When Maria woke the next morning, it was to find herself being held protectively in Michael's warm arms. She snuggled closer into his body with a smile and then slowly opened her eyes to find him watching her.
"Good morning, spacegirl," he whispered and reached out a hand to caress her cheek.
Maria fought to stifle a yawn and then sighed with contentment. "Good morning, spaceboy," she whispered back, her throat still thick with sleep and tilted her head up to give him a sweet kiss. "Mmm. What time is it? How long have you been up?"
Michael shrugged. "It's a little after seven I think and I've been up for a while now."
"How come? Couldn't sleep?"
"No, I just wanted to watch you sleep," he replied simply, his eyes roaming her face lovingly.
"And did you like what you saw?" she asked coyly.
"Oh, you know it," he replied and his hands began to tickle her waist. Maria threw her head back with laughter and Michael dropped his head to her neck to playfully nibble on it.
She giggled and moved to kiss him again but stopped short when she heard a very distinct moaning coming from another room. Her eyes practically bulged out of her head in amusement as she looked at Michael who was sporting a similar expression and they both burst into jovial laughter when they heard it again.
"Who is that?" Maria gasped through her chuckles.
"I have no idea but that was definitely female so it's either Liz or Isabel. Either way, one of my siblings are getting some," Michael said, a hint of jealousy in his voice.
"Ooh, poor baby, are you feeling deprived?" Maria teased.
Michael sighed dramatically and pouted. "Yes, I'm so deprived."
"OH MAX!" They heard Liz's voice cry out and their banter was once again interrupted by their own laughter.
"That answers that question," Michael said as his laughter calmed and then he wiggled his eyebrows at Maria and said, "Now, back to me being so deprived," he looked at her hopefully.
Maria rolled her eyes. "You're insatiable, do you know that?"
Michael nodded, "Of course! Now come here."
Maria laughed as Michael turned to cover her body with hers and proceeded to give her the best morning of her life.
*****
An hour later, when they all joined up in the living room of the small house, everyone was extremely quiet. Both Liz and Isabel had small smiles on their radiant faces and kept exchanging shy glances at Max and Alex. Maria exchanged her own glance with Michael but her's was of amusement.
*Looks like both your siblings got some,* Maria sent silently and Michael nodded at her.
*Looks like,* he agreed as he pulled her down on his lap on the love seat.
The silence began to get to Maria and she really wanted to give everyone a hard time so she couldn't help herself from asking how everyone's night was?
Liz looked a little surprised but she nodded and said, "It was...fine."
Max cleared his throat and smiled at Liz. "Yeah, last night was...just fine."
"Same here," Isabel agreed and Alex nodded.
"Wow, four fines," Maria remarked. "I would have thought you all would be doing better than fine after all the moaning I heard this morning." She shrugged innocently.
Four heads shot towards her in surprise and she could actually see them all blushing furiously.
Michael smirked at them, enjoying their discomfort for a moment and then he changed the subject. "So, what did Di...I mean mom want to talk to you all about last night?"
This only caused them all to blush more and Michael felt like he was being excluded from something. "What? What, did I say something wrong?" he asked, searching all of their faces.
Max cleared his throat again and said, "Well, she told us about...." his voice trailed off.
"The ritual," Isabel finished for him, her voice quiet and then she searched Michael's and Maria's faces for understanding.
"Aha, the ritual," Maria nodded and then she smirked. "She probably knew all of you horn-dogs couldn't keep your hands off of each other."
"God Maria!" Liz said as she moved to go sit next to Max on the couch. "You have a lot of room to talk. We could hear you two down here last night before we even got to go to bed."
Maria opened her mouth to respond but her own blush crept up her face and she couldn't stop from smiling at the memory of last night. She shook her head and then fought to bite the smile on her lip back but it wouldn't go away.
"So what?" Michael asked, his voice a little defensive. "We're 'married'."
"Yeah, well so are we now," Isabel murmured and then leaned in to give Alex a kiss on the cheek.
"What about you guys?" Michael asked, nodding to Max and Liz.
Max nodded lightly. "Well, if you must know, yes."
"Oh, now sex aside," Maria began leaning forward. "Obviously, no one died, but did you have the connection? And are you guys now telepathically linked?" No one answered her right away and she pouted and threw her arms over her chest. "Oh, come on. We told you everything!"
Liz opened her mouth to speak but the shut it and her expression turned thoughtful. A few seconds later, she said, "I think it's girl-talk time."
"Oh, even better!" Maria clapped her hands enthusiastically and then leaned over and gave Michael a huge kiss. "Sorry babe, but it's just me and the girls right now. You understand?"
Michael sighed and Maria could feel from him that he didn't want to let her go just yet, so she leaned in and gave him another kiss, softer this time. *I'll be back soon, I promise.*
*Oh, okay,* Michael agreed stubbornly, still reluctant to let her go. Aloud, he said, "I'm gonna see if we can dig up some food then because you need to eat soon." He rubbed her tummy to remind her that she wasn't just eating for one anymore. "Do you want anything particular?" he asked.
Maria tilted her head to the side and started to think of what she wanted. "Well, how about some eggs with grape jelly and Tabasco, cooked into the eggs, not on top. Ooh and some toast with mayo and cheese on it and ..."
Michael grimaced and to the rest of the room said, "Suddenly I regret asking." To Maria, he said, "I thought you didn't like eggs? Or mayonnaise?"
Maria looked into his face and her chin began to quiver. "I don't but Alice does, now is it too much to ask that you get me these things?"
Michael held up his hands in defense, "Not at all. Anything else?"
She nodded and said, "I also want hot dogs with extra onions and sauerkraut and oh and some cranberry juice and milk. That's it." She looked into Michael's queasy face and said, "What?"
"Nothing," Michael said quickly. "Eggs, grape jelly, Tabasco, toast, cheese, mayonnaise, hot dogs, onions and sauerkraut. Got it."
"Don't' forget the milk and cranberry juice."
"And milk and cranberry juice, got it."
"Good," Maria leaned down and gave him another kiss. "Thank you. Now, girls, lets go talk."
She left with Liz and Isabel a second later and Michael looked at the guys and said, "Well, I better go now if I'm gonna find all that crap in the next half hour. Wanna come?"
"Sure," both Max and Alex nodded. "What's up with that appetite though?" Alex asked and Michael shrugged.
"Just wait until Isabel gets pregnant. I'm sure with her it will be even worse. At least Maria didn't ask for any...."
Suddenly Maria's head popped back in the living room and she said, "Oh, I forgot, get me some tapioca pudding too."
Michael shook his head and sighed. "I should have kept my mouth shut. Let's go."
*****
"Maria, why didn't you tell me it was like that?" Liz asked. "I mean, it was like we were one person. I could see and feel everything he had ever felt since he came out of the pod."
"I know, it was definitely like Alex and I were one person. I found out so many things about him that I didn't even know about. It was just..."
"Beautiful," the three girls said in unison.
"So," Maria continued. "What about the telepathy? Any connection?"
Both Liz and Isabel nodded. "Yeah," Isabel said. "I almost peed my pants this morning when I heard Alex answer a question that I had been thinking to myself."
"That's what happened with Michael and me and I totally freaked out on him. I feel bad about it now but I blamed him when it happened."
"Well, I wasn't so surprised," Isabel shrugged, "because we knew it happened with you but it was just, I don't know, I didn't think it would be so...intimate."
"I like it," Liz admitted.
Maria nodded. "Granted, I was terrified at first but now, I don't know how I ever lived without it."
*Lived without what?* she heard a voice in her head say and she smiled at the girls. "The guys are home. Let's go downstairs. I'm starving."
*****
When they arrived in the kitchen, the met the guys walking in the back door, Michael loaded down with a grocery bag full of food and Max and Alex carrying bags from McDonalds.
Maria frowned because suddenly a filet-o-fish sounded really, really good to her.
"What's wrong?" Michael asked her when he noticed her expression.
"I just...nothing, I'm okay."
Michael shook his head and reached into the bag of food and pulled out his own McDonalds bag. "Here you go," he said, handing her the bag.
She looked at him curiously and then opened the bag to find a filet-o-fish inside. "How did you know?" she squealed, jumping up and running over to give him a hug.
Michael shrugged. "Well, the guys wanted McDonalds and I figured that I should probably get something for you too there just in case your appetite has changed in the last half-hour and I figured that the one thing you would want would be the most unappealing item on the menu. So, did I do good?"
She nodded, and planted a slow kiss on his lips. "Yes. You are the best boyfriend in the world!"
"Make that husband," he reminded her. "So, do you still want the rest of this food."
"But of course," she replied as she began to dig into her sandwich.
Max elbowed him in the side just then and said, "Michael, you better tell her the bad news now."
Michael glared at him.
"What bad news?" Maria asked.
"There was no tapioca pudding at the store. So I got you every other kind they had, hoping that it would be okay. There's chocolate-vanilla swirl, butterscotch, pistachio, raspberry...."
"No tapioca?" Maria whispered, her face dropping as her chin began to quiver. "But, I..." she couldn't continue because at that moment, she burst into tears.
Michael walked over to hold her in his arms. "Shh, don't cry. I'm sorry, I know you wanted tapioca but they didn't have any. I even went to two stores. I'm sorry, baby but I promise to get you some later."
She continued to sob on his shoulder as if it were the biggest tragedy in the world and Michael shook his head and through gritted teeth hissed, "Thanks a lot Max. I can't wait until it's your turn."
"Oh God, what am I gonna put on my toast now?" Maria cried.
"We already got you your cheese and mayo," Alex said, and Michael shook his head at him and mouthed, "Don't bother." Then an idea came to him and he pulled back to look at his crying Maria. "Look, I got extra tartar sauce from McDonalds if you'd like and I also got you some ice-cream, you can use that."
Maria sniffed and looked up. "What kind?"
"Rocky road," he whispered as he began to wipe her tears away. And if you don't like that we also go pralines and cream."
Maria smiled. "Really? Why didn't you say so?"
Michael breathed a sigh of relief and then gave her a brief kiss. "Everything's okay now?"
She nodded and he said, "Well, I better get cooking. Go ahead and eat your sandwich and when you get done, I'll have your eggs for you."
"Okay," she said happily and sat down to eat her sandwich.
"Hormones," Alex snorted.
When they were all done eating and then showering, Dinah appeared at the door and informed them it was time to come to the main house. "You have a lot to learn in the next few hours and a very little time to learn it in. The elders were up all night discussing it and they figured out what would be the best way to fight would be. They'd like to see you now."
They all nodded and walked over to the main house together, their attitude more serious. They knew how important it was to learn as much as they could.
As they arrived, they found Mother Essie with the elders as well. Maria looked down at the ground, suddenly feeling embarassed over her reaction to the woman the night before. She swallowed hard and then looked up again to find the woman studying her thoughtfully. "Excuse me," Maria began. "I just wanted to apol..."
But the woman was shaking her head. "Child, there's no needs for apologies. Ashtar explained to me the situation and it's completely understandable. My only question is if you are ready to learn how to use it now that you've had some time to calm down."
"Yes. I'm at your disposal today. I will do anything that any of you would like."
"Good. Now, go ahead and take your seat. You have much to learn."
Maria nodded and walked over to take a seat next to Michael and they all paid attention as the elders began to speak.
*****
"Maria, you need to focus!" Mother Essie said impatiently.
"I am focusing! I just can't do it!" Maria practically screamed and threw the dagger on the ground.
"Nonsense! You just have to focus. Try again."
Maria grumbled to herself as she picked up the dagger and then held it in her hand, focusing on the target on the wood fence in front of her. She took a deep breath and gave a little stretch to her arm which felt like jell-o after what seemed like 50 throws and then she snapped her arm back and gave it another try. The blade flew in the air and then bounced against the fence and landed with a clinging noise.
"ARG!!! I told you, I can't do this!"
"Yes you can. You need to focus your power!" She walked over and retrieved the dagger and then handed it to Maria. "Now, let's try something different. Close your eyes and search deep within yourself. Your power is inside you and it is strong, you just need to capture it."
Maria rolled her eyes and then nodded. She would learn how to do this if it killed her! Mother Essie handed her the dagger and she held it in hand as she closed her eyes and focused. She took deep breaths and let her mind clear, hoping it would be receptive to this power that the old woman was speaking of. At first nothing happened and Maria was ready to scream in frustration and give up but then she felt an odd calm come over her as images started to float in her mind.
She couldn't distinguish one from the next except for the last one which transformed into the face of her father with a transparent bullseye in front. She felt strong and confident now. She was ready to give it another try.
Her eyes opened as she focused on the target, still able to see the vision of her father in her mind. Her arm felt more stable now and she took a deep breath as she once again snapped her arm back and then threw it forward. She received a thrill when she realized how it was flying straight and spinning the way that Mother Essie said it must to reach it's target. She held her breath as the thing reached the wall and...bounced off and fell on the ground like all the others.
"DAMN IT!"
"Ahem. Language!" The woman reminded her.
'Sorry," she muttered. "But I still don't understand how this little dagger will be useful anyways. He's got powers, strong powers and a little knife isn't going to stop him!"
"What you don't understand it that this dagger is the key to stopping your father. If you stopped being so stubborn and head-strong, you would be able to listen long enough to understand that one contact of this dagger with your father will drain his powers and he will be helpless against you!" She sighed and then shook her head. "I think it's time to take a break now. We'll try again a little later. You can find your friends at Dinah's house."
*****
"So, how's the training going?" Michael asked Maria as she appeared at the house. They were all spread out on the floor looking through papers of some kind. Maria glared at him and then fell back on one of the couches with a grunt.
"I suck!" she said in frustration. "And not only that, it turns out that if I can't figure out how to work the damn thing, we'll never beat him. This is a fucking nightmare!"
"Calm down," Michael said, shaking his head. "You'll get it eventually. I know you will. I have faith in you."
"That makes one person," she muttered, placing her shaking head in her palms.
"No, that makes five people," Liz said. "We all believe in you. You just need to believe in yourself."
"Yeah, well those are tough words coming from someone who doesn't have to do the dirty work."
"Maria," Michael warned aloud and then silently said, *You're starting to act like a bitch and all she is trying to do is give you some encouragement.*
"Sorry," she said to Liz. "It's just that I have been trying with that damn thing all morning and I just can't do it. It wouldn't be so bad if it were just an ordinary weapon but it's not. It's only the key to our whole fight and if I can't use it were all screwed. I can't even feel my arm anymore."
"You'll get it eventually," Michael said again.
Maria shrugged and then changed the subject. "So, what are you all doing right now?"
"They're looking through documents from our history," Dinah said, appearing in the room. "How did your training go."
"Don't get her started," Michael warned his mother. "Let's just leave it at badly."
Maria nodded in agreeance and then said," So, what exactly are you looking for?"
"Anything that may be helpful to our current situation," Max answered.
"Hmm. Keep your eyes out for anything that may give hints of how to destroy someone's influence over another person."
"Why?" Liz asked.
"Because I need to get Kyle out of the glass jar," she muttered, looking out the window as she remembered how sad Kyle had been in her step out of reality.
A confused look crossed everyone's face and Liz said, "What are you talking about?"
Maria looked over at her friend and realized that she never told her or any of the others about the rest of what happened last night while she was in Wonderland. "I'm sorry, I forgot. When I first arrived in Wonderland, I was a pixie and there was this horrible voice that kept taunting me. Then Kyle appeared and he was so sad Liz. He said he was trapped in the glass jar, that his wings had been plucked so he couldn't fly and to get out of there you need to fly. Liz, he wanted to get out of there so much but the voice, which was Nacerro, had him trapped in there. It's my job to get him out. I need Kyle on our side and he said that Nacerro has him trapped and I'm the only one who can rescue him."
"Okay, don't take this the wrong way Maria but I'm starting to agree with Michael when he said that your mother took too much LSD in her day," Alex said.
Maria narrowed her eyes at him and stood up. "This is no time for jokes Alex! If you can't take any of this seriously, then stay out of my way! If I don't do this right, we'll all end up dead and I would rather die than have anything happen to you. Any of you! I got to get out of here!" With that, she stalked out of the house, leaving behind her bewildered friends.
Michael jumped up to go after her but Dinah stopped him. "Let her go. Everyone, you must understand that there is a great deal pressure on Maria right now. She has to do this alone for the most part."
"No, she doesn't. We're here for her," Michael broke in.
"I understand that Michael but when it comes down to it, she has to fight her father alone It's in the prophecies. Deep down she knows that and it worries her. You have to forgive her if she gets angry or frustrated because you can't understand the amount of stress she is under. She has to fight someone who is so much stronger than her and it terrifies her. Her brother is trapped under a spell and like she said, it's her job to release him. And to top it off, she's pregnant and as a mother I know what that can do to a woman. All you can do for her is give her your love, and be there for her."
"I'll always be there for her," Michael said as it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Good, because she needs your love and support. I have a feeling that the worst is yet to come," Dinah nodded, her expression a little sad. "Now, let's get back to work."
*****
Michael was getting worried. It was already getting dark out and Maria still hadn't returned. They had spent all day studying the papers and books, finding nothing useful and he was now tired and hungry and worried.
He stood up from the chair and stretched his stiff limbs and then said, "I'm going to go look for Maria."
Everyone nodded and Liz said, "I'll go with you."
Michael shrugged. "If you want. Hurry up."
Liz leaned over to give Max a hug and then stood up and walked over to Michael and the two walked out of the house together to search for Maria.
*****
"I don't get it, where can she be?" Michael called out in frustration fifteen minutes later when they still couldn't find Maria.
*Maria!* he called with his mind but she wasn't answering.
"Well, let's try our place. Maybe she wanted to take a nap," Liz suggested.
"Good idea. Maybe that's why she won't answer me."
They walked over to the house they were staying at and climbed up the stairs.
"Maria?" Michael called desperately. "Maria?!"
No answer.
He began to run up the stairs with Liz on his tail and he threw open the door to his room to see if she was there. But the room was vacant.
"She's not here!" Michael cried in frustration. He began to turn to search the rest of the house when Liz called him back.
"Michael! Look!"
Michael whipped around and saw that there was a sheet of paper on the bed. *Oh no! She wouldn't!* He ran to the bed and picked up the paper with shaky hands.
Michael,
I'm sorry to do this but I have gone back to Roswell to fight my father.
I hope you understand that I have to do this alone and that in doing this
I might not make it out alive. Please don't be angry. But this is something
I have to do. Sacrificing my own life is a chance I'm willing to take if it means
sparing all of yours. Please don't follow me. I need to know that you are
all safe. If I don't make it out of this alive, please remember that I will always
love you and I will always watch over you.
Love you forever my dear husband,
Maria Deluca-Guerin
"No!" Michael yelled, crumpling the paper under his hand.
"Why would she do this?" Liz cried, having read the note over his shoulder.
"I don't know, but we have to go and get the others. We need to go after her and hope that we're not to late."
"She said not to follow her though."
Michael looked her in the face and the concern she saw there made her throat close over. "I have no life without Maria. Do you really want to take that chance with her life?"
Mutely, Liz shook her head.
"I didn't think so. Now hurry, we might not have much time."