She got up and headed toward her locker. She had plans to make now. Plans that might bring Max, Michael and Isabel home to them. Or so she hoped.

Liz stopped when she saw Kyle three lockers over from hers. Kyle and his friends were talking around his friend Paulie's locker.

Liz watched Kyle with worry. Kyle too didn't look good. He was pale, he had grown quieter, even among his friends, and he always had an angry look deep in his eyes now.

She couldn't blame him though, considering what had happened to Vicki, and that they still didn't know if she was going to be all right or not.

Liz took a deep breath and went over to the group of football players. She saw Kyle become aware of her first, and then they all parted for her to walk up to Kyle.

"Hey, Kyle." Liz started, feeling conspicuous with all of his friends listening.

Kyle nodded. "Liz." He said in a curt voice. She could feel the anger in him. She didn't want him blaming Max. If she could convince Kyle that it hadn't been Max, then maybe it would help convince Kyle's dad.

Liz bit her lip. "How's Vicki? Any change?" she asked softly. She sincerely hoped for the best for Vicki.

Kyle took a deep breath, straightened and held his books tighter. "No change." He said in a voice that seemed emotionless. Liz figured he was just so tired from worrying.

She nodded. "Kyle, I'm so sorry." She started.

Kyle's eyes narrowed. "You're just lucky Liz. Lucky that Evans didn't kill you before he ran."

Liz gasped. "Kyle, No! It wasn't Max. You can't honestly believe it was Max! Kyle he had to run, someone was setting him up. Making it look like him."

"Save it Liz. I've had enough of hearing about Max Evans from my dad, from the whole school, and especially from you always defending him!" Kyle said sharply, and started to walk away.

Liz grabbed his arm. "Kyle wait. Kyle, Max could never hurt anyone. Did he even try to get back at your friends Tommy and Paulie and those guys when they beat him up?" she asked and glanced sideways at the culprits whom were all still hanging around.

"Damn it Liz! Just once can you think of someone besides Max Evans! It's Vicki in that hospital, and Pam and Louisa who are probably dead, and I'm sick of your defending Evans! Let it go Liz. Why the hell can't you just let it go?" He asked harshly, shook his head, and walked away.

Liz was left feeling scared. God, every one thought it was Max. How was she going to prove other wise!??

"I'll prove it to you Kyle. Somewhere the real stalker is still out there, and I'm going to find him!" Liz called down the hall after Kyle and his friends.

Maria couldn't help but hear Liz yelling down the hall, as she came around the corner. She sighed realizing Liz had had it out with Kyle, and knew her friend had probably been the one to confront him. Liz didn't like bad blood between her and anyone if she could help it. But she could have told Liz that Kyle had become too bitter and angry to listen.

"Well, now that the whole school knows you're going after the stalker, let's go to lunch."

Liz smiled at Maria's sense of humor. Maria hadn't shown her dry humor in weeks, and Liz had actually missed it. If going after the stalker could not only bring their friends back, but get Maria back to the living as well, she knew it was worth it to try.

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

Later that afternoon, Liz and Maria were cleaning up the Crashdown from the big aftern school rush. It was Liz's favorite time. Right after the big rush, and before the dinner rush. They had about an hour to clean and actually talk or get some of their homework done as they waited on the few customers.

It was just the two of them, and Maria was cleaning off a table, and Liz was filling a sugar container at the counter. Only one other person was in the cafe, and he was sipping coffee and just reading the paper.

Liz heard the bell over the door and looked up. Then she sucked in her breath as Mrs. Evan's came in.

***

Liz remembered Mrs. Evan's face when she had gone back over to the Evan's house that very next morning, before even Max and Isabel's parents knew they were gone. She had told Max she would be the one to tell them. And Max had felt better.

She remembered how early it was that morning after the three had left. She hadn't slept at all in those hours, only waited the few more hours that it would take before she could go wake the Evan's.

It had been around six when Diane Evan's had opened the door for her. Liz remembered the surprised look on Mrs. Evan's face as she told Liz that she thought Max was still asleep, and how Liz had nodded and asked to speak to her.

She remembered telling Mrs. Evans how they all suspected that someone within the law system had set Max up, and how they were coming for him, and how he decided to stay out of jail so he could find out who had done this to him.

At first Mrs. Evans had been shocked, then she had cried, and when she had seen Liz crying too, she had hugged her close. She knew how much Liz meant to Max. And how having Liz tell her was the best Max could do in this situation.

"He'll be back, they both will." Liz had promised. She told Max and Isabel's mom how they'd promised they would be back, but that they had to find out who was trying to frame Max and could only do that if Max wasn't sitting in jail.

After that, Liz and Mrs. Evan's had become closer. Not that they talked much, but it seemed that the two were equally worried about Max and Isabel and Liz tried to help ease Mrs. Evan's worries as much as she possibly could, and she knew that she was the only link their mom felt she had now, to Max and Isabel.

***

She watched as Mrs. Evan's came up to her at the counter. She saw the concern in their mom's eyes as she looked Liz over. Liz tried to smile, seeing how tired Mrs. Evan's looked as well.

"Hi Liz. I just wanted to see how you were." Diane Evans said softly as she sat down for a moment at the counter.

Liz could see her hands shaking, and knew this was a big strain on their mom. She too was hearing all the rumors that Max had run because he was guilty.

"I'm okay Mrs. Evans. How are you and Mr. Evan's holding up?" she asked gently.

Diane took a deep breath, let it out and shrugged. "I just need them to come home." She admitted.

Liz felt her eyes fill with tears as she nodded in agreement. She reached for Mrs. Evan's hand and it seemed as if Diane Evans' took it like she would a lifeline.

She looked at the small young girl who seemed to have won her quiet son's heart, and knew that if Max could come back, he would. And she knew Isabel would come back too, once they knew Max would be okay.

"Have you have you heard from them at all?" Mrs. Evans asked.

Liz shook her head sadly wishing she had, and wishing she could give their mom more hope.

Diane Evans nodded, sighed and giving Liz's hand another squeeze, she stood up.

"Well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay, and to see if there was anything new."

Liz nodded her understanding and watched sadly as Mrs. Evans left.

Maria came up to the counter as their mom left. "Wow. She looks terrible." Maria remarked and put the dirty dishes she had on the counter and looked back from Mrs. Evans, to Liz.

"And you don't look much better." Maria added.

"Well thank you. And of course you look the picture of health yourself." Liz teased.

Maria sighed and picked up the dishes again. "You should try to get more rest Lizzy, your eyes look really dark and shadowed." Maria said as she headed toward the kitchen.

Liz shook her head at that and continued to pour the sugar and set up another pot of coffee for the soon in coming dinner crowd. She didn't know what Maria was talking about. For Maria looked just as tired and worried.

Liz put the sugar away, and headed into the kitchen as well.

Maria was putting the dirty dishes in the sink for Carlos, and Liz headed over to the refrigerator.

Maria turned around in time to see Liz scooping out ice cream into two bowls for them. She smiled. Liz must be feeling worse than usual, for they didn't usually have an ice cream break in the middle of the day, and right before the dinner rush either.

Maria wiped her hands on her apron and joined Liz at the table in the kitchen.

"So, Mrs. Evan's really upset you huh?" Maria asked.

Liz looked up from her preoccupation with the ice cream, and then realizing what Maria had said she looked surprised.

"No. I mean yeah, but no more than normal. Why?" Liz asked as she grabbed two spoons, handed one to Maria and dug into her ice cream.

Maria shrugged. "Afternoon binges on ice cream kinda made me wonder." Maria said tongue in cheek, as she too scooped up some ice cream.

"Hmm Just felt like it that's all." Liz said as she dug in for another scoop.

"Liz, you sure you're okay? I mean, first you don't sleep at all, now all you do is sleep, and now this sudden burst of energy to go find the stalker" Maria asked with a frown of confusion.

"Yeah, of course I'm fine. Well, as fine as any of us can be." Liz reassured her. Then she looked at her spoon, dropped it back into her bowl and reached for the Tabasco sauce that sat on the end of the table with all the other condiments.

Maria stopped eating, the spoon half way to her mouth, as she watched Liz pour the Tabasco sauce over her ice cream and then dig back in and smile in satisfaction as she tasted the new combination.

Maria's look of shock turned to fear. "OH MY GOD! Liz, you aren't!" Maria looked around to make sure they were alone, then came around to Liz who seemed oblivious to Maria's sudden hysterics.

"Liz!" Maria started. "My God! Are you pregnant?" She asked the last in a whisper.

Liz dropped her spoon in surprise and laughed. "Maria! Of course not! What ever made you" Then she stopped as Maria held up the Tabasco sauce, and Liz realized that she had put it in her ice cream without thought.

Liz thought about it calmly and then only shook her head. "I probably just felt closer to Max by eating that." She smiled sadly.

"Oh my God, Liz!" Maria said again, and started pacing. She hadn't thought about it when Liz had confided to her that she and Max had made love on the beach that one time, but now…

Liz didn't want to deal with Maria's hysterics right now, she was too tired. And this conversation was too ridiculous.

“Maria, for one thing, it's probably not possible remember we're too different. And you know it was only the once, and I'm not feeling any you know symptoms. Stop imagining things. Don't we have enough to deal with without making some crazy one's up?" Liz asked, as she watched Maria start to clean the dishes in the sink.

She knew for Maria to be cleaning the dishes herself, when she didn't have to, she was too upset to sit still.

"Come on Maria. Don't get crazy on me now." Liz tried to calm her friend down. "Maria, I'm fine!"

"Oh my God." Was all Maria could say again as she continue to furiously clean the dishes.

"Maria" Liz started again to use logic.

But Maria stopped her when she held up a hand. "Liz, how can you possible know if you are or aren't. We don't even know if you would have the same symptoms, or if you would have it the same way, or anything! Liz, it could be green!"

Liz couldn't help but laugh at that. Maria was totally losing it. "Okay, Maria, you need to calm down before"

Maria's gasp stopped Liz's sentence. A knife had slipped out of Maria's hand and she was staring at the blood the slice had done to the inside of her hand.

"Oh God, Maria." Liz said and grabbed a napkin, with one hand and Maria's hand with the other. "Don't move. Let me put this over it."

But when Liz's hand came in contact with Maria's, Maria saw the wound close up.

"Liz" she whispered. She couldn't say anything more. She had no breath left.

Liz turned back around and saw Maria's hand under her thumb, and that it was perfectly fine. No blood, no cut.

They both stared at Maria's hand for a second more, and then met each other's eyes.