Gabrielle is waiting in Max's apartment because Al called her and asked her to
meet him there.  She felt uncomfortable using the key Al gave her but she didn't want to wait out in the hall.  Unbeknownst to her, Al has been unavoidably
detained by the now crazed lunatic Jen Rappaport. Strangely enough, Jen still has not grown a brain. But I digress.  Gabrielle is getting anxious because she doesn't like being in Max's apartment.  He's been acting strangely around her lately.  One minute he's avoiding her and the next he seems to try to be around her wherever she is.  Bo doesn't like it, she knows that.  She looks at her watch.  9:30p.m.  Al is late. She decides to leave when Max walks in.

"What are you doing here?" she asks.  She thought he would be working.

"Well, I live here," he replies, taking off his coat. 

"What are you doing here?"

"Al asked me to meet him but I guess he isn't coming. Tell him I was here."  She breezes by him toward thedoor but Max grabs her arm.

"Wait," he says.  He sighs and then let's go of her arm. "Can't we talk a bit?"  Max has for sometime now been trying to find time alone with Gabrielle.  He's relieved that Al is late and hopes that maybe Gabrielle will forgive him for the way he abandoned her after they found Asa alive.  Gabrielle looks first at Max, then at the door, then back to Max.  He notes that she is reluctant to stay.

Max tries to convince her. "Listen, I do want to talk.  We can't keep avoiding each other."

Gabrielle quickly flashes back, "You're the one that's been avoiding me."

"I'm not avoiding you now.  Stay.  Have some coffee with me," he says as he moves to the kitchen.  She follows him.  He fills the coffee pot with water and
she again glances towards the door and then at her watch. 

"I shouldn't.  Bo's waiting for me."  And as she says this, Max slams the coffee mugs on the counter. Max sarcastically says, "Right and we can't keep Commissioner Buchanan waiting.  He's liable to put an APB out on you." 

She smiles, not quite sure how to react to this.  She can handle Max when he's yelling at her but now she's nervous.  Could it be that Max is jealous, she wonders.  She goes to sit on the couch and says lightly, "Bo's not my keeper.  I can stay for some coffee but I don't think we have anything to say that hasn't already been said." 

"I have lots to say..." but he can't think of anything.

"I'm waiting," Gabrielle says and when he still says nothing, she smiles and gets up.  "It's late, Max. 

Whatever it is we can talk about it another time."

She puts on her coat but Max walks over and stops her.  He gently removes her coat. 

"What are you doing?" she asks nervously. 

"I'm taking off your coat."  Max looks into her eyes. 

He wants her.  Despite everything, he realizes he can't let her go. 

Gabrielle knows this look well.  Anger quickly rushes to her face.  Why couldn't he have wanted her when she had nowhere to go?  He was horrible to her but now
that Max has suddenly changed his mind, he just expects her to reciprocate?  But she doesn't want to have this argument again.  She has to leave before something happens.

"No, I mean, what are you doing?  What is all this?" Gabrielle tries to keep the trembling from her voice. 

They're standing very close together.

"I just want you to stay for coffee," Max says innocently and smiles. 

"No you don't, you want me to..." and she stops.  She wants to look away but she can't.  Wordlessly, she shakes her head at his unspoken question and backs away.

"Why not?" Max asks. 

"You know why not!"

"I know it isn't Bo," he replies.  He steps forward and puts his hand on her cheek.

She brushes his hand away and says, "No!  You're unbelievable, you know that?  Months ago, I begged you to forgive me.  But you wouldn't.  And I came to
accept that.  And now that you want me, you just expect me to come running.  Well, not this time."

She grabs her coat and purse and rushes to the door but he grabs her and pulls her close to him. 

"No, Max," she says pleadingly.  But she doesn't struggle very hard.  All she has to do is look into his eyes and she knows the truth.  He smiles at her.

"You know this is how it's supposed to be," he says softly.  "Bo doesn't understand you the way I do.  He expects you to be something you're not.  I'm the one that makes you happy.  I was an idiot to let you go." 

He kisses her gently and she kisses back.  Tears come to her eyes. "But you did.  You did let go."  The memory of it hits them both.

"I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry," Max says.  They wrap their arms around each other and they lean in for a slow, deep kiss. 

She pulls back. "Max, I..." 

But he puts a finger to her lips. "Sshhh... tonight is ours, Gabrielle.  There are no
more lies and no more games.  I want you and not just tonight.  I want you with me tomorrow night," and he kisses her forehead, "the night after that," he kisses her neck, "and the night after that."  He then kisses her lips.

She closes her eyes, smiles, and coyly asks, "Only at night?"

"And days, too!" he exclaims.  They both laugh and kiss and keep kissing all the way to his bedroom.