"Goodnight hunnie, we are so happy that you came back home," said Mr. Parker.

"Me too," said Liz as she hugged and kissed her mom and dad, " I am just gonna go take a shower and go to bed, ok?"

" Sure, we love you sweetie."

*******************

Liz came into her room and began to squeeze the water out of her hair with her towel. She changed into her favorite pajamas, which were her red pepper and spices pants and her red tank top. While she brushed her hair she couldn’t help but let her eyes wander out the window to the rooftop.

She grabbed her blanket and went out onto her roof and looked around. She saw the lawn chair she used to sit on every night, the little lights she hung up all around the walls, and finally her eyes settled on the spot in the wall that her journal was hidden. She hadn’t written in two years, and got sudden urge to get it.

She sat down on the ground and pulled the brick that hid it out of its place. Just then a rose fell out of the hole. At first she was scared, no one knew where this was but her. Then her curiosity got the best of her; she reached in and pulled out her journal along with a note.

She opened it and it said…

Dear Liz,

Since the day that you became a part of my life, I have felt nothing but love for you. You are my soulmate and my home is with you.

With eternal love,

Max

She wiped the tears from her eyes and figured he must have slipped the note in there before he left. Then she looked at the rose, and realized it was fresh! Her heart began to race, and as slowly as she could, stood up and looked around. No one, nothing, there was no one there. She bent down and picked up the rose, the second her fingers touched the rose she got a flash. It was of max, putting the note and rose in the hole, and leaving. When she opened her eyes he was there, standing by the fire escape.

She wanted to run to him, kiss him, hug him, feel his arms around her, but her feet seemed to be glued to the floor.

He wasn’t sure if he should be there. He wondered if she even loved him anymore, it felt like it, but they had been apart for long, he just didn’t know anymore. All he knew was that he had to see her again, he had to feel her in his arms again.

She saw him start to walk closer, and began to feel weak. All at once the world started spinning, and she felt herself begin to fall, but before she could reach the ground he was there, he was there holding her. The feeling of his arms around her made her feel even weaker. He lifted her and carried her to the lawn chair, laid her down, and covered her up with the blanket she brought out.

At first she thought it was raining, but then realized it was him, max was crying. She could feel the tears hitting her face, but she didn’t care, she found herself crying with him. She got up and wrapped her arms around him, as tight as she could, then felt his arms go around her.

It felt so goods to have her in his arms again. He ran his hands all over her back, on her face, her neck, and through her silky hair. He couldn’t get enough. It had only been two years, but it felt like a lifetime.

They stopped and just looked at each other, in each other’s tear filled eyes. Liz reached up and wiped a tear from Max’s cheek. She saw all the things that he wanted to say in his eyes ~ I’ve missed you, I’m sorry, I love you ~. She knew hers were saying the same. He began to trace the out line of her mouth with her finger. She closed her eyes at the feeling of his finger so sweetly touching her. He placed his hands on her face and rose her mouth to his.

Their lips met and images flooded through them. Liz could see his home, his people. She felt his pain at the sight of them suffering. She saw the fights, the blood, and the monsters he fought, and then saw the triumph over the evil he was fighting. Then she felt how he felt, when he realized it was over, all he wanted was to be with her.

He saw her lonely, tear filled nights. He felt the pain she had everyday when she woke up without him. How long the days seemed, and how sleep was welcomed because it meant dreams of him.

They broke from the kiss and just held each other with a new understanding of how the other was. Max was the first to speak.

"Liz, I love you so much, I hated being away from you, I am so sorry I hurt you like that. I will never leave you again. Where ever you are, that’s home for me.

"Max my home is in your arms. That’s where it will always be."

They spent the night together, just holding each other. Liz fell asleep listening to Max talk about the things he saw in those two years.