Disclaimer: These characters belong to the folks at Regency, Fox etc… No infringement intended.
Summary: This takes place the day after The Balance – my solution to Max and Liz’s “step back”.
Category: Various couples.
Spoilers: Through The Balance.
Rating: PG

* * * * *

Isabel sat and watched Max across the kitchen table as they ate breakfast. Or, to be more accurate, as she ate breakfast. Max seemed more interested in pushing his scrambled eggs around his plate with his toast than in actually eating anything, though he was already on his third cup of coffee, something he rarely drank. Their parents had left a half-hour earlier to play tennis, so Isabel alone was witness to her brother’s brooding and she was starting to worry. They had arrived home late the night before after dropping off Alex, Liz, Maria, and Michael. The stress and fear caused by Michael’s illness and healing at the cave had left them all drained. But, despite the hour, Max had brought Isabel home and then taken off again alone. She hadn’t heard him come home, but this morning he had dark circles under his eyes and he had lapsed into a quiet she found unnerving.

“Max? What’s going on?”

Max glanced up at Isabel, but said nothing. Instead he reached for his coffee mug and drained the remaining contents, then rose and headed for the pot on the stove.

“You’re scaring me, Max. Please say something. You can tell me.”

“I know, Iz,” Max said quietly, his back still turned toward her. “But I just don’t think I can talk about it right now, okay?”

Isabel got up and went to stand next to Max. “Is it about Michael? I was scared too, Max. But it’s okay now. We’re all okay.”

Max shook his head. “No, it isn’t about Michael. Not really.” He turned and faced his sister, staring down at the mug cradled in his hands. “Don’t worry about it. Please. This is just about me right now.” He took a swallow of coffee, grimaced, and set the cup in the sink. “Look, I’ve got to get to work. I’ll see you later.” He started to leave, but Isabel caught his arm.

“Max, look at me,” Isabel demanded.

Max sighed and looked up.

“Oh God, Max,” Isabel said softly, reacting to the pain she saw in his eyes. “Where did you go last night? Did something happen with Liz?”

“Leave it alone, Isabel. Please.” Max gently pulled his arm away from his sister and turned and walked away.

* * * * *

The Crashdown was filled with the usual Sunday morning crowd and Liz wished desperately that she could make them all disappear. She tried to smile at the customers as she took orders for Martian muffins and Pluto pancakes, but she was so tired she could hardly keep her eyes open and her heart hurt so badly she could barely breathe. She was vaguely aware of the worried looks Maria was sending in her direction, but the café was too busy for them to have time to talk and Liz wasn’t sure what she would tell Maria even if the opportunity presented itself.

She had spent the entire night tossing and turning, analyzing every minute of her relationship with Max Evans, every word and gesture since the day he had saved her life, trying to find some way to convince him they were meant to be together. And she had cried. For what seemed like the entire night. She hadn’t known it was possible to cry that way, for so long. Just the thought of telling Maria what had happened, of having to repeat what Max had said to her, made her eyes fill with tears.

Liz slipped quickly into the break room at the back of the café and pulled a tissue from her apron pocket. Peering into the mirror, she carefully dabbed at her eyes, trying not to smudge the eyeliner she had used to try to cover signs of crying. “What’s the use,” she sighed, staring at the bags under her eyes. “I’m not fooling anyone.”

“No, you’re not,” agreed Maria from where she stood watching Liz.

Liz jumped and turned toward her friend. “God, Maria, you scared me.”

“And you’re scaring me. Liz, you look like death. What’s going on? First you act all weird at the cave last night and now you look like the world’s about to end. What happened?”

“I’m fine,” Liz insisted. “I just didn’t get enough sleep last night and I have this killer headache…”

“That’s a load of hooey. Oh, I’m sure you didn’t sleep and that your head hurts, but hon, you look ready to burst into tears if you breathe the wrong way. Now sit,” Maria ordered, pushing her friend toward the couch. “There’s only ten minutes left to the shift anyway. I can handle it. You stay here.” Maria gave Liz a hard shove, forcing her to sit, and glared at her. “I’ll be back.”

Liz watched Maria disappear through the swinging door into the café. It took her a minute to realize that there were tears streaming down her cheeks, but somehow she didn’t care. Now that she was sitting still, she felt cold all the way to her bones. Slowly she pulled her feet up under her and tugged a woven Mexican throw over her shoulders. She tugged the headpiece to her uniform out of her hair and tossed it aside, the antennas continuing to quiver for a minute as she watched. “Stupid thing,” she mumbled as her eyes drifted closed and she curled onto her side.

* * * * *

Isabel pulled her mother’s car into a space a half block from the Crashdown, then sat quietly for a moment, staring at the big flying saucer hanging above the entrance. Not for the first time, she wondered what her life would have been like if she had never come here, if she had just stayed on whatever planet it was she came from and lived the life she had been meant to live. Would things have been better? Or would life have been just as confusing, just as complicated, only in different ways? She climbed from the car with a sigh and headed toward the café, hoping that Liz would be there. If Max wasn’t going to tell Isabel what happened, maybe Liz would. Remembering the pain in her brother’s face, Isabel lengthened her stride and prayed that Liz was not responsible.

Peering through the window, Isabel saw the café was virtually empty, the breakfast rush apparently over. Although there was no sign of Liz, Isabel went inside and, just as the door closed behind her, caught site of Maria heading into the back room. Isabel hurried across the café and followed Maria through the swinging door, nearly crashing into her on the other side.

“Maria, have you…”

“Shhh,” Maria cut her off quickly, gesturing toward where Liz dozed on the sofa. “She didn’t get any sleep last night,” she whispered. Maria motioned for Isabel to follow her and started to tiptoe up the stairs to Liz’s apartment.

Isabel looked at Liz curled on the couch and briefly considered the possibility of waking her up to ask her about Max. But the site of her pale, tear-stained face changed her mind. It was pretty obvious that whatever had happened between Max and Liz was tearing them both apart. Frowning, Isabel turned and quietly followed Maria upstairs.

Maria closed the door behind them. “It’s okay. Her parents are gone until tonight. So, do you have any idea what the deal is? Liz has been in tears pretty much all morning.”

Isabel dropped onto the sofa and rested her face in her hands for a moment, then sat up and shook her head. “Max looks just as bad, but he wouldn’t tell me anything. All I know is he took off again after we got home last night and, as far as I could tell, was gone until morning. He obviously hasn’t slept and he…”

“Oh my God!” Maria broke in, her eyes wide. “You don’t suppose he came here and they…”

“No! Max wouldn’t… I mean…” Isabel stopped mid-sentence, her thoughts too confused for her to sort through while speaking. Then she took a deep breath. “I don’t think so,” she continued calmly. “I don’t think either of them would be so irresponsible. I mean, we have no idea what could happen if we… you know… with humans.”

Maria sat down next to Isabel, but continued to bite on her bottom lip. “Okay,” she said, not sounding completely convinced. “What else could have happened? I mean, Liz was really freaked out by Michael being sick, and I know she was worrying about Max, but they’re both fine, so what else could it be?”

“I don’t know. But we have to find out.” Isabel stood abruptly.

“What are you going to do?”

Isabel eyed Maria for a moment. “Remember when I visited you in your dreams that time? When you were thinking about going to Valenti?”

“Of course I remember. You terrified me,” Maria added.

“Well…”

“Is that what you’re going to do?” Maria jumped up and followed Isabel as she headed for the stairs. “You’re going to pry into Liz’s dreams to see what happened? Isn’t she upset enough as it is?”

“I’m not going to upset her. I’ll just observe. She’ll never even know I was there.” Isabel turned to Maria at the door. “Stay up here,” she whispered. “We can’t wake her up. I’ll be back.”

Maria’s eyes narrowed, but she stayed where she was as Isabel slipped through the door and started quietly down the steps to the café.

* * * * *

Alex wasn’t sure what to do with himself. His first instinct was to go find Isabel, but he wasn’t sure what kind of reception he could expect. She had seemed grateful the night before when he helped Michael during the healing at the cave, but he didn’t know if that meant she had forgiven him for his blurted comment at the UFO Center. He couldn’t blame her for being angry. He still couldn’t believe he had been so stupid.

By noon he still could not make up his mind, so he headed over to the Crashdown. If anyone could give him advice regarding Isabel, it would be Liz and Maria. He was disappointed to discover neither of them was working, but slid into a booth anyway, figuring he might as well eat. Maybe they would show up by the time he was done.

He was halfway through his Saturn rings when someone approached his table. “Mind if I sit with you?” Michael asked, sliding into the booth across from Alex.

“No, no, please do.” Alex paused. He hadn’t really spoken with Michael since learning he was an alien. Not that they had really talked much before either. “Uh… so… uh, how’re you doing today?”

“I’m fine.”

Alex studied Michael for a moment. “Yeah, you sure look a lot better.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “You don’t like the cobweb look?”

Alex laughed. “No, can’t say that one is going to catch on. Though I’m hardly a fashion trend setter, as DeLuca is constantly informing me.”

“You too, huh?” Michael scanned the café. “They’re not working today?”

“Liz and Maria? Doesn’t look like. But I figured I’d hang out anyway. Maybe they’ll show.” Alex pushed his plate toward Michael. “Wanna ring?”

Michael eyed the food. “Thanks. But I guess I might as well hang out and get my own.”

* * * * *

When Liz opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Isabel, perched on the steps watching her, a look of concern on her face. Liz sat up abruptly. “Isabel, hey.” She pushed back a strand of hair that had escaped her hair clip. “Uh… what are you doing here? Where’s Maria?”

Isabel stood and came over to sit next to Liz. “Maria’s upstairs. I just came by to talk to you.”

Liz rubbed her face, feeling blurry, trying to clear her mind of the last remnants of sleep. Then everything came flooding back, everything that had happened with Max, her restless, miserable night, everything. She looked at Isabel. “Uh, what did you want to talk to me about?”

Isabel just looked at her. “What do you think?”

“Oh,” Liz said, looking down. She traced the design of her apron with one trembling finger. “Max told you what happened.”

“Let’s just say I know. Look Liz, I don’t know if this helps, but Max is just as upset as you are. I can’t say I understand what there is between you two, but… well, I think Max is wrong.”

Liz looked up, started. “You do? I mean, I thought you and Michael wanted him to stay away from me?”

Isabel shrugged. “We were upset too, Liz.” She rose and started pacing back and forth. “You have to understand. The three of us, well, it’s just been the three of us for a long time. We made a set of rules to keep ourselves safe and we stuck to them. But if anyone broke them, it was just in little ways, like using our powers for silly things, safe things. And it was always me or Michael doing it. Never Max. Max was always so in control, so aware of what we needed to do to keep our secret.”

“And then he used his power to save me,” Liz said softly.

“Exactly. Not only did he use his powers, he did it in public, on a human. And not just any human, Liz. You. Little Miss Scientist, with your need to know everything and your relentless ambitions. If anyone was going to ask questions, it was going to be you.” Isabel sighed. “I’m not saying he should have let you die. That’s not what I mean. It’s just that, he didn’t stop to think, didn’t hesitate. He lost all control, broke the rules in a way none of us ever dreamed of doing, putting us all in danger. That isn’t Max, it’s not the way he works. And Liz, he just hasn’t been the same since.”

“I know. That’s what he said last night. That he’s lost sight of everything else.” Liz felt her eyes grow damp and took a deep breath.

Isabel sat down again. “Look, Liz. We made those rules a long time ago, when we were just kids. I’m not saying they’re bad rules, but I guess part of growing up is learning how to adjust to a situation. We couldn’t know then that there would be humans who might understand us. Might like us anyway. That we could trust. Max was so sure we could trust you and he was right.”

“But I told Maria and Alex after I promised I wouldn’t. How can you say that?”

“You had to tell Maria. She basically saw the whole thing. And you were right to trust Alex, too. I knew it at the hospital when he was willing to give us his blood for Max and not give us away, even though he was angry that you weren’t giving him an explanation. He’s loyal to you Liz. Like I’m loyal to Michael. It’s the same. I see that now.”

“Thank you, Isabel. Really.”

Isabel smiled. “It’ll work out, Liz. You and Max, I mean. I guess you were right, that night on the road, that I was a little afraid of you taking Max away from me. I could already see it happening. And I think we were all afraid, Max too, of what that would mean. We’ve all avoided relationships our entire lives. Even with our parents, Max and I haven’t been honest. We vowed never to get close to anyone, partly because we were afraid that would mean we would want to reveal too much, or else the other person would discover our secret and then what? We were scared, Liz. But, you guys, you already know about us.”

“I guess, maybe, that makes it even more scary, doesn’t it?” Liz asked, suddenly seeing a little more clearly. “You don’t have the excuse to hold you back anymore.”

“I guess so. We just each deal with it a little differently.”

“You think so, huh?” Liz asked, standing up. “Seems to me that what you all do is run away.”

“What was it Michael told us last night in the cave?” Isabel asked. “No more running.”

“Well, we’ll just have to see. I mean, it is understandable, I guess. After all, we humans run away too, sometimes.” She turned to Isabel and smiled. “Thanks. I mean it.”

“You’re welcome.” Isabel glanced at her watch. “I better get going.”

“I better go up and see what Maria’s doing. See ya later,” Liz added, and headed upstairs.

* * * * *

The minute Isabel walked through the swinging door into the café, she spotted Michael and Alex sitting together in the far booth. Michael, who was shaking Tabasco sauce into his soda, saw her and motioned for her to come over. Alex turned and caught her eye and offered a tentative smile. Isabel walked over and stood at the end of the table, taking in the two empty plates, splatters of ketchup on one and Tabasco on the other. “My, my. Isn’t this cozy,” she smiled. “You two having a good time?”

“Actually, we were,” Michael offered, causing Isabel’s eyebrows to raise a notch. “What are you doing coming in the back? You moonlighting as a waitress again?”

“No, I was talking to Liz,” she stated, sliding in next to Alex and stealing a sip of his soda, causing him to stare at her and Michael to frown. “You okay?” she asked Michael.

“Terrific. Even better if you would all stop asking me that.” He drained half of his glass. “Was Liz alone back there?”

Isabel sighed, knowing exactly what Michael was really asking. “They’re both upstairs in Liz’s apartment. But I don’t think this is a good time, Michael. Liz is not doing too well. Apparently, Romeo told fair Juliet they needed some time apart last night.”

“He what?”

“Excuse me,” Alex broke in. “I’m a little confused. Didn’t Max and Liz just hook up?”

Isabel shrugged. “Technically, yes.”

“He’s been mooning over her for years,” Michael added. “So, why break it off now? I thought this is what he wanted?”

“Liz was pretty freaked out by you getting sick. I guess it made her think, which made him think. I don’t know. Neither one of them is exactly volunteering information.”

Michael looked at Isabel. “Which means you…?”

“Yeah, well. Anyway, the point is, I talked to Liz and I think she’s a little better, but she’s upstairs with Maria right now, so I would just stay away. Okay, Michael?”

“Right.” Michael stood and fished some money out of his pocket. “Where’s Max today?”

“Working. Michael, don’t push him. I’ve never seen him like this.”

“I’m on top of it.” Michael dropped a five-dollar bill on the table and nodded toward Isabel and Alex. “See you guys later.”

* * * * *

Max had spent most of his morning at work shelving books on unexplained phenomena and sulking. He knew he was doing it, hated himself for doing it, but he just couldn’t seem to stop. His boss had eyed him when he had arrived and sent him to work in the back room without a word, which had been fine with Max. He didn’t feel particularly inclined to deal with the public’s endless questions about aliens today.

But now it was nearly two o’clock, and despite his mood, he was starting to get hungry. He just didn’t know what to do about it. Normally he would have gone around the corner to the Crashdown at least an hour ago for a burger and a glimpse of Liz, but after last night he didn’t think he could handle it. Just the sight of her would be enough to make him back down right now. He needed a little more time away from her, time to strengthen his resolve. Because he knew he was right. Being with Liz, well, it was just going to lead to pain for both of them. Not just at the end, but every step of the way.

“Evans? You taking lunch today?”

Max looked up and found Milton standing three feet away, watching him. He hadn’t even heard him approach. He was really losing it. “Uh, yeah, I guess I’ll go now, if that’s okay.”

“Something wrong, Evans? That friend of yours all right? The one with the migraine?”

“Oh, yeah, thanks. Michael’s fine now.”

“Good. You know, can’t be too careful about your health these days. Never know what might set you off. People have strange reactions to all sorts of things – foods, plants, even other people. Gotta take care of yourself.”

Max nodded. “Right. Thanks. Guess I’ll go grab lunch.” He turned and walked away, wondering what exactly his boss was talking about.

* * * * *

Maria was sitting on Liz’s bed staring into space when Liz walked into the room. “Hey,” Liz said softly.

Jumping slightly, Maria smiled at Liz. “You look a little better, now that you caught some sleep.” She shifted to one side, making a space for Liz to sit next to her on the bed. “How do you feel?”

Liz shrugged. “I don’t know. My brain is all fuzzy right now. Did Isabel tell you what happened?”

“Uh… not really. Just that Max was acting weird and so she had come to talk to you. What did happen, Liz? You guys seemed to really be, you know, moving things forward.”

“Yeah, we were,” Liz sighed. “It’s all my fault, Maria. I got so scared when I saw Michael so sick. All I could think was, What if this were Max? What would I do? How could I stand to see him that way and not know how to help him?”

“I know,” Maria said softly.

“Oh, Maria, I’m so sorry,” Liz said quickly, clutching her friend’s hand. “I know it was hard for you to see Michael that way.”

Maria shook her head. “It isn’t the same. Michael and me, well, it isn’t the same as you and Max. It never will be.”

Liz studied her friend’s face, seeing the slight shadows beneath her eyes. “Don’t say that. You never know what might happen. If these past months have taught me anything, it’s not to assume we know what is really going on out there, cuz the world is much stranger and more mysterious than I thought possible. I used to think that by learning everything I could about science and math, you know, things that are so grounded in reality, I’d be able to control my environment.” Liz laughed. “What a joke that turned out to be. All I’ve learned is how little I really know. How little anyone knows. So don’t give up on Michael, Maria. He’s more likely to surprise you than to do what you expect.” She sighed. “Kind of like Max.”

“Liz, what happened with Max? He wasn’t mad at you, was he?”

“No. He wasn’t mad. He was scared. He told me he’s just as scared as I am. And he said those fears we had, well, they just proved that we don’t belong together, because one day he will be the one in jeopardy and he can’t pretend that it’s any other way.” Liz wrapped her arms around herself as her eyes filled with tears. “I know part of him believes that we belong together. In his heart. But he just keeps letting his head get in the way. He can’t see past our differences.”

“Oh Liz,” Maria sighed. “Those differences, well, they are pretty major. He isn’t human.”

“I am well aware of that, Maria,” Liz said curtly, pulling herself together with a little shake. “I know everything he’s worried about. Valenti and the FBI. Putting me in danger. Putting Michael and Isabel in danger because of me. The chance that one day he might have the chance to leave and how would he make that choice if he had to take me into account. I’ve thought of it all.” Liz stood and paced the length of her bedroom. “But, Maria, what about right now? We’ve all been in danger from the moment Max dissolved that bullet and saved me. There’s no going back. How can staying apart make it less dangerous? And as for the rest, well, I don’t care. I’ll deal with it when and if I have to.”

“God, you’ve got it bad, girl,” Maria said softly, but she smiled at her friend. “And Max is in just as deep as you are. You can tell by the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is looking. He’s looked at you that way for a long time, Liz. It’ll work out.”

“That’s just what Isabel said. I hope you’re both right.”

“Just give him some time. He’ll come around.” Maria glanced at her watch. “Listen, are you going to be okay? I really need to get my mom’s car back to her, but I’ll come back if you want.”

Liz shook her head. “I’m okay. Thanks. You go on. My parents are going to be home in a few hours, and I have all this homework that I’ve pretty much been ignoring all weekend, so….”

Maria grinned. “Yeah, it was kind of an eventful couple of days. I’ve got some stuff to do too. But I could bring it over with me and…”

“No way, Maria. We never get any work done when we study together. I’ll be fine.” Liz gave her friend a quick hug. “Thanks. I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“’K. Later.” Maria hugged Liz back and left.

* * * * *

After Michael left, Isabel had moved to his side of the booth so that she faced Alex. She ordered fries and continued to take sips of Alex’s soda while she doused her fries with Tabasco and slowly ate them one by one. “So,” she said, smiling as she slid his glass back toward his side of the table, “what did you and Michael find to talk about? More quizzes on alien behavior?”

Alex blushed and looked down at the empty plate resting before him. “I’m really sorry about that, Isabel. I didn’t mean to give you the third degree the other night. It’s just that…”

“It’s okay, Alex. I understand. It’s natural for you to have questions. Liz and Maria do too. They just didn’t ask them all at once.” Isabel laughed. “Well, actually, I guess Liz did pretty much quiz Max the same way. He told me she cornered him with a list at one point. She actually wrote down everything she wanted to know.”

Alex grinned. “Sounds like Liz. She’s always been pretty methodical.”

“Makes us sound like a science project,” Isabel muttered.

“God, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” Alex sighed. “I don’t think of you that way, Isabel. Not like some strange, different… you know. It’s just, well, I guess I can’t help but be curious. But, um, about what I said yesterday. At the UFO Center.”

Isabel nodded. “I know. I’m sorry I got so upset. You just have to be more careful, Alex,” she said softly. “Our lives depend on it. There are people watching us. Looking for us. It’s dangerous.” She sighed. “It’s part of the reason Max didn’t want Liz to tell you. He didn’t want to put you in more danger.”

Alex looked grim. “He actually told me that one day. After the thing at the hospital. That he was trying to protect me. I thought he wanted to intimidate me into keeping quiet.”

Isabel laughed. “Max? Intimidate you? My brother? I’m sorry, you just don’t know how funny that sounds to me. Max would never hurt anyone. The only time I’ve seen him raise a hand to anyone, it was Kyle Valenti, and that was because he was trying to force Liz to leave with him. And it’s not like he hit him or anything. If anyone wanted to intimidate you, it would have been Michael.”

“Yeah, that I could see.”

“Don’t worry. It looked to me like you two have bonded.” Isabel wiped her hands on a paper napkin. “Listen, Alex, I need to get going. You need a ride home?”

Alex slid out of the booth. “Thanks, yeah. I’d like that. And Isabel?”

“What?”

“Thank you. For trusting me.”

“No, Alex,” Isabel said quietly. “Thank you.”

* * * * *

Michael was not thrilled at the prospect of running into Max’s boss, seeing how during their previous encounters Michael had broken into the UFO Center looking for information, and had collapsed on the floor in uncontrollable spasms. With a little luck, Michael could get in, find Max, and convince him to take a break or something so they could talk. The center seemed pretty busy, so there was a chance that he wouldn’t be noticed.

“Michael Guerin, isn’t it?”

Michael froze. He knew that voice. So much for luck. “Uh, yeah.” He turned to face Max’s employer. “Hey. How’s it going?”

“I hope you’re here to see Evans. Something definitely going on there. I’d say he could use a friend right now.” The man eyed Michael up and down. “He’s in the back on his lunch break. Never brought lunch back here before. Go talk to him.” He waved Michael toward to the back room, turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Michael stood for a moment, staring after the man. Then he shook his head went looking for Max. Opening the heavy door to the back room, he peered around the corner and saw him sitting on a bunch of crates, staring into the air. The majority of a sandwich sat on a box in front of him with an unopened can of soda and a bottle of Tabasco sauce. “Hey,” Michael said, letting the door close behind him.

Max looked up, clearly startled, then shook his head. “Hey, Michael. What are you doing here?”

“Your boss told me you were back here.” Michael pulled up a crate and sat. “That is one weird guy you work for, Maxwell.”

Max shrugged. “Yeah. I’ve noticed. But that doesn’t answer my question. Why are you here? Did Isabel put you up to this?”

“No. My own brilliant idea.”

Max smiled ruefully. “We all know how well those generally go over. How you feeling, by the way?”

Michael groaned. “Not you too. I’m fine. I thought we established that last night.”

“Right. Sorry.” Max picked up his sandwich, then put it back down. “You hungry?”

“I ate. Listen, Max, I know this is none of my business, but since that never stops you…”

“Great. Listen, Michael, I don’t know what Iz told you, but I really don’t feel like talking about this, so just say you tried and failed and leave it at that.”

“She told me she had never seen you like this. That you wouldn’t talk to her. So she talked to Liz.”

Max looked up. “What did Liz tell her?”

“Relax. I don’t get the impression she was much up to talking, what with the crying and the falling asleep in back of the café because she didn’t sleep last night. Not that that stopped Isabel.”

“Oh, hell.” Max sighed. “I should have known Isabel would take matters into her own hands. Look, I knew Liz was upset when I left last night, Michael. But it’s for the best. Eventually, she’ll see that and go back to her life before.”

“Right, Max. No biggie. Just pick up and move on. Believe that if you want.” Michael shook his head, clearly believing his friend had lost his mind, then stood and started looking around the cramped room, picking up various alien-themed items and turning them over before returning them to their shelves and boxes. “But what about you, Max?”

“I’ll be okay. I just need some time.”

“Max, you have been connected to that girl for a long time. Much longer that just since you healed her.”

Max reached out and took a rubber alien mask from Michael and tossed it into a box. “I know that Michael. You think this is easy for me? But it’s for the best. Isn’t that what you are always warning me about? Keeping our distance, so it’ll be easier to leave if we have to? Why are you suddenly on the other side?”

“Maybe I was wrong, Max. Maybe going it alone isn’t the only answer. Liz already knows the truth, and she doesn’t care. She isn’t running. What about you?”

“What do you mean, what about me?”

“Are you protecting her? Or are you just protecting yourself? Running away has never been your style, Maximillian.”

“You’re one to talk. What about Maria?”

Michael nodded. “You’re right. I have been running. But no more. I said it last night, and I meant it. It stands for you and Isabel, too. Running isn’t going to get us anywhere, whether we’re running toward something or away from it.” Michael ran his hands through his hair, causing it to spike even more wildly. “Sure, I want answers, Max. But last night I almost died. And I realized that I’ve been wasting a lot of time wondering about another life, instead of living this one. It’s just a matter of deciding which things are worth taking a risk. Think about it.”

Max didn’t say anything, just watched as Michael looked him pointedly in the eye, then turned and left him standing there alone.

* * * * *

Maria sat on her bed, books spread around her, and stared out the window where the night sky was filling with stars. She couldn’t imagine how it felt for Max and Isabel and Michael to stare up at that sky and not know where they came from, to not know which star was theirs. With a sigh, she made a pile of her books and dropped them onto the floor, then reached for the phone on her nightstand and automatically dialed Liz’s number.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it’s me,” Maria said. “How’s the studying going?”

“Uh, okay,” Liz replied.

“Right. I know what that means. Star gazing?”

Liz laughed. “Maybe a little.” She sighed. “I just can’t seem to concentrate. I got my geometry homework done, and part of the bio, but…”

“I know. You have both of those classes with Max, so you just couldn’t help but wonder if he’d done the assignments, and then you wanted to call him, but you couldn’t.”

“Maria!”

“Am I right?”

“Well, yeah, but…” Liz laughed again. “You know me so well. I’m fine, Maria. Really. But thanks for checking up on me.”

“No problem. Go on. Go sit on the roof and write it all down. Just take a box of tissues with you.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Right. ‘Night Maria.”

“’Night Lizzie.” Maria hung up the phone, then jumped when she saw a shadow fall across the window.

“Liz okay?” Michael asked as he climbed through the window.

“What? Oh, yeah. She’s, uh… doing better. What are you doing here?” Maria slid to the edge of her bed and stood up nervously.

“I wanted to talk to you.” Michael came across the room and stood in front of Maria. “But I heard you on the phone and so I waited ‘til you were done.”

“That’s a first,” Maria mumbled. “So, I guess Isabel told you what’s going on.”

“Yeah. So, Liz is better?”

Maria shrugged, then sat on the end of the bed. “She’s still pretty upset, but she isn’t hysterical or anything. I think she’ll sleep tonight, at least.” She looked up at Michael. “You can sit down, you know. I mean, if you want.”

Michael sat down on the bed next to her and looked down at his hands. “Listen, I wanted to thank you. For yesterday.”

Maria looked embarrassed. “Well, you know, I couldn’t just stand there and…”

“Let me die?” Michael looked up. “Yes, you could have. Or rather, I would have understood if you had.”

Maria’s eyes grew wide. “You really think I could have done that? Just done nothing while you slipped away in front of me? Is that what you think I’m like?”

“No. I mean, I guess I hadn’t really given it much thought before now. But after what I did, what I said to you… well, I wouldn’t have blamed you if you hadn’t wanted to help me.”

Maria’s eyes filled with tears. “There is nothing that you have said or done, nothing you could say or do, that would make me want you dead. Not ever.” She turned away, brushing at the tears that fell on her cheeks.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted to thank you. And also to tell you I’m sorry for that night at the old soap factory. I wasn’t fair to you that night.” Michael put his hand on Maria’s shoulder, felt her tremble, and pulled back. “Look, I’ll go.”

Maria spun back toward Michael. “Wait.” She brushed the last of her tears away. “I’m okay. Really. Don’t go.”

Michael sat back down slowly. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m sure,” Maria nodded. “What did you want to say?”

Michael looked at Maria for a moment, at her big green eyes, her damp eye lashes, her pouty lips. “What I said that night, about being alone. Well, that’s only partly true.” He stood and walked to the window and stared out into the night. “I’ve always been alone. No family. Max and Isabel were the closest I had, but they have each other and their parents. They want to know where we all come from, but they’re basically happy here. So, in a way, I’m still separate from them. But in a way, I also made a choice to stay alone, to not let anyone get close. I always told myself that it was my way of making it easy to leave when the time came. No attachments, you know?” He turned to look at Maria and was amazed at the sad expression on her face as she watched him.

“Go on,” she nodded.

“Right. Well, I guess part of me has always been afraid. Afraid that I don’t fit in here. That I couldn’t even if I tried. That there isn’t anyone here who would want to be close to me.” He looked down, avoiding Maria’s steady gaze. “It was just easier to hold myself back. Safer.”

“Reject the world before it rejects you,” Maria said softly.

“Something like that.” Michael took a deep breath and came back to sit next to Maria. “But you, well, you seem to have this ability… to understand me. No one has ever done that before, you know? Just listened to what I said and understood it. No judgements. No worrying if I’m going to go do something stupid. But I didn’t know how to deal with that. I was…feeling things I had never felt before, things I’d never expected to feel. I was starting to lose control. It just seemed better to push you away. Safer.”

“What exactly were you afraid of? I guess by now you know I won’t tell anyone about you.”

“It had nothing to do with that. Nothing to do with putting us in danger, or you in danger. I’m not sure I can even really put it into words. You know that day when we were on the road and I was trying to get a vision from Atherton’s key? You made me try again. You believed I could do it. I felt it. No one has ever done that for me before. Not even Max or Isabel. Just believed in me.”

Maria reached across and gently took Michael’s hand and gave it little squeeze. “Why were you so sure you couldn’t do it that day?”

Michael shrugged. “You saw what happened when I tried to fix your car. That’s how it generally works for me. When I most want my powers to work, they backfire.”

Maria smiled. “Maybe you’re just trying too hard. Sometimes things are easier if you just let them happen.”

Michael looked at their intertwined hands, then into Maria’s eyes. “Maybe. I guess what I’m saying is that this, whatever we have, is more to me than just the eraser room. More than making out after hours at the Crashdown. And it scares me because I don’t know how to do this. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“And you don’t want to get hurt,” she said softly, finishing the thought. “I know, Michael. But that’s always a possibility, isn’t it? For everyone, not just you, Spaceboy.” She smiled. “I wish I could tell you everything will be okay, but I can’t do that. Only you can decide if it’s a risk you’re willing to take.”

Michael slowly leaned forward until their lips met, kissing her softly, but with more emotion than he had allowed himself ever before. When he pulled back, he saw Maria was smiling, her eyes bright with tears. “I guess I’ll chance it if you will.” He leaned forward again and, before their lips met again, whispered softly, “Besides, this is still the only way I’ve found to shut you up.” Then he kissed her laughing mouth and hugged her close as she embraced him in return.

* * * * *

Isabel had been trying to study when Max got home from work. She heard him go into his room, come back out and head down the hall toward her room, then hesitate outside her door. “Come on in, Max,” she said, knowing he would hear her despite her soft tone.

He came in quietly, then shut the door behind him. “Hey.” He came across the room and sat on the corner of the bed. “I’m sorry about this morning.”

“Me too. I didn’t mean to push.”

Max smiled. “Yes. You did. But thanks anyway. Thanks for caring enough to push, and to go see Liz and to talk to Michael and whatever else it is you did.”

“I’m sorry about that, too. About going into Liz’s dream. It was wrong of me to pry, but I was worried about you.”

“Yeah. It was wrong, Iz. You don’t have the right to investigate my private life. It just isn’t… well, don’t do it again. Okay? I understand why you felt you needed to do it, but please. No more.”

Isabel nodded. “I promise. But Max, don’t leave me in the dark like that again. I know you’re entitled to a private life, but so much has been happening lately. You try so hard to protect us, and you keep these secrets from us, and you just can’t do that. We’re in this together.”

“Deal. I won’t hold back the important stuff and you’ll trust that what I hold back is private.”

“So. You okay?’

“I’m… let’s say I’m in transition. Michael gave me a lot to think about.”

“Our Michael? You’re kidding, right?”

Max laughed. “No. I’m serious. Something happened to him last night. Other than the obvious,” he added. “I think we can expect some changes in Michael.” He stood up and put his hand on his sister’s shoulder. “I’ve got some stuff to do. Thanks.”

“Hey. You’re my brother.”

“I don’t just mean for caring about me. I mean for going to see Liz. I know you did more than just pump her for information.”

Isabel squirmed in her seat. “Yeah, well. She was in worse shape than you. I figured I should cut her a break.”

Max looked uncomfortable. “How bad was she?”

“Come on, Max. You don’t want to hear this.” Isabel avoided her brother’s steady gaze. “She was upset. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Okay.” Max started out of the room, then stopped with his hand on the door. “You know, last night, telling her I thought we should take a step back, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

“I know.”

“I made her cry. I never wanted to hurt her, and I made her cry.”

“Max,” Isabel said, crossing the room and taking his arm. “Don’t beat yourself up for doing what you felt you had to at the time. Liz understands all of your reasons. She just doesn’t agree with them.”

“And you? Do you agree with them?”

“I can’t tell you what to do, Max.”

Max sighed. “I guess that means you don’t.”

“Max, I…”

“No, it’s okay. Look, I’ve got some things to sort out. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night.” Isabel stood in the doorway and watched her brother turn the corner toward his room. Then she went back into her room and closed the door. It took all of her will power to keep from cracking open her window so she could hear if Max slipped out again tonight.

* * * * *

Liz had waited until she was sure her parents were asleep before slipping out onto the roof with her journal. Fortunately, they had been too exhausted from their camping trip to stay up late, or even to notice how quiet and pale she was. Now, wrapped in a blanket, Liz sat curled up on her old lawn chair and wrote beneath the stars. She felt calmer than she had earlier in the day. Both Isabel and Maria had helped her put things into perspective, and although she still felt as if a part of her had been wrenched away, she knew that she couldn’t allow herself to simply fall apart. Max was just as entitled to his feelings and fears as she was, and if she truly cared for him, she would have to respect that while letting him know she was there for him. She needed to believe that, eventually, he would find his way back to her.

“Hey.”

At the sound of Max’s voice, Liz looked up with a start. He was sitting on the top of the ladder, quietly watching her. “Hey,” she said softly.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Uh, you didn’t. I mean, not really. I guess I’ve been a little out of it today. It hasn’t been too hard to creep up on me.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

Liz watched Max for a moment in silence, as neither moved to close the gap between them. “Are you just going to stay over there?” she finally asked.

“Oh,” he said, looking down as if he’d forgotten where he was. Swinging his legs over the wall, he walked over and sat at the foot of Liz’s chair, careful not to touch her. “Guess not,” he told her with a half smile.

“We have to be quiet. My parents are asleep,” Liz said.

“Right. I guess it is kind of late.”

“It’s okay,” Liz told him, when he looked like he was getting ready to stand up and go. “We just have to keep it low. They won’t hear us.”

“Okay. Uh, Liz…”

“It’s okay, Max. I’m okay.”

“It isn’t okay. I thought I knew what I wanted to say to you, but now I can’t remember a single thing.” He ran one hand through his hair, frowning in frustration.

“Would it help if I told you that I think I understand a little better why you felt we needed to take a step back for a while?” Liz set her journal aside and untangled herself from her blanket so she could slide up and sit next to Max. “Max, I know that all of this has been a really big change for you, too. So much has happened in just a few months.” She reached out and took his hand, the gesture more comforting than romantic. “You put all of this pressure on yourself to keep Isabel and Michael safe, and now Maria, Alex, and me. For the first time you’re trusting your secret to outsiders. Then there’s the Sheriff and Miss Topolsky and God knows who else. And finally discovering things about who you are.” Liz squeezed his hand gently. “That’s a lot to take in, Max.”

Max looked at their joined hands for a moment and nodded. “You’re right. It is a lot. All of it. But Liz, it isn’t just happening to me. I think part of what I’m scared of is how much I’ve drawn you into my life in just a short time. And I worry that if we get closer, I’m just going keep pulling you in until I won’t be able to let you go.”

“You think that if, one day, you have the chance to leave here, to go home, you won’t be able to take it.”

Max allowed himself to look into her eyes. “Yes. Liz, today was the hardest day I’ve spent since that day I healed you at the café. I spent that day wondering what you might say, what you would think of me if I told you the truth. And today, not seeing you, making conscious choices to avoid seeing you…”

“Hurt,” she finished quietly, her eyes filling with tears. “Max, I know someday you might need to leave. But that may be a long time from now. It may never even happen. Isn’t it worth the risk in the meantime?”

He closed his eyes for a moment to shut out the site of her beautiful brown eyes, so filled with pain and love. “Liz, it isn’t just someday. I have to be able to focus on all of these other things that are happening. We’re all in danger.”

“We’re in danger anyway, Max. Whether or not you and I are together, we are all in danger. And we’ve all accepted that, except for you.”

Max stood abruptly and paced across the roof. “Because of me,” he said in a loud whisper. “You’re all in danger because of what I did.”

“If you hadn’t done what you did, Max, I wouldn’t be here,” Liz reminded him.

“I know that,” he said, coming back and crouching in front of her. “I would do the same exact thing tomorrow. But that is what makes it my responsibility to keep a clear head and to protect all of you.” He raised one hand to her cheek and wiped away a tear that had escaped and fallen on her cheek. “Liz, I want to be with you. I do. But I’m afraid to let myself get too wrapped up in you.”

“Oh, Max,” she sighed softly, taking his hand and drawing it away from her face. “You’re just afraid to lose control. But that’s what love is. A loss of control. Except it isn’t that you’re losing it. You’re just giving a part of it away. The six of us, together, that’s what will keep us safe, Max. Not you standing guard over us alone.”

“If anything happened to you, to any of you…”

“It won’t. And even if it does, Max, it won’t be your fault.”

Max reached out and pulled Liz into his arms, holding her close. Her arms wrapped tightly around him, her fingers slipping up into his hair as she returned his embrace. “Liz…” He pulled back and looked into her eyes. Then he traced one finger gently over her lips, feeling her smile and kiss the tip of his finger. He stared at her for a long moment, as if struggling to make a final decision then leaned forward and kissed her softly.

“Oh, Max,” she breathed, then deepened the kiss slowly. She could feel waves of emotion pouring from Max to herself and back again; love, fear, relief, desire. Suddenly he stood, scooping her off the chair so he could sit back down with her cradled on his lap, never breaking the kiss for a moment. Liz cuddled closer to Max, her arms enveloping him, and allowed herself to simply enjoy the sensation of kissing the man she loved under the twinkling night sky. Time enough to worry about the rest of it when the sun came up.

***

END

Disclaimer: Don’t own the characters or the concepts; just borrowing them! And the song belongs to Madonna.
Category: Michael and Maria
Summary: What would have happened if Michael showed up to hear Maria sing? A tag to Blind Date.
Spoilers: No.
Rating: PG

* * * * *

Michael slips through a side door and into the dark club. He is sure that he has missed it; Alex told Isabel that his band was opening for some mystery group, so surely by now their fifteen minutes of fame have come and gone. The idea of Alex having a band is, in itself, so utterly bizarre that Michael cannot seem to picture it. That, he tells himself, is the only reason he has made the effort to show up at all, late as it is. There is little enough humor in his life without missing the opportunity to see that geek Whitman suffer a little harmless public humiliation. The fact that Maria is supposed to sing, well… that has nothing to do with his decision.

Right, Michael tells himself as he makes his way through the hot press of bodies, humans lined up sardine-like, filling every inch of space. Deny, deny, he thinks. A way of life. A chance to laugh at Alex is such an acceptable motivation when compared to wanting to watch Maria without her knowing that he’s there. Only to himself can he admit – barely – that that is his real purpose. He needs to see Maria, especially after tonight’s failure. He needs desperately to look at her, drink her in, her face, her hair, her smile. He wants so badly to remember that, at least for a little while, there was someone there for him. Someone who did not shy away, who let him hold her, who helped him forget. What he really wants is to go to her and take her in his arms and feel hers close around him. But he cannot let himself get that close, cannot let her see how weak he is. He has to stay away from her, or that blasted stone wall will crumble and he hasn’t a clue how he will put it back together if it does.

A band is playing at the far end of the room. Michael cannot see them, but he can hear them easily over the murmured conversations that surround him, can hear someone singing, feels the steady drum beat reverberating beneath the soles of his shoes as he pushes through the crowd. It’s a love song. Some happy, sappy eighties tune that ought to make his skin crawl, yet instead seems to be lightening his mood. He wonders idly who the group is, and whether Maria has stayed to hear them play. It seems like the kind of music she would like.

Suddenly the crowd opens up and Michael finds himself standing near the back of the club. He breathes deeply, relieved to have escaped the claustrophobic crush behind him. He leans against the wall and looks toward the stage. And then he sees her.

She stands beneath the hot lights, her smooth blond hair shining halo-like, a microphone clutched between her hands, her mellow voice filling the room. She is playing to the crowd, smiling, walking up and down on impossibly high heels, her flared thrift-store slacks swinging as she struts. Her hips dance back and forth to the beat and she crinkles up her nose, teasing the audience. Her voice soars and people start to applaud.

Michael cannot believe it. He has heard her hum while she cleans up the Crashdown, and she sang to the radio for a while when they drove to Marathon, before he had yelled at her to shut up for two minutes together and they had ended up fighting some more. Then the car had died and everything had spun out of control and there had been no more singing. But nothing he has heard has prepared him for the reality of her voice tonight. It is melodic, sweet, powerful even while belting out bubble gum pop. It floats across the club and seeps into his heart and squeezes. Michael can actually feel the notes sinking through his skin, through the layers of muscle and tissue, and becoming part of him. He is thankful for the support of the wall at his back. His eyes are glued to the stage.

* * * * *

Maria senses Michael the moment he walks into the room, though she cannot see him. The nervousness in her stomach that disappeared somewhere in the middle of her first number has suddenly returned, though it is not nearly as pronounced. She smiles and concentrates on her song, stringing words and notes together. She moves her hips to the music. She looks down and winks at a cute guy standing near the stage. And if her heart is beating a little faster, she tells herself it must just be the adrenaline pumping through her system.

And cows fly, she thinks as she bops across the stage. First Max, now Michael. Are these Czechoslovakians bound and determined to humiliate us whenever possible? she wonders, fully anticipating some sort of scene to serve as encore to Max’s kiss-and-run. Even now, she imagines Lizzie home in tears, and feels her own anger rising. Damn them for thinking they can play games with us this way! Her eyes dart briefly to Alex, his hands moving with practiced ease over his bass, lovingly drawing music from the strings. His eyes are on the audience, and Maria knows he is watching for Isabel. Isabel Evans, who in all likelihood never even intended to show up.

Standing center stage, Maria sings the last few notes of her song, her emotions pouring out of her body, feeling as if she is giving off electric sparks in an effort to bank her fury. She is surprised at the sudden burst of clapping from the audience, and grins, an idea forming swiftly as she bows briefly and holds her hands out to indicate the band behind her. With a quick wink to the crowd that results in a roar and a series of whistles, she heads over to Alex and whispers quickly to him. He merely raises his eyebrows, but nods and huddles with the rest of the band.

Maria returns the microphone to its stand and tucks her hair behind her ears in a slightly nervous gesture. She licks her lips and smiles, then nods once to Alex. The band starts to play, the music quiet and low – a ballad. People start coupling up, bodies moving closer, hips swaying to the gentle beat. Someone yells, “All right!” and is quickly shushed. Maria stands motionless at the mike, head down, eyes focused on the floor. Then she looks up and stares across the room. The moment her gaze meets Michael’s, she realizes she knew he would be standing there. But there is no time to be surprised, no time to back down. She starts to sing.

Swaying on as the music starts

Strangers making the most of the dark

Two by two their bodies become one.

I see you through the smokey air

Can’t you feel the weight of my stare?

You’re so close but still a world away

What I’m dying to say is that

I’m crazy for you

Touch me once and you’ll know it’s true

I never wanted anyone like this

It’s all brand new

You feel it in my kiss

I’m crazy for you.

* * * * *

Michael feels a jolt when Maria looks at him. How did she know he was there? How did she know he had come? Her eyes seem to hypnotize him. It feels as if she is singing right to him, only to him. Slowly her words begin to penetrate his fuzzy brain and then he knows. She is. And he knows she has gotten to him, even from across the room.

His first reaction is to run, despite his vow. He wants to run out the door and down the street and out of Roswell. He wants to run until his lungs stop working and his legs refuse to move and he collapses in the road. But he cannot. He can’t seem to move, let alone to run. Instead he stands perfectly still, watching Maria watching him. He sees nothing else. He’s unaware of people giving him curious looks, wanting to see who caught the singer’s eye. All he sees is Maria, all he hears is Maria. And what he feels – well – there’s this sensation in his chest, in his heart, that could only be compared to the result of one precariously perched stone sliding off a wall. It leaves just a small chink to slip through, but it’s a start.

***

END

Disclaimer: Don’t own the characters or the concepts; just borrowing them!
Category: Michael and Maria
Summary: Post-episodic piece to follow ID and Michael’s emancipation. Spoilers: Shows aired through “Independence Day”
Rating: PG
Feedback: Love it!

* * * * *

They stormed his new apartment like a hurricane. First came Max, Isabel, and their parents, toting cleaning supplies and boxes filled with old dishes, pots and pans, and a new microwave oven that Mrs. Evans insisted he would find invaluable, despite the fact that he could operate the standard gas variety. Once the tiny kitchen cupboards were stocked and the entire place smelled of lemon carpet cleaner, Mr. Evans shook his hand and Mrs. Evans kissed him on the cheek, and the two of them took off, leaving Max and Isabel to grin at the look of surprise on Michael’s face.

“What was that?” he asked, sinking onto the battered couch and shaking his head with wonder.

Isabel laughed. “That was my mother on a mission,” she said, sitting down next to him.

A knock on the door caused Michael to jump and look nervous. “They’re not back already? There’s nothing left to clean.”

“I’ll get it,” Max told him, looking amused. He crossed the small room and opened the front door. “Hey,” he said, then turned to Michael. “You’ve got more visitors,” he told him. “But they don’t appear to be armed or dangerous,” he added, stepping back to reveal Liz, who had a bakery box in her arms, and Alex.

Liz stepped into the room, looking around. “Wow, Michael. This is pretty nice.”

“Yeah,” Alex agreed, following her inside.

Michael shrugged, watching them file into the apartment. “It’s okay. Beats the previous accommodations. So, uh… how you guys doing?”

Liz smiled. “Maria’s working, Michael.”

He looked flustered. “Did I say anything about Maria? I just asked how you guys were.”

Max and Liz traded looks and Alex just smiled at Isabel.

“What?” Michael asked, his tone exasperated. “Fine. Whatever.”

Liz laughed and handed Michael the box she was carrying. “Here you go. A little housewarming present. I thought maybe you’d like this.”

Michael looked surprised. “What is it?”

“Why don’t you look inside and find out, idiot,” Isabel muttered.

He lifted the lid and peered into the box, then looked up with a smirk. “Cake?”

“Yeah,” Liz grinned. “I heard you kind of liked the chocolate cake at the Crashdown, so I brought you one.”

Michael looked embarrassed, remembering the night he, Isabel and Maria had been waiting at the café while Max and Liz went to see River Dog. He had polished off the better part of a chocolate cake just like this one and never paid for it. “Maria told you, huh?”

Everyone started to laugh. “Don’t worry about it, Michael,” Liz told him.

Michael took the cake over to the kitchen and sat the box on the counter. “So… anyone want some?”

“Here,” Alex said, following him over and handing him a plain brown paper bag. “You may need this, too.”

Michael pulled out an industrial size bottle of Tabasco sauce. He grinned at Alex. “You know, you’re starting to grow on me, Whitman. Thanks.”

“No problem,” Alex replied. “And no cake for me. We actually have to get going. I’m due home and Liz has to work. We just wanted to come say congrats on the new digs.”

“Yeah, Michael,” Liz said with a soft smile. “Congratulations. On everything.”

He nodded, then looked down, uncomfortable being the focus of everyone’s attention. “Thank you. Really.”

“So,” Max said, seeing how awkward his friend felt, “You guys are taking off, huh? We should probably go too, right Iz?”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “We both need to get some stuff done. But we’re still meeting for dinner at the Crashdown, right Michael?”

“Right. Sure. I’ll see you guys there later.” There was a flurry of activity as Isabel hugged Michael and Max patted him on the shoulder and then everyone gathered their things and left. Michael inhaled deeply, appreciating the clean scent of the apartment and the sudden quiet. He sat back on the sofa and looked around, hardly believing that he was on his own. No more Hank. No fake parent pushing him around and throwing drunken insults his way. He was master of his destiny. Now he was free to come and go and search for clues to his past, without answering to anyone. It hardly seemed possible.

He stood and walked into the tiny galley kitchen. The cake box was still sitting on the counter, so he opened the refrigerator to put it away and was surprised to discover exactly how much Mrs. Evans had already stored there. A quick survey revealed the cupboards were also fairly well stocked. He felt an unfamiliar pang, akin to guilt. The Evanses had done so much for him the past few days, had been so kind, despite the way he had acted toward them. He owed them his freedom. Michael didn’t like feeling in debt to anyone.

The idea sparked another thought. Max and Isabel’s parents were definitely not the only adults who had helped him recently. Michael groaned inwardly, thinking of the look on Amy DeLuca’s face when she had caught him in bed with Maria, recalling with perfect clarity the sensation of her swatting him with her newspaper and screaming at him to get out. And yet, she had still come down to the Sheriff’s office and gotten him out of jail. He had no idea what Maria had said to her, how she had convinced her. All he knew for sure was, one minute he was cooling his heels in a cell, the next he was standing in Valenti’s office with the two DeLuca women. He hadn’t bothered to stick around to see what happened next. Instead, coward that he was, he had found Max and Isabel waiting for him outside and the three of them had taken off. “Still running,” he muttered to himself. With a groan that was audible this time, Michael got up and shrugged into his jacket. He was beginning to realize there was more to being an adult than just living on your own.

* * * * *

Michael stood outside the small shop and stared up at the neon green sign hanging above the door: ROSWELL RUMORS. He had never been inside of Amy DeLuca’s store – had never had a reason to go in. Now here he was, ten minutes before closing time, peering through the glass front door. The store was dimly lit, but he could see Maria’s mother behind the back counter, helping a last minute customer. Other than that, the place appeared deserted.

After a brief hesitation, Michael pushed the door open. An electronic chime rang out the first few notes of the theme to “Close Encounters,” causing him to pause in the doorway. Mrs. DeLuca glanced in his direction, but she went right back to helping her customer, so he continued the rest of the way into the store, closing the door gently behind him. He started walking around, careful not to bump into any of the overflowing shelves and display cases that were crammed into the small room. Roswell Rumors had an eclectic array of primarily alien-themed merchandise. There were t-shirts and key chains, pens and stickers, pillows and posters. Michael paused, recognizing a blow-up alien doll similar to the one that had been in the back of Maria’s car the day he had “borrowed” it to go to Marathon. Staring at the inflatable figure, he recalled how annoyed he had been when he had climbed into the back seat and discovered exactly what was in the big cardboard box. For some reason, it just made him smile today. He could picture Maria in the front seat of the car, hands waving, scolding him: “Don’t touch that, it’s sensitive!”

Michael continued wandering around quietly, poking through the displays as he waited for the customer, who seemed in no hurry to leave, to realize that it was six o’clock. He saw that the few items that didn’t deal directly with the crash seemed to fall into a general hippie category. There were tie-dyed clothes, flowing Indian-print skirts and scarves, a selection of crystals and Tarot cards, plus assorted jewelry, candles, round tinted sunglasses, and a bizarre range of books that covered topics from astrology to aromatherapy to star-gazing.

In one corner of the store he discovered an endless variety of the oils and extracts that Maria always seemed to have on hand in tiny glass bottles. Curiously drawn to them, he found himself sorting through the testers, cautiously sniffing the various scents. When he opened a small bottle labeled “Tea Rose”, Michael felt a sudden rush, as if Maria had just entered the room. The light fragrance was so definitely Maria – sweet and flowery and gentle, with just a hint of underlying strength and a touch of spice. It went straight to his head and made him just a tiny bit dizzy, the way she did. He found himself so absorbed in the sensation that he failed to hear the door chime, or the snap of the front door closing.

“That’s Maria’s favorite,” Amy said, when she drew near and saw Michael clutching the bottle, a distracted expression on his face.

He looked up with a jolt, nearly spilling the perfume. A faint blush tinged his cheeks, though he would not have thanked anyone for telling him so. “I, uh… thought it seemed familiar,” he said awkwardly, carefully replacing the stopper and placing the bottle on its shelf.

Amy DeLuca merely nodded. She reached out and straightened some alien dolls on the adjacent display, then began to work her way around the room, methodically tidying the merchandise. It was clear she was preparing to go home for the evening. When she reached the counter, she opened a drawer below the register and pulled out a large night-deposit bag, then looked up at Michael expectantly. He still stood across the room, silently watching her. Amy sighed softly. “Michael, why are you here? Did you want to talk about something? Because I have to count out the drawer and I can’t count and talk at the same time,” she informed him.

“Yeah,” Michael said. “Of course.” He started slowly across the room, as if trying to buy some time. “I just wanted to, uh, thank you,’ he said quietly, his gaze turned downward. “For the other day. Talking to the Sheriff.” When she didn’t say anything, he looked up. It was impossible for him to read the blank expression on her face, but deciding she couldn’t possible remain that placid if she was really angry, he continued.

“I also wanted to tell you that I’m sorry about the other night. Or rather, morning.” His eyes dropped again and he started pacing back and forth in front of the counter. “I know Maria must have told you… uh… that nothing happened,” he said quickly, “but I wanted to tell you I was wrong. To come over, I mean. I shouldn’t have put her in that position. It won’t happen again.”

Amy DeLuca sighed, loudly this time. Maria had been stubbornly close-mouthed regarding Michael’s situation, but between the rumors flying around town and what she had learned from Jim Valenti, Amy had a pretty good idea what Michael had been running from when he had sought shelter in her daughter’s bedroom. Her heart ached for him. She couldn’t imagine what it did to a child, growing up in a home where there was no love, no warmth, no safety. And as angry as she had been with Michael that morning, seeing him curled up in Maria’s bed, she just couldn’t bring herself to be harsh with him now that she knew the particulars.

He had looked up at her when she sighed and she could see his eyes. Big brown eyes filled with hurt. Oh, it wasn’t on the surface, but she could still see it, buried deep down beneath the armor, beneath that defensive, rebellious posture. Maria had him pegged – he was one of those guys, those tough guys who never admit to having feelings, to needing you. This was what drew her daughter, part of what she saw in him, and it made Amy want to sigh again. DeLuca women never seemed to take the easy path. So be it, she thought.

“All I did was tell the Sheriff the truth,” she said finally. “He wanted to know where you were that night, so I told him.” Amy paused, thinking Michael might interrupt, but he remained silent, his expression guarded. “I do appreciate, however, your own reluctance to tell him where you had been.” Another pause. Still, he said nothing. “Now, as for finding you in Maria’s bed. You’re right. It won’t happen again,” she said sternly. “It’s all well and good for me to believe that all you did was sleep, and for some unknown reason I do believe that, but that was this time, Michael. I was sixteen too, not all that long ago, strange as that may seem, and I know what temptation can do. I am much too young to be a grandmother. Do you understand me, young man?”

Michael wanted to say something, but the images that were flashing through his mind at that moment left him pretty much speechless. He had a sudden vision of Maria sitting propped up in a hospital bed, her cheeks flushed, a brown-eyed baby in her arms. He just nodded.

“Good,” Amy said. Her expression softened at the slightly panicked look on Michael’s face. “I understand you’re on your own now. I have to say, considering what I know of your former foster father from seeing him around town, you’ll probably be much better off. But if you should feel the need for a home-cooked meal or anything like that, you’re always welcome in my house.” She reached out and gently patted him on the cheek. “Just please, use the guest room in the future.”

Michael shook his head slightly, as if not sure he was hearing correctly. “I don’t get it,” he said. “Why are you being so nice to me? I mean, why would you even trust me?”

“I trust my daughter, Michael. And Maria told me you’re a good guy.” She smiled at his look of surprise. “But, I already knew that. After all, you are my favorite wrestler.” She winked at him, then went over and opened the cash register. “Now surely you have somewhere else to be. I need to get this deposit to the bank.”

“Thank you,” Michael said. “Again.”

“You’re welcome.”

* * * * *

When Michael arrived at the Crashdown, Max and Isabel were already sitting at their usual booth. The café was fairly quiet and Liz had pulled a chair up to the end of the booth and was chatting quietly while keeping one eye out for new customers. She stood as Michael slid into the booth next to Isabel. “Hey, Michael. Cherry Coke?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” He watched her head behind the counter, then turned to Max. “So, did you guys get a chance to talk yet?”

Max raised his eyebrows. “About?”

Michael looked unimpressed. “Oh, gee, Maxwell, I dunno. Maybe about the fact that you got drunk off your ass, kissed her on a spot-lit stage in front of half of Roswell, and then took off like Valenti was on your tail.”

Max looked sheepish. “Oh, that.”

Isabel chuckled. “Leave him alone, Michael. He’s pulling a typical Max and doing nothing in hopes that it’ll all go away. I’ve given up.” Isabel stopped talking as Max glared at her and she noticed Liz approaching the table with Michael’s drink.

“Here you go,” she said, setting the soda in front of him. “You guys know what you want for dinner?”

“Sure,” Max said quickly, a warning eye on his sister. “I’ll have a Martian Melt.”

“Will Smith for me,” Isabel chimed in.

“Michael?” Liz asked. She smiled at the distracted look on his face. He was staring past her, as if looking for someone. She waved her order book in front of his face. “Michael? You know what you want to eat?”

“Oh, yeah, right.” Michael’s focus came back to Liz, then he glanced down at the menu in front of him, as if he hadn’t had it memorized for years. “I guess the Skywalker sub. And some Saturn rings.”

“Okay,” Liz said. “I’ll just go put your order in.”

As soon as she was gone, Isabel elbowed Michael. “You’re getting as bad as Max, you know. Mooning over Maria like some love-sick puppy.”

“I’m what?” Michael snapped back. “You’re dreaming, Iz. And speaking of which, go skipping through dreamland recently? Maybe visiting your new buddy, Alex?”

“Alex and I are just friends,” she insisted, though her face was suddenly flushed. “I made that perfectly clear. And I do not go skipping through people’s dreams,” she added. Catching the look Max sent her, she glanced down. “At least not unless strictly necessary. And even then, there is no skipping involved.”

Watching their exchange, Max grinned. “Maria got off shift right when we got here,” he told Michael.

“Did I ask?” Michael questioned his friend.

“No. But I thought you might want to know, anyway. She seems to be going out on a limb for you quite a bit lately,” Max observed.

Michael was all ready to make a quick, snappy retort, but then he just deflated. “I know,” he said. He wasn’t sure why he kept denying everything that had been happening with Maria. He wasn’t sure if it was that he felt guilty after the grief he had given Max over Liz, or if he simply wanted to hold it all close to keep it safe. His dealings with Maria were something private, something that was only his. He had never in his life had anything that just belonged to him. Maybe, if he talked about it, if he shared it, it would all turn out to be a lie.

It seemed Max understood. Michael guessed maybe Max knew how he felt because of his own feelings for Liz. But regardless of his reason, Max turned to Isabel and started to talk about school, steering the topic safely away from human-alien relations. By the time Liz brought over their meals, no one seemed to remember they had been talking about Maria. Except maybe for Michael, who still had a faraway look in his eyes.

* * * * *

It was still early when Michael let himself into his apartment. Max and Isabel had wanted to do something after dinner, but Michael had begged off. He knew they were still worried about him, about his being alone, but he was actually looking forward to the solitude. It seemed that since he had made the decision to stay in Roswell after all – since he had gone that morning to the Evanses’ house to make breakfast for the family – he hadn’t had two minutes to himself. Even living with Hank, he had always managed to spend a good deal of time alone, and he was beginning to realize that he needed that space, that peace and quiet.

Sinking down on the old sofa, he examined his surroundings. He knew that, despite what his friends had done to clean the place up, it was still barely livable as far as they were concerned. It was small and dingy and lacked everything but the most basic of amenities. He was going to have to find a job to pay the meager rent, and he was going to have to put in regular appearances at school in order to prove that he was capable of living alone. But Michael didn’t care. For the first time, his life was his own.

The knock at the door was so soft, Michael almost didn’t hear it. He crossed the room, wondering which of his wayward do-gooder friends had decided to put in an appearance this time. His bets were on Isabel. It would be just like her to show up again, checking to make sure everything was okay. But the knock didn’t quite fit; it was too timid for Izzy.

He did not expect to open the door and find Maria. She stood there, smiling shyly at him, her blue-green eyes peering up through a fringe of lashes. She had that huge bag of hers slung across her shoulder and she smelled like tea roses. It was funny how, now that he knew what the fragrance was, his nose seemed more tuned to it, more ready to pick up on the subtle sweetness as he stood in the open doorway gazing down on her.

“Hey,” she said, looking a bit nervous. “Sorry to just come over so late. I wanted to come earlier with everyone, but I had to work.”

“Liz told me,” he said. Then realizing he was blocking the door, he stepped back so she could get by. “Come on in.”

“Thanks.” She came inside, brushing against him in the narrow doorway, making his pulse quicken slightly. She looked up as if in apology and made her way over to the sofa.

“Have a seat,” he told her. “You want anything?”

“Uh, no, thanks.” Maria sat down and dug into her bag. “I actually just wanted to bring you this,” she told him, handing him a flat rectangular package that was wrapped in alien-print paper. “Sorry,” she said quickly. “The paper’s from my mom’s store.”

“You didn’t have to…”

“I know,” she cut him off. “I wanted to. A little housewarming present.” She shrugged as he sat next to her and started unwrapping the gift. “It’s not much,” she told him as he drew the paper away. It was a large set of glow-in-the-dark star stickers, complete with charts of the constellations to aid in proper placement. Michael turned it over a couple of times, marveling at the sweetness of such a simple offering, then looked at Maria.

She was picking at a thread that was coming loose from the cuff of her shirt, avoiding his gaze. “I thought maybe you’d like to put them on your ceiling,” she said quietly. “If you don’t want to, I’ll understand. I can just return them,” she said, reaching out to try to take them back. When Michael held them out of her reach, she finally looked up.

“No,” he said simply. “I don’t want you to take them back. I want to put them on the ceiling.” A small smile graced his face. “They’re great. Thanks.”

A soft light seemed to shine from Maria’s eyes. “Okay.” She blushed slightly. “You’re welcome.”

Michael stared at her for a moment, trying to decide what to say. He knew what he wanted to tell her, knew the thoughts he wanted to convey, but finding the right words was a different story. He set her gift down and stood to pace the room restlessly, hands in his pockets.

“Is something wrong, Michael?”

“No. I just….”

“Do you want me to leave?” she asked, sounding hurt.

He looked at her sitting there, seeming so young and vulnerable. When did this happen? he wondered. When did I start seeing her as something other than a pest who couldn’t keep her mouth shut for more than a second and a half? “I don’t want to you to go,” he reassured her. “I have something to tell you.”

She nodded, but she didn’t seem particularly relieved. Instead, she looked apprehensive. Of course she is, Michael thought. Every time you open your mouth around her, it’s to hurt her.

Michael crossed the room and sat back down next to Maria. He reached out and gently took her hand in both of his, catching the look of surprise that flickered across her face. “I don’t really do this too well, do I?” he asked ruefully. “All I wanted was to say thank you. For the other night.” He looked down at the hand he held. So small, yet so strong. He felt her squeeze his own much larger hand gently as he watched. “I also wanted to tell you I’m sorry you got into trouble with your mother. And that I appreciate that you got her to fix it with Valenti.”

“You’re welcome. And don’t worry about my mother. I think she’s pretty much recovered from the shock,” Maria teased.

Michael heard the soft tone of her voice and looked up, relieved that they seemed to have regained their footing with each other. The awkward moment had passed. But there was still something he needed to know. “Why did you help me?” he asked quietly. Maria’s brow wrinkled and the look in her eyes told him she thought the answer to his question was obvious. But he still needed to know, and he realized he would have to be clearer with her. “I’ve done nothing but push you away,” he said, unable to disguise the regret in his voice. “I told you not to help me if I was in trouble again. I’ve avoided you, been nasty to you. And yet, I show up on your doorstep in the middle of the night and you just take me in.”

“You were all wet.”

“Why did you help me?” he persisted.

Maria looked uncomfortable. She tried to extricate her hand, but he held firm. “Michael, you can’t just order someone to feel differently,” she said hesitantly. “I care about you, whether or not you approve, whether or not you want me to, whether or not you feel the same way about me. I can’t just stop because you have to be a wall or whatever. And I help the people I care about if they need me,” she finished, her voice barely a whisper. “Besides,” she added, finally looking up and meeting his eyes, “you came to me.”

“You never asked me what happened.”

She shook her head. “I didn’t think you wanted to talk about it.”

“Max or Isabel would have asked me.”

“That’s not why you came to me instead of going to them,” she said, certainty in her voice. That wasn’t what Michael had meant, but he was intrigued at her confidence.

“What makes you so sure?”

Maria smiled. “Why didn’t you tell Valenti where you were the night Hank disappeared?”

He shrugged. “I figured he wouldn’t believe me. No point in dragging you into it.”

“Michael, my mother had already walked in on us. It isn’t like you were keeping me from getting into trouble.”

“What did she say to you, anyway?”

Maria sighed, then decided to let him change the topic. She had already made her point – it was obvious from the look in his eyes. “She gave me the standard mother-daughter lecture that she’s been handing me since I hit puberty,” she told him. “With a slight elevation in volume to account for the circumstances. But she believed me when I told her nothing happened.”

Listening to her, it occurred to Michael that Mrs. DeLuca had not told her daughter of his appearance at the store or about their discussion. He was impressed, and grateful. “She trusts you,” he stated quietly.

“Yeah, she does,” Maria admitted. “Which is pretty amazing when you consider how much I’ve been lying to her lately. She’s a really good mom, when it comes down to it,” she said. “That’s why I knew she’d talk to the Sheriff for you.”

“I’m sorry you’ve had to lie to her,” Michael said. “I know a lot of it has been about me, Max and Isabel.”

“Yeah, well, don’t worry about it.” Maria squeezed his hand again. “I’m sure she wouldn’t believe the half of it if I told her the truth.” She grinned.

Michael let out a short laugh, recognizing the veracity of her statement. The entire situation was pretty ridiculous. He reached out with one hand and ruffled her tousled blonde hair, then froze when he realized what he was doing, his hand caught midmotion against her cheek.

Maria’s smile had faded at the easy, affectionate gesture. She reached up and caught his hand and gently drew it away from her face. “I’m sorry, Michael. I… you can’t keep doing this to me. It’s too confusing.” He pulled his hand away and dropped her other hand as well.

“I know. I don’t mean to….” He stopped, unsure again.

“I know,” she told him.

He let out a long sigh of frustration. “I meant what I told you, about needing to be a stone wall. It’s better if I have no attachments, nothing here I care about. It’s the only way. I don’t want to hurt anyone when we find a way to go home.”

Maria saw the war taking place in his heart as clearly as if it were taking place on a fifty-foot screen. “Michael, I understand. I just think you should concentrate on the life you’re living right now. I know it’s important for you to find out about yourself, but do you have to shut out every spark of happiness while you’re on this quest?”

“I don’t want to make things hard for you.”

“No, Michael. You don’t want to make them harder for yourself. You’re afraid that if you let yourself care, if you form an attachment, it’ll be enough to keep you here, that it will be too painful to go. You’re afraid of getting hurt. But life is filled with decisions and people get hurt every day. Don’t you think it might be worth the risk?”

“I’m beginning to think it doesn’t matter.”

“What do you mean, it doesn’t matter? Of course it matters,” Maria snapped at him. Michael shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. “We’re talking about your life. How you spend your days, how you get through your fears and share the joys and…” She was silenced suddenly as he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her deeply.

When Michael finally pulled away, Maria was breathless. “Now, maybe you’ll let me get a word in,” he muttered. “When I said it didn’t matter, I meant that it was too late. I can’t be a stone wall with you, Maria. You’ve already gotten to me. I do care about you. I thought I could push you away, somehow turn back the clock and make myself stop feeling, but it doesn’t work. It doesn’t matter what I do, I can’t undo you. You took a sledge hammer to that damn wall,” he said, looking deep into her eyes, seeing the tears that were starting to spill down her cheeks.

He took her head in his hands and gently brushed away the tears with his thumbs. “I’m sorry I’ve hurt you,” he said. Then he leaned in again and kissed her, a sweet, tender kiss unlike any they had ever shared. Maria wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, returning his kiss and deepening it. She twined one hand in the spiky-soft hair at the nape of his neck and moaned softly. It was a long time before either one of them were able to speak again.

Michael finally broke the kiss. He sat back, pulling Maria after him so she was cradled in the circle of his arms and leaning against him comfortably. “So,” he said. “Does this mean you forgive me for being a jerk?”

He could sense her smile. “Yeah, I guess you’re forgiven, Spaceboy.” She cuddled closer and sighed when his arms tightened around her.

“Thank you,” he said. “And thanks for my housewarming,” he added. “I think the place feels much warmer.” When she giggled, he kissed the top of her head and hugged her again. “So,” he said, loosening his hold on her and sitting up. “You wanna help me hang some stars?”

Maria looked into his eyes and grinned. “Sounds like a blast.”

***

END

Disclaimer: Don’t own the characters or the concepts; just borrowing them!
Category: Basically Liz, with a little Maria, and all of it pertaining to the men in their lives.
Summary: The gang goes to a carnival and Maria drags Liz to see the fortune teller.
Spoilers: Shows aired through Sexual Healing. The fortune teller does allude to things in her readings that are based on the spoilers for the shows following Sexual Healing, but no specifics are given.
Rating: PG
Note: This story was partially inspired by the book Chocolat by Joanne Harris, although it may not be immediately obvious if you’ve read the book. I also listened to Loreena McKennitt’s The Book of Secrets and anything Sarah McLachlan nonstop while writing.

* * *

Prologue

The carnival comes to Roswell on a night with no moon. In the wee hours before dawn, surrounded by darkness, the tents rise on the far edge of town and form a shadowy barrier between the sleeping citizens and the desert that stretches beyond. Thrill rides and games of chance, food stalls with colorful signs to lure the pickiest of eaters, mysterious booths shuttered away from curious eyes – what was an open field is transformed into a wondrous sight before sunrise.

As the first light creeps over the horizon, trailers are hidden from view behind the tents and tired bodies collapse on narrow beds to catch a few hard-earned hours of sleep. Yet, despite the silence, there is a hum of energy that fills the air. Another day is about to begin.

* * * * *

I’ve never been a superstitious person. I believe in things I can see, things I can prove. Even the truth about Max, Michael, and Isabel is something I can rationalize scientifically – they follow another planet’s laws of nature. So, I was probably the last person who should have gone with Maria to see the fortune teller at the carnival last night. But Michael started to make fun of her as soon as she mentioned it, and Alex and Isabel were off on the Ferris Wheel together. And I could tell she really wanted to go. So, we sent Max and Michael off to play some impossible game that required you to throw a tennis ball into a fish bowl, with strict instructions to win each of us something big and cuddly, and no cheating allowed. Then I tucked my arm through hers and we headed toward the small tent at the far side of the fair grounds, because, after all, what are best friends for?

* * * * *

Liz and Maria stood outside the tent and peered at the sign to one side of the entrance. “The Mysteries of Life Revealed: Past, Present, and Future,” Liz read aloud. “Palm readings and the Tarot.” She made a face. “You really want to do this, Maria?” she asked.

“Yeah, I do. Come on, Liz,” she coaxed. “It’ll be fun. Don’t you want to know if Max is the man of your dreams?” Maria teased.

“Really, Maria. These people are just good storytellers who weave a few vague ideas into some elaborate future for you. You don’t really believe in it, do you?”

“Of course not,” Maria said with a smile. “I’m just curious to see what words of advice she’ll have about Spaceboy. Relax,” she added quickly, when she saw Liz frown. “It isn’t like I’m gonna say anything to her.” She gave Liz’s hand a tug. “Let’s go in. There’s no line or anything. We’ll just have our palms read.”

“Okay. You’re right,” she said with a grin. “It could actually be kind of funny.” Liz reached out and held aside the flap of the tent and the two girls went inside.

It took their eyes a moment to adjust to the dim lighting. Candles were placed precariously around the tent’s perimeter and a large brass oil lamp sat on a round table directly in front of them. The table itself was covered with a heavy dark cloth. Several wooden chairs with woven cushions surrounded the table. There appeared to be no one there.

“Well,” Liz said. “I guess now we know why there wasn’t a line.” She took a step forward and looked around, her brow creasing. “It really isn’t safe to leave all of these candles burning unattended.”

“There is no danger.”

Liz and Maria spun around at the sound of the low voice. A woman was standing in the entrance, her dark eyes reflecting the flickering candlelight. “Uh… that’s good,” Liz said, feeling flustered. She found herself squeezing Maria’s arm tightly and made an effort to loosen her grip. “We… uh…”

“You came to have your palms read,” the woman supplied for her with a slight nod. “Please, be seated.” She held out her hands to indicate the two closest chairs.

“Yes, thank you,” Liz replied. As she and Maria moved to sit down, she watched the fortune teller make her way to the opposite side of the table. It was impossible to determine the woman’s age. Her face and hands were unlined, her long black hair showing no signs of graying, yet in her expression there was a certain maturity that Liz associated with a woman of at least fifty or sixty. Although she wore a flowing black dress and had several colorful scarves draped over her shoulders, she did not fit Liz’s image of a fortune teller. Somehow Liz had expected the movie stereotype, complete with a thick European accent and gold hoop earrings. This woman seemed too modern to make her living through divination.

Maria reached into her bag and pulled out her wallet. “How much for a palm reading?” she asked.

The woman waved her hand quickly over the table. “We do not discuss this at this time,” she said quietly, her voice firm.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not having my palm read if I don’t know what it is going to cost,” Maria said.

“You pay what it is worth,” came the reply, but the fortune teller kept her eyes focused on Liz as she spoke. “It will be no more than you are willing to part with.”

Liz turned to Maria and shrugged. “I guess that’s fair.”

“Okay,” Maria agreed, and tucked her wallet back out of sight. “You wanna go first, Liz?”

Before Liz could answer, the fortune teller placed her hands on the table, palms up, and began to hum softly. Looking at her, Liz and Maria saw she had closed her eyes and seemed to be concentrating intently. Then she reached out with the hand nearest to Maria and opened her eyes again. “You shall be first,” she told her. “Your hand, please.”

“Oh,” Maria said.

“Go on, Maria,” Liz prompted. “After all, this was your idea.”

“Fine.” She reached out and placed her hand in front of the woman. “If it’s really bad, don’t tell me.”

The fortune teller looked directly into Maria’s eyes. “There is no bad or good, just endless cycles. I can only tell you what I see at this point in time.” Her long fingers curved around Maria’s hand, cradling it, and she bent to peer at her palm. Maria felt a chill run down her spine.

The woman traced one red-tipped nail over Maria’s hand, following the lines that creased her palm as if committing them to memory. Periodically she would nod or frown or utter a simple “uh huh”, as if things were becoming clearer to her with each passing moment. Finally, she looked up. “You have an interesting past, young woman. It has been frequently difficult. Precarious. This is not something that will change soon, I am afraid. However, the nature of your difficulties has shifted. The things that will threaten your balance in the future will not be faced alone.” She looked down again, indicating a line crossing through the center of Maria’s palm. “You will face many trials, some of them very soon. Do not forget those lessons you have learned. Do not give back that which you have fought for. Remember that walls can be rebuilt if you allow them to be.”

Maria jerked and pulled her hand away. “What did you say?” she asked, a tremor in her voice. She hadn’t told anyone what Michael has said about needing to be a stone wall, not even Liz. She met the fortune teller’s gaze and was frightened by the knowing look the woman gave her. As if from a distance, she heard Liz asking if she was okay, but she ignored her. “What did you mean?” she asked, pronouncing each word distinctly.

The fortune teller bowed her head, indicating Maria’s hand. Reluctantly, Maria reached across the table again. The woman continued as if there had been no interruption. “You must remember why you believe in the people around you, and trust that their judgement may surpass your own. And know that things are not always what they seem. The stakes are mortally high. Measure your words.” With that, she released her hand and sat back, eyes closed once more. She seemed to breathe deeply, as if regaining strength.

Maria drew her hand back and rubbed her palm against her thigh, as if trying to wipe away the future. Avoiding Liz’s eye, she reached into her wallet, grabbed a twenty and threw it on the table, then stood and quickly headed for the door. “I’ll wait for you outside, Liz,” she said.

“Maria, wait!” Liz called.

She turned in the doorway and shook her head. “I’ll be okay. Stay, Liz. You need to have her read your palm, too. Please.” Maria was trembling visibly, but her voice was low and serious. “Listen to her, Lizzie.” Then she slipped outside.

“Your friend has her own kind of strength. She is a survivor.”

Liz turned angry eyes on the woman before her. “I don’t understand how you managed to freak her out this way, but I want to know what gives you the right? Why couldn’t you just tell her some pretty story about her future – the tall handsome man in her life, how she’ll get married and have three kids and a dog? Why would you want to scare her?”

“I told her what she needed to hear. I told her the truth. It is not up to me to decide the future.”

Liz stood, her emotions too high to allow her to sit placidly in her chair. Leaning across the table, she looked the fortune teller in the eye. “I don’t think I’m interested in your version of the future,” she snapped.

The woman tilted her head to one side, the gesture seeming to indicate that the decision was not hers. “We all see what we want to see,” she said quietly. “Only you can decide whether you are ready for that knowledge.”

“What I am is ready to leave,” Liz said, head high. She turned, intent on going after Maria.

“That is your choice, of course,” the woman said. “You must follow your heart, wherever it may lead.”

Liz froze halfway to the door, a tremor going through her body. Slowly, she turned and faced the fortune teller. “What did you say?”

“Follow your heart, wherever it leads you,” she repeated, her eyes meeting Liz’s. “The best advice is oft repeated thrice,” she added.

Standing very still, Liz waited, her gaze trained on the woman . The silence stretched on unbroken. “That was only two times,” she finally said softly.

The fortune teller smiled. “But, the second and the third. Merely echoes of that which you already knew.”

Liz nodded. She walked slowly back to the table and sat down. “How did you know that?” she asked, her voice tinged with fear.

“The past and the future are linked. Time is liquid.” She paused, extending her hand toward Liz. “For some, the comforts of the known may cushion that which has yet to be determined.”

Hesitantly, Liz reached out and placed her hand on the table, palm up. The fortune teller grasped it lightly and Liz was surprised at the warmth and the strength of the woman’s grip.

As she had with Maria, the fortune teller examined the lines crossing Liz’s palm, murmuring under her breath from time to time. Her brow was creased with concentration and her eyes clouded with focus. When her eyes flicked upward to meet Liz’s gaze, there was a look of comprehension as well as mild surprise.

“There is duality in your life, in your destiny. You live two lives, are living a second life.”

“What does that mean?” Liz asked, feeling her stomach clench. “What second life?”

The woman chuckled softly, tracing a line in Liz’s hand. “Your life line is split,” she explained. Then she looked directly into Liz’s eyes. “You have known death, yet you live. This portion of your life is a reprieve.”

“That’s impossible,” Liz breathed.

The fortune teller shrugged. “Your hand does not lie. Two lives were you granted, two lives you live. One in shadow, one in light.” She traced a different line, almost a caress. “You know love, a love that transcends time and space. Soulmates,” she murmured, looking up with a smile. “You have known each other in many lives, and shall meet again. Souls that love so deeply are destined to be joined. This has always been your fate.”

Liz frowned, causing the woman to laugh aloud, a robust sound that filled the small tent. “Your confusion is plain. Souls are not human things, not bound to this place. A thousand worlds, a thousand galaxies, a thousand light years – none of these may part those who are meant to be.”

Liz wrenched her hand away, her eyes wide, sudden terror overwhelming her. “Who are you?”

“I am no one you need fear, though there are many who may wish you harm,” she replied, her voice soothing and even. “Your future holds great peril. I would ask that you allow me to do a reading for you. The Tarot may reveal much that is not held in your palm. With the cards we may see the movement of many.”

A cool breeze blew through the room, causing the candles in the tent to flicker briefly. However, when Liz looked toward the door she saw no one had come in and the tent flap remained undisturbed. She shivered slightly and huddled into her leather jacket. The fortune teller sat without speaking, waiting patiently. Her dark eyes seemed to absorb every ray of light from the dim oil lamp as she watched Liz trying to make up her mind. There was a peaceful assurance to her expression that indicated she had no doubt as to Liz’s ultimate decision.

Finally, Liz nodded. “Okay,” she told her. “We’ll do a Tarot reading.”

The woman reached below her chair and drew forth a worn deck of cards. The backs were plain, scored with a simple blue and white design. As Liz watched, fascinated despite herself, the fortune teller swiftly shuffled the deck, her hands deftly maneuvering the cards through a range of fans and bridges until they had been rearranged a half dozen times. Then she placed the stack in the center of the table and indicated that Liz should cut the deck. Reaching forward to do as she was told, Liz could feel the warmth from the woman’s hands that had been transferred to the cards during her manipulations. Energy seemed to radiate from the cards as she quickly separated them into three neat piles. When she drew her hand away, the fortune teller quickly restacked the deck and held it firmly with both hands. Eyes closed, she seemed to stroke the cards, her forehead lined with concentration. Then she opened her eyes and drew the top card from the deck, placing it squarely on the table in front of Liz.

“This card represents you,” she told her. “The High Priestess. Wisdom, tenacity, that which is learned through science. Also, secrets. Mystery. A future yet to be revealed. Again there is duality.”

Liz looked curiously at the card. The woman depicted sat with a scroll in her lap, her face serious. Before she could examine it more closely, however, the fortune teller began to place additional cards on the table, forming a cross that covered the existing card, and a row beside it. Liz looked up and caught what she thought might have been a look of apprehension on the woman’s face, but it was gone in an instant, replaced by the placid expression that had graced her features before.

“The Lovers,” the woman began, smiling as if amused. “A card I expected to see. This card represents love, attraction, beauty. It also indicates trials you must overcome, as is always the case with true love.” Her gaze found Liz’s and held. “No love is easy or uncomplicated, particularly that which is destined.”

Her smile faded. “You are crossed by this,” she continued, tapping another card. “The Hanged Man. The trials to come will bring sacrifice. They shall require wisdom, as well as intuition. That which you face has been prophesized. Just as your love is fated, so is that which you struggle against.”

The woman paused, considering the cards. “This represents your ideal – that which you may hope for. The Sun. Happiness, fortune, good marriage. The attainment of you dreams. And below, your foundation. The Ace of Swords,” she said. “This represents triumph, but not necessarily success. You must guard against excess in both love and hate, for that which makes you strong in battle may destroy that for which you fight.”

Liz frowned. “What does all of this mean?”

“Hush, child,” the woman replied. “The Tarot is not a precise art. One must review the whole to discern its message.” She pointed at the next card. “Behind you is the Six of Cups, a card of your past. Childhood pleasures, innocence, safety. These things you have abandoned in favor of knowledge and new relationships.”

“Isn’t that part of growing up?” Liz muttered.

“Not all things happen as a natural progression. For some the innocence of childhood is wrenched away through sudden revelations and responsibility.” The fortune teller rested one red-tipped finger on the card that followed. “The Devil,” she said, her voice so low Liz could barely hear her. “That which you must face.”

It’s just a card, Liz thought, but she trembled despite herself. The card depicted a horned beast with a man and woman chained before him. Whatever it predicted, she knew it could not be good.

“You will meet with violence, vehemence, a need to exert extraordinary force in your struggle. The future is predestined, yet that does not necessarily mean that evil will prevail. However, it will take great effort to turn the tide in your favor.” She took a deep breath, then indicated the cards in the next row. “The Wheel of Fortune. Despite your need for reasons and proof, you place your trust in destiny and the whims of fortune. And indeed, the days to come will rely heavily on luck. Remember this when your mind is clouded and outsiders leave you in confusion. Next, the Moon. The atmosphere around you is fraught with danger. You face deception and hidden enemies. Your eyes may not always be trusted. Here, the Six of Wands in a reversed position. You fear treachery and disloyalty, and rightly. Beware, for the gates may be opened to the enemy by one you call a friend. Intentions aside, the danger may prove mortal.”

The fortune teller’s voice grew lower, softer. “Finally, the last card. That which will come. The Last Judgement. A card with many meanings, of vague images. It signifies a change of position, renewal. There will be resolution, but who is favored is not revealed.” Her eyes flicked upward, their dark depths unreadable. “There is grave danger in your future, this cannot be denied. Only you can determine the outcome. You have a strong heart – stronger than most. Even when broken, it will not lead you astray. Trust in it when your mind is muddled. And remember this: a strong heart will heal and – in so doing – may grow stronger still. Do not turn away from that which your heart craves.” The fortune teller swept her hand quickly across the table, gathering the cards together into a tidy pile. “Believe or not as you choose,” she said. “But exercise caution.”

Liz stood, still staring at the woman before her, unsure of what to think. She pulled her wallet from her jacket pocket and drew out several bills which she placed on the table with precise movements. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

The woman nodded. “If you remember nothing else, remember this: he has allowed you into his heart. This you know, for he showed you when he had everything to lose. Do not doubt him.”

Liz stood perfectly still, her mind suddenly flashing to that night at the Crashdown when Max Evans had let her inside his thoughts, shown her his most guarded feelings. For an instant she felt the rush of his love careening through her blood stream, his memories crowding into her brain. “Who are you? Where are you from?” she asked the woman before her.

A small smile, a small shake of the head. “I am from many places,” the woman answered. “From a long line of gypsies that has traveled this world through the ages. I merely follow where my gift requires me to go.” She tilted her head. “Your friends await you. Go now.”

“Thank you,” Liz said again. She paused, wanting to say something else, wanting to insist that she didn’t really believe in fortunes and fates and dire predictions for the future. But something stopped her from speaking, perhaps the look of knowing amusement in the woman’s eyes. Then the moment seemed to have passed. Liz turned and walked away.

Outside the tent, Max was pacing, looking vaguely worried. He had a large purple plush elephant tucked under one arm. When he saw Liz, he looked relieved. “Hey,” he said. “I was trying to decide if I should come in after you. You’ve been in there forever.”

“Where’s Maria?”

Max frowned. “She and Michael left. She seemed kind of upset about something.” He paused, looking carefully at Liz. “Are you okay? You’re awfully pale.”

Liz made an effort to smile, though she still felt disturbed by the fortune teller’s strange predictions. “I’m okay.” She eyed the elephant. “Is he by any chance for me?”

Max looked down and laughed, then handed her the elephant. “You should have been there. I displayed an amazing talent for getting tennis balls into fish bowls.”

Hugging the stuffed animal, Liz raised her eyebrows. “I’m sure,” she said dryly. “So, how badly did you guys cheat?”

Pulling both Liz and the elephant into his arms, Max grinned. “I only helped Michael out a little bit,” he admitted. “He’s got lousy aim.” He hugged her tight, then frowned, feeling the slight tremors coursing through her body. “Okay, something happened. You’re shaking.”

Liz let her head rest on his shoulder. “I guess I just got a little spooked,” she admitted. “Max, this woman was really eerie.”

He rubbed one hand up and down her back in even, soothing strokes. “How do you mean?” he asked softly. “Surely you don’t buy into this stuff?”

“I don’t. I didn’t.” She sighed, feeling both silly and scared. “I don’t know, Max. I know it sounds ridiculous, but she knew things. Things she shouldn’t have known.”

Max drew back and looked into Liz’s eyes, not liking the fear he heard in her voice. “What things?”

“It started with Maria. She was reading her palm and it was all fine and then suddenly she said something that just freaked Maria out completely. I could tell whatever it was really hit a nerve. Maria paid her and practically ran out. But before she left she told me I had to stay. That I had to listen.”

“What did the woman say that got Maria so upset?”

Liz shrugged. “None of it meant anything to me. I can’t even be sure what part set her off.”

“Okay, so what about you?” Max asked.

“Well, I was all ready to go after Maria, and the fortune teller told me I had to follow my heart, wherever it may lead.” Liz looked at Max, trying to gauge if he remembered what those words meant to her. Within seconds the look in his eyes told her.

“Your grandmother,” he said softly.

She nodded. “She said it two times. Then said something about good advice being repeated three times. And when I said that was only twice, she told me it was the second and the third, and that it was an echo of something I already knew.”

“So you stayed,” he finished for her, understanding completely.

“I had to, Max. So, she read my palm. And then she wanted to do a Tarot reading.”

“What did she tell you?”

Liz looked down, feeling embarrassed. Although she knew how Max felt about her, she still didn’t feel comfortable telling him the fortune teller had called them soulmates.

“Liz,” he coaxed, tilting her chin up with one finger. “You can tell me anything. You know that,” he prompted softly.

“I know,” she said, but she could feel herself blushing. “She said that I know true love, and that it was destined. And that we’d been together in past lives.”

Max smiled. “So far I don’t hear anything to get upset about.”

Liz frowned, remembering the rest of the woman’s words. “Max, somehow she knows about you.”

“What?”

“She said that souls aren’t human. She said that nothing can keep soulmates apart, not even galaxies. Max, it was perfectly clear that she knew about you.”

“Liz, that can’t be. How would she know?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know, Max, but she did. And she also said that we’re going to be facing many trials and great danger and hidden enemies and…” She broke off, wrapping her arms around him, her eyes filling with tears. “I’m scared, Max. She was so real, so believable.”

Max held her tightly, but he was clearly shaken. “Shhh… it’ll be okay,” he said. “I think maybe I should go talk to this woman. Find out how much she knows. She must be working with someone. Will you be okay out here for a minute or do you want to go find Alex and Iz and I can come back?”

“Max, I don’t think she’s working with anyone. I mean, she seemed to be on our side,” Liz said. “I can’t explain it.”

“You don’t think she’s…”

Liz shook her head. “No, she’s not one of you. I asked her who she was and she knew just what I was driving at, but she’s not. She’s just a gypsy.”

“I don’t believe in fortune tellers, Liz,” Max said helplessly. “Neither do you.”

She shrugged. “I never used to believe in aliens, either,” she reminded him gently.

“I’m going inside. Will you be okay?”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “Just don’t take too long.”

“I won’t.” He kissed her quickly, then darted into the tent.

Liz stood hugging the stuffed elephant tightly and waited for Max to return. It only took a moment. Then he was standing in front of her, looking perplexed.

“What?” she asked. “What happened?”

“There’s no one inside,” he told her.

“Max, that’s not possible,” Liz said. “We’ve been standing right here the whole time. There’s no other exit.”

“I know. But there’s no one in there, Liz.” Max ran a hand through his hair in a Michael-esque gesture. “There’s no place for her to hide. I even looked under the table. The tent’s empty.”

Liz grabbed him by the hand and pulled him after her back into the tent. The candles and the lamp were still lit. The money was still on the table. But the woman was gone. “Max, she was here.”

“Liz, I’m not doubting you. But she’s gone now.” He tugged gently on her hand. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s go find Alex and Isabel and go home.”

Liz stood for a moment, staring at the chair where the fortune teller had sat. She nodded slowly. “You’re right,” she agreed. “Let’s go home.”

* * * * *

It’s almost time to go to work. I’m hoping Maria will talk to me about what happened last night, because I really need to know what the fortune teller told her and why she was so upset. I have a feeling it’s important. Just as important as what she told me. I’m just hoping that between the two of us, it will all make a little more sense. So much was vague and mysterious.

I’m still trying to decide how much to tell Max. Part of me agrees with him. I don’t believe in fortune tellers or Tarot cards. I don’t believe a perfect stranger can tell you where your future lies or what fate has in store for you. I believe we determine our own fate, shape our own destinies. I believe in free will. But a little voice deep inside me is telling me that I am wrong. This woman was different. She knew things. She knew things that she had no right to know. So, it stands to reason that her version of the future will come true.

She made some dire predictions, talked of danger and enemies and sacrifice. I’ll admit she has me frightened. I know that if I go to Max and tell him everything else she said, he’ll want to take care of me, because that is how he is. It is in Max’s nature to take control and to protect the ones he loves. But one thing is holding me back – and that is the part of the fortune teller’s predictions that scares me the most. She told me to trust my heart, because even broken it is stronger than most. Which leads me to the question that kept me awake last night, long after Max had kissed me good bye and gone home. I lay in bed until dawn crept through the curtains and asked myself over and over again – just how do I get that broken heart?

***

END

Disclaimer: Don’t own the characters or the concepts; just borrowing them!
Category: Alex and Isabel
Summary: A missing scene from Crazy. It seemed to me that, while we heard Alex ask Isabel to start off by “taking things slow,” Tess showed up before Isabel answered him. How exactly did they get to that cute and cozy place where Izzy feels she can fall asleep on Alex’s shoulder? This takes place at the Crashdown, just before Michael and Maria take off to meet Topolsky at Buckley Point.
Spoilers: Through Crazy.
Rating: PG
Feedback: Sure! Love it!
Author’s note: This is for all of the Stargazers who are in shock after Four Square.

***

Isabel Evans stepped out of the ladies room at the Crashdown and straightened her jacket nervously as she headed back toward the counter where Alex was waiting. He had his back to her and she took a moment to watch him as he sat unaware, playing with the crazy straw in his orange soda. There was a tension in the way he held himself, so opposite to his usual relaxed posture that her heart skipped a little faster, her blood rushed a little more swiftly. It wasn’t attraction she felt, at least not at that moment. It was fear. She knew he was thinking about the night before – about the man in the car, about Valenti, about alien hunters and FBI agents and Topolsky. Isabel felt a shiver run through her at the very thought of how close Alex might have been to getting hurt. He had told her just the night before that he would do anything to protect her; she was beginning to understand how he felt.

She walked slowly up to the counter and sat on the stool next to him, smiling shyly. “I hope you don’t mind. I mean, just hanging out for awhile,” she said softly. “I just didn’t want to be alone tonight,” she admitted.

Alex met her gaze with a soft smile of his own. “Me neither.”

“Alex,” Isabel began, “I…uh…I’m sorry for yesterday.”

He looked puzzled. “What do you mean? That guy? Isabel, that had nothing to do with you.”

She crooked one eyebrow at him.

“Well, okay,” he admitted sheepishly, “I guess indirectly it did, but what I mean is that it wasn’t your fault. We’re all in this together.”

Isabel studied him silently, her expression serious, imagining all of the things that could have happened to him, that little panicky flutter increasing around her heart. “You really mean that, don’t you? God, Alex, how can you be so….generous about all of this? If I were you I think I’d be running as far and as fast as I could right now.”

“No, you wouldn’t. You’re much stronger than that.”

“No, Alex,” she whispered, looking down at her hands clenched in her lap. “I’m not. I like to think I am, but it isn’t true. All that about not showing weakness, it’s just an act.”

“Isabel, don’t you know that real courage is putting up a good front and doing what you have to do, even when you’re terrified?” Alex reached out and laid one hand over hers and squeezed gently. “Only stupid people aren’t afraid in the face of danger.”

Hearing his words, feeling his comforting touch, Isabel knew the truth. It was crystal clear in that instant. Alex might be afraid, Alex might be terrified, but he was just as scared for her as he was for himself. And he would do what he had to do, in spite of that fear. Raising her eyes, Isabel shifted her hands so they were palm-up and clasped Alex’s hand in hers. “Thank you.”

Alex blinked, his eyes traveling from their joined hands to her beautiful brown eyes. “What for?”

She shrugged and smiled. “For being you. And for not running as fast as you can to get away from me.”

“Isabel, I would never run from you.”

“I know.” She took a deep breath and squeezed his hand tightly as if for luck. “Alex, about what you said yesterday. About taking things slow?”

Alex looked flustered. “Yeah, well, you know me, never giving up. But don’t worry about it. I mean, I know you want to just be friends and I keep pushing, but your friendship means a lot to me, so just forget about it.”

“Alex?”

“What?”

“Shut up a minute.”

“Oh, okay.”

Isabel smiled at him, his show of nerves having dispelled a few of the butterflies that were inexplicably circling her stomach. “I think maybe taking things slow would be nice.”

Alex’s mouth fell open and Isabel let out a short laugh.

At that moment, the door to the back swung open and Liz flew into the café. Her headpiece and apron were gone and she was carrying her coat over one arm. A large key ring dangled from one hand. “Guys,” she said in an urgent whisper as she stopped short behind them. “Go get Max. Meet me in the back. I have to close up.”

Isabel turned at Liz’s abrupt order. “Max isn’t off work for another half hour, Liz. What’s wrong?” she asked, seeing the panic in the other girl’s face.

“We have a problem,” Liz said, her eyes darting toward the back meaningfully. “Just go get Max. We’re going to Buckley Point.”

Isabel and Alex exchanged quick looks. Isabel groaned and slid off her stool. “God, Michael,” she muttered. Grabbing Alex’s arm, she tugged him after her as she headed for the door. “See you in five minutes,” she called back to Liz. “One of these days,” she mumbled, “I’m gonna kill one of my brothers. The only question is, which goes first.” Hand and hand, she and Alex raced down the street toward the UFO Center.

***

END

Disclaimer: Don’t own the characters or the concepts; just borrowing them!
Category: The whole gang.
Summary: Post-Destiny. What happens now?
Spoilers: Through the end of Season One.
Rating: PG-13 for language.
Feedback: Sure! Love it!
Banner by: Blanca
Author’s note: This is the first of a series of seven. Sometimes things take a little time to get back on track.

* * *

Max stood in silence and watched as Liz Parker ran from him. He didn’t notice when Michael allowed his hand to drop from Max’s arm. He didn’t notice when Isabel and Tess came and stood beside them. All he felt was his heart ripping in two, his soul stretching thin as Liz grew further and further away. When he could no longer bear to watch, he dropped his gaze to the hard packed sand, the glare of the sun bouncing off the ground nearly blinding him. But he didn’t care. What good was sight if he could no longer see Liz?

It was Tess who broke the silence. “What happens now, Max?”

Max didn’t answer. He glanced at her briefly, then turned away. He had meant what he said in the cave; it was the four of them now. But not like this. Not only the four of them. The message from home seemed to indicate that Tess was one of them, but that was all he was willing to take on faith. And he refused to live his present life based on choices made in an earlier one. But he knew that the last few days had put a stress on the entire group, alien and human, and right now they all needed some time to absorb what they had learned. He just didn’t have to be happy about it.

He faced his sister. She had been nearly in tears at the sight of the woman who was their true mother. Now she seemed more composed, but he knew her well enough to know that she was as upset and confused as he was. He badly wanted to be able to comfort her, but there wasn’t time for that right now. “Isabel.” His voice was even, betraying none of the emotions churning through his system.

She looked at him, a slight smile of understanding gracing her lips. “You want me to go?” she asked.

He nodded, pulling his keys from his pocket and tossing them to her. “I’m sure Nasedo took the security truck, which just leaves the Jeep. Make sure she gets home, then come back for us.”

Tess looked at Max and Isabel, then to Michael. All three faces reflected the same perfect comprehension. “Max? What’s going on?”

“Isabel’s going to go after Liz and drive her back into Roswell,” Michael told her.

She frowned, her lips drawing into a pout. “So we just sit and wait until she gets back? I can’t imagine Liz wants to see even Isabel right now. She’ll be fine walking. It isn’t that far back to town.”

Max turned back toward Tess, his eyes instantly fierce. “In the last three days, Liz has been abducted and terrorized, witnessed me snatched by the FBI, and faced off with Valenti. We were chased and shot at, dropped more than thirty feet into a river, forced to hide in an abandoned van, and nearly run over. She saw Pierce killed, her ex-boyfriend shot and learned that you and I were married in another life. All of this on a few hours sleep and, as far as I can tell, not a single decent meal. She is in no shape to walk four miles in the afternoon sun without so much as a bottle of water.”

“Max…” Isabel put her hand on his shoulder, gently restraining him. She shot Tess a look of disgust, then turned concerned eyes on her brother. She could feel the barely withheld violence in his tense frame. “Max, I’m going.” When he turned toward her, she slid her hand down his arm and squeezed his hand. “I’ll be back soon.”

His face softened. “Thanks, Iz. We’ll talk when you get back. We have some tracks to cover.”

She nodded, then headed off down the hill. Max merely stood and watched until she disappeared into the brush.

* * * * *

By the time she reached the road, Liz was panting. Tears still streaming down her cheeks, she slowed to a walk and started the long hike toward home. She didn’t care how long it took. She was in no hurry to return to a life without Max Evans in it.

She sensed the Jeep coming up behind her almost before she heard it. Brushing the tears from her face, she stiffened her spine and kept walking. “I will not look back, I will not look back,” she whispered to herself. One foot in front of the other, she concentrated on moving forward, keeping a straight line, looking ahead as if she had blinders on. Even when the Jeep pulled up beside her and slowed to a crawl, matching her pace, she refused to turn her head, keeping her eyes focused on the waves of heat rising from the pavement and distorting the air in shimmery ripples in front of her.

“Liz. Liz, stop.” Isabel’s voice finally registered, making its way past the pounding in her head, the buzzing in her ears. The Jeep suddenly pulled ahead of her and blocked her path. “Liz,” Isabel said again. “Please, just get in.”

Liz stopped walking and looked up. Only Isabel. No one else was in the Jeep. Still, she hesitated. But then Isabel sighed. It was the sound of someone tired to the bone and suddenly Liz realized that was how she felt, as well. So tired. Too tired and drained to fight. Relenting, she stepped forward and climbed into the passenger seat. Without a word, she fastened her seat belt. Only after Isabel pulled back out onto the road and started to speed toward town did it occur to Liz that she hadn’t asked where they were headed. Isabel could just as easily have turned around and taken her back to Max.

Neither of them spoke during the short trip. Liz kept her eyes trained on the flat, barren scenery as it sped by, the gradual increase in trees and landscaping as they grew closer to town the only thing she allowed to register as her mind grew steadily more numb. Isabel kept her eyes on the road, glancing occasionally at Liz from the corner of her eye as if to assure herself that her passenger was still there and breathing.

When they reached the center of town, Isabel pulled into the alley next to the Crashdown and parked just beyond the back door. She turned to Liz, who didn’t seem to have realized they had stopped. “Liz,” she said gently. “We’re here.”

Liz turned and looked at her with eyes so filled with pain that Isabel nearly gasped. “Thanks,” Liz said softly, unbuckling her seat belt.

“Liz, wait,” Isabel said, reaching out and taking her arm before she could slip from the Jeep. “What are you going to tell your parents? I mean, about where you’ve been all night.”

“That I was sleeping over with you and Maria. At Tess’s house, remember?” she asked, her voice edged with bitterness. “That’s the excuse we gave yesterday when we all took off. And the guys were at Michael’s.” She paused. “Don’t forget to tell Max.” She turned to go, but Isabel kept hold of her arm.

“Uh, Liz……”

“Isabel, please.” Liz looked at her with tired, pleading eyes. “I can’t do this.”

The other girl looked her over. “Just let me….” She swiftly passed her hand in front of Liz.

Looking down, Liz realized that her clothes, which had been rumpled and covered in dust, were now fresh and clean. She managed a tremulous smile. “Just like that night on the way to Marathon, when I spilled the hot chocolate,” she said. “Thank you.”

Isabel smiled back, her eyes tearing up. “You didn’t exactly look like you’d spent the night gossiping with the girls, you know?” Liz moved to leave and again Isabel stopped her. “Wait. Liz… I just want to tell you I’m sorry. I mean, for the hard time I gave you….before. I…wasn’t fair.”

“You were scared. I understood.”

“Still. I was…wrong.”

Liz nodded. “Thanks.” She reached out impulsively and squeezed Isabel’s hand. “Be careful, okay?”

Isabel squeezed back. “You too. And Liz? I know that these last few days… well… a lot has happened. I know it’s a lot to take in for all of us. But, please, don’t give up on him. He needs you.”

Liz’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m not giving up on him, Isabel. I’m giving him up.”

Isabel shook her head. “Keep an open mind. That’s what I’ve always admired about you. What amazed me the most. That in the face of our secrets, things that would have sent most people screaming into the night, you were able to just open up and accept what Max is. What we all are.”

Liz looked down and let the tears fall. “That’s not what this is about. You know that.” A tear dropped onto her hand where it rested in her lap and she brushed it away. “Thanks for the ride,” she said, sliding from the Jeep. But, unable to stop herself, she turned to Isabel once more. She could read the other girl’s emotions so clearly it astonished her. The Ice Princess had truly thawed and all that remained was her raw pain and the sympathy reflected in her deep brown eyes. “Take care of him,” Liz said softly. “What he went through… please, just take care of him.”

Isabel’s eyes narrowed. “Liz, did he tell you what they did to him?”

Liz could see her fear. She shook her head. “He didn’t have to tell me.” She chewed nervously on her bottom lip and looked away. “Last night, when we were hiding in that van, I kissed him – and I could see what they did.”

“Oh, God, Liz.”

“I know he won’t talk about it,” she continued in a rush, before Isabel could press her for details. “I had tried to ask him before that, and all he’d say was that it was over. But it’s not that simple. It couldn’t possibly be.” Liz trembled. “Take care. All of you.” She turned and ran inside.

* * * * *

Max and Michael were talking quietly when Isabel got back. Tess was sitting on a rock a few yards away from them, her eyes focused on the horizon, seemingly deep in thought. As Isabel climbed from the Jeep, Max and Michael turned toward her and Max raised his eyebrows questioningly.

Isabel shrugged. “I took her home. She seems… as good as can be expected.”

“Did you see anyone else while you were there?” Michael asked.

“I just dropped her off at the Crashdown. I didn’t go inside.” Seeing the guarded look in Michael’s eyes, Isabel’s expression softened somewhat. “I don’t know if she was there, but I’m sure Liz will call her if she wasn’t.”

Michael just nodded, then looked at the ground. He kicked at a small stone, unaware of the concerned look Max and Isabel shared.

Max glanced at Tess, who seemed completely uninterested in their conversation. “Tess,” he called. “Isabel is back. We all need to talk.”

She turned her head slowly, her eyes focusing on his face. With a slight nod, she stood and came over to join the group. Watching her approach, Isabel wondered briefly what had happened while she was gone that had left Tess so subdued. Looking at Max, she thought she sensed a certain annoyance in his eyes.

Michael stooped and picked up the rock he’d been worrying with the tip of his shoe. With a swift burst of movement, he threw the stone toward the outcropping of rocks that hid the cave. “Okay, fearless leader,” he quipped. “Now what?”

Max relaxed somewhat at Michael’s tone. “Now we clean up our messes.”

“What do you mean?” Isabel asked.

“We have a few things to take care of, is what I mean. And then we all need to go home and get some rest. Despite everything that has happened, we are still four high school students, and tomorrow is Monday.” He turned back toward Michael with a stern look. “Have you all forgotten that we have final exams starting in a week?”

Michael groaned. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Maxwell. You get an intergalactic SOS from you mother and the only thing you can think about is cramming for a Geometry exam?”

“He’s got a point, Max,” Isabel agreed. “It does all seem kind of unimportant right now.”

“I know,” Max said. “But that won’t make it go away. We need time to determine what all of this means. We need to develop our powers. And that means we need to go back home and…”

“Act normal,” Isabel finished for him with a small smile. “I seem to remember having this conversation before.”

Max looked at Tess. “We need to figure out what to do about your situation now that Nasedo is posing as Pierce. You can’t just go back to living in that house without any parents.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “But it should be fine for now.”

He nodded. “Okay. We’ll work on that later. Come on. We can talk more while we drive.” Taking the keys from his sister, he headed toward the Jeep. The others followed and they all climbed in, with Isabel sitting next to Max up front. He pulled out onto the highway and swung to the left, away from Roswell.

“I thought we were going home,” Isabel said.

“I told you, we have some messes to clean up,” Max said. “Liz and I ditched Maria’s car by the side of the road last night. We need to go pick it up and get it back to her, assuming no one has had it towed yet.”

Michael caught Max glancing at him through the rearview mirror. “No. Don’t even think about it, Maximillian. I am not taking that car back.”

“Fine. I’ll do it,” Max said, but his voice was flat, with just a hint of anger.

They drove without speaking for several minutes. Finally the Jetta came into view, still parked at an awkward angle with both front doors open. Max made a swift U-turn and pulled up behind it.

Michael, Isabel and Tess stared at the little red car as Max climbed out of the Jeep. The back window was completely gone, and shattered glass filled the back seat. “Max, what happened?” Michael asked.

Max turned and shrugged. “What do you think? They shot at us, hit the window. We got out and ran.” He waved in the general direction of the ditch that ran parallel to the road.

Isabel trembled slightly. Michael climbed out of the back of the Jeep and walked up to stand next to Max while he surveyed the damage. Even Tess seemed disturbed by the car’s condition.

“Maria is going to lose her mind when she sees this,” Michael muttered.

Max looked at him, one eyebrow raised. “She isn’t going to see this, Michael.” Turning back to the car, he raised his hand and frowned in concentration. The back of the car began to glow and the pieces of the window began to reassemble. Within a few moments the car was completely restored. He lowered his hand and cocked his head toward his best friend. “You sure you don’t want to take it back?” he asked quietly.

“I can’t. Because I want to, I can’t,” Michael admitted, his voice so low Max could barely make out the words.

“Okay. At least for now,” Max added meaningfully. He walked back toward the others. “Here’s the plan,” he said. “I’ll take the Jetta back to Maria. Isabel, you take Tess and Michael back to town. Drop Tess off, then pick me up at the UFO Center. We have to get home before Mom and Dad call out the National Guard.”

“What about me?” Michael asked.

“You, my friend, are going to go talk to Valenti.”

“What?” Michael asked. “Why?”

Max shook his head. “Don’t tell me you still don’t trust him after all that’s happened?”

“No, it’s not that,” Michael said quickly. “You were right about him. I just don’t understand why I need to talk to him now.”

“Someone has to let him know that Nasedo is now Pierce. We also need to find out exactly what he told Kyle,” Max pointed out. “And, depending on how resourceful he proves to have been, there may or may not be a federal agent still locked in Valenti’s hall closet. I melted the lock, but he may have broken through by now.”

Michael was quiet for a long moment, as if trying to determine whether all of this was necessary. “Fine,” he agreed, his voice a touch belligerent.

“If you’d rather I talk to him, I can do it,” Max informed him. “But then you take Maria her car.”

“I said I’d talk to Valenti.”

Max nodded. “Good. Isabel can drop you off after she takes Tess home.”

Michael climbed into the Jeep next to Isabel, mumbling under his breath about people letting power go to their heads. Max walked back toward the Jetta, feeling an urge to smile for the first time all day.

“Max?”

He turned back, the urge to smile suddenly gone. “What is it, Tess?”

“What am I supposed to do? I mean, you’re taking the car, Michael’s going to the Sheriff. Am I supposed to just go home and sit there?”

Max sighed. “I can’t help you with that. Everything that needs to be done is being taken care of. I’m sorry if you don’t want to be home alone, but right now that is how it has to be. You might want to look around the house and see if you can find anything else Nasedo may have stashed there. Anything he didn’t tell you about that might help explain all of this.”

She nodded. “I will.”

Max stared at her for a moment, then got into Maria’s car. A few minutes later, the Jeep and the Jetta were headed for Roswell.

* * * * *

Maria flopped on her bed and pulled the covers haphazardly over her head. She and Alex had spent nearly an hour at the Crashdown listening to Liz’s account of what had happened out at the cave. Just seeing the exhaustion and heartbreak in Liz’s eyes had told Maria the news wouldn’t be good, but after hearing the story she no longer knew what to think. It all seemed so incredible, if anything could still be considered incredible once you accepted the fact that there were aliens living in Roswell. Max – the leader of his people. That was about the only part that did make sense. But holograms of mothers, missions to save planets, reincarnation with human bodies and alien souls? It was making Maria’s head spin just thinking about it. The worst of it was that Liz now seemed to have completely lost her mind. Max had told her in no uncertain terms that he loved her and wanted to be with her, destiny and child-brides be damned, and Liz had walked away. It was as if the entire planet had tilted on its axis.

Then again, it must have done just that, Maria thought, because Michael Guerin had told her that he loved her. At some point along the way, Spaceboy had leveled that stupid stonewall of his and let her in. She had known it for a while – that he cared, that he needed her despite his constant protestations to the contrary, just as much as she needed him. But never in a million light years had she expected him to admit to it.

Granted, he had done it in typical Michael fashion, in the middle of an argument, while she was busy yelling and he was busy running. But he had said it. Out loud. In front of witnesses. Just a few short words that had filled her heart and for a moment she forgot to breathe. And then he had said goodbye and walked away, and the breath that was caught in her lungs suddenly threatened to crush them and she could feel her heart crumble. She hadn’t believed it was possible to be the happiest she had ever been, and the saddest, all in the same moment. How ironic. All this time she had wanted them to have what Max and Liz had. And now they did.

Feeling somewhat claustrophobic, Maria pulled the covers down and took a deep breath. The light was growing dim, so she reached out and switched on a small bedside lamp, bringing a warm glow to the room. Sighing heavily, she shoved herself into a sitting position and rubbed her tired eyes. She felt like she hadn’t slept in weeks – and as if she might never sleep again. She couldn’t believe that, after all that had happened, she had to get up and go to school in the morning like it was just a normal day. She wondered if they would be there – would they ever come to school again? Would she ever see them again? She felt a sudden flurry of panic and reached for the phone, then stopped herself. Liz had enough to think about without her providing her with a new set of questions to whirl through her brain. Dropping her face into her hands, Maria resisted the urge to cry. She sat that way for a long time, until a quiet knock at her window brought her off the bed with a start.

* * * * *

Max saw the momentary hope reflected in Maria’s eyes when she swung toward the window, and felt a pang of guilt. He should have known she would think he was Michael. He smiled sadly at her as she came over and lifted the window, motioning for him to come inside.

“I brought your car back,” he told her, holding out her keys, the little rubber alien dangling between his fingers. “Good as new.”

She raised her brows questioningly. Liz had filled her in on the condition of the Jetta. “Thanks,” she said. “Must have taken quite a bit of hocus pocus.” She sank down on the bed and indicated that he should join her. “You okay? I mean, you didn’t look so hot last night and you’ve been using your powers a lot today.”

“I feel like I could sleep for about a year,” he admitted as he sat beside her. “How about you?” he asked, his eyes searching her face. “How’re you holding up?”

Maria shrugged. “I’m not sure it’s all really reached my brain yet.”

“Yeah, I know how that feels,” he muttered.

“So, what are you guys going to do now?”

Max shrugged. “Get some sleep. Try to make it through finals.”

“Hardly seems like the type of plan I expected from a great leader,” Maria quipped.

“I guess Liz told you what happened at the cave.”

She nodded. “Alex and I were waiting at the Crashdown when Isabel dropped her off. She claims she gave us the abridged version, but I don’t think she left much out.” Maria looked at Max’s weary face and sighed. “So, are you going to let her do this? I mean, does this whole destiny thing mean we all go our separate ways?”

“I don’t want to let her go, Maria,” he replied softly. “And I’ll do whatever I can to convince Liz of that. But I also have to respect her decisions, just like she’s always respected mine.”

“Right. I guess.”

Max looked her. His love’s best friend. His best friend’s love. They hadn’t ever really talked this way before, but he still felt closer to her than to almost anyone. It was the same with Alex. The six of them had developed a bond through shared knowledge, shared experiences, that he truly believed could not be broken. “Maria, I know that things have all gone askew again. All I can tell you is that, in my heart, I believe it will all work out in the end. Not just for me and Liz. For all of us.”

Maria lips curved, just the ghost of a smile. “Liz once told me you were the eternal optimist. I guess she was right. You’re always telling us everything will be okay.”

“Have I been wrong yet?”

She shook her head and sighed. “You haven’t been wrong, Max, but the calls are getting closer.”

“He’ll come around, Maria. He just needs to come to terms with things. He cares about you too much to give you up.”

“Like Liz cares too much about you?”

It was his turn to sigh. “She believes that she’s standing between me and my destiny. I just have to show her that, without her, I have no future.”

Maria leaned forward and hugged Max tightly. Startled, he wrapped his arms around her as her sudden tears dampened his shirt. “He’s afraid of hurting me, Max. As if he would ever do that. Except like this. By pushing me away, thinking I’m better off without him. I’m not. I need him.”

“I know,” he whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. He had never seen Maria react this way. The Maria he knew was a fighter, a fireball. She’d sooner go three rounds in a ring than let you see her cry. It was as if Michael had tapped into some inner reserve and drained the fight out of her. The same way she had blasted through his defenses, revealing his vulnerability. “I know,” he whispered again. “It’ll be okay.” Hearing himself, he smiled. “You’re right,” he told her. “I guess I am the eternal optimist.”

Pulling back, Maria sniffled and brushed the tears from her cheeks. “It’s okay,” she assured him, attempting a wobbly smile. “Every group needs one.”

* * * * *

Michael stared at the Sheriff’s front door for a moment, then rang the bell. A part of him still couldn’t believe he was here. Despite everything that had happened, it was difficult to remember that Valenti was on their side. They had been hiding from him for so long, running from him. It was going to take some time to adjust to having him as an ally.

Then the door swung open and Jim Valenti was looking him in the eye. He looked tired, though he had obviously showered and shaved and was wearing fresh jeans and a clean white T-shirt. The fine lines around his eyes were more pronounced and the creases at the sides of his mouth seemed deeper. Still, he looked calmer, more pulled together than he had that morning, and not particularly surprised to see Michael standing on his front stoop. “Hello, Michael. Come on in.” He stepped back, holding the door open.

“Thanks.” Michael went inside, his eye drawn immediately to the closet in front of him, with its battered door and splintered frame. “I see he got out,” he noted.

The Sheriff looked toward the door and nodded. “He was gone by the time we got home. Kyle told me Max had done something to the lock. I assume it held long enough that he didn’t give you any trouble?”

“We didn’t see any sign of him. He probably headed straight to Hondo to meet up with Pierce.” Michael looked around briefly. “Is Kyle here?”

“No. He went for a drive. I think he just needed some time to absorb everything that happened this morning.” The Sheriff rubbed his hands over his face. “It was a lot to take in.”

“So, what exactly did you tell him?” Michael asked, his tone slightly wary.

“You don’t need to worry about Kyle. Yes, I told him who you three are, and that Max saved his life the same way he saved Liz Parker at the Crashdown last fall. I told him I’d been chasing after you since then, and that I was wrong to have done it. He won’t tell anyone,” he finished. “I promise.”

Michael nodded, his features relaxing very slightly.

Valenti sighed and headed into the den. “Have a seat. Can I get you anything?”

Michael shook his head. “I’m good, thanks.” He sat awkwardly on the couch. “Max just asked me to come fill you in on a couple of things.”

Valenti nodded and sat down opposite Michael. “I’m glad you came by. I wanted to talk to you about a few things, too. But why don’t you go ahead.”

“Sure. Uh, first of all, there’s Pierce. Or rather, his replacement.”

“They aren’t going to wait long. They’ll have someone else heading up the unit by tomorrow.”

Michael shook his head. “That’s what we wanted to tell you. They won’t be replacing him because we already did.”

“How?” Valenti looked confused.

“We sent someone in to take his place. Or rather, we sent Pierce back. As far as the FBI is concerned, Agent Pierce still heads up the Special Unit.”

“You lost me.”

Michael sighed inwardly, wondering exactly why Max thought he should be the one to have this conversation. He wasn’t good at explaining things. “Remember when you saw two Maxes at the carnival? Well, one was Max, and the other was Nasedo.”

A look of comprehension crossed Valenti’s face. “The shapeshifter.”

Michael nodded.

“But, I thought he was a killer? If he’s on your side, why did he take Liz? Why were you all going after him?”

“It’s complicated. He was trying to draw Pierce to him so he could kill him. He shapeshifted into Max and took Liz so Pierce would go after them.”

“But why put Liz in danger that way?”

“He didn’t care about Liz,” Michael said. “He doesn’t care about humans at all. His job was to protect us and that was it. No matter what that meant,” he added, his face grim. “So now he’s protecting us from inside the Special Unit, as Pierce.”

“Well, that’s good news, if you feel he can be trusted. It should eliminate the FBI threat for now, or at least slow it down. As for the real Pierce, he won’t be coming back to haunt anyone. Kyle and Alex helped me get the body over to the morgue and we switched it out with a John Doe that’s scheduled for cremation first thing tomorrow. By the time someone discovers John Doe’s corpse, there won’t be any way to find out who actually fed the fire.”

As he spoke, Valenti watched a myriad of emotions flicker through Michael’s eyes and wondered at the differences in the normally guarded young man. Going on a hunch, the Sheriff leaned forward to meet Michael’s gaze. “I want to thank you, Michael.”

A look of surprise flitted across Michael’s face. “What for?”

“For saving my life this morning.”

Michael looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“Michael, Pierce was getting ready to shoot me when you killed him. If you hadn’t done whatever it was that you did, I would be dead.”

Dark eyes dropped, then looked back up. Michael blinked rapidly several times, then looked away again.

Valenti watched him closely, reading the self-recriminations as if he had shouted them. “I’ve been a Sheriff in this town for over twenty years now. I haven’t seen as much trouble as some, but I’ve seen my fair share and I’ve killed men before, whether it was strictly in self defense or to protect someone else. It never gets any easier.” He paused, as if trying to determine whether Michael was listening. Apparently satisfied, he went on, his words carefully chosen for maximum impact. “That night out toward Bitter Lake, when Everett Hubble pointed his gun at Max, do you think I was right to shoot him?”

Michael looked up quickly. “It isn’t the same. It’s your job. You shot him to protect Max. You didn’t want Hubble dead.”

The Sheriff raised his brows. “I shot him. I killed him. He wasn’t an evil man, Michael, despite the fact that he was willing to kill Max. He was a sad man, a bitter man. He wanted vengeance for the murder of his wife and unborn child. That kind of thing can eat at you until you can’t see anything else. He ruined my father’s life. Nearly killed Max. I stopped him. Did I want him dead? I wanted to put him down. When I pulled the trigger, I shot to kill.”

“You don’t understand. I wanted Pierce dead. I wanted to kill him.” Michael stood and paced restlessly. “What does that make me?”

Valenti smiled briefly. “Well, Michael, despite recent events that indicate otherwise, I’d venture to say that makes you human,” he drawled.

“What?” Michael stopped abruptly and stared at Valenti.

“Pierce was a monster, Michael. He was hunting for you. He tortured your friend and would have killed him without a second thought. He would have killed all of you. Do you know what he said to me? We were standing behind the stairs in the UFO Center this morning and Isabel and Liz had just walked by to signal to you and Max that we were there. Pierce turned to me and told me to wait until I could see all six of you and then to start shooting.”

Michael sank back down on the couch, Valenti’s words draining the strength from his body. “All of us,” he stated flatly. It wasn’t anything he didn’t know already, not technically, but hearing it somehow made it more real.

“I asked about the civilians and he made some comment about acceptable losses. Michael, he wanted all of you dead. And had I really been doing a deal with him, I doubt I would have walked out alive either. It wasn’t about saving the planet from alien invaders. He was willing to shoot a bunch of kids down in cold blood. You, Max, and Isabel. Liz, Alex, and Maria. He was going to shoot me, then keep right on shooting, and you stopped him. If you had had a gun, you would have used it. You didn’t, so you did what you had to, Michael.”

The words hung in the air, seemed to float around the room. Michael could almost feel them circling him, swooping down to taunt him. He wanted to believe that it was that simple, that rational. He focused his eyes on Valenti’s face. He looked calm, serious, honest. “If that’s true, why do I feel this way?” he asked him softly, hesitantly. “Why do I feel like a killer?”

“I have two things to tell you. First, what you are feeling is a natural reaction. It’s when you can shoot someone and walk away without a thought that you need to worry. The feelings will fade. You just need a little time. Second, you saved all of our lives today. You deserve to feel proud of that, son.” He stood and extended his hand.

Michael stared at the hand in front of him for a long moment. Finally he looked up and met Valenti in the eye. Standing, he took the man’s hand in his and shook it. “Thank you, Sheriff,” he said, still sounding a bit unsure.

Blue eyes twinkled. “Call me Jim, Michael. And thank you. You saved my life, Max saved my son, and the six of you gave me back my father. I don’t think you can possibly understand what that means to me.”

Michael nodded, then looked away, suddenly embarrassed. “I’d better get going.” He shrugged. “School tomorrow.”

Jim Valenti chuckled. “Seems kind of strange, doesn’t it? After all that’s happened, to just go on as if things are still normal.”

“Things were never normal. We just got good at pretending.”

* * * * *

Alex walked down the front steps of his house and sat with his back up against the top step. He lay his stargazing guide, the twin of the one he’d given Isabel, on the ground next to him and stared up at the sky. It was just growing dark and the stars had yet to come out, but he could see a sliver of moon through the trees hovering just above the horizon, a luminous silver crescent. Shifting his gaze, he peered down the street at the tidy houses with their perfectly manicured lawns that lined the block. A few sprinklers were on, and the gentle pulsing of water hitting the sidewalk broke the quiet of the evening. Everything looked so peaceful, so normal, that Alex found it difficult to believe he was in the same world where FBI agents hunted his friends, let alone the same town. But then, Roswell wasn’t just any town. And his were no ordinary friends.

He stood and started down the front path. It was still too light to look at stars, and somehow he didn’t really feel like it anyway. Stargazing was a passive activity, at least when done alone, and he was suddenly overflowing with excess energy. The events of the past few days should have left him exhausted, but instead he felt restless, almost desperate to walk, to move, to accomplish. He hit the sidewalk at a jog and built up to a comfortable run. Never athletic, with the exception of his beloved dodgeball, Alex didn’t think he had ever run anywhere voluntarily in his entire life. But somehow it felt good. The air filling his lungs. The slap of his Nikes hitting the pavement. The gentle night breeze ruffling his hair off of his forehead. He could concentrate on keeping his feet moving, on the feel of his blood rushing through his veins and his heart pumping in his chest.

Maybe if he kept on running, if he paid close attention to what his body was doing, then he wouldn’t have to think about anything else. Maybe he wouldn’t see Liz’s tear-streaked face as she told him she wasn’t going to stand between Max and his destiny. Or the blank look on Maria’s face when Michael told her goodbye. And maybe he wouldn’t remember the feel of Isabel’s lips on his when she’d kissed him this morning or the way she fit so perfectly in his arms. Because if he remembered that, if he allowed himself to think about Isabel, to see her beautiful brown eyes sparkling in his mind’s eye, then the flood gates would open and the questions would come rushing at him. He would start asking whether she loved him. Whether it mattered. If an earthly love was any match for one written long ago in the stars. And if he was ever going to see her again. You could drown in those kinds of questions.

So, this was better. Running down the street on a warm spring night when the air was clean and crisp and the stars were slowly winking into view one by one. Feeling your muscles clench and stretch and the jarring as each foot pounded against the ground, taking you one step further from a home that felt just the slightest bit off, that seemed altered somehow, on a night that seemed not quite right. Hoping that each step took you that much closer to forgetting.

* * * * *

Isabel parked the Jeep in the driveway next to their mother’s car and turned to Max. He was staring at the house as if he had never seen it before. “Does it look different?” she asked him.

He nodded. “Yeah, kind of. I can’t believe I haven’t been here since Friday morning.” He glanced at Isabel. “And at the same time it feels like so much longer. Like we’re adults coming back to our childhood home after a long absence.”

“I guess, in some ways, we are.”

Max looked toward the front door. “There were a few moments when I wasn’t sure I’d be back at all,” he admitted quietly, then swung himself out of the Jeep and headed across the driveway before Isabel was even sure she had heard him correctly.

“Max,” she called, scrambling after him. “Max, wait.”

He stopped at the door and waited until she caught up. “I’m sorry, Iz,” he said. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, Max, don’t apologize. I’m the one who’s sorry. We should have talked about it. You *need* to talk about it.”

He shook his head. “There wasn’t time. And we can’t now,” he added softly, then pushed open the door and went inside. He looked back when she caught him by the arm, and smiled reassuringly. “Later,” he mouthed.

Isabel’s eyes flashed her displeasure, but she nodded and followed him into the house.

Once inside, Max turned in a slow circle, his somber eyes taking in every detail around him. Isabel watched him, concerned. It was like bringing a friend home from school for the first time and taking them on a tour of the house. But once she looked away from Max and focused on the room, she realized it did seem different. Nothing had actually changed; the coat rack stood where it always had, the same pictures hung on the walls, the living room furniture all sat in the usual spots. But there was still a sense of separateness, as if they no longer fit in with their surroundings. She shivered slightly, her eyes meeting Max’s.

“Ready?” he asked softly.

She shrugged, then nodded.

“Hey, Mom! We’re home,” Max called, heading toward the kitchen, and if there was a slight waver in his voice on the last word, it was too subtle for anyone but Isabel to notice.

* * * * *

Liz sat at her desk and stared out the window. She had begged off dinner with her parents, pleading a large, late lunch, thinking that she would be able to shut herself in the privacy of her room and lose herself in her schoolwork. She realized now that was an irrational hope at best. How could she concentrate on studying when her heart was shattered in a million pieces? And better yet, how could she study when every star in the sky was shining down on her, mocking her?

It was written in the stars. That phrase had always seemed so romantic. The idea that true love was fated and that the stars in the heavens would watch over destined lovers, memorizing their story and retelling it through the ages. When she learned the truth about Max Evans, the constellations took on another meaning altogether. Each twinkling star was just one more reminder of how special he was, and how special it made her feel to know that he loved her. Suddenly the stars spoke to her. She would take her journal and climb out on the roof at night to write under a magical, glittering sky, and feel enveloped by the wonders of a universe that had brought Max into her life. But, just as suddenly, that universe had taken him away from her. The stars now spoke another language, told another story, and Liz wondered if they had been laughing at her all along.

She tore her gaze from the night sky and tried once again to focus on the books in front of her. Chemistry. Geometry. She had to write a paper for English on the Romantic poets by Tuesday. If the stars weren’t laughing at her, she knew at least the gods were. Stacking the books in a neat pile, she rested her head on the top book and closed her eyes, but opened them again almost immediately. With her eyes closed she had no way of controlling what she saw and that’s when the flashes would start – not the kind she got with Max, but memories that fired so quickly through her brain they left her breathless. Max pressing his hand against the glass that separated them in the maze at the carnival… could it have been only two nights ago? Max stumbling through the wire fence, an angry red cut down the center of his chest, supported by Michael and the Sheriff. Max holding her hand and jumping off the bridge into the rushing water below. Max kissing her and telling her she was all that had kept him alive while he was held captive. Lying in Max’s arms in the abandoned van, holding him through the night as he shuddered and trembled his way through endless nightmares. Max saving Kyle’s life, healing him the way he had healed her all those months before. Max’s face, his eyes filled with pain, as she turned and walked away, leaving him to his destiny.

“Honey?”

Liz turned with a jolt at her mother’s voice. She was standing in the doorway, her brow furrowed with concern. Liz hadn’t even heard the door open. “What, Mom?”

“I just wanted to see if everything was okay.” Her mother came into the room and sat at the foot of the bed, her eyes on Liz’s face. “You’ve been so quiet since you got home, and then not wanting dinner… Is there anything you want to talk about? Did something happen?”

Liz sighed. “I’m okay, Mom. I’m just really tired and I have a lot on my mind.”

Mrs. Parker narrowed her eyes, as if trying to determine if her daughter was telling her the truth. She let out a weary sigh. “Liz, I know you don’t feel like you can discuss certain things with me, and I know I’ve said this before, but I want you to know that you can come to me with anything.” She paused, waiting for a response, receiving none. “Honey, are you sure you’re all right? Did you and Max have a fight?”

“I’m sure. And no, we didn’t.” Liz looked down, too tired to argue with her mother, too emotionally drained to feel even her usual impatience with the parental badgering, yet knowing there was no way she could hide the pain in her eyes. It ran too deep, felt too permanent. “I’d tell you if there was anything you could do.”

“Liz, you aren’t… honey, you’re not pregnant, are you?”

Liz looked up, a flicker of anger temporarily pushing her misery to the background. “No. I am not pregnant, Mom. How could you even think that? And if I were pregnant, I would tell you, Mom. I can’t believe you don’t even know me well enough to realize that,” she shot out.

Her mother looked both relieved and worried. “I’m sorry, sweetie. You just look so… mature all of a sudden. Different. Like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

“Well, maybe I do,” Liz muttered under her breath, marveling at that place her mother inhabited where a teen pregnancy was the worst thing she could imagine happening to her child. “Look, Mom. I’m fine. I am. I’m not pregnant or on drugs or flunking any classes, okay?” she snapped. “Now, please just leave me alone. Please. Not everything is something I can share with you. Not everything is something you can fix. Some things I just have to deal with on my own.”

Her mother stood, looking a little hurt, but just nodded. “Fine, Liz. You deal with whatever this is by yourself, then. And if you decide you can’t, well, you know where to find me.” She turned and walked from the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Liz stared at the closed door for a moment, then went over and did something she couldn’t remember ever having done before – she locked it. Then she turned and pressed her back to the wall and slid down to the floor. There was no way her mother could understand what she had been going through the last few days, what she was going through right now. And what could she ever say to explain it? A shapeshifter who looked like Max had held her hostage and used her as bait? The man she loved was nearly tortured to death by an alien-hunting FBI agent? Her boyfriend’s bride from a previous life had come back to claim him? Oh, and by the way, Max was the leader of his people, destined to free them from slavery? Hardly. Even to her it sounded like an Old Testament-based melodrama for the late night movie.

It struck Liz that her parents were suddenly too sheltered, too naïve, to be able to actually parent her. At some point over the past seventy-two hours, Liz had become an adult in a way they would never be. The worries she had, the dangers she faced, didn’t touch that place where her parents lived – her reality was much more serious. The thought sent a shiver down her spine, and made her feel incredibly alone. Now what? The FBI was no longer a problem and the Sheriff was on their side, so why was it she suddenly felt less safe than ever? Pulling her knees tightly into her chest, she dropped her head forward and allowed the tears to fall.

* * * * *

Maria was standing in the kitchen, staring at the contents of the half-empty refrigerator, when her mother came through the back door.

“Honey, are you trying to air condition the entire house that way?” she asked, when Maria failed to turn around.

Maria glanced at her mother as if she didn’t recognize her, then shook her head and peered back into the fridge. “Nothing looks good,” she commented, almost to herself.

Amy DeLuca frowned as she set her purse on the counter and turned her attention back to her daughter. “Well, are you looking for something for dinner? ‘Cause I thought I’d just order us some pizza.”

“I’m not really all that hungry,” Maria replied somewhat listlessly, letting the refrigerator door drift closed. She headed down the hall toward her room, unaware of her mother trailing after her until she flopped onto the bed and caught sight of her lingering in the doorway. “What, Mom? I just don’t feel like pizza.”

“So, what were you rummaging for just now, if you’re not hungry?”

“I don’t know. I just felt like I should eat something, even though I really don’t want to eat something, you know?”

Amy came in and sat on the edge of the bed and smoothed Maria’s hair back off her forehead. “You feel okay? You don’t seem warm.”

“I’m fine. Just….I don’t know. Antsy. Like I don’t know what to do with myself.”

“Maria, you’ve been out practically all weekend. I would think you’d be exhausted,” her mother remarked. “And surely you have a little studying you could be doing, young lady.”

With a groan, Maria sat up. “Look, Mom, I said I’m fine. You don’t need to go into parental overdrive, okay?”

Amy sighed. “All right. If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s your choice.”

“Mom. There’s nothing to talk about,” Maria insisted.

“Right. Okay.” Her mother stood and looked at her pointedly. “I’m here if you change your mind.” She walked out of the room.

Maria dropped back onto her bed with an exaggerated moan. As if things weren’t hard enough without her having to field questions from her mother. Ever since that morning Amy had found Michael in Maria’s bed, the don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy had apparently gone out the window. Yet another thing I have to thank Spaceboy for, Maria thought heatedly before she could stop herself, then dragged a pillow over her face to muffle another groan. Since Max had gone, she had been trying her hardest not to think of anything remotely alien-related. Unfortunately, the longest she had been able to last was about three minutes, give or take a minute, and it was starting to grate on her nerves.

That was what had prompted her otherwise purposeless foray into the wilds of the refrigerator. She desperately needed a distraction. Normally, she would have called Liz and Alex and suggested the three of them get together for a night of bad movies and Ben and Jerry’s, but she knew that wasn’t the answer. They were both nursing their own wounded hearts and this was one instance when misery didn’t love company. Their problems had moved way beyond the typical teen angst boyfriend/girlfriend stuff that could be solved by an evening of bingeing and bitching.

Giving into the inevitable, Maria tossed the pillow away and rolled over to stare out her window. It was a clear night and the sky was filled with stars. Figures, she thought. Of course, it hardly mattered. She didn’t need a starry sky to make her think of Michael. He was etched on her brain and no amount of Grief Relief was going to erase him.

Her eyes darted toward the napkin holder on her desk and the alien voodoo doll propped against it. Somehow those two items defined the borders of her relationship with Michael. One represented his first unguarded moments with her, while the other stood for the pain he had inflicted. It had taken her a long time to forgive him for that night at the soap factory. She had been so hurt, felt so used. She had built up a good head of anger, and that was what kept her going through the long nights when all she had really wanted to do was cry.

Trouble was, this time, she couldn’t seem to get angry. Trouble was, this time, she understood why he was pushing her away. That night at the rave, when he told her that maybe they never should have started this, whatever “this” was, he was being selfish. Yes, he was scared, but he was scared for himself. He thought that being with her would make him feel too much, make him vulnerable, make him attached. And that terrified him. But now he was afraid for her. His concern was for her vulnerability. Because he already felt too much, loved her too much. He wanted to protect her because he loved her, and that was about as unselfish as you could get. And how could she get mad at him for that?

Which was not to say that she agreed with him, or that she was going to just sit back and accept his goodbye as the final word. She had been completely sincere when she told him the danger didn’t matter. It didn’t. Because none of that danger came from him. He would never hurt her, *could* never hurt her, no matter how out of control his powers were. It scared her to realize how much she trusted him – she who trusted so few people. She had complete faith in his gentleness, in that sweet and caring side that he rarely let surface but that was there nevertheless, hidden beneath the spiky hair and the scowl. Loving Michael was still a dangerous thing, for all sorts of reasons. Because the FBI was still a threat. Because Nasedo had no consideration for human life. But mostly because one day Michael might really have to leave her, might have to go home, and on that day she would have to let him go. But she wasn’t willing to do so a minute before then.

With a little smile, she slid off the bed and went over to her desk. She picked up the little stuffed alien and stared at it thoughtfully. Then, one by one, she pulled the toothpicks out and threw them away.

* * * * *

Diane Evans watched her children across the dinner table. Something had happened, something that had made her normally chatty daughter silent and her taciturn son even more withdrawn. Her husband seemed unaware of the change, entertaining them all with stories of his upcoming court cases and an in-depth analysis of the new lawnmower he intended to buy, not noticing that both kids appeared unusually fatigued and that Max especially had dark circles beneath his eyes. A knot slowly tightened deep in her stomach as she searched her children’s faces. She couldn’t imagine what could have possibly transpired in the last few days that had suddenly given them this world-weary look. And a mother’s instinct told Diane that they would never tell her.

“Anyone want seconds?” she asked, taking refuge in the routine of offering edible comforts. “There’s more chicken.”

Isabel looked up from a half-full plate and graced her with a smile. “No, thanks. I guess I’m not all that hungry.”

Turning to her son who didn’t appear to have registered the question, Diane prompted him. “Max?”

He looked up, startled, his mind clearly far away. “What? Oh, no thanks, Mom.” He paused and glanced at Isabel and as their eyes met Diane thought she could see the exchange of some sort of message, almost apologetic. After that, he seemed to be making a concerted effort to eat. It reminded her of when he was small and would methodically eat all of his vegetables first in order to get them out of the way. There was no pleasure involved, just an acceptance that this was what he needed to do to please his parents. Not for the first time, she wondered how much of Max’s responsible, serious nature stemmed from a fear of losing his adoptive parents’ love. She had always tried to be supportive of both her children, to assure them that she would love them no matter what, but she suspected that a part of Max could never truly believe it. The incident over the kitchen fire a few months back had only reaffirmed her suspicions. Whatever secret was tormenting her son, he had not been willing to share it with his mother. It broke her heart, but she had backed away. For now it was enough that he knew that she loved and trusted him.

It had helped that he had recently begun to come out of his shell. Diane knew she had Liz Parker to thank for the smile she had frequently seen on Max’s lips the past few months, and for the light that shone in his eyes. It had eased her heart to know that someone had been able to break through his protective shield, that someone had made a connection with him. And if that connection was also responsible for Max’s first trip to the principal’s office and a crazy, ill-advised night spent in the desert, well, she was grateful enough that her son was finally behaving like a normal teenager that she could almost be amused. Because, underneath the sudden impulsive behavior, was still the responsible young man, and Diane ultimately had faith in the choices he would make.

She wondered if something had happened with Liz, but then swiftly dismissed the idea. If Max and Liz were having problems, it could very well account for the haunted look in his eyes, but it wouldn’t explain Isabel’s reserved behavior. No. Something else was going on, and Diane couldn’t help but feel afraid.

Turning, she caught her husband watching her, a look of concern on his face, and realized he was more aware of what was happening than she had given him credit for. He had seen how quiet Max and Izzy were, and tried to fill the void with his ongoing prattle. After all these years, she should have known. It was his version of offering seconds. She smiled at him reassuringly, and was rewarded when he smiled back, easing the tension around his eyes. Her Philip. Always there for her, through the heartbreak and tragedy of their early lives together, through the miracles that followed. Her love. She could only hope that her children would be as blessed in their future relationships.

The doorbell rang, startling her out of her reverie. Placing her napkin beside her plate, she automatically started to rise.

“I’ll get in, Mom,” Max said, putting a gentle hand over hers. He and Isabel shared another cryptic moment, and then he walked out of the room. A moment later, she heard low, masculine voices in the front hall, before Max called out, “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Diane rose and began clearing the table and Isabel started to help. Whatever else was going on, it was clear that dinner was over.

* * * * *

Kyle was relieved when Max opened the door. After driving around aimlessly for most of the afternoon, he had finally found himself in front of the Evans’ house, but once he rang the bell he had panicked. After everything that had happened, after the crazy things his father had told him, he wasn’t sure what he was going to say. Then Max was standing in front of him, looking tired and stressed, but basically the same as always, and Kyle knew that, while everything had changed over the course of the day, things were fundamentally the same.

“Hey, Kyle,” Max said. “How’re you doing?”

“I’m okay,” Kyle admitted slowly. “Thanks to you. Listen, maybe I should have called or something before coming over, but do you think we could talk?”

“Sure. No problem. Just a sec.” Max tucked his head back into the house and shouted something before coming back outside and closing the door. “Let’s go down here,” he said, nodding toward the wall that separated the driveway from the front lawn. They both sat, partially facing each other, wearing equally serious expressions. “So,” Max said, “I guess your father filled you in on…?”

“On who you guys are? Yeah. He did.”

“Right.” Max paused, studying Kyle, trying to determine just where this was going.

“Look, Max,” Kyle finally continued, “I just wanted to thank you for what you did today. You know,” he looked around quickly as if making sure they were alone, “Saving my life. I… uh… well, I guess I’m not really sure what to say,” he confessed, his eyes on the gravel beneath his feet.

“You don’t need to say anything, Kyle.”

“Yeah. I do. I mean, I’ve been a real ass to you all year, ever since the whole thing with Liz started, and I want to apologize.”

“You don’t need to. The one has nothing to do with the other. And I guess if the situations had been reversed, I wouldn’t have been too fond of me either,” Max said, trying to keep the tone light. Though he understood Kyle’s need to talk about what happened, he wasn’t up to a deep and meaningful conversation, especially since he knew they would end up talking about Liz.

Kyle glanced up, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. “So, that’s what you did to Liz last September, huh? She really was shot at the Crashdown and you healed her.”

Max just nodded.

“How long does the souvenir last?” Kyle asked. “You know, the silver handprint on my chest.”

“Just a day or so.”

“Right. Okay. So that’s why the one I saw on Liz’s stomach was gone by the time my dad questioned her.” He nodded, the pieces clearly starting to click into place. “Well, I’ll admit that things make a lot more sense now. You know, that trip you guys took down to Texas. The way you were so freaked when I showed up. Liz keeping all of those secrets all the time. My dad’s obsession with you.”

“Yeah, I can see how they might.” Max looked uncomfortable. Kyle seemed a little too calm.

Almost as if reading his thoughts, Kyle smiled. “Look, Max, you don’t have to worry about me spilling the beans on you guys. I mean, you saved my life and Guerin saved my dad. I owe you. And even if I didn’t, well, I guess you’re basically a pretty good guy. I mean, for an alien.” He laughed.

Max relaxed somewhat. “You’re okay too, Kyle. For a jackass.”

They both laughed, remembering their night of drunken bonding. “I guess now I know why you can’t hold your liquor,” Kyle said. “That was one weird night.”

“Not half as weird as some of the nights I’ve spent lately,” Max muttered.

Kyle grew serious. “My dad told me about Fisher. What’s his real name? Pierce? He told me what happened to you. You okay, man?”

Max’s expression turned carefully blank. “Yeah. It’s over.”

Kyle noted Max’s instant detachment and decided to change the subject. “Good.” He paused, taking in the sudden tension in the air. “Listen, Max, I’m sorry for all the times I pushed you about Liz. I was just, I guess I was just bitter. It wasn’t even that I thought what she and I had was that great or anything. I just resented the way I thought you had horned in. But you two, well, I can see what you have is special. It’s the real thing, you know?”

Max smiled a little sadly. “Yeah. I know.” He looked up at the sound of the front door opening. Isabel came slowly across the yard.

“Mom asked me to come see what was keeping you. She wants to know if you want any dessert.” She dropped down onto the wall next to Max. “As if strawberry shortcake will make everything all better,” she sighed. “Hey, Kyle,” she added softly.

“Hey Isabel,” he smiled in return. “So, I’m assuming your folks have no idea about any of this?”

Max shook his head.

“That must be tough. Keeping it from them. Feeling like you have to keep it from them.”

Max shot a glance at Isabel, who reached out and gave his hand a quick squeeze, as if to tell him she understood how he felt. “It’s hard,” she admitted to Kyle. “But it’s for the best. The fewer people who know the better.”

“So, until Liz found out, no one knew?”

“No one,” Max said. “After I saved Liz, I kind of had to tell her. And she told Maria, because she had been there and knew something was up.”

“What about Alex?”

Isabel sighed. “Liz kept it from him for a long time. It almost ended their friendship. She finally ended up telling him that night after the party at the old soap factory. Your dad had thrown the two of them in jail. He was trying to get the truth out of them and Alex was so angry with Liz, he was ready to talk. So she told him about us and he became part of our secret.”

Kyle arched his eyebrows. “Well, I guess there’s two more of us. I know my dad wants to help you guys. He feels really bad about going after you all this time. And if there’s ever anything I can do, just name it.”

“Thanks, Kyle. But your father has saved my life twice in the past couple of months. I’d say we’re pretty much even,” Max told him. “But I appreciate it.”

“Right. Okay. Well, I guess I’m gonna take off.”

“You want to come in for some strawberry shortcake?” Isabel asked softly.

“Nah. Thanks anyway. I better get home before the ol’ man sends out a posse.” He smiled. “I guess I’ll see you guys in school tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Good night, Kyle,” Max said. They both stood, facing each other, and after a second Max put out his hand. Kyle took it and they shook hands firmly. “Thanks again.”

“That’s my line, Evans,” Kyle replied, then turned and headed for his car.

Max and Isabel stood and watched as he got in and drove away. “If you had told me a week ago that we were going to become friends with the Sheriff and his son, I would have tried to have you committed,” Isabel informed her brother as Kyle’s car vanished around the corner.

“I know,” Max said. “Come on. Let’s go inside.”

* * * * *

She hadn’t realized how big the house was until she found herself alone in it. Sitting cross-legged on the dining room table in the semi-darkness, she was aware of the settling of floor boards, the quiet that permeated every room, the solitude that enveloped her so completely. The night seemed to have crept into the house, sneaking under the doors and slipping through the window panes until she was surrounded. It was different when he was here. There was life, sounds, a presence besides her own. She had never fooled herself into thinking he brought any warmth to her existence, but he provided companionship, the feeling that someone was protecting her. And now he was gone, and the spacious rooms crammed with antiques seemed that much colder than before.

The cold came from within. She knew it the way she knew which stars were theirs. She trembled at the realization that nothing was going to end up as it should. After all she had survived, the years of loneliness, the travelling from place to place, in the end it would be for nothing. Together they had lived and fought and died. Together they had crossed the galaxies – only to become strangers in this place so far from home, where they needed each other more than ever. Ah… but they had each other, didn’t they? And the others they had found here. They had changed, adapted, and she had been left behind.

What was she supposed to do now? Just sit back, fade away, leave them to their human lives at the risk of all they used to hold dear? Would they sacrifice their home, their people for a few years’ happiness in a world where they cannot even admit their true identities? That would seem to be the ultimate in selfishness.

She played restlessly with the sugar packets on the table in front of her, ignoring her half-eaten yogurt, building tiny sugar walls and forts and cities. Somewhere in the house a clock chimed once. She wondered what they were doing now. Were they sleeping peacefully in their beds? Or were they tossing and turning, trying to make sense of the deluge of information suddenly confronting them? Did they think of her at all?

She suspected that Max thought of her, though not in the way she would wish. Instead of considering her his destined mate, she was an obstacle which kept him from Liz. Even now that Liz had walked away, Max would continue to pursue her. If anything had survived from the life before, it was his stubborn singleness of purpose. What he believed in, he fought for; what he wanted, he took; what he loved, he would possess. It was what had made him a great leader. And husband.

There was no choice now. Surely they could see that. Too much depended on them. Lives were at stake. How could they ignore their destinies when it would mean turning their backs on the people who depended upon them? From her earliest memories, this was what she had been taught, this was what she had known. It was meant to be.

A noise in the other room made her look up. Before she could move to slide off the table, a dark figure appeared in the doorway. Her blue eyes grew wide.

“That’s hardly much of a dinner.”

“What are you doing here?” she breathed. “You were supposed to go back, to be Pierce.”

Moving into the light of the room, he revealed the face of Ed Harding. “I could hardly leave my Tessy here all alone without providing for her, could I?” he asked, his voice saccharine sweet.

“What do you mean?” She pulled herself to the edge of the table and let her legs dangle over the side.

“I needed to take care of a few legalities,” he told her. “Before I disappear into the FBI, I wanted to give you this.” He handed her a large manila envelope. “Documents required for your emancipation, giving you control of your assets and the property in the house. The furnishings, as you know, are worth a tidy sum. There are detailed instructions for both you and for an attorney who can take care of the necessary arrangements.”

She stared at the envelope in her hands for a moment before setting it on the table. “You knew this was going to happen?”

“I’m hardly clairvoyant,” he remarked. “Given the circumstances of our daily existence, there was always the chance that something such as this would be necessary. I was merely prepared.” He studied her serious expression. “You used the orbs, didn’t you?”

“Yes. Max wanted to know.”

He swore quietly. “Headstrong,” he muttered. “So, now you all know. Who you were and what you are meant to do. Where are they? Off with their humans?” he sneered.

She shook her head. “They went home. They… Michael ended things with Maria. And then at the cave, after we watched the message from the orbs, Liz told Max that she couldn’t stand in the way of his destiny.”

He raised his eyebrows. “The girl walked away from him? How very unexpected of her. I thought he would come to his senses long before she would cease her ridiculous babbling about seeing into each other’s souls. I suppose she was frightened, finally.” He clapped his hands together once. “Why so grim? This is good news, isn’t it? You can have your little family and everything will proceed as it was destined.”

“No,” she replied. “Max didn’t want to let Liz go, but he did anyway. I think he feels it will protect her. But he told me after she left that he has no feelings for me.” Her eyes dropped to the floor. “He is willing to accept that the four of us must work together to fight our enemies, but no more. He’ll always love Liz.”

“Hmmm.” He rubbed his chin as he thought, a stupid human gesture but one that had become a habit. “He only thinks that now, because it is all so new and she is still fresh in his mind. Whatever insanity has possessed him will end soon enough. And if not, there are always other steps that can be taken. For the time being you must be satisfied with what progress you have made. And you must all take great care as I will no longer be here to watch your every move. The FBI is not the only danger you have to face now. Those orbs could quite possibly have alerted any number of enemies. Remain on your guard.”

She sighed. “We will. So, you’re really going back in?”

“Those are my instructions,” he replied. “He remembers much, without even realizing it,” he told her. “Despite the years spent with these sluggish humans, he has retained his quick mind. Now, don’t forget. Caution in all things.” Then he turned and slipped back into the shadows. Once again, she was alone.

* * * * *

It was late by the time Michael finally headed home. He had wandered for hours after leaving the Sheriff’s house, thinking about everything he had learned over the course of the day. Not all of the knowledge was good. Yes, he had learned they could trust Valenti, had discovered that he really did have a purpose in life, had found that there was more power in him than he had ever suspected. But he had also learned that he was capable of killing, and no matter how justified the act had been, the ease of it still chilled him to the core of his being. Perhaps Valenti was right, and in time he would accept that killing Pierce, wanting him dead, did not mean that he was bad. However, that didn’t make him any less dangerous to the people around him.

His steps were heavy as he made his way down the hall to his apartment. It had taken every ounce of strength he had to turn his feet down his own street, toward his own home. Each step felt like a victory – and a failure. Because what he desperately wanted was to go to her. To head down her street. To peer through her window in the hopes of catching just a glimpse of tousled blond waves and sparking green eyes. He had no illusions as to what her reaction would be if she caught him. This time there would be no understanding words or comforting arms or invitations to crawl into the warmth and softness of her bed. And he couldn’t blame her. After months of running hot and cold, after throwing her words in her face, hiding behind walls, accusing her of manipulating him, and in general taking her for granted, he had no doubt that he had finally succeeded in pushing her away. It had been inevitable. He knew from the start that it couldn’t last, that he would only hurt her in the end. She was so much better off without all of the craziness and danger he brought to her existence. She deserved so much more than what he was, what he could give her. For once in his life he was doing the right thing.

He just never thought it would hurt so much. He hadn’t known being noble could rip your heart out by the roots while it still beat in your chest. It hurt to breathe. His skin felt tight, his nerve endings sending off flares at the slightest touch. It would kill him if anything happened to her, but it was killing him to stay away. If it felt like this after just one day, how would he survive the week? A voice inside his head pressed him to go to her, just to reassure himself that she was safe. But he knew it wouldn’t work. The instant he saw her he would crumble. A furtive glimpse wouldn’t be enough. He would need to hear her voice, touch her skin, inhale her unique fragrance, feel her arms around him. One moment in her presence and he would be pleading for forgiveness.

She had done this to him. Weakened him. She had knocked down every level of his defenses against emotion until he no longer knew how not to feel. His need for her was a physical thing – not in a sexual way, although that was certainly one part of it – but a tangible yearning that made him clench his hands, that made his pulse skip a beat. He could so easily allow that desperation to cloud his judgement. So he would stay away. For her. For his own peace of mind. Better to go insane from wanting her, than from losing her.

He let himself into his apartment and flipped on the light. It had been days since he had been home. The past few nights he hadn’t really slept, and before that he had been staying on Max’s floor, tortured by those dreams about Isabel. Now he wondered if they were even real. Despite the message from their home planet, he wasn’t entirely convinced that the dreams had been a manifestation of their destiny. Given the timing of recent events, it seemed more likely that Tess had planted them instead. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking on his part. He supposed he would know for sure soon enough. Assuming he could even fall asleep.

Everything was as he had left it. A couple of shirts tossed over a chair, his sheets in a twist on the couch. He picked up his pillow from the floor and pulled the sheets into some semblance of order before dropping onto the couch and stretching out. He kicked his shoes off and curled onto his side, feeling his tired body sink into the cushions. Every muscle ached with days worth of stress. Turning his head, he buried his face in the pillow, inhaling deeply when he caught the faintest whiff of cypress oil clinging to the pillow case. He groaned. No way was he going to be able to sleep tonight.

* * * * *

Alex lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He was exhausted, but sleep refused to come. His body was still, yet his mind continued to whirl, the thoughts he had worked so diligently to block all day swirling to the foreground to torment him. Mostly he thought about what Liz had told him – the hologram at the cave and what Isabel’s mother had said. He knew how Isabel longed to tell her mother – her earth mother, that is – the truth about who she and Max were. The love and gratitude she felt for the woman who had raised her was enormous, and Alex knew she regretted keeping secrets from her. He could only imagine what Isabel was feeling now, in the face of her new knowledge. He wondered if she felt a divided loyalty between the only mother she had ever known and this woman who had given her life, apparently not just once but twice.

It surprised him that he was not more disturbed by the idea that Isabel had lived before. In some ways, he was actually intrigued by the concept. It was hard to imagine Isabel looking any other way than she did now, not because he was shallow or because he placed undue emphasis on her beauty, but because that beauty was such an integral part of who she was. Her sweetness and vulnerability came, not just from the pressures of hiding her true self from the world, but from the way the people around her reacted to her looks. It had to have affected her personality, living with the knowledge that people were attracted to her exterior and, as a result, rarely took the time to know the real Isabel. She built up walls, defenses. She obsessed over clothes and makeup, projected her carefully crafted image, wore the mantle of the Ice Princess.

But Alex knew much of that was a façade. Beneath the glamour girl was a daughter, a sister, a loyal and loving friend. A strong woman with a passionate streak and a gentleness that would have surprised the population of West Roswell High. How different had she been in that other life? She couldn’t have been the same – his Isabel with a different face, a different body. That would discount every moment she had spent growing up on this planet, every interaction she ever had with the human beings surrounding her. The old “nature versus nurture” question. Just how much did genetics determine who you were, and how much was the result of how you were raised? Alex yawned, almost amused at himself. He was starting to sound like Liz.

Shifting onto his side, Alex tried to get more comfortable. He was feeling a little sleepier, a little calmer than he had before. Somehow he had managed to talk himself out of that panic-stricken place where he had been sure he would never see Isabel again. It had helped to think about things from her perspective, and to remember that she was a thinker, a planner. Michael was the impulsive one, Max the one in charge, but Isabel followed her own path in her own time and wouldn’t be rushed into her decisions by either of them. Alex smiled, recalling how long it had taken for her to open up to him, how patient he had needed to be while she gradually learned to trust him. He could be that patient again, or more so if necessary. And in the meantime, he determined, he would go on with business as usual. He was Isabel’s friend before he was anything else, and nothing had happened that could change that fact.

* * * * *

In the darkest part of the night, a light flickered on in the Evans house. Max sat bolt upright in bed, shaking uncontrollably, sweat drenching his body. Terror traveled his veins like a fast-acting poison, affecting every limb and ligament. With trembling hands, he brushed a damp lock of hair from his forehead as he attempted to regain control of his breathing. His heart was pounding at an inhumanly fast rate and he wondered why it didn’t leap from his chest and get it over with. His glazed eyes darted around the room, taking in the comforting surroundings as he tried to convince his beleaguered brain that he was indeed home, in his own bedroom, and not in some white-walled government lab. He was safe.

But he didn’t feel safe. In the harsh light of day with his friends and family depending on him, he could be that other person – the in-control, strong, brave Max Evans. They needed him to lead them, to protect them. But alone in the darkness with his defenses down, he was the real Max, and he couldn’t see a clear path for them to take. He felt the burdens of responsibility – the weight of two planets now sitting on his shoulders. How was he supposed to know what to do? He didn’t feel like a leader, a warrior. Instead he felt afraid. They would look to him for answers and he had none.

His eyes fell on the framed photo by his bed. Liz. In the picture she was smiling, her long brown hair loose around her sweet face. He reached out and traced her smile with one unsteady finger. He loved her beyond reason. She made him whole, kept him sane. Last night she had held him in her arms through a few hours of fitful sleep, whispering in his ear, chasing the nightmares away. This morning she had set him free to follow his destiny. Her strength humbled him.

He rose on still-shaky legs and stripped off his wet shirt, then went to his bureau and pulled out a fresh one. He tugged at the towel that hung over the back of his chair and swiftly rubbed it over his face and bare chest, then put on the dry shirt. Standing by the window, staring up at the stars, he felt slightly more in control. He took a deep breath and exhaled, concentrating on filling his lungs and emptying them completely. As he stood there, breathing in and out, he felt as if the stars were watching him, judging, waiting for him to make a decision.

How do you choose between your head and your heart? he mused. And why did he have to make a choice? His head told him that he must fulfill his destiny, that he must find a way to free his people, that he must live up to the honor of their trust. He could not let them down. But his heart clung to Liz. She was his destiny. Perhaps once he and Tess had belonged together, but that was so long ago, in a world he didn’t remember. How would being with Tess now help him save their planet?

When Liz had walked away and Michael held him back, Max had not fought either of them. A small part of him acknowledged that they might both be right. The part that had once told Liz they weren’t meant to be – that they were different. The part of him that knew that, by loving her, he put her in danger every single day. The part that couldn’t stand to see her hurt. Fear had always been so intertwined with his life; was it fair to weave it through hers as well? By letting her go now, he freed her to live a life of safety. He could give her a normal life if he let her walk away. Protect her from whatever was in store for them now. He could not fool himself into thinking the hard part was over. Whatever they were going to face, the things they went up against from now on would most likely make Pierce and the Special Unit look like a summer holiday. He shivered once, a fleeting image from his nightmares flashing before his eyes.

But that was not what Liz had walked away from today. She hadn’t run from the danger – she never had. Liz’s fears were fuelled by her heart, by her love for him, by her need to see him rise to the heights for which he was destined. Hers was the bravest, most unselfish act he had ever known. If she had been merely afraid for herself, he could have let her go. But knowing that she wanted to be with him whatever the risks, he could not bring himself to let her slip away. “You’re with who you choose to be with.” She had told him that, but it wasn’t true. He didn’t have a choice, couldn’t help how he felt. He loved her and always would. He needed her at his side. And tomorrow he would tell her, and pray she understood. Without Liz, the future was nothing.

* * * * *

Maria DeLuca was asleep. She lay curled on her side, a few strands of blonde hair creeping across her forehead, one hand tucked beneath her pillow, the other clutching a slightly-worse-for-wear stuffed alien. Before going to bed, she had opened one window halfway and left the curtains parted so she could gaze at the sky. Now, light from the sliver of moon and twinkling stars spilled into her room and made her sleeping face glow. Her eyes flicked rapidly back and forth beneath their lids as she dreamed.

Had she been awake, Maria would have been surprised and a little amused at the turn her subconscious had taken. After days of being afraid and unsure, she would have guessed that her dreams would have taken a nightmarish twist. Instead, she found herself reclining on a pristine beach, warm waves lapping at her outstretched toes. The sun beat down on her tired body, infusing her with new energy and feelings of contentment. As a shadow fell across her, blocking the sun, she opened her eyes and squinted, trying to see who was standing there. It appeared to be a waiter, decked out in a trim bathing suit and a bow tie. He carried a tray with a tall, fruity looking drink, a slice of pineapple suspended over the side of the glass. Even before he came fully into focus, Maria could tell from his spiky-topped silhouette that it was Michael.

He leaned over and placed the glass on the small table next to her deck chair. Then, seemingly from thin air, he produced a bottle of sunblock. His face stern, he poured a generous amount into his hand, and, kneeling down, started working the lotion over her arms and legs. His strong hands were warm from the sun and the sunblock smelled pleasantly of coconuts. Maria relaxed, feeling the tension leave her body, enjoying the sensation of Michael taking care of her.

When he was done, he gently brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, then kissed the top of her head. “I love you too much to let you get hurt,” he whispered. “I need you too much to leave you all alone. I’ll be back,” he promised quietly. “Good bye.” Then he was gone and the sun was once again shining down on her.

Shifting in her sleep, Maria sighed, a small smile creeping across her moon-lit face. Settling more comfortably into her pillow, she failed to wake long enough to see the spiky-haired figure that slipped through the window and made its way down the dark street.

* * * * *

Isabel felt as if she were being torn in countless directions. She was worried about everything and everyone. Learning who they were and why they were here was only the beginning. How were they supposed to proceed from here? How could they fight a nameless, faceless enemy simply by looking for the evil in their hearts? Half of the people they came across, it seemed, had evil in their hearts. Stretched out on her bed, staring into the darkness, she felt as if her brain was marching double time. Why did it seem that, the more answers they found, the more questions they had? Things just kept spinning more and more out of control.

Their relationships were more out of control than anything. Had it only been a few days since she thought she was pregnant with Michael’s child? When Max told her it was impossible, she had actually breathed easy, thinking maybe things were on the way back to being normal. Normal. Hah. Whatever that was. For the first time she suspected she knew what it was like to be Max, always concerned, always trying to take care of all of them. She just wanted to get back to that place, a few months ago, where the worst thing in her life was having to watch her brother fawn all over Liz at the Crashdown, while Maria and Michael bickered across the booth and Alex tried to tease her into going out with him. Just simple teenage days. When there were things to make her smile. That made her laugh. When she felt safe.

Now she just felt worried. Under siege. She was scared for Michael, thinking of his face when he realized that he had killed Pierce. How would he get past that? If she had killed Pierce, or Max had, or even one of the others, it would have been so much easier. None of them had the associations with violence that Michael did in his mind. All he could see was his inability to control his powers, his rage. And, perhaps worst of all, when he struck out he believed it made him like Hank. She thought if he would just let Maria in, she would be able to make him see that he was wrong. Though Isabel hated to admit it, she admired the little blonde’s stubborn tenacity and her ability to break down Michael’s walls. Maria had been good for him in a way that Isabel never could be. At first she had been jealous, but now she was grateful. Whatever destiny claimed, Isabel knew Michael would never be more to her than her brother, and she wanted him to have someone to love. He deserved to be happy, if only he would see it.

Thoughts of Maria made Isabel wonder what they were all feeling tonight – the human counterparts to their little group. Had Liz cried herself to sleep? Was Maria cursing Michael’s name? Did Alex fall asleep thinking of her? Alex. She had wanted so badly to go see him, to talk to him. She hated that he had had to rely on Liz in her overwrought state to fill him in on everything that had happened. It wasn’t fair. But the truth was, she didn’t know what she would say to him. She had no idea which way to go, what the status of their relationship was, if he even wanted to have a relationship with her anymore. Michael was pushing Maria away, Liz had left Max; it seemed reasonable to assume that her relationship with Alex, so much more recent and tentative than those of the other couples, would just fade away into the background. If her brothers couldn’t bring the girls into the reality of their new, more dangerous life, how could she demand differently of Alex? But… the truth was, she had waited so long and been so cautious about letting him into her life, she didn’t want to let him go now that he was there. Maybe it was childish and selfish, but he had become too important to her to give up without a fight. She just hoped the others felt the same way. They all needed each other, now more than ever.

Rolling on her side, she stared at the wall that separated her room from her brother’s and wondered how he was. She was unaccustomed to having to worry about Max – he was always so strong and in control – but now she was more concerned for him than for any of them. He had been through so much over the last week and, with the final blow of Liz’s departure, he seemed to be withdrawing into himself more than ever. Isabel only had the barest idea of what Max had suffered at Pierce’s hands from her brief walks through his subconscious, but that coupled with Liz’s plea earlier that day was enough to scare her. How was it going to affect him once he slowed down long enough to think about it? Granted, he had seemed remarkably pulled together all day. In some ways it was as if his ordeal had made him even stronger, more determined. Adult. But Isabel couldn’t help but remember the look on his face when they had finally come home. He’d seemed lost. Deflated. And she had wondered which was hurting him more – memories of being tortured or losing Liz.

* * * * *

The night seemed endlessly long. Liz had finally given up on the idea of getting anything accomplished and had crawled into bed in the same clothes she had been wearing all day… or was it two days? She didn’t know. Didn’t care. Time had somehow run together until it had lost all meaning or order and everything that had happened had taken on the appearance of a dark, blurry watercolor. All she knew for sure was she had to be up and on her way to school in a few hours, and she was dreading it.

Never in her life had Liz Parker dreaded going to school. It had always been a haven, a place where she fit in easily and excelled naturally. But things had changed. Everything had changed. Why should school be immune to that? She was going to have to walk through the halls, go to class, and somehow stay away from Max. Avoid talking to him. Avoid looking at him. It seemed an impossible task, both because their paths crossed innumerable times every single day, and because she wanted so desperately to see him. How was she ever going to be strong enough to stay away?

The connection she had with Max had been growing steadily since the day of the shooting. She could hardly believe it was less than nine months ago – life had changed so radically. She had changed so radically. And that was really the key, wasn’t it? She had changed. Grown up. A split second, a bullet, a pair of gentle hands and warm brown eyes, and her entire life had been permanently up-ended. She had told Max she wished they could go back so she could stop him from saving her life, but only if that meant he would be safe. She wouldn’t give up a moment of those last months otherwise – the danger, the chaos, the love, even the pain. Because the past nine months with Max had been more real, more special, than anything she had ever known. Feelings that intense were unique, and to be cherished.

But what she felt now, the pain of giving him up, was killing her. She had to do it, had to close her eyes and her heart and let him live the life he was meant to live. It would be selfish to stand in his way, and so wrong. She couldn’t be the one to deny him his future. She loved him too much. But it hurt so badly, she didn’t see how she could possibly survive. Anyone who claimed the heart was only an organ to pump blood had never truly been in love, because her heart was breaking and it was a very real physical sensation, science be damned. Something was crushing her chest from the inside, making it nearly impossible to draw breath.

She dragged her exhausted body from the bed and stumbled to the windows. She had closed and locked them earlier, fearing Max might make one of his evening forays to her rooftop to try to change her mind. While she knew the locks couldn’t keep him out, she also knew they would. Max would never use his powers to enter her room uninvited. Now she opened the window wide and inhaled deeply, letting the night air fill her lungs and cool her feverish face. Leaning her forehead against the sill, she closed her eyes and tried to let her mind go blank. Somehow she had to get a hold of herself. This was no different than the night Max had told her he wanted to take a step back. It had been hard and she had hurt, but she had gotten through it. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if this was how he had felt that night – wanting to be with her, but knowing that it wasn’t meant to be. Because, ultimately, he had been right all along. No matter what they wanted, no matter how they felt, the truth was inevitable. They were just… different. Their entire lives were like that moment in the maze when they had finally found each other – they could see each other and hear each other, but a clear pane of glass divided them.

Knowing that only true exhaustion could make her wax philosophical, Liz slid the window closed and once again locked it in place. Then she made her way back to her bed and collapsed on top of the sheets. The red numbers on her clock glowered at her menacingly: 2:38. She groaned. Regardless of the state of her mind, she had been going for days on only a few hours of rest and it was catching up to her. Physically and emotionally worn, she allowed her tired, red-rimmed eyes to drift closed. Her body, pushed to the limits of her endurance, slipped easily into a fitful sleep.

Outside on the roof, a tall anonymous figure emerged from the shadows and swung over the wall. He had been watching her for sometime with interest, searching for indications of her weakening. He was not at all pleased with what he had witnessed. Experience told him that humans, especially of the female variety, frequently changed their minds. And, while he was admittedly surprised that she had willingly relinquished her hold on Max, there was still no guarantee that this one was really any different. He would have to watch her closely to be sure that she did not interfere again. Too much depended on it.

* * * * *

Max was sitting on his bed with his back against the wall, his eyes closed, when the rap came at the window. He smiled to himself as he opened his eyes. At least some things remained the same. He swung his legs off the bed and went to let Michael in.

“Max. Glad to see I’m not the only one having trouble sleeping.” Michael reached back and closed the window behind him.

“Yeah. I was asleep for a little while, but…” his voice trailed off as he went and sat back down. “I hope Isabel’s getting some shut eye. One of us needs to be awake enough to drive to school.”

Michael flopped at the foot of Max’s bed, eyebrows raised. “Well, then you better be planning on calling a cab, ‘cause Isabel’s light was on too.”

Max sighed. “I should have figured. Be right back.” He got up and quietly opened the door to his bedroom. A moment later he slipped back inside with Isabel in tow. She smiled at Michael, then climbed onto the bed and pulled her knees up to her chest.

Resuming his spot at the head of the bed, Max rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his hands, then sighed. He was so tired, but beneath the fatigue he could feel the anger building again. It was the same anger he had felt earlier when he had declared they were going to take their lives back. He had worked hard to mask the rage from everyone, knowing they needed him to be in control, but it had been there, bubbling below the surface. It had made him furious to see the looks in their eyes – fear, misery, defeat. They had been ready to run because of Pierce, because of what Pierce had done to him. Michael, ready to throw it all in and skip town, Maria trying to be brave, but clinging tightly to Michael, Alex without his ever-present grin, Isabel looking more terrified than he’d ever seen her. And Liz. It had killed him to look at Liz and know that she felt responsible for what was happening to them. She believed in her heart that, had he not saved her, everyone’s lives would have been safe – normal. What made it even worse was the knowledge that she had seen exactly what Pierce had done to him – and it had put a haunted look in her beautiful brown eyes. It had made Max so angry, to see these people he loved in fear for their lives, when not one of them had done a thing to deserve it. And he had snapped. Whatever quiet reserve of strength lived deep inside of him, that place he could always depend upon to keep him under control, suddenly broke free. And Max had known the time had come to do something.

Looking at Michael and Isabel, seeing the dark circles beneath their eyes that he knew matched his own, Max realized not much had changed. Oh, they had taken their lives back, but they had lost them again almost immediately. Once again they were facing unknown dangers and feeling vulnerable. Worse still, in their attempt to discover who they really were, they had succeeded in losing their identities.

“Okay,” he said, sitting up a little straighter. “We can’t go on this way. We need to talk this out, right now, and come to some decisions.”

Isabel looked confused. “How can we make any decisions, Max? We barely have anything to go on.”

Michael rubbed his eyes. “She’s right, Maxwell. What are we supposed to do?”

“We work with what we have,” he replied, looking them each in the eye in turn. “What do we know?” he asked, standing and beginning to pace beside the bed. “And I mean *know*. Not what we think, or what Tess has told us. What we are absolutely sure is fact.”

Isabel and Michael traded looks. “So, you don’t believe Tess, is what you’re saying,” Isabel stated.

Max sighed. “I believe Tess is the fourth alien. I believe she was in the pods with us. We have to work with her to do whatever it is we are supposed to be doing. But I…” he paused, shrugging his shoulders. “I just don’t trust her.”

Some of the tension left Isabel’s body. “Me neither,” she confessed. “Ever since I realized that she can use her powers to manipulate what someone thinks they’re seeing, I’ve just felt…uncomfortable, I guess. I’m sure she planted those dreams Michael and I were having about each other. And she did it to you, too, Max. Made you think about her that way.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Michael said. “You saw the book. How can you be so sure the dreams weren’t real?”

“Because, Michael, why did the dreams only start after she moved to town? Why didn’t we ever have those kinds of feelings for each other?” Isabel argued.

“Take it easy,” Max broke in. He turned to Michael. “She’s right. I wasn’t even asleep when I was having those… daydreams…or whatever they were. And Tess was always there when they happened.”

“It could have been a coincidence,” Michael muttered.

“What are you saying, Michael?” Isabel asked. “That you want it to be true? That you want to be with me?” Her voice had grown gentle.

He shook his head, then looked up, his eyes sad. “No, Iz. I don’t. But, part of me can’t help feeling it would make things so much easier.”

Max dropped a hand onto Michael’s shoulder. “Easier because then you could use Isabel to help you forget about Maria?”

Michael didn’t answer, but his gaze dropped back down to the bed.

Isabel sighed, looking up at Max. He nodded. “Okay,” he continued. “So, we keep our guard up around Tess. That’s part of the reason I wanted to have this discussion now, without her around. We can fill her in later on whatever pertains to her. Now, let’s get back to what we were talking about. What we really know.”

“We know we were sent here on purpose,” Isabel volunteered.

“Right. We were genetically engineered, combining human genetic material with…whatever part of our alien selves had survived our deaths,” Max said. He shook his head. “It sounds so strange. That we lived before and died and were…put back together in this other form.”

Michael snorted. “You make us sound like something thrown together in a blender.”

Max smiled ruefully. “That’s kind of how I feel, to tell you the truth. It seems like whatever way you look at it, we’re somebody’s science experiments.” He leaned against his desk and rolled his head, feeling the stiffness in his shoulders. “Let’s keep going. What else?”

“In our previous lives, you were the leader of our people and Michael was your second in command,” Isabel continued. “You were married to Tess and I was engaged to Michael.”

“Okay, let’s talk about that for a sec,” Max said, knowing that this fact made all of them more uncomfortable than they had yet to admit. “Think about how our relationships have developed in this life. What are the similarities and what are the differences?”

Michael shrugged. “You and Isabel are still brother and sister.” He looked up and caught Max’s eye. “And you’re still bossy as hell.”

Isabel smiled. “And Michael’s still second in command.”

“How do you figure that?” Michael asked.

“Think about how you react to everything,” she said. “When Max tells you to do something, you bristle and go off and try to take care of it yourself. Look at the way you went to see River Dog, and to meet Topolsky. You’re either trying to one-up Max, or to protect him. To protect all of us. You’re always looking out for me, too, especially when Max isn’t around.”

Max nodded. “Yeah, Iz. I think you have a point there.” Noting that Michael wasn’t looking at either of them, he made a motion to Isabel to move on.

“I think that’s about it for the similarities,” she said.

“Okay. So, differences then? I’d say they’re pretty obvious. Iz, you and Michael have always related as brother and sister. Nothing more. And I haven’t had any natural feelings toward Tess, except for suspecting that she had some connection to us.”

“But Max, we know you and Tess were married. We know Michael was my fiancé. It was in the message from our mother,” Isabel insisted.

“I’m not denying that. And I’ll get to the message in a minute. First, I want to suggest a theory – pure conjecture, mind you. In our previous lives, we meant certain things to each other, some of which seemed to carry into our present lives. So, why only some of those feelings? We’ve had this fierce sense of loyalty to each other since we can remember. We consider each other siblings, Michael included. We knew we belonged together. But there was never anything romantic about it, even once we got old enough. I propose that there never *was* anything romantic in our relationships. We were the leaders of our people, warriors of some sort and heads of state.” He paused and took a deep breath. “I suspect that our marriages were arranged,” he said quickly.

The three of them sat in silence as Michael and Isabel allowed the idea to sink in. Finally, Michael looked up. “You know, Max, I hate to say it, but that kind of actually makes sense.”

Max let out a small chuckle. “Thanks, Michael.”

Isabel nodded. “Yeah. I think you might be right. It…feels right somehow.”

“So, what about the message?” Michael asked.

“I’ve been running it over in my head,” Max said. “At no time did our mother say we were destined to be two couples. She only said that’s what we used to be. It explains why the choice of the four of us to come here, but nothing more.”

“So that isn’t part of our destiny?” Isabel asked cautiously.

“You know, the only one who has even mentioned the concept of destiny is Tess.” Max came over and sat back down. “She kept telling us that all of this was our destiny. It was meant to be. You two together, the two of us together. She claims it’s all in the book. But none of the three of us can read that book, and the pictures could mean almost anything, seeing as how we know we were together before. It could be a history of our people for all we know.”

“So it comes back down to trusting Tess,” Michael said.

“Which we don’t,” Max stated.

Michael stood up and went to the window. “It doesn’t matter, Max. I know where you’re going with this – what your next leap of logic is gonna be, and I’m telling you it doesn’t change things.”

“Yes, Michael. It does,” Max said, watching his friend. Michael’s back was stiff and Max could see that his fists were clenched tightly. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to be with Maria, because I know you do. And don’t give me some bullshit about not being able to control your powers, because that’s just an excuse.”

“I can’t, Maxwell. I can’t risk her getting hurt.”

“What do you think you’re doing to her right now? You think this isn’t hurting her? You think she’s not lying in bed right now, crying or cursing or trying to figure out someway to change your mind?” Max shot out.

“She’s fast asleep right now, which is more than I can say for the three of us,” Michael shot back.

“What?” Max said. He waited a second, then, getting no reply, he stood and went over to Michael. “You went by her house on the way here, didn’t you?” he asked softly. “To make sure she was okay.”

“What if I did?” Michael asked, but the anger had left his voice. He sighed. “Don’t think this isn’t killing me, okay? She’s like a drug, a physical addiction. But it’s too dangerous, and not just because of what I might inadvertently do. They’re all in constant danger because of us. We can’t do that to them. It isn’t fair.”

“Michael, it’s too late to change that,” Isabel said. “They all knew the danger and they made the choice to stay with us. And we have a better chance of protecting them if we’re together. If we’re all working to avoid each other, God only knows what might happen.”

“No,” he insisted. “Don’t you get it? If they stay away from us, no one will know how we feel. No one can hurt them or use them against us.”

“Don’t talk to me about that like you know what you’re saying,” Max snapped at him. It was like someone had thrown a switch in his head and suddenly all he could see was the images Pierce had shown him of his friends and family. “Don’t tell me what they can and cannot use against us, Michael. You haven’t got a clue. Pierce sat me down and showed me pictures. Alex and Maria. You and Isabel. Liz. I was strapped in a chair, drugged and utterly helpless, and he showed me Liz lying dead in the street with blood pouring out of her mouth. Let someone show you a picture of Maria broken and bleeding and see how far your denials get you. I took one look at Liz and went insane. I just caved,” he admitted, tears in his eyes. “I cried like a baby. I told him anything and everything I could and it still wasn’t enough. He would have killed her. He would’ve killed all of you, in whatever sick and twisted way popped into his perverted brain, and I couldn’t have done a damn thing to stop him. You think Liz walking away from me is going to change that? You think they won’t be able to figure out how I feel? That it’ll be some big secret somehow? That she’s suddenly safe? Get your head out of the fucking clouds, Michael. They don’t need an excuse to cut us open. And they’ll take Alex, Maria, and Liz down too, just for the pleasure of seeing us scream. You feel bad about wanting to kill Pierce? You have no idea what it’s like to want someone dead, Michael. When I was holding the gun on him, it was all I could do to keep myself from blowing him to hell where he belonged. I would have ripped him to pieces with my bare hands and been glad.”

As Michael and Isabel watched in horror, Max collapsed completely. Tears streaming down his cheeks, he fell to his knees and cradled his head in his hands, rocking back and forth. He sobbed uncontrollably, tremors wracking his body. When Isabel knelt down and tried put her arms around him, he curled tighter into himself as if seeking protection from any level of comfort.

Michael pulled Isabel away from Max, squeezing her arm gently, then got down on the floor in her place. With firm hands, he grabbed Max by the shoulders and gave him a shake. “Maxwell,” he said in a low voice. “Snap out of it, Max. You’re home. It’s okay. Everyone’s safe. You’ve gotta pull it together.” He leaned over his friend and spoke quietly, continuing to hold him steady, preventing him from rocking in place.

Eventually Max’s shuddering ceased and he grew calmer. When he appeared to have stopped crying, Michael looked up and motioned to Isabel. She nodded and, grabbing a box of tissues, climbed around her brothers so she was kneeling in the corner of the room next to Max. She reached out and rubbed Max’s back in long soothing strokes as she passed him the box.

Max finally sat up, looking exhausted and mildly embarrassed at his outburst. He took a couple of deep breaths and shot them a sheepish smile. “Sorry about that,” he mumbled.

“Hey, if that what comes of always being in control, give me wacked out and impulsive anytime,” Michael quipped, relieved when both Max and Isabel smiled. “Now, ya think we can get up off the floor before my knees set at this angle permanently?”

That brought a laugh, if a quiet one, and they all hefted themselves back up onto the bed. “Max,” Isabel said. “I think you need to talk about it. I know that you’re just trying to protect us, but we have a right to know what happened. It could just as easily have been one of us in there.”

Max took another deep breath. “I’m sorry I lost it. Really. But, I’m not sure I can tell you right now. It’s too close. And you’re right. You deserve answers. But, I’m asking, please, give me some time, okay?” He looked at his sister with pleading eyes. “Iz, I just can’t.”

She nodded, reaching out to take his hand. “If you’re sure. But I mean it, Max. You can’t just bottle it all up and think that it’ll go away.”

“I know. But we have other things to deal with, and I need to be able to focus. If I start dredging it all up, reminding myself, I won’t be able to concentrate on anything else.”

“Okay,” she agreed. She looked at Michael questioningly. “Maybe we should all try to get some sleep. It’s getting really late.”

“Yeah,” Michael agreed.

“No,” Max said, his voice firm again. “We need to finish hashing this out.”

“Time enough tomorrow, Max,” Michael told him.

But Max shook his head decidedly. “We aren’t done. Tomorrow we need to be ready to walk into school and know precisely where we stand. We’re gonna have to face Liz and Maria and Alex and Valenti. And Tess. We have to finish this tonight.”

Michael glanced at the clock, then shrugged. “Whatever.”

“Look,” Max continued. “I know what I want. I want Liz. In my heart, I know we’re meant to be together. And I intend to convince her of that.” He turned to Isabel. “What about you and Alex?”

Isabel surprised them both by blushing. Max grinned. “I guess that’s our answer.”

She swatted him across the shoulder and smiled. “It’s all your fault,” she told him. “You started all of this mooning over humans.” She looked down and played with the hem of her pajamas bottoms. “It took me a long time to trust Alex,” she said quietly. “He was just there, you know? I knew how he felt, but he didn’t push it. He was willing to wait. And he put up with all of my shit,” she added with a grin. “He matters to me. I feel safe with him. He really sees me, not just the outside, you know? And I think…I think I might be falling in love with him,” she whispered.

Max turned piercing eyes toward Michael. “What about you? We all know how you feel.”

“I don’t know, Max,” he said helplessly. “I….”

“Michael, what do you want? Close your eyes and tell me what you want.”

His eyes fluttered closed. “You know the answer to that, Maxwell.”

Max sighed. “You deserve to have what you want, Michael. We all do.”

Eyes still shut, Michael slowly shook his head.

Isabel looked at Max, the pain she felt for Michael clear on her face. But Max shrugged. There was only so much they could do to convince him. Ultimately, the decision was Michael’s.

“Fine. We can revisit this later,” he added, not wanting Michael to assume the subject was closed. “Now, about the rest of the message.”

“You mean about overthrowing our enemies?” Isabel asked.

Max nodded. “What do you think?”

“Do we have a choice?” Michael asked. “We have to do something. I mean, according to the message, these beings are here on earth with us. We need to figure out how to stop them.”

Isabel nodded. “I agree, but the question is how? Our mother said something about the evil in their hearts. It couldn’t be more vague than that.”

“I know,” Max agreed. “So, the logical thing is to continue to hone our powers and hope that can help us.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Michael asked.

“Look, Michael, you’ve become a lot more powerful in just the last couple of days, especially after your talk with Nasedo,” Max told him. “It’s just a matter of practicing until you develop enough focus to contain the energy.”

Isabel shot Max a look. “Contain the energy? Where did that come from?”

Max looked startled. “I don’t know. But it sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”

The other two nodded. “Like something out of a handbook,” Michael commented.

Max shook it off. “Doesn’t matter. We have to assume that the more we work on it, the more will come back to us.”

“So, we work on our powers until we figure out who the evil aliens are, and then we wipe them out,” Michael stated matter-of-factly.

“That’s the theory,” Max sighed.

“What’s wrong, Max?” Isabel asked, although she had a pretty good idea.

“I’m trying to see how any of this makes sense,” he admitted.

“It doesn’t have to make sense, Maxwell. It’s what we were sent here to do.”

“It isn’t that simple, Michael.” The tension was back in Max’s voice. “How the hell can the four of us wipe out an alien race that that already killed us once, along with God knows how many of our people? And even if we somehow manage that one, then what?”

“We go home and rescue our planet,” Michael told him.

“This isn’t a comic book,” Max informed him. “We can’t just pile into our trusty spaceship and zoom on home. Has it escaped your attention that we don’t know where home is, let alone how to get there? God damn it, Michael, we crashed here more than fifty years ago. There may not even be a home to go back to.”

Michael looked stunned. It was clear the idea had never entered his mind. He had always just assumed that home was there, they had just never seen fit to come looking for him. It had never occurred to him that maybe they couldn’t.

“Max,” Isabel said gently, wanting more than anything to erase the sudden look of hopelessness she saw in Michael’s eyes. “We don’t know that. And as for the rest, well, give it some time. Think of how much we’ve learned in just a few months.”

He nodded. “I’m sorry,” he said. “You’re right. It’s just…”

“What, Max?” Michael asked, and there was no challenge in the question. He genuinely wanted to know.

Max sighed. “Things are so difficult the way they are. We’re constantly fighting for the right to live a normal life. I feel like I’m constantly leading you both into some sort of battle. I don’t feel I have the right to just tell you we have to do this. We all need to agree. How far are we willing to go for a home we don’t even remember, that may not even exist anymore? We already gave our lives for our planet once. Are you both willing to do it again?”

Michael and Isabel traded serious looks, then turned back to Max. Their expressions said it all. “We’re with you, Max,” Michael said solemnly. Isabel nodded.

Max smiled and reached out with both hands to take one of each of theirs. “Okay. So that’s it then. We follow the path set out for us, at least in this. From now on we work to figure out a way to save our homes.” He squeezed their hands tightly. “Both of them.”

END

Disclaimer: Don’t own the characters or the concepts; just borrowing them!
Category: The whole gang.
Summary: Post-Destiny. What happens now?
Spoilers: Through the end of Season One.
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Sure! Love it!
Banner by: Blanca
Author’s note: This is the second of a series. If you haven’t read You Can’t Go Home Again, you’ll be lost.

* * *

Max Evans kept his eyes glued to the door. He had yet to see Liz today and Chemistry was the one class they had together. If she failed to show up, he could be pretty sure that she hadn’t come to school at all. The possibility had him worried. It was one thing to respect her wishes and keep his distance – at least for now – but the idea of not seeing her at all was enough to make him panic. He needed to see her, to know that she was safe. He needed it the same way he needed to breathe.

A minute before the bell rang, Maria walked into class. Her eyes met Max’s and she sent him a small, sympathetic smile before heading toward her desk. Next came Alex, his head turned away, obviously talking to whomever was walking behind him. Liz. Max felt the tightness in his chest ease slightly as she came into view. She looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes, and her sadness covered her like a cloak, making his heart ache. But she was here and, for the time being, he could be satisfied with that.

Max was so preoccupied with watching Liz, who carefully avoided turning toward him, that it took a moment for him to realize she and Alex had both headed over to the desk that Alex shared with Maria. There was a whispered argument taking place, one which appeared to be making Alex, in particular, extremely uncomfortable. Maria shook her head at Liz, and Alex looked as if he might be trying to convince her of something, but then Max saw Liz turn pleading brown eyes towards her friends. It was clear to him that, whatever she wanted, they would soon relent rather than risk her tears. At least he hoped they would. He didn’t think he could stand to see Liz break down in front of everyone.

As the bell rang, Alex shrugged. A second later he headed across the room and slid into the empty seat next to Max. Liz’s seat. “Sorry,” he whispered to Max, looking embarrassed. “We tried.”

“I know,” Max said quietly. At that moment Liz looked toward him and their eyes met briefly. “It’s okay,” he said, and Alex seemed to know enough to realize the comment was not for his benefit.

Max opened his text book, trying not to think about the fact that Liz didn’t even want to sit next to him. If he let himself think about it, he would never make it through the day. Instead, he kept his eyes trained on the page in front of him as Mr. Seligman began his lecture. At one point the teacher’s eyes flicked appraisingly over the room, taking in the new seating arrangements. However, he said nothing, merely turned to the blackboard and began to outline the sections of the next week’s exam.

The class seemed endless. Max found his mind wandering as the lecture went on, barely conscious of the voice droning interminably as background to his agitated thoughts. He kept shooting glances at Liz, but she kept her head down and her hand moving as she dutifully copied the notes from the board. Max took little comfort in his suspicion that she was merely writing the words by rote, and that she was as little conscious of the substance of the class as he was. Trying to pay attention, yet still failing miserably, Max concentrated all of his energy on not asking Alex any questions about Liz. It wouldn’t be fair to put his friend in the middle.

When the bell rang signaling the end of class, Liz bolted out the door as if the FBI was on her tail. Maria watched her go, then came over to meet Max and Alex. “She’s really stressing out,” she told them.

Max grimaced. “I know. I have to talk to her, but I’m just not sure what to say. How do I convince her that she’s wrong?”

Maria shrugged. “You have to figure it out and fast,” she said as the three of them slowly exited the classroom. “She’s never going to make it through finals in this shape. I doubt she slept an hour last night.”

“She wasn’t the only one,” Max muttered.

“So,” Maria said, shooting a glance at Alex, “where’s Tess today?”

Max looked startled. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and looked from Maria to Alex, then back. “She wasn’t in class,” he said blankly.

“I’d say that means you not only don’t know where she is, but you didn’t even notice where she wasn’t,” Alex observed.

“Not exactly my top priority,” Max admitted.

“We’re not gonna fight you on that one,” Maria said.

“What are we not fighting about?” Isabel asked as she walked up to them. “Hey,” she added, shooting Alex a nervous look.

Alex swallowed hard at the sound of Isabel’s voice. Suddenly his head was filled with all of the questions that he had been struggling to keep at bay. “Hey,” he said. “Uh… we’re not fighting over Max’s priorities,” he said quickly, venturing a glance in Isabel’s direction. His eyes immediately found hers, and when he noticed her hopeful smile, he beamed at her. It was as if he could breathe again.

Isabel could have hugged Alex right then and there for the gleam in his eyes and the slight blush that swept over his face when he looked at her. Instead, she reached out and slipped her hand into his, marveling at how right it felt. “Which priorities would those be?”

Maria took in the exchange between her friends, and couldn’t help but grin. It would appear that destiny had not quite managed to squash all of their relationships. “Max putting Liz first, of course,” she replied. “As in, before noticing that Miss Harding failed to grace us with her presence today. Not that it’s any great loss,” she finished under her breath.

A look of comprehension crossed Isabel’s face. “I know where she is,” she told them as they moved down the hall toward the cafeteria.

“You do? How?” Max asked.

“She called me on my cell this morning. She had to go see an attorney in Albuquerque today and wanted me to pick up her assignments.” Shooting a quick look around, Isabel lowered her voice. “Nasedo showed up at her place last night and handed over a bunch of paperwork to smooth over her emancipation.”

Max frowned. “How neat and tidy,” he commented.

Maria noted Max’s expression. “What does this mean? Max? You don’t seem too happy about this?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. It just seems a little too convenient.”

“Like he knew he would be leaving?” Alex asked.

“We don’t know, Alex,” Isabel said softly. “We really don’t know anymore than you guys at this point.”

They made their way through the lunch line in silence, then headed across the quad to their usual table. Only once they were seated did something occur to Max. He looked around, frowning.

Maria noticed immediately. “He’s over there,” she said, pointing toward a bunch of trees at the other end of the lawn.

Max turned and looked in the direction she had indicated. He could just make out a pair of jean-clad legs sticking out from behind a tall oak. Squinting, he glanced at Maria. “How can you be sure that’s him? You have x-ray vision or something?”

She shrugged. “It’s him. I just know.” She busied herself with unwrapping her straw and slipping it into her juice box.

Max nodded, understanding. She and Michael had a connection, just the way he and Liz did. He didn’t know why he hadn’t realized it sooner. “I’ll be right back,” he said, then headed across the grass.

* * * * *

Michael sat with his back against the tree trunk, his legs stretched out in front of him, eyes closed, trying not to feel the tugging at his heart. He had known the very instant she had come outside, as clearly and as surely as if someone had announced it over the P.A. The air had started to vibrate in that special way it did when she was around, as if her very own electricity sparked the atmosphere. It was making him insane.

Suddenly something, or someone, blocked the sun that had been warming his face. The vibes didn’t feel any stronger, so he knew it wasn’t Maria. Sighing, he opened his eyes. “How’d you know I was here?” he asked.

“Maria,” was all Max said in reply.

“Figures.” If he could tell where Maria was, why wouldn’t she be able to sense him right back? This was getting more complicated by the day. “So, she send you over?”

Max crossed his legs and sat in the grass next to Michael. “No, actually she didn’t.” He turned probing eyes in his friend’s direction. “Disappointed?”

Michael shook his head. “Nah. Not really surprised, either. Wouldn’t be her style.”

Max grinned. “You’ve got that right. My bet is, when she decides the time has come, she’s gonna want to beat the crap out of you herself.”

Michael winced. “Yeah. But it won’t make any difference, Maxwell. I’m not backing down on this.”

“Whatever, Michael. One of these days you’re gonna realize that Maria is just as stubborn as you are and that you might as well give in.”

“If we’re both equally stubborn, what makes you so sure I’m the one who’s going to back down?”

Max shot him a tired smile. “Because Maria wants to be with you with all of her heart. And only a part of yours wants to stay away.”

The words were so simple, and true, they left Michael visibly shaken. He looked at Max, his mouth agape. His mind went blank and he couldn’t think of a single rebuttal.

Max took pity on him. “Look, Michael, I didn’t actually come over here to discuss Maria right now. We’ve got other problems.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed. “So what else is new,” he muttered. “What happened?”

Rubbing his hands over his face, Max sighed. Half a dozen replies came to mind instantly, most dealing with Liz, but that wasn’t what he had come over to tell Michael. “Tess isn’t in school today. Isabel heard from her this morning. Something about going to Albuquerque to file for emancipation. Apparently Nasedo showed up at her house last night with the necessary paperwork.”

“So, she just took off by herself to take care of it?”

Max nodded. “Yeah. I’m not too happy about it either. We don’t know how safe it is for any of us to go anywhere alone yet. I should have mentioned it yesterday, but I wasn’t thinking.”

“Hey,” Michael said quickly. “You were thinking plenty. You shouldn’t have to spell everything out all the time.”

“Yeah, well, regardless…”

“Cut yourself some slack, Maxwell. You’d been to hell and back. You shouldn’t have to baby-sit all of us all the time.” When Max raised his eyebrows, Michael looked mildly embarrassed. “Yeah, me too. I know. But I haven’t gone off doing anything stupid this time, have I?”

That caused Max to smile. “I appreciate that, too, Michael. And I know you always act from the heart.” His smile faded. “With Tess, well, I don’t know what to expect. We don’t know her. It keeps coming back to that. It isn’t just a matter of trusting what she tells us. Can we trust her to keep herself safe? She’s always had Nasedo looking out for her. How is she going to deal with being alone?”

Michael looked disconcerted. “So what do we do?”

“What can we do? We wait for her to get back. Then we have a little talk about being responsible.”

“You sound like someone’s father.”

Max frowned, staring off into the distance. “It’s not the role I was bucking for, believe me. And I have no intention of playing it out this way from now on. Everyone is going to have to carry their share of the responsibilities, because frankly, I’m tired and I can’t do this alone.”

Michael studied his friend quietly, noting the changes in him. If the night before he had seemed exhausted, today he appeared merely haggard. But there was a new look in his eyes; he seemed much older, more mature, but there was something else as well. If Michael had to place it, he would say Max looked haunted, scarred. Not for the first time he wondered exactly what Max had suffered at Pierce’s hands during those hours in the white room. Max had given him the barest glimpse the night before when he’d broken down, and that in itself had terrified Michael. He couldn’t imagine how much worse it must have been.

And then there was the other factor. Liz Parker. For the first time, Michael began to question whether he had done the right thing by stopping Max from pursuing Liz the previous day. Somehow he suspected that, when Max said he couldn’t do this alone, he really meant he couldn’t do it without Liz. And that was a problem Michael had never anticipated.

Reaching out a hand, Michael tentatively patted Max on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it for now,” he advised. “Everything will shake itself out,” he added in what he hoped was an encouraging voice. Being the one to reassure wasn’t a role he was used to, at least when dealing with Max. He wasn’t exactly sure how to proceed. When some of the tension seeped out of Max’s frame, he thought maybe he had taken the right approach.

“Thanks,” Max said. He levered himself up with one hand and stretched. Looking down at Michael, he smiled. “You sure you wouldn’t rather come eat with us?”

Michael smiled back, but shook his head.

“You’re gonna have to face her eventually,” Max told him. “When do you work next?”

With a little groan, Michael closed his eyes. “Tonight,” he mumbled. “We’re all on tonight.”

“Good luck,” Max said. “I’ll see ya later.”

Michael squinted up at him and nodded. “Right. I suppose I know where you’re dining this evening?”

“Keep a Will Smith hot for me,” Max shot over his shoulder as he headed back toward the table, a smile on his face.

Michael watched him until he sat back down next to Maria, in the precise spot where Michael most wished to be. He groaned and closed his eyes again, trying to shut out the distant image of sunlight dancing across tousled blonde hair, but it didn’t do any good. Max’s words came back to haunt him almost immediately. Maria wanted to be with him with all her heart. Once upon a time that was something he wanted with every fiber in his being – for someone to love him that way, that intensely, just for who he was. Now he had it, and it terrified him.

* * * * *

Liz sighed with relief as she left the school grounds for the day. She had managed to escape after only a few more close encounters with Max and – since in each instance she had seen him from behind in the hallway, and had quickly turned in the opposite direction – she was pretty sure he hadn’t spotted her. At least he hadn’t looked at her again. She hadn’t been forced to stare into his beautiful brown eyes, to face the misery she had seen earlier. Misery she knew she had put there. That moment in class when their eyes had met, it had all been so clear to her, his complete understanding, mingled with his love and his pain. It was as if they had connected from across the room and she had been able to feel everything he was feeling – and it hurt unbearably.

It had swallowed up her entire day, trying to avoid him, bracing herself against the sight of him. Every ounce of energy had gone toward keeping herself strong. Now it was all she could do to keep putting one foot in front of the other. She was so tired she ached with it. Yet she had to keep going. She had to work, had to study, had to somehow continue with her life. There had to be a way to keep moving fast enough to stay one step ahead of the emotions, to keep her brain numb. If she slowed down for an instant, if she dared to stop, it would all come crashing down on her like a house of cards, each precariously placed defense tumbling until she could no longer breathe.

Not for the first time, she wondered if this was how Max had felt when he told her they needed to take a step back. Had it been this hard for him then? Had he felt this despair, this crushing pressure in his chest? Did he feel like he was dying every moment? She remembered that night on the roof so clearly – he had tried so hard not to look at her, not to meet her teary gaze. Now she knew why. It was one thing to look into each other’s eyes and connect, to see all of the love and desire they felt for one another, but it was another thing entirely to see pain there and know you were the cause of it. Whomever said that the eyes were the windows to soul, had no idea how truly right they were.

The Crashdown was quiet when she arrived home, not yet filled with the typical after school crowd. Liz headed upstairs to get ready for her shift, going mechanically through the routine of putting her books on her desk, hanging her clothes in the closet, tugging on her uniform, pulling her hair into a ponytail. She stared in the mirror at her pale face and carefully applied concealer to the dark circles beneath her eyes, blush to her cheeks, gloss over her lips, knowing that nothing would bring the sparkle back to her eyes. Even to her they seemed lifeless. Sighing, she grabbed her antenna headband and shoved it in place, then headed back downstairs.

The first thing that caught her eye was the work schedule, and it made her stop short. Both Michael and Maria were working the closing shift with her. Of course, it made perfect sense, as all three of them had been off the entire weekend, but she couldn’t help but panic at the thought. Maria hadn’t really said much about Michael’s love-you-and-leave-you performance the day before, given that Liz had been going through some alien-upheavals of her own, but Liz could imagine the head of steam the other girl had developed in the last twenty-four hours. And knowing Michael, he had kept wisely out of harm’s way all day at school. Which meant one of two things was bound to happen; either one or the other would skip out on work tonight, leaving her to cover way more ground than she felt capable of at the moment, or else Michael and Maria would provide some unscheduled entertainment for the café patrons that evening. Liz groaned, unable to decide which scenario sounded worse.

Glancing at her watch, she saw she had ten minutes before the shift started, which meant it was probably too late to call Maria’s house and warn her off creating a major disturbance. She could probably catch Michael, assuming he was home, but given the events of late, Liz felt less than comfortable with that option. Too tired to do anything but give into the inevitable, she went out into the kitchen.

“Hola, chica!” José called from his place by the grill. He flipped two burgers with practiced ease as he shot her a teasing grin. “So, Lizzie, when you gonna dump that Max guy and let me show you a good time?”

Liz couldn’t help but smile a little at the cook’s familiar banter, despite the pang she felt at his words. José had been flirting with her since she was old enough to help out in the café, when he himself had been merely a busboy. “Sorry, José. Not gonna happen,” she told him.

He shook his head and let out a slow whistle. “What is it with my girls? You and Maria, both of you going for these brooding guys. What you see in these long faces, eh?” He winked at her, then reached over to pull the fry basket out of the sizzling oil. Then he turned to the fridge and tossed her an apple. “Here you go, baby. On the house,” he smirked. “You gonna fade away.”

Liz caught the apple automatically, then moved to the sink to run it under the water. She might as well eat it as not, she thought. Just because she had no appetite and she knew the fruit would have no taste, that was no reason never to eat again, was it? Taking methodical bites, she ate the apple, nibbling around in perfect circles as she stared into space, not noticing the concerned look that passed over José’s features as he watched her. When she was done, she dropped the core into the trash, flashed the cook a blank smile, then headed back to the break room.

“Hey honey,” her father said as she came into the room.

Liz looked up, startled to find her father not three feet in front of her, coming down the back stairs. “Oh, hi, Dad.”

He looked at her quizzically. “Everything okay, sweetie? You seem a little preoccupied.”

“Oh, yeah, you know,” she shrugged. “Lots going on. Finals coming up, that kinda thing.” She went into the ladies room to wash her hands, hoping her father would leave it at that. But when she emerged, he was still there, patiently waiting for her. “Is something wrong, Dad?”

“Oh, no, no. Just wanted to make sure you were okay. And, well, since you are…”

“Dad?” she pressed. “What is it? Did Mom put you up to this? ‘Cause I told her last night that everything is fine.” She allowed herself to grow just the slightest bit annoyed with her father, knowing he would hear the trace of it in her voice and back off.

“We’re just worried about you, Lizzie. That’s all,” he told her, looking a bit sheepish. “We want you to know that…”

“I can come to you with anything,” she finished, nodding at him. “Dad. I know. It’s fine. Now, I need to get to work. Don’t you and Mom have some town council thing tonight? Just go.”

Her father smiled at her, shaking his head. “So grown up and in control,” he murmured. “Fine, sweetie. We won’t be too late.”

Liz shot him a quick smile as she turned to her locker. Grabbing her apron, she headed out into the café. If he only knew, she thought wryly. If he had a clue as to how out of control I feel, he’d never let me out of his sight again.

* * * * *

Maria stood nervously at the back door to the Crashdown. She could not believe she was actually apprehensive about going to work. Damn Michael for making her feel this way. He had no right – she refused to be intimidated. He had avoided her all day at school, and she had let him, keeping her sanity by reminding herself that it was just another one of his phases and that eventually he would talk himself out of it. But there was no way she was going to tip-toe around the café just to make him happy. She had worked here first. If he didn’t like being around her, he could get himself another job, she thought angrily, pulling open the door and marching inside.

It took all of ten seconds for her heart to sink to her toes. He wasn’t here. She could feel it, or rather not feel it. Not feel him, that is. The air was missing that funny wavy, sparkly sensation it had when he was nearby. For one terrifying moment she though he might have quit. It would be just like him to do just that – to run away rather than risk having to face her. But then she remembered her dream. How sweet he was. How gentle. The warm phantom hands rubbing over her limbs, coating her with suntan oil. The even warmer hand stroking the hair off her forehead, a hand that felt too real for a dream. And she remembered that he loved her. At that instant, Maria DeLuca was sure of precisely one thing to the depths of her soul – whatever else Michael Guerin did, this time he wouldn’t be able to run. At least not too far.

Glancing at her watch, she realized that for once she was a little ahead of schedule. She went over to her locker and tucked away her purse, then peered in the mirror to adjust her headband. When Liz came through the swinging door, Maria gave her hair a final pat and turned worried eyes on her friend, noting her tired expression and dull eyes. “Hey, Liz. How’re you doing?”

Liz shrugged. “I’m hanging in,” she admitted. “By a thread.” She frowned at Maria, looking her friend in the eye. “How about you? Maria, you realize Michael’s working tonight, right?” she asked slowly.

Maria smiled. “I know. Don’t worry about me, Lizzie.” She turned back to her locker and pulled out her apron. Humming slightly, she tied it firmly around her waist.

Liz watched her, growing even more concerned. “Okay, who are you and what have you done with Maria?” She paused at the shocked look on her friend’s face, realized what she had just said, and retrenched. “Skip that. I know it’s you. But, it’s just, this was definitely not the reaction I was expecting. I mean, you seem… almost… well… happy,” she said, her voice incredulous.

Maria laughed. “Liz, I swear to you that I have not gone off the deep end. I just refuse to let it get to me, that’s all.”

“God, whatever you’re on, I could really use some of it,” Liz muttered.

Maria reached out and put her hands firmly on Liz’s shoulders. “Michael has done this to me before. And last time, I thought he hated me. Or at least that he was just using me. I won’t pretend it didn’t hurt,” she admitted softly. “But I got over it, and we got past it. And in my heart, Liz, I know we’re going to get past this too.”

Liz shook her head. “Maria, this isn’t the same.”

“It isn’t, but it is. Liz, I know why you think you had to walk away from Max, but I don’t agree with you. And if you really look into your heart, I bet you’ll discover even you don’t agree with you.” She rushed on when Liz seemed about to argue with her. “Look, my problems with Michael have nothing to do with destiny right now, and everything to do with his being afraid. He’s gotten in deeper than he ever thought possible and he doesn’t know what to do next. This thing with Pierce has him tied up in knots,” Maria continued, her voice dropping to nearly a whisper. “I just have to get him through it.”

“I think I preferred you in your down-with-all-men mode,” Liz sighed. “You still have that Aqua bra? It should work better now that the weather’s warmer,” she pointed out, hoping to sway the topic in a different direction.

“Liz, I’m sure about this. About him.”

“I hope you’re right. I’m just afraid you’re not.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Maria told her again. “I know what I’m doing. Just be sure you do.” She pulled Liz into a tight hug. “Stop being so selfless. You’re killing yourself, and him too,” she whispered. She pulled back and looked Liz in the eye. “You’re too smart for this.”

Liz shook her head, obviously fighting the tears that suddenly threatened to spill down her cheeks. “I can’t do it to him. I can’t stand in his way,” she insisted. “You don’t understand. You weren’t there.” Then she turned and dashed up the stairs, leaving Maria to stare after her and sigh.

Which was exactly what she was doing when the back door opened and Michael walked into the room.

* * * * *

Michael stopped and stared. He had known Maria would be there. Hell, he had felt her presence as he opened the door. The sparks shooting through space and lighting up the air gave her away. He just hadn’t expected to find her standing right there, looking sadly up the stairs, so close he could reach out and touch her. And he certainly hadn’t expected her reaction to him. She simply turned as he walked through the door and shook her head. “We have to do something about her,” she said, as if picking up a conversation mid-stream, then turned and headed into the café, leaving Michael in the open doorway.

He stood there dumbly for a moment and watched the swinging door as it bounced back and forth, eventually coming to a stop. Through the diamond-shaped glass, he caught a glimpse of Maria as she filled glasses at the soda dispenser, then turned to place them on the counter, her familiar smile intact. He blinked, wondering what exactly he had missed. Shaking himself from his stupor, he closed the back door behind him and went to get his kerchief from his locker, tugging it into place over his hair with barely a glance in the mirror. He quickly washed his hands and headed into the kitchen, knowing José was sure to be annoyed at him for being late.

Unfortunately, flipping burgers over a hot stove was not the type of work to keep the mind occupied. Michael had plenty of time to wonder exactly what was going on. Maria seemed all business now, almost as if the exchange in the other room hadn’t occurred. She dropped off her orders, picked up the filled plates, all with minimal comments. When he mistakenly dropped an order of Saturn Rings along side a Sigourney Weaver that called for fries, she simply pointed it out, not bothering to insult him or make some snappy comment. Her behavior was, in all respects, precisely what he had expected of her given the way he had treated her the previous day. She was cold and detached. And it was better that way, he told himself. Or at least it might have been, if he hadn’t caught that other glimpse of her on the way in the door.

He’d been there about half an hour when Liz emerged from the back and started working the floor. It was only then that Michael realized that Maria had been covering most of the café by herself, with Agnes the only other waitress on duty. The restaurant had gotten more crowded and orders were starting to get backed up. “Doesn’t anyone just order soda anymore?” he grumbled to himself as he lined up a series of plates with buns and plopped a greasy burger onto each one.

“Don’t wish that on us,” Liz said softly, causing him to look up with a start. “We’d never be able to cover the rent on this place if no one ordered food.”

“Hey,” he said, passing the plates over the counter. His eyes narrowed on her pale face, but he didn’t comment, knowing he was in no position to say anything. But it was obvious to him what Maria had been talking about. Liz looked like hell. Turning back to the grill, he cursed silently. This was what came of getting involved, in developing friendships. No matter what they did, someone they cared about was going to get hurt, and he hated it.

“Michael?” Liz’s voice floated back to him.

He sighed and turned. “What?”

“Thanks for showing up,” she said softly. Then she balanced two plates along one arm, scooped up the third in her free hand, and headed back to serve them.

Michael watched her go as he allowed her words to register. She really thought he would bail on her to avoid seeing Maria, he thought, a frown creasing his brow. His eyes trailed after Liz for another moment, then darted instinctively to the other end of the café where Maria was taking an order. Isabel and Alex, he noted, sitting at the front booth, their feet entwined under the table. His eyes refocused on Maria, on the soft curve of her neck as she bent over her order pad. As if she knew he was watching, she suddenly straightened and turned her head toward him and their eyes met briefly across the room. Held. Until he very deliberately turned and went back to the grill.

* * * * *

Isabel watched the exchange between Michael and Maria, then reached across the table and took Alex’s hand in hers. At that moment, she wouldn’t have traded places with either of her brothers for anything on this planet or any other. Feeling Alex squeeze her hand, she knew he felt the same way. They traded quick smiles, their affection for each other and their relief in each knowing how the other one felt, shining clearly in their eyes.

The sound of Maria tapping her pencil impatiently on the table drew Isabel’s attention, but when she saw the amused smirk on her friend’s face she couldn’t help but grin. Despite everything that had happened, all that might still happen, her constant worries for her friends, Isabel was suddenly deliriously happy. It felt amazing, defiantly out of character, and she wondered if this was how Max had felt the time he got drunk.

“Okay, enough of that,” Maria announced. “You still haven’t told me what you want to eat.”

Scanning the menu quickly, as if she didn’t already know it by heart, Isabel shrugged. “I guess I’ll just have some fries,” she decided.

Alex laughed. “That’s just ‘cause you know you’re gonna end up picking off of my plate,” he teased.

Maria shook her head. “You guys never order anything different. Any of you. Why do I even bother to take your orders? I’ll be right back with your drinks,” she told them and headed back toward the counter.

Once she was out of earshot, Isabel leaned across the table. “She seems remarkably okay, doesn’t she? I mean, except for that one deep and meaningful look she and Michael shot at each other, everything seems normal. Did I miss something? I thought for sure she’d be firing with both guns by now.”

“You’re witnessing the new-and-improved Maria DeLuca,” Alex informed her. “She’s decided to basically play along, figuring Michael will cave sooner if she throws him off by not reacting to him.”

“Interesting theory,” Isabel mused. Glancing across the room, she caught Michael watching Maria as she bustled across the floor. “May actually work, too.”

Alex turned to see what she was looking at and grinned. “He’s too far gone to hold out for very long. I know that look all too well.”

“Oh, really?” Isabel asked. “And how is that?”

He swiveled back to face her. “I’ve been looking at it in the mirror for years.”

Isabel realized she was actually blushing. She could feel her face growing warm and was surprised to find it was not an unpleasant sensation.

“Jeez, guys, this is a family place,” Maria commented with an exaggerated groan. “Enough with the steamy looks, at least until prime time, okay? Here you go. One root beer, one house cherry coke.” She slid the glasses onto the table. When Isabel raised her brows questioningly, Maria smiled. “You know, with special sauce,” she whispered. “Anyway, wish I had time to chat, but the masses await. Be back with your food in a bit.”

Alex watched her go, then shook his head. “I wish Liz was holding up that well.”

Isabel sighed. “I know. Max, too. He’s a wreck. If Liz doesn’t back down on this whole ‘leave him to his destiny’ deal pretty soon, I’m going to be scraping pieces of him off the ceiling.”

Alex looked at her, concerned. “He didn’t seem that bad at school. I mean, sure, he’s upset, but he was holding it together.”

“You didn’t see him last night, Alex,” she confessed. “He had me really scared. Whatever happened in that room out at the base….” she broke off, a shiver wracking her body. “It changed him, Alex. How could it not?”

“Changed him how?”

“I don’t know. He was always quiet, kind of withdrawn, you know? But we were always connected, the three of us, in everything important. Now he’s holding things back, not just to protect us but to protect himself as well, and instead it’s only hurting him. I can feel him trying to be this person for us, this leader. It’s like he’s playing a role, and the real Max is slipping further and further away.”

“Did you try to get him to talk about what happened?”

Isabel nodded. “He won’t. He says he needs time, but I know he just wants us to forget about it. He doesn’t want to tell us.”

“Don’t worry,” Alex said softly. “We’ll figure out how to get through to him. One step at a time, okay?”

“Okay,” she agreed, taking a deep breath. “You’re right. God, I can’t believe it’s only been a couple of days.”

“Not to open a can of worms, but any word from Tess?”

She shook her head. “Not since that call this morning. Max wanted to go by her house on his way here to see if she was back, but I talked him out of it.”

“You still don’t trust him alone with her?”

“He’s not the one I don’t trust,” she replied. “He’ll just meet us here later.” She looked across the room to where Liz was heading into the back. “I wonder how that’s gonna go over.”

“My prediction? Not real well. He’s going to have to get her alone,” Alex said. “That’s the only way he’ll have a shot at getting her to listen to him. If he tries here or at school, she’s just going to start to get upset and he’ll end up letting her run again rather than cause a scene.”

“My brother, knight in shining armor,” she muttered.

Alex shrugged. “He’s the hero. We knew that before, didn’t we? It’s just been confirmed, that’s all.”

“What does that make me?”

A mischievous grin spread over Alex’s face. “Princess Isabel, of course. We already knew that, too.” He ducked as she threw her straw wrapper at his head, then burst out laughing, effectively lightening the mood once more.

* * * * *

Mondays were generally Michael’s favorite nights to work because they were rarely busy. Oh sure, there were a couple hours after school let out when things could get a little crazed, but then it generally got pretty quiet. A family or two would wander in, a group of high school kids looking for a study break, but that would be it. No after-movie rush, no dates, just a peaceful evening where he could pretty much guarantee they would close up early. Tonight, however, he wished half of Roswell would come order a Blue Moon Burger, just to keep him occupied.

But luck was rarely with him, and this night was no exception. Customers started to drift out the doors and by seven o’clock the place was virtually empty. Alex and Isabel still sat in their booth, nursing sodas and chatting quietly. He recognized a couple of juniors from West Roswell at a back table, text books and study notes sharing space with cups of coffee and a plate of cold Saturn Rings. The only other customer was an elderly woman at the counter, carefully studying the dessert menu while Liz stood patiently waiting for her to make a decision. Michael sighed, wondering what had happened to Max, then, seeing no sign of Maria, headed out to bus the tables.

He piled dishes into the plastic bucket methodically, moving from table to table, keeping carefully away from the front of the restaurant. Isabel and Alex looked just a little too happy for him to deal with right now. The ease with which Isabel had continued that relationship made him uncomfortable, and truth be told, somewhat jealous. Not of Alex, because Michael himself had no romantic feelings for Isabel despite those stupid dreams and all of Tess’s babbling about destiny. He loved her as a sister and always would, but it could never be anything else. No – he was jealous of their closeness, of their easy conversation, of the fact that they had each other to lean on. Just watching them together made him miss Maria that much more and that was something he couldn’t afford to feel.

He lugged the heavy load of dishes into the kitchen and began to rinse them off and pile them into the dilapidated old dishwasher. It was only after he started the machine and turned to wash off his hands that he caught sight of Maria standing in the doorway to the break room. She had propped the door open with her hip and was watching him silently. Their eyes met and they stared at each other without a word for a long moment. This time she was the one to turn and walk away, letting the door swing closed behind her.

Only, this time, Michael couldn’t bring himself to leave it at that, and followed her. He reached the back room to find she had plopped down on the old couch and was staring into space. “Okay, what was that?” he demanded without preamble.

Slowly, she turned luminous green eyes in his direction. Her face was expressionless. “What was what?”

“That!” he said, waving his hand back toward the kitchen. “This. This staring contest we have going on. And that thing before, when I got here. What’s going on?”

“What’s going on?” she repeated stupidly.

“Stop answering my questions with more questions,” he growled, advancing on the couch, then stopping abruptly a few feet away. “It’s not going to work, Maria,” he told her.

She sighed, suddenly looking tired. “Michael, I don’t know what you’re talking about. You wanna spend the whole day avoiding me at school? Fine. You don’t want to talk to me at work? Fine. I’ve stayed away from you, I haven’t pushed. If I happen to look in your direction occasionally, I’m sorry. I can’t help myself.” She ran a hand through her hair, pushing her headband off, then started to knead her temples with the tips of her fingers. “We don’t all have your superhuman self-control. This isn’t easy for me,” she finished quietly.

Michael felt a wave of guilt. “I’m sorry,” he offered softly, starting to back away.

“No, you’re not sorry,” she said, catching him by surprise and stopping him in his tracks.

“What do you mean?”

“If you were really sorry, you wouldn’t do this to me,” she told him, but there was little of the DeLuca punch in the accusation. Instead, she sounded resigned.

“Maria, you know why I have to do this. It isn’t safe for us to be together. If anything happened to you because of me….” His voice trailed off as he started pacing nervously back and forth across the room, his level of frustration starting to build. “I can’t do it. I could never forgive myself, don’t you see that?”

She stood up suddenly, blocking his path, a glimmer of fire beginning to light her eyes. “What I don’t see is how you can think you’re a danger to me, Michael. You would never hurt me – ever. You couldn’t.”

He stopped short to avoid colliding with her. “Never on purpose,” he agreed, “but I can’t control what I can do. I have to be sure.”

“Nothing in life is sure, Michael,” she threw out. She grabbed his hands and held them cupped palms up in her much smaller ones, her firm grip preventing him from pulling away. “You have never once touched me in anything but the most gentle way. Even when you wanted to wring my neck. Even before you trusted me. Do you remember the night of the CrashFest?” she asked suddenly.

He nodded. “The night you found out about us.”

“Right. Liz told me that night and I freaked. I ran out of her apartment screaming. Did you know that?”

He shrugged. He had heard about it, although much later, when it had no longer worried him because by then he knew she was on their side. “What’s your point?”

“My point, Michael, is that I was scared of you then. All of you. Even Max. Even knowing that he’d healed Liz. I was terrified. Then Liz came up with that hair-brained plot to throw Valenti off your trail and I had to trust you. I had to trust Isabel not to run me over with my own car, and I had to lie there on the ground with my eyes closed and wait for you to put a silver handprint on me. And you put your hand on my chest, and it was so warm, and you were so gentle, Michael. I was this flaky nut case who knew your secret and could potentially get you killed or worse, and you touched me like I was breakable china.”

Michael felt like he was being hypnotized. Shaking his head, he pulled his hands gently from hers. “It doesn’t matter,” he said softly. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

“Argh!” She turned away and pounded a fist into a couch cushion. “Damn it, Michael Guerin, why are you so thick headed?”

“I’m thick headed?” he asked. “Me? You’re the one who refuses to see. Maria, I killed Pierce!” he shouted at her back. “I wanted him dead and it was all over. I know I would never do anything to hurt you that way, but that doesn’t mean I won’t use my powers to hurt anyone else. If you’re around, there’s no telling what might happen. You could get caught in the crossfire and that would kill me! I mean it. It’s too dangerous. Don’t you get it?”

“No, I guess I don’t,” she admitted, her voice thick with tears. “I’m just some dizzy blonde who’s too stupid to understand why you aren’t willing to take the risk if I am. You’re not the only one who’s in love, you know.”

Not even a sledgehammer to his skull could have stopped Michael quite so effectively. He stood, speechless, watching as she continued with her back to him, her thin shoulders starting to tremble. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her until she stopped crying, to take away the harsh words and this insane existence that had brought them to this point. He was so close to reaching out to her that he had to force himself to lace his hands together behind his back, just to keep his arms from moving of their own accord. Using every ounce of willpower he could muster, he took one step backwards so that she was out of reach.

“You’re not stupid or dizzy,” he said gently. He hesitated, then took a deep breath. “And I do know,” he added meaningfully. “ I wish things could be different.”

Maria wiped at her eyes and stood a little straighter, but she still didn’t turn around. “They could be,” she said. “You just won’t let them.” She picked up her headband and moved briskly past him into the ladies room, where she proceeded to splash cold water on her face while he watched. Catching his eye in the mirror, she shook her head. “Go back to work, Michael,” she told him. Then reaching back with one hand, she shut the door in his face.

* * * * *

Instead of going back to the kitchen, Michael headed into the café and made a beeline for the front booth. “Do me a favor?” he asked Isabel, abruptly breaking into her conversation with Alex.

Isabel started to glare at him for being so rude, then saw the look on his face. “What?”

“Go talk to Maria.”

“Where is she?” Isabel queried, looking around the deserted restaurant.

“In the restroom.” Michael rubbed one hand across his eyes. “She’s upset,” he added.

Isabel glanced at Alex, then slid out of the booth. She stood in front of Michael until she met his eye. “Why me?” she asked softly. “Why not get Liz to go?”

He shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “Liz’ll probably just tell her that I’m right, and that’s not what she needs. She needs someone who’ll agree with her when she calls me an asshole,” he mumbled.

With a sympathetic smile, Isabel gave him a little nod and headed for the ladies’ room. Michael slid into the seat she’d vacated and looked at Alex. “How did I get to be the villain here?”

“Y-chromosome,” was the automatic reply. Then, after a brief pause, “Or whatever your equivalent might be. Look, Michael, I know you think you’re protecting Maria with all of this self-sacrifice stuff, but you’re just pulling a Max.”

“Excuse me?”

Alex sighed. “You’re taking utter control of a situation where there is clearly no right answer and declaring your way law. You don’t have the right to make that kind of decision for her. Maria has to make up her own mind as to how much she’s willing to risk.”

Michael scowled. “Whitman…”

“Look, you asked,” Alex interrupted. “And frankly, I doubt anyone is going to give you a different answer, except maybe Liz, and she’s suffering from the same malady.”

Michael raised his eyebrows. “Y-chromosome?”

“Okay, so maybe that isn’t the only problem. How about over exposure to Max Evans, noble alien extraordinaire? If anyone else on our particular Good Ship Lollipop decides they want to steer, we’re not gonna have any sailors left to swab the decks.”

“You are one strange bird, Whitman. I’ve no idea what Isabel sees in you,” Michael commented, softening the jibe with a smirk.

“Me either, but I’m not complaining,” Alex replied.

“So, is it worth it?” Michael asked soberly. “I mean, is being with Isabel worth the possibility of getting killed? Have you really thought about it?”

Alex looked him in the eye, something he was conscious of never having done before. “Yes. Absolutely. You’re forgetting that one of Pierce’s goons – or maybe even Pierce himself – came pretty darn close to dragging me off the street just a few nights ago. I was there when you and Valenti pulled Max out of that base. I don’t know what Pierce did to him, but it doesn’t take a degree in medieval torture devices to take a wild guess. I saw Kyle get shot. I know there’s some evil race coming to destroy the world, or whatever. I’m not in the dark here.”

“And you’re willing to go up against all of that?” Michael asked, more than a little amazed.

“It isn’t anything you guys aren’t up against yourselves.”

“But not by choice. This is who we are. You don’t have to be a part of this.”

“Michael,” Alex said pointedly, “I am a part of this. We all are. Isabel and Max know it. Maria knows it. It isn’t a choice anymore. It’s just the way things are.”

“I can’t accept that,” Michael said. “Not if it means Maria gets hurt.”

“Fine,” Alex sighed. “I don’t want to argue with you about this. It’s something the two of you are going to have to settle yourselves.” He looked up as the door chime rang out. “Looks like Max is here.” Alex turned just in time to see Liz hurry to the far end of the café and busy herself scrubbing the counter. “Round two, anyone?” he muttered.

Max came over and slid into the booth next to Michael. “You guys are a pretty sorry twosome,” he commented. “What’s going on?” His eyes focused on Alex. “Isabel here?”

“In the back,” Alex answered. “Picking Maria up off the floor,” he added pointedly.

“I see,” Max said slowly, shooting Michael a look out of the corner of his eye. “Well, Michael…”

“I don’t want to hear it,” came the quick retort.

Max held both hands up, an innocent look on his face. “Hey, can’t a guy ask for a burger without getting his head handed to him?”

“Yeah. Whatever. Will Smith?”

“Thanks.”

“Slide out. I’ll go throw one on and get you a cherry coke.” Max looked at Michael questioningly as he stood to let him out of the booth. Michael rolled his eyes. “You don’t think Liz is gonna actually come take your order, do you?”

Max sighed and slid back into the seat. “I guess this isn’t the best approach, huh?” he asked Alex.

“I don’t think so, no. So, where ya been? We’d begun to think you’d ditched the lot of us.”

“I went past Tess’s house.”

Alex’s eyebrows shot up. “I thought you promised Isabel that you wouldn’t go over there by yourself?”

“I said I wouldn’t go see her,” Max replied, slightly annoyed. “I just did a drive by to see if she was back. There were some lights on, so I’d say it’s a safe bet. Maybe you and Iz can swing by when you leave here. Isabel was supposed to take Tess her assignments, but I’d rather she not go over by herself.”

“I’m flattered you consider me any kind of protection,” Alex observed. “I’m not exactly much of a match for our Miss Harding.”

“Safety in numbers.”

“Right. Sure.”

“Thanks.”

Michael brought over Max’s drink and set it on the table. “You want fries, too?”

Max shook his head. “Not that hungry.”

Michael nodded knowingly. “Right. Alex? You just gonna keep the booth warm for a while longer?”

Alex looked around the mostly-empty room. “What? You need the seat for someone else?”

“I just meant, do you want anything else?”

“Oh, no. Thanks,” he added somewhat sheepishly.

“Fine.”

The back door swung open and Max, Michael, and Alex turned to see Isabel emerge with Maria just behind her. Maria went straight to Liz, murmured something, then gave her a quick hug and disappeared into the break room again. Isabel came back to the booth and sat down next to Alex.

“Hey, Max,” she said.

“What happened?” Michael demanded.

Isabel shook her head. “She’s going home early. She isn’t up to being here with you right now, okay?”

Instead of answering, Michael turned and stomped off to the kitchen. Max shook his head. “Is Maria okay?”

“Yeah, more or less. They had some sort of run in. She tried to convince him he was wrong, he stood fast, she ended up in tears.” Isabel looked at Alex. “So much for the new-and-improved version. The old Maria seems to be back full force. She’s upset, but she’s mad too. Michael had better just stay clear of her until she settles down again.”

Almost in unison, Alex and Isabel turned and looked at Max. “What?” he asked. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Exactly,” Isabel commented. “Are you planning to talk to Liz?”

Max sagged into the booth, his eyes traveling automatically to the other end of the room where Liz was filling napkin holders and keeping her back to him. “I was planning on it, but now I’m not so sure.”

“Max, you have to say something to her,” Alex told him. “I just wouldn’t do it here.”

He nodded. “I know. Part of me thought that if I cornered her in the café with a bunch of customers around, at least she wouldn’t be able to run away. But I know it wasn’t that good of an idea.”

“To say the least,” Isabel muttered, but she watched him with clear concern. “Max, are you okay?”

“What?” He looked up, straightening in his seat. “Yeah. Just, you know… a lot on my mind.”

Max flashed her a smile, but Isabel was acutely aware that it didn’t reach his eyes. Reflected in the front windows, she could see Liz Parker moving at the counter in the same zombie mode that seemed to have possessed Max, and Isabel felt herself growing even more worried. She couldn’t help but feel that things were sinking from bad to worse.

* * * * *

Tess picked listlessly at the pizza in front of her. After her trip to the lawyer in Albuquerque, she was more tired than hungry, and the greasy meal suddenly held less appeal than when she’d stopped at the take-out place on the way home. Instead of eating, she turned her attention to the To Do list she was trying to compile. Being an emancipated minor appeared to be rather more complicated than she had thought. She needed to find a new, smaller place to live, and then there was the contents of the house to sort through. Sighing she looked around at the objects d’art and heavy furniture. None of it meant anything to her, so deciding what to sell shouldn’t really pose a problem. As far as she was concerned, it could all go.

The sound of the door bell startled her. Wiping her hands, she made her way out of the kitchen to the front of the house. When she opened the door, she discovered Isabel and Alex standing on the front step.

“Hey,” Isabel said, obviously slightly uncomfortable. “I figured you’d be home by now. I brought your assignments,” she said.

“Thanks,” Tess said. She quickly took in Alex’s protective stance and somewhat rebellious look, as well as how close he was standing to Isabel. She forced herself to smile. “You guys wanna come in?”

“Sure,” Isabel said, ignoring Alex’s quick tug on her arm. She filed through the door, giving him no choice but to follow. “So, how did it go today?” she asked Tess.

Tess shrugged as she closed the door behind them and led the way into the kitchen. “It was a little strange, I guess. I mean, explaining to some judge that my father had to leave the country indefinitely and thought it best that I remain here.” She turned and gave them her best polite-hostess smile. “Would you like anything? I’ve got pizza.”

Alex shook his head warily. “Thanks, but we already ate.”

“So, that’s it, then? You’re emancipated?” Isabel asked.

Tess reached across the counter and grabbed a sheaf of papers. “All here in black and white,” she said. “I’m on my own.”

Isabel and Alex traded a quick look. “Tess, you may be on your own, but you still aren’t alone, okay?” Isabel said gently. “I know that things have been really crazy, but Max meant it when he said we have to stick together.”

Tess stared at the couple, almost defiantly. Something passed through her expression, as if she were making a decision. She pulled herself up so she was sitting on the counter and looked pointedly at Alex. “Look,” she began, “I want you to know that I don’t have anything against you, personally,” she told him, then turned back to Isabel. “I’ve gone my entire life holding onto one idea – that you, Max, and Michael were my family. That we belonged together. It’s just a little hard for me to adjust to the fact that you would rather spend your time with a bunch of humans, that’s all.”

“Tess, it doesn’t have to be one or the other,” Isabel told her cautiously. “Liz, Maria, and Alex have been there for us. They’ve kept our secrets and put themselves in danger and we care about them. You’ve only just come into our lives, and while we do feel some sort of connection, it’s going to take some time for us to really get to know each other. Not who we used to be, but who we are. Can you understand that?”

“So, what does that mean?”

“It means we need to work together to improve our powers, so we can destroy these evil beings. And that we need to spend time together. Just don’t expect that we’re going to cut everything and everyone else out of our lives,” Isabel said.

Tess nodded. “Where do we start?”

Alex had been looking aimlessly around the room and found himself jumping into the conversation. “You planning on staying here?”

Tess looked somewhat surprised at the question, and unsure as to whether or not to answer. But both Alex and Isabel looked at her expectantly. “Uh, no,” she replied finally. “It’s a rental and way too big and expensive. I guess I’m going to need to find an apartment.”

Alex looked at Isabel and shrugged. “I guess that’s a good place to start, then. We can all help you find a place. I’m afraid there aren’t too many choices in Roswell.”

Tess hesitated briefly, then smiled. “Thanks, Alex,” she said, making a point to stress his name.

“Yeah, no problem,” he answered with a nod, clearly reserving judgement, but willing to play along for now.

Isabel gave Alex’s hand a grateful squeeze and smiled at Tess. “Good,” she said quietly. “So, we’ll see you in school tomorrow, right?” When the other girl nodded, Isabel pulled a pad from her bag and tore a sheet of paper from it. “Here,” she told her. “Your homework.”

Tess took the paper and smiled slightly. “Thank you.” Her gaze shifted to Alex. “Both,” she added. “I guess I’ll walk you out.”

After they had gone and Tess had bolted the door behind them, she leaned against it and slid so she sat on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest. Seeing Isabel and Alex had made her even more aware of how little she fit in here. She was different from Max, Michael and Isabel because they genuinely cared about their human friends, and she didn’t think she ever could. She didn’t wish Liz, Maria and Alex any harm, but they were another species, another race, and she failed to see how they had any connection to the rest of them. But the others obviously saw something she didn’t. There was more to their relationships than simply marking time with humans. She had witnessed it in the way Isabel and Alex seemed to communicate without words. It was the same link she had already seen between Max and Liz and Michael and Maria. They had some ability she lacked.

She wondered if there was something wrong with her. Had being raised by Nasedo made her like him? Uncaring, unfeeling? That wasn’t the way she wanted to be, but she didn’t know how to be different. How did you find emotion where there was none? For now, she would accept things the way they were, but she could not help but wonder what would happen next.

* * * * *

Liz stood in the shower and let the hot spray pound against her shoulders, sighing as the water worked on the day’s tensions. She knew she couldn’t wash away all of her worries, but it felt good nonetheless. It had been a long, stressful day – the first of many, she suspected – so she was determined to take whatever relief she could get.

Oddly enough, she had felt the most relaxed during the last hour while closing the Crashdown with Michael. At first she had thought it would be awkward with Maria not there – though reason dictated that Maria’s presence would have made things even more strained. But she and Michael had actually worked well together, falling into an easy silence as he helped her put the chairs on the tables and clean the floor. It had been good to spend time with someone who knew what she was feeling, understood what she was going through, and yet wasn’t hell bent on changing her mind or checking to see how she was holding up every ten minutes. Michael had run interference for her earlier – no questions asked – taking care of Max’s dinner order and then ringing him up when he, Alex, and Isabel had been ready to leave. Since waiting on tables was most definitely not part of Michael’s job description, Liz knew he had done it to spare her and she was grateful.

Liz shut off the shower and quickly dried herself with a fluffy green bath towel. Using the side of her hand, she wiped the steam from the mirror and made a face. With her hair pulled up and her skin scrubbed clean, she looked even more pale and worn out than before. Unfortunately, she no longer felt tired – at least not in the sense of being able to sleep. She tugged on a pair of baggy shorts and an old tank top and padded out of the hot bathroom. Barefoot in the center of her room, she stared at the books piled on her desk. Finals were only days away, but she couldn’t imagine studying any more than she could imagine sleeping. Studying would require her to focus her unruly thoughts and that seemed an unlikely possibility. Instead, her eyes shifted to the wall that ran behind her dresser. She hesitated for a moment, then crossed the room and let her fingers run over the familiar brick surface, searching out one brick in particular. A quick tap on one end, a jiggle back and forth, and the brick slid neatly out of place. Liz reached through the wall and pulled out her journal. Grabbing a pen, she opened the window and slipped out onto the roof.

Settling on her old lawn chair, Liz flipped open the book. It had been more than a week since she’d written – things had been so crazy there had been no time. Now, staring at the blank page, she acknowledged that by even taking the journal out, she was surrendering to the inevitable. To chronicle the past week, to record the events and her accompanying emotions, was to give herself permission to think about Max. She had started keeping the journal because of Max, and the two would always be inextricably linked in her mind. After Max had saved her life and she had learned the truth about him and Michael and Isabel, she had needed some tangible way to sort her thoughts and feelings. It had been important for her to somehow take the incredible and make it real. The time she took to write enabled her to see more clearly what her emotions were. It was how she first knew that she loved Max. Even after her journal had gone missing and she’d realized how potentially dangerous a document it was, she’d been unable to give it up. When Michael returned it, she had simply found a better hiding place and continued to write.

So now, despite her resolve to stay out of Max’s life, she still felt a compulsion to write it all down, no matter how hard she found reliving the last few days. The only question was where to start. Their discoveries about Tess, her own abduction by Nasedo, what Pierce did to Max, the message from their planet – she had yet to write a word about any of it. Suddenly, it all seemed overwhelming. The page before her was endlessly white and empty and she had no idea how to begin to fill it. Using her pen to mark her place, Liz closed the journal and set it gently on the ground, then pulled her knees into her chest and rested her forehead against them.

“Writer’s block?” The question came quietly out of the darkness.

Liz stiffened at the sound of his voice. He had been so much on her mind, especially since he had shown up at the café earlier. All night she had felt him near, her skin sensitized, every nerve ending aware. After she’d come upstairs, the feeling had remained, but she’d assumed her mind was playing tricks on her. It had never occurred to her that he was actually still there. “How long have you been here?” she asked softly, not raising her head, refusing to look at him.

Max crossed slowly out of the shadows. “I never left,” he admitted. “I was sitting out in the Jeep, waiting for you to close up.” He sat down on the edge of her chair. “But I’ve only been up on the roof for a few minutes,” he added.

“Please go, Max,” she asked.

“Liz, we need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to say.”

“That’s not true,” he told her. “Liz, please.” He paused. “Can’t you even look at me?” he asked finally.

Liz looked up slowly until their eyes met. As always, his were loving, gentle, understanding, endless. But they were also hurt. Her heart skipped a beat. “Max, please,” she whispered. “This is so hard.”

“I know it is,” he replied quietly. “What isn’t hard these days?” he asked, looking rather grim. “But please hear me out. This is too important.”

She shook her head, knowing what he wanted to say. “It doesn’t matter anymore. Don’t you see?”

“I only see one thing, Liz. Eyes open or closed, I see you running down that hill. Since the day you learned who I am, what I am, you have never turned away from me. Even when things got dangerous or weird, you had faith in me. Until yesterday. Yesterday you turned your back on me and you ran.”

“Max!” she gasped. “That isn’t fair…”

“Fair?” he asked, pining her with a hot look that held more than a hint of his anger at their circumstances. He stood and began to pace restlessly. “Look around you, Liz,” he sighed. “Exactly what part of our lives is fair? Was it fair when I made you a part of this? Was it fair the way Kyle got dragged into things? Is it fair the way Michael is pushing Maria away? Is it fair that I’ve gone from worrying about a handful of people I love and care for to suddenly being responsible for the fate of two planets worth of strangers?” He stopped short, frowning.

Liz watched as his eyes darkened, her thoughts flying to all of the things that had been happening recently – things that had happened to Max that were anything but fair. A vision of Pierce flashed through her mind. It was all she could do to keep from crying out. As she watched, she detected a slight shudder run through Max’s body, and she could no longer help herself. “Max,” she said softly, standing up and going to him.

But he stopped her. An arm’s length away. He looked at her, met her gaze, and held out his hand as if to push her back. “I’m fine,” he said. “I’m not trying to guilt you into anything, Liz. None of this was your fault.” He dropped his hand, but continued to hold her eyes with his. “Look, if you were scared – if you wanted out because you were afraid of getting hurt – I’d let you go. As hard as that would be, I would understand. But I know that isn’t what’s motivating you, okay? So, please. Just listen.”

There was nothing else she could do. Chewing nervously on her bottom lip, Liz nodded. “I’m listening,” she said.

He seemed to relax, tension easing from his features. He shot her a grateful look, then turned and leaned his elbows on the wall. It was as if he knew she found looking in his eyes difficult and was giving her a brief respite. Instead of staring at her, he gazed out over the rooftops of Roswell and at the world beyond. The night sky surrounded him and, from her vantage point, it appeared as if shooting stars were careening toward him.

“I guess a part of me has always believed that we each have a destiny,” he began. “And for me, that destiny was you. I knew it the moment I set eyes on you, eight years ago. We were just kids, but it didn’t matter. Somehow, I always understood that we belonged together, however unlikely it may have seemed at times.” He paused, as if anticipating an argument, giving her a chance to contradict him, but she continued to listen, waiting patiently for him to continue.

“The thing is, I don’t believe you can determine someone else’s destiny for them,” he said. “A parent may wish things for their child, but ultimately, only fate can tell what the future will bring. Whatever Tess and I were to each other before, this is a different life, another time. We aren’t the same people. You’re the scientist – look at all of the variables that have changed. We’re living on the earth; we’re part human. How can the outcome possibly be the same? That message from our mother was a cry for help, and I can’t ignore it, but I refuse to live my entire life based on what happened in some previous existence.” He turned and looked at her. “Liz, all I’m asking is that you think about what I’m saying.”

“But what about your feelings for Tess?” she asked softly. “I know you feel something toward her, Max.”

His eyes were filled with regret. “Nothing I felt for her was real. You have to believe that. She used her powers to manipulate all of us. We suspect she even caused the dreams that Isabel and Michael were having. Liz, I swear to you that I don’t feel that way about her.”

“How do you feel about her?”

“I accept that she’s one of us,” he admitted. “There is some sort of connection there, but it’s more protective than anything else. Even taking that into consideration, I’m still not ready to trust her completely. She’s been feeding us information since she arrived, much of which has been unreliable. In fact, this whole concept of us as destined mates originated with her. Whether Nasedo raised her to believe that, or she was simply trying to control us, I haven’t decided yet, but we all intend to keep our guard up.”

“But Max, even if I accept that you and Tess aren’t meant to be together,” Liz said, her voice wavering slightly, “you still have so much on your shoulders. You can’t turn your back on your people, and I can’t keep you from doing whatever you need to do in order to save them. You said so yourself – you can’t ignore their cry for help.”

“I won’t ignore it, Liz. But discovering why we’re here and what we’re supposed to do hasn’t really altered our circumstances that much. Our chances of going home are just as slim as they were a month ago. We don’t know where home is, and even if we did, we have no way of getting there. Yes, one day we might figure it all out. And on that day I’ll have a decision to make. But that was always true,” he pointed out gently. “Meanwhile, we’ll do what we can to develop our skills and to learn more about ourselves. But Liz, I don’t want to do any of it without you.”

Liz sank back down on her chair, her eyes filled with tears. He looked so earnest, was so persuasive, and she loved him so much. He had known that she would do her best to keep her emotions from swaying her decision, so he had approached her with the best argument he could build that was most likely to wear down her defenses. He’d appealed to her logic. “I… think I need a little time,” she told him in a shaky voice, trying hard to keep the tears from spilling over. “I have to think about all of this, Max.”

He came over and sat down next to her. “Thank you for listening to my side,” he said. “And don’t think that I don’t understand why you walked away. I love that you want to be noble and that you want me to be free to follow my destiny. But I’m going to remind you of something someone very wise once told me. That’s not your decision to make.” With gentle fingers, he reached out and caught the tear that ran down her cheek, brushing it away. “I also want you to promise me that you’ll be careful. I know we think the FBI is taken care of for now, but we have no way of knowing who else may be watching us. So please, keep your eyes open, okay?”

Liz nodded, sending a cascade of tears down her cheeks. She reached up and brushed them away herself. “I’ll watch out,” she promised, knowing that whatever she decided, she couldn’t give him anything else to worry about.

“Thank you,” he said. Then he leaned forward and brushed a kiss over her lips, one hand stroking her hair off her face. It was over in an instant and he pulled back, meeting her surprised eyes with his warm ones. “I just wanted you to remember,” he whispered.

Standing, he kissed her quickly on the top of her head. A moment later he was gone, and all that remained was the echo of his feet as he climbed down the fire escape. It was a very long time before Liz was able to get up and go inside.

* * * * *

Diane Evans had always considered herself to be a morning person, but on this particular Saturday she rose with the sun. For nearly a week, she had watched her children with anxious eyes, waiting for a sign that whatever was wrong had somehow righted itself, hoping they would come to her for help if it had not. In Isabel she thought she detected some small indications of improvement. Though her daughter still seemed more reserved than usual, Diane attributed it at least partially to studying for exams. Her friend Tess had been by several times, and Alex Whitman had become a frequent visitor as well. Although unsure of the precise nature of Isabel and Alex’s relationship, Diane couldn’t help but smile at the thought of them together. Alex had put a light in her Izzy’s eyes that had gone a long way toward relieving Diane’s mind.

But it was her concern for Max that had her out of bed so early that morning. His behavior over the last few days had Diane genuinely worried. Every night he came home after work and closeted himself in his room, barely emerging to pick at his dinner before disappearing behind closed doors again. Although he claimed to be cramming for finals, she doubted that exams were the cause of the dark circles under his eyes or the tightness around his jawline. He seemed to have something constantly on his mind, and Diane suspected that something was Liz Parker. The week had been most notably marked by Liz’s absence. No phone messages, no study dates, no trips to the Crashdown. As far as she could tell, Max had neither seen nor spoken to Liz outside of school for days. In fact, he seemed to be pushing everyone away, though Diane was fairly sure she’d caught Michael’s voice coming from behind Max’s door several nights as she headed up to bed. Since she heard Michael neither come nor go, she could only assume he had been using the window to slip in and out of Max’s room. Just one more mystery to fuel her fears.

But last night had been worse than anything else, and had driven Diane to push aside her need to respect her son’s privacy and his desire to handle things on his own. In the middle of the night, she’d woken to a sound that left her blood chilled even now. A scream had cut through the darkness, sounding almost tortured, breaking the silence of the house for a split second before being muffled. Never a sound sleeper when her husband was away on business, Diane had leapt from her bed, instantly alert. There hadn’t been any doubt in her mind – the cry had come from Max’s room. Straining her ears, she had been able to make out the sound of doors being quietly opened and closed. She had tip-toed noiselessly into the hall, barely breathing, and pressed her ear against her son’s bedroom door, pushing away any feelings of guilt she might have at eavesdropping as only a worried mother could. Inside the room she’d heard soft, soothing murmurs. Although she’d been unable to make out the words, the voices had clearly been Isabel’s and Michael’s.

At the time, it was all she could do to keep herself from barging through the door and demanding to know what was going on, what had her son so traumatized that he was screaming his way out of his nightmares. Even as a child, newly adopted and clearly distraught at his unfamiliar surroundings, Max had never cried out in the night. But Diane had forced herself to go back to bed, though she knew she would not sleep, to allow her son to be comforted by the only people he truly trusted. Lying there, staring at the ceiling as the house grew quiet once more, she asked herself over and over what she should do. She had told Max she believed in him, and it was true. But whatever was going on now had her frightened for him in a way she had never imagined possible. So, as the first light crept through her curtains, she had climbed out of bed and splashed cold water on her tired eyes and dressed for her day, knowing what needed to be done.

The door to Max’s room was closed, as it always was these days. Diane hesitated, not wanting to wake him after so restless a night when he was obviously in need of sleep. But she knew if she waited, he would find some way to slip away from her again, to leave for work or the library or wherever he thought he could go to escape her prying eyes. So, she knocked quietly on the door and waited.

When there was no response, she knocked a little louder. “Max?” she called. “Are you awake yet, honey?” Her hand found the door knob, turned, and the door slid open a crack. “Max?”

When she finally pushed the door all the way open, the reason for his silence became obvious. He was not there. She headed back down the hall and knocked swiftly on Isabel’s door. Again she received no reply. A quick look into the room proved her suspicion correct – Isabel was gone as well. Diane walked slowly back into Max’s room and looked around. The window was slightly open. A sleeping bag, obviously rolled in haste, spilled out from beneath the desk. Next to the computer a pile of books appeared ready to fall to the floor, as if they had been sorted through quickly. Noting that Max’s bookbag was missing, Diane sighed. More studying for exams, though where they could have gone to study so early was beyond her. She moved to push the books to a more secure place on the desk then stopped, her attention caught by the titles. Several books on telekinesis. A thick volume on astronomy. And Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.” She slid the pile further onto the desk, wondering what classes Max could possibly be taking that required such eclectic reading.

As she turned to go, something familiar danced into view. Diane crossed to the bed and sat down. There on the night stand, perched beside a framed photo of Liz in her Crashdown uniform, was Max’s house – the little one Diane had given him when he first came to live with them. For the longest time it had sat up on a shelf, covered in dust, propping up a few odd books. Then a few months ago, Max had tried to give it back to her, on that terrible, wonderful day, when he’d offered to leave, then told her he wanted to stay. She had refused the gift, telling him she thought he still needed it. And here it was again, keeping a beside vigil. Diane picked it up and traced the edges with her finger, marveling at the tiny details of the piece. Tears filled her eyes as she carefully returned the little house to the table. Now, more than ever before, she just wanted her babies to come home to her.

* * * * *

Michael sat on the front steps of his apartment building and squinted through the pre-dawn light. No sign of the Jeep. Groaning, he locked his hands behind his head and twisted his torso slowly, first to the right, then left, sighing as he felt the tiny bones in his spine crackle into place. A week of sleeping on Max’s floor was doing nothing for his back, and even less for his disposition.

Normally, he had no problem with a spot in the sleeping bag. God knows he’d slept there often enough when he still lived with Hank, and the truth was the floor was only slightly less comfortable than the couch he currently used as a bed. But the nightmares were starting to get to him. It was bad enough when Michael woke to Max tossing and turning, but the sound of Max screaming last night had catapulted him into wakefulness with a terrifying jolt. Every muscle in his body had tensed, then cramped in complaint. It was obvious that Max’s nightmares were growing worse, and what scared Michael was that neither he nor Isabel could convince Max to talk about them. They had no idea what they could do, except continue to keep watch over him through the night and to calm him when he woke from whatever hell tortured his sleep. They had assumed he was reliving the hours he spent at Pierce’s mercy, but now Michael wasn’t so sure it was that simple. It was the scream that had changed his mind. What he hadn’t told Isabel, since Max had been there, still shaking to the bone, was that the scream had actually been a word – a word Michael had recognized. Max had been crying out for Liz.

A rumbling sound down the street signaled the Jeep’s approach. Michael hauled himself up off the steps and hefted his knapsack over his shoulder. Isabel pulled up to the curb, with Max riding shotgun and Tess already in the back seat. “Get in,” she told him.

“What kept you?” he asked as he climbed into the back next to Tess. He had escaped the Evanses’ house through the window shortly after Max’s nightmare. Max and Isabel had both been concerned that their mother might have heard and didn’t want Michael there in the event that she came to investigate. They had promised to pull some stuff together and pick him up within the hour. It had been closer to two and the sun was starting to peek over the horizon.

“It took longer than we thought,” Max mumbled, his only concession to the fact that he moved more slowly after one of his nightmares. It was as if the shock rendered him partially paralyzed for several hours. “And we decided to pick up Tess first. It made more sense if we’re going to the quarry.”

Michael didn’t comment. The truth was, if he had been really worried he would have gone looking for them. He was complaining more due to fatigue than anything else. Fatigue caused by the aforementioned nightmares of his best friend. And while he might be prone to grumbling, especially before he’d snagged a cup of coffee, he would never tell Max what was causing his mild bouts of temper. Max had enough to worry him, and in the end, Michael was more than willing to suffer through the nightmares along side of him. It was the least he could do.

“You guys see your mom on the way out?” he asked.

Max swiveled in his seat. “At this time of the morning?”

Michael shrugged. “I just wondered.”

“Clean getaway,” Max replied. “So, what’s in the bag?” he asked, eyeing Michael’s bookbag. “Isabel and I took our textbooks along so Mom would think we were studying, but that can’t possibly be your excuse.”

“Cans,” he replied, shooting Tess a look. “You did say we needed something to use as targets, didn’t you?”

Tess nodded. “It’s kind of like learning to shoot a rifle,” she explained to Max. “You all need to learn to focus and aim your energy.”

Max’s eyebrows rose in apparent amusement. “You’re telling me we’re going to be shooting at beer cans using our powers?”

“Actually, soda cans,” Michael supplied.

“You said you wanted me to teach you what I know,” Tess said. “Nasedo taught me a lot. I’m not necessarily good at all of it, but then we practiced some skills more than others.”

“Like your mind control trick,” Isabel offered.

Tess looked uncomfortable. “Yes,” she agreed. “Like that. But just because I’m not as skilled in some of the uses for our powers, doesn’t mean I don’t understand the principals behind using them.” She looked pointedly at Max. “It seemed to me, if we’re going to have to fight, this was the thing to practice first.”

Max gave her a grudging nod of approval. “You’re right,” he said. “We do need to learn to fight, much as I detest the idea. At the very least, we have to be able to defend ourselves better.”

“Well, if we’re going to learn to fight, can it at least be on a full stomach? How about we stop and pick up some coffee and doughnuts before we head out of town?” Michael suggested. In response, Isabel let out a chuckle and Max cracked a smile. Michael had always had a weakness for doughnuts.

* * * * *

Maria walked into the Crashdown a few minutes before they were scheduled to open for breakfast. Normally she didn’t mind the early shift, but she’d had difficulty sleeping the night before and woke tired and irritable. It didn’t help to know that Michael was also scheduled to work this morning. She considered it far too early to be forced to deal with his scowling face, especially since she could trace her poor night’s sleep back to a number of dreams about him. Unable to recall any of the details, she only knew she’d woken around four am, longing for Michael. She’d been awake ever since.

As she tossed her bag into her locker, the door swung open and Liz came into the back room, humming a tuneless little string of notes under her breath. Maria’s eyes narrowed appraisingly. Her best friend still looked pale and it was becoming obvious that she had barely eaten all week, but the dark circles beneath her eyes seemed a little less pronounced. After her near-breakdown on Monday, Liz had stopped working so hard to avoid Max. Although she still sat next to Maria in Chemistry, she had actually joined them all for lunch several times on the quad. However, since Tess had also been sitting with them, there had been some creative instances of musical chairs. Liz fled to one end of the table and Tess to the other, and Max perched someplace in the middle so as to avoid sitting next to either one, though he kept glancing longingly at Liz while they ate. Unfortunately, since Alex and Isabel were inseparable these days, that generally left Maria staring across the table at Michael’s stubbornly maintained blank expression. Stonewall Guerin was back with a vengeance. It was enough to ruin your appetite, Maria thought.

“So, why exactly are you so happy this morning?” Maria asked Liz, wincing slightly when she heard how harsh she sounded.

Liz shrugged as she peered into the mirror and slipped on her headband. “I’m not, really,” she said. “It’s just I somehow managed to concentrate long enough to outline my final paper for History last night. You know, the one I was so panicked about?” She turned back to Maria. “It was such a relief. I’ve been so stressed over finals and… everything,” she said quietly with a small frown, waving her hand through the air in a vague gesture that somehow covered aliens and destinies and parents all rolled into one untidy package. “I refuse to let my GPA drop as a result of my soap-opera life.”

“I thought maybe you’d been… rethinking things,” Maria ventured hesitantly.

Liz sighed and flopped onto the couch, causing her antennas to shake violently. “I have been,” she admitted in a deflated tone that made Maria wish she’d held her tongue. “I think and rethink practically all day and all night. I just can’t seem to come to any conclusions.”

Maria noticed that Liz was no longer insisting she was right to walk away from Max, though she decided it was probably a good idea not to point out that fact. She sighed as Liz got up and went over to the lockers. At least someone is making progress, she thought.

Her reverie was interrupted by a loud clatter from the kitchen. “I see Spaceboy is here already,” Maria commented.

Liz shook her head as she searched through her locker for something. “Actually it’s José. Michael needed the day off for something, so they switched shifts.”

Maria wrinkled her nose. “What could he possibly need the day for? It’s not like he’s actually going to study for finals or anything,” she observed wryly.

Pulling a tube of lip-gloss from a little bag, Liz shrugged. “He didn’t say. Just that he had something to do.”

“Well,” Maria continued, trying hard to look uninterested, “it’s not like it has anything to do with me. I couldn’t care less.”

Liz smirked into the mirror, then blotted her lips on a tissue. “You keep telling yourself that,” she murmured.

“I heard that,” Maria told her. “Anyway, I’m glad he’s not here. It’s impossible working with someone who refuses to talk to you.”

“I haven’t noticed you holding up your end of that particular conversation either,” Liz said. She turned sympathetic eyes toward her friend. “I know it’s hard,” she said softly. “But you’ll get through it.”

Maria sighed. Right, she thought. Then something occurred to her. “Liz? What shift is Michael taking for José?” Her heart sank when Liz quickly turned back to her locker and busied herself with tucking things away. “Lizzie? Please don’t tell me….”

“Tuesday night,” Liz answered, her voice apologetic.

“Oh God, Liz, no,” Maria whined. “I close alone Tuesday night. You can’t do this to me.”

“Maria, I’m sorry,” Liz said. “But I had to let them switch. And you know under any other circumstances I would come work with you, but I have my Geometry final Wednesday morning and I really need to study.” She gave her friend a quick hug. “You’ll be fine,” she assured her. “You’ve worked with Michael four times this week and both lived to tell the tale.”

Maria groaned. “There was always someone else on with us. Tuesday’s are always dead. It’s going to be pure torture.”

“I’m sorry,” Liz told her. “But you’ll live. I promise. Just bring some school stuff and ignore him.”

Maria nodded half-heartedly as Liz preceded her into the café. “Easier said than done,” she mumbled.

* * * * *

The quarry rang out with the metallic echo of exploding soda cans. One after another, half a dozen flaming cans flew through the air and crashed into the wall beyond. When the smoke cleared, not a single target remained, and three pairs of eyes, wide with astonishment, turned toward Michael.

Thirty feet away from where the cans once stood, Michael appeared as surprised as the others. He had volunteered to go first, more to get it over with than for any other reason, though he’d claimed it was because he had used his powers this way before, while Max and Isabel had not. As Tess droned on about clearing your mind and maintaining your focus, he had only half listened, not really seeing much point. Besides, it was impossible for him to concentrate on her lecture when his thoughts kept returning to the last time he had come to the quarry. Then it had been the six of them, trying to figure out what to do about Topolsky. He had taken Maria in his arms that day, intending to tell her that he loved her, unsure as to whether he would ever see her again. Hard to believe it was only a couple of weeks ago.

The trouble was, he couldn’t get her out of his thoughts. Tess had said to let his mind blank out, but how could he when Maria was constantly spinning around in there, lecturing him on how relationships worked, flashing her quirky smile, mumbling about nookie motels and Tabasco breath? It had been a mistake to go past her house on the way home from Max’s this morning. Each time he crept in her window to watch her sleep, it was harder to leave without taking her into his arms and telling her he was wrong to push her away. Plus, each time he climbed over that sill, he risked her waking up. He supposed that was half the point. Part of him wanted her to catch him, needed her to know he was still watching over her despite everything that had happened.

Then he had realized that Tess had stopped talking and everyone was looking at him expectantly. Tess must have known he wasn’t really paying attention, because she suggested he start off aiming for the jagged quarry wall in the distance, instead of the cans. “That way you can get a feel for your power and get used to controlling speed and direction,” she’d said in what he was sure she thought was a helpful tone, but which in reality sounded condescending. She succeeded in pissing him off, so he had done what he did best – he’d ignored her.

He had stretched out his hand toward the cans and pushed at them with his mind. Before he could think any further, a sudden burst of energy had shot forward, swift and straight, blasting the first can to ashes. Five consecutive bursts of energy followed in rapid succession and within moments the cans were gone.

“Michael? Michael, are you all right?”

Feeling Max gently shaking his shoulder, Michael shook himself out of his daze. “I’m fine,” he said, turning toward Max and Isabel, who now looked more concerned than surprised. Tess seemed to have faded into the background, though she, too, was watching him carefully. I wonder if I scared her, he thought briefly. “I’m okay,” he repeated, managing to smile at Isabel who was frowning at him. “Really. I guess I just surprised myself,” he admitted.

“Us too,” Isabel told him, looking only slightly less worried. “Michael, that was amazing.”

“Yeah, Michael,” Max agreed.

“That’s me,” Michael said. “Mr. Amazing.” He looked at his half-empty bag, then toward the place where the last scrap of flaming metal was just sputtering out. “I guess I should have brought more cans,” he said.

Isabel smiled and Max patted him on the back. “So,” Max said, “you think you could give us a few pointers?”

Laughing, they went to set up another row of cans. Under Tess’s supervision, Isabel took careful aim and, after a few misfires, managed to hit three out of the six. When Max took his turn, bursts of energy flew in all directions and he failed to hit a single target. After several attempts, he shrugged. “I guess I’m having trouble focusing,” he said philosophically. “Better luck next time. I’m gonna head up to the Jeep and grab the stuff we brought for lunch. I’ll be right back,” he told them.

Isabel, Michael and Tess watched as Max made his way up the steep quarry path to where they had parked. As soon as he was out of sight, Isabel turned to Michael, visibly shaken. “Michael, what’s wrong with him? This is more than just trouble concentrating.”

Aware of Tess’s eyes on him, Michael shrugged. “He hasn’t been sleeping well, Iz. You know that. He’s dead tired and he has a lot on his mind.”

Tess shook her head. “He wasn’t even trying. Couldn’t you feel it? He was barely generating enough energy to reach the targets, let alone to get them to explode.”

“I just said he’s exhausted. He can barely generate enough energy to get out of bed in the mornings,” Michael snapped.

“I’m worried about him,” Isabel said.

“I know,” Michael told her, his voice softening.

“He can’t afford to let things get to him this way,” Tess said, turning and gazing up the path where Max had disappeared. “It’s a good way to get himself killed. He’s the one who said it – we need to be able to protect ourselves.”

“It’ll be okay,” Michael said, thinking as the words came out of his mouth that, ironic as it seemed, he was beginning to sound like Max. “Once finals are over and school is out, he’ll have more time to pull himself together and then he’ll be as good as new,” he assured them, shooting Isabel a warning look to keep her from arguing.

Catching his eye, Isabel nodded reluctantly. “I guess you’re right,” she sighed. “It is only one more week, after all.”

* * * * *

Max climbed slowly into the driver’s seat of the Jeep and rested his head on the steering wheel. It had taken an act of sheer will, but he had managed to hold himself together in front of the others. He knew Michael and Isabel were already worrying about his nightmares – no need to add to their list of concerns by collapsing in the light of day, too. The hike up the hill had helped him get himself back under control, but, though he felt less likely to fly into a million pieces, he was still drained.

Closing his eyes, he sat back and took a couple of deep breaths. He hadn’t expected to have that kind of reaction. Watching Michael take out the row of cans had instantly thrown him back a week to that day at the UFO Center, when Michael had taken Pierce out the same way. The thought had been fleeting, though. Max supposed his astonishment at the precision with which Michael wielded his firepower had distracted him. But as soon as his turn had come, the thought had flooded back, and with it came all of the emotional memories that were tied to his being held captive by Pierce. Fear. Pain. But mostly anger. Max had felt the rage building within him so quickly that it nearly overwhelmed him. So, taking aim at the row of soda cans, he’d deliberately held back, knowing instinctively that the kind of anger fueling his power would produce far more than a series of small explosions.

From the look in Tess’s eyes as he made his excuses, he could tell she knew that he had popped his shots, but he didn’t feel that he owed her any explanations at this point. As for Michael and Isabel – better for them to think him sleep deprived than to watch him blast a hole into the wall of the quarry. The energy pulsing through his body had been extreme, and he couldn’t risk hurting anyone. He was beginning to see why Michael had been so shaken, though, if today was any indication, control was no longer an issue for his friend. Sometime over the last week, Michael seemed to have found a way to focus.

He stood and rummaged through the back seat, coming up with the bag of deli sandwiches and sodas that they had bought on the way out of town. He could feel through the paper sack that the sodas were no longer cold. He pulled out one of the cans and stared at it absently. If he used his powers to slow down the molecules, would the beverage get colder? Could he do it without combining the structure of the soda and the can itself? Now was not the time to try, since they only had enough drinks to go around and he didn’t want to risk his experiment backfiring, but it was something else to think about. He had been coming up with these little projects for himself as ways of testing the limits of their abilities. It seemed that each discovery they made brought up a new set of questions, but he welcomed the distraction. He put the soda back in the bag and started down the path into the quarry. By the time he reached the others, he was perfectly calm and deep in thought.

Michael noticed the look of concentration on his face. “What gives, Maxwell?”

Max pulled a sandwich out of the bag and tossed it to him. “Just thinking,” he said.

Michael raised his eyebrows as he caught the sandwich. “Nothing new there,” he said. “What about?”

Isabel and Tess joined them and they began dividing up the food. Max sat down on a low rock and squinted up toward the sun. “I’ve been wondering about our powers. Why we each have different strengths. Whether we can eventually all learn to do the same things. I mean, could I dream walk like Isabel? I’ve never even tried.”

Isabel sat down next to Max and shrugged. “You never wanted to, Max,” she pointed out. “You kept telling me it was an invasion of privacy.”

“I know,” he agreed, “but that’s not the point. How did you first discover you could do it? It just happened one night, didn’t it? So why didn’t I ever do it inadvertently, before I had made a conscious choice not to?”

They all turned toward Tess, questioning looks on their faces. “I don’t know,” she told them. “I never had anyone to compare my skills with,” she reminded them. “Nasedo taught me everything I know, but it was clear early on that I was better at some things than at others, just like you seem to be.”

“Nasedo told me that all of our powers were human, just highly advanced,” Michael told them. “So, you would think that we would all have the same abilities. But if we were engineered, why not make sure we were equally strong in everything?”

“That’s what I mean,” Max said. “We may well be equally strong in all of our powers. It’s just that not everything went according to plan. We weren’t supposed to crash,” he reminded them. He took a bite of his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully before he continued. “Originally there were at least four adult aliens on the ship with us, not just Nasedo. No doubt part of their duties included training us in whatever powers we have, helping us to develop them fully. Instead we were raised as humans, with no guidance. Anything we know how to do, we just stumbled upon, and we avoided practicing our skills for fear of being caught. Tess is clearly way ahead of us because she had Nasedo to teach her.”

She nodded. “And even my training was spotty,” she filled in. “We were on the run so much. There wasn’t always a safe place for us to do things like this,” she said waving a hand at their impromptu target range. “That’s probably why my mental powers are more developed than my physical ones.”

“That brings up another question I have,” Max said. “We can all manipulate molecular structure and connect with people on some level. But then our strengths seem to divide by gender. Isabel and Tess both seem much more comfortable with their mental abilities, while Michael and I tend toward the physical. It’s like those behavior tests they run on children to see if boys will play with dolls and girls with trucks. We’ve all somehow reverted to stereotypes.”

“But there are exceptions,” Isabel pointed out. “Michael gets flashes from things much more often than you and I do, Max. Think about the whole thing with the key and the dome.”

Tess looked confused. “What key?”

Max shook his head. “Long story. It was one of the first clues we had to finding out all of this stuff about ourselves. Michael found a key in Valenti’s office and had a vision and it snowballed from there.”

Tess raised her eyebrows at the mention of Valenti. “I don’t think I want to know,” she murmured.

“I’ll explain later,” Isabel said.

“Anyway, you’re right,” Max said. “There are exceptions. Which is exactly why I’m pretty sure we all have the same powers. We just need to develop them further. I just would really like to know why we’ve excelled in the areas we have.”

Michael shrugged. “Does it really matter?”

“I guess not,” Max admitted. “But I’m curious. It’s just one more unanswered question.”

Isabel sipped at her soda. “You know,” she said as she stared at the horizon, “what Tess and I do is really kind of similar. She goes into people’s heads and makes them sees things. When I dream walk, I’m essentially going into someone’s head too.”

Max nodded. “And I wasn’t asleep when you dream walked me the last time,” he pointed out.

“You were drugged,” Isabel said gently. “But Pierce was fully conscious. I’ve never tried to make anyone see or do anything while I was in their dreams, but now I’m wondering if maybe I could.”

“It isn’t that hard,” Tess told her. “I just concentrate on blocking outside sounds so I don’t get distracted.”

“Looks like you have a new project, Iz,” Michael said.

“I’ve gotten some books on psychic abilities from the library. Since these powers are human, we might as well know as much as we can about the research being done, even if it’s primitive in relation to what we can do. Maybe we’ll get some insights on how to tap into our abilities.”

“That’s a good idea,” Michael said and the others nodded in agreement.

“So, what do we do after lunch?” Isabel asked. “More shooting at cans?” She looked at Max hesitantly.

Max didn’t seem to notice. “You know, that night out at Bitter Lake, when I was struggling with Hubble, I used my powers to push the gun out of his reach.”

“Like telekinesis?” Isabel asked.

Max nodded, turning toward her. “Have any of you ever done anything like that before?” he asked. They all shook their heads.

“So that’s what you want to work on this afternoon?” Tess asked. “Moving things with our minds.”

“I think it might be useful,” Max said. “And potentially less destructive,” he added with the ghost of a smile. “We don’t have too many soda cans left.”

“I’m game,” Michael said. He downed the rest of his cherry cola and hauled himself to his feet. “I’ll go find some small stones and stuff that we can practice on.”

“I’ll come too,” Isabel volunteered. She stood, dusting off the seat of her jeans, and followed him further into the quarry.

“You sure it’s safe leaving the two of them back there alone?” Michael asked when they were out of earshot.

“We can still see them,” Isabel said as she stooped to scoop up a handful of rocks from the rubble at her feet. “You were keeping something back before, when we were talking about Max. What was it Michael?” she asked, peering up at him.

He squatted next to her and started to help her sift through the stones. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of Tess.”

“I kind of figured that. So tell me now.”

“Last night, when Max had his nightmare, he wasn’t just screaming when he woke up.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice filled with worry.

“He was calling for Liz,” Michael told her.

She sat back on her heels and looked at him. “Oh, Michael,” she breathed.

“I know.”

“I thought it was nightmares about Pierce.”

“It still may be,” he said. “He told us that Pierce used his feelings for us against him. Who knows what that’s doing to him?”

“So what do we do? Do you think we should talk to Liz? Would it do any good?”

“I don’t know.” He stared down at the stones in his hands, then stood up. “Come on. We’d better go before they come to see what’s taking us so long.”

“But what are we going to do about Max?” she asked softly as they started back.

“We’ll think of something,” Michael replied as he focused on Max and Tess where they stood, just far enough away from each other to make conversation unlikely. “It’ll be okay.”

* * * * *

continued in part 2

Alex had spent his entire morning in front of the computer, completely engrossed in a program he was working on for his AP tutorial in computer languages. It was his favorite course, even if it occasionally freaked him out to remember that Miss Topolsky had arranged for him to take it, and he was determined to get an A on his final project. But by around one-thirty his eyes were starting to blur, and his stomach began reminding him that he’d skipped breakfast. He carefully backed up his work, then powered down, confident that he had made enough progress to justify a little time off. Then he grabbed his keys and wallet and headed for the Crashdown.

The last of the lunch crowd was occupying every table when Alex walked into the café, but he didn’t mind. He plopped down at the counter, taking a stool between an older man in a summer blue pin stripe and a straw boater who seemed intent on working his crossword, and a girl who looked like a reject from the last UFO convention, with green hair and several pierced body parts in plain view. Maria caught his eye and threw him a harried wave from the far end of the counter, but it was a few minutes before she managed to work her way over.

“Sorry,” she said as she pulled her order pad from her apron pocket and tugged an alien pen out from behind her ear. “It’s just a zoo today. What do you want?”

“Root beer and a Galaxy Melt,” he replied with a grin.

Maria rolled her eyes. “Of course you do,” she remarked as she scribbled down the order. “I’ll be back,” she promised.

“Hey, Alex,” Liz called out as she swung past with a bin-full of dirty dishes.

“Miss Parker,” he returned with a little mock salute. He smiled and settled back to wait for the café to empty out. He was used to the Saturday mob scene and knew that it should quiet down soon, around the same time the girls were done with their shift. Then he’d be able to have a nice long chat with his two oldest friends.

Sure enough, by the time he had finished his lunch and was happily sucking on an ice cube, the majority of the customers were gone. Liz sighed and settled onto the stool the green-haired girl had vacated, resting her elbows on the counter. Maria refilled coffee cups for the few people still remaining, then brought a couple of sodas over for herself and Liz.

“Alex?” she questioned, indicating his empty glass.

“I’m good,” he said.

Maria shrugged, then leaned on the counter from the other side and played with her straw wrapper. “So, Alex,” she began, “where’s Isabel? I don’t think I’ve seen either of you separately in the last week.”

“I’m solo today,” he told her. “She had something she had to do.”

Maria stopped fiddling with the paper wrapper and looked at Liz. “Something to do,” she repeated. “Now why does that sound so familiar?”

Liz shook her head. “It doesn’t mean anything, Maria.”

“What doesn’t mean anything?” Alex asked.

“Michael needed today off,” Maria replied in a tight voice. “He had something he had to do, too.”

“I see,” Alex said. “Well, if that was a question, Miss DeLuca, then the answer is yes. They did have the same thing to do. All four of them did, in fact.”

Maria looked confused, but Liz seemed to understand perfectly. Catching her little nod of comprehension, Maria frowned. “Okay, I’ll bite. What exactly is going on and why am I the only one who appears to be clueless?”

Liz caught Alex’s eye and looked pointedly past him. The man in the straw hat was still sitting to his other side. Alex nodded in agreement. “Why don’t we discuss this out back?” he asked Maria. “Isn’t your shift over?”

Realizing the way the conversation was heading, Maria sighed. “Yeah, we’re off now.” She looked around at the half empty café. “I guess Michelle can handle things alone until Denise shows, can’t she Liz?”

“Of course,” Liz agreed. She had already slid off her stool and was heading toward the break room.

The moment the door closed behind the three of them, Maria pounced. “So what are they up to and why don’t I know about it?”

Alex shook his head. “Maria, relax. They went out to the quarry for the day to work on improving their powers. I only know because Isabel told me.”

Maria swung her gaze in Liz’s direction. “And you?”

“I didn’t really know,” she said. “I mean, not in detail. I just kind of figured it out when Alex said they all went. I knew they intended to start practicing.”

Maria flopped on the couch. “Practice their powers,” she said. “What are they going to do? Take turns trying to walk through each other’s dreams?”

“Actually, they were going to try to focus their energy to shoot at things. Like the way Michael killed Pierce,” Alex remarked. “Isabel called it target practice.”

“Target practice?” Maria shot back, incredulous. “You mean they’re gonna practice being the target,” she muttered angrily.

“Seems to me you’ve been using Michael for a target for months now,” Alex said. “I don’t think he needs any more work in that area.”

Liz stepped between them before Maria could leap at Alex. “Guys, guys, cut it out, okay? Why are you fighting over this?”

Maria sank back down into the couch cushions. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Sorry, Alex.”

“Me too,” he told her, dropping down next to her. “I guess I just don’t like the idea of Isabel having to protect herself this way,” he said.

Maria nodded understandingly. “Yeah,” she agreed. “And Michael was so upset about killing Pierce. How is he going to handle using his powers that way again?”

“Well, actually, he’s doing okay over that,” Alex told her. He looked up at Liz, who nodded for him to continue. “He still feels like he can’t control his power, that he’s dangerous, but he’s no longer convinced that he’s a killer, just because he killed Pierce.”

“But how?” Maria asked. “He was so… single-minded about it.”

“Max sent him over to talk to Valenti under the pretense of filling him in on what had happened with Nasedo,” Alex continued. “Valenti made him see that he’d saved us all by killing Pierce the way he did. That there hadn’t been a choice.”

“I’m glad,” Maria said quietly.

The three of them sat in silence for a minute. Then Liz went over and peeked around the door into the café. When she turned back, she looked slightly worried.

Alex tuned in immediately. “What is it?”

Liz shrugged. “Maybe nothing. But that guy at the counter, the one who was next to you before?”

“You mean the old guy who looked like he just came from some turn-of-the-century small town Independence Day celebration?” Alex quipped.

“Yeah, him,” Liz said. “He’s gone.”

“So what?”

Now Maria was frowning as well. “Alex, he’s been here since we opened the doors this morning. He ate breakfast and lunch and drank about a million cups of coffee in between.”

“Maybe he had no place to go?” Alex asked, but he sounded wary.

“I think he left because we did,” Liz said nervously.

“We’re just being paranoid, Lizzie,” Maria said. “I mean, he was just a sweet old man killing time. He could have been waiting to go meet someone.”

“Could be,” Liz agreed. “But Max told me to keep my eyes open. He said that we have no way of knowing who might be out there watching us.”

Maria focused only on the part of the sentence she wanted to hear. “When did Max tell you this?”

Liz blushed, looking uncomfortable. “The other night. He came by to talk to me about some stuff.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Maria asked.

Liz turned toward Alex as if for help, but he merely shook his head. Sighing, Liz turned back to Maria. “It didn’t mean anything. He wanted to talk and I felt I owed it to him to listen to his side of things. I promised to think about what he told me. That’s all, Maria.”

“And have you thought about it?” Maria pushed.

“I still am, okay? Now can we get back to the subject at hand? What do we do about the old man? Do we assume it’s nothing or do we tell them?”

“I vote we tell them,” Alex declared. “If we’re wrong, then it won’t matter. We’ll just all have been that much more cautious. But we aren’t the ones to decide whether or not it’s nothing.”

Maria nodded. “He’s right. We need to tell them.”

Liz turned to Alex. “Will you do it? Say something to Isabel?”

Alex hesitated, then nodded. “I’ll do it.”

“Thanks, Alex,” Liz said.

“Right,” he said. “Now, back to the purpose of my visit. What are you lovely ladies up to this evening?”

Liz groaned. “Studying, what else?”

“Me too,” Maria sighed. “I’m in serious trouble in Chemistry.”

“Now, now,” Alex piped up. “All work and no play and all that jazz. I propose a night of videos and serious ice cream eating. You two up for it? The Three Musketeers, together again?”

Liz and Maria traded looks, then grinned broadly. The past week had been entirely too serious. “What the hell?” Maria asked.

“I’m in,” Liz agreed. “I’ll hate myself tomorrow, but too bad.”

Alex grinned and reached out his arms to hug them both. “It’s good to have friends,” he told them. “And I’ll even let you guys pick the flicks.”

Maria giggled. “I think you’re safe, Alex. The last thing I need tonight is a chick flick.”

“Me either,” Liz said. “And please, no sci-fi.”

Alex laughed. “I see your point. Okay, let’s go check it out together. Maybe a nice western…”

The girls ducked into the bathroom and quickly changed out of their uniforms. The three of them left through the back door, the rare sound of their laughter wafting through the alley as Alex entertained them with bad impressions of various television actors. None of them noticed the straw hat resting on top of the dumpster out back, or the car that paused before continuing down the far end of the street.

* * * * *

All through dinner, Max could sense his mother watching him. She didn’t say anything out of the ordinary. In fact, she said very little at all, allowing her husband to fill them in on the events of his three-day legal conference in Dallas, as if the rights of Mexican immigrants in the Southwest made for the most fascinating conversation she could imagine. But Max was still aware of her throwing frequent glances in his direction and frowning. On top of that, he had to contend with Isabel glaring at him periodically, signaling him to eat more, as if that would put an end to their mother’s worries. It was a very long meal.

As soon as he could, Max escaped to his room and shut the door. Pulling a random textbook from his bag, he threw himself down on the bed and stared blankly at the cover. Chemistry. It figured. Sighing, he cracked open the book and began to read the next-to-last chapter. Anything they had covered in class since Topolsky’s return was pretty much a blur. He wondered how Liz was doing and if she felt prepared for the exam on Tuesday. Then he wondered if she was thinking about him – about what he had said. And finally he wondered why she hadn’t called. All in all, not the train of thought most conducive to studying. Sighing, he shut the book and tossed it to the floor, then reached for his French text instead.

When the knock came at the door, it was so quiet he almost didn’t hear it. In fact, he probably only heard it because he was expecting it. “Come in,” he called, marking his spot in the book with an old homework assignment. “Hey, Mom,” he said when the door cracked open.

Diane seemed a little startled when she realized Max wasn’t even looking toward her. She came into the room, shutting the door behind her. “Honey,” she said gently, “We need to talk.”

Max pushed some papers and a French dictionary to the far side of the bed. “Have a seat,” he offered, but he could hear how closed off his voice sounded.

That didn’t keep his mother from sitting down, however. She sighed, looking at the signs of school work all around her. “Max, I think you might be working too hard,” she began.

“I’m not, Mom,” he told her. “And I know this isn’t about homework. So just say whatever it is you feel you need to say.”

“Oh, Max. I don’t know where to begin,” she admitted. “I’m worried about you. You’re so withdrawn. You seem so unhappy. I just want to help you, honey, but you won’t even let me in.”

Max sighed. He didn’t have any answers for her. “Mom, I know you’re worried. I’m sorry for that, because the last thing I want is for you to worry. But it isn’t anything we can discuss. There’s nothing you can do.”

“Is this about Liz? Did you two break up? Is that it?”

“It’s not that simple. Yes, I guess you could say we’re taking a break from each other, but that’s not the problem. Liz and my relationship isn’t what you’re asking about. I know what you really want me to tell you, and I can’t.”

“Max, I heard you last night. I heard you scream. I know Michael’s been sleeping on the floor. Something has been going on since last weekend. You’ve changed, your sister has changed. You’re scaring me, Max. Why can’t you just tell me? Maybe I could help.” Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke, knowing with each word that Max wasn’t going to answer her questions.

“You can’t,” he said simply. Two words that spoke volumes. You can’t help. You can’t know. You can’t ask. You can’t make me change my mind. Max was firm, as much as it hurt him. “I love you, Mom, and I’m sorry. I know I’m just seventeen, and to you that must seem young. I know you think I need you to take care of me and protect me. But I don’t. I’m not a child and I can handle what I have to face right now. I promise.”

Diane listened to this man who was her little boy and realized he was right. He was exactly what he claimed to be – an adult. Always old for his age, overnight he had grown up. The new level of maturity she had sensed last week had now solidified. Her baby was gone. She could see it in his eyes. She reached out and gently brushed his hair off his forehead, then nodded.

“I love you, Max. And I guess I have no choice but to accept what you’re telling me. I don’t necessarily like it, but I suppose part of letting your children grow up is realizing that you won’t always like the choices they make. But whatever is going on, I can tell that it is dangerous. I don’t know how I know that, but I do. So, please remember that your father and I love you and Isabel very much. And be careful.”

Max smiled sadly at her, then leaned forward and hugged her tight. “I will. And thank you. I know I’m asking a lot of you, and I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you can trust me.”

Diane hugged him back quickly, then stood and brushed away her tears. “I’ve always considered myself so blessed to have the two of you in my life. I think part of me was always afraid you were just on loan – that someday someone was going to come and take you away from me. That I would lose you.”

Max grabbed her hand and squeezed. “You’ll always be our Mom.”

She forced a smile and nodded. “I know.” Reaching out, she opened the door and slipped out, leaving Max to wonder for the first time in his life if she hadn’t suspected they were different all along.

* * * * *

It was late when Isabel got off the phone, but she knew her brothers would be awake. Sure enough, as she crept down the hall she could see a crack of light coming from beneath Max’s door. She knocked once, then went inside. Michael was sitting at the desk and Max was leaning over his shoulder, both of them apparently fascinated by whatever was on the computer screen. When Isabel cleared her throat, they both swiveled toward her.

“Internet,” Michael said.

“We’re trying to get more data on the constellation,” Max elaborated.

Isabel perched cross-legged at the foot of the bed. “Alex just called.”

Michael glanced at the clock and rolled his eyes. “What’s next, Iz? He gonna start coming over to tuck you in?”

Isabel shot him one of her patented glares, but refrained from slinging one of the numerous quips that instantly came to mind, all of which revolved around his nocturnal climbs through a certain blonde’s window. Instead, she turned to Max. “We have a potential problem.”

“What kind of a problem?” Max asked as he came over and sat down next to her.

She hesitated, not wanting to alarm them. “Alex said it was probably nothing, but they felt we should know.”

“Know what?” Michael asked, his attention captured.

Isabel sighed. “He went by the Crashdown for lunch today. There was this old man sitting next to him at the counter. Alex only noticed him because he was apparently a fashion reject from some other century.”

Michael blinked rapidly. “Your point, Iz,” he prompted.

“Sorry. Well, after he ate, Alex went into the break room to talk with Maria and Liz, since their shift was over. When Liz looked out front a minute later, the old man was gone. Turns out he had been there for the entire day, but Liz wasn’t really suspicious until he took off. She thinks he was watching them.”

“Coincidence,” Michael announced quickly.

Max frowned. “Maybe.”

“Liz said you’d told her to keep her eyes open,” Isabel continued. “That’s why they decided to tell us about it.”

Max nodded. “Where are Liz and Maria now?”

“They were at Alex’s earlier, but he drove them both home. He waited to make sure they got inside safely.”

“Terrific,” Michael said, getting up to pace. “So much for protecting them by staying away.”

“We don’t know that they’re in any danger,” Isabel rationalized. “Alex thought the guy looked pretty harmless – just an old man in a silly straw hat doing his crossword puzzles. It was probably nothing.”

“It won’t hurt to be cautious,” Max told them. “We thought Topolsky was crazy and look how wrong we turned out to be there. No going off alone, okay? We stay in groups, preferably in public places.”

Isabel nodded. “Alex, Liz, and Maria already agreed to that.”

“Good,” Max said. “We’ll call Tess and warn her in the morning. As soon as finals are done, we need to find her an apartment. She’s not safe in that big house alone. And it won’t hurt to pay Valenti a visit. I’ll go by Monday after school and see if he’s heard of anyone new in town.”

Michael frowned. “You think the other aliens are here?”

“I don’t know,” Max said. “It’s possible, though. You heard Nasedo. We don’t know who we might have alerted when we activated the orbs.”

“Don’t do that, Max,” Isabel said. “Don’t start blaming yourself for using the orbs. We needed that information.”

“I’m not blaming myself,” he assured her. “It was my decision and I stand by it. I’m glad we know who we were and why we’re here. I’ll admit things might be simpler right now if we were still in the dark, but given the chance to do it over, I think I’d use the orbs again. Still, our actions have consequences. We can’t be reckless.” He turned to Michael, who had grown very quiet. “What is it, Michael? What are you thinking?”

“What about the FBI? Could it have been them?”

“In a straw hat?” Isabel asked, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

“She’s actually right,” Max said. “The Feds would never wear a get up like that. Even they would find it too obvious. Besides, Nasedo should have called off the hounds by now.”

“Could it have been Nasedo?” Isabel asked suddenly.

“Why would it be?” Max asked. “As Pierce, he should be keeping track of things within the bureau.”

Michael considered. “Even a hotshot agent must get a Saturday off now and then.”

“So he came into town to contact us?” Max asked. “Then why wait all day at the Crashdown and not say anything to the others? He may not like our dealings with humans, but at least he knows that they could get us a message.”

“What if he wasn’t here to see us?” Isabel suggested slowly. “Maybe it was Alex, Liz, and Maria he was keeping an eye on.”

They all looked at each other, no one willing to deny the possibility.

“You think he doesn’t trust them to keep quiet?” Max asked finally.

“I don’t know. I’m just throwing out options,” Isabel told him.

Max shook his head.

“What is it, Maxwell?” Michael looked agitated.

“He took Liz for bait without a thought for her safety. What’s to stop him from hurting any of them? Damn! Why didn’t I think of this before?” Max stood abruptly, clearly distraught. “He’s here to protect us, but he’s made it clear how he feels about humans. They know who we are. What happens if he decides that puts us in danger?”

“Max, you’re our leader. When you told him to go under cover as Pierce, he did it without an argument. He wouldn’t go against you,” Isabel said.

“Iz, he’d been watching us at a distance for months. He had to know how I felt about Liz, yet he put her at risk.”

“We need to get in touch with him,” Michael stated. “You have to tell him that they’re off limits.”

Max nodded. “You’re right. Both of you. He won’t go against a direct order.” He sank back down onto the bed, letting out a dry laugh. “And we still don’t even know if it was him at the café. Or if it was anyone at all, for that matter.”

Isabel brushed a loose strand of hair off her face and sighed. “Is this how it’s going to be from now on? Always looking over our shoulders? Bordering on paranoia?”

“I hope not. I like to think that eventually we’ll win whatever battle we’re waging here – that we’ll be able to get on with our lives.”

Michael groaned. “Not even you can put an optimistic spin on this one, Maximillian.”

Max actually smiled. “Let’s get some sleep. We have plenty of time to worry about this tomorrow.”

* * * * *

Jim Valenti could not remember the last time he had taken an entire Sunday off from work. Usually he would go into the office for at least four or five hours, even if it was quiet, just to catch up on the week’s paperwork. It was a habit ingrained years ago, back when he and Michelle first split up and work had been the only thing that could take his mind off the hurt. The irony was that Michelle left because she claimed he worked too much. And she’d been right.

Now here he was, kicked back on the couch with a glass of iced tea, waiting for Kyle to come home from the library. They’d throw a couple of steaks on the grill, check out the game on TV, maybe even have a real conversation. Something else he’d let go too long. A lifetime of hiding behind his badge, of burying the pain of his father’s seeming indifference and his hostile divorce, and he’d ended up doing the one thing he’d always sworn he would never do. There had been signs along the way, of course. Clues that he was losing his son the way his father had lost him, that their relationship was heading for the same precarious waters that had drowned his marriage. But he had believed there was plenty of time, that Kyle understood, that he could fix things later. Always a thousand excuses to put off dealing with his life until he had the answers he thought he needed.

Well, he’d gotten those answers, and with them a wake up call he had never anticipated. The funny thing was, as sheriff he was acutely aware of how quickly life could be snuffed out – of the fragility of human beings. Every morning, strapping on his holster, he realized that particular day could be his last and, while not courting danger, he was prepared for it, regardless of the outcome. But he’d never imagined that the near-death experience he would live through would be his son’s. That, more than any sight he’d seen, any secret he’d unearthed, made him realize how precious time could be. There were no guarantees. You could plan and prepare and build for the future, but it only took a good strong wind to knock everything down.

His philosophizing was cut short by the doorbell. He set down his glass and went to answer it, briefly admiring the new closet door – his morning project – on the way. Reaching the front entry, he was surprised to discover Maria DeLuca peering nervously through the screen. Her blonde hair gleamed in the early afternoon sunshine and she had a pink square box clutched in her hands that looked suspiciously like the kind her mother used for her pies.

Swinging open the door, he favored her with a lazy smile. “Good afternoon, Miss DeLuca,” he drawled. “What an unexpected pleasure. Won’t you come in?”

She ducked past him into the house, clearly uncomfortable but determined. Smiling hesitantly, she handed him the box. “I brought you a pie,” she told him. “Coconut. I…uh…remembered you said it was your favorite.”

He took the box and peeked under the lid with a smile. “From your mom?” he asked as he led the way into the kitchen.

“No, actually,” she said as she followed him down the hall. “It’s from me. Kind of as a thank you.”

He placed the pie gently on the counter. “Care for some iced tea?” he offered.

“No, thank you, Sheriff,” she said.

A fatherly smile. “Why don’t we go sit down,” he told her, indicating the den just past the kitchen door. “Then maybe you can tell me just what you’re thanking me for, okay Maria?”

She nodded and went into the other room and sat on the old leather sofa. “I heard what you did,” she began as he sat across from her. “For Michael. Talking to him about what he did to Pierce. Making him understand that it doesn’t make him….bad.” Maria looked down. Her hands were in her lap and she was playing nervously with the strap to her purse.

“And that merits a pie?”

She shook her head. “It’s worth so much more than that,” she said quietly. “I just didn’t know what else to do.” Looking up, her eyes bright, she shrugged. “So, I brought the pie.”

Jim Valenti sat back in his chair and sighed. “Maria, I owe all of you kids more than you will ever know. Whatever I said to Michael – they were just words. They certainly don’t make up for the months I was hounding Max and the rest of you.”

“Maybe. But I know it still meant a lot to him.”

“And to you?” he asked.

She looked away. “He’s a good guy. He deserves peace of mind. I want him to have it.”

“He’s lucky to have you, Maria,” he observed. “You’re a fine young woman.” He leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. “I know that there are still things I don’t know. That there’s more going on than Max and Michael told me. And for once I’m okay with that. I don’t need to know more. But I want you all to feel free to come to me for help whenever you need it. I’ll back you.”

Maria nodded. “Thanks. I’m sorry for the times we had to lie to you,” she said awkwardly.

He smiled. “I’m sorry I wasn’t worthy of the truth any earlier. But it isn’t important now. What is important is that you all stay safe. I know your mother would be besides herself if anything happened to you, and I never want to be the one to bring her that kind of news. So, you need anything at all, just let me know.”

“Um…Sheriff…if you wanted to come by the house to see my mom, I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t mind seeing you.” Maria looked embarrassed. “I’m afraid I’m part of the reason she pushed you away. I was afraid…that you were using her to get to us.” She paused. “I told her I didn’t trust you.”

“I see.” He didn’t look particularly surprised. “If it makes you feel better, the thought had never crossed my mind,” he admitted. “Amy’s a good woman, and I had a crush on her way back when. But, I can see how you might have been worried.”

Maria smiled shyly and nodded. “Thanks. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can break her heart,” she warned him quickly as she stood up. “She’s still my mom. Just… don’t hurt her.”

“I’ll do my best,” he promised as he walked her out.

* * * * *

With Monday morning came the hell known as finals week. Liz rolled out of bed feeling fuzzy brained and wondering how she was going to make it through alive. But by the time she reached school, her adrenaline had kicked in and she was pumping the kind of nervous energy no cup of coffee could produce. This was her element and, even if she felt poorly prepared for her exams, she was determined to throw herself into them and do her best. Once she had cleared her various academic hurdles, she would have time to think through the mess that was her life.

She felt badly for having put Max off for so long. It had been a week since he had approached her and he deserved an answer, but she just didn’t know what to tell him. Every time she stopped to think about what he’d said, to consider whether it might be possible for them to be together, her knees turned to jelly and her heart beat a little faster. She felt like she was going through withdrawal. Just a glimpse of him could set her off for the rest of the day. She missed him. Missed talking to him, touching him, being near him. It killed her not to know what was going on in his life, especially now when she knew he must be brimming over with things to say. Everything had changed so rapidly and they had never really had an opportunity to discuss it all. With the exception of the other night on her roof, they hadn’t had a single conversation. She accepted total responsibility for that fact, yet at the same time she was kicking herself. Somehow she needed to put an end to this – had to choose once and for all and stick to that choice. But how could she make a rational decision when her emotions kept taking over?

“Finals. Just get through finals, then you can worry about it,” she told herself. “Stick to the plan and everything will be fine.”

Heading for her first exam, Liz mumbled to herself as she walked down the hall. Standing by his locker unnoticed, Michael watched her go by and shook his head.

* * * * *

Isabel and Alex stood outside after school, and pretended to discuss their exams. In reality, they were keeping watch. As their friends emerged from the building, one of them would peer cautiously around the parking lot to see if they were followed, while the other checked to see if they themselves were being watched. Trying to keep things light, Alex made frequent references to James Bond movies and thought up various “Bond-Girl” type names for Isabel, such as Goddess Galactic, until she was giggling so hard she begged him to stop.

When Maria started toward her car, however, Alex grew quiet and poked Isabel in the side to get her attention. “Check that out,” he told her as he nodded to the far entrance to the school.

“What?” Isabel asked, turning to look where he indicated.

“Someone’s taking an interest in DeLuca, but I don’t think we need to be overly worried about it.”

Catching sight of Michael, Isabel nodded her agreement. “He was really upset at the idea of you guys being watched,” she told him. As she spoke, Michael made his way slowly across the parking lot, keeping enough distance between himself and Maria that she wouldn’t notice him trailing her to her car.

Alex sighed. “I just wish things could get back to normal. It’s like somebody came along and shook the ark and all the pairs got screwed up.”

Isabel gave him a little smile. “Not all of the pairs.”

“Yeah, actually,” he said. “Back when Michael and Maria and Max and Liz were all hot and heavy, we were still just friends.”

“Are you saying you’d rather go back to the way things were then?”

Alex slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. It still amazed him sometimes, to see this vulnerable side to Isabel’s personality. Beneath the proud exterior she was still the insecure little girl. “No, that’s not what I want,” he assured her. “Next time that ark shakes, I’m holding on tight.”

“Thanks,” she said.

“For what?”

She leaned over and kissed him gently. “For holding on.”

* * * * *

By Tuesday Max was batting oh-for-two and starting to get frustrated. A cryptic conversation with Tess the day before had ended in his being no closer to tracking down Nasedo. Although she acknowledged that he had come by the house once since her emancipation, Tess claimed she had no means of contacting him. Since taking over as Pierce, he had only appeared twice and she didn’t seem to think he would return. Max hadn’t been completely sure Tess was telling him the truth, but there was nothing he could do.

After school he had stopped by to see the Sheriff. Although much more forthcoming in his conversation and anxious to help in any way he could, Valenti hadn’t been able to provide Max with anything that indicated the other aliens had arrived in Roswell. Max had given him the sketchiest details of the situation, as well as a description of the old man at the Crashdown, but he had little hope of it leading to anything. The most Valenti would be able to do was notify them if any large groups suddenly arrived in town. Because Max had no clear idea of what his enemies looked like, he was unable to give the Sheriff much to go on.

Now Max had to walk into his Chemistry class and not sit next to Liz. He had to take a test for which he had not studied. And then, in his somewhat educated opinion, he would probably proceed to not pass. Oh, he’d pass the class without any problem His grades for the semester were high enough to carry virtually any score on the final. But the test itself was pretty much a lost cause – just like so many things seemed to be these days.

The door to the Chem lab was closed when he got there and about half of his class was milling in the hall, talking quietly or reviewing their notes. Seeing Alex leaning against the wall across the hall, Max went over to wish him luck.

“The last class is still in there,” Alex complained when Max approached. “You’d think they’d kick them out. They’re going to cut into our time.”

Max shrugged. “I’m sure they’ll be done soon.”

Just then, someone came flying around the corner, nearly knocking Max to the ground. He reached out automatically and found himself holding Liz in his arms.

She looked up at him and her pale cheeks flushed. “Sorry,” she said quietly as she disengaged herself. “I thought I was late.”

Max nodded. “No problem. You okay?”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks. You?”

He cocked his head and smiled slightly. “I’m surviving.”

Liz chewed her bottom lip as she looked into his eyes. Max’s eyes were drawn down by the movement. Suddenly all he wanted to do was kiss her and he cursed himself for allowing her to pull away.

Then the door to the class room opened and students came pouring out. They were forced to move closer to the wall in order to avoid being caught in the crush. Liz seemed to notice Alex standing there for the first time and turned slightly toward him.

“Hey, Alex. You ready?”

He looked toward Max, then turned to Liz. “As I’ll ever be,” he replied.

Liz nodded. Then she leaned back against the wall so she could see them both. “How about you, Max?” she asked softly.

Max blinked. He hadn’t expected her to say anything else to him. “I think I’m gonna flunk,” he replied baldly, shocked into honesty.

To his surprise, Liz let out a short laugh – almost a snort – and nodded. “Me too,” she said as she started toward class. “I think I am too.” As she walked through the door, Maria came dashing up, and the two of them sat down together.

Max and Alex followed them inside, Max shaking his head. Things still weren’t fine, but maybe there was hope.

* * * * *

Michael was beginning to feel like an overgrown babysitter. He was still sleeping at Max’s, dragging his friend from the throes of his haunted dream world at least once each night. By day, he kept watch over his friends. He followed Maria primarily – trying to convince himself it was because she was alone more than the others and therefore most vulnerable. At other times he would search out Alex and Isabel to see if they had spotted anyone suspicious, or else he would check up on Tess, who seemed stubbornly insistent on doing as she pleased. Liz was nearly always at work or at home when she wasn’t at school, so he worried about her less. But, though he’d spent the better part of three days keeping tabs on everyone, he had yet to catch a glimpse of anyone else who seemed to be watching them.

Walking into the Crashdown, a scowl plastered on his face, he felt frustrated with the situation. The last time they had suspected someone was following them, it had united the group, forcing them to work together to figure out what was going on. This time it only highlighted how divided they were, and since he knew he was partly responsible for that division, he hardly welcomed the reminder. Heading into the kitchen, he could see that Liz was stationed behind the counter – the other divider of their little gang. She was staring intently at a textbook she had propped against a napkin holder. Her lips were moving and he thought he caught her mumble something about bisecting triangles. Clearly, Maria was running late for her shift. When Liz looked up briefly to see if anyone needed anything, Michael waved.

Liz tucked her book under the counter and came over. “Hey,” she said. “How’re your exams going?”

Michael shrugged. “Almost done,” he told her. “Just have to finish my American Lit. paper.” He nodded toward where she had been studying. “Geometry?”

She nodded. “Tomorrow.” Glancing at the clock, she let out a little sigh.

“She’s not too thrilled about my working tonight, is she?” Michael asked.

Liz shook her head. “I think she was a little annoyed, but it’ll be fine. Just don’t push her buttons, okay? I need to study and I don’t want to have to come down here and break up a fight,” she added, half-teasing, half-serious.

Michael just nodded. Part of him wanted to tell her about Max – about the nightmares he was having – but he knew that doing so was the same as pressing her to go to him, and that was something he couldn’t ask of her. If he accepted that it was safe for Liz to be with Max, then he would have to back down on the stand he had taken with Maria, and that wasn’t something he was prepared to do.

A locker door slammed in the break room, announcing Maria’s arrival. Liz grabbed her Geometry book and ducked into the back. Michael could hear the soft rise and fall of their voices, followed by the sound of someone – Liz – running upstairs. Maria appeared a moment later. Ignoring Michael, she picked up a pot of fresh coffee and sailed out onto the floor. Her behavior came as little surprise. She had been studiously avoiding him for the better part of a week, though he could feel her watching him sometimes when she thought he wasn’t paying attention. His eyes followed her as she moved around the room, topping off a coffee cup here and there, bringing extra napkins to a mother with two small children. He took in the gentle sway of her hips, the way her long legs stretched forever beneath her short uniform, the smile that touched her lips when a little girl waved at her shyly. Even from across the café, he could sense her easing into the routine, her mood softening as she made conversation with the regulars.

The evening proved uneventful. Michael found himself paying close attention to the customers as the night wore on, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary. No one stayed too long or seemed particularly interested in anything other than the food. Liz came down briefly just as the dinner crowd was starting to thin out, supposedly for a piece of Men in Blackberry pie, but Michael knew she was just making sure he and Maria hadn’t killed each other yet. As if it were possible to even start an argument when they were both maintaining a stony silence. But Liz disappeared again fairly quickly, leaving them virtually alone.

When they were down to a single couple, nursing their coffee in the corner, Maria began clearing tables, leaving a plastic bin in one of the booths and systematically filling it with dishes and glasses. Michael started tidying the kitchen, storing bags of hamburger and hotdog buns in the pantry and organizing things for the next morning’s crew. He shut down the fryer, then turned up the heat on the grill in order to burn off some of the accumulated layers of grease. When he heard the tinkling of the door chimes, he knew the dawdlers were gone, and he and Maria were the only ones left in the café.

It took him all of two minutes to give in to temptation and peek around the corner to see what she was doing. Two seconds later he was hurrying into the dining area. “Let me do that,” he said, his voice low, effectively masking his annoyance at the sight of her trying to pick up the load of dirty dishes. “You’ll put your back out,” he told her.

Maria spun on him with cold eyes. “I’m perfectly capable of carrying this,” she told him, then returned to what she’d been doing.

“Fine. You’re perfectly capable. I’ll do it anyway,” he said, sliding his arms around the bin and lifting it past her. Ignoring her glare, he headed back to the kitchen.

He could tell she was angry. It wasn’t just the way she stomped off to lock the front door, or the muttering he heard coming from her general vicinity as she wiped down the tables. He knew the same way he knew when she was near – the air shimmered a little faster and there was a kind of static electricity sparking the atmosphere, as if her temper was stirring things up all on its own. There had to be a way to settle this – a way he could calm her down and make her understand, so that they could both continue to work at the Crashdown without making everyone around them crazy.

Michael started to scrape down the grill with a long metal spatula. He hated this part of the job; it was hot and dirty and it always made him wish he had better control of his powers so he could just wave his hand over everything and leave it spotless. Max would be able to clean the grill without a second thought. Of course, these days, he was rather glad not to be in Max’s shoes. For the first time since they had known each other, Michael was not envious of Max’s position. Sure, he was still the golden boy with the perfect parents and nice house, but he was also their leader with all of the responsibilities that accompanied that title. For once Michael was perfectly content to be second. It was hard enough absorbing everything that was going on without feeling you needed to take charge as well.

Even Max, always in control, was having trouble with his role. Michael wondered again whether he should have said something to Liz about Max’s nightmares. He kept picturing the way Max looked when he woke up that one night, screaming, sweat pouring down his face, his eyes glassy and filled with fear. Michael had never seen Max look like that – had never seen that much terror in anyone’s eyes.

Maria came into the kitchen and started rattling around with the mop and bucket, getting them ready to take out front. Michael turned to her, noting she’d removed her head band and her hair was falling softly in her face, getting in her way. She looked infinitely approachable, despite her obvious annoyance. He made a snap decision. “Can I talk to you about something?” he asked.

She jumped at the sound of his voice, spinning around, eyes wary. “What?”

“It’s about Liz,” he said. “What did you mean the other day when you said we had to do something about her?”

Maria looked at him as if he were speaking in tongues. “What did I mean?” she asked, incredulous. “What do you think I meant? Something to stop her from mooning around like a wounded animal. Something to get her back with Max, of course.” She turned and tossed the mop back in the closet and slammed the door, shaking her head in exasperation. “We are not going to have this conversation,” she announced.

Michael looked confused. “Why not?”

“Why not?” she repeated. “Why not, he asks?” she said, looking skyward. “Unbelievable.” She closed the distance between them and proceeded to poke him in the chest. “Michael, I don’t know what it’s like in your world, but here in reality, you and I are not speaking, remember? We haven’t said two non-work-related words to each other in the last week. And now you want to talk about Liz? Uh uh. I don’t think so, pal. You want to make sure she stays clear of Max, that’s your business. You’re wrong, but I can’t stop you. But no way am I gonna help you by letting you pump me for information.”

Michael grabbed at the finger she was using to drill a hole through him. “That’s not what I’m doing,” he said.

“Right,” she snapped, pulling her hand free of his. “Let me guess. You’ve seen the light and don’t know how to tell me, so you thought you’d start with a little matchmaking as a warm up. Forgive me if I can’t exactly picture it,” she said.

“It’s about Max, Maria. I’m worried about him. I actually thought Liz might be able to help, but I didn’t know how to approach her about it.” Michael took a step back, shutting down. He shook his head. “Forget it.”

But Maria had seen the look of concern cross his face when he mentioned Max. “What about Max?” she asked. “He seemed okay at school today.”

Michael paused, weighing his decision. If he kept going, if he told Maria what was going on, there was no going back. She would say something to Liz and he had a pretty good idea of what would happen then.

“He’s my friend, too,” Maria pressed gently, moving toward him and closing the gap he’d left by stepping back.

Michael nodded, agreeing. “He’s been having nightmares. Bad ones. The kind that leave you shaking. And he doesn’t always wake up from them on his own.”

Maria’s brow drew together in concern. “Is it about what happened when Pierce had him?”

“Maybe. But he woke up screaming for Liz the other night.”

“I see. Isabel heard him?”

He shook his head. “The whole house probably heard him, but I was there. I had to shake him out of it.” Michael stared off into the distance, remembering. “His eyes were open, but he wasn’t really there. It was like he was still trapped in the dream.”

“And you think Liz can do…what?”

“I don’t know. But he’s getting worse,” Michael told her. “Isabel and I can’t get him to talk to us. He’s under all of this pressure, and instead of letting us help he keeps pushing us away.”

“And you figure if Liz backs down and goes to him, he’ll have one less thing to worry about.”

He shrugged. “I don’t know what I think. Maybe. But it’s worth a try.”

“What about the danger?”

He looked at her. He should have known it would come back to this. He did know – he’d just refused to believe it. He was backing himself slowly into a corner and there was nothing he could do about it.

“What about it?” he asked. His face was expressionless.

“Isn’t it too dangerous for Liz to be with Max? Couldn’t she get hurt? Or is Max’s welfare more important than Liz’s?”

“I never said that,” he replied.

“Oh, so it’s okay for Liz and Max to be together, but not for us? Is that it?” Her green eyes snapped at him. She stood firm, holding his gaze. Demanding an answer.

“This isn’t about being together. It’s about helping each other. Max needs her right now.”

Maria nodded. “Right. So it’s all about Max. Just like it was all about Isabel. It’s always about somebody else. Well, tell me something, Michael. When is it going to be about us, huh? When are you going to realize that I need you? Or doesn’t that count?”

He pushed past her, feeling his temper flare. “I knew I should have kept my mouth shut,” he sputtered. “I was an idiot to think I could ask you for help without it getting personal.”

“How can it not be personal, Michael? That’s the whole problem. You can’t have it both ways. You tell me we can’t be together, that it’s too dangerous. Well either it is or it isn’t! It can’t only be dangerous when it’s convenient for you. Staying away from each other means you don’t ask me for favors or advice or help, even if you’re doing it for someone else.”

He turned back and looked her in the eye, half expecting to find her close to tears. Instead he discovered that she was furious, her face flushed with anger and her jaw set.

“It isn’t that I don’t care,” she continued. “I’m sorry Max is hurting. But I can’t help him and I can’t help you. Not if you’re going to keep pushing me away. And you are just going to have to get used to the fact that you no longer have any rights in my life,” she told him, her voice steely. “That means you let me do my own work and you don’t follow me around town and you don’t come creeping into my room in the middle of the night,” she said, ignoring his look of guilty surprise. “If you’re out of my life, you’re out of it, Michael.”

His mouth opened and closed a few times, the way it always did when he didn’t know what to say. She was right, but that didn’t help matters. “I’m sorry,” he finally said.

Maria shook her head, golden strands of hair flying back and forth. “It took you forever to learn to say that,” she snapped, “but you still have no idea what it means. You aren’t sorry, Michael. Maybe you feel bad, but that it isn’t the same. People who are truly sorry understand what they’ve done wrong and try to fix it. You tell me you’re sorry and then do the same damn thing all over again.” She gave him a hard shove, trying to get past him. “I need to go clean the floors. Just get out of my way,” she told him, pushing at him with both hands.

Michael automatically grabbed her by the wrists and held fast. “I am sorry,” he insisted. “I’m sorry that I hurt you, I’m sorry things are the way they are, but I don’t know how to change them,” he said roughly.

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” she said, trying to pull away. “Let me go, Michael.” She struggled against him, but his grip was too strong.

“What do you mean, it doesn’t matter? What do you want me to do? Should I quit? Leave Roswell? How do I make this easier?”

She looked him in the eye, her gaze bright with a combination of tears and fury. “Do what you want. Run away if it makes you feel better. Nothing could possibly make me hurt more than I already do,” she finished in a hoarse whisper. “Now let go of me.” She tugged hard, trying to loosen his grip.

Except he chose that moment to listen to her, and let go. The force she had used to pull back sent her flying. Michael realized what was happening just as Maria went spinning sideways across the kitchen. He reached out instantly, but his fingers only grazed her sleeve and she toppled onto the still-hot surface of the grill, landing hard on her right forearm. She screamed in shock and pain as her skin began to burn.

Within seconds his hands wrapped around her shoulders and he was dragging her toward the sink. He swiftly turned on the tap and let the water run cold. His worried eyes searched Maria’s face. Her formerly flushed cheeks were pale and the rest of her face was ashen. The green eyes that had danced with anger were now blank with shock. Swearing under his breath, Michael gently guided her arm under the cold water. He winced at the sight of her pale flesh seared in strips from elbow to wrist. “Shhh,” he said as he felt her starting to tremble. He stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her, supporting her injured arm beneath the tap.

As they stood there, with Michael half supporting Maria’s weight, he muttered to himself until the words “stupid idiot” and “how could I have done this” managed to penetrate the fog around Maria’s brain. Not realizing she was tuned into his every word, Michael continued to berate himself quietly, until he felt Maria shift in his arms. “It’s okay,” he soothed when she started to pull away from him.

She shook her head, struggling harder to get out of his arms. “Don’t help me,” she demanded through clenched teeth. When he relaxed his hold, she slipped past him sideways toward the far end of the room. She was shaking slightly, though it was suddenly unclear as to whether it was from pain or from anger. The shock of the burn seemed to be wearing off, leaving her glaring at Michael. “This is not your fault,” she spit out. “I won’t let you do this, damn you.”

He stared at her, flabbergasted. “How can you say it’s not my fault?” he roared at her. His eyes dropped to her arm, the bright red welts starting to blister as she cradled it carefully with her free hand, icy water dripping on the kitchen floor. “I let go of you and you fell,” he said. “Of course it was my fault. No matter what I do, I just keep hurting you.”

“It was an accident, Michael,” she yelled at him. “Accidents happen. Life happens. It isn’t your fault I got burned, anymore than it’s your fault if someone is following us. Tomorrow I could get killed by a bus speeding down Citrus. Will that be your fault too? You plan to track down the driver, see if maybe he was some evil alien?”

“Maria, come on,” he said, dropping his voice, trying to reason with her. “You’re going into shock. We can’t just stand here fighting. We need to put something on that,” he urged, unable to look away from her arm.

“What? Not gonna try some hocus pocus? Wave a hand and make it all better?” she taunted him, ignoring the pained look in his eyes. “Just gonna try the old first aid kit, huh? Do a patch job and walk away. Well don’t bother, buddy. I can take care of it myself. I don’t need your help. On second thought…” She looked around quickly then grabbed a salt shaker with her left hand and, smiling maniacally, sent it flying past his head into the far wall. Though she obviously aimed to miss him, he flinched at the sound. “Rub some of this on if you really want to help. Go ahead, try. See if I’ll hate you then, Michael, cause that’s the only way you’ll ever get rid of me,” she cried, her voice starting to crack.

“You guys?” Liz’s voice came drifting down the back stairs, causing them both to freeze where they stood. “What are you doing down here? I can hear you all the way upstairs.” Her voice got louder as she drew closer to the kitchen. “Can’t you even manage to close without tearing each other limb from….oh my God! Maria!” Liz caught sight of Maria’s arm as she came through the door. She started forward, then saw the looks on their faces. “Maria? Michael? What’s going on? What happened?”

“Liz, go back upstairs,” Maria said. Her voice had steadied, but she was back to speaking through clenched teeth. It was obvious that her arm was starting to hurt badly.

“But Maria, your arm…”

“I mean it, Lizzie. Get out of here. I’m fine.” She turned to Liz and met her gaze.

Seeing her look of determination, Liz nodded hesitantly. “Okay,” she said softly. “If you’re sure.” She shot one more questioning look at Michael, then slipped out of the kitchen.

“Maria…”

“No,” she said, cutting him off. “I don’t want to hear your excuses anymore, Michael. I know them by heart.” She leaned carefully back against the counter, holding her arm gently in front of her. She closed her eyes briefly, as if trying to get a hold of herself. But she snapped them open a moment later and they were as filled with fire as they had been before.

“See, the thing is, I don’t need you. I don’t, Michael. I won’t die without you in my life, anymore than you will without me. But what you don’t realize is, that’s completely besides the point. It isn’t about need, it’s about want. I want to be with you, and I know that, deep down, you want to be with me. And it’s really just that simple, if you would let it be. Life is so short, so…fragile. For everyone. You haven’t cornered the market on danger and risk and chances. Those things are a part of life, in different degrees, for all of us. The crime is to take something precious and throw it away because you’re too scared of what might be to enjoy the here and now.”

As Michael watched her, tears started to stream steadily down her face. He knew they had nothing to do with the pain she felt from her burn. “I’m just so scared,” he whispered finally, his voice thick, and realized his own eyes were damp.

Maria shrugged, wincing at the slight movement. “Join the club,” she said quietly. “But I’d rather be scared with you. That’s what it’s all about. Do you know what you want? ‘Cause if you do, you owe it to yourself to take it. No one’s stopping you but you. You have just as much right to happiness as anyone else. But you don’t get endless opportunities. Grab it while it’s there, ‘cause tomorrow the rules may change.” She stopped and stared at him for a moment. “You can do whatever you want,” she said finally. “But you have to believe in yourself. You already know that I do.”

His eyes dropped back to her arm. The angry marks looked like they were on fire and he couldn’t imagine how she was still standing. He swallowed hard and walked slowly toward her. When he was only a foot in front of her, he looked questioningly into her eyes. “Can I try?”

She didn’t say a word. Instead she extended her arm gingerly until it was resting on the palm of his outstretched hand. Then she focused her eyes on his and simply waited.

Michael took a deep breath and gazed into her tear-stained face. He concentrated on her sea-green eyes, focusing until he could no longer distinguish between her steady pulse and his own. Their hearts beat in unison, their breath mingled in the space between them, and he could feel the sparks in the air spinning out of control. He pictured her soft skin, smooth and unmarked, a perfect pale covering over her graceful arm. Then, unable to stop himself, as if drawn by a magnetic force too powerful to fight, he leaned into her and brushed his lips over hers.

The connection was immediate. He recognized her as a little girl from his previous visions, her long blonde hair falling in curls around her sweet round face. Flashes of her childhood skimmed through his mind as he deepened the kiss. Maria running across a playground, Maria on the swings with Liz and Alex, Maria helping the Parkers at the Crashdown, Maria crying when her father left. Angling his mouth, he swept his tongue over her pouty bottom lip, nibbling gently. More flashes followed, these more familiar. Maria yakking beside him as they drove home from Marathon, in tears at the rave, looking beautiful and brave and relieved after they had saved him at the cave.

He pulled back and looked at her. She was staring at him, her eyes wide. “What?” he said, glancing down at her arm. It was completely healed. He gaped for a moment, then smiled slightly. “At least I didn’t blow you up.” When she still didn’t say anything, he looked at her again, confused. “Maria? Are you okay? What’s wrong?” He put his hands on her shoulders, frowning when he realized she was shaking slightly. “What?” he asked anxiously.

“I…saw things,” she said, her voice wobbly with emotion. “When you kissed me.” A stray tear slid down his cheek.

Michael suddenly panicked. “What did you see? What?” All he could imagine was visions of the orphanage where he’d first lived after coming out of the pod, Hank coming after him, the day he killed Pierce, terrifying images she should never have to confront.

Maria shook her head slowly. “It was…beautiful,” she said quietly. She raised a shaky hand and cupped his cheek. “I saw you…us. It was amazing.” Then she rose on tip-toe and, wrapping her arms around his neck, she drew him close and kissed him back.

Michael trembled at the feel of her holding him. Then he slipped his arms around her waist, marveling at how wonderful it felt to hold her again. It felt so right. Relaxing for the first time in weeks, Michael tightened his grip. Then he reached down and swooped her off her feet, causing her to pull back with a giggle.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “Where are we going?” she pressed, when he merely smiled and carried her out of the kitchen and into the back room. She let another chuckle escape when he dropped down on the battered old couch, cradling her on his lap. Then she saw the serious expression on his face and felt her heart skip crazily. “Michael?” she asked.

A smile suddenly graced his lips, making her relax again. “I just thought maybe I should do it right this time,” he said softly.

“Do what right?”

“This.” He leaned into her and kissed his way up her jaw to her cheek, then down and across to her mouth. After one deep, heartfelt kiss on her lips, he pulled back a few inches so he could look into her eyes. “I love you,” he breathed.

Maria leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. “I love you, too,” she whispered. “Too much to let you go.”

* * * * *

Liz paced in front of the rear entrance to the Crashdown, nervously glancing at her watch every few minutes. It seemed forever since she had phoned Alex, and he had sworn he would be right over. She wondered if she should go back inside and check on Michael and Maria, but Maria had been so adamant about being left alone, and Liz could see they had both been trying to resolve whatever was going on. Still, even if she was pretty sure they wouldn’t actually kill each other, Maria clearly needed medical attention of some sort. Liz winced, remembering how her friend’s arm had looked. That was why she had decided to call Alex; it was obvious she needed some sort of backup if she was going to get Michael and Maria to listen to reason.

The sound of a car stopping short around the corner made her jump, but a moment later Alex was running down the alley, followed closely by Isabel, who looked nearly as worried as he did. Liz frowned slightly, then froze when Max came into view as well.

“Isabel was over studying,” Alex said by way of explanation. Then registering Liz’s surprised expression, looked somewhat sheepish. “You said Maria was hurt. We thought we should bring along the big guns.”

Liz merely nodded and went to let them in. As she held the door open, Isabel and Alex hurried inside. Max shot Liz a look of apology before following the others.

Isabel stopped short a few feet into the break room, causing Alex and Max to barely avoid running into her. Her mouth gaped as she stared at the sofa. Maria was curled up on Michael’s lap, the two of them caught in a lip-lock that left no doubt about their feelings for each other. All four of their hands were thankfully visible, Michael stroking Maria’s back and the nape of her neck, while she ran her fingers through his hair.

The sound of Liz dropping the back door in surprise was loud enough to drive the pair apart, though just barely. Maria pulled a few inches back and met Michael’s intense gaze, then they both turned amused eyes toward their shocked friends.

“You know, guys, this is kinda getting old,” Michael observed as he shifted Maria off his lap and sat her on the couch next to him, their thighs still touching, his arm wrapped protectively around her.

“Uh…I think we missed something here,” Alex observed as his initial smile widened to a grin.

Isabel, once recovered from her surprise, appeared both happy and relieved. Max registered his pleasure with a smile and a nod toward Michael.

Liz, unsure of how to react, sat down on the back stairs and tried to take it all in. “Maria…” she began. “What… happened? I mean, your arm?” she said, staring at her friend who seemed anything but injured.

Maria watched Liz’s gradual mental retreat and, giving Michael a quick hug, disentangled herself and went to her friend. “I’m okay,” she told her as she sat down on the step below her. “It was an accident. I slipped and landed on the grill.” She turned sparkling eyes toward Michael who was watching her closely and looking the slightest bit guilty. Maria shot him a quick frown and shook her head. “Spaceboy over there healed me up,” she finished.

Liz’s eyes wandered to Maria’s arms. They both seemed perfectly fine. She leaned forward and gave Maria a quick hug. “You scared me,” she whispered. “You both looked so… I don’t know. Passionate, I guess. Angry. I was worried.”

Maria hugged her back. “I know. I’m sorry I kicked you out, but I needed to go through it.” Pulling back, she looked Liz in the eye. “I had to make him see and it felt like my last chance. I couldn’t give that up for something as minor as a little burn.”

Liz’s eyebrows titled up at the casual way Maria brushed aside her injury and the pain she must have felt. She couldn’t help but smile.

Maria looked up to see the others all watching them. Max seemed to be paying especially close attention. She sent him a smile, hoping he would understand what she wished for him.

Max returned Maria’s smile, but his gaze fell to her arms. “Mind if I take a look?” he asked.

“Of course not, Dr. Max,” she said with a grin and extended her right arm for him to check over. “Sorry to bring you out on a house call for no reason.”

He laughed a little as he gently ran his fingers over her unblemished skin. He turned and smiled at Michael. “You did a good job.”

Michael shrugged and looked slightly embarrassed. “I wasn’t even really conscious of doing it. It just worked this time.”

“Not just this time,” Isabel told him. “You’re really getting good at this,” she said. “I mean, look at Saturday. That obviously wasn’t just a fluke or luck or something.”

“What about Saturday?” Maria asked. When the three aliens traded looks, she sighed. “We know all about your little target practice, so what happened?”

Max and Michael shot Isabel disbelieving looks, but all she did was shrug. “So, I told Alex? Big deal. I wasn’t aware it was a state secret.”

Max let out a quick chuckle, remembering Michael’s unprecedented success on their makeshift target range. “Let’s just say Michael has good aim,” he told Maria.

“Not that good,” Michael insisted.

Isabel raised her eyebrows. “And how many shots did I miss?” she asked him.

Michael shrugged. “Three.”

“And how many did Max miss?” she continued to press.

“All of them.”

Alex, Maria, and Liz all swung toward Max in surprise.

“What?” he said quickly. “I had other things on my mind.”

Isabel ignored them and kept pushing Michael. “And so, Mr. Can’t-Control-My-Powers, how many shots did you miss?”

Michael mumbled something under his breath.

“What was that?” Maria asked. “It sounded like he said none,” she said, turning questioningly to Isabel.

“He did,” Isabel said. “He didn’t miss a single shot. Six cans in a row. Sent them all flying into flames.”

Maria let out a squeal and launched herself off the stairs toward the couch, landing on Michael and sending him backward into the cushions.

“What the hell… What are you doing?” he asked, trying to untangle himself from her arms.

She ignored him, kissing across his face and hugging him hard. “You big dorkbutt,” she said between kisses.

Michael finally managed to shift so he was at least sitting up. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled away and looked at her with a puzzled expression. “I don’t get it. They tell you I excel at blowing stuff up and you’re happy about that?”

Maria shook her head, still grinning, her pride in him shining in her eyes. “Don’t you see? It’s just what I told you. When you want to badly enough, you can control what you do. I always knew you could do whatever Max and Isabel could. It was just a matter of focusing and wanting it badly enough.”

Michael shook his head. “It just happened. I wasn’t even really trying.”

“What were you thinking about that morning?” Max asked, a mischievous light in his eyes. “I mean, you must have been thinking about something. You were really quiet heading out to the quarry.”

Isabel looked at Max and grinned, suspecting she knew what her brother’s theory was. “Yeah, Michael. What was on your mind?”

Michael looked at Maria, who was patiently waiting for him to reply. She looked genuinely interested. Then he turned and saw Max and Isabel’s amused faces and Liz and Alex’s vaguely curious ones. He sighed. “I don’t remember,” he said. “Why don’t we all go get something to drink, huh?” he asked, lifting Maria off his lap so he could stand. “Cherry colas, on me.”

Isabel let out an snort of laughter and headed through the swinging door. The rest of them followed, Liz slowly bringing up the rear. She and Michael grabbed a bunch of clean glasses off the shelf and went to get the drinks, while the others slid into a booth. Isabel and Alex took one side and Maria the other, while Max pulled a small table over to the end of the booth and lifted the two chairs down off the top.

“So,” Alex said as he swung an arm over Isabel’s shoulders, “are you guys gonna tell us what went down here tonight or do we have to wait for the book?”

“Yeah, right,” Maria said. “Like we could ever publish. It’s like being one of those high-level security clearance guys in the CIA. We’re under a permanent gag order. Can you imagine the bestseller we’d have if we could ever write all this down?”

“Well, forget about it,” Michael told her as he slid sodas in front of her and Isabel, then plopped down next to her.

“I guess we’ll have to stick to the lottery,” Alex said with an exaggerated sigh. “Or maybe Vegas.” His eyes lit up. “I bet you guys would be killer at Roulette.”

Liz set a tray with the remaining drinks down on the table, taking in the group in front of her, all seemingly happy and back to normal. She swallowed hard, trying to clear the lump lodged in her throat. “Look, guys, I need to go study for that Geometry final,” she said. “I’m really glad you’re okay, Maria – catch me up tomorrow, alright?” As she finished, her voice trailed off as she caught Max’s eye. They stared at each other for an awkward moment before she turned away. “Just make sure you lock up when you leave,” she called back as she hurried into the back.

Max stood to go after her, but Michael reached out and stopped him. Max started to push free, an angry retort on the tip of his tongue, then saw Michael’s look of sympathy.

“Lemme go,” Michael offered.

Max looked at him for a moment, then sat back down with a nod. “Thanks,” he said.

Michael tilted his head toward Maria, who smiled encouragingly. “Tell her,” she mouthed to him. He nodded briefly, then headed after Liz.

* * * * *

Michael knocked on the door to the Parkers’ apartment and waited. Despite the fact that this had been his idea, he felt a little self-conscious. He knew what he wanted to say to Liz, but knowing and saying were two different things, and it was his experience that his thoughts frequently got lost in the translation.

The door swung open and Michael found himself facing Jeff Parker, Liz’s father and his boss. The man was so low key, so infrequently around at work, that sometimes Michael forgot he even existed. But here he was, in the flesh, and Michael kicked himself mentally for not considering that Liz’s parents would be home.

“Michael, hi,” Mr. Parker said. “Come on in.” He stood back to let Michael enter. “Everything under control downstairs? That was quite a ruckus. Liz said you had some trouble with an unruly customer?”

Michael blinked, his brain scrambling. Then he remembered what Liz had said when she came down in the middle of his argument with Maria – that she could hear them all the way upstairs. He nodded and shot his boss his most polite smile. “Yes, sir. All under control,” he told him, going along with what had obviously been Liz’s cover story.

“Well, good. I’m glad you could handle it. Just remember, son, you ever have any problems down there, feel free to give a holler. I’ll be more than happy to come and give a hand. Or if I’m not around and there’s trouble, just call the Sheriff. Okay?” Jeff shot him an appraising look. “I don’t want anything happening to any of you guys. After that shot in the café last fall, well, better safe than sorry.”

“Right. I’ll remember, sir. Um…is Liz around? I mean, could I talk to her a minute?”

“Sure. She’s in her room studying. I’ll show you the way.”

Not wanting to tell Mr. Parker that he already knew the way, Michael obligingly followed him down the hall. When they reached Liz’s room, her father knocked once and, when she called out, opened the door and stuck his head in.

“Honey, Michael’s here to see you.” Opening the door a little wider, Mr. Parker gave Michael a quick nod, then walked off the way they had come.

Liz stood up from her desk and motioned Michael inside. He went in and started to close the door behind him, then caught Liz’s little shake of her head and left it open part way. He stood staring at her a moment, feeling slightly uncomfortable. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been in her room before, but the circumstances had always been rather bizarre. First he had climbed up the fire escape and broken in to steal her journal. Then there was the time he had been sick; he pretty much had no memory of that night. Finally there had been the wee hours of the morning when Max had been taken and they had all come upstairs so that Isabel could try to dream walk him. That had been the last time. Seeing the clouded look come over Liz’s face, he suspected that was the time she was remembering.

Shaking herself a little she turned and slid open a window. “Let’s go talk on the roof,” she said. “As long as we’re quiet they won’t be able to hear us.”

Michael followed her outside and sat down on the lawn chair she indicated opposite her own. Now that he was here, he was even less sure of what he was doing.

As it turned out, he didn’t need to figure out how to start. “Michael, I know what you’re trying to do,” she said quietly.

“You do?” he asked.

She nodded. “And I appreciate it. But just because you decided it was alright for you and Maria to be together, doesn’t mean it’s okay for me and Max. We aren’t apart for the same reasons,” she reminded him. “Nothing’s changed.” She sighed and stared out at the stars. “Max came up here last week and gave me all of these reasons why we can be together, but I keep coming back to the one reason why we can’t.”

“And that is?” Michael asked. He actually wanted to know her reasoning. There were so many possibilities, and he hadn’t wanted to ask Max exactly why Liz thought they needed to break up.

“Max has this huge responsibility,” she began. “So much he needs to learn. You guys have this mission, and he’s supposed to lead you. How can he do something that monumental if he always has to stop and worry about me? I’ll be a distraction if we’re together. He’ll constantly be wondering if I’m safe or happy or whatever. He needs to be able to focus and that means I have to stay away from him,” she finished sadly.

Michael nodded in comprehension. “So, the fact that Max doesn’t agree with you doesn’t matter?” he probed.

Liz sighed. “I know what he wants. I want the same thing, in my heart. But a long time ago Max said we weren’t meant to be, and he was basically right. I don’t fit into his life.”

“Liz, I can’t claim to be an expert on this stuff. Just ask Maria,” he said with a dry laugh. “But I know how you guys feel about each other. And, you know, if Isabel and Alex think they can make it work, and Maria’s convinced me we should try, I don’t see how you think that you and Max shouldn’t be together. You’re our couple most likely to…well, you know what I mean.”

“Funny,” she said. “When all of this started, you know….when I was shot, you and Isabel hated us all so much. I was thinking about it the other day. Trying to figure out when things changed. I never would have thought either of you would try to get us back together.”

“I guess we learned to trust you. That was always it. It wasn’t really you we disliked,” he said.

Liz tilted her head and smiled at him. “Isabel didn’t like me,” she said. “That wasn’t just a trust thing. She really did not like me.”

He snorted. “Nah. You know, the ice princess thing was getting in the way. Plus, she didn’t like that she wasn’t the only woman in our lives anymore.”

“Yeah, I knew that. But anyway….thanks. For trusting us. Me. I’m not sure why you did.”

“Didn’t have much choice.”

“See, that’s what I mean. Look at all of the problems I brought down on you guys. I told Max the other night that I wished we could go back, you know, so I could stop him from saving my life that day at the café.” Liz had returned to staring out at the stars, and missed the horrified look on Michael’s face. “Everything bad that’s happened, all of it, can be traced back to that day. To me.”

“Liz, whatever Isabel and I felt about all this, we never wished that Max hadn’t saved you.”

“I’m not sure why. I wouldn’t have blamed you. So much has been my fault. Valenti following you. Kyle going all stalker. Topolsky coming to town. Pierce.” She shuddered. “Your lives are in danger because of me.”

Michael was silent for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts into some sort of order. What she was saying was the truth, but it was only a part of it. He was beginning to realize just how relative reality could be. Everything seemed to depend on your point of view. “Liz,” he began, “you brought a lot of stuff down on us. I won’t deny that. But there are a lot of things we have to thank you for.”

She swiveled to look at him, obviously unsure what he was talking about.

“If you hadn’t gotten shot that day, we might never have learned all of these things about ourselves,” he told her. “Valenti showed you that picture of the corpse with the silver handprint. Until then, we thought we were completely alone. Because of you we found the key, the dome, River Dog, the symbols. All of the things we’ve discovered the past few months, it’s all been because of you.”

Liz looked down at her hands. “You would have learned all of that eventually, Michael. Nasedo and Tess would have found you and told you about your mission and who you were.”

“Maybe. But when? The only reason they found us now was because that whole thing at the Crashdown last September forced us into the open. We’d been hiding our whole lives. They didn’t even know who we were. So, yeah, we might have learned all of this one day, but it also might have been because some enemy of ours showed up and killed us.” When Liz looked up, started at the prospect, Michael just shrugged. “I’m not saying that’s how it would have gone down, but it could have.”

“I guess,” she said hesitantly, as if unwilling to give him an inch.

“You changed our lives in a lot of ways,” Michael said. “I’m not sure we really had lives before,” he added.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m meant to be a part of Max’s life now,” she whispered.

Michael suddenly pinned her with a stern look. “This isn’t about meant to be,” he said. “Max has a lot of theories about this destiny stuff. I don’t know if he’s right, or it’s wishful thinking, but, Max being Max, it mostly makes sense. Did he tell you he thinks our past-life marriages were arranged? Like political alliances or something?”

Liz shook her head.

“Yeah, well, he was trying to figure out why we should remember some of our feelings for each other and not others. The connection lasted, the sense of being siblings, so why not still be in love with each other? He figured we never were in love, just all raised together as family, then paired off to keep the peace.”

“If it was just a question of Tess, I wouldn’t give him up,” Liz said, fire in her eyes. “I’m not some simpering fool, Michael. I know he doesn’t feel that way toward her. But how can he go off and fight some war with me tagging along, or left behind? What if someone tried to use me against him? I couldn’t stand that. And Michael, how will he leave when you find a way to go home? I’ll just make things harder for him, for all of you.”

Michael stood up and went to stand by the wall and look at the stars. The pose was almost identical to the one Max held when he had been there the previous week and Liz bit her lip.

“We don’t really know what’s out there, do we?” Michael said, his voice almost wistful. He turned back to look at her. “I’m more worried about right now. Max needs you Liz. And he wants you. If you think being with him makes you a distraction, give some thought to what it’s doing to him not having you around. We went out to the quarry Saturday and he couldn’t knock out a single target. He couldn’t concentrate. Why was that?”

Liz sucked in a breath at his accusatory tone, then jumped to her feet. “Don’t put that on me, Michael,” she hissed at him. “I know this is hurting him. I can see it. You think I’m enjoying this? But, we will get past it and then he’ll be better off. Don’t stand here and tell me it’s my fault. And don’t think that I’m gonna go back on what I know is right because you finally decided you needed to be with Maria. It isn’t fair. I saw you all down there, acting like everything was fine and I was gonna cave just so we could be one big happy family again. I made my choice and I’m sticking to it. Max will get over me.”

She turned away quickly, but not before he caught a glimpse of the tears in her eyes. “I think you better go. I need to study.”

He watched her a moment, making a quick appraisal of her stiffened spine, the straightened shoulders, and he knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere by arguing more tonight. “Fine, I’ll go,” he told her. “But think about what you’ve been telling me. And decide whether you really believe it,” he tossed out. He climbed back through the window and headed across the room. When he reached the door, he glanced back. Liz was still standing out on the roof, staring at the stars.

* * * * *

Maria and the others had just finished cleaning up the café when Michael came back downstairs, looking grim. Max took one look at his friend’s face and just nodded in understanding. “Thanks anyway,” he said. “Look, I’ll see you guys later back home.” Then, instead of going upstairs as they expected, he headed out of the café and down the street.

Michael shook his head. “I didn’t know what else to do. She was so logical about everything. Had an answer for every argument.”

“What did she say?” Isabel asked.

“Oh, a bunch of stuff,” Michael said, not wanting to rehash everything. “She thinks she’d put him in danger, weaken him, distract him. She’s got a list,” he muttered.

Maria frowned. “Did you tell her everything? About Max, I mean?”

He shook his head. “Didn’t get a chance. She threw me out just when I was getting ready to.”

Maria rolled his eyes. “Men,” she grumbled. “I’ll talk to her tomorrow.” She turned and looked out the front window. “Where do you think Max ran off to? What happened to not going off alone?”

Isabel shook her head. “He thinks he’s above the rules. Anyway, he just went back to the UFO Center. He was using the computer there when we dragged him out. I think he needed to go lock up more securely.”

“I guess we should get going then,” Alex said.

Isabel nodded. She turned to Michael and Maria. “You guys need a ride?”

Michael shook his head. “I’m gonna make sure she gets home, then I’ll be over.”

“Just let me get the lights,” Maria told them, “and we can all head out together.”

They locked up the building and left through the back door. Alex and Isabel gave a little wave, then headed around the corner to where Alex had parked. Michael and Maria went the other way and climbed into the Jetta. When their doors were locked and their seat belts fastened, Maria turned questioning eyes toward Michael.

“Okay, so what was the rest of it?” she asked him.

“Rest of what?”

“Whatever went on with Liz has you upset,” she observed. “What was it?”

He shrugged. “I never realized how much she feels responsible for,” he told her. “She actually wishes Max didn’t save her, because she thinks we’d all be safe if he hadn’t. She’s blaming herself for things completely out of her control.”

Maria raised her eyebrows. “Gee, sounds familiar.”

He shot her a look. “I sound like that?”

“Sometimes,” she told him.

“I guess that’s why I understood what she was saying.” He ran a hand haphazardly through his hair. “It’s not gonna be easy to change her mind. By the time I left I wanted to shake her. She was being so damned rational. It was frustrating.”

Maria smiled, reaching out to stroke his cheek. “Yeah,” she mused. “I’m sure it was.”

“Thanks. For putting up with me,” he told her.

She leaned forward and kissed his frowning mouth. “Ditto,” she whispered.

* * * * *

Max crossed the floor of the dark UFO Center and went upstairs to the office. He had shut down the computer hastily when Isabel called to say she and Alex were on their way, so he needed to power up again in order to print out some information. Milton’s UFO search engine allowed him to track reported sightings across the country, and he had been tracing all events taking place since they’d activated the orbs. What he had found left him concerned. There appeared to be a disturbing increase in supposed UFO encounters in the past week and a half.

Finding the information he had bookmarked, Max flipped on the printer and hit Enter. The carriage buzzed, then paper started chugging noisily through the feed. He sighed and sat back, watching as the printer spit the documents out one by one. Then he erased his bookmark and fiddled with a few buttons until he was sure he’d eliminated the search from the computer’s memory. Shutting off the machine, he folded the sheets in half, tucked them in his pocket, then grabbed his keys and started to lock up the office.

A rustling noise caught his attention as he was flipping off the lights. Listening closely, Max thought he heard someone making their way quietly through the exhibits on the main level. He eased the door open, glad he hadn’t bothered to turn on any other lights. Only the emergency beams and the exit signs were on, giving the museum an eerie red glow. Hoping it was dark enough to mask his movements, he made his way slowly down the stairs. He could no longer hear anyone as he headed toward the center of the room. But when he rounded the corner of one of the displays, he saw him. The man was standing out in the open, his back to Max, studying the “Theories of 1947” exhibit in the dim light. He was neatly dressed in a dark suit and appeared to have either light-colored or gray hair. Over one wrist was hooked an elegant cane. Max froze, staying close to the wall, and waited to see what would happen next.

He didn’t have long to wait. The man shook his head and chuckled lightly. “Rather ridiculous, isn’t it?” he said, turning to Max, as if they had been in the middle of a conversation. “I mean,” he added, “once you know what really happened.”

Max’s eyes narrowed as he advanced into the room. “Lose your straw hat?” he asked, his voice taking on an uncharacteristic sneer.

The man tilted his head and smiled. “I decided it was a bit much,” he confessed. “Even for Roswell.” He gestured around the room with his free hand. “Remarkable, on the whole. If you enjoy fiction. I’ve never had the opportunity to visit before now.”

“Most people come by when we’re open,” Max observed.

“Ah, yes. But then I’m not most people, am I? I admit, I’m amazed your little friends recognized me.”

“They didn’t. They were suspicious of you and so they told us. I came to my own conclusions. Why did you come into town? Doesn’t the FBI keep you busy enough?”

“I understood you wanted to discuss something with me. Was I misinformed?”

“That’s true, I did,” Max told him. “But that was only after you paid your little visit to the Crashdown. What were you doing there? Were you waiting for us to come in, or were you spying on Alex, Maria, and Liz?”

“It always comes back to your precious friends, doesn’t it? When are you going to realize that they are a liability?”

“I don’t consider them to be liabilities. I trust them. That’s all you need to know.”

“It isn’t their ability to keep your secret that I question,” Nasedo said. “They make you weak, distract you. You allow your emotions to rule your decisions when they’re involved. Look at what happened when you came after Liz. If you hadn’t followed us, Pierce never would have captured you.”

“If you hadn’t taken Liz, I never would have had to follow you,” Max shot back. “And the only thing distracting me right now is worrying about what you might do next.”

“You should stay away from the humans. They will only cause trouble.”

“You forget that the four of us are part human,” Max declared, glaring at the older man. “This discussion is over. Our relationships with Alex, Maria, and Liz, not to mention anyone else we choose to include in our lives, are none of your business. My understanding is that you are here to protect the four of us. Is that correct?”

Nasedo nodded.

“Fine. Then do your job. And let me make myself perfectly clear on this count. Our friends are not to be harmed. They are not to be threatened, intimidated, used as bait, or hurt in any way whatsoever. Do we understand each other?”

“Yes, we do,” Nasedo replied, tilting his head slightly in acknowledgement.

“Good,” Max said, his voice like steel. “Because from now on, if I discover anyone following any of us, I am going to assume they are the enemy. And act accordingly.” He sent one more piercing stare in Nasedo’s direction, then turned and started to pace.

“I’ll assume this wasn’t the only topic you wished to discuss?”

“No. There’s more,” Max said, his tone business-like. “I need to be able to get in touch with you within the FBI. Obviously, it’s impossible for me to just pick up the phone and call Agent Pierce, so we’re going to need a system.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“The only one who would logically call Pierce is the Sheriff. So, if I need to make contact, I’ll have Valenti call and leave a message for Pierce.”

“And I’ll know to get in touch with you,” Nasedo replied. “It should work. Of course, they’ll tell the Sheriff that there is no Agent Pierce,” he added with a sly smile. “But we know better.”

“Another thing. There have been increased UFO sightings reported since we used the orbs.”

Nasedo frowned. “I told you that it was dangerous to activate them.”

Max shook him off. “I knew the risks. What I need now is for you to use FBI resources to get me more in-depth information about these sightings. Rule out the obvious hoaxes, that type of thing. Then get back to me.”

“Many of our enemies must have been on Earth as long as we have,” Nasedo commented. “They were just waiting to detect the signal from the orbs so they could trace it back to you. It’s doubtful that would have generated increased UFO activity.”

“I still want the information.” He frowned. “There’s so much we don’t know still.” He turned questioning eyes toward Nasedo. “We don’t even know where we come from. What is our planet called?”

Nasedo shook his head.

“What?” Max asked. “Why won’t you tell me? What could it matter?”

“It isn’t that,” Nasedo said, his expression almost sympathetic. “Ours is not a verbal culture, so I cannot really tell you what our planet is called,” he explained. “We communicate telepathically – have for centuries. Oh, there is a spoken form of our language, but it is used so infrequently that virtually all of the old words have been lost. Why bother with long, drawn out sentences, when through thought you can transmit images, entire concepts? A much more efficient means of communication, I assure you.”

“Is that why we couldn’t speak when we first came out of the pods?” Max asked. “I remember being able to communicate with Isabel, but not knowing how to talk.”

“Yes. As you grew older, you most likely lost all but the most rudimentary telepathic abilities. We did not know that would happen. It is why I was unable to find you when I came back and you had already left the cave. You had already begun to forget.”

“Could we relearn the skill?”

Nasedo nodded. “I believe so. Tess has been working on it. It is how she developed her ability to manipulate thoughts.”

“Is there a way to keep others out of your head?”

Nasedo laughed. “Yes, Tess told me how upset you were at her trespassing in your minds. Once you develop your own skill, it will negate hers. You’ll become aware of her presence in your mind.”

Max’s eyes narrowed at his reply. “Exactly how much do you know about us from before? What we were like…”

“Before your deaths?” Nasedo shook his head. “I knew little about you. You were our leaders, beloved by all, but private in your lives. The people knew only that you ruled fairly and well. What went on within your compound was not a matter for discussion. Not like these humans with their never-ending desire to drag their leaders down.”

Max nodded. “Thank you,” he said.

Nasedo looked surprised. “What for?”

“You’ve told me more than I knew before,” Max replied. “I appreciate it. Just remember what I told you,” he went on, growing stern once again. “I meant it.”

Nasedo studied him for a long moment, his eyes appraising. “Perhaps you will succeed,” he said. “I confess that I’ve been worried. Watching the three of you these past months, you seemed reckless. Immature, if you will. But I suspect that I might have been wrong.”

“We’ve changed a great deal in that time,” Max mused. “If you had come a year ago, we wouldn’t have been ready for this kind of challenge. Which is not to say we’re completely prepared for it now, but at least I think we have a fighting chance.”

“Ah, time will tell, won’t it?”

Max nodded. “For now, it’s time to go. You can leave through the back. I assume you’re capable of locking the door behind you?”

Nasedo smiled. “Of course.”

“I’ll expect to hear from you on the sightings by the beginning of next week,” Max told him. Then he turned and headed out of the museum.

It was a warm summer night, the sky brilliant with stars. Max drove the Jeep around the corner and, as was his habit, passed the Crashdown to check that everything was as it should be. Then he turned down the alley and drove by the fire escape that led to Liz’s roof, allowing himself to feel her nearness for just a moment before he continued on his way.

As he pulled up to a stop sign just before turning onto his street, Max spotted a star shooting across the sky. He shut his eyes and, like a small child, he wished; wished that things could go back to the way they used to be, when the world was safe and the only thing he dreamed about was Liz Parker’s smile; wished he could go back to being a little boy for one day, so he could crawl onto his mother’s lap and feel the comfort of her embrace; wished for the strength to get them all through the days ahead, to help them all survive. Everything seemed so precarious; despite the burden on his shoulders, he felt small and insignificant. He opened his eyes and stared briefly at the billions of far-away worlds illuminating the night, and wondered what the future held in store. Then he turned toward home.

END

Disclaimer: Don’t own the characters or the concepts; just borrowing them!
Category: The whole gang.
Summary: Post-Destiny. What happens now?
Spoilers: Season one.
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Sure! Love it!
Banner by: Blanca
Author’s note: This is the third of a series. If you haven’t read You Can’t Go Home Again and its sequel, House of Cards, you’ll be lost.

* * *

Maria DeLuca woke up smiling. Even the prospect of her English final looming on the horizon could not dim her mood. She sang in the shower, she hummed as she poured herself a glass of orange juice, she grinned as she got dressed. For once her world was a happy place and she was bound and determined to enjoy it for as long as possible.

The sound of her phone ringing as she was headed out the door gave her only a moment’s pause. It doesn’t mean anything, she thought as she sprinted back to her room. “Hello?” she said.

“It’s me.”

Michael’s voice sounded normal, but Maria wanted to be sure. “Hi,” she said. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” he said quickly. “It’s just…” He broke off and Maria could hear someone’s muffled voice in the background asking him something. “Are you driving to school?” he asked when he came back.

“Yeah, I was just leaving.”

“Could you maybe give us a lift?”

“Us?”

“Me and Isabel,” came the reply. “I’m at the Evanses’ house.”

Suddenly everything clicked inside Maria’s head – he was still spending his nights over there. “Of course,” she said. “Michael, is Max all right?”

“Yeah.” Then in a lower tone, “We’ll explain on the way. Just come get us. Iz has an exam first thing and she’s panicking about being late.”

“I’ll be there in five minutes.”

When she pulled into the driveway, Michael and Isabel were already waiting outside. They hopped into the Jetta almost before she came to a complete stop.

“Thanks,” Isabel said as she situated herself in the back seat. Her expression was strained and the shadows under her eyes looked like light bruises in her pale face. “My mom took the Toyota and Alex can never get his mom’s car during the day. I really appreciate this.”

“Hey, it’s not a problem,” Maria assured her, uncomfortable with a grateful Isabel. She shot Michael a look as she steered onto Main Street. “So what happened? Another nightmare? And where is Max?”

Michael shook his head and stared out the passenger window. “I thought it was getting better. He actually slept through most of the night. But then he started screaming around four this morning. He’s only done that the one time, and then I got him quieted right away.”

“And this time?”

“It was like I couldn’t get through to him. He was nearly hysterical. Isabel came running in. It took both of us to wake him up.”

“Oh my God,” Maria breathed.

“Our parents heard him,” Isabel said.

“The whole block heard him,” Michael interrupted.

Isabel glared at him. “I managed to convince them he was okay, but I can’t keep telling them it’s stress over finals and breaking up with Liz,” she told them. “Max already talked to Mom once and got her to back off, but I’m not sure it’ll work for much longer. He’s really scaring her. He’s scaring me.”

“I don’t understand how he can seem so together at school all day,” Maria said.

“It isn’t just the nightmares,” Michael said. “It’s this reaction he has afterwards. He’s so drained physically. That’s why we had to call you to come get us. He’s in no shape to go to school. It’ll wear off in a couple of hours and he’ll be fine. That’s why we left him the Jeep. But in the meantime, he’s completely exhausted.”

“I’ll talk to Liz today,” Maria promised. “She needs to know, regardless of what choice she makes about their relationship. She may be able to help. I mean, all that science stuff she knows has to be good for something.”

“Thanks, Maria,” Isabel said.

Maria looked into her rearview mirror and shot Isabel an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry. After all, we’re getting kinda good at fixing you guys up.”

The other girl let out a sigh. “Sure, if it’s physical. Hell, we brought Nasedo back from the dead. I just can’t see the healing stones doing much for what’s bothering Max.”

Maria nodded and went back to concentrating on the road. They drove the rest of the way to school in silence.

* * * * *

Max stood beneath the shower head, both hands braced on the blue tile wall in front of him, and let the hot water flow over his body. He had no idea how long he had been standing there. Time had no meaning. Instead, he measured stages of recovery – the minute details of control regained. He had struggled to the shower, dragging his trembling body from the bed, forcing himself to the bathroom. Climbing into the stall had seemed a monumental effort. Now, as the water eased his muscles, he felt steadier on his feet. The waves of nausea had subsided. In the back of his mind, he was aware that he needed to get dressed and go to school. As the thought registered, he acknowledged it as another sign of improvement. If he was thinking clearly, he was almost back to normal.

He turned off the tap and pushed back the curtain. The mirror had disappeared behind a cloud of steam. He inhaled deeply, feeling his lungs expand and fill with warm, wet air, his breath even and free of tremors. Exhaling, he climbed from the shower, grabbed a towel, and briskly dried off. Aware that he was late, vague memories of Isabel and Michael leaving earlier floating through his mind, he rushed through his routine; brushed his teeth, shaved, ran a comb through his still-damp hair. Back in his room, he dressed quickly, an eye on the clock. He had missed first period and would be hard-pressed to catch second, where he had a final paper due.

Once he was driving down the street, Max allowed himself to reflect on what had happened. It was one thing to have nightmares, but it was another thing entirely to wake up screaming in the middle of the night. He couldn’t keep relying on Isabel and Michael to snap him back to consciousness. Nor could he keep terrifying his parents with his behavior. But he didn’t know what to do. Last night had been his worst reaction yet, and despite that, he could not remember a single detail of his dreams. It was the same each time. He woke in a fog, with a vague lingering sensation of terror, every muscle fist-tight and cramped, then suddenly completely lax, but he never remembered the events of the nightmare. And while he knew that he must be reliving being tortured at Eagle Rock, he didn’t understand why his mind refused to let go. He had escaped. He was fine. They were all safe. And Pierce was dead. What more reassurance could his subconscious possibly want? His level of frustration was increasing by the day.

Shaking off the nightmare, Max turned his thoughts to his meeting with Nasedo. He hadn’t mentioned it to Isabel or Michael the night before – partly because it had been late when Michael got back from Maria’s. More importantly, however, he thought the entire group deserved to hear what he had learned, and that meant it was time to get everyone together again. He grimaced, knowing it wasn’t going to be easy. Liz would be particularly hard to convince. On top of everything, he felt Tess needed to be included, which would no doubt cause tension. It was one thing to tolerate her presence around the lunch table at school, but to get together and actually have an intelligent exchange of ideas where she was a contributor was another thing entirely. Max knew that it would make Liz uncomfortable, and therefore make him uncomfortable, but he couldn’t see a way around it.

He pulled into the school parking lot and scanned for a space. A quick glance at his watch told him he would just squeak into class before the bell. Two days of school left before summer vacation, he thought as he crossed the lot, and what was he doing? Gearing up to go to war. A dry chuckle escaped his lips and he headed into the building. Within moments he was enveloped by the crush of students pushing their way through the halls to their next class – just another high schooler being swept along for the ride.

* * * * *

Liz sifted through the items remaining in her locker. Much as she enjoyed school, she always took a certain satisfaction in watching her collection of textbooks dwindle the last week of classes. It gave her a sense of accomplishment to know that each subject no longer represented in her locker meant one more course she could cross off her mental check list – another kernel of knowledge attained. Right now, however, she was more relieved than anything else. For better or worse, she had just completed her Geometry final, the last exam of her sophomore year, and she was unofficially done with school until September. Oh, sure, technically there were still classes through tomorrow, but with no material left to cover, the time would pretty much be spent signing yearbooks and discussing summer plans.

Her hand closed over a book tucked beneath a sheaf of loose papers. She had hidden it there a couple of weeks before, unwilling to risk looking at it for even the short time required to return it to the school library. It was a book on astronomy – the one she had borrowed when she and Max were reading up on the V constellation, before they had decided to make use of Mr. Seligman’s computer. But it was time to clean out her locker, and since she planned to eat lunch today in a corner of the library, it was the perfect time to get rid of the book.

Biting on her bottom lip, she allowed the text to fall open in her hands, gently flipping through the pages with their colorful photos and renderings of the galaxies. So many worlds they knew nothing about. A familiar cluster of stars caught her eye and she checked the caption: The Whirlwind Galaxy. That had been the one in the poster in her science class, the one she had recognized from her visions. Somewhat wistfully, she traced a finger over the starry spiral, wondering whether Max’s home lay beyond it. Wondering if they would ever know. It seemed so unfair that they knew so little about themselves and where they came from, even now. Michael had made it sound like Max was trying to piece together their past from the scant information they had, using his own logic and suspicions as the glue to hold it all together. Her heart ached for him, knowing how frustrated he must be.

“Planning a trip?”

Startled, Liz slammed the book shut seconds before she identified the deep voice behind her. Then, feeling foolish, she turned slowly around. “Hey, Kyle,” she said.

“Hey. Sorry. Didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

“It’s okay. I was just…”

“In another world?” he finished for her, a twinkle in his eye.

Liz couldn’t help but smile. “Sort of. So, how have you…been?” It had been over a week since the shooting and she hadn’t really seen him.

Kyle shrugged. “Better than I might have been,” he muttered. “But I guess you know what that’s like. Anyway, my dad explained things and I, uh, had a conversation with Max,” he told her in a low voice.

“So, you’re okay with everything?”

“As okay as I can be,” he admitted. “It’s still all sinking in.” His eyes narrowed on her thin face. “How about you? Hate to say it, but you don’t look so great. You feeling okay?”

She turned back to her locker, feeling him watching her. “Don’t worry about it, Kyle. Finals, you know? I’ve just been studying too hard, trying to catch up.”

“Right,” he said, sounding unconvinced. “School stuff.” He hadn’t missed the fact that she and Max looked like twin zombies walking the halls of West Roswell, matching dark circles under their eyes. But he had learned not to pry. “Listen, Liz, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry for being such a jerk last fall. I know we kinda talked about this before, but I really mean it. Now I that I know what you were going through – the pressure and everything – well, I just feel bad.”

“Thank you,” she said.

“You know, I knew from the beginning that you guys had some kind of a connection. I just didn’t want to face it,” he said quietly. “I guess it really hit home that night I got Max drunk – he just kept blabbing about you. He admitted to me then that he was in love with you. What normal sixteen-year-old guy says stuff like that? Even when they’re plastered?”

Liz shook her head, unable to look at him, not wanting him to see that she was on the verge of tears. She cursed her emotions, wondering why they had to rest constantly just below the surface, always ready to rise up and embarrass her at a moment’s notice. Part of her wanted to spin around and ask Kyle a million questions about that night, to find out every detail of what Max had said and done. But she didn’t. She couldn’t. It was just asking for trouble. “I was so worried that he might have accidentally revealed himself to you that night,” she said in a shaky voice.

“Yeah, well, I guess he kinda did,” Kyle said. “Just not the part you had in mind.” He shifted, uncomfortable with emotional females. “Look, I know something’s going on right now, and it’s probably none of my business, but I just wanted to tell you that I was sorry and I really hope you guys work it out.”

Liz shot him a surprised look. “I thought you hated Max?”

Kyle looked sheepish. “Guess I’m running out of reasons to,” he told her. “Besides, the guy’s actually pretty likeable.”

“Yeah,” Liz said, suddenly looking sad.

“You wanna talk about it?” he asked hesitantly.

“Not really, but thanks,” she told him.

“You’re sure?”

“If I talk about it, I’ll think about it, and I’m trying really hard not to do that right now.”

His eyes fell to the book still clutched in her hand. “I’d say you’re doing a lousy job. Maybe not thinking about it isn’t the answer.”

“There aren’t any answers,” she said matter-of-factly. “None that will make everyone happy.”

“Oh. Well,” he said awkwardly, “I gotta… get to class. I’ll see ya?”

“Yeah. Come by the Crashdown, okay?”

Kyle smiled encouragingly at her, then headed down the hall. Liz watched him go, wondering briefly when all of her friends had gotten to be so interested in her love life. She scooped up her books and slammed her locker shut, wishing yet again that she could be invisible.

* * * * *

Alex and Isabel crossed the quad toward the table where Michael and Maria had already spread out their lunch. It wasn’t their usual spot; this table stood further away from the building and had the advantage of being more isolated. Usually it was occupied by upperclassmen, but with finals nearly over, many students had already left for the day, leaving it available.

“So, did you talk to Liz yet?” Isabel asked Maria as soon as she was within range.

Maria sighed and shook her head. “I haven’t seen her all morning. I know she’s here – she had a test. I think she’s hiding from me,” she admitted.

Alex frowned as he and Isabel sat down across from the others. “Why? ‘Cause you and Michael got back together?”

“I don’t know. Maybe that’s part of it. I think she’s just avoiding a confrontation.”

“Did Max make it to school?” Michael asked, his usually impassive voice edged with concern.

Alex nodded. “Saw him in the halls between second and third periods. Looked perfectly normal.”

“I don’t know how he does that,” Isabel said. “He was a complete wreck when we left the house.”

Alex put a comforting arm around her shoulders and gave a little squeeze. “One thing’s for sure. If we can’t get through to Liz, we’re going to need another approach. I mean, we can’t let him go on this way. At the very least, the guy needs a good night’s sleep.”

“But what do we do?” Michael asked. “He won’t talk to us. Hell, he didn’t even want us to tell you guys about the nightmares.”

“Shhh,” Maria hissed. “He’s coming over.”

Alex immediately launched into a comical and animated description of the guy who had arrived late for their History final, having obviously spent the previous class period locked in the eraser room with his girlfriend. “He had bright red lipstick stains on his neck, right behind his ear,” Alex chuckled. Isabel and Maria laughed obligingly while Michael rolled his eyes.

“Hey, guys,” Max said as he approached. His intelligent brown eyes surveyed the group, aware something was going on but not ready to press the issue. Instead he swung a leg over the bench and sat down next to his sister.

“Maxwell,” Michael replied with a nod. “How’s it going?”

“Fine,” Max said. “We seem to be missing a few bodies,” he observed. When no one offered more than a shrug in reply, he turned his attention toward Maria. “Are you guys all working tonight?”

Maria shook her head. “Just Liz. She’s on late.” Sensing his annoyance, she frowned. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“We need to have a meeting,” he said, addressing all of them. “Right after school. Out at the quarry,” he added.

“Max, did something happen?” Isabel asked worriedly.

“I just think it’s time we talked about some things,” he said. “All of us.” He pinned Maria with a look. “Can you get Liz there? I don’t care what you have to do. It’s important.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Tell her it’s about her buddy with the straw hat,” Max said. “That ought to convince her.”

“What are you talking about?” Isabel asked quickly.

“Did you find out who he is? Is he really following us?” Alex asked, overlapping Isabel’s question.

Max merely held up his hands and shook his head. “Later. Right now I need to go find Tess.”

Michael looked surprised. “You want her there too?”

Max shot him a stern look. “I said everybody.” He turned to Isabel. “Do you think you can get Mom’s car? I’m going to need the Jeep to get to work when we’re done.”

Isabel nodded. “I’ll call her right after lunch. It should be fine.”

“Good. Maybe you can give Tess a ride out, too,” he said quietly. “I’d… prefer not to.”

“Sure,” she agreed with an understanding smile.

“Thanks. Okay, that’s all I had to say. Go on back to your discussion,” he told them. He stood and headed back toward the school.

Alex watched him walk away, then turned to Michael. “You think he knew we were talking about him?”

Michael simply rolled his eyes again and went back to eating his lunch.

* * * * *

There were only so many places Tess could go during lunch, so Max expected he would track her down without too much trouble. He decided to start with the library. Their “No Food or Drink” rule was pretty much a joke and, since it was almost guaranteed to be deserted this late during finals, he thought it seemed a likely place for her to hide out. However, one step inside and Max realized his subconscious had been playing him for a fool. Yes, the library was quiet, and yes, it made a wonderful place to hide. But not for Tess.

He knew the moment the doors had closed behind him that Liz was somewhere in the library. There was no doubt in his mind that, if he chose to circle the room, he would find her curled up at one of the big corner tables, her lunch half-hidden in her bookbag, probably with an issue of Scientific American spread out in front of her. Every nerve in his body went on instant alert. More than anything, he wanted to go look for her, even if it meant slinking along through the stacks like a criminal, just to catch a glimpse of her from between the books. But, he resisted the temptation, great as it was. If Liz was hiding out during lunch, it was because she was still upset over seeing him the night before at the Crashdown. Approaching her would just make the situation worse, and he couldn’t risk her refusing to come to the quarry after school – what he needed to tell everyone was too important. So he forced himself to turn around and leave.

Out in the hallway, he had to remind himself of his original purpose. He had to find Tess. After mentally x-ing out a few possibilities, he headed out of the building and toward the athletic fields. It was a beautiful day, and aside from the quad there were only a couple of spots where people went to eat outdoors. From a distance he could see a half dozen runners doing laps around the track and someone practicing hurdles, but only once he cleared the fence was he able to see into the bleachers. Tess was sitting halfway up, at the opposite end from where he stood. Her wavy blonde hair was caught in a ponytail and, at least from Max’s perspective, she seemed very young sitting there all alone.

Once he got a little closer, he knew she would sense his presence, so he stayed where he was and simply watched her for a few minutes. Her attention appeared riveted on the field, her eyes following the runners as they sprinted past. Occasionally, she would reach for her soda by touch, but her gaze never wavered. Curious as to what was so fascinating, Max looked toward the track. No one seemed any faster or more athletic than the next, but as the group rounded the near turn, he suddenly thought he understood. Kyle Valenti, looking warm and only slightly out of breath, was the second runner to come around the bend.

Max allowed himself a small smile before he carefully schooled his expression and climbed up the bleachers. If Tess was developing an interest in Kyle that went beyond using him as a pawn in their merry little war, that was fine with him. The truth was, he felt sorry for her – the way she had been raised, the position she now found herself in as the odd one out. He knew she had to be terribly lonely. But there was only so far he could go to help her without putting himself in an uncomfortable position, and whatever else happened, he refused for one instant to give her the wrong idea. He had no intention of being anything more to Tess than a friend. As for Kyle, he was pretty sure Valenti could take care of himself where Tess was concerned. So, he was just going to sit back, play dumb, and see what developed.

As expected, she turned toward him when he was a few steps away, squinting into the sun and waiting expectantly. He climbed up beside her and sat down, taking in her rather eccentric meal, which seemed to consist of yogurt with added sugar, carrots, and a

Twinkie. He made a face. “Don’t you ever eat any real food?”

She looked down and smiled slightly. “Sometimes.” Then she met his gaze again and the smile faded. “So, what’s going on, Max? I somehow doubt you’re here to check up on the nutritional content of my lunch.”

He grew serious. “You’re right. We’re meeting after school out at the quarry. Isabel said she’d give you a lift.”

“Are we… practicing again?”

“Not today. There are some things that we need to talk about. Privately,” he stressed. “The quarry is the only place we can be guaranteed no audience.”

“All right.”

“There’s something else,” he said. “It isn’t going to be just the four of us. Liz, Alex, and Maria will be there also.”

Tess turned her attention back to the track below. Kyle and a few others had stopped running and were stretching out. “Is this your way of telling me to behave myself?” she asked.

“Look, we all need to work together. I realize we’ve managed to eat lunch a few times without any bloodshed, but this is different. Everyone is affected by this and so everyone needs to be kept in the loop. And I am not going to run around town repeating myself because you have a problem handling the situation.”

“I understand,” came the terse reply.

“Tess,” he said gently, “I’m sorry for the way things are. But… I can’t change the way I feel.”

The softness of his tone seemed to register. “I know, Max. I do understand. It’s just… sometimes I feel like I have no one on my side, you know?” When she turned back to look at him, her eyes were a little brighter.

“We’re on the same side,” he told her.

“That’s not what I mean.”

“I know,” he sighed. “But give it time. It’ll work out.” He shot a quick look at the field, where Kyle was picking up his things and heading back toward the school. “Sometimes you just have to have a little faith.”

“He hates me,” she said suddenly.

“I doubt that,” Max replied as he watched Kyle walk off. “But I suspect you’re not currently his favorite person,” he added with a grin. “You might want to try to work on that. Your first impressions tend to be pretty good. It’s the second one that needs some polishing.” He glanced back at Tess and was pleased to see she no longer seemed ready to cry. “See you after school?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there,” she said with a little sigh of resignation. “And Max?” she said as he rose to go.

“What?”

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Yeah, you did. You were nice to me. You didn’t have to be,” she acknowledged.

“We have to stick together,” he told her. “I meant what I said about it being the four of us, okay?”

“Okay.”

* * * * *

They arrived separately, a group at a time. Max made a point of getting there first; he had called the meeting and he didn’t believe in making grand entrances. When Isabel pulled up, she parked a few yards from the Jeep, and she, Tess, and Alex made their way over to the rocky peak were Max was standing. From their vantage point they could see out over a large portion of the quarry, including the place where the water seeped from the ground and filled the low-lying areas. It was where they always met, always stood, a place where they felt safe. It was out of the way enough that you needed a car to get there, and sufficiently quiet that they would hear any vehicle approaching long before they actually saw it.

The Jetta arrived last, the familiar buzzing of the motor echoing distinctly through the canyon. Watching Maria maneuver off the dirt road, Max wondered if she and Michael had had trouble getting Liz to come with them. He could make out her silhouette in the back seat as the little red car rolled to a stop, and he imagined he could see her tuck her hair nervously behind her ears before she opened the door and climbed out. She appeared calm, however, as she followed Maria and Michael up the slope to join the rest of them.

Michael broke the silence. “Okay, Maxwell. We’re all here. You plan to fill us in now?”

“Come on, Max,” Isabel urged. “You made it sound like you knew something about the old man from the Crashdown. I thought we weren’t going to keep secrets anymore,” she said, her tone telling him just how many things she thought he was keeping to himself.

“I’m not holding out on you, Iz,” he told her. “I just wanted everyone together.” He gaze traveled over the six expectant faces before him, lingering slightly longer when he reached Liz, then moving on before she could look away. “This affects all of us. No matter what anyone here seems to think, our lives are linked now. We’ve been through too much together, know too much about each other, to be able to completely sever that tie.” He stared out over the quarry, briefly turning his back to the group. He needed to watch his words. It was not his intention to turn the gathering into his own personal crusade to win back Liz.

“We aren’t arguing with you,” Alex pointed out. “We all came. So what’s going on?”

Max looked toward Alex. He was standing next to Isabel, just close enough to hint at protectiveness. Tess was just beyond them, listening, her expression lacking the challenge it usually held. Michael stood to his other side, one arm circling Maria’s waist from behind, his chin resting comfortably on top of her head. Liz was the furthest from him, standing just close enough to be able to hear. When he spoke, it was to her.

“You don’t need to worry about the old man in the straw hat. He won’t be following you anymore. It was Nasedo,” he said. As he uttered the last words, he saw Liz shiver, a look of surprise mingled with something else he couldn’t quite identify darting across her face. He went on quickly. “He came by last night when I was at the UFO Center and we talked. I made it clear what I expect him to do. And what I expect him not to do,” he added forcefully. “From now on, if any of you think you’re being watched or followed, I want you to act based on the assumption that you’re right – and that whomever it is, is dangerous. You get to a public place and stay put. Does everyone understand? No heroics.”

“But why was he at the Crashdown?” Maria asked. “I mean, none of you guys were there that day. Was he just waiting for one of you to show up?”

Max was still watching Liz closely, aware that something was wrong, that she was withdrawing from the conversation. She was no longer looking toward him and every inch of her seemed poised for flight. It suddenly occurred to him that they had never discussed what happened when Nasedo kidnapped her. Max himself had been taken and, after that, things had spiraled out of control. A growing fear gnawing at his gut, he forced himself to keep his tone light. “It isn’t important,” he said. “What is important is that he and I have come to an understanding. He’s going to stay put within the FBI and work on getting us some information. If any of us need to contact him, we’ll go through Valenti.”

“The Sheriff?” Tess asked. “Why?”

“Because,” Max told her, “we know we can trust him, and no one within the Bureau would question his call. He’s certainly called frequently enough in the past.”

“Okay, not to point out the obvious question here, but, if we’re not worried about Nasedo or the FBI anymore, and Valenti’s on our side, who exactly would be following us?” Alex asked.

“The aliens who took over our planet were supposedly coming to Earth next,” Max said. Before he finished his sentence, Alex let out a groan. “There’s a good chance that they detected the signal when we used the orbs,” Max continued. “In which case…”

“They know where you are,” Maria said flatly.

Michael tightened his arm around Maria. “So what did Nasedo say about all of this?”

“I have him tracing recent sighting activity, sifting out the kooks and the quacks. We’ll see if there’s a pattern.”

“So you think they’re coming to Roswell,” Liz said softly.

Max met her gaze. He nodded, though he knew it hadn’t been a question. “Which is why I need you all to be careful still.”

“Okay,” she agreed. “We’ll be careful.” She glanced at her watch, then at Maria. “Are we done? ‘Cause I really need to get back. My shift starts soon.”

Maria looked at her, startled. “Lizzie, hon, don’t you think you could be a few minutes late?”

“No,” she said. “I told you when I agreed to come out here that I would have to leave early. You said that was fine.” She turned dark eyes on Max. “Is there anything else? I mean, anything that’s a matter of life and death?”

She had gone from being upset to being perfectly composed in a matter of seconds. Max frowned, but shook his head. “Nothing you absolutely need to stay for,” he said quietly.

“Thank you,” she said. With two words she managed to convey that she was grateful for much more than his saying she could leave. “Maria?” she asked. “Do you mind?”

Maria shook her head. “’Course not.” She looked up at Michael.

“Go ahead. Max or Iz can give me a ride back.”

“Okay,” she said. “You will fill me in later,” she ordered.

Michael nodded, shooting her a meaningful look, gesturing toward Liz who was already heading back toward the car.

Understanding what he was trying to say, Maria nodded back. “See you later,” she said and started after Liz.

Max watched the Jetta bump along the dusty road and disappear around the bend. Everyone else watched Max. Finally, Michael cleared his throat, raising his eyebrows questioningly when Max looked over. “She had work , Maxwell,” he said. “Don’t go reading anything else into it.”

“What else did you find out from Nasedo?” Isabel asked.

“Not much, really,” Max said, trying to refocus on the group. “Apparently our race communicates telepathically, which doesn’t surprise me.”

“You mean, we couldn’t speak?” Michael asked.

“Oh, we could,” Max assured him. “We just didn’t bother. Nasedo seems to consider talking an enormous waste of time.”

“Don’t tell DeLuca that,” Alex quipped. Then, noting the smirk on Michael’s face, he shot Isabel a mischievous look. “Maria’d insist at least one of you agrees with that assessment.”

Ignoring Isabel’s laughter, Michael glared at Alex. “Is everything a joke with you, Whitman?”

“Whenever possible, yes,” he grinned.

In an effort to get the discussion back on track, Max turned to Tess. “Did Nasedo ever talk to you about any of this?”

“No, he didn’t,” she said. She wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. “He had me work on my telepathic power, but never said that was how we communicated. When I would ask him questions, he’d tell me to be patient. That I’d learn what I needed to know, as I needed to know it.”

“So he wouldn’t talk about where we come from?” Isabel asked.

Tess shook her head. “I got the impression he preferred not to think about home. He didn’t like to remember.”

“Maybe because he didn’t know if he’d ever get back,” Michael said quietly.

They all looked at each other. The thought crossed Max’s mind that, if they should figure out a way to get back to wherever they came from, he would probably feel the same way about Earth. Would he want to remember Earth if he were galaxies away, to torture himself with thoughts of a home he might never see again? Because, regardless of what biology and history told him, this really was his home. This was where he had grown up. Everything he knew and trusted was here – everyone he loved. An image of Liz popped into his mind, and he knew he’d have no choice but to remember. How could he forget his heart?

“Well, at least we know more than we did,” Isabel said finally. “This whole telepathy thing would explain why we can sense each other.”

Max nodded absently.

Alex noticed his preoccupation and nudged Isabel. She frowned. “Max? What is it?”

“Um, nothing,” he replied.

Michael sighed. “Come off it, Max. Tell us.”

He shook his head. “Just a theory.”

“Like half of what you think you know isn’t some kind of theory,” Alex said.

Max let out a short laugh. “You’ve got a point. Okay. The four of us can sense each other’s presence, like Isabel said. We feel some kind of a connection to each other, which, as Tess noted, is probably in some respect linked to our telepathic abilities.”

“Follow you so far,” Alex said.

“But there’s more to it than that,” Max went on. He glanced at Michael. “Isn’t there?” he said.

Michael looked at him hesitantly. “Are you getting at what I think you’re getting at?” he asked slowly.

Isabel looked confused. “Enough with the secret codes, guys. What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying we don’t only sense each other,” Max said.

“I’m still lost,” Isabel told him.

Michael sighed. “He can feel Liz. He knows when she’s around. It’s the same with me. I know the minute Maria comes into the room.”

“You mean, like some kind of intuition?” Alex asked.

Max shook his head. “It’s more complicated than that. And it isn’t the same as it is with each other. When Michael, Isabel, or Tess is nearby, I have a certain awareness. I know they’re there, but I can’t tell them apart or anything. With Liz…it’s like the air changes. I know instantly that it’s her.”

“Do you think it has something to do with having healed her?” Isabel asked.

“I did,” Max admitted. “But then I realized Michael felt the same thing with Maria.”

“So, what does it mean?” Isabel asked.

Max looked baffled. “I wish I knew. And it may not mean anything other than that we’re more attuned to them than to anyone else.”

Alex looked hesitantly at Isabel. “Do you…?”

She shook her head quickly, then seeing the hurt look that crossed his face, reached out and squeezed his hand. “Not the way they’re talking about, Alex,” she said softly. “But we’re kinda new at this whole relationship thing. Maybe we just haven’t gotten to that point yet.”

He smiled at her. “Thanks,” he whispered. Then he turned to Max, a thoughtful look in his eye. “What about those flashes Liz was having?”

“What flashes?” Tess asked.

Max looked swiftly in her direction, but she seemed genuinely curious. “A few months ago, Liz started getting flashes from me whenever we…kissed. I had gotten them from her before – just little glimpses of her past, her thoughts. But suddenly she was seeing things too, and not my conscious memories. She kept getting flashes of space and stars, even what appeared to be the crash. Eventually they led us to where the orb was buried,” he explained. Turning toward Alex, he shrugged. “They stopped once we found the orb, so I never really thought they meant anything. Actually, I suspected Nasedo was somehow causing them.”

Isabel nodded. “That’s what Michael and I thought, too, at the time. But Nasedo didn’t want us to use the orbs, Max. So why lead us to one of them?”

Max looked blank. “I have no idea,” he said. He let out a sigh. “Another thing to try to puzzle out.”

“We should start to keep a list,” Isabel said sarcastically.

“I actually considered it,” Max said. “If it weren’t so dangerous to leave a paper trail, I would. Things are getting so damned complex. Anyway, I guess that’s basically all I wanted to talk about,” Max said.

Michael shook his head. “The sum total of our knowledge about ourselves, recapped in an hour or less.”

“Look at it this way, Michael,” Isabel said, “That’s an hour’s worth more than we knew a year ago.”

“Big deal,” Michael replied.

Max turned to Tess. “With school out after tomorrow, we should have some time to find you an apartment. Are you going to need help going through the stuff in your house?”

Tess shrugged. “It would be nice. I figured I’d get rid of pretty much all of the furniture, but there are all of these boxes in the spare room and I have no idea what’s in some of them.”

“Right,” Max said. “What do you all say? Anybody up for some house cleaning on Friday?”

Isabel nodded. “Sure.”

“I have to work,” Michael told them, “but I can help out in the morning.”

Alex shrugged. “What’s a little back-breaking work among friends?”

“Thanks,” Tess said in a low voice, obviously unsure how to react to their willingness to help. “I’ll…make sure there’s something in the fridge besides yogurt and Cherry Coke.”

“Okay then,” Max said, glancing at his watch. “Speaking of work, I’m late. Michael? Want me to drop you?”

“Thanks,” he said, and followed him to the Jeep. Everyone else followed Isabel to the car.

“See you later,” Max said, nodding to the others as he climbed behind the wheel. He waited a moment until Isabel had pulled out onto the road, then swung the Jeep out after her.

* * * * *

They drove in silence, Liz staring blankly ahead, Maria throwing worried glances in her direction every few minutes. The lack of conversation was making Maria antsy. She had never been one of those people who characterized a good friendship by the ability to sit in each other’s presence without speaking, primarily because she never ran out of things to say. Even now, she had plenty on her mind. It was just a question of where to begin.

Finally, she decided that she couldn’t take it anymore. “Liz? Talk to me,” she said.

“Please don’t start, Maria. I’ve had about as much as I can take of everyone’s concern and advice.”

“I’m not everyone,” Maria bristled.

“What’s the difference?” Liz asked. “You just want what they all want. To know if I’m okay, to know what’s going on, to tell me what to do,” she listed in a dull, tired voice. “It’s as if I’ve suddenly turned into this three-year-old with absolutely no decision making skills. None of you trust me to make the right choice. Did you know that my mother actually asked me last week if I was pregnant?”

“She didn’t?” Maria gasped.

“She did,” Liz said. “I just can’t take it anymore. This is hard enough as it is without all of this hovering. I even had Kyle asking me how I was today.”

“Stalker Valenti?”

“He’s not that bad,” Liz said. “But that’s besides the point. I’m tired of justifying myself. I just wish you’d all leave me alone.”

“Liz, this isn’t about whether you’re right or wrong. I’m your friend and I care about you. And I’m worried. This isn’t like you. I know you love Max, and he loves you. Why does it have to be this difficult? He wants to be with you.”

“Maria, we aren’t talking about what we want. I didn’t walk away from Max because of Tess; I left because I can’t risk him getting hurt because of me.”

“Liz…”

“No,” Liz cut her off. “You wanted me to talk, so just listen. You know, I really thought it was going to be okay. That we could be together – that it was possible,” she said, her voice cracking. “That day in the pod chamber, when Nasedo left to take Pierce’s place, I thought that finally they would be safe. No more FBI trying to track them down and discover their secrets. No more Sheriff Valenti dogging our every move. I wasn’t worried about Tess because I knew Max didn’t care about her.” She paused to brush away a tear as it streamed down her cheek. “And then they used the orbs,” she continued. “And it all started over, but ten times worse than before. They’re supposed to save their planet, Maria. They have to learn how to fight this unknown enemy and then they have to find a way home to rescue their people – their families. How can I get in the way of that?”

“Liz, how would your being with Max stand in the way of their doing what they have to do?” Maria asked. “He already told you he’s going to try to save their home. Why does it have to be one thing or the other?”

“Because I distract him. When we’re together he’s careless. It isn’t like you and Michael, Maria. You bring out the best in him. You give him something he’s never had before – love, faith, strength. You’re the reason Michael’s getting control over his powers. Didn’t you get that last night, what they were teasing him about? When he shot out all those tin cans, when he healed your arm, he was thinking about you, Maria. You’re his focus. He was just too embarrassed to admit to it in front of all of us,” Liz told her.

Maria looked stunned. “No, Liz, that can’t be it. It can’t be that simple.”

“It is,” Liz told her wearily. “He just needed someone to believe in him. Don’t you remember that day at Atherton’s, when we didn’t know what to do next and Michael tried to get another vision with the key? It didn’t work, did it? Not until you told him to try again. He’d kidnapped you and stolen your car and dragged you to Texas, and you went and blew his alien mind by showing some faith in his abilities.”

For a whole sixty seconds, Maria was utter speechless. Then she glanced over at Liz, huddled in her seat, and realized that had been the idea. She shook her head. “Good try,” she muttered. “But we’re not talking about me and Michael. This is about you and Max. Max can control his powers, or at least he could until recently,” said pointedly.

“Controlling his powers isn’t the problem. Max puts himself in danger because of me,” Liz said quietly, and Maria realized she was crying freely now. “He doesn’t think. He just acts. It started that day when he saved my life. He put their lives in danger when he healed me and he didn’t give it a thought. That’s what started all of this – Valenti chasing them, Topolsky showing up. Pierce. If it hadn’t been for me, Max would have never been at risk. Pierce wouldn’t have even known he existed.”

“Liz Parker, it is not your fault that Pierce captured Max!”

Liz turned teary eyes toward Maria. “Of course it is,” she said. “Why am I the only one who sees that? Max came after me, even knowing Pierce would be there. He put himself at risk for me. Again. I can’t allow him to keep doing that. And it won’t ever stop, Maria. There will always be someone – another Pierce, some enemy alien – who will try to use me to get to Max.”

Maria swore loudly and turned the steering wheel sharply to the right, pulling the Jetta well off the road.

“Maria, what are you doing?” Liz said.

“Stopping so we can finish wading through this bullshit you call logic,” Maria said angrily.

“I’m gonna be late.”

“Yes, Liz, you are,” Maria snapped. “Deal with it.”

“Maria…”

“Oh, come off it, Lizzie. What’s your dad gonna do? Fire you? This is more important than punctuality, damn it.” She unfastened her seatbelt and twisted around to rummage in the back seat. A moment later she dumped a box of tissues in Liz’s lap. “Here. Use them. Enough of this stiff upper lip crap.”

Liz shot her a look, but pulled out a bunch of tissues and started to wipe her eyes and cheeks. She blew her nose, then looked miserably out the window. “Can we please just go home?”

“Not a chance,” Maria told her. “My turn to talk. I have a couple of questions for you. Just answer yes or no. Think you can handle that?”

Liz looked over, saw her friend’s determined face, and nodded listlessly.

“Good. First question. Do you love Max?”

Liz sighed. “Yes.”

“Okay. Does Max love you?”

“Yes,” came the whispered reply.

“Even better. Do you trust Max? I mean really trust him. Like with your life?”

Liz closed her eyes, fresh tears squeezing out from beneath the lids. But she nodded.

“All right,” Maria said, her tone softening. Shifting sideways in her seat, she reached out and took Liz’s hands and squeezed. “Now pay close attention, because for a future valedictorian you’re not catching on too quick these days. You mean everything to Max Evans. He loves you more than life. When Nasedo took you, I thought he was going to lose his mind. He was scared for you. But he wasn’t reckless, Liz. He didn’t panic. There was this look in his eyes, this fear, like he might lose you, but he was still in control. He called you on your cell to make sure you were okay. We all worked together to find a way to alert Valenti. He took Michael and Isabel and Tess with him when he went after you. I don’t think there were any precautions that he didn’t take. Yes, Pierce did catch him. But Liz, that risk is always there because of who they are, not because of anything you did or didn’t do. It wasn’t your fault. And if it weren’t for you going to Valenti, they might never have gotten him out of Eagle Rock. You can’t blame yourself for what happened.”

A shudder wracked Liz’s body and she pulled her hands from Maria’s grasp. Curling up in her seat, she pressed her knees to her chest and hugged them close. “You don’t know what they did to him in there,” she said shakily. “The things they put him through, Maria… because of me. It was my fault. If I hadn’t gone with Nasedo, Max never would have been caught.”

“Liz, Nasedo looked exactly like Max. I saw him, too. There wasn’t any way you could have known,” Maria said.

She shook her head violently. “I should have known. How could I not know? I love Max. How could I think that… thing… was Max?” she sobbed. “I did… I knew. When he kissed me, I could tell, but it was too late… we were already gone.”

Maria leaned forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Liz, frightened by the way she was trembling. “Shhh… Lizzie, it’s okay,” she whispered. “It’s okay. We got him out. It’s okay now.” She rocked her gently as much as the confined space would allow, murmuring soothing nonsense until she felt Liz’s tense frame relax and the shaking stop. Then she sat back and brushed the hair from her friend’s face. “Okay? Better?” she asked worriedly.

Liz sniffed and nodded. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

“Don’t apologize,” Maria told her. “Do you really believe all that, Liz? About it being your fault?”

Liz looked up and nodded again.

“Does Max know how you feel about it?”

She shrugged. “Some of it.”

“The last part?”

“No.”

“I didn’t think so,” Maria sighed. “God, you two are just way too similar for your own good.”

“What do you mean?” Liz asked, drying her eyes on a fresh wad of tissues.

“The control thing. This need to take care of everybody else. But you never let anyone return the favor. You’re too busy protecting us to let us help you.”

“I do not have a ‘control thing’,” Liz huffed.

Maria laughed. “I’m sure that’s what Max says, too.” Her eyes grew serious. “Listen, Liz. Max isn’t doing so well. He really needs you to be there for him.”

Liz’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What are you talking about? Max is fine. You just saw for yourself. He’s taking control of things, just the way he should be.”

“It’s an act.”

“It is not an act, Maria. Max is the strongest, most capable person I know. I know I’ve hurt him, but eventually he’ll get over me and be better off.”

Maria shook her head. “Do you really believe that, Liz? He isn’t fine. No where near it. But he’s too busy playing hero to let anyone know. He isn’t sleeping. He’s been having these horrific nightmares every single night since all of this happened.”

Liz frowned. “Nightmares? How do you know?”

“Certainly not because he told anyone,” Maria shot back. “’Cause then we might actually worry about him. Isabel and Michael know, pretty much because they were there. They weren’t supposed to say anything, but they were too upset and scared to keep it a secret anymore.”

“What do you mean, they were there?”

“The three of them were up late talking that first night, going over what the message meant and what they were going to do. Apparently, Max got really upset at one point and just lost it. He screamed at them, then curled up in a ball, shaking,” Maria said quietly. “It was really late, and he’d frightened them, so Michael crashed on the floor in a sleeping bag. Max had his first nightmare that night. Michael had to wake him up.”

“Oh, God, Maria,” Liz said, her eyes filling again.

“Michael’s been sleeping on the floor every night since. He says the nightmares are getting worse and a couple of times Max has called out in his sleep. It was so bad last night that it took Michael and Isabel both to wake him up, and he was so wiped out that he couldn’t get out of bed. They had to call me to take them to school.”

“And he has them every night?”

Maria nodded. “It’s a miracle he’s functioning at all. And Liz, when he screams in the middle of the night? He’s calling out for you,” Maria told her.

Liz quickly brushed at her eyes before the tears could fall. “Why didn’t anyone tell me sooner?”

“Because, Liz. You were so dead set on what you were doing, on staying away. And he would sooner jump off a cliff than use what he’s going through as a way to get you back. He wants your love, not pity.”

“So then why tell me now?”

“He doesn’t know I’m telling you. I’m not sure he even realizes that Michael told me, though we think he suspects something. But he’s scaring us, Liz. Especially Isabel. She doesn’t know how much longer they can keep feeding their parents excuses. What if they want him to see a doctor?”

“I don’t know what you think I can do,” she said quietly. “Even if he’s calling for me, he must be dreaming about Pierce. I saw some of the things they did to him, Maria. That night, after we got him out, I kissed him and got this flash.” She trembled. “It would give anyone nightmares,” she whispered. “I’ve had a few myself.”

“So, imagine what his must be like. Liz, he’s going through hell. You’re not helping him. What he needs is your love and support. And your trust.”

“I do trust him, Maria. I told you that,” Liz insisted.

She shook her head. “Prove it. If you really trust him, believe him when he tells you he needs you. Liz, you’re being unfair to him. He has a right to have a say in his life. By walking away, you’re telling him you believe more in some mission that was pre-programmed in another galaxy than in his right to make his own decisions. You’re saying he doesn’t deserve to be happy.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

“Isn’t it? He’s willing to risk his life to try to save his planet, a place he doesn’t remember filled with people he’s never seen. All he asks for himself is the chance to be with you. And you’re denying him that chance.”

Liz stared at Maria for a long moment, then turned away.

“Fine, Liz. You just think about it for a while. But we’re running out of time here, because Max isn’t getting any better.”

Maria swiftly wiped at the tears that had started to creep down her own cheeks. Then she fastened her seatbelt and turned the key in the ignition, setting her little alien-head key chain spinning wildly. The Jetta’s engine sputtered once, then roared to life, and she pulled back onto the road. As she drove toward Roswell, she risked periodic glances in Liz’s direction. It had been a long time since she’d been unable to tell what her best friend was thinking. She just hoped it was something good.

* * * * *

Max maintained an even speed on the drive back to town, wanting to keep Isabel and the others in view. He was glad that he was alone in the Jeep with Michael, however, because it would give them the chance to talk privately. Just because he had been spending his nights at the Evanses’ recently, didn’t mean Michael had been anything but his typically closed-mouthed self as pertained to a number of subjects, and Max had not been inclined to push him. He was painfully aware that their friendship had been strained to near breaking over the past few months, and that the events of the last two weeks had gone a long way toward mending a few fences. Max was in no hurry to do anything that would rock the boat. It was important for them to be able to count on each other.

Shooting a glance sideways, Max smiled at the look on his friend’s face. Michael appeared calm, actually relaxed, for the first time since Topolsky had returned to Roswell. Despite the possible dangers ahead, he seemed happy, and Max knew exactly whom he should thank for Michael’s vastly improved mood.

“It goes both ways, doesn’t it?” he asked suddenly. “Your connection with Maria.”

Michael snorted. “I was wondering when you were going to ask me that,” he said. “I’m surprised you didn’t bring it up before.”

“I didn’t want to mention it with everyone else around.”

“How’d you know?” Michael asked, slanting a look his way.

Max considered. “I guess the other day at lunch tipped me off. You were by yourself, under a tree. Maria could tell where you were, even though there was no way she could see you from where she was sitting.”

“She knew I’d been following her the past couple of days,” Michael told him. He ran his hand through his hair, making it spike even more wildly. “I thought she must have seen me, but when I asked her she just gave me this look – like I was completely insane – and said she didn’t need to see me to know I was there. That I send out ‘vibes’.”

Max laughed. “You said that about her once. Remember?”

Michael shrugged, but he was smiling. “So, I’m assuming it’s like that with you and Liz? She can feel when you’re there?”

“Yeah. We’ve never really talked about it, but I can tell. There have been times when I’ve walked up behind her and she just started talking to me without even turning around. And frankly, there’s no way she could have avoided me so effectively the past week and a half if she hadn’t been able to sense when I was nearby,” he added, his voice dropping slightly.

Michael shot him a look. “She’ll come around.”

“I’m not so sure, Michael,” Max admitted slowly. “She’s so stubborn, and so sure what she’s doing is for my own good. If I had known she would stay away this long, I never would have let her walk away to begin with.”

“I’m sorry,” Michael told him. “That I stopped you from going after her. That I couldn’t change her mind last night.”

“Don’t be,” Max told him. “You didn’t really stop me. You couldn’t have – not if I’d been determined to follow her,” he said, giving him a pointed look, reminding him of a previous occasion when Max had been unstoppable. “As for last night, you tried your best. And I appreciate it.”

“So, what now?”

Turning his eyes back to the road, Max concentrated on the tail end of the Toyota ahead of him. “We keep going,” he said. “We train. We try to learn more about ourselves, and these mysterious enemies of ours. Whether they’re really on Earth. Or maybe even in Roswell.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I know. But those are the only answers I have right now,” Max replied.

Michael grunted, settling himself lower into his seat. It was clear that wasn’t the response he was looking for. After a pause, he cast a hesitant look in Max’s direction. “What are you going to do about the nightmares?”

The reaction was instantaneous. Michael had never seen Max close himself off so fast. The shutters slammed over his face and he threw the bolts home. “I’m handling it,” was his terse reply.

Michael shook his head and wondered why all of his friends were suddenly taking lessons from him. “Not good enough, Maxwell. You keep saying you’ll talk to me or to Isabel, but you never do. You can’t keep putting us off.”

Max drove in silence, his eyes glued to the road.

“Maybe if you get it off your chest, you’ll feel better,” Michael pushed, looking for a chink in Max’s defenses.

“I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

More silence. Michael sighed. “Fine. But don’t think this is over.” Neither of them uttered a word for the rest of the trip home.

* * * * *

As soon as Max dropped him in front of his building, Michael took off down the street. The drive had made him restless, Max’s silence rubbing at his nerves until he felt ready to jump out of his skin. Never before had he felt so agitated simply sitting and not speaking. I’ve been spending too much time with motor-mouth, he thought. I can’t remember what it’s like not to be surrounded by her constant jabbering.

His long-legged stride ate up the sidewalk as he hurried along, without purpose or direction, needing to exorcise the demons in his brain. He kept picturing Max struggling out of a nightmare, covered in sweat, eyes blank. Even though he had witnessed it himself, knew it was true, Michael found it difficult to reconcile the image with the under-control, determined leader who had just driven away. Max’s ability to corral his fears, to suppress his weakness by the light of day, amazed him – just as it terrified him. How could they hope to get through to him while he continued to deny that there was anything wrong?

He walked for what seemed like hours, roaming the streets, staring at the houses, trying to distract himself from the constant whirling in his brain. After a while, he considered going by the Crashdown. His stomach told him it was time to eat, but that was just a convenient excuse. In reality, he wanted to see Liz, to find out if Maria had spoken with her. But recalling his own ineffectual attempt the previous night, he decided it was best to stay away. Maria would come by his apartment later and fill him in; he just had to be patient.

Deciding he might as well head home to wait for her, Michael crossed behind the elementary school, short-cutting through the now-deserted playground. He idly pushed at an old swing as he walked by, sending it flying in a gentle arc. The equipment seemed somehow melancholy in the early evening light, with the children called home to dinner and only the shadows for company. He tried to remember a time when he was young and had played here during recess. The memories came, but they seemed so far away, as if they belonged to someone else. The little boy he had been then would be surprised to see him now, to learn what he had become. He didn’t want to go back to being that boy.

Michael climbed the steps to his building and went inside, fumbling in his pocket for his keys. The last thing he expected to see as he headed down the hallway was Maria, sitting on the floor, leaning up against his door. He saw her as soon as he rounded the corner, legs crossed, her blonde hair glowing despite the dim light. She was staring in his direction, obviously having sensed his return, and as he drew near she stood and ran into his outstretched arms. He wrapped her up and pulled her close, tucking her head beneath his chin, feeling her snuggling into him as if it would keep her safe. As they stood there, not saying a word, their breathing slowly synchronizing, it seemed to Michael that nothing in the world could touch them.

Finally he pulled back slightly and looked down. She peered back with huge green eyes that seemed on the verge of tears. “Were you waiting long?” he asked quietly.

She shook her head. “I went home first. But my mom was there and she was just too… happy,” she said helplessly. “I didn’t want to deal with her, so I came over here.”

A smirk touched Michael’s lips. “Where happy has been outlawed,” he said. When she failed to so much as crack a smile, he frowned. “It was bad?”

“Yeah,” she said. “It was. I have no idea…”

“Shhh,” he said. “Not here. Let’s go inside.”

She nodded and he reached past her to unlock the door, then steered her carefully into the apartment. While she flopped on the couch, looking worn, he went into the kitchen and fumbled around for a few minutes.

“What’s going on in there?” she asked finally.

“This,” he said, coming back with a mug of tea and a plastic bear half-filled with honey.

Maria’s eyes narrowed on the bear. “What is that?”

He glared at her. “The result of taking Isabel shopping with me when I first moved in, okay? Don’t start.”

She smiled and accepted the steaming mug. “Thanks,” she said, taking a sip before setting it down on the battered end table. Pushing her bag onto the floor, she patted the cushion next to her. “Come here,” she told him.

He sat, his arm around her shoulders, and she curled into him like a cat, her head against his chest, her arms circling him. Stroking her hair, he held her patiently, waiting for her to tell him what happened to upset her so badly. He could only assume that things hadn’t gone well with Liz.

“I’ve never her seen her like that,” Maria said eventually, just when Michael was beginning to think he would have to ask her what was wrong. “I know you said she was blaming herself for things that weren’t her fault, but I had no idea how deep it went. She thinks it’s all her fault – even Max getting captured. It’s like she’s fixating on every bad thing that’s happened since September and putting it on her own shoulders.”

“Did you tell her about Max?”

“Yeah. She got so upset. I think it made her pull herself together long enough to really see things from his side,” Maria said. “But it may not make a difference. If she thinks she’s responsible for Pierce taking Max, then that would mean the nightmares are her fault too. I’m not sure if she thinks she can help.” Maria pulled back so she could look Michael in the eye. “She’s almost as bad off as he is. She got hysterical, Michael. And she’s had nightmares also. When she and Max were separated from the rest of us that night, after you got Max out of the base, she got a vision when they kissed. Of the things Pierce did to him.”

Michael frowned. “Did she say what they were?” he asked cautiously.

Maria shook her head. “I didn’t ask, either. The look in her eyes was more than enough to make me not want to know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” he said, relieved. “So, you don’t know what she’s going to do.”

“No,” Maria admitted. “After we finished arguing about it, she just clamed right up. Stared out the window the rest of the way home and ran into the Crashdown the second I stopped the car.”

Michael settled back on the couch and tugged her back down onto his chest. He twirled a silky strand of her hair between his fingers. “Max pulled the same thing with me,” he told her. “I tried to get him to talk about the nightmares and that was it. Not another word the rest of the trip home.”

Maria sighed and allowed herself to relax against him. “Stubborn idiots,” she mumbled. “Perfect for each other.”

“Yeah,” Michael said. “I kinda guess they are.”

Maria lifted her head so she could stare at him. “Did we just agree on something?”

Michael raised his eyebrows. “It isn’t entirely unprecedented.”

“It’s not?”

“No. As I recall, we’ve agreed on quite a number of things before.”

“Really,” she said, looking skeptical. “Like what?”

Michael bent down and captured her lips with his, kissing her gently. “Like that,” he whispered. “And these,” he added, trailing tiny kisses up her jaw and across her cheekbone. “Mmmm, and maybe this too,” he said, his mouth brushing her eyelids as they fluttered closed.

“Oh,” she said on a long breath. “I guess I forgot about that,” she told him. For a few minutes she was perfectly quiet, allowing him to tease her lips with his. When he moved to her neck and began to work his way toward her shoulder, she squirmed slightly until he lifted his head.

“What?” he asked.

“Are you trying to distract me?” she asked.

He seemed to think about it for a moment, then smirked at her. “Could be. Whatcha gonna do about it?”

She grinned. “Nothing. Just curious.” Leaning forward, she ran her fingers up the sides of his neck and into his hair. “Mmmm….so soft,” she murmured, just before her mouth connected with his.

Michael shifted lower on the couch, taking her with him, so they were lying side by side. “I missed you,” he whispered.

“I missed you, too,” she said. And went back to kissing him.

A few moments later, a shrill ringing broke the silence. Michael groaned as Maria shot into a sitting position, using the elbow resting on his stomach for leverage. “My phone,” she said.

Michael reached past her with a growl and scooped her purse off the floor. Holding it out of her reach, he fumbled inside for her cell phone, clearly intent on sending it flying through yet another window. However, the warning look on her face stopped him and he merely snapped it open and, frowning, held it to his ear. “What?” he barked.

“Michael?”

Liz’s tentative voice made him cringe. He found himself wishing it had been Maria’s mother on the line. “Hey,” he said, softening his tone. “Hold on.” Reaching out, he handed the phone over to Maria. ‘Liz’, he mouthed.

Maria rolled her eyes at him. “Hello?” she said. “It’s okay. Really.”

Michael watched, wishing he could hear what Liz was saying, but when he leaned closer to try to listen, Maria frowned at him and slid to the far end of the couch.

“Are you sure?” Maria asked. “Liz, do you realize what you’re saying? What if you want…” Another pause, where Maria looked concerned and Michael got up to pace.

“Of course I will,” Maria said finally. “Don’t worry about it… I love you, too.” She shot Michael a look as she hung up.

“Well?” he prompted. “What was that about? What did she want?”

Maria still appeared worried. “She called to ask me to do her a favor.”

“What kind of favor?”

“I’m supposed to make sure you don’t go to Max’s tonight.”

Michael sat back down next to her. “She’s going over?”

Maria nodded. “When she gets off work. She says she’s going to try and talk some sense into him.”

“Talk about the blind leading the blind,” Michael muttered. “Does she think it’s gonna be that easy? What about later, when Max has a nightmare?”

“She said she’d take care of it. She’ll tell Isabel when she leaves.” Maria chewed her lower lip nervously.

Michael’s eyes narrowed. “You’re keeping something from me,” he said.

“I’m just worried about them,” she said, a stray tear sliding down her cheek.

His eyes gentled and he put his arm around her, pulling her closer. “I know,” he said, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. “Me too.”

* * * * *

It had been a long, tiring shift, and by the time Liz dragged herself upstairs, the prospect of simply falling into bed had become immensely appealing. However, one of the side effects of not having Maria around to distract her all evening had been a great deal of time to think about what she had said. In fact, it had been impossible to think about anything else. Liz had known that it was going to be painful when she decided to walk away from Max, that both of them would have to go through a period of adjustment before they could move on. In her heart, she even suspected that they would never be entirely happy apart. Still, she had convinced herself that was a small price to pay if it meant Max would be safely focused on what he had to accomplish – if it would keep him alive. But the idea that Max was having nightmares, that he was reliving the torture he experienced at Pierce’s hands, had her both frightened and questioning her decision. It was one thing to stay away from Max for his own good, but it was another thing to add to any anguish he was feeling. It had taken her a few hours, but she had finally called Maria. Whatever else might happen eventually, Liz know she needed to talk to Max. Tonight.

So, falling into bed was not an option. Instead, Liz showered quickly and threw on a pair of shorts and a shirt. She stared at herself in the mirror for a moment, taking a brief inventory of the changes she could detect in her face – the slight thinning of her cheeks, the shadows beneath her eyes. Surface changes – unimportant except for the fact that they represented alterations that went so much deeper. Shaking herself, she swiftly brushed her hair and put on a thin coating of lip gloss. She grabbed a sweater and ducked through her open window onto the roof, then hurried down the fire escape to the street below.

The town seemed deserted. She headed across Main Street, past the UFO Center and around the corner, taking the shortest route to Max’s house. As she walked, she tried to tell herself that it didn’t mean anything that she was going to see him. After all, she loved him. How could she rationalize staying away if there might be some way for her to help? She just had to talk to him. It was the only way to discover what was really going on, to see what she could do. Maybe it would be as simple as distracting him. If she spent some time with Max, if she could get him to think about something pleasant before he fell asleep, perhaps he would make it through the night without his subconscious dredging up all of his fears and worries. At least, that’s what she was hoping.

She could see the Evanses’ house from the end of the block, and felt a momentary pang when she saw the lights were out. However, as she crept through the side yard, she saw a soft glow coming from the back where the bedrooms were, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Crouching down, she sneaked beneath Isabel’s window and around the corner. Max’s window was cracked open, waiting for Michael, and the curtains were pulled back. Standing just out of sight, Liz leaned against the side of the house and listened to the soft music coming from the room, briefly closing her eyes when she realized it was the Counting Crows. She stood there until the track finished playing and everything grew silent. Though she questioned her wisdom in lingering alone in the darkened yard so late, a part of her wanted nothing more than to stay where she was so she could peek through the window and watch Max unobserved. She wanted to enjoy being near him, being able to see him, without any questions or guilt.

Taking a deep breath, she finally stepped in front of the window. The moment she looked into the room, she realized she might get her wish after all. Max was stretched out on his bed, fast asleep. He was lying on his side, a magazine open next to him, one arm cradling his head. Liz let her breath out slowly. Every time she saw him, her heart would stutter. He was so beautiful. Knowing she should turn around and go home, yet unable to bring herself to leave now that she was here, Liz leaned against the window sill and watched Max. It seemed like forever since she had been able to look at him this way, the graceful lines of his face, his sensual mouth. Her eyes fell to his broad shoulders, his strong arms, admiring the snug fit of his T-shirt. She watched his chest rise and fall. Her fingers ached to touch him, to run through his tousled brown hair. She felt the air speeding up around her, and finally had to close her eyes to keep the sensations from overwhelming her entirely.

When she opened them again, she noticed Max had shifted. As she watched, a frown creased his brow and he started to toss and turn, sending the magazine careening unnoticed to the floor. Liz realized he was having a nightmare and felt a shiver run down her spine. Opening the window a little wider, she carefully swung herself over the sill and hurried over to Max. Unsure as to whether or not she should wake him, she sat down on the edge of the bed and reached for his hand. He grabbed hold of her so tightly her fingers ground together, but still he slept, tossing restlessly.

“Shhh,” she whispered, leaning over and brushing a lock of hair off his forehead with her free hand. “Shhh, Max, it’s okay. You’re safe. Everything’s fine. Everyone is fine.” She continued to stroke his forehead, his stubbley cheek, murmuring quietly under her breath until he seemed to relax. Slowly, his grip on her loosened and he appeared to be sleeping soundly again.

Liz brushed at her eyes, knocking away the tears that had formed. She looked at the clock next to the bed. Not even midnight. She had no idea what she should do. Should she wake Max up? Should she let him sleep and call Michael to come over after all? Glancing at the sleeping bag rolled up beneath Max’s desk, she chewed her bottom lip nervously. She looked at Max again, his hand still wrapped around hers, his eyes darting back and forth beneath his lids, obviously dreaming despite his outwardly calm appearance. Asleep, unable to maintain his iron control, he looked exhausted. The dark circles beneath his eyes were twice as pronounced as her own. She could see why everyone had been so worried – he obviously needed sleep desperately. There was no way she could wake him up now.

As gently as she could, she pulled her hand free, then went to close the window. She started to shut the curtains as well, but the moon was so beautiful she decided to leave them open. Then she tugged the sleeping bag from beneath the desk and rolled it out on the far side of the bed where it would be hidden from the door. Before she turned off the light, she turned back to check on Max. His breathing seemed even. She relaxed slightly. Maybe it would be okay. She hit the light switch, then carefully made her way over to her little bed on the floor and lay down.

It took her all of ten seconds to realize the problem. From where she was, it was impossible to see Max. The only way she would know if he was having a nightmare would be for him to become extremely restless, and if she fell asleep, he would actually have to make noise to alert her. She sat up and peered over the side of the bed. So far he seemed fine, but would he stay that way? She lay back down and thought for a minute. How did Michael do this every night? He had to sleep at least part of the time. Then she recalled Maria saying how difficult it was for Michael to wake Max up sometimes, and that he’d needed Isabel to help him. She frowned. Of course he’s having trouble, she thought. By the time he realizes Max is having a nightmare, he’s probably nearly hysterical.

Liz could think of only one solution. She slowly got to her feet and stared down at Max. The partial moon shone through the window, giving off just enough light to see by and bathing the room in a soft silver glow. The effect made Max look even paler than he had before, and though rationally she knew it was an illusion, Liz felt her stomach clench. Her eyes fell to the empty portion of the bed. There’s plenty of room, she told herself. And I’ll know the moment he starts to get upset. He won’t even realize I’m there.

Of course, she would know. But, she reminded herself, that wasn’t what was important. Moving gingerly so she wouldn’t wake him, Liz stretched out next to Max. The mattress was firm and she felt herself relax slightly when she realized that she wouldn’t go rolling into the center of the bed. Glancing sideways, she could see that Max hadn’t budged; he was still sleeping peacefully. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and willed herself to do the same.

Gradually, she felt her earlier tension begin to ease. As she did, she became more aware of Max lying next to her. She could hear his steady, even breathing. Even with her eyes shut, she could sense exactly where he was in relation to her, the precise amount of space that separated their bodies. He radiated heat, so much so that she had to remind herself that he didn’t get sick – that he couldn’t possibly have a fever. It was so strange to be in a bed with him. The only time they had actually slept together – quite literally all they had done – was the night they found the orb. It had started out as something more, something chemical that had made her feel like her blood was on fire. Just the memory of it made her restless and she clamped down hard on the errant thought. There was nothing romantic about their sleeping arrangements this time, she scolded herself. She was here as a friend only – to help Max get through the night.

Eventually, she began to grow sleepy. There was a certain peacefulness to just lying there, not having to wonder or worry about anything. The last week and a half had been so stressful, so wearing, that she felt as if she’d been dragging around a heavy weight. Though half-asleep, the irony of the situation didn’t escape her; she was there to comfort Max, yet she felt safer and more comfortable than she had in days.

Max shifted, pulling her into wakefulness. Her eyes popped open and she turned to check on him. He was still asleep, but he was moving restlessly, pushing at his pillow and rolling slightly toward Liz. Suddenly he shifted forward again and his arm came down around her waist, pinning her in place. He curled around her, nuzzling his face gently into her hair, tugging her closer. Liz held her breath, waiting for him to wake up and say something, but he merely settled down in his new position and continued to sleep.

When she was sure he was really still asleep, Liz sighed quietly and closed her eyes again. Her heart was beating so fast, she doubted she would ever be able to calm it. She couldn’t believe this was happening, how ridiculous it suddenly all seemed. Here she was, lying in Max’s bed in the middle of the night, his parents down the hall, her own completely oblivious to her whereabouts, all because he was supposedly having terrifying nightmares. And what did he do? He rolled over and acted like she was a life-size teddy bear. It was all she could do to stifle a nervous giggle.

The low knock on the door quickly squelched any desire she had to laugh. Liz froze, her eyes glued to the door.

“Max, Michael, you guys awake?” came the whisper as the door cracked open. Isabel poked her head in, then stopped, her eyes wide.

Liz knew she had to look just as surprised as Isabel did at that moment, but the fact that it was her and not Mr. or Mrs. Evans allowed her to continue breathing. “Michael’s not here,” she told her quietly.

“I kinda guessed that,” was the soft reply.

“Isabel,” Liz whispered. “It’s not…”

“Don’t worry,” Isabel cut in. She smiled slightly and shook her head. “It doesn’t matter what it is,” she said with a grateful look. “Thanks.”

Liz smiled back. It helped to remember that she and Max were both sleeping fully clothed, and on top of the covers. “He was asleep when I got here,” she offered as her only explanation.

“I’ll come get you early,” Isabel said softly. “Before our parents are up.”

“Thanks,” Liz whispered back.

With one last smile, Isabel quietly shut the door. Liz closed her eyes and envied Max’s restful slumber. She suspected she would be lucky if she lived to see the light of day.

* * * * *

Max’s first thought when he woke in the middle of the night was that he had not been having a nightmare. His heart was beating normally, he wasn’t drenched in sweat, he didn’t feel as if something terrible was about to happen. Michael and Isabel weren’t hanging over him, their faces etched with concern as they tried to shake him into consciousness. The relief was immense. Lying there, his eyes closed, he could tell it was still dark outside. His body, accustomed to being jolted awake in the wee hours of the morning, must have simply reacted from habit.

But, he had been dreaming, that much he knew. He couldn’t remember what it had been about, other than it had been pleasant, and it had been about Liz, but then that was really all he needed. Something about the dream made it seem so real, it was almost as if Liz was right there. Still half-asleep, he imagined he could sense her, that he could feel her in his arms, soft and warm. He sighed, wondering if he would be able to fall back to sleep and recapture the dream – or if only more nightmares awaited him.

And then he felt it. A shifting so barely perceptible that he might have thought he imagined it. Except he knew he hadn’t. And he knew he hadn’t been dreaming. However it had happened, Liz was lying there beside him, wrapped in his arms, and she was awake. He could almost feel her listening, trying to determine if he was awake as well, could actually sense her reaching out with her emotions to see if he was all right. His heart skipped wildly.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. He had one arm tucked securely around her waist, as if even in sleep he was afraid she might try to run away. She was lying on her back, half-facing him, her soft hair spread over the pillow. Her soft brown eyes were watching him, her concern for him revealed in the moonlight. “Liz?” he asked.

“Go back to sleep,” she whispered with a hesitant smile.

“But, how…”

“Shhh,” she said, reaching up and placing a finger over his lips. Her smile trembled briefly. “Not now. Sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.”

His eyes flicked briefly to the clock, as if to measure the time remaining until he could expect his answers. Nearly four a.m. He looked back into her luminous eyes and gave her a sad smile. “You promise you’ll still be here?” he asked quietly.

The hurt look that crossed her face was swiftly replaced by understanding. “I promise,” she said. “I won’t run away.”

He caught the hand that had stilled his lips and gently kissed her fingers one at a time, before placing a kiss in the center of her palm. Then he pulled her neatly against his chest with her head tucked under his chin. Her silky hair brushed against his cheek and he lowered his head to kiss her on the forehead. When she snuggled closer, he relaxed, knowing that she would keep her promise. She would be there when he woke.

* * * * *

Liz Parker didn’t want to move. The sunlight came streaming through the window, telling her in no uncertain terms that it was morning. Any minute now, Isabel would knock on the door to warn her it was time to leave. But she didn’t care. Lying in Max’s arms, listening to the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear, she could imagine everything was just the way it was supposed to be. She felt warm and loved and completely safe. As far as she was concerned, all four of their parents plus the National Guard could come storming into the room, and it wouldn’t make the least bit of difference.

After a few moments, she realized Max was awake. She opened her eyes and found that he was watching her, the same way she had watched him during the night. He looked calm, rested, in control. And worried. Liz just sighed. She didn’t want the day to begin.

As if he could tell she was reluctant to start answering questions, Max merely smiled. “Good morning,” he said quietly.

“Good morning,” she whispered, returning his smile, though in truth she felt more like crying. How could make him understand that nothing had changed? Would he believe her? Hell, she didn’t believe herself.

As if in answer to her question, Max leaned in and brushed his lips over hers. It was the softest, most hesitant kiss Liz had ever experienced – more tentative even than that very first kiss they had shared on her roof – and she had been sure that was his first kiss ever. He was asking her a question. Her lips moved beneath his before she had a chance to think. And then she no longer could. Fireworks exploded in the back of her head as the kiss deepened, and the only thing she could do was hold on tightly and fly with him. His every feeling and emotion came pouring into her almost faster than she could absorb them – a rush of images showing just how desperately he needed her, bringing tears to her eyes. Her nerve endings were on fire as his mouth traveled down her neck, beneath her chin, over her cheeks and eyes. Then he was kissing her mouth again and she could taste her tears on his lips, and she was kissing him back, over and over.

A light knock on the door drove them apart. “Isabel,” Liz whispered as they quickly sat up.

“Max? Liz?” Isabel’s voice came tentatively through the door.

“It’s okay, Iz,” Max said quietly, trying to repress a smile. “We’re awake.”

The door opened slowly and Isabel peered in, her eyes travelling from her brother to Liz and back again. Whatever she saw seemed to satisfy her, because she merely nodded before disappearing back out into the hall.

Max turned to Liz and shook his head. “Okay, please tell me how it is that everyone seems to have known you’re here, except for me?”

Liz looked at him questioningly. “What do you mean? It was just Isabel.”

Max raised his eyebrows. “Where’s Michael? Did he just not show up last night, or was he here and you sent him packing? I assume you know Michael’s been sleeping here, since it’s pretty clear you know I’ve been having nightmares.”

Liz nodded, blushing slightly. “I had Maria keep Michael from coming over,” she said.

“So Maria knows you’re here too, then,” he said. “Anyone else? My parents, maybe? Yours?” He started to laugh quietly. “Liz, just tell me what happened.”

“I came to talk to you,” Liz said, swatting him lightly on the arm. “That was all. How was I supposed to know you’d be asleep? Maria doesn’t know I stayed the night. I told her I wanted to talk to you in private and that I’d have Isabel come keep watch when I left.”

Max sobered. “Keep watch? What have they been saying about me?”

“That you’ve been having nightmares,” Liz told him gently. “Bad ones. That you’ve been waking up screaming. And that you’re in terrible shape afterwards.”

“So, is that why you wanted to talk to me?”

“Partly,” she said. “I thought maybe I could help. Distract you so you wouldn’t go to sleep thinking about everything that’s been happening, and then maybe you wouldn’t have the nightmares. I was worried.”

“But I had already fallen asleep. So why did you stay?” His eyes were serious.

Liz met his gaze without wavering. “I wasn’t going to, but you started having a nightmare. I came in to calm you down. And I realized I couldn’t just leave you alone all night without someone to wake you up if it got too bad.”

“You could have asked Isabel, like you told Maria you were going to.”

She didn’t have an answer for that, because it was true. It hadn’t been necessary for her to stay. But she’d wanted to. Max’s eyes were still trained on her face as he patiently waited for her response. Liz dropped her gaze. “I couldn’t just leave you like that, Max,” she whispered. “Maybe I should have. But I couldn’t do it.”

“Why?”

One word, one question, but the answer was so complicated. Liz looked back up at him and shook her head helplessly. “I don’t know,” she said. “There were lots of reasons.”

“No,” he told her. “I don’t think so.” And suddenly they were talking about something entirely different. Max got up off the bed and started to pace. “Liz, I know that day was hard, that everything we learned was overwhelming. I understood why you ran, even though it killed me to watch you go. But I thought you would come back. That everything I told you the other night on your roof would sink in and we’d talk about it some more and go from there. I never thought it would take a bunch of bad dreams for you to be willing to talk to me again.”

“Max, I don’t know where to even start,” she admitted softly.

“Start anyplace. Someplace. Please. I need to know,” he said.

She nodded. “I guess….it was fear. Realizing how intertwined our lives had become and what repercussions that had for you. I told you that I wished we could go back, so I could stop you from saving my life. But that’s just a part of it, Max. What happened that day, when you risked exposure because of me, we’ve been playing that out again and again for months. You keep putting yourself in danger, and whether or not you want to believe it, you can trace all of your troubles back to me.”

“Liz, that’s ridiculous,” he started.

“No, Max,” she broke in. “It isn’t ridiculous. It isn’t intentional, but it is real nonetheless. And Pierce was the worst,” she said, looking away. “He never would have captured you if you weren’t chasing after me. When Nasedo pretended to be you, he was just trying to get Pierce out of the way.”

“We didn’t know that,” Max said.

“No, but it doesn’t matter,” Liz told him. “If we weren’t involved, Nasedo would never have been able to use me as bait, and you never would have come after us. Pierce took you because I made you weak. And he broke you the same way. He used your love for me against you, Max, and I can’t let that happen again. I won’t,” she said, her voice raspy from trying to hold back the tears.

“What?” Max took her by the shoulders and pulled her up off the bed, forcing her to look him in the eye. “What did you say?” he whispered. “Liz? Liz? Tell me, please….what you’re talking about.”

She couldn’t answer. Instead she started to sob, the tears streaming down her face in torrents. Max looked at her, stunned. Then he sat on the bed, drew her down onto his lap and started to rock. He didn’t need an answer. He already knew. His greatest fear…that Liz would somehow learn how Pierce had gotten through to him…had just been realized. And the irony was that no one had to tell her. Max knew exactly how she’d found out; he’d told her himself when he kissed her the night that he was freed.

It took a long time for Liz to stop crying. Max just held her, not asking any questions, nor demanding any answers. Eventually, she just started to talk. It all came pouring out, as if by admitting the worst of it she had unlocked the flood gates. “I know everyone thinks this had something to do with Tess,” she said quietly. “But it doesn’t. I can’t pretend to like her, but I know she’s not a threat. She’s not the problem.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I understand that there are only so many things in that message that you consider important, Max. It’s those things that made me run. Until you activated the orbs, I thought the danger was over. You told Nasedo to take care of the FBI. Valenti knew the truth and was on our side. There was no one else after you – you were all safe. And then we heard that message, with all that talk of an enemy that followed you to earth, and suddenly I became a liability again. As long as you have enemies, there will be someone willing to use me to get to you. It would kill me, Max.”

“Liz, it’s worth any risk for me to be with you. You are more important to me than anything else in this world or any other. Please believe me. I need you, Liz.”

“Part of me believes that, but part of me is so frightened of losing you. I’d rather know you’re safe, even if it means I’m unhappy.”

“What if I’m unhappy?”

“Maria said… that I wasn’t being fair to you. That I couldn’t just make a decision and not give you a say. That I had to trust you.”

“Do you? Trust me?”

Liz buried her head in his neck, but her reply was still audible. “Of course I do.”

“What about last night? Why did you come over here?”

“You know.”

“Maybe. But I want you to tell me. Why you came. Why you stayed. Why you couldn’t walk away and why you’re here this morning,” he coaxed. “I need to hear you tell me. Please, Liz.”

“Max, please don’t do this…”

“Do what?” he asked. His voice was gentle, but firm. “Why are you here? Liz, I can’t afford to guess right now. I can’t risk playing games. There’s too much at stake and I need to know where we stand.”

Her eyes filled with tears. He looked so serious, so strong, yet she could see the flicker of fear in his eyes. Suddenly she could sense his terror, the panic he was feeling as he waited for her answer, knowing that despite everything she might still walk away. And in that second she knew she couldn’t do it. There was no way she could look him in the eye and tell him she was only there because she was worried, because she thought he needed a friend. She couldn’t stand to hurt him by lying that way, anymore than she could stand to hurt herself any longer.

“I had to come. I couldn’t stand knowing you were hurting so badly. I love you, Max,” she told him, her voice just above a whisper, and watched as the fear flickered one last time before it disappeared.

“I love you, too,” he said as he pulled her back into his arms. He held her tightly and she could feel the shallow trembling he was trying so hard to control.

For a long moment they sat there without speaking, their arms wrapped around each other. Occasionally, Max would kiss her gently. “I know this doesn’t solve everything,” he told her. “It isn’t as simple as saying we’re in love and walking off into the sunset.”

“It’s not?” she asked with the hint of a smile.

Max pulled back and looked her in the eye. “You said you trust me. And you love me. And you know I love you. But Liz, I trust you, too. I always have. All along. Even before you knew the truth about me. The things that have happened to us – the bad and the good – none of it is anyone’s fault. It’s just the way things turned out. You have been so wonderfully strong from the start, in the face of all of this craziness. I’ve hated to ask it of you – to put yourself in danger, to face the same things that Isabel, Michael, and I go up against every day. Because you don’t have to do it, Liz. We were born to it – we have no choice. You… Liz, you deserve a safe, quiet life. Someone normal to love. The chance to do all those things I know you want to do. And I can’t promise you any of that. I don’t know what my future holds. I have no idea. Everyday I’m with you I feel incredibly lucky… and incredibly selfish. If anyone should be walking away, it’s me. But Liz, I can’t. I tried once. I can’t do it. So I just keep telling myself that, if we love each other… well, maybe it’s all worth it.”

Liz leaned forward and kissed away the tears that were sliding silently down Max’s cheeks. “I do love you,” she said. “And you aren’t selfish. My life has been so amazing since you came into it, Max.” She offered him a wobbly smile. “I once read somewhere that life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage. I’m beginning to think maybe it’s true.”

“Does your life seem particularly grand, Miss Parker?” he asked kissing her softly.

Liz sighed. “I guess you could say I’m feeling brave.” She kissed him back, then pulled away. “But not so brave that I want your mother to find me here,” she admitted. “I need to get home and change for school.”

Max raised his eyebrows, then grinned. “School? Were you planning on going to school?”

“Max, it’s the last day,” she reminded him.

“Precisely my point,” he said, scooping her off his lap and standing her up. “Not a thing going on. Exams done, papers turned in. What better day to play a little hooky?”

Liz saw the glimmer in his eye. She couldn’t help but grin. “Okay,” she said. “I give in. What should we do?”

“Something worthy of the best morning of my life,” he said. Then he glanced at the clock and shook his head. “Let’s discuss it on the way. Another five minutes and we’ll never get out of here.” Max kissed her quickly and began pushing her gently toward the window. “Meet me out by the Jeep,” he told her. “I’m just gonna go tell Isabel she needs to get herself a ride to school again.”

Laughing quietly, Liz climbed outside. “Max,” she called back in a loud whisper.

He was half-way to the door, but he smiled and came back. Leaning through the window, he rested his forehead against hers. “What?” he asked in a soft, low voice.

“I love you,” she told him.

“I love you, too, Liz,” he said. “Always.” He kissed her again, then playfully pushed her away. “Go,” he said. “I’ll be there in two minutes.”

She flashed him one more smile, then disappeared around the corner.

* * * * *

Alex stood at his locker before school, scanning the hallway for any sign of his friends. Just when he was beginning to suspect that he was the only one there, he spotted Michael and Maria coming through the side door. Per usual, they were bickering, and he found that he took odd comfort in the sight of Maria tossing her head as she turned her back toward Michael and stomped in Alex’s direction. Michael trailed after her, rolling his eyes. Unable to suppress a grin, Alex turned and busied himself with the contents of his locker.

“Alex,” Maria said in a knowing voice as she approached, “all you have in there is your lunch, a picture of you, me, and Liz, and a really worn-out Nirvana tape. You’re not fooling anyone.”

“Sorry,” he said, emerging from his locker still smiling. “So, what’s up with you guys on this fine, sunny morning, which just happens to be the last day of school?”

“Can it, Whitman,” Michael said impatiently. “Have you seen Isabel yet?”

“No, I haven’t,” Alex said slowly. “Why? Is something wrong?” He turned to Maria, suspecting she was more likely to answer. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Maria said, then sighed resignedly when Michael glared at her. “Liz called last night to say she was going to go talk to Max and that Michael shouldn’t go over to the Evanses’ house. Now neither of them have shown up yet, and we haven’t seen Isabel either.” Her tone made it clear she saw no reason to panic.

Michael raked his hands through his hair. “You don’t get it. Max has been getting worse each night. If he had a nightmare and Iz couldn’t handle it, there’s no telling what might have happened.”

“The whole point of Liz going over there was to calm Max down. How do you know it didn’t work?” Maria asked.

“How do you know it did?” Michael shot back.

Maria threw her hands up in the air. “You see what I have to contend with?” she asked Alex.

Michael shook his head. “What makes you so sure Liz could pull this off in one conversation, huh? You think just being with someone can make that kind of difference?”

“Yes, I do,” Maria stated giving him a pointed glare. “Sometimes the right person can make all the difference.”

Meeting her gaze, Michael backed off. “Fine. That still doesn’t explain where everyone is, though, does it?”

“Uh, actually, there’s one of the missing party now,” Alex said, nodding toward Isabel who was walking down the hall in their direction. “Hey,” he said, when she drew a little closer. “You’re kinda late. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” she said, taking in the three worried faces studying her. “I had to wait for my mom to give me a ride. Max took off in the Jeep,” she said in response to the unasked question that hung in the air. “Early,” she stressed.

Michael and Maria traded a look, then Michael spun away. “Hell,” he muttered in the general direction of the exit. “So, what happened with Liz?”

Isabel looked hesitantly toward Maria, then at Alex. “Uh… actually,” she said, “Liz was with him. I got the impression they had something better to do today than come to school,” she added with a smile.

“What do you mean, ‘Liz was with him’?” Maria asked slowly.

“Isabel?” Michael asked as he turned back and pinned her with a look.

Alex met Isabel’s gaze and his eyebrows shot up. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Isabel grinned and nodded. “Yeah. Liz spent the night. But before you go orbital on me,” she said quickly, throwing Michael an icy glare, “she was just making sure he slept through the night, okay? Nothing happened.”

“How do you know?” Michael asked.

“Not that it’s really any of our business,” Alex muttered.

Isabel smiled. “Trust me, okay? They were both fully dressed, among other things. Anyway, the point is, Max seemed to have an okay night, which was the idea, right?”

“Yeah,” Michael said. “But what about the rest of it? I mean, are they together or not?”

Isabel shrugged. “I think that’s what today is for. To figure it out. But my guess would be that they are,” she said with a relieved look. “Max looked much happier this morning.”

“Finally,” Alex said. “Maybe now things can get back to normal.” When three sets of eyes turned to him, he shrugged. “Well, aside from the enemy-aliens-attacking-the-planet part, of course.”

Michael shook his head, grabbed Maria’s hand and tugged her after him down the hall. Isabel grinned. “We’re meeting later at the Crashdown, you guys,” she called after them. “End-of-school dinner, okay?”

Michael nodded, not bothering to turn around. Maria waved over her shoulder.

“So,” Alex said, snaking an arm around Isabel’s waist, “you feel better now?”

“Yeah,” she said. “I mean, I’m realistic. This isn’t the end of our problems,” she told him, growing serious. “But it’s a relief to know we’re going to face them together.”

“Good.” He stared into her deep brown eyes for a moment, as if puzzling something out.

“What?” she asked, leaning into him slightly. “What are you thinking?”

“I was just wondering… why you never tried to break up with me? I mean, I’m not complaining or anything,” he said swiftly, “but I’m curious.”

“You mean like Max and Liz or Michael and Maria?”

He nodded. “Yeah. You came back from seeing that message and didn’t skip a beat. Didn’t you question it at all? Whether it was meant to be?”

Isabel looked up and down the partially empty hall, then took Alex’s hand. “Come on,” she said. She pulled him to the eraser room and they ducked inside. After locking the door, she settled her arms around his neck. “This is a better place to talk,” she told him.

Alex smiled. “So, are you going to tell me then?”

Isabel looked thoughtful. “Did I question whether we were meant to be,” she repeated. “Well, I did think about it, but not then. I had been thinking about it for months, Alex. That’s why I held you off so long to begin with. It wasn’t that I didn’t like you, or have feelings for you,” she said quietly. “I just had to be sure. That I could take that kind of risk, open up, and be willing to stick to my decision. I didn’t want to be constantly backtracking every time we learned something about ourselves that made me feel less… human. So I thought about it for a long time. I guess by the time we saw that message it didn’t matter anymore. I had already considered what it meant to chose to be with you.”

“You mean because of Michael and the dreams.”

“Partly,” she admitted. “But even before that, Alex. You were so sweet and patient. I could trust you, not just with our secret, but with everything. With the real me. And you weren’t afraid of that. That day when I thought I was pregnant, and you told me you were there for me… you just reminded me of what I already knew,” she said softly. “So, there wasn’t any question in my mind when I came back from the pod chamber. I wanted the same thing coming out as I did going in. You.”

Alex gently wiped away the single tear that threatened to slide down Isabel’s cheek. He flashed her a bright smile. “I didn’t ask to make you sad. None of that waterworks stuff,” he teased. “I get enough of that with DeLuca and Parker.” He leaned in and kissed her, an emotional, loving kiss that was in direct contrast to his light tone.

When the kiss ended, Isabel pulled back and grinned. “I should have gotten you in here months ago,” she told him with a warm smile. “Come on. We better get to class.” She slipped her hand into his and together they headed out of the tiny room and down the hall.

* * * * *

Max felt alive for the first time in weeks. He had dropped Liz off at home that morning just in time for her to sneak upstairs and change before her parents noticed she was missing. Twenty minutes later she had met him out front, a take-out bag from the Crashdown in tow, grinning from ear to ear. Now they were speeding down the road – just the two of them – and everything else had faded into the background.

“When was the last time we did this?” he asked.

“Skipped school? Uh…excuse me, Max Evans, but I happen to have a stellar attendance record,” she said in mock indignation.

“I meant did something alone,” he said, his voice low.

“I suppose it doesn’t count if it involved being chased by the FBI, huh?” she said quietly.

“No, it doesn’t,” he said sternly. “And there will be no mention of any groups that go only by their initials today. Agreed?”

Liz let out a giddy laugh. “And here I wanted to tell you about my mom’s PTA days.”

Max grinned at her.

“Uh… eyes on the road, please,” she told him, only half kidding. “We have a lousy track record in the romantic getaway area, as I seem to recall. I don’t want to spend the afternoon in the Emergency Room.”

He faced forward quickly, but he was still smiling. “So, you didn’t answer my question.”

Liz thought for a minute. “I’m not sure,” she admitted finally. “I mean, first Topolsky showed up. And then there was the whole Tess thing…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “Let’s just say we’re over due and leave it at that. Where are we going, anyway?”

Max looked sheepish. “Buckley Point.”

“Max! It’s eight in the morning,” Liz exclaimed.

“I’m not being…” He stopped, feeling himself growing unaccountably warm.

“Max Evans, are you blushing?” she asked.

“Liz, I’m not trying to… It’s a beautiful day and the park should be pretty empty and I just wanted a quiet place for us to sit and talk,” he managed finally.

“That’s sounds nice,” she said, letting him off the hook.

He risked a glance at her and was relieved to see she was smiling understandingly at him. “Thanks,” he said.

“And we can have a picnic,” she said brightly. “I’m not even sure what I brought,” she admitted. “I just grabbed whatever was handy.”

“I hope coffee was handy,” he said.

“That, I remembered. And the Tabasco sauce,” she added with a smirk. “After all, they say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

“You already have my heart,” he pointed out.

“See? It’s obviously working.”

They were still laughing when Max pulled into a clearing at Buckley Point. He parked the Jeep near a small grove of trees and climbed out. After helping Liz out as well, he fished a blanket out of the back and they headed for a quiet shady spot in the grass. Within a few minutes they were spread out on the blanket and Liz was ceremoniously unpacking their breakfast.

“Ta da! Coffee,” she said, pulling out a huge thermos and a stack of Styrofoam cups and passing them to Max. “And juice, too,” she added, pulling out a quart of orange juice. She peered into the bag. “I may have gotten carried away,” she said with a giggle. Out came four oversized muffins, a Tupperware container of strawberries, and a half-dozen hard boiled eggs.

Max laughed. “That’s okay,” he said. “I’m actually pretty hungry,” he told her.

“Me too,” Liz said. “I guess that’s good. Maybe now my mom will stop glaring at me over the dinner table.”

“Yours too, huh?” Max poured them each a juice, then looked around with a frown.

“Here,” she said, shaking her head as she tossed him a little bottle of Tabasco. “I don’t know how you can do that,” she told him, wrinkling her nose.

He shrugged as he dumped a generous portion into his cup, turning the juice a fiery color. “No accounting for taste, I guess,” he said with a wink.

They ate in companionable silence for a while, passing the food back and forth, Liz occasionally commenting on his sweet-and-spicy combinations. When she went to pry the lid off the strawberries, Max seemed to become hypnotized by her movements.

“What?” she asked when she caught him staring.

He raised his eyebrows suggestively. “Can’t you guess what I think of when I see strawberries?”

Liz knew immediately what he was referring to, and that, plus the seductive gleam in his eye, had her flushing nearly the color of the fruit in front of her. “Max…”

“I know,” he said agreeably. “But you’re the one who brought them,” he pointed out.

When they’d polished off the majority of the food, Max leaned back against the nearest tree and patted the grass next to him. Smiling, Liz scooted over and snuggled against him, her head resting on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her. “This is nice,” she said.

“It is,” he agreed. “Thank you.”

“It was your idea,” Liz said.

“That’s not what I was thanking you for,” he told her quietly.

Liz tensed slightly in response to the serious note she detected in his voice. “Max,” she said hesitantly, “I thought we agreed not to talk about…”

“I know,” he said. “But we’ve put off talking about some things too long, Liz,” he told her. “Part of it was just circumstance. Things kept happening so fast, we could hardly keep score, let alone go back and analyze our last moves. But I don’t want to keep avoiding what needs to be said.”

“Like what?” she asked cautiously.

Max sighed, pulling her closer. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “You brought up a few things this morning. Like Nasedo. Liz, what happened when he took you?”

Liz stiffened and tried to pull away, but Max wouldn’t let her.

“Please tell me,” he said quietly. “I need to know. Did he… hurt you at all?”

“No, Max,” she said quickly, turning to look him in the eyes. “Nothing like that. It’s just… he scared me. That was all. And the fact that he looked like you,” she said. “It was so creepy to look at your face, into your eyes, and realize that there was… nothing there,” she said quietly, resting her head on his shoulder again.

He hugged her tightly, stroking her hair back off her face. “I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he whispered. “And I know it’s scary to talk about it, but you need to. I don’t want you to ever look at me again and have to doubt that I am who you think I am.”

“I…” she trailed off helplessly.

Feeling the renewed tension in her body, Max stroked her head soothingly. “You what?” he asked. “Tell me, Liz.”

“I keep thinking that I should have been able to tell the difference,” she whispered. “How could I not know it wasn’t you, Max? He has… no heart. Why couldn’t I tell? I should have seen it in his eyes.”

“Liz, there wasn’t anyway you could have known,” he assured her. “I saw him myself at the carnival, remember? It was like looking in a mirror,” he said.

“By the time I figured out who he was, we were already half-way to Hondo,” she told him.

“How did you find out? Did he tell you?”

Liz shook her head. “He… I…”

“It’s okay,” he coaxed.

“He pulled over and I kissed him,” she said slowly. “I thought it was you….”

“Shhh… I know you did,” he said gently. “It’s all right. I understand. You kissed him and what?”

A shudder of revulsion went through her and she cuddled closer to Max. “He… he kissed me back. I know he had to, if he wanted me to believe it was you, but… he… it was like he enjoyed it. And I don’t think it had anything to do with me. Later, when I asked him why he had to look like you… he said he liked being you.” She buried her head into his chest, trying to keep herself from crying, concentrating on his strong arms wrapped protectively around her.

Max clenched his jaw, but forced himself to maintain his composure. He had a nearly irresistible urge to find Nasedo and somehow blast him into oblivion, but it was more important that he stay calm for Liz. She needed him to be there for her. Continuing to stroke her hair and her back, he murmured soothingly, dropping gentle kisses on her head. “I’m sorry, Liz. I’m so sorry.”

Pulling herself together, Liz sat up and looked at him. “Don’t be sorry,” she said firmly. “It wasn’t your fault.” She met his gaze and saw the doubt there. “Max,” she said, “I mean it. You couldn’t have known, and you couldn’t have stopped him, and I’m fine. Really.”

He cupped her face and leaned in to kiss her determined mouth, coaxing a response from her. “You are an amazing woman, Liz Parker,” he whispered, feeling her smile beneath his lips.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Max Evans,” she said, kissing him again. Then she pulled back, serious again. “There’s more. You wanted to know how I guessed Nasedo wasn’t you.”

Max frowned slightly, but nodded. He needed to know and she needed to tell him. “Go ahead.”

“I got a flash from him, Max.”

“You what? Really?”

She nodded. “It wasn’t anything like the ones with you. It was so… dark, barren. Frightening.” She paused, clearly remembering, her eyes shadowed.

“Liz?” Max asked, brushing her hair back, bringing her out of her reverie.

“He… um… I pulled back and just looked at him,” she said. “I couldn’t even hide my shock. I didn’t know what to think… just that something wasn’t right. He asked me what was wrong and I said nothing, and then we started to drive again. I wasn’t positive it was him until the next time we stopped. That was when you called, and he was taking something out of the trunk. He came back and took the phone… and I knew.”

“He was pulling that agent’s body out of the trunk, wasn’t he?” Max asked slowly.

“Yeah, he was,” she said.

“God, Liz,” he breathed, taking her face in both hands and kissing her, then pulling her back down into his arms. “I swear that he won’t use you again that way. Not ever. I made it clear what happens if he does anything to any of you.”

“What happens, Max?”

“He becomes the enemy,” he said simply.

Liz slipped her arms around his waist. “Is that why he was in the café that day? You think he was planning to do something to us?”

“No, I’m sure he wouldn’t have hurt you,” Max said quickly.

Pulling back, Liz looked him sternly in the eye. “Please don’t lie to me,” she said quietly. “I’ve accepted that we’re in this together, all of us, no matter what the future holds, but you have to be honest with us, Max. No holding back because you’re trying to protect us. No more secrets.”

Max stared into her soft brown eyes for a moment, measuring her resolve. “Okay,” he said finally.

“I know it’s hard for you,” she said, softening slightly. “But it’s important. I will not stand by and let you destroy yourself in an attempt to keep us all safe, Max. You say you need me, well fine. But that can’t only be when it’s convenient for you. I swear not to do anything reckless, but I won’t be excluded. We’re a team.”

“I’ll do my best,” he said honestly. “You just might have to remind me every once in a while,” he said with a small smile.

“Starting now,” she prodded. “Why was Nasedo watching us?”

He sighed. “I really don’t know for sure, but I got the impression he was keeping tabs to see if the three of you were staying away from us.”

“And if we hadn’t been?”

“I’m not sure. But I believe he saw you as a threat. I wouldn’t have put it past him to try to get you out of the way,” he said reluctantly.

“Okay,” she said, putting the fact away to absorb later. “Now, was that so hard?”

He smiled. “I guess I’m still breathing.”

“Good. ‘Cause this one’s harder,” she said. “I want you to tell me about your nightmares, Max,” she said gently.

He froze, then looked off into the distance. Even in the light of day, with Liz curled beside him, his nightmares were not a topic he wished to discuss.

Sensing his fear, having anticipated his reluctance, Liz reached down and took his hand and squeezed. “Max, you have to talk about them. I know you were okay last night, but I can’t just sleep with you all the time. There has to be some way to get rid of them for good.”

Forcing himself to relax, Max turned and looked at her. Her eyes were warm with concern, her brow furrowed. He reached out and traced the lines on her forehead, smoothing them with his gentle touch. “In my heart, I know you’re right,” he sighed. “But it isn’t that simple. For one thing, I never remember anything when I wake up,” he admitted.

Liz raised her eyebrows. “No one told me that,” she said.

Max shrugged. “I never told anyone. I mean, I know I’m having them. I wake up sweating and my heart’s trying to leap out of my chest and I can barely stand up,” he said quietly. “There’s this sense of enormous fear, but I can’t tell what I’m afraid of and the memory gets even fuzzier as I calm down.”

“But it has to be about Pierce,” she said.

“I know. But I still can’t remember.”

“Michael told Maria that you were calling out for me in your sleep,” Liz said softly.

“He did?” Max rubbed his temples. “So that’s how they really got you to come over, huh?”

“Max, I’m sure they didn’t make it up just to get me to talk to you.”

“No,” he agreed, “I’m sure they didn’t. That doesn’t mean I’m happy about them using my nightmares to manipulate you. Much as I’m pleased with the outcome,” he added with a warm look.

“They were worried.” She reached up and stroked his cheek. “Max, have you talked about it at all? What happened at Eagle Rock?”

He shook his head. “I can’t, Liz. Please don’t ask me to. This isn’t a question of keeping secrets or protecting everyone, because I know you saw a lot of it already when I kissed you that night,” he said with a frown. “I just… don’t want to think about it.”

“Max, you’re having nightmares about it. It’s pretty obvious you’re thinking about it, on some level at least. Maybe if you let it out, the nightmares will stop.”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I keep thinking if enough time goes by…”

“What? You’ll forget? Max, it’s not the kind of thing that just goes away,” she said. “It keeps getting worse. Please, talk to me.”

“I… If I talk about it, it will be like going through it again,” he said helplessly. “I’m just not ready for that, Liz.” He looked into her deep brown eyes, his own suddenly damp. “I know you want to help, but please understand… you can’t help me with this.” A slight shudder shook his body, and he looked away.

Liz quickly crawled over Max until she was sitting on his lap, straddling his legs, and wrapped her arms tightly around him, pulling him to her so his head was buried in the side of her neck. She felt him shudder once more as his arms snaked around her. He clung to her desperately and they slowly rocked back and forth, his tears dampening her skin. As they continued to sway, she stroked the nape of his neck and whispered softly in his ear that everything was going to be all right, desperately hoping it was the truth.

* * * * *

After one final visit to her locker, Maria stood scanning the hall for Michael. He had promised to meet her as soon as school was over, so they could go hang out together until it was time to meet the others at the Crashdown. She frowned, wondering if he was annoyed with her over their argument that morning. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t worried about Max, too. She was. But she was also tired of panicking over every sign of trouble; for once she wanted to assume the best instead of the worst. Besides, she had faith in Liz’s ability to get to the bottom of the situation.

Suddenly, an arm reached out of nowhere and strong fingers closed on her wrist. One yank and she went flying into the eraser room, only to find herself staring up at Michael in surprise. Before she could comment, however, he was kissing her, backing her gently against the utility shelving that lined the walls. Maria’s eyes fluttered closed automatically and her hands found their way into his soft, spiky hair. She relaxed into his arms with a sigh, her previous thoughts forgotten.

“You do know that you’re insane, right?” she murmured eventually, when he left her mouth to brush his lips over the delicate spot behind her ear. She shivered at the teasing contact, and her voice had an airy quality that took the sting from her words.

“Um… I’ve heard rumors,” he mumbled against her skin as he trailed small kisses along the length of her jaw.

“Michael…,” she said. “Uh… school’s out. Over. We’re free to go,” she pointed out.

“Uh huh,” he agreed, making no move to stop his exploration of her neck.

“As in, free to go do this somewhere else,” she added, arching into his caresses.

Instead of replying, he kissed her mouth again, effectively silencing her. If his kisses prior to this had been gentle and teasing, this one was forceful – overwhelming her with emotions. When her knees buckled, Michael’s arms were the only things that kept her from sliding to the floor. When he finally pulled back, she was too absorbed in the amazing tingling sensation she was experiencing to be annoyed at his pleased smirk.

Michael dropped a quick kiss on the tip of her nose, then rested his forehead against hers. “We have the whole summer to do this somewhere else,” he told her.

Maria smiled at his teasing tone. “Don’t tell me you’re getting nostalgic over the eraser room, Spaceboy,” she whispered.

“Maybe,” he said.

“I guess it’s hardly surprising,” she murmured against his lips. “You’ve spent more time here than any other room in the school,” she said.

“I think I had the right idea before,” he muttered, pressing his lips firmly against hers. “Still the only way to shut you up,” he announced between kisses.

She swatted at him half-heartedly, but she grinned when they finally broke apart. “Let’s get out of here,” she said. Taking his hand, she dragged him out of the room, then out of the building, not stopping until they were standing in the afternoon sunshine. “Now isn’t it nicer out here?”

He raised one eyebrow questioningly, not bothering to respond. “So, now where?” he asked.

Maria shrugged. “Anywhere but school.”

Michael pretended to think about it for a moment. “My place?”

“I’m parked over there,” Maria replied with a mischievous smile and headed across the parking lot.

They hopped into the Jetta and Maria deftly maneuvered through the half-empty parking lot and down the street. The traffic was light and they didn’t hit a single red light. Driving down Main Street, they passed the Crashdown and the UFO Center, but as they were rounding the corner to Michael’s street, Maria slowed down.

“What?” Michael asked noticing her frown.

“Was Max supposed to work this afternoon?”

“No, he has the day off. Why?”

Maria pointed at the Jeep parked neatly next to the museum. She pulled over behind it and turned puzzled eyes in Michael’s direction. “Why skip school only to end up here?” she asked.

He shrugged, but looked somewhat apprehensive. “Only one way to find out. Come on,” he said, climbing out of the car. He waited for her to join him on the curb, then started for the doors.

Maria didn’t miss the fact that Michael was less than thrilled to be going into the UFO Center. She knew it was unlikely that he’d been back since the episode with Pierce. It was just a measure of his concern for Max that he was willing to go in now. She gave his hand a comforting squeeze and was glad when he shot her a grateful smile. He knew she understood.

* * * * *

Liz peered curiously over Max’s shoulder, marveling at the number of hits Milton’s UFO search engine was locating for their seemingly simple request. She idly stroked Max’s hair where it curled at the nape of his neck, until finally he reached up and gently stilled her hand. When she looked at him questioningly, he merely smiled and kissed her fingers.

“Am I distracting you?” she asked, more embarrassed than coy.

“Just a little,” he told her. He could still see traces of concern in her eyes and knew the contact had been meant in a comforting way. It had taken him a long time to regain his control that morning, and he hated that Liz was worrying about him even now. Part of the reason he’d suggested coming by the UFO Center was to give them something practical to do for a few hours. He wanted to get their minds off the more emotional aspects of their situation, and cross referencing reported alien encounters with their own known powers seemed a good way to kill the afternoon without bringing up anything overly volatile.

“Sorry,” she said, blushing slightly.

He smiled reassuringly. “I don’t mind,” he said quietly, placing her hand back on his shoulder.

Liz smiled and focused on the computer screen again. “I didn’t think there’d be so many,” she said.

Max swiveled back to the desk and frowned a little. “Most of these are probably hoaxes. Maybe a few will be of some use, though.” He hit a few switches and tapped a couple of keys. The prehistoric printer started working noisily.

Liz made a face and put her hands over her ears. “Too loud,” she mouthed.

With a wicked grin, Max pushed back from the desk and tugged her down onto his lap. “Allow me to distract you,” he said over the churning of the printer. Liz’s arms twined around his neck, and she smiled as he cupped his palms gently over her ears before pulling her closer for a kiss.

Neither of them heard the door crack open. Nor did they see Maria’s quick start of surprise, or the grin that followed, as she turned and herded Michael back out of the office. Had the printer made slightly less noise, however, they might possibly have caught Michael’s wry comment about horn dogs looking for a place to make out, just before the door closed firmly behind him.

* * * * *

Max and Liz walked slowly across the street toward the Crashdown, hands linked. While they were looking forward to an evening with their friends – to just having a normal night where they talked and laughed and pretended their world was safe – they were nevertheless reluctant to see their private time together end. Despite the tears, it had been a wonderful day, one that had allowed them to remember all of the things that drew them to each other and that strengthened the bond they shared.

As they drew closer to the café, Max stopped Liz with a gentle tug. “Liz,” he said, “I need to ask you something.”

She frowned at his serious tone, but nodded. “What is it?”

He gazed down the street, not meeting her eyes, and worked his mouth the way he did when he was about to say something that made him uncomfortable. “I know we said no more secrets,” he began, “but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell the others about what happened earlier.”

“Is that all you’re worried about?” she asked quietly, reaching up to cup his cheek and turn his face to look at her. “Max, I would never share anything that you said to me in confidence,” she told him. “You were upset… and that was a private moment between you and me,” she said gently. “I still think you need to discuss all of this with someone,” she added. “If you can’t talk to me, tell Michael or Isabel. You have to get it off your chest, Max, and you don’t have the luxury of seeing a professional.” She stepped closer so that she could wrap her arms around him, glad to feel his arms slip around her waist in return. “But I understand your not wanting anyone to know just how hard this is for you. They have an idea – they don’t need the specifics,” she said gently.

“Thanks,” he said. “For understanding. I should have known you would. It isn’t a matter of control, you know…”

“I know,” she whispered. “You’re hurting, and it scares you, because you’ve never faced something like this before. But Max, you don’t have to face it alone. I don’t even think you can.”

Max sighed, nuzzling her neck as he pulled her a little closer. “Just tonight I want there to be no worries. School’s out for the summer and we’re all safe and together. That’s what tonight should be about.”

Liz pulled back. “What will we say when they ask? You know they will, Max. And what about tonight? Do you just go home and suffer through another bout of nightmares?”

“I got such a good night’s sleep last night, it should keep me for a week,” he teased.

“Max, that’s not funny,” she said, a little frown worrying her brow. “I mean it. What are you going to do? I can’t sleep at your house again tonight. I’m on the breakfast shift tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I don’t want you to risk getting in trouble, anyway. But I can only solve one problem a day. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be fine tonight.”

Liz looked skeptical. “I don’t think it’s that easy. And what problem did you solve today?”

He raised an eyebrow. “I got you back.” Smiling at the rosy flush that graced her cheeks, he leaned down and kissed her on the mouth. “Now let’s go join the others. If they ask, I’ll tell them last night was an improvement. One step at a time, okay?”

“Okay,” she whispered back, standing on tip-toe to brush a kiss over his cheek.

Walking through the front doors of the Crashdown, they immediately spotted their table, drawn as much by the noise as by the sight of Alex waving his hands dramatically in the air. Two smaller tables had been shoved together at the back of the restaurant, and the rest of their group was already seated, and laughing so hard they didn’t notice Max and Liz approach.

“So, what did we miss?” Liz asked loudly.

“You mean besides school today?” Maria asked, causing Liz’s eyes to grow wide as she quickly searched the café for her parents.

Maria just laughed. “Relax, hon, they’re in the back. Grab a chair,” she said, patting the seat next to her and wiggling her eyebrows up and down. “Come tell me all about your day. And night,” she added with a wink.

Liz turned to Max with a groan and buried her face in his shirt. “Oh God, what was I thinking suggesting this?”

Max just patted her on the back and smiled. He turned her around and steered her to the chair Maria had indicated, then dropped down next to her.

“So, Maxwell,” Michael began, shooting Maria a warning look, “get any sleep last night?”

Max sighed. “Yes, thank you. Though I can’t say I approve of your methods,” he added pointedly, including Maria in his glare.

Michael shrugged. “I’m just glad it worked.”

Isabel frowned. “But for how long, Max? I mean, as happy as I am for you and Liz, do you think your getting back together is going to solve the nightmare problem?”

“I don’t know, Iz,” Max said. He turned to Liz, who shrugged. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t expected this conversation.

“Well, at least you’ve made some progress,” Alex pointed out, earning a grateful look from Max. “And I for one think we’ve been spending way too much time analyzing the drama that is our collective lives. This is supposed to be a party.”

Liz seized on his diversion and ran with it. “You’re right, Alex. You guys, Alex, Maria and I have been having these end-of-school dinners every year since we first became friends. And I’m really glad that now it’s the six of us here.”

Max reached for the pitcher of soda that stood in the center of the table and poured glasses for himself and Liz. Then raising his, he clinked on the side with a spoon. “Okay, guys, I propose a toast,” he said. He turned to Liz, his eyes intense. “To Liz Parker… who brought us all together and changed our lives. For the better.”

Everyone raised their glasses and murmured their approval. Liz’s eyes filled with tears. “Thanks, you guys,” she said, though her eyes were pinned to Max. “I’d like to make a toast, too,” she said. “To friendships, old and new. And to sticking together, no matter what.”

As soon as they finished drinking, Alex cleared his throat as if in preparation for his own toast. “Okay everyone,” he announced, “that was just way too serious, so I feel the need to lighten the mood. Again,” he pointed out.

“And how are you going to do this?” Maria asked.

Alex winked at her. “You’ll be interested in this one. I have it on good authority that we have a genius in our midst.”

“Well, we all know Lizzie’s smart, Alex…” Maria began.

But Alex shook his head quickly, cutting her off. “Not our Miss Parker, though she is undeniably made of quite stellar material. No, no, we’re talking someone who’s talents were previously unknown to us, one with a natural raw ability that is only now being nurtured and encouraged to develop,” he went on.

“Enough, Alex,” Isabel said. “What are you talking about?”

“It would appear that, upon the final tabulation of our final exam grades for the semester, one Michael Guerin has made the honor roll,” Alex announced, quickly shoving closer to Isabel as he spoke, since he was unfortunately seated next to said Michael Guerin.

Four pairs of eyes opened wide and turned toward Michael, who looked down and mumbled something.

“Michael?” Maria asked. “Is it true?”

He looked up with a frown. “What? You think I’m some kind of idiot?”

“You know I don’t,” she said quickly. “But honor roll? How? I mean, you never pay any attention to school.”

“Actually,” Max said quietly, “Michael’s been going to classes since he’s been on his own.”

“It’s not that big a deal,” Michael said, glaring at Alex.

“Yes, it is,” Maria insisted, snaking one arm around him and hugging him. “I’m proud of you,” she whispered.

“We’re all proud of you, Michael,” Liz told him with a smile. “So that makes this an even more special occasion,” she declared.

Michael rolled his eyes, then threw Alex a disgusted look. “How’d you find out?”

Alex shrugged. “I was doing some hacking in the school files and stumbled across it.”

Isabel laughed. “My boyfriend, the criminal,” she said.

Alex turned to her, his mouth hanging open.

“What?” she asked.

“Did you just call me your boyfriend?” he stuttered.

Isabel smiled. “Well, what else would I call you?”

Alex shook his head, looking stunned, until Isabel caught his face in her hands and kissed him.

Maria and Liz smiled, Michael groaned, and Max laughed. “This is gonna be one hell of a summer,” he said.

END

* * *

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”

~Anais Nin

Disclaimer: Don’t own the characters or the concepts; just borrowing them!
Category: The whole gang.
Summary: Post-Destiny. What happens now?
Spoilers: Season one.
Rating: PG-13; mostly for language and some suggestive behavior.
Feedback: Sure! Love it!
Banner by: Blanca
Author’s note: This is the fourth in a series. I recommend that you read You Can’t Go Home Again and its sequels, House of Cards and Home Is Where the Heart Is prior to reading this, or it won’t make much sense.

* * *

Liz Parker stifled a yawn as she headed into the still-empty café. The first official day of summer vacation, and she had to work the breakfast shift, she grumbled to herself. Despite years of rising early, she would never be a morning person, and considering the amount of sleep she had gotten the night before, the idea of sleeping in was definitely more than a little appealing.

The gang’s first-night-of-freedom dinner had lasted long past dessert, with everyone lingering to drink coffee and listen to Alex’s seemingly endless supply of bad jokes and impressions. Once everyone had finally gone home and Liz had followed her parents upstairs, Max had reappeared on the roof outside her window and she had joined him there for some quiet time. Lying together on her battered lounge chair, they had stared up at the stars and whispered for hours. Eventually they had drifted into a peaceful sleep, thereby suspending the ongoing debate regarding what to do about his nightmares. For one more night at least, he slept without interruption, safely ensconced in Liz’s arms.

Max had been awake at dawn. Liz had known the instant he had opened his eyes, but kept her own closed, too comfortable and relaxed to move. She had counted on his reluctance to wake her, hoping she might be able to lie there just a little longer, feeling his warmth wrapped around her like the lightest, most protective blanket. But he had simply picked her up, his arms flexing and lifting with no more effort than if she were a child, and gently carried her inside. Eyes still shut, Liz had wondered what molecules he had manipulated in order to maneuver her through the open window and into her room without so much as brushing her bare feet against the wall. Then he had set her down on the bed and she hadn’t been able to feign sleep any longer, but instead had reached up and pulled him down beside her with a determined tug.

“Faker,” he had whispered as she opened her eyes, his smile telling her that he had known all along.

“I was enjoying the ride,” she’d replied, reaching up to kiss him.

He hadn’t stayed long, however, both of them too conscious of her parents asleep down the hall. They had no intention of starting the summer off by getting grounded. So, Max had kissed her lovingly, and kissed her once more, then slipped from her bed, disappearing through the window into the early morning light. With him gone, Liz had been unable to fall asleep again, and so had dragged herself out of bed to get ready for her day.

She was scooping coffee into the filter when Maria came through the back door. Not bothering to fight her yawn this time, Liz flipped the coffee machine on as she threw her friend a little wave in greeting.

“Looks like you’re gonna be your own first customer,” Maria observed, gesturing toward the coffee pot.

Liz nodded. “Didn’t get much sleep,” she mumbled.

Maria’s brows arched. “Really… and that would be because…?”

Rolling her eyes, Liz brushed past Maria and started checking the tables to make sure they were all set for the breakfast crowd. According to the clock, they had five minutes before they were due to open.

“Liz? Come on, girl. Spill.”

“Fine,” she said, coming closer to avoid having to raise her voice. “Max and I fell asleep out on the roof. It’s no big deal, okay? But we woke up early so he could leave. Let’s say I’m not thrilled with being on this morning.” She rotated her shoulders, trying to get the kinks out, and made a face.

Maria smiled knowingly. “So,” she began, her voice tinged with a hint of concern, “did Max sleep all right?”

“Yeah. No nightmares,” Liz told her as she headed over to put the day’s specials on the board. “I just wish I knew if he’d be okay sleeping alone. We cannot keep doing this,” she said quietly.

“Well, obviously. You’re bound to get caught. And somehow, after that whole night-in-the-desert thing, I can’t see your mom settling for smacking Max on the head with a rolled up newspaper.”

“Me either.”

“So… what’s Max doing while you’re at work today?”

Liz shot her an incredulous look. “Did you really think he wouldn’t tell me? I know they all went to Tess’s house.”

“Well, I thought he probably told you, but I wasn’t sure.”

“Maria, Max hasn’t got anything to hide. He told me they were going to help her get ready to move, and that’s fine with me.”

“You’re not at all worried?”

“I trust Max.”

“It’s not trusting Max that’s the issue,” Maria pointed out.

Liz leaned against the counter and sighed. “I think she’s finally gotten the message,” she said. “Max said Tess didn’t try anything during the time we were split up. He told her that first day, after I left, that it didn’t change things between them – that he doesn’t feel that way toward her. It seems like she believed him.”

“And you’re willing to just accept that?”

“I don’t have a choice. She’s a part of all their lives, Maria, which makes her a part of ours. Alex said she’s been making an effort. I know Max feels sorry for her, and I can understand that. I actually feel a little badly for her myself,” she admitted.

“Liz! Are you nuts? Look at everything she did. All those tricks she pulled.” Maria grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her directly in her eyes. “Liz Parker, have you lost your mind?”

“Maria, cut it out,” she said, gently pushing her away. “I’m not crazy, okay? I just… I guess I’ve been trying to look at things from her point of view.”

“Why?”

“Think how hard it must have been for her… growing up with just Nasedo.” Liz shivered slightly. “Maria, he’s so cold. How do you survive with someone like that for a parent? I mean, look at how difficult Michael’s life has been, but at least he had Max and Isabel. Tess didn’t have anyone. They just kept moving from place to place, never staying long enough to get caught, but never staying long enough to fit in, either.” She shrugged. “Living like that, only having this idea of your missing family to hang on to all those years, I can see why she acted the way she did when she came to Roswell.”

Maria nodded reluctantly. “Okay. When you put it that way. But I still don’t have to like her.”

“I didn’t claim to like her,” Liz said. “I just said I refuse to make a big deal when Max spends time in her presence.”

“Just as long as it’s not too much,” Maria added.

Liz shook her head and went to unlock the door. She had just flipped the sign in the window so that the “Open” side faced out, when Jim Valenti stepped into the café. She smiled in greeting, glad she no longer worried at the very sight of him. She had hated always being suspicious of his motives when he came by, constantly wondering if he was looking for more than a refill of coffee for his thermos. There was something reassuring about having him know the truth, and knowing that he was on their side.

“Good morning, Sheriff,” she said. “I just put the coffee on a couple of minutes ago. It should be nearly done.”

He smiled in return, taking a seat at the counter and placing his hat on the stool next to him. “No hurry, ladies,” he said, nodding in Maria’s direction. “I think I’ll actually have some breakfast here this morning.”

Liz went to check the coffee while Maria brought him a menu and placed a cup and saucer in front of him. “So, Sheriff, what’s the occasion? You’re generally our best “to go” guy, assuming you don’t want to grill us about anything,” she said with a smile.

He let out a quick laugh. “Yes, I can see why you would accuse me of that,” he said. “Well, I can’t say as there is a particular occasion, frankly. Just thought it would be nicer to eat in your company than back at the station house staring at the computer. Bad for the digestion, you know.”

Liz came over with the coffee and filled his cup. “What’s Kyle up to this summer? He still training with the football team during the off season?”

Valenti nodded. “Doesn’t start until after Fourth of July, though, so he’s got some time on his hands. Hasn’t really indicated what he plans to do, least not to me.” He poured some sugar into his coffee, then looked up, pinning Liz with his bright blue eyes. “Seems to me he did mention to me that you and Max were having some problems.” The eyes dropped again as he added a little milk and continued to stir. “I was real sorry to hear that.”

Liz smiled at the Sheriff’s gentle inquiry, knowing that only a few days earlier her temper would have snapped at this show of concern from yet another person. “Well, you don’t have to worry about it,” she told him. “Max and I… straightened everything out. But please thank Kyle for me. He said some very sweet things to me at school the other day. I’m afraid I wasn’t too receptive at the time. But I do appreciate it.”

“Glad to hear that things are working out,” he said. “You kids having something admirable. All six of you, not just you and Max. There’s a special bond there – I’ve never seen anything like it before. The way you depend on each other. The level of trust. Hold onto that,” he said.

“We will.”

“Good. And remember that you can come to me if you need to. I’ve told Michael and Maria, but I want you all to know. You can count on me.”

“Thank you, Sheriff. That means a lot,” she said softly.

He smiled, then took a sip of his coffee, wincing slightly at the sudden heat. Glancing down at the menu in front of him, he shook his head. “Well, what’s good today?”

“Well, we have a waffle special,” Liz said. “With strawberries or blueberries and a side of bacon.”

“Sounds good. I’ll have that then.”

“Which kind of berries did you want?” Liz asked as she scribbled down his order.

“Whatever you recommend,” he told her with a smile. “I trust your judgement.”

“I’m partial to strawberries, myself,” she told him, eliciting a muffled snort from Maria at the other end of the counter. Liz shook her head and went off to place the order, swatting her friend’s butt with her order pad on the way.

* * * * *

Max pulled the Jeep into Alex’s driveway and Isabel jumped out to get him. They returned a moment later, Alex looking puzzled. “I thought Michael was coming, too,” he said as he slipped into the back seat.

“He’s meeting us there,” Max told him.

“But… didn’t he stay at your house last night?”

“No,” Isabel answered, her eyes on Max as she climbed in next to him. “In fact, there was a decided shortage of people at our house last night,” she added.

Max glared at her, then backed out of the driveway and headed down the street.

Alex met Isabel’s amused gaze as she grinned at him over her shoulder. He smiled back, nodding his comprehension. He was relieved to see the two of them engaged in light sibling banter, as opposed to the emotionally charged exchanges that had been the norm for the past few weeks. It was pretty obvious to him that Max hadn’t made it back from the Crashdown until morning, something that just a few months ago would have had Isabel spitting fire. Her current reaction just proved how much things had changed, even while they struggled to restore them to normal. And though Max staying at Liz’s could pose some new problems, at least it meant Michael had actually been able to sleep in his own apartment for two nights in a row.

Or so he thought, until Max parked in front of Tess’s house. Then he wasn’t too sure anymore. The three of them climbed out of the Jeep and stood on the sidewalk, gaping at the red Jetta parked in the driveway. Alex and Isabel traded looks, while Max just shook his head and chuckled under his breath.

“Isn’t Maria working this morning?” Isabel asked slowly.

Max nodded, still grinning. “Yeah,” he said. “She and Liz had the early shift.”

“So, then, that would mean Michael has Maria’s car – without Maria,” Alex observed, his lips twitching.

“You don’t think he took it again, do you?” Isabel asked, her tone almost hopeful.

Max started to laugh in earnest. Alex shook his head. “No, Isabel. Somehow I suspect Maria knows he has the car.”

Isabel groaned, then whacked Max in the shoulder. “Cut it out,” she told him. “Don’t we have enough to deal with? What am I gonna do with the two of you? Maria’s mother will beat Michael within an inch of his sorry life if she finds him sleeping there again, and the Parkers would string you up by the heels if they knew what was going on with you and Liz.”

Max struggled to pull himself together, though her exasperated expression made it difficult. “Isabel,” he said, fighting for his composure, “there isn’t anything going on.”

Isabel watched him, her brow creased, then just shook her head. “Try explaining that to Liz’s dad when he walks in and finds you asleep in her bed, Max,” she told him.

“Uh… actually..”

She closed her eyes. “No. I don’t want any of the details, thank you very much,” she said. Opening her eyes again, she shot him a warning look, then turned to Alex. “Come on. Let’s get down to business.”

She and Alex pulled a stash of trash bags and some broken-down cardboard boxes from the back of the Jeep and headed toward the house. Max gave up his attempt to explain and trailed after them, still clearly amused at the turn their lives had suddenly taken. He couldn’t help but think there was something highly ridiculous in worrying that your girlfriend’s parents might catch you in a compromising position, when you knew it was more than likely that an alien race was preparing to kill you.

They rang the bell and were a little taken aback when Michael answered the door a moment later. “What?” he asked when he saw their surprised looks. “You’re late,” he stated, as if that answered everything, then stalked off into the house, obviously expecting them to follow.

Isabel sighed and went inside, Alex on her heels. As Max stepped into the hallway and turned to shut the door, a delicate pattern of sunlight danced across the doorway, bouncing off the brass doorknocker before flickering out of sight. Frowning, Max looked out across the yard, his gaze searching the houses across the street, trying to determine where the reflection had originated. But there was no one outside and the houses themselves were quiet. Feeling as if something was not quite right, he waited a moment, keeping his eyes trained on the bushes that bordered the nearest property. Still nothing. Shaking off the sensation that they were being watched, yet not entirely satisfied, he backed into the house and closed the door.

He followed the sound of voices and discovered everyone in the kitchen with Tess, helping themselves to breakfast. There were bagels and cream cheese and a large bowl of fruit salad spread out on the counter, and a pot of coffee warming on the stove. Max turned to Tess, conscious that her eyes were on him, her look somewhat wary as if she was unsure of where they stood. The last time they’d spoken she had revealed more about herself than he suspected made her comfortable. “This is nice. You didn’t have to go to so much trouble.”

She nodded briefly, as if acknowledging the truth of his statement. “You guys didn’t have to come help me,” she replied.

“So, Michael,” Isabel said, decidedly shifting the conversation, “how’d you end up with Maria’s car?”

Michael turned from the bagel he was buttering and glared at her. “I borrowed it,” he told her, carefully enunciating each syllable. “So I could get to work this afternoon without one of you having to give me a lift.”

“When did you borrow it?” she asked.

“When?” he asked. “This morning. When I went by the Crashdown. Where she’d parked when she got to work.” His eyebrows were arched and it was clear he had no idea what she was talking about until he registered the faint smile teasing her lips and caught sight of Alex trying to chew a hole in his bottom lip rather than laugh. “You’re too much,” he said, scowling at them. “Just because Max and Liz are attached at the hip, doesn’t mean I have a death wish, all right. I’ve got enough to worry about without battling Amy DeLuca and her killer newspaper.”

“Speaking of things to worry about,” Max broke in, “did you see anything strange when you got here?”

Instantly alert, Michael shifted his gaze. “Like what?” he asked.

Max shrugged, keeping his tone casual. “Like someone watching the house, maybe.”

“What do you mean, Max?” Isabel chimed in. “Did you see someone just now?”

“No. It was more like I felt someone – like a hunch.” He turned to Tess. “Have you noticed anything?”

“No, I haven’t. But then, I’m not around that much.”

“Just the same, I’m glad we’re going through this stuff and getting you packed up,” Max said. “This place is too isolated. The Sunday paper should have some apartments listed. You should check them out.” He glanced at Isabel, who nodded imperceptibly.

“Maybe Alex and I can go with you,” she suggested immediately. “It’ll be fun.”

“Yeah,” Alex agreed, catching on. “Besides, it’s always best to take someone with you for this kind of thing. Don’t want the landlord to take advantage of you.”

But Tess had noticed the look that passed between Max and Isabel. “That’s nice of you, but you don’t really want to go look at a bunch of apartments with me. I’ll be fine on my own.”

Seeing the stubborn set of her chin, Max frowned. “No one is going to be doing anything on their own for quite a while,” he informed her, then stared at each of the others in turn so they wouldn’t think his words applied only to Tess. “I don’t think I was imagining things just now. There’s no telling who’s out there. We go in groups, or we don’t go at all.”

“Max, that’s not practical and you know it,” Michael said. “I know we need to be careful, but we can’t always be together. Like this afternoon. One of you plan to escort me to work? Then how do you get back? It’s just unreasonable.”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “But we need to try. Which means no checking out empty apartments alone,” he said, pinning Tess with a look.

“Okay. I won’t go by myself,” she agreed, looking decidedly less argumentative.

“Good.” He went and poured himself a cup of coffee and snagged a bagel from the platter on the counter, then looked at them expectantly. “So, let’s get to work. It’s too nice a day to spend the whole thing going through dusty old boxes, so the faster we get started, the sooner we’ll be done.”

* * * * *

Normally busy at lunchtime, the Crashdown was mobbed, thanks to the influx of students liberated for the summer. Liz barely had time to catch her breath from eleven-thirty on, and when Michael arrived and joined José at the grill, she merely flashed him a quick smile as she hurried out to serve a table of five. Maria managed to sneak into the kitchen for a moment, but when she emerged, she merely shrugged at Liz’s questioning gaze. By the time things finally quieted down enough for Liz to slip into the back, it was well after two.

“Hey,” she said as she poked her head around the door. “How did it go this morning?”

Michael finished flipping the row of burgers in front of him before he turned to look at Liz. He had been both surprised and impressed when she had failed to make a fuss over Max going to Tess’s house. The fact that she could trust Max, despite what had happened, amazed him. She had a strength of mind, a decided opinion about what was right and fair, that never seemed to waver. It was frightening how like Max she could be in that way.

“It went okay, I guess,” he told her finally. He stepped away from the grill to escape the heat for a moment. “Never seen so much crap, though. All that stuff Nasedo’s been trucking around.”

“Like what? Max said Tess told him she had no idea what was in some of the boxes.”

Michael shrugged. “Nothing all that interesting. Nothing to tell us about home, if that’s what you thought. More pictures of Max, like the ones you found that night you were there. Plus pictures of me and Isabel, too. A lot of them.” He scowled. “He must have been hanging around and following us for months. In some of the shots I was still living…”

“At your old place,” Liz volunteered quietly when he trailed off.

“Yeah,” he said. “Anyway, they were nearly done checking out the boxes when I left. I doubt they found much more than that.”

“I’m sorry, Michael.”

“It doesn’t matter. I didn’t really think there’d be anything. It would have been too dangerous for him to keep anything around that could be traced to the crash.”

Liz just nodded, knowing he was more disappointed than he let on. Out of the three of them, he had been the most let down by Nasedo’s apparent lack of knowledge – or at least his reluctance to share it – because he had had the highest hopes. “So,” she said, “were they planning to stay long?” She winced when she heard the slightly hopeful tone to her voice.

Michael heard it too, but pretended that he hadn’t. “No. Actually, they’re probably gone by now. Max was going to run home and take care of some stuff. Said he’d meet you here tonight like you agreed.”

“Okay, thanks.” She watched as he started to flip the now-cooked burgers onto their buns. He was frowning intently. “Michael, did something else happen?”

He looked up, startled. “Why?”

She shook her head. “You seem to be thinking about something.”

“Yeah, well, Max thought someone might have been watching the house today.”

“Again? Was it Nasedo?”

“Search me. No one saw anything, including Max. He just felt like something was off. I think if he thought it was Nasedo he would have told us.”

“But nothing else happened,” she said.

“Nope. That was it.” He slid the plates he was holding onto the counter and hit the bell to indicate an order was up. Then he turned to Liz, his expression serious. “Max is telling everyone to travel in groups again.”

Liz couldn’t help but smile at Michael’s barely restrained displeasure. “You can’t blame him,” she said.

“We’re hiding from shadows,” he told her. “I’m all for preventative measures, but he’s getting paranoid.”

“You really think so?” she asked, her forehead wrinkled with concern.

“I don’t know,” he sighed. “It just seems he’s pulling on the reins,” he finished under his breath.

Liz heard him, despite the quiet tone. “He feels responsible for everyone’s safety,” she acknowledged. “You think he could be carrying things too far?” When Michael replied with a noncommittal grunt, she suddenly looked thoughtful. “Hmmm…” she mused, looking at her watch.

“What?”

“Oh, just seeing how long until the library closes,” Liz said.

He shot her an odd look. “School’s out, Liz.”

She laughed. “Yeah, I know. What I want to look up has nothing to do with school.”

Maria came into the kitchen, her face flushed, her hair drooping slightly. “It’s going to be such a long summer,” she sighed loudly. “It’s one thing to serve the under-twelve crowd after school, but all day long falls into the category of cruel and unusual waitressing.”

Liz smiled. “Come on, Maria. Shift’s over. You’ll feel fine the second you walk out that door.”

Maria stared past Liz at Michael, the start of a smile just teasing her lips. Liz caught the look, then turned to find Michael staring back, his trademark smirk gracing his face.

“Um… I think I’m going to hang out here for a while,” Maria said finally.

Liz smiled knowingly. “Okay. I’ll see you two later, then. I have some things to take care of before I meet Max.”

She left them virtually unnoticed and ran upstairs to change. Then she slipped out through the back door and headed for the public library. She felt a little odd, despite what she had told Michael, to be library-bound the day after school let out, and with research as her purpose. But Michael had gotten her thinking about Max – concerned about him again. She knew she would never convince Max to stop worrying about all of them, but that was hardly the most pressing issue on her mind. His nightmares were a far larger problem, and with the afternoon dwindling, she couldn’t help but feel that she was racing against the clock. There had to be something she could discover that would help Max sleep peacefully.

On intimate terms with the Roswell public library since before she could actually read, Liz made a bee line for the computers in the back. Sitting at a workstation in a corner, where she would be less likely to be observed, she took out the pad of paper she had brought and opened it to a fresh page. Then she started running computer searches on nightmares, night terrors, and post-traumatic stress disorder. While the computer buzzed, she chewed on her pen cap, her eyes glued to the monitor. As the information started to scroll, her brown eyes darkened in concentration and she began to take copious notes. Somewhere in the blur of facts she was determined to find some answers.

* * * * *

Max arrived at the Crashdown earlier than he had planned, hoping that Liz wouldn’t mind. They had left their plans casual, agreeing to meet at seven and see what they felt like doing, but the day had been stressful and he was acutely aware of having spent it entirely away from Liz. Spending his nights in her arms seemed to make him crave her that much more when she wasn’t with him. It was like an addiction. More than anything, he wanted to spend a quiet evening with her, maybe grab some Chinese food, play a little pool. He smiled at the thought. It sounded so wonderfully normal. He cut through the café into the back and was somewhat disappointed to find only Maria, lounging in the doorway to the kitchen as she talked to Michael.

“Hey, guys,” he said. “Either of you know if Liz is upstairs?”

Maria shook her head and Michael shrugged. “I think she went out for awhile,” he said. “Aren’t you a little early, Maxwell?” He shot him a quick look.

“Yeah, a little,” he said, a frown wrinkling his forehead. “Wait, you mean she went someplace alone?”

Maria raised one eyebrow quizzically. “She just went to the library, Max. I doubt anyone’s gonna attack her walking through the center of town in broad daylight.”

“I guess,” he said, trying to force his heart to beat normally. He rubbed the back of his neck, still worried. “I’ll feel better when I get whatever information Nasedo manages to put together, but I don’t expect to hear from him until Monday. I just want to know what we’re up against.”

“Chill, Maxwell,” Michael told him. “One day at a time, that’s all we can do.”

“Since when are you the poster boy for patience?”

Michael smirked. “Since you became Mad Max.”

“Cute,” Max remarked.

Maria grinned. “You two need to get out more.”

“That was the idea,” Max commented. “Any idea when Liz thought she’d be back? And what did she need to go to the library for, anyway?”

“Mmmm…she shouldn’t be too much longer,” Maria said. “And I’m sure she was just picking up her summer reading or something,” she hedged. “You know Liz.”

“Who knows Liz?”

They turned to see Liz coming through the back door, her knapsack slung over one shoulder.

“Max does,” Maria replied.

Liz’s eyes lit up when Max stepped out of the kitchen and into view. “Hey,” she said softly, going over and kissing him, at which point Maria quickly retreated further into the kitchen and let the door close behind her. “How come you’re here already?”

“I thought maybe we could get an early start,” Max told her.

“That would be nice. Any idea what we’re doing?” she asked with a teasing smile.

“How does Senior Chow’s sound? Some corny fortune cookies. You can whip my ass at pool again. What do you say?”

“I say it sounds perfect. Let me clean up a little and we can go.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll be right here.” As she turned to head upstairs, his eyes fell on her bag. “Liz?”

She stopped on the steps and turned back. “Yeah?”

“Maria said you were at the library. On the first day of summer vacation?” he asked.

“I was just working on a project,” she said cryptically. “I’ll fill you in over dinner.” She dashed up the rest of the stairs and disappeared into the apartment.

The kitchen door swung open and Maria emerged, clearly having been listening for Liz’s feet on the steps. “I’ve gotta go talk to her about something,” she told Max, heading for the stairs. “I promise I won’t keep her,” she added with a quick grin.

Max shook his head and went into the kitchen to talk to Michael.

Michael happened to catch the look on his friend’s face. “What?”

“Women,” he replied, sounding puzzled.

Michael snorted. “Yeah, whatever.”

“You’d think growing up with Isabel would have helped us understand them at least a little, wouldn’t you? It’s like they keep changing the rules.”

“The rules, the signals, the entire game,” Michael muttered. “They do it on purpose, so we don’t get too comfortable.”

“You think?”

“What are you complaining about? I thought you and Liz were practically at the mind-reading stage.”

Max shrugged. “Sometimes I think I know exactly what she’s thinking, Others… well… suffice it to say that I don’t.”

“Give it up, Maxwell. Just go with the flow. You can’t analyze everything in your life. There aren’t enough hours in the day.”

“I suppose.”

“Speaking of hours in the day, you want me to come over tonight?”

Max knew what he was asking. The last two nights Michael had been on his own thanks to Liz, but it was pretty clear that wasn’t an ongoing arrangement. He hated relying on Michael or anyone else to make sure he slept through the night. It was such an imposition, and it made him feel so helpless, to have someone watching over him, ready to shake him awake if he started to thrash or to call out. Still, despite his having slept soundly for the last two nights, he wasn’t entirely sure he would do so again without Liz tucked in beside him, and he was not going to risk either of them getting caught in bed together, no matter how innocent the circumstances.

He looked up and found Michael watching him, the expression in his eyes unreadable. Max merely nodded. “Thanks,” he said.

Michael shrugged it off. “No problem. I’ll be around later then.” He turned back to the grill, leaving Max wondering exactly what Michael was thinking.

* * * * *

Maria tapped on the door to Liz’s bedroom, then went inside without waiting for a reply. “Hey,” she said in a hushed tone. “So, how’d it go?”

Liz turned from her perusal of her closet with a sigh. “I’m not sure,” she said. “I found a lot of information, but I have no way of knowing what pertains to Max. He seems to have symptoms of a bunch of different things.”

Maria dropped onto the bed and curled one leg under her. “Like what?”

“Well, nightmares are definitely a common reaction to trauma, but the physical symptoms he has – waking up sweating and screaming – those are generally connected to something called night terror. But, night terror tends to happen to children, and they mostly out grow it by the age of ten.” She reached into her closet and pulled out a sundress, stared at it a moment, then threw it on the bed next to Maria with a distracted frown.

“What about that other thing you mentioned?” Maria asked. “The stress disorder the Vietnam vets got.”

“Post-traumatic stress disorder,” Liz supplied. “It’s too early to tell. Anything happening to Max now is just an understandable reaction to being tortured,” she said quietly, her eyes clouded with emotion. “If the nightmares persist, then it might turn into PTSD.”

“How long ‘til we know if it’s that?”

“Six months.”

“Six months? That’s insane,” Maria muttered. “So, what else. Was there anything on how to cure him?”

Liz sank down on the bed, ignoring the fact that she was wrinkling her dress beneath her. “Mostly what we’ve been telling him. He needs to talk about it. I mean, there are other things, but they’re out of the question. Drugs. Hospitalization.” She shuddered and bit down on her bottom lip. Maria reached out and put an arm around her shoulders and Liz allowed her to draw her down so her head was in her lap and she was stroking her long hair. “I just don’t know what to do, Maria. If he won’t talk to us, there’s no other viable option.”

“Liz, it’ll be okay,” Maria soothed, her fingers combing Liz’s hair off her face. “Max isn’t that bad. It’s not like those guys who go around talking to trash cans in alleys and thinking they hear gun shots, right? He’s having some really awful dreams, but you said yourself that it was understandable.”

“But so much of what he’s experiencing is a symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. The nightmares. Distress at anything that reminds him of the trauma. Difficulty concentrating. The cold sweats. Anxiety. What if his… biological differences… mean that the time table speeds up? He could be really sick, Maria, and we’d have no way to know.”

Maria didn’t allow herself to be fooled by Liz’s relatively calm tone. “Liz, hon, think what you’re saying. He doesn’t want to talk about what happened. He doesn’t want to think about it. He’s feeling anxious. Well, of course he is – the guy went through hell only a couple of weeks ago! And yeah, he was having trouble concentrating, but that was when you guys were broken up, and in the middle of finals. I think he seems a lot better.”

Liz sat up and looked Maria in the eye. “You do?”

“Yeah, I do. Talk to him, Lizzie. Tell him what you found out. He’s a reasonable guy, despite the controlling thing,” she said with a smile. “Sure, he was in pain and terrified and he’s had a lot to deal with, but he’ll listen to you. He’s strong, Liz. Or else he wouldn’t be functioning as well as he has been.”

“That’s true. I feel so helpless, though.”

“Don’t. You’re doing everything you can to help him. And we’ll all help. Whatever it takes. Michael said he’d probably sleep over there tonight, so you don’t need to worry about Max being alone.”

“Thanks,” Liz said.

“Now why don’t you stop ironing that dress with your butt and go put it on, before Max comes looking to see what I did with you,” Maria said, grinning when Liz leapt up as if said dress was on fire.

She grabbed the hanger and sailed into the bathroom. “Maybe I’ll just give him the information I printed out,” she called back. “That way he won’t feel like I’m pushing him and he can read it and draw his own conclusions.” Her voice was temporarily muffled as she drew the dress down over her head. A moment later she emerged, pulling her hair free from the neckline. She twirled quickly. “What do you think?”

“The dress or the theory?”

“Both,” Liz replied, making a face.

“Love the dress,” Maria said of the casual red print. “The theory makes sense. Like I’ve said before, he’s a smart guy. He’ll figure it out.”

Liz crossed to the mirror and quickly brushed her hair, but she was frowning worriedly. “I hope so. He can be so stubborn.”

Maria laughed. “So can you.”

“I guess,” she agreed reluctantly, but some of the tension eased from her face. “I should get going.” She turned and dug through her backpack, pulling out a sheaf of papers. Then she grabbed her purse and, folding the papers carefully, tucked them inside. She turned and caught Maria in a tight hug. “Thanks,” she whispered. “You’re the best.”

“Any time,” Maria said, wrapping her arms tightly around her. “Good luck.”

“I’m gonna need it.”

* * * * *

Isabel watched Alex as he studied his menu, her own forgotten where she had propped it against the table. He had an intent look in his bright blue eyes, as if the choice of pasta was vitally important. That was part of what drew her to him; whatever he was doing always had his full attention. She smiled, recalling how mysterious he had been about their evening. He had asked her to dinner, but when she had wanted to know where they were going he had merely given her a smug smile and replied, “Not the Crashdown.” It had been impossible to pry even the tiniest hint out of him. But then that morning he had been forced to ask her to drive because his mother’s car was in the shop. One look and she knew he was crushed at the prospect of his surprise being spoiled, so when she’d gone to pick him up, she had simply handed him the keys to the Jeep with a smile and allowed the mystery to continue for the ten minutes more it took him to drive to Figaro’s.

It was a nice little Italian restaurant – not exactly upscale, but definitely a step up from an alien-themed burger joint. There were checkered cloths on the tables and happy bunches of daisies in San Pellegrino water bottles. She wondered idly if someone had the imported water brought in from Albuquerque, since she doubted it was sold anywhere in Roswell. The atmosphere was pleasant, with low music and soft lighting. There were several couples at nearby tables, but also some families and one or two people eating alone. A delicious aroma came wafting from the kitchen, and Isabel quickly lowered her eyes to scan the menu, suddenly realizing how hungry she was.

“You know what you want?” Alex asked. He had been surreptitiously watching her as her eyes took in their surroundings, and he couldn’t help but be pleased at the contented smile on her face.

“Hmmm,” she mused. “I was thinking maybe the sausage and peppers,” she admitted, realizing as she said it exactly how un-Isabel-like a meal it sounded. She should probably have said something like the chicken marsala or the scampi – some light and ladylike entrée. But when she looked up, Alex was grinning at her.

“Sweet and spicy?” he asked.

She laughed. “Yeah,” she agreed with a little nod. It was so nice to be understood. “What are you having?”

“Spaghetti and meatballs,” he said decidedly.

It was her turn to grin. “With a root beer?”

“The beverage of champions,” he told her.

“So, how did you chose this place?” she asked.

He shrugged. “Pretty much the whole world likes Italian food. And I thought it would be nice to eat someplace where we weren’t friends with half the wait staff for a change. Besides, DeLuca keeps complaining that I never order anything different.”

“So, what do you usually eat here?” Isabel teased.

His eyebrows shot up in mock indignation. “I’ll have you know that sometimes I order the spaghetti with just plain meat sauce,” he informed her.

“How daring of you,” she said.

“Hey, I get plenty of adventure in my daily life,” he replied. “No need to add any excitement to my diet.”

The waiter came over and took their order, then returned with their drinks and a basket of buttery garlic bread. They fought over the ends, with Isabel winning, and sat munching quietly for a few minutes. Alex played with his straw, using it to push the ice cubes down to the bottom of the glass, then watching as they bounced back up like little icebergs in the middle of the root beer. Isabel watched him, amused, then curious.

“What are you thinking?” she asked finally.

He looked up, startled. “Sorry,” he said with a smirk. “I guess I was a little out of it. I was just thinking about stuff,” he said.

She nodded. “Stuff” in the Alex handbook generally referred to something alien-related that couldn’t be discussed in public. After his couple of slips, he had become extremely conscious of what he said when there were other people within hearing. “Is this something I should be worried about?”

“Nah,” he said with a smile. “Just me being me. So, listen. What are you doing tomorrow? ‘Cause it’s supposed to be a really gorgeous day and I thought maybe a picnic?”

“I’m sorry, Alex. We’re going out to the quarry tomorrow afternoon as soon as Michael gets off work,” she said. She knew she didn’t have to tell him what they were doing at the quarry. They hadn’t had much time to work on their powers while they still had school, and now Max felt the need to put a concerted effort into playing catch up. Except for the days both Max and Michael were working, they had managed to schedule a practice session virtually every day for the next week.

“That’s okay,” he said understandingly.

“Maybe we can do something later?” she asked.

“That would be great,” he said. Then, “As long as you’re sure you want to.”

Isabel frowned. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Well… I… uh, know we’ve been spending a lot of time together the last couple of weeks,” he said quietly, toying with his straw wrapper and avoiding her gaze. “You can tell me if you don’t want to do something, you know. I won’t be hurt.”

She reached across and put her hands over his, as much to still his fidgeting fingers as to reassure him. “Alex, I like spending time with you,” she told him. “And I know I can tell you if I’d rather not do something. Didn’t I just tell you that I needed to do something else tomorrow? But I wouldn’t have suggested getting together tomorrow night if I hadn’t really wanted to see you.” She frowned. “That day I told you that you were suffocating me – I was so confused about how I felt and the way I suspected you felt that I just pushed you away instinctively. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Alex.”

He looked up, his eyebrows drawn together, but the expression was one of puzzlement. “What made you think of that just now? That was months ago.”

“I… don’t know. It just popped into my head.”

Alex’s eyes dropped to their joined hands. “Iz, that’s exactly what I was thinking about – that day. I wasn’t thinking that you felt suffocated now, but I wanted to make sure you knew that I’d understand if you needed alone time. You know, that I wouldn’t think it was like that day if you told me to just back off for a while.”

Isabel looked down to where their fingers were twined together in the middle of the table and smiled. “I know,” she said softly. She squeezed his hand and felt him respond.

“So, was that one of those….”

“Flashes?” she supplied. “Yeah. A little one,” she added. “Normally I would get a mental image. This just kind of fed me your thoughts. It was so fast, I guess I didn’t even realize. Does it bother you?” she asked cautiously.

“Bother me?”

“That I might… know what you’re thinking sometimes. Just by touching you.”

Alex smiled at her. “You already know what I’m thinking most of the time,” he said. “What’s a little more insight between friends?” He leaned across the table and brushed his lips against hers. Pulling back, he grinned. “Not to mention a little garlic.”

Isabel laughed, relieved. “Make that a lot of garlic,” she told him, breaking her hold on him long enough to reach for the bread basket with one hand. “I see what you mean about not needing any excitement in your diet,” she added quietly. “Things certainly are an adventure these days.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he told her.

* * * * *

Max watched as Liz lined up her next shot. He loved her careful analysis of the angles, how she leaned over the pool table and took each ball into account before deciding what move to make, the way she brushed her hair back with an annoyed swipe when it drifted into her face and obstructed her view. But even as he observed her systematically consider her options, he knew she wasn’t concentrating fully. It was obvious to him that she had something else on her mind. Not that she wasn’t still beating the pants off of him, but her game wasn’t up to its usual pool-shark standards. She seemed distracted and, since she had diligently steered their dinner conversation away from the topic of her library project, Max had to assume that was the subject worrying her.

He would bring it up if she didn’t, but not yet. Right now he was enjoying the evening too much to ruin it with talk of danger and aliens and destiny. Whatever Liz had to say to him, it was clear she was reluctant to discuss it, and he knew that discussion, no matter the topic, would lead to his own warning about going off alone now that he suspected they were being followed again. It would probably start a long, drawn out disagreement, with both of them stubbornly holding fast to their opinions, their respect for each other the only thing outweighing their concern.

So, instead of saying something, he just watched as she sank another shot, flashing her a smile when she glanced at him, a twinkle in her eye. It was one of those inexplicable moments where he was conscious of loving her so much it hurt. His heart squeezed, trying to contain the emotion, but failed, and it flooded his body, traveling though his blood stream until he could feel it in every limb. The fact they were standing there, together, despite who he was and all that had happened, was nothing sort of a miracle.

Liz dropped two more balls in quick succession, then took aim once more. The eight ball went shooting across the felt and fell neatly into the targeted pocket. She stood and stretched, a satisfied smirk on her face. Then she saw Max’s expression. He looked like he was remembering something – like he was in pain. The next moment she was in his arms. “What?” she asked, her voice tinged with concern. “What is it?” When he just held her tighter, she stroked one hand up his back, twining her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck. “Hey, it’s okay,” she soothed. “You played much better this time,” she teased gently.

He pulled back and smiled at her, the tension gone. “You were going easy on me,” he said. Then his eyes darkened briefly. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?” he whispered.

Her eyes moistened and she nodded. Standing on tip-toe, she pressed her lips against his, kissing him hard. “I love you, too,” she whispered back when she pulled away. “More than anything.”

He rested his brow against hers. “What do you say we get out of here? Go someplace where we can talk.”

“We haven’t had our fortune cookies,” she pointed out, relieved that his mood seemed lighter.

“We’ll take them with us.”

“Okay,” she agreed. “My roof?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

* * * * *

The Crashdown had gotten quiet and Michael was bored. Maria had gone home when the dinner rush started, promising to come back later when things slowed down, but now that virtually every customer had vanished there was still no sign of her. Though he would have dunked his head in the fryer before admitting it, he missed her constant jabbering. Neither Michelle nor Tracy, the waitresses working the closing shift, provided much in the way of conversation, which was fine with him. It wasn’t the sound of a voice he was itching for – it was the sound of Maria’s voice.

But he was getting restless waiting for her. Each time the little chime over the door sounded, he found himself poking his head into the café to see who it was, though he knew it was more than likely she would come in through the back. He even debated calling her, then decided against it. God, I’m getting as paranoid as Max, he thought. The problem was, he actually was as paranoid as Max. Hadn’t he trailed Maria all over town when Nasedo showed up? He rubbed the back of his neck and shook his head. He was really losing it.

The sound of the door chime had him peering thorough the pass-through window again. It was less than an hour until closing – late for new customers. He was surprised to see Tess come in and sit at the end of the counter. She caught his eye and smiled. He nodded in reply, but stayed where he was. Spending the morning at her house had been more than enough quality time for one day, as far as he was concerned. Maybe she was trying to fit in, but he wasn’t ready to trust her quite yet. He watched as Tracy went over to take her order, then brought her a cherry cola before heading back to hand him the order slip. He was glad for something to do, even if that something was cooking a chicken breast for a Flying Alien special for Tess. Throwing it on the grill, he coated it with a layer of extra spicy barbecue sauce and stood watching it sizzle. A smirk crossed his face when the door to the kitchen squeaked open.

“What took you so long?” he asked.

“Miss me?” Maria asked as she leaned against the door frame.

He looked up and grinned. “You’d like to think so, wouldn’t you?”

She shrugged. “Sorry. Got grilled by Mom,” she said with a sigh. “’Where are you going? How late will you be?’”

“I’m sure she was thrilled when you told her you were coming to see me.”

“My mom likes you,” she insisted. “She just doesn’t completely trust you,” she added with a smirk. “Or maybe it’s me she doesn’t trust. I’m not too sure.”

Michael flipped the chicken over, then wiped his hands on a towel and headed toward the door. He slipped his hands around Maria’s waist and pulled her close for a kiss. “Mmmm… she’s smarter than I thought,” he murmured, kissing her again.

Maria wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, then pulled back and gave him a hard shove. “Watch it, buddy. That’s my mother you’re talking about.” But she had a smile on her face. “So, is it dead out there?” She turned and peered through the diamond-shaped glass in the café door. Almost immediately she turned back, nose wrinkled. “Tess is here.”

“I know,” he said, heading back to the grill. “She just got here. I guess it must get old eating home alone,” he commented.

Maria caught the look on his face and thought briefly of all the nights he did just that. The frown was replaced with a look of sympathy, though even she wasn’t entirely sure to whom the sentiment was directed. “I’ll go talk to her,” she said and sauntered through the door, leaving Michael staring after her in surprise.

Michael felt a brief flutter of panic. He didn’t know what he had expected of her, but it wasn’t this. Quickly, he flipped the chicken onto a roll, threw some lettuce and tomato on top, and slid a pickle onto the plate next to it. A handful of chips followed, and he turned and hit the bell on the counter to signal the order was ready. He was just in time to see Maria slip onto the stool next to Tess who looked up from her magazine in obvious surprise.

“Hi,” Maria said. “Mind if I join you?”

“Uh… no,” Tess said. “Hi.”

“I hear you’re going apartment hunting with Isabel and Alex on Sunday.”

“Yes, I am.”

“That should be fun. I remember when we all went to find Michael’s apartment. I’m glad you’re taking Alex along. Just between you and me, he’s a little more realistic than Isabel. She’d have you in some three bedroom duplex with a Jacuzzi in the master bath,” Maria told her.

Tess just stared at her, blue eyes wide. “Uh…. right. Yeah, it was nice of them to offer to help.” She looked up as the waitress appeared with her dinner. “Thanks,” she said. She turned hesitantly to Maria. “Did you want to order something?” Tess asked.

Maria shook her head. “I’m good. Just waiting for Michael to finish up.”

The front door opened and Maria turned to see Max and Liz walk into the café. They headed for the counter, Max looking concerned to see Maria and Tess sitting side-by-side, and Liz with her eyebrows arched questioningly. Maria smiled and gave them a little wave.

“Hey,” Max said. “What’s up?” His eyes skipped to Tess, who seemed to be at a loss.

“Not much,” Maria said. “We were just talking about Tess’s upcoming apartment search. I was telling her Alex will keep things reasonable, or else Isabel would have her in something way out of her price range.”

Max nodded and squeezed Liz’s hand, as if questioning what they should do. Liz just smiled. “So, Tess,” she began, aware that this was their first conversation in weeks, “do you have any idea where you want to live?”

“Not really,” she replied. “I guess I don’t have much to go by. It’s not like I’m that familiar with Roswell. And I should also get myself some sort of job.”

“I thought you were okay for money, what with the house and everything?” Max said with a frown. “Didn’t… uh… your father set things up for you?”

Tess nodded. “There is plenty, but I just thought I should try to conserve it as much as possible.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “In case we need it for an emergency,” she said.

“Right.” Max looked embarrassed.

“It’s nice of you, Tess,” Liz said. “I mean, to think about Michael, Isabel, and Max that way. To think ahead,” she said quietly, her tone sincere.

Tess shrugged. “I guess it really goes for all of you,” she said, meeting Liz’s gaze. “If we’re all in this together, that is,” she said.

Liz felt Max’s arm slip around her waist and could tell he was smiling. “Thanks, Tess. I think maybe we are.”

Maria watched the exchange between Liz and Tess and felt that maybe things would finally work out. Remembering her conversation with Liz earlier, she cleared her throat hesitantly. “Uh… Tess? My mom might need someone to work in her shop, if you’re interested. I could check with her.”

Tess turned to Maria, her eyes once more round with surprise. “You’d do that for me?”

“Yeah, why not?” Her eyes narrowed. “But you can’t go doing anything to her, okay? She doesn’t know anything about any of this.”

“Maria!” Liz said, grabbing at her hand.

“What?” she asked Liz. “I’m not saying anything wrong,” she insisted. “So,” she continued, turning back to Tess. “Would you like me to ask her?”

“What kind of store is it?” Tess asked. “Just out of curiosity.”

Liz suppressed a giggle, but Max started to laugh. Maria smiled and shrugged.

Tess started to smile. “I guess it was a silly question. I’m assuming we’re talking something with an alien theme, aren’t we?”

“If there is an alien doo dad within a thirty mile radius, Maria’s mother sold it,” Michael volunteered from where he had come up behind Maria unnoticed.

“What?” Maria snapped, spinning on her stool and swatting at him. “You have a problem with what my mother does for a living, pally?”

Having seen Michael and Maria in action often enough to know when an argument was brewing, Tess jumped in. “Maria, I’d be really grateful if you would ask your mom if she needs any help,” she told her. “And thanks.”

Maria turned back, softening. “You’re welcome.”

“I guess this makes you official,” Max remarked. “We all work at some sort of alien-themed tourist trap – at least those of us who work,” he said with a grin.

Michael snorted. “The day Princess Isabel gets a part time job is the day I give up looking for little green men.”

“Hey, she did cover for me here that time,” Liz pointed out in Isabel’s defense.

Michael shook his head. “Doesn’t count.”

Max laughed. “But it was worth it to see her in the uniform.” He slipped his hand into Liz’s and gave a tug. “We’re gonna go hang out upstairs, guys,” he said. “We’ll see you later.”

Everyone said good night, and Liz and Max disappeared through the back to head upstairs. Michael grabbed himself a soda and perched on the stool next to Maria and the three of them chatted quietly until Tess was finished with her meal. When she had thanked them again and gone, Michael spun Maria’s stool so she faced him.

“What?” she asked when he merely continued to stare at her.

“You’re pretty amazing,” he said quietly, smirking when a light blush suffused her face. “Really. What you did tonight. I thought you hated Tess.”

Maria shrugged. “I hated what she was doing to all of us, especially what she did to Liz and Max. She showed up and it was like everything went haywire. But I can see that things are getting back to the way they should be.”

“That doesn’t explain why you were actually nice.”

“Hey! I can be nice,” Maria said kicking at his feet.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t. But you were nice to her, specifically.”

“Yeah. Well, I was talking to Liz and she pointed out some things. I guess I realized how lonely she must feel.”

Michael nodded, then leaned over and kissed her pouting mouth. “Softy,” he commented.

“Don’t knock it, buddy,” she mumbled against his lips. “It got you through the door.

* * * * *

It was a clear night and the sky appeared more star-filled than usual. Once they had climbed out onto the roof, Max went and stood by the wall to stare out over the town, his eyes drinking in the spectacle that hovered above the horizon. Liz came up beside him and rested her head on his shoulder.

“They’re so beautiful,” she said, the awe she felt reflected in her voice. “It reminds me of that night we spent out near the old radio tower, when we found the orb.”

Max shifted, slipping his arm around her shoulders and leaning his head on top of hers. “And I told you that’s what is out there, all the time,” he recalled.

“If only we could see it,” she finished with a wistful smile. “They’re like the world’s night-lights.”

“Maybe that’s why we seem to have most of our serious discussions out here in the dark,” he said. “Night-lights can be comforting.”

Liz pulled away and turned toward Max. “Are we going to have a serious discussion?”

“You tell me. You’ve obviously had something on your mind all evening. You want to let me in on it?” he asked.

Liz sighed, her gaze falling to her feet. “It’s about your… sleeping arrangements.”

He smiled and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “I thought it might be something like that. Michael’s going to come over later, so you can stop worrying.”

“I know. Maria told me.” She looked up, her face etched with concern. “But, Max, that doesn’t solve anything. You can’t go through life with one of us sleeping on your bedroom floor every night.”

“I didn’t notice you spending much time on the floor,” he teased.

“Max, this is serious.”

“I know,” he said, quietly. “See, I knew it was going to be a serious conversation.” He sighed. “Does this have something to do with your trip to the library this afternoon?”

“I wanted to do some research on what causes nightmares and how to stop them,” she told him.

He stepped back and walked to the far end of the balcony, but when he turned to face her his expression was one of mild amusement mingled with love. “I should have known,” he said with a smile. “Did you find anything useful?”

Liz shrugged. “Hard to tell. It’s not like you’re a typical subject,” she reminded him. “So, you’re not upset with me?”

“Upset that you’re looking for a way to help me?” he asked softly. “Why would I be?”

She quickly crossed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him. “I know you’ve been reluctant to talk about it,” she said, her face buried in his chest as he held her close. “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me pushing the issue.”

“Liz,” he said, cupping her chin and tilting her face up so he could meet her eyes, “Just because I don’t want to talk about what happened at Eagle Rock, doesn’t mean I don’t want to find a way to stop the nightmares. You think I enjoy going to sleep wondering what the night will bring? Knowing I need someone nearby to wake me up if it gets really bad?”

“No,” she whispered. “I know you hate it. And that you’re just as worried about it as the rest of us.” She reached up and stroked the side of his face. “I just wish I could have learned more. Everything points to the same things: you need to talk about it, however much it hurts you, if you’re ever going to be free of it.”

He looked into her soft brown eyes, glistening with unshed tears. “I promised that I would try, and I will,” he told her. “I hate the way things are right now – everyone looking at me in the morning to see if I survived the night. Michael having to come over. I just need a little more time.”

“Will you read the information I got at the library?”

“Of course. Every word. And I will get past this, Liz. I swear to you, we’ll get through it somehow. Thank you,” he said, brushing a kiss across her lips. “For caring enough to try to help. I just don’t want you to worry, okay?”

“Max, that’s like telling me not to breathe,” she said softly.

He smiled. “Along those lines, do me a favor?”

“I bet I know what this is about,” she smirked.

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “When did I get to be that predictable?”

She laughed. “Max, you tell me not to worry about you, but you still try to take care of every single one of us, every hour of the day. You’re annoyed at me for going to the library alone, even after Michael told me that you thought someone was watching you this morning,” she said, and her eyes were serious despite the smile lingering on her lips. “I promise I was careful,” she told him.

He pulled her back into the circle of his arms, hugging her protectively against his chest. “I know you think I’m being controlling,” he whispered. “I just couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you.”

“I know. But you have to trust me. Trust all of us.” She looked up at him, her eyes full of love. “Max, we all know what we’re up against. At least, as much as we can know. We’ll be cautious, but we can’t stop living our lives. There’s more than one way to find yourself held captive,” she said gently.

He nodded. “You’re right. Just…”

“Be careful,” she finished for him. “I promise.” She sealed her words with a kiss, her mouth fitting perfectly to his. “I won’t do anything that will put me in danger. If only to keep you from having to come rescue me.”

“Liz, we’ve been over this…”

“I know,” she said, stopping him by pressing two fingers over his mouth. “I’m not saying it was my fault that Pierce took you – just that I’m going to do my best to make sure we never find ourselves in that position again. Okay?”

He nodded. “Whatever keeps you safe,” he said, his arms tightening around her.

“No,” she corrected. “Whatever keeps all of us safe.”

* * * * *

Isabel and Alex emerged from the movie theater, hand in hand, and strolled slowly down the street. They had left the Jeep by the restaurant, agreeing the walk would be welcome after their large dinner, and now they were glad for the chance to enjoy the starry night on the walk back. It was peaceful, the street deserted as most of the movie-goers had parked behind the theater. The tiny white lights that decorated the trees year-round twinkled merrily, imitating the stars above them.

“So, what did you think of the movie?” Isabel asked, a smile teasing her lips.

Alex grinned. “I’m used to chick flicks. One of the drawbacks of being best friends with two girls for the last five years. Or the advantages, I suppose, from your perspective. I’m well trained.”

Isabel laughed. “Remind me to thank Liz and Maria. But, honestly, it wasn’t that bad, was it?”

“Nah. After all, where do you think I got all my sensitivity training? I know a learning opportunity when I see one.”

“Check it out,” she said, pointing to the limousine parked on the side street. “Who do they think they are? A black stretch limo in Roswell? With tinted windows, no less.” Her disdain clear, she shook her head. “There aren’t any bands in town, are there?”

Alex snorted. “The closest we’ve gotten in the last year was the mystery group for the KROZ Blind Date Concert, and they never got out of Albuquerque. Besides,” he noted as they walked past, “they’ve got New York plates.”

“They drove from New York to Roswell in a limousine?”

Alex shrugged. “Maybe they’re on their way to LA.”

“Why not just fly?”

“Some people are afraid of flying,” he pointed out.

“I guess,” she said, though her tone indicated she thought the idea ridiculous. Stifling a yawn, she fumbled in her purse for her keys. “I’m glad Michael’s working tomorrow morning,” she said as they reached the Jeep. “At least I can sleep in before reporting for combat training,” she muttered under her breath.

“Is it that bad?” Alex asked as he climbed into the passenger seat.

Isabel shrugged and got in next to him. “I guess not. It just seems strange, you know. Not how I envisioned spending my summer vacation, that’s for sure.”

“Isn’t it a shame they stopped giving us those writing assignments back in elementary school? You know, the “what-I-did-on-my-summer-vacation-in-500-words” paper. You’d have had a ball come September.”

“Oh yeah. I can see it now. ‘During my summer vacation, I practiced projecting energy in a fiery ball to hit a tin can at thirty yards.’”

“Hey, I’d give it an A.”

Isabel smiled. “You’re biased.”

“Without a doubt,” he agreed, leaning over and kissing her. Then he pulled back and smiled. “Why don’t we get going so you can get some sleep?”

“Thanks,” she said. She turned the key in the ignition and, checking her rearview mirror, slowly started to back into the street. A frown played across her lips and she turned to look over her shoulder.

“What?” Alex asked when he noticed her movement.

“I’m not sure,” she said slowly. “I thought I saw a camera lens poking through the window of that limo.”

Alex turned and looked. All of the limousine windows were closed. “I don’t see anything.”

“I don’t either, now,” she said. “But Max thought someone was watching Tess’s house this morning. Remember, he said there was a strange reflection of light on the front door that caught his attention.”

“Like light bouncing off a camera lens,” Alex filled in the rest of her thought.

“Exactly. I keep thinking of all those pictures at Tess’s that Nasedo took of us.”

“You think it may be Nasedo?”

“I don’t know. Max told him not to follow us, but how do we know if he listened?”

“We don’t,” Alex agreed. “Or it could be someone else.”

“Or it could be my imagination,” Isabel added, looking worriedly at Alex.

“One way to find out. Go around the block and come around the limo from the other end. See what they’re doing.”

“Okay.” She checked the side mirror and continued to back up, then shifted into drive and headed down the street, making a right at the next corner. Taking another right turn, she glanced at Alex. “Is this a stupid thing to be doing?”

“Not if we want to know who they are,” he said.

“Right,” she agreed. “Besides, I have to get used to this, don’t I?”

“We all do,” he said.

She turned again and slowed the Jeep to a crawl, trying to see to the end of the block where the limo was parked. “Alex, do you see anything?”

Holding onto the frame of the Jeep, he leaned carefully to the side and peered down the street. “Uh, Iz, I don’t see it anymore. I think they pulled out of their parking spot.”

“So at least we know there was someone in there,” she said. “I mean, the street was deserted and all of the stores are closed. They couldn’t have come from one of the restaurants or the theater, gotten into the limo, and disappeared in the amount of time it took for us to go around the block.” She pulled up to the stop sign at the corner and eyed the empty parking space. “I don’t like this, Alex.”

“I’m not exactly thrilled with it either,” he agreed. “Let’s go.”

Isabel turned right once more and started down the street. Suddenly, she shivered.

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I just felt cold for a second.”

“Isabel, it’s like eighty-five degrees out,” Alex pointed out.

“I know.” She glanced in the rearview mirror. “Oh shit.”

“What?”

“The limo. It’s behind us.”

“You mean as in following us?” Alex asked, his voice raising an octave.

“That’s exactly what I mean. What do I do?”

“Go faster,” he said immediately.

“You want me to try to outrun them? Are you crazy?”

“They’re in a limo, Isabel. They don’t exactly build them for speed. Just go.”

“Okay.” She bit down on her lip as she started to accelerate, darting nervous looks in the mirror. “They’re speeding up, too.”

“Damn. Look, the town is pretty much empty. We need to go someplace with people.”

“Where, Alex?” she asked as she careened around a corner, completely disregarding the red light.

“Not the Crashdown. We can’t lead them to the others, whoever they are. Try the Sheriff’s office,” he said. “Maybe Valenti’s there.”

“It’s so late, Alex. What if it’s just one of the deputies?” Her voice was taking on a desperate quality.

Alex risked a look behind them. The limo was still there, half a block back. “Look, we don’t have much of a choice. Just head that way. We can always keep going. I don’t have any other ideas.”

“Okay, I’m sorry,” she said. She skidded around another turn, sending the Jeep briefly onto two tires. “Hell,” she muttered as the other wheels came down with a thump. “What do they want?”

“They probably figured out you spotted them,” he said, tightening his grip on the side of his seat. “Just keep going.” Suddenly something hot whizzed past his right ear. “Oh my God,” he muttered. “Move,” he ordered. “Faster. I think they’re shooting at us.”

“Shooting at us?” Isabel screeched. “What is this, revenge of the action films? I swear, next time we see a Bruce Willis…argh.” She broke off with a scream as the Jeep swerved into the wrong side of the road.

Alex reached over and grabbed the wheel and pulled hard until they veered back to the right. “What happened? Did they hit a tire?” he asked, thanking the stars there was no oncoming traffic.

“No,” Isabel said through clenched teeth. “They hit me.”

“What?”

“My shoulder,” she said, holding tight to the steering wheel, her knuckles white. “I think it just grazed it.”

“Let me see,” Alex ordered.

“Alex, we can’t pull over,” she said, blinking hard as she concentrated on the road. “I’m okay. I don’t think it was a regular gun. I think maybe it’s some kind of laser thing.”

“A laser thing? You mean like…”

“Yeah,” she said on a harsh breath. “We’re talking set your phasers for stun.” She shook her head briefly, as if trying to clear her vision. “Are they still firing?”

“I don’t think so,” he said. “But they’re still back there,” he added. “We need to shake them off.”

“Alex, I need you to do something for me.”

“Anything,” he said quickly, his voice laced with concern.

“I need you to slide over and put your left foot on the gas,” she said slowly. “Then I want you to take the wheel.”

“What are you going to do?” he asked, already unfastening his seat belt and moving closer.

“Just keep going straight,” she said. “I’m gonna try to stop them.”

“How?”

She blinked again. “No time for details. Just do it.”

He slid his foot in next to hers and took over the gas, then grabbed the steering wheel. “Okay, got it,” he said.

Isabel swiveled to her left, grimacing as her shoulder bumped against the seat. She grabbed hold of the roll bar with her left hand, ignoring the pain shooting down her arm as best she could. Gritting her teeth, she extended her right arm out and took careful aim. “Alex, slow down a little. They’re too far away,” she ground out.

“You want them closer?” he asked, incredulous.

“Alex….”

“Fine.” He let up on the gas and the limo suddenly shot forward.

Isabel held her breath and concentrated, blocking out the pain, the movement of the Jeep, the sound of Alex muttering to himself. Then she pushed with her mind, forcing every drop of energy out toward the limo. A burst of flame shot from her hand and flew straight out behind them, hitting the limousine squarely on the hood. There was a sudden crackle of electric current and sparks danced across the head lights, followed by a series of popping sounds. The limo sputtered and jerked from side to side before slowing to a stop in the middle of the road. The Jeep continued to shoot down the street, leaving its pursuer behind.

Turning back to face front, Isabel slumped to the side. Alex shot her a worried look, then quickly struggled to maneuver the Jeep around the corner and into the lot at the Sheriff’s station. “Isabel,” he urged as he hit the brake and skidded to a stop. He pulled up on the emergency brake, then turned to her and gently took the hand closest to him. “Isabel, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she managed. “Just really drained feeling. And my shoulder’s on fire,” she whispered.

“Come on,” he said. He climbed out and hurried around the side of the car to help her out. “Valenti’s cruiser’s here. Let’s get inside. I don’t want to hang around and see if those guys come after us on foot.” He winced when he saw the neat four-inch burn marring the width of her shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay,” he murmured. Slipping her right arm over his shoulders, he supported her as they half-stumbled into the Sheriff’s station.

* * * * *

The sound of an explosion on the street below had Jim Valenti leaping from behind his desk and grabbing for his holster. He buckled it in place as he sprinted for the stairs. The squeal of tires on asphalt assaulted his ears as he took the steps down three at a time, reaching the main level and turning the corner in time to see Isabel and Alex stagger through the front doors. “What happened?” he shot out, hurrying to help them. His eyes took in the shocky pallor of Isabel’s skin and the way she leaned heavily on Alex’s shoulders, and he swore under his breath. “Come on,” he urged, not waiting for explanations. He led them toward the back room. “There’s a couch in here.”

The followed him into the office, Alex carefully maneuvering Isabel through the doorway and lowering her onto the green vinyl couch. She caught herself with her good arm and gingerly eased back, keeping her injured shoulder from jarring as she slowly allowed herself to relax. She closed her eyes for a moment, then took a deep breath. When she opened them again, two sets of blue eyes were staring at her, filled with concern.

“I’m all right,” she said, her voice quiet, but even. “Just give me a minute.”

Alex crouched in front of her, his hand on her knee. “We need to call Max,” he said.

“No!” Isabel said.

“What do you mean, no? We have to. We need him to fix your shoulder, among other things,” Alex argued.

“Not yet,” she amended. “I can take care of my shoulder myself, okay? I just need to rest a little first. Then we can tell Max. Not before. You know how paranoid he is already. If he thinks we can’t handle ourselves, he’ll have us all under house arrest. Please, Alex.”

Alex scowled, but nodded. “Okay.”

The Sheriff looked worried. “One of you mind telling me what the hell’s going on here? I heard some kind of an explosion.” His eyes traveled to the bright red mark on Isabel’s shoulder. “And what happened to you, Isabel?”

Isabel looked at Alex, who shrugged. “There was this limo with darkened windows parked down the street from us when we came out of the movies tonight. Isabel thought she saw someone taking pictures of us. When we went to leave, the limo followed us. We sped up, so did they. Then they started shooting at us.”

“Jesus!”

“One of them got Isabel in the shoulder.”

“That’s no bullet wound,” the Sheriff stated.

“No, it’s not,” Isabel agreed.

Valenti looked at the two teenagers in front of him and slowly shook his head. “Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me?”

“They weren’t from around here,” Alex said. “And I don’t say that simply because the limo had New York plates,” he muttered. “I think it’s safe to assume they came a little further than from the East Coast.”

“Damn,” he mumbled. “I thought three of you was …”

“Four,” Isabel corrected.

“Tess,” Alex added, when the Sheriff looked confused.

“Of course,” he said, shaking his head. Then he seemed to snap back to attention. “What happened to the limo? Did it stop following you?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Isabel muttered, shifting to a more comfortable position.

“That would be the explosion you heard,” Alex supplied. “Isabel… stopped them.”

The Sheriff turned to her. “With your powers,” he said.

She nodded, though she knew it was unnecessary. “That’s why I’m so worn out,” she said. “My arm isn’t really that bad. Just a flesh wound,” she added, seeing Alex’s worried look.

“But it’s your flesh,” he pointed out, causing her to smile.

“I’m okay, Alex.”

“Where was that limo when you stopped it?” the Sheriff asked.

“Around the corner on Citrus,” Alex said.

“Okay,” he said. “You two stay here and get your breath back. I’m gonna go check it out.”

“You can’t,” Isabel said, reaching out and grabbing him by the arm. “Sheriff, you don’t understand. This isn’t some punk, or even some crazy alien hunter. This is a genuine alien with weapons out of some bad science fiction movie. You can’t just go knock on the window and ask to see some identification.”

“Isabel, this is my job.”

“No,” Alex said, shaking his head. “Sheriff, this is not your job. No one ever trained you for this kind of thing.”

“Son, I’ve lived my entire life in Roswell, New Mexico,” he said with a grimace. “If I’m not prepared for this, no one is.”

“I can’t let you go out there,” Isabel said, still holding tightly to his wrist. “You’re not equipped.”

“And you are?” he asked.

“Better than you,” she told him.

“Maybe you were, but right now you’re injured and you’re exhausted. We’re wasting time,” he said, gently pulling out of her grasp. “I’ll be careful,” he said. “But I took an oath to serve and protect, and that’s what I intend to do. Sit tight. I’ll be back.” He turned and headed out the door, the sound of his boots on the polished floor echoing through the empty hallway.

“We should have stopped him,” Isabel said quietly.

“How? The man carries a gun. It’ll be okay,” Alex said, sounding more confident than he looked. “Are you feeling any better yet?”

“A little. Do you think maybe you can find me something to drink, though? Water would be okay, though a soda would be better.”

“What kind?”

She smirked. “Anything with lots of sugar and caffeine.”

“I’ll be right back.”

He returned a moment later balancing two cans of Coke and a can of root beer. “Here,” he said, popping open the first soda and handing it to her. She gulped quickly while he watched.

“Thanks,” she said, setting the half-empty can on the floor next to her. She took a deep breath and exhaled. “That helped.”

“You’re getting some of your color back,” he observed.

She slowly rolled her injured shoulder experimentally and made a face. “Not as bad as it could be, I suppose.” She reached down and picked up the soda and finished it off rapidly.

“Another?” Alex asked.

“No, thanks. Not right now. I need to do something about this first,” she said. Cupping her right palm over her shoulder, she closed her eyes and concentrated. Alex could almost feel the energy coursing through her and after a minute he could see a dim light seeping out from under her hand, as if her shoulder was glowing. When she finally opened her eyes and removed her hand, the wound was gone.

“Wow,” he said. “I mean, I saw Max heal Kyle at the UFO Center, but…. well, wow.”

Isabel smiled. “I think I’ll take that other soda now.”

He nodded and handed her the can. Then he sank down next to her and opened his root beer. “So,” he said after taking a long sip. “That really happened, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, it did,” she said, though she sounded less than sure herself. She turned abruptly at the sound of footsteps and looked relieved when the Sheriff came striding back into the room.

He looked at the exhausted faces turned toward him, then swiftly glanced down and noted that Isabel had been healed. Standing in front of them, he leaned back against the front of an old desk and shook his head. “Not a trace of anything,” he told them. “The limo was gone. No one up or down the block. I’m guessing there weren’t any witnesses, either?”

“God, I hope not,” Isabel said, thinking of the show she had put on.

Alex shook his head. “There was no one around, Sheriff.”

“You call Max and the others?”

“I was just going to,” Isabel said. “Alex, can I have my phone, please?”

He picked up her bag from the floor where they had tossed it when they’d arrived. Fishing out her cell, he passed it to her. “What are you going to tell him?”

She met the Sheriff’s gaze. “To round everyone up and get over here,” she said. “It looks like it’s time for another group meeting.”

* * * * *

When Liz’s cell phone rang, she was sitting curled on her lounge chair, a frown on her face, as Max peered down onto the street. He had been reading the information she had gotten at the library until some loud noises on the street had diverted his attention. It had been nearly fifteen minutes, yet he was still leaning over the wall as if he thought he could see something, the papers she had given him clutched in his hand, forgotten. She was so focused on his odd behavior that it took her a moment to identify the ringing sound.

She stood and looked at him, his back to her, and felt inexplicably afraid. “Max, it was just a truck backfiring,” she said for the third time. He didn’t even turn around. Liz sighed and reached through her window to grab the phone off her desk. “Hello?”

“Liz? It’s Isabel. Where are you?”

“I’m home,” Liz replied. “Is something wrong?” she asked, wanting to kick herself at the automatic assumption, but somehow sensing it was the right one.

“Is Max there?”

Liz’s eyes flicked up to where Max still stood, statue-like. Barely, she thought. “Yeah. What’s going on?”

“I’ll explain in a minute. Do you know where Michael and Maria are?”

“I think they’re still downstairs. Maria stayed to help Michael close up, but I don’t think I heard them leave. Isabel, you’re scaring me,” she said, dropping her voice. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, for now. Listen, Alex and I are at the Sheriff’s station. We need the four of you to get over here right now. Whatever you do, don’t walk, okay? Take Maria’s car. If she and Michael are gone, find them and have them come get you. Or else call me back and the Sheriff will come pick you up. Understand?”

“What happened?” Liz demanded.

“Max was right. Someone’s been following us. And they’re armed.”

“Oh my God,” she breathed. “We heard something, but….”

“We’re okay. Liz, we’re fine. Just please be careful. And hurry.”

“We will.” She hung up and stood perfectly still for a second, just allowing herself to breathe. It seemed they would never get a break. All she wanted was a few days where things could be normal – where they could have time to relax and Max could heal. Looking up, she realized he had turned and was watching her, his eyes serious.

“Something happened,” he stated.

She nodded. “That was Isabel. Someone was following her and Alex tonight. She says they’re fine, but they’re at the Sheriff’s station and she wants the four of us to go there now.”

“Did she say what happened?” he asked.

“Not really. Just that whoever they were, they were armed,” Liz said slowly. “That sound… Max… I was wrong. It wasn’t a truck…”

Max crossed the space between them in three quick strides and had her in his arms. She clung to him, not realizing until she felt him holding her that she was trembling. “Shhh…,” he soothed. “It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay. I swear, it’ll be fine.”

“How can you promise me that?” she asked, fighting the tears. “It’s all so insane, Max. People are shooting at us, at our friends. It’s so unreal.”

“I know,” he said, his arms tightening. “But we can do this.” He pulled back and looked her in the eye, taking her face in his hands. “We can do this,” he repeated. “We have to.”

She looked at the determined set of his jaw and nodded, refusing to acknowledge what else she saw there – the haunted look, the fine creases to either side of his eyes, the fatigue. It was as if a previous lifetime’s cares and worries had suddenly appeared on his face in the past few weeks, transforming the boy into this man – this warrior. She swallowed hard and nodded, pulling herself together. The only way they had a chance was if they all held firm. If he could be strong, with all the pressure that was bearing down on him, so could she. She would do it for him.

“Let’s go see if Michael and Maria are still here,” she said.

Max smiled. “Good idea.” He kissed her quickly and released her. Then he bent down and picked up the papers he had dropped when he’d taken her in his arms. He folded them carefully and tucked them in his back pocket, then looked up and caught her watching him. “I wasn’t going to forget them,” he said, reaching out and stroking a finger down her cheek.

Liz caught his hand and kissed it. “Thanks,” she whispered.

“Okay, let’s go,” he said. Taking her hand, he helped her through the window, then swung himself in after her.

* * * * *

Michael stood in the front window of the Crashdown, his eyes scanning the street. He and Maria had been getting ready to leave when they’d heard the explosion, and though it sounded like it had come from the next block over, they had both dashed to the window to see what had happened. The street had been deserted. Michael had thought it peculiar that the noise hadn’t produced any signs of activity – no ambulance, no fire truck, no police. It had briefly crossed his mind to take a short walk to see if he could find anything, but he knew that he wouldn’t make it out the door without Maria tagging along, and his instincts told him that was a bad idea. So instead, he stood watching the empty street anxiously, while Maria paced back and forth restlessly behind him.

“I don’t know what you expect to see from here,” she said. “Michael?”

“Would you go sit down or something,” he told her, finally tearing his eyes from the silent shadows and turning to her. “You’re gonna wear a trench in the floor,” he said, his patience starting to fail.

She stopped pacing and stared at him. “I thought we were going to leave, Michael. Why should I sit down? You said you wanted to go to your place for a while before you go to Max’s, and now you’re more interested in the view. What am I missing here?”

He ran his hands through his hair and sighed heavily. “I’m not sure. Something’s not right, that’s all I know.” He left his post by the window and came over to where she stood, one hip propped against a stool, her lips forming a perfect pout. “Sorry,” he murmured, kissing her gently. He rubbed the palms of his hands up and down her arms in a comforting caress.

Maria softened. “No” she said, “I’m sorry. You really think that exploding sound means something?”

He shrugged. “It’s just a feeling… I can’t place it.” He looked up at a series of thumping sounds on the back stairs. An uncharacteristic grin transformed his face. “I guess Max and Liz finally got tired of walking in on us,” he said.

Maria rolled her eyes and headed toward the back just as the door swung open and Liz and Max appeared. “Hey, you guys,” she said.

“What is it?” Michael asked, registering the other two’s serious expressions.

“Isabel called,” Max said. “She and Alex are holed up with Valenti at the Sheriff’s station. Someone was following them. And from the sounds of things, taking pot shots at them.”

“Oh my God, are they all right?” Maria asked.

Liz nodded. “Yeah, Isabel said they’re both fine. But she wants us over there ASAP.”

Michael scowled and shook his head. “We heard…”

“So did we,” Max broke in. “We don’t have time for speculations. Let’s just get over there and hear what they have to say.”

Michael reached out and slipped his hand into Maria’s, tugging her close. When he realized she was trembling slightly, he dropped her hand and pulled her into a quick, hard hug, kissing the top of her head. She melted into him, her arms winding around his waist. “Come on,” he whispered in her ear.

She nodded and pulled away, flashing him a small, brave smile. “I’ll go get my keys.”

The four of them exited through the back, with Max going first and Michael bringing up the rear. Neither Liz nor Maria protested when the guys insisted on checking out the parking lot before allowing them near the car. Michael drove and Max sat shotgun. No one spoke during the brief ride to the Sheriff’s station. Only when they pulled into the parking lot, and saw the haphazard way Isabel had parked the Jeep, did anyone say a word.

“That looks…”

“Bad,” Max finished for Maria. He exchanged a quick look with Michael. “Don’t park in a space,” he told him. “Pull up closer to the front doors.”

“Right.” Michael carefully eased the Jetta over the curb and parked on the sidewalk.

“Okay,” Max said, swiveling in his seat. “Liz, open your door and head straight inside. Don’t stop, don’t wait for us, just go. Maria, slide over as soon as she’s out of the car and follow her. Same thing. Right inside.”

The girls nodded. Liz popped open the door and the two of them hurried into the building. Max and Michael were just seconds behind them. As soon as Michael cleared the front door, the four of them headed down the hall.

* * * * *

At the sound of footsteps, Isabel tore out of the office and around the corner, straight into Max’s arms. “God, I was so worried you wouldn’t get here,” she told him, her voice muffled against his shoulder as he hugged her close.

“We’re here and we’re fine. No sign of trouble,” he assured her. His eyes met with Alex’s as he and the Sheriff appeared. Max frowned, stroking Isabel’s back with long soothing motions. Alex looked pale and Valenti had a stern expression on his face. “Now, tell us what happened,” he said, pulling back. “The whole thing, from the beginning.”

“Why don’t we go sit down,” the Sheriff suggested, turning back the way they had come. The six of them followed, falling into pairs. Isabel gravitated back to Alex, Michael and Maria followed, and Max held his hand out for Liz to join him. They all piled into the cramped office, sitting on the sofa and the desk and leaning against walls, taking up every inch of available space.

Curled on the sofa next to Alex, Isabel began to recount the evening’s events, telling them about spotting the limousine and then suspecting that whoever was inside was taking pictures of them. Alex interjected from time to time, explaining it had been his idea to go around the block to try and get a better look.

“It was a stupid idea,” he said, shaking his head. “Maybe they wouldn’t have come after us if we had just pulled out of the parking space and gone home.”

“No, Alex, that’s not true,” Isabel told him. “They must have started following us almost immediately, or else they wouldn’t have pulled up behind us that fast.”

“She’s right,” Max told him. “It sounds like they probably had an eye on you before you went into the movies. You just didn’t notice because it was early and there were more people around.”

Alex looked doubtful. Isabel pulled away and gave him a hard shove. “Don’t you dare do this. We have enough people here who try to take the blame for things that are completely out of their hands,” she snapped at him. “I’m not putting up with another one, do you hear me?”

He nodded. “Yes ma’am,” he said slowly, bringing a sheepish smile to Isabel’s face.

“Sorry,” she said. “But I’m sick of it. We’re all doing the best we can.” She shot a look toward Max who avoided her gaze. “It was no more your fault they chased us than it was my fault, okay? We had no way of knowing what would happen.”

Alex waited for her to continue, knowing what part of the story came next, but she suddenly seemed extremely interested in the hem of her dress. He looked toward the others and realized they were also patiently awaiting the rest of Isabel’s explanation. “Go on, Iz,” he prompted finally. “Tell them,” he urged when she looked up.

Isabel sighed. “Right. Anyway, I sped up and so did they. Alex thought we should try to make it over here, hoping the Sheriff would be around. We were afraid to go to the Crashdown because we figured you would all be there and there wasn’t any time to warn you.” She turned to Alex, her eyes nervous. He smiled and took her hand encouragingly. “Well, uh, they started shooting at us about then,” Isabel continued. “And then they got me in the shoulder,” she said softly.

“They what?” Max flew from his seat on the desk and was kneeling in front of Isabel in an instant. “Iz, are you okay? Why didn’t you tell me? Let me see.” Liz, Maria, and Michael crowded forward as well, anxiously looking for signs of injury.

“You said you were fine,” Liz said, in an almost accusatory tone.

Isabel held up both hands to try to quiet everyone. “You guys, I am fine. Really. Max, stop it,” she demanded as her brother reached for her and started running his hands gingerly up and down her arms. “Cut it out, all of you.”

“Enough!” Alex announced, suddenly standing up, causing Max to fall backwards onto the floor and forcing the rest of them back a step. “Jesus, you are too much. Leave her alone. Don’t you think she’d have said before if she needed help?” he demanded. “She healed herself. She’s perfectly fine. It was amazing. She stopped those guys cold, got back here and patched up her shoulder. It was like something out of the movies,” he finished, sitting back down again, his voice calm and just tinged with awe.

Isabel sat, her eyes glued to Alex, a grin plastered on her face. “Thanks,” she said when he was seated once more.

“You’re welcome,” he told her, his blue eyes having regained their twinkle for the first time since the night’s craziness began.

Max stood up, looking somewhat sheepish, and brushed off the seat of his jeans. “Sorry, Iz,” he told her as he went and sat back down next to Liz.

“That’s okay,” she said, her look encompassing all of them. “I guess I’d be hurt if you weren’t worried,” she added with a hint of a smile. “But really, I’m perfectly fine.”

The Sheriff cleared his throat. “I hate to interrupt, folks, but I feel the need to point out one very important detail that’s been neglected so far. Whatever was used to shoot Isabel, it wasn’t a gun.”

“What do you mean, it wasn’t a gun?” Michael asked. “What else do you shoot?”

Valenti shrugged, but his words belied his casual stance. “I don’t really know the answer to that, I’m afraid. But that was no bullet that grazed her arm. There was no blood, as if the wound had been cauterized.”

Alex nodded in agreement. “It looked like she’d been hit by some kind of laser beam.”

“A laser beam,” Max repeated slowly. Everyone turned and looked at him. He shook his head and closed his eyes for a moment. “You realize what this means?” he asked when he opened his eyes again.

“Yeah,” Isabel said.

“I’m sorry, but I’m confused,” Maria said. “What does it mean to be shot with a laser?”

“It basically tells us that we can stop wondering whether we alerted our enemies to our presence in Roswell,” Isabel explained. “Because it would seem that they’re already here.”

“Oh,” Maria said. There seemed to be no other appropriate response. She inched closer to Michael and he reached out and took her hand.

Liz leaned against Max and took his hand in hers. She knew that, though he had never regretted using the orbs and receiving the message from their planet, he was bound to be second guessing his decision now that he had proof of the consequences of his actions. It was simply his nature to feel responsible. She squeezed his hand in both of hers and was relieved when he turned and brushed a kiss on her forehead.

“So, what now?” Michael asked.

“How did you stop them, Isabel?” Max asked. “How did you guys get away?”

“I shot a ball of energy at the limo and it seemed to short circuit it,” she replied. “I remembered what you said you did, Michael, when you stopped the Hummer that was chasing Max and Liz.”

“It didn’t last long, though,” Alex said. “By the time we got back here and the Sheriff went to check it out, they were gone and the limo was gone with them.”

Max turned questioning eyes toward Valenti.

“Couldn’t have been more than ten, fifteen minutes tops,” the Sheriff told him.

“So, they could fix whatever was wrong and just drive away,” Michael surmised.

“Either that or they travel with their own tow truck,” Alex offered.

Michael shook his head, but couldn’t keep himself from smirking. “Max? What do you think?”

“I think that I wish we’d had more time to train,” Max admitted. “And that I would like to know more about our nameless, faceless enemies. We don’t even know if there’s more than one of them.”

“I would think that’s a pretty safe assumption,” Liz said. “The four of you were sent here with four adults. That’s eight. I would think they’d send at least the same number to come after you and destroy you.”

“If not more,” Michael said.

“We should call Tess and fill her in,” Max said. “She has to know what’s going on. This is getting serious.”

“It’s late,” Michael told him. “She’ll be okay until tomorrow. She went home hours ago.”

“What do we do?” Maria asked. “Is it even safe for us to go home?”

Isabel turned horrified eyes toward Max. “Mom and Dad! You don’t think….”

“No,” Max said quickly. “I’m sure Mom and Dad are fine. It sounds like they only came after you because it was late and there was no one around and they thought you’d seen something. If they were going to risk being seen by the general population, they would have kept coming after you, even once you got here. I don’t think our families are in any danger at this point.”

“So, we just go home, is that it?” Michael asked.

“For tonight,” Max said. “Tomorrow we go out to the quarry as planned. But early. Can you get off work?” he asked Michael.

Michael turned to Liz. “Can I?”

Liz nodded. “We all can.”

“No,” Max said quickly. “Not you. This is just the four of us. You three are to stay out of the line of fire, you hear me?”

“Max, no,” Liz said. “We’ve been through all of this. We’re in this together.”

“She’s right,” Maria agreed.

“I’m in,” Alex said.

Max shook his head. “Out of the question. It’s one thing for us to all be together, but we are not dragging you onto the battle field with us.”

“It’s not your decision, Max,” Liz told him, her voice determined. “We’re going to help, whether you like it or not.”

“It isn’t safe,” he insisted.

“Damn it, Max,” Liz flared. “Despite appearances to the contrary, you are not Superman, okay? Bullets do not reflect off of your chest. You are just as vulnerable as the rest of us, so you are not going to sit here and tell me that it is more dangerous for me than it is for you.”

“We have ways of protecting ourselves,” he pointed out. His eyes sought out Michael, looking for back-up, and was surprised to find everyone just watching them in silence, their eyes appraising.

“Fine,” Liz said, snapping his attention back to her. “Then we’ll learn to protect ourselves also.” She turned to Valenti. “Sheriff, what would it take for Maria, Alex, and me to learn how to fire a handgun?”

“Excuse me?” the Sheriff asked, his eyes opening wide.

“You heard what I said.”

“Liz, no,” Max said.

She simply held up her hand and glared at him. “Don’t tell me no, Max.” Her brown eyes were hard. “You are not going to be able to convince me that I’m best off on the sidelines.” She turned back to the Sheriff. “And if you won’t teach me to shoot, I’ll get Kyle to do it. He offered once when we were dating, and I’m sure that, given the present circumstances, he’d be more than happy to follow through on that offer now.”

“It’s not that simple,” Valenti began, but stopped when he saw the determined set of her chin. If there was one thing he had learned about these kids it was not to fly in the face of their determination. He would ultimately lose. So he just sighed and nodded.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Excuse us a moment,” Max said. He took Liz by the arm and tugged her firmly out of the room. “What are you doing? Trying to get yourself killed?”

“Max, I love you. I am not letting you do this alone, do you understand? I promise to be careful. I won’t do anything stupid.”

“And what do you call getting the Sheriff to teach you to shoot?”

“I call it taking reasonable measures,” she told him. “What do you call having a loaded handgun in your dresser drawer?” she hissed.

Max’s jaw dropped open. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t tell me it isn’t there, Max, because I know it is. You still have Pierce’s gun – the one you took off of him that day at the UFO Center. You held it on him and then you tucked it into the waist band of your slacks and you never got rid of it. You still have it at home, in your bedroom, hidden away. And you wake up screaming in the night because of what he did to you, and no gun in the drawer is going to stop that.” Tears were streaming down her face, but she ignored them. “I am not going to lose you, Max Evans. I came so close and it’s not going to happen again, do you hear me? Not if I have to shoot a dozen aliens in cold blood. I need you and, damn it, you need me too.”

He pulled her roughly into his arms and held her as she broke down and began crying in earnest. “You’re right, you are. I do need you. Shhh, please don’t cry,” he begged, his own eyes bright with tears. But he was trembling as her arms came around his waist and held tightly, because until that moment he had completely forgotten about the gun in the drawer – Pierce’s gun – the weapon he had slipped between his sweaters like a terrible souvenir of his time in hell. It still lay there, though his mind had buried it deep, and his only question now was, how had Liz known?

They were interrupted by a low cough. Max looked up and found Michael watching them with obvious concern. “Sorry,” Michael said. “Uh, Max, can I talk to you a minute?” His eyes were apologetic.

Max sighed and looked down. Liz had loosened her grip and was wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. “I’m fine,” she assured him. She flashed Michael a shaky smile. “I’m gonna go talk to Maria and Alex. See if they’re ready to lynch me for turning us into the Daltons,” she added with a watery chuckle.

“Okay, Michael. What is it?” Max asked, his tone weary.

“This may not be the best time to bring this up, but I might not get a chance tomorrow and it needs to be said before things get worse and we really don’t have the time.”

“What?”

“I’m a little concerned about Tess,” Michael told him.

Max frowned. “Why? Did something happen with her after Liz and I left tonight?”

Michael shook his head. “Not really. It’s just…”

“Spit it out, Michael.”

“Look, both you and Isabel said that you didn’t trust her. Then all of a sudden she’s becoming part of the group. Alex has been trying to help her fit in because he knows Isabel wants her to feel comfortable. You’re worried about her feeling lonely. Hell, even Liz has been nice to her, and she has Maria feeling sorry for her to the point of offering her a job in her mother’s shop.”

“Your point being?” Max prompted.

Michael ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “Max, what happened to not trusting her? For people who don’t trust her, you’re all being so nice it’s sickening. Have you forgotten what she did to you, Maxwell? To all of us?”

“Among other things, she helped get me out of Eagle Rock,” Max pointed out.

Michael shook his head. “So what? That just served her purposes. It’s you she wants, Max, or has that slipped your mind? You really think she’s given up on this whole destiny thing?”

“Yeah, I do. Michael, she doesn’t know me, how can she want to be with me? It was just something she was raised to expect.”

“Precisely.”

Max sighed. “Michael, we don’t have time for this right now.”

“This is important,” he pressed. “Look, I’m not saying she’s out to get us. Just that I’m not convinced she’s on our side. Max, what she did with our dreams….”

“We can’t be sure that was her.”

“Max, face it. Isabel and I haven’t had a single dream about each other in weeks. Have you had any about Tess?”

Max looked away.

“Well, have you?” Michael pushed. “You haven’t.”

“No, I haven’t,” Max said. “But that doesn’t mean anything.”

“You know what I think? I think she’s still playing mind games and you just don’t realize it,” Michael told him. “Damn it, what she did to you was unconscionable. I know I wrote it off to begin with, and I’m sorry. I was pissed off and I ignored what you were trying to tell me and I was wrong.”

Max swung around and looked at Michael. “Did I just hear you say that you were wrong?”

Michael scowled. “Can we keep to the subject please? She went into your head and planted sex fantasies starring the two of you. If some guy had done that to Liz you’d be outraged. But because it happened to you, you’re willing to write it off as some little mistake Tess made because she had a lonely childhood. Get real, Maxwell. Living with Hank was no bed of roses, but you don’t catch me committing weird-ass mind rape.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Am I? Think about it. For someone who prides himself on being in control, you’ve been at the mercy of quite a few people recently, Max,” he said quietly. “No wonder you’re having nightmares.”

Max stared at Michael for a moment, then shook his head. “You’re wrong.”

Michael shrugged. “I hope so. But I don’t think I am.”

Max just walked back into the office, leaving Michael standing alone in the hall.

* * * * *

Four weary, expectant faces turned toward the door as Max walked through it. Liz and Maria had squeezed onto the sofa next to Isabel and Alex. It was clear the stress of the night was starting to get to them, with Isabel looking by far the most worn. Max frowned, wondering how much of her fatigue was due to using her powers and how much was simply due to the late hour. The clock on the wall indicated it was nearly one in the morning. He was going to have to start making some decisions.

He turned toward Valenti, who was staring out the window and appeared not to have noticed that Max had returned. “Sheriff?”

“Hmmm?” came the distracted reply before he turned and focused on Max.

“Sheriff,” Max continued, “I think we’re going to try to get home now.”

The older man nodded, though he seemed displeased. “I realize you kids have your folks to consider, but I think you’d be best off if you stick together. Max, you and Isabel are fine, but the rest of you… I don’t like the idea of you going off to your individual homes.”

Max nodded. “Thanks for the concern, but I’ve already got that worked out.” He turned back to the others.

Maria was frowning. “Max, what happened to Michael?”

“He’s still out in the hall,” Max told her. “Look,” he said, ignoring the puzzled expression on Maria’s face, “we have two choices. Either we split up, three and three, guys at one house and girls at another, or we go home by couple. Those are the only options. It’s up to you.”

The four of them exchanged looks. “What do you want to do, Max?” Isabel asked. He shrugged, but his eyes fell on Liz. They knew his choice. Isabel nodded and slipped her hand into Alex’s.

Maria stood up. “I’m going to go find Michael,” she said, then headed out the door.

Liz got up and walked over to Max, slipping into the circle of his arms. He ran one hand down her hair and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “You okay?” she whispered.

He pulled back and looked into her eyes. Concern was swimming in the dark brown depths. “Yeah,” he said. “I’m okay.” He traced his thumb over her cheek bone and smiled slightly.

Maria came back into the room with Michael trailing behind. Maria’s face was impassive and Max could tell that Michael had refused to tell her what they had been talking about. He wondered idly how long that would last. It didn’t matter. He had other things to think about right now. His left arm draped around Liz’s shoulders, he turned back to the Sheriff. “Thank you for your help,” he said, holding out his hand.

Valenti shook Max’s hand and nodded. “I told you before that I’m here for you.”

“I appreciate it. Any chance of you joining us tomorrow morning? We’ll be out at the quarry by nine. The ridge above the lake area.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Valenti’s eyes scanned the group, ending up on Liz. “And I’ll see about bringing some things for target practice,” he added.

Liz smiled. Max just nodded and turned back to the others. “It’s late. We should get going.” He looked at Michael. “You gonna stay at Maria’s place or yours?”

Michael shrugged and looked to Maria. “Which do you think?”

“Yours, I guess,” she said. “Better for me not to come home at all than for my mom to find you sleeping over again,” she told him.

“Okay. Swing by in the morning and we’ll all drive out to the quarry together,” Max said. “Which leaves the rest of us at our place?” he asked. He could feel Liz nod in agreement and Alex gave him a quick thumbs up. “Right. Let’s go.”

Isabel and Alex stood and Isabel walked over to Valenti. “Thank you,” she said, taking his hand and squeezing it. “You know, I used to be so afraid of you,” she added softly.

“I’m glad you’re not anymore,” he told her. “Though after tonight, I find it hard to believe that you’re afraid of much,” he added with a smile.

She smiled. “You’d be surprised.”

The Sheriff walked them all down the hall. When they reached the front door, he had them wait while he went outside and briefly checked out the parking lot. After determining that no one seemed to be lurking in the shadows, he motioned for them to head to their cars. Michael and Maria climbed into the Jetta and were pulling off the sidewalk and onto the street in a matter of moments. Max waited for the others to climb into the Jeep, scanning the area cautiously himself before taking a seat behind the wheel. Then he too pulled out of the parking lot and, with a final wave of thanks toward the Sheriff, headed toward home.

* * * * *

continued in part 2