Author: DocPaul

Email: DocPaul2002@yahoo.ca

Rating: NC-17, or strong R. I’ve got rating issues.

Spoiler: After Crazy in season one.

Disclaimer: You know the drill. Not mine, but we all know better.

Summary: The connection lying dormant since the Balance suddenly activates under dangerous conditions, and the people involved in the connection, and the extent of the connection are surprising.

Author’s notes: Once again, I felt that our heroes should have an extra connection forged from the Balance and on. So we look at it again.

THE PAIN AND THE ECSTASY

Michael and Maria didn’t speak on their way home from the failed meeting with Topolsky. Neither knew how to feel about what had happened. Maria occasionally glanced over at his profile, stark in the light from the dash, his feeling hidden behind that wall of quiet isolation. Michael was being his usual self. The run and hide mode was coming on line. Maria could see the shadows hollowing out his face making it even more unapproachable than usual. The bruise from where Max hit Michael was beginning to show.

The lights of Roswell were gleaming on the horizon. Maria was never so happy to see her dead little town. All that mattered was that they were alive and well. They’ve survived another day, and yet, they were no nearer to discovering the answers to Michael’s quest. This journey of his was all consuming. It was affecting ever aspect of his life, especially his relationship with Maria.

How could he have let her come out there with him? Michael berated himself mentally. Her fear was a tangible thing. He could taste her sweat and smell of panic as it lingered in the air mixing with the same feelings coming from his own body. Michael never felt more out of control. His meeting with Topolsky had changed him. Somehow when she asked for his help, for his trust, a bond was created between them. He could feel her terror, her sincerity. He knew she was telling the truth. It was the magnitude of her sacrifice that moved him the most. She risked her own life to warn them, to help them find their home. Her only request to be taken with them out of harms way.

The despair in Michael increased as he realized that not only did he put Maria in danger, but also he failed Topolsky. He left her alone out there. Was she really deranged? Michael would’ve swore to the sincerity he felt when she told him about the other orb, and his gut instinct told him when she told him that this was their last chance, that she was speaking a truth as she knew it.

When Maria and Michael arrived at his apartment, Maria took out her cell phone and called her mother. Michael tried to appear to be doing other things, but he couldn’t help listening in to her call.

“Mom? It’s me. I’m going to stay out tonight with Liz. Is that okay?” She paused and listened. He always liked how she nodded her head in agreement with the person on the phone like somehow they could see her. “What time are you leaving tomorrow? Should I come home to see you before you go? Okay, then I’ll see you when you get back on Monday. Have a good time, and Mom? Be careful on the trip to and from, okay? If you need me just call my cell phone, I’ll leave it on for you.”

Maria disconnected her phone and then turned to look at Michael. His face was badly bruised where Max had hit him. It was going to be very painful in the morning. It was already starting to swell. Maria walked into the kitchen and opened the freezer. Putting ice in a dishtowel, Maria quickly wet it and went to Michael’s side. Pushing him down on the sofa, she raised his face and reached down to place a gentle kiss on his face and then lips. Putting the ice over the swelling, Maria pulled his head into her abdomen while gently brushing her hand through his hair. She could feel the tension leave his body as his body shuttered and a sigh left his lips. His arms came up around her waist to hug her tight to him.

This was so much harder than she ever imagined. Her body was a walking contradiction. Half the time her brain was telling her to run away, try to put all this alien crap behind her, and reclaim her own life. It hadn’t been much, but it had been hers. But then her heart spoke up telling her that this man was it, he was the one. Michael Guerin was hers, and through everything, she needed to stay strong, hold him close and not let him go. It was imperative. If she walked away she would lose more than she could ever know, and he would as well. Everything in her was telling her to protect and love him, so she gentled him and cared for his bruises.

Maria woke later in the night on Michael’s sofa with him wrapped around her. He was thrashing in his sleep. She fell from the sofa in a cry of pain. Michael sat up and screamed in pain echoing her own. His eyes met Maria’s from where she sat on the floor in confusion. They both folded over as another wave of pain hit them. Michael reached down and pulled Maria back onto the sofa and into his arms. They held each other tight while waves and waves of pain wracked their bodies.

“Michael? What’s this? Is this the pain you’re feeling?” Maria could hardly speak through clenched teeth as another wave of pure torture coursed through her body causing her to cry again and grip him even harder.

“No. It’s Topolsky. They’ve got her. She’s being tortured.” He didn’t know how or even why he knew it, or how it was possible that he and Maria had connected to Topolsky, but here it was, and it was happening. Looking at Maria, Michael realized that he wasn’t alone, that she was with him, and though he didn’t know how or why, he did know that he was glad not to live through this alone. It should have shamed him that he was happy to have her in hell with him, but somehow he couldn’t do that.

“Oh my God, Michael, they could’ve gotten you too. This is inhuman,” Maria cried as she doubled over in another wave of intense pain. “Why are we feeling this with her? Why?”

“I don’t know,” said Michael through clenched teeth. The pain was numbing to his brain. He couldn’t think and the waves were pushing him beyond his endurance. Looking down at Maria he realized that she was feeling everything he was just as intense. Her features were clenched and drawn. There was a fine sheen of sweat covering her body. Maria was so glued to Michael’s side that he could feel all her muscles as they moved and contracted to the abuse.

“I didn’t want to trust her, but the conviction of her words, the sincerity of her fear touched me. It was all the fears I’ve ever felt in my life magnified. The only other person who has ever seemed able to understand me has been you.”

Michael looked down to make eye contact with Maria. He saw the dawning of understanding in her eyes. She knew what he was and she understood. His own friends of a lifetime who shared a common bond with him didn’t understand Michael like Maria. Her trust in him was unfaltering, and unlike Max and Isabel, she looked deeper into his actions to understand what motivated him.

Another wave of pain racked their bodies. Neither could take much more. The rest was silence as both lost their grip on consciousness. Their bodies still feeling the pain and abuse, but their minds no longer allowing them to stay awake through it.

Twenty-four hours later, Maria woke sore and cramped with every inch of her body feeling abused and beaten. They had woken on and off through the ordeal, but blissful unconsciousness protected them each time. She could feel Michael’s sobs racking his frame as she lain upon him. Trying to see beyond the pain, she looked into his face and eyes making contact with him. His misery and guilt touched her deeply.

“What is it, baby?” The endearment just slipped out unrealized and almost unheard by Maria. She just knew an unwavering need to nurture and care for him, to gentle him. Running her hands over his body in comfort. Michael wasn’t one to cry easy.

“She died two hours ago. I felt Topolsky leave.” Michael could help but feel responsible. He should’ve listened to her when she was in his apartment. He should’ve made her stay and believed in her. But instead she left and they got her, got her, tortured her, and finally killed her. And he witnessed it all like an empathic voyeur unable to help or stop it. “God help me, Maria, she was so alone. She died alone and afraid.”

“No she didn’t. You were with her, and I was with you. She wasn’t alone, and she’ll never have to feel fear again. They can’t touch her or hurt her any longer.” Maria kissed him gently wiping away the tears. She knew that when he finally stopped feeling guilty the tears wouldn’t be something he would welcome. “Sometimes death is a blessing.”

“If I had just made it there before them. If I had listened to Liz when she first told us about Topolsky, maybe she would still be alive.” Looking at Maria directly, trying to make her understand the gravity of his failure. “I really fucked up this time Maria. Max is right. I’m worthless. All I do is put others in danger. I’m gonna get us all killed.”

“No. That’s not true. You’ve got to listen to me. It’s not true Michael.” Max the stupid Gestapo with his technique of blaming everyone but himself, and abusing those who’ve already been abused enough to ease his own conscience, to compensate for being ineffective. “Stop listening to Max and Isabel. They don’t know.” Pulling him to her, holding him in comfort and love, she was shocked at how deep her feelings ran for him, how consuming they were. “They stopped noticing that you were growing. They only associate all your actions with the young impulsive Michael. They’re not seeing you, Michael. But, I see you. I feel you. I know you. And you’re not bad. You’ve got to believe me. I could never love you as much as I do if you were nothing more than a spoiled, whiny brat who only cares about himself.”

“Love me?” Michael seemed shocked and confused at the whole concept.

“What’s wrong with you?” The exasperation in her voice seemed to echo about the room. “Do you think I stay around every creep that puts me through so much misery and bullshit as you have without being in love?” Maria’s hand went through his hair holding him close as she continued in a softer voice. “Sweet idiot, I love you. What a blind fool you are at times. I’m one sick pup because somehow I find it endearing. You’re what I’ve been waiting for all my life. You’re the future to me. You’re the something better than Roswell .”

Michael’s eyes closed to Maria’s words. The warmth that flooded his body helped to ease the pain of torture he felt while Topolsky had been worked over. With his eyes closed and by clearing his mind he could see it. He could see how to let Maria in. Reaching for her face he opened his eyes and reversed the flow allowing her to really see him. Her whole body seemed to convulse as a lifetime of neglect, abuse, anger, sorrow, and fear raced through her.  The images were replaced with images of her working at the CrashDown, standing close to Michael at the hotel in Marathon , standing next to him at Atherton’s with the key, kissing him at the CrashDown, his apartment, and the night he slept in her bed when Hank abused him. Maria could feel his reaction for every time she touched him, kissed him, or held him in her arms. He thought she was more than just beautiful, but an unachievable light of being.

With her eyes darkened by the depth of emotion; Maria’s voice was hoarse, “Thank you.”

“Are you gonna start managing me?” He asked as he rested himself against her.

“No. I’m going to start loving you. You’ve got so little experience with the emotion of love that it wasn’t recognizable to you. Managing you would be a job beyond my means, so let’s agree not to manage each other and try just loving instead.”

“How do we start?” Maria pulled herself up off of Michael barely suppressing the groan of pain. With a deep look into his eyes she extended a hand to him. Michael was trapped in her glance, but the sight of her beautiful small hand transfixed him. How could something so small and delicate hold so much of him within its grasp?

“Start by taking a bath with me.” Michael startled out of his stupor. Michael could picture him and Maria, nude and wet, rubbing up against each other. Without a second thought Michael was off the sofa pulling Maria behind him to the bathroom. Her gentle laugh caused a blush to rise on his neck and face, but the racing of his heart counteracted any embarrassment.

Maria nude was better than his dreams. He had imagined her in many states of undress, but the reality was earth shattering to his control. Slightly concerned about how Maria would take seeing him undressed for the first time was soon forgotten when Maria removed his shirt and unbuttoned his pants. She never stopped making comments; most of them increased his blush, but left him in no doubts about how approving she was of his body. Her hands moved over him, her mouth found his neck and collarbone, but the most amazing thing was her nose. Maria was sniffing his body like she was trying to pull his scent into her own body. Unable to understand it or even explain it, but her touch was more. It felt like his own touch, and yet not him, like he was touching her, too. This was too erotic for Michael. This bath was going to have to be a cold one.

An hour later Michael and Maria were still immersed in water with candles burning around them on every countertop. Maria was lying on top of Michael while he stroked her back trying to remove the pain she had felt during Topolsky’s torture session. Their legs were interlocked and Maria was gently soothing the pain from Michael’s chest placing kisses along his ribs. Michael was surprised at how sensual the entire bath was and yet it wasn’t sexual.

It was so much more than seeing each other naked and getting excited enough to want sex. Michael was excited with being near her, and not that he couldn’t imagine anything more interesting than having sex with Maria, but this was so much more. It was mating and bonding. It was making love; it was about being close. He never understood that it could feel this way. His being with Maria was no longer something that felt so good, but was wrong. Finally, it was not only so good, but it was right too.

They got out of the bath and dried each other off. After raiding Michael’s drawers for clean shirts and boxers, they found themselves once again on the sofa in each other’s arms finding sleep for the first time in over forty hours that wasn’t full of pain.. Michael didn’t dream. He didn’t need to. The only dream he wanted was sleeping in his arms. The feelings and emotions raced across their bond as Michael finally opened himself up so Maria could finally see him. Now that he opened the bond, he didn’t want to close it again. It felt good, so very good to finally not be so alone.

~~~

The rest of the group met at the CrashDown after school. No one had seen Michael or Maria since that night and it had been two days ago. They were missing in action. Liz tried calling Maria’s house, but there was no answer. Maria wasn’t answering her cell phone and Michael wasn’t answering his phone either. Max could find fear creeping up on him. What if they took Michael and Maria? The two had returned home together over thirty-six hours ago. No one had seen or talked to anyone since the confrontation. The increased fear was making Max angry. He was losing control of the situation again. Why couldn’t Michael try to work with the group? If he got Maria involved in any of his hair brain schemes again Max and the others would never forgive him. They decided to wait until it was closing time to see if Michael and Maria showed up together. Even Alex had seemed to take himself off somewhere.

“Max, do you really think we should go over to Michael’s? What if he wants to be left alone? Shouldn’t we call first or something?” Isabel was worried about the inevitable confrontation, and Max getting more and more angry was going to make it even more intense and violent.

“No. If he’s home, I don’t want to give him a chance to take off, again. And if he’s already gone, we may be able to find clues at his place.” They rounded the corner to Michael’s apartment and saw Maria’s car parked outside on the street. So now they knew where Maria was. They stood outside the apartment for a few minutes unsure about whether they should knock or just go in. Last time they had entered without knocking they found Michael and Maria involved in a very intense heavy petting session. Isabel reached over and unlocked the door making the decision for them. They entered to find the two fast asleep on the sofa wrapped in each other’s arms in a very suggestive state of undress.

Maria came aware of people watching them first. She was afraid that it was the agents from the special unit coming for her and Michael. It was relieving to see her friends instead. The relief quickly turned to anger. What was with them? Couldn’t they ever knock?

Maria quickly rolled onto her feet dislodging Michael’s hand that had been up her shirt resting on her back. Maria was only wearing one of Michael’s shirts with nothing underneath. It was quite obvious that she was naked under the shirt. Michael made a noise in his sleep at the loss of Maria from his body. She quickly turned and soothed him back to sleep placing a kiss on his forehead. Standing in front of the sleeping Michael, Maria took a protective pose crossing her arms across her chest.

“What do you want? Did you come to slap him around some more? Maybe yell at him or shower him in your disapproval?” Max winced at the edge of Maria’s tongue knowing that it was mostly aimed at him. Liz and Isabel felt guilt growing as they realized that they never really questioned Max’s right to hit Michael. Maria gave them a collective shove towards the kitchen.

“I don’t want you waking him. I just got him asleep. He’s exhausted and in pain. So if you’re here to continue beating him up, you’ll have to come back another time or go find a new whipping boy.”

“Calm down Maria, we were concerned when we could find neither of you. We were afraid that someone took you when you didn’t show up for school and there was no answer from any of your phones.”

“Maria?” Maria turned to the sound of Michael’s voice from the sofa. Moving back to him, she quickly pulled his head into her abdomen and made soothing noises to calm him back asleep. Keeping her back to the others, Michael opened Maria’s shirt in the front leaving her exposed to his sight. Placing a kiss on her naked abdomen, Michael quickly straightened her shirt refastening it and rose from the sofa to confront his friends.

The entire group gasped when they saw Michael’s face. The bruise along his jaw was dark and angry; the colors of green and purple making it stand out in stark relief against the paleness of his face. He held Maria like a lifeline feeling his desire for her rising in his groin. She stood in front of him with his arms holding her firmly against his chest. He couldn’t stop his hand from stroking her cheek and neck. The gesture was so intimate and spoke of familiarity.

“Did you want something, Max? Isabel?” Michael’s voice was thick from sleep.

“God, Michael, your face. Let me fix it.” Max reached out a hand to fix the physical proof of the break in their friendship.

“No.” Michael pulled back from Max’s healing hand. “Leave it. It’s time I quit hiding every bruise and scar. I’ve been hiding abuse and broken trust all my life and what has it gotten me? I’m not gonna hide anymore. I’m tired of running. So if you don’t need anything from us, would you mind leaving? We’ve had a hard time since last night and need some sleep.” Michael turned away, but quickly turned back.

“In the future, knock before you enter. This is our home, not a bus terminal.” The ‘our home’ wasn’t lost on the group nor was its significance. Something had happened between Michael and Maria since they had last seen them.

“Michael can I use your bathroom?” Liz was confused over what was going on. Maria seemed so wrapped up in Michael and he in her that neither seemed to really notice the others. It was disturbing to see her best friend so oblivious to everything except for the skin under her hands.

“Sure. It’s through there. Sorry about the mess.” They watched Liz as she went to find the bathroom. Maria stayed within the circle of Michael’s arms whispering words in his ear. Her tone was comforting and gentle. His eyes were closed as if to soak up her comfort and care.

“Michael, we need to talk about Topolsky and Valenti.” Max frowned at the couple as they seemed to shut out the rest of them.

“Topolsky is dead. She died earlier this morning.” Michael pulled Maria down onto the sofa with him. They both concentrated on administering soothing pets along the others skin. Ignoring their audience, Maria pulled Michael into a deep passionate kiss. While bathing hours ago they took kissing to another level. Michael had mapped and explored every minute area of her mouth, enjoying the feel of her tongue against his, the silky cavern, and the rasp of her teeth along his tongue.

Liz had returned to the group with a shocked look on her face. The mess in the bathroom spoke of its own tale. There were burned out candles, Michael and Maria’s clothes from two days ago, and a bath full of used water.

“What’s going on here?” Max actually ran his hand through his hair. He wanted to shake Michael, to get his attention, or pull Maria away from him so his attention wouldn’t be divided. But somehow he came to realize that touching and interfering with Maria would push Michael over the edge. “What do you mean Topolsky is dead?”

“Just what I said. I felt her die earlier this morning. She was telling us the truth about everything. Not only did we lose our communicator, but we lost hers too. The alien hunters from the special unit of the FBI will be coming soon. She didn’t tell them anything, except about the orb, which they already knew since she stole it from them. There was nothing else to tell. They just tortured her as an example to others who would try to leave.”

“How do you know this Michael? How can you be sure?” Max was skeptical and not liking the obvious closeness of the couple.

“I felt it through a connection I had with her, okay. I felt every bloody thing they did to her. She was right. It was our last chance and if they catch us it will be very bad. They’ll hurt and kill us without a thought.” Maria turned in Michael’s arms to stand looking at Max with Michael.

“Max, Michael is telling you the truth. I felt it, too. I felt it along with Michael. What they did to her is unspeakable. We barely tolerated it, ourselves. And I’m positive that what we felt was diluted by distance. I can’t imagine how bad it was for her.”

“I don’t understand. I can’t believe this.” Maria was saying that she had felt it too, but that was impossible.  “What does this mean?”

Michael lost his temper. He was tired, sore, and in need of burying himself in Maria to remove the guilt about Topolsky’s death from himself.

“It means that I failed again, okay, Max. Do you understand that? I knew it was dangerous to meet her. I knew that we agreed not to go or have anything to do with her. But she broke into my apartment. She found the orb and told me what it meant. I could taste her fear. She risked everything to help us, and possibly to help herself. I failed. But, what else is new?” Michael’s bitter tone was another nail in the coffin of their friendship. “Now I’m tired. I hurt in places that I’ve never felt, and all I want to do is go to sleep and make love to Maria. So if you’ll excuse us, we still have till tomorrow before we’ve to be at work.” Michael moved to the door and opened it for his friends. He made eye contact with them as they left his apartment. His eyes were sad and dead, inside with the pain just barely under control. When Max started to leave he reached out his hand to touch him.

“This is for you, Max. Maybe you’ll understand.” Max felt a wave of emotions rush into his body at Michael’s touch. Image after image rushed through his brain forming a complex tale of pain and neglect. His own sorrow of being a person that added to Michael’s abuse rushed to join the other images that Michael sent him. He almost fell over from the impact. Liz and Isabel quickly grabbed him before he could fall. Michael stared for a few seconds before closing the door. “So, now you know.”

“Max, are you okay?” Isabel moved towards Michael door again when Max stopped her.

“He harmed you. We can’t let him get away with that.” Isabel was appalled. Michael never raised hand to either her or Max. “What did he do?”

“Its okay, Izzy. He didn’t hurt me. He let me see what he knows. He’s right. They’re coming and Topolsky is dead.” They all looked at each other realizing that time was short. They quickly left Michael’s building.

“Are Michael and Maria lovers, Max?”

“Yes. They’ve been since the day they met. It has been building to this.” Max couldn’t shake the images racing in his head. “She’s his control. Maria is the foundation that Michael has built himself upon. I don’t think that they’re physically active, yet. But, if they aren’t, they’ll be soon. I could see the bond they’ve forged between them. I could feel the power of Michael’s gifts. I think, with Maria at his side, he may be the stronger of all of us. He’s a born protector and she’s the protector of the protector. The one that protects him from the world and himself.”

“They’re already lovers.” They turned to look at Liz.

“You kept that from us?” Max felt that like a betrayal.

“No, Max.  I just know because the evidence in the bathroom left little room for doubts.” Liz was quick to discount that she hid things from Max, but more than a little upset with the fact that Maria obviously was not telling her everything. “If they’re bathing and sleeping together, I doubt they’re avoiding the sex issue. You heard Michael. He wanted us to leave so he could get some more rest and make love to Maria.”

“My God, Max. What are we going to do? Isn’t it bad enough that we’ve alien hunters coming for us? Now we’ve to worry about the ramifications of Michael and Maria’s love life.” The rising fear was making Isabel nauseated.  “This is too much.”

“Calm down Izzy. Let’s just take the problems as they come. Michael said that both of them have to work tomorrow. We’ll wait until then to corner them into a discussion about alien hunters and alien/human sexual relationships. Though I believe that it doesn’t matter what we say because Michael is going to do as he wishes either way.”

“What did he pass on to you, Max?” Isabel asked, but Liz was curious too.

“He let me know that I’ve never really seen him. I guess I was only looking on the surface. Maybe I was afraid to look too closely at Michael’s life because I was powerless to help him.”

“That bad, Max?” Isabel already seemed to know that. She felt humiliated by all the times in the past she acted liked an over privileged princess, berating Michael for his Goodwill knockoffs, demanded that he stop whining about Roswell and finding their real parents. Her life had been good, she had been loved, fed, and sheltered, but Michael hadn’t, and because it hadn’t affected her life, she hadn’t care.

“Worse. The reason he does impulsive things is because he had nothing left to lose and everything to gain. If it worked he would be delivered from the pain, and if he failed than he would still be delivered.” They totally missed it, missed everything about Michael. Max actually felt sick from all the times Michael slept on his floor with nothing but a blanket, or how often he had been hungry, and how obsessed he had been about finding a better world.

Max remembered all the smirking looks he and Isabel shared in the front seats of the Jeep while their poor pathetic friend Michael sat in the backseat. How often they paraded their good life in front of his abusive one feeling superior enough to lecture him on behavior and manners. “My God Isabel, he’s been trying to kill himself for years. It’s only been since he’s been with Maria that he stopped that. This trip to meet Topolsky was done to keep the rest of us out of danger and get the answers we need. Answers he needed.”

“You hit him, Max. You made him think that all you cared about was the communicator.”

“I know.” Max looked at Isabel and Liz with guilt in his eyes. He just abused a person who always trusted him, even after knowing what he had gone through in the past. Now where was all his morals and holier than though manners? Where was the friendship he was supposed to treasure? “I know.”

~~~

After the others had left and Michael shut the door, Maria joined him touching his arm in a soothing manner. Michael could feel the touch move inside him warming him in a path until he needed that warmth forever. Drawing Maria into his arms he rested against her breathing in her smell deeply. He could feel the tingling and an almost hollow feeling filled with a sensation of something that Michael had no name for. He never experienced this feeling before. It remained foreign and unnamed, but he knew what it was. He had always known.

“You connected with him didn’t you.”

“Yeah. I wasn’t sure that I could, but I knew I had to.”

“Why?” Maria stopped rubbing against him and looked at him with his solemn tone.

“Because Maxwell is Max, and I’m just Michael. I could tell him the truth forever, but that is no guarantee that he will hear me or even listen. So I shared the experience, or at least I think I did.” Maria understood what he was saying.

“You still tired?” She looked at his drawn face, and felt worry. A mile of bad road looked better than Michael.

“A little, but actually, I just realized that I’m starving. Food?” Maria smiled at him giving him a kiss and a nod and moved towards the kitchen. Michael reached out and stopped her. “No. I want to make it. I want to make you food, feed you.”

“Okay.” Maria didn’t understand it, but the act was symbolic of something else, an intuitive need, almost like part of a ritual that must be done in a certain order and in a certain manner.

Leaving Michael rutting around in his own kitchen, Maria headed into the other room to survey the damage they left last night. Passing a large mound of clothes heaped upon what could be a bed, Maria continued on through to the bathroom. The place was a mess. Reaching into the bath of cold water she pulled the plug shaking off that icky feeling you get when you put your hands into cold dirty water.

“Yuck.”

Maria found some cleaning material under the sink and began to scrub. Removing the gutted candles and their dirty clothes she moved into the sort of bedroom. Opening the window in the room and finally turning on the light she surveyed the chaos. There was a bed. Michael was using it for a place to dump clothes, blankets, and jackets. She reached down and grabbed a shirt.

Smelling it deeply Michael’s scent rushed into her as she felt more, concentrating hard she saw him. He had entered the room, pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it on the bed on his way to the bathroom. Maria cleared her head of the vision with a shake and threw the shirt into a small pile on the floor. “Dirty.” Picking up another shirt and another she systematically removed all the clothes from the bed into laundry piles on the floor. She felt him the moment he stood in the doorway watching her. She finished her task and finally pulled the sheets from the now cleared bed.

“Clean sheets?” Michael moved to a drawer and pulled out a set and went to help her remake the bed. Finally making eye contact with her he smiled.

“All those clothes weren’t ready to be washed. I’ve a system.”

“Your system sucks, Michael. All those clothes have been worn already. They smelled of you.”

“You smelt them? Maria, that’s …” Michael stopped as Maria’s eyebrow went up and she cocked her head to one side. Okay, she was right. What wasn’t strange about their relationship? Taking her hand he pulled he back into the other room. She was shocked. He set a table with food, candlelight, and the all-important Tabasco bottle.

As they were eating Michael looked up startled to find Maria dowsing her food in the peppery sauce. She took a large bite and sat back almost humming.

“Maria, when did you start liking Tabasco ?” Michael frowned.

“Just now. The food tasted bland without it. I like the fire.” Maria paused. She never could tolerate spicy food, too much, especially really, really spicy food.

They both stopped eating and put down their forks down looking at each other. This was getting real weird. Reaching out his hand, Michael touched Maria, running his hand along her jaw. Closing his eyes he could the caress along his own jaw, as well. She pulled away and looked down at her hand. She could still feel his jaw on her fingertips, the rough skin, the slight early morning stubble, and the texture.

“Umm, Michael?” That was impossible. She hadn’t touched him.

“I know.” That explained his fascination with kissing her earlier in the bath. It was so involving where his mouth felt mated to hers.

They shared a sense of wonder. This new connection was not only personal; it was weird. Her touch felt like his, and vice versus. When he moved his hand along her skin it felt like she was doing the same. Unable to resist, he reached over and pinched her arm, hard.

“Ouch!” They both said it at the same time, like one united voice.

“Damn, Michael that hurt! Why did you pinch me?” Maria back away from him as his body protested her removal.

“I had to know.”

“Know what, that I would scream?” Maria looked at him a little wounded as she rubbed the mark. It wasn’t like she hadn’t survived more pain than that, but it was worse because Michael inflicted it on her.

“Pinch me, but careful, not so hard.” Michael knew she wasn’t getting the whole picture.

“Right.” Maria reached over and grabbed some of Michael’s flesh above his right breast and pinched it hard.

“Shit!” Maria almost fell over in pain. Her right breast area was a bit more sensitive than Michael’s.

“I told you not hard.” Michael picked her up with one arm while holding his own breast with his other hand. Damn she pinched hard.

“I felt it.” Maria was in shock. Part of her realized earlier they were sharing some connection, but this made it much more up close and personal.

“I know.” Michael led her to the sofa.

“What’s going on here?” The slight touch of panic in her voice worried him, and also made him sad.

“I’m not sure, but we’re connected both mentally and physically. We felt Topolsky, and now we’ve the same mutual bond.” How far could this connecting with people thing go? “This is disturbing.”

“Disturbing? This is insane.” Maria sat on the sofa to think. “So, if I feel nausea, then…”

“So do I.”

“And if I start puking my guts out, then…”

“So will I.”

“If I go out on a date with Brad Sohn, and go all the way with him, then you would…”

“Kill him... and be very pissed at you.” Maria put her head in her hands.

“This binds us together, whether we want it or not.” Michael felt his heart stop at her words. This sense of wonder he had been feeling was suddenly gone, slaughtered by her words.

“You don’t want to be that close to me?” Maria looked up at the pain in his voice.

“Yes. Yes, I do, but I would like to have the option as to whether or not I’m going to feel everything you feel. I would prefer a choice.” Maria saw the disappointment in his eyes. “You might want to reconsider how neat this is because I get killer cramps and PMS during that time of the month, and I understand child birthing isn’t a walk through the damn daisy field.”

“I’m sorry. I would’ve given you the choice, but I’m not sure how we made the connection, or the one with Topolsky. I’m clueless here. I don’t know how it was done and I don’t know how to break it.”

Reaching to him she took his head into her hands and looked deep inside him, sharing a mental awaking, a sense of peace and togetherness. Moving forward she kissed him, and their bodies exploded. She could feel him against her tongue, but it wasn’t her tongue it was his. All the sensations intermingled so that she couldn’t tell where she began and he ended. It was a joining.

The more they explored, the farther it was pushed. All individual boundaries were ripped free and the walls lay in dust. Without the normal boundaries the sensation rushed at high speeds racing along with their collective heartbeats and breath, hitting all the synaptic connection along both of their spinal cords. The world became endless and new with echoes ringing off canyon walls and light with colored prisms flashing by above an endless abyss with gated chambers carved in canyon walls.

Exhausted they pulled back and felt the strains of the connection just as strong as it was when they were physically connected. Without thought, they both smiled. So this was what it felt like not being alone.

“Wow.” Michael’s hand moved through the strands of her hair that seemed more colorful and alive than before. Maria fingers were mapping his face.

“More?” she asked.

“God, yes.” Michael pulled her down with him submerging himself back into the joining.

~~~

It was the water, something about water that seemed to draw them. The need to submerge in it was uncontrollable. Relaxing back against Maria’s naked body and her beautiful long legs wrapped around his waist, he let her wash his body, explore his frame, and occasionally suck on his skin. The sensation was beyond description. It felt like his hands were on her body, his hands were on his own, he couldn’t sort the sensation out. They jumbled together like a mass of nerve endings. It felt so good that he was certain that nothing could ever feel this good again.

“They think we’re lovers.” Michael looked at Maria at her softly spoken words.

“We are.” Of course they thought that. Here he was nude in the bath with her for the second time in over twenty-four hours, his hands on her body, his mouth moving over her wanting more, and more, his dic….

“No. I mean they’ll think we’re having sex.” Maria was trying to make a point.

“Maria, this is sex. This is making love.” He closed his eyes and built her a mental picture of what he wanted her to do, how he wanted her to do it. “But I know what you mean. They’ll think that we went all the way.”

“Yes.” Without thought her hand moved down his front moving towards his stomach stopping to pinch his nipple between her fingertips.

“Does that bother you? Having them think that we’re doing more than kissing, touch, and tasting?” Michael arched to her fingers, and reinforced the mental picture to get her to continue onward. He was holding his breath to see if this worked.

“No. But I’m wondering why we just stop short of it. We’ve gone to some extreme places here the last few days, and yet we stop. Why?”

Maria moved her hand down his soapy skin past his abdomen taking her time to explore his groin. Taking his hardness into her hand, she explored him with wonder at the feel. The sensation of hardness and the silkiness of his skin were entrancing. An image popped into her head, a sort of instructional guide moving her hands along his length with a stronger grip, and more knowledgeable motion.

Her thumb rubbing over the head of his penis gathering the moisture and moving it over the rest of the shaft, as her one tight hand jerked him. Her other hand moving down to gather the balls tight to his skin in her hand while her fingers rubbed the soft of stretch of skin below them. His head came back on her shoulder and she placed a kiss on his lips. His eyes were half open watching her, dark and passionate. She followed the movement with more force drawing a groan from his throat.

Placing her lips next to his ear she touched his ear with her tongue. His shudder ran through her body. The sensations of her hands of him were hitting her in waves. “You’re sending me this aren’t you? This is how you want me to touch you?”

“Yes, so good. This is so good.”

Maria chuckled to herself and continued following his cues. Later she would try this new trick herself. He was right though. It felt incredible. This ability to reciprocate emotions and sensations was leaving them boneless.

She sat back and sent him a picture of his own hands helping to jerk him off, his hands manipulating and masturbating until he was spent. Somehow as his hands complied with her request she found the feeling and sight almost too erotic to withstand, because it felt like he was touching her, working on her while her eyes told her it was him.

“So why?” She asked later as they rested spent, both of their bodies still shaking.

“What?” Michael stirred himself from the cradle of her body. Getting out and grabbing a towel, he turned to help her out and wrapped her in large towel hugging her close. Paying attention to placing kisses under her jaw and along her throat, he rubbed her down.

“Going all the way. Why do we stop just short?” Maria had to ask, because since this new weird connection thing started, all she seemed to want was to have him pushing into her while pinning her up against a wall, the countertop, sofa, bed, floor, and anywhere, she didn’t care. She just wanted him with her.

“Oh, that.” Michael tried all the images racing through his head. He didn’t know which ones were hers and which were his, but it didn’t matter since all of them were what he wanted, too.

“Michael.”

“Come with me.” Taking her hand then went into the bedroom. Sitting on his now cleaned off bed, Michael pulled Maria to him. “Kiss me here.”

Maria reached down and took Michael’s nipple into her mouth suckling it hard and with tongue. The sensation hit her hard. The heat that rushed through her body and moved to pool in her own groin. Almost losing her footing, Maria dropped to the floor, but Michael caught her and held her close to him as he lay back on the bed.

“That from just from suckling on me, imagine the sensation of real sex. Imagine the results of both of us experiencing our first time together, really together.”

“We need control.” Maria voice was a hushed whisper. They could blow the tops of their heads off.

“Exactly. There must be a way for us to temper what we receive, and what we transmit. Right now we’re overwhelming each other with all these intense emotions. If just kissing can send us over the edge, I can’t wait to find out what other things will do. But, I rather not have a heart attack while doing them.”

“Big baby. I’m not going to kill you, just mess you up a little.”

“Baby, you’re so good to me.” He laughed grabbing her, he wrestled her under him and started blowing raspberries on her skin while she struggled laughing trying to get away from him.

~~~

She woke later to disturbing thoughts. Her dreams were dark and scary, almost gothic. Waking up she turned in his arms to look up at him. He was wide-awake.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.  I thought it was thinking about Topolsky.”

“The guilt?”

“Yes. But I was wrong. It’s something else.”

Getting out of the bed, he walked over to the window and looked out at the night. She followed him hugging his nude body back against hers. The comfort and familiarity they had with each other’s body was amazing considering the shortness of time, they had come this far. Resting against his back she placed her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. A sense of impending doom swept her. Suddenly she pulled away and he stood up straighter, his body becoming very alert. They said one name at the same time.

“ Alex .”

~~~

 Max woke to the sound of his window opening. Reaching behind his bed he took the bat. Once he would’ve taken care to make sure that it wasn’t Michael, but since Michael’s emancipation he rarely came over. Moving slowly to the window he heard Maria’s voice telling Michael to be careful. Michael’s voice whispered back that he was being careful and to shush. Max reached out and opened the window the rest of the way staring at Michael and Maria.

“It’s very late.”

“Maxwell, will you move so we can come in.”

“Shouldn’t you try knocking before entering my room?” Max couldn’t help the snotty peeved tone since Michael’s earlier one about knocking before entering his apartment.

“Maxwell, they took Alex . He’s the first to be gone.” Max moved out of the way and helped Maria climb through the window. Looking closely he noticed how pale she looked. Michael followed her through the window coming close in behind her placing his arms around her waist.

“Are you sure?” Max reached behind him putting the bat down on the bed, his mind racing a mile a minute.

“Yes. Don’t ask me how I know. I just do.” Michael pulled Maria even closer. She was still shaking. “When’s the last time anyone has seen him?”

“Over a day ago. I thought he must have things to do with his band and stuff. He has so many other interests besides us.”

“He didn’t come over with you guys last night. When’s the last time Isabel saw him?”

“Saw who?” They all looked over at Isabel who entered Max’s room. They all looked at each other with concern. Maria moved forward and took Isabel’s hands into her own.

“ Alex , Isabel. When’s the last time you’ve seen him?” Maria was trying to remain calm, not to lose it, but they had Alex .

“After we got back from the Point that night. We said goodnight and he didn’t come to school the next day. I figured that he was tired and decided to take the day off. The next day we were worried about you two so I guess he got lost in the whole mix-up.”

Isabel looked at the concern on Maria’s face and how Michael was trying to avoid her eyes. They were not telling her something, something that concerned Alex .

“What’s going on? Tell me! What’s wrong with Alex ?” Max moved to the door and shut it as Isabel’s voice raised.

“They took him, Isabel.” Michael moved to stand next to Maria close to Isabel.

“They?” Isabel paused and looked at the united front of Maria and Michael. “Oh my God, the alien hunters. They tried for him once. They got him.” Reaching over, Isabel grabbed Michael’s arm. “Tell me!”

“Yes. They took him.” Michael didn’t know what to do, how to comfort. He needed Maria to help him.

“How do you know?” Her voice was barely a whisper in horror. “How can you know?”

“Isabel, they started questioning him an hour ago. He’s resting right now.” Isabel looked at Maria and saw the scared confirmation in her eyes, the fear, and the pain.

“Oh my God.” Isabel collapsed right into both Maria and Michael’s arms. They could feel Alex , but not as strong as they had Topolsky. They hadn’t started hurting him yet. But he was the first taken, the rest would follow.

“Liz? Has any one checked on Liz?” Max rushed to the phone and called Liz’s private number regardless of the time.

“She’s okay, Max.” Max looked over at Michael holding Isabel with Maria.

“How can you be sure? How can you know that, Michael?”

“He knows, Max, because we felt Alex ’s fear, but we haven’t felt Liz.” Maria said for Michael. He was too silent, too worried. “Unless she’s unconscious, then she okay.”

“Hello?” Max put the phone back to his ear at the sound of Liz’s sleepy voice on the other end.

“Liz. It’s Max.”

“Max? Is something wrong?” Liz’s voice was groggy and slow to wake up.

“Yes. We’re coming for you. Be careful. I’ll be outside your window in ten minutes.” Max hung up the phone and grabbed his jeans pulling them on over his boxers.

“You’re not going alone, Max.” Michael looked down at the two girls and then again at Max, his loyalties were divided, he couldn’t leave Maria and Isabel unprotected, but he couldn’t allow Max to go alone.

“I’m going Michael, and you can’t stop me.”

“I can’t leave them here alone, and I can’t let you go alone.” Michael could feel a headache coming on.

“I’ll be okay. I’m going. Liz is out there alone. I need to go get her.”

“I’ll go.” Michael said.

“No.” Both Maria and Max spoke at the same time. Michael turned and looked at Maria. She could feel his resolve. He wasn’t going to back down.

“You stay with Isabel and Maria, and I’ll get Liz and bring her back here.” Michael looked into Maria’s eyes. He knew she understood, that she trusted him to protect her friend.

“Liz is my responsibility, not yours, Michael. I’m going. You stay with the girls.”

“We all go.” The two men looked over at Maria. “He can’t let you go alone, and he can’t leave us alone. Give him a break. We’ll all go to get Liz together.”

Isabel rushed out of the room to change her clothes. Michael draped himself over Maria and pulled her closer into his arms as he rested his head on her shoulder with his eyes closed. Maria was whispering soft words into his ear with her hands smoothing his body. Max watched them in confusion. They were getting so strange.

~~~

When Liz heard the tap on her window, she looked out to see not just Max, but Isabel, Maria and Michael as well. Opening the window she looked at them with concern. Making sure her bedroom door was shut and locked; she let them into her room.

“What’s going on? Max?”

“Liz, Alex is missing. We think he was taken.” Liz looked at the other somber faces and the tiredness in Maria’s.

“How do you know? I mean how can you be sure?”

“Liz,” Liz turned to look at Maria, “it’s true. Both Michael and I felt it. He wasn’t hurt, but his fear and anxiety touched us, then there was nothing but a sense of doom. He woke a couple of hours later and they gave him something that made his veins burn.”

“Maria, how do you know this? How can you feel this?” Liz was confused. She was the only one to experience anything above the ordinary with one of the aliens, but suddenly here was Maria knowing and feeling things beyond comprehension.

“We don’t know. We just do.” Maria looked to Michael for help. “Michael?”

“I think the connection began when I was sick. I’ve always felt Max and Isabel, but I now feel Maria and Alex , too. Maria is more intensely hotwired to me. I think that when we were heading to Buckley Point, the fear that she felt, the fear I felt when I saw the headlights, the need to protect her, all of it solidified the connection. The same became true for Topolsky. Her sincerity, her fears, and my need to get to her, to find out the truth it created a bond. My powers are so out of control that I can’t seem to control the connection, especially in times of intense emotions. Alex ’s bond isn’t as strong because I wasn’t present when they took him, but we already had the bond from the Balance.”

“Can you tell us where he is? Does he know?” Liz looked at Maria seeing tears in her eyes, and the fear she felt increased ten fold. She never really worried about what might happen involving Alex and Maria into the lives of the aliens. All she knew was she was desperate to stay connected to Max, and if it meant sacrificing everything to do it, she would. Suddenly what that sacrifice could mean took a dark turn.

“No. He’s in the dark. Maybe Isabel can dream walk him.” Michael looked over at her. “Isabel?”

“Yes. I can try. I can try to reach him, but I need a picture.” Liz grabbed a picture of her and Maria with Alex . Isabel quickly moved to the bed and lying down took the picture close to her heart, touching Alex ’s face. Closing her eyes she moved into the darkness.

“ Alex ? Alex !! Are you here? Where are you? Alex , its Isabel. Please, please, Alex .” Isabel fell to her knees searching in the darkness. She couldn’t see anything. She used her hands to find him, to look for him, calling his name the whole time.

“Isabel? Isabel, run, you’ve got to run, all of you. You must leave now, no looking back. Even Valenti. Not safe, not safe, please run, Isabel, run. I need…”

“ Alex , please tell me where you are? Do you know?”

“I need you to be safe. Leave me. I’m already gone. There is nothing here for you but death.”

“No. I won’t leave you. I can’t. Please Alex , hold on, hold on, I’m coming for you.” Isabel picked up his head and cradled it in her lap. His body was not moving, hardly breathing. “What have they done to you?”

“Poison. If I want the antidote I have to talk. I’ll not.”

“Talk. Tell them anything. You survive. You stay alive. We’ll come for you.”

“No. I won’t betray you. I love you. Be safe, and go.” His voice faltered. “Isabel, go. I’m cold, so cold. Go. For me, please just go.”

“ Alex !” Isabel startled out of the dream as the others moved closer.

“Isabel, talk to us. Tell us. What did Alex say?” Max looked at her with concern and worry, she was crying uncontrollably. “Isabel, you’ve got to tell us. Did you talk to Alex ?”

“They poisoned him. He’s dying. Oh my God, Max, he’s dying! They wanted him to tell them about us, but he refused so they poisoned him. If he talks they’ll give him the antidote, otherwise he dies. He won’t talk Max. He refuses. He wants us to run, all of us, including Valenti.”

“Isabel did he know where he is?” Michael moved closer taking Isabel’s arms to make her think, to control her panic.

“No. Michael, he was barely conscious. Everything was dark. I couldn’t even see him. We’ve got to get to him. We can’t leave without him.” Isabel grabbed Max hard. “Help him, Max. I love him. Don’t let him die.”

Michael paced back and forth, more and more agitated. Maria watched him with concern. She could feel his instincts moving into full mode of awareness. His attitude was hardening like it does when he comes to a decision, especially one he knows will be met with resistance.

“Max, you need to stay here with the girls. I’ll go to Valenti.” The whole group froze in shock especially Maria who could feel Michael trying to keep her out of his thoughts.

“Michael, no. We mustn’t split up. Valenti doesn’t know anything.” Max was afraid that Michael was making another one of his kamikaze runs like so many of the past.

“He’s on the list, Max. He knows enough for him and Kyle to be in danger.” Michael remembering Topolsky and the torture had to know. “How many innocents are we gonna let them take trying to get to us?”

“Michael…”

“I’ll go to Valenti. I can move faster and quicker by myself. I’ve spent years wandering the streets of Roswell .” Looking at Maria, finally letting her in, letting her know what he needed to do. “I can’t take you with me, because I need them to stay safe. Please Max, this is for the best.”

Max looked at Michael knowing that he’s correct. If they, as a group, roamed the streets of Roswell , it would be easier for them to be taken. Michael was right that it would be easier for him to go alone.

“We could call Valenti on the phone. He already knows that he was on the list.” Isabel said. She was worried that if Michael was caught, they all would be.

“He believed that Topolsky was taken back to the institute. He believed the doctor that said she was delusional. To get him to believe us he’s going to need more than just our word.” Max didn’t like that prospect. Admitting the truth was harder than most realized.

“I’ll go and tell him. Whether he chooses to believe is up to him. We can’t do more than that. But, we won’t be giving him any more information than he already knows. More information will only make him a larger target.” Michael turned to take Maria close to him. Whispering in her ear, and kissing her neck, he released her to go out the window.

“Michael, no. Let me go with you.” She hated knowing what he was going to do, how he was going to do it, and why. He would be alone.

“Maria, I need you here. You’re my biggest connection. They can keep track of me the best with your help. I’ll be back. I promise.” He reached in a kissed her, not once but again and again losing himself in the sensation like it would be the last time. “We’ve that really big event in our lives coming up.” He whispered for her ears only. “I’m looking forward to sharing every moment of it with you.”

“You promise to be careful?” Michael never broke promises, not once, not ever, not even a little bit.

“I promise to do everything in my power to protect and take care.” Michael kissed her one last time before looking at Max. “Take care of her?”

“Yes. Michael, call us from Valenti’s house and stay there for the rest of the night. We’ll camp out here.” Michael seemed hesitant about something. Max recognized that look in Michael’s eye.

“Is that understood Michael?” Max couldn’t shake that he was out of the loop, and Maria was in the know.

“I’ll call. Be safe.” Michael was out the window. He quickly looked back at Maria and mouthed ‘I love you’ before taking off over the side of the building.

As soon as Michael was gone from sight Maria began to pace. Her movements became more and more agitated. She knew what was coming and was powerless to stop it. She could feel it, but he didn’t have enough control to exclude her from his thoughts, so it didn’t make sense why he seemed so far away. Watching the phone, praying for the ring, hoping he would make it to the Valenti’s all right Maria couldn’t rest. She already knew what was coming, but the waiting was killing her. The rest watched her with growing fear. Her level of agitation kept growing. Until Max noticed the shaking in her hands, he had realized that the agitation was more than just fear and worry. Suddenly Maria fell to the floor in a dead faint.

“Maria, Oh my God, Max catch her.” Liz screamed.

Max quickly picked up Maria after Liz screamed at him. He put her on the bed and felt her pulse. It was fast and racing and she appeared to have a bruise above her right eye. He looked around to see where she may have hit her head, but couldn’t find anything.

They sat with her, watching her while she remained unconscious. Max was beginning to worry. Michael had left almost an hour ago, Maria was out of it, and there had been no call from the Valenti’s. Picking up the phone Max dialed the Valenti house.

“Yeah.” Jim Valenti’s sleepy voice came over the phone. Max could hear him moving in his bed as he became more and more aware.

“Sheriff, its Max Evans.”

“Max? Is there something wrong Mr. Evans?”

“Did Michael Guerin make it to your house in the last hour?”

“No. I haven’t seen Michael. No one has been to my house tonight.” Jim sat up in his bed becoming more aware. “What’s going on Max?”

“Topolsky is dead. Alex has been taken and poisoned, and Michael was heading to your house over an hour ago to warn you. He never made it. About half and hour ago, Maria went into a dead faint, and we can’t revive her.”

“What! Where are you right now?” Jim struggled to turn on his bedside lamp.

“It doesn’t matter. You need to get away, both you and Kyle. They’re coming for us and they’ll take you too. You know or suspect too much.” Max started to hang up the phone when Valenti’s voice came over the receiver.

“What do I suspect, Mr. Evans?”

“I don’t have time right now for this. You’ve got the communicator. They’ll want it. You’ve got to hide it for us and disappear.” Max glanced at the clock knowing time was short for them all. “Its hidden location may be the only thing that can save us.”

“Where are you Max?” Valenti was reaching for his pants.

“It doesn’t matter Sheriff. We’re already gone. I suggest that you take what’s valuable and do the same.” Max paused before he finished the phone call. “They tortured Topolsky to get information about us. She knew nothing and that didn’t stop them from torturing and killing her. Leave while you can.”

Max hung up the phone and looked at the others. They needed someplace safe. Someplace that wouldn’t be associated with them and that they could use until they could revive Maria. Maria was their connection with Michael.

“Isabel, dreamwalk Michael. Find out what’s happening. Tell him that we’re going to the Reservation and the cave.” Isabel nodded. This was no time to panic and be ineffective, later, they could do that later.

“I’ll need a picture. Liz do you’ve got a year book?

“Michael never showed up for picture day. There’s no picture of him in the yearbook.” They all looked at each other. “I know. Look in Maria’s bag. She wouldn’t admit it, but she has a picture of him.”

Isabel grabbed the bag while Liz sat next to Maria holding her hand. Her breathing was ragged and her hands were cold. “Hurry Isabel. She doesn’t look good.”

“Liz, get us some supplies together. We’ll need sleeping bags, food, clothes, warm clothes and some flashlights, candles and stuff. Can you find us these things?”

“Yes. We’ll have to be quiet though. If we wake my parents it will be all over.” Liz paused at the door looking over at them. “Should I leave them a note?”

“No. No notes from any of us. They must think we were either taken or went on our own. If we leave any notes they may take our parents to see what we told them.”

“I’m ready Max. I found the picture.” Isabel showed Max a picture of Michael and Maria sitting together on the sofa in Liz’s house, obviously in a deep discussion without realizing someone was taking their picture. They were sitting close with one of Maria’s hands on his leg; Michael was talking with his hand with the other hand putting Maria’s hair behind her ear. They looked so close. Taking the picture Isabel went to sleep and tried to reach Michael.

“Michael!! Michael, where are you? It’s Isabel. Michael?” Isabel looked around to see that Michael was in a dark place, but the colors were all strange, bleeding and blending in and out. It was a nauseating experience.

“Michael?”

“Isabel? Over here.”

Isabel found him under what looked to be a tree. He was holding Maria in his arms. She was out cold. Michael was trying to keep her warm with his body. The world around them looked faded, almost as if they alone were at the edge of a void, a great nothingness.

“Michael, where are you?”

“I don’t know. They hit me and knocked me out. When I started to come around they gave me this drug. It’s making my thoughts crazy, like I can’t see straight, I can’t stand, and I can hardly keep awake.”

“Why is Maria here?”

”She was with me since the beginning. The drug’s too strong for her. She can’t stay awake. You need to get something hot into her, walk her around until she revives. It is killing her. Please, Isabel, help Maria first. I’ll try to find out were I am.”

“Michael, where’s Alex ? Is he alive?”

“I don’t know, yet. I’ll try to wake up and look around. Isabel, Maria is the key. She can sense me. Use her to find us. Don’t let anything happen to her, please. Promise me, Isabel.”

“I promise.” Michael reached down and kissed Maria’s blue lips. “Warmth, she needs to be warm. Use the healing stones, Isabel. They may purge her body from the effects. Hurry.”

Isabel sat up quickly and looked over at Maria who was lying next to her. Maria’s lips were indeed turning blue. Whatever drug they used on Michael to subdue him was obviously killing Maria.

What the hell?

“Max, Michael says we need to help Maria. She has the effects of the drug they gave him. She needs strong, hot coffee, and to be walked. We need to revive her enough to use the healing stones on her.”

“Did Michael say where he is?” Max asked as he went to help Isabel lift Maria up from the bed.

“No. He doesn’t know. But he thinks that Maria can find him like a homing beacon using her connection to him. He’s going to try to find Alex and save him.”

“Help me get Maria up, and then go find Liz and get some coffee.”

“Max.” Max looked at Isabel. “Michael wasn’t captured. He set himself up to be caught. He let them take him to save Alex . He made himself a target.”

Max could feel the anger inside growing. Michael was one of the most important people in his life, and his disregard for his own life and safety was royally pissing him off. Somehow Max was becoming aware that Michael’s actions were more than just being irresponsible. He seemed genetically predisposed to put himself in harms way, to stand before all the others, to take the brunt of the abuse. Regardless, Michael needed to learn to put some caution in his actions. He was no longer alone. He was taking Maria along for the ride.

~~~

Michael shook himself awake. They must be helping Maria because the effects were lessening. While she was completely under he was always on the verge of being drawn in with her. He could hear her voice getting stronger and stronger. She was demanding sugar in her coffee. Michael smiled to himself. Getting up slowly he looked around the room. It was fully lit, padded, and white with one wall a full sized mirror. Going to the mirror he concentrated to clear his mind. Staring non-stop he followed a shadowy form with his eyes never once relenting.