e412

ROSWELL: THE FINAL CHAPTER

Episode 412

“Amalgamation”

Story by Jeslyn and Liz

Written by Annie, Jeslyn, Liz and Shira

Edited by Mark, Sherry, and Tiff

Playlist:

1. “Deliver Me” by Sarah Brightman

2. “Somewhere Out There” by Our Lady Peace

3. “That’s the Girl I’ve Been Telling You About” by Blessed Union of Souls

4. “Electrical Storm” by U2

Max watched as Calypso spoke to each one of them in turn. Just hearing the words come out of Calypso’s mouth… even her very presence in the room, threw him off balance. One thing was certain: she was the one responsible for this sudden change in Michael, and that made her dangerous. Who knew whether or not she might be able to exert this same force over the rest of them as well? Especially now, fully in her presence, Max felt something tip inside him, throwing him for a loop. Who knew that the same thing wouldn’t happen to anyone else in the room? Michael had brought her right into the midst of them, into their home, this obviously blatant threat. She had to go.

“Get out,” he commanded her, pointing towards the door of the apartment. “Now!” he demanded, his voice rising.

Countermanding the order, Michael deliberately linked hands with Calypso, keeping her in place. “She stays,” he challenged. “It’s the only way.”

“The only way for what?” Max questioned, feeling the anger ball up in his stomach. Slowly, he stalked forward, his eyes never moving from Calypso’s. “What have you done to him?” he demanded. “What have you done to Michael?”

“Nothing,” she replied, not backing down. If anything, everyone in the room could see her tensing more, as if she were charging ahead in a battle she was determined to win. “He is simply becoming what he was always meant to be. Fulfilling his destiny.”

Max could feel the air around him shift as someone moved up beside him. It was Maria.

“Destiny doesn’t apply here,” she bit out, searching Michael’s face while she emphasized every word, but he was still looking at Max.

“Michael?”

Michael’s features softened when he heard the question in her tone. He turned his head to look at her, meeting her eyes directly.

Calypso sensed the change in him. “Rath,” she whispered, slightly tugging on his hand.

His eyes immediately hardened again.

Witnessing the visible shift between Michael and Rath, Max reached forward, grabbing Calypso by the arm. “What are you doing to him?” he repeated, this time determined to get an answer.

“What makes you think I have done anything to him?” Calypso snapped back. “This is who he is. This is Rath!”

“No,” Max said; shaking his head. “This is not how he’s supposed to be. And I refuse to believe that he would side with… with an enemy.”

A laugh burst from Calypso’s lips, the sound full of mocking amusement. It echoed throughout the room, hanging in the air, turning the tension from palpable to suffocating. Releasing Michael’s hand, she took a step forward. “You have no idea, Zan,” she said with gentle scorn. “No idea who you are, who he is, who anyone in this room is, and especially who I am.” She continued chuckling, and Michael even donned a half-grin.

“I understand a hell of a lot more than you think,” Max growled. “First you did something to Maria and now you’re trying to change Michael too. It stops, right now.”

“I am not the enemy,” Calypso informed him pointedly, her patience at its limit. “But you’re right. All of this stops now.”

And with that, she reached out and firmly grasped the hand Max had laid on her arm. Max vaguely heard Liz gasp and cry out to him before the entire world faded away.

1.

*Flash*

“Is there no one willing to fight him? Anyone?”

The crowd shuffled nervously, looking from one to the other, no one wanting to fight, yet no one willing to allow defeat either. Zan looked around with satisfaction from under his guise. He had proven that he could fight the Li’nítslan circle. Even if no one else knew it but him, it was enough.

“I will fight him!”

A small girl stepped forward. Her clothes were dirty and worn; they hung loosely on her frame. Her dark hair was matted and her dark violet eyes pierced him. A low-quality sword hung by her side.

The announcer stepped back, glancing with amusement from Zan to the girl. Zan smirked and nodded to him. “Well then… let the fight begin!” he declared for all to hear.

“Are you sure you want to lose to me?” Zan asked mockingly, raising his golden sword.

“I will not lose,” the girl replied calmly and confidently, raising her sword to match his.

Zan smirked. “Such confidence for a young girl.”

The girl quickly thrust forward and Zan parried her narrowly, caught off guard by her strong and sudden attack. Usually women didn’t have nearly this much gusto in their attacks except until the end, when they realized they were going to lose. Amíle had such a tactic when he first met her, ‘play weak at first’ he thought, continuing to block and evade the girl’s fierce but predictable assault.

Suddenly, the young lady was a whirl in front of him and before he knew it, he was disarmed and flat on his back, blinking in shock at his view of the sky.

Calypso leaned over him, smirking. “I told you I wouldn’t lose… Zan.”

*Flash*

Calypso growled from her perch on her stool next to Zan and Rath. They were watching her father, Alza’rion, pace the room nervously, checking and re-checking the order of things.

“He won’t tell me what’s going on.” Calypso gestured to the scene in front of them and leaned back, an annoyed look crossing her features. “He just said that it was something ‘major’ and that I ‘wouldn’t understand.’”

Zan smiled as Rath tried to comfort Calypso by rubbing his hand across her back, giving her tiny bursts of reassurance.

Suddenly the classroom door swung wide open and a small girl with hair almost as black as Calypso’s strode in. She was petite, and from her clothes she was obviously from peasant descent. But her posture, her walk spoke of someone of higher order. She went up to Alza’rion and he turned, eager and excited to see her. He gave her a hug and began quietly talking to her and Zan felt a flare of jealousy rise up from within. The position they had looked too intimate.

Without thinking, he stood up and walked to the front of the classroom. He heard Rath and Calypso muttering behind him, calling his name, but he didn’t pay any attention.

He nearly tripped over his own feet when the girl turned and looked directly at him, her piercing deep blue eyes drawing him in. He slowed down, mesmerized, taking her all in. She was like the finest glass and hardest rock all at once. He had to know her.

A small smile spread across her face, her eyes catching on his and holding. “Hello.”

Zan blew out a breath he didn’t know he had been keeping in. “Hello.”

Alza’rion grinned from his position behind the woman, speaking loudly. “Everyone, I’d like you to meet my new assistant, Amíle Lazaranté. She’ll be assisting me from now on.”

From behind him, he could feel Calypso’s annoyance and shock radiating from her in powerful bursts, but all he could do was stare at the beauty in front of him.

Something was drawing him to this girl and he didn’t know why.

*Flash*

“You can’t keep doing this to yourself, Zan,” Calypso uttered, obviously fed up. “You haven’t heard from her in two years! You’re married to another woman, the queen, and yet you tell me you still think about Amíle.” She turned to his desk, hastily shuffling papers together. “And you write her. Constantly.” She shoved the papers under his nose and he glared at their starkness, pushing them away. “Don’t you think that Rath and I watch you tear yourself apart? You’re going to kill yourself with grief if you don’t snap out of it soon.”

“I’m fine,” Zan mumbled, bringing up a bottle of m’alwe to his mouth again.

Calypso snatched it away. “You shouldn’t be drinking.”

Zan stood up on his feet unsteadily, glaring down at her. Calypso met his eyes, naught for naught.

“I’ll do whatever I want, Calypso. I’m the king around here; I issue the orders, not you!”

“I issue the orders when it’s your life!” Calypso shot back, her eyes blazing at him.

“You’re not my second!” Zan roared, wrestling with her for his drink again. He finally was able to wretch it away from her, turning to take another drink.

“I may not be your second but I am your friend,” Calypso spoke quietly from behind him. He could still hear her voice tinged with anger, as it grew louder with her next words. “Amíle made her choice, Zan. You have to let her go. For all of us. For Antar. If you let your love for her get in the way of your decisions, what is to become of our races?”

“You hate Amíle,” Zan ignored her question. “Why are you doing this?”

“I may not get along with Amíle, but that does not mean my loyalties do not lie with the king,” Calypso replied simply. She sighed and Zan knew she was running a hand through her hair. “What are you going to do, Zan?”

*Flash*

“Ce’nre.”

Zan turned, looking into the wide eyes of Rath. He was almost never called by his true name… unless it was important.

“We’re under attack.”

The papers in his hand fell to the table. “Who?” Zan asked, already knowing.

Rath let out a big breath of air, his hand resting atop his sword. “Khivar.”

*Flash*

“So this is how it’s all going to end, Ce’nre?” A voice mockingly pierced his consciousness. “The great king of Antar, struck down by his very own sister who betrayed him for some mindless tumbles in my bed?”

Zan glanced around him, turning, his glistening sword raised protectively in front of him.

“Oh come on,” the voice continued, growing amused. “You have the ability of instant transmission. Surely you can do a better job than this at finding me. I mean… you are king, are you not?”

Suddenly Khivar materialized in front of him and Zan took the moment to strike before he was fully prepared. A swipe to his neck fell short by mere degrees however, and before Zan could bring his sword around again, Khivar brought up his own sword, blocking him.

Khivar’s eyes pierced his own - dark, menacing and full of malice.

“I’ve waited for this day for a long time, King Zan,” Khivar spat.

“Ironic,” Zan replied. “That we should fancy the same thing.”

*Flash*

As Max's eyes snapped open they instantly collided with Calypso's knowing gaze, and his grip fell slowly from her arm. Swallowing, he could only stare back as she spoke three simple words:

“Now you know.”

Calypso turned away from him and sauntered back to Michael, whose curious and worried gaze was fixated on Max.

“You alright, Maxwell?”

Max didn't answer as he stepped back to Liz, his eyes moving over her as if he was seeing her for the first time.

“Amíle.” Liz vocalized his thoughts, and his eyes widened considerably.

“How did you –” Max started, the words getting caught in his throat.

“I saw it too, from Maria, like Isabel did,” Liz explained. “I saw us, Max...only it wasn't exactly –”

“Us,” Max finished, and then shifted his gaze slowly to where Michael and Calypso stood. “What is it that you want?” he asked Calypso, but it was Michael who answered the question.

“She just wants to help,” he said. “She can heal Maria.”

“Is that true?” Liz asked. Her brow furrowed, adding to her question.

Calypso nodded. “I know a way.”

“No.” Liz shook her head. “That's not what I meant.” She took a step closer, taking Maria's hand in her own. “I meant... Did you really just want to help? Because it sure as hell didn't look like that was your motive…”

“It wasn't,” Calypso interrupted, glancing around the room at the untrusting faces surrounding her before continuing. “I came here to take Ra– Michael... back with me. I... really didn't care about what or who I'd be taking him from,” she said, her chin lifting defiantly. “And I still don't, to tell you the truth.”

Maria blinked. “I can't feel anything and even I know that's heartless.”

Kyle chuckled lightly, pursing his lips and shaking his head.

Calypso concurred with a nod. “My heart was ripped from me so many times that… that doesn't surprise me. My mother died when I was eight years of age, my best friend...” her gaze shifted towards Isabel, “Betrayed me, and because of that the father of my child was killed.”

Before anyone could even begin to comment on what they had just heard, Calypso stepped up to Liz so that merely a breath of an inch separated them.

For a moment, Calypso stared down at her, her violet eyes a mix of anguish and anger, before she began to speak again. “Have you ever been tortured, Amíle, Liz... or whoever you are? Have you?”

Liz shook her head slowly and warily.

“No, I didn't think so...but I bet you must have, in your short nineteen years of existence, witnessed some kind of torture.”

Thoughts of Max when he’d been locked in the White Room immediately filled Liz’s head. The glimpses she'd seen of what he had endured made her feel physically ill. She answered with a nod.

Calypso nodded in turn. “Must have been horrible,” she stated. “But now multiply that by a thousand and you'll have what I had to go through when my daughter was taken and killed because I refused to tell what I knew about the creation and whereabouts of the royal four and their human allies. I wouldn't betray my friends, even if they were people I didn't even know anymore. Loyalty is the code by which I've lived my entire life. So when you ask me what I want...” She shrugged. “I guess I just want a little credit.”

Liz shook the image of Max in the White Room out of her head and glanced between Calypso and Michael. “But you said you wanted Michael,” she pointed out.

Calypso sighed. “I did... and I still do, but he loves her,” she replied, glancing at Maria.

Everyone looked at Michael as he stepped up beside Calypso. “And you guys know that, but what you don't know... what I only realized in these last two weeks... is that part of me still loves Calypso too.”

“Michael–” Max started to argue.

“It's not his fault, stop blaming him!” Calypso snapped. “It's Rath's! He's the one that tried to play Mr. Fix-It-All with destiny. If he hadn't called the order for Maria to be created, there would only be one of me, and things would be a hell of a lot easier. Somehow destiny would have allowed us to be together, because we are destined to be–”

“Wait a minute...” Kyle intervened from the sideline. “You said that destiny is what we make of it, not even five minutes ago.”

“It is! Destiny is like a game of chess,” she explained. “It gives you the board, the pieces necessary to play, and a common goal...but from there YOU are in control. If you screw something up it doesn't change the original purpose of the game... it simply alters the course by which you get there.”

Calypso turned to Max and Liz. “I mean, did you really think it was luck or some kind of weird coincidence that you two met and fell in love as if it was as natural as breathing? Do you realize how unlikely that is?”

Max and Liz exchanged meaningful glances.

“You have two lifetimes of love for one another and you've felt that.” Calypso looked to Maria. “She hasn't been able to feel that even once the whole time she's been with Michael; not the way he's felt it. And that's because I still have that part of her in me. In this life, your life. I'm not meant to be with him, but neither is she. She isn't complete without me. She isn't who he is meant to be with... without me.”

Isabel stood from the couch. “So how does that work?”

Calypso smirked. “I said that I knew a way to help her... it involves us becoming a... well, essentially, a new and complete person.”

“And what makes you think we would go for that?” Max asked, feeling wary of the deal.

Calypso shrugged with a sigh. “Well, the alternative would be her,” she pointed to Maria, “being forever a vegetable. Him,” she smiled back at Michael, “being forever alone, and me... well I'll probably just end up a heartless, bitter old hag.” She raised her hands, tipping the scales back and forth.

Michael shook his head. “You don't need to 'go for it' anyway, Max. It's not your decision.”

“Michael, this isn't the time –”

“He's right,” Liz interrupted. “It isn't your decision Max... it's Maria's.”

Michael nodded in agreement. “Maria...” he called to her and she looked up. “Come here,” he said softly.

As she stepped closer, Michael turned to Calypso. “I want you to stay close while I talk to her, so she'll understand.”

Calypso nodded and stood beside Maria.

Michael looked at both of them standing there and for a moment couldn't fathom how two people so alike could be so different. Pulling in a breath, he took Maria's hands in his own, while everyone else in the room held their silence.

“Maria?” he said again, tightening his hands around hers to get her attention.

Instead of answering, Maria jerked her head up and looked at him through blazing eyes.

“You kissed her?”

Everyone jumped as normally inanimate objects came to life in the apartment. Pictures and paintings flew off the wall, causing Kyle and Isabel to duck out of the way. Liz fell to the floor as a book flew past her head and out the window. Max turned to break her fall and watched as a glass of water slowly rose up and then fell back from where it came, spraying glass and water everywhere.

“What the hell?” Kyle whispered as he helped Isabel up, glancing to see if everyone was all right.

Calypso glanced around slowly. “That's dramatic...”

“How could you?!” Maria growled, ignoring all the commotion around her.

“Under regular circumstances? I would have used sharp objects,” Calypso suggested, deftly dodging a book flying past her head.

Michael's eyes narrowed on Calypso. “Don't give her any ideas, alright?”

Calypso smirked and shrugged.

“Maria,” Michael said calmly, turning back to her. “I know that you're hurt, but that's just it...You're feeling hurt...you're feeling something.”

And with her realization, everything was suddenly quiet.

Maria blinked a few times as her eyes began to tear up. “I...”

Michael watched as emotion after emotion played across her slender face, and for a moment he wondered if it was possible to fall in love with the same person twice...or actually, in this case... three times.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he continued, “And you know that this isn't a normal situation...”

“Nothing with you people is ever normal,” Maria stated, swiping away her tears as she glanced at Calypso, then back to Michael, “But this is... insane.”

“I know...but she can help you. She's part of you –”

“What do you mean –” Maria began, her mind fogging up.

“I can't sit here and explain it, it's too complicated, but she can help you and then you'll understand. And after, you'll be normal again –”

“Well, not completely,” Calypso interrupted. “She'll be... different.”

“Different how, exactly?” Liz asked, getting up from her previous position on the floor.

Calypso sent an annoyed look towards Michael. “I thought it was Maria's decision and the peanut gallery was staying out of it?”

“Hey listen–” Liz started.

“We just want to know what to expect,” Isabel broke in reasonably.

Calypso turned back to the room and as she stepped away, Maria's eyes turned back to grey. So too, faded her energy and spirit.

Michael swallowed and felt his heart fall as the light diminished from her eyes. Stepping forward, he brought her into his arms, resting her head against his chest as Calypso took center stage.

“At first, she'll be off balance...on some days she'll be the girl all of you know, and on other days she'll be more like I am, well, now.” Calypso explained.

“Will it be like you in her body?” Isabel asked.

Calypso shook her head. “No... our essences will mix. But she'll be just like the rest of you, human and well, not so human.”

“So will she have your powers?” Isabel asked.

“And alien anatomy?” Kyle said under his breath.

Calypso nodded. “Yes and my memories, plus her own, as well as my strengths and weaknesses. She'll have two lifetimes worth of strength, wisdom, and emotion. But none of it will come easy to her. It will take her time to balance it all out. It’s one thing to be born or grown with two essences, but it’s quite another to have one crammed in later on in life.”

Michael turned Maria to look up at him, and tilted her chin up between his fingers. “Do you want this? It's the only way you–”

“Yes,” Maria said firmly. “Liz said you didn't want to be around me anymore because I'm this way and I think - I mean, I know I want to be with you...”

Michael's furious gaze snapped up to Liz. “Why would you tell her that?” he demanded.

“Hmm, let me think. Maybe it was because Maria was sitting here oblivious to the world while you were off kissing someone else...” Liz paused, anger seeping from her every word. “Or maybe it was because this was your entire fault to begin with! Face it Michael, cheating is still cheating even if you think you’re cheating on a vegetable.” Michael looked as if he were going to say something else but the look in Liz’s eyes discouraged him. He knew she was right and that hurt more than anything.

Calypso shook her head. “Sounds like you’ve been keeping that in for a while. Anything else you’d like to add, Miss High and Mighty?”

Liz shot her an incredulous look. “When I’m done with him, then I’ll start with you. Where do you get off acting like the innocent one, waltzing in here like a dog in heat–”

“I said yes!” Maria interrupted, and then looked up to Michael. “I want to be able to feel again... permanently.”

As Calypso heard Maria's affirmation, she let out a long sigh and turned back to the rest of the group. “You heard her...do you need any more of an answer?” She shot Liz a pointed look and stalked up to both Michael and Maria. “She'll have to come with me... into another room,” she stated, and then added, “Alone.”

“Why alone?” Liz asked, objection rising up in her immediately.

Calypso sighed again, trying to keep her thinning patience in check. “Trust me...you don't want to take the risk that something could go wrong with more than just me and her in the room and have all of us mixed together, alright?”

Kyle grimaced. “That's really...”

“Gross,” Isabel finished.

“Exactly.” Calypso mumbled, and then turned back to Maria, surveying her for a moment. Maria looked both scared and excited at the same time.

Calypso softened a little before saying, “I won't hurt you. I swear it.” She glanced up at Michael and gave him a knowing look, then back to Maria. “Come with me.” She requested, as she held out her hand for Maria to take.

Michael looked on and caught Calypso’s eye one last time.

Swallowing, Maria took her hand and instantly felt a surge of life course through her body, sending tingling sensations all throughout her. As she followed Calypso into the next room, she turned her head back to Michael; her green eyes a mask of worry.

Michael took a step forward, and then stopped. “You'll be fine...I...I promise,” Michael said softly to Maria, hoping that he was right.

As Maria disappeared into the room with Calypso, Michael took a deep breath. It was then that he felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and looked up to see Isabel standing beside him.

“I...” he tried to find the words to describe how terrified he was at that moment– terrified that maybe things might turn out worse, but he couldn't find them.

Isabel shook her head. “She was right, you know.”

“Who?”

“Maria,” Isabel replied. “Things aren't ever normal with us.” She raised her fingers to push back the corner of his collar, revealing the tattoo of the motorcycle there. “Especially you.”

~.~.~.~.~

“Why are you doing this?”

Calypso glanced up at the question, as she closed the door to the small room behind her. “What do you mean?” she asked, playing dumb.

“You know exactly what I mean,” Maria said firmly, crossing her arms over her chest. “Why do you want to help me? You seem to blame me for so much–”

“I don't blame you for anything,” Calypso said softly. “I don't.”

Maria shot her a disbelieving look. “I still don't understand why you want to help me...you said it yourself that you're heartless.”

“You said I was heartless... I simply said that I wasn't surprised that you thought so,” Calypso stated. “But if you want to see heartless, just get locked up by Khivar for a few years and watch as he takes away everything and everyone you love and then we'll see how long you last.”

Maria shook her head. “That's exactly what I mean... you're obviously bitter and...and, vengeful...yet you're going to help me. Why?” she demanded.

When Calypso began to open her mouth, Maria surged forward, more questions spilling forth. “And why – why do you want to be a part of me? I mean – this is just... it’s almost gross.” She shuddered. “We’d be, well...” She leveled a gaze at Calypso and shot her eyes knowingly around the room.

Calypso took a few steps closer. “Because...I can't have him unless I do this. At least, this way, I'll be a part of you... and you're the one he wants. I'll complete you – and in turn, I'll be complete again, because I'll have him, too. See, we’re both the same person. It’s like,” She paused, thinking how to explain herself. “We’re two halves of the same soul. With us separated, we’re not complete. If we do this, if we become one, merge the two halves, both Michael and you will be whole. We’ll be complete. We’ll compliment each other once and for all. And nothing will ever separate us again.”

Maria nodded, and then swallowed. “You really did love him...didn't you? And you still do.”

Calypso nodded.

“You know...” Maria started. “I've always loved him too,” She looked down slightly. “Even if, sometimes, I was looking for something...”

“Better?” Calypso offered, rolling her eyes with a small smile. “That's just human selfishness – it won't affect you nearly as much once we're done here,” she stated with a nod. “He'll be your world...and you'll be his. I guarantee it.”

Stepping closer, Calypso raised her hands and placed her palms solidly against Maria's temples so that her thumbs rested against her cheeks. “Take a few deep breaths and try to relax.” Calypso instructed slowly. “Then... remember something intimate that you and Michael have shared, a moment... a glance... anything. And I'll find a parallel... something that Rath and I shared...a memory that mimics yours. There should be at least one overlapping memory.”

Maria took in a deep breath, and then closed her eyes as her mind began shuffling through memory after memory.

* Flash *

“And sometimes...when I'm with you... I don't feel like a stone wall anymore...”

* Flash *

“I've never let anyone see me before... but I've thought about it, and... I want you to see me.”

* Flash *

“I know that you hate it when things get all... goopy, so–”

“Yeah, so I'll see you soon.”

“Yeah.”

“No... I will.”

Calypso half smiled as she felt the images race through her body and become her own. “That's the one,” she said softly, and gave a small sad smile as she remembered.

* Flash *

“I hate this.” Rath mumbled, as he threw supplies into a large canvas bag. “Nothing is going to come of it either.”

“Why is he even sending you?” Calypso asked from the tangle of sheets he'd left her in. “I'm the security head... shouldn't I be going?”

“That's not funny,” Rath chided. “This is enemy land we're talking about here. Antarians haven't been welcome on the Pheus planet in years. And now Zan wants a peace treaty with them? Not to mention that it's all too convenient that he's sending me...”

Calypso turned over on her side. “You think he's sending you because of me?”

Rath shook his head. “No... I really doubt it has anything particularly to do with you, more than it has to do with how angry Vilandra and I are with him for betrothing us. We got in this huge–” He sighed. “It doesn't matter. I can't get out of it...no matter how much I plead with him,” he said with a defeated tone, and then collapsed onto the side of the bed.

Calypso moved up onto her elbows. “I don't like the odds that you might not come back... like you said, there are enemies on Pheus… and they may not–”

“I know,” Rath said, and then turned his head towards her, raising a hand as he trailed his fingertips over her bare arm. “But don't worry, I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”

“Yeah I think I know that but I don’t think Zan would appreciate your persuasiveness,” Calypso quipped, and then let out a small squeal as Rath came down over her.

For a moment he simply stared down into her eyes, then he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. Leaning up, he smiled wolfishly. “I'll see you soon.”

* Flash*

Bright colors and images flashed before Maria's eyes and for a moment she thought time was speeding up, that she was living her life in hyper speed, watching as it flashed before her eyes like a movie gone wrong. That was, until she realized that what she was seeing wasn't her life, but Calypso's. Or was it? Just as quickly as she had thought it was Calypso's, she changed her mind and decided it was her own. Everything looked so familiar to her - as if she had lived it. She had lived it, hadn't she?

With that last thought, Maria's eyes snapped open, revealing eyes that were now neither violet nor green, but both. Towards the pupil her eyes were a glowing violet, but as the color stretched and branched to all sides, it turned green.

As awareness returned, she realized that she was staring at her reflection in a mirror. She was uncertain how much time had passed, and the face looking back at her reflected her confusion. Her hair was different as well. It was an ethereal black, with a few randomly placed blonde streaks running through it. As she took a few steps closer to the mirror to get a better look, she nearly tripped over something lying on the floor. Looking down, she recognized it as the body she'd taken over when she'd first come to earth, then genetically manipulated to look as though she…

Wait.

That hadn't been her, had it? She hadn't taken any body.

Calypso.

Maria closed her eyes tightly, trying to remember who she was and why she was here...but wires were crossed and she couldn't pinpoint any exact memory, except one.

Michael.

~.~.~.~.~

2.

Leaning down onto the surface of the kitchen bar, Michael stared a hole through it. Waiting... waiting... He couldn't take it anymore. The light coming from under Maria’s door had diminished nearly ten minutes ago.

He started pacing.

Isabel watched him worriedly, then glanced to Max and Liz, who seemed to be in their own state of quiet panic, and on to Kyle and Serena... who both looked as if they had no idea what to be feeling, doing, or saying.

Just then the door opened, and Michael came to an abrupt standstill.

As Maria appeared in the doorway, Isabel took in the changes... it wasn't the same Maria that went into the room, and at the same time, Isabel felt like she knew her... like, everything about her made sense and was as it was always supposed to be.

“Maria?”

Michael watched as tears suddenly spilled from Maria's eyes. It was her...Not Maria, and not Calypso... but her. Michael swallowed. His destiny...

Before Michael knew what was happening, she was running across the hallway and was suddenly in his arms, clutching at him desperately.

The world around him finally made sense.

“Maria?” Liz's voice broke through the haze, as she stepped out of Max's arms and took a few tentative steps towards Michael and Maria. “Is that... you?”

Maria glanced away from Michael, but kept herself firmly against him, not moving away even a breath of an inch. “Yes.” she replied, then without another word she looked back up to Michael. “There's a body in the other room, Michael.”

“A body?” Michael asked loudly, confused.

Max jumped up, rushing into the other room, and quickly checked the body for a pulse.

Maria nodded quickly. “The body. I...she... the body that was taken over so she...I...” Closing her eyes for a moment, she tried to focus. “Calypso had to take over a body and manipulate it like Khivar did. You wouldn't have recognized me… err, her if she had looked like the person I - she took over.”

Michael blinked and stood still for a moment, his skin showing a greenish cast.

“Thinking about those late-night make-out sessions, Guerin?” Kyle taunted as he rose from the couch to see what Max was doing. “Should we go see if it's blue-haired eighty year-old or maybe even a guy? Maybe it’s your history teacher! I always knew you two would make the perfect couple.”

Maria glared over at him. “You wanna keep the barbs down to a minimum, Kyle? Yeah, thanks.”

Kyle leaned towards Serena. “Wow she really is back.”

Liz stood transfixed, nearly in a state of shock, as she looked from Maria to the prone woman just visible through the door to the next room. Judging by the spill of chocolate curls around her head, the body no longer looked anything like Maria.

As she watched, Max appeared at the doorway, dragging the body haphazardly behind him.

“Don’t worry, she’s alive,” he stated between breaths.

Maria ignored him and looked back up to Michael. “I think she's unconscious.”

“Ya think?” Serena quipped, eyeing Max and the body with trepidation.

“Maria,” Max said, motioning for Kyle to come help him. “What exactly did Calypso do?” He looked with concern from the woman dangling in his hands back to Maria.

“What she had to do,” Maria replied, but saw that that was only confusing them more. “Look, that woman will be okay, and – and I'm fine too. I just... there's a lot going through my, our… head right now and I can't even begin to sort it all out. Two lifetimes of memories, you get the drift.”

“Maybe you should rest,” Liz offered, not knowing what else to say. Maria was more animated than she’d seen her in months now, but somehow this still didn’t feel like her best friend. Where was the connection between them she’d been missing for so long? She so wanted to run over to Maria and give her a big hug but something was holding her back.

“Yeah... rest,” Maria nodded, and looked up to Michael. “Will you come with me?”

Michael nodded. “Are you sure you’re okay,” he asked, his voice full of concern.

Taking his hand, Maria led him in the direction of their room. She paused at the entrance to the hallway and turned around to face everyone.

“I don't know exactly what to say to take away your worries...and I know you're worried, I can feel it pouring off of all of you, and how nice it is to feel again… but I'm going to be fine. Just... bear with me.”

Turning back, she walked with Michael to their room, and turned to watch as he closed the door.

Maria stopped, staring blankly ahead.

Michael looked at her. “What is it?”

“I lied.”

Michael gave a puzzled look. “What, when? Just now?”

Maria nodded. “I have no idea if I'm going to be fine. I just... I couldn't take all of their nervous energy.”

Michael walked to her quickly and took her into his arms. “It's fine, don't worry about them. We have each other again, that’s all that matters.”

Maria took a calming breath, and then reached out a hand to pick up a photo of her and Michael from the dresser. It was one from the cheesy roadside diner they’d stopped at earlier this year. For a moment she stared at it blankly before turning it around towards Michael. “I don't really... recognize this person.”

Michael inhaled slowly. “But that's, you.”

Maria nodded. “I know, that's what scares me,” she whispered. She flung the picture towards the dresser, and it slowly floated back to its original position, as her hand fell back to her side.

~.~.~.~.~

Since the girl remained unconscious, her body felt heavy to Kyle and Max, who were dragging her out of the apartment. Isabel, Liz and Serena observed the scene, moving the disarrayed furniture and broken glass out of the way to make Max and Kyle’s job a bit easier. Kyle glanced down at the girl and scowled at Max, who was too busy carrying her upper half to notice. Instead, Max glanced at the door and spoke to his sister.

“Iz,” he huffed, “could you open the door please?”

“It’ll have to wait a moment until we get this glass picked up,” she said.

Kyle let go of the woman and heaved a frustrated sigh, willing himself to forget the bad memories of Tess that were resurfacing. He was helping Max because he felt it was the right thing to do, but he didn’t like the idea that they had to carry the unconscious girl out to the van. This felt an awful lot like covering up a murder. All the memories of helping Tess to move Alex’s body to his car remained fresh in his mind. Mentally, he kept looking at the girl as if she were Alex … as if she were dead instead of unconscious and Max asked for his help to dispose of the body instead of taking her to a homeless shelter. He wanted to walk the other way, but reminded himself that this wasn’t Alex.

He looked at Serena and her eyes narrowed as if she knew his actions were deeply affecting him. For a moment, he tried to assure Serena with his sky blue eyes that he would be okay. Serena gasped as if she knew he was hurting inside.

He almost sighed in relief when Jesse walked through the front door, but immediately tensed when he noticed the angry look in Jesse’s widened eyes. He dropped his gaze to the girl again, feeling overwhelmingly guilty as Jesse shouted at them.

“What in the world are you two doing?!” Jesse demanded angrily.

Isabel shot up, a worried look crossing her face. “Honey, you’re home early…” She said, walking over to him, closing the door behind him hastily with her powers.

“Isabel – what did you guys do now? Is she dead? You’re – you’re dragging a – a dead person around my apartment!” Jesse ranted, throwing his briefcase on the countertop and flinging his coat off. “I don’t remember dead bodies being a part of the I-Know-An-Alien-Club deal!”

“That’s my line,” Kyle muttered nervously.

Jesse ignored him and turned to Isabel. “Isabel –”

“Shhh,” Isabel placed a finger to his lips with a small, reassuring smile, and glanced down at the body. “She’s not dead, Jesse. She was possessed by Calypso and now we have to get her out of here and back to her home.”

Jesse’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s Calypso?”

“She’s around,” Isabel responded perkily and then quickly amended her statement. “I mean here. I mean, she’s transmogrified –” her eyes widened. “Kyle - you have got to stop speaking Kyle-isms around me!”

“Roger that,” Kyle mock-saluted Isabel while heaving the body off the floor with Max’s assistance.

“Look, Jesse, can we talk about this later? Right now we have a small crisis here.”

Jesse folded his arms, taking a defensive stance. “I think now is as good a time as any, Isabel,” he said. “I mean, if I’m going to have people dragging bodies around my apartment I deserve to know the reason why…”

Isabel sighed. “Calypso took over a body and manipulated it to look like Maria. And she offered to fix Maria, only Calypso would have to leap into her mind or something and now they’re two in one and we’re left with one spare human. Now I have to open the door,” she made a quick side step for the front door but Jesse’s hand stopped her.

“Isabel, what’s wrong?” Genuine concern blazed in his eyes.

“Nothing,” Isabel quickly replied, looking away. She glanced around them and then leaned in closer, speaking quietly. “It’s just – we were starting to have a normal life, really normal ya know?. And then this happened. This is the last thing I want you to be involved in – this part of my life. Because you didn’t sign up for this and you definitely don’t deserve it.”

Jesse pulled Isabel into an embrace, kissing her forehead before leaning her body against his. “Is, I signed up for this when I invited you to stay with me in Boston. I signed up for it at graduation. I’ve been onboard for a long time and I intend to stay here. We’ll get this ironed out, together, so don’t worry about me. Just… worry about getting that body back to wherever it belongs.”