* * 2 * *


Isabel grabbed Max's hand, she dragged him into a booth. Max's eyes never left the door Maria had gone through, he was worried for her.

"Max what were you thinking?"

"Huh?"

"Is this some sort of ploy to make Michael and Liz jealous? That's it isn't it? Maria had some lame idea and your just going along with it?"

"Isabel what the hell are you going on about?"

"It's the only plausable reason for you to be holding Maria's hand and saying your dating."

Max frowned, her words slowly sinking in, he glared at her.

"You think we're just pretending? That what Maria and I have isn't real?"

"Come on Max, you can tell me, I mean Maria......"

"What is it with you and Maria, what have you got against her?"

"Nothing, I just.....nothing."

"You just what Isabel?"

"You guys have nothing in common, she's an airhead, you're the book type, she's bubbly, you're always so serious. Oh and she's human and your an alien."

"Are you finished?"

"I think so, I just think you and Liz have much more in common than you and Maria ever could."

"You don't know what your talking about, besides haven't you forgotten something, Liz is a human too."

"Yeah but you healed her besides she's one of the few humans I can actually stand being around."

"Like I said you don't know anything."

"Okay explain it to me then."

"Why bother? You wouldn't get it anyhow."

"You really are serious aren't you?"

"Yes. Right now though I'm worried about what's going on between Liz and Maria."

"I'll send Alex up."

"No! I'll go."

Max got out the booth but before he could move a step Michael stood in his way. Michael pushed Max back down.

"Isabel do you mind? Maxwell and I need to talk."

Isabel didn't argue, she skooted out the booth and went back to Alex.

*-*-*-*-*-*

Liz glared at Maria, she could still see her holding Max's hand. She spun on her heal, her hair whipping around just missing Maria's face. Maria followed her into her room cautiously, she shut the door behind her.

"Liz...."

Liz looked at her over her shoulder.

"I can't believe you've done this to me, I thought we were friends?"

"We are, nothing's changed between us."

"Oh yes it has, you're with my boyfriend."

"You broke up with him."

"We didn't break up, we're just having time apart."

"What? But Max said....."

"Don't put this on Max, this is all your doing."

"Mine? How can you say that?"

"Because I know you, ever since you and Michael split you've been trying to get your claws into some poor guy."

"That is not true. Max and I didn't plan this, it just happened, he wants to be with me and I want to be with him. That's just the way it is, deal with it."

Maria didn't see it coming, Liz turned fully around her hand raised. It made contact with Maria's face. Maria's head snapped back sending her off balance, she stumbled and fell. Her head hit off the corner of the table. Liz watched her fall, she heard the sound of her head as it hit the table. She rushed to her side.

"Maria? Maria are you okay?"

When Maria didn't answer, Liz turned her over, there was blood coming from a wound on her head. The blood spreading fast on the floor. She grabbed her phone dialling 911, she broke the connection before it rang. She pushed herself up off the floor and ran from the room. She stumbled down the stairs, running into the restaurant. She stopped and looked around, she spotted Max and Michael.

"MAX!!"

Everyone looked her way, when Michael saw the blood he rushed over to her, Max was right behind him. Michael grabbed Liz by her wrists. "Liz what happened? Did you cut yourself?"

Liz looked at him puzzled, she looked at her hands. She shook her head.

"It's...it's not my blood....Maria....she's hurt. God I hurt Maria."