It was the way Liz glared at Tess that made Maria realize that Liz knew. It all made sense now, Max's absence, Liz's sad demeanor, Liz knows that Max kissed Tess.

The real surprise came later that day. Maria was in her room doing her homework when she heard the doorbell ring. Tess was downstairs making dinner, so she answered the door. Maria heard a familiar female voice talking with her sister, as she got closer to the staircase she realized the voice was Liz's. Curiosity got the best of her, so she slowly descended down the stairs.

"It meant nothing it was all a big mistake," Maria heard Tess say. "I really like you Liz and I would really like for us to be friends."

"Hey Liz," Maria greeted coming down the stairs. "This is a nice surprise."

Liz wasn't expecting Maria to intervene, she was actually hoping she would stay upstairs, "Yeah, I just wanted to talk to Tess for a minute."

Maria nodded her head in understanding, "Can I get you anything?"

"You know…a cup of tea would be nice," Liz replied wanting them out of the room.

"OK," Maria smiled. "Tess, can I see you in the kitchen for a minute." Tess followed her into the kitchen as Maria got a mug from the cabinet. "What is she doing here?"

"I don't know, she just showed up wanting to talk about Max," Tess replied.

Maria filled the mug up with water as Tess got her a teabag; "Nasedo is going to be mad, you know he doesn't like visitors."

Tess defended, "It wasn't my fault, I didn't even know she knew where we lived."

"I'm sure Isabel told her," Maria said putting her hand over the water until she felt power exit her palm causing the water to heat up.

All of a sudden they heard something break in the next room, Maria quickly abandoned Liz's tea as her and Tess rushed out of the kitchen. They saw Nasedo hovering over Liz who was on the floor next to the broken Buddha statue.

"Oh my God dad, the statue!" Tess gasped.

Liz apologized, "I'm really sorry."

Nasedo kneeled down next to her, "Accidents happen, I'll take care of this."

"No, let me it's my fault," Liz offered. Maria could detect a hint of fear in her voice.

Nasedo said a little harsher, "I said I'll take care of it."

"You're our guest Liz," Maria jumped in. She protectively took her hand and guided her away from Nasedo. "Your tea is ready, uh…let's go have it in the kitchen."

"Um…dad, dinner is almost ready," Tess announced.

Nasedo gave a fake smile, "Great, would you like to join us for dinner Liz?"

Maria saw Liz eyes the mess on the floor, "Uh…sure let me call my mom first," Maria didn't share Nasedo's enthusiasm, she thought it would be safer if Liz left, so she was hoping Liz's mom would want Liz to go home.

They waited as Liz used the phone to call her mom. "Hey mom it's me," Liz said on the phone. "I'm at Tess and Maria's and they invited me to dinner. You know that thing we were talking about the other day, mom, well you were right."

"I guess I'll go set the table for four," Maria said not having a good feeling.

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

Michael watched from the bushes in the Harding's front yard as Liz dined with Maria, Tess, and their father. He could see that there was conversation going on between Tess, her father, and Liz, but he couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable Maria looked.

"What are they doing?" Isabel asked peeking into the window.

Alex replied, "Passing the mashed potatoes."

"Does Liz look scared?" Isabel questioned not getting a good view.

"It's not Liz I'm worried about," Michael thought to himself. "She looks fine," he told them. He was concerned about Liz, but there was something that wasn't right about Maria.

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

"So Liz, what does your parents do?" Nasedo asked the girl, acting semi-interested.

Liz replied mechanically, "They own a restaurant."

"Liz works there too, daddy," Tess pointed out.

"Really," Nasedo acted impressed. "What kind of food do you serve there?"

"They serve alien specials," Tess answered instead of Liz.

Nasedo gave Liz an intimidating look, "Tell me Liz, do you believe in aliens?"

Maria's eyes grew wide when he asked that, she cocked her head to see Liz's reaction, "It's just a theme."

"Dad, not everyone in Roswell believes that the crash of '47 really happened," Maria had enough of this alien talk.

Liz glanced nervously at the broken Buddha statue lying in pieces on the floor. "I guess I should really pick that up," Nasedo got up from his seat and got out a dustpan and brush from the kitchen.

Liz quickly jumped out of her seat, "I really insist on cleaning this mess up." Nasedo swept some pieces into the dustpan, which he dumped in the trash.

"Nonsense, I'll do it," Nasedo insisted, but then the doorbell rang causing Nasedo to drop the dustpan.

"Who could that be?" Nasedo walked to the door.

Tess and Maria were also on their feet heading to the door. "Max!" Maria said out loud after Nasedo opened the door.

"Who's Max?" Nasedo acted as if he didn't know.

Maria shook her head; "Max is Liz's boyfriend."

"Max," Liz and Tess said at the same time when they saw who was at the door.

"How did you know Liz was here?" Nasedo asked him.

Max kept his cool," I didn't, I came by to see Tess."

"But Max Liz and I already got everything straightened out," Tess told him.

"Oh," Max said.

Liz chimed in grabbing her purse, "Tess and I agreed that it was all a big mistake, and we are going to put it all in the past."

"Good that's where it belongs," Max briefly made eye contact with Maria. "Do you need a ride home, Liz?"

"That would be great," Liz looked relieved.

Nasedo interrupted, "But the night's not over yet."

"Yes it is," Liz said leaving with Max. "Thanks for dinner."

Nasedo closed the door, "Well that was kind of rude."

Maria quickly hurried up the stairs and into her room. Without turning on the light Maria peered out the window, and she saw Liz and Max only they weren't alone. Michael, Isabel, and Alex were also there and it looked as though Alex was comforting Liz as if she just escaped from a torture chamber.

Maria went back downstairs to finish her dinner, "Where did Nasedo go?"

Tess replied sitting alone at the table, "He took off, and as usual he didn't tell me where he was going."

"Oh, just as well," Maria flopped down in her chair. "You know what, I don't really want to eat in here."

"I know what you mean, this table is meant for a real family," Tess looked at the large table.

Maria gestured toward the kitchen, and Tess knew what she was thinking. They both got up with their dinner plates in hand and headed for the sanctuary of the kitchen.

Maria hopped on the counter where she felt most comfortable. All the happy memories came flooding back of her and Tess throughout the years enjoying many dinners in various kitchens.

Once they were done they cleared the rest of the table, and washed the dishes. "What are you doing?" Maria asked after they were done, as she watched Tess pour the broken pieces of the statue onto the table.

"I can't just throw this away when I know I can fix it," Tess explained.

Isabel watched the monitor closely, and she thought it was rather odd that Tess dumped the broken statue on the table. "Wait! She's doing something!" Isabel called to the others in the warehouse.

Michael got up from the couch he had been resting on, and followed the others to the monitor.

"Oh my God," he heard Liz say. Michael watched as Tess placed her hand over the broken pieces and as she moved her hand up the pieces swirled together until the statue was completely restored. Michael then noticed that Maria was standing next to Tess and watching her the whole time."

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

"Hello," Michael's muffled voice said into the phone.

Isabel informed him at the other end; "They're on the move."

"I'm on it," he told her back, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Sleeping in the jeep wasn't exactly Michael's dream, but he would do it if it meant being close to Maria.

Five minutes later he saw Tess and Maria emerge from the house and leave in Tess's white SUV. Michael waited until they were at least a block ahead before he pulled the jeep onto the road. He didn't really see the point in following them, because he knew they were only going to school. Michael kept on trailing them, and once Tess pulled her car into a parking spot Michael did the same.

He watched Tess lock up her car and disappear into the building alone. "Wait! Where's Maria?" he thought to himself. Then he felt like he was being watched, so he quickly turned around and found Maria standing beside the jeep.

"That was you, wasn't it? Following us the whole way," Maria kept her face expressionless, so Michael wouldn't be able to read her face.

Michael didn't know what to do, "Maria, I…"

Maria cut him off by leaning in closer and saying, "I really wish you'd trust me." Michael couldn't respond because he had a million questions going through his mind. Who is she? Is she Nasedo? Is Tess Nasedo? Should I tell Max about this? But the one question that stood out most in his head was "Is she just like me?"

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

"Why was Michael following us?" Tess asked during lunch.

Maria shook her head, "I don't know, they must know something. I think it is time to tell them."

"We can't not yet anyway," Tess told her adding sugar to her yogurt.

"Why not?" Maria couldn't even think about eating right now.

Tess explained, "Well, yeah they'll know we are aliens, but they won't believe their destinies unless we have something concrete."

"What are you implying Tess? Do you have a plan?" Maria asked with her eyebrows raised.

Tess had a smirk playing on her lips, "Do you remember what Nasedo said a couple years back about a book that mapped out my whole life?"

"Very vaguely, why?" Maria questioned.

"He said that he once had, but in order to keep it safe he hid it. I just can't remember where. Please Ria you have to remember where it is. Just think really hard," Tess begged.

Maria closed her eyes and searched through her memories, "I don't remember exactly, but I think he said something about under the constellation."

"That's it! He must have hid it under our constellation, the Aries constellation," Tess squealed with excitement.

Maria thought logically, "OK, I'll just calculate and find the location. Why can't you just ask Nasedo it would definitely save us a lot of time."

"Do you think he'll tell us?" Tess asked.

Maria replied honestly, "He wants you to follow your destiny, so I don't see why not."

"I'll give it a try," Tess decided.

Maria hated to point this out, "Tessie, have you considered the possibility that Max, Isabel, and Michael may not want to follow their destinies. Max seems to really love Liz, and I don't see him giving her up."

"Not right away, but once he accepts that his destiny is with me things will change," Tess sounded optimistic, but Maria wasn't so sure.

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

Maria was supposed to meet Tess after school, but Tess's car was nowhere in sight.

"Need a ride?" a voice asked from behind.

Maria turned around and came face to face with Michael. "I can't find Tess, have you…seen her lately?"

"Actually I have, I saw her take off after lunch. I guess she didn't tell you," Michael informed her.

Maria realized that Tess went to go look for Nasedo, "Just great."

"Come on, I'll take you home," Michael offered.

Maria's heart fluttered in her chest, "I guess." She got into the Jeep hoping Michael didn't notice the red in her cheeks.

Michael started the jeep up and drove off before anyone could see them, "I guess I don't need to give you directions."

"Yeah about that," Michael started.

"Don't worry about it, you don't have explain," Maria didn't want to deal with that right then.

"Oh," Michael replied.

"So I guess you know about Tess and Max," Maria said trying to make casual conversation.

"There are no Tess and Max, he loves Liz," Michael told her.

Maria corrected him, "I didn't mean that they are a couple, I just wanted to know if you knew about them kissing, and that's all."

"Yes, I know what your sister did," Michael said trying to focus on his driving.

Maria retaliated, "Excuse me! What my sister did! OK, there were two pair of lips involved pally and from what I heard your friend was the one who initiated it."

"Well that's not what I heard," Michael became annoyed.

Maria shook her head, "Well you obviously heard wrong."

"Your sister better be relieved that Liz forgave Max, because her sister would have been walking home," Michael's voice rose a few decibels.

"What do I have to do with any of this? I didn't kiss Max!" Maria yelled at him.

"Thank God," Michael let slip, but he thought that Maria didn't notice.

Maria held her hand in a T shape, "Time out, time out, why are we fighting about this? If Liz forgave Max, then we should just leave it at that."

"That is what Isabel said earlier," Michael said.

Maria felt a pang of jealously when Michael said her name, "So are you and Isabel involved?"

"What! Where the hell did you come up with that idea? Isabel is like my sister," Michael told her.

"Oh," Maria felt a little relieved having Michael say it. "I was just wondering." Maria knew that Michael must not be having dreams of Isabel. That meant Michael was not aware of his destiny with Isabel, yet.

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

Michael found himself alone in the desert; he looked up at the night sky and saw the V constellation sparkling above. All of a sudden Maria came towards him. Michael thought she never looked more beautiful. She was wearing a long, strapless midnight blue dress and her long blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders.

Michael recognized the setting, because he was there before. When he got sick he remembered coming out of this web-like cocoon, and the first people he saw were Max and Isabel. They were standing on the rock formation that points to the sky. That same rock formation was right behind Maria.

He walked closer and closer until he could reach out and touch her. His hand found her face and drew it towards him until their lips met. He kissed her with such intensity that he couldn't get enough of her. Maria's lips were so sweet and he loved the way she ran her fingers through his messy hair.

Maria started to ease off breaking their passionate embrace, and when Michael went to look at Maria's beautiful face he found himself face to face with Isabel.