Standard stuff:
Title: Consequences
Author: Kathryn C
Rating: this part, I guess PG-13, I'm not sure what the criteria is for rating.
Category: Mainly Michael/Maria, maybe Isabel/Alex too, but not near as much.
Spoilers: As it is with most fics recently, including mine, if you are spoiler free do not read. I read the spoilers, I write what might possibly happen. You have been warned.
Disclaimer: I don't own, although I wish I did.
Feedback:Send. Can't emphasize that enough. No matter whether it's good or bad.
*************
The sun spilled in through the bedroom window. Michael winced as the light stung through his shut eyelids. Immediately, he felt something curled up next to him.
He whirled his head to see Maria lying beside him, her hand resting on his chest and him hugging her to him. To put it correctly, he was in her bed, with her. As if to reassure himself that it wasn't all a dream, he checked under the covers. As he suspected, neither of them were wearing much.
If only he could wake up like this every morning. Not running late for the little bit of school he did attend, not to the piles of dirty laundry in his room, not breathing heavily by being affected by another of his dreams.
As Michael glanced, with an expression on his face that he didn't realize was a loving look, at Maria, he couldn't help feeling a little bit of guilt forming in the back of his ming.
What he said to her, what they did together, it was all pure and real. But, that didn't change the circumstances in which he had come to her. Circumstances which he didn't tell her about.
After they had fallen asleep in each other's arms, Michael had slept soundly till morning. Not one hint of Isabel in his mind. Maria had taken away his nightmares for one night, but who knew how long that would last.
Michael shifted uncomfortably, and Maria snuggled closer, never waking.
Gently, ever so softly, he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, on an impulse he couldn't ignore. That was enough to wake her.
"Morning," she said sleepily, smiling up at him. She didn't have the looks of a movie star, but right now she was the most beautiful woman in the world to him.
"Morning," he said, letting a faint sign of a grin cross his face.
She yawned and rested her head on his bare chest. She smiled at the way she felt every breath he took. But, a thought couldn't help entering her mind. "Sleep well?" she asked, trying to make her voice light, as if the answer didn't matter.
"Like a log," he replied, just as flippantly, but then added to make sure she understood. "Not even a single dream."
She nodded against him, satisfied. She had needed to know, needed to know that he had been all hers for the evening.
"Michael," she began again hesitantly, not looking up at him as she asked, "Last night, what you admitted...what we did....was it all real? I mean, did you....do you...God, I don't even know what I'm trying to say."
"Maria," he began, cupping her cheek in his hand, forcing her to look at him. "Last night, even though I never meant to say it, it's still true. I do love you, even if I don't say it in the most eloquent way. What we did....that was the best night of my life. Never before......I had no regrets."
He suddenly seemed to think of something, "Do you?" he asked quietly, "I mean, do you have any regrets?"
Maria shook her head, "Not a one. I mean, I never dreamed that anything would happen last night, I never even expected to see you. But, Michael, I've decided that you're worth the risk."
He allowed himself a very rare smile and kissed her on the lips. This one wasn't near as chaste as the one on the forehead. His mouth had slid down to her neck by the time she whispered, "Michael...we can't."
"Why not?" he demanded, his head spinning. He thought she had no regrets. He though she had decided he was worth the risk. He thought that she had enjoyed last night as much as he had.
"It's not that," she said, reading his face and shaking her head. "It's just that I have to be at work really soon."
He glanced at the alarm on her bedside, the clock that stood beside his napkin holder. He groaned against her neck, "Me too. I don't know why I agreed to such an early shift."
"So, you going to let me up?" she said, a few minutes later.
Michael pulled himself up reluctantly, "I don't want to," he said, "But I have to."
Maria nodded, and pulled on a housecoat. "I'm going to take a shower," she said quickly. "You can have it after I'm done."
He shook his head, "Nah. I should go home and get a change of clothes. Otherwise, Max will for sure notice something is up. Unless you want everyone to know."
Maria shook her head at him. "Go home and change," she said firmly, shoving him towards the window. "I'll meet you at the Crashdown."
Michael pulled her into a deep kiss before he scrambled out the window. Maria stood there for a moment, watching him go, a bemused expression on her face.
As Michael sprinted across the lawn towards home, a thought kept nagging at the back of his head. She had never said she loved him.
*********************
Maria walked quickly into the Crashdown. She nearly ran to the backroom to change into her uniform as quickly as she could.
"You're late," Liz said reprovingly, following her in.
"Sorry," Maria apologized, pulling on the teal dress, but added, "I know you couldn't help those 2 customers all by yourself."
Liz smiled and shook her head, "Well, since this doesn't happen often, I won't make a big deal."
"Gee thanks," Maria said sarcastically, following her friend into the front.
"By the way, do you know where Michael is?" Liz asked, "He's late too, even later than you.
Maria shook her head, and turned away from Liz to grab an order pad. She prayed her face wasn't as red as it felt. "I have no idea where he is," Maria said, trying to make her voice calm. "He must have slept in."
Liz shrugged, "Just lucky for him I'm the only here this morning. My father's not quite as forgiving."
"Lighten up Liz," Maria said, putting on a fresh pot of coffee. "I'm sure he'll be here."
At her words, Michael ran into the the Crashdown. He mumbled a quick, "sorry" at Liz, while staring intently at Maria as he dashed into the back.
Liz watched him go. She turned back to her friend. "You took him back didn't you?"
Maria sighed. They didn't have the capacity to hide their feelings. "Yes," she admitted shortly, praying Liz wouldn't go into it.
But, she should have known better, "Why now?" Liz demanded. "I mean, after your fierce determination not to do so."
Maria shrugged, "We talked." as all she said in explanation. "I decided it was worth it after all."
"You talked?" Liz said, raising her eyebrows. "Must have been some conversation if you decided to get back together. I mean, what did you guys.....?"
Maria shook her head, cutting Liz off. "I would rather not talk about it, if you don't mind right now Liz."
Her best friend had a brief expression of hurt flash across her face, but it passed quickly. Liz nodded, and walked away from Maria.
The bell on the door jingled as it opened. Maria looked up to see Max and Isabel enter the diner. Liz had gone into the back, so she hadn't run up to greet Max.
Maria tried to refrain from glaring evily at Isabel. But, she couldn't. She had a picture fly into her mind of Michael making out with the blond girl, but she quickly pushed it aside.
Since Liz wasn't out there, it was her job to wait on them. She grabbed on order pad and a pen and walked out from behind the counter.
"What do you guys want?" she asked, flipping open the pad. It wasn't her most polite greeting, but under the circumstances (the fact that she still didn't trust Isabel), it wasn't too bad.
"I'll have a U.F.O.melette Max said, trying to give a cheerful smile to Maria, while casting Isabel a wary eye.
"Coffee, black." was all Isabel said, leaning back in her booth. She had big black circles under her eyes, and the eyes themselves were bloodshot.
"You look like hell Isabel," Maria couldn't resist saying. "I mean, no offense or anything. Are you allright."
Isabel looked at her, judging what she might know. By the hostile look in her eye, she figured Maria had some idea. "I didn't get much sleep," she replied shortly to Maria.
"Why?" Maria asked, trying to be sympathetic, but failing.
Isabel looked at her sharply. Appparently Michael hadn't let on at all to Maria like she thought he had. But, now it was too late to try to make up some other excuse. Besides, Maria didn't want anything to do with him anymore anyway. "Bad dreams," was all Isabel said closing her eyes, "Couldn't go back to sleep after."
"Bad dreams....." she heard Maria's voice say, then trail off as the realization began to hit her.
Isabel's eyes flew open as she heard Maria drop her order pad, and turn a deathly shade of pale as she raised her hand to her mouth in horror. She was shaking.
Back to homepage
Back to fanfiction
Part 10, very soon
Get your own Free Home Page