Author: Kathryn
E-mail: [email protected]
Rating: I don't know, PG-13,
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Distribution:my page http://www.geocities.com/myroswellpage
and whoever else wants it.
Feedback: Send
***********
Maria slipped into the clothes Michael had tossed her while he was in the washroom. The pair of boxers were a little bit baggy, but they at least stayed up over her hips. The undershirt was huge, having been stretched over Michael's chest. She kept her bra on underneath because of the huge size, and the fact that the shirt was see-through.
Everything was wrinkled from being stuffed haphazardly in his bag. She refused to let herself think about how much it smelled like him. She didn't even know how she recognized it, it wasn't like he even considered wearing cologne. Still, Michael had his own unique scent.
As he walked out of the bathroom, she forced herself to remember that she hated him with a passion. That he was a lying, sneaking, evil alien. But, it was hard to remember as she saw his broad chest through the tight undershirt.
Michael's breath caught as he saw her lying on the bed. Forget lingerie, there was nothing sexier than having a woman wear your clothes.
"Maria...." he said as she swung her legs over the side of the bed and headed for the bathroom.
"What?" she snapped as she walked past, and was annoyed as he grabbed her arm.
She was here with him. No matter what he said or did, she end up being with him. Just, because of what he said, she wouldn't be *with* him.
He still feared hurting her, still feared for her safety. But, as she pointed out before, she was in danger even if they weren't involved romantically. Why deny them something they both had wanted?
Michael's mind was a mass of confusion. He didn't know what to say, how to make her understand what he wanted, what he was feeling. Instead, he tried to do it in a non-verbal way.
He kissed her.
Michael knew she had been ticked off, but he was shocked when she pushed him back and slapped his face.
Rubbing his face from the blow, he stared at her in astonishment. "What was that for?" he asked incredulously.
"For kissing me you ass," she fumed, shaking her finger at him.
"First you're mad because I say we have to stay apart, and now you're mad because I want us to be together?" Michael was clueless. He didn't know what sort of reaction he had expected, but this certainly wasn't it.
"Michael, I know all that you've said is a load of pure bull shit," Maria said angrily. "You got me out of the way just so you could be with Isabel."
"What are you talking about?" Michael demanded, "Isabel and I, we're not together. We never will be. Forget our destinies, I won't let someone else dictate whom I'm to be with."
"Do I look that stupid?" Maria said sarcastically. "Don't play dumb Michael. I saw you last night, with Isabel, kissing her in the hotel room."
Michael was shocked. He honestly didn't know what she saw talking about, "Maria, you're not making any sense. Not a bit. I never even woke up last night, and certainly never kissed Isabel. I think I would remember that."
"I know what I saw Michael," Maria snapped.
"It never happened!" Michael insisted. "Not at all. I don't know what you saw, but it wasn't me and Isabel."
Maria's conviction in what happened was really beginning to waiver. First, Isabel had appeared honest, and now Michael was denying it adamantly. But, there was really no other explanation.
"We never kissed," Michael repeated earnestly to Maria. She wanted to take his word for it, but just didn't see how he could be telling the truth.
An idea started to form in the back of Michael's mind, but he dismissed it, telling himself it was impossible. She would never do that.
But it came back to him. It made perfect sense. Maria was sure about what she saw. What Maria saw had hurt her. And, Tess hated Maria. Normally, he wouldn't pursue this, but there was too much on the line here for Maria to think he was involved with Isabel
"Maria," he began, "How long did you watch us?"
"What sort of question is that?" Maria asked incredulously. "What bearing does that..."
Michael cut her off, "Please Maria, just tell me."
"Let's see," Maria said angrily. "I saw you kiss, I saw your hand slide up her shirt, I shut my eyes. I say that took a total of 3 seconds. Although, it felt like an eternity."
He really didn't want Maria to know what he know suspected to be true. Right now he was incredibly angry at Tess, but he didn't want Maria to kill her. However, she had to know since she wouldn't believe him otherwise.
"Maria," he began, "It's...um...it's a good possibility that it was just Tess making you see things. You know her powers."
Maria opened her mouth to tell him to shut up and stop making such lame excuses, but she shut it again. It did make perfect sense, and she was ashamed she hadn't thought of it before.
That evil little bitch. Maria wasn't in the mood to be charitable. Oh, when they all came back she was going to kick Tess's ass from here to their home planet.
"I'm going to kill her," she told Michael in an almost cheery voice. It was nice to have a good excuse to do so.
"Forget her," Michael said forcefully, starting to move closer to her. "We'll confront her, and yell at her, and we all feel better. But, she's not here now."
Before Maria could think about what he meant with the comment about her not being here, he was standing mere inches from her. "There's nothing to stop us from being together." he said in a low voice.
Maria was caught up with the gaze in his eyes. It was intense, and she was captivated. She saw and analyzed every little detail of his face, from the curve of his eyelashes to the tiny little freckle on the tip of his nose. However, as his face began to lower to kiss her, she slipped away from him.
"Yes there is," she said in a shaky voice. "You are a reason for us not to be together."
"What are you talking about Maria?" Michael demanded.
"Remember?" she challenged him. She mimicked his voice. "I'm too dangerous Maria, I love you too much, I'm a stone wall, I'm alone and the way it's got to be."
"Nothing I've said has ever bothered you before," Michael replied, "Even when I pushed you away, you came back. You said you didn't believe I was dangerous. Why are you giving up on me now?"
"I'm not giving up on you," Maria said fustratedly, "I'm giving up on us. Michael, I want to lie to you, but I can't. I care for you a lot, but I can't do this again. I've waited for this all my life, and I'm not going to have my heart broken every time it strikes your fancy."
"It's not like I hurt you on purpose!" Michael said angrily. "I didn't break up with you to hurt you, I did it to keep you safe. You don't think I want to be with you more than nearly anything else? I've been more involved with you than I have with anyone, and that includes Max and Isabel. Don't you know that I care?"
"No Michael, I don't," Maria said desperately. "I know you like kissing me, that was obvious. But, I don't anything else. You break up with me at whim, for all I know you're comment about loving me too much was just an excuse to get rid of me."
"You think that was a hoax?" he said incredulously. "You think I actually admitted that just to get rid of you? Maria, come on, think about it. You've wormed your way into my life, and even though I don't want to see you hurt, I don't want to see you go."
"I don't know if I can believe you!" she said, nearly in tears.
A determined look crossed Michael's face. Not saying another word he gathered her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. Maria was too stunned to react, and her lips parted to let him in.
^^When you see love
And you don't know what it is
You might find yourself in fear
To show your heart
But when you feel it
And it's oh, so wonderful
You might find yourself in fear
To let it part, in fear to let it part^^
"Don't ever doubt that I care about you," Michael rasped as he dragged his lips from hers and rained kisses on her neck. "Don't doubt it, not ever."
"Are we doing the right thing here Michael?" Maria asked dubiously. "This could just end in tragedy. I don't want to have to hate you in the end. Are we going to waste time on something that will never work out?"
"Is that all I am to you, a 'waste of time'?" he asked, pulling back slightly, his face close to hers.
Maria shook her head emphatically, "No," she whispered, "But you need to know I won't settle Michael, for anything. If you can't handle getting intense, you tell me now."
"It's a little late to avoid that," he said gruffly. "We could be really good together. I'm not saying you won't be taking a risk with me. I'm not some Casanova. I can't do the poetic words of love or anything, but that doesn't mean I don't care."
"For some one who's not poetic you're doing a damn good job of sounding eloquent," she said, smiling up at him.
^^So hold her closer when she cries
Hold her closer when she feels
She needs a hand to hold
Someone who'll never let her go again
And hold him closer when he tries
To hold the tears back from his eyes
Don't say goodbye^^
"No more running, okay?" she asked, then added hastily, "I mean, I'm not looking for a lifetime commitment or anything. Just, don't decide what's best for me. And, if you don't think you want what I want, get out now."
"No more running away," he agreed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears.
^^When your heart decides
That it's time to let it through
There's no reason to be scared
To open up
Cause love may be blind
But all of us don't see it
So just once in your life
If you hear the knock of love
Just let it in^^
^^Hold her closer when she cries
Hold her closer when you know it's time to say
goodbye
You hurry back to see her smile again
And hold him closer when he's down
When his world is upside down
Turn it around^^
Maria wrapped her arms around him and held him close. She never wanted to let go. Like this, she wasn't worried about anything. Evil aliens could go to hell. And Tess, who cared? Of all the stupid people for her to fall in love with, it had to be Michael. But, there was no accounting for matters of the heart.
"I'm never letting you go," she whispered, so softly she didn't think he heard her.
But he did
^^Hold her closer when she feels
She needs a hand to hold
Someone who'll never let her go again
And hold her closer when she's down
When her world is upside down
Turn it around
Hold her close ^^
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