Maria DeLuca was busy working the afterschool shift at the Crashdown. She delivered dishes from kitchen to tables and back again, without really thinking about it.

"What's up with you?" Liz asked her.

Maria looked out the window and sighed, "It's the weather babe, You might as well have given the whole town massive doeses of NyQuil."

"Ohh," said Liz, in that know-all tone she had that really annoyed Maria.

"Yeah well, as soon as I get home, I'm out for the night."

"Ok Maria," Liz laughed, and walked to refill the glasses at table 9.

Maria picked up the hot plate of burgers from under the red glow of the heat lamp and delivered it to a man with thick glasses. She began to describe the dessert specials when she saw someone with spiky hair and a black t-shirt come in. She stopped in mid-sentence and walked over to him without breaking their eye contact. She put her hand on his shoulder and he put his mouth to her ear.

"Maria, I have something to tell you."

"I'm off in 30 minutes," she whispered back, and squeezed his shoulder.

"I'll be waiting," he said as he backed away. He stared into her face as he pushed the door open and walked into the street.

"Whoa, what was that about?" asked Liz from behind Maria.

"I can't wait to find out," she sighed.

Liz had already gone home and the Crashdown's customers had cleared out as Maria opened the door to the back room. She pulled her things out of her locker and tried to access which herb ot take. She decided she would settle for some Vitamin C. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as she dropped the pill into her mouth.

"So now I know why you're so jumpy," said a male voice.

Maria almost choked as she opened her eyes to see Michael staring blankly at her. She swallowed hard before she let him have it.

"Geez Michael, you've really got to stop doing that to me!"

He just shrugged, "So I've got something to say," he said as he took her shoulders and turned her away from him.

He untied the knot of her silver apron and held it in front of her, looking over her shoulder at the alien face staring back at him.

"You really should get more politically correct uniforms," he said.

"I'll talk to Liz about it," Maria said, with her heart picking up speed.

"You do that," he said as he removed her antennae headband and put it in her locker. He shut the door and turned her around to face him, putting his hands on either side of her on the lockers. He looked into her eyes as he said, "I don't know what it is that you have, but I thank God that you have it, because whatever it is, I need it."

Maria closed her eyes and she felt Michael's warm breath on her face. He touched his lips to each of her eyelids, he kissed her nose, her cheeks, her lips, and below her ear.

"And now everything is going to be alright."

Maria kissed his cheek and squeezed him tightly around the neck. "I'm so glad Michael."

He hugged her around the waist and they stood there for a while, enjoying their closeness until finally Michael kissed her cheek, cleared his throat and said, "Shouldn't you lock up before boss lady attacks?" he joked.

"Yeah," Maria laughed , "I better."

She grabbed her stuff and closed the door behind her. Michael was already headed towards her car and wasn't expecting it at all when Maria took a flying leap onto his back for a piggy-back ride.

"Ugh," he grunted, "Maria what are you doing?"

She ignored him, "I'm just so happy for you, how did you work out your problem?"

"Well," he said as he shifted her higher on his back, "I am now what you would call an emancipated youth. Hank is gone, and I'm on the loose."

"Where are you gonna stay, now that you're- on the loose?" Maria asked with concern, running her fingers through his hair.

"I guess I'll get a place, unless you and your mother want me to sleep over," he joked.

Maria squealed as she jumped off his back and started slapping at him. "Michael shut up!!!"

"What, I thought your mother enjoyed my company, and I know I enjoy yours," he said in her ear.

He kissed her cheek again and whispered "Thank you" before he walked into the dark.