Liz grinned as she stepped out of the shower to find Max waiting, holding a towel open for her. He wrapped it around her, patting her dry, before slowly running his hands through her hair, drying it with his powers.

“Thank you.” Liz whispered. “Get in, I’ll be waiting in your room.” She kissed him lightly on the lips before slipping out of the bathroom, and sneaking down the hall to Max’s bedroom.

Once safely in his room again, Liz pulled her suitcase out of Max’s closet, and picked out clothes for the day, letting the towel drop to the floor, before dressing quickly.

Diane Evans grunted slightly as she picked up Max’s laundry basket, and headed down the hallway. The water was still running in the bathroom, so she knew she didn’t have to worry about disturbing him…she just needed to drop his laundry off, and head to make breakfast for him and Izzy.

Diane smiled softly. She didn’t care if her kids were practically adults…or that they were reincarnated alien leaders fighting a secret war against their people’s enemies…she still loved mothering them.

When she opened Max’s bedroom door, all thoughts of mothering her kids flew out of her head as she gaped openly at the site before her. Her eyes drank in the image of Liz Parker folding her pajamas into an open suitcase on Max’s bed.

Liz froze in the middle of folding, and stared at Mrs. Evans in fear.

“Mrs. Evans! Oh my gosh…I…um….” She fumbled with her words, desperately trying to find a feasible excuse for her presence in Max’s room, but completely unable to come up with one.

“Liz!” Diane exclaimed in shock. “What are you doing here?”

“Well…um…you see…” Liz sighed finally. “It’s a really long story.”

Diane eyed the nervous, flustered girl standing there in the middle of Max’s room, and thought back to the events of Isabel’s birthday, which had been plastered in her mind ever since. She had overcome the shock of it all now, accepted it all as truth, but she hadn’t been able to talk to her son about what she knew yet.

She took in the fear in Liz’s eyes as she waited for Diane to react, looking very vulnerable. Diane’s eyes softened to her. This girl was Max’s destiny…his wife in the past, and most likely the future too. Her motherly instincts kicked in, and she desperately wanted to put the girl before her at ease.

“I have time, if you need someone to listen…I can make you a cup of tea if you’d like, and we can talk.”

Liz nodded, and smiled softly. “That would be nice.”

“So what’s going on?” Diane asked Liz gently, as she led the girl to the kitchen.

“Well…I just found out that I’m adopted…” Liz started, as she followed Diane out of the room.

Max stepped into his bedroom after getting out of the shower, and looked around wildly, seeing it empty.

“Liz?” He called softly.

Max sighed softly…she must have decided to leave. He wondered why. It wasn’t like her to not wait to say goodbye to him.

But why did she leave her suitcase out? If his mom saw that she’d flip out… Max zipped it shut, and hid it back in the closet before getting dressed, and heading to the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks a few feet before reaching the kitchen at the sound of soft voices coming from the room.

When he reached the kitchen, his heart pounded nervously in his chest at the sight before him. Liz and his mother were sitting at the table sipping on tea, as they talked softly.

“Max.” Diane greeted him cheerfully as he stepped into the room. “Come join us. Liz was just explaining to me why she’s staying with you.”

Max stared at Liz, a curious expression on his face, and Liz shrugged sheepishly in response. “She walked in on me in your room.”

Max nodded. “I’m sorry for not asking…” He started, before Diane cut him off.

“I must admit, Max, I’m appalled. You know that you can come to us when your friends are in need. I’m really disappointed that you felt the need to sneak around behind my back.”

“I know…I’m…”

Diane cut him off again. “But, I’ll forgive you if you and Liz can forgive me.”

“Forgive you for what?” Max asked, an inquisitive look flying across his face.

“For…” Diane paused and took a deep breath, her gaze turning serious. “For following you two to the cave on Izzy’s birthday.”

“What?” Max gasped out in shock.

“On Izzy’s birthday…I overheard you two talking in the kitchen at the Crashdown. The things you said…I was so afraid that my kids were mixed up in something horrible, so I followed you when you left for the cave.”

“What did you hear in the cave?” Max asked, his voice openly trembling.

“Everything.” Diane replied, confirming Max’s biggest fear. “I was right...my kids are mixed up in something horrible, but if I understood everything correctly, you’re fighting the right fight, and nothing I could ever do could stop you or protect you.”

Liz looked wildly between Max and his mother, and recognized the look of raw fear in Max’s eyes. She could tell that he was in no place to initiate anything more in this conversation, so Liz continued for him.

“How are you feeling about all of this, Mrs. Evans? I mean…how are you taking it?”

“Honestly…it’s every mother’s worst fear, that their kids are leading some secret life right behind your back, one that you can’t have any part of. I just keep hoping that I’m going to wake up and find out that it’s all a dream or something.”

“It’s no dream.” Max finally spoke up. “I’m an alien…the leader of a planet far from here. And I’m leading the few people I actually have here in a war against a very powerful alien race, that has enslaved my people at home. It’s not even a secret life, mom…it IS my life.”

“I know.” Diane whispered. “Hearing you say it just confirms it for me, I suppose.”

There was a long moment of silence as Diane let Max’s words sink in.

“Max…” Diane finally started slowly. “I’ll support you in this. I want you to know that. You don’t need to sneak around behind my back anymore.”

“Thanks mom.”

“Now…about Liz being here…I’m very disappointed that you didn’t even ask, or let me know. But I was there in the cave too, and I heard everything that was said. You and Liz are as good as married.” Diane chuckled softly. “Now that’s something I didn’t expect to be dealing with for a few more years. But who am I to stand in the way of destiny?”

Max met his mother’s eyes with a questioning gaze.

“Does that mean?” He asked in amazement.

“Liz can stay with you.” Diane confirmed for them. “I’m not one to turn away someone in need, and talking to Liz just now, I can see that you’re what she needs right now. Just…please…promise me you’re being careful.”

Max and Liz were both blushing furiously as Diane finished.

“We’re being careful.” Max replied, embarrassed to be talking about that with his mother.

“Good.” Diane sighed. Max and Liz turned to leave. “Max, can I talk to you alone for a moment?”

“I’ll go get our stuff for school.” Liz suggested, as she headed back to Max’s room.

“What’s up?” Max asked his mom curiously.

“Do Liz’s parents know where she is?”

“No…I don’t think so.” Max replied sadly. “Although I’m sure they could guess.”

“I can’t imagine how they must be feeling right now.” Diane sympathized.

“Well, they shouldn’t have lied to Liz.” Max defended.

“I agree…but they can’t change their actions now. Why don’t you go talk to them today? Just let them know that Liz is okay, and try to help them understand what she’s going through. I think it would help.”

“Yeah…that’s not a bad idea.” Max agreed.

“Are you ready?” Liz asked, peaking her head back into the kitchen.

“Yeah.” Max replied. “Bye mom….and thanks for everything.”

“Bye Max…I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom.”