Smiling tenderly and reaching over he urges her closer. Cradling her face in his palms; with his thumbs he wipes at the tears that have begun to slip from her eyes. Gently pulling her into him, his eyes automatically slip shut as he brushes her lips with his.

Their kiss starts slow but before long grows in its intensity. Soon Max is devouring her with a passion so powerful it sends her soaring toward the heavens. Gradually decreasing the forceful pressure of his lips on hers, he carefully caresses her lips against the softness of his own. Hesitantly pulling his lips from hers he whispers almost reverently, "Thank you."

She releases a gasp in an attempt at recuperation from the exhilarating kiss they'd just shared.

"For what?" she whispers curiously.

"For showing me how you feel, for wanting to be with me as much as I've wanted to be with you."

"Max…I've felt this way for so long. I don't know how to live without it. Since that day in third grade, I've felt drawn to you. Like…a part of me wasn't complete until that day. I know it sounds crazy. We were so young then. How could I possibly feel…?"

"Like you'd found your soul mate?" he interrupts carefully.

Looking up at him in surprise she nods her agreement and questions, "How did you…"

"I felt it too. Still do," he whispers.

Her eyes begin to tear again in understanding and comprehension. "Max. I know we've talked about this before. And, we agreed we couldn't be together." She pauses for a moment and almost sobs her next request, "But after everything we've learned about each other tonight…and everything that's happened…please don't ask me to pretend I don't feel this way? I can't do it anymore. It hurts too much."

She pleads with him in a voice that creates a suffocating tightening in his chest. Dropping the journal to his side, he lowers to his knees and faces her. Reaching up he cradles her face in his healing hands.

"Liz, I want so much to believe that this could be normal." His voice is raspy with emotion.

Quickly interrupting him she tells him determinedly, "I don't care about normal."

Completely humbled by her words, he tries with growing difficulty to remain the voice of reason. "But you deserve normal Liz," even though he can feel his resolve slipping away.

Shaking her head in defiance she protests, "What I deserve is to be happy! Max if it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be here now! You saved me, and there's nothing normal about the way you did it. And I know you could never regret using your powers to heal me..."

"Never." He exclaims hoarsely; his voice was rough with emotion and conviction.

"But if it weren't for the fact that you're…special, we wouldn't even have this chance. How can we ignore the way things have turned out? Maybe this is the way things were always meant to be."

When he averts his eyes at her comment, she reaches out with her hands and brings his eyes back to look into hers. Her hands slowly and delicately caress his jaw.

"Max, I know you think our being together seems wrong, that it's too dangerous. But how will we ever know how right it can be if we never give it a chance?"

Smiling tenderly over at her he runs his palm over her silky hair. "Liz, I couldn't bear it if you got hurt. I'd never forgive myself…"

"I know Max. But you can't protect me in this. I need to be the one who decides who I put my faith in."

Pleasantly startled by her sudden show of authority, he grins cautiously. "Does that mean you've put your faith in me?"

Smiling and blushing she admits, "Yeah…a long time ago actually."

Gently pulling her toward him, he smiles solemnly before whispering, "That's good to hear, because you've had me practically in the palm of your hand since we were ten years old."

Then looking into her eyes, he tells her more seriously, "It's always been you Liz Parker…only you."

Smiling back at him she tries to contain her excitement. "Does that mean that you've decided…?"

"Liz…you've had me since the 3rd grade…being with you is a feeling that I, well it's a feeling that I just can't describe. It's all I've ever wanted." His voice is becoming hoarser with every sentence he speaks. "And if you're sure that being with me is what you want…then believe me when I say that I'll find a way to make it work."

"Really?"

Grinning up at her, he lets out a small teasing laugh meant to lighten the moment. "Besides…it took all the control I had not to pull you against me when you practically undressed me with your eyes downstairs."

Blushing uncontrollably she protests, "I did not!"

"Oh yes you did." His tone is lighthearted and playful. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about Liz…you can look at me like that anytime you want!"

"Max Evans, what am I going to do with you?"

The laugh that escapes her when he stands and pulls her into the circle of his arms can't be helped. She's so happy she can't control the bright smile that breaks over her lips or the way she instantly encircles his neck with her arms and presses him closer.

His eyes sparkle in excitement and he grins over at her as he answers her quietly, "I don't know Liz Parker…but I'm sure you'll think of something." Leaning down into her he covers her lips with his. Firmly pressing her body to wrap around his they sigh at the sensation and savor this new closeness…

Tonight was the beginning of the rest of their lives…