She was lying on her side, her head cushioned on her bent arm when he came into the tent. Max felt like he stopped breathing for a second while staring down at her beauty. He knelt by her bed and gently smoothed her hair away from her face, smiling slightly as she murmured "Max" in her sleep. He always knew loving Liz would be the best thing in life, but nothing had prepared him for the even better thing of being loved back by Liz. So completely and overwhelmingly. He remembered the way she had looked last night, naked in his arms in the moonlight and was again humbled by the extent of her love for him.

Sighing, he bent his head and brushed his lips over her cheek and forehead. "I love you, Liz. Be safe today, okay?" He kissed her again, this time softly on her lips. Lips that clung to his even though she hadn’t woken up yet.

Max was solemn by the time he got back to the Jeep. His mind was churning with the sense of worry that had overtaken him again when they got back to the camp this morning. He spoke briefly to some of Nick’s men, his men, about making sure that everyone in the camp was safe and saw from their looks they weren’t fooled, they knew he meant Liz.

Isabel looked at Max concernedly when he finally got in the Jeep. "Are you okay, Max?"

"I just… I have a bad feeling." He stared in front of him before starting the Jeep and driving off.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Liz was not happy when she finally woke up around 10:00 and realized Max had left while she was sleeping. She felt like she had failed him somehow. What sort of a leader’s mate was she that lay in bed all morning while the others were working to save their race?

Maria burst out laughing when Liz grumbled to her about it. "That’s SO like you, chica! Why don’t you just do the radar thingy you do with Max and let him know you’re awake so you can stop walking around like a little thundercloud?"

Liz sighed and concentrated on Max. His presence was a faint hum at the edge of her consciousness. "He’s too far away." She suddenly felt like crying. Okay, Liz, this is really taking it too far!

"So, do you have to do anymore parent bonding today?" Maria was still grinning impishly. "Cause I’m thinking it should really be fun talking to Max’s mom or your own with all those memories of last night in your head!"

"And I’m thinking that one night in the arms of a certain other male in this camp has made you way too chipper this early in the morning!"

Maria wasn’t perturbed by her friend’s surly mood. "And maybe I should warn Max that you turn into Grumpy if he keeps you awake for most of the night! Or… ah… wasn’t it Max doing the keeping awake bit?"

"Maria! I’m so not discussing this with you!"

Sighing dramatically, Maria shrugged. "Well okay, but I have to tell you that that glowing thing you did while sleeping could become problematic. Maybe it’s from too much… uhm… alien contact?"

Liz’s panicked expression sent her into another fit of giggles. "Gotcha!" Maria hastily departed the tent when Liz advanced on her threateningly.

Liz decided to go take a shower, although she was loath to wash Max’s scent off her for some reason this morning. Grabbing all her stuff together, she spotted her cell phone where Max had left it the previous evening. Might as well check my messages quickly…

~*~*~*~*~*~

The light blinded Sarah when the door to her cell opened abruptly. "Well, well, well! I’m hearing poor Eric is running all over town to try and find you! How careless of him!"

Sarah was suddenly furious. "How could you do this to him!" She shrank away from her captor when he leaned over her menacingly. "Because he is a weak and pitiful fool who is ignoring everything important to us."

~*~*~*~*~*~

The message was panicked and breathless. "Liz, its Sarah. I really need to talk to you. It’s about Max… and you. I can help him… We need to avert a tragedy. Please, I need to see you."

Liz was freaked. Why does Sarah want to help Max? Did she know something? What was going on? Had she completely misjudged Sarah? Liz paced in the tent, her shower completely forgotten. It sounded so urgent. Making a decision, she grabbed a jacket and ran to find Maria.

The first person she saw was Diane, sitting with her mother. This slowed her momentarily, but she couldn’t afford to be distracted now. She needed to help Sarah… and Max.

Not finding Maria fast enough, she grabbed Marcus. "I need a car. I need to go to Roswell real quick."

Marcus nearly fainted. "Oh no! I don’t think so!" Realizing he sounded a bit impudent, he rephrased his last statement. "Uhm… I mean I don’t think that’s a good idea. Who knows what could happen!"

Liz was not about to be swayed. "Then come with me, but we have to go!" She dragged him over to where some of the camp’s all terrain vehicles were standing.

"Liz!" It was Diane, with Nancy in tow. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go something in Roswell urgently. It won’t take long."

"Shouldn’t you wait for Max, honey? It might be dangerous!" Diane was trying to sound calm and rational.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Mrs. Evans, but Max is too far away and this is really important." She pointed at Marcus. "I’m taking him with me, don’t worry!"

Everyone was surprised when Nancy stepped forward. "I’m coming too."

"Mom no! I don’t think--."

"It’s not a request Liz. I’m going!" Nancy sounded uncharacteristically firm. And before Liz could say anything else, Nancy was in the car with Marcus. Sending a last look at Diane, who seemed really upset, Liz got in the car too. "Let’s go," she instructed Marcus.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Max was having trouble concentrating. A feeling of dread had settled in his stomach and he was starting to feel physically ill. When he botched yet another attempt at sending a bolt of energy towards a nearby rock, he gave up. "Guys, can we go home?"

All eyes turned to him. "Why?" It was Isabel.

"It’s getting worse. I think we all need to stick together at the camp." I need to see Liz.

~*~*~*~*~*~

After they arrived in Roswell a few hours drive later, Liz realized she had no idea where to start finding Sarah. So she went to the last place she saw her, the Crashdown.

They sat outside in the car because Marcus didn’t want them exposed. They were all still supposed to be on holiday…

Liz was just losing her patience when Marcus suddenly slumped forward in his seat, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. Liz lunged towards him, her heart stopping in her chest when she realized he was dead.

A shadow loomed at his window and Liz looked into cold blue eyes that froze her in place. The guy pulled open the car door and shoved Marcus out of the way before either Liz or Nancy had time to react. Liz turned to her door and was clawing at the handle when she felt a hand descend on her shoulder. "Max!" her mind cried out before she was plunged into darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Max!

Hearing that beloved voice cry his name in such terror, made Max start to shake violently. Michael grabbed the wheel just in time to stop Max from overturning the Jeep. Fighting incoherence, Max could only say: "No… Liz."