Max clenched his jaw.

For God's sake, she had just collapsed in front of him, and he was sure that he knew why.

He had another vision right before she walked up, of he and Tess...and Liz looked as if she had seen it, too.

But how?

He looked over at her where she lay still and pale. The school nurse was just arriving to check on her.

Isabel had a stunned look on her face.

"Izzy, what's wrong," Max called out.

She looked at him with wide eyes and immediately walked over to him.

"I saw it, too, the vision, when I touched Liz. What does it mean? You and Tess haven't..." she whispered with an obvious look.

Max answered easily.

"No, not even close. Look, I donšt know what's going on. But wešve got to figure out what it is."

He scrubbed his hair and glanced back at Liz.

"Before this goes any farther."

A smiling face suddenly blocked Maxšs view.

"Remember me," Tess chided him gently.

"Oh, yeah," Max suddenly felt guilty...again. "Sorry. I was just-"

"Worried about Liz, right," Tess shook her head, her glittering eyes betraying her light tone. "I guess it's true what they say, huh? The squeaky wheel does get the grease. I'll just finish my lunch somewhere else. See ya."

Why did he feel like hešd just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar?

******

Maria watched Tess walk to another lunch table.

There is something going on with her, I just know it.

Before she came, Liz was just fine and Max was Prince Charming. Now, Liz is a certifiable nut case and Max is looking more and more like he should run for office. He definitely has the two-timing, conniving part of it down, anyway.

Maria harumphed.

The nurse was busy taking Liz's blood pressure, which was, of course, up too high.

Perfect, Maria sighed. Just matches her accelerated heart rate and high temperature. She's a walking, talking, symptom bonanza.

Except, of course, she's not walking or talking.

Maria's chin started quivering and she pressed her hands to her face.

She was not going to let this happen to Liz, whatever it was. There had to be something she could do.

******

Liz was glad the doctor's simple diagnosis of dehydration and fatigue had satisfied her parents. That meant they would pump her full of fluids and leave her alone to rest. No phone calls, no visitors allowed.

But that was fine with her. She had a lot to think about. Things they wouldn't understand.

Since the nightmare returned every time she fell asleep, she just laid there and turned everything over in her mind.

The visions, the warnings...Tess...

And Max, the two of them...in bed together?

She shoved the thought out of her mind. It couldn't have happened. Max would never do that. At least, the Max she knew...

She rubbed at her eyes and shifted under the covers.

If only she could get him alone to talk. Every time she had tried, something had prevented her. Usually, just the sight of Tess was enough to steer her away, until the visions had started.

Liz sat up in bed, her thinking suddenly clear.

The visions had to be the key. And she had only experienced them before from Max, from his other-worldly body chemistry.

So, this had to be alien-induced.

And if Max hadnšt been responsible for them...or Isabel...or Michael...that only left...

Oh, God...Nasedo?

The thought struck terror in her heart.

Liz jumped out of bed, putting her hand out against the wall to steady herself. She grabbed her jeans and a cardigan. Pulling them on quickly over her tank top and panties, she headed for the window.

Just then, a figure moved stealthily across the balcony and popped up in front of the window.

Liz stifled a scream, then breathed out loudly in annoyance.

"Maria," she opened the window with a glare.

"I had to talk to you, and this place is like Ft. Knox. Your parents are completely overprotective, you know that, don't you," she climbed in breathlessly, still managing to talk somehow.

"I know. They even took my phone away so Išd be forced to rest. I'm sorry," Liz shook her head ruefully. "I was just coming to talk to you."

Mariašs eyes widened.

"Do you feel well enough to be out of bed?"

"I have to be. I think I know who's behind all of this."

They stared at each other for a moment.

"Oh my god, are you thinking what I've been thinking," Maria grabbed Liz's arms.

Liz nodded and they both whispered, "Nasedo."

Maria started to panic.

"You are not supposed to agree with me! You're supposed to tell me that I'm wrong, that I'm overreacting, that she can't be Nasedo!"

Liz frowned, "She? Tess? No, Tess isn't Nasedo. Max would've known if she was. They've kissed, remember?"

Maria nodded, "True. And done God-only-knows-what-else, the jerk."

"Maria!"

"Sorry for the shot of realism there, babe," Maria looked Liz dead in the eye. "But that vision meant something. And you have got to get used to this. Now what did you mean about Nasedo?"

Liz glanced through the window nervously and then fixed her eyes back on Maria.

Maria grasped Liz's arms again and freaked out a little, "What? What? Do you think he's out there right now or something?"

"No, no. But I think hešs been giving me the warnings to stay away. From Max."

"Yeah, well. Maybe youšll listen to him, since my warnings did absolutely no good," Maria nervously snapped back.

"Yeah well, maybe if youšd included visions, nightmares and hauntings, I'd have listened more."

Maria crossed over to the bed and sat down.

"Liz, you canšt keep going on like this. What are we going to do?"