Little Cloud/Apples Eye (M/L M/M,Mature,AU) Complete 21/7/06

[Oz]

Thanks everyone. I'm finally back with the next part.

RhondaAnn - Thanks for my 1st ever bump! And here I thought people were just reading my fic to be polite ... I have been neglecting this fic in the last few weeks, but I finally got motivated to write Beware of the Phoenix so I have been concentrating on that. Also, we're getting to the crux of the story for this one and I didn't want to mess it up by rushing it. Anyway, lucky for you I finally got motivated to write this part while waiting for my plane in the airport tonight.

Walking Contradiction - Thank you for the very thoughtful feedback. If it goes to plan it should hopefully all come together like you have predicted.

DISC ONE - LITTLE CLOUD


Tonight

You can go to be Wednesday you’re a wanted man
And wake up someone else
Your oldest friends on the sweetest night
Now even they can’t help

And you run to stay still
You hope your heart explodes
Your beating wings

Tonight is made of all the space
In all the empty arms where lovers left their place
Before the love had passed

All drowning men are cowards out at sea
She wouldn’t cry with you
Try and be kind to yourself when you’re feeling bad
‘Cause there’s no better way through

And you run to stay still
You hope your heart explodes
Your beating wings

And you wander down the hill
And you’ve lost it all
Into the sky again

Tonight is made of all the space
In all the empty arms where lovers left their place
Before the love had passed

You spin the lover’s curse
And trapped without the words to get her to agree
Together you’d be free

Sometimes you got to look into the sky and become small again

The note of a single star, it don’t matter where you are
It’s an arrow saying goodbye, goodbye

Tonight is made of all the space
In all the empty arms where lovers left their place
Before the love had passed

You spin the lover’s curse
And trapped without the words to get her to agree
Together you’d be free
Together you’d be free

Tonight is made of all the space
In all the empty arms where lovers left their place
Before the love had passed


For the first time in a very long time, Max felt things were beginning to look up for him. It turned out the angel across the hall was flesh and blood, and actually seemed to enjoy spending time with him – even if it meant occasionally having to haul him up off of the hallway floor. Even when he hadn’t been out drinking, she still came over late, just to share a coffee and talk about her day. She was a nurse, so she often had to work late shifts, and afterwards, even after midnight, she didn’t want to go straight home to sleep. Max didn’t sleep much so he welcomed the company. At the end of her night shifts she would turn up in time for breakfast, and he always made sure he had bacon and eggs cooking on the stove for her.

This had gone on for a few weeks and, although attracted to her, Max had never made a move on her (except possibly when he was drunk and had no control over his actions). Those nights were becoming few and far between, and Max felt more in control of his life. He was beginning to see his old friends were not much help when it came to encouraging him to drink less and take care of himself. But Liz had managed to ground him, like no other woman had been able to do. She was the voice in his head when deciding whether to have one more beer, and she was the face he saw when he told himself he could become a better person.

He had woken that morning with one thought in his mind. He was in love with Liz Parker and he wanted to shout it to the sky. Max Evans was in love for the first time in his life, and for the first time he had no idea what to do. He had slept with many women, but had never loved any of them. He had never tried to woo them, shared his feelings or poured his heart out. But today, he wanted to do all of that. He wanted to tell Liz how he felt, bare is soul, and maybe, just maybe, she would tell him that she felt the same.

Tonight she was finishing work at eleven, and instead of the usual supper, he decided to cook her a real dinner. He had been to the market during the morning to purchase some fresh swordfish and salad, a bottle of wine, and ingredients to bake a cheesecake. The cheesecake was harder to make than he had first thought, and he tried to picture what Isabel had done when she baked it for his nineteenth birthday. Isabel had always been such a good cook, and he hoped some of her talent had managed to rub off on him. He smiled at the thought that he was able to think of Isabel and not need to drown his grief in a bottle.

He hadn’t told Liz of his plans for dinner, so when she eventually walked through his door, she stood gaping at the candlelit table and formal place settings.

“Hi.” Max said, leading her inside, closing the door behind her, and taking her bag off her shoulder.

“What’s all this?” Liz said a little shocked.

“I thought you might be hungry so I made dinner.” Max said, pulling a chair out for her to sit down in.

“Wow. I … I’ve never had someone cook for me before.” Liz replied, still a little flabbergasted.

“Well, I hope it lives up to expectations. I don’t cook much, except perhaps for bacon and eggs.” Max smiled, before heading back to the kitchen to serve the fish onto their plates already waiting with salad. After adding is special sauce of chilli, lemon and coriander, he placed a plate in front of Liz, and then took a seat opposite her.

“This looks great Max.” Liz complimented.

“Wait until you try it before you dish out compliments.” Max smiled.

“Mmm, it tastes good too.” Liz said, after taking a bite. “Have you ever thought of becoming a chef?”

“Do you really think it’s good?” Max said, inwardly giving himself high-fives and beaming with delight.

“Absolutely. I’ll have to come for dinner more often.” Liz smiled, before taking another bite.

“Can I offer you some wine?” Max said, picking up the bottle of Riesling that had been waiting on the table.

“Uh, I don’t think so … and I don’t think you should either.” Liz said honestly.

“It’s just a bottle of wine.” Max replied.

“To most people perhaps, but not to you. To you it’s a crutch.”

“No it’s not …” Max began to argue.

“Then you wouldn’t mind if we gave it a miss tonight then?” Liz said, picking up the bottle and putting it back in the fridge. She grabbed some chilled water instead.

“Of course not.” Max mumbled in reply. Admittedly he had been drinking less, but seeing the bottle waiting in the fridge all day for tonight had made him a little thirsty.

They enjoyed a nice meal together, chatting about their day and Max’s almost perfect attempt at baking a strawberry cheesecake. After dinner they retired to the lounge room and Max made them both hot chocolates, not wanting to load them each with caffeine so late at night. While Liz was busy flipping through an old album that Max had left on the coffee table, Max took the opportunity to pour a shot of scotch in his drink.

“How old were you in this photo?” Liz asked, pointing to a photo of Max and Isabel making sandcastles on the beach.

“Twelve. We spent our entire summer down on the beach that year. My mother would call Isabel her ‘little mermaid’ and would joke that we would come back one day with a fish tail. Isabel loved the water so much. She won the junior life saving competition that year.”

“Wow. And what about this one?” Liz asked, flipping the page.

They went on like that for a while, with Max recounting his childhood with Isabel and Michael. He had pulled the album out that morning, wanting to reminisce about the good ol’ days, back to a time when he, Isabel and Michael had been happy. Looking back now, he remembered how he had envied Isabel and Michael’s relationship, and how he had wished that someone would love him just as much. Lately he had been wishing the same thing, but with a particular girl in mind.

“Liz?” Max said, feeling courageous all of a sudden, “I just wanted to say, I really like you.”

“I like you too Max.” Liz replied.

“No, I mean, I really like you. I think I’m falling in love with you.” Max admitted.

“Wow. Oh, wow, um…” Liz replied, taking a bit aback. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Forget it.” Max replied, rising to leave, taking the hint that she obviously didn’t feel the same way about him.

“No, Max. It’s not you, okay?” Liz said, putting a hand on his arm to stop him getting up from the couch. “I really like you too, and I’ve definitely thought about it, it’s just …I don’t know if I’m ready for all that.”

“All what exactly?” Max asked confused. “Love? Happiness?”

“No, I’m not ready for the fallout.” Liz admitted. “I don’t want our friendship to end.”

“Who says it’s going to?” Max asked.

“Because I have been in love with an alcoholic before, and it didn’t end well. It can never end well.”

“What happened?” Max asked, concerned, but at the same time jumping for joy that she had used the word ‘love’.

“His name was Charlie, and he was my best friend’s brother. He was my first boyfriend, and we were inseparable at High School. He was a year older than me, and in a band. Anyway, he started getting into drugs and drinking, and things went downhill pretty quickly…” Liz trailed off, caught up in the memories.

“One night, in one of his drunken binges he threw me across the room.” Liz said, indicating to the scar she still had above her eyebrow. “We broke up for a little while, but then he was in a car accident. He hurt his leg pretty badly, and had to be in physiotherapy for months. I guess I still felt responsible for him, I don’t know, so I would drive him around and help him with his exercises. I still wasn’t able to get through to him though, and he continued his drinking and his little pity-party. He could no longer hurt me physically, but he could hurt me emotionally. Eventually I couldn’t take it anymore and I had to learn to let go and concentrate on looking after myself. Its taken years to get back to a place where I can be happy, but I’ve never been able to get close to anyone again. Instead I have put my energy into helping people at the hospital who appreciate me.”

“What happened to him?” Max asked.

“He’s been in and out of rehab a few times, jail once or twice. I still see him occasionally and lately it looks like he’s going through a good patch. Only time will tell I guess. Anyway, that’s why I can’t be more than just your friend right now.”

“I’m not him though.” Max pointed out.

“I know you’re not, but you can’t guarantee what will happen when you’ve had too much to drink.” Liz replied. “I can’t go through the worry of wondering whether tonight will be the night that you lose control. I just can’t do that again.”

“I would never hurt you.” Max promised.

“I know you wouldn’t, not deliberately.”

“So, when I can prove to you that I’m completely sober and I don’t have a drinking problem, you’ll consider letting me in as more than just a friend?” Max prodded, wanting some kind of hope that he wasn’t the only one with these feelings.

“If you get help and get sober, I’ll consider it.” Liz replied.

“And until then, we can still be friends?”

“Of course.” Liz replied. “I love spending time with you.”

“Me too.” Max replied with a smile. Just friends was okay. Right now, he would take what he could get.

“Would you like another drink?” Max asked, reaching past Liz to pick up their mugs off the coffee table.

Liz looked at Max for a moment, then looked at his mug. Grabbing it from him she took a sniff.

“Max?” Liz asked hesitantly. “What did you put in here?”

“Nothing.” Max replied, a little too quickly.

“Don’t tell me it’s nothing. I can smell it on your breath.” Liz said, and Max could see the look of disappointment on her face. She quickly proceeded to the kitchen where she found the bottle of scotch hidden behind a stack of dishes.

“What’s this?” Liz asked, holding up the bottle.

“It’s not what you think.” Max replied.

“Not a crutch, huh? You’re ‘completely sober’?.” Liz said, taking of the lid of the bottle and proceeding to pour the contents down the sink. Once she was done with that bottle she opened the wine and did the same.

“I only had a sip, just a nightcap.” Max protested.

“Just one night. All I wanted was one night without alcohol, and you couldn’t even do that.” Liz replied, beginning to collect her coat and bag to leave.

“No, please, don’t go.” Max said, barring the doorway.

“I can’t do this Max, not again. Okay, so you had something to drink – fine. But then lying about it? It’s already starting. How can we have a relationship when you can’t even be honest with me? What’ll be next?”

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t want you to be disappointed in me. I promise I’ll stop drinking for you.”

“You need to do it for you, Max. Not for me. I can help you, but you need to want me to.”

Max was silent.

“Call me when you work out what you want.” Liz said, before pushing her way past him and out the door.

Max pressed his ear up against the door, listening for the familiar click of her apartment door opening, and then closing behind her. He let his body slide down the door to the floor, where he put his head in his hands a cried. Cried for the life he could have had, the life he had dreamt about, and the life that he could feel slowly slipping through his fingers. He knew that if he made one false move he could lose her for good, and he couldn’t bear the thought.

He could stop drinking, he knew he could. She was worth changing his life for. He just didn’t know whether he could stand another look of disappointment on her face if he had a fall. And he knew he would fall. No matter how confident he had tried to sound, promising her that he was sober, he knew he needed help. He wasn’t as strong as he had tried to tell himself, and he wouldn’t be able to do it cold turkey. He had already proved that. So when he did fall, would she be there to catch him?

[Oz]

Thanks everyone. The feedback is overwhelming.

I'm really happy with how this part turned out, so I hope you enjoy it.

BTW - one exam down, one to go


DISC TWO - THE APPLE'S EYE


Stay With Me

You’re watching the Sunday night movie
I’m looking at the gun-grey dawn way below me frozen quiet

The line goes dead before I’ve had my fill of words of reassurance
That my home is still my home, it’s something to believe in

Stay with me
Ah won’t you stay a bit longer and see
It’s all I need, across the sea
To get on the phone and hear you say
You’ll stay with me

I walk around Ludlow into a bar to not get drunk
For one sympathetic glance and touch the back wall
Straight back out the front

On your side of the night cicadas are the sound of the earth creaking
As it’s slowing down to spin you into sleep in your home-town

Stay with me
Ah won’t you stay a bit longer and see
It’s all I need, across the sea
To get on the phone and hear you say
You’ll stay with me

Back home a little feeling of enterprise
Make a little thread for you and I hope it shines

That is not the wind
This building it’s flying through the darkness so I can be close to you

Stay with me
Ah won’t you stay a bit longer and see
It’s all I need, across the sea
To get on the phone and hear you say
You’ll stay with me


Michael paced his apartment until he could see a line in the floor where he had worn away the polish. It was Sunday afternoon and Maria’s flight would leave in an hour. They had not spoken since she walked out of his apartment that day, after telling him that she loved him. She was all he had thought about every second of the day and night since then, and he was looking a little ragged because of it. How could she have this effect on him? It wasn’t supposed to happen. Isabel had been the love of his life - one in a million. It was enough that he had been in love once; he wasn’t supposed to fall twice.

And that is what he had done. At 2am the previous morning he had woken with the realisation that he was in love with Maria, and that scared him to death. Now he was pacing the floor, inwardly debating whether or not to run to the airport and declare his undying love for her, or stay where he was, where it was safe, and live alone with his memories of Isabel.

“Fuck it.” He said, grabbing his jacket and keys and running out of the apartment to hail a cab.

In the back of the cab, on his mobile, he called the airport to check the flight number and departure time. The flight was a domestic flight to Los Angeles where she would get a connection to Sydney, so he wouldn’t have to worry about sweet-talking his way through customs. The flight was boarding in thirty minutes, and he was at least twenty minutes away. As the cab finally pulled up outside JFK, Michael handed more than enough money to the cabbie for the fare, and then bolted inside the airport. Dodging people with trolleys and suitcases, he had never run so fast in his life.

Gate 20, 21, 22, he was almost there. As he reached gate 23, catching his breathe he scanned the gate to find Maria in the crowd. She wasn’t there.

“Shit.” Michael breathed, and wondered what he should do now. Running over to nearest airline employee who was shuffling papers behind the desk at the gate, he had an idea.

“Hi. I need you to page someone for me.” Michael said, still puffing.

“I’m sorry sir, but the announcement system is only to be used for airport business. It is not your personal pager.” The grumpy man behind the counter explained.

“You don’t understand. This is an emergency.” Michael pleaded.

“Sorry sir, you’ll just have to use the pay phone like regular people.” The grumpy man replied before walking away.

“Is there a problem here?” A voice asked from behind him. It was a female airline employee.

“I really need to talk to someone who is supposed to be on this flight. I was hoping you could page her for me?” Michael sweet-talked.

“What’s her name?” The woman asked, checking the manifest.

“Maria Deluca.” Michael replied.

“As in, Broadway star Maria Deluca?” The woman asked.

“Yeah, that’s her.”

“And you are?” The woman looked dubious. Was this guy a crazy fan or did he really know her?

“I’m her boyfriend, at least I think I’m still her boyfriend. You see, we had this fight, and I need to speak with her before she flies out of my life forever.” Michael tried to explain.

“She’s in the first-class lounge.” The woman replied. “She’ll be called for boarding in a few minutes. You can wait here for her.”

“Thank you.” Michael replied.

He tried to sit in one of the empty seats at the gate, but he was feeling too agitated, so he stood up again and began pacing the floor.

“Ladies and Gentlemen. This is an announcement is for passengers departing on flight QF3186 to Los Angeles. Your airplane is now ready for boarding at gate 23. Would passengers seated in rows 13 to 29 please begin boarding the aircraft.”

Michael scanned the people beginning to make their way to the gate. Maria would have heard the announcement and be on her way to the gate. Michael was jumping out of his skin with nerves, attempting to watch every direction for the first sight of her.

“Michael?” A voice said, as he swung around to find her standing in front of him. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to tell you something.” He said hesitantly. Now that he had the chance, he was suddenly nervous.

“What?” Maria prodded.

“I came to tell you – I love you too.” He blurted.

Maria’s eyes lit up.

“You do?!” Maria asked.

“I do. And I should have told you before you walked out of my door, but I was so scared. But now …”

“Now …” Maria prodded again.

“Now I’m more scared of losing you.”

“Does that mean you’re coming to Sydney with me?” Maria asked hopefully.

“Not yet. I still need time. But I want to tell you why.” Michael offered.

“Ladies and Gentlemen. This is an announcement is for passengers departing on flight QF3186 to Los Angeles. Would passengers seated in rows 1 to 12 please begin boarding the aircraft at gate 23.”

“That’s me.” Maria said.

“Okay.” Michael replied reluctantly. They didn’t have time for him to tell her everything now.

“I’ll call you when I land and we can talk then?” Maria offered. She wished she didn’t have to go now that Michael had finally agreed to tell her what was haunting him.

“Okay.” Michael agreed, disappointed that she was going so soon, before they had a chance to clear everything up.

“I’ll miss you.” Maria said, putting down her carry-on luggage and reaching up to hug Michael. He returned her hug with such fierceness she almost thought she was going to break in two.

“I love you.” He said, burying his face in the crook of her neck.

“I love you too Michael.” Maria replied.

“Ladies and Gentlemen. This is the final call for passengers departing on flight QF3186 to Los Angeles. Would all remaining passengers please make their way to gate 23 for immediate departure.”

“I have to go.” Maria said, breaking away and picking up her luggage. “I’ll call you.”

“I’ll be waiting.” Michael replied, as he struggled to hold back the tears that was forming in his eyes.

“Bye.” Maria mouthed from the gate before she headed down the tunnel to the waiting plane.

* * * * *

“Hello.” Michael answered the phone on the first ring. He had been waiting for the phone to ring all night, not exactly sure if she would call as soon as she landed, or after she had settled in.

“Hi.” Maria’s sleepy jet-lagged voice said at the other end of the line.

“How was your flight?” He asked, wanting to get the pleasantries out of the way so they could talk properly.

“Too long.”

“Where are you staying?” Michael asked.

“They were going to put me up in a hotel in the city, but I decided to stay with my mum instead. She’s got a place at Manly.”

“What time is it there?”

“Uh, it must be about 8:30pm. The Sunday night movie is about to start. What time is it there?”

“6:30am. The sun is just coming up.” Michael said, as he pulled the curtain back to look down on the grey morning outside.

“Did I get you out of bed?” Maria asked apologetically.

“I was awake, waiting for your call.” Michael admitted.

“That’s sweet. Thank you.” Maria yawned. “So, you wanted to talk?”

“I don’t know if now is such a good idea. You’re tired.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t sleep much on the plane, and the jet-lag is really beginning to set in.”

“Why don’t you go to bed? We can talk tomorrow.” Michael offered.

“Are you sure?” Maria asked, not wanting Michael to think she wasn’t interested in what he was going to tell her.

“I’m sure. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Michael replied.

“Okay. Love you. Bye.” Maria said.

“Love you too.” Michael replied as the line went dead.

Michael was disappointed. Maria had only been gone less than 36 hours and he was already missing her like crazy. He wanted to hear her voice longer. He wanted her to tell him that she missed him, that she wanted him, that she didn’t feel like home without him. That she would forgive him for not telling her about Isabel sooner.

He decided that since he wouldn’t be able to sleep, he might as well get dressed and go for a walk. He needed to exert some of his pent up nervous energy. He doubted Maria would call again for at least another eight hours.

Around ten in the morning, Michael found himself standing outside a bar in Ludlow on the lower east side that was actually open that early in the morning. He had never gone to a bar that early in the morning before, but he wanted company, even if it was just the company of a talkative barman.

Michael pushed open the door and walked from the frozen morning into the warmth of the bar. It wasn’t empty, which surprised him a little, but then wondered whether the other patrons were all here for the same reason as he was, to share their lonely lives with someone, anyone.

Walking towards the back, Michael had an image of Maria getting into bed, falling asleep on a warm balmy night to the sound of cicadas drifting through an open window. That was enough to convince Michael that he shouldn’t be in the bar, but in his apartment waiting for her next call. On reaching the back wall, he turned back and headed back out into the cold morning, receiving a sympathetic glance from the barman as he left.

As he walked through the door to his apartment, the phone began to ring. It was too early to be Maria, but that didn’t stop Michael racing for the phone.

“Hello?” He said with bated breath.

“I forgot to tell you something.” Maria said, sounding slightly more awake than she had before. “I forgot to tell you how much I miss you, and I wish you were here with me.”

“I miss you too.” Michael breathed a sign of relief. It was what he was longing to hear. “But why aren’t you asleep?”

“I slept for a couple of hours, but the jet-lag is wreaking havoc with my body clock. It still thinks its 11am.”

“It is.” Michael smiled, looking at his watch.

“So since I’m up anyway, do you want to have that talk?” Maria asked.

“Yeah, we should.” Michael replied, not really knowing where to start. Sliding down the wall he took a seat on the floor.

“Okay, here goes. The reason I have been so scared of getting involved, why I have been unwilling to talk about my past, is because until recently I was married.”

There was a pause, and Michael wondered if Maria was going to say anything or whether he should continue while he still had the chance.

“Wow, I didn’t see that coming.” Maria replied. “How recently?”

“Until about a year ago.”

“When you came to New York…” Maria said, putting the pieces together. “What happened?”

“She … Isabel, she had cancer. She died.” Michael said, unable to stop the tears rolling down his face. He was glad Maria couldn’t see him now.

“I’m so sorry.” Maria replied, and Michael could hear the concern in her voice.

“Thank you.” Michael replied.

“I wish you had told me sooner.” Maria said. “I would have understood.”

“I know.” Michael replied. “It’s just … Isabel was the love of my life, and it has taken me a really long time to realise that I can move on and be happy without her. It was hard to admit that I could love again. I felt like I was cheating on her by being with you.”

“And now?” Maria prompted.

“Now, I miss you so much that all I want is to be with you, and I hope that Isabel, wherever she is, will forgive me.”

“I miss you too Michael.” Maria replied, wishing she wasn’t on the other side of the world, and could comfort him properly. “And I’m sure that Isabel would want you to be happy.”

“I think she would too.” Michael agreed, feeling like a weight was being lifted from him.

“I’ll always be here for you, no matter what, you know that don’t you?” Maria asked. “And you can take as much time as you need. I’ll understand.”

“Thanks Maria, but I’ve been thinking…” Michael began. “Maybe I’m ready to go home. Maybe it’s time to stop running from the past.”

“Are you sure?” Maria asked concerned, but also excited that he was willing to do this for her.

“I’m sure.” Michael replied. And he was.

"Anyway, I should let you get back to bed." Michael said.

"No. Stay with me. I want to hear your voice some more." Maria replied.

And they talked for hours, until they felt the other was just on the other side of the wall, not half a world away.

[Oz]

I need to give a big blanket apology for this part. I'm sorry, but the lyrics made me do it!!

This song is one of my favourites. Only piano and vocals, and short and sweet, but very emotional (so you should listen to it if you get the chance).

And with only one song to go on this CD it's going to be an effort to tie it all up after what I have done in this part!



DISC ONE - LITTLE CLOUD


12 Hours'

Spent 12 hours drinking
Slept with someone that looked like you
We got up early in the afternoon

Her eyes were sweet but how could she
Know that we had wandered down a dead end street

And I couldn’t see what it was that reminded you to me
So we walked up to King Street for goodbye

We kissed on the corner and I hailed her a cab
And I thought of you reading across the town in the park

You don’t care now, you never will
If they let me into heaven they can close down hell

Some they drown their sorrows, mine they like to swim
Pour another one barmen ‘cause the Rodent got back in


Max felt like hell. He had hardly slept at all the night before. Partly due to thinking about what Liz had said to him. Partly because it was hard to sleep where he was still sitting up against the apartment door. He had heard Liz leave in the morning to go to work, and knew she wouldn’t be back for at least eight hours. Then, he would tell her that he wanted to change, that he needed to change, but more than that, he needed her help.

During those eight hours he emptied his fridge of beer, and found his stash of Jack Daniels he had hidden in the linen cupboard. He not only put it all in the trash, but he hauled it down to the communal bin downstairs, so at least if he changed his mind, he had at least a three minute journey between his apartment and the alcohol in which to talk himself out of it.

Then he waited by the door. Liz eventually came home from work, and instead of coming straight to his apartment like she normally did, she went to hers. A small part of him had wished that it had all been a bad dream, and they would continue on like they had been. But he knew he was being ridiculous. It had happened, and he needed to apologise, he needed to admit his problem, and he needed to change his life.

He wanted to wait for her to settle in before he barged over to tell her his decision. He pictured her getting out of her nurses uniform and putting on something more comfortable, like a pair of tracksuit pants and singlet. He thought of her making a cup of coffee and a chocolate bar, that she always insisted she shouldn’t eat, but couldn’t resist anyway. He pictured her sitting at the table, reading the newspaper, skipping over the politics and world events, and going straight to the comics and travel guide.

More than anything Max pictured her throwing herself into his arms when he told her that he was willing to do whatever it took to get clean and sober, and to be worthy of her.

When he finally got up the courage to go over there, there was knock at the door. Peering through the peep hole in his apartment door, he realised the knock had not been on his door, but on Liz’s. It was a man, dressed in a tux and holding a bunch of flowers.

Liz’s door soon opened and Max caught a glimpse of Liz, dressed to the nines. She even had her hair pulled up away from her face, which he had never seen before.

“Hi Liz. These are for you.” The man said, handing Liz the flowers.

“Thanks.” Liz replied, taking them and being unable to resist taking a deep smell of their perfume.

“We should get going.” The man said.

“Let me just put these in water and get my purse.” Liz said hurrying back into her apartment.

Max had not been able to tear himself away from the sight of Liz in an evening gown, she was breathtaking. Now that she had disappeared from view he used the opportunity to scrutinise her date. It was only then that he noticed the man had a cane. It couldn’t be Charlie could it? The man who broke Liz’s heart and left her emotionally unavailable? What the hell was she doing with him?

“Let’s go.” Liz said, coming out of her apartment and pulling the door behind her.

Max watched them disappear out of view, and his heart broke in two. He had thought he had a chance, if he cleaned up his act, but less than 24 hours after her ultimatum she was going on a date with the one man that she had let close enough to hurt her. It killed Max to think that she would rather be with someone who hurt her, than be with him, someone who would cherish her for the rest of her life. Once the thought had set in, he couldn’t shake it. He just wasn’t good enough, he would never be good enough.

His immediate thought was that he needed a drink, but he remembered that he had emptied his house of alcohol. He grabbed his keys and his wallet, and headed out of his apartment. Checking the bin downstairs, someone had emptied their rubbish since he had been there, and the bin was filled with dirty nappies. He needed a drink but he wasn’t that desperate to go in after his bottles. Instead, he turned his feet towards the pub.

Twelve hours later he stumbled home again. His wallet empty, and his liver full. And he wasn’t alone. Stumbling next to him, was a small brunette, whose name Max couldn’t remember. He was not sure he had ever known.

Eventually unlocking his apartment, Max took a look over to Liz’s door. Was she home? Could she hear the girl he had brought home with him? Did she even care? Or was she in her bedroom, making love with her date? Max tried not to even think about it.

Max had never done this before. He had slept with many women, but he had never invited them back to his place, they had always gone to hers. Was he doing it to be spiteful? Wanting Liz to catch him? Or did he just not care anymore?

They started undressing each other in the living room, and left a trail of clothes behind them as they headed for Max’s bedroom. She looked so much like Liz, and if he closed his eyes, Max could imagine that it was Liz, not some random girl he had picked up in the bar.

“Liz … oh Liz.” He chanted, and the girl was too wasted to even notice. She was asleep as soon as they were finished, and before Max could kick her out of his apartment.

When Max opened his eyes the following morning, his head was splitting. Opening his eyes wide enough to glance at the alarm clock, he saw that it was already the early afternoon. No matter how much he had had to drink, he had never usually slept this late. He tried to remember how much he had had last night. As he rolled over and saw the naked body next to him, he tried to remember exactly what had happened last night too.

For an instant he thought it was Liz – same petite body, same long brown hair. But as the body rolled over he saw a face he did not recognise. A face that looked nothing like Liz’s.

“Hey.” She said, opening her eyes.

“Hey.” He replied, noticing her beautiful bedroom eyes, but they weren’t Liz’s, they looked nothing like Liz’s.

“Can I get you some breakfast? Uh …or lunch?” He asked, getting out of bed and throwing on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt.

“Yeah … food would be great.” She replied. Sitting up, and holding the sheet to her chest.

“I’ll … uh … find your clothes.” Max said, following the trail out into the living room.

Minutes later he returned to find her standing at the window.

“I … I couldn’t find your underwear.” He said, handing her the clothes, and trying not to stare at her naked form. “I’ll grab us something to eat.”

Max checked the fridge, but gave up hope of being able to offer this girl anything except stale bread and limp celery.

“Crackers?” Max said, offering up a box as she walked in, now dressed, into the kitchen.

“No thanks. It’s late anyway, I should get going.” She said before hunting under the cushions of the sofa for her missing underwear.

“Okay. If you’re sure.” Max said relieved. “Can I walk you to the taxi stand?”

“Yeah, that would be great.” She replied.

Max opened the front door for her, before she suddenly turned around, claiming that she remembered where she left her underwear, and hurrying in the direction of Max’s bathroom. As Max waited in the open door, Liz’s door opened in front of him. He quickly closed his door behind him, and waited for Liz to see him.

“Hey. How was your date?” Max asked, not attempting to hide his jealousy.

“My date? What date?” Liz asked confused.

“You know, your date. You, a nice dress, a guy in a tux with flowers.” Max replied, painting a picture of the memory that was permanently burned into his brain.

“That wasn’t a date.” Liz replied, and Max’s stomach lurched. It wasn’t?

“My best friend Maria had her opening night at the Opera House last night. Her brother came to pick me up since it was on his way.” Liz explained casually.

“What about the flowers?” Max asked.

“Maria’s mother has a huge garden. She sent them for me because she knows how much I love white roses, and I have no yard to grow them in myself.” Liz explained further.

Now Max felt sick. What had he done?

“How are you?” Liz asked genuinely concerned about him.

“Good, I’m good.” He replied. “And you?”

“Good.” Liz smiled.

“Where are you going?” Max asked, noticing Liz was dressed in tracksuit pants and was carrying a novel.

“I thought I would get out and enjoy this beautiful day by going to the park and reading a book. You’re welcome to join me.”

Max smiled for a moment at the fact that she had wanted to spend time with him, no matter what had happened between them the other night.

“I’d love to, but I have something I need to do first.” Max replied.

“Okay, I’ll see you later Max.” Liz said, before turning to walk down the hall.

Max breathed a sigh of relief that the girl inside had not made an appearance during his conversation with Liz. There was a God.

“Oh Max?” Liz said, turning around to say something, before her face went white.

“I found them!” The girl announced as she walked out of Max’s apartment holding up her g-string for the world to see.

Max immediately turned to Liz who looked as though she had been kicked in the stomach.

“Liz.” Max said, as Liz began to turn away. “Liz … wait!”

Max grabbed her arm to make her stop and look at him.

“Don’t touch me.” Liz growled, and Max immediately let go.

“Liz …” Max didn’t know what to say that would explain what he did.

She waited for him to say something, but when he just stood there looking sheepish, she turned and walked away. Max would never forget the look in her eyes at that moment. He had hurt her, and he wasn’t sure what he could ever do to make it up to her.

“Wow … that was intense.” The girl said from behind him.

Max recovered himself, having momentarily forgotten that she was there.

“Let’s go.” He said, leading her down the hall.

They didn’t say anything as the rode down to the ground floor in the elevator, or when the walked up to King Street to the taxi stand.

“Well … thanks for a good night Max.” She said, leaning over to give him a kiss on the lips. Max was still too dazed about what happened to Liz, that he just stood there like a brick wall.

“Give me a call if things don’t work out with your girl.” She said, handing Max her phone number.

Max hailed a cab, and opened the door for her when it pulled up. As the cab pulled away from the kerb Max gave her a weak smile.

He wasn’t sure what to do now. He thought of Liz sitting in the park reading. Or was she unable to due to the tears filling her eyes? Should he go to find her? Should he explain why he had done it? Should he leave her alone forever?

There was no way that Liz cared for him at all now, and she never would again. He had screwed up big time. She was already closed off from people so she couldn’t get hurt, and at the first opportunity he had kicked her in the guts. If he was ever let into heaven, they could shut down hell, because at this point there was no one as damned as he was.

Max did the only thing he could do at that moment. He walked down the street to the pub and took a seat at the bar. He would try and drown his sorrows once again, but it wouldn’t work. It never worked. Not when his sorrows had learnt to swim.

[Oz]

Thanks everyone. We getting towards the home-straight now. I'll try not to keep you waiting so long for the next instalment next time.

Okay, this part was really fun to write. The song always reminds me of a circus or carnival (as always, do yourself a favour and listen to it if you want to get a feel for the mood). It just seems to suit Michael's personality perfectly.

BTW - just in case you haven't seen it, I've posted a new fic on the CC board called Evie 1,2&3 - following the same theme of 'borrowing' lyrics from Australian music for my own evil purposes. I hope you enjoy it.



She's Moving In

Cutlery, paintings, lots of feminine things
A frilly mat to put under the phone

Big old TV and a modular couch
Her curtains will look good in this house

Because she, she’s moving in,
Yeah she’s, she’s moving in

Big old trunk that she bought in Trieste
Poland’s been invaded with less

Her little cat, his little friend
We’ll get to the moon putting her clothes end to end

Because she, she’s moving in,
Yeah she’s, she’s moving in

She, she’s in
She, she's in
She's in, she's in, she's in, she's in


What the hell did he think he was doing? Not only did he agree to return to Sydney to be with Maria – he asked her to move in with him. Into his and Isabel’s house no less. What the hell was he doing?

He had arrived in Sydney that morning, and although jet lagged and bleary eyed, he was attempting to get the apartment ready for Maria’s imminent invasion. He knew he had a timeline, and so much to do before Maria got there, but he couldn’t get himself to move. He was sitting cross legged on the floor, trying to pinpoint exactly what it was about the apartment that was causing him to panic. After about five hours of deliberation he had decided it was the smell. The apartment still smelt like Isabel.

Now he had less than an hour to make Isabel’s house ready for someone else. He hoped that she would understand, but that didn’t stop himself from freaking out. Maria was moving in.

He had just enough time to pack away the last of Isabel’s things that he hadn’t had the heart to put away after the funeral, and now the apartment looked empty. Without Isabel’s touch it really didn’t feel like home anymore.

“Michael, Michael, Michael!” Maria said bursting through the door and throwing herself into his arms, and wrapping her legs around his waist. “I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too Maria.” Michael replied, hugging her back, but noticing the tinge of uneasiness on the edge of his words.

“So this is your place huh?” Maria said, letting herself back down onto her feet, and taking a look around the apartment. “Not bad. It just needs a few personal touches.”

“Maria …” Michael began, attempting to stop hurricane Deluca before it gathered intensity.

“Trust me Michael.” Maria dismissed him. “I’ve got just what we need.”

For the next few hours Michael watched as the storm blew around him, filling his house with unfamiliar, feminine items. She covered the walls with paintings, knock-offs of her favourite post-impressionist pieces. She filled the kitchen draws with brand new cutlery, and even hung new curtains on the windows.

“What do you think?” Maria asked, standing back to admire what she had established already.

“They look good.” Michael admitted, although picturing the endless torment he would get from Max who would no doubt tease him for having pink curtains in his living room. Isabel had never liked the colour.

“What’s this?” Michael asked, picking up the piece of cloth that was under the telephone on the dresser.

“It’s called a doyley. Don’t you like it?” Maria asked, as she returned her attention to packing the linen cupboard with new sheets and towels.

“What’s it for?” Michael said, holding the cloth away from him like it was a foreign object that was likely to jump out and bite him at any moment.

“It’s to protect the dresser. Plus, it looks nice.” Maria said, taking it from Michael and replacing back under the phone.

Michael just stared at it in confusion, before his attention was drawn to the two scrawny guys carrying a big TV into the living room.

“Alex, Kyle, this is Michael … Michael this is Alex and Kyle.” Maria did the introductions.

“Hey. Where do you want it?” Kyle asked, looking like he was ready to drop it.

“Uh…” Michael replied, wondering what on earth they needed another TV for. The thing looked so old he wondered if he was going to be able digital reception or satellite TV.

“Put it in the bedroom.” Maria said, leading the way.

The bedroom? What the- ?

After unloading the TV, Alex and Kyle filed back out the front door, only to return five minutes later with a modular couch.

“Maria …” Michael began. “We don’t have room for that.”

“Sure we do. We can get rid of this old thing.” Maria replied, slapping the back of the old leather couch in the living room.

“No, no, no, no, no.” Michael replied, shaking his head. “Do you realise how many happy memories I have of watching football on this couch?” Not to mention the number of times he and Isabel had curled up on the couch together.

“But, the leather’s cracking, and the colour just doesn’t go with the curtains.” Maria counted.

‘It did before you changed the curtains.’ He silently said to himself, and then berated himself for being ungrateful for what Maria was doing to create a home for them both.

“… and you can always make new memories on this one.” Maria continued, indicating to the modular Alex and Kyle and just placed where the old leather couch had been moments before.

Little by little he was feeling Isabel slip away from him even more. Even her smell was disappearing due to the copious amounts of lavender Maria had dotted around the house.

“What’s this!” Michael exclaimed as Kyle and Alex brought a big trunk through the living room and into the bedroom. It was heavy, wooden, old and smelt like mothballs.

“I got it in Italy. Isn’t it great?” Maria said, beginning to fill it with winter clothes.

“Fantastic.” Michael replied, walking back into the living room, where Alex and Kyle and cracked open a couple of beers and made themselves at home on the couch.

As Michael looked around his apartment, he felt the room spinning. He didn’t recognise his own home, and there was no sign that he and Isabel had ever lived there together. Maria had moved in and changed everything upside down. He somehow felt that even Poland didn’t know what it felt like to be so invaded.

“Can’t stop now boys. There’s still more in my car.” Maria said, bustling Kyle and Alex out the door. Moments later they returned with suitcases and suitcases filled with clothes, while Maria carried an animal cage. As she opened the cage door, two cats came scurrying out and began roaming the house.

“What? No Maria. I don’t like cats.” Michael whined.

“But they’re so beautiful.” Maria replied, picking one up and handing it to Michael. “See, they love you already.”

“I’m a dog person Maria.” Michael replied, quickly putting the cat back on the floor.

“And where are we going to fit all of your clothes?” He asked, seeing Kyle and Alex bring in yet more suitcases. “How could you possibly need that many?”

“Oh, it’s not that many.” Maria argued, attempting to bunch up as many as possible into the wardrobe. Frowning, she took a step back. “We may need to get more cupboards.”

“You just need to throw some out. You could reach the moon if you put all of your clothes end to end.” Michael put his foot down.

“And you can’t tell me that you still wear this!” He said, pulling out a Ra-Ra skirt and ‘Wham!’ t-shirt from her wardrobe.

“They’re coming back into fashion.” Maria countered, as she took it off him and put it back into her already full wardrobe.

“Is there anything left to bring in?” Michael asked, feeling exasperated.

“There’s just one last thing we need.” Maria said, rummaging through the drawer in the bedside table on Michael’s side of the bed. Michael followed her out of the bedroom and into the living room, unsure what Maria was up to.

“There.” Maria said, standing back to look at the mantelpiece. Michael looked to see she had placed a photo of Isabel on the mantelpiece in the living room. It was the only thing of Isabel Michael had not packed away, but had hidden it in his bedside table, not wanting to upset Maria.

At that moment, Michael felt as though everything was going to be okay. Sure, Maria had moved in, but the memories of Isabel could never be wiped away. He could move on with his life with Maria, and not worry that Isabel would feel forgotten.

“Thanks Maria.” Michael said, kissing her on the forehead, as he wrapped an arm around her waist. “Have I told you how glad I am that you’ve moved in with me?”

"I think you just did." Maria smiled.

[Oz]

Thanks everyone (and thanks for being patient - it was really hard to find the inspiration for this part).

Walking Contradiction - You'll be glad to see Kyle and Alex make a reappearence...

Okay, this is the last track of Max & Liz's story. It's a little longer than usual because I had so much to tie up to get us to that all important happy ending! And this was one of the hardest tracks to try and fit the story to. So, without further ado ...


DISC ONE - LITTLE CLOUD

Little Cloud

Little cloud is searching
For a sign of something stirring
In the hearts of those below and they all sleep

Civic pride and order
To raise a son and daughter
Staked out and all made clear who got here first

Ah honey can I hold you
And play rewind in my head?
I don’t know my people anymore
Can I stay with you instead?

Picture a little boy lying under his bed
His brother’s playing outside in the dirt
And the fence it shimmers in the heat
Like it wants to disappear

Little cloud is creeping
Across the city sleeping
Who below would try and wake from a bad dream?

I woke early, what did I see
But a clear sky, a clear sky
Looked out my window and what did I see
But a clear sky in paradise

Picture a little boy lying under his bed
His brother’s playing outside in the dirt
And the fence it shimmers in the heat
Like it wants to disappear

Picture his momma, little girl on her knee
Following a piece of shade under a tree
And the fence it shimmers in the heat
Like it wants to disappear


Max’s eyes slowly fluttered open, and he had a big yawn. He had just woken from a very nice dream, and was feeling happy. Rolling over, he put his arm around the brown-haired beauty lying next to him. She was still asleep, and he was just content watching the rise and fall of her chest as she slept on. As he watched her, he wondered how he had managed to get in this position. Six months ago he was ready to give up on himself, give up on any chance with Liz, but he had managed to turn his life around. And it all started the day after he lost any chance he ever had with her.

He knocked on the door tentatively. Would she want to see him? Would she fling the door shut on his face? Would she act like she didn’t even care? Out of all of the alternatives, that was what he feared the most – that it hadn’t hurt her to see him with someone else – because that would mean that she didn’t feel for him even an ounce of what he felt for her.

“Max.” Liz said, on opening the door and seeing him standing in her doorway.

“Can I come in?” Max asked hesitantly, relieved that Liz seemed to be making no move to shut the door on him.

“Sure.” She replied. Not objecting, but not sounding too thrilled either. “I’m on the phone though, just let me finish up.”

Max made his way into the living room, while Liz took the phone call into the kitchen. He could still hear her side of the conversation through the paper-thin wall.

“I have to go. Max is here.” Liz said, to the person on the other end.

“No, Maria. You can’t … No. Okay…” Max heard her say before Liz appeared in the living room.

“Maria wants to talk to you.” Liz said, handing Max the phone.

Max took a deep gulp, before putting the phone to his ear.

“Hello?” He said, hesitantly.

“What the hell did you think you were doing? Breaking Liz’s heart like that …” Maria ranted, but Max was too busy studying Liz. He had broken her heart? She did strongly care for him after all. “… and now you think you’re just going to come crawling back after what you did … I don’t think so buddy-boy. You have got some major explaining to do, so you’d better start talking mister.”

“I think that’s a conversation that should be between Liz and I.” Max began, but Maria would have none of that.

“Oh no … you hurt my best friend so this is now between you and me … no one hurts my best friend and gets away with it .”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt her.” Max said, looking directly at Liz, who was trying so hard not to catch his eye, “It was a brief moment of insanity.”

“Don’t you dare try and use the ‘insanity’ defence. That is not going to get you off the hook. What exactly were you thinking when you pulled that bimbo into bed?”

“I wasn’t thinking…” Max began.

“You’ve got that right.” Maria interrupted.

“Look. I was depressed, and I saw Liz leave earlier that night. I thought she was going on a date. I guess I let me imagination run wild, and ended up in a bar.”

“Wait a minute … you thought Liz was going on a date – with my brother?” Maria asked incredulously, and then started laughing her head off.

“I’m glad you find that amusing…” Max replied.

“Look. If you knew anything about Liz you would know that Charlie is the last person she would be dating.”

“Yeah, well, what can I say? I just jumped to the wrong conclusion.” Max admitted. “And I wish to God I could have taken it back, because I would never want to hurt Liz in any way.”

At that moment Liz looked up with tears in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry Liz. I know that I hurt you, and I let you down at my first test. But I love you, and I’d do anything in the world to make it up to you.” Max apologised.

“I don’t know if you can.” Liz replied, speaking to him for the first time since handing him the phone.

“I understand.” Max replied. “I guess I just want you to know how much I care about you, and how sorry I am for what happened. And I wanted to tell you that I have booked myself into rehab. I leave this afternoon.”

“Really?” Liz asked, as though not able to believe what she was hearing.

“Really. I’m ready to admit that I have a problem. If I hadn’t gotten drunk I wouldn’t have slept with someone else. If I hadn’t been getting drunk for the past year, I would have been able to think clearly, and would have known that you wouldn’t be dating someone the night after telling me that you possibly had feelings for me. I would have trusted you. I’m sorry that I didn’t.” Max explained. “So I’m going to rehab to get sober, and when I get back, I’m going to try and win back your trust. Do you think you could give me another chance?”

“I don’t know Max.” Liz replied honestly. “I’m glad your going to try and get help, but I can’t make you any promises.”

“I understand that.” Max accepted. “I have to go. Michael’s going to be here any minute.”

“Michael? As in my Michael?” Maria finally spoke up after listening intently to Max’s apology to Liz. “He knew about this? Wait until I get a hold of him …”

“Bye Maria.” Max said, passing the phone back to Liz. “Bye Liz.”

“By Max.” Liz replied, seeing him to the door.

* * * * *

So, Max went to rehab, and after a few months of not drinking, and working through the pain of losing his sister and his battle with alcohol, Max was released. Taking a tentative step back out into the real world, his first thought was to run back through the safety of those doors, where he had no choice but to stay sober. Out in the real world, would he fall again? Would he hurt Liz again?

Michael was waiting for him in the loading zone.

“Hey.” Michael said, opening up the boot for Max’s luggage.

“Hey.” Max replied, loading his gear into the back before taking a seat in the passenger seat.

“It’s good to have you back.” Michael said, driving out of the driveway and heading down the highway.

“Thanks man.” Max replied. “How’s Maria?”

“She’s good. She’s back in New York with a new show.”

“And you didn’t go with her?” Max asked, hoping nothing had happened to the two of them while he had been gone.

“Let’s just say I’m getting used to the commute.” Michael replied. “You needed me here, so this is where I am. I’ll go back and join her again in a week or so.”

“Thanks man. That means a lot to me.”

“No probs. What are brothers for?” Michael replied. They may not technically be brothers anymore, but they still considered each other ‘family’.

“And how’s Liz?” Max asked.

“She’s doing okay.” Michael replied, turning his head to look at Max when he said it.

“Do you … do you think she’ll want to see me?” Max asked tentatively. He had tried to call her so many times while in rehab, and had all but dialled the last number, but he couldn’t do it. He was too scared that she wouldn’t want to speak to him.

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her yourself.” Michael replied, returning his attention to the road.

When they reached Max’s apartment, the door was slightly ajar. As Max walked inside he saw the big ‘welcome home’ banner hanging from the ceiling, and balloons everywhere.

“Wow. Did you do this?” Max asked, turning to Michael.

“Don’t look at me.” Michael replied, shrugging.

“I did.” A quiet voice came from the kitchen, where Liz was standing holding a chocolate cake. “Welcome home Max.”

“You did all this?” Max asked, not able to believe it. The whole drive home he had imagined having to beg and plead just to get her to open the door to see him again.

“We missed you around here.” Liz replied shyly.

“I missed you too…Both of you.” He quickly added, so Liz wouldn’t feel so pressured.

“Would you like some cake?” She asked, indicating to the cake she had just finished icing.

“I would love some.” Max smiled, dropping his bags. “It’s been a very long time since I have had someone cook a cake for me.”

“Since Isabel made you that chocolate cake for your birthday…” Michael reminisced, but then wondered whether he should be bringing up Isabel on Max’s first day back.

“And she made the mistake of letting you ice it. You thought you would make choc mint icing, and it came out green.” Max smiled, taking a seat at the breakfast bar.

“It looked like someone had sneezed on it!” Michael laughed, remembering his first and last attempt of helping Isabel in the kitchen.

“… and Isabel refused to let you back into the kitchen for weeks.”

“You know how she was with her cooking – she didn’t like too many cooks in the kitchen. Hail to the kitchen Nazi.” Michael said, raising a soda in a mock-toast.

Max clinked his soda against Michael. “May she rest in peace.”

“Michael? Would you like some cake?” Liz asked, as she cut the cake.

“Do you even need to ask?” Michael replied, pulling up a stool next to Max, patting him on the back.

* * * * *

For the next week Michael, Max and Liz would hang out together at Max’s place, just laughing and joking like three old friends. After Michael returned to New York, Max and Liz no longer had that buffer between them, but they seemed to fall into their old ways as though that night had never happened. Liz would come over after her late shift, and they would hang out together until they both got tired. Occasionally Liz would fall asleep on the couch, and Max always had a blanket nearby just in case. He would wake in the morning to the sound of Liz cooking bacon and eggs on the stove.

One Saturday night, when Liz actually had the whole weekend off of work, she had arranged for Kyle and Alex to come over to finally meet Max. They had been childhood friends of hers and Maria’s, and were now firm friends of Michaels, since they bonded over Australian Rules football. Liz thought it was high time they came over and met Max too.

Her other motivation was the fact that all this time alone with Max was starting to get very difficult. Max hadn’t tried to make any moves towards her since returning from rehab, but she couldn’t help but sense that the feelings were still there. She knew he still cared for her, and she had to admit, she had missed him while he had been away. Now that he was back, she was finding it hard to stay mad at him about what had happened. She knew that it had been the alcohol that had made him take that woman into bed, and the Max that had returned from rehab was very different from the man he used to be. She was learning to trust him again, and she knew that she could only ignore her feelings for him for so long. By having Kyle and Alex there, it would prevent anything happening with Max, at least for one more night.

“I hope you’re ready for the big game.” Kyle said to Max, once the introductions were over.

“Absolutely.” Max replied. They were about to watch an AFL game between the Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions. Kyle was a staunch Sydney supporter, while Alex was a Brisbane supporter, having lived in Brisbane for a few years after high school. It was definitely going to be an interesting night. They were both dressed in the colours of their respective teams, including beanies and scarves even though it was still warm outside.

“And who are you supporting?” Kyle asked, seeing that Max had not dressed in the colours of either team.

“Sydney I guess.” Max replied, taking a seat next to them on the couch where they had made themselves at home with their eskies and junk food.

“Good man.” Kyle replied, handing Max a spare Swans t-shirt he just happened to have on him.

“Uh … thanks.” Max said, tentatively putting the t-shirt on.

“Beer?” Alex said, holding out a can of XXXX beer.

“If you’re going to offer a beer, offer the good stuff.” Kyle said, rummaging through his own esky for a Cooper’s.

“Thanks, but no thanks. I’m fine.” Max replied, declining the offer.

“C’mon man. You can’t watch the game without a beer in one hand and a meat pie in the other.” Alex replied.

“No. I’m good thanks.” Max declined again, before Liz came to his rescue.

“Coke Max?” Liz said, passing Max a can of soda before taking a seat next to him and taking a sip of her own soda.

“Thanks Liz.” Max replied gratefully.

Liz had deliberately not told Kyle and Alex about Max’s drinking problem. First of all, it wasn’t their business, and second of all, she thought it would be a good test for Max, to see if he had really reformed. That was the biggest stumbling block in the way of her being able to completely trust him again. And he had passed the test so far, but the night was still young.

She looked over at him and smiled, and didn’t even flinch when he took her hand in his. Instead, she squeezed back and held on tight for the first quarter.

“You’re going down Whitman.” Kyle said, jumping up and down when the Swans kicked a goal with seconds to go before the first siren.

“Don’t talk too soon Valenti.” Alex retaliated. “You know you guys always choke in the 2nd half.”

“I think I’ll go and refill the chip bowls.” Liz said, excusing herself from the emerging fight.

“Oh p-lease, at least where in the top eight. What you will be doing when your team doesn’t even make the finals?” Kyle jeered.

“I think I’ll join you.” Max said, following Liz out into the kitchen.

“You’ve just gotten lucky. You lose the next three games and we’ll take your place in the top eight.”

“That would require us to lose, of which there is no chance.” Kyle retorted.

“Are they always like this?” Max asked, when they had safely exited the lounge without being caught up in the middle of the heated argument that was going on.

“Only when Sydney and Brisbane play each other. Otherwise, Alex is happy supporting Sydney, I guess since it’s his de facto home team.”

“Has it ever ended in tears?” Max asked incredulously.

“Once. Kyle had Alex in a headlock, and Alex swears that Kyle had chilli sauce on his shirt which got in his eyes, causing him to cry.”

“That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!” Alex’s voice called out from the lounge.

“Well, they seem like nice guys.” Max admitted, although secretly hoping that the two teams don’t both make it to the grand final, otherwise there was going to be a fatality the rate Kyle and Alex were already at each other’s throats.

“So … are you enjoying yourself?” Liz asked, trying to gauge if he was having any cravings for one of the beers the boys had been offering earlier.

“Yeah, I am.” Max smiled. “You?”

“Yeah.” Liz smiled.

Max reached over and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. At the same moment, Liz seemed to also lean forward, but moved back when she realised he was just fixing her hair.

“You had a …”

“… hair thing.” Liz finished for him, looking embarrassed.

Max wondered if he had imagined it, or had Liz leant in for a kiss? At that moment, he decided to throw caution to the wind, grabbing Liz behind the base of her head, and pulling her towards him, kissing her with the type of passion that comes from months of pushing his feelings to the background. What surprised him was that Liz returned his kiss with as much passion, running her hands over his neck and shoulders, and through his hair.

“Woo hoo!!” Came the calls from the living room, which caused Max and Liz to break apart.

“Get a room guys.” Alex called.

Max leant his head on Liz’s, catching his breath, but not letting go.

“Maybe we should …” He began.

“… after you.” Liz said, knowing what Max was suggesting.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the bedroom.

“Uh, guys? We didn’t mean it literally.” Kyle called out as the door shut behind them.

Max cupped Liz’s face in his hands and began kissing her again. Somehow they managed to find their way onto Max’s bed.

“Max … Max…” Liz said between kisses. “We need to slow down.”

“You’re right.” Max said, pulling back, and running a hand through his hair which was now sticking up in various angles. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I just … I just can’t do this yet.” Liz explained.

“Can’t do what exactly?” Max asked, wanting clarification as to what she wanted.

“I can’t make love to you. Not yet.” Liz replied.

“What about kissing? Can you do kissing?” Max asked, leaning closer.

“Yeah I can do that?” Liz smiled, giving him the encouragement he needed to allow his lips to find their way to hers again.

“Does that mean that you have forgiven me?” Max asked, when coming up for a breath.

“I … I think it does.” Liz admitted.

“And are you ready to give us a chance?” Max asked, not wanting to push his luck, but dying to know where they stood with each other.

“Yeah … it does.” Liz replied, pulling Max’s lips back towards hers.

When they eventually ventured back out of the bedroom, there was only five minutes to go in the game, and Alex was casually reading the newspaper.

“You were very quiet in there …” Kyle said winking.

“Nothing happened Kyle.” Liz said, blushing.

“Sure it didn’t.”

“What’s the score?” Max asked, wanting to draw the attention away from himself and Liz.

“The Swans are up 56 points so Alex has gone off to cry.” Kyle announced.

“I am not crying. I’m just silently protesting against the umpire’s bad calls. The game would be reversed if the umpire actually allowed the free kicks when he should have.”

“Any excuse.” Kyle said, returning his attention back to the game, just in time to see his team kick one more goal before the final siren. Kyle did a few victory laps of the living room, singing the club theme song at the top of his lungs, much to Alex’s annoyance.


* * * * *

Max thought back to that time as he lay next to Liz watching her sleep. There wasn’t a day in his life that he wasn’t grateful for the fact that Liz was part of his life, and that she hadn’t given up on him even though he had done some stupid things. After the night they had kissed, they became inseparable. It wasn’t long until they decided that having two apartments just didn’t make sense anymore, and Liz moved in – into the spare room. Max didn’t want to rush Liz into taking the next step in their relationship, and it wasn’t until their six month anniversary that they made love. In the end it had been Liz that had orchestrated the night, covering the living room with candles, cooking a special dinner and setting up a picnic on the living room floor. After the food was devoured, the plates and glasses were pushed to the side, as they lay on the floor looking up at the ceiling. Liz had even stuck glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling, and began pointing out made-up constellations. One thing led to another, and they made love under the stars. That was the best night of Max’s life.

Eventually, Max felt Liz begin to stir beneath him, and her eyes gradually fluttered open.

“Morning.” He said, smiling.

“Mo-morning.” She yawned. “How long have you been awake?”

“A little while.” Max replied.

“You should have woken me up.” She replied, still yawning.

“And spoil all my fun?” He teased. “You know how much I love to watch you sleep.”

“Me and morning hair.” She replied, straightening her hair that had gone hay-wire in the night.

“I love your morning hair.” Max grinned, pulling a piece of hair out of her face. “You had a …”

“… hair thing.” She finished for him smiling, remembering the last time he had done that, and what it had led to.

“So I had a dream last night.” Max said.

“What did you dream?” Liz asked.

“I dreamt about you, and our family.”

“Our family?” Liz asked curiously.

“Yeah, two boys and a baby girl.”

“Slow down there. Let’s just deal with one first.” Liz said, patting her very pregnant belly.

Max leant over and kissed her belly, as he did every morning. He then began talking to their child, telling it what they would be doing that day, and how much they couldn’t wait to see him/her.

“That’s going to have to wait.” Liz said, struggling to sit up. “Mummy’s gotta pee.”

Max watched as Liz waddled to the bathroom, then turned to look out the window. It was a beautiful day – in fact it was perfect. He remembered back to a time when even a perfect blue sky couldn’t make him happy. Now it made him feel like he was in paradise, thankful to be alive and full of hope for the future.

He thought about the rest of his dream, the part that he hadn’t told Liz. He saw his family as he said. A son, playing in his room, making a cubby-house out of sheets under his bed. His younger brother was playing with matchbox cars outside in the dirt. Liz was sitting under the shade of a tree, holding a baby girl in her arms. And Max? He was watching them all, contemplating how much his life had changed and how he was the luckiest man on earth. His alcoholism, though always there in the background, was fading, like it was finally ready to disappear completely. The one thing that would always be there to come between him and his family was no longer a threat. He had overcome his addiction and he was never going back again.

“Max?” Liz’s voice came from the bathroom, pulling him out of his reverie. “I think my water just broke.”

[Oz]

So sorry that this was such a long time coming. I have no excuses, except I was more inspired to work on my other fics at the time (so I hope you at least got to enjoy them in the meantime!). I promised myself that I would finish this fic this week - hence why it is 1:20am and I am still sitting at my computer.

This song is my favourite song on the album (so if you haven't listened to any others, you should at least listen to this one - pretty please ). I once saw Tim Freedman perform it at a solo gig and I got chills up my spine.

As a bit of background, he wrote the song after the 2nd of the original 3 band memebers committed suicide. Since most things seem to come in 3's, he was a little worried about himself for a while. This song is about getting over that feeling.

Thanks everyone for reading!


DISC TWO - THE APPLE'S EYE


The Curse Stops Here

Stevie left on a Friday too
They made the easy way look hard

We never thought too much about letting go
They took it all too far again

My first days back and I was rolling around the town
Saying “Stay away from edges and from ropes if you can”
‘Cause I am the last one
And the curse stops here
The curse stops here

Ghosts don’t drag you towards their light
They make it brighter here for you

It seems Stevie helped me through from over there
But will his friend now help him out?

My first days back and I was rolling around the town
Saying “Stay away from edges, stay away from ropes if you can”
My friend said I was saying it too many times
Leave the gallows humour for the gallows people that it finds
‘Cause I am the last one
And the curse stops here
The curse stops here


“Are you ready?” Maria asked.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Michael replied, taking Maria by the hand, and stepping onto the beach. Walking along the sand, they came to the place they had scattered Isabel’s ashes. Michael hadn’t been back to that beach since that day, in fact, he made it a habit to stay away from all bodies of water that might remind him of Isabel. She had loved the water so much, so it was only appropriate that her ashes had been scattered in the ocean. Now though, he wished there was a gravestone to mark where Isabel lay. It would easier to feel that he could still talk to her, rather than talking to the winds over the sound of the waves, in the hope that somehow she would be able to hear him.

“I’ll just be over here.” Maria said, indicating that he would have to do the next part on his own, and she wouldn’t be in earshot.

Michael nodded, and continued up the beach a little, before taking a seat on the sand.

He sat for a while, reminiscing about the past, and thinking about the future, and all it entailed. He ran his fingers through the sand, letting the grains slip between his fingers, and he thought about how easy it had been for Isabel to do the same.

“Izzy.” Michael began, “I don’t know if you can hear me, but I wanted to say that I’m sorry for not coming sooner. I’ve been away, I guess you could say that I ran away. I couldn’t bear the thought of being here without you… You were the love of my life… my soul mate. Without you, life just wasn’t worth living.

“You probably already know, I came so close to ending it all. I wanted so badly to be with you, that I was willing to give up everything and follow you. I know you were watching over me that day, and I like to think that you are the reason I didn’t go through with it – you wanted me to live, even if it meant being without you. You were able to make me see that my future wasn’t as dark as it had seemed to be.

“I came here to tell you something… I need to tell you … I’ve met someone. Her name is Maria, and she’s beautiful, and talented, and for some reason she seems to love me. There was a time when I thought that I could never love again, that love only came around once in a lifetime, and being in love with you, even for such a short time, was enough for me. But Maria surprised me. She showed me that my heart wasn’t completely shut-off, that I wasn’t completely finished with love, and it wasn’t finished with me.

“For such a long time I felt that I was somehow cheating on you by being with Maria. But now I am hopeful that you can understand. You will always be a part of me, and you’ll always be in my heart, but I hope you won’t mind sharing it with someone else.

“I came here to say, that I’m going to ask Maria to marry me, and I hope that we can have your blessing. She is such a wonderful woman, and if I can’t be with you, I can’t imagine anyone I’d rather be with than Maria. I’ve told her all about you, and she understands that you will always be on my mind and in my heart.”

Michael sat silent for a moment, staring into the waves, hoping that he would get some kind of sign that Isabel would give her blessing. Moments later he saw the fin of a dolphin rise out of the ocean and then disappear from sight again.

“Thank you Isabel. I love you.” Michael said, wiping a tear from his eye. “Happy Birthday.”

“Hey man.” A voice said, sitting down next to him.

“Max, hey.” Michael replied, pretending to have some sand in his eyes, not tears. “What are you doing here?”

“Same as you I guess. Thought I should come and pay my respects since its Isabel’s birthday.” Max replied, holding up the flowers he had brought.

“How’s Liz and the baby?” Michael asked.

“They’re both fine.” Max replied, indicating to where Liz was standing with Maria, holding their tiny baby. “We’re actually just on our way home from the hospital.”

“Have you thought of a name yet?” Michael asked.

“Yeah, but I wanted to ask your permission first.” Max replied. “We would like to call her Isabel.”

“I think Isabel would be honoured.” Michael replied, after thinking it over.

“Thanks man.” Max replied, patting Michael on the back.

“No problem. For a minute there I thought you were going to ask me if you could call your daughter Michael. I don’t think she would have ever forgiven you!” Michael joked, wanting to make light of their conversation. He really didn’t want to cry in front of Max.

At that moment Liz and Maria made their way over to the boys.

“Hey Liz.” Michael said, getting up to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Now give little Isabel to Uncle Mikey.”

Liz handed over the baby and Michael held her like a pro. Maria watched in wonderment at how comfortable he looked holding a newborn baby, and had an image of him holding their own children one day.

Liz excused herself and went over to where Max was standing, ankle-deep in water and throwing the petals from Isabel’s flowers into the sea.

“Can I help?” Liz asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Of course.” Max replied, handing Liz some flowers.

“Are you okay?” Liz asked, while letting the wind catch the petals in the hand and scatter over the water.

“Couldn’t be better.” Max smiled, scattering the remainder of his petals, before taking Liz’s hand in his. “Let’s take Isabel home.”

“Do you guys want to come back to our place?” Max asked, when they rejoined Michael, Maria and Isabel.

“Uh … we actually have plans.” Michael replied.

“We do?” Maria said surprised. This was the first she had heard about it.

“Yeah, we do.” Michael replied mysteriously

“Alright. Have a good night.” Max replied, taking Isabel back from Michael and helping Liz back up to the car.

* * * * *

Later that afternoon Maria was home waiting for Michael. He had told her that he was running an errand, but he was taking his time. The director of Maria’s latest play had called her in for an emergency rehearsal, and Maria had hoped that Michael would be home in time for her to explain that they would have to cancel their plans. It got too late however, so Maria scribbled a note to Michael and left it by the phone before heading down to the opera house.

As Maria walked into the theatre, she noticed it was abnormally dark and quiet, considering she had been told that the entire cast and chorus line would be there rehearsing.

“Hello?” She called, walking onto the stage. “Is anyone here?”

A spotlight suddenly beamed down on the curtain as it began to rise, revealing Michael on bended knee holding up a diamond ring.

“Maria.” Michael began.

“Oh my …” Maria said, putting her hands to her mouth in astonishment.

“Will you marry me?” Michael asked. He had a whole speech memorised on the way over here, but now that she was before him, the words wouldn’t come – other than the question that he desperately needed the answer to.

“Yes!” Maria replied. “Oh, yes Michael.”

“Thank God for that.” Michael replied, placing the ring on her finger, and then picking her up into the tightest hug he could manage. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too Michael.” Maria replied, looking at him in the eyes, and then looking down at the ring. “It’s beautiful Michael. I love it.”

“I’ve had my eye on it for a while. I knew it belonged to you as soon as I saw it in the jewellery store.”

“And I knew you belonged to me as soon as I laid eyes on you in that coffee shop in New York.” Maria replied.

“You did not. You thought I was a psychopathic stalker.” Michael smiled, remembering her hesitation at letting him sit down with her.

“Okay, fine, from almost as soon as I laid eyes on you.” Maria smiled.

“I’d better call Liz.” Maria suddenly said, reaching for her phone.

“How about, we keep the celebration between the two of us for now.” Michael said, confiscating Maria’s phone and leading her to a dining table that had been set up in the middle of the stage. As they sat down, a waiter came over and poured them each a glass of champagne.

“To us.” Michael said, raising his glass in a toast. “May we have many happy years, with those three screaming kids, house in the suburbs and a dog called Boxer.” He said, remembering the promise he had made the first night he had heard Maria sing for him.

On queue, a puppy came running over and started jumping all over Maria.

“Oh, he’s so gorgeous!” Maria said, picking him up and being immediately covered in a bath of kisses.

“I thought we could start by getting the dog, and maybe later we could work on those kids.” Michael winked.