-What do you think it's going on there?- Tess broke the silence first. -Everything is possible with Michael- -Isabel is right... anyway, I don't think that something good is going to happen.- As to confirm Alex's words, Maria turned up from the back and ran out the Crashdown.

Automatically Liz stood up worried for her friend and unconsciously Max did the same. -Max...- Liz looked really grief-stricken. -Follow her, don't worry.- Just one word from him and she felt better: their "tuning" were still alive. Liz and Max looked to each other for a moment and then Liz ran after her friend. Without add a word Max made his way to the back room beckoned with his right hand to the others not to follow him. -Great! We'll remain here doing nothing... something else to drink, girls?- Isabel and Tess agreed and Alex walked to the counter looking for two or three cherry-cola. /********/

-Maria, get up from the pavement...- Liz stretched out her hands helping her to stand up -...and stop criing.- Maria rubbed her nose with the back of her hand and then took a big breath. She looked trough the front door and, between the green reflection of the UFO CENTER's neon sign on the windows, noticed Alex looking for something behind the counter and Isabel and Tess sat down at the same table. Max wasn't there. It wasn't difficult to imagine where he could be. -You two want to save us?- -I always will be there for you, Maria.- For the first time that day Maria smiled. -Good, 'cause I need you now.- -What?- -Take me to the bus' station, please.-

The two friends were still hand in hand with the head and the heart full of beautiful things to say but no one found its way to their mouths. Walking in the Crashdown, Liz tried to smile back to her friend. -Ok, Maria. Stay here, I'll come back as soon as possible.- /********/

Even if the light was off, Max immediately saw him: Michael was sat on the floor with his back against his locker. With the arms he was rounding his legs and his head was hidden in his knees.

-Michael, is everything ok?- -What do you think?- His voice was ironic and speaking he rose his unkempt head resting it against the locker. -Come on out there.- -I really don't think so.- Michael nervously got up and mending his T-shirt tried to walk away to the service door. -Where are you going?- -Maybe I can't go where I want to?- -Sure you can, but now...- -BUT NOW, I want get home... and don't think to prevent me from doing it!- -Don't you want talk again to Maria before..., well, you know.- -Maria and I, have said everything we had to say.-

Then Michael took his pale blue jacket and disappeared in the side street.

In the main room, everybody was waiting for Max. When Liz saw him, went to his side. -We must take Maria to the bus' station.- -Ok, come on. The jeep is in the parking.- Once in the street Liz pulled Max's arm for attention and murmured -Michael...?- -He is still too stubborn!- /********/

Amy De Luca was already at the bus' station when the guys arrived. She was sayng goodbye to the Sheriff Valenti and only after some minutes noticed her daughter. The woman said goodbye to Maria's friends and then went on the bus to take her sit. Maria instead was still with her friends. -Liz, don't worry I promise I'll write and certainly I'll phone. Alex... please, take care of Liz, ok? Max, Isabel... oh God... Max, Isabel knowing you has made me better, thank you... and Tess I'm sorry for not have the time for know you a little bit more. Good luck everybody, I'll miss you!- It was too nice for Maria feel the warmth of her friends' arms around her body that she was able to calm herself down without using her cypress oil. -Goodbye- -Goodbye Maria-

Once on the bus, Maria begun to feel the pain grew inside her heart. She sat down near her mother on the window side. When the bus begun to move, Maria was with all her upper body against the window looking at her friends becoming smaller and smaller. When they disappeared in the night, maria sinked in her sit and saw the imprint of her right hand on the blurred window... that remaind her to the silver alien imprint she knew so well. *Oh... that's too much...* She begun criing silently.

Maria was always looking out the window with wet eyes when at the end of the street she jumped on her sit. -Yes, yes! That's was him! Him!- -What's happen honey?- but Maria don't heard her mother's voice because she was complitely turned back looking in tears at the little red car. *Yes, yes. Thank you God. He was here, thank you.*

Michael was sat in the car looking at the bus driving down the street. When it surpassed his parking place, he felt his heart biting faster. *Maria...* Her head was rested on the window and with her fingers tips she was drawing little circles on it. Then she saw him because in a whileshe opened wide her eyes and mouth. *You look wonderful, Maria* but she was gone.

When the bus was far away, Michael turn the light of the car on and opened, on the steering-wheel, a piece of paper. He read it again and again: *Hi Michael. I'm coming to the Crashdown to say I'm moving. I don't know if I will have the courage I hope... so I've decided to write this letter. We can't take our old Jetta with us in St. Louis and I think it could be usefull for you, like many other times in the past, so... that's my present for you. I'll put this letter under your door and in it you'll find the keys. Good luck my dear Spaceboy. Maria* Michael closed the the little paper and spoke aloud: -Give me time my little Maria. I promise you that everything will be ok for us. I swear it.-