Maria was sitting next to the window, looking out at the night sky. I could still see tears slowly making their way down her face.

"Maria." I said softly.

She came over to me quickly, wiping her face with her hands. "Oh my God Liz! You're awake. How do you feel? Is everything alright?"

I smiled at her, slowly sitting up in the bed. "I'm fine." She smiled and seemed to relax slightly. "What happened?"

She looked at me incredulously, and started pacing around the room, her hands took on a life of their own and began moving around wildly as she began to talk. "What happened? Well. You got shot again! You really have to stop doing that, I mean twice in one year!" Then she stopped and sat down next to me. "Your sure your ok. Because… well. Everyone was worried."

"Where was I shot Maria?" She bit her lip, dropping her head and whispering, "Next to your heart Liz." She looked up again. "Max and the others thought the shot was so close that they wouldn't be able... " She trailed off. "They all had to heal you Liz. Max was too upset to be able to do it alone. Apparently, without you conscious to make the same connection that he did before, they were afraid that they wouldn't be able to help you." Her eyes we filling with new tears. "Then when you didn't wake up right away… " Suddenly she reached out and held me to her. "I could have lost you tonight Liz. We all could have."

I was reeling. I almost died.

Before, it had happened so quickly. The shot. The brief pain. And then Max was over me. Telling me I had to look at him. Then it was all over.

But tonight I had almost died. There had been the chance that I wouldn't wake up. Would never have been able to talk, and laugh and share all my secrets with Maria ever again.

Alex. I wouldn't have seen him anymore, after he had finally forgiven me for being so secretive.

I wouldn't have ever found out if Isabel and I could have really become friends.

Or if I could have ever gotten Michael to let his guard down around me again, like he did the night in the café when he returned my journal.

And Max.

I would never have seen Max again. Would never have looked into his eyes, felt that happiness thread through me when he smiled at me.

Maria was looking at me.

"I'm ok Maria. I'm fine." She smiled softly. Then got up from the bed. Walking over to the chair, she retrieved her jacket and began putting it on. "I have to go. Mom already called once over an hour ago. Your clothes are in the bag on the other side of your bed. Your Mom and Dad were still in the Café when Max helped me bring you in here. They came up once a little while ago. I told them that I was leaving. You had been really tired and had fallen asleep." She stopped and looked at me again. Concern in her eyes. "You're sure your ok? I can stay if you want."

I smiled. My dear friend. "It's fine Maria. I'm fine. You go home and get some sleep. I'll see you at school tomorrow." She reached for the door and then changed her mind, coming back and hugging me. "I love you Liz. You're my best friend. Promise me you won't do anything like that again." I managed to hug her as tightly as she was hugging me. "I promise."

* * *

After Maria left I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't.

And not surprisingly I found myself pulling my journal out of the hiding place in the wall, and making my way up here to the roof.

So here I am. Writing.

But I think I've written enough for tonight.

~

Liz slowly closed her journal and began gathering her blanket. She was about to start blowing out the candles and turn of her radio when she heard him.

"Liz?"

His voice, so soft, floated up from the street below. She made her way over to the side of the building and looked down at him, smiling.

"Can I come up?" He whispered. She nodded. She watched him as he made his ascent, and stood back slightly to let him climb over the edge.

He pulled her to him and held her close, running his hand through her hair.

"Are you ok?" He said later as he pulled away from her slightly.

"I'm fine Max." She saw the doubt in his eyes and added, "Really."

He smiled slightly as he cupped her face in his hands. His eyes searching her face for any signs of discomfort. When he found none, he released her and took a step back. A new emotion etched across his face suddenly. Pain.

"Max? What's wrong."

He turned away from her and there was a pause before he started.

"Liz. I can't see you anymore."

She couldn't breathe. "What?" she managed to whisper.

"Liz. You almost died tonight. Ever since the day in the café, your life has been in danger, one way or another. But I can't ever let you put yourself in that kind of danger again." He turned to face her, his eyes shining. "You mean too much to me." She tried to go to him. But he held her away. His hands holding her shoulders.

"But Max. I'm fine." Her voice broken and desperate, tears stinging her eyes.

"No Liz. You're not. You never will be as long as I'm in your life. Even as just a friend… you knew … somehow you knew what was going to happen out there tonight, and you put your life in danger to save mine." His hands slid down her arms and took her hands in his, his eyes drinking in her face. "Do you know what it would have done to me if we couldn't have saved you Liz. How lost I would have been if I couldn't look up and see you, even from a distance, ever again? I would die Liz. I would die if anything ever happened to you."

"But Max…" she started to whisper.

He kissed her then. With all the love he had for her. All the love that had been building in his heart from the first moment he'd seen her. First moment he'd heard her voice, her laugh, seen her smile.

Then he stopped. Her eyes still closed, he pressed a sweet kiss to her forehead and whispered "Goodbye Liz." And before she could say anything, he was gone.

* * *

Liz slowly walked over to the chair and sat clutching the blanket to her chest. The tears were still in her eyes. Refusing to let go. She sat like that, seemingly unaware of anything until slowly a song on the radio began to filter through everything that had just happened.

"Maybe it's intuition
But some things you just don't question
Like in your eyes
I see my future in an instant
And there it goes
I think I've found my best friend
I know that it might sound more than a little crazy
But I believe

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life

There's just no rhyme or reason
Only this sense of completion
And in your eyes
I see the missing pieces
I'm searching for
I think I've found my way home

I know that it might sound more than a little crazy
But I believe

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life

A thousand angels dance around you
I am complete now that I've found you

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all my life."

As the last note drifted, Liz stood and slowly walked over to the radio, turning it off. She looked up at the stars.

~

Across town, Max sat in the jeep outside his house.

Silent.

He reached forward, turning the radio off, then looked into the sky.