"Get up and come with me," he demanded. Lisa gave a noncommittal grunt and got off the cot to follow the Sheriff. She walked into his brightly-lit office and gave a sigh of relief at the heat that welcomed her.

"Sit down Lisa," he said. She obeyed; she would do anything to stay in this warm, well-lit office.

"Now, I have been searching for aliens in Roswell, as you have been informed. I have an idea of who they are, but I need evidence. I can't turn this into a federal case until I have some cold, hard evidence. Now I realize this could be hard, but you being an alien yourself, I thought that you would be the best way to them." He paused and looked at her, as if to see her reaction. She stared at him defiantly, not wanting to go along with it. "You will start at West Roswell tomorrow, and you will go under the name Lisa Williams."

"Why can't I just go by 'Spencer?' It IS my last name, you know." She didn't want Valenti to have control of any part of her life.

"Because people may notice the name. You ARE on the FBI's 'missing' list. People might recognize you. It's best if you keep low cover." He was being gentler with her now, and she felt herself more willing to comply with his plan.

"Alright. I'll start at West Roswell tomorrow as Lisa Williams, and I'll try to get you your aliens. But, there is one problem."

And what might that problem be?"

"I don't know what they look like. I can't exactly target them, you know. My powers aren't THAT strong. Remember, I just found out that I was an alien a couple of years ago." She couldn't believe she was actually admitting it. But he did already know, so it wasn't like she was saying anything surprising to him.

"Here's Kyle's yearbook. Max and Isabel Evans." He pointed to a boy and girl, obviously brother and sister. The boy was very cute. And the girl was beautiful. Valenti flipped the page. "Michael Guerin." Michael was also cute, though not as good looking as Max. There was something about him, something that made her want to protect him. "Try to get close to Max first." Lisa jumped at the sound of Valenti's voice. "He's the leader of the bunch, and when your buddies with him, Isabel will be an easy target. Michael will be a little harder, though. According to Kyle, he's very untrusting and he's been known to hang around here quite a bit, if you know what I mean."

"I'll do this on one condition." Lisa knew she was pushing it, but she had to try.

"And what is that?" Valenti repeated the phrase he had used earlier in the exact same tone.

"I sleep somewhere other than that cell tonight. I want to look good tomorrow, don't I?" She smiled at Valenti then, and he smiled back, like a father smiles at his daughter.

"Fine. You can have the extra room at our house. We'd better get going so you can prepare yourself for your first day." He got up and walked out of the room, and Lisa followed, shutting the door behind her. _______________

"Max, stop it!" Liz Parker laughed as Max Evans tickled her. They were on her roof, looking at the stars, and Max had decided to attack her. She rolled away from him, but he just jumped at the chance to get a clear shot at her ribs. She pushed him away and sprinted behind the chair, laughing and panting. She picked up her journal and held it over her head, assuming a fighting position. "Don't make me use this," she warned. Max just looked at her, amused. Then he lunged and knocked the journal to the ground. He grabbed her and carried her back to the chair, where he laid her gently. She looked up at him and thought about how much she wanted to feel Max's arms around her. And then they were. ________________

Lisa walked down the halls of West Roswell, feeling very much alone. Kyle had deserted her when they had gotten to school. "If they see you with me, they won't trust you," he had explained before hurrying off to meet his football buddies. Lisa was left standing thee in the middle of the halls, looking at the crowd of kids around her. She looked at her schedule. "Miss Hall, room G4." Where was G4? She had no idea where anything was, and she was getting panicky. What's wrong with me? She thought. I'm never like this. But then again, she had never been in a situation like this. Then she saw him. Max Evans. He was with a pretty brunette, and they were talking at what Lisa assumed was her locker. She watched him, and thought about how much he reminded her of her brother Steve. Oh God, how she missed Steve. She felt the familiar pang of loneliness, then pushed it away. No use thinking about that now. The bell rang and she just stood there, looking dumbly at her schedule. She was in the "E" hall, so she knew she was out of place. I just want to go home! Her mind screamed. Lisa pushed back the tears and refused to cry. _______________

"Max, that girl is staring at you." Liz told him. He turned around and saw a pretty girl with dark hair looking at him. She quickly adverted her gaze. "I think she likes you," Liz teased him. He smiled at her, although there was something about the girl that he could not shake. "Max? What is it?" Liz's voice startled him, and he jumped.

"It's just that girl. She seems familiar somehow." He was trying to make sense of it all. There was an unfamiliar feeling in his chest, something he had only experienced once before. And that was when- no way, he thought to himself. No possible way. The bell rang then, and Max was forced to stop his thought process. "Liz, she looks like she needs help. And I think I need to find out more about her." He left Liz at her locker and walked over to the girl. She looked at him as he approached.

"Hi. I'm Max Evans. You look like you may need some help." He hadn't meant it to sound so blunt, and he blushed. The girl just smiled.

"I'm Lisa Spen-Williams and I do need help." She looked down at her schedule. "Miss Hall, room G4? I have no idea where that is." She was visibly embarrassed, and Max's heart went out to her.

"I have Mr. Grossman in G6, so I can walk you there if you like." He felt bad about ditching Liz, but Lisa really did need help.

"Thanks. I'd love that." She smiled at him then, and Max thought again of how she seemed so familiar. _______________

Liz Parker sat at her seat in bio next to Max Evans, who was there, but he wasn't. "God, I'm not making any sense," she muttered to herself. Max was there physically, but his mind was somewhere else. Probably on that new girl. Liz couldn't see why he was so taken with her. Liz didn't know what to make of this sudden change in Max; it was almost as if he was pulling away from her. She stared at her lab sheet, trying to sort out the thoughts in her mind. The words all seemed to blur together, and then Liz felt something hot and wet against her cheek. She pulled up in surprise and swiped at the wet spot. She was crying! No was she crying! Liz Parker, crying over a guy? It just wasn't normal. But then again, she told herself, neither is he. They'd been through so much together that Liz couldn't let herself believe that she was losing him. He risked his life to save yours, she reassured herself. It was a comforting thought, though it didn't make her feel much better. She stole another look at him, but he was staring at the other side of the room. Liz followed his gaze to the wall. At least he's not looking at her. She didn't think she'd be able to take it. She knew she'd break down. She was already having trouble as it was. Maria had been walking on eggshells around her ever since that morning, and Liz had to smile at how thoughtful Maria was being. She suddenly made up her mind that if it didn't work out with Max she'd put guys aside for a while, and just hang out with Maria for a while. That's it, she told herself. Just the girls. I'll ask her if she wants to come over tonight for a calorie fest. She smiled at the thought, and started to work on her bio with newfound pride. _______________

Isabel Evans stared at the new girl across the room. There's just something so familiar about her, she said to herself. Not the face, but…something. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew that something about the girl gave her a prickly, uneasy feeling. She instinctively knew that she was trouble, and Isabel planned to find out what it was at all costs.

Part II

Liz and Maria sat down on their usual spot in the grassy quad. Maria was talking about her mother's new boyfriend, and Liz sat there, pretending to listen. But her mind was on Max and his strange behavior.

Liz. Liz? LIZ?!" Maria was shouting in her ear. Liz put a hand up to block out the sudden noise.

"Ow! God, Maria!" She glared at her best friend and Maria just smiled back with a saccharin sweet smile.

"Okay, so you're never like this. What's up? Is it Max?" Maria always knew what she was thinking. It was almost scary at times. Liz looked at her and knew she couldn't lie.

"Yeah. He's just I don't know. It's almost like he's pulling away. There's this new girl, right? And all of a sudden that's all he can think about. At least, it seems like that." She got quiet and looked down at the ground. Maria leaned her head down to look Liz straight in the eyes.

"What is it?" she asked with sincere compassion. Liz felt herself losing it, and she struggled to keep control. She rapidly fought back the wall of water that was forming behind her eyes. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and lay back on the grass with her head tilted up so that she could catch the sun. Her tears were quickly dried and she opened her eyes to see Maria looking down at her with a mixed expression on her face. Liz started to laugh hysterically. Maria just looked at her. Finally she spoke up.

"Okay. I've been thinking for like, the last 5 minutes, and I've decided that you are either one of the following things, although I don't know which one. You're either completely out of your mind, you've taken way too many anti-depression pills, or Max has done something to you, in which case, I'll have to kill him. So which one?" Liz just stared at her, trying to comprehend it all.

"Maria, hang on. You're talking too fast for me to follow. Repeat please? In English?" She looked at Maria's earnest expression and tried not to crack up.

"What did Max do?" She sighed as she watched Liz's expression change from carefree to stormy.

"That new girl I mentioned. That's what's wrong. I-" She broke off suddenly and blanched. Maria turned to look where she was staring and felt her blood run cold and the anger surge up inside her.

"Look at that tramp! She's all over him!" She said it loud enough to carry, and Max and the girl looked over. As soon as Max saw Liz he paled and dropped the girl's hand, which he had been holding. He started to walk over to her and Maria, but Liz stood up and walked away, leaving Max to stare after her. _________________

Liz ran to the girl's bathroom blindly, letting the tears fall. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew it wasn't good. She was losing the man she loved. I can't lose him. Those four words kept running through her brain like a broken record. She finally reached the bathroom and pushed the door open with all her might. She ran in and threw herself against the counter, gasping for breath. Her breathing was coming in short gasps in between her sobs. She leaned against the counter and cried. She looked up as the door opened and turned to see Maria and Max's sister Isabel standing there looking at her. Maria quickly walked over to her and threw her arms around her weeping friend; Isabel just watched from the door. Liz struggled to pull herself together, but it was an impossible task. She cried in Maria's arms as Isabel watched them. _________________

Max felt horrible. He had seen the look on Liz's face; it was a look of pure rage and pain. He felt his heart break for her, but he couldn't go after her. If Liz had stayed around, he would have told her the news: he found another alien. Lisa's hand had started glowing while they were walking over to Liz. He had grabbed her hand and was looking at it in amazement when Liz had looked over. She didn't even give me a chance to explain! She was being irrational. He kept trying to reassure himself, but he couldn't wipe the look on Liz's face from his mind. He loved her so much it hurt. He couldn't bear to see her look like that. He looked back over at Lisa, who had a puzzled expression on her face.

"That was my girlfriend, Liz. She's normally not like that," he apologized. He realized that he was embarrassed by Liz's behavior.

"Does she know?" Lisa looked him straight in the eye as if she knew the answer.

"Yes." That was NOT the answer she was expecting.

"Yes?" She repeated incredulously. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I, uh, I kinda healed her when she got shot a couple of months ago. I kinda had to tell her." He couldn't understand why he was embarrassed to share this information with this girl, but he was.

"Okay." She drew out the word slowly, as if she was having trouble understanding what he had just told her. "So let me get this straight, she was dying and you decided to risk it all to help her? That's crazy!" Max just stared at her. When he finally found his voice, it was high-pitched. "What do you mean 'crazy'? I saved her life!" He wasn't exactly angry; he was agitated. He had just met this girl, and she was already blaming him for something she wasn't even there to witness.

"It was crazy. You put yourself in danger, not to mention Michael and Isabel--"

"How do you know about Michael and Isabel?" he interrupted her.

"I told you. When I'm near you guys, I can just feel it. I don't know, it's like we have an internal connection or something." She shrugged her shoulders. "Anyway, you have no idea what kind of danger you put yourself in!" Her voice was urgent, and her eyes were suddenly wide. "You've got to get Michael and Isabel and get out of Roswell!" She couldn't believe she had just practically blurted out her secret, but every minute she spent with Max Evans, the more she liked him, and she didn't want to see Valenti hurt him or his friends. I won't tell him about the Sheriff. He should be able to figure it out himself. He's smart. He knows the score. She snapped herself out of her frantic thoughts and saw Max looking at her incredulously.

"What are you talking about? Valenti's not after us anymore. He has no idea about us."

"That's what you think." She didn't realize she had spoken the words out loud, but apparently she had.

"What are you talking about? You don't even know who Valenti is! Is there something you're not telling me?" Max couldn't believe that this girl knew so much. It had to be a trap! If only he knew what kind. Stop it, he scolded himself. You don't know what kind of rumors she's heard.

"I've heard of him. I know that you, all of you, are scared of him. Especially Isabel. I can feel her fear the strongest. I guess maybe it's because we're both female. I can feel all of her emotions, and when she's scared, it's so intense that it almost knocks me to the ground." She wasn't lying now. She could feel the other alien's feelings: their every pain, their every fear, their every emotion. She was scared for them, for herself. She didn't know what was going to happen when Valenti found out she was giving them information; she didn't know what was going to happen when they found out that she was a spy for Valenti.

"You can feel us? Really?" Max was more than interested; he wanted to everything he could about his girl. This was one of his kind, someone he had been looking for, ever since he had found out where he had come from.

"Yes." Her voice was strong and determined; her face lifted up so she could meet his eyes.

"Why can't I feel you?" He wanted this power; he wanted to know if there were others like him.

"I just found out about my powers a few years ago. Maybe it's a recent thing." She shrugged her shoulders. "Remember, I'm also older than you; I came out of the pods first, a year before you and Michael and Isabel. I'm 17. Maybe you can start to feel other aliens when you turn a certain age." She honestly didn't know. "Maybe it's a female thing. Didn't you tell me that Isabel could feel emotions?"

"Only mine, because we're brother and sister. I can feel hers too, but then again, so can every sibling. It's just one of life's screwed-up things." He managed to smile weakly, though this news had thoroughly shaken him. They could have more powers! There were more like them! He was ecstatic with joy. Then the unwelcome image of Liz's hurt face flashed into his mind and his heart hurt. He didn't want to lose her. But what if this meant he could get home? __________________ Isabel watched as Liz sobbed for her brother. How could he do this to her? She wondered, searching vainly for the answer. She was such a good person, and Isabel had come to genuinely like her and respect her. She was smart, she was honest, she had kept their secret for them, and most of all, she made Max happy. But she was suffering all of the pain while Max flitted around that strangely familiar new girl. Isabel searched in her mind for where she could have seen this girl before. Suddenly Isabel felt as if she had been hit with a ton of bricks. She ran out of the bathroom and down the hall to the double doors that led to the outdoor quad. She ran to where she had set her books down and picked up Michael's milk carton. She turned it around to the side and felt her breath catch at what she saw: a small picture of the new girl with a short description under it.

MISSING! Name: Lisa Spencer Height: 5'7 ½ Weight: 120 lbs. Hair: Dark brown Eyes: Green Date missing: November 16, 1999

November 1999! Isabel's eyes widened. It was the same girl all right; she knew her name was Lisa, but the teacher had called her Lisa Williams. If this WAS the same girl, she had been missing from her home for two months! She had just shown up today, so what had she done in the 2 months before she turned up in Roswell? She looked at the sentence below the description.

"If you see this girl, please contact the authorities at 1-800-MISSING."

Part III

Isabel couldn't believe it. She was studying the picture so intently that she didn't hear Max and Lisa come up behind her until Max spoke.

"Hey Iz. You won't believe what I found out." She jumped as he spoke and slowly turned around to face them, keeping the milk carton shielded with her body. Max's eyes were sparkling with excitement and Lisa's face was flushed red from running. Isabel eyes Lisa wearily, then turned back to Max. He didn't wait for her to answer; he just rushed on with his news.

"Lisa's one of us!" He told her in an excited whisper. Isabel's mouth dropped. She spoke directly to Lisa, temporarily forgetting the fact that Lisa was a runaway.

"Are you telling me that you're an alien?" She dropped her voice to whisper as she spoke the last word so as to make sure no one heard.

"Yeah, I am." She unknowingly repeated the words Max had spoken to Liz when he had told her what he was.

"How did you find out? About us, I mean?" She was amazed and fascinated with the prospect of there being another one of them.

"I could kind of feel you. Your emotions. Yours especially." She looked straight at Isabel as she said this, looking her straight in the eyes. "I came out of my pod first, so I'm older than you. I came out a year before you guys, but I just recently found out. I could feel these emotions that weren't mine, and it scared me. I did some research, but I never came up with anything. Then I read something about the 1947 Roswell crash and I felt, I don't know, different. Like I knew that it had happened, even though everyone said it didn't. I came to Roswell, and when I saw you guys, I knew it was you. I knew you were one of me. One of my kind." She explained Isabel's unspoken question with such passion that Isabel felt a connection with this girl. Then she thought of the milk carton.

"How do we know that you're one of us? I mean, how do we know it's not a trap?" Isabel challenged Lisa. Was it just her imagination, or did Lisa suddenly look panicked? Then, just as suddenly as the look came, it was gone, and she was smooth and cool as she spoke.

"You want proof?"

"Yeah." There was an unspoken challenge hanging in the air. Lisa grabbed a ketchup packet from the table and looked around, making sure no one was looking. Then she swiped her hand in front of it and all of the information and writing on it disappeared. She waved it back the other way, and it all reappeared exactly as it had been. Isabel let out a gasp, and she looked at Max with wide eyes. He gave her a knowing grin, and Isabel held out her arms to the girl and whispered in her ear as they embraced.

"Welcome to the family." __________________

Michael Guerin watched as Isabel embraced the girl in a tight hug. He was hidden behind a post by the table where Max, Isabel, and the girl were standing. He had heard-and seen-the whole thing, starting with Isabel and the milk carton. He had no idea what was on that milk carton, but he intended to find out. He didn't trust this girl. He knew it was ludicrous and stupid; he'd never met her before. But there was something about her, more than she was telling. He'd have to ask Isabel about the milk carton. The girl was an alien; that much was obvious. But there was something else, something he couldn't quiet put his finger on it, but the girl made him feel uneasy. He stayed in his hiding place, not yet ready to step out and meet her. He needed to think; to sort out his thoughts. He looked at the threesome on last time, then turned and walked away. _________________

Liz looked at herself and the mirror and gasped at the reflection.

"Oh my God. I look like I was hit by a car." Maria couldn't disagree. Liz DID look pretty bad. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, her face was red and puffy, her hair was tangled and matted down, tear stains streaked her cheeks, and her mascara had left a black trail down the side of her cheeks and under her eyes, making her look like pale raccoon. Liz grabbed a paper towel, wet it, and scrubbed furiously at the black streaks. They were easily removed, but Liz's face looked even more blotchy and red than before. Liz sighed and turned away from the mirror.

"I swear I am never looking in another mirror again as long as I live." She leaned against the counter, her back to the mirror, and looked at Maria. Maria smiled at her.

"That's what you say now. But in three hours you'll be looking in your mirror at home, wondering what you can do to make yourself even more beautiful and irresistible. Max is crazy. He doesn't know what he's missing." At the mention of Max's name, Liz's eyes hardened. Maria mentally kicked herself. "Sorry. Bad subject." She searched her brain for another topic. "Hey! I know! Let's blow off sixth and seventh and go catch the new Tom Cruise movie. It'll get your mind off of things." She knew it was long shot that Liz would agree to ditch school, but to her surprise, Liz nodded.

"You're right. I think that's exactly what I need." She smiled the first genuine smile she'd smiled all day, and Maria silently congratulated herself on her success. She hooked her arm through Liz's and they both turned on their heels.

"Let's go. Tom awaits!" Maria said with mock flourish as Liz laughed. They walked out of the bathroom and the door swung closed behind them. __________________

"Liz!" Max called out her name and ran down the hall after her. Liz just kept walking. He knew she had heard him because he had seen her back stiffen. She was mad. It didn't take a genius to figure that out. He even knew why. But he knew she'd forgive him when he told her what he'd discovered. He caught up to her and grabbed her arm, but she just shrugged it off. Maria caught his eye and shook her head, then steered Liz out of the door into the bright sunlight. Max watched them dejectedly, then turned around with newfound anger. She had no right to be like this! She wouldn't even give him a chance to explain! She was usually so reasonable, but for some reason she was being stubborn and hardheaded. He walked down the hall with his head down, thinking about how far they'd come since that day at the Crashdown. They'd grown closer and they had both grown up. He was thinking so hard that he didn't see Michael until he had run right into him. Michael grunted in pain and glared at Max. Max smiled sheepishly. Michael just gave him a hard glare and walked away. Max watched him walk away with a bewildered look on his face. What's wrong with him? He wondered as he absently watched him walk away angrily. What is it with everybody today? First Liz, now Michael? What is going on? He felt a hand on his shoulder and he jumped, then turned around to see Lisa smiling a brilliant smile at him. He smiled back and let her lead him outside.