1 [b]Part Five[/b]

Lost in thought, Liz stared blindly down at the menus she was meant to be reviewing, the words blurring together to form a meaningless mass of black. Without even realising it, she frowned, her hand rising to rub absently at her puckering brow as an overwhelming feeling of peculiarity came over her. Something felt strange. Her eyes traced to the spot where, just the day before, she had felt the rush of sensations that she had still yet to fully comprehend.

Inwardly, Liz wondered at why she had not told Max and the others about it, why she had silently implored Kyle to keep silent. Mentally rolling her eyes, she conceded that there was no reason to keep it a secret, especially when she didn't even know what "it" was! Nodding her head, she resolved that she will tell them all at first opportunity, unwilling to keep yet another secret that could damage the fragile friendship the group was forming.

Tiredly, she yawned and fought to keep her eyes open, attempting in vain to focus on the sheets of paper in front of her. She had thought that her revelations the night before, as well as her new found friendship with Michael, would leave her feeling relieved, yet last night as she lay in bed, she had found herself staring up into the darkness, sleep becoming the last thing on her mind. Liz had felt as though she were poised on the verge of something….

"Well if it isn't the girl who saved the world." The words were rumbled teasingly beside Liz, causing her to lose her train of thought as she jumped, startled. She looked up and was greeted by Kyle's grin beaming brightly, the complete opposite of the furtive tone he had used.

"Hi, Kyle," Liz welcomed him, gratefully taking a break from the menus, slightly grimacing as she did so. Her father was not going to be pleased that she was still to get them done, as he had been after her for a week to finish them. 'Later' she told herself and idly, allowed her eyes to travel across the almost empty café as Kyle sat on the stool beside her.

Poking curiously at the menus with an index finger, Kyle looked up to search her face intently. "That was some bomb you dropped last night," he stated quietly, watching her carefully. "How are you holding up?"

Taking a moment to consider, Liz swivelled her chair, turning to face him full on. "I'm doing okay," she said slowly. "I'm just relieved, I guess, that I was finally able to tell everyone the truth." She smiled wanly for a moment, her thoughts momentarily flickering towards her forced deception. "You wouldn't believe how hard it was to keep that secret from M…..everyone and after all," she shrugged. "I suppose there wasn't much point of concealing it any longer."

They sat in silence for a moment, pondering her words. Placing her hand on his arm, Liz smiled when Kyle turned to look at her curiously. "Kyle, I just wanted to thank you again for what you did, you know…." She gestured vaguely and smiled gratefully when he nodded. "You trusted me without pushing for an explanation, and I really appreciate that."

Kyle shook his hand, grasping her hand on his arm with one of his own. "Liz, you don't have to thank me. I'm there for you, you know that."

Liz smiled, squeezing his hand once before she pulled hers away. "That is exactly what Michael said to me last night," she said, laughing at Kyle's shocked jolt.

"Michael?" Kyle exclaimed, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Stonewall Guerin? Was he being tortured to have to say those words?" He grinned to let her know that he was joking.

"No," she protested, spluttering with laughter. "He just came right out and said it." She shook her head, still unable to believe it somewhat. "I thought that it was very nice."

"Yeah, well, I suppose stranger things have happened," Kyle muttered. As Liz had before, his eyes travelled the Crashdown before halting on exactly the same place Liz's had. "Liz," he lent forward, his voice urgent. "You still have yet to tell me what happened…"

"Liz," the voice beside her interrupted quietly. "Do you mind if I speak with you for a moment?"

Liz glanced up, already knowing whom she would see, could already feel the turmoil of emotions she felt whenever she saw him. Max's liquid brown eyes met hers and he smiled, looking more like the Max that she used to know than he had in a long time. He darted a glance between Kyle and herself, his eyes somewhat pained despite his smile.

"Liz?" Kyle asked in query. He looked Max over, his eyes suspicious despite the words spoken just the night before.

"I'll talk to you later, Kyle," Liz murmured, quietly, feeling how tense Kyle was beside her.

Kyle nodded slowly, easing up from his seat. "Alright, Liz. I will talk to you later." He looked at her pointedly, and Liz nodded, understanding the hidden message that he had still yet to receive an explanation of what had happened in the Crashdown the day before.

"Bye, Kyle," Liz said, watching as he strode out of the cafe. Instantly, Max took his place, his face set in an impassive mask.

"So, how are you?" Max asked softly.

"I'm fine, thank you, Max. And you?" Liz cringed, hating the rather stilted conversation already, as she remembered the ease in which they had once spoke with.

"Good. I'm….good," Max nodded, his fingers absently tracing a random pattern on the bench top. He sighed. "Look, I know that you want me to keep away from you for a while, and I respect that," he said in a rush. "I just had to see how you were, if you needed someone to talk to…" his eyes lingered on the doorway Kyle had just walked through, before turning to smile at her. "But I can see that…" He cleared his throat before continuing. "Well, I guess I had better be going."

He rose, and Liz followed his actions, feeling somewhat numb. They stood uncomfortably for a moment, each feeling unusually awkward while in the presence of the other. Words unspoken remained unspoken still as Max recalled his vow to give her time.

He moved along side her, his hand briefly moving to touch her hair as though he were not even aware of it before falling to his side as he remembered himself. "I don't know what I can say to make all of this go away," he confessed in agony. His hand gestured vaguely, as though to encompass all of their complications.

"Then say nothing," Liz responded, "just give me time…and be my friend." She smiled faintly, her eyes flickering before dropping from his. Disheartened, Liz wondered if she was every going to get over this feeling of emptiness that encased her whenever she saw him….or whenever she was apart from him.

Max opened his mouth to speak before closing it, looking away. Sighing, he turned from the slight figure before he did something he could later regret.

"This has gotten awkward, hasn't it?" he attempted a slight smile.

Liz nodded silently and watched as Max reluctantly walked away.

****

Liz trudged up the stairs and entered the apartment, having finally completed the menus as she had promised. Tracing the familiar path to her bedroom, she moved her neck stiffly, groaning softly as she did so. Her body was wearier than she would care to admit. Moving swiftly through her room and stepping through the window leading to her balcony, Liz's eyes fell to the journal that still lay neglected against the wall and silently berated herself for her carelessness.

She scooped in order to pick it up, and hugged it to her chest, staring up at the sky that twinkled brightly with countless stars. Her vision blurred for a moment as tears welled in her eyes, and blindly she groped for her pen, which rested on the lounge chair, in the exact same position she had left it the night before.

Bending, she wrote swiftly, her usually neat writing becoming sloppy from her standing position. She only wrote briefly before she closed the journal and entered her room, putting her journal back in its place.

Liz changed, her movements exaggerated as though she concentrated on this one task, and it alone. Her steps took her to her bed, where she pulled the covers down and got into its warm comfort.

Only once she was there, did she allow herself to think of what she had written.

'Where was I when things became so complicated between Max and myself, or was it something that had always loomed over us, our thoughts too focused on the love we felt for each other? Were the complications something we had always played with yet essentially ignored, before we had no choice but to face it, full on?

Most importantly, is it something we can work through?'

Her eyes drooped and she allowed security of sleep to overtake her.

****

A strange type of mist swirled about her, enveloping her entire body until she could hardly see two steps in front of her. Liz frowned in bemusement, her hand rising to wave briefly in front of her face. This was so unlike any dream she had ever had before, and she was uncertain as to whether she should feel fear or not.

She wandered aimlessly, her steps leading her into one direction before she doubled back to retrace her steps, unsure of where she was meant to be going. She tried to wake up, and thought for a moment that she had succeeded as the mist's thickness appeared to be thinning.

Liz cried out in wonderment as the mist began to swiftly recede, its ghostly tentacles releasing her from its grasp. An outline of a body materialised in front of her, its features partially concealed by the smooth retreat of the mist, its actions revealing the form's face slowly.

"Oh my God," she whispered, as the figure stepped up in front of her.