Michael was near breaking point, he'd looked for Maria everywhere, she wasn't back in L.A. he'd called everyone.  He'd checked The Crashdown under new management, he'd checked his old apartment.  He'd checked every where apart from-

Of course! He'd missed the one place where she'd be, he just hoped she was still there.

 

Maria stared at her bedroom roof.  She hadn't changed her room, she visited it every time she needed to get away from the chaos of the music biz.  Her room, her home was a cocoon a baby blanket where memories of the past tucked her in to sleep and dream sweet dreams of times past and futures not yet realised.

Sighing she looked at her clock.  Her plane was leaving in half an hour.  She didn't think that he'd come, why had she even tried.  It was over between her and Michael, over.  She should just call Liz and tell her that she'd see her at the airport.  Rising off her bed she stopped at the window, looking beyond what the outside showed.  Looking back to that raining night, when Michael had stood outside her window, wet, eyes pleading…that was a memory she held close to her heart.  Her eyes came back into focus taking in the dirt road, the street lamp not yet lit, Michael standing beside it-

Maria had to do a double take, but there he was, standing outside her window.  With an increasing feeling of déjà vu, Maria shook her head at him.

"No, Michael, this is not happening.  It's over between us, I have closure.  I love you but no, no , no, no!"

 

Michael stood awkwardly in her room.  She was still here and still Maria.

"Your room is.."

"like a time warp I know,".

She stood with her arms crossed at the end of her bed, he was at the top.

"You left early"

"I had and still have a plane to catch" she replied.

"Look," they said in unison.

"You first," he said.

"Fine.  I just wanted to say that you don't have to worry about me leaking it to the press that Michelle is yours, and don't worry about me hounding you for child support either, we'll manage."

Michael could hardly believe his ears.

"Is that what you think I want!" he said as he walked towards her.

"What else would you want?".

At that question he froze.  Of course what else would she think he wanted, after the way he'd treated her, how could he expect her to understand?

Well, I'm going to make her understand.

"I want-," he began taking a step towards her, "everyone to know Michelle is mine if they ask, I-

"-I know, you don't want your playboy-five-girls-a-week lifestyle to be disrupted, I get it."

"Will you let me finis- My playboy what?".  He shook his trying to keep his thoughts together as his mind flashed back to the days when they used to argue like this. Just being here in her room, it brought back so many intoxicating memories, her smiles, her cedar oil scent, her open inviting eyes.

"I want," he began again, "everyone to know Michelle is mine if they ask"

He saw her eyes go wide with surprise.

"I want to be a part of her life".  He was an arm stretch away from her now. He closed the gap between them. Looking earnestly into her eyes, he said, "I want you."

"Why?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Michael held out his hands to her, "let me show you"

His heart pounded wildly against his chest, this was it, if she took his hands then he had hope, but if she didn't…then his world would be filled with meaningless events and banter, only seeing but never grasping the beauty and happiness that life had to offer.

 

Maria looked at his outstretched palms. Those hands, they'd caressed her skin, travelled through her hair and sent shivers to her spine.  

This is it Deluca, the choice, Michael or no Michael.

 As that thought entered her mind, Maria realised she really didn't have a decision to make.  To think that she did would be the greatest lie she could tell herself. She had spent seven years with no Michael and it had sucked.  To know that he was here, even after everything, she needed to do this, to know why at least."

Tentatively she placed her warm hands into his.  He squeezed them gently sending a rush of electricity and heat to her cheeks culminating in a burst of white light in front of her eyes.

 The light cleared to reveal Michael, not on earth but on Antar, his joy at finally seeing the home he had always dreamt of seeing and realising that he didn't want to be there; mainly because of the weapon pointed at his head but also for a different reason.  Maria couldn't figure out what it was as it was replaced by another image of Michael looking at their green tinted sky trying to penetrate it, to somehow see…her.  Maria could feel what he had experienced at that moment because it mirrored her own feelings for the two years after the aliens left…emptiness, pain, like half of your body had been severed off.  Maria saw him, felt him experience the pain and brutality of war, of seeing people he respected or loved die.

He felt that

Michael on earth, eyes wide with a new found appreciation for his home. Earth.

Looking for her and finding her, her fame and her child. Maria flinched as she felt his heartbreak.

 Michael working as a security guard, moving up the ladder wanting to make himself a better man…for her. 

Dark blue lights, a stage, her speaking into the microphone thanking her family and friends and fans for her music award and in wings, he was there.  At every event, he was there, the reason he worked for Old man Hartley was because of her! 

Maria had to draw in breath when the connection was broken.  Her eyes were wet.  She stared at those hands still holding onto hers.  He had always been there, loved her always.

"We came back because Earth was our home, you Maria are my home."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked staring into his gentle eyes.

"Because I was too dense and stubborn and hurt to admit how much I loved you and the fact that you didn't love me back"
"But if you had tried-"
"I know. I regret a lot of things, not telling you, all the wasted time I spent with trophy girlfriends instead of you and Michelle.  I know I've screwed up Maria but I was just wondering…" he broke off.
"what?" she asked squeezing his hands to encourage him.

"I was wondering," he began softly, " that um, given the time and space, if you could let me love you"

Maria smiled.  She had no thought, just feeling of overwhelming happiness.

Kissing him passionately she smiled, "I think I could do that"

 

"Step on it Ray," said Maria impatiently as they drove through L.A. traffic.

"I would, but it's rush hour, any attempts made to increase speed would lead to an accident" he replied and smiled at her, "which would mean you wouldn't be able to pick up that hot number for dinner tonight which by the way you should have picked up yesterday so, patience."

"Fine, you're right, it's my fault," she replied smiling, "though I do recall, it was you who challenged me to that poker re-match".

 So she was going to be a little late, life in general was good.  It was more than good, everyday Maria woke up singing, when she brushed her teeth, she thought of his eyes, his lips.  Michael Guerin was like a drug she didn't want to get off of in all ways good.  Speaking of which-

"Hey since we are going to be late anyway, let's stop by Michael's office and surprise him"

"You're seeing him tonight" grinned Ray.

"Hours from now, I just want to stop by and say hi and remind him.  You know his problem with punctuality to dates."

"Okay, fine" conceded Ray as he changed lanes.