"This isn't just about you being out past your curfew. This is about you telling me the truth. Earlier, you told me you were meeting your friends at the Crashdown Cafe, but you failed to mention that you weren't planning to meet them until closing time. I had to find that out from Maria DeLuca and Liz Parker. What I want now is the truth, I want to know where you and Sandie went before the Crashdown Cafe, and where you went after you left."

"Your kidding right, I have to start telling you everything I do and everywhere I go? It's not like I'm out breaking any laws or doing things I shouldn't."

"Kyle, I asked a question and I want an answer, and I expect an honest answer."

Kyle looks puzzled, his dad has never been one to keep tabs on him. He wonders why the sudden change. In a sarcastic voice he asks, "Is that all? Well lets see, Sandie and I spent sometime alone, together, by ourselves, talking, and you know, doing what any two normal red- blooded American teens do when they're dating, we kissed. Then we went to meet with some of our friends. You know the ones, Max, Michael, Alex, and Isabel. While with them, we didn't do anything in particular, just hung out, helped each other with homework, talked, you know the same stuff we usually do. Is there anything I forgot, nope that's it?"

Kyle sarcasm adds strain to the situation. However, Jim Valenti is determined to get Kyle to tell him the truth, and he's willing to do almost anything to make it happen. He figures the best way to handle this is to be straight and to the point. "Kyle, did you meet your friends out at that house you keep going to?"

Kyle's heart skips a few beats as it jumps into his throat. He knows he has to think quickly. He can't believe his dad knows about the house. He forces himself to stay calm and think about this. He questions how his dad found out, and he decides that he has to find out just how much his father knows without giving him any additional information. He also decides to answer his dad's questions on the premise that he really doesn't have much information, that he just overheard them mention the house at some point. Not wanting to give his dad any sign that he is at the least bit fazed he continues to talk with the same note of sarcasm. "The house, are you talking about the Evan's or the Gates's? Either way it doesn't matter. We didn't go to either."

Jim Valenti is surprised that he didn't get more of a reaction out of Kyle. He was hoping for some sign of him being caught off guard, but nothing. He's not willing to give up yet, so pointedly he states, "Do either of them own two houses? Because, I'm referring to the house out in the desert, the one down that dirt path."

Kyle's not sure how to react, okay his dad knows more about the house than he thought he did, but it doesn't go unnoticed that his dad didn't mention the cliff. He hopes that means he hasn't seen the house. Anyone who had seen it would have mentioned that fact before anything else. Knowing this fact, he makes the decision to try to make his dad doubt what he knows. "House in the desert?" Kyle laughs lightly trying to make it seem like he just caught onto what his father is talking about. "Are you referring to the spot we meet at? How did you know we sometimes call it the house?"

"The spot you meet at? Why would you call that spot a house?"

"First of all it beats calling it the spot, but why we call it that all started off as a joke. Two of our friends were spending so much time there, we started teasing them, saying they were setting up house or playing house. That's how it all started, now when we want to meet there, it's just easier to say at the house rather than saying at our usual spot in the desert. What I don't get is how you knew what we call it. I never told you, and we only referred to it as the house when it's just us. So, when did you hear us talking about it?"

Jim Valenti would have believed Kyle's explanation, it sounded plausible. However he knows what he heard when group talking about wanting Topolski to put the house under Max and Isabel's names, or an alias. It also helped that she knows where the house is and was probably raised there. "Kyle, I want the lies to end right now! Do you understand me?!"

"I'm not. . . ."

Jim Valenti interrupted Kyle before he had a chance to deny it. He may not know everything, but he knows that his son has been lying and he doesn't want to hear any more of it. "That's enough, that's enough lies, I want the truth! Now, the house, it was Teomner's, wasn't it?. . . . Is that why those guys were following you? They suspected you kids could lead them to Teomner, didn't they?"

The more his father reveals the more blown away Kyle is. The only thing he is sure of is his father couldn't have found information about the house through city records, because beyond the deed of property ownership, there are no records. Knowing this, Kyle questions how his dad learned what he knows, as well as how much more he knows about his and his friends secrets. He doesn't want to make this situation worse by adding yet another lie, nor does he want to volunteer any new information to what is dad already knows, so he remains silent.

This silence speaks volumes in and of its self to Jim Valenti. It tells him he's on the right path. "What did you and your friends find in Teomner's house, Kyle? What did you find on Mr. Woods and his companions? Come on, I know they didn't back down out of the goodness of their hearts, so tell me what you find." Kyle still refused to say anything, so his dad continues. "Don't you know whatever you have on them, won't scare them off for good? They'll be back when you least expect them. That's what they do. They take care of people who get in the way of their agenda. You and your friends are in their way. You know something about them that they fear. The only way to protect yourselves is to turn that information over to the authorities, over to me. That's why your meeting with Topolski isn't it? You're turning over the information in exchange for Teomner's house. What so important about that house that your willing to deal with Topolski?"

Kyle flinches slightly at the mention of the meeting with Topolski. He can't believe his dad knows about it. That's when things start clinking for Kyle. He theorizes how his father found out what he knows.

Jim Valenti is getting frustrated with Kyle's silence. He wants Kyle to open up to him, so he can help. "Dag-gum-it Kyle, I love you son, I don't what anything to happen to you, or to your friends. Talk to me, let me help."

In a calm, cool, collect voice Kyle urges his dad to back off. "You say you want to help, then stop pushing this. If you continue to pursue it, you'll be risking all of our lives. We have to handle this our way. Look, you keep saying the only thing you want is the truth, what truth, the truth that Max is special, fine he's special, there's your truth. But he's not the only one who is special in my group of friends. We are all special in our own way. We each bring our own skills, talents, personality, areas of interest, and expertise to our group. It's those differences that make us a strong group. In many ways we're a family, a family that trusts and relies on each other no matter what challenge arises, and there is nothing you can do to make me divulge their confidence. Please don't even try, I don't want to have to choose between you and my friends. Now with that said, I think we're done here. If you don't mind, I'm tired, so I'm going to bed."

"Hold on a minute Kyle, I'm glad that you have found friends you feel that way about. This isn't about that, and it surely isn't about you choosing sides. I'm just asking for you to trust me. I'm trying to help you, and I can't do that if you don't tell me what's going on."

"This isn't about whether I trust you or not, and it isn't just about me. This is bigger than that. If everyone involved doesn't agree to trust you, I can't reveal to you what your asking me for, we all have to agree. Don't you get it yet, we're talking about our lives here? The secrets we protect so closely, are about our lives. Kyle starts backing toward the front door. He knows the more he talks the worse this gets. His father isn't going to let up. His only chose is to get out of here. "You can't help with this, we have to take care of this ourselves, trust me please, and stay out of it." Kyle turns the door knob, and abruptly turns around and runs out the door. Jim Valenti follows after only some moments hesitation. "Kyle wait!"

Kyle jumps in his car, inserts his key and brings the car to life. "I can't do this with you anymore, don't you understand, I can't do this." He backs his car out and speeds off.

All of this time Kyle had hoped that one day he would be able to tell his dad the truth, but never did he think it would be something he was pushed into doing. His dad has changed that, he knows things, things he shouldn't know, and this concerns Kyle greatly. What he fears the most is that the longer they wait to tell him the truth, the least likely he's going to believe them. Kyle, felling that he is now in the middle more than ever, and he resents his father for making him feel that way. He knows what he has to do now, but doesn't look forward to it.

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

Max and Liz are cuddling in their dream cabin in front of the fire place watching the flames flicker across the wood. Liz snuggles in closer to Max, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart beating. This is heave she told herself. Being here surrounded with his warmth and love is the most wonderful feeling there is. She loves the way he made her feel so special, completely loved, and safe just by holding her close. As if he had heard her thoughts, which for some reason in there dreams they didn't do, he whispered "I love you Liz, and I love being here with you like this. Just the two of us, enjoying, sharing time together."

Liz smiles at his words and replies, "Me too Max."

Max sighs from joy, and contentment as Liz shifts her body bring herself closer to him. He loves the way she fits so perfectly against him whether it is in their dreams or when they are awake, and the effect she always has on him. He can't imagine felling so at ease with anyone else. The way they could relax together without out filling the need to fill the time with idle chit chat, but to feel completely comfortable sitting enjoying each others presence.

Liz lifts her head and looks Max straight in the eye. "I wish we had more time like this, when we're awake I mean. Time together without any cares or worries."

"Maybe someday, even someday soon, but if not we still have our dreams together."

"Do you think it will be more normal after Sunday?" Liz asks hopefully.

Max isn't sure either way, but he too hopes things will get back to a more normal life style. More normal is the best he can hope for, because things have and never will be normal in his life. Max handles this playfully, he looks at Liz making his voice and face appear to be surprised as he teases Liz. "What no more adventures, no more new secrets to hide, or people trying to find out what our secrets are? What would we do with ourselves, and here I thought you liked all of the adventure and intrigue?"

Liz slaps Max's arm playfully. "Don't tease me, I didn't say normal, I said more normal. Besides I was just saying that I want more time like this. More time to get to know you better under more relaxed circumstances. Things like, do you have any hobbies I should know about? What's your favorite food, other than hamburgers, fries and Tabasco sauce? What do you like to do on a typical Sunday afternoon or when you just want to relax? You know the simple things."

"The simple things? Let's see, my favorite food, I really don't have one, but a favorite desert is a different matter. One that I can't get at the Crashdown right? Let's see . . . Pecan Pie with Tabasco sauce."

"I can see that for you. Pecan Pie is mostly sugar so it's really sweet."

"Sweet and spicy that's the only way to go. Now what was the next one? Oh yeah, what do I do to relax? I like to shoot hoops in the driveway, lay on my bed and listen to music, and my favorite is sitting in the Crashdown watching you."

"Aw, that's sweet Max." Liz smiles lovingly into the eyes of the man of her dreams. She loves the way he always treats her so special.

"Then there are my hobbies. Watching you when you waiting on tables at the Crashdown in your short uniform, watching you tuck your hair behind you ear, watching your eyes light up when enter the science room, watching you smile when your happy or you just heard something funny, watching the way you fidget with your hands when your nervous, watching you. . . ."

Liz interrupts, "So what your saying is, all you like to do is watch me?"

"Yep, that's pretty much it?"

"Really? What about now? Now that you don't have to just watch me?"

"That's easy, loving you, but don't get me wrong, I still love watching you. It's just now there are bonuses. I get to do this." Max gently caresses Liz's cheek with fingers and kisses her forehead. "And this." He runs his hand through her long silky hair and kisses his way down her neck. "And this" Cupping the sides of her face he lowers his lips to gingerly graze her lips. "And then there is always this." Max lays back on the floor pulling Liz on top of him. Both of his hands roam down her back, over her hips, and between her legs, to her hot center, were he caresses her through her shorts, driving her crazy with passion while increasing the intensity of their kiss. Momentarily Max whispers in Liz ear, as he devours her neck. "And that's just to start."

Smiling seductively Liz whispers in his ear, "There's more? What other benefits are there?," as she grinds against his predominate arousal.

Max moans deep in his throat as he meets her movements with his own. "I would truly enjoy showing you all of the benefits if your interested." He added with a smirk on his face and a gleam in his eye.

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

The two lovers lay contented in each others arm watching the flames flickering in the fireplace once more enjoying the feeling of the love that surrounds them.

Max stirs in his bed as he is awaken by the ringing of his phone. He fumbles for it hoping that it doesn't wake anyone else in the house and answers in a groggy voice. "Hello?"

"Max, it's Kyle."

"Kyle? Do you realize it's. . . . Max glances over at his clock. ". . . . almost 2 in the morning?"

"I know and I'm sorry about that, but we have a problem. I'm afraid it could be a big one. I was thinking that we should all meet at Sandie's. This involves all of us. Can you and the others meet me there."

Now completely awake and alert, Max sits up on his bed. "A problem, what kind of problem?"

"My dad knows about the house. I can't be sure if he knows where it is or not, but he know enough to find it if he went looking. Max, I keep running over the things he was saying, trying to figure out how he found out and why he picked tonight to talk to me about it, and I keep coming back to one possibility. He was listing to us at the Crashdown tonight. If I'm right about this Max, he's heard things that I'm not going to be able to explain away. We have to decide what we're going tell him, and the sooner the better."

"I'll let everyone know and we'll be there as soon as we can. " Max hangs up the phone, he's worried that Kyle may have been right about the Sheriff, but he hopes he's wrong, and that the sheriff's knowledge stops at the house. Yet, his gut tells him Kyle's right, that Sheriff Valenti knows more of their secrets.

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

Kyle, Sandie, Alisha, and Robert are sitting in the living room when Max, Liz, Isabel, and Alex arrive. Just as they step in to the house Maria and Michael pull into the driveway. Once everyone is inside Kyle explains what happened with his father and his theory to how he got his information.

Which Max confirms, "When Isabel and I picked up Liz, we searched the Cafe for anything that Kyle's dad could have used to listen in on what we were talking about. We found this. . . ." Max pulls flat circular device out of his pocket. "This was affixed to the underside of one of the chairs."

"And you brought it here, are you crazy?" Michael say in a panicked voice.

"Don't worry about it, it's not working anymore Michael."

"How can you be so sure?"

Max, gives Michael a look that tells him to think about it. "The question now is how much does he know and who much more has he been able to figure out?

"Like I told you over the phone Max, he has enough to find out where the house is, and once he does, were going to have to answer some of his questions whether we like it or not. What we have to do, is decide what we're going to tell him. Or should I say what I'm going to tell, him. Either way, we need to decide quickly, because he's not going to let up until he finds out what we're hiding."

"First step is to find out what he knows and what he is thinking about it. I can do that in the morning. Robert has a meeting with the Sheriff and Tommy's parents. I'll go with him scan his thoughts and memories then well have more to go on." Everyone agrees. "I'm glad we all agree, the thing now is what do we do if he knows to much to cover this up. I can't believe I'm even thinking this, but are we willing to tell him the truth?"

Everyone in the room jumps when they hear a knock on the door. Everyone's eyes fix on the door not moving. The knock comes again. Alisha and Robert finally gets up from there seats on the couch and walks to the door together. They're not surprised to see the Jim Valenti standing on the other side of the door as they open it.

"Jim, I take it your here to see Kyle." Robert says, as Alisha takes the opportunity reach up rests one hand on his arm and with the other she motions him into the room. Robert continues, "Go easy Jim, backing him into a corner isn't going to work. He has loyalties."

Jim motions his head to all of the cars sitting in the driveway. "I'm not here to see just Kyle. I'm here to see all of you."

Alisha shakes her head back and forth with a grim look on her face. Robert hears her thoughts very clearly telling him things have become unprincipled, and his face takes on a grim look as well. "I suppose you have. Come in."

Alisha sit back down on the couch beside Sandie and takes her hand in hers. Robert sits on the arm of the couch next to his wife. "The floor is your Sheriff, you have our attention."

"Kyle said, you think of me as the enemy, because of a choice I made back in September. If I'd known then, what I know now, I would never had made that call. I was following procedure, but I had no idea it would lead to what it has. I'm sorry that it's cause so many problems for all of you. It obvious that I still want answers, but after talking to Kyle tonight I've realized that what I want may not be the most important thing. My biggest concern now is keeping everyone save, especially my son, and the only way I can do that is to know how I can help. You tell me what I can do to help, and please don't tell me to stay out of it, because that's the one thing I can't do. I need to know something what's happening, all of it. You have my word, on my life, and from what I've been able to piece together, it sounds like it's on my sons life as well."

Kyle looks to the group, asking permission to answer his fathers questions. His eye as well as the rest of the group's fall on Alisha knowing that she made the connection with Jim Valenti.

Alisha knows Jim Valenti will become more vexatious if not told the truth, so she answers the question they are all afraid to ask. First by smiling at Kyle, and then telling him, "It's okay Kyle, it's time to tell him. He already knows a lot of it, and what he doesn't know he suspects."

Kyle looks back at his friends, he sees a range of different expressions. From Michael it's a no way buddy. Maria looks scared, but nods her head yes. Max is hard to read, if he hadn't nodded his head yes, Kyle would have taken it as a no. Liz is forcing a smile, but Kyle knows she's scared. Isabel is clinging tightly to Alex refusing to meet his gaze, while Alex whispers soothing words in her ear while stroking her long blonde hair. Kyle looks into Sandie's eyes and swallows hard. "What do you think?"

Sandie squeezes Kyle's hands as her lips curl up ever so slightly. "I trust my mother's instants. She knows things remember."

Kyle calculates seven yes including himself, and three no's if he counts Alex and Isabel as no. Kyle looks straight into his fathers blood shot eyes and takes a deep breath before saying, "Were do you want us to start?"

Taking turns, the group tries to answer Jim Valenti's questions. Starting with Max, "Sheriff I'll tell you what I can, but understand we don't have all of the answers ourselves. There are going to be things that won't understand right away, but if your patient and you give us a chance well do our best.

I'll start with what we've learn about how we got here. There were two couple who choose to leave our home world, we don't know what world that is, or what planet. They left under false pretenses, they were supposed to be coming back to the planet our ancestors were taken from hundreds of years before in order to learn how to concur and take it back as their's. The true reason they left was to prevent their unborn children from being taken from them upon their birth. Those children being Michael and Alisha, Isabel and Myself. When our parents realized the ship was unable to make a safe landing, they put us into the four stasis chambers that were on the ship, obviously they were meant for them. Only one adult survived the Crash, Isabel's and my father, whom we called Nasado, a name given to him by a Native American that he encountered over the years. He was only able to rescue three of chambers, before he could get the fourth it was taken away with the ship."

Isabel takes off were Max left off. "Our father was unable to open our chambers without the ship. He feared something going wrong, for our safety he chose to let the chambers run there course of approximately a 50 year sleep. He knew when they would open, but long before that time came, he became aware of others from our world searching for the four of them. One being his biological brother Teomner. Teomner and Nasado didn't agree on what was right and what was wrong. Nasado feared for his life and for ours so he left the area trying to lure them away. Fortunately they didn't know about us, therefore they weren't looking for us and followed. Alisha do you want to tell your story from this point?"

"That's fine. In ‘63' Rosa Williams over saw the opening of my incubation chamber at which time they said I looked to be about 5 years old. Through the year that followed her and I grew very close, and she protected me as best she could. However I still had to go through countless tests some of them very being very painful. To their surprise, they found out I am in all ways human except for basically one. My bodily fluids, it turned out our fluids carry an energy unlike anything here on Earth. Under the influence of Truett and Rosa Williams their superiors were convinced that I posed no threat. I was showing no signs of special powers or abilities during that first year. When my powers began to develop, we reported them as we were ordered and they helped me develop and refine them, for their purposes of course. (Alisha choose not to tell Jim Valenti that she had abilities she did not reveal to anyone except those closest to her.) My life, to this day is still in their hands. I can't make any move without getting their approval first. To help you understand just how bad that can be, and why we can't tell anyone there are more like me, I'm going to tell you a little story. Shortly after Sandie was born they took her and her twin brother from Robert and I. They felt it would benefit them more if they raised our children. Just like the people of my home world, ironic don't you think? Anyway Robert, our two babies, and I became deathly sick, but they refused to return our children. They were convinced our separation had nothing to do with it regardless of what we told them. Our son died after only two weeks of separation. They were sure they were going to lose all of us, but still refused to let us be together. My mother, literally had to go against orders to bring us together. Robert and I recover quickly once Sandie was back with us, but Sandie took longer because she was so small and weak. Once they admitted they were mistaken, I don't dare say wrong, because as they said they are never wrong. We were allowed to be together, but only under supervision. They ran Sandie through so many tests, I was sure they were going to kill her. What we learned from everything we went through is this; if the wrong people including those we have to report to; ever found out there are others like us here, they wouldn't think twice about killing them to learn how much we can tolerate before it kills us."

Robert want to make sure Jim understands who this includes. "Jim, understand that doesn't just mean Alisha, Sandie, Max, Michael, and Isabel. That means all of us, Liz, Maria, Alex, myself, and Kyle. Once we chose to be with our Alien counter parts changes started happening with in us. Changes that in able us to protect and have children together."

Everyone sees how well the Sheriff seams to be taking this all in that they start to relax a little. "I think that brings us back to Isabel, Michael and I. We came out of our pods ten almost eleven years ago."

"When we saw the Evans's head lights I hid, Max and Isabel didn't. The Evans's took them and ended up adopting them. Me on the other hand ended up in the foster system and eventually placed with Hank. In a way it was good, he didn't and still doesn't care were I am or what I'm doing which works out when I would rather be some where else. which is most of the time. Max, Isabel, and I didn't see each other until we started school. It didn't take us long to realize who each other was."

"And every sense we've looked out for each other." Isabel gladly informs him. She smiles at Michael.

Maria shakes her head no and teases, "I wonder who needed to be looked after the most. . . Michael?"

"That sounds about right, he seems to be the one we're always bailing out." Alex joins in.

Max own thoughts concur with Maria and Alex's statements as he remembers some of the times they have had to bail Michael out of trouble. Like the night he almost got caught in the sheriff's office, and the time Michael lead them all on a road to Marathon, Texas, and then the scare he gave them when he grew so sick and almost died. Liz was remember those same event as they came into Max's thoughts, "It does seem like were always saving his sorry butt."

"Yeah, but what a nice butt it is." Maria jokes as she leans in a little closer to Michael.

The color in Michael face turns flush and he jokes back. "Nice, that's not quite the words you used earlier tonight, if I recall correctly, you said it the butt to top all butts."

Irritated that Michael would announce that to everyone, Maria gives Michael a playful shove and tells him, "Shut up Michael!"

Michael just laughs and tease her back. "Oh ho, what's this you can dish it, but you can't take it?

Before Maria has a chance to respond Kyle interupts them. The expression on his face can't be mistaken for anything but puzzlement. From the time that Kyle has become a part of the group Michael hasn't needed bailed out. "I really hate to interrupt you two, but I haven't a clue what your talking about. The only one I've seen needing bailed out is Liz. What is the total now, two gun shot wounds, and one alien mind abduction."

Michael smuggle says, "Thank you very much, see I'm not the only one who's needed to be bailed out."

"True, but she at least doesn't go looking for it Michael." Max pipes in, in defense.

"You're right, it just keep finding her." Michael retorts.

Liz doesn't like the way this sound. "As I see it, that has more to do with you guys then it actually does with me. Granted the first time didn't, but the last two did. wo of those incidents have to do with someone either trying to prove who you guys are, and another was that waked out Teomner trying to gain control over Max."

Max looks hurt, "It's true, they've targeted you to get to me. It must be pretty obvious that you're my greatest weakness."