Hi all!!

I'm just sneaking by here in the midst of all chaos preparing for the university means, to give you another chapter. Thank you for the wonderful feedback! You are the best!!

A big welcome to new readers!!

And lauraliz, about your story... I would love to take a look at it and help you out with it. I just don't have the time right now. When everything settles down here I will have more time. So, if you're willing to wait a week or two I would gladly do it. You can send me what you've written so far and I'll look at it when I've got the time. But I'll have to warn you that English is only my second language, so I probably cannot help you with grammar and spelling and things like that. Thank you for reading my story!! I value your feedback so much!!

Here's the next chapter...

I'd love to hear what you think =)

Chapter 23


As Liz closed the bedroom door behind them, the humor in the situation had completely vanished.

"So," Max said.

"So," Liz repeated.

"Liz, we don't have to do this if you don't want to," Max said, as he scratched himself behind his ear.

Liz smiled.

"Max, I would gladly kiss you any second of any day of the week," Liz teased.

Max blushed. He felt the blood flowing through his veins and arteries heating up, as Liz stepped closer to him.

"L-liz, aren't you afraid," Max whispered.

Liz stopped in front of Max, her face merely inches from his. She could feel his warm breath on her face. She wrinkled her forehead.

"Why would I be afraid?" she asked.

"I-I-I might hurt you," Max said.

Liz sighed and rolled her eyes.

"You must be kidding me, Max!" she said.

"Nuhu," Max said and slowly shook his head.

"No?" Liz asked, arching one eye-brow.

"No, I don't want to cause you anymore harm," Max said.

"Max, haven't you been listening? This might help me. Wouldn't you want to cure me? Max, are you saying that you don't want to kiss me?" Liz asked seductively as she traced Max's jawbone lightly with her index finger. Max closed his eyes at her tingling touch, and tried to control himself. Where had this Liz Parker come from? Liz didn't know herself how she ended up being such a temptress. All she knew was that she wanted Max to kiss her more than anything else in the world.

"It's not-not that I don't want to kiss you," Max stuttered, the same feelings he had always felt in the close proximity of Liz Parker came rushing back to him. And just as always he was having great difficulties to control his feelings.

"You just don't want to hurt me," Liz said, her lips millimeters from his lips. That was it for Max. He closed the distance between them. The feeling of her soft lips, brought tears to his eyes, and his arms went around her pulling her closer. The kiss was soft, tentative at first but as that familiar electricity surged through their bodies the kiss quickly was filled with passion and lust. Their mouths explored each other, trying to make up for all the kisses lost – all the things they've gone through without the other by the side. Max buried his hand in Liz's hair, pulling her lips closer to his. Their tongues tangled together, melting into one. As they came up for air, Max continued the travel of his lips down Liz's jawbone. Liz moaned lightly at the assault of his lips.

"God, Max," she breathed. Max relished in the taste of Liz Parker. Liz needed to feel his lips on hers again and guided his lips back to hers. Liz couldn't get enough of him, she had missed him so much. Even in this passion, Max's strong hands held Liz protectively to him - careful not to harm her somewhat fragile body.

A knock on the door broke them apart.

Breathing heavily Max and Liz looked at each other.

"We have to stop doing this where people can interrupt us," Max said with a smile.

"How's it going? Any flashes yet?!" Michael's voice seeped through the door, unmistakably etched with the gloating the knowledge of what he had interrupted brought.

Liz smiled at Max.

"Does he got a death wish or what?" she murmured.

That's when it hit them, at the same time.

"Did you see anything?" Liz asked slowly, anxiety evident in her voice.

"No," Max said. "Did you?"

Liz's face fell and she felt like crying as she shook her head - the disappointment almost suffocating her.

Max pulled her to him again, holding her tightly to his body. She wanted the relief tears could give her, but no tears would come. She clutched Max to her - unconsciously drawing energy and support from him.

"Are you ready to go out?" Max asked softly. He was not sure he was completely ready himself. He wanted to stay in here with Liz - doing whatever it took to make her feel better. He felt Liz nod against his chest.

"Okay," Max said and released her, taking her hand as he opened the door.


Michael stepped away from the door to let Max and Liz out. By their flustered faces and swollen lips, he was positive that they had experienced some serious face sucking.

"Oh, Max. Liz. Fancy meeting you here," Michael said.

"Michael...don't get me started," Max warned.

"Okaaay, excuuuse meee!" Michael said and headed for the living room.

Maria looked up at the couple as it entered after Michael. They were looking better - both of them. Liz's face had gotten some color, and then Maria wasn't referring to the blushed nuance. They looked more...alive. However, she didn't fail to notice the sadness and disappointment that was coming off Liz in waves.

"Oh, Liz," Maria said, guessing that they hadn't succeeded in restoring the connection, "I'm so sorry."

Liz stepped into her best friend's waiting arms - her hand never leaving Max's for an instant.
Maria hugged Liz closely to her.

"Don't give up, Liz," Maria said. "You hear me? Don't give up. Not now."

"I'm gonna die," Liz stated, longing for tears to come to her to wet her dry eyes."And I probably don't have that long time left."

"This can't be happening," Maria thought. "We finally find her, and we even have alien powers and her boyfriend has freakin' healing powers and still we are going to lose her!!"

"It didn't go so well, did it?" Kira asked, his voice breaking Liz and Maria apart.

"No," Max answered. "So what do we do now?"

Kira looked at his leader perplexed.

"I'm sorry, Max. I don't know anymore we can do," Kira said apologetically.

"But she's gonna die!!" Max cried.

"Wait, what about the healing stones?" Isabel said.

"Of course, why didn't we think of that any sooner?" Maria said, hope filling her.

"You have healing stones?" Kira asked.

"Yes, we used them to heal Michael," Isabel said.

"That can be our only chance," Kira said, and turned towards one of the two of his men, who had been guarding the front door. "Nemo, get the healing stones and bring them here."

"Yes, sir," Nemo answered.

"Who will go with Nemo to show where the healing stones are?" Kira asked.

"I will," Michael said. He really felt up to going on a mission. Well, mostly it was a good excuse to get out of this nut house. Too many hours in a restricted area with Isabel and Maria could sooner or later give him a free ticket to the mental institution. He could not leave fast enough.


An hour later, Michael and Nemo were back with the healing stones.

"Okay, let's get started," Kira said. "Liz, you position yourself on your back here on the floor." They had pushed the furniture away, making room for the healing. As Kira instructed Liz, the others positioned themselves in a circle around Liz. They had carried some sand inside and had used it too make lines of a circle with five lines meeting in the middle. Emma had found this part very funny, and the work had taken twice as long time only because Emma had used the sand to play in. Firstly, she had built houses and then she had gotten her mini toy cars out and had used the lines as roads. Liz had taken her to the bedroom some minutes prior to Michael and Nemo's return, and she was now napping soundly in her bed. Max gave Liz a kiss on the forehead before he let her go to lay in the middle of the circle.

"So, I guess you know how to do this," Kira said.

"Okay guys, now focus on Liz," Max said, as he lifted the bowl of water from the floor. He looked around himself, at the faces of the only people he trusted in the world...and Kira - who he hoped that he could trust just as much. His eyes lastly fell on the girl of his dreams, the love of his life, laying pale on the hard, cold floor. She looked so small and fragile, but he knew that body held an immense amount of strength and will.

Max took a sip from the bowl of water and then passed it on to Maria standing beside him. The bowl continued it's way round the circle - binding them together with the one thing they all had in common, despite their different origins - water. As the bowl had completed the circle, everybody took one healing stone each, closed their eyes and focused on Liz.

Liz inhaled and exhaled slowly and evenly, trying to remain calm and focused. Then she closed her eyes and immediately felt the warmth spreading inside her body. For one frightened moment her mind returned to the night when Nasedo had burnt her, but just as soon as the panic had flowed through her - it had dissipated again. This warmth was something different. It was something Liz had never experienced before. She was enveloped in feelings of pure love. She had never felt love so pure, so unconditional. She opened her eyes and found herself on a beach. The ocean was turquoise and glittered in the warm sun. She looked down, and noticed that her feet were bare, sinking down in warm, almost completely white sand. She was dressed in a white dress - the soft material billowing around her body in the slight humid ocean breeze. She was filled with an immense sense of calmness and comfort. The beach was deserted - but the loneliness didn't frighten her. She felt safe here. The beach stretched out for miles. She looked up at the blue cloudless sky. Not a single sound was heard. Everything was so quiet, merely the gentle blowing of the wind was registered by her.

"Liz?" A voice behind her said. She turned around and saw Maria standing there. Maria smiled warmly and walked towards her, embracing her in a warm hug. Maria's thoughts and feelings flowed into Liz. She relived all their moments together, all their sleep-overs, all their talks about boys, all the times they had been standing in front of the mirror, dancing and miming to some song. Liz experienced her friend's sorrow when Maria had thought that Liz had died. Liz could feel Maria's hope as Max had told them Liz was alive. But she could also feel that same hope dwindle to soon sink into hopelessness as the years went by. Liz felt Maria's deep-rooted fear about losing her best friend. But through it all Liz felt Maria's love and support.

Maria stepped away, leaving room to Michael. Liz smiled at Michael and Michael hugged Liz to him. Liz could feel all Michael's insecurities, all his fears of disappointing Max and everyone in the group. But she also felt his admiration of her and his big-brother protectiveness. Michael released her and the next second Liz was hugging Isabel. Isabel - who put up a whole act to prevent herself from getting hurt. Isabel - who admired Liz for having the courage to be herself and don't let anyone put her down. But also the Isabel who had a large warm heart, just longing to love and be loved. Liz could feel how Isabel was already considering Liz as her sister, being grateful for Liz's persistence in letting Isabel in.

Isabel let go off her and Liz found herself face to face with Kira, who she had merely known for a couple of hours. Kira bowed his head and took her hand and kissed the back of it. In that small gesture Liz could feel the deep respect Kira had already obtained for her, and the loyalty he held towards Max and had already started to feel towards Liz. Kira stepped away.

Liz looked at the man standing a few feet away from her. He smiled and stepped up to her. He brought up his hand and caressed her cheek and next he brought his lips down on hers. The kiss was slow, but nonetheless filled with a passion Liz had never felt before. Max's love flowed through her, making her almost light-headed. His love was pure. She felt that he had not given up on her. He would stand by her till the end. He would never leave her side. Max's lips slowly parted from hers and with a parting kiss on the forehead, Liz closed her eyes and woke up on the floor in her apartment in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

"Liz, are you okay?" Maria asked, kneeling beside Liz as she slowly pulled herself up in sitting position.

"Yeah, yeah...I'm okay," Liz said feeling dazed.

Max pulled her into his lap, eyeing her over.

"It didn't work, did it?" Liz asked Max.

"I still can't feel you," Max said, trying his best not to let the hurt shine through, wanting to protect Liz from his feelings of disappointment.

"It didn't work?" Michael asked.

Liz shook her head.

"Don't you feel better?" Isabel asked.

"Actually, I feel great," Liz said.

"So what's the problem?" Michael asked.

"I still can't feel Liz," Max pointed out.

"Maybe it's just a delayed reaction," Maria suggested.

"Maybe," Liz said but she wasn't convinced. She felt as if she had been reborn, all her symptoms were gone - but the fact remained that the connection was still blocked. She didn't want to get her hopes up again. She had hoped so much the last hours to just have it slap her in her face over and over again. She might feel good now, but she had a feeling that with the blocking of the connection, her symptoms would soon be returning.

TBC...