She whispered her love for him into the gentle breeze as he faded out of sight, and then turned to her room, crawling through the window. Once inside, she laid down on her bed, and pulling her pillow tightly against her as wonderful memories of the night possess her thoughts. This is one night she will never forget for as long as she lives. It was perfect in every way that counts.

The whole trip home, Max thoughts floated amongst the clouds. In just a few sweet short hours, he had gone from fighting his overwhelming desire to be with Liz, to giving into them in the biggest of ways. He had to keep telling himself that it wasn't just a dream, or another fantasy in which he showed Liz his love in the most primal and fulfilling ways known to man. That he truly made love to the women who has possessed his dreams from the first day he saw her so many years ago. He made love with Elizabeth Parker.

As a result of their deep love for each other, not only has he confirmed what he has always believed, that he and Liz were meant to be together. But he discovered a truth that has lead him one step closer to knowing why they were on the ship that brought them to Earth so long ago, and more about his sisters', brother's and his heritage. True, he now knows that Isabel and Michael aren't really his sister and brother, but he will never stop thinking of them as such.

Isabel sat on her bed, unable to get back to sleep. She kept thinking about the conversation she had with Michael awhile back, and about his theory of what was happening between Max and Liz, and what these visions meant. *Was he right, are we supposed to find out the truth about ourselves by connecting with humans?* She thinks that he was right, after all that's the only explanation she can think of that explains why Liz's visions have returned. Knowing well and good what she heard coming from Max's room tonight, she's sure Liz had more visions. After all, how much close can two people possible then they did? Wanting the answers tonight, she decided to wait in his room for his return.

"Hello Max." She said as he climbed back into his room through his window. Max looked startled at first, but quickly relaxed when he realized that it was Isabel and not one of his parents. "Is, what, are you doing in my room?"

Still upset about having to endure Max's and Liz's cries of passion earlier, she didn't even bother hiding her annoyance from him. "Oh gee, where else should I be Max? Sleeping in my bed maybe? I agree, that would be nice, but you see my brother and his girlfriend don't know how to keep their voices down."

Max blushes a deep crimson. *Oh no, how much did she hear, does she know Liz and I did?* He chooses to ask her a question in order to clarify exactly how much Isabel heard and knows. "You heard us . . . what, talking?"

"If that was talking, then I wonder what sounds you two will make when you really do it. I mean Max could you two have been any louder, or more careless. Did you even think about what mom and dad would have done if they had heard you, and quite frankly I don't know how they missed it?"

"If we were being as loud as you claim, then why didn't you knock on the door and tell us to quiet down? You know how it's been for Liz and me. We can't seem to help ourselves. We told you guys that when we told you the visions had returned."

"Don't try and blame this on me. It's not my job to keep you under control, that's between you and Liz." This isn't going the way Isabel wants it to, so she quickly diverts the conversation. "Did Liz have more visions tonight?"

"I see, it was worth risking mom and dad hearing us, if we trigger more visions."

"No, I mean yes, okay. I don't want you to get caught, but taking some risks are worth it if we want to find the answers. So tell me, did she or didn't she?"

Max smiled slightly at Isabel. He can help it, she looked so flustered and curious at the same time. "Yes, Liz had another vision, with a slight difference, this time we both saw them." He pauses for a moment trying to decide how much he should say right now. There are still so many things he doesn't completely understand himself. "We learned something about the orbs and how they work Is. However, I don't think we can make them work yet. From what we saw and felt, Liz and I both agree, we think there are more orbs we have to find still."

"More of them, how can you be so sure?"

"We're not positive, but we're pretty sure. In the vision we saw several ceremonies. They were always done the same way. Each couple would share an orb, and when there was an individual, such as a child or young adult that individual held an orb of their own."

"Okay, if we have two orbs, and two couples, why can't we perform the ceremony?"

Max didn't answer, he felt that this was heading into one of those areas where he could only speculate on what he saw and felt. Isabel, thinking that she didn't make herself clear, attempts to clarify. "You know Max, Tess and you, Michael and me."

"You don't understand Isabel. It was never me and Tess, or you and Michael." Isabel's expression reveals she is puzzled by his statement. Tess has been telling them about their destiny for the day they discovered she was one of them. Had she been lying to them after all. Max understands that he is going to need to clarify his statement, he still wonders how much is too much to say. "I was never meant to be with Tess the way she thought. She's my real sister Isabel, not you."

"If she's your sister, then where do I fall into this picture?"

Max moved away from the window and sat beside Isabel on the bed. "In the vision, during the ceremony, you and I shared an orb." Isabel raised her eyebrows questioningly and Max continues. "Isabel, I'm not sure, but I think we were married."

"What!" Exclaims Diane from the doorway to Max's room. Max and Isabel both turn around to see their surprised mother standing in the door way.

"Mom!" Isabel cries out. "What are you doing up so early?"

"It's just past 6:00 Isabel. Would one of you please explain what I just heard?"

"Exactly what did you hear?" Asks Max, not wanting to assume how much of their conversation she had over heard.

"That you, Maxwell Evans, think you got married. How can you think you got married, and not know? Your only 17 for crying out loud, and who is it that you think you married?"

"Mom! Mom! Stop! Let me explain." Max tried to calm his mom down as much as possible, and at the same time he tried to come up with an explanation that she would believe.

"This better be good Max, because from what I heard, this sounds really serious." Diane said sternly as she placed her hands on her hips waiting for Max to explain this to her.

Max forced a half-hearted smile on his face and in a light hearted tone he proceeded to explain. "Mom, it was no big deal, really. I was simply telling Isabel about this dream I had last night."

Diane breathes a sigh of relief, there for a moment she was sure that her son had gone off and married Liz, the girl he seems to be smitten with. Feeling more relaxed she begins to realize how foolish she mush have sounded. "I'm sorry Max, it's just, when I heard you say you were married, I jump to the wrong conclusion."

"Its okay, mom. I know how that must have sounded." Both Max and Isabel relax.

"So Max, who were you dreaming that you married? Could it have been the girl I keep seeing you with? Liz Parker, right?"

"Mom, please ." Even though he loves Liz with all of his heart, he's not ready to discuse his feelings for her with his mother.

"What, you were telling Isabel?"

~*~*~*~*~

Waking up to the sound of his clock radio going off. Kyle reached for the off button blindly, not wanting to open his eyes for a few more minutes. When he finally forced himself out of bed, he groaned and struggled to his feet. Getting out of bed this early in the morning wasn't easy for him. *If I'm going to go run as I planned to do this morning, and still have time for a shower before school I have to get moving,* Kyle told himself. After grabbing a pair of dark-blue sweat pants and a T-shirt to match from his chest of drawers, he threw them on, along with socks and his running shoes, and he headed out the door.

He's been running in the mornings only a few weeks now, starting to doing so two days after his near death experience. Something about almost dying can change a person, and it did him. *Almost dying made me really think about what is important in my life. One of those changes has been my priorities. I decided that if I'm going to truly reach my goals and get a scholarship, I need to take better care of myself. I needed to get in better shape than I've ever been in.*

That wasn't the only thing that changed for him, the discovery of Max's heritage had thrown him for a loop. It finally explained why his father was so interested in Max Evans, and why Liz acted so strangely all those months ago. It even explains a little about why Liz had warned him to stay away from Tess. However, it still left many questions unanswered. So many in fact, he thought he was going to go crazy trying to figure it all out. That's when he started running, and he found that it helped him in more ways then just getting into shape. It was helping him to relieve his stress, allowing him to relax, and it got his blood pumping which cleared his head and allowed him to think more clearly.

He didn't want to miss his run today of all days, his stress level has been high due to the added pressure of finals this week, and he needs his head to be clear. He has several exams today and he knew if he wanted the option to choose which college he would attend in a few years, these grades are going to count.

Stepping out his front door, he noticed a nice bronco parked on the other side of his father's Cruiser. He didn't think much of it, knowing his father often lets some of his friends park their vehicles at their house when they would go out of town for an extended period of time. Kyle stretched and then took off at a modest pace.

~*~*~

Tess woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the bedroom door. After covering herself a little better under the blanket she answered. "You can come in." She watched the door as it opened just enough for Jim Valenti to poke his head into the room. "I wanted to check in on you before I head off to work. Are you feeling better this morning?"

"Much better, thank you Sheriff." She answered, realizing that she truly is feeling better. She was still upset about the way Max had talked to her, but better. Something about staying at the Valenti's helped her to relax and regain her confidence. Maybe it was because for the first time in her life, someone showed concern about her emotional state. Nesado took care of her physical needs and training, but he didn't have it in him to care about her emotional needs. He always told her that emotions were a weakness.

It was obvious to Jim Valenti that Tess didn't have anyone she could turn to when times got rough, and last night was a good example of that. He'd observed how Max, Liz, and the others put up with her, but haven't really accepted her into their close-knit group. And having been a teen once himself, he knows how hard it can be not having someone to turn to.

He didn't know what happened last night that had Tess so upset, but he wanted her to know he was willing to listen if she ever felt the need to talk. He worried what would happen to Tess if she's never really accepted by Max, Michael, and Isabel, and those they have grown to love and trust. *I hope for her sake, actually for the sake of all of them, that doesn't happen. I'd hate to see that problems that could cause. If they ever do work out their differences, I'm sure it will only take place after they spend sometime get to know and trust each other. I also see that Tess is going to have to make many adjustments, mainly accepting that things aren't going to be as she has imagined it would be. Meanwhile, I hope she will either find someone she feels comfortable confiding in, or that she feels comfortable enough to come to me when she needs support.*

He has to be leaving for work, so he tells her, "I'll be going then. I don't want to be the cause of you being late to school." He starts to leave, stopping to add. "If you ever feel the need to talk, I hope you know you can trust me. And it doesn't have to be just about, well you know, your secret." He didn't wait for her to reply, not wanting to put any pressure on her to respond. He simply wants her to know he's willing to listen if she ever needs someone to talk to.

It's apparent by the expression on Tess's face that she is little surprised by the events of this morning. *I expected the Sheriff to question me further about last night. Instead he let it go, not asking me anything about it. Instead he simply offered to be there for me if I ever needed to talk. I don't plan to take him up on the offer, but for some reason it means a lot to me that he offered.*

She climbs out of bed, finding her way over to the dresser where she left her clothes last night. She looks into the mirror, not liking the reflection staring back at her, she waves her hand over her puffy eyes removing all traces of the makeup she forgot to remove last night. She also removes the puffiness from her eyes and the tear tracks down her cheeks. She still feels grimy and decides to shower here hoping to save some time.

She started to grab her clothes, only to put them back down, thinking that it would be even a bigger waste of time if she were to put her dirty clothes back on. Stepping out of the room, she looks both ways down the short hallway. She knows the Sheriff went further down the hall to get her one of his shirts last night and since there was only one room to her right, she knows that must be his room. To the left she sees a door with a poster which reads ‘Enter at your own risk', and figured that must be Kyle's door. *I'll just ask Kyle if he has anything I can wear long enough to go home and get a change of clothes.*

After proceeding to his door, she knocks several time and receives no response. She turns the door knob, and pushes the door open slowly, just enough to conclude that he isn't running around in his skivvies or still laying in bed sleeping. After calling out his name one more time, she opens the door completely and enters.

*I'll just see if he left something clean laying around that I can use.* She has no such luck, Kyle's room looks fairly clean, which is unexpected considering how many horror stories she's heard about guys and their inability to clean up after themselves. There are a few things out of place granted, but she assesses that they could have been from last night or this morning.

*I'll grab something from one of the drawers of his dresser, not big deal.* She walked over to his dresser prepared to open the drawers and find what she needed. However, before doing so, the items sitting on top of the dresser grab her attention. She moves quickly over the trophies, not really paying them much heed, and moving to the picture frames. There are four picture frames, the two sittings in front are of Kyle and his dad. In one they are holding fishing poles and their obvious large catches of the day. The second is of Kyle holding a rifle in one hand and a first place trophy in the other. His dad is standing beside him with one hand resting on Kyle's shoulder and the other holding up one finger showing that Kyle won first place. She could tell in both pictures how proud Jim Valenti was of Kyle in each of the pictures, and how much he loves him. Tess doesn't realize that a small smile graced her lips as she looked at the pictures.

The other two frames sit behind the first two. She picks up one of the photos, and admires the way Kyle and his friends from the football team look like they are all having fun. *I'll bet this was taken before one of their home games, other wise they're uniforms would be covered in dirt and grass stains.* She sets the picture back in its place on the dresser and picks up the other one setting in the back row.

The last picture is of a much younger Kyle napping with his head resting in the lap of a woman with brown hair just past her shoulders. *I wonder if this woman is Kyle's mother?* Out of no where, she suddenly feels as if she is snooping and feels uncomfortable about being in Kyle's room when he isn't here. She can't bring herself to open his drawers, feeling that would be a further invasion of his privacy. Rather than getting into his dresser, she walks over to his closet and pulls out a pale blue button dress shirt and leaves his room heading straight for the bathroom.

She stopped short of the open door. The Sheriff warned her that sometimes Kyle leaves the door open and she wonders, *maybe he didn't hear me because he was in the shower or something.* "Kyle, Kyle are you in there?" Receiving no response, she enters the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her, and she proceeded to undress and climb into the shower.