I saved Max Evans life today.

Yes

I used my powers in public.

Yes.

I compromised mine, Alex, and Maria’s very existence.

No.

I don’t care.

It’s sounds heartless, right?

But when I touched him, when I healed his flesh, when I evaporated the bullet inside his stomach.

I connected with him.

I saw his soul.

And it was more than his deep, brown eyes. Than his sleek, muscular body. Than his rich, dark hair. It was more than his adonis looks.

It was beautiful.

It was pure.

And that’s when I really fell.

******************************************************************************

(Liz P.O.V.)

"You used your powers in public!!" I winced at the anger in Alex’s voice.

"YOU-USED-YOUR-POWERS-IN-PUBLIC!!!!!!!!!"

I gulped.

Alex had never sounded so mad in his entire life.

Maria nodded furiously."Yep, Ms. Liz over here thought she’d play Dark Avenger and save Max Evans’ life."

I glanced towards them both, and winced again at their enraged expressions.

"I couldn’t let him die."I stared over through my window."I couldn’t."

I looked at them."Max was just laying there--dying--, and I....I didn’t think..."

"Damn, right you didn’t!"Maria shouted."What in the Hell were you thinking Liz, or were you even thinking at all?!"

Alex shook his head,"Obviously you weren’t, because if you had been, you wouldn’t have broken our sacred pact."

I stared at them.

"I’m sorry, okay!" I stood, walking over by my desk.."I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let him die like that, it wasn’t right."

I felt a few tears slide down my cheeks. The thought of Max Evan’s dead was up there with alien autopsies, and evil FBI agents.

Even worse than having to deal with the wrath of these two.

I knew Maria was freaked because out came the cedar oil. She was nodding furiously.

"Okay, okay here’s what we have to do." She stood, pacing around my room."We’ve gotta find Max, and...and...we have to...."She looked up at me, her tirade ending abruptly.

I gasped at the tears in her eyes, and embraced her tightly. Alex stood and wrapped his arms around us both.

"I don’t know what to do, Liz...."She whispered."What if they find us...what if they take us?"

I rubbed her back soothingly,"They won’t they won’t."

That was Maria’s greatest fear. The FBI.

She was so afraid of being caught, and experimented on.

I felt horrible for triggering this fear inside the normally calm...well, not calm but at least stable Maria.

I pulled away from them, thoughts traveling throughout my head.

"I’ll go to Max, and I’ll tell him...I’ll think of something." I was nodding frantically.

"What are you gonna do?"Alex questioned sardonically."Walk up to him, and say-‘Hey, I’m an alien, and I’d appreciate it if you kept that life-threatening secret to yourself.’" He shook his head."That won’t work, Liz."

I stared at him."No, I meant I’d tell him that I’M some kind of freak, no mention of you guys whatsoever."

"So you’re gonna tell him YOU’RE and alien."

"NO, no, I’ll say I have a gift, like I’m blessed or something."I nodded."Yeah, I’ll tell him that."

They shook their heads in unison this time.

"No, Liz, you can’t,"Maria said."We won’t let you."

Alex tugged me into his arms, hugging me. I think it was because my voice had become hysterical.

And I seemed to be shaking.

"We’ll think of something, sis."

Then we stood silently, as Maria mothered me. And Alex rubbed my back soothingly.

I thought about what I was gonna do, and how I was gonna explain everything to Max.

And I made a decision.

God, they’re gonna kill me.

*****************************************************************************

(Max p.o.v.)

Today I almost died.

Today I almost died.

Today I almost died.

Maybe if I keep repeating it won’t seem so surreal.

Okay, how about this.

Today I almost died, but was saved by my life-long crush Liz Parker, who miraculously patched up a bullet wound in my stomach.

Did I forget to mention I now had some sort of silver handprint where she had touched me?

To say I was freaked out was an understatement.

But the thing that REALLY got to me was Liz Parker.

I still had these amazing feelings for her.

She was beautiful, smart, unattainable, wonderful, an angel.....

*Knock, knock.*

And standing outside my window.

Her perfect features arranged in a mask of trepidation.

"Max, can I come in?"The whispered words trailed into my room.

I sat up quickly, pulled on a gray tee-shirt, and walked over to the window to help her through.

"Liz..I...."

She stared up at me."I guess you want some answers."

I nodded slowly.

She gestured to the bed,"Maybe you should sit down."

I shook my head, and pointed her towards the bed. But I kept hold of her hand as I stood in front of her.

I watched her eyes widen as I lifted my shirt slowly, and pulled her hand towards my stomach.

It fit over the silver handprint perfectly.

"What is this, Liz, what did you do to me?"

Her eyes closed tightly, opening minutes later as she tugged her hand away.

"Max you should really sit down."

I sat.

She stood up, and walked over to my desk, picking things up nervously.

I sat patiently as she sorted out her thoughts.

I could tell whatever she had to say was incredibly important, and I didn’t want to scare her.

Finally, I was rewarded with a small smile followed by a deep breath.

Then she blurted out the last thing I expected to hear.

And I promptly passed out on my bed.

******************************************************************************

(Liz p.o.v)

Great going Parker, nice way to work up to the subject.

I rushed over to Max’s unmoving body, and sat on the bed next to him to wait for him to wake.

I knew he wasn’t hurt, just shocked.

I giggled insanely to myself as he groaned next to me, and sat up, staring at me intently.

"Liz, did you just say you were an alien."

I nodded.

"An....alien?"

I looked at him silently.

"You’re....you’re....."

He started hyperventilating.

Oh god, he’s REALLY in shock! I

I grabbed his hand, and placed mine over his chest, sending soothing waves throughout his body.

"Max, please don’t freak out."

He stood, his breath now under control. I watched his beautiful face as it filled with amazement.

"I’m okay, I’m okay."He took a deep breath."I can deal with this, I mean I almost died today, and now the girl I’ve been in love with for like seven years tells me she’s an alien..."His voice trailed off slowly as he stopped pacing and turned to look at me.

I imagine he saw the shock on MY face now.

"Did I just say what I think I said?"

I smiled softly, nodding. My head was ringing from his announcement though.

He plopped down next to me, I think my next words shocked him into silence.

"I feel the same...."I turned towards him, and his face must have mirrored mine minutes ago.

"But Max, it can’t happen....we can’t happen."I told him sadly."We’re too different, and I wouldn’t put you in that kind of danger."

He looked scared.

I placed a hand on his arm,"What’s wrong?"

His expression looked familiar now, and I remembered where I’d seen it, and laughed quietly, sadly.

He stared at me, "What?"

I shook my head my head,"It’s nothing...you just wore that I saw Michael and Isabel kissing face."

His eyes grew,"What!"

"Remember when you walked in on them practicing there kissing techniques?"

He nodded, confused."Liz, how could you know that, I mean we were alone, and they swore me to secrecy."

I glanced down, at my clenching hands, it was a nervous habit."Um....when I healed you...I saw things."

"Things?"

"Memories of yours, feelings, emotions."

"Like...that?" He questioned, staring at my downcast eyes.

"Yeah......"I answered.

"Well, that’s really...."He couldn’t seem to find the words.

"Weird, "I finished."I know."

I stood, and moved closer to the window. "I’m sorry max, I have to go."

"Why?"

I turned back towards him, he was right behind me, and I gasped in surprise.

"Because I came over here to tell you this, and now you know."His lips were right before me."And I...trust–"

My words ended abruptly as he pulled me towards him, his lips closing over mine.

The I saw stars.

*****************************************************************************

(Max p.o.v.)

Her lips trembled for a second under mine, and then she gave in. My mouth ate at hers and my hands came up to cup the back of her head. She grasped my upper arms tightly as I pulled her close.

I was blown away by the sensations running through me.

Because they weren’t mine.

They were Liz’s.

I could feel every emotion, everything running through her.

She was beautiful.

So was I, in her eyes.

Her life flickered silently over my lids, a silent movie running through my head.

I saw her and Alex emerging from there pods.

I saw them meeting Maria, the happiness that she felt at the sight of her.

I saw her sitting on a swing, and watching me, Isabel, and Michael playing jump-rope in the third grade. I felt her wish that she could join in.

Then I saw last year, freshmen year. Her longing glances as she watched me walk down the hall, as I sat next to her in class.

Then she pulled away from me.

It was like being ripped in half when the visions stopped.

She stared wide-eyed up at me, tears threatening to flow from her dark eyes.

She touched my cheek softy before turning away.

"I’m sorry Max."

Then she climbed up, ready to jump."See you at school."

Then she was gone.

I felt a single tear glide down my cheek.