Hi everyone! I apologize for the long absence. At first I couldn't access this site and then the internet crashed. After my brother had fixed our internet connection, I had so much to do at work that there was little time left to update. I apologize. I'm gonna post four chapters today.

Thank you all so much for the feedback!!!

Just a small warning. The following chapter is rated R due to sexual content. If you don't want to read it because of that, contact me and I'll give you the censured short version :)

Chapter 2 (R-rated)

*What if she isn't able to heal?*
*She's Zan's heir, and he has the ability to heal.*
*Yes, but healing is a recessive gene – that's what's making it so rare.*
*There's something about her. She has the same aura about her that Zan had as he was younger. I'm almost positive that she has inherited the healing powers.*
*Then why did she not heal?*
*Because she's a stubborn child?*
*She's four - in human years. We offered her to meet her parents if she healed you. That would have convinced any child – especially if it is held against its will by people it doesn't know. If she could heal, she would've.*
*Maybe it's the block that shut down her powers. Maybe we've been wrong to where the healing powers are localized in her brain, and the block is preventing her from tapping into them."
"We can't remove the block – then she will contact her parents.*
*It's not certain that she even has a connection. Her mother is human.*
*Yes...but we can't risk that.*
*Just for a little while.*
There was a pause as the suggestion was pondered.
*Alright, but then you really have to have her co-operate with you – otherwise we are taking a great risk for nothing.*
*Yes, of course.*
*And we don't inform Khivar of this – not until we know that it has worked. Because if it doesn't, and he finds out – he'll have us slained.*
The other man swallowed convulsively and nodded.

-----------------------------------------

She felt his lips brush against her forehead, and she slowly opened her eyes.
"Hey," he greeted her softly. "How did you sleep?"
He was leaning over her, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his mouth. To see her waking up in the morning always made him smile.
Liz yawned, and then gave him a small smile.
"Actually pretty good," she answered.
Max nodded.
"I could sleep tonight too," he said.
Somehow this made Liz worried, and she bolted upwards from her horizontal position, almost knocking Max over. He looked at her – surprise etching his features.
"What?"
"I don't know," Liz said. "That just make feel so uneasy."
Max frowned. He had learned to trust Liz's instincts – they were often right.
"You haven't been able to sleep for more than one hour tops since... " She left it unspoken – to difficult to voice. "And now suddenly you can sleep – and on top of that I have a good night – free from dreams."
Max sat down beside her on the 'bed', and took her hand.
"Try to reach out for her," he prompted.

Liz closed her eyes and focused on the little brown-haired girl, with the deep and warm amber eyes. She focused on her sunny smile and her pearling laughter. She gasped as she felt her. She felt Max squeeze her hand – but he was far away. She was deep in her mind, trying to reach into her daughter's mind. But she couldn't get in. She crashed back to reality. She opened her eyes, and inhaled sharply as her lungs were filled with air.
"What happened?" Max asked – concern mixed with hope in his voice.
She swallowed and then lunged herself at him, curling up against his warm chest. Max could feel her conflicting emotions through the connection – the most evident being relief. He held her tightly to him – trying to calm her by shoveling his own feelings of anxiety to the side and focusing on sending her calmness.
"I felt her, Max," Liz whispered.
"You did?" Max asked, his whispered voice cracking with emotion.
"But I can't get inside her mind. She isn't letting me in. But she's alive....and she's not in any pain."
Max closed his eyes, feeling a part of his heart springing to life again as the much longed after feeling of relief started to take away some of the guilt that had infested itself in his whole being. They sat there in the silence and held on to each other, as their daughter was being pounded with questions some miles away.

------------------------------------------------

The man looked at the little girl who was curled up in one corner of the room – her eyes stubbornly squeezed shut.
"Why can't you help me, Emma?"
She didn't answer. She hadn't given him an answer to anything he had said to her, since they had taken her out of that isolation cell. He began to wonder if it had been an effective decision or not to 'punish' her like that. She seemed more detached – more introvert. He was getting increasingly agitated that she was reaching out to her parents. He had to do something. He turned to the communicator that was put in the wall and called one of his men to bring the test subject.

Emma looked up as she heard the door open. Her eyes went wide as she saw a little puppy being handed to the frightening man.
"Look what I've got, Emma," the man said and held up the puppy to her. The dog had been retrieved from Earth. They didn't have dogs on Antar.
He could see the interest flash in her eyes – and he could see how desperately she tried to not show her excitement. They didn't have much time – far too much time had already passed. So he moved his hand to the dog's head, and squeezed. The puppy started to whimper, and Emma stood up quickly – moving towards the puppy. There was still caution in her steps – but her eyes were fixed on the puppy. She could feel its pain course through her body – she could feel it just by looking into those beautiful brown eyes.
"Stop it!" she cried. "You hurting him!"
He stopped and removed his hand, but there was now a wound on the top of the puppy's head – above its head.
"You hurt him," Emma said – tears shimmering in her eyes.
"You can make him feel better," the man said. Emma looked at the mean man. She couldn't understand why he would hurt that little puppy. It hadn't done anything to him. But she could make it feel better, and that was what she was going to do.

She didn't like the fact that she had to step closer to the frightening man – but her compassion for the little dog made her move her short legs. Her eyes were fixed on the puppy, and she failed to notice the smug that crept over the man's face as he realized that she was going to do it. She looked into his sad eyes, as she slowly put her small hand over his ear – covering the wound. The dog whimpered some, then Emma removed her hand. The man looked down as Emma removed his hand. He had seen the glow radiating from her hand, and now he could no longer see any trace of the wound that was once on the top of the puppy's head. He had never personally witnessed a healing, and he was awestruck with the powers of this little girl. Emma looked up at him with sad eyes.
"Don't hurt him again," she said. The man looked at her – not being able to hide the surprise that flashed by in his eyes. Her statement wasn't a plea, but an order and the authority to her voice was clearly registered. He squinted his eyes in dislike and then put his hand to the side of her head. Before she could react he had formed the connection that would once again close the connection with her mother.

-----------------------------------------------

"No," Liz said slowly, devastation in her voice, moving away from Max's embrace.
"What? What?" Max asked, his heart missing a beat at the agony in her voice.
"I lost her," Liz said slowly. "I lost her."
Max searched her face and tried to push away the feelings of nausea that threatened to claim him. It had almost been better if they hadn't gotten any contact with Emma. To have been able to experience hope, to just have it squashed again just as quickly was more painful than he could ever imagine. As he pushed back his feelings to the place in his mind where he could store everything that he couldn't bare to deal with, he was able to focus on the emotions he felt floating through the connection. The feelings of disappointment, failure, and guilt from Liz.
"Honey," he said and gently put a finger under her chin to direct her eyes to him. But she kept staring at some point behind him.
"I couldn't hang on to the connection," Liz said, her voice colder than Max had ever heard it and it chilled him to the bones.
"Liz, you did everything you could. Your powers aren't as advanced yet. Don't blame yourself," Max said softly.
"What if they hurt her, Max?" Liz asked – her question turning Max's blood into ice. "What if they kill her?"
"No, Liz," he whispered. "We are not going to let them do that. We are going to find her. Do you hear me? We are going to find her, and bring her home."

A sob erupted from Liz's throat and she nodded slowly. It frightened Max that Liz was starting to doubt. Of course the doubts and insecurities were always present, but Liz never broke down. She always kept up a brave exterior – even though she knew that Max could feel the truth through the connection. It was more often Liz that comforted Max, when he was being devoured by guilt for not being able to protect his daughter from harm. He put his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. He planted small kisses at the side of her neck. He could feel her calming down through the connection, but only to quickly be replaced by something else. She pulled out of his embrace again, and locked her lips with his. He could taste her salty tears on her lips, as his passion for her (which was always to some degree there) flared open.
"I need you," she whimpered in his mouth. Her desperate and lonely plea did strange things to him. He cradled the back of her head with his hand and angled her head so that he could get greater access to her mouth. He felt the deepest sense of wanting to protect her, of wanting her. Wanting her to be safe, and happy. His lips brushed over hers, sending sparkles through their bodies. Their tongues tangled together, their hands rooming over their bodies. They were trying to find solace to the loneliness that was creeping into their bodies. Tears were still running down Liz's face as she put her hands on Max's hip, took a hold of the edge of his shirt and started to tug it upwards. Their lips only broke contact long enough to remove the article of clothing. Liz's lips left Max's and moved downwards. The stubble on his chin tickled her lips as they brushed over the texture, making her want for him even deeper. She needed to feel him. All of him.

"Liz," he groaned as her lips touched his bare chest, warming his insides with her feathery touch.
His hands had crawled under shirt, caressing her back. His movements were restless. He needed to feel all of her - at the same time. He pulled out his hands from under the shirt, Liz gasping softly at the loss of his warm hands on her bare skin. He took hold of her shirt and pulled it upwards. She stopped loving his chest with her lips and lifted her hands upwards to help him to remove the shirt. She had nothing under the shirt and the shirt was quickly forgotten as soon as it left Max's hands and floated to the ground. His hands found their way back to cradle her face, his thumbs gently moving against his cheeks. He started to kiss her tears away, gently trying to remove the traces of bitterness and hopelessness. His gently kisses made more tears well up in her eyes, and she sought out his mouth again. His hands fell to her bare back, his caressing heating her body. She unconsciously scooted closer to him, and they both gasped as her bare chest came into contact with his. The touch was electrifying. Their kisses became more passionate – grew more urgent. Max's warm palm skimmed back and forth over her smooth skin, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. Their bodies were gradually heating up, and their breathing grew shallower - faster. Their feelings matched each others through the connection, the connection serving to amplifying the already intense emotions. They needed the comfort only the bonding of their bodies could provide. They needed to feel whole – complete.

Max kissed Liz's last tears away as he lowered her down on her back on the mattress. Their hands never stopped touching. They needed each other in every way, and every touch was able to bring them some console. Max's hands were strong and powerful hands. They had the ability to heal, but also to protect. The gentleness of his hands and his soul never stopped to amaze her. His palms spread a tingling warmth wherever they touched and as his lips followed the movements of his hands over her soft belly a charged current coursed through her body, making her hunger for him even greater. She moaned as he raked his teeth gently across a spot just below her ribs. Her breasts ached after his touch. His lips were caressing her skin with open-mouthed suckling kisses, while his thumbs were stroking the edge of her breast ever so tenderly. But it was driving her crazy.

"Max, please," she whimpered, her body screaming out for him. Her plea was loud and clear in his mind, and he lifted his head to look at her. Her eyes were closed, some traces of tears still present in the corners of her eyes. Her mouth was slightly open, her lips red and swollen. Her hair was spread out around her face, but it was her face that caught him. It was the expression of pure pleasure on her face that in that moment made him want her more than he had ever wanted her. His hand moved to the side of her breast, the feathery touch making Liz arch her back up against Max - her head tilting backwards - a moan escaping her beautiful lips. He moved his hand slowly up over the swell of her breast, feeling the small tremors going through her body - feeling her feelings combined with his through the connection. It was a marvelous feeling. He could feel everything she was feeling, and she could feel everything he was feeling. They were one more now than in any other time. The only time they could really feel each other on this plane of fulfillment was when they were joined - when they were making love. And right now they needed to feel that connection more than they had ever needed before. His thumb brushed over her nipple, and they both gasped at the electric thrills jolting through their bodies at the contact. Images of their life together started to flash in front of their eyes, making their need for each other increase. Their feelings were bringing them to a climax just by the contact of their minds stimulating the other.

Liz's hands dove into the dark soft curls that covered his head, urging his mouth down to hers. Their mouths came together in a silent explosion of need, their tongues seeking each other out and they were feeding on the taste of the other. Max leaned down on Liz - feeling her nipples brush against the hard planes of his chest - as he rested most of his weight on his elbows. The touches were sizzling, filled with electricity. He was pulling her close to him, as if he wanted to absorb her into his very flesh. Liz put her arms around him, her finger nails brushing against his skin making him shudder with lust.
"Liz," he moaned, and his lips left hers to travel down her neck - brushing over her collarbone. Wanting to taste every millimeter of her. Nothing went unexplored under his touches. But Liz needed him now - she couldn't wait any longer. Her body was aching for him. She needed to feel him inside of her. She needed him to complete her. His lips reached her breasts and he left hot trails of kisses along the soft skin. His breathing matched hers, the quickening of their hearts acting simultaneously.

Liz's hands moved down Max's back to the edge of his pants, and found their way inside his pants brushing over his firm buttocks. God, she needed him. This strong man, with the gentle heart but powerful soul. The intensity of her need for him almost frightened her. He groaned her name as he felt her small hands touch him, the groan making his lips vibrate against her breast, making Liz arch her back against him again.
"Max, " her voice a raspy whisper. The tip of his tongue flickered over her nipple, making her breathing almost painful. She lifted her upper body, her movements urgent as she tried to remove Max's pants. Max's lips left Liz's breast, the loss of his heat making her whimper. He put his hands over hers and took over the task of removing the last piece of clothing. His hands moved to her pants and pulled them down. Their movements were now urgent, the need for the other almost too much to bear. Max positioned himself at her entrance, and before he entered her he caught her eyes.

"I love you," Liz whispered, her breathing shallow.
"My love," Max whispered and captured her lips in a soft kiss that was in sharp contrast to the turmoil and intensity of feelings riveting through their bodies. He entered her slowly, his control being on the edge of unnatural. He wanted to love her slowly, gently. He needed her to feel all his love for her. He needed her to feel that she was his whole life. He needed her to feel his reassurance that everything was going to be all right. But he also needed to feel her love. Their bodies moved together, their minds melting together along with the movements of their bodies. Their bodies moved faster as they the pressure was increasing, and they tumbled over the edge almost simultaneously - both crying out as the waves of pleasure went through their bodies. Max collapsed on Liz, his arms around her. She pulled him close to her - their bodies molding together. He was still inside of her - still connected - and they soon feel asleep.

TBC…