Ch 7
Max leaned back against the wall of Alex's van early the next morning. They'd all crashed in a hotel near where they'd parked the van last night before saying good-bye to Ava and leaving. He looked to where Liz was sleeping next to her cousins near the front of the van. He smiled a little.
"What are you looking at Maxwell?"
"An angel," he answered Michael.
"Dark angel."
"That's a TV show."
Michael smiled and nodded. "So have you and she had a chance to talk?"
"Not yet. I have this feeling that she's avoiding me."
"She loves you."
"She's scared about what I want from her, and about how far we can go now that I've proved I'm staying here."
"Well just be careful. She tends to move things when she gets mad."
"What makes you think I'll make her mad?"
"No reason," Michael smirked and moved away.
Max watched him lie beside Maria and pull her into his arms. Finally. Then he looked back at Liz.
Now or never Max.
Now.
"Liz," he touched her shoulder.
"Max?" she smiled sleepily.
"Can we talk?"
She nodded and pulled herself up. Wrapping a blanket around herself she followed Max to the back of the van.
"I'm glad you came after us," Max began hesitantly.
"Couldn't let you get in trouble all by yourself, could I?" she smiled.
He shrugged. "Guess not."
"Besides I wanted to give us a chance to keep that promise we made."
"Me too," Max grinned.
"You're okay right?"
"More than OK now," he pulled her close.
"Good," she smiled.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah why?"
"That spell you did. I know how you can get when you do too much at once."
"I'm okay Max."
"Do you mind if I check?"
"How?"
"A kiss. Just to-"
"Is that a beat around the bush way of telling me something Max?"
"Uh well I-" Max's words were cut off when Liz pulled his mouth down to hers.
Phoebe grinned and poked Piper, pointing to Liz.
"Go Liz," Piper said with a grin.
Liz didn't notice. Prue looked back. "Well- looks like I'll have to have a talk with Maria and Liz."
"Save it for when we get back to Roswell, Prue. Let Liz enjoy her prince for a while," Piper grinned.
"Okay."
When Liz pulled back she smiled at Max. "So am I okay?"
"I think you need a little more kissing therapy," he joked. "I know I do."
"Sleep first," Liz said. She took Max's hand and pulled him back to where she'd been sleeping. She settled on her side facing the front of the van and pulled Max's arm around her. "Night Max."
"Night," he said in her ear and the two fell asleep as the sun came up behind them.
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"I've been thinking…" Tess began softly.
"Oh this can't be good."
"Shut up," she poked him. "I've been thinking about moving in with you."
"Isn't this a bit sudden?" he teased. "We haven't even had a real date yet- all we've done together is save alien planets."
"Kyle you know what I mean," Tess said.
"Yeah I do. Are you sure? I mean it means living with Maria and Amy, who, though I am very fond of, are not the easiest people to live with."
"I said I was thinking about it, not that I'm going to," she said. "I was thinking that I'd do what I said, give it a try. If it doesn't work, I'll stay with Michael."
"You do realize that if you live with Michael I'll never be allowed to see you? He doesn't like me very much."
"He'll come around and if he doesn't, I'll have Liz curse him and Maria into a locket."
"She wouldn't do it," Kyle predicted.
"What made you decide to come after me?" she snuggled closer to him.
"Because I care about you and I like having you around," Kyle said running a hand over her blonde hair.
"That sounds nice," she yawned and leaned back against him. "You care about me."
"A lot. I care about you a lot," Kyle said, knowing that neither of them was ready for the l-word.
"Me too," she smiled and yawned. "I'm glad I'm sticking around."
"Me too," Kyle said kissing the top of her head.
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"I wish you guys didn't have to leave," Liz said as the Roswell gang stood on the roof with her cousins and Leo.
"We'll be back," Prue promised with a hug.
"You won't be able to get rid of us next time," Phoebe predicted.
"Come back for Thanksgiving okay?" Maria said. "I wanna meet this Cole guy Phoebe can't stop talking about."
"Promise," Phoebe hugged her cousin's best friend.
"And you guys come west for Christmas," Piper said.
"Or your wedding, whichever comes first," Liz teased.
"Funny."
"She does have a point," Leo whispered in Piper's ear.
"Shut up honey," Piper said before she surprised Max by hugging him. "You're a member of our family now. No matter what."
"Thanks," he said, hugging her back, surprised and pleased.
"Take good care of Maria, Michael," Prue said. "Or I just may have to hurt you."
"She doesn't need taking care of, but I'll do the best I can."
"Don't compromise who you are Isabel," Prue advised. "I'll send you those clothes by mail, ok?"
"Okay," Isabel smiled and then she hugged Prue. "Thanks for all your help."
"Glad to do it," Prue answered.
"We better go guys," Leo said.
"Okay," The Halliwell sisters agreed before they all linked together and disappeared off the roof waving.
"That is so cool," Kyle commented.
"Yeah," Liz said. "Does someone want to come with me? I have to go to the manor and put the book back."
"I'll come," Max linked arms with Liz.
The alien and the witch walked away together.
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Liz put the book back on the stand in the attic. "It's weird."
"Care to clarify?"
"I just mean that I only really feel safe when the book is on the stand where it belongs," she looked around. "Grandma loved this house."
"It's a great house," Max agreed.
"Yeah it is. But Parker Manor West is great too. So is Halliwell Manor. Grandma Claudia grew up there."
"You miss it?"
"Sometimes. But I'll see it at Christmas," she looked at him. "You'll love it too."
"I get to come?"
"I won't go without you."
"What will we tell my parents?"
"That Parker Manor has three bedrooms and that it's Prue's turn to chaperone."
"They're still upset about the 'camping trip' we took," Max laughed. "Oh well, could be worse I guess. I can't wait to see San Francisco with you."
Liz sat down on Max's lap while he sat in an old armchair. "It'll be great. We'll do all those touristy things. We'll even drag Michael out to Alcatraz."
"But we won't leave him there," Max said. "At least, not for long."
Liz laughed at the idea of leaving Michael out on 'The Rock'. "I love you."
He answered with a kiss. "I'm so glad we're together."
"Me too."