Author: DocPaul DocPaul_Inbox@aol.com
Spoilers: Up to Off The Menu.
Author's Note: Even though the episodes aired in a different order, here is where this fic fits in the series.
Distribution: Exclusive to "Cause we know..." & Mud.
Max watched as Michael flipped all the burgers and checked the Saturn rings. It was the day after the incident at the UFO Center, and on the surface Roswell returned back to normal. But Max knew better. His life had taken a drastic change. He needed to talk to Michael about it, but the lunch crowd was making it hard. He watched as Michael brought some completed orders over to the pickup window where Max stood and followed his gaze across the CrashDown to the outside dining area were Maria was.
Max watched Maria sit down at a table with Brody. They were talking and suddenly Maria started laughing and smiling at Brody. Somehow they looked close. Max never really paid much attention to how much time and effort Brody went to as far as Maria was concerned, but after yesterday, it was hard to ignore how friendly the two had become. He knew that for Maria there was no one, but Michael. But somehow he suspected that for Brody there was no one, but Maria. He watched Michael’s eyes narrow in consideration at the two of them, and then suddenly cleared as he went back to the task at hand of cooking.
Granted, that was the word Max was looking for. Michael takes it for granted that Maria will always be there, that no matter what happens between them, that she would be there strong and loyal. And in some ways, somehow knowing that, Michael had learned to be lazy with Maria. He didn’t always listen or worry that his pissy behavior was going to offend her or make her leave. And the times he went too far he would scramble to fix things, but he never learned that he was suppose to pay attention in the first place, so Maria was left dealing with everything, being the one that did all the work in their relationship, and all the forgiving. But Max knew that Michael was wrong. Maria might not be there all the time, forever. Someday she might notice that other men actually listen to her, value her company and friendship, and want to make her happy, men like Brody. Someday Michael might have taken her for granted once too often, and suddenly she would be gone, and Michael would be alone.
It wasn’t Michael’s fault really, because of his life and how he was brought up, all he knew was how to look out for his own needs. No one taught him that he would someday have to place another person’s happiness above his own. He sort of had an idea that he needed to take care of Maria, but that usually meant he pushed her away to keep her from getting hurt, or he worried that being the person he was would be what hurt her the most. The one thing he never learned was that he needed to think of her, listen to her, just as much as he wanted to have someone think and listen to him. The concept has escaped him, except in a few moments of enlightened thinking, and suddenly it would be gone again.
“You know, I didn’t think that we were going to make it out of there last night. Brody really was out of control with Larek’s memories. It was touch and go there for a while with my powers being dampened and all. We were helpless.”
“Well you came through Maxwell. You always do.” Michael said off handedly and kept on cooking. Damn, Max almost swore under his breath. It wasn’t just Maria that Michael brushed off. Basically it was everyone. He always noticed how Michael seemed to live in his own thoughts, in his own head, making off handed comments, all the uh huh, and whatevers in the right places, but he didn’t really listen or pay attention unless it meant something to him. “Isabel decided that after last night she is going to step up her relationship with Alex.”
“Uh huh.” Michael put the new order under the heater and hit the bell for the waitress to pickup. Isabel was doing something or other, got it.
“Actually, I didn’t come through. Maria did. She was the one who talked Brody down, got him to turn off the alien devise.” Max watched Michael carefully to see if anything was sinking into his rock for brain head. “I think it was their relationship that made it possible. Even though Brody was confused and couldn’t remember Maria, he knew that he was in love with her. Now I think Larek is too.”
“What? What do you mean their relationship?” Max hadn’t noticed that Michael suddenly became still, that suddenly his attention for once was focused, but it was. His voiced had risen slightly and he had that dark look on his face. “What the hell are you talking about Maxwell? Maria and Brody do not have a relationship, at best she delivers him his stupid sandwich and they talk a few moment a day.”
“You think?” Max pointedly looked out the window at Maria sitting at Brody’s table, the two of them bent slightly forward towards each other, and Maria was talking and Brody was at attention, listening to her every word like it came from the mouth of God.
“What the hell is he doing?” Max almost laughed out loud at the outrage in Michael’s voice.
“He’s listening to her. I bet you that Brody could recite every word ever spoken to him from Maria’s mouth. Watching her mouth seems to be a favorite pastime of his.” He heard an angry exclamation and turned to watch Michael punishing burgers on the grill, taking out some of his dark anger on them. It was enough said already, but somehow Max knew what would push Michael over the proverbial edge. “Yeah, to get him to turn off the device and hand over the gun Maria used that special soft voice of hers, you know the one, it’s kind of singsong and melodic.”
Michael left the grill and came over to the window. He had to ask and his voice had an almost horrified sound to it. “The voice? She used the voice, on Brody?”
“Yeah, strange, I don’t think I ever heard that voice before except when she talks to you, tries to calm you down or is taking care of you. I always thought it was a nice voice, you know, the kind of voice a mother uses with her children because they are so special to her.”
“She used the voice with Brody.” Michael repeated to himself. He knew what voice Max was talking about. Max was right. Maria had only really used that voice with him; it gave a feeling of closeness, or being cherished, and she used it on Brody. Michael’s eyes narrowed as he looked outside watching Maria get up and say something to Brody before she went back to work. Michael noticed how Brody smiled at his Maria, how Brody’s eyes followed her, how he was checking out her legs. Damn.
“Well, there was something I wanted to talk to you about, but perhaps later.” Max decided that he spread enough joy in Michael’s life for one day. It was the distracted “Uh huh” that made him laugh. It was funny to see Michael shaken out of his self-absorbed world.
Maria was serving a customer when Liz appeared at her side. She quickly smiled at the customer and gave them their bill before following Liz to the break room.
“What’s up?”
“Maria, did you and Michael have a fight?”
Maria was shocked at the question. “No! Why?”
“Oh, umm…nothing, it’s just that over the last hour Michael has snapped at most of the waitresses picking up orders or dropping them off, and the burgers seem to be getting a real grilling today.”
“No, we are fine. I mean we really haven’t talked since before the incident yesterday. I was busy with Sean, my mom, and Brody.” Maria’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “You want me to talk to him?”
“Could you?” Liz gave Maria a big happy smile. “Its just if this keeps up the other waitresses will quit and we will be forced to work doubles to cover the shifts.”
“Okay, okay, I’m going. Great, I don’t know why I have to face the lions den every time a certain Czechoslovakia gets his boxers in a twist.” Maria gave a big sigh. She really didn’t want her whole day ruined because Michael was in a pissy mood.
“Thanks Maria.” Liz bounced off with that damn shiny hair swinging.
“I need a raise.”
Maria walked over to the kitchen door, and stood silently watched Michael work. He really was grilling the hell out of those burgers, slamming things around, so much so that the other cooks were staying as far away from him as possible. Putting on a cheerful smile, Maria entered the kitchen. Jose and the other cook, Bob saw her. They made violent gestures behind Michael’s back trying to wave her off. Just smiling at them, she went up to Michael.
“Hey.” Michael just grunted, until suddenly he looked up and noticed it was Maria.
“Umm, hi.” Maria frowned. His response almost sounds subdued and shy.
“I was going on a small break. I thought maybe you could use one too?” Moving in closer, she hooked a finger in the strap of his apron, and ran it upwards, and softening her voice. “I haven’t had the time to even say two words with you since yesterday.”
“Jose, I’m taking a break.” Michael pulled his apron off and tossed it on a worktable grabbing Maria’s hand pulled her from the kitchen. He missed both Jose and Bob saying thanks to God for sending an angel in the form of Maria DeLuca.
Maria was worried about the quiet Michael. He was almost looking uncomfortable. “Why don’t you wait here? I will go get us some drinks, or do you want to go sit in a booth outside.” Before she could take off he stopped her.
“Maria.” Michael moved in closer moving her up against the bathroom door. His hand came up to brush up her neck and curl around her neck under her hair. He was staring intensely at her mouth. Maria felt her heart flutter at the look. Unable to resist, she licked her lips, and a groan from Michael made her close her eyes. He finally looked up to make eye contact with her. “Are you okay?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing.”
“I’m fine. I was just worried about you, and about last night.
“Oh, oh! No, I’m fine. I knew Brody would never hurt me, and luckily you and Isabel got the door down giving us more time to fix Brody before the police ran in shooting everything in sight.” Maria moved her hand up his chest and leaned in closer letting her hand to come to rest on his shoulder. “Didn’t I thank you properly?”
Michael let Maria kiss him, but it was wrong. He was doing it again. He was letting her breeze over his mistakes so he didn’t have to be accountable. Pulling away from her, he took her hand and pulled her over to the sofa. Sitting down next to her, he took her hand. “I’m sorry.”
Maria was confused. “About what?”
“Lots of things, but mostly, I’m sorry I didn’t get your clue.”
“My clue?”
“The galaxy sub with pepperjack, Maria. I didn’t get the clue when Liz asked me and Isabel if it meant anything to us.” Maria suddenly understood what was bothering him.
“Oh, that’s okay. I didn’t expect you to get it. I thought Liz would, but either way, you showed up and everything was okay.” Michael didn’t know what was worse. Having missed the clue because he never paid enough attention to Maria, or her not expecting him to get it because she knows he never pays enough attention to her. Either alternative really sucked.
“I’m still sorry. I should have paid more attention.”
“That’s okay. I’ll let you make it up to me.” Maria had that sound to her voice again. It dropped to an almost husky whisper, became melodic and soothing as she moved even closer to him.
“How?”
And then they were kissing. It was like a movable feast, tasting something sacred. He liked kissing her because he could feel her really feel her. All she felt, all she needed was open for him to see. There were no more questions, no more fumbling in the dark, it was just there. Michael was addicted to her, to kissing her, because he liked the way she felt about him, the way she saw him. It was more than he ever imagined, more than he ever hoped for. They might not stay together forever, his world, his life might break them apart, but he would be damned if he would lose her to another man just because they listened to her, and he didn’t. People learned everyday, and so could he.
“Dinner? You want to eat with me tonight?”
“Okay.” Maria said before she started kissing him again. It was the sound of Liz’s coughing in the doorway that finally pulled them apart. Michael looked at the time and swore. He needed his damn shift over soon so he could go shopping for food for dinner. With one last kiss, he was through the door of the kitchen whistling under his breath.
“Umm, so Maria, is Michael okay?” Liz was curious about the obvious change in demeanor.
“Oh, he’s fine. From where I am standing, he shaping up to damn near perfect.” Liz watched Maria swing through the doors back into the café shaking her head. Those two were nothing if not unpredictable. Well at least life with them was never routine or boring.
The End.