Isabel was waiting for him.

"What did Alex want to tell you about," she asked.

Max stared at her blankly for a moment.

"Doug Shellow," he said without preamble. "He's back."

Isabel frowned for a moment. The name sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it.

"Shellow was Liz's blind date from that contest back during our sophomore year, remember," Max reminded her.

She looked at him in amazement.

"What does he want with Liz? I mean, you're engaged, right?"

Max sat down and rubbed a hand across his mouth.

"Well, Mrs. Parker is still trying to get Liz hooked up with someone who isn't me, and Shellow just happens to fall into that category. She set up a date for them."

"That is really weird," Isabel shook her head. "But there's nothing to worry about, Max, Liz loves you. Anybody can see that."

Max nodded thoughtfully.

"It's not that, it's the timing. Maybe I should go home and make sure she's okay."

"No, Max," Isabel said firmly. "Dad set this up for us because you wanted it and if I have to sit here and do menial tasks for a month and half, you are at least going to be here and help me. And besides that, if I know Mrs. Parker, she is still going to make Liz go out with him, whether you're there or not. I don't think you really want to be in Roswell watching Liz go out with other guys. Remember last time? Kyle... drinking? You making a complete ass out of yourself?"

Max nodded grumpily.

Isabel continued, "You being at least a state or two away sounds like a good idea to me."

She turned back to her work.

After a moment, she heard Max sigh loudly and she smiled.

Poor Max. She should probably just leave him alone. He wasn't going to stop worrying until Liz was back in his arms again.

******

Maria stopped combing her hair and stared at Kyle in disbelief.

"How is that possible? Doug Shellow?"

Kyle nodded with a frown.

"Weird, huh? Liz said her mom set it up."

Maria turned in her chair and nodded reluctantly.

"Yeah, her Mom is like that. I just don't get why she doesn't trust Liz more. Itıs weird."

Kyle paused a moment.

"Well, just thought you should know," he added, banging lightly twice on the wall with an open palm. "'Night."

"Night," Maria said back with a smile.

As she turned back to the mirror, she suddenly realized she only had on her bathrobe.

In front of Kyle Valenti.

Two years ago, that thought would have seriously wigged me out.

Maria smiled.

And now here we are, living in the same house, having, like, actual conversations.

Her eyes twinkled in the mirror as she grabbed her moisturizer and dabbed it on her face.

But Maria's smile turned to a frown as she remembered why he had knocked on her door in the first place.

Doug Shellow, here? How weird.

Maybe he had something to do with those dreams Liz was having.

Maria shook her head.

No, Liz was already having the dreams before he showed up.

It had to be more weird alien crap. But that was fine. Maria could handle weird.

She just hoped everyone didn't expect her to sit there and wait for the answers to come.

She just wasn't the sitting type.

******

Michael squinted in the sun and pulled off as soon as he saw the large sign off of Highway 42.

"School of Archaeology, University of New Mexico, an Archaeological Dig sponsored by Hampton Greene Biomedics" it read.

Beyond the loose wire fence, Michael could see several figures in dust-covered tan clothing. They were getting equipment out of a large truck, setting up a rough camp site.

He wasn't exactly sure what Doug Shellow looked like.

He frowned as he remembered Maria's less than specific description: "Tall, great smile, brown eyes and this great brown hair that does this flop thing to the side."

Michael shook his head and furrowed his brow as he looked over the figures in the distance. Did anyone's hair do a "flop thing"?

Didn't seem like it. But there was no way to be able to pick him out from here.

Well, he had done what he promised, as penance for that crack about painting Liz in the nude.

Maybe Maria would get off his case now they knew that the dig was legit.

And since they had buried the orb so far off its original burial spot, there wouldn't be any danger of them finding it. Although it was odd that they would pick the spot where the orb had been.

Okay, not just odd. Suspicious.

Michael cursed under his breath.

With everything else weird that was going on, maybe it was about time he got back into superhuman suspicion mode. Someone had to do it.

Should he get closer?

Max would say no.

But, of course, Max wasn't here.

******

"Nothing at all," Maria said in disbelief.

"Nada," Michael said. "Just some old fossils and some pretty expensive-looking equipment, that's all."

Maria frowned. She had been so sure that the dig was just a cover for something else. "I just have this feeling," she muttered.

"Yeah, like that feeling when a tortilla chip gets stuck halfway down your throat," Michael asked with a smirk. "I've got that one, too."

Maria watched as he dipped another chip into the salsa, then into the marshmallow creme before popping it into his mouth.

She grimaced.

"No, like that feeling I had when Tess showed up two years ago. That something isn't right. And don't tell me it's all in my imagination because you're going postal on me, too, Mr. Dreamcatcher."

Michael stood abruptly, towering over her.

"Can we just drop it," he said sharply, proving the truth of her words.

"Fine, fine," she said, waving her hands in disgust. "Everybody says everything is hunky-dory except for me. Oh, and stalker-boy. You know, I never knew Kyle had so much sense. Atleast he can tell when Liz isn't acting like herself."

She pushed off the couch and crossed to the door.

"Oh, and by the way, those chips are stale."

******

"So, Liz," came a voice from behind.

Liz spun around and breathed out in relief when she saw it was Doug.

"Doug, you scared me," she said with a smile. "Um... I thought you weren't coming back into town for a week."

He leaned over onto the counter beside her and smiled.

"Well, I just had to come in and see you sooner, that's all."

Liz shifted her eyes away and blushed just a little.

"Doug, remember what I-"

He held up a hand to stop her.

"I know, you've already told me. I'm a big boy. I promise I'm not going to get my feelings hurt if we spend time together and you still want to be with Ex number two. Alright?"

His honesty made Liz feel guilty. Here she was, suspecting him of all kinds of hidden motives, and he was just trying to get her to give him a chance. She didn't like him in that way, but at least she could be friendly.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to harp. I just have that kind of mind, you know."

"Well, I like that kind of mind. But getting back to where we were, I was just explaining why I stopped by. There was an intruder at the site last week, and I wanted to ask you to tell him to stay out of trouble."

"Why would you ask me that," Liz frowned.

"I think he's a friend of yours. About my height, dark, spiky hair, works here at the grill sometimes."

Liz couldnıt think of a thing to say.

Kyle was suddenly beside her,

"Guerin, right, Liz? He's a local dig hound, just checking out the new artifacts you found, I'm sure," Kyle said with a smile.

Liz looked at him with amazement, having completely forgotten that he was eating his lunch quietly in the last booth.

Doug just smiled politely before answering, "Guerin. Donıt believe I've had the pleasure of meeting him. Is he here now?"

Liz found herself being glad that she could answer honestly, "No. He's off this afternoon."

"Too bad," Doug commented lightly. "Maybe another time. By the way, your Mom mentioned that you were free this Friday night. Want to catch a movie?"

Liz's jaw dropped.

"I saw her in the grocery store again," Doug admitted with a slight blush.

Liz briefly met Kyle's warning eyes, but nodded, anyway.

"Yeah, sure. Friday sounds fine."

Doug grinned, "Great. I'll see you at 6:00, then?"

"Sure."

Liz and Kyle watched him walk out the door, then Liz busied herself with the counter again, feeling Kyle's eyes on her.

He leaned in closer until she was forced to look at him.

"What, Kyle?"

"Why the hell did you agree to go out with him? I'm tellin' ya, Liz, if you need to go out on a date, go out with me, not Dupe doggy-dog."

A smile spread across Liz's face.

"Kyle, thanks, but I know this is the only way to get Mom off my case. Max will be back soon and everything will go back to normal, okay?"

"Okay," Kyle said reluctantly. "But don't be surprised if I hang around Friday night, because I don't trust him. I trust Evans more than I trust him."

Liz looked at him in surprise.

"Okay, thanks, Kyle."

She gave him a sweet smile before returning to work.

*****

After work, she went straight to his apartment and pounded on the door.

As soon as he opened it, she launched into him.

"Michael, why were you trespassing at the dig site?"

He opened and closed his mouth before throwing a question back at her.

"How did you know I was there?"

She pushed past him.

"Because Doug saw you. I mean, if you're going to break in, at least do it when no one can see you, okay?"

Michael nodded.

"Yeah, okay."

"So," Liz asked hesitantly. "What did you find?"

Michael smirked.

"You suspicious of him, too?"

"Well, Max is. And Kyle is, too," she admitted.

Michael crossed to his couch and sat down with a sigh.

"You can add me onto that list, too. And Maria."

"Why," Liz asked. "Did you find something?"

"No," Michael said flatly. "It's a real dig. They've found some fossils, nothing else spectacular."

"You mean, nothing alien, right," Liz said archly.

"Right," Michael said as he grabbed the remote and flipped on the t.v.

Liz paused, watching him a moment.

"Are you going back?"

"Maybe."

Liz sighed and stood there in silence for a minute longer.

"Right. Well, have a good night."

Liz left feeling vaguely unsettled.

******

That night, Michael had the strangest dream.

He was in a darkened bedroom, watching a figure climb in the window.

The figure was hard to make out, but it gave Michael an eerie feeling.

He didn't want the figure to be there.

It was slowly making its way toward the bed, where a small body lay under the sheets.

An alarm was sounding off in Michael's head.

Something was wrong.

He eased in closer, breathing more heavily, trying to make his clouded mind focus.

He knew the person, the girl in that bed.

And she looked so vulnerable, her eyes closed, one arm resting across her stomach, moving up and down as she breathed.

Michael just stared, moving closer until he stood in front of the tall figure bending down over her.

Slowly, so slowly, the face neared hers... and Michael realized the intruder's intent.

Michael wished he could warn her, but his body refused to obey. No sound came out of his mouth.

The intruder's hands were on both sides of her now, his lips poised above her own, moving in maddeningly slow.

Michael tried to crouch, willing himself to throw his body at the intruder.

But he couldn't make himself do it.

He was forced to watch as their lips moved closer and closer.

Finally, they touched.

The world began to spin and Michael felt completely disoriented for a moment, closing his eyes against the dizziness.

When he opened them again, it was him...

He was the intruder, bending over Liz, his lips pressed to hers.

And the power-

Oh god- the power was beginning to surge out of him.

He tried to pull away, to stop the power, but he was helpless.

The power exploded into Liz, forcing them to connect again, bringing her excruciating pain...

And then the pain was gone.

And Michael saw the little lambs standing on a field of green.

This time, they trotted off toward the sunset, red, orange and gold dripping off their bodies like melted butter.