Max sighed as he ended the call to Michael.  Liz's expression mirrored his, one of exasperation, as she hung up on Maria.

"How can two people who need each other, be so-"

"stubborn?" she supplied.

"Yes."

"That's Michael and Maria, that's why they're perfect for each other, like us," she said as she leaned in to kiss him.  Reluctantly breaking away from her kiss, Max asked, "what do we do now?"

"We keep trying, till they actually talk."

"Then…"

"Then, let's hope it goes well."

 

Michael opened the door to his apartment, feeling exactly the way it looked, minimalist, sparsely decorated, empty.  Tonight's date with Cassandra had gone okay and usually he brought his dates back to the apartment, but tonight was not the night.  Because tonight for the first time in years, his mind kept flashing back to the blonde haired pixie, he had left back on earth seven years ago.  Though years had passed, she was still Maria, stubborn, infuriating-

STOP! He ordered himself.  Stop thinking about her, things have changed, she has a kid, a live-in boyfriend and you have your life. 

Whatever was between him and Maria was over years ago.  She had moved on, so had he. 

But tonight she looked so beautiful, that spark in her eyes, it was still there and her lips were stil-

STOP it he ordered himself again as he went from switching the t.v. on to off, blaring loud indistinguishable music to blast the thoughts out of his mind and finally settled for dropping on his bed, closing his eyes and counting sheep.  Only each sheep began to look increasingly like Maria…

 

Something was ringing, Michael registered, it sounded like an alarm, no a phone… his phone was ringing he realised as his hand grasped his bedside table for it.

"What"

"Morning to you too Michael" replied a cheerful voice.

"Izy? Why are you calling me at" his blurry eyes glanced at his alarm clock, "2pm in the afternoon?"

"because Michael most people are actually awake."

"what's up?" he asked as he sat up in bed.

"Maria."

Michael groaned, he should have known Max would rally up the troops.

"Michael you have to talk to her."

When will the torment end? He thought

"Did that, yesterday didn't work out," he replied simply.

"Probably because you said something wrong," she replied. He could practically see an I-told-you-so grin on her face. For the second time, Michael was filled with amused indignation.

"Why am I always the bad guy with this?"

"Michael, this is really important you, have to talk"

"She doesn't want to talk", he protested.

And it kills me that she doesn't want to, he added silently.

"So get over yourself and make her talk, if she tries to leave don't let her until she tells you"

"Tells me what?" he asked.  What was this big thing that everyone wanted him to know but wouldn't or couldn't tell him?

"You won't find out unless you talk to her Michael," her voice softened, "and believe me, you do"

"Fine," he sighed defeated, " I'll stop by-"

"-today, five o clock, she takes Michelle to this stars playground up in the hills and usually spends time in the gardens writing."

What did they do run a profile on Maria's activities?

"Thanks."

"No problem and Michael?"

"What?", he sighed.  What other possible pain could they want to instil on him this time?

"Please do this."

"Sure Iz," he smiled.

"Okay, bye."

 

Michael pulled in front of Hillcrest Playgroup.  Previously he would have been shocked these places actually existed, a place for stars' kids to mingle, but the bodyguard business definitely opened up his eyes.

"Hello, may I help you?" asked the young red headed secretary.  She was short and cute, if he didn't have Maria on his mind he would have probably asked for her number.  One day after seeing that girl and she was already interfering in his life.

"Michael Guerin," he said flashing her his company ID," here to see Maria Deluca."

"Oh," she asked as she gave him an appreciative look, " she's in the west wing gardens," she showed him along a corridor, "just along this hall and to your left…I could take you there if you want to," she offered.

"I can manage thanks," he replied.

The corridor led to an opening which presented him with beautiful sprawling neatly tended grass lawns with paths that reminded him of the yellow brick road in the Wizard of Oz.  The problem, Michael realised was that he wasn't sure which garden Maria was writing in, there were paths leading straight ahead, to the left and right of him with no signs.  Trying for the most logical he took the path on his left and found himself surrounded by hedges.  It was a secluded spot he realised, somewhere for kids to hide playing hide and seek or for couples to sit, talk and kiss.  Hearing the sounds of laughter, he peered through the hedges and saw Michelle and her friends throwing a ball around.  He watched as the ball she threw sailed through the air missing the catcher and rolling to a stop in front of the hedge.

"I'll get it," he heard her yell as she ran towards him.

Michael figured he could do two things: get out from his hiding place and give her the ball, go find Maria or stay and watch.  Curious to see how much she looked like Maria, he chose the third option and stayed and watched as she ran towards him, with her mother's strawberry blonde hair dancing in the wind.  He watched amused as she approached the hedge, but instead of coming closer to pick up the ball, she looked back to her friends then to her left and right, as if to make sure no one was looking and then fixed her gaze at him.

No not at him, at the ball, he realised.

His eyes grew wide as it slowing floated towards her and landed softly in her hands.  While Michelle ran back happily to her friends, Michael dropped onto the bench.  His mind reeling. The pieces were suddenly becoming clear.

Michelle just floated a ball to her, Max and Isabel were insistent that he speak to Maria, she was edgy even though she wouldn't admit it and didn't want him to see Michelle or Ray…That meant-

Michael knew what that meant, it meant Maria had betrayed him.  It meant, that he was nothing to her, that he'd risked everything for nothing.  Fists clenched, blinking away his blurry eyes, he marched back to the reception desk and asked for directions to the west garden.  The garden was a circular opening, closed off to the world by a circular hedge.  A conservatory in the background, surrounded with flowers and a tall willow tree in the centre.  Under that tree sat Maria, writing.  Michael stood there watching her scroll down some revelation, watched her stare out into the cloudy electric sky as if searching for something.  Her every move sent sharp pains into his chest, he was finding it hard to breathe.   The image of Michelle and ball, dulled the pain and sent roaring fire coursing through him instead.

"Maria!" he shouted as he approached her.

He watched her eyes grow wide in surprise as she got up and dusted herself off.

"What are y-"

"She's one of us isn't she?", he said fists clenched.
Her wide eyes confused she asked, "who?"

"Michelle, I saw her float a ball," he stated.

Droplets started falling from above, curling his hair and making his eyes blurry, but Michael didn't care.  All he focused on was Maria's shocked expression of being discovered.

"Oh, I can expla-"

"-that's what Max and Isabel wanted me to know wasn't it?"

She opened her mouth and closed it again, "Michael," she tugged at him pulling him towards the conservatory, "it's raining, we need to get ou-"

"That you," he spat shrugging her off, "slept with an alien and was stupid enough to get pregnant."

"Michael-"

"So what Mara, on the rebound after I left and banged the first guy who came along….little green men a turn on for you?"

He saw her flinch with every word but he didn't care, she was going to feel exactly the way he felt right now.

"Is that what you think!" she shouted her little body rigid and tense, "that I'd fall into somebody's bed right after you leave?"

"The alien love child speaks for itself," he said coldly.  "So tell me Maria, what does an alien do these days to get you to sleep with him huh? Whisper sweet nothings in your ear…or just show you his alien power and you're his human toy."

He watched drenched as her fists clenched and unclenched, slowly she raised  her eyes to him brimming, the pain as readable as a red exit sign, "that  was low Michael", her voice low and filled with hurt," even for you,"

"the pot calling the kettle black!," he called after her as she stormed past him.

Michael made no attempt to follow after her, made no attempt to get out of the rain, just stood there, his anger washed way, giving way to a wave of intense gut-wrenching pain. Him and Maria were over, but then again, they had never been together anyway.

 

Maria wiped the tears falling gently down her cheeks.  Isn't good to cry and drive, she told herself, especially on a wet day like this one.

"Mum are you okay?" asked Michelle.

"Fine hon," she reassured her, "just a little emotional right now…I got inspired."

"Cool,"

"yeah," she whispered.  Only it wasn't cool, it was painful. After Michael, she'd waited for 'Shelly to finish, it was no use disrupting her daughter's social life for her problems.  It had given her time, time to play back every spiteful word Michael had practically spat at her and the look of disgust in his eyes, it sent another slash of raw pain within her.  She hadn't expected him to react that way, to think those things…but then things had changed and they had changed, Michael obviously not for the better. 

Good thing she found out now instead of waiting and hoping that somehow, someday-

It didn't matter now, her and Michael were over before they even began again.

"Mumm"

"Yeah,"

"There's a guy standing in the middle of the road up ahead," she pointed.

Maria shook off her self-pity and focused on the man standing in front of the road.

"Looks like his car has broken down," she said as they neared him.

"Uh, Mum are we going to stop?"

"I'm trying," said Maria, panic enveloping her.  The brakes, they weren't working!

She slammed down hard and they weren't stopping, instead they were accelerating.

What the-

"Mum!" screamed Michelle.

Maria frantically made a last attempt at braking, the guy wasn't even moving out of the way!

"Mum stop the car!" yelled Michelle.

The last scream dragged Maria out of her panicked state, a surge of adrenaline caused her to take the one option she had left. Taking a breath Maria swerved the car off the road and into the overgrown forest and crashed straight into a tree: Then the world went black.