Issac: (frowning in exasperation) "Damn it, Liv! You never knock . . . . . (trailing off as he realized that the figure at the other end of the bathroom wasn't moving)

Issac turned his head slowly to see a frozen in place, Michelle Guerin, staring at him in first, shock, and then embarassment, and right before horror, something that looked like appreciation. Her hand gripped the door knob so hard, that he was afraid it might break and hurt her. He wasn't about to move away from the sink or she really would be scared to death. The present condition of his body would be impossible to hide in a towel.

Issac: (as gently as possible) "It's o.k., Michelle. I'll be done in a second."

Michelle: (terribly confused) "Issac . . . .?"

Issac: (smiling inspite of the accute embarassment of the situation) "I do live here."

Michelle: (shaking her head and focusing finally) "Yes. Of course, you do. I'm sorry . . . "

Issac: (his heart ached for her, she looked miserable) "It's no big deal. I'll see you at dinner. I assume you're staying?"

Michelle: "Dinner? . . . . I, uh, . . . (wishing she could just go home right now) . . ." (she couldn't think . . . it was even hard to breathe)

Issac did not miss the changing emotions that were flashing across her face. Her expression had changed to purely admiring, which under other circumstances would have delighted him. However, he was in his parents' home, and anyone could walk in on them at any time. Olivia was going to pay for this. Right after he thanked her.

Issac: "Michelle, it'll be alright. Just go back in the bedroom and close the door."

Michelle focused in on his face again with wide, expressive eyes. Silently, she retreated and closed the door behind her. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She sat down on the bed and eventually did both. Oh God. How was she supposed to casually sit across the dinner table from him tonight? She couldn't. She had to go home. She started picking up her books and wiping away stray tears as they spilled over onto her cheeks. Well, if he didn't know that she was attracted to him before, he certainly did now. And, he hadn't given any indication that he felt the same way. She sat down on the bed again and took a deep breath. She couldn't run. That would be ridiculous. Talk about making a bad situation worse. She would have to go out there and act like nothing had happened. And, nothing had. Unless, of course, it mattered that she couldn't form a coherent thought. She got up and walked over to the bathroom door and knocked this time. No answer. Stepping inside she splashed some cold water on her face and combed her hair. Looking in the mirror was a bad idea. All she could see was Issac and the way he had looked standing there in that scrap of material that did nothing to hide anything that was important. He was so beautiful . . . .

Giving herself a mental shake, Michelle dried her hands and walked out of the bathroom and down the hall to the dining room. Olivia looked up when she walked in and took one look at her face and immediately regretted what she had done. She walked over to Michelle and hugged her quickly, not wanting to bring on more tears.

Olivia: "I'm sorry, Michelle. You okay?"

Michelle: "What are you . . . sorry . . . (catching on) . . . for?" "You set that up?"

Olivia: "I was just trying to help. I know you two should be together."

Michelle: (grimacing) "I wouldn't be so sure. By the way, I'm going to kill you for this."

Olivia: (rueful) "Could you wait until after tomorrow night ,so I can at least die knowing what a real date feels like?"

Michelle: "I'll try to restrain myself." . . . . "Oh, Liv, I don't know how I'm ever going to face him again."

Olivia: (looking down the hall) "I think you're going to find out . . . right about now. "Hey, Issac."

Issac: (glaring at her even though he wasn't convinced he was angry with her) "Don't think that you are going to get away with it, Liv." "I'm not stupid."

Olivia: "Get a way with what? What did I do?"

Issac didn't even answer her. He just walked into the kitchen as if she hadn't said a word. Oh boy. This was not good.

Olivia: "Uh, Michelle, what happened?"

Michelle: "What do you think happened?"

Olivia: "Well?"

Michelle: "What do you mean?"

Olivia: "Did it work?"

Michelle: "How would I know?" "I was too busy trying to remember how to breathe and speak to pay attention to what actually happened."

Olivia (frowning): "Somehow, I think this didn't go the way I had it planned."

It was an extremely quiet group around the dinner table tonight. Max looked at Liz in question and she shrugged, because she had no idea what was going on. Michelle was chasing her food around on her plate but hadn't eaten anything worth mentioning. Olivia kept sneaking looks at Issac and then at Michelle, before trying to look like she was eating something, which she clearly was not. Issac was eating, but every once in a while he'd look at Michelle with a concerned expression before fixing his eyes on his plate once more. Something was definitely amiss.

Max: "Issac, are you going to the game tomorrow night?"

Issac: (looking up and trying to concentrate on the question) "Oh, yeah, Michelle and I are going. Why?"

Max watched as Michelle's head snapped up and then immediately went back down, but not before her face turned bright red. What was going on?

Max: "I was just wondering. I think your Mom and I are going to go, too. We'll probably see you there." "Michelle, are your Mom and Dad going?"

Michelle (looking up again, but carefully avoiding Issac): "I don't think so. You know Dad . . . it's not hockey."

Max: "That's true. (smiling) "Liv, what are you up to tomorrow night?"

Olivia: (under her breath) "If I'm still alive you mean." (out loud) "I have a date, Dad."

Max: (suddenly not feeling very hungry either) "You do?"

Olivia: (as gently as possible) "Yeah. Joel is going to take me out."

Max: (fighting the urge to lock her in her room) "Have a good time."

Olivia, Issac, and Michelle, all looked up at this inspite of their varying degrees of discomfort. They all looked at each other and smiled, because they knew how much Liv's Dad hated for her to date.

Issac: (to Max) "Okay. Who are you and what have you done with my father?"

Liz laughed out loud at this. She couldn't help it. Max sent her a speaking glance that just made things worse.

Max: (turning to Issac with a completely serious expression) "Maybe you would like some company tomorrow night. Your Mom and I could always join you two."

Issac: (knowing he had just been had) "I withdraw the comment. It's you alright." (He'd have to remember this the next time he decided to share personal information with his Dad. He should've never told him about Michelle and the way he felt about her. Who was he kidding? He'd do it again in a second. His Dad was the best.)

Max: (grinning in victory) "Actually, you better go on without us, I might be a little late tomorrow night. We'll just meet you there."

Issac: (very relieved) "Okay."

Liz: "Don't sound so disappointed."

Issac (glancing quickly at his mom, whom he adores): "I didn't mean that I wouldn't want to go with you . . . "

Liz: (smiling) "Issac, don't be silly. I was just teasing you."

Issac: (relieved once again) "Oh."

Michelle and Olivia stood up and started clearing away their dishes. After everything in the kitchen was tidy, the girls made their way to Olivia's room again. On the way they stopped by the den.

Olivia: "Thanks for dinner, Mom. It was great."

Michelle: "Yeah. Thank you having me over tonight."

Liz: "You're welcome. You certainly didn't eat much."

Olivia: "I know. Sorry, Mom."

Liz: "There's leftovers if you get hungry later."

Olivia: "Okay." "We're gonna go finish that project."

Liz: "Alright. Don't work too late."

Olivia and Michelle: "We won't."

The girls go on down the hall and Liz snuggles closer to Max, laying her head on his chest. Max puts his arm around her and breathes in the scent of her hair.

Liz: "It's Michelle, isn't it?"

Max: "What do you mean?"

Liz just looks at him with her eyes wide and questioning, and he knows he can't keep it from her any longer.

Max: "How did you know?"

Liz: "A lot of little things."

Max: "Just remember, I did not tell you."

Liz: "O.k. . . . . Max?"

Max: "What?"

Liz: "You did very well with Olivia tonight. I was proud of you."

Max: (deep sigh) "I live to serve."

Liz: (smiling) "Maybe I can cheer you up . . . . "

Max turned to look at her again with eyes that were already darkening with passion. How did she do this to him after all these years? Liz let her hand slide down his chest to his stomach just above the fastening of his pants and waited with an expectant look on her face. Max did not disappoint her. He held her face and kissed her the same way he had for the past twenty years. It still made her breathless. Liz let her hand slide down a little further, and Max groaned in anticipation, and deepened the kiss.

Issac walked by the den on his way outside with his basketball tucked under his arm. He didn't even bat an eye at the sight of his parents making out on their couch. It was something he'd seen all of his life, and he hoped one day that he had a marriage like theirs and a love that strong. That, of course, was the topic that was sending him outside with the basketball in the first place. Even if it meant another shower later, he had to get out of the house. He was still trying to recover from that whole bathroom scene. Michelle had finally loosened up by the end of dinner, but it had been pretty rough before that. The way she had looked at him left little doubt in his mind about how she really felt, but navigating the transition from friends to something more seemed really challenging right now. He tossed the ball at the net and missed by a small margin. Frowning at his lack of concentration, he focused in on his game.

Michelle walked out the front door and made her way to her car, carefully avoiding looking at Issac. Try as she might not to think about it, the image of him in a towel was indelibly imprinted on her brain. Issac caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye as she walked past. He stopped and called out to her. Taking a deep breath and steeling herself against the hormones that wouldn't stop running over top of each other, she turned to look at him. Issac kept the basketball strategically placed in front of him, and decided that the shower he was taking later would have to be cold.

Issac: (watching her carefully) "Is six o'clock too early for you tomorrow night?"

Michelle: (blushing and consigning her lack of control to the pit) "Six is fine." (looking anywhere but at him)

Issac: (wishing there was something he could do to make the whole situation easier for her) "Don't you even want to know why I'm picking you up so early?"

Michelle: (grateful for something to think about other than that damn towel) "Uh, yeah, what are we doing?"

Issac: "It's a surprise." (grinning at the look of irritation on her face . . . this was much better . . . at least she was looking at him again)

Michelle: (exasperated) "Why did you ask me if I wanted to know, if you weren't going to tell me?"

Issac: (shrugging) "It wouldn't be any fun if I couldn't think about how much the suspense was torturing you."

Michelle: (thinking that the only thing torturing her was him) "If I guess it right before noon tomorrow, what do I get?"

Issac: (quietly) "What do you want?"

Michelle: (this was different and not at all the way they usually played this game) "Any number of impossible things. Where would you like me to start?"

Issac: (deep breath) "With me. I want you to start with what you want from me."

Michelle (stunned): "You? What do you . . . . . . "

Issac: "Would you like to go out, Michelle? For real, I mean."

Michelle: (Oh . . . my . . . God . . . Say something!) "Something. (shaking her head at the confused look on his face) "I mean, yes."

Issac: "Are you alright? You look a little pale?"

Michelle: "Oh, don't mind me, I'm just gonna walk over here and faint. Jeez, Issac! I mean, first that whole bathroom thing (blushing again), and now you're asking me out. Are you trying to kill me?"

Issac: (grinning) "No. I'm trying to date you."

Michelle: (struggling to speak around the lump forming in her throat) "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Issac: (smiling at her standing there fighting tears. She'd really had a hell of a night.) "What do you mean?"

Michelle: (getting control and looking at him) "You are one of my best friends, Issac. (quietly and looking away) I couldn't stand to lose that."

Issac put his free arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards him, switching the basketball to his hip and kissing her on the forehead. He had held her many times before, but always as his friend. He'd held her when she got hurt on the playground in elementary school. He'd held her when that jerk she liked in junior high school asked somebody else to the dance. He'd held her last year while she cried in the hospital after her Grandmother got sick. This time felt very different. Michelle noticed it, too, and looked up at him with eyes full of concern.

Issac: "Don't worry, Michelle." "I can't promise you that things will stay the same, because I really want them to change, but you won't lose me."

She accepted what he said, and laid her head down on his chest, bringing her arms up around his waist. They stood there that way underneath a brilliant sky for quite a while.