Max and everyone else are in California because that's where I wanted to put them. Everything up to EOTW is has happened, and Lizzy still has yet to tell Maxy about it.

Title: Forever
Author: Crazeesmilee
Email: jualweff⊕yahoo.com
Rating: Pg-13 (some language?)
Disclaimer: Them everything - Me zilch
Summary: It's Liz and Serena's second year at Harvard. Max and Tess are roommates as friends. Something goes wrong while Liz and Max are trying to move on.
Category: Max/Liz Future
Author's Notes: Still has all the other characters! FEEDBACK! GOOD OR BAD

Part 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tess - I'm going out now okay?

Max has fallen asleep while studying in front of the TV, so his only response is a snort. Tess walks over and gives him a whack on the head.

Tess - Wake up.

Max - Wha? Oh. Did I fall asleep again?

Tess - Yea. I think you should just go to bed. I'm going out.

Max - Again? Kyle huh?

Tess blushes and looks away, causing Max to chuckle.

Max - Well have fun. Good night.

Tess - Right. Um?I'll see ya. G'nite.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz - I am SO tired.

Liz slumps her bag onto the couch in the apartment. Serena has already gotten take out and is digging in. It's not much of a surprise, as she is relatively full figured and rosy cheeked. He shoulder length chestnut colored hair falls back as she looks up.

Serena - You want some food?

Liz - No way. I'm too tired to even eat.

She waves off the food offering and trudges toward the bedroom.

Serena - It's only six! Aren't you even gonna go over your notes or something? What happened to the innocent Liz that was always studying?

Liz - She went to bed. And I plan on joining her. So good night.

Serena - Well, okay. G'nite.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tess has been out all night. Knowing that Max is asleep already, she tries to sneak in quietly. She slips in the key soundlessly, but cringes when the door creaks. Hopefully, Max didn't hear that. *Darn, too late* There is the sound of rustling bedsheets in the distance, and she quietly goes to investigate. Apparently, Max is having a horrible nightmare.

Tess - Max? Max!

Tess takes Max by the shoulders and gives him a good shake.

Tess - Wake up! It's a nightmare Max!

Max sits up suddenly and gasps. He is covered in sweat and his hair slightly resembles a bird's nest.

Max - Liz!

Tess - What's wrong?

Max - I don't know. I had a nightmare.

Tess - Yea I know. What happened? It looked pretty bad.

The two of them were not on the best of terms in high school, but living together brought them closer. Close enough for them to share their nightmares.

Max - I... don't remember what happened. I just - I just remember Liz.

Part 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz and Serena are in class together. The professor is droning on and on, oblivious to the blank stares he is receiving.

Liz - (whisper) He is so boring!

Serena - (whisper) What? He was your favorite professor last week!

Liz - (whisper) I know. I just can't focus. Maybe I'll just take a nap.

Serena gasps in feigned surprise and clutches her chest.

Serena - (whisper) What? Liz? Sleeping in class? No way!

Liz doesn't hear the last remark. She is already asleep.

Serena - Well fine then!

A couple of minutes later, Liz wakes up with an ear-piercing scream that echoes through the lecture hall. Everybody turns to look, including the professor.

Professor - Miss? Are you all right?

Liz is at a loss for words, having just woken up with everyone staring at her. She merely gapes at the professor.

Serena - She's okay. She thought she saw a spider. Right?

Liz manages a nod, and everyone returns to the lecture.

Serena - (whisper) Are you okay?

Liz - (whisper) Yea, I just had this dream.

She turns away, signaling the end of the conversation. Serena takes the hint and also returns to the lecture. She cannot help but give a suspicious look at Liz.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Class is over and everyoone is leaving the lecture hall.

Serena - Liz, what was that? Are you okay?

Liz - Yea, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I just had this freakishly weird dream.

Serena - What was it about?

Liz - Well, I -- I can't remember.

Serena - None of it?

Liz - None of it.

They stand up to leave, but Liz plops right back down into her seat. Serena gives her a concerned look.

Liz - Don't worry. Just a head rush. Keep moving.

Together they start to leave again. Before they reach the door, Liz collapses on the floor.

Serena - Liz! Omigosh! Liz!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two weeks later...

Tess - What did Michael wear?

Kyle - I made him dress properly if that's what you're asking.

Tess - What did he wear?

Kyle - Nice slacks, a shirt and a tie alright?

Tess - Did you make him get roses?

Kyle - YES!

Tess - Fine, fine. I just wanna make sure this double date goes smoothly.

Kyle - Well you shouldn't have asked Michael and Maria to come then.

Tess - Well who was I supposed to ask?!

Kyle - Sorry! Its just that this is Michael we're talking about. You can't fix him. And his dates NEVER go smoothly.

Tess gives a snort of superiority and opens the restaurant door, not wanting to admit that Kyle was right. The two of them freeze when they see Michael, who was indeed dressed quite nicely - WAS-, and Maria making out in a booth.

Kyle - See? I told you I dressed him up.

Tess - Well, I guess it worked then.

They walk up to the booth.

Kyle - Ahem? AHEM! GUYS!

Michael and Maria jump apart at the sound of Kyle's voice. Michael's hair is no longer nice and slicked back and Maria is obviously flushed. Tess and Kyle take their seats across from Maria and Michael.

Maria - Hey guys! We got here a little early. We were wondering when you two would show up! Almost came to thinking you wouldn't come at all! But you wouldn't do that now would?

Tess ?Waiter!
Part 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a traditional date of dinner and a movie, the two couples are walking leisurely to their cars. The guys have their arms protectively around their respective others as they chat.

Maria - I can’t remember when I had this much fun!

Kyle - It’s been a while huh?

Michael - (snorts)

Maria - Well it was definitely better than the last time we went on a double date.

Kyle - But last time you guys went with Liz and...oh.

There is a moment of tension as Kyle touches on this sore subject. But Tess comes to the rescue.

Tess - So how is Liz anyway?

Maria - Oh she's great!

Kyle - You still talk to her?

Maria - Well, duh! She's my best bud. We don't go a week without a phone call. Oh crap! She was gonna call tonight too! I havta get home!

Kyle - Calm down. Liz is a sensible and understanding person. You can tell her about your wonderful date tomorrow.

Maria - It's not just that! She sounded really bad the last time I called. I swear she was giving off these....these VIBES!

Tess - Vibes?

Maria - Yes vibes! I could totally tell something was wrong. Now come on spaceboy. We're going to pay a little visit to my phone. You can say hi to Liz too.

Michael - Uh?

Kyle - You sure this isn't really a visit to your bed?

Maria - Shut up!

Maria grabs Michael and runs to her car.

Michael - You know, if you wanted me that bad you coulda just said so.

Maria - It's not funny! I mean it. I've had this feeling that something bad is gonna happen. It just slipped my mind because I was having such a good time. But now I need to talk to Liz.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of a key turning in a lock is heard and the door to Maria's apartment is thrown open.

Michael - You know, I bet Liz was just tired from studying so much! Take it easy! I bet she left a message for you on the answering machine too.

The answering machine is indeed blinking. Michael immediately points it out. The Maria sensors kicked in during the last part of their date, and Michael definitely does not want to get caught in the crossfire.

Michael - See? That's gotta be her. I know it. So stop worrying! I'm going to the bathroom, and when I come out, I want you to tell me everything is all right now, okay?

Michael quickly makes his escape to the bathroom. Maria proceeds to play her messages and take off her coat and shoes.

Solicitor - Hello Miss Deluca. We've from your local newspaper and we've got an offer...

Delete.

Serena's voice was next. She sounded shaken and probably was crying. Maria walked over to the machine and stared worriedly at it.

Serena - Hey Maria. Um...I know you've probably wondering why I'm calling and not Liz. Um...yea, well see Liz is sleeping and well she's sick. She's always sleeping and throwing up. She gets these nightmares. The doctors have run every test imaginable but they don't know what's wrong...and I don't know what to do.

She pauses to catch her breath after spewing that long string of words into the phone reciever.

Serena - I think you should visit her. You and Alex, 'cuz well, you guys are her best friends. But don't tell the others. I don't think Liz is up to seeing them right now...especially Max 'cuz of the whole...thing...and I dunno...well yea. Bye.

Maria stands stunned by Serena's words until Michael returned. **Could Liz really be that bad?**

Michael - Did she call?

Maria managed a nod and a weak smile.

Michael - What'd she say? Everything's fine right?

Maria - Just peachy. In fact, she wants me to come visit her. Me and Alex.

Michael - See? Just fine. I told you so.

Maria smiles tight-lippedly and tries to act cheerful for Michael's sake

Part 4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Serena - Maria! Alex!

She gave her friends a warm welcome and a hug, even if they were more Liz's friends than hers. She knows all of Liz's friends, but they never got to really know each other. There were obvious lines of stress on her face.

Maria - How's Liz?

Alex - Is she any better?

Serena's happy demeanor dropped quite suddenly. She shook her head no. Their moment of silence was broken by loud screams coming from the back of the apartment.

Liz - NO! Stay AWAY! NOOOO!

The trio dashed to the bedroom, leaving their luggage at the open door.

Maria - Liz! Liz it's me! Maria! It's okay Liz. Calm down, it's only a nightmare.

Liz - Maria?

Maria - Yea it's me babe.

Liz - You came.

Maria - Of course.

Liz - I'm scared.

Maria - What is it chica? You can tell Maria.

Liz - Th--they want to hurt me. They're coming for me.

Maria - Shhh. It's okay. I won't let them hurt you. Alex is here too, he'll protect you.

Maria cradles Liz's head and holds her until she falls asleep again. The tear tracks leave a sticky film on their faces, including those of Alex and Serena, who are watching at the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tess is trying to study, but Max's loud hacking coughs are distracting her.

Tess - Max, I know I shouldn't say this....

Max - What?

Tess - It's just you've been different lately.

Max quirks an eyebrow at her.

Max - What do you mean different?

Tess - I know this is wrong, but it seems like you're sick.

Max - What?! You know we don't get sick Tess!

Tess holds her hands up defensively and shrinks back slightly.

Tess - I know! But you've been coughing and you're tired. I can see the bags under your eyes!

Max - It's just stress. Don't worry.

Tess give Max a wary look, and decides to leave the matter for now. If Max doesn't want to admit it, then it's his own fault.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz - NOOOOO! GET AWAY!!! MAX! MAX! AHHHHH! MAAAAX!

Liz's dreams are getting more violent and more frequent. Everyone rushes to Liz's room to wake her up. Liz is buried under a pile of blankets and is hopelessly flailing her arms. Together, Alex and Maria pin her arms down in a fierce hug.

Maria - SSHHhhhh. It's ok Liz. It's ok. No one's coming after you.

Suddenly Liz is thrashing wildly again. She tosses off Maria's and Alex's arms and dashes to the bathroom, where she promptly empties her stomach. When she returns, she sobs into Alex's chest.

Alex - Tell Alex what's wrong. We're here for you. The three musketeers forever remember?

Liz is trembling and crying, but she is able to whisper out a shaky response.

Liz - Max. Max. I need Max.

The others share a look. Liz and Max have not seen each other in over a year...and now she is screaming and crying for him?...