Liz woke up and her stomach felt like it was just on the fastest, most dangerous roller coaster ever invented. She ran to the bathroom and emptied her stomach into the toilet. *Oh God, I'm sick. I guess no school for me today. * Liz trudged sleepily toward her bed and fell asleep instantly after collapsing.

About ten minutes later a very energetic and impatient Maria came barging in.

"Chica, what are you doing? I've been honking whatever noise is left in that Jetta for like five minutes and you're sleeping the day away? Come on, up and at 'em."

Liz turned her head to face her friend who was throwing clothes out of her closet at her "Maria, I'm sick. I'm not going to school today," she said in a sleepy voice.

"Sure. Now you tell me after I pick out your outfit and everything. Are you OK? You almost never miss school, even if you are sick."

"I'm OK, sort of. I just have a stomach bug. Nothing to worry about," Liz turned her head to look at the clock, "oh Jeez! Go to school, you're going to be late!"

"All right, I'll go, I'm just worryin' about you chica. You've been eating a lot lately, maybe you're just gettin' it all out of your system." Maria rushed out the door with that.

*Ugh. Sleep awaits. * Liz shut her eyes and let her dreams come flooding into her mind.

*~*~*~*~*~*~* In Liz's Dream *~*~*~*~*~*~*

~Flash~A baby is crying in a crib, Liz goes to pick it up.

~Flash~ Nicholas breaks through a window and grabs the baby.

~Flash~ Liz cries.

*~*~*~*~*~*~* In reality *~*~*~*~*~*~*

Liz wakes up in a cold sweat and the sheets were sticking to her arms and legs. Her hair was sticking to her forehead *It was only a dream. It was only a dream. * She pauses. *But it felt so real. * She looks at the clock to find it was already 3:04 PM. *Wow. I sure can sleep. *

She picked herself up and went to the bathroom to wash her face. After that was done, she walked straight back to bed. The loop-di-loop roller coaster ride again. She didn't have enough time to run to the bathroom so she put her head to the side of the bed and vomited *Oh no. The carpet! Mom's gonna kill me! *

A knock at the window put her out of her trance. It was Max with a bouquet of flowers with a note that said in large, gold, script letters, 'Get Well.' He welcomed himself in and went up to her bed.

"I didn't know I was that sick!" Liz said.

"Well, you hardly ever get sick so this has to be bad," he said smiling, putting the flowers on her bedstead.

"I slept all day, and that's about it."

"And you puked all over your floor" Max finished.

"Ya. And that," she admitted.

Max went to the opposite side of the bed and waved his hand over the stain. It was gone.

"Thank you. My mom was gonna freak!"

"I just hope you'll feel better. Bye, I have to go do some homework," Max said, nodding toward the window.

"Bye Max."

He exited out through the window, turned and did that adorable half smile of his. Max barely ever smiled but when he did, it lit up his whole face. Klunk klunk klunk. He climbed down the ladder.

Liz let out a long sigh. *Why does he have to be so sweet? What I want is always something I can't get. * She sighed again. *Life is so cruel. * All of the sudden the door burst open.

PART 2

"Here are your assignments, oh sick one," Alex plopped a backpack next to her bed with a loud thump.

"Thank you, oh loyal one," Liz smiled. "So what happened today? I miss anything I should know about?"

"Not unless you would count your absence among the group. Michael went into a fit and over a hundred 'what ifs' involving enemies and you being kidnapped until Maria came up and told 'em that you were just sick," Alex chuckled. "You should have seen the look on Michael's face! It was priceless."

Liz laughed, "I'm sorry I missed it."

"Lizzie!" came a voice from what sounded like the bottom of the stairs.

"Here she comes in 5...4...3...2...1" Alex counted.

"Oh God Liz you should have seen Michael make a fool of himself!" Maria gushed.

And the weather forecast is ... lots of noise and confusion from the storm Hurricane Maria. "Hello Maria," Liz smiled.

"So how's my favorite best friend today? Oh! Here, my mom made me bring you some cookies to make you feel better," Maria dropped the package onto her bed. "Whoa. Some one's gettin special treatment. Where'd you get the flowers from?"

"Max was here just before you came, Alex," Liz explained.

"He is so hitting on you. Tisk tisk tisk," Maria waved her finger. "Well, work awaits for this poor girl in an alien dress. Bye Liz. Hope you feel better." Alex was reaching for one of his favorite cookies. Maria slapped his hand away from it just before she was going to leave. A minor detour.

"Hey! Liz won't mind if I just have one, right Liz?" Alex gave her the puppy face.

"Yes, Alex, you may have a cookie. But not the sugar powdered one! That's mine." Liz said taking the powdered cookie. With her mouth full, "Why is everyone making such a big fuss about me being sick?" she swallowed, " It's only been a day." She looked at Alex who was stuffing his face with a cookie.

Maria was looking around guiltily, "OK I'm going to work now. Bye Liz."

"MARIA" Liz said solidly, wanting to know what was going on.

"What?" Maria said innocently.

"Tell me what's going on NOW" Liz forced.

"Nothing's going on Liz..." Maria was cut off by Alex.

"No use Maria, you suck at lying." He turned to look at Liz, "Look Liz, it may be nothing but when Kyle heard you were sick, he got confused. He said 'I thought us ETs aren't s'posed to get sick.' And every one got worried and worked up about it. So you might have a few visitors."

"Than what about the cookies?" Liz asked worriedly.

"Don't worry. That's just my mom. Michael called her to ask if you were there and she got worked up thinking you and Max took a road trip."

Liz smiled. *Her mom was very protective lately. Poor Maria. Oh God. What if they're right about the alien sickness thing? * Liz had seen what Michael looked like when he was sick, and it wasn't too pretty. *And what about that flash? Too many thoughts. * "Hey you guys I'm getting tired..."

"Don't say another word. We're gone. Get better soon." Alex walked over and kissed her forehead, took another cookie, and walked out the room with Maria in tow.

Maria turned around and said, "You get better, Chica" she went over and gave her a hug.

"I love you, Maria" Maria turned back and smiled. "I love you too." Liz drifted into a deep, deep sleep as soon as Maria left.

Little did she know, Nicholas had a container in his hands and was standing outside her window.

PART 3

*~*~*~*~*~*~* In the morning *~*~*~*~*~*~*

Max was standing right outside Liz's window and bent his head down so he could look in. *Beautiful. * Liz was sleeping with her legs curled up to her chest and wisps of her hair were in her face covering her gorgeous dark brown eyes. *Wait. What was that? *

It was a pale green patch on her neck. So not to disturb her, he slowly opened the window. He heard raspy gasping. *Oh God, no. Is that Liz trying to breathe? * He practically leaped into the room and ran to her side. They were green scales. *Is she sick? What can I do? Call Michael. Get Larek. Yes, that's it. I have to help her. *

He reached for her phone and dialed Michael's number which he knew by heart.

BBBBRRRRIIIINNNNGGGG. "Hullo?" Michael answered.

"Michael, something's happened with Liz. Get over here. Get Brody and bring him with you. We're going to need Larek for this." Max didn't even wait for an answer, he just hung up and sat down next to Liz's sleeping figure.

He stroked her silky brown hair while her raspy breaths came in and out. He thought of something. He placed his hand over where her lungs were and tried to clear it up. Nothing. He tried again. *Damn. Maybe I should wake her up. No, I don't want her to get worried. *

The door opened, revealing Michael and a confused looking Brody. Max immediately covered Liz from their view.

"Max? Is Liz all right?" Brody questioned. Max shook his head. "What do you need me for?" Brody's question was quickly answered when Max put his hand on Brody's shoulder. Now there was only a little jump before Larek came.

"What do you need, Your Highness?" Larek said.

"It's Liz" Max said, moving away from Liz so Larek and Michael could see her.

"Oh my. Is she human?" Larek said.

"We're not sure. You see, Max healed her, brought her back and we're not sure what the hell to call her," Michael answered.

Larek was checking her over. "She has been in contact with the gandarium. That mixed with the change is bad. She won't be able to survive on this planet. She probably won't live longer than a week at best."

"How can we help her? Is there a way?" Max asked hopefully, but with a sense of command that showed that he would do anything.

"The only thing I can think of is going to our planet. She is turning into a pureblood alien." Larek said, knowing this would break his heart. He obviously had a great connection with her.

"Leave here? Leave Earth? What will our parents think?" Max spat out.

"If she does leave, it will only be her," Larek said.

"What?! Look, pal. My whole life I've lived here. I've always wondered if I'd go home, another planet where I'd have a family waiting for me, people who loved me. Now you're going to send Liz there and not all of us? She wasn't even sent here for some unknown reason. What the hell is wrong with..." Max cut him off.

"Michael," Max had tears in his eyes and they were threatening to fall right then and there. "This is hard for me, too. But we need to save Liz. She's given us so much. The least we can do is save her life." Max pleaded with him to let it be. A tear trickled down Max's face as Michael turned to look at Liz who was still having raspy breathing.

"Don't you have a muffler for her or something?" Michael agreed, in his own way saying that it was fine with him.

"When can she leave?" Max asked who was obviously having a lot of trouble dealing with this.

"I can send for our fastest space craft right now and it just might be able to make it. We'll just hope for the best. I must leave." Larek fell to the floor and then Brody opened his eyes. Max had already went to sit next to Liz to work as a block from Brody's view. Once again he stroked her hair.

"What just happened?" Brody asked.

"They need some time alone," Michael said, shooing him out. He took one last look at the two, walked out the door with Brody in the lead and went downstairs to the Crashdown. They met Maria in the kitchen.

"Hey Michael. I've been ringin' this little bell, that would show that I wanted you to give me the order that I asked for, and you don't seem to interested in doing it. So would you please just show yourself to the stove over there and meet Mr. Burger," Maria said, irritated. Michael looked at her with cold eyes and walked over to the stove and threw some meat onto it.

"What's with him?" Brody asked, going into the diner and sitting down. "First, he takes me up to Liz's room and says that she's sick, next thing I know I'm lying on the floor. I don't get it Maria," he trailed off while Maria stomped into the kitchen.

*~*~*~*~*~*~* In the Kitchen *~*~*~*~*~*~*

"What did you do to him?" Maria demanded. Michael stayed quiet and flipped some burgers. "You know Michael, you have got to stop treating him like some tool that you can use for phoning home. You can use other things, like that big glowy thing or the pod chamber or..." she was cut off.

"Or Liz." Michael finished, and put a plate of Moon Burgers and Saturn Rings in her hands.

"Ya. Or... What! You have totally lost it now Michael."

"You'd be surprised. We need to have a meeting tonight."

*~*~*~*~*~*~* Later That Night *~*~*~*~*~*~* "Where's Max?" Isabel groaned.

Michael came down the stairs that led up to the Parkers' apartment. "He's comin' don't worry."

"My God, they're not doing what I think they're doing, are they?!" Maria shrieked and stood up.

"No, Maria. There's something you have to know, that's why I called this meeting."

"God they are! I swear I will kick Max's ass all the way back to his home planet!" Maria screamed and started to walk toward the door. Clump, clump, clump, clump. Max was coming down the stairs. Michael went to open the door that connected the kitchen to the Crashdown. Max came in with red circles around his eyes and a very asleep Liz in his arms. The raspy breathing was still there.

"Liz!" Maria, Isabel, Kyle, Alex, and Tess yelled.

"She's all right. She's just going to have it rough until the ship comes for her." Everyone looked at Michael then at Max who had Liz all bundled up in his arms with the green mark on her neck showing.

"What ship? And how do we know she's gonna be OK?" Isabel said very curious and worried about Liz.

"The ship," everyone was surprised by Max's voice because he'd been quiet the short time he'd been there, "the ship is coming as soon as possible. It's going to save Liz. We talked to Larek. Apparently she was in contact with the gandarium, and with that combined with whatever I did to her when I healed her, is a bad thing. She's turning into an alien," he looked up at them, not sure of their response.

"I thought she was already an alien like right after you healed her?" Tess said, very confused.

"She's turnin' into our flesh and blood alien," Michael answered.

"What does that mean?" Isabel asked slowly.

"She's going to look like an alien from our planet," Max's voice got deeper when he said the word 'look.' He was obviously trying not to wake her because his voice was soft. "I talked to Larek again and he said that he will be on the ship with her when she goes. We're going to make a cover story for Liz saying that she's," he gulped, "dead. She's going to live at the palace. Our palace and only Larek will be able to see her to ensure her safety."

"No!" Maria's voice startled the group. "I will not, I repeat, NOT let my best friend go hundreds of millions miles away to God knows where, with God knows what kind of things, aliens, Martians, goblins! NO. I will not let you do that to her. No," she repeated.

"Maria." Max took a step toward her, "No one is going to hurt her. I will be sure of that. Larek will give us a report on how she's doing. I wouldn't do this to her if I didn't have to." Max looked down at Liz who was still in deep slumber.

"You don't have to! You could use the Granilith - turn back time and make it not happen so this can go away! I want my friend to stay!" Maria suddenly realized what she said and a look of terror passed through her face.

"Maria, in one week and if the ship doesn't come-she'll die. Apparently our life forms can't survive on Earth. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." Max sat down, with Liz still in his arms and said through tears, "I shouldn't have saved her that day. She would have died having lived a normal life. Never have had to go through this," he looked downwards and sobbed.

Liz slowly opened her eyes and looked at Max who was breaking down and letting the tears flow freely onto Liz's shirt. In a slow, hoarse whisper she said, "Max? My neck hurts. Really bad." She took a deep breath. That many words were hard for her to say.

"Liz? I'm sorry I woke you." He wiped the tears away from his eyes.

"You didn't wake me, but the pain did," she gasped again. In a strained voiced, "What's wrong with me?"

"Nothin," Michael answered, knowing that this was something Max didn't want to tell her about yet.

"Get some rest, you look tired," Max soothed.

Without speaking Liz shut her eyes and fell asleep again.

"What just happened?" Maria worried.

"Don't worry she's fine. Her brain will being shutting on and off for a period of time." Larek said as he came in, "Max, you know how I took that test that would show us if she was in any pain or if anything else abnormal would happen?"

"Yes," Max's voice sounded full of dread.

Larek walked up to Max's ear and whispered into it in a voice so that no one else could hear. Max's head snapped up. Max looked at Kyle then looked down at his shoes. *I guess she did. No. * he thought in despair. He let out a heavy breath.

"Max I don't think you understood what I said." Larek went back up to Max's ear and whispered in, "YOU are the father of her child."

PART 4

"What?" Max said, looking at Larek as if he was insane.

"Hello? We are still in this room you know. We would all like to know what happened!" Maria exclaimed.

"Yo Maxwell. What happened?" Michael said as he walked up to Max who was literally shaking.

"No. How did this happen? This couldn't have happened. Larek?" Max was shaking and gripping one side of the table for support. He was sure that if Liz were awake she would think that there was an earthquake going on under her.

"If you all give me a chance to talk, I will," Larek said, annoyed as he looked around the room at the people. He turned to Max, "Max, it is your decision to tell. Would you like me to explain aloud or in private?" Max was still shaking, but Larek was able to make out a nod. "All right then. Liz is pregnant," he waited for the response.

"WHAT!" they all screamed.

"Our planet union is going crazy right now. There is going to be a future king for the dynasty. There wasn't before, in your former life on the planet," he looked at Max. "We believe that this happened because of the gandarium. We aren't exactly sure what happened. But your home planet is right now, having a huge celebration. Kavar knows now and is on his way here," a look of terror passed through everyone's face. "I am going to transport you all to the Granilith to protect you. Now all of you will be able to come. You have one hour to gather only a few belongings and say your good byes. We will meet here. I have to leave now." Larek walked out of the building.

"Oh, God" Isabel was the first to speak.

"I guess I'll go pack," Michael said. He walked out the door.

The rest of the crew trickled out of the Crashdown until it was only Max, Liz and Isabel. "Isabel?" Max asked.

"Ya?" Isabel was busying herself with a salt shaker.

"We have to tell our parents the truth before we leave."

"I know."

"Come on, I have to go pack some of Liz's things." Max said, standing up with her in his arms. The green mark was gradually growing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~* At the Evans's *~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Mom? Dad?" Max and Isabel ventured.

"We're in the living room!" Mrs. Evans yelled. Max and Isabel looked at each other uncomfortably. Max put Liz down onto a chair, took a deep breath and walked into the living room.

"Honey, we have a surprise for you!" Mrs. Evans squealed, obviously excited.

"Mom, we have something..." Max was cut off when he saw his mother bringing out a cage with a beagle puppy in it. "Mom?"

"Oh honey, you have just been so down in the dumps for the longest time, so we thought we'd get you a friend! So here he is! His name is Matt," she took him out of the cage and handed him to Max. Matt immediately lurched toward Max's face and licked it. Max's father smiled at him. *Oh this keeps getting harder and harder. How am I supposed to tell them that I'm leaving for another planet in approximately 45 minutes? *

"Mom, Dad, as we started to say, we have to tell you something," Isabel put in.

"Yes, dear?" Mrs. Evans asked.

Isabel looked at Max, and he gave her the 'it's OK' look, "You may want to sit down for this," Max cautioned. Their parents sat down at the couch.

"What is it Is? What's wrong?" Mr. Evans ushered.

"We are leaving in about 40 minutes, for another planet." Her parents looked shocked and Isabel continued, "Please, before you say anything, let us tell you. We are aliens. Max and I, and I guess Liz is going to be." Max went into the kitchen and came back in with Liz in his arms.

"Liz? What's wrong with her? Isabel? Max? You're talking crazy. Is it the puppy? We just thought that if you guys had a pet you wouldn't feel so lonely..." Mrs. Evans fretted.

Max rushed into the conversation, "No, Mom, it isn't the puppy. I love the puppy. We are telling the truth." Max looked at his parents. He hated this so much. All he could do was hope that they wouldn't hate him. "Do you remember the video tape with me and the bird, Mom? I...I healed it. That's something I can do. Isabel can dream walk. I...I'm so sorry for not telling you. Isabel and I always wanted to tell you. We just didn't know what your reaction would be. One of my worst fears was waking up, and you would know, and hate me for what I was. I'm so sorry. I don't blame you if you want nothing to do with us. We have to leave any way. I am so sorry." Max stopped talking, turned around and took a few steps toward the door before his mom stopped him and embraced him in a warm hug.

"Honey, I don't know about anything you just told me, but never doubt that I love you. I always will." She pulled away to see a teary-eyed Max. "Now what's wrong with Liz?" she questioned. Liz's green splotch was hidden by her shirt. "Why do you keep on carrying her around like that? Wake her up for Pete's sake! I think she could use her own two feet for walking."

"We can't wake her up," Max said. "She...Her brain is shutting off and on, going from conscious to unconscious."

"Then we have to get her to a hospital!" Mr. Evans exclaimed.

"NO!" Max and Isabel said. Their parents looked flustered at their response. Isabel apologized, "We're sorry. It's just that she is an alien and if other people find out, they'll want to do tests, the FBI will find out...Anything could happen. It's happened before and we don't want it to happen right before we leave."

"What do you mean, 'it's happened before?' What happened?" Mrs. Evans said, worried about her adopted children.