"Isabel, you are her best friend. You have to know," Mulder replied over the phone.

Isabel sighed deeply.

"Isabel, I need to know," Mulder said.

Isabel hesitated for a moment. If only Mulder knew. Could Mulder be trusted? Could her and Max trust him with the secret that they were aliens?

"Mulder, just trust Maria," Isabel said, her tone was almost desperate.

Mulder rubbed his temples. He knew he could trust Maria, but what was she hiding? Didn't she know she could trust him?

"What is this secret that she has? You know Isabel. I know you do, but why do you know?" Mulder asked. "It has something to do with you doesn't it?"

"It's nothing bad Mulder. Just trust us," Isabel said and hung up the phone.

Mulder got up from his desk after Isabel hung up on him.

"What are you guys hiding?" He said aloud. He turned around and his eyes landed on the computer. He walked over to it and sat down in front of it.

After he turned it on he went to the section that gave him full access for locating files. The search appeared and in it he typed, Isabel Evans.

"So -Cecile, is it?"

"Yes," Maria nodded as Michael poured some juice into two cups and handed her one. "Thank you."

"What do you do, Cecile?" Michael asked.

Maria turned away from him and smirked. She didn't think of this. She didn't think of what she'd say when she met him.

"I - travel," she said. Hey, it's not a lie. Working for the FBI does require you to travel, she thought to herself.

"Travel. Interesting job. So, how do you make money?" He asked.

Maria turned around and smiled at Michael. "I'm a sort of - a collector of - information," she smiled to herself. Again, not a lie, "You know - research - different aspects."

"Aspects of what exactly?" Michael asked.

"Nosy little guy, aren't you?" Maria joked. "Aspects of - people."

"And how do you get money from this? Are you a historian?"

"Well - part of my job does have to do with history, so yes, I guess you could say I am," Maria said.

"I'm sorry. I won't ask anymore questions. Sounds pretty top secret," Michael said.

"It's OK. My job is just hard to explain."

"But, you like your job, right?" Michael asked.

Maria shrugged, "Sometimes it's a bitch. But, otherwise I love it. I was made for it," Maria said.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, it was the only easy thing in college that I studied and actually found interesting," Maria said and they both laughed. "What do you do...?"

"Michael," Michael answered. "I'm a student at the moment."

"Of what?"

"English," Michael said.

"You want to teach English?"

"Well, a yes, among other things," Michael answered.

"And what are the other things?" Maria asked.

"Preferably writing. I would love to become a writer," Michael said.

"I've always wanted to become a writer. But, I don't think I have the imagination," Maria commented.

"I'm sure you do. I mean to be able to research different cultures and obviously take notes you have to have some kind of writing skills and imagination," Michael said.

"True. But, when things you thought were your imagination become reality it's very different," Maria muttered.

"What do you mean by that?" Michael asked.

"It's nothing," Maria said quickly. "Just a thought."

Michael stood from the table and walked over to Maria, who was standing by the window.

"How long will you bee in San Antonio?" Michael asked.

Maria blushed. She wondered if he was implying on maybe going out on a date, but that was something she could not get into.

"I have to be back tomorrow," Maria said.

"Yes, but Roswell is not a long way from here. You could leave in the morning," Michael said.

"I supposed I could," Maria mumbled then looked up at Michael in shock.

"How did you know I live in Roswell?"

Michael's breathing stopped for a moment. He hadn't realized she didn't tell him that. But, earlier when he touched her hand handing her the cup of juice, he got the flashes that come sometimes when he comes in physical contact with people.

He couldn't tell much about her from the flashes though. All he knew was her thoughts were in Roswell and that some pain in her heart was closing her off to him and he couldn't see anything else. Although he could tell that someone was missing in her life. And that she feared that someone of great importance to her was in pain. Michael figured that maybe she was traveling to find this person. For some odd reason though he hoped it wasn't a man she was in love with.

"I..." Michael didn't know what to say.

Maria stared at him, waiting for the lie he would come up with. Maria was aware that he had gotten a few flashes from her. She felt them when he touched her hand. She also knew that he didn't see much since her emotions were closed up.

She decided to let him off the hook this time. She slapped herself on the forehead and said, "Oh silly me. I told you when you came up to me at the car," she chuckled and added, "And I was about to imply that you were some sort of psychic."

Michael chuckled nervously. "Psychic. I'm far from that," he said.

"Michael, if you'll excuse me I'm going to go outside and use the phone," Maria said.

"You can use my phone," Michael said.

"No, it's OK. I have a cell. I don't want to run up your phone bill. The calls are out of state," She said.

"It's no problem," Michael insisted.

"Well..." Maria hesitated. "The calls are sort of...private."

"Oh, boyfriend...I understand," Michael said.

"No, not boyfriend...Excuse me," She said and walked outside to her car.

Michael closed his eyes and sighed with relief. 'No, not boyfriend.' Michael hoped that that meant she didn't have a boyfriend although it could have very well been that she just wasn't calling him.

Maria opened the door and sat down in her car. She grabbed her bag and took her cell phone out. She dialed the number and waited for the pick up.

"Hello?" Said the voice.

"Isabel, its Maria," she said.

"Maria, oh my God. I was so worried about you. How is everything?" Isabel asked.

"Well, you won't believe this but..." Maria suddenly stopped herself. Thoughts began to run through her head. She knew their lives would change as soon as they knew she'd found the little boy from the desert. And she wondered what Michael would do when he found his family. But, then of course he could already have a family here. This would change his life forever and it might not be good.

"Well? Maria? Did you find him?" Isabel asked, frantically.

"...No," Maria lied. "It's not him."

Silence.

"I'm sorry, Isabel," Maria said, she buried her face in one of her hands.

"Maria?"

"Yeah?" Maria's voice quivered. She hated lying to her best friend.

"What's wrong Maria?"

"I..." I hate lying to you. "I don't want to disappoint you. I just...feel so much stress right now," Maria said.

Michael watched the girl, Cecile, from his window. She was speaking to someone on the phone and it wasn't a pleasant call since there were tears falling from her eyes.

He wondered what was causing the girl so much pain.

Maybe it was her loved one whom he assumed she was in search for.

"You didn't disappoint me, Maria. I shouldn't have sent you to do this. You have so much to worry about with Scully missing and all. Just come home," Isabel said.

"I can't," Maria said. She didn't want to face her friend after she lied.

"Maria, you need to relax. Just take a vacation and come home to Roswell," Isabel begged.

"I can't. I'm sorry. I have to go straight back to Washington."

"No you don't, Maria. You, Mulder, and Nick finished working your case here in Roswell so why not take a break and just spend some time with us," Isabel said.

"No. Tell Mulder and Nick to meet me back n Washington on Monday," Maria said and hung up the phone before Isabel could reply. She also pressed the power button to off so they couldn't call her and try to convince her to come back to Roswell for a while.

Maria wiped her eyes and looked up. She could see Michael waiting for her to finish in the window. She got out of her car and walked back to the house.

"Cecile, are you OK?" Michael asked with concern.

Maria took in a deep breath. "I'm fine. Michael, I'm sorry. I have a family emergency. I have to get back to Washington as soon as possible," Maria said.

"Washington? I thought you said you were from Roswell?" Michael asked, frantic suspicion ran through his spine.

Maria opened her mouth quickly to explain then realized she'd be telling him everything and she couldn't do that.

"I...am," She said. "But, I wo-live in Washington," she said.

Michael's expression turned cold when he noticed she almost said she worked there. Of course that meant she did work there. Traveling, gathering information, files in the car, sitting in the car watching him, and working and/or living in Washington. Washington also happened to be the head quarters for the FBI.

"I have to go now," Maria said. "Thank you for your hospitality Michael," she said and quickly left the house.

Michael watched her leave. "Coincidence," he scoffed to himself.