Chapter Eight

Michael stood up as Max muttered that name, he knew that name. He glanced at Liz, knowing how this must be hard for her but at moment Maria was rubbing Liz's shoulders to comfort her. His attention was drawn back to Max who was now not calling Ava's name but Tess. The three turned to Max again as he began to move around furiously on the couch.

"Tess!" His eyes flung opened before looking around him in expectance. He clunched his head as the pain throbbed, he dropped his head down and shut his head.

"Max" Liz called out trying calm down, tears coming in her eyes. She was worried about him right now and little distabed by the fact that he had dreams about both Ava and Tess in the same week. Right now however she would settle knowing that he was okay. So she called his name again.

"I fine Liz" Max finally spoke after a moment, trying to understand what had just happened. He opened his eyes and stared at his friends who looked concerned about his, their expression wary. He offered a small smile, "Don't yell, I can hear you"

"What happened, Man?" Michael asked calming down at this point, his expression of care wearing off. Max knew that's how Michael worked, by pretending that he didn't care, it was how he survived in the world.

"I don't...uh" Max looked at Liz's pleading eyes, "I don't remember"

Liz sighed in relieve as Max said that he didn't remember. But that wasn't what mattered as far as she was concerned, the memory had been about Ava. His destiny.

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter" Liz said softly looking at Max with a small smile, "Just as long as you are okay, right?"

Max gave a small nod, trying not to hurt his head, "Right"

At that time, the door opened and Kyle come in with a bag full of food. He stopped as the heads in the room turned to him. He looked behind him and then back at his friends.

"What?" Kyle asked then raised his bag, "Hungry"

Michael was the first to speak, "Chinese, Right?"

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Kyle asked walking towards his friends. Michael had called asking him to bring chinese food because he wasn't going to have time to go out. Even though Michael had explained in full detail why that Max was having an alien problem, it wasn't hard for Kyle to believe that Michael wanted to exploit the situation and get free food.

"How is Max?" Kyle asked handing the bag to Michael.

"Ask him, he is awake" Michael said already chewing on shrimp, Maria hit his shoulder in annoyance, he turned to her. What now?

"Did you offer me anything, Michael?" Maria shouted bitting his head off, everything back to normal now that Max was fine, "Don't you think I am hungry?"

"Shrimp?" Michael offered after a moment of silence totally unconcerned as if he had gone over this moment before and really couldn't care less. Liz smiled glad at the normal scene at least somethings stayed the same, Michael was the same Michael. She was more worried about her relationship with Max however and the fact that this memory probably changed his previous decision. He wasn't about to stop his glance in the mirror now, not after this.

"Hey Max" Kyle said looking at him in puzzlement. It was hard to believe that a few years back, he and Max were like totally teenage enemies. But now Max owned his life and they were buds because of it. Even though he was worried about Max, and the situation he was in. He really wished he could get out of this Alien bussiness. But he couldn't he was involved and he really actually became emotionally envolved not when Max saved his life but when Tess came into his life. She had changed his life around, the first woman in his life after his mother, changing their he and his father's lifetypes. He still could not believe that she killed Alex, he still remembered her as this cherry girl who did everything to get noticed by Max. Most of all, he remembered her smile, her smile would brighten every room in his house because...Just because she was there.