Michael Guerin walked the streets of Roswell, New Mexico at midnight. Lately it was becoming a habit. Instead of going to Max's house, he found himself being drawn to the Crashdown Cafe. The door was locked, the lights were out, and no one was inside, but Michael had a strange urge to be inside. Although he didn't want to admit it, he knew deep down it was because that was where he and Maria DeLuca had shared their first and only kiss. He knew he couldn't be close to her, at least not until things were safer, and he didn't want to remind himself of her anymore, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore his feelings. Ever since that kiss... Michael walked around to the back door and was about to break in when he heard a sharp, loud scream cut through the still night air.

(Five minutes earlier)

Liz was dreaming. It was a nice dream, a dream about Max. If it had been any normal night, she would have awakened in the morning with tears on her cheeks, and it would haunt her as she got ready for school, as her dreams about him always ended tragically. However, as it was, the dream was out of her head instantly when she woke up. For while Liz was sleeping, a figure clothed in black had entered her room soundlessly and placed one gloved hand over her mouth. She instinctively tried to scream, but the hand muffled it and no sound was heard. Liz proceeded to mentally scream, yell, and do everything a normal person person in her situation would do, even though she knew it would do her no good. The person, whoever they were, covered her mouth and nose with a cloth doused in something that caused her to black out almost instantly. They picked her up and carried her to the window, where someone was waiting to take her to a van in the street. Her kidnappers took off silently, driving out of Roswell.

Max Evans sat straight up in bed. That scream. It had pierced the veil of sleep and gone straight to his brain. Why wasn't all of Roswell up and looking for the source? As the cries continued, Max realized that it was Liz, and the sounds were in his head. They sounded so close...so much like she was right next to him. He quickly put on jeans and a t-shirt. He threw his window open to sneak out and found Michael on his way in. "Michael, this isn't the time," Max said desperately. Michael shot back, "It's as good a time as any. Your little girlfriend's in trouble." Max wondered how Michael could have heard the screams, but there was no time to ask. He just nodded, ducked out of the window, and made his way down the roof to the frontyard. Michael followed suit and soon they were standing in the driveway debating over whether or not they should take the Jeep. "It'll get us to wherever she is a lot faster," Michael argued. Max replied, "My dad'll hear it. He'll wake up, he's not a deep sleeper." Michael finally agreed and the two set off in the night to find Liz, both very aware that this was quite the cliche.

Isabel Evans was sitting in her bed rocking back and forth. She knew why Max and Michael were running down back roads and she knew she should have gone with them. But she also knew what was happening with Liz and she didn't want to get involved. It was an unreasonable fear, and Isabel didn't know why she was afraid, but it was there and she couldn't ignore it. Yesterday in class they had both been called to Topolsky's office. Liz went in first and Isabel heard everything. She, Max and Michael had very acute senses, and sitting right outside the door it wasn't hard to pick things up. The guidance counselor asked Liz some questions and then asked her to take some ridiculous tests. After Liz went back to class, Isabel was left outside for about ten minutes. She heard Topolsky talking to someone. She spoke so low that even Isabel could only pick up parts. The point of the conversation was that Liz Parker had some special ability that she wasn't aware of. She could project things, like screams, but only when her emotions were running high. Isabel heard her say something about picking her up, proof, and worthwhile. Topolsky's voice sounded so sweet, it was such a contrast to what she was saying. "Isabel Evans? Come in please." Isabel entered the office and sat down. The guidance counselor chattered meaninglessly for a few minutes, then tried to ask about Max. When she received no information, she got irritated and sent Isabel back to class. Isabel stayed out with her friends all day and late into the night. When she got home, she had forgotten all about Liz, and Max's door was locked anyway.

And so here she was. Guilt was consuming her, for she had also heard Liz's cries. Loud and clear, their senses picked them up instantly. There was no doubt in her mind as to who had caused them. So she dressed, crept out of the house and got in the Jeep. -Max Evans, you are an idiot. Why didn't you take the car?- Isabel turned the key in the ignition, and not only did the Jeep roar to life, the radio did too. Blink 182 came blasting from the speakers and Isabel cursed the way she was around her friends. -I just have to have the music loud, don't I??- "I knew I didn't like that song," she muttered as she turned the radio off. "If Dad heard that..." She zipped out of the driveway as fast as she could, hoping to escape her dad's wrath. She took off in the same direction as Max and Michael, praying Liz hadn't said anything.

Liz woke up in a van. A van with no back seats, and a few people crowded around her. Her back was to the front passenger seat, and she was bound and gagged. She recognized no one...except for Ms. Topolsky. She sat all the way in the back of the van, calmly going through some files. "Hello Miss Parker." Liz struggled to get free of her ropes, but it was no use. The van pulled to a stop and she was taken into a house on the side of a dirt road. It was a place Liz didn't recognize, but she was sure she didn't want to go in. Two of the people from the van dragged her in, and none of her struggling and kicking could stop them. She was in complete darkness, and the only sounds were Topolsky's breathing

Isabel pulled up beside Max and Michael. "You guys need a ride?" she asked calmly. Michael raised an eyebrow at Max. "We couldn't take the jeep, huh?" Max looked at Isabel incredulously. "How'd you get it without Dad catching you?" Isabel smiled coolly and replied, "Max, Max, you've got a lot to learn bro. It's all in the technique. But right now we have to get Liz so get in here now." They jumped in and soon all three were off at a much better pace.

"Stop!" Max exclaimed. "Back there, there was a road. Someone had turned onto it recently. That's our best bet." Isabel was skeptical, but she saw the look in Max's eyes. He loved Liz and he wouldn't have said anything if he wasn't sure. She backed up and turned onto the road. Sure enough, there was a house with some lights on inside. Michael got out and looked through the windows. "Topolsky's in there. Liz is in the corner. Tied up. She's reading some files to her. Something about projections." Max was about to break the door down when Isabel stopped him. "We don't know what she has in there. Liz isn't hurt. We need a plan or something. Wait." Max didn't want to, but he knew his sister was right. So, distraught as he was, he resisted the urge to wring Topolsky's neck...at least until they had come up with a plan.

Liz tried to back farther into the corner, farther away from Topolsky, but that was impossible. She huddled down, attempting to struggle out of her binds. The ropes cut into her skin painfully. Topolsky was reading something to her, something about projecting things. She didn't want to listen, but the words made their way into her mind anyway. Liz was feeling panicked, ill. She couldn't think straight and her head was pounding. Topolsky's voice was drilling into her brain. Suddenly it all cleared. Liz mentally slapped herself for not thinking of this before. -I can project things. But only when my emotions are really strong. Well I think panicked counts as strong.- She called out to Max, not knowing that it would not do any good. She called to him a few times, then Topolsky strode closer to her, a menacing look in her eyes. Liz huddled even more, trying to escape yet again.

Max rested his head in palms, tears streaming down his face. Isabel was officially freaked. Max had never cried before. And now here he was. Not just a tear in his eye, not just one single drop sliding down his face, no, full on sobbing. She felt awful. They were right outside of Liz's prison, and she hadn't let him go in and help her. And why? Michael hadn't seen anyone in there other than Topolsky. The three of them could take her. If things got really bad, they could use their powers somehow. She repeated her thoughts to the guys.

Maria lied in bed, staring at the ceiling. Her head was clouded with thoughts of Michael Guerin. Sometimes they were thoughts of pity. Sometimes thoughts of anger. But mostly, they were thoughts of that kiss. -I enjoyed the kiss; there's no denying that. And I'm attracted to him, there's no denying *that*. So why do I keep doing this to myself?- She got up and walked the floor of her room. -There is not enough space in her for proper pacing.- She opened her window and climbed down to the street. -There. Pacing space.- But instead of pacing back and forth, she walked slowly to the Crashdown. The door was locked, the lights were out, and no one was inside, but Maria had a strange urge to be inside. Although she didn't want to admit it, she knew deep down it was because that was where she and Michael had shared their first and only kiss. She knew she couldn't be close to him, at least not until things were safer, and she didn't want to remind herself of him anymore, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore her feelings. Ever since that kiss...

Liz's head snapped up when she heard the door open. Thoughts of the police, Max, *anyone* rushed into her mind. But there was no one there. Topolsky stepped outside to investigate, and was promptly bashed in the head by Michael. Max ran in and set to work on Liz's ropes. Liz just looked at him. -He was crying. He was crying for me.- When she was untied, Max drew her to him and kissed her. Their first kiss, somewhat marred by the location, but it was still their first kiss. Michael and Isabel were in the jeep waiting impatiently. Max finally broke it off, and they ran for the jeep. Liz stopped. She went back into the little house and grabbed the ropes. While she was doing this, Topolsky had slowly been awakening. "Liz, what are you doing???" cried Max. "Look, if we just leave Topolsky here and she wakes up later on, what do you think she's going to do? Get all of us in some major trouble. There's nothing we can do about it except killing her." Michael looked up when she said this, surprised. "And that is out of the question." He looked back down. "So the least we can do is make it harder for her." She proceeded to wrap the ropes around the barely awake "guidance counselor." While Liz did this, Max grabbed the files. When she was done, she tied the knots extra tight, and Max helped her drag Topolsky back into the house and prop her up against the wall. "These are FBI files," he said. "Our guidance counselor is not who we thought she was."

When they were on their way back to town, Isabel couldn't help but think about how incredibly strange Max was being. -Well, he obviously loves her, but I've never seen him like this. They're...they're *cuddling*!- She rolled her eyes. They were definitely far too affectionate for her taste.

The next day at school, someone would tell Topolsky what they knew. Hopefully it would discourage her, although they all knew that was a very slight chance. But right now, Max didn't care.

Isabel wasn't sure where to go first. Michael's house, Liz's house, their house, so she just drove around for a little while. They passed someone who looked a little familiar, but she didn't bother stopping until Michael grabbed her wrist. "Let me out here," he told her. "Why would you want to be let out here?" Isabel countered. "They got their happy ending," he said, motioning towards Liz and Max, "now I want mine." He jumped out of the jeep and ran towards that familiar person.

Maria saw the jeep pass and her jaw dropped when she saw Max and Liz kissing in the back. Then she got extremely depressed. There was a bus stop a little way back. She made her way to it and sat down in a daze. -So they get their perfect little relationship. What about mine?- As she sat there, oblivious to the world around her, Michael stopped running and started walking. He sat down on the bench next to Maria, who was paying attention to nothing. -I can do this. I've done it before, why should it be so hard this time?- He finally got up the nerve to leaned over and kiss her. Maria pulled away violently, then saw who it was. They leaned in for another kiss, and the world was right, even if just for a few minutes.

The End