The sheriff had been the last to arrive since he had gone over to Amy DeLuca's house to try and reassure her everything would be okay. He felt horrible about not being able to tell her the truth, but the truth wasn't really for him to tell. "That's what we are going to figure out. Tess, do you know?"

Tess suddenly felt very uncomfortable in the Evan's living room. Everyone's eyes were on her, especially Kyles. "I don't know where they are." She answered honestly.

"But, you know they're gone. Right?" The sheriff continued his questioning.

"Yes, they left last night." She looked down at her hands feeling nervous that the group she had come to trust would hold her responsible.

"Why didn't you go with them?" Kyle found himself asking without realizing he had asked out loud.

Tess looked over at Kyle. If she could only tell him the truth life would be so much easier, but now was not the time to admit why she volunteered to be the one to stay behind. "Someone had to stay here and help keep an eye on things." She wanted to say that she would have felt like a fifth wheel if she would have gone or maybe she felt they didn't really need her to be a part of them. Or maybe the truth if it been told was that she wanted to be near Kyle, but knew he couldn't leave without his father being pulled deeper into all of this.

Kyle just looked at her and knew that she was feeling left out. He wrapped his arm around her. "It will be okay, we'll watch out for each other." The feel of his arm around her gave her a sense of safety she had felt when they had been held at the government facility.

"So you know they left, but they didn't tell you where they were going?" Mr. Evan's asked this question. He was pretty sure where they had gone. But, he didn't want anyone else to think he knew more then any of the others in the room. He was surprised that Max had allowed Isabelle to come with him, but in a way he was glad to know they were both together.

"No, I honestly don't know where they went." Tess confirmed. She knew Isabelle promised to keep her posted of their safety, but she also knew for her safety as well as theirs Isabelle would not be telling her where they actually were.

"So, Max, Liz, Isabelle and Michael went together?" Jeff Parker inquired.

"Along with Maria and Alex." The sheriff informed the rest of the group about Amy's phone call earlier. Then we went on to explain how Agent Motley had come to his office and was suspicious that Max and Liz had left town too.

"I guess this means, the kids didn't go with the government this time. Which means they truly are all on their own?" Nancy voiced what the others had been silently thinking.

Agent Motley knocked on the front door of the Evan's residence at that point. When Philip answered it, he flashed his badge and asked if he could speak. Each person in the living room knew what Max had told them prior about the man who stood before them.

The agent looked over at the sheriff, then to each one of the parents, then at Kyle and Tess. "Let me get right to the point. I know you all know who I am and why I'm here. I can assure you I mean your children no harm, but it is vital I speak to Max." He demanded.

"I don't know who you think you are demanding anything from my children after what we have heard. Your lucky your ass isn't in jail right now and that I haven't issued a law suit on be half of my son for what you people did to him!" Mr. Evan's shouted at the agent. Now that he knew the truth about his son, he would be damned if he was going to allow anyone to harm his son again.

Agent Motley knew there would be a lot of hostility from the people he was confronting, but right now he didn't have the time to ease their worries. If he didn't find Max and Liz quickly their lives would be in great danger. "Look, I know you are all extremely upset right now, but I cannot stress enough how important it is that I speak with Max. I can assure you I want to protect them just as badly if not more than all of you. Now please, if you know where they are tell me, please before it's too late. Just tell me where they are."

Sheriff Valenti stepped in front of Philip Evans trying to prevent any further confrontation. "Why don't you tell us why it is so important that you speak with Max?"

"Can I speak frank?" The agent inquired, still not sure if all the people in the room knew the situation or not.

"Yes, everyone in this room knows the truth." Jeff Parker stated.

"Then let me start with the facility incident. It was no accident the kids had been found there. Several other government facilities in the area were also hit. These other aliens knew the kids were at one of them, they just didn't know which facility they were at. I believe they are still endanger, because I believe they were betrayed by someone they trust. Not by the government this time." The agent tried to explain.

"WHAT?" Was the question that came out of half the people in the room at the same time?

"The government facilities were all attacked at the same time on the same day. These other aliens knew that we had Max and the others, they just weren't sure exactly where. There were no survivors from any of the facilities. I have been able to watch several of the other facilities security camera's tapes and I know they were all attacked looking for Max. Now I also know for sure, that only a handful of associates that DR. Turner and myself have known and trusted over the years knew where the kids were. All of those associates including DR. Turner were killed in the attack at the facility where your children were being held. This leads me to believe that the other aliens had been informed that the kids had been taken, but weren't sure exactly where. Sheriff, who all knew the truth of what happen with the six that had been taken?"

The sheriff sat stunned at hearing this information. He hadn't heard of the other government facilities that had been attacked like the one he had helped rescue Max and the others from. "The only ones that knew that the kids had been taken were myself, Maria DeLuca, Alex Whitman and the four's protector Nasedo."

Tess was listening to all of this and watching the sheriff cautiously. Suddenly she felt all alone and wasn't sure who could be trusted any more. The sheriff continued speaking. "But, we had only figured out they had been taken just a few days before we rescued them."

"Then that only confirms my suspicions. Why had the kids been safe for a few weeks and then suddenly found out? Sheriff I'm sorry to ask this of you, but I am going to need a blood sample from you." Agent Motley stated. It was not a question if he would supply the blood sample it was a demand.

"He isn't one of them." Tess spoke up quietly. The agent and sheriff both turned their attention to Tess. "We all have the ability to see the evil's as their true self. The sheriff isn't one of the other aliens. No one in that group that knew we had been taken is one." She confirmed.

Now the agent was completely baffled. "If what you say is true, then we still have a problem. Someone who knew the kids had been taken by the government informed the other aliens. Which means someone who knows about Max is still out there? Now is the time for us to work together. I need to know, do any of you know where their location is?"

All heads in the room shook no, but the sheriff also stated. "We don't know where they are, but how do we know you are one that can be trusted. You knew about the kids, yet your the only one that seems to have survived. Why should we trust you?"

"I wish there was some way I could prove to all of you that I can be trusted. I can only give you my word at this point."

Philip stood up. "Maybe there is a way." He stated and then walked to the kitchen. When he returned he had a small knife and the pint of blood that Max had left in his hand. "We found this today in the refrigerator, along with a note stating we should give it to you. But, before I do would you be willing to pass a small test of trust?" The agent knew what Max's father was asking of him. He agreed then took the knife and made a small cut on one of his fingers. Mr. Evans then took the bag that held Max's blood in it and let a few drops of the blood mix with the agents.

When nothing happened Tess stood up. "I could have told you he wasn't one of them. That still doesn't tell us if he can be trusted or not, but I know a way that we can tell for sure." She walked over to the agent looked him right in the eye. "I'm going to connect with you, just don't think about anything. Your mind will show me if you can be trusted or not." She place both hands on each side of his face. After a few moments she released them. "He is a friend." She stated plainly.

The sheriff stood up next. "I knew about all of you. If you want to know for sure you can trust me, you can connect with me." He didn't want Tess to feel that she couldn't trust him.

"Thanks Sheriff, but I don't have any doubts about your trust. Max trusts you and I won't question him. Besides Max already connected with you when he healed you at the facility. If you had anything to hide, he would have found out already."

The sheriff gave Tess a grateful nod, letting her know he was glad she still felt that he was trust worthy. The agent interrupted the moment though. "I think we should see this Maria and Alex that you spoke of. They both knew truth too, correct?"

The sheriff then looked around the room and knew what everyone else was thinking. It was too late to verify if they could be trusted. Both of them were with Max, Liz, Isabelle and Michael already as they spoke.

Back at the Lakehouse:

Each member of the new household was feeling relaxed and at eased for the first time in a while. They ate a very well cooked dinner courtesy of one Michael Guerin. After they had talked together for a while Max asked Liz if she would like to go for a walk down by the lake. She didn't hesitate to say yes. Hand and hand they walked down to the lake. It was a beautiful night, the moon was full and the stars were shining brightly both sending their reflections across the lake that made for a picture perfect moment in time. "So." Liz finally said knowing that Max wanted to talk to her about something, she just wasn't sure what you wanted.

"So...It really is beautiful here, isn't it?"

"I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful home. But Max, is this home?" Liz wished they could live here forever, but in reality she knew Max was too important to stay here forever.

Max pulled Liz into a tight embrace. "Someday this could be our home, if you would like it to be. But..."

He didn't get to finish his sentence as Liz finished it for him. "But, we can't hide here forever and pretend everything is normal."

Max nodded his head. "We aren't going anywhere until I know you'll be safe though. You and our baby mean too much to me to take any risks. Are you okay with that? I mean staying here until we can figure a way to keep you, me, the baby, everyone safe."

"As long as you continue to love me, I'll be fine no matter where we have to go or what we have to do."

Max looked over and saw a big rock next to the lake. He walked Liz over to hit and had her sit down on it. Then he knelt down before her and took her hands in his. "Liz Parker, I have something to give you and I hope with all my heart you will accept it." Max reached into his pocket and took out the small velvet bag Jeff Parker had given him. He opened the bag and allowed the item in the bag to drop into his palm. "I know I asked you once already to marry me, but now I would like to make it official." He held open his hand to allow her to see the diamond ring that rested in his palm. "I love you Liz, I always have and I always will. I can't promise to give you a normal life since my life has never been normal, but I can promise you that I will love you, take care of you and do everything in my power to see that you get as normal life as I can make it. Liz Parker, you will do me the honor of wearing this ring."

Liz was stunned speechless when she saw the ring. "Max, it's beautiful. How? When?" He hadn't really left her side in the last few days so she couldn't figure out how he had time to get her a ring.

"It was your Grandma Claudia's ring, your father gave it to me the other night to give to you. He did have one condition though. He asked that we allow him and your mom to be able to attend our wedding. So, will you wear it?" Max always felt himself a patient man, but right now the anticipation of waiting for Liz's answer was down right killing him.

Liz had a single tear running down her cheek. "OH... MAX YES!!" She shouted and then threw her arms around his neck holding him tight. Needing to hold him as close as she could. Max pulled her left arm from around his neck and ever so gently slipped the ring on her finger. "I love you, Max."

"And I you, for now and forever." He stood up bringing her with him as his lips made their way to hers. A feeling of happiness fulfilled both their hearts as they deepened the kiss passionately.