"I do not plan to be suffering from heat stroke or sun poisoning after this adventure is done and over with." Maria said defensively when she noticed a few grins and muffled giggles from her friends. She had tossed and turned all night and when she finally fell asleep she had started having that dream again. So needless to say she was very grouchy. Michael also seemed to be just as grumpy, she wondered if his sleep had been plagued by that bizarre dream.

*Michael's POV*

"I hope she isn't like this all day, that was the last thing we need. I wonder if she got any sleep last night? It doesn't seem like it, and I know I sure didn't. That dream had kept him awake for most of the night. He was surprised that he was in as good a mood as he was, but then again he was looking forward to exploring the ship today. This was something he had been looking for all his life. Today he might find answers to some of the questions he had been asking all his life, he thought. He was also worried about Maria, last night she had seemed like she was on the verge of telling him something but she kept backing out as though she were afraid of his reaction. "I wish she would tell me what's bothering her so much. I might be able to help her deal with it." Michael thought as he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

*Maria's POV*

"I have to tell him....today. I have to quit stalling. If this ship works he needs to know about our baby so he can make his choice. I'll tell him during the drive or I'll pull him off to the side on the hike and I'll tell him. I'll just come right out and tell him that I am carrying his...no our child." Maria thought feeling a weight lift off her shoulders already. She slowly began to smile knowing that somehow things were going to work out for the best.

*Liz's POV*

I look over at Maria and Michael and begin to smile. Maria will tell him today...I can feel it. I wonder what it is like to know you are carrying the child of your soulmate? I began to feel at peace with the world as Max comes up behind me and whispers

"What has you so happy this morning?"

"Everything Max. You guys have the chance to discover more about where you come from and everyone here is in love. This is how it should be Max. You shouldn't be worried about looking over your shoulder, fearing discovery, you should be happy like this. All the time." I answer him.

"You're right Liz. This is how things should be. I just hope we find the right answers."

"We'll find something Max, I can feel it." Isabel said coming up behind them.

"Well, if everyone is ready, lets get this show on the road." Max said sensing everyone's growing excitement. They all piled into their cars for the trip into the desert. Max,Liz,Alex and Isabel rode in the Jeep, Kyle and Tess took his Mustang (unless someone tells me differently) and Michael and Maria drove the Jetta. They all agreed to meet near the rock formation that was the pod chamber.

*In the Jetta*

"Uh Michael, We have to talk." Maria said nervously, staring straight ahead at the back bumper of Kyle's Mustang. She had decided to drive so she would have to concentrate on something other than Michael and his reactions.

"So are you going to tell me what's had you so tense this past week?" Michael asked looking at her beautiful profile.

"Yes, but this is important and you have to promise to hear me out. Okay?"

"Maria you know I'll listen to whatever you have to say. What is going on?"

"Okay. I don't know how this happened but it did and now we have to deal with it. I'm pregnant." Maria stated matter of factly. "There I said it. Whew I do feel better though." Maria thought.

"You're pregnant? " Michael asked not sure that he had heard correctly. "This can't be happening, how could I get so lucky. First finding the ship and now a baby." Michael thought excitedly.

"Yes."

"This is unexpected. Wow all this good news. So have you told anyone else yet?" Michael asked feeling the relief emanating from the mother of his child.

"I told Liz. I needed her to help me come to the right decision."

"What decision?"

"Well I wasn't sure how you would take this news. I needed a little reassurance, that's all. Liz just nudged me and let me say what I was afraid of out loud. It just made me realize how crazy what I was thinking really was." Maria said knowing now that he would understand.

"So how did she take it?" he asked reaching and laying his hand on her thigh to reassure her that it was allright.

"Not bad. She said she'd help me through this in anyway she could and she promised not to say anything to the others until I said it was okay."

"We have to tell everyone. They are not going to believe our good fortune, first we find the ship and now I'm going to be a father. Everything is finally going my way." Michael said wishing that the drive into the desert didn't take so long. He couldn't wait to share this with everyone.