One week.

It had been one week since their lives had fallen apart. Eight days ago, they had all been happy, planning on a reunion after being apart for a year. But they never had that reunion. Or rather, the humans were reunited and the aliens were too…just not in the way they had planned.

Fortunately (if anything good could be found), it was summer so Maria and Liz were both off of work and Alex could work at home at his own pace. None of them could handle being around other people for extended periods of time.

Maria frightened Liz. She had taken to drinking and cursing someone who couldn't hear her. Liz no longer recognized her best friend. Liz knew that Maria blamed herself for Michael leaving.

As for Alex, well, he hadn't slept at all in the last week. He tried to act like everything was ok, but his eyes look haunted. He felt that he had to protect them and had insisted that Maria and Liz stay with him. Since he didn't sleep, Liz used his bed.

That's where she was now. She had just awoken from another night of dreamless sleep that had only come after a couple of hours of crying in the dark. The sun was shining through the window and Liz wished it would go away. It was too reminiscent of that morning.

They had had a long day flying in from Boston. Their plane had been rerouted to St. Louis due to weather and they had spent a good four hours sitting at a Starbuck's and wandering from shop to shop.

Liz was giddy from the prospect of seeing the others again and from the news she had received that morning.

As their plane finally touched down in Albequerque, Liz almost told Max. She wanted to so badly, but she also wanted to set the scene. She would tell him over dinner tomorrow.

A wave of nausea came over Liz and she barely made it into the bathroom in time. She had been expecting the morning sickness, but today was the first time. And she felt miserable.

Her skin felt clammy and she was sweating and she wished that Max were here to wrap his strong arms around her and tell her that everything would be ok.

She jumped when she felt the cold washcloth being pressed against her forehead. Alex smiled slightly at her and sat next to her on the tile floor.

"You're pregnant?"

Liz nodded as the tears started again. She just needed to be held.

Alex sensed this and pulled her into his arms. "Shhh…it'll be okay Liz. We'll get through this."

"I should have told him. Maybe he wouldn't have left if he knew."

Alex was silent for a few minutes, simply rocking with her. "It's not your fault Liz. Nor is it Maria's or mine."

"I know…but I miss him so much." Her small body shook with the sobs. They had never actually talked about what had happened in the last week. "We were supposed to meet you guys at the Crashdown for breakfast, but when I got up all I found was his note."

Alex frowned and helped Liz stand. "Note?"

Liz nodded and tried to wipe her tears. "It's on the dresser. It's so unlike him, Alex. Max has never been one to make rash decisions."

Alex had crossed the room and was standing by the dresser, Max's note in his hand.

Liz sank back onto the bed and looked at him curiously, "What?"

Alex handed her the note, "Read it."

Liz was confused. She had read the note hundreds of times in her vain attempts to piece things together. She took the paper nonetheless and read aloud:

Liz,

We found a way home. I'm sorry. I have to go.

-Max

"I don't understand what you're getting at Alex."

She watched as he pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his back pocket. He set it on the bed next to her. "They're the same."