| ~Crashdown Cafe~ Maria Deluca sighed as she slumped down on a stool in front of the counter at the Crashdown Cafe. Her alien attenna's bopped and she scowled at them, looking around for Alex or Liz. She spotted the alien trio she had just learned about and she shook her head, sitting straighter on the stool. They scared the hell out of her, although somewhere in her she knew they wouldn't actually hurt her, the didn't mean they didn't know how to mess with a humans mind. She didn't know where Liz had run off to a little while ago, but now she needed help as the Cafe began to fill up again. She grabbed her order pad, stood up smoothing down her uniform, and slowly walking up to the alien's booth. She forced a smile, refusing to meet any of their gazes. "What can I get you today?" "Hey Maria... I think I'll just take a Will Smith burger with some saturn rings, and could you bring some tabasco, please?" Max said with a friendly smile, although his eyes continued to roam the cafe for the other waitress. "Hi Max." Maria nodded, scribbling down his order, finally having to look at Isabel and Michael, "And you two?" She questioned with forced politeness. Being around them made her uneasy. Max was always nice, but Isabel had the Ice Princess thing going and Michael..well that guy just creeped her out...even if she thought he could pass as a somewhat good looking guy. Michael scowled as he glared up at the waitress. Of all the places in town, why had Max insisted on coming *here*? It would be better if they stayed as far away from Liz and her ditzy little friend as possible. Especially now. Especially after what had happened... "The same.." he muttered. Maria looked away from Isabel and to Michael as he spoke, surprised to find him glaring at her. Her eyes narrowed on him and she returned the look for a moment before turning her gaze back on Max, the glare fading and a small smile playing at her lips, "And to drink?" "I'll just have a cherry coke." Max said smiling back at her. "So. Maria, is Liz around?" He questioned non to smoothly as he slowly brought his gaze back to the blonde infront of him. Maria wrote down his drink order on her pad, then looked back up to Max again, "OH, umm, I know she's around somewhere, she may be in the back doing inventory." She told him as she waited for the other two give her their order. "Is it ok if I go back there?" He asked, his eyes shooting to the swinging door that connected into the backroom, not really looking for an answer, but asking anyway. "Umm.." Maria bit her bottom lip as she looked towards the back then to Max, "I guess..it would be okay." She finally said, still frowning slightly. "Great, thanks Maria!" Max said as he got up and headed for the back with his usual soft smile. Micheal gaped as his "brother" left the table. Had Max completely lost his mind? They shouldn't even be here, and now he wanted to go searching for the one person who could reveal their secret. Sighing he turned back to Maria. "You're still here, because....?" Maria made a sound in the back of her throat as Max quickly got up and left, "Yeah, no problem." She mumbled, then turned to look back at Isabel and Michael. "So? Drinks?" She questioned, somewhat ignoring Michael. Michael grinned.. If he had to put up with Max and his weird ideas, he could at least have some fun out of it. "Well, I don't know...." he asked, smiling sweetly. Too sweetly... Maria eyed Michael suspiciously, "You know what we have, you've been coming here for years." She snapped witha frown. She really liked the glaring Michael more then the sweet one, this smiling version of him kinda scared her. "Now is that any way to talk to paying customers?" he asked. "After all, you may have NEW drinks...." Maria's glare returned, "If you don't just answer I'm bringing you over the least favorible drink on the menu." She told him in a low voice. Michael shook his head in mock resignation. "Fine, just bring me a coke.... and I'll be sure to mention to Mr. Parker just how helpful and kind his waitresses are." He grinned up at the blonde, kind of enjoying her frustration. Maria's eyes widened and she huffed slightly, "Fine! And I'll be sure to tell him what a jerk the customers are becoming." She didn't wait for an answer from Isabel and she stalked off and behind the counter, glancing over to their booth with a glare as she gave in the order and started making their drinks. Michael grinned slightly, watching Maria storm off. She was cute, for a human. A human who knew his secret... Michael's grin faded as he remembered why he had been angry before. Strange how he had almost managed to forget about that while he was "fighting" with Maria. Maria rolled her eyes as Jose tried to hit on her, again. He really needed to get some new material. She picked up the drinks and brought them back to the booth, purposely ignoring Michael. She slammed his drink down infront of him, then set down Max's and looked to Isabel as she set one down in front of her with tabasco sauce, "Sorry, I didn't really catch what you wanted, but you usually order diet, so that's what I got you." She stated, sparing on glance at Michael, "I'll be back with your food." Michael glanced up absently, still worrying about their futures. Max had run off to find his dream girl, and Isabel may as well not have been there. Someone had to figure out if this dizty girl was a threat. May as well be him.... "Come on...you just placed the order. You should have a few minutes at least. Why don't you sit and keep us company? Maybe salvage your reputation as a amiable waitress?" he muttered, gesturing at the booth opposite him. Maria looked around worriedly, nervousness racking her body, "Ookay..." She stated simply as she slid into the booth. She frowned for a moment, then glared at Michael for putting her in this uncomfortable situation. Michael ignored the glares he could feel coming from her. Pulling his Coke closer, he took a drink, and absently began playing with the straw. "So, uh.. you and Liz have been friends for a long time heh?" Maria looked at Michael strangly for a moment, "Yes..since.." She got a small confused look on her face, trying to remember the first time she met Liz, "Practically forever..why?" Frustrated, and feeling helpless, he finally snapped at her, "What exactly, do you plan to do about this whole "Max saving Liz" deal?" Michael regretted it as soon as he spoke..... Max would be much more subtle, even Isabel would have better control of the situation. He would, of course, be the one to ruin everything. "DO? There's nothing to do, I'm greatful that my bestfriend is still alive..but there's nothing to do." Maria hissed as she stood up, "You think I'm going to go turn you guys in?" She questioned shaking her head, "I don't go yapping about every little secret I know..I'll keep my mouth shut, just keep your distance." Michael glared across the table, wondering what it was about this girl that had always got under his skin. "Well, I can promise you that I'll keep MY end of that deal!" he spat, throwing a few bills on the table to cover his order. "Tell Max I'll talk to him later." he muttered in Isabel's general direction. Standing up, he faced Maria with a slight sneer. "Don't work too hard, Deluca!" Michael turned on his heel, and stalked out of the cafe, not knowing where he was going or what he would do when he got there. He just knew that he had to get away from HER, before he said or did something really stupid...... "Hey, Maria, you didn't take my order, and these fries are cold." Isabel said, finally snapping out of her daze when she noticed the other blonde starting to leave the booth after Michael left. She was using the order thing more as an excuse to get her over to the table so she could talk to her. "Maria, could you please go and search for Max, I don't think him being here is such a good idea." *Make up your mind Princess, do you want your order or Max.* Maria thought bitterly as she forced a smile, nodded and walked into the back, "Alright love birds." She said, startling Max and Liz. As much as Michael and Isabel didn't want to be here and wanted to tear Max away from Liz, she wanted the same thing, "Max, Umm...Que -er, Your sister wants you and electro shock boy just stormed out...you have problem in the ranks." She said sarcasticaly. She didn't know how she could let Michael upset her enough for her to start calling him names. ~Outside the Cafe~ Michael cursed to himself as the truck swerved, barely missing him. He had stepped off the curb, oblivious to the traffic speeding around him. "Ditzy Deluca is hazardous to my health" he muttered, trying to get his thoughts as far away from her as he could. Of course that was easier said than done.. Maria, Liz, and what he had come to refer to as the "healing" were really ALL that he could think of. Crossing the street, he continued wandering, no real destination in mind. Michael glanced at his watch, and sighed. It was early yet, and Hank would just be getting started on his afternoon binge. "As opposed to the morning, mid-morning, and nightly ones..." he muttered darkly. So going home, as it were, wasn't much of an option. Neither was going back to the cafe. Trying to talk to Deluca was crazy enough, but storming out only to come crawling back 20 minutes later was pathetic. Michael stopped, and leaned against the brick wall of the store he was passing. Was this really all there was to his life? He had nothing... no home, no family, no past, no future. He leaned his head back, his eyes closed to hide the burning tears. "There has to be something better than this...." he whispered. Courtney hurried along the sidewalk to get to work. She was already late and she knew Liz would chew her out. Her hands snuggled inside her coat pockets as she tried to warm up from the 'cleary not warm enough for Autumn' dress she had to wear to work. Her speedy steps turned into a light run as she turned the corner to get to the Crashdown. Suddenly she slammed into a figure which made her grasp onto a nearby street sign pole. She collected herself and looked up to see who she ran into. It was a familiar face which made her apologetic gaze into a small grin. "Hi. I'm so sorry about that." Michael's eyes flew open as a small figure barreled into him. Shocked, he stared at the young woman standing before him, grinning. He knew her from school.. her name was Karen or Courtney or Kim.. one of those "peppy" names that always made him think of the all-american cheerleader type. However, the girl wasn't wearing a cheerleading uniform under her coat, but the distinctive Crashdown cafe uniform. Michael groaned silently. "I just can't get far enough away from that place!" he thought. Aloud, he only said, "Don't worry.. that, uh, running and chewing gum at the same time thing gets everyone..." Courtney bit her lip as she watched Michael. Her heart beated a bit faster as she marveled at the fact that this was the closest she had ever been to him. She giggled at his remark and didn't take any offense to it. "So...yea I'm really sorry about that. Its Michael right?" She knew his name already but he didn't know that. In fact, he didn't know a lot of things. Michael paused, surprised that she knew his name. Usually that was an "honor" reserved for the principal and truancy officer. And for weird, schizophrenic little waitresses who knew what he really was... "Stop that!" he mentally scolded, realizing he was spacing out again. To distract himself from the disturbing thoughts he couldn't seem to control, he glanced over the girl in front of him. Nice, he decided.. good body, pretty smile... not bad at all. "Uh, yeah. Michael. And you are..?" "Courtney. Yea, I'm sure I've seen you at school." She looked him up and down and smiled in approval. He *was* everything he was meant to be. She brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Well I've gotta go... late for work." She looked down at her dress sort of implying the 'work' part of her comment. She started to step slowly backwards while she faced him. "See ya." She tunred around and started again towards the crashdown. Courtney.. Yeah, that fit. Michael paused for a moment, debating where to go or what to do now. He could either go back to the trailer and put up with Hank, or find some way to entertain himself until nightfall. For some reason, he always felt more comfortable at night... more in his own element. Or maybe he just wanted somewhere to hide... ~Back Inside the Cafe~ Maria had watched the whole encounter as she stood inside the Cafe. "Your late." She snapped at Courtney as she came in with a grin. She scowled as the bottled blonde walked past her and into the back. She turned back to look out the window at Michael. He hadn't even yelled at Courtney for running into him, yet all she had to do was be walking by and she'd get the angry eye. She shook her head, trying to tear her gaze away from the back of Michael's head, but nothing was working. She felt a pang of..jealousy, was it? She didn't even like him, okay maybe just a little....but not really! Michael glanced back toward the cafe after Courtney had left. He was somewhat startled to see Maria, glaring at him through the glass. Okay, maybe she wasn't glaring.... it was kind of far to tell... but she was certainly staring in his direction. What was with this chick? First she won't get out of his head... and now she, and reminders of her, keep popping up whenever he finally stopped thinking of her. Feeling strangely irritated, Michael turned back toward the cafe and stalked purposefully across the street. Maybe if he told her to just stay out of his life.. and his mind!, she would get the hint. "Or she just might get pissed off and call him stupid names," he thought, almost grinning at the prospect. Maria stared at Michael, not even noticing when he turned around and looked at her for a moment. She seemed to snap out of her daze as she him walking quickly back to the cafe. Her eyes went wide for a moment and she walked backwards from the window. She turned around quickly and went back to the counter. She talked to Jose for a moment and then turned back around, hoping Michael was gone. She jumped startled to see him standing right there, "Oh Umm..Michael? What?" She tried to sound irritated, or annoyed, but it came out nervously..Like she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Michael had to smother a grin at the guilty look on Maria's face. She reminded him of a little kid, standing in front of the empty cookie jar with crumbs on her face and chocolate on her hands, saying "Me.. oh no, I didn't take the cookies!!" "What... you're asking ME what... I came to ask you that, Deluca. After all, you were the one staring.... See anything you liked?" Maria's eyes quickly darted around the cafe, anywhere but at Michael. Her cheeks burned red with embarrassement, "Oh umm...about that. You see I was just, day dreaming about Brad Pitt and you just happened to be standing there. I didn't even realize you were there until you started to make your way back like some big ape." She told him, placing her hands on her hips, finally having the confidence to look up at him, trying to glare, but knowing she was failing. "Yeah," Michael thought, "most girls glare and look pissed at the thought of Brad Pitt." He looked down at the pixie girl in front of him, finally understanding what the cliche "you're really cute when you're angry" meant. Without realizing it, he spoke the thought aloud..... Maria's eyes went wide as she stared up at him. She felt her heart skip a beat and there were suddenly butterfly's in her stomach. *What the hell* She thought, confusion written over her face, "Excuse me?" She asked, although she meant to sound maybe angry, it came out quietly, "Did you just say I'm cute when I'm angry?" She questioned. She needed to do something to get away from the subject, "I'm not supposed to be cute, I'm supposed to look mad..and your supposed to look scared." She poked her finger into his chest as she continued to try and be angry, although right under the surface was confusion, passion, and desire. Michael froze, realizing what he had said. He was scared all right, but not of the bouncy little ... Maria in front of him. "you're cute?" he thought.. Where the hell had that come from? Collecting himself quickly, he laughed. The sound, which was supposed to be cruel, sounded soft and husky, even to him. "Yeah, I'm really afraid of a little squirt like you!" His skin tingled where she had poked him.. he could feel the warmth of her finger, even through his shirt. The feeling lingered, even as he stepped back from her, almost like Max's handprints when he healed someone. "Don't you know better than to poke people who are bigger than you, pipsqueak?" "Squirt?! Your calling me squirt?!" Maria questioned in a low voice, trying to surpress the shudder that rippled through her body at his husky laugh. She glared at him fully now, the desire still hidden right beneath the surface. She smirked at him as she moved forward each time he stepped back, still poking his chest. No one else in the Cafe even seemed to notice the small blonde waitress about to attack the tall spikey haired boy, "What are you going to do about it, Spaceboy?" She questioned, the nickname just slipping off her tongue for the first time. Michael gaped.. "Spaceboy??" Where had THAT come from? Instead of asking, he stopped backing up. With a slight grin, he started walking toward her, deliberately closing the distance between them slowly and steadily. Almost crowding her, so close he could feel the heat radiating off her body, he put his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her backward. "Yeah, I'm calling you squirt. So what do you plan to do about it...squirt?" Maria glared at Michael as he pushed her backwards, she stumbled right into the counter, her skin was burning through her uniform from where his hands had been. She opened her mouth, then shut it quickly, at a lose for words, first time in a long time, "This is so not right, you have like..50 pounds on me..and beside's your taller and you have all those Samantha Jeanie powers.." The last part came out hushed as she glared up at him. "You are being just like a male..arragont and pig headed." She hissed at him, absently licking her lips as her green eyes flashed at him. "And don't call me squirt, Spaceboy." "Wow... I think I almost had you speechless for a minute there. Someone alert Ripley's.." Michael muttered absently.. watching Maria's tongue dart out to wet her small red lips seemed to take all of his concentration. Mentally shaking himself, he grinned.. "Yeah, but it's not so much that I'm too large.. as you're just really really, well, tiny." Reaching out, Michael grabbed Maria around the waist, and gently lifted her up, sitting her down on the counter. For once, they were almost face-to-face, he noted. He smirked at her, and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "I'll call you anything I like...cheesehead." Maria gasped as Michael suddenly just grabbed her waist and lifted her up onto the counter. She could feel the heat spread through her body as he leaned forward and whispered into her ear. She had to grin a little at a nickname from grade school, as he pulled back some, her eyes were locked on his for a moment, before they darted around, "Michael!" She hissed as she noticed that they had a small audence, "We're still in the cafe Dorkbutt." She couldn't help as the familiar name just left her mouth. Michael glanced around the cafe, realizing that a few people had wandered in. He and Maria had been so... busy.. that he hadn't noticed. Grinning slightly, he slipped forward, to stand between her legs. Michael lifted his hand to brush Maria's hair away from her face. Leaning forward, he brushed his lips across her jawline, then whispered in her ear, "See ya later, Motor mouth..." Turning, he walked from the cafe, never looking back. Maria sat on the counter for a moment, touching the place his lips had brushed. Then shook her head with a small blush and hopped down, walking over to a booth and taking an order. She stared out the window at his retreating form with a confused look. Now she definatly knew she wanted to get to know Michael Guerin better. Something about the boy 'not of this earth' just pulled her towards him. Michael wandered aimlessly around Roswell for a while, even more dazed than the first time he had left the Crashdown. He hadn't walked out to be rude, or even "smooth". Rather, he had no idea what else he could do. There was really no explanation for what he had done. Even temporary insanity was too tame.... Looking up, he groaned. Without realizing it, Michael had wanderered back to the cafe. Pulling to a halt, he shook his head, and muttered, "Even the trailer park beats the Twilight Zone.... " Turning around sharply, he headed "home", where his bedroom and artist's pad waited. He had an idea for a new picture..... Maria rubbed her temples with a frown as she watched Michael walk back up to the Cafe, then turn around and walk away again, "I will never get men." She mumbled to herself as she pushed past another waitress to go place an order. Somehow she knew that she'd be going stir crazy for the rest of the day..thinking about none other than Michael. Michael stared down at his artist's pad. He had smudges of charcoal, one of his favorite mediums, on his hands and face. But the drawing... the drawing was worth any mess. It was Maria, he knew, even though the little fairy had translucent wings and was sitting atop a rose rather than a cafe counter. The sparkly eyes, the little nose, the hair and smile... it was all Maria. Michael started to rip the drawing from the pad, fully intending to destroy it. But, for some reason, he stopped. He looked at the drawing once more, then turned to a blank page and began sketching.... It was early night before he put the pad aside. His stomach growled painfully, reminding him that he hadn't eaten either time he went to the cafe. There was no point in checking the fridge, he knew. Hank had already blown his paycheck for this week, since he had gotten to the mail before Michael had, and food was usually the last thing he brought home. Laying back on the bed, Michael curled up, and tried to sleep. At least it would help pass the time.... TBC |
| Part 1 |
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