Liz was at work right now, and he could tell that she was stressed out and frustrated. Max wanted to go cheer her up, but he guessed that things were crazy in the Crashdown, so he figured he’d wait a little while. Until then, he was testing their connection, trying to send her feelings of love and pleasure, and anything else that he hoped might cheer her up.

His thoughts were interrupted though by a soft knocking on his bedroom door.

“Max, are you busy?” Isabel asked peeking her head in.

“I was just going to head to the Crashdown. Do you want to come?”

“No…but can we talk to you before you go?” Isabel stepped into his room fully, with Michael not far behind. They shut the door, and turned to face him.

“What’s up?” He asked slowly, eyeing his friend and his sister. Something was obviously wrong…Max just hoped it wasn’t what he thought it was.

“We want to talk to you about Liz.” Michael told him flatly.

“We think you’re getting in too deep, Max.” Isabel added gently.

Max sighed in frustration. He didn’t want to have this conversation with them. Not yet… They weren’t ready…

“I thought we had gotten over this.” Max groaned.

“You had gotten over this, Max. But not us. You thought that by avoiding the issue it wouldn’t be an issue anymore. But it’s still a problem. You’re putting us all in danger, Max. How long do you think you can last before you want to tell her our secret?”

“Michael’s right, Max. It’s too dangerous. You can’t let it go that far. You need to end this now, Max, while you still can. It’ll be better for you in the long run…and for Liz too.”

Max sighed and took a deep breath before responding. “It’s too late for that.” He told them softly.

Michael and Isabel both stared at him in shock.

“What?” Isabel asked.

“I said it’s too late for that. Liz already knows everything.”

“Are you insane?” Isabel cried out.

“How could you be so stupid?” Michael spoke up angrily. “Because if I didn’t tell her than Liz would be dead right now!” Max shot back angrily, his emotions beginning to charge as the memory of feeling the life rush out of her flew across his mind. He turned his back from them, and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He never wanted to have this conversation with Isabel and Michael, but now it was inevitable. And it was all worth it if it meant that Liz was still alive…

As if answering his thoughts, he felt Liz’s presence bursting with love in the back of his mind. She had felt his change in mood, and was now concerned for him, instead of vice versa, trying to comfort him with warm, loving thoughts and feelings.

“What do you mean, dead?” Isabel finally asked, bringing Max’s mind back to reality. He turned back to his friend and sister, sitting on the bed before continuing.

“Liz got shot in the Crashdown a few weeks ago. She would have died if I hadn’t been right there.”

“I thought that was just a fluke.” Isabel gasped.

“I made it seem that way. I couldn’t leave any evidence for the sheriff, because it would all lead back to Liz…and then me.”

“Did anyone see?” Michael asked suspiciously.

“No one saw.” Max swore back.

“Well that’s good.” Isabel sighed. “What about Liz? I take it she took the news well.”

“She handled it fine. We’re closer than ever.”

“I don’t like this, Max. It’s too dangerous. This is our secret, the three of us. No one else is supposed to be involved. We swore that we would keep it, and you broke that promise Max.” Michael spat out angrily.

“I know, but I had too. I didn’t have a choice. Liz knows now. Nothing will change that. So you guys better get used to the idea. Liz and I are tied together permanently. She’s not going anywhere.”

“Max…”

“Get used to it, Michael. I’m going now…we can talk more later.”

Max stepped outside and took a deep breath as the cool, October night air swept over him. He stuck his hands into the pockets of his favorite leather jacket, and began to stroll towards the Crashdown…and Liz.

He was tense, and frustrated with Isabel and Michael. They didn’t understand what he was feeling…how important this was to him. It was too late for them to argue with him about it. Liz had already known about them for weeks. And now…he and Liz were together for life. Of course…Isabel and Michael didn’t know that part yet.

Max focused his mind on Liz’s emotions again. Curiosity swam across his mind as he noticed that her mood has taken a complete turn around. She was happy, eager, and excited. Max wondered what had happened to change her mood.

It was a half-hour before closing when Max pushed open the door to the Crashdown and slipped into his normal booth. Liz was ringing out a customer when he came in, and she smiled at him in greeting. The only other customers were Kyle Valenti and a group of his football buddies, who were crowded into a booth on the other side of the room.

“Hey.” Liz greeted him softly after making her way over to him and sliding into the booth beside him. He leaned over and took her face in his hands, letting his lips slide over hers in a hot kiss. He needed to feel her…just to remind himself that at least in one part of his life, everything was perfect.

“Hey.” He responded softly as they separated.

“What’s going on?” Liz asked him gently. “I’ve been worrying about you.”

“Isabel and Michael know that you know.”

Liz sucked in her breath. “How did they take it?”

“Not well.” Max admitted. “They’re pretty mad at me.”

“I’m so sorry, Max.”

“I’m not though, Liz. You’d be dead if…I couldn’t stand that. It would destroy me more to loose you. I don’t care what they think, Liz. All that matters to me is that we’re together. They’ll just have to get used to it.”

He reached over and captured her lips once again, kissing her with all the devotion inside of him. As his lips caressed hers passionately, their kiss screamed of promises for the future, and of all the love buried deep within their hearts.

“Hey Liz, can you tear yourself away from Evans long enough to take our money?”

Liz shot out of Max’s arms at Kyle’s sarcastic voice as he interrupted their moment.

“Sorry Kyle.” Liz mumbled, her cheeks flushed, as she made her way across the room to the table of snickering jocks.

Kyle and his friends headed outside after paying Liz, and Kyle couldn’t help looking back once, to see Liz heading back to Evans with a seductive smile plastered on her face.

“Damn,” Kyle swore, returning to his friends. “That could have been me.”

Liz locked the door to the Crashdown behind the jocks, and turned back to Max with a smile.

“Sooo…” Liz started. “We’re all alone now.”

“Uh huh.” Max mumbled softly, as Liz leaned up and pressed another kiss on his lips, before pulling away and heading towards Kyle’s table to clean up.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you! Grandma Claudia called a little while ago!”

Max’s heart wrenched nervously…Grandma Claudia…the only adult who knew his secret.

“Oh…what did she say?”

“She’s coming to visit Friday!”

“That’s cool!”

“Yeah, I’m so excited! I miss her so much! Spending the summer with her was so much fun. Oh, and she asked about you too.”

“Really?” Max asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but really worried.

“Yeah, she wants to see you again.”

“That sounds like a good thing.”