Max and Liz walked into the living room of the Evans' house and faced Max's parents who were already seated. Max saw his parents calmly waiting for the two teens to begin. However, Max could tell that his parents were worried. They exchanged looks but showed an outwardly calm exterior. Max knew they didn't want to scare him or Liz into not talking to them about whatever they felt was so important. Max saw his mother look at him and Liz. He knew his mother could sense the tension in Liz and the worry and stress in her son's eyes as well, for she too held her breath and clenched her hands, waiting.

Max put an arm around Liz, as they sat across from his parents in the oversized chair. Max held his breath, met Liz's eyes for a minute, and then decided to just get it over with.

"Mom, dad...Liz is pregnant and we want to get married." Max blurted out and then waited. He kept his eyes level with his mother and father's.

His father was the first to respond. "So what? Do you want us to congratulate you? Give you our blessings?" he asked with bottled anger as he realized just what his son was telling him. His son was telling him that he had just ruined his life. He had blown his whole future. "How did you let this happen!?" his father said through a clenched jaw. "We asked you to at least be careful if you couldn't--restrain yourselves.." His father said hoarsely, trying to keep his anger on a leash. But he couldn't help but look at Liz with blame in his eyes.

Max swallowed and squeezed Liz tighter. "We did take precautions, it just--"

"Oh Max." he heard his mother said in a very sad, disappointed voice.

He looked at her and could see how terribly hurt and disappointed she was in both of them. He felt Liz start to shake next to him. He knew they were looking at her and blaming her.

"You didn't use a condom did you?" his father blurted out raking a hand through his hair and glancing again at Liz. "And she told you it would be okay because she was on the pill right?" he continued. Then raked a glance at Liz. "You've ruined my son's life. I hope you're happy." He said and started pacing.

Liz bit her lip and held a hand over her mouth to hold back a sob.

"NO! It wasn't Liz's fault!" Max stood up and faced his parents again, and this time he took a deep breath.

His mother looked up at him but her hurt and disappointment was there to be seen. She was giving him a chance to explain though. "Why is that Max?" she said softly.

"Mom. Liz was on the pill. She...it would have been okay if...if I was normal. It's my fault." He swallowed and felt Liz's hand slip into his and squeeze his in comfort for what he was about to reveal.

"Max?" his mother looked up at him wide-eyed and held her breath.

"You were right when you said I was different, Mom. And I know you wanted me to be honest with you awhile back, but I couldn't. I--this is not easy. The reason I've always been able to heal animals...and other strange stuff you've noticed is...when you found Isabel and I in the desert that night, we had just come out of incubation pods from the '47 crash. Mom...I'm really an alien from that crash." Max said. Then let out his breath at finally saying those words to her. He felt Liz squeeze his hand again and he looked at her and saw her smile though her tears. He swallowed and looked back at his parents.

His father was looking at him as if he were crazy. He could tell his father didn't believe it. Couldn't believe it. Then he looked at his mother and saw how pale she had gotten and how she just stared. Her eyes wide and shocked.

"Maxwell Evans! You have never been a liar before, Son and I don't like what this girl has done to you lately! Enough crazy lies!" his father exploded and came to stand before them.

Max met his father's eyes with his direct stare and swallowed again. There was pain in Max's eyes. "I'm not lying dad. And if you thought about it, you'd realize that there has always been something a little...off with me." He said in his own now hoarse voice.

His father stared at him again and then flinched and slowly backed away shaking his head in denial.

Max turned to his mother and saw her look away and down at the ground, a fist to her mouth.

Both his parents had looked at him as if he was a monster, and now they couldn't look at him at all. "Mom?" Max pleaded for her to look at him. She had said it wouldn't matter! She had promised.

When she didn't look at him he looked at his father who actually looked terrified, and backed up behind the couch. "Look, we won't say anything. Just--go. We don't...we can't have you here anymore. And my God...what kind of baby is that?" his father choked and turned away, himself.

Max thought he was going to be sick. He glanced again at his mother but she wouldn't meet his eyes. "Mom?" he whispered in another plea. "Mom!" he shouted. She still wouldn't look at him. He couldn't believe how wrong Isabel had been about their mother's acceptance.

"It's okay. shhh..." Liz soothed him and cooed in his ear.

Max thought she was crazy. No it wasn't okay! It would never be okay again. "Please Mom!" he cried.

"Max!" Liz whispered forcefully.

Max shot up in bed shaking and crying. Liz made soothing sounds again in his ear, hugging him and pushing back his now wet hair from his face.

"It's okay Max. It was a nightmare." She said softly and finally got Max to lie back down quietly, but his breath was still coming in gasps, and he was still shaking.

Max stared up at the ceiling with wild fear in his eyes and Liz held back a sob of her own. "Max, you can't keep doing this to yourself. Please. That won't happen. It was just a dream." Liz said and gently caressed the side of his face, taking his tears with her as she moved her hand softly.

Max had had the same nightmare now for over a week. The first time Liz had actually been in the dream with him. Being held close by him he had pulled her into the dream. But Liz could now distinguish it as a dream and pull herself out, whereas Max continued to go through the whole nightmare over and over again.

"Your parents love you Max. Your mother loves you. She will not reject you. She loves you unconditionally." Liz told him again.

She was grateful that her parents were away for the night, or they would have heard Max's cry. The nightmares seemed to be getting worse in intensity.

"How do you know?" Max finally said in a hoarse voice. He was still staring up at the ceiling but now turned his head to look at Liz.

She met his eyes with warm, loving ones. "Because a mother's love IS unconditional." She smiled.

Max just shook his head, the dream had been too real. Who said it couldn't happen the way it had in his dream?

"Max. You don't have to tell them all of it. We have to tell them I'm pregnant, but we don't have to tell them all of it if you don't want. I know Isabel has been pushing you to tell them, but it can wait. It doesn't have to be now, when we are going to have to tell them about me as well." Liz said softly and hurt for Max. She looked over his beautiful face and into his good heart and soul and couldn't believe he really thought that his parents would reject him.

Liz kissed his lips gently, softly, and then got up and padded into the bathroom to get him a glass of water.

She sat on the side of the bed while he sat up and drank. His eyes were still haunted. Liz smiled sadly and took the glass from him, put it on the table and then turned back to him.

He met her eyes with his haunted ones. "Max, how would you feel if our babies...came out small and green and slimy?" she asked seriously.

Max choked and glanced at her, his own fear growing more so at her words.

She realized that she was not making her point. "Would you be disgusted and turn away from them?" she asked softly.

His eyes searched hers and he swallowed. "Wouldn't...wouldn't you?" he asked in a shocked whisper.

Liz smiled and shook her head, all the honesty there in her eyes for him to see. "I would love them no matter what they looked like." She said softly.

Max looked shocked and then tears filled his eyes again. How did he find her? How was he lucky enough to find someone who accepted all there was about him?

"It's easy Max. We were meant to be." Liz answered his silent question and leaned in to kiss him.

Max was used to her reading his mind by now, and just sobbed and pulled her into his arms, and lying back, he dragged her on top of him. Liz just held him tighter, letting him feel her warmth and love. The cold and pain was finally receding from his body.

"We won't tell them Max. We will only tell them all about the babies." Liz said and sighed when she felt Max release his breath and slowly doze again. She felt the tension drain out of him and she held back her own sob.

Oh Max! How could you doubt your parents' love for you! You are more human than most people in this world! She thought to herself and then burying her head in his neck, she thought about this upcoming weekend. They had finally decided that this weekend they were going to tell their parents about the babies.

They all were graduating on Friday, from high school, and since they had to make future plans that included two babies; they had to tell their parents. Liz had a little over 8 months to go yet, and still wasn't showing, but they needed to plan for the future, and it was time to tell their parents. She knew this is what had brought on Max's nightmares the last week.

Isabel had been pushing him to tell their parents everything and get it all over with, but Liz knew now that Max was far from ready for that. She couldn't blame him right now. She was dreading just telling their parents about the babies...Their parents were so proud of them and had such high hopes and expectations for them. She couldn't imagine telling her parents that her babies were also part alien.