They had not spoken a word since the others had left a couple of hours before. Michael had simply backed up into one of the stone walls near Jennetta’s pod, sliding to the floor, without saying a word.

It was like he had given up. His expression was completely blank as he continued to stare at Jennetta in her pod. Maria had gone to sit beside him. She had jumped when he had put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her up close to his side.

And that was how they had sat, both reluctant to take their eyes off their daughter, in case they missed something that would help them to stop whatever was happening to her.

"Hmmmm…"

"Can you see anything happening?"

This was what Maria had been looking for for the past few minutes; any sign that Jennetta was changing physically in any way. But she didn’t look any different. The only thing was that her face had lost the animation that had been such a large part of who she was. She did not look to be in any sort of pain; only serene and oblivious to what was going on around her.

"No." Michael replied gruffly.

"I wonder how long it will be before she starts to change." Maria shivered at the thought of it, the thought that her daughter was going to start maturing until she was actually older than Maria herself.

It was just WRONG - on every level.

Maria knew that she had not been very strong up to this point. She had become nearly hysterical when Ren had first told them there was nothing they could do to stop what was happening to Jennetta. And then she had fainted…

She, Maria Deluca, had fainted. What was up with that?

"I don’t know." Michael told her. "I would guess it would be soon if the pods are working right. If they aren’t…well, it could be years."

They were quiet for a while longer. It was not an uncomfortable silence but there was something underlying that had to be addressed. Maria didn’t know if this was the right time to do it, but she didn’t know if she could stand to have any sort of conflict between she and Michael. Not now.

It was ironic really. Her entire relationship with Michael over the two years that they had been together off and on had revolved around conflict. It was one of the things she loved most about him - that he nearly drove her crazy on a regular basis. He challenged her.

And yet now, the last thing in the world she wanted to do was fight with him.

But if that was going to stop they were definitely going to have to master the art of communication.

Max and Liz had done it. They didn’t even have to talk and they were in perfect sync. But the bond that existed between those two was not something that Maria could ever hope to approximate.

What Max and Liz had was not normal. It was something apart. Those two were in many ways, quite literally, one soul divided into two bodies - to the point that Maria did not think that they could live without each other. She was still convinced that the only reason that Liz had survived their separation while Max was on Illyria was because she somehow KNEW that he would come back to her someday.

Maria had often complained to Michael that he should be more like Max. But that wasn’t what she wanted really. All she wanted was the chance to be with him, the chance to share something with him.

And Jennetta had been that chance.

But now that chance was gone and it was all up to Maria again. She could not depend that their daughter would bind him to her. For all they knew Jennetta WOULD leave when she came out of her pod. They couldn’t read the future.

Maria could not depend on him staying around because he loved their daughter. She was going to have to do it herself.

It was scary.

"Michael?"

"What Maria." His tone was not annoyed, just exhausted. Maybe this wasn’t the time…

"Why didn’t you tell me about Jennetta when you found out?" She couldn’t stop the words from tumbling from her mouth. She flinched, felt him stiffen beside her. She couldn’t look at him.

"Why didn’t you?" Michael finally asked, not answering her question.

"Michael! Why can’t you just answer me?" Maria demanded, shocked by the intensity of the fury that coursed through her. She knew that it wasn’t anger at Michael…it was anger about the unfairness of the entire situation in which they found themselves. And yet she couldn’t control herself. "You always shut me out! Would you even be here if it wasn’t for Jennetta?"

Maria pulled away from him, keeping her back to him. She tried to control the tears that threatened to pour from her eyes.

Michael didn’t say anything for a long time. Maria wondered if he actually HAD gone to sleep.

So help me…if he’s asleep…

Maria jumped at the sound of his voice. "Maria, I want you to tell me why you didn’t tell ME." His tone was urgent.

"Why?" Maria demanded, jumping to her feet and whirling on him.

Michael stared up at her, his expression unreadable. "Because I’m guessing it was for the same reason that I couldn’t tell you."

Maria froze. Finally she whispered, "I think I knew that she wasn’t going to be ours for good." Maria paused, horrified. But it was true, somehow, deep down, she had known that they were going to lose her…

And more than she couldn’t bear that for herself…she couldn’t bear it for Michael.

She couldn’t bear the thought of the pain she knew that he would feel.

Michael had climbed unsteadily to his feet. His eyes were bright. Maria realized that it was with tears.

"Me too." He continued to stare at her, until she couldn’t stand it anymore. She threw herself against his chest and sobbed out her grief at the fact that while their daughter would live, she would never be theirs.

Jennetta belonged to her planet. Just like Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess had always belonged to Illyria.

The Royal Four had escaped their destiny, but only because they were sacrificing something even greater than themselves.

They were sacrificing their future, in the form of a small child, one who would not be small for much longer.

"We’re… going to have to…to give her up Michael." Maria finally managed to say after she had cried herself dry, hiccuping twice before she could get it out.

"I know."

There was another long silence.

"Why us?" Maria asked eventually.

"Because we’re the ones who would KNOW how big a sacrifice it is." Michael replied, sounding more sure than Maria had ever heard him. "Max and Liz…they would be devastated, but for them, giving each other up would be even worse. They’ve had to do it once already. They made their sacrifice."

"But us?"

Michael pulled back, looked steadily at her face. "Be honest Maria…if you knew that we could keep her forever, but the price was that we could never be together…would you do it?"

"Yes." Maria said without hesitation.

Michael smiled weakly. "Me too."

Michael sank back against the wall, bringing Maria down with him. "You know," Maria said after a while, "I don’t think it’s about Liz and I making sacrifices at all."

"What do you mean?" Michael asked, sounding angry. "You both have given up just as much as me and Max."

"Well, duh. I mean, I know that, but I don’t think your people particularly care about us." Maria replied. "I think it’s all about you and the other three sacrificing…I mean, think about it. Max gave up Liz by going back to Illyria. You’re giving up Jennetta. Tess gave up her dream of Max and destiny and family. And Isabel gave up her mother." She paused, thinking hard. "You all made the ultimate sacrifice to save your planet. Your sacrifices resulted in Jennetta - the Chosen One."

"Hmmmm…" Michael snorted. "Nice planet I come from…I’m damn glad I never have to go back."

"But think about it Michael…if it’s true, then maybe we won’t have lost Jennetta forever. Max got Liz back, Isabel has regained some sort of contact with her mother AND has Mrs. Evans….and Tess has US to replace her family." Maria could feel herself beginning to get excited. "Maybe we just have to be willing to make the sacrifice but in the end it won’t happen!"