Liz smiled contentedly, and snuggled in closer to him, drowning in the feel of his bare body pressed up against her own.

“Good morning sleepy head.” Max whispered to her with a slight chuckle.

“Hi.” Liz peeked up at him again. “Have you been awake long.”

“Hours…” Max responded. “I was watching you sleep…it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. You glow, even in your sleep Liz.”

“That’s because I knew you were there.” Liz told him. “You seem to bring that out of me.”

He rolled them both over so that he was on top, and covered her lips with his own, sucking them into his mouth as he proved his undying love to her.

“Mmm…I could get used to waking up to this.” Liz moaned before Max plunged his tongue into the depths of her mouth, slowly making love to every inch of her tongue with his own. Their kisses grew more desperate, as the desire grew between them, and soon Liz could feel the extent of Max’s desire pressing against her thigh.

Liz met Max’s eyes with a gaze of undying love, as she shifted her legs open, allowing him access to the depths of her womanhood. In an instant Max had slid home, burying himself in her inner caverns. Slowly, he began to give all his love to her again, as she moaned out her love in sweet agony again.

They were so wrapped up in each other, that neither of them heard the knock on the door.

“Max, I really need to…Oh my God!”

Max and Liz jumped apart in an instant, turning to see Isabel staring at them in shock, her face pale, eyes wide.

“I’m sorry!” She cried out, as she whirled around, closing the door behind her, and running to her room, desperately trying to wash the image of Max and Liz from her mind. Isabel threw herself on her own bed and let the tears flow openly down her face.

It wasn’t fair…she was in the middle of a crisis…she KILLED a woman the night before, and all the while her brother was shagging up with Liz Parker in the next room, like he didn’t even care about her well being.

Isabel knew she should be happy for her brother…just that afternoon Liz was avoiding him like the plague…something good must have happened for him. But she couldn’t…it was wrong, dangerous. He and Liz didn’t belong together.

Max and Liz sat there in shock for a moment after Isabel left, staring at each other in shock, desperately trying to get control of their bodies again.

“Shit.” Max whispered. “I completely forgot about Isabel after all that happened between us last night. I should have been here for her.”

“I’m…I’m sorry.” Liz stammered, staring at him painfully.

“Oh no, Liz…honey…please don’t think that I regretted this. I didn’t. What we’ve shared together was the most beautiful, amazing experience of my life. I could never regret it. I'm so happy that we’re…us again.”

“I am too.”

“I should probably go check on her.” Max whispered.

“Yeah…go.” Liz replied. “I should probably get home anyways...if my parents realize that I never came home last night, they’ll kill me. I’ll see you later?”

Max nodded and pressed a firm kiss on her forehead, before sliding out of bed and slipping on some boxers and a t-shirt, and helping Liz back into her pajamas, and out his bedroom window.

“Iz…can I come in?” Max asked as he gently knocked on her door.

“No.” Came Isabel’s agonized response through the door. She was obviously in tears…it tore Max’s heart out.

“Come on, Iz…” Max pleaded softly.

“Can’t you just leave me alone?” Isabel sobbed.

“It’s not going to happen.” Max replied. “I’m coming in whether you like it or not.”

Max slid his hand over the lock, and it clicked open, allowing Max to enter. Isabel was sitting on the back of her bed, leaning against the wall, her face buried in a pillow on her lap, as violent sobs racked through her body. Max crawled up beside her, and sat there for a moment just letting her cry, while he stroked her back comfortingly.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Max asked gently as she began to calm down.

“No.” She replied shortly.

Max sighed. “Iz…you’re not going to loose me to Liz. You’re still my sister, and I need you just as much as you need me. I’m always going to be here for you when you need me, and right now, I’m really worried about you, Iz. I know last night wasn’t easy for you.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you were really worried about me while you were screwing Liz Parker.”

Max sighed. “You’re right…I’m sorry. Last night after I left you…I was upset. And I was so scared for you. It was tearing me up, and I needed someone to talk to. Liz was there for me…she was being a good friend. We went to the pod chamber to talk about stuff…and a lot happened, Iz. We learned a lot…I can’t go into it all right now, but as soon as I can, I’ll tell you and Michael everything. One thing led to another, and…well…you know what happened. But you’re right…I wasn’t thinking of you in the end. And I’m sorry for it, Iz. Please forgive me for not being there for you. I don’t regret what happened between Liz and I, but I wish you hadn’t been hurt in the process.”

Isabel nodded slowly in understanding.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Max asked again.

“No.” Isabel whispered. “Not yet.”

“Okay…I’ll be here for you when you’re ready.” Max swore to her.

“I know.”

Max reached over and pulled Isabel into a tight, supportive hug, and Isabel clung to him for a moment before pulling away.

“Thank you.” Isabel told him softly. “For believing in me.”

Max stared at Isabel quizzically for a moment, uncertain of what that had to do with anything.

“Sure Iz…I’ll talk to you later.”

Concern flickered across Max’s face as he shut the door behind him on his way out. Isabel wasn’t holding up very well, and she wasn’t opening up. Max had no idea how to help her.

He slipped into the shower, and his heart fluttered as he began to wash off the evidence of his night with Liz.

Liz…

She was absolutely incredible. A few days earlier, Max didn’t think it was possible for him to love Liz any more than he already did, but now… Her entire life had changed in the past 12 hours, and through it all, she had still come back to him…she completely ignored the rest of it, and came to him, begging him to love her completely, and he in turn gave himself to her. It had been the most amazing experience of Max’s life.

Today though…it wouldn’t be as easy to ignore the rest of it. Max would go to her, and he would support her however she needed him. He’d do anything…for her.

Max finished showering, and dressed in a hurry. He wanted to get back to Liz as soon as possible. He grabbed the keys to the jeep and headed to the door.

“Max, are you leaving?” His mother’s voice calling from the kitchen stopped his departure.

“Yeah.” He called back.

“Do you want breakfast?”

“No thanks, I’ll get something at the Crashdown.”

“Oh! Are you going to see Liz?”

“Yeah.”

“How are things going with her?” Diane asked curiously.

Max couldn’t help letting a smile flicker across his face. “Good.”

“You’re getting back together?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

“I’m so happy for you Max! Liz is such a nice girl.”

“Yeah…she’s amazing.” Max replied, a dreamy look on his face.

Mrs. Evans chuckled at the lovesick expression on her son’s face. “Well, I’m not going to keep you from her! Have fun!”