| "You don't have to call her that, Maria." Max stated glancing over his shoulder at the now yawning Liz Parker. "We're in Arizona." Liz nodded and reached for Max's can of soda. "May I have some?" "Oh, for crying out loud," Maria sighed heavily. "There's more. You don't have to take his!" She leaned over and rummaged around Michael's outstretched legs until she found another can. She handed it over her shoulder until it was taken. "Thank you," Liz's voice was weak from the backseat. Maria turned the radio up and fought the urge to wipe away the drool from Michael's lip. She tuned out Dumb and Max, for some reason she just couldn't call him Dumber anymore. He was dumb in his actions and choices, but he nailed human nature like only Maria thought she could do. The traffic was light and the sky was vibrant as Maria cruised through Arizona with the radio turned up just loud enough to drown out the mumblings from the backseat, but not loud enough to wake Michael up. She caught herself glancing at him every few minutes and smiling. Max had been right; she would be good for him as well as he'd be good for her. They complimented each other in so many ways already and they were only at the tip of the iceberg. On a ridiculous trip into one of the circles of hell, she had found reason. Bursting with excitement, Maria DeLuca could have cared less about the dynamic duo in the backseat. She was getting ready to embark on something new and unknown and she was excited as hell. She was confident her fish would like Roswell. Okay, she was confident her fish wouldn't bitch too much about it. She'd miss her neighbor Lenora, but the new possibilities were endless. She was packing up and moving all for a man. But he seemed to be the man that she hadn't known existed. Another quick glance at that man and she pressed down harder on the pedal. * * * The daylight was fading into dusk and the incessant pleas for a bathroom break from Liz Parker finally grated Maria's nerves enough that she pulled over at a gas station a couple of hours inside the California border. Bakersfield. She had been driving since morning and wasn't tired yet. She was renewed when Michael had finally woken up around noon and promptly kissed her on her cheek. "Come on," Maria refrained from calling Liz 'Dumb' only because she didn't want the backlash from Max. She stood outside of the back door and waited until Liz emerged before grabbing her forearm in a tight clasp. "Make it fast." "You're taking me in, you don't have to be such a bitch about it. You won, okay?" Liz pulled at the hem of her shirt with her free hand until she was flung towards the gas station wall and forced to face Maria. "Do you think me driving you across the freaking country is bitch-like? How about the fact that I bought you something to drink, bitchy?" Maria seethed, her face inches away from Liz's. "I could be a mega-bitch and drop you off for the nearest bad guy to find and butcher. I could let you run, track you down and keep doing the same thing over and over until I get tired of it. I could do a number of things that would undoubtedly be very bitch like, but I'm not. I'm being very humane, even though you freaking kidnapped me and made me sit on that awful plaid couch in my pretty new dress. So no Liz, I'm not being a bitch." Liz nodded slowly while edging her face away from Maria. "We should be in San Francisco in about six hours, then I'll dump you off to the authorities, you'll be safe with them, I promise." Maria wanted to stick something sharp in her eye for the last comment. She didn't like Liz Parker, but something about her made her kind of sad. No, she realized that was inaccurate. It was what Max said in the car. That's human nature, everyone wants somebody to love and to have them love you back. That's where the shred of compassion for Liz's plight came from. It wasn't about her at all, it was about Max Evans and the loneliness he exuded. He had held on to something he never really had. Maria understood the loneliness that Max lived with, and until very recently, she had shared it. "Just get in there," Maria pulled her roughly by the arm and pushed open the bathroom door. She held a metal stall door open and turned her head. "You don't have to stand there," Liz whined. Maria didn't answer her; she only sighed. * * * "I'm sorry," Max Evans leaned forward and rested his arms on the back of the passenger seat. "You should be," Michael turned around and faced his life long friend. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Max shook his head, "I don't know. I just wanted to help her. I felt like I had to help her." "You broke laws for her!" Michael retorted. "I know," Max bowed his head momentarily before facing the accusation. "I was stupid, but I would do it again." "For Liz?" "For Liz," Max confirmed with a nod. "I felt useful." "Do you mean used?" Michael couldn't resist a smirk. "She needed me. I know you and Maria think I'm crazy, and maybe in some ways I am, but I couldn't not help her. Have you ever been so drawn to someone that you'd do anything for them?" Michael weighed his words before he answered. After a quick glance at the gas station he realized that since he'd known he was falling for Maria DeLuca, he could understand. "I can understand Max, but you broke laws for her. I can't condone that no matter what." Max smiled at the nearly identical words that Maria had said to him that morning. "You're going to be good for her." "I know," Michael turned back around and folded his arms over his chest. He was smiling. TBC |
| Part 34 |
 |