A/N - I had to look back and see when I started this fic, it was 2010. How time flies. It's been 13 years since I started this one, but a promise to myself, I have completed it. I hope you enjoy their ending as much I enjoyed writing it. It's not perfect, but hey, neither am I.
Much love, Tanya
Chapter 20
October 28, 2008
2 days later (after prologue)
All of Me
“You are both ridiculous,” Serena's mumbled voice could be heard from inside the depths of her closet. Liz was sitting on her friend's bed thinking back to the argument with Max. She was so frustrated it seemed like they took two steps forward and twenty steps back every other month.
“It's not my fault he doesn't take me seriously,” Liz knew her voice sounded childish but who cared? Max was wrong for saying what he said.
Serena peeked her head out of the closet fully changed into her party dress. Liz was not even dressed and she was going to kill her best friend if she made her late for her own birthday party.
She walked across the room and sat next to her friend, and tried to sound gentle, “Liz, I love you and I love Max but honestly you went to his house and attacked him and his lifestyle.”
Liz jumped from the bed and began to pace. “That's because he doesn't understand that not everyone has their life together, he could have a little compassion.” Serena groaned inwardly, Liz did not see she went there and expected Max to respond as he always did, but it was getting exhausting because everyone but her realized she was just running from her past, or present, basically everything.
“Liz, you need to look at it from his perspective, he has tried to help you over and over again, we all have. You are making choices that aren't good and we want only the best for you. You know that Max wants only the best, but Liz, you threw his lifestyle in his face. Not only that but the house he built and is so proud of, in his face. You could not have thought the conversation would go over well.”
“That is not the point! He attacked me for my choices, so I gave it back to him,” Liz turned to face her friend who did not have a look that she liked on her face.
She thought maybe it was time to retreat because when Serena got that face, good things didn't follow.
“You know what, this is a bad time. I'm going to run home and get dressed and meet up at the restaurant. I shouldn't have brought it up.”
Serena stood up and took a deep cleansing breath. “You're going to sit your ass down and listen carefully to what I'm going to tell you, because Liz, I love you, but you need to stop running.”
Liz opened her mouth to speak but Serena lifted an eyebrow, Liz snapped her mouth shut.
“You have been running from Max since the day your dad left. You have been playing this push and pull with Max, seeing how far you can push him to see if he would leave you. See if he would disappoint you, but he is not your father. He has tried everything he could to be there for you, to support you. To love you, Liz. The man has loved you for so long and you just won't let him get close enough. When he does you find a reason, no matter how far from left field it comes you throw it at him. He catches it every time, and he isn't perfect. He has made some really big mistakes, but never to intentionally hurt you. He has always put you first, but Liz, he isn't your doormat. You need to figure out what you want out of this life and stop wasting time. You know that I know better than anyone else, how short life is, stop wasting it. If you want to be with him, be with him. If you don't, you have to let him go, forever this time.”
Liz didn't know what to say, was it true? Sure. Was she ready to admit it? No.
Serena, however had a point, how many times could she push Max? What if he didn't come follow her this time? She knew, because Jared had told her, that Max went looking for her that night she ran from his house. She hid out at a local motel. She just wasn't ready to face that terrible argument that she instigated because she was so tired of not being with Max, she was frustrated but had no idea at all how to even get back to where they started.
Maybe he wasn't in love with her anymore, maybe it was too late and she was terrified so she figured fighting with him would show her how much he still cared. What a twisted way to think.
Serena had still been talking, she tuned back in. “The worst thing that ever happened was you telling him to forget you slept together, and then you forgot you slept together.” Liz was ready to protest it wasn't her fault she forgot, but Serena stilled her with a hand.
“You can blame what you want, and I get it, but girl Max has taken a beating from you for years. He wears his heart on his sleeve every time you walk into a room. I don't know what else to say but, we all love you and whatever is going to make you happy, truly happy, that's what we want for you.
If it's not Max, then it's not Max. But you have to stop running and know that you are enough. Now, I have to go because I will be late for my own birthday. I hope I see you there, if not, I will call you tomorrow.”
With that Serena walked out of the room and left Liz staring back unseeing and reeling from her friend's words.
...if it's not Max. Of course, it's Max! She has always wanted him, but she had no idea what to do if she had him. She would just mess things up, right? Would she allow her insecurities to pull her away? Max loved her, she knew that, but was he still
in love with her? What if she poured her heart out and he told her he didn't feel the same?
Could she put herself out there again? Last time it didn't go so well.
Her cell phone rang, it was Serena.
“Jared said I should call you and tell you something.” Liz thought to herself, didn't she have her fill of words few minutes ago?
“We both love you and hope you come tonight. And he told me that I should ask you, do you know the real reason why Max built the house?”
Liz gave pause to the question.
“No,” she answered.
Serena must have put the phone on speaker because she could hear Jared now. “Hey Liz, I think you should think about why when you talk about the house Max gets so upset because it's not just because you bring it up.”
The phone clicked.
What the hell?
*****
Max honestly wanted to celebrate his friend's birthday, of course, but he was still upset about his and Liz's argument a couple of days ago.
He tried to look for her, but he had no idea where she went. He called her phone but straight to voicemail it went.
He was not just upset he was pissed off. She just kept pushing him and pushing him with her accusatory words. It pissed him off that she had the nerve to throw his sex life in his face, when she wanted no part of it.
He parked his car outside the restaurant, turned it off and rested his head against the seat. He had no idea if Liz would be inside, Serena said she wasn't sure if Liz would show. At first, he had a sense of relief that Serena had heard from her, and that she was ok, but then he got angry.
Why did she push his buttons so damn much? If she just let go of her fear she could maybe see how good they would be together. It was just out of his hands at this point, he knew that until she accepted that he wasn't going anywhere th--
Max jumped at the sound of someone banging on his passenger window. He turned his head at the same time and saw...Liz.
He clicked the button to unlock the door, she slid inside.
“Liz..” he didn't get to say anything else.
“Why did you build the house?” He took a fortifying breath, I guess they would be stuck on this hamster wheel forever.
“The real reason, Max. I need it.”
“Why do you need to know? I think I've given you enough answers, I deserve some.” He watched her face; she paused for a moment and nodded her head. She turned fully in her seat to face him. She was so beautiful. Her lips, her eyes, the small smile that formed on her lips. How long had it been since he last kissed her? A lifetime ago.
“Fair enough. What do you want to know?”
He was pretty damn shocked she didn't fight him. He honestly didn't know that he wanted an answer to it until the words were said.
“Why do you want to know Liz? What does it matter? Every chance you get, you throw how empty it is in my face.” The bitterness of her feelings towards it coming through in his voice.
“I need to know because every part of me, I realize needs every part of you. To know every part of you. I need to know did you build it for us?” Max's entire body froze. All the air from his lungs he was holding in rushed out.
Should he put himself out there again? Could he trust that she would not shred him to pieces...again?
He looked at her, wordlessly tried to convey his uncertainty.
She reached out her hands to him and silently asked for his. He was drawn to this woman, always had been and for better or worse, always would be it seemed. He reached out and she linked their fingers, pressing their palms together.
He thought he would pass the hell out, what was she saying? He heard her words, but he just couldn't trust...
“I hurt you Max over and over again. You were right I was running away. I am terrified that I can't be what you need to build a future with. What if you decided I wasn't enough? What if you left me?”
“I would never leave you Liz, how many ways can I show you?” he sounded defeated. Would this just be what it came down to? Him trying over and over again to prove to her what he already knew? She was it for him.
Liz pulled his hands gently, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. “I know, I just...I promise I will never ask again. Did you build it for us?”
He gave in.
“Yes.”
At that she began to cry in earnest, she let go of one his hands to swipe the tears falling. He wanted to do it, so desperately but he didn't dare move. He was afraid of her next words.
“I want to spend the rest of my life with you Max. I want to fill that beautiful house with you, and I want to spend the rest of our time together trying show you how much I love you. I know I hurt you and I know I can't change the past, but I'm asking you to give me one more chance to make things right. Give me one last chance and I promise, Max, I promise it's the last chance I will ever need to show you that I love you, I need you and I can't be happy unless I'm with you.”
It took him just a moment for the words to actually penetrate the fog of disbelief. He covered the distance between them, wrapped one arm around her waist and the other to tangle in her hair and he kissed her.
Their lips met and he savored the feeling of their softness against his own. The taste of her, her puffs of breath against his face. He pulled her that much closer, remembering every little kiss they had through the years.
He had sealed them away in his memory but now, now he could fully engage in knowing she loved him as much as he loved her.
Finally.
His lips devoured hers, his tongue delving deeper, licking and tasting her. Liz returned the kiss with as much fervour as him, pulling him deeper, closer. Hugging him to her.
He pulled away slightly to smile into her tearful eyes. “You have me Liz, all of me, always.”
“All of me, Max...all of me.”
THE END