Author: Sheeperz
Disclaimer: You know the drill… I own nothing except the fantasies inside my head! Max and Liz are just on loan for this little story…
Category: AU – M/L only
Rating: Adult (what else? lol…)
Distribution: Be polite. If you want to use it, just ask.
Summary: Remember, this is an AU fic, with no aliens… that we know of anyway, lol.. Max and Liz did not grow up together, and prior to this story have never met.
It was, quite simply, "the worst of times." This was the thought that ran through Liz's head, as she followed the Interstate across the border into Pennsylvania. Even the cold driving rain of early October and the thump of the windshield wipers pounding out their angry rhythm seemed to accentuate the pain that gripped her heart, even as she tried with every mile to escape the past. Someday, she knew she would be ready to embrace it, but for now, her only goal was to survive.
That was the motivation behind the trip she had embarked upon. Just two hours earlier, she had loaded the last of the things she would need into her van, and locked the front door to the house, only glancing back as she turned onto the road to begin a journey which would hopefully put some perspective back in her life.
Barely one month prior, her entire world had come to a shattering halt with the tragic death of her young husband of two months. Only by some act of God, which she deemed at the present to be a cruel deed, had she survived the accident that had claimed his life.. After trudging through the funeral process, feeling dead inside herself, she began to sink further and further into despair. Many days that followed she never bothered to eat, and could only sleep when sheer exhaustion overtook her.
It wasn't until her mother stopped in unexpectedly one afternoon and found her still in her nightclothes and totally unkempt, that anyone had the nerve to confront her with the way she was sliding downhill. After considering her mother's words, she had decided the only thing to do was get in the car and drive. The United States is a big country, after all, she reasoned to herself, and there are so many things I haven't seen. Maybe if I just go away and put some distance between myself and this place..... Such were the events and circumstances that had brought her to this point.
* * * * * * * * *
The next morning found her waking in a resort cabin in the Pocono Mountains. The sun streaming in through the window promised a day much more uplifting than the last. She showered and dressed, then headed to the main lodge for some breakfast. Once that was finished, she looked out at the bright day and the fall leaves that adorned the trees and blanketed the ground, and decided to go for a walk.Staring at her feet, she shuffled through the thick layer of leaves, her mind totally lost in thought, when a noise ahead of her brought her attention back to her surroundings. Looking up, her eyes met his; deep, intense brown pools that made her breath catch. She knew she should look away, but it was as if some unseen force dictated that their gaze remain steadfastly locked. As they neared one another, she felt her breathing become shallow, and it was as if her heart was pounding all the way up into her throat. Just as they were about to pass each other, she suddenly stumbled, and found herself caught within two strong arms.
Oof. Frozen in place, she slowly lifted her eyes to meet the startled stare of her rescuer. For what seemed like hours - but in reality was only seconds - they searched each other through the "windows of the soul". Some would think it improbable, perhaps even impossible, but in those few short seconds they each knew they had found a kindred spirit. Although, naturally, neither felt at liberty to divulge the revelation.
Slowly regaining her wits she turned slightly, still supported in his embrace, to look over her shoulder at the ground where she had lost footing. A crimson stain marked her cheeks, realizing she had tripped over a tree root any fool would have seen, had she been paying attention.
"I guess I...." she started, still staring at the ground.
"Tree root," he observed, nodding in the direction of obstacle.
She turned back toward him, though not raising her eyes, and mumbled a simple, "Yeah." It was then she realized she was standing far too close to this stranger, who didn't seem like a stranger at all, her hands resting on his chest as though they had known each other for some time. "Oh!" she squeaked softly, her hands now pushing slightly as she stepped back to put some distance between them. "I'm so sorry," she apologized quickly, as she felt his arms release her. But as she stepped down on her foot, she gasped in pain, and would have lost her footing again, had he not acted swiftly to catch her.
"Hey, easy there," he murmured in a gentling tone. "You okay?"
Thoroughly frustrated with the situation, she rested her forehead on his shoulder a moment, not even conscious of doing it. "I twisted my ankle. Could anything else possibly go wrong?" There was a brief pause. "No, wait, don't answer that," she added with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood a bit. "If it could, I don't want to know about it!"
Relieved by her show of spirit, he joined in her laughter, and the tension of the moment dissipated. "Say - are you going to be all right? Seriously?"
Nodding her head and stepping away she answered, "Yeah. I think I'll just head back to my cabin and ice it. I should be good as new in no time."
"You need some help getting back?"
She looked up and got temporarily lost in his deep, dark eyes which were filled with concern. "Nah, I'll be fine," she assured him after a moment, dismissing the whole thing with a wave of her hand. "Thanks for offering, though. You certainly have gone above and beyond the call of duty with your rescue work already," she teased.
He took a single step forward, bringing him close enough to reach out and brush a wayward lock of her hair from her face, his knuckles tenderly brushing her cheek in an intimate gesture. "Shucks, it weren't nothing, ma'am," he countered softly. "I live to help damsels in distress."
One corner of his mouth lifted in a lopsided grin, and she couldn't help but stare at his lips as he did so. A fleeting thought of what it would be like to softly press hers to them caused her to blush, and tear her eyes away. "Well, I better uh," she stammered, pointing over her shoulder in the direction of the cabins. "Um... thanks again. Really."
His only response was a smile, which faded as she turned and hobbled off in the direction from which she had just come. He suddenly felt a chill, as the first warmth and light he had felt in his soul in almost a year faded into the distance. The moment she was out of sight, and he could think straight again, he was calling himself some kind of fool, for he realized he never even asked her name.
* * * * * * * * * *
In the early evening, Max was just stepping out of his cabin, when he noticed her emerging from the cabin three doors down from his. He watched her closely, noting with relief and a bit of admiration that she was barely limping at all. He knew she could have driven down to the lodge for dinner, but had opted to walk instead. He waited until she was well down the path, before he started out after her, keeping her within his sight, but hanging back enough so she wouldn't feel that she was being followed. He simply wanted to watch her. He took the opportunity to notice the way the sun played with the red and gold highlights in her hair, the way she carried herself.... strong, yet feminine in her long skirt and soft sweater. It made his fingers itch, wishing he could reach out and touch it, to see just how soft it was.
Thinking on that softness brought back an unbidden thought of the softness of her breasts crushed to his chest earlier in the day, and his body immediately responded. He nearly gasped at the sensation, because no one had had that effect on him in a very long time. His fiance's death several months earlier had left a grief and emptiness in his heart that he just hadn't been able to shake. In fact, he had come here for the week to do some serious soul searching and try to get his emotional life back on track. His sister and best friend had chipped in and arranged the trip to the mountains, enclosing a note with the ticket and reservations that had brought tears to his eyes when he read it. He would forever be grateful for the love and support that Isabel and Michael had given to him over the last months.
As he watched the gentle sway of this mystery woman's hips, he felt desire begin to swell within him, and he nearly turned back to avoid it. But something about her mesmerized him, and he dutifully followed behind, all the while reciting the multiplication tables and everything else he could think of, to curb his body's response to her. By the time he entered the lodge, he was relieved to discover that the bulge in his trousers had reduced enough to avoid embarrassment.
"May I help you sir?" the hostess asked, flashing her perfectly straight, white teeth at him. The glint in her eye and her magnificent set of pearly whites reminded him a bit of a predator, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she saw him as her next meal. NOT what he needed at this moment.
"Uh yes. Just one," he replied, fully intending to sit alone and watch his mystery woman from afar.
The hostess beamed in delight at this tidbit of information. Her prey was singled out from the herd. Easy kill. Reaching for a menu, she brushed her arm against his seductively, pulling it back slowly, so as to prolong the contact. She looked into his eyes and murmured huskily, "Right this way."
Apparently the hostess was waiting for him to step alongside her, so they could walk together. But Max was not interested in playing the game and hesitated, purposing to walk behind her. Noticing this, she persisted, stepping back to his side and lightly placing her hand on his arm to guide him. Not wishing to make a scene, he merely allowed her to escort him in this fashion, totally unaware that a pair of soulful brown eyes were watching the whole exchange from across the room, hidden behind a menu. .
Halfway across the floor he spotted her, and realized the hostess' path was going to take them right past her table. What a stroke of fortune. He was aware of her studiously examining her menu, ignorant of the fact that she was deliberately avoiding eye contact with him. He brought his steps to a halt next to her, nearly throwing the hostess off-balance, earning him a glare. Extending his hand, his fingers brushed the shoulder of the woman seated. Even softer than it looks, he thought at the feel of the sweater beneath his fingers. Her sweet scent drifted up and filled his senses. Realizing she hadn’t turned to see who was touching her, he came back to reality and spoke. "Excuse me? Would you mind if I joined you?"
Sad, haunted eyes lifted to his, and she searched him in silence, wondering if he was being sincere, or if it was some cruel plot. Before either could speak, the hostess interrupted. "I'm sorry sir, this isn't your table. If you'll just come with me -"
Keeping his eyes fixed on the woman before him, he held up a hand toward the hostess in a gesture to stop her babbling and repeated his question. "Would it be alright if I join you?"
Smiling shyly, having realized that the hostess’ attraction was apparently one-sided, Liz nodded her head to him, giving him all the encouragement he needed to pull out a chair and sit. Noticing the hostess standing next to their table dumb struck, he tugged the menu from her fingers, and politely informed her, 'That will be all, thank you." Regaining her wits, the hostess got fire in her eyes, and stormed off in a huff. He simply sat and smiled, while his companion covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a giggle.
"I'm sorry. You must think I'm awful," she finally said, after her laughter had subsided.
"Not at all," he answered with a grin. "I think you're delightful. She, however," he added, nodding toward the entrance, "She is awful." Their laughter blended, making a joyful melody to his ears. It had been far too long, he realized in that moment, since he had laughed. He was beginning to see what Iz and Michael had meant.
Dinner was a wonderful time of chat and even more serious discussions - and they finally learned each other's names. It was over in far too short order, though neither felt they could voice their disappointment when the check was brought and it was time to leave. Grasping for any way to prolong contact with her, he offered to walk her back to her cabin. Grateful for this ready excuse to be with him a while longer, Liz immediately accepted.
As they stepped out from the lodge, they were greeted by a magnificent sunset that set the sky ablaze, and even made the turning leaves glow as if they were afire. In awe of the scene before them, they silently began the journey back toward their cabins, each momentarily lost in thought. Suddenly a squirrel darted out from the bushes, startling her, and causing her to give a little shriek of surprise. She clapped her hand over her heart, trying to regain her breath, as he instinctively put a protective arm around her shoulders. She knew she shouldn't be... but she was inwardly thrilled to feel his strength and warmth wrapped so tenderly around her. It made her wonder what it would be like to be entitled to be there on a regular basis.
They walked the rest of the way in that fashion, him occasionally pulling her closer in a quick hug, when one of them said something funny, or just in understanding, as they took turns relating the circumstances in their lives that led to them both being there at that particular moment in time. They both felt a certain sadness as the cabins came into view, and their steps simultaneously slowed, wanting to prolong what little time they had left together. They both sensed that there was something special happening between them, and neither of them wanted it to end. But finally the time they both dreaded arrived, as they came to her doorstep.
Deep breath. "Well, Liz, I guess this is it," he said grudgingly.
"Yeah," came the murmured reply.
Was that regret I heard in her voice? he wondered. He stared at the slight pout of her lips, wondering what she would do if he kissed her. Reason won out, and he decided not to risk it. "Well, thanks for a lovely evening." There. That's safe.
"Oh, thank you, Max. I never expected to enjoy myself on this trip. This has been a pleasant surprise."
Smiling tenderly he confessed, "Yeah, for me too." A long moment passed, as they gazed at each other. Then, realizing he was staring, Max offered, "Well, I guess we better call it a night. Thanks again for dinner."
"Oh, sure. My pleasure...." She turned to enter the cabin.
"Liz?"
"Yes?" She turned to look at him over her shoulder, and noted his shy, fidgeting movements.
"I'll uh, maybe see you around? You know, like, tomorrow?"
Smiling broadly, she nodded then entered the cabin. Once inside, she closed the door, and collapsed against it, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. She felt more joy in that moment than she had known in years.
