It seemed the four of them, plus Alex now, each had each other. And while Michael did have Max and Isabelle, they also had other people to depend on, not just him. And that is where Michael thought he had lost out. Because the only thing he thought he did have, that the others didn't, was gone, and not what he thought her to be.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael walked down the darkened street, as he did on many nights. In the beginning just to see, to see if she had returned, and he could confront her.

Then he went out of hope, hope that she would be there. Then he finally began going out of despair. It wasn't really as pathetic as it sounded. Something told him she wasn't coming back, but at the same time he wanted her back. And he thought himself desperate. But this night was different. This night he had made a decision. One he had been debating on over the past three months. No one had moved in, and no sign had been put up to sell the house. But the curtains remained in place, and he saw no evidence of anyone moving anything. The grass had of course gotten high, and it added to the gloomy feeling the house emanated. Michael passed Maria's window slowly, recalling another moment when he had been there. Even the rainbow colored beads still hung.

Once to the front door, he looked around cautiously, but the streets where empty, and all lights where off in the houses. Michael brought his hand up to the knob and when he heard a click and the door gave and opened, he stepped in. The house had a bland smell to it. It lacked the smells that normally would fill a house. Michael pulled out the flashlight in his pocket and flipped it on. And to his surprise, everything in the house was the same.

Furniture was still in place, as were tables, and a tv. Little aliens decorated the house, as did other small things. But what also struck him was the fact that it looked like it hadn't been straightened up. A cup sat on the table, a coat on the floor, by the couch. Once he had made his way to the kitchen, he even noticed a few dirty dishes in the sink. But the kitchen wasn't his priority. Michael headed in the direction of Marias room.

And for some reason, he was shocked, because everything Maria seemed to own, still covered her room. Her bed laid unmade, pictures scattered in frames were around the room, he even noticed a couple of her oils on her dresser.

Michael moved slowly towards her closet, when opened he found it filled with Maria's clothes. And the impression he got, was not a thing had been removed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Michael are you crazy!" Isabelle whispered.

"Isabelle, look, I wanted to know! Get off my back!" Michael yelled.

"Now your snooping around her house, when our lives are finally starting to get back to normal." Isabelle scolded him. She was back with her family and friends, and did not want to be taken away again.

Michael stood up and walked out of the Crashdown quickly, but he heard them get up and follow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz watched the heated up conversation between Michael and Isabelle, and when he got up and left without a word, with Isabelle and Max hurrying behind him, she knew something was up. Liz turned to the nearest waitress, telling her to take the register, and she hightailed it to the back and out the door. Once in the alley she hurried around the Crashdown till she reached the side, and when she did, she inched forward slowly, and when she could hear the conversation she stopped.

"Michael you have got to get over this." Max told Michael concerned.

"Get over what?! I wanted to see what was going on. You two where making no attempt to find out what really happened. Not a single thing has been removed from her house." Michael told Max.

"Michael, so what. Finding out where she is, or why she is there, will do us no good. It is better just to go on without lives. Because you trying to find out, will get us in more trouble." Max tried to reason with his friend, but knew he was getting no where.

Michael shook his head. "That is all the two of you want, is to be happy and safe, when there is something else going on out there. Do you realize that what she knows could get us home?" Michael asked them.

Isabelle laughed angrily. "What she knows could get us home? Michael! Listen to yourself. You are in so much denial right now. Fine we don't know the real truth as to what went on with her. And I don't know what to believe either. But you can't even get on with your life now. I've seen you. And I know that as closed off as you where before, you're worse now. Because before, you had only us, and then you had Maria. But now that she is gone, and it is tearing you apart." Isabelle grounded out.

Michael glared menacingly at Isabelle, but didn't speak. Instead he turned and took off.

"Isabelle I don't think that was a wise choice." Max told his sister.

"But it's the truth Max, he can't even get over this, and it is tearing him apart not knowing who she really is, and where she is." Isabelle said as she watched Michael become farther and farther away.

"I agree Isabelle. But I don't think it was best to confront him with the fact. Michael doesn't like facing the truth."

"I know that. But maybe once he does face the truth, he can get over the fact, that Maria is not coming back." Isabelle said to her brother. And she strongly believed that is what Michael would have to do.

"You don't know that." Max said to her lowly.

"Don't know what?" Isabelle asked him confused.

"That she won't come back."

Isabelle sighed, and looked off in the distance that Michael had disappeared. "You know at first, I was glad that she wasn't coming back. But now after seeing Michael breaking apart, and the free situation that we seem to be in now, I don't know what to think."