"Why are we at the graveyard? What is going on guys?" They all walked over to a grave in the corner of the graveyard. Maria just stared at it with the same blank look on her face that Liz had earlier. The grave said, "Here lies Maria DeLuca." It had the date of the shooting on it.

"Wha-what? I'm dead...how could I be dead??"

"Didn't you say in your world that Liz was shot?"

"My world? Yeah..."

"Well, here, in our world, you were shot instead. Michael and Isabel were the ones there that day. Otherwise I would have healed you. Maria, I'm so sorry." They all looked at Maria very concerned but she continued to stare at the grave. "After you died. I started talking to Liz and Alex for support. Eventually we all became good friends. And I told Liz our secret."

"But don't think that no one missed you. We were all pretty much depressed. Liz and I had to go to therapy. Our lives haven't been the same without you Maria." Alex said gently. They looked at Maria and saw that she was crying. Liz immediately hugged her.

"And this one day Liz and I were in an accident when a horse tried to cross the road. So we had to switch Alex's blood samples with mine. So, we told Alex our secret then too." Max said.

"Maria are you ok?" Liz asked gently.

"I don't know...I mean. What's going on? How did I get here?"

"You must have gone into another dimension some how." They all looked at Alex blankly. "What? Don't you guys watch 'The X-Files' or 'Sliders'?"

"Yeah, but those are TV shows." Maria said.

"Well you guys try to come up with a better explanation."

"Strange...everything kinda ends up the same way huh?"

"What do you mean Maria?" Liz asked.

"Well, that's basically what happened where I came from. You and Alex knew they're secret. Except I'm the one dead." They stood in silence for a few minutes.

"Maybe we should get going. You can stay in my room, ok Maria?"

"Ok. Thanks you guys. For being there for me."

"I'm sorry for having to tell you all this Maria. This must all be really strange to hear all at once." Max said as they walked towards the jeep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* They all went into Liz's room so Maria could hide out.

"Guys, I'm really tired. I think I'll just lay down for a while. I mean, all of this has come to a shock to me. And don't you have to work today Liz?"

"Yeah. I should get going. Are you sure you'll be ok Maria?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine. I just need some rest is all. Can you guys stay with me? I don't really want to be by myself."

"I was planning on staying even if you didn't suggest it Maria." Alex said gently.

"It's good to see you again. Sweet dreams Maria." Alex tucked her into Liz's bed and she fell asleep almost immediately.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Maria started to wake up because she heard voices. But she decided she would eavesdrop a little before she opened her eyes. She heard shouting coming from the balcony.

"What are we going to do Max? You know how he's been ever since the shooting!" Was that Isabel? Was Isabel actually concerned over her?

"I know Isabel. But I had to call him. He would have never forgiven us if I didn't call." He?

"Well, you didn't see him the day of the shooting! He's going to flip out once he sees her!" Maria was getting interested in where this conversation was going.

"How was he the day of the shooting? You never really told me."

"Let's just put it this way. He beat Liz getting to her side." Then there was a long pause. "I've never seen him like that...he was holding onto her and sobbing. He wouldn't even let Liz or the paramedics touch her body."

"Not even the paramedics?"

"She was already gone by the time they got there. But Max. He was sobbing. And I mean *sobbing*."

"Oh my God. I don't know what I would do if that happened to Liz..."

"And you've seen him since. He's a been wreck ever since that happened." Maria felt someone touch her gently and she jumped a little. "Hey are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine Alex." Maria didn't even notice that someone had entered Liz's room. "How long has she been asleep?" Was that who she thought it was? But he sounded so...different. Sort of....lost.

"For awhile now. She's been through a lot. Do you want to be alone with her?" "Yeah, I'd like that." Michael was stroking her hair. Maria felt bad for listening to all of this, but...she wanted to know how he felt. Lord knows he wouldn't tell her in person.

"Hey guys! Michael's here." She heard Alex try to whisper to them on the balcony. She smiled. Alex always had a loud whisper. She didn't know what to do. This Michael wasn't her Michael. Yet, he was touching her so gently like he was afraid that she would break. She lade there in silence for a long time while he just sat there touching her hair. Maria was shocked to hear him actually talk.

"Do you know how long I've waited to actually do this again? Just to play with your hair?" He sighed a little. "I haven't been able to do that since 5th grade. But it isn't the same without you yelling at me for doing this. Boy are you a sight for sore eyes." Maria couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was this Michael totally different from her Michael? Michael never talked lovingly like this. That was more of a Max thing. Well, this was a different world she told herself. With a different Michael in it. She then felt her eyes begin to tear up at the thought of never seeing her Michael again. No, I can't cry, she told herself. Not even in front of him, even though he wasn't her Michael. 'I've gotta be Teflon' she kept telling herself.

"I dream about you all the time you know. It's like we're in a different world. We always fight but that's the way we are. It's how we understand each other. And we're always so happy in the dreams. I know, and you know that your the only one for me. Only I can't have you. At least not while I'm awake. Do you know how often I sleep, just so I can be with you? I never want to wake up. But then I do and I have to realize that I can never have you. Why Maria?" The way he said her name just made a chill go up her spine. "Why did you have to leave me? Why can't I use my powers?! Then you would really be here. Mine, to hold forever. I doubt you would spend your days with me though. I'm just some loser. I've never been worthy enough to be with you Pixie Girl." 'Don't say that...'she thought to herself. Don't put yourself down. She hated it when he did that. Stop it Michael. Stop it. But Maria didn't say anything. She just continued to cry softly on the bed.

"I cried so much when you went away. More than I have ever done before. To see you, lying there. With no life at all. You were always so animated, you had all this energy, this life. That's what I loved about you." Maria then realized, that Michael was crying too. Oh God, she didn't want to put him in more misery. That was the last thing she ever wanted him to do. To have any pain whatsoever. And this Michael had no one to turn to when Hank turned violent she realized. This, made Maria cry a little more. And Michael continued to caress her hair.

"I painted you you know? I've never painted anything so much before. Your all over my room. And I have so many drawings of you too. That I've drawn over the years. I keep them in boxes under my bed. They're all I have left of you...the real you. My Maria." Maria's heart was aching. She felt terrible. This Michael was just like her Michael. He need someone to hold just as badly as hers did. Her Michael would never have the courage to tell her all of this in person though. Which was why she never heard this from her Michael. Maybe he felt this way too...

"You know, I'm beginning to sound to much like Maxwell. I'm a hypocrite you know that? I always would yell at Max for caring so much about Liz over all those years. And then later on those days, I would go home and draw you. If I wasn't such a screw up, then I would be good at my powers and I could have saved you. The way Max saved Liz in your world. And then, I would get to know you again. But then I would realize that you've never changed. That your just like you are in my dreams. But, you would never want to know me. I'm this guy from the other side of the tracks. Who's life majorly sucks. And I've got all this baggage...and..history. You wouldn't want to spend the rest of your life with me. But I would care about you, always and forever. Even if I would run away from something like this, which I probably would. Nothing ever good happens to me, so I run. I get afraid." This was sounding all to familiar Maria decided. "But even if I run I'd still care about you so much it hurts. Just to be able to touch you again makes it all worthwhile. I'll have my Maria back for a little while anyway. And then, I would tell you that I lo~"

"Hey Michael. You've been in here awhile. We thought that you had enough time alone with her. How's she doing?"

"I don't know Maxwell..." Maxwell always had good timing. But it didn't matter. It's not like she heard him or anything. He's becoming too much like Maxwell he decided. He would never tell her that when she was awake. It would be to weird and embarrassing. It's not like she felt the same way as he did anyways.

"Is she crying?" Uh-oh. Great. Thanks a lot Isabel. Ruin my disguise. Reality suddenly hits Michael. She could have heard what he just said. At least the end of it.

"I gotta go." And with that, Michael ran out of the room.

"See, I told you seeing her was too much for him Max."

"Are you ok Maria?" Alex asked.

"Yeah..I'll be fine. I just...just...uh...was thinking about home is all." She said as she sat up. Reality then hit her. Her Michael felt the same way as this Michael. Their worlds were barely different at all. Why would this be different? Just this Michael wasn't as hostile. This one was more hurt and sad. You could totally tell the difference in his voice. He definitely sounded lost. This was what Maria decided was the difference between the Michaels. But, Michael still, in both world felt the same way about Maria.

"Hey Maria. My shift is finally over so we can finally have some girl talk." Liz said as she entered the room and plopping down on the bed.

"So Maria. What's it like where you come from? What are we all like?" Isabel asked. Max then shot her a look. "What? I'm curious."

"Hmm...let's see. Where do I start. Liz was shot instead of me. Max healed her so she learned the secret. She then told me. Max and Liz are dating now. Isabel and Alex are dating. Which you know is happening here too....and MichaelandIweredatingbuthebrokeupwithmeandbrokemyheart." Maria said in a rush.

"What was that last part?" Max said confused.

"Michael and I were dating but he broke up with me and broke my heart. He didn't want to hurt me. He said he had to be a 'stone wall' and alone. We still fight though, which, you know, is how we communicate."

"Wow! Our world's must be totally different then."

"What do you mean Max?"

"Michael would do anything just for you to talk to him. I can't imagine him acting that way."

"Well, Max, Michael is impulsive, headstrong, and hostile sometimes." Isabel said very matter of factly.

"Yeah...but. You know how he is with Maria. Michael would never fight with her."

So, this Michael would treat her differently Maria realized. He wouldn't fight with her or annoy her. How could that be? Maria couldn't imagine Michael not acting that way around her. It suddenly hit Maria. Both Michaels felt the same way towards her, but this Michael would never want to upset her on purpose. Maybe it's because he had already lost her...and then he lost himself. Max and Isabel said he had changed after the shooting. Maria suddenly missed her Michael a little more. She missed their banter and fights. But he did love her she told herself.