*I'm sorry. I thought you would hate me or be scared of me.*

*I could never hate you, Maria. I've felt many things about you in my time, but hate has never been one of them.*

She looked over at him and smiled, feeling so much love for him at that moment. They reached the door and she pulled on it but it was locked.

"They don't open till eleven," Alex said, yawning. He pointed towards the sign at the side of the road.

"Then we'll go around back," Maria said, and led them around the side of the large building.

"Will they be upset if we just show up like this?" Isabel asked.

Maria looked back and shrugged. "I hope not. They know we need their help and they said that we can show up at anytime."

A few minutes later, they reached the large white house where the elders lived. Maria glanced at Michael and then knocked. Almost immediately, the door opened and Kisa appeared.

She smiled brightly and cried, "Maria! Michael!" She took Maria in her arms, kissing her lightly on the forehead and then did the same to Michael.

*Wow, that was a much warmer reception than last time,* Maria sent Michael. She felt a sting in her throat at the realization that they would hate her when they found out who she really was and what her purpose was.

"What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" Kisa asked. Then she noticed the four other teenagers standing back a little and smiled. "Are they the others?"

Maria nodded. "Yes. We're sorry to show up like this out of nowhere but you need your help."

She cupped Maria's cheek and smiled. "Child, you're always welcome. Now, let's see," she addressed the others and pointed each one out. "You must be Max, Isabel, Liz, and Alex."

"Very good," Maria said. "How did you know which ones were which?"

"I can tell who is one of us and who is not, dear. And from what I gathered last time, you all are a tight group." She stepped aside and nodded inside. "Please, come in. Make yourselves comfortable."

The kids entered the house and all took seats on the couched in the living room. Isabel sniffed the air, smelling sharp, hot spices in the air, and a lingering scent of a cake. She smiled and said, "I guess we're not the only ones who like sweet and spicy."

"I'm going to go get the others," Kisa said. "And then we can talk."

Maria nodded and sat back on the couch. "They're going to hate me," she whispered. "They're going to be afraid of me."

Liz reached over and grabbed her hand. "Maria, you didn't know about who you were and you're not following the path Nacerro wants you to. I'm sure everything will be okay."

"I guess we'll see," Michael sighed, looking up as he heard voices approach.

The eight elders arrived to the living room accompanied by another woman. She was younger than the others and she looked around anxiously at the others. She was a thin woman with long sandy-brown hair and full lips. Her brown eyes were warm and friendly but they looked around at the kids frantically. "Which one?" she asked, glancing towards Ashtar.

The white-haired man didn't answer aloud but something passed between the two and her eyes zeroed in on Michael and her eyes misted.

Michael felt his heart skip a beat. He knew those eyes as well as he knew his own.

*What's going on, Michael?* Maria sent.

"You're my mother," he said in wonder, sitting up straighter. It wasn't a question.

His throat had closed over and his thoughts became muddled. The woman ran up to and threw her arms around him. He was too dumbfounded to return the embrace. "Oh, my beautiful boy," she cried. She pulled back and ran her hands over his cheeks. "I'm sorry, but I thought you were dead," she sobbed. "You don't know how long I've waited, how many years I've prayed that you were alive and here you are." She kissed his cheek and hugged him again. "I'm sorry. I'm Dinah."

Maria could sense so many things inside of Michael at that moment and her heart swelled. There was wonder, joy, shock, and a hint of fear that she would be disappointed in him, running through Michael's head.

Michael finally found that his limbs could now work and he tightened his arms around the woman. He his head in the woman's shoulder and felt his own eyes fill. *My mother,* he though. *I always knew that there was someone out there for me.*

Maria smiled and wiped the tears out of her own eyes. She was so happy for Michael. This is what he'd always wanted and now he had found it. Michael's hand reached out for her and he squeezed it. *My life seems to keep getting better and better,* he telegraphed to her. "First I have you, then we find out you're pregnant, and now a mother. I must be dreaming.*

*No, you're not dreaming. It's all real,* she answered.

She sniffed and then looked around the sea of faces in the room. Liz, Isabel, and the Dilana women were all crying, and the guys were all smiling. They understood.

When the woman pulled back from Michael, he pulled Maria in a little closer. He struggled for a moment to find his voice and figure out how he should address the woman. "M..mom, I'd like you to meet...."

The woman interrupted him. "You're Maria," she said and then hugged her. "You're the love of my son's life." She pulled back and caressed Maria's face. "You're very beautiful. My son has good taste."

Maria smiled and glanced at Michael, feeling a heaviness in her heart. She was scared that the woman would react badly if she found out who she was, what she was. The woman's hand dropped to Maria's tummy and her smile widened. "And you are my grandchild," she said, her eyes filling again. "Three miracles in one day. I don't think I could be any happier."

Maria looked over to where Max and Isabel were sitting and saw them exchange an anxious glance. Finally Isabel spoke. "Is...are...do we have...?"

Ashtar answered for her. "Well, we didn't tell her that you were here. She had only heard of Michael so far. Dinah, Max and Isabel are your other children, too."

Isabel gasped and stood up sharply. "You mean, Michael is our brother?"

He nodded and Dinah cried out. "You mean all three are alive? That means there is hope yet as long as we stop the others from finding them."

Right away, Maria knew what she was talking about. They all did. She knew it was time to get down to business and speak up.

"Actually, that has to do with why were here. We know about the prophecy and we know about the others. About the two who are supposed to stop them." She took a deep breath, her heart beating so hard in her chest that she was sure they could see it through her shirt. She took a deep breath and glanced at Michael who nodded.