PART TWENTY

The next three days were a maelstrom of training for Isabel, Max and Michael. Liz didn't see much of Max. Cal and the three were out in the desert away from the chamber, and when they returned, Max was drawn and exhausted.

She was worried about him, and she said as much to Cal the second night after Max barely made it through dinner before falling asleep. She told Cal that he was pushing himself too hard.

"Ms. Parker, I don't think you understand the implications of who he is. If he isn't prepared for the worst when it happens, it could have dire consequences not only for his own planet, but for yours as well," he said.

"He won't be able to help anyone if he's too weak to fight because you pushed him too hard," she challenged.

Cal chuckled as he looked at her.

"Quite the feisty one, aren't you Ms. Parker? Don't worry, I only have his best interests at heart. I won't push him further than he is capable of. He's not human, at least not in the sense that you are. His body can take a lot more abuse than yours can," he said.

"That doesn't mean you have to push him to the breaking point," Liz countered, looking over at Max.

"I think I'm better equipped to know what he can handle and what he can't," Cal said, a little irritated.

"Yeah, because you took such good care of him in the past, right?" Liz shot back.

"I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself," Cal said angrily. "We don't need you here to begin with."

For a long silent moment they glared at each other, and Liz sighed.

"Look, I'm just worried about him," Liz said. "I don't want to see him hurt any further."

"Neither do I," Cal said pointedly. "That's the whole point of this."

"Well at least we can agree on something," Liz said, walking away shaking her head.

She'd gotten up this morning and Max was already gone. She was a little disappointed that he'd not said goodbye to her, but she supposed he was trying to be considerate in letting her sleep.

She'd felt his arm slip around her during the night, pulling her closer in sleep, and she'd lain awake for a long time, memorizing the sensation, committing it to memory. His warm breath on her neck sent little shivers down her spine, her body completely sensitized to the muscles of his thighs pressed against the back of her legs, the planes of his chest and stomach flush against her back. Every so often his arm would shift, and she would feel the silky skin of the underside of his arm slide against her own bare arm. The steady rise and fall of his chest and his strong heartbeat against her made her feel as if nothing could touch them, even if only for that short time.

Finally, she'd nodded off, and when she'd woken she'd felt the painful absence of his warmth before her eyes fully opened.

And so she tried to busy herself doing meaningless things, straightening and re-straightening supplies, organizing things that didn't need to be organized. She thought about her parents and felt a healthy pang of guilt. They still had no idea where she was, or even if she was alive. But she knew it was best to leave things as they were for now. It would only make things more complicated if she contacted them now, when they were all in such danger.

As she re-folded blankets for the third time, John walked into the chamber after his trip to town. Maria and Alex had been outside where the light was better with the laptop. Alex was working on trying to break into the FBI's databases to see if there was any further information on Max and the others, but so far hadn't been able to crack the new encryption, even with his latest program.

"Liz," John nodded, and Liz smiled at him tightly.

He caught her glance and walked over to sit next to her.

"I haven't had much time to talk to you. How are you holding up?" he asked.

"Ok I guess," she said. "Worried actually."

He nodded.

"Understandable," he said.

"Liz, about you and Max," he started.

"I know. You don't have to tell me. He's going to have to leave. He told me," she said.

"And you're upset about it," he offered.

That was a stupid question. How could she not be, after all they'd been through together? He was going to be in danger, that much she knew, and that was if they even survived the inevitable confrontation with Pierce that she knew would be coming soon.

"You don't understand John," she said softly, "you don't know what we've been through, what he's come to mean to me."


"Liz, he means a lot to his people too. It's why he was sent here. Khivar has to be dealt with. Max's life has a much bigger scope than yours or mine. He's meant for bigger things. He always has been. His people, the resistance, they know he's alive, and they're waiting for his return. It's imperative that he makes it back to Antar, both for their planet, and ours. Khivar will destroy anything he needs to in order to destroy Zan. He knows that it is sheer will alone, and the Antarians faith and loyalty to Zan that is keeping their fight alive. If Zan....Max dies, then so does the will of his people," he said.

Liz nodded wordlessly.

"I know he's meant for greater things. I knew the moment I saw him that there was something special, something different about him John. Which makes it all the more difficult knowing I'm going to have to let him go. But I will, you know that," she said.

"Yes, because I know you Liz. But don't think I don't know that it isn't going to break your heart. I've seen the way you two look at each other. I want to say that I wish that you'd never found him at the Crashdown. It would have spared you both a lot of pain. But, if you hadn't, then he would have been back in Pierce's clutches, probably for good," he said.

"I'm not sorry," she said. "The time I spent with Max, even under the circumstances was one of the most special times in my life. I've never met anyone like him. I don't think I ever will again."

John put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You know when it comes time that it will be the right thing....right?" he asked.

Liz sighed.

"My head tells me it's the right thing, but I just wish it could convince my heart of that," she said.

He looked away, unable to meet her gaze.

"What?" she said suspiciously.

"Liz, I didn't want to tell you this, but it's going to be soon. Cal is talking of luring Pierce here tomorrow. We need to finish this," he said.

"I got word from our contacts that the bounty hunters are out here in the surrounding towns. It will only be a matter of time before they figure out where he is. They're already scouting. We don't know what they know. We need to act fast," he said.

Liz was stunned for a moment. She knew it was coming, but she thought she had weeks. To hear that this was going to go down so quickly now made her heart lurch.

"Tomorrow?" she said weakly.

John nodded sympathetically.

"And after that?" she asked. "If we all survive it?"

"They'll go to the Granolith," he said.

"And they'll leave," Liz said heavily.

"I'm sorry Liz," John said quietly.

Liz couldn't look at him. She couldn't look at the sympathy in his eyes.

"I'll leave you alone," he said, as Maria and Alex came back into the chamber.

He stood up and Liz heard Maria chattering to Alex.

"He's so obnoxious!" Maria said. "All I asked him yesterday was if he could heat up the coffee, and he gave me this look like he wanted to kill me. I swear I wanted to punch him. I mean, what good is that magician crap if you don't use it?"

"Maybe he's just sensitive," Alex offered. "I can tell that Isabel is defensive. They know they're different. You asking Michael to do that might have made him feel freaky."

Maria snorted.

"I only wish that I could do things like that. Do you know how much easier it would be to work at the Crashdown if I could do stuff like that? No more begging Jose to throw things back on the...." she faltered.

"Oh....hey Michael," she said lamely, and Liz looked up to see Michael looking at Maria from the entrance of the chamber. Isabel stood behind him.

"What's up?" she asked, and he strode past her without a word.

"Good one," Alex mouthed and she glared at him.

Maria elbowed him hard in the ribs and he grunted.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%

"Don't let her bother you," Isabel said quietly to Michael.

Michael looked at her sharply.

"After Pierce, do you think that I am going to let someone like her bother me?" he snorted.

"Yes," she said directly, sitting down next to him.

"You're wrong," he said flatly.

"I don't think I am," Isabel said.

"All that time we were separated....you, Max and I, I hated humans, all of them. They hurt us in more ways than I want to think about. We'll be out of here soon. We're going *home*. None of this is going to matter," she said.

Michael nodded, and Isabel squeezed his shoulder reassuringly before getting up to get herself something to eat.

Michael stayed where he was, not wanting to admit that it did bother him. Being that different had always bothered him.

They were treated as monsters in the compound. So, Michael gave them the show that they wanted. He had been volatile, unpredictable and dangerous.

They'd been isolated, and Michael shut himself off to keep himself from going crazy. It was the only way he could survive.

The tech that had been given the charge of his care had been particularly sadistic. There were many times that Michael had received extra jolts of painful electricity undeservedly. His wrongs....things like not waking up quickly enough, accidentally dropping a container of milk on the floor, bleeding on his sheets after being knocked in the head with a book he wasn't supposed to be reading after lights out, which had cut his forehead.

He'd been called a freak, a monster, a piece of scum that should rightfully be dead.

So Michael responded the only way he could think of. He lashed out, which earned him more beatings. But the tech had been afraid of him as he grew older and more powerful, and had laid off a bit.

He didn't know exactly why it bothered him that Maria was on his case. He should be used to it by now. He knew better than to let anything humans said affect him, yet in spite of that, it angered him.

He glanced across the room and saw Maria eyeing him. He scowled and looked away.

*%*%*%*%*%*%*%*%

Liz watched the interaction between Michael and Maria and shook her head. Oil and water, she thought to herself, so unlike she and Max.

Max.

Cal had him out in the desert later than the others again. Precious moments floating by never to be recovered. Moments leading to the time when she was going to have to say goodbye to him.

The thought suddenly overwhelmed her and she was feeling claustrophobic, as if the walls of the chamber were closing in around her.

Wordlessly, she got up and left the chamber. She walked a distance around the rocks, away from the chamber entrance, assuring that she would be left alone.

Her heart was heavy at the thought of losing him. She knew there would be great dangers in store for him when the time came for him to return to his planet. How would she know what happened to him? What if something terrible happened there? She would be stuck here always waiting, always wondering.

For a long time she sat in silence, watching the desert sun set over the horizon, the soft breeze lifting her hair from her shoulders in a soft fan.

In the shade of the outcropping of rocks above her, she let her tears slide silently down her face.

"Max," she whispered to the dimming sky.

"I wish that I could help you. I wish that I was like you, so that I could go with you. I don't know how I'll bear it when you leave," she said.

There were no words that were powerful enough to describe what she felt when she looked at him, when he touched her, when she was in his arms.

"Last night I laid next to you, trying to memorize how it felt to be near you, because I don't want to forget....ever. I'm so afraid when you go that it will fade, and if it does, I know I'll fade too, because you've become everything to me. I wish that I could somehow make you understand what you are to me," she sighed quietly, wiping her swollen eyes.

"I already know," a voice said softly behind her, and she turned quickly, her eyes meeting golden eyes that swam with unshed tears.

He moved toward her dropping to his knees in front of her. He gently cupped her cheek, brushing her tears away, pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

"I know, because I feel the same way," he whispered. "I want to hold you every night, and I want to wake up with you in my arms every morning. I want my tomorrows to be with you. I want my future to be with you."

He tenderly brushed his lips against hers and pulled her into his arms.

"John told you," he said quietly, and she nodded wordlessly against his chest, her hot tears dampening his shirt.

"Cal just told me he is going to get Pierce here tomorrow," he said in a half-angry voice.

"I don't want to leave. I wish that things were different. I wish that I didn't have to hurt you. I'm sorry Liz, sorry that you got involved with this....with me," he said.

"Don't ever say that!" she said fiercely turning her eyes up to his, tightening her arms around him. "It's going to hurt Max. It's going to hurt both of us, but I wouldn't take back a minute I spent with you. Not one."

He kissed her forehead gently, closing his eyes against the tears that were forming there.

Silence reied for a moment, until finally he spoke.

"I lied," he said sighed softly.

"I know it's selfish, but I wouldn't take any of it back either. Every second with you has been magic. Every touch, every kiss, every word. Knowing you....knowing you has been the best thing that ever happened to me. How could I want to take that back?" he asked.

Liz was quiet for a long moment.

"How are they going to get him here?" she asked. "Pierce...."

Max's jaw tightened.

"Cal is going to send word with an anonymous tip. He's hoping he'll bring the whole unit with him. We'll take care of all of them at once," he said.

"But that's suicide!" Liz said. "He'll be sure to have a large group of agents with him. They'll have the advantage!"

"Cal has showed us some things. Things that will give us an edge," Max said grimly. "He's pretty sure we can take care of it, if the four of us work together."

"But what about the rest of us?" Liz said, looking up at him.

"You'll stay away, in the chamber," he said, "where you're safe."

"Max...." Liz started to protest.

"Please Liz," he said, searching her eyes.

"I can't do what I'll have to do if I am worrying about you," he said, with a worried look in his eyes.

Liz looked out over the night-shrouded desert.

"Are you ready to do what Cal is asking....I mean are you ready to face what you're going to have to do to Pierce?" she asked.

Max looked away from her for a moment.

"I don't have a choice Liz," he said. "I hate him. I'm not going to lie to you. I hate him for what he did to you, what he did to me all those years. But, it doesn't make it any easier, knowing what's going to happen," he said sadly.

"I'm not a murderer," he said softly. "If I do this, does it make me what he is?"

"No Max," she said firmly, putting her hand on his cheek, turning his face toward hers.

"If there was any other way, I know you'd choose it. He'll kill you without thinking about it now. Especially now that you've gotten away from him again. *He's* the monster Max, not you," she said. "He hates all of you. You know that."

Max nodded.

"I just....I'm afraid of what you'll think of me afterward," he said.

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

He looked down.

"I'm afraid that you'll look at me differently," he said softly.

Liz bit her lip. He was being so incredibly brave in taking on Pierce with the little training Cal had given him. He was protecting all of them. How could she feel anything but more love for him?

"Max, I couldn't love you more at this moment," she said, brushing her cheek against his. "I know you're doing this to protect everyone you love. How could I feel any different about you knowing that?" she asked.

"Because I *am* different Liz," he said sadly. "I didn't realize how different until I started spending time with Cal, learning what I'm capable of."

Liz thought of John's earlier words, how he was meant for greater things and she swallowed the lump growing in her throat.

"Max, the emotions you're feeling right now are very human," she said quietly. "What ever powers....abilities you have, what you're feeling is no different than any other human being would feel."

He gave her an uncertain smile.

"Max, I look at Pierce and I think of him as the alien, not you. You are the gentlest being I've ever met, and I'm ashamed that someone like Pierce exists, someone who could be so cruel, so heartless. I'm just glad that you found out that we're all not like that," she said.

He took her hand.

"I'm thankful every day that you found me in that shed, Liz. That you did what you did, and that you've had this faith in me, even when I've lost all faith in myself. I will *always* love you for that," he said meaningfully, squeezing her hand.

His words reminded her that he would be leaving, and her heart fell.

She felt his lips gently touch hers, brushing them in the sweetest of caresses. She pressed closer to him, her chest meeting his, feeling the pounding of his heart matching hers.

Her breath hitched as she felt his tongue tentatively trace her lower lip before his teeth gently caught her lip in a gentle motion.

She moaned imperceptibly feeling her body suddenly become warm with the reaction he invoked in her. That warmth became a fire when his tongue slid into her mouth sliding up against her own softly.

She never imagined that someone could taste so good. It never would have occurred to her before she'd met Max, but she couldn't get enough of everything that was Max. His smell, his touch, his taste. The feel of his skin beneath her fingers, his silky hair, the tautness of his body pressed against hers, the evidence of his desire for her pressed against her stomach. She felt her own body respond as it never had before, her nipples hardening, heat growing, rising in her lower region. She pressed unconsciously against him, rubbing against him.

His breathing became staggered as he explored her mouth with a growing insistence, pulling her closer, the insistent feeling of needing her closer an instinct he didn't dwell on.

Her tongue circled his playfully, and he shivered, his fingers tightening on her waist.

His hand slid up to her ribs with trepidation. She knew he was unsure, and so she took the matter out of his hands, moving his hand down and underneath her tank, sliding it upward around the swell of her breast to it's insistent center, which she pushed against his hand. His fingers twitched lightly against her nipple, eliciting a shiver that ran through her body. She felt his hand tremble slightly as it pressed against her softness.

The feeling of his fingers against the sensitive nerve endings was maddening.

His hand took her free hand and pressed it against his thigh. Slowly she slid it upward, until it pressed against the swell of his erection, pulsing lightly beneath it's denim covering.

His breath went from ragged to quick gasps, and he tore his lips suddenly from hers with a small groan, grasping her hand.

"Liz, I...." he faltered.

"What is it, Max?" she asked, looking up into his eyes.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head, looking away.

She pulled her hand from his and laid it on his chest, her eyes showing him that he could tell her anything.

For a moment he was completely stilled looking into them, feeling every nuance of love he saw mirrored there.

He swallowed hard, letting it wash over him, and turned away abruptly.

"I'm sorry," Liz said with a touch of disappointment. She had pushed too far. Being close to him had been on her mind since the night before when she lay next to him, her body pressed against his.

"No Liz, it's not what you think," he said quickly, turning toward her.

"It's not that I don't want to, I...." he ran a hand through his hair frustrated.

"It's ok," Liz said, wrapping her arms around herself. "I just....I wasn't thinking," she said.

He strode toward her, wrapping his arms around her tightly, burying his face in her hair.

"No Liz, I want that more than anything," he said. "It's just that I'm afraid. We don't know what will happen, and if we did....I don't think I could leave," he said miserably. "I'm not going to have a choice, and being with you, it will make it harder for both of us."

"I know," Liz said sadly, tears welling in her eyes. "I just wasn't thinking. You kissed me and I wasn't thinking about anything except being close to you."

"Don't say you're sorry," he said. "Do you have any idea what it means to me that you would want to be with me in that way? That you would give me an amazing gift like that? I just....I love you so much, and I want it to be forever Liz. I promised you that I would do everything in my power to come back to you, but if something happens to me...." he broke off.

"I understand Max," she said, burying her face in his neck.

"I don't think you do," he whispered.

"Max!" a voice interrupted, calling out into the night. His arms stiffened around her.

Cal.

"Max!" Cal called again from the path. "We need you inside. We have to discuss tomorrow."

"Give us a minute," Max answered.

"Don't be long," Cal said.

"We'll be there in a minute," Max answered, a hint of irritation in his voice.

He turned to Liz with a look of regret in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said, his hand rising to cup her cheek.

"It's ok," she said, looking up into his troubled eyes. "He's right, this is important."

"I love you, you know that, don't you?" he asked, his thumb stroking her cheek.

She nodded and reached up to press her lips against his cheek.

"And I love you," she whispered, taking his hand.

She gently pulled away, pulling him with her toward the path.

"We'll talk later, when everyone's asleep," she said.

Liz knew in her heart that Max was right. Taking things any further would only complicate things between them. But it didn't ease the feelings of longing, or the pang of sadness for what they couldn't have. But she couldn't let that show. Max had enough to deal with at the moment. She would deal with her feelings later.

He nodded and allowed her to lead him back to the chamber.