Max: "I had a great afternoon. I hope you did too. Would you want to do something like that again?"

Liz: he looked so hopeful: so scared: he is so sweet: how could she resist… "I had a wonderful time and I'd love to. Maybe next Saturday if it's warm we could go swimming? Maria talked me into buying one of those new bikinis and I've been dying for a reason to wear it." She starts rummaging through her purse looking for her house key.

Max: that last sentence started several ideas running through his brain: several of them were very imaginative: suddenly Saturday was a very long way away: maybe if it was nice tomorrow… "Liz, what are you doing tomorrow? The storm is supposed to clear out by morning, do you want to go then, maybe?"

Liz: she stops rummaging and looks up at him: his eyes have become very dark, they pierce right through to her core: they tell her he could be hers if she wants it: and she does want him more than anything else in her entire life, but that last shred of worry holds her back, is it safe?: so instead of letting her heart speak, it is her head that answeres him… "Max, I'm not sure if I can. I still have some homework to do and I should really work Maria's shift tomorrow. Because of me, she ended up working a double shift today. Maybe you can come over later to study with me for our physics test?"

Max: he is crushed {no need to buy new swim trunks tomorrow morning is there buddy? probably not for Saturday either.}: he doesn't want her to see how bummed he is: he starts to shift back into 'lets be just friends' mode again… "Yah, you're right…ah… Maria could use some time off and with Michael finally showing up, I'm sure she'll… ah…want to get all caught up with him. But…ah…yah, I could use some help for the test, so I'll give you a call tomorrow if that's ok? I mean if you're not too busy."

Liz: not only does she see and hear the change, but feels it as well: she has hurt him yet again: why couldn't she just do what her heart was screaming for her to do?: with a sad smile… "Max, please come over tomorrow. I do want to see you, please…Um, I kinda need your help, though. I can't find my house key and everything's all closed and locked up, could you…"

Max: "Oh, ya, no problem." Just as he unlocks the back door to let her in:

Sean: coming out of the shadows like a thief in the night… "About time you got out of the car. What kind of retard are you to just sit and talk like that? Don't you even know what to do with a girl?" He lunges towards Max:

Max: shoving Liz inside and shutting the door, he doesn't see the knife: he feels something starting to tear into his side: he grabs Sean's wrists and starts to struggle with him: he bangs Sean's wrist against the brick wall forcing him to drop the knife: Sean tries to knee him, making him back up and loosens his grip on Sean's wrists: Sean frees himself and starts taking swings at him: he blocks most of them and throws several good ones himself: he finally manages to grab a hold of Sean and throws him against the wall: knocking him out cold just as Valenti's cruiser pulls up:

Valenti: running up to Max… "Are you alright son? What happened? You're bleeding. Here, come sit down. Are you going to be alright? Anything you need me to do?" Escorts Max to his cruiser:

Max: he's a little shaky: he wasn't even aware he was bleeding: he sits down in the cruiser and catches his breath: relieved to see the sheriff… "Thanks Sheriff, I'm Ok… just a bit winded… he caught me by surprise… I just need a couple of minutes then I'll be as good as new… looks like he's coming to… maybe you could keep him away until I'm done?"

Valenti: "Sure son, take however long you need. Let me know when you're done." Closes the car door and turns to take care of Sean:

Jeff Parker: having seen his panicked daughter run into the apartment and call the sheriff: he has come down to get some answers… "Sheriff what's going on? Why do you have Max Evans in the back of your cruiser and Sean in handcuffs? And what happened to Sean, anyways? He looks like he hit the side of a brick wall."

Valenti: "Yah, I 'd say that was a pretty good guess. Sean is under arrest for assault with deadly force. Max is in my cruiser…uh… putting himself back together. Don't worry, he's not hurt, just a bit winded." Spying Liz coming out the door behind her father… "Liz, maybe you want to go check on him while I finish answering your father's questions?"

Liz: {she can't lose him; she can't lose him} keeps replaying over and over in her mind and she knows it won't stop until she sees for herself that he is ok: she was close to panic until she heard the sheriff's cruiser pull up: she has to see him right now: he looks up when she opens the car door… "Are you Ok? Oh my God, that's blood on your shirt? You're hurt!"

Max: "Not anymore. I just need another minute to remove all the traces of blood on my clothes. I thought I should leave the tear in the shirt as uh evidence. You're Ok, right?" After fixing his clothes, he notices the "wild look" in her eyes and becomes concerned she might have gotten hurt somehow: suddenly he is in her arms, she is holding him tight:

Liz: "I thought I had lost you. I can't lose you. I Love You!" She grabs him and holds him tightly to her. She is not going to let him go: she starts sobbing which quickly turn into hiccups … "Max, I'm sorry for all the times I hurt you…. hic, hic… All the times I…hic… lied to you. I …hic, hic… can't explain my actions, but…hic, hic, hic… I never stopped…hic, hic… loving you. Please believe...hic, hic, hic... me."

Max: he looks at her with a smile that lights up his whole being: he feels complete for the first time in a very long time… "Liz, I Love You. I always have and I always will. Never doubt that." He hears someone tapping on the window: he doesn't want to, but he has to let Liz go so he can open the car door: he needs to get all this Sean business finished and besides her Dad is standing right behind Valenti: Max goes down to the station with the sheriff to get all the paperwork done: Valenti wants to keep everything by the book for a change, which means calling Max's parents down to the station so they can be let in on what had happened. Max is sitting in the sheriff's office waiting for his Mom and Dad.

Valenti: allowing his curiosity to get the best of him… "Ok, Max before your folks get here, I have to ask you. Why didn't you use your powers? Why'd you do it the old-fashion way?"

Max: "He was a threat to Liz. I wasn't certain I would be able to control what I might do to him if I used them. And well, let's just say the satisfaction of doing it the old-fashion way can feel pretty good sometimes!"

Valenti: "I know what you mean. Never could stand that punk."

The sheriff and Max are still chuckling when Philip and Diane Evans arrive to take their son home.