PART 6 Michael was blinded by a strong, white light, right above his head. His mind was fuzzy. He was in a hospital, he could smell it. The mixed smell of hygiene and death… He panicked. When he finally could see, he saw a man hovering above his face. A stranger. A tall stranger with black hair. He was wearing a black suit. Black suit, the object of his fears. But Michael wasn’t scared this time. The stranger’s crying blue eyes calmed him down. He wasn’t dangerous. His eyes were soft. He was holding his hand and talking to him but Michael couldn’t hear. All he could hear was a buzz. He felt desperation like he never did before. Like he was trapped. He wanted to die to make it stop. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. He felt empty. As if he lost something but couldn’t remember what. He was also slightly pissed. All those feelings were assaulting him but he wasn’t even sure they were his. He was suffocating. The walls were closing in on him. He wanted to get up and get out. He tore the tubes from his arms and nose but couldn’t even sit up. He felt a deep pain in his stomach. The pain created echoes in his mind, causing another and another to hit him. Mental ones this time, not physical. But they hurt just the same, if not even more. He was angry now. Angry because of the pain? He had no idea. He threw himself off the bed and felt blood rushing down his legs. He lay on the cold floor, blood slowly puddling under him. He felt like giving up everything at that moment, just wanted to lay there and bleed to death. - - - Michael stirred and woke up feeling moisture on his face. It was one of those dreams. They felt real. Too damn real. He brushed his tears away. His hand touched something warm. He opened his eyes and saw a cloud of blond hair around his neck. The smell, her smell. It was like heaven, to wake up to that smell. He couldn’t understand how that happened. Why was she in his bed? This was wrong. ‘Oh, god! Please don’t tell me I slept with her while I was drunk?’ he thought. He knew he screwed everything up again, in a really fucked up way this time. She would hate him once she woke up. This was just his luck. Sleeping with the sexiest creature alive and not even remembering it. He knew it! He was definitely cursed. He tightened his grip on her waist without even realizing. He looked down at her face. Her head was on his chest and she was holding a tight grip on his favorite black t-shirt. Wait a second! He had his clothes on. They weren’t naked. He breathed a sigh of relief. So they didn’t have sex. Was that good? Of course it was. The disappointment he felt was just a sign of his stupidity. He felt her stir near him. Her little feet rubbed against his and he knew this wasn’t good. He had to get out of that bed before she woke up to find him with a hard on. He tried to disentangle himself but that made her stir more. She was about to wake up and he had no idea what to do. Maybe if he pretended to be asleep she would just wake up and go away. But he didn’t want that. He wanted to know what she was doing there, in his bed. It was too late anyway. Her eyes were already open. She yawned and looked up. Gave him a small smile and said “Mornin’…” He was surprised, confused and… delighted for some weird reason. “Good morning.” He said, not knowing what else to do. There was no easy way of asking this so he went straight to the point. “Why are you here?” She wasn’t angry this time. She was expecting this. He was really out of it last night so she didn’t expect him to remember it. This was better anyway. She knew he would feel self-conscious if he remembered what he did or said. There was just one thing she needed him to know from last night and she would definitely make it known, she just didn’t know how yet. “Well buddy…” she was talking in a mock fury, propped on one of her elbows looking down at him. “I carried your heavy drunk ass up here last night. The least you could be is grateful! And you know you really should lose some weight. I was so exhausted, I guess I fell asleep here.” Okay, maybe it wasn’t the most plausible story but she couldn’t think of anything better. She couldn’t think of anything period. He was too close. His heady scent was clouding her head. “I didn’t ask you to carry me here. You could just leave me there.” “How do you know? You can’t even remember it.” He thought about it for a moment. She was right. “Well, it was the least you could do. I carried you to bed like four or five times in a month. You keep passing out everywhere.” “So, we’re even.” He shook her hand. “Yep, we’re even.” He got up and walked towards the door. This was as good as it could get. Better to leave it at that. But she obviously didn’t agree. She ran and stood between him and the door, stopping him. “Wait I need to tell you something.” “What now?” He looked bored but he was just scared. ‘Please, don’t talk about feelings or something like that…’ he begged silently. “I just want you to listen and not say anything. I’m not telling this to get a response. I’m just telling it cause you’re really dense and need everything spelled out for you. You don’t get a say in this, you just get to know it and what you do with it is totally your decision.” She looked at him expectantly. All she got was a nod with a skeptical look. “I know you have your secrets. I don’t know what they are and from now on, I don’t care. You may be a secret agent or a serial killer. I don’t know. I just trust you with it. You can tell me, but you don’t have to. But I don’t want you to hold yourself back because of them. I am your friend and I will keep being your friend no matter what. I may not know how you became that man of contradictions like Max and Izzie does, but I know the way you are now and somehow that seems enough. I know you don’t trust easily and I’m not asking for you to. Just know that I trust you and I’m your friend and since I’m the guest I get to shower first.” With that she smiled and ran to the bathroom. It wasn’t the smooth speech she had planned in her head but it covered the essentials. She dropped her clothes on the floor, needing a long, cold shower after all that heat. - - - “Good morning Michael! I made pancakes for you, just the way you like them.” Amy was her usual cheerful self. But Michael was surprisingly not his usual brooding self that morning. He was quiet and thoughtful but kind. “Thanks Amy.” She kissed his cheek. That was their own little morning tradition. The first one to wake up prepared breakfast and Amy kissed his cheek just once every morning. Her smiling face made him forget about the nightmares of the night before and relax. But not this morning. This morning her face reminded him of Maria’s. Which wasn’t surprising since everything did lately. “Good morning mom!” Maria sat next to him on the table. She knew he was avoiding her eyes. It was okay. She trusted him to get through this alive and admit being friends sooner or later. She picked up her fork and stole some of his food since hers wasn’t served yet. She spit it out immediately. “Disgusting! Oh god, how can someone eat that!” She attacked the water bottle. He was smirking at her now. “A little too hot for you princess?” ‘Did he really mean it to sound that sexy or am I getting really desperate?’ she wondered. He was looking at her suggestively with a raised eyebrow. He loved teasing her. She was too easy and looked really hot all flushed and angry. Maria licked her lips making him bite back a groan. He gulped. She was a strong opponent. Amy interrupted, reminding them just in time where they were. “Here you go honey…” She put a plate in front of her. “So Michael, I’ve been meaning to ask you, what will you wear to the wedding?” Amy knew he didn’t have a tux or anything formal to wear. “Uh… this?” he said looking at his jeans and t-shirt. “Oh, no you won’t.” Maria objected, shaking her head. “Maria honey get him a tux, will you?” Michael was whining. “Why do I need a tux? I can just wear a jacket or something…” “Well, I was gonna ask you this in a more appropriate moment but, whatever. I was wondering if you would walk me down the aisle?” Amy was looking at him with hopeful eyes. Michael couldn’t say anything for a moment. “Are you sure? I mean isn’t there someone else?” He looked weird. He felt weird. “I have some relatives but no one that close. You’re the closest I have to a son.” She was smiling that sweet smile they had, the special contagious DeLuca smile. “Okay. If that’s what you want.” He managed to say. He wasn’t comfortable with the idea but felt honored and couldn’t refuse her. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” Amy said throwing herself in his arms. DeLuca’s definitely had aggressive reactions to everything. After Amy calmed down, they talked about guests and flowers and some other boring things, so Michael helped himself to another plate of pancakes and tuned them out. He started paying attention to the conversation again when he saw Maria squirming and raising her voice. “Ria baby, I know you aren’t gay, I found condoms at your place.” What was she talking about? He really missed something there. “You rummaged through my drawers haven’t you?” Her eyes were narrowed. She was fuming. You could almost see the smoke coming out of her ears. “I was just cleaning…” “Mom, we talked about this…” “I know, I know. I’m not meddling in your life. I just…” Her voice cracked. ”I just never met any of your boyfriends. I… You know I always imagined meeting your first boyfriend but I obviously missed that. And I couldn’t see you in your prom dress… I just want to meet someone, anyone from your life. If that’s okay?” Maria looked at her mother’s tear filled eyes. She was her only child. Amy deserved better. She definitely did. “Okay. I’ll call him today. He’ll be here for the wedding.” Michael was staring at a spot on the floor without actually seeing anything while mother and daughter hugged mere inches away from him. So she had a boyfriend back home. Well, what was he expecting? It was only natural for a girl that beautiful and smart and funny and sexy to have a boyfriend. Of course she was taken. That was better. So he didn’t have to worry about being more than friends with her. He could be just her friend. Why not? He never tried being anyone’s friend before but how hard could it be? He never met anyone like Maria before either. He could make an exception for her. She was different, so this could be different. She was easy to talk to. She seemed to understand his needs. She was fun to mess with. She was clever. She could cook. She gave him her trust unconditionally. She already was his friend. He could make it and her having a boyfriend made it less confusing. Even better. He always was a bad liar. - - - “Michael just get out of there will you?” “Easy for you to say! You’re not the one looking like a clown.” “Oh, stop whining and let me see…” Michael walked in her view, still fidgeting in his tux. He walked towards the mirror passing by a dumbfounded Maria. He took one look at the mirror and groaned. “I’m not going into public like this!” Maria got out of her stupor and hit his head; partly because of his whining and partly because he looked so damn good in that thing. Maria thought he looked delicious in his jeans as well. And his boxers. Or his sweatpants. Hell, he would even look good wearing nothing. She thought about it for a moment and smiled mischievously, yeah, he definitely would look perfect wearing nothing. “You wanna tell mom or should I?” she asked innocently taking out her cell phone. A look of terror crossed his face. She congratulated herself and put the phone back in her bag. “That was low!” he said. “Whatever it takes!” She walked closer to help him with his tie. “This thing is stupid, I can’t do it.” “Here, let me.” They were too close again. Alarms started in her head. But this was a kind of game for her now. She loved the thrill. She raised her head and looked at him. He was tall. His lips begged her to be kissed. She looked at them and licked her lips. What was it with them that they always ended up like this? Every time they were near each other they found themselves kissing or refraining hardly from it. He looked at her eyes and asked the question that got her out of her daze. “So did you call him?” “Who?” “Your boyfriend. Amy will be disappointed if he won’t show up.” “Oh… I… No. Not yet.” Why was she lying to him now? That wasn’t good. She told him he could trust her only hours ago. And she meant it. And now she was lying to him. Great… Great… She was screwing that up too. She suddenly thought that this could be a good opportunity to see if he cared. It was one thing to be with a guy who only wanted to get laid and another thing to be with Michael when all he wanted was to get laid. Nope, she couldn’t just risk her heart for another asshole. But this was just a fantasy anyway. She admitted that maybe he wasn’t as bad as he looked, that he was a good guy. But that didn’t make him Mr.Right. He didn’t have a real job. He had serious attitude problems. He never had responsibilities, he was still just a kid. She had to get that through her thick scull; he had no future. She needed future. She needed someone stable. Someone to lean on whenever she was weak, someone to build a family with. She wanted more this time. More than just sex. More than fun. Something… meaningful. It was okay to be his friend though. So it was better for him to think she was taken. They could be just friends this way and it was enough. It was all they could ever be. She took out her cell phone to make a real call this time and dialed the familiar number. “Hey babe, I need a favor.” - - - Maria convinced Michael to buy the tux, telling him that he might need it later, if he could find a girl stupid enough to marry him. When Michael finally headed for work, still cursing under his breath, Maria took off to see Liz. Surprise, surprise! Liz was at The Crashdown. She was sitting in a booth with Max. They looked so young and in love, Maria couldn’t help but envy. When she got near them she had a really stupid idea in her head. ‘But I need to know…’ she reasoned and went for it anyway. When had she ever did anything logical anyway? “Hi Liz, Max.” “Hi.” “Hey Maria.” “Max I need to talk to you about something. Can I borrow him for a moment Liz?” “Of course, go ahead!” Liz looked puzzled. What was that all about? Max led her to the break room. She tried to shape a not-too-weird way to ask him things, but her time was limited. They were there in a second and Max was looking at her expectantly. She gave him a shy smile. “Sorry about that. I just thought it would be better if we talked alone. Liz seemed a little too emotional yesterday.” “Yeah, I know. It’s hard for her.” She wanted to ask what exactly was hard for her but had a feeling that he would lie… Again. She was sick of Roswell with all its lies. “Look Max, I came here, a month ago with a heavy emotional baggage. But I found you all even more screwed up than I am.” Max had to agree. They really were screwed up. “I know there are things you don’t tell me.” His head shot up at that. “I‘m sick of lies so I’ll be as honest as I can be. I don’t want to push you to tell me your secrets. I just want my friends to be okay. I need them to be okay.” “Me too Maria. Believe me, me too…” He had a pained expression. His shoulders slumped. He looked old and tired. It was as if he held the responsibility of the whole world on his shoulders. “I’m guessing you can’t tell me what happened between all of you?” “I’m sorry.” He looked like he meant it. “No, it’s okay. I understand I guess. Then just tell me his story?” He looked at her, puzzled. “Whose story?” “Michael. I don’t want you to betray your friend or anything. He just… doesn’t talk. You know. You don’t have to tell me anything he wouldn’t want me to know. Okay?” Max had major doubts about this but she was sincere, he knew that for sure. “Well, let’s see. Gotta start from the beginning. He was an orphan. You probably know that.” She nodded. “He never got adopted like me and Izzie did. He had a foster father, Hank. He was always drunk and he enjoyed beating the shit out of him. He was only keeping him to get the money every month and we all knew that. He practically shouted that at him on more than one occasion when I was there.” “We were his only friends; Izzie and I. Almost family. He never accepted other people in his life. Not even Liz and Alex. And since he came back to Roswell he excluded us as well. He says he likes his solitude.” “Came back from where?” “I honestly don’t know. One day he just took off. He left school and everything. He didn’t tell us he was leaving. He came two years later and never told us where he went or what he did all that time.” “No family, no friends… What about girlfriends?” “No, no relationships. He doesn’t like attachments. He has some intimacy issues. He doesn’t like being touched. He hates that ‘love crap’ as he calls it. He says it’s bullshit that people pretend to care. His exact words.” Maria was hoping to solve some of the mysteries of Michael but Max’s story didn’t reveal anything helpful. It just confused her more. She sighed. “So you don’t know him neither huh?” She asked Max with a small smile. “He doesn’t like being known.” They sat in silence for a moment. Then Max talked again. “What’s going on between you and Michael?” She was expecting the question. But she had no idea how to answer it. So she told him the truth. “He lives at my house and annoys the hell out of me. So you can say we’re friends I guess.” PART 7 The rest of the week went by in a blur. She was running around, making arrangements. Her nights were spent at home since there were nothing else to do. They either watched TV or sat in the backyard with Michael. They fought all the time; their banter was her favorite way of having fun lately, but neither of them spent time apart in their own rooms. She found out that he could cook Italian and tortured him every night until he agreed to cook. They never talked about anything serious; she wanted to offer him a relaxed friendship unlike the ones he already had. There of course were a couple of –well, okay, a LOT of- times that they found themselves getting too close. But thankfully they never acted on those. Most of the time it was Michael that broke the spell; Maria was way too weak to say no. Michael kept having the dreams every night. They were getting even weirder. He kept seeing the black haired guy and some others he never met. There was a sad looking old man and a blond guy mostly. The old man made him feel sad but the blond guy, he made him angry. The guy gave off evil vibes. He had no idea what those dreams meant. They were too real. He knew they meant something. Were they flashes? Maybe. But flashes of what? Not his other life, those scenes he saw were definitely on Earth not Antar. They weren’t future either. Some of them felt old, looked old, like past memories. He was confused but not excited like he would have been if this had happened a couple years ago. He knew he was changing; losing his enthusiasm and will to carry on searching. And ever since he met Maria he promised himself not to think too much about anything. He figured that that was his problem. He was thinking all the time instead of living. And he was starting to get scared that life would pass him by and he would die as a lonely alien. He was learning to have a friend and spend time with someone to just sit around or wash the dishes. He was actually having fun. He found himself coming home early every night to listen to her yell at people on the phone. Or hassle her while she tried to meditate. They were practically like siblings; except the part they wanted to ravage each other’s body against a wall of course. Things were going just peachy… - - - It was Saturday morning and wedding was in three hours. Maria was on the phone with Tom, giving him the address while Michael pretended not to listen. “Okay, babe. I’ll meet you at the church. Love you. Bye.” ‘At least they aren’t all lovey dovey like Max and Liz…’ Michael reasoned. He really wouldn’t have handled that well. He always hated couples with all their romance and shit. That was partly why he never spent time with them anymore. They were always holding hands and saying that they missed each other after every time they went to the bathroom. It was stupid and disgusting. Yuck! “Michael get your things, let’s go.” “I’m not dressed yet!” “No! Don’t wear it now, you'll ruin it.” “Stop treating me like a baby. I can keep clean for a couple hours.” Maria threw him a ‘get-real’ look from the door. Michael gave up easily. He did that a lot when it came to her. “Okay. Okay. I'm coming.” - - - Michael was with Jim and Kyle while Maria terrorized the hairdresser. Michael hated this. He avoided getting people’s attention all his life and now he had to walk down the aisle with Amy, gathering all that unnecessary attention. He was sweating just by thinking about all those eyes turned to him. The things he did for DeLucas… He wore the stupid tux and let Kyle help him with the tie. Kyle wasn’t exactly his friend but they had a mutual understanding in their relationship. They shared a secret that would tie them forever and that made them respect each other. A weird kind of respect between a jock and a loner which neither of them wanted in the first place. The atmosphere of the room was bizarre to say the least. Jim wasn’t really excited or nervous. He had been waiting too long to marry Amy so all he felt was impatience. But Kyle kept trying to calm him down. He was talking non-stop. Jim started to think he was the nervous one. Michael, on the other hand, sat there silently like he couldn’t care less. But inside, he was anxious and dying to get out of that church. It was just too much. All those guests watching him, meeting Tom and seeing THEM together, knowing tomorrow they would head back to another town to live happily while he stayed in Roswell to rot waiting for a spaceship which wouldn’t come… Aaaargh! It was too much and he was thinking again. He hated this! He hated this town! He hated his life! He was just about to burst when he heard the knock. He started to get up. So it was time. But he couldn’t find the strength to move when he saw the head poking from the door. It was that man. Tall man from the dreams. “Hi, Maria sent me to get you guys. It’s time.” Tom looked at the weirded out faces and realized that he didn’t introduce himself. “Uh, sorry I’m Tom. Tom Lindley.” He shook their hands starting with the groom. Michael was the last, ‘cause Tom was a little scared from his skeptical expression. Michael’s brain was working over the possibilities. He was seeing Maria’s boyfriend in his dreams. That couldn’t be good. He shook Tom’s hand carefully, concentrating to get a flash. It was the only thing he could do with his powers and he couldn’t even control that. Yeah, he was a loser, he knew that. He couldn’t get a flash but got just a feeling instead. Tom felt safe, he was harmless. He sighed with relief. So Maria was safe. - - - Michael was walking down the aisle. He was nervous. And he was angry. Why the hell was he nervous? It wasn’t even his wedding for God’s sake! The music was getting on his nerves. It was unsettling. He kept his eyes on the floor afraid to look around to find all those familiar strangers’ eyes. Amy squeezed his arm to calm him down. Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around? He raised his head in an attempt to save some of his remaining pride. He looked right ahead towards the waiting groom but his eyes found someone else instead. Maria was standing there, looking magnificent in her dress. She was wearing a long, soft looking dress in a pinkish white color. Michael didn’t know what that color was called but it definitely was his new favorite. Her dress had a deep slit showing the length of her right thigh. Michael found himself imagining sliding his hand through that slit and feeling the velvety skin of her creamy, white thigh. ‘Stop it… Stop it… Look somewhere else…’ She was wearing heels. Michael mentally snickered. He knew how much she hated wearing heels and wore them anyway ‘cause she thought they made her legs look better. Michael thought her legs were incredible without any help from the heels but of course he never told her that. He felt blessed just by watching her. Her curls were all around her bare shoulders. She was shining. He raised his eyes a little more. Her lips… red and pouty… tasting like strawberries… ‘Oh no! Don’t even go there!’ Her nose… He loved kissing her nose. He never kissed anyone’s nose before. But she always made that to him, didn’t she? Everything was a first with her. And her eyes… Her big, green eyes… He looked at them and found them looking directly at him… Uh-oh! Time stood still. He couldn’t take his eyes away. It seemed too long. He absentmindedly thought they should have reached there long ago, but nope, they were still walking and that disgusting music kept playing. “So you’re in love with her?” Amy’s casual voice broke his gaze. He couldn’t process what she said for a moment. “Who?” “Ria, who else?” “No, of course not, why would you say that?” “Oh come on Michael! Even I can see that, don’t tell me you didn’t realize!” Michael’s voice was low and ice cold now, stripped of all its earlier surprise. “No Amy, you’re wrong. I don’t even believe in love.” His voice gained a sarcastic tone when he spit out the word ‘love’. Like he found the word itself ridiculous. “Well Michael, I never believed in aliens, but when I found them, I didn’t say ‘No, there are no aliens.’ It was hard, but I accepted it. Just… open your eyes.” - - - “Mars, sweetie, will you care to explain to me why we’re doing this?” Maria feigned innocence. “What, dancing?” Tom rolled his eyes and sighed. “Why am I your boyfriend now?” “’Cause mom finally lost it. She wanted to meet my boyfriend and she was so damn emotional about me hiding my life. I just had to shut her up! Sorry I got you involved. But it would be too weird with someone else, you know?” “We don’t have to have sex right?” Maria hit his head playfully. “No idiot! We’ll just dance…” She checked her watch. “…for like another hour. Then they will go off to their honeymoon and we’re free.” Michael was watching them dance from a distance. He was hiding. The backyard wasn’t big, so it was hard, but he was a pro at lurking. He saw Tom’s hand touch her bare back and felt a twinge in his stomach. He wanted so badly to get drunk and forget ever knowing her. The thought made him sick. He was turning into Hank. That was his future, drinking his ass off till the day he died. Maria. He wished he never met her. Even her shadow turned his life inside out and upside down. Even the thought of her made him vulnerable and unfocused. ‘Like you have a focus…’ And he was fighting himself now. Great! What was that guy’s problem, he wondered. ‘He must be gay or something…’ Michael reasoned. There was no way he could hold Maria that close and not kiss her. How could anyone resist that girl? Her every damn move turned him on. There definitely was something wrong with him. He couldn’t control himself near her from the first minute they met. He thought it was just about his urges playing dirty tricks on him but he tested himself with other girls and it failed miserably. It was her. It was always about her. Her voice alone excited him more than any other girl sitting naked on his lap. He was feeling depressed… and he was suffocating. He wondered how he would feel when she left and felt sick to his stomach. He wasn’t going to survive this. Max chose that very exact moment to approach him. Great timing… as always. - - - “So who is he?” “Who is who?” “The guy you keep looking for.” Maria threw him an exasperated ‘you-know-me-too-well’ look. Tom, who categorized and catalogued all her looks, knew that this meant she wanted to tell him but didn’t know how. She needed to be encouraged. “Come on Mars, tell me, you’ll feel better.” “Michael.” She whispered her eyes closed. This was the worst. Looks, he could handle, but closed eyes meant problem. “Have I met him?” “Tall guy, spiky hair.” Her eyes were still closed. “Oh yes, I met him. Hard to miss, he looked like he wanted to kill me.” Her eyes snapped open at his comment. She couldn’t help but grin. “He did?” “Yes, so what’s going on between you two?” Her voice dropped again. “Nothing, we’re friends.” “And you slept with him?” he guessed. “Nope.” “Why not?” She sighed. “He’s not the right person.” This was getting interesting. Tom smiled kindly at the newly wedded couple passing them by. “When did that ever stop you?” “I’m scared Tom. I kissed him. And it felt good. Too good.” She was dancing close to him now. He knew it was because she could easily avoid his eyes this way. She was a chicken. A damn, big, fat chicken. “So you think you won't be able to let him go, which in your own little mind somehow seems necessary?” “Yeah.” She was grateful that he understood. Finally. Someone to talk to. “Bullshit!” Or maybe not. “What?” “You fell in love with him didn't you?” His tone was accusing. She panicked. “No. Maybe. I don’t know.” She said hurriedly. “Why the hell would you want to let him go if you're in love with him?” “You can't understand. You don’t know him.” “What, he’s a criminal or something?” “No. I mean he is but that’s not the problem.” Tom looked bemused. “You make no sense at all.” “He is a heartbreaker Tom. I can smell it on him. He can just easily break me and throw me away. He doesn’t even have a future. At least all other ‘Mr. Wrong’s I've been with were rich and looked right. He is a Mr. Wrong who doesn’t even have the decency to look right. And he has secrets. He won't tell me. I know I told him he didn’t have to but you’d think he would trust me… but noo… not him! And he… he… he has intimacy issues. He never had any relationships… And…” Tom was about to stop her babbling but someone else interrupted before he could. “Hi, can I borrow her for a moment?” Max. What was he doing dancing with her? The thought entered both Maria’s and Michael’s minds at once. “Hey, you did a great job. The wedding was beautiful.” “Thank you Max. Hope I can help you with yours too.” A sad look crossed his face. “Yeah. I hope so.” “What… Max… What is it? Something wrong with Liz?” “No, no, no… Liz is great. I just talked to Michael and he KINDLY refused to be my best man.” “Ouch! I’m sorry. I know he's not the nicest person but he means well Max. I don’t know what exactly happened between you, but I know he is just hurt.” What was she doing? She was defending his best friend to him. Shame crept over his heart and squeezed it. When had she become Michael’s ally and him, the enemy? How the hell did that happen? How had he let it happen? He feared at that moment he lost Michael completely. “I know Maria, I sometimes forget it, but I know. I'm so glad he has you now.” Max left a blushing Maria behind and made his way to his future wife. “So sis, can I have this dance?” Maria rolled her eyes but smiled. “Oh Kyle, please. I'm a little old to have a new brother and a one, I had a crush on in elementary is way too bizarre.” “Even for you?” he asked laughing. “Yeah, even for me.” They danced and talked. Kyle was always capable of making her laugh. He was dating Liz when she moved away and was a total jerk at the time but he looked a lot more mature now. She would never admit that to anyone but he almost looked wise. Alex was on the stage –well, they didn’t exactly have a stage, just a small area where they squeezed in the band-. He was trying to get people’s attention. “Hi, everyone… We have a special request from our lovely bride. Can anyone see Maria around?” Maria was hiding behind Kyle. She should have known that Amy would do something like that! Stupid, stupid! “Kyle, can you bring her over?” Great, now Kyle was teaming up with them. He was pushing her towards Alex. “Kyle, please, no! I can't!” Damn, this place was small! They were almost there. Everything was working against her. It was a universal conspiracy. She gave up and stepped up the stage with a very dangerous looking smile. Alex gulped, maybe that wasn’t such a bright idea after all. She kissed his cheek, hit his head and sent him away. Maria talked to the band and took the microphone. She gave a nervous smile to her mother, her eyes found the surprised eyes of Tom and she closed her eyes, too scared to find those deep brown ones. - - - He was about to bolt when he heard her name. He sat in the shadows and watched her. When she started singing, time stopped. It tended to do that a lot lately. He had heard her voice before. Not exactly like this of course, mostly in the shower or when she was cleaning which was a rare occasion. He always enjoyed listening to her in the morning. It was his second favorite way to wake up. He didn’t know what she sang, he couldn’t hear the words. It was just the sound of her voice. Her tender voice surrounded him and he felt the familiar warmth in his stomach. She was bewitching him. That was it. There was no other logical explanation. He watched her sway her hips to the music. He memorized her every move and filed them in his head for future, for when she went away. He tried but couldn’t remember how life was before she came. That was just like her; to replace all his past memories without bothering to have his consent. She just had to poke her nose into everything. Memories… That reminded him of the dreams. Hospitals, an apartment, strange streets, rain, Tom… Didn’t make sense. Bunny slippers, a birthday party, a club… An idea hit him suddenly. Maria. Her memories. They were coming from her. His head was like a photo album of her life. He saw it all… from her eyes. Stupid! Stupid! How come he didn’t think of that before? It was so obvious! That was her fault again of course. He couldn’t think anything but her lately. His head was so full of her, he even forgot to eat sometimes. Wheels started turning in his head. What happened to her? All that blood and hurt. He remembered seeing her in the shower with a razor in her hand. A shiver ran down his spine. She was about to slit her wrists. She hadn't done it. Thank god! She just dropped it and cried herself to sleep under the cold water. He was pacing now frantically. What was wrong with her? The things he got from her were mostly bad memories. He saw no specific events but the feelings were clear. Sadness, hurt, desperation, defeat… This was wrong, very very wrong. - - - “So you’re hiding here…” Maria. His heart skipped a beat. Too close. Too beautiful. Too fragile. “Yeah.” His expression was grim, his jaw was clenching. “Wanna dance?” She wasn’t thinking, she couldn’t think clearly. All she knew was that he was there now, near her and soon it would be too late. “I don’t dance.” “Yeah, yeah, sure.” She grabbed his hands and placed them over her hips. He gulped. There was no way he was taking them away. Her hands found their way around his neck. She started moving slowly. “I’ll crunch your toes.” “It’s okay. I don’t care.” The words were simple but the meaning was too deep. Their voices said it all. This had nothing to do with dancing or toes... “So… The house is all yours tomorrow. Will you throw a ‘thank-god-Maria-left’ party?” “I’ll start looking for a new place actually.” “You're moving?” “Yeah, don’t wanna be third wheel in a newly wedded couple’s house. Too weird.” “I guess. Why are you staying in Roswell? There's nothing keeping you here…” “It’s complicated.” “Yeah, what isn't?” “Yeah…” He was looking away, over her shoulder, anywhere but her eyes. Maria gathered all her courage, it was now or never. “You can come to LA, you know. I have an extra room and I can rent it to you if you cook.” ‘Say yes, say you’ll come, don’t make me leave you…’ her heart begged through her eyes. When he met her eyes she saw that cruel look she always hated. “What would Tom think?” Sarcasm dripped from his voice. Tom could be as good as he wished, hell, he could be a fucking angel for all he cared, that didn’t make Michael comfortable with the idea of him touching Maria. “Oh, that! Since mom is gone, it is safe to tell you now.” Anything to keep him in her sight… She looked in his eyes with determination. She knew she was risking more than she ever let herself, but couldn’t care at that moment. “He’s not my boyfriend.” “What? You two broke up?” She could laugh at his expression if her heart wasn’t pounding in her chest. “No, he’s my best friend, mom wasn’t gonna shut up till I brought someone, so he came.” “Oh.” “Anyway, he’s gay, so he wouldn’t give me a second glance.” “I knew it!” It slipped before he could think. He couldn’t stop the smile creeping up his lips. Maria laughed that wholehearted laugh he knew too well. “He's that obvious, huh?” “No, I'm just a good observer.” He said smugly. “So, you’ll come?” She cursed herself for being that obvious. She just couldn’t keep the hope out of her voice. It wasn’t right, laying her heart out like that. She wanted him to go with her, to be near her. Not that she would have a relationship with him. He was impossible. THEY were impossible. But she just couldn’t leave him there. All alone… And now that he was moving, he wouldn’t even have Amy. She reminded herself that he did survive the last twenty-two years without her help but it didn’t calm her worries. “I don’t know.” He sighed. Things were getting way too confusing for him. He was just a simple alien and his life was turning into The Young and The Restless. He needed serious help. “Okay.” She gave up. “You think about it.” He was torturing her, making her wait, holding her close but not really touching her, smiling one minute and closing up the next. Yeah, that sounded just like Michael! She hated him. She needed to calm down. She needed something sweet… “I need chocolate! Let's find some chocolate…” PART 8 Maria was going through the cabinets while Michael stood there, staring at a spot on the floor without seeing but thinking. He had two choices. He could stay in Roswell and stick to his plan; go on searching while he watched Max raise a family. Or he could go to LA, start a new life and pretend he was human. Either way it sucked. “So Michael, care to tell me why you bit Max’s head off out there?” She was nibbling on a chocolate bar and watching his thoughtful stance over it. He shrugged. “Felt like it.” He should have guessed that Max The Little Snitch had a purpose when he danced with Maria. He ran to mommy to complain. And that guy was supposed to be a king. Huh! King my ass! Maria was dead serious. She was going to leave and he was going to be alone again. He needed to be taken care of, it wasn’t right to leave him like that. Her maternal feelings towards him scared the hell out of her. She wasn’t strong or motherly… So why the hell did he make her feel like that? “Why are they so afraid of you Michael?” He was back to his shut down self. He talked slowly, in a nonchalant and teasing manner. “Cause I’m dangerous and scary.” She both loved and hated his attitude. It was sexy and fulfilled that secret James Dean fantasy of hers. But that wasn’t the point now. She didn’t need Rebel Without A Cause at that moment. She needed him to be just Michael. Her Michael. She smiled and stepped closer. “You're not scary.” He moved closer to her and stood menacingly. His voice was low. “I am scary. You're just too stupid to see that.” The point was to shut her up. Or get her too angry to make her lose her focus. But it backfired. She wasn’t intimidated or angry. She was a fast learner and getting really good at managing him. He hated being managed. Her eyes were daring him to do something. She was proving her point. She wasn’t scared one bit. “We both know I'm not stupid. And believe me, you're not scary.” Her lips curved up a little and made him lose all sense of logic. He was losing control again. Why was she doing this? And more importantly HOW was she doing this? He was drawn to her against his will. He tried to remember his rules but none came to his wandering mind. He was in a land far, far away from reality, where nothing existed but them. No boyfriends, no dreams, no aliens… A loud shriek coming from upstairs made them jump apart. That was it, he was gonna have a heart attack in one of those pre-kiss moments they had. There was a divine force trying to keep them apart it seemed. In his mind he cursed everything supernatural, himself included, in a very colorful way. Maria’s hand flew to her chest involuntarily, trying to keep her heart from bursting out. She couldn’t even begin to think who could make a sound like that. It sounded like a wild animal. She ran to the stairs without giving it a second thought. She was acting on impulse, as usual. It was dark, so she walked around trusting her memory. She bumped her toe and started jumping around. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” So her memory sucked. What else was new? She felt two large hands pulling her from behind. She tried to scream but a hand covered her mouth. She was kicking and biting but apparently her opponent didn’t give a damn. Where the hell was Michael? She was being dragged towards Amy’s bedroom. Once there, she realized they weren't alone. She could only sense the others in the dark. She tried to turn towards her capturer, which was a totally futile attempt, he wasn’t letting her go anytime soon. “Stop moving.” It was a male voice, coming behind her. Nothing she didn’t guess from the hands; sounded like a big, scary guy. He turned her abruptly. “Anyone else in the house little girl?” The voice and the hands weren’t fooling. He was tall and big and looked definitely vicious. Maria started talking hurriedly when he released her mouth but there wasn’t even a hint of fear in her voice. “No, noone else.” She watched enough action movies to know how to handle a situation like this. Michael was no Bruce Willis but he had to do. “Just take what you want and leave.” She was panicking inside but there was no way she was letting him know that. Her voice was confident and her eyes held no fear. “Believe me, I will.” He threw her to the floor and commanded “Stay there.” He turned on the lights and she saw who the others were. Max and Liz. She had thought they left with everyone else. How long have they been there she wondered. She forced herself to remember when she last saw them but couldn’t. She was so wrapped up in finding Michael, she hadn’t even realized… No! Not now. There would be a lot of time to feel the guilt later. They were lying on the floor. Max was covering Liz but they both looked so… dead. She didn’t want to assume the worst but she couldn’t help it. She saw the man walking towards them. What was he doing? All anger and hate she felt inside surfaced all of a sudden. She jumped on his back, without thinking twice of course. He threw her on the floor easily, with one swift movement. He looked amused. “Look little girl, you’re pretty and I liked your dress but you have no use for me. I would love to play with you later, but now, if you get in the way I’ll kill you. Understood?” She nodded and prayed to god, who she didn’t even believe, for Michael to come soon. He gave her a cheeky grin which made her stomach queasy. “Good girl…” he murmured sliding his hand through the slit of her dress and touched her thigh. She shuddered at his touch but didn’t protest. If this kept them alive, she didn’t really have a choice. While his hand moved up to grab her ass, her eyes searched his belt for weapons but didn’t find any. She had nothing around to use against him either. Except Michael. He was her secret weapon. She hoped he had called the cops. The big guy started towards Max and Liz again. She protested in a sultry voice, well as sultry as she could manage in that situation. “I thought we were gonna play?” She pouted. “Later.” He was a determined guy. That look and pout worked perfectly for every other guy she tried. Men were usually too easy. He kneeled down next to the couple. She was looking around frantically for something, anything to hit his head with. A hairbrush, some slippers… No baseball bats or pans around. So she watched helplessly as he broke the couple apart and placed his hand over Liz’s stomach. He closed his eyes in concentration and his hand started to glow. Maria forced herself out of her daze and promised that there would definitely be a logical explanation for this, once this whole event was over. They had to survive it first, explanations would come later. She studied the scene taking place before her eyes. It wasn’t the hand that was glowing but Liz’s stomach… wait, no, her womb. The baby. She panicked even more, he was hurting the baby. She had to do something but she just couldn’t figure what. She stood up, not knowing what to do and saw his head turn slowly, facing her. His eyes were still closed, there was no way he could see her, but she figured he did when he mouthed her one word. ‘Stay!’ She wasn’t about to say no to a guy twice her size with a glowing hand. What happened next caught her definitely unprepared. She heard a loud buzz and was blinded by a bright white light. It was coming from the window. Little pieces of shattered glass rained inside the room. She was lying on the floor in an instant and heard a loud thud of something big hitting the wall. She instinctively covered her head and closed her eyes and wished with all her heart for it to be a nightmare. Then everything went quiet. The room was dead silent but somehow that was even more scary. She couldn’t find the courage to open her eyes. That’s how Michael found her. She felt a hand touch her face. She jumped and pushed it away, chanting absent-mindedly. “No, no, no, no…” Then she heard a familiar voice and calmed down. “Ssshh… It’s me. Michael. You okay?” She threw herself in his arms. She was shaking and was scared out of her mind. She was holding on to his neck and there was no way she would let him go. She felt his hands on her head, moving down to her shoulders, and then to her waist… He was checking if she was hurt, she realized. She made herself pull back and control her trembling body. She looked at his face with what she hoped was determination. She nodded, fidgeting. “I’m okay, I'm not hurt.” He didn’t look convinced. He touched her face and looked over her body again. He was worried, hell he was beyond worry but he didn’t have time, he had to trust her words. “I need you to help me here.” She nodded. “Don’t ask for explanations right now and please don’t freak. Can you do that for me?” She nodded again. “I can do that. Yes, of course.” She was trying to convince herself, but it didn’t seem possible. She was NEEDING explanations desperately and she already was freaked. Just one thought kept her focused. ‘You gave him your trust unconditionally and now it’s time to prove it.’ - - - Michael placed Max and Liz in bed and called Isabel. He tried to connect with them himself but couldn’t. Isabel would do it. She was good at that stuff. Maria checked their pulses. They were alive. She wanted to look at the big guy and see if he was alive but Michael stopped her. He shook his head. “No, he’s dead.” He couldn’t dare meet her eyes. He was ashamed. He never meant for her to find out, to see who he really was. A killer. Not even a human one. He was a killer alien. She saw his guilt, his shame in his eyes, in the way they avoided her. He was trying to contain his discomfort but his clenching jaw and fists gave it away. She held him lightly and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.” She whispered in his ear. She returned to bed and sat near Liz, not wanting to make him more uncomfortable. - - - Isabel entered the room five minutes later followed by Alex. They both were panting. Isabel came to a halt when she saw Maria and turned a questioning gaze towards Michael. “Why's she here?” “Why's HE here?” Michael tried to make his point known without causing a big fuss and motioned towards Alex. “It’s Alex.” She stated the obvious, keeping her guarded posture. “And that’s Maria. Now stop bitching and help them.” Michael sneered. Isabel didn’t look pleased. She threw Maria a bitchy look which Maria returned. What the hell was that girl’s problem? Isabel placed her hands over Max’s chest and closed her eyes, making the connection. Maria was getting scared again, finding the scene disturbingly familiar. She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Alex, he was watching her with worry. But worry for what, she wondered. Was he thinking like his icy bitch for a girlfriend? She shrugged his hand away. She slowly stepped back, found Michael’s hand and clasped it in hers, her eyes still glued on Isabel. - - - After Max and Liz were healed and started to wake up, Isabel asked if they should get rid of the body. Maria was numb and couldn’t even get surprised or scared anymore. She just focused on staying on her feet and the feel of Michael’s hand. She was hearing them but couldn’t really process what they were saying. “Not yet, let Max check him first. We have to know who he is.” Michael was cold and commanding. Everything was just… too much. Max and Liz almost died. MARIA almost died. That son of a bitch touched her! It made his blood boil. What if he wasn’t there? What if he was too late? What if…? - - - First thing Max did when he woke up was to check Liz and the baby. When he was convinced that they were okay, he finally turned his attention towards the others. And he noticed her. He looked at Michael and with an exasperated sigh rolled his eyes. “Is this your doing?” His behavior irritated Maria. He was like one of those stupid parents telling off their children. She always hated people like that. So when she felt Michael’s body stiffen next to her, she lost all logic. Anger took over. She started yelling. “Now I am going downstairs, so keep all your bitchy and mean looks to yourselves. And feel free to do those secret things you do. I really don’t care! I just need a drink, a really strong one! So excuse me.” She walked out the door, hardly controlling herself. She knew she would either hit someone or start crying if she stayed. “What the hell is her problem?” Isabel’s attitude pushed Michael’s anger over the edge. “What the hell is her problem? She just nearly got killed by an alien. That ugly son of a bitch nearly raped her and she didn’t even flinch to keep him away from Max and Liz. And she still didn’t get an explanation to what she saw, let alone a thanks. So, I don’t know, what the hell you think her problem is?” “Michael calm down. We didn’t mean…” “I don’t give a shit about what you meant Maxwell! Just cut the crap and tell me what's going on? Who was that guy and what did he want?” - - - Maria went downstairs, to the kitchen, turning all lights on as she passed. She still jumped at every little noise, every shadow harbored a monster. She opened the top cabinet on the right corner and grabbed a bottle of red wine. She unscrewed the cork and poured herself a glass. She sipped, letting the taste linger in her mouth and smiled approvingly. Then drank the rest in one large gulp. So that was the secret. Those voodoo things they did. What were they? Psychics? Witches? She couldn’t think of anything plausible. They were normal people. She knew them her whole life, except the big guy of course. A chilly feeling covered her insides at the thought of him. She wondered why they didn’t even mention cops. The guy attacked them, it wasn’t Michael’s fault. Come to think of it, she had no idea how the hell he killed him? Killed him… Oh god, he killed him. The concept was scary; killing something, murder… But the idea of Michael killing that big guy made her proud. It was sick. But that was what she felt, she wasn’t going to lie to herself to feel better. Michael protected them and she would have done the same thing if she could. She dropped the glass in the sink and walked outside with her bottle. She lay there, watching the stars, marveling at their enormity. So many of them, so bright. So close and far away. They always made her feel little and unimportant. She forced herself to think about them and not the things that happened upstairs. It sounded stupid but stars always guided her through life. They reminded her how little her life and her problems were compared to the rest of the universe. They fascinated her and made her appreciate life with all its beauty. That was what life was; living the beauty and enjoying it. - - - It was Isabel who finally showed up downstairs. When she found Maria curled up with a half empty bottle in the backyard, she knew she should have sent Max down. She was never good at talking to people. It was different with Alex or Liz. But Maria was a stranger. Not that she didn’t like her. Maria was nice, a little odd but nice. She sat near Maria not knowing exactly what to say, what to do. “Sorry about earlier. We didn’t mean to sound like that.” Isabel wasn’t begging for forgiveness, just doing what she thought was right. Maria snorted at her contradicting voice and words. “Yeah, right.” That girl’s ice façade was getting on her nerves. It was too obvious and too damn annoying. “Whatever. Just wanted to call you upstairs, you know, if you wanna get your answers.” Isabel walked away with that, feeling incapable. She was clumsy and awkward with people out of her small group of friends that truly knew her. Why couldn’t she just be Isabel Evans The Human without being such a bitch? Maria grabbed her bottle and headed upstairs, just wanting to get this over with. She couldn’t find the strength to care anymore. She was too worn, too tired. - - - Maria entered the room, holding the bottle to her chest and noticed all eyes turning towards her. They were the weird ones but they were looking at her as if she was a new specimen. Hellooo?! Just a normal, healthy girl here, not glowing or anything! She stood and looked over them defiantly. Max and Liz were sitting on the bed in each other’s arms, Isabel stood near the window, Alex was sitting on the floor just near Isabel’s feet. Maria snickered. What was he, her dog? And Michael… Her eyes found him standing in all his brooding demeanor, leaning on the wall, arms crossed and gaze firmly on the floor. She took one big sip from her wine and crossed her arms, hardly containing her anger. “So?” Max took the lead and cleared his throat. “Uh, Maria, I guess it would be too confusing for you to handle all of us at once. Maybe we should just leave and one of us could explain… You know Liz could stay with you and…” “No!” She knew what she wanted, she needed, and wasn’t going to settle for anything less. “You can all go. Michael will explain it to me.” She wasn’t asking but telling. She didn’t even look at Michael for confirmation. Max looked dumbfounded at her confidence. Michael was a bad, bad choice. Max wasn’t even sure he was still capable of forming long sentences. He never had a casual conversation with him since like forever. He tried to protest but Maria wasn’t having any of it. “No, Maria maybe…” “Max go!” She sounded serious. Max looked at Michael whose gaze was still on the floor. His face held no emotion. Max got up, helping Liz up with him. He walked out the door followed closely by the others. - - - Maria sighed and sat down on the bed when she heard the front door closing. “Thank god!” It escaped her lips without really thinking about it. She closed her eyes and drank one large gulp, spilling some on her pretty bride’s maid dress. Michael was watching her intently. Why was she doing this? He had hoped he wouldn’t even be in the same room when Liz talked to her. And now she was forcing him to look at her face and watch her reaction while HE told her. What was he going to say? He wasn’t good with words. He was gonna screw up for sure. She was gonna freak! ‘Don’t think, don’t think, just act, don’t think…’ Maria felt the bottle being pulled and held on to it tighter. He was trying to take it away from her. No way in hell! It was her bottle, he had to get his own. “No! Mine!” “You’re drunk again, aren't you?” He pulled the bottle out of her grasp, splashing the remaining wine all over the carpet. She sighed and met his eyes. “No, unfortunately I'm painfully sober.” She started to take the hairpins out of her golden curls from lack of a better thing to do. “I'm a terrible choice for that speech, you know.” He was equally uneasy. He ran a hand through his unruly brown hair. “You're MY terrible choice. And I don’t need a speech, just say it already.” The room was silent and still. She was sitting on the foot of the bed and he sat right across from her on the floor, leaning his back to the wall. There was no easy way of saying it and no possible way of getting out of it. So he just let it go… “I'm not human.” PART 9 Direct approach… She always appreciated that. But the subject he was approaching kinda didn’t make sense. Not human? Then what was he, a cat? He was a bastard most of the time but except that he was as human as it could get. Oh, well, minus that blasting the big guy incident of course. She noticed him watching her reaction carefully and somewhat scared, so she tried to control her expression and not show him any emotions yet. Even if he was a delusional lunatic, he had feelings, and it was evident that this talk was hard on him. “Then what are you?” She spoke with nonchalance while suppressing the urge to laugh. She wasn’t running out screaming or calling the cops. Maybe he really could handle this. “’We’ actually. Isabel, Max and I. We are from another planet.” So she was falling in love with a madman. Damn! She knew he had issues but that was unexpected. Patience. She needed patience. “Michael…” She leaned forward. “…you have to tell me the truth. I don’t want this. I want YOUR story.” Michael stood up silently and let out a bitter laugh. He knew it. He just knew it. He ran a hand through his hair. “I'm sorry princess, but that IS the truth. The only one I’ve got. The one I have to live through everyday.” His voice was sarcastic and bitter. She didn’t know how she gathered that information but she knew what that tone meant. He was hurting. Michael and hurt always found each other in odd times and places. She got up and walked over to him. Lunatic or not, it was Michael and she wasn’t going to hurt him. She pulled him towards the bed. He looked at her questioningly. “Under the blanket, it’s cold.” She commanded in her ‘don’t-argue-with-me’ voice, while getting in herself. He followed her lead and lay down under the covers. He knew he lost all control over the situation. The only way to get back control was to hurt her. Not physically but with words… But he thought it would be pushing it way too much for one day. She placed her head on the pillow, it felt like heaven. They were lying on the edges, away from each other and staring at the ceiling. Finally Maria turned to him and sighed. “Okay, if you don’t start soon, I’ll doze off.” Start what? She wasn’t making any sense, as usual. First she didn’t believe him and now she put him to bed? What was she thinking? For all she knew, he was either insane or an alien. He turned himself to face her. “What?” “The story. Start.” “I just told you. Why do you wanna hear it anyway? You don’t even believe me.” “Don’t be such a baby. Start from the beginning. Like birth. Yeah, that’s good, start with your birth and we’ll see where this goes.” “I wasn’t born actually, I was hatched…” - - - Two hours later, they were both silent. Maria was trying to process all the things he told her. And Michael… Well, he wasn’t any less confused either. This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go. She kept asking questions and the story he told, eventually turned into his life story. He kept the ugly parts to himself but still the things he had to remember drained him. He didn’t remember ever talking this long in his life. Maybe with Max when they were kids, about home. He tried to keep things in chronological order and not confuse her more. So the last thing he told her was what happened with Liz and Max that night. He could see her fear when he told her about the guy being an alien and having the powers, abilities they did. It was too close. She was too close to death. “It’s like being a Czechoslovakian.” “What?” “You know, being an Antarian isn't that different from being a Czechoslovakian. Just like another country far away, right? Some place we never saw.” “Czechs are human Maria.” “Your point?” “I'm not!” “It’s not that important.” She was trying to pretend now? He wasn’t human, trying to pretend he was, was just plain wrong. It was what Max and Iz did all their lives. He wasn’t going to do that. “Accept it or not, I'm not the guy you thought I was. I am an alien and a fucking killer.” She sat up, irritated. He was still lying there, not looking at her. “I know exactly who you are. You’re Michael. All the things you went through all your life…” She touched the lines around his eyes with her fingertips. “All the things you did, the things you saw, the things you dreamt about, made you YOU. And I know you. I never considered you as Michael The Human, so now it’s not important if you say you're half human half Antarian. I don’t care.” Michael wasn’t going to let himself dream, hope. He got out of the bed, stood away from her. “You should care. You saw what I can do. What I did to that guy. I kill. It’s not pretty.” “No Michael you got it all wrong. You didn’t just kill someone. You protected. That’s what you do.” She was near him again. How was he supposed to think when she was in his smelling range? “That’s who you are. You’re a soldier. You protect your people.” “Then I screwed up. Tess died. Nasedo died. You almost died. What kind of a protector does that make me?” She hugged him tightly. He stiffened in her arms. “You can't save everyone. You can't be perfect.” She whispered in his ear. “I should be. Max is.” She laughed at that. Was he really that dense? “No, he's not. He's just a selfish brat. You trusted him with your lives and he screwed up. He traded your safety with Liz’s life without your consent. That doesn’t make him a saint Michael, but a bad leader.” She looked in his eyes with all her honesty. This was something he never had in his life before; support, trust, faith… It was all there, shining in her eyes. He couldn’t ignore the urge anymore. He leaned in and lightly brushed his lips against hers. She wanted this. She wanted it so badly; her heart ached for it. For his touch. When his lips finally touched hers, its lightness maddened her. She wanted more of him. All of him… She pushed herself up against his lips, amazed at their softness and heat. That was how he was to her. He appeared rough but felt soft and tasted sweet. One of his hands tangled in her hair to hold her close, while the other slowly stroked her bare back, up and down, leaving tingles with every touch. He felt her hands reach around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. Shivers ran down his spine, making him feel alive. She parted her lips slightly and tasted him. Sweet… with a touch of spice. It matched his scent. She caressed his cheek. It definitely matched his personality. Michael. Her very own, living, breathing, brooding alien. She knew at that moment she was head over heels in love with him. There was nothing to keep her from it. For the first time, everything about him finally made sense. His lack of enthusiasm for future, his solitude, his attitude… She understood them now. She understood him. He couldn’t control or suppress his feelings. Emotions overwhelmed him. All he could focus was her smell, her touch. He felt the connection all of a sudden. She was everywhere, all around him. Her smell sharpened and surrounded him, taking him away from the real world. Her emotions hit him hard and fast. Love, trust, passion, desire… He tried to block the pictures coming from her but couldn’t. He saw himself; sleeping, eating, smirking at her… His breath caught in his throat. He saw every little detail of his movements as she watched and examined them. He felt the sensation he gave her when they first kissed. Her joy when he cooked for her. Her satisfaction when he smiled. Her worry when he cried in her arms. Her fear of falling in love with him. Her desire for his touch… Maria was enjoying the sparks his hand kept creating in her hair when she felt it. His essence engulfed her. She was drowning in a sea which smelled like him, tasted like him, felt like him... She felt desire and need but they weren't hers. They were coming from him. His feelings, towards her… She kissed him harder, trying to fulfil his need. His tongue found hers in her mouth and they mated there, caressing each other. His tongue danced in her sweet, hot mouth, searching and loving every corner of it. It scraped her teeth and was tasting the roof of her mouth when images hit her. She couldn’t understand what they were at first. Memories and pictures. She felt them like they were hers but knew they weren't. She was a scared child in a big, stinking man’s shadow all of a sudden. Then she was a young boy full of hurt but with dreams. Then she saw what happened to those dreams. She felt the betrayal of the only ones she trusted. The rest was loneliness and anger. She saw what life was for the owner of those eyes she borrowed, it was just about waiting and surviving. Sadness covered her body and made her shiver. She broke the kiss and leaned her hot forehead against his. She was panting. “Was that…” “Yeah.” He answered her, knowing what she meant without hearing the words. A single tear found its way down her cheek. “I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to…” He said, not knowing what she saw or felt through the connection which was now out of his control. She shook her head and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “It was beautiful. You're beautiful.” She traced his jawline with her thumb with such care and delicacy, he almost believed her. Her hair was tousled and her lips were red and swollen. She looked in his eyes and he saw the fire of her raging passion shining in the deep green. He thought she never looked more beautiful. And she was complimenting HIM? All thoughts were lost when her lips met his in a crushing, passionate kiss and her body melted into him. He was burning with the need, want and passion he felt. Not only his anymore but theirs. He stroked up her bare, white leg and brought it up to wrap around his hip. He gently but quickly held her up and turned them around so she could lean against the wall. She brought her other leg up to wrap around his centre and crossed her feet behind him, pressing their groins together. Michael groaned and softly bit her neck when she rubbed against his erection. Her hands started to unbutton his shirt while his mouth moved along her neck, setting her skin on fire. She inserted her hand inside his half buttoned shirt and moved it down his broad, smooth chest and found his nipple. She squeezed it gently between her fingers, lost in the sensation of his hand stroking her thigh. He put his head down on her shoulder and nuzzled her neck, smelling her hair. His hand moved up her thigh and grasped her ass, eliciting a long, wild moan from her. His heart was beating so fast but he couldn’t even feel it. He saw or felt nothing but her. He had no doubts, no insecurities once he felt her want and need of him. Her feelings were more powerful than he could have ever imagined. She wanted him. She needed him. She loved him. He gently pulled down one of the straps of her dress, holding his breath. She held back, watching him with heavy lidded eyes, panting. Her strap dropped revealing a creamy breast. He gasped at her beauty. He pulled the other strap absent-mindedly, leaving her upper body naked. He looked in her eyes as if asking for permission but there was no point. They were one now. There was no knowing where one ended and the other began. They shared one mind, one soul. His mouth closed over one of her rosy nipples and Maria gasped with pleasure. She felt her knees get weak and her heart pound even more fiercely in her chest. He played with her erect nipple softly with his tongue. Maria’s hands, buried deep in his hair, pulled him tighter, not letting him leave. He was more than happy to comply. Maria haven't realized how close to the edge she was till he started playing with her through her thong. She was dripping wet. Her ragged breathing reminded him that they should move to bed. He carefully but reluctantly put her down on her feet and let her dress slide down. She stepped out of it; her hands busy with his remaining shirt buttons. She took his shirt off and biting her bottom lip in anticipation started to unbuckle his belt. His hands kept roaming her body. He couldn’t keep his hands away from her. He gently cupped one of her breasts and started kneading it almost in a daze. Her skin felt like silk under his fingers. He couldn’t resist the urge and started suckling on her. She gasped. “Oh God!” She pushed his trousers down and held on to his shoulder. She just couldn’t hold herself up anymore. Seeing this, Michael held her up, crushing her to his chest and brought her to bed. He layed her down gently on the covers and started playing with the waist of her thong. It was a plain white thong, simple, but Michael thought it looked beyond erotic, drenched with her juices. He pulled it down and threw it on the floor with an almost animalistic growl. Maria was lying there like a puddle of her old self. She was watching him. The swell of his muscles as he moved, the way sweat trickled down his torso, his growls and groans… He was perfect. He was everything she ever wanted to have and feel, but never were able to put into words or even acknowledge. Her hands reached up for him. “Come here…” she whispered and pulled his mouth down to a desperate, searing kiss. She wanted to have him, hold him, consume him so he could never leave her and take away this feeling of contentment. His hand found its way down to her moist lower lips and parted them without hesitation. He started to play with her clit, rubbing and pinching it. Her breathing became laboured and he could feel her racing heart through her chest. He kissed his way down her body to her breasts. He never had this fascination for breasts before. But her milky white breasts with little pink nipples drove him crazy. He took one nipple in his hot mouth again. She arched her back instinctively to give him more of her. He toyed with the hardened nipple and enjoyed the little sounds she made. She was whimpering his name over and over. She made him feel wanted, desired as he never did before in his life. He felt important and almost invincible. It wasn’t that he never had girls chanting his name in bed before; he had… indeed lots of times, lots of girls. But Maria wanting him was different. She wasn’t just a girl; her opinion mattered. He didn’t know exactly when, but she had managed to gain his respect somehow. He suddenly slipped two fingers inside her. She gasped; arching her back pushed her hips up to take them deeper. He found a rhythm matching her hips and kept thrusting them in and out of her. She was writhing and whimpering under him lost in the feeling he created. Her mews and the heady scent of her arousal were driving him mad. He left her nipple and moved his mouth down to meet his hand, trailing kisses on the way. He nuzzled her golden curls and pushed his tongue between her moist lips. Her body contracted as an electrical current ran through it. She reached for his hand resting on her stomach and held it tight in an almost bruising grasp. He quickened his thrusts and started to suck her swollen clit. She was close, he could sense it. He bit her clit lightly and felt her inner walls twitching around his fingers. She screamed his name while her body started shaking and spasming on the bed. He watched her face as she came, the way her body spasmed and relaxed, the content smile playing on her lips… She was so… perfect. He kissed her lazily, enjoying her peaceful stance and smoothed her wavy, golden hair away from her sweaty forehead. Opening her eyes she grinned at him mischievously. “I want you so damn much.” She muttered to him and pushed him on his back. She crushed her lips on his, straddling him. The playful kiss turned quickly into a one full of desire and longing. She reached her hand inside his boxers and wrapped her slim fingers around his cock. Michael’s body jerked and he groaned in her mouth as her touch made him tingle all over. At the back of his mind he thought he wasn’t going to survive this, it was just one touch, and he could already feel all the nerves in his body. She was killing him… Maria had always been aggressive in bed. She liked being in control, feeling the power… Tom had a theory that she lacked the feeling of passion and strength she needed in her relationships except for the times she let loose, like when having sex. He knew her well; well enough to know that real Maria was the one he saw at work, full of fire and life. When she was with her boyfriend –any one of them- she was like a kitten, agreeing and nodding, never once raising her voice. He knew she was scared that they wouldn’t want her otherwise. She let them believe she was someone else. And she always broke it off herself, before it got deep enough to hurt her. Except just once… The time when she let herself believe she really was that always nodding kitten and could have a future like that… Not the happiest one maybe but it looked like the safest… Apparently it wasn’t. Michael never knew her kitten façade, so he wasn’t surprised at her actions. This was the Maria he met, he fought, he kissed… This was the only girl he would let control him. She was the only one he ever felt this …thing for. He couldn’t exactly put this thing down to words. Lust? Passion? Love? They were all meshed in one feeling… All he knew was it was more… More than anything he ever lived, felt or heard… She was more… More than anyone ever was, has been or could be… He knew she was the one and only. The one and only what? Confusing, confusing… He stopped thinking about it and let himself be swept off by the feeling. She was the one and only Maria… His boxers were far-gone and Maria was sprawled all over him. This was the way he wanted to stay forever. Her skin on his. Her mouth never leaving his. Her eyes both fierce and tender, making him feel like he was all that ever mattered. She was teasing him, letting his straining erection to touch her but not making a move to let it enter. It was torture. But she looked like she was enjoying herself. Her hand was stroking his length while her juices were spilling all over it. He couldn’t take any more. He grabbed her waist tightly and flipped them over. She chuckled softly at his reaction. She just loved to push him over the edge; edge of anger or edge of frustration, it didn’t really matter. He entered her in one, swift stroke, as if he did it a thousand times before. And they both were still suddenly. Maria, clutching him like she was about to fall from a cliff and Michael, lying on her with his head buried in her neck. They couldn’t dare move. Michael knew he should move, he probably was crushing her but god knows he wanted to stay like that for as long as he could. He felt complete and satiated. He knew this feeling. Not that he felt it before. He just dreamt about it. This was how home was supposed to feel; safe, peaceful and cosy. He felt her hands in his hair and on his back. She was stroking him soothingly. He trailed kisses all the way to her mouth, and when he reached her mouth he gave her the most uncharacteristically soft and gentle kiss of his life. He pulled back after the long kiss and searched her eyes for some meaning or reason to what was happening between them. Maria was smiling at him with awe. He knew he never saw and could never possibly see anything more beautiful than her at that moment. The thought of telling her that entered his mind but he couldn’t. He lacked the courage. He kissed her nose, trying to tell what he verbally couldn’t. She giggled like a little girl and blushed under his gaze. It was stupid to blush at a time like this but his gaze was… intense. He started moving with long and slow strokes. Her eyes were still open, watching his face. He wanted to close his eyes and forget where he was, who he was with… That was what he always did, it was easier. But he couldn’t. He was imprisoned in her green eyes. So instead he mapped them in his head. He memorised the exact shade, the little yellow and browns in them. Their shape, the way her lashes curled, little lines around them. Then he saw them change, a fire started playing in them and it ignited something in him which burned all the way from his heart to his groin. He felt her hands grab his ass and urge him to go deeper, faster. Her little noises became more urgent, her breathing more laboured. He lost all sense of control. He held her wrists in one hand above her head and started pounding in and out of her. He heard her screams and moans mixed with his own groans but they were far away. All he could feel was the raw energy being gathered in his lower abdomen, threatening to burst out. Maria felt another surge of scorching liquid travel down her body and thought she was about to die from the pleasurable pain. There was no way she could take this any longer. Her heart was going to explode. Then she felt his hot mouth cover her nipple and bite it. Her screams echoed in the room while her body arched up from the bed and started convulsing. All she could see were red flames coming out of her body and engulfing everything around with an intolerable heat coursing through her. Tremors shook her small figure and a black cloud covered her mind. PART 10 Michael was in a bed. A familiar bed with plain white sheets. He recognized it as his bed but it felt different somehow. HE felt different, like he didn’t belong there. He raised his head up a little to see the person lying next to him. It was a total shock to see himself sleeping peacefully. So it was one of those dreams; Maria Dreams as he liked to call them. He wanted to look down and see Maria to be sure, but he couldn’t. Nothing was his choice, he was caught in a piece of memory. So he gave up and tried to see what she saw and feel what she felt. He took a journey in her mind. She was lying close to him, her body plastered to his, his hand securely around her waist holding her close. She let herself enjoy his scent; sweet yet masculine. It made her feel both the excitement of novelty and the comfort of familiarity. More contradictions! That was great, like she didn’t have enough! Her thoughts and instincts told her very different stories about him and she was very confused and pissed. She placed her head a little higher on his pillow to come face to face with him. She could feel his breath, it smelled like beer. She traced his eyebrows with one hand, they were perfect. Perfect shape and perfect color for his face. His face was utterly beautiful. She had never knew a man could be this beautiful. She grazed her fingertips over his lips softly, afraid that he would wake up. She loved his lips. It was really hard for her to not kiss him when they were in the same room. She always watched his lips when he talked and occasionally forgot to listen what he was saying. She sighed. It wasn’t fair. After all the things she experienced with men, it was totally ridiculous that she would fall for a guy like Michael. She should have known better! Well, actually she did know better! Then why was she not able to just turn her back to him. She knew it wouldn’t work. She was sure it would end badly. She had tried to tell herself that he could never give her the safe life and cozy little family she wanted to have someday. So why was she even afraid to have her fun with him? Why the hell did her heart believe he was the one? If only she had met him in high school. She was positive that they would have had the time of their lives. And then they could just go on to their separate ways and she wouldn’t have had to dwell in this misery now. She took his big hand in her small one. She might be confused over how she felt about him but she definitely was in love with his hands. She took her time studying it. Touching, softly caressing his rough skin. An image of his hand washing the dishes came into her mind. She smiled. She loved watching him do things. Like when he wiped the table after dinner or when he showed her how to clean Tabasco stains from the carpet… She snuggled close to him and surrendered to sleep still feeling his hand in hers. And in that hazy place between the real world and the dream world, something found her. Some dream, fantasy, vision, coming from somewhere too close to her heart. Maria was lying in a hammock in a garden that smelled like roses. The sky above her was clear and there were a few birds singing around her. She felt peace as she lay there and watched the top branches of the trees reaching high up sway silently in the light breeze. Then she heard a noise and turned towards it. There was a small house with cute little windows. She got up and felt the warm grass under her feet. She walked towards the door, her hair tickling her bare arms. The door was open, she stepped inside without hesitation. There was a kitchen and a living room, not too luxurious but not too shabby as well. Furniture were simple. The house wasn’t too tidy or too sterile, there were some clothes thrown around and some pieces of a puzzle sitting on the coffee table. She saw a flight of stairs and started climbing. Stairs were old and some of them creaked as she stepped on them. But the sound wasn’t disturbing really, it was strangely familiar and relaxing. When she reached upstairs she found a half open door to her right. She went near careful to not make any noise while she had no idea why. She pushed the door and it opened silently and easily. Sun shone through the open window to enlighten a small, pink room. There was a man, his back turned to her looking out the window. His arms were folded in the front and his head was slightly tipped down. She recognized the hair immediately and went near him with a smile. He sensed her presence and turned around slowly. Before she saw what he was holding so gently in his arms, she noticed his expression. He was calm and the lines of scowl in his face were gone. In his arms was a bundle wrapped in a pink blanket. He raised his eyes to meet hers and gave her a small smile that somehow meant something secret which he would only share with her. She reached for him in a daze, almost like she was drawn to him. Her small hand slowly caressed his cheek as he watched her with that knowing smile. He gave her the baby. She was scared to hold something so fragile but it was irresistible. She held the baby in her arms and felt him wrap his arm around her waist. Now she knew exactly what his smile meant. It was the feeling. The feeling the little bundle in her arms and the man touching her made her feel. It was peace. She smiled that knowing smile of having solved the greatest mystery ever. Maria looked out the window. She saw the garden with the flowers, another house not far away, more trees and the clear sky… Then she raised her head a little more and looked farther. There it was. The castle. The black castle which she knew was huge and scary and cold. It was far away and looked so small she almost believed she imagined it. But a part of her knew it was there. It would always be there. But it didn’t scare her anymore. It was now just a reminder not a threat. A reminder of a chapter in her life she finally felt was over. Maria sighed and placed her head on his chest unconsciously and let herself drift off to a peaceful slumber. Michael opened his eyes and found himself on top of a slightly shaking Maria. He was still inside her. He felt rage take over his body. Not really with a specific reason. Just pure rage and hatred engulfed his heart. He slid off her and jumped out of the bed. He only had one thought in his head. He had to get out of there. He hurriedly found his boxers and put them on. He then made the biggest mistake of his life and looked at her. She was still sprawled on the bed, unable to move because of the tremors still shaking her. The golden waves he buried his face just moments ago were spread over her shoulders, curling around her soft breasts. His eyes found hers in a moment of weakness and the look in them almost made him change his mind, be a more courageous man for her. Her big, green eyes held a look full of hurt and fear. Then he remembered her vision, the look in her eyes there. The look of peace and trust. He almost laughed at himself for hoping. He could put only hurt and fear in her eyes, in her heart, not peace and trust. He wasn’t capable of anything better. He quickly walked towards the door, afraid what his powers would cause if he stayed any longer. And he said the words that would plague her dreams… “This was a mistake.” - - - Michael sat right in front of the door, not really able to walk or even breathe for that matter. He half expected her to burst out of the room and yell at him. He hoped, but she never came. He waited for the rustling of sheets as she moved to get up, but that didn’t come either. After fifteen minutes he heard what he expected the least. “No… Michael…” Her voice was a whisper choked with what he suspected were silent tears. Then he ran… Out the door, out of her house, out of her life; unable to stop to get some clothes, unable to care about the exploding street lights… He ran. As he always did. - - - Tom checked out of the motel and walked towards his rental car. The car was green. He hated green. He could see why Maria would want to get out of that place. Roswell was just a tourist trap, nothing more. A small town surrounded by nothing but desert for miles. He couldn’t wait to go back to LA. Tom drove towards Maria’s house, occasionally checking the directions she gave him and planned the day in his head. Their flight was in 6 hours. They could have lunch with Maria’s friends in that café Maria talked so much about, they would have plenty of time to drive to the airport and maybe buy some souvenirs on the way. He parked in front of the house and got out of the car. The door was open, he stepped inside telling himself that there was nothing to panic. The house was silent, so he walked upstairs. “Mars?? Hello?” He found her in the big bedroom. The room was a mess, clothes thrown everywhere. It didn’t go unnoticed that there was a tux thrown in that heap of clothes. He shook his head and smiled. So he slept with the guy. He was surprised she waited this long. But there was something wrong with the picture. Maria was lying in the middle of the bed, wrapped in sheets and still. Her knees were drawn to her chest and her eyes were closed but she wasn’t asleep. She almost looked like a scared kid waiting for the monster to get out of the closet. He sat on the bed and reached for her face. She opened her eyes; big, scared and swollen, and looked at him with so much pain he felt his own tears threatening to spill. His voiced dropped to a whisper. “What happened Mars? Are you okay babe?” He caressed her cheek softly. Tears started spilling down her face again. She tried to talk but nothing came out. He didn’t insist. It was better to get her distracted and on her feet, then he would learn what happened. “Sssh. It’s okay. Let’s get you out of this bed.” Tom helped her up her feet and in the bathroom. He prepared her a warm bath and went to her room to pack her stuff. Whatever her problem was she needed to get out. Out of this house or maybe even Roswell. - - - The day was so not going the way Tom had planned. It had taken him two hours to pack Maria’s clothes and get her out of the tub. Once she was out of the water she seemed to gather herself together. She wasn’t crying anymore at least. She was running around the house looking for anything forgotten. She looked pissed but Tom was glad that she was back among the living. The house was a mess because of the reception they had in the backyard. Cleaning was due the next day since noone was supposed to be home for two weeks. But it was impossible to find Maria’s earrings or hairpins or other small unnecessary stuff she had spread around. Maria rushed upstairs and walked in Michael’s room. She looked around the room almost frantically till she found what she was looking for. It was his favorite and oldest Metallica t-shirt. She took it from where it lay on the floor and walked hurriedly towards the door and stopped abruptly when the smell hit her. Michael. Tears threatened to spill. A big knot formed in her throat. She couldn’t help but bury her face in it and inhale deeply like it could bring him back in her arms. No! She was stronger than this. She threw the t-shirt where she found it and held her head up defiantly. Just as she was going out the door she couldn’t resist and turned back. She snatched the t-shirt again. Then she remembered the look in his eyes as he said that last words to her. How? How the hell did he have the guts to do that to her? By the time Tom came up to find her she had had grabbed and dropped the t-shirt ten or twelve times. And when Tom came in he found her kicking the black lump and mumbling to herself. He decided that it would be probably best to leave right then or she would burn the house down. He pulled her out of the room but not before she grabbed the worn t-shirt and clutched it to her chest. - - - Maria was in silence till they reached her house. It was one long boring journey with Tom trying to start conversation and Maria staring out the window. When they reached her home Maria sighed with relief. Home. Safe. She saw her Beetle parked in the front and smiled to herself. Her little but colorful life was still here. So she didn’t really die the night before although she could swear she felt her heart stop. Tom was reluctant to let her go home alone but she looked like she needed some time to put herself together. So he left promising to come back for breakfast. - - - “Hello?” “Oh, hi… Ria, it’s me Kyle.” “Hey Kyle. Sorry I couldn’t say goodbye before I left. I was kinda in a hurry.” “No, it’s okay. Actually I was calling to say that I’m coming there.” “What? Here? You mean LA? Why?” “Well, I need to get away from Roswell. I’m kinda sick of this place you know. I spent my whole life here and it sucks. And now dad’s married… I thought I could try LA for a while.” “Oh god! Really? This is so great! You know you can stay with me, I have an extra room and all.” “Hey, thanks! At least I can torture you till I find my own place.” “So when are you coming?” “Some time this week. I have some things to settle here, then I’ll be there as soon as I can.” “Alright, see you then! Call me before you come so I can come and get you from the airport okay?” “Okay. Thanks a lot Ria. You’re such a cool chick! I don’t know why we never dated.” “Yeah, you have no idea what you missed! Okay, get your ass here quick, I’ll be waiting.” “See you sis!” “You bet!” - - - Maria was sitting in her balcony wearing a black Metallica t-shirt and clutching a spiky haired alien doll. She looked at the stars but couldn’t see the bright ones she saw in Roswell. Her heart sank. Like she left a piece of herself back there. For a minute she let herself think what he could be doing at that moment. Was he watching the stars, was he thinking about her? She let out a bitter chuckle. Of course not. He was the one that left. She was the weak one, he was strong enough to walk away. It didn’t really matter anymore. She had been confused over where they were going with this… thing between them but he put that thought to an end. So now it didn’t matter how good it felt to have his fingers in her hair or how his smile made her knees weak. It was over before it became something. And now it didn’t matter. She wasn’t sure if anything would ever matter again. |
| Parts 6-10 |