Liz smiled at him lovingly. "You can cut the crap Max." She told him, starting to walk towards him. She smiled even more when he stepped backwards, away from her, fright beginning to appear on his face. "I SAW you...I saw you heal that deer and I heard everything with Michael...I know you're faking..."

Max stared at her, pressed his lips together. "I don't know what you're talking about Liz." He replied stubbornly. Liz didn't reply, just kept walking towards him. Max stopped abruptly when he smashed backwards into a tree. He blinked. Liz wanted to giggle he looked so adorable. "I don't know what you think what you saw meant." He continued, clearly searching for words..."So I healed a stupid deer...it doesn't mean anything...helping an animal in need has nothing to do with the fact that I DO NOT want to be with YOU."

Liz just continued to smile, although it was beginning to feel a little strained. Why is he so good at being mean? She wondered briefly. It is SO unlike him. Shouldn't it be harder? "I don't believe you Max."

Max just shook his head, held up his arms trying to keep her away from him. "It's not my problem what you believe and what you don't believe Liz...You left ME remember. I don't want anything to do with you."he told her snarkily. Liz paused a couple of feet away from him. She stared into his eyes...they were still frozen, not the eyes of the boy she loved. But she KNEW that he was in there...

"Max..."she breathed, pushing aside his arms. She saw him swallow convulsively. AHA!

Liz threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. She threw all her love for him into that kiss - every ounce of her soul was transmitted to him through their lips...she fought him desperately, trying to make the connection...trying to see into his soul, to find out what he was hiding from her...

Nothing happened.

It was as though he had shielded himself from her. Max's arms were around her waist and he wasn't fighting her...but he wasn't participating either. It was like kissing ice.

Liz lifted her lips from his, stared into his eyes. They were burning...with what she couldn't tell.

"Max, what is going on with you?" She asked him desperately. "Please! I know what I saw - that was YOU healing that deer...I know what I felt back at the campsite - you warmed me up...I know you did." She felt Max flinch at that. A brief expression of guilt flashed across his face, but quickly disappeared. "What is Michael holding over you?"

Max turned his face away from her, roughly disentangled her arms from around his neck. "I'm not hiding anything from you Liz." He muttered as he set her away from him. "Michael has nothing to do with this...don't blame him for what YOU did...you walked away from me..." He paused, turned back to glare at her. "I'm happy now - I don't have any entanglements...I don't have to worry about all you guys anymore...and I don't want to ever again." He grabbed her chin in his hand, forced her to meet his eyes..."Do you understand Liz? I don't want anything to do with you or ANY of them..."

Liz stepped back, sighed. "You can say it as many times as you want Max...I DO NOT BELIEVE YOU! Do YOU understand?" Max rolled his eyes. She smiled at him again, although it felt like her face was going to crack off it was so fake.

"Oh, for God's...." He stormed off into the bush. "Just stay away from me...I mean it..."