Tonight, the Crashdown was filled to the brim with hungry MUFON members and Michael was their chef. Michael smiled at a longhaired female wearing a T-shirt with “I want to believe” splattered across the front. He shook his head and laughed under his breath.

If they only knew…

Michael was hard at work when one of the waitresses slapped the serving deck. Irritated, Michael looked up at the wacky headband all the waitresses were made to wear. He also glanced at the uniform – consisting of a blue dress with white borders and a silver alien head shaped apron. The frizzy-haired waitress pointed at the bar and told him to not take too long. Looking past the waitress, Michael saw Tess sitting on a stool, swinging her feet and staring at the MUFON people. Annoyed, Michael walked out of the kitchen, wiping his face with a towel. Approaching Tess, Michael folded the towel while he asked, “What are you doing here?”

Feeling mildly defeated, Tess lowered her head. She brought it back up slowly and said,

“I’m here to congratulate you.”

“Congratulate Me? For what?”

“For Isabel.”

Looking around quickly, Michael grabbed Tess by the arm and pulled her to her feet. He glanced around again and then said, “In the back, now.”

Michael led Tess to a back room, behind the kitchen. Once there, he pushed her forward, knocking her against a table. Tess grabbed the table and held onto it for a minute before slowly turning around. Before her, Michael paced. His face was red and his eyes were crazed. Suddenly, he ordered, “All right, talk. What do you know about Isabel?”

“I know she’s pregnant with your baby.”

“Did she tell you this?”

“Yes.”

Michael silently cursed and kicked the wall with his heel. He looked at Tess. The ‘I found out your little secret’ square to her shoulders filled him with rage. The smug coldness of her smile angered him. In a couple strides, Michael closed the distance between them. Roughly, he grabbed her shoulders, shaking her, as he threatened her. “You listen to me, Tess. Not a word of this to your ‘Father.’ If I so much as hear a rumor that you’ve betrayed us to those hunters, I’ll kill you.”

Tess’ eyes grew large and she struggled against Michael’s strong hands. She responded with fury, “Michael, I’m not the monster you want me to be. I’m happy for you and

Isabel. This is how it was meant to be.”

Reluctantly, Michael loosened his grip on her flesh. Sighing softly, Michael said, “Don’t say anything, Tess.”

Raising her hands, Tess wrapped her arms around Michael’s waist as she continued, “You were true to yourselves. “

Closing his eyes, Michael ordered, “Shut up, Tess.”

Smiling broadly, Tess persisted. “Now, if we can get Max to see it our way, then our destinies will be complete.”

Tess’ words penetrated Michael’s mind, disturbing him. Opening his eyes, Michael tightened his grip and shook Tess harder than before. Anger loosened his tongue enough to say, “Don’t you get it? Isabel and I didn’t plan this. We didn’t want this. This is not our way. It just happened.”

Tess stared at Michael in disbelief and countered angrily, “Michael, you try to act all

noble and…human, but you’re just like me. You don’t trust the humans anymore than I do, but you continue to hold onto Maria. You and Isabel condemned me for wanting a child with Max when you knew the whole time that Isabel was carrying your child. You dared to cast stones at me!”

Michael stood still for a moment. He let go of Tess and turned away. Tess rubbed her arms as she continued, “I don’t want to fight with you, Michael. You’re my brother.

You and I are the same.”

Michael turned toward Tess, looking her in the eye, he protested, “No, we’re not. I’m not

the same as you. I know I’m not human. I know what I am. I know what Max and Isabel are. I just don’t know what you are.”

Tess walked past Michael. She didn’t look at him. Michael didn’t look at her. Tess held the curtain that separated the back room from the rest of the restaurant. She bit her lip and ran her thumb over the rough, gray fabric as she stated:

“I’m your sister, Michael, that’s what I am.”

-----<(0)>-----

After school, Maria and Liz walked over to the Crashdown. Along the way, they discussed the growing tension in the group. Liz told Maria about Max’s concerns. Maria brought up Tess more than once and told Liz about Michael’s warning. They entered the Crashdown through the back entrance and went to the back room. Pulling the curtain so that it closed in the little room, they started to change. They still had their blouses open when the curtain was quickly pulled back. Liz and Maria covered themselves and yelled. In the entryway, Michael stood with his arm around Isabel’s waist. Isabel blushed and was quick to apologize. Michael was less tactful.

“Get out. Isabel and I have to talk.”

Maria motioned for him to turn around. In response, Michael commented, “What? It’s

nothing I haven’t seen before.”

Maria looked at the ceiling and counted to ten. Liz stood dumbfounded. Impatiently, Michael repeated, “Come on already, its an alien thing.”

Turning around, Maria and Liz quickly buttoned up their tops. Maria stormed out of the room. In contrast, Liz walked out slowly. Pausing in front of Michael, Liz looked up at Michael’s impatient scowl. Lifting an eyebrow, Liz addressed Michael, “Michael,

before you try to pull something like this ever again, try and remember something.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that?”

“You work for me.”

Michael nodded and Liz walked away. Michael pulled the curtain and turned toward Isabel. Isabel leaned against the table and said, “You shouldn’t talk to them like that, Michael, especially Maria. If you care about her, that is.”

With a wave of his hand, Michael dismissed her words. Running a shaking hand through his hair, he inquired, “I don’t want to hear it right now, Isabel. What I really want to know is why you told Tess about the baby.”

“I didn’t tell her. She attacked me at school. She tried to pull my shorts off and saw the glow. She’s sick, Michael. She really scares me.”

Remembering the earlier events, Isabel hugged herself. Walking over to her, Michael put his arms around Isabel. He held her close, his chin on her head as he agreed, “You’re

right, she’s sick. She was in here a little while ago. She tried to enlist me to help her get Max again. She’s obsessed.”

Pulling away just enough to look in Michael’s eyes, Isabel whispered, “Michael, we need

to tell the others. We can’t keep this to ourselves anymore. We’re going to need their help. Tess knows and who knows who she may tell.”

Michael ran his hand through his hair again and crossed the small room. He paced back and forth, drumming his fist against his thigh. With gentle hands, Isabel stopped his constant movement by holding onto both of his arms. Holding his gaze, Isabel insisted, “We need to do this tonight, Michael.”

Hanging his head in resignation, Michael whispered, “Okay.”

Isabel embraced Michael again. After a minute, Michael pulled away and walked over to the curtain, pulling it back.

On the other side, Michael came face to face with a very red-faced Maria DeLuca. Instantly, Isabel walked up to Michael and stood beside him. Maria looked at Isabel’s pale face and wide eyes. She noticed how Isabel seemed to be shaking.

“You’re pregnant with Michael’s baby.”

Isabel nodded. In response, Maria slowly started to nod her head. Maria turned to Michael, tears forming in her eyes. One moment, Michael was feeling guilty, the next he was stumbling backwards from the impact of Maria’s left fist connecting with his jaw.

“You bastard!”

Isabel rushed over to where Michael was lying on the floor. She looked at the doorway in time to see Maria turn and run away.

Liz heard Maria yell. She left an employee in charge and rushed to the back room. Liz found Isabel kneeling on the floor with Michael’s head on her lap. Isabel’s hands were glowing, trying to heal Michael’s wounds. Isabel looked up and motioned with a toss of her head toward the employee bathroom. Liz nodded and made her way to the bathroom. She knocked on the door. A loud ‘go away’ greeted her. Turning the knob, Liz opened the door and poked her head into the room anyway.

Huddled on top of the toilet, Maria hugged her knees to her chest and cried. Liz entered the room slowly, quietly closing the door behind her. Maria looked up at Liz with red and puffy eyes. Slowly, Maria unfolded her body and opened her arms. Kneeling beside Maria, Liz hugged her best friend tightly. Patiently, Liz waited until Maria’s shaking subsided and slowly, Maria pulled away. Maria wiped her tears away and looked up at Liz. In whispered tones, Maria told Liz everything she overheard. Afterwards, in shock, Liz rocked back on her heels. Next to tears again, Maria whispered:

“It’s just another thing that will never be just mine, Liz.”

-----<(0)>-----

Reluctantly, Max entered the Crashdown. The MUFONites made him nervous, but he searched for Liz anyway. A couple frazzled waitresses ran here and there. Looking in the kitchen, Max saw a guy he didn’t recognize at the grill. Confused, Max stopped one of the waitresses. She told him Liz had gone into the back room a few minutes before. The waitress pleaded with Max to find Liz and get her some help with this crowd. Max promised he would try and headed for the back room.

By the time Max pulled back the curtain, Michael was standing against the wall. His bruise was gone but his head still hurt – his punishment according to Isabel. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Isabel took Max by the hand and led him over to the employee bathroom. Standing outside the door, they could hear Maria crying. Isabel put her arms around Max’s waist and placed her head on his shoulder. Softly, Isabel told Max everything about the dreams, Tess and the baby.

Several times, Max tensed only to have Isabel rub his back and hold him tighter. When she was finished, Isabel waited for Max to say something. Unable to find the words, Max just rested his head on top of Isabel’s. Michael approached Max from behind. His stance was less than sure. Isabel looked over Max’s shoulder and nodded at Michael. Max turned and looked at Michael with disappointment and motioned for Michael to come closer. Putting his hand on Michael’s shoulder, Max pushed him toward the bathroom door. The sound of Maria crying brought tears to Michael’s eyes.

Slowly, Michael let himself fall forward until his forehead knocked softly against the door. The crying stopped and the hallway became maddeningly quiet. A minute later, the bathroom door opened, Liz walked out and closed the door behind her. With narrow eyes, she looked at Michael and said, “She wants to see you, but so help me God,

Michael. You better watch what you say.”

Cautiously, Michael nodded and opened the door. Inside, Maria was washing her face. Michael closed the bathroom door and stood behind her. He raised his hands but didn’t know what to do with them. Maria concentrated on his reflection in the mirror and Michael winced at the sight of the blazing red eyes staring at him from the looking glass.

“Maria-“

Maria looked up at the ceiling and put up one hand. She turned slowly. She opened her eyes and lowered her head. Looking Michael in the eyes, Maria asked, “Do you love her?”

Michael shook his head.

Maria questioned further, “Then how could you do this? How could you sleep with her?”

Michael answered, “We didn’t have sex, Maria.”

Maria laughed weakly and replied, “Oh really. Then how did she get pregnant, by magic?”

“We’re not human, Maria. We don’t procreate like humans do.”

“Then how?”

“Through a psychic link.”

Maria laughed again and cried, “A thought. That’s it. That’s all.”

Maria’s laugh quickly turned to tears. She wrapped her arms around herself and crumbled to the floor. Kneeling down in front of her, Michael took Maria’s protesting body into his arms. Using more words than he usually did, Michael explained everything. When he was done, they were both crying. They bumped foreheads and pulled each other close. Maria cleared her throat and spoke softly, “I know you want this