Rating: Suitable for children

Pairing: Everyone/CC

Spoiler/Notes: Post-Graduation

MUSE #1- Something new. A character(s) must be doing something they have never done before. Simply a new experience.

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They slowly made it to the top of the embankment. Taking one careful, final step, Liz allowed her eyes to leave the treacherous terrain they were walking on and she looked at the sky.

"Wow..." she gasped, squeezing her husband's hand.

"I know," Max said, pulling her closer to him and putting his arms around her waist. He laid his chin on her shoulder. She leaned back into him, bringing her right arm above her head to entangle her fingers in the curls at the back of his neck. They gazed at the view in front of them, beholding its beauty.

It was very late afternoon. Dark clouds had covered the sky ever since they had left that morning but as they had made their way up to the lake, the sun had started to peek through the thick grey blanket.

A single ray shone down on the lake, illuminating a small portion of the water, turning it to gold. The contrast of the bright glow with the dusky sky and the dark, calm waters was breathtaking. Max hugged Liz closer still, taking it all in. This was what life should be about. Little pieces of happiness strung together. Tiny moments of pure joy spent with the ones you loved. It was as though the gods were smiling down on them. It was as though the heavens were seeping through the clouds, touching them and turning their embrace into a paradise. It was almost as if –

"The mother ship is coming down to take us home?" The unmistakable voice of Kyle Valenti came from behind them.

Max sighed and closed his eyes. Count on Valenti to ruin the mood.

Soon, the others caught up to them.

"Wow, the view is even more beautiful from up here," Maria said approvingly.

"What are we looking at?" Michael asked, clueless. His only answer came in the form of a slap on the arm from Maria and a glare from Isabel.

Max tightened his arms around Liz, resolute not to let their friends interfere with their little moment of bliss.

"Seriously, though, doesn't it look like the big invasion?" Kyle insisted. He was bored and no one was paying attention to him. He looked at his travelling companions. Evans and the missus were lost in each other as they seemed to be – oh I don't know – 24hours a day. He didn't expect the couple would humour him.

"You can almost see the little green men use that beam of light as a slide," he added, turning to the person closest to him.

Isabel was lost in her thoughts. She had what Kyle had dubbed "The Jesse Look" all over her face and he had learned to let her be when she got that way. He didn't want to find out first hand if the Ice Princess Glare was the worst thing Isabel could do to him.

"Or maybe it's some kind of reconnaissance probe, you know, to see if the fish are worth invading." Kyle finally turned to the last couple. Wasn't anyone going to pay him *any* attention? Sometimes, being the only single guy in their little group sucked. Big time.

Guerin seemed to have finally bought a clue and was whispering something to Maria. Kyle strained his ears to hear the conversation, and immediately regretted it. It was Almost-Max-and-Liz-Level mushiness about how the light from the sky didn't compare to the one in her own eyes.

"Argh, kill me now!" Kyle complained. Michael Guerin murmuring sweet nothings in his girlfriend's ear? He either had stepped into a parallel universe, or the Evanses' sappiness was contagious.

He looked at the ray of light still shining brightly on the lake. "Master Buddha," he started quietly, "I see your wisdom in this wondrous sight of nature. And while I am grateful for the natural beauty of this country we are now roaming, please tell my friends here to get a room!" he finished, emphasising the last three words, his loud voice echoing in the stillness of the early twilight.

"You know, for a Buddhist I don't feel a lot of serenity comingfrom you," Max commented wryly, finally lifting his head from its resting place on Liz's shoulder.

"You're right, Maxwell. I think that what our little friend Kyle needs is a girlfriend," Michael said. "At the very least, he could use a good kiss," he added.

"I think you're right," Max agreed. And before Kyle couldprotest, before he could argue that there was no one there who would want to kiss him, Max made his way to him and planted a loud smack on Kyle's cheek.

Everyone was silent for a moment. Then Liz burst out laughing and was soon joined by Maria and Isabel. Michael smirked but the look of absolute horror on Kyle's face pushed him over the edge, and helet out a loud, uncharacteristic guffaw. Even Max was chuckling.

Liz regained her seriousness only long enough to say, "Don't get too used to this Kyle, he's mine!" Her giggles intensified at the sudden widening of Kyle's eyes, as the thought that this could possibly happen again flashed through his brain. She was wiping tears from the corner of her eyes when she finally noticed how red Max was. His ears could have stopped traffic. Max was never this silly in public, but she loved that side of him. She stood on the tip of her toes and gently kissed her bashful husband. "All mine."

"Yeah..." Max mumbled, suddenly very self-conscious. He buried his face in Liz's hair. It was one thing to try and be more spontaneous, but maybe he shouldn't have started by kissing Kyle Valenti! He had a feeling Michael wasn't going to let him forget that anytime soon.

But for now, Michael had other priorities than making his best friend suffer. He put his arm around Maria's shoulder and said gruffly, "Maybe now we can enjoy the sunset in peace."

He needn't have bothered with that comment. Because for the very first time in his life, Kyle Valenti was speechless.

The end