But in the past few days, Kyle had been getting angrier and angrier, and then yesterday, he had just gotten very quiet. Jim was worried about his son, and when he'd asked him about it, Kyle had avoided looking at him, and had told him it was nothing, and he had left the house.

Now Jim needed to know what was wrong with his son. So he had been following him since yesterday, and as the miles between Roswell and them grew, the more afraid Jim Valenti got. Something was very wrong. He could feel it in his gut.

************************

The stalker could feel he was getting closer to Liz Parker with every mile. It seemed as if her vibes were getting stronger. Almost as if she was putting out a signal herself. Impossible, he thought. But he focused on the pleasure he was going to have in getting Liz Parker> In letting her know it was him, and then getting that spitfire, annoying but sexy friend of hers as well. He smiled, but it never reached his cold, black eyes.

*************************

Liz pushed aside her fast food dinner, finally full. Maria had frowned as she'd watched Liz put Tabasco Sauce in her soda, on her French fries and ketchup, and in her sundae they had picked up as well.

Maria sighed. She was frightened but was trying to keep up a brave front for her friend. She knew how terrified Liz must feel. Could she carry an alien baby? Was it going to kill her? What was going to happen to her?

"Maria?" Liz pulled herself out of her daze as she finished eating and got up to throw their trash in the hotel room garbage.

"Yeah?" Maria answered. She figured Liz had been doing a lot of thinking lately, and she knew that sooner or later Liz would share her thoughts.

Liz went and sat on one of the beds and hugged her knees to her chest. Maria thought she looked defensive and vulnerable, as if trying to protect herself and the baby.

"If if something does happen to me. Um and if Max doesn't get to come back, will you if my baby survives" she choked on the last.

Maria's eyes filled with tears and she came and sat down next to her friend and hugged her close.

"Liz, nothing is going to happen to you." Maria tried to reassure her.

"Maria. Please. Just promise that if."

"Okay Liz, of course I would." Maria said rubbing Liz's back in comfort. She could feel all the fear and doubts running through her friend by her tenseness.

"And if Max does come back and I'm you know, gone, will you tell him about our baby?" Liz asked in a small voice, tears filling up her eyes, but not falling. She met Maria's eyes with determination, so that Maria would know she was serious.

"Of course babe. But nothing is going to happen to you. I won't let it happen and I KNOW Max won't let it happen." Maria smiled at her to reassure her. Her own eyes filling once again.

Liz nodded. "What about you Maria? Have you ever thought about, you know, you and Michael and if you could have a future together? I mean, beyond high school. Like in forever? Babies and everything?"

Maria swallowed and wiped a lone tear, and cleared her throat. "Yeah. It scares me sometimes Liz, how totally Michael has taken over my life. How these aliens have totally taken over all of our lives. I want to say that when Michael goes home, that I will be okay, and move on and marry someone else and love them intensely and have lots of kids and be happy. But I'm afraid I won't be able to. And I don't want anyone to ever mean that much to me." Maria admitted and wiped a tear away impatiently.

Maria's own fear was obvious. Liz nodded; glad she had gotten Maria to talk about her and Michael. The I'm Teflon babe." -statement had not cut it for Liz.

"I don't think I could ever give up hope on Max." Liz admitted quietly, still hugging her knees to her.

Maria nodded, knowing that no matter what happened, the bond between Liz and Max would always be there. She didn't know if she wanted that with Michael or not. She believed it could be possible, if her and Michael let it, but they were both fighting it, and too afraid to get as close as Max and Liz were mentally.

"Do you love Michael, Maria?" Liz asked. She was sure Maria did, but wanted Maria to admit it. She knew that Maria would need Michael if something were to happen to her.

Maria met Liz's waiting look and finally sighed, giving in to what she had been fighting. "Yeah. With all my heart. That guy just did something to me. He slowly just crept into my heart. The big lug." Maria smiled gently.

Liz nodded and smiled back. She reached out and took Maria's hand. "I know. And for some reason Maria, I feel that you will be okay. That you and Michael will work out."

Maria wondered if it was an alien premonition Liz was feeling, or just her positive spirit coming through.

"We'd better get some sleep.” Maria sighed. Liz looked exhausted. She hoped it was only from worry and strain, and not something to do with the baby. Maria was terrified that something would happen to Liz and she wouldn't be able to help her. Or save her.

Later, as Liz laid in bed dozing, she felt Max. He's coming! She thought to herself. She could feel his presence and his determination. She smiled.

*Where are you Max? Hurry. Please hurry.* she thought aloud. She had a bad feeling something was going to happen, and soon.

*****************************

*Hang on Liz, I'm coming baby.* Max thought to himself, as he drove through the night.. The closer he got the more he felt Liz. She was okay for now. Terrified, but safe. And he knew she felt him too, he could feel her hope. He just had to get there before, the fourth alien, their classmate, did.

*******************************

Jordan and Matthew were close too. Suddenly Jordan turned to Matthew, who was driving. "Hurry. I just felt a surge of pure evil. He's found them."

*******************************

Standing outside the motel room door, the alien could feel Liz just on the other side. He felt the surge of power and excitement. Finally. He looked at the lock and it unlocked for him. He opened the door with his mind as well, and stepped into the quiet dark room.

The surge of power and excitement made it hard from the alien to concentrate on anything except that he was here, and these two girls were going to pay.

Maria heard a slight noise and then saw someone moving about. She thought Liz was sick or something and she threw open the light to help her.

"Liz?" she started and then just stared. There, standing in the middle of their room was Kyle's friend Paulie Warren.

"What?" Maria asked and rubbed her eyes. She had to be dreaming.

Liz sat up now as well, and just stared at Paulie. He grinned at her and knew she knew who he was.

"You" she choked out.

Paulie laughed, enjoying the fear and surprise he felt from the girls, who were totally at his mercy.

Maria looked from the fear and knowledge on Liz's face, to the evil smile on Paulie's as he stared back at Liz.

Maria's eyes widened and she couldn't breathe. The stalker!

"Yes Liz, it's me. And I'm very disappointed in you. I thought you were different. Always so nice to everyone. The perfect student, hard working, and sweet and pure. Until Evans got to you.” He spit out angrily.

Liz's eyes widened. He hated Max. But why? She could see the unnatural gleam in Paulie's eyes and knew he was not sane.

"You let Max touch you. You are just like all the other girls after all!" Paulie continued as he moved closer to Liz.

Maria finally moved. She leaped out of bed and started toward Liz.

“You stay back spitfire! I'm going to take care of you too! You are another alien whore!" he growled.

Both Maria and Liz's eyes widened in shock. Paulie saw this and laughed. "What, you're surprised I know your boyfriends secret? Well don't be little girls. For my power is so much stronger than their pitiful attempts." He sneered.

Both girls gasped. "You're an alien? You're the fourth alien?!" Maria asked in a hoarse whisper. She was now paralyzed with fear. She could see Liz was quietly watching Paulie, but she couldn't tell what Liz was thinking or feeling.

Paulie didn't like the look from Liz either. She didn't look or act afraid and he didn't like that. She should fear him. She was nothing. She was a huge disappointment. And she was just like all the others afterall.

He suddenly reached for Liz and as Liz flinched back against the headboard, Maria lunged for the psycho. It was instinctive.

Paulie just laughed and flicked Maria away. Maria went flying and landed against the wall, dazed and out of breath. Her head hurt, but she tried to stay focused. Oh My God, she thought. They didn't stand a chance.

Liz screamed Maria's name and tried to go to her, but Paulie grabbed Liz by her hair and yanked her to him.

When he felt Liz bite his arm, he growled in anger.

"BITCH!" he shouted and slapped Liz across the face, but continued to hold her against him, his arm wrapped around her throat tighter.

Just then the door flew open and Paulie was surprised to have been caught off guard. He had never sensed he was being followed. So intent had he been on his prey.

Kyle came though the door and jumped on Paulie. The anger on his face made Paulie laugh.

He shrugged Kyle away like nothing as well, and continued to hold Liz in his grip.

Kyle shook himself and he tried to sit up from where he had been thrown against a wall.

"My God Paulie. It was you! All this time it was YOU." Kyle said in amazement. Even though he had started to suspect, he hadn't really wanted to believe it.

Paulie just laughed. “Ah, yes, the sheriff's son. The other stupid fool who fell for this whore's charms. I told you she wasn't worth it Kyle. You wouldn't listen. I told you she was used goods, that Evans had touched her. She's no good Kyle. She's no good for you and definitely not good enough for me anymore."

Kyle saw the insanity in Paulie's eyes and he too felt fear beyond his worst nightmares. But he was also angry. Angry that Paulie had fooled him. And angry as he watched Paulie tighten his grip on Liz's throat.

"Why Paulie? What made you decide to start stalking the girls of Roswell? What happened to you?" Kyle asked. He still couldn't quite believe it was possible. That a friend of his all these years had been able to hide this side of him.

Paulie laughed. "You think it started with the town of Roswell? I was tired of the poor competition the others towns proved to be. But Roswell was much more fun. Until this BITCH started trying to convince others it wasn't Evans. Hell she even decided to try to flush me out!" He said and tightened his grip again on Liz's throat.

Then he sensed something and stiffened. He turned as Max, Michael, Isabel and Alex came through the open door.

He had felt Max's wave of pure fury, right before he had seen him. He couldn't believe how he was slipping. He hadn't sensed the trio before this. Liz Parker was much too much of a danger to him. She had to die.