And his eyes. Those eyes. They hadn't changed a bit. The intensity which Max was conveying through his big, amber-brown eyes was sending shivers up and down Liz's spine.

Liz shut her eyes for a brief moment and opened them again, half expecting Max to be gone, as if it had all just been a dream.

But he was still there, watching her, waiting for any movement at all from Liz that might indicate how she was feeling.

She gulped in deep breaths of the cool night air, trying to regain some logical train of thought, along with some sense that the rest of her body was still intact.

He smiled weakly and took a tentative step forward.

"Liz, I'm so sor-" he began, but Liz interupted him. With one quick stride, Liz threw herself into his arms with every bit of force she could muster.

Unknowingly, the moment she had felt his skin beneath hers, the tears began. Liz wrapped one arm around his shoulders, and with the other hand held on tightly to the small of his back, drawing his body as close to hers as possible.

Max took Liz into his arms with all the fervor he had held for the past seven years. He couldn't get enough of the security the feeling of her body brought. Circling one arm around her waiste and pulling her against his body, Max used the other hand to cradle the back of her head, and then her shoulders, and then her back. He wanted to do more than just hold her, he wanted to feel every part of her on him, to really know that she was here, right in front of him.

Liz felt kisses being planted all over the top of her head. She laughed through the now sobs that were racking her body.

"You even smell the same..." she mumbled, mostly to herself.

Max laughed and sighed at the same time. "So do you.."

"I'm so sorry I couldn't come sooner..." he whispered before kissing her head again.

"Don't apologize. You're here now, and that's all that matters..." Liz said, resting her head on his shoulder. A thought suddenly occured to her, making her pull back to look him in the eyes.

"You are back for good, Max? Aren't you?" she asked, a slight tremor shaking her voice.

"Yes. I'm back. Forever," he reasurred her while kissing her forehead.

Liz shut her eyes and concentrated on the feel of his mouth on her skin. His lips were warm, and still so soft.

Max pulled back and looked at Liz. Her eyes were closed, and for a moment, he just watched her, taking in every curve and line of her face. She hadn't changed much, except for that her face had taken on a certain maturity. Her eyes had been the same though. From the moment she opened the front door, her eyes had been what he saw first. Big, and doe-like, with a childish innocense to them. So trusting, and so vulnerable.

Max wrapped a hand firmly but gently around her neck, and cupped her cheek with his other hand. Tilting his head, he brushed his lips softly, against the apple of her cheek, tracing her cheekbone to her earlobe, and then down her neck.

Liz released a soft moan as Max continued planting sweet, slow, open mouthed kisses down and across her throat, leading back up to her chin.

Max kissed her eyelids and waited for Liz to open her eyes. Liz slowly lifted her eyes and looked at Max. He was still watching her, with that intense gaze that told Liz without words that he saw her as beautiful. His gaze lowered to her lips.

Liz leaned in and closed her eyes, waiting for Max to do the same. He moved in closer and shut his eyes slowly.

And then, as if in a dream, Max brought his lips down upon Liz's, and brushed them softly across, so that they were just barely touching. When for a moment, Max didn't move, Liz brought her hand to the back of his neck and pulled his lips to her own.

Max felt a shudder undulate throughout his body at the urgency of Liz's tongue against his lips. Deepening the kiss, he drew her closer.

After several minutes, Liz broke away gasping for air. Max found himself laughing softly as she rested her lips on the side of his mouth.

"There's so much I want--I need to say to you, Liz..." he whispered against her skin.

"I know," she smiled and kissed him slowly and softly. "But we have all night...and all day tomorrow..." her voice trailed off as a tear escaped her eye and fell onto Max's cheek.

"We have forever..." he whispered, softly kissing away another tear that had made it's way down her cheek.

"Max...I love you..."