"Thanks for taking me --." But Isabel interrupted her. "Do you love my brother? I mean REALLY love him?"

"Yes!" Liz’s answer was immediate. She stared at Isabel, wondering what had brought this on. She saw many emotions chase each other across Isabel’s features. Fear. Envy. Wonder. She decided to clarify her statement: "Isabel, I would do anything for him. He means more than the world to me."

Isabel still wanted more from her. "Would you let him go if he needs to one day? If we could go home?" Liz gripped her book bag until her knuckles turned white. Her mind was trying to shy away from the possibility of losing Max some day, but she felt the weight of Isabel’s attention and knew she had to come up with an answer. "If that’s what he wants, I’ll… I’ll have to."

Isabel could see how hard this topic was for Liz and her voice softened marginally. "Its just… Michael and I need Max. We need to know that we can count on him whatever happens and you… his priorities have changed with you around."

"I’m not trying to replace anybody, Isabel. I think Max can love all of us, don’t you? And… and I’ll always support him in whatever he needs to do. You and Michael too, because you’re important to him." Liz was trying not to cry. She so desperately wanted Isabel to be okay with her being in Max’s life. She knew how much it would mean to Max if Isabel could be happy with their relationship.

Isabel had one last test for this slip of a woman who had so completely invaded her brother’s heart. She gently put her hand on Liz’s arm and waited for the flashes.

When they came, they were filled with images of Max. Dragging Brandon off Liz at the Crashdown. How worried Liz was about him getting hurt by Kyle’s friends. Max hugging her after her Grandma died. Begging her to come back safely from River Dog. How safe his arms made Liz feel.

I don’t care!

I love you so much, it scares me too!

I’ve been in love with you since the day you saved my life. Maybe even before that…

When Isabel’s eyes finally opened, she saw Liz’s scared look and realized it must’ve seemed weird how she had spaced out for a few minutes. She smiled, a genuine smile. "I’m fine, let’s go home." She put the Jeep in gear and drove out of the school parking lot. She surprised even herself when she asked: "Do you maybe want to come have dinner with us tonight? I know Max would what to see you after his talk with Michael…"

Liz blanched. "Max is talking to Michael? About us?" Isabel frowned at her. "Didn’t he tell you?"

"NO!" Liz grabbed Isabel’s shoulder. "Please take me to him! I need to… I need to be with him. Maybe I can help…" Isabel laughed mirthlessly. "I don’t think so. Michael has accepted that you know our secret, but he doesn’t believe in attachments, let alone love! He’s had a really hard life, Liz."

"I know, but I need to try!" Liz was pleading now. "Please Isabel!"

Isabel turned the Jeep around with a sigh. Liz reminded her of Mr Takes-Responsibility-for-Everyone-Else Evans so much sometimes!

******

Max and Michael were faced off in the living room of Hank’s trailer. Hank was snoring in his bedroom, completely oblivious to the drama playing itself out a few feet from him.

Michael was angry and not trying to hide it. "Nice scene you made at school today, Maxwell! Are you completely insane? Like we NEED more attention!" He didn’t give Max a chance to reply. "You better put a stop to this now, I mean it! She’s just going to get us into more trouble. And you… you lose your head completely over that girl. How many times are the three of us going to live in fear because of your obsession with her?"

Max held up his hands. "Listen Michael, you have a right to be angry and I’m sorry I’ve put all of us in danger…" Michael interrupted him. "You should never have interfered when she was shot!" Max felt like a hand was squeezing his chest. "No Michael, I’m sorry that I put you guys in danger, but I’ll never be sorry that I saved Liz that day! She… she means everything to me."

This did nothing to abate Michael’s anger. "I knew it! You’re just going to let go of everything we’ve been dreaming about for so long! To go home, to find our real parents!"

Max realized he was going about this the wrong way. "Michael, me being with Liz is not going to mean that we will never find out where we come from." Neither of them heard the arrival of Liz and Isabel. "It just means that Liz will be part of whatever I do from now on. I love her, Michael. Don’t ask me to give her up. I can’t." Max advanced on Michael. "Please Michael, I have never asked you for anything before, but I’m asking you this. Don’t make me choose between you and Liz! I need you both…"

Max grabbed Michael’s shoulders, hoping that maybe if Michael saw what he had with Liz, he would understand. Michael gave up his efforts to get away from Max when he saw the flashes. The intensity of Max and Liz’s need for each other. How Max worried about Liz whenever he didn’t know where she was. His fear that she would be abducted some day. How desperately he loved her.

And then a pair of small hands joined Max’s on his body. And more emotions joined the connection. He saw Max as Liz saw him. Her protector. Her lover. He saw all the things she had done and was prepared to do to help Max find the truth about himself. How desperately she loved Max back.

Finally Michael couldn’t take it anymore and he broke away, leaving Liz and Max clutching hands and staring at each other. He watched in silence as they seemed to communicate without saying a word. He was not used to dealing with such intense emotion and it left him feeling drained. He started when he felt Isabel place her hand on his arm. "Michael," her voice was soft, "they belong together. She really loves him."

Michael just nodded, giving in to the inevitable. He felt a lump in his throat. Not long ago he had told Liz that she had given him one more reason to envy Max Evans, and now that envy has tripled. Max had always been his idol and now he had something else that Michael had never experienced. He wondered if maybe one day, he might also experience such love and acceptance from someone.

Max turned to his best friend. "Michael?"

"Whatever, Max!" His voice was gruff. "Just pipe down on the public displays of affection, some of us have fragile dispositions." He was rewarded by a big grin from Max.

Max turned back to Liz. "Shall we go?" He spoke to Isabel without taking his eyes of his other half. "Iz, let me take you home too." Isabel groaned. No way was she getting into the Jeep with those two now! "Its okay, I’ll call a taxi. I… uhm, need to talk to Michael some more." She sighed as Max basically dragged Liz outside, forgetting to say goodbye.

******

Liz leaned on Max’s shoulder as he drove the Jeep out of the trailer park. To say she was happy was an understatement. Max was also smiling. Liz rubbed her hand over his thigh. "I love you, Max Evans!"

Max put his hand over hers, gripping her fingers tightly. He turned away from the town, driving out into the desert as he had the night before. It felt like a lifetime ago.

Liz smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling with merriment. "Where are we going?" She wriggled her fingers, still in his grip, on his thigh. "I don’t care!" Max let go of her hand and moved his hand to her knee where her dress ended. "I just really need to be with you right now." He moved his hand higher up her thigh, under her dress.

Liz’s head fell back involuntarily and a sigh escaped her lips. Max turned the Jeep off the road. He had no idea where they were, but he didn’t want to drive any further. He needed to kiss her and he was bound to cause an accident in his current condition! He drove into the desert until he found a clump of trees under which they could park.

As soon as the Jeep came to a halt, Liz was on his lap. Their mouths melding together in relief and love. He ran his hand over her hip, making her squirm. She pulled her lips from his and proceeded to rain little kisses over his face. Her mouth roaming his forehead, his eyes, his cheeks, his nose and his jaw. Max wanted more. He lifted her and helped her straddle his hips, causing the dress to ride up high on her thighs. The both groaned with the intimate contact.

Liz felt like she wanted to climb inside his skin. His hands were warm on her naked thighs and she pressed closer to him. She kissed him, her mouth open and hungry. She felt his fingers grip the soft skin of her thighs as their tongues mated. Liz desperately wanted to touch his naked skin and she started unbuttoning his shirt. Max nearly came of the seat when he felt her hands inside his shirt, running over the contours of his chest. Liz ran her mouth down his neck, to his chest. Leaving a trail of moist kisses in her wake. Max had to fight not to close his eyes in ecstasy; he wanted to watch every blissful moment of her exploration. Her mouth on his skin was pure exquisite torture. It caused a fever in his blood that threatened to rage out of control.

Liz ran her hands over his stomach, loving the movement of muscles that followed her touch. Max finally gave up trying to live through her caresses and pulled her back up, pressing his mouth to hers fervently. He kissed her as if this was the last time he ever would. As if his life depended on kissing her like this.

The connection between them finally brought them back from the brink. They both realized that they were about a breath away from doing something irreparable. They also realized they were not ready for that right now. Soon, but not now.

Max held her against him as they tried to calm down. Not that it helped much that Liz’ face was pressed into his bare chest. "I love you," he whispered. Happy that now he could say it as often as he liked.

He felt her smile against his skin. "I love you more!" She pulled away from him, still grinning. "We are going to get in such trouble from now on, aren’t we?"

He smiled, faking a clueless expression. "Whatever do you mean, Ms Parker? I can manage to keep my hands off you if I have to."