1 I apologise for the lateness of posting this – I have been very busy lately, and I haven't really had a chance to surf the Net. In answer to questions, yes, I'm aware that I got Liz to tell Max twice – but I thought that in the series the importance of what she had done was glossed over to advance the storyline. So I thought that it was important to go over it again.

Secondly, I've written 17 parts of this fic so far, so I'll be posting a part every day if I can.

Okay, on with the story!

2

3 bPart Three/b

From sound sleep, Liz's eyes blinked open, staring unrelentingly into the darkness. Without her even realising it at first, the sensation being so mild to begin with, the hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle and her entire body filled with dread….excitement…fear. Liz wasn't sure.

Something was going to happen tomorrow, she knew.

Something big.

****

Heavily laden with plates of food, Liz moved through the restaurant easily, her motions borne of years of practice. Smiling, she headed towards table 4, where hungry patrons awaited impatiently for their Men In Black burgers. In mid step, Liz faltered, her senses spiking as though struck by an electrical force. Instantly, her grip loosened in reflex and, her mouth pursed into an O, Liz watched as the dishes fell, flipping through the air as though performing their own aerobatics, determined to out do the other. Helpless, Liz could do nothing but observe as they met with the floor, shattering upon impact. The resounding crash echoed throughout the restaurant, startling more than a few customers as their heads spun to stare at Liz accusingly for disturbing their peace.

"Liz!" Kyle rushed over from where he had sat awaiting his meal, his eyes searching her frame anxiously. "Are you okay?" he asked, taking her hand and looking into her eyes. Liz remained where she was, despite Kyle's frantic grasping, her hands poised as though still carrying the plates she had once held, her eyes unblinking.

"Liz!"

"Liz!"

"Can you hear me?"

"Are you okay?"

The voice sounded urgent, desperation becoming more so with every word, yet Liz felt as though she were apart from it. Darkness teased the edges of her mind and the world around her buzzed with immeasurable energy. It felt as though she were falling…falling…and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her stomach heaved as she plummeted, fear rising into her throat and choking her. Her eyes fluttering closed, Liz could feel power swirl around her, clouding her roaring senses and cloaking reality with its seduction. It teased the boundaries of her consciousness before rushing at her, bent on overwhelming. Liz cried out in shock as the flurry rocked her.

A light flashed, blinding her for a moment and she flinched, recoiling against the intense brightness. A face appeared before her, grainy and indistinct, yet Liz felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity. She could feel the urgency that emitted from the face, could feel its desperation and her mouth moved, trying to form words. Her vision blurred, and Liz cried out again, attempting in vain to focus in on the face.

Disorientated by her efforts, Liz stumbled backwards, only vaguely aware of hands reaching forth to steady her. Kyle, she recognised dimly and stiffened. Kyle. She could feel him, sense him. She could somehow see inside him.

Panic. Fear. Concern. They all meld into one.

The intensity of the emotions gave Liz little choice. Her mind opened, accepting as a light flickered behind her eyes. If she could only…

"Liz!"

The loud shout startled Liz and instantly, the fog retreated as the spell broke. Dazed, Liz opened her eyes, feeling as though she had just lost something…something she hadn't truly realised existed until this moment. instantaneously, she was acutely aware of the slivers of energy running through her, all over her body.

A sharp intake of breath beside her made her look up in query. A pair of stunned brown eyes met hers.

"What the hell was that?" Kyle whispered, his voice shaky.

Liz shook her head, speechless. She had no idea what it was or even how it had been started. Her loss of control over herself frightened her, however, she had felt no fear of the power itself. Something whispered in the back of her mind, but Liz ignored it, her eyes sending a desperate message for Kyle to keep silent. Sluggishly, she moved away from Kyle, who dropped his hands back to his sides limply. He continued to stare at her, his brow furrowed in confusion and concern.

"Liz? Are you okay?" Maria skidded to a stop beside her, her eyebrows arched in anxiety. Her gaze flickered between Kyle and Liz, both of whom watched each other as though unable to look away. "Hello? Am I in some kind of vacuum? What is wrong with you two?"

Distracted, Kyle tore his eyes away from Liz and turned to the blonde who watched them both with apprehension edging on annoyance. "Liz just…." He began to speak.

"Nothing, Maria," Liz butted in, shooting Kyle a warning glance. "Nothing is wrong, I'm just embarrassed that I made such a mess." She gave a tentative smile that was somewhat shaky around the edges.

Instantly concerned, Maria took her arm and led her towards the back room, motioning to a nearby hovering waitress to clean up the mess. Frowning, Kyle followed.

Liz raised a trembling hand to her forehead. "I'm fine, Maria, Kyle. I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

Maria looked sympathetic. "Max came to see you, didn't he." Her voice didn't rise in question, as it normally would have, because Maria knew that he did. Liz's pale face was complimented by the shadows under her eyes, indicating a restless night. A restless night attested to a Max visit, Maria knew.

Kyle looked furious, his tanned face flushing red. "He did what? Liz, I told that jerk to stay away from you, to give you time!" His eyes searched hers worriedly and he did not like what he saw. His jaw clenched. When he got his hands on that….

Liz shook her head, placing a comforting hand on Kyle's arm. "No, Kyle. He was right to come and see me…and I'm glad that he did. I told him," she said simply. "I told him everything, about the Max from the future, about me sleeping with Kyle…he knows everything now."

Maria nodded, draping a comforting arm along her friend's shoulders. Kyle, on the other hand, looked confused.

"Max from the future?" he echoed in confusion.

Smiling faintly, Liz shook her head at Kyle. "We have to have a meeting," she stated simply.

Maria looked startled, as though the thought had only just occurred to her. "You have to tell them," she said to Liz.

Liz nodded in response, her eyes resigned.

Watching the two girls leave to spread the news to the group, Kyle followed them, muttering quietly to himself. "Max from the future?"

****

The Valenti residence was silent, the words just spoken weighting heavily in the air around them as full comprehension dawned. The reason behind the tension that had been, and continues to be, palatable between Max and Liz, despite the civility, had now been revealed…and it was more than anyone had expected.

Liz kept her eyes focused firmly upon the ground, relieved to finally have her story out into the open. In the back of her mind, she was constantly aware of the threat of an unknown future they currently had to face, even more uncertain now that Tess had been discovered traitor.

"Liz, wow," Isabel said, hopelessly, unsure on how to react to the seemingly fragile creature who had taken on so much for them. "There is so much we have to thank you for." Her disbelieving eyes travelled the room, focusing in on Max, who did not seem surprised at all by Liz's revelations, to Michael, who appeared to be watching the dark haired girl as though she were something unexpected.

Liz raised her eyes and met Isabel's tentative smile with one of her own. "That's not what I did it for, Isabel," Liz remarked quietly. "I did it because it was right. I couldn't stand aside and watch everything, everything that I loved," her eyes rose to Max's and quickly fell, as though ashamed of the betraying action, "be destroyed, when it was something that I could have prevented," she finished. She took a deep breath, her heart twisting painfully. "I'm not proud of what I had to do to accomplish it, and the pain that I had to cause. But I am glad that I did it." Glad…except for one thing, she added silently. Alex. Thrusting back her shoulders, she told herself that she would deal with it later.

Isabel felt her eyes brim with tears. "Liz….thank you….I don't think I could ever tell you how much….." She cleared her throat, her smile becoming somewhat self mocking. "I know that we haven't been the very image of appreciation, and some would probably call us a bit selfish."

Maria snorted. "A bit?" she queried silently to Kyle, mouthing the words.

"But I do thank you…all of you," Isabel finished after darting a glance at the snickering Maria and Kyle. They sobered as Isabel's voice rang with sincerity. "I appreciate all that you have done for us, stood by us, often without us asking for it."

"And sometimes with danger to yourselves," Max stepped forward, smiling gently at his sister before turning his attention on the three humans who had gone so long without being recognised for all that they had done. Max acknowledged to himself that this was long overdue, that the flurry of activity the group had been involved in left little time for appreciation. "We are glad to have you…not only because you know our secret, this has gone beyond that now. But because you are friends."

Liz smiled at Max's simple statement, which he had spoken with such seriousness. She glanced over at Maria and Kyle, both of whom nodded in acknowledgement, smiling to themselves. She knew that the process would be slow, but the building of trust had once again begun, hopefully this time, the trust would remain.

The room fell silent as all eyes turned discreetly toward Michael.

Michael looked somewhat uncomfortable under the attention, his face tinging slightly pink. He opened his mouth before silently closing it, clearing his throat. He tried again. "Thanks," he said, his voice gruff.

Maria rolled her eyes. "Michael!" she hissed, jabbing her elbow into his side and causing him to shy away from her. Apologetically, she shrugged her shoulders at Liz and Liz smiled back, shaking her head gently as though she had expected such a response from Michael.

"So what does this mean for us now, as in the timeline before compared to the timeline as it is currently? Tess has left in both," Kyle asked, looking at Liz.

Liz raised her shoulders, allowing them to fall into a graceful shrug. "I don't know. Max…future Max, that is…he had said that the future had already changed because of what I had done. Perhaps I had changed it enough that Tess's leaving doesn't matter." Unhappily, even as she spoke the words, she doubted her own sincerity.

The group sat quietly for a moment, soberly pondering what lay ahead of them. The sun dipped beyond the horizon, casting dark shadows across their faces which were already lined in thought. Sighing, Kyle stood up and turned a light on, leaving the occupants of the room to blink at the brightness.

"What I don't understand," Maria said quietly, "is how Tess could have fooled us all so thoroughly."

All around, the group flinched, Liz herself included. Tess was a touchy subject yet to be properly breeched, her deception not fully discussed. Unconsciously, her eyes drifted towards Max where he sat with this head down, his face pale.

"She told me that Nasedo had betrayed us 40 years ago, making an agreement with the Skins, and it certainly didn't sound like she was against the idea," Max said quietly, not quite meeting anyone's eyes. "From the beginning, she had been working against us."

Isabel choked, recalling that she had been the first to bring Tess into their group, unknowing of the trouble that she would bring with her.

Liz frowned. "But that doesn't add up," she said. "She should have already been in the pod 40 years ago. Nasedo couldn't have guaranteed that he would gain access to her, and she would have been vital to infiltrate the group. They would have needed someone who would be around us constantly." Liz sat back in her chair, her frown deepening slightly. She had no idea where she had gotten that from, hadn't had any idea of what she was going to say, even as her mouth opened. Yet now that the words were out, there was a rightness about them.

Max looked up, his eyes startled. "I didn't….I guess I just wasn't thinking all too clearly when she told me, because I didn't realise…"

Liz lent forward, her voice urgent. "Tell me again, the day that you came out of the pods."

Max nodded in agreement, matching Liz's movements and leaning forward himself. "When we came out, we were all slimy from the pods. Briefly, I remember hesitating along side Tess' pod as Isabel and Michael made their way outside. I felt…regret that I was leaving her behind, yet I followed them out anyway…."

Liz stared at Max incredulously. "Max, sorry to interrupt so quickly, but what are you talking about?"

Max frowned, his eyebrow raising. "I'm telling you how…"

Liz cut him short quickly. "No, Max. You have told me what it was like to come out of the pods before, and this was completely different."

"But this is the way that we remember it, Liz," Isabel protested, worried. Michael remained silent, yet when Liz glanced over to him, he nodded in affirmation.

Liz merely shook her head. Something felt wrong, yet she did not know what it was. A little voice inside of her was whispering, raising her hackles and her suspicions. She smiled weakly at the group who all watched her anxiously. "Perhaps, I was wrong. I might not be remembering correctly what Max told me."

Max's worried brown eyes watched her carefully. "Maybe we should call it a night," he announced, standing from his seat. "I'm sure that we are all tired, and our parents are probably wondering where we are."

Murmuring quietly, the group rose as though a whole, now connected not only by the secret that they shared, but also by a burgeoning friendship Liz was beginning to fear they would never have in light of months just past.

Her manner appeared good-natured while she said goodbye to them all and rode home with Maria and Michael, however, the turmoil rolled within her. And all the while, the voice whispered.