Tess opened the heavy wooden door to find Max standing with his hands in his pants pocket. His face shown signs that tears once trailed down his cheeks. She was surprised to see him there on her doorstep. After Liz left town Max told Tess he never wanted to see her again. It broke her heart but she did as he asked. "Max, what's wrong? Why are you here?"

"I need your help."

"My help." She was shocked. "Why?"

Max pushed his way into the house. He glanced around making sure that he and Tess were alone. Then he quickly turned to Tess. "It's Maria. She's sick." His voice almost cracked. "And I don't know how to help her. I tried my powers but they didn't stop her fever." He walked over to Tess reaching over her and closing the door. He pushed her against the door getting into her space. "You're the only person that can help me. Please, Tess, put away all our differences and help me save Maria and my child."

Tess shook her head in disbelieve. "Did you just say that you and Maria are having a baby?"

Max walked away from her turning his back. "I don't have time for your sarcasm."

Tess walked over to the shelve filled with books. She reached into the very back and pulled out a metal book, just like the one she gave to Max to show him who she really was, only this one was thicker and had more of a metallic shine to it. She handed it to him. "All you need to know is in here."

Max fumbled through the pages of foreign language. A language from his home that he couldn't make heads or tales of. "I can't read this, Tess. You know that."

"Have a seat, Max." Tess said as she sat down on the sofa. "There's something you need to know."

"I don't have time for this. Maria could die! My child could die!"

"That's why you should sit down."

Max walked over to the chair across from her. "Okay…"

Tess knew that one day she would have this talk with Max. She just never thought it would be this soon. "Okay,…" She took a deep breath. "Before you were born. Before you were conceived… your father came to earth. He knew that some day he would have a son, an heir to his throne. He knew that he would be disliked and even hated by his own people. That he would be over thrown and even killed if he didn't obey the new laws of the land. He came here in search of a place to send his son and his daughter. But he found more than he ever bargain for."

Max leaned forward as if to clasps onto each and every word Tess spoke.

Tess pushed back the twig of hair that fell slowly to her face. "He met a girl. Her name was Marelda and she was as beautiful as the brightest sun. She had long blondish brown hair, and the most breathtaking eyes. Her lips were full and rose red and he fell in love with her as did she with him. It killed him to leave her behind, but he had a planet to run and a woman back home that he was to marry. On his last night here she gave him a locket and he gave her a bracelet. He promised her that some way, some how he would find a way for their love to live on." Tess stood up and walked over to Max sitting down on the arm of the chair and taking the book from him she begin to flip the pages. "He wrote of her everyday. Of how her skin was soft as silk and her hair smelled of honeysuckles." Tess stopped and stared at the last page a moment before handing it to Max. "You look just like your dad and Maria looks just like her grandmother."

Max traced the four pictures on the page. It was just like the one that paired Max and Tess and Michael and Isabel. "I don't understand."

"Your father couldn't let the people on our planet know that he fell in love with a mere human. He made the first book and assigned us together and Michael and Isabel because on our planet you and I were really married and Michael and Isabel really loved each other. In this book he tells of how you would meet a brown hair girl with dark and stunning eyes. That at first your heart would be blinded by her, but you would soon realize that your love for your best friend was written in the stars."

Max looked up at Tess. He couldn't believe that after everything he and Maria were the ones destined to be together.

--

Amy Deluca laid in Maria's bed with her arm beneath her daughters head. Her face was stained with tears. Maria's father had left them when Maria was a little girl. She just knew that she'd loose her mind, then Maria came bouncing through the door carrying a little stuff animal in one hand and a hand maid card in the other. She climbed up in her mothers lap and said, 'Mommy, don't cry I'm here. I'll always be here.' And now Amy was about to losing her daughter and there was nothing she could do.

"Mrs. Deluca,…" Michael called from the front door as he entered.

Amy wiped her tears with her napkin and stood up walking over to the doorway. "I'm in here, Michael." She said trying to be strong.

Michael paused at the door when he saw Maria laying on the bed. "What's wrong?" Concern filled his heart.

Amy glanced over at Maria and back to Michael. "I want answers, Michael. And I want them now."

Michael was confused. "Mrs. Deluca,…"

"Have a seat now." She pointed to a pink fluffy retro chair.

Michael couldn't take his eyes off the pale Maria as he took the seat across from the bed.

Amy sat down at the foot of the bed facing Michael. "I want to know what's wrong with my daughter and why Max instist that I keep her here instead of taking her to the doctor. I want to know how my daughter went from pinning over you all summer to being pregnant by Max."

Michael's eyes grew huge in disbelieve. "Maria's pregnant?"

Amy wiped away another tear that fell from her eyes. "Yeah. Look, I know that you and Max are friends. I know that I'm asking you to betray his trust and tell me all you know. Michael, Maria is all I have."

Michael reached out and took Amy's hand. "Mrs. Deluca,…" He hesitated. "…if Max said to keep her here, then it's probably for a good reason."

Amy stood up and walked over to the dresser picking up the stuff animal that Maria brought to her that day her dad left. "What's wrong with her Michael? Why can't she see a doctor?"

Michael dropped his head. "I wish I knew, but I honestly don't know."

--

Amy had went into her room to get some rest as Micheal promised to sit with Maria. He pulled the chair closer to her bed were he could hold her hand. He remembered back to the day he stolen Maria's car with her in it. How he felt a connection to her, but he wouldn't never admit it to her. He stroked her hand as a tear found it's way to his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Maria. I'm sorry that I let you get caught up in this crazy life. I'm sorry that I fell in love with you. But most of all I'm sorry that I pretended to be with Liz to push you away." His lips quivered. "It's just I love you so much and I was afraid that you just being with me would make you unsafe and I would die before I ever let anything happen to you." He stood up and took a seat on the bed, leaning down and kissing her forehead. "Maria, you have to be okay. You have to wake up and look at me and tell me that you forgive me. That you love me too. I don't care that the baby is not mine. I'll love it like it was. Maria, I need you to wake up for me." He waited for a respond but when there wasn't he fell down upon her chest crying.

"Michael,…" Max said as he entered the room.

Michael stood up wiping his tears with the back of his hands. "Where have you been? Your some father, Max. Your suppose to love her, but you've been out galley abating all afternoon while she lies here lifeless."

Max walked over to Maria lifting her up into his arms. "You don't know what your talking about." He started towards the door with her.

Michael stepped in front of him. "Where do you think your taking her." He reached out to take Maria from him.

Max stepped back. "Michael, Maria will die if I don't save her. Step out of the way and let me take her were I can do that."

Michael looked once more at Maria. "Not without me."

"Michael, I need you to trust me. I can't do this unless I'm alone." His blood boiling. All he could think about was getting Maria to the chambers as Tess had said. "Michael, now."

Michael moved out of the way just as Amy walked around the corner. "Where do you think your taking my daughter? Haven't you done enough to her."

"Mrs. Deluca, I can help her, I need you to trust me."

"I did trust you. I trusted you as her best friend. You betrayed that trust the day you got my daughter pregnant."

"I'm sorry. I really am. And I would love nothing more to explain everything to you, but every minute that I stand her explaining the why's and the how's is another minute closer to her not making it. I couldn't live with myself if that happened. I need to take her now to where I can help her."

Amy paused a moment then she reached over and kissed her daughter on the forehead. She closed her eyes down tight trying to hold back the tears. She looked over at Max. "You better make damn sure that when you come back, she's walking by your side or I'll cut you open like a frog in middle school biology."

Max nodded as he walked out the door.

Michael walked over and placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Tell me I can trust him, Michael."

"You can trust him." Michael replied hoping that Max was right. Wishing that it was him saving her life instead.

--

Max carried Maria up to the pod chambers. He placed his hand on the rock to open the door. He felt a sharp pain hit the back of his head. He could feel his legs weaken as he tried to lay Maria down so he wouldn't drop her. He reached behind his head to feel the blood running down his neck. His eyes begin to see blurry visions until he just blacked out.

Max slowly came to. He found himself tied to a metal chair inside the chambers. His head still ached something awful. He blinked a few times until a vision before him came clear. It was a face that looked familiar. A face from back home on their planet. It was Kivar. The man that took over his planet and wanted his death.

"Looking for someone?" Kivar asked.

Max jerked at the buckles that had him confided to the metal chair. "Where is she?"

"She's fine." He grinned a deceitful grin. "Or at least for now."

"What do you want?" Max asked. "Whatever it is just say it. I'll do what-ever just don't hurt her."

Kivar walked over to Max pulling up a chair and taking a seat. "You know that's one thing that made your father a failure as king and you too. I don't get what you guys see in these humans. I mean they are nothing like the woman we have back home."

"Why are you doing this?" Max cried as he worried about Maria.

"Because I can." Kivar stood up. "Because I can't let you have a son to become next in line for the thrown. Because I can't let you ever come back home."

"You want the throne. Is that what all this is about?" Max said. "It's yours. I don't care."

Kivar laughed. "It's not that easy, Max. You see as long as your alive and your child is alive then I can never be king." He turned and exited the pod chambers.

"Kivar,…" Max screamed still trying to get a loose. "Kivar,…"