His eyes widened as he took her in. "Liz! I didn't -- when -- you're over here!" he said, stating the obvious for everyone around to hear.

Neither of them headed toward each other. Max stayed next to the heavy wooden doors, and Liz stood still next to the broken cot. They were only a few feet apart, but anyone who cared to look could see the wall between them. "Didn't you get my letter?" she asked warily.

He shook his head. "I -- I never got a chance to read it."

She didn't question that, and seemed suddenly to come to a realization. Her eyes widened, and her skin whitened. "Where is Alex? Where is he? Is he alright? Is he..." she was beginning to sound hysterical.

Max rushed to her and pulled her gently into the hallway, away from all the staring soldiers and dancers. "Calm down! He's fine, he's perfectly fine. I saw him getting on one of the trains to Scotland. My sergeant says he's headed there to help get things organized, and then he'll be back down here. Just a day or two."

Liz collapsed against his chest in relief. Her face was buried in his shoulder. "Thank God, when I heard -- I was so afraid -- I didn't know what I would do..."

"Sshhhh," he whispered, stroking her back lightly, all his senses tuned on her. God, the last time he had held her...the only time he had ever held her..."It's all right, Liz."

Liz didn't want to move. He was so warm, and he smelled good, like himself, and yet there was an underlying scent that reminded her of everything that was going on. It was a faintly charred smell, as though his clothes had been lightly singed. Finally she backed away, until she was at arm's length, and looked up at Max.

The first thing she really noticed was his hat. Cocked at a jaunty angle, it set off the grin that still painted his face at the sight of her. Then her gaze dropped to his eyes, which seemed older somehow. Not surprising, really; it had been almost ten months since she'd last seen him. His jaw was hard and straight as ever, belying his gentle nature. Then she really looked at his uniform and had to resist sucking in a sudden breath. He looked good -- no, amazing. It just made her feel all the more miserable. She raised her glance back to his beautiful brown eyes again, and saw pain there. Bracing herself inwardly, she took his hand. "Come on, Private."

Max smiled a little, trying to cover the sorrow she could see so clearly in his eyes. "So I'm private now?"

"More so than usual," Liz replied, and led him to her room.

"How many?" she queried gently, pushing the door shut behind him.

His eyes flickered and she saw he knew what she was asking. "Twelve, so far. Could be a lot more if they ever clean up the rubble."

Liz inhaled painfully, leaning back against the door. "Anyone you knew?" she asked.

He nodded slowly. He wished he could tell her everything, he was dying to tell her, but in the end he could not.

The last sound he had heard was that of the ceiling falling in on them. The cafeteria had become a death trap. The Nazis had undoubtedly been aiming for the weapons store, but they had been off by a few feet. Max had awakened with several bricks on top of him, feeling sore and bruised, but otherwise unhurt. He pushed a brick off and tried to sit up, but found he couldn't. Reaching around gingerly, he had found the broken rib and healed it quickly. He could hear faint screams and moans from his fellow soldiers. He pulled himself from the rubble, stumbling in a daze.

It couldn't have been more than a few minutes since the bombers had flown off, because the rest of the base was just beginning to arrive. Max sat heavily on what was left of a wall and watched cars begin to pull up, unable to move.

He realized that the enemy's aim hadn't been as far off as he'd initially thought. Nearly all of the buildings were damaged in some way, and the warehouses that held the weapons were almost entirely demolished.

A doctor ran toward Max. "Are you all right, son?"

Max nodded slowly. "I'm fine."

The doctor looked unsure. "Were you...were you in there? No, you couldn't have been, you'd be hurt far worse," the doctor said, dismissing his own idea. "You've been hit by some shrapnel, son. Just let me clean you up."

Max didn't move, and the doctor splashed something on a cloth and wiped at his forehead. He shuddered as the disinfectant soaked into a cut he hadn't realized was there. He slowly came back to reality, and the smell of death and destruction was all around him. "I have to-- I have to go help--" he said, seeing the soldiers and doctors digging at the rubble wherever they heard shouts or cries. He started to rise.

The doctor pushed him firmly back down, and Max realized just how weak he was. "You're not going anywhere but the infirmary, young man. It's a miracle that you weren't more badly hurt, being so close to the explosion."

He seemed to have drawn his own conclusions, and Max let him think what he wanted. He closed his eyes again, trying not to see, trying not to hear. If only the world could be shut away, and if everything he wanted and needed would not be so hard to find.

Max opened his eyes to see Liz, her concern etched on her face. "I couldn't help them," he whispered. "I was there but I couldn't do anything."

Liz sighed and moved forward, her hand on his arm. "Max, don't worry about it. The important thing is that you're all right."

"To you, maybe."

Luckily for him, Liz didn't take that as anything more than what he meant. "Well, I think that what you need is a good night's sleep."

Max laughed hollowly. "That isn't going to happen."

She led him toward her bed. "You've been through a lot. All the others are asleep by now." She pulled back the covers of her bed and pushed him down. He was surprised at her strength. She reached down and unlaced one boot, and then the other. She placed them neatly beside the bed, and pulled the covers over him.

He tried to sit up, shocked and amazed by her display of motherliness. "Where are you going to sleep?"

"I already slept. Don't worry about it."

"Liz..." he gave a final protest as she headed towards the door, but he could already feel exhaustion overtaking him. The hand of sleep was reaching slowly over his brain.

"Go to sleep, Max."

Surrounded by warm blankets and her scent, he obeyed gratefully.

Liz opened the door and jumped backwards in alarm as two faces loomed at her. Maria and Maggie scooted backwards, almost tripping over themselves. Maria grinned at her. "So that's Alex, huh?"

Liz rolled her eyes. "Weren't you guys watching like everyone else when he got here? That's Max."

"What?" said Maggie.

"No...we just heard about it. They told us it was your fiance. They said he was cute. Who's Max? And if he's not Max, where's Alex?"

Liz stiffened as she started to walk back towards the room where the soldiers were being kept, Maria and Maggie on her heels. "Listen," she said irritably, turning to face them. "I want you two to leave me alone now, all right?"

"Liz..." Maria said softly. "Is it Alex?"

"He's fine," she said. "I just need to be alone."

Maggie paused, then started to go after her. Maria held her back, shaking her head. "Leave her alone. If she needs time, she needs time. Now, come on. They need our help."

****

Liz found an empty room and closed the door. She sank to the cold, dirty floor. "How am I going to do this?" she murmured to herself. She couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want to hurt Max, or Alex. She loved them both, but at the same time loved one in a different way than the other. A few minutes ago, she'd wanted nothing more than to crawl into her bed with Max. But she couldn't do that. She could never do that.

She didn't want to see either of them hurt. But how could she be with one without hurting the other? Max almost certainly didn't know how she felt. But she knew, from her experience, that he would be hurt by any rejection of hers. He cared for her. He would be upset if she left without a word, and without reason...and what was she going to do about Alex? What could she do?

****

At some point during the night, Max awakened.

He heard soft, delicate breathing from across the room, and he realized that someone was in Liz's room with him. He kept his eyes shut and his breathing even, willing whoever it was just to go away. He couldn't take this right now, couldn't handle it. In the morning, yes. But now...he just couldn't.

The person walked soundlessly across the room, but Max could sense the presence.