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 Max unlocks the door to the Presidential Suite at the Bali Hai. The porter wheels in their bags, followed by Liz, then Max. After the porter unloads their bags, Max hands him a very generous tip. It doesn't go unnoticed by Liz.
"Unlimited resources," says Max, shrugging his shoulders, a little embarressed.
Liz moves around the room slowly, remembering the last time she had been in The Bali Hai.
"I thought it would be comfortable here," says Max, then adds, "Actually, it's the only hotel I know in Vegas."
Liz looks at him and smiles.
"So what's the plan, Max?" she asks.
You want to get married?"
"I can't believe we are going through this again," says Maria, between bites of her Orion Omelette.
"What do you mean, again?" asks Michael.
"This end of the world crap," says Maria. "I can't believe you guys are asking Liz to go through that again!"
"What are you talking about?" asks Isabel.
Maria stops talking and looks from Michael to Isabel. It dawns on her. They don't know. Liz never told anyone but her.
Maria puts down her fork.
"Okay, there's two days left and it's not like it's going to change the outcome, is it?"
"Will you just spit it out," says Michael.
"Thirteen years ago, Fmax, that is Present Max, but Fmax back then, came to Liz and told her the world would come to an end if she didn't make Present Max fall out of love with her. ... You see, he told her you died (pointing to Isabel), then you died (Michael) ... and Liz couldn't live with that. So she helped Fmax get Tess and Max together, which, of course, she really didn't want to do ... except that Fmax made her do it in order to save the world. Which, of course, she did ... at least, so we thought."
"Are you saying that Liz broke up with Max to save us?" asks Isabel.
"Precisely," she says, "and she hasn't been the same since. By changing history, you see, she feels responsible, in part, for Alex's death; she never married Max, which she would have; and she thought that Tess had you killed. Can't except her to be happy about that, can you?"
Isabel and Michael exchange looks.
"So, basically, Liz destroyed any chance of real happiness she would have had ... for you," says Maria. "And you still screwed up."
"Does Max know any of this?" asks Isabel.
"Only the part where she really didn't sleep with Kyle."
Isabel straightens. That's why Max had been so anxious to get back all these years.
Deputy Kyle Valenti walks in the door and spots Maria, Isabel, and Michael in the booth.
"Don't tell me," he says to Maria, "I thought we were past the little green men stage."
"What," says Isabel, "No football?"
Kyle gives her a snide look.
"Blown knee. College. No little green men to fix it."
"Where's your dad?"
"What are you doing here?" asks Kyle.
What else?" says Maria. "Saving the world."
"Great," says Kyle.
Liz watches Max slip the ring on her finger. It's madness, she knows. In two days, the world ends and here they are, Max and Liz getting married. So why does she feel so happy?
"I now pronounce you man and wife. ... You may kiss the bride," says the minister.
Michael, Maria, Isabel and Kyle pile into the rented hearse. Kyle slips the driver an extra $100 to disappear for the day while Michael gets behind the wheel. Maria climbs in the passenger side while Isabel and Kyle get in back.
"So," says Kyle, "someone want to fill me in?"
Max opens the door to their hotel suite, then turns to Liz. He sweeps her off her feet and lifts her over the threshold. Inside, white roses decorates the interior. Max carries her into the bedroom, that too, filled with white roses. He lets her down and watches her amazement as she walks around the room, then back into the sitting area.
"It's beautiful," says Liz.
"I've been planning this for 13 years," says Max.
"You have?"
"Ever since Isabel and I left, I dreamed of this," says Max. "When we were imprisoned, the thought of you kept me alive."
"Max ..."
"You kept me alive."
Max switches on the stereo system. "I Shall Believe" comes on. He slips his arm around Liz's waist and they begin to dance as she and Fmax had danced that night on her rooftop patio. She kicks off her shoes. Time melts away and their shared burdens lift for this small slice of time. Max pulls Liz closer to him as they slow dance. They waltz back into the bedroom.
Liz wraps her arms around Max's neck. They kiss, sweetly, sampling, lips just touching, tingling at first. Max unzips the back of Liz's wedding gown, runs his hands down her shoulder blades, up to the nape of her neck, then down along the her spine. His hands burn against her warm soft skin. His tongue parts her lips in search of hers. They touch, swim and swirl in an eddy of passion. He takes his hands up to hers and guides them to her side, then runs his hands up the length of her arms until he feels the material of her dress loosely lying on her shoulders. He gently hooks his fingers around the ends of her dress and slowly slides it off her shoulders, down and off her arms and watches it drop from her body.
The feel of Max's suit against her skin intensifies Liz's desire. She pulls Max closer to her as his hands slip below the pantyline. She feels his need match hers and peels away his jacket, his tie, his shirt, his T-shirt. She buries her face in his neck as she tugs at his belt and unfastens his trousers. Max pulls off his shoes with his feet as Liz pushes his trousers and boxers down. He shakes them off.
Max gently spins Liz around and lowers her to the bed. He unhooks her nylon stockings and removes them slowly, then the garter belt. He runs his hand up her inner thigh, feels her warmth, the moistness of her panties. He slips them off and kisses her belly, her inner thighs. He feels her quivering expectations growing in concert with his aching member, unfolding like the rose, heady and sweet.
"I love you," he says in the heat of passion.
Liz smiles.
"I love you, too."
They join, for the first time as husband and wife, soulmates in time, forever locked.
At the Albuquerque airport, the foursome arrive. As instructed, Isabel changes the appearance of the four. They drive to the prearranged location Max had gotten from the airlines. An airline representative greets them.
"So sorry for your loss," he says.
Maria fakes grief.
"It was so unexpected," she says. "My sister and I weren't close, but when it comes and you know you'll never speak to her again, well, it's just tragic." She begins to cry.
Isabel turns away and rolls her eyes. Kyle tries to keep from laughing. Michael just shakes his head.
"Yeah, tragic," he says.
"This is my husband," says Maria, pointing to Michael, "and his sister and her husband. They came to help. Isn't that sweet?
"Very kind," says the official, thinking Oh God, I've got another one.
Maria continues to prattle as the coffin is unloaded from the cargo bay area. Michael opens the back of the hearse and with the help of Kyle and a couple of cargo handlers, they load the coffin in the hearse.
"Be careful, now," says Maria. "That's my only sister in there."
Isabel turns to the airline rep and says, "Thank you. You have to excuse my sister-in-law. She's always like that."
The rep nods.
Liz feeds Max a strawberry. She's supremely happy as is Max. Never had been this happy in a very long time. He pours Liz a glass of champagne and gives it to her, then one for himself.
"Are you sure you want to drink that?" asks Liz.
"One sip," he says.
"Remember the last one sip you took," warns Liz.
"I think I'm safe," says Max.
"Are you sure?" says Liz, teasingly.
"I'm with my wife, so what could possibly happen?"
Lonnie and Kivar arrive in Phoenix. It's past sundown. Nicholas meets them at the gate.
"Missing someone?" asks Nicholas.
"You mean the Rath of Bomb? Well, he met with an accident," says Lonnie.
"He was an accident."
"Touchy, aren't we?" says Kivar.
"He couldn't pass for a hockey puck," says Nicholas.
"Chill," says Lonnie. "The guy was rad, but then he's not your type."
"You have a report?" asks Kivar.
"The Musketeers picked up the package in Albuquerque."
"Excellent! And Miss Scientist?"
"No sign. No Sun King either."
"Even better."
"So all the king's men have no idea."
"That Humpty Dumpty can be put back together again."
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