Part 8

Max stood quietly in front of Liz's grave, arms folded in front of him. People were already heading back to the Parker's house but he didn't want to leave yet. He wanted to spend as much time as he could close to Liz…or what was left of her.

He couldn't believe this was happening, couldn't begin to even acknowledge that Liz, his beautiful, sweet Liz was dead. He hated himself for ever having pulled her into his life, for ever having loved her. But he knew that that was a lie. No matter what he told himself he was not sorry he had saved her life that day, he was not sorry that he had loved her.

His vision blurred as silent tears fell slowly down his face but he didn't wipe them away as he stared at the coffin now being covered up. He wanted to push aside the men who were shoveling the dirt. He wanted to rip open her coffin and see her face, serene in death. He wanted to lay his hand on her and heal her, bring her back to life, back into his life. But he could not do that. Even if it was possible he could not do that. Why? Because they could not find her body in the incinerated wreckage, only dust…just dust. Now all he could do was stand there and feel his heart constrict with pain as he thought about her.

He hated his life, he hated it that he was different and couldn't have a normal life. He couldn't give Liz the life she had wanted. He couldn't even say goodbye to her. He wished she could have had a proper funeral, with her finally resting in peace in her beloved town. But instead all that was in the ground was an empty coffin full of memories.

Had he known that day when she was leaving that it would be the last time he ever saw her, he would have grabbed her and refused to let her leave. He still remembered her clearly, so clearly in fact that at times he thought that if he reached out he could touch her. He remembered how she laughed, her doe eyes twinkling with happiness, how she had cried in his arms, how she had smelled and felt. He remembered how her silky hair felt in his hands.

I wish I could touch her again, hold her close and just hear her voice. Max thought in agony.

The sadness he felt could not be put in words. It ripped at his soul, making him want to rip his heart out just to end the agony he felt. How did he ever think he could live without her? How could he have ever let her go?

"Max?" A soft voice called from behind him. He felt a hand rest lightly, comfortingly on his shoulder.

He followed the hand up to Isabel's tear stained face. Max managed a weak smile.

"It doesn't seem real." He whispered to his sister, his eyes radiating his pain. "I don't think I can live without her."

"I know." She replied softly. She let her hand fall and she held his hand, patting it. "But you'll make it. We all will."

Isabel looked down at Liz's now covered grave. "She was such a beautiful person." Isabel said softly, more to herself than Max. "I never realized how much I depended on her to just be there. I thought losing Alex was heart wrenching but losing Liz is just worse."

Liz had been the first human she ever had trusted. Liz was the first human who accepted who she really was—no questions asked. Isabel looked at Max; her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She gave him a watery smile.

"But we'll make it through this. You will too. We're all here for you." She told him.

"I know." Max answered quietly.

Both brother and sister stood there for a while in silence before Isabel let go of his hand and moved back. "I think I'll head to the Parkers'. The others are already there. You coming?" she asked.

"You go on ahead." Max replied. "I'll be there later."

Isabel paused for a minute, not wanting to leave him when he was so sad and alone. But then she nodded, knowing he needed his space. She turned around once she was at the cemetery gates and looked back at her brother. Max was still standing there in front of Liz's grave, just as she had left him, silent in his grief.

TBC…