AN/ I'm REALLY sorry that I haven't updated in ages. For the last week I've been sitting three-hour exams that needed to take priority over writing. Real life intervened. Thankyou SO much for the steady flow of reviews, I felt so bad keeping you all waiting. This part isn't anywhere near being as long as I wanted it to be but it is a pivotal part in the story, I hope you like….

Chapter Ten

She was swamped, who'd have thought waitressing was this complicated. Just as she'd learnt how to make a coffee she had to learn how to make a milkshake, they were both drinks, why did they have to be so different?

Liz folded her arms on the counter and dropped her forehead to rest on them; at least she'd had the sense to change into jeans and a white T-shirt. She already had coffee on her top, it was only a few drops but she and stains just didn't get along, no matter how many washes she put them through, they always stayed stubborn.

"You look like how I feel"

She smiled and looked up at Maria imploringly "can I move in with you? I think the Crashdown's profits will be diminished if they leave me to waitress."

"Nonsense, don't listen to her Maria, she's doing great." Tess said pouring a cup of coffee and sliding it over to a customer.

"If you define great as: breaking two plates, spilling one in every two coffee's and getting bitten by the milkshake machine then yes, I've found my calling." Liz smiled sarcastically and rested her chin back on her arms.

"Well…I'd say one in every three" Tess offered meekly.

"See, even she can't deny it" Liz exclaimed.

"Can't deny what?" Isabel asked sitting down beside her and waving to Max and Kyle coming in the door.

"Hi Isabel, Max, Kyle. Don't order a milkshake ok? They'll taste funny for a while" Liz said holding up her finger sporting a large plaster.

"It's going that well huh?" Max asked with a smile sitting next to his sister.

Liz rolled her eyes "waitresses deserve huge tips"

"Dad's not around, if you guys want to go out to the back room I'll just finish up here, Hannah can handle things, its pretty slow today." Tess said waving them off.

"Thank you!" Liz cried slipping down from her chair and stalking out the back.

The others followed a little slower. Liz slumped back in a chair and took her hair out of a clip "wake me up when it's over" she mumbled.

Maria dropped down next to her and pulled Kyle down beside her "where's Alex got to?"

"Band practise" Isabel said immediately and blushed when everyone looked at her "he has it on Monday's" she defended.

Tess pushed through and pulled off her head band and apron "uh, creep" she muttered.

Kyle sat up "what?"

Tess blushed and shook her head "it's nothing, some people just seem…strange, without doing anything." She shrugged and put her hands on her hips looking at all the taken seats "if I get drinks will someone let me sit down?"

"Sure, you'll move won't you Max" Isabel said nudging her brother.

He opened his eyes and glared at her "fine" he sighed.

Tess grinned and grabbed Liz's hand pulling her to her feet "hey!"

"What? You're in training, come on!"

Liz groaned and dragged her feet, following Tess back into the café.

"What do you want?" Tess asked starting to fill four glasses with different things, she smiled when she saw Liz watching her "they always order the same things, Max and Isabel like cherry cola, Maria likes juice and Kyle likes normal coke. What do you want?" Tess asked putting four glasses on a tray and putting out another glass for Liz.

"Um, orange juice thanks" Liz said.

Tess nodded and pushed the tray over to Liz "go on, use two hands if you need to"

She stared at the tray for a moment, not convinced but lifting it anyway and carrying it carefully back out. She kept her eyes firmly on the drinks, biting her lip until she set it down on a table.  Maria clapped "bravo, you're a natural"

Liz curtsied and laughed, sitting back down.

Tess poked her head back in "Liz, do you mind having apple? We've run out of orange"

"Sure what ever" Liz nodded.

"How did your day go?" Max asked taking his glass.

She shrugged "ok, I don't think I won any brownie points with Pam Troy though."

"No great loss" Isabel advised her.

Tess came in and handed Liz her drink and gestured for Max to stand up. He sighed but slowly stood up and leaned back against the wall letting Tess sit.

Liz grinned and took a sip of her drink, wrinkling her nose, she wasn't a big fan of apple juice but this was even bitterer than she remembered. She shrugged and took another sip. Liz watched Kyle watch Tess with a smile, it was sweet the little dance they had going. She turned her gaze to Max and frowned squeezing her eyes shut for a moment and then opening them again, she must be more tired than she'd thought, everything had blurred for a moment.

Sweat popped up on her brow. Liz blinked and frowned, shivering, suddenly not hot but cold. Her stomach felt funny and she pressed a hand to her head feeling dizzy, her throat felt dry and she struggled to pull in a breath.

"Liz?" Max asked looking at her concerned.

She tried to focus on his face "something's wrong" she managed to get out before coughing violently.

Everyone's attention was on her. Maria rubbed her back and Max moved over to kneel in front of her, laying the back of his hand on her forehead "she's burning up" he murmured stroking her cheek "Liz can you tell me what's wrong?"

She shivered, listening to her teeth start chattering "c-cold, my chest hurts and my eyes are…funny" eyelids fluttered and her glass slipped from her fingers, smashing on the floor.

Max looked from Liz to the glass "the drink" he said looking back at the others "something was in the drink, she was fine before"

"What?!" Tess asked standing up looking concerned.

Isabel and Kyle moved closer.

Maria looked over at Tess "you said something before, someone who looked strange"

Tess shrugged looking panicked "just some guy with a moustache, is she going to be ok?"

Liz grabbed Maria's hand, her chest heaving, trying to find enough breath to speak "moustache" she managed.

Maria's eyes widened with realisation "Tess, was the guy blond? About forty?"

"Yeah, yeah he was wearing glasses with black frames" Tess nodded wildly, biting her nails and watching Liz worriedly.

Liz moaned and squeezed her eyes closed, the colours of the room had blurred into one swirl. She whimpered with fear, she was so cold and her whole body felt like it was holding up the weight of a truck, everything hurt. She felt her self slip forward onto her knees, she gasped for breath and felt Max grab hold of her and hold her up.

"Kyle check if the bastard's still out there, Tess go with him. Maria make sure nobody comes back here and Isabel ring Michael, tell him to get here NOW" Max commanded pulling Liz closer.

"Max…" Isabel started.

"Not now Isabel, I don't care. GO!" Max shouted. He gently lowered Liz down so she lay on the floor, making sure she wasn't near the shards of glass "Liz just breath ok?" he told her cupping her face in his hands "look at my eyes, Liz. Ok? You're going to be ok."

The room and people around them faded away, Max's eyes narrowed as he subconsciously pushed away the bombardment of Liz's memories and instead focused on the physical. Her could feel everything that she was feeling, the cold disjointed numbness, her fear, her homesickness and something else, hope, she was hoping this meant she'd be with her mother. He carried on reluctantly half following her thoughts but using his own knowledge to pin point the strange substance. Poison of some sort, the feeling of malice and fear he felt emanating from the molecules was like a fingerprint left behind by the person who'd drugged Liz.

With difficulty, he pushed away his anger and focused his mind on changing the vile liquid into harmless water. He methodically pulled back, layer by layer from Liz's subconscious. On the last level he paused and fed her a thought before pulling away completely.

"Max? Max!"

He opened his eyes and looked around at the four anxious gazes of his friends "it was some sort of drug, poison I don't know which but whoever it was that did this, they definitely targeted Liz" He shook his head and looked down at Liz's now peaceful face "I made her sleep for awhile, we have to think about what we're going to tell her."

"What? How did you make her sleep?" Maria asked.

"Maybe make is the wrong word, I suggested to her subconscious that she should sleep, she can choose to wake up at any time" Max told her wearily "how long was I out?"

"Fifteen minutes, I've never seen you like that for so long" Isabel murmured pressing a hand to her heart and sitting down, relief driving away the last of her adrenalin rush.

"It was bad stuff" He shook his head and focused on Maria "did Liz know this creep?"

Maria shook her head and took a deep breath "ok, look I'll tell you what I know but first we should move her upstairs and wait for Michael and Alex."

"Dad had to drive to Albuquerque to get the new grill, Mom went to the hair dresser, she should be back in half an hour." Tess shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest for warmth "this is going to take longer than half an hour."

"We have no choice, try and delay Nancy for as long as possible," Max told her standing up then bending down and carefully picking Liz up.

"What do we tell her Max" Isabel burst out staring imploringly at her brother; she didn't need to hear what he wanted to do, because she already knew. But somehow she thought hearing him say it would make it more real, this girl was still a stranger, the only reason they were letting her in was for Tess and Michael's security. The girl had to be on side and thinking they were normal, she was less likely to spot the inconsistencies if she trusted them.

Max looked into his sister's terrified eyes and knew she needed him to be strong but he couldn't for the life of him find the strength to give her the reassurance that she so desperately wanted "I don't know Isabel, I really don't know."

TBC

Hopefully the next part will be out reasonably soon, I still have some essay's to write but the worst is over :D