“Maria Deluca how could you do this to me again?” Amy shrieked. “All I ask of you is that you tell me before you disappear like this on all your crazy escapades, and that you never have sex, but you can’t even give me that much? And you, Michael, at least you could help me out here…if you have to keep taking her away like this, the least you could do is tell me, warn me, or something. If you’re going to be responsible for my daughter, that’s all I ask of you.”

“I’m very disappointed in you, Alex!” His father scolded softly. “Come along home now.”

“In the car, now!” Nancy Parker ordered to Liz. “You’re not going to talk yourself out of this one, young lady.”

“What were you thinking, disappearing like that?” Diane Evans scolded sadly.

The teens all sent each other sad looks of goodbye, knowing they were in for the lectures of a lifetime, and slinked off behind their respective parents.

-----

Sitting beside each other on the couch, Max and Isabel stared up at their parents as they paced back and forth in front of them, occasionally sending a sad, confused look at their children.

“I don’t understand why you kids keep doing this.” Diane stated, as she stopped and crouched before her two children, pleading with them as she continued. “When have we ever given you the idea that it’s okay for you to just disappear without a word? We get scared, and worried about you.”

“We’re not angry with you.” Phillip picked up after his wife. “We’re not planning on punishing you for this…we’re just trying to understand why you’re doing this. Has the therapy been helping at all?”

Rushing on without giving them a chance to talk, Diane continued. “All that we’re asking is that you communicate with us…let us know where you are, and that you’re okay. We want to know that our kids are safe.”

“This wouldn’t be as big of a deal if it just happened once or twice…” Phillip explained.

“But it’s becoming all the time!” Diane surged on. “Ever since the first time last spring, when Max disappeared for all those days, it’s just kept on going, more and more, on a regular basis. And we know you kids are lying to us. How long do you think we’re going to listen to ‘we’re camping’, or ‘we’re working on a project with the sheriff’? It hurts when you lie to us. All we’re asking for is the truth.”

“Just think about it, kids. We’re not trying to pressure you or hold you back from whatever it is you’re doing, as long as it’s legal. We just want you to know that it is okay for you to talk to us. We want to be here for you.”

Max and Isabel both nodded silently in agreement before retreating to their bedrooms.

Isabel sat on her chair in front of her dressing table, sorting through her makeup, as her mind consumed itself with guilt over everything that she and Max had put their parents through.

The past few months had been so crazy, with Nicolas, and the skins, and finally the whole Laurie Dupree situation, that Isabel had found herself putting her parents in the background, not having time to give them the attention that she felt they deserved from her. Never once in the past few months had Isabel thought about the one thing she had always been obsessed with when it came to her mother and father...telling them the truth. Finally being able to be honest with them.

The urge to spill it all swelled up within her again, and unable to contain herself, Isabel pushed her makeup to the side, and made her way down the hallway to her brother’s room.

When she let herself in, Isabel found Max lying on his back in the center of his bed, arms crossed behind his head, and his eyes closed. Isabel was surprised as she sensed that Max was almost at peace with himself, as he lay there serenely, not even acknowledging her entrance.

“Max.” Isabel greeted him as she sat in his desk chair, scooting it closer to the bed. “What are you thinking about?” She asked him curiously.

“Nothing.” Max responded quickly, a wistful look crossing his features.

“You’re thinking about Liz.” Isabel realized suddenly, remembering how long it had been since her brother looked so…content.

Max shot her a warning look, begging her not to pursue this discussion…while Isabel of course ignored his plea.

“So what happened between you two last night?” Isabel asked curiously.

“Nothing.” Max responded sadly. “Nothing, but at the same time, everything. It doesn’t matter though. It doesn’t change the way things are between us right now.”

“You don’t sound very certain about that.” Isabel observed.

“I’m more in love with her than I’ve ever been before, Is.” Max admitted softly. “But at the same time, I’m more certain than ever that I have to stay away from her. It’s so hard it hurts.”

“What happened?” Isabel asked again.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Max blew it off, and for once Isabel respected his wishes, nodding in understanding. “So what about you, Is. What’s on your mind?”

“Mom and Dad…again. Through everything that we’ve been through lately, I’ve completely forgotten about them, Max. They’ve done so much for us, Max…and what we’re doing to them in return isn’t fair.”

“You want to tell them.” Max immediately translated.

“At least if we told them they wouldn’t feel like they were loosing us, Max.” Isabel insisted. “Maybe they would understand that we still love them. And look at all the good that came with telling the sheriff…maybe something good would come out of them knowing too! It doesn’t hurt to have more support, Max.”

“Or maybe things could get worse if they knew.” Max argued. “They want us to be safe, Is, and they don’t even know the kind of danger we face every day. And maybe if they knew we’d bring the danger closer to home.”

“Max, they’re in danger whether we tell them or not! They’re in danger just for knowing us! That’s something we can’t undo, Max! It’s something we can never chance! At least if they knew the truth they might be able to protect themselves…they could be on the lookout for danger. They can know what they’re up against. We’re putting them in more danger by not warning them!”

Max found himself unable to continue countering Isabel’s argument.

“Maybe you’re right.” He finally admitted.

“They already know something’s different here, Max. They already know what you’re capable of…or some of it. All we’ll be doing is explaining why.”

“We should clear it with Michael and Tess.”

“We don’t need to. Let’s keep this about us, Max. They don’t need to know that we’re telling them, and Mom and Dad don’t need to know about Michael and Tess…at least not yet.”