"Michael Guerin, you are crazy if you think I am going away with you to another planet when even YOU don't know what we will find there! You don't even know if your side will actually win this war! And for this you expect me to leave my mother and friends like Alex who I've known for my entire life!"

Michael put a hand on her arm. "Chill out, Maria...."

She pulled away from his touch. "No. You cannot get around me on this, Michael! If this was such a great adventure, why is Alex staying here? And Kyle! He is not going either. If it was such a great idea to go, wouldn't THEY be going with Isabel and Tess?"

Michael tried to be patient. "Kyle never had any desire to ASSOCIATE with us, Maria, much less to actually leave the earth!"

"How about Alex then?" Maria spun to face him. "You can't tell me he isn't still in love with Isabel because I know for a fact that he is!"

"Yes. But she is not in love with him. She seems to really value his friendship, but there is no reason to make a commitment like this to someone who does not love you.... And Liz WILL be there...."

The look on Maria's face told him THAT was the wrong thing to say. "Right! Putting her baby on the line before it's even born! What an idiot! And as for Alex going when Isabel doesn't love him, what about Liz and me? How can we be sure that you & Max won't be forced to abandon us and marry Isabel and Tess?"

"Because they said that our vows would be honored. We have been through ALL of this...." Michael was running out of patience.

"Yeah.... And I want to go through it again, Guerin! You think all this is EASY for me?" Maria flung around to look at him... all tears and fire.

The last of Michael's small store of patience drained away. "FINE! Maybe you are right. Maybe it is too dangerous out there for you girls... especially you and Liz. Max and I should probably go on ahead and make the world safe before you come...."

Maria clenched her fists and beat against his chest. "RIGHT! Leave me the first chance you get! This is not like the other times we have broken up, Michael. You leave me behind now and I will NEVER speak to you again - on ANY planet!"

Michael took her wrists and held them so she could not keep hitting him. "LOOK! YOU are the one who said...."

Maria pulled her arms away, hugging herself as she cried. "I KNOW what I said! Anyway, with my luck, we would get there and have the worst fight we've ever had and then what? I would be stuck a zillion miles away with someone who didn't love me...."

Michael calmed down immediately. So THAT was what was worrying her. He sat down and pulled her into his lap. "Maria, I will never stop loving you. I may not tell you often enough to suit you, but you KNOW that I do! For one thing, I can't keep my hands off you!" She cuddled against him, her tears subsiding. "Those soulful looks Max and Liz give one another may be enough for them, but I have to TOUCH you... even in public. You are the most important person in my world. You are the only thing I care about taking with me. When I asked you to marry me and come with me.... I am telling you THAT was the scariest moment of my life! I was so afraid you would say no...."

Maria kissed him hungrily. "I love you, Michael! I never WANTED to marry anyone else! I thought I would DIE when Liz said you all were leaving... until you asked me! I want to be ANYWHERE you are....."