The last of the aches and sores from the enemy encounter were fading away, as were the emotional scars. They were no longer looking around every corner and worrying about what was lurking in the shadows. It was finally looking like life was getting back to normal. He was starting to feel like just a teenager again. A teenager who just finished his finals and had two weeks of vacation ahead of him.

But even without all that good news, Max still would have been happy. Because today, hopefully, Liz had come home.

He swung the jeep into the private drive behind the Crashdown. Gravity had no hold on him as he climbed the ladder to her balcony. Inside, Liz was unpacking her clothes when she heard the metal vibration outside her window. She slid open the window just as he came over the ledge and they both paused, drinking in the sight of each other. The next thing she knew she was flying, crushed in his strong arms as he swung her around.

“Liz, I’m so glad you’re back.”

“Me, too. Max, I’m sorry I left. I thought it was the best thing to do.”

“I know. I never should have let you go. I thought I would be stronger without you. But Liz, you’re my strength. I can’t be who I am without you. And I’m never going to make that mistake again.”

She smiled teasingly. “Is that a promise?”

He looked into her eyes and her heart began to pound until threatened to explode from her chest. “Definitely.”

**********

Liz was finally getting back into the swing of things at the Crashdown. She would be concentrating on what she was doing, antennae bobbing crazily as she dashed from table to table tending on her customers, then by chance she would glance at the booth in the middle and uncontrollably her mouth would widen into a happy grin. Max barely took his eyes off her and everytime she looked he answered with his own steady smile.

It was making Isabel sick. “Could you please control yourselves?”

“Sorry.” Max looked down at his calculus homework. He knew how Isabel was feeling and he knew it wasn’t helping her any to see him so happy, but what could he do? He was happy. He tapped his pencil on his notebook and tried to focus again on the work in front of him. But was no use. He looked for Liz again, and when he saw her heading towards them he broke out into a grin again.

“Can I get you guys anything else?”

Isabel looked at her brother pointedly, trying to will acknowledgment of her existence on him. “No. We promised Mom we’d be home for dinner. We’d better go.”

Max closed his book and smiled at Liz apologetically. “Oh, yeah. I forgot.” She leaned toward him and he caught the thick brown hair as it swung toward him and twisted it around his fingers as he brought her mouth to his. The taste of her was intoxicating and he held her to him as long as he could before letting her reluctantly pull away. He knew she was embarrassed by this public display of affection, but the slight blush on her checks made her look even more irresistible. It didn’t help that she nervously straightened her apron, drawing his eyes to the shape of her hips and what little of her legs her skirt covered.

“So,” At the sound of her voice his eyes snapped back up and locked on to hers. “Are you coming over later?”

Max glanced over to the door where Isabel was waiting impatiently for him. “Yeah, after dinner. About seven?”

“Sure. Great.” She kissed him again then backed away, keeping her eyes on him as long as possible before passing through the kitchen door. But even before she was through he was there with her. He swung her around, his arm around her waist pulling her hard against him. Her lips moved over his, moist and velvety, increasing his awareness of the length of her body pressed to him, a warm softness he could feel even through her uniform.

She pulled back, breathless. “Hey, can’t you see the sign, employees only.”

“So, arrest me.”

“I wish I could and keep you with me all the time.” She looped her arms around him, sending shivers down his spine as she gently caressed the back of his neck. The new position of her body caused another rush of adrenaline coursing through his bloodstream. “I better go.” He kissed her again, then released her and stepped back. “I’ll see you later.”

**********

Max and Isabel arrived home expecting to find their mother busily preparing one of the gourmet dishes she always attempted when they were all home, but instead the kitchen was dark. In the living room they could see Diane sitting on the edge of the chair, her eyes dark with worry. Philip was pacing, but stopped when he saw them.

“There you are. I want you to come here and sit down. Your mother and I need to have a little discussion with you.”

Max and Isabel exchanged confused looks, then sat down on the couch.

“We had an interesting meeting with Mrs. Baca today. She said you were both good students and that your prospects for college looked good. However, she was worried about the unexplained absences that you starting having last year.” He looked meaningfully at them. “We were surprised to hear about them. She said she thought it had something to do with Max’s illness. Apparently, there are stories of Max and some girl having to be dragged from the dance, barely conscious.”

“I was willing to overlook the times you’ve sneaked out and been out all night, thinking it was just normal teenage behavior. But this, I don’t know. This friend of yours, Michael, I know he’s been in some trouble, but when I helped get his emancipation I thought he was straightening out. Now I see him talking to strange people, making weird purchases in the alleyways. Is it drugs?”

Isabel’s eyes widened in shock. “Daddy, no.”

“What is it then?”

Max raked his brain, trying to come up with a situation that would explain everything, but finding it hard to think with his father waiting expectantly for an explanation. His mother sensed his frustration and placed her hand over his.

“Honey, whatever it is, we’re here for you. We can help you.”

Isabel looked at her mother’s concerned face, then at Max, in her eyes a silent appeal. “We have to tell them.”

Max nodded. He tried to speak, but he couldn’t find the words to tell them that would make it sound right. He swallowed nervously, trying to ease the dryness in his throat. He decided that the only way to do this was to just say it. “We’re aliens.” His parents didn’t say anything, and he was sure they thought he’d lost his mind. “We don’t know what we are or where we came from, but we were in the ship that crashed here in 1947. We think we spent forty years gestating in pods in the desert. Ten years ago we broke out and that’s when you found us on the highway.”

Philip listened, his face turning a deeper shade of red. “Do you think this is some kind of joke? Because I assure you, young man, I am not in a laughing mood.”

“No, Dad. Look.” Isabel touched the book on the coffee table and the watercolor of the countryside on the cover changed to an ocean scene. She moved her hand to the vase of flowers next to it and the budding amaryllis spread it’s trumpet flowers and as it bloomed it changed from white to brilliant red. “We have these powers, we always have. We’ve just kept it hidden from you.”

Diane still looked troubled, but there was also a new understanding in her eyes, as if some things were finally starting to make sense. The color had drained from Philip’s face and he wavered a little, still not believing what he was seeing. He hesitantly reached for the flowers, then pulled his hand back.

“How did you do that? Is it some kind of trick? I want the truth.”

Diane put a steadying hand on his shoulder and spoke for her children. “Philip, I think they’re telling us the truth.”

Dazed, Philip turned to the two people sitting in front of him. He had raised them, they had been his family for the last ten years. But now as his eyes fell upon them there was no recognition in his eyes. It was as if they were strangers he had seen now for the first time. Isabel felt her heart breaking as her worst nightmare was coming true.

“Daddy-” She raised her hand towards him, but before she could get any further she was interrupted by a loud crack and they all turned to see the front door as it flew off the hinges.

“What the hell-” Philip turned to confront the man who was now entering his home. The man waved his hand as if shooing away an insect and Philip and Diane, suddenly lifeless, crumpled to the floor.

“Oh my god. Max!” Isabel knelt on the floor beside her mother as Max stood to defend them. But before he could do anything white light burst out from somewhere behind him surrounding the intruder. He fell to the floor, writhing in agony as the light coursed over him, sending shocks through his body.

Nasedo stepped in from the kitchen. “That won’t hold him for long. We have to get out of here. Come on, Tess is waiting out back.”

Isabel held tightly onto her mother’s hand. “No, I’m not leaving her.”

“Max, grab her and let’s go.” Max waited a minute, debating what to do. In the fading light outside he could see more people walking towards the door. He took one last look at his parents then grabbed Isabel and pulled her out to Tess’s waiting car.

Tess gunned the engine and the car began speeding down the quiet suburban street. Isabel turned around to see her house shrinking behind her. Tears streaming down her face she angrily confronted Nasedo. “How could you do that? How could you just leave them there?”

Nasedo answered her passion with indifference. “Your parents won’t be killed. They’re only after you. Now that you’re gone, they will leave your parents alone. They’ll be fine. It was the best thing you could do for them.”

“Where are we going?”

“To pick up Michael.”

“Are we going to fight them?”