Maria was ready to come back when noticed a shadow on the stairs. She walked near him and sat down.

-Michael... I wish...- -Don't make it too long, I have heard everything and if I'm not wrong you have a bus waiting, so...- -So?...- Maria was unable to look at him bearing his gaze. -So what?- -You can't answer to a question with another question, you know it?- -Ok, then good flight!- Michael was hating himself. -Good flight?!!? That's all?- Maria began to feel that violent passion that only Michael could tourn on grew up inside.

Michael now was standing in front of her ready to face the same feelings. -Ok, what do you want me to do?- The quarrel was started and now they were speaking loudly. Maria loured. -What...? I, I don't know! I'm telling you I'm leaving and the only thing you can say is good flight? GOOD FLIGHT?- -There is NOTHING to say Maria, damn it!- -Try it! I can't believe... no, no, I don't want believe you don't care!- Maria was loosing control and that wasn't what she had imaginated entering the back room.

-Whatever I may say or do would be the wrong thing, so tell what you want me to say and make it OVER!- Michael couldn't stop himself and grabbing her shoulder and shaking her, he continued to give his toughts a voice: -What are you expecting from me Maria? What the hell are you expecting? Do you want me to run after you? Do you want me to pray you don't to leave? Do you want me to say to forgive me and come back together? That's what you want? THAT'S IT?- -YES MICHAEL, YES!- Maria was criing her hands on her face. Taking his hands off of her body Michael whispered: -...you know, I can't do this.-

Michael didn't understand what was going on there with Maria's sobbing deeply hammering in his ears. Looking at her, he felt like deprived of everything important. He was rapidly reminding himself, in a sort of vision, to all the times he had hug her, kissed her, caressed her and breathed her scent. In that past moments, he would have stopped the time but now she was criing and he couldn't kiss off her tears. *Maria is leaving, Maria is leaving.* That was the only thing he could think about.

Then was Maria to speak again. -Oh... I'd never imaginated all of this could happens, and I don't believe I will never understand its real meaning... but at least I'm sure to have understood one thing.- Maria and Michael were a step apart with their bodies so near that they could feel their warm. Michael's hands were cluntch in fists and his eyes couldn't hide his desire and his love while she was gazing at him with wet eyes.

-I know that be together can't be more painfull that be apart. I know Michael... I love you, because I feel it in every single part of my body and soul; I know I need you like the air I breath and I know that somewhere in your heart you feel the same. But at the end, you are right Michael. I can't force you on doing what you don't want do. I can't force you not to fear this feeling, I can't. No matter what can I say... you will never understand how much I care of you.-

Michael was wordless, his eyes were now shut to hold back the tears and his mouth was a little open to breath her breath. She was speaking while he was thinking *I love you Maria, forgive me. I love you Maria, forgive me.*

-Once, going to Marathon, I've told you, as you, That I believed there were something better for me than Roswell, New Mexico. Well Michael, I was wrong. All I've always wanted and needed, was right in front of me like now, in this moment. Being in Roswell without belong to you, will kill me. I need my balance back and now I've understood that you also need a new balance.-

Maria put her hand on his cheek and took off a tears. That touch was burning Michael's heart. -I only hope Michael, that when you will find it, you will give me a place in your life.- Michael was feeling all his love for her and his only wish was loose himself in her fully lips now so infinitely near. Their bodies were touching and everything was clear to Maria: the fear, the pain, the conflict between loving her and protecting her, the feelings about his destiny... it was so clear now and she felt she never could love another person that wasn't Michael Guerin. They needed time, and she would give it to both of them.