A New Beginning

1

My name is Liz Parker, Liz wrote into her notebook. Then she paused and put down her pen. The notebook was new, which Liz thought was appropriate since she was starting a new phase of her life. From this point on, things will never be the same, she thought as the road swept past the van window.

Since she was eight, Liz had religiously kept a diary. However, in the last three years, the entries had gotten a lot more interesting.

Three years earlier she had been shot. Three years ear- lier she had died. Three years earlier Max had healed her and brought her back.

And yet those were just the first in a series of strange events that had happened since. They were not even the strangest things that had occurred.

Max. Aliens. The Skins. Losing her friend Alex. Then Max dying and coming back to her.

Strange things, yes. And many changes. Even now, she knew her body was changing. When Max had brought her back, he had changed something inside of her. Part of his alien self had touched Liz and made her like him… had made her part alien.

The word no longer meant what it used to for Liz. When she was a girl it meant monsters from space… monsters that weren't real.

Now it meant Max, Michael, and Isabel… people she knew and, in the case of Max, loved. Now alien meant Liz herself. When Max had healed her he had given her the gift of life. He had also given her powers that had lain dor- mant until a few months ago.

She now sometimes saw things before they happened. And she could occasionally move things with her mind. She had made a harmless schoolbook burst into flames.

The changes Max had started in her three years ago were not finished, Liz was sure. Would they be a gift? Or a curse? They were frightening. Of that much she was sure.

Turning her head, she looked at Max. He was concen- trating on driving. Like the others and like Liz herself, he was silent… lost in his own thoughts.

But he sensed Liz looking at him and shot her a glance, raising his eyebrows to ask a question that he did not have to speak out loud.

Anything wrong? his look said.

With a smile and a shake of her head, Liz responded just as silently and just as clearly.

Liz was no longer surprised at how often they didn't need to speak out loud to communicate or to know what the other was thinking. It wasn't an alien trick, though. She knew other couples who enjoyed the same kind of communication.

Turning her head, she saw her best friend, Maria, sitting in the van directly behind her. Maria gave Liz a thin smile. Next to her was Michael, who was looking intently out the window. In the seats behind them were Kyle and then Isabel, who was also staring out the window, looking lost… maybe more lost than any of them.

Liz understood. Isabel had given up a lot. Just a few hours ago, she had been a married woman looking for- ward to her life with Jesse.

Now, she was on the road… or was it on the run?… with Liz, Max, and the others.

Changes… for all of them.

Liz picked up her pen and started to write.

I thought things had changed three years ago, when I learned the truth about Max, Isabel, and Michael And while many things did change, my friends and I still went to school every day and went to sleep in our own beds most nights.

Even as our lives seemed to have changed completely, our world stayed almost unnaturally the same. I was still Liz Parker: good daughter, good student, and good girl.

I was going to do well in high school, win a science fair or two, and go to a good college: Northwestern. Then on to a good career. Now, on the night of my high school graduation, I am in a van… just going. Not even Max has a plan or a destination this time. Everything I thought might happen to me and every plan I ever made just disappeared.

Yes, this is the biggest change of our lives. This time, not only our perceptions will be different, but our whole world.

Liz. put down the pen. She took another glance at Max. He was alert. Liz herself, however, felt her eyes growing heavy. All the excitement she had felt earlier in the day had washed out of her.

As her eyes closed, she felt Max's eyes on her. No, everything hadn't changed. There is one thing I am still sure of, Liz thought as she fell asleep.

Max heard the change in Liz's breathing and knew she was asleep. The others were silent. He didn't have to turn around to see that his friends and sister were deep inside themselves.

He was particularly worried about Liz and Isabel. Of all of them, they had given up the most to follow him… No, Max stopped himself. To come with him on this… what was it? A road trip? An adventure? An escape? Maybe it was all of those. Maybe they wouldn't find out for a while yet. Max only hoped it lasted long enough for them to find out. He was still concerned that someone from the remains of the FBI's Special Unit was tracking them. It was unlikely, but unlikely was the story of their lives lately.

Or perhaps the Skins were onto them.

Again unlikely, but…

Max decided he would have to be content with the nearly empty road for now.

The only thing he was sure of was that he was not the leader of this expedition. He was not the King here.

Max had given up that role when he'd told the others what he was doing. He would not make the decision for the group, only for himself.

The others had all come on their own. Max was not leading them.

Yet, he knew that he was ultimately responsible for them. That he could not shake. He had sealed everyone's fate three years ago in the Crashdown Cafe when he had healed Liz. And again later that day when he'd refused to run, though Michael had insisted they do just that.

He had sensed that Liz could help them, and she did. So had Alex and he died for it. After that, Agent Pierce of the Special Unit had found them. Agent Pierce who had put Max into the White Room.

Agent Pierce, whom Michael had to kill in self-defense. Michael paid a high price for it. Though his friend refused to talk about it, Max knew that Michael was still paying that price.

Then there was Tess, her betrayal, and Max's own son whom Max had lost, then found again. Max had given him up finally, but at least now the boy had a chance at a nor- mal life.

All of that had happened because of Max's decision three years ago. Yet, even now he knew that not healing Liz had not been an option. Even then, even before they had become… close. Before they were together.

He could not have let her die. So he saved her and the whole group of them paid for his single act. Alex paid with his life.

Isabel paid with the end of her short marriage to Jesse and her only chance at a normal life.

Liz paid in tears. Way too many of them. She paid in other ways, too, deeper and more important ones.

But no more, Max vowed. If he accomplished nothing else with the rest of his life, he would keep her safe and do his best to make her happy for as long as she would have him.

Turning to Michael, Max whispered, breaking the silence that had lasted almost an hour. "You were right, you know," he said.

"What?" Michael asked.

"Three years ago, after Liz was shot… you were right," Max said.

Max saw his friend looking at him with raised eye- brows. "That's funny, Maxwell, I was just thinking that I was wrong. It you had listened to me, Liz would have died.”

"No," Max said, shaking his head gently. "I was right about that, but we should have done this that night. We should have run.”

For a moment, Michael was silent, and Max saw every- thing he needed to see in his best friend's eyes. Michael didn't gloat, though.

Michael made a small grin and said, "Does this mean that from now on you'll listen to me?”

Max found himself returning the grin. "I always lis- tened.”

"And then did whatever the hell you wanted," Michael added. "What's the plan now?”

"Plan? You're asking the wrong guy. I'm just the driver," Max replied.

Michael seemed surprised. Then he nodded.

He knows I'm serious, Max thought. And I am. More seri- ous than I have ever been.

Michael smiled again. "Okay, Jeeves, tell me when we get there." He leaned back in his seat.

Max saw something he almost couldn't identify on his best friend's face. A smile. Not a grin, but a smile… an actual, full-blown smile.

It took Max a moment to figure out what was wrong with that smile. He realized there were two things. First, Michael smiling at all was unusual. The second was that the smile looked almost… relaxed.

In the last three years… and even the fifteen before that… Max could rarely remember seeing Michael relaxed.

Something had changed in Michael, Max knew. He just wasn't sure what it was yet.

Well, I've got plenty oj time to figure it out, Max thought.

It took a moment for him to realize how important that notion was. In the past, he had jumped on every mystery or question as if his life and the lives of the others had depended on it. Quite often their lives had depended on those answers. Depended on Max acting quickly. On doing the right thing, making the right move.

Not anymore.

Now they had time.

Max and Liz had time to sort themselves out. Max had time to figure out what was happening with Michael. Isabel had time to come to terms with losing Jesse.

Time and open road.

Max smiled to himself and realized that his own smile was relaxed as well.