September 18th 1999, Roswell, New Mexico, Crashdown Café

"Okay. One Sigourney Weaver and one Will Smith. Anything else?" asked Liz to the man and woman.

"No, it's okay," the man said.

"Great."

She walked away, joining Maria behind the counter.

"I wish Isabel and Tess hadn't taken the day off today. The place is just... crazy!" Maria told her.

"Well... at least our guys are here," said Liz, indicating Max and Michael sitting in their usual booth, the same the boys had always taken ever since they met, nine years before.

"I see Is and Tess dragged Alex and Kyle into an outing again," whispered Maria.

Liz smiled as Maria walked away with a coffee pot.

"Refill?" she asked a man.

"No! Go away!" he said, barely looking away from the guy sitting across from him.

These two were in the middle of a very ugly argument, and she didn't hesitate to hurry away from them.

She went around, filling a few cups here and there, before going back to Liz.

"Like I said. Crazy."

Liz snickered and smiled at Max, who was looking at her.

"You're paying now! Not later!" came one of the two guys Maria had tried to serve.

They could be heard throughout the room, very loud and clear. He knocked dishes off the table, they shattered on impact.

Maria had moved a bit to the right, and when the dishes hit the ground, she looked to Liz, stunned to silence. The second guy grabbed the first and pulled out a gun. Everyone else hit the deck, but Liz couldn't move.

The men struggled for a few seconds.

When the gun went off, it was deafening.

The men ran out.

Maria looked around for Liz. She was lying on the ground.

"Liz..." she near-whispered.

Max heard and looked. Michael did too, and then said, "Max, go. I think it's okay to break the rules just this once."

He didn't have to be told twice.

He went over and Michael pulled Maria over.

"Call an ambulance," he told her. She ran to the phone.

Max knelt in front of Liz and tore her uniform opened. Blood was gushing from the hole and Max's face lost all its color.

Taking control he placed his hand over it. He met Liz's eyes and was hit by images. He knew them. Images from their childhood.

When it stopped, he removed his hand and her skin was clean and whole.

"Max..." she managed to whisper.

"It's okay," he told her.

And then Michael and him ran out and drove off. Liz couldn't move, looking at the ketchup he had spilled on her without her noticing.

Maria joined her, not sure of what to do or say.

"You okay?"

She was still looking outside.

October 5th 1999, Roswell, New Mexico. Evans' home.

"Hey. Ready?" asked Michael, as he and Tess met Max and Isabel in Max's room.

"Yeah," said Max.

"Okay, then. Let's go."

They went to the kitchen, where their parents were all having breakfast together.

"We're going on a road trip. We'll be back by tonight," said Max.

"Alright," said Diane.

"Where are you going?" asked Molly.

"We don't know yet," Tess said, smiling to her mom.

"Be careful," said Rachel.

"We will, mom," said Michael.

The four left.

"At this point, I just let them do what they want. They always do this kind of thing like it's some big secret," said Philip.

"I'm sure it's nothing bad," insisted Robert.

"And if it gets to be too much, we'll talk to them," said Jay.

Crashdown café

Liz, Maria, Kyle and Alex sat at the counter, waiting for the others.

"Hey, guys. What are you doing here?" asked Liz's mom.

"We're waiting for Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess. We're going on a road trip. We'll be back before tonight," said Liz.

"Okay... well you could have told me."

"I told dad."

"Oh. Do you want me to pack you a lunch?"

"That'd be great!" said Maria.

"Okay. The usual?"

"Yes," they all answered.

Nancy nodded and went off.

Five minutes later, the others arrived. All eight paired off, Max and Liz, Michael and Maria, Alex and Isabel, and Kyle and Tess.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" asked Alex.

"Alex, Isabel, Liz and myself will take the Jeep. The others take the Jetta. If that's okay," said Max.

All agreed.

"Here you go!" said Nancy, as she set the bags on the counter.

"Thanks, Mom!" said Liz, hugging her mom.

They took the bags and split up in the two cars. Michael drove the Jetta, and Max drove the Jeep behind him.

September 18th 1999, Roswell, New Mexico. Liz's balcony.

Liz sat in silence, lost in her thoughts. 'What happened this morning?' she thought. It just didn't make any sense. She knew she'd been shot. She'd never felt that much pain in her whole life. And then she was okay.

Max did something to her. But what?

"Liz?" Maria said as she joined her.

"Hey."

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Liz!"

She turned and saw Kyle and Alex, followed by Isabel and Tess, and eventually Max and Michael.

"We just heard. You okay?" asked Isabel frantically.

Each of her friends hugged her, as if to make sure she was okay.

"I'm fine. I think. It's just it doesn't make sense, the way things happened."

Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess exchanged looks, each knowing they didn't have much of a choice. They only hoped they'd take it well.

"What's going on?" asked Kyle, noticing it.

"There's something we need to tell you. It's something we've wanted to tell you ever since the day we met. And we need you to promise you won't tell anyone." They nodded. Max checked with the others one more time. "Okay, well, it has to do with where were from."

Isabel and Tess had their heads down, afraid to look at their reactions. Michael was looking at Maria, waiting to see how she'd take it. Max was looking at Liz, for the same reason. The other four looked to their boyfriends/girlfriends, already confused.

October 5th 1999, the Jeep.

Max followed the Jetta, unsure of where they were even going. He looked to Liz, who sat by his side. She smiled and he felt better.

In the back, Alex and Isabel were silent, observing the landscape they passed.

"So... do we know what we're doing when we get there?" Alex finally said.

"Michael seems to know what he wants to do," said Isabel.

"But he hasn't told you?" asked Liz.

"No."

"Guess we'll find out when we get there. I just hope we're all still in one piece when this is over," said Alex looking out at the sky.

The others smiled and continued the trip in silence.

The Jetta

Michael drove the vehicle, while discussing the new English teacher with Kyle. The girls were in the back, talking about a movie they wanted to go see. It was obvious they didn't want to talk about the dome.

It kinda scared them, 'cause they had no idea what awaited them there. Not that it was a problem. All understood how important it was. Also, they liked these road trips, all of them, nothing to worry about... they loved it.

Michael looked at Maria in the rearview mirror. He just hoped she wouldn't get hurt in the process. This girl had been a great friend for so long, a great girlfriend now.

The Dome

They had arrived.

It was just like in the picture. Still no handle on the door.

Both cars were parked not too far, but not too close to it.

The eight stood speechless in front of it.

"So what now?" asked Kyle.

"I don't know," said Michael.

"Why don't we eat first?" asked Tess.

"Good idea," said Liz.