| Maria's eyes opened and she shot straight up in bed. Her body was shaking and she was covered with a cold sweat. She looked around her at the familiar sights of her room, the alarm clock displaying 12:08, the Stained poster hanging on her wall. She placed her hand over her heart, willing her breathing to slow. Her fitful sleep had been plagued by recurring thoughts of last nights events�the look of determination on Johnny's face when he pulled out the gun, the courage Michael had shown, followed by his painful surprise when Johnny stuck the knife in his side. Then she relived her own terrible satisfaction that Johnny wasn't going to get up from where he had fallen. She'd known it before Michael had ever seen him lying there. From the very moment she stuck out her arm to trip him, she knew it was going to be much worse than a fall. She had felt her own blood boiling with rage at the sight of Michael's blood pouring from the wound in his side and she hadn't hesitated to throw all of her energy at the perpetrator. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and rested them on her carpeted floor. Leaning over she retched into the garbage bucket that she had placed by her bed last night. Her stomach had nothing left to expel, but the urge to rid herself of her criminal actions was stronger than her bodily actions and she continued to dry heave. Finally she was able to still her stomach and make it to her feet. She had heard her Mom leave hours ago and knew she'd be gone until at least 6. She stumbled into the kitchen and filled the coffee maker with water and grounds. It was easier to just make it herself, but perking it always tasted better. She rummaged in her coat pocket for the bag of weed she had bought last night, realizing with disappointment that Michael had made her ditch it after they called the cops. She cursed under her breath at him, all the while knowing it was far better to lose a small stash than get caught with it on her. She settled for her cigarettes, lighting one and taking a long drag. The thoughts that had haunted her dreams were not lessened by her awakened state and she grasped at her temples with both hands, willing her brain to just stop moving for a moment. Unable to sit still, she paced back and forth across the kitchen, dragging longer and harder on her cigarette while the coffee bubbled away on the counter. I can't be losing sleep over this, no I can't And now I cannot stop pacing Give me a few hours, I'll have all this sorted out If my mind would just stop racing She just had to think; sort through the muddled thoughts clouding her brain. She started a conversation in her head, 'Okay, I killed Johnny, right? Oh my God, I killed Johnny.' Yes, but you had no choice. He was going to kill you. But he didn't. No, but he would have, look what he did to Michael. Yeah, but I healed Michael, no repercussions. Are you sure? Of course. He's suspicious but� But� Oh my God. Maria slammed her fist into the stucco-covered wall of the kitchen. "Jesus," she said out loud, slamming her back into the fridge and sliding down the cool metal surface. She clutched her fist to her chest in pain and drew one last time on her first cigarette of the day. Grabbing her pack from her housecoat pocket, she lit a second off the first. Cause I cannot stand still I can't be this unsturdy This cannot be happening All right, all right, all right� calm down, don't freak, she said to herself. She looked at her knuckles, already starting to bruise, the skin torn where the stucco spikes had ripped into her flesh, and raised her other hand to heal it. She stopped herself before she could do it, feeling the pain ripping clean lines through her muddled brain. Her thoughts lined up like the little tin soldiers that Alex had made them play with when they were little. Ready for battle. Preferring the pain to healing she repeated out loud, "Okay, this will be okay." "So you healed him, he'll have a handprint probably, right?" "Maybe not." "Yes he will." "Okay well then you'll just tell him�" "Tell him what? That you got paint on your hands." She buried her head in her hands as the hopeless situation she faced was brought into clearer light. This is over my head but underneath my feet Cause by tomorrow morning I'll have this thing beat And everything will be back to the way that it was I wish that is was just that easy She curled tighter into a ball, only moving to slam her fist into the floor whenever the pain dimmed a little. Cause I'm waiting for tonight Then waiting for tomorrow And I'm somewhere in between What is real and just a dream What is real and just a dream What is real and just a dream Liz found her sitting in the same position an hour later. ~~~~~ Sheriff Valenti had come into the Crashdown for lunch and immediately asked Liz how Maria was doing. When it was obvious that she had no idea what he was talking about, he had filled her in. The words, "She killed a man last night," sent Liz rushing out of the restaurant, yelling to her father that she'd be back whenever. Alex was eating in a booth by the door and she grabbed his arm as she flew by, his half-eaten hamburger still grasped in his hand. When they got to Maria's, Liz went directly to the kitchen while Alex started in the living room. She saw Maria's crumpled body right away and murmured, "Oh God," before yelling, "Alex, in here!" Alex found Liz crouched down in front of Maria, pushing hair moistened by tears out of her face. Her eyes were distant, vacant, and a cold fear like he had never felt before coursed through his body. Wordlessly he picked her up in his arms and carried her to her bed. Liz followed behind, a cup of hot coffee in her hands. She laid it on the bedside table and sat on the bed, propping Maria's body against her own. Alex went back to the kitchen while Liz forced a few sips of the hot liquid between her lips. Alex returned a few minutes later with a sandwich, pickles and peanut butter on toasted whole wheat � her favourite. She managed a few bites before pushing it away and moving her body to lean against her headboard. "So, you up for some share time," Alex asked, receiving a hesitant laugh from both girls. "Sheriff Valenti told us what happened last night," Liz added. The look of fear crossed Maria's face again. "No sweetie," Liz said quickly. "It's okay, he was just worried about you." Ales moved to sit on the bed as well, "We want to help. You can tell us anything, you know that." "Not... not this�" "Yes Maria, this too." She looked deeply into his eyes, seeing a faithful trust that was mirrored in Liz's gaze. "All� all right," she started hesitantly. Would you catch me if I fall out of what I fell in Don't be surprise if I collapse down at your feet again I don't want to run away from this I know that I just don't need this Maria relayed the events of last night to Liz and Alex. Explaining why she had been at Johnny's in the first place required a shortened version of her L.A. adventure, one they were happy to finally hear, pacified by her telling them that she'd fill in all of the details later. Right now the three Roswell aliens had a slightly larger problem. ~~~~~ Across town Michael was pacing in his apartment. After Max had pointed out the silver smear on his side he had tried to wipe it away and, when unsuccessful, had taken a shower to try washing it away with soap and water. It was only when he had removed his pants that he had clearly seen the full extent of the silver mark � the "fingers" hidden by his pants until then. Unconsciously he had moved his hand to trace the brand on his side, suddenly overwhelmed by a powerful sense of d�j� vu. Last night, after the fight with Johnny, his hand had kept reaching back to his side, convinced he would find a bleeding stab wound. Now he recognized that the handprint was in the very spot that he thought he had been stabbed in and was given new reason to doubt Maria's explanation that it was Johnny's blood on his torn shirt. He had gotten rid of Max, saying that he forgot that he had to work, and locked the door behind him. Now it was two hours later and he was still pacing in his living room, trying to sort out the actual events of last night from the story he now knew Maria had fabricated. Muttering that there was only one way to find out the truth, he grabbed the keys to his bike and drove to her street. He had seen her coming out of one of the houses there a few days ago and figured that if he had to, he would knock on every door until he found her. ~~~~~ "Maria, we cannot tell him!" Liz repeated. Maria had been insisting that the only way to alleviate Michael's suspicions was to tell him the truth. Finally Alex interjected, "Look ladies," he drawled. "Relax, we don't even know if we have a problem right?" Maria and Liz looked at him expectantly. "All right, the only silver handprint we've ever seen was on Kyle, we've never had one ourselves, maybe it was a freak thing. You know, only beefed up jock boys get it or whatever." His last comment brought a smile to the girl's faces as they remembered how "well" Kyle had taken the news that there really were aliens. Their shared joy was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell and Maria's face paled visibly. "I don't suppose that could be your Mom?" Liz asked hopefully. "Who forgot her key?" Maria said, "Doubtful." "Chill," Alex said, "it's probably just the Jehovah's Witness." He went to answer the door, swinging it open to reveal Michael standing there. "Uh, does Maria live here?" "And you would be?" Alex asked politely. "Michael� you're Whitman, right? Alex." Certain that turning him away was not an option, Alex opened the door wider. "Come in. Oh Maria," he called sweetly, walking back to her bedroom. Opening her door, he stepped inside and closed it behind him before whispering, "It's him." "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," Liz said, wringing her hands nervously while Maria just sat there with a stunned expression on her face. "Look," Alex said, sitting on the bed to take each of their hands. Turning to Maria he said, "Can we trust him?" Without hesitating, Maria nodded. Liz sucked in her breath sharply, unwillingly to hear what she knew Alex was going to say next. "Breath," he cautioned. "I say you find out if he knows anything and then, if he's suspicious, we tell him." "Alex, no," Liz moaned. "Well, what do you suggest Liz? We tie him up and never let him see the light of day again? We told Kyle and Valenti and they actually ended up helping us a few times. Besides, if Ria trusts him then that's good enough for me." Maria stood up from the bed, willing her shaking hands to steady. She ran them through her hair, straightening it with the same black wisps she had worn last night. She grabbed a black tank top from the floor and turned her back to change while Alex looked away. Liz watched with a pained expression as Maria hid her beautiful features behind heavy makeup with a wave of her hand. When she turned around again, the Maria they had grown up with had retreated and the "Alli" girl she had described was present again. She moved to the bedroom door, opening it to walk into the living room. Alex and Liz fell into step behind her, the three of them hesitating slightly when they saw Michael stand nervously from the couch. "Hey," Maria said quietly. "Hey," he replied. Shuffling his feet he asked, "Can we talk� in private?" "It's okay, Liz and Alex are friends," Maria said. "Okay but�" "Whatever it is," she insisted. Michael paused again, seeking out each of their eyes before slowly lifting his shirt to reveal the mark that was about to change his life forever. At the sight of it Maria's breath caught in her throat, while Liz said, "Shit," and reached for the wall to steady herself. Alex shook his head, remembering how Kyle had screamed like a girl when they told him the secret and muttered, "Oh boy, here we go again." TBC |
| Part 17 |
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