"This is the key. When we insert it the granolith will transport us home," Max held up the crystal rod. "It will take 24 hours for it to prepare itself. When it's ready, we have to be on board or we don't go." Dozens of thoughts were running through Maria's mind as Max kept on talking. "The granolith is capable of one mission, only one. When we use it, it's gone. It's our only way home. Is everyone ready?"

Isabel shook her head, "This is happening too fast." Maria agreed, but she didn't say anything.

"We have no choice, Iz," Max told her.

"What about Leanna?" Michael spoke up. "She's still out there, how can we leave? I mean, she's already killed Alex, what's to stop her from killing Valenti or Kyle or Liz."

Max told him steely, "I'll take care of Leanna."

"Max," Tess said in a pained voice as she clutched her stomach. Maria quickly rushed to her side.

Tess's pleas prompted Max to insert the crystal key into the granolith and the countdown began, "Everyone say your good-byes."

Maria couldn't believe that she had to say good-bye to Kyle and Sheriff Valenti who had been her family for the past year. And Liz, how could she possibly say good-bye to her best friend.

"Maria," Michael came up to her. "I'm gonna hitch a ride with Max."

"Sure, I'm going to get Tess home before my last shift at the Crashdown, so I'll see you later," she gave him a quick kiss on the lips before she left with Tess and Isabel.

"Are you sure about this?" Max asked Michael as they drove back into town.

Michael answered right away, "I have never been more sure in my life." "You know things are going to be different once we get back to Antar," Max pointed out. "We have our destiny to fulfill."

Michael responded, "Well, I guess they have to accept that I am Michael and not Rath. I'm not changing my mind."

"Okay, okay," Max said not wanting to get into an argument with him.

Michael decided to change the subject, "So, are you going to talk to Liz? I mean, don't you think you owe her an apology?"

"You just love it when I'm wrong, don't you?" Max replied back as steered the Jeep into an empty parking space.

Michael divulged the details of their Las Cruces trip; "She worked her butt off trying to find out the truth about Alex's death. Even though I tried to convince her that the search was going nowhere, she still wouldn't give up."

"I guess I didn't want to believe that we were responsible for Alex's death," Max said sadly. "I guess I didn't want another reason for her to hate me."

"After we are done here, go apologize to her, and tell her the truth about you and Tess," Michael advised. "You do owe her at least that.

* * * After dropping off Isabel and Tess, Maria arrived early for her last shift at the Crashdown. She sat down at one of the outside tables with Liz, Kyle and Sean. "Oh Sean, you really gotta lose that earring. It's just so like you're obviously trying," Maria teased.

Sean replied, "You're retarded, you know that?"

Liz laughed, "I think it looks cute."

"Okay, lets hear from somebody other than the lowly Parker. Kyle?" Maria looked over at Kyle, who was annoyingly strumming his fingers on the table.

Kyle answered, "Isn't it like a gay thing, anyway?"

"No, it's not a gay thing," Sean defended. "I've got to get out of this town, I really do."

Maria snapped playfully at Kyle, "Would you please stop that? Please."

"What?" Kyle asked.

"The tapping thing, you've been doing it since I got here," Maria told him.

Kyle didn't seem to notice, "I have?" He figured his hand had a mind of it's own. "Oh Heckle and Jeckle are coming. I'm out of here." Kyle was referring to Max and Michael who were walking towards them from across the street.

"Yeah, later," Sean got up and left with Kyle.

"Can we talk upstairs? Please," Max asked Liz.

Liz shot Maria a worried look, "Sure." They both entered the café as Michael sat down across from Maria.

"I don't know if I could do this," Maria said sadly.

Michael seemed confused, "Do what?"

"Say good-bye to them," Maria said, as she looked at Michael, who looked a little guilty. "What's up?"

"I have to see you tonight," Michael blurted out.

Maria reminded him, "But tonight is our last night on Earth."

"Yeah, I know," Michael said, completely oblivious to what she was hinting at.

Maria stated clearly, "I wanted to spend it with Liz and the Valentis."

"But it is our one year anniversary," Michael whined. "And you can spend time with them this afternoon."

"Michael," Maria began to protest.

Michael gently pleaded, "Please."

Maria looked into his beautiful eyes and gave in, "Okay, I'll be over there tonight."

"Great," Michael jumped up and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you tonight."

Maria now sat at the table alone wondering if this was really her last day on Earth. A few minutes before she was laughing with friends she grown to care for so deeply, and now she was preparing to leave them. But for what? What exactly was she leaving them for? An unknown world she had no place in? A place that may not want anything to do with her. Remembering what Michael said earlier, what kind of danger would they be leaving behind. She had an obligation to protect the people she loved, but was that enough to risk the future with the man she loved. Maria sat at the table extremely alone and extremely confused.

* * * "Mr. Parker, have you seen Liz?" Maria asked when she finally entered the Crashdown to begin her shift.

Mr. Parker informed her, "She left about 15 minutes ago, saying that there was some kind of emergency she had to take care of."

Maria found this unusual, "Oh, um…did she leave with anyone in particular?"

"Yes, a matter of fact, she left with the Evans boy," Mr. Parker told her before disappearing into the back.

"Oh," Maria said sadly. She was looking forward to working her last shift with Liz, but now she couldn't. Maria only hoped that Max and Liz were making amends wherever they were.

She didn't know why she stayed it wasn't like she needed the money on Antar. Working at the Crashdown just became a part of her life on Earth and she still couldn't believe she was going to leave it all behind.

"Hey little lady, what does a guy have to do to get some service around here?" a familiar voice said which made Maria smile.

Maria turned in his direction, "I knew you would be back."

"Yeah, well I got hungry," Kyle said.

Maria asked, "Is Tess still at home?"

"Yeah, she was laying down on the couch, what's the deal? Is she sick?" Kyle asked as he pondered over the menu.

Maria didn't realize that Kyle was still kept in the dark, "No, she's not sick. She's pregnant."

Suddenly the menu no longer held that much interest to him, "What?"

"Tell you what, hold off on that burger and I'll tell you everything," Maria offered.

"Deal," Kyle agreed as he followed Maria into the small break room area.

She made sure that no one was around before she opened her mouth, "So I'm sure you know how babies are made."

"Yeah, I'm not in junior high so you can skip that part," Kyle sat down on the lumpy couch.

"Ok, ok, Max and Tess did the deed and now Tess is knocked up. But here is the zinger, alien pregnancies only last a month," Maria still dreaded the news she still had to give. Kyle followed her, "So Tess is going to have to cook up one hell of a story."

"Actually she doesn't," Maria looked down and took a deep breath. "We found a way to get back home, so we're leaving."

"You're leaving," Kyle looked like his dog just got run over. "When?"

Maria told him softly, "We're supposed to say our good-byes tonight."

"Wow, this unbelievable," Kyle's palms felt clammy.

"Well look on the bright side, at least you get your room back," Maria tried to joke.

Kyle asked, "Do you really have to go?"

Maria slowly nodded her head; "Tess discovered something wrong with the baby. It can't survive on this planet, the atmosphere is toxic, or something?" Maria sat down next to him and a strong sense of sadness swept through her body as if she was absorbing it from him.

"Do you want to go?" Kyle asked rather bluntly.

The question caught Maria by surprise, "What?"

Kyle repeated, "Do you want to go?"

Maria looked down at her hands and realized that they were shaking. She wasn't kidding herself she knew the answer to his question. "No," she replied honestly.

"Then why are you going?" Kyle challenged.

Maria spilled everything she had kept bottled up inside, "Out of loyalty, to Tess…and Michael. The truth is that…I'm afraid. I'm afraid of what's out there."

"Then don't go," Kyle said as if it were easy.

"I have to go, I have a responsibility to the Royal Four," Maria could feel the tears well up. "I made a promise."

"But what about me and my dad and Liz. I never had a sister before…and I really loved having you around," Kyle said with genuine sincerity.

"Gosh, Kyle you're making me cry," Maria gave a small laugh as she wiped the tears away with her fingers. Maria had a sudden flash of terror. She pictured Kyle and his father dead because they knew too much, unprotected from their enemies still on Earth. If she left Nicholas, Leanna, Rath or Lonnie could seek their revenge on these innocent people.

"Are you okay, Maria?" Kyle's voice brought her back to Earth.

Maria seemed a little disoriented, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Have you told my dad yet?" Kyle asked curiously.

Maria shook her head, "I'm sure Tess has by now, but it is Liz that I'm worried about. She took off with Max a little while ago and I wanted to see her before…you know."

"Oh, well if I see her I'll tell her you're looking for her," Kyle said as he stood up. "So I'll see you later, right?"

"Yes, of course, there is no way I'm going to leave without saying good-bye," Maria reassured him, but in her mind she didn't know who she would be saying good-bye to.

* * * Maria arrived at Michael's place with a huge knot in her stomach. She had made up her mind and she knew that her decision was going to crush Michael. She gently knocked on the door and Michael answered it quickly.

Michael went all out by setting the table and lighting candles everywhere. "Oh, Michael?" Maria said.

"I know you like Italian, so…" Michael's voice trailed off. "And I know Scooby's your favorite."

"This is really sweet of you," Maria told him.

Michael said, "Sit down."

Maria wanted to break down and cry, "You really shouldn't have gone through all this trouble."

Michael insisted softly, "Sit down, please." Maria reluctantly sat down and he sat down next to her. "There's a lot about you Maria. There's a lot about you, but I think what means the most to me is that you're open. You know I can look into your eyes and I can see you." Maria wanted to tell him, but all she could do was listen. "I can see what you're thinking. I can see what you're feeling. How much I mean to you sometimes, how much I piss you off sometimes. But I can always see you."

"I see you too. I mean there are times I can read you like a book," Maria replied honestly.

Michael shook his head in disagreement; "You were open with me from the very beginning. You were always willing to share your dreams, your fears and your past with me. And I never did that and I was relieved you never asked."

"I knew it was painful for you, and I didn't want you to have to relive it," Maria said to him passionately.

"There are things inside of me that I don't want people to see. There are things inside of me that I'm not proud of. But I've thought about it, and I want you to see me," Michael confessed to her. "Take my hands."

Maria too Michael's hands into hers, and she was immediately met with flashes of Michael's memories. She saw Michael coming out of the pod and finding her in the desert at age six. There was a flash of a young, scared Michael running away from the trailer he lived in with his abusive, alcoholic foster father. Maria felt Michael's jealously toward Max and Isabel's perfect lives with loving parents. She felt the way his heart fluttered when he first saw her when she just moved to Roswell. Finally she saw the two of them snuggling underneath the stars the year before. She felt all the love he had for her, and she wanted him at that moment.

"Michael," Maria whispered with heavy breaths. "There's something I have to tell you…"

"Sh!" Michael silenced her by covering her mouth with his. She loved him so much that her need for him rose. She had no intention of changing her mind, but she wanted so badly to live in the moment. Also, she did not want him to ever forget about her.

* * * "I love you Michael," Maria told him as she lay in his arms.

"I love you too," Michael replied as he reached for a small box in the pocket of his discarded pants.

"There's something I have to tell you," they both said at the same time.

Michael lightly laughed, "You go first."

Butterflies danced in her stomach as she prepared to break his heart, "I…I can't go with you. I'm staying here in Roswell."

"You're what?" Michael's facial expression did a complete 180 and turned serious.

Maria saw the pain in his eyes as she pulled out of his embrace; "I'm not going to Antar. I just can't."

"Why not?" he demanded.

"I have responsibilities here on Earth," Maria confirmed. "Someone has to stay behind and protect our friends."

Michael responded, "What about your responsibilities to us? What about Tess…what about me?" Maria quickly grabbed her dress and slipped it over her head, "I love Tess, and I love you." Maria finished dressing and she sat down on the bed. "Tess doesn't need me anymore she has Max. And I know he will protect her and their baby." Maria paused to look at his face, "And you…you have your destiny with Isabel. I know you don't think much of it now, but where you are going, it's a part of you." Maria saw tears forming in the corners of his eyes, she reached over and caressed his cheek. "I love you so much that I would give my life for you. I would gladly die in order to ensure that you would live…but I can't sacrifice the lives of Kyle or Valenti or Liz. You were right, we can't just leave them here with our mess, we can't leave their lives in danger."

Michael was silent for a moment, "I can be selfish and say I don't understand, but I do. I love you so much too, but I know I have to let you go."

"I don't want to leave you Michael, but there doesn't seem to be any other way," Maria cried even though her thoughts were saying something completely different. They were saying, "Don't let go. Stay here with me." Maria knew that it would be unfair to ask him that. "Uh, so what did you have to tell me?"

Michael sadly looked away, "Oh, it was nothing important."

Maria swallowed the big lump in her throat, "Well then we better go, it's almost time to meet Max and the others."