Suddenly Maria's song ends. The dancing stops and everyone begins clapping for my best friend. I stare at Max and attempt to collect my thoughts.

What am I thinking? I nearly told him everything. I was a breath away from opening my heart and mind to him and telling him all he wants to hear - about Future Max, Kyle, saving the world - Everything!

All these long months of feeling my heart shatter into smaller pieces each time I see him and for what! I have tried too hard to keep it together to end the world now by telling the one thing he can never know - the Truth.

"Get used to it, Parker," I chide myself, "You have many years ahead of you with this horrible lie, you can't lose it now."

Still when he told me he'd seen us after our wedding, I nearly broke down. My heart raced with wonder and amazement and I yearned to tell him the tale of two Maxes. How can anyone doubt our souls and lives are intertwined when a memory flash of a different Max crosses time and space, and defines possibility to show itself to the only man I'll ever love; and the only man I can never have.

And it is all because of this stupid lie and this stupid Elvis chapel in this stupid town. So much for the "City of Dreams", unless you count shattered ones, of course.

I look at him now. He's clapping for Maria, but his eyes are only for me.

"Forgive me," I want to cry out. "Forgive me for loving you so much that I had to give you up. Forgive me for causing you the most pain you've ever known to save humanity. Forgive me for not finding another way." Yet I smile at him and clap for my best friend.

Maybe some dreams do come true in this wretched town. I watch Maria and Michael sharing a kiss onstage. How I long to feel Max's lips on mine one more time. I wonder selfishly if I ever will again. Max takes my hand and whispers in my ear, "Thank you for the dance."

I merely smile at him. I can't speak. I'm afraid if I open my mouth I won't stop talking until I've told him everything. So I simply nod and squeeze his hand.