“So what happened??”

“Oh, just Michael and Maria making out.” Max and Liz had a surprised look on their faces.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. How the hell did you pull that off with Nasedo there?”

“He was gone. That’s what Maria said. Now shut up and leave me alone.”

“So, did you figure out what you were supposed to do? Do you actually know where Maria is?”

“She doesn’t know. But she said that we’ve been there before. And the only thing I could make out were some rafters on the ceiling.” Then, it hit Michael. “Oh my God. I know where she is.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Everyone piled up into the Jeep after a quick change of clothes. It would be morning soon. This certainly was one long day. The longest day any of them had lived, that was for sure. Max sped the Jeep, while turning corners fast on the streets of Roswell. They had to get Maria out of there before Nasedo or whoever got back. They pulled up near the old Soap Box Factory. Not to close, cause otherwise their cover would be blown. It just hit Michael earlier. The old Soap Box Factory of coarse! It was abandoned and out of the way. No one would know that she would be there. Unless they were visiting her in their dreams. He recognized the rafters from that night. No wonder why they felt something about that place. That was the night Michael messed up their relationship at first.

“Does everyone remember the plan if Nasedo shows up?”

“It’s not that complicated Max.” They ran up to the doors, but they were chained.

“Max, I know she’s in there! There’s gotta be another way.” Michael said while frantically looking for another way in.

“Michael, we can just use our powers.”

“But then he’ll know we’re in there. Look! There’s a window.” Michael said pointing to a window off to the side of the factory. The window was broken with glass still laying on the ground, but they made it in safely. They all looked around for Maria, but it was dark.

“It’s not as dark as it was in the dream, but we can find her. I know we can. I found her once, I’m not going to lose her again.” Michael said while searching the area. “Maria?? Where are you??”

“Michael! I’m over here!” They heard Maria say in another room of the factory. Michael ran over there as fast as he could. The others were shocked to see him run so fast. They all got to the door where Maria was behind. You could hear her pounding on the door. Michael shocked everyone again to see him unlock the door himself. He was never really good at his powers, but when Maria was involved...

Maria practically leaped into his arms.

“I knew you’d come for me!” she said accompanying his embrace.

“Hurry, we’ve got to get you out of here.” Michael said while now holding her hand, leading her to the window with the others following. But only to see that the window was now fixed and whole.

“Shit. He’s back. And he knows we’re here.” Michael said looking down at Maria while starting to pull her behind him. Then he turned to Max and said, “What are we going to do now?”

“Oh, so good of you to come. Your all here for the party I see.” Everyone looked everywhere for where the voice was coming from. It was so dark. They couldn’t see where he was.

“Leave them alone Nasedo!” Max called out while stepping in front of Liz, to try to protect her from whatever was going to happen.

“Nasedo? Is that who you think I am?” the man chuckled. “Oh that’s original. No, we’ve met before. I never knew who the aliens were in Roswell. Just that they were in this town. The shooting gave me a few clues, but I wasn’t sure if it was true. That was, until you came looking for River Dog.” the man said while stepping out of the shadows. The others stood shocked, seeing the man who had tortured Michael and Maria. Someone they thought they trusted. But all along was their enemy.

“It’s you!” Liz said from behind Max. Eddie smiled.

“I had been waiting years for you to come out of the pods. I knew that you would come to the reservation, since Nasedo lived there for some time. Yes, I wasn’t sure about him either. Until the day of the sweat when he got sick.” Eddie said while slowly approaching the group. “He told River Dog, then Atherton. That was foolish, because Atherton was one of us. We were sent here to kill you. Our races were always enemies back at home. Unfortunately, Nasedo saw through the trap and killed Atherton before the plan could be finished. Nasedo disappeared. I tried to find him but I never did. So, I came back to Roswell and kidnapped the one you call Eddie and killed him. I became him then. River Dog, the trusting old fool, told me of the cave. So, all I had to do, was wait for you to come. Made my life a whole lot easier. I’ve been following you for months. I figured, this would be the perfect time to strike. So I did.” Eddie was so close to them. Too close for Michael’s liking. He pulled Maria farther behind him.

“Then why did you take Maria?!”

“Oh, she was bait. I knew you were the impulsive one of the group, so if she was the one taken, you would do everything to get her back. Besides, she was feisty. I wanted a challenge. I had to hurt her so you would feel it. That’s what the dreams were Michael. All part of my little scheme. I’m so glad you had such a good time during it.” Michael glared down at Eddie.

“Don’t you ever watch movies? The villains never supposed to tell the heroes the whole plot. It’s a death wish!” Maria yelled over Michael’s shoulder. Michael grabbed her arm keeping her behind him.

“Oh, still trying to be Mr.Hero Michael? Do you know what I could do to you just like that?” Eddie raised out his arm and threw Michael away from Maria. “See, I can still get to her.”

“Michael!” Maria ran to Michael’s side helping him up.

“Don’t you get it kiddies? There’s nothing that you can do to stop me! But first, to take out the humans, they don’t have anything to do with this. Besides, I want to have fun with them later.” Eddie raised his hand again and threw Liz, Alex, and Maria to the side. They all groaned in pain when they landed. He threw them pretty hard, and fast too. Michael, Isabel, and Max all shared a look. As if they were waiting for something now.

“Two can play at that game! NOW!” Michael said as Max, Isabel, and himself extended their hands out and tried with all their might to hit Eddie with an energy blast. If that’s how he wanted to play, they could join him too. Eddie didn’t see it coming. Max, Michael and Isabel didn’t expect them to hit him that hard. They were a lot more powerful then even they expected. Their energy blast hit Eddie, throwing him into a wall. It looked like he hit his head pretty badly. Liz, Maria, and Alex got off the ground and looked at the aliens, then to Eddie’s body on the ground. They all looked at each other for awhile basically saying, ‘Now what?’ with their eyes.

“Is he..is he dead?” Maria asked, now standing next to Michael. Alex and Liz then moved next to Isabel and Max.

“I...I don’t know. Did we hit him that hard?” Michael turned to Maria.

“You stay here.” Michael said while approaching Eddie cautiously. His head was bleeding pretty badly. He felt for a pulse, and there was none.

“He’s dead.” Maria didn’t realize that she had been holding her breath when Michael left her side. She breathed again in relief. “Now what?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Maria started to get out of the tub. Her mom still was away, and wouldn’t be back till tomorrow. Yesterday, had been the longest day of her life. She couldn’t believe it all happened in one day. Today, Liz had graciously given her the day off since she had been through so much. Everyone else took Eddie’s body to the morgue and put a ‘John Doe’ name tag on it. They fixed everything and the body was cremated later that day. She didn’t know all the details, since she wasn’t there. And today, Maria basically was resting. Max and Isabel had healed her up, even though she wasn’t hurt that bad, on the outside. She seriously thought that she would never see Michael again, and that she wasn’t going to make it out of there alive. He didn’t hurt her on the outside much, but he scared the shit out of her. It would take a little bit to heal on the inside, and to tell herself that yes, everything was ok and she should stop worrying. So, tonight she had taken a long bubble bath with her aromatherapy scents of coarse. The scent of lavender always made her relax. Maria dried off and put on her bathrobe, and started to go into her room which clutching a copy of “Ulysses.”

She bought it after that trip to Marathon. Maria figured it wouldn’t hurt her to understand Michael a little better. Maria then changed into her pajamas and thought how nice it sounded to be able to sleep in her bed where she was safe. But that’s where he came after her. How safe was she here? And her mom was gone still...Would things ever be ok again? These were the worries that plagued Maria. Maria then heard a noise coming from outside her window. She held up her book as a weapon as she crept to the side of her window. As the person was trying to climb in, Maria hit them over the head with the book.

“Ow!” Michael said while falling slightly to the floor. “What did you do that for??” Maria sighed realizing that it was just Michael and turned on the lights.

“Well, normal people don’t go creeping into other peoples rooms! It’s called..breaking an entering. What are you trying to go back to your criminal ways??”

“I just wanted to see you ok?!” Michael said while getting up.

“Well..it’s called a door! Besides..it’s really late! And what do you expect me to do when someone tries to get in my room at odd hours of the night?!” Maria said while waving around her book with her hands.

“Nice book.” Michael said while sitting down on her bed. Maria quickly put the book behind her back.

“No, your not staying here! Why are you sitting down? I don’t think my mom would appreciate you being here when she gets home considering what happened the last time!”

“Whether you like it or not. I am staying here.” He said while taking off his jacket.

“Why?”

“Because your here all alone and I don’t want anything to happen to you ever again.” Michael’s words were kinder and caring. Not what Maria was expecting after their friendly banter.

“Oh.” Maria simply said. She really didn’t see that coming. Maria sat down next to him on the bed.

“I just...” Michael started to say while looking down. “I just care about you to much.” His last words were said while he looked into her eyes. “You are the best thing that ever happened to me. How could I leave you here all alone?” Michael said tenderly. Maria and Michael brought their heads closer to one another slowly before giving each other a long gentle kiss. Maria thought to herself in her head, ‘Yeah, I guess things are going to be ok here from now on.’