ForcedTogetherpart27

Michael and Maria woke up a few hours later. It was still morning and both had decided not to let what had transpired earlier ruin their daughters first Christmas. They each took turns in opening her presents and both played with her for a little while before Maria got up to fix them something to eat.

It was late afternoon and Michael had just placed Emma down in her cradle when they heard the knock on the front door. Michael exchange a quick look with Maria before he went and opened the door.

He wasn't surprised to see the sheriff there, but he was a little surprise to see Ruthie with him. "Hi, we've been waiting for you, come on in." He said as he stepped aside to give them room to pass.

"Michael, Maria." The sheriff said in greeting as he walked into the living room, unable to hide the smile on his face at all the presents scattered around the room for the little girl fast asleep in her cradle.

"Merry Christmas." Ruthie offered in greeting as she walked over to one of the couches and sat down.

"Merry Christmas to you too. It's chilly out there, would you or the sheriff care for tea, coffee or I could make some hot cocoa." Maria said as she started to go into the kitchen.

"That won't be necessary. Look we really need to talk to the both of you." The sheriff told her as he held out his hand and gestured towards the couches. Both Michael and Maria went over and sat down and watched as the sheriff joined Ruthie.

Taking off his hat and placing it next to him he began to speak. "First things first, we just came from Peter's and Karen's house and we all agree that if we were in your shoes we would have done the same thing. Nobody holds anything against you for protecting your family. But we are all hurt that you continued to lie to us, even after you had made you decision to stay in Baker's Hollow after you felt the others."

Unable to keep still he jumped up and began to walk around the room, continuing his speech. "Do you realize what you have done. Let's not even begin to talk about all the laws you broke breaking into the hall of records, making up those false documents but the positions the two of you have put us in."

Michael cringed when he noticed the tone of the older man but decided to let him finish, knowing that any argument he could offer would be weak. "For God sake I have a seventeen year old high school drop out as one of my deputies, your not even a Canadian citizen. When this gets out, I'm going to look like a fool. Did you even think about that before you accepted my offer? Did you even think how this could effect me and my office?"

"No sir." Michael admitted as the tears he had been trying to hold back slide down his face. He knew that the sheriff was right, he shouldn't have accepted the job.

"I can't even begin to tell you how hurt I am." Ruthie added softly. She hated that this was happening and she wanted nothing more than to hug both of them, but she couldn't. They made decisions and every decision has consequences.

"I opened my home to the both of you. I consider you both as family." She explained. "I know that you will think I'm foolish but a part of me is hurt because you both know the type of woman I am. You could have trusted me. You could have trusted us. I hate that you choose to continue to lie to us."

The sheriff cleared his throat. "The thing is, we are angry with you both. Maybe you don't think we have a right but it doesn't change the fact that we are. Us being angry doesn't change how we feel about you though."

"Exactly." Ruthie said in agreement. "You three have become part of our families and we wouldn't change that for anything. I know I'm speaking for everyone when I say that as betrayed we may feel we all still love you."

"Right, if the three of you want to stay then your going to have to agree to certain things." The sheriff explained.

"What kind of things." Maria asked as she rubbed Michael knee, her heart aching for him. The one true authority figure that he had ever looked up to didn't trust him and that was one person trust and opinion that Michael valued.

"Well first things first. Peter and I talked and you said so yourself that you think the feds aren't looking for you and that you felt your brother but he didn't approach you. Obviously the others escaped as well and had been looking for you but decided to leave you and Maria to live your life here instead of going home. The reason why they don't think you should be in Roswell is known only to them." The sheriff stated as he sat down across from the couple.

"It's become clear that you two aren't in danger and that you don't need to be in hiding anymore as Michael and Maria Gulliver." He said, watching the reactions on their faces.

"Your going to send us back to Roswell." Michael shouted as he stood up.

"We cant' go back to there, it isn't were we belong." Maria cried as she grasped Michael's hand and pulled him back down to the couch.

"And we're not going to send you back." The sheriff said. "Look we don't want you to leave anymore than you want to, but you can't stay here buried under all these lies. You have to come clean about everything."

"You want me to tell the town I'm an alien and that we came here after running from the FBI." Michael asked in astonishment.

The sheriff couldn't help but to laugh. "I think it's safe to say that that wouldn't be a very wise thing to do. No, you and Maria are going to admit to being two run away from New Mexico. That Michael lived in a hostile foster home and that you two were in love and that Maria's mother didn't approve and that you took off to be together and to get Michael away from his foster father. You going to confess to breaking into the town hall and hacking into the computers to create your aliases."

"If we do that, we'll be arrested and thrown in jail." Maria said in awe. This was his idea of helping them stay.

"No you won't, I'll talk to the magistrate and it I can guarantee that the worst that will happen is that you will have to perform community service to show your remorse." He explained.

"This is only going to cause more damage. We can�t stay here, the child services are going to insist that Michael is put back into the system and I don�t even know what my Mom will do to me.� Maria cried helplessly.

�No that isn�t going to happen.� The sheriff said softly as he got up and sat next to Maria. �Look, I�m not going to let anyone send either of you or that little girl back to Roswell. Michael here is one of the best deputies I ever had the pleasure to work with and I�m not about to see all my hard work go to waste.�

�What do you mean?� Michael asked as he got up and stood next to his daughter�s cradle.

�I mean exactly what I said. When your eighteen and graduate from high school I plan to hire you back onto the department.� The sheriff told him.

�How is that possible? You said so yourself, Michael isn�t a citizen of Canada.� Maria said as she turned and looked at the older man.

�Well that is part of the way Michael is going to stay here, he�s going to become a citizen.� He said as he looked over and shared a smile with Ruthie.

�WHAT!� Both teenagers shouted.

�Michael is going to become a citizen.� He repeated.

�Even if I wanted to, how would that happen in the next six months or so?� Michael asked cautiously. �Social Services isn�t going to exactly let me just stay here and take some citizen test, besides there�s no way I could find a foster parent here. I don�t even think it�s allowed.�

�Your right it isn�t. Someone from another country can�t become your foster parent.� He said in agreement, watching the boys face carefully to see how he would react to the next thing. �But someone from another country can adopt you, this would make you a citizen of that country automatically.�

Michael laughed bitterly. �You have got to be kidding me. Nobody wanted me when I was little, who would want to adopt me now.�

The sheriff got up and walked over to the boy, looking him in the eyes. �Me.� He said softly, afraid that his voice would betray him.

Michael study the older man and saw that he was serious. That sheriff John Norwood wanted to adopt him and become his father. Michael couldn�t speak, his head was spinning with this new revelation. It was the sound of Maria crying that brought him down to earth.

�Wait, that is only going to help me. What about Maria and Emma, I�m not going to lose either of them.� He said as he walked back over and sat down next to Maria.

�Well that�s something else I wanted to discuss. I went in today and did a search. Maria was never listed as a missing child, her mother never reported her. Peter and I both think that Maria�s mother is going along with your brother and not bringing her home for what ever reasons they have.� He rationalize.

�How does this help us?� She inquired, a little surprised that she hadn�t realized that if the other had escape then that her mother must have been brought in on their secret.

�Well we think that your mother will sign over guardianship papers since she appears to be going along with the others.� Ruthie told her.

�Guardianship, you mean she would sign a piece of paper allowing me to stay here and live on the island. I don�t know, I mean my mother has been known to do some pretty out there things but this is a bit much even for her.� Maria said softly as she rested her head on Michael�s shoulder.

�Well there is only one way to tell.� Ruthie reasoned. �Your going to have to call her and arrange for her to come to the island.�

Maria gaped at the older woman in shock. �You want me to just call her up and ask her to come for a visit. She will never go for this, no way would she agree to give the sheriff guardianship over me.�

Ruthie smiled at Maria. �No sweetie, your right she wouldn�t. She would probable feel more comfortable if you were situated with me.�

Michael shot a look at both the sheriff and Ruthie, this was a crazy idea. He would be adopted by the sheriff, Ruthie would become Maria�s guardian. How was this going to work out, would they live with the sheriff or Ruthie. What about Emma? Michael couldn�t help questioning his concerns and was shock at what they had decided.

�If Maria mother agrees and Michael goes along with the adoptions then Michael would come live with me and Maria would move into the inn with Emma. We would expect both of you to start school as soon as possible. I can talk to the superintended and we can work it out so that you two can take examines and hopefully get you both placed in the senior class. After you both graduate and turn eighteen then Michael can join the department again and Maria can start taking over running the inn again for Ruthie.�
The Sheriff said as he grinned at the look on both of their faces as the rules were laid out for them.

�You want us to live separately?� Why can�t we just stay here in the cottage?� Michael asked anxiously.

�Because that is part of the deal. No more living together until you LEGALLY married.� He told the young couple who groaned in protest.

�This is silly, Michael and I are married in our hearts. That�s why we had the ceremony this summer.� Maria argued.

�Your still not legally married. Look, we�re not doing this to punish you or anything but you must realize that your still children and that living together isn�t acceptable. Besides I think Maria is going to have a hard enough time convincing her mother to let her stay I don�t think you two continuing to live together is going to sit with her to well.� Ruthie countered.

Maria looked at Michael and then at the sheriff and Ruthie before she shook her head in agreement. They could do this, if this was the way to keep their family together for good then they would follow the rules being laid out for them. Both knew it was more that most people would do, actually most people would probable sell them out to the feds.

Michael watched as Maria stood up and gave his hand a tight squeeze before she walked over to the desk in the corner and picked up the phone. He watched as she reached out her hand a few times and snatch it back before she took a deep breath and reached out and dialed the number she knew by heart. She was silent for a few moments as the call connected and Michael could faintly hear a voice on the other end pick up before he heard her speak.

�Mom, it�s me. It�s Maria

TBC