MRS SCOTT: OK, for this week's assignment I want a book report.

::class groans::

MRS SCOTT(smiling): We just finished "Flowers for Algernon" and that was about growth. He grew and discovered all of his. . .well, let's say naive ideas about life. And at the same time he realized that he missed seeing everyone as good and kind. Now my assignment to all of you jaded teens is to read an old favorite. Yes, I want you to read the 40-odd page book of your youth. The favorite one. The one you stayed up late at night to read, the one that you could read over and over and never get bored. The one that honestly made you think. Tell me how you saw it when you were young and how you see it now.

::Bell rings, the class quickly gathers their things and puts books into bookbags, filter out of the classroom noisly talking in groups. Liz is left behind, slowly gathering her tings, Maria is by the door, waiting::

MARIA: Come on, Liz. We're going to be late for lunch.

LIZ::obvoiusly still in a daze, but for Maria's sake acts as if she's fine:: Like either one of us is particurly eager to get to the rancid cafeteria food.

MARIA: Forget food! Boys are at lunch, Babe!

::Liz has kept herself from Max since the Max from the future came. Max eventually realized Liz's mind was made up. And while he and Tess were not ffically "together" it looked as if their destiny was going to be fulfilled. Michael and Maria were another story all together. They had only gotten tighter. The Skins invading Roswell and making everyone vanish only made Michael tap into the sensitivity that no one knew he had. Isabel, Alex (who were flirty, but nothing sedimentary), Liz, Max (who were on there way to being friends, for now, cordial and distant would have to do), Tess, Michael and Maria all had lunch together (the beauty of the 'build your own schedule' policy that Roswell public schools were taking into affect). After Kyle lost (temporarily) his dad due to the skins he had less and less to do with the Alien posse. He was always very friendly (espically to Tess) but mainly stayed out of their way::

MARIA: Hey, everyone! ::She and Liz walk to and sit down at the table crowded with their friends, everyone has a luch tray in front of them- and several bottles of hot sauce- and through the conversations they are all eating. Maria and Michael share a long kiss. Max looks longingly at Liz who doesn't seem to notice, if she does she doesn't show it. Meanwhile Tess stares at her food and dares a quick glance at Max and sees him staring at Liz, as she suspected. She takes a long sip of her soda, obviously hurt.

ALEX: So what did you guys think of Mrs. Scott's assignment?

MARIA: I think I'm going to do "Sarah, Plain and Tall". When I first read it I wanted to be plain and a mail-order bride ::scattered laughter at the thought of independant Maria being a mail-order bride::

MARIA: But the older I got I decided I wanted to be a diva.

::An idea of a comment struck Michael, something about him wanting to order her, or saying she was anything but plain. But he kept himself from doing it. He had to hang on to his reputation of being tough. Instead he gave Maria a quick kiss::

MAX: You're quiet Liz ::voice changes somehow as he says her name:: what did you think of the assignment?

LIZ: I like it a lot. I need to go through my old library at home. My Grandma always sent me fabulous books about the places she visited. I loved reading them, and the letters that came a long, telling me about her adventures

::Liz looks a bit wistful, and Maria puts her arm around her, thinking she still feels a little sad from the stroke her Grandmother suffered about a year before. She doesn't see MAx and Liz exchanging a knowing look, both remembering how Max got Liz a few extra moments with her Grandmother and the advice she gave Liz::

MICHAEL:: trying to break the tension:: I have no idea what I'm going to read. I never got into little kid books.

ISABEL: Nothing but Alien magazines

MAX: And sci-fi.

MARIA::shakes head:: you were one weird kid.

~Scene opens on Liz, sitting in her closet, surronded by books as she casually looks them over, and skims a few. It's obviously nightime from the low lighting~

LIZ::laughs humorlessly:: I forgot this was even here. I thought that I gave away years ago.

::Camera zooms in and you see she is holding a copy if 'A Wrinkle In Time' She eagerly skims the book, closes it, and smiles happily. She yawns, slips her shoes off on the way to her bed, where she lays down with a contened smile on her face::

LIZ: This is perfect. I always imagined it, but never though it to be true. "By the way, my dear-"

::A shimmering light, makes her jump up, and stare intently at whatever is happening. She opens her mouth in a silent scream::

FUTURE LIZ: "- There is such a thing as a tesseract."

::scene blcaks out, then re-opens on Future Liz walking around Liz's/her old room with a slight smile, remembering::

FUTURE LIZ::laughs:: Was it always this small? ::She looks at the various photos of Liz and her friends:: I adored this room, well, I guess you do now.

LIZ::stammering:: Why-How are you-you here?

FUTURE LIZ: I came to tell you what is right.

LIZ: Right??

::Future Liz makes herself "at home" on the bed, adjusting the pillows just right, and laying down, obviously in no hurry to tell Liz everything she wants to know::

FUTURE LIZ: I assume you have some questions.

LIZ: What is "true"?

FUTURE LIZ::sighs:: I'll get to that.

LIZ: When Max came, from the future he told me that if the same person came in contact they would, oh, I don't know, disappear, vanish, something.

FUTURE LIZ: He was lying.

LIZ: Why?

FUTURE LIZ: He was afraid.

LIZ: OF what??

FUTURE LIZ: He was afraid if he saw the love in is own eyes, years before he wouldn't be able to go through with it. It caused him a lot of pain, Liz. He loved you, loves you, so very much.

LIZ: How do you know all this?

FUTURE LIZ: Do you remember Max telling you about Serina?

LIZ: She's going to be my friend, right?

FUTURE LIZ: She's going to help you get in touch with your other self.

::LIz stares with a blank look on her face, Future Liz, sighs and continues::

FUTURE LIZ: Okay, let's see. As of now, there is only one YOU, you have only existed in one Time, because Time has never interfered. Sure there is the "Sliding Doors" Theory we have to take into account. . .But nothing has changed you. In me there are literally two me's. And deep in my subconcious I retain the knowledge of my other life. Serina, you love her almost as much as Maria, helped, me, you, us, whatever bring that out. So I "know" my other life. It's similar to Tess' knowledge of her previous life, flashes, images, feelings. You underdstand?

LIZ: I think so.

FUTURE LIZ: Max thought he was doing the right thing, and if it had worked out it would have been the right thing-

LIZ: What do you mean "if it had worked"

::Future Liz strokes Liz's hair and smiles at her::

FUTURE LIZ: It was your destiny, Earth's destiny, do be abolished. No, not destny, as you very well know, destiny can be altered. It was the only way, it was written in the stars, Liz. Max and Isabel's mother knew it! Max's last words were "I'm changing my destiny next time" So Max's mother put their souls into a human body and let Max carry out his own destiny. She, understandably, thought he meant that he would keep his people from being taken over.

LIZ: From the skins?

FUTURE LIZ: And others.

::Liz sits silently, digesting this information::

LIZ: SO, you're life, after now, I mean. . .

FUTURE LIZ:: smiling serenly:: Was a bit of a bad one. No Max. No great love.

LIZ: Do "we" ever get married?

FUTURE LIZ: Yes, he's a loving, sweet man. He is very kind. And good. He understands about Max, at least partly. We have children.

LIZ: If I change it-

FUTURE LIZ: They cease to exist. I know. I made my peace with that. They weren't born from LOvE, Liz! They were born into caring, and trust and like. That isn't good enough!

LIZ: What do you want me to do? Can I change the world?

FUTURE LIZ::laughs softly and smiles at Liz's innonce:: No, no but. . .Liz, what does yor heart want?

LIZ: Max. And Maria and Michael, Alex and Isabel, Kyle and Tess. I want us all to be happy.

FUTURE LIZ: The heart wants what the heart wants. Do it. Live like there won't ever be a tomorrow, one day there won't be. ::Pauses:: You can't really tell them, you know. Not really. But, get them to put away their honor and fear and live. Ok?

LIZ::Tearfully:: Do we die painful deaths?

FUTURE LIZ::Flashes of Michael, Max in battle, and people screaming:: A little pain. But all of you die fighting for a cause. That's why you can't tell them, You can't take away their belief that they're doing the right thing.

LIZ: And me?

FUTURE LIZ: I came here. But when I go back the soliders will be coming and I have sleep medication, lots of sleep medication. I'm going to bed and I'll never wake up. I can't tell you more.

LIZ: Will I be ok?

FUTURE LIZ: ALWAYS! ALWAYS! Nothing can stop you. And for a while, you will be so happy.

::Both knowing it's good-bye they give eachother a long hug::

FUTURE LIZ: Don't let Serina get you into too much trouble. ::She turns to leave, stops and turns back to Liz:: I love you. So many people love you.

LIZ:: smiles serenly:: I know.

~Liz struggeling to climb the trelles on the side of a house. Zoom into the window where Max is reading and old, worn book, but his thoughts are drifting. He stares at an old picture of him and Liz and sighs.

LIZ:: whispes hoarsly:: MAX!

MAX:: walking to the window:: Liz?

LIZ: Can I come in?

Max: yea, yeah, of course ::He opens the window and Liz slips in. He stares at her while touches herself up, rakes her hands through her hair, straightens her shirt, etc. Liz realzes that Max is wearing only pajama bottoms::

LIZ: DO you think you ould put a shirt on?

MAX: I thought that stuff didn't matter to you.

LIZ: Max. . .

MAX::slightly upset::What?

::Max rummages through a laundry basket and puts an old shirt on.::

LIZ::sighs:: Look, I know you probably don't want anything to do with me, and I don't blame you. I hate me, too.

MAX: Liz, I could never hate you.

LIZ: I just want you to know that I never slept with Kyle?

MAX:: Amazed, and trying to contol himself:: What?

LIZ: I thought that I was bad for you, that you were better off without me ::Max wants to argue, but decides to let her finish her statement:: I thought you belonged with Tess.

::Max goes to Liz and gently puts his hand on her sholders::

MAX: How could you think that?

LIZ:: Looks up at the sky and chuckles softly:: A lot of reasons.

MAX: Liz, I love you!

LIZ: I know. I think I just realized that it's OK. We can love eachother.

MAX: Liz, I love you so much, but I don't want to get my heart broken again. I need to be strong. For Mchael, Isabel, my race. I'm not strong with you, I can't be.

LIZ: Max, I swear, I've really made up my mind, for as long as we can be, let's be together.

MAX::Hugs Liz fiercly:: We will be forver Liz!

::Liz kisses Max passionatly, they both whisper "I love you" over and over to eachother. When they finally, reluctantly, break apart, max puts on some soft jazz and they lie together on his bed::

MAX: You'll see, Liz, we'll be together forever.

::Liz knew they wouldn't be together forever. Not even for much longer and that made every moment precious. But that's what she loved about Max, he always viewed each moment with her as precious. She lay in his arms knowing that there would be many tears and pain in the coming years and that too soon she would have to give Max up. But they would both be there tomorrow. And maybe even the next day. That was enough for her. Liz nestles against Max and he pulls her close as she sighs contentedly and falls asleep. He kisses the top of her head and smooths her hair, and he, too shuts his eyes. As he does this, you hear A voice-over from Liz::

LIZ VOICE-OVER: I used to love 'A Wrinkle In Time' because to me it was all the adventures I ever wanted to go on. All the planets and love and bravery I wanted to explore. But as I read it over I've come to realize that it is all a metaphore for the life we have to live day-to-day sometimes it's grand and wonderful and beautiful, sometimes it's black. And sometimes we have to be give Mrs. Who's glasses so we can see things for what they are in our hearts. Today I was given my glasses, and I realized that while the Evil may try to take us over and the Good my fight, there is always a Happy Medium, and that is where I live. And it's a good life. That's all I know to be true.

::You hear Liz and Max softly snoring. Maybe not ready, but together for whatever tomorrow will bring::