PART 16 “What do you think of the green ones?” Maria held a bright green satin bra to her chest, holding matching panties in her other hand. Tom looked thoughtful for a moment. “Don’t you think laces are a little bit too much?” Maria turned to Kyle who was sitting in the corner, pretending he didn’t know them. Kyle rolled his eyes. “I think I’ll puke.” Maria gave him her best pout. “That bad, huh?” Kyle got up and walked away shaking his head. “I’ll never come shopping with you guys again!” It was disturbing to say the least. All those women around him buying panties and lingerie, talking about their breast sizes. He wasn’t used to that kind of thing. After all, he didn’t have any sisters and he could hardly remember his mother. And girlfriends? He never had a steady one to discuss underwear… He wondered what color Lucy preferred? Hmm… Maria was walking around in the store, picking an occasional bra with bright colors. She had come to buy a nightgown for Liz, but got all caught up in underwears. She didn’t need them, she had a huge collection but shopping for them was fun and always gave her self-confidence. “I thought you wouldn’t sleep with him again?” The red headed woman looking at the blue bra looked intrigued by his question. But Maria wasn’t. She knew how his mind worked. “I won't.” “Okay, then why are we buying you sexy underwear?” Maria shrugged and continued browsing through pink thongs. “Just to feel good babe, nothing more.” Then she pulled a thong with a bright glittery star in the middle. “What do you think?” - - - Kyle was struggling with bags while trying to keep up with Tom. “I think she’s better now. Look at her! One phone call from the asshole and a shopping trip and suddenly she’s all better! I’ll never understand women…” “She bought pink lingerie and a matching dress with high heeled shoes.” Tom stated like it explained everything. Kyle looked at him behind the packages. “So?” Tom sighed. He just had to spell out everything for that stupid jock! “She wears bright colors when she feels inadequate. She would wear either black or white if she feels self-confident. So she’s not really mended, she’s just excited.” Kyle felt the urge to form a crucifix with his fingers but unfortunately his hands were full. “Tom, stay out of MY brain okay? If I ever catch you analyzing my shit, you’re a dead man. Now help me with those bags.” “No, you know you’re the ‘brother’ and I am the gay best friend. That means I help her pick them and you’ll be a perfect gentleman and carry them.” In truth Tom didn’t mind carrying them but watching Kyle with stupid colorful bags all around him was just too much fun. It was like getting revenge from all the jocks who made fun of him back in high school. Kyle dropped two of the bags again for the fifth time and stopped to retrieve them. But his hands were all full so he ended up trying to pick them up with his feet. A pretty brunette girl stopped to help him. Kyle smiled at her with all his innocence and gave her a ‘I'm-a-poor-little-puppy’ look. Then he started telling the girl how his pregnant sister couldn’t carry them and he was doing her a favor. Tom laughed and elicited a look from Kyle which meant ‘talk and you’re dead’. Men! He shook his head and quickened his pace to catch up with Maria. - - - Maria, Tom and Kyle entered Lucy’s small bar which was only a couple blocks down from Maria’s apartment. It had been so long since Maria last seen the place. It was quiet, not too crowded and was illuminated only with the few candles placed around. They made their way to the back where their usual table waited for them. It was a dark shadowy corner, they chose it to not be disturbed by other people around. And in some cases not to disturb them. “So why did she call the place Leithyia?” Kyle asked, taking a sip from his beer. “It’s her daughter’s name.” Maria’s answer made Kyle choke on his beer. He felt panic rising from his stomach like a tidal wave. Why the hell hadn’t anyone told him that? She was married? And had a daughter? Oh god… Tom patted his back and decided to end Kyle’s suffering before Maria tortured him to death just for fun. “Kyle, she’s not married.” Maria watched in amusement as Kyle’s complexion turned back to normal from its bluish state. He coughed a little to get himself back together. Maria was clutching her side from laughing so hard. “Oh my God Kyle, you should have seen your face…” “Yeah, yuck it up! I’m the one that was about to have a heart attack!” He blushed a little which looked completely adorable if you asked Maria. “So she’s divorced?” he asked trying and failing to look not too eager. “Nope. She never was married.” “Why not?” “Why do you think? The bastard knocked her up and left her. He gave her money which she used for this place and signed some papers to give up all his claim on the kid. It was a shock at first but now everything is peachy. Lei doesn’t need an asshole to pretend to be a father. Look at my father. I wish my mother had done what Luce did in the first place.” Kyle wondered what really was wrong with those guys… Amy, Maria and now Lucy? They were the most loving women he knew. How could someone leave them like that? A picture of a very pregnant Lucy flashed in his mind. What was so sexy about pregnant women? Or was it just about a pregnant Lucy? Oh God… He had to stop thinking like that. “So what kind of a name is Leithyia?” “Great isn't it? I helped her pick it!” Maria said all excited. Kyle thought he should have guessed that. The girl almost named her daughter Apple for God’s sake! Maria continued ignoring his snort. “It’s the name of a Greek goddess. I think it’s beautiful.” The conversation was interrupted by Lucy’s presence nearing their table. She kissed them all and smiled and blushed a little at Kyle which Maria took as a good sign. She knew it, they were going to be good for each other. “Tom, why don’t you take Maria to the stage now?” Lucy said with an evil grin and grabbed Kyle’s hand. She couldn’t just leave the guy there, in the middle of the storm. “And Kyle will help me with her guitar…” “Yeah, yeah, sure…” Kyle was eager to follow her. This couldn’t be pretty. “Tom, what the hell???” Maria was fidgeting in her seat, puzzled at the turn of events. “You’re singing tonight. For us. You never told us you could, so that’s your punishment.” Tom was calm. He had handled Maria’s wrath lots of times, this couldn’t be worse than the time he ‘accidentally’ cut one of her boyfriends’ pony tail. After all those years of friendship, he wasn’t scared of her anymore. Well, not THAT scared at least… But Maria wasn’t angry. She didn’t have time to think that she should be angry. Tom was pushing her towards the stage. All she could do was protest. “Tom, I can't. Come on. All those people around? I really can't. And what will I sing? I can't remember anything. Too bad. I can't sing then, right?” Tom handed her some papers. “I chose you some songs.” Three guys came up behind her. Oh God! Since when did Luce had a band? She closed her eyes and focused on breathing. In. Out. In. Out. Someone handed her her guitar. How the hell did they bring it here? Then she saw Lucy making her way to the microphone. “Hi everyone. We have a special treat for you tonight. This beautiful, young lady here is Maria DeLuca and she’ll be singing for us.” Everyone started applauding since Maria was sitting in the middle of the stage with a guitar in her hand, looking stunning in her new pink dress. “And if you’ll be nice to her I'm sure she’ll keep singing for us every once in a while.” Maria pinched Lucy’s arm and saw her winking at Kyle. To Maria’s amusement he blushed again. Maria took a look at the papers in her hand while Lucy made her way down the stage. I Will Love Again, I Will Survive… Her eyes found Tom sitting in the corner and she shook her head, smiling. He really was trying, wasn’t he? Tom saw her talk to the band guys and sit back at her place, preparing her guitar. She adjusted the microphone closer to her. And then started playing… Her eyes were closed and she shut her mind down to every distraction. All she could see was his face in front of her. She could smell his scent. Music felt like the connection they shared. That moment when everything was him. That’s why she always loved music so much. It took her away from reality and brought her to places she no other way could go. Then she started singing. Her voice was soft but full of emotion, alive. The lyrics fell from her lips like they were a part of her. A living and bleeding part. Tom could almost physically feel her hurt. “And I'd give up forever to touch you 'Cause I know that you feel me somehow You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be And I don't want to go home right now” Kyle gave Tom an unbelieving look. “Is this the best you could find? Are you a sadist or something?” Tom never took his eyes away from the girl in the stage, singing her heart out, too afraid to open her eyes. “No, she changed the list.” He sighed. “Maybe that’s better. We should let her sing what's in her heart…” “And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming Or the moment of truth in your lies When everything feels like the movies Yeah you bleed just to know you're alive” Lucy approached them in awe. “Oh my God, when you said she could sing, I thought… you know… that she could sing. But this… I wasn’t expecting this. This is… beautiful. She is so beautiful…” “And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am” A lone tear made its way down Maria’s cheek but she didn’t wipe it away. She wasn’t really aware of it. Aware of where she was or aware of the crowd cheering and shouting her name with the end of the song. She just sat there, her eyes still closed and chose another song that has been playing in her mind. And started singing… - - - Maria opened her eyes to a dreamy picture of Kyle and Lucy dancing. She looked around and saw Tom coming towards her. He kneeled in front of her and wiped the tears she shed while singing. He watched her eyes search the place in wonder, like she just woke up from a coma. She looked so innocent at that moment, like a new born baby. When her questioning eyes finally found his he couldn’t resist anymore. He kissed her forehead and hugged her tight. “How long…?” she managed to ask and noticed how dry her throat was. Tom chuckled. “Three hours straight. You’ve got one hell of a repertoire, you know that? And those two has been dancing for the last hour. I was about to go insane. They keep whispering and blushing like high school kids.” Maria smiled and watched them dance to a non-existent music. “They are a cute couple.” She said, still not moving from her place in Tom’s arms. “Yeah, I guess they are. We’re losing our little Luce to the stupid jock.” Maria hit him playfully. “That stupid jock happens to be my brother.” Tom cupped her face and stared at her eyes for a moment. It wasn’t the little angry girl looking back at him anymore. There was some maturity there he never saw before. Finally at the age of twenty-two, she was a grown woman. “I am so proud of you.” “What? The singing?” “No…” He shook his head and smiled a genuine proud parent smile he specially reserved for Maria. “You grew up.” He sighed and continued in a mocking tone. “And all it took was a spiky haired, gloomy guy from Roswell, New Mexico.” “He’s not gloomy…” Maria protested, making Tom chuckle and kiss her cheek. “No, of course not!” PART 17 Maria sat on her bed and watched Lei play with her doll. She was a cutie with her red curls and freckles. She was fourteen months old which was the perfect age of sweetness and charm for a baby. Maria had never been too good with kids till the day she found out that she was going to have one herself… Fate had robbed her off from her baby but the feeling had stayed. Now she couldn’t help but love every little kid she set eyes on. She had been singing at the bar every night for the last week but tonight was an exception. Tonight Lucy and Kyle had a date. And it was her duty as a friend and a sister to babysit Lei. Not that she was complaining… She was a little worried about Liz. She had no way to contact them and they were supposed to be there a couple days ago. Isabel and Alex were coming the next day, so she had decided to wait till they came and not alarm everyone with her worries. “Lei, baby, give that to me…” The little girl was trying to eat one of Maria’s lipsticks. She must have left it on the bed. She tried to take it from her hands but ended up helping her get the cap off. “Oh, God, baby let it go. It was really expensive and Luce wouldn’t like it if your poop looks pink!” They were struggling but Lei seemed to like the struggle and the little girl did have her mother’s strength. God! “Baby give it to Maria…” Lei’s eyes opened big and she squeaked. “Mars!” “Oh God! You just said my name! That’s so sweet. Now give me back my lipstick!” The doorbell rang just as they were about to fall off the bed. Maria raised her head to the sound victoriously. “Huh! Mommy’s here. Now we’ll see who gets the lipstick!” She took the little girl in her arms and made her way to the door, still ranting about how she would win eventually. - - - Michael felt his heart beat faster with every step he took in the direction of her apartment. Breathing was something he had to focus on in order to do it right. He felt like he was about to collapse, his knees weren't obeying him anymore. Max threw him anxious glances over his shoulder. He probably was scared that he would run away. Michael snorted at that. If only he knew… True, one part of him did want to run away but the other part, the undeniably strong one, wanted to pass Max and Liz, run towards her door, hold her tight in his arms and never let her leave. It was that same part which could feel her presence behind that door clearly now. Liz was practically jumping up and down with anticipation before him. Michael would have found it funny that a woman her size could look so much like a little girl in a toy store if his brain worked properly. Liz rang the bell as soon as they reached the door. Michael was shifting his weight from foot to foot. He felt an overwhelming urge to run away but his body had a mind of its own. He heard –or maybe imagined- her walking towards the door and she was talking. No she was arguing. He could hear her faint voice ranting. “Why are you being such a nasty girl tonight, huh? No, no, no… Look, baby that thing cost me a fortune! No, stop… Don’t… God! You just know how cute you are and using it against me, aren't you? Look what you did to your face………” She flung opened the door still talking to the baby in her arms. “Now, you’ll see, mommy’s here!” Her voice died when she saw who were behind the door. “Oh my God! Liz?” She hugged Liz as tight as she could with Liz’s huge belly and Lei between them. She looked her friend up and down, taking in her appearance. “God, Liz, you look great!” Okay, to be honest, she didn’t look that great. But it was apparent that she needed to hear it. She looked tired. And big. Really big. Liz was a petite girl and that huge belly was just too contrary to her figure. She was pale and had circles under her eyes. She looked like she was about to cry. Maria thought she would too if she was in the same situation. Lei’s squeak made them pull apart from each other. “Liz!” She shouted, still fondling the lipstick. Maria laughed. “Oh, now you can talk, huh?” Liz looked at the little girl with tears shining in her eyes. Those stupid hormones! Maria had a feeling that she would see Liz crying often till she gave birth. She put the baby in Liz’s arms and ushered Max and Michael inside without once glancing at Michael’s side. “Max.” She hugged the uncomfortable man as friendly as she could manage. She was lost over what to think of him. All she knew was that she had to at least tolerate him for Liz’s sake if he turned out to be a prick. “Thanks for bringing her.” She whispered, looking in his eyes and hoping that he would know how much this meant for her. But she could see there, this meant even more for him. And she visibly relaxed. That was good, they were in the same wavelength. She really didn’t have any more strength to fight. “Thanks for inviting us.” He muttered blushing. This blushing thing had to be something about Roswell. She never saw any blushing guys at that age in LA. She let go of Max and her eyes caught the deep brown ones she longed so much to see. Then she thought she never saw him blush, so it couldn’t be a Roswell thing. He was always cocky or angry, always on guard, never letting any emotion show on his face. But she couldn’t really blame him for it, now that she knew his reasons. He didn’t look angry or cocky at that particular moment. He wasn’t sure if his face muscles would comply if he tried to move them. So he let them be. He stood there, in front of her, not moving or speaking, barely managing to breathe. Maria tore her gaze away from his eyes to look at him thoroughly. He looked older. He had an unruly beard that made him look tougher and somehow sexier. But then she saw something that made her blood boil. “What did you do to your hair?” she yelled at him, making him feel like he was in grade school again. His hair was longer. He didn’t have any reason to care enough to cut it. It was encircling his face in gentle curls. He had thought that she probably would hate the beard but the hair thing caught him off guard. “What?” he snapped, happy to face her anger than the awkwardness he expected. She was fuming. How could he just change his hair like that? She loved his stupid spikes. Just like Bobo’s… “You will go to the bathroom right now mister and fix yourself!” She grabbed his bag and pushed him towards the bathroom. She went in before him, put the bag down, grabbed new towels for him, took out Kyle’s shaving stuff and always kept her eyes away and her hands busy. When she was finished, she turned to leave but he was towering over her, blocking her way. She raised a threatening finger “I want that stupid hair fixed when you leave the bathroom.” He gazed in her eyes and smirked. She really was serious. “You know you’re nuts, right?” he asked, relieved to find her just like she used to be. Just like he loved her to be. She threw her arms in the air. “Huh! Look who’s talking!” she said and left him alone in the bathroom. He sighed and leaned against the door. He wondered when exactly his life got so damn complicated. So infuriating. So confusing. Oh yeah, that would be the day she crashed in his life… literally… - - - Maria gave her room to Max and Liz against all protests. It had the only big bed in the house and after months on the road, she figured they would need privacy. It was the day after they arrived that Maria finally found some time to talk to Liz in private. Max had just left to meet Iz and Alex at the airport, Kyle was shopping –alone this time- and Michael was watching TV. They were finally alone. “So, Liz, what is with all the running?” she asked, while folding the clothes she just washed. Liz was pouting in her place in Maria’s bed. She wasn’t allowed to move or help her with anything. “I think Max or Michael could explain this better. I don’t really understand it myself.” Seeing Maria’s raised eyebrow, she continued. “It’s the baby. They say he’s sending out some kind of vibes. I don’t know. I can't feel it. But obviously the other aliens do. They have been tracking the baby and…” Tears were running down her cheeks but Maria suspected this was more than hormones. “I’m scared. I don’t know what to do. What if it never stops? Those things want something from my baby… And they just keep coming. I’m so scared…” Maria hugged her friend tight but she knew nothing would ever make her feel better in that situation. She promised herself that she would keep her safe no matter what and decided to keep her distracted for now. “Did I show you the books I bought?” - - - On their second night, the small apartment was packed. She had placed Isabel and Alex in the guest room and Kyle, Maria and Michael were sleeping in the living room. She had strategically arranged it that she could see Michael as she lay. They haven't been really talking since the hair incident. She smiled as she watched his new spikes. He had changed it back. She felt really grateful for that. She wasn’t sure if she could handle it if he didn’t. She knew she needed to be angry. She should have been fuming for what he did and making him pay. But she was in a pathetic state that she couldn’t even feel anger. All she could do was stop herself from running to his arms. And that was just because she knew for sure that she wouldn’t be able to handle another rejection from him. The surprising thing was he wasn’t angry either. Not that he had any right to be, but she had expected him to be. He was sarcastic as hell and guarded and closed off as always but he wasn’t rude to her, or to anyone else for that matter. She didn’t know for sure how to take this. She took one last look at his sleeping face and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to think. She didn’t want to decide. He was near. And he was safe. That was all it mattered at that moment. That was all she cared. - - - It had been four days and no attack… Michael was on edge. The attacks were more frequent even when they kept moving. This was unusual and suspicious and he hated it. He was in the guest room, checking Kyle’s weapons. They were impressive. The guy was really ready for a battle. Michael had no doubt that he was sleeping with a gun under his pillow. He had always appreciated a little paranoia. “You got silencers for those?” “You gotta be kidding me! Of course I do. What do you think I am? An amateur?” Michael raised his hands in surrender and chuckled softly. “Just checking!” “You got good stuff here.” Michael said after a minute’s silence. “Yeah, and I won't hesitate to use them on you if you ever hurt her again.” Kyle’s voice didn’t waver and his gaze never left his face. Michael’s eyes met Kyle’s insistent gaze and he didn’t doubt him for one moment. Hell, he wanted to kill himself that night as he sat outside Amy’s door and listened to her sob over him, why shouldn’t Kyle feel the same? And Michael actually felt better that she had someone to protect her when he failed. He was right to trust Kyle with her. “You do that.” He said and turned his eyes back to the guns. There was something about Guerin. Kyle was positive that he wanted to kill him but something in his look right then and his voice on the phone that night made him uncertain. He sighed and rubbed his face. It was all Tom’s fault. He was going to kick his ass the next time he saw him. “Why the hell did you send me here?” he asked, hating himself for even caring. “To protect her.” Michael said firmly without raising his eyes. “From what? There wasn’t anybody after her.” Michael looked at him with a grim expression and didn’t say anything. But Kyle understood. He wasn’t an insightful guy like Tom but even he could see the pain in Michael’s eyes. His eyes were so much older than he really was when he didn’t pretend not to care. “From you?” Michael didn’t answer but Kyle wasn’t expecting one anyway. Michael wasn’t the verbal kind of guy but sometimes his actions gave away more than any words could. Kyle shook his head and left the room, not knowing what else he could do. They were both just so damn impossible. - - - “Max?” “Hey…” Maria was used to catching Max alone on the balcony at night by now. He was sad and worried. His family was on the line and waiting was killing him. Maria knew he wasn’t sleeping unless he passed out. He was always watching over them. “Wanna tell me about this ‘vibes’ thing?” Max looked at his new almost-friend. There was something about that girl that made him want to talk about all his troubles. She was compassionate, that had to be it. She had a surprising, maternal side. “It… It’s driving me insane.” He chuckled bitterly. “I hear it all the time and Izzy and Michael too. He… the baby… he’s like trying to make his presence known. I don’t know how far he sends those signals. He might be sending them across the universe… I don’t know.” “And these other aliens are coming for him?” “Yeah…” He took a deep breath. “They know he is my son. They can tell. And, I'm not sure but it’s like they are trying to absorb his powers or energy or something…” he shook his head. Maria nodded, remembering the big guy with the glowing hand. “I don’t know how far away they come from. Are they from Earth or coming from somewhere else for him… I don’t know why he’s sending those vibes. I don’t know if it’s a normal Antarian thing… I don’t know anything… And it scares the shit out of me…” Maria held his hand and squeezed it to let him know he’s not alone. But there was no way she could help him. And it hurt to know that. When he spoke again, Maria could see the tears in his eyes. “It’s like he’s crying. Like he needs something. He might be scared or hurting… But I can't help him. I can hear him but…” His voice trailed off and he started sobbing in his hands. He was finally breaking apart. Maria held him to her chest and let him cry himself to sleep, unable to help him any other way. Part 18 Maria was in the kitchen when she heard the thump. She couldn’t sleep as usual. This was becoming a habit. Every night she lay on the couch and watched Michael till her brain finally forgot it was night time and she was supposed to sleep. So every night, after everyone slept or pretended to be asleep as in Max’s case, she got up and made herself some herbal tea. It felt good to have some peaceful time to herself. Since the gang arrived she really missed having that. This night wasn’t an exception. She got up, went to the kitchen without turning on the lights and prepared her tea. She sat on a chair near the window and watched the not so bright stars, all the while trying not to think about HIM. Then she heard it. The thump. Like something –or someone- fell. Her body stiffened with the built up paranoia rising in her. Her heart quickened and suddenly her breathing sounded too loud. She looked around the dark kitchen in panic and knew that if she didn’t get herself together soon, she would lose all her logical thinking capacity. Think! Think! Think! She tiptoed over to the hooks on the wall and grabbed the first thing that resembled a weapon. A ladle. A picture of the huge alien guy from Roswell flashed in her mind… Ridiculous… She put the ladle back and grabbed a frying pan. The biggest one she owned. She cursed herself for not listening to Kyle when he wanted to buy a bigger one. First thing tomorrow… She was going shopping. She neared the open door, holding the pan threateningly in the air. She heard footsteps. Big and heavy. Was it something about their genetics that all bad aliens were big? Or was it just fate having fun with her again? She followed the sound of the footsteps. The living room. She walked in silence, knowing all the right places to step in the dark. The guy must have entered from the balcony. For a moment she wondered if they could fly, but filed away the thought in order to ask Max later. There were two doors in the living room except the balcony door. She was standing at the one near the kitchen and the guy was standing at the one that lead to the bedrooms. And in between them lay Kyle and Michael in a peaceful slumber. She didn’t think twice before acting which wasn’t really an unusual thing for her. The guy was going towards the bedrooms, the bedrooms meant Liz and Alex and Isabel and the baby… She could only think one thing, she had to stop him. She carefully and silently skipped around the makeshift beds on the floor and praying that he wouldn’t turn back and see her before she could reach him, she came closer. She reached the other door holding her breath with fear and hit him in the head with the pan using all her might. Uh-oh! She heard the loud bang and expected the thumping sound of a body hitting the floor. She waited holding her breath but it never came. A moment later she decided she probably should open her eyes. Things weren't going as planned. She opened her eyes and saw two vengeful eyes staring back. She saw his hands reaching for her and reacted on reflex. While hitting him with the pan again with one hand, her other hand reached for the too heavy vase near the door which was a present from one of her colleagues. She smashed the red vase on the guys head. She had never really liked it anyway. A pang on her leg made her lose her balance for a moment. She must have hit it somewhere. She willed her leg to stay strong till the danger ceased. But she doubted it would listen. All her body parts were as stubborn as she was. Just as she felt the guy falling –nearly on top of her- she felt an arm circling her waist. She started to struggle to get out of the grip but felt herself being held up and thrown on the mattress on the floor. Then a lightning flashed in the room and the intense white light blinded her. - - - “WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?” She was a little shaken up from the events but her brain processed well enough to know that Michael was angry. He was holding her shoulders and shaking her. She was too disoriented to react at first but of course as always, the infuriating spiky guy found a way to get her out of her stupor. She shrugged his hands away and stood her ground. He was always like this! Unappreciative bastard! “What? I was doing great before you pulled me away!” “You can't just go after an alien, armed only with a fucking frying pan!” Michael yelled, pointing the pan she was still clutching in her hand. She dropped the pan, her knuckles were aching from gripping it so hard. “What was I supposed to do? Let him get to Liz? I don’t think so buddy!” “Oh what about waking me up? Or Kyle? Anybody! But nooo!!! You always have to do the stupidest thing.” They were standing nose to nose, both fuming with anger in the middle of the living room, unaware of the dead body lying near their feet or everyone watching them from the door, afraid to interrupt. “You won't never ever again try to do something like that or swear to God, I will tie you up!” Her eyes narrowed in anger. “You wouldn’t dare!” “Try me.” “I will not let you go all caveman on me in my own house!” she stomped her feet on the dead body. Neither of them were backing down. Max thought they were about to kill each other and noone would dare to try to stop them. But there was something else in those looks between the two. Something Max wasn’t able to see or understand. Something passionate and almost primal. Maria knew this was the closest she got to Michael since their night together. Not just physically… Seeing him angry at her again felt like coming home. In a sick and twisted way that was how their…… ‘thing’ worked. Having him in her house felt great, watching him every day was heaven, but him acting civil to her… Now that was hell. He was treating her like she was just someone. She wanted to laugh suddenly. It was an incredible relief knowing that she was still capable of pissing him off. So she wasn’t just someone. Take that Guerin! She wanted so badly to kiss him fiercely and forget everything, get lost in him, but held herself back. She had to be strong. She couldn’t just let herself lose that last shred of dignity. She needed it to keep herself from falling apart. Michael watched her eyes as the fire of fury burned deep in the green. Some people thought she was cute when she was angry. But no… There was nothing cute about that. She turned into the wildest, sexiest creature he ever saw when she was angry. He had to clench his fists to keep himself from reaching for her. His fingers itched to touch her skin, her hair… He longed for her taste… But he kept his hands to himself. He couldn’t. He didn’t have the courage to make things more complicated and let them get out of hand when he knew it was bound to come crashing down eventually. “Will you two cut it out!” Isabel shouted, interrupting them. “God, there’s a fucking dead alien on the floor!” - - - “Okay everyone, I'm off to bed… Good night!” Everyone sighed with relief. Isabel had been terrorizing them for the last two hours with her ‘after attack’ precautions. Her bitchy and bossy attitude wasn’t something they wanted to put up with at that particular time. It was way too late and lack of sleep was becoming an issue. After everyone left for their beds Maria made her way to the couch with difficulty and threw herself on it. She could feel all the bones in her body screaming. As she was snuggling with her pillow she heard his irritating voice. “You’re not sleeping there princess!” She would have been so much more annoyed if she wasn’t dead tired and he hadn't called her princess for the first time since forever. She tried to give her voice a quality resembling annoyance when she spoke. “Oh yeah? Why is that exactly?” He was standing on his mattress which was on the floor adjacent to Kyle’s. His posture was enough to tell her he wasn’t backing down from what he was about to ‘command’. “Cause you’re a damn menace, that’s why! Kyle will take the couch and you’ll sleep where I can see you.” “No-…” He interrupted her, shaking his head. “Either you do it or I’ll tie you up every night. It’s your choice.” His arms crossed over his chest, he watched her without wavering his gaze. She was too tired to deal with him. She got up from the couch and let herself fall down on the mattress. She reached and grabbed her pillow from the couch without getting up and closed her eyes. Sleep was taking over her body and she wasn’t about to resist. She could always get back at him in the morning. That stubborn, arrogant prick! - - - Michael Guerin enjoyed waking up for the first time in months. He opened his eyes partially and caught a glimpse of blond hair. Closing them again, he inhaled deeply storing the heavenly scent deep inside for future use. Then it hit him. What the hell… His eyes snapped open. She was in his arms… Oh God! She. Was. In. His. Arms. How had that happened? He looked down at her face buried in his chest and feared what might happen if she woke up. He had to get up before her. He had to or she would skin him alive. He decided that he would… Later… When he wasn’t feeling completely intoxicated. It had been so long since they were this close. Too long… He wanted desperately to move his hand and touch her face; her cheeks, her perfect lips… He wanted to nuzzle her neck and taste her sweat… But he couldn’t. He just held still, afraid that a little movement would wake her up and he wouldn’t be able to hold her anymore. He checked his watch. It was early, too early to wake up. So he had some time to hold her in his arms, watch her sleep and feel her body against his without getting interrupted or having to pretend. He placed his face on the pillow where he could see her face most and prepared himself to savor this one little taste of heaven. - - - He felt the moment Maria woke up. She stirred and suddenly stiffened in his arms. He was so caught up in watching her he had forgotten to check his watch. Now he had no choice but suffer her wrath. He decided to pretend he was still asleep. It seemed like the easiest way. Closing his eyes, he hoped that she wasn’t able to hear his frantic heartbeats. He felt her slightly move in his arms and that made him tighten his grip around her waist instinctively. She tilted her face up, to check if he was sleeping he presumed. She sighed and he felt her hot breath tickling his neck. Then something he would never expect happened, she reached her hand to trace the contours of his lips and jaw. Her touch sent shivers down his spine. In his frantic condition, he could only try to control his breathing to not start panting. His first instinct was to part his lips to kiss her fingertips, but he stopped himself. ‘Max would have been proud…’ he thought, since Michael’s lack of control was his favorite subject to lecture. He wished he could be proud about it himself. But he knew better… He knew where this control came from. It came from fear. Fear of losing it completely. Fear of getting hurt. Fear of being a screw up once again. There was nothing to be proud of there. Maria’s hand dropped away from his face and the lack of its warmth almost made him shiver. He felt her palm pressing on his chest above his t-shirt. Now he was sure she could hear his heart. Hell, he was almost sure that it could be heard from Wisconsin. Her body started shaking ever so slightly in his arms. Then drops of water wetted his chest. She was crying? Why? God, not again! How the hell did he manage to do that every time he touched her? He felt useless and worthless the next ten minutes while her face was buried in his neck and her tears spilled down to his skin, burning their way down. He couldn’t breathe, his heart was bleeding and contracting in his chest. He just lay there for what seemed like centuries and felt the pain cover his body. At that moment he would happily die if it meant an end for her tears but he knew it wouldn’t help. There was nothing he could do. - - - Maria walked around aimlessly in the apartment, doing nothing in particular, just trying to keep herself busy. After waking up in his arms and not being able to savor the feeling she couldn’t help but feel numb. Was that how it was going to be for all her life? Pretend to not care when in truth every time she thought of him, tears started to flow. ‘No, of course not.’ She corrected herself. ‘After Liz’s pregnancy you won't even get to see him or feel his arms around you even if it was just an accident.’ That was good though, right? That meant she didn’t have to pretend. Oh yeah… Sure… It was good… - - - “I saw you this morning, with him.” Kyle startled her, entering the room quietly behind her back. “You did?” she asked, her voice small and tired, lacking the strength to pretend. She never had to pretend with Kyle anyway. Maybe he didn’t fully understand but he respected her thoughts and feelings. “Yeah.” He breathed out. “You shouldn’t be doing this to yourself.” “I’m not doing anything to myself Kyle. He is doing it to me.” She didn’t want to discuss this. God knew she discussed it with herself often enough, saying them out loud made it hurt more. “Why didn’t you let him see you? Why leave like that? There are some things that are still unresolved between you two and only way out is to solve them. Tom had said you weren't running away this time but I think he was wrong……… You are, aren't you Ria?” She didn’t need this right now! Tears threatened to spill again and she felt like a pathetic wreck. She just hated being weak! Kyle had already seen too much weakness for her liking. So she tried the defiant look of the icy bitch Isabel who she had come to envy in that department in the last few days. “I'm not running! This has nothing to do with running! You have no idea what you’re talking about! I am just trying to survive Kyle… I… I can't just throw myself at his arms just to face another rejection!” Kyle crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow. So she wanted to play the strong girl, huh? She could, she always did and she really was good at it. He didn’t mean to be mean but sometimes you just had to be, in order to get through her façade. “You are scared. I can understand that. But there is more to what Michael thinks than what meets the eye. Trust me Ria, he doesn’t want to reject you.” He wanted to add his observations on how the guy was in love with her but the fear of causing her more pain stopped him. He wasn’t exactly an expert, what if he was wrong? How would he forgive himself? He desperately needed to call Tom and he would have in a heartbeat but the thought of explaining how a three months pregnant Liz could look that big wasn’t exactly appealing. That damn alien shit was everywhere… - - - “Kyle, hand me the concealer, will you?” Maria was sitting on the bed which was originally hers but occupied by the pregnant lady lately. She had her cut off shorts on and her right foot was propped against a chair. She was examining a bruise on her calf. The silence made her look back to the door and the sight of a slowly approaching Michael Guerin took her breath away. How the hell did he manage to do that to her? She was gaping at him when she was supposed to hate him. Her breathing became labored when he entered her smelling range. She fought hard to not close her eyes and just savor the feeling. She knew her palms were sweating and she was getting lost in him without even touching him. Say something! Say something! “I thought you were Kyle.” Oh great. Genius. He could have never figured that out himself. He wasn’t smirking though. He had that look he got whenever they were about to lose themselves and start kissing. Oh my… “What do you need a concealer for?” His voice was deep and husky. Not exactly a small talk kind of voice. He neared the chair and touched her foot. She froze. She couldn’t move, protest, try and take it out of his grasp. He sat on the chair and kept her foot in his hands. His rough hands and gentle touch… She could almost see the need and want building up in her. An overwhelming heat crawled up from her foot where he touched her and covered her body. She couldn’t answer. She feared she would squeak or something stupid like that if she tried. She touched the bruise on her leg, showing him her answer instead. His brow furrowed. He slowly slid one hand to touch it. She had to bite her lip to not moan. His touch… It had been too long. She missed it. She missed him. God, why was he torturing her like that! “Last night…” he mumbled. “What?” His surprised eyes met hers. “You hit it last night.” “Yeah…” she said, not sure where this conversation was headed. Then some pieces she already had of a puzzle she wasn’t sure existed found their places. How she figured that out, she had no idea. Maybe the look in his eyes, maybe her instincts or maybe the pain and feelings she sometimes had and couldn’t be sure if they really belonged to her… “You felt it…” she stated softly, afraid of his reaction. He didn’t say anything. He kept caressing the bruise with his thumb. She knew she was right from the way he avoided her gaze. “Like you felt my cramps?” No answer, again. Michael wasn’t sure how to get out of this situation he got himself into. Or if he really wanted to get out of it for that matter. Her skin, under his fingers, felt so good and right. He wanted so badly to close his eyes and let himself get carried away. But things were complicated. Too complicated. Last night, he had woken up with a stinging pain on his leg and when he had seen the scene taking place before his eyes, he had forgotten all about it. It was her pain. Her wound. And now she knew. He had somehow fucked up again and connected them in a way he didn’t know how to reverse. All he wanted was to set her free but he kept on making things more and more confusing. He caressed her little foot, too small in his hands. Her toenails were pink again, the way he liked them, colorful and delicate, just like her. He wanted to kiss her so much, it physically pained him. Then he felt her hand, touching his cheek and tilting his face up to look at her. He did, slowly, surprised and scared and met her eyes. To his surprise there was a small smile playing on her lips. “I feel you too.” She whispered and watched as his eyes grew bigger. “Not just pain, I feel it when you're upset or sad. I feel it when you're angry. It just hits me like a wave.” She felt her hands stiffen and his look glaze. He started to apologize but she cut him. Not this time. Now she felt like she had some say in this thing between them. It wasn’t just his decision to make. She wasn’t just a girl in his bed. “No. I don’t want you to be sorry. I had thought it was just my depression playing tricks on me but now that I know… I like feeling you.” She carefully grasped one of his hands in hers. She could see his confusion and indecision in his eyes. With all her heart she wished and hoped he would let this happen between them and of course then they would live happily ever after but she was sure that it would never be this easy. It never was. He leaned down and brushed his lips on the bruise. His soft lips touched her skin and she closed her eyes. A soft tingling sensation covered her leg and she couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her lips when his hand stroked up and down her calf. And just as it started, it was over. She felt him get up and place her foot on the floor. She opened her eyes and knew what was about to happen the moment she saw the determination in his eyes. He kissed the top of her head but avoided her eyes. “I’ll talk to Maxwell and try to find a way to reverse it.” He left her with tears in her eyes. She looked down and started crying harder. The bruise on her leg was gone. PART 19 “What is pain?” Maria asked abruptly while keeping herself busy with the pillows and avoiding her childhood friend’s gaze. The question didn’t sound as she meant it to sound but that was the best she could do in her confused state of mind. “What?” “I mean… You know… You're a scientist, right? I need you to explain to me why we feel pain.” “Physical pain?” “Yeah… And not so complicated please, the short version…” “Well, pain is the way your body warns you against danger.” “Warns you?” “Yeah… It informs you that you're sick, so you can protect yourself from further damage.” “Oh.” “What’s this all about?” Even Liz, sitting all day in a bed doing nothing but watching TV, could see the change in Maria’s behavior. But she had no idea what might have caused it. “Nothing, just curious.” She didn’t want to share it with Liz. It was special, private, sacred, but then it occurred to her that Liz could be the only person who could help and explain… Oh well… Desperate times… “Actually Liz, I need to tell you something………” For the next hour Maria watched Liz’s face changing from color to color as she told her the whole story avoiding the whole emotional aspect of it. She wasn’t going to make herself look pathetic and weak in her eyes as well. “I… I don’t want to sound mean but… Michael isn't exactly a suitable guy to have a relationship with. I mean, it’s obvious you care about him but…” How the hell had she gotten that out of her story? “What do you mean not suitable?” “I mean… He’s dangerous… And I’ve never seen him being nice to anyone… He’s always so rude. And his powers are out of control. That connection… It’s not normal. I don’t think it’s healthy…” “You never had a connection like that? With Max?” “No. God no. Max would never let his powers get out of control like that.” Maria was chanting in her head. “She’s pregnant. She’s pregnant. You shouldn’t upset her.” But the girl was starting to get on her nerves. “Look Maria, I just don’t want you to get hurt, okay? And Michael, he’s not just some harmless James Dean type of guy. I don’t exactly know him but he might hurt you…” Maria couldn’t keep it in any longer. Michael would hurt her?? That was ridiculous, how could anyone think that? “You know what Liz, you're right. You don’t know him. You have no idea who Michael Guerin is. So please don’t assume you do, okay?” - - - This was a nightmare. Michael felt trapped. He knew he was panicking but he had no way of stopping it. He desperately needed to go out and walk or maybe run, just get out of this circus to think for a moment and clear his head. But he couldn’t. There could be attacks. He had to be there. True, there had never been an attack in the daylight before, but he couldn’t risk it. He knew if there was a danger, that stubborn annoying blabbermouth would find it. He wanted so badly to kill himself and end this shame and pain for the millionth time in his short life. He never was important or successful or normal, but this time was different. He had always f-ucked up his own life which was already a disaster from the start but never before he had risked someone else. Not Isabel or Max or their humans. He had never even hurt Hank. But now… Now he was hurting the most dazzling creature he had ever contacted. She was nothing like anyone he’d ever met before. She had given him so much without even trying. She had somehow become the most important thing for him in a matter of months. It wasn’t like him to care, to be interested in a human. This had nothing to do with him. She had done it all by herself and she had no clue. And look how he repaid her. He had given her his f-ucked up feelings. He was feeling anger and hate half the time, he was never peaceful. His feelings would eat her alive, he knew it. He was a disease and he would eventually kill everything he’d touched. And there was the pain. God. He was always in battles with other aliens or FBI agents. A picture of himself on an operating table flashed in his mind. They could torture him. He could get injured or even die. And she would feel them all. He knew he should have guessed. All his life, he had loved one thing and he was hurting it just because he wasn’t good enough. He wasn’t good enough. Thinking of that had never hurt that much before. He approached Max who was sitting in the balcony. He dreaded this conversation and would have never had it in the first place if it wasn’t for Maria. He had to do this for her. He had to ask for help from Max for the first time since he left Roswell in high school. “Maxwell.” Max opened his eyes to his brother’s voice and appeared surprised to see him actually volunteer for a conversation. It was a rare occasion. “Michael.” He had tried, he did, but the surprise was still evident in his voice. “I need your help.” Now Max was fully awake. He had never heard Michael say those words since they were kids. Michael never needed help. Never needed anything. And he was proud of it. “Of course. About what?” Michael looked in his eyes and expected to see exasperation there. It was what he had always hated to see. Max’s eyes always said “What now?” while he talked to Michael. But not this time. Max was ready. That was what he had waited all those years. He was cautious. Michael was opening up to him after all that time, he wasn’t about to scare him away. Michael sat on the floor and sighed. He hated this part. “I… somehow made a connection with… someone and I have to stop it.” “What kind of a connection. Like flashes?” “No. A permanent connection. We feel each other all the time.” Max’s eyes grew in shock. “Are you sure? I’d never seen something like that……… How long?” “Months.” “What do you feel through this connection? Do you see things or just feelings?” “Mostly feelings… and pain.” “Pain?” “Yeah, that’s why I gotta stop it.” “Okay. Can I ask who it is?” He hated telling him but he was going to find out sooner or later anyway. “Maria.” Max sighed. Of course Maria, who else? “Do you know how you formed it?” “I’m not sure. I can guess when, but I have no idea how. That’s why I have no idea how to stop it.” It was now dawning on Max why he had suddenly rushed to find a phone that night. “I don’t have experience on this. But if it’s like other connections… I guess you have to connect with her and find the… I don’t know what to call it. You’ll know when you see it. There must be a part of you inside her head. You’ll find that and take it back I guess. And vice versa.” “How? I’m not sure if I can get in someone else’s head. I mean, you know, I’ve never dream walked and I can't usually connect with people. And let's say I did, how will I find it or take it back? How will she do it?” “It’s easier once you connect. It will seem natural. And if you can't connect, maybe I can help. Or Isabel. Someone can connect both of you and guide you maybe.” Michael was hating this. People wandering in his head… But it was needed. He couldn’t risk her once more. Now Max… He knew what he was doing. That could just work. - - - “Max will take care of Liz. Alex and Kyle will be cleaning…” Protests and grunts came from Alex and Kyle to Isabel’s work plan for the day. She just ignored them and continued. “…I will be shopping for clothes for Liz since she can't go herself…” This time Maria was the one to protest. “Why are you doing the fun part? That’s not fair…” Isabel gave her an unbelieving look. “Oh come on. Who’s the damn model here?” She paused a moment waiting for another complaint then kept going. “Yes, I thought so. And lastly Michael and Maria will be shopping for groceries.” She handed them the list and ignored the death glares coming her way. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” “Nope. Get going people! We don’t have all day.” - - - “No, take this one. There's a toy in it.” It had been only ten minutes since they’d started shopping but they had managed to fight over every item they bought. “Okay, let's buy the one with the toy but then I’ll get to choose the next. What's next?” “Milk.” Maria smirked at him. “That’s not fair!” Michael whined. Actually he didn’t really care about the shopping list. He just liked having her talking to him. And the only way they could talk was to fight. So he fought. Over anything, everything. It was fun. He watched her as she skipped along the milk aisle, trying to choose one. He had no idea what she expected from milk. Milk was milk. What was there to choose? She finally stopped and reached for the ones on the top shelf. She wasn’t short but shelves were too high for her. She stood on her tiptoes as he watched her with a smirk. Her t-shirt rose up, revealing her ivory skin and flat stomach. He could remember exactly what it felt like to touch that skin, to kiss it. Heat was suddenly unbearable in the place. He cleared his throat and wiped his sweaty palms to his jeans. Maria felt him come closer and reach for the milks without touching her. But she could feel his heat burning her back and her imagination started running wild. He could take her, right there in the milk aisle and she wouldn’t hesitate or give a damn about who’d be watching. “How many?” She stepped aside to give him room and decided to head for ice creams next. She definitely needed something cold. “Uh… Six.” Michael put them in the cart and in mutual understanding they headed towards the freezers. - - - Michael had been playing the conversation in his head for the last hour. He was trying to find a way to tell her what was going to happen without letting her ask too many questions. But it didn’t seem possible. He knew she would ask things. Millions of things. Things he didn’t want to answer. He blurted it out in the meat aisle while she was buying enough chicken to feed an army. “Max will break the connection.” Her head snapped to look at him in horror. “What?” “Max will break the connection.” He repeated for her. “I heard you and the answer is no.” She said in irritation and turned her gaze back to the chicken. She just had to do that, hadn't she? She was just so… so… irritatingly beautiful. Oh God, what was he going to do now? “I didn’t ask you. I'm telling you. Max will do it.” She was looking at the chicken like it was the most interesting thing in the world. She was afraid that he would see the unshed tears in her eyes if she’d meet his gaze. “No. I don’t want Max in my head.” She said softly. “Look, I don’t want him in my head either. But it’s either him or Isabel. And Max is the stronger one. So we don’t exactly have any choice.” She wanted to tell him that she didn’t want to make a choice. That she wanted the connection. But it wasn’t the best idea. She didn’t have any right to protest if he didn’t want her in his head. But was she ready to give that up so easily? “No. You do it or just let it stay.” “You don’t understand.” He was closer to her now, whispering to avoid being overheard. “I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t even know how I did it in the first place. It can be dangerous.” Maria tore her gaze away from the chicken and looked him in the eye long and hard. What was he trying to do? Why was he always so full of contradictions? She had a direct line from his head to hers but still she couldn’t read him. “Then let it stay.” She whispered. “I can't.” he uttered with difficulty. Words fought him to not be voiced. “Why? It’s not like it effects physically, it’s just the pain, right? And I'm not masochistic or anything…” Oh, that was great. Now she was begging him. Pathetic. “If someone learns who I am… what I am… they would torture me. They did it to Max once and they won't hesitate to do it again. And even if I don’t get caught I might die any minute. And you will have to feel that. I can't let that happen. I won't.” She fought the tears but they came anyway. The thought of him being tortured or dying was too much for her to handle. Her heart contracted and suddenly all air left her lungs. She wanted to yell at him. How could he think that she would want to live if something like that happened to him? She knew she would be glad to feel every last second of his presence even if it meant endless anguish for her. Fury burned deep within her. How dare he?! He had no idea who she was, had he? Well, she could teach him who Maria DeLuca was. She looked in his eyes with all the determination she could gather. It was hard to look pissed and serious with tears coursing down your cheeks but she managed it anyway. “I’m not letting him in my mind. If you want to break the connection so damn much, you’ll have to do it yourself.” She stomped away from him, not able to look at him for a moment longer without bursting into tears, and left him stupefied with the chickens. - - - “Will you hurry up!?!” Michael was struggling with the shopping bags while Maria walked towards her car without carrying a thing. He would have made her carry some, but after giving her all the trouble with everything, it only seemed fair. How could he know that those things weighed a ton? But walking from her behind did have its privileges. She looked delicious in some simple jeans and t-shirt. He loved to watch her walk. She had this gracious way of walking… It wasn’t like Isabel’s, not that typical feminine walk but something different… That was Maria alright! Something different. They reached the car and Michael started putting the bags on the ground. God, they could feed half of Africa with those things! Maria opened the trunk and he started putting them in. It was a hard job considering the size of the car. He carefully put half of the bags in the trunk and turned towards the back seat. The rest had to go there. That’s when he saw the little boy. The little boy was wandering around, looking curiously inside every car. He was three or four years old. He looked like he was about to cry any minute. Maria saw him too. He was cute. Curly blond hair and big blue eyes. He had a little upturned nose and freckles, not like Lei’s, his were lighter. The boy was wearing a white t-shirt with Bugs Bunny on it and navy blue shorts. He came closer, looked inside their car and passed them still looking around. Maria watched him in awe. If she had had a little boy, he would have been this big by now. She didn’t want to think about it, she had forbade herself to think or talk about it lots of times in the past, but she couldn’t help but wonder. What would it be like? To be a mother? To have someone’s unconditional love and trust? The boy stood in the middle and looked around, his face slowly crumpling. Then he started crying. He was wailing like a trapped animal. Tears streamed down his cheeks and his little hands went to his eyes, rubbing the tears away. His sobs echoed in the place and that got Maria moving. She strode towards the boy and kneeled in front of him. Michael watched in interest from where he stood and tried not to see what he replayed in his mind for millions of times; Maria with a baby in her arms, looking at him and smiling. “Hey little guy. What’s your name?” She was playing with his hair softly to calm him down. For a minute she thought he would run away but then he raised his eyes to see the person in front of him. His eyes were big and innocent and he resembled a lost puppy. “S-s-st-stan…” he croaked with great difficulty. He was hiccuping now which made it hard for him to form sentences. She held out her hand to him. “I'm Maria, but you can call me Mars.” She smiled at him in an attempt to comfort him. “And this spiky haired guy over there is Michael. He’s my friend. You wanna go meet him?” He smiled softly and watched her as she got up from the ground. He nodded his head and held out his arms to tell her he wanted to be carried. She smiled at him and gathered his small figure in her arms. They walked back to the car. Michael smirked at the picture. Maria walking towards him with a little boy in her arms. You could almost think that she was the mother. They had the exact same hair color. But the eyes were giving it away. Neither of them had blue eyes. He frowned at the thought. She never was going to have his baby anyway. She was going to have someone else’s baby. Another man was going to sleep in her bed, touch her, kiss her, make love to her… Good thing they approached him before his imagination went further and he started killing every blue eyed man in sight. “Michael, meet Stan.” Maria beamed at him. The little boy held out his little hand and shook Michael’s finger. “Hi.” He said shyly. “Hi.” Michael couldn’t help but smile at the boy. He was sweet. Michael had never been good with kids. They scared him. They were too small, too delicate. And it wasn’t a secret that he wasn’t exactly a gentle guy. “So, Michael, wanna give our little friend a chocolate? They were in a bag with cornflakes.” Michael grunted in response and delved into the backseat, looking for chocolates. He found them easily enough, Maria had lost herself when she’d seen them and bought as much as she could before Michael had to pull her away from them. Ten minutes later, Stan was sitting on the hood of Maria’s car and eating his third chocolate bar while telling them cheerfully about his girlfriend next door. He pulled softly Maria’s curls with his chocolate smeared little hand. “Kelly has hair like yours! And she taught me how to braid them. Do you know? I can teach you. And mom always lets her…” His voice trailed off and he suddenly looked uncomfortable. His eyes started to wander around and became teary. Just as Maria was about to ask what was wrong, he started crying again. She threw a panicked glance at Michael. He just shrugged. She softly wiped his tears away with her palms and made soothing noises. He clung to her neck and let himself be carried around. His head was on her shoulder and he was sobbing uncontrollably. “Stan, what is it baby? Why are you crying?” “My mom…… I want my mommy……” He kept on sobbing and hiccuping loudly as Maria stroked his back. “Okay. Don’t worry we’ll find your mommy. Don’t cry, I’ll find her. Sssh…” But the little boy couldn’t stop crying in her arms. And she couldn’t do anything but walk around with him and try to soothe him with her words and touch. Just as she thought she was going to pass out from exhaustion he suddenly stopped crying. He started wiggling in her arms and looked at her with a huge grin in his face. “Mars, mommy’s here.” She checked the way he was pointing and saw a young woman running towards them. She put Stan on his feet and watched him run to his mother. They embraced and the woman kissed the top of his head while looking at her with thankful eyes. She smiled to her and slightly nodded her head. Then, as Michael watched her in surprise, she turned around, hit her forehead with her palm and shouted. “Holy S-hit!” She ran towards the car, threw him the keys and got in quickly. “I can't believe we’re so stupid! God, hurry Spaceboy! We gotta get back!” Wait; Spaceboy? What was she talking about? PART 20 Michael grabbed her arm as she stumbled over the stairs. She had been running all the way from the parking lot and had been too impatient to wait for the elevator. She’d been babbling for the last fifteen minutes as they drove back home –not home, he corrected himself, Maria’s apartment… Yeah, that was better- but Michael still had no idea why they were in a hurry. It was impossible to make out what she was really trying to say. And of course there was this little fact that he was too busy watching her lips move, to really hear the actual words. Maria rummaged through her bag frantically but couldn’t find the key. She almost dropped the bag, not able to hold it with her shaking hands. She finally gave up and turned the bag upside down, spilling its contents on her feet. Her eyes caught a glint of her keys and she dove for them. Michael caught up with her and found her on the floor surrounded by some… things… scattered around. He looked at them in wonder. She carried all those things with her? There were some stuff that reminded him of a movie he’d once seen, about a psychotic dentist. He shivered at the memory. She had found the damn keys but now she couldn’t fit it in the keyhole. She was on her knees and her hands were shaking. She tried the other key and then tried it upside down… Michael was really getting worried over her weird behavior but even that couldn’t stop the smirk creeping up his lips at the sight of Maria fumbling with the keys. He gently reached his hand over hers and stilled it. Maria raised her head to look at him in confusion. He calmly put his hand on the lock and pushed the door open as he heard the click. She gave him a small, child-like smile and ran inside. He shook his head smiling and skipped over her bag to enter the apartment. When he entered the bedroom, Maria was still babbling and this time Max was the one looking confused. Isabel approached him with her usual motherly attitude. “Do you know what she’s talking about?” He shrugged. “Nope.” “Wait, where are the bags?” She looked around Michael with a scowl. “In the car.” Michael offered, cowering as he expected her to blow up. “Michael Guerin, when I send you shopping, I actually expect you to bring them to me, not leave them out there. Everyone has responsibilities, Kyle and Alex have been working their asses off. You can't just…” Maria cut her ranting. “Will you guys listen???” “Oh yeah, what the hell is so damn important?” Maria glared at Isabel. She sure was a princess but that was HER damn home! She noted to get back at her for that bitchiness and focused on what was important. “I figured it out.” She said triumphantly, facing Max. “I finally figured it out and we are so damn stupid.” “You figured what out?” “The baby. Why he’s crying.” “Wha… Why? How?” Max crossed his arms and watched her with skeptical eyes. This wasn’t anything to joke around for him. Maria couldn’t believe that he was giving her the exact look he had been giving Michael whenever he had tried to say something important, but she didn’t dwell on it. She tried to concentrate on Liz, not Max. Max was weird, one minute he was Prince Charming, the next he could be The King of A-ssholes. “You said he’s making his presence known, right?” She paused a moment and waited for Max to nod. “Why would he do that? Cause he’s trying to reach someone.” Michael watched her eyes as she talked. She was enchanting like that, all excited and animated. He desperately wanted to grab a pencil and catch that look of her. His fingers itched to draw. But he did the next best thing. He memorized it, so he could put it on paper later. And maybe he could even paint her. He wasn’t really that good at painting. But he could learn for her. He had to. Her eyes deserved more than black and white could offer. “Reach who? Evil aliens? Why would he wanna do that?” Isabel asked sarcastically. Maria thought she would have blown them up if she had any powers. God, they were so irritating. She had been nothing but friendly with them. She’d given them her home and all she ever did was help. And they were still treating her like the enemy. She glared at Max and Isabel, and walked to the bed with a scowl where Liz was watching them with innocent and torn eyes. Maria sat on the bed, ignoring everyone and held Liz’s hand. “Your baby is looking for you Liz. He’s not like us. He has a different level of communication. He’s trying to reach you but he can't, cause you’re different. You're human. You can't hear him. So he keeps crying. You have to tell him you're here. Okay?” She softly kissed Liz’s cheek and without giving anyone a second glance left the room. - - - Isabel found her sitting on the balcony, eating chocolate. Once again she cursed her lack of communication skills. But this time she had to make it right, there was no going back. She sat near her as she did months ago in Roswell. She had no idea where to start, how to start… “I’m not that cold bitch normally, you know?” Maria chuckled softly but didn’t look at her. “You could have fooled me…” “It’s just scary.” Isabel said ignoring her sarcasm. That got Maria’s attention. “What is?” “New people.” Isabel turned her head and Maria saw the first time why Alex chose to be with that woman. “My family is everything I have. Max, Michael, Alex and Liz and of course the baby now… They are all I have in the world. It’s scary that new people can mean new danger. I can't afford to trust easily.” Maria didn’t talk and just waited for her to finish. She looked like she needed it. “You did so much for us. You deserve to be trusted. I know that. Michael trusts you and he never trusts anyone. Ever. It’s just that I'm too used to not trusting, it’s kinda hard to break the walls now.” She took a deep breath. This wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be. Isabel looked deep and hard in Maria’s eyes to make her understand she really meant every word she said. “I trust you. And I'm sorry for all the things that happened between us. But if you're willing to give me the chance and the time, I want to be your friend.” Maria smiled and watched Isabel as her smile turned into a relieved one from a tense half smile. “Okay. I’d like that.” She said and felt like a five year old kid meeting her first friend. It had to be something like that for Isabel, after all she’d never had real friends except Alex and Liz. “Liz made you do that, didn’t she?” Maria asked playfully. Isabel smirked. “Oh no, I volunteered to get out of there before Michael blew me up with his death glare.” Maria froze not sure how to react to that. Isabel saw her lack of reaction and decided to ask, since they were almost friends now. “So what's the deal between you guys?” “Nothing.” Maria sighed. “There’s nothing going on between us.” “Really? I could have sworn there was something. I never saw him like that before. I can't exactly understand his actions, he never lets me understand him but I know he’s not his usual self around you.” “It’s just complicated.” Maria said, not able to explain but also not wanting to lie to her either. “Believe me, I know. When you’re an alien, everything is.” - - - Maria watched as Max placed his hand on Liz’s swollen belly and closed his eyes. His hand started glowing. It wasn’t scary like the one she’d seen in Roswell. It was a soft white glow. It appeared to be absorbed by Liz’s skin. They stayed that way for a few minutes, not moving a muscle as the others watched in awe. Then Liz started to smile. Her eyes opened and tears spilled down her cheeks. Max’s hand stopped glowing. He opened his eyes and met Liz’s without removing his hand. No words were needed as Max lay down next to her, hugging her close to his body and closed his eyes with relief. Everyone tiptoed out of the room and closed the door silently behind them. “I am never babysitting that kid.” Isabel said as they walked to the living room. “I’ve had enough of his crying to last me a lifetime.” - - - Everything was back to the way it was supposed to be the day after that. Liz was happy and calm, Max was finally sleeping and Antarians were all relaxed with the loss of constant crying echoing in their heads. Maria wasn’t as pissed off as she had been the day before. Talking to Isabel had been a great relief for her. For the first time since she had met them she felt accepted. Maria sat on the bed, next to Liz. “How are you feeling?” “Great. Thanks to you.” “You need to thank Max, not me. He connected you…” “No. I need to thank you. And I need to apologize. Don’t interrupt, please, I need to do this.” Liz cleared her throat. “I’m sorry for the way my family treated you. I'm sorry that I wasn’t able to defend you. I'm sorry about the way I talked about Michael. You were right. I had no right to assume. And I'm so sorry that I haven't been a good friend to you. I was too wrapped up in my own life, I forgot about you. I'm sorry.” “No, no Liz, it was my fault. I never called, I pushed you away. I had problems and I didn’t want you to see that I failed. I am the one that should apologize.” Liz chuckled. “Look at us, we sound so stupid.” “Just like old times…” Maria joined her laughter. “But you should know this one thing. It wasn’t your fault. You had problems and I wasn’t there. If I had been a good friend I would have known something was wrong.” Maria’s eyes filled with tears. She was so used to blaming herself, now it was hard to accept she wasn’t the only one guilty. “So you don’t hate me?” Liz hugged her friend. “Why would I hate you? You had always been the best of friends. And you saved my baby.” “Thank you Liz. Thank you.” - - - Michael snickered as he watched Max approach Maria with caution. Maria was sitting on the couch, painting her toenails to the bright pink he began to adore. Max was uncomfortable. Good… He’d deserved it. He sat next her, careful to not knock over the bottle on the couch. “Uh… Hi, Maria.” She raised an eyebrow and offered a tentative hi. “I came to apologize.” “You mean Liz sent you to apologize.” Michael was enjoying the show. Max was squirming. It was always a great pleasure to watch The King squirm. “Yes, kind of. But I wanted to apologize too.” “So?” “Uh… Yes… I'm sorry. I was…” “A jackass?” she offered and Michael had to bite his lip to not laugh at Max’s blush. “I guess you could say that. I'm not like that normally…” Michael rolled his eyes with disbelief. “I don’t care Max. I'm not the one marrying you. You just make sure Liz is safe and happy then I won't give a s-hit about how jackass you can be. Okay?” She said with a predator look. “Okay.” Max managed to croak out before he split. Michael’s smirk froze when he heard her talk to him. “Enjoying the show, Spaceboy?” S-hit. He was caught. “Spaceboy? What did I do to be promoted from Bobo to Spaceboy?” He covered his uneasiness by verbally attacking her. It was working. She really was uncomfortable, so she changed subject without raising her eyes from her toes. “Isabel apologized too. She said she wanted to be friends.” “Really? That’s a first.” “I guess.” She smirked. “Your family likes me. Unfortunately you’ll be seeing me a lot in the future.” He wasn’t sure what to say to that. It can't possibly be enough? I hate it that you’ll be coming for them and not me? A million different replies flashed through his mind but the one he voiced wasn’t a pretty one. “You should stay away.” Her head jolted up and she caught his deep brown eyes. “Why the hell is that?” She hissed through gritted teeth. “It’s not safe. You don’t need to be in that mess.” He stated. “You may not be able to understand this Michael but there are some things in my life that are worth taking any risk for.” Her eyes were boring holes through his. He winced when she spat his name out like a curse. “Nothing can be important enough to risk your life for.” He knew the statement in general wasn’t true, but he wanted her to believe it. He couldn’t have her get killed because of them. She was too precious to lose. And too stubborn to understand. “You are supposed to be a soldier, you should know better.” “I'm not a soldier. I don’t know s-hit about being a soldier. I am just Michael, Rath is dead and gone.” It sounded like a stranger talking. He couldn’t believe that he was saying this, or more importantly believing it. He was letting go of the only bond he had with his home. His f-ucking home planet… It was now a fading dream along with Rath. He was now realizing that he finally fully became Michael. Yeah, he was now plain Michael Guerin. And surprisingly, it felt right. “I don’t think you can understand what I'm talking about.” Maria said softly, hurt evident in her voice. “But trust me on this Michael, you’re not really living if you don’t have anything that’s worth dying for.” “I have something that’s worth dying for.” Michael whispered trapped in her eyes. Maria stopped breathing. She couldn’t dare hope. But the way he looked at her… Michael wanted to tell her. Tell her and get it out of his chest. Tell her and hold her in his arms. And he was about to… He was about to say “it’s you…” when Isabel rushed into the room. “Maria, it’s Liz, her water just broke…” |
| Parts 16-20 |