It was a clear, chilly night. The stars showed bright with the absence of the moon. Pam walked down the quiet, dark street without a care. This was Roswell after all, a small town that had always been a safe place.

Her thoughts were on the movie she had just seen. She never heard someone approach from behind. She didn't have time to scream. She never saw a thing. One minute she was walking along the street, and the next she felt a sharp pain in her head, and then everything went black.....

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

Max slipped his gray sweater over his head as his bedroom door opened. Peeking out from the top he knew who it was, because only Isabel didn't knock.

He pulled his sweater down the rest of the way over his gray T-shirt and waited for Isabel to say what she had come in to say.

He grabbed his books and put them in his backpack, as Isabel paced.

"Max, I need your help." She finally sighed. She was already dressed and ready for school, but was fretting about something and the day had hardly begun.

"Yeah?" he tossed his backpack over one shoulder and waited.

"Max, I want to get Michael to come to the pool party tonight. Only he says he won't. He tells me he's just not into it tonight, but I know it's cause of Maria." Isabel continued to pace, then stopped in front of her brother.

"Max, he'll listen to you. I've got an idea on..."

"Is, if he doesn't want to see Maria, I don't know how you expect me to change his mind?" Max answered with a raised eyebrow.

Isabel threw up her hands. "But he DOES want to see her. He just doesn't know how to take back what he said to her." She tried to explain to her dense brother.

Max sighed. "Okay, and how do you know he really wants to get back with Maria?" Max asked, knowing he shouldn't, but until she had her say, they would not be able to leave for school.

"Max, he's as crazy about Maria as you are about Liz. It's obvious! But he will need a push to get back with her. So here's my plan...." Isabel put her hands on her hips and explained what she wanted Max to do to help out.

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

The bell for lunch period rang and Michael headed to the tables to wait for Max and Isabel. He went to most of his classes today, only because Hank was home, and on a rampage from drinking. He was running out of places to hide, between Hank and now Maria, he should just go live in a cave, he thought. But then, Maria was ignoring him now. He sighed, pursed his lips and squinted into the sun. Maybe he should just get out of Roswell.

"Hey, Michael." Max said as he slid onto the bench across the table from his friend.

"Max." Michael answered.

"What's up?" Max asked, casually taking his sandwich out of his pack, and popping the top on the soda can he had bought.

"Not much. You?" Michael asked, knowing his friend was going to try to talk him into going to the party tonight. He had been waiting for Max's turn to try to get him to go. When Isabel had failed, he knew she would go right to Max. Michael smiled and knowing smile, and tilting his head sideways, he waited.

Isabel flew up to the table at that point and stood above them. "This is really weird guys... but have you noticed anything different about Alex lately? And the way he is with Maria??"

Michael had been basically looking around, used to Isabel's tirades about some girl or other who had done something to piss her off. But when he heard Maria's name mentioned, his head came around.

Then when he saw they both turned to him, he turned away again.

"I wouldn't know. Maria and I are not talking. My decision." Michael stated just to make sure they remembered who broke up with whom.

"How about you, Max?" Isabel demanded with her hands on her hips.

Max looked surprised. "No, I haven't noticed anything... I mean, they always hang out a lot. And they usually laugh and joke around." he said putting hot sauce on his sandwich and taking a bite.

"Hump!" Isabel commented. "Well, to me it's different. I mean, usually Alex notices me when I go by, even when he is talking with Liz or Maria, but now... I mean I said Hi as I passed and he didn't even hear me, he was listening to something Maria was whispering in his ear... and his face looked too interested and flushed even!!!" Isabel stamped her foot.

"Oh well, who cares, I don't care about Alex, I was just getting used to his puppy dog eyes always following me, but this will just make it easier not to have to worry about him trying to make more out of our new friendship." And with that, Isabel walked away.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Max asked as his sister walked away.

She looked back and flipped her hair. "I'm not hungry all of a sudden. Later!" And she walked off.

"This will be interesting tonight then. Watching Isabel pretend she doesn't care that Alex now is making puppy eyes at Maria." Max sighed. "Maybe I'll hang out with you instead." Max stated casually.

Michael frowned. "She did not say Alex was making any kind of eyes at Maria! She said he just didn't look at her with those type of eyes. I did not hear her say Alex is looking at Maria all sappy." Michael told Max, trying to convince himself too.

Max shrugged and continued eating. "Well, I'm sure if he is or isn't, it's no big deal. As long as Isabel doesn't make a fuss tonight. I guess as long as Liz and I can spend some time alone in the hot tub it will work out." He smiled at the thought. "Hmm... maybe if Is gets upset enough, she will leave, and then Liz and I won't have to share the hot tub with her." He continued thinking and smiling.

Michael stared hard at his friend. "What about Maria and Alex??!! Where will they be??" he demanded.

"Oh, either too involved with each other, especially if Is walks off, or they will have gone somewhere together by then any way. So Liz and I will have time alone." Max smiled, warming to the plan he was mapping out for him and Liz.

"Who says I'm not going tonight?? I never said that." Michael stated with an impatient look, and shifted uneasily on the seat. Not liking the thoughts and images of Maria and Alex going through his mind.

"Huh? I don't know, Is said you didn't want to cause of Maria, which I can understand. You don't want to hang around her and torture yourself with not being with her. And now... well, especially now, I'm sure you wouldn't want to hang around watching them moon over each other." Max stated casually, taking a sip of soda.

"I never said I wasn't going to the party. I said I would think about it. But Maria has nothing to do with it. Whether she is there or not does not make any difference to me. None at all.. I couldn't care less what she does or who she does it with." Michael stated defensively.

"Oh." Max stated, and hid a smile behind his soda as he took another sip. Isabel had been right again.

"Well, guess I'll see you later then?" Max stated as he gathered up his empty trash and the bell rang.

"Yep. I have no intention of missing a party because of Maria. She doesn't tell me where I can go or who I can hang around." Michael stated standing too.

"Good. See you later then. Come anytime after school, my parents are away for the weekend." Max stated in a casual tone, and walked away.

Michael nodded and frowned. How could Isabel think he was going to run and hide every time Maria was around. No way! He'd show them... besides, why should he let Alex upset Isabel by hanging all over Maria tonight. He would make sure that Alex did not upset Isabel. After all, an unhappy Isabel was not something anyone wanted to be around all weekend. He'd do it for Isabel.

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

"Liz!" Maria called to her friend as she caught up with her as she was heading to their last class.

Liz turned to see Maria rushing toward the class. She smiled. "Hey Maria."

"So what time do you want me to pick you up tonight?" Maria asked.

"What? I thought you weren't sure if you wanted to go or not." Liz asked with surprise in her eyes.

"Oh that, well, why should I let Michael Gurien ruin my social life! Why should I stay away from a fun party because he might or might not be there. He will not run my life! And besides, Alex mentioned something to me that was disturbing to say the least. I mean, for Alex it was upsetting." Maria corrected quickly.

"What are you talking about?" Liz asked.

"Well, get this!" Maria started, looking around and then leaning in closer to her best friend to tell her the latest juicy gossip in a lower voice.

"Alex is like the most grounded person next to you right? So he has to be telling the truth about this, cause he doesn't easily jump to conclusions like I do. He said that he saw Isabel laughing and what really looked like flirting with Michael to him. Flirting! Can you believe it? Isabel is now after Michael?! And poor Alex! I mean, she knows how he feels, and if she decides to flirt with Michael tonight, why, she will just ruin Alex's night. No way is that going to happen. I'll go just so I can protect Alex." Maria nodded in determination.

"Isabel and Michael? Really? Well I guess that explains this morning...." Liz said fading off as if remembering something she had seen earlier.

"What? What!" Maria demanded and pulled Liz back to meet her eyes.

"Huh? Oh, nothing... something I thought I saw this morning. Forget it, it's nothing important, at least now that we know, you can keep it from happening so Alex isn't upset. Good." Liz nodded and smiled.

"Right. Right!" Maria smiled warming up to the excuse it gave her to go.

They headed into class as the bell rang, and Liz smiled and gave a slight nod to Isabel as she entered the class and met Isabel's questioning eyes. They shared a fast, satisfied smile, and then Isabel pretended she didn't see Maria's glare as she came in behind Liz and passed by Isabel's seat.

This was going to be fun! Isabel smiled again. She couldn't wait for tonight!

No one noticed the other pair of eyes that smiled too brightly at them from the back of the room.

And so far... no one noticed that Pam Troy had not shown up for school that day.