Its always interesting to see what the addition of an unknown element will do to an experiment. Whether the original elements will retain their basic characteristics or whether they will change into something new altogether.

When Liz came out of Max’s tent, the bright sunlight hurt her eyes momentarily. The parting was bittersweet. She knows now that he still loved her deeply and that he wanted to be with her more than anything else. But Max’s overriding sense of duty was driving her crazy. Her heart was wondering why he couldn’t just say ‘screw destiny’ and leave this place with her, but her mind reminded her that she loved him BECAUSE he was so serious and responsible. The only thing was, she didn’t think she could be without Max… ever again! She had tried to do the noble thing, but it nearly killed her to walk away from him like that. She could never do that again. Max had to find a way for them to be together. He just had to!

Liz looked around at the assortment of tents and trailers around her. She suddenly realized that she didn’t have a clue where to go. The only time she’s been awake in this camp was when she was with Max just now…

"Liz Parker?" A voice interrupted her thoughts. The speaker was an attractive, tall man with piercing green eyes. He wore a pair of jeans and a loose shirt, his faced was tanned and he had a mop of sandy blonde hair.

Liz was feeling really uncertain of herself right now, so she only nodded. She wished she could run back into Max’s arms and wait for him to sort everything out, but Max had made it clear that he needed some time alone.

The guy came forward with a smile, his hand outstretched. "Hi, my name is Jans. Nick sent me to help you to your tent."

Liz stared at him suspiciously, causing him to drop his hand and broaden his smile. "Maria is waiting for you! And we’ve put your bag in there already." He pointed: "Its this way."

Liz was really tired after all the stress of the previous evening and the recent intensity with Max, so she followed him meekly. After a while, she noticed he was staring at her and she frowned at him.

He looked away, embarrassed. "Sorry, its just… you’re really lovely!" He blurted out. "Its like you shine from within."

Liz’s face softened in a smile. "Thank you." She knew exactly why she looked like that. Max Evans loved her…

Jans was being really charming, telling her what some of the tents and trailers were being used for. He kept throwing glances in her direction as he talked. He said that they were all really exited that their leader and his family were finally here. Liz had been listening to the story intently, desperate to learn everything she could about Max’s people. But his last comment reminded her abruptly of the fact that, in the eyes of the inhabitants of this camp, Max had a wife.

She was relieved when he finally stopped in front of a tent, on the other side of the camp from Max’s, and said that this was where she would stay with Maria. She tried to smile up at Jans before she went inside. He was the only person apart from Max, Michael and Isabel and her human counterparts that she knew here and who knows, she might need him again.

He stopped her, his hand on her arm. "That is your bathroom trailer." He pointed past their tent. "And I’ll come find you later this afternoon for the official tour." Liz smiled back at him in thanks and went inside.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Lizzie!" Maria squealed as soon as she laid eyes on her and nearly ran her to the ground. "I was beginning to wonder what Max was doing with you!" She said with an evil grin. "And from the looks of you, I was right to worry!"

"Maria!" Liz cried, mortified, but smiling. "We… we had to talk about a few things…"

Maria was still grinning. "Hmm, yeah, those lips are so puffy from a lot of talking! Riiight!" She hugged Liz and whispered in her ear: "But I’m glad to see you smiling again, chica! I was worried."

Liz couldn’t help blurting out the good news. "Oh Maria, he still loves me! And he’s working on a plan to get out of this destiny thing!" She hugged Maria again. "So tell me, how did it go with Michael?"

Maria grinned and shrugged. "You know Michael, non-verbal communication only! Not that I complained!" She was laughing now. "Anyway, from the non-verbal communication I gathered that he wasn’t too thrilled about his destiny either!"

The two friends smiled at each other. There was hope after all!

"Let’s go shower!" Maria yelled. "And then I need to find out how long we’re going to have to stay here!"

~*~*~*~*~

Max decided to go see the others after he had a shower. A long cold one. He ran into Tess when he came out of the showers and the look on her face told him he didn’t want to have this discussion right now.

"Max!" Tess planted herself in his path, her hands on her hips. "You need to stop encouraging Liz Parker in her fantasy that you two will get together some day. Its really unfair towards her." Max gaped at her, but Tess continued blithely: "I mean, rather break her heart now. Its not nice to prolong the torture!"

Max couldn’t believe his ears. How deluded was this girl? Did she honestly see that scene in his tent and think he was HUMORING Liz? He opened his mouth to retort, but realized they were gaining an audience, so he pulled her into his tent by her arm.

Tess pressed against him as soon as they were inside. "See, I knew you wanted me!"

Max stepped away from her. "No Tess, I’m sorry, but I don’t. There’s only one girl I want and that’s Liz. How many times do we have to have this discussion?" His voice was weary. "And I’m going to be honest with you. If there’s any way out of this destiny thing, I’ll use it to be with Liz."

Tess’ mouth drew into a thin line with anger. "No Max, you are wrong and I’m going to prove it to you!" She stormed out of the tent for the second time that morning.

Max immediately went in search of Michael and Isabel. He found them in Michael’s tent. They looked a little happier than the last time he had seen them, but not much.

Max frowned. "What’s up with you two?"

Isabel and Michael glanced at one another before Izzy spoke: "Its just… we have Alex, Liz and Maria back here, but we’re living in a fool’s paradise Max. We can’t be with them! Not here in this camp full of people from out planet! People who are waiting for us to fulfill our destinies and save our planet! I didn’t think our situation could get any worse, but it has…"

Max had turned grim halfway through her speech. "No Isabel. I don’t accept that. We need to talk to Nick to sort out what our destinies entail exactly. I don’t see why I have to be with Tess for me to help my people. I need Liz too much…"

Michael got angry. "Maxwell, this is about much more than your idea of true love. This is about saving a planet. How can you be so self-absorbed that you can’t see that?"

"I know that Michael! I WANT to help these people, I just don’t see why it cannot be on my terms." Max’s voice was rising in anger. "And we’re just assuming a lot of things about our destinies, we need to go on real facts before we make a decision! And I’m not letting Liz leave this camp until I have some answers!"

"Maxwell, I like Liz and she’s done a lot for us, but this obsession with her has gotten us… has gotten YOU into a lot of trouble before and you better get a hold of yourself. Liz is only a girl--."

Max interrupted him. "No Michael. She’s not ‘only a girl’. She’s Liz." He said that as if it provided all the answers. "I love her and I’m not giving her up."

A stunned silence greeted his announcement. Of course they had all assumed that Max was in love with Liz, but hearing him say it out loud was still a shock. Even more so because Michael and Isabel knew that Max would not say something like that lightly.

After a few moments of silence, Max turned around. "Let’s go find Nick."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Journal Entry 10

So they’ve all met with the humans. I knew the questions were coming, but there was no way that I could answer them now without hampering the experiment. Could physical attraction become a threat to what is supposed to be? We needed to change the setting for the experiment one more time to find some clues to this.

Nick was outside the tent when they came out. He noticed that Isabel looked worried, Michael sullen and Max determined.

"Nick, we need to speak to you. Right now." Max didn’t even realize how overbearing he sounded. Nick stifled a smile. The past was slowly gaining on his young leader.

"Actually, I was coming to get you. We need to start with your training-."

Max didn’t let him finish. "No, this is more important. We need some answers."

Nick looked at him steadily. "No, your training is more important. We are running out of time." He saw the shock in Max’s eyes. "We need to leave the camp for a few nights to train. You better go pack and get ready. We leave in an hour." He turned to Max: "I’m sorry. We may get some time to talk in the desert."

He left them there, staring at his back as he walked away.

~*~*~*~*~

Liz was lying on her bed when Maria came running in. "Liz, they’re leaving!"

Liz sat up, a cold hand clutching her heart. "What do you mean ‘they’re leaving?"

"Michael just told me that they were going into the desert to train for a few days. And that we should stay here and stay out of trouble."

Maria was on the way out again when she saw Liz still sitting on her bed, hugging her knees. "Aren’t you coming to say goodbye?"

"Is Tess going?"

Maria frowned. "Yes… but Lizzie, he loves you don’t worry!"

Liz dropped her head to her knees. "Tess will only cause a scene if I’m there, Maria. He knows I love him and that I’ll miss him…" Her head snapped up suddenly. "No wait, could you give him something from me?" She scrambled to her bag and dug out her journal and a pen. She tore out a clean sheet and wrote something on it. "Here, please give this to him. But don’t let-."

Maria sighed. "Don’t let anyone see. I know! I don’t’ know why you and Max make everything so hard for yourselves, but yes, I’ll give it to him." She left shaking her head.

Max, Tess, Isabel and Michael were standing at Max’s Jeep with Nick when Maria arrived. She saw how Max looked beyond her, obviously wondering where Liz was. His gaze came back to Maria and, not for the first time, Maria marveled at the emotion Liz Parker was able to inspire in stoic, serious Max Evans. She took a deep breath, walked over and hugged Max, handing him the piece of paper so that no one else could see it. When she pulled away, everyone was staring at her in surprise. Everyone but Michael, that is. Maria chuckled when she saw the death stare Michael was giving Max. More non-verbal communication!

Max was oblivious to all the undercurrents around him. The piece of paper was burning a hole in his pocket and he excused himself saying he forgot something in his tent. Running around the first corner he could find, he stopped and opened the note. Her handwriting, so familiar from all those combined biology notes, filled the page:

With this note I’m sending you a kiss for every minute we’ll be apart. My heart is already with you, it always has been. But my body will miss being close to you while you’re away. Come back soon!

Love,

L

Max took a deep breath and reread the note. He couldn’t leave without saying goodbye! He took off in the direction of Liz’s tent, praying that the group waiting for him will not come looking for him.

Liz was still sitting on her bed when Max came barging in. He didn’t stop but scooped her up into his arms and kissed her. The kiss was full of longing and hunger and desperation for the time apart that was coming. Liz wrapped her arms around his neck and held on, marveling in his passion. His tongue teased her lips until she opened her mouth and he made a satisfied sound as he deepened the kiss. He used his arm around her waist to lift her up into his body and his other hand tangled in her hair, arching her neck to allow him complete access to her mouth.

Liz tasted all he didn’t have time to say on his lips. That he would miss her. That he would come back. That he loved her more than life itself.

They finally broke apart, both gasping for air. Max hugged her against him so hard that she had trouble breathing. But that was fine with her!

He finally stepped back from her and stared in her eyes. "Liz…"