Disclaimer: Not mine!

It was in the middle of the valedictorian's speech that Max Evans reached an epitome in his life. He knew what he wanted to do and he knew nothing would ever be the same. Things were already changing. It was graduation. He was graduating from West Roswell High were he spent the best and worst years of his life. He was leaving the town he had lived all his life. He knew he would miss it but he felt he had to move on. This whole week was of tears and goodbyes and he had to admit he was lackluster during this time.

One Week Earlier

"Okay, say cheese!" an ecstatic Maria De Luca exclaimed to her group of friends. Grunts of annoyance was her response as she snapped the picture.

"Jeez Maria, how many pictures are you gonna take?" Liz Parker questioned as she took some dishes to the kitchen. The group was gathered at the Crashdown Café, a place they hung out almost every night since their sophomore year of high school. The place had almost become a second home to all of them.

"Honey, give me the camera," Brody said.

"No one cares that we're graduating next week and we're never gonna see each other again?!" she said close to tears. Everyone lowered their heads. That just brought everyone down.

"Ok..." Brody sliced through the silence. "How about one more picture?" he said holding the camera. "Yeah," everyone agreed.

Max got into his car and headed home. It was late but he had time to think. He was 18 years old and he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. Maria was going to Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She wanted to start a line of perfume. Alex was going to Berkley College in Los Angeles to become a computer software designer. Kyle was going into the U.S. Marine Corps to pursue a military career. Liz was to attend to Cornell in New York State to become Cellular Biologist. And he was going as far as the University of New Mexico. He hadn't even declared a major. Max decided to stop feeling sorry for himself. Michael, Isabel, and Tess were as limited as he was.

In some ways he was lucky. Michael and Tess didn't have parents to help them. Tess was living at the Valentis and the sheriff helped her with most of her paperwork and figuring out a college payment plan. Michael had some financial problems but between scholarships, loans, state funds, Sheriff Valenti and Max's Dad helping with the extra costs-and a job Michael managed.

He recalled a conversation he had with Tess a few days ago. They were talking about plans for the future. She said when she was younger it was surviving. Then it was find him and the others. As she got older it was helping her people. Now it's surviving.

FLASHBACK:

Max looked at her curiously. "Why surviving again?" he asked. She turned and looked at him clearly.

"Because the threat isn't over," she said, "and there's more than one way to get hurt."

She turned away to look at the fading sunset again. He knew he would never forget the way she looked at him. It was an indescribable feeling. He looked at her for a long moment as she was looking at the most beautiful sunset he had ever seen. But it was not a beautiful as her. He wanted to touch her hair. To tell her he knew. But he didn't.

"Tess," he said. He saw her walking. He pulled over to the side of the road.

"Hi," he said.

"Hey," she said.

"You want a ride?" he asked her. She thought for a moment.

"Sure."

"," he said as they were driving, "."