"Dear Maria, Well summer is drawing to an end and I will be returning home to Roswell. But what exactly will I be coming home to. I'm almost tempted to stay here in Florida and live with my aunt, but I know that won't solve anything. I try to tell myself that Max and I can try to be friends, but how can we after all we have been through, we are so much more than that. I know I sound like a bitter ex-girlfriend right now, but I am truly happy that you and Michael found each other. If anyone deserve to be happy it is the two of you and I am looking forward to seeing you all especially Alex. Tell him that I miss him and that I'll be coming home real soon. Take Care.

Love, Liz"

Alex finished reading the letter that Liz wrote to Maria, he folded it back up and gave it to Maria at a moment when he knew that Max and Isabel weren't looking. "Does Max know she is already back?"

Maria shook her head, "Nobody knows but us."

"Are you going to tell-" Alex was cut off by Isabel.

"Alex, I'm trying to listen," Isabel snapped as she, Alex, Maria, and Max were in the break room of the Crashdown gathered around the small TV that rested on top of an old wooden crate.

They were watching an assembly meeting of the House of Representatives regarding the Special Unit of the FBI.

"Mr. Pierce, how much of that spending was authorized by your superiors?" one of the older congressman asked Nasedo, Maria and Tess's long time guardian, who was currently the recently deceased Agent Pierce.

Nasedo as Pierce spoke into the microphone, "None."

"Huh?" the congressman retorted. "Oh, sorry Mr. Pierce. My hearing isn't what it used to be. Why don't you speak right into the mike?"

Nasedo looked annoyed as he leaned in closer and repeated, "None."

The Congressman who was leading the discussion continued in a sarcastic tone, "Oh, none! Not a penny. For $17 million spent by the so-called Special Unit of the FBI…"

"Max, you're a genius," Alex declared as the congressman droned on.

"What?" Max couldn't tear his eyes away from the screen.

Alex told him, "Having Nasedo pose as Pierce. You know, make a mockery of the Special Unit, and the government threat against you. It's really smart."

"I had nothing to do with it," Max explained to him. "I haven't heard from Nasedo in 3 months."

"Ditto," Maria included.

"Well if Nasedo can put an end to this Special Unit, I'd say all your problems are solved," Alex tried to reassure them.

Maria said to no one in particular, "I thought I would never live to see the day when the Special Unit would no longer exist and I can finally stop running."

"We still have our enemies to deal with," Isabel reminded in a serious tone.

Max saw Maria shudder a bit, "It's been 3 months, and nothing has happened. No aliens have shown up. Maybe there's no one out there. Maybe the war is over."

"Or thousands of them could be lining up outside of town right now," Isabel was being pessimistic.

Maria saw Max shake his head in disagreement, "I just don't think we should live our lives in fear like Michael."

"Maybe he's just preparing for the inevitable," Isabel concluded giving her brother a harsh look.

"You guys chill out," Maria jumped in as the mediator. "Iz, don't stress you'll get wrinkles. You too, Max."

"I'm only facing the facts," Isabel said.

Maria went on to avoid any further arguments, "OK, I do have to admit that Michael has been a little more paranoid than usual, but he is still not over the whole Pierce thing. But still there is nothing wrong with being prepared."

"They're taking a vote," Alex announced, as he was the only one actually watching the broadcast.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the Congressman declared. "I move for the immediate disbandment of that component of the FBI known as the Special Unit. All those in favor say aye."

The new waitress that they just hired entered the break room to find their eyes practically glued to the TV screen, "You people are way too into C-SPAN."

Maria just rolled her eyes, "Good-bye Courtney."

Courtney left just as the Congressman said, "All opposed say, nay."

"Nay," a woman's voice spoke up.

"The committee recognizes Congresswoman Whitaker," the Congressman announced.

Maria took a closer look at the young woman with short brown hair, "She looks familiar."

"Yeah, that's Vanessa Whitaker. She's our congresswoman," Alex informed her.

"I've gotta start reading the newspaper," she added before the Congresswoman started speaking.

"Members of the committee," Congresswoman Whitaker began. "In 1972, the Special Unit of the FBI investigated a murder. Several curiosities surrounded the event. No murder weapon. No entry wound other than the presence of silver markings left on the skin, which subsequently vanished, yet the internal organs, and tissues of the victim were completely decimated. Now, nuclear analysis of the victim's bones showed traces of a substance dubbed Cadmium-X, an element which doesn't exist on earth. It is simply put…not human."

The congressman questioned Nasedo, "Mr. Pierce, in all records, materials, and other findings…appropriated from your offices we have found no mention of anything known as Cadmium-X. Can you explain that to us?"

Nasedo leaned into the microphone and stated in a clear tone, "There is no record in our files of the substance called Cadmium-X, because there is no substance called Cadmium-X. Cadmium-X is a hoax that we invented."

"Even though he made a crappy father figure I have to admit the man rocks," Maria commented after the broadcast was done. "All right, the show's over. I gotta change into my uniform. My shift's starting." Liz had given Maria her job before she left for Florida because with Nasedo gone Maria needed to start earning her own money so she doesn't have to depend on Nasedo.

Maria rummaged through her locker as Alex and Isabel went to get a table. Maria turned around to see Max standing there looking like a lost puppy dog. "Girlfriend. Like I know that we bonded over the summer, but I'm not quite ready to show you the bod just yet."

Max changed his expression to hopeful, "I was just wondering if you'd heard from Liz yet?"

Maria resisted the urge to grab him by the ears and shake him until the sulkiness fell out, "Not since you asked me an hour ago. No."

"I heard you on the phone with her," Max pointed out.

Maria started feeling a little bad for him because Liz was probably upstairs watching daytime television as they spoke. She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Max, little advice. The girl goes off to some aunt in Florida for the entire summer and barely says good-bye to you. In layman's terms, she blew you off big time. I mean, and look at you. Look, you're like a groveling dog." Maria changed her voice to sound whiny, "Have you heard from Liz today? Did Liz call?" Maria in her normal voice honestly told him, "No, that's no good. Look, you've gotta play it cool, all right? Let her come to you."

"Let her come to me," Max repeated.

"That's what I'd do," Maria smiled sweetly.

"Let her come to me," he said again and again as he finally left her alone in the break room.

Maria's smile faded when he disappeared, "I'm sorry you have to go through this Max. You and Liz really do deserve each other." Maria took her uniform from her locker and made her way upstairs to Liz's apartment.

"Hey girl," Maria said as she flopped herself down on the couch next to Liz.

"Is he gone?" Liz asked as she flipped quickly through the channels on her TV.

Maria nodded, "Yeah, but Alex and Isabel are still downstairs."

"Does Alex know?" Liz asked.

"Yeah I told him earlier he said he'll sneak up here later," Maria kicked her feet up on the coffee table. "But Liz you can't stay up here forever, I mean you are bound to run into him sooner or later."

"I know," Liz grabbed a pillow and put it over her face.

"Liz, when was the last time you actually left this apartment?" Maria asked her lightly.

Liz peeked her head out from underneath the pillow, "Not since I got home."

Maria raised her eyebrows, "Liz! You are being ridiculous. You can't stay locked up in here."

Liz threw the pillow behind the couch, "I know that, besides I have that interview with Congresswoman Whitaker tomorrow."

"Really, we just saw her on TV, she was the only one who wanted the Special Unit to remain open. I'm just glad it is finally getting shut down," Maria shared as she put her feet back on the floor and stood up.

Liz said with slight distaste, "I bet Tess is happy."

"I don't know what Tess thinks she hasn't exactly been in the sharing mood," Maria said sadly. "I got to go I'm going to be late for my shift."

Maria turned to leave when there was a soft knock on the door. "Open up Liz, it's me Alex."

Liz nodded to Maria to open the door, so she did and Alex smiled happily. "Do me a favor Alex," Maria told him. "Talk some sense into this girl." Liz grabbed another pillow and flung it at Maria but it missed and Maria laughed as she left them to have their reunion.

* * * During her break Maria took the time to call Michael who she hadn't seen since earlier that day. "Hello," his voice said at the other end.

"Michael," she said.

"Hey babe," Michael replied in an emotionless tone.

Maria could detect something was not right, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing just another run in with our fearless leader," Michael stated with the same tone.

Maria let out a sigh, "What did he do now?" She was getting fed up with the whole rivalry between him and Max, and she wasn't the only one, Isabel too.

Michael continued, "He didn't do nothing and that's the problem."

"Michael would you rather be at war right now. Fighting to the death," Maria pointed out.

"You know that's not what I want, but I just don't like the thought that the fate of a whole species is in our hands," Michael told her honestly.

Maria wanted to be there with him, but she was stuck at the Crashdown for another two hours, "Michael nothing is going to happen, the Special Unit is disbanding, Nasedo is seeing to that. We are safe now."

"I'm not so sure anymore," Michael muttered over the phone.

Maria felt shivers run down her spine, "What do you mean?"

Michael confessed, "Some geologist guy that Isabel met dug up Pierce's bones. I wanted to call Nasedo, but Max said that Valenti has the investigation taken care of."

"Michael please don't do anything stupid," Maria begged.

Michael responded passionately, "I can't just sit on this they might find out that I'm the one who killed Pierce."

"Michael I'm begging you. Look I get off in two hours I'll meet you back at your place and we can spend some time together," Maria pleaded to him because she knows how he can get and before she met him Nasedo described him as a "loose cannon."

"Maria!" Courtney yelled from the door. "Your break ended two minutes ago!"

Maria waved her off, "I'll be over there tonight."

"OK," Michael gave in.

"I love you," Maria whispered before hanging up.

Michael didn't hesitate, "I love you too. I'll see you tonight."