Maria put her arm around Kyle trying to console him as they watched Max's hand begin to glow that he had placed on the sheriff's chest. Once Max had made the connection he could feel the faint heart beat that came from the sheriff's heart. He concentrated on trying to heal whatever the energy blast had damaged in the sheriff's body. The pulse of his heart beat slowed until it was barely visible even to Max who was connected to him. Max concentrated harder to solve the mystery of how to heal the man who had risked his life to save theirs more than once. As the beat of his heart suddenly stopped Max understood what he needed to do.

"Liz, get back." He commanded. Liz didn't argue and quickly removed the sheriff's head from her lap. Max waited until he knew Liz was safely clear from the sheriff's body. He then let the energy build into a strong powerful force. As soon as he was confident the power he had formed was strong enough, he released it into the sheriff's chest.

The other's watched Max shoot a blast of energy into the sheriff's chest and watched as the sheriff's body jumped off the ground. Kyle couldn't believe his eyes and yelled. "Evans, what the hell are you doing?" As he started to grab for Max.

Liz quickly put herself in between Max and Kyle. "His saving for father's life is what he is doing." She replied in a calm soft voice.

Just as she spoke they all heard the gasp for air coming from the sheriff. Max sat down feeling drained of energy. Kyle was at his dad's side in an instance. "Dad, are you okay?"

Alex who had watched in amazement of Max's ability tried to lighten the mood. "Hey who needs an ambulance and their fibulator equipment when we have Evans around." He then slapped his hand on Max's back to let him know he had done good.

"Max, are you okay?" Liz questioned as she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck.

Max didn't hesitate to return the gesture and wrapped his arms around her waist. He then quickly pulled back just enough to inspect Liz for any injuries. "Are you okay?"

Liz gave him a smile in return to his question. She couldn't help it. Here she was worried about him, but as usual his first concern wasn't about himself, but for her. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment. The moment was short lived though as Maria threw her arms around both Max and Liz.

The sheriff began to sit up shaking his head trying to remember exactly what had just happened. He felt Kyle's arm around him and knew that he was one of the people that was fortune enough to be in the presence of Max Evans when he needed him the most. He stretched out his hand to Max. As the two shook hands, the sheriff simply stated. "Thanks."

Max shook his head no and looked down at Liz who was still in his arms. "No, thank you."

Alex didn't want to break up the moment, but he needed them to get back to reality. "Max, what about Nasedo?"

Max thoughts went immediately to the healing stones from his planet. "We'll take him with us. We should be able to help him with the healing stones."

It was at this moment they all heard Michael yell. "Guys you better fine something quick."

Max pulled away from Liz and walked quickly over to where Michael stood. The evil alien was starting to stir. He looked at Michael for an answer to why he hadn't taken care of him yet. Then Max seen the open wound on the alien's neck. Max immediately touched his finger, once it was opened enough for the blood to drip steadily into the alien's wound he held it over it's body. The reaction came quickly as with the other alien's body and soon there was no evidence that there was ever another body.

Tess and Isabelle had both come back to the hallway in time to witness the evil alien being incinerated by Max's blood. "I don't understand." Was all Tess could say.

"Max, how did you do it?" Isabelle questioned.

Max looked to both his sister and Tess with a dumbfounded look upon his face. "What do you mean how did I do it? You saw the video. Our blood is the only thing that will stop them."

"Apparently not all of our blood." Michael mumbled quietly, but loud enough for the other three pod squad members to hear him.

Max still didn't understand what the other three were talking about. "What?"

"Michael, Tess and I all tried that blood trick on him and nothing happened. Then you come along and just drip a couple drops of your blood in him and pouf he dissolves or whatever you want to call it."

Max had been so busy trying to save the sheriff he hadn't known what was happening on this side of the hallway. "I don't understand. We all have the same blood. Why didn't it work?"

"That's what we want to know." Tess replied.

Max then looked back at the rest of their group and decided now was not the time to analyze this. It was time to get out of here. "Let's get going. We can figure this out later. Michael help me with Nasedo, we need to get him to the pod chamber."

The pod squad all walked over to the rest of the group just as the sheriff was starting to stand up. Kyle put his arm around his father to give him support. Max and Michael bent down to pick up Nasedo to carry him back to the van. As soon as they did, both noticed what was happening to his body. Suddenly Nasedo reached up, grabbed Max's shirt pulling him closer to him. "The baby...Take care...Baby..Our survival." Was all he was able to gasp out before his arm slumped down. Max and Michael watched in horror as Nasedo's body began to disappeared before their eyes.

Tess also watched with terror in her eyes. "NOoooo!" She screamed out. Even though Nasedo had never shown her any type of emotion. He was always there for her and she had looked to him for all her answers always. She had always felt like he was invisible. That no matter what happened he would be there for her, for them. As he dissolved in front of her she realized for the first time in her life death was possible even for Nasedo.

Isabelle and Liz were both at her side immediately trying to give her support and to let her know she wasn't alone. Alex approached Kyle and the sheriff. He took the sheriff's arm from Kyle and nodded to Kyle in the direction of Tess. Both the Valenti men knew what the gesture meant. Kyle released his father to Alex for support and moved quickly to Tess's side. Isabelle and Liz both let Tess go as she fell into Kyle's arms.

Isabelle went to the other side of the sheriff to help Alex support him to the van. While both Liz and Maria went to Max and Michael to give them support for their lost as well. "It's time to go." Was all Max said as the group slowly left the facility. They all walked in silence as they made their way outside to the deserts' night air and freedom.

Maria and Michael soon took over the lead to show the others the way to the van. Soon they were all in side the van and situated. Max started the van without even bothering looking for any keys. He turned to check on everyone one last time prior to putting the van in gear and start the drive back home. He drove to the Valenti's residence first. Michael and Max helped the sheriff into his home. Tess didn't feel like going back to the house where she had last stayed with Nasedo so Kyle offered her to stay with him and his dad. She quickly agreed, but offered the house to the rest of the gang to stay since officially they weren't due home for another two weeks.

Max didn't even bother to ask the rest of the group if they wanted to take Tess up on her offer. He just drove to the *Harding's* house. He pulled into the garage and shut it immediately before anyone got out of the van. "Well, I guess it's just the six of us once again." Maria half joked and began to giggle.

Once they were all safely inside the house. Max finally turned his attention to Maria and Alex. "Are you guys okay with staying here or do the two of you need to get home?" He didn't address Liz in the question. He was not ready to let her go home just yet.

"No, we're good for a couple days. The sheriff told our parents we were going on a school summer camping thing or something to that affect." Maria answered for both her and Alex.

"Good, we need to time to discuss what our next plan of action will be, but not tonight." Max replied. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I could use a little shut eye." Without any hesitation he took Liz's hand in his and began to lead her upstairs to one of the bedrooms. The stun looks that passed between Maria and Alex went unnoticed by either Max or Liz.

As soon as they closed the bedroom door that they had chosen Maria turned to Michael and Isabelle. "Did we miss something here or did Max just take Liz to bed with him without even blinking an eye about it?"

"Calm down Maria." Michael wanted to explain everything to her, but suddenly realized it really wasn't his place to tell Liz's two best friends about Max and Liz's relationship.

"Calm Down! You want me to calm down after what I have just been through I don't think I could calm down now even if I wanted to!" Maria screamed back at Michael.

Michael couldn't help the grin that crept upon his face. God how he had missed the way Maria could argue with him. Isabelle on the other hand tried to ever so discrete to explain why Max had done what he had done without going into too much detail yet. "Maria, Liz has been through a lot these last few weeks. Max has become extremely protective over her. Okay he has always been protective of Liz, but he is even more protective over her right now. He would stay with her all night in the facility to protect her and I'm sure he still is in the protection mode." Isabelle hoped that would satisfy both Maria and Alex without having to go into any more detail about Max and Liz.

Michael wanted to state the fact that Max's need to protect Liz is what had started all of this when he had saved her life at the Crashdown almost a year ago. Then he thought twice about it and decided to take another approach instead. "He protected Liz, just like I would have protected you if it had been you that they had taken." As he put his arm around her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Isabelle noticed the grin on Alex's face. "So what are you grinning about?"

"I would have found you." He simply stated with a lot of pride in his voice.

"What?"

"I would have been able to find you." Then Alex went into his explanation about doing his research on the computer and how the facility they were kept in was one that he had determined they should look into.

"Oh Alex. You really are amazing you know that don't you." Isabelle said after listening to his story. Then she couldn't keep the yawn that escaped her.

"I think Max was right. We could all use a little shut eye. Tomorrow we can discuss what happened in the facility. Tonight we can get a good night sleep. Knowing everyone is safe and sound." Alex stated when he say Isabelle yawn. He knew she was putting up a tough front, but she wasn't as tough as she tried to let everyone believe. Isabelle agreed quickly knowing she was ready for a good night's sleep. "Come on I'll tuck you in and then I'll take the couch for the night."

Isabelle could only nod. She knew if Alex had been in the facility with her they would probably be sleeping in the same bed just like Max and Liz, but she wasn't ready for that kind of relationship yet. The two of them went upstairs and when they saw a bedroom with two twin beds in the room Isabelle's prayers were answered. Yes, she wasn't ready for the same kind of physical relationship Max and Liz were enjoying, but at the same time she wanted no needed Alex to be close to her. She looked to the beds and then to Alex and without any further explanation they went into the bedroom together and closed the door behind them.

Alex walked Isabelle over to one bed. Pulled back the covers for her. Took off her shoes and then pulled the covers tightly around her. He leaned over her and kissed her forehead good night. "You are the bravest girl I know, sweet dreams my Isabelle." With that he walked over to the other bed, took off his shoes and proceeded to fall into a fast deep sleep.

"Well, do you want to go to bed too?" Maria asked Michael without even thinking what she had just said. Before Michael had a chance to answer she realized how her question might have been taken wrong by him. "I mean...Are you ready to go to sleep?" She quickly corrected her question.

"Maria, if it would be okay with you. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I need to hold you tonight."

"Not as much as I need you to hold me." She replied and with that the two of them headed upstairs to another bedroom. The two of them removed their shoes and climbed into the bed. Michael quickly pulled Maria close to him and held her tightly.

"I do love you, you know?" He whispered against her ear.

"I know you do. I love you too. Good night Michael."