Maria and Tess were finally on their way to Roswell, New Mexico after spending about a month in Carlsbad waiting for Nasedo to come back for them. Maria and Tess were used to long periods of time without Nasedo, even though he provided for them with everything they needed Tess and Maria were each others family. Tess wasn't Maria's real sister, but she was all she had and she wouldn't have survived the last ten years with Nasedo without her. Maria had been with Nasedo ever since she was a baby, because the Special Unit of the FBI killed both of her parent's back in 1984. Her father like Nasedo was a survivor of the famous Roswell UFO crash in 1947, but after escaping from the Special Unit Maria's father, who was also a shape-shifter, met and fell in love with Maria'' mother who was a young girl at the time.

After Maria was born the Special Unit managed to track down Maria's father, and fearing the worst he took his family and fled. Only it was too late, because the Special Unit was already waiting for them. In order to save his baby daughter's life, Maria father left her with Nasedo who was in hiding.

Maria had no memory of her parents, and Nasedo refused to talk about them. Maria knows that the only reason why Nasedo took her in was because she was the first alien/human hybrid. She has the physical structure of a human, but also has extraordinary alien powers.

Nasedo showed her how to use and control her powers ever since she was a little girl he was always more of a teacher than a father which made Maria very lonely. She always prayed for a brother or sister to keep her company, and when she was six years old she finally got her wish.

Maria named Tess after her favorite doll that she had to leave behind one night when the Special Unit was on their trail. They became as close as sisters even though they knew that they were different from each other and everybody else. They soon got used to moving around the country, and having Nasedo shape-shift into different people it was normal to them.

Nasedo left them in Carlsbad, New Mexico, because he said he found THEM. THEM being the three other children that were born in the same cave as Tess. The night they found Tess the three were already gone leaving Tess by herself. Maria saw something that night that she never told Nasedo or Tess.

Maria remembered that night really clearly, because she often re-lived it in her mind. Nasedo ordered her to stay in the car while he went inside the cave, but Maria never liked to stay in one place too long. Once he disappeared in to the cave Maria got out of the car, and began to wander away. She didn't wander too far because Nasedo made her fear the Special Unit, and he always said they could be lurking about. Maria always had a fascination with the stars, so she went to sit on a rock so she could pick out her favorite constellations. Instead of finding her favorites stars she found a boy. He was a boy about her age only he was covered in a jelly-like coating. He stared at her with wide eyes, but then he relaxed. They stared at each other for a few seconds just looking into each other's faces. Maria remembered thinking that the little gap in his top front teeth was really cute, and she couldn't help but smile. She reached her hand out to him, and he extended his. Their fingers were about to touch, but Nasedo's emerging figure made the boy run away. All little Maria could do was watch the little boy disappear into the night.

"Maria!" Nasedo scolded carrying a girl her age in his arms. "I thought I told you to wait in the car!"

Maria never forgot that little boy and she found herself thinking about him without realizing it.

"We're almost there," Nasedo announced his booming voice waking up Tess.

"It's about time," Tess rubbed the remaining sleep out of her eyes.

Maria asked sarcastically, "So how long are we staying here for?"

"Long enough for you to go to school," Nasedo told her as they passed the Welcome to Roswell sign as they crossed into the city limits. "And don't forget us Hardings are one big happy family." Maria saw Tess roll her eyes and Maria felt the same way.

"Yes Daddy," Maria and Tess said in unison.

Nasedo chimed in, "Now those are my perfect girls."

Minutes later Nasedo pulled into a cheesy looking motel called the Tumbleweed Inn. "This is where we are staying," Tess said in disgust.

Nasedo unloaded their luggage from the trunk; "It's just until the movers come with all the stuff I ordered."

Maria picked up her heavy bag, "It doesn't seem that bad."

"Yeah I guess," Tess mumbled getting her bag.

Maria pointed out, "It's only for a few days, and then we get to actually live in a house."

Tess looked a little sad, "Yeah, but for how long?" Tess wanted reassurance, but like Tess Maria didn't have an answer.

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

Maria and Tess sat side by side on one of the double beds in the room they shared while they listened to Nasedo fill them in on why they were in Roswell.

"On the floor in front of you are pictures of the subjects," Nasedo began as he stood in front of them.

"Subjects," Maria interrupted. "Isn't that a little…I don't know…FBI-ish."

"Can we get through this please?" Nasedo was on the verge of losing his patience. "OK, this dark-haired one is named Max Evans." He pointed to the picture of a handsome dark-haired guy with adorable ears. "This blonde beauty is his sister, Isabel Evans." Isabel looked like one of those blonde bombshell femme fatale types. She was the kind of girl that made Maria feel self-conscious. "And this bad boy is Michael Guerin, he is sort of the loose cannon of the group. We have another problem. A crazy agent from the Special Unit named Topolsky has been in contact with them."

"Doesn't the Special Unit want them?" Maria asked.

Nasedo went on, "She escaped from the Special Unit, but still she's a threat."

"So what will happen to her?" Tess asked curiously.

Nasedo acted as though he didn't care, which he probably didn't. "What? Oh, I don't know they'll probably kill her eventually."

"Well so much for human compassion, but wait I forgot you're not human," Maria snapped at him.

Nasedo laughed, "Neither are you my dear, at least not fully."

"Well at least I have half a human side," Maria muttered not looking him in the eye.

Nasedo clapped his hands together, "Anyway back to THEM." Maria regained her focus on the trio. "It seems as though our little friends are looking for me, because one of them left me a little message in front of the public library."

"What was the message?" Tess asked.

Nasedo shook his head, "Never mind that now, because there are far more important things to deal with. Back to this Topolsky character. She was an undercover FBI agent posing as a guidance counselor at the high school, but unfortunately for her Max and his little chain gang found out about her. Once she found out how the Special Unit works she came back to warn them, but the stupid girl brought the Special Unit with her."

Maria felt a nervous rumble in her stomach, "You mean the Special Unit is here in Roswell. You led us right to them."

"You have nothing to worry about right now, because they aren't looking for us in Roswell. Besides I got a good cover story," Nasedo told her.

"Right now they're not, but what about later?" Tess questioned with raised eyebrows.

Nasedo said, "You let me worry about late. Besides this is good for you Tessie."

"How is it good for me?" Tess seemed a little upset.

Nasedo informed her, "Because they are a part of your destiny. These children are just like you, and this one." Nasedo pointed to Max's picture, "Is supposed to be your mate. You two are destined to be together."

Maria was only half-listening to what he was saying, because her eyes were fixated on the picture of Michael. "He still has that cute little gap in his top front teeth," Maria thought to herself. "That really is him."

"What about the other two, Michael and Isabel? Are they destined to be together like Max and Tess?" Maria asked out loud.

Nasedo nodded, "Yes they are, but they don't know about it yet. You girls get some rest you have school tomorrow." He left the pictures on the floor, and when Tess wasn't looking Maria snatched the one of Michael.

She stared at his face for a second and then she hid the picture under her pillow while Tess was in the bathroom.

"What are we going to say to them?" Tess asked emerging from the bathroom in her pajamas.

Maria got her pajamas out of her bag and headed to the bathroom, "I don't know."

"We'll play it cool for a couple of days, you know, let them get to know the wonderful us," Tess pulled down the covers of her bed.

Maria smirked, "And then we'll give it to them."

"This could be our chance Ria, they could be the family we've been waiting for all our lives," Tess said getting excited.

Maria looked sad, "They're your family Tess, not mine."

"What are you talking about? You're my sister Maria. You are the one person who has always been there for me, and no matter what my destiny is you will always be a part of it," Tess comforted her by giving her a hug.