Title: Groundhog

Author: Dontia

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything but the plot.

Spoilers: None

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Michael and Tess deal with the others’ disapproval.

Notes: Sequel to "I Have a Dream"

For those who don’t know, *Groundhog’s Day* is a special holiday. It’s how the end of winter is predicted. See, if the groundhog comes out of its hole on February 2^nd and is scared back in by its shadow, it’s the beginning of spring. However, if it comes out and doesn’t see its shadow because it’s overcast or whatever, that means six more weeks of winter. It’s always amazed me how accurate this system is.

Feedback: It keeps me writing and thinking of new stories.

Dedication: To those who say I’m making them Mental Vibrators. There’s no greater compliment.

***************************************

The day before Groundhog’s Day, Tess goes out to the quad for lunch. She looks around for Michael and sighs when she sees him watching Max and Isabel. She sits next to Michael and gives him a hug. "Maybe you should talk to them."

"They’re the ones who stopped talkin’ to me," says Michael.

"They were surprised by us bein’ together. That plus the thing with Maria, they’re torn between their friends."

"Hell, they’re supposed to be my family. Shutting me out is their call, not mine."

"It’s been over two weeks. Someone has to make the first move."

"It’s not gonna be me."

***************************************

Isabel looks over at Michael and Tess. "This can’t go on Max."

"Michael made his decision," says Max.

"Yeah, the decision to be with Tess. He never wanted to be cut off from the rest of us."

"What did he think was gonna happen? The others don’t like Tess and Maria wants to be with Michael. There was no other way this could play out."

"That explains the humans, but what about us? You and I are all Michael’s ever had. We’re just gonna abandon him because he doesn’t date who we want?"

"He has Tess now, he doesn’t need us."

Isabel looks at her brother in amazement. "Is that what this is about, you’re jealous over Tess?"

"No."

"Why are you jealous Max? Cause Michael puts Tess first, or cause Tess puts Michael ahead of you now?"

"I told you, I’m not jealous."

"Good, cause you had the option of bein’ with Tess and chose Liz. And just because Michael cares about Tess doesn’t mean he’s no longer your best friend."

"I notice you don’t practice what you preach."

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"You don’t stand up for Michael and Tess when the others say somethin’, and you don’t hang out with ‘em either."

"I was mad at them but I’m not anymore."

"Whatever. Could we please table this discussion? There are the others."

***************************************

Liz raises up on her toes and looks around for Max. Spotting him at a table with Isabel, she rests her feet on the ground and turns to Maria and Alex. "They’re over there."

Maria continues to glare in the opposite direction. Liz follows her gaze and sees Michael and Tess having lunch together.

"I don’t get it," says Maria. "What does he see in her? Alex, you’re a guy, what’s she got?"

"You’re a great person Maria," says Alex. "Any guy would be lucky to have you."

"I didn’t ask for an ego boost, I want an honest answer."

"I don’t know. Maybe they have stuff in common."

"Michael and I have things in common too. I can’t think of what right now, but we have lots of stuff in common."

"I’m sure that’s true," says Liz soothingly.

"Then why her and not me?" asks Maria.

"Well, Michael’s always been afraid to put you in danger. Tess has powers, she can protect herself."

"So it’s not about love. Well, I’m not giving up. I’ll show Michael Guerin he should be with me, not Tess."

"How?" asks Alex.

"I don’t know yet, but I’ll come up with somethin’." Maria marches over to Max and Isabel, Liz and Alex trailing behind.

***************************************

After school, Tess catches up with Kyle at his locker. "I need your help."

Kyle raises an eyebrow at her. "Hello to you too."

"I’m sorry, I’ve just been going over and over this and really need your help."

"Okay, what do you want?"

"Michael been depressed lately. No one’s talking to him because of me and I wanna cheer him up."

"How?"

"That’s where you come in. You and your friends are plannin’ some big thing tonight, I thought you could invite Michael. He could use a guy’s night out."

"I don’t think he’d be interested."

"Would you just ask him? For me, your favorite Martian? Please?"

"All right, I’ll ask. But he’s gonna say no."

Tess hugs Kyle. "Thank you so much. Come on, Michael’s waiting for me at his motorcycle."

Kyle laughs as he allows Tess to take his hand and drag him to the parking lot.

***************************************

Having witnessed the hug, Liz turns to Max. "What do you think that was about?"

"I don’t know, but it makes me wonder."

"What?"

"If Michael and Tess are really together. Tess and Kyle have gotten pretty close over the last few months. Maybe Michael’s only saying he’s with Tess to get Maria to back off."

"You really think so?"

"She’s been pushin’ hard lately."

"We should keep this theory to ourselves. True or not, it’ll hurt Maria."

Max nods. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, my shift starts in half-an-hour."

Hand in hand, they walk towards the exit where Maria’s waiting.

***************************************

In the parking lot, Kyle invites Michael. "You wanna go?"

"You haven’t said what we’d be doing."

"It’s a…prank. Look, if you’re not interested…"

Michael glances at his girlfriend who’s trying not to stare at them. "Tess put you up to this, didn’t she?"

"She thought you could use a night out, plus she feels guilty. You chose her and lost your friends over it."

"Fine, I’m in. What’re we doin’?"

Kyle grins. "Tell you tonight. I’ll be by your place at eight to pick you up."

Kyle walks to his car. Michael shakes his head, wondering what he agreed to.

Tess comes over. "Well?"

"I agreed to go," says Michael, straddling his motorcycle.

"Good."

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Setting it up."

"I want you to have fun. I don’t want you to be miserable because you chose to be with me."

Michael wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her close. "I’m not. Kiss me."

Tess smiles as she complies. After a slow, sweet kiss, she pulls back with a dazed expression. "You convinced me."

"Good, now let’s go home."

***************************************

That night, Michael looks at the clock and frowns when he sees it’s almost eight. "I really don’t wanna go."

"You’ll have fun," says Tess, pouring microwave popcorn in a bowl. She grabs a bottle of Tabasco and sits on the sofa.

"I don’t like leaving you here alone."

"I’ll be fine. We haven’t seen the Skins in town for months."

"That we know of."

There’s a knock on the door. Michael groans before going to answer it. He’s surprised to see Isabel there.

"Can I come in?" asks Isabel.

Michael nods and steps back, closing the door after she enters. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah. Hi Tess."

Tess smiles at her. "Isabel. I’ll go in the bedroom and let you guys talk."

"I wanna talk to you too. I’m sorry for the way I’ve been acting. It wasn’t fair to either of you."

"I know me and Michael together was a shock to you."

"Actually, it wasn’t. We all suspected it for months, we just went a little crazy when you confirmed it."

"Thanks Isabel," says Michael. "It means a lot that you came over."

"You mean a lot to me," says Isabel, hugging Michael. "I was hoping the three of us could hang out tonight."

"Michael has plans with Kyle," says Tess. "Maybe another time?"

"I could cancel," says Michael.

"No you couldn’t."

"Just because Michael has plans doesn’t mean we can’t hang out," says Isabel. "What do you say?"

Tess nods. "Sure, if you want. There’s a Friday the 13^th movie marathon on tonight. We could watch it if you want, or go out."

Isabel sits next to Tess and grabs a handful of Tabasco-covered popcorn. "I’d rather stay in."

There’s a knock at the door. Michael opens it to Kyle.

"You ready to go?" asks Kyle.

"You still haven’t told me what we’re doing," says Michael.

"I’ll tell you in the car. Hey Tess, Isabel." Both girls wave at him.

"Whatever we’re doin’ is illegal, isn’t it?" asks Michael.

Kyle laughs. "We’ll see you girls at school tomorrow."

"You’re not comin’ back tonight?" asks Tess.

"Nope. Kiss your girlfriend Guerin and let’s go."

Michael goes to the sofa and leans over Tess. "If I go to jail, I’m blaming you."

Tess smiles. "I promise to bust you out. Have a good time."

Michael kisses her, then grabs his jacket and leaves with Kyle.

"Do you know what they’re gonna do?" asks Isabel.

Tess shakes her head. "Kyle wouldn’t say. If Michael gets arrested, could you help me explain it to Max?"

"Not on your life."

***************************************

At lunch the next day, Groundhog’s day, Michael and Kyle are laughing as they enter the quad with a few other guys. They detach themselves and go to Tess’ table.

Tess gets up and hugs Michael, then Kyle. "Are you guys all right? I was worried when I didn’t hear from you."

"Things took longer to set up than we anticipated," says Kyle. "And the payoff took longer too. Happy Groundhog’s Day."

"Are you finally gonna tell me what you did?"

"Let us get somethin’ to eat first, then we’ll tell you."

***************************************

At another table, Max, Isabel, Liz, Maria, and Alex watch Kyle and Michael’s entrance.

"I wonder what that’s about," says Alex.

"Since when do Michael and Kyle hang out?" asks Liz.

"Since last night," says Isabel.

"You know about this?" asks Max, watching Kyle and Michael head to the cafeteria.

"Yeah, Kyle invited Michael to hang out with him and some friends. Catch you guys later."

"Are we in some kind of weird alternate universe?" asks Maria as they watch Isabel hug Tess before sitting next to her. "First Michael and Kyle are friends, then Isabel and Tess?"

"What’s going on Max?" asks Liz.

"I don’t know," says Max. "I don’t know."

***************************************

Ten minutes later, Kyle and Michael have Isabel and Tess laughing as they relate their adventure.

"The groundhog was obviously rabid," says Kyle. "It tried to bite anyone who went near it. Finally, Chuck dropped his pants and waved his butt in front of the thing. As it bit him, we managed to grab it."

"I take it Chuck was wasted," says Isabel, laughing at the image they’re painting of the class president.

"Actually, he wasn’t," says Michael. "I regret not voting for him."

"What’d you do once you had it?" asks Tess.

"We kidnapped it," says Kyle. "So this morning, we go to the Groundhog’s Day ceremony. And you can tell that everyone’s upset because they have lots of people out there, including the press, but no groundhog."

Michael smiles. "Being the civic-minded people we were, we returned the groundhog. By this time the animal was a little upset at being kept in a pet carrier."

"When we let it out near the mayor, he preceded to bite him and anyone else he could get his paws on. You should’ve seen it, all the important townspeople knocking over chairs as they ran."

"Which wasn’t as funny as them slipping and falling in the mud. Or the guy who shoved his wife at the groundhog before taking off."

"You’re lucky you didn’t get caught," says Tess, smiling. "You could’ve with all those camera crews."

"Nah, your boyfriend distracted everyone by giving a speech on the evils of animal abuse," says Kyle. "They only turned away from Michael when the mayor started screaming."

"They turned around to see him beating at the groundhog," says Michael. "To be fair, the thing had one hell of a grip on his leg with its teeth."

"I suggest you keep this quiet," says Isabel. "If they catch you-"

"We have an alibi," says Kyle. "The two of us, Chuck, Dave, and Rick were watching movies with you guys last night. Only reason we were at the ceremony is because Michael had never went."

"Since when did we become your alibi?"

"You don’t wanna see us get in trouble, do you?"

"There’s the warning bell," says Tess. "See you later." She and Michael leave Isabel and Kyle arguing.

"Did you and Isabel have fun last night?" asks Michael as they stop at his locker.

"Yeah, we’re going shopping this weekend. Valentine’s day is less than two weeks away."

"I know, I already have somethin’ special planned."

"Really?"

"Really. It’ll be a night you won’t forget."

Tess puts her arms around Michael’s waist. "You don’t have to, I don’t need anything but you."

Michael leans down and kisses her. "You don’t mind if I surprise you anyway, do you?"

Tess smiles, shakes her head, then pulls him into another kiss.

A minute later, a teacher taps Michael on the shoulder. "Public displays of affection are prohibited, don’t let me catch you again. Now get to class, the bell’s about to ring."

Tess recognizes the look on Michael’s face. She quickly takes his hand and drags him down the hall. "If you get detention, we can’t make out before you have to be at work."

Michael glares back at the teacher. "Good point."

***************************************

Next up, "Love Notes", a Valentine’s Day tale.

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