An hour later, Liz awakened slowly, and took in the incredibly beautiful sight of Max lying beside her. He was sleeping so soundly; she hated to disturb him. Unfortunately, she would have to. She really had to get back over to the Center and feed her little man. She also needed to get back to Maria as quickly as possible. She leaned over him and rubbed her lips across his a few times and then nibbled at his lower lip. She felt his arm come up around her and pull her down against his chest. He kissed her gently this time and very thoroughly. When she pulled back, her eyes were filled with passion. She licked her lips and Max groaned and pulled her toward him again. He kissed her again, opening his mouth under hers and sliding his tongue along her lips. Liz couldn't think straight; all she could do was respond. She opened her mouth and allowed him entrance. The taste of her drove him crazy. He couldn't get enough of her. Their tongues slid along one another until Liz was mindless. She pulled Max's tongue deeper into her mouth and began sucking on it. Max thought he had never felt anything so erotic in his life. His tongue felt as if it were connected all the way down to his groin. Just then, the phone rang. The shrill sound was such a shock that Max and Liz both jumped. Liz ran her tongue across her swollen lips and stared at Max's mouth. He smiled at her bemused expression and smoothed her hair back from her face. Finally, she tore her gaze away from him and looked at the phone. She picked it up and carried on a brief conversation with someone from the Center. She put the phone down, and smiled at Max.

Liz: "I'm going to have to hurry and get dressed and get going. My little man is awake and hungry."

Max: "Your?"

Liz: "Well . . . not really, but . . ."

Max: "You wish he were yours."

Liz: "Honestly? Yeah, sometimes I do." "He's the best thing I've ever done, Max."

Max: "I take exception to that remark."

Liz: (laughing) "Well, until this morning . . ."

Max: (serious) "I'm sorry, Liz."

Liz: (suddenly very afraid) "Why?"

Max: "I didn't mean for this to happen this way. I wanted it to be special. I wanted to have a plan . . ."

Liz: (relieved) "Max, I'm not the least bit sorry about any of it, and I don't want you to be either. It was perfect. If you must know, you have restored my faith in a benevolent providence today."

Max: "Why's that?"

Liz: "You actually lost control . . . it was . . . spectacular . . . (looking at him like she'd like to continue where they left off)

Max: (quietly) "I didn't protect you, Liz."

Liz: (sensing his overwhelming feelings of guilt) "Max, it's fine. I've been on the pill for years. I had some problems when I was younger . . . it was necessary."

Max: (deeply relieved but still not happy with himself) "Well, I guess we won't be needing to invest in a supply of condoms then, huh?"

Liz: (laughing) "No . . . I guess not." "Actually, I can't imagine not being able to feel you . . . "

Max: (strangled) "Liz! (closing his eyes) You have no idea what you are doing to me . . ."

Liz: (bringing her hand down to rest on him) "Oh, I don't know about that . . . "

Max: (with a sharply indrawn breath) "Liz, I thought you said we had to leave."

Liz: (coming back to reality) "Oh . . . yeah . . . darn . . . (pushing up off the bed, she heads for the bathroom and jumps in the shower) "I'd invite you in, but I'm afraid we'll never get out the door if I do."

Max: "You're absolutely right. We wouldn't." "It's o.k., I'll take one when you're done."

Liz comes out a few minutes later with a towel wrapped around her still dripping wet. Max watches her rushing around to find clean clothes and hurrying to get dressed and feels his heart squeeze inside his chest. He knew right then, that he would never be able to live without Liz. He had to have her close to him all the time. She was his future. Liz stops moving as she feels Max's eyes on her. She looks at him, taking in his too serious expression.

Liz: "Max?" "What's wrong?"

Max: (sitting up and scrubbing at his face) "Nothing . . . I was just thinking . . . (swings his legs over the side of the bed and gets up to get in the shower)

Liz is so thrown off track by the sight of him that she forgets what she was talking to him about. He's so incredibly beautiful. Men weren't supposed to be that pretty . . . nevertheless, he was. Everything about him was absolutely gorgeous. Liz finishes getting dressed, and Max comes out of the bathroom with a towel around his hips. Liz stops brushing her hair and just stares at him. Max is instantly aware of Liz's close inspection of his body, and his response to her is immediate and profound.

Max: "Liz, if you don't stop looking at me like that, I'm going to haul you back to bed."

Liz: (blushing) "I'm sorry . . . it's just so hard . . .

Max: (ruefully) "Yes it is."

Liz: "That's not what I meant!!!"

Max: (smiling at her) "I know . . . Do you have a razor I can use?"

Liz: "Oh . . . uh . . . sure. Let me just (sliding past him into the bathroom) get it. (opens a drawer and pulls out a disposable razor and hands it to him)

Max: (taking it from her) "Thanks."

Liz: (absorbing the intimacy of the moment) "No problem . . . Max heads back into the bathroom to shave and Liz goes to finish her hair. In a few minutes, she sneaks a peek into the bathroom. Max is just standing there at the sink . . . in a towel . . . shaving. No big deal. Yeah, right!!! What in the world was wrong with her? All of a sudden, she felt like she couldn't get enough air. The world felt like it tilted on it's axis. In a moment, Liz felt rather than saw her life flash before her eyes and Max's presence was layered into every sensation. He was her future.

AT THE CENTER

Liz and Max walk into the room, where Liz's little guy waits for her somewhat impatiently. When the baby sees her, he lifts up his arms and toddles over to her. Liz scoops him up and gives him a hug. He tugs on her hair with all the curiosity that only a baby can possess. Liz gets his lunch ready and sits down to feed him. Max is watching her intently . . . and wondering if he and Liz could ever have a family together. He had so many questions about himself. The thought of Liz getting pregnant simultaneously terrified and elated him. He shook his head and tried to clear his mind. What was he thinking? They were 17 years old. Where was his mind?!?! Liz is finishing up with her "little prince," and putting him down for a nap. He looks up at her, and grabs her hair that is so temping to his little fingers. He says to her, "Izard, stay?," and Liz's heart just melts. She tells him that she will for a while, and he closes his eyes and goes off to sleep. Max is stunned at the emotions that are crashing over him in waves. He can actually, tangibly feel the love that Liz has for this child that isn't even hers. He takes a deep breath and gets control of his emotions just as Liz walks up to him and says that she's ready to go. As they are walking out to the jeep, Liz is lost in thought. As Max pulls out onto the highway, he looks over at her and wonders what she is thinking about.

Max: "Liz, are you o.k.?"

Liz: (turning to look at him) "Yeah . . . I just have a problem I hadn't considered before."

Max: "What is it?"

Liz: (not wanting to burden him) "It's nothing . . . "

Max: "First of all, it's not nothing. Secondly, I want to help you any way I can, but I can't if you won't let me."

Liz: "Max . . . I'm sure you have things you need to do . . . I don't expect you to just drop everything because . . ."

Max: (pulls over and turns to face her, grabbing her hands and holding them in his) "because we made love." "Is that what you were going to say?"

Liz: (blushing) "Yes."

Max: "Liz, we did make love, and I'm not sorry. I don't want to go back to being friends. If you have a problem, I want to know about it. I want to know everything about you. Let me help, please."

Liz: "Max . . . (overwhelmed)

Max: (worried) "Liz?" (wiping tears off her face)

Liz: (smiling through her tears) "I just didn't think we'd ever be together like this . . . it's a little overwhelming to have all of your fantasies come true in one day."

Max: "I hope not all of them!" (laughing) "Now tell me before I turn you over my knee and we end up arrested for indecent exposure and lewd behavior in a public place."

Liz: (glancing around) "Doesn't look too public to me . . ."

Max: (threatening) "Liz . . ."

Liz: (laughing again) "O.k. O.k. I'll tell you. It looks like I'm going to need to run between town and the reservation atleast once a day and I don't know how I'm going to do that without a car.

Max: (thinking for a moment) "Well, I have to work, but at least we're not in school right now." "While I'm at work, you can take the jeep and just come back and get me when you're finished." "I'll go with you when I can."

Liz: (reaching up to touch his face) "I love you, Max."

Max: "I love you, too."

YESTERDAY, I THOUGHT I'D SEEN IT ALL . . .
I THOUGHT I'D CLIMBED THE HIGHEST WALL.
BUT NOW I SEE THE LEARNING NEVER ENDS . . .
AND ALL I KNOW TO DO IS KEEP ON WALKING . . .
WALKING AROUND THE BEND.
WHY, WHY, WHY?
DOES IT GO THIS WAY . . .