Author: DocPaul

Author email: DocPaul2002@yahoo.ca

Rating: R

Spoilers: After Destiny, no spoilers.

Disclaimer: Hit and Run, baby. I came, I saw, I took for a drive.

Warnings: Well that would be telling.

Summary: Set around Halloween the fall after Destiny, the Scooby gang goes to help Alex and a friend of his.

Author’s note:  I wrote this story as a special Halloween special. Don’t worry, it’s not that scary, and it is based on a real life haunting story from my life…with some alterations. Special thanks to Sheila for looking at this.

LIVING IN THE LEGEND

For Grace 

Maria sat in the back, watching cactus stickmen rushing by, wanting to be anywhere, but here. As usual, she was stuck in the back between stone-cold alien boy and destiny want-a-be alien girl. It would’ve been nice if someone turned up the heat, because sitting between these two was more freezing than a water bra at subfreezing temperatures. Maria could feel the length of Michael’s leg along her own and it was leaving her leg burnt. You would probably think that the burn is due to the sexual tension, the mutual lust, and the power of cheese? But no, it wasn’t. It was, the burn that you would've gotten from frozen ice. A stupid burn, because unlike fire, you didn’t realize the danger until it was too late, and you had left yourself exposed for far too long. Burnt.

Who was the poet that wrote that some say the world would end in fire, and some say ice, and from what he had seen of hate, ice would suffice? You got to love a poet that still rhymes even after being misquoted. It’s not that Michael hated her, but he hated the situation. He hated caring, when it would be so much more convenient to not care, to follow a destiny written by unemotional dead people over fifty years ago, or even just not to feel anything. He told her not to miss him, so Maria was trying, really trying even though she knew he still watched her. She could feel his want. But what she didn’t know was whether he still loved her? He was so cold and it was doubtful his heart has felt warmth in months. Served soldier boy right.

Max looked in the rearview mirror, watching expressions rush across Maria’s face. He should’ve made her sit up front with him. He could see how close she was forced to sit next to Michael, and Michael was turned away looking out the window. Winter was going to be cold.

It was only fall and for all practical purposes, it might as well be dead of winter. Maria deserved a break. Max saw the highway sign announcing a service area in twelve more miles. Time to change things around. For the last two hours since leaving Roswell, Michael and Maria had fought non-stop. It was just in the last ten minutes that they both quieted down.

Liz should’ve been there. It wasn’t right to be racing across New Mexico on an adventure and Liz was missing. They tried to convince her to come, but she refused. The excuse of work and stuff was getting on Max's last nerve.

It was the new code word for avoiding Max Evans. Maybe if he sat outside her window every night, wrote her love poetry or even sent her tokens of his affections, she would let him back into her life. Maria kept telling him that it wasn’t his fault. That Liz made the choice and groveling wasn’t necessary, but actually pathetic. But, even though, Maria could express the sentiment, she didn’t really believe it anymore than he did.

It was never about who was right or wrong, who left and who stayed, or even what was meant to be and what was not. It was about love, finding that one special person who somehow made your heart lighter, where something as simple as jello, becomes a gourmet dessert, and that feeling that as long as you were together, everything would be all right.  Oh God, they were at it again, six more miles, just six more miles.

“Would ya move your leg?”

“Move my leg? It’s a tiny little leg. Your stupid pegs takes up more room than mine. I can barely move an inch, and that’s not good. You know, when one expects to be in close quarters with others, it’s just common courtesy to bathe.” Michael practically growled at her. Maria moved her leg back as far as she could and ended up swinging her arm and hitting Tess in the chin.

“Oh! Ouch!”

“Oh God, sorry Tess. That was an accident.”

“It’s okay. Just a clip, but it would be nice to be able to breathe here.”

“Sorry, Mr. ‘I need then entire back seat just for my legs’ is hogging the room again.” She turns back to look at Michael. “Shove it over, soldier boy. The rest of us need room.”

“I’m over as far as I can go. If you’d stop plastering yourself all over me, maybe we could all relax.”

“I’m not plastering myself all over you. That ship has sailed, bucko. So stop your whining and give us some space.”

“I don’t know why I’ve always get stuck next to you. I don’t want to be anywhere near you. This really sucks.”

“Keep telling yourself that over and over. Tell yourself that I don’t affect you and maybe even you’ll begin to believe it. Right.” Maria took the opportunity of the next bump in the room to causally fall against Michael in a very indiscrete place. Michael’s low growl of anger with his pushing Maria out of his lap was followed by a soft chuckle.

“Sorry, accident. So you may not want me near me, but it would appear other parts of you still miss me.” Michael opened his mouth to give a hot response of denial, but before he could utter the comeback, Isabel tossed herself into the breach.

“Would the two of you just shut up? This trip’s only another hour; at this rate, it might as well be an eternity. This constant sniping and bickering is too sickening for words. Give it a rest.”

“We’re not bickering, Isabel.” Max looked in the rearview mirror in shock at Michael’s words and he had to join the snort of disbelief from both Tess and Isabel.

“Please Michael, not bickering? It’s all you two do. It was the arrangement of the seats first, the amount of luggage Maria was bringing, the scent she’s wearing, your scratchy sweater, her heel in your ankle, her conveniently losing gum in your hair, the swearing, the not so causal sticking out of your tongues, you spilling your drink on her jacket, Maria’s flying arms almost knocking Tess out, three pit stops, a fight over a burrito, and argument about the origin of the name of the last three towns we drove through, and the cat fight over the last bottle of water, which will lead to just another pit stop.”

“Hey, no one person needs three large heavy bags for a long weekend in the country and the burrito was mine.”

“No it wasn’t. You ate yours on the way back to the jeep, and you only bought one. You always eat the beef and bean combo, and you might have noticed that the burrito you stole was a nice vegetarian bean burrito.

“I didn’t eat it. I’m wearing it.”

“That’s not my fault. We hit a bump. I was trying to save my dinner, not push it into your face.”

“Really? So the putting your other hand behind my neck wasn’t meant to help push it harder into my face?”

“Nonsense, I was just trying to find something to grab onto, and since you’re so sadly endowed, I had to take what was available. And by the way, there’s still some beans hanging out between your sweater and your neck.” Maria’s mouth started to smile.

Michael reached up to feel along his sweater’s collar, and sure enough, refried beans were there. Palming the beans, Michael hefted them in his hand contemplating pelting Maria with them. It was the outstretched hand of Isabel that stopped him.

“No you don’t. Give them here, now.” Isabel foot stomped down on the floorboard in the front seat in frustration. “Now.”

Michael handed the offending beans to Isabel giving Maria a dark look. She shrugged it off without a thought. He wasn’t going to affect her anymore. If he wanted her back in his life, he was going to have to come up with the word love, anything less was unacceptable. He was going to have to work his ass off to get in her good graces and all these transgressions were starting to add up.

Michael looked over at her and glared. She needed a spanking for how often she tried to get his goat, to rile him up. He wasn’t going to give her a clue that all she need do was sit next to him and softly brush up against his body to get a reaction. Being Maria, she did the minimum and then some. It was the extra some that was driving him insane. He needed her far away and safely out of harms way, but her new friendship with Max and even her girly bonding with Isabel kept her in the loop when he would have severed the ties. The group of them just wasn’t cooperating with him.

Every day he could feel the fear and danger closer and all it took was to look up and see her standing there, laughing there, and God help him, dancing there right in the path of destruction. At night, he dreamt of her dead and himself alone, the living dead walking all hollowed out without a heart or warmth, but too stupid to not just lay down and die. In his dreams, he walked an eternity alone, like some space vampire never to see the light of day or the warming of the sun’s rays ever again. If she was safe and away from him, there was a chance that someday he could find her again, live a life with just her, but that wouldn’t happen if she were dead.

Michael felt his body swerve as Max pulled the jeep into yet another service stop. Lost in his own dark thoughts, his own deep fears, his body accidentally bumped into Maria. Without thought or even noticing her hand came up to steady him with her small hand stroking his lower arm and leaving with a gentle pat. She never noticed his increased heart rate, the catching of his breath, the dilation of his eyes, or the small show of his tongue as it came out to moisten his suddenly dried lips.

Michael looked up to find himself caught in a stare with a confused looking and very aware Isabel. He watched her look at him and then Maria, and then come back to him again. Her face almost animated and grew more alive as understanding hit her full forced. She in two seconds of unguarded viewing seemed to understand the dilemma of Michael’s resolve. He shut his eyes for just a moment to regroup his runaway emotions to open them to a look of gentle understanding and compassion in Isabel’s eyes. It was that look that bothered him as much as the little gleam something else that he could define. It just made him nervous.

He got out of the jeep to go use the facilities and gets another drink. Getting away from Maria, even for a moment was enough to bring his barriers back to full strength. Returning to the jeep, he finished fueling up as Max went in to pay. Max came back just as Michael put away the nozzle and was looking around to let Maria get back inside first. He faltered when he watched Max grab his Maria in a hug and whisper softly spoken words in her ear. Her laughter, watching her hands move over Max’s body in a touch that to him looked more than just friendship, and her playful banter and reply offended him. He couldn’t help it. He may have a need to keep her away and safe, but having her pulled into danger and then flirting with Max Evans was too much.

“Can we get this stupid trip on the road sometime today?” Michael glared directly at Max and Maria watched their smiles melt off their faces.

“Sure Michael, we were just doing that. Maria, sit up front with me. Isabel won’t mind switching seats for the rest of the journey.”

Isabel knew that Max was just as tired as the rest of them listening to the arguing, but after seeing Michael exposed and vulnerable, she wondered if it wouldn’t be better to let them continue to storm. Eventually, Michael would break and come to realize that trying to protect Maria by encasing himself in ice was actually harming her worse than anything else. His coldness and acts of cruelty were creating wounds that couldn’t mend. Having Tess take the middle so she and Michael could have the outside Isabel decided to live with her new knowledge until later. Times were a changing.

~~~

“Are we almost there, Max?” Maria asked, not wanting to mention the size of her bladder.

“Yeah, just a few more miles. Can you look at the directions I wrote down for finding the place? They’re in the glove box on a piece of paper.”

“So, is this the one?” Maria finds a piece of paper with Max’s handwriting.

As he wrote down the directions, he had added doodles that spelt out Liz’s name. Max looked over slightly embarrassed. He forgot about his scribbling. Maria reached over and gave his arm a loving pat of comfort and comrade in arms sort of understanding. In the back, Michael saw the gesture and felt his insides clench up. He barely stopped the growl of anger from leaving his throat. This was an outrage. He didn’t give up Maria to have her snapped up by Max. Isabel was watching the interactions with interest.

Maria was happy to be away from the nasty Michael Guerin. He wasn’t really like that, but at times she was clueless to understand what motivated him to such a degree of harshness. Isabel watched the interactions continuing interest. Tess was quiet trying not to inspire Michael’s bad humor now that she was stuck sitting next to him. Maria was totally oblivious to Michael now that she was engaged in a fun conversation with Max. If it wasn’t for the constant interruptions by rude comments from the backseat, the rest could have sat back and enjoyed the ride and the conversation.

When they finally arrived at the Victorian style farmhouse owned by Alex’s friend Rick, the entire crew was more than happy to be out of the jeep. Since Maria moved to the front seat, Michael had become intolerable making snotty remarks and baiting Max until they were on the verge of a full scale war.

As they disembarked from the jeep, it was hard not to run screaming from the others searching for some peace and quiet. Alex was excited to see the group, but not as much as Isabel was happy to see him. Alex ran down from the front stoop where he had been waiting for them. Pulling Isabel into a quick hug, he was surprised the strength that she hugged him back. Reaching up she begin to whisper things into ear. Alex’s eyebrow went up as he casually glanced over at the others. Whispering back to Isabel that they would talk later, he led her over to the group.

“Hey, thanks for coming, all of you. Where’s Liz?” Alex looked among them expecting to see his friend, but she was absent.

“Sorry Alex, Liz couldn’t get away for the weekend. She was already scheduled to work and stuff.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I’m just glad you guys came. This is some interesting stuff, but truthfully, I was kind of wigging out over being in this house alone with just Rick. It gets creepy at night and so maybe having more bodies in the place will liven it up a bit.”

“Alex, I thought your friend lived with his girlfriend, Sue” Maria asked.

“Long story. Let’s get you settled in and then I’ll tell you the story over dinner. You guys are in luck. My buddy Rick spent a summer working in Alaska at a resort as a cook, so he’s going to feed us some decent stuff. Come on. I’ll introduce you.”

The group grabbed their bags and Max took Maria’s extra bag for her to help out since she had three. He was shocked to look up to see Michael’s scowl at him, and even more surprised to see Michael grab the remaining two. Maria wasn’t paying attention to the group or her bags. She was frozen in front of the house looking up at the third floor attic dormer windows. As they moved towards the house, she actually moved back.

“Maria, what’s up?” Max asked looking back at her.

“I don’t think I should go in there. I don’t like this.”

“Will you stop being a drama queen and get inside? Your bags are too heavy to be carrying all day.” Alex frowned at Michael’s tone and looked worriedly in Maria’s direction. But, she was too busy watching the house. Tess came up next to her and took her hand and led her into the house.

“I know what you mean, Maria. It kind of creeps me out, too. My first instinct was to leave.”

“Exactly. But did you smell the flowers? How can there be any flowers this late in the season and fall?”

“There’s no smell of flowers, you’re letting you imagination carry you away.” Michael said letting his irritation show on his face.

“I smelt verbena.” Michael looked at her and then at the house. He could almost swear that the curtain in the attic moved. Maybe it was Alex’s friend, Rick.

When they entered the house, a tall thin young man came towards them wiping his hands on a kitchen towel. He was dark haired and wearing glasses with a friendly smile. The house smelt great. It was the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon in the air that made Isabel stop a take a big sniff. If that was dinner then she was starving.

“Hi, I’m Alex’s friend, Rick.”

“Rick, this is Maria, Max, Michael, Isabel, and Tess. Do you want me to show them where to put their stuff or is it time to eat?”

“No, you have time to show them the rooms and let them wash up. Dinner won’t be ready for another half hour. I hope none of you’re opposed to fish? I made a fresh Halibut in cream sauce with dill, wild rice pilaf with fresh asparagus and pumpkin custard for desert.”

“That sounds great. I can’t wait to eat. Let’s go put away this stuff and meet back down here.” Alex led the group upstairs showing them their rooms. Luckily, the house was large enough that the bedrooms were huge. They fixed a room just for the girls with a large king size bed and a nice lounging sofa. Michael and Max were given a room with twin bunk beds and a view of the back garden. There was a joining bathroom between the two rooms with a lock to both rooms.

Isabel and the girls started to unpack and lay out their clothes. Tess decided to sleep on the lounging sofa since she was the shorter of the girls. By the time they unpacked they were already having a good time. Maria was sad that Liz wasn’t there to do this sort of girls weekend trip. She would have loved being alone in an old country house with Max and the others if only Tess and the destiny thing hadn’t happened. It was funny how things change.

“Max do you want the upper bunk or the lower one?”

“You take a pick.”

“Okay, I’ll take the lower bunk. I like the extra darkness.”

“Like your heart.”

“What?”

“Come on Michael, what has been bugging you all of this trip?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nothing is wrong with me.” Michael was twirling a pencil around his hand appearing nonchalant.

“So you’re okay with me and Maria dating, right?” Max quickly looked up at the sound of a snapping pencil and a black-faced Michael. “Thought so.”

“What do you mean, Maxwell?”

“What I mean is that it is obvious that Liz is avoiding me as much as you’re slapping Maria down. So why should the two of us wait around? Why let the two of you torture us?”

“So, does Maria agree with you?”

“I haven’t asked her yet, but I am going to. After having to put up with your crap, I should look like a present from heaven. Plus, the girl is a major honey. She’s beautiful, sexy, fun, loyal, and she doesn’t have a bad bone in her body. What’s not to love? You may think that you need to keep yourself free of entanglements, but I know that the best soldiers in the world have a love one waiting at home. They keep you focused. Remind you why you’re fighting so hard and what you have to come home to.”

“Max, I did not give her up…”

“Actually, yes you did. You were a fool, but as much as I care for you, I am not going to waste this opportunity. Your loss is going to be my gain. Sorry.” Max quickly left the room before a very angry looking Michael attacked him. He met Alex outside in the hall and it was the sound of something heavy hitting a wall that made them hurry down the stairs.

“What’s with Michael?”

“What’s not with him?”

“So, I take you told him about your wanting to date Maria?”

“Isabel? Isabel told you of my plan? Strange, she was very against it.”

“Not anymore. I think she’s starting to believe that Michael’s stubbornness is costing him more than he can afford to lose. She has yet to tell me the full deal, but she will.” Alex looked at Max in amusement. “So what happened on the trip up?”

“What didn’t happen? It was like watching some out of control Romper Room on PBS with demonic children from hell. They literally fought the whole time pushing each other’s buttons. I thought poor Tess was a goner a few times. Finally, I had Maria sit up front with me. She calmed down and started to enjoy herself, but Michael just became more biting and nasty.”

“Well, if you saw what I saw, you would know why.” The two young men looked up the stairs to watch Isabel descending to them.

“Spill it, Izzy. Let me and Max in on the newest information in the battle between the immovable object and the indestructible force.”

“He’s hurting. I saw it in his eyes when he accidentally leaned into her. She straightened him and he literally melted to her touch. Indifferent? The man is a walking nuclear devise and she holds his trigger switch. I think if we could keep them clashing into each other, kind of have him on edge, than he’s going to fall, loosen up.”

“Why him? Why not her?” Max asked softly not sure he wanted to push his brother that far. Michael had a hard life, he was unbreakable.

“Personally, I think that Maria is past letting him call the shots. She has made herself vulnerable to him, time after time, without much to show for it. If he wants her, he’s going to have to fight for her this time. He owes her that much, at the very least.” Alex said keeping his voice firm. Maria had suffered and gave up enough. It was Guerin’s mess. He needed to pay the piper.

“Well, I just told him that I want to start dating her, that since Liz is not going to return my affections, that Maria is my next choice.”

“Hmm, that is so flattering for Maria. Second choice? Don’t tell me he believed that load of crap?” Isabel walked through the house checking it out, letting the wonderful smells guide her towards the kitchen.

“Actually I told him that she was beautiful and too sexy for words. And, just because he didn’t need someone to come home too, that I was more than happy to have what he rejects, or something like that. I also mentioned that it should be a cakewalk to get her to fall into my arms since he was such a piss poor boyfriend that I’ll look like manna from heaven. It’s easy. He’s not thinking his most rational right now.”

“So that was the loud thump I heard against the wall. Glad you made it out of the room before he had beaten you bloody.”

“No worries. Let the games begin.” Alex looked at the brother and sister and whistled under his breath.

“This is going to be good times had by all. But remember Max; you’re the one who will be vulnerable to him tonight as you sleep. I suggest sleeping with one eye open.” Max paused in his tracks and looked at Alex with dawning trepidation.

~~~

Dinner was a delicious meal, but the company left much to be desired. Maria found a new conquest in Alex’s friend, Rick. They seemed to have a similar humor that kept feeding off of one another. He sat on her right, and after a slightly undignified scuffle with Michael, Max sat at her left. Michael was forced to sit across the table and watch her flirt and smile at both Rick and Max. He spent the entire meal with his hands fisted and his teeth clenched. It was a wonder that he hadn’t broken a tooth. Maria seemed oblivious to the dispute and Michael’s attitude. Michael hated that even more. Having Maria indifferent to him was worse than any physical blow.

It was finally after dinner that the group settled into the family room with cups of hot cider and pumpkin custard to discuss what prompted Alex’s phone call. They were all curious, but held back pressing for answers. It was Alex and Rick’s story to tell.

Michael had finally calmed down mellowed by a warm cup of cider which he appreciated both the sweetness and tartness with the added spiciness of cinnamon and cloves. Actually, his mood was improved by procuring a seat next to Maria on a lover’s settee. The entire side of his body was molded to hers and he would swear that their individual hearts were beating in union. Giving both Max and Rick smoldering looks, he made sure to stay at her side.

“So, is someone going to tell us the story?” Both Rick and Alex looked at each other before Rick finally nodded at Alex. It may be Rick’s story, but the group was Alex’s friends so Rick decided to let Alex start to tell the tale.

“It started last week.” Alex looked over at Rick quickly when he made a gesture. “Well actually it started longer than that, but for me only last week.”

Rick got up and went to refill everyone’s cider as Alex began laying the groundwork. Isabel watched Rick for a moment then quickly stood up and followed him out of the room. When they returned moments later, she was laughing with him and helping to carry refreshments into the room.

“Rick inherited this house from his great aunt. We use to play together in a band a few years ago when I was first starting to play. Rick’s family lived next door and he already had an established group that he jammed with. They let me join in at times. Anyway, Rick here still plays gigs so when this house was left to him with an income from the surrounding lands, he and his girlfriend Sue moved in. At first the other band members would flop here weeks at a time, but over time that occurred less and less until all that was left was Rick and Sue.”

“Sue and I didn’t mind living here alone. But the more and more our friends avoided the place, the more we noticed how strange the house was. Sue noticed it first. The house has cold spots and dampening fields.” Michael sips more of his cider and moved in liking the warm feeling the cider left inside. Strange he never tried cider before. It was great.

“What do you mean by dampening fields?”

“There are areas in the house where electrical appliances will not run. Most noticeably is in the room above us, the one the girls are in, there is an area over by the window, in the corner that you can’t vacuum. As soon as the vacuum hits that area it stops running, the same happens for electric lights and stuff.”

“No!” Max and Michael both moved even more on the edge of their seat.

“Cool. Let’s go test it out.”

“Later Michael, let’s let them finish the story.”

“Wait. You’re telling me that the room that Isabel, Tess and I are sleeping in has this dampening thingy thing?”

“Don’t worry pumpkin, I’ll protect you.” Maria turned to quickly look at Michael in horror. What was his deal? Pumpkin? He just gave her a gentle smirk keeping her plastered to his side. Isabel watched with a small discrete smile shared with Alex.

“Alex. Come on, you and Rick finish the story.” Max leaned forward and grabbed some peanuts from a bowl eating them. He looked at them strangely until he reached into his back pocket pulling out Tabasco sauce and spreading some on the other peanuts. Much better. Both Isabel and Tess reached for some too. Rick watched in interest. Kooky.

“Anyway, we noticed the cold spots. One of the worst was in the upstairs joint bathroom. Sue hated taking a bath in there because no matter how much you turned up the heat or even added a space heater, it just stayed cold.”

“Is that the bathroom that our room shares with the guys?”

“Yes. You’re in the master bedroom and the bathroom joins to the other room which use to be a sort of nursery.”

“So Max and Michael are sleeping in the old renovated nursery?” Isabel tried to keep from laughing out loud. “How appropriate.”

“Anyway, after a few months things started to get really intense. Sue and I started fighting more and more. It really was about stupid things, but somehow it always got out of hand. Little things were driving me crazy. I thought she was cheating on me, which was stupid. We lived in the same house, played in the same band, and literally were joined at the hip twenty-four seven. Thinking she was unfaithful was just demented.”

“Sue started feeling the stress, too. She started to think that Rick didn’t love her. She called me a few times convinced that he was possessive and trying to keep her imprisoned in the house.” Alex said as he took his seat next to Isabel.

“Then the dreams started. At first they were just an uncomfortable feeling you got when you woke up. You couldn’t remember the dreams, but somehow you knew that you were having them. I just felt disturbed.”

“Rick called me because Sue started acting more and more afraid of him.”

“It was subtle at first. I didn’t notice it at first except to know that both of us were avoiding a knife, a large knife in the kitchen. For weeks, we'd dance around that damn knife. Neither of us wanted to touch it, but whenever we were in the kitchen it was all we could look at.”

“Then they started remembering the dreams.” Alex chimed in keeping Rick focused.

“I dreamt that I was married to Sue, that she was my reluctant young bride who had been forced to marry me because of a land deal between her father and myself. She was found with a young lover and was committing adultery in my very own house, in my very own bed.”

“Sue was having similar dreams, but different. Rick was her husband, but he was cruel and vicious. He locked her in the house, sometimes in the closet. He punished her when she was bad which usually meant that she didn’t clean the house to his standards or cook a meal he wanted. His neighbor’s son was hired to help around the house, a sort of handyman. He noticed the suffering young woman and encouraged her to leave her husband, to get free.”

“The man became more and more convinced that his wife was being unfaithful. He started staying home and hiding from his wife to watch her with the handyman. His jealousy and rage became stronger and stronger.”

Max and the other realized that the dream Rick and Sue were having stopped being about them and suddenly they were telling a story about different people. Strangers.

“The wife was enjoying the company. Never in her life was she allowed to keep friendships with single young men. Her father was a sort of puritan. Despite her reserve, she was becoming so involved in this new friendship that the thought of giving it up and going back to a life of loneliness was inconceivable.” Alex didn’t seem to notice he was pulled into the flow of the story.

“So what happened? Did she really sleep with the handyman?” Maria moved forward on the settee letting Michael move closer in behind her. He was starting to worry her. It might be her imagination, but she thought he smelled her hair. Reaching for Michael’s cider in front of her, Maria took it and handed it back to him. “Here, drink your cider.”

Michael took the cider from her with a quick kiss to her cheek. He seemed to miss her look of shock at his gesture. Wrapping his left arm around her waist, Michael pulled Maria almost into his lap. Taking her hands she reached down tried to pry his arm from around her. Turning, she met his eye with a look of total confusion.

“What, honey?”

“Honey? What happened to stonewall soldier boy?”

“God you’re so beautiful when you’re being funny.” Michael grabbed at Maria again with her trying to avoid him.

“Michael? Do you and Maria want to hear the rest of the story or not?” Isabel and Alex looked over at the couple.

“Of course, continue Alex. Rick?” Maria finally gave up trying to push Michael off her and just settled back to listen to the story.

“The man stayed and watched for days until one day, he went into the house and found them together in the master bedroom. Story is that they were in bed together, but in truth the handyman was on a ladder in the corner by the open bay window changing the holding turret for the gas light. The young wife was steadying the ladder. When he entered his room, he was outraged that his wife would be alone in their bedchambers with a single young man and he charged them. Hitting his wife first, she bumped into the ladder and the young handyman fell from the ladder out the window. He died on the pavement below. I think you can still see the blood on the walkway.” Rick said as he refilled the bowl of nuts.

“What of the wife? What happened to her?” Tess reached into the bowl of nuts to munch a few more.

“She rushed to the window leaning out to catch the young man, but alas was too late.” Rick stopped to look over at Alex who was snickering. “What?”

“Dude, you said alas!”

“Shut up. Anyway, horrified at the unnecessary death she fell to the ground near the window crying out of control. Her husband still enraged ran down the stairs and outside to see if the young man was still alive. He was barely breathing, but still alive. Quickly, the husband rushed into the kitchen and grabbed up a large butcher’s knife. Returning outside, he stabbed the youth many times. Taking the knife upstairs, he went to his wife and stabbed her repeatedly.”

“Oh my God! Did the authorities put him to death for the murders?” Maria’s mouth was open in horror at the acts of violence.

“What murders?” Rick said nonchalantly.

“Rick, the murders of his wife and the young man?” Maria looked at Alex’s friend and realized he was a born story teller, pausing for dramatic effect.

“No. He was a great, great, great uncle of mine on my father’s side, and the story goes that his young wife and the neighbor’s son ran away together and was never heard of again. What they forgot to mention was that the neighbor’s son was betrothed to a distant cousin of his whom he adored. It was his love for his future wife that made it hard for him not to befriend the lonely woman and encourage her to find a better life for herself.”

“So if that is the official story, then how do you know the truth, or what is even the truth?” Isabel asked as she moved even closer into Alex.

“I’ve dreamt it every night for over three months. It’s like the house wants me to know.”

“So basically you’re saying that this house is haunted by someone? Either one of the murdered victims or both or the evil husband himself?” Max asked.

“No, what I am saying is that this house has a history of its inhabitants finding reasons to distrust each other, to have desires to harm one another, and to fear a knife.”

“That is where I came in. Last week, Rick and Sue ended up at my house. They were both just short of hysterical. They both had a terribly graphic dream that Rick killed Sue with a knife. It wasn’t the story of the old owner and his young wife anymore. It was about them. They went into the kitchen and the knife was there waiting. Rick could hardly stop his need to pick it up. He told Sue to run and get into the car. The both of them fled the house and Sue has yet to return.”

“Alex was being a good friend to come back here with me. I couldn’t just leave the house standing empty. We had left too fast that Sue had nothing, none of her clothes or anything.”

“And actually, the story didn’t end there. I opened my door over five days ago to find them on my doorstep unannounced. They both were pale and upset, but Sue was crying and shaking. I sat them down and we were making hot drinks when the phone rang. We were alone in the house so I left Rick making hot tea and answered the phone. The call was a man asking for Sue.”

“We had just left our house hysterical and distraught. We told no one where we were going or to whom we were going to see. No one knew about Alex. We originally came here because I was heading home to my parents next door, but I had forgotten that they were traveling out of state until next week.”

“Anyway I ask the man who he was and he says that he was Sue’s brother Joe. I hand the phone over to Sue and she takes it and talks to the man.”

“She says, “Joe? Joe how did you get this number? The man answers back, “Sue, I need you to come home to Chicago immediately. I need you to get on the first plane without question.” And Sue looked at us and shrugged. “Why Joe? Why do I need to come home?” Her brother answers her, “Sue, I dreamed that Rick killed you by stabbing you to death with a knife. You must come home, away from him, and away from that house.” Sue became hysterical again and I took the phone and talked to her brother for a few minutes. Twenty minutes later, we put Sue on a bus to Albuquerque to catch a plane home to Chicago.”

“How did he know? How did the brother know your number Alex?” Isabel frowned feeling the rising of a chill.

“We don’t know. He just picked up the phone and dialed the numbers and asked the person who answered for Sue. He didn’t even know the number he was calling. All he knew was that if his sister didn’t leave immediately, he would never see her alive again.”

“God, what are you going to do now?” Tess asked as she too rubbed her arms to warm them from the chill.

“I already made arrangements this week to shut down the house. Packers will come in on Monday and pack up our stuff. I am moving to Chicago. She found us an apartment there. The rent and income from the surrounding farmlands will cover the fees of having a caretaker keep an eye on the house and pay our rent in Chicago. My great aunt who left me this house never lived in it herself. She hated the place. Unfortunately the land is entailed and cannot be sold outside of the family as long as there is a family member left. So the house just keeps on being passed on through the generations.”

“So Alex, you find this haunted house that has cold spots, dampening fields, and a history of murderous intent and you call us to join you. Why is that?” There had to be more. Something that involved the aliens, or Alex wouldn’t have insisted. Max patiently waited.

“Actually, you all should be fine. As far as I can tell, the house takes a while to really start working on you. I’ve been here over five days and except for feeling a little wigged out, mostly it’s been fine. There was a reason I called you specifically. According to Rick, this little item was added to the house as a sort of engraved plaque over forty years ago. The exact reason or who put it there remains a mystery, but I thought you would be interested in the symbols. You probably didn’t notice it on your way in because of the lighting and lateness of day. Rick, grab the flashlight.”

Alex led the group out the door while Rick stopped to get the light out of a drawer in the hall table. He followed them outside on the front stoop and down the front steps. Taking the flashlight, he turned to shine the light along the front porches pillar.

“You really can’t see the symbols, but you can feel them. They are like engraved in the wood and have since been painted over.”

“Rick, dude, why don’t you go on back into the house? It’s getting late and you promised Sue you would call her tonight. We’ll be in with you in just a few minutes after I let everyone feel the symbols. We might have to wait until the light of day.”

“Thanks Alex, I almost forgot about making the call. Hey, I would turn on a porch light but it is one of the natural dampening fields. Nothing electrical works here. If the flashlight doesn’t work, let me know and I will find some candles.” Rick left to go back into the house.

Alex handed the flashlight over to Max and gestured Michael closer to the column. Max fussed with the flashlight but it wouldn’t turn on. Leaving it on, he walked a few feet down the front path until suddenly the light came on. As he slowly approached the front porch, the light went out. There was a point where one step forward meant no light, and one step back brought the light back on.

“Michael, here along this post. I think you can light the symbols like you did in the cave on the reservation.” Michael stopped watching Max for a movement and moved his hand over the post. Three symbols lit up in a fluorescent green. It had symbols like the ones in the cave. One looked familiar to Michael. He was positive he had seen one of them for sure in the book.

“I thought you’d want to see this.”

“Max, what does it mean?” Max looked at Tess and finally at the rest. Nasedo must have placed the alien symbols there. It must have been years ago when he was traveling in the area.

“I don’t know. None of us have learned or remember the language. Michael is the closest to having translated some of the symbols, but that is all. Why would Nasedo leave a message here that can only be seen with our powers?”

“Maybe there’s a clue in this house? Something he left it here for us to find all those years ago?” Michael said looking up at the large spooky house. He was feeling it too.

“That’s why I called you. Rick has no problem with you looking around in the different rooms, the attic, or even the basement. Since the place will be locked up after Monday, I thought you might want to do it while you had the opportunity. Otherwise, we would have to break in and take risks being caught. This way we have the owner’s permission and don’t have to worry about being arrested. Rick just thinks that you guys are interested in the weird crap going on in the house.”

“There it is again. That smell of verbena, and flowers. Does anyone else smell it?” Maria’s arms hugged her body and she ran them up and down as if she were cold.

Tess takes a large breath. “I smell it, too. It’s kind of faint, but it’s there.”

“I smell it, too. Do any of you guys smell the flowers?” Max, Michael, and Alex shook their heads no. Isabel just frowned. It was there. Faint, but there.

“Look, it’s getting late. Let’s go inside, help Rick clean up and call it a night. Tomorrow we can investigate these cold spots and naturally dampening fields while searching the house for documents. We might want to scan the walls for stash places that Nasedo might have hidden something for us.” Max didn’t want to admit to the increasing uneasiness, so it felt best to get in from the cold.

The group agreed and moved back into the house. Michael paused and looked back at Maria. She was still rooted to the place where she stood looking up at the bay window of the room, she was sharing with the other girls. He looked at the flagstone and could see the seeping red of blood under her feet. Rushing forward, he grabbed her in his arms and pulled her away from the area. Looking down at the ground again, the bloodstain was gone.

“I’m scared.”

“I know. Just stay close, okay?”

“There was blood on my shoes just a second ago.”

“Maria, don’t worry, it was just an illusion, a hallucination of the mind. Stay close to me and I’ll protect you.”

“I thought you wanted me to stay away from you?” Maria frowned. Could two people have the same hallucination?

“I changed my mind, okay? I don’t want you to wander this house alone. Do you understand? Take someone with you, everywhere you go. It’s only for a few nights and a day. We leave early on Sunday.”

“What’s got into you tonight? You were different.”

“Nothing’s wrong with me. I was just feeling relaxed and it was nice to be close to you without fighting. I miss you now and again.”

“Now and again?”

“Okay, maybe more like all the time.”

Michael paused as he confessed that to Maria. What the hell was wrong with him? It was like this house was removing his natural reserve, taking down the barriers that he normally hid behind to protect himself. All he knew was keeping Maria close; smelling her, holding her seemed like an imperative. Maria smiled at him suddenly and moved as close as possible enjoying the dark front stoop, and the fact that they were alone for the first time in days.

“So you’re saying that I can affect you still, maybe just a little?”

“You effect me a lot.” Pulling her into his chest taking her head into his hands he lifted her head and kissed her hard and long. Tasting in her mouth, everything about the woman he loved with every fiber of his being.

"God..." he whispered, when their lips parted. "I missed this..."

Maria snickered. Staying close to him, they re-entered the house when the others called out their names. Isabel and Alex watched the two coming into the house. They were already so much closer.

“How much did you use?”

“Not much, just a dropper full per cup. It’s working. He’s unwinding enough to let her in, to make some amends. It’s good to see him out of control around her, actively pursuing her.”

“Well, let’s cool it for the night. Tomorrow’s another day. So if I walk you upstairs, will you tell me the sorry tale of your trip up here?”

“Sure. It was interesting in some parts. I like the way Michael lost his breath and became all sweaty all over when Maria unconsciously touched him. The boy has it so bad and he lets what he considers his duty stand in the way. I don’t know who’s suffering more, him or Maria? All I know is what good is duty when you never get anything you want? There has to be a compromise.”

“We can work on it tomorrow.”

~~~

“This is your fault!”

“Let me go! I didn’t start this. I didn’t ask for it. You’re to blame. You and your damn love will kill us all. I hate you, hate you!”

“This is for you.” He plunged the knife deep into her chest feeling the sternum crack beneath the pressure, surrendering to the blade. He stood holding her up watching the shock and pain slowly ease away as the dead eyes became more opaque. “Tess! No. Forgive me.”

Max was startled awake. His stomach was sick and sweat covered his body. The room was dark and he could hear Michael in the bunk under him thrashing in his sleep. The dream felt real, so real that he could almost still feel the sticky wetness of the blood on his hands. Rubbing his hands over his face, he could smell the sickly sweetness. The nausea and sickness was racking his body as he listened to Michael moaning in his sleep. He was used to the unrest that Michael tended to experience, but this was different.

In the next room, Tess’s eyes opened staring up at the ceiling. Her heart was beating fast and her breath staggered in her lungs trying to find cleansing breathes. Rubbing a hand over her chest as if it pained her, she gathered the covers closer to her body. Tess tried to make herself more inconspicuous and small, hoping that daylight would chase the horror away.

~~~

“You promised me. I asked no more from you, but that you be honest.”

“I was honest. I gave what I could and no less.”

“No less? Yes, no less, but no more either. You’re using me. You’re using me to avoid facing what haunts you, the reason that you can only be alone. I’ll not be used.”

“I’m not using you. I only want you, only you.”

“Lies. It’s all lies. They stick in your throat, but it’s me that is choking on them.”

“No! Please listen?”

“Liar!” Her screams of terror echoed in his ears as the sound of the blade making purchase into her flesh made a sick-sucking noise. His arm tried to stop its motion, to cease the offense, but he kept on and on, stabbing her until the screams were only echoes in his brain.

Alex woke to the sound of his own horrified cries. “Isabel!” Sitting on the side of his bed, Alex’s head fell into his hands as he repeated over and over again, “What have I done? What have I done?”

“Alex?” He slowly looked up to see her in his doorway.

Only moments ago, she had awakened from the nightmare, her pain and guilt for holding him to her, and yet keeping him at arms length. Isabel quickly left the bed and the room almost running to Alex’s bedroom. She stood in the doorway watching his anguish as he held his own head in his hands trying to erase the memory.

Moving quickly to his side, Isabel took his head from his own hands and pulled it close to her abdomen holding him close. Slowly they made their way into the bed, sharing his bed, their warmth, and holding themselves together praying for daylight.

~~~

She walked to the house watching the upstairs window, knowing that the eyes were on her. Hearing the laughter and the singing, she moved up the stairs of the front porch. There on the post beside the stairs were the symbols brilliant and warning. But the smells of verbena, jasmine, and lavender called to her. Inside the air was warm and full of smells of spice and perfume. A sense of peace moved alone the stairs and she followed it upward. Pausing at the top, she looked down the hall seeing the open room, but the warmth stopped there. It was cold and harsh pulling her to the room, but the warmth behind her kept her in place.

“Don’t go in there.” She looked around. The words hadn’t been spoken, but she could hear them.

Moving to the small door that opened to the stairwell that led to the attic she could hear them. They were singing and talking, laughing about something that happened that day. They never left the attic anymore. It was the one haven they had from him. The light and warmth was too much to ignore. Walking up the stairs, she joined them smiling at the joy and welcome on their faces.

He ran down the path, but every step was like an eternity. The path was longer and longer, and the faster he ran the longer that path seemed. Finally reaching the stairs he could see the symbols, they were lit up and warning him. He tried to penetrate the houses defenses but the symbols kept him out like an invisible barrier. He couldn’t approach beyond the front steps. Desperate, he ran around the house to the back door leading into the kitchen. Entering the kitchen, he started through the room when he saw it, the knife. Grabbing it, he ran from the room.

The attic was light and alive with the wonderful smells of flowers. She could feel the peace there wash over her removing the taint of discomfort from the rooms below. Then she heard them.

“Let me go! I didn’t start this. I didn’t ask for it. You’re to blame. You and your damn love will kill us all. I hate you, hate you!” Tess? It sounded like Tess. She was angry, but mostly she was afraid. The fear was in her voice. Moving towards the door to head down the stairs, she knew that it was Tess. Warm hands held her back trying to keep her in the room.

“Don’t go. Don’t go.” Who said that? They tried to calm her and keep her safe.

“No! Please listen?” She paused. Was that Isabel? Her voice was sad, pleading and almost desperate. The sadness behind the voice was like a wounded animal. Then she heard the screams. It was both Isabel and Tess. Without thought, she ran from the attic following the screams, to the room at the end of the hall.

“Don’t go. Don’t go.” The voices pleaded following her as she ran. As soon as she entered the room, the door slammed shut. Turning quickly, she tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Banging and banging on the door, she called out, begging someone to open the door. The room became colder and colder. She wasn’t in there alone.

He took the knife with him and ran up the stairs. Hearing the door slam shut down the hall, he ran in that direction. Hearing her cries and begging to get set free, he reached the door. Pulling on the door trying to open it, even his powers couldn’t move it. It wouldn’t budge. Banging on the side he was on, trying to let her know that he was with her, that she wasn’t alone.

“Put down the knife. Don’t take it with you or you’ll hurt her.” Max? That was Max’s voice. He looked around to see where the voice was calling him. But, her cries and pounding on the door brought him back to the task at hand. Don’t be afraid. I’m coming.

“She doesn’t care for you. When Max asks her for date, she’ll say yes because she is already half in love with him. That’s why she keeps trying to turn you into a perfect Max clone.” The sneering voice told him.

“Shut up! You can’t have her. You can’t and Max can’t. She is mine.” He took the large knife and started banging on the door with it, stabbing it with emphasis. “I don’t share.”

“Get her out. Help her. Don’t listen to him. He’ll turn you to hurt her. If she dies here the house will keep her. Get her out.” He paused listening to Alex’s voice, but the evil voice was still in the background. It was telling him that she was unfaithful, that she was in love with another, that she never loved him.

Closing his eyes for a moment, calming himself, remembering her touch, he renewed his effort to get to her. Her fears grew and the voices became louder more insistent. Taking all his reserve for one final push, he crashed through the door.

She was cowering in the corner by the window crying with her head in her hands. Rushing to her side, he gently pulled her hands away. She looked up into his eyes, feeling relief that he had gotten to her. Pulling her into his arms and rocking her, he slowly stood to take her from the room. Suddenly they both paused looking down at the large knife on the floor at their feet. Horrified, they stared at each other.

~~~

Michael woke from the dream with his heart pounding. The sweat covering his body and the harshness of his breath was trying to clear the horror from his mind. He could still feel her in his arms, the knife in his hand.

“Did you use the knife?” Michael looked up at the bed above him as he heard Max’s voice in the dark.

“Yeah.” Rubbing his hands over his face, he rolled out of bed and sat on the side of the bed. “Did you dream, too?”

“Yeah.”

“Tess?”

“Yeah, Tess and Liz. I killed them both, Liz first because she wouldn’t let me into her life. Horrified I went to Tess’s and killed her for coming between Liz and me. I didn’t want to do it, but all I felt was rage and anger.” Max felt shudders run through his body at the thought of killing Liz and Tess in a murderous rage. “Did you kill Maria?”

“No. She was trapped in the house. It wouldn’t let her go. I used the knife to get through the door, but I kept feeling the need to punish her for holding me apart, for letting me push her away. I needed her to be stronger, to keep pushing me, because I wasn’t strong enough to make the choice. I needed her to ignore me when I said stupid things and not give up. She gave up on me, on us. She wanted to stay with them, the people in the attic.”

“You blamed her for walking away because you were a jerk?”

“Yes. I know it was stupid, but it’s what I was feeling. The rage was so strong.”

“But, you didn’t kill her?”

“No.”

Max paused taking that in. How. How could Michael find the strength to ignore the house’s evil taunts. “Why? Why did you resist?”

“It felt territorial like someone had entered my territory and was trying to steal what belonged to me. The bastard wanted her. He wanted my mate. He was trying to trick me into giving her up. He can’t have her. I won’t give her up. Not to this house, not to you, and not to anyone else. She belongs to me, and I don’t share.”

“Me? What the hell are you ranting about now?”

“Dating. You want to date her. It’s not going to happen.”

“Oh for Christ’s sake, I wasn’t going to really ask her out. Are you totally deranged? First, we don’t think of each other that way. She’s a friend, someone who understands me. Second, she wouldn’t even think about dating me, because she loves me, but she’s not in love with me. And finally, and though you don’t deserve it, she wouldn’t date me because she’s in love with you.”

Michael stood up in the dark room and headed for the bathroom door. “Where’re you going, Michael?”

“Check on Maria.”

~~~

Maria sat up in the bed, afraid and alone. Where was Isabel? She could just barely make out the figure of Tess on the lounging sofa. The dream was still with her and she could smell verbena and jasmine stronger than before.

Slowly getting out of bed, careful not to wake Tess, Maria let herself out of the room. Pausing in the hall outside Michael and Max’s room, she thought that she could hear their voices, but their conversation wasn’t clear enough to actually make out the words.

Wondering where Isabel was, Maria felt drawn to the small door down the hall. It had been closed earlier in the day and locked when she tried it before. The movement in the attic window intrigued her, but after the dream, she felt a need to go up there.

Tonight, the door stood open. Looking behind her quickly because she could feel the cold draft, she rushed the stairs to the attic, to warmth and safety. The door shut behind her, but she didn’t notice.

At the top of the stairs, she stopped to look at the room. It was light and warm and she was tired. Moving towards a large divan covered in a beautiful quilt she lay down and was asleep before she knew it, resting peaceful and without dreams. The pedal soft brush against her cheek went unnoticed, but here she was accepted.

~~~

Michael entered the room as quietly as possible, not wanting to waken or frighten the girls. He just needed to make sure that Maria was asleep and safe. The room was dark and from across the room, he could see Tess sleeping, but the bed was obviously empty. Moving to the bed, he placed his hand on the bed, on side was cold and the other still felt warm to the touch. The warm side smelt of flowers, a strong perfume of them and Maria. Maria. Michael jumped out of his skin as a hand touched his shoulder. Looking behind him stood Max. Gesturing for silence the two men left the room and returned to their own.

“Where are Isabel and Maria?”

“I don’t know. Maria’s side was still warm, but Isabel’s was cold. I think she left earlier.”

“Let’s go find them. We’ll quickly search the upstairs and then head down to the kitchen. Maybe they were hungry?” Moving outside of their room they quickly went to Alex’s across the hall. Entering quietly, Michael was the first to see Isabel and Alex sound asleep in each other’s arms. Not seeing Maria anywhere, he quickly turned around and pushed Max out of the room before he saw his sister. Closing the door and literally pulling Max down the hall with him, Michael made a quiet sign.

“What? What was it Michael?”

“It was Alex and Isabel sleeping together.”

“What!” Max started back towards the room, but Michael grabbed him back detaining him.

“They were literally sleeping, Max. Isabel probably had a bad dream and went to find Alex. Just leave it till morning. We need to find Maria. Check that door there.” Michael motioned towards the attic door as he headed towards Rick’s room.

“She’s probably just sleeping in Rick’s room.” Michael looked at Max sharply and with anger. He rushed into Rick’s room to find the other man sound asleep and very alone.

Max swore under his breath as he tried the attic door. That was just plain mean. It wasn’t Michael’s fault that Isabel was sleeping in Alex’s bed. And after the dream that Michael had, it wasn’t perhaps the wisest thing to suggest that Maria was sleeping in another man’s bed. They quickly searched the entire house, but no Maria.

Both Michael and Max were very worried. After finding the kitchen empty, both quickly left it trying to avoid looking at the large knife sitting on the countertop waiting. It was time to wake the others to help find Maria. At the top of the stairs, Michael’s eyes were drawn towards the attic door.

“You checked the attic door?”

“Yes, it was locked. Maria and I both checked it earlier this evening. After seeing those symbols it was almost impossible to curb the desire to go check it out tonight.” Michael couldn’t explain it, but he felt the need to go upstairs to the attic. Moving to the door, he tried the knob. It opened under his touch. Looking back at Max in confusion, he saw his friend shrug and shake his head no in wonder. Quickly moving through the door he started up the stairs but paused when he noticed that Max was not following.

“Max? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think I can go up there right now Michael.”

“Don’t be silly. She has to be up here. Come on.”

“No. I’ll go back to bed in our room. I can’t come with you. I feel…uninvited.”

“What?”

“Look, you go, okay? If she isn’t there, come back to the room and let me know, and then we will wake the others. I just know that I can’t go up there tonight, but you can, so go. I’ll wait in the room.”

Max quickly moved down the hall back to his and Michael’s room. He knew somehow that Maria was up there, and that Michael would be the only one able to reach her. He closed his room’s door and went back to bed.

She was there in the attic which was softly lit with candles and smelling of honey, jasmine and other perfumed flowers. Maria was like a soft angel, one of God’s little fairies peacefully sleeping.

He went to her side and brushed his hand over her soft cheek. In her sleep, she smiled and softly breathed his name. Moving her away from the back of the divan, he slipped in behind her pulling her into his body and covering the both of them with the quilt. The last conscious thought he had before sleep pulled him under was that the lights were no longer on, and the attic was warm, quiet, and dark.

~~~

Maria woke to the smell of breakfast cooking and the gentle light of morning streaming in the dormer windows. The divan was cramped, more so than she remembered when she fell asleep on it last night. Stretching and turning around she was shocked to see Michael fast asleep behind her. Moving around and facing him, she rested against his chest and decided to enjoy the peace of being with him without the usual tension. He moved his arms to pull her even closer in his sleep. Before she fell back to sleep, she felt a small kiss on her brow.

Max stopped at the top of the stairs and watched them sleep. It was amazing how rested Michael looked, how incredibly at peace he was holding Maria in his sleep. After almost ten years of almost constant sleepovers, this was the first time Max could honestly say that about Michael.

Despite all the bickering and fighting, for the first time he thought, he finally understood what Maria saw, why she refused to back down despite how nasty Michael could be at times. She saw the person he was inside when all the rage and anger was gone and peace and silence took over. It wasn’t just the dark brooding Michael that she wanted, but the hidden gentle one inside, but the darkness was part of him so she accepted that part too.

Once upon a time Max too had someone that saw him, that knew him. Or though he thought. Liz was such a stranger to him right now. She walked away with his heart and he was waiting for sunlight to come back into his life. The horror of his dream last night was still haunting him. How could he feel so much rage against the greatest love of his life? How could he stab her even in his dreams? Even the rage and violence against Tess was a mystery.

Michael had resisted. He refused to give into the dark thoughts, maybe because he lived with so many of his own that the ones that the house created for him were child’s play. Michael was more stubborn than that. He saw the dreams as a way for something to take Maria away from him. He may push her away, but he would be damned if he would let someone or something else take her away from him. It must be the warrior genetics kicking in. He was incapable of backing down, giving up his territory.

“Michael? Michael?” Max watched Michael slowly coming awake. “Hey, breakfast? Rick says it will be ready in about half and hour.”

Michael gave him a nod and closed his eyes again. Sighing and watching them for another moment, Max went downstairs.

You spend so many years trapped alone in your own body with the only real companion being your own thoughts and mind. In Max’s mind, the entire Michael and Maria relationship was a fluke, more raging hormones and unfulfilled desires. Suddenly, in the light day faced with them stripped of their reserve and barriers, he saw them as they must see themselves together, and for once it finally made sense; they made sense.

“Did he say breakfast?” Maria’s voice was still groggy and husky from sleep.

“Um huh. You hungry?” Michael pulled her as close as he could get her, enjoying the rich warm smell of her on his body.

“Starved. Whatever Rick’s making, it smells like heaven.”

“You smell like heaven.” Maria held herself still basking in this tender Michael. This side was so rare, but not as rare as the others would have thought. Michael was different when they were alone at times. It was like he felt able to let some of his defenses down. The best philosophy was to enjoy those times. When the uncertainty of his life took over again, he would revert to type.

“Why are we up here?”

“I found you here last night. It seemed so warm and peaceful and you looked so content that I stayed with you.”

“I had a bad dream.”

“So did I.” Maria sat up a little away from him.

“What did you dream?” Michael reached for her hand that was resting on his chest and played with the fingers, rubbing them across his mouth.

“I dreamt that you were trapped in the house and I couldn’t reach you, that you were trapped in your room and my powers couldn’t free you.”

“So you used the knife and hacked at the door until you could break through?”

“Yes. Do you remember who was keeping you in the room, Maria?”

“No. But I do remember walking into the house and the symbols were warning me not to, telling me to stay out.”

“Yes, I saw them, too. But in my case, they barred me from the front door. I had to enter from the kitchen.”

“Michael?”

“Hmm?”

“I thought that you wanted me to stay away from you, that you didn’t want a chick waiting for you at home?”

“I know, and I did. But, things change, just give me some time to figure out what all this means, okay?”

“Okay.” Maria snuggled back on his chest. “Michael? Do any perks come with this waiting?”

“Yes, this.” Michael pulled her mouth to his, kissing her deeply, tasting what was essentially Maria. He missed the taste of her most, the feel of her mouth on his body and that rushing feeling that came with her hands on his flesh.

~~~

The group of them searched the house for the rest of the day. The guys spent the morning investigating the dampening fields that no electrical appliance could run in. It was too cool for words. It was kind of fun looking through the attic and cellar. The house had a large assortment of furniture and boxes and boxes of pictures and papers from previous owners. The podsters slowly searched the house moving their hands over the walls looking for a hidden cache holding something Nasedo may have left behind, but they found nothing.

Maria spent the day on the upstairs divan in the attic-reading journals that she found. Michael, Max and Alex were on the floor searching through papers and pictures. Tess and Isabel were busy with Rick going through chests and trunks full of old clothes. Many were lovely gowns. Both Tess and Isabel were wearing a dress they found. It was fun, almost like playing dress up.

“Maria, come over here and try a dress on. They are fantastic.” Maria looked up from the journal. Over the last hour she had lost herself in the story of Laura Chamberlain, the young ancestor of Rick’s that was thought to have run away with her lover, but instead had been murdered by her horrid husband.

Quickly wiping tears from her eyes before the other saw, she put down the journal and went to look at the dresses. Her eyes lit upon one of the most beautiful turn of the century period style dress she had ever seen. It was a dusky rose color silk with eyelet lace and brocaded mother-of-pearl bodice with an open upsweep neck and collar lined with a darker rose piping.  The undergarments were also fine linen and silk without the bustle so it would drape to form. The upper bodice was tight and form fitting ribbed in pleats without the added discomfort of ribbed whalebone support structure. Along side the dress was a beautiful Italian lace kerchief that served as an additional wrap.

“Isabel that dress is…”

“Yours. We saved it for you. Somehow, it looked like something that you should wear. We saved you these antique mother-of-pearl tortoise shell hair combs. You want to try it on?”

“God yeah, where are we changing?”

“Behind the privacy screen over in the corner. Just put your clothes with Tess’s and mine. Rick said that we could wear the gowns today and tonight if we wished.”

“I wish.” Maria moved behind the screen and changed immediately. The under slip fit perfectly, but she had no stockings or shoes, luckily the house seemed very warm up here in the attic.

The bathroom downstairs was a different matter. By the time she had taken her shower that morning her mouth was almost blue and her teeth were chattering. The room the girls were sharing wasn’t that much warmer. Grabbing a brush that Isabel and Tess had left behind the screen, Maria swiftly swept up her hair and fastened the combs into place. Coming out from behind the screen, the first thing she heard was Isabel’s startled gasp. The rest in the attic looked up from what they were doing to follow Isabel’s gaze.

Michael slowly got to his feet leaving his heart on the g