Sleep, perchance to dream. (Polar MA) 01/07/06

[polar4eva]

This was the third ff that I ever wrote so I apologise if it is rough. I hope you like it. Any and all feedback would be appreciated. I want to honestly know what you think. Critisism is welcome.

Kik

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Sleep, Perchance to Dream
Polar Pairing - Mature aspects
I do not own any aspect of Roswell or any subsidiaries (Jason Katims et al - I bow to your greatness)
Liz and Michael's subconsious desire take over


Michael and Liz were closing the Crashdown for the evening. Liz was clearing the tables and Michael was putting everything away in the kitchen. It was part of their ritual when they closed together. They didn’t talk. Michael stayed in the back and Liz worked away on the front.

It had not been a conscious decision, but as they didn’t really get along that well during their times in the group together, they avoided each other at work. Liz was more than happy to get Michael the job, he had needed the money and her father had needed a chef. Michael was a very good cook so it worked out well.

As Liz moved through to the staff locker room, she checked around looking for Michael and couldn’t find him. She reasoned that he must have gone out through the back as usual. So she began to strip down. Her uniform stayed in her locker because she couldn’t bear the smell of the greasy food in her clothes or in her room. She was standing there in her bra and pants when Michael suddenly walked through from the toilet without his shirt on.

He had been in the process of getting changed out of his work clothes. He froze in the doorway, his eyes transfixed by the sight in front of him. Liz was gorgeous. She normally wore lose comfortable clothing that hid her amazing figure. Standing before him in only her underwear, every male fantasy in the world went through Michael’s head. He suddenly realised that he was looking at Liz. His best friend’s girlfriend and his girlfriend’s best friend. He quickly apologised and began to walk back through the door.

Liz turned when she heard the apology and gaped at the sight in front of her. Her embarrassment was put on hold when she saw Michael’s bare chest. She knew that Max had a handrail in his room for pull-ups and that was how he kept his stomach trim and manly. But Michael’s body put Max’s to shame. She suddenly realised that she was staring and half naked and pulled out the locker to shield her prone form. Michael began to apologise again but she cut him off.

“Don’t worry about it. I thought that you had gone home. It is my own fault. If you can just turn around I can finish getting dressed.”

She said trying to stop looking at his bare chest. Michael backed out of the door and left Liz to finish getting changed. He tried to halt the images running round in his head, but to no avail. Liz poked her head out of the door and gave him the all clear to come in. They finished everything in their usual silence. As Michael left through the back door, Liz locked it behind him as per usual.

They were both in bed at the same time and fell asleep quickly. Liz felt herself float upwards and enter a garden. It was beautiful. There were flowers and plants everywhere. It was how she had always envisioned the Garden of Eden. She was strolling around the paths when she looked down and saw that she was dressed in a strange robe. Her arms were bare and it fell to her feet. It was the most exotic shade of blue that she had ever seen. It appeared to change tone as it moved. Her hands went to her head and she found her hair intricately braided around the crown of her head. She continued to walk through the garden, attempting to find someone. She heard footsteps behind her and turned, crashing into a tall and hard figure. She would have fallen to the ground had a pair of strong, lean arms not reached out to grab hold of her. She looked up to see Michael Guerin. She regained her balance and stared at him.

“Do I have something on my face?” Came the amused response to her staring.

“What are you doing here?” She was dreaming, but why would she dream of Michael. She never had before.

“Is it private property?” He teased. She shrugged thinking that it was her subconscious playing tricks on her.

Michael, on the other hand, was very real. He too was lost in the garden. His clothes were strange, a pair of red loose trousers, a green shirt with a red waistcoat. His hair was shorter than he had it normally. He had been confused and merely walked around the garden until he had spotted her.

From behind he thought she was the most seductive and exotic woman he had ever laid eyes on. She walked in a fashion that was akin to mercury flowing down a thermometer. It was fluid and graceful. He had decided to follow her, hadn’t Alice followed the white rabbit and gotten the ride of her life? He had been stunned to find out that the woman was Liz. He caught her before she hit the ground and decided to play along as if he were part of his dream and not just a puppet to his subconscious. Curious as to what would happen.

They held hands and walked through the garden in comfortable silence. They were alone in their own little paradise. The memory of their encounter earlier that evening was very much on both of their minds. Both reasoned that this was their way to deal with the situation subconsciously, without having to do anything in reality. It was lust, pure and simple lust. They wanted what they couldn’t have.

Michael turned to Liz and reached behind her with one hand. He pulled a flower from a bush and graciously presented her with it. She seemed pleased and touched by the gesture. She turned and gave him a kiss as a thank you. They both felt a spark when their lips touched. Stepping back they looked at each other. Michael stepped in again his hands encircling her waist and pushing against the small of her back. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

Liz felt her stomach flip when he kissed her. The blood was rushing to her head and she felt her knees go weak. Michael felt her slip slightly and tightened his grip on her. He had never felt like this in his life. Kissing Maria was passionate and fun, but he had more than physical reactions when he kissed Liz. His head spun and he could feel her entire body pressed against him, but he also felt as though he stood outside his body, watching. If they could do nothing but kiss for the rest of lives, Michael was more than willing to sign up now!

They broke apart and Liz stared up into his eyes, a dazed expression on her face.

“Living motion!”

Was all she said when she reached up to touch his face. Her hands caressed his cheek. She placed her hands at the back of his head and pulled him down so she could kiss him. Her hands and feet tingled. Without breaking their kiss they lay down on the soft grass. Liz noted that underneath her back it felt more like a bed or a duvet, than the ground. Her hands stayed at the back of his head, her fingers intertwining with his hair. Michael’s hands explored her stomach and her legs. As he brushed the inside of her thigh, Liz shuddered.

He kept caressing her leg and he could hear her moan. She reached down and unbuttoned his waistcoat and shirt. She ran her hands over the abs she had spent time earlier fantasising about. They were smooth and hard and she could feel Michael move himself against her hands. Liz began unclasping her robe but was soon overtaken by Michael. He waved his hand over the seam and the cloth parted.

Liz smiled. “Cheater!”

Michael rewarded her with his devil-may-care smile and proceeded to kiss her again. He kissed her lips and then made his way down her body. Liz lay back in wondrous anticipation. He didn’t disappoint. Liz’s hips bucked at the pleasurable contact and felt Michael gently push her back to the ground. Her hands were again tangled in his hair as he continued his pleasurable assault on her clit. Liz moaned and cried and climaxed with more passion than she had ever though possible. She lay before him panting, with a grin on her face and completely naked.

Michael could not imagine a more beautiful sight. He was awed at her beauty. Liz took advantage of his state of shock, to roll him over and begin her assault on him. At first he seemed unsure, but she soon convinced him. Her hands moved up and down his torso in a hypnotic fashion. Each time working their way further south. She unzipped his trousers and began to massage him. He moaned and began to breathe heavily. She closed her mouth over him and he half sat up surprise. He could not imagine anything being more pleasurable than what he was feeling right then.

Liz expertly handled him and used her tongue and mouth to make him putty in her hands. He was about to climax when he sat up and rolled her onto her back. Liz was shocked as she was rolled over and felt Michael lie over her. He looked into her eyes and she gave a nod of consent, understanding why he had done what he did. He wanted to be inside her when he climaxed. He gently eased himself into her and she rotated to accommodate him. Little lines of fire ran through her veins as he began to rock her, gently at first then becoming more and more frenzied. Her legs tightened around him as she got closer and closer to the edge. Their eyes were locked and they formed a connection that went beyond anything either of them had felt before. They could feel what the other needed and wanted and felt. They both toppled over the edge at the same time.

Liz awoke in her bed screaming in pleasure. Her mother rushed into her room, to check if she was ok. Her face was red and her pulse and breathing were erratic. Her temperature was raised Nancy noted as she felt her daughter’s forehead. Liz was mortified but managed to convince her mum that it was just bad dream that she couldn’t remember. Liz fell back into her bed highly confused!

Michael awoke at the same time. He rose, went to the bathroom and had a cold shower. He couldn’t even believe the kind of dream he had just had. Not only was it the most vivid and memorable of his life, it was also the best. It had been perfect and went beyond anything he had come to expect from sex. It was then that it hit him. It hadn’t been sex. It had been making love. He was far too cynical normally to believe in such a concept, but Maria did. And so did Liz. He dreaded the thought of anyone, especially Maria, finding out what he had dreamed that night. Max would kill him, literally.

The next day Liz rose to go to school despite her mother’s pleas to stay in bed. She looked tired but, other than that, there were no physical signs of the dream she had the night before. She shuddered as she remembered the feel of Michael’s lips on hers. She mentally shook herself; she could not think things like that. She was dating and in love with Max. Maria would kill her if she knew what she had dreamt and it would hurt Max. Even though dreams are irrational, as she kept telling herself over and over again, for her friends to know what had been in her head would be so embarrassing. She could just imagine Michael’s reaction if he ever found out about the dream. She only prayed that Max would never see it in a flash.

She put the finishing touches to her outfit. It was far more provocative than what she normally wore. She was wearing a low-neck tank top with a short, bordering on mini, skirt. Her feet were adorned with strappy sandals. As she walked along the corridor towards her first period class she could see all of the stares and hear the guys commenting on her outfit. It gave her an ego boost as she sashayed into her English class. She was met with wolf-whistles as she made her way to her seat. She noticed the curious stare that Alex gave her as she sat down. He was the only member of the group in her first two periods. She simply shrugged and smiled at him. English passed without much entertainment. The main topic of discussion was Liz’s new look. All of the guys unanimously agreed that she looked hot. The popular girls in the class started to pass her notes, all of which she replied to, and the rest of the girls proceeded to gaze at her with looks normally reserved for Isabel. Liz was a hit.

In their second period class Alex sat and stared in wonder at what could have possibly led to this sudden change in Liz’s appearance. She looked serene and beautiful. Normally Alex wouldn’t have noticed, it being Liz who was like a sister to him, but there was something about the way she was that drew him to her. It disturbed him slightly.

After their history class was over, Alex followed her down the hallway. He saw the stares and heard the comments that Liz just seemed to accept and move on. She went to her locker and deposited her books. She moved out into the courtyard and sat in the group’s normal coral. All heads turned to her. Conversations stopped as she sat and basked in the early morning sun. Alex felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see the rest of the group looking at him in confusion.

“What’s going on?” Asked Michael. It was not that unusual for them to see Michael in school before lunchtime anymore.

“I really don’t know!” Alex answered in complete honesty.
“Do we have a celebrity or someone famous?” Asked Maria hopefully.

Isabel looked on at the gaping crowd a slight frown marring her features. The ice queen had competition for attention.

“Well what is it then?” Asked Max.

Alex turned and pointed out to the courtyard where Liz was sitting. Seven jaws fell to the floor. Liz looked stunning. Her outfit and hair combined to make her look like a goddess. They slowly made their way to their usual coral and sat down. None of them blinking or turning their heads away. Liz looked up and smiled.

“I was wondering where you guys were. We only have ten minutes left of our break.” She turned to Max. “Have you completed our assignment for Biology because I was stuck on one of the questions?”

When she got no reply she waved her hand in front of his face.

“Max?” She teased in a singsong tone.

Max finally found his tongue and passed his notebook to Liz. Liz accepted the notes and leafed through the pages.

“No you didn’t manage to get it either!” She said in a disappointed voice.

Michael grabbed the notebook out of her hand and read the problem.

“If you change your temperature scale to Fahrenheit then your answers will be more accurate and you can get the answer for question four, which is fifty-four point seven degrees Fahrenheit.” He stated handing her the notebook back.

Liz looked at him amazed and thanked him. The others at the table were shocked that Michael knew anything about Biology.

“About yesterday.”

Liz held up her hands.

“Don’t apologise again. It was a complete accident. I am surprised that it has never happened before!”

Michael nodded. The others at the table looked to Michael, who said nothing. Then to Liz.

“It is nothing for anybody to worry about. It was nothing so let’s just drop it. I need to go to my locker and change my notes. I will see you guys later.” She jumped up and gave Max a quick kiss on the cheek and half walked half floated across the courtyard. The rest of the group looked were sitting with their chins on their knees when the bell rang for third period.

“What in the hell did we miss?” Asked Tess in an incredulous tone. “What could have happened in the last twenty four hours to make Liz go from shy quiet scientist to school popularity captain? That outfit really is cute though!”

Isabel and Maria nodded in agreement. Kyle and Max sat in open shock. Their feelings for Liz were obvious to everybody in the school. Alex sat with a frown on his face. He was worried about her. He didn’t know if Liz could handle all of the attention and that she might revert to her former self. Michael couldn’t stop thinking about the dream he had had the night before. He knew that he shouldn’t but he couldn’t help it. He was rudely awoken from his thought process by Isabel hitting him on the arm.

“What happened yesterday?” Michael looked at her with incomprehension in his face. “What were you apologising for?”

“Yesterday when we were locking up I walked in on her getting changed.” He shot a quick look at Max and continued. “I didn’t see anything, like she said, it was nothing!” Nobody could find a link that could explain her metamorphosis. They heard the late bell and decided to talk to her about it at lunchtime.

At lunch, the reactions to Liz were identical to the ones at morning break. There were only more of them. When she entered the courtyard there was not one person present who did not turn to look at her. She seemed oblivious.

“Where have you been?” Asked Alex in a worried voice. Liz noticed the tone and shot him a confused look.

“I had to clean up after my chemistry experiment. Why? What’s wrong?” Her expression mirrored Alex’s.

“Nothing,” was Max’s reply. He kissed her on the cheek. “I like your outfit!” Liz smiled shyly.

“Thank you. I was just in the mood this morning for some reason. I just couldn’t face a sweater or a pair of pants. I needed to dress it up a bit. A few people have commented on it too!”

The others raised their eyebrows at each other. ‘A few?’ Nothing was said. Liz pulled out her sandwich and began to eat. The activity continued to mull around the table. Liz quietly, subconsciously, began to hum a tune. Michael recognised it, but couldn’t place it. Then he remembered and his blood turned to ice in his veins. He stood suddenly and marched back into the school building. Liz’s head shot up, concerned. The others at the table reasoned between them that Michael didn’t like living under the microscope that Liz’s life had become. The rest of the day passed without major incident.

Liz and Michael both closed the Crashdown again that night. Maria had had to go home early because her mum was ill. Michael and Liz stuck to their routine. Occasionally peaking through the hatch to see where the other was and what they were doing. Being in such close quarters the dream played very much on each of their minds. Liz finished in the front and went through to the back. She found Michael and let him know that she was going to go get changed. She teased him and could have sworn that he blushed. She walked into the changing room and got out of her Crashdown uniform into the outfit she had worn that day to school. She gave Michael the ok to enter and began to sort out her locker. She subconsciously began to hum a tune. Michael froze. Liz noticed that he had stopped moving and turned to him concerned.

“What’s wrong?” She asked with a frown on her face.

“Where do you know that song from?” He demanded.

“What song?”

“The one you were just humming! How do you know it?” His voice was low and urgent.

“Michael, I wasn’t humming!” She explained in a firm tone of voice.

“Yes you were. It was the same song you were humming at lunch today and I want to know how you know it!” Liz began to think. She wondered if she had been humming. She had no recollection of it. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. Michael decided to let it go. He grabbed his stuff out of his locker and practically ran out of the back door. Liz closed the door after him, confused.

Later on that night Liz lay in bed. It was Friday night and she didn’t have to work tomorrow, so she had stayed up later than usual. Dozing lightly in that place between asleep and awake. She started to drift deeper and deeper into unconsciousness, the deeper she sank, the louder the song got. She could hear it clearly. Once again she was standing in the garden, dressed in the same fashion as previously.

Michael walked up behind her. This time she was prepared and kept her balance. He grabbed her and kissed her passionately on the lips. The feelings were even more intense than they had been the night before. Liz thought she was drowning. And that Michael was her only lifeline. The garden suddenly melted away and the only things around them were swirling colours. Each colour was a separate force, pushing Michael and Liz as physically close as two beings could get. Liz lost the ability to tell where she ended and Michael began.

The song became louder and louder until she could hear all of the words. The voice was familiar but she couldn’t quite place it.

It was then that she awoke suddenly. She looked around her to find out what had disturbed her dream. It was her mother.

“Mum, what are you doing in my room at two in the morning?” Liz demanded in a groggy voice.

“I just wanted to check up on you! You were running a fever yesterday and I thought that it might have come back. You are warm. Maybe I should get you a cold compress?” Liz shook her head emphatically.

“Mum, go to bed!” She said in a teasing, exasperated voice.

Her mother complied, but not before giving her a kiss on the forehead and checking her glands for swelling. After her mother left, Liz thought about Michael’s behaviour that day and at work when he had accused her of humming. Which she had in fact been doing. There was only one person who could give her the answers. As often as she would think about this night, she could never figure out how going to visit Michael at two in the morning had ever been a good idea.

It was two-thirty when she knocked on Michael’s door. It took him a few moments to answer. He walked to the door grumbling bloody murder at whoever was at the other side. It was the last person he ever expected to see pounding on his door in the middle of the night. His eyes widened in shock as she pushed past him into his apartment.

“What bothered you so much about me humming?” She demanded.

“Oh, so now you admit that you were humming!” Michael retorted once he had recovered from the question.

“I was doing it subconsciously! What about it bothered you?”

“Could this not wait until a decent hour, like next Tuesday?” He grumbled. He received a look that said she wasn’t going anywhere until she got an answer. “I know the song, that’s all!”

“If you just knew the song why would it bother you that I did too? You are not telling me the truth!”

“Fine, you tell me where you first heard it!” Liz avoided his eye contact.

“It was in a dream that I had yesterday night! Ok?” She figured that she wouldn’t be giving too much away. The colour drained from Michael’s face and he sat down heavily on the couch. Liz immediately moved towards him.

“What did you mean?” He asked hoarsely.

“What did I mean about what?”

“Living motion?”

He raised his head to see realisation on her face. Her eyes widened in shock and fear. She sat down besides him as if her legs had been cut out from under her. She stared directly in front of her. Michael felt as though she had forgotten that he was there.

“Maria once said that if you stood still for too long you would turn to stone.” She said in a low, barely audible, voice. “But you wouldn’t, you are living and moving constantly. I got to see that.”

Michael felt his heart quicken when he heard Liz speak about him that way. He never thought that anyone could. He turned to her and, similarly to his actions in their dream that night, pulled her towards him and kissed her. Before Liz could react, she found herself responding. There was no conscious thought behind her kissing Michael. The sensation was even more intense than it had been when they were dreaming.

Liz pulled at his shirt and it came over his head. It was as though they had no control, they could not stop touching each other. They somehow made it to Michael’s bed. Their clothing littered the path they had taken. The passion they had created in their dreams was a match compared to the inferno they created together in Michael’s bedroom.

The energy they produced shot out across the room. First the light bulb in the bedside lamp shattered. Michael’s mirror above his chest of drawers cracked. Then the drawers of his chest flew open and his clothes shot out across the room. Neither Liz nor Michael noticed the violent scene around them. They were far too involved in each other. As they both climaxed for the final time, a few hours later, the headboard of the bed exploded. The energy that Michael and Liz had used to please each other had left them completely drained. They both collapsed unconscious on the bed. Their limbs intertwined and their lips still touching.

The next morning Michael awoke to find Max running into his room in a panic. Michael shot up in bed as the memories of the night before came rushing back. He looked around the room searching for any signs that Liz had been there. Other than the mass of destruction that lay about him room, there was no sign of her. It was as though she had never come.

“What in the hell happened? The guy next door wondered if someone had exploded a bomb in your apartment last night! Are you ok?” Max had obvious concern in his voice and on his face.

Michael felt like a first class ass-hole. He nodded mutely. He looked around the room and a smirk played on his face. What a hell of a night! Then he remembered who was in the room with him and the smirk quickly faded. Isabel knocked on the door and requested permission to enter.

“There is a man at the front door who wants to speak to you!” Her mouth dropped open at the sight of destruction that lay around the room.

Michael grabbed a robe and made his way into the living room. Isabel and Max stood and eaves dropped at the door in case there was anyway that they could intervene and help. They listened about how the building super did not appreciate the strange girls knocking on his tenants’ doors at 2.30 in the morning. Nor did he appreciate the noise that came out of the Michael’s apartment that night. Isabel and Max looked to each other when the super mentioned the strange girl. They both knew that Maria had been with her sick mother the night before. Michael was cheating on Maria. They heard the door close and both moved quickly away from the door.

Michael entered the room, sat down on the bed and lay back. Putting his hands over his eyes. He let out a frustrated groan.

“Michael, how did your apartment get like this?” Asked Isabel in a worried tone of voice. “Did you do it in your sleep or were you just throwing a temper tantrum?” Michael snorted at the idea of the latter.

“If I had an answer for you Isabel, I would give you one.”

Keeping his eyes closed Michael raised his right hand and it glowed. Suddenly the room was back to its original state. A little messy but clean and everything was in one piece. Max and Isabel were shocked. Neither or them could even consider doing what Michael had just done, and they were both far more capable. They moved over to the bed to question Michael further but found him asleep. Deciding not to disturb him, they left. Neither said a word driving home. Both too deeply lost in thought.

Liz had awoken that morning to find her and Michael naked and intertwined. His room looked like a World War II mine had exploded. She disentangled herself as gently as she could, picked up her clothes and exited before he woke up. She hurriedly walked home and climbed up the ladder to her balcony and was under the covers just as her mother entered to check her temperature. Liz held the duvet up to her neck to hide the fact that she was wearing clothes at 8 am. Her mother looked worried as she held her hand to her daughter’s forehead. Liz still had a temperature. Despite Liz’s pleas, her mother called for the doctor. When her mother left the room to use the telephone Liz changed into her pyjamas.

The doctor arrived in thirty minutes having had no call outs the night before. He examined Liz, who was ordered by her mum, dad and the doctor to stay in bed. He too was worried about Liz’s fever as it passed 102 degrees. He prescribed a course of antibiotics and ordered Liz to remain in bed for the next couple of days. Liz loathed staying in bed. She was incredibly bored within minutes. She got out of bed and made her way across the room and sat at her desk. She had being doing homework for thirty-five minutes when her mum came in and about had a fit. She began screeching at Liz that she wouldn’t get better is she didn’t rest. Maria came up to visit her during her break. Liz had difficulty looking her best friend in the eye after what she had done. She claimed to be tired and Maria immediately vacated her room to allow her to rest.

Downstairs in the Crashdown, Isabel and Max had entered and were sitting at the same booth as Kyle and Alex. Maria filled them in on what was going on with Liz. Max filled the others in on what they had seem in Michael’s apartment, omitting only any reference to the mysterious woman at Michael’s apartment. They were all astonished at Michael’s newfound ability to use his powers. The rest of the day passed without much activity.

Liz lay in her bed, bored beyond all measure. She heard a tapping at her window and looked up to see Michael crouched at her window. Her breath caught in her throat as she gave him silent permission to enter. He crawled through the window and sat on her windowsill. He gripped his make shift seat as if to prevent himself from entering the room further.

“Are you ok? I heard that you were sick!” Michael asked in a fearful tone.

“I’m fine. Just a bit of a temperature!” She could feel her body temperature rise higher just being in his presence. “Michael, what happened? What could have possibly happened to make us do and feel what we are doing and feeling at the moment?” Her voice was full of sorrow, Michael guessed correctly, for Max and Maria.

“I don’t know!” He answered in all honesty. “There is nothing that I can think of that could have caused this to happen.”

He moved over to her bed and sat down beside her. Liz moved closer to him as though she were drawn like a magnet. Michael placed his hand on her forehead and felt her temperature. Liz could feel disappointment rising in her chest. Michael gazed into her eyes and they formed a connection. Michael moved his hands around her head and body. Reducing her temperature and checking to see if he had done any damage to her that may explain her fever. He could find nothing. Liz’s head cleared and she felt immediately better. Michael shook his head.

“What is causing your temperature? I couldn’t find anything!”

He questioned confused. Liz reached for his hand and held it tightly. She wore a slight smile on her face.

“It’s you!” Michael looked into her face with a hurt expression. “Not what you are, just being near you heats me up!” Liz explained. She moved in closer to him. “The closer I get, the warmer I feel. I can’t explain why you have this effect on me, but you do.”

Michael’s mouth opened in shock, the only emotion he registered was want. He wanted her, right there and right then. His hand moved to the side of her face and she pressed her cheek into his palm, her eyes closed and a content smile on her lips. Suddenly they heard footsteps stomping up the stairs that led from the Crashdown. Michael and Liz jumped apart with realisation of what they were doing! Michael gave Liz an apologetic shrug of the shoulders and climbed out onto her balcony and down the ladders.

Liz sat with cold disappointment burning in her stomach. She heard a knock at her door and Max queried if he could enter. Liz felt the disappointment replaced with dread. She lay back under the covers and uttered a pathetic affirmative. Max opened the door and walked immediately over to her and sat down next to her. His expression was one of concern and worry. Liz did her best to look ill so he wouldn’t stay long.

‘Guilt. Ick.’

She thought, ‘The world would be a much better place without it.’ She felt Max’s hand running down her face. She shuddered involuntarily. All of her passion for Max seemed to have disappeared. Max thought that she was cold and went over to the window and closed it. Sitting down again he attempted to make a connection with her. She blocked him. She didn’t know how she was doing it, or where she got the power from, but she did. Max sat back confused and then tried again. It was no use, she was blocking him. He shot her a questioning look wondering if she could possibly be doing it intentionally. He quickly reproached himself. There was no way that Liz could block him. She didn’t have the ability. He kissed her gently on the forehead and gave her an apologetic frown. He left so she could rest.

Liz stayed in bed all day Sunday just to convince her mum that she was able to go to school the next day. Her mother relented seeing how determined her daughter was. Her temperature was back to normal. She and Michael had not met up in their dreams because Liz had not slept very well on the Sunday after spending all day in bed.

The next morning Liz had woken up late, she rushed to find an outfit for school. She decided upon a black ankle length skirt with slits up the sides to just above the knee and a red Chinese print top. She rolled her hair up into a bun and held it in place with two ornamental chopsticks. All in all a very provocative outfit. The stares and comments were the same as they had been on Friday.

They all sat at their usual table, the only noticeable absence was Michael. The others filled Liz in on what had happened at Michael’s apartment. The colour drained from Liz’s face but no mention was made about anyone else being present. After fending off a bunch of inquiries about her health, Liz excused herself to go to speak to a teacher about an essay extension. Max stared after her as she left with a hurt expression on his face.

“She is hiding something from me?” He said out loud. It was not his intention to speak but he had.

“Ha.” Maria interrupted. “You should try getting a word out of Michael over the past few days. He is turning, slowly but surely, to stone.”

Isabel nodded in agreement and shared a look with Max. Their thoughts both moved along the same lines. Michael had a mystery woman and they knew about it. If Maria ever found out that they knew and didn’t tell her, she would be furious.

Liz walked along the empty corridors of the school. She half closed her eyes and walked in the direction she could feel him strongest in. Michael was at school today. She had seen him. He was avoiding her, which was something that she could not completely disagree with. She entered the auditorium and stood in the curtains on the wings of the stage. She silently watched Michael as he sat at the piano. She concentrated on hiding her presence from him, blocking herself as she had done with Max. She concentrated on it with so much energy, that she failed to sense Max enter behind her.

He had been worried and followed her through the corridors. He had seen the look of concentration on her face and it has peaked his interest. He was mildly surprised to find out that she led him to Michael. He stayed a safe and discreet distance from her. He watched her gaze at Michael and there was something about it that bothered him. He looked to Michael who looked like a man lost. The expression on his face was more downtrodden and sullen than usual. He suddenly sat up and his fingers moved across the keys of the piano. A beautiful tune sounded throughout the hall. Max was shocked. He didn’t know that his friend had any musical talent at all. His shock turned to astonishment when Michael began to sing.

I’ve got nothing on mind.
Nothing to remember
Nothing to forget
And I’ve got nothing to regret

But I’m all tied up on the inside
No one knows quite what I’ve got
And I know that on the outside
What I used to be, I’m not. Anymore

You know I’ve heard about people like me
But I never made the connection
They walk one road to set them free
And find they’ve gone the wrong direction

But there’s no need for turning back
Cause all roads lead to where I stand
And I believe I’ll walk them all
No matter what I may have planned


Can you remember who I was?
Can you still feel it?
Can you find my pain?
Can you heal it?

Then lay your hands upon me now
And cast this darkness from my soul
You alone can light my way
You alone can make me whole. Once again

We’ve walked both sides of every street
Through all kinds of windy weather
But that was never our defeat
As long as we could walk together

So there’s no need for turning back
Cause all roads lead to where we stand
And I believe we’ll walk them all
No matter what we may have planned.

(Don McLean – Crossroads)

Michael finished playing and hung his head slightly. Max was moved by Michael’s song. He looked at Liz and saw tears on her face. She walked slowly out from behind the curtain and towards Michael.

“You wrote it!” She said softly, revealing her presence.

Michael looked up in muted surprise. He nodded. She walked towards him. Their eyes were locked. Max looked on from the side his heart plummeting. His eyes were wide. Liz walked up to Michael who remained sitting on the piano stool. Her hands were on either side of his face and they leaned in to kiss each other. Michael rose and pulled Liz to him. They kissed hungrily, devouring each other.

Max felt like he was going to be sick. Movement on the piano diverted his attention as he saw music sheets begin to levitate and swirl around Liz and Michael. Liz began to glow brightly and Max could see sparks of blue light shoot between Michael’s fingers. They began to float, had it not been his girlfriend and his best friend Max would have thought it was a beautiful sight. Both were completely oblivious to the energy they were producing. They stopped kissing and sank gently down to the ground.

Liz placed her head on Michael’s chest and they held each other for a few moments. The music sheets returned to their original spots on the piano. Max was gob smacked. Not only were Liz and Michael together, she had been the one at his apartment the night of the destruction and she had something to do with Michael newfound abilities with his powers. Michael and Liz communicated silently that they would meet later on to discuss what they were going to do. They left to go to their classes.

Max went through the rest of the day in a daze. He was in shock and it was all he could do to not break down. There was obviously something powerful between Michael and Liz. Even in his state he could sense that. After school he climbed into the jeep’s passenger side and handed the keys to Isabel. It was an unprecedented move and Isabel stared at her brother but said nothing. She took a good look at him when she stopped at a traffic light. He looked pale and ill. She pressed her palm to his forehead, which came back clammy. He didn’t react to her touch at all. When she pulled into their driveway he toppled out and immediately went up to his room. She trailed a few steps behind him and caught his door as it swung closed.

“Ok, what is the matter?” Her face was full of panic. The only time got like this was when something major was bothering him. He looked up at Isabel, his eyes full of pain.

“I saw Michael today, kissing his ‘other woman’” Isabel gaped.

“Who is she?”

“Liz!” He replied with a humourless laugh. Isabel almost dropped to the ground in shock. She had to grab the door handle to regain her balance. She rushed to his side.

“Why is it then, that at this moment in time you are not killing Michael?”

“I don’t think that this is a battle I can win!” This statement shocked Isabel.

“Max, it is probably just a fling. As soon as Liz comes to her senses you know that she will pick you!” Max shook his head and grabbed his sister’s hand. A blur of images passed in her mind and she saw the interaction between Michael and Liz in the auditorium. She found herself back in reality and sat in silence beside Max. The images of Michael and Liz had not shocked her. It was almost natural for her to see them together. There was no way she could explain it to her brother though.

“I don’t think they even know what is going on! It has progressed this quickly in a matter of days. I am certain this only started at the end of last week. I think that we should call a meeting, without Liz and Michael and the others should be told.” Isabel nodded in agreement and went to pick up the phone.

At 7pm that evening the other four members of the meeting were congregated in Isabel’s bedroom. Their parents had been more than happy to allow a group of kids over to their house. Neither of their children brought people over very often. Michael and Liz were the only people that they both saw on a regular basis.

“Ok, so we are just waiting for Michael and Liz then!” Remarked Kyle. Max shook his head.

“They weren’t invited to join us because this meeting is about them!” The others looked to Isabel for confirmation and she merely nodded. “Maria, can I speak to you alone for a minute before we begin?”

Maria complied and she and Max made their way over to his room. The remaining people in the room turned to Isabel who shared with them the events of the day. From Max seeing Michael and Liz together, to them agreeing that Max should be the one to tell Maria in private.

Maria sat on Max’s bed and looked up at him with curiosity in her eyes. He looked nervous and paced the room slightly.

“Max, was there actually something that you wanted to talk to me about or did you just want me to watch your pacing technique?”

“Maria, I need to tell you something. But if I tell you it will hurt you and I am kind of scared at how you will react!” This caused Maria to raise her eyebrows.

“Well you will just have to wonder unless you tell me! What is it?” She demanded in a panicked voice.

“Michael is cheating on you!” He stated simply. Maria’s jaw dropped and she shot off of the bed and made her way to the door. It was only when Max raised his force shield that she backed away.

“Put that thing down and let me out of here. So help me god Max you had better tell me who the little tramp is so I can scratch her eyes out!” Maria was turning darker shades of red by the minute. Her eyes were wild and she was practically foaming at the mouth.

“He is seeing Liz!” Max replied in a soft voice. Maria stopped in shock. She stopped yelling, moving and breathing. She looked into his eyes to check for any signs that he may be kidding. He wasn’t! Max saw that she was about to pass out so he walked over to her and led her to the bed. He rubbed her back gently and she began to breathe again.

“Why?” She stuttered through her tears. She gave Max a look of pity, knowing he was feeling this as much as she was. “Why aren’t you angry? Why haven’t you confronted them?”

“I am going to show you the reason that I think we need to step back from this one!” Maria was about to protest when a flood of images seeped into her brain. She saw Michael singing and playing the piano, she saw Liz’s reaction and she saw them kiss and float. When the images stopped she was in shock.

“What does it mean?”

Max shrugged and suggested that they return to the others. Explaining that Isabel had already told them everything. Max and Maria were confronted with expressions of pity when they entered the room. Kyle gave Max a pat on the back as a way of letting him know that he understood. Max gave him a look of thanks. He asked everybody to join hands and showed them the entire scene that had played out earlier in the auditorium.

“It was obvious to me that they feel very strongly about each other. I know that some of you will be shocked to hear us say this, but Maria and I are going to step back and let Michael and Liz be together.” Maria nodded in confirmation.

The others were stunned. Then the reality began to sink in. Something major was happening between Michael and Liz. And none of them had a right to interfere. It could have been something alien that needed to happen or it could just be lust. The only way to get any answers was to let it play its course.

Later that evening, after her shift, Liz sat down at her desk to do her homework. She heard a small movement behind her and turned to see Max sitting on her bed. She gave a look of confusion.

“I’m sorry to just be here but you and I need to talk!” Liz just nodded noticing the sad tone of voice he spoke with. “I need for you to just listen to me talk. There is something that I need to say and a decision that I have made and there is no way for you to change my mind!”

Liz nodded again, confused and worried.

“I saw you and Michael this afternoon in the auditorium!” Liz opened her mouth to speak but Max held up a hand to silence her. “I don’t think that you and Michael are even aware of what you did.”

He crossed the room and placed his hand on her arm. Liz saw what had happened through Max’s eyes. He was right, neither of them had realised what they were doing. She turned to him with open eyes, full of sorrow. Max turned around and sat down on the bed again. Being that close to her made it more difficult for him to continue.

“Maria knows too!”

The pain on Liz’s face was almost too much. As much as she had hurt him, he loved her. He had done so since he first laid eyes on her when he was seven.

“We discussed it with the rest of the group and we came to a decision. Maria and I are stepping back!” His voice was thick and it was obvious to her how difficult it was for him to say this. “You and Michael need to sort this out. I don’t know what is causing it, if it’s real or of it something else completely. But the issue will still be there if Maria and I decided to fight or forgive or ignore it. There is one thing that I would like to know if you want to tell me! How did it start?”

“He and I shared a dream. Neither of us was aware that the other person in the dream was real. We both thought that it was our subconscious playing tricks on us. Michael had walked in on me changing and he wasn’t wearing a shirt. We both figured that it was just our imaginations!”

“How did you discover that it wasn’t?”

“The tune I was humming subconsciously had been playing in the background of the dream. It was the song you heard Michael play in the auditorium.” Max nodded in understanding.

“No one is throwing you out of the group. You and Michael are still key members. It will be awkward for a while but we will work it out. Nobody is asking for you to choose between your friends and Michael!” Liz nodded, relieved. Max walked towards her. He bent down and kissed her softly. “I just wanted something to remember!” He whispered. After he left, Liz cried. She couldn’t believe how wonderful he was even after she had broken his heart. Her phone rang sharply and she jumped. She took a deep breath to steady her voice and answered.

“Hello?”

“Hi, it’s Michael!” Came the concerned voice inside the receiver. “Are you ok, you sound upset?”

“Max was just here and he is being so sweet. He knows about us and I feel terrible because he is being so supportive and I broke his heart!” Liz began to cry again.

“I know. Maria was just here. The apartment is still in one piece, as am I, so it just goes to show how they are reacting. I feel bad too. I think Maria may be on her way to see you because Max just pulled up out side. I will call you if I survive this encounter, ok?”

“Ok.” They hung up the phone.

Michael walked to the door and out to the car where Max was still sitting in the driver’s seat.

“Get in and we’ll go for a drive!” He didn’t even look at him.

“This isn’t one of those drives where somebody will find my body in twenty years time and decide to write a book about it, is it?”

Max gave a faint grin and shook his head. Michael climbed into the passenger seat and they drove off into the desert. They drove in silence until Max stopped the jeep at the quarry. Max jumped out and stood a few feet away from the jeep with his back to Michael. Unsure of what to say Michael got out as well and leaned against the hood of the jeep. Max turned to Michael with an intense look on his face.

“I know you about as well as I know myself. Of that there is no doubt in my mind. I know that you would never do anything to intentionally hurt me, or Maria. I know that you would never do anything to expose us and I know that despite everything that you are my brother. Knowing all of that tells me that you are not in full control of what you are doing. Liz mentioned the dream thing briefly and I saw the two of you in the auditorium.”

Michael closed his eyes and his face was the picture of sorrow. He opened his mouth to defend his actions but couldn’t speak.

“You weren’t aware of what you were doing either, were you?” Michael looked up at Max confused.

Max crossed the distance between them and touched his arm, similarly to his actions with Liz. Michael’s eyes widened and shock registered on his face. He shook his head to confirm that he had not known.

“I am sure that Maria explained to you everything that we decided upon.” Michael nodded. “You know how much I love Liz. That I would never want to see her hurt! You have to promise me that you are going to take care of her! You have to promise me that you and I are not going to lose our friendship over this and you have to promise me that no matter what the future brings, that the eight of us will stand against anything that comes against us! Promise me that and I will be satisfied.”

“I promise you. I know that you have explained everything but I need to tell you that I am sorry. We never meant to do anything to hurt anybody. We never meant to do anything period. I didn’t even realise that we were floating or the glowing and sparking! It kind of resembles one of our dreams though.”

Max looked up with questioning eyes and Michael explained as vaguely as he could about the swirling colours. Max’s eyes widened. He held his hand out for Michael to shake. Michael grabbed Max’s hand and used his free one to pull Max into a manly hug. They slapped each other on the back and pulled apart.

Maria had stood outside Liz’s door and had heard the conversation she had had on the phone. It was obvious that it was Michael. She knocked on the door and Liz opened it after a few seconds. Maria was shocked at Liz’s pale, tear-stained face. Her first instinct was to hug her, but she held back.

“Hi Maria.” Liz whispered in a scared little girl’s voice.
Maria rewarded her with a tight-lipped smile. They both walked into the room. Liz sat on her bed and Maria on her desk chair. “Michael was just on the phone. Did you two talk everything out?”

“Yeah, being Michael I did most of the talking.”

Liz nodded.

“Look, you know I came here to say no hard feelings and all that crap, just like Max did I suppose.” Liz nodded in confirmation.

“Well we both know me a little bit better than that. You are my sister and although there is nothing that can change that and in the long run we will become as close as we used to be, but I can’t do that right now! I lost the only man I ever loved to you. I don’t know how and I don’t want to know!”

She shot out of the chair and began to pace the open floor space. Hurricane DeLuca began to blow a gale.

“You betrayed me! You and Michael! I bet the both of you had a good laugh at my expense. Didn’t you?” She turned pointing an accusing finger at Liz. Liz immediately rose and began to defend her actions.

“Maria, I know that I have hurt you but you can’t really ever believe that I did it on purpose! I love you too much to hurt you that way!” Maria turned to Liz her eyes huge with repressed rage.

“You love me? I bet you don’t even know what love is. The only person you love is yourself! If you truly loved anyone other than yourself you would never have done what you did. Aerodynamics or not, you are a betrayer. The lowest ring of hell is reserved for those who betray. I hope that it is hot enough for you!”

Maria raised her fist and struck Liz in the face. She raised her fist again but was suddenly shot across the room as though someone had tied a bungee cord between her and the door. She hit the door and shot through it. When she stopped moving she looked back as Liz whose face was pale but for a trickle of blood running from her nose.

It wasn’t her face that caught Maria’s eye. It was her raised palm, which was currently glowing. Despite the pain in her body, Maria rose from the ground and ran down the steps to the Crashdown. Liz stared at her hand with horror. She now knew a fraction of how Michael had felt when he had killed Pierce. She slumped to the floor and brought her knees up to under her chin and hugged her legs.

Max and Michael were on their way back to Roswell when Michael suddenly demanded that Max drive to Liz’s. At first he was about to object but the urgency in Michael’s voice told him to comply. They ran up to Liz’s room to find the door shattered and splintered.

Liz was sitting in the middle of her floor her head on her knees. Michael rushed over to her and she raised her head sensing his presence. When he saw the blood on her face his face went white. Max saw the blood almost ran to comfort her, until he remembered that it was no longer his job to.

Liz clung to Michael and continued to cry. He comforted her and Max saw how open Liz had made him. He knew that Max was in the room yet he was comfortable sharing his emotions. Max turned to repair the door, when the job was done he turned to see Michael and Liz pull apart. Michael raised his hand to Liz’s face and healed her nose and the bruise under her cheek.

“Who blew up the door?” Michael asked in a consoling voice.

“I did!” Liz replied with terror in her voice. Michael and Max had identical expressions of astonishment on their faces.

“Do you know how?” Michael pressed. Liz shook her head. “Were you trying to do anything? Who hurt you?”
“Maria got really angry and hit me!” Michael’s face turned an angry shade of purple.

“She hit me once and then tried to hit me again. I raised my hand to try and block her. I sent her across the room and through the door!” Her lips trembled and she sounded on the verge of hysterical. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. I swear that I didn’t” Michael pulled her to him and hugged.

“I know that you didn’t sweetheart. I know!” He shot a look at Max who immediately walked out of the door to find Maria.

Max tried her house and then went to Alex’s. She was in neither. He decided to go home and see if Isabel had heard from her. He walked into his room to find Maria sitting against the edge of his bed. He immediately walked up and sat down beside her.

“Where does it hurt?” Maria looked up at his surprised. “Michael and I found Liz! She was a state. Why did you hit her?” Maria shrugged her shoulders and tears began to flow down her cheeks.

“I didn’t mean to get so angry. I just started talking and I saw red. She didn’t try to deny anything and she just sat there and took everything that I threw at her!”

“She probably thought that she deserved it!” Max explained.

“How did she get powers?”

“I don’t know. Michael and Liz don’t know either. Liz was in shock. We were in the jeep on our way back from the quarry after a heart to heart and Michael suddenly announced that we had to go to Liz’s. We rushed upstairs to find the door shattered and Liz sitting in the middle of the floor. He head was down on her knees and she was sobbing. Michael walked towards her and she lifted her head. When he saw the blood on her face I thought that everything in the room going to explode. But he didn’t react. He just sat and comforted her. So if I were you, I would avoid Michael for the next couple of days.”

“Is Liz ok?” Maria asked in a guilty voice.

“Mentally or physically?”

“Both!”

“Physically she is fine. Michael healed her.” Maria looked up her eyes wide. Michael seemed to have forged ahead in leaps and bounds with his powers since he and Liz had begun having a relationship. “Mentally I think that the fact she may have hurt her best friend is killing her. She had no idea that she could do what she did. And after hurting you emotionally, hurting you physically was too much! She is pretty much a wreak at the moment.”

A pained expression crossed Maria’s face. Max put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Later that day Liz was left in her bedroom alone. Michael had gone downstairs to work and left her to think. She desperately wanted to know if Maria was ok or not. She walked across the room to her desk and picked up the phone. She dialled Max’s number. Isabel answered.

“Hello, Evans’ residence.”

“Isabel? It’s Liz. Can I speak to Max please?”

“No!” Isabel shot back. “I really don’t think that you should speak to him right now. You have put him through enough for one day!” Isabel retorted and slammed down the phone. Liz was stunned and placed the receiver back in its cradle. She should have known that Isabel would be the toughest on her out of the people not directly involved. She began to pace her room and think up ways to make things better in the group. As she paced objects started to fly around her room. She didn’t notice, as she was too deep in thought. A knock at the door brought her out of her mire of thought.

“Who is it?” She called.

“It’s Maria. Can I come in please?” Her voice sounded through the door. Liz took a deep breath and replied in the affirmative. The door opened and she saw Maria gaze around the room in awe. “You are really getting to grips with your powers aren’t you?”

Liz was unsure of what she meant until she pointed around the room. Liz saw what she was doing and immediately waved her hand at the floating objects sending them back to their original places around her room.

“I didn’t even realise I was doing it!” Liz confessed. “Are you ok?” She asked in a worried voice. Maria nodded and crossed the distance between them and pulled Liz into a sisterly hug.

“I am sorry I hurt you and I am sorry that I made you do that!” Maria whispered into her hair. Liz gasped in relief. She felt Maria’s warmth and regret in the hug and in return hugged her tightly.

“You are the closest thing that I have ever had to a sister and I can’t lose you! I need you so much right now. I don’t understand what is happening to me!” Liz babbled. Maria smiled and pulled her into another hug.

“You think that a little thing like what happened is ever going to let you get rid of me?” Maria joked. “Honey, it would take a nuclear explosion for that to happen!” Both giggled. “I am so sorry that I hit you! I can’t believe that I did that!” Maria’s eyes watered over. “I’ll tell you what. You forgive me for hitting you and I will forgive you for breaking the best friend rule nummero uno!” Liz looked up at Maria in confusion.

“Rule nummero uno?” She queried. “I thought that was to remain friends forever.”

“Those are our rules.” Maria explained. “But the universal rules for all woman kind state that you must never date your best friend’s current or ex- boyfriend.”

“Deal!” Liz replied as the dam behind her eyes broke.

News in the small group travelled fast. Even Isabel came to learn the true series of events and realised that she had no right to be angry with Liz. The look of loss on her brother’s face made her slip behind her icy façade and the desire to give Liz a full viewing of the Ice Princess was tempting. The only thing that changed her mind was the expression of elation in her other brother’s eyes.

Michael was never one to express his emotions but if you knew him long enough you could gauge by the colour of his eyes how he felt. The angrier he was the darker his eyes got, turning almost black. The happier he felt the lighter his eyes seemed. The colour of caramel. Isabel had never seen them a light as they were today.

The group sat in a misshapen circle at the quarry. Isabel with Alex, ever at her side, sat on a blue tartan blanket that was stored in case of emergency in the back of the jeep. Tess sat in front of Kyle her back resting against his chest, his back leaning against the passenger door of his car. Maria and Max sat close together, bound by their grief and subsequent resolve, both sitting on their coats. Had anybody been able to find a millimetre of air between Liz and Michael’s joint bodies they would have been nominated for the Nobel Prize for disproving a given theory. Liz sat on Michael’s lap and leaned against him as he sat against a large boulder. Both arms were firmly planted around her waist and his head rested in the crook between her head and shoulder. Both looked content.

“I have a theory!” Tess admitted quietly. All eyes turned to her in expectation. Tess fidgeted with her sleeve as she paused, her face quite pale. “I think that, maybe, we weren’t sent down here to be with each other.”

“Huh?” Alex stuttered. This was a huge turn around for Tess. She had been adamant from day one that they Royal Four were destined to be together and that they had a planet to save and that humans were a distraction. Tess took a deep breath and looked over to Liz and Michael. Liz understood what was happening and smiled warmly at her. The others saw this interaction and were even more confused.

“You said it yourself Max. Michael’s powers grew exponentially when he and Liz got together. I think that Nacedo was wrong about our destiny and that we were sent down here to find people who complete us and complement us.”

“What do you mean by complement?” Isabel asked, shooting a nervous glance at Alex.

“Liz and Michael are opposite personalities. How can they complement each other?” Kyle asked.

“I don’t think that is what Tess meant.” Maria added. “Outwardly Liz and Michael are very different but inwardly they are very similar. They are very protective. They are very caring. They are both intelligent. I think what Tess was saying is that Liz brings out the softer side of Michael’s personality and that in turn he strengthens aspects of hers.” Maria proposed. Tess nodded; smiling.

“They are not as similar as Liz and Max were in temperament or as similar as Michael and Maria. But whilst they say opposites attract they are similar in other ways and more dependent on each other.” Tess attempted to clarify.

“I don’t follow!” Max confessed.

“Liz helps me control my temper.” Michael stated. All eyes turned on him. “Her confidence in me builds up my own self esteem. She calms and centres me. I think that’s what Tess meant.” Michael gave Liz a squeeze as he spoke.

“Michael helps strengthen aspects of my personality.” Liz continued. “He makes me less self conscious and meek. He boosts my confidence too!” Liz pressed herself against Michael who placed a kiss on her neck.

“That’s what I meant.” Tess added.

“Uh huh!” Liz retorted. Tess blushed, as did Kyle!

“What the hell did we miss?” Isabel demanded. “You and Kyle?”

They all started to laugh. Max and Maria shot each other furtive glances. Maria shot a quick look at Liz who was smiling at her. She gave a quick wink and faced away.

“I love you!” Michael whispered in her ear. Liz’s felt her heart burst.

“I love you!” She replied.

Things were looking bright!