for her. I look at you, and I know you're the person I'm supposed to be with. I've always known it. What happened here that day, when you got shot, and how that brought us together...it's fate." She was still hesitating, couldn't quite look up into his eyes…because she knew the moment she did, she would be a goner.

"Look at me." Max pleaded so desperately, that she couldn't resist peeking up and meeting the intensity of his gaze. "You're the one, Liz...the only one. I could never be with anyone else."

Liz turned her face into Max's hand, kissing it gently, before pulling away.

"Bye Liz." Max whispered, with a soft smile that glowed straight from his heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The latest flash left Liz with a lingering warmth in her heart, making her smile and whistle happily as she worked…but as the night pressed on, she found herself remembering Max's words again…not the ones about her…the ones that were distinctly not about her.

"Liz, about what Michael said before, about Tess, I just...I want you to know that I don't feel anything for her."

It left Liz with a lingering doubt, that at one point Liz might have suspected Max of feeling something for Tess…to the point where he would come to her and plead desperately with her to understand his love for her.

"I could never be with anyone else."

Liz's eyes crossed the room, lingering at the door. For a moment she could almost see the rainy night again in her mind's eye, before Maria passed in front of the door, pulling Liz's eyes from it, as they watched Maria cross the diner and head to the back room.

Suddenly determined, Liz followed her friend into the back, closing the door behind her quickly, as she cornered her friend.

"Maria…who is Tess?"

Maria whirled around and stared at Liz in shock for a long moment. She was obviously without words, as she opened and closed her mouth a few times, fumbling over whatever she was going to say.

"Where did you hear about Tess?" Maria finally stammered.

"She was mentioned in a flash I had with Max." Liz explained.

"Mentioned in what sense?" Maria pressed, studying Liz closely for any hint of pain…and was surprised to find that there was none.

"Just her name…nothing more." Liz admitted. "But she had Max and I a bit intrigued…because we know nothing about her except what she looked like…we don't know why she might be important."

"Liz…trust me…you don't want to know." Maria finally answered dryly, turning back to the dining room, as she tried to get past her friend, but Liz wouldn't let her out.

"No, Maria…I won't accept that. I want an answer." Liz demanded. Maria stared at her in disbelief at her friend's reaction, and Liz sighed, trying to explain herself further. "Isabel told Max the same thing." Liz finally confirmed. "But this isn't about that. This is about you and me and the fact that when it comes to Max, and only Max, you won't answer any of my questions. Don't I deserve to know?"

Maria let out the breath she was holding, and studied her friend for a long moment, before trying to explain herself.

"Yes, Liz. You probably do deserve to know…but I'm your friend and I don't want to be the one to tell you, because I don't want to hurt you. You do deserve to know, but you also need to figure it out yourself."

"How do I do that? Is there any way besides the flashes?" Liz pleaded.

Maria hesitated a long moment before replying.

"There may be one way…you had a journal…"