Maria and Liz were at the Crashdown alone

Liz and Michael had been dating for a month and they couldn't believe it. They were having fun. Sometimes, Michael would sneak into Liz's room at night or sometimes it'd be her sneaking off. They would lie down and talk all night. They held each other until they slept. They hadn't gotten physical because Michael didn't want to pressure Liz which she argued and said she wanted to. It was the only thing they ever agued over.

Liz and Michael were on a school lunch table going over Michael's math and eating. She was quizzing him on it and he in turn was talking about prom.

"Michael, can you please concentrate?"

"Hey guys." Kyle set his food down and sat next to Liz.

"Hey." The said together.

"What're you guys doing tonight?" Kyle opened his soda and drank.

Liz shrugged. "Are we doing anything?" She asked turning to look at Michael.

"I don't have to work but the guys and I have bowling tonight. I thought I told you." Michael answered putting a fry in his mouth.

"I can't remember. But I don't think I'll go."

"Liz, I want you to go."

"I know, Michael but are there any other girls going?"

Michael shrugged. "I don't think so."

"I don't want to spoil guys' night. You go, have fun."

"You sure?"

Liz nodded.

"Liz, please say you'll go with me tonight to see my dad perform."

Michael laughed.

"Michael!" Liz gave him a look.

"I'm sorry. I forget Valenti has his own group. I didn't know he was performing tonight. Maybe I'll finish with the guys early so I can show up and watch."

"Please don't make my night worse, Michael." Kyle groaned. "It's going to be bad enough."

"Kyle, is your dad any good?" Liz asked a little afraid.

"God, I hope so." Kyle said slamming his head down on the table.

Liz smiled but contained her laughter.

When the bell rang for all of them to go to class, Michael and Kyle were the first to stand. Liz had AP bio next and there was nothing interesting due, so she didn't hurry. Kyle was hoping Gym would make him forget his dad was singing.

"See you tonight." Michael almost laughed at Kyle again. He bent down and kissed Liz lightly on the lips. "Wish me luck on the math test."

Liz kissed him back. "Good luck."

"Love you." He said, jogging away.

Liz watched him shaking her head.

She was getting ready to get up when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller id. MAX glowed on the front screen.

She silenced it. What the hell does he want? I swear, he knows when things are going good for me. Frustrated, she grabbed her book bag from the table and didn't realize that as she put her phone back in her pocket, it crackled and smoked.

When she got to her class, she went around picking things up she needed for her lab and froze as she looked at herself in the mirror. One minute she was herself and the next her face was distorted and then the glass made a bang and everything was normal. Liz looked around, afraid that someone else in class had seen but nobody had.

Her heart raced for the rest of class and she couldn't concentrate. What the hell was that?

But it didn't end there. All day, her hearing came and went and then sometimes, she felt like her world was spinning. By late afternoon, she was freaking out.

She went straight to the doctor's office only for him to tell her that there was nothing wrong with her at all which scared her to a new degree.

Kyle called her around 8 telling her he'd pick her up and she agreed. She didn't want to stay home and stress out about it.

Valenti wouldn't be taking the stage until after 9, which made Kyle happy because he thought he'd have more time to prepare for it. At around 9, Michael showed up.

He came up and kissed Liz on the back of the head, "Hey, babe. Did I miss anything good?"

Liz and Kyle shook their heads as Michael took a seat.

When Valenti took the stage, Liz clapped along while Michael roared a cheer. Kyle was smiling and laughing and eventually sang along and cheered for his dad.

Liz had almost but forgotten her earlier problem when Michael said, "Max called me earlier today."

Liz stiffened.

"He said he called you but you didn't answer." He looked at her, searching her eyes.

"I don't want to talk to him, Michael. Max has this way of shoving his way into my life and messing it up." She dreaded Max coming back. "I don't want him to come back and mess this up."

Michael hugged her tight. "I won't let him, Liz. I love you and you love me. He can't do anything to destroy that. If he comes back and he doesn't like it, he can leave again."

Liz shook her head again. "It's not that simple, Michael. He's your brother. He's always going to be part of you and I know Isabel misses him."

Michael turned Liz so that they were face to face. "Love, look at me. Max can't hurt us. He's our brother but if he ever did anything to hurt you, I don't think even Isabel would be able to forgive him. Don't worry about him, Liz. His only problem is his obsession."

"I agree but since I'm that obsession, it scares me. Doesn't it scare you?"

Michael looked behind her and she knew he was scared.

"Michael, I don't want to lose you."

"Liz, I'll be here. If he comes back, I'll be here and he won't be able to do anything." He squeezed her and kissed her. Then, he pulled away and said, "Come on lets dance."

Max Evans you better not ruin this for me!

Michael pulled her off the chair and she grabbed the table to support herself. "Wait, Michael." She turned back to the table to put take a drink when she saw it.

The plate she'd just touched was red in heat and melting to the table.

"Michael." She said and the way she said it made him stop in his tracks and turn.

She pointed at the table and he looked around to see if anybody noticed. "I didn't—I can't—"

"Michael, something's wrong with me."

He looked down at her and nodded. "Kyle." He grabbed Kyle as he made his way back to their table. "We have to go."

"What's wrong?" Kyle looked around because he knew this was no good.

"We don't know yet. We'll call you tomorrow." Michael called as he dragged Liz out of the bar.

When they were safely in his apartment he asked, "What do you mean something's wrong with you?"

So Liz explained to him her day's events.

"And the Doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you?" He asked concerned.

She shook her head. "Michael, I don't think it's anything human…if you catch my drift. I did that on the table tonight."

"We can't be sure, Liz."

"Michael, look at my phone!" She pulled it out. It was fried. It looked like someone had tried to burn it. "I'm the only one who touches this damn thing!"

"Liz if this is some kind of sickness, we have to call Max. Maybe he can heal you."

"NO!" She was appalled. "He has nothing to do with this Michael. This is my problem."

"OUR problem." He corrected.

"Ours." She nodded agreeing with him. "Not his. I don't want him to think I owe him, Michael."

"I'm not going to let this happen to you, Liz." He hated Max but if he could help he'd call him.

"Please Michael. Don't call him." She begged and then she froze. She felt static run all over her body. "Michael." Her voice full of fear.

Her skin has green sparks running at through it.

It didn't hurt but they did shock her.

"Do they hurt?" Michael was ready to freak out.

Liz shook her head.

"Come here." Michael pulled her into a hug. "We're going to fix this Liz."

"I love you, Michael."

"I love you. And I promise not to call Maxwell unless you ask me too."

She nodded, grateful that he saw things her way.

"I'm gonna fix this, Love." He kissed her.

And just as they had appeared, the sparks disappeared.

Liz and Michael stared at her arms, waiting for them to come back or simply looking to see if they'd imagined it all.

"Michael, I think you stopped them." Liz said shocked.

Michael was just as shocked. "What?!" He pulled away.

Liz thought about it and then tried to test her theory while Michael babbled on. She focused on Tess, Alex's death, Max, his son, and her Grandma Claudia's death and just like she knew they would, the sparks reappeared.

"Liz!" Michael was freaking out again.

Liz smiled and hugged Michael. She thought of only him and their love and when she opened her eyes, the sparks had disappeared.

"WOW!" She didn't know what else to say.

"Wow, what? What's going on?" Michael grabbed her by the shoulders. He held her tight but without hurting her.

"It only appears when I'm stressing out or thinking about something unpleasant. They disappear when I calm down and think of you." She grinned.

"Huh?" Michael was totally confused.

"It's simple really. They appear if I'm stressed and go away when I'm calm." Then she thought about it and winced. "I guess I should learn how to control them. It's not going to work if they're tied to my emotions. Think of what could happen at school."

Michael stared at her for a moment. He didn't know how freaked out he should be. He didn't know if this was life threatening for Liz or not. And he was royally confused at Liz's reaction. She no longer looked scared.

"Liz? Why aren't you more worried about this?"

Liz smiled and kissed him on the cheek before leading him back to the couch. They faced each other.

"I am scared, Michael. But I don't think I need to worry. A while back when Ava was here, she warned me that Max had changed me when he healed me. I guess this is what she was talking about. I don't think this is dangerous. And I know I'm safe if I'm with you. I would bet my life that you would do anything to keep me safe without having to call Max."

"How can you trust me so much, Liz?"

"Simple. I love you and you love me and that's all I need to know." She leaned in and laid on him.

Michael shook his head. "Promise me you'll tell me immediately if anything else happens."

Liz sat up suddenly. "I wonder what else I can do." She got up and looked around.

"Liz." Michael warned not liking the idea.

She held her arm up, trying to make a shield like Max had in the past. A shield would come in handy in the future.

She concentrated and she watched as the window broke in a million pieces. The noise was unusually loud.

"Oops." She closed one eye and turned to see if Michael was mad.

His jaw had dropped. Son, of a bitch! I'm going to have to show her how to control her powers. "Holly crap. Please don't do that again until we know for sure what you can do. AND," he paused looking her square in the eye, "when we're somewhere you can practice without having to call attention from the neighbors."

Liz smiled innocently. God please help me be as sure as I sound. I trust Michael with my life, but I don't know what Max did to me. She knew she would ponder not only days, weeks and months but years to see if these powers she was developing were a curse or a gift.

Liz called her dad and told him she'd be staying with Isabel that night after she got Isabel to cover for her. She knew her father would call and check with Isabel.

An hour later, Isabel called her and made a 3-way call. Her father was on the phone with Isabel and wanted to conveniently talk to Liz.

"Hey, dad." She pretended to be confused. "Why didn't you call my cell phone?"

"Oh, um…my call wasn't going through." Her father sounded nervous.

"Oh. I have to get it checked then. What's up?"

"You're mom wanted to know what time you'd be home tomorrow." He said nonchalantly.

"Um, round noon…I think."

"Ok. See you then."

"Bye, dad." She heard him click and Isabel disconnected his call. "Thanks Isabel."

"No, problem. Oh, by the way, we wanted to know if you and Michael wanted to catch a movie tomorrow."

"Hold on, let me ask." She put her phone down and turned to Michael. "Baby, Isabel wants to know if we want to go watch a movie tomorrow."

Michael shook his head. "How about we go bowling and then to dinner or the other way around?"

"Isabel, would you guys mind bowling instead?"

Isabel groaned. "Fine. But tell him to find a new past time. That's all he wants to do now."

"Be nice." Liz rolled her eyes.

"Are his work buddies going to be there?"

"Babe, I'm gonna go shower." Michael kissed her from behind and disappeared.

"They're nice guys and they're Michael's only friends outside of the group. Give them a chance, Isabel."

"Ugh, ok. They're just all too…Michael."

Liz laughed. "That's why I like them."

"See you in the morning." Isabel said before they both hung up.

Liz threw her phone on the couch and very wickedly joined Michael in the shower. She loved how he jumped in surprise and loved his expression even more when he saw she was naked.

"God, you're gorgeous." He pulled her into a tight hug.

Liz smiled wickedly again and put her arm and legs around his.

He picked her picked her up and held her up the ass cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you too, Michael."

He kissed her then and she knew she could wait no longer. He'd been a gentleman for too long. She had needs, needs she didn't have before and needs she knew only he could fulfill.

"Michael, make love to me."

He looked at her and shook his head. "You're going to be the death of me, Liz Parker."

"Come on, you know you want me."

"Of course I want you. I've wanted you all day." He growled in her ear before biting it gently.

Liz shivered. "Well, why didn't you say something earlier? I would have pulled you into the eraser room and had my way with you."

His answer was a moan deep in his throat as he kissed her again.

They stopped teasing each other then. Michael pushed Liz against the shower wall and entered her.

They both came seconds in difference from each other and then Michael held her before taking her to bed.

"So, why were you holding out on me?" Liz teased.

"Hell if I know. I'm a fool." He rolled over to face her and put his arms around her. Liz smiled and cuddled closer to him, knowing she'd never been happier than she was right where she then.

Michael and Liz were surprised to wake up to knocking the next morning. Michael freaking knowing it would be Liz's dad and told her to hide.

Liz unwillingly went into the bathroom and put on her clothes while she waited but she never heard loud voices so she assumed it wasn't her dad.

She slowly walked out of the room and peaked out.

"It's all right, Love. It's Ava."