The image of Liz that Pierce had shown him flashed before his eyes again and again he felt the incredible sense of grief and loss that accompanied the image. "Liz!"

"Here Max." She was in his arms hugging him tightly. "You're safe Max. You're alive." Max wasn't sure which of them she was trying to reassure, but for the moment, he was happy simply to have her in his arms, alive and unharmed.

"How did you know?" he murmured into her hair. For a moment she didn't respond. The image of Milton and her run in with Tess flashed through her mind, but it seemed too much to go into.

"I just knew." Max smiled and held her closer.

"It looks like I really can't live without you." Liz didn't speak, but he felt certain that he would never have to again. He wasn't sure how long they stayed that way, but eventually he heard Maria's voice, a voice that was somewhere between apologetic and sarcastic.

"Sometimes they forget they're not the only people in the world or even in the room."

Max blinked and looked up. His family and friends were looking down at them, a range of emotions crowding each person's face. Michael was relieved to have Max better, but he kept sneaking glances at Max's parents. Isabel was the same, but clearly she wasn't as worried about their reactions as Michael was. She looked hopeful.

Alex and Maria just looked happy and relieved that the current crisis was over. Finally he turned to his parents. They were harder to read. Philip Evans was watching the 'cobwebs' in his hands dissolve. He looked up at his son.

"Are you all right Max?" Max nodded, his face in the carefully neutral expression that he always assumed when assessing a situation. He didn't know how his parents would react, but he wasn't about to show how worried he was. "Then perhaps you could explain all of this?"

"Philip."

"Max."

Diane and Michael spoke at the same time in identical tones of caution. Max looked at each of them in turn, weighing his options before finally speaking. "Mom. Last time we talked about this I told you it was nothing bad. Nothing dangerous. Things have changed. It's not that I don't trust you. After that," he nodded at the stones. "I know I can, but telling you might mean putting you at risk."

"Not knowing doesn't make them safe Max. Pierce might have left them because they didn't know, but the people Nasedo said would come," Liz shook her head slowly. "I don't think it'll matter to them. Not knowing what to expect could get them hurt or worse."

Michael stiffened at the mention of the shape-shifter's name. "We don't know that. They don't know what this is about."

"Neither do we," she snapped. "At least we don't know nearly as much as we need to. It's better they know what we know." She turned to the confused couple, who were looking more nervous by the minute. "Provided you understand that it can't go beyond this group. If the wrong people find out we could all wind up somewhere like the white room or worse." They exchanged a significant look and seemed to come to an agreement. Slowly they nodded.

Mas took a deep breat, and as they all settled down, he began his story.