Not only because of the predicament he was in, but because of her reaction to him. She'd been absolutely horrified at what he'd done. Not so much that he'd protected himself - his life was in danger, it was self defense. If he'd've been a normal guy, no one would have thought twice about him defending his life. But he wasn't a normal guy and she'd seen every second of it.

It was almost as if he had no control over what he was doing. His eyes had closed and he almost looked as though he'd lost consciousness. Liz remembered the fear she'd felt that the gunman had killed him. Then Max had raised his hand, pressed it against the man's chest. Within seconds the man was screaming like a wounded animal caught in a trap, and there was smoke coming from his mouth. Coming out of his mouth! Almost like he was cooking internally. Liz could almost smell the burnt hair and flesh again. She had to swallow to prevent herself from gagging.

Then Max had come to, looking totally shocked that there was a dead man lying beside him. She believed he truly didn't remember what he'd done. It was an instinct - and that's what had scared her. Was he designed to protect himself no matter what? What if it was reaction he had no control over? What if she accidentally startled him or something and the same thing happened to her?

She couldn't understand it. He'd gone from the '80s pop-singing, quickie-by-the-road boyfriend to a killer within a matter of mere minutes, so it seemed. In her heart, she knew Max wasn't a killer. But, she'd seen it.

Liz couldn't forget the look on his face when he'd approached her and she'd withdrawn. That had been her involuntary reaction - back up and don't let him touch her. He had been devastated. Then when she'd ordered him to leave without her, basically telling him that she'd rather be caught than be alone with him again, she saw something close to destruction in his eyes. She'd ruined him.

Liz rolled over on her side and looked out into the night. It seemed like the night was never completely dark in Roswell - the streetlights and lighted signs outside her window prevented it. That light helped her make out a form in her lounge chair. Someone was on the rooftop.

She eased out of bed, pulling a light Oriental robe her grandmother had bought her in China over her tank top and panties. She slid on her slippers, then swung her legs out of the window.

"Alex," she began, "you don't need to sit out here like a watchdog."

"It's not Alex."

Liz stopped in her tracks. Her heart suddenly started to slam against her ribs. "Max?" she whispered. Involuntarily she pulled the robe tighter around her. She took a tentative step forward to get a better look. She couldn't make out his features, but she recognized the curve of his face, the outline of his muscular shoulders. "How...."

"It's all going to be over soon, Liz." His voice was soft in the night air. He sounded tired, beaten.

"What do you mean, Max?"

Max noticed that she was still keeping her distance. "I'll be able to come home soon. Alex helped us work out a plan. We're going to get the evidence the police have. Without the evidence, they have nothing on me." How ironic, he thought. I'm guilty as sin.

"How are you going to do that?"

"Tess."

Liz took a step back. "Tess?"

He gave a little shrug. "I didn't want her help, but Alex convinced me she was the best bet. She's going to use her powers to get past the guards. She doesn't have to help me, Liz, but she is. I'd say we're even now."

Liz didn't like Tess being involved. She didn't trust her - even if Max did think it was going to make them "even."

"Why did you risk coming here?" she asked, deciding to change the subject. "You're not free yet."

Max hesitated, then motioned to the end of the lounger. "Aren't you going to sit down, Liz?"

She didn't answer him.

"Please?"

She moved to the lounger and sat down slowly, perched all the way at the end by his feet. She hadn't look at him yet. When she finally did, she drew in her breath. He cheeks looked hallow, like he'd dropped weight since she'd last seen him. But it was his eyes - the despair she saw there shocked her.

"Max," she said, touching his leg.

He almost flinched at her touch, but managed to keep from it. He closed his eyes and swallowed, thinking of all the times her hands on him had done wild and wondrous things. Now he suddenly wanted to bolt.

Liz withdrew her hand and he opened his eyes.

"Aren't we a pair?" he snorted softly. "You're afraid I'm going to hurt you and I'm afraid to let you touch me."

"Max, I'm not afraid - "

"Yes you are, Liz. I can see it in your face." She looked away. "It's okay - I'd be afraid of me, too. All of those horrible alien stories you've been told are true. We are monsters."

Liz looked up at him. He meant it. "You aren't a monster, Max."

Max rubbed his forehead. "I killed someone with my own hands, Liz."

"You were defending yourself."

"But I didn't know I was doing it."

"You would have died."

"So it's okay for someone else to die instead?" He let out an exasperated sigh. "And here all along I thought it was Michael who couldn't control his powers. Looks like it's me."

Liz decided to change tactics. "Okay, so let's say you had let yourself get killed by that man. He'd already killed the attendant. I would've seen him kill both of you. What do you think he would have done to me, Max?"

Max studied her, not wanting her to have rationalized his actions. But she had.

"I'd be dead now, too." She waved her hands in the air. "You saved my life again, Max. Live with it."

He sat quietly for a while. Her words did have truth. "Why are you afraid of me, Liz?"

Liz shifted her weight. She'd never been anything but honest with Max, and she wasn't about to start lying now. "Because I saw you, Max - you were just about dead. I don't even think you were conscious any more. But somehow you had enough strength and control to - to do what you did. Like it was an instinct or something. What if you can't control that instinct? What if the next time...."

"I could never hurt you, Liz."

"I know. I know you wouldn't do that intentionally. But I also believe you wouldn't have killed that man intentionally either. It wasn't you, Max."

Max looked down at his hands, which were folded in his lap. "I took the risk in coming here to see if I had anything to come back for." He looked up at her, and she thought she saw tears in his eyes. "Do I, Liz? Because it sounds to me like you've pretty much made up your mind."

Liz didn't answer immediately. Finally, she said, "You said you were afraid to let me touch you. Why, Max?"

He choked back a sob. "Because I would want to hold you and kiss you and touch you, and I know that you are afraid of me and it would kill me to not be able to do those things with you." He covered his face as the tears came. He felt as though he had no pride left.

Liz eased closer to him so that she was sitting by his hip. Gently she pulled his hands away from his face. He turned away from her, but she released his hands and took him by the chin, gently turning him back to face her. Wordlessly, she kissed his cheek, tasting the salty tears. Max gasped at her touch. She looked him in the eyes, then kissed the end of his nose. From there, she moved to his eyes, the lashes wet with his tears. She kissed each of them in turn, then sat back and looked at him. He looked confused, almost scared. Liz leaned forward and let her lips brush his. She shivered at their touch, so familiar to her.

Liz stood up, then swung one leg over the lounger so that she was straddling him. She watched his expression go from frightened to shocked. She eased herself down onto his lap and reached for his hands. Evidently he felt as though he needed permission. She placed his hands on her waist, then leaned in to kiss him again. She didn't kiss his lips, though. Instead, she traced the tracks of his tears with her tongue. She felt him shudder, but his hands started to push her away.

"No," he said weakly. "I want you too much."

Liz held her ground and refused to move from his lap. She leaned in close to his ear. "Then you can have me, Max," she whispered. It was taking everything in her to allow this to happen. She was afraid that he was going to hurt her accidentally, but she needed to prove to the both of them that everything was going to be okay. She loved him. She'd do anything to keep him. With an effortless motion of her shoulders, the silk robe fell away from her.

Max gasped at the sight of her in her panties and undershirt, a vision he thought he'd never see again. Liz reached down and pulled the shirt over her head. The night air made her shiver, but the anticipation was keeping her warm. Max moved his hands from her waist slowly up her sides, past her ribs, to her shoulders. His hands were trembling as they traveled from her shoulders to her perfect breasts. Liz felt a jolt through her body as his thumbs carefully circled her nipples. His hands were so big, but his touch was so gentle. Liz leaned in and kissed him, on the mouth this time, and with a burning desire.

Max moved one hand from her breasts and let it skim down her stomach. He found the soft elastic of her panties and slid his hand inside. They both groaned as he slid his hand further down, finding her soft curls. Liz pushed herself against his hand and was soon moving her hips in rhythm with the movements of his hand. Her breathing started to come in short gasps, and she allowed her body to fall against his as the movements became faster. He could feel her heart beating rapidly against the hand that was crushed between them and that still held one of her breasts. This compelled him to increase the speed of his movements, and he quickly placed his mouth over hers to absorb her shout of release as she came. It was obvious she had forgotten where she was, and he didn't need the neighbors calling the police on them.

She lay against him for a while, breathing heavily. He felt her heart start to slow to a normal rhythm and eventually she sat up so she could see him. He was surprised to see tears on her cheeks. He wiped them away with his fingers.

She gave a small smile. "Think you have anything to come home for?"

Max felt humbled. "It's all I could hope for." He withdrew his hand from her panties and pulled her in tight to his body, breathing in the smell of her hair, feeling her ribs expand as she breathed. He kissed the side of her head and gently rocked her. "I'm so sorry, Liz, for all of the pain I've caused you. Maybe this is what life with me will be like. Maybe you should make a decision about being with me."

Liz listened to his words. "How long can you stay?"

"Not much longer. Maybe an hour. I have to be out of here before it starts to get light."

Liz sat up, breaking their embrace. She gave him a long, slow kiss. "I want to be with you. I love you, Max. No relationship is easy. Our problems will just be...different." She thought she saw something like relief in his eyes. With a small smile, she backed away from him, down his body, and stopped when she reached his zipper. Never taking her eyes from his, she unzipped his pants. She saw his eyes widen as she reached into his shorts and released him from his jeans. He flinched involuntarily - not from the fear of her touching him this time, but from the shock waves it sent through his body. As her lips touched him, he clenched his fists and looked to the night sky to maintain his control.