Sequel to From Nowhere Leaving This Place

By: Kaleigh (RoswellGirl51@aol.com)

Category: Michael/Maria

Rating: PG, maybe PG-13.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Roswell, please don't sue me.

A/N: You probably need to read From Nowhere Leaving This Place to understand this sequel. If you haven't read it yet, e-mail me at RoswellGirl51@aol.com or check out some of the Roswell fan sites.

Distribution: Wherever, just say I wrote it :)

* * * * *

Part 1

"Maria, are you all packed?" Maria DeLuca's Aunt Sasha called form downstairs in the nearly empty house.

Maria sighed and looked around her bare room. "Yeah, I'll be right down!" "Goodbye, room. Goodbye, life," she whispered before she shut the light and the door for the last time.

She walked down the stairs into the living room, where her aunt was waiting. Maria was going to stay with her Aunt Sasha, Uncle Jim, and younger cousins, Hayley, Jake, and Morgan in California for the next week while her mother and new "father", Fred, who had just gotten married yesterday, were on their honeymoon.

"Ready?" Sasha smiled at her niece, who seemed to be taking this unexpected moving-situation really hard.

Maria smiled and ran a hand through her short blond hair. "Yeah, I guess. I can still say goodbye to my friends first, right?"

"Sure, hon," Sasha opened the door and held it open.

Maria nodded slowly, took one last look behind her, and walked out the door.

"Okay, ready everybody?" Liz exclaimed, looking over at her friends. She, Michael, Max, and Isabel were throwing Maria a small farewell party. A small surprise farewell party.

Max nodded and gave her one of his little private smiles, which she returned. "All right, all right, enough flirting, let's hide," Isabel interrupted impatiently.

Liz blushed a little and nodded, taking a hiding spot behind the counter. The door opened up just after Michael turned out the lights.

"Hello?" they heard Maria call.

Michael turned the lights back on and they all chorused, "SURPRISE!!"

Maria jumped and then started cracking up.

"Oh my God, guys, you almost gave me a heart attack!" she said between laughs.

"Were you surprised though?" Liz walked over to her best friend.

"Of course!" Maria grinned and looked around at the party-decorated cafe. "All this for me?"

"But of course, Princess Maria," Michael joked and wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's waist.

Suddenly her mood changed and tears brimmed her eyes. "God, I'm gonna miss you all so much."

"Hey, now is not the time for crying, come on and have some cake," Isabel interrupted good-naturedly and very un-Isabel-like.

Maria nodded with a meek smile and walked over to the table where the cake was.

"Aliens? Hmm . . . " she said, studying the aliens made of frosting on the cake. They all laughed a little and sat down as Liz cut the cake.

"So . . ." Max tried to bring up conversation. "How's your aunt?"

"Oh, fine," Maria replied simply. "She's at the mall right now. She said she'll pick me up in an hour."

"An hour?" Liz repeated, looking disappointed.

"Yeah," Maria answered with a mouthful of cake. "This is good!"

Michael laughed and wiped some of the frosting off her cheek. They finished their cake quickly.

"Presents!" Liz exclaimed and grabbed a wrapped package off the counter.

"Oh goody," Maria grinned and took the present from Liz gleefully.

She unwrapped it quickly but carefully and found some stationary, a few tanktops, and the new CD she wanted.

"Oh, thanks, Liz!" she exclaimed and hugged her friend.

"Your welcome."

Isabel held out a package. "Here. This is from me and Max, but I picked it out, seeing as I have the great sense of style." She laughed at herself and shook her long blond hair.

"Thanks," Maria took it with a surprised look on her face. Inside was a wide assortment of nailpolish, lipstick, and other makeup objects.

"Cool, thanks," Maria smiled at the Evans.

Michael looked at Liz.

"Max? Isabel? Can you help me put the cake away in the kitchen?" Liz said suddenly.

Max nodded and stood up, but Isabel didn't get the hint. "You and Max can go," she said, sipping some iced tea. Max sighed and yanked his sister into the kitchen with him, and Liz followed.

Michael looked over at Maria, who returned his gaze. He took a small package out of his jacket pocket and handed it to her silently.

She looked from him to the gift, and opened it. Inside was a beautiful gold necklace with a emerald charm on it in the shape of a heart. "Oh, Michael," she exclaimed softly and looked up at him. "I love it."

He smiled and took it from her. Standing up, he clasped it around her neck tenderly.

"It's green to help you remember us little green Chekloslovakians. Especially the one that's crazy about you," he smiled softly.

She laughed and then stood up to face him. "I could never forget you," she whispered.

She wrapped her arms around her neck and he wrapped his around her waist. "You can't go," he said. "I need you."

A tear trickled down her face and she kissed him.

Just as the kiss became more passionate, the front door opened. "Maria?"

Maria and Michael broke apart and turned to face Aunt Sasha.

"I'm sorry, but it's time to go, honey," Aunt Sasha said.

Maria looked up at Michael, who looked down at her sadly. He hugged her tight and then reluctantly let go.

Maria gathered up her stuff, and Liz, Max, and Isabel came back into the room. Liz looked at her best friend. "Do you have everything?"

Maria nodded. "Yup."

She hugged her friend and they both started crying. "Call me as soon as you get there," Liz sniffled.

"I will," Maria replied with a hiccup.

She then hugged Max and Isabel, who wished her luck for the future and told her to come visit.

Max walked over to Liz and put a comforting arm around her as she cried softly.

Maria looked at Michael one more time, who was staring at the ground. She couldn't help but hug him again.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear.

"I love you, too, space-boy," she replied.

They kissed one more time and then Maria looked over at her patient aunt. "Goodbye," she said to her friends sadly as she wiped her eyes. "Thank you for the party."

They all waved to Maria as she and her aunt walked off into the night.

* * * * *

A MONTH LATER: In Maria's new house shared with her mother and new father.

"Mom, are you kidding me? I am not starting school tomorrow. That's insane," Maria DeLuca cried as she sat on the couch in the living room, fingering the necklace around her neck that Michael had given to her.

"Maria, sweetie, you've missed a month of school all ready. I already enrolled you, and you have to go. It's not my rule, it's the law," Maria's mother, Amy, told her.

Maria sighed. "Can I go call my friends?"

Amy studied her daughter. She could tell that she was missing her friends badly and looking for friend-support.

"Sure. But not too long, okay? We don't want a sky-high phone bill."

Maria nodded and ran up to her new room, which she still hadn't gotten used to. It was too . . . perky in there. Seriously. There were skylights, so that the sun shone in brightly, and it seemed as though everything was pastel. There's even a light pink door. She reached for her phone and quickly dialed Liz's number.

"Hello?" a voice asked.

"Liz?" Maria asked.

"Maria! Hi!" Liz hadn't heard from her best friend in about two weeks.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing much. I was just going to get a burger with Max, but that can wait."

"Are you sure?" Maria felt guilty.

"Yeah, of course! So what's up with you?"

"Nothing really. This place is. . . well, I thought Roswell was boring, but after being here, I have to disagree with myself."

Liz laughed her cheery laugh. "I take it it's not fun."

"Exactamundo."

"So when are you coming to visit? Michael's still moping around aimlessly,"

Liz exclaimed.

Maria closed her eyes. "Yeah, I'm gonna try calling him after. I hope I can visit soon . . . but guess what."

"What?"

"My mother's making me start school tomorrow. I mean, the nerve!"

Liz laughed again. "Oh Maria, it won't be that bad, I promise. Good luck anyway, though."

"Thanks. I'll need it, believe me."

"Liz! I need the phone!" Maria heard Liz's father yell in the background.

"Hold on, I'm talking to-" Liz started.

"No, it's okay, Liz. I'll call you tomorrow after . . . school."

"You sure?"

"Totally."

"Okay, good luck tomorrow."

"Thanks."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Maria placed the phone down and then picked it up again quickly. She punched in a number.

"Hello?" a voice answered on the second ring.

"Hey Michael."

"Maria?"

"Yup, it's me," she giggled.

"Hi!" he exclaimed happily.

Maria smiled to herself. "What's up?"

"Nothing really. I'm just watching some TV. What about you, how are you doing in the land of rain?"

Maria sighed. "Oh just ducky."

Michael laughed. "That bad, huh? Well I say you ditch that place and come on back to the land of government conspiracies."

"Ha, I wish. But my mother's making me start school tomorrow."

"School? That bites."

"Exactly."

"Are you nervous?"

"Oh yeah."

"Don't sweat it. But . . ." he trailed off.

"What?" Maria pushed impatiently.

"If any guys come on to you, tell me and I'll come after them."

Maria laughed. "Okay, Michael. Deal."

"Good."

"So have you been going to school lately?" Maria asked.

"Have I ever?"

"Too true, too true. Well, I should get going," Maria looked at her watch.

"It's my turn to make dinner, yay."

"Oh, don't go . . ."

"I have to," Maria said sadly.

"Have fun tomorrow," Michael lingered on the phone, wanting to hear her voice.

"Thanks. Love ya."

"Right back at ya."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Maria hung up and dragged herself down the stairs to the kitchen.

* * * * *

Michael hung up the phone and looked out his window, wondering if she was looking out at the same sky. Suddenly, he knew what he had to do.

TBC . . .