"Maria, Michael," she said quietly. She glanced around the empty apartment with a puzzled look.

They should have already been home from the party by now.

Liz wandered over to the couch with a small smile, fingering the diamond on her left hand.

She sat down with a sigh on the rumpled blanket covering Michael's couch.

Mrs. Max Evans.

Of course, there were still more questions than answers.

Although it was obvious that the aliens were... anatomically correct, would there be any problems on the honeymoon?

Liz blushed hotly at the images crowding her mind.

And could they have a baby? Will Max even want to risk it?

Liz frowned as she realized that they hadn't talked about that yet.

She tried to dismiss the thought as she played with the ring on her finger idly. We'll talk about that after he gets back from his trip. In six weeks.

Liz sighed. Six horribly long weeks.

She lifted the diamond up to the moonlight streaming through the window and saw the facets catch the light, refracting it in so many directions.

A smile crossed her face, just as the door opened.

She leaped to her feet, hiding her left hand behind her back.

"Hi guys," she burst out as Michael and Maria came in, laughing at a shared joke.

Maria's eyes opened wide at the sight of Liz standing there, looking like the cat who swallowed the canary.

"Liz? What's going on?"

Michael dropped his keys on the counter and stood beside Maria, waiting for an answer.

"Oh, nothing," Liz said with a mischevious smile as she sidled up to them. "I just wanted to show you my new ring."

Michael frowned.

"Liz, it's 2 a.m. Couldn't this wait until-"

Liz brought out her hand and stuck it in front of them, watching their faces with glee.

Maria squealed.

"Liz! You got engaged!"

******

Michael's jaw dropped as he watched the girls hug each other.

"How did he do it? What did he say," Maria¹s words tumbled out almost too quick to understand.

Liz pulled her over to the couch and they sat down together.

Michael walked over to the fridge, shaking his head slowly.

He grabbed the ice cream out of the freezer, two spoons out of the drawer and walked back over to the girls.

"Here," he said gruffly.

Maria smiled her thanks as Liz continued her long description of the night's events.

She opened the container and handed Liz a spoon.

"Thanks," Liz smiled at Michael.

He waved it off and crashed down in the bean bag on the floor, flipping on the t.v. with the remote.

Girl talk.

When in the hell had Max decided to get married?

Michael frowned and switched the channel, trying not to be bothered by his thoughts.

******

Maria's eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"Liz. I don't think I've ever seen you so happy."

Liz looked at her, her smile fading for just a moment.

"I am, but it's weird. I have this feeling that this changes everything," she trailed off.

"Well, duh," Maria laughed at her hesitation. "Of course it changes everything. You and Max are making a lifelong commitment to each other."

Liz nodded.

"Yeah," she said softly.

Maria leaned in with a knowing look in her eyes, "And of course something ELSE will be changing, too. Like on the honeymoon!"

Liz met her eyes with a mixture of excitement and hesitation as squeals broke loose from both of them.

Michael groaned, but it only made them giggle more.

"So," Maria continued with bright eyes, "are you ready for this whole sex with aliens thing?"

Liz's smile began to look hesitant.

"Um... I think so," she wrinkled her nose and smiled again. Then she thought for a moment, her eyes getting that dreamy look Maria knew so well...

"Yeah, I just love Max so much that sometimes I wish there was a place inside him that I could just crawl up into. Just... to be safe. And I think that's what making love must be for, to make us be a part of each other in a way that no one else can experience," Liz paused, looking uncertain. "Does that sound crazy?"

"No Liz, that sounds beautiful. I hope it is like that," Maria whispered. "Well, that, or just really, really hot!!"

A dry voice broke into their giggles.

"Enough with the Vagisil moment. I'm tryin' to watch a game here."

Maria raised her eyebrows at the interuption.

"Excuse me, but you should be taking notes. This is how normal couples do things. They fall in love, make a commitment, get married... I know it's a hard thing for you to grasp, but try."

Michael didn't even look at her.

"Who ever said we were normal?"

Maria made a face at him.

"Certainly not me. The most I can ever hope for from you is a nice wave on your way out of town."

Liz winced and held her breath.

But Michael didn't even flinch, still watching the t.v.

"Open mouth, insert spoon. I gave you that ice cream for a reason."

Maria glared at him one more time and turned her eyes reluctantly back to Liz's.

Sympathy was passed mutely between the two as they dug silently into the container.

******

The phone rang, jerking Michael out of his sleep.

He reached over and grabbed the receiver, mumbling something incoherent.

As the voice on the other end attempted to pierce through his grogginess, Michael squinted at the clock... 3:30 a.m.?

What the-

Liz and Maria were still curled up on his couch, fast asleep.

"Oh, sorry, Mrs. Parker. Liz and Maria fell asleep on my couch. Do you want me to send them on?"

He blinked several times and yawned, trying to clear his head.

"Okay, no problem. Yeah, Max dropped her off her probably at about two or so. I think they were going to pack up and leave at about four... Yeah, I'll tell her."

Michael hung up the phone and shifted, trying to get comfortable in the beanbag.

Liz stirred slightly on the couch, her arm falling loosely over the edge.

Michael turned to watch her, intending to send her home if she awoke.

Suddenly, the ring on her finger caught the moonlight, seeming to glow.

Michael stared at it.

******

Liz jerked awake, a light cry vaulting itself from her lungs.

She was immediately aware of where she was, of Maria's light gurgling as she slept, of the familiar musky smell of Michael's apartment and of the moonlight streaming in from the window.

What time is it?

She looked over at the clock, but met Michael's eyes instead.

He was staring at her.

Liz froze.

The look on his face was so strange... unrecognizable.

He stood jerkily to his feet and walked over to the couch.

Liz found herself instinctively pressing back into the cushions, trying to stay out of his reach.

But he was right above her quickly, his breath hot on her forehead as he leaned down.

Her arms flew up against his chest just as his mouth closed over hers.

She felt a wave of tingling run through her, a burning...

And she closed her eyes against the jarring pain.

******

Max's eyes flew open and he jerked up straight in his seat.

His arm knocked into Isabel as she slept beside him on the plane, her head on the armrest and her feet propped up on the seat next to her.

He smoothed his hand over her hair and rested it lightly on her back, glad that he hadn't disturbed her sleep.

What was it that had jarred him so?

He had almost been asleep, his thoughts drifting lazily through the day ahead of him.

He searched his mind, but nothing stood out to him.

A smile crossed his face as he remembered the answer Liz had given him last night.

Everything was perfect now.

And the rest of their life could start.

******

When Liz opened her eyes, the world was hazy and pastel-colored.

She smiled to see chalky little lambs trotting across a field of green.

In the back of her mind, she felt an unpleasant nagging.

But she just ignored it and ran after the little lambs, laughing in the golden glow of sunset.