Her hand automatically went to her chest, where a stabbing pain was slowly easing away.

Michael! He had saved her in the dream. But how did she get here?

Liz frowned.

What about-

"Oh, you're awake," Liz jerked her head around to see Doug sauntering into the room.

Doug.

Her heart sank.

"The house appears to be empty. It would be too much to hope for, wouldn't it? So, we'll just wait for Mr. Valenti to scare up the whereabouts of your lover. Then, freedom," Doug said, his eyes lit up at the word. "For both of us."

Liz slowly stood to her feet, watching his dark eyes gleam in the soft moonlight.

"Why do you want Max," she asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"It's nothing personal, I assure you. I'm in exile until I kill him. It's as simple as that."

Even as her mind fought to accept what he said, a sudden noise out in the kitchen made Liz jerk her head in that direction. Then she looked back at Doug and froze.

He was gone.

Her eyes quickly scanned the room as she heard voices.

"Sweetheart, it's okay, we're not disappointed in you," Mrs. Evans' voice came from the hallway. "I just don't understand why you waited so long to tell us if you wanted to come home so badly."

Liz's heart jumped in her chest.

They were home.

And *seriously* in danger.

Liz ran for the kitchen, but felt herself jerked back into the darkness by rough hands. Doug held her close to him, one hand tightly covering her mouth.

"Not... one... sound," he warned in a low voice.

Liz swallowed and breathed heavily, his arm squeezing her abdomen tight.

She had no doubts that he would kill her without a second thought.

But she had to do something.

So she closed her eyes tight and tried to warn them.

*Isabel- RUN! Max- Doug is going to kill you! RUN!*

She felt a connection in her mind... vaguely.

But... it wasn't Max.

******

Michael could breathe again.

Just as he eased himself up off the floor, a jabbing pain hit him between his eyes.

*Isabel- RUN! Max- Doug is going to kill you! RUN!*

It was Liz.

The image accompanying her message was frenetic but Michael immediately knew what she was trying to tell them.

Doug was in the Evans' house with Liz, waiting for them.

He was up and on the way in seconds.

*Liz, hang on. I'm coming.*

******

Then suddenly, Liz saw Mrs. Evans at the doorway, stopping to turn on the light.

"We shouldn't have left the house so dark. I always feel like there's someone in here waiting for me," she said with a nervous smile.

*Liz, hang on. Išm coming.*

Liz opened her eyes wide at the voice she clearly heard in her head.

Michael?

Then she saw Mrs. Evans hit the floor.

Liz gasped and looked over her shoulder to where Doug had been two seconds ago. The arms holding her were gone. And somehow, he had gotten to Diane Evans.

"Mom," Isabel's voice sounded weary, "what happened?"

This time, Liz was able to see Doug's form shimmer and appear beside the doorway as Isabel came into view. One second she was standing there, the kitchen light framing her form in the darkness and the next, she was crumpling to the floor.

"No," Liz shouted too late.

"Izzy," Phillip Evans' voice came through the back door. "Was that you?"

Then Doug disappeared again, and Liz ran to the kitchen door, already knowing what she would find. Mr. Evans lay in a heap just inside the door, suitcases beside him.

Doug was just standing there, a slight smile on his face.

Liz felt tears jump into her eyes and she quickly turned to where Isabel lay on the floor. She was breathing peacefully.

"What did you do to them," Liz asked frantically.

"Nothing," Doug said as he walked over to her, flipping the kitchen light back off. "I told you why I'm here. To kill Max. No one else is worth the time. I'm too close now."

******

Max stood for almost half a minute outside the door to his house, trying to force down the emotions that threatened to take over. Fear for Liz, for his parents and his sister, who were in very real danger from someone in that house.

How could he keep everyone safe?

No charging in like a superhero. Just find out what the bastard wants and give it to him. And get Liz the hell out of there.

******

Liz stood to her feet shakily. Doug obviously had powers the others could only dream of.

"But you saw Max... that night of the Blind Date contest. You were standing two feet away from him..." Liz hesitantly trailed off.

Doug smiled sardonically.

"Yeah, life sucks like that sometimes. I read Max's mind alright, because I had heard about the shooting, and the rumors. And being with you led me right to him. But somehow, he fooled me," his voice was bitter. "There was no fear there in his mind, none of the paranoia that would have automatically tipped me off. If I had gone deeper, maybe."

Liz was trying to keep up with all this new information, half her mind still on the fact that Max could walk in the door and be killed at any second.

Doug half-laughed, "But all his thoughts were of you."

Then it dawned on her, "Oh my god, that's right, he was drunk."

"Interesting, isn't it," Doug said in a tight voice. "Well, I should have had him two years ago. Two years..."

A grimace crossed his face and Liz felt energy began to gather around him. But before she could take a step back, Doug reached out and grabbed her by the shirtfront.

She found herself only inches away from his enraged face as he fought for control. Power radiated out of him like a solar flare. She couldnšt see it, but the electricity made the hairs on her arm stand up. His face was a mask of rage.

"Two years I spent wandering around, killing time... and a few humans for practice. But mostly, two years just planning the perfect way to kill ..."

The string of syllables was almost intelligible this time. Something like "cha-ma-linka", only a lot longer. Was that a name?

Doug dropped Liz carelessly back down on the floor, his power suddenly back under control.

"I've actually compiled quite a list of ways to kill him. Would you like to hear the top ten," he asked idly as he crossed to the window.

Liz started to back toward the door. But as Doug moved the curtain to look out the window, Liz heard the doorknob begin to turn behind her.

"Ah... there he is now."

Doug turned to face Liz with a grin.

******

Max took a deep breath.

Hand on doorknob. Open door...

The sight of his father on the floor broke through his resolve immediately. Emotions swept through him and he had to fight himself to not go directly to him. But he would be too vulnerable.

So he forced himself to walk in-

"Max, no!"

And Liz was suddenly in front of him, hair flying, eyes wide, hands touching him briefly before she turned away again, "he's going to kill you."

Max looked deeply into her eyes with concern.

"Are you okay," he asked, sliding his hands through her hair.

But Liz grabbed his hands and spoke fervantly, "No, Max, you have to leave. He's here to kill you."

Max tried to force his mind to focus on her words, but just seeing her again was doing things to him that he couldn't fight.

She was breathtaking before, but with the moonlight on her hair and that loving, teary look in her eyes-

Teary?

What was she saying?

Then the lights came on, and Max saw him standing across the room.

"Well, well, Max Evans," Doug said in a pleased voice. "Isn't this a happy reunion? Now all we need is Kyle. Or- oh, is he dead already?"

Max was too busy fighting with Liz to notice Doug much. She was trying to shield him from Doug, and it was making it very difficult for Max to shield her properly.

"Liz," Max growled, "get back!"

As he pulled her behind him, a small jolt of energy slammed against his back.

"What the-"

He turned to find Liz staring at him sheepishly.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "A few things have changed while you've been gone."

He continued to stare at her, unable to process what had just happened. Did she do that?

He suddenly remembered Doug and turned to look at him.

He was gone.

"No," he heard Liz scream behind him.

******

Maria hugged the curve a little too closely, throwing Alex against the door.

He grimaced at the G forces pulling against him as the Evans' house came into view... with Kyle's car parked in front.

"Kyle," Maria squeaked. "I thought he was following Liz."

Alex turned to stare at her.

"He was."

Maria stopped directly behind Kyle's Mustang and turned to Alex.

"This is getting really bad, isn't it?"

Alex took a deep breath.

Feeling suddenly very nauseous, he forced himself to nod slightly.

"Okay, then," Maria said in a suddenly business-like manner. She jumped out and walked quickly to Kyle's car. Throwing open the passenger door, she sucked in a deep breath when she saw Kyle slumped in his seat with a glowing handprint on his chest.

Leaning over, she held her hand over his mouth until she felt his breath warm her hand.

She closed her eyes in relief.

A dead Kyle would be a very bad Kyle.

A dead Kyle would be a very bad Kyle because a dead Kyle would mean that Doug was completely psycho and Liz was probably next in line, if she hadn't already been first.

Maria shoved that thought as far away as humanly possible and reached for the glove compartment. If the rumors around school were true, then Kylešs presence here could actually be a good thing.

Because that handprint told Maria one thing.

"Somebody's home for L.A. Perfect timing, as always," Maria muttered as she twisted the knob, revealing a typically small storage space crammed with papers- and one other thing.

Maria took a quick breath and grabbed the gun.

It felt cold to her touch, but familiarly hard and powerful. Chalk one point up to dear old Mom for making me take those shooting lessons. At last her single Mom paranoia had come in handy for something.

"Holy mother of God," Alex breathed over her shoulder. "What are you doing?"

Maria cut him a dark look.

"Taking up golfing. What does it look like I'm doing?"

Alex just shook his head and gaped.

Maria sighed and pushed by him, slamming the door behind her.

"What the hell are you doing with that thing," Alex asked as he followed quickly behind her.

Maria frowned at him as he grabbed her arm and jerked her to a halt.

"I'm not gonna let Doug hurt Liz," she said fiercely.

"Or Michael," Alex asked sagely. "What are you going to do if Michael is in there?"

She stopped and swallowed nervously.

Would she have to stop Michael?

******

Liz's scream awakened something in Max that he didnšt even know existed.

Something primal.

And as he turned to face the danger, his powers were already juicing up, ready to be let loose.

But Liz was standing between he and Doug, and Max could feel the static as some sort of power built up around her. It was impossible, but somehow it felt familiar. It reminded Max of Michael, when Michael used his powers.

Doug was smiling at her, clearly amused by her anger.

Max shook his head to clear it. He should be protecting Liz, not the other way around.

"Liz," he said firmly, grasping her by the arms.

Immediately, a burst of light shot out from Liz's outstretched hand and slammed into Doug's chest. Max expected the blast to knock him over, but instead, Doug just absorbed the light into his body.

It hadn't even affected him.

"What the hell," Max said under his breath.

"He's from your planet, Max, and he's powerful," Max heard Liz's frantic whisper as she pushed him back. "He wants you dead. Run, please."

Max found himself backing up as Doug began to stride purposefully toward him.

"I'm not leaving you to deal with him," he said quietly.

Doug wasted no time.

He shimmered in front of them, then he was gone.

"Oh no," Liz whispered beside him, "he could be anywhere."

Then Max felt a hand on the other side of his chest and suddenly realized he couldn't see..

Five fingers of pain slid into his chest, as he heard Liz's distant scream.

And was that a gunshot?

******

Maria was shaking head to toe and Alex had never seen her face so drained of color.

As Doug continued his gruesome connection with Max, blood leaked out of his back where the bullet had gone in.

"Maria," Liz screamed, "you could have hit Max! Are you crazy?"

She was hovering between the two men.

"I don't know," Maria shot back with a confused look. "Am I? Because I shot that bastard, and he's still doing it!"

She walked closer to the two men, the gun loosely held down by her side.

"Oh, my God... what is he doing to Max?"

"I don't know," Liz said in a choked voice as she placed her hand on top of Doug's. "He's not human."

"Ya think," Alex asked lightly and forced his feet to move closer. From here he could see Doug's hand digging into Max's chest. Alex had to look away. Max's vacant, staring eyes were unnerving, and the blood running down his chest made Alex want to do a Jesse Ventura imitation and bodyslam dog-boy.

But something held him back. It wasn't physical strength that was allowing Doug to hold Max like that. It was some alien crap-power.

Alex swore softly.

"I'm going to try something," Liz whispered.

Her hand began to glow, and Maria backed away right into Alex.

His eyes stayed on Liz, who looked like she was a million miles away at the moment, the glow from her hands ghostly in the darkness. Maria was trembling and Alex automatically pulled her close.

"Okay, Liz," Alex said over Mariašs head. "You do that... that 'something' thing. We'll just stand right here and cheer you on."

Alex shook his head.

He knew it was going to happen eventually. The Liz he knew was completely gone. She was handling this like it was a slumber party or something. You know, a few aliens, a few humans... a little bloodshed to start the party going...

He could just see her saying it: "Come on in, Alex. Just wait a sec while I take care of this little intergalactic prob. Have some dip. I'll just do a quick glow and then everything will be fine."

But it wasn't that easy for Alex.

He liked hard, cold facts. Easy answers. Even numbers. Question marks bugged him. If he couldn't convince himself that he didn't need the answer, he went after it until he found it.

So, anybody know how to stop an evil alien from clawing out one of your best friend's heart?

Didn't think so.

Alex nodded and clenched his jaw.

On to the next question, anybody seen my girlfriend?

Alex cast his eyes around, the dark room, and found the glow from Liz was highlighting a familiar shape on the floor....

It was Isabel, lying in the kitchen doorway.

"Oh god," he shouted. "Isabel!"