Isabel seemed a little nervous, "What if this doesn't work? What if we can never go home again?"

Michael kept on watching the agent; "It has to work. How much time?"

Maria looked at her watch, "Just a couple more minutes."

"I'm going to wait with Alex," Isabel said heading for the Crashdown.

Michael took the opportunity to ask Maria some questions, "What exactly is Tess going to do?"

"She's going to mind warp them. You know make them see things that aren't really there," Maria explained to him.

Michael asked curiously, "Have you ever mind warped anyone?"

"I don't know how, or actually I never tried. I always left the mind warping up to Tess," Maria shared. "She was kind of jealous that I was capable of doing so much, and I didn't want to lose her because she was all I had."

"We were supposed to go with you guys that night, weren't we?" Michael asked.

She nodded, "I never told anyone including Tess that I saw you that night. I really liked the feeling of having a secret that was my own."

"I knew I felt connected to you the first time I saw you. You were the first person I ever laid eyes on, and I think that happened for a reason," Michael looked into her eyes.

Maria shook her head, "You have a destiny, and it is with Isabel."

"You know I'm not buying that crap. Isabel is like a sister to me and I can never love her like that," Michael's voice was full of emotion.

Maria responded, "Don't you think I wish things could be different. Do you think I like knowing that you belong with Isabel after all these years dreaming about you. Life sucks Michael, but we have to learn to deal with it."

Michael knew he should be watching the agent but for the first time he followed his heart. He closed the gap between him and Maria by cupping her face in his hands and softly kissing her lips. He felt her run her fingers through his hair, as they eagerly tasted each other.

They were in a state of euphoria for a couple of seconds but then the reality of the situation settled in. "Can you look into my eyes and tell me that didn't feel so right?" Michael questioned her.

Maria nodded, "Yeah, it felt completely right, but it was so wrong. I'm not like you Michael, you have a destiny to do greater things, and us being together would be preventing that. It just isn't meant to be."

"I don't believe that Maria," Michael said putting his arm around her.

She knew she shouldn't but she snuggled closer to him, "It's time I hope this works."

Michael hugged her tighter, "Don't worry I'll protect you."

"I think that's my job," Maria teased as she watched Tess work her magic.

*****************

Maria pulled her Explorer into the parking lot of the UFO museum and Liz, Isabel, Alex, and Tess all filed out. Max's jeep was already parked there.

"You'll be safer in the office," Max instructed them.

Maria informed him, "You guys better call us if you need help because if you don't I'll kick your ass myself."

Max nodded to her as she gently grazed Michael's shoulder with her hand, "Good luck and be careful." She followed Liz, Tess, Isabel, and Alex up the stairs she was the last one in, so she closed the door leaving Max and Michael behind.

"I sure hope we can trust Valenti, because if not we just sent Max and Michael to their deaths," Tess said.

Liz jumped in; "We can trust Valenti."

"God, Liz I hope you're right," Isabel replied nervously.

Alex comforted, "It will be okay Iz, I won't let anything happen to you."

"If anything happens to Max and Michael I swear I'll make Pierce pay," Maria swore and from the look on her face everyone knew she was dead serious.

"Pierce!" they all heard Valenti call; Maria quickly rushed to the office window.

"They're okay, Max and Michael have Valenti and Pierce on the floor," Maria announced to them. "Max is tying Pierce to a chair, and Michael is leading Valenti away. I guess the plan worked."

Alex took over watch; "Max is pounding him with questions."

"He isn't going to answer them," Maria said.

"That's why we have Isabel," Alex declared.

Isabel looked a bit frightened, "I've never dream walked anyone who wasn't asleep before."

Tess pointed out, "But you did it to Max when he was captured."

"He was drugged. He didn't fight it. Pierce isn't going to do that," Isabel said.

Tess tried to encourage her, "If you can just get in, even a little, you'll see his answers."

They watched as Isabel closed her eyes and forced a dream connection with Pierce. She wore a pained expression as she slipped into Pierce's mind.

Alex asked once Isabel opened her eyes, "What did you see?"

"Did you find Nasedo?" Maria asked eagerly.

Isabel gave her a sympathetic look, "I'm sorry, it looks like he's dead."

Tess shook her head, "No, he's not dead. He can't die."

Liz looked puzzled, "Tess, what do you mean he can't die?"

Tess looked at Maria for support, so Maria told them, "He said that if this ever happened that we had the power to bring him back."

"How?" Alex questioned.

Tess finished, "He told us to find this Indian called Riverdog, because he has these stones."

"The healing stones," Isabel declared.

"You know about them?" Maria asked with her eyebrows raised.

Isabel nodded, "Yeah, we already have them."

"Then all we need is Nasedo. You did see where they took him?" Tess asked.

"Yes," Isabel informed them.

"Oh my God! I hear gunshots!" Liz cried it was obvious she was worried about Max.

Maria ordered, "Everyone get down, Alex close this door after I leave."

"Ria! You can't go down there," Tess said.

Maria opened the door; "I have to Tess."

"He's dead," they all heard Sheriff Valenti tell Max and Michael. "Help! Help me. Somebody help me!" On that note they all ran down the stairs to see what was going on.

Liz gasped as she saw Sheriff Valenti holding Kyle's bleeding body, "Oh my God it's Kyle."

"Save my son please," Valenti pleaded.

Maria held her breath as she observed Max as he healed Kyle.

"What the hell happened to me?" Kyle was back to his normal self.

Sheriff Valenti looked at the group, "I don't care who you are, or what you are, I'll be here for you." Maria looked over at Tess and nodded it was her way of telling her that they could trust him. "I need a moment alone with my son."

Maria saw Max go to Michael who was standing away from everyone else.

"You were just trying to stop him. I know you didn't mean to kill him," Max tried to comfort him.

Michael ran his hand through his hair, "But that's just it. I wanted to kill him. I mean, that's all that I could think about. I wanted him dead knowing that I just did it. It just happened, what kind of person does that make me?"

"We would have been dead if you didn't help us," Max pointed out.

"No!" Michael cried. "The bottom line Maxwell, I kill people. I kill people, you heal them. You're good and I'm bad." Maria didn't believe that.

Max reassured him, "It's not true Michael."

"Just get out of here," Michael told him.

"What are you talking about?" Maria asked lightly touching his arm.

Michael brushed her away, "It's not safe."

Maria crossed her arms across her chest; "It's never been safe. What difference does it make now?"

"No, I'm not safe. All right, I mean, I can do these things that I can't control. Look at what I did to Pierce. I'm not going to take that chance with you. I don't want you to be around for what's going to happen," Michael said to her.

"What are you talking about Michael? You did what you had to do to protect us, and I would have done the same. In fact if anything happened to you or Max I would have gone after him myself. I was tired of being afraid of him," Maria went off at him.

Michael's demeanor grew softer, "But I don't know what I'm capable of."

"You'll learn how to control your powers. I can teach you if you want," Maria suggested putting her hand on his arm again, but this time he didn't move away.

He asked, "Why do you care so much?"