"Liz! What do you think you're doing!?" Maria cried from the doorway of the kitchen.

Liz spun around, startled, and gave a yelp as she felt the platter slip out of her hands. When it went crashing to the floor, Liz stared at it in horror..

"Damn it Maria! Don't do that! You just broke my favorite dish!!" Liz yelled back, then promptly sat on the stool and burst into tears.

Maria's heart had stopped when she'd seen Liz teeter on the stool and she realized she shouldn't have caught her unaware. Liz had almost fallen herself, never mind the dish!

Maria came over to her best friend, dragged a chair across with her and sat on it in front of Liz. Then she put her own face in her hands and took a deep breath. Good going Maria! She thought to herself. Max trusts you to help Liz today while he was at school and not to let her get into too much trouble preparing for the big dinner, and here she almost causes Liz to fall herself..

"I'm sorry babe. You just scared me." Maria sighed and smiled when Liz raised her head and wiped her tears.

"DITTO!" Liz pouted and then took a deep breath. She hated when she cried at the slightest thing and loved that Maria didn't fuss over her when she did.

For that would just make it worse. Maria was used to Liz's sudden outbursts and had been great to have around the last few months.

Liz remembered how excited she had been as she's waited for Michael and Maria to move up here, and how completely beyond excited she had been when Maria had shown her the ring first off when she'd gotten out of the truck. They had squeeled and hugged each other and the guys had just smiled and shook their heads.

So much had happened in the last few months. Liz's pregnancy was now starting to show quite a bit, and with it were her burst of emotion and her crying jags. Not to mention her need for Tabasco had gotten stronger again, as well as her need for Max. And since neither was a problem any more, Liz had been content. But then at the end of the summer Max had started school and Liz's emotions had taken another turn. Jealousy. As she had grown bigger, she'd envied Maria and everyone's trim shapes all around her. And she imagined all the freshman girls on Max's campus just drooling and flirting over Max, so handsome and sexy and sweet. She knew beyond a doubt that she had nothing to worry about where Max was concerned, but she couldn't help but hate the fact that they flirted with him and looked sexier than she did right now.

The first time Liz had told Max that he had blinked in shock and then laughed. Which had in turn caused Liz to burst into tears and Max to contritely hold her and soothe her. Then, when her crying had stopped, Max had proceeded to show Liz just how unsexy she was. They hadn't slept at all that night. And Liz found herself grinning like crazy remembering that night..

It reminded her of her not so long ago honeymoon.

"Liz hon, Max told you to have me lift or bend or reach anything you couldn't today remember?" Maria reminded her friend.

Liz nodded sheepishly knowing Maria was right. Then she sighed. " I know… I just hate being helpless Maria. I feel useless. Fat and useless!" she swallowed, trying not to get upset again.

"Hey! You are not useless and you are NOT fat! You are carrying and nurturing Max's children and are a beautiful glowing pregnant wife. Max adores you even more now then he did before if possible, and you have to know that." She told Liz seriously.

"You're right. I'm just being silly." Liz sighed. "Thank you for reminding me of my stupidness." She laughed.

Maria laughed back. "Anytime! Now, what are we going to do about that dish?" she asked with a frown.

Liz smiled and waving her hand over the dish, she put it back together.

Maria raised an eyebrow and looked impressed. "Wow. Do you know if you are going to lose these gifts after the babies are born?" she asked curiously.

After all, she too was going to be pregnant someday.

Liz shrugged. "Jordan and Dr. Klein, my gynecologist, said some human women do lose the abilities and some don't."

"In other words they don't know." Maria said dryly. Then she stood up and took the now fixed platter off the floor. "Come on. We've got a big dinner to make to impress your parents and in-laws and friends with." Maria smiled and helped Liz up off the stool.

"Knock, knock!" the heard a female voice call from the front door. Both girls turned as Diane Evans came into the kitchen with a bright smile on her face.

"Oh no! You're here!" Liz said, then seeing Diane's face fall she realized how she sounded and curing herself for greeting her mother in law like that on her first official visit, she burst into tears again.

Maria helped Liz over to the kitchen table and exchanged sympathetic looks with Diane Evans. Diane smiled again and then came over to the table, put down her bags of groceries and patted her daughter in law's back gently.

"I didn't mean it like that mom." Liz sighed as she pulled herself together again.

"I know that sweetie." Diane chuckled softly and pushed the hair back from her daughter's face.

"But why are you here so early? Dinner's not for another 3 hours." Liz said to clarify and then found herself in Diane's arms for a big hug.

"Max called and said that you and Maria in the kitchen today would be a disaster, and could I help you two out by coming a bit early."

Diane laughed when she saw Liz roll her eyes and sigh and Maria give a shout in offended outrage.

.. "I swear I'm going to kill him! He thinks I'm completely useless!" Liz too burst out in anger.

"Not useless, just not used to giving dinner parties and knew you were going to stress yourself out trying to get it all done before tonight. Even with Maria's help. Max figured you'd wind up driving Maria crazy and then you'd both be stressed." She explained.

Maria laughed and pulled out her reserve of Cyprus oil. "I had this just in case."

Diane chuckled and then looked down at her new daughter with pride and love.

"You look radiant honey. How are you feeling?"

"When I'm not moody? Or crying? Or jealous? Fine just fine!" Liz laughed. She really was glad to have Max's mom there to help.

Maria looked out the window and smiled. "Oh! Liz, your mom's here too. I'll go help her with the rest of the groceries and stuff."

When she ran out, Liz looked up at Diane with a smile on her face. "Mom came too! You guys are too good to me."

"No. You are great for Max. Have I told you lately how much joy you have brought to our family? And how happy you have made Max?" Diane asked seriously and with a smile.

Liz nodded. "Yeah, but I love hearing it. He's made me very happy too. I've never been happier." Liz said, and then burst out laughing when she realized how much she had cried today already.

Diane laughed with her and then they turned to see Maria and Nancy carrying in the rest of the bags. Diane took the bags out of Nancy's arms and Nancy and Liz met in the middle of the kitchen in a big hug.

"Mom! Thanks for coming!" Liz smiled.

"You look so beautiful honey!" Nancy smiled and her eyes teared up as she looked over her very pregnant daughter. Things had been so hectic in the last month since Amy and Jim's wedding, that they hadn't had a chance to see each other.

Where are the guys?" Liz asked the two moms.

"We left your dad and Mr. Evans home. They can come up together later with Amy and Jim." Her mom replied.

Liz took a deep breath remembering the large crowd she was having for her first dinner. The whole gang was coming over plus Amy and Jim Valenti, who were still newlyweds themselves.

"I haven't seen mom since she got back from her honeymoon. I've talked with her on the phone though and I know she had a great time in Mexico." Maria smiled glad her mother was coming.

Isabel and Alex and Kyle and Cassie were driving up from college and Jordan and Nadi were coming as well.

"Well. Let's show these girls how to have their first dinner party shall we Diane?" Nancy smiled brightly, looking forward to the four women bonding and laughing as they played in the kitchen.

Liz smiled and looked around. She and Max were so lucky to have such wonderful friends and parents. She just couldn't believe how happy and perfect her life was, and she thanked the stars every night for having blessed her with Max. Life really was perfect she smiled.

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

"DAMN!" Pierce slammed his fist on the table. He threw down the latest report he'd been handed and looked around the conference room. "And again, no one saw any of these agents being killed!?" he swore. He was furious. This was the 10th agent in 3 months to be killed and in the exact same way. He knew

Nasedo was leaving his calling card on purpose. Just to show them that he was the one who was killing the agents and Pierce knew that Nasedo was waiting to get him as well. Nasedo was taunting him and Pierce was sick of it. They had given Nasedo some freedom at the facilities over the years and he knew that

Nasedo would now use that knowledge of the lab to get in and out easily. Nasedo had turned on them, as Pierce had always thought he would someday. He had told Kathleen not to turn her back on Nasedo, or give him to much freedom, but she hadn't listened and she'd lost her life because of it.

But Pierce wasn't foolish or trusting like Kathleen had been. Pierce knew how deadly Nasedo was and knew he had to get rid of him someone. But he could never find the alien who kept shape shifting and could be anyone at any time..

Pierce had to come up with another way to draw Nasedo out. For he intended to kill Nasedo once and for all. No matter who got hurt or killed in the process.

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

Cassie cried out and bolted up in bed. Her breath was coming in short pants and her face was all sweaty.

Kyle sat up and took her in his arms. "Shhh… another bad dream babe?" he asked softly and gently rubbed her back to calm her. She was having more and more nightmares lately about Nasedo. He frowned wishing he could do something to help ease her fears and nightmares.

At a knock on the door, Kyle calling for the person to enter.

Isabel peeked her head in and when Kyle nodded she came into the room and sat on the side of the bed near Cassie.

"I heard her cry. I figured you'd need me." She said softly, brushing the hair out of Cassie flushed face.

The last few times that Cassie had woken up screaming, she hadn't been able to calm down or go back to sleep until she was able to share her nightmare with someone. And when Isabel connected with her that seemed to calm Cassie down. Isabel knew Kyle felt bad that he couldn't help, but he understood it was one of those 'alien' things, as he would tease them.

Alex padded in as well, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He threw Kyle a sympathetic look, knowing that they both felt useless when their girls didn't need them. And that only some 'alien' thing could help.

The four had moved into a big apartment together to save on expenses at college. The four had grown even closer in the last month and Isabel and Alex were used to Cassie's nightmares.

Cassie knew Kyle felt so useless when it came to helping her and she assured him that his being there and holding her was important too. And after Isabel had connected with Cassie and brought the bad dream out in the open, Kyle was the one who soothed Cassie back to sleep.

Cassie looked around at her friends and lover and shook her head. "I'm sorry.. You guys are so good to me. You need your sleep and all I keep doing is scaring you all out of your sleep." She sighed.

"Hush!" Isabel said, used to Cassie's apologies. "I know you'd do the same for me. And we're family. So we will always be here for each other right?"

Cassie looked at Alex and Kyle's equally serious faces and nodded and held Kyle tighter. Then taking a deep breath, she let Isabel connect with her.

Until Isabel did, Cassie couldn't remember her dreams, and couldn't go back to sleep.

When Isabel connected with Cassie she was instantly sucked into the dark swirling thoughts deep inside of Cassie. Violent, vivid images flashed through her so fast that Isabel had to concentrate to believe what she was seeing.

When Isabel finally pulled her hand away from Cassie's head, they both stared at each other, wide eyed with terror.