He turned the Jeep off the road and drove into the desert again, trying to make out landmarks to the spot they had to find. What was up with Nacedo and his project? And why doesn’t he come to the camp? Why couldn’t the other aliens see him? Was he afraid he would be followed? Max shifted in his seat uncomfortably, he was starting to share Liz’s bad feeling about this…

The other three were also starting to wake around him in the Jeep. Michael was being his usual morning ray of sunshine and Izzy was fixing herself with her powers. In no time she was back to looking like the perfect Isabel Evans. Max hid a small smile. No wonder other girls hated his sister!

Finally arriving where they were to meet Nacedo, they got out of the Jeep to stretch their legs. They were about an hour early and Max and Michael took the time to investigate the area. There was not a single living thing in sight. Max eventually sat down on a boulder a little way from the other three who were now unpacking their breakfasts. His mind automatically wandered to Liz. It always did. He missed her. He missed waking up with her. He grimaced. How was he ever going to go back to living in Roswell in his parents’ house and not sleep with Liz? She was his wi-. He stopped himself. No, she was only his wife on some other planet.

"Earth to Max! Get off Planet Liz, would you!" Michael yelled at him from the Jeep, snapping him out of his reverie. His eyes caught Tess’ and for a moment he saw anger reflected there. Max stood up. Whatever. He couldn’t care less what the girl felt after the way she had treated Liz.

He was halfway to the Jeep when a blinding white light engulfed them all…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Journal Entry 25

We watched her closely. She felt the disturbance in the connection more strongly than I have ever seen. Its all up to her now…

Liz felt remarkably refreshed when she woke up. She couldn’t remember having nightmares, which was amazing in light of the nauseous feeling that immediately returned to her stomach when she got up. She was sick with worry about Max.

Sitting back down on his bed, she picked up one of his T-shirts and hugged it to her body. She could smell his distinctive scent in the material and it made her heart ache with longing. Where was he now? Was he safe? She closed her eyes and concentrated on Max, seeing if she couldn’t by some miracle sense something.

The ache in her heart increased suddenly. Max! He was missing her! She could feel it! Her eyes flew open in disbelief. How was this even possible? Wasn’t he many miles away? She shook her head. It was just wishful thinking on her part…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Maria looked at her sympathetically when she arrived for breakfast. "You know Lizzie, the oversized look is so ten years ago!" But her eyes said that she understood why Liz was wearing one of Max’s shirts. They were all missing their aliens.

Nick was sitting alone at breakfast, keeping an eye on Liz. His reasons were twofold. To ensure her safety and to watch her reactions…

Liz was lifting her glass when it suddenly felt like the life was being sucked out of her. She paled and started to tremble, gripping the table to stay upright. "No…" she whispered. The world was getting blurry around her. "Max!" This cry was louder, startling her friends.

Maria and Alex jumped up, catching Liz as she slid to the ground, white as a sheet. "Chica! What is it!" Maria sounded hysterical.

Nick was at their side immediately. Liz was clutching her heart, the one that had stopped beating when her connection to Max was suddenly severed. Tears were running from her unseeing eyes uncontrollably. "Max…"

Nick lifted her up and put her in a chair. He gently pushed her hair from her face and lifted her chin. "Liz, what happened?"

"Max. Something happened to Max…" Liz was trembling so much she could barely speak.

"Can you still feel him?" Nick’s question resulted in shocked expressions from Maria and Alex.

Liz shook her head numbly. "No… Oh Max! No…"

Nick took her face in his hands. "You have to concentrate. We need to know if he’s still alive!"

Liz felt a blackness trying to overpower her. A void of emptiness the likes of which she had never experienced. Was this what her world would feel like without Max? Her breathing became erratic as despair flooded her.

"Please Liz!" Nick’s voice intruded into her little world of pain. "He needs you to help him. So that we can help him." Liz still seemed dazed, so Nick tried again. "Liz, Max! Max needs you!"

Liz stiffened at the beloved name. "Max."

Nick was on his knees in front of her now. "Yes! Max. Is he alive?"

Liz curled her hands into Max’s shirt. She gulped in air and bent her head, trying to concentrate. It was very difficult with all the emotions crashing through her at the same time. How was she supposed to find Max with all these distractions? Max… her heart and her soul. He couldn’t be… dead! No, that would be too cruel.

She tried to picture him, the way he had looked at her when he left. His eyes telling her that he was leaving part of himself behind with her. Pleading with her to be safe.

She finally opened her eyes, looking at Nick desperately. "Nothing. I feel nothing…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Michael was the first to come to. He scrambled to his feet drunkenly, his eyes searching for the other three. Tess was lying next to the Jeep. He felt for a pulse and found one, she was fine. He found Isabel in the driver’s seat of the car, slumped over the steering wheel. Michael gently lifted her out and laid her on the ground. Her eyes fluttered open as soon as she heard her name.

"Michael, what happened?" She seemed confused for a moment. Then she felt it. The absence of a connection that she had lived with her whole life. Her brother. Max. She grabbed Michael’s hand. "Where is Max!"

Michael looked worried. He had felt it too. "I haven’t found him yet."

Isabel jumped up. "No… nonononononono…"

They searched the area, but there was no sign of Max.

"He’s dead." Tess’ voice stopped them in their tracks.

Isabel swung towards her, fury in her eyes. "Don’t ever say that! How can you say that? He is NOT dead! He is-."

"DEAD!" Tess yelled. "I feel it. We had a genetic connection. There is nothing now. He is dead…" Her voice trailed lower. "I’m sorry, but its true."