WRITTEN BY:Kal-El

DISCLAIMER:Liz, Max, Michael, Maria, Isabel, Kyle, and all other characters are the property of Jason Katmis and UPN. I don't own them, so please don't sue me.

CATEGORY:Dreamer(Max/Liz for the uninformed).

RATING: PG-13. If you can watch the show, you can read this..

SPOILERS: Takes place after 'Departure'.

Cut to Maria's house.

MARIA: (yelling)Are you COMPLETELY insane or something?

LIZ: Hold on, Maria...

MARIA: No, I will not hold on. How could you agree to go to this party with my loser cousin?

LIZ: I didn't agree with anything. I said 'I'd think about it'.

MARIA: And what exactly was the problem with just saying 'no way'? God, I can't believe this. At what point did you turn into a WB character?

Liz gives her an evil look.

LIZ: What's that supposed to mean?

MARIA: Didn't you say that you had the usual 'pained and intense' conversation with Max last night?

LIZ: Yes...but I just don't know how to handle this.

Cut to outside, Max and Michael are heading towards Maria's house.

MAX: So, that's the plan, huh? We go over ideas of how to explain Tess' sudden disappearance to the rest of Roswell. Shouldn't we talk this over with the Valenti's first?

MICHAEL: Actually, Maxwell, I haven't been quite honest with you about something. For one, I'm going here just to see Maria. And two, Liz doesn't know you're coming.

Max turns around to leave, but Michael grabs him by the shoulder.

MICHAEL: Hold it. Where do you think you're going?

MAX: Somewhere else. Michael, I don't want to do this.

MICHAEL: Tough.

Cut back to Maria's room.

LIZ: You know how I feel about Max, right?

MARIA: Unfortunately.

LIZ: And you see, sometimes you have to keep secrets that you don't want to keep. In order to protect people you care about.

MARIA: Is this about the whole 'you-know-what' thing?

LIZ: It's...complicated. And it would be a lot easier if Sean would just leave us alone. It's tough enough to try and figure things out with Max without worrying about your overly smitten cousin.

At that moment, outside, Max approaches the window.

LIZ: I mean, just who does he think he is. He just keeps showing up at the Crashdown thinking he owns me or something. Doesn't he understand that I'm just not interested?

Suddenly, Max's face falls. He thinks that Liz is talking about him.

LIZ: I don't want to see him. Not now, or ever. God, I wish he'd just go back where he came from.

With that, Max's heart practically shatters. He turns and walks away.

MARIA: Wow, that's being a little harsh, isn't it?

LIZ: Sorry. I guess I'm just a little stressed out. I know he means well, but could you just tell him to back off, okay?

MARIA: I'll try.

Cut to the front porch. Liz and Maria see Michael walk up to the door. He kisses Maria, and then looks around for Max.

MARIA: (whispering)Where's...?

They see Max walking away from the house.

LIZ: Max?

Liz goes after him.

LIZ: Max. What are you doing here? Listen, there's something I want to talk to you about...

MAX: (painfully)Oh, I think I've heard enough, Liz.

He looks at her with pain-filled eyes. Liz looks confused, not understanding where this is coming from.

LIZ: What's wrong? What...?

MAX: Don't! Ok?

And with that, Max walks away.

MICHAEL: What the heck just happened?

Cut to an alley behind the UFO Museum.

Max walks into the ally, still felling hurt. In rage, he punches the wall.

MAX: AH!

His fist leaves a hole in the wall. Max then sits down, leaning his back against it. He closes his eyes.

Cut to Maria's room. Michael and Maria are sitting on the bed.

MICHAEL: I tried, ok? You can't say I didn't try. As a matter of fact, I tried twice. Max Evans is just stubborn like you wouldn't believe.

MARIA: Must run in the alien family.

MICHAEL: I am not stubborn.

MARIA: Yes you are.

MICHAEL: Prove it.

MARIA: Well...right now. You're being stubborn about admitting that you're stubborn.

MICHAEL: Uh uh...no way are you using circular logic to get out of this one.

Maria moves closer to him, giving him a mischievous smile.

MARIA: And how do you plan to stop me?

Michael smiles back at her. They start to kiss when Sean appears at the door.

SEAN: Hey Mari-ahhhhh!!!!

Michael and Maria quickly break apart, and give Sean angry looks.

MARIA: (angrily)Get...lost!

SEAN: I just wanted to know if Liz was still...

Sean ducks out of the way, a pillow narrowly missing his head. He leaves in a hurry.

Michael puts up his hand and hits the door with a force blast. It slams shut.

MICHAEL: Now, where were we?

Cut to nighttime. Liz is walking with Sean at an outdoor party.

SEAN: I'm really glad that you decided to come, Liz.

LIZ: (muttering)Not like I had anything else to do.

SEAN: What was that?

LIZ: Oh, I just said 'I'm glad to be here'.

Somewhere else at the party, another group of familiar faces show up.

Max, Michael, Maria, Kyle, and Isabel show up...followed by 'Alex'.

KYLE: Thank you! Finally. I was starting to think that I'd never get out of that garage again. It's just...strange.

ISABEL: What is?

KYLE: Doing something as normal as going to a party. It seems so...un-alien.

MICHAEL: That's a good thing. Right, Max?

MAX: I don't want to be here.

Michael rolls his eyes.

Just then, Max sees Sean and Liz ahead of them.

MAX: I really don't want to be here.

Maria sees them as well.

MARIA: Can't one of you hideously mutate him or something? It would really help me a lot.

MAX: Don't tempt me.

MICHAEL: When did I become the rational one around here? Could somebody tell me?

ALEX: Use the force, Luke.

Isabel looks at Alex strangely.

ALEX: Sorry, it's just I feel like Obi-Wan...

Everyone looks at Isabel strangely.

ALEX: Nothing personal, but I think it would be a good idea if you stopped looking at me.

Cut to Sean getting some punch for Liz.

SEAN: Thanks.

He takes the drinks. He then looks over his shoulder to see if anyone is watching him.

Then he takes a small packet out of his pocket, filled with a light-blue powder. He sprinkles the powder into one of the cups and puts the packet back in his pocket.

He walks over to Liz and gives her the cup he put the powder into.

LIZ: Thanks Sean.

She drinks the entire cup.

LIZ: I don't want you to get the wrong idea about this. The only reason I came along was to...

She starts to feel dizzy.

LIZ: ...to...what's in this...

Sean gives her a fake look of surprise.

SEAN: Oh no, somebody must have spiked the punch. I'd better take you home.

LIZ: No, I'm fine. A little alcohol never hurt anybody. I'm fine.

Sean smiles.

SEAN: If you say so. Come on.

Sean leads her away.

Cut to Max and Michael sitting in a corner.

MICHAEL: Ok, it can't be as bad as you think?

MAX: She told Maria that she wished I would have gone back where I came from. I think her opinion of me is pretty clear.

MICHAEL: That doesn't sound like her.

MAX: Oh and suddenly you're the expert?

MICHAEL: I seem to be thinking clearer than you, Maxwell. (he pauses)I'm actually thinking clearer than I ever have in my life. And I can assure you that she'd never want something like that.

MAX: How are you so sure?

MICHAEL: Because Maria's her best friend. And Maria wouldn't be friends with someone who gave up that easily.

MAX: You do realize that you have too much faith in people.

MICHAEL: Once upon a time, you did too. What happened?

MAX: (coldly)Tess happened.

MICHAEL: Oh, I get it. You're going to spend the rest of your life thinking everyone's like Tess was. She played us all for fools, Max. Not just you. You're supposed to be our leader, right? Well, the leader is always the target. Tess Harding won't be the last person to target you, either. Now, are you going to let fear that someone is going to betray you prevent you from ever trusting anyone ever again.

MAX: I have to! I let my guard down and Alex paid for it with his life. Who's it going to be next time? It can't happen again, and I won't allow it.

MICHAEL: You once said that we're all in this together, right? That we're supposed to be a team...a family. Well, I've got news for you pal. Families trust each other. I'm not just talking about me, you, and Isabel. I'm talking about all six of us. Seven if you count Valenti. That means that you can't do it alone, no matter how much you want to 'protect' us. You have to trust us.

Michael gets up.

MICHAEL: Think about it.

He leaves, leaving Max alone with his thoughts.

Cut to near a building wall, where Sean is talking to Liz.

SEAN: Something's bothering you, Liz...and I want to know what.

LIZ: (groggily)It's complicated.

SEAN: Is it about Max. You're upset about some guy?

LIZ: Max...he isn't just 'some guy'...he's different than...

She starts to get dizzy again.

SEAN: He's different from most people isn't he?

LIZ: Yes. I mean no...I didn't mean to say...

SEAN: Relax, you didn't do anything wrong. Just tell me...what's so special about Max Evans. What is he hiding?

Liz gets a horrified look on her face...understanding what is happening.

LIZ: The punch...it wasn't spiked at all, was it? You...you did something to it, didn't you?

SEAN: I just wanted to help you tell the truth, Liz. The truth doesn't hurt. Now...about Max Evans...

LIZ: No!

Liz tries to get away, but Sean grabs her roughly by the shoulders.

LIZ: Let me go.

SEAN: I don't want to hurt you Liz, believe me. But you have to tell me the truth. Max isn't like everyone else, is he?

Liz nods her head.

SEAN: He's different than me, he's different than you, he's different than anybody. What's he hiding...what is his secret?

Liz actually looks scared.

SEAN: (whispering)He's not even human, is he?

Before she can answer, however, they hear a loud noise behind them. A group of guys have set off fireworks, causing a diversion.

Liz uses this diversion to break free of Sean's grip and push him to the ground.

SEAN: Liz...stop!

Too late. Liz begins to run until she reaches a fire escape on the other side of the street. Sean chases after her, but is stopped by a crowd of party-goers.

SEAN: LIZ!

Liz starts to climb the fire escape.

She climbs up to the top of the roof and runs along the edge of the building; her only thought is to get as far away from Sean De Luca as possible. At least until whatever drug he slipped her wears off.

But before she can far, her head starts to spin. She begins to feel dizzy again.

Cut to back on the ground. Max is still thinking about what Michael said to him.

Then, he notices Liz on the roof.

MAX: Liz?

The next thing he notices is Liz slipping, and beginning to fall off of it.

He quickly rises to his feet and runs towards the building.

MAX: (yelling)LIZ? NOOOOO!!!!

Next:Oh no...what's going to happen to Liz? Hope Sean has his health insurance paid up for when Max catches up to him.

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