The Crashdown was basically empty apart from two men sitting in one of the back booths nursing their coffees. Coffees laced with Tabasco...

Liz hardly noticed Nick’s men (or were they Max’s now?) hovering around her protectively anymore. She sat at the counter of the Crashdown, her eyes unfocused as she stared out the window. Max… Her body heated up just thinking about him. He was so perfect. Perfect that is, apart from the fact that he insisted on good behavior from the two of them whenever they were in a four-mile radius of their parents. His fear that her parents would bar him from seeing her if they ever found out the nature of their relationship completely overriding his baser urges. It drove her crazy! The only times she and Max had really been together during this summer, was on their infrequent weekend "camping trips". She didn’t see nearly enough of him.

He was away a lot practicing his powers with Nick, Michael and Isabel. They all figured they needed to get in as much practice during the summer before school started again. At least there had been no sign of the other alien race yet. She was actually starting to wish that school would begin again, just so she could see him more often…

Liz sighed and closed her eyes, focusing on Max. It was scary how easily she had gotten used to this connection they shared that allowed them to pinpoint the other’s position. And the more she used it, the easier it was becoming. Boy, would that come in handy when they’re back in school! Eraser room meetings could now be orchestrated without the passing of little notes. Where was he now? She concentrated harder and felt a sudden surge of electricity on her body. He was on his way back!

She jumped off the chair and raced into the backroom, finding a somber Maria at her locker. "They’re on their way back!" she cried breathlessly.

Maria perked up immediately and hugged Liz. "I LOVE your little radar for Max! I LOVE you!!" Maria turned into a whirlwind of activity. "I have to go home and dress! I have to—."

Liz was laughing by now. "Maria, calm down! They won’t be here for a while yet!"

"Hmpf! You are taking all of this WAY to calmly, Ms-Queen-of-an-Alien-Race!"

Liz’s eyes widened as she spied her dad coming through the back room swing door. "Maria!" she hissed warningly.

They both relaxed when Jeff gave them his usual absent greeting. "Hey Lizzie. Maria. What are you two up to tonight?"

"Uhm. We’re going out to see a movie, Dad. You know, girls night out."

Jeff looked at his daughter more sharply. Her eyes were shining and she radiated excitement. He knew Max was gone with some of his friends on a hiking trip and that Lizzie had seemed to lose her natural liveliness while he was away. He frowned, wondering for the umpteenth time about the intensity he could always sense just beneath the surface between his daughter and Max Evans. Nancy was not too thrilled about the relationship, but so far the kids had not given them any reason to panic. Max always had her home by curfew and their embraces were within bounds. While he was around anyway... But he remembered that kiss he witnessed when they returned from the school camp quite vividly and he didn’t have any illusions that some heavy making out were taking place when the parents were not around. They were normal teenagers after all...

"So, just the two of you? Where’s Alex?"

Maria and Liz were practically dancing around with impatience to get away from Jeff. "Oh no, he… uhm, he has a family thing on tonight." Maria was praying that the topic of her lie didn’t just walk into the café right then. "So, we need to go get dressed. Is it okay if we leave you to lock up, Mr Parker?"

Jeff smiled, still enjoying the sparkle that was back in Liz’s eyes. "Sure." He had barely finished the word before the two girls were halfway up the stairs on the way to Liz’s room.

~*~*~*~*~*~

They waited in front of Michael’s apartment, but Maria was driving Liz crazy asking where their guys were every few seconds. "Stop Maria! I can’t concentrate if you carry on like this." Liz waved her hand to get her friend’s attention.

"Liz. I love you, but you really have to start getting better at this connection thing. I’m dying out here!" Maria complained.

Liz sat with closed eyes, ignoring Maria and taking deep breaths in an effort to find Max. She had just managed to find their connection when her door was pulled open and a pair of strong arms lifted her from the car.

"Wow, I missed you!" His beloved voice was gruff. He hugged her to him fiercely, nearly squeezing the breath from her body.

Liz vaguely heard other exited voices, probably Michael and Maria saying hi too, but all her concentration went into being in the only place that she would ever call home again. Max Evans’ arms. She pressed closer to him, trying to absorb his heat and scent into her skin. How was it possible that the more she was with him, the more she needed to be with him?

Max couldn’t take the chance of kissing Liz right then. His body was feeling the weeklong absence sharply and he needed to get her alone. "Let’s go."

Liz gave him a knowing look and turned to Maria. "I’m going to phone my parents and tell them we’re seeing the late show. Then I’m sleeping over at your house, okay?"

Maria grinned at her pleading look. "Sure, Princess Leia! Go feed your alien. I’ll cover for you."

It said a lot for Max and Liz’s desperation to be alone that neither of them reacted to Maria’s ribbing. Nick was taking Isabel to Alex’s while Maria and Michael disappeared into his apartment.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The Jeep raced through the night and the wind whipped Liz’s hair around her face. She couldn’t care less. She knew where they were going. The pod chamber. It had become one of their favorite places to be alone since they’ve returned from the alien camp. With their first few times Max had been trying to exorcise the ‘destiny’ demons symbolized by the four pods. Later it had just become one of the safest places for them to be together…

They stopped inside the chamber, out of breath from the reckless run up the side of the rock outcrop. Sleeping bags lay on the floor between them, undisturbed from the previous time they had been there. Max lighted the myriad of candles around the chamber with a snap of his fingers and then he was kissing Liz. Finally…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Jeff Parker noticed that the two men that always seemed to be around the café whenever Liz was working had left when she did. He shook his head. Was his imagination playing tricks on him or were there all sorts of weird things happening since Liz came back from that school camp at the beginning of summer? Nancy kept saying that something strange was going on with Max, but all Jeff could see was a boy that was totally smitten with his daughter. Okay, maybe he was a bit TOO intense with her, but surely that wasn’t a reason to call him strange?

The door of the café jingled and Jeff turned to the new customer. It was a lone figure with dark eyes. He stood for a moment inside the door, scanning the empty room. He finally looked at Jeff, dismissed him, turned around and left.