Choices

"I don't know why I had to do this." Maria whispered angrily. "Isabelle could have."

"Because it would be more believable, and it wouldn't have looked right with Isabelle, now shut up." Michael ordered her softly.

"Why couldn't Liz and Max have done this?" Maria said more to herself then to anyone. "Because we need to look suspicious, while they go prancing around town finding out stuff, which is most likely way more exciting then walking the streets of Roswell, with you, having this freaky FBI guy following us, and having no clue as to what he will do."

Michael did agree. Of course he didn't voice it out loud. He hated being the bait. Most likely more then Maria did. But since Max and Liz seemed to be so calm about everything, they of course got to do everything, sticking him and Maria together in these ridiculous situations.

"There it is." Maria said to him softly.

Michael looked up ahead when he noticed the smaller tone in her voice. He grabbed her hand and quickened there pace only slightly, pulling them towards the alley. Before they got to the corner, he felt the grip Maria had on his hand tighten slightly. But he didn't have time to give it any thought, he quickly turned into the alley pulling her behind him. Michael ran as fast as he could, When he caught sight of objective, Michael yanked Maria towards the wall and pushed her against it, and pulled her down with him. He noticed a whimper and gasp escape Maria mouth, maybe he had pushed her against the wall to hard. No sound came for a few moments, until he noticed the erratic breathing coming from Maria. Then a sound of footsteps could be heard further down the alley, and he noticed her head turn quickly towards the direction. She pushed herself up against the wall, and another whimper emanated from her. And for the life of him he couldn't figure out why. Michael scooted closer, away from any light, and brought his hand up to Maria mouth, she was breathing way to loud. He could barely feel the trembling of her lips beneath his hand. Maybe he should have taken Isabelle. He knew Maria shouldn't be put in this kind of situation. Michael let his hand slide away from her mouth to the side of her face and wiped away the dampness on her cheek. His head flew towards the alley though when he heard a loud crash, and a curse.

Maria jumped at the sound and grabbed onto Michael sides, clutching at his shirt, and pulling herself closer to him.

Michael moved them into the corner and pulled Maria nearer. Something was wrong with her, and he wanted to help her, but he had no idea what it was. He heard a random intake of air come from her and she buried her head in his shoulder. His mind tried to figure out why she was so scared, but soon he became well aware of the nearing human.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria unlocked the back of the Crashdown quickly, and entered into the darkness, she heard Michael follow behind her and close the door. Maria heard the familiar voices. They must have been the last to arrive.

"Come on." Michael said as he walked out of the back of the Crashdown.

Maria followed him through the doors, to where all of their friends looked up.

"It took you long enough, did something happen?" Isabelle asked and scooted out of the booth.

"No, that idiot just took a long time to leave, and he kept running into things in the alley. Did you find anything?" Michael asked Max.

Max shook his head solemnly.

"Figures." Michael said and frowned.

Maria stood there as silence filled the room. None of the six people said a word. Maria looked down, hoping that something would be spelled out to her on the floor, telling her a way to escape from this mess. Instead she found a dirt covered shirt. "I'm going to go change." Maria said softly and turned to walk towards the back.

"Maria." Liz gasped as she caught sign of Maria back.

"What?" Maria ask and spun around. She found Isabelle jump up and rush towards her, quickly spinning her around. Maria turned to try to look at Isabelle, but the girl looked intently at her back, then turned to Michael.

"What the hell is this?" Isabelle asked Michael sternly, turning Maria so that her back was to Michael.

Michael looked at Maria back, and found himself unable to form any words. He tried to, but every time he opened his mouth it would close again.

"What is what?" Maria asked confused.

Liz jumped up, and had Max and Alex traveling behind her. "Maria do you even know what is on your back?"

"No. I thought I had hurt it earlier, but then it just stopped hurting." Maria said a little unsurely. She noticed when all eyes turned to Michael.

"What?!" Michael exclaimed. "I didn't do it!"

"Well he did something." Alex said as he touched Marias back gently.

"Did what!" Maria screamed. Everyone was looking at her as if she had grown another head.

Liz grabbed Maria's arm and pulled her towards the back of the Crashdown. The others trailed behind her. Liz flipped on the lights and pulled Maria into the bathroom, leaving the door open. She flipped on the light in the bathroom and turned Maria so that her back was facing the mirror. "Maria look in the mirror."

Maria turned her head so that she could see what they all where seeing. Her mouth fell open, as she saw blood staining her strappy shirt, near her right shoulder. But that wasn't the worse of it. She also had a sliverish handprint in the middle of it. Maria quickly reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head, she looked at the back of her shirt, touching it softly. When she looked at her fingers, they where slightly red, from the drying blood. She again turned her head to get a better look. But it was still there, and even more noticeable.

"Maria, what happened?" Liz asked softly.

"I-I don't know. When we went in the alley, Michael pulled me against the wall, and down it. It felt like something was slicing into my shoulder, and it began to hurt. And when that guy got near us, Michael pulled me closer, and then the pain just went away." Maria said unbelievably. "Liz what happened?" Maria asked her friend.

"Max!" Liz called, and he soon entered the room. She noticed the stunned look on his face as he found Maria in only a bra, but he quickly recovered when he saw the handprint on her back. "Did Michael heal her? She said she got hurt in the alley, something on the wall must have scraped her shoulder."

Max opened his mouth to respond, but heard yelling coming from outside of the bathroom. He turned away from the two girls and exited the bathroom to intervene.

Maria followed Max out in stunned silence and didn't make any attempt to put her shirt back on.

Isabelle halted her rage on Michael, and walked towards Maria, spinning her around. "How the hell are we going to survive, if you go around healing people at whim!"

"I didn't mean to! I didn't even know I had! You know I have no control over my powers, how was I supposed to know I was heeling her!" Michael yelled back at Isabelle defensively.

"I knew this was going to happen! We go off on random trips, trying to find home, bringing more attention to ourselves. And now since the two of you cannot keep your hormones in check, you are creating more problems! I don't care if you meant it or not! It still happened, and you having no control over it makes it worse!" Isabelle screamed at the voicing her fears.

"Isabelle, calm down." Max said and walked up to his sister. "Now, Michael can be cautious as to what he does."

"That has nothing to do with it Max, and you know it. What this has to do with, is the fact, that Michael was much more safer, before he formed any attachment." Isabelle told her brother gravely.

"Attachment!" Maria yelled. "I'm standing right here, you mind as well say it to my face! Michael was much more safer when Maria wasn't in the picture!"

Isabelle turned to Maria. "Fine, I will. If you didn't know about us, Michael could easily go along, trying to find his home. But then you come along, creating problems." Isabelle told Maria firmly.

"Isabelle, isn't it Michael's choice?" Alex spoke up, interrupting the yelling. He noticed to pointed look she gave him then turned to Michael.

"All right Michael, you tell me truthfully, that if it was your choice, that you wouldn't just get rid of all these feeling you have. I know you. It's a distraction to you. And with them you can't concentrate on what you really want. All you have to tell me is that you want these feelings for Maria, and prove me wrong." Isabelle ordered him, knowing his answer.

"Isabelle...." Max began, she was stepping into dangerous territory here, and it could hurt a lot of people.

"No, it's his choice, lets here it. I want to here it. Just tell me that you want to feel all of this, and be pulled away from everything you have dreamed of your whole life. Just tell me!" Isabelle yelled to Michael.

Maria watched in fear as Isabelle yelled at Michael, and she saw the inner battle take place inside of him. But she knew the truth. "Why are you doing this?" Maria asked Isabelle.

"I think we deserve the truth, I would think you would want it." Isabelle told Maria angrily.

"But you know the truth! Everyone knows the truth! And so do I! I know that Michael doesn't want to feel anything. He told me that. So what are you trying to prove!" Maria yelled.

"Then why don't you just stay away from him, and let him forgot about you, so that he can find home?" Isabelle asked Maria. "Or maybe you are just thinking about yourself, maybe you don't want Michael to go home. Is that true?"

Maria grounded her jaw together, and tried to control the intense emotions raging inside of her. "This isn't my fault! You think I wanted to feel this way?! To know that Michael doesn't want any feelings, and to know that anyday, he could finally choose to have nothing to do with me! So yea, maybe I am thinking about myself, and how much it would hurt. But I didn't do anything on purpose! It just happened! Do you think Liz conveniently got shot so that she could be closer to Max! Give me a break! It just happened, and it is neither of their faults!" Maria knew she was beginning to cry, she usually did when she got very emotional. Maria turned to Michael "And you have the nerve to stand there all quiet! Knowing that no one planned this. Why don't you just admit it! That you don't want to feel anything!" Maria glared at him but he still didn't respond, but he looked at her, he looked at her so intently that she couldn't stand it any longer, and she grabbed her coat that was hanging up. She pulled it over her semi bare body, grabbed her purse and left.

Silence filled the room, and it remained quiet, as the sound of Maria car being started could be heard, and the abrupt take off of squealing tires.

Michael stood there silently, the silence was broken when Max confronted Isabelle about her bad confrontational tactics. But he remained silent through all of the yelling. He really hadn't meant to silent earlier. He had just been scared of what would come out of his mouth. Liz and Alex seemed to be getting into the argument, and Max switched his sides trying to play referee between Isabelle, and Liz and Alex. Michael turned quietly to make his way out of the door.

"No!" Isabelle screamed and jumped towards Michael pulling him back.

"What do you want from me Isabelle!" Michael blew up. "To tell you I'll stay away from Maria!?"

"Isn't that what this whole thing has been about! The bad affects of you being around Maria!" Isabelle yelled to him.

"Well so what! Max can make a choice about it, but I can't!" Michael yelled angrily.

"Max has more control then you do. That was proved tonight." Isabelle gritted out.

"So what! If I would have even known she was hurt I still would have tried to heal her." Michael said firmly, making his choice. "You want my choice? Fine, don't get angry when you here it. I can't stay away. I tried but I can't, and it just makes it worse. I can't even think strait when she is in the same room with me, and I force myself to stay closed off from her. And when I am around her, that is the only time when I feel like my whole life isn't empty." Michael admitted. Why couldn't he tell Maria that? Michael turned to leave again.

"Where are you go?" Isabelle asked him.

Michael turned to Isabelle, "I don't think you want to know."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael unlocked the window, with little trouble, and pushed it up to find Maria, still in her bra, staring at her back in a mirror. "It'll go away." he said as he stepped in.

Maria turned to him, then looked back at her reflection. "I know." she shifted in her seat to look at him. "What do you want?"

Michael looked away from Maria and started looking around her room.

"You didn't come here to look at my room. What do you want?" Maria asked him evenly.

Michael looked at her. "Don't you want to put a shirt on?"

Maria stood up and made her way towards him, and stopped once she was a couple of feet away. "Michael, why are you here?"

Michael sighed, and looked away once again, "I wanted to tell you the truth."

"The truth about what? And look at me." Maria ordered him.

Michael forced himself to face her, and he winced, he hated dealing with things like this, head on. "Earlier, what Isabelle asked me, I didn't answer, because I was scared to. I knew the truth. And the truth was, I didn't like staying away from you, and the only time that my life seems to mean anything, is when I am with you."

Maria hardened facade softened at his proclamation. "Your life always means something."

"And that's why I like being around you. Because you believe that, and you make me believe it to." Michael admitted. He looked up and could see Maria reflection in the mirror. "I didn't mean for that to happen. I knew something was wrong, and I wanted to stop it, I just didn't think I did." Michael walked slowly around Maria and touched the handprint softly. He felt her jump slightly as he did, but he didn't say anything, and slid his hand over it. His hands traveled to the white bra strap, which was stained slightly red from her blood. "Does it still hurt?" Michael asked.

"No." Maria forced out softly has his fingers left soft trails along her right shoulder blade. She soon felt his chest pressed against her back, as his hand covered her shoulder and slid down her arm. Maria allowed herself to lean into him, fearing she would lack the ability to stand on her own. His other hand took its place on her other shoulder and slid down, slowly and lightly. Soon, both of his arms where encircling her waste, pulling her closer against him. She didn't attempt to pull away. And when she felt his lips come in contact with her neck, she titled her head to the side, to allow him better access. Maria breathed in deeply, and held it, as she felt his hands travel up her sides slowly, and he continue his ministrations on her neck. She would have another hickey from him. His hands soon made contact with her breasts, cradling them gently, his thumbs traveled gently along the sides, and over her nipples. Unable to hold out anymore, she spun around on him, bringing her hands up to the back of his neck, and pulling his head down for a passionate kiss. She didn't waste anytime, and opened her mouth to him, kissing him deeper.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria awoke to the insistent ringing of her phone, he head snapped around as she became aware of the body behind her, sleeping. But her eyes didn't linger long, she reached over and brought the phone to her ear. "Hello?" Maria asked her voice a little scratchy.

"Maria, hey, where you sleeping?" Liz's concerned voice asked.

"Yea, kinda." Maria responded. An arm tightened around her, and she jumped as she felt someone's lips on her shoulder

"Oh, sorry, I was just checking on you, is it still there? I mean mine lasted a while, but I don't know how long yours would last." Liz told her friend.

"Um, let me check." Maria said a little strained into the phone. She put the phone under the pillow, and turned her head to face Michael. "Is it still there?" she asked softly.

Michael pulled away only slightly looking at her shoulder, he nodded. "Who is that?" he whispered.

"Liz." she told him, and moved to pull the phone out from under her pillow, but turned back to face him, "Stop that." she told him and put the phone back up to her ear. "Yea it's still there."

"Oh, well it'll go away. You'll just have to wear a shirt with sleeves for the next couple of days. Did Michael come over there last night?" Liz asked.

"Why?" Maria asked curiously.

"Oh well after you left, everyone got in a big argument, and Michael tried to sneak out, but Isabelle stopped him, and they began to argue." Liz said.

"About what?" Maria asked, and tried not to think about Michael as his fingers traced patterns on her stomach.

"Hold on, I'm getting there. He answered Isabelle's question. He told her he couldn't stay away from you, even if he wanted to, and that you made him feel like his whole lief wasn't empty. Of course it was said in more words, and a little more loudly." Liz explained to Maria.

"Okay, so then why would he have come over here?" Maria asked for Michael benefit. She felt him stop, and soon found herself rolled over on her back, and him above her, watching her intently with a look on his face.

"Well he went to leave again, and Isabelle asked where he was going, then he told her he didn't think she wanted to know." Liz said. "So that's why I think he went over to your house last night. Did he?"

"Yea." Maria said into the phone. Michael was beginning to give her an odd look, wondering what was going on.

"What happened?" Liz asked Maria quickly. "Anything good?"

"Kinda." Maria answered.

"Well what?"

"I don't know." Maria answered vaguely.

"Maria did something happen?" Liz asked.

"Yea, kinda." Maria answered, and tried to keep from smiling, from the confused look on Michael's face.

"Maria, you are driving me crazy! Just tell me what happened!" Liz practically yelled.

"I can't." Maria answered.

"Why not?" Liz asked confused.

"Why do you think?" Maria asked, trying to hint to Liz.

"Because it's a secret?" Liz guessed.

"No." Maria answered.

"Then why else wouldn't you!" Liz yelled exasperated.

"I can't, now." Maria said to Liz, the girl was dense.

"Okay, he came by last night, something happened, it was good, it's not a secret, and you can't tell me now." Liz paused for a moment. "Maria is he still there?"

Maria bit her lip so that she didn't laugh. "Yea."

"Maria! Is he sleeping?" Liz asked.

"Nope." Maria answered, and smiled up at Michael. He let out an exasperated sigh and flopped onto the other side of the bed on his back.

"Is he in your bed?" Liz asked as if she was venturing into dangerous territory.

"Uh-huh." Maria told Liz.

"Okay Maria, one last question. I don't know if I want to know. With or without clothes?" Liz asked and grimaced.

"Without." Maria answered and held back a laugh.

"Maria!" Liz yelled into the phone exasperated. "You to?"

"Yep." Maria answered.

"Uhhhhh. I want details later. I'm guessing I should tell no one?" Liz asked.

"Yea. And I will later." Maria told her.

"Okay, bye bye."

Maria hung up the phone and looked at Michael.

"Do you normally have one worded conversations?" Michael asked Maria.

"No, only if it annoys you." she answered him.

"What where you talking about?" Michael asked and reached out pulling her towards him.

Maria snuggled up against him. "Girl stuff."

"Right." he answered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Maria, you are glowing so much you are blinding me." Liz said as she passed Maria in the break room.

"I have enough happiness to pass around if you need some." Maria offered.

"No thanks you. You keep all of your Michael happiness. All be subdued with my Max happiness." Liz told her and pulled a brush through her hair.

Maria began touching up her make-up. "I didn't say you could have any of him." Maria told her with a laugh.

Liz pulled up her hair in a pony tail and straitened out her uniform. "I'm going out there. Even if I am on my break. You're making me sick" Liz said jokingly and walked out of the room. "And Maria, give up on your neck, it isn't helping. Because he did a good job on that one.

Maria closed the door to her locked and took one last glance into the mirror, realizing Liz was right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz couldn't control the laugh that escaped her as she caught sight of Michael, Max, and Isabelle entering the Crashdown. Of course her and Max's eyes met, but she didn't loot at him long. Her eyes met with Michael's to, but his soon drifted around the Crashdown, no doubt searching for Maria. And Isabelle seemed a little more calmer, but not to pleased. She also noticed how Michael led the way to Marias section. Liz made her way slowly over to the three of them. "Hey." she said, mostly to Max. But she also watched Michael out of the corner of her eyes. And for a moment she was astonished at the fact that this person right here had slept with Maria.

"Hey." Max responded. "Are you on your break?" Max asked hopefully.

Liz nodded.

Max scooted over, allowing Liz room to sit down, and to his relief she did.

Liz looked up when she heard the sound of approaching heals. When she saw Maria, she looked down at the table to control her laughter.

"So, what does everyone want?" Maria asked.

"Little happy aren't you?" Isabelle asked casually.

Maria smiled and shrugged. She glanced at Michael who was staring down at the table intently, as was Liz. She couldn't help but smile.

Isabelle looked at Maria, then at Michael, then back at Maria. She narrowed her eyes, and leaned forward in the table. "Oh god." Isabelle said in an exasperated voice and groaned, as she fell back into the booth.

Maria looked around nervously, and finally caught eyes with Michael, who had a hint of a smirk on his face.

"What?" Max asked confused.

"You can't see? It's as plain as day. Someone is really getting out of hand leaving marks on someone. At least this one isn't as bad." Isabelle said bluntly.

Maria eyes widened, and she felt like something put on display for everyone to look at. Maria watched as Max looked at her intently, then his eyes widened. "Oh." Max turned to Michael who met his eye. He really couldn't fuss at him. He and Liz where a little out of hand.

"Yea oh. I did that. You have a problem with it?" Michael asked a little confrontationaly.

Max shook his head, "No, no problem."

"Ooooook." Maria said and looked down at her pad of paper. "Orders?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael watched as Maria walked towards the back, and he had this compulsion to follow her. Well do more then just follow her. He had it really bad at this point. He looked around at the others nervously as they talked. "Isabelle watch out." Michael said and began pushing her out of the booth.

Isabelle tried to respond but he practically shoved her out. She glared at him angrily as he hurried towards the back.

Liz watched and held back the laugh that wanted to come out, instead a funny sound emanated form her. "Sorry." she apologized

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maria tried again to cover her neck, but it was doing no good. She let out a frustrated growl and began returning her things to the locker. But an arm grabbed her arm and spun her around. She found herself pressed between the lockers and Michael's body. She responded to his hungry and greedy kiss. And when he finally pulled away she found herself breathing heavily, and trying to regain her composure. "Hi." Maria said to him breathlessly.

"Hey." he said softly, and brought his hand up to her face and kissed her lips gently this time.

"You don't normally greet people like that do you?" Maria asked teasingly.

"No. Just you." he told her and lowered his head to the side of her neck.

Maria held onto his shoulders as he nibbled and sucked on her neck. "I've got to get out there." Maria forced out.

"Go ahead." Michael said but continued on with his fixation he had on her neck, he let his hands slide down and rest on her hips.

Marias willpower was torn to shreds as Michael continued to pull her away from reality.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Liz looked around for Maria, but she never returned, "I think I am going to go see what is taking Maria so long. We need more help out here." Liz said and stood up.

"Oh no." Isabelle stood up and followed Liz. Liz turned to her and looked at her cautiously. Isabelle smirked, "I've got to see this."

Max internal battle halted and he followed the two of them to the back, he had to admit, he was kind of curious to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Liz had found Maria, plus Michael, she stopped in the door way. Maria wasn't lying when she said things got intense with Michael. Liz had of course seen it, and she had noticed in those few previous moments, Michael hands, and lips liked to travel all over Maria. Just like now. She turned to Isabelle who stood there shocked, then at Max, who was trying his best not to gawk. Liz cleared her throat loudly. "Ahem." The two of them quickly flew apart, and stood there like embarrassed. "Maria, they um, need some help out there."

Maria pursed her lips together, then licked them. She nodded. "Okay." she glanced over at Michael and tried to control the smile that was forming on her lips. She noticed the smirk forming on his face, and before she lost it, she took off out of the break room.

Michael looked around at the three people standing there, staring at him. He dug one hand deep inside of his pocket, and casually brought his hand up to his mouth, trying to wipe away the remnants of Maria kiss. Or he would have a little trouble getting through the day. He scratched the back of his head, as he usually did in some uncomfortable, or in a thoughtful situation. He sighed then spoke, "Okaaay." was all he said and dropped his hand quickly walking out of the break room and past the two gaping aliens and human.

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The End