The elders of Trion were less than happy about their announcement to say the least, but after much arguing from Michael, Max, and Isabel, they had given in. Though they hated to admit it, they could see for themselves that the three belonged on earth and were only miserable on Trion. They had tried to dissuade the teenagers by warning them that even though the trip between earth and Trion had seemed to only take twenty-four hours to them, in reality the trip took almost two months in earth time. The elders had told them that much had probably changed since they had been gone, and that those who they wished to return to may no longer care for them. But the teenagers refused to listen, and in the end the elders had agreed to send them back to earth in a craft that would automatically take them to the place from which they had departed three months ago on earth.

When Max, Michael, and Isabel had left earth with Nasedo, the shape-shifting alien had insisted upon destroying Max’s jeep in order to get rid of something he thought may lead the FBI to their departure sight. Max, however, had secretly used his powers to expand the entrance to their special cave to hide his jeep inside of, before closing the wall over it to obscure it completely. When the teenagers returned to earth they were thrilled to find the jeep exactly where they had left it, and after removing it from the cave and re-closing the cave’s entrance, they climbed into the familiar vehicle and headed into the town of Roswell under the cover of darkness.

Max and Michael had agreed to stop at Alex Whitman’s first, as it was the first house they would pass on their way in, and the fact that they knew it was only fair since the people they were most interested in would both be located at The Crash Down café.

“Oh my God,” Isabel breathed as they pulled into Alex’s driveway. “I’m so nervous. What if he doesn’t feel the same way about me anymore? What if he totally hates me for leaving him?”

“Isabel, he won’t hate you,” Max said. His voice sounded totally calm and in control, but Michael knew he was having the same worries about Liz Parker. Michael’s own insides felt like butterflies were dive bombing his stomach, and he practically shook from his own nerves.

“Come on, Iz,” Michael said. “It’ll be fine. And we’ll even go up with you, okay?”

“But what if he’s not home?” Isabel asked, her normally composed features revealing she was absolutely scared to death.

Michael sighed. “Isabel, look at the car in front of us. That’s Alex’s car. And even better for you, I don’t see any other cars, which means he’s the only one home.”

“But what if he’s found someone else?” Isabel asked in a small voice.

Michael shuddered, hearing his own greatest fear about Maria voiced. He opened his mouth to say something, but just then the front door to the Whitman’s house opened. “Hello?” Alex called, peering out at the driveway. “Do you need help?” he asked, walking towards the jeep. “Do you- Isabel!” he cut himself off, staring in disbelief at the three aliens before him.

They all climbed out of the jeep and stood facing Alex. “Hello, Alex,” Isabel said timidly. “We, we’ve come back.”

Alex tentatively reached out a hand to touch Isabel’s arm. At the feel of her flesh beneath his fingers he gasped. “It really is you,” he whispered, stepping forward to pull her into his arms. “I can’t believe it. I never thought I’d see you again,” he murmured against her hair. “I’m so glad you’re back.”

“You don’t hate me?” Isabel whispered, tears in her eyes. “I mean, for leaving you like that?”

“Hate you?” Alex pulled back and held Isabel at arm’s length. “Never,” he told her vehemently, taking in the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “I could never hate you for that. You did what you had to do. Isabel, I love you now as much as I did the day I first saw you.”

Tears were now streaming freely down Isabel’s face. “I love you, too, Alex,” she said.

Alex gently wiped her tears away with his thumbs. “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that again,” he told her. Then he leaned in and kissed her softly. Isabel sighed, returning his kiss wholeheartedly.

After a few moments Alex and Isabel remembered that they were not alone, and pulled apart to face Max and Michael. Alex stepped away from Isabel momentarily to exchange hugs with the two other aliens before returning to Isabel’s side. “When did you get back?” Alex asked them.

“Tonight,” Max said. “Even though we left Trion almost two months ago. We’ll explain later,” he said in response to Alex’s questioning look.

“So I take it you haven’t been to The Crash Down yet,” Alex said. “Liz should be home, and I’m pretty sure it’s Maria’s night to close up, so she should be there, too.”

“They don’t, I mean they aren’t, they haven’t....” Michael trailed off, unsure of how to ask the question he both desperately needed the answer to, and feared more than anything else.

Alex looked at Max and Michael for a moment. “You mean have they found anyone else? Are they seeing anyone?”

“Well, yeah,” Max said softly.

Alex shook his head. “No. I mean, there may have been a date or two here or there, but even those were with their heels dragging, and they were definitely never serious. I guess it’s just impossible to get over aliens,” he murmured, slipping his arm around Isabel’s waist. She sighed happily, resting her head on his shoulder.

Max and Michael exchanged looks. “Well, we’re really glad to see you again, Alex, but, well,” Max began.

“Go,” Alex said. “Please don’t keep those girls waiting another minute.”

“Okay. Isabel, I know I really don’t even need to ask this, but you’re staying here, right?” Max asked his sister. She gave him a look that plainly asked just how stupid was he, and he had to laugh. “Okay, that’s what I thought, but I just wanted to ask.” He turned to Michael. “Ready to go?”

Michael shook his head. “Go ahead. I’m going to walk,” he said.

“Michael, are you sure?”

“Absolutely. I need to think about some stuff, and the walk will help. Just please don’t let Maria see you, and don’t let Liz tell her before I get there, okay?”

Max nodded. “Of course. I’ll see you guys later,” he said, turning to Alex and Isabel. Then he hopped into the jeep and hurried off in the direction of The Crash Down and Liz.

Michael nodded to Alex and Isabel, who were beginning to have difficulty keeping their hands to themselves. “I’m gonna take off,” he said. “I’m sure we’ll all catch up with each other later, so I’ll see you then.”

“Bye Michael,” they both said, waiting until he had begun walking down the street to turn and head into Alex’s house wrapped in each other’s arms.

Michael walked slowly towards The Crash Down, his mind consumed with thoughts of Maria. The blonde pixie girl had captured his heart totally unexpectedly so many years ago, and no matter how hard he had tried, he had never been able to stop loving her through everything they had all gone through together. Maria had always been there for him. Even when no one else could help, even when everything else was going wrong around them, even when he didn’t deserve her love, she refused to desert him.

“I never had no one
That I could count on
I’ve been let down so many times.
I was tired of hurting
So tired of searching
‘Til you walked in to my life.”

Maria had supported him in his quest to find home. Sure, Max and Isabel had wanted to know about their origins, too, but even they didn’t understand him the way Maria did. She knew what it was like to be abandoned, and she understood his need to find out about his own parentage and his desire to leave Roswell, because she knew that there had to be more out there for her than Roswell, New Mexico, too. He had tried to keep away from her, but after their impromptu road trip down 285 South, he knew there was no denying the chemistry between them. He knew, from that first moment in the hotel room when they had discussed her father and getting out of Roswell, that she understood. It had been exhilarating and had filled him with a strange feeling of completeness for him to know that there was someone out there who could really relate to and understand his search for his identity.

“It was a feeling
I’d never known
And for the first time
I didn’t feel alone.”

Michael paused when he reached The Crash Down, and he stood outside for a moment in the shadows, trying to work up his nerve to walk inside and see the person he loved more than any other in the world. And hope that she still cared for him the way he still cared for her. A movement inside the café caught his eye and he drew in a sharp breath at the sight. There before him stood the girl who had occupied his every waking and sleeping thought while he was on Trion. A sense of completion washed over him and all the old familiar feelings came rushing back to him as he stood and watched Maria De Luca closing up The Crash Down.

“You’re more than a lover,
There could never be another
To make me feel the way you do.
Oh, we just get closer
I fall in love all over
Every time I look at you.
And I don’t know where I’d be
Without you here with me
Life with you makes perfect sense
You’re my best friend.
You’re my best friend.
Oh yeah.”

How had he ever left this woman behind? How could he have ever thought his life would be worth a damn without her in it? He shook his head in disgust at his own actions, his memory casting back to all he had been through with her and everything she had done for him. She had always stood by him. When no one else would, she took his side and fought for him, even when she wasn’t thrilled with his choices. He knew that even if it came down to him against the rest of the world, he would always have her on his side no matter what.

“You stand by me
And you believed in me
Like nobody ever has.”

Even when he had treated her like garbage long ago when they had first tried a relationship, she had still stepped forward on the Native American Reservation to help him. As she had said to him, she could have just walked away and let everyone else deal with what was happening to him, but she hadn’t. Even when she had every reason to hate him, she had stuck by him and helped to save his life.

And when things had gotten unbearable with Hank, when even Hank’s wasn’t an option for him anymore, she had taken him in. It was another time that he had given her no reason to have any pleasant feelings toward him, but she had brushed that all aside when she saw that he was in trouble. She had taken him into her room and into her bed and had stayed up half the night with him, wiping away his tears and comforting him until he was finally able to escape his demons for at least a short while and fall asleep in her arms.

“When my world goes crazy
You’re right there to save me
You make me see how much I have.”

He saw the events of their last night together so distinctly. They had both been in so much pain, but had tried to hold it back for the other’s sake so as not to taint their last hours together. Michael could clearly see the tenderness in her eyes as they had made love that last time, could hear the sweet words she had whispered to him and felt the soft caresses of her hands on his body.

“And I still tremble
When we touch
And oh the look in your eyes
When we make love.”

He stared at the blonde pixie who was now sweeping the floor of The Crash Down, wanting nothing more than to run to her, pull her into his arms, and never let her go again. But he had no idea how she would react to his presence. Alex may not hate Isabel for leaving, but how could he be sure Maria felt the same way? How would she react to a man who had abandoned her just as her father had done to her? What if she didn’t love him anymore? What if she didn’t even want him around her anymore?

Michael felt sick to his stomach at the thought of Maria not wanting him in her life anymore, and just as he was ready to turn around and walk away, Maria looked up from sweeping as though she could feel someone’s eyes on her. At the sight of Michael, she dropped her broom in shock. She and Michael stood, frozen in each other’s gaze, their feelings for each other showing plainly in their eyes.

“You’re more than a lover
There could never be another
To make me feel the way you do.
Oh, we just get closer
I fall in love all over
Every time I look at you.
And I don’t know where I’d be
Without you here with me
Life with you makes perfect sense
You’re my best friend.
You’re my best friend.”

Maria stood staring at Michael for a moment before moving towards the door to unlock it and let him in. Conflicting thoughts ran through her head as she approached the door - part of her was thrilled that Michael had returned to her, another part of her was extremely wary of the pain he would no doubt inflict upon her once more, still another part of her was angry at him for deserting her, and there was another part of her still that wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms once more and let the past five months disappear.

Maria unlocked the door and let Michael in. He walked into the café cautiously, closing the door behind him gently. “Michael, what-“ Maria began.

“We came back,” he whispered, his voice dangerously close to breaking.

The part that wanted to be wrapped up in Michael’s arms again won out as Maria threw herself forward into his arms. “Michael,” she sobbed, clutching him tightly.

“Shh,” he whispered, holding onto her for dear life as his own tears fell onto her hair. “It’s all right now. It’s going to be okay. We’re together, that’s what matters.”

She pulled away and looked up into his face. “But you guys left,” she said, sniffling. Then she smacked his arm with her palm. “You left me,” she reminded him, her tone wounded. “I mean, I know you had to do it, but did you really have to leave me?” she asked, tears trickling down her face.

Michael gently wiped her tears away. “I’m sorry,” he told her softly. “You know I didn’t want to, but it was something I thought I had to do. Max is our leader, he thought it was best, and eventually we agreed with him. Even though we all knew it was a mistake from the beginning,” he told her. “You were all I could think about the whole time.”

Maria sniffled again, seeming slightly mollified as a small smile appeared on her face. “But I thought that was what you wanted, where you belonged. You just gave that all up?”

Michael smiled, running his fingers through her hair. “Isabel, Max, and I realized that we’d made the wrong decision,” he told her. “There was no question about it for the three of us. We knew it right away. We were all miserable without you guys, and we fought with the elders of our planet until they agreed to let us come back to you. We would have been back sooner,” he added, his brow furrowed, “but time passes a little differently on our planet.”

“But Michael, why?” Maria asked, tenderly cupping his face in her hands. “I mean, you’ve been searching for that for your whole life.”

Michael smiled tenderly, running his thumb down the side of her cheek. “Isn’t it obvious?” he asked her. “I could never really leave you. I love you too much to be without you.” He dropped to his knee in front of Maria, holding her hands in his. “Maria De Luca, I love you with all my heart, and I promise you that I will never, ever leave you again. Will you marry me?” Maria gasped as tears filled her eyes once more. “Michael!” she whispered, her throat too choked with emotion to be able to say anything more.

He stood and stared into her eyes, still holding her hands in his. “Maria, these past five months without you have been torture. I know I hurt you by leaving, and I am more sorry about that than you will ever know. All I want is to be with you and to make you happy. Will you marry me?”

Maria nodded, her eyes shining with happiness. “Yes, oh God, yes, Michael, I’ll marry you,” she said softly. “I love you, too, and I don’t ever want to be separated from you again either.”

Michael smiled before pulling her into a passionate kiss and Maria shivered as she felt every nerve ending in her body stand on end as the feel of Michael’s lips on her own erased the emptiness and pain of the past five months. When they finally separated she looked up into his eyes, her own sparkling. “Where’s my ring, spaceboy?” she teased lightly.

He slipped one of his silver rings from his finger and slid it gently onto her thumb. “How do you feel about a promise ring for right now?” he asked.

She smiled broadly. “I don’t care about rings one way or the other,” she told him. “As long as I have you, that’s what matters.”

Michael smiled gently. “Ditto,” he said softly, before pulling her into a tender kiss to seal the proposal. “Besides,” he whispered, running his hand lovingly over her stomach, “I think this kid would be happier with both its parents.”

Maria smiled. “I couldn’t agree more,” she whispered, as they wrapped their arms around each other once more, each knowing that this time they’d never have to let go again.

“You’re more than a lover
There could never be another
To make me feel the way you do.
Oh, we just get closer
I fall in love all over
Every time I look at you.
And I don’t know where I’d be
Without you here with me
Life with you makes perfect sense
You’re my best friend.
You’re my best friend.
You’re my best friend.”