“You were right, Lizzybeth, I have never experience something that deep, pure or perfect and I think that it will always and forever be that way,” Max whispers into my hair, kissing me lightly on my forehead.

“We will never have sex, Max, we will only and always make love,” I reiterated, snuggling deeper into his embrace and sighing contently. Nothing in the world could ever feel this right, I think, knowing that the statement occupies Max’s thoughts too.

We lie in each other’s arms for another hour, saying nothing at all. By the time that we actually haul ourselves out of my bed and into and out of the shower, which we take together, though nothing happens, it is seven thirty in the morning. Max and I dress and he leaves, so that his parents do not suspect anything.

“I’ll be back around ten for breakfast at the Crashdown, you’re not working this morning, you can join me, right?” He questions, holding me at arms length on my fire escape before he departs for home.

“Nope and yes. Do you think that we should get the group together to start to plan what we are going to do to save your son or do you want to take a break from that for a day or so?” I enquire, hoping that he would want to get together with everyone, after all it is our Saturday ritual to do so.

“Yeah, get Maria and Kyle over here at ten and I bring Isabel and Michael, okay? But Liz, do you really want to talk about saving my son after last night? I mean, I just think that waiting might be better for you.” Max responds compassionately.

“Max, I don’t care that Tess is his biological mother, it is just half of her genetic composition mixed in with half of her structural proteins, but he is also half of you. Furthermore, it does not mean that another women can fill in the role as his ‘real mother’. As the women who loves him with all of her heart and soul, the women who shows him compassion and treats him as her own, the women who loves his father more than anything in the entire universe, and as the women whom he knows as “Mommy”. I want to be that women, Max. I want your son to be mine, and even though his mother by all genetic means is Tess, I want to be his mother by all other means. So this isn’t the life of just your son that we are saving, but the life of our son.” I finish, my voice full of compassion and strong emotions.

Without a word, Max pulls me to him, burying his face in my hair and begins to cry. I hold him as tightly as he is I and I rub my left hand in a circular motion over his back to soothe him. He lifts his head from my right shoulder and looks me strait in the eye.

“You don’t know what that means to me Liz. I was secretly hoping that you would want to be the female figure in his life, but I thought that because Tess was his biological mother, that you wouldn’t be willing to do so. You are absolutely the most amazing women, human or alien, that I have ever known in this lifetime or any other and that is one of the many, many, many things that I love about you, Liz. Just one.” Max whispers passionately, cupping my chin in his hands.

“I love you more than anything, Max and it would be really irrational for us to be involved as deeply as we are and for me not to be the motherly figure in his life. A bit off focus, but what are we going to name him?”

“I was leaning towards Clayton Alexander Evans. Clayton after my grandfather, Alexander after Alex and Evans is a given. But he’s your son too, so if you don’t like the name, feel free to change it!”

“I think that it is perfect, but I have just one minor conversion; instead of just Clayton Alexander Evans, Clayton Alexander Parker-Evans.”

“That’s even better Liz.”

We kiss and he leaves, trying to make as little noise as possible. A smile creeps over my lips as a watch him pull away. He is smiling also. The second he is out of view, I rush back into my room, which Max and I had put back together so nothing looks out of place if my parents are to enter, and I pick up my phone. I hit the speed dial button marked “Maria” and after two rings, a groggy voice belonging to my best friend answers.

“Hello,” she croaks into the phone, obviously still half asleep.

“Maria, it’s me. And you’ll never guess what just happened!” I shrieked into the receiver, pulling a her.

“Whoa Liz, you sound like you just got back together with Max and slept with him! Jeeze, I don’t think that whatever this is is that big! Or did you get back together with Max and sleep with him? You did, didn’t you. Oh my God, Liz! I am SO happy for you!” Maria, now fully awake, screams excitedly into the phone.

“Now I know why you are my best friend!” I respond.

“I want ALL of the details. From meeting to departure, c’mon fess up!”

“I’m not going to do that over the phone! Get you’re butt over here and I’ll tell you!” I say as I hang up the phone. In five minutes time, Maria is clambering up my latter and jumping on my deck, her face glowing with curiosity.

“Let me guess, you broke the speed limit by at least ten MPH and ran every stop sign and red light you came across,” I asked, my arms crossed and trying my best to look serious and angry, but the fact is that I am glad that she got here as quickly as she did.

“Maybe, okay yes, but to hell with that. Details. NOW.”

I jump into the play by play of last night and she listens, just like she always has. She remarks appropriately, with her usual “aww”s and “mmhmm”s, not to mention the “Woah”s and “Oh really’s.

“After you and Michael, well you know, ‘culminated your relationship', did you feel like your head was spinning and that you were soaring through space, being pushed by a jetpack that didn’t run out of gas for oh, say four plus hours?” I asked, though silently hoping that it was only something that happened to Max and me.

“Not for four hours, but for like a half an hour after, yeah. It feels amazing, doesn’t it?” Maria responds.

At least it didn’t last as long. I think, but immediately take it back; Maria is my very best friend after all.

“Yeah, it would make a very popular narcotic if it came in pill form!” I joked, a small laugh mingling with my words.

“What would you call it though? “Alien Sex”? I don’t know, I think that the Feds might get a bit suspicious with a name like that and all. But I bet it would become the hottest drug on the black market. Hey, we would have the advantage over all of the junkies though, we have the alien men, so we wouldn’t have to take the pill! And we’d have way more fun reaching the high than them too, if you catch my drift.” Maria manages to keep a strait face through the whole thought, but two seconds after she finishes we burst into hysterics, rolling around on the ground laughing so hard that we can both barely breathe.

“Okay, okay, maybe a drug might not be such a good idea, but it is interesting to think about!” Maria adds, once we finish our giggling fits.

“Hey, Ri? Do you know what time it is?” I question, hoping that it is still early.

“Um,” Maria strains out until she gets the chance to look the face of her watch. “it’s nine thirty, why?”

“Because everyone is coming to the Crashdown at ten to discuss the preliminary ideas for saving the baby,” I offered assertively.

“Oh, so we only have like twenty more minutes until we have to get down there and get a table and stuff,” Maria pouts slightly, obviously wanting to spend more quality “best friend dishing time”.

“Yea, I know. But face it; we really need to talk about this. He’s not just Max’s baby anymore, he’s mine too, and I want to do everything in my. . .” I start to say, but Maria cuts me off.

“Wait a second. YOUR son? When did you become his mother?” Maria gives me a horrified/quizzical look.

“I told Max this morning that it would be pointless for us to be as involved as we are and have me not be a big part in the baby’s life. And besides, it’s not like he has a mother on earth, or even in this galaxy for that matter so why not let that be me?” I finish and look up a half stunned, half excited Maria.

“Liz, that’s so wonderful!” She says compassionately, hugging me while doing so.

“Thanks Maria, I just don’t know how the others are going to take it,” I sigh, falling deep into thought.

“Well lets go find out, Liz, everyone’s going to be here in like five minutes,” Maria announces, grabbing my hand and pulling me up, through my window, all of the upstairs, down into the lounge area and into the restaurant. We walk slowly into the café and seat ourselves at our usual table.

“Good morning Liz, Maria, what can I get for the two of you?” Chiriad, a new girl in the café, questions, pulling her order booklet out of her alien apron.

“Um, just two black coffees, strait up. We’re waiting for a couple of people, so we’ll flag you down when they get here,” I say.

“Alright then, I’ll be right back,” Chiriad offers politely as she turns and heads towards the kitchen.

After she is out of hearing range, Maria leans over the table and whispers, “She seems really nice, but sorta young; how old is she anyway?”

“I’m not positive, but I think she said that she just turned sixteen. She’s my fill in for the days that I’m off,” I respond in the same tone.

“Oh, gotcha, and here comes our Czechoslovakian posse for the lack of a better term,” Maria nods her head at the front door of the Crash Down.

I turn my head over my right shoulder just in time to see the love of my life, the love of Maria’s life, the love of my life’s sister and Kyle walk through the front door of the Crash Down.

“Hey you,” I half breathe and half speak as Max slides into the booth on my left side.

“Hi, sweetie,” he whispers back, delicately brushing my lips with his. “Long time no see, huh?”

“Yeah, a long time!” I respond with a slight giggle and a secret smile. I lay my head down on his shoulder and yawn, closing my eyes ever so slightly for just a few seconds.

“Somebody’s tired,” Isabel comments, raising her eyebrow as she does.

“Yeah, as I heard it, somebody kept somebody else up for almost the entire night. If I’m not mistaken, I think that theses ‘Somebody’s’ in question only got two hours of sleep.” Michael added, glancing from me to Max, speaking in a taunting and mock-accusatory tone.

“Um,” Max begins to respond but Kyle, who hasn’t spoken since arriving, interrupts him.

“Ugh, finally! I was starting to think that the two of you were NEVER gonna get together!” Kyle exclaims, shaking his head lightly at the two of us.

Just as Max is about to open his mouth to retort, Chiriad wanders up to our booth to see if we are ready to order.

“Is this everyone?” She inquires, looking carefully around the table.

“Yep,” I answer. “do you guys know what they want?”

“Can I get a black coffee, extra sugar and a bottle of Tabasco sauce, please?” Isabel asks.

“Um, make that two, no three, please,” Michael orders for himself as well as Max.

“Do you just want one bottle of sauce to share between the three of you or do you all want your own?” Chiriad, who now looks rather sickened by the thought of Tabasco sauce in coffee, questions.

“One for each of us, there should be three labeled bottles in the smaller fridge in the kitchen,” Max offers, as she jots it down on her notepad.

“Oh, and an orange juice,” Kyle tosses into the mix.

“Okay,” Chiriad strains, a bit worried over what half of the crew had just ordered. “I’ll be right back!”

“Thanks!” We all respond in semi-unison.

After Chiriad leaves, I turn to the group to speak, but Isabel cuts me off, “So I overheard a dear brother of mine talking to another close person, both shall remain nameless,” Isabel begins, emphasizing the last fraise while looking from Max to Michael, “that you and my dear brother did a little more last night then go horseback riding in the desert.” She questions me slyly.

I give her an embarrassed smile as I turn about five shades of red and nod my head slightly. I glance up at Max, who is also resembles an extremely ripe tomato, and he looks down at me, as if to say, ‘I didn’t know that she heard me’. “Um, maybe,” I answer quietly.

“Isabel? Didn’t I just ask that question in a different manner?” Michael gives her a sideways glance and Isabel sticks her tongue out at him.

“Yeah, but I was just reopening the topic,” Isabel responds slyly.

“But that’s not all that happened, is it?” Maria, who has been pretty quiet since we arrived, adds. “I think that Max and Liz have something even more important to tell us.”

Max’s eyes meet mine as to ask who should explain the situation and I confirm that I will.

“Well,” I begin, looking at each person in our group, “Max and I were talking about the baby this morning and after a long and well though out discussion, we came to the conclusion that I should be the baby’s mother, in all senses of the word.”

Michael gives Max a questioning look, but refrains from speaking. Isabel, on the other hand, is the first to attempt to put the situation into perspective.

“Max, are you sure that this is a good idea? I mean, we were already going to have to bring mom and dad into this, but now Liz’s parents? I don’t know, maybe you two should reconsider this,” Isabel finishes, tossing a sympathetic and worried look my way.

“NO!” I exclaim harshly. “We are not asking for anyone’s opinions in this matter, just your support and well wishes, but it seems that Maria is the only one to have given us positive feed back.”

“Hey, this is your and Max’s decision, not mine, so I wish you luck and am here to help when ever need be,” Kyle throws in nonchalantly, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand.

“Thank you, Kyle, that comment was greatly appreciated,” I smile kindly in his direction, knowing that his support is sincere.

“Izzy,” Max began calmly looking directly at his sister. “think about it this way. Liz and I expect to be together for the rest of our lives and he would be a part of our life after we take that step. So why not let her be his mother now, instead of have him growing up for the first four years of his life without someone to look to and call ‘mommy’. Besides, if you consider the amount of time that we spend together now, it would be rather pointless to not go through with this.” Max finishes, glancing down at my head, which currently resides on his shoulder.

Isabel sighs reluctantly, and finally nods in agreement. “Good luck, you two, and Liz, welcome to the family!”

I smile broadly and rise to my feet, as does Isabel and we embrace. She stretches me out to arms length and looks at me with kind and welcoming eyes. “You know, I’ve always wanted a sister!” She says just loud enough for me to hear.

“Same here,” I mouth back, the smile still tight across my lips. Max stands up behind me and places his hand on the small of my lower lumbar. I step backwards and take my seat while Max hugs Isabel to thank her for understanding and for her support. As they release each other Isabel murmurs something inaudible to the rest of us, and Max gives her a semi sickened, semi horrified glance and a playful shove. With a shake of his head, he slides back into the booth next to me and slips his arm back around my shoulder and I lay my head upon his once more.

“So why don’t we brain storm some ideas for saving the baby. We don’t have many resources, but we do have that book that Alex decoded before…well you know and it should be of great help to us. I don’t think that we ever really read it through, did we?” Isabel questions, once she is seated again.

“Yeah, you’re right, Izzy, I think that we do need to sit down and sift carefully through it. Michael,” Max began, taking initiative and his rightful place as the leader once more. “The book is still hidden in your apartment, isn’t it?”

“In my bedroom. Do you want to go over there now and get it?” Michael asks, obviously wanting to get this project going.

“Um, I think that I would rather start this whole project tomorrow and just take one more day to relax and hang out. You know, as six, normal teenage friends, not half a group of royal aliens that have to save a planet and the king’s son within a period of a few months. But that’s just me,” Max responds, looking at each of the group members.

Everyone agrees. “Hey, I know what we should do!” Isabel exclaims. “Lets go riding!”

Liz and Max exchanged knowing glances, but thought that would be relaxing, so went along with it. “Wait. HORSEBACK RIDING???” Michael questions, obviously against the idea.

“Yeah, why not? I have four horses of my own and my mom has two, so that’s perfect!” I answer. “Come on, Michael, last time we took you riding you loved it, remember?”

Michael grumbles something that is inaudible, but finally nods his head in agreement. “Fine, fine, I’ll go under one condition,” he begins reluctantly.

“What’s that?” I ask, though quite sure I know what he wants.

“I get to take the Beemer,” he smiles slyly, as he wriggles his eyebrows over his forehead.