Dear Journal,


It's September 6th 2000, I wish I could tell you nothing happened that tomorrow it's going to all be over.  And maybe it will be, maybe this has been this

bizarre dream and everyone in my life has been in it.  Sort of like the Wizard of Oz which would make me Dorothy.  Anyways, I guess I should start off with the

beginning of the day.  No how about the end of the school day; because the one thing that makes me really happy is the end of  a school day on a Friday. 

Sam had arranged to get a ride to work with Maria and Liz.  The whole gang was around her locker while the Pod squad and Kyle were talking at Max's locker.  Max was his usual self, eyeing Liz; while Isabel was trying to find out what Alex was doing and Michael was staring at Sam.

"Are they staring at us?"

Liz looked over and caught Max staring back at her.

"Yeah I think they are."

Max turned away and back to the group.

"So tomorrow we're going over Sam's house for movies and stuff.  I'd say we bring pizza what do you guys think?"

Isabel sighed slightly and Tess looked nervous, Kyle nudged her but she shook her head at him.  There was obviously something on her mind but she didn't want to let it out right now.

"Max I think, something's weird about them."

Michael nodded his head in agreement.

"I said that the first day Sam showed up."

Isabel and Tess rolled their eyes Max got a little grin on his face.

"That's cause it was the day she came into your life."

Michael looked clueless as Max sucker punched him in the shoulder.  Tess walked with Kyle, Isabel, Max and Michael passed the B squad.  Isabel broke form and made her way over to Alex.  The group quieted down a bit as Isabel approached.  All three girls had to work today including Liz.  She was so excited to get to talk to future Max, for this all to be over finally.  Max not sure what to do passed by Liz avoiding her eyes.  Michael nodded at Sam as Alex and Isabel lead them out of the school.

"That was a bit odd."

Sam nodded.

"I think they're catching on."

Maria nodded.

"Well at least then it won't be a total shock."

Sam laughed to herself, she was still thinking about how to tell the Pod squad.


Future Max had spent some time in front of the mirror hoping to see himself disappear.  At one o'clock Liz's Mom and dad left the restaurant to pick up an

 order.  Future Max knew it was the best time to get a shaver and some scissors.  He wasn't sure what he was going to do but he couldn't look this way any longer. 

Being with Liz at seventeen again made all those teenage feelings flood back to him.  The last thing he wanted was to look older.

After Future Max shaved, he grabbed his hair.  He really didn't need to use the scissors he could just use his powers and yet it didn't seem right.  Future Max began cutting his hair until it was a long crew cut.  He got some gel and make it spike like Michael's hair used to.  Not happy with that look he calmed it down a bit.  He looked like Tom Cruise from Top Gun.  He tilted his head and used his powers to clean the hair away.

Future Max didn't look like he had spent the last four years deep in war.  He looked in his late twenties now early thirties like he should.  By two o'clock Future Max's transformation was complete, and Liz was walking up the stairs to see him.

"Wow, he

y Max.  You look so…"

"Different?"

"Yeah."

Future Max nodded his head.

"I just thought I should look my age, or at least decent, I mean this could be the last day I'm in existence."

Liz tried to chuckle the fact was she didn't want Future Max to disappear.  If she couldn't be with present day Max at least there was his future self.

The two chatted for a bit, Liz couldn't get over the way Future Max looked.  If this is the way Max is going to look, the older he got, the better.  She was always finding his eyes and it made her feel flustered.  Downstairs Sam was trying to explain to Michael something that he wasn't quite grasping.

"No, Michael I love hockey don't get me wrong, fine sport, at least to play.  But really it's all about College basketball."

Michael's grades were rising and steady his bio grade and history grades were so good they had nothing really to talk about other than random things.  In fact it never occurred to them not to meet for tutoring today.

"Anyways Michael, you never told me how it went with the World War II veteran, anything interesting?"

Michael was thinking about how much he discovered from Hal.  How he told him about a girl he let get away, all Michael could think about was Sam as that girl.  Then Hal was the guy who saved them, it was a lot for Michael to absorb.  When he told the rest of the Pod Squad they too were shocked.

"Yeah, my paper came out really great, I'm sure it'll get me some bonus points."

Sam smiled and nodded, they caught each other's gaze and didn't look away.  Sam could feel a flash coming, she tried to hold it back and looked down as she was taken into a distant memory of her past.

We see Macaria being awarded head of the allied defense.  She's at a big party everyone who's important in the Solar system has attended.  Ava is sitting with her half brother Kivar who is whispering in her ear as she steals glances at Zan.  The King Zantar, is too sick to attend, he is missed by the party.  Rath goes to congratulate Macaria who is surrounded by her piers.

As he approaches there's electricity between them.  The connection they formed that night hasn't gone away, nor will it ever.  Sam smiles and coughs as she snaps herself back into reality.

Michael looks on worried.

"Sam are you okay?"

Sam nods, "Yeah Michael, hey it's about time we get ready for work don't cha think."

With that she gets up and goes to her locker to change into her work clothes.  Running into Liz Sam smiles.

"Look we have to work on your powers but for now here."

Sam hands Liz a piece of cloth.

"What's this Sam?"

"It's a training cloth concentrate your energy into turning it the color you desire.  Do it at least once a day.  We'll work on other exercises soon."

Liz nodded and concentrated her mind on the color green when she opened her eyes the cloth was still white.  She shrugged and the two girls parted to get dressed.

Alluding Michael all day, the three girls started encoded conversations about how Sam was going to tell everyone about who they were tomorrow.

"So, are you like just going to come out with it to all of them or?"

Sam shrugged at Maria as she cleaned up some of her tables, the night was winding down and it was just about time for close.  Liz kept looking at the clock she couldn't wait till she could talk some more with Future Max just to be with him, near him.  Maria was going to cover for her with the whole sleeping over thing.  Meanwhile they let Liz off early as Sam and Maria finished up closing.

Michael was trying to talk to Sam all night but she kept averting conversations.  Sam was afraid he was going to ask her out or something.  She wasn't quite ready to break her best friends heart.  She knew the rules and they had to be followed to a t.  Although, it was true and Michael and Sam technically were together first but.  No, Sam shook the idea out of her head.  Sam had no ride home, but didn't want to ask Maria for one.  What if Michael heard and offered.  Giving a pleading look to Maria as Michael rushed to clean up in back Sam quickly left the restaurant five minutes early.

Meanwhile Liz was upstairs and as she got to her room she saw Future Max outside with cds in his hands.  He felt her watching him and turned off the cd player as she came through the window.

"Hey I got off early on good behavior."

Future Max laughed, "That's good then."

There was a pause, it seemed to last forever.  Liz breathed and sighed gaining courage to ask Future Max some questions.

Liz nodded, "So, did you and I get married?"

Future Max nodded.  "Yes we did."

There was another pause.  Liz looked down in thought.

Liz smiled, "Was it a beautiful wedding?"

Max nodded again, "It was wondrous, we were in this small church and we invited everyone to come and we partied.  We stayed dancing till sunrise.  Everyone was tired except us, and then our song came on 'I Shall Believe.'"

"Oh I love that song."

Future Max nodded, "I know it was our song from that moment on."

Liz nodded and leaned forward towards Max.

"So if this works, we may never have that night?"

"No, we probably won't."

Liz nodded sadly, she smiled and then got up to sit closer to Future Max.

Both their hearts were beating madly as they sat near each other.

"Max, will you dance with me?"

Future Max looked up from his hands, he was waiting for them to disappear soon they would, it was eleven pm already.

"What?"

Liz smiled, "I want to have my wedding dance."

Future Max smiled and nodded he looked over to the CD player and turned it on with his powers 'I Shall Believe' began to play and Future Max stood up and held out his hand.

Liz took it and Future Max lead her to dance as the beginning of Sheryl Crows' hypnotic tune played along. 

'Come to me now, and lay your hand over me, even if it's a lie say it will be alright and I shall believe.'

Future Max held Liz so close to him and they exchanged loving looks at one another.

'I'm broken in two, I know you're on to me.  I know it's true no-one heals me like you, cause  you hold the key.'

Future Max had been holding his strong desire to kiss Liz, his heart raced like the first time he ascended her balcony and tried to stop himself from those lips.  But it was no use.  She looked up at him and he slowly laid his lips on hers.  First so soft they barely touched, he pulled away looking into her eyes.  These were the eyes that he married.  The same eyes that he was so enamored with.

'And not everything is gonna be the way you think it ought to be.'

Liz smiled and the two were kissing again, this time it lead them right onto Liz's bed.  Without thinking the two were heated with each other.

Outside after work Max was walking holding the Gomez concert tickets.  The same concert that was reaching it's second half now.  He could make it in time for some songs, he knew he could.  Max was just walking around aimlessly, he wanted to climb Liz's balcony, for her to be there.  He wanted to prove that she still loved him.  That she lied to him about loving someone else.  She never said she didn't love him.  Max found himself under Liz's balcony and he could hear soft music ending and Liz's light was on.  He sneaked up the ladder to see if she was in there.

As Max made his way to her window he peaked in to see Liz making out with someone he'd never seen before.  He turned quickly embarrassed hoping she hadn't seen him.  He was scared and nervous, Liz, his Liz was kissing someone else.  He walked away quietly down the ladder and to his jeep.

Meanwhile Liz and Future Max had begun consummating the very relationship that Liz and present day Max had just untied.  The two began to make love with no cares or thoughts other than each other.

Max drove straight to the park and found himself on a bench.  He was confused, what had just happened in the last two months.  He was at a loss, alone.   Until Sam, walking, hoping to find a bus stop, saw him sulking on the bench.  She walked over quietly and stood in front of him for a moment.  Sam closed her eyes and got a flash of Max seeing Liz in bed with Future Max.

"Whoa"

Max looked up his first take of Sam was that she was beautiful and just like Liz.  He shook off the feeling, as she tried to perk his spirit with a smile.  Sam knew she looked way to much like Liz and this may not have been the right time.

"Mind if I sit down?"

Max shrugged as Sam sat down she was bouncing trying to be giddy for Max's sake.  She couldn't think of much to say.

"So an eventful day for you Max?"

Max shrugged.

"You know you're not alone."

Max looked into Sam's eyes, those eyes were what gave her own soul away.  She looked genuinely caring.  Max shrugged.

"How would you know."

Sam looked to the sky, "Sometimes you have to trust your instincts, and of those around you."

Max looked to the sky with her, he then saw that Sam was shivering in her parka only with her waitress uniform on.

"Hey do you need a ride home?"

Sam smiled and nodded. 

"Yeah thanks."

The two rode in silence when they reached Sam's driveway she smiled over to Max.

"You're coming tomorrow right, here at 1:30pm sharp?"

Max nodded slowly, "Sure."

"You have to Max."

Max tried to smile as Sam hoped out of the car.  "We'll bring some pizza or something."

Sam smiled, "Cool"

She turned and looked at Max's passenger car seat, Max followed her hand and watched as she patched a hole with her powers right in front of him.

"Don't freak Maxwell, you're not as alone as you think."

Max went to open his mouth but Sam brought her finger to her own lips silencing him.

"Tell the others and come with questions, I'll explain tomorrow."

With that she closed the door and went inside her house.  Leaving Max shocked and amazed all at the same time.

The thing about telling the truth and getting things off your chest is that it feels so damn good.  I mean personally I was not looking forward to seeing

Michael's face when I told him but then Max was there and it was perfect.  He'll tell him for me and I avoid a huge mess.  The one thing that is interesting about the

day is that Max saw Liz with his future self in bed together what was that?  I wonder how that went.

As day breaks Liz is in bed, the sun is beating on her eyelids waking her up.  She opens her eyes with a huge smile and looks at the pillow next to her.  It's empty but smells like Max, she hears the shower going Max must be in there she thinks.  An idea occurs to her and Liz grabs the piece of cloth that Sam gave her earlier.  She concentrates her mind on the color of Max's eyes a rich deep amber.  She feels electricity running through her fingers and when she opens her eyes the cloth is amber.  Liz, excited, wraps herself in the bed linen and runs to tell Future Max.

When she sees no-one's in the shower her heart falters.

TBC