PART 3

Staring around the kitchen, Max noted how deserted it was. Assuming that Liz had gone upstairs, he tentatively climbed the steps to the apartment above the Crashdown. Reaching the top step, he listened for a moment to see if he could locate Liz. He didn’t really want to just rummage around her house, but he could hear no sounds to indicate where she was. Deciding to try her room first, he headed down the corridor and reached her door. Pausing for a moment, he placed his hand gently on the door knob and turned it slowly. The door creaked as he opened it, and he slowly peered around into her room.

“So come on Kyle, time to spill the beans.” Maria said handing Kyle another Orange Soda before sitting down at the booth with him.

“Huh?”
”Max, Liz, the way they’ve both disappeared out the back and seem to not be talking to each other.”

“Why would I know anything about that?”

“Because Max rushed past me after he’d spoken to you. I know you know something Kyle, now, start talking!” Maria insisted.

“Liz?” Max called softly, hoping to find her in her room. Yet the room was deserted. Her bed was perfectly made, her room spotless, but no Liz. He was just about to turn round and head out the room, but he heard a noise. Stopping in his tracks, Max turned towards the noise. Walking to Liz’s window, he peered through it.

“Liz?” He called again, seeing her sitting out on the lounge chair on the roof.

“Go away Max!” She said sharply, her back to Max so he couldn’t see her face.

“No, I’m not going until I get some answers Liz.”

“You shouldn’t be here, please just leave me.”

“No Max, I’ve just spoken to Kyle. He told me you didn’t make love last night.”
”Then he’s lying.” She replied quietly.

“I don’t believe you Liz. I don’t believe you’d hurt me like that. Why won’t you tell me what’s going on?” He asked, heading over to where she was sitting and crouching down to her level.

For the first time Max saw her face, and saw the steady stream of tears that were batting down her cheeks. Her eyes were full of sorrow, it was obvious she was very upset.

“Oh Liz.” Was all he could exclaim before putting his arms around her neck and pulling her close to his body. Resting her head on his shoulder, Liz allowed the tears to continue.

“Please Liz, please tell me what’s going on, perhaps I can help?”
”You can’t help Max, that’s the problem. All you can do it trust me when I say I did it for the right reasons.” She said, lifting her drenched face from his shoulder.

“But what were those reasons Liz?” He probed.

Her eyes stared into his, telling him so much and so little all at the same time. Placing a finger on her chin, he gently lifted it up before leaning in and gently kissing her lips. Almost instantaneously, a connection between them was created, allowing Max to see a rush of jumbled images.

* Flash *

Liz talking to 'someone' as he sang to her from the street below the Crashdown.

* Flash *

Liz going to the Valenti’s to ask Tess for help and setting up his meeting with Tess.

* Flash *

Liz sitting up on her balcony talking to someone after she’d come to Max and told him she wasn’t prepared to 'die for him'.

* Flash *

Liz going to Kyle and asking him to ‘pretend’ to sleep with her.

* Flash *

Liz asking Future Max to have their ‘wedding dance’ on the balcony and them dancing together.

As the connection was broken, Liz knew at that moment that Max had seen everything.

“Wh ……….. What …….. was that?” He stumbled, struggling to make sense of the images.

“Max I can’t tell ……………..” She started before trailing off.

“That was me dancing with you on your balcony. But I was different, longer hair, strange clothes, not really me.” He said vaguely.

“Max ………”
”You have to tell me Liz, please.” He insisted.

“You and Liz, slept together!” Maria shrieked.

“Hey calm down, we didn’t really sleep together.” Kyle defended himself.
”But I don’t understand.” Isabelle said.

“That makes three of us, or four if you include Max. Right now there is only one person who knows why, and that’s Liz.” Kyle replied.

“So you’re saying me from the future came to visit you? How?”
”The Granolith, apparently it’s got amazing powers. You came to change the future, to stop Tess from leaving …………. To make you fall out of love with me.”

“Why would Tess leave?”
”Because ……….. because we never made it to the Gomez concert, instead we stayed here in my room and …………. And made love.”

“Wow.”
”Yeah, thus creating an inseparable bond between us. So Tess decided to leave, but you didn’t know that you weren’t as strong without Tess, and that you needed her to survive.”
”I don’t understand.”
”Yeah well neither did I. All I knew is I had to make you fall out of love with me, but you’re one stubborn bastard Max Evans! I tried to set you up with Tess, I told you I didn’t want to die for you, yet it didn’t work. So I could only come up with one other solution.”
”Make me think that you’d slept with Kyle.”
”Yeah. I’m ……………. I’m so sorry I hurt you Max.”
”Shhhh, don’t even go there Liz. What you did was the ultimate sacrifice, you were prepared to give up on our love for the sake of the world. God Liz how did you do it?”
”You don’t know how hard it was Max, I don’t think there will ever be anything more painful than having to deceive you. You are my world Max, you are my one true love, everyone else is second best.”

“I believe you Liz, I love you.” Max replied quietly, gently kissing her once more.

The kiss soon became more passionate, in the connection that was formed Max and Liz poured out all the pain and sorrow they’d caused each other over the previous day.

Peering through the window, Maria stared out at the young lovers. There kiss was steamy and Maria had no wish to spy on them. She could tell they’d obviously made up their differences, whatever had happened was behind them now. She made a mental note to quiz Liz, she needed answers too.

But for now it was Max and Liz’s time to make up, time to forgive, time to forget and move on with their ever blossoming relationship.

THE END!

Author: Kazza – 1^st January 2001

Feed back is very welcome and appreciated

E-Mail: Kaznstu@btinternet.com