"Max, she's dead...Liz is dead."

He sat on the sidewalk, her rapidly cooling body cradled carefully in his arms. Words were swirling around him, people were talking but nothing made sense except for what was in his arms right now.

Lovingly, he brushed her hair away from her face. Her lips were turning slightly blue. He closed his eyes briefly and when he opened them again, they were once again pink and parted as though ready for his kiss.

He trailed his fingertips gently down her cheek as though she was the finest piece of china and the slightest pressure would break her. For a moment, it looked like she turned her head to follow his hand. He blinked and she once again returned to her state of repose.

Vaguely, he heard the sound of weeping, but so enraptured was he in the sleeping angel in his arms, he let the sound fade into the back ground.

Tenderly, he ran his hand through her luxurious brown hair, loving the sight of it, as he always did. Her hair curled around his fingers as though trying to keep hold of him. The breeze blew in the other direction then and the thick strands fell away.

He felt so tired. He closed his eyes briefly and languidly reopened them. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, people were talking to him, Isabel, Michael, Maria and Alex...he could see their mouths moving but he couldn't hear them.

Max turned his attention back to his angel, eyes moving as though he was sleep walking. He smiled slowly in delight. His angel was smiling at him, beckoning him to lie down.

He didn't resist..this was what he wanted.

He lay down, arranging his body so that his angel rested on his chest.

Now at last, he could find peace. He closed his eyes for the final time.

In the darkness, Max could still see his angel, his Liz, standing in front of him, smiling at him with such love.

"Max," she said simply, holding out her hand.

Max smiled back and took her hand. "I love you, Liz" he murmured, looking at the features that were once again so full of life and vitality.

"I love you too," she said.

Together, they took one last look at the bodies they used to be, laying on the side walk near the mangled wreck of the jeep, people surrounding them.

Together, they started towards the light shining on the horizon without looking back.

Together forever....