Everyone was cordoned off in pairs: Joey comforting Justin, Maria against Michael’s chest, Alex holding Isabel close. Max took one look at the group and was glad they hadn’t gone any further with the discussion.

Everyone was still ragged out from their last encounter, anyway.

“Joey, you catch a ride with Izzy or Maria. I’m taking Liz home,” Max gave her a firm look. He knew who Justin was now, but that didn’t mean he trusted him where his little sister was concerned.

“Max, come on,” Joey said in an exasperated tone. Then she glanced around and crossed to him, obviously not wanting to cause a scene. “I know you are my big brother and I’m grateful that you want to protect me from whatever you think Justin is, but I just- found him and I’m not leaving him right now.”

Max felt the blood rise in his head, but he denied himself the luxury of arguing. “This is not a discussion, Joey. I know the connection you feel to him and I know why. But I don’t know him and I don’t trust him. So fine, spend time with him, but NOT alone. The two of you will stay with someone else at all times.” Max raised his eyes to look over at Justin. “Is that understood?” Justin just nodded, which made Max pause. He blinked several times, then looked down at Joey, who was obviously seething.

“Yes sir,” she bit off shortly. “So then, who’s babysitting us tonight?”

Max ground his teeth, but found he had nothing else to say. She didn’t like it, but she would go along with it, and that was all he cared about right now. Safety first.

“Uh, I don’t think Izzy’s up to it,” Alex offered from where they stood, Isabel’s head resting on his chest.

Max agreed. She looked completely wiped. Max opened his mouth to speak, but Joey interrupted.

“Not Michael, please,” she was suddenly pleading with her eyes. “He and Justin will probably kill each other.”

Max agreed reluctantly. That only left he and Liz. So much for a romantic evening alone. He rubbed at his face wearily. “Fine. You ride with Liz and me. Let’s go.”

******

Liz slept somehow in the uncomfortable seat almost all the way to Buckley Point. Max almost turned the Jeep around to take her home, but something told him that if he waited until tomorrow night, it just wouldn’t happen.

The two in the back had been silent for the whole drive, which Max appreciated. There was so much running through his mind.

His name, his real name, for one. Chatamalinkasohn. It sounded strange, ridiculous even, but then again, it had a ring to it. It was familiar, in the same way the picture on the orb was familiar. It was from home.

Part of him wanted to pull Justin aside and question him until he had every single one of the answers he had always wondered about. Where are our parents? Why are we here? How many of us are there? But another part of him was scrambling just to deal with the information they had, and the knowledge that the last hunter for their foursquare was out there, and that they had some leads in L.A. to check out and the fact that he and Liz would be doing it on their honeymoon. Checking it out, that is.

Max’s face flushed and he glanced around in irritation. He was going to be married to Liz Parker in just over 42 hours, and he still blushed at the thought of making love to her.

Yep, there he went again. Ridiculous.

He yanked his mind back to Justin, but then just sighed at the mess he had to untangle there. He could probably chase the rabbit of his past all night and never be satisfied. Right now, he and Liz needed time to prepare... time to savor the moment.

And- he needed time to implement “Plan Payback,“ which he had been meticulously crafting ever since Liz‘s embarrassingly successful attempt at kicking him into overdrive with her little waking up act. And, dangit, he was going to do this without turning bright red, if determination alone could get him there.

Max stopped the Jeep just at twilight in front of Buckley Point. It was growing dark, but still light enough to enjoy the soft lighting on Liz’s face as she began to stir.

He watched the dark veil of her hair slide across her face as she tried to sit up and open her eyes. It was amazing. There was just something sexy about the way she woke up, even if they were sitting in the Jeep.

Liz brushed the hair out of her eyes and licked at her lips again, causing a little spike in Max’s desire.

Oh no.

He jumped out of the Jeep. Not playing that game again, he thought gruffly. Walking around to the back, he pulled out a blanket and the present for Liz. A smile crossed his face as he set everything down on the ground.

Then he walked over to Liz’s door. She was watching him sleepily, still blinking like a little owl. A smile slide across Max’s face, but he turned to address Joey and Justin, who were watching him carefully.

“Stay here. I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”

Joey rolled her eyes, but Justin just nodded, again surprising Max with his affability.

Max reached in the Jeep and picked Liz up easily. She smiled and clung to him as he lifted her out of her seat and swung her to the ground.

“Can you walk,” he asked her quietly, taking time to see that special look in her eyes, the one she reserved for him alone.

“If you want, I can fly,“ she murmured, reaching up with one hand and gently brushing his cheek. The look of love in her eyes was seeping into him, filling him in that private, secret place that only she could reach. He could stand here all night and drink it in, but instead he turned and took her hand. Then he bent and grabbed the items off the ground.

Liz craned her neck, trying to see what was now tucked under his arm. “Is that a present for me,” she asked with concern. “Oh, Max, I don’t have yours with me. I was going to give it to you tomorrow night.”

He kept her walking with him, despite her attempt to stop. “I know you were. Don’t worry about it.”

They reached a grassy area and Max handed her the box. Her eyes lit up like a child’s at the pink paper and big, bright bow on top. He laughed as he spread out the blanket.

“Max, what is it,” she exclaimed and then plopped down on the blanket.

He crashed down beside her. He laid out on his side, completely aware of the fact that he had a very goofy grin on his face. “It’s your wedding gift. Now I’m not sure you’re going to understand how to use it, so I’m going tell you. But first, I need you to do me a favor. Can you block Michael for a few minutes?”

She looked up at him mischievously. “Max Evans, what do you have in mind?”

He just grinned at her and she laughed. “I’m not actually sure I can do it again. That was sort of an... extreme situation. But I’ll try. I’d better warn him first, otherwise he’ll charge up here ready to throttle alien hunters.”

Max felt his stomach churn as he thought through the moments of that “extreme situation” and what he’d almost lost. He really needed to find a way to thank Alex. If it hadn’t been for him...

Max pushed the thought away and leaned forward to give Liz a kiss on her forehead as she continued to talk with Michael. A look of concentration formed on her face and then she relaxed.

“Wow. Silence. I think it worked,” she said with a small smile.

“Good. That’s... really good. Now, open your present,” he encouraged her, running a hand down her arm and feeling the hum start up between them.

She sighed and closed her eyes briefly at his touch, then started to tug at the ribbon on the box. Max took a moment to glance back at Joey and Justin. They appeared to be just talking. He could hear the rising and falling of their voices, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. But he could be there in an instant if need be.

******

“So, my brother is being a real jerk, huh,” Joey ventured into the silence.

“Nah, he’s being a real brother,” Justin said in a matter-of-fact voice. “I was the same way with K- Kate.” He finished the sentence quietly and swallowed hard.

Joey watched him try to shut down the emotions again and cursed herself for bringing on that brief look of guilt. She searched for something to say, but finally settled for slipping her hand through his arm again. She just didn’t know him well enough to help. She leaned back and looked up at the darkening skies. The first stars were just now coming out...

There was that feeling again, flowing between them... a comfortable, familiar feeling- like he was the other half of her, like she’d always known him, somehow.

She looked over and studied his profile in the silence. He had a long, straight, strong-looking nose. It reminded her of Michael’s. And the way his brow was furrowed, and always seemed to be hiding something- that was like Michael, too.

Justin suddenly turned to look at her. His gaze was softer, questioning. “What?”

“Oh, nothing. I just... feel safe with you,” Joey felt almost like she was in a trance. The words just tumbled out of her mouth. “It feels... right. In a way that almost nothing else has.”

Justin stared at her for a moment.

“What,” Joey asked quickly. She couldn’t tell by his face if it was a good thing she’d just said or a bad thing.

“Nothing,” he replied. “That’s just... exactly what I was feeling, too.” He held her glance for a moment and she smiled.

“Justin, I have something I need to confess,” she let a hint of teasing creep into her voice. “Motorcycle gangs... well, they just seem sort of trashy to me, you know? So, I was just wondering, how could a really clean cut, good-looking guy like you hang out with... thugs?”

Justin actually laughed. Out loud. It was a beautiful, deep, golden kind of laugh. “Oh man, if you could have seen me three days ago, you wouldn’t ask me that.”

“Why not?”

Justin shrugged. “Because I looked like a thug, too.”

“No way,” Joey protested, again looking at the short, fuzzy brown hair and the smooth, lean line of his jaw. “Wait- you didn’t have long hair, did you?”

“Oh yeah,” he looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“Long hair in a ponytail, scruffy beard, road dirt, the whole bit.”

Joey was amazed. “So, what happened? I mean, why the big change?”

“Well, I was trying to blend in, but one night I had a dream.”

Joey felt her mouth open in surprise.

“And the dream convinced me that maybe it was time to... get ready,” he looked at her quickly, then away again.

“Get ready for what,” she pressed him.

“Not what. Who.”

“Oh,” she said with an almost-smile.

“And you know what,” he asked quietly.

“What?”

“You’re even better in person.”

Joey smiled through her sudden tears. She was somebody’s dream girl after all.

******

“Max,” Liz said breathlessly. Max looked over at her to see the box now open and Liz’s fingers caressing the soft silk robe. She looked at him curiously. “I just can’t picture you in Victoria’s Secret... did you buy this?“

“Oh yeah,“ Max refused to think of that mortifying night and instead concentrated on the look of surprise on her beautiful, moonlit face. He wanted to see another expression there. So he leaned in a little closer. “See, I can tell by the look on your face that you don’t understand what I want you to do with all that stuff,” he said mysteriously. He took the gift out of her hands and placing it on the blanket.

Liz narrowed her eyes. “I don’t?”

“No,” he intoned gently, sitting up and turning her so that she lay back against him. “This is a gift for you to use on your wedding day.”

“Uhm-hmm,” she said quietly, settling back against his chest. Max sucked in a quick breath at the sudden stir of desire in him. The feel of her resting between his legs was threatening to be his complete undoing. He bit his bottom lip and fought for control. The hum between them grew to a roar, despite his attempts to quiet it.

“Max,” Liz whispered.

“Yeah,” he managed to say back.

“What were you going to say?”

Max’s eyes opened wide. What was- Oh yeah, payback. “Right,” he struggled to bring his desire for her back under control.

This probably isn’t going to help much, he thought distractedly. But he grabbed the box, anyway. “This is a wedding day gift.” He reached in and pulled out the chocolates.

“You’ve already said that,” Liz said dreamily.

“I have,” Max bent his head and whispered in her ear, relishing the lazy, indulgent tone in her voice.

Liz sucked in a breath and let it out shakily. “Yes.”

Max smirked, not a blush in sight. Being near him was affecting her. And he liked that. “Well then, now that we’ve established that, let’s move on, shall we?”

“Definitely... so what should I do with those,” Liz reached out and touched the box of chocolates in his hand.

Max’s mind wanted to explore the many creative things he could come up with, but he stuck with his original plan. “Eat them.”

“Eat them,” she said in a puzzled voice. “Well, I think I could’ve figured that one out on my own, Max.”

“Maybe. But do you know why I want you to eat them,” he nuzzled at her neck.

“Uh... um... no...”

“Stamina,” he whispered and felt surprised slow draw of air she took in, as well as the little slap on his leg. But he just grinned.

Point one to Evans.

“And what makes you think I’m the one who’s going to need the stamina, Max Evans,” Liz’s low reply caught him off guard. “Maybe you should keep those for yourself.”

Max swallowed hard against the images that accompanied her words.

Point two to Parker. He felt Liz shake slightly against him with laughter and he shifted her to a more comfortable spot.

“Let’s move on to the next item, shall we,” Max was determined to get control of the situation.

“Okay,” Liz stopped laughing and pulled out the CD. “Hmmm. Now, what should I do with this?”

He could hear the grin in her voice and wanted more than anything to wipe it off her face. “I want you to go in the bathroom, put it in the CD player and...” he bent even closer in her ear. “Push play.”

Liz giggled nervously and bent her head over to cover the ear he had just tickled. “Another no-brainer. And here I thought it was going to be something kinky.”

Kinky? He felt a blush coming on and shook his head.

Point three to Parker. Was she doing this to him on purpose?

“We’re not done yet.” Max reached over and pulled out the bottle of bath gel. “After you turn on the music, I want you to light all those candles in your bathroom and turn the lights out.”

“Oh, really,” Liz said with an interested voice, taking the bottle from him. “Go on...”

“Then,” Max said huskily with the growing desire in him, determined to go through with this. “I want you to take off that cute little pajama top you wear to bed... you know, the one that just barely covers the soft skin on your stomach?” As he said it, one hand slid down her body to caress her stomach through her thin tank top. Man, that felt incredible, and he could tell from her heaving breast that she thought so, too.

“Oh Max,” she sighed and sent desperate hands to make his stop. The little hum grew to a roar, but he pressed on.

“Then I want you to slide off those little boxer shorts,” he whispered in her ear, not letting up a bit. He drew one hand out of hers and slid it down her side, running his fingers down her back and just under the swell of her bottom.

He left his fingers there, exploring the joint of her thigh to her bottom with two fingers... and felt instant combustion.

“Max,” Liz said a little louder, arching into the hand on her stomach. Whoa. He pulled his hands away like they were burnt, cursing himself for pushing them a little too far.

Liz immediately turned over and thrust herself into his arms, taking them both over in a heap on the blanket. Her hungry lips found his and instinct took over. His tongue slipped inside her mouth and he pulled her higher on top of him. She was almost straddling him; the passion was mind-numbing and he could think of nothing but skin, lips and oh god, aching need...

But when his hands started to move of their own accord, he forced them to rest on her back and pulled her down to his side.

Liz let out a small cry against his chest. Okay, okay, he coached himself, burning loins or no, you are going to finish this. How much worse can it get?

“I’m not done yet,” he whispered down to her breathlessly.

“But I think I am,” she groaned, turning away from him.

Max just smiled and slid a hand through her hair. He had completely lost the point total, but he felt sure somehow that he was now winning.

“Then I want you to slide off your panties...” The intimate word rolled off his tongue like fire and she groaned. He continued more quickly, ignoring her stiffened body next to him. “And turn the faucet on for a warm bath, using plenty of bubble bath. Then get in and slide down underneath the water. Get a washcloth and wash every precious... tantalizing... inch of your body, just for me. And Liz?“

“Yes, Max,“ the words were almost a sob with wanting.

He slid one hand down her side. “Then step out of the tub and dry off gently, just like I would do it... if I were there. Now, the lotion...”

“Oh god...”

Max smiled. “It needs to go on everywhere.”

“Everywhere?”

“Everywhere. Here,” he moved her hair and kissed the arch of her neck. “And here,” his hand slid down her arm. “And here,” his hand curved along the length of her leg where it was spooned up against his body. That final motion brought his desire crashing back in. She was so close... and so ready...

“Then the robe,” she asked quietly.

The robe. Right.

“The robe,” he somehow managed to conjure the words he had practiced. “Sweetness, the robe is my love. It will cover you, and protect you. I want you to remember that every time you wear it. ”

Liz let out a shuddering sob. Max immediately felt his desire plummet.

“Liz,” he asked, turning her so that she faced him.

She ducked her head into his chest. “I’m sorry...” “No, I’m fine,” she whispered through her tears. “I just love you so much. And I want you... so much.”

Those words coming from her mouth... he bent his head back in pleasurable agony.

Game, set and match to Parker.

For some reason, a growl was the only articulate response he could make.