Not wanting to deal with it anymore, Nascedo stood up and walked to his bedroom. He needed a good nights sleep. This would have to wait until tomorrow.

__________________

"How 'bout this one?" Maria asked Isabel, holding up a tie-dyed halter-top.

"Perfect. I really like it." Isabel said.

"It's so you!" Liz exclaimed, looking at the other tops.

The girls had decided to spend the afternoon at the mall. After the morning they had just had, they needed a break. Shopping made everything feel like it was back to normal.

Maria walked up to the counter to pay for the halter-top she'd picked out. She was hoping Michael would love it. She followed Isabel and Liz out of the store and over to the food court. They sat down at a table to admire their purchases.

"I can't believe how much I spent." Liz said. "I'm going to have to work all the extra hours I can at the Crashdown just to pay for this stuff."

"I know what you mean." Said Isabel. "I got two more pairs of shoes. That' s just what I need to add to my other 110 pair!

Liz and Maria laughed. Isabel definitely loved shoes.

"Well, I guess the best thing I bought today was the necklace for Michael. I really think he'll like it." Maria said. "When I saw it, it jumped out at me. It was like it had his name written on it. It's so Michael."

"Yeah, I broke down and bought Max a shirt." Liz said. "I couldn't go home without getting him something."

"I don't feel so bad then." Isabel said. "I felt like such a dork cause I picked Alex up a CD. I wasn't going to tell you guys, but since we're confessing, I might as well too!"

The three friends laughed. They definitely were in love. There was no way they could ever imagine life without the ones they loved. Their world revolved around Michael, Max and Alex.

"I need to hit the bathroom before we take off. Anyone else?" Liz asked.

"Nope." Isabel said.

"Not right now." Said Maria. "The bladder condition has been doing pretty good her lately.

Liz and Isabel smiled. They had heard that story more than once.

"I'll be right back then." Liz said, taking off towards the bathroom.

Isabel and Maria sat at the table alone.

"I know we decided to try and have a "normal" afternoon, but I wanted to ask you what you thought about this morning." Isabel said, looking at Maria.

Maria didn't know what to say. "I'm scared, I guess. I don't know who my father is, or even how I'm part alien. It's really scary for me."

"I know it is. Remember, it was only a few years ago that I discovered I was an alien. That was the day life, as I knew it, ended. Then again, I wouldn't ever want not to know." Isabel said.

"I know." Maria said. "I'm hoping that I can learn a lot from you and Michael."

"You will. I promise." She looked around the food court as if someone might overhear what she was going to say next.

"You said you have a picture of your dad, right?" Isabel asked.

"Yeah, it's here in my purse somewhere. When we stopped by my house, I stuffed it in here." Maria said.

She fished around her purse until she came across the picture. She looked at the picture closely. The man was very handsome. She could tell why her mother had fallen for him. Those eyes were so intense. So much like hers. She was glad to know she had inherited her father's eyes. As she had just discovered, his eyes weren't all she'd inherited. "Here it is." She said, handing the picture to Isabel.

Isabel took the picture and looked at it. Her face paled. This didn't make any since. She stared at the picture. How could this be true? There was no way it was possible, Nascedo had basically said it wasn't. But it was staring her right in the face. She looked at Maria.

Maria looked at Isabel and saw that the color was drained from her face. "What is it, Iz?" Maria asked, concern filling her voice. "What's wrong?"

Isabel looked down at the picture and then back up at Maria. She turned the picture around to where if faced Maria. "I know this man." She said.

Maria sat back in her chair. Isabel knew the man! How could that be? "Who is he?" she asked.