Michael went home with Alex after school. He didn't trust himself not to barge in on Maria's so called family dinner. All he could think of was the Sheriff revealing their secrets to Maria's mother. Would he really do that? Michael questioned hoping he was wrong, and that Maria had been right about this dinner pertaining to something she hoped would never come to pass between Jim Valenti and her mom.

Although Michael felt bad for hoping Maria was right, because of how it would affect both of their lives. He still couldn't help but hope that she was. Laying back on Alex's bed Michael stared up at the ceiling contemplating what any other possible explanation for a meeting between the DeLuca's and the Valenti's.

Alex must have noticed the scolded look on Michael's face, because he asked, "Michael, what's bothering you, and don't tell me nothing. I've gotten to know you well enough to know better."

Michael wasn't about to admit that his worse fear lately has been Amy DeLuca finding out their secrets and refusing to let Maria see him. "It's nothing, just thinking about what's to come."

Alex can tell by the expression on Michael's face, he is really worried about something. As a friend he's going to do the only thing he can, he's going to pursue his questioning further. With Michael he has learned not to push for the answers, but to ask the question, wait patiently, and they will come on their own. "Do you mean Sunday with Topolski, or what's going on at Maria's right now?" He watches patiently as Michael turns onto his side propping himself up on his elbow.

As time passes Michael becomes more comfortable talking to Alex about his concerns. "Do you think we should worry about Valenti telling someone our secrets?"

"If you mean Amy DeLuca being the someone in question, I don't know. If you mean someone else, I'd have to say not likely. He's too worried about something happening to Kyle if he did."

Michael sits up and moves to the foot of Alex's bed letting his feet hang to the floor. "What if he wants Kyle to stop seeing Sandie for just that purpose? What if he thinks Kyle's changes will stop and some how reverse themselves if he does?"

Alex shifts his weight in his chair and leans back thinking about Michael's questions. "It's a possibility, but we both know Kyle isn't going to stop seeing Sandie without putting up one horrific fight."

"What if he does tell Amy DeLuca our secret's? How do you think she would react?"

"I"m not exactly sure, but out of all honesty, I think she would freak. Especially after she learns how close you and Maria have truly gotten and right there under the same roof with her. She'd put bars on Maria's window and then start sleeping outside her door so she could listen for any unusual noises."

Michael groans to himself at the thought of not being able to sleep by Maria's side at night, and decide a change in subject was in order. "What did you think about what Sandie told us before we dropped her off?"

******Flash back******

Alex offered Sandie a ride home after school knowing Kyle was unable to. He wanted to talk to her more in depth about what her father meant when he said they were going to give Tommy some new nightmares. "Sandie, what does you dad plan to do to Tommy?"

"Depends on Tommy. He's only done something like this a couple of times, and that was with some guys that came into his charge. They were pretty much like Tommy is now, they thought they had the right to do whatever they wanted because they were stronger. If I remember right, first he finds out what their biggest fear is or what they are the most self-conscious about. Then he uses that to make the person, Tommy in this case, experience what it's like to be on the receiving end of having someone take advantage of those feelings, those fears. Then during the day he plans to have him experience what it's like to be forced to do things that he doesn't want to do, simply because someone else is stronger than him. Michael and Alex exchanged glances, before Michael prodded for a little more information. "He's done this before? How did that turn out?"

"Those guys have never been the same, but with them, my dad put them through this for longer then two days."

Alex not quite sure how to take the "never been the same" statement. "How do you mean never been the same? They didn't end up in a mental institution or anything? Did they?"

Sandie couldn't help laughing at Alex's question, but she quickly answered it when she realized he was serious. "Alex of course not. My dad wouldn't risk it if any of them had. Besides he's not running this whole thing alone. He asked a friend of his to run most of the day stuff. The guy is a real drill sergeant in the Marines and knows what he's doing."

Both Michael and Alex breath a sigh of relief which sets Sandie off in a case of hysterical laughter.

******end of flash back******

"I think Tommy is in one for the most horrifying ride of his life. He messed with the wrong girl, and now he has to deal with her parents."

"Alex, he deserves everything he's going to get right down to the nightmares. It's about time he learned his lesson."

************************

"Kyle, Maria, we have something to tell you. We wanted to tell you a week ago, but as you know that didn't work out, and we wanted to tell the both of you together, so this is the first time we have all been together and well."

Jim could tell that Amy was nervous about telling Maria and Kyle their plans, when she looked at him pleadingly he knew it was time for him to finish where she left off. "Maria, I know you haven't been really comfortable with how close your mother and I are getting, and we want to do something to change that. Tomorrow nights camp out with both yours and Kyle's friends is just the first step." Jim, Kyle and Maria know there is no real camp out, but Amy doesn't. Therefore, he still felt the need to keep up the pretense. Besides by him covering for them he hopes they'll begin to realize he's on their side. "Over winter break, which I understand starts in just a couple of weeks, the four of us and two of your friends, that's one each, are going to Logan up past Tucumcari for two weeks. I have a friend that owns a 4-bedroom cabin by the lake, which he's going to let us use."

It's obvious to Amy, Maria and Kyle don't look to happy about this trip. But she feels it would be good for them all to get better acquainted, and most importantly for Maria to get used to Jim being around before they tell her of their plans to get married. She also feels it will be good to put some space between Maria and Michael for a little while. "Maria, I thought you could bring Liz with you. I know her parents would say yes, and of course Kyle you can pick the friend of your choice." Amy told Kyle not wanting him to feel excluded from her thoughts. After all he's going to be her son soon.

Jim expected a bad reaction from Maria, but not from Kyle. In the past Kyle has enjoyed the trips they've taken to Logan. He figures Kyle's not really upset about the fact that he has invited Amy and Maria along, but because he wouldn't be able to see Sandie during that time.

When Jim asked Kyle to stop seeing Sandie for a while, he thought this trip would work out perfectly by coincidence. But now, it's different. After Tod left Jim's Office Wednesday, Robert stayed to make one more appeal in behalf of Sandie and Kyle.

***Flash Back*** "Jim, I know you're concerned about Sandie and Kyle making a mistake, but let me assure you Kyle knew what he was getting into when he first started dating Sandie, as did Sandie. They started off as friends, but for reasons only they can tell you, they both decided that they wanted more than a friendship. It happens that way sometimes, you meet someone and you just know their the person you want to be with. It was that way with Alisha and me, but with her being the daughter of a two starred general I tried to keep my distance. For her it was the same, except she feared how I would react when I found out the truth about whom she is.

We fought our feelings for months, but it seemed more like an eternity, because we were both miserable. We finally gave into our mutual attraction, but the situation hadn't changed. She revealed who she was to me after I started getting visions when we kissed, but she still feared someone finding out about us, and ordering her to end the relationship and I still feared her father. So, we kept our relationship a secret. Which meant we lied about where we were going, and who we were with. I don't want Kyle and Sandie to feel they have to lie to us. Which at some point they would do, because they feel about each other the same way that Alisha and I feel for each other. The same way Amy DeLuca and you feel about each other. How would you feel if Maria and Kyle tried to break the two of you a part?

Don't do this to them. I realize your worried things won't work out between them, but again let me assure you, they have a better chance of staying together than any normal couple you may know regardless of their age. You see Kyle and Sandie have no choice but to talk out their problems, because they can't hide their feelings and thoughts from each other. And they are chemically drawn to each other, you could say they're craving each others presence. Before you make a rash decision about this, will you at least think about it? Try and put yourself in their shoes."

"One thing Robert how do you know what I feel for Amy and how can you possible say that Kyle and Sandie feel the same way about each other?"

"It's a combination of Alisha and my gifts. She can see someone's memories and thoughts, and I get vibes from people that enables me to make a better judgement of someone's character. It's the same way we knew we could trust you last night. That's how I know Kyle will be good to my Sandie, and she will be good to him. If I even had a shadow of a doubt about either of them, I would have done whatever it took to keep them apart before things even had a chance to get serious between the two of them."

***End of Flashback***

Now that everything Jim has learned has had a chance to sink in, he understands how wrong he was to insist Kyle stop seeing Sandie. But what could he do, Amy and he have been planning this trip for weeks. All he feels he can do is let Kyle know he has changed his mind, and hope that Kyle will still attend this trip. ~*~*~ If Maria has to go, of course she would love to have Liz with her, but she knows Liz wouldn't want to be away from Max for two weeks. Granted Kyle could invite Max, but watching those two together would just add to hers and Kyle's misery. Besides she would rather have Michael there with her. "Mom, do I really have to go?"

"Maria, please don't turn this into something I have to force you to do, besides it's going to be fun."

Maria's mind works quickly, little wheels start turning in her head as a plan emerges. "Fine, but I get to invite whatever girl friend I want, right?"

"Yes, of course dear."

Maria smiles over at Kyle. "Then I want to invite Sandie Gates."

Jim looks amused by Maria's choice. He has to give her credit, she knows how to get want she wants and still some how stay with in the rules that have been laid out for her.

Kyle was thinking about how hard it would be to be away from Sandie for two weeks. When Maria smiled at him the way she did, Kyle knew she had a plan. When she declared her choice he knew exactly what it was. "And I'm going to invite Michael Guerwin."

"You can't invite him." Amy objected. Jim knowing Maria and Kyle would hold them to the original deal, and it saved him from having to convince Kyle to come even though it meant being away from Sandie. The best and only thing he could do was to agree to their kids choices. Besides he knows things about Maria's and Michael's relationship that Amy doesn't. Like how they can't be away from each other for more than two weeks or they would both start to get really sick. Granted their trip is only for two weeks, but he was sure Maria would be more likely to accept him if he respected how she felt and tried to run interference where Michael was concerned. "Amy, he can. We did say anyone, and they made their choices."

Amy was going to argue the point, but the appreciative look on Maria's face as she looked at Jim was enough to change her mind. She would just have to make sure Maria and Michael didn't have too much time alone. "Fine, but I don't have to like it. Maria, you know how I feel about Michael. It just your both still so young, and I don't want you to getting to close. Do you know what I mean?"

******************************

Max and Liz joined Isabel, Diana, and Phillip at the dinning room table. After they finished serving their plates, Max reached for Liz's hand under the table. *Are you better now?*

Smiling back at him. *Yes, remind me to thank Isabel.*

Max's face looks a little surprised. *Isabel?*

*Yes, Isabel. She's the one that made time for us to be alone. Even if it was only for a short time.*

*So she gets the credit for your feeling relaxed. What do I get?* Max asks playfully in his mind.

Liz's eyes drift down to Max's lips as she licks her own lips. She releases Max's hand placing it on his leg and runs it up and down his leg. *You manage to get us sometime alone and you'll see.*

Max's smile grows larger at the thought, and he nods his head slightly as he acknowledges her meaning.

Isabel knows what Max and Liz were doing, she could tell by the way their eyes are dancing, and their expressions keep changing. She also realized that her parents have been watching them very closely. It seemed to her they also know something is going on between Max and Liz, but whether they have figured out they are communicating without spoken words is high unlikely. But she feeling that the longer Max and Liz keep it up the hard it will be to explain away. She decided it's up to her to start a conversation and pull Max and Liz from theirs. Even though she already knew the answer, Isabel asked, "Liz, what did your parents say about you going camping tomorrow night with Sheriff Valenti and Mrs. Gates?"

Liz, heard her name and turned her attention to what Isabel was saying. "Oh ya, they said yes. My dad was fine with it, but my mom was really skeptical until she heard how the Sheriff planned to teach us a little about desert survival skills, and that both the sheriff and her friend Alisha would be chaperoning the whole trip. As you know I was skeptical about the trip myself, but now that the whole gang is going, I can't wait. With all of us there we can't help but have fun." Liz adds a personal thought just for Max. *We'll definitely have fun, especially when we are alone Max.*

"I know what you mean. We always have fun together." Max's words meant one thing to Liz and another to everyone else at the table.

"Liz, I have one question for you." Diana said and then paused letting the tension in the room rise just a bit. "When was the first time you and Max realized you liked each other?"

"Mom!" Max exclaims. He's so embarrassed that his mother would ask Liz that question.

"Max, it's an honest question. I'm just curious, and we both know you'll never tell me. So Liz when was the first time you realized your feelings were mutual?"

Since Liz can't tell them about the shooting, or the way Max connected with her and let her see into his soul. She decides to tell them about the next event that really drew her to Max, one that is close to her heart. "I don't know if you know it or not, but Max and I are biology partners this year. When he heard my grandmother had a severe stroke, he came to the hospital to see how I was holding up, you know as friends. But we really weren't even close friends at the time. When she suffered a second stroke, Max came to the hospital again, and stayed with me. He helped make her death easier for me by helping me say good bye. When she died, he was there with me, he drove me home, and let me cry on his shoulder until I feel asleep. The way he was with me, that's what told me he felt the same way about me that I did about him. Since then we've found how much we have in common and that we really like being around each other. "

Max was blushing from embarrassment. The way Liz told the story it made it sound like what he did was a big deal, but to him it was an honor to be the one that she wanted there with her. He felt so bad for her loss, but he enjoyed holding her, being able to stroke her hair like he had always dreamed of, and lay beside her as she drifted of to sleep.

Both Diane and Phillip looked impressed by the kindness that Max had shown. Diane looked right at her son and asked, "Max, you really did that? You stayed with Liz through all of that even though you were just lab partners?"

"It wasn't as big of a deal as Liz is making it sound, and we were more than just Lab partners, we were friends, just not close friends.

"He wasn't the only one who helped me through it, Isabel did as well. She covered my shifts for me at the Crashdown. She freed me up so that I could go to the hospital to be with my grandmother."

"Isabel, wait you worked? How did we miss that?" Asked Phillip

"Don't act so shocked dad, I would do a lot of things to help out a friend, and both Liz and Maria needed me."

"Sorry dear, it's just I have a hard time picturing you waiting tables."

Max really never saw Isabel when she was working at the Crashdown. However, he heard enough stories about it. Just the picture of her in her alien antenna made him want to laugh. "You should have seen her dad. She's one of the top three waitresses they've ever had. Which puts her right up there with Liz and Maria, and as I hear it, Maria really enjoyed working with her."

"Yeah, my dad keeps asking her if she wants a job."

Isabel wasn't about to let Max and Liz tarnished her image, not even here at home. "Of course I keep saying no! I have other things to do with my time."

Max and Liz start to laugh at the look on Isabel's face. She was actually embarrassed to have her parents know that she had waited tables at the Crashdown. Liz didn't want to agitate Isabel too much, after all it was better to have Isabel on her side to night. She knows to may personal things about Max and Liz's relationship to have her upset with Max and her, so she decided to change the subject. "The best thing about all of this is even our friends like being around each other. We changed from two groups of three close friends, into one group of six close friends."

"Right, and now it's eight close friends. Kyle Valenti started hanging out with us, and then Sandie Gates moved to Roswell and joined our group. The eight of us have gotten really close." Max tells his parents.

************************************

At 6:30 that night, as Sandie suggested seven friends met in the Roswell High School Gym. Liz, Max, and Isabel were the last to arrive. They spotted Michael, Maria, Alex, and Sandie sitting three rows up, dead in the center of the bleachers. The plan was to surprise Kyle when he entered the gym for the last game of the season. They can't wait to see his reaction, they somehow managed to keep him completely in the dark about them being here tonight.

As Kyle and the team arrived in the gym, Kyle was greeted by a loud roar from the middle section of the bleachers chanting his name over and over. "Kyle, Kyle, Kyle, Kyle . . . " Kyle started shaking his head slowly from side to side in disbelief, he wore a big grin on his face at the sight and sound of his friends.

As one of his team mates walked by, he patted Kyle on the shoulder stifling a laugh long enough to say, "Looks like you have your own cheering section tonight."

Throughout the game you could hear Kyle's rooting section cheering him on as loud as they could muster. It was obvious to everyone around them how close and comfortable the seven of them were with each other, and that Kyle was a part of their group.

Even Michael relaxed and just enjoyed being with his friends, his family. All he cares about tonight is being with Maria, and his family. There was no where in the world, or off of it he would rather be.

The group joked around with each other and cheered the team on with an energy level that Alex describes as, "Enough energy to light a beacon to the stars."

It turned out that this was exactly what the doctor ordered. They were having fun and the look on Kyle's face showed how happy they had made him by being there to support him. It was an exciting game even though the Roswell Comets lost the game 82/86.

After the game all eight headed to the Crashdown to continue their own little party. The lose of the game didn't faze their high spirits, not even Kyle's. They danced, talked, joked around just like a group of normal teenagers. For the night forgetting all about the meeting with Topolski that is quickly approaching.

As the hours pass by Max and Liz decide to bring the party to a close around eleven. The idea of working the morning shift on little sleep doesn't sound like a good idea. They head upstairs after seeing everyone out to their cars and agreeing to meet them at the house after their shifts.

Max and Liz decide to head up stairs for a little time alone before he needed to head home himself. On their way to Liz's room they are stopped by her mother. "Liz, I thought your friends all left, what is Max still doing here?"

Liz told herself not to panic, but to think clearly. "Mom. . . . he's going to take my gear for tomorrow nights camp out tonight. That way he can drop it off at the Valenti's with his and Isabel's in the morning."

"Why didn't Kyle or Sandie take it?" Nancy asked, not quite buying Liz's story.

"Mrs. Evans, Kyle's car was already loaded down with Michael's and Alex's gear. Besides he needed to get Sandie home before she misses her curfew. So I volunteered to bring it to him."

"Beside mom, I still have to finish packing." Liz explained, trying to justify Max staying a little longer.

"Don't you have a curfew Max?" Nancy asks suspiciously.

"Yes I do. Tonight my parent gave me until 12:00. They knew we were all going to the game and then having a celebration or condolence party for Kyle depending if they won or lost. They lost, so it turned out to be a condolence party." Max was trying to act calm and as natural as possible. He kicked himself for rambling, anyone who knew him, knew he wasn't one to ramble. He mentally blamed it on Maria, she must be rubbing off on him.

"Well Liz's curfew is 11:00." Nancy stated while looking at Max pointedly.

"Mom, I'm home. My curfew is for me to be home by 11:00, not that my friends have to leave by 11:00." Liz practically pleaded. She didn't want Max to leave. Not yet, even if it meant they had to keep their desires in check.

Firmly Nancy told Liz and Max, "Okay Liz, this time, but only for a half hour, and I want you to leave your door open. But from now on, curfew means they go home as well, unless it's agreed upon before hand. Do you understand?"

"Yes mom, and thanks."

Max and Liz enter her room and breath a sigh of relief. Liz pulls her bag from the closet and sets it on the bed and opens it. "You haven't finished packing yet?" Max asks in surprise, he's been packed for two days. The idea of spending half of Saturday, and all of Sunday without parental supervision was a real motivator.

"Of course I have, but if my mother decides to check on us it has to appear that I haven't." **************************

Maria also has to work the morning shift, and her mother has already been on her case about coming in past her curfew. She doesn't want to do anything to make her mother have second thoughts about letting Michael going on the trip with them in two weeks. His presence is the only thing that is going to make it bearable. On the way to her house, Maria told Michael about what happened at dinner tonight and how Jim got her mother to agree that he could come along as Kyle's guest. The idea of staying in the same house with Sheriff Valenti doesn't sound to appealing to Michael, but the idea of being away from Maria for two weeks sounds even less appealing so Michael agrees to go with them.

The First thing Maria notices when they pull up to her house is that the sheriff's cruiser is still parked out front. "Michael, I'll be right back, don't move."

Maria opens the house door and steps into the kitchen. "Mom, I'm home!"

After a few minutes' Nancy comes in from the Living room looking guilty. "Oh hi Maria, is it that late already? Where does the time go?"

"Mom, I'm going to sit outside with Michael for a little while. I'll come back in when the sheriff goes home. Please send him home soon, I have to work in the morning."

"What's wrong Maria, I thought at dinner things went okay?"

"Everything is fine, I just figure if you can have your boyfriend over, so can I."

"Maria, I'm an adult and your not."

"I know that mom, that's why were sitting out in public not behind closed doors like you. Now who's setting the example for whom?" Maria turned around and went back outside with Michael.

****************** Kyle and Sandie drive out to her house, on the way Kyle tells her about the trip to Logan.

The idea of being that close to Kyle for two weeks sounds exciting. But before she allows herself to get too excited, she figures she better get her parents consent. After all she's never been that far away from her parents since the death of her brother. Except when they would go on a mission, but even then they weren't gone more than two or three days.