"Hey kids, what can I do for you?"

Liz pulled out a picture of herself, Maria and Alex, handing it to the older woman. "Hi… uh… Bonnie," Liz began, glancing at the woman’s nametag. "We’re, um, looking for a friend. Her name is Maria. You haven’t seen her, have you?" she asked for what seemed like the millionth time that night.

The waitress studied the picture for a second. "Yeah, she was here."

Michael turned away, accustomed to a negative response. "Well, it was worth a try. Let’s go—"

"I said I served her here. About twenty minutes ago."

The alien’s heart (or comparable organ) jumped into his throat. "What? Are you sure? Look harder."

"Yeah, that’s her. She looked a bit… rougher tonight, but she was the same girl. She sat at that table," Bonnie gestured to the empty booth, "and drank coffee like her life depended on it."

Michael was drawn over to where the waitress said Maria sat. He pressed his hands on to the cool Formica table, wondering about her, hoping that she was okay. In the background, he could hear Liz continue to ask the woman questions. Michael slid onto the cracked red vinyl of the booth seat, and was immediately struck with a vision.

He stood and ran out of the restaurant. Liz and the waitress followed, continuing their conversation by the exit. During their search, the rain had lessened a bit and now it tapered into just a warm mist. Michael glanced around the outside of the shop, intently gazing through the haze for the familiar scene of his vision. Leaving Liz behind, he jogged down the deserted alleyway, until the alien sensed Maria’s presence. Knocking aside some debris, Michael found her, pale and unmoving, unconscious between two large trashcans.

As he reached out to stroke her face, a flash of images entered his mind and Michael saw into Maria’s dream. He could see Maria and Liz at the cliffs. He watched Liz urging Maria towards the edge… and he was afraid. He knew they did not have much time.

"Maria? Maria, can you hear me?" Michael asked, lifting her eyelids to check her eyes. All he could see were the whites rolling around. He called down the alley to his search partner. "Liz! Liz, I have her!"

Liz broke away from Bonnie and sped towards Michael. "Is she all right? Maria?" The brunette gasped at the sight of her best friend.

"She’s in a nightmare… we need to get her back to my place." Michael covered the shivering girl with his jacket, trying to warm her. He then scooped her up into his arms and rushed to the car. As the teens passed the front door, Bonnie stepped out again.

"Oh my… is she going to be okay? I tried to help her… drive her to that runaway shelter on Tumbleweed… but she wouldn’t hear of it. Hon, you got to believe me, I tried—"

Michael whirled to face the woman, the intensity in his glare silencing her. "She is *not* a runaway," he said, glaring at her angrily.

"She’s… um… sick, Bonnie." Liz put her hand on Michael’s shoulder to try and calm him. He moved away from the two and climbed into the back seat with Maria still tightly wrapped in his arms. "Thank you for trying to help her. We were so worried that she was lost and alone."

The older woman’s eyes were transfixed on the Jetta. "I’m not going to get sick like that, am I?" Bonnie asked, sounding more concerned than ever.

"No!" Liz said hastily. "I mean, no. Um…. Maria’s not contagious…" She was trying to think of what to say next when Michael rolled down the car window.

"Let’s go, Parker! She needs to get home now!"

"Thanks again," was all she could manage as she rushed to the car.

Liz threw the car in drive, causing the tires to squeal as she pulled away. Turning the first corner, she grabbed her cell phone off the passenger’s seat and hit the speed dial for Isabel’s phone. Max answered.

"Liz?" he asked urgently.

"Yeah, it’s me. We have her and Michael and I are taking her back to his place. Meet us there," she replied her voice strained and tense. It took all she had not to burst out crying right then.

"How is she?"

Liz glanced in the rear view mirror at Michael and Maria. He was rocking her gently, whispering in her ear. Between words, he kissed her forehead.

"Liz?"

Max’s concern touched Liz. Maria was his friend as much as hers. A distraught sob escaped the brunette’s lips. "She doesn’t look good, Max. I’m really scared."