Author: Katana aka Amber
Email: karmaticchic@hotmail.com
Rating: PG
Pairing: Kyle/Maria
Improv:  strong~eve~dire~fault
Disclaimer: Not mine. So don't kill me.
Spoiler: none
Feedback: I love feedback!
Dedication: To the remedialists of ATl.
Summary: Maria hasn't spoken since her mothers death. Can kyle save  her?

((Strong~Eve~Dire~Fault))

Kyle was laying across his bed, reading, when she came in.  Maria.  Just
like she always did.  Creeping silently through the dark hallways of their
house, entering his room with the same look every time.  Sadness, guilt,
despair.  There was something wrong, and he couldn't place it.  She seemed
to be on the verge of something; Constantly torn, constantly fighting some
unseen thing that he could do anything about.  A battle he couldn't fight
for her.  And that bothered him.

So, she came as she always had.  For the past 3 months.  He felt her sit on
the bed next to him, and he looked up at her.  But she looked.....different,
this time.  Her face had a different look to it, somehow.  He glanced toward
her and shivered as he saw the lost look in her eyes as his gaze passed over
them for a few seconds.  What had happened that she would have that look in
her eyes again?  Was it something he'd done?!

"Mare." He whispered, putting his book down on the bed next to her.

She turned and looked directly at him then, and he almost stopped breathing.
  Her eyes reflected her pain, her love, her soul.  As he looked into her
eyes, he could feel his heart sink.  Her eyes were completely devoid of
anything that was the Maria he loved.  He could see her sense of fault; she
still blamed herself for her mother's death.  He took her by the shoulders
and held her tightly to him, afraid that if he let her go, she would
disappear.  His little pixie girl, always disappearing, laughing in his ear,
tempting him.  Or at least she used to be.  Now she was merely a ghost of
the girl he'd fallen for over the summer.  Before any of this had happened.

It had been a warm day.  Abnormally warm, even for Roswell.  Amy Delu-no,
Mom.  He still found it strange to think of her as his mother, but she was. 
His mom had been raging all week about it being Midsummer night's Eve.  She
had recently gotten involved in Wicca, which was fine with him; as long as
she understood that he was a Buddhist.  He and Maria had been getting very
close; he wasn't even scared to admit that he was falling in love.  Michael
and the gang hadn't been all that happy at first, but they understood that
you can't help who you fall in love with.  Everything seemed to be going his
way.

Until that night.  Midsummer Night's Eve.  His mom and dad had gone to some
sort of open circle; he and Maria were going to join them later.  And a
miracle, in his mind at least, had happened.  A light within the tragedy. 
He could still picture it clearly in his mind.  The moment that had defined
the rest of his life.  He and Maria were getting ready to go to the circle. 
She was wearing a deep blue robe, his was a maroon color.  He could still
remember the way she looked. Her blond hair fell into her face perfectly,
framing her sparkling green eyes that were smiling at him somehow.  She had
turned around, showing him the way the robe flowed around her  when she
spun, when she tripped over an edge of the rope and fell.  Right into his
arms.   Before he was certain what was happening, her lips were on his, and
he was in Nirvana.  The world came crashing down around him, and he wasn't
sure if he was as strong as he needed to be.  Strong enough to support her. 
Strong enough to love her the way he knew he did.  It was pure bliss.  The
circle was forgotten as they simply lay in each others arms, their lips
entertwined. When the had phone rung, they had just thought it was their dad
reminding them about the circle.  They were wrong.

The phone had crashed to the floor, falling from Maria's hands as she
listened to what their dad had to say.  It exploded into little pieces, the
plastic shattering and scattering upon impact. She wasn't far behind it as
it hit the floor, nearly fainting in shock.  He had caught her in his arms,
and once she could actually breath again, she recounted what she had heard
in gasps, cries, and moans.

Accident.

Mom.

Fire.

Drunk Driver.

Roswell Memorial.

Doctor.

Not good.

Midsummer Night's Eve.

Stupid.

Fault.

If only.

Why.

Stay strong, she had whispered to ears that could not hear.  And she had
climbed into his lap, completely enclosing herself within the safety of his
arms.  She was like a puppy.  Lost.  A dire need was understood between
them.  She needed him as much as he needed her.  And he suddenly knew that
he would stay strong.  Stay strong for her.  She would need him. He'd kissed
her forehead softly and silently thanked Buddha for his light in the
darkness.  And they had stayed there, her asleep in his arms, until their
father had come to take them to the hospital.

Kyle shook his head at himself, trying to erase the bad memories playing
through his head.  He looked toward Maria.  She was still holding onto that
night, and he wished he could . . . take her away from all of this.  He
released her slowly, making quite sure she would still be there when he let
his arms drop to his sides.  He looked at her again, but she was looking
down at his comforter.  Putting his finger beneath her chin, he pushed her
face up gently and looked into her eyes.  Once again, he was almost floored
by the mixed emotions in her eyes.  And he knew.  He knew what she needed to
hear, needed to see, needed to do.

"Mare." He whispered again.

She looked at him questionably, quietly communicating that she was
listening.

"I love you." He said, looking her in the eyes.

He scanned her eyes for some sort of response.  He could always sense her
love in her eyes, and now was no exception.  But he'd never said it.  It was
an unspoken truth between them.  But as he sat there watching her, he began
to have his doubts. He closed his eyes slowly at the silence that returned
his confession.  Had he been wrong to say it? He was only trying to save her
from herself, save her from the whirlpool she was sinking slowly within.  He
was only trying to bring Maria back.  But he should have been used to the
silence.  She never spoke anymore, not even to him.  The last words he'd
heard her say had been the apology she had whispered down to her mother at
the funeral. He had just thought that maybe his love would get a rise out of
her.

"Kyle . . . " She said after a long pause.

He opened his eyes suddenly and looked at her.  Her voice was scratchy and
coarse from months of neglect.  But she had opened her mouth, and said his
name.  His heart leapt for joy at the simple calling of his name.  He looked
into her eyes, expectantly.

"I lo-" Maria began, but her voice croaked, and she stopped.

He put his hands on her arms, urging her on.  Tears had began to fall from
both their eyes, rolling down their faces as Kyle silently led her toward
the light.  She had always been there for him, even when she just sat there.
  Now it was her turn to be comforted, supported, and understood.

"I love you . . . too." She finally said.

Kyle grabbed her in his arms and held her tightly to him again.  This time,
she held him with as much passion as he held her.  They clung to each other;
Each afraid they were dreaming, never wanting the moment to end.  Kyle could
feel their aura's swirling together, feel his energy leaving his body to go
into hers.  He could almost see her darkness being filled by his light.  And
finally, it was Maria who pulled herself from his arms, and looked at him, a
smile on her face.

"Thank you." She said.

"For what?" He replied, possessively taking her hand in his.

"Saving me." She said.

Kyle wiped away a tear with his free hand.  Maria made a small laughing
noise.  His Maria was laughing.  And at him.  He beamed inside as he wiped
away another tear and joined her in the laughter.  It seemed odd.  To hear
laughing inside the house again.  It must not have seemed only odd to them,
since there was a knock on the door.  Maria looked at Kyle.  Kyle looked at
the door.  The door opened, and the sheriff walked in.

"Kyle, what is going on in he-" He began.

"Hi Dad." Maria said.

Her voice was still out of shape, but those two simple words were enough to
bring the sheriff into the crying party that had begun in the room.  He
stumbled over to his two kids, and drew them both into arms, hugging them so
tightly that they almost stopped breathing.  And they cried.  The three of
them, just cried.  There was no shame.  Just 3 people who had been lost, and
had just found their way.  The just held each other and let out all the
tears they'd bottled up.  Cried for lost mothers, lost love.  And later, as
Kyle looked down at Maria as she slept, her head on his chest, he smiled. 
He could hear his dad downstairs, making bats again.  Something he hadn't
done since Amy's death.  He could smell Maria's soft scent that was always
with her.  Cypress and roses.  An odd scent, but it was his Maria's.  He
carefully put his arm around her, and closed his eyes, thanking anyone who
could hear.

"Thank you for making me strong enough.  Thank you for my Pixie.  Thank you
for being with my mom that Midsummer night's eve.  Thank you for my dad.
Thank you for saving Maria from her sense of fault." He said.

He looked down at Maria then and kissed her softly on the forehead. "Thank
you for this dire need."

She stirred a little.  He smiled down at her as she snuggled deeper into his
chest.  She looked perfect there, like she was made to fit him perfectly. 
And she had been.  Kyle laughed lightly at himself.  How had it taken him
this long to see that she was his destiny.  His reason to live- His
Soulmate.  Once again, she stirred, opening her eyes and looking up at him.

"Huh?" She said.

"Nothing." He said.  "Go back to sleep."

She closed her eyes again, and he closed his eyes.  Things were almost too
perfect.  But he didn't care.  He had Maria, and his dad. Together, they
were invincible.  That thought almost made him laugh again, but he stopped
himself.  He yawned and settled down into his pillows.  And just before he
fell asleep, he whispered one last thing to the cosmos.

"Thank you for life."