AN: So I'm a little slow on the uptake and it took me a while to figure out HOW to insert notes... It's so simplistic it didn't register! At anyrate, I figure I should do the obligatory "I don't own anything" speech. So I don't own anything! Phew, now that I've done that, hopefully I don't have to worry about getting sued?

Also thanks for all the reveiws. I appreciate them!Hopefully, the questions that were posed will be answered in this and following chapters. Keep reveiwing!

Happy Reading!

Chapter 2

Over an hour later, Liz sat next to an uncomfortable looking Jeremy. "How are you two doing?" Liz laughed at the smug smile that Maria wore in response to her question. "Do I even want to know what that smile is about?" She asked Jeremy.

"No!" He exclaimed. "Is she always like this?" His voice cracked slightly which made Maria chuckle.

"Yes," Liz smiled gamely knowing she must have walked in on something fairly embarrassing. "Sorry," she whispered in Jeremy's ear. Her attention was quickly diverted however by a huge group of high school aged kids entering the café. She reluctantly slid out of the booth and said, "duty Calls." With a shrug she left them.

After she'd taken the group's drink orders, she glanced at Maria who was staring at her with a look of confusion and worry. She started to head over to ask her friend what was wrong when she heard the door chime go off. At the same moment she felt a white hot jolt of electricity snake its' way across her heart. She looked up and entering the café was a tall, well built man with short, dark hair. She took a step forward to seat him and then she saw his eyes. She tripped and went sprawling on the floor. She cursed herself as she felt a pain shoot from her ankle up her leg.

Jeremy was by her side in an instant. Liz couldn't bring herself to look up. She was afraid that if she did, she'd realize she was only hallucinating. On the other hand, what if it really was... Liz looked up. Max Evans was still standing by the door staring at her. "Oh my God," she whispered.

"Are you okay?" Jeremy asked as he tried to help her to her feet.

Liz barely heard him. "Yeah," she said as she tried to stand. She winced as her foot touched the floor. The pain that pulsated through her ankle brought her back to reality. "Um, maybe not," she whispered. A second later, Max stood next to her.

"Did you hurt your ankle?" He asked. Liz felt lightheaded. She nodded slowly. She couldn't believe he was standing in front of her. "You should probably go ice it," Max suggested softly.

"Good Idea," Maria piped in. "Jeremy, why don't you and Max get Liz upstairs? I'll take care of everyone here okay?" Her voice was reasonably calm. Liz looked sharply at her. She didn't seem the least surprised to see Max standing in front of them.

Liz didn't have time to think anything else before Max slid an arm around her waist. She quickly sucked in a breath as Jeremy did the same. Liz felt herself being practically carried out of the restaurant and up the stairs to her parent's apartment. She felt trapped between the two men and was relieved when they finally deposited her on the couch. Jeremy quickly went into the kitchen to get some ice. Max looked around quickly then sat in front of her on the coffee table and drew her foot up to sit on his lap. He gently caressed her ankle. "It's not broken," he whispered conspiratorially. Liz nodded but said nothing. She had to be dreaming she thought. She felt a warm tinkle in her ankle and looked down to see a faint glowing from Max's hands.

The image of the silver handprint on her stomach flashed through Liz's mind and she yanked her ankle away. "Don't Max," She whispered. She thought he looked confused and hurt but before she could explain that it would be hard to hide the tell tale mark his healing would leave on her ankle, Jeremy came back into the room. "Max says he doesn't think it's broken." Liz declared hastily as Max stood.

Jeremy eyed Max skeptically. "Are you a doctor?" He asked.

Max shrugged, never taking his eyes off of Liz. "Not really, but I've had experience with this kind of thing."

Jeremy nodded and then turned his attention back to Liz. "I think we should head to the hospital Babe. Sometimes it's hard to know unless you get an X-Ray." Jeremy said, essentially dismissing Max.

Liz looked back and forth between the two men. She saw Max flinch slightly at Jeremy's term of endearment. Her mind screamed to find out how and why Max was standing in front of her instead of on some planet on the other side of the Universe, but she knew it was not the time or place with Jeremy standing there. "Can I just see how it feels after I ice it?" Liz asked Jeremy softly.

Jeremy nodded but he didn't look happy. He gently set the ice over her throbbing ankle. Liz tried not to wince. It seemed like time stood still as the three stayed motionless and unspeaking for several moments. Then Maria entered the room with Jeff Parker behind her.

"Are you okay, honey?" Jeff asked as he sat next to her. He took the ice off her ankle to inspect it. Liz could see that it was already beginning to swell. She was beginning to wish she'd let Max heal her. She felt like crying not only because of the pain, but because the man who had haunted her dreams for so many years stood before her, and there was nothing she could say. She saw Maria walk over to Max and whisper something to him.

Max looked at Liz for another moment, and then met Maria's eyes. He nodded his understanding. "Uh, if there's nothing else I can do…" Max trailed off as Liz's eyes met his. Liz wanted to clear the room right that instant, but knew it would be odd, so she simply nodded.

"Thanks Max. It…it was good to see you again." Liz heard her voice falter, and looked down. She couldn't handle seeing him walk out the door. She didn't realize how much she wanted him to stay until she heard the door close and she looked up. Max was gone. "Maybe I should go to the hospital." Liz whimpered.

Max had wandered around town after leaving the Crashdown. He finally headed back home when he realized that he'd been gone most of the afternoon. Isabel and Michael were watching Jerry Springer reruns in the living room when he slouched past them.

The duo looked up when they felt the pain radiating off of him. "Even I felt that Maxwell, what happened?" Michael demanded.

"I really don't want to talk about it Michael." Max said patiently before he started to head up the stairs.

"Max," Isabel called. "What are you so upset about?"

Max hung his head. "Liz is here." He said quietly as he held onto the banister and thought longingly of his quiet room upstairs, wishing Isabel and Michael would stop asking him questions.

Michael looked heavenward. "Figures," he muttered as Isabel rammed her elbow into his ribs.

"Did you talk to her?" She asked as she came into the foyer.

"Not really."

Isabel frowned. "Okay… Did she see you?" She asked hoping to illicit a more clear response.

Max nodded. "She was working at the café. She sprained her ankle and so I helped her upstairs with this other guy. I didn't get a chance to heal her cause everyone was around." Max sighed. "She acted like she didn't want me to heal her…" Max looked at Isabel. "I guess I was kind of in the way. Maria told me I should come back later." Max shrugged after a moment of silence. "Anyways, she's at the hospital now."

Isabel put a comforting hand on her brother's shoulder. "You'll get a chance to talk to her later."

Max stared straight ahead. "Yeah I will." He said absentmindedly.

Isabel and Michael exchanged worried glances. They understood what the other one was thinking. Max wasn't the same after they left earth. They'd hoped that he would get better once they returned. For the first time in two weeks, they began to wonder if their plan wasn't as successful as they thought it was. Max stood oblivious to them. Finally Michael sighed and headed back to the living room and flopped on the couch. "Hey Maxwell, we're watching Jerry Springer, why don't you join us?"

Max blinked. "Uh thanks, but I think I'll just head upstairs for a while." He smiled tightly at Isabel and headed back upstairs.

An hour later he emerged. Isabel noticed that he had changed his clothes. "Are you going to see Liz?" She asked.

"How'd you know?"

"You changed your clothes and," Isabel sniffed the air, "you're wearing cologne."

Max looked at her sheepishly as he asked, "too obvious?"

Isabel shook her head and smiled. "It's fine. Tell her hi for me, okay?"

Max nodded as he left the house and jumped into their newly purchased 1966 mustang. He parked on the main street and looked at the flashing lights of the Crashdown. He noted that the Parker's car was parked in the alleyway. Liz must be home he reasoned. He jogged into the alleyway and stopped in front of Liz's fire escape. He needed to do this. His hands grabbed the hot metal as he began his ascent to Liz's balcony.

That night Maria and Liz sat on Liz's bed. Max was right. Liz hadn't broken anything. Her swollen ankle was bandaged and the doctor had ordered her to use crutches for a week while her sprain healed. Through the shut door of her bedroom, the girls could hear Liz's parents and Jeremy talking over the TV.

"So was I just hallucinating earlier, or was Max really here?" Liz asked forcing her tone to be light.

Maria leaned against the headboard and held her friend's hand. "He was here. Actually so are Isabel and Michael."

Liz looked into her friend's eyes. "How long have they been back?"

"About two weeks."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Liz demanded.

"I didn't just want to email you and say, 'guess what? The Czechs are back.' I tried calling but you'd moved." Maria explained. Her brows were knit together. "I never imagined you'd find out like this. I'm sorry." Maria remembered how surprised she'd been when Michael had arrived on her doorstep in the middle of a freak rainstorm and she had a rush of sympathy for her friend.

Liz squeezed Maria's hand. "It's okay… Why are they back here anyway?"

"It's a pretty long story, but what it comes down to is, they hated Antar and they wanted to come home." Maria smiled. "Michael said he missed me."

Liz pulled her friend into a fierce hug. "I'm so happy for you."

Maria thought she saw tears in her friend's eyes. She nodded as she bit her lip. "I can't believe it. I mean, I'd figured I'd never see him again and BAM there he is on my doorstep one night."

Liz chuckled. "How'd he know where to find you?"

"He went to Sheriff Valenti, and my mom answered the door." Maria smirked. "She spent the first ten minutes bawling him out for leaving me, and the next ten minutes telling him he'd better treat me right. According to him, mom had never been so happy to see him…"

"Wait, what was your mom doing at Valenti's house?"

Maria bolted upright. "Oh God, I forgot to tell you? Jim and my mom got married six months ago."

"What?" Liz exclaimed. Her mouth opened slightly in disbelief.

"Yep. I mean after all those years of flirting I guess it was kind of inevitable." Maria shrugged. "It was just a civil service. Kyle came out and he was best man and I was maid of honor."

"How weird is it to have Kyle for a stepbrother?" Liz readjusted herself on the bed and grinned. It felt good to be with Maria again.

Maria shrugged. "It's not that much different. He's still at Yale, so I don't see much of him. When I do see him he's always spouting Buddha so I hardly know what he's talking about." She rolled her eyes. Liz giggled. "Over Easter, he brought home some model and paraded her around town." Maria chuckled. "My mom subjected him to her lecture on women are people not things."

"That had to be…." Liz stopped speaking mid thought. Maria followed her stare to the window. Max had just climbed onto the balcony.

"I think maybe I should go." Maria said as she shimmied off the bed.

"Stay!" Liz commanded.

"Liz, Max isn't going to bite." She motioned for Max to come in as he stood awkwardly at the window. "I'll call you tomorrow and we'll go do something okay?"

Liz widened her eyes. "Maria…" Her tone warned of death and dismemberment if she left.

Maria ignored the tone. "I'll see you soon. I'll tell everyone the pain stuff they gave you knocked you out." She winked before she flew out of the room shutting the door behind her.

"Hi Max." Liz whispered.

"Hi." Max stood just inside the window

"You're back." She stated.

He nodded as he saw Liz's eyes filling with tears. "Liz…" he said softly as one tear spilled softly onto her cheek. He wanted to put his arms around her and hold her but he couldn't make his feet move. It was like he was glued to the ground.

Liz dashed the tear away. "I'm sorry; I just can't believe you're here."

Max heard the quiver in Liz's voice. This time his feet took him to her. He sat on her bed and pulled her into his arms. Her long silky hair caressed his cheek as she returned the embrace. "Oh my god," he heard her whisper as he felt tears wet the shirt he was wearing.

"I'm sorry Liz." He murmured as he wrapped his arms even more tightly around her waist.

Liz pulled away and looked into his eyes. "Sorry for what?"

"I didn't mean for you to find out like this." He gently wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

Liz chuckled. "It doesn't matter. I'm just happy you're home."

Home. Max loved the way the word sounded coming from her. "I am too," he said softly. Max couldn't stop softly caressing Liz's cheek. It was red and hot from her tears. He didn't think he'd ever seen her look more beautiful.

Liz looked deeply into his eyes and frowned. "Max, about earlier..." She grabbed his wrist and drew it away from her face. She placed it on her lap and held it gently in hers. "I'm sorry."

Max pulled his hand away and focused on Liz's faded bedspread. "No it's fine Liz, I should have asked."

"It wasn't that." Liz explained. "I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hide your handprint afterwards," she said shyly.

Max nodded in understanding. "I'd forgotten healing humans was different." His gaze rested on Liz's bandaged foot. An idea insinuated itself in his brain and he felt a smile pull on his lips. "How long to you have to keep the bandages on?" He asked.

Liz raised her eyebrows. "At least a week," she replied. "It should fade by then, don't you think?"

Max nodded as he scooted to the end of the bed and began to unwrap her swollen ankle. It already had a purplish bruise forming. He gently placed his hands around her ankle. A moment later, he removed them. His breathing was ragged and the flash he'd gotten still played in his mind. Why was Liz sobbing like her heart would break he wondered. He looked up at her. She was grinning.

"Thanks Max." She wriggled her toes happily. "Let's just hope I play a convincing invalid." She winked.

"I have faith in your acting abilities. Even so, we should probably wrap it up again." He looked at the bandage he'd left in a heap. With an impish grin he waved his hand over it, and then made a twisting motion. The bandage disappeared for a moment and then reappeared wrapped around Liz's ankle.

Liz's eyes locked on Max's. "I see you've learned some new tricks," she squeaked. She cleared her throat. "So are you going to tell me what happened?" She asked a moment later.

"I can't tell you everything tonight. Isabel and Michael will want to be here…" He replied.

"Are you here to stay?" She asked before he could continue what he was going to say.

Max grinned. "Yes."

A silence filled the air. Max soaked in every nuance of Liz's face. A strand of hair fell over her face, and she tucked it behind her ear, obviously lost in thought. Max wondered what she was thinking. He knew he was thinking of all the ways he wanted to make up for the time they'd been apart.

"What about the whole ruler of your people thing?" Liz asked finally.

Max thought she was going to add something else when her serious eyes held his. When she didn't add anything for a few moments however, he answered. "I gave it up so I could come back."

"So, you're not the King anymore?" Liz raised her eyebrows looking surprised.

Max shrugged. "Technically I am, since Antarian Law doesn't allow abdication. I guess you'd say I'm retired."

"Retired Royalty, huh?" Liz snickered. "That makes you sound old."

Max stood. "Just don't say that to Isabel. She'd freak." Max smiled when he saw Liz double over with her hand over her mouth trying to contain her laughter. He reached out his palm and concentrated as he slowly turned in a circle around the room. Slowly the ambient noise of the TV and the trio in the other room faded. When he finished he noticed Liz looking at him enquiringly. "I was sound proofing the room. Laugh as loud as you like."

Liz's mouth hung open slightly. "How exactly can you do that?"

"I can send energy into the walls and use it to create matter that is dense enough to create a sound barrier."

Liz stood up and walked over to one of her walls. "Interesting," she mumbled as she examined the wall. She turned back to him after a moment and grinned. "So what else can you do?"

Max didn't say anything. What he wanted to say was that he could kiss her, but it'd been over four years since he'd seen her. He couldn't just pick up where they'd left off. He didn't even know if she wanted to. He sighed as he relished the feeling of Liz's nearness. His gaze drifted down to Liz's hands that rested on her hips. For the first time he noticed the diamond ring on her left hand. He checked again, hoping he was mistaken. Nope, he wasn't mistaken. She was wearing a ring on her left hand. It could only mean one thing. Liz hadn't waited for him. She was married. He stared at the ring for a moment before he slowly dragged his eyes to meet hers. His throat suddenly felt dry. He swallowed.

"I'm guessing becoming a Mime is one of them?" She asked playfully.

Max cleared his throat. "Sorry, I uh… I just noticed that." Max pointed to the ring.

Liz's face fell. "Oh. Yeah I'd forgotten about that." She held up her hand and inspected the ring as she said softly. "The guy you met this afternoon is my fiancé. His name is Jeremy."

Max nodded and looked out the window. He couldn't bear to look at Liz. "Congratulations." It sounded forced in his ears

"Don't say what you don't mean, Max." Liz said.

Max let out a wry chuckle. "One thing I missed about you is how you always spoke your mind." He took a deep breath. "I should probably go. I'm meeting Isabel and Michael."

"Well if you have to…" Liz swallowed. "Tell Michael and Isabel I can't wait to see them."

Max paused as he started to climb out the window. He looked at her longingly for a moment before saying, "I will." He hoisted himself over the wall and clambered quickly down the stairs without another glance.