“I like that one.” Maria said grinning.

“It’s to tight.” Liz said pulling the dress down, “and short…”

“Oh come on! This is your junior prom, live a little,” she got up and circled Liz.

“I haven’t even been asked yet.” She looked down and then watched Maria studying the dress, she was probably coming up with a whole wardrobe, shoes, how her hair would be styled, how her make up should look, this was definitely a Maria thing.

“So what?” Maria said shrugging.

“So,” Liz stopped Maria from circling with her arms, “I think I should wait to buy something, until I know if I’m going or not. And if I am going it’s not going to be in something like this.”

“Come on, it’s sexy, you have a nice body, you should show it off.” Maria said shaking Liz by the shoulders.

“It’s nice,” Max, said walking up to them, sipping from his coffee cup, “the dress I mean.”

“Hi Max,” Liz said stepping behind Maria embarrassed.

“See, Max agrees,” Maria said stepping away from Liz, who straightened nervously. “Doesn’t she look sexy?” Maria asked Max stepping over to another dress rack and filtering through the selections.

“Its looks great,” Max smiled, “What are you getting it for?”

“I’m not getting it…”

“Prom,” Maria said turning to look at them, “So are you planning on attending?” She addressed Max.

“No, it’s not really my thing.” He looked at Liz and then sipped his coffee.

“Mine either,” Liz smiled, relaxing a little.

“She’s lying, she’s going,” Maria smiled.

“No, I’m not…” Liz started.

“Is Michael around?” Maria asked Max interrupting her.

“Yea, I think he’s over at the record store.”

“I’ll be back in a few,” Maria said to Liz and left the store. Max and her stood in silence for a while and then he smiled.

“It is a nice dress.” He nodded and sipped his coffee again.

“Thanks, but no…” Liz said.

“Why not?” He asked.

“I’m not going to Prom, so why should I buy a dress?” She said sorting through the rack Maria had been looking at, “So why are you still looking for a dress?” He asked walking over to her.

“I’m not looking,” she stopped and turned to look at him, “So why were you and Michael here anyway?”

“Oh, he was looking at a suit…”

“For Prom?” She asked crossing her arms over her chest.

“Yea, I guess Maria’s making him go.”

“Maria’s making everyone go,” Liz smiled and Max laughed a little. She looked around the room uncomfortably and realized she hadn’t changed out of the dress yet. “I should change back into my clothes,” she walked over to the dressing stall and opened it Max followed her. “I’ll be out in a minute,” she shut the door and admired how the dress looked on her, Maria was right, she had a nice body, why didn’t she show it off. She reached for the zipper on the back of the dress but couldn’t reach it, then she tried pulling it over her head but it wouldn’t work, she sighed heavily and tried reaching the zipper again.

“Liz, are you okay?” Max asked from the other side of the dressing room door.

“Yea, I’m just having trouble with this zipper,” she reached for it again, she didn’t want to ask Max for help, but she couldn’t wait for Maria to come back. She opened the door of the dressing room, Max looked at her, she looked up at him embarrassed.

“Max, could you…” he nodded without her having to finish; she turned around and felt his fingers gently lift the zipper. There was a quiet unzipping, and she felt one of his knuckles brush her back lightly, there was a powerful moment of electricity, she knew Max had felt it too. She felt his hand lift off of the dress, “Thanks,” she said quietly without looking at him, she stepped back into the dressing room and shut the door. Once she was closed in she leaned back against the wall and realized she’d been holding her breath, she let it out in a long sigh.

Max waited till she’d closed the door and then nervously looked around the store. He could just imagine what Maria would have had to say about that. He swallowed in a dry throat and took a sip of his coffee. The flashes hadn’t come that strong in almost a year, but he had felt it through his whole body, he still felt it, pulsing like a heartbeat, he took a deep breath.

Liz finished getting dressed, and hung the dress on a hanger; she hesitated before exiting the dressing stall. Max was standing by a dress rack, faking interest; she walked beside him and slipped the dress back on the rack.

“Um, should we go?” She asked uncomfortably.

“What about Maria?” He asked.

“She’s probably still with Michael, we can go meet them.”

“Sounds good,” he nodded and they strolled out of the store. They went to the record store, but Michael and Maria weren’t there. Liz sighed, “Of course she would just run off,” she crossed her arms and looked at Max, who was watching her, he quickly looked down and pretended he was interested in a CD. She knew he could still feel the electricity pulsating through his blood, she knew, because she could feel it too. She took a deep breath and flipped through some CDs as well, then she began to laugh. Max looked at her, “What?”

She smiled, “We’re looking at Polka CDs,” Max looked down and smiled. “What is this, The Beer Barrel Polka,” he said taking a CD and looking at the back. Liz laughed and then he joined her, the other people in the store turned to look at them, they were laughing loudly. Liz looked down, “We should go,” she said trying to fight the laughter. Max nodded and placed his hand on the small of her back and they exited the store.

* * * *

They were walking down the main street of Roswell; Max had his hands in his pockets. Liz was looking down, watching her feet, she felt silly not talking, but Max was the one that broke the silence, “I haven’t laughed that hard in awhile.” He said, she looked at him,

“Me neither,” she agreed.

“What were we laughing at anyway?”

“I don’t remember,” she smiled, she did remember, but even the thought of it almost made her laugh. That’s the last thing they needed to do, look crazy while walking down the street especially in Roswell, New Mexico. She and Max hadn’t really had time to talk or hangout lately, they were both to busy, and usually when they did hangout it was in some saving-the-world-from-bad-aliens situation. Her friends never got to do anything normal and every time they got to a normal point in life, something would happen to throw it all out of whack again. She couldn’t even have a normal relationship. Normal girls didn’t get visits from future versions of their boyfriends; they didn’t spend their weekends in life threatening episodes, they didn’t…

“So, do you think Michael is going to have fun at Prom?” Max asked shaking her out of her thoughts.

“God, no,” she smiled, “He won’t let himself have fun, you know that.” Max nodded in agreement.

“Yea, I’m supposed to be the one not having fun.” He looked down.

“Now, that’s not true,” Liz said stopping him and turning to look at him, “You have the right to have fun, come on, what do you have fun doing?” Max looked down at her, and took a breath.

“I don’t know.” He said smiling and looking away.

“Oh, come on, there’s got to be something,” Liz said grinning.

“Well, what do you like doing for fun?” Max asked her.

“Oh, stargazing,” she smiled, “watching movies, hiking, camping, watching Alex make an idiot of himself in front of Isabel.” Max smiled at that, just last week Alex had tried to impress Izzy by jumping from rock to rock in Lake Lee, slipped and fell in, of course he made it seem like he did it on purpose, he couldn’t lose face in front of Isabel.

“Okay, now it’s your turn,” Liz said.

“I don’t know,” he said pathetically, he did know what he had fun doing, but he felt silly thinking about it, especially since Liz and him weren’t an official item anymore.

“Come on, Max, even kings can have fun.” She said teasing him.

“Okay, there is one thing,” he said.

“Well, what is it?” He did it then; he stopped her from walking and kissed her right in the middle of the street. Again Liz felt the electricity pulsate through her, she saw an image flash of the first time they kissed after she had told him her and Kyle hadn’t slept together. She pulled away trying to break the connection, but it was still strong, Max kept his forehead touching hers, their eyes locked for a moment and then Liz started giggling.

“Did you feel it?” He asked smiling, softly.

“Yes,” she nodded.

“Why aren’t we together anymore?” he asked cupping her face in his hands. “I have to go to work,” she said pulling her face from his hands. “Yea, me too.” He said less then thrilled, he turned and started toward the UFO Center.

“I’ll see you later Liz.”

“Bye Max.” She turned and headed to the Crashdown, when she walked in she could see Maria and Michael flirting through the order window, she rolled her eyes and walked passed them into the employees’ lounge. She quickly changed into her uniform and then got out on the floor.

“Thanks for waiting for me,” she said to Maria grabbing a coffeepot.

“Oh, Liz I’m sorry,” Maria said sounding genuinely apologetic, “It’s just I figured you were with Max, and Michael and I hadn’t seen each other in awhile…”

“God forbid a day apart,” Liz said under her breath.

“Hey,” Maria said playfully hitting her in the arm, “It’s not like you weren’t excited to spend some time with Max Evans,” Maria said raising her eyebrow, “I saw that lip lock…” Liz could feel her skin flush. “Yea, see, so what I did was good for you after all.” Maria smiled obnoxiously and then headed onto the floor. Liz could hear Michael laughing behind the service window, “Shut up,” she said to him and then followed her.

* * * *

It was late in the evening and the crowd had dwindled to only a few people, she was busy wiping down the counter, she looked around at the crowd; an old couple loudly discussing politics, some pre-teens fighting over a video game and Maria and Michael flirting as usual. It wasn’t that Liz was disgusted just annoyed, all those two ever did when they weren’t saving the planet or forcing people to buy prom dresses they were never going to use, was flirt.

She caught a glimpse of the neon sign advertising the UFO Center and the feeling she’d had today when Max kissed her came rushing back in a tidal wave. She’d forgotten how good it felt to have Max touch her. But she had been amazed at how strong the sensation had been. She remembered the first time she’d experienced Max’s kiss, and a tremor went through her body. She must have visibly shuddered, because suddenly Maria was speaking to her, “Earth to Liz,” she said shaking her, “Are you okay?” Liz looked around embarrassed, “I’m fine, I was just…thinking.”

“About Max?” Maria teased, “Wow, that kiss must have been something,” Maria said looking at Michael who smirked at them.

“It was weird Maria,” Liz said dropping her voice, “The flashes came so strong…” she took a deep breath as the first bars of the Close Encounters theme played as Max walked in the door.

She allowed a smile to peek out; Maria obviously taking it the wrong way nudged her and made a clicking sound in Liz’s ear. Liz ignored her, “Hey Max,” she said brushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear, and throwing the rag into the sink behind her.

“Nice shot,” Max said.

“Thanks,” she smiled.

“So Maxwell, what are you up to tonight?” Michael asked taking off his apron and laying it sloppily on the counter.

Liz looked away from Max realizing she’d been staring, she pretended to survey the café for any more customers, the last couple were just leaving. She walked passed Max and shut the door behind them, then leaned back to watch him and Michael talk.

“Don’t know,” Max responded Maria walked up next to Michael and wrapped her arms around his waste.

Liz was still watching him, somehow that feeling was still pulsating in her veins, it had been with her all evening, and now that Max was in the room she swore it was stronger. She let her breath out in a long ragged sigh then made her way back to the lounge to change out of her uniform.

Max watched Liz enter the lounge and looked back to Maria and Michael who were discussing something quietly that didn’t involve him. He silently excused himself from them and followed her. He waited a minute before cracking the door open; through the crack he saw Liz’s bare back, he quietly slipped in and let the door sway shut behind him. It thudded against the stop on the other side; Liz pulled her shirt down quickly and turned around.

“Max!” She said shocked.

“I’m sorry,” he said pathetically, “I didn’t know you were changing,” he could feel himself blush slightly; he looked around the room uncomfortably, and swallowed.

“It’s okay,” Liz said quickly, it happens, she didn’t want this to be uncomfortable. She suddenly remembered for no reason particular, telling Future Max to turn around when she was undressing. The thought didn’t help to balance the situation any. She looked down at her feet, and then met Max’s gaze again. In a moment he was striding to her, and then he was kissing her hungrily, she was in shock for a second or two and then the flashes came, the images practically knocked her off her feet.

There were stars, big and bright, and then Max and her wrapped around each other, she could almost feel their flesh touching, then there was an image of a hand, her hand, pinned down by another Max’s hand on a bed.

She didn’t know if she broke the kiss or if he did, but she was aware that when they separated they were both breathless, and she could see sweat gleaming on Max’s forehead, she involuntarily touched her own forehead to find it covered with sweat as well.

“What, was that,” Max asked breathing heavy.

“I don’t know,” she said back, they both looked at each other, each could see the hunger behind the other’s eyes, the need for it to happen again. But before they could act on it the lounge door swung open and Michael peeked his head in.

“You guys want to come see a movie with us at the drive in?” Michael asked.

Liz silently thanked him, the flashes had almost been frightening that time, had he not come in Max and her would have been kissing again and who knows what else. Again she remembered Future Max’s words “That’s the night things between us were cemented…we become inseparable, and nothing comes between us ever again until… ”

“Hey, Liz,” Michael said looking at her, “are you in?”

“Oh, yea,” she said nodding, she looked back to Max who tossed her a look that said, “what is it, what did you see”? She looked down at the floor, what if he hadn’t seen it, or at least the same thing? Had it frightened him as much as her…was what Future Max said going to come true…a million questions beat at her brain, she shook her head and took a deep breath, “Let’s go,” she said to Max and Michael and they left the lounge.

They were all piled into Maria’s Jetta, Michael and Maria in the front making up their own dialog for the movie and Max next to her in the cramped back seat. She could feel his shoulder brush hers, and there was another stab of electricity, she saw their hands again. She opened the car door and got out quickly, Max watched her confused.

“Are you okay?” He said over the top of the car as he got out.

“Yea,” she tried to think of what to say, “I have to use the bathroom,” she said quickly. She peeked in at Maria, “Want to walk with me to the ladies’ room?” she asked silently praying Maria would say yes.

“Sure,” Maria said untangling herself from Michael’s arms. Liz breathed a sigh of relief. She looked back over to Max, he was watching her, and she could see his need to be near her. Maria swooped around the front of the car and draped an arm over her shoulders, like a protective angel Liz thought. They headed away from the car, Liz looked back to make sure they were out of earshot before she spoke. She stopped walking, Maria turned to her, “I thought you had to pee?” She said stopping.

“I need to talk to you,” Liz said looking back again.

“Well, shoot,” Maria said crossing her arms.

“It’s about Max, about the flashes…” Liz continued. Before Michael came into the lounge at work, we were…we were kissing…and…” she slowed down noticing that she sounded panicked. “I saw some things…” she stopped, did she really want to tell Maria what she had seen, of course she did, this was her best friend. She took a deep breath and continued, “I saw us making love, in the stars, well I didn’t actually see us doing anything, but I saw his hand pinning mine to a bed…”she stopped, Maria was laughing.

“Maria,” she said, “This is serious…I…”

“Okay, okay, sorry,” Maria said, “It’s just you look so frightened, so you had a fantasy, big deal…”

“No, but you don’t get it, Future Max told me that when we, well he and the future me made love for the first time, they became attached at the hip or something.”

“So,” she said shrugging.

“So,” Liz said louder then she wanted to, “So,” she dropped her voice, “What if I didn’t change the future, what if it didn’t work? He said that because Max and I were so attached, Michael and Isabel died, and Tess left town. I don’t want to be responsible for that!” She was ranting she could tell by Maria’s expression.

“Okay,” Maria said grabbing Liz’s shoulders, “You have to calm down, it was just a coincidence, and the only reason you’re freaking out is because you know what was supposed to have happened. But you two didn’t get married in Vegas did you?”

“No, but, that’s not supposed to happen until we’re nineteen after we have sex.” She said nodding Maria rolled her eyes.

“F-o-r-g-e-t a-b-o-u-t it,” she said slowly, “Just come back to the car and act like a normal teenager.” Liz didn’t want to but she figured Maria was right.

* * * *

They were driving back to Roswell through the desert, Liz could see the stars gleaming brightly and then she saw her and Max’s starry figures again, she turned from the window and studied the floor.

“Liz,” Maria said distracting her she looked up. “Have you made a decision about Prom yet?”

Liz shook her head, just like Maria, she had told her something incredibly vital today and it was already the furthest thing from her mind.

“I don’t think I’m going,” she said looking at Max quickly, he reached out and took one of her hands in his. It was a casual move; simply a signal telling her he was with her in this. She couldn’t help but grin Maria directed her attention to Max, “What about you?” he looked at Liz and squeezed her hand, she squeezed his back, “Yea, the both of us.” He said. Liz forced herself to relax as panic rushed through her blood, she wanted to go, and with Max but what about the flashes, what if they were going to happen after all?

“I’m so excited,” Maria said smiling, she leaned over and kissed Michael on the cheek, “I told you I could do it.” Liz caught his eyes roll in the rearview mirror she shared his feelings.

* * * *

Max had asked if he and Liz could be dropped off a little outside of Roswell, he said they needed to talk. At first she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk. What if she blurted out everything she’d told Maria? But now that they were together walking hand in hand she didn’t feel so panicked about it.

“I think we need to talk about what happened in the break room today,” Max said suddenly, her stomach felt like it dropped out of her body completely. That was the last thing she wanted to discuss, but she took a deep breath, “Yea.” She said quietly.

“What did you see?” He asked, “You looked pretty frightened.”

“I just saw some things I wasn’t ready to see, they weren’t bad or anything…” she trailed off, and looked at her feet. She felt Max stop walking and stopped herself. She looked at him. “What did you see?” she questioned.

“I saw us,” he said pulling her closer to him, her heart pounded hard in her chest, he kissed her deeply, she pulled away casually. “It was amazing,” he said looking at her, “we were the stars, I could feel you all around me…I could feel you inside me, in my heart…” he described. “And then,” he took her hand and looked at it, “I saw our hands holding each other…” she looked into his eyes.

The flashes hadn’t frightened him; if anything they had made him realize how much more he needed her. She felt guilty for not feeling the same; she kissed him. They kissed for a long time it took a car driving by and honking to break them apart. Once they had separated, she took a deep breath, “I should get home,” she said.

“Yea, me too,” he said, “I’ll walk you.”

* * * *

She watched him walk down the street until she couldn’t see him anymore and then took a deep breath and fell back onto her lounge chair. She looked out over the empty veranda and remembered dancing with Future Max to their wedding song I Shall Believe, and then she remembered him disappearing. Tears flowed out of her eyes, she didn’t know why. She supposed it was because despite her fears she wanted that future, minus a few of the worse parts. Like Isabel and Michael dying and Tess leaving…she thought…but she wanted to be with Max. There was no doubt in her mind, she wanted Max, like she’d seen him in the flashes, she wanted to be close to him. But if being together meant all those bad things were going to happen, she wouldn’t take it, no matter how much it hurt her....

It had been a week; she hadn’t been able to see Max since the night they went to the movie with Michael and Maria. It was tearing her up inside; she’d had a whole week to think about all the reason her and Max shouldn’t be together. She could hear Isabel, Tess, and Maria fighting over the mirror in the bathroom, she let a smile seep across her face. Maria with Isabel’s help had finally convinced Liz to get the black dress. She pulled it down a little looking at herself in the full mirror in Isabel’s room. They had had a blast doing her hair and make up, Isabel had used her powers to altar it a million times until she looked “perfect”.

The doorbell rang from down stairs and Isabel, Maria, and Tess rushed out of the bathroom, “They’re here.” Maria said excited.

“Let’s make them drool,” Isabel said and strode out of the room, Tess followed quickly. Liz didn’t move, he legs had suddenly become glued to the floor, Maria turned around to look at her.

“Well, are you coming?”

“Yea, I’m sorry,” she smiled embarrassed and then willed her feet to move. They paraded down the stairs; Michael wore a blue shirt under a black coat and slacks, while Alex and Kyle sported tuxes, and Max…where was Max? He wasn’t in the crowd, “Liz,” Michael said nodding, “Max wanted you to meet him at the UFO Center, he said he had something to show you.” The crew all looked at her and Maria smiled brightly, “Do you want the Limo to drop you off?” She winked. Liz was suddenly very nervous, “No, I’ll walk, it’s only down the road.”

“Are you sure?” Alex asked looking at her.

“Yea, we’ll meet you guys there.” She slipped passed them and into the warm night air, as she walked her stomach only continued to wind around it’s self. She hadn’t been this nervous since the fifth grade when she had to present her very first science project. She took a deep breath, she was there, she opened the door to the UFO Center it was dark, she shivered, she had never noticed how creepy the place really was. She hugged herself, “Max?” She yelled trying to hide the tremor in her voice.

“In here!” She heard and followed the sound to a closed off exhibit, she stepped through the black curtain, the room glowed with candlelight. She didn’t see Max; “Max?” she said again, “What is this?” She asked.

“I wanted to have the first dance,” she felt arms wrap around her waste from behind her. Her heart gave a flutter of surprise, she could feel his body against hers and held back the need to turn and kiss him. She felt him sway behind her and then he spun her out and brought her in so that she was staring into his eyes.

“I like the dress,” Max said quietly in her ear running a hand up her side.

“Well, Maria and Isabel really know how to sell a girl,” she said trying to sound normal as possible considering her whole body was tingling.

“It looks great…” she felt him pull her closer, “You look great.” She felt his body move against hers and inhaled sharply when a flash of them wrapped around each other invaded her brain. She felt his lips on hers, and drank him in, his hands caressed her back, and then they were in the stars, just like she’d seen it.

She could feel him press her to the floor, she knew she should stop him they couldn’t do this. But this was exactly what she wanted; to be with Max, to be loved by him, and touched by him. She no longer saw him; she saw the universe and a billion different colors wrap around them, she could feel his heat bounce off of hers, his body pressed against hers... “Aren’t we supposed to be dancing?” She said in a gentle whisper. Max held his hand up and the room filled with music.

She felt herself reaching for his shirt and unbutton it; she let her hands touch his bare chest. He was warm, and soft, she closed her eyes, the universes danced round them like the mobile of the planets she had made in sixth grade and the twirling lamp her grandmother hand given her as a child. She felt his hands reach for the zipper on the back of her dress she could feel him slipping the strap down. She listened to his heartbeat, it was racing just like hers, she froze she knew that song it was their wedding song, “Max we can’t do this,” she said panicked, all the flashes disappeared instantly she began to cry.

He looked down at her, the strap of her dress rested just above her breast; he slipped it back up and rolled off of her. Why was she crying? Had he done something wrong?

“What is it?” he asked brushing a strand of hair out of her face concern invading his heart.

“We can’t…”she said quietly, “We can’t let this happen.”

“Can’t let what happen?” He moved closer to her and wrapped her in an embrace, casually zipping up the back of her dress.

“We can’t make love,” she said hugging him back, “I want to, but we can’t.” He was so close to her now, she could hear his heart pounding in his chest.

“Why?” She could feel his breath warm on her neck; it only made her cry harder.

“I don’t want Isabel and Michael to die,” she said without thinking, she could feel Max stiffen. “Who told you they would die?” He asked standing, a hint of fright in his voice.

“You…” she snapped her mouth shut so hard that she swore her teeth we’re going to fall out of her head. Had she totally lost her IQ? She closed her eyes praying he hadn’t heard her, she had been under strict orders from Future Max to keep her trap shut, and she couldn’t even do that. Now she had two choices, lie to Max again, or tell him the truth. She looked up at him; she’d made her decision.

“I lied to you about why I lied,” she said pathetically, she looked down again.

“What do you mean?” He asked, and she knew he was looking at her.

“The Kyle thing,” she said, “it wasn’t a misunderstanding,” she kept her eyes down, “it was planned, you were supposed to find us in bed…”

“Why would you do that to me?” He sounded hurt; she began to cry again.

“I had to Max, he told me some things…and I…”

“Who told you some things,” he knelt beside her, she could barely speak between her sobbing.

“He said I had to get you to fall out of love with me, he said…he said…if we didn’t Tess was going to leave and Michael and Isabel were going to die. And since he didn’t mention Alex or…Kyle…or Maria… they must have been dead too…” she was sobbing painfully now.

“Liz,” he said forcing her to look at him, “Who told you this?”

“You did,” she said.

“I would never say things like that to you,” he was hurt.

“Well, it wasn’t you exactly,” she said trying to calm herself, “It was a future you, he told me in that future we were married…” she took a deep breath, “…he said we had run off to Vegas,” she laughed a little at that. “Michael, Maria, Alex, and Isabel, they all met us there,” her voice trailed, and she looked at Max watching her. “We were nineteen Max.”

She took another breath preparing her self for the next segment, “But at the time he’d come back, they had been invaded and everyone had died, because without Tess you guys lacked something.” She looked at him to see his reaction, and then rambled on, “I love you, Max, and I want to be with you, but we can’t risk everyone else to be together.” She stopped; the room fell silent.

This had not been the prom she’d planned, and now Max knew everything, everything she swore she would never tell. She felt liked she’d betrayed him in some way, or at least the future him, but she couldn’t hold it back any longer. The only one that knew was Maria. Her feelings had been killing her; her guilt had been crushing her…she let her thoughts drift away. Max still hadn’t spoke. Looking at him hurt, she wanted to reach out and hold him, but she figured it might not be the best thing at this point. He’d been told so much in a single moment, so much that she shouldn’t have shared, that she wished she’d never heard.

“Max?” she asked him quietly. It took him a moment to speak, and when it came out she could hear pain in his words.

“We can never be together,” he said not wanting to believe it.

“Not yet,” she told him touching his arm lightly, “Not yet,” she spoke again.

* * * *

People surrounded them on all sides, she held him tightly not wanting to let go, wanting the music to go on forever. She knew they were being carefully watched by Michael and Maria, Is and Alex, and Tess and Kyle. Was it that obvious? She asked herself concentrating on Max’s heartbeat, she wasn’t sure they’d ever be able to let go.

She felt tears on her cheeks, Max looked down at her. “Don’t cry,” he told her quietly,