Author: Domino

Written: June 2001 - September 2001

Disclaimer: Not mine...

Rating: PG

Summary: Maria, All, CC, M/M.
Spoilers from Season 2

Part One

"We have two choices. Destroy them from the inside or from the outside. Obviously the latter was a complete failure. All attempts had disastrous results. The group is too strong together. We need a new strategy, a new plan."

"It has been decided to activate Operation Iago. The subject chosen is a Maria Deluca. All of our studies and surveillance have shown that she is the heart of the group. Destroy her relationship with the group and they will fall apart."

"Easy pickings. Is the husk ready?"

"Yes. It has an extremely limited time factor. Possibly an hour before it will disintegrate. The mission must be complete before that happens. Has a time been chosen yet?"

"The decision has been made. Tomorrow night. Miss Deluca will be home studying alone, leaving the playing field open. All three of the other subjects are working. The timing will be perfect. Who have you fitted to the husk?"

"Santia. Her size is exact. Matches Miss Deluca almost to the letter. The fitting showed no abnormalities."

"And the classes?"

"She has watched every surveillance tape of the subject. Her mannerisms are almost perfect."

"This has to go well. We cant afford any more screw-ups. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly, sir. By this time tomorrow - the eight of them in a group will be a mere memory."

"Alright, then. Notify Courtney that the plan is in effect. Her attempts to destroy Michael Guerin and Maria Deluca's relationship so far has been a dismal defeat. She should abort that immediately and begin observance, starting now."

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, then. Report tomorrow. Dismissed."

The Next Day

Maria had the night of. For a change she wasn't hanging around the Crashdown but instead due to her recent grounding, (she broke curfew again on an alien fact finding mission) she was stuck at home. After feeling sorry for herself for at least half an hour, she finally decided to use the time spent away from her boyfriend and friends to study, a rare occasion for her unless necessary.

At the Crashdown, life without her, was as interesting as Maria's study session. Michael was bored. Flipping burgers on a daily busy wasn't exactly the fun aspect of his life, not that much was, but Maria always made it more interesting. And much as he hated to admit it, he missed her. Liz felt the same way. Without Maria around, the only person serving was Courtney and they were both part of the same mutual hate association. If it was possible, and it was, Courtney was hated even more than Tess was, when she first arrived. The shift passed slowly for both of Michael and Liz. They didn't talk much to each other. Liz never knew quite what to say to Michael - that is small talk that didn't involve some sort of alien crisis, and Michael never said anything that wasn't alien related to anyone besides Maria.

Thirty minutes had been bearable for Liz. This was when Max came in for his break. He was working across the street at the UFO Museum, his job safe again. For that period at least Liz had someone to talk to, even though from Michael's perspective all they did was stare each other. It was good to see them back together again, after all they had been through but only in limited periods as they did have that somewhat nauseating quality to onlookers. Still all it did was make him miss Maria more. Worse he had to suffer through this all alone. Isabel, Alex, Kyle and Tess had gone on a double date. Michael cringed when he heard that - the words double date having bad memories for him.

After Max left, Liz resumed the countdown to the end of the shift. Michael had begun his the second his shift began. Still it was only another hour before Max fetched her for their date. He was supposed to give Michael a lift home and then she would have him all to herself. Time passed.

Outside, Max locked the door of the museum before starting to cross the street. He was smiling. Just before he stepped of the pavement, he ran into his best friend. Inside the café, Courtney made sure both Liz and Michael were positioned in front of the glass door. It had a perfect view of the street across.

The plan went perfectly. Santia performed an Oscar-worthy performance, her timing expert. In full view of two shocked observers and one participant, Santia kissed Max. He was too stunned to even react. Before his voice returned, she had disappeared around the corner. And the damage was done.

Max didn't run after her, his eyes moving to the Crashdown to meet Liz's shocked and betrayed ones. Michael was already out the Crashdown and in one quick motion, his fist shot out and hit Max in the face before he turned and ran away. Liz turned around and ran up the steps to her room and Courtney watched in glee as Max lay on the sidewalk, holding his jaw before getting to his feet and uncertainly standing there, deciding who to go after first.

The plan was a success. Finally they had broken the four up. It was perfect. Sheer brilliance. She couldn't wait to report in. With that last thought Courtney raced to the backroom and dialled her superiors.

End Part One.

Part Two

Maria raced into school, late and rushed to her locker. She looked for her best friend. Last night she had tried to phone her and find out how her date went and give Liz her news but Liz was already sleeping. Max wasn't even home and Michael wasn't answering his phone so she had to wait until today to talk to them, and needless to say Maria wasn't the most patient person in the world.

'Finally, there's Liz,' Maria thought and she raced after her friend to see her disappearing into the class for homeroom. Maria skidded to a halt outside the room and calmly walked in and as usual collapsed down next to Liz. She watched in shock as Liz immediately got up and moved to another seat. Her face, hurt and questioning was ignored by Liz. The others in the class looked on in surprise, Liz's behaviour a shock to them as well. Two seats behind, Alex and Tess who shared homeroom with them exchanged worried glances at Liz's cold face and Maria's hurt one. It was ignored for the moment as school went on.

When the period ended Maria tried to get to Liz but she ran out the room. Maria ran after her before Alex and Tess could get to either one. In the hall, before Maria could reach Liz, an arm grabbed her and pulled her into an empty classroom.

"Max. Not now. Something's wrong with Liz. I have to go after her," Maria said to him turning around to leave.

Max stared at her incredulously before anger covered each features. The previous night had been a nightmare. Liz refused to talk to him at all. No begging had helped. He hadn't had a chance to explain. When he finally given up on her and tried to find Michael - even after hours of searching he had no success. And here, the reason for all this pain, the person he had once trusted more than anyone else with the secrets of his heart and she was pretending like she didn't even know.

Disgust coloured his voice, "How could you? You're what's wrong with her. What's wrong with Michael. Thanks to you both of them are never going to talk to me again. How could you?"

"What are you talking about, Max. What happened. Did something happen to Michael? How is Liz involved. Why are you mad at me?" the questions flew from her lips but Max wasn't listening. He was too furious.

"Stay away from me. Stay away from all of us. Just get out of our lives. You've ruined them enough," he said his tone nasty, a tone she had never heard him use previously, before he stalked out the door. And for the second time that day, a best friend walked away from her. Maria's face fell and for a second she thought about running home and crying but that thought passed as she gathered up her strength and went to find out what the hell it was that was going on with her friends.

In the meantime Alex and Tess caught up with Isabel and Kyle. They were both in the dark as well although Isabel did sat that Max came home late. They finally found Liz, Michael nowhere to be seen. The conversation was one of the weirdest that they had ever encountered.

In a cold voice, devoid of all emotion Liz filled them in. It was a few minutes before any of them found a voice, the story so unbelievable.

"No way. Maria would never to that," Alex said finally shaking his head.

"I know what I saw, what we saw," Liz said, a break in her voice.

"It's just not possible," Isabel added, "I mean we're talking about Maria here, not Tess. No offence, Tess. And Max would never."

"None taken. But I agree, Maria could never… and Max would never," Tess said.

"Definitely not possible. Think about it. No one wanted you and Max to get back together more than Maria," Kyle said.

"And the way she feels about Michael. She couldn't do that to him," Isabel put in.

"She thought he did that to her. Remember Courtney. It was revenge," Liz said.

"For what? The Courtney thing was one big misunderstanding. It's over. They're back together again," Alex said.

"Plus Liz, Maria couldn't do it to you. You're her best friend, for heaven's sake. No one is more loyal than Maria," Kyle defended.

"And Max wants you more than anything. All of us know that," Isabel said.

"I saw them kiss. Now you can believe me or not but I was right the last time."

"But Liz, there was an explanation the last time. I made him kiss me. Maybe there's an explanation this time."

"Unless Maria suddenly became an alien without my knowledge with mindwarping powers she kissed my boyfriend," Liz's voice became cold again, "I have to go," before she turned around and walked away, leaving 4 totally in shock friends.

End Part Two

Part Three

"We need to find Michael, Maria and Max and find out what happened," Alex suggested after attempts to come up with an explanation yielded no results. They didn't have to look far as Max looking for Liz or Michael entered the classroom they were in.

His story matched Liz's except for his claim that Maria kissed him and he did nothing to encourage it. In the middle of his explanation, Liz walked back in, Michael in tow. They overheard his distraught version.

"What are you saying, Maxwell? Maria kissed you and you did nothing. Please," Michael's tone was sarcastic with an undertone of fury beneath it.

"I was in shock. It wasn't exactly something I expected. All I know I was walking across to come get the two of you and she came up to me and kissed me," Max's voice had ring of truth to it and some desperation.

"Please, I'm suppose to believe that," Liz added.

"She walked away before I even had time to react and the next thing I know you punched me and Liz ran away. I didn't do anything. Someone please tell me why these things always happen to me?"

Despite the fury and hurt flowing through them, Michael and Liz were beginning to believe Max. he sounded desperate and truthful. In addition it was hard to believe what they themselves with their own eyes had seen. The two of them exchanged a look of small understanding, before nodding at Max. Max gave a sigh of relief, echoed by their four friends watching.

'Great. One down. One to go. And everything will be fixed,' Alex thought. His optimism was unfounded and even he knew that the second one would be harder to explain. It looked bad for Maria.

At that point the subject of everyone's thoughts opened the door and walked in to 7 accusing faces. Her bewilderment increased. It had taken her a while to find them all and now to see them together... Maria just wished she knew what was wrong with them.

As he caught sight of her, every feeling of betrayal rushed back to the surface. The entire night Michael had spent trying to forget what he saw. The pain in his heart when he saw the one thing he had never expected in his life. He had spent the whole night walking in the darkened streets, through the desert as his life crumbled around him. The one person in the world he trusted above all else and she had... he had trouble saying the words, thinking them.

Maria felt her belief that she could fix the problem, whatever it was, if she just spoke to her friends, disappear before her as she caught sight of his eyes. Liz refused to look at her, Max looked furious and Michael... his eyes bore holes in her. They were filled with pain and anger. Before she could say anything, Michael pushed past her and left. His touch left her shaken from all the emotions she felt from him. Max and Liz followed. Maria watched them leave before turning to face the four remaining.

They might not have left but their faces had closed of. All the evidence was against her, and they had no choice but to believe it.

"Please tell me what's going on?" Maria asked in a small tone.

"I can't believe you would do that, Maria. You of all people?" Isabel said, following her brother out.

"Do what?"

"Please don't tell me you're going to deny it?" Tess asked, moving after Isabel. Maria still had a confused look on her face.

"What reason could you possibly have had for kissing Max. I just don't get it?" Alex said as he followed his girlfriend out. Kyle gave her a disappointed look before he also left.

The silent room was left with a stunned girl, in complete shock at what just happened. In a mere 12 hours she had gone from a girl with a boyfriend that loved her and friends that needed and trusted her to someone all alone accused of something she had no memory of, but believed by all. She couldn't stay here. She needed to think. Maria ran out of the room.

'Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.' She repeated the mantra in her head and forced the tears she had back and she ran through the empty halls. At the parking lot, standing by her Jetta was a triumphant Courtney. Maria ignored her, but the girl wouldn't let her. In a gleeful voice, Courtney proceeded to tell Maria all that occurred in every excruciating detail. It was not part of the plan but Courtney couldn't help it. There was no one she hated more than Maria and this was revenge. She looked to see the destruction on Maria's face but Maria didn't give her the satisfaction. Knowing Michael had taught her at least one thing and that was to let nothing show. Her face as stonewall as it got Maria got in the car and started it, her reversal made Courtney move back in a hurry.

Peeling out of the parking lot Maria raced out. She drove for a while before finding herself in the desert. There she sat, tears pouring down until she had no more. Her worst fear had just come true. Everyone she had ever love walked away from her When she was completely spent, Maria got up and drove home her face set in a new resolution. She buried the hurt and anger, her decisions made, she drove home and started to rebuild her life.

End Part Three

Part Four

The drive back was the hardest thing Maria had ever done. Twice she almost turned the car around and thought about disappearing forever. Two things stopped her - the first was her mother. Amy Deluca didn't have anyone else and Maria was not about to leave her alone. The second one was more difficult to define.

It was a combination of anger, disappointment and sheer stubbornness. Maria was furious with her friends, so angry in fact, it overrode all the hurt and betrayal. To think that they had so little trust in her that they would believe something so ridiculous about her, that they would think she was capable of betraying so many people. It was wrong on so many levels she just didn't know where to begin. In addition to that she refused to leave, to give any of them the satisfaction, the simplicity of never having to see her again.

All that persistence and stubbornness Maria had used when Michael gave them up for three months while Maria clung despite any hope was what she used. Only this time Maria wasn't going to fight for her friends. She was through doing that. This time she was going to fight for herself. If they wanted her back, something she doubted, they would have to fight for her because this time as much as she was dead to them, they were dead to her.

The first thing she did when she got back, was drive to the Crashdown. She did this first for a number of reasons. One - Liz wouldn't be back from school yet. Two - she needed to cut all ties and the CD represented everyone of those. It was the link between them all, where they met, where she grew up, where she and Liz played and cemented their friendship. It was also an important source of income to her, for a family that struggled to cope. Despite all that, or maybe because of it Maria took a deep breathe and walked in to the familiar café. Mr Parker was easy to find and with the familiarity of years of relationship Maria walked up to him and handed in her resignation.

Mr Parker was shocked to say the least. He of all people knew how much she needed the job and her quitting was something he never saw coming.

"Maria are you sure. You need this job. Why?"

"I'm sure Mr P. It's something I have to do. Besides, I'll have more time for after school stuff. It'll be cool, Mr Parker."

"Alright, but I'm not calling it your resignation. We'll call it a leave of absence so that if you want to, you can return anytime," he said.

The cynical part of Maria wondered if he would be so friendly if he believed what his daughter believed. Still she smiled at him, the man that had been more of a father to her than her own, "Thank you.. I appreciate that, sir but I don't think I will be coming back."

"Just in case, then."

Maria turned around to leave but before she did, she went back and hugged him. In a soft tone she said, "You're a good father, Mr P."

Mr Parker ignored the slight panic he felt when he heard her tone. It had a ring of finality to it, like he was never going to see her again. He looked at the girl that had been a second daughter to him and blinked at her eyes - normally so alive and full of happiness, but today they had hardened. He told himself he was imagining it and instead returned the hug tightly, - a part of him aware he might never get to do this again.

"You're a great daughter Maria."

"Bye, Mr Parker." And with those final words Maria walked out of the place that had been her life for so long.

A part of her was terrified and yet at the same time, despite her hurt, her anger, her new jobless state, Maria felt free. With every step she took, a new layer got added to the stonewall so not part of character before. Before the betrayal.

End Part Four

Part Five

Putting all thoughts of her former friends out of her head, Maria jumped into her car and drove down the street to her house. While it may seem that quitting her job was a reckless action, particularly by someone that needed a job, it wasn't totally without a backup plan. Maria had two options, the first was infinitely more desirable and as for the second - if the first failed, Maria could always waitress some place else. She was a good waitress and getting a job like that was not too difficult.

But first, she had an audition to attend. It was one of the reasons she was looking for Liz this morning, to tell her about it. Maria phoned "The Enterprise," Roswell's premier restaurant the day before. They were looking for a new singer to sing at the restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights. The job was perfect. It paid more that the CD did and offered tips. Today was Maria's audition.

Maria ran into the empty house to her room. On her bed lay the three dresses she had taken out for her audition. She was going to call and ask Isabel, Liz, and Tess's opinion on which dress they thought would make the best impression but that was before. Pushing down the pain she felt when she remembered, Maria decisively picked up the first dress. It was one of her favourite, in spite of its simplicity. The dress was black, long and skin tight with a slit to mid thigh. It was elegant but without any trappings, using no decoration and in that lay its appeal. The cleavage shown was limited, low enough to glimpse but too high to see anything before the dress tied around her neck. There was no back to it. Maria bought the dress the second she saw it. For once price was irrelevant but fortunately for her the dress was relatively inexpensive. It could only be worn by someone with the right figure and Maria had that.

So far no one had seen the dress. Maria slipped the dress on. It was a night dress but since the audition was for a singer at night in a restaurant it was appropriate. Bending down she tied the strappy sandals to her feet. A few minutes in front of the mirror had her hair combed back except for two curls which hung down the side. The look made her appear older and slightly more mature. Foregoing her usual lip gloss, Maria took out her red lipstick. She rarely wore red but circumstance sometimes called for it. She did her eyes last. Those she emphasised heavily with dark shades and green. The result left her green eyes slightly slanted with a feline appearance.

Maria didn't waste time studying her look. She picked up her bag, her music and without looking back, her new motto in life strode out the house. She arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early but instead of waiting in the car walked into the restaurant. Maria had never been there before. It was too expensive and required reservations at least a month in advance. When she arrived she looked around curiously. The place was beautiful. Immediately Maria's attention went to the far corner of the room where a piano lay and a small stage. Because it was afternoon the restaurant was empty. It was between the lunch and dinner rushes.

Maria didn't haven't to search for anyone. Her appearance garnered immediate attention and it took only a few seconds before someone appeared at her side. Even Maria had to agree that the audition went well. The piano player knew the songs she had chosen and she sung beautifully. Maria placed all the emotions she had been denying into the song and the result was a song that both amazing and had the ability to bring one to tears.

"You're hired. It will be on probation for this weekend. Only a formality but after…"

"Thank you," Maria's tone was devoid of emotion again. It was one she adopted from Isabel.

"This dress is perfect for today. Do you have one for Saturday?"

"Yes I do. Will I need a lot of them for every weekend?"

"Yes, you will but the job comes with a dress allowance. Here's your schedule. You work every Friday and Saturday night from 7 to 11pm. You can have 10 minute break every hour and a 20 minute one at 9pm. Tips between you and the piano player are shared 60/40. They get divided every night. All clear."

Maria nodded and exchanged a small smile with the guy sitting at the piano. He had already introduced himself as Marc.

"Are you free now?"

"Yes. I am. Why?"

"You can have your first rehearsal now for tonight's performance."

"Alright. Do you have a list of songs you would like me to learn."

"Its all there. Marc will show them to you. Sometimes we also allow requests if the song is known, ok." With that the manger walked away leaving her with Marc.

The rehearsal, like the audition was a success. Marc was a college student making a little extra on the side. The two got along well, and in spite of Maria's new rules of keeping her distance she found herself liking Marc. But the hurt was too fresh for her to let anyone in, and Maria kept it all superficial. The one thing she was glad of was singing kept her sufficiently distracted enough not to think about what happened this morning.

Her rehearsal ended at five. Maria decided against leaving the restaurant when her job started in a couple of hours. Settling into the staff room at the back, she pulled out her homework and for second time that week was up to date, and on a Friday. Her homework completed about fifteen minutes before she was due on stage Maria wondered into the kitchen to meet the rest of the staff. There was a chef and his wife that ran the kitchen. Within seconds of her arrival into the kitchen, Maria found herself surrounded. The chefs were from Spain. And in a mixture of Spanish and English fussed over her.

Maria having spoken Spanish almost before she spoke English conversed back with them in Spanish earning her their undying love and support. She immediately was hugged by the woman and plate of hot food shoved in her face. Her protests had only reclamation's about being too thin tossed at her. Maria not realising how hungry she was, having not eaten all day, to her surprise ate everything. It was delicious as one would expect from a five star restaurant. And with that introduction Maria became their favourite staff member. For Maria just being looked at with trust again, was a welcome change and the relationship between two grandparents who missed their grandchildren and a young girl without grandparents began.

The first day went well. Maria was a complete success. Her tips exceeded what she made during a week at the CD and requests flew in all night long. Every break Maria had, she slipped into the kitchen where her new friends plied her with desserts and stories. They didn't push or ask anything she didn't want to tell , their years of experience recognising the pain in her but instead made her feel safe and welcome.

End Part Five

Part Six

The weekend passed in much of the same way. Maria rehearsed, sang and buried herself in things to do to prevent thinking. On Sunday she even helped the Enterprise when one of their waitresses called in sick. She was dreading Monday but when it finally came, she dressed to kill and left for school determined to avoid all 7 of them.

Surprisingly, it was really easy to do that. As much as she didn't want to talk to them they didn't want to talk to her. She got through the morning without having to speak to anyone at all. Even lunch went well. She sat by herself for the first time in a long time. Being in a group of eight meant that there was always someone to sit with. She no longer had that but instead within minutes a couple of guys on the basketball team she had said less than two words to before sat down next to her and before she knew it the rest of the team followed suit. Even the cheerleaders sat down. And for once Maria was too occupied to think about why.

Across the quad, 6 people watched as she appeared to laugh and joke surrounded by Roswell High's popular. Michael was no where to be seen. He had been avoiding them all since the last confrontation. And the others, although they sat together barely said anything. Max and Liz resumed their relationship but there were no soulmate looks exchanged. In fact they hardly looked at each other, memories too painful. Everyone was depressed. Even spending the weekend totally apart did little to help. Kyle and Alex after the first few failed attempts at small talk lapsed into silence. Her absence was noticeable. Her laughter was missed. Her smile was longed for. But no one brought her up. She was a subject too painful to discuss, to think about. They sat and watched instead.

A phrase Alex had read once passed through his mind, 'Distance is salve to the betrayer's guilt.' The only problem Alex thought was, he couldn't figure out which of them was the guilty party. Maria or them. Both kept their distance. No one discussed the subject, anger and guilt competing for attention - both to be avoided at all costs. And no one thought about anything else.

Isabel had similar thoughts in her head. A few days ago, she was happy on a double date with her best friends and boyfriend and now she sat in a group of silent teens. The group was falling apart. This was the one thing they couldn't survive - the loss of her and Isabel knew there was nothing she could do and worse, if she wanted to do anything, her anger at points consuming her and at others her disbelief. Maybe all they could do was wait.

And that was how the week passed in school. Everyday Maria would sit somewhere and immediately be surrounded by people. Michael spent little time at school as possible and when he was there Maria avoided him completely and he her. It was the same with the others. At the CD, life was a bit different. Alex, and Kyle showed up everyday to support Liz in case Maria was there. And Isabel and Tess came with them. Maria never showed up. Michael kept to the kitchen and grilled burgers without saying a word to anyone.

There were too many memories of her everywhere, with them. It hurt too much to think about her so he tried not too. He avoided all of them so he wouldn't see the look of pain in their eyes that reflected his, so he wouldn't see their pity in their glances. It took them until the end of the week to try and find out where she was. Liz refused to ask her father. Eventually Tess sneaked into the breakroom to do what Liz wouldn't and stole the month schedule of the CD waitresses.

Unfortunately for her she got caught looking at it when Mr Parker walked in.
"Hello, Tess. What are you doing with the schedule?"

"I was just looking at it.." Tess said nervously but Mr Parker didn't seem to think anything was wrong with that so she continued and asked what she had been meaning to, " Maria isn't on it."

"Yes I know. Its sad. The place seems different without her. I wonder why she hasn't been in all week."

"She must be busy. I'll…I'll um…go now." With those last words Tess ran into the front and collapsed into the booth the five of them were siting.

"Well?" Isabel questioned.

"She's not on the schedule," Tess replied. The others looked shocked.

"Do you think Liz had her fired?" Kyle asked in a disbelieving voice.

"I did not," Liz replied from behind them, their orders in her hand.

"Mr Parker knew she wasn't going to be here, " Tess added.

"Do you think she quit?" max asked.

"No way. She wouldn't. She needs this job," Alex said.

"Its her life. She can do whatever she wants with it," Liz said coldly.

The others stared at her in shock. Liz had changed since the event. She didn't smile anymore and hardly spoke to anyone. Max and Michael were the same. The others didn't quite agree with Liz's assessment but there was nothing else they could do. None of them were talking to Maria so they couldn't ask what was going on, but despite the circumstances they were worried. Alex looked up and saw Michael staring at them, his face a mask. He heard as well.

End Part Six

Part Seven

As for Maria, not working at the CD left her with a lot of free time on her hands. It was the last thing she wanted so she filled it up hanging around with her new friends, always keeping herself at a distance. Once a week she had a rehearsal with Marc but by Wednesday, Maria decided to increase her extra curricular activities. She tried out for the school play. Without much effort on her part, to the disgust of other contenders, her acting and singing abilities won her the lead role and it seemed in minutes Maria was engrossed in learning lines, practising. Her new circle of friends widened even further to include the drama students. Yet none of them knew her at all. If they did they would see the smiles she gave never reached her eyes or the subtle looks she sent in the way of her former friends.

What made her even busier was the cheerleaders. With the big game coming up they decided they needed something special and she was it. They were using her but Mara didn't mind. She wanted to be busy and she was using them as well. The plan was simple. Maria would sing a song and lead while the cheerleaders followed. They chose Madison Avenue's Who the Hell are You? As the song they were going to use was fast, between the lot of them with Maria's input, they choreographed a dance routine worthy of Britney or Christina. If it wasn't for Maria's hurt it would have actually been a lot of fun even though it was hard work. Still the routine did cheer her up immensely and the cheerleaders and her spent every spare moment they had practising. They even kicked the team away a few times so that they could have what they termed a private discussions with Maria.

Some of the girls were actually quite nice and after a the first couple attempts they made to find out what made Maria separate from her friends and being shot down, they got the hint, and the subject was left alone. Instead she and the other girls did girl things, discussed guys and planned their routine. It made Maria miss Liz, Isabel and Tess a lot but she refused to give in to her tears.

Maria passed probation that first week and was now a permanent member of the staff. She spent all of Friday and most of Saturday there, her face in the kitchen now a familiar one and her doing her homework in the breakroom a regular occurrence. Marc even joined her there sometimes with his homework, while the chefs brought in a variety of foods for her to taste and eat.

By the time, the 10th day since the break up - but who was counting - had passed life had changed little. Alex and Kyle finally decided, after spending the weekend deciding whether or not to interfere, to ask Maria why she wasn't working at the CD anymore. They were not stupid and were aware that Maria would probably not talk to them, judging by her avoidance tactics of late but they had a plan. It was a simple plan.

Alex and Kyle, with Isabel and Tess's help would record a cassette for Maria asking what they wanted to know. They decided against leaving a message on her phone to prevent Amy hearing it. Phoning her was also out of the question since she would probably hang up on them. Isabel would unlock Maria's car door at school and they would place it in her radio ready to play when she got it. It was for this reason Alex brought his dad's voice activated tape recorder to the Crashdown. He stored it in the breakroom in Liz's locker till the place was almost empty and they could come up with a good message.

That evening, it was almost closing time. Liz and Courtney were the only ones on duty when Alex went to get the recorder finally. He switched it on and was about to begin the message they had decided on when Liz called him into the kitchen to help lift something. Leaving the recorder on the table he left the breakroom and headed into the kitchen. Michael had a box and was trying to pick it up when Alex showed up and lifted the other half. Together they moved it out the way, and carried it down to the basement under Liz's directions.

In the breakroom, however Courtney was making her weekly phonecall to her superiors on the status of the group. Unbeknownst to her the voice activated recorder began recording the second a sound was heard and her entire conversation was recorded.

"4523 reporting in."

"Yes, sir. Things are going splendidly here sir."

"Yes sir. I realise that they are still together but they barely speak. Michael is almost never there and Maria hasn't been seen anywhere but school since the mission was accomplished. Right now they aren't talking to her, thinking she betrayed them and they aren't talking to each other."

"Another week, sir and they will completely fall apart."

"You picked the right person to appear as a betrayal. Maria kissing Max was act of genius on your part and a genius act on Santia's part."

"No, sir, no-one suspects it wasn't really Maria."

"Yes sir. Tomorrow sir."

The recording stopped as Courtney stopped speaking.

End Part Seven

Part Eight

Jim Valenti and Amy Deluca were on a date. As always, and common for single parents their conversation always led back to their kids. Recently in particular, the subjects of their parents thoughts were causing more problems than usual. The kids were acting strange. Strange for teenagers was normal one might say but this was different - stranger than normal and the parents were worried.

"I don't know what's going on. She won't tell me. All I know is that I never see Michael, Liz, Alex or any of the others anymore."

"Kyle and Tess seem depressed. I don't think they have broken up but they barely talk to each other. None of them smile anymore and Maria hasn't been over to visit Tess in ages. I'm worried," Jim said.

"Its worse than that. Strange kids phone all the time. Maria says that they are friends but I've never met them. When she's home she stays in her room all the time strumming her guitar and writing in a little notebook."

"I haven't seen her at the CD at all lately," Jim put in.

"That's another thing. She quit her job there and didn't even tell me. I don't get it."

"She quit? But…"

"Exactly. Something happened that's split them up and I don't know what it is."

"I don't know what we should do. Maybe if we wait it out they will fix it on their own."

"I hope so. I really hope so. I want to see my daughter laugh again."


@@@@@@@@@@@@

Isabel was waiting for Alex with Tess, Max and Kyle. Now that they had a plan they all seemed a little lighter and they were all eager to start. It had been a few minutes already. Courtney, the last person besides them walked past and left.

"How long does it take to fetch something?" Kyle asked, more to break the silence than anything.

"I'll go get him," Isabel stated and squeezed out the booth and walked into the back, still holding her soda in her hand.

She didn't see anyone around and was going to try the kitchen when she spotted the recorder. Noticing it was on she rewinded to see what her boyfriend recorded.

The recording began with Alex answering Liz. 'That's explains where he is," Isabel thought to herself and was about to press stop when Courtney's conversation began.

The sound of the glass falling crashed into the silence of the closed café and had everyone immediately running into the backroom. Liz, Alex and Michael on the way up the steps from the basement ran the rest the way and Max, Tess and Kyle came rushing in from the front of the room. The sight that met them was one none of them had ever seen, not even Max and Michael.

Isabel stood in the centre of the breakroom, glass all around her, clutching the recorder tightly in her hand but the thing that shocked all of them was the expression on her face and the tears running down her face. When Isabel cried she did it alone where no one could see her momentary lapse of weakness. The others stared in shock before Alex ran to his girlfriend, "Iz are you hurt. Did you get cut?" he said worriedly.

Max pulled her away from where she was standing in the middle of the cut glass to the side and Tess with one swipe of her hand had the glass repaired. Isabel didn't say a word. She grabbed Alex tightly and buried her head in his shoulder, sobs escaping. The others stood worriedly while Alex patted her on the back and made soothing noises.

"Isabel?" Michael asked gently, worry for her making him forget his pain for a second. And at the sound of his voice Isabel burst into fresh tears. She didn't know how to tell them, how they would take it. The guilt she felt was so bad, for them it would be so much worse. It made her cry even harder. The others waited for her to calm down and tell them what was wrong. In the end she didn't know how to say it so she released Alex and pressed play.

The recording began again and Isabel saw the understanding dawn on their faces as they realised what it meant she saw the tortured expression on Michael's as he took in the words, the guilt on all their faces, the sorrow, the fear, the pain. Liz collapsed to the couch her legs buckling beneath her. Her face broke, through the cold expression she had worn for days as it occurred to her what she had done to her best friend, as it occurred to them all. Isabel wasn't the only one crying now.

"Oh my God. What did we do? What did we do?" Liz cried. And no one could answer. Michael looked like he was about to run again but it was like he didn't have the energy. He collapsed next to Liz and Max beside him.

"I said such mean things to her. I told her to get out of my life. Man, this is bad."

"Bad was watching that skin kiss you. We are way beyond bad here. What we did was…we broke every rule of friendship there was. This is a catastrophe," Liz said her voice breaking into tears.

"She'll never forgive us for this. We walked out on her." Michael said his voice so soft you could barely hear.

"I should have listened to my instincts. Why didn't I let her explain?" Alex said.

"That's why she looked so confused when we just ganged up on her." Tess added

"We didn't even listen to her. Oh god she quit because of us." Kyle said.

"No she quit because of me. I did this to her. Its all my fault. I made you'll believe me."

"We're all at fault here. She would have never done this to any of us. She would have searched until she found an explanation that made sense and we just gave her up. Just like that," Isabel said.

"She's never going to want to speak to us again." Michael said and everyone of them knew he was right. What they did was unforgivable.

"We have to fix this, "Alex said determinedly, "We have to."

"We'll make her talk to us." Kyle added.

"I don't think so, Alex. You saw her face when I walked away from her. She looked so hurt. Like I had stabbed her," Michael told him. Alex felt himself lose some of hope because he knew Michael was right. He had seen Maria's face when they all walked out on her.

"We cant just give up like that. Maria is the most giving person I know, the most generous and loving. She'll forgive us. She will. I know she will." Tess yelled at them.

"After we threw her love back in her face, her trust. Without even a question we just threw her away." Liz said. "Over a decade of friendship and I just let my best friend go."

"Stop feeling sorry for yourselves. You'll don't deserve it . None of us do," Tess stated, "We have to go and fix this. Its gone on long enough," and when the others just stared at her she added, "Are you just going to let them win. Let Courtney win."

It was enough to get them moving. They left the CD and headed to the Maria's house. The cars parked outside, they got out slowly and stood at the front door. All of them were nervous. To a house all of them had spent time in, Liz and Alex practically living there at some points - it was difficult to go in. Who knows how long they would have stood there, gathering up the courage to face their friend whom they had wronged so badly if Isabel hadn't finally wrung the bell.

Tess who had pushed them to this point lost some of her bravado at the thought of facing a girl that had accepted her and was her first ever human girlfriend. Michael didn't know how he could fix this. He had many screw-up in their long relationship but this… it was beyond bad. He was terrified that he couldn't fix it, that he had lost her forever because of something so unbelievable. Under the fear was the guilt and with that anger. He was furious at himself. It was a sentiment they all shared. They all should have known better. Him, Liz, Alex, all of them.

For Liz, up to now the hardest thing she ever had to do was to convince Max to fall out of love with her by acting out a betrayal. Watching his face as he caught sight of her and Kyle was the worst thing she had to do until now. Through all of that, Liz at least knew that the fate of the world was dependent on it and that gave her strength. That and the fact that at least she would always have Maria to support her when she found out. What she did to Maria was worse, way worse. She destroyed her best friend for no reason, nothing that could explain any of this or forgive her actions. She didn't deserve to have a friend like Maria. None of them did. Maria deserved friends that trusted her, that believed her, treated her like Maria always treated them.

The door opened.

End Part 8

Part Nine

Maria took one look at them, all seven standing on the doorstep and her mouth fell open in shock. They were the last people she had expected to see here, especially under the circumstances. 'What were they doing here. Maybe they came to have that long overdue talk. Whatever it was it was too bad because she wasn't going to talk to them,' her jumbled thoughts ran through her head.

Acting purely on instinct and an anger she never was given a chance to express, she immediately shut the door in their faces. For them, whatever they were expecting it wasn't that. They stared at each other for a few minutes deciding what to do when Max reached up and rang the bell again. Maria ignored it and the next one. She was glad her mum wasn't home to hear this. When the bell didn't appear to be stopping any time soon, Maria opened the door, glared at her former friends and in her coldest voice, "You are not welcome here. Get out," she said before shutting the door again.

It was at that moment Amy Deluca returned from her date with the sheriff and caught sight of the large number of people on her porch. It was the expressions on their faces, total dejection that got to her first. The sheriff got out of the truck as well and stared at the 7 with Amy. In their guilt-ridden states, the teens barely noticed other people in the area. The mother in Amy couldn't let them go like that. She took hold of Liz's arm gently and pulled her round the back. The others followed almost unconsciously, with the sheriff bringing up the rear.

They entered the house through the back door and Amy dragged them into the living room. There at the end, by the entrance to the front Maria sat on the floor against the front door, her arms wrapped around her knees her eyes dry and unseeing as she stared into space. She didn't notice them come in but the second they entered they saw her, and under Amy's and the sheriff's strict and worried observing eyes, the expressions they thought couldn't get any worse immediately worsened.
Whatever it was that caused Maria to look up, a sound, a feeling, when she did she stood up in a hurry and her face blanked over as she glared at her former friends.

"Maria, honey, your friends are here," Amy said when there was merely an uncomfortable silence. A cold smile crossed Maria's face.

"Friends are someone who trust and believe in each other, Mum," she said, her tone even colder than the ice in her eyes, "They are no friends of mine."

The teens visibly flinched, although Maria took no satisfaction from that. Amy and Jim exchanged shocked looks.

Facing the sorrowful line of teens that stood there Maria continued to them, "My mother may have let you into my house so I cant kick you out, this time. But far as I am concerned, you are not welcome here EVER." With that she turned around and left.

Amy watched, as the others did, her daughter's exit from the room. "Maybe it would be best if you leave," she said and followed Maria out, giving the sheriff an apologetic look. He gave an understanding one in return, before herding his charges out the Deluca home.

Looking totally crushed, none of them objected as they were practically pushed out. Outside, they stood unsure of what to do next. The sheriff ordered them to follow him home, and so they did.

Inside, Amy rushed up the steps to her daughter's room. The door was shut, reminiscent of the way Maria just shut out her friends a few minutes previously. Tapping lightly on the door to announce her presence, Amy opened it to find Maria sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the mirror containing her refection.

"Maria?" her mother questioned gently.

"Mum, I'm… not really in the mood to speak now."

"Okay, honey," Amy replied.

She sat next to her daughter and in slow movements pulled her daughter into her arms. Maria resisted at first for a second before burying her head in Amy's chest like she used to when she was younger. And they sat like that for a while. Eventually Maria began to cry, soft tears falling down her face onto Amy's shirt, soaking it. Still she didn't say anything and from an instinct natural to a mother, Amy didn't force her to and instead just held her, singing soft lullabies until her baby girl, once so innocent and trusting, fell asleep.

End Part 9

Part Ten

"Alright," the sheriff said to his young charges as they all filed into the living room, "Someone explain. What the hell did you do to Maria?"

No one replied.

"I know you did something. Maria Deluca is one of the sweetest people I know, like her mother and what I saw in there - that ice princess act was wrong. Now which one of you is going to tell me?"

Still, no one spoke.

"Look, if you tell me maybe I can help you fix it. You need her - all of you and you know that," he said.

"We cant fix this. Its too late. What we did? You'd hate us if you knew, dad," Kyle said sounding as dejected as Jim had ever heard him sound.

"Nothing's ever too late, son. You'll need her. She's your centre. Even I know that. She's the glue."

"You're not the only one that knew that. They did too," Max said bitterly, showing the first signs of anger.

"They who? What did they do?"

"They…," and he stopped unable to say it. Michael and Liz looked away, the memory, the pain too fresh.

"They manipulated us into believing… that Maria kissed Max," Tess told him when the others wouldn't say anything.

"And you believed that. About Maria. But she's…"

"We know. We were stupid," Alex said, "And we didn't think."

"I said some horrible things," Max told the flabbergasted sheriff.

"I sent her all the stuff she left in my room. Everything she ever gave me and I just dropped it on her porch without saying a word," Liz said and began to weep again.

Michael clenched his fists and muttered, "I got to get out of here."

The sheriff stopped him at the door. "No, Michael. We have to talk about this," and Michael too dispirited to fight him allowed himself to be pushed into a seat.

"This is bad. I can't believe you guys would think that about Maria. Anyone else…possible but Maria," Jim stated.

"I don't know what I was thinking. It doesn't seem real," Isabel said.

"I didn't fight for her. She would have fought for me. She always fought for me," Alex added his shoulders slumped.

"She would fight for all of you," the sheriff said, "Okay tell me from the beginning."

And so they did. Everyone added their bit in except Michael who just sat there. It took a while. All the teens were highly upset and there were many pauses along the way. Jim didn't interrupt.

At the end he stood up and with his back facing them began to speak, "Only three times in my life have I ever felt real shame. The first time was when I discovered you and I realised that all this time my father was right and the way I treated him was contemptible. It took some time but I fixed that. I was lucky I had the opportunity to fix it before it was too late," the sheriff paused and turned around to face them before continuing.

"The second time was one of the worst I have ever behaved. I was obsessed and somehow in my zest to discover the truth I forgot the way I was supposed to act. It was the first time I ever had a real conversation with Maria. And I wasted it with scare tactics and strong arming an innocent teenage girl who was terrified. All I did was scare her more. The more scared she got, the more I pushed and just when I thought I had her she looked me directly in the eye and said 'We wouldn't want to break up any more families' and left. I felt like a monster that day. And then I started to date her mother and things got serious. Here was the girl I threatened and the very strong possibility of her becoming my future stepdaughter. I didn't know how to apologise or fix it but she came up the me one day and told me I made her mother happy and that was all that mattered. Of course, if I screw up again, she would make me pay. I believed her and that was it… she forgave me."

"You all know the third time with Hubble - I like to think that was repairable as well," the sheriff paused again and looked at each one of them in the eye before saying to them, his tone as serious as they had ever heard it, "Not once did I ever feel anything less than proud of any of you. The way you all behaved in the face of dangerous and definitely unusual circumstances has always been a sense of pride for me - for all of you, not just Kyle. Until today. What you did was almost unforgivable but if there is anything I have learnt its that you can't just give up on relationships that matter. And sometimes, love is enough to help forgive. And I know despite your despicable behaviour Maria always loved and protected you - even when she was scared of you."

His seven charges sat there, their faces showing their emotions, changing with each word. He saw the determination and the little hope, almost afraid to appear, show as the heard his last words.

"You will fix this. Because you love her. Because you need her. Because she needs you. Because she loves you. Because they can't win. Is that understood?"

They all nodded.

"Good. Now you need a way to get her to talk to you and for you to apologise and explain." The sheriff said.

"We're beyond apologies here - we're on to major grovelling," Alex said.

"The on the your knees begging kind," Kyle clarified, "She made me get down on mine and beg once. She said and I quote, that my stalker-like behaviour and total idiocy tendencies warranted an apology of the highest order," and then he smiled a slight smile, "But she forgave me. Maybe she will again."

"I don't know," Liz said, her voice still tearful, "But we're going to try."

"And if we have to we wont stop until she listens," Michael said, his voice full of purpose again, "She's the most important thing in my life and I will not let some skin and my own stupidity drive her away again."

"We'll fight for her - like she always fights for us," Max said, "I want my best friend back."

"We need a plan," Isabel said.

The sheriff left unnoticed as the kids began to plan. They all looked animated again as they thought up ideas to get their friend back. He only hoped one of them worked.

End Part Ten

Part Eleven

Kyle and Isabel, it was decided were the best candidates for the job. Their popularity and Kyle's jock status made it okay to sit with the cheerleader/jock crowd that Maria now hung around with. It was part of the plan to get to speak to her. They figured if at least one person could get through to explain, they had chance. It didn't quite work out that way. Maria was already sitting there when they arrived. She didn't look at them, even after Kyle and Isabel greeted everyone except to acknowledge their arrival with a cold, "Kyle, Isabel."

They didn't let the freeze throw them and ignored the curious looks the others in the group sent their way, instead they sat down and began to make arbitrary conversation, as was the norm, pretending all was fine.

Maria had fallen asleep crying the night before and, this morning covered up the effects with light make-up. She'd evaded them somewhat this morning but had a close call in History. All of them were in the same class except Alex and they had totally closed her in, when they all sat around her preventing any escape. It was sheer will power that made her not get up and run or scream at them. And it was her renowned stubbornness and anger that allowed her to ignore them effectively despite their many attempts to converse.

After the History fiasco, Maria was careful not to get caught unawares and avoided them the rest of the day until now. At lunch, she figured she was safe. They didn't normally sit with the jocks and cheerleaders so she didn't' expect them to try anything. Still she wasn't too surprised when Kyle and Isabel showed up. A part of her was even slightly amused with their subtle attempts, and when she almost laughed aloud, Maria realised she was weakening. And it was then she freaked.

None of this was visible on her face, of course. She had become quite adept at hiding her thoughts - a fact for which she knew she could attribute mainly to Michael, and Isabel to some extent. They didn't deserve her. She couldn't afford to weaken - it would only lead to more hurt and she wasn't about to let that happen again. It was because of these thoughts, her voice froze when she greeted them, or to be more accurate acknowledged their presence.

The same stubbornness, one which they had been counting on, and strength she used in History made her sit through lunch and pretend, like them in a way that nothing was wrong. She was good at it too. No one except Kyle and Isabel noticed how she didn't address any of the happy conversation, that had everyone around her spellbound, to them. She ignored them completely and totally, and they felt it.

It was with relief that Maria stood when the bell rang. Pride made her stroll slowly away from the group, and the cheerleaders joined her in almost designed choreographed walk that cheerleaders sometimes innately possess. Maria led the way and automatically people moved away, clearing the path.

None of this, Maria noticed - her thoughts preoccupied and focused on remaining strong. She didn't see the cheerleaders adjust their walk, on reflex to hers (dance practise training them to do it), but it didn't go without notice to her friends who watched.

They felt slightly defeated but had expected this. After what they did, they didn't really expect her to make it easy on them and as Michael said rather wistfully, "Maria never made anything easy."

They couldn't do much the rest of the day, to their disappointment and her relief. With Maria no longer working at the Crashdown, no one was quite sure what she was doing. Isabel had discovered that Maria was working on a plan with the cheerleaders for the big game Friday, and in light of that, Kyle who was playing got them all front row seats on the floor of the court.

The week passed in the same way. They kept up their approaches and even felt some hope that she was softening towards them. Her voice wasn't as cold and her cut-off's not as sharp. But she still refused to let them get too close.

Everyday, Isabel and Kyle sat with her for lunch. Alex made sure he was there when Maria joined the band of the Whits. Every History lesson, they surrounded her. And while she ignored them, they all learnt to read her.

It was strange that in all the years that the seven knew Maria, none of them had spent much time looking at her. Her personality and enthusiasm for life often overshadowed her beauty, grace and even her true feelings. Michael was the only one that had any practise staring at her, although he was better at hiding it then Max.

Now they saw what she didn't say, what she hid, what her eyes shadowed and her body language revealed. They saw what the world saw, what they used to see and what she was, what she concealed. It was because of this observing, constant watching, some might even call stalking that they knew she was weakening. It gave them strength to keep up their efforts.

For Maria, the week grew increasingly difficult. Whatever they did, she loved these people and to just stop loving someone wasn't easy. With everyday she could feel herself being less unforgiving and she steeled herself against it. She buried herself in work, rehearsals and training.

In some ways this was a lot worst than that first week away from them. She felt numb to the pain then but now with all seven of them being there every second, it reminded her of their betrayal and she felt the hurt much more.

It wasn't just the guilt in their eyes that affected her, or the sorrow - what made it all so difficult was the anguish she saw reflected in them, mirroring her own, and the wistfulness in their expressions when they stared at her. As much as she was mad at them, it wasn't in her to see them suffer. But throughout this internal battle, it was the anger that was the strongest - not all the time, not even most of the time, but it was the one emotion she felt safest in expressing. Without it she would fall apart. Her teflon would break and her pretend would be over. So Maria held on to it for dear life. It was the only thing that kept her from bursting into tears or even worse, throwing herself into their arms.

They stared at her all the time. There were times when she was so used to, she barely noticed and there were other times when she wanted to go over to them and scream for them to stop. Sometimes, strangely enough it was even comforting and slightly healing - their watching her in some ways filling a hole inside her. Maria wasn't ready to forgive them, but she might have been ready to listen to their explanations, something they had never given her chance to do.

But now was not a good time. The game was tonight. And everything was ready. They were going to perform 2 numbers - one at half time and the other one when they won, a victory being almost guaranteed with Kyle playing. Maria forced her friends out her mind and focused on the routine. The part of her that had always suffered stage fright, the part that would be nervous of her performance wasn't there anymore. It was interesting, she had thought once before when she realised her stage fright was no longer an issue, that once you fight evil aliens and the FBI singing in front of hundreds of people isn't so scary anymore.

Her mother left this morning, rather reluctantly, unwilling to leave her daughter alone in her fragile state. An important business trip and weekend away with the Sheriff planned a month ago required her to leave. Because the sheriff was only joining her next day, Amy took the Jetta with her forcing Maria to get a lift.

The cheerleaders picked Maria up, bubbling with excitement. Maria smiled at them, and slipped easily into the role that almost second skin to her by now. It was one she used often, even before with those she trusted once - her happy face.

@@@@@@@@@

At the same time, in a house nearby seven teens were talking about their progress with Maria.

"Okay, Phase one has totally run its course. I say we move to phase two," Michael said decisively.

"I agree. We've done all we can with Phase one. It's time to move on," Isabel voiced her affirmation.

"Phase Two it is," Tess put in.

"Phase one is so over. I'm with you," Kyle added.

"Me, too," Liz and Max added.

"Guys - uh… what is Phase Two?" Alex asked a little dubiously.

There was silence as everyone thought about his question. No one could think of anything that would convince her. Minutes passed as they all considered options, throwing out ideas that were rare and few far between.

"OK, we need to come up with something now. I'm leaving for the game in a little while and whatever we are doing we are going to have to do tonight," Kyle announced.

"He's right. If we don't do something tonight, Maria will avoid us the whole weekend and rebuild all her walls. It will make whatever progress we made totally ineffective," Michael said thoughtfully.

"I have an idea," Tess said, "But its… a little out there."

"Well - don't keep us in suspense, Tess. Spill," Isabel ordered.

And Tess told them. They stared at her in disbelief.

"You want us to do what?" Max yelled. Max never yelled.

"No way," Kyle said.

"It's a little corny," Liz added.

"It might just work," came from Isabel.

"It has possibilities," Alex put in.

They all turned to Michael to decide the tie-break. He looked torn and highly uncomfortable. Making up his mind he said, "She loved that movie. Made me watch it with her three times. It could work."

The decision made, they began to plan. The time chosen was straight after the game was over while everyone was still in the gym. They figured the more public and humiliating the more chance it had to work.

Kyle left for the game. Alex left to sort out the last minute details and the girls and Max went to get ready for the game, and Phase two.

Part Twelve

The cheerleaders and Maria pulled up into the parking lot. There was 20 minutes to game time. The team pulled in behind them. Kyle stared at Maria, as they walked in and this time she didn't avoid his gaze. She nodded once, her face unsmiling and he grinned happily at her concession, before she disappeared into the girl's locker room to change into a catsuit, the same colours as the team and cheerleaders uniforms. Maria and the cheerleaders had debated the use of a uniform but finally decided against it, wanting her to stand out during the routine.

She wasn't going on till half time so she changed with the others, and then put on a long leather jacket, covering up the catsuit almost completely and left to sit in the court. Outside the stands were already full and with 5 minutes to go, she took her seat.

Maria felt eyes on her, and unsurprised she caught sight of ex-friends sitting in the front row, diagonally opposite her. She ignored them and concentrated on cheering the game. It was a close game but it was obvious that West Roswell would win, Kyle being in top form.

Five minutes before half time, Maria rose and curious eyes watched her walk to the edge of the room into the doorway that led to the locker room. She didn't re-emerge until the bell went and the team left. Three seconds later, the speakers went on and the music started.

And it began. With the cheerleaders, surrounding her, Maria walked in, a microphone in her hand. The crowd loved her. She led the cheerleaders in a quick, energetic dance routine belting out the words in a non-stop fast paced performance worthy of an MTV appearance. The end of the song was equally dramatic with the chorus fading, the cheerleaders following her moved towards the door in one motion and Maria disappeared. There was silence and then the crowd stood, screaming.

The game began immediately after, and when a well deserved victory was achieved, the cheerleaders took centre court again. To the beat of the music, they started the second routine. From behind the gym doors, Maria's clear voice was heard. The school, already high after the victory yelled as she walked out, holding the mike.

The song began slow and soft, but as Maria reached the front, the tempo picked up and the cheerleaders and her began to move in unison. Their second song ended amidst cheers.

"Maria Deluca," the head cheerleader announced taking the mike, and Maria stood there slightly out of breathe.

She had given everything into her performance, all her anger, hurt and insecurity - all poured into the routine and forgotten for those few minutes that she was centre stage. Her life didn't exist at that moment, just the song and the energy, the dance. But now as she listened to the cheers, her eyes as always moved to her friends and in the loud cheering room, from across the room her eyes met Michael's and suddenly everything else faded away and grew silent. There was nothing besides her and Michael - their eyes locked.

It took one of the cheerleaders tapping her lightly on the arm for her to release his gaze. She smiled her thanks to the crowd, shyly now that there was no music to distract, and stood there with other cheerleaders and the team as the school celebrated the victory.

"We have a surprise for you, Maria," Cindy said into the mike and the crowd silenced and waited for her to continue. "There are some people here who would like to say something to you." Whispers broke out as everyone guessed what the surprise was.

Just then, music began to play - the sounds of a guitar, a live guitar. Everyone shut up and straightened to see if Maria was going to perform again. She wasn't. From the back, three guys walked in all carrying the musical instruments they were playing. Maria turned to look with the rest of school and recognised the members of the Whits.

She glanced back to where Alex, and the rest were sitting during the game but they weren't there anymore. Then she looked to the side, searching for them - sure that they weren't not just going to leave. All day she had this feeling that they were planning something. It was the collective gasp from the school that had her turning her attention behind her. She turned around and her mouth fell open in shock.

Michael, stood there a microphone in his hand - the same one she had just given up. He opened his mouth and to Maria's complete and utter amazement began to sing, his eyes firmly attached to hers.

I know I was wrong
for treating you the way I did (the way I did)
I have so much on my mind
I didn't know where you fit in (where you fit in)
and if I could do it all over again (again)
I'll never treat you that way
(I'll never treat you that way again)
I apologise for the pain that I caused
and I just wanna say (I just wanna say)

His voice trailed of, as she stared in shock. The rest of the school stood spellbound. His voice wasn't half bad. Before she had time to react, Max took the microphone from Michael and picked up where Michael left off. Maria tore her gaze away from her ex-boyfriend to stare at one of her former best friends. Max's expression asked, no begged for forgiveness.

I'm sorry (I'm sorry)
so sorry (so sorry)
for treating you the way I did (I didn't mean it baby)
I'm sorry (I'm sorry)
so sorry (so sorry)
for leaving you the way I did

With Liz, Isabel and Tess singing in the background, Alex and Kyle sang the next verse

When I close my eyes
I think of how it used to be (used to be)
that's when I realised
just how much you mean to me (you mean to me)
a second chance is all that I need (I need)
to change what's wrong and make it right
(to change what's wrong and make it right)
a fool I was to let you slip away (away)
when I know I need you in my life (need you in my life)

and Liz took the chorus alone. Maria's eyes swung from one to the next as the song went on. They looked nervous, slightly hopeful and very apologetic as the words came out.

I'm sorry (I'm sorry)
so sorry (so sorry)
for treating you the way I did
(I didn't mean to hurt you baby)
I'm sorry (I'm sorry)
so sorry (so sorry)
for leaving you the way I did

Michael began to sing again, with Kyle doing the background.

And I know everytime (everytime)
everytime I treated you unkind (so unkind)
you still gave your best to me (to me)
I'll do anything to get you back in to my life
I need to hold you again (hold you)
kiss you again (kiss you)
make love to you (love you)
and I'll do it again (to you)
listen to me (listen to me)
I'm down on my knees (down on my knees)
can we start over again (can we start over)

They all finished singing the chorus together.

I'm sorry (I'm sorry)
so sorry (so sorry)
for treating you the way I did
(I didn't mean to hurt you baby)
I'm sorry (I'm sorry)
so sorry (so sorry)
for leaving you the way I did
you got believe me when I say that
I'm sorry (so sorry)
so sorry
for treating you (for treating you the way I did)
I'll never hurt you again
I'm sorry (so sorry)
for leaving you ( for leaving you the way I did)
I'm sorry baby

She wasn't the only one following the group with her eyes. The school did too, overcome with curiosity as to what they did that required her forgiveness - what was so bad that a notorious loner, and a group, despite their popularity generally avoided the public eye as much as possible. They also watched Maria, waiting for her reaction.

Maria didn't know what to do. She was so mad at them, yet at the same time she couldn't help feeling slightly flattered and forgiving that all of them were willing to do this for her. Michael held out his hand, hopefully and she reached out to meet it, without even realising it. Just as their fingertips touched, the sparks that she always felt shocked her into reality and she remembered - she snatched her hands away, and swallowed her own disappointment. She didn't look at Michael's eyes, knowing if she saw them one more time she would just give in and run into his arms.

As she avoided his eyes her glance met Liz's and her part of her heart broke all over when she saw the pain and hope in Liz's eyes. She couldn't deal with this now - she wasn't ready. Maria began to back away slightly. Seeing this, the group knew they were losing her, they began to move closer to her.

It was at that moment, in the absolute silence of the gym while all watched and waited for the reaction from Maria that the door opened. The sound was loud and with it, heads whipped around to see who dared disturb the entertainment. A guy walked in.

End part 12

Part Thirteen

Marc strolled in and looked around curiously. There was a strange atmosphere in the room. He stopped at the edge of the court, and decided to ignore the very hostile looks he was getting from the crowd, "Maria, ready to go," he said.

For Maria his entrance was the equivalent of being saved by the bell. She felt relief. Her decision didn't have to be made now. Her smile reflected all this when she looked at Marc.

It wasn't what Michael and the rest saw - a smile of relief. Instead they saw someone new, someone in her life they didn't know. Someone that was taking her away from them.

"I'll get my stuff," Maria said and walked to the edge to pick up a bag lying unobtrusively there. It contained her change of clothes and the evening wear for tonight's singing. With the Jetta out of town with her mother for the weekend, Maria was dependant on others for lifts. It was why Marc was picking her up.

Marc met her halfway and took her bag from her.

"Aren't you going to introduce us, Ria?" Shelley, one of the cheerleaders asked. They were all still on the court, watching the proceedings with avid interest, like the rest of the school.

"Yes, Ria. Please introduce us," Michael said, his tone slightly challenging. That was all it took for two people in a somewhat on/off highly volatile relationship.

Maria twirled around, and in a really sweet voice introduced Marc.

"Everyone. This is Marc. Marc - everyone."

And Marc who was not entirely sure what was going on complied with her cue.

"Hello," he said and seeing that Michael was the most dominant male in the room held out his hand to greet him. Not breaking eye contact, or the silent argument he had going with Maria, Michael took it and they exchanged firm handshakes, a battle for territory.

"Hi, Marc," the rest of the school said in unison, as they released their hands. And Marc gave them a cautious smile, resisting the urge to laugh at the display by Maria's friends or the urge to check to see if any of his fingers were broken. Pride. It was important.

"We're going now. We're already late," Maria said and the two turned and walked away.

Everyone listened as Marc, almost at the exit said to her, "I've only been at college a couple of years, Ria but I don't recall high school being quite like that."

"My life is anything but normal," she replied to which he answered, "That's because you, Maria are anything but ordinary…"

It was the last thing they heard before the door shut behind them. Inside, Michael turned to face the others.

"Okay, who the hell was that?" he demanded and let his glance pass over the room, before pausing on the cheerleaders.

"Don't look at us. We don't know anything." Pam said.

"But we'd like to. He was hot," Shelley added.

"I wonder if has a brother," Cindy mused aloud.

Michael gave a sigh of exasperation and cut off the cheerleaders of before they began a rundown on all of Marc's attributes, something he so didn't need to hear right now. And based on previous experience with these girls when Isabel hung around them, he knew it was the next topic of conversation.

One of the girls, Shelley, Muffy, or some sort of food name looked at him and said, "I hope you don't do anything stupid, like follow her." Okay so maybe all of them weren't airheads.

It was like a light went of in their heads.

"Race you to the car," Max said and he Michael took of at a run, the others close on their heels with Kyle still in his uniform.

The door swung shut to the disappointment of the students of West Roswell High, the ending of an highly entertaining show down lost to them. The noise level in the room rose immediately as the discussion began. Someone in the room began a betting pool which had people shouting out odds, amounts and guesses to what would occur. It was some time before the victory celebration began, and even longer before the talk was to die down.

End Part 13

Part Fourteen

Outside 7 teens ran in time to see Maria climbing into a red car. They hopped into the jeep and Kyle's mustang, pulling out the driveway and heading after the headlights of Mark's car. They were not happy when they pulled up at the restaurant 'Enterprise' to see his car sitting outside.

"Why is he bringing her here," Michael asked.

"We have another problem," Liz interrupted, "This place has a dress code. And its expensive."

"Easily fixed. Amazing - a problem I can solve. How unique," Michael mused, sarcasm evident in his tone. With one wave of his hand, his rather grungy look transformed into a suit.

The others stared in surprise.

"I didn't know you could do that," Tess said.

"Nacedo taught me. And Maria made me practise," he replied.

"Maybe then you'd care to explain that pathetic dress sense you exhibit, if you can do that," Isabel asked.

"What's wrong with the way I dress?" Michael glared at her.

"No time for this," Alex interrupted what was sure to be a big argument.

"Do me next," Kyle said. And Michael did.

He changed all of them, giving the girls beautiful evening dresses. Their expressions grew more shocked.

"What? I like art."

"Yeah, but…" Isabel started.

"Okay, fine. I use to practise on Maria. And she wouldn't let me do bikinis. She likes evening gowns, so…" he trailed off.

The guys nodded in understanding and the girls smiled.

"Okay, you distract the Maitre-D and I'll change the reservation book, Iz," Max said.

"And if that doesn't work, Tess you mind warp him, okay," Michael added. With those last words the 7 walked in.

It wasn't exactly what they expected. Understandably - they did live in Roswell and the restaurant did have a somewhat alien name to it. Still, with the exception of Isabel who had been there before, they were all rather surprised at how upscale the restaurant was.

The got in easily. A little alien magic and a few smiles can work wonders. They even managed to get seats at the back of the restaurant, in the shadows. Then again most of the restaurant was shadowed, mainly candlelit with a few lamps at intervals giving it a romantic atmosphere. All of them worked hard at remaining inconspicuous and at the same time searched the dim room, for Maria, as they walked to their seats. They didn't see her.

"What if she isn't here? What if we are in the wrong place?" Liz said worriedly.

"I don't remember Maria ever mentioning this place before or coming here." Alex added.

"Well obviously not," Isabel put in, "Why would she come here? She was dating Michael."

"Hey. I might have brought her here. Maybe. Someday…" Michael trailed of at their incredulous looks, "Besides, Maria doesn't care about stuff like that," he added a little louder.

"True. At least she didn't before," Kyle said.

"Where is she? This is the only place open here. She must be here somewhere."

At that moment Maria was in the back. She had just changed into her favourite black evening gown and was saying hello to the Galinas before starting her set. Mama Galina - everyone called her that - took one look at her and enveloped her in a hug. She issued the boys out the kitchen and sat down with Maria, holding out a bowl of today's dessert. Comfort food was Mama Galina's field of expertise after all. The comforting presence and dessert work and Maria felt ready to face the world again. After another hug from Mama Galina, and one from Papa Galina who was standing outside the kitchen doors waiting for permission to come back in, and Maria was ready to face the world again, or at least sing for them.

She walked out. Marc was already sitting down, playing a light tune on the piano and took her place next to the piano, in front of the microphone. It was a totally old fashioned set-up, one designed to be and look like a the setting for a lounge singer from the 1950's. Even the songs were soft, melodious, and written years ago with the occasional modern slow love tune.

"I say we grab her and run," Michael said, "As soon as we see her." Kyle, Alex and Max nodded in agreement while the girls stared at them incredulously.

"That's your plan. Are you nuts? This is the Enterprise," Isabel yelled at Michael in a loud whisper.

"She's already mad us. At this rate she'll never forgive us," Liz said.

"You follow our lead. Don't do anything until we tell you," Tess said in a voice that booked no argument and the other girls nodded this time, giving the guys certain you-do-as-I-say-or-I'll-kill-you looks they couldn't possibly misinterpret. Kyle and Alex gulped and in a calming gesture took their respective girlfriends hands just before they reached the table. And in move design to placate but almost natural for Max and Alex, the guys held out the girls seats, before they sat.

The seven still occupied in searching the restaurant didn't notice Maria as she walked out, but her voice caught their attention immediately. Their attention and the rest of the diners, whose conversation ceased as they turned to look. In the short time that Maria had been working at the Enterprise her singing abilities had grown, and with it her reputation and that of the restaurant. People started coming to hear her sing. It was more than her voice - it was the emotion one could hear in her songs. Emotions that told the listener that whatever she sang about she experienced. And to her it was her way of being sad without releasing her mask.

This was totally different from the cheerleading performance - that was fast, quick, and energetic. This was slow, sad and in melodic way lulling. When she sang the atmosphere in the room changed and it was like being transported back in time - to another world, a different era.

The waiter arrived to take their order but they were too involved in staring at her to give it. He left and returned, interrupting their rapt attendance to the lightly lit stage in the front. Michael didn't even blink despite their attempts to talk to him so Max ordered for him. He appeared to have forgotten all about his plan, or even that the world around him existed.

The food arrived and they ate almost absently and their plates were taken away with the quick service one could expect from such a restaurant. Still they didn't move.

The time passed. The waiter stopped coming to ask if they wanted anything and ignored them for the most part. And Maria sang. Today was difficult. She had a lot to sing about, a lot to decide and as always placed herself totally into the music. In the back of neck, she felt a tingling feeling like someone was watching her, but she ignored it. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling - it was a familiar one, one that was almost a part of her by now.

It was time for her last song. It was late and the restaurant was about to close. As the words died away, she heard light applause. The atmosphere in the Enterprise was a soft one and so was the applause, so different from the screaming acceptance she had received for her earlier performance but at the same time no less in its obvious approvement.

She disappeared into the back and immediately Michael stood up, followed by the rest of the guys. Max, Alex and Kyle looked at the girls requesting permission and they nodded, before also moving out their seats. The 7 of them walked into the back after Maria. They found her standing next to Marc hugging him goodbye and without a thought Max and Kyle grabbed Michael's arms on either side, preventing him from moving.

It was the strangest thing. Isabel, for one, could have sworn she heard Michael release a low growl. It did however get Maria's attention, and the other rather amused people also in the room - the Galinas. Marc on the other hand wasn't amused - he barely concealed his fear. Michael was by this point glaring rather ferociously at Maria and Marc.

"What exactly is going on?" Michael asked, his voice dangerously calm. Marc felt a shiver of fear. There was no mistaking the threat and the territory claiming. He opened his mouth to reassure the guy, whose name he still wasn't aware of but before he could say anything, Maria cut in.

"That is none of your business, Michael. You forfeited all rights - all of you did - to know what is going on in my life," Maria reacted to Michael's anger.

'So that's his name,' Marc thought to himself, as he inconspicuously tried to move away from standing too close to Maria.

"At least listen to us. Maria, let us explain. Let us apologise," Michael said pleadingly, changing tactics.

Now that he was a safe enough distance away, Marc felt brave enough to talk, "She doesn't want to talk to you."

"You stay out of it. This has nothing to do with you." Michael resumed glaring at Marc

"Leave Marc alone," Maria retorted.

"Marc can take care of himself," Kyle put in.

"Come on, Maria. We are going to talk. Now," Michael grabbed Maria's arm and pulled her away.

"Hey," Marc yelled.

" I don't want to talk to you," Maria said at the same time

"Well, that's just to bad. ''Cos you are going to."

"Damn. I just knew he was going to go all Neatherthal on her," Isabel said aside to Tess.

"I'm wont come with you," Maria voice went up a few decibels.

Michael stopped suddenly and turned to face her, "You sang beautifully," he said, changing the subject completely again.

Maria was totally disarmed. She smiled a small smile at him, "Really?"

"Really." He began walking again and Maria remembered she wasn't going with him again.

"Let go of me, Michael."

"No way, Maria. You told me once that whenever I did something stupid or ran, I could always come back because you were not going anywhere. Were you lying?"

"Oh - I think you went beyond stupid this time, Michael. Stupid was when you dumped me the first time. The only person that's stupid here is me for letting you always come back."

"Were you lying?"

"You have a nerve. You're throwing my words back at me. And I am still not coming with you.

"I am not giving you a choice," Michael said to her and in a move that shocked all of them picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Maria began to yell loudly.

Marc gave an uneasy glance to Michael before moving to rescue his friend. Immediately Max, Alex and Kyle stepped in front of him and assumed identical postures, legs shoulder width and arms folded. Marc wasn't scared of them but the same wasn't true for the girls. Liz, Isabel and Tess joined the guys. They may not have approved of the plan but no one could argue with its effectiveness. And since it was too late to do things a little more diplomatically, they decided to give their full support. Together they took a step forward, forcing Marc to move backwards, rather awkwardly. He gave a furious Maria an apologetic look and a shrug, causing her to scream louder.

"That's it, Michael Guerin. You are dead man. I am going to make sure you die a slow and painful death. Slow, you hear me, Michael."

"The whole bloody town heard you, Maria. I got it. Slow and painful. You're still coming with me."

"Aaaah. I hate you. Do you know that." To emphasis her point she gave his shirt a hard yank.

"That's okay, princess. I hate you too."

"Don't call me princess."

"Aren't they cute," Liz said aside to Alex.

"I heard that." Maria shouted from her perch from Michael's shoulders.

"I don't know how, with the amount of noise you are making," Michael said dryly, trying to keep a firm hold on Maria who was doing her best to squirm around as much as possible.

"Mama Galina, make him put me down. Now," Maria suddenly remembered the cooks in the room. She sent another disgusted look via Marc's way.

The Galinas were watching unobtrusively from the corner of the room. They looked liked they were barely holding their laughter in, or else they were about to cry.

"Baby, did I ever tell you how Papa Galina and I got married?"

Maria looked confused but would never be rude to these people. Neither would Michael. He stopped so they could hear the story.

"Yes, you said that you were supposed to marry someone else - an arranged marriage and you eloped wiith him instead," she replied to the question.

"I may have left out a few details. It wasn't quite as simple as that."

"It wasn't?" Maria's tone asked the question, politely but everyone wondered at the same time the relevance to the current situation.

"Non, I loved my Estafano but I loved my family too, and I would never go against their wishes. I was in the carriage to the wedding when out of nowhere my Estafano arrived. He threw me over his shoulder and…"

"You eloped. How romantic," Liz said dreamily.

"Excuse me. I am only seventeen years old. I am not marrying anyone," Maria said. She tapped Michael on the shoulder, "You tell them, Michael."

"Oh now - its okay for us to agree, huh. Have you ever thought that maybe someday I may want to marry you?"

Maria's mouth dropped open. So did the jaws of the other 8 people in the room.

Maria shook her head, as if to clear it. Maybe she heard wrong. Michael dispelled that notion.

"You heard me. Not now, of course but someday."

Then she snapped out of it. "I am not even talking to you. How exactly are you planning on doing this wedding. Or was another abduction in order," she said sarcastically, "Of course, we still have finish this one."

"You are so right. We do have to complete this abduction. Guess abductions are just part of our relationship." With those words Michael began to walk again.

Maria looked slightly resignedly at the Galinas, "Guess you are not going to help me."

"No. Sorry, honey. But this is for your own good. You need to talk to your friends," Mama Galina said firmly and Papa Galina always a man of few words nodded in support.

"Thanks a lot, traitor," Maria shouted to Marc on the way out the empty restaurant.

End Part Fourteen.

Part Fifteen

They were at Maria's house - all 8 of them. It was chosen for the lack of any adult supervision, and because it had more space than Kyle's. That and the fact, they thought it might calm her down to be in her own house. It didn't really work so the next brilliant plan, 7 desperate teens came up with was to lock her up in her room until she was ready to talk to them - then again it could have been a stalling technique. Now that they had finally got an audience with her they were not exactly sure how to go about asking for forgiveness for something this monumental.

The drive there hadn't been a picnic either. Michael sat in the backseat of the jeep, with her on his lap. To prevent any escape, he wrapped his arms around her firmly. She didn't make it easy, squirming around a lot to get out of his iron grip. Her escape attempts were unsuccessful but it did leave Michael in a rather uncomfortable position.

Now the 7 sat downstairs in the Deluca sitting room, deciding what their next move was to be. They were prepared for a long night. Already, Liz, Isabel, Max, and Alex had phoned their parents to explain their absences with sleepovers. Maria was in her room, sulking. After yelling for a while, she finally realised that that manner of protest was rather pointless and only resulted in a sore throat for her. After that she went totally silent, much to their worry. Isabel had already gone up to check if she was still in her room, despite the fact that there was no way out considering Tess and Max had made sure that all exit routes were totally blocked (alien powers did come in handy.)

Michael had taken up a meal for her, home cooked, her favourite snacks but Maria locked herself in the bathroom when she felt him coming up. It was just a objection to her incarceration. She was well aware that he could easily open the door. He waited for a few minutes before insisting she open the door. Determined not to talk, Maria didn't answer him and even had to stuff her had in her mouth to prevent the laughter erupting when in a really serious voice, Michael threatened her with his "alien fingers." Michael opened the door, dragged her out the bathroom and watched as she ate her first bite, before leaving her alone again. Maria thought about refusing to eat but she was starving having not eaten any thing substantial all day. And it was her favourite foods.

Meanwhile, in the living room, a debate was raging as to the next course of action.

"I think we should all go in together and explain," Max said.

"It might be better if we go in one by one, so we can talk to her on our own," Liz said.

They threw suggestions back and forth until it was finally decided that Alex, Kyle, Tess and Isabel would go in first to explain and then Liz , Max and Michael could talk to her on their own. Of course, after their final decision they changed their minds again. Eventually, Michael stood up and walked up to her room. The others followed. Discussions were proving useless, maybe just talking would work.

Unlocking the door, they all trooped into her room. All of them had been there at one time or another during their lives so its contents were familiar, as was the slight figure that lay on the bed. She had changed into a pair of shorts and tiny tank top and lay on the bed, her feet curled up under her. Her eyes were shut and her expression, peaceful and innocent. Different to the mask she wore during the day.

Michael walked to the bed and carefully lifting her, he waved his one hand over the bed causing the covers above the bed to rise. He laid her back down on the bed and opposite him Liz lifted the covers back up and tucked them tightly around her friend. The covers rose slightly and fell with each small breathe Maria took, but she didn't stir, too exhausted by a long, emotionally tiring day to even feel being moved.

Michael lifted one hand to lightly touch her face, a small smile playing on his face before he turned and left the room along with the other silent observers. They shut the door quietly and went back downstairs.

"Tomorrow. We'll talk to her tomorrow," Alex said softly. And the others nodded.

It took them a while to get organised. They all decided to sleep there, as to talk to their friend first thing in the morning. The girls were going to sleep in Amy's room while the guys slept in the living room. Max and Alex took the couches and Kyle and Michael used Maria's sleeping bags. Within minutes, all of them were out, sleep coming easier on this night then it had since this whole mess started. Now that they had her so close, their hope was stronger and her presence, in a way had the same calming effect it had always unknowingly given.

End Part 15

Part Sixteen

Alex opened his eyes reluctantly the next morning. The sun was shining brightly through the curtains that none of them had thought to close last night. Groaning softly, he sat up and lifted his hand to massage his aching neck. Sleeping on the couch was not good for anyone that had his tall lanky frame. Glancing around he took in his other sleeping companions. Max was snoring softly on the couch across and Kyle was sprawled half in and half out his sleeping bag. Alex turned his head to see where Michael was, and moaned at the protest his neck made at the movement.

Michael was nowhere in sight. He must already be up. Alex swung his legs over the side of the couch and padded over the carpeted floors to the stairs. A few minutes later he was back in the kitchen, deciding whether or not to start breakfast or go out and fetch some clothes. Stalling, Alex went back upstairs to see if anyone else was awake. Walking quietly he softly opened the door to the girls room and stuck his head round it. All three were fast asleep. Backing out, he left before he disturbed them and went over to Maria's room. He didn't open the door immediately like before and instead paused. Not for the first time guilt overtook him when he thought about facing her - his best friend. What happened last night was necessary. Necessary to get her back.

Strengthening his resolve his hand tightened around the doorknob and he slowly turned it. The door slipped open quietly. Maria lay on her stomach, her face hidden in the pillows facing the window, her hand dangling over the edge of the bed. For a few seconds Alex just stared at her, memories of sleepovers and childhood dreams surfacing. He would do whatever it took to get her to forgive him, forgiving himself on the other hand… he wasn't so sure about that.

As Alex turned to leave the room, he caught sight of something behind the bed. Walking towards it, he wasn't surprised to see Michael covered in his sleeping bag, hidden by the bed. He lay on the floor, asleep with one hand outstretched lightly holding Maria's dangling fingers. A slight smile graced Alex's face for a second, before disappearing as fast as it had appeared. There was little to smile about these days. Alex turned around left.

Back in the kitchen, a pair of arms encircled his waist as a now awake Isabel greeted her boyfriend and a second smile touched his features. Maybe not so little to smile about.

"Morning, honey. Sleep well?" she practically purred.

"Uh-huh. You?" he turned in her arms.

"Oh, yes. Today is going to be a good day. I just know it," Isabel replied, optimism spilling forth.

Despite himself, Alex found himself believing, "I hope so. Do you think she'll forgive us?"

The smile on Isabel's face wavered for a second before returning full force, "Yes, she will. She has to," she replied, her tone almost desperate.

By mutual agreement, an unspoken one, Alex and Isabel changed the subject. Not wasting any more time they decided to first get some necessities. Isabel walked into the living room and climbing over a sprawled out Kyle managed to access Max's jeans lying over the sofa, to recover the keys. Alex quickly scribbled the others a note and the two left to make a few stops.

When they arrived back, Michael was awake and busy in the kitchen. He had already started breakfast. A grunted good morning was all they got from him. He didn't mention last night's sleeping arrangements and neither did Alex. He knew, from Isabel that it had been a while since Michael had got any sleep at all - not since the whole mess had started, and what happened after, with Courtney had only made it worse - and because of that, and the fact that Michael wasn't the kind of guy you brought this up with Alex held his silence. Working companionably the two guys made pancakes while Isabel showered. Alex took his turn next and then Michael.

By then, almost everyone was awake and waiting. Maria was still asleep and no one wanted to disturb her. The guys were in the kitchen, debating what to do when they heard soft footsteps padding down the stairs. Immediately they all shut up and waited. Obviously still half asleep, Maria walked to the fridge and took out a bottle of water. Rubbing her eyes with one hand she walked to the cupboards. And that's when all hell broke loose.

A slight noise from one of the guys had her head turning sharply and at the same time she threw the bottle at the source of the noise. Her aim was right on target and the bottle went straight for Max's head - reaching out his hand, Kyle caught the bottle just narrowly missing hitting Michael who was also attempting to catch it. Her feet poised to run, Maria took in the sight of the four guys standing there and she paused, a look of shock crossing her face.

"Damn. It wasn't a dream. I should have known it… but you singing, I mean what was I suppose to think?" she said, softly almost to herself, "Wait a second," and her voice rose and she stalked over to them, "You threw me over your shoulder. What the hell were you thinking, huh?" poking her finger in Michael's chest to punctuate each word.

"Want some breakfast, honey? I made your favourites," Michael said ignoring the anger in her voice. She stared at him in shock, and she wasn't the only one. What was he doing?

Suddenly Maria seemed to visibly slump, all the fight going out of her. It was difficult when they all wore the same pleading expressions she saw them wear when they sang to her last night - hard to resist those faces, "You are not leaving, are you?" It was a statement not a question. "Fine, blueberry pancakes?" she asked, moving away from them and taking the bottle of water from Kyle's hands.

"Yeah."

"I'm not your honey, Michael. I don't think I ever was," she added, "I'm going to change," and with that parting shot she left before anyone else could say anything.

Alex gave them all a big smile, "She's having breakfast with us. Isabel," he yelled.

The girls came running into the kitchen.

"Shhh. She's still sleeping," Isabel said admonishing Alex.

"What? What happened?" Tess asked the question Isabel didn't.

Kyle went up to her and hugged her, "She's having breakfast with us."

They all went into the dining room and sat down where the girls had set the table. Maria wasn't long. She came in quietly and sat down. A part of her knew that she couldn't avoid this any longer. And she had to admire the genius in kidnapping her and taking her to her own house. Even she did escape, where was she supposed to go. And the 7 of them were obviously not leaving anytime soon. At least, they had let her sleep last night… it was strange but she slept better last night than she had in a long time. Not since this whole mess started. Today she felt a little fresher, more up to dealing with this.

Breakfast was over. It was time to talk.

End part 16

Part Seventeen

They all moved to the living room and spread out over the seats. Maria sat by herself on the one-seater, holding herself separate from the rest of them, and Michael leaned against the wall his arms crossed.

No one said anything. They didn't know how to begin.

"Well, since you obviously don't have anything to say, I assume it's alright for me to leave - or am I under house arrest?" Maria announced, "I do have plans, you know." She stood up.

"Maria, please. Just listen to us," Liz said softly, pleadingly.

"Why? Why should I? You didn't listen to me. Tell me why I should listen to you."

"We were idiots. We are idiots. Maria, please. We need to fix this," Kyle said.

"Fine. Talk, then."

In a halting voice Alex started, Kyle, Isabel, Tess, Max, and Liz adding in between. They told her the whole story, what Courtney had done, and why.

Maria didn't say a word, and kept her face carefully blank while she listened. About how they found out; about Alex, Tess, Kyle and Isabel worrying about why she didn't show up to work, their plan to ask her and the conversation they overheard accidentally. She tried to hide the hurt that Liz, Michael and Max didn't care enough to even wonder about what she was doing, but not well enough and they saw it - it was another stab to the heart, another bit of guilt.

"God, Maria we are so sorry. You have no idea. I know its not easy to do but will you at least consider forgiving us," Tess pleaded at the end.

"How come it was so easy for you to believe this? Someone tell me why. I'm your best friend - how could you think that I would do that?" Maria yelled at them. It was the first time they had spoken about it and it felt good to scream. She stared them all in the eyes, starting with Michael and ending with Liz. And everyone else faded a little and this became between two friends, best friends whose friendship had been destroyed by a betrayal.

"You want to know why. Why - I'll tell you. I was jealous alright." Liz yelled back, the emotional upheaval of everything finally giving out in this confrontation that was days too late.

"Jealous of me. What the hell for."

"Isn't it obvious?" and both of their voices softened to a normal conversation that was almost normal in its tones.

"No. It isn't. I don't get it. You believed Max with the Tess thing and you believed Max with this. Why would you think I would do it." The hurt was evident in Maria's voice, all masks dropped.

Liz sighed, "Max and I were not on great terms, you know that. We were back together and I explained the Kyle thing but we…we didn't talk like before."

"You were together. What does this have to do with me?"

"Everything. All that time I was away, and when I came back, everywhere I saw Max, I saw you."

"We were friends. I was helping him get you back - remember you, the girl who he had been in love with since 3rd grade., my former best friend."

Liz cringed, "Well. I couldn't help it, okay. I was jealous. It was worse then with Tess. Tess never stood a chance of getting him but you… you could have had him if you snapped your fingers." Maria wasn't the only one that was shocked. Max had a complete look of confusion. In fact the only ones that didn't look confused were Michael, Tess and Isabel.

Maria gave a disbelieving look. "Please. Like that was ever going to happen. Max didn't even see other girls and I loved Michael." Michael winced at her use of the past tense.

"You don't see it - your power." To Maria's shock, she saw Isabel and Tess nodding in agreement.

"What does that mean. My power?" This time Maria addressed the question to all the girls.

"If we hadn't gotten back together, Max would have come after you. I could see it in his eyes. Even after we got back together he never came to me to talk. Everytime he had a problem, he ran to you. How the hell do you think that made me feel."

"I think that you are an idiot. He came to me because I was your best friend and his problems, his world revolved around you. And Max would never come after me. He wouldn't do that to Michael. Then again what do I know. You all did it to me." And again the bitterness shone through.

"I'm sorry okay. I was just so mad and so jealous I let everything blind me. The thing is I knew you didn't see him like that. I just would remember all the things you used to say about Max being the perfect boyfriend and I just … went a little nuts."

"Oh, excuse me. Of course. I should have known that meant I had designs on your boyfriend because I'm such backstabbing…" sarcasm was evident.

"Stop alright. I know I was a complete idiot. I just couldn't help the way I felt." Liz cut her off.

"You believed Max. You wouldn't even stop and ask me what really happened."

"I couldn't stop and ask you. I was so furious with you. You're the person I trust most in the world and to think that you did that … I just couldn't okay," Liz replied.

"Don't you mean trusted most in the world. And after everything I put up from you."

"What do you mean?"

"For years I was your best friend. And you know what, Liz you are one of the most selfish people I know. Your life revolves around you and only you. How much do you even know about me - huh? Do you know when Michael and I had our first kiss, that I write songs, that…" she stopped and Liz stared at her, horrified, "You don't know any of that because far as you were concerned all I ever was, was your sidekick. You always thought your life was more important than mine."

"That is not true. I… I just always needed you more than you needed me. Its why I couldn't ever keep a secret from you. You were always the strong one - teflon, remember. I know I'm selfish sometimes but Maria, we're best friends. I can't do this without you. Don't you think I know that you keep things from me. I know you don't tell me when it hurts, when you cry," Liz looked at Maria, tears falling from her eyes, "I just never knew how to fix things. Before , I used to call Grandma Claudia and ask her. She used to say, if Maria needs you Lizzie she'll tell you. Let her work it out by herself. And so I did. I guess… I just got so used to letting you do that I stopped being a good friend. I'm so sorry, Ria. I never meant you to feel like that. I'm sorry I didn't come and ask you, that I believed that skin, that I made everyone believe me. I'm so sorry." Liz was crying so hard now she stopped speaking. Max wrapped his arms around her and held her.

Maria wanted to go to her, to make her stop crying but a part of her was still so furious. It hurt so much. Everything. Liz crying, everyone cornering her, what they did. It all just hurt. She turned around to hide the tears in her own eyes, and faced the window shutting them tightly to block the tears. She didn't see her reflection staring at them. She didn't see Michael take a step towards her, hold out his hand and take it back, unsure of what to do. Isabel's strong voice broke over the sounds of sobbing.

"We will fight for you Maria. I wont let Courtney destroy us that easily. Not after everything we fought for to get here. It doesn't mean anything without you."

And her anger not yet spent came back. Facing Isabel, now and blocking the rest of the room she started, her mask back on but her emotions real, "That's rich, Isabel. Really. If I learnt anything in the last few weeks is that I never meant anything to any of you. All I ever was to you was someone you put up with because of Michael. I was the girl Liz blabbed the secret too. The weird girl who was going to tell all to Valenti. The girl who saw monsters in her dreams. The threat, the freak - that's who I was. So don't tell me that I mean a lot to you."

"You want to know who you are. I'll tell you. You're the girl who didn't tell Valenti anything despite the fact I did my best to scare the hell out you. You're the girl that helped heal Michael even after the crappy way we treated you. The girl who took him in and helped him when he was scared. The girl that was determined to be my friend even after I pushed her away and threaten to kill her. The girl who stopped my brother from going into a total depression even while she was hurting just as bad. The girl who never gives up on people. The girl who…the girl who's my… best friend," she trailed off softly. Everyone was silent. Maria had a tear running down her face.

"I won't let you go, Maria. I'm not giving you up because I was so stupid. You're the strongest person I know, I need you to be my friend - I need to be yours. I want us to last, all of us. College. Marriage. Babies," she said tearfully. Then Isabel began to laugh - it had a slight hysterical edge to it, "How can I be a bridesmaid at your wedding if you're not talking to me - huh?"

"How many times do I got to tell you, huh? I am not getting married," Maria said but she smiled a small smile at Isabel. And walked the step towards her. It was all it took. Isabel ran the rest of the way and wrapped the smaller girl in her arms.

"I'm so sorry, Ria. I won't ever do anything like this again. Ever," she cried.

"You'd better not. I won't be as nice next time," Maria said crying as well. She leant back and looked at the taller girl, "Did you mean what you said?"

"Every word." Isabel said firmly.

"Okay."

"Okay what?"

"Okay. I'll let you be bridesmaid when I get married." And Isabel started to laugh.

"And I guess that's makes you maid of honour, Liz," Maria said softly, turning to face Liz.

"Really. Really, Maria," and suddenly Maria flew backwards as Liz came rushing at her. And for a few minutes, all they did was hug. Isabel wrapped her arms around them both as well.

"Guys, I really do need to breathe now," Maria said laughing lightly. The first real laugh she had had in ages. She looked up and the two girls backed of a little, Liz grabbing her hand tightly not willing to let go just yet.

Tess stood staring at the three girls, and buried the envy she felt when she saw them. The closeness she hadn't ever felt before until Maria accepted her in the group. But that was before. She didn't feel a tear fall from her face. She didn't see it hit the ground and splash lightly but others saw. Kyle saw and Maria saw.

"So Tess, wanna be a bridesmaid at my non-existent wedding," Maria said to her, the generous spirit she was known for, not allowing the obviously sorry girl suffer any more.

And Tess looked up at her, "You'll forgive me? After everything I did?" she said hopefully.

"Chica, you got a lot to learn about humanity but I figure you made a good start. Nice call on the singing there. I know it was your idea - you probably saw that movie as often as I did. I can't believe you talked them into it," Maria said gently to Tess. She always spoke gently to Tess, and treated her like fragile glass. She was one of the few that realised how easily hurt Tess was, how sensitive she was. They had a lot in common, along with an underlying steel that made them survivors.

"It wasn't hard, Maria," Tess said, another unnoticed tear falling. Tears was something she didn't quite recognise, having used so little of it, in her strange life, "They would do anything for you. Anything at all." She walked to Maria. Maria opened her arms and Tess lay her head on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Ria. I will do anything to make it up to you - you were nice to me when you didn't haave to be and I will never forget that. I'm sorry I let them make me believe otherwise. I just felt so betrayed, thinking you tore the group apart for something so stupid. The group was all I had," Tess said into her shoulder. Maria patted her on the back softly.

"We'll fix it now, Tess. Okay?"

"Okay." Tess replied.

Isabel watched her boyfriend smile at the reunion and then the smile leave his face, its appearance brief as all his smiles were since he lost Maria. She pulled Liz's arm and took Tess's hand in hers before leading the way out the room, "We'll get some drinks for all of us," she said and the girls left the boys to talk to her.

End Part 17

Part Eighteen

Maria sat down on her couch again, in the corner of the room. The guys exchanged a look, deciding who was to go first. Maria took the decision out of their hands.

"Tell me what happened with Courtney," she said quietly and watched as their expressions darkened at the mention of her name.

"I… I can show you," Max offered tentatively but Maria wasn't ready to let him connect with her yet. She shook her head no and buried the urge to change her mind when she saw his hurt but at the same time totally understanding expression - typical Max.

"I never wanted to hit a girl in my life but her I wanted to knock out," Kyle said angrily, "She's damn lucky she did what she did or else…"

"What did she do?" Maria cut in, wanting to know what they did, what happened.

"We all decided to confront her together. Michael wanted us to stay behind because she was a skin, but Liz, Kyle and me refused to. We wanted to make her pay for what she did," Alex started.

Max continued, "We all went to the Crashdown the day after we came to your house, and we pretended no one was talking for the shift while we kept an eye on Courtney."

"It was really difficult to keep the girls from scratching her eyes out," Michael put in, "There were times when I thought for sure I was going to have to grab Isabel, or Liz to keep them from giving us away."

"I practically had to sit on Tess. She's not the most patient person there is, you know," Kyle added.

"In a way, it's a good thing that the girls were there. They kept us from doing something stupid as well, particularly since we were so worried that they were going to do something," Alex said.

"Guys, you still haven't said what happened," Maria urged them on eager to find out what occurred.

"We're getting there," Max said patiently, "So anyway, we waited until it was closing time and we cornered her in the backroom. Things kind of spiralled from there."

"She knew immediately that we knew. Michael looked so mad I thought for sure he was going to blast her. I would have totally understood if he did, but she never gave us a chance," Kyle said, a little tactlessly.

"She started to laugh - this horrible laugh - and then she said that it was fun, watching all of us go down like that. That if she didn't get me, that at least she made sure that I never would get you back. That none of us would," Michael said, his eyes darkening in anger as he remembered the conversation and the smug voice Courtney revealed all of this.

"We told her that she would pay for it all and Tess said that you were smarter than any bottle-blonde who couldn't get a guy if she paid for one and that we would beat her at the game she was playing," Kyle said.

"That's when it got really interesting. Courtney went a little nuts. She started to insult you. I grabbed Michael's one arm and Max took the other one to stop him from getting to her. Man, that girl was mean. We didn't catch Liz, though. She slapped her. Really hard too. Courtney's face flew back - I hate to say it but I really enjoyed that," Alex put in, a tad admiring about Liz. And Maria smiled. At least someone had got to hit that witch.

"She did what all of us wanted to," Max said, surprising everyone.

"Then, Courtney looked at all of us really smugly and she said that it was already too late. And it didn't matter what we did. It was too late for us, because there was no way you would even talk to us - in a way we knew she was right, but we didn't let her know it," Kyle said.

"And it was too late for her," Michael continued when Kyle paused, "She said that this was her last chance. You don't get too many working for Khivar, apparently. She didn't get me, 'cause of you and she didn't manage to break us up 'cause we found out."

"She looked at us and she started to laugh again. Then she said, well I paid her back didn't I. I took everyone she loved away - and then before we could do anything, she reached behind her and pressed something," Max added.

"The next thing we knew, she was dust. Not a big loss, in my opinion," Kyle said, a little coldly. The girl hated his almost sister and did her best to destroy them. He couldn't say he felt any loss for her.

"She killed herself?" Maria said in shock, not expecting that.

"Yeah. Pulled the plug, so to speak," Alex said, even less apologetically than Kyle. What Courtney did was unforgivable to him.

"I don't think Khivar would have let her live, or that we would," Michael said as darkly.

Maria stood up and turned around, wrapping her arms around herself. She shivered. It was difficult to imagine someone hating her that much.

Reading her mind almost, something he hadn't much of a chance to practise in recent times, Michael said softly to her, "It wasn't your fault. None of it was - she just… had a few loose screws, that's all, Maria."

"No. I guess it wasn't. She was right about one thing though. She took all of you away. In one move, she got all of you to leave me. I guess her mission was a success after all," Maria said, equally softly.

"We made a big mistake, Maria but we didn't totally leave. We could never do that," Alex said to her, willing her to turn back around. She did, her eyes bright with unshed tears and anger. And pain.

"You know, of all people you were the one that was supposed to stay. You and Kyle. You stayed when everyone else left in the summer. You were supposed to stay - you promised that you were never going to leave. Not like my father. Not like Michael. Not like Liz. You said you would always stay. You lied," Maria uttered, her words like daggers into his heart, into Kyle's for letting her down, into Michael's for once again realising how much he hurt her.

"Oh, Ria. I am so sorry. You don't know how hard it was to stay away. I used to pick up the phone everyday to phone. Everytime I saw I just wanted to run to you and fix everything. Nothing was right. But everyday it seemed like the distance got wider and wider and it just got harder and harder. We were really worried when you quit at the Crashdown, but I knew you wouldn't talk to us and everyone else were still so raw about it all, I…I just let it go on too long." Alex said. He walked to her and grabbed her hand, "I don't know how to fix this, Maria but I will do anything to make you trust me again."

"I don't know if that is possible, Alex," she answered him sadly, "You know I think its me sometimes… that something about me makes you leave."

"That is not true, Maria Ursula Deluca and you know better. Your father was a jerk and we were all wrong Maria. But we came back. We came back. And we are not leaving ever again," he said to her, his voice firm and without any doubts.

"I don't know, Alex. I'm not sure I believe that's possible anymore," Maria answered, her voice quiet and little unsure. And a tear ran down her face. She turned her head away from him

"Yes. It is. Don't make me resort to the card. Because I will if I have too," Alex said. He lifted his hand and gently turned her face back to him. The others looked confused at the turn of the conversation, but stayed silent. It wasn't their time to speak yet.

And despite herself Maria smiled, "You wouldn't!"

"Oh, but ma cherie. I would," he said in a fake accent trying to coax another smile out of her.

"I can't believe you remembered," she said.

"I'm desperate… and you said when all else fails," he replied.

Putting on the accent again and miming the actions, Alex held up an imaginary card in his hand, "I present the all famous For use only once, the one and only, the friendship saviour Get-out-of-jail card. Now, do we need a retraining in the use of the card. I shall proceed, n'est pas. Okay?"

Michael, Max and Kyle looked totally in the dark. Silently they urged him to explain. Maria, on the other hand, watched his actions knowingly.

Alex continued in his normal voice, all traces of humour gone, his tone both serious and contrite
"At least you gave me the courtesy of asking me, you didn't just leave - I won't ever forgive myself for that, Maria."

"Can I use the card?" he said, looking into her eyes.

"Oh, Alex. I don't know," she replied.

And together the two remembered how and why the card was given. It was over a year ago, back when Alex didn't know the secret of the pod squad's origins. Right in the beginning, Liz's journal had gone missing and Maria asked Alex if he had taken it. It turned out that Michael borrowed it, and the next day Maria had gone up to Alex and apologised. It was also the day she had given him the card. The card that gave the holder of such card one free total and complete absolution and forgiveness for one stupid mistake that might risk their friendship - a joke only the two of them got, one no one ever thought would be needed.

"Okay, I'll forgive you, Alex. Free and total as agreed but… I am not sure if I can forget," Maria replied sadly.

"I know, Maria. I don't think I will ever forget either," he replied as unhappily. He took his hand and wiped her cheek gently and gave her a small smile, "Want to hit me? It'll make you feel better, I swear."

And she laughed as he planned, Alex wrapped her in his arms. Her laughter was the thing he missed the most. She returned the hug tightly.

"Will we okay, Alex?" she mumbled into his shoulder, fear in her voice.

"I won't let us not be, Maria," he said into her hair, determination in his.

He released her reluctantly, and pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear he smiled and stepped back, "I better go and see what's taking the drinks so long," he said, a little lighter. Things weren't totally fixed but at least the recovery had begun. They were gluing the pieces back together, little by little - pieces of broken hearts.

With one last glance at her, Alex pushed her back down into her seat and left the room. Kyle walked up to her and crouched in front of her taking both hands into his large ones.

"Do big brothers get second chances, Ria?" he asked sombrely.

Maria leaned forward and her forehead touched his softly, "I'm so tired of crying, Kyle. Its so hard."

"I wish you didn't hurt Maria. I wish it wasn't me that made you hurt."

"Me, too… Kyle… will everything ever be the way it was?" she said to him. Somehow it was easier to forgive him than the others or maybe she was just so tired.

"Maybe not the same, Ria but better. We won't take you for granted ever again, I swear."

"Why me? Why did she hate me?" Maria said heartbreakingly.

"She was just jealous, baby. You … its because you were the centre… the one everyone loved the most. The heart of the group."

"I don't want to be the heart… I just to be me. I just want to go back to before when things were simple. Did you know Liz was jealous of me? Me! I never knew that… I don't understand how that could be, Kyle. She has this perfect life, a perfect family, everything - why would she envy me?" Maria asked him, confusion clouding her voice. He was the one person that she could talk to about this stuff, because in a way, he hadn't always been a part of it, and stayed somewhat objective.

Since Kyle had discovered Buddhism, he spent a lot more time observing and it was because of this he had an idea of what Maria was asking, had an idea of Liz's feelings and even an understanding of why she felt that way. In a way, he could see why Liz was jealous and he could see why Max's reliance on Maria could make her see things that way. He could see the same things in Alex and even himself towards her … even if it was innocent, and he saw the reactions in Isabel and Tess. Although Isabel probably understood it better having a slightly similar relationship with Michael. Michael on the other hand was hard to read… he of all of them recognised Maria's innate power to attract, how he felt was difficult to figure out.

"Liz does trust you Maria… she just felt like she lost Max, like she was losing you and it all just came out wrong - it wasn't your fault. None of it was. You believe me, don't you?" he said to her, reassuringly, "Please don't cry. You know I hate it when you cry. Here," he pulled out a squished, half melted chocolate out his pocket and gave it to her, "Chocolate," he announced like it was the solution to the world's problems.

"Bribery, Kyle," Maria said, and she stopped crying.

"Whatever it takes, sis," he replied grinning hopefully up at her, "I need you to know, Maria that even if we hadn't heard that conversation with Courtney, we would have still come back. I know its hard to believe right now but I would have come back. Please believe that," he said a little desperately.

"Okay, Kyle. I'll believe it. I need to," she said to him, her tone as desperate. She leaned forward again and he leaned forward and met her halfway.

"Want me to grovel, Maria. I know you like that - the whole on your knees thing, seems like I do that a lot around you."

"I can't help it that I got a brother who hasn't yet quite picked up the correct way to behave that most people learn in kindergarten," she joked, "And look, you're practically on your knees already."

"I can't help it if I have a sister that uses cruel and unusual punishment as a means of revenge," he answered back at her.

"Me. Ha. You just don't like to admit when you are wrong," she said indignantly.

"That's because, sister dearest I am never wrong," his tone was smug.

And suddenly her smile left her face and she threw herself in his arms, "I missed you, Kyle."

"Me, too, Ria," he replied fervently, "And if you make me cry, I will never speak to you ever again."

"Okay," she said. And for a few minutes no one said anything and Maria just hung on for dear life, to her honorary brother.

"I won't ever leave, Ria. Me and Alex, you'll always have us, okay. No matter what." Kyle added before letting her go.

"No matter what?" she asked.

"No matter what," he replied. And it was a vow, and oath. One he never meant to break ever again.

"Okay, big brother. I suppose now, you are going to check on those drinks. They're probably making the glasses - we all know how long that takes," she said and those eavesdropping at the entrance to the living room all knew that their not so subtle attempts at leaving failed.

"Quick as always, Maria," Kyle said, "And you know they need my help - pouring drinks is such a difficult feat after all, my expertise is obviously required." Kyle kept his face straight and watched as she giggled. He made her laugh, he thought proudly.

He pulled her to her feet and pushed her towards Max, "Go, talk to him," he ordered and he left.

End Part 18

Part Nineteen

"Max," Maria said flatly, "Its been a while."

"Yes, it has, Maria. I … I know what I did, what I said is unforgivable but I would appreciate it if you would give me a chance to explain," he said, looking at her pleadingly.

"You said I ruined your life, Max. You have an excuse for that?" she asked him directly, as was her manner. It was, and had always been a little disconcerting. Michael could particularly testify to that.

"Not an excuse, Maria. Nothing I could do could make up for that. Just an explanation. Then you can decide if you would be willing to give me another chance at earning your friendship," Max spoke formally. It was an occasion, an apology that was too serious for anything else.

"Have you any idea what it feels like to be accused of destroying someone's life, to be told to get out of their life, Max. Do you? And by your best friend." Her voice was one of total disappointment, of accusation.

And he felt it, her every word was like a dagger. Until now, Max thought he couldn't possibly have felt as bad as he did in the White Room or when Liz left after their destiny was first revealed. He was wrong - then, he had the knowledge of knowing he was right… that he was on the side of good, that he didn't deserve what happened to him - it was a knowledge he always took for granted, one Michael envied him for, one Michael had to work to achieve. Now, for the first time looking into the eyes of the person who he betrayed, Max felt, how truly awful his actions were. What he did, what he said, his total lack of belief in the one person that never gave up on him was possibly one of the worst things he ever did. One he wasn't sure he deserved to be forgiven for. One he really had no right to ask for forgiveness.

But she deserved to be asked. To at least know that he was sorry, to understand why he behaved so abominably and it was because of that, he was going to try to explain.

"Do you know what you were to me? What you did for me… how you saved me? I don't know if telling you will make it worse what I did or help you understand how come it hurt so much when I lost everything, and all I had left was anger… I just lashed out to the person that I blamed for it all," Max started. He stared at the floor, then he looked up. He was going to face her during this. She deserved to look him in the face, even if it was killing him to see what he did in hers.

"Okay, Max. Explain it to me. Explain to me how the one person that should have understood a false accusation, considering your origins could believe one in his best friend," she asked him angrily. He was the one that kissed the Skin. Of all of them, Maria couldn't decide who she was madder at, but she did know one thing, Max was at the top of her list. With Michael, for once in her life Maria had taken the easy way out - it hurt too much to think about him so she didn't, some of the time at least.

"I guess it all started at the White Room… it was like all my worst fears came through all at the same time. I was captured, Liz left and to top it all of, I was supposed to be some damn king. A king - all I was, was a teenage boy," Max got up and started pacing. He was just talking now, finally getting it all of his chest. He looked only at Maria. He didn't even seem to notice Michael still in the room, or the others walking in and sitting quietly.

"I was all alone, Michael was dealing with losing you and killing Pierce and Isabel was in shock… seeing our real mother and everything else - I couldn't tell her about the nightmares, and what happened there, it was her biggest fear. I was drowning, Maria, inside and I just couldn't see a way out - I wanted to go to Liz but she just left… just disappeared. I could have dealt with her breaking up with me if I could still have her as a friend, but she just… went to Florida. Then, then there was you… it was like you knew I was this close to losing it. My parents could see it, they sent me to counselling … but what was I suppose to say - I was tortured and the girl I loved more then life left me because lets not forget I am suppose to be king of another planet. Yeah that would have gone down real well," he paused and looked at her to see if she was hearing him, listening to him. She nodded and he started again, not noticing the guilt on the others in the room.

"You never asked questions. You just made sure I laughed, that I smiled, that I got through the day and you never gave up hope on Michael or Liz. Everytime I would think about how mad I was at her for leaving, I would think about you and Michael. How it didn't matter what he said, you always knew what he meant," he said glancing up at her, mid pacing.

"You were my lifeline, I guess I just got used to having you always being there, you telling me that everything was going to be alright, that we all got to have happy endings because we were the good guys. And you were right, things got better. You made me speak to Tess, even when I wanted to stay away from her, you made me practise when I wanted as little to being an alien as possible.

It was all getting better, and Liz and I got back together. But it wasn't the same… I guess a part of me never forgot that she left when I needed her most. And that part remembered that you were the one I talked to, the one that made the nightmares go away for a little while just by being my friend. I couldn't give that up, you… you were my stability. I didn't know she was jealous, you know - but I think she may be right. I do come to talk to you now. Its not that I can't talk to her, just that I relied on you. You're so strong, like Michael - I always needed that. Being around you made me strong. Its funny, isn't it… a king who can't make a single decision by himself," he added the last sentence ruefully.

Maria let Max talk. In a way what he said made perfect sense. Their friendship began after the people they loved most in the world left. In the beginning she did it more for Michael and Liz. She was taking care of Max, because they couldn't do it just then. It was her way of losing her own pain in that horrible summer, but their friendship grew. Then she did it for Max. Because he needed her, because he couldn't do it on his own. She saw Liz, Isabel, Tess, Kyle, and Alex come in with the drinks and she knew that Max hadn't. She didn't say anything. They all needed to hear this, their group needed to get issues out in the open, get rid of the hurt before it killed them. The Galinas had been right - she needed to talk to her friends, to forgive them. Not for them only but for her.

"When that skin came up to me and I saw her, I thought it was you and I was so happy to see you. I was thinking, at that second, that it was perfect. You, Liz, Michael and me - the four of us. We could all go out together like it was before." Max didn't say before what… they all knew what it meant. Before everything. Before Destiny. Before the FBI. Before the Skins.

"And then she kissed me. I was in total shock. I couldn't comprehend it in a way… and then I pushed her away, and I turned and saw Liz, and Michael just staring at me," he stopped pacing and just stared at the floor for a few seconds.

"They looked so… so betrayed. Like I dug out their hearts with a spoon, laughing. And then Michael punched me. Michael doesn't hit people, you know… he's stronger than that. Stronger than me. I hit him before, even though I knew, knew about Hank, and he always forgave me - he always forgave me everything, but this, this was the first time Michael ever hit me. It hurt. It hurt like hell and then he took off. I looked up and she was gone and Liz… Liz was running."

It was difficult to be mad when you saw pain in someone else. All this time Maria kept her eyes on Max but now she took one glance at Michael to see what he was thinking. And she could see it in his face… the pain he normally took such great care to hide, the look he got when anyone mentioned Hank, the pain from Max hitting him, from doing to Max what he thought of as an unforgivable act, the pain from the memory of that day.

"I spent the whole night trying to talk to them. I begged Liz and looked everywhere for Michael but he just disappeared and then the next day I walked into school and there you were and all I saw was someone that didn't even care that she had just destroyed all out lives. It was like you didn't care that you betrayed Michael, and Liz and…me. Then I got mad, so mad…" he started to pace again.

"Michael told me once that my problem was that I didn't recognise flaws. That I saw Liz as perfect, that I had been staring at her so long that I couldn't see she wasn't. He was right then, but when Liz left, it took me a while but I finally figured out that she was just… just human. But then I guess I transferred my reliance onto you. I wasn't in love with you but I needed you, so when everything blew up and I saw you that morning after, I…lashed out. I just let all that pent up anger I was feeling, the whole night, all onto you. I didn't see that you didn't know, that were just worried about us, I couldn't see just then… how impossible it all was, but the thing of it all was, the reason I got so mad, so angry was because it was all so impossible. You were my stability, my friend and I just lost you. Just like that, a snap of your fingers and another thing in my life just crumbled."

Max stopped in front of Maria and following Kyle's example crouched in front of her and took her hands in his, "I…" he started.

And she interrupted, "I need to know Max, with Alex, Kyle, Isabel and Tess I know that they were trying to contact me - but you - would you have ever asked me what happened. Did you even care where I was, what I was doing? Would you…?"

And this time, it was Max that interjected, "I wish I could say for sure that I would have Maria. I wish I could say that I was over it, over all the anger and pain and could see past that but honestly Maria, I just don't know."

Maria didn't hide the pain like she had been doing for so long - she let it show, and she watched as a tear left Max's eye, her eyes fixed on the slow progress it made as it rolled down Max's cheek. He lifted his hand and wiped the ones on her face, "We all cried too much over this already, Maria. I know it was selfish, I know what I did was the worst kind of sin, that I gave up on you when you would have never have, have never given up on me… I know what I said is no excuse, but Maria I just wanted you to understand. Understand how much you meant to me as a friend, understand how sorry I am. I took you for granted, we all did and I swear Maria if you take me back I will fix things with you, with Liz, with Michael, with Isabel, with everyone… I just don't know if I can do any of it without you telling me its all going to be okay…"

"Its all going to okay, Max," Maria cut his apology off, and she believed what she said. It was so easy to forgive him, so easy after all that to just let go of all the pain and anger. Max always needed her more than any of the others, except Michael and Maria could never deny that need - to let him hurt, the same way Michael, in a way, always tried to protect Max from the painful things in life. They all failed once, and Max was still paying from the effects of that time. In a way hearing it all from the beginning, from the White Room helped Maria put in all in perspective. It was time for them to stop hurting.

And then all her thoughts flew out her head, as Max threw himself in her arms and wrapped his arms around her. She flew backwards, almost losing her balance, but she hugged back. And for the first time watching, Liz felt no jealousy, Michael felt no envy and the others felt relief. None of them had really understood Max's reliance on Maria, and now that they did, the relief was for the fact that she had been there for him when they had not, and for her forgiving him.

"Drinks, everyone," Alex said out aloud when Max let go of Maria and he got up and gave Max one and handed Maria hers.

Max looked surprised to see him, to see them. He saw Liz walk over to them, and he gave her a tentative smile - and she returned it. Liz wrapped her arms around him and sat softly in his ear, "I'm sorry I left you, that I was jealous." And he knew then that they would be fine, that they would talk again.

Then Liz walked to Maria and hugged her and whispered a little tearfully, "I'm sorry I left you, that I left Max, for being jealous. Thank you for taking care of him."

"I care about him too, you know," Maria replied quietly.

"I know. I know and I won't be jealous any more. Not now. I never knew he felt any of that," Liz said.

"You know now. That's what matters."

"How'd you get so smart, huh?"

"It's the genes, chica," Maria said and she started to laugh and then Liz started, and for a few moments they couldn't stop. It was like something in them got released. And it was almost like it was before.

Max found himself standing next to Michael, both of them leaning against the wall. They didn't look at each but instead stared at the two girls that were laughing across the room.

"She does love you. I know she'll forgive you, Michael," Max said to his friend.

"I don't know, Maxwell. This was your first mistake… I seem to be forever making them.
She's not always going to take me back," Michael replied, almost too soft to hear. Max nodded, acknowledging his reply and they were silent.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Michael broke the silence.

"Yes, she is. They both are," Max replied.

Michael turned now to face him, "I was jealous, you know. Not like Liz but… because you got to hold her and listen to her talk, and be with. And I couldn't. I'm sorry about that, Maximillian."

"It's okay, Michael. I envied you as well."

"You did, why?

"Because you were always more brave. You killed Pierce - and you suffered for that, and that's the one thing in the world I wanted to do. When he took me, I lost all control of my life, and I needed to get it back. You got it back for me."

"You were not meant for killing, Maxwell. You're suppose to heal. Its not the same with me," Michael answered him.

"You're wrong Michael. Did you ever think that if you meant to be a killer wouldn't suffer killing the one man that really deserved to die. What you did was to protect us all, just like you always did, Michael. " and there was silence again.

"I missed talking to you, Michael," Max said softly.

"I missed talking to you too."

End Part 19

Part Twenty.

"Okay, everybody out," Michael ordered when he noticed them all getting comfortable, "I need to talk to Maria."

"But, Michael," Tess whined, "We want to hear what you say."

"This isn't some soap opera, Tess. You don't get to watch," he replied.
Maria didn't say anything. But the others made sure that there protests were unmistakable as they filed out the room. They didn't go far.

"Well, aren't you going to say something, yell at me or something," Michael asked a silent Maria. Her silence was not a good omen. At least when she shouted at him, he knew that they would come out of whatever they going through at the time, alright.

"You wanted to talk. So talk," Maria said quietly. She wasn't going to help him out.

"I… I don't know what to say. Yes, I do," and in that second all his good intentions flew out the window and his voice rose, " Why didn't you tell me the truth. Why didn't you try to defend yourself?"

Maria was shocked. Then, again not so much. This was Michael after all - a simple apology would be too much. And then she got mad. Really mad. And her decision to stay quiet, to remain calm was discarded in a single second, and her mind, her body, her soul reacted as it always did to him. She stood up and moved to stand directly in front of him and yelled right back, "Me. I didn't do anything wrong, Michael. You the one that believed that stupid skin. Not me. I don't have to defend myself to you. To anyone."

"I would have believed you, you know. If you said anything. I wanted so badly to not believe what I saw that night. If you said one thing to me, I would have believed you. Why didn't you fight for us, Maria? You always fight for us. Why not this time?" he asked tiredly. The last question was rhetorical - he knew why. He sat down on the sofa and she collapsed next to him, equally tired. It had been an emotional day - she just didn't have the energy to fight.

"I'm tired of being the one that always fights, Michael. Did you ever think that? Do you know how much it hurts to know that you don't matter enough for people to make the least bit of an effort for you."

"Yes, I do. You…you were the only person that ever did. for me, not because I was the same species, but me, the person. Maria you do matter. You matter more than anything else in the world."

"Then why didn't you fight for me, Michael. Our relationship has never meant anything to you at all. It was always second, all I ever was to you was some make-out buddy - I just wanted to be important to you. Like you were to me," she said softly.

"How can you say that, Maria. You know that I love you. I always loved you. That's why it hurt so much when I saw you with Max. It was like my whole world ended in that second."

"That wasn't me, Michael and you should have known that. I always seem to be the one doing all the work in this relationship. Because you have more important things to do."

"That is nor true. The most important thing has always been you. Always, even when I didn't show it," he said his voice urging her to believe.

"Please, Michael. I know you think I am not that smart, but don't insult my intelligence. Even I know, I did all the chasing. Or did you forget about those three months. God, I must have left like 200 messages on your machine. Not once did you phone back, or even answer the phone. Knowing you, you probably deleted all of them before you even heard them."

"You want to know what I did with those messages,. Fine I'll tell you. You, the messages they were only thing that kept me from giving up. Everytime you phoned… for those few minutes when I listened to your voice, I felt that I wasn't a killer - that at least in your eyes I was still the same. I couldn't tape over them, so I bought another cassette, and another and another. I have a whole box full lying in my cupboard," Michael told her, avoiding her eyes. He always hated admitting what he was feeling.

"You kept them?" she asked wondrously. And it was reminiscent of another conversation, a long time ago over a treasured napkin holder.

"Yeah," he answered, a little embarrassed.

And they were silent for a few minutes.

"I used to watch you, you know. During the summer. With Max. I knew you were just taking care of him, while I couldn't. And being his friend. But…" he started. Since he was admitting things, he might as well tell her everything.

"But?" she asked when he stopped. She knew he used to watch her. She could feel him.

"I was jealous. Not because I thought something was going on, but because I …," he stopped again unsure of how to continue. "I used to envy, Max you know," he started again., "He always had this perfect life. The perfect family, the perfect house. He got Isabel as a sister - everything was always perfect in his life. And there I was, this kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Max and Isabel would probably have had nothing to do with me if we weren't the same species. Then there was you. And for the first time in my life I had something that was all mine. And she didn't even care about where I was from, or any of that." Michael said so softly, you could hardly hear him.

"And you thought Max took me away from you," Maria finished for him, saying what he didn't.

"I didn't always think that. Just sometimes, you know. He got to hold you and wipe away your tears and laugh with you. I hated that the most - that you would laugh with him. You used to do that with me. When that kiss happened, I didn't want to believe what I saw. But at the same time there was this voice inside me telling me I never really deserved you, that you need someone better than me and Max - he was perfect."

"I never wanted Max, Michael. Only you. And you want to know the truth - I used to think that you deserved someone better too. Someone that wasn't so scared, that could see flashes, and was smart like Liz, someone beautiful like Isabel. That why you didn't just love me the way I loved you.

"How can you say that Maria. You… you're the most beautiful girl I ever saw, and if I
wanted advise I come to you - we all do - how can you think that you are not smart, and as
for being brave, I never met anyone that was so brave. You would do anything for your friends, no matter how scared you were, " Michael defended her passionately, surprised. It never occurred to him she would think she wasn't good enough for him. "The flashes are my fault. I… I was so scared if you saw what was inside me, saw everything you would leave me."

"I would never have done that Michael. But I guess all of this is moot now.," she said sadly.

Michael took his wallet out, and pulled a folded paper out. He handed it to her, and too surprised to do anything she took it.

"What is it?" she asked, staring at the page in her hand.

"You wanted to know how I feel about you, and what I did all summer - that's what I did," he replied, his voice nervous, wary of her reaction.

She looked at him for a moment, her eyes searching his before unfolding the page. Its corners were creased, like they had been unfolded many times before. And there staring at her, was a sketch, of her. Detailed, beautiful, vibrating with energy. It was fading slightly as if it been handled a lot.

"I have 3 sketchbooks of you," he said, his voice quiet so as not too disturb the silence as she stared at the picture.

"Its so beautiful, Michael. You made me beautiful," she turned to face him, a tear in her eye. Then she stood and began to pace, "I can't do this again, Michael. I am not strong enough to survive being hurt again. its hurts so damn bad," and Maria burst into tears.

He took her in his arms as she cried, her tears soaking his shirt, "I am so sorry, Maria. So very sorry," he said over and over to her, into her hair, his eyes suspiciously wet.

She leaned back a little and looked at him, "Why didn't you ask me, Michael?"

"I…wanted to Maria. I wanted to so badly but I was so scared that if I did, you would tell me it was true. As long as I didn't ask, a part of me could just hope," he swiped an impatient hand over his face, removing the moisture.

"I don't know what to do, Michael. I can't get back on the roller-coaster that our relationship was - its too hard," Maria said unhappily.

"Okay, Maria."

"Okay! Okay! That's it. That's all you can say. Don't you want to…" Maria's voice rose as she glared at him, hurt filling her eyes.

"Maria!" She ignored his call.

"Maria!" This time he shouted, "If you would just let me finish, Michael said pointedly, "I was going to say that we can start at the beginning."

"The beginning?"

"Yeah, you know. Build tracks - friendship tracks and when you're ready we get back on the train. I promise it won't be a scary roller-coaster," he said, looking at her shyly. He would do anything not to lose her.

"Friends, Michael? I don't know if we can. Do you even know what being a friend means?" and she smiled a little to take away the harshness of her question.

Sensing victory, he smirked back at her, "Sure I do. What we were except kisses are limited to 30 seconds."

"Kisses. Friends don't kiss Michael. And definitely not 30 seconds. Two at the most," Maria replied.

"20 seconds," he answered back, negotiating.

"Five, and that's pushing it." she said feeling normal again.

"Ten seconds. Final offer. Take it or leave it," he said, relief flooding his system at getting to argue with her again.

"Deal!" she held out her hand to shake.

He stared at it like it was a foreign object, "Uh-uh. I think we should seal it with a kiss," he said hopefully.

"You wish, spaceboy," and she laughed at his chagrined expression.

And then the silence took over again.

"I know you're really mad at me, Maria," Michael broke the silence, "I need you to forgive me."

"Forgiving you isn't the problem, Michael. I …. I can't fight for us anymore, Michael. I'm not sure I even believe in us anymore." She didn't look at him, staring at her hands.

"You don't have to fight for us any more, Maria. Its my turn," Michael said softly. He turned to face her, and taking her chin in his hand he gently turned her face towards him, "I WILL fight for you, Maria. Believe that, if you don't believe anything else."

She looked at him, searching his eyes, reading them as she always did, to his soul, to his innermost thoughts and fears - that was her power. And then she nodded slowly, "Okay, Michael I'll believe that." And again his eyes showed his relief, and that tiny kernel of hope that always just refused to die.

She leant back against the seat and he followed her. They stared at the ceiling, their minds dealing with everything, sorting all the pain and hurt, the hope filling the empty spaces. Their silent moment - there was no need to fill it. It was his gift to her to get her to accept him again.

He broke it, again - a part of him needing to tell her everything, but as usual, as was Michael's way when it came to his feelings he took the indirect route. "Max's greatest fear isn't torture, you know or getting caught - its losing control. He'll handle everything but that. And Isabel's - her's is to be alone. Tess is more complicated, she has been taught her whole life all about destiny, and now the unknown looms ahead, that's her fear."

Maria waited for him to continue when he stopped. She knew him, knew saying these things were hard.

He waited for a few minutes, gathering the courage to say it - a strange superstition that if he said it aloud it would come true. "Mine…my greatest fear - the thing that scares me the most, Maria is you. That I love you too much, that I will lose you, that you will get hurt because of me, that one day my powers will go out of control and you'll be the one that suffers, that someone is going to use you to get to me, that you will die," his voice choked after the rush of words that came out, "because of who I am."

He lifted a hand and absent-mindedly wiped his face in an impatient gesture. She lifted her hand and smoothed it over his face, a gently wiping the tears away.

"I made my choice, Michael, a long time ago. People die, Michael. And if I do, it won't be your fault. Everything I ever did, I made a choice to do. My choice, Michael." She smiled sadly at him, "You can't run away from that, Michael. You can throw me away but my choices would still be the same."

"I can't lose you, Maria. Giving you up before was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I can't do that again," he said. And her words somehow managed to get through the walls of guilt, pain and loneliness, his voice grew determined, "I guess you're stuck with me." He smiled at her, a real smile - not a smirk.

"Heaven help me," Maria joked softly, smiling back. He laughed at her tone in reply.

"So, friend, when do I get to see these sketchbooks of yours?" she asked, breaking the sombre mood.

"No way. I can't have my FRIEND think I have an obsession with her," he said smugly, paying her back.

"Michael," Maria whined, "Friends show each other everything."

"Everything…mmmm," he jokingly leered at her.

"No flirting. That's not allowed," Maria said grinning at him, a slow electric feeling uncurling in her stomach at the familiar look.

"Is too," Michael said.

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not. Fine, lets ask Isabel."

"Fine. Isabel," Michael yelled.

There was a loud crash and the sound of glass breaking. The door swung open and 6 people fell through, landing on the ground. Max and Alex on the bottom, with Kyle and Isabel on top of them and Tess right on top of the pyramid of bodies. Liz had been flung to the side.

A number of groans were heard and shouts of "Get of me," screamed.

"Kyle, that better be your elbow."

"Man, you're heavy!"

"Excuse me. Are you calling me fat, Alex. You better not be calling me fat."

"Not you, Isabel, " came the quick panicked reply.

"You're a dead man if you're talking a bout me, Alexander Charles Whitman."

"I wasn't talking about you Tess."

"Then who?"

"Get off me. I am being crushed here."

"I was talking about… Kyle… yes, Kyle."

"I am not fat. Those are muscles."

"Kyle isn't even on top of you, Alex."

"Liz, honey. Help me. I'm being crushed."

"Hang on baby, I am coming."

"I am not FAT."

With a number of moans, the 6 scrambled to their feet, glaring at each other.
Michael and Maria glanced once at each other and bit back the laughter.
Michael gave the six a stern look, "What precisely do you think you were doing?" he said , his voice serious, radiating disapproval.
And immediately the eavesdroppers looks changed to slightly apologetic, ashamed looks of those that had been caught red-handed, reacting to Michael's tone.

"We were um…" Alex trailed of, unable to come up with a reasonable explanation. He shot a helpless look at the others and Tess, forgetting his earlier gauche about the slight weight issue thought quickly and said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Umm…we were testing the door." It wasn't her best effort.
Maria took over, her voice equally stern, "Of course. What else would you be doing?" she said
sarcastically, "Its good to know my door…"

"Opens," Michael supplied helpfully.

"Yes, opens. Thank you, Michael. I'm sure my Mom will be glad to note that the doors have no defaults and swing open if someone turns the knob," Maria continued.

"This behaviour is totally unacceptable. You should be ashamed. What do you have to say for yourself," Michael asked , and starting with Liz, he gave her a his most intimidating glare, one few (with the exception of Maria) ever could withstand.

Liz cracked immediately. Pointing to Max, she shouted, "It was his idea."

"Was not," Max yelled back, "It was Kyle's."

And then everyone turned on each other, and at the top of their voices accusations rang out as the debate raged on whose idea it was to eavesdrop.

Maria looked at her newly returned friends, smiling inwardly and then at Michael. It was the amused look in his eyes that had her bursting into mad giggles. Then Michael started to laugh as well and before long they were both on the floor, killing it. Their amusement, however went unnoticed by fervent debaters.

The subject in contention had already moved from blame back to the fat issue and right now poor Alex was being given the silent treatment by Isabel, Tess and Kyle. Max wasn't talking to Liz and Kyle wasn't talking to Max. Despite that, everyone was still yelling, at least until Alex grabbed Isabel's hand and pointed to Michael and Maria on the floor.

Isabel gave a war cry and yelled, "Get them!" and everyone dived for the two.

Ten minutes later, 8 exhausted teens collapsed on the sofas and couches in the room, too tired to do much but sit quietly in a silence that was comfortable - one amongst friends. That is, they were quiet until loud escalating voices had them looking up to see Michael take of running, Maria right behind him, yelling loudly. A football tackle had both landing hard on the ground, Maria on top of Michael. Not pausing, the two continued their argument which had been reduced to:

"Can not."

"Can too."

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Ah. Back to normal," Alex said, sighing happily.

"Aren't they cute?" Liz repeated the sentiment.

"I taught her that football tackle," Kyle added proudly.

"Not!"

"Too!"

"What are they arguing about anyway?" Max asked.

"Beats me. I don't think they know," Tess replied, her head moving side to side like the others, watching the two on the floor.

"We all still have a lot to talk about," Alex said sombrely, remembering some of the things that had already been said.

"Yeah. Just not today," Isabel answered and changed the subject to a happier one, "Who would have thought I would miss the two of them fighting?"

"Definitely not me. How long do you think they are going to keep up this friend thing?" Max asked curiously.

"I'll give them a day," Alex replied.

"I don't know… I figure she'll make him suffer for at least a week," Liz said confidently.

"I think he's serious about the friendship thing, a month," Isabel put in thoughtfully.

"I think she's serious about it - definitely going to hold him to it," Tess added.

"Half an hour tops."

Everyone turned to stare at Kyle.

"What? Look at them," he said defensively.

And they all turned to look.

"He's got a point. That's an interesting position," Tess observed, staring at Maria lying on top of Michael, her hair flowing down the side, his fingers resting lightly on her tiny waist.

"Do you think they notice?" Isabel asked.

"I'm pretty sure they do," Max answered after all of them studied the two, objectively of course.

"She looks like she likes it," Liz said, a scientific observation from a scientific person.

"I'm pretty sure he's liking it," Kyle said in his jock, locker room voice. Tess hit his arm warningly.

"Maybe we should leave," Alex suggested, "Give them some time to… what they say?"

"Build tracks," Isabel replied.

Max gave a mock bow to Liz and held out his arm in invitation. "Shall we, milady?"

"Of course, kind sir," Liz answered, slipping her arm in his and they led the way out the room.

"Man, those two are nauseating," Kyle said, in a disgusted tone, to the total agreement of the rest. But it was with a sense of relief that Max and Liz had returned to their usual behaviour.

"At least Michael and Maria are interesting to watch," Tess said, and taking Kyle's hand, followed the Max and Liz out the room.

Alex smiled at Isabel and the two reached for each other's fingers, and also left giving their friends one last relieved look.

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Ha! Gotcha!" Maria yelled triumphantly and sat up on Michael's stomach swinging her legs on either side of him.

"You cheated," he accused half-heartedly, a little distracted by her new position.

"Still beat you," she replied, automatically.

She looked around, "Where did everyone go?"

----------The end-------------

Back to M&M fanfiction