"I say we give her till ten o'clock," Micheal suggested. "That gives her ten more minutes."

*Where is she?* Maria thought irritably. Then the thought that no one really wanted to think about raced through her mind. *Oh my God what if something happened to her?*

"Guys," a breathless drenched Liz said walking into the diner. Her eyes were red and blood shot and she didn't look very steady when she was standing there, she could barely talk louder then a whisper . . . "My parents are dead."

"What?" Isabel asked. *What if it was aleins. Then her life is ruined because of us? No. Not poor Liz* "How?"

Isabel had not always been fond of Liz. But over time she had become very close to her, they all had. Even Micheal's stone wall had been chipped away by Liz's good intentions, loving heart and acceptance.

"I was working and then I got a call from the hospital and it was my mom. She and my dad were going to Santa Fe' ya know? She was calling to say g-good bye because they knew she was going to die." Maria went to her best friend and encompased her in a strong embrace. "It's all my fault."

"Liz this is a terrible thing that happened but it isn't your fault," Tess said with so much conviction that others turned to her in surprise. Tess had eventually learned to like Liz. She didn't want to see her get hurt. "Liz please . . . don't do this to yourself."

"No! I convinced them! I convinced them to go to. I killed my parents!" she bawled and despite Marias effort she fell to the ground sobbing. Her screaming and sobs were filled with so much despair that the others could barely breath themselves.

Max didn't know what to do. She and Maria were still hugging and he could barely move. Finally, many minutes later the shaking and screams had subsided. She looked up at her friends, pushed Maria away and ran. She lost it in their, completely lost it and she didn't want their sympathy so she ran.

The otherseven looked at eachother and without saying anything they got up and ran after her. It was Alex who finally caught up with her and tackled her to the ground on the park ground. "Let me go! Alex let me go!" she wailed. "No Liz I won't! Why'd you run?" Liz gave him a look of disbeleif and hatred. "Didn't you hear me? I killed my parents! I killed them!" Alex didn't want to see his friend in so much pain. He just didn't know what else to do so he arched his arm out and hit heron her temple instantly knocking her out. Max had Alex on the muddy ground in a second. "What the hell was that for?" he asked in a rage. "If you ever hurt her again then I'll-"

"Max she's already hurting. At least when she's passed out she doesn't have to think! We can get her inside and. . . And then we'll help her," Alex said pain written in his eyes. "Come on it's too cold out here for any of us."

Max bent down and picked Liz up and walked the short distance to his house. "Mom, dad come in here please," he called as soon as he opened the door. "Mom Liz is going to stay here tonight. Her parents had an accident."

"Oh my - Is she okay?" "Yeah I think she's going to be okay. Isbel would you get some cloths for her so she won't have to wear these wet ones for too long?"

"No problem. In fact the last time she spent the night here she left her back-pack so she can just wear some of them." In a half hour Li was dry, awake and staring off into space. It was almost supper time, she had to work at the Crashdown. "Liz do you want something to eat?" Isabel asked gently. When she got no answer she decided to make her friend talk. "A nap? Do you want me to phone your aunt? Do you want a glass of water."

"No thank you," Liz finally whispered. "Can I just sit with you guys?" she asked meekly. She felt like such an intruder in their calm peaceful little world.

"Sure." Liz sat down next to Max and he grabbed her hand quikly. "Are you o- . . . Do you need anything?"