When she had heard them climbing to Liz's rooftop last night, she had been eager for the company. But then she had heard Max remind Liz that Cheryl was using her room, and she realized that they hadn't come to see her but rather had planned some time alone. She had made the instant decision to fake being asleep, hoping that would give them the privacy they had been looking for. And it worked. Except Cheryl had been drawn into their little world, attracted to the beautiful, loving scene they enacted right outside the window like the private showing of a movie. She knew she shouldn't watch, but after hearing how their relationship had affected Mason, she wanted to see for herself. She had to admit that they had the same affect on her. They were completely absorbed in each other, obviously head over heels in love, but all the while they exuded an innocence and desire to please the other that was refreshing and even inspiring. She understood why Mason envied them this relationship. Who wouldn't?

Then Cheryl had witnessed the same glowing phenomenon that she and Mason had seen at the restaurant the other night. She had almost convinced herself it had been an illusion of some kind, but not this time. This time, she was certain that Max had done this to Liz--some kind of effect of their loving caresses--and she knew there was something very different about one or both of them. She strongly suspected the answers were in that journal.

After a couple of hours of internal debate and lectures to herself, Cheryl succumbed. She threw back the covers, stood for a moment trying to gain her equilibrium, and took a few tentative steps toward the wall where she had seen Liz hide the journal that first night. Her fingers worked clumsily at the loose brick until she felt it begin to slide toward her. She reached in and pulled the simple book into the light. She crawled back into bed and tentatively opened the cover.

**********

"Liz!" Max shouted. He trotted down the hall toward Liz as she stood poised in the doorway to the school. "I have to see my English teacher about my paper on Charles Dickens. If you can wait about 20 minutes, I'll drive you to the set."

Liz looked up sheepishly, and handed Max a note that was in her hand:

To: Liz Parker -- Mr. Seligman Rm. 221 From: Mason Blair

I'm sending a limousine to the west parking lot immediately after school. See you then.

Max felt his heart sink as he read the note, but when he looked up into Liz's face, there was a thinly disguised excitement behind her apologetic look, and he knew she was getting a tremendous kick out of this. "Guess you don't need a ride," he shrugged.

"I'm sorry, Max. I guess they've waited for me long enough and want to get started right away. You're coming, though, right?" She took his hand and curled her fingers into his palm, pleading with her eyes. "Please?"

"Of course, I'll be there," he nodded. "You go on."

She kissed him lightly on the cheek and turned toward the parking lot, almost skipping with eagerness. He watched her as a limousine pulled up to the curb and Mason himself stepped out. Max frowned. He hadn't expected Mason to come personally. His frown deepened as Mason took Liz's hand and helped her into the car. She beamed at him, and Max felt his stomach lurch. He turned away quickly and made his way to his English teacher's room. There wasn't one thought related to Dickens in his head.

***********

Liz was completely fascinated by the process of preparing the sets, lighting, and sound. Even though make-up and costumes were unnecessary for their purposes today, she felt like a real actress. As the tech crew positioned them to test certain lighting options, she absorbed every detail. She had never realized how involved producing a single scene could be. Mason answered all her questions and introduced several of the crew.

"Take 15, Mason, while we get a few things set up," called out a tech assistant.

Mason led Liz toward a couple of canvas chairs and offered her a seat.

"Having fun?" he asked.

"Oh, yes!" Liz smiled back. "This is so interesting and, well, just fun. I can see how this could get into your blood."

"Yeah, it's cool, but there's a lot of boredom, too. You wait and wait just to do a 3-minute scene. And you give up a lot of your personal life--time, anonymity . . . ." He hesitated, nervous about broaching the subject he wanted to talk to her about. "Relationships."

Liz turned to Mason, aware of his serious face and his change in tone. He was looking at her with tenderness mixed with nervousness. Liz tensed. Mason looked like a guy who was about to ask a girl out!

"Mason, I don't know what to say. I . . . I'm with Max. I really can't . . . ."

"No! Liz, no! I wasn't coming on to you. I had a question . . . about you. About you and Max."

Liz sighed with relief and then realized how rude that sounded. "I'm sorry, Mason. I didn't mean anything. I just thought . . . ."

"Never mind, Liz. I can see how it must have looked. What's really on my mind . . . or, rather, who is on my mind is Cheryl." Liz's face brightened.

"Really? I had a feeling about you two." She smiled at him encouragingly. "Is there a problem?"

"Liz, I've never had a good relationship, with anyone, really. I really like Cheryl, but I haven't known how to let her know. I don't trust very easily. But since we've come to Roswell, I've seen a different side of people, of life, actually. And I've especially noticed how great things seem between you and Max and I wondered . . . ." He hesitated again. "What's your secret?"

Liz blushed and looked down. How could she explain what she had with Max? It was unlike anything she had ever experienced, heard about, read about. It was wonderful. It was alien.

"I don't know," she said softly. "Max makes me feel like I'm the only girl in the world, in his world, at least. I feel important, special, safe,. . . loved. And when I'm with Max, I only want to please him, comfort him, make him feel accepted."

Mason looked puzzled. "Why wouldn't he feel accepted? He's good looking, apparently popular, and he's got you! I'm sure you're considered a real catch!"

Liz blushed again and realized even her brief description of their relationship had been too revealing. She backpedaled. "Mason, no one can really define a relationship. It's just about how you feel when you're with someone and how you make them feel. It's different for everyone, I'm sure."

Mason seemed to contemplate her words. "All I know is, I want what you and Max have, and I think I could have that with Cheryl, if she feels the same. I'm just not sure how to start." Mason hesitated again. "Liz, when you and Max kiss, is there anything different about it? I mean, does anything . . . ."

When Mason looked up to see Liz's guarded, almost frightened, look, he stopped. His curiosity about what he had seen the other night didn't seem important anymore. His finding out how to start a relationship with Cheryl was. Whatever it was that made Max and Liz different was between them. He suddenly didn't want to taint it by pushing it into the open.

"Never mind, Liz. Thanks for talking to me about this. I guess I just have to find my own way."

She smiled at him. "We all do."

Jamison walked up to the pair, pleased at how Mason had relaxed and mellowed during their visit to Roswell. "Hey, you two, I've got a couple of scenes that we need to shoot as soon as Cheryl is up and around. Liz, I really appreciate your standing in. That's really above and beyond the call." He winked at her and smiled, but the smile turned sheepish as he broached the next subject. "I'm afraid one of these is a love scene. We need it read for the sound people, and we need it blocked and acted out for the lighting people. Are you game?"

Liz bit her lip, glad that Max wasn't there yet. "What do I have to do?"

Just read it first, then we'll run through the movements that go with it. Then we'll take it step by step as we work out the lighting and sound for each part."

"I can do that," she agreed.

"That's great, Liz, thanks. Follow me."

Mason and Liz stood where Jamison placed them and began to read the script:

Mason: I've already told you. What you saw was a lie! She kissed me. I don't love her. I love you!

Liz: I hear what you're saying, but I know what I saw. You were just as involved in that kiss as she was. I don't understand how you can stand there and tell me it didn't mean anything.

Mason: You are a part of me, don't you understand that? [Steps closer; puts hand on her face.] We are connected in a way I don't even understand. [Steps forward again. Now nose to nose] I know you feel it, too.

Liz: I do feel it. I'm just not sure you do anymore. [raises face to his]

Mason: Let me prove it to you. [Pulls her into a sizzling kiss]

"That's good, guys," Jamison called from the darkness beyond the stage lights. "Mason, a little more intensity in the lines. Not volume, just intensity. Liz, this time Mason is actually going to kiss you. We need to make sure we don't get too much shadow on the faces. Are you ready for that?"

Liz nodded uncertainly. She was more and more relieved that Max hadn't shown up. She was completely unaware that Max was entering the set from behind her, standing in the wings with a scowl on his face.

"Let's try it again," yelled Jamison.

Mason: I've already told you. What you saw was a lie! She kissed me. I don't love her. I love you!

Liz: I hear what you're saying, but I know what I saw. You were just as involved in that kiss as she was. I don't understand how you can stand there and tell me it didn't mean anything.

Mason: You are a part of me, don't you understand that? [Steps closer; puts hand on her face] We are connected in a way I don't even understand. [Steps forward again. Now nose to nose] I know you feel it, too.

Just as Liz opened her mouth to say her line, there was a loud crash backstage. "Damn it!" Jamison ran toward the noise to discover that a step ladder on which a paint can had been set had toppled over, splattering paint across the floor and up one wall.

"Who left this paint unattended?" ranted Jamison. "We're trying to rehearse here! Get somebody over here to clean this up, now!"

He strode back toward Mason and Liz. "I'm sorry. Let's try it again. Oh, and Mason, when you touch her face, sort of cup her jaw. It's supposed to be a tender, gentle gesture, not threatening! Look deeply into her eyes and let her know how you feel about her."

Mason and Liz turned toward each other.

Mason: I've already told you. What you saw was a lie! She kissed me. I don't love her. I love you!

Liz: I hear what you're saying, but I know what I saw. You were just as involved in that kiss as she was. I don't understand how you can stand there and tell me it didn't mean anything.

Mason: You are a part of me, don't you understand that? [Steps closer; puts hand on her face] We are connected in a way I don't even understand. [Steps forward again. Now nose to nose] I know you feel it, too.

Liz: I do feel it. I'm just not sure you do anymore. [raises face to his]

At this point, one of the light bulbs exploded. "What the hell!" yelled Jamison. "How did that happen? I've never seen one of these bulbs go like that before! Hang on a minute, you two. We'll have it replaced in a second."

In the wings, Max was shocked. He had felt his emotions building as he watched Liz rehearsing this love scene with Mason, and he had trembled with the effort of pushing the jealousy down deep. He knew he was being foolish. At least, he hoped so. But hearing someone else profess his love for her, seeing someone else touch her face . . . . It was painful to watch, and he had felt the pressure building. Then it seemed to release with a jolt, and the ladder had fallen over. He wondered if somehow his own energy had caused it, but he'd never experienced anything like that before. Then, as he continued to watch, Mason had leaned in to kiss Liz and his insides had felt ready to explode. A burning ball of energy was spinning at his very core and he suddenly knew he couldn't control it. Again, a jolt, larger this time, had released the pressure and the light bulbs had exploded. There was no denying that he had somehow triggered these accidents, and he knew he should leave. But that thought was equally horrendous. He couldn't leave Liz in the clutches of this . . . this Romeo. His attention was again drawn to the set.

Jamison supervised as the technician replaced the bulb. When he was satisfied, he sighed heavily. "We're having some streak of bad luck here, folks. Okay, one more time."

Jamison's words seemed to trigger an awareness in Liz. Max! Could he be doing this? Her eyes searched the darkness beyond the lights, but she couldn't see anything. She and Mason assumed their original positions.

"Liz, are you okay with this? I didn't realize we'd be doing this scene."

Liz smiled weakly. "This is what professionals do, right? It's just part of the job." She looked to Mason for reassurance.

"Atta girl," Mason smiled. "I'll go easy on you."

"Let's do it!" shouted Jamison.

Mason: I've already told you. What you saw was a lie! She kissed me. I don't love her. I love you!

Liz: I hear what you're saying, but I know what I saw. You were just as involved in that kiss as she was. I don't understand how you can stand there and tell me it didn't mean anything.

Mason: You are a part of me, don't you understand that? [Steps closer; puts hand on her face] We are connected in a way I don't even understand. [Steps forward again. Now nose to nose] I know you feel it, too.

Liz: I do feel it. I'm just not sure you do anymore. [raises face to his]

Mason: Let me prove it to you. [Pulls her into a sizzling kiss]

Mason took Liz's face gently in his hands and kissed her, quickly intensifying the kiss, as Jamison had instructed.

"Keep her face to the front, Mason, and slide your right hand through her hair to the back of her head. Jeff! I think we need more backlighting. Hold there, Mason."

Mason did as instructed, sliding his hand around Liz's head. Although his mouth opened against hers, he was aware of Liz's discomfort and made no attempt to explore her mouth. Liz knew her character wouldn't remain wooden in this kiss, so she made an effort to react predictably, reaching her arms up around Mason's neck. Suddenly, they were getting thoroughly soaked. Mason released her with a gasp. Was it supposed to rain in this scene? Liz wondered, confused. She looked up to see the fire sprinklers spewing water in every direction.

"What is going on here?" shouted Jamison in frustration. "Somebody shut those damn things off!"

Liz and Mason ran to the wings and smack into Max. He grabbed Liz to steady her and she looked up into his stunned, guilt-ridden face.