Shivering, I instinctively move myself as close as possible to Max, both embarrassed and a little bit dizzy.

"Cold," is about all I can seem to muster as my teeth chatter, feeling oddly comfortable and safe in his arms. I start to protest as he lifts me into his arms, but he gently shushes me and sits down on a bed of leaves that have fallen from one of the nearby trees.

Max is still holding me. He's still... he's so warm. Why doesn't this feel awkward?

He smells so good...

Stop it, Deluca. You're obviously delirious from the cold.

I turn around nervously and slip off my soaking wet shirt and, with slight hesitation, unhook my bra and hang it up on a tree branch nearby.

"God, could this get anymore humiliating?" I whisper to myself, wringing my hair out as much as possible. Max's t-shirt slides down onto my body with ease; slightly loose, but comfortable and warm.

Turning around, I fold my arms over my chest and stare at the ground.

"Thank you... I mean... really, thank you... but what about you? Aren't you freezing? We should, um, find somewhere to eat -- or-or, I don't know, hijack a car," I stutter half-jokingly.

(Okay, okay... AN: This part of the story will make absolutely no sense to anyone but the two of us. As we did write the part 10 years ago on ezboard, but it got deleted. Back then, when it was originally written, it was when Max and Maria had sex in the house. So, it's really just a fun flash back for us LOL)

It was peaceful. The sounds of the waterfall cascading down in the distance, the air as it gently blew through the trees, the crickets echoing as we stumbled up and around a long path that wound up towards the house. I could feel her hand shivering inside of mine, trembling from the cold.

It was silent between us during our journey. She didn't say a word. I'm not sure if either of us knew what to say really.

What would she think of me? I had to get these thoughts of her out of my head. She belonged to Michael. My best friend. He would kill me right now. No. I couldn't. I had no one and it was better that way. Safer. But why if it was so wrong did it feel so right?

We finally made it to the front of the house. It looked old and broken down. Deserted. As I made my way to the front door it was cracked open. Pushing it slowly, I peered inside.

Empty.

As we both walked inside I closed the door behind us. She started to walk off into what I guessed to be a living room and sat down on the floor shivering. There was a table over to the side with a thick round candle half burned on it. I waved my hand over it, letting the flame flicker to life, now casting shadows on the walls. Turning around I saw a blanket that was thrown over some old boxes in the corner, grabbing it, I walked over to Maria wrapping it around her as I sat down next to her.

As I glanced around the room for a moment, something felt very surreal. Like we had been here before. I could see it. I could almost taste it. The same room, the candle, the blanket... Maria. I could feel the warmth of her body entangled up in mine.

Was I dreaming?

I turned to look at her and could see the glow from the candlelight skipping across her face. There was a pull there.. I almost couldn't resist. Quickly, in a concerned voice I finally choked out,

"Are you hungry?"

Awwww... Really? Thank you! The second post was Drunk Max.
And I've been worried about you the past few days! I hope you are okay, and how much I love you, hang in there! Life is shitty sometimes.

I think my heart stopped. Literally for like a second and a half. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I couldn't respond. All my life I had been in control of everything. Every decision I had ever made. Every move we ever took. Not only did I control the events and circumstances in our lives but I controlled everyone in it as well. Somehow, this whole escapade had happened. I had lost complete control.

I was trembling on the inside as I reached over and tucked the strand of wet hair behind her ear that had previously fell on her face. My thumb slowly traced the contour of her chin slowly gliding down her neck. It was the most intense feeling I had ever experienced. The fear, the anxiety, the chills that covered my bare skin setting it on fire instantly.

Every wrong feeling, every reason why I shouldn't, every doubt I had... disappeared and for that split second, I jumped.

My gaze was locked on hers as if in a trance as my other hand gently pulled the other side of her face closer to me, turning myself as the space lessoned between us. I could feel the hair on my skin stand up as my nose barely touched hers. It was then that I couldn't help it anymore, a force so much stronger than myself had pulled me forward. Begging, forcing a desperate plea of everything all at once. And then it just happened.

My lips ever so gently crashed onto hers.