Max grasped one of Liz's hands, and placed other along Sera's cheek. Liz took Serena's hand and

squeezed.

"Some of this won't be easy to see." Sera's eyes flicked to Liz, she nodded.

"I want to know."

Max opened a connection with both the girls. Sera gasped and tightened her grip on Liz's hand

when she saw Liz get shot. Soon the images assaulted Sera in a rush: Liz, Kyle and Michael being

shot. The kidnappings, the mindwarps, the deaths and everything in between this small group of

seven had encountered since September 19, 1999 .

Watching the events of her friend's lives over the past few years she understood why Michael

lashed out at her so vehemently, why Max was incredibly worried about his girlfriends safety;

and why Kyle couldn't bear to be in the same room with her.

When Max broke the connection Sera looked at the group around her. Maria had her eyes

squeezed shut, willing back tears as she thought about what Sera was being shown. Isabel refused

to look at the trio on the couch; she instead was focus on a point on the wall.

Michael was staring intently at her, watching her expressions and body language.

"Why?" Every pair of eyes in the room snapped to Sera's face, tears were streaming down her

cheeks.

"Why did you trust me? After all that, why me?"

Everyone was silent as they pondered the question.

"You've been to Hell and back multiple times, experienced more trauma than anyone

should EVER have to endure in their lives let alone at our age. I don't know how you can let

anyone in."

"Alex."

Maria's answer was so quiet; it took a minute for Sera to realize that she had spoken.

"What?"

"If Alex were here, you'd be his sister. We couldn't ignore that. He may be gone but he's

still our friend."



Sera broke down. Her sobs filled the room joined by Maria's sniffles.

Isabel stood in the corner, her eyes swimming but the tears had yet to fall.

"I have to get out of here." she said to no one in particular.

"Isabel." Max called.

"Just let me go Max."

He nodded at his sister.

"Isabel, Can I ask you something?" Sera requested.

Isabel paused, her hand on Michael's doorknob. She turned to face Serena.

"How could you let her go? Knowing what she did to Alex.to you."

"I didn't know what to think. Too many things were happening at once. In retrospect.I'd

have killed her the minute I saw her if I'd known what she'd do to the people I love. I

should have known. I thought she wanted to spend time with me, that she liked me because

I was Isabel Evans. Not Max's sister or Michael's friend or even the popular girl at school,

just Isabel.

What I failed to realize was that person already existed, and his name was Alex. She took

him away from me and I'll never forgive or forget that."

Isabel turned on her heel and exited the apartment.

Max looked at the four other people in the apartment.

"Look, this is a lot to take in for one night. Nothing will get resolved at this moment. Lets

all go home and regroup tomorrow."

"You want us to let her go Max?" Michael asked, incredulous. "She's going to bolt."

"I'm not going anywhere Michael!"

"And we're supposed to what, take you at your word. You've been lying to us from the

start."

"And you've been truthful?"

"We have a lot of reasons for keeping our secrets. You were just given a slide show of some

of them."

Sera took a deep breath. "I want to understand what all this means as much as you do. I

know I have no right to, but I'm asking you to trust me when I say I'm not going

anywhere."

"We'll trust you, for now. We should meet here at 10 AM."

"Uh, I can't."

"You just finished saying you wanted us to trust you." Michael snorted. "This isn't the best

way to go about that."

"Tomorrow's Saturday. I work every Saturday."

"I work tomorrow too." Liz said looking at Max.

"The three of us have the 8-3 shift." Maria replied.

"Make that four of us." Michael said glancing at the calendar Maria tacked on his wall.

"OK. We'll meet after your shift. Here?" He asked looking to Michael.

"Where else?"

"OK. Tomorrow."

Sera turned to leave.

"My car?"

"Its still at the shop. We put you in the Jetta." Maria explained

"OK." She started for the door.

"Sera wait." Liz called. "We'll drive you."

"No I think I want to walk."

"That's not a option." Max said shaking his head. "Whoever attacked the store knows your

abilities. They may even know where you are."

"We weren't followed." Michael stated

Max held up his hand to assure Michael that wasn't the issue.

"I don't want you walking into a trap back at the store. Besides, I think one of us had better

take care of the mess before Amy gets in tomorrow."

Michael sighed and shook his head.

"We'll take her to the store. Don't worry Maria, I'll fix it. You mother will never know the

difference."

"Thanks Max."

"Maxwell."

"We've got her word Michael, its all we can go on for tonight."

Max placed his hand on his best friend's shoulder before turning to his girlfriend.

"Ready."

Liz nodded.

"Night Maria."

"Night Chica."

"Michael."

"Liz."

Michael and Maria watched them leave. Maria stepped into Michael's embrace.

"I hope Lizzie's right. I hope Sera/Serena is here to help. My heart couldn't handle the

alternative."

"Hey." Michael said taking her face in his hands. "No one is going to hurt you. You hear me?"

Maria nodded.

"I mean it Maria. I've let you slip through my fingers way too much in the past. I'm not

about to lose you again."

Maria smiled up at Michael.

"I love you."

"I love you more."

END CHAPTER