Her destiny had returned to her.

"Sabrya. You are looking well." He said formally. Tess frowned slightly. Max sounded weird…like he didn’t know what to say to her.

It was probably because SHE was there.

Tess was doing her best not to look at Liz. She was trying to suppress the feeling of guilt that seemed to be pressing on her where Liz was concerned.

She did feel bad that Liz was going to be hurt…but Liz had been the first to recognize all those long months ago that she and Max…make that Jaxon - she had to get used to calling him by his real name if they were going to go back to Illyria…belonged together.

Tess climbed gracefully to her feet. She paused momentarily when Max reached behind him and took Liz’s hand.

What the hell?

"We should tell you Tess…" Liz said, "Max doesn’t remember a lot right now. Tarsus did something to him, to make him forget who he is…"

The way Liz used that "we" - it made it clear to Tess that even if Max had no memory, nothing had changed. She, Tess, was still second best. Somehow Liz had wormed her way back in to Max’s affections in the short time he had been back.

This was not going to be easy. But Danala was depending on her to bring the chosen one into the universe. Max was hers…they were destined to have a child who would unite their world.

She wondered why she suddenly felt empty at that thought.

Tess suppressed the brief vision of Kyle that appeared before her. He looked sad and hurt - her heart ached at the sight of it.

Where did that come from? She shook her head, forced herself to concentrate on Max and Liz.

"I’m glad you’re back Max." She said sweetly. He was frowning slightly. "Do you remember ME?"

"I remember certain things…."Max replied. Tess was barely concentrating on what he was saying. She was eyeing Liz’s hand, which was stroking his arm comfortingly.

Is she trying to drive me insane? Tess wondered. And yet Tess did not feel jealous. Again, she felt nothing.

My sister is depending on me. I have to do this.

Tess tuned back into what Max was saying.

"I remember Tristandor bringing you to the palace. I remember our wedding day. And I remember you refusing to come with me when I was forced to leave the Citadel after he and Mirana betrayed me that same night." His tone was harsh.

Tess blinked. What the heck was he talking about? Danala hadn’t told her anything about Michael and Isabel betraying Max…

"I…I’m sorry about that." Tess stuttered. She tried to shut out the sympathetic look Liz was sending her.

Why had she become friends with Liz? This was ten times worse than she had imagined it was going to be. Guilt was beginning to wind its way through her body, making her knees weak.

Max did not say anything else. A cell phone ringing pierced the silence that had descended on the pod chamber after Tess’ last statement.

Liz looked embarrassed. "I’m sorry." She moved away from Max, pulling her cell out of her pocket.

Tess continued to stare at Max, looking for some sign that he knew what was expected of them both.

He wasn’t looking at her at all. His gaze had followed Liz, his eyes warm as he listened to her talk on the phone. "Oh Alex! That’s wonderful!" Liz paused, glanced at Max. She nodded happily at him.

Tess watched the smile appear on his face. "She did it." He murmured to himself, sounding proud.

"Who did what?" Tess asked, a feeling of dread tying her stomach into knots. Max and Liz both ignored her.

"We’ll be right there." Liz told Alex. She rang off. "Maria’s awake!" She told Tess happily. "Alex just saw her."

Tess felt relief flow through her. Michael was going to be so happy!

"How?" Tess asked, addressing Liz more warmly despite herself.

She frowned again at the glance that passed between Max and Liz. Something was not right here…

"We’ll tell you on the way to the hospital." Liz decided. "We really need to go see Maria."

Tess clenched her jaw.

She had a feeling that Danala was not going to be happy about this development at all. The sooner Tess found out about the mysterious "she," the better.

"What are we waiting for?" She asked cheerily. "Let’s go."

Tess followed Max and Liz out into the New Mexican sun, taking one last glance at the empty pods.

Destiny was going to have to wait for the moment.

*********************************************************************************

"I can’t tell him Lizzie - not yet." Maria was staring out the window of her hospital room, a far-away expression on her face. Liz looked beyond her friend. She could see Michael, Alex and Jennetta horsing around on the front lawn of the hospital, soaking up the sun. Tess was there too, staring at the little girl. Kyle stood nearby, watching Tess. Liz wondered briefly where Max and Isabel had disappeared to.

Liz had been astounded when she, Max and Tess had arrived at the hospital. Not only was Maria awake, she was walking around, her complexion healthy. But underneath her friend’s good spirits, Liz had detected something else…a new maturity…and a strange disquiet.

They had walked in on Alex, Kyle and Maria all laughing at Michael and Jennetta, who were arguing. Isabel was there too, but she looked more annoyed than anything.

"But I don’t LIKE pancakes Michael. Isabel made them for me last night - they’re disgusting." Jennetta was saying, a mutinous expression on her face. She was sitting on a chair in the corner of Maria’s room, a plate of rubbery-looking pancakes from the hospital cafeteria sitting in front of her.

"But you haven’t tried them the way I make them."

"Good Lord! NO!" Alex had slapped his hand to his forehead as Michael pulled a bottle of Tabasco out of his jacket pocket. "Run Jennetta! Run for you life!"

Jennetta’s head had tilted to the side. "What’s that?" Her eyes had been glittering with interest.

"This is the BEST part of being on Earth." Michael had replied, liberally dousing her pancakes with the red liquid. Liz wrinkled her nose. Alex was making gagging noises.

Jennetta picked up her fork, took a bite of the pancakes. An expression of pure bliss appeared on her face. In that moment, she looked exactly like Maria whenever her friend ate ice-cream.

Liz had known then that there was no way that they were going to be able to keep the secret of Jennetta’s origins for long. Every time Liz looked at her she could see Michael or Maria screaming out at her. She didn’t know why she hadn’t seen it the first time she had set eyes on the little girl.

She and Max, in sync as always, had not told Tess the whole truth about Jennetta on the way to the hospital. Liz wasn’t really sure why, but it had just seemed to be the right thing to do.

They weren’t even sure if Maria and Michael knew the truth.

That question had been answered about half an hour after their arrival. Liz had been watching Maria closely after their first tearful reunion.

Her friend’s eyes followed Jennetta the entire time.

Maria knew.

It had been Liz who had asked the others to leave so that she could have a few moments alone with her best friend.

Maria had sobered almost immediately. "You know." She had pulled Liz down on the hospital bed beside her.

Liz had nodded. "Max told me. He found out when he tried to heal you." She paused. "How did you forget this Maria?"

Maria had shaken her head. "I don’t know! I have no idea what Tarsus did to me…I mean I KNEW something had happened between me and Michael on that damn planet…but Liz! I forgot losing my virginity! How tragic is that! And how could I forget my own child Liz?" Maria’s eyes had filled with tears of guilt. Liz’s hatred for Tarsus had solidified. How dare he have done this to her friend?

He was evil. First he had hurt Max and now Maria…

She had never hated anyone as she hated the shapeshifter. "It wasn’t your fault Maria! No one remembered. Max doesn’t even remember who HE is…"

Maria had flinched at that. "Poor Max. He tried to save her you know." She told Liz softly. "I saw it all Lizzie. It was just like we thought…he made a deal that he would stay if Michael and I were sent back. He told me that she was special Liz…that she was the saviour of his entire people." Liz put her arm around her best friend as Maria’s voice cracked. "She’s a baby Liz. I have to protect her. She’s not ready for whatever it is they’re going to make her do! I don’t want her to be a stupid chosen one! She has a right to her own life."

"I know Maria." They had been quiet for a while, each reflecting on the fact that while they were happy that they were all back together, there was still so much to iron out.

Maria had finally moved to the window to watch her boyfriend play with his daughter - the one he did not know was his. "I just can’t do it Liz." Maria repeated. "I just have this feeling that he can’t know yet…that if he does, everything will be ruined."

"Max and I will go with whatever you decide Maria." Liz told her firmly. "I really think Michael has a right to know, but it’s up to you. She’s YOUR daughter."

"He’s going to be so mad at me." Maria said softly.

"He’ll get over it. Michael gets angry fast but it burns out quickly." Liz reassured her, although she wasn’t sure Michael ever would get over Maria not telling him about Jennetta.

Liz knew - had known for a long time - that all Michael Guerin had ever wanted was to belong…to be part of a family. It was why he had been the most adamant about finding out who they really were…to find the place that was his in the universe.

Liz knew that his place was with Maria…and their daughter.

She was still angry at Michael herself. Despite having decided in England that she was going to forgive Michael for Max’s sake, letting her bitterness go had not been as easy as Liz had hoped. Seeing Max as confused and lost as he was…it had made the iron enter her soul again.

Max would not be suffering like he was if it wasn’t for Michael.

But in spite of her anger, Liz felt bad for Michael. To keep from him the only thing he had ever wanted…it seemed wrong.

Yet it was Maria’s decision. She knew Max wouldn’t argue. He still didn’t trust Michael or Isabel at all - still remembered them as the beloved family members who had betrayed them. He would see keeping Michael in the dark as a way to protect Jennetta. That would be enough for him.

"The only problem is that Jennetta knows." Maria was saying. "She’s not going to understand why she has to keep it a secret Liz…I can’t believe she hasn’t said anything yet."

"Jennetta is special Maria." Liz replied. "I saw it the minute I met her. I don’t think you’ll have to worry about her…not if you explain it to her."

A soft knock on the door interrupted the charged moment as Liz and Maria stared at each other meaningfully.

Amy Deluca poked her head in. "Hey girls! Can your old mom come in sweetie?"

Liz watched Maria paste a smile on her face. "Of course mom!"

Amy moved across the room, took her daughter into her arms. "I still can’t believe you’re okay Maria! The doctors can’t figure it out…"

"It was a miracle." Maria replied simply, her eyes meeting Liz’s again.

A miracle named Jennetta, Liz thought to herself.

She excused herself a few minutes later. "I’m going to find Max." She told Maria.

Maria waved her away. "Go! Tell that boyfriend of mine to get his butt in here…" Her eyes had met Liz’s again. "Oh, and tell him to bring Max’s little sister." She said casually. "I want my mom to get a chance to talk to her."

"This seems to be the week for miracles…"Liz could hear Amy saying as she left the room. "First Max Evans comes back from the dead and now you baby…"

Liz did not hear Maria’s reply.

She came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Tess Harding talking on the phone. "Okay. Okay! I said I would do it!" Tess’ tone was a mixture of sadness and anger.

Tess slammed the pay phone receiver down, briefly rested her forehead against it.

"Tess?" Liz was worried about Tess. She had been acting so strangely at the pod chamber.

If Tess had not told her with her own lips all those many months ago that she didn’t want to be with Max, Liz would have been seriously worried…but she had seemed to snap out of her weird mood once they were in the car.

And yet…Liz remembered the way her eyes had burned when she had first seen Max again…

"Are you okay?" She asked Tess now, placing a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

She felt the other girl tense under her touch. She whirled. "Liz! I’m glad you’re here! That was Isabel."

Liz felt a momentary pang of confusion. "Where is she?"

"She and Max went for a drive, to try and sort things out." Tess told her hurriedly. "She said that Max just freaked out. They’re out near the Reservation. She said they were talking and it seemed to going okay, but that he suddenly just went ballistic on her. He got out of the car and took off."

Liz eyed Tess. Something about this did not sound right.

"How did Isabel call you on a pay phone?" She asked suspiciously.

Tess looked at her as though she was crazy. "I called her on her cell. To see how things were going…" She explained.

"Oh. Okay." Liz’s concern immediately switched to Max.

They were expecting too much of him too soon. No wonder he was losing it. She had to find him, help him.

"I’m going to find him." Liz told Tess.

"Can I come?" Tess asked immediately.

Liz frowned slightly. She wasn’t sure it was a good idea. If Max was already freaking out, he didn’t need an audience…

But the hopeful look on Tess’ face convinced Liz.

She remembered Tess’ fit at the Crashdown, how she cared about Max too.

Liz couldn’t say no to her.

"Let’s go."

The way Tess’ face lit up…Liz was convinced she had done the right thing.

The two girls raced out to the parking lot.