Looking for more Malex? It sounds like you’ll get it — but maybe not how you want.

Michael (Michael Vlamis) and Alex (Tyler Blackburn) went through a messy relationship during season 1 of Roswell, New Mexico. At the end of the season, Michael starting seeing Maria (Heather Hemmens) — and had no idea that his brother was dead. Once he finds out, everything changes, showrunner Carina Adly MacKenzie told Us Weekly exclusively during a recent visit to the New Mexico set.’

“Michael is dealing with it as he deals with everything. He is drinking and fighting and hooking up,” the writer told Us about where he picks up at the beginning of season 2. “There’s a dramatic shift between happy Michael kissing Maria and looking hopeful toward the future, and who we meet in our season 2 premiere.”

Blackburn, 33, also told Us, “I think the way season 1 ended, you saw Alex waiting for Michael to come back and he’s kind of saying, ‘Let’s start over. Let’s have a clean start.’ And I think that’s kind of what they end up doing this season. They’re not together. There’s deep-seated feelings, but they’re just those feelings that they shared, so complex and so convoluted and mired in trauma for both of them. They love each other, but it’s just it’s one of those relationships where you love them, but it’s just there’s toxicity surrounding it. At a certain point, you need space.”

Vlamis, 28, echoed Blackburn’s statements, adding, “They have a deep love that’s not going anywhere, whether they’re together or not.”

MacKenzie, who is well aware of the fans’ love for Michael and Alex, also shared good and bad news. While Alex gets a new love interest this season who has “a surprising connection to the town,” that doesn’t mean Malex won’t be in scenes together. In fact, they “end up spending more time together this season than they did last season,” she told Us.

“They are trying to redefine their relationship, trying to move past a lot of dark stuff,” MacKenzie shared. “They also both love Maria. They both care about Maria very much. And same goes for Michael and Maria — they both care about Alex very much. So things are definitely going to get complicated there. … It reminds me of Jason Street and Riggins and Lyla on Friday Night Lights. It was like who loves who more? The great love story might be Street and Riggins, you know.”

However, she promised that no matter what, there will be romance this season.

“I love love stories. I love love stories that aren’t always super easy. But there is certainly romance this season. Tragic romance is still romance,” the Eternal Night author told Us. “We’re very much still exploring Michael’s feelings for Maria and Michael’s feelings for Alex. It’s definitely not a situation where it’s like he’s moved on to Maria and he and Alex are bros.”

As for Liz’s (Jeanine Mason) love story, it came to a very tragic end in season 1 when Max (Nathan Dean Parsons) was killed. She will spend season 2 determined to find a way to bring him back — and she’s not alone. Since Rosa (Amber Midthunder) was resurrected by Max last season, is it possible?

“The thing is, thus far in this show, Max has been the only person who had the power to heal at all. So, it’s sort of the question of, who can save the savior?” MacKenzie said. “We have various ideas. Noah said to Isabel and Max last season, that if they explored their potential more then they wouldn’t be so limited in their powers. So maybe Isabel can grow stronger. Maybe Liz can contribute. Maybe Michael can contribute. I will say it’s not an easy solve. I keep seeing things on Twitter that are people have been like, ‘So Max will be back by the end of the first episode.’ Max will not be back right in the first episode. This season is largely about getting Max back.”

Season 2 of Roswell: New Mexico premieres on The CW Monday, March 16, at 9 p.m. ET.