BANG! A gun went off and the guard in front of them fell to the desert floor, dead. Both Maria and Michael looked to see who it was. "Addie!" Maria screamed running towards her friend, "He said they had captured all of you again, that you were as good as dead already!"
"It looks like he lied," she said embracing her fellow alien.
"Come on you two, lets get out of here before any other agents show up," Michael said and the three hurried off across the desert.
*5 years ago *
"Michael, do you really think that you weren't born here? Do you really think that you weren't a part of the Royal Four?"
"Yes Max, I really believe that I don't belong here, I don't belong with Isabel, I have this bond this connection to Maria. I've never felt as safe as I do, as complete as I have with her."
"You know, it is always possible," Tess said, "I mean you guys didn't know me until just a few months ago and it turns out that I'm one of you, its very possible that Michael thought that just because he was different he was one of you, and I really think they are just like us, but I think they are different, in social standings or something, but they are still important and belong with us."
The four just stood looking at each other. "Maybe you should go after her Michael. I can see it, in your face, in your eyes, in your soul, you belong with her, its true. Go ahead, you need to find this as much as she does," Isabel assured him. She saw it, she knew, it was true, she had never felt anything besides brotherly love towards Michael because there had never been anything between them, they were different people from different lifestyles, she should have realized it earlier but it was too strange to realize that they were different from even someone who seemed so much like them.
Michael looked at her and smile, he could tell she understood, she had been a great ruler once. Max believed he had been in charge but looking on Michael saw the strength in Isabel that Max had not possessed as a leader, and that was why Max had fallen from his throne, they said Vilandra betrayed him but in reality he betrayed his people by being too proud and not allowing his sister to take over the throne of his country.
Michael turned and walked out of the chamber, the humans, sensing the tension that was filling the room left too. "What was that about Isabel. Who gave you the rights to make the decisions around here?" Max demanded angrily.
"Can't you see it Max, didn't you see the look in his eyes? Couldn't you sense his feelings? The bond that we share and that you share with Tess. Its not there with Michael, we're different people, he's not like us, he's not royalty. I know, the bond I'm suppose to have with him doesn't exist, its not there and you can deny it all you want but…I know that every day you spend more time together things between you change, you remember, you feel for each other. I see it, me and Michael have known each other our whole lives, we have nothing, while I love him like a brother it doesn't exceed that because our lives never crossed before we aren't the same kind."
***
The rocks began to rumble as they separated forming an entrance into the chamber. Maria stepped into the chamber feeling a wave of familiarity wash over her. She looked at the pods surveying them for a second, 'that ones mine' she thought looking to the lower right hand one. A smile played across her lips. On the group lay an orb, it was very similar to the one she had noticed at Michael's apartment the night before. The symbol on it was different though. It was much more familiar to her then the other one. She looked at it closely and realized that it represented their social standing. She had to get Michael and show him. Even if the others didn't want to believe it Michael and her were one in the same, he wasn't one of them. Looking at the orb one last time she placed it back on the cave floor and hurried back out into the baking sun. In the distance she could see the other cave where the others were trying to figure out what it was that really was true and how it differed from what they had believed.
***
Michael ran from the chamber at full speed. He felt freer than he had ever felt in his whole life. Maria had freed him from a life he never belonged to, if she hadn't showed up he may have spent his whole life trying to be royalty when somewhere deep down he had always known that that was not his life and it was not who he was or was meant to be. He stood just outside the opening in the rock looking out over the desert, that was when he noticed the rock formation off in the distance. He had never noticed it before but now he felt drawn to it. He hurried down off the rocks and hurried in the direction of the newly discovered formation. As he hurried towards it he felt more and more drawn to it. As he ran faster and faster he saw a figure running towards him. It was Maria, she must have discovered something. She stopped in front of his to catch her breath. "What is it?" Michael asked anxious to know what awaited him.
Maria looked at him and smiled brightly "Home," she whispered softly and then throwing her arms around his shoulders she shouted it with all her might "HOME!!!"
"Home?" Michael asked softly.
"It's our chamber. Me, you, the others, I can feel their presence there. Its so strong. You know Michael, you and me. It was always us."
He looked at her and nodded, then he grabbed her head and they began to run towards the newly found chamber. They reached the rocks and Maria looked up at him expectantly. "I can't do it, it won't work," Michael said knowing she expected him to open the chamber.
"Yes, you can. This is where you belong. Accessible only to you and to me and the other two. You can do it."
Michael looked at her and the look in her eyes, the faith she had in him made him turn towards the rock. He waved his hand over the rock and the handprint appeared. He stared at it in disbelief, it had never worked for him before! "I told you," Maria whispered in his ear, "Now open it."
Michael nodded and pressed his palm against the handprint. The rock groaned loudly and the entrance appeared once more. He walked in and was overcome with a rush of emotions and memories, feelings, ideas, things that had never assaulted him this way when he entered the other chamber. He too noticed the orb on the floor. He picked it up and ran his finger over the marking. "Do you know what this means?" he asked looking to Maria for help.
"Why do you ask me all these questions. You act like I know so much more then you when in actuality it took you to tell me what I really am. Besides, you already know what it represents."
"Its our rank, our social standing. Kinda like a family marking. It represents us, where we belong in society."
She smiled at him. "Can you feel it?" she asked with a smile on her face.
"Feel what?"
"Their presence. The other two, your sister, my brother. Adele and Addison, can't you feel them?"
"Addie, yes, I remember. My sister. She married Addison."
"My brother. We were betrothed to each other before we were even born, but that didn't matter because we never loved anyone else."
"Only you," Michael whispered close to her ear.
"Maria," a male voice came from the entrance to the chamber. They whipped around and there stood…