Maria stirred to the sound of Dr. Carlin entering the cell that she and Michael shared. She opened her eyes and nudged Michael's sleeping body before struggling to sit up.

"Hello," Maria said to the doctor as she yawned. She glanced at Michael who was stirring beside her.

By the time the doctor responded, Michael opened his eyes and began to sit up next to Maria.

"Good Morning!" Dr. Carlin exclaimed a bit too cheerfully. Maria frowned at his attempt to cheer her and Michael up.

"It's never good anymore, Carlin," Michael said annoyed with the doctor's fake happiness. He knew too well that the 'good' doctor wasn't really any happier than he and Maria. Not that Carlin ever revealed much of himself to Michael, but he seemed to have developed a soft spot for the lovebirds in cell 4a.

Who was he kidding, Michael and Maria were his only patients. The doctor himself was miserable from an overload of boredom these days. Even a tongue lashing from Topolski didn't excite him anymore ... if it ever did.

"So what are we doing today- before breakfast?" Maria asked not happy that Dr. Carlin was in their cell earlier than usual, not to mention how hungry she was beginning to feel.

"Oh, I came to make sure that you eat before either of you has to start your schedules."

"Great," Michael said sarcastically, "Is Topolski bored?"

"Everybody is getting restless and I think she's been scheming."

"Don't tell me she wants to starve after forcing me to become this way," Maria said, becoming angry.

Michael put his hands on Maria's shoulders to calm her down- Maria angry in the morning was never pretty and he didn't have to energy to pay for whatever ill remarks she wanted to spit at the doctor. Now, Michael also had to remember that Maria was the same as him. She hadn't tried to control her powers let alone use them for fear that Topolski would find out. She wasn't oblivious to the two video cameras that continuously watched their cell.

"First," Dr. Carlin said as he checked Maria's pulse, "I'm only checking the vitals. Since tomorrow is Maria's turn, she'll want to exercise you today, Michael."

"That's all I ever do around here doc," Michael retorted, "Sleep, eat and exercise."

Dr. Carlin was not amused as his fake happiness disappeared into oblivion. "Topolski is as unpredictable as the weather these days," the doctor mumbled.

****

Topolski paced furiously in her office. Even her yoga wasn't relaxing her anymore. Her contacts told her that Max Evans was close and she knew he came all this way to get his friends away from her. Topolski's only desire was to have all of them and she grinned at the prospect as her pacing slowed to a sudden halt. The alien was unable to use his power because of the materials used to construct the compound. Max Evans wouldn't stand a chance and Topolski was sure that he had the others with him. Katherine Topolski smiled evilly. Max Evans and his friends were walking into a trap- and they didn't even know it!

She rushed to her desk and pressed her buzzer so Dr. Carlin would report ASAP. No sooner had she pressed the button, did the doctor enter her office and stand at attention until Topolski asked him what she wanted to know. "How's the operative?" she demanded.

"Absolutely wonderful," Dr. Carlin spoke nervously, "I was about to take the male to the exercise room as you instructed."

"I changed my mind," Topolski declared as she handed the doctor a piece of paper. "It's time to end the boredom," she added in her sweet, yet sinister way. Doctor Carlin stared at the words on the piece of paper, his eyes widened.

"You can't do that," he insisted, "you said that they had to remain together for the female to-"

Topolski interrupted him by one swift move of her palm near his face as she spoke angrily. "I changed my mind," she spoke each word with emphasis and added, "We have to see what will happen ... make it temporary like a day or two. Is that understood?"

Carlin returned to his at attention pose and answered her, "Yes, ma'am." Then he left her office and heaved a giant sigh as he walked back to cell 4a.

Topolski picked up the phone and selected the only line that was on hold, speaking mischievously to the person on the other end. "I'll have them all by tomorrow," she said almost happy.

"good," the voice said, "Call me when their all situated."

"I'll call you when I'm good and ready!" Topolski protested not liking the idea of being ordered around.

"You will call when they are situated because you know how easily you can be replaced."

A hint of fear gleamed in her eye, but her voice was confident. "I understand, I will do as you ask." then the person on the other end of the line hung up and Topolski slammed the receiver of her phone down, angry that she had a superior who was threatening to take her off of her own operative.

*****

"You can't do this!" Maria pleaded.

"She can and she will so I have to follow what she says. It's only temporary." Dr. Carlin explained, hoping that Michael wasn't as furious as he looked.

Maria grabbed onto his arm in a feeble attempt to keep the guards from taking Michael away. "NO!" she screamed as they dragged Michael out of cell 4a.

Maria was shoved into her bedroom- the one she and Michael were supposed to share. Feeling more alone than ever before she curled up on the bed in a fetal- like position and cried.

After Michael was in the hallway, he shoved the guards off of him. He didn' t want to be away from Maria, but as long as it was temporary he figured he could deal with it.

As the guards prepared to lunge at him again, he stepped behind the doctor and said, "I'll go with you as long as it's temporary, but I hate this idea." He glanced at Dr. Carlin knowing that the doctor protested this move as well.

After walking through what seemed to be the whole length of the compound, Michael watched as Dr. Carlin opened a door and gave Michael a shove inside. Michael stumbled into the room and glared at one of the guards, not fully realizing that Carlin had followed him inside.

"Topolski knows your friends are coming, Michael. She's doing this to trap them, she doesn't seem to care what it does for the operative." Dr. Carlin told him.

"I can't sleep without Maria," Michael told him as if warning him for a grumpy side that he didn't like to show. Then Michael added, "That means she won't be able to sleep without me."

"How do you know?" the doctor inquired.

Michael looked at the blinding white wall as he said, "I just know. If I'm right, that alone will hurt the baby you seem to keep your eyes on."

"You already know that I disapprove of this, but if i protest, she'll take me off the operative and you wouldn't have a chance in hell of ever getting out. I don 't even want to know what she plans to do with the baby."

"Don't you mean hybrid?"

"Stupid technicalities. Do you know what your friends are planning?"

"If I know, do you think that I would honestly tell you?" Dr. Carlin became serious again. Michael became desperate. "Dr. Carlin, you have to help the others. Topolski won't stop with me and Maria, you have to know that by now."

"And how could I do that?" he asked trying not to sound like he wanted to help incase Topolski had the room bugged.

"Don't let them get caught and help us get out."

Carlin approached him face to face as he asked seriously, "what's the plan?"

*****

Maria fell asleep still in tears from not being with Michael. She barely ate any dinner and she felt horrible so she was surprised when she found herself dreaming.

She was out in the desert just like she remembered it in Roswell, and she was looking for Michael. She was looking at a familiar rock formation when Isabel materialized in front of her. Maria sat down on a small boulder and tried to be brave.

Isabel noticed something wrong right away. "Maria, what's wrong?" Isabel asked, sitting next to her.

Maria placed one of her hands on her abdomen as a tear tricked down her cheek and she told Isabel, "They took Michael to another cell today, Isabel. I don't think that the both of us can live without him. They said it's temporary, but I'm scared that our baby doesn't realize that."

"Maria, this is it. Tomorrow we are coming to get you and Michael." Another tear followed the previous one as Maria said very scared about tomorrow all of a sudden.

"I don't even know where they took him."

"Hello?" a familiar voice called out.

Maria turned to see Michael and ran towards him. After she kissed him she said worriedly, "I didn't think either of us would fall asleep alone."

Michael nodded and looked at Isabel. "So the plan that Maria told me about, it happens tomorrow?"

Isabel nodded. "You'll be out by nightfall, at least that's what Max seems to think. I keep getting the feeling that it might take longer or worse, that we might fail. Not that I want to think negatively. I'm just worried I guess, intuition and all that."

Maria left Michael and gave Isabel a big hug as she said, "don't worry, everything will work out fine."

"Your powers?" Isabel asked after she pulled away.

"I haven't really tried them and Michael doesn't think they will work inside the compound. I guess he's tried." Maria explained to Isabel.

"Don't worry, we'll get you out," Isabel reassured them and then added, "I think you need some time with Michael ... alone. See you both tomorrow." With that Isabel vanished and Michael spoke reassuringly.

"Carlin is on our side. I'm pretty sure that he'll help us."

"Did you tell him the plan?" Maria asked.

When Michael nodded, Maria became worried. "Does that mean you trust him?"

"He hates Topolski as much as we do, trust me on this- I'm the one he's been dragging around the compound almost every day. After a while, you can read a person by their behavior. Well, I can, so don't worry, Maria."

"I'm not worried, I'm scared. I hate being without you now."

"I do too, but tomorrow we'll be together again and we'll be out of that hellhole."