"So, Maxwell, whattaya think about all this work we have ahead of us?" Michael asked. "Do you think we're ever gonna get the answers?"

"We can only try," he said raising his eyebrows.

Liz sat next to him on the couch, holding his hand and stroking the top with her other hand. "You know, I think if we just take it one step at a time, like we've been doing all along, we're bound to come up with something," she advised. "Of course, we may be pressed for time now.......... that's the only problem," she frowned.

"But Liz, we don't even know when the deadline is," Maria worried.

"Yeah, that's what makes it so scary," she agreed. "But I guess we just have to stay focused on finding the answers and hope we find them in time," she said, looking up into Max's face for reassurance.

He smiled down at her and kissed her hand. "I love you, you know," he mumbled, as he stared into her eyes. "No matter how bad things get, you're always so positive. How come I'm so lucky?"

She leaned up to kiss him on the lips, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "You're gonna get real lucky soon," she waggled her eyebrows, as she brought her hand to his thigh.

"Omigod, can't you two give it a rest?" Michael complained. "I would've thought your present situation would've cooled your randiness just a little!"

They both looked at Michael simultaneously, saying, "Never!" and laughing.

Maria joined them. "Michael, since when have you been such a prude, anyway? I think we should go into the den and check out that game you've been wanting to see, so these two lovebirds can be alone," she winked at them, as she dragged Michael by the arm.

He grumbled something about always being pushed around as she shoved him ahead of her good-naturedly, closing the door behind them. In a minute, they could hear the voice of the announcer giving the opening line up. Max perked up, feigning interest in the game. Liz wacked him on the arm as he turned laughing at her.

"Don't you dare go in there, or I'll never buy Redi Whip again!" she threatened.

Max turned a pouting face towards her and nuzzled her neck. "Okay, I promise. Just don't use idol threats. You know how I need my Redi Whip fix," he chuckled.

She giggled as his breath tickled her ear."I think there may be some in the fridge, right now," she teased him.

"Oh yeah," he perked up again. "Well, what are we waiting for?" he said, slipping off the couch and hopping on one foot to the steps.

Liz grabbed her crutches as she hobbled up the steps and into the kitchen. Max sat in his wheelchair as he waited for her, while she went to the fridge to retrieve the cream. Then he patted his lap for her to sit down. She sighed as she snuggled into him, and he started the motor and headed for the bedroom.

They shut the door behind them, and sank onto the bed, moaning as they held each other tightly, kissing passionately and forgetting about the cream for the moment.

"Mmmm, it's so good to be back in our own bed again," she sighed, as he rained kisses down her neck.

"Yeah," he mumbled in between kisses. "There's no place like home. God, you taste so good. You smell so good. You feel so good," he breathed, as he ran his hands over her tiny body, hugging her curves and pressing her flesh with his fingers.

"What............... no look so good or sound so good?" she joked, as he ravished her body.

"Mmm, that too," he agreed, as he continued to kiss her. He was becoming more agitated as he yearned to make love to her. It had been almost two weeks since they had last done so, and his body was screaming for release. He hauled off her top and unhooked her bra clumsily with his one good hand, before swooping down on her breasts and sucking them with abandon. She held onto his head as he licked and nuzzled her nipples, moaning as the feelings swept through her body.

"Max, make love to me," she pleaded. "I want you inside me right now," she groaned as she held onto him.

He paused long enough to shrug off his shirt, slipping it over his hand cast carefully. She helped him with his pants as he breathed in and out excitedly. She then pulled off her own pants, careful not to pull on the bandage securing her knee. They groped each other's bodies hungrily, kissing the exposed flesh and driving each other mad with their touches.

She stroked his arousal and he fingered her swelling, running his wet finger around it until she screamed for him to enter her. He turned her around quickly but carefully, as his lungs cried out for more oxygen. His chest heaved as he touched her for the first time with the tip of his shaft and his body shuddered as he slipped inside her from behind. There was no other way they could do this, being hampered by casts and wrappings.

He tried to keep the pace slow at first, even though he was bursting with passion. He wanted to prolong the feeling as long as he could, and he kissed her neck and back as he whispered words of love to her. He cupped her right breast with his right hand while he hung his injured one over her body.

His mind was completely focused as he became consumed with what he was doing. He pumped faster, no longer able to restrain his unleashed passion. Liz rocked her hips back and forth as she kept up with his rhythm. She reached behind her to touch his head, feeling the silky strands of his hair lovingly as he rubbed them into her.

"Max, I'm coming," she rasped out, as her body began to shake violently with release.

He grunted as he felt his own orgasm take hold and he spilled his seed into her cavity, pounding her flesh with everything he had. He gasped for air as his heart banged in his chest, his whole body covered in a fine sheen of sweat. The blood was pounding in his ears and he saw spots before his eyes as he tried to focus back in the now.

Liz sighed and moaned as she let his hand run over her nakedness, feeling hole and complete once again. Her body cast a glow over his, as he peppered her neck with kisses.

"I love you, Liz," he whispered into her ear and she smiled as she heard the words. He knew that she didn't really need to hear this but he loved telling her anyway and she loved hearing it.

"I love you, Max." she sighed, as she kissed his hand. She would have turned around to kiss his mouth but she didn't want him to slip out of her yet. She pressed her bottom into his pelvis to prevent him from escaping her passage. He realized what she was doing and he was just as determined to stay where he was, as he pushed forward slightly.

He started drifting off to sleep as the released tension spread its warmth through his body. He fought valiantly to remain awake but he couldn't make his body respond. She smiled as she recognized the steady breathing of his slumber and she settled down to join him., throwing the down comforter over their naked forms before she slipped into unconsciousness.

---------------------------------------------------

They slept through until dinnertime, when they heard a light tap on their door.

"Liz," Maria called out quietly. "Are you guys awake?"

Liz called back sleepily. "We are now," she yawned.

Max grumbled as he came awake. He yawned and stretched and then he laughed as he realized that he was plastered to Liz's body. He had been so determined to stay inside her, that he had been pressing up against her the whole time. He had probably slipped out long ago, but he slept through it all. He turned her around in his arms and planted wet kisses on her mouth, running his tongue on her lips and pushing it inside to tangle with hers.

"Hey, are you guys hungry?" Maria called out again as she insisted on making herself heard.

"Yeah, hungry," Max mumbled as he continued to gorge himself on Liz's lips.

Liz laughed out loud, punching his arm to get his attention. She could feel his newly awakened arousal resting on her thigh and as much as she wanted to make love again, she knew that they couldn't ignore Maria and Michael much longer.

"Yeah, we'll be out in a bit," she called, as she tried to rouse Max from her body.

"No, no, no, no, no," he protested, as he tried to pull her back down in the bed with him.

"Max," she giggled uncontrollably, "we have to get up!"

He gave her a soulful stare as he flopped back down on the bed in frustration.

"That won't work," she said in mock consternation. "C'mon, get that sexy butt out of the bed right now, mister!" she laughed.

"But, Babe, we haven't even used the Redi Whip yet," he grinned, as he held the can up in his hand.

"As much as I would like to believe that that can of cream will supply my body with all the essential food groups," she joked, "I don't think it will work. Maybe later, for dessert," she hinted.

"Is that a promise, Parker, 'cause you know how I need my sweets," he admonished her.

"We'll see," she teased, as she limped into the bathroom. She turned on the shower after she used the bathroom, and she immediately heard him scoot out of the bed and hop in behind her. She could hear him relieving himself as she stepped in under the spray, and he stared in after her longingly as he glared at the casts on his foot and hand. She could feel his frustration and felt guilty that he was unable to join her.

She rinsed off quickly and stepped out to find him holding a towel for her, which he wrapped around her lithe form, hugging her to his wanting body. The one piece of alien power he allowed himself, was to remove the bacteria from his skin. He couldn't have a shower or bath because of the casts and although this method worked to cleanse his skin, it still didn't feel as refreshing as a shower, especially one he could share with Liz.

She sensed his longing and quickly secured her towel. Then she reached for the cloth she'd been using, and started running it over his well muscled body. He sat down on the toilet seat, sighing at her soft touch as she moved the cloth over his smooth skin. She got him to raise his arms and washed underneath them. Then she ran the cloth over his firm chest and rippled abdomen.

She ran it down his legs, kneading his muscled thighs and calves and washing his right foot. She pecked a kiss on his injured foot before she ran the cloth up his inner thigh, cupping his balls and washing along his hardened shaft. He groaned as his head dropped back in pleasure. Then she leaned down to kiss the tip of his arousal. A drop of silky liquid leaked out and she licked at it.

He stared down at her, his eyes darkened and his lips parted. She took him in her mouth as she kept her eyes on his face, and he watched her suck him lovingly as her eyes fluttered in passion. He gulped as she took him all the way down and up again, breaking into a steady agonizing rhythm as he moved in and out of her. He gripped the toilet seat as he pushed harder to increase the pace. His face was contorted into a grimace as he could feel his climax approaching.

He called her name as he came, jerking hard into her mouth as he tried to control the sound of his voice. If they had been alone, he wouldn't have cared. She sucked him until he was drained and his body slumped on the seat. She took the cloth in her hand and wiped him off. Then she stood up and rinsed off her face and brushed her teeth.. He watched her from his perch as he slowly regained control of his tongue.

"Thank you," he breathed with difficulty.

"My pleasure," she grinned back, as she gave him a quick kiss, and then limped out of the bathroom to get dressed. He pulled himself up with difficulty and washed his face and brushed his teeth before he hobbled in behind her. He threw his clothes back on and grabbed her before she opened the bedroom door.

"I love you," he sighed, as he kissed her tenderly on the mouth.

"Love you, too," she said, as she kissed him back. He hugged her to him, smelling her hair and nuzzling her neck, before he let her go.

--------------------------------------------

Michael had whipped up a chicken salad with rolls on the side. Maria had set up the dining room table and Max and Liz joined them for their evening meal.

"How was the game?" Max asked, with genuine curiosity.

"Not bad," Michael answered, "but it probably doesn't compare to yours," he teased, as he smirked into his face.

"Yeah, well Michael, I'm sure your eyes were glued to the screen the whole time," Liz added sarcastically. "If I'm not mistaken, the sofa bed looks like it's been pulled out," she eyed him, as she raised her eyebrows.

Maria wacked him on the arm. "I told you to push that back!" she exclaimed.

"Ow," he grimaced. "Watch that! Who cares anyway!" he shot back.

"Well, I don't," Max chuckled, as he looked at Liz with unconcealed glee. He made a mental note of gratitude that their bedroom and the den were so far apart. At least, the sound wouldn't carry that far.

"So, it looks like we all spent a nice quiet relaxing afternoon," Maria spoke up. "It's good to take some time and relax, I think. Oh, by the way Liz, I made some chocolate pudding for dessert, but I couldn't find the cream to top it. I was sure there was a can of Redi Whip in the fridge. Did you see what happened to it?"

Both Liz and Max spit out their water, spluttering it all over the place.

"What the hell's wrong with you guys?!" Michael yelled, as he tried to wipe himself off.

"Oh, nothing," Liz coughed, as she tried to recover."Uhm, I think I threw it away. I believe it was expired," she nodded in verification.

"Well, its no biggee," Maria added, as she looked at them questioningly.

"Great salad, Michael," Max mumbled, as he chewed on the entree.

"Yeah, thanks, Maxwell," Michael returned suspiciously, as he watched his two friends devouring their food, their mouths stuffed so that they couldn't speak.

"So, I hear we have a trip planned with the visitors tomorrow," Maria spoke up, trying to carry on her end of the conversation.

"Mmm, yeah," Max nodded, as he swallowed his food, glad for a reprieve from the incriminating conversation. "We thought they'd like a trip out to the reservation, and I thought it would give us a chance to speak with River Dog again. He might be interested in what's been happening and he might be able to add something to what we've already learned. I'm sure Balam will have a few questions for him, too."

"The deeper we dig, the more people we drag into this whole mess," Maria sighed. "I just hope they don't all end up getting hurt. I mean, we have no choice now......I think I can finally accept that, but what about all the others?" she asked concerned.