The feel of grass under her feet made Liz realize where they were. She sighed as the memory filled her mind. -Flashback-

"So, Max, can I take off this blindfold yet?" Liz asked impatiently.

Max had showed up on her door step that evening and said that he had a surprise for her. He quickly tided a blindfold around her head and helped her to the jeep. "Wait one second and then I promise you can." He answered.

"Max......." she warned, with a hint of laughter in her voice.

"Okay. Okay"

He walked behind her and undid the blindfold. The site that greeted her eyes took her breath away. A light purple blanket lay on the ground, in the center there was two candles surrounded by cartons of Chinese. Two wine glass and a bottle of sparkling cider completed the picnic. Liz repeated his name breathless.

"You like it?" Max asked as he took her hand and guided her to the blanket. Liz nodded her head. She sat down still speechless. It was only after she saw the bright wrapped present in front of her that she realized what this was.

"Our first kiss." She whispered in absolute amazement.

"One year ago today." Max confirmed. "Open your gift."

Liz looked up at him with tears in her green eyes, before she stared peeling away the wrapping.

"Oh Max. It's beautiful," she said so overwhelmed.

It was a leather bound journal with her initials printed at the bottom. Max reached over and opened the book to the front cover.

'To Liz, My moon, my earth, my stars, my sun, my everything; I love you.

Max'

was written in his flowy hand writing.

"Oh, it's wonderful! Thank you."

And then as if she was thanking him further she leaned over and kissed him.

-End Flashback-

Liz looked over at him, as her eyes filled up with tears. This was one of the saddest days of her life. Even though she had been waiting her whole life to go to college; the thought of leaving Max tore her apart. She was leaving tomorrow, getting on a plane and flying hundreds of miles away, leaving her whole life behind.

Max was staying behind and going to NMU with the rest of the gang.

The tears started to fall down her face. Max, sensing that something was wrong, turned to her. Seeing that she was crying he quickly pulled her down onto a nearby bench and wrapped his arms around her.

"Shh, Liz it's going to be alright. It is going to be okay." Max said, not sure if he was reassuring Liz or himself. He was just as heartbroken about her leaving as she was about leaving him. He had thought about going with her, had even applied to the same school, Yale, but he couldn't leave behind Isabel and Michael for fear that something might happen. He knew that they would say to go, but he couldn't. Even though he couldn't go with her, he didn't know if he would be able to survive without her by his side day by day.

The only thing that has made saying good-bye easier was the question he was going to ask her tonight. He was going to ask her to marry him, after college of course. Just the thought of her being his wife brought a smile to his face. As the ring burned a hole in his pocket he remembered all the trouble he had picking it out. -Flashback-

"No, no, no. None of them are right." Max said in frustration. Michael sighed, getting very tired of this.

"Max, come on we have been to every jeweler in town."

"It has to be perfect." Max stated.

"Just ask her now, and you can get her a ring later." Michael tried.

"Hey, what about this one." Alex cried out from across the store. Max had brought Michael along for support and Alex, because he knew Liz really well, but he was starting to regret doing that. Maybe it was just the frustration of not being able to find a ring or maybe it was those two; he wasn't exactly sure. They walked over to Alex and looked down at the display case.

He saw the one that Alex was pointing to a round ruby set in gold, but it wasn't the right one. The sun shone bright outside and caused it to reflected the ring next to to the ruby.

"That's it" Max stated, looking towards the exhausted jeweler." I'll take that one." Both Michael and Alex let out sighed, thankful that this day was over.

-End Flashback- Max stroked Liz's hair as she cried in his arms. He felt tears fill his own eyes. He quickly shook is head to clear his mind.

"Liz" he called, pulling back and lifting her chin with his fingers.

His heart broke as he saw the tears trails on he face. Max bend down and kiss a falling tear.

"I love you, Liz." He declared. She smiled at him, for as much as he said it every time felt like to first time.

"I love you, too."

"There is something I want to tell you, but I need you to do me a favor and not say anything until I'm done. Or else I will lose my nerve, Okay?" He asked. 'Oh no he 's going to break up with me'! Liz's mind screamed, but she nodded her head anyway.

Max took a deep breath. This was the hardest thing that he ever had to do. What if she said no or worse yet......laughed at him. He did know that since there was a possibility that she might say yes that he had to ask.

"My life didn't started 'till the day you were shot, the day that I saved you. Until then I had felt like I had no real purpose here, no reason to call this planet home, no reason to be truly happy, but you changed that. You made me feel special about who I am. Made me look forward to the future not be afraid of it. " He declared, unwrapping his arms from around her and got down on bended knees. Liz opened her mouth to speak, but Max quickly put his finger over it. He took her left hand in his own. "I fall in love with you all over again every time I see you. The thought of you not being near tears me to shreds, but the future keeps me going." He reached in to his pocket and pulled out the jewelers box. He opened it and Liz gasped. The ring was beautiful. A small emerald surround by tiny diamonds. "I want to spend forever with you. I want to know that when you come back that we'll be together. I love you with every cell in my body. Elizabeth Parker, will you marry me?" He asked, taking the ring out of the box and slipping it on her finger. It looked perfect on her finger.

Liz just stared the ring, then at Max, then back at the ring. Liz couldn't believe it, Max Evans was asking her to marry him. It was a dream come true. "Liz" Max whisper, scared that she hadn't said anything. Liz looked back up at him. She knew what her answer was the minute he had asked her. "Yes. Yes. I'll marry you." She said, smiling. Max jumped up and pulled her into his arms. He started to spin her around. Laughter spilled out of both of them. "Max put me down." Liz laughed. He stopped spinning and slowly lowered her to the ground. His lips caught hers in the most wonderful kiss of her life. The need for air broke them apart. Liz stared up at her fiance and smile.

"I love you," She stated. Her hand reached up and cupped his cheek. "What ever happens, Liz, We'll get though it because we're together." He said before leaning down for another kiss, and Liz knew that he was right. Everything was going work out. They were going to be happy for a long long time.