| DREAMPLANE �Maria�� whispered a sweet voice. �Prue? Is that you?� Maria cried. Maria felt like she was floating on a cloud. She looked around her but she couldn�t see anything by blue sky and puffy white clouds. Yet she felt safe. �Maria�� �Please, Prue. I can�t see you. Where are you?� �I am not to be found, Maria. I am not lost. You need to find your way back to your family. They need you.� Maria shook her head. �I wanna stay here. It�s safe here. Please, don�t make me go back. I wanna stay with you!� Maria cried. �Dear, sweet Maria. It is not your time yet. You still have a long life to live. You are too important to give up. You have a great love, and that is not something to be taken for granted.� �But how can I face them. I am the reason you died.� �Child, you were not the cause. It was simply my time to go. But the others need your strength. They cannot succeed without you. You must return.� �I can�t�� Maria whispered. �I�m so scared.� �Fear is a part of living, as is courage.� �How can I have courage when I am so afraid? What if someone else dies. I don�t think I could handle losing anyone else. My heart can�t take it.� �Remember little sister, courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to do what it right in the face of it. And know this, you will never be alone. I will be watching always. And one day, in the distant future, we will meet again.� �Oh, Prue. I love you so much! And I will remember everything you taught me. If I know you are with me, I think I could face anything.� �Indeed you can. Now child, open your eyes and live your life,� the voice faded in the distance. �Goodbye, Prue,� Maria whispered. END DREAMPLANE Maria opened her eyes to find herself back in her room at the manor. She looked around the room to find all of her loved ones asleep in various positions around the room. Liz and Max were curled up together in the chair. Kyle and Tess were cuddling against the wall, and Isabel and Alex were leaning against the wall with her head on his shoulder. Cole and Phoebe were asleep in one of the other chairs, and Piper and Leo were laying on the floor at their feet. Maria turned her head and came face to face with her Spaceboy. He was curled up next to her with his arm around her waist. Maria got a small smile on her face as she looked at everyone. She sighed and ran her fingers along Michael�s arm. �Michael? Hey, Spaceboy,� she whispered. Michael mumbled something and tightened his hold on her. Maria had to smile at that, even in sleep he doesn�t let her get too far away. �Michael�come on, baby.� Finally Michael was roused. He looked up and into her deep green eyes. After a split second recognition set in. �Maria!� he yelled, dragging her into his arms. His outburst awoke everyone else in the room. All were scrambling over arms and legs to get to the bed. Maria had to laugh as everyone gathered around into one big group hug. �Ok, guys. I love you all too, but I can�t breathe,� she said with a smile. �How are you feeling?� asked Leo. Maria shrugged. �Tired, but ok. I�m sorry I have been so out of it the past few days,� she said to the group. �I was in a place that I couldn�t seem to get out of. I could hear all of your words, but I couldn�t bring myself out.� �It�s ok, Maria,� said Phoebe. �We all deal with things in our own way. I�m just glad your back. We missed you!� she said giving Maria another hug. �Hey, I missed me too, believe me, but I was too afraid to come back. I knew that if I thought about things then Prue would actually be gone, and I wasn�t ready to face that, I didn�t think I had the courage. But then someone told me that courage is not the absence of fear, but the strength to do what is right in the face of it.� �Sounds like something Prue would have said,� Piper remarked. Maria just smiled. �Yeah.� �Well, it�s good to have you back,� Kyle began. �But I don�t know about the rest of you, but sleeping in this chair has been a little less than comfortable. I think we should all head back to our respective places and get some sleep.� He rose and kissed Maria on the cheek. �Welcome back sis.� �Thanks, Kyle.� Everyone filed out of the room saying their goodbyes until the only ones left were Michael, Maria, and Cole. �Cole can you wait a second,� Maria asked. Cole came over and sat next to Maria. �What�s up?� �I wanted to thank you for finding me. You promised me you would always find me, and you did.� She wrapped her arms around him. �You are the best brother any girl could have.� Cole could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. �You aren�t so bad yourself, squirt. Now, get some sleep. I am sure the Source will not let us rest for very long.� Maria nodded and kissed his cheek. He gave her a smile and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him. Maria stared at the door for a couple of seconds before turning and facing Michael. �Hi,� she whispered. He cupped her face in both of his hands. �Thank you,� he said. Maria was confused. �For what?� �For coming back to me.� Maria felt the tears rise as she leaned in and kissed him softly. He wrapped his arms around her and laid them both down. He held her while she cried, until they both fell asleep. TBC |
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