"Liz." Maria began. "She wanted to know if we wanted to go do something tonight with everyone." Maria looked away. "I told her we'd already made plans."

"I figured something big was up. I told Alex I probably wouldn't see him tonight." She smiled. "He was gonna see if Michael was doing anything."

"He probably isn't since I'm not there." Maria said, half bitterly. "He just seems to want to spend as much time as possible with me. It's so.un-Michael like."

Isabel smiled. "He's just in love."

"Yeah, well he could tell me that more. I can count on my two hands the number of times he's said he loved me." Maria added.

She shook her head. "You two are the oddest couple I know. You're like fire and ice but somehow that is what keeps you together. If Michael was anything like Max." Isabel paused. ".you guys just wouldn't be together. It wouldn't be a challenge."

Maria smiled. She did love the way Michael was. The mysteriousness that surrounded him made her love him that much more. She was always up for a challenge and Michael Guerin was just that. "He does have a great set of lips." She added. "And that body."

"Ewww.ok, enough about Michael. I don't want every detail of the boy." Isabel said grinning. "So what's up? You sounded scared on the phone."

Maria sighed. It was too late to back out now. Isabel had sensed something in her voice. She knew there was something bothering her.

"Is it Michael?" She asked.

Maria shook her head. "Not really. It's more about me."

"I didn't think so." Isabel said. "I knew I would have felt it if you and Michael had broken up."

"We'll we haven't." Maria said. "Yet."

"What?!?" Isabel asked.

"Ok, there is no easy way to say this so I'm just going to start." Maria sat down on the bed next to Isabel. "Michael has been in "overdrive" since we returned from Aardon. You know what I'm talking about right?"

Isabel blushed and shook her head. She knew all too well about being in "overdrive." Something had left and imbalance in all of their systems on return to earth.

"Ok, well mines been pretty active too." Maria continued. "This afternoon I was at his apartment with him. We were almost to the point of having.well.sex when he connected to me. It took me by surprise but I let myself go. I saw things, the way he feels about me, how we look together." She paused. "And something else. At first I just took it in, but then I got scared. I broke the connection. Michael got pissed off and we got into a fight. I couldn't bring myself to tell him what I saw. I didn't know how he'd react. He's Michael for God's sake. One wrong move can send him running." Maria didn't realize she was shaking. She tried to calm herself down but it wasn't working.

Isabel noticed she was shaking too. "Maria, what did you see?" Isabel asked, worriedly.

Maria pulled the grocery bag out of her purse and laid it on the bed. Her hands still trembling, she reached inside the bag and slowly pulled out its contents. Her eyes met Isabel's and she couldn't hold back the tears. She laid the pregnancy test on the bed. "I think I'm pregnant." Maria said, trying to push away tears. "With Michael's baby."

Isabel pulled Maria into a hug. "It'll be ok." She comforted. "I'm here."

Maria pulled back. "I have to know." She said, voice trembling. "I am so scared. I mean, what if I am and the kid has three heads!"

Isabel laughed. "Jacey doesn't have three heads. Remember, Max and Liz already have a baby and she's perfectly normal."

"It's not funny." Maria insisted. "They're different. Liz is human. That only makes Jacey half.like us. Michael and I are both aliens. Don't you think that will affect the baby somehow? If I am pregnant, that'll mean this baby is almost full-blooded alien. I have no clue how to deal with that."

Isabel put her arm around Maria's shoulders. "I didn't think of it that way." She admitted. "I mean, I guess something strange could happen. But think about it this way, Max, Michael and I are full-blooded aliens. We are normal in every way except we have powers. Maybe that's what your baby would have."

Maria wasn't convinced. "But I have powers and I'm only half alien." She shook her head. "Let's just get this over with and then I'll flip out."

Isabel smiled. If Maria wasn't already flipping out she didn't know what to call it. "Alright," She said. "What do you have to do?"

"Pee on this thing." Maria said, holding up a stick-like structure.

She went into the bathroom and was back in a few minutes. "Now we wait." She said.

"How long?" Isabel asked.

"Five minutes." Maria sighed. Five minutes would seem like an eternity.

Maria went over and sat down. Isabel placed her hand on Maria's abdomen and formed a connection. She didn't know what she was looking for, but knew if she found it she'd know what it was.

Maria watched Isabel's facial expressions as the connection went deeper. She wished she could be seeing every thing Isabel was seeing.

Suddenly Maria felt a second heartbeat in her body. She knew she and Isabel had become one. Isabel was trying to see if she was pregnant. Slowly the second heartbeat stopped and Isabel's connection was broken.

"What did you see?" Maria asked as soon as Isabel had recovered.

"I think we should wait on the test." Isabel said. "I don't know if what I did was right."

"It doesn't matter how you did it." Maria pleaded. "I just want to know what you saw." Maria thought for a moment. "I'd do it for you."

Isabel knew she was right. Maria had already done it for her. Maria hadn't seen anything and Isabel wasn't pregnant. She looked at her watch. Seven minutes had passed since the test.

"It's time." Isabel said, pointing to the clock.

Maria stood up. She reached down for Isabel's hand. "I don't want to do this alone."

Isabel stood up and followed her to the bathroom. She placed her hand on the door knob but was stopped by Maria.

"Please tell me." She pleaded with her eyes. One look at Isabel's face gave Maria the answer she was looking for. She hadn't noticed the tears that had surfaced in Isabel's eyes. Isabel squeezed her hand. Maria's eyes filled with tears. She smiled and opened the bathroom door. She slowly made her way over to the counter. She didn't need to know the answer now, just a confirmation of what Isabel already knew. She picked up the test and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. She read the results.

Isabel had tears running down her face. She couldn't hold them back. She felt exactly what Maria was feeling.

Maria looked up with tears in her eyes and smiled. Then she let her head fall into her hand and she cried.

Isabel went over to the tub, sat down and pulled Maria into a hug. "It'll be fine." She said. "We'll think of something. Michael will understand. I mean, he understood and was willing to be there when I thought I was pregnant."

"No!" Maria cried. "Our relationship isn't strong enough to handle this. Michael can't handle this.and neither can I! Not without Michael!"

"Maria," Isabel said. "You've got to calm yourself down. You know Michael will be there for you. And you have me, Max, Alex, Liz, Tess, Kyle, and Taye. We all love you very much."

"Is, I can't let anyone know about this." Maria said standing up quickly. "At least until after I decide what I'm going to do."

"What do you mean?" Isabel asked.

Maria caught on real quick. "Oh no, I'd never do something like THAT!" I just think I need to be the one to tell Michael."

Isabel stood up, too. "You're right. Michael would be hurt if he found out somewhere other than from you." Isabel touched Maria's shoulder. "Your secrets safe with me."

Maria hugged Isabel. "You'll be the first person to know my decision." She wiped her face. "I mean, if Michael reacts the way I think he will, I'll need a friend."

"Give him some credit." Isabel said. "Maybe he'll be happy." But she knew that was long shot. Hardly anything made Michael happy. She knew he wouldn 't want to be tied down.

Maria smiled. "I guess I'll find out." She left the bathroom and returned to her room, Isabel close behind.

"Let's go do something. Get your mind off of.well I guess we'd call it "the baby". Isabel said.

Maria smiled. It did sound weird saying "the baby". But she knew she needed to get it off her mind. "Like what?" She asked.

"I don't know," Isabel said. "What about UFOnics? We haven't been there in a long time. It'll be fun and you won't have to worry about anything. We can dance until dawn." She smiled.

"Sounds good to me." Maria said. Isabel was already dressed. She was always wearing the latest and greatest fashions. Maria went to her closet and pulled out a blue halter-top and a pair of l.e.i.'s. She used her powers and was ready to go in an instant. "Guess I'll only be able to wear this for a little while." She said smiling.

Isabel grabbed her purse off the bed. "Yeah, but at least you'll get your figure back!"

They made their way downstairs and out to the jeep. Isabel was determined to show Maria a good time. She had enough on her mind. "Ready?" Isabel asked.