| "Good Luck at your conference!" Max called to his departing parents. Just then Isabel came stomping down the stairs with her overstuffed luggage dragging behind her. "Think you packed enough stuff for cheerleading camp?" Max teased as Isabel sent him to grab the tote bag at the top of the stairs. "Haha Max," Isabel grumbled sarcastically as she tried to turn the doorknob despite her pre-occupied hands. As soon as she got the door open a honk came from the driveway. "I'm coming!" Isabel called out to her friends giving her a ride. Max helped take Isabel's bags to the van and stuffed it in the already crowded trunk. "Bye Max," Isabel chirped as she gave him a goodbye hug and crammed into the van. "Bye Is, have fun," Max replied and waved as the van sped off down the street. 'Finally,' Max smiled as he went back inside and leaned against a wall. 'Now it's time to get things ready for tonight.' * * * * * * "Liz, you got a surprise for you waiting up front," Maria declared as she stuck her head through the backroom door to where Liz was getting ready for her shift at the Crashdown. "Really?" Liz asked in surprise. She smiled as she walked out into the restaurant and saw the basket with a note addressed to her resting at the end of the counter. Liz picked up the note and read it to herself, blushing. Maria hurried behind her and pleaded, "Well what is it? Let me see!" Liz looked at Maria, and after a bit of hesitation, handed her the note, meanwhile looking under the cloth that hid the contents. Maria read the note quietly outloud to herself: "Happy 3rd Anniversary, Liz. I can't believe I've been blessed to have been with you for these past 3 years. Don't forget to bring this basket and its contents to our romantic evening at my house tonight at 8:30pm. I can't wait to see you. Love Always, Max." Maria squealed with excitement for her friend. "Wow, what does Max have planned for YOU two tonight, I wonder." "Shut up, Maria," Liz warned her in a half-kidding tone. Inside the basket were three bowls of fresh strawberries,whip cream, and a jar of chocolate fudge. Liz shivered with joy at the thought of the fun events planned for tonight. Suddenly Liz heard someone clear their throat behind her, and she whipped around. "Dad!" Liz announced in surprise. "I don't think the customers appreciate waitresses that stand around ignoring them. Now quit fooling around and serve these paying customers, okay Liz?" Mr. Parker turned to Liz's giggling friend. "Maria, if I'm not mistaken, your on duty. Now just because your my daughter's best friend doesn't mean I won't fire you for slacking off on the job." "Sorry Mr. Parker," Maria stiffled a smile and went back to her tables. Liz ran the basket to her locker in the backroom and came back out a few seconds later, her father nodding and going back to his office. She sighed and went to work, a smile playing on her lips the whole night in anticipation for what a special night she'd be sharing with Max in a matter of hours. * * * * * * Max shook the flame of the match out with a twitch of his wrist and looked around, satisfied. 'Tonight's the night,' Max thought, as butterflies fluttered in his stomach. His watch read 8:26pm. Max knew this evening had to be perfect, it was a night he'd been dreaming about for so long. He'd been in love with Liz since the third grade, and now she felt the same way about him. Even though she had to go through a near-death situation to realize it, Liz was overcome with love for him ever since, and they both knew they were soulmates. Max turned the volume lower on the stereo, the CD he burned earlier in the week playing. Max smiled as the Track 3 song "Wish" by Wild Strawberries began. He had a thing for strawberries for as long as he could remember. The reason for his fetish was because Liz always smelled like fresh strawberries, since she used that kind of scented shampoo and body lotion. Whenever he was close to her, that wonderful smell invaded his senses, making them buzz with yearning for just ... Suddenly Max was shook from his thoughts by the doorbell. He smoothed out the wrinkles in his shirt as he strode quickly to the door, pausing only a brief second to take a calming breath. When he opened the door, his brain went numb at the sight of her beautiful figure bathed in the porchlight. Her hair was up in a loose bun, small ringlets of hair framing her slim face. She was wearing a red sleeveless dress with a low V-neck and the end of the skirt lightly brushing the tops of her knees. She wore the beautiful gold charm necklace Max had given her for her 18th birthday last year, and ruby stud earrings. "Wow," Max exhaled as he finally met eyes with her. She blushed slightly at the way he was staring at her and finally spoke. "I, uh, brought the goodies," Liz raised her eyebrow teasingly. It was Max's turn to blush as he stepped aside and she entered the enterance way. He led her to the livingroom where the breath caught in her throat as she laid eyes at the beautiful setting. Candles crowded all the surfaces in the room, and a blanket set in the middle of the room with a dinner for two laid out on it. Rose petals of all colors were laying all around the blanket and in a glass bowl at the center of the blanket. Music played softly from the stereo, finishing off the perfect romantic setting. "Oh, Max," Liz breathed. "I made your favorite," Max replied sheepishly. Liz turned around to look Max in the eye and gave him a radiant smile. "Your unbelievable." Liz wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, showing her gratitude. Max led her to the blanket and they began their romantic meal, chatting with enthusiasm about getting into Yale together and how wonderful it will be to get an apartment together. As they finished dinner, Max got up and put the dishes in the sink, taking all the things from the blanket until it was all cleared off. Liz was the only thing that remained on it. Max quickly joined her back on the blanket, sitting behind her and wrapping his arms tightly around her so she snuggled up against him. They listened for a few seconds in silence to the music, sighing happily because of their closeness. Max kissed Liz gently on the side of her neck and whispered to her, "I have a surprise to give you, before dessert." "Oh?" Liz asked in a pleased tone. Max reached underneath the couch cushion and pulled out a small round jewelry box. He brought the box around in front of her, and she gasped. "Go ahead, take it." Liz carefully took the box from Max and opened the box. It was a diamond ring, the diamond cut into the shape of a heart, and two small rubies on either side of the diamond, on a gold ring band. "Oh my.... Max, I--" Liz struggled to talk, she was in shock by the obviously expensive, and very beautiful gift. "Liz, I've loved you for such a long time, and for the past 3 years, you've made me the happiest guy in the universe by loving me back. This is a promise ring," Max took the ring out and was slipping it on her left ring finger, and continued whispering his declaration of love to her in her ear, "and it stands for a promise that when the day comes that we are ready, we will be married. I promise you that we'll be together forever now, because I know we're soulmates, and I know it in my heart we'll be man and wife. I love you, Liz Parker." Liz scooted away slightly from Max so she could turn around and look at him. Her eyes were full of joyful tears which she blinked away. Liz reached her hand up to touch Max's cheek, and whispered, "I love you too, Max Evans," as she bent in and they kissed so gently and passionately. Liz pulled away and let out a joyful giggle. They snuggled in each other's arms, laying kisses on each others faces until Max said, "Oh yeah, don't want to forget about dessert." He gave Liz a sly smile and pulled the basket up to where they were sitting. He pulled out the strawberries and the chocolate, dipping one strawberry in the fudge and feeding it to Liz. They took turns doing this, kissing in between each turn. Then the whip cream was pulled out, and Max put some on one strawberry. He fed that to Liz and followed it up by a deep kiss. Liz licked her lips, then Max's. They smiled as they pulled apart, a mischevious look in Max's eyes. He grabbed Liz's hand gently and held out her pointer finger, spraying some whip cream on the tip and covering Liz's finger with his mouth as his tongue licked it all off. Liz giggled. "That tickles." Liz and Max look into each others eyes for a brief second, before Liz reaches over and grabs the edge of Max's shirt, pulling it up and off over his head. Liz's fingertips slowly ran down the front of Max's stomach, then back up again teasingly. She studied his gorgeous body, taking him in. Liz grabbed the whip cream can and put some on the side of Max's neck . She took her time licking off the whip cream, giving Max an uncontrolable sensation and making him groan with pleasure. He knew he couldn't keep his hands off Liz any longer. Max kissed Liz's neck softly as he zipped down the back of her dress. He gently laid her down on her back, his body hovering closely over hers as he looked deep into her eyes. Before Max could state his doubts about continuing, Liz pulled his lips down to hers and kissed him with such yearning. Max melted into her immediately. Max undid Liz's bra and pulled it away from her body, his eyes praising her with looks of loving appreciation, warming Liz's heart and erasing any shyness she had. He slid his hands up Liz's body as his tongue flickered across her stomach. She gave a soft squeal of joy. Liz grabbed at Max's shoulders forcefully when waves of sensation rocked her whole frame, as Max let his tongue journey all over her body. Liz pushed at the side of Max's body, rolling him onto his back so she was on top of him now. His boxers were pulled slowly down and off his body. The looks of pleasant satisfaction reflecting in Liz's eyes reassured him not to be nervous anymore. Liz's lips brushed against his shoulders and the nape of his neck, making a trace of soft kisses down the middle of his chest to his stomach. She sucked gently on the skin next to his belly button, giving Max an amazing feeling he'd never had before. Max flipped Liz underneath him again and looked deeply into her eyes with loving tenderness. He proceeded with uniting their bodies as one. Never has anything been more amazing for either of them then what they experienced that night. The love and gentleness they gave each other brought them closer then ever before, in orgasmic proportions. They laid in each others arms afterwards, breathing in each other with complete satisfaction. Liz was drifting to sleep in his arms, as he whispered in her ear, "I love you," and kissed the top of her head. He relaxed and fell asleep with a smile on his face, and dreamed of fields of wild strawberries, where Liz was laying among the field, luring him to her. Everynight after that he had that same dream that reminded him of the first time they were together.. The dream of wild strawberries. |
| "Wild Strawberries" |
| Rated: R (for sexual references) Disclaimer: I own nothing, just love the show and think Max and Liz should end up together. Jason Katims and writers for the show own all characters mentioned in this fanfiction. Author's Note: This takes place right before they go to college. Max and Liz have been together since the episode, "The Departure" |