Dream Quest

By Danielle

Disclaimers: I don't own the characters in this fic, but I do own the reality they are living in. Of course that means a big fat nothing to anyone who would want to sue me, but I'll put it up to try to cover myself anyway. Enjoy!

Author's Notes: This is fic #3 in my "Dream" Series. If you haven't read "A Dream Come True?" or "Wide Awake in Dreamland" this fic is going to make zero sense to you. Check them out and them come back, please!

Part 1

"So what you're saying is that you think there's another Alien out there somewhere?"

Michael nodded vigorously. "Yes. There has to be! I mean look at the date on this picture. 1956. We know it couldn't be any of us- what other possibility is there?"

Max and Isabel looked from one to the other and back again. He could tell they almost didn't want to believe him. Things had been so comfortable all these years for all of them- why upset things now? But he also knew that deep down they both wanted answers to the same questions he'd always had- who were they? Where were they from? Why did they get left behind?

Isabel took a deep breath and looked at her almost brother, Michael. "So, how do you suggest we find him?"

Michael's face brightened. "Well, Kyle and I found boxes and boxes of Grandpa's old Alien Hunter files. I think we should go through them all, and maybe we'll come up with something. You know, maybe get a flash or maybe something will make sense to us that didn't add up for Grandpa. What do you think?"

Max nodded his approval. "Sounds like a good idea to me. I mean, even if we don't find anything helpful, at least we'll know that we exhausted all the possibilities, right?"

Michael and Isabel both nodded. "So, when should we do this? Tomorrow night after dinner?"

Max and Isabel looked at each other. "Sounds fine to me. Should we bring Kyle and Liz and Maria in on this to help?"

Michael stiffened at the mention of Maria's name. "Uh, Kyle and Liz can help, but I'm not sure Maria will want to." At the Evans' siblings questioning looks, Michael blurted, "I'm sure she wants to spend as much time as possible with her mother before she gets transferred to the drug rehab place."

Max took the statement at face value, and shrugged. "Yeah, you're probably right. So, now, if this meeting of the minds is over, I have to get back to my Biology homework. I'll see you in the morning, Michael." He waved and stepped out of the room, headed down the hall to his own bedroom.

It took no longer than 5 seconds after Max had left for Isabel to turn on Michael. "Okay, what did you do to her?"

Michael stood up quickly and grabbed for his jacket. "Huh?"

"To Maria? What did you do? Because there's no way she'd miss out on helping you go through this stuff if it means this much to you. So you had to have done something to make her mad. What was it?"

Michael shrugged into his coat the rest of the way, then sunk back onto the bed he'd been sitting on. "Oh, Iz, I screwed up royally. I don't think she'd going to forgive me for this one."

Isabel took pity on her friend. "Come on, Michael. It can't be that bad. What did you do?"

"I lied to her."

Isabel's eyebrows knit together. Lying was completely out of character for Michael, unless it was to protect their true identities. "You did? About what?"

"I told her that I'd lived with her stepfather before I was adopted and that he'd hit me, too." As Izzy's mouth dropped, he immediately started explaining himself. "I only said that so I could get her to open up to me, Isabel. I knew he was hurting her and I knew I had to stop him. And the only way it seemed like I could do that was to make her trust me and tell me the truth. And you know what? I think I'd do it again if it meant I could get her out of there. Even if she never talks to me again, I don't think I'll regret doing what I had to do to make sure she was safe."

"Wow, Michael. That's a pretty big lie. You couldn't think of any other way to get her to trust you?"

"No. You know how she was, Isabel. So closed off- she never spoke to anyone. It was like pulling teeth just to get her to come out to dinner with me. And after I saw those bruises... well I knew why. She didn't want anyone getting close to her and figuring it all out. She thought she had it under control."

"But how did you know he was hurting her for sure?"

"You should have seen this guy, Is. He was such a slimeball. A mean, drunk old bastard. I could read it in her face how scared she was of him. I wasn't about to sit back and let her get hurt again, especially because of me. The way I look at it, I did what I had to."

Isabel nodded solemnly. "Well, Michael, I completely understand why you did it. And I'm sure somewhere down inside of her, Maria does, too. She'll forgive you as soon as she realizes that you only did it to protect her. Just give her some time and some space. Let her come to you. She will eventually."

He looked at her hopefully. "Do you really think so, Isabel?"

She smiled. "I'm sure of it, Michael. Now get out of here before your brother finds out you were in my room all alone and tries to beat the crap out of you."

He grinned and stood, giving her a quick hug. "Thanks Isabel. I'll see you at school in the morning." He walked toward the window and climbed out.

Isabel watched him go sadly. She really truly hoped Maria would find it in her heart to forgive him soon. It was obvious, to her anyway, how much Michael was already in love with her. She sat back down at her desk to finish the homework she'd been working on when Michael had appeared at her window earlier.

~~~~~

"Okay, so is there anything else you'll need from the house?"

Amy DeLuca-Bryant shook her head at her daughter, who was sitting in the chair next to her bed making a list. "No, just some clothes. They won't let me bring anything else. But if you wouldn't mind, would you pick me up a carton of Marlboro Lights from the store?"

Maria gave her mother a look that clearly meant she didn't want to comply with that request. Amy sighed. "Jeez, Maria, gimme a break. They're only cigarettes. Let me quit one thing at a time, okay?"

Silently, Maria nodded and added the cigarettes to her list. She knew this was going to be really hard on her mother and if she felt that cigarettes would help her get through it, who was Maria to disagree? As long as she got better, Maria didn't really care what it took to get her through. She could deal with a mom who smoked. An alcoholic/addict she could not. "So that's it, right? Nothing else?"

"No, that ought to cover it. You'll bring everything in the morning?"

Again, Maria nodded. "I'll be here when they come to pick you up. Do you have the address to this place? I know they said no phone calls for the first month, but can I at least write to you?"

Amy sat up a little straighter in bed. "I'm not sure, honey. We can ask them in the morning, okay?"

"Okay." Maria closed the notebook she'd been writing in and put it back in her backpack. Amy looked at the clock on the wall.

"Maria? It's after 7. Aren't you hungry? The Parker's are probably expecting you. Why don't you call them for a ride home?"

"I don't want to go just yet, okay mom? I want to spend as much time with you as possible before tomorrow."

Amy reached out and took her daughter's hand. "I know that honey, but I just thought you might like to take a break and go get some normal food. You're too thin, Maria. If you don't want to call Mr. & Mrs. Parker, why don't you call Michael? I'm sure he'd love to go with you to get a bite to eat."

Maria's face fell at the mention of his name, which didn't go unnoticed by her mother. "Oh, I'm sure Michael's got better things to do. I'm fine mom."

Amy raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "What's the matter, Maria? You've been quiet all afternoon. Did something happen at your counseling session?"

"No, mom, it was fine."

"Then what is it? Something is definitely bothering you."

Amy watched with intense eyes as her daughter's shoulder's sagged and she sighed. "It's nothing, mom. I'm just not sure that Michael... is the person I thought he was."

"What? What happened? He was so nice yesterday. Did he do something to you?"

"No, not really. It's just... he told me he lied to me about something. Something really important. And it kind of changes things. I don't think I would have told him about... everything if I had known the truth."

Amy's brow creased. "Well, aren't you glad that you told him what was going on? If you hadn't... I don't want to think about what might have happened to either one of us, Maria."

"I know, mom, but he lied to me. How can I ever trust him again?"

"Honey, Michael seems like a good person to me. If he lied to you, I'm sure there was a good reason for it. And he did eventually tell you the truth, right? That has to count for something. Don't shut him out just because you're hurt."

"But..."

"Maria, I know how stubborn you can be. You might feel betrayed now, but maybe you'll feel different after you've had time to deal with some of the stuff that's happened the past few days. Just remember the good things he's done for you, and ask yourself if the lie he told you cancels out all of that. Especially if the lie was for your own good, okay?"

Maria nodded solemnly. "Yeah, I guess. Maybe I just need some more time to think about it."

Amy smiled at her daughter. "Good." She squeezed Maria's hand, which she still held in hers. "It's been a while since I was able to help you with a problem. It feels good."

Maria smiled back. "Yeah, it does. Thanks, mom." She stood and let her mother envelop her in a tight hug. As she pulled away, her stomach growled loudly. "I guess I should go eat something, huh?"

"Yes, you should. Go call Nancy and Jeff. And you don't have to come back after you eat, Maria. I'll be fine- and I'm sure we can both use the rest. Just be here in the morning, okay? That's when I'm going to need you the most." Maria looked reluctant to leave her mother alone, but Amy looked at her sternly. "Go ahead, honey. I'll see you later."

"Okay. I guess I'll see you in the morning, then." She gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and walked out into the hall carrying her backpack, and headed over to the phone to call the Parker's. Her mother's advice made a lot of sense. Her head was certain that Michael had only lied to her for her own good, and because if he hadn't, he'd have had to reveal his true identity. If only her heart didn't hurt so much, she was sure she'd be able to forgive him right now. Dropping a quarter into the phone, she dialed the Parker's number, and hoped that her heart would hurry up and feel better soon so she could completely get past these feelings of betrayal.

Part 2

The next morning, Maria had Mrs. Parker bring her to the hospital instead of getting a ride in to school with Max, Liz and Isabel. She walked down the hall to her mother's room to find her mom sitting in a chair, already dressed and ready to go.

She put down the suitcase full of clothes that she had gone to the house to get last night, and handed her mother the long white carton of cigarettes she had requested. "I, uh, had Mr. Parker get them for me from the store last night. They wouldn't let me buy them myself since I'm not 18."

Maria's mother looked at her sadly. "I forget sometimes just how young you are, Maria. At your age I was about to get pregnant and married. I'm really glad you're so much smarter than your mother."

"Mom..."

"No, Maria, I have to say this. I've been such a bad, selfish, irresponsible parent. I look back at the past 10 years and I wonder how the hell you got through all the crap I handed to you. I was never there for you and I thank god that you turned out so well. You're smart, beautiful, independent, and responsible. And I know I had nothing to do with that. You'll never know how sorry I am. I know I can never, ever make up for all the bad things I've put you through and all the horrible situations I've gotten us into. But I want you to know that no matter what has happened, I have always loved you, and I always will. I know I've had a pretty poor way of showing you that over the years, but it's true. And I'm going to work really hard to get myself better. Not just for me, but for you, too. Because you deserve a better life than the one I've given you. I love you, Maria, and now I'm going to try to show you how much, okay?"

Both women wiped at the tears dampening their cheeks, and Maria flew into her mother's waiting arms. "I love you, too, mama. I always have. And I know you didn't mean to let things get so bad. But if we both work really hard, I know we can fix it." For a minute, Maria felt 7 years old again, and on impulse, sat down on her mom's lap, still crying onto her shoulder. Finally, she let the events and emotions of the past few days hit her, and she held on as tightly as she could, letting her mother rub her back and rock her like a child.

It was a while later that the knock on the door broke the closeness of the moment. "Mrs. Bryant? It's time to go," said the orderly quietly from the hallway.

Maria broke away from the hug and looked first at the hospital employee and then at her mom, who simply nodded. She got up so her mother could stand, and Amy looked into her daughter's eyes. "Be good while I'm gone, okay?" She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. "I asked before you got here if you could write to me and they said yes. Here's the address." Maria took the paper and pushed it deep into her pocket. "I'll call you as soon as they let me, okay?"

Maria nodded, her eyes brimming with more tears. Amy looked at her daughter and once again pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you, honey."

"I love you, too, mom." Maria bit her lip to keep from crying again as her mom kissed her quickly on the forehead, then released her.

Amy picked up the suitcase, grabbed the carton of cigarettes off the table where she'd put them and looked at the orderly. "Okay, I'm ready to go." He nodded and she walked out the door, following him down the hall. "And by the way, I'm a widow now. Please call me Mz. DeLuca."

Maria smiled a watery grin as she heard her mother's words echo down the hall. She listened to the footsteps until they faded into nothingness, then collapsed into the chair her mother had been sitting in, the tears flowing freely now. Never in her entire life had she felt so alone.

~~~~~

Michael had waited for an extra 15 minutes at his locker in the morning to see if he could catch Maria before her 1st class. He was hoping against hope that a good night's sleep would have lessened her anger. But Liz had showed up with Max and Isabel alone and explained that today was the day that Maria's mother was being taken to Pine Grove Substance Abuse Treatment Center and that she probably wouldn't be coming to school.

Despondent, he opened his locker and grabbed his books, knowing that today was going to be just about the longest of his life. Today, after practice, he was going to begin the search for his origins. That alone was reason enough to dread school and the wait, but add in the fact that Maria wasn't really talking to him and he wasn't even going to be able to see her today and well, he was pretty miserable.

He daydreamed his way through his first few periods, thinking about Maria and how much he wished he'd never lied to her. But he still couldn't figure out how the hell he'd known about Hank hurting her. Maybe he'd never figure it out- just an unsolved mystery of the universe. Maybe it was one of the reasons he was left here in the first place- to help people in trouble. Kind of like Superman. He laughed at his own idiocy. Superman? Who was he kidding? He was just some stupid kid from Roswell, New Mexico. Wasn't he?

He shook off his own thoughts. He shouldn't keep coming up with these stupid theories like he did when he was first adopted. He was going to find out the truth today. Sighing, he stared down at his Geometry book, the words and numbers blurring as he continued to let his mind wander. It wandered exactly where he didn't want it to- to Maria DeLuca.

Michael wondered what she was doing right now. Was she still with her mother? Or was she back at the Parker's house, upset and feeling alone? All he knew was that he wanted to go to her, make her feel better, hold her and kiss her and take away her heartache and he couldn't. He'd lost that right the minute he told her the truth. He prayed to whatever powers were in charge of his destiny that she would forgive him someday soon so that he could try to regain a position of importance and trust in her life.

~~~~~

Maria had spent most of the rest of the day after they took her mom away sitting around Liz's room moping. Mrs. Parker had come back to pick her up, asking if she wanted to do anything special for the rest of the day. She'd replied in the negative, simply wanting to be alone with her thoughts.

At first she sat on the roof outside listening to music, and watching the birds fly by overhead. She thought about her life and what was going to happen to her for the next few months. And she cried. About her mom, about her dad leaving them in the first place, about Hank and what he'd tried to do to her. But mostly she cried about how crappy her life was at the moment and how much she wanted to run to Michael to make it better. How did she get so attached to him in less than a week?

Maybe it was some bizarre form of hero worship. He'd saved her life, and now she felt like she owed him. She thought hard on that for a minute before deciding that that couldn't possibly be true since she'd been overwhelmed by emotions since the second he forced his way into her life. Which was before he had kept Hank from hurting her.

Maybe he'd used his alien powers to brainwash her into having feelings for him. But she dismissed that theory as well, since she knew as well as anyone that if Michael Valenti wanted a girl, he did not have to brainwash anyone to get her. His looks alone were enough to entice you, never mind how good he was at sports, how smart he was, and how sweet. And how good he kissed. Not that she'd had a lot of experience with kissing, but she knew what she liked. She'd kissed Alex once in 8th grade, just to see what it felt like. And to be completely honest, Alex's kiss was like licking a wet sponge compared to Michael's.

The mystery of how they'd come together continued to plague her. But what bothered her more was what would have happened if he didn't decide to take an interest in her. Her mother was right- she didn't even want to think of the possibilities. Maybe she should just stop analyzing everything and just thank god that something had finally worked out right for her. Which led her to the conclusion that maybe she should indeed forgive Michael.

Her thoughts overwhelming her, she grew tired, and after lunch she lay down on the small bed that pulled out from underneath Liz's daybed. She closed her eyes and slept soundly for a while, her endless ponderings coming to a halt for a short time. When she woke up, it was almost dinnertime. She walked out of Liz's room to find Mrs. Parker setting the table while Liz finished her homework and Mr. Parker read the newspaper.

Everyone looked up as she entered the room, Mrs. Parker stopping what she was doing to go give the sleepy girl a hug. "Hi, Maria. How are you feeling?"

"Okay. I just want to take my mind off of things, you know? Not worry for a little while."

Nancy Parker nodded, and Maria went to sit next to Liz on the couch. The dark-haired girl smiled at her new friend. "We all missed you at school today. Everyone was asking about you."

Maria looked suspicious. "Everyone who?"

"You know- Max and Iz and Kyle and…"

She interrupted before Liz could say the name she knew was next on the list. "Did anyone see Alex at all today? I forgot to call him last night to tell him what was going on."

Liz nodded. "I told him myself where you were. I figured he would be worried about you if I didn't."

Maria wearily smiled. "Thanks."

At that point, Mrs. Parker called them all over to eat, which they all did, though Maria ate rather sparingly. The phone rang as Liz and Maria were clearing off the table, which was quickly becoming the new nightly ritual. Liz bounded over to answer it.

"Hello? Oh hi. Yeah, sure. I'm on the way."

Maria assumed by Liz's change in tone that the caller was Max, which was quickly confirmed when she hung up the phone to ask to use the family car. "Dad? Can I take the car to go to Max and Isabel's? We're all going to study together for this big history test we have coming up."

Jeff Parker looked at his wife, who smiled her approval, then back at his daughter. "Sure, honey. Just be home by 11, okay? I don't want you out all night."

"Okay dad." Maria watched as Liz rose and grabbed the keys off the hook by the door. She had her hand on the door to leave when her mother's voice stopped her.

"Maria, why don't you go with her? You know, get out of the house for a while and get your mind off things like you said earlier."

Liz started to protest, knowing that there was no way Maria would want to go. This was no study session- they were all getting together to look at the files Michael and Kyle had found in their garage, and Michael was definitely going to be there. Which was why she was certain Maria wouldn't want to be. "Oh, mom, I don't think Maria would want to go- we're all just going to be sitting around quizzing each other on dates and stuff. Really boring. Especially since she's not even in our class."

Maria thought about it for a minute. "But I have Mr. Summers, too. I'm sure our class will have the same test. It might be good to go think about something other than my mom for a while."

Liz looked hard at Maria, trying to convey that she shouldn't go by her tone and facial expressions. "Oh, Maria, really, you don't want to come. You'd be much better off hanging out here."

Mrs. Parker frowned. "Doing what, might I ask? Watching the baseball game with your father? She said she wants to come, Liz."

"But, mom, I really don't think that…"

"Elizabeth Claudia Parker! You will take Maria with you to Max and Isabel's house, or you won't go at all, and that is final. Do you understand me?"

Solemnly, Liz nodded. "Yes, mom." She looked at Maria with a slightly more upbeat face. "Come on."

Maria felt bad at the way that Liz had been forced into taking her. Maybe Liz didn't like her as much as she had thought. "No, Liz, that's okay. You go ahead. I'll stay and watch the game. Who's playing anyway?"

Nancy Parker gave Maria the same withering look that she'd given her own daughter moments earlier. "Go. Now. Out of the house, both of you. I don't want to see your faces until 11 PM, got it?"

Maria blanched at the tone of Mrs. Parker's voice and hurried to follow Liz out the door. "I'm sorry if you didn't want me to come. I just thought it might be nice to get out for a while. You can drop me off at the park and pick me up when you're finished."

Liz looked at her as if she had 7 heads. "It's not that I didn't want you to come. I just… it's… we're not going to be studying for History."

"You're not? Oh, did you and Max have a secret date or something? Because I could…"

"No, it's nothing like that." She lowered her voice as they descended the stairs to the back door. "I'll tell you, but you have to keep it a secret, all right?"

Another secret? She wondered if this had anything more to do with the Alien trio. "Okay. What's up?"

"Kyle and Michael found some old Alien files that belonged to their Grandfather when they were cleaning out the garage, and we're all getting together to look through them to see if we can find any leads about where they come from."

"Oh." Maria's face fell as a realization dawned on her. "They're not leaving are they? If they find something that could get them home?"

Liz shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't really want to think about that possibility, you know?"

Maria nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I do." She paused, thinking some more on the subject of Michael and his mysterious origins and her connection to him. "Michael is going to be there, right?"

"Yeah. That was why I didn't think you'd want to come. I know you're not too happy with him at the moment."

No, she definitely wasn't too happy with him. But the thought of him leaving Earth for his real home gave her an awful feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew that the closer Michael came to the truth, the more likely the possibility was that he would leave her. And despite everything, she knew she didn't want him to go anywhere. At least not without her. She followed Liz silently out to the car, trying to figure out how she was going to start the conversation she knew was going to be having with Michael later that night.

Part 3

As Liz's car approached the Evans' house, Maria grew more and more nervous. She knew Michael didn't know she was coming, and she wondered if he'd even want her there after the way she acted yesterday. But she also knew that these files meant a lot to him since he'd finally be learning more about himself, and she definitely wanted to help with that. She owed him so much- it would be nice to feel like she could do something for him.

Liz pulled into the driveway and parked behind Kyle and Michael's mustang. As they exited the car, Maria tried to gather her thoughts into something cohesive. Liz walked up and rang the bell, and Isabel immediately opened the door. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry- we kind of got in a little disagreement with my mom. Did we miss much?"

From inside the house, she heard Kyle's voice say "We who?"

Maria stepped over the threshold to find the 3 guys pouring over several boxes of papers. "We, Liz & me."

All three heads lifted to see both Liz and Maria standing in the doorway next to Isabel. Kyle smiled, mumbling, "Hey Liz, hey Maria," before diving right back into his box. Max stood and came forward to greet his girlfriend.

Her gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Hey, sweetie. Wanna come help me?"

She nodded, and followed him back across the room to his box of files. Michael remained frozen in place, eyes trained on Maria. Isabel looked from one of them to the other and then rolled her eyes. The tension in the room was overwhelming. "You two really need to talk. Why don't you go in the kitchen and have some cookies? My mom made them for us before she and dad went out. And take as long as you want. We've got the files covered for now- if we find anything we'll call you. Okay?"

Maria locked eyes with Michael, and then mumbled an okay. Michael stood quickly and walked over toward her, leading her to the Evans kitchen. Isabel watched them go with a smile on her face. She had a feeling things were going to work out just fine. Sighing, she walked back toward where Kyle was and seated herself next to him, ready to get back to work.

~~~~~

Michael sat uneasily at the kitchen table, Maria across from him. Both were quiet, not knowing how to start the conversation they were both dreading. Finally, Michael decided to be the braver of the two. "So I heard that your mom left today. Are you okay?"

Maria kind of shrugged her shoulders. "Okay as I can be, I guess. I know she's going to be getting help, so I'm really happy for her, but at the same time I know I'm going to miss her so much."

"Yeah, I figured you wouldn't want to come help us look through all this stuff with so much going on. You know, I thought I'd give you some space."

She grimaced. "Well, I guess that was pretty considerate of you." Michael sighed and looked down at the floor. Maria decided to take a little pity on him. "But what if I don't want any space?"

His head flew up and he looked at her intensely. "Really? You're not mad at me anymore?"

Maria took a deep breath. "Well, I'm still not thrilled about the fact that you lied to me, but I know why you did it. And there was really was a good reason for it. I'm glad I told you about what was happening with Hank and my mom. I really needed to talk to someone, and whatever the reason that I originally decided to talk about it is doesn't matter half as much as all the other things you've done for me over the past few days."

His heart soared, and a cautious smile spread itself across his face. "So you forgive me?"

She nodded quickly and Michael flew out of his seat at her, falling on his knees in front of her chair and crushing her in a hug. "Thank god. I was going crazy thinking you hated me and were never going to talk to me again."

She smiled against his shoulder. "Well it was pretty touch and go there for a while." He chuckled, knowing she was just playing with him. "But seriously, I was really upset today, and all I wanted to do was call you. And I figured that as long as I was being mad at you, I couldn't talk to you when I needed to, and it made me realize how much I want to be able to go to you for help when I need it. So don't lie to me ever again and we'll be okay."

He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I swear I'll never, ever lie to you ever again. I'm so sorry, Maria."

She stroked his back gently, loving the feel of being held by him and being able to lean on him when she needed to. And she also knew she wanted to return the favor for him. "I know you are. Let's just put this all behind us, okay? And then we can move on to helping you find out where you really come from."

Michael pulled away to look at her, his excitement about being able to get some answers about his life finally bubbling over. "I can't tell you how much it means to me that you came to help. It's just- we've never had a lead like this before, and I was so excited that I wanted to call you and tell you all about it. But then I remembered that you were mad at me and it just didn't seem as good without you to share it with, you know?"

Maria smiled at him. She liked seeing him excited and happily flustered. It was really cute. "Yeah, I know. I wanted to call you today so badly after they came to get my mom, but I was being too stubborn. Then I thought about things all day today, and I realized that my life improved like 500 percent since you came into it, and I really missed you and I knew I had to stop being an idiot and come talk to you as soon as I could. So here I am. And the bottom line is, my life is way better with you in it, so I had to make sure I kept it that way."

Giving her a 1000-watt smile, he gently pulled her out of her chair and leaned down to press his lips to hers. Immediately she stood up on her tiptoes and wound her arms around his neck, drawing him closer. She had missed him so much today, more than she thought was possible. Michael gently sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, and she shivered in response. The boy, human, alien or otherwise, was definitely an amazing kisser.

Unconsciously he began to whisper quietly in her ear as he kissed her and stroked her face. "God, Maria. I missed you so much. You are so beautiful."

She pulled away, embarrassed by his words and the effect she was having on him. Who knew that Maria DeLuca could have this effect on any guy, never mind one so handsome and popular? It kind of gave her a little ego boost. Red cheeked, she smiled shyly at him. "You don't have to say that stuff, you know."

He reached out and drew her chin up so he was looking her in the eye. "But I want to. You deserve to hear it. And it's the truth- I said I wouldn't lie to you ever again and I meant it."

Her heart melted- was he for real? Could any guy be this perfect? She reached out and grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to sit in the chair she had vacated a few minutes before. Immediately she stepped forward so she was standing between his parted legs and leaned down to kiss him again. As the kiss deepened, her knees grew increasingly weak, until finally she turned and uncertainly sat on his lap. Immediately he reached out and pulled her closer to him, leaving no doubt that he wanted her exactly where she was.

They remained like that, lips and bodies locked together, for what seemed like hours, neither coming up for air until they heard a throat clear behind Maria. Immediately they pulled away from one another, embarrassed that their display of affection had been witnessed, and turned to see who'd interrupted. Max stood facing them, arms crossed over his chest, a stupidly happy grin on his face. Michael got the distinct impression that Maxwell was laughing at him. "Yeah?" he asked gruffly, mad both at being interrupted in the first pace and being the subject of Max's amusement.

"Uh," Max started, barely containing his laughter, "we found something we want you to look at."

Michael gave him a withering stare and replied, "We'll be out in a minute."

Max turned on his heel and walked through the doorway, his laughter immediately audible as he rejoined the group. Michael ignored his friend and turned to Maria. "So I guess we better go out there, huh?"

Maria smiled; a beautiful site if he ever saw one. "But we never had any cookies."

"No, I guess we didn't. Did you want some?"

"Not really- I'm stuffed from dinner." She held out her hand to him. "Come on. You know you're dying to get out there and see what they found."

He stood and intertwined his fingers with hers. "I am, but only if we're all done in here. Everything is completely okay with us, right?"

She pulled him along toward the living room. "Yes, yes, absolutely yes. Everything is fine. In fact, everything is great. Or at least it will be once we go out there. Right?"

"Right." He let her lead him back into the room where the others were looking through the paperwork, smiling the whole way. He had Maria back. Anything else that came up, he knew he could handle, as long as she was with him.

The first thing he noticed was that all four of their friends seemed to be huddled around one box. Michael approached the box, which seemed to be casting a blue glow over their faces. Walking to stand next to Max, he saw a large egg shaped silver orb with a glowing blue marking on the top. He reached out to touch it, and the humming grew louder. "What is it?" he heard Maria ask behind him.

Isabel looked at Michael and Max. "I have no idea. You?"

Both shook their heads in the negative. Max looked down at it. "Liz found it in one of the boxes. And when I touched it, it started glowing and humming. I'm pretty sure it must be from our home."

Michael stroked it to see what it felt like. It was smooth and cold to the touch. "What do you think it does?"

Kyle shrugged. "No clue. But I found some other stuff that might be of interest."

The group turned to look at the box Kyle had been investigating. He reached down and grabbed it. "In here, there's lots of papers about sightings and stuff. Which is all interesting, and it could probably help us if I understood half of what it meant. But the best thing I found was this." He held out his palm to reveal a small golden key.

Max looked at it. "What do you think it goes to?"

Michael reached out to take the key from his brother's hand. "I don't know. It looks like it might go to a door-". Immediately as his fingers closed around the metal, his mind jolted, and his body went rigid. His eyes fluttered closed and he saw a flash. A large half-circle shaped house, glowing in the bright sunlight and a door inside the building that he instinctively knew the key would unlock. And just as quickly as it had come, the flash ended. His body went loose again and he nearly fell over from the shock of the pictures that had exploded in his head.

Max and Isabel immediately were next to him, holding him up; knowing the aftermath of the flashes they got often made them dizzy and nauseous. "Michael, are you okay?" Maria asked from behind him.

Before he could respond, Max asked, "What did you see?"

Michael shook his head to clear his thoughts and tried to concentrate. "Some kind of building. It was like a half circle- and the sun was reflecting off of it. And I saw a door inside that I think this key will unlock."

Isabel joined the interrogation. "Where is it?"

He looked at her, confusion in his eyes. "Where's what?"

"The building you saw. Is it in town? Have you ever seen it before?"

Michael shook his head. "I don't think so. I've never seen anything like it. It looked old though. We have to figure out where it is. I have a feeling it's really important."

Maria stepped forward and took Michael's arm, helping him to sit on the couch. "You should relax for a minute before we do anything else. You looked like you were going to pass out."

Michael looked at her and then at Isabel and Max. "The flash was so strong. I've never had one like that before. I was so connected to that place. It was almost like I was there or I had been there before. I know that building is key- we have to figure out where it is. I know it's where we'll find at least some of the answers we need."

"Can you tell us anything else about it? Something that will make it easier to figure out?" Liz was always practical. Though in this case it was more than necessary.

Kyle grabbed a pen and a pad of paper. "Draw it. Maybe one of us will recognize it. And even if we don't it might help us figure out what we're looking for."

Looking at the rest of the people in the room for confirmation, he took the paper and pen and immediately began sketching what he'd seen. It came out looking like a cross between a football and an eyeball, but more pointy around the top edge. "It's in the desert somewhere. I don't think anyone's been there in a really long time." As he was done he handed the sketch to Max, who looked at it hard, then passed it off to Isabel. As it made it's way around the small group of friends, he waited to see if anyone recognized it. No one seemed to. Shrugging, he took the picture back from Maria and stared at it himself. "I just wish I knew what it was."

Kyle looked down at his brother, who seemed really concerned. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's look through the rest of this stuff until we find something about a weird looking semi-circle building." Maria remained seated next to Michael, determined to make sure he was okay before they began the quest for information about this new clue, while the others went back to the search with renewed vigor.

Part 4

Michael emptied the glass of cola he'd been drinking as he looked into the empty box in front of him. Nothing. Not one damn thing in this box about a semi-circle building or a silver egg-looking glowy orb. He looked around the room, waiting patiently for the others to finish looking through their boxes. Liz and Max were looking over some official looking documents, and Kyle was quietly thumbing through some book he'd found at the bottom of his box. Maria and Isabel had finished a few minutes ago and had gone into the kitchen to get the rest of the group some of the aforementioned cookies. They'd been looking for hours and everyone was a little bit hungry by now.

As Liz and Max put down the last of their papers, Isabel and Maria re-entered the room. "Anything?" Isabel asked, impatiently.

Liz shook her head in the negative. Max added, "Not unless you want to read every file documenting every reported alien or spacecraft sighting in Roswell between 1948 and 1973."

Michael looked at his friend skeptically. "How many of them seem legitimate?"

Max looked at the stack of papers. "Honestly? Not even 10 percent of them. Plus not one mention of a dome shaped house or building in any of them."

Isabel sighed and Maria placed the plate of cookies she was holding down on the floor near the middle of the group. She tried to be upbeat about the situation. "Well, you didn't get to read them all over thoroughly, did you? Maybe you missed something?"

Liz shook her head. "I took a speed reading course last year so I could finish all the readings for biology faster. Believe me, there is nothing in there about a dome."

"Okay, so there's nothing about a dome, but that doesn't mean you found nothing. Maybe one of the reports will have some kind of lead. Maybe we just have to look harder."

Isabel rolled her eyes. "Maybe. And maybe Michael's vision wasn't as important as we thought."

Michael stood up to stretch his legs. "No. I know what I saw and I know it was important. There HAS to be something here to connect the dome and the silver orb." He was getting angry. "Kyle, why the hell are you sitting there reading some stupid book instead of looking at the documents?"

Kyle looked up at his brother in surprise. "I was hoping it would give me some clues, actually. The rest of the stuff in the box wasn't too much help- like I said before, I didn't understand too much of it. It was mostly about astronomy and positions of stars during different sightings. But this book was in there in the bottom. It's called "Among Us" and it's all about the possibility of Alien life forms surviving on earth and whether or not they theoretically do exist." He shrugged. "I just thought it might be good to get an expert opinion on things."

Michael's eyes fell as he realized he'd just exploded at his brother for nothing. "Sorry, man. It's just... There has to be something here. Doesn't there?"

Isabel walked over and sat next to her boyfriend. "There probably is something here, Michael. We just don't know exactly what we're looking for. Maybe it's going to take some time to go through things and find the connection. We can't give up hope just because we didn't find all the answers in one night."

He sank down to sit on the couch, ego completely deflated. "I guess you're right. It's just... now that the answers are staring me in the face, I'm dying to know, you know? Especially after that flash. It was so real."

Max, also disappointed, reached out and took Liz's hand in his own. "I understand, Michael. But we're finally on to something. We can't give up now. If there is something here, we will find it. Plus, we've got the orb thing. That has to do something or be some kind of clue. Why else would your grandfather have kept it? I know it's from our home. We'll put it all together someday. We just have to take it slow and put all the clues together as we find them, okay?"

Maria sat down on the couch next to Michael, cautiously putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Michael. You're way ahead of where you were before you started. At least you have a clue what to look for now, and I'm sure all these files and charts and stuff are going to give us some more information. We just have to figure out what they mean. I know how much this means to you," she said, then turned to Isabel and Max. "To all of you. Together I know we can all figure it out."

Liz looked down at her watch. "It's getting late. Why don't we get together again tomorrow night?"

Max nodded. "Sounds good to me. But we'll have to do it at someone else's house. Mom and dad will be home and you know how they are when we have friends over- always checking to see if we need any snacks or help with homework or whatever. We'll never get any work done with them bugging us."

Kyle looked at Michael. "I don't think we can do it at our house. If dad sees these boxes he'll know exactly what they are and he'll want to know why we're so interested in them."

All eyes turned to Liz, who seemed to think hard on the subject. "I don't think it'll be a problem to look through the stuff at my house- we can just go out on the roof. It's just... how are we going to get the boxes over there without my parents wanting to know what's in them?"

The group was quiet for a moment before Maria smiled. "I've got it. We pack all the boxes in Kyle and Michael's car and they follow us home. We go in like normal, and then go right out to the roof, where they climb up and hand them to us to hide. Your parents won't even notice."

Michael smiled at Maria. "You're pretty good at this sneaking around stuff. Should I be worried?"

Maria simply grinned and began to place the papers and documents back in the box Michael had been looking through. The rest of the group followed suit, picking up the things they had sorted through that night. Michael made sure he kept the key Kyle had found, since he was the one who had gotten a vision from it, and Max asked to keep the orb, hoping to figure out what it did upon further inspection.

The group carried the files out to Michael and Kyle's car, and packed them in, and while Kyle and Isabel and Max and Liz bid each other goodnight, Maria and Michael took the opportunity to chat amongst themselves.

"Do you really think we'll find something?" Michael asked as he took both of Maria's hands in his own.

"I know it. Michael if there's one thing I've learned about you in the past few days it's that you don't give up. Us being here together is kind of a prime example of that. And another thing I've learned is that no one should underestimate you. You and Max and Isabel have abilities beyond most people's dreams. If they weren't for a bigger purpose, then why would you have them? I have no doubt that you'll find out why you're here on earth, Michael, because once you put your mind to something, you follow through. Neither of us would be here if you didn't."

He grinned at her shyly. "Wow. I feel like you're my own personal cheerleader or something."

She smiled back at him. "Well, as long as you don't expect me to be a real one, then I'm okay with that. I mean, I know Liz and Isabel are into it, but I just don't think that would be me."

He leaned back on the hood of his car, pulling Maria closer to him as he did. "I'd never expect you to be anything or anyone you're not. I think you're amazing just the way you are, Maria DeLuca."

"You're not so bad yourself, Michael Valenti," she whispered as his lips descended to meet hers. A brief second later, the kiss was interrupted by Kyle's loud whistle and chuckles from the rest of the group.

Michael turned on his heel and stared at his friends. "Hey, gimme a break here! I've had to deal with the 4 of you making out in front of me for the past 2 years. Now it's my turn!"

The four of them broke into hysterics, and Maria blushed at Michael's outburst. He looked down at her solemnly. "The moment's over, huh?"

She nodded, embarrassed. "Yeah, I think so. And if we want to get home by 11, Liz and I have to leave now."

Rolling his eyes, Michael released her. "Fine. But I can't wait for the day when they aren't around to interrupt us." Maria blushed all the more, and Michael took her hand. "Come on, let's get you home before Mr. & Mrs. Parker think that Aliens abducted you two." Michael burst out laughing at his own joke, as Maria simply shook her head and followed him over to Liz's car. Closing the door behind her as she climbed into the passenger side, he tossed the keys to their car to Kyle. He slid easily into the passenger seat, ready for their mission to hide the documents that held the key to his past.

~~~~~

At 10:58 PM, Liz and Maria walked into Liz's apartment above the Crashdown to find Jeff Parker asleep in his favorite chair with the TV blasting. Liz touched his shoulder gently. "Dad. We're home. Dad!"

He erupted into a fit of snores and coughs, his eyes flying open. "Wha- oh hi girls," he said sleepily.

Liz and Maria immediately began to giggle, and finally, upon actually waking up, Mr. Parker laughed, too. "Well I guess you guys made it home by curfew. Your mom's already in bed, and I think I'm going to go join her." He stood and pulled his daughter into a hug, kissing her briefly on the cheek. "Goodnight, honey." He turned to Maria and patted her softly on the shoulder. "Goodnight, Maria."

"Goodnight!" the girls said in unison, and then as he left the room, went bounding into Liz's bedroom and threw open the window that led on to the roof. As they made their way out, Liz ran to the edge and waved, the signal to Kyle and Michael that it was okay to start bringing the boxes up. They had decided that the girls would take the boxes and hide them under a tarp on the higher, adjacent part of the roof that no one used. Maria had stayed in the room to grab the plastic sheet that would prevent the boxes from getting wet if it rained, and as soon as she got it from where Liz had said it was, she made her way out the roof.

Liz was already taking boxes from the guys and stacking them neatly near the section of the roof where they would be hiding them. Maria ran toward the fire escape that Kyle was making his way up and took a box from him, and moved it to where Liz had put the others. A few trips later and Liz was taking the last box from Michael. He climbed over the edge to join the girls, intent on making sure these boxes were safe. Liz stood on a stool she'd grabbed from her bathroom and was pushing a box up to the higher section. She barely could reach, even on her tiptoes, and he knew Maria wouldn't have any better luck. As quietly as he could, he told Liz to get down, and managed to pull himself up onto the high part, and told the girls to hand him the boxes and the tarp. Less than 5 minutes later, their task was complete, and Liz's parents were none the wiser.

Kyle had climbed up the ladder to see what was taking so long, and he pulled himself up just in time to see Michael jumping down and brushing himself off. "Everything all set?" he whispered.

Michael nodded and Kyle waved to Liz and Maria, who waved back, and started to climb down. Liz whispered her goodbye to Michael, and told Maria she'd see her inside the house. They watched as she climbed back into her bedroom, leaving Michael and Maria alone on the roof. Together they walked toward the ladder and as they reached it, Michael turned toward her to say his good-byes.

"We ought to remember this whole sneaking onto the roof thing. It might come in handy sometime," he whispered in her ear.

"Oh yeah? When will that be?"

He laughed. "Sometime when Mr. & Mrs. Parker have forbidden you to see me because I brought you home too late."

"And what makes you think that's going to happen?"

"I don't know if it will, but I do know I would break any and all rules to be with you, Maria." Silently his arms slid around her waist, pulling her gently closer to his body, and she let him brush his hands up and down her body softly. Her body tingled as he did, the tension between them building until he captured her lips in a soft kiss.

"Michael…" she breathed as his hands slid down to the bare patch of skin left exposed at her midriff. She inhaled sharply as his fingers grazed up under her shirt, teasing the skin of her lower back. Cautiously, she let her fingers wind up and into his hair, massaging his scalp and causing ripples of pleasure to shoot through him. "You feel so good…"

"You do, too," he whispered. "I want you so much Maria. But I don't want to make you uncomfortable. So if I'm moving too fast for you, let me know, okay?"

She swallowed hard, touched by his words, and completely understanding his reasoning, nodded. But on some level, she never wanted him to stop. Something about Michael… his touches, his kisses, just felt so right. He made her feel so good- in her heart, in her soul, her mind, and definitely her body. How was it that she'd been with him less than a week? It felt like an entire lifetime.

She kissed him again, and pulled him close to her. "I think you better get going. Kyle's going to be wondering what happened to you."

He squeezed her, then pulled back and looked into her eyes. "You're right. Will you meet me at my locker in the morning?"

Maria nodded, and he quickly kissed her cheek before beginning the climb down to the alley below. She walked toward the window, and right before she went in, she turned and waved to him. He waved back, and then his head disappeared below the roof. She turned and went inside, ready for a good night's sleep after a long, exhausting day of gains and losses.

Part 5

3 days had passed and they were still none the wiser about their origins. Michael sighed as he looked at the clock on the wall of his last period class. It was Friday and they had a game tonight, so the gang wasn't getting together to pore over their boxes. It was just as well, he thought, since they hadn't found a damn thing since the key and the orb.

He'd been holding the key every night, concentrating really hard, hoping against hope it would give him another flash like the one he'd had that first night, but to no avail. And Max was no closer to figuring out what the orb did. He felt like a total failure. Well, at least tonight he could get his aggressions out on the field. And Maria was coming to watch him play, which made him want to catch a million passes to impress her. Mr. Parker had given her a few weeks off from work so she could relax and recover. He thought about her and smiled. God, he was falling completely in love with her. And he was happy about it.

Michael had always made fun of his brother and Max for being so completely obsessed with their girlfriends, but now he was starting to understand them. Not that he hadn't liked girls before and dated them, but he'd never understood why Max and Kyle wanted to be with them every minute of the day. And yes, he knew at least one reason why, but physical attraction was only part of it. They actually had seemed happier when they were with Isabel and Liz, and he just could never picture himself feeling that way about some random girl. That is until he saw Maria- really saw her- for the first time. His eyes were blind to other girls from that second on. If there was only one person he could be with for the rest of his life, he wanted it to be Maria. No question about it.

That thought still in his mind, he looked over at his brother, who was reading that stupid Alien book he'd found. He was getting really into it, too. Every night they were researching, he'd come out with some quote from the book out of nowhere. Like last night, he'd told them that Atherton, the author, didn't even think that an alien race could survive on Earth, never mind thrive and take over. Michael told him over and over again to quit reading it since it was obviously no help, but Kyle had ignored him. "Any new theories today?" he whispered.

Kyle shook his head in the negative. "Nope. But this stuff is really interesting. You should read it, Michael."

"Yeah right. I don't have time to read that crap. I've got domes to find, dude."

Kyle smiled and Isabel turned around in her seat in front of Michael to regard the brothers. "Could you two talk any louder? I don't think the entire student body heard you."

The boys exchanged glances that clearly showed their amusement at being scolded by Isabel, then they started to crack up. Rolling her eyes, Isabel grabbed the book from her boyfriend's hand. "What the hell is so damn interesting in here anyway?" she whispered harshly. "Are you learning about some cool power that we should have and don't because we're 'too backwards' a species to develop it?" She began to flip aimlessly through the pages.

"No, I just… it's fun to read, okay? I know the stuff he's saying is crap and I think it's funny to see how wrong this supposedly educated guy is. I mean, he obviously knows nothing about aliens, because we know for a fact that he's wrong about so many-" Kyle was cut off by Michael's hand flying off his desk and slamming the book open at the back cover.

Isabel opened her mouth to yell at him for practically breaking her hand, when her eyes caught the picture that had obviously captured Michael's attention. Her eyes wide, she looked up at her boyfriend's brother to ask, "Is that it?"

Michael, almost shocked beyond the capability of speech, stared down at the picture on the book's jacket. "I think so."

Kyle, completely confused leaned over to see what they were looking at. There, on the back cover of the book was a picture of the author, James Atherton, in front of his home in Marathon, Texas. And the house was a dome shaped building. "Oh my god! Do you think we really found it?"

Isabel nodded vigorously. "Yeah- I mean the guy writes about aliens and everything. It makes perfect sense. His house must be the key!"

Michael continued to stare at the picture. "Guys, I could be wrong, but I think this guy is the same guy from that autopsy picture with the silver handprint on the body."

Isabel pulled the book closer to her face to examine the picture more closely. "It could be. But if it is him, I don't understand why the 4th alien would want to kill him. I mean, Kyle said it himself- his theories are completely wrong. Why would he have to be killed?"

Michael took the book back out of Isabel's hands and looked down at the picture intensely. "I really don't know. But I bet all the answers are in Marathon, Texas. So what do you say we plan a little field trip?"

Kyle smiled mischievously. "I'm in. Tomorrow?"

Michael nodded. "Sounds good to me. Isabel?"

"Shouldn't we check in with Max about this? I mean, he's always so careful about things. It might look suspicious if we take off all day tomorrow."

Kyle grimaced. "You're always so worried, Izzy. It'll be fine. We'll tell Max and I'm sure he'll be fine with it. Then tomorrow we'll all go together to check it out. We'll grab him before he leaves to bring Liz home and we'll all talk about it then, okay?"

Isabel relaxed a bit and Michael handed the book back to Kyle. "Okay. I guess so. As long as we keep everyone on the same page and make our decisions as a group, I'm fine. But we can't just go running off half cocked, Michael. It could be dangerous."

He smiled at the tall blond. "Izzy. It'll be fine- you'll see. Now turn around because Mr. Parnell is looking at you, and I don't want him coming over here and giving us detention, okay?"

Reluctantly, she spun around in her chair and faced the front of the class. Michael's heart thudded loudly in his chest. He'd found the connection. He was on his way to getting his answers. He grinned at the thought of telling Maria- she was going to be so happy for him. He looked down at the notebook in front of him and started to scribble the notes that Mr. Parnell had written on the board. There were still 10 minutes left to class, and if he ever wanted them to end, he figured he better try to keep himself busy until the bell rang.

~~~~~

Maria had just opened her locker to put her books away for the day and grab her school bag before going to her appointment with Mr. Williams the guidance counselor when she felt someone grab her from behind and pull her close. "Hey" was all the greeting she got before Michael's lips were on her neck.

Her hand reached back and buried itself in his hair as he planted kiss after kiss along her throat and jawbone. "Hi. How was your day?"

He stopped kissing and spun her around to face him. "Absolutely amazing," he mumbled before moving into capture her lips with his own. On impulse, his arms tightened around her body and he lifted her in the air spinning her around in glee. To steady herself, she grabbed his shoulders, and he smiled up at her. She had no idea what had made him so happy today- he'd been kind of depressed since Tuesday night after they found nothing substantial in their search for answers.

He stopped spinning and was staring up into her eyes. He was looking at her as if he wanted to have his way with her right then and there. She blushed involuntarily. "Michael, you should put me down," she commanded quietly.

"Why? I like holding you."

"I know. I like you holding me, too, but we're going to get in trouble." In response he loosened his grip just enough to let her body slide down his, gently letting them touch, causing both heat and friction between them.

"Better?" he asked, still holding her tightly to him. She swallowed hard, as the look of desire was still evident on his face.

"Mmm hmmm," was all the response she could muster before allowing him to press her back into the locker next to them as he sweetly used his mouth to explore hers.

A loud cough from behind them moments later caused them to pull apart quickly. Turning, Michael saw it was only Isabel, Max, Kyle and Liz. "Oh. Hi guys."

Maria, red-faced and avoiding eye contact, simply waved from behind Michael. Max, ever impatient when it came to Alien matters, ignored their embarrassment and got right to the point. "So, Kyle and Isabel said you guys found something?"

Michael nodded, then dragged Maria away from the locker behind him to join the group. Kyle produced the book from his messenger bag and Max immediately rolled his eyes. "It's not another one of that Atherton guy's stupid ideas is it? Because I thought this was for real..."

Isabel shook her head. "No, Max it is for real- look." Kyle flipped the book open to the back cover and showed the group their find. Max immediately grabbed the book from Kyle's grasp.

"Is that it? Are you sure?"

Michael nodded, and Liz and Maria leaned over Max to look at the picture themselves. Liz's jaw dropped and Maria stared at it. "It's the dome- from your vision, Michael! Oh my god! Where is it?"

Isabel pointed out the caption on the bottom of the picture. "Marathon, Texas."

Michael looked at Max expectantly. "So what do you say, Maxwell? Can we go?"

Max looked up at his friend. "Michael... I don't know about this. I mean- we don't know anything about this place or this guy. It could be a trap."

Kyle grabbed the book back. "But what if it's not, Max. Look at the picture. We think it's the same man with the silver handprint on his chest in the autopsy photo from 1956. That's way too big a connection to ignore."

Max frowned. "Even more reason why we should be careful. If it's the same guy- someone or something wanted him dead. We should find out more before we go anywhere."

"We can do some research at the Library and on the Internet. And maybe some of the documents we have might mention this guy- Atherton, right?" At Kyle's nod, she continued. "We can start there, and if we don't find anything suspicious, then we can go to Texas."

Michael frowned. "But..."

"I think Max might be right," Isabel said. "Besides, that house has been out there for years. Someone could have already gone through it and destroyed any evidence there. And we have 5 boxes full of papers we don't even completely understand yet. What's a few more days going to hurt?"

Michael turned to his brother. "Kyle, you agree with me, right? We need to get there before anyone else does."

Kyle's brows knit together. "Who else would go there, Michael? No one has any reason to. And if it has been abandoned for more than 40 years, then the chances that there is something useful out there are really slim. I think we should finish checking out our first lead before we move on to another one."

"My vision..."

"Can wait, Michael," Max finished for him. "I know you're impatient to get some answers, but not exploring every angle before we act could get us in trouble. As much as I hate to say it, I think we should wait before we go to Texas. We will go eventually, I promise. I just think we ought to find out as much as we can first, okay?"

Michael's face fell. "Alright, I guess so." He turned to Maria, obviously hurt by his friends' decision. "Can I walk you to your appointment?"

Her heart went out to him; he was obviously disappointed. "Sure, Michael. We'll see you guys later okay?" She looked at his friends and smiled weakly. Taking his hand, she led him off down the hall.

He was quiet the entire way, until they reached the door to the guidance counselor's office. Maria turned as they did to look Michael in the eye. "Michael, it'll be okay."

He sighed. "I know. But they didn't even listen to me. I had Isabel and Kyle all ready to go to Texas until Max said no. He always does that."

She tired to get him to smile. "Does what?"

"Ignores my ideas. Who says he always gets to be the boss?"

"Michael..."

"No, Maria. Things always have to be his way. I don't understand why. I think it's a good idea to go and check this out. Why can't he see that?"

She put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure he knows how important this is to you, Michael. He just wants you to be careful. You're like a brother to him, you know. You should have seen how worried he was about you the night you were shot. Isabel, too. I know they want answers just as much as you do- they wouldn't have been searching through boxes with you every night this week if they didn't. And I don't want you to think I'm betraying you, but I agree with them. I don't want you running out there without all the facts either. You could get hurt Michael, or killed. I want you safe. Because I want you in my life for a long, long time. If something happened to you I don't think I could handle it. So please, promise me you won't do anything crazy like run off to Texas without us."

Finally he met her intense gaze. "Okay. I promise."

She drew him down into a hug, almost holding on for dear life. She knew that Michael could be impetuous, as evidenced by his showdown with Hank. It was almost as if he wasn't afraid of anything- and that trait of his scared her more than she liked. He needed to start to think things through more thoroughly, and if making him promise her that he wouldn't do anything rash was the only way she could get him to see that, then so be it. Even if it hurt him a little that she wasn't gung ho to go off exploring this house in Marathon, he'd get over it. But if something serious happened to him, she knew she would never get over that.

Absent-mindedly, she began to caress the back of his neck as she held him, and soon she found his lips on hers again. It was his hands wandering down her hips that finally made her remember that they were in the middle of the hall outside the Guidance Office. "Michael... I have to get to my session."

He pulled away from her and looked her up and down. He loved how she had taken him from being so upset to thinking of nothing but her in a matter of seconds. Without speaking, he began to run his hand back up the outside of her hip, until it slid under her shirt to tickle the skin above her waist. "Are you sure it can't wait a few more minutes?" he asked, eyes drifting toward the Eraser Room door, which was just down the hall.

She cleared her throat. "No, I don't think it can. I'm sorry. Besides you have to get ready for the game, right?"

"Not yet. I have at least 2 hours before I even need to be at the locker room. I was going to go to the Crash Down for my pre-game Saturn Rings. But I could skip that for you..."

"No way, mister. It's the first game I'll have ever gone to and I want us to win. If you eat Saturn Rings before every game, then I am not letting you break that tradition so people can blame me if we lose. So how about you go do what you have to do and I'll meet you outside the locker room with everyone after the game, okay?"

"Sounds good to me. You are coming to the party tonight if we win, right?"

She sighed heavily, knowing this party with all Michael's friends was going to be a chore, but one that she would deal with if it meant getting closer to him. "Yes, when you win, I will go to the party with you."

"Cool. Then I guess I'll see you later." He leaned over and kissed her soundly on the mouth leaving both of them a little dazed as they broke apart "Bye."

"Bye," she said simply and watched as he walked away. Sighing heavily, she leaned against the lockers to support her now-shaky knees, and after a few deep breaths, was able to compose herself enough to enter the guidance office for her counseling session with Mr. Williams.

Part 6

"Oh my god, and when Michael was running, and that other guy was about to tackle him and then, he did that little move and ran past him, and Kyle threw him the touchdown- That was so amazing!" Maria took in a deep breath as she finished and Liz and Isabel giggled. "What?"

Liz threw an arm around the other girl. "It's just funny, Maria."

"What's funny?"

Isabel looked at the other blond. "Seeing you so excited over a football game. Or is it over Michael? We haven't figured out which yet."

The cheerleaders burst into laughter as Maria blushed. She was pretty fired up about a stupid game. She sighed. A stupid game that Michael was really good at. She smiled at Liz and Isabel, knowing that they were just giving her a hard time. She also knew they were going to be her only allies at this party tonight, and she planned on clinging to them for dear life while Michael was off talking with his football buddies. "It's a little of both," she finally answered.

Isabel smiled back at her knowingly. "I'd say it's definitely more Michael than the game. You really like him a lot, don't you?"

Again, Maria blushed, embarrassed at Isabel's straightforward question. "Well, yeah."

Liz patted Maria's shoulder. "It's okay to admit it. It's obvious he's crazy about you, too."

Grinning, Maria asked, "Is it?"

Isabel just rolled her eyes at the shorter girl. "Well, duh! He's never given any girl the amount of attention and effort he puts into being with you. And I for one am glad. Michael needed someone like you to bring him out of his shell. He's already so happy, and it's been what? A week? You're good for him, Maria."

Liz nodded sublimely. "Yeah, you are. I'm glad you two found each other."

"Thanks, guys." She was obviously astounded at their praise. Maria DeLuca never thought she'd hear things like that from two of the most popular girls at West Roswell High. For cheerleaders, Liz and Izzy were really great people. She was glad that she'd have them as friends now as well- she'd never had girl friends. It was a completely new experience. "So do you think they'll be out soon?"

The three of them were seated on a low stone wall just outside the exterior door to the locker room, waiting for their respective boyfriends to emerge, along with half the cheerleading squad and most of the team's parents. Isabel smirked. "Not if I know Kyle. It takes him longer than me to do his hair sometimes."

Liz chuckled. "You should see him when the four of us go on a double date. He's always the last one we pick up because he needs to gel his hair and put on after-shave and... Oh my god it takes so long!"

Maria began to laugh along with the girls, and as she did, she heard a voice behind her. "What are you girls laughing at?"

Almost before she could turn around, Michael had pulled her into a hug, crushing her body to his and planting a quick kiss on her lips. "We were talking about how long it takes Kyle to get ready."

Michael smiled. "It does take forever, you know. He primps in front of the mirror like a girl. It's so sad." Isabel and Liz laughed in the background, and Michael looked down at her. "So, you ready for a victory party?"

Maria grimaced. "As ready as I'll ever be I guess."

"Don't sound so thrilled." He stopped talking and loosened his hold on Maria as his parents approached. His father immediately gripped his hand tightly, and pulled his son into a hug.

"Great job, Mike. I'm really proud of you."

It was Michael's turn to blush as his father released him and his mother immediately took his place. "Oh honey, that was such a good game. You had so many catches I lost count. Are you okay, though? That boy from the other team hit you so hard- is anything sore?"

Michael rolled his eyes. "No, mom, that's why we wear pads." She released her son and looked at Maria, still standing close to Michael, and pulled her into a quick hug, too.

"Maria, honey, you look so much better. Are things okay at the Parker's?"

Maria relaxed at the sudden contact from Michael's mother. If Michelle Valenti was one thing, it was huggable. "Thanks, Mrs. Valenti. Things are good."

"Oh I'm so glad." She let Maria go and immediately turned on her other son's girlfriend. "Isabel... how about all those touchdown passes? Wasn't Kyle great?"

Maria smiled as Mrs. V turned her attention away from her and Michael. "Your mom is so funny. She's..."

"Such a MOM?" Michael finished.

Maria watched as Michael's mom chatted away with Liz and Izzy like on of the girls. "Yeah. But that's great. You must be so happy that you found such a great family."

"That they found me, actually. Yeah. I really am." He watched as Kyle came out of the locker room accompanied by Max and Liz, Isabel and his parents surrounded them. "I can't imagine life without them." Sighing, he looked back down at Maria. "So, are you ready to go?"

"Sure. Let's just say bye to your parents and tell everyone else that we'll meet them there. Okay?"

"Cool. I promise you'll have fun tonight, Maria."

She nodded skeptically. "I'm sure I will, Michael." She followed him into the fray of people to say her good-byes and prepare herself for the disaster she was sure this night would turn into.

~~~~~

Maria held her breath as Michael wandered off to get her a drink. She was standing right next to Izzy and Liz so she wasn't too worried, but she relaxed all the same when he came back into view holding a cup full of soda. They'd been there about a half an hour, and no one had really given her any trouble yet.

"Hey," Michael said as he handed her the soft drink. Smiling she took a sip and he pulled her close to him.

Maria stiffened in his arms. "Michael... we're kind of in public."

Ignoring her, he leaned in to kiss her, but she stubbornly pulled away. "What?" he asked, upset.

She leaned up to whisper in his ear. "I just don't think you ought to you know, touch me like that in front of people. You know how most of them already feel about me. I just don't want any trouble, Michael."

He looked down at her seriously, and placed a hand on either side of her face. "Maria. They have to get used to us. I want everyone to know that you're mine. I don't care what anyone thinks or says about you or me- we know why we're together and how much we want to stay that way. That's all that should matter, right?"

"Of course that's all that should matter, but you know how people are, Michael." She softened as a look of hurt passed across his face. "I just don't want to get beaten up by any of the members of your fanclub."

He smirked, knowing she was about to give in. "They'd never be able to take you in a fight- you'd win hands down." He winked at her and she laughed, and then allowed him to kiss her briefly on the lips before pulling away.

"Why don't you go talk to your friends? I'll be okay with Isabel and Liz."

He looked at her, happy but concerned. "Are you sure?

She nodded. "If I want them to respect me I have to show them that I'm my own person- not just some girl who's Michael's new groupie."

Michael laughed. "But you make such a good groupie!" She hit him playfully on the arm and he kissed her cheek before walking over to where Max and Kyle were chatting with some of the other football players. Maria turned to Liz and Isabel and smiled stiffly.

Liz sipped her drink and looked at her roommate. "Maria you should really relax. It's not like people are going to come torture you or anything."

She looked skeptical. "Are you sure?"

Isabel laughed and looked at her two friends. "Yes, we're sure. You should be happy. We won the game, Michael did great, and you're at a victory party. You're 16 years old- have some fun, girl!" Grinning, Izzy raised her cup, and Liz quickly joined her. "A toast. To Maria- may you relax, smile, and enjoy life from here on out." Liz and Izzy tapped their cups together, and blushing, so did Maria at their insistence. They laughed as they finished the toast, and suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Maria noticed a small group of girls coming toward them.

She nearly choked on her soda. "Oh god, here come Hillary White, Heather James and Vicky Delaney. What do I do?"

Isabel, ever the queen of cool, smiled at Maria. "Just act normal. Smile. And don't speak unless someone asks you a question- they'll think you're just quiet instead of nervous."

Maria nodded, put her soda down to smooth back her hair, and then held her breath as the other cheerleaders approached. Heather and Hillary were grinning. "Hey Izzy, Liz." They turned their gaze on her. "Maria." She simply smiled at them. Vicky was quiet, however, and stayed toward the back of the group. "Great game tonight, huh?"

Liz nodded. "Yeah, it was. I'm so excited- we really have a shot at playoffs this year."

Hillary nodded. "I know. And Michael did so good, didn't he, Maria?"

Nervously, she agreed. "Yeah, he was great."

Heather continued. "That was what, 2 touchdown passes he caught? He was really on tonight."

"Yeah," Hillary agreed, "I don't know what you've done to him, but he seems really happy."

Maria swallowed hard, unsure whether they were actually complimenting her or not. "Yeah, I guess so."

Heather threw an arm around Maria's shoulder. "Don't be modest, Maria. It's pretty obvious how he feels about you."

Isabel and Liz's gazes hardened, not liking the turn this conversation was taking. Hillary grinned at the 3 of them. "Yes, what we're trying to figure out is exactly how you trapped him- nice job by the way. So what did you do, set up the whole thing with your step-father so Michael could play your hero and get sucked into your white trash world?"

Immediately, Isabel stepped forward, getting in Hillary's face. "Shut up, Hillary. You're such a bitch."

Heather stepped forward, taking her friend's side. "You shut up Isabel. Maria's a big girl; she can speak for herself. We all know Michael was after Vicky from day one this year. He didn't even know who this loser was a week ago, and now all of a sudden they're attached at the hip? I don't buy it. So what did you do, Maria? Did you sleep with him? Tell him he was your first? Your savior?"

Maria's anger bubbled to the surface. She looked Heather directly in the eye. "Don't pretend you know one single thing about me, my life, or my relationship with Michael. He's with me because he wants to be. I'm not tying him down- if he wanted to be with Vicky, he would be. Now shut up and get out my face. And take your two friends with you before I bring him over here to show him just how worthless the three of you are."

Vicky gritted her teeth and looked at the other 5 girls, all ready for a fight. "Come on, let's go."

Hillary and Heather smirked smugly at Liz, Isabel and Maria. "Whatever. See you later trailer trash."

As the three troublemakers walked away, Isabel put her hand on Maria's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

She turned to face them, wiping a stray tear from her eyes. "I'm fine. I've been called a lot worse than Trailer Trash. They're just jerks."

Liz smiled at her. "Well, I think you proved that they shouldn't mess with you. And most of the people in this school hate them anyway. When it gets around that you stood up to them, I think a lot of people will start respecting you, Maria."

"Thanks, Liz. I just hope they don't come back anytime soon. That was awful."

Isabel smiled. "Well, it's over now. So forget it and try to enjoy the party." Maria tried to smile back at her, and picked up her soda, taking a long sip.

Across the room, Vicky, Heather and Hillary burst into laughter. "She drank it!"

Vicky looked at her co-conspirators. "Are you sure they didn't see me pour it in there?"

Hillary nodded. "No way- they were too busy defending their loser friend's honor. We are so good!"

Vicky smiled evilly. "Yeah, let's see what Michael thinks of his new girlfriend when her true colors come out. She'll be drunk and throwing herself at every guy here in no time- just like her junkie whore mother. I hope he's so embarrassed that he comes running back to me. And I'll turn him down flat. That's what he gets for picking someone like Maria DeLoser over me!" She chuckled, eyes trained on Maria, waiting for the fun to start.

Part 7

"So then Kyle just looks up at my dad and says, 'Hi Mr. Evans. Nice Day, huh?'" Isabel burst out laughing as she finished the story, quickly followed by Liz and then Maria, who laughed a little too loud and long.

Isabel and Liz looked at her a bit strangely, but Maria took no notice. She was feeling good- relaxed, happy. She grinned at the girls and began to unbutton her shirt. "I'm hot. Are you guys?"

Liz and Isabel both shook their head in the negative, and watched a bit in amazement at Maria removed her outer shirt, revealing a white tank top beneath. It was really unlike Maria to show off so much skin. She tied the shirt around her waist and took another sip of her soda. "I'm really hot. Do I look flushed to you guys?"

Liz regarded the blond carefully. "Maybe a little. Are you feeling okay?"

Maria smiled. "Yeah, actually I feel great. I'm in the mood to dance. You guys wanna dance?"

"Maria, there's no music," Isabel observed.

"So what? I just wanna dance. You think Michael will dance with me?"

Liz shook her head no. "Michael doesn't dance. Especially if there isn't any music. Are you sure you're okay, Maria? You're acting weird."

She grinned. "Well of course I am, Liz. I'm the only weirdo here. The only one who doesn't belong. I told Michael his friends wouldn't like me, but he just wouldn't listen." She hiccuped to finish her sentence.

"But we like you, Maria. Who cares about Vicky Delaney and her friends? Anyone with half a brain who wants to get to know you can see for themselves how nice you are. They're the ones with the problem if they disregard you for no good reason."

Maria's smile faded, and her eyes were suddenly watery. "That was so sweet, Izzy. I like you guys, too. I'm so happy we're friends now!" She threw herself at them, and pulled them both into a tight hug, causing Isabel and Liz to look at each other in confusion. As Maria released them, she reached for her cup, but Isabel's hand on her wrist stopped her from taking another sip.

"What are you drinking, Maria?"

"Coke. Michael got it for me. Isn't he so sweet? He's the best boyfriend I've ever had. Well, he's the only boyfriend I've ever had, but still, he's the best!"

Isabel took the cup from Maria and held it under her nose. Looking at Liz, she said, "It smells fine."

Liz looked concerned. "Michael wouldn't spike Maria's drink."

Isabel knit her eyebrows together. "I know. But why else would she be acting like that if she isn't drunk?"

"I don't know. Are you sure someone spiked it?"

Maria, next to them, started babbling. "Spike. That's a funny word. I feel kind of funny. Like the whole world is blurry. Blurry is another funny word."

Isabel raised an eyebrow. "I think so. But just to be positive..." She raised the glass to her lips and sipped at the dark liquid. As she brought the cup down, empty, she looked at Liz and smiled. "Yep, Lizzy, it's spiked. Or it was!" She giggled hysterically and Maria followed suit.

Liz rolled her eyes. Great. Now the both of them were drunk. She needed to find Michael, Kyle and Max, A.S.A.P. "Isabel, Maria, stay here for a minute, okay? I'll be right back."

Maria nodded. "Okee dokee, Liz!" She and Isabel burst into laughter again, and Liz hurried off to find some help. Maria looked at her now also drunk companion. "Izzy, I still want to dance. Can we put on some music?"

Isabel nodded vigorously, then the two of them darted off toward the stereo, which was across the room, plowing through the crowd as they went. The people they had nearly knocked over turned and watched as the two girls started searching through CD's. Finally they found something they liked and popped it into the CD player, turning it up loud enough to make everyone in the room spin to look at them as they stood up and started dancing around the room.

Vicky and her friends started laughing at both of them as they danced, but Maria and Isabel were oblivious. Maria grinned at Izzy, shouting, "I love this song!"

Isabel nodded. "Me too! I feel great! No wonder Max and Kyle always get drunk at these parties!"

Maria stopped at hearing the d word. "Isabel, you're drunk?"

She snorted loudly. "Of course I am, Maria. And so are you. Someone spiked your drink."

"They did?"

The song ended, but the conversation didn't. Isabel continued to elaborate loudly. "Yes, someone spiked your soda, Maria. I bet it was that bitch Vicky." Snickers were heard through the crowd, and Isabel stopped to search the room for the person in question. "Yep, Vicky is really jealous of you because you got Michael and you didn't even have to try. Everyone knows she's been throwing herself at him for weeks and he didn't even ask her out." She finally caught Vicky's eye. "Maybe it's because Michael has some taste!"

The crowd erupted into laughter, and red-faced, Vicky and her two cronies stalked out of the room. Isabel burst into laughter, as some of the people in the crowd started applauding. Isabel smiled and finally the music started up again. She looked over at Maria, who had grown a little pale. "Maria? What's the matter?"

She grasped Isabel by the shoulder, and slurrily whispered, "You shouldn't have done that Isabel. Vicky's going to be pissed!"

Isabel waved her hand at Maria. "Who cares? She deserves it! She has no right to do that to you just because Michael realized that she wasn't worth it. Now, forget her- let's dance! Someone turn up the music!"

Isabel started moving again, and this time, some of the other girls in the room began to join her. Maria shrugged her shoulders. Isabel was right- she needed to forget about Vicky and her friends. She needed to have some fun! She began swaying her hips to the pulsating beat that was pouring out of the speakers, and soon her mind was as far from Vicky as possible.

~~~~~

Michael was driving toward the hoop when he heard Liz's voice. "Max, Kyle, Michael! Are you out here?"

He immediately took advantage of his opponent's distraction and pulled up short to lay in a jump shot. He turned to Paulie DiCicco and smiled. "We win." Earlier, Max, Michael and Kyle had made a bet with Paulie, Jack Kemp and Doug Sohnd that they could take them in 3 on 3. They'd come outside to Paulie's driveway about a half-hour ago to settle the score. He high-fived his brother, and then turned to where his best friend's girlfriend was standing. Max was already over there talking to her, and by the looks on their faces something was definitely wrong. He made it over there as he heard Liz say, "Yeah, both of them."

He looked at Kyle, then at Liz. "Both of them who? Maria and Isabel? What's the matter?"

Liz took a deep breath and then looked at the Valenti brothers. "Um, well, they're both drunk. And about to get out of control."

Kyle looked at Liz as if she were crazy. "Izzy doesn't drink."

Michael's expression was sour. "I didn't think Maria did either. Especially with her mother…"

Liz shook her head. "No, someone spiked Maria's drink. And of course we didn't know until it was almost gone and she was acting all goofy. Then Isabel drank the last sip to see if it really was spiked, and of course it was, so now she's drunk, too."

Kyle's expression turned serious. "And you left them alone? How long ago?"

Liz looked upset. "About 15 minutes ago." The boys all frowned and Liz got defensive. "Don't look at me like that! What was I supposed to do? I can't handle them by myself. I thought it would be better to come get you guys so we could take them home before they embarrassed themselves."

Michael looked at his brother and then the both of them immediately bolted for the door that led back into the house. If Liz was this concerned about their girlfriends, then they knew it would be best to get them home as soon as possible. Both charged into the house, pushing through the crowd until they reached the living room. There in the center of the floor, Isabel and Maria, and about a dozen other guys and girls were all dancing to the music blaring through the room. It seemed harmless enough. Michael watched as Maria danced; she looked so free, so far from the troubles of the past week that he wanted to let her enjoy it for a minute.

That was, until Jimmy Caron came up and congratulated he and Kyle on having girlfriends who weren't afraid to defend themselves against Vicky Delaney and her conceited friends. Michael winced at the name- he'd forgotten Vicky would be here. No wonder Maria hadn't wanted to come. It was probably Vicky who'd spiked her drink in the first place. Pulling crap like that to get back at people was right up her alley. Why had he ever liked her? It was at that moment that Isabel chose to look up and spot her boyfriend across the room.

"Kyle!" She shouted, and then came running. His brother didn't have time to move before Isabel was on him, kissing and hugging him. "Baby, where have you been? I missed you. You're all sweaty!"

"I was outside playing basketball. And what have you been up to?"

She giggled in a rather un-Isabel like manner. "Maria and I told Vicky off. And, don't tell anyone, but I'm drunk!"

He smirked. "Oh really? I would never have guessed. What do you say we get you home?"

Her eyebrow raised and she kissed him again, this time more slowly and seductively. "What do you say we stay here and go upstairs?"

Kyle grimaced. "Oh, uh, well, Izzy, that sounds nice…" He swallowed hard as she started sucking on his earlobe. "But I don't think it's a good idea."

She pulled away and frowned. "Why not?"

He smoothed her sweat-dampened hair away from her forehead. "Baby, you're drunk. It wouldn't be right."

"Kyle," she urged, "I want to go upstairs. Please? I'll do that thing you like so much…"

He looked at his girlfriend's pleading eyes and his resolve crumbled. "So, Michael, you go ahead and take the car to give Maria a ride home. We'll get a ride from Max and Liz. See you." He grabbed Isabel's hand and turned on his heel, pulling her through the crowd toward the stairs that led to the bedrooms. Michael rolled his eyes, then looked back out to the dance floor where Maria was dancing wildly. She looked amazing. He was enjoying watching her, until he noticed that about half the guys in the room were enjoying watching her.

Frowning, he walked quickly toward her. He was almost right behind her when he stopped and said, "Hey."

She stopped dancing and spun around to see who was talking to her. "Michael!" She immediately threw herself into his arms. "I missed you!"

He smiled. She was never this affectionate toward him in public. She was usually so self-conscious. "I missed you, too, Maria. I heard you had some trouble?"

She grinned. "It was nothing. Izzy and I took care of it. Vicky won't bug me anymore."

His face fell at the mention of Vicky's name. "I'm sorry she bugged you at all. I forgot she was going to be here. I'm sorry I made you come."

She pulled away from him completely to look him in the eye. "What? Why? I'm having fun."

"Well, yeah, because she spiked your drink. I'm sorry that happened. I think we ought to get you home before you get sick, okay?"

Maria shook her head. "I'm not sorry it happened. Because it made me realize that they are not better than me and I have nothing to be afraid of as long as I have you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him down to her level, laying a deep, affecting kiss on him. "So thanks for bringing me, Michael. And I am not going to get sick."

He smiled at her. "Well, just the same, I think we should go before she comes back and you have to beat her up, okay?"

She grinned. "I could do it, too, you know. She's not so tough." She stepped forward and slipped her arms off his shoulders and down around his waist. "But let's not talk about her. Why don't we go find somewhere to be alone?"

He shook his head. "No way. I am not taking you anywhere but back to the Parker's in your condition. Let's go find your jacket."

Sighing, she shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, but don't say I never offered." Laughing hysterically, she let him lead her to the front hall closet where their jackets were hung up. He took hers down and helped her into it, then grabbed his letter jacket and slipped into it.

"Ready to go?"

She let go of his hand and stood up straight. "Um… hold on one second." She looked around the room until she spotted a nearby trashcan, then made a beeline to it, where she immediately began to throw up.

Michael shook his head. "I knew you were going to get sick." Sighing, he walked over to take care of his ailing but completely adorable and enticing girlfriend.

Part 8

Maria awoke to the sun streaming through the window in Liz's room and hitting her straight in the face. She enjoyed the warmth for a minute until she realized her head was about to explode and her stomach was in a knot. "Oh god," she groaned, "I think I'm going to die!"

Liz, already dressed in her bathing suit and laying out on the roof enjoying the late summer sun after her morning working the Saturday breakfast rush, heard Maria's outburst and laughed. "That'll teach you to let bitchy girls spike your soda," she called into the room.

Maria sat straight up and looked outside. "God, what the hell did she put in there anyway? A million proof whiskey? I have never felt this bad in my entire life. Including last weekend."

"So you stay sober from now on. Not a problem as long as we keep Vicky away from your beverages. Which shouldn't be hard- I heard that Isabel embarrassed her so bad last night she'll probably never come near us again."

Maria tried to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight. She needed a hot cup of tea and some advil, STAT. "What time is it anyway? And how did I get home last night without your parents noticing that I was completely wasted?"

"It's almost 1. And I called them as we were all leaving and said that we were on our way home so they could head off to bed, which they did. They didn't even hear Michael carry you up the stairs after you passed out in the car on the way here. You were a wreck."

"I can only imagine. I didn't say anything stupid did I?"

Liz laughed again and rolled over onto her stomach so she could look at Maria through the open window. "Well, you told Michael how sexy you thought he was about 12 times, and you told Max that he should be happy he found such a nice girlfriend and he needed to smile more."

Maria sighed. "Okay, that's not too bad. Anything else I should know before I attempt to eat something?"

"Um, yeah. Your friend Alex called this morning. He said he needed to talk to you- that it was pretty important and you should call him when you got up."

Maria frowned. She hadn't seen Alex since last Sunday. She'd practically forgotten about him in all the Alien excitement this week. He was probably pissed at her. "I'll call him a little later. First I need to eat something before my stomach starts digesting itself."

"When you're done why don't you come lay out? You need a tan, girl."

"I don't think I have a bathing suit."

Liz smiled at Maria. "You can borrow one of mine. There's a few in the bottom drawer of my dresser. Some lying around time might do you some good. Pick one and if you're feeling better after you eat, come on out and get some sun."

Maria stood up and stretched, thinking about it. How long had it been since she'd had the time or the inclination to just waste an afternoon lying out getting some sun? Probably never. "Okay. Just give me a little while to try to get rid of this hangover and I'll be out." Liz grinned at her and rolled back over, and Maria, still completely sick, groaned again and headed toward the kitchen.

~~~~~

Later, after trying to eat a bagel unsuccessfully and finally just deciding to forego food in favor of caffinated hot beverages, she walked back into Liz's room and picked up the phone to call Alex. The other end picked up after a few rings.

"Hi, Alex?"

"Hi stranger."

"Cut it out Alex. I've been busy."

"Yeah, too busy to stop by or to call or even pretty much speak to me at school."

Maria winced at his words, knowing they were partially true, and also from the increased volume of his voice, which was going right through her head. "I'm sorry, okay. I really didn't mean to ignore you. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine. It's you I'm a little worried about. I heard you and Isabel Evans went off on Vicky Delaney last night in a drunken fit at Paulie's party. Hanging with the popular kids has rubbed off on you really quickly, huh?"

"Alex, it's not like that at all- I swear. Vicky spiked my drink. And she started everything. She was mad about me and Michael, that's all, and I told her off. I was defending myself- what's wrong with that?"

On the other end of the phone she heard him clear his throat. "Well, even if she did spike your drink, that has nothing to do with the fact that you're my best friend and you haven't even spoken to me in like a week. And what about you and Michael? Is he so important that you can't even talk to me?"

"Of course not, Alex, it's just... he's my boyfriend and I want to spend time with him."

"And I'm your best friend. You don't want to spend time with me?"

"No, Alex, that's not it- you're twisting my words. You're overreacting." She rubbed at her forehead as he took a deep breath on the other end of the line.

"If I'm overreacting, then tell me how it really is Maria. I haven't gone this long without seeing or talking to you in 5 years. What's going on with you? You used to call me for everything, and now I never see you. Why are you ditching me for them? For him?"

"I'm not, Alex. I swear I'm not. It's just... he saved my life. He was there, he saw everything that Hank was about to do and he put himself on the line for me. I can't ignore that- and I don't want to. I'm just starting to get to know him, but every day I find more and more that I like. I know we've only had each other for a long time, Alex, but now I have new people in my life. Don't ask me to give them up when they've all been nothing but nice and supportive to me. We can find some time for us, too, okay. I promise."

She heard him exhale loudly. "Well, if you're going to be all rational and stuff... I guess I can cut some time out of my busy schedule for you."

She smiled into the receiver. "Thanks, Alex. We can hang out tomorrow if you want- we can work on that song we never finished last Thursday. And I promise, once I get used to things and the way they are now, everything will go back to normal."

He was quiet for a minute, then he spoke, sounding deflated. "No it won't, Maria. I'm never going to be the first person you go to anymore. He is. And I hate that."

"But, Alex, that's the way it's supposed to be when you're with someone. And we will always be best friends. No amount of boyfriends or girlfriends are going to change that. Understand?"

"Yeah, I guess so. It just hurts. I feel like I'm losing you."

"Well, you're not, and you never will. So are we okay now?"

He sounded as if he was a little choked up, so she gave him a second to respond. "Yeah, we're fine. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Absolutely. What time should I come over?"

"I'm not sure- is 2 good?"

"Should be. I'll see you then?"

"Yeah. Bye, Maria."

"Bye, Alex." She hung up the phone in Liz's room and leaned back on her bed. He sounded so upset. She knew Alex was very overprotective of her since he was the only person she ever confided in, but this seemed different. It almost sounded like he was... jealous? Of her and Michael.

She held her hand to her aching head. Was this headache ever going to stop? She so did not need to deal with this stuff today. She decided to put it out of her mind for now and go lay out with Liz. Maybe it would take her mind off things. She stood and grabbed her mug of tea and snagged the 1st bathing suit she saw out of Liz's drawer and headed into the bathroom to change.

~~~~~

"So how did he respond to that?"

"He said it hurt and he felt like he was losing me."

Liz turned to Maria in the lawn chair next to her and shook her head. "I dunno, Maria, it sounds like he's jealous."

Maria sipped at her iced tea and shrugged her shoulders. "See that's what I thought for a second, but then I was like 'Come on, Maria, this is Alex you're talking about.' What possible reason would he have to be jealous of me & Michael?"

Liz took off her sunglasses and looked Maria in the eye. "Did you ever think that maybe he, you know, likes you. Romantically?"

Maria scoffed at the mere idea. "Alex? Interested in me? I don't think so, Liz. He would have said something."

"Well, maybe not. You know how insecure guys are. Especially if he thought you might shoot him down."

"No way! Alex isn't like that. He knows he can talk to me about anything- we've been best friends forever."

"Well, maybe he didn't want to ruin that, especially since you really needed a friend to count on. And then Michael came along and he helped you instead of Alex, and now you're with Michael and us all the time. I can see why he would be upset."

Maria sighed. "Me, too. That's why I made plans with him for tomorrow." She paused as she placed her drink back on the plastic table between them. "But you're nuts if you think Alex likes me. That's just... inconceivable."

Liz chuckled. "If you say so, Maria. But I'd keep my eyes open if I were you."

Suddenly a deep male voice resonated across the roof. "Excellent advice, Liz!" Maria and Liz barely had time to sit up before they were being doused with water. Max and Michael laughed hysterically as they continuously shot the two screeching sunbathers with the water cannons they had purchased at the store not 10 minutes previously. Finally they let up on the barrage of water and allowed the girls time to catch their breath.

"Max Evans, I am going to kill you!" Liz shouted at her boyfriend who simply laughed in her face. She fumed as he did and then, in a completely un-Liz like manner, began to chase him around the roof threatening his life. Michael chuckled watching them, then turned to his dripping girlfriend.

"I hope you're not mad. Max just thought it would be funny to attack Liz- she always lays out after work on Saturdays. It was just a coincidence that you were laying out, too."

Maria wiped at her face with the towel she'd been laying on. "No, It's okay. I was getting hot anyway."

For the first time, Michael looked at her attire. She was wearing Liz's blue and white polka dot bikini, which left very little to his imagination. "Getting hot? I'd say you always have been." He took a step closer to her and wrapped his arms around her, not caring in the least that his clothes were absorbing most of the water.

She smirked. "You're really corny, you know that?"

"That may be true, but you deserve to hear stuff like that, no matter how corny it is."

She smiled at him, all her illness from the previous night's events suddenly gone, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Would you just shut up and kiss me?"

"Oh, gladly." He bent and pressed his lips to hers, his hands gently resting on her hips. Pulling away, he looked at her seriously. "So I take it you're feeling better than you did last night?"

She gave him a sly look. "Now that you're here. You ought to market yourself as a cure for hangovers."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, I have been told I'm pretty sexy..."

Her cheeks reddened. "I was hoping you weren't going to mention that."

"Too good an opportunity to pass up." He smiled. "So if you find me so sexy, how have you been able to ward off my advances so far?"

"Oh, sheer force of will." She smirked. "Which you might be able to break someday very far off in the future."

"Sounds like tough work. I better get started." He pulled her tight and began kissing her senseless. He parted her lips expertly and Maria felt her brain shutting down as the amazing feelings he was stirring in her jolted through her body like electricity. And then suddenly they were being pelted with water.

Michael tore his mouth from hers and they both looked to where Max and Liz stood, water cannons trained on Maria and Michael. "Get a room!" Max said before pulling the trigger and soaking them. Michael and Maria fended off the attack, and eventually grabbed one of the super soakers for themselves. The foursome spent the rest of the afternoon alternating between all out water wars and quiet time spent together talking and drying off in the bright sunlight.

Part 9

Maria woke up late again the next day, enjoying the feeling of being able to relax and be a kid for the first time in what seemed like years. She ate a huge portion of the breakfast Mrs. Parker made for her and relaxed down in the café while Liz worked and Isabel chatted both their ears off about her memories of Friday night- what few there were. Maria filled her in on what happened before she went upstairs with Kyle and Isabel swore under her breath at Vicky Delaney and her asinine friends. Then at around quarter of two she asked Isabel for a ride over to Alex's, where she'd been hanging out for well over an hour now with as little conversation as possible. Alex was extra quiet today and she knew something was bothering him. Tapping her fingers on her acoustic guitar, which she had always kept at Alex's house so Hank wouldn't break it, she decided to break the tension.

"Okay, which sounds less cheesy? 'Walk away now before I make you run' or 'If you don't go I'll shoot you with my gun?"

Alex's head snapped up. "Huh?"

Maria grinned. "I was just making sure you were listening. You're kind of out of it today, Alex. Are you okay?"

Alex gave her a weak smile and went back to plucking out the notes on his bass. "I'm fine. I'm glad you're here."

Maria looked at him strangely. "Okay. So should we maybe write some of these lyrics down before we forget them?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. I'll get some paper." Alex stood to grab some paper off of his desk but was quickly stopped by Maria's hand on his shoulder.

"Alex, something is bothering you. Please tell me what it is?"

He set his bass in its case on his bed and looked at the girl who sat opposite him. He couldn't tell her. There was no way she would understand. He'd never said anything before, and she'd probably be furious that he was bringing it up now- especially since she was so head over heels for Michael Valenti. Her big savior. Alex rolled his eyes. Who'd been there for her all these years? He had. She'd slept over his house so many nights he could barely count them anymore. And somewhere along the line he'd fallen head over heels in love with her.

How could he not? She was so sweet and smart. And she'd needed him so much. Not to mention the fact that the older she'd gotten Maria had developed from cute into gorgeous. He used to wonder how no one else saw it. Maybe he should have kept his thoughts to himself. Then maybe big time school jock Michael wouldn't have started looking her way and sweeping her off her feet and saving her life.

Not that he wasn't grateful- he was so unbelievably happy that Maria was okay and someone was there to save her when she needed it. But couldn't he have like, gone away after that? Why did she keep him around? What did Michael have that Alex didn't? Okay, besides a car and popularity and conventional good looks. Who was he kidding? He didn't stand a chance with her. But seeing her with him every day and knowing she was falling more and more in love with him was absolutely killing him. He had to do something.

Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Alex? What is it? You know you can tell me anything."

He nodded. "I know. It's just hard to talk about some things."

"Some things like what?"

He swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Well, you know we've never had any secrets from each other..."

Maria grimaced. Was this what she thought it was going to be about? Was he going to ask her why she'd needed him to erase that phone call off the phone company records? "Yeah, I know, Alex. Go ahead."

"But recently there's been something that's been bothering me. And I'm having a hard time dealing with it because it's kind of like new ground for us."

Oh god, she thought. He's going to ask me about the phone call- what am I going to tell him? She was starting to panic. Calm down, Maria- maybe it's nothing. "I'm not sure what you're getting at, Alex. You're going to have to elaborate."

He took another deep breath. She was going to make him say it out loud. "See the thing is, Maria, is that lately things have been kind of different between us. You've noticed it, right?"

She nodded. "Well, yeah. Like what we talked about yesterday- I've been spending a lot of time with Michael and his friends instead of you, and you were understandably upset about it. I though that's why we made plans for today- time for us, right?"

"Right. Time for us. But what I'm getting at Maria is that I want there to be more us time and less them time. More like it was before."

She tired to force air into her lungs. He was going to tell her that he didn't want any secrets between them and ask her to tell him what she'd been holding back- she knew it. Her palms were beginning to sweat. "Alex, we talked about this and you said you were okay with it. I want to spend time with them. Especially Michael. That doesn't mean you're not my best friend."

"I know, I know. You're missing my point."

She gulped. "Which is?"

He fell back against the bed. "Are you going to make me say it out loud?"

She sighed. "No, I think I know what you're saying. But I can't."

He covered his face with his hands, his voice coming out all muffled. "Can't you try? Maria, we've always been so close. This would make us so much closer."

"Alex, I just can't. It would be such a betrayal."

He sat bolt upright. "A betrayal? What the hell are you talking about? Don't I mean more to you than he does?"

She was quiet, and her silence spoke volumes. "Not more Alex. You mean just as much to me as he does. It's just... different. I can't betray him. It's not my secret to tell."

Alex looked at her as if she were crazy. "Secret? What secret? I'm pouring my heart out to you and you're talking about secrets?"

Maria blanched. "Wait- you were the one who said we never had any secrets between us. I want to tell you, Alex, I really do, but everything about that night needs to stay between me and Michael or someone might be in real trouble." And then his last words reverberated back to her. "What do you mean pouring your heart out? Alex, what are you saying?"

But he had already begun to laugh cruelly. "I get it. It's always about him and you now, isn't it, Maria? I sit here for a week trying to figure out how to tell you how much you mean to me, and of course you think I want to know why you made me erase that phone call from the records? I could care less about that. I care about you, Maria."

"I know you do Alex. That's what I thought this was about- I thought you were worried about me."

"Oh I am, believe me. I'm worried that you're falling in love with some half-witted jock that happened to be at the right place at the right time. And not that I'm ungrateful that he saved you, because I am, but Maria don't you understand? I don't want you to be with him. Not because I don't want you to be happy, but because I want you to be with me. Me- plain old Alex who's been here for you since the day your mom married Hank. Who's always held you when you cried and helped you clean yourself up after he'd gone crazy and hit you for some stupid reason or another. I love you Maria. I don't know when it started but I know I can't keep it a secret any longer now that you're with him. I need you Maria- I want you to give us a chance. I can make you happy. I know it. And I've been racking my brain for a week trying to figure out how to tell you, and when I finally get up the courage to do it, you think it's about him and his stupid friggin secret!"

Maria was completely taken aback by his tone and what he'd just revealed to her. "Alex, I... I don't know what to say."

"Of course you don't. You're so concerned about you and Michael and his friends that you're blind to anyone else. I thought I knew you, Maria, but maybe I don't. Maybe you should just go."

She swallowed, eyes misting. "You don't mean that, do you?"

He turned to her, his face a mask of anger and disappointment. "I think I do. You obviously don't feel anything for me but friendship, and lord knows I wouldn't want to come between you and your wonderful new boyfriend and his friends. Just go, okay?"

Maria frowned, tears beginning to fall. "But Alex, I do need you..."

"Yeah, to keep my mouth shut. Don't worry- I won't go spilling my guts to anyone like your boyfriends father. I know how to keep a secret- obviously since you had no idea how I feel about you. Go back to your new life and your new friends and forget all about me. Forget all the times I was there for you and all I've ever done for you because obviously it wasn't all that important to you anyway." He turned his back to her and Maria grabbed her jacket and bolted from the room without another word.

He stood and watched her out the window as she ran from the house and started down the street that led back to town. What the hell had he done? He slumped back onto the bed and flung his arm up over his eyes, trying to dry the tears that were starting to form there. He really didn't mean any of the things he'd just said. He was just angry. Angry that she would choose Michael over him. Angry that he hadn't gotten to be her savior and have her fall madly in love with him. Life sucked, and he'd just somehow managed to make it worse.

Why was it that things never worked out for Alex Whitman? Was he the universe's punching bag? Well, he was sick of it. He thought about everything Maria had said- she'd been trying to protect Michael and this dreaded secret all along. Why was he surprised? Nothing he'd ever attempted in his life had worked out for him- why should this be different? And then an idea occurred to him.

What if he found out Michael's little secret? He could use that to his advantage. Maybe blackmail the guy into walking away from Maria. Maybe get her back for himself. Yeah- Alex had always gone the straight and narrow path, and it had never led to anywhere but heartache. Maybe it was time to take a walk onto the darker side of things. Make things happen for him the way he wanted them instead of letting them happen and getting disappointed. He relaxed on his bed and crossed his arms under his head, his new plan of attack already beginning to form.

~~~~~

Michael was pouring through their alien files again when he got the call. "Michael?"

"Hey, Liz, what's up?"

"Well, it's Maria- she just had a blowout with Alex. Can you come over here and help me try to calm her down?"

He placed the file folder he was holding back into the box and grabbed his keys off the desk. "Sure. I'll be over in a minute."

"Thanks. See you in a few." Michael hung up the phone and shrugged his jacket on. He wondered what could have caused the friction between Maria and Alex. He had seemed really devoted to her when they'd gone to his house to ask for his help. He paused on the way out the door. Maybe that was the problem. He hurried to the car and hopped in, firing up the engine. Minutes later he arrived at the Crashdown and went out back to ring the doorbell to the Parker's apartment. Immediately he heard footsteps coming down the stairs to let him in and wasn't surprised to see Liz on the other side of the door as it opened.

"Hey. So what's going on?"

"I don't know- she won't say. All I know is that they had a fight and she's upstairs bawling her eyes out. I thought maybe she'd tell you what was wrong."

"Okay. I'll see what I can do." He followed Liz upstairs and down the hall to her room, where he found Maria curled up in a ball on Liz's bed. Gingerly, he reached out and touched her arm. "Baby- what's wrong?"

Her head snapped up at the sound of his voice. "Michael? What are you-"

"Liz called me. Do you want to talk about it?"

He sat down next to her on the bed and immediately she crawled into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder. "Oh, Michael it was awful! We were just hanging out and then he said something about secrets and I thought he was talking about you and he was talking about him and I made such a mess and now he hates me- he told me to go back to my new life and forget all about him. How can I do that? He's my best friend."

Michael pushed her hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead. "Honey, you have to slow down. Start at the beginning and tell me what happened."

She took a deep, shuddering breath, and buried her face in his shoulder. "We were working on a song and I noticed he was really quiet so I asked him what was wrong. It took a while to get him to talk, but when he did, he started going on and on about how we've never had any secrets between us and I thought he was asking me to tell him your secret- why we needed him to change the phone records. I told him I couldn't tell him the secret- that it wasn't my secret to tell and then he just exploded at me. He said that he didn't give a damn about you and your secret and that he was trying to tell me how he feels about me. Then he said that I was so self-centered and stuck on you that of course I assumed that he was talking about your secret. He told me he was in love with me, Michael, and he was so angry that I would choose you over him when he's been the only one there for me for so long that he practically threw me out of the house."

Michael rubbed her back absently. He should have known Alex had feelings for Maria. "So how mad do you think he is? Do you think it'll blow over in a few days?"

"We've never had a fight this bad, Michael. He told me he loved me and I just crushed him. I don't think he's ever going to be able to forgive me. I chose someone else over him- he's got to hate me so much right now."

Michael kissed her forehead again quickly. "I don't think he hates you. Me maybe, but not you. And he'll get over it eventually. Maybe you two will never be as close as you were, but I'm sure in time..."

Maria shook her head. "No, Michael I don't think so. I know Alex- when he sets his mind to something, he does it. And right now, he's pretty set on hating me. And you. I don't think I can fix this."

She started to sob again, and he held her tighter. She seemed pretty certain that Alex wasn't going to forgive her. And Michael, knowing how much Alex's friendship meant to her, intended to fix this for his girl.

Part 10

Michael was tense the next day as he roamed the halls after school searching for Alex Whitman. He only had an hour before football practice started, and he wanted this conversation over. How was he even going to broach the subject with the guy anyway? Hey I know you're in love with my girlfriend and you hate me, but would you mind forgiving her for choosing me instead of you? Yeah sure!

He'd already looked in the computer lab and the music room, but the guy was nowhere to be found. He was just about to give up when he saw Alex emerging from the Guidance Office, hands full of what looked to be a computer printout. He took a deep breath and marched over to his girlfriend's former best friend.

"Hi, Alex. Can I talk to you for a second?"

Something that looked like hatred played across Alex's face, and he spat out a one-word answer. "No." He turned and walked away from the taller boy.

Michael frowned. He could understand Alex's frustration. If I were Alex I'd probably hate me, too, he thought. On impulse, he called down the hall to him, hoping for some kind of a response. "It's about Maria."

Alex froze where he stood. He straightened himself up and turned around to face his opponent. "Maria? You want to talk about Maria? That's funny- considering you hardly know her."

Michael cleared his throat. "Alex, I understand that you think this is all happening a little fast..."

"Fast? Dude, it's like Warp Speed! How long have you known her? A week? Maybe two?"

He tried in vain to interrupt the obviously angry person in front of him. "Alex-"

"Don't Alex me, Michael. She's known you for less than two weeks and already you have her ditching her friends for you. That's quite an accomplishment. What's the next step? Her lying to the Parker's to sneak out and see you? You lying to her to get her to sleep with you?"

"Hey man, that was uncalled for. That's not the way it is with me & Maria."

"If you say so, Michael. But then again I wouldn't know what it's like between you two since I'm no longer privy to hearing about Maria's experiences with you and your exciting clique of friends. What is it about you that makes her like you so much?"

Michael crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't know- what is it about me that makes you dislike me so much?"

Alex pretended to have to think hard. "Well, let me see... Could it be the fact that you stole her away from me?"

"I did not steal her Alex. You and Maria were never together so how could I steal her? If you never told her how you felt until it was too late, that's not my fault. Or hers. So why are you holding that against her? Why did you throw her out of your life? She spent all night crying herself to sleep over this, Alex, and I won't have her upset like that anymore. Hasn't she gone though enough without you screaming at her and telling her to get out of your life?"

"Oh you won't have her upset? Let me ask you something, tough guy, who do you think she ran to before you came around? Me. Who do you think she kept secrets with before you? Me. Who do you think loved her before you? That's right, ME! Now get the hell out of my face and don't try to tell me about Maria and what I should and shouldn't do concerning her, because you haven't earned the right."

Alex pushed his way past Michael, who stood flabbergasted by Alex's outburst. As he passed, Alex's shoulder hit his and his papers went flying around the hall. "Damn it," he said in frustration as he fell to his knees and began gathering the scattered pages.

Michael bent to help him, starting to pick up a few of the papers, but froze when Alex's voice rang out clearly. "Don't help me. I don't need your help."

Michael stood, still clutching the few papers he'd already grabbed. "Look, all I came here to do was ask if you could forgive Maria. She needs all the friends she can get right now, Alex. And just because she doesn't feel the same way about you that you do about her isn't any reason to kick her out of your life. Be reasonable."

Alex grabbed the last of his papers and stood to face Michael. "You try being reasonable when someone rips your heart out and steps all over it. Tell Maria I said our friendship is over." He moved to take the papers from Michael's hand, but before he could do so, Michael caught a glimpse of them. They had his name on them. He turned away from Alex so the other boy couldn't grab them.

"What are these?" Alex reached around him and snatched the files away from Michael. "That was my permanent school record, Whitman. What the hell are you doing with a copy of it?"

Alex smirked at the football player. "I'll tell you, Valenti. Since this secret you're making Maria keep for you is so big, I thought I'd do a little digging myself to see what I can find out. Whatever I can find on you and your brother, and your friends, I'm going to use to my advantage. Whether that means telling your parents, The Parker's, the school, the Police- whoever needs to know as long as it gets you away from her for good. I'm through being the nice guy. I'm on to you, Michael. You're going down." Alex held his papers tight as he turned and walked away from Michael, leaving him in stunned silence in the middle of the hallway.

~~~~~

Michael went through Football practice in a daze. He dropped so many passes, the coach asked him if he was sick. He shook it off and made it through the rest of the afternoon, but in the car on the way home, he detailed his encounter with Alex to his brother.

"I'm worried, Kyle. All he has to do is look through the school files and he'll see a lot of similarities between me getting found and Max and Isabel's situation. He might be able to figure something out."

Kyle waved it off. "Mike, you're paranoid. He isn't going to be able to find anything. So what if you and Max and Isabel were all adopted? That doesn't mean anything but that you were abandoned- it doesn't have anything to do with you being an alien and he isn't going to figure that out."

"But you don't know that- He's really good with computers. What if he hacks into our files at the Social Services office? What if he..."

"Michael, breathe! He won't find anything out. As long as we play it safe and cover our tracks when we're looking for answers, then we won't have any problems, got it? Do you actually think he's going to go all stalker on you and Maria and start following you guys around and stuff?"

Michael nodded vigorously. "Yes, I do Kyle. You didn't hear the tone of his voice or see the look in his eyes. He was serious. He's going to do everything possible to find out what we're hiding, and if he does, we're all dead."

Kyle took a deep breath and pulled into the alley behind Liz's parent's house. "If you really think it's that serious, then we have to talk to Max and the girls about it. Maybe together we can all think of what to do, okay? But for now, just try to calm down."

"Fine. But I don't think I can go in there and stare blankly at files that I can't read while Whitman is out there somewhere trying to do us all in. What if he finds something before us and gets rid of it or turns us in to the FBI? We have to hurry, Kyle. We need to know the truth before he can find out anything about us- we have to be able to protect ourselves in case he comes up with something and tells someone. We have to be prepared to counteract anything he does or we're going to end up having to leave Roswell."

Kyle parked the car and unbuckled his seat belt. "Okay, maybe you're right. Maybe we do need to hurry. But I think we should talk it all out first and let everyone have their say, alright?"

Michael nodded. "Alright. Let's go. They'll be wondering where the hell we are." Michael climbed out of the passenger seat and headed for the back door of the Crashdown. He entered, followed by his brother and walked up the stairs that led to the Parker's apartment. Isabel answered the door when they rang, and Kyle immediately gave her and hug and a kiss hello. Michael walked in to find Max already there with Liz and Maria, desperately searching through the last box.

Maria stood as Michael approached, and walked into his waiting arms. She raised her face to his so that she could give him a welcoming kiss. "Hey. Glad you made it. I was getting anxious to see you."

"Thanks. Same here. How are you doing today? Better?"

She sighed. "Still not great, but better now that you're here. You, on the other hand, look worried. What's the matter?"

He sank into the armchair behind him and pulled Maria onto his lap. "I'll tell you about it later." He turned to Max and Liz, sitting on the floor surrounded by alien files as Kyle and Isabel joined the group. "Is it safe to be doing this in the living room?"

Liz nodded solemnly. "Yeah, my parents are at some local business owners meeting. They won't be back until later."

Kyle looked at the pages on the floor and then at Max and Liz. "That the last box?"

Max nodded. "Yup."

"Anything new?"

Liz shook her head in the negative. "Nope."

Michael threw up his hands in defeat. "Well that's it- we can't read these files. We have no way of figuring out what they mean."

Liz looked up at Michael, surprised by his defeatist attitude. "Not necessarily, Michael. If we just had a way to decode them- maybe we can run them through the computer at school?"

Michael looked down at her in awe. "Are you nuts? We can't take this stuff to school!"

Max shot his friend a look of warning. "Michael, relax. I know it's frustrating, but we will find a way to understand them, okay?"

"Oh yeah, Maxwell? How are we going to do that? None of us remembers our language and there's no secret decoder ring in the boxes. So what's the answer?"

Isabel sat down on the couch next to Kyle and looked from one of her brothers to the other. "Maybe we should go to Marathon."

Both of them responded at the same time, Max beginning, "Izzy, we can't. We can't just drive out there and start poking around. Someone will get suspicious." Michael, on the other hand got agitated very quickly. "We can't go there. We don't know if anyone knows about us- they might follow us and then who knows what might happen!"

"Whoa!" she exclaimed. "One refusal at a time. Max, yes I know it might be suspicious, but it's all we have- the decoder or some other clue might be out there. If we don't go look we'll never know." She turned to Michael. "And what's your deal? You've wanted to go there since we found out about it. Why the sudden paranoia?"

Michael seemed to sink into himself. "No reason. I just changed my mind. I don't think it's safe to go there."

Isabel, Liz and Maria frowned. Max nodded his agreement and Kyle turned to his brother. "You just better tell them, man. They'll find out soon enough anyway."

Liz looked at Michael, confused. "Tell us what, Michael? Did something happen?"

He didn't answer, and Maria turned in his lap to look him in the eye. "Honey? Is everything alright?"

"No, Maria, it isn't. I talked to Alex today. I wanted to try to make him see that he was being ridiculous about cutting you out of his life. So I caught up with him after school. He went off on me about how I stole you away from him and told me to tell you the friendship was over."

Maria's face fell. "Wow. I knew he was upset, but… thanks for trying, anyway."

"That's not the problem. He had all these papers and he bumped into me when he was walking away, so I went to help him pick them up and then I noticed that they were the pages from my permanent school record. I'm thinking there were enough pages there that he probably has all our files. I asked him about it and he got this crazy look on his face. He said that he was going to find out my secret and use it to destroy me. Before he walked away the last thing he said was. 'I'm on to you, Michael. You're going down.' So we can't go there- he might follow us and try to use it against us. And you know how good he is with computers. He could hack into all kinds of places for information about us. If he finds out that we're aliens or where we come from before we do he could turn us in to the FBI."

Isabel looked at Maria. "He's your best friend- would he really do something like that?"

Maria nodded. "It's hard to get Alex really mad, but when he is… I think he was probably very serious about trying to find out your secret."

Michael grimaced. "See, so we can't go to Marathon- he might follow us. We can't do anything right now. We have to lay low and be as careful as possible."

Isabel shook her head. "Michael, you said it yourself. It's our only hope at finding out what this stuff means. We have to go. And soon, especially if Alex is after us. If he got there before us…"

Kyle nodded. "I think she's right. It's now or never, guys."

Max shook his head. "I don't like it. Not one bit."

Isabel stood up. "Then lets put it to a vote. Who says we stay here and sit on our only clue while super-hacko boy tracks us down and turns us into the Feds?" Both Max and Michael raised their hands high. "Okay, and who's for going to Marathon and getting our answers and more clues which might help us protect ourselves in the long run?" Both she and Kyle raised their hands. Four pairs of eyes turned to Maria and Liz. "You two didn't vote."

Liz stood up and rubbed at her temples. "I don't know what to do. I know we should be careful, but I think Isabel is right. If Alex is after us and he's as smart as Maria says he is, it might just be a matter of time until he does find you guys out and turn you in. I think it'd be better for you guys if you knew more about yourselves. Make it easier for you to protect that information." She paused and turned back to the group. "I guess I vote for Marathon."

Isabel turned her gaze to the newest member of the group. "That makes it 3 to 2. Maria- what do you have to say?"

She gulped. "Do I really get a vote? I'm new here."

Michael rubbed her back softly. "Just say it, baby. You're in just as deep as the rest of us now, and you know our enemy the best. You deserve a vote." 5 pairs of eyes trained themselves on her, waiting breathlessly for her answer.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the group. "Marathon. I say we go to Marathon."

"Marathon it is," said Isabel as the group quieted, realizing that there was no going back after they took this all-too-important step in their quest.

The END... for now!!!

Questions, Comments, feedback to Danielle

Back to Danielle's Fanfic Page