"I just thought you’d want to get out for a little while. You know, enjoy the company of some males." Max looked at Michael. "You’ve been spending so much time with Maria lately, I’ve kind of forgotten what it’s like to have you around."

"Come on, Guerin!" Kyle said. "It’s not the end of the world. The game is about over anyway. You can’t say that you haven’t had any fun!"

Michael smiled. That was true. Even though he wasn’t all too happy to be at the basketball game, he had been having a great time. Who knew Kyle could be such a fun guy to hang out with? Michael just wished Max would cheer up. His best friend had been very moody over the last few months and was having a hard time not letting it show.

"Ok, Ok, ya know, I admit it. I’ve actually had a really good time today." Michael said, turning to Max. "What about you, Max? Enjoying yourself?"

Max looked a million miles away.

"Earth to Max, do you copy?" Alex said giving Max a shove.

Max turned to Alex. "What was that for?" he asked. His face becoming cross.

"Sorry, man! Mood Swing!" Alex said defensively. "All I asked was if you were having a good time!"

"Yeah, a blast." Max said, his mind drifting again.

There was no possible way that Maria could be his sister. He’d tried to convince Isabel of it too but she just wouldn’t listen. He and Tess had talked about the possibility for a long time and both had reached the same conclusion. Max’s father was dead. There was no way Maria could be an alien, let alone his sister. He had to get proof or no one would believe him. Max thought about the fight he and Isabel had had. It was only their second fight since they had emerged from their incubation pods and this one was huge. They hadn’t talked in three weeks. Max remembered the conversation clearly.

"We have to be careful around her." Max said.

"For God’s sakes, Maxwell, she’s our sister! Not our sworn enemy!" Isabel screamed.

"How do you know that? Our father is dead, Isabel! DEAD!" Max retorted.

"You don’t know that! You don’t! He could be alive." Isabel was in tears.

"Tess and I know…." Max was cut off.

"Tess this, and Tess that! I am so freakin sick of hearing about Tess! She’s got her nose so far up your butt that I can’t tell where you end and she begins." Isabel had lost all control. "How come she can walk in off the street and claim she’s an alien and you can except that, but when it comes to your own flesh and blood, you deny it? Is it just because Tess doesn’t think she’s our sister? Well listen here buddy, I’m sick and tired of you listening to Tess. What are Michael and I to you know, second best? As far as I’m concerned, until you have yourself surgically removed from Tess, I don’t want to say or hear another word to you." With that, Isabel turned and walked away.

That was the last conversation Max had had with his sister in three weeks. He really missed talking to her. But he knew he was right. There was something wrong with the whole Maria situation. Tess was right when she said that if Maria was an alien, it would have been written somewhere, but there was nothing to be found. He couldn’t talk to Michael about it, because Michael had sided with Isabel. He wasn’t even going to chance not being on speaking terms with Michael. Besides, he was in love with Maria and there was nothing that would change that.

"MAXWELL!" Michael screamed. "What is wrong with you? Kyle, Alex and I have been talking to you for that last ten minutes and you’ve just been completely ignoring us."

Max looked at Michael. He looked worried. "I’m sorry, I’ve just got some things on my mind that I’m having a hard time with. I didn’t mean to be distracted. So, who’s winning?"

"That’s what we’ve been trying to tell you. The game is over. We lost. Are you sure don’t want to talk about it Max?" Michael asked.

"No, it’s ok." Max said. "It’s not all that important."

Kyle, Max, Alex and Michael left the basketball arena and headed to the Crashdown. They arrived and found a seat. The waitress took their order and then they were alone.

The Crashdown was empty for that time of evening. Apparently people had better things to do than sit around the Crashdown on a Friday evening. As their meals arrived, the door to the Crashdown swung open. Sheriff Valenti walked over to the table and sat down.

"Hello boys," he said, looking around the table. "Staying out of trouble tonight?" he asked.

"Yes sir." Alex said. "You know us, were just a couple of good ‘ole boys, cruising the town checking out chicks and that whole nine yards."

The sheriff let out a laugh and smiled.

"What are you doing here, dad?" Kyle asked.

"Actually, I was kinda hoping I could talk to Max and Michael." He said. "It’s some, um business stuff."

Michael took the hint. He had to talk to them about something related to them being aliens. He got up and walked across the Crashdown to another table. The sheriff followed and then Max.

"What do you know?" Michael asked.

"We’ve found some files." The sheriff started. "They seem to belong to some investigators out east. People that Topolsky was close with. These people had abandoned their station and left the files behind. There is some interesting stuff in there from what I’ve heard so far. Things that I think you would be interested in." He said, nodding towards Michael.

"Me?" He asked. "Why me?"

"I think it has some information about your father." Sheriff Valenti said. "You too Max. I think this could be what you’re looking for."

Michael smiled. Information about his father! It couldn’t be true. A year ago, he’d been happy to find out he had a father. Now, he had found out that he had a father, who could still be alive, and he was now closer than ever before to finding out about his father.

"When can we look at the files?" he asked, sounding like a little kid.

"I’ll have them in my possession tomorrow. You’re welcome to come by the station and take a look at them then." He said. He turned to leave.

"Boys, you have a good evening." He said, and walked out.

Max and Michael filled Kyle and Alex in. Tomorrow was going to be a huge day for Max and Michael. They would have to get Alex, Isabel, Liz, Tess and Maria to help sort through the files. They would probably even ask Kyle, Michael thought! He was just so excited at the prospect of finding his father.

"I’m really tired." Max said suddenly. "I’m ready to go home."

Max, Kyle, Alex and Michael left the Crashdown. Max was the first to be dropped off. "I’ll see you guys tomorrow." He said with a smile. "I had fun tonight."

"See ya later, buddy." Came the chorus of three.

Max walked into the house. Maybe tomorrow he’d finally be able to prove to everyone that Maria wasn’t an alien, that she wasn’t his sister. He had a sister. He didn’t need another one, although at the moment it seemed that his only sister didn’t want anything to do with him. He walked past the living room and noticed Maria sitting on the couch. Being polite, he walked in.

"Hey." He said walking up behind her. It was then that he noticed Isabel asleep. She had her head lying across Maria’s lap. Her eyes were all swelled and puffy. Max knew she had been crying.

"Hey." Maria said. "Have a seat. I’m uh, getting ready to take off anyway. Did you have a good time tonight?"

"Yeah, I did." Max said, trying to make small talk. "It’s been a while since I’ve been able to go out and have

fun with the guys." He said.

She smiled. "That’s good." Then she looked down at Isabel. She noticed Max looking at her too.

"What happened?" he asked. "She looks awful."

Maria pushed a strand of stray hair back out of Isabel’s face and looked at Max. "She’s had a rough night. She’s ok now though."

Max could here Maria’s voice shaking. What had happened? "Why was she crying?" he asked.

"Tess just said a few things to her and to me, that hurt Isabel." Maria said, avoiding eye contact with Max. "She didn’t take it too well."

Max knew Isabel didn’t let things get to her easily. Obviously whatever Tess had said was something about Maria. Which meant, that Maria probably knew that Max had doubts about her.

"Maria…" Max began.

"Don’t Max." she cut him off. "Don’t say anything that you will regret saying later. I know you don’t believe I’m your sister, or that I’m part alien. I’ll give you your time to prove that I’m not. But you can’t keep hurting Isabel like you are. She’s not as strong as you think she is. She needs me, Max. I need her. I want us to be able to get along too, Max but I’m not going to push it. You need time and I understand that. I just hope you find the answers you’re looking for."

Max looked at Maria. She had tears in her eyes. He felt bad for doubting her, but surely Tess knew what she was talking about. She couldn’t be Max’s sister. He stood up and headed towards the door. He couldn’t stand to set there and watch Maria cry. Even if he didn’t believe Maria was his sister, he still cared for her as a friend. Seeing both her and Isabel upset was tearing him up. He stopped behind the couch and put his arms around her neck. "Thank you." Was all he said. He released her and walked through the door. Then he turned and said. "Why don’t you go ahead and spend the night. Isabel could use you right now. She needs a good friend…and a sister."

Maria turned and looked at Max. He smiled a soft smile. "Thanks." She said. "I hope you two get back on speaking terms soon. She needs you too, Max."

"I know." He said "Goodnight, Maria." And he was gone.