Days, weeks, months. They were all inconsequential. Not when he was utterly alone with no end in sight.
Even the visions of her didn't comfort him, they only brought him bittersweet pain. He realized she wasn't really there, she was just an apparition. There was no tangible being he was connected to.
He was still keeping his secret entirely to himself. Max, Isabel, Tess, they all knew nothing. Not that he wanted to tell them anything. They didn't know about his mother, the consequences of being with humans, or about Maria. He kept the secret close to himself, the only thing that comforted him. That he was doing this for all the right reasons.
Michael was watching TV, yet again. Without the numerous channels, he didn't know how he would have survived this solitude.
The phone beside him rang, it's sound shrill in the near silence. Slowly, he picked up.
"Get over here now," Isabel's voice was blunt and abrupt. There were no pleasantries before she hung up. Michael placed the receiver carefully back into its receiver. He sighed. He didn't want to go, but he knew he had to. She wouldn't have just called for no reason.
*******
He raised his hand to the door, preparing to knock, but Isabel opened it before he could. She put her fingers to her lips to signal him to be quiet, and motioned to the stairs.
He followed her to her bedroom, wondering what the hell was going on. She closed the door behind them before speaking. "The police are in the living room with Max and my parents."
"The police!" Michael nearly yelled the words. Isabel motioned him to keep his voice down.
"It's not like that," she said, "It's not about...our nationality. It's Liz."
At her words Michael felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach. He didn't think this would turn out well in any case. Michael didn't really want to know the truth, but knew he would get it anyway. "What happened?" he asked with a sense of foreboding.
"Nobody really knows," Isabel said, pacing around the room. "You see, Max and Liz...well...they did it. Um, they slept together."
"I thought they weren't together," Michael said sharply.
Isabel shrugged, "Apparently they couldn't stay away. It doesn't really matter now. What matters is that Liz is in a coma. It happened when the were...were in bed. She hasn't woken up, and they can't find a medical reason for it. She has barely any brain activity."
"Oh shit," Michael swore from the bottom of his heart as he collapsed on the bed, putting his head in his hands, "Shit!"
Isabel sat down beside him, "We don't know what to do. I just wanted to make sure you knew, in case this has something to do with what we are. Just in case you and Maria...you know."
Michael felt a huge chunk of guilt settle in his gut, and knew it wouldn't be going away. Not ever. He was a horrible person, a horrible friend, and he was responsible for all this. He had never imagined it would be a problem, but he never should have kept the secret to himself.
"Isabel," he said in a heavy voice. "I've got to go, but listen to me, don't even consider getting together with a human, any human. If you sleep with them, the results will be fatal like what might happen with Liz."
"What are talking about?" Isabel asked, bewildered. "How do you know that? What the hell is going on Michael."
"I'll explain later," Michael said, taking one of her hands. "And just know Isabel, I'm sorry. Incredibly sorry. But, there's someone I have to go talk to. I'll come back here and tell you everything, and pray you won't hate me afterwards for keeping it to myself for so long."
He looked at her, and felt even more guilt at the life he was condemning her to with his choice. There was nobody for her to love, for her to be with. She would live, and die, a virgin, unless she wanted to risk lives.
Before she could reply, he left, leaving her staring after him in amazement.
******
"Michael," Maria said in astonishment as she opened her front door, "What in God's name are you doing here?"
"Is your mother home?" he asked, ignoring her question as he shoved past her into the house before she could slam the door.
"No, she's out," Maria said bitterly, "So if you want to beg her to keep desperate old me from harassing you, it will have to wait."
"You've heard about Liz?" Michael asked without preamble.
Maria nodded, tears beginning to fill her eyes. "Just awhile ago. I don't know how it happened, but I have to believe she'll be allright."
"It happened because she was human, and Max was an alien," Michael said, determined to get everything out in the open. "The four of us, we have such powerful minds, when we mate with humans, out psyche's overwhelm them. That's what happened with the two of them."
"How do you know?" Maria asked, "I thought you knew nothing about your biological make-up."
Michael sighed, "I've been having visions Maria. Visions of my mother. She tells me things that I've never known before, but learned later to be true."
"And you never told Max?" Maria asked incredulously, anger filling her eyes. "You could have prevented this and you didn't?"
He didn't try to defend himself, even thought he hadn't done this on purpose, he honestly had thought it wouldn't be a problem. "I've been keeping a lot of secrets Maria, this is just one of many," he said, feeling the guilt of the whole thing weigh upon him.
"What else is there?" Maria asked bitterly, "Have you held something else back that put Alex in a coma too?"
Michael simply shook his head, "No Maria. It's not that type of secret. It's about you."
"What are you talking about?" Maria demanded. "What could you know about me that you're keeping a secret from everybody else?"
"Not from everyone else only, from you too," Michael said quietly.
"Uh huh," Maria said sarcastically. "Sorry Michael, but you don't know me all that well. You certainly don't know something about me that I don't know. Now, I suggest you get out before I throw your ass out. I told you I never wanted to see you again, and after this, I really mean it."
Michael didn't move, "Remember how I said we could never mate with humans? Well, we can mate with someone who's alien, even half alien."
"What's your point?" Maria asked angrily.
"I can mate with you," He replied simply in answer.
He could see the anger that had taken hold in her gaze began to dissipate. It took a few moments for his words to sink in, and take any meaning. "What are you talking about Michael?" she asked, her voice a little more uncertain.
"You're half-alien Maria," Michael said bluntly, making sure she knew exactly what he was saying. "Nasedo was your father."
Maria collapsed into one of the kitchen chairs. "No, this can't be. No, it's not true. I would know something like that Michael!"
He shook his head, "Your half-human too. The alien side hasn't shown itself yet. Listen, if you don't believe me, ask your mother, providing she's willing to tell you the truth."
She didn't seem entirely convinced, "I can't believe it."
"Believe it," he said in a rough voice, "It's the truth. Want to know why you weren't overwhelmed with visions the times we kissed? It's because you're alien. Your mind is as strong as mine. The only way you see anything is if I'm trying to give visions and you're trying to receive."
"How long have you know?" she demanded.
"Awhile," he said carefully, "I didn...."
She cut him off, "Why didn't you tell me?" her voice was hesitant, but gained fury and power, "Why didn't you tell me!?"
"Your mother made me promise not to," Michaels aid quietly, his voice a huge contrast to her loud voice. "My mother told me in my vision, and I confirmed it with your mom. She made me swear not to tell you, let you live a normal life as long as possible."
"It wasn't your choice to make," Maria said angrily. "Yours, or hers. This is my life, my future, I deserve to know everything."
"I know," he agreed, "But I promised, and I didn't want to break that promise, especially when I believed it would be for the best."
"Thanks," she replied bitterly. "But apparently it's allright to tell me now, huh?"
"The circumstances are a little different now," Michael said softly. "You need to know everything, no matter what your mother wants."
"So, any more deep dark secrets?" Maria asked with a hollow laugh. "Anyone else a half-breed?"
"Just you," Michael said in response to her half-serious question.
"Why didn't you tell me?" her voice was barely above a whisper. "I deserved to know Michael, I deserved to know a long time ago."
"I promised," he said gently, going to sit beside her at the table. "I wanted to tell you Maria, no matter what you want to believe. Sure, I had selfish reasons, like I wanted to be with you, but the end if it all was, I wanted to tell you. But she made me promise Maria, and I wouldn't break it."
She squeezed her eyes shut absorbing it all. He continued when she didn't say anything. "I love you Maria," he said softly. "I said that before, and I meant it. I don't want to pressure you, but I want you to know that you're the only woman I'll ever want to be with, or can be with. You're my only chance at happiness."
"I know you're angry with me," he said, taking her hand. She didn't squeeze his hand, but didn't pull away. "I did something horrible in not telling anyone about what would if we slept with humans, but I never wanted to hurt anyone. I'll never forgive myself, but I hope in some time you will forgive me. I need you Maria, but if you can't stand the sight of me, I will understand."
"I want to hate you," she said slowly, ever so sadly, "I want to walk away from you, and never look back, and never have anything do with you. But Michael, no matter how much I want to, I can't."
She looked up at him, her eyes watery. "I don't know if I can forget that you kept a secret that might cost my best friend her life, or the fact that you kept a secret about my entire identity from me. But Michael, I'll do my best to forgive you. But it will take time, a very long time."
"That's all I'm asking," he said softly, squeezing her hand. For some reason unknown to him, he felt a lightening in his chest, and he felt more free than he had in a long time.
She closed her eyes briefly. "No more secrets, okay?"
He didn't hesitate, "No more secrets Maria. None."
Besides, it would be pointless. The truth always had a way of coming out.
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