A/N: Yes, I'm aware that I've been particularly remiss with updating. However with life outside of writing being horrifically busy and weird, it cuts into my writing time, as well as creating a horrid case of writer's block. (It's the bane of my existence!) I solemnly swear that this story will eventually be completed. I don't know when, but it will. I'm wonderfully stubborn that way!

The same disclaimers apply; so does the fact that I like comments and criticism. Review when you finish, it makes me happy!

Chapter 38

Liz sat on her lounge chair. She'd forced herself to stop pacing the balcony a moment before. Max had broken the connection before Kyle and he had arrived at the sheriff's station. Liz absently fiddled with the blanket she had draped over the chair. She was worried that the two men would be caught. Her mind spun with the events of the day. The thought of Max in handcuffs disturbed her, and she involuntarily stood and began pacing again. It didn't matter that Max was an alien king who had years experience hiding from his enemies, and that breaking into Roswell's small sheriff station was a simple task for him, she still worried about him. She chuckled at the thought. If anyone ever knew what she was thinking, they'd lock her up… She looked over the edge of her balcony for the millionth time.

"Stop it Liz," she muttered to herself. "He's not there. You'll know when he's there. So just stop it and do something productive." Her eyes darted around the balcony. There wasn't much she could do at present…or was there? She quickly went back inside and retrieved her engagement ring from the bathroom counter. The flash lasted slightly longer this time and she recognized the house. It was Max's. She frowned, wondering if she was getting Jeremy's latent flashes. She studied the ring again, almost as if the diamond was a crystal ball and looking at it would answer all her questions.

Liz's musings were interrupted by the now familiar feeling that accompanied Max's presence. She stuck the ring in her pocket and quickly headed out to the balcony where Kyle and Max stood; holding what looked like a palm pilot attached to a wand of some kind. Max grinned at her. "I told you this would be easy," he declared.

Liz glanced at Kyle who looked like he was high on something…probably adrenaline, she concluded as he started to ramble about their foray into his dad's office. "Max made the drainpipe into a ladder, and we climbed up," Kyle exclaimed. "I couldn't believe it!"

Liz grinned and looked at Max who simply shrugged. "I didn't want to have to climb up the drainpipe," he explained sheepishly before he turned his attention back to the device he held in his hand.

Kyle redirected his attention towards the device also. He frowned in confusion. "I don't know how this thing works…" He muttered after a moment of looking at the various settings. "Maybe we should call dad?" Kyle looked up at Max and then at Liz who was chuckling at the Kyle's perplexed look.

"Let me see it." Liz gently took the PDA out of Max's hand. She scrolled through the options pushing a few buttons, and suddenly, the device let out a chirp. All three jumped at the sound, and Liz looked furtively at her parent's window above them. She motioned for the three to go inside. After she'd shut the window she turned her attention back to the screen. It was streaming data, and after a moment, she recognized the MHz frequency she'd studied in physics. It was reading the energy in the room. Slowly she began to pass the wand over the room. There were slight jumps when she reached her radio and alarm clock but nothing too suspicious. When she finished her careful sweeping of the room she turned to the two men that were standing in the middle of it, looking worried. She shook her head. "I think it's clean. There's nothing to suggest that he planted anything here." She smiled as she set the Geiger counter down, and gave Max's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"So, I guess it's off to Max's?" Kyle asked gamely.

Max cleared his throat. "Let's do it tomorrow. It's late, and I don't want to wake my parents up by searching for bugs. We'll do it after they leave for work."

Kyle nodded. "Yeah that makes sense." There was an awkward silence that filled the air as Kyle rocked back on his heels. Kyle's eyes darted between Max and Liz. "I wish you would stop doing that Alien Voodoo around me," he announced a moment later. "It's not like it's bad enough I broke into my dad's office using a ladder that wasn't there, but the two of you talking to each other and making rendezvous' in my presence is just wrong on so many levels."

Max smirked as he pulled Liz closer. "Sorry Kyle. Why don't we meet tomorrow, and we'll sweep my house and your dad's? I don't think we'll find any at the sheriff's house, but we should do it just to be safe."

"Why don't you think you'll find anything at Dad and Amy's?"

"Because I only saw Jeremy staking out Max's house," Liz replied. Kyle cocked his eyebrow and waited for Liz to explain. "I had a flash while you two were out. Jeremy was watching Max's house."

"When?" Kyle asked as he sat rigidly on the edge of Liz's bed.

"I don't know. The flash was pretty short. The first time, I didn't even realize it was Max's house."

Kyle frowned. "It sounds like you had more than one flash."

"She did," Max explained. "She's getting latent flashes from her ring. The first one, she just saw someone looking through binoculars. The second one, she saw my house. It makes sense that it's Jeremy spying on me."

Kyle held up his hand, "wait, what are latent flashes?"

"They're kind of like memories of events that are stored in inanimate objects," Liz said as she pulled her ring out of her pocket. "In this case, we think its Jeremy's memories being transferred to the ring he gave me."

"Mmmkay," Kyle exhaled loudly. "So pretty much that ring has some of Jeremy's memories?"

Liz shrugged. "Something like that."

"How come you didn't get those flashes before?"

"Because you only get them when you have intense emotions or feelings, or when there is a heightened sense of danger," Max explained.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Great, so we have to wait for Liz to get all excited before we'll get another clue from the crystal ball?"

Both Max and Liz grimaced at his choice of words, but nodded. After all, Kyle was right about the situation, in a blunt sort of way. "I'll keep trying to work at it," Liz said.

Kyle put rubbed his temples like he had a headache. "Oh Buddha, this is too much." Max smirked. "Ok, so let's call it a night, and tomorrow, we'll talk more about this flash, and check for bugs. I gotta go meditate now." Kyle stood and headed for the window.

Liz smiled. "Thanks Kyle, you've been a big help." She followed him out and gave him a hug once they were on the balcony. "I'll call you in the morning," she said in a hushed voice.

Kyle nodded, waved at Max, and then quickly descended the ladder jogging off into the night.

Max grinned at Liz. "Alone at last," he murmured as he pulled Liz to him.

Liz tightened her arms around Max's waist and rested her head on his chest. She was silent for several minutes. Finally she asked, "What are we going to do if he has videos of you, Isabel and Michael?"

Max sighed heavily and gently disengaged Liz's arms. "I don't see any other option but to kill him," he said softly.

Murderer! The thought came unbidden from Liz's mind. It hung in the connection between them, echoing the pain and bloodshed that the word encompassed.

I've killed people before Liz. I hated it, but I have to protect my family, Max told her. Liz swallowed, but didn't say anything, so Max continued. I don't want to kill him because I know you still care for him, but Liz, if he has information that could possibly hurt all of us, I have to do something. Liz could feel his anger and anguish.

She forced the thoughts she had from her mind as she hugged him tighter. Alright, she said at last. Let's just hope he doesn't know anything.

Max kissed her head. I'm sorry.

Liz looked up at him. "Don't be sorry Max. You have to do what you have to do." She pulled away and looked directly into his eyes. I would do anything to protect you, she said silently.

Max nodded slightly. So would I… Max promised.

Both Liz and Max jumped when her parent's bedroom light flicked on. Go, Max! Liz urged as she shoved him towards the fire escape. She watched him descend quickly before settling herself on her chaise. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She thought she heard a soft knock on her door. She waited a few more moments, and then she felt a gentle hand shake her. She looked up to see her mom wrapped in her robe.

"What are you doing out here, Liz?"

Liz blinked for a minute, and rubbed her eyes in what she hoped was a sleepy manner. "Mom?" She sat up. "I came out to look at the stars; I guess I fell asleep." Unbidden, an innocent smile played on her lips, and Nancy smiled back.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," Nancy said as she wrapped an arm around Liz's waist and steered her towards the window.

A moment later, Liz lay in her darkened room. Goodnight, Max, she said as she drifted into a light slumber.

Goodnight Liz, Max replied. I love you.