“We’re human Maxwell.”

“How?”

“We come from Earth, but not Earth as we know it,” Michael spoke cryptically.

“Now’s not the time to discuss this,” Maria interrupted. “You three need to go home now.”

“But you just said that this WAS our home,” Isabel pointed out, confusion evident in her strained voice.

After sharing a ‘look,’ Michael and Maria chose to ignore her.

“Can you come too?” Michael asked quietly, stepping close to Maria.

She smiled faintly. “Do you want me to?” Her hand gently stroked his rough cheek.

Without hesitation, Michael answered. “Yes.”

Sighing, Maria leaned forward and kissed him softly, savoring the unique taste that was only Michael. Once they had parted, only because of the incessant groaning from the remaining occupants in the room, Maria led them to the three glowing orbs.

Max and Liz held one, Isabel held another, and Michael and Maria gripped the last. The room was slowly bathed in a warm yellow glow.

***

“Where are we?” Maria heard Max ask. She opened her eyes and caught her breath. It was beautiful. They stood in the middle of a grand room painted as though they were underwater. Maria smiled and snuggled closer in Michael’s arms. She could feel his happiness at being home radiating off of him. Maria knew everything yet she felt that she should not be the one to tell Max and Isabel or even Michael. She was sure that there were some things he still did not fully comprehend though he would never admit it.

“Not where, but WHEN,” A melodious voice spoke from behind them. The group turned as one to find a radiant woman with long, flowing blonde hair and a wispy sea-green dress to match.

Maria smiled. She knew who this woman was. Isabel caught her eye and Maria nodded slightly. “Mom?” Isabel voiced carefully, her hope unconcealed.

“Oh, honey, I missed you so much!” In a whisper, Isabel was being rocked in her mother’s arms both letting their tears fall freely.

Soon she held all three of her children, a difficult feat considering how big Max and Michael had grown to.

“It’s so good to hold you all again!” their mother admitted through her sobs. Maria grabbed Liz’s hand, needing something to keep her from crying as well. She was turning into such a baby. But it wasn’t everyday that she saw Michael with tears of happiness… or actually any tears at all in his eyes. She was ecstatic that her friends had finally found all their answers. Their search was over.

The hug ended and a heavy silence hung over them. The queen focused her intense, Isabel-like eyes, on Maria and Liz next. “Which one is she Tarikan?—I mean Michael… wait don’t tell me.”

Maria’s grip tightened on her friend’s hand unconsciously. Obviously there was nothing to fear but just the same… the woman approached them, eyeing both from head to toe and then back again. Finally, she smiled and placed her soft hands on either side of Maria’s face. “It’s you, isn’t it sweetheart…”

Though she hadnt the foggiest clue as to what the older woman was referring to, Maria felt in her heart that it was correct. In the past few days, Maria had learned to trust her instincts over her intellect so she smiled shyly and nodded.

“You are prettier than I could have ever imagined! Michael has great taste.” And Maria was pulled into an emotional hug as well.

***

“The year is 2091 and you are currently on the last ‘peaceful’ country on Earth. Its name is Launtica or you might be more familiar with the name Atlantis.”

Maria glanced at Max and Isabel behind her and almost laughed at their wide-eyes. The King continued on with his tour and explanation not realizing the shock waves he was creating. Maria had to admit that it was a lot to take in.

“Claurican was a messenger of sorts. His will was to destroy all good that he could find. You three were chosen to stop him. The prophecy foretold a Great War and the fall of our civilization to his minions. But He gave us an option out. You three. As you well-know, you have been blessed with special ‘gifts.’ You are the mystical trinity.”

The King stopped walking and turned to his children. Maria almost giggled as she saw some unruly hair stick out from beneath his headpiece. Like father, like son.

“Michael…” He smiled lovingly and draped an arm around his eldest son’s shoulders. “You will be King someday… and Maria…” He faced her. “You, Queen. It was written in the stars.” The King smirked at the teen’s sudden awkwardness around each other. Maria discretely dropped Michael’s hand. Sure, she loved the guy but this whole ‘destined’ thing was a little too much for her when she had only been with him for a weekend.

“Well, enough with the gabbing. I leave you now in front of your rooms. Rest well, you have to journey back tomorrow.”

“Go back?” Maria knew what Michael was thinking even before he said this. He had just found his home, his family. He didn’t want to leave.

“Yes, Michael. He wants you to go back. He has great plans for you yet. Don’t worry, though. Your destiny lies here. We will meet again.”

“Who is ‘He?’” Max asked.

“He is the one who holds the ultimate power. Think of your Christian God… He resembles him in many ways yet He is completely different. He is the opposite of choice.”

Maria was silent as was the others. What could she say? She didn’t want to offend her future ‘father-in-law’ by saying that He sounded pretty sucky to her. Luckily, she was saved by the King’s realization of probably confusing everyone even more.

“Come here,” he said opening his arms and taking in not only his children but also Maria and Liz as well. “I’m so glad that you succeeded this time.”

“What do you mean, this time?”

Their father looked up at the teens in surprise. “You didn’t read the prophecy that we sent to warn you?”

“We didn’t finish it… the man was killed before he could translate the entire thing,” Isabel said.

“We sent it because you… you… did not survive. Claurican killed you. I guess it’s just as well that you didn’t know.”

The hall was so consumed in silence that it was deafening. That is, until Michael started to chuckle. “I’ll never get used to this time travel crap.”

***

Liz looked down at the latest entry in her journal, lost in memories she wished she still possessed.

I wanted to write down the date, but I’m not sure what day it is anymore. You’d think that I would know, considering what I have been doing… but all that I know is that it is over. Finally over. It feels so good to write that. It’s like taking a deep breath of fresh air.

Have you ever wondered what the purpose of your life is? I have. I still do. I once thought that I was destined to change the world… but I now know that it is never what you expect. Maybe we HAVE changed the world. Who knows?

Destinies are real and they are also unavoidable. Believe me, I have witnessed it. Which leads me to the question of whether or not I have found mine yet. Did we all fulfill them? Is there more in store for us? I wish I knew, but only He knows.

I guess you are wondering who He is. I’ve been wondering that for a while now, too. The best way that I can describe Him is that He is the opposite of choice. I guess in a way He IS destiny. Only time will tell if He is finished with us.

But for now, we are going home.

A smile spread across her face and she slipped out of her bedroom and into the unlocked one next door.

“Liz?” a sleepy voice called from the bed. She quickly leapt onto the king-sized bed with a giggle. “What are you doing?” Max asked, fully awake now.

“Well, she replied, playing with his unusually soft hair. “Since I still don’t have my memories back, I thought that maybe… you know… we could make some for me.”

Even in the dark, she could see the excitement in his eyes.

***

The place was huge. Almost frighteningly huge. It felt so empty even though Maria had seen the hundreds of people that lived and worked in the palace alone. She tiptoed a little farther still following the sound of his footsteps, needing to be close but not wanting to disturb his thoughts.

She darted around a corner and saw him staring at a wall, painted entirely with his life story. Even at a distance, she could see the muscles in his back tense. Every good moment, every bad one captured immortally in vivid colors. Maria blushes as she sees herself wrapped in his arms on her couch.

She took another step involuntarily forward. His shoulders eased forward. He knew she was there.

“Are you scared?” she found herself timidly asking. She was.

Maria found herself holding her breath as he thought. She slowly forced herself to release it as he faced her in the dim glow.

“No,” he answered simply. His eyes flickered like candles and Maria lost herself in them.

“Why not?” she whispered, inching forward.

His trademark smirk beckoned her. “I have you.” Corny, yes but at the moment, it was the most unbelievable and amazing thing he could have possibly said.

She smiled. In the shifting shadows, they held onto each other and gazed upon their future depicted on the wall.

***

Maria opened her eyes and blinked in discomfort at the sunlight streaming in through the yellow levelers that guarded her window. A glance at the clock revealed that she woke up a few minutes before her alarm clock again. She hated when she did that.

Groggily, she rolled out of bed, threw on her smiley moon robe, and padded out into the small kitchen. She was pleasantly surprised to find her mother bustling about making a fresh batch of coconut pies, no doubt for The Crashdown.

“Hi sweetie!” Amy smiled; her face dabbed with flour here and there. “I got in late last night. I didn’t wake you did I?”

“Nope, I was out like a light,” Maria responded and grabbed some fresh grapes out of the fridge.

“Good. So how was your weekend? Do anything exciting?”

Maria grinned. She actually contemplated telling her mother the truth but decided against it only to save her mother from having a heart attack. She would find out sooner or later but for now, the whole clueless mother was good for her.

“Oh, you know. Same old stuff.”