"Mr. Hernandez! Were we really here all night? Where have you been?"

They hurried toward each other full of questions and news. "I saw it!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Claudia came and helped me to see what was happening. I'm so happy for you, for us, for everyone involved. This is momentous!"

Paul gave them each quick hugs, exuberant that he and Claudia had seen their dream come to fruition. Max and Liz were equally enthusiastic, stunned by all they had seen and learned.

"Grandma was here?" Liz smiled, ecstatic that her grandmother had shared this magical experience.

Paul grinned back. "Saw the whole thing. It was the thrill of our lives, so to speak."

As if of one mind, Liz and Max both remembered with a jolt the one piece of news that had made their world shine-they could have a life together! There were no barriers to their love, their union, their plans for a life together. Without a word, they flew into each other's arms. Liz was crying again through her laughter. Max lifted her up, squeezing her to him with a strength he never knew he had. Their individual emotions were indistinguishable; they felt only a mutual joy, an everlasting promise.

Paul stood by, having nowhere else to go, but experiencing the familiar awkwardness of being an intruder in their world. His own eyes teared up as Max set Liz down tenderly and kissed her. Paul's eyes grew wide as he became aware of the glow that began to surround them, a halo effect that radiated and intensified. As the kiss lingered, the light slowly started to swirl around them like a warm blanket. Paul tried to turn away, but he couldn't take his eyes off of them.

After several minutes, the young couple pulled apart, delighted as they watched the light diminish. Liz giggled happily, "There we go again."

Max broke out in a wide smile. "Guess that makes you the light of my life, doesn't it?"

Liz groaned at his silly pun and wrapped her arms around one of his. "What now?" she sighed contentedly, although she didn't really care. Max didn't even respond. He couldn't seem to function on a practical level just yet.

Paul took the lead. "I promised to get you home today. Let's go check out of the hotel, get some breakfast, and hit the road. There is a lot to talk about with the folks back in Roswell."

That statement brought a dose of reality back to the conversation. Where would they begin? Their friends? Their parents? How could they go back to being regular high school students in small-town Roswell?

Isabel awoke feeling as calm, as peaceful, as happy as she ever remembered being. It was an unfamiliar feeling, but she knew it meant good things were happening for Max and Liz. Her mom had been so restless all weekend, finding a million things to do just to pass the time and keep her mind off what could be happening to her son and his girlfriend. Isabel was glad for a chance to ease her mind.

"Mom, I think I may have some good news for you," Isabel announced, walking into the den where her mother was downloading a recipe for spicy chili, her kids' favorite. She looked at Isabel hopefully.

"It's nothing concrete, Mom, but you know I've had a bad feeling the past couple of days, and Max did say they'd had some trouble but were okay. Well, this morning, I have a really good feeling, like they are peaceful and happy. I think things must have gone well last night." She wanted to bite her tongue. Her mother was looking at her with a startled expression, obviously imagining Max and Liz in the throes of passion.

"Mom! That's not what I meant. I meant I don't feel the fear anymore. I think they're okay."

Diane smiled weakly, trying to get the images out of her mind. "Thanks, honey. I hope that means they're coming home today."

Isabel was anxious to get out of the room. Picturing her mother picturing Max and Liz together was more than she could take. "I have to take a shower. I'll talk to you later, mom."

Diane nodded and sat quietly, staring at a recipe but seeing nothing. She shook herself and headed for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Jeff, it's Diane Evans. I may have a bit of news, and . . . something I want to discuss with you. Would you have time for a chat?"

"Of course, Diane. Are you okay? You sound strained."

"I'm fine. I think it's good news, but . . . I'll be over in 15 minutes. Thanks."

She grabbed her keys and headed out. Philip came through the doorway from the other room. He was sure she had said "Jeff" on the phone. Why would she be rushing over to see Jeff Parker at this hour of the morning? At any hour, for that matter. He couldn't believe what he was thinking, but he told himself that if he went to see what she was up to, he could confirm that he had been mistaken, and they could avoid an awkward confrontation. He pulled his own keys from his pocket and left.

Nancy Parker had been on the stairs when the phone rang. She heard Jeff pick it up, and she heard the name "Diane." This was too much. She had tried to dismiss what she'd seen in the restaurant the other night, but now this woman was calling her husband at home? He sounded worried about her. She didn't want to jump to conclusions. She loved her husband, and he'd never given her any reason to doubt his fidelity, but she just couldn't explain what she'd seen and heard. She climbed the stairs and walked into the bedroom. What should she do?

Minutes later, there was a tapping at their back door, and she heard Jeff run down the stairs to open it. She followed to the top of the stairs and saw him slip out the back door, looking surreptitiously behind him. She couldn't help herself. She followed him down the stairs and cracked the doorway. She saw Jeff and Diane leaning against the wall across the alley, talking seriously.

"Jeff, thanks for talking to me again. I know I must be driving you crazy, but when I'm nervous, I need to talk."

"It's okay, Diane. What's up?"

"Well, the good news is, Isabel woke up this morning with a good feeling about Max and Liz. She thinks they're going to be fine. I hope that means they're on their way home."

Jeff let out a long sigh. "Imagine us feeling so relieved because of how Isabel feels when she wakes up!" he joked.

"Her exact words were, 'I have a really good feeling, like they are peaceful and happy. I think things must have gone well last night.'" Diane watched Jeff's face, waiting for a reaction. He concentrated for a minute, as if trying to grasp her point. Then the light went on. "You don't think . . . ."

"Whether it's true or not, Jeff, this is something we are going to have to deal with when they come back. You've seen them together. You and I have talked about how they are. There's something strong there, special. But that doesn't mean we can condone their having sex . . . does it?"

Jeff shook his head. "We're probably overreacting," he assured her. "They're out of danger. That's all it means. We'll have to talk to them when they get home, though. You're right about that."

"And we have to tell Philip and Nancy, Jeff. Keeping this secret is putting a distance between Philip and me that I don't like. He's their father and he has a right to know. What about Nancy?"

"I know I'm going to have to tell her. I'm just not sure what will happen when I do."

Jeff looked so uncertain. He was facing a more daunting task than Diane was. His marriage was at stake. Diane reached up to give Jeff a comforting hug. "She'll understand, Jeff. They both will."