Melinda Metz - The Salvation

"That's not true. I always needed things from people," Isabel protested.

"Of course you did. But you didn't admit it then. Now you do," Alex explained matter-of-factly.

He had her there. "Only to some people." Isabel twisted around so she could look him in the eyes. "People I know I can trust."

Alex nodded. "You're kind of dense yourself, you know," he told her. "It took you a while to figure out that you could trust me, if you'll remember. I'm glad you finally realized I'd do anything for you." He kissed her quickly, lightly.

"I know," Isabel answered. She really had been dense. There were so many times she'd treated Alex unfairly. So many times she'd accused him of things he wasn't close to being guilty of. And yet here he was. Right by her side.

"I'd do absolutely anything," Alex continued. "So if it gets close to your junior prom and you don't have a date, I'll try and squeeze you in. You know that I do have quite the social calendar going, and I-"

"Alex!" she squealed, whacking him on the head.

"It's hard to accept when the wheels of popularity turn, isn't it?" he asked, grinning. "One day you're up. The next day it's, um, let me see, that would be me. You're lucky I have a forgiving nature."

Isabel hugged him tightly and closed her eyes. "Very lucky," she agreed.

"Then your molecules…" Max kissed Liz's upper lip. "Just somehow went and found my molecules?" He kissed her lower lip. It had been so long. So, so long. Trapped at the bottom of the consciousness, the memory of Liz's touch had been all that kept him sane. All that kept him alive.

"I think so." Liz kissed the side of Max's neck. "Or maybe…" She kissed the little hollow at the base of his throat. "Maybe your molecules pulled mine to them. That's the more logical explanation." Her mouth returned to his, her tongue to his. He was home. He was really home.

Max pulled Liz closer against him, lifting her feet off the ground. She locked her legs around his waist, curling her fingers into his hair. "I'm never going to let anything come between us again. Never," he murmured against her lips, not wanting to lift his completely away from hers.

"There's definitely nothing coming between you right now," Alex called out. "You know you have a sister over here who might want to tell you she's glad you're still alive or something."

Max let Liz slide down his body to the ground. She started to step away, but he looped his arm around her waist. "You're not going anywhere," he told her as he reached for Isabel and pulled her into a hug with him and Liz. "Thanks for getting me back, Iz," he said, feeling her aura swirl through his. "I'm sorry about-"

"Oh, shut up," Isabel answered. "And you-" she called to Alex. "You get over here, Mr. Popularity." She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward her without letting go of Max.

Max grinned as he felt Alex's bright orange aura join the mix.

"Michael! Maria! Over here!" Isabel ordered with a laugh. "None of us really needs to see the two of you rolling around on the floor."

A moment later their auras joined Max, Liz, Alex, and Isabel's. A shimmering rainbow of color appeared around the six of them, the strands of jade green, warm amber, screaming orange, rich purple, bright blue, and brick red binding them together.

Max had never seen anything so beautiful in his life. He looked around at the faces of his closest friends-his family. The people that had saved his life. There was nothing he could use to describe this moment except full. Full of everything good and happy and pure.

"Remember?" Liz asked, looking each of them in the eye. Everyone smiled, clearly thinking about that first time they'd all connected, back when they'd needed to prove they could trust each other. It seemed so long ago, but it was the clearest memory in Max's mind.

He pulled Liz and Isabel a little bit closer and sighed with content. "How could any of us ever forget?"

[ front blurb]

"It was fun for a while-having a human girlfriend," Max continued. "But now, through the consciousness, I've gotten to see what life's like at home, my real home. All I can think about is getting back there. And it's not as if I can take you with me, so…" He shrugged. "It's just as well we're officially not together."

"What?" Liz said again. It was Max talking. She was sure of it. Whenever the consciousness was in control of him, his face was totally lifeless. But now his eyes were blinking and sparkling; his skin looked healthy. He was totally there. But how could he say these things to her?

"What?" Max mocked with a smirk. "Listen. I'll spell it out for you. I don't love you. I never did. It was fun, but it's time for me to go back where I belong."

[ Version History]

1.0 – scanned, formatted, and spell-checked from mass-market paperback. ISBN: 0-671-03564-9

2.0 – July 12, 2004 – The_Ghiti – proofed in detail against deadtree format.