As they entered the house, they held hands expecting the worst. What they found surprises them. Alex, Michael, and Max where off searching the grounds or the house somewhere, so they assumed. While Isabel sat on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest sobbed. Sandie released her hold on Kyle's hand and knelt beside Isabel placing her hand on her back to comfort her. With tenderness and heart felt concern she asked, "Isabel, what's wrong?"

Isabel didn't hear them enter, so when she heard Sandie's voice her head shot up in surprise. She quickly stood to her feet and wiped her tears away. She was embarrassed that they caught her wallowing in self pity, crying her eyes out. "Um, I just. . . ."

"It's okay Isabel, we all need to release sometimes, and crying is one of the best ways to do it." Sandie reassures her.

Kyle looks around uncomfortably. He wonders where Alex, Max, and Michael are. The last thing he wants to do is listen to two girls talking about why it's okay to cry. "Sandie, I'll leave you two alone. I'm going to look around upstairs for a bit if you need me." Kyle has only been out to the house once before, and on that occasion, he really didn't get to look around. They had to deal with Teomner and his men that night, and since then, something else has always prevented his return.

Sandie looks over her shoulder, "Okay Kyle, and thanks." She turns to face Isabel once again, this time taking her by the hand, and leads her over to the couch where they both take a seat facing each other. "Isabel, does this have to do with what happened between Max and Liz, and Michael and Maria? If it does, then maybe I can help, you know by listening. Sometimes it helps if we can vent what we're feeling, you know?"

In the past Isabel wouldn't have talked her problems over with anyone other than Max, and maybe Michael. However, since Liz, Maria, Alex, and Kyle became apart of her family, that has changed. She now has a few more people in her life she feels she can turn to. People she trusts and cares about, and she knows they feel the same way. Even though Isabel isn't as comfortable with Sandie as she is with Liz and Maria, she still feels comfortable with her, and she can tell how sincere Sandie is. Isabel wants to talk to someone, and since she can't talk to any of her other friends about this, Isabel decides to open up to Sandie and give her the benefit of the doubt. "Yes and no. Alex sided with Max and Michael. He thinks I'm being selfish about the whole thing. He just doesn't understand Max and Michael shouldn't have let things get out of hand. All of us talked about this, we agreed to keep things in our dreams, and yet they both broke that agreement. What they did, we should have talked about it first, and then they would have seen that I'm right. It's just too risky, we aren't ready for these changes that are occurring to our bodies. What if Maria or Liz were to get pregnant, how would they explain to any of our parents that they can't go to the doctor, because it's an alien baby?"

Sandie in her soft-spoken voice tries to help Isabel understand a few things that she's seems to be over looking. "Hold on Isabel, I understand your concern about letting anyone know we aren't from this world, but your forgetting that the changes have already started. Once they start, you can't stop them, and even if you could, don't you think you past that point when you bonded in your dreams? The good news is they don't happen all at once, they take time. Giving us a chance to adjust to them. Most important, we can't conceive until the changes are complete. Now, I want for you to look at this from a different point of view, okay?" Isabel nods skeptically. "Just suppose, Max and Michael were to tell you, you can't touch or kiss Alex anymore, except for in your dreams, because of the changes that are happening to all of you. Then you find out the changes are going to happen anyway. Would you go to Alex, or would you go to Max and Michael to get permission to go to Alex?"

"That's completely different, your comparing kissing to having sex."

"I'm talking about something shared between two people, not a group. A kiss is shared between two people just as sex is. Let's take this one step farther, say you went to Alex and kissed him and Max or even Michael caught you, and went off telling you how you weren't supposed to be kiss Alex, because it was too risky. Now answer honestly, what would you tell him?"

"I'd remind him we found out the changes aren't going to stop simply because we stopped kissing, and I'd tell him to mind his own business, but again, that would be just a kiss. We're talking sex here. They shouldn't be crossing that line, and taking those risks."

"Don't you think they really love each other?"

"They love each other. I'm not questioning that."

"So, you think they should be married first."

"That would be nice. At least that way, if Liz or Maria were to get pregnant, it wouldn't be such a big deal."

"Other than the legal marriage, and of course their ages, what would be different? They still wouldn't be able to go to the doctors, and more than likely they would still have to explain why that couldn't go to regular doctors. Besides, didn't you say our people bond at this age, and that part of what went wrong on our world was they stopped connecting physically, and in addition to that, didn't you guys say your father walked you through some type of marriage ceremony. So they are married according to our people's customs. Would he have done that if you weren't mean to be together? Isabel, I'm not taking sides here, really I'm not. I just wanted to point out what you already know." Sandie wonders if hers and Kyle's relationship is meant to be, and if so when would all of this connecting start to occur between them. "Isabel, I just think there is more to this than you are admitting, you need to find out what is really bothering you, and be honest with yourself?"

Isabel knows Sandie's right, there are more to her fears then she's mentioned. "Your right Sandie, there is more. Everything is happening so fast. Almost all of my life I've always known Max and Michael would be there for me. But now things have changed, and for the first time I've realized they may not always be there for me. I have to share them with Liz and Maria. Don't get me wrong, I want them to be happy, just like I want to be happy with Alex. It's just it's all happening so fast. And then there are these changes, what if something were to go wrong? The changes didn't happen they way they are supposed to, but instead someone had a bad reaction to one of the changes; causing either physically or emotionally pain. Look at Max and Liz. They're hearing each others thoughts. What if Liz and Max got into an argument, and one of them started thinking things they would never say out loud; it wouldn't matter because the other one would still hear them? Or, what if one of them learned things about the other one that they don't like, and realized they weren't who they thought they were, and decide they didn't what to be with that person anymore? It wouldn't affect only them , it would affect all of us."

It maybe true, Isabel is worried about her new family falling apart because of how we all tend to think things that we would never say out loud, but Sandie is sure there is more to this fear of Isabel's. She read more into what she was saying. You could say she read between the lines. "You're scared that will happen between you and Alex, that he's going to over hear your thoughts and discover he really doesn't love you, aren't you?" Sandie sympathizes with Isabel, she's felt that way all of her life as well. Sandie assumes they all have, and that is why they all protect their secret so carefully.

Isabel looks away, she feels the tears starting to sting her eyes as they form. She can't look at Sandie, she'll know how close to the truth she is.

Alex was in the next room, when he heard his name mentioned. He walked into the room, staying close to the Kitchen door so that he wouldn't be noticed. He wanted to find out what was being said about him.

With a note of concern Sandie continues to try to help Isabel face her fears. "Isabel, am I right?"

Isabel brushes away the tears as they start to softly flow down her cheeks. "What if he realizes I'm not worthy of his love, Sandie. He's so good, and kind, and loving. He's always said he thought I was more beautiful on the inside than on the outside, like him, but I'm not. I'm going to lose him Sandie, when he learns the thinks I think about sometimes, I'm going to lose him. I'm scared he won't like the really me. The me I don't let people see."

Alex couldn't believe what Isabel was saying. Him not love her, that could never happen. He slowly advanced toward Isabel, not wanting to startle her by his presence. Squatting next to her, he places a hand affectionately on each of her shoulder and whispered her name. "Isabel."

Isabel, startled by his touch and the sound of his voice. Normally Isabel felt Alex's presence before he entered the room she was in, but she had been so involved in her conversation with Sandie and her own thoughts that she didn't feel him in front of her. She explores his eyes and the expression on his face, trying to assess what he overheard. The love and understanding that emulated from his eyes wasn't what she expected, and it furthered her surprise.

Alex had a shy smile on his face as he began to talk soothingly, "Isabel, don't you know I love you, and there is nothing that will ever change how I feel, and I do mean nothing. I need you to understand, I wasn't siding with Max and Michael. I only told you what I thought. You see, I couldn't stand by and listen to you judging your brother based upon the choices you've made for yourself. They have to make their own choices, the ones that are right for them, just as you do."

Sandie quietly stands to her feet and slips away from Isabel and Alex. She feels they need time to talk these thinks out without an audience. She decides to go upstairs and join Kyle looking through the rooms.

"Isabel I mean it when I say nothing could ever change the way I feel about you." Alex sits on the couch beside Isabel pulling her into his arms and strokes her long silky blonde hair, "I understand your anxieties over hearing each others thoughts, it's scary for me too. I'm not perfect Isabel, I have thoughts I really wouldn't want anyone to hear, but on the up side you won't be able to hide what your feeling from me, which means we would have to talk about them. Isabel, we would truly be of one mind and body. Well, at least as closes to it as we can be without losing our own individuality."

*************************************

Sheriff Valenti is sitting at his desk in his office talking on the phone. ". . . . How long do you think it will take for my order to arrive? . . . . Yes, over night it . . . great. . . . Good-bye. He press the button down disconnecting the call, then dials another number. He hears someone knocking on his office door. "Yeah?"

The door opens and one of his deputies pokes his head in. "Sheriff, Mr. Gates is here to see you."

Valenti hangs up the phone. "Send him right in."

Robert Gates enter the room and the deputy closes the door as he leaves. Robert extends his hand to the Sheriff in a pleasant, but firm hand shake. "Thank you for making time to see me Sheriff Valenti."

"Call me Jim." Valenti says as he motions for Robert to sit. "I've been hoping that we would have a chance to meet. I'm just sorry that it's under these circumstances."

"Like wise I assure you, Sheriff, I mean Jim. I'm here to ask for your help with something."

"Does this have to do with what happened to Sandie after school today?"

"Yes, but not as you might think. I want to teach the boy a little lesson."

"Exactly what kind of lesson?" The Sheriff isn't too sure about letting Robert do anything to Tommy. He knows if he had a daughter and something like this happened to her, he'd be tempted to teach the boy a lesson himself.

"First I want to assure you I don't plan to hurt him, I think Sandie did took care of that department already. What I have in mind is more like a rude awakening. You see I've dealt with young men like him in the past. Young men who believe they have the right to do whatever they want to do to whomever they want to do it. I want to show him what it's like to be on the receiving end of such power. That's were you come in. We need to get permission from his parents to, shall we say, enroll him in a week of boot camp. He will be under my supervision, and basically between myself and some of my men, he will experience a week that he will never forget."

**********************************************

Upstairs Sandie enters the Master bedroom looking for Kyle. She doesn't see him in the room, but knows he has to be in here somewhere, because she already checked the other rooms. "Kyle?"

Kyle steps out of the Master bathroom, "Yeah, how's Isabel?"

Feeling a little shaky, Sandie nervously walks around the room picking up the items sitting around. "Alex and her are talking now. I think everything is going to be fine."

Kyle walks over and takes a strange looking figurine out of her hand and sets it back on the dresser. She looks at him strangely until she realizes why he took it from her. He wraps his arms around her waist pulling her closely against him. "So how about you, are you okay? You've had to deal with a lot today."

Sandie slides her hands up his back taking comfort in his warm embrace. "I'm fine Kyle, really. That thing with Tommy was a little scary, but I can handle it. I've had to handle worse things."

"Have you now?" He asks, but before she can answer, Kyle does what he's been wanting to do since Sandie walked into the gym earlier, before everything went awry. He covering her mouth with his in a heated kiss.

When their lips finally part, Sandie licks her lips missing the contact of his lips on hers, and loving the taste of him still remaining. "That wasn't fair, you ask a question and then you didn't even give me a chance to answer."

"Don't blame me, I just couldn't resist those soft lips of yours any longer."

"Fine now that we have that straight. What was the question?"

Kyle smiles brightly, "I don't remember, maybe if we kiss some more it will come back to us."

"Maybe" she answers playfully.

Their lips again joining in a heated kiss. Kyle leads them to the only place available to get comfortable, the bed. They both sit on the edge and continue to make out.

********************************************

Alex and Isabel relaxed in each others arms feeling like a burden had just been lifted from their shoulders. They both had talked about their hopes and fears, and in the end they both agreed not to worry so much about the changes happening within them, but to just handle them as they come. To seal the deal they share a tender loving kiss, but that sweet kiss ignites a profound flame that had been burning deep within both of them. Their lips met once again for a kiss, but this time it is of complete and unadulterated fire. Isabel slides her hands up the back of Alex's shirt tracing small circles around his back while their tongues begin to dance rhythmically from her mouth to his drawing them closer and closer to the edge of their desire.

Alex slips his hand under the edge of Isabel's shirt stroking her sides and back tentatively. When she moans at the sensation of his hands drifting to her mid drift, it encourages him to continue his exploration of her body.

Isabel brings her hands between their bodies and unbuttons the three buttons on Alex's cotton shirt, lowers her hands to the lower edge and slides his shirt up his body and over his head. She tosses the shirt to the back of the couch and runs her nails delicately down his chest while staring him strait in the eye. No words were needed they could tell what the other was thinking. They both wanted to be as close to each other as humanly possible.

Alex covered Isabel's lips in a deep hungry devouring kiss as his hands pulled her shirt up over her body, their lips only parting long enough for him to slide it over her head. He dropped his mouth to her neck and the revealed part of her well-endowed chest and back to her lips.

Isabel lays back on the couch pulling Alex along with her, their kiss growing more intense, their hands roaming each others bodies shamelessly, covering every delectable inch. Alex pulls back knowing if he doesn't stop now he won't be able to. "Isabel, we have to stop or. . . . "

"Alex I know, but for the first time I don't want to stop. I know now what it must have been like for the others, and I don't want to stop."

"Are you sure Is, because I don't want you to ever regret it? If you make this decision in the heat of the moment, you might regret it."

Isabel raises her hand to his concerned face. "I love you Alex Whitman, and I've come to realize that this is the way it's meant to be. You and me together, forever. I would never regret loving you." She pulls him on top of her kissing him eagerly on the lips as she runs her hands down the length of his body as far as her arms will go. Alex follows her lead resumes his exploration and caressing of her body. They both jump to the sound of Michael's and Max's raised voices coming down the hall.

********

Max and Michael are involved in a heated argument as they head to the living room from the hallway where the lab is located. "Give me a break Michael! I'm not giving up! I have other responsibilities!"

"Like working at that stupid joke of a museum is more important then finding out all we can about this place and finding the ship!"

"I never said it was more important! How do you think I pay for all of our trips out here?! Money doesn't grow on trees you know! If you want to come out here, go ahead! I can't until Saturday after my shift! I don't really have a choice Michael."

"What about Friday night?! You said you had to work a few hours!"

"Dinner with the family! I told you that, it's the day our dad returns, and it's the night my mother invited Liz for Dinner!"

"Basically your saying Liz is more important!"

"Michael, you're out of line! I couldn't get out of this dinner even if I wanted too!"

As Max and Michael enter the living room, they both take a double take at Isabel and Alex.

Isabel and Alex are sitting on separate ends of the couch, their hair is going every which way. Alex has his shirt on inside out while Isabel is still straightening hers. Their lips are both swelled from kissing and Alex is wearing Isabel's lipstick on his lips, check, and collar. They wonder were else he's wearing it.

Alex looks like the cat that swallowed the canary, while Isabel is blushes a crimson red. She can feel their eyes staring at her and Alex. So does the only thing she can think of to distract them; so they don't give Alex and her the third degree; she brings back up the argument they were having coming down the hallway. "Michael you know Max is right. There's no way mom would let him or me out of this dinner without a really good explanation. You know how she is when dad comes back into town after a long trip. It would have to be life or death." They both still stand there staring at the both of them. "We can't start acting differently, Max has to continue to work or someone's bound to notice, but I can still bring you out the rest of the week"

Max and Michael exchange knowing glances and then smiles. *Time to put them on the spot for some sweet revenge.* They both advance on the couch, their faces set in stone, but their eyes tell another story. They are both laughing on the inside at how ironic this all is.

"Don't even think we haven't noticed what was going on in here." Michael says as he flips Alex's collar. "For starters Alex, you might what to turn your shirt right side out."

Isabel looks over at Alex to see for herself. "And Isabel, you shouldn't wear such dark lipstick, or should I say Alex shouldn't wear such dark lip stick. It's just not his color," adds Max while trying not to laugh.

Standing behind the couch and it's two occupants, Michael rubs their head and declares, "Don't forget the hair. Have you two ever heard of a comb or brush? You two look like. . . . well, like me."

"Oh and yes, we can't forget those rosy red checks. Isabel either you put onto much makeup since we've been here, or you're slightly embarrassed that you were caught by your older brothers doing something that you didn't want us to know about."

"At least I never got caught, and as for Max, he was in the privacy of his own room with the door closed. You on the other hand are in the middle of the living room. What would you have done if we weren't so loud coming in? You'd really have be caught then. Just think it could have been Sandie and Kyle who caught you two horn dogs going at it."

"Stop it right their guys, we were no where near that point." Max and Michael both turned their glare toward Alex.

"I know I deserve whatever you have to say to me, but leave Alex out of it. He didn't do anything wrong. I'm the one that over reacted earlier. Not saying that I agree with what you guys did, or the risks you were taking, but I had no right going off on you and telling you that you were wrong."

"Is that an apology I hear from the princess herself?" jests Michael

"As close as I think we're going to get." Smirks Max slaps Michael on the back.

"Now back to what we were saying, Max. You have to get out of work this week. I even think it would be worthwhile to skip school for the rest of the week."

"Look Michael, if you want to do that, by all means do it. Me on the other hand, I can't. If I miss too much school, my parents are going to find out, and then I'll lose the privilege of having a car or any free time to get out here."

"Let's do it, come on Maxwell after this week it may not going to matter anyway. Sunday's it, remember Topolski, the big meeting where we reveal Teomner's dead and we lose the house."

"We don't know that for sure." Interrupts Alex, "Even if she doesn't sign the house over to you guys, she may still let us continue to search the property. For all we know she might even know where the ship is and lead us to it. We can even use the camera system and watch her every move."

"We can do that?"

"Definitely Michael! It wouldn't take much effort at all. I could set it up as soon as tomorrow."

"So are we squared Michael? Can you handle this now?" asks a much calmer Max.

"For now Maxwell, but I still think we should continue the search."

"Speaking of searching, it's going to start getting dark outside rather quickly. When are Kyle and Sandie going to get here?" Asks Max as he starts to move towards the door.

"They're already here." Isabel announces. Max turns back to face her. "Kyle went upstairs earlier and I think Sandie went up to join him."