Liz Parker put on her patchwork skirt and a white peasant blouse, and grabbed her book bag. She ran her brush through her shoulder length mahogany tresses, then slipped downstairs into the cafe. "Morning, Dad," she greeted, watching her father go over yesterday's receipts.
"Morning, Angel." Jeff Parker leaned over, kissing his daughter's cheek. Liz grinned.
"The gang is going to hang out at Max and Isabel's after school today. We're going to get started on that history project Mr. Jenson assigned." Jeff nodded. "Oh, and Max and I might take in a movie if we finish early enough." Jeff chuckled softly as his daughter bounded out of the cafe on her way to school. She looked around slowly, feeling eyes on her back, but she saw nothing suspicious.
Two blocks from the Crashdown, Liz caught up with her long time pal, Alex Whitman. "Hey, Liz." He slid his arm across her shoulders as they continued on their way. They were still four blocks from school when Max Evans's jeep pulled up along side them. Liz grinned, leaning in for a good morning kiss from her gorgeous boyfriend, before she climbed up and sat in back, next to Isabel. Once Alex had climbed aboard as well and was scrunched in, Max drove them the rest of the way.
"We're all on for tonight?" Isabel asked, leaning over to kiss Alex softly. Catching a grinning Liz eyeing her, she quickly slid into her ice queen mask, gazing at the passing scenery.
"Yeah, Maria and I are both off tonight so we'll be there. Um, what time do you want us?" Liz asked.
Isabel shrugged. "4:00 I guess. Michael has detention until 3:30 and there's not much point starting til he arrives, so....." Izzy scowled toward the guy in question, Michael Guerin, fellow alien and Maria DeLuca's on again, off again boyfriend.
Liz laid her hand gently on Max's shoulder. He grinned as he pulled into the school and quickly parked the jeep. Max jumped out and offered Liz a hand down. She grinned, hopping down into his arms, sighing softly as Max's lips claimed hers. As Maria walked up, Michael slid his arm across her shoulders, guiding her toward the door. Max's hand slid around Liz's slim waist, holding her close as they followed, Isabel and Alex bringing up the rear.
Liz and Max had chemistry first period and they wandered into the classroom, holding hands, and took their seats, smiling lovingly at each other.

At lunch, the Pod Squad, as they called themselves, met up at their usual spot in the quad. Max and Liz shared kisses in between bites of the sandwich Max had brought. Liz leaned back against Max's chest, her head resting lightly on his shoulder. He smiled down at her, dropping a feathersoft kiss on the tip of her nose. Isabel scrunched her nose at the action. She never understood why her brother had to be so.......public.......about his feelings for Liz. Maria and Alex were discussing some movie they had both seen the night before.
Liz stiffened slightly as a prickly sensation traveled up her spine. She gazed slowly around the quad, an intense feeling of being watched coming over her. Max's hand slid around her waist. "What's wrong, Liz?" he asked.
Liz shook her head slightly and smiled down at him. "It's nothing, Max. Just my imagination." Max eyed her silently. "It just......I just felt like I was being watched or something." She tried to shrug it off as unimportant. Max tugged her back against him, holding her close as they finished up their lunch period.

Liz was glad when the final bell rang and she headed down the hallway to her locker. She took the books she would need, placing them in her back pack, then headed toward the girl's bathroom. She grinned at Maria as she moved to the sinks, washing her hands and running her brush quickly through her hair, before tying it back in a ponytail. When the two girls were ready, they headed for the parking lot. Alex was already waiting by Maria's car when the girls arrived, and the three human members of the Pod Squad drove to the Crashdown for a burger before they had to get to the Evans'.
As the three friends left the Cafe a short while later, a familiar feeling swept over Liz and she shivered involuntarily. She scanned the sidewalks and buildings but saw nothing unusual. Yet she still couldn't shake the nagging feeling. Somebody was watching her.
Suddenly, images started flashing through her mind. Disturbing images. Frightening. Liz saw herself in a room with four white walls.She was strapped to an examination table in the middle of this room. And there was a man there. She couldn't see his face, but she could feel his malice washing over her. As the images abruptly faded, Liz fell to her knees on the sidewalk. "Liz!" Maria cried, moving quickly to her side and helping her up and into the car. "Liz what happened?"
Liz shuddered. "Get us out of here, Maria. Please, just get us to Max." Maria sped to Max's as quickly as she could. She kept glancing in her rearview mirror, scared by the haunted expression on Liz's face. Whatever had happened to Liz had scared her. When they arrived, Liz jumped out of the car and practically sprinted up to the front door. She didn't even bother to knock, yanking the door open and throwing herself into Max's arms instead, her body shuddering in her boyfriend's embrace.
"Liz?" Max said slowly. "Liz, what's wrong?" He looked to Maria and Alex, worry flashing brightly in his eyes.
"I think.......I think someone's following me, Max," Liz said softly, just barely above a whisper. She looked up at him through the tears pooling in her eyes. "I felt it again.....at the Crashdown. And then......then I had some kind of.....vision or something....."
Max held her tightly, trying to calm her shaking body. "What do you mean, vision, Liz? What did you see?"
"I saw a room........a room with white walls....and some kind of exam table." Liz gave him a haunted look. "I.....was.......strapped to the table, Max......and there was someone else there.....I couldn't see him, but I could feel him......he was evil, Max."
Everyone in the room had gone pale at her description. "Who would want to hurt Liz, Max?" Michael asked. "It doesn't make any sense."
Liz glanced Michael's way. "I think......no, I know.......somehow I know it was him."
"Him, who, Liz?" Michael asked.
"It was Pierce......" Max blanched, holding Liz even tighter, his white knuckles matching his suddenly pale face.
"I will not let Pierce, or anyone else, hurt you, Liz." Max stroked her hair softly, trying to soothe her. The others added their agreement, crowding around to comfort Liz.
It was another hour before the group had calmed sufficiently to start work on their assignment. Max kept Liz close to him at all times, seeming to need her close to assure himself she was safe. When Liz went to the kitchen for a drink, Max was right beside her. And Liz had to admit that she was comforted by Max's overprotectiveness.
The group finally called it a night at 10:30 and Max insisted on driving Liz home himself. When Liz got up to her room, she smiled to see Max waiting on her balcony. "It's ok, Max. You can go home now," she whispered softly. Max leaned in and kissed her passionately. He tugged her close, his hands sliding along her back as he deepened the kiss. Liz clung to him, her hands wrapping around his neck. Max carried her to her bed and settled her in.
"Sweet dreams, Liz. I'll be here in the morning to drive you to school. Wait for me, Angel." Max kissed her one last time and climbed back out of her room, heading home.