All except Tess had a restless night. She seemed happy to be out here, but then, she has been least affected by being on earth. The second test proved to be a huge contrast to the first. We need to note the behavior carefully to draw conclusions later.

"Liz!" Max awoke with a start the next morning to unfamiliar surroundings, his heart was pounding and the sound of his own voice rang in his ears. He had been crying out her name again. It had become a regular occurrence since that day at the cave. He would dream about her being with him, happy and carefree, and then suddenly the dream would change and she would suddenly disappear from his arms.

He had slept fitfully throughout the nigh, his awareness of Liz kept getting stronger. He even imagined her whispering his name in one of the many moments he spent in that gray area between wakefulness and slumber. How could that be? She was in Roswell, probably waking up right now and learning that he had left her. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how hurt she would feel and he prayed that she didn’t believe he left because he didn’t love her. In the bright morning light, the flower seemed so inadequate to express his feelings. He closed his eyes tightly and waited for the intense pain in his chest to subside. It didn’t…

They were shown around the campsite during the morning and Max was quite impressed at how well equipped it was. There were bathrooms situated in some trailers as well as a communal kitchen and dining area. He was getting very uncomfortable with all the stares and bows they were attracting though. How weird that these people just accepted him as their leader. He was also not used to being in the limelight like this. Max stopped in his tracks when Nick seemingly deliberately skipped a tent during their tour. A desperate need to see what was inside taking hold of him.

Michael, Isabel and Tess turned around questioningly at his action. Max was staring at the tent they had just passed. His hands were balled into fists at his side as if he was trying to keep himself from reaching out to something. Iz walked over to him and touched his arm, making him jump. "Max, what is wrong? You’re acting really strange."

Max returned his gaze to the tent. He had that feeling again. The one he always got when Liz was near. It was like a feather being run down his spine really softly and it made his body hum with awareness. "I don’t know Iz, but I feel Li-." He cut himself off abruptly. How could he tell Izzy about the weird awareness? He knew they were all missing their significant others and continuing to harp on it will just make things worse. He also didn’t want Tess to hear what he was experiencing. He turned away from the tent. "Its nothing. I’m just… tired, I guess." But he had to force his feet to move away.

Nick was watching all this from a distance, an unreadable expression in his eyes. He waited until the group had caught up with him again, noting the reluctance with which his young leader was dragging himself away from the tent. He smiled at them when they drew close: "Let’s go have breakfast!"

Breakfast was a subdued affair and it was clear that three of the four new arrivals at the camp were under tremendous strain. They were just pushing their food around on their plates, while Tess was chattering away happily. Nick explained some of the activities at the camp, but he seemed reluctant to answer their questions about their home planet. He also watched Max continuously, a fact that didn’t escape either Isabel or Michael.

Max felt like he could jump out of his skin with anxiety. The sensation that Liz was thinking of him was really strong and he didn’t know what to make of it. He had never been this intensely aware of her. Sure, they had shared flashes when they kissed and he could also always tell where she was in a room without looking, but this was different. Was it just because of his heightened emotional state and the fact that he worried that she was upset about him leaving? Or was she in trouble? Fear for her was occupying his mind and he had to fight to keep himself from jumping up from the table and running to the Jeep to go home and find her.

The sudden silence around the table brought him back to the present. Everyone was staring at him and he realized he must have missed something during the discussion. Isabel was looking worried again and Michael had a scowl on his face. Nick repeated his question: "Is something bothering you, Max?"

Max looked at him, unsure of what he could, and should, say. Nick was watching him intently and he saw something flicker in the man’s eyes. It was gone before he could place it and Max decided that it was time he took some action or he would lose his mind. "Could you show us what’s inside that tent we missed this morning?"

He expected Nick to hedge or look concerned, but instead he just smiled and nodded. "I think that’s a good idea."

Max fairly bolted from the table and waited impatiently at the entrance for Nick to precede him. His heart was racing. Somehow he knew that this tent held something important.

When they finally reached the tent, Max realized he was trembling. What the hell was going on with him? He hoped it was just reaction from all that transpired in his life the past few weeks, but deep in his heart he knew that it had much more to do with this awareness of Liz and that she needed him.

"Wait here for a minute." Nick was looking at Max when he spoke.

Max gritted his teeth and nodded. This was excruciating. He listened to the subdued voices coming from the tent, but couldn’t place any of them.

Isabel was at his side again. "What is in this tent, Max?" she whispered urgently. "Why are you so-?" She stopped when she realized that Max wasn’t listening to her, but staring at the entrance of the tent where Nick had disappeared.

Nick appeared in the door and motioned them in. Max, normally such a gentleman, was the first in the door.

The inside was dim and Max blinked a few times to get his eyes accustomed to the reduced light. Four people were standing to the side, watching him anxiously. He swung in a slow circle, puzzled at the barrenness of his surroundings. No furniture was visible, only three beds at the far end. He suddenly felt like the breath was squeezed from his lungs by a giant fist. The three beds were occupied and he knew, without being able to see her, that Liz was in one of them…

~*~*~*~*~*~

Journal Entry 5

He knew she was here. I could see it in his eyes all through breakfast. This human girl, to whom he has no genetic link, was close and he was silently going insane because of it. I wondered how long it would be before he would ask. I was surprised though, that he also knew precisely where she was… But I was not surprised at his anger over our methods.

Max couldn’t remember moving from just inside the door to the side of her bed. He only started functioning again when he dropped to his knees at her bedside. It fleetingly reminded him of last night and that awful farewell, but this time he didn’t hesitate, he grabbed her hand. She was sleeping and didn’t move when he touched her. She looked angelic and peaceful and he loved her even more.

He felt momentarily faint with the relief of seeing her here and realizing she was not in any danger. "Liz!" His voice was filled with all the love and longing he felt for her. He was dimly aware that Michael and Isabel had run to join Alex and Maria at the other beds, but he couldn’t take his eyes of Liz. He leaned forward and put his forehead to hers, closing his eyes and whispering brokenly: "I’ve missed you…"

Instead of hearing her soft voice answering him, he was assailed by images of the night before. Liz waking up soon after he left and finding the rose. The tears coursing down her cheeks as she realized what the scrawled ‘Forever’ meant. Her shock and fear as two men suddenly appeared in her room, bidding her come with them. How she didn’t want to, but was told it would save Max. How she was drugged in the car…

Max pulled away from her and whirled towards Nick, fury in every line of his body. "What did you do to her?" he yelled, advancing on Nick.

Nick held up his hands in defence. "I’m sorry, but we couldn’t let them see how we got here. They’re fine! They will wake up soon."

Max halted and turned back to look at the sleeping Liz, loath to move far away from her. "But why are they here? Why did you bring them here?" His voice had a mingled note of hope and desperation in it.