They were the last words Maria wanted to hear.

"I'm going home." Michael's voice seemed lost in the silent space between them.

"What?" Maria couldn't believe her ears. She didn't want to believe the inevitable. Michael nodded his head up and down.

Then Maria killed the empty space between. She flung herself inside his arms. Michael was caught off guard at first by Maria's force making him go back a few steps. As soon as Michael regained his balance he held her tightly to him. He didn't want to admit it, but he didn't want to let go of Maria either.

"Don't say the words now. Not yet," Maria whispered close to his ear.

"I won't." Suddenly, Michael's voice didn't seem so far away anymore.

Maria didn't want to leave Michael the memory of a tearful good-bye. So she refused the to cry the last moment they had on earth. Maria could hear faintly the voices of Liz and Max. She knew Liz was just as devastated about saying good-bye to Max. She also knew Alex and Isabel were somewhere near-bye going through the same heartbroken ritual.

Michael, Max, and Isabel after all these years were finally going home.

"I hate this," Maria admitted to Michael.

"Yeah, we did say one day at a time," Michael pointed out.

"That was a good night we had." Maria smiled in spite of herself.

"Or early morning," Michael smiled back in reply.

"Either way I'll never forget it," Maria confessed.

"I'll never forget you."

"I'll never forget you." Both of them said at the same time.

They both laughed.

"Cyprus scented weirdo," Michael teased.

"Electrocuted Czechoslovakian," Maria cut back. "Damn," Michael cursed.

Michael pulled the silver ring he always wore on his finger. It was the only thing he kept through the years. He didn't need it anymore where he was going. Besides, Michael had been wanting to give it to Maria all the years they had been together.

"I want you to have this," Michael said to Maria. He slipped it onto her thumb since it was too big on her tiny ring finger.

Maria couldn't say anything at first. Michael smirked at her un-Maria like reaction. Maria looked down suddenly shy. When she looked up, Maria's heart skip a beat. She almost didn't believe her eyes at the sight before her. A single tear slowly rolled down Michael's cheek. A solitary and melancholy gesture that was truly him.

It was a part of Michael that he never wanted to let anyone into.

Maria raised her fingers to touch the tear cascading down Michael's cheek.

It meant more at that moment than what any I love you could have said.

"You know, so that you'll have something to give back to me when I return," Michael's voice caught at the word return.

Maria bit her lip to unsuccessfully stop the flow of tears cruising down her face. She laughed along with Michael as he leaned down to kiss her.

They kissed as if it was the first time.

"What do you want me to do?" Michael yelled.

"I don't know."

"Shut up, then!"

"I--I hate you!" Maria screamed frustrated.

"Ditto!"

"You know, all I ask of you is just to try to make me feel better, you know, be a guy or whatever. Forget it. I have obviously tried to bark up the wrong tree," Maria grumbled frustrated.

Maria turned around only to have Michael pull her toward him for a searching kiss.

"That was to calm you down," Michael explained.

"Thanks." Maria muttered still surprised by what just happened.

Then Michael and Maria walk off in opposite directions.

They kissed as couple in love.

"That I love you Michael Guerin," Maria slowly opened her eyes to see Michael smiling with that rare look of contentment in his eyes. . .

"Can I tell you a secret?" He ask her quietly.

"That you're an alien? I already know that ET," Maria cut back with her humor.

"Michael laughed his teeth snowing briefly.

"I figured you did," he answered. "Can I tell you my secret?" Michael pleaded letting his face within inches of Maria. She found the proximity dizzying.

"Yeah, what is it?"

Michael pressed his forehead against Maria's and looked directly into her light eyes. He gathered her cheek in his palm and started rubbing his thumb tenderly against her skin.

"That I love you, Maria. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone."

Michael and Maria kissed as if it were the last time.

"I can't believe you just said that," Maria let out. She looked up at Michael gazing down at her his eyelashes wet.

"It's funny. How you work so hard to get away from a place, that when you finally leave . . . you find a reason to stay."

The sunlight surrounded Michael at that moment. It made his skin glow in the same way it did that first morning after together. Maria traced the outline of Michael's jaw lightly.

"He's so beautiful he doesn't even know it," Maria thought.

"I wanna take your picture," Maria said outloud.

Michael frowned mystified at what she said.

"So I won't forget the memory of your face at this moment," Maria explained.

"Okay," Michael said.

They looked at each other without tears for those last moments they had.

Then Maria kissed Michael or did he just pull her to him . . . it was hard to tell. They just naturally came together.

"Good-bye . . . I'll see you inside dreams . . ."

The three of them by some unspoken agreement stayed silent on the journey home. Michael looked out the window of the ship at the millions of holes in the sky.

Stars . . .

"For someone who was never meant for this world. I must confess. I'm having a hard time leaving it," Michael realized within his mind.

He touched the window at the fading image of Earth.

"Good-bye Maria."

Maria's room reeked of Cyprus oil. It had no affect on her mood. Still she liked the smell none-the-less. An almost empty box of tissues lay next to a growing pile of used ones. Maria was looking at the stars in the sky. Her eyes fell upon the constellation Michael had formed from the stones that night in the cave so long ago.

"It's funny how you never realize a person has left until you miss the little things they do," Maria thought. Maria turned her face to stare at the window left slightly open by habit. Right now would have been the time Michael would come through her apartment window. He still refused to come through the front door. Despite the fact she and Liz shared an apartment.

Maria smiled at his memory and let out a long sigh. She looked up at the stars and then after a long time of cursing them . . . she thanked them at least for the promise of Michael's return.

That night as Maria slept she had a dream. It was some unknown time in the future. She was walking down a white aisle that contrasted deeply with the warm colors of the desert surrounding them.

Maria was so happy when Michael had finally came back to her.

"Hey," She heard his voice a breath away from her ear.

Maria almost jumped out of her skin. She never expected herself to be at the Crashdown reliving memories of their old hangout while ordering a Duchoveny Danish to go. "MICHAEL!!!" The pixie blonde screamed. She threw her arms around Michael in a tight embrace.

"Didn't know you missed me that much," Michael joked.

"I didn't know you'd really come back," Maria's voice was almost sad.

"I'm here now aren't I?" Michael gazed at her before he captured her lips with his own.

Everyone turned around from their seats to watch Alex walk Maria down the aisle towards Michael

"He looks better here than in the last dream I had of him in a tux." Maria thought with a smile.

Maria held a bouquet of tropical flowers and wore daisies in her spiky hair. She felt so happy being back together with everyone again. Liz was her Maid of Honor. As always she was with Max. The both of them looking at each other with the soulmate gaze.

Alex gave Maria away to Michael.

"Be good to her man," Alex advised. They shook hands in the same manner they did when everyone saved Michael in the cave.

"You know I'll will," Michael replied.

"Come on, honey, you don't have to lie," Maria teased Michael. Michael looked at her in amazement for a second. "I've been waiting forever to get you back on that line," Maria smirked Alex took the spot next to Isabel, still unable to tear his eyes off her. Isabel rolled her eyes at his attention, but then Alex pointed out something to her. Isabel laughed a genuine sound. Alex had made a comment about the big lady in a pastel floral dress. She made a loud squealing noise while crying into her hankerchief.

"Do you, Maria Deluca promise to take this man to be your husband?"

"I do." Maria looked up into Michael's smiling eyes.

"Do you, Michael Guerin take this woman to be your wife?"

"I do." Michael looked at Maria's glowing face.

"If anyone here does not wish these two to be wed let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

The entire place was silent enough to hear the wind breath.

"Then by the powers invested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Michael had already followed the man's orders before he finished his sentence. The sound of applause erupted echoing throughout the desert landscape. However, Michael nor Maria heard any of this as they kissed.

"It'll be just like this when I get back," Michael whispered pressing his forehead against Maria's.

"You know it's gonna take more than this for me to return your silver ring," Maria smiled at him.

"You can keep it. I have you." Michael said.

"I love you."

"I love you, too." Michael repeated quietly before Maria kissed him again . . . "

My imagination breathes on feedback so tell me what you think: Kat