"Max, honey, are you okay? You're barely eating."

"What?" Max was pulled back to reality to find his mother and sister looking at him. "I'm fine. I'm just a little tired." He could feel his mother's scrutinizing gaze.

"I'm worried about you. Here it is summer and you barely leave the house. This is a great time in your life, you should be out having fun with your friends." Max continued to look sullenly down at his plate. Diane figured she might as well try to guess what was going on. "If this has something to do with Liz Parker, you're way too young to be this serious..."

"Mom, please. This has nothing to do with her." Diane looked stunned at her son's harsh tone. He had always been so easy going as a child. She always felt so lucky to have him when other mothers complained about how difficult raising teenagers was. But the last couple of months he seemed to have changed.

Max caught Isabel's reproachful stare. "It's just having to deal with all the tourists coming to the museum in the summer. I get tired of explaining the same things over and over. Today I had to listen to some guy from Minnesota describe his abduction for twenty minutes in gory detail. I guess it kind of spoiled my appetite. Do you mind if I go to my room?" He could tell that his mother wasn't quite buying his excuse. He was relieved when she sighed and nodded.

Max collapsed on his bed. It had surprised him when his mother had mentioned Liz. He thought about her all the time. He couldn't imagine what it was going to be like when school started again. He was so used to being aware of her. Every year he had carefully noted where her locker was, what her class schedule was. It wasn't quite like he was stalking her. He didn't follow her around or hang out watching her. He just liked to know that if he ever wanted to see her, all he had to do was walk a different way to class. Even when he was pushing her away, as long as he was seeing her everyday he felt that there might be a chance for them.

The thought of her not being there was almost more than he could take. He couldn't concentrate on work. He couldn't sleep. If only he could think of some way to change her mind. Some way to make everything right again. He was confused and angry. But more than anything he was tired. He closed his eyes, trying to relax for just a minute.

Max walks silently through the streets of Roswell. People pass him carrying bags after shopping or briefcases on their way home from work. Some relax on benches under the elm trees to recap the events of the day with their friends and coworkers. Always, he can tell, they are sneaking sly glances at him, then looking quickly away. Their light conversations become muted and subdued as he passes by. He can sense their unease, see the nervousness in their eyes. It's not for him though. These are his people, they look to him for strength and reassurance. He cannot let them down.

Suddenly he stumbles as the ground, once solid, trembles sickeningly under his feet. Confused and frightened, the people on the sidewalks scatter towards the shelter of the buildings and cars. Some pause as they go by him, slowing, looking at him as if seeking some kind of guidance.

Someone is tugging on his jacket. It's Nasedo, pulling him towards the shelter of the nearest buildings. "Come, we must get you to safety." A helicopter emerges from behind the UFO museum. He sees the big yellow FBI on the side as it flies by. Nasedo pulls on him again. Max begins to follow, then stops as he notices the helicopter landing on the Crashdown down the street.

"Liz!"

"She's safe. Michael is with her." Max pulls away from Nasedo and runs towards the Crashdown. He bursts through door and starts running up the stairs. He hears Michael's voice as he argues with someone, then his shout followed by a gunshot. He turns the corner to see Michael's body falling to the floor.

"Liz!"

Liz turns, he can see the shock of what she's just seen in her face. Behind her, a man in a flak suit levels his weapon. Max doesn't hear the bullet, but sees the flash from the muzzle, then Liz's body lurch unnaturally and crumple to the floor.

"No!"