Part 37
Jim pulls up in front of the DeLuca household and shuts the car off. "We're here," he says unnecessarily.
"Maria, Maria, wake up," says Michael trying to rouse his sleeping girlfriend.
"Forget it, she's out like a light," Max says.
Nodding Michael slides her to the edge of the seat and lifts her into his arms.
As he does so, Maria's bag slips onto the sidewalk. Max reaches to pick it up, spilling the contents in the process. He bends down to gather up her belongings and sees the journal. "Michael," calls Max. "Look at this, it's Tess's journal. Why does Maria still have it?"
"I don't know Maxwell, I'll wake her up inside and find out what the hell she was thinking about."
The group enters the house and finds Isabelle, Liz and Kyle pouring over maps and through phone books. None of them spare the others more than a glance as the walk through the door.
Michael continues through the living room and into Maria's bedroom, where he lays her on the bed. "Maria," he shouts in her ear as he shakes her. "Wake up Maria, I need to talk to you."
Maria sits up groggily and tries to orientate herself. "What do you want space boy? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep here?"
"Maria, what is this?" asks Michael holding out Tess's journal.
"Well, not to state the obvious," says Maria. "But it's Tess's journal."
"I know that Maria, but why do you have it?" he demands
Maria just sits silently, trying to find the words to make him understand. "Look Michael, I didn't take the journal for any sinister reason. It's just that it's always about Liz. She always seems to be the one who comes up with the ideas, the plans, the…well, everything. I figured if I kept looking at the journal, I might find a clue. I was going to take it to the copy center and make copies of it like we did with the destiny book translation and look for clues. Honestly, I just wanted for once to be the one that helps to save the day."
Michael pulls her into a tender hug and drops a kiss on her hair. "Maria, don't you know how important you are to all of us, and to me especially. Sure, maybe Liz comes up with a lot of great ideas, but that doesn't mean that your contributions are any less important. You are the one who keeps our feet on the ground Maria. You bring us together with your realistic approach to everything we undertake."
"Really," she sniffs. "Thanks space boy, I guess I just needed to hear it."
"And another thing Maria," Michael continues. "Your idea is a good one, let's head out to the copy center and do it now."
"Have I told you lately how much I love you space boy," says Maria as she pulls his head to hers for a passion filled kiss.
The two enter the living room to find that it resembles an army war room in time of crisis. Papers are strewn across the room. Jim and Max are hunched over a map on a table talking strategy.
"What's going on here?" asks Michael.
"They did it, Michael. Isabelle and Liz were able to find Alex. He really is alive!" answers Max excitedly.
Maria screams with joy. Michael sweeps her up into his arms and spins her around.
"I can't believe it. He's alive," Maria cries out. "But how, why? Oh my God, what about the baby?"
Kyle looks up from the list he is compiling and smiles broadly. "The baby is fine, she's a girl, and her name is Cassie."
"Cassie? Why Cassie? And why would Tess even bother to name her?" asks Michael. "It's not like she's the poster child for mother of the year or anything."
"She named her Cassie because of me," explains Kyle softly. "We were out one night in the backyard looking at the stars and stuff. Tess was telling me about the constellations here and the constellations she remembered from Antar. She pointed out Cassiopeia. I had told Tess that if I ever had a daughter, I'd like to call her that. It would be my way of remembering how much all of you meant to me."
Kyle turns his head away from everyone, embarrassed by his show of sentiment. Jim steps up behind Kyle and lays a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry Kyle," says Isabelle, her eyes tearing at the image Kyle had created. "We're going to save them both."
"Before we do anything else," says Michael. "Maria had an idea, and I think it's worth following up."
All eyes turn to Maria, and she flushes a little from all the attention. But she begins to explain, "Well, it's Tess's journal. I was thinking, maybe she did something to it so we couldn't read it either, like she did with the destiny book. I was going to take it to the copy center and make a copy and work on that."
"Maria, that is an excellent idea, and we should have thought of it earlier," says Max. "There may be some information in there that will help us figure out what her real plan is. Why don't you and Michael take care of that now, and we'll start working on a plan to rescue Alex and the baby."