Maria looked at the clock and breathed a sigh of relief. It was seven forty-five, and her shift was over in fifteen minutes. She could leave, go home, and sleep for another few hours like she was supposed to be able to do on a Saturday. Then the realization that Michael's shift started in fifteen minutes hit her. She couldn't take seeing him today, she just couldn't. She had depressed herself far too much about the situation she was in, the trouble that she had gotten herself so far into that she wouldn't be able to get out of. She had been stupid to assume Michael would always wait for her. For heaven's sake, he had loved her, but she broke up with him for her music, and three months later she hadn't even made a step down the path of pursuing it. It was ridiculous to think he was willing to wait until she thought she could be with him again. What had she been thinking?

The truth was, she was scared. She couldn't go back to Michael because then she would feel like she sold herself out, like she didn't even try. But she didn't try because she was afraid of where it would take her. She didn't know what she was looking for, but was terrified that when she found it, she'd be too far away from Michael to ever turn back. So she stayed where she was, and now she was miserable. It was already too late to turn back, so she might as well do what Michael had obviously done and move on. She made a promise to herself right then and there that she was going to stop obsessing over the Michael situation and get her singing career moving.

She looked up at the clock again and swore. She now had ten minutes until Michael came in, and she knew for sure she couldn't even look at him without breaking down and crying because he didn't need her anymore. She grabbed the empty plates from the booth she was standing by and continued busing tables.

She dumped all the plates on one table and went to get what was on the counter. Gathering the four plates, she turned around to add them to the pile. She bumped into somebody, and all the plates fell to the floor.

Maria gasped. 'I'm so sorry! I've just been a little off all morning, I haven't been able to concentrate and I've had a really busy week…' Maria looked up and stopped mid-sentence. Of all the people in the world, she had chosen to bump into Michael. This day was going great.

Maria bent down to pick up the plates, which surprisingly enough weren't broken. The food that had been left on them, however, was strewn all over the floor. She kept her head down, not wanting Michael to see the emotions she knew were written all over her face. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her, to see that she wanted him back and to pity her. He might not love her, but at least he could respect her.

'Maria, get up. Your shift is over, let me get it,' said Michael. She looked like she could use the rest, even if he couldn't see her face. Maria didn't answer him, so he sighed and kneeled down beside her. 'Ria, let me take care of it.'

Maria doggedly continued to clean up the mess, and Michael silently helped. They both reached for the last plate, and their hands brushed. Suddenly, Maria could see Michael again. She was connected to him just from the brief, gentle contact, and what she saw made her gasp. This time, there were no glimpses of his childhood, the hell he had had to endure because of Hank. She didn't see the skies of Antar, or the faces of Max and Isabel. All she saw was her.

The crash festival, where she had put her life in the hands of Michael and Isabel, two complete strangers from another world.

The cheap motel they had stayed at on the way to Texas, where she had realized that Michael wasn't really the person he wanted everyone to think he was.

Michael telling her about the flashes she had given him, and forgiving her for lying to him.

Michael leaving Maria in the UFO Center after telling her he loved her, and his guilt at the pained expression on her face.

The images continued, faster and faster, and Maria realized that the feelings he had for her were the same. He missed her as much as she missed him. The hidden desire she had to throw herself into his arms was his secret hope. He still watched her when she wasn't looking, making sure she was okay even if she seemed to want nothing to do with him. She couldn't believe it.

Michael Guerin loved her as much as ever, even more if it was possible.