"What the f*ck do you mean, you can't heal her?" Michael yelled getting very angry with Max. "Michael, I just can't! For some reason something it blocking me from healing her." Max explained again. Michael's anger was getting the best of him. "Try it again!" Michael said through is teeth. Max sighed and turned towards Maria again. He placed his hand on her face where her bruise and cut was. He tried to make the connection, but still nothing happened. Max pulled away breathing heavily. He looked up at Maria and she still had the bruise and cut on her face. Michael punched the wall, and Liz placed her face in her hands. "I'm so sorry, Maria. I can't do it." Max told her. Maria shook her head and smiled up at him. "It's not your fault, Max. It's okay, its just a cut and bruise." Maria told Max, trying to make him feel better about himself. It didn't work but Max gave her a thankful smile and sat on the couch next to Liz, while Maria walked over to Michael. "Maria, it's not just a cut and a bruise. It's something big, that you should be more worried about." Michael told her calmly, he didn't want to yell at her. That was the last thing that she needed. "Michael, it's okay. I promise, come on. Let's go to the bedroom." Maria told him while pulling his arm towards his bedroom. "Maria, this time it's a bruise and a cut, next time he might...." Michael didn't say what both of them were thinking. "And when I try to wake you up......" He paused not wanting to say it. "You won't cuz you'll be...." He stopped himself. He didn't want to finish the thought. He couldn't and wouldn't think that. Loosing Maria would be too much. He wouldn't be able to live with himself. Breaking up is one thing, he still got to see Maria and talk to her, but if she would die he wouldn't be able to see, talk, or touch her. He didn't even want to think about what he would do if that happened. Maria pulled Michael close to her and kissed his lips. "Michael, don't say or think things like that. It doesn't help." Maria told him. Michael nodded his head. Michael noticed that Maria was still really tired, he could tell that if she were to lay down she would go straight to sleep. "Maria, we shouldn't lay down. I can tell that you're tired." Michael told her. "And I can't protect you when you're sleeping." Maria thought for a second, and then remember what Rath told her. Flash "You really don't get it, do you? Your not strong enough, Maria. You can't do this alone. If only your boy hadn't let his guard down." Flash "Michael, there's something Rath said to me. Something important." Maria told him. "What are you talking about?" Michael asked as they walked inside his bedroom and shut the door. "When I was sleeping Michael, where were you?" She asked him. Michael gave Maria a weird look. "Maria, I don't think that's imp..." Maria cut him off. "Where were you, Michael?" She asked again. Michael sighed and answered her question. "I was here with you." Michael paused. "Until I got thirsty and went to get something to drink. And thats when you started screaming." Michael told her, he didn't see the point in this. "How long do you think you were gone?" Maria asked him. "I don't know, 10 minutes." Michael told her. "Thats it then." Maria said to him. Michael was really confused now. He sighed and sat down on the bed. "What's it?" He asked her, wondering what she was talking about. "In my dream or nightmare, whatever! Rath said something to me." Maria told him. Michael shook his head. "Well, what did he say?" Michael asked throwing his hands up in the air. "He said something like, 'If only your boy hadn't let his guard down,' I think he means like you can protect me." Michael gave her a strange look. "Like you are the only one who can protect me from him. He told that I wasn't strong enough, and then thats when he said that you shouldn't have let your guard down." Maria tried to explain to him. Michael nodded his head, he noticed that too. Just a few moments after he got his drink, Maria started to have her nightmare. He felt guilty for leaving Maria like that. He shook his head. There was no time to start blaming anyone. The only person to blame was Rath, if that's what you would call a person. "Well, thats good news. All you have to do is stay with me, 24-7. I won't let you out of my sight." Michael told her. Maria rolled her eye's. "I wasn't saying that, I was just saying while I sleep I let my guard down but for some reason you keep your up. So if I just stay here with you when I sleep everything will be good. Well, until we can figure out what to do." Maria told him. "No, I like my plan better. See, that way I can watch you all the time." "Michael..." Maria said but Michael continued. "When your eating." "Michael!" "When your changing your clothes." "Michael!" "When your taking a shower." He said with a smirk. "MICHAEL!" Maria yelled and then playfully smacked Michael on the arm. Michael chuckled at her. "Come on, lets get some sleep. And this time I won't leave you unprotected. I promise." Michael whispered in her ear. --- Rath slammed his hands down in frustration. He was so close, he almost had her. But his dupe had to come and mess it all up. That was the last straw, he wasn't playing nice guy anymore. He was being easy on Maria before, but now he was going to pull out the big guns. Rath smiled at himself, if he couldn't get to Maria, then he would make Maria come to him. He would wait another night to make another plan. He had to come up something good, something that would not only hurt Maria, but hurt his dupe more. Yes, the time was now. And now was the time to be really evil. Now was the time to be Rath. TBC

Part 11