She finally gave way to sleep and sighed contently, rolling her head to her to the side, trying to get comfortable. After finding a good position, Isabel let sleep take over, pulling her deeper in.

Isabel took notice of how awake she suddenly was, but still asleep. Feeling a little disoriented, she opened her eyes only to find herself in a wooded area. Looking around she suddenly became aware of her surrounding; Frazier Woods. Feeling a little more stable, Isabel took a few steps, realizing she was very close to the cave.

But something was different. There was a huge boulder in front of the entrance, blocking her from going in. What's going on? Since when was that there? Why would I dream--Isabel stopped dead in her thought pattern as she realized she wasn't dreaming at all; she was dream walking. But who? There wasn't anyone around. She didn't hear any voices, just the birds and other animals.

Spinning in a circle, Isabel spied all of her surroundings, still not finding anyone. She tried to think back to what she was doing before going to sleep, and her hand automatically rested on her shirt pocket. She felt the rough edge of Alex's class picture and smiled. She was in his subconscious.

"Alex..." she called playfully, walking away from the cave, letting her gut guide her. The walk from it was hard and rough, and Alex wasn't anywhere in sight. Isabel contemplated whether or not she should do it. Maybe she could will Alex back to the cave with her mind. She'd never tried it before, but it might work. Plus, he was just here, so maybe that would help.

Isabel suddenly stopped and looked back at the cave. She never thought before, but why was Alex at the cave in the first place? Had something gone wrong? What would make him hike all the way up here?! Isabel's fear rose to high notches, making her breath come in short gasp as she jogged back over to the cave once more, trying to figure out what was going on.

Why was she here, in Alex's mind, with out him? Why was Alex here in the first place? And who put the boulder up? She tried to push it out of the way, but it was stuck. Suddenly, there were voice behind her, making her spin around quickly.

"Alex, we have to find her," Maria said, rubbing her arms.

"We will," he assured her, placing an arm around her slender shoulders. "Liz couldn't have gotten very far."

Isabel ran over to them, sighing with relief. "Alex, what's going on?" she asked. But he ignored her, shaking us head in frustration and walking off, Maria in tow.

"Alex? Alex!" Isabel called out, trying to get his attention, but still nothing. "Maria?!" Without anything else to do, she jumped in front of them, preparing to knock them down. But Isabel wasn't prepared for what happened. The two teens suddenly started to shimmer, and were completely gone by the time they reached her.

"Alex!!" she cried out, spinning around in a circle. "Maria?! Somebody!" Isabel ran a hand through her hair, wanting to pull it out. Something was going on, something big--and it involved Alex and the others. She tried to remember all they had said, trying to pick up a clue. Liz! her mind suddenly screamed. They mentioned having to find Liz. Was she missing?

Isabel didn't know exactly, but she knew one thing for sure; Max wasn't gonna like any of it.

***

Kyle Valenti pulled his mustang beside Alex's car and killed the engine. Getting out, he looked around, noting how dead the place looked. He'd only been to the Indian Reservation once, when he was about 8 or 9. His mother had brought him, when she was trying to show him about different cultures. She took him into all of the shops, showing him all of the ornaments and trinkets.

Kyle had picked one up, asking his mother if she liked it. It was a wolf, sitting on a rock, cuddling with her pup. Ms. Valenti replied, saying it was them, mother and son bonding. He bought it a week later, giving it to her as a present. She had told him she loved it, placing it proudly on the mantle above the fire place, saying she'd treasure it forever.

Later that same year, his mother had packed up and left, stating she couldn't sty married to a cop. Kyle had woken up to find his mom gone, but her present still on the mantle, where she had left it.

Shaking his head, Kyle walked into the main strip, casually looking for anyone who looked like their name might be "River Dog". Can we say useless? Suddenly there was a commotion behind him and about 4 or 5 men stormed past him. Kyle watched with interest, wondering what was going on. Their faces were filled with anger and resentment, which they had looked at him with as they passed. They kept going, walking into a shop and slamming the door shut behind them. What was that about?

Kyle shrugged and kept walking, wondering why he was even here. He had no idea who River Dog was. For all her knew, he could've just stormed past him. Thinking better of it, Kyle shook his head. Whitman said River Dog knew...that guy; the protector, or something, along time ago. So he had to be atleast in his fifties or something.

He was outta his league. Kyle wasn't really in tune with all this alien crap. He knew the gist of it: Evans, Isabel, Guerin, and Tess were half aliens. They had this whole destiny crap that pretty much fucked everything up, the whole reason for the Texas road trip was a vision that Guerin got, and now they're gone.

And, of course, he now knew what REALLY happened that day in the Crashdown. Liz was shot, Max healed her, revealing his true identity, starting all this shit, and then he told her he was an alien. Can you say Dumbass? Kyle asked in his head. Granted, Evans was ok, Kyle could deal with him, If he had to, but he would've had to side with old Michael on this one. Max should have NEVER told Liz the truth. And to actually admit he sided with Guerin, well, that meant Kyle really felt strongly about this.

And is that reason so Liz would be safe, or still dating you? he added silently. Kyle cursed himself and continued his search. He had willed himself to leave it be for 2 years, but now...Evans was gone, and Liz was fair play. Kyle walked into the first shop he came to, mulling over how long it would take for Liz to even think about dating him again.

"9 years."

"What?!" Kyle asked, looking up at the old shopkeeper. How the hell did she know how long it would take? Or that he was even thinking that?!

"It was 9 years ago when your mother brought you in here," she said, rearranging a small trinket on the counter as she dusted.

Kyle stared at her, then around the shop. Dammit. He walked right into it; the same shop he bought the wolf figurine. Why couldn't the cave be by the highway or something? Maybe there he could get himself run over and put out of his misery. "Really? 9 years, and you remember?" he replied in a dry voice.

The old lady regarded him with rudeness, but finally went back to her dusting. "It's hard to forget some people."

Kyle rolled his eyes and sighed. Is there some kind of rule that says everyone who ahs any connection to the 'truth' has to be so aloof and annoying? "Is that so? Ok, as much as I love to reminisce, I really do need to move on. So, if you can just tell me where I can find River Dog, I'll be on my way--"

"You stay away from him," she said sternly, giving him the look again.

Kyle stopped and just eyed her right back. "Why?" He knew this guy was a huge link in their connection, but he wasn't about to go get himself killed if this River Dog turned out to be FBI or something.

The shopkeeper wouldn't answer, just saying to stay away. Kyle, fed up with this, stalked out of the shop, going into the next one. 7 shops later, and 7 warnings later, he was still at square one. And the view was really starting to get annoying.

***

Amy DeLuca walked up the steps of the apartment, seeming nervous to be here. She had always thought of this place as a home away from home for her daughter. She and Nancy were friends, not as close as she would have liked, but she a little closed off. Jeff was open and friendly, but Nancy was different; which gets to the nervous part.

Suddenly the door opened, revealing a puffy faced Ms. Parker. She looked hopeful, but changed her expression at the sight of Amy. "Oh...I thought you were Liz," she admitted, taking a step back. "Come on in Amy," she added, giving her a smile.

Amy entered and sighed. "I can imagine how you feel right now...and I wanted to say I'm here for you."

Nancy nodded and shut the door. "Um...would you like some coffee or something?"

"Tea, if you have any."

Nancy smiled and led the way to the kitchen. "Still into herbals?" she asked.

Amy smiled back and gave a little laugh. "Of course. No inpurities in here," she joked, pointing at herself. Nancy pulled down a glass and filled it to the top with tea, then doing so again for herself.

"So, Jeff mentioned that Maria was AWOL too," Nancy finally said, sitting the glasses down in front of them.

Amy nodded, the smile fading from her face. "Maria left early this morning. She left me a note, saying she was going to the school to work on a project with Alex."

"Let me guess: she isn't there?" Nancy said, running her finger in a circle around the top of her glass.

Amy nodded again, then said softly. "Jeff also said that Jim thinks she may have left on her own."

Nancy regarded Amy with a stern expression. "Liz wouldn't run away."

Amy knew this was hard for her, but Ms. Parker wasn't letting any other ideas into her head. "Nancy, I never said she ran away. Maybe Liz just needed some time to think, by herself."

Ms. Parker just sat there, staring at her drink. "School started over an hour ago."

Amy looked at her watch; 9:08. Suddenly, Jeff Parker walked into the room. "Hello, Amy."

"Hi Jeff. How are ya holding up?"

He nodded, giving a little smile; but he sobered up quick. "Um...Deputy Hanson just left. He had to go over to the Evans house."

Nancy and Amy both looked at him with startled expressions. "Why?" Amy asked.

Jeff sat down the table, running his hands over his chin. "Max and Isabel are gone too."

Amy sighed, looking over at Jeff, fearing what she was gonna hear next. "And Michael Guerin?"

Jeff nodded. "I heard his name too, plus Tess Harding," he added.

Now it was Amy's turn to run her hands over her face. "I guess we should include Alex into all of this too."

"I called his house. He's not home either," Jeff said suddenly.

"So, what? They all ran away together?" she asked, her voice rough with emotion.

"No..." Nancy whispered, finally speaking.

"Honey--"

Nancy pushed his hand away, looking at both of the other adults. "This is ridiculous! Liz would never run away. And neither would Maria or Alex."

Amy knew she was right, but there were other factors to comprehend. "Normally I would agree...but with Michael gone too..." Amy couldn't even finish her sentence. She knew how much Maria loved that Guerin boy. She completely stopped dating 2 years ago, only hanging with her friends. Amy thought back, noting how Liz and Alex suddenly stopped dating too.

"I think all of us need to get together. Us, the Evans, and Alex's parents. We need to figure this all out," Jeff stated, looking at his wife for support. Nancy just sat there, running her finger around her cup.

Amy felt her heart go out to the other mother and pulled out her cell phone, dialing Jim's number.

***

Alex and Maria half walked, half jogged back to the car. But as they rounded the last trees, Alex was shocked to see Kyle's mustang parked right beside it.

"Is that Kyle's?" Maria asked, trying to catch her breath.

Alex nodded. "Yeah...why's he here?"

Maria ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "I guess the tower was a bust also."

"You know what that means?"

"That we're in deep shit?" she asked with fake cheerfulness.

"Yep," Alex agreed, nodding his head. "We need to figure out who put that boulder up," he added absent mindedly.

"And find Liz," Maria said in a soft, sad voice.

Alex pulled her close and laid his chin on the top of her head. "We will."

"What if she really did leave with them? What'll we do?"

"Well," Alex started, "we'll find her, bring her back, and let you kick a certain alien's booty for not inviting you."

"Good plan," Maria said, her voice muffled by his shirt. Alex knew she was trying to make a joke, but her voice was full of pain.

"I'm sure Michael had a good reason for not inviting you to go," he added.

"Yeah...he didn't want me there," she said.

Alex sighed and pulled her closer. "That's not true, and you know it."

Maria shrugged against his chest. "So what if me and Michael don't have what Liz and Max do? I don't care."

If the situation was a little different, Alex would've laughed; laughed his ass off. But it was too emotional to do that right now. "Maria...why do you even try to lie to me? I know all, I see all."

Maria scoffed and looked up at him. Her eyes were a little red and teary, but she was smiling. "You wish."

"Yeah...I do," he said wistfully.

Just then, a ringing started to come from Kyle's car. Alex and Maria exchanged a look, both of them closing up the distance to the red mustang.

"Guess he left his cell," Maria said, spotting it on the seat.

Alex reached in and picked it up. "Here," he said, handing it over. "Answer it."

Maria's eyes bulged and she handed it back. "No way! You do it."

Alex sighed and it ringed a 4th time. "Maria--just answer it."

"You," she said. "We don't know who it is." Alex looked at the cell phone closer and pushed the caller ID button. "Um...that's Max's house..."

"What?!" Maria screeched, pulling it out of his hands. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. I know Izzy's number by heart," Alex replied, hearing it ring for, what he guessed was the 7th time.

"That's 7," Maria said.

"Pretty Persistant," Alex commented, trying to decide if they should answer it.

"Maybe we should answer it," she said suddenly, her voice ringing with uncertaintenty. "It could be important. But...why would Ms. Evans be calling Kyle?"

"I guess it's out that Max and Isabel are gone," he added, still staring at the phone. It had stopped ringing by now.

"But why Kyle?" Maria asked again.

Alex shrugged, giving it some thought. "They couldn't get a hold of us; we're at school--"

"School!!" Maria shouted suddenly. "We're supposed to be there--right now."

Alex nodded. "Yeah, but we're not--"

"That's my point!! We told our parents we were gonna be at the school. Ms. Evans wakes up to find Max and Isabel gone. Liz's parents have to know by now that Liz is gone also!"

"They called the school, before long it's knowledge we're all missing," Alex finished.

Maria nodded. "Our parents must think we all ran away."

Alex was about to agree when he remembered they had Kyle with 'em. "But what about Valenti? He sent Kyle after us. He knows we didn't go."

"He can't really say that much though--the status of aliens is still a secret."