Never Underestimate Destiny

Part 29

(Sunday, November 19th)

Liz lay between Max and Zan, their warmth surrounding her, their arms wrapped around her. She should have been happy and content but she was worried. She hadn't gotten much sleep because she'd been thinking about what Max and Zan had told her about their memories.

Despite what she had told them, she was a bit worried about what would happen when they remembered their other life.

Zan had reassured her that he never had feelings for Ava and that convinced him that the original Zan never loved his Ava. And it did make sense, but Liz knew there was nothing sensible about love.

If sense ruled love, she would never have been in love with two men.

She could tell that Max and Zan were restless too. They had tossed and turned all night and she wondered how much sleep they had gotten.

From behind, Max's hand stroked down her arm, his fingers entwining with hers as he kissed her neck. "Are you okay?" He asked in her mind. "I can tell you're worried."

She nodded, trying not to wake Zan, and squeezed Max's hand, answering him the same way. "I'm , I just..."

Zan interrupted her, "You guys know I can hear you," he said aloud, opening his eyes, "even if you are talking in your heads."

Liz smiled. "I was trying to let you sleep."

He stroked her cheek. "I wasn't really sleeping, just thinking."

Liz nodded. "About what we should do." She brought Max's hand to her lips. "I just wish we knew what to do. It is so frustrating that there is no one to ask, no one to get advice from."

Max listened to Liz and her words echoed what he had been thinking about practically all night. They had been struggling in the dark for so long and now were in a fight for their lives.

All they really knew was what they had guessed from Future Max's actions, and just hoped they were right. They were hoping that somehow they were strong enough together to get through this.

His mind turned to his other self. Future Max had sacrificed everything to try and make the world better. He had even given up his Liz.

Suddenly he made a decision.

"I know what we have to do," Max said. "What I have to do."

Liz turned so she could see his face. "Tell us, Max," she encouraged.

"I've been hiding all this time," he said, shaking his head, "hiding from who I am, hiding from my destiny, and it's time to put my fear aside and face it."

Liz's brow creased in concern. "What do you mean?"

"I think Michael's right," Max said. "It's time to do something, and I'm the leader, the King, and it comes down to me, doesn't it? Tess knows something about the past and I have to find out if it is anything useful, or if she doesn't really know anything then at least she may be able to help me get some useful memories."

He shook his head as he continued, "I just have to put aside my dislike of her and see what I can find out."

"But Max, you don't have to..." Liz started, only to have him cut her off.

"I know," he said with a sad smile, "she will probably try to turn it to her advantage, but I'll have to take the chance. If fighting off Tess is the worst thing that happens to us then we are all really lucky."

"Are you sure?" Liz asked. "You told me you were worried about controlling when the memories happened. What if trying to remember more makes them happen more often?"