"So anyway, I told him that he should take his advice and shove it." Maria was talking about God-knew-who. Liz just grunted.

"Yeah, I told him that we should eat frog legs together and see if that would change my mind." Liz nodded blankly.

"Then I told him that we should bomb the president's house and see if we can get away with it." Liz jerked up in surprise. Was that really true? She looked over at Maria, who smiled and shook her head. Liz's face flushed red with embarrassment.

"Girl, forget about him. He's not worth it." Maria's voice was gentle with compassion as she watched her best friend sadly. Liz looked up and gently pushed Maria's head so that she was looking at the road again. Maria smiled at the familiar gesture. It was a common inside joke between the two of them that had started ever since the night of the tenth annual Crash Festival. That was the night when Maria had found out about the aliens, and they had devised a plan to throw Valenti off. Suddenly Liz was angry. She wanted to be anywhere that would get her mind off of Max and that new girl. Lisa Something-or-other.

"Can't this thing go any faster?" She asked Maria in frustration. Maria looked at her.

"First of all, we're in a Jetta. You know that it isn't possible to exceed the 60-mile limit this car has put me on. Second, what's with you? Why are you in such a hurry? It's not like we're being followed or anything. Just chill." Maria was obviously annoyed with Liz's babbled statements and complaints about Max. Liz immediately felt guilty. Maria had been great ever since that day at the Crashdown. Liz realized that she needed to give Maria a break from her insane babbles and listen to Maria's problems for once.

"I'm sorry Maria. I know I haven't been much of a best friend lately and I want you to know that I'm really sorry. I promise I'll be better." She gave Maria a smile, and Maria just laughed and shook her head, her now long blond curls bouncing against her face. "Tell you what. Let's forget all about Max and Michael and that new chic and just have fun. We'll make a day of it. It'll be a blast. And we'll get to catch up." She said it so matter-of-factly that Liz almost believed that it could help her forget Max. Almost. ________________

Michael walked down Denver Avenue solemnly, thinking hard. The new girl claims to be an alien, yet she is a runaway. I saw her with Kyle Valenti this morning, yet she claims to not know him. What is this girl hiding? He didn't know what to do, how to warn Max and Isabel. They were so taken by this girl that they were blinded to what she really was. Which was…what? Was she an escaped lunatic? Was she insane? Was she just an ordinary girl looking for a good time? Or was she really an alien? Michael had seen what she could do with his own eyes, hidden behind the stucco column. So she WAS an alien, but there was something off-balance about her. Michael could feel it. It was a kind of intuition like women get, but it was much stronger. He felt downright scared. And I'm never scared, he reminded himself. He had to find out about the girl. His life-and Isabel's and Max's-depended on it. ___________________

Maria spotted a moping figure on the sidewalk and squinted to see who it was. She gasped in surprise, then pulled over to drive alongside him.

"What are you doing?" Liz asked in surprise as she watched Maria pull over. Maria ignored her as she yelled out the window.

"Michael!" Michael looked up at the sound of his name. He grimaced as he saw who it was, and Maria's eyes flashed. How rude! Her mind screamed at her to forget him, but when Maria saw the forlorn look on his face, she couldn't bring herself to leave him. She glanced at Liz, who read her mind and nodded. "Why don't you get in? We're going to the Cineplex, and you're welcome to come. In fact," she stopped for breath, then continued. "We'd love to have you. We need a guy with us to…protect us." Liz stifled a giggle at Maria's dramatics. Michael looked confused, then laughed.

"Protect you, huh?" His brown eyes danced mischievously as he neared the car.

"Yeah. You know all of the big, strong types out there. We need a guy to be there for when they try to hit on us." Maria's voice was saccharin sweet, and Liz rolled her eyes. Michael just laughed, then opened the door and hopped into the back of the Jetta.

"Let's go." __________________

Isabel watched Max watch Lisa. He was infatuated with her. His eyes followed her every movement, he listened intently to her every word; he was like an overexcited puppy dog who had just gotten a new master. She didn't know what to do. He loved Liz; it was obvious. But he was totally ignoring her and paying attention to Lisa. Granted, Isabel liked Lisa. She was cool, funny, smart; but most of all, she was one of them. She knew what they were going through. And even if she was the biggest phony in the world, they had to stick together. In other words, they were stuck with her. What Isabel was worried about was Liz. She was a nice girl and totally in love with Max. But Isabel didn't know what she would do if Max broke her heart. She doubted Liz would go to Valenti, but if she loved Max enough and he hurt her, there was no telling what she might do. Three distinct words rang out in Isabel's head like bells: This isn't good. _________________

"Show me, how you want it to be. Tell me baby, 'cause I need to know now, oh because. My loneliness, is killing me, and I," at the word "I," Michael's voice rang out high in a sad imitation of Britney Spears. Liz burst out laughing and Maria giggled at his antics. It had been one of Maria's better ideas to pick up Michael. He had actually turned out to be good company. He had been quiet when he had gotten into the car, but when Liz had turned on the radio, Michael had perked up and hadn't shut up since. "Hit me baby one more time!" Michael threw his head back on the beat and Liz slumped against the seat with her arms clutching her sides as she laughed. Michael just smiled devilishly and reached around the seat to tickle Liz's sides. Liz shrieked and twisted away, but that only encouraged Michael to persist. Liz slapped his hand hard, but Michael wouldn't give up. Finally Maria pulled the car over and pouted at them, feeling left out. Liz caught the look and glanced at Michael, who had the same evil glint in his eye. They both turned and pounced on Maria at the same time as she let out a high pitched squeal. Liz laughed harder than she'd laughed in a long time. I love this, she thought to herself. I love being out with Maria, just having a good time not having to worry about Max. She was surprised to find that her heart didn't speed up at the thought of Max. She was even more surprised at the thrilled feeling in her chest. She didn't know what it meant, but she didn't think it was good. Her good mood suddenly deflated, she sat back against the seat and heaved a sigh. Michael stopped tickling Maria and looked at Liz. He moved to talk to her, but Maria held him back and shook her head. Her eyes passed a secret message to him, telling him to let her be. He gave her a slight nod, telling her that he understood. Maria shifted back into the driver's seat and started the ignition. She pulled away from the curb as Liz's tears started to fall.

Part V

Lisa sat across from Sheriff Valenti in the cold metal chair with excitement in her eyes. She had found out so much about the alien trio that she was literally combusting. She was going to get to go home! She had done her job and now she was going home! Back to beautiful, warm, familiar LA.

"So what do you have for me?" Valenti leaned forward in his chair to rest his elbows against the desk. Lisa followed the suit. She cradled her chin in her hands, smiling smugly at the sheriff. She loved having information that he didn't. The fact that he wanted it so bad made it even more fun.

"Not so fast. What information do YOU have for ME?" If her thought she was going to give him free information, he had another thing coming.

"I don't understand?" He knew exactly well what she was asking for, he just wanted to throw her off balance. It didn't work.

"You know well and good what I want. I want info on LA. On my family. Do they miss me? Do they want me home? I know you've been communicating with them." She was getting pissed off now. She wanted information, and she wanted it NOW.

"How do you know this?" He was so smug! It drove Lisa crazy.

"It's obvious. Besides, I heard you talking to my mom. How is she?" Her mother didn't do well under stress. Lisa felt bad for having worried her.

"They're fine. They miss you, but they know you're safe. Now that you have what you want, what do you have on the aliens?" He wasn't going to beat around the bush, Lisa realized.

"Isabel and Max are aliens for sure. I can't say about Michael. I never saw him. He disappeared. Isabel and Max proved it to me that they were aliens." She was proud that she had at least something to report.

"I knew they would. All they needed was a little motivation." The sheriff seemed awfully smug, like HE had done all the work.

"Are you going to let me go home now? I kept my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn to keep yours." She was sick of listening to the disillusioned sheriff talking about aliens. She WAS one after all, and the sheriff knew it. He enjoyed patronizing her.

"Not so fast." Those three words dashed her dreams. She looked at him in surprise.

"Excuse me?" She could have sworn that her voice rose an octave.

"You haven't finished your part of the deal. I want ALL of the aliens, not just some of them. When you get Michael to admit to it, then you can go home."

"But-but he'll never admit to it!" Lisa cried indignantly. She couldn't believer this was happening. She felt her throat tighten, closing off the air passage. She was suffocating! She gasped for air. No, not suffocating. Hyperventilating.

"Well, he'll have to. Until he does, you stay here." He grabbed her arm roughly and pushed her out the door into the hall. ____________________

Max lay in his bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about Liz. He knew he had hurt her, and he couldn't get it out of his head. He felt so horrible, and he knew that she was not going to forgive him this time. He'd screwed-up way too many times to be forgiven. He had a sinking feeling that he was going to lose her for good this time. He felt the tears well up in the corners of his eyes. How could I have been so dumb? I love Liz. I CAN'T lose her. She's my life. The thoughts kept coming, faster and faster. Liz's beautiful brown eyes filled with hurt as she watched him with Lisa. Liz and Michael goofing around in Maria's car, Liz crying in her bed, the pillow soaked with tears. Then he felt Liz's hurt. It came so fast and strong that it made him glad he was lying down. He gasped for breath as he realized what was happening. He saw Liz's thoughts: he and Liz at lunch, he and Liz at the mall, his and Liz's first kiss. She really loves me, he thought. Then he was struck with the realization of what was going on. I'm making another connection. He didn't know how, but he was. He sat up straight in his bed, breathing hard. Oh no, not again! __________________

Liz sat at her dresser, the brush in her right hand poised by the right side of her head. I can't take it anymore! I have to talk to Max! The feeling of loneliness seared through her like a knife and twisted in her gut as she remembered what had happened earlier. "Lisa." The name tasted like acid on her tongue. How she hated that girl! Liz had never hated anyone in her life-okay, Pam Troy was the exception-but she hated this girl with more passion than she had ever felt before. Her eyes flashed as she remembered Lisa and Max in the hall. How could he do this to me? The tears started to fall as she dropped the brush on the floor and threw herself on her bed. The tears came faster and faster as they soaked the pillow. Her face was salty and sticky, but the tears fell unnoticed as she saw something that took her breath away. Max lying on his bedroom floor, gasping for air. Max crying for Liz. Max shuddering at Lisa's touch. Max's hurt, his anger, his fear. Liz gasped for air as she grasped the situation. Oh my God. We made a connection! ________________

Max lay on the floor of his room, covered in sweat. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. Lisa with…Valenti? It just doesn't add up. The image of Lisa with Valenti had really shaken him up. He had seen her in his office, her head in her hands, her head tilted so her hair hung down over her shoulder. She had been telling him something, but he didn't know what. He hadn't been sure what was going on between the two of them, but he had been willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. Then he saw something that had knocked the wind out of him: Valenti and Lisa hugging. He knew something was going on between the two of them; he just didn't know WHAT. It was driving him crazy, and he knew he needed to tell someone, but who? Michael would freak; who knew what he would do? Isabel would just tell him he was paranoid and that there was no way that he could make that kind of connection. Yet, it wasn't a connection. It was a vision, which he'd never experienced before. And there was the little factor of having a vision of Liz right before he had the vision of Lisa. His head snapped around as he heard someone climbing the window. He got up and shakily walked to the window to tell Michael that tonight was not a good night. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at the person out side of the window. It wasn't Michael; no, Michael didn't have an amazing form. It was Liz, her dark eyes troubled. She looked at him for a moment, then opened her mouth.

"Can I come in?" Her voice was painfully shy and he couldn't help but smile. Liz gave him a slight smile back, but it wasn't very convincing.

"What's on your mind?" he asked her once she was settled on his floor.

"Um, this is going to sound really weird. Even I don't understand it. But, while I was home, I made some sort of, I don't know, like a connection." She was unaware that she was speaking almost the exact words that Max had spoken to her when she found out that he was an alien. "I saw you here," she gestured to the floor in the exact spot where he had laid, "and you were panting. I didn't know what was wrong, but I knew that whatever had happened, you were upset. I could feel it. You felt betrayed, and angry, and stupid." Max just stared at her as she continued. "I had to get over here right away, and here I am." She drew in a shaky breath and looked at him. He looked back at her with amazement. He was at a loss for words. Finally, he found his voice.

"How-how did you do that?" His voice was a barely audible whisper. He couldn't believe it. Liz had felt it too!

"I don't know. It's scary, Max. But in a way, it's kind of comforting, too. Now I know what you're going through." She smiled at him then, and he felt his heart melt. I can't believe I almost gave her up for Lisa! The thought made him shiver, and he knew he had to tell Liz.

"Liz, there's something you should know. What you saw, you were right. But, I saw you. I thought it was a vision, but obviously, it was a connection of some sort. Then, right after I saw you, I saw Lisa with Valenti." Liz gaped at him, willing her self not to believe it. "She was talking to him, and then," he choked on the words, "and then she hugged him! She's telling him things, Liz! Things about us!" His voice was scared, and Liz's look mirrored his voice. Isabel's voice broke through the silence.

"Then we'll just have to do something about it."