Max sighed, looking back one last time at the flashing lights of the Crashdown Café sign, before sticking his hands in his pockets and turning, slowly heading towards home.
Maria's words were stinging, heartbreaking…even if Max could see the truth in them. He admired her for looking out for Liz, thankful that Liz had someone like Maria that she could count on…but still. Max couldn't help wondering how far he was going to have to go to prove himself to Liz again.
Maria had been right about one thing. Liz didn't treat him as much of anything today. Talking to him like he was a complete stranger, or even a slight acquaintance, she took his order without any small talk, even ignoring the hopeful smile he had flashed her as she approached.
Still…it was a step in the right direction.
It had been the longest two months of his life since the day that Tess had blasted off to home. Once the shock of the moment had worn off, things had settled into a pretty steady routine. Maria and Liz hated him…and Michael was always with Maria, so he was out of the picture. Isabel had retreated back into her shell, still consumed with grief over Alex's death…almost more so since discovering how close to home the culprit had been.
So Max had found himself mostly alone, wallowing in his misery, beating himself up over his stupidity, and desperately trying to get Liz to see how sorry he was. But that last time he had gone to the Crashdown, she beat him, and he just couldn't take it any more. He had been broken…
For the past two weeks he had hidden out in his house…his entire world consisting of hiding out and leaving himself alone with his self-degrading thoughts. Until the night before when he couldn't take being alone anymore…and he felt a desperate need to see Liz's face.
Admittedly, since leaving Liz's room, Max had been on cloud nine. For the first time in two weeks he had found hope…and he had clung to it with all of his strength. He was naïve to think that things could improve so quickly…but he had been so desperate to see her that morning.
And until Maria had kicked him out, it had been worth every moment.
She still…glowed, the way she always did to him. More so now, because he could see with his own eyes how she had improved from the condition he had found her in the night before. Maria didn't see it…she didn't understand…but it had been clear as day to him. Liz was just as naïve as he was. Her anger had finally died, and in it's wake she was giving Max a second chance…finally.
Making his way across his front lawn, Max stopped, staring up at his home. He didn't want to be there right now…didn't want to go inside and face his family.
After not leaving the house for the past two weeks, Isabel would wonder where he had gone. She would ask questions he didn't want to answer. And his parents were even worse. They could sense his depression, but unlike Isabel they didn't know why. So they were constantly trying to talk to him about the things they did know about…Alex's death…Tess's disappearance. All of which were things that he couldn't talk to them about.
He just hoped they wouldn't try to send him to therapy again. Last time it had been too much.
Sighing, Max sat on the steps of his front porch, leaning back to stare up at the blue sky. He liked the sky during the day. It was so bright, so full of life, with the clouds rushing by and the birds…and during the day he didn't have to think about what was out there waiting for him in the stars. His destiny…his son…Tess…Khivar. The stars were a constant reminder of all of the things that Max desperately wanted to forget…but couldn't no matter how hard he tried.
"Max? Aren't you coming in?"
Max squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. The last thing he wanted was to talk to his sister about all that he was feeling inside at that moment.
"Hey Iz…I don't know. I wasn't quite ready yet." He finally admitted, accepting defeat.
"What's going on, Max?" Isabel asked curiously. "Where were you."
"At the Crashdown." Max replied truthfully.
"Did Liz kick you out again?"
"No…it was Maria this time." Max replied with a crooked smile. "Liz was fine with me being there…I wouldn't have gone otherwise."
"Max…" Isabel sighed. "Don't do this to yourself. You're going to torture yourself, going and watching her every day. It's not going to do you any good. What you need to do is get over her…not let yourself get attached."
Max shot Isabel a sharp look. "I thought we were beyond that now."
"We forgot about it for a while, Max. But stop and think for a minute. Alex is dead because of us. It's our fault…because we let him get involved with us. If we had just left him out of it from the start like we all wanted to, he'd still be out there."
"What are you saying, Iz?"
"I'm saying…" Isabel paused, struggling with her words. "What I'm saying is that you should let Liz go…before something actually happens to her. You don't want to loose her the way I lost Alex, Max. Getting involved with her again just isn't right."
~~~~~~~~~~~
Liz walked to the door of the Crashdown, peaking outside one last time, before sighing and turning the lock shut. All day she had been looking for excuses to peek out the window, hoping that maybe Max would come back. It made her feel weak…Liz wanted to hate Max…but her anger had worn out. Already, she felt like his presence in the Crashdown was comforting again, rather than threatening.
It didn't mean she was ready for a relationship with him yet, which she wasn't. There were too many lingering memories…too much pain in her heart. But she liked knowing that he was waiting patiently for her again.
Sighing, her eyes downcast, Liz turned around slowly, and looked up to meet Maria's eyes searching hers.
"Liz…what are you doing?" Maria asked suspiciously.
"I was just locking up."
"No." Maria interrupted. "I mean what's with the longing eyes. You can't do this, Liz. You can't go back to him."
"I'm not going back to him, Maria." Liz insisted.
"No…not yet." Maria agreed. "But you will, Liz. I can see it in your eyes."
Liz's eyes dropped again, as she nodded guiltily.
"Liz…babe. You know I'm not trying to be your baby sitter here or anything. I'm just trying to look out for you. I don't want to see you set yourself up to be hurt again."
"Look who's talking, Maria." Liz rebutted, suddenly feeling anger boil up inside her.
"What?" Maria asked in shock.
"I said look who's talking." Liz repeated, her eyes flashing. "It's not like you didn't do it to yourself too, Maria. Michael hurt you again and again, and you always went back to him. No matter how bad it was, you always went crawling back, and now look at the two of you. He stayed for you Maria. It was worth everything the two of you went though…don't deny that."
"Yeah, but."
"No buts, Maria." Liz exclaimed. "You have no right to be lecturing me like this. You have no right to drive Max away when…" Liz's voice trailed off.
"When what?" Maria questioned.
"Never mind."
"When what, Liz?" Maria demanded.
"When I wanted him here." Liz finally replied. "I didn't want to admit it, until he was gone…but having him sitting there…it felt like things were finally getting back to normal…and it was…nice."
