That thing on the operating table. That was her. She knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt. She was an... alien.

The thought took her breath away and she stopped her progress across the dark street. Tears stung her eyes as she glanced around. She would be hunted. They would hunt her. People would be terrified of her. Especially here.

That thought sped her forward until she reached her destination, the clumped buildings at the end of the road, W. Roswell High. Schools were perfect place to hide in the summertime, especially at night. So much unused space but safer than your average abandoned building, at least from her experience. She crossed into the quad area and looked around the dark, lifeless buildings. The shadows were long as the glare from the streetlights fell against the building.

Of course, the worst thing about hiding in a school had to be the creepy factor, she readily admitted.

Huge creepy factor.

But she forced herself to walk on to the door. Taking a glance around, she held her palm over the handle. Then there was a small click. She slipped inside, trying to ignore the fact that she’d just used alien powers in a town where probably three-fourths of the inhabitants would kill her and anyone like her if they saw it.

Oh great, now she was being melodramatic. She really must be creeped out.

As she closed the door behind her and waved her hand to lock it again, the immense silence crowded in. Everywhere she looked, the shadows seemed to be moving and dancing just out of her line of vision. The open, yawning hallway looked like it might just swallow her alive.

Joey eased her arms around herself and slid to the floor. She would wait until she felt in control enough to move again.

Which might just be a while.

******

Liz walked up the familiar steps with a churning in her gut. All the untapped emotions, all the unreleased power was turning her body into a war zone. But her concern for Max pushed her to ignore it and to make sure he was all right. There was no telling what her mother had said to him.

Liz pushed a few unwieldy tendrils of hair back from her face and pressed the doorbell. It was definitely better, at least for now, to presume her mother wouldn’t do anything rash instead of jumping to conclusions and pushing her over the edge.

God, how had things gotten so complicated? Maybe it would help if they could just figure out who had told her mother...

The door opened, revealing a grinning but very disheveled Max.

“What,” Liz asked with a tentative half-smile. This wasn’t what she had expected at all.

Max reached out and gently drew her inside. As her body brushed his, she kept her eyes glued on his face. He was giddy, his whole countenance bursting with joy.

She had honestly never seen him like this. “Max,” she asked with wonder. “What happened? Did my mother...”

Max’s face fell for just a moment as he answered her unfinished question. “No, she...” He just let the sentence hang for a moment. The sudden pain on his face brought her fears to the surface. Her mother hadn’t listened to him at all.

Oh god...

Then determination filled his eyes as he spoke. “Forget about it for right now, Liz, okay?”

His lips began to curve upwards in that secret smile again. Liz reached up to straighten his hair rather compulsively and then put her arms around his shoulders. “What is it?”

“My mother,” he began, the gold flecks in his eyes dancing with joy. “She knows.”

Liz was immediately stricken with panic. “Oh my god-”

“No,” Max said, grasping her face and stopping her thoughts in their tracks. “It’s good. It’s what we’ve always wanted. She’s on our side, and she still loves us.”

“Oh,” Liz breathed out in rapture, feeling suddenly every bit as giddy as Max.

Mrs. Evans knew and it didn’t matter. Liz almost couldn’t wrap her mind around the fact.

Max looked down and shared her smile for a minute, then pulled her close for a hug. “Mom,” Max called from over her head. “Liz is here.”

“Oh,” came a cry from the back of the house. A minute later, Mrs. Evans appeared, her face as tear-stained and gloriously happy as Max’s had been. Max let go of Liz just in time for her to be swept up in Mrs. Evans’ arms.

“Oh, honey, Max told me about what you‘ve been through,” she began, quickly pulling back to look at Liz with concern. “I am so sorry about your mother, but we’ll see if we can’t do something about that.”

Liz saw her exchange glances with Max and Isabel, who had just walked in the doorway. Liz had to smile at Isabel’s face, also wreathed in smiles. They were all so happy... and Liz wished with all her heart that her own mother’s response had been the same.

“What about Mr. Evans,” she forced herself to ask.

“He knows, too,” Isabel said brightly. “I can’t wait to see him. And to tell Alex. I’ll go call him right now.”

Liz suddenly remembered the other reason that she was there. “Isabel, wait. Alex is on his way here. There’s been a... development.”

The change in the room was sobering. Smiles lost their footing and Max took Liz’s hand to lead her into the den. He seemed to be bracing himself for her words, probably not ready for the real world to intrude on his happiness. Isabel sat with her back ramrod straight, her mother’s hand clasped where it rested on her shoulder.

Liz let them gather themselves for a moment. “Okay. I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just gonna’ say it... Kyle saw a girl in the UFO Center tonight. A stranger. And Max, he said she looked exactly like you.”

Max just stared at her, unblinking.

Liz knew what was running through his mind. This girl had to be an alien. But they knew of three types of aliens. Which one was she?

“A sister, Max,” Mrs. Evans recovered her voice first. “Could she be related to you?”

Max put his fingers to his lips as he thought. He must be feeling insecure about the possibilities. He finally looked up and gestured loosely with his hand. “I have no idea. I don’t know anything about myself. How can I know the answer to that?”

He stood up and walked away a few steps, shoving his hands in his pocket.

Isabel and Liz exchanged glances. “Max, we should find her and find out what- I mean, who she is,” Liz ventured. “There are others out there. She could be in danger from those hun-”

“Liz,” Max whirled around and interrupted her, throwing a glance at his mother.

Oh. He hadn’t told Mrs. Evans about the alien hunters. Of course not. Liz blushed and bit her bottom lip nervously. Of all the stupid-

“What, Liz,” Mrs. Evans eyed her suspiciously. “What were you going to say?”

Before Liz could speak, Max jumped in. “She’s right, Mom. We should go find out who she is.”

“Well, sweetie, if she is your sister, bring her home with you. We have an extra room and I always wanted another daughter. Although Liz will do just fine in a pinch,” Mrs. Evans concluded her smile-inducing statement with a wink in her direction.

“Thanks, Mom.” Liz looked over at Max in surprise. He was choked up with emotion. Tears immediately sprang up Liz’s eyes as she watched him turn away again. She stood and walked over to him. Glancing at his face, she turned back to his mother and sister. “Would you excuse us for a minute,” she asked timidly.

“Sure,” Mrs. Evans jumped up. “We’ll just go-”

“That’s okay, we’ll go to Max’s room,” Liz said as she took Max’s hand. “Isabel, tell Alex we’ll be right back.”

“Right,” Isabel rolled her eyes. “Like that’ll happen.”

Liz gave Max a small smile, but was stricken again by the look of turmoil on his face.

He needed her.

And she knew she needed him.

They headed upstairs without another word.

******

Michael was the first to arrive, much to Isabel’s annoyance. He was pissed off as usual whenever Max and Liz were off alone together, although, truthfully, Isabel couldn’t blame him. It bugged her to see them so openly lovey-dovey and grabby-gropey in public and she couldn’t imagine how bad it would be if she had to no way to get away from them at all.

She shuddered at the thought and tossed up a quick thanks to the powers-that-be that had spared her that kind of connection with anyone. She glanced around after Michael stalked in and asked him pointedly. “Where’s Maria?”

“Don’t know,” he barked back. “Probably off somewhere she shouldn’t be doing something that she doesn‘t want to tell me about. Otherwise, I’d have heard from her by now.”

“Like what,” Isabel asked despite herself. She knew she was just asking to be yelled at.

“If I knew that, I would be wherever she is, preventing her from doing whatever it is that she’s doing. But I’m not,” Michael glowered at her. “I’m here playing twenty questions with Vanna.”

Isabel cocked her head sideways and opened her mouth to insult him when her Mom’s voice interrupted her.

“Isabel, could you help me in here, please?” Isabel rolled her eyes. Sometimes parents were so obvious. But it did give her an excuse to keep herself from arguing. “Michael, while I’m gone, why don’t you just to cultivate a personality, okay?”

“Fine. And you might want to swing by Max’s room on the way in to the kitchen. I’m going outside.” Michael jumped off the couch and practically ran out the door.

Isabel sighed and turned her feet to the hallway. Think about something other than Max and Liz... like alien hunters or your home planet... anything but what you’ll see when you open that door.

Maybe she could try just knocking...

******

Liz rolled away from Max breathlessly as Isabel’s voice sounded at the door.

“Go away, Izzy,” Max said forcefully.

“I’m not coming in. But you guys need to cool it, okay? Remember, two weeks? Pledging to remain pure to set some archaic example for everyone? This is the last time I remind you, brother dearest. After this, you’re on your own.”

Max had pulled the pillow over his head during the lecture and Liz just cackled at him. Then Mrs. Evans’ quiet voice joined her at the door. “Don’t worry, Izzy. I’ll take over for you. Max? Max- you had better be a gentleman in there or Liz will not be coming to your room again before the wedding.”

Max groaned under the pillow.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Evans,” Liz smiled as she called out. “He’s being a perfect gentleman as always.”

Max pulled the pillow up a bit and looked at her with a lazily questioning look, his mouth twitched up in a sly grin.

Liz felt her face flush at the thoughts that look gave her, so she hit him on the arm. They were talking to his mother, for goodness’ sakes!

“Good,” came Mrs. Evans’ voice. “Michael is here and I think I just heard Alex’s car. You guys hurry up and come down.”

“Okay,” Liz answered for them. Then she grabbed the pillow and pulled it off of Max’s face. He put his arms behind his head and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. His hair was mussed up in the cutest way. Liz had to run a hand through it, enjoying the feel of the soft blackness against her skin. Max closed his eyes to enjoy it.

Let the humming begin...

She suddenly found her breathing elevated as she continued to move her hand down the side of his face. He grasped her hand as it left his skin and pressed it to his lips hard.

Liz let out a shuddering breath. This was getting so difficult. “I love you,” she whispered and disentangled herself from him and moved off the bed. He watched her with disappointed eyes.

“Oh, don’t do the puppy eyes, Max,” a small whine crept into her voice as she saw him. “You know I hate that.”

He sat up and drew his face even longer, his eyes full of feigned sadness and real longing. “Can’t you just sit beside me?”

“No, uh-huh,” Liz shook her head and backed away to the window. “There are people downstairs waiting for us and they will kill us if they have to rescue us from ourselves again.”

“Okay, one hug,” he asked with slightly narrowed eyes.

“Uh, that would still be no,” Liz answered flatly, proud of herself for resisting him.

Max stuck his bottom lip out just a little and Liz melted. “Oh, okay. Fine. One hug, though, and that’s it.” She walked over and stood in front of him, waiting. But he took her totally by surprise. Slipping to his knees in front of her, he flung his arms around her waist and buried his face in her stomach. His forehead came to rest right below her breasts and she felt him take a deep breath against her. The warmth of his breath slid inside of her and coursed through her veins like fire.

“Max...”

Her fingers wound themselves in his hair helplessly.

He looked up at her. “I love you, Liz Parker. And I’d wait forever for you.”

Liz caressed his forehead, his cheeks and his lips before kissing him tenderly.

Moments like this were the only way they could handle the things they had to deal with. Liz knew that as certainly as she knew anything else in her life. So she drank the moment in, the deep love, the ardent longing, the assurance of their future together, and the feel of his warm, hard body against hers. It was a balm to her weary soul. She only hoped it made him as strong as it did her.

As their connection opened, she felt that it did.

****** Maria had worked toward this moment all day long, using her day off to drive, think and plan. She figured Liz was too emotional to do it and Michael was getting just as bad. So it was up to Maria to prove to Mrs. Parker what her daughter had become, in order to save them all.

Being the hero sounded pretty great to Maria, especially since it might just make a certain spikey-haired alien sit up and take notice, and even feel a tad bit indebted to her. Maria sighed with contentment.

So she had come up with the perfect plan, a plan that would work because of its simplistic beauty and it’s able executor- Maria Leah Deluca.

Her plan was this: she was going to talk some sense into Mrs. Parker if it was the last thing she did. She was close enough to the family to gain admittance without raising suspicion. And she had the history of having once freaked out over the whole alien situation herself. Maybe her own story of coming to grips with the freakiness of the aliens would make Mrs. Parker feel better somehow.

It was definitely worth a shot.

And that was why she now stood here at the front door to the Parker’s apartment, running through the words she planned to say. But as she raised her hand to knock on the door, a loud voice inside stopped her.

“I am through doing your dirty work,” Mrs. Parker was saying. “He as much as admitted it tonight, right here in this room. You have the tape, now get him the hell away from my daughter.”

“Now, Mrs. Parker, calm down,” came a male voice. “I will take care of it, I promise.”

Larry!!

Maria felt her knees get weak. It couldn’t be. But it sounded like Mrs. Parker had bugged the apartment and Max had said something to give it all away. He was in danger. Oh god, Max was going to die. Then Michael would be next... and Liz. And Isabel...

Maria felt a scream of hysteria build up in her throat but she squashed it down. They were still talking.

“Wait,” Mrs. Parker said nervously. “You’ve... hinted at blackmail. But you never said exactly what you plan on doing with this information. It could be dangerous. And I don’t want Max... hurt just because of what he is. I just don’t want him near my daughter. Have I made that clear?”

Maria clamped a hand over her mouth to stay quiet. Life or death, she reminded herself. Life or death matter here...

Oh god, that’s not helping, she thought as the hysteria rose in her throat. She desperately batted her hand in the air to hold it all in.

“Perfectly clear. You just leave it to me. I’ll handle everything.”

Maria’s jumpiness gave way to fierce hatred. He was talking about “handling” Max like it was a freakin’ bank transaction!

The scream shoved down in her throat was turning into a furious ache that threatened to come out in some form or another if she didn‘t get out of there.

No- listen and find out all you can, Deluca. Liz will want to know everything. Oh god, Liz... She closed her eyes in mute pain at her friend’s betrayal.

Then she realized it was silent in the apartment, except for... a zipper and a rustling sound. Money! That was a purse being opened!

At that, Maria lost it. Somehow she made it down the stairs and into her car without releasing the emotions whirling inside of her. But as soon as the car door slammed behind her, she screamed until her face was hot with fury, until the sobs interrupted her.

Years of fearfulness and carefulness had all been for nothing. Liz’s mom had sold them out.