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.
*************
Maria stared in shock at Isabel, letting what she had just realized soak in. "Another dream about you and Michael?" she managed to get out hoarsely, letting her order pad sit on the floor.
Isabel nodded, "I couldn't go back to sleep afterwards," she admitted. She didn't add that it had taken all the willpower she had not to go over to Michael's.
Maria shook her head, not wanting to believe it, not wanting to see how wrong she had been.
Max couldn't see why Maria was all of a sudden so upset. She had known the dreams were going on, why was it worse now. "What's going on Maria?" he asked gently as a tear rolled down her cheek. "You knew they were having these dreams. I know it's upsetting, but that's all they are is dreams."
"Michael came to see me," was all Maria said in explanation.
Neither Max nor Isabel had any idea what she was talking about. Isabel shifted uncomfortably in her seat as a tear rolled down Maria's cheek.
"What's going on here?" Michael asked, coming up behind them. He had seen Maria getting upset, and wanted to know what was happening. "Why are you crying Maria?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
She flung off the hand and whirled on him. "Don't touch me," she said in a cold voice, her eyes red from tears, "Don't you dare touch me."
"Maria......" Michael began, reaching for her.
She took a step back, staying out of his grasp. She shook her head. "God, I was stupid," she said in a beaten voice. "I was so stupid to believe you. I should have known better."
"Believe me about what? Maria, what's...." Michael began.
She cut him off, "I can't believe I let you touch me, I can't believe I let you get close to me. I should have known why you came. It wasn't me you were wanting last night, it was her. I was just the second choice, a way to release your sexual tension."
"I wanted you, only you." Michael pleaded with her. "Believe me Maria, you're the only one that matters to me in that way."
"Sure," Maria said bitterly, "Sure, I believe that. That's why you came running over to me after you dreamed of sleeping with her. God, I probably wasn't even the one you were aroused for."
Neither realized that along with Isabel, max and Liz who had come out of the back room, they had an audience that included the quickly filling-up Crashdown.
"I don't love her," Michael said, "I love you, I told you that."
"Did you dream about her," Maria asked in a hard voice.
Michael hesitated, but finally nodded, "Yes, I'm not going to lie to you, but..."
"But what Michael?" Maria demanded angrily, "But what? Don't try and tell me that the dream had no emotional effect on you. Don't tell me that you were free from it as soon as you woke up. God, I never should have let you in."
"I don't love her," Michael said again, desperate to make her see, to make her understand.
Maria laughed bitterly, "Well, it's not as if you love me. Those were just words to get you laid. I was so naive, I actually believed that you loved me, and wanted me."
"I do love you," Michael said, trying to step closer to her, "I do."
Maria shook her head, "Don't Michael, just don't bother. We both know that last night meant nothing. I thought it had, I had convinced myself that it did, but it didn't. Please, just don't come knocking on my door the next time you get a hard-on for another girl."
With that, she whirled away from him, running towards the back room, running into Liz who, after glaring at Michael, followed her into the back.
Maria had collapsed on the couch, sobbing. Liz walked over and hugged her, letting her get it all out.
After a moment, Liz said hesitantly, "Maria, after what I heard...you two made love last night."
Maria laughed bitterly through her tears, "We had sex Liz, obviously there was no love involved on his part in what happened."
"And on your part?" Liz asked gently.
"I trusted him, and I believed him when he said he loved me. I wanted him so bad, I swallowed what he told me. I never thought he could be that cruel, to use me like that." Maria said in response, but not really answering Liz's question.
"Maria," Liz said in a sympathetic voice, "Why did you do it? You're 16."
Maria shook her head, "Liz, please, I'm really not in the mood for a lecture. Last night, when he told me he loved me I was on top of the world. All this time, I've wanted nothing but him. Now, it's too late to change that, so I would appreciate you not trying to make me feel worse than I already do."
Liz nodded, "I'm sorry Maria. I understand how bad you must feel right now."
Maria shook her head, "Trust me Liz, you have no idea what I feel right now. Max has never used you for sex when he was aroused for another girl, never told you he loved you and not really meant it. He has never made you feel so cheap and hurt that you want to crawl under a rock and die. And, he never will."
With that Maria began to cry softly again, not being able to hold it back.
Liz wrapped her arm around Maria again, trying to comfort her as much as she could. Maria was right, she had no idea how she felt, but she understood that Maria was hurting right now. A lot.
"Should I fire his ass?" Liz asked after a few minutes, causing Maria to laugh a little through her tears.
"Please," she said, nodding as she wiped the wetness from her face, hiccuping a little.
Liz smiled, "OK, and after we make his termination as public and embarrassing as possible, we can try that voodoo stuff you seem interested in and listen to some angsty, angry chick music. Maybe we'll get Alex to come too. I'll get you through this Maria."
Maria gave a half smile, "God, what would I do without a best friend like you Liz?"
"Well, you'll never have to find out," Liz said with a smile. "Now, you take a break until the lunch crowd comes in. Then, be sure to come watch the show when I fire Michael in front of everyone."
Maria nodded as Liz pushed open the swinging door and walked out. She appreciated all the efforts Liz was going to make to get her to feel better, but she really didn't know if it would be enough.
She stretched out on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. At least she didn't have to work on account of this. That was the one and only good thing.
Maria sat up quickly as the door swung open again. However, instead of Liz, Alex walked in. "Hey Maria," he said cheerfully. "Liz told me you were down and I should attempt to cheer you up. What's going on?"
Maria sighed, "Michael and I had sex."
Alex didn't remark on the fact that last time he checked, she had hated that alien's guts. "And that's depressing you why?"
Maria sighed. She didn't want to tell Alex. "And he was just using me," she continued reluctantly. "He told me he loved me just to get me into bed. You see he and Isabel had another one of those dreams, and he was turned on for her. However, instead of going over to her place, he came over to my place to relieve his sexual needs."
Alex flopped down on the couch beside her. He ran his hands through his hair. "At least he didn't sleep with her," he said after a few minutes.
"I just feel so used," Maria said forlornly, "And so hurt. I risked my heart again, and got hurt worse in the process."
"He's a bastard," Alex agreed, hugging her. "But, you've got me, and you got Liz. You don't need him anyway. Did I ever mention that I never liked Michael anyway?"
"Thank you Alex," Maria said quietly, hugging him back tightly.
"I don't know for what," he said, "But you're welcome anyway."
*******************
Hours later, Maria was worming through packed tables, taking orders. Michael had gone home about half an hour ago, no longer employed at the Crashdown.
Max was still sitting at a table, waiting for Liz's shift to finish. Isabel was long gone. As Maria carried an order over to table 5, she saw Tess walk in. When the girl saw Max, she strode over to his table.
"Want to get her order?" Maria asked as she and Liz crossed paths. "At least you and Max can make googly-eyes for those few moments."
"Sure," Liz laughed, setting down the burger in front of another customer.
She pulled the order pad from her apron and began to walk over to the table. However, the people at the table next to max and Tess's stopped her to ask for another cup of coffee.
Bits of their conversation in the booth drifted over to her. "Got to stop......". "She'll be so hurt....". "We can't let it happen Tess....look how..torn apart...Michael and Maria.".
She smiled at the people in that booth, and began to walk towards Max and Tess. They didn't see her approach, and she stood before them just as Max opened his mouth.
"If I dream about you again like that," he said urgently to Tess, "I don't know how much longer I can hold out."
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