Chapter Thirteen:

Max stood outside her window.  Touching the cold glass with his hand he slowly drew it into a fist, his heart braking as he watched her.  Liz was curled up into a tight ball on her bed, a lost look on her face.

He wanted to crawl within her and remove the lingering doubt and pain from inside her, but he couldn't.  No matter what he did he knew he would never be able to erase the memories of abuse Mike had inflicted throughout the years.

"Liz."  He called out to her, his voice etched with his knowledge that once again he was inadequate to provide want she needed from him.  Opening the window he crawled through it, moving to stand at the foot of her bed.  She hadn't moved the entire time.  "Liz."  He said again, but she still wouldn't acknowledge him.  "I can't do it, Liz…I know I promised, but I can't."  He cried dropping to his knees in front of her, caressing her cheek with his hand.  "I can't." he repeated turning away from the vacate eyes before him.

Reaching out her hand she touched the hand caressing her face.  "I know you Max.  I knew you wouldn't be able to keep that promise."  She said drawing her hand through his hair. 

Looking up at her Max touched her lips with his fingertips, running it over the surface slowly.

Lowering his head he replaced his hand with his mouth, gently touching her lips with his. 

It moved over hers leisurely, soothingly as he tried to make her forget if only for a moment.  Liz placed an arm around his neck as she sat up in bed deepening the kiss, needing to feel his love for her.

"Max…"She cried slightly moving away.  "Let me see you…I need to see you."  She moaned.

"I don't understand…Liz…I'm right here."  He said confused.

"Inside you, Max…I need to see me through your eyes." She whispered her eyes filling with tears. 

As understanding dawn on him, Max felt his heart tighten painfully inside him.  He cupped her face with his staring down into her eyes.  "I love you."  He said.

"Show me.  Show me how much you love me."  She cried taking his head in her hands and pulling it down as she took his mouth with hers.  Max knelt there strung for a few seconds before he groaned and pulled her tighter into him deepening the kiss. 

It started so slightly, like a butterflies caress, surging through out her, accelerating to a tingling heat that warmed the cold emptiness holding her in its grasp.  A rush of adrenalin moved inside her as their two hearts united shooting images and sensations through them.  Max sitting in the diner watching her, his breath lodging in his chest when she turned and smiled at him.  His puzzling need to be near her or to just hear her voice to make him hold.  His consistent bafflement at her unlimited intelligence which always kept him a few steps back rushing to keep up with her.  The sharp breath he could never seem to control at the mere touch of her hand.  The electrical current surging through him when he held her in his arms, his whole being screaming out, overflowing with joy that this amazing beautiful woman chose. him. 

Pulling away Max looked into her eyes his chest heaving as he wiped at the tears running down her face.  "I love you."  He moaned, his own tears coursing down his cheeks.  "I love you."

"Max…"

"Please let me stay.  Let me stay and hold you."  He begged as he stood up and sat on the bed next to her.

Laying down on the quit she watched as Max moved behind her, lying down beside her.  Taking a deep breath Liz closed her eyes as Max pulled her body closer to his and closed his eyes.  They laid there for a few minutes their eyes closed before her whispered words reached his ears.  "I love you."

"Liz…"  Mrs. Parker whispered opening her daughter's bedroom door.  Her heart stopped at the sight in front of her.  Two not one figure laid on the bed.  As she pushed the door wider allowing more light into the room she could see them.  Huddle up together as if they were clinging to one another even in sleep.  She opened her mouth to demand that Max leave immediately, but something in the way they were holding each other wouldn't allow the words to come.  Silently she closed the door behind her.  Tomorrow she will let her daughter know that Max sleeping in her bed wasn't unacceptable, but tonight she would let them hold each other and find whatever peace they can within each other.

Michael looked up as his door was suddenly pushed open.  "I know your not going to try and tell me that you and Max's is going to let that bastard get away with this?"  Maria demanded.

"God…"   Michael moaned turning over on his pillow and closing his eyes again.  "I really need to start locking that door."  He mumbled.

"Look…okay…I've thought about this and I just can't see you guys letting him get away with this.  So spill Michael…what's the plan?"  She demanded.

"Maria give it a rest…will you."  Glancing at the clock he moaned.  "It's eight in the morning for God's sakes."

"Yea…hello…it's eight in the morning which means we both should be in school, but here I am trying to beat out of you what I know you and Max have planned.  Okay…okay you don't have to go into the details here.  Just tell me that your going to do something."  She demanded.

"Okay…if it will shut you up.  We are going to do something…okay…now can I please go back to sleep?"  He asked taking a deep breath.

"Go back to sleep…are you kidding me…we're already late for first period.  Get up Michael."

"Maria…your really playing my last nerves here."

"Yea…well get over it, Guerin.  Get up…I have no intention of missing homeroom so get up now."  She yelled grabbing the pillow from under him.

"God…"  He roared.  "sometimes I wondered why I put up with you?"  Sitting up in bed he glared at her.

"Yea…yea…just get the hell up."  She demanded.

Taking a deep breath he ran his hand through his hair.  "Did I actually admit that we're planning…."

"Yea…you did."  She said a smile on her face.  "Don't worry I won't hound you for details this very instant."  She reassured him grabbing his arm and pulling him from the bed.  "I'll wait…at least until lunch."

"Oh…God…how the hell…"

"Just go get dress."  She demanded pushing him to the bathroom.

"Yea…like I'm going to survive until lunch when Max finds out I've blabbed."  He murmured his hand on his forehead as he headed toward the bathroom.  "How the hell  do you always do this to me?"  He demanded.

"Did you say something?"  She asked ignore his question a smile on her face.

TBC