The visions came again. This time, it was a vision of a wedding. Michael could only see the back of the bride and groom, but as he got closer, he determined that the groom definitely was Max. He couldn't make out the bride's face. As he got closer and closer, he saw who it was.

"Michael, You're so close. You've almost found me." He heard Tess's voice haunting his brain. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling of the airport.

"Ok, Tess, enough is enough…what are you trying to tell me?" Michael said to himself quietly.

The two rows of chairs behind Michael were empty, all except for a young woman and a little boy. The little boy sat close to the edge of the chair, kicking his legs over the side and coloring in a coloring book. He frowned as he broke the crayon he was using. He looked up at the woman, his big brown eyes watering with tears.

"Mommy, I broke my crayon. Can you fix it?" He asked her sweetly.

"Of course, Adam-Michael." She held the broken green crayon in her enclosed fist, and when she opened it back up again, it was whole. "There, darling. Mommy fixed it." She said, handing him the crayon and kissing his head.

"Thanks, Mommy." He said, smiling. He went back to his coloring contently. His mother pushed her sunglasses down her nose and turned around in her chair so she was facing Michael.

"Honey, put your book away. It's time for you to meet your Uncle Michael." She said, grabbing her child's tiny hand.

"Mommy, I don't want to." Adam-Michael pleaded.

"Honey," She said, squatting down to his eye level. She sent him a telegraphic message that he was able to understand since he was completely alien. His eyes got wide as he saw a vision of himself riding his very own horse. His mom had promised him that she'd buy him a new pony of his very own if he'd cooperate with her.

"Ok, Mommy." He said, smiling. He reached out his hand to her. She smiled, reaching down to the chair and grabbing her purse. She slowly led her son to the two rows of chairs where Michael was sitting, her heart pounding faster and faster. If she was this nervous meeting her brother again, how was she going to be when she met Max?

Michael turned around instinctively, smirking. He knew she was there. "So, if it isn't my baby sister."

"Michael." She replied, smiling. "It's so good to see you." She was disappointed that he didn't stand up to hug her, but then again, Michael wasn't really that into public displays of affection.

"Tess, I'm only going to say one thing to you…why did you leave?"

"I couldn't stay, Michael. Not if Max wouldn't accept me as his chosen one." Tess replied. Michael wasn't paying much attention to what she was saying. He was too busy looking at the small child clutching Tess's hand nervously.

He looked exactly like Max.

"Oh my God…" Michael whispered. Maria came up to the two of them then, dropping her soda she had just bought.

"Holy shit!" Maria screamed. She had to keep herself from fainting. She felt like her knees might give out. She saw Tess talking to Michael, and Tess clutching the hand of a small boy who looked exactly like her best friend's fiance. "Tess what the HELL are you doing here?"

Tess glared at her. "I'd ask you the same thing, but you probably would never shut your mouth."

Maria stared daggers at her. "You're never going to get him back, you know. I don't know why you're bothering to try."

Tess laughed. "Oh, but I will now. I will get Max back, he belongs to me. And Adam-Michael is the proof."

Maria grabbed Michael's arm for support. Their jaws dropped in disbelief.

Tess continued, scooping up the boy in her arms. "Michael, Maria, I'd like you to meet Adam-Michael Evans, Max's son. The first procreation of our species."

Maria's eyes rolled back in her head as she started to faint. Michael caught her and his jaw dropped. "Tess…what the hell…"

At that moment, hell came colliding into Boston-Logan International Airport.

Max and Liz ran over to Michael and Maria hand-in-hand.

"Hello Max. Hello Liz." Tess said, smirking.

Liz's eyes welled up with tears. Max couldn't do anything but stare in awe at the child she was holding. No one had to tell him anything- at that moment he knew…

He was a father.

* * * * * * *

"Tess…" Max said, still in awe from looking at the child staring at him. They had the same eyes.

"Yes, Max, it's really me." Tess said, smiling. "Aren't you going to hug me or something?"

Max was silent. "Tess, why didn't you tell me? I had a right to know… that I have…"

"A son? Go on, you can say it Max." Tess said, smiling. She looked over at Liz, who looked like she'd seen a ghost. She was shaking her head over and over, like if she didn't believe what was standing right in front of her, it would all just go away. "Oh, but we wouldn't want to hurt your little girlfriend over here." She added with a grin.

"Tess, I swear to God! You're dead, you hear me?" Maria screamed, lunging for her. Michael held her back.

"Maria! Stop it!" Michael said. "This is something Max and Tess have to work out on their own. And stop screaming at her, you're scaring the kid."

The four of them looked at Adam-Michael, who had buried his face in Tess's pant leg with confusion and fear.

"Mommy?" He said quietly. She bent down to his eye level once again.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Tess asked sweetly, her hand smoothing her son's chocolate brown hair.

"Who is that man?" Adam-Michael asked, pointing to Max. Max's eyes filled with tears, as did Liz's. She wrapped her whole body around her fiancé's arm, clutching on to him like a scared child.

"He's your daddy, sweetie." Tess replied, beaming.

"If he's my daddy, how come I've never seen him before?" Adam-Michael asked.

"He's been away, sweetie. But now we're all together again. Your mommy, your daddy, and you. We're a family again." Tess said, smiling and looking up at Max, who was still in shock. Liz burst into tears, running away from the entire scene. She couldn't breathe.

"Liz!" Max cried, running after her. Liz shook her head and sped up her pace. She had to get out of there.

"Some family you've got there, Tess." Maria said, coolly. "Mommy's psycho, and Daddy's in love with someone else. I feel sorry for the poor kid."

Tess glared daggers into her. She raised her hand towards Maria, and with out a care, used her powers to throw her into a nearby wall.

"TESS! What the fuck are you thinking?" Michael screamed at her, grabbing her arm and twisting it. He then ran over to the wall, where Maria was slumped over, the back of her head gushing blood. "If you EVER touch Maria again, I will kill you myself. Plus, what in the hell were you thinking doing that in a public place? Anyone could have seen you! You idiot!"

"I don't care who knows it. Michael, I'm your sister. How can you put your little tramp before family?"

"Watch me." Michael said firmly, grabbing a squirming Maria and flinging her over his shoulder.

"Michael, PUT ME DOWN! I'm going to kill that bitch! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!" Her screams echoed through the terminal. A crowd was growing around them now.

"We're going to find Max and Liz." Michael said. He turned around to give Tess a last warning. "Look, Tess, I don't know why you're here now, but rest assured, I will find out. And we will stop you. We're not going to let you hurt any of us, ever again."

"Mommy, where's Uncle Michael going?" Adam-Michael asked Tess, tugging on her pant leg.

"I'm sorry, Adam, but I've got to leave pal. We'll play some other time ok?" Michael said, trying to smile at his tiny, clueless nephew.

"Ok." Adam said, a frown washing over his face. Michael was shocked. He couldn't believe how much he looked like Max.

"Michael-" Tess cried.

"What!" Michael screamed, getting impatient.

"You'll change your mind. I'll make you."

"No you won't, Tess. No you won't." He said firmly, walking away with Maria still screaming over his shoulder.

"MICHAEL SHE IS SO DEAD! TESS, DO YOU HEAR ME? YOU ARE ONE DEAD BITCH! MARK MY WORDS!" Maria said. Tess laughed loud enough for Maria to hear. She waved at Maria and smiled.

"Bye, Bye, Maria!" She said, laughing.

* * * * * *

When Max finally caught up with Liz, she was crouched behind a chair next to a flight gate that wasn't being used that day. Max ran up to her, out of breath.

"Liz--"

"Max, go away. I need to think."

"Liz, don't shut me out. I am just as surprised about this as you."

Liz looked up into Max's eyes. They were both crying now. "Max, don't you realize what this means? You have a son! A son that isn't mine! Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"

"Devastated?" Max asked. "Used? Out of control?" He continued, crouching down next to her and pushing a loose strand of her brown hair behind her ear. "I never wanted kids unless they came from you…came from us. I'm not ready to be a father yet, certainly not of this child that came from Tess."

Liz looked at his eyes and frowned. "I guess she was right. We don't belong together."

"What?" Max asked frantically.

"You and Tess should be together. To raise your son." Liz said, not being able to control the words coming out of her mouth.

"Liz, I can't believe what you're saying. You know that's not true." Max said, his eyes welling with tears.

"Well, what am I supposed to believe, Max?" Liz asked, her tears growing stronger and more forceful now. "I know he was conceived when we were apart, but…it seems like everything Tess ever said, about how you guys belonged together- were true. And he's the proof."

Max shook his head. "I can't believe what I'm hearing. I can't believe that after all we've been through you still have doubts about us- about the depth of my love for you." Liz looked up at him then, seeing the pain in his eyes. She didn't want to hurt him but she just go through losing him to Tess- not again.

"I can't lose you to Tess. Not again. That will kill me."

"You're not going to… not ever."

"Max, whether you like it or not, you and Tess are tied forever- through…your…son." It pained her to say the words. "I don't think I can handle that, her being part of the rest of our lives."

"She won't be- she isn't part of me. You are." Max said, cupping his hand on Liz's cheek, trying his best to comfort her.

But to no avail.

Liz looked away from him then.

"I think I should stay at Morgan's for a while." Liz said.

Max couldn't believe what he was hearing. The words came out of Liz's mouth slowly, carefully, like she was going in slow motion. "Liz, oh God, no. Please don't say this."

"Max, I need this. We need this space right now."

"No, Liz, I can't be away from you- not even one night." Max said, shaking his head.

"Max, you know this is the right think to do. Until you work things out with Tess, and your son… we should be apart."

"I don't want that family, I don't want that life- I only want you!" Max screamed, tears flowing out of his eyes.

"Max, listen to yourself! He's your son for God's sake!" Liz said, pleading with him. "Tess may be the devil incarnate, but he's still your son."

Max couldn't take it anymore. He put his head on Liz's shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably. "Liz, I can't believe this is happening…why is this happening to us?"

To see Max so uncontrollable, so raw and open like this made Liz's heart break for the second time that day. "I don't know Max. Let's just take some time…and see where we are." After a few breathless moments, Max raised his head up to meet her face. He kissed her with such a need and urgency that it scared them both. After what seemed like an eternity, they broke away, looking into each other's sad brown eyes. Liz could feel her heart breaking slowly, painfully in her chest and she knew Max was close to emotional death.

"Oh, God, Max…" She said, returning to his lips again. Somewhere in the back of her brain, she believed that if she just kept kissing him, that somehow, they'd both wake up and this horrible nightmare- Tess, that little boy- they'd both be gone. And she and Max would have their perfect life back.

"Liz…" He moaned into her mouth. "Please don't do this to me…I can't just sit here…" He continued kissing her, hungrily lapping up her kisses like he was never going to kiss her again. "And let you walk away from me."

"Max…" She said, her eyes closing in ecstasy as Max's lips traveled down her neck. "…we both know it's the right thing…" She said, breathless. She couldn't take it anymore. She ripped her neck away from his lips. He groaned. "It's only for a little while."

Max looked into her eyes with disbelief. She really was leaving him. He never thought this day would come. Just then, Michael walked up, Maria still slung over his shoulder. Max and Liz could faintly hear Maria's screeching voice getting louder and louder as they approached.

"…SPACEBOY! PUT ME DOWN! We're away from her now! I promise I'm not going to go after her just PUT ME DOWN!" She screamed, banging her fists on his back. Michael wasn't paying attention. He had his full attention focused on the train wreck sitting in the floor in front of him that used to be his best friend and his best friend's fiancé.

"Hush, Blondie." Michael said, putting her down on the floor.

"Finally!" She screamed. She looked over immediately to where Max and Liz were sitting and gasped. "Oh my God! Lizzie!" She ran into her best friend's arms. Liz was still in shock, but the tears flowed freely from her eyes. Michael walked over to them as well, looking at Max.

"Max…what's going on?" He asked gravelly.

"Liz and I decided, to separate, for a while." Max said quietly, choking back tears. He turned away from them and solemnly walked over to the window near by. Maria heard this and buried her face in Liz's soft brown hair.

"I am so sorry, Liz." Maria said, petting Liz's hair softly. Maria looked up at Michael, signaling to him to go talk to Max. Michael tried to protest, but Maria widened her eyes and gritted her teeth. "GO." She mouthed silently to him. He got the picture. She looked down at Liz, who broke away from their hug.

"Maria, I'm so glad you are here." She said, her bottom lip quivering. "What am I going to do?"

"You and Max are going to get married. Tess is nothing but a washed up ho-bag, ok? She means NOTHING to Max and he's told you that until he's been blue in the face. When are you going to stop being so stubborn and just believe him?"

"Maria, it's not that simple anymore. Not now, not with this boy."

"Adam-Michael."

"What?" Liz said, stunned, realizing at that moment how real this child really was.

"Adam-Michael. That's his name." Maria repeated. Liz shuddered.

That's what she'd had wanted to name a son if she and Max ever had one.

"I can't believe this is happening…" Liz said.

"Look, Liz, I know you're upset, but don't you think Max is just as stunned about all this as you are? I mean I hate to take his side on this one, but maybe you should be a little more understanding…"

Liz looked into Maria's eyes with a death stare. "Maria, how would you like it if Isabel showed up at your doorstep out of nowhere one day holding Michael's four-year-old son and ranting about how Michael belonged to her now?"

Maria paused. "Ok, I deserved that, I know. But we're not talking about Izzy, we're talking about the wicked bitch from Planet Lord-Knows-What. Max does have a son now, and he will be tied to Tess because of that, but he loves you and would never choose her over you."

"He did it once, what's stopping him from doing it a second time?" Liz asked. Maria looked at her.

"Liz, if I recall, YOU were the one who made that decision for him. YOU broke up with him when we were juniors. Don't let her win again! Ok, don't! I won't let you. You and Max are two of the most wonderful people in the universe, the only family I have, and you belong together- if you won't stand up for your love, then by GOD, I will!" Maria screamed at her. Liz was stunned by her forcefulness, but was happy at the same time that she and Maria were on the same side again.

Michael slowly walked up behind Max, who was sobbing with his forehead against the window. "Michael what am I going to do?" He asked, sensing his best friend was near. He reached out a hand and placed it on Max's shoulder.

"I don't know, Maxwell. I know you're going to have to work this out on your own. Liz can't help you, Maria can't help, neither can I. It's up to you." Max crumbled, turning around and hugging Michael.

"Michael, I'm so sorry, for everything, for all the fights-you've always been my brother, that's never stopped being true…"

"I'll never stop being there for you Maxwell." Michael said."But this thing with Tess isn't just going to go away…"

"I know," He said, nodding.

"You're a father now." Michael said.

The words echoed in Max's brain, lingering for a few seconds before making their exit into his memories. "I know. And I want to know my son."

"That's good. That's a start."

"But I want to be happy, with Liz." Max said. "I only love her. I can never love anyone as much as I love her."

"You'll love Adam just as much. But in a different way."

"Tess will never let me see him if I marry Liz."

If… Max couldn't believe that "if" came out of his mouth before "I marry Liz." It had always been a given, they would marry, have a couple of kids, and grow old together. Why were these doubts registering in his brain now?

"Max, I can talk to her, try to work out a compromise." Michael said, trying to comfort him.

"We both know Tess. She's as stubborn as hell. She's a lot like you, Michael."

Michael couldn't help but grin. "I know. But I'm her brother, maybe I can talk some sense into her…?" His voice trailed off as Maria and Liz walked up, their arms linked.

"I'm going to stay with Liz at her friend Morgan's tonight. Is that okay?" She asked Michael.

"I'm not your keeper. You can do what you want."

"I know that, Michael. I just wanted to run it by you." Maria said calmly. Max tried to look at Liz, but she was avoiding his stare.

"Sounds good." Michael said. "Can we get back to your place, Maxwell? Or go grab something to eat? I barely touched that crappy airplane food they gave us." He rubbed his stomach, looking at Maria.

"Yeah, I'm hungry too." Maria piped in. "Guys?" She said, looking at Liz and Max. They were only looking longingly at each other. Maria smiled.