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"Hello?"

"Liz, it's Max. I'm on the way to the Crashdown, with Maria." Max told her.

"Okay." Liz said a little unsurely. Why would he tell her that, unless....

"We're coming in the backdoor. You're going to need to help me bring her upstairs."

"Alright, when are you-" Liz was cut off by the sound of the phone hanging up on the other line.

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

Max pulled up in the alley with a screeching halt. He leaned into the back, and pulled the passed out Maria out from the back seat. As he stepped out of the jeep, he found Liz waiting impatiently with the backdoor open. Max walked quickly to the Crashdown, praying that no one saw him.

Liz's eyes widened as she saw Maria. Her hair was a mess and obviously had sand in it. Her face wasn't any cleaner. Her clothes seemed dirty. And under her eyes had this dark haunting look. Liz followed closely behind Max as she hurried up the steps. Liz squeezed passed him, and made her way to her room. And once inside she shut the door locking it. When she turned around, she found Max placing Maria gently on her bed. "Max wha-"

"You lied to us." Max said immediately as he stood up.

Liz's mouth opened partially as if she had something to say. But nothing would come out.

"I saw it all. I was in Maria's head. And I saw the total truth, and you knew about it all." Max told her. And the hurt he felt, he knew was evident.

"I had to." Liz said painfully. Liz looked past him at Maria. "I couldn't tell you. They wouldn't let me if I wanted to. And Maria was breaking down, and she needed me. I wanted you to know, I wanted to tell you so bad. But I couldn't. It was the only way." Liz began to cry, he wasn't even saying a word to her. She walked towards Max who was still standing by her bed. "I'm so sorry Max, I didn't know what they would do. Maria wouldn't tell me, she didn't want me to know. But they told me it would help you, help keep all the FBI guys away, and stop people from following you. So I wanted to help. I just wanted you to be safe, and not have to worry about really being caught and never getting away. Max I really am sorry."

Max stepped forward towards Liz, he brought one hand up and gently wiped the tears away. "I saw and felt the truth. I know. The only person who is at fault are the ones who have followed us and driven us to this point."

Liz opened her mouth to speak, but her moan from Maria drew her attention away. "Maria really didn't want to hurt you. She couldn't come back for the past three months because if she didn't have any sort of trust from you three then she wouldn't be safe. And you didn't believe her. And she knew you had no reason to."

Max dropped his hand from Lizs face and glanced back at Maria who was still sleeping. "I know. I saw it all. But it isn't me that needs convincing of the truth."

Liz stood there, a silent debate fighting in her head. She walked away from Max, and picked up the phone handing it to him.

Max looked down at the phone then back up to Liz. It seemed a hard thing for him to accomplish.

"Did they know you came here?" Liz asked him softly.

Max nodded. "I was designated."

"Then they wanted to know. They need the truth. And they need to see Maria. Because if she wanted to capture all of you," Liz turned and looked at Maria, "I don't think she would have went through this."

Max nodded and took the phone from Liz. He dialed to his house slowly, and as he listened to the ringing he glanced at the clock, which now read 10:13. It had been over four hours since he dropped them off. The connection with Maria had been longer then it seemed. After the second ring it picked up.

"Hello?"

Max noticed the hurried tone in Isabel's voice.

"It's me."

"Oh god Max. Where have you been! Nevermind, what happened?!"

"I found the truth. And more then we knew about or ever wanted to know." Max told his sister as he watched Maria.

"And?"

"I think you should come over here to Liz's. Come to the back." Max said and hung up before she could speak again.

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

Isabelle looked at the phone in confusion then hung it up.

"Well?" Michael asked hurriedly.

"He said he knows the truth. But he sounded kinda freaked. He wants us to go over to Liz's." Isabelle paused for a moment. "Why Liz?"

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

"I don't know about this Liz. This seems kind of dangerous." Max said to her as she cleaned Marias face.

"When then Max. A week from now. I know the three of you don't trust her. But the longer you wait, the harder it will be to resolve anything. It's been over two months since you where taken. All of you where going to eventually going got have it out. Better sooner then later." Liz said softly as she looked up at him.

Max kneeled down in front of her. "And where will you be when we do have it out?"

Liz looked away from Max for a moment then turned back to him. "There is no side here. We are trying to resolve things."

Max shook his head. "You're going to be there for Maria."

Liz sighed, "I have to, you know the truth, but you are still hurt. I am the only one who at this point doesn't blame Maria. Although I know she put you through a lot, I know it wasn't the real her. And I know without a second thought she hates herself for it. I don't want to take a side. But when they start blaming her, I will back her up."

"They won't blame her. They just want the truth, like me." Max told her.

"But the three of you are not the same and don't react in the same way. I'm guessing there was a reason you were designated for confronting Maria."

Max frowned and nodded.

"And they were hurt to. Even with the truth it will be hard to forgive. " Liz told him and smiled sadly.

Max gave her a smile. "How do you do that?"

"What?" Liz asked a little confused.

"Manage to not blame anyone?" Max asked her.

Liz smiled, but before she could respond she heard footsteps. Her eyes flew to her door and there was a soft knock.

"Max?"

Liz looked nervously at Max at the sound of Isabelle's voice.

Max took one more look at Liz then at Maria before he stood and headed to the door. He unlocked it and pulled it open slowly. And as Michael and Isabelle filed in, he didn't look at them. He just closed the door and locked it.

"Max, why are we-" Isabelle began then she caught site of what Liz was sitting by. "Oh."

Michael had seen her as soon as he had walked in. Max was standing back, and Isabelle couldn't move, but he couldn't stop from moving. He stepped forward slowly and stopped a couple of feet from the bed.

Liz looked up at Michael. And the emotion she saw on his face caught her by surprise. He was worried, scared, horrified all at once.

"What happened?" Isabelle asked Max but continued to look at Maria.

"I went to her house," Max began, "and she told me I had to find the answer on my own. So we went outside of Roswell, and she picked the crash site to stop at. Then we went out in the desert, and she told me to go into her head. So I made the connection. And I saw her whole life, just as if it was my own." Max paused for a moment, he could here the emotion in his voice. Because what he gotten form Maria had been to much all at once. "I felt everything she felt, and saw everything she saw. And when I pulled out because it had been to much, she held the connection. By that point she was sweating and her eyes where bloodshot, and seemed sunken in. And she was trembling all over. And when I tried to break it she wouldn't let me, and pulled me back in. And when it was all over we where both laying on the ground. And she was crying. Then moments later she passed out."

"What did you see?" Michael asked Max as he turned to him.

"The truth. There had been a plan, a plan almost as soon as we had waken up. And Maria had been pulled in immediately. Liz was shot on purpose. Maria had been forced into finding out about us. And-"

"Max." Michael grounded out. He was getting angry. Angry that he hadn't saw everything. He should have been the one to go.

Max watched Michael warily before he stepped forward and placed his right hand on the side of Michael face. And he threw everything at Michael with one forceful blow. He disconnected a moment later and was pushed back by the force of the connection. Max grabbed onto the side of the desk, but Michael wasn't so lucky. He fell to his knees then onto his arms.

Michael stayed there breathing heavily and shaking. And in one moment it all fit together. In one moment he now owned every single one of Maria memories. And in one moment he understood. Michael turned his head slightly as he heard Isabelle's worried gasp. And when she reached him, Michael grabbed her hand and made the connection, it was the only way.

A choked sound escaped Isabel as she stiffened at the sheer force of the connection. The next thing she knew she had fallen over and was gripping Michael shirt. She slammed her fists on his back angrily. "You asshole!"

Max hurried towards Isabel, and drug her away from Michael, who was now laying on the floor. Making a connection twice was bound to practically kill him.

Michael shook as he felt the lack of energy running through his body. Michael turned his head on the cool floor and looked at Liz, who gripped Marias hand. "You knew." he choked out.

Liz nodded at him sadly. "Three months before. Maria couldn't handle it on her own. She needed someone."

"Then she should have told us." Isabelle said to Liz.

Liz's back stiffened. "You know she couldn't have."

"She had the choice." Michael said decidedly and began pushing himself off the ground.

Liz felt her heart being broken because they wouldn't understand. "No she didn't, maybe in the beginning she did. But she didn't because her parents wouldn't let her. After she couldn't because she knew it was the only way to save your lives. Why can't you just believe it!?"

"Because it hurt!" Isabel screamed. "What can't you just understand that!"

"People hurt all the time." a soft hoarse voice spoke up. "And rarely does anyone understand it. I think everyone knows that." Maria didn't open her eyes. She didn't want to. She didn't want to see them. But the emotions she had to relive were still raw in her mind, and she couldn't help the tears that ran down the side of her face. Maria bit her lip silently. When had her eyes and head hurt so much. The tears seemed to sting her eyes. And all of her muscles hurt.

"Can't you even look at us?" Isabel asked. Her voice held some anger, but it also held the same painful emotion in Marias.

Marias eyes popped open and she turned. "Do you want me to look at you?"

Michael grounded his jaw together to control himself from reacting. Her eyes were bloodshot, and the popped blood vessels in her eyes horrified him. But he still didn't turn away.

Maria turned her head away from them and looked up to the ceiling. She wanted to say something mean, something to push them away. But she didn't want to keep her guards up anymore. Maria sighed. "I suppose I could have told you, but then we couldn't have drawn them away, and you would most likely be in the hands of the wrong people now." Maria paused for a moment then spoke again. "Did you know the rooms were brown?" Maria laughed, "I told them to change them to white, it would appeal more to your fears." Maria said and continued to laugh, but soon her face contorted into hurt and she began to cry.

Liz let a tear slide silently down her face as she watched Marias painful life take her over. Liz couldn't do anything to help her now sobbing friend, she wouldn't know where to start.

Maria turned slowly towards them. Her face was tear stained, and her teeth shattered with the quivering of her chin. A loud sob escaped her from deep inside, and she tried her best to hold it back. And her eyes met his, for the first time. Maria heaved in a deep breath, "I'm sorry." But she couldn't hold herself in anymore and she began to cry hysterically.

Liz dropped down to the side of the bed on her knees, and pulled Maria towards her into her arm and cried silently with her friend.

"Max, what's wrong?" Isabel asked as she looked at her brother worriedly.

"The connection was too much for her. She relived every painful moment, and emotion in her life in just a couple of hours, its taking its toll on her now." Max explained, but couldn't tear his eyes from Maria.

"But so did you, and me and Michael saw it in one moment." Isabelle argued.

"It wasn't our life, she pushed it all back in attempt to forget it, and now she had to face it again all at once, she wasn't prepared for the physical and emotional strain." Max explained softly. He glanced over at Michael who stood there silently. And Max knew in one moment, that if Michael could he would take Maria into his own arms.

"Then why do it if she couldn't handle it? You said you stopped but she pulled you back in. Why?" Isabelle asked in an agitated voice.

Max finally turned to his sister, who was obviously on edge here, and not comprehending anything. "Because she wanted us to know the truth." Max looked back at Michael who was looking at him now.

"How do we know it is?" Michael asked.

Max sighed. He knew Michael wanted to believe it, but he couldn't. "You felt it Michael, you know what was a lie and what wasn't."

Michael didn't respond, he just turned and looked at Maria. Sure he had felt it and seen it all, and he wanted to believe it all, but what she had done had hurt to no end.

Liz continued to hold Maria as she cried, and she tried to soothe her, but she knew it was no good. Maria was literary breaking down. "Maria, do you want to go home?" Liz asked softly, but she wasn't prepared for the response she got from Maria.

"No!" Maria yelled. "I am not going back there!" she said angrily and pulled away from Liz.

"Maria?" Liz asked confused.

"Do you know that I am human. I am right!?" Maria yelled and nodded her head as if she tried to reassure herself.

Liz nodded a little fearfully.

"Okay." Maria said and nodded. "And humans have emotions right? They feel hurt and pain and happiness?" Liz nodded.

"Then why won't they let me feel it!" Maria screamed. Maria breathed heavily for a moment. "Maria stop crying. Maria you have to be in control. Maria hide your feelings. Maria just deceive them. Maria don't be so emotional. Maria do you only think of anyone but yourself?" Maria repeated all of the things she had heard over the years from her parents and teachers.

Michael did all he could to remain in the same spot. At the point Maria looked almost crazy. Her physical appearance just added to it.

"I hate them." Maria said softly but evenly. Her eyes traveled down to her arms and she turned her hands over and surveyed the white lines on her wrists, that she had caused to escape all of the scolding she had received. "I guess all of you saw that too," Maria said softly, when she looked up no one responded. But it was a given, they had seen her whole life. "If I would have known that I wouldn't have died and I'd have to live with a reminder of it I wouldn't have done it in the first place."

Isabel straightened and walked slowly towards Maria, she noticed the wary look that came from Maria, and the worried look from Liz. When she reached the bed she kneeled down and reached out to grab Maria hands. Maria tried to pull away but Isabelle snatched her wrists forcefully and pulled them forward. Isabelle ignored the wide eyed look from Maria and looked down to her wrists. Isabelle turned over both hands so that Maria palms where facing up. Both of her thumbs slid from one end of the white lines down to the other end, and they disappeared with the passing of her thumb. Isabel gently dropped Marias wrist and stepped back. Isabelle tried her best to gage what compelled her to erase the scars on Maria's wrists. Maybe it was a move to show there trust, or maybe she was just feeling so sorry for Maria. She knew right away that she had scared the hell out of Maria with it though.

Maria watched everyone cautiously for a moment, and she began to fear now. Because she didn't have a clue as to what was going to happen. To a point everything in her life had been controlled for the most part. Now she was unsure of everything. She was unsure of her future, she was unsure of her friends, she was unsure of what they thought, she was unsure of her parents, and most of all she was unsure of herself. She didn't know who the real her was anymore. Maria backed up on the bed and soon found herself sprawled on the ground. She jumped up and, when she saw Liz move towards her she looked for an out, and the only one she saw was the open window. Maria glanced back at all of them once more then took off towards the window.

"Maria no!" Liz called out.

Maria ignored her friend and jumped through the window, and ran across the roof of the Crashdown. She hopped on the ledge and carefully placed her feet on the steps of the ladder. She looked up only for a moment. Liz had already ducked her head under the window and was getting out with Max right behind her. Maria smiled, and it stopped Liz in her tracks causing Max to run into her. "Did you ever try to jump from a building before? I wonder if you can survive?" And while they stood there shocked, for a moment Maria considered letting go, and just falling, but even with the shity life she had, she couldn't do it. Instead she left them in surprise and fear and hurried down the ladder.

"No!" Liz screamed and ran towards the side of the roof, but when she looked down she didn't see Maria lying on the ground. She looked further out and saw someone running at top speed down the street. She breathed a relieved sigh and turned back to Max. By that time Isabel and Michael had come outside. "What did you do to her when you made the connection?" Liz tried to keep the blame out of her voice, but Maria was cracking.

Max shook his head. "I don't know. I mean I never assumed that she couldn't handle it. They where her own memories, I knew it might be stressful but I didn't know it could do that."

"She's not going home." Liz said. "Meaning she is going somewhere else, except I have no idea. But leaving her alone is the last thing we should do."