"Oh my God. What if Maria's been kidnapped? What if she's going to be held for ransom? Ms. Deluca doesn't have any money," then she stopped dead in her tracks, a look of horror crossing her face. "Oh my God, what if she's dead?!?"

She heard the sound of a voice on the other side of her door.

"Liz?"

It was Alex. She swung the door open and practically threw herself into his arms.

"Oh, Alex," she cried.

Alex rubbed her back and spoke comforting words. "She's going to be fine. Deluca's one tough cookie, you know that. I'm sure that she's just-"

Liz stopped listening to Alex, back in her own little world. That's when a thought came over her and she stopped Alex mid-sentence.

"Alex, what if she's with Michael?"

Alex thought for a minute. "I doubt it, but it doesn't hurt to check. I think we should tell him she's missing anyway."

In a flash, Liz had grabbed a jacket, ran downstairs to grab her mother's keys, and flown out the door. Alex came running behind her and jumped into the car with her. In less then ten minutes, they had sped to Michael's apartment.

Liz ran up the steps so fast she almost tripped twice. Both times, Alex had to grab her to steady her, cracking a joke about how she looked drunk. She ran down the narrow corridor and over to Michael's apartment door. They both knocked several times.

"Michael!" Liz called and Alex joined in after. "Michael!"

When there was no reply for five minutes, Alex stopped Liz's hammering fist. "She's not here, Liz."

Liz nodded sadly and they walked back to the car. "I think we should go to Max and Isabel's," Liz stated.

"Yeah," Alex agreed.

Moments later, Liz rang the Evans' door seven times in three seconds. If this were another situation, she would be more apprehensive about seeing Max for the first time in three months. But now all she could think about was Maria.

Isabel opened the door and was surprised, almost delighted to see Alex and Liz standing there. "Alex! Liz! What are you-"

"Maria's missing," Liz stated, cutting her off.

Instantly, Isabel's smile disappeared. "What?"

"She's been missing for the past two days, maybe even longer," Alex informed her. "At least, that's what the police have said. They're looking for her."

"Oh my God," Isabel exclaimed, a perfectly manicured hand smothering her mouth. She turned into her house. "Max!"

Seconds later, Max was by Isabel's side, staring at Liz and Alex in shock. "Liz! Alex! What are you-"

This time Isabel interrupted Max like Liz had done to her. "Maria's missing, Max."

"What?" he looked at Liz for confirmation.

Liz nodded weakly.

Realization hit Max like a ton of bricks. "We haven't seen Michael in at least two days, either."

Liz's eyes widened. "Max, do you think Michael took Maria?"

"No, but maybe she's at his house," Max pushed past Liz and Alex to get outside.

"We checked already, no one's home," Alex mumbled.

"Michael wouldn't take Maria," Isabel said calmly. "He loves her too much . . . maybe I should try dreamwalking."

"Good idea," Liz said.

Isabel grabbed Liz's and Alex's hands, and hurried them into her room. Max followed behind and closed his sister's bedroom door once they were all inside.

Isabel looked up at Alex almost shyly. "Alex, do you think that you could, you know, hold me like you did last time? It seemed to work better that way," she fibbed.

"Sure," Alex said, wanting to help out in anyway he could. He awkwardly lied down next to Isabel on her bed, wrapping his arms securely around her. She lost herself momentarily, in his arms for the first time in three months.

Shaking herself, she remembered the crisis that lay in front of her. Isabel shut her eyes, and in seconds, was in Maria's dream.

"Maria?" Isabel padded across the dark room she had found herself in.

Maria looked up, face streaked with tears. "Isabel?"

Isabel nodded and sat in front of her, staring to drill her with questions. "Maria, where are you? Can you tell me? Is Michael with you?"

"I don't know where I am," Maria said sadly. "And they only let me see Michael once in awhile."

Isabel didn't know whether to get frustrated or breathe a sigh of relief. "So Michael's with you."

"Uh-huh," Maria nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand as if she were a small child.

"And you're both okay?"

"Yeah," Maria said softly, deciding not to tell her about her broken arm that she was clutching tightly. "But they know about Michael, Max, and you."

"What?!" Isabel exclaimed with a gasp. "Who?"

"Dr. L and the others," Maria said matter-of-factly. "But don't worry, Michael hasn't admitted anything to them. And he won't."

Isabel almost believed Maria, seeing the firmness in her eyes. "Okay. I'm going to talk to Michael, now," Isabel said, standing up. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," Maria replied weakly.

With that, Isabel closed her eyes and was back in her bedroom, wrapped up tightly in Alex's warm arms. The others looked at her expectantly.

"Maria's okay. And Michael's there, too, but they won't let them see each other that much," Isabel informed them, pushing a strand of her golden hair out of her eyes.

"They?" Liz asked.

"I don't really know," Isabel admitted. "Maria sounded kind of out of it, so I figured I'd get more information out of Michael." She then looked Max dead in the eyes. "And they know." Before Max could reply, Isabel's eyes were closed once again, going into Michael's dream.

Isabel looked around, squinting as the sun hit her eyes suddenly. She was in somebody's backyard. Looking around still, she spotted Michael and Maria sitting at a picnic table. Isabel was surprised when she found a small blond, spiky-haired baby in Maria's arms. Feeling a little awkward, Isabel walked over to the three who were happily munching on lunch.

"Michael?" Isabel asked, biting her lip.

Michael looked up and suddenly became embarrassed. With a wave of his hand, everything disappeared. Then he turned back to Isabel.

"Michael," Isabel said again. "Are you okay?" Michael nodded and she went on. "'Cause I just talked to Maria-"

"Is she okay?" he interrupted.

Isabel smiled at his concern for Maria. "She said she was fine. She seemed a bit dazed, though. Do you know where you are?"

"I have no idea," Michael said. "Still on earth."

"Well that's good," Isabel told him. "Michael, who took you?"

"Some bastard named Dr. L. He knows we're aliens, Izzy," Michael looked up at Isabel. "I haven't confirmed or denied it, yet. But last time he asked me he had a gun to Maria's head. And I'm not going to let him hurt her. So if he asks again . . ."

"Tell him what he wants to hear," Isabel agreed with Michael. She didn't want anything to happen to Maria either.

They stood in silence for a minute.

"How are we going to get you two out?" Isabel asked.

Michael shook his head. "I don't know my way around this place. All they ever do is drag me down this long hall."

"Well, see if you can find out anymore information," Isabel said. "I'll be back tomorrow night."

She gave him a quick hug and disappeared. Once again, she opened her eyes in her bedroom. She sat up, rubbing Alex's hand. "He's okay, too. He said he didn't say anything to this Dr. L guy about us. But he knows. He just wants Michael to confess it. Michael says he won't unless it puts Maria in danger."

Max looked down at his sister, noticeably upset, and Alex turned to Isabel. "How are we going to get them out?" Alex asked gently.

All three of them turned to Max, who sighed in return. "Oh, come on. They don't even know where they are and I'm supposed to?"

Maria awoke to the sound of her door opening. Rayna walked in with yet another tray of pea soup.

"Hello," Rayna said cheerfully.

Maria half-smiled and sat up, wincing as her broken arm moved a little.

"Just so you know, the guards are planning on taking you to wash some more dishes or clothes or something in a few minutes," Rayna informed her, walking back over to the door.

Maria gave a genuine smile now, knowing she would be in Michael's arms soon. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Rayna said knowingly and walked out.

Maria picked at the pea soup, which she had now become accustomed to. She had to, seeing as that was basically the only thing served. She drank a bit of water, and sat in the corner, humming to herself, waiting for the guards to come. When they did, Maria asked them if she could just walk to the wet room, promising she wouldn't try to escape. They laughed at her request, but she said that she'd let one hold her left hand as she walked, guaranteeing she wouldn't escape. To her surprise, they agreed and in seconds she was in the wet room.

Michael rushed up to her. "How's your arm?"

"It hurts," she said, hugging him and shivering. "The water's colder today."

"Yeah," Michael said, pulling her closer and kissing her deeply. "Warm you up?"

Maria giggled. "Mmm-hmm."

He led her into the corner, where it always seemed to be a bit warmer and quieter. She curled up in his arms and he took a look at her arm.

"There has to be something-hey, I know," Michael said. He pulled her off of him for a minute and a chill ran up her spine from the lack of his body. She watched him curiously as he sped down the room, grabbed a wet shirt from one of the crates that the guards had brought in, and ran back over to her.

She settled back down on top of him as he wrung out the soaked the sweater.

"Let me see your arm," he said.

She moved her arm out slowly, groaning in pain. Trusting him, she let him gently take hold of it.

"This will probably be cold," he told her. Carefully, he made a sort of sling and secured her arm in it. He looked at his work, almost pleased.

Maria smiled. "Thank you."

Michael smiled back at Maria. She was the only one that could make him smile. A real, genuine, full-out smile. That's one of the things that flustered Michael when he first met Maria.

"Did Isabel come see you last night?" Maria asked, her lips now blue and chattering.

Michael put his arms around her, warming her up. "Yeah. We have to come up with a plan."

Maria nodded, burying her face in his shoulder. "I'll bet my mother's worried."

"Anybody would go crazy without you there." Michael said jokingly.

Maria laughed a laugh that was muffled by Michael's shirt.

"Hey, if it isn't the outcasts."

Michael looked up to see Derek. "Hey."

"Hi," Maria's still-muffled voice sounded.

Derek laughed at Maria's funny position. "She okay?"

"Just cold," Michael replied, running his hands up and down Maria's back. He knew she liked it when he felt her soft fingers kneading the back of his neck.

Derek nodded. Seeing he was out of place, he walked off. Michael shrugged to himself, going back to Maria. She had taken her face out of his shoulder and was now trailing light kisses down his neck.

"Finished?" the guard had come back and was now surveying what the others had washed. He nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Continue." He walked away, slamming the door.

Suddenly Michael had an idea.

"Maria?" he moaned, not wanting her to take her lips off him.

She opened her pretty light eyes and looked up at him expectantly.