I’m standing
Here for all the world to see
Baby all that's left of me
That has very far to fall

“Maria,” Michael yelled, but his voice only came as a whisper. “Maria.”

Maria just continued to walk away. This was the last time she was going to hang around and have her heart ripped out by the man she loved and trusted the most in the world. She couldn’t do it again, ever. He knew how she felt, she had plain out told him and still, he did nothing. It was final, their relationship was over.

“Maria, I… I love you,” Michael stammered. Maria stopped in her tracks but decided not to turn around. “You have to believe me. Why would I of all people say it if I didn’t mean it?”

“To make me stay.” She turned around fully believing that he didn’t really love her, how could he, Michael Guerin, love her. Even after all they had been through she couldn’t believe it, she wanted to with all her heart, but couldn’t. “Look me in the eyes and tell me you love me.”

Michael took one long stride, closing the space between them and sending an intense heat through Maria’s body. “I love you,” Michael said with a tenderness in his voice she had never heard before. “I love you with all my heart, my soul, my body, I love you with everything within me.”

His declaration was the sweetest thing she had ever heard anyone say, let alone Michael. She felt like she could die happy right there in front of him, just knowing how he felt. Now he just stood there looking at her with intense passion in his eyes.

“You know how I feel, how I’ve always felt, I love you too Michael, I love you too.” Now it was all said, all out in the open, and still they just stood there. She couldn’t imagine what Michael was feeling, she thought he might feel stranded and vulnerable, now that he had told her, he was tied to her, forever, whether he liked it or not.

You know I’m not a man who’s ever been
Insecure about the world I been living in
I don't break easy, I have my pride
But if you need to be satisfied

I’m shameless
Baby I don't have a prayer
Every time I see you standing there
I go down upon my knees

Maria finally collapsed. She fell into Michael’s arms, it felt so right, so natural. “That’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Michael admitted, “telling you I love you was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

“I know Michael, it wasn’t easy for me when I told you either.” And it hadn’t been. Maria had to admit that the moment she told him she loved him she felt like jello she was shaking so terribly. Then he just ignored her.

“I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry.” Michael whispered giving her a tender kiss.

I’m changing
Swore I’d never compromise
But you convinced me otherwise
I’ll do anything you please

You see in all my life I never found
One I couldn't resist one I couldn't turn down
I could walk away from any one I ever knew
But I can't walk away from you

“I have been so cruel to you. All I ever wanted to do was find my home and keep from being discovered. Then I met you and my whole world changed.

“You turned everything upside down and confused me until my head was spinning in circles, day and night. I had to be with you, I needed you but I told myself I couldn’t have you, that I could live without you.” Maria couldn’t believe what Michael was telling her. Had she really had this much effect on his life?

“Maria, I couldn’t leave you, never. I still want to find my planet, but it is not my home, this is. Earth is where I have lived for all my life and earth is where my family is. I promise, I will never leave, never.”

“Don’t say that. When you find your planet you’ll forget all about me and I understand. All I ask is that you love me while you can, that you’re with me for the rest of your time on Earth. I know you will leave me and I had to accept that before I could love you. Now you must understand what I already know.” Maria knew this was true, she had always known it, but had just come to accept it. She didn’t know why Michael was making promises he knew he couldn’t keep, didn’t want to keep. Or was what he was saying true?

I have never let anyone
Have this much control over me
I worked too hard
To call my life my own
Well I made myself a world
It worked so perfectly
But it's your world now
I can't refuse
I’ve never had this much to lose

You know it sure ain’t easy
For a man who’s strong?
To say he's sorry
Or admit that he's wrong
I never lost anything I ever missed
But I’ve never been in love like this
It’s out of my hands

“No, Maria. You know all about me. You know how hard I worked to build that wall, how hard I tried to stay detached, but you knocked the wall over. You opened up my human side. Unless you are on the ship with me I am not going home.”

“Don’t,” Maria pleaded it was more than she could bear. He couldn’t mean it, and he was frustrating her. She could never leave the Earth, he mother especially. “You don’t mean it. If that ship comes it is my duty to see you get on it, or else I could never call what I have for you love, I would have to call it selfishness.”

“Maria, you have to understand. I have always lived here and I have always been human. I just realized that my powers are the only thing alien about me, I hurt, I feel, I love, just like you. I can’t lose you, it would be losing my life. If I lost you I’d be the same empty shell I was when you came.”

Maria wanted to believe what he was saying, she was trying very hard to believe it, but something wouldn’t let it. “I just don’t understand. I just can’t understand how you could give up everything you’ve lived your life for, just to be with me.”

“Because I love you. How can I get you to believe me? I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to you and I’m sorry for not apoligizing before but it’s not something I do very often. Now all I can say is that it’s up to you.”

I’m shameless
I don't have the power now
But I don't want it anyhow
So I got to let it go

I'm shameless
Shameless as a man can be
You could make a total fool of me
I just wanted you to know

“It’s up to you now. I put my fate in your hands.”