Michael Guerin had grown up white-trash. Abused and neglected by his foster father, everyone expected him to grow up to be the same way. Michael believed it himself, sometimes.

Michael wanted a better life. He truly wanted to go to art school, to have plenty of money and someone to love. Of course, he never admitted this to anyone -- the few people he associated with all lived in the same house, and they assumed he was waiting for the next spaceship home.

When Maria told him she was having his baby, he no longer cared about the next spaceship home. Finally, someone loved him for him, and soon they would have a child who would look up to him. A child who would need him and love him unconditionally.

Michael knew that art school and a more settled future would have to be put on hold for a while, but he didn't regret it. He wasn't homesick, and he actually liked this little life they were living.

All this was on his mind the morning that all hell broke loose.

* * * * *
Hard won freedom
How could you have missed?
* * * * *

Max threw open the door to Michael and Maria's bedroom early that morning. The pair were softly talking, lying in bed. "Get up and start packing. We have to leave."

Michael automatically jumped out of bed. "What's going on? Why are we going?"

"Someone attacked Liz," Max told them. "They grabbed her in the parking lot on her way to work and beat her up pretty badly. Thank God she was still conscious enough to get home, and in time for me to heal her."

"How do you know it wasn't just a random attack?" Maria asked, getting out of bed.

"Because...," Max choked up. "Because they carved the words 'We're here for you' in her back with a knife."

Maria fought the nauseous feeling she had and asked, "Where is she?"

"She's in her room, with Alex and Isabel."

Maria slipped out of the room, beginning to cry softly for the pain her friend must have been in.

Michael sighed and sat back down on the bed. "What are we gonna do, Maxwell? We can't keep running."

"But we all have to stay safe."

"This I know," Michael muttered.

* * * * *
Scared, are you?
You do it on your own
You do it all alone
We all did
Scared, are you?
* * * * *

Max and Alex had sold most of their furniture to thrift stores that morning, and Isabel and Max changed everyone's hair and eyes once again. Isabel fixed all the IDs and important documents, and in the early afternoon she and Alex traded in the Jeep and Jetta for a two-owner Honda and a Toyota station wagon. Max was thankful that he'd been so tight with the group's money, and had made the account fatter by changing small bills into larger ones. It still cost them a pretty penny to get new vehicles, even after the trade-ins. Once again they left in the cloak of night, much as they had before. All six were wondering if they'd ever be left alone.

* * * * *
Half the lines we make up dear
The best that you can do
Everything you would be
Passed you like a ghost
And kind words are scarce at best
When you need them the most
Hope brings you luck
Doors open up...
* * * * *

They finally settled down in Charleston, West Virginia, an actual city, much bigger than Oxford. Isabel, Alex, Max and Liz all found jobs in a large shopping center. Michael found more construction work.

Maria had a hard time finding a job at six months pregnant, but she finally found employment at a daycare. She had plenty of babysitting experience, and the job gave her an opportunity to spend time with younger children.

Isabel found them a house this time -- it had three bedrooms, two baths, and a basement. The little old lady who rented it to them asked for a steep price, but it was worth it. Alex and Max took the basement, Isabel and Liz were given separate rooms, and Michael and Maria took the biggest bedroom.

Life was uneventful through Maria's seventh and eighth months of pregnancy. Often she had pangs of homesickness, for she wanted her mother to share this with her. However, she loved Michael, and she knew he was happy with their freedom. That made her happy.

* * * * *

In the middle of her eighth month of pregnancy, Maria began to grow restless, ready to see and hold her baby. Her pregnancy books said that was not uncommon, but Maria wasn't comforted by that.

Isabel knew that Maria was becoming extremely anxious, and thought she would help to relieve some of that. One morning, she sat Maria and Michael down on the sofa.

"Would you two like to know what the sex of the baby is?" she asked them. Michael and Maria gave each other a look.

"Yes!" they both exclaimed.

Isabel smiled and placed her hand on Maria's large belly. Suddenly, a puzzled look crossed her face. Maria became panicked.

"What's wrong?" she demanded. "What's wrong with my baby?"

"Nothing is wrong," Isabel answered. "Except, you're having twins."

"Two babies!"

"Are you sure?"

"Almost positive," she told them, a bit shocked herself.

Maria leaned back and sighed, suddenly looking a lot older. "Great, two little Michaels," she muttered.

Isabel and Michael had a laugh over that.

"No," Isabel corrected, "You're having a little Michael... and a little Maria." Michael jumped up. "See! I told you we were having a girl!"

"And I said we were having a boy!"

"Looks like you both got your wish," Isabel commented to the happy couple.

* * * * *
And if you should fall,
I'll catch you dear.
It must be....it must be...
* * * * *

Maria was at work on a Monday morning when she noticed a pain low in her back. Remembering what the books had said, she called Isabel and Max, who were at home.

"Well, you've carried longer than most women with twins. Better be safe and come on home, though. I'll call everyone else and tell them to come home, too," Isabel told her.

Maria explained to the other daycare workers that she thought that she was going into labor. Leaving quickly, she got home at the same time that Liz, Michael and Alex arrived.

As soon as she walked through her front door, she felt something warm running down her leg. "Well, guys, guess this really is it, because I'm leaking," she told them.

"What?" Max asked, puzzled.

"My water broke, dammit!" she yelled, and then she felt her first real contraction.

Remembering what all the pregnancy books said, she looked at her watch. "10:18," she said. "We're supposed to see how far apart the contractions are." After the contraction ended, she slowly walked into her bedroom. Behind her, she could hear Alex asking Isabel, "What are we supposed to do?"

"Damn men," she muttered under her breath.

* * * * *

Maria put on the short, sleeveless shift dress she had made specifically for this. She knew this was going to be crazy, and she wanted to be comfortable. Liz and Isabel came into the room. "We set the guys to work on sterilizing equipment," Liz told her.

Maria felt another contraction coming on. The time was 10:22. "Four minutes!" she yelled when it had ended. "That can't be good."

Isabel checked Maria. "According to the book, you're dilated to 8."

Maria nearly fainted. "This is too fast. I don't want to do this. Can't we get a puppy instead?" she moaned.

The other two girls laughed. The guys came into the room with the equipment then, and Michael sat down next to Maria. Taking her hand, he asked, "Do you want the three of us to take some of the pain away?"

Part of her wanted to scream "Yes!" at the top of her lungs, but she knew this would soon be over. "I'll survive," she told him, and Liz came to take her other hand.

Soon, Maria felt the urge to push, and after two pushes, Michael and Maria's daughter was born. Isabel quickly suctioned out her nose and mouth, and wrapped her firmly in a towel. Then, passing the baby to Alex, she told him, "Remember how I showed you? Hop to it." Alex took the baby girl quickly to clean her up. Looking at Max, Isabel said, "Be ready."

Five minutes later, their tiny son was born. Isabel gave the second baby the same treatment as the first, then gave him to Max to clean up.

After treating Maria as the book said, Isabel went into the bathroom.

"They're perfect, aren't they?" she asked.

"In every way," Max responded, "but are they alien?"