A/N:
Okay, so I know you've all been anticipating Max and Liz's reunion, but I'm
very sorry guys... No reunion in this chapter... I may have given the wrong
impression with the last line of part 12 a, and I'm very sorry for that...
You'll see what will happen... :)
True Colors
Part 12 b
Liz sent Michael a smile.
There.
He had said it.
She'd never doubted her feelings for him, but she had been a little unsure about his feelings towards her. Now she knew that her fears had been groundless, and that he loved her just as much as she loved him.
She shot a look at Max, who looked utterly confused with a hint of disbelief in his eyes.
"What do you mean, Michael?" he asked, trying to comprehend what he had just been told.
Michael put his hand on the small of Liz's back and smiled self- confidently. "What I meant to say was that I see Liz as my sister. Like I already told you, she's like Izzy to me." He looked down at Liz and smiled at her. "I love her," he confessed, without a trace of doubt or hesitation in his voice.
Max looked like he'd seen a ghost, or worse if possible. Liz couldn't suppress the giggle that was welling up inside of her. It was a miracle to hear Michael say those words out loud. She hadn't thought that she'd ever live to see and witness the day that Michael would confess his love for someone, much less for her.
Max was completely at loss for words and just shook his head, not understanding. He scratched the top of his left ear again: a nervous habit Liz had seen him do pretty often lately. He looked at her, silently asking her how she felt about this. She smiled reassuringly at him, trying to comfort him and let him know that she didn't mind Michael seeing her as his sister.
Max scratched at his ear once again before finally speaking up.
"Okay," he hesitantly said. "I'm glad that we established - eh - the way you... feel about her," he stated and nodded once.
Michael nodded back at him. "Me too," he replied.
Max gave him a small smile and turned towards Liz. "Could I... talk to you?" he asked her, and quickly added, "In private," while sending a few glances at Michael.
Liz hesitantly looked at her brother, trying to gauge his opinion, and found him staring back at her. She nodded, almost imperceptibly, and Michael arched his eyebrow, non-verbally asking her if she was sure.
When Liz gave him a positive answer, Michael raked his fingers through his hair.
"Sure," he reluctantly said. "I'll be back within three minutes," he threateningly added, looking Max in the eye, trying to make sure he got that right.
"Ten," Max responded, hoping for as much time in private with Liz as possible.
"Five," Michael retorted. "Five minutes, and not a second longer," he said, the authority back in his voice again.
Max nodded, still not entirely content with Michael's protectiveness, and not at all pleased with the outcome of their little negotiation.
Michael shot Max a last challenging and threatening look before turning away and walking out of the bedroom.
Liz nervously looked at Max. She wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to lie to him. He meant everything to her. He was her everything, her very existence, her whole world revolved around him. Quietly and suddenly he had crawled under her skin, and stolen his way into her heart, becoming the axis of her world. Lying to him felt like murdering herself...
She weakly smiled. What was that saying by Vincent van Gogh again? Something like:
"Love is something so positive, so strong, so true, that, for those who love, choking their feelings would be like murdering themselves."
She sighed. That was exactly how she felt. One look in Max's beautiful amber eyes could heal her, but she couldn't allow herself to get lost once more. Besides, his eyes probably no longer shone with his love for her, but showed all his feelings of betrayal, hurt and anger. That wouldn't do her any good...
"Liz..." Max softly said, his voice thick with emotions.
She slowly looked up, against her better judgement, somewhat fearing what she'd find in his eyes, only to be surprised with her vision. Max didn't look at her disapproving or despising; it almost seemed like that old sparkle was back in his eyes. That old sparkle that told her that he loved her, and readily swim the seven seas for her. That sparkle that could make her knees go weak and feel all tingly inside.
She took a step back towards her bed and gracefully sat down, trying to hide the effect he had on her, trying to hide her true feelings from him.
"I...I just wanted to - eh - apologize for.. "
Max sighed exasperatedly, obviously having a hard time trying to find the right words.
"It's okay, Max," Liz hastily replied. "You don't need to apologize," she guiltily added. "You had every right to say..." she sighed, biting back the tears, "to say what you... what you said," she lamely finished, unable to speak the words he'd said to her.
"No, Liz," Max shook his head fervently. "I didn't."
He reached out for her, and gently pushed her chin up, looking her directly in the eye.
"I didn't have the right to say those things," he genuinely said. He swallowed once, and shut his eyes. When he opened them again, the hurt had been carefully hidden behind the love he felt towards her.
"Not even when you..." he turned his face away and looked at the bed she was currently sitting on.
"Not even when you... were with Kyle..." he hoarsely whispered.
Liz felt another pang of guilt and took a long, good, deep breath.
"I'm sorry," she softly apologized. "I'm... I'm so sorry..."
Max softly chuckled, causing Liz to look up, confused.
She questioningly looked at him, and her puzzled look told Max that she didn't understand what was so funny.
Max shook his head, a smile adorning his face.
"I just told you that I had to apologize to you," he explained. "You're not supposed to say that you're sorry."
Liz faintly smiled. "I am sorry, though," she told him. She looked him deeply in they eye. "For everything," she added, trying to tell him without words that she meant it. And she wasn't just talking about her little scene with Kyle; she really was sorry for everything. For lying to him. For hurting him, for keeping him at a distance. She was sorry and she intended on letting him know that.
Max scratched the top of his ear again before asking Liz what she thought of Michael's sudden feelings for her, worrying that she wasn't okay with it. Liz smiled reassuringly at him.
"It's okay, I guess," she confided him. "I've always wanted a brother, and Michael is really nice..."
Max arched his eyebrow. "Don't you think that the two of you are rushing into this?" he wanted to know. "That this brother/sister thing is a little bit too... I don't know... Drastic?" he sceptically asked Liz. "I mean, just a few months ago the two of you could barely stand each other, and now you even call each other a sibling..." he slowly trailed off, giving Liz the time to consider everything.
Liz nodded slowly, thoughtfully, before answering him.
"Maybe we did over-haste things..." she said, taking the option in consideration, "but we are sure about our feelings." She sighed, and smiled, immersed in thoughts. "I know that this may sound dorky, but Michael really is like a brother to me," she said.
"So..." Max began, demanding more clarity, "you are okay with all of this?" he asked, referring to Michael's behavior.
Liz smiled and nodded.
"That's... great," Max replied, the tone of his voice suddenly sounding deeper and more masculine than before.
It wasn't until then that Liz noticed that during their conversation the distance between them had been diminished. The thin layer of air separating them became smaller within every second.
Liz almost allowed herself to get lost in Max's eyes, but thought about averting her gaze just in time. When she looked away, Max huskily whispered her name, practically begging her to look at him. Unable to deny him anything, Liz obliged to his silent plea by turning her face back to his. His eyes met hers again, and he slowly approached her even further, his soft and very kissable lips hovering just a few inches away from hers.
"Max..." she softly whispered his name. She had meant for it to sound resisting, but it came out like a plea, like she was begging him, beckoning him to come even closer.
She could feel the small, warm puffs of his breath on her face, softly caressing her skin, her lips, and adoring her with fervent.
-------------------------------------------------------
Michael paced around in the living room, utterly displeased with the current silence in Liz's bedroom. Yes, it was better than moans, or screams, but this silence didn't sound that appealing either.
He looked at the clock. They still had about 30 seconds, but he could cheat a little, right? It wasn't like they had been watching the time pass as he had.
Michael resolutely walked to the door and opened it without bothering to knock.
---------------------------------------------------------
Liz slowly closed her eyes, anticipating the feeling of Max's sweet lips gently pressed against hers. His hand reached to cup her cheek, and he quickly crossed the last bit of distance left between them, unable to control his desires any longer.
The tip of his tongue was just about to touch Liz's very inviting lips when he suddenly heard Michael's voice, rudely interrupting them.
"Time's up, Maxwell," Michael loudly stated.
Max reluctantly pulled away from Liz, shooting a furious glare at Michael. Liz did the same, but somehow she looked a little bit relieved.
Max frowned. A few seconds ago, he had been sure that she had wanted to kiss him as badly as he wanted her.
"I think you'd better leave now," Michael told Max. "Liz needs to sleep," he pointed out.
Max slowly nodded, and after one last glance at Liz he left the bedroom to make his way down to the café.
Liz let herself fall back on her pillow, sighing tiredly, tears stinging in her eyes. Michael sat himself down next to her and brushed the hairs off of her forehead. He placed a soft kiss on the crown of her head, tucked her in and also made his way downstairs, quietly closing the door behind him.
He'd let Liz get some sleep now, knowing that she needed it. He just hoped that Ava would return with Serena soon, for he wasn't sure how much longer Liz would be able to stand lying to Max, and he himself wasn't too sure for how much longer he'd be able to keep Loverboy away from his sister. 'Yes,' he confirmed, immersed in thoughts, 'Ava'd better get back very soon...'
------------------------------------------- So. What did ya think? I have a question, btw.
What do you guys want in the next part? I promised that Isabel would get in it, but what else would you like (besides a direct M/L reunion)? More awakening-parts of Liz, or more memories of someone else in dreams? Isabel deciding to dreamwalk both Max and Liz and somehow linking their dreams together? NC-17, in that case? I've never written that before (duh. this is my very first fic. :D) but I can always try, right? And for the fanfiction.net-readers. NC-17 isn't allowed here, is it? I could write a R - rated version for you. :D If you'd like NC-17 just tell me, okay? Please let me know!!! Okay. I hope I've trained you well enough to get you leaving me some fb without the need to ask you. ;D I'll try to write the new part ASAP, but, of course, it depends on your decisions. Love, Katie
Part 12 b
Liz sent Michael a smile.
There.
He had said it.
She'd never doubted her feelings for him, but she had been a little unsure about his feelings towards her. Now she knew that her fears had been groundless, and that he loved her just as much as she loved him.
She shot a look at Max, who looked utterly confused with a hint of disbelief in his eyes.
"What do you mean, Michael?" he asked, trying to comprehend what he had just been told.
Michael put his hand on the small of Liz's back and smiled self- confidently. "What I meant to say was that I see Liz as my sister. Like I already told you, she's like Izzy to me." He looked down at Liz and smiled at her. "I love her," he confessed, without a trace of doubt or hesitation in his voice.
Max looked like he'd seen a ghost, or worse if possible. Liz couldn't suppress the giggle that was welling up inside of her. It was a miracle to hear Michael say those words out loud. She hadn't thought that she'd ever live to see and witness the day that Michael would confess his love for someone, much less for her.
Max was completely at loss for words and just shook his head, not understanding. He scratched the top of his left ear again: a nervous habit Liz had seen him do pretty often lately. He looked at her, silently asking her how she felt about this. She smiled reassuringly at him, trying to comfort him and let him know that she didn't mind Michael seeing her as his sister.
Max scratched at his ear once again before finally speaking up.
"Okay," he hesitantly said. "I'm glad that we established - eh - the way you... feel about her," he stated and nodded once.
Michael nodded back at him. "Me too," he replied.
Max gave him a small smile and turned towards Liz. "Could I... talk to you?" he asked her, and quickly added, "In private," while sending a few glances at Michael.
Liz hesitantly looked at her brother, trying to gauge his opinion, and found him staring back at her. She nodded, almost imperceptibly, and Michael arched his eyebrow, non-verbally asking her if she was sure.
When Liz gave him a positive answer, Michael raked his fingers through his hair.
"Sure," he reluctantly said. "I'll be back within three minutes," he threateningly added, looking Max in the eye, trying to make sure he got that right.
"Ten," Max responded, hoping for as much time in private with Liz as possible.
"Five," Michael retorted. "Five minutes, and not a second longer," he said, the authority back in his voice again.
Max nodded, still not entirely content with Michael's protectiveness, and not at all pleased with the outcome of their little negotiation.
Michael shot Max a last challenging and threatening look before turning away and walking out of the bedroom.
Liz nervously looked at Max. She wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to lie to him. He meant everything to her. He was her everything, her very existence, her whole world revolved around him. Quietly and suddenly he had crawled under her skin, and stolen his way into her heart, becoming the axis of her world. Lying to him felt like murdering herself...
She weakly smiled. What was that saying by Vincent van Gogh again? Something like:
"Love is something so positive, so strong, so true, that, for those who love, choking their feelings would be like murdering themselves."
She sighed. That was exactly how she felt. One look in Max's beautiful amber eyes could heal her, but she couldn't allow herself to get lost once more. Besides, his eyes probably no longer shone with his love for her, but showed all his feelings of betrayal, hurt and anger. That wouldn't do her any good...
"Liz..." Max softly said, his voice thick with emotions.
She slowly looked up, against her better judgement, somewhat fearing what she'd find in his eyes, only to be surprised with her vision. Max didn't look at her disapproving or despising; it almost seemed like that old sparkle was back in his eyes. That old sparkle that told her that he loved her, and readily swim the seven seas for her. That sparkle that could make her knees go weak and feel all tingly inside.
She took a step back towards her bed and gracefully sat down, trying to hide the effect he had on her, trying to hide her true feelings from him.
"I...I just wanted to - eh - apologize for.. "
Max sighed exasperatedly, obviously having a hard time trying to find the right words.
"It's okay, Max," Liz hastily replied. "You don't need to apologize," she guiltily added. "You had every right to say..." she sighed, biting back the tears, "to say what you... what you said," she lamely finished, unable to speak the words he'd said to her.
"No, Liz," Max shook his head fervently. "I didn't."
He reached out for her, and gently pushed her chin up, looking her directly in the eye.
"I didn't have the right to say those things," he genuinely said. He swallowed once, and shut his eyes. When he opened them again, the hurt had been carefully hidden behind the love he felt towards her.
"Not even when you..." he turned his face away and looked at the bed she was currently sitting on.
"Not even when you... were with Kyle..." he hoarsely whispered.
Liz felt another pang of guilt and took a long, good, deep breath.
"I'm sorry," she softly apologized. "I'm... I'm so sorry..."
Max softly chuckled, causing Liz to look up, confused.
She questioningly looked at him, and her puzzled look told Max that she didn't understand what was so funny.
Max shook his head, a smile adorning his face.
"I just told you that I had to apologize to you," he explained. "You're not supposed to say that you're sorry."
Liz faintly smiled. "I am sorry, though," she told him. She looked him deeply in they eye. "For everything," she added, trying to tell him without words that she meant it. And she wasn't just talking about her little scene with Kyle; she really was sorry for everything. For lying to him. For hurting him, for keeping him at a distance. She was sorry and she intended on letting him know that.
Max scratched the top of his ear again before asking Liz what she thought of Michael's sudden feelings for her, worrying that she wasn't okay with it. Liz smiled reassuringly at him.
"It's okay, I guess," she confided him. "I've always wanted a brother, and Michael is really nice..."
Max arched his eyebrow. "Don't you think that the two of you are rushing into this?" he wanted to know. "That this brother/sister thing is a little bit too... I don't know... Drastic?" he sceptically asked Liz. "I mean, just a few months ago the two of you could barely stand each other, and now you even call each other a sibling..." he slowly trailed off, giving Liz the time to consider everything.
Liz nodded slowly, thoughtfully, before answering him.
"Maybe we did over-haste things..." she said, taking the option in consideration, "but we are sure about our feelings." She sighed, and smiled, immersed in thoughts. "I know that this may sound dorky, but Michael really is like a brother to me," she said.
"So..." Max began, demanding more clarity, "you are okay with all of this?" he asked, referring to Michael's behavior.
Liz smiled and nodded.
"That's... great," Max replied, the tone of his voice suddenly sounding deeper and more masculine than before.
It wasn't until then that Liz noticed that during their conversation the distance between them had been diminished. The thin layer of air separating them became smaller within every second.
Liz almost allowed herself to get lost in Max's eyes, but thought about averting her gaze just in time. When she looked away, Max huskily whispered her name, practically begging her to look at him. Unable to deny him anything, Liz obliged to his silent plea by turning her face back to his. His eyes met hers again, and he slowly approached her even further, his soft and very kissable lips hovering just a few inches away from hers.
"Max..." she softly whispered his name. She had meant for it to sound resisting, but it came out like a plea, like she was begging him, beckoning him to come even closer.
She could feel the small, warm puffs of his breath on her face, softly caressing her skin, her lips, and adoring her with fervent.
-------------------------------------------------------
Michael paced around in the living room, utterly displeased with the current silence in Liz's bedroom. Yes, it was better than moans, or screams, but this silence didn't sound that appealing either.
He looked at the clock. They still had about 30 seconds, but he could cheat a little, right? It wasn't like they had been watching the time pass as he had.
Michael resolutely walked to the door and opened it without bothering to knock.
---------------------------------------------------------
Liz slowly closed her eyes, anticipating the feeling of Max's sweet lips gently pressed against hers. His hand reached to cup her cheek, and he quickly crossed the last bit of distance left between them, unable to control his desires any longer.
The tip of his tongue was just about to touch Liz's very inviting lips when he suddenly heard Michael's voice, rudely interrupting them.
"Time's up, Maxwell," Michael loudly stated.
Max reluctantly pulled away from Liz, shooting a furious glare at Michael. Liz did the same, but somehow she looked a little bit relieved.
Max frowned. A few seconds ago, he had been sure that she had wanted to kiss him as badly as he wanted her.
"I think you'd better leave now," Michael told Max. "Liz needs to sleep," he pointed out.
Max slowly nodded, and after one last glance at Liz he left the bedroom to make his way down to the café.
Liz let herself fall back on her pillow, sighing tiredly, tears stinging in her eyes. Michael sat himself down next to her and brushed the hairs off of her forehead. He placed a soft kiss on the crown of her head, tucked her in and also made his way downstairs, quietly closing the door behind him.
He'd let Liz get some sleep now, knowing that she needed it. He just hoped that Ava would return with Serena soon, for he wasn't sure how much longer Liz would be able to stand lying to Max, and he himself wasn't too sure for how much longer he'd be able to keep Loverboy away from his sister. 'Yes,' he confirmed, immersed in thoughts, 'Ava'd better get back very soon...'
------------------------------------------- So. What did ya think? I have a question, btw.
What do you guys want in the next part? I promised that Isabel would get in it, but what else would you like (besides a direct M/L reunion)? More awakening-parts of Liz, or more memories of someone else in dreams? Isabel deciding to dreamwalk both Max and Liz and somehow linking their dreams together? NC-17, in that case? I've never written that before (duh. this is my very first fic. :D) but I can always try, right? And for the fanfiction.net-readers. NC-17 isn't allowed here, is it? I could write a R - rated version for you. :D If you'd like NC-17 just tell me, okay? Please let me know!!! Okay. I hope I've trained you well enough to get you leaving me some fb without the need to ask you. ;D I'll try to write the new part ASAP, but, of course, it depends on your decisions. Love, Katie