Okay, so I didn't really consider the consequences of asking, but I'm going to blame it on post-traumatic stress syndrome. However, the way I consider it, is that I only have around 10 days to get everyone together. If I didn't start the ball rolling now, I doubt I would ever win this game with Nasedo - regardless of Michael's amount of choking behind me.

"Sure, Max. It sounds like fun." I heard Liz say and my heart leapt at the possibility of her saying that she would go. Looking up, I saw Liz smiling sweetly at me as Maria was grinning at the still-shocked Michael. "Besides, we're all just friends, right?"

Just friends!? I never thought that two words in the English language would cause me more pain. Then again, I guess what goes around, comes around and man, it does hurt when it comes around.

"Just friends." I stammered.

"Well, since you guys are okay, Max and I better head home." Michael announced as he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the van. "Bye Liz and Maria."

Liz and Maria waved, but I couldn't concentrate on Liz because as soon as Michael and I neared the Jeep... Michael couldn't hold back his displeasure anymore. "Maxwell Evans. Have you officially LOST your mind?" Michael said in a cool voice, struggling not to scream at me. "Dating... Hell, not even that... DOUBLE dating, for crying out loud! Listen, I know that you have this schoolboy infatuation with the Parker-girl, but c'mon! You're breaking EVERY rule that we set up to protect us!" He did his trademark Michael as he ran his hands through his spiked hair.

"Don't try to worm out of this. You're going Michael. Maria already said she would."

"Like I care! I'm not going. It's against all the rules, against own pact, Max." Michael said as he angrily stomped to the Jeep.

I shrugged. "Michael. Maybe it's time for us to set up some new rules." I jumped into the drivers' side of the Jeep, started the engine and effectively ended the conversation, until we were further away from the Crashdown.

"Michael. You need to give someone a chance." I shouted over the roar of the wind as we drove back to my house.

Michael looked at me if I was completely insane. "Max... I can't open up to anyone and neither should you!" He stared at me, his mouth turned down in his frown. "Listen, I know you like the Parker-girl, but you can't put Izzy and I in danger because of what you feel towards her."

"It's not like that, Michael. I don't just LIKE Liz Parker... I'm in LOVE with Liz Parker." I said, shaking my head in frustration.

"That's bullshit, Max and you know it! How can you love her when you barely even know her?" Michael yelled. "You're completely, totally insane now... now I'm sure of it."

"Listen, just trust me, Michael... Just trust that the love I have for Liz Parker will be returned. Trust that sometimes things aren't what they seem to be."

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

Feeling totally drained from my argument with Michael, I couldn't wait to go to sleep because I hoped that Isabel would dream walk Liz into my dreams once again. I wanted to talk to Liz, find out what was happening in MY time, MY life... I didn't like the idea that I suddenly disappeared in my time period and hopefully the gang created some excuse that would buy me some time to play Nasedo's game.

Nasedo's game... I sighed as I thought about what little progress I had made so far. I needed to get all of the couples together, and I knew at this moment in time, Isabel probably didn't know Alex was even alive.

I don't know when I fell asleep, but suddenly I found myself walking on the same gray slate background where I had met Liz before. Looking around, it was a vast wasteland of nothingness and I briefly wondered why I couldn't put us in a more "comfortable" setting... say Hawaii.

"Max!!" Liz's voice rang out as I tried in vain to change the setting of my dream. Liz suddenly appeared from a section of the gray nothingness and ran into my arms. She was trembling as I held her against my body tightly, not wanting to let her go.

"Are you okay, Liz? What's wrong?" I looked closely at her and noticed the tears falling down her cheeks as she leaned into me.

"Max... Nasedo's been impersonating you in our time." She said between her quiet sniffles.

"He almost tricked me today into going somewhere with him... but at the last moment I noticed that he wasn't wearing the necklace I gave you the other day." I started to say something, but Liz shook her head, wanting to continue as she brushed the tears off of her eyes. "I didn't let him know that I knew where you were... I yelled at him to let us know where you were.... He... he.. said that he would return you... but not to me... To your... destined mate."

At that moment, I could of killed Nasedo. It's fine that he was messing with me, but it was evil to mess with Liz.

I hugged Liz to me tightly. "It's okay, hon... He can't force me to love someone else... No one can force me to love anyone, but you." Smiling at her, I tenderly kissed her forehead. "Don't worry. I'll win the game that Nasedo has challenged me to, just believe in me, Liz."

"I always believe in you Max." Liz stretched up on her toes and kissed my lips softly. "I have to leave now... Izzy has been practicing, but she can't hold the connection for a real long time."

Reluctantly, I let Liz slide out of my arms and back into the gray nothingness. The minute she disappeared, I could feel the emptiness settling back inside of me. I knew then that I needed Liz Parker, just as much as she needed me.

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

Most of Friday came and went uneventfully. West Roswell High was all-abuzz about the shooting at the Crashdown and how I had pushed Liz away from the bullet and "saved the day." Liz and Maria seemed fine and they both came up to me at lunch to get mine and Michael's phone numbers, so everyone could plan out what we were doing Saturday night.

"Max!" Liz and Maria called out to me as I walked across the West Roswell High quad during lunch hour.

"Hi Liz, Hi Maria." I said as they made their way across the pack of students to my side.

"So, I was thinking about Saturday..." Maria announced. "If you want to, maybe we could go out to dinner at the new restaurant by the highway and then, maybe we could rent a video and watch it at Liz's house... since her parents aren't going to be home this weekend..." Maria singsonged suggestively. Maria waved her hands around in the air as her eyes twinkled mischievously as she told me her plan.

Liz's parents... not home? I inwardly cheered for parental vacations and seized the golden opportunity that it was. The fact that I could possibly spend the night with Liz was just too much of a good, great, fantastic thing.

"That sounds perfect, Maria. I'm sure that Michael would love it too." I smiled at Liz, who was surprisingly quiet, and then at Maria.

"Great. Well, I gotta go, because if I'm late to history again... Mr. Smith is going to flip." Maria waved and walked away, leaving me alone with Liz.

Liz looked a little shaken and quiet, her eyes downcast as she stood quietly next to me.

"Uh... Liz are you okay?" I said, peering at her nervously.

Shaking her head slightly, Liz looked around before quietly whispering, "Max, I need to talk to you. In PRIVATE." She stressed, grabbed my arm and began pulling me in the general direction of the eraser room. (A room that I will fondly recall many, many wonderful private moments with my Liz.)

As she pulled me across campus, I wondered what was going on that would make Liz act this way. She never acted really unhappy and I couldn't understand what could be troubling her... I never told her I was an alien this time!