"Isabel, I'm not hungry" Michael said as calmly as he could.

"Come on Michael, you haven't said a word in weeks, you have barely eaten, if you didn't have to work, I highly believe you wouldn't shower and your so skinny you starting to look like Maria!!"

"THATS NOT FUNNY ISABEL!!" he yelled as he grabbed his jean jacket and put it on.

"Where are you going?" she asked with concern.

"out." he growled as he slammed the door.

"You are ruining my life" Isabe said not directing the question to Michael.

Micahel walked down the street. It was early December and for New Mexico the weather was cold. Alburqurque was hell on earth to him, then again anywhere with out Maria, Liz, and the rest of his family anywhere was hell on earth to him. He sat on a tall hill looking down at the small city and pulled the jacket closer around him. He pulled out his wallet and looked at the picture Maria gave to him. It was of him and Maria giving each othere a big kiss that Liz took to get him upset. He never liked it when people took his picture...but somehow he wished someone had taken more so his family would remember him.

Maria sat alone in the apartment. She sat staring at a piece of paper looking at the number,..a number she knew so well. She picked up the phone and dialed the number.

Michael looked at his pager as the little box vibrated in his jean jacket pocket.

"What now Isabel?" he said to himself grabbing the pager. He looked at the number. It wasn't her, it was Maria. Michael stared at the pager and the tears began to fall from his eyes again. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number. It rang.

Maria picked up the phone. She was shocked it rang.

"Michael?" she said grabbing the phone.

He didn't say anything, just hung up the phone and cried harder.

Maria looked at the phone really dissappointed.

**I can't do that again** Michael thought. **It's better for Maria if i don't...Hopefully she hasn't bought a caller ID** He got up and started walking home, no home was with Maria, he was walking back to the torture chamber where he would have to live and play daddy in a house where there wasn't any love. Well, the love was there but for the time being, it was hidden deep in the hearts of the two past lovers. He would have to find a way to work past his love for Maria and turn it into love for Isabel.

**that could never happen** he tought **no one could ever replace the love I have for Maria...**

Michae walked into the apartment and saw Isabel crying on the chair sitting in the dark.