The couple resumed keeping their relationship to the nightly phone calls to one another, and Liz found that those were the times that she missed him the most. That, and when she was lying in bed at night. The memory of Max's touch at night was still imprinted strongly in Liz's mind, and sometimes she lay in bed shivering at the loss of it. Her days, however, were so busy that she barely had time to think about how much she missed him.

Soon it was time for Liz to return home. Max met her at the airport, and they had a happy reunion, kissing each other openly in front of all of the crowds at the terminal. A warmth flew through Liz's body, as Max's arms wrapped around her for the first time in over a month. This is the way it was meant to be…her and Max…together.

"Welcome home." He whispered softly in her ear, and Liz knew that his words spoke true. She had come home…to Max's embrace.

Liz decided that this was the end of her problems with Max. When they were together, everything seemed so simple, uncomplicated. Being apart for 3 months was the hardest thing that they would ever have to deal with. Now she was ready to settle back into her normal life with her boyfriend.

School started again, and Max and Liz were ecstatic to find out that that had a number of classes together, including Biology, History, and Geometry. The somehow managed to be lab partners again too, which pleased them immensely. They spent more time together than ever, studying together, and sharing lunch with their friends. Even Michael joined them now. It seemed as though things were finally right. The two of them…the six of them… Life was good.

It was a quiet September afternoon when Max drove Liz from school to work. He had parked in the alley by the restaurant's back door to say goodbye to her, when they got a little distracted…

"I should…probably…get to…work…" Liz gasped out between kisses.

"Nope." Max grinned evilly, grasping Liz by the waist and pulling her onto his lap. She straddled him, wrapping her legs around his body, and clinging to him, as he ravished her.

His lips possessed her soul, claiming it as her own, and her body burned in every inch that she touched him. He surrounded her, both in body and in spirit.

And then the connection came, and the two of them melted into one person. Flashes and emotions surged through them both, this time more powerfully than ever before. They felt each others emotions and desires as if they were their own, and they saw visions, of their time together: wrapped up together on Claudia's couch, their first kiss, their first dance. And to both of their surprises, they felt how each other felt at those moments too, the intense love that erupted from both of their hearts and souls.

It shocked them both, and they broke apart quickly, the connection leaving them gasping for breath.

"What was that?" Liz managed to gasp out, her chest heaving and eyes wide.

"I…uh…I…" Max stumbled, trying to figure out how to respond. His eyes were wide too, with fear. What had she seen?

"That's the third time I've felt that, Max. What is it? You know, don't you? And you feel it too. It's not my imagination."

Max fell silent, his eyes trying to look anywhere, but at her, which was difficult considering that she was still perched on his lap.

Liz nodded slowly as she noted his reaction.

"That thing you can't talk about…" She mumbled, her own gaze dropping. "Fine, Max. You should know that you can trust me, but apparently you don't. I guess that's something that you'll have to realize on your own. I can't keep ignoring this, Max. This isn't a relationship if you can't be honest with me."

Liz slid off his lap and out of the jeep, heading into work quickly. She didn't look back at him.

Max sighed softly as he watched her go. 'This isn't a relationship if you can't be honest with me.' It hit too close to home. Claudia had said the same thing…and she was right. 'No one plans to hurt the people they love'. Another one she had said. It was true. Max didn't want to hurt Liz, and now he had. He had promised that he wouldn't…it was the last thing he wanted to do, but he did it. And now he was in danger of loosing Liz…again.

There was only one thing he could do…one thing that could remedy his mistake. It was the only thing that would make her understand. And he only hoped that she would accept it…