"Would you please stop staring at her. God, you make it so obvious," Maria Guerin told her friend Max Evans in disgust.

Max blushed, "I'm not staring."

"Don't even think about it Maxwell, we can't get involved," Maria warned as she glared at him.

Max sipped his Cherry Coke; "No one is getting involved. Liz is only my lab partner."

"And only human," Maria added.

"Why are you being so..." Max's voice trailed off.

Maria instigated, "So...what?"

"Never mind, I don't feel like arguing with you," Max backed off not wanting to get Maria riled up.

"Fine, we'll call a truce," Maria played with a french fry from her plate. "Where's Isabel?"

Max replied, "She went shopping with my mom."

"Oh," Maria said in a small voice looking away.

Max felt bad for Maria, because it was so hard for her not being able to have parents. They weren't his real parents, but in his heart they were and Maria never had that feeling. Max was always able to detect the pain in Maria's eyes and that is why she turned her head away.

"Hey Liz, that guy Max Evans is staring at you," Michael DeLuca informed his friend, Liz Parker.

Liz handed him another order to fill, "No way."

"I swear, he pretends to be talking to that girl Maria, but he is really looking at you," Michael told her before turning back to the grill.

Liz smiled, "Really...no it can't be I'm just his biology lab partner."

"Yeah whatever, Agnes your order is up!" Michael called to the one of the other waitresses.

Liz said to Michael, "I wonder what that is all about."

"What?" Michael questioned. Liz casually pointed to two guys who seemed to be arguing loudly over something. "Do you want me to go get your dad?"

"No, I don't think it is serious," Liz saw a patron holding up his coffee mug, so Liz went to go get a fresh pot.

Michael went back to flipping burgers when he heard the gunshot. He quickly jumped over the partition that separated the kitchen and dining area, because he had turned around just in time to see Liz go down.

"Don't even think about it Max," Maria pulled hard at his sleeve.

Max shook off her grip, "I can't let her die."

Maria got in his face, "What about me, what about Isabel, you just won't be drawing danger to you, but to us as well."

Max pushed roughly past her and rushed to Liz's side only her friend Michael was going towards her too. Michael would have gotten there before him if Maria hadn't stepped in. "Michael! Don't worry Max has medical experience," Maria pulled him away by the arm.

"I have to help her," Michael ignored her and hovered over Max who was in the process of healing Liz. "What the hell?" Michael muttered.

Maria was at his side again, "Michael, you have to go call the police, so they can go catch the guys that did this." Michael stood frozen in front of her. "Go! Hurry!" Finally he moved from his spot and went to the phone. "Max! Keys!" she saw Liz opening her eyes as Max tossed her the keys to his Jeep.

"She's going to be okay," Maria thought to herself as she raced out of the Crashdown Cafe. "But what about us."

~ ~ ~

"Liz, why did you lie to the Sheriff?" Michael questioned her after the police left.

Liz looked like a complete mess, "What are you talking about?"

"Let me refresh you memory, there was a gunshot, I saw you lying on the ground bleeding to death," Michael relayed the information back to her.

Liz tried to convince him, "It wasn't blood it was only ketchup."

Michael held up her order pad that fallen when she did, "This isn't ketchup Liz." There was blood splattered all over the paper. "What did Max Evans do to you?"

"I honestly don't know," Liz replied and Michael believed her.

"Well whatever he did that Maria is involved too," Michael informed her.

Liz asked, "Why do you say that?"

"Because when Max was doing whatever the hell he was doing to you Maria kept on getting in my face," Michael recalled.

Liz suggested, "Maybe she was scared."

"I doubt that," Michael mumbled.

Liz reassured, "I'm okay Michael whatever Max did he saved me. I'm alive because of him."

"We need to get to the bottom of this," Michael told her.

Liz nodded, "We will, but Michael you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone especially Valenti." Michael hesitated. "Michael promise me."

"OK, I promise," Michael replied.

"Thank you," Liz gave him a reassuring hug.

"What are we going to do Max? What if Liz or Michael go to Valenti then we're done for?" Maria questioned as they entered the Evans's living room.

Max couldn't think, "I don't know. Liz won't tell Valenti she's not that kind of person."

"She's going to want an explanation," Maria paced back and forth.

"Just let me handle the situation," Max told her as he sat down on the couch.

Maria gestured frantically, "Oh, like you handled the last situation. By this time next week we'll be pin cushions for alien hunters."

"Maria, will you stop being so Maria and calm down," Max tried to concentrate on a plan, and listening to Maria ramble wasn't helping him.

"Hey guys," Isabel greeted just getting home. "What's going on?" Isabel could see the fear and anger in Maria's eyes. "Maria?"

"Why don't you ask your brother?" Maria snarled throwing Max dirty looks.

Isabel raised an eyebrow at Max, "Well somebody better tell me."

"Max, honey!" Mrs. Evans called from the kitchen. "Can you help me with the groceries please?"

Max got up from the couch immediately; "I'll be back in a minute."

"Coward," Maria muttered as Max left the room.

Isabel demanded, "What is going on and I want an answer Maria?"

"Your brother," Maria started making sure to keep her voice down so Mrs. Evans couldn't hear. "He healed in public."

"He did what!" Isabel gasped in horror.

Maria repeated, "Max healed Liz Parker after she got shot at the Crashdown this afternoon."

"So Liz knows," Isabel said wide-eyed.

Maria shook her head, "I don't know, Max tried to cover it up with ketchup."

"What were you thinking Max?" Isabel questioned when Max returned.

Max took both Maria and Isabel by the arms, "Let's finish this conversation in my room. We have a lot to talk about."

~ ~ ~

"Alien," Michael repeated. "Max Evans is an alien."

Liz nodded, "That's what he told me."

"And you believed him, " Michael couldn't believe how gullible Liz was.

Liz nodded again, "I think I do."

"So I suppose his sister Isabel is also an alien," Michael was only half-serious.

"Yeah, and Maria too," Liz replied as her and Michael sat on the concrete stairs of West Roswell High.

Michael was caught off guard; "Maria is one of them too."

"Michael I know I sound crazy, but it's the truth. Max, Isabel, and Maria are aliens," Liz had to say it again to let it sink in.

Michael ran his hand through his hair, "So what are we going to do?"

"We can't go to Valenti, because whether you like it or not Max was the one who saved my life. They are not dangerous Michael," Liz reminded as she played with the strap of her school bag.

Michael pointed out; "We don't know that Liz."

"I can't believe you told her," Isabel felt her life coming to pieces.

Max replied, "They won't tell anyone."

"They? What do you mean they?" Maria demanded. "Who else knows Max?"

"Michael DeLuca," Max couldn't look them in the eye.

"Michael DeLuca!" Maria repeated in disgust. "This is just great Max. We are so done for."

"Maria, nothing is going to happen to us," Max didn't like where this was going.

Maria went on, "We don't know that. Valenti could be waiting for us at your house as we speak."

"Maria's right Max, there can be people at home waiting to capture us, experiment on us, and oh yeah, exterminate us," Isabel told him.

"Trust me Liz won't go to Valenti," Max declared heading back to the Jeep.

Isabel added when Max was out of earshot, "But Michael might."