A Tale of Two Christmases (Mature) -Complete

[KindredKandies]

Eva- So true, lol. We're glad you enjoyed the loving things that the gang has going for them and the more,,,ummm, difficult things coming their way with the Christmas Nazi, lol!

Alien_Friend-

"Hmmm I seemed to have missed a part."

No worries, we're glad to have you when you can be here. We enjoy your reviews.

Oh, thank you! We love how she handles her man as well. They kinda remind us of another couple.

Ah, yes, Isabel sure knows how to get what she wants and how to put everyone on the spot, lol! Tawas Lake may never be the same again after the Christmas Nazi's visit, lol! Thank you, we're glad you are enjoying Isabel's plan.

Oh, thank you. We think the scene when Jim says good bye to his only son and the closest person to him in Graduation Day was so moving, we could see him slipping the money clip into his pocket. We thought it was a Jim and father thing to do as well.

Maggie's amazing she managed to get Maria's spaceboy guard wrapped around her little finger, lol. Thank you, we enjoy writing Maggie.

More is on the way.

mary mary- Lol, we're glad you found both uds and enjoyed reading them. We can't wait for Christmas with the gang either, we're glad that you're excited as well.

keepsmiling7- " I can't wait until Santa gets his sweet an' spicy treat along with Snapple..."
It's what we believe Santa is hoping for but, with M&M it isn't easy, lol!

Oh the swear jar it could have a good size balance but since the Stevens' don't have one it could turn out to be a lot of hauling wood, snow shoveling and KP duty, lol!

We love Kyle he's a good guy and his Dad is a man to look up to as well for all of the gang.

Natalie36- Aww, thank you, we're glad that you like it and hope you'll continue to enjoy reading.

Part 11

Brian glanced at the clock. “Can I be excused?” He had a couple chapters to read for his history class and he knew unless homework was finished there wouldn’t be a game to watch.

Julia raised an eyebrow as she looked at him. “I don’t know, can you?”

Eddie snorted at him. “At least I can remember that one, doofus.”

“May I be excused?” Brian asked, elbowing his brother as hard as he could get away with while Mom was watching them.

“You may.” She shook her head when her oldest took off without another word to anyone at the table. Some days if she didn’t know differently she’d swear her children had been raised in a barn. “Is your homework finished, Eddie?” The poor boy looked like he was parched and in need of massive amounts of water but she didn’t comment on his flushed cheeks.

“Teacher assigned 20 math problems, but I got half of ‘em done in class.” He glanced down at his half-eaten second hamburger and tried not to wince. He couldn’t even feel his mouth anymore, how weird was that? What if he’d burned off his taste buds or something? Could that even happen? He was still talking normally so he was sure his tongue was still there… he just couldn’t feel it.

“Well, if you’re done eating then you should probably get that finished up before game time.”

Julia glanced at her husband after Eddie had taken off, probably on his way to drink straight from the faucet in the bathroom sink. Edward was watching their guests as his right thumb thumped against the table continuously, a sure sign that something was bothering him. And she knew exactly what it was. He didn’t want Maggie’s hopes raised because she would only be hurt when things didn’t work out.

With Tony Martin gone and his family relocated to Florida there had been no one there to pick up the slack and make Christmas on the Lake happen this year. His brother still lived in town, but he hadn’t made any mention of continuing the tradition and no one had approached him about it so everyone had just accepted that it wasn’t going to happen this year. It was barely two weeks before Christmas and pulling it together with so little time seemed an impossible task.

Maggie looked around at the others seated at the table before her gaze came to rest once more on Michael. “You know Santa… can you give him somethin’ from me?”

He chewed the last bite of his burger, watching her thoughtfully for a moment before nodding. “Yeah.”

“Okay.” She dropped down out of her chair and ran halfway across the room before remembering her manners and she ran back to the table. “Can I be ‘scused, Mama?” She fidgeted in place for a moment when Mama waited expectantly.

“May I,” Michael whispered from the corner of his mouth when he saw her trying to remember what she was supposed to say.

“OH! May I be ‘scused?”

Edward cleared his throat and shifted, the old wooden chair squealing in protest at the move. “I know you’re tryin’ to make her feel better about Santa not comin’ across the way this year, but don’t make promises you can’t keep. I don’t want Maggie hurt when you can’t deliver Santa.” He shook his head and put his fork down. “I appreciate what you’re tryin’ to do here, but makin’ her think you know Santa an’ that you’re gonna get him here…”

“Isabel’s never made a promise she didn’t keep,” Kyle spoke up. “You want somethin’ coordinated or organized, she’s your woman, trust me.”

Edward shook his head. The Scooby gang was delusional.

“Haven’t you ever seen Santa, Mr. Stevens?” Isabel asked as she straightened up to her full height behind Michael and reached around to lift his chin up. “Or his elves?” She nodded at the other girls and Max.

Kyle held his hands up when Edward looked at him. “I don’t do tights,” he said. He glanced at Max and grinned widely. “And seriously, between the two of us, Max is the only one who has the ears to pull off one of those pointy little hats.”

Maggie ran back into the room before Edward could respond to that. She slid to a stop next to Michael, grinning up at him when he reached out to prevent her from falling. She thrust a piece of paper into his hand and latched onto his collar to pull him down so she could whisper in his ear. “That’s for Santa… you’ll give it to him, won’t ya?”

“Well, alright, but, if Iz an’ her elves can get him here,” he turned his head to glare at Isabel when she flicked his ear. “When she gets him here you might wanna give it to him yourself.”

The little girl shook her head. “But you know him. So if you give it to him an’ tell him it’s what I want more than anything then he’ll really bring it.”

Michael glanced down at the hand-drawn picture of… he turned it to the side and frowned down at it. What the hell was it? A horse, maybe? The thing had long legs. “That’s um… wow, I’ve never seen one quite…” he turned it again, “… quite like that.”

“Maggie, I think it’s safe to say that Santa knows you want a puppy more than anything else, sweetie.”

He shot a grateful look at Julia when she spoke up, identifying the mysterious animal in the picture.

Maria shifted over to take the seat Maggie had abandoned in favor of retrieving the picture she had drawn. She leaned into Michael, resting her chin on his shoulder as she looked down at the piece of paper with the ‘dog’ painstakingly drawn in yellow crayon. She drew in a short breath as she reached out to trace over it, feeling the ragged waxy lines. “Ohhh.”

Michael’s gaze shot to Edward when he suddenly pushed his chair back and stood up.

“You boys come with me. We’d best head down to the cabins, turn the heat up an’ fire up those hot water tanks.” He turned his head and his eyes settled on Kyle when he scooted back in his chair. “Huh-uh, not you,” he said, shaking his head. “You can come on down after the dishes are done.”

Max slapped his palms down on Kyle’s shoulders as he leaned over him. “So, Kyle… I may end up with the pointy hat, but you’re the one wearin’ the frilly apron an’ washin’ dishes.”

He smirked. “You’re still the one wearin’ the tights, El Presidente. I think I’ll survive a frilly apron and dishpan hands.”

“Yeah,” Michael said as he stood and stretched, “but will you survive livin’ with Isabel?” He was conscious of Maggie’s watchful gaze as he carefully folded her picture and slid it into his pocket, right beside the receipt the tow truck driver had given him.

“You fellas grab those coats,” Edward said, nodding at the coats Michael and Kyle had been wearing before. He motioned at the one Kyle had taken as he spoke to Max. “Go ahead an’ wear Kyle’s an’ when we come back for the rest of the supplies I’ll dig out my ice fishing coat for you.”

*****

Kyle’s steps were short as he attempted to follow Isabel to the front door of the cabin Edward had assigned them. He was doing his best not to fall on his face, relying on the back of her head to guide him. He tipped his head back, hooking his chin on top of the stack of supplies they had been given and pausing when she stopped suddenly.

“Keys.”

He grunted and held his pinky finger out, shaking his hand to jingle the keys. He rolled his eyes when she took them and unlocked the door, pushing it open and looking around. “It’s a little bit cold out here in case you hadn’t noticed, Iz.”

“Quaint,” she muttered as she took several steps inside. Their things along with the toolbox were sitting on the floor near the small loveseat. She wandered around, leaving him to shut the door and check things out for himself.

Instead of investigating the cabin Kyle followed her to the first bedroom, nearly tripping over himself when she took a step back. “There a problem?”

She made a face that he couldn’t see for the sheets and other supplies he held. “No, but we just found your room.”

“How do you know it’s mine?”

She snatched the set of sheets from the top of the pile and turned on her heel. “Because you’re the one who didn’t stop this insanity. These people now think we’re married.”

“Hey, you could’ve denied it… you were remarkably silent too.”

She shook her head at him and took off across the hall. Kyle leaned into the room she had dismissed and he frowned at the twin bed there. “But there’re no sheets for this bed,” he complained.

“And whose fault is that?”

He sighed and trailed after her, leaning against the doorframe while he watched her make the bed. The full size bed with the warm flannel sheets. “Do I at least get a blanket?”

Isabel tucked the fitted sheet over one corner as she shot a glance at him.

*****

Maria laughed to herself as she finished smoothing the sheets over the bed, her mind retreating to their last few minutes in the house before the guys had come back in.

Julia had been pulling supplies from the hall closet and handing them over. Towels, sheets and pillowcases were taken down and given to them, a set to Liz, a set to Maria and then a set to Isabel. “I’ve pulled out the flannel sheets for you. It’s very cold out tonight.”

Isabel traced her fingers over the reindeer that decorated the sheets. “Oh, how pretty. Just in time for Christmas. Thank you.” She lifted her head and looked at Julia expectantly, waiting for her to hand Kyle a set of sheets as well. The smile on her face froze when the woman closed the door and turned around.

“Now if you kids will just follow me we’ll get the rest of your supplies together. It’ll be enough to get you through until we can pick up supplies in town.”

“Not one word,” Isabel growled when Julia walked down the hall, expecting them to follow.

“You ladies heard the wife,” Kyle said with a teasing glint in his blue eyes. “No comments.” He held his right arm out, motioning for her to lead the way. “After you, Mrs. Valenti.”

“You do know you’re taking your life in your own hands, right?” Liz asked when her sister-in-law leveled a look on Kyle that could’ve conceivably flayed the skin from his bones.

“They already think we’re married an’ we’re sharin’ a cabin… I’m not about to try an’ correct this misunderstanding. So until you come up with a better explanation… it looks like I’m a married man.”

Michael watched her from across the room, captivated by the way her eyes lit up as she thought about something she found humorous. “What’re you laughin’ at?”

She looked up and shook her head. “I was just picturing Kyle and Isabel as a married couple.”

He snorted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Maria finished spreading the covers over the bed, walking around to the other side to even it out. “You should go see if Kyle wants to watch the game.”

Julia had told them to come back up to the house if they felt like watching the game and Maria knew he could use a couple of hours doing something normal. She tipped her head to one side, scrutinizing his demeanor. Being around Maggie had allowed him to relax fractionally for a little while, but now that they were alone again that hyper-vigilance had become focused solely on her again. She could read his discomfort at the thought of leaving her alone in the cabin; it was etched plainly in his body language.

The cabin they had been given was the one farthest from the house and it was also a fair distance from the other cabins too. “I’m safe here, Michael.”

“We don’t know that.”

“The only thing behind us is a lake and the only road that we’ve seen is the highway that runs in front of the Stevens’ house… their living room window looks out over the driveway so you’d see anyone coming here.” She walked over to him and grabbed his arm, turning him to face the door. “Go, watch the game. If you’re in the mood for a rescue, stop by and save Kyle from whatever revenge Mrs. Valenti has planned.”

Michael locked his knees, standing still for a moment as he looked around the cabin before lowering his gaze to her. “Lock the door,” he said as he crossed to the front door and reached for the doorknob.

*****

Max pushed the door open and leaned inside, dropping everything he was carrying on the floor and then reaching for the things in Liz’ arms. He tossed the sheets and towels on top of the rest of their supplies and turned to scoop her up in his arms.

“Max!” Liz protested with a slight laugh. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her over the threshold. “Put me down.” He was overcompensating in an effort to make everything seem as normal as possible and she knew she could easily let herself be swept away and lose sight of the reality of their situation.

He kicked the door shut before complying with her demand and setting her on her feet. “Edward gave us the Honeymoon Cabin.”

Liz looked around at the charming little cabin before turning back to look at Max. Her husband. How surreal was that? She was married to an alien/human hybrid and on the run for her life. She wished that being on the run from people who wanted to study and exterminate them were the only things weighing down on them.

Max followed her around as she checked the cabin out and he felt his body kick into overdrive when she entered the bedroom. They hadn’t been alone like this in… months, he realized. Not since the night they had become husband and wife. He glanced down at his wedding ring, remembering the simple ceremony and the night that had followed.

Liz knew there were still things between them that had never been settled, things that should have been talked about before they even thought about getting married, but when the opportunity had presented itself they had taken it. She wanted things to be right with them but the unresolved problems weren’t things that could be settled in a single evening and they weren’t things they could discuss in the van surrounded by their family and friends. The last thing they needed was for their problems to become a roundtable discussion so everyone could choose a side.

She turned her head to look at him, seeing the need to make up for everything that had happened and to have a bit of normalcy. He craved it more now than ever before. Sometimes it was hard to remember that they weren’t even out of their teens yet. He had been a king in another life, made decisions that had determined the fates of those he ruled, but here and now he wanted nothing to do with that life.

Even though she knew there were several things between them tonight wasn’t the time to bring them up. They had a chance for a normal evening and she wanted that as much as he did so what was the harm it letting things go for one more night? From the way it sounded they were going to be here for several days at least so maybe she could leave it for just a while longer.

Max raised his head when she took a couple of steps towards him and he smiled tentatively when she reached out to him, her hand coming to rest against his chest. He raised his hand to cover hers, pressing it tightly over his heart.

She couldn’t stop the wondrous smile that lifted the corners of her mouth at the feel of his racing heart. Her eyes moved up from their hands, pausing at his throat to watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed convulsively. His lips were slightly parted, his nostrils flaring, and his eyes were nearly black as the amber irises retracted to thin rings around his dilated pupils.

“Max,” she whispered.

“Yeah?” He sounded strangled.

“We need the blankets and sheets.”

“Blankets and…” His gaze shot to the bed behind her and he turned to run from the room. She flopped back on the bed, laughing when she heard himself trip over something in his haste to retrieve the pile of linens he had dropped on the floor. Her fingertips ran over the mattress, tracing over the patters stitched into the material. They were alone. Really alone for the first time in so long and at that moment she couldn’t think of a single thing that could be better.

[KindredKandies]

Natalie36- Aww, thank you! Well we have Santa's number one man and the Christmas Nazi so the odds are in their favor of at least a different kind of Christmas, lol.

Alien_Friend- We're glad you like L&M needing a talk, they definitely have some unaddressed issues between them. Seems like Max and Liz are way into "normal" for now, lol.

Glad you like the humor in "Mrs. Valenti." Eddie innocently made an assumption that help create the mess, lol. Kyle sure has his hands full, lol.

LOL! Maggie has a lot going for her with Santa's #1 guy and the Christmas Nazi to get her wish of a puppy, don'tcha think?

We agree, they really need a break. Thank you, we hope you'll continue to enjoy.

mary mary- Lol, you'll just have to wait like Maggie to find out if she gets her puppy, only Santa really knows.

Stevens' Sanctuary is a special place..They're good people.

Maybe the Martin house across the street is for sale. A little manipulation here, a little there and all that money in Kyle's pocket is suddenly a big bundle of money!

Lol, we like your dream for them...Kyle says not to worry, he'll take good care of them no matter where they are.

keepsmiling7- We think Liz and Max need to address some issues between them but being alone in the Honeymoon cabin just may trump any talking for a bit, after all they are Liz and Max and newlyweds, lol.

I have a hard time seeinng Kyle and Isabel as a married couple.

We so agree! But Eddie saw Isabel's rings and assumed that she was married to Kyle. And when Isabel didn't correct it, Kyle just had to give her a hard time, lol. You'll find out why Isabel didn't speak up to correct this error in this ud.

As for the angst...We intend to try to address some issues that the show left hanging that are affecting our couples. Happy endings are born of some conflict. Expect a happy ending worth the journey.

cjsl8ne- Aww, thank you! Lol, so true Liz and Max the newlyweds.

We're glad you enjoyed Maggie giving her picture of the puppy that she wants for Christmas to Michael. It was fun to write.

Yeah, the vehicle thing in life sure can be a headache....We'll have to just wait and see with our gang. As far as organizing Christmas without one...The Christmas Nazi has her ways, lol!

Pet stores...hmmm...We wonder does Santa really need a pet store?

Author’s Note: A few lines in this part were borrowed from the episode Significant Others.


Part 12

Maria stood in the center of the main room of the cabin after Michael left to go collect Kyle so they could watch the hockey game. Her eyes were closed as she waited, letting her senses grow accustomed to her surroundings. She stretched her arms out, her fingertips coming in contact with nothing but space and more space. The cabin was small but considering the amount of room she’d had for the last few months it felt like freedom. She inhaled deeply, drawing in the strong scent of wood burning, the underlying scents of fresh laundry detergent on the linens and the waxy smell of old candles. The only sound that dared to break the silence was that of the logs shifting in the fireplace as the flames burned causing the logs to crackle and shift. She could feel the warmth from the fire and knew without looking that her face and the exposed skin of her arms would have a pinkish flush from the heat.

She slowly opened her eyes, lowering her arms to her sides as she took in the way the cabin was furnished and decorated. It was really a large room, the bath being the only thing separate. Her eyes wandered around the living area, taking in floor with its wide wooden planks and the soft woven area rug that covered it. The seafoam green and ivory pattern of the rug matched the curtains on the double hung windows. She took a step closer to the fireplace, reaching out to run her fingers over the commemorative plate depicting the opening of the Mackinac Bridge. She leaned in closer to look at the date: November 1, 1957. Good grief, it was older than her mother!

Her gaze moved on, taking in the old windup clock flanked by a pair of cinnamon scented candlesticks. She turned to look at the canopied bed she had made earlier, thinking that the lack of a comment about the girly bed was yet another sign that Michael was preoccupied. And it wasn’t just because of his heightened awareness of their situation. She looked at the old cedar chest at the foot of the bed, the surface of the chest providing a resting place for their things.

The space was small and warm, but most of all it felt safe and comfortable. She turned to the fireplace once more, her eyes landing on the mantle once more and suddenly being reminded of an old oil painting that had hung in her home as a child. She smiled as she remembered her mom haggling with the owner at a garage sale before paying half of the asking price and walking away with it. She had spent hours staring at it, dreaming of the day her father would appear at the front door and take them someplace warm and safe. Home.

Not that long ago warmth, safety and home had become wrapped up in Michael. She had wanted that for them and when he had stayed for her, he had become that for her… her thoughts turned dark as they veered to Billy’s visit. And then to another time when she had walked away from him, hurt him in an unforgivable manner. How had she forgotten that comfortable place with Michael? She pushed those thoughts away, not ready to bring them out yet.

Instead she walked over to the bed, fingers trailing over the old wooden post at one end as she passed it to sit down. She couldn’t seem to escape the memories as they tugged at her conscience and fought to surface. The last time she had been alone in a bed with Michael, the feeling of being with him again… thoughts that were quickly overshadowed by what had happened afterwards. Once again she shook them off and focused on the reading material placed by the bed.

She smiled at the feel of the squishy mattress as she settled and reached for the stack of books on the nightstand. They were old, well-read, the pages yellowed from age and the bindings creased from many reads. As she flipped the first one open she could hear the crackle of old paper. She glanced at the title. Moby Dick. “Freudians must have a field day with that,” she muttered as she set it aside. East of Eden was next and was added to the first book. Robinson Caruso. A good story, but she wasn’t in the mood for it. She set it on top of the other two and looked at the cover of the last one. The Fugitive. “Well, maybe.” She set it next to her on the bed and looked around once more.

Not a single romance novel or fashion magazine in sight. She stretched out on the bed and reached for a magazine on the other nightstand, sliding it out from under an old Bible. My luck isn’t getting any better, she thought when she saw the faded cover of an ancient copy of Better Homes and Gardens dated 1982. Okay, maybe ancient was the wrong word since it wasn’t much older than she was.

She rolled off of the bed and went to investigate the bathroom, biting her bottom lip and closing her eyes as she reached inside and felt around for the switch. It was a cabin after all… the bathroom could be something straight out of a horror movie. She finally found the switch and flipped it up, peering around the doorway to look inside.

“Oh, not bad,” she breathed as she took a couple of steps inside. The little room was warm and inviting like the rest of the cabin. Her eyes rested on the claw-footed tub across from her, the sides of it clean and white. She hadn’t cared much for claw-footed bathtubs since she’d had the misfortune of seeing the one in Michael’s apartment. His had been creepy with cobwebs and corroded piping hiding underneath and she had hated it on sight.

The cabin was significantly older than his apartment but care had been taken to keep the piping out of sight and the floor was made of planked wood that was well-kept and clean. She followed the shower fittings and made a quiet sound of surprise when she saw there was no showerhead. She decided the showerhead made no difference because it had been too long since she’d been able to enjoy the luxury of a bath. And how long had it been since she hadn’t had to share a bathroom with five other people?

She started the water, rinsing the tub out before plugging it and letting the water run for a bath. In the box of supplies Julia had sent with them she found pleasantly-scented bath soap, shampoo and some fluffy towels along with washcloths. She walked back into the bathroom to check the water before setting the towels on one side of the sink. She reached up to touch the nightlight in the shape of an outhouse plugged into the outlet, smiling at the little door with the crescent moon opening that allowed the light to escape.

On the back of the sink there was a soap holder in the shape of a canoe that held an unopened bar of soap. She paused when she heard a muted scratching sound but a moment later it stopped and her gaze dropped to the basket of magazines next to the toilet. Probably just a draft ruffling the pages, she thought before turning her head to the side to read the name of the periodicals. Ungh, hunting and fishing magazines. Well, that made sense, she supposed. It generally wasn’t women who used the bathroom as their personal reading room.

She checked the window above the mini library to make sure no one could see inside before going back to the bathtub once more. The water would be ready in just a few minutes so she hurried back out into the main room to grab the book she’d selected along with one of the candles and a book of matches from the kitchen.

With the candle burning and the scent of cinnamon beginning to waft through the air, she stripped out of her clothes and turned the water off. She stepped into the tub and slid down into the warm water, sighing at the familiar feeling. “Hello, old friend,” she murmured as she sank down to her chin, the fingers of one hand caressing the edge of the tub.

*****

The front door closed behind Kyle and Michael with a quiet click and Isabel couldn’t help but notice that it was the same style door as the one that had been on Michael’s apartments. With fewer coats of paint though, she thought. Style and Michael’s apartment. Now there were two things that just didn’t belong in the same sentence. She turned to lean back against the door, moving away from it when she registered the cold at her back. For a moment she wondered why Michael wasn’t with Maria… their first night all alone and he was going to watch a hockey game while she hung out in the cabin by herself. Leave it alone, she mused.

The carpet beneath her feet was a funky shade of brown, but soft and clean. She scanned the living area and decided that it appeared someone had tried to color coordinate with the rather hideous bronze-like loveseat. The olive green vinyl recliner was an eyesore but it complemented the eclectic décor. The room’s saving grace was the woven curtains in a lovely shade of ivory that dressed the windows and brought out the warm tones of the paneling that covered the walls.

The cabin was definitely a step up from the old apartment, she decided as she wandered into the kitchen with actual doors on the cabinets. There was a list of instructions laminated on the front of one of the cabinets next to the sink, detailing the use of appliances and the condition they should be left in before the occupants checked out. The small window above it was covered with a pair of yellow and white checkered curtains. She wrinkled her nose at the awful lime green linoleum that covered the floor, certain it had to be something put down in the seventies. Surely no one had used anything in that shade since then.

She walked over to the small white refrigerator, fingertips ghosting over the front that lacked a water dispenser. She didn’t need to open it to know that it wouldn’t have an icemaker inside either. She moved in front of the white cabinets, glancing over the nautical handles while looking for the dishwasher.

She walked over to the small nook, taking in the small table, two chairs and a bench placed under a second window with curtains that matched those over the sink. A small smile crept across her face as her gaze landed on the smallest stove she had ever seen and then back to the instructions on the cabinet. She wouldn’t need to bother with them since she wouldn’t know what to do with a stove beyond heating up a frozen pizza anyway.

She wandered out of the kitchen and glanced at the two open doorways on the wall to the right of the living room. She wondered once again why neither of the bedrooms had doors but let the thought go as she glanced at the wall heater. She entered the one she had chosen, staring at the full size bed without a headboard fitted up against the wall in the corner. There was just enough room for the bedside table, complete with attached lamp to fit. Below the lamp was an old-fashioned battery-operated alarm clock in the shape of a lantern. “We had to breakdown in the sticks,” she muttered under her breath when the sound of the clock ticking loudly caught her attention.

She smiled slightly at the window framed by pretty white lace curtains and the shade beneath already pulled down. A small shelf made of a warm honey-colored wood was mounted to the wall above the bed with a framed picture of a lake at sunrise. She braced one knee on the mattress and leaned in to read the caption below: Lake Huron at Sunrise. Lake Huron, that was one of the Great Lakes, right? She rolled her eyes. She was pretty sure it was, but geography hadn’t been one of her best subjects.

Next to the open closet door a full-length mirror hung on the wall. She ignored it as she leaned into the closet and glanced at the four-drawer chest tucked inside. She made a face as the scent of mothballs reached her nose. “Disgusting,” she mumbled under her breath as she took a step back and glanced at the doorway that led to the bathroom placed between the bedrooms. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she stepped into the room and was immediately grateful that she didn’t have a problem with claustrophobia.

The room wasn’t small, that would’ve been a kind description of its size. The word miniscule came to mind. She flipped the light switch and nearly jumped out of her skin when she hit the second switch by mistake and the room was filled with a sound similar to a jet plane taking off. She smacked the second switch back into place and glared up at the exhaust fan. Note to self: Never hit that switch again. To her right was a tiny sink and above it a tiny mirror with a chip at the bottom. She pulled the mirrored cabinet open and reached for the bottle of bath wash, opening it up and sniffing it. Well, that was a nice floral fragrance. She snickered to herself. Kyle was sooo gonna smell like a girl.

Between the sink and the back wall was the toilet. Her expression was slightly pained when she took in the white rug with the bumblebee pattern… that matched the shower curtain and the little night light. To her left was the… she grimaced and then swallowed hard. A shower stall, no bathtub. She reached out with one finger and pushed the tacky curtain back, biting her lip as she craned her neck to see inside. Ungh, that was just so gross. It couldn’t be more than a two-foot by two-foot space with a drain in the center of the bottom of the stall. She shuddered and stepped back, retreating to the safety of the living area.

She glanced at a picture of a black lab hanging on the wall behind the loveseat before sitting down and staring at the small 19-inch television sitting across from her. She reached for the channel guide on the rectangular coffee table with the drop-leaves, absently noting the crooked hinge on one side. She flipped through it and frowned at the whole ten channels listed. The basic four, hunting, fishing, local and a weather channel. She shook her head and turned to look at the front door when the wind gusted but something red caught her eye before she made it to the door.

She got up to go and investigate and she froze in place when she saw the little rocking chair occupied by a creepy clown. The thing had bright red hair, big black eyes that seemed to follow her no matter which way she moved, a red nose, and the most sinister smile she had ever seen on a clown. It was wearing some sort of multi-colored outfit that just added to the overall creepiness of the thing.

“No way,” she said, just to hear her own voice. “You’ve gotta go.” She glanced around, looking for a place to hide the hideous thing. She snatched it up and carried it over to the tiny broom closet in the kitchen, shoving it up onto the shelf and then jerking her hand back to slam the door. She leaned back against it for just a moment before taking a deep breath and shaking her head at her own behavior. She hated clowns and she especially hated that one. She had only taken half a dozen steps when she heard a creaking sound behind her and she slowly turned to see the broom closet door creeping open. She lunged forward and shoved the door shut once more, checking the doorknob to be sure the latch had caught this time. She stepped back and stared at it, making sure it wasn’t going to open again and breathing easier when it stayed in place. She ran her hands over her sides, clearing her throat and going back into the living area. Thank God Kyle hadn’t been here to see that, she thought. If he’d seen that thing he would’ve had a field day with it! He knew clowns freaked her out and he thought it was hilarious.

She settled down on the loveseat again, grabbing the remote and turning the television on. She started on the lowest channel first and moved up through the big ten. Talk show. “Crap.” Reality show. “Crap.” Hockey game. “Crap.” Hunting, fishing, weather and another talk show. “Crap, crap, crap and crap.” The next channel was another hunting channel and she landed on it just in time to see a deer get shot. “Sick.” She turned the television off and tossed the remote back on the coffee table.

She got up and walked over to check out the little corner shelf, thinking maybe there was something there she could read. She crouched down in front of it, glancing at the stack of Better Homes and Gardens… the entire year of 1989. “Pass.” The White Indian, several of the Hardy Boys mysteries, a romance novel. “Historical, juvenile, and mindless… pass, pass and pass.” She checked the bottom shelf… a couple of puzzles, card games and a set of dominoes. She sighed and got up again, looking around the room, desperate for something to keep her mind busy.

She grabbed her bags and carried them into her room, opening them up and pulling her clothes out. She started hanging them up in the closet, feeling a little better once the bags were emptied. She was sitting on the bed, folding the black bags as she thought about the Stevens’ mistakenly thinking that she and Kyle were married. Her first instinct had been to correct their incorrect assumption, but she had hesitated just a moment too long and it had gotten awkward. Maybe she should’ve just spoken up, set them straight, but even though it wasn’t true it felt nice to ‘belong’ to someone. She missed that feeling and being around two couples 24/7 just constantly drove it home that she was alone.

Just a year ago she hadn’t been alone, she had been with Jesse and her parents had been close by, no farther than a phone call away. She had been in the middle of organizing every possible Christmas activity in Roswell while trying to find a way to merge her and her new husband’s lives and traditions. It had been difficult to get through the holidays without telling him the truth. How was it that she and Alex hadn’t spent Christmas together? No, don’t go there, Isabel.

She shook her head as her mind wandered to the conversation she’d had with Max about letting Jesse in on the secret. She had felt like a five-year-old, going to her brother and Michael to basically ask their permission to tell Jesse the truth, to let him in on the secret. Predictably, Michael had seen no reason to break their pact and allow someone else in, not even at her request. And Max had been adamant in his belief that telling him would be a mistake.

“Think about Jesse, Isabel. We agreed not to tell anyone else after Alex died because we didn’t want to put anyone else at risk. The second you tell Jesse, his life changes… forever. He becomes a part of a secret he didn’t ask to be part of. You can’t tell him, Isabel. For his sake.

Max had been right about that. Things had never been the same once Jesse had known the truth. Would it have made a difference if she had told him earlier? If she had been the one to tell him instead of him learning the truth under such disastrous circumstances? She stared at the few items of clothing hanging in the closet and shoved her thoughts back away from that subject. Did it matter? She reached for the doorknob, intent on slamming the door and frowning when she remembered that there was no door. She shot a dirty look at the curtain that served as a door and turned to leave the room since jerking it across the closet wouldn’t give the same satisfaction as slamming a door.

In the living area once more she glared at the furniture as if it had somehow offended more than her sense of style. She knew why the thoughts were surfacing and there was only one way to silence them. She had to stay busy. If she could tire herself out she could go to bed and sleep though the night without having to worry about them again tonight. She studied the arrangement of furniture and mentally began mapping out a new layout.

[KindredKandies]

keepsmiling7- Lol, we're glad you enjoyed the line that Kyle was going to smell like a girl. We enjoyed writing that one.

We so agree it was sad when Isabel realized that she had never had a Christmas with Alex.

Thank you, we're glad you like our gang in the warm and cozy cabins.


Alien_Friend- Thank you, we're glad you like the cabins. And you're right everyone needed time to relax in their own way.

Our hearts go out to Isabel and Kyle as well, they're so very alone. Christmas could just turn out to be a good thing for them both.

M&M's past is a sad one in S3. There's no question that these two love each other but there are some issues that they haven't dealt with that need to be addressed.

The funny thing about wall furnaces is that if you close off a room it gets cold.. Yup, it's just one more thing for K&I to deal with, lol.

Thank you! We hope you'll continue to enjoy.


mary mary- Lol, Isabel relax with something less than perfection? It's her way of dealing with things. We'll see how much decorating she does. She can't have one of the Stevens' show up at her door and find a Martha Stewart interior, lol. But we know Isabel she'll think of something.....

We're back, and glad that you're enjoying the fic.


Eva- Thank you, we're glad you felt as if you were inside the cabins, it was what we were going for. Yes, we wanted to show what the different characters did with their time alone as their own thoughts began to thaw after being on the road for so long.
You'll have to wait to see about the one bed in K&I's cabin in the next ud....

Thank you all for your lovely feed back!




Part 13

The sound of heavy breathing was accompanied by the staccato thumping of the old brass headboard as it made contact with the wall. The moon’s glow, visible only as a halo around the clouds cast white light that spilled through the window above the nightstand. Snowflakes fell on the other side of the window, their playful dance on the wind unnoticed by the couple lost in each other.

Liz looked up at the man she had married, the man she loved with everything she had and her fingertips brushed over his cheek and down to his neck. The feeling of his weight, something so new and yet so familiar made her feel safe, wanted and loved. Her body easily fell into rhythm with his and as she felt the beginning of that headlong rush into ecstasy her hand scrabbled for purchase, finally finding it as she wrapped her fingers around the headboard.

Their lips met in a kiss that was deep and soul-stirring but in spite of that the flashes that had once been so prevalent, that part of their connection was lacking. She pushed away the thought that she couldn’t remember the last time they had made love and she had experienced that with him. She didn’t know if they were both blocking it consciously or unconsciously, or if they had both closed themselves off that way.

The times they had been able to be together without feeling rushed, to enjoy each other the way they wanted to, had been few and far between. There was no way for them to spend time alone on a regular basis, not with the life they were leading. Moments like this were rare and something to be cherished and it gave them a reprieve from things that needed to be dealt with. As their bodies began to come down from the sexual high and their breathing evened out, Max quickly fell into what Maria had referred to as the ‘post-sex coma’.

Liz reached up to trace her fingers over his shadowed jaw, feeling the rasp of stubble and smiling. This was a side of Max that no one else ever saw; the passionate, primal side that most people would probably never suspect was hidden just beneath the surface. This was the Max that belonged to her exclusively.

But you’re not the only one who’s ever known this side of him. She gave him something you haven’t… something that no matter what can never be taken away.

She shoved the nagging thought away. She hated it when either of them intruded on these moments with Max. She focused instead on his eager expression when he’d come running back into the bedroom earlier. Eager, she snorted. Lustful, maybe. No, definitely lustful. She had taken the sheets from him, leaving him holding the blankets and pillows. She had taken her time making the bed, leaning over to stretch across the mattress to tuck the fitted sheet over the corners. She had made sure her movements were slow and deliberate, teasing him and waiting for him to reach his breaking point. She had learned that since they had become lovers she could get him to that point without having to work too hard. Especially when he was in certain moods… like tonight.

His eyes had followed every move she made and she knew he could’ve cared less about the sheets or blankets. She could read his thoughts as easily as if he had spoken them aloud. They were just going to mess the bed up anyway, so why bother? He was standing there as she took the pillows from him, giving her that look; chin down, watching her through his lashes. He was trying to play it cool and she knew it wouldn’t take much more before he lost it. She had upped the ante just a bit, running her fingers over the cool sheets as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

“Our bed, Max. It’s so weird.” He had moved closer, crowding her, his breath teasing the back of her neck. Her voice had been breathless, a side effect of his nearness, but she had continued to tease him. “The bed’s almost made… we just need… the blankets…”

He had been so close he had practically been plastered to her back as he inhaled deeply, drawing her scent in. He had thrown the blankets on the floor as some point because she knew there was nothing but the layers of their clothes between them. He had taken her arm, turning her around and lowering his mouth to hers in a kiss that had completely wiped out any thoughts of making the bed.

She smiled to herself and shook her head at him. It hadn’t taken long for him to snatch those blankets up off of the floor afterwards though. He was all covered up and she knew it wouldn’t be long before he started to snore. Thank God he didn’t snore loud enough to rattle the window panes, she mused as she leaned over to kiss him before slipping from the bed.

She pulled one of Max’s shirts on and walked through to the living room. The silence, broken only by the sound of her husband’s soft snoring, surrounded her as she moved past the sofa, her fingertips trailing along its back. There was a spindled rocking chair with a teddy bear sitting on it, barely visible in the dim light cast by the small nightlight in the kitchen. Her attention was caught by the outline of a book on the mantle above the fireplace. As she moved closer she could see the pen lying next to it.

The heat from the electric fireplace brushed against her legs as she reached up to let her fingers ghost over the binding of the book. She picked it up, rubbing her palm over the butter-soft cover before flipping it open. She carried it over to the kitchen, leaning against the counter and scanning over the pages. It was a journal for visitors to write in, to share their stories for others to read.

There was a time when simply looking at a journal would cause her fingers to itch, the need to write almost compulsive. She missed writing her thoughts down. It had been a way of getting out of her head, putting chaotic thoughts and feelings down and then going back and finding order in them. Her old journal had been filled with chaos, but with innocence underlying the words. That journal had been sent to her dad in the hope that it and the explanations within would help her parents deal with what had happened.

Max had bought her a new one months ago but she hadn’t been able to put pen to paper. There were many nights sitting at various campgrounds and roadside stops when she had pulled it out and gone as far as to open it up, but the words would not reveal themselves. The blank pages would stare up at her mockingly, the pen in her hand a useless weight, and still the words would not come. She had finally packed it in her bag where it had stayed, unopened and ignored.

She read a humorous story written by a 16-year-old girl who had been ‘stuck’ in the Honeymoon cabin with her parents because it had been the only cabin available at the time. The rant was likely not supposed to be humorous but it was and she felt a familiar ache in her chest. It was a reminder of what she had left behind: her innocence, although life had already started to chip away at that prior to graduation, her dreams of Harvard, of being the head of molecular biology. She missed having dreams and goals that someone her age, someone ‘normal’ would have. She had left normal long ago, a choice that in some ways had never been hers to make. The day at the Crashdown when Max had saved her, the course of her life had been altered.

She didn’t regret her choice to leave with Max, but there were other things she did regret, things that she wished she had done differently… things she wished she had said. She carried the cabin journal back over to the mantle, placing it beside the pen and turning to go back to the bedroom. Her gaze fell on his sleeping face, his relaxed features reminding her of the boy he had been the day he had saved her life. She lifted the covers after a tug-o-war match and slid in beside her husband, grateful for his body heat and the sleep-warmed sheets. She smiled when his arm came around her waist and she could feel his breath against the back of her neck. No, it wasn’t conventional and it wasn’t ‘normal’ but she wouldn’t trade being with Max for either of those things.

*****

Kyle trudged through the snow next to Michael, using him as a shield against the biting wind. He could see the cabins up ahead and he rolled his eyes when he saw that every light in his looked to be out.

“Problem?” Michael asked when he heard his companion sigh.

“Just thinkin’ she could’ve left a light on.”

“I’d watch what I say to her if I were you.” He smirked and shook his head, glancing at the black trash bag in Kyle’s arms. “She finds out you told Julia,” he held his hands up to make finger quotes, “you’d like to get sheets for the smaller bed because ‘the wife’s in a mood’ an’ she’ll make your life a livin’ hell.”

Kyle shifted the sheets and blankets that Julia had collected for him and then covered in a large trash sack to keep them from getting wet from the heavily-falling snow. “Hey, I’m not the one who said we were married.”

“You didn’t deny it either. As far as she’s concerned, that’s on you.”

“Yeah, I know how it works.” He paused for a moment, stopping in his tracks. “Michael.”

Michael stopped and turned to look at him. “Kyle.” He already knew what was coming. He had known it from the moment he had decided to get back to Maria just before the third period of the game started. He had said it was time to go and Kyle had told him to go on, he’d be out later after the game. It would’ve kept him separated from the rest of the group with no one to watch his back and Michael had insisted that they leave.

“You’re gonna have to cool it, especially around Edward. He’s been suspicious of us from the beginning but displays like that back there? Either he’s gonna think the two of us have some kinda Brokeback Mountain thing goin’ on, or worse,” he made a face, “he’s gonna think we’ve got somethin’ to hide. As much as I hate to admit it, I’d rather he thought the first because it’s the safer of the two, but I think we both know between our situation and your hyper-vigilant state he’s not gonna drop the thought that we’re hidin’ somethin’ or runnin’ from somethin’ or both.” He shook his head when Michael started to walk again and he hurried to catch up with him. “Look, man, I know why you’re like this, okay? And I know you haven’t had time to really decompress since that day, but you’re gonna have him thinkin’ maybe he needs to make some calls and right now we’re already skatin’ on thin ice. We can’t afford the extra attention, that’s all I’m sayin’.”

Michael gave a sharp nod but didn’t say another word as they reached Kyle’s cabin and the other guy made his way to his front door. He waited, making sure he was inside before he set out along the old road that was only slightly visible since the snow was higher at its edges. It was still snowing heavily and the tracks they had made going up to the house earlier had been covered in the time they had spent watching the game.

He knew his decision to go back to the cabins had been rather sudden, but he hadn’t been able to leave Maria alone any longer. He stared at the little cabin in the distance, one end of it visible as he rounded the slight curve where the three-bedroom cabin sat several hundred yards in front of it. He was right and Michael knew it, but he couldn’t just shelve that hyper-vigilance as Kyle had called it. He had felt like an overloaded circuit since that day…

They had stopped at a gas station to fuel up and grab some sandwiches and he had spotted the sheriff’s cruiser right away from his position near the pump. His hand had tightened on the nozzle’s handle as he reached up to bang on the window to get Max and Kyle’s attention. “Where’re the girls?” he barked when Kyle appeared.

“Uh, I believe they were plannin’ to run in to buy disinfectant and sandwiches after their visit to what Iz referred to as ‘that toxic bathroom’.”

He had kept his head lowered, but his eyes had been locked on the station, straining to see if the girls were on their way out yet. Relief was short-lived when he saw Isabel and Liz on their way back from the restroom because it only took a moment to realize that Maria wasn’t with them. His heart had been hammering when he saw the cop stop next to an employee cleaning up the parking lot and point in their direction.

“Where’s Maria?” he had growled as the girls climbed inside.

He had seen the fear in Liz’s eyes when he had pointed the cop out. “We ordered sandwiches before going to the restroom. Maria was the first one out so she said she’d grab our order and meet us back here.”

He had been on edge, ready to storm the little shop to get Maria when Max had spoken up, telling him to get back in the van. He had done it, knowing they had to keep a low profile, but his mind had screamed at him relentlessly. He had sat behind the steering wheel, unable to keep the tension from hammering at him as he watched the cop. Maria had appeared, her back pressed against the door as she tried to juggle the takeout sacks while making her exit.

His nerves had been strung so tight it felt as if they might snap one by one as the cop had moved to open the door for her, smiling and chatting her up as he pointed to the van. He couldn’t hear what they were saying of course, but he could see Maria using her shining smile and those eyes on the cop. He had been terrified that they’d been made, terrified that at any moment the cop was gonna grab her, and their options had been limited to bad and worse. Regardless, he couldn’t, wouldn’t drive away without her.

That trapped feeling began to close in on him again at the reminder that his actions always seemed to be failures or inconsequential. He had been gripping the steering wheel hard enough that it felt like it could snap when Kyle had spoken up.

“Just stay cool. I grew up around cops, remember? Just stay cool and be quiet.”

It was at that moment that the sound of a horn had pierced the air and he had glanced at the rearview mirror, glaring at the impatient driver making a rude gesture through the windshield. Bastard was lucky he didn’t have the time or luxury of getting out and telling him a thing or two. His gaze had shifted back to Maria after the momentary lapse, watching her walk to the van as the cop disappeared into the station.

“Just what the hell were you girls thinking?!” he exploded as he pulled onto the highway and shoved the accelerator to the floorboard.

“You mean me, Michael, just say it,” Maria snapped. “The only human in the group without secret powers.” She shook her head at him as Kyle took the sacks from her. “It was fine… I’m fine. The cop was just interested in the van ‘cause it’s a classic. He pointed our van out and made some comments about it. Guy had a thing for old cars and vans.” She turned her head to stare out the window on her side. “It was no big deal. I may be human but I can handle myself.”

The problem with her argument was that he knew differently. He could ‘see’ her and he knew it had shaken her up. It only served to further piss him off that she was putting up a front and giving him a hard time for not trusting a human. It had only gotten worse when she had continued her rant.

“I didn’t need your help, Michael. I’m not some damsel in distress!”

It had been the final straw and he had been oblivious to the protests from the others when he had jerked the wheel to the right to get off of the highway, pulling into a roadside park and slamming on the brakes between an RV and an 18-wheeler. He hadn’t even looked at Max when he threw the keys at him with enough force that the other guy had yelled at him. “Wait here.” He had turned to Maria. “Get outta the van.”

Her eyes had blazed defiantly. “No.”

“Michael let it go,” Max advised.

“Mind your own business,” he snarled as he pinned Max with a hard glare before turning back to the woman in the passenger’s seat. “Get out of the van, Maria. NOW!” She had been gritting her teeth as she rolled her eyes at him but she had finally gotten out. He had barely been aware of Kyle speaking up, deciding that since they were stopped and food was in his hands it was time for lunch.

He had rounded the front of the van and grabbed her hand, pulling her with him as he stomped past trees and picnic tables. He had scanned their surroundings, making sure they were alone before he had suddenly turned, pinning her up against a tree. He had crowded her, unaware that his eyes were red, his face was set in stone, or that his fists had been clenched so tightly. “Do you have any idea what they did to Max in that white room?! I dream about it every fuckin’ night, Maria! That cop noticin’ the van, stoppin’ to talk to you? It was a goddamned big deal!”

She had opened her mouth to try and say something but he had silenced her with a look.

“Do you have any idea what my nightmare is? It’s not me in that white room, Maria. It’s not Max or Isabel or anyone else. It’s you! You in that white room while they…” His eyes had been glassy with unshed tears and beads of perspiration had appeared on his brow.

She had reached for him and that was all it had taken.

His mouth had crashed onto hers, his kiss desperate and bruising. He hadn’t been able to get close enough to her as he shrugged out of his jacket, every breath sawing past his lips raggedly. He had maneuvered her backwards into a tiny clearing, throwing his jacket down before lowering her to the ground. His movements had been frantic as he had fought with his belt and zipper with one hand, freeing himself as he pushed the skirt of her sundress up with the other. Her panties had ripped just before he entered her in one searing thrust.

His eyes had locked onto hers as he tried to catch his breath, needing to see her. He had felt her hands gripping his shoulders, heard her voice as she whispered his name on a ragged pant. He had seen something wet hit her cheeks, unable to acknowledge it as tears from his own eyes as he had started to move within her urgently. With three last thrusts he had buried his regret, his lust, his anger, and his love inside of her. He had rolled them over so that she was on top, his eyes locked on her face, taking in every nuance of her expression until she cried out his name and collapsed in his arms.

As soon as his breathing had calmed he had gotten up and straightened his clothes. Maria was lying back on the grass, her clothes a mess, her hair out of sorts and her lips red and swollen. “Stay here, I’ll be back.” He hadn’t waited for her to acknowledge his command; he had gone back to the van and taken their sandwiches, extra napkins, and her bag. His expression had dared anyone to question him but no one had said a word.

After returning to her he had settled beside her in silence, placing the sandwiches close by and reaching over to gently clean her up. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

Her eyes had fallen to the grass as she slowly shook her head.

He could feel his heart pounding as he remembered that day as if it had just happened moments ago. The memory brought all of those feelings to the surface and his body thrummed with tension… with frustration. He had never been like that with her before and with the uncertainty of their relationship he felt like he had overstepped like he had the last time. It wasn’t the way he had made love to her that had scared him; she had been just as desperate for affirmation that they had escaped what could have been a dangerous situation. It was his loss of control with her… opening himself up that way and acting on his emotions when he wasn’t sure what they were to each other.

He had been on overload since that day and he knew it. He couldn’t sleep when they stopped, his nerves were on edge, the weight of their safety was a constant pressure and there was no release valve. He was hyper-aware of everything going on around them and hadn’t been able to breathe easy since that cop had noticed them.

It had been early October. And it had been the last time they were together.

[KindredKandies]

keepsmiling7- Aww, we're happy that you enjoyed our honeymoon couple. Well they've really been through a lot in the last year and a half. Liz and Max need some quiet time to sort out some of their experiences and unresolved issues in their relationship.


Alien_Friend- Michael Guerin and intense seem to go together..We love him as well for his fierce protectiveness of Maria. It's Christmas and the Stevens' Sanctuary seems to be just that for our couple. Help is on its way to help Michael relax some. After all he is the commander and he'll never be totally off guard. ;

You said it all; there are a lot of things that aren't easy to deal with for Liz and Max. They really need to be honest with each other and really talk so that they can be happy in spite of what happened in the past.
Thank you for the wonderful compliment. We hope you'll continue to enjoy reading.


cjsl8ne- Thank you! Christmas is a time for miracles.....The Stevens' family is just the place for our gang to find their footing again.


Eva-

Exactly! And it's not only Michael who needs to take some time to relax, but it's all of them.

Yes, that's right, they all need the time. And they're going to get it.

We love Kyle, he's good for our gang and knows how to talk to Michael. As for Michael's tense demeanor we agree he has to unwind for their sakes and his own. Christmas with the Stevens just might be what he needs.



mary mary- LOL! That would be some dream walk for Isabel; she'd have to contact Madam Vivian! Pierce is very dead. Michael told us that when he kills someone they stay dead.

We're glad you want to get the hunters that are hunting our gang we do as well.


Author’s Note: A few lines in this part were borrowed from the episode Graduation.


Part 14

Michael closed and locked the door behind him, his movements quiet in the hope that he wouldn’t wake Maria up. He grabbed one of the dining chairs and wedged it up under the doorknob before he was satisfied that anyone trying to get in that way would make plenty of noise. He thought about Maggie as he shrugged out of the coat, shaking the snow off it and then hanging it up on one of the hooks behind the door. He shoved the gloves in the pockets before rubbing his hands together. He glanced at the bed and frowned when he realized Maria wasn’t there.

His gaze moved to the open bathroom doorway and he walked over to the right side of the bed, emptying his pockets out and setting his wallet, the van receipt and Maggie’s picture on top of the books there. One corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile as he thought about the little girl’s disappointed expression when she’d realized he and Kyle had come back without the girls. Julia had patiently explained that they would make one batch of cookies and save the rest for the next day when the girls came up to the house.

He suddenly remembered the cookies Julia had wrapped and Maggie had given to him after he had put his coat on. He walked over to his coat and pulled the cookies out, carrying them over to the nightstand and sitting them with his things. He smiled as he thought about the little girl’s expression as she had handed them to him. Maggie was the baby in the family and she was well-loved, but it was obvious that Julia and Edward were the parents. Little Maggie Stevens didn’t rule the house with a pout or with tears. He could appreciate their ability to balance discipline and love and it was apparent their children benefitted from that.

The sound of water sloshing caught his attention and he wandered over to lean against the doorframe between the bathroom and the main room of the cabin. He crossed his arms over his chest as his eyes traveled over what little he could see of Maria’s profile. She was reclining in the water as she read a book and he couldn’t miss the color in her cheeks from the warm water. He tilted his head, trying to make out the title of the paperback. “What’re you readin’?”

Maria tipped her head back to look up at him and she angled the book to make the title visible to him. “The Fugitive.”

He snorted quietly as he shook his head. “Appropriate.” He stood there for a moment, hands shoved deep in his pockets as he glanced around the room. It wasn’t until his second visual pass of the room that he noticed it. “So, you like the tub?” She had never gotten into his, he thought as he braced one hand on the opposite side of the doorframe.

“It’s not creepy like yours.” She glanced up at him when she heard a familiar sound and her gaze dropped to his hand. “Oh, c’mon, Michael, stop with the scratching noises.”

“What?” He glanced at his hand and frowned. “I’m not doin’ anything, Maria.”

“Yeah, right. I’m not fallin’ for that.”

He stepped away from the doorway and held his hands up. “Now do you believe me?”

“Shhh, be quiet for a minute.”

Silence.

She smiled knowingly at him before turning her attention back to her book.

Michael shook his head at her and started moving her things around on the sink, looking for his toothbrush.

Scratch, scratch, scratch

Maria looked up, watching him for a few moments before realizing that it wasn’t him. “Michael.”

“It’s probably a mouse,” he mumbled around his toothbrush. Now, where was the toothpaste?

She dropped the book on the floor to grip the sides of the bathtub. “Did you see a mouse?”

Scratch, scratch, scratch

Her eyes darted around the room searching for the thing. “There it is again… it sounds like it’s comin’ from under the tub!”

Michael just shook his head. “Cabinet under the sink.”

Scratch, scratch, scratch

She heard the sound again and bolted up out of the water. “Michael!”

He jerked around in response to her panicked tone and he caught sight of her standing there, naked and flushed from the heat as droplets of water trailed along flesh no other man had ever touched. His lips parted, his breath stuttering in and out as arousal slammed into him. His fingers curled until he could feel his nails biting into his palms and he inhaled slowly in an effort to bring himself under control. It was probably the most normal setting they had been in since before the Billy thing, he realized. He grabbed the soft turquoise towel off of the side of the sink and shook it out. “It’s not under the tub,” he said as he held it open for her. “I’m sure of it.”

She wrapped the towel around herself as she peered over the edge of the bathtub. “Then where is it?”

Michael turned and opened the cabinet door under the sink, catching the little critter as it attempted to skitter past him. He held the little white-footed mouse up by its tail, studying the twitching whiskers and the beady black eyes staring back at him. “Here it is.” He could feel the tremors in the little creature’s body, empathizing with its fear at being captured. It was just looking for food and warmth, nothing more. “He’s not botherin’ anybody,” he said with a shrug. He leaned over and put the mouse back under the sink before closing the cabinet door and walking out of the room.

Maria shook her head. Great, now she was going to have to share space with a rodent.

Michael dropped down in one of the overstuffed chairs in the living area, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he reached for the remote for the little 15-inch television in the corner. He surfed for all of ten seconds, rounding the available channels twice before landing on the game. He turned the chair slightly and shifted around until he could prop his feet up on the matching chair, propping his elbow on the armrest and staring at the game.

She finished up in the bathroom and dressed in one of his tee shirts before going out into the living area where he had settled in front of the television. There was a time when she would’ve just curled up in his lap without a second thought but now she found herself hesitating. For the first time in half a year they were alone, sharing a warm cozy little cabin and she suddenly realized just how awkward she felt with him.

Without the constant pressure of running, looking over their shoulders, without the constant presence of the others just an arms-length away, there was nothing to preoccupy her thoughts. Nothing but Michael and what their relationship was… if it was. They had been together since graduation but he was holding a big part of himself back. He had forgiven her for what she had put him through before that but she wasn’t sure he trusted her anymore.

In the bathroom she had been naked and his response had been to hand her a towel. After he had averted his gaze, she realized. He had looked away. That was just one more piece of evidence that things weren’t right between them. Michael was a guy, and not the kind who passed the buffet without filling his plate. Ungh, great analogy, Maria. She shook her head at her thoughts. “I think I’m gonna go to bed,” she said after several minutes.

Michael nodded and motioned to the fireplace without looking away from the television. “I’m gonna wait for the fire to die down.”

“Right, well…” She fidgeted in place for a moment before leaning over the chair to give him a kiss. “G’night then.”

“Night.”

She climbed into bed and curled up under the blankets, missing him so much it was almost a physical ache. He was barely a dozen feet away and it might as well have been a thousand miles. She rolled over, trying to find a comfortable spot and her gaze landed on a small wrapped package on his side of the bed and she stretched her arm out, reaching for it. She brought it closer and as she breathed in deeply she could smell the sweet aroma.

Christmas cookies, she thought with a smile. The silence in the cabin was heavy and she latched onto the first thing that came to mind to end it. “I forgot we were supposed to go back to the house to make cookies with Maggie,” she said as she put the little package back.

The ensuing silence was broken only by the sports announcer’s voice and after several minutes she lay back down, accepting that he wasn’t going to say anything. She was staring up at the ceiling with tears of frustration in her eyes when she heard him speak quietly, his voice low and gruff.

“She missed you…”

Her heart clenched in her chest. She wasn’t dense, she knew he was talking about himself and using Maggie to tell her what he was feeling. Her gaze lifted to the nightstand when she heard the soft metallic rasp as the chain on Michael’s wallet slithered down to settle against the surface. The sound combined with her loneliness and the ache of missing him, both physically and emotionally threw her back to a roadside park on a sunny day in October.

She had been irritated with him for manhandling her, angry that once again her status as the only human in the group was making him question her ability to take care of herself. Was he yelling at Isabel or Liz? No, he had singled her out. She could hear his wallet chain slapping against his thigh in tandem with his harsh breathing as he stalked across the park, pulling her along behind him like a wayward child. It had pissed her off even more.

He had stopped without a word, turning and crowding her until she could feel the bark of the tree at her back digging into her skin. Heat rolled off of him and his eyes blazed furiously as he screamed in her face. It wasn’t until she focused on his reddened face and the glistening in his eyes that certain words began to filter past the anger.

You assume because I’m not one of you that I don’t understand… The words had been on the tip of her tongue, ready to argue with him, to fling her own thoughts in his face but what he was saying suddenly sank in as she saw the fear mixed in with the anger in his eyes. Her temper had faded in response to the fierce look on his face. For just a moment she had been standing at the window in her bedroom in the home she had grown up in, staring out at the boy who had come to her on a rainy night. He had been in pain that night, but this time it was pain born of fear… fear for her.

She had reached up, her fingers brushing his face as she used her thumb to wipe away the tear that was threatening to spill over. She hadn’t seen him move but she felt his lips crush against hers hotly, forcing the air from her lungs as he pressed her into the tree. She had ripped at his shirt in search of skin, desperately needing to touch him.

She had come up gasping for air as he jerked his arms behind his back, fighting his way free of his jacket. His mouth was on hers again, his spicy tasting tongue slipping past her lips to duel with hers. His arms came around her after he threw his jacket on the ground and she was barely aware of him pulling her away from the tree as she threaded her fingers through his long hair. Her free arm had come around him when he pulled her up against his hips and she drew air into her oxygen-starved lungs.

She had thrown her head back, releasing a low moan when his lips had brushed along her neck to suck on the flesh at her throat. His hips had pushed into her before he lowered her to the denim-covered spot on the ground, heard him say her name hoarsely as he battled with his belt and zipper. With his other hand he had shoved the skirt of her sundress up, raging desire removing any possibility for finesse.

His fingers had paused for a moment when he had found her already damp and she had seen him suck in a ragged breath just before he entered her in a single powerful thrust. His eyes that were dark with hunger, want and need were tearing freely, his face was red with exertion and every breath was being torn from his lungs. The need in his eyes was so striking it wounded her heart.

She had whispered his name, clinging to his shoulders and angling her hips up to meet his every thrust. As he began to move faster she reached up to pull him closer, and his lips had claimed hers once more in a kiss that for all its roughness was tempered with love. The tears leaking from his eyes had slid down over his cheeks to mingle with his kisses, giving them a salty taste and making them sting.

For just a moment she had felt their connection open up and she was privy to his thoughts… or at least a single memory before he pulled back slightly. She swallowed hard as she saw herself looking at him saying words that she wished she could take back. “We’re no longer linked.” She could feel him trying to pull back emotionally, knew he felt out of control in that capacity, and it hurt that he wanted to shut her out. Her fingers had threaded through his, hoping that it would prevent him from fully pulling away from her. He guarded his emotions, his heart, so closely and she knew it was her fault that he felt he needed to protect himself from her now.

Her eyes had traced over his face as he squeezed his eyes shut, holding his breath while he pushed himself up. He held his head up, dragging in gasping breaths of air between each thrust as he filled her. Later, after she had collapsed into his arms he had held her for a few brief bittersweet minutes.

As she lay there in the safe cocoon of his embrace she became aware of the sweet scent of the grass and her gaze drifted over the leaves that had drifted down from the trees overhead. The cry of a bird came from overhead, a lonely sound that tugged at her heart as he gently disengaged from her and got up. She watched him as he pulled his boxers and jeans back up over his hips, her eyes tracing over him.

He had issued a terse, “Stay here”, and then walked away, leaving her feeling stunned, like she’d just been hit by a storm and tossed around by it until it became a gentle rain. That storm had suddenly come back full force with the realization that they had just made love without using protection. She started frantically doing the math in her head. She had been PMSing all day, which had only heightened her reaction to him with the argument and with what they had just done. She shelved that worry when she heard footsteps approaching, the sound accompanied by the quiet metallic rasp of his wallet chain.

When he had returned he had taken care of her, gently cleaning her up before issuing an apology. Her eyes fell to the grass as she slowly shook her head. She didn’t want him to be sorry. She didn’t want him to feel like that, not where this was concerned.

He had pulled a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt out of the bag before taking her hand and helping her up. “Kinda cool for a dress,” he had muttered as he held the clothes out to her. It wasn’t until that moment that she had noticed that in spite of the sun shining brightly the air was cool.

It was later when she and Michael had been sitting at the back of the van, still slightly shocked over the intensity of that moment that she had realized that she couldn’t recall what the cop had even looked like. She could remember pushing the door of the station open, trying to balance everything, and nearly walking right into the cop. Mirrored sunglasses, a badge that caught the sunlight and drew attention to it, a holstered gun on his right hip… she had no other recall of the man that had unknowingly triggered fear in them.

She sighed as she shifted slightly, still trying to find a comfortable spot. The bed itself was heaven but without Michael to share it with she might as well have been sleeping on the floor.

Michael stared at the television but his mind wasn’t on the game. His thoughts were on the woman behind him, his body achingly aware of every sound she made. Things had never been cleared up between them and even now he was still uneasy about her decision to leave with him. She had literally been under the gun when she had made her decision and it still bothered him.

He could still remember that night with perfect clarity. Graduation night, the desert air was cool as they met to determine their next course of action. She had stated that she was going with them and he had insisted she think about what she was saying, worried about what could happen to her if she went, worried about what could happen to her if she stayed. Worried that she would regret it later. She had lifted her chin as she walked over to him.

“I have, and… this is my choice. This is what I want. And… whatever that is in the end, that’s what it’ll be… but… we’re doing it together.”

They were exhausted from the months of running and their lives were miserable. He wanted to offer her so much more than this crazed existence. Her choice of words still bothered him though.

“Whatever that is in the end…”

That uncertainty combined with the grim reality of their situation kept him from making any assumptions where she or their relationship was concerned. It wasn’t the only thing holding him back though. He wasn’t ready to just lay his heart out there for her again. She had walked away from him before and then turned around and slept with him only to tell him later that it had meant nothing. He had tried not to let it show but that had hurt.

The sound of plastic cracking drew his attention to the remote in his crushing grip. “Shit,” he muttered under his breath. There was a crack running across the surface of the remote, dividing the numbers on the keypad. He’d have to have Max fix that, he thought as he set it on the table where he’d found it.

His mind once more turned to Maria and he sighed as he stood up and turned the television off. She had to take the first step. Until he knew what she really wanted he wasn’t going to be able to fully risk his heart again by laying it out there completely.

Maria’s eyes opened to darkness when the mattress dipped and she felt Michael slip into bed beside her. She could almost hear him holding his breath as he waited to see if he had woke her up. She felt him shift, trying to get comfortable and becoming stationary after a few moments. She could feel the distance between them acutely and she squeezed her eyes shut against the ache of loneliness.

Michael frowned at the ceiling. His feet were hanging off the end of the too-short bed and he could feel the already cooling air creeping under the edge of the covers. He rolled over and bent his knees, tucking them in behind Maria’s and draping his arm over her waist. It took less than a heartbeat for her to scoot back and as her arm settled over his she linked their fingers and he heard her sigh. Content, relieved, he didn’t know. The one thing he knew for certain was that he loved her. He was just too much of a realist to think it was the only thing that mattered.

[KindredKandies]

keepsmiling7-

Poor Maria.......Michael handed her a towel in the bathroom. That's an insult!

There's a lot going on with our Candy couple and a lot to be sorted out before a scene like that will result in him giving her more than just... the towel.


Alien_Friend- Oh, thank you! This took some time to put together, we're glad that it moved you; it means we succeeded at what we wanted to convey.....It's breaking our hearts as well. You're so right; trust is huge with Michael and Maria. It'll get better; all they need is a little time.


bmary mary- You're so right about that. We feel for Michael as well. However there are matters that Michael hasn't acknowledged to Maria as well. Yup, our Candy couple has some stuff to sort out.

Us fix them and make them all better? Nope, Michael would take our head off for getting into his and Maria's business, lol! You know it, they'll get it right.



Eva-

Maria broke a lot when she wanted to get out the alien abyss in 3th season. It wasn't only Michael's heart that went down the drain, it was also his trust that got a big dent.

Yes, she did and now that they are off the road the things that they haven't dealt with are starting to come to surface.

Without taking time to reconciliate, they'll stay together but alone at the same time. And that will kill them bith emotionally.

Thank you! You so get this. This is something along with some past issues with Michael in their past have to be dealt with. They can't just sweep this under the rug, if they want a long and happy and intimate relationship.

Author’s Note: Some lines in this part were borrowed from the following episodes: The Harvest, Heart of Mine, It’s Too Late & It’s Too Bad, and The Departure.


Part 15

Kyle leaned back against the door once he was finally inside, feeling along the wall for the light switch and not finding it. He cursed under his breath and shook his head as he tried to recall which side of the room the bachelor’s suite was located on. He snorted quietly and took several steps to the right, cracking his shin against something and dropping the trash bag of linens as he hopped around on one foot.

Unfortunately, the snow he had tracked in didn’t provide solid traction and when his foot came down on one of the little patches he took a nosedive. The only thing that kept him from a broken nose was the bag of linens. He lay there for a minute, breathing hard and wondering if he should just give it up and sleep on the floor. It might be safer, he thought caustically.

He loved Isabel, he did. She was a great friend and they had become each other’s confidants, but he could really do without things like this. After several minutes of contemplating his options he decided that the floor was cold so he collected his bag, got to his feet and carefully located the wall, following it around to the opening where his bed awaited. If she had been rearranging the furniture it meant she was trying to keep her mind off of something she didn’t want to deal with.

He ran his hand over the wall just inside the door and frowned when he didn’t find a wall switch. “What is with these people and light switches?” he muttered under his breath. He took a couple of steps forward and walked into something. This place is a friggin’ obstacle course. He had glanced into the room earlier… twin bed and… well, okay, the room had been dark then too and he hadn’t really done much of a survey. Just verified that he at least had a place to sleep.

He backed up to the doorway and crept along the wall, finally locating a nightstand and blindly feeling his way to… he swallowed hard. It was something furry. Short, coarse hair over a stiff body… claws, he realized when he moved his hand higher up and felt them brush his thumb. The thing hadn’t moved and he couldn’t hear it breathing… what if it was some oversized rat? Stuffed toy, he decided. It had to be.

It has claws, his brain reminded him.

It hasn’t moved, he argued silently.

Maybe it’s a possum… they can play dead, right? They have claws. We’re out in the boonies, who knows what could’ve gotten inside?

He shook his head at his thoughts. He was standing in a strange room having an internal debate with himself over whether or not he had a rabid animal in hand. “This’s stupid. If it was alive it would’ve bit you by now,” he muttered, feeling better at the rational verbalization. He shook his head and was pulling his hand back when something brushed against it. He turned his hand over and grabbed it, immediately realizing it was a string. He tugged on it and the little room was filled with light.

He took a step back and made a face at the lamp. It was made in the shape of a tree trunk with some sort of animal attached to it. He reached out and poked the thing, wondering what it was. Beaver? Woodchuck? Squirrel? Prairie dog? Whatever it was it was disgusting. He shook his head and turned to toss the bag on the bed and nearly smacked right into the upper bunk. He took a step back and stared at his accommodations for the duration of their stay. “Bunk beds,” he muttered. “Of course, no wonder you got such a sympathetic look from Edward. I suppose this’ll be one time when I can be grateful for bein’ vertically challenged.”

He hung his coat on the post at the end of the bed and placed the bag on the bottom bunk, shaking his head as he opened it, digging around until he felt the sheets. He stared at the cowboy Mickey Mouse print balefully for several seconds before he shook them out and started to make the top bunk. “18 years old, single and sleeping in a bunk bed on Mickey Mouse sheets,” he huffed. “Valenti, you’re never gonna get laid.”

Kyle pulled the matching comforter out and just shook his head before tossing it on the top bunk and straightening it out. This was just perfect. He stared at the single pillowcase complete with Mickey and his lasso looped around to spell out Howdy! He knew when Julia had supplied them with linens earlier there had been two pillows… and he was certain Isabel was probably curled up with both of them. He threw it on the top bunk and turned to leave his room.

There was just enough light spilling out of the smaller bedroom to keep him from tripping over anything else as he made his way through the living room in search of the bag with his belongings. He finally found it at one end of the loveseat and about the same time located a lamp that he turned on before carrying his bag into his room. He pulled his things out, choosing to just use the top drawer of the child-sized dresser for socks, boxers and undershirts. Jeans and shirts went on top in two neat stacks along with the few personal hygiene items he owned. Deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, razor and shaving cream, a couple bars of hotel soap, and two little bottles of shampoo he had taken from the last hotel they had stayed in.

He stared at the small bag sitting on the top bunk and he hesitated before carefully unrolling it to look down at the items there. They hadn’t know what was coming before graduation so they had agreed to each pack a small bag with clothing and essentials that they would keep readily accessible. A small 3x5 framed photograph of him and his dad taken during the Statewide Junior Rifle Competition. The glass was broken, cracked in two places from the time he had accidentally dropped one corner of the toolbox in the van on top of his bag. He smiled faintly as he picked up his book on meditation but it quickly faded when he saw the edge of another photograph sticking out from between the pages of the book.

He kicked his boots off and hauled himself up onto the top bunk and tried to get comfortable before he settled on his side and flipped the book open to stare down at the photograph. Prom night. The beginning of the end, he thought cynically. Part of him wanted to cut her out of the picture but it wouldn’t erase the memories. There was no way to cut her out of the place in his heart that still hadn’t completely let go of her.

He pressed the picture to his chest as he laid back and stared up at the ceiling, making a mental note to not sit up too quickly. That’s all he needed was a concussion, he thought. His eyes closed and he reached up to rub them as his mind drifted back to Christmas two years ago. Before her true nature had been revealed, before she had taken Alex from them… before he had decided she felt like his sister. His features screwed up in a grimace. He still didn’t know where that had come from. Things hadn’t felt like that prior to that little revelation; it had come out of left field and it still confused him because he knew before that his thoughts had been decidedly un-brotherly.

He shook his head, not wanting to dwell on those thoughts. His mind wandered, bringing his living room at home into focus. He could easily see him and Dad watching the game and he laughed quietly as he remembered Dad trying to get his Buddha on. There had been a crazy conversation about chairs and Tess going on a rant about cooking for 24 hours while they watched football. He chuckled as he remembered the way Dad had freaked out and acted like a crazy man when Amy had arrived at their front door. Tess had made his favorite augraton potatoes with bacon on the bottom. It had felt like a real Christmas for the first time since before his mom had left them.

His stomach twisted in the familiar knots that always accompanied thoughts of Tess. He hated what she had done, betraying them and killing Alex… making him carry his own friend’s body out to his car. His eyes squeezed shut at that memory, wishing he could block it out. How was it possible for her to be the same person who had made him like Christmas again? She had been so warm, so caring, and she had seemed to be settling in and letting go of the whole Max-and-I-are-destined-to-be-together thing. Not even six months later she had done a one-eighty on them and things had just gone downhill from that point on.

Kyle stared at the picture for a moment before shoving it back between the pages of the book and putting it and the framed photograph in the bag and wrapping it up. He wished it were as simple as hating her for every bad thing she had done but it wasn’t that easy. He felt restless now and he swung his legs over the side and dropped down to the floor, taking the bag and shoving it in the dresser drawer under his socks.

He turned the light off and wandered out into the living area, glancing into the kitchen and deciding to make a pot of coffee. It was ridiculous, he thought. He finally had room to move around freely, a room of his own, and he felt lonely, like something was missing.

While he was waiting for the coffee he turned the television on and ran through the channels, frowning when he landed back on the first channel after just seconds. He left it on the weather channel and went back to pull a mug down, sitting it on the counter and wondering if there was any sugar. He checked the cabinets and reached for what he assumed was a pantry, not expecting it when a blur of red flew at him. His arm shot up and he batted the thing away, taking a step towards it when it landed on the floor and slid to finally settle in the corner.

A smile crossed his face when he saw what it was. He had a feeling Isabel had stashed the thing in the closet. She hated clowns. He smirked as he picked it up, shaking it off and holding it up to look at it. He glanced over at his room, thinking about bunk beds, Mickey Mouse sheets, no pillow, rearranged furniture and the sizable bruise on his shin. “Me an’ you, we might just have some fun with Isabel,” he said as he put it back into what turned out to be a broom closet.

He filled the mug with coffee and made a face at the bitter taste as he walked back into the living area. Just before sitting down he remembered the cookies Julia had given him and he detoured to his room to dig them out of his coat pocket. He settled down on the loveseat and propped his feet up on the coffee table, sighing in aggravation when the leaf reacted by drooping slightly. He frowned and shifted to the side so that his feet were in the middle of the table.

As he watched the weather report and took in just how much snow they were predicting he wondered if they would even get a chance to get out and check on the van the next day. He got up adjust the heat and went to grab his blanket when he realized the room felt cool. He was staring sightlessly at the television and listening to the weather report once again when movement caught his attention and he raised his head to see Isabel watching him blearily.

“Not one word about Mickey,” he warned.

She shrugged and joined him on the loveseat, grateful for his company. She curled up on the opposite side and rested her head on the arm. After a moment he wordlessly reached out, offering her a corner of the blanket. Isabel smiled and pulled the cover over herself, wiggling around to get comfortable. Her feet landed in his lap and without a second thought he shifted to accommodate her, finally feeling like things were right.

They watched the weather in companionable silence until they drifted off to sleep, curled up in positions that should have been completely uncomfortable but weren’t.

*****

It was the absolute silence that pulled Max from a dreamless sleep. Since leaving Roswell he had grown accustomed to the sounds the van made as they drove over the pitted back roads, the sound of Kyle’s snoring or arguing with Isabel over which of them was taking up the most room on the bench seat they usually shared, even the sound of Michael and Maria bickering over everything and nothing. He no longer knew what it was like to sleep through a night without one or more of those noises creating a chaotic lullaby.

The noise was often a source of contention, but it was an aggravation that over time they had learned to deal with. But it had become something more for him. It had become a shield against thoughts and memories he didn’t want to face. It provided a solace of sorts, allowing him to avoid dealing with the barrage of mistakes he had made over the past couple of years. He came up on one elbow to look down at Liz, sleeping soundlessly but not peacefully. Her forehead was furrowed, pulling her eyebrows down into a deep frown.

He reached over to gently run his thumb over the frown lines, wishing that he could ease the thoughts that created them night after night. He might be able to help if he at least knew what had put them there. There were too many possibilities for him to even hope to narrow it down though and he sighed when she shifted over onto her side, facing away from him.

How many times had he nearly lost her? How many times had he selfishly followed his own path without seeing the damage he was creating? Liar! His conscience screamed at him. You knew what you were doing! You can lie to everyone else but you know the truth. He reached up to rub his temples, trying to push the memories as far away as possible. He could fight them back most of the time, but he was surrounded by silence, preventing him from blocking out the thoughts. There was nothing to occupy his mind and voices from the past were battering at his conscience, pushing to get out.

He eased out of bed and pulled his jeans on, hurrying to the bathroom and closing the door to lean back against it. He drew in deep lungfuls of air, trying to focus on the sound of his own breathing but it wasn’t loud enough to provide the needed barrier. He could still remember her practically begging him to let her go, to put an end to the pain he was responsible for. He leaned forward and braced his hands on his knees as the squeezed his eyes shut against the memory of prom night. She had told him she had seen him with Tess and he had quickly jumped in to explain himself, telling her that it had simply been more exploration into who he was and where he came from.

“I know, I know, you know, you keep saying that, but you um, keep on leaving out this really pertinent fact. That you were married to her. I feel like my whole life for the past year has been waiting for some really bad news. Oh, you know, by the way Liz, I remember Tess, and I love her. It’s really paralyzing.”

“I know it’s not easy.”

He shook his head. He had selfishly expected her to be there, waiting for him when he finished messing around with Tess. She had suggested at that point that they let go, she had admitted that she was hurting, and he hadn’t been able to speak beyond saying her name.

They had been hit with Alex’s death soon after and he had blown it with her. Her investigation into what was believed to be a suicide had the potential of drawing the wrong kind of attention to them and he had lost it. He shook his head at the memory of what he had done to his sister, the way he had ruthlessly crushed her when she had just wanted to get away after Alex’s death. Hot on the heels of that fight he had come upon Liz, packed bags at her feet as she sat on a fence.

He had pulled over and gotten into a huge fight with her over that, demanding she get in the jeep, ordering her around like she was one of his subjects instead of the girl he loved. He had refused to listen to her theories where Alex’s death was concerned but he had expected her to fall in line and simply obey him because he had ordered her to do so. He had reacted by throwing the responsibility for everyone’s safety on her shoulders, accusing her of putting them at risk and when she had insisted that her responsibility included Alex he had said something that haunted him to this day.

“Liz, if you go, our friendship is over.”

“I guess that’s the price I have to pay.”

He shook his head against that memory, still unable to believe that he had said that to her. For the longest time he had blamed so many of his choices on her sleeping with Kyle, using it as an excuse to pursue things with Tess. How could he have been so stupid? Why had he allowed things to get to that point? Why had he not fought harder for her? He could remember their conversation on the street in Copper Summit. He had demanded the truth from her, insisting that she owed him an explanation and then accusing her of hiding something from him. Her response had silenced him.

“You know, you have got me up on this pedestal, Max, and… I’m not this perfect person. I made a mistake. Look, Kyle and I made love. The end. I’m sorry.

He had done nothing but walk away. He hated himself for not pushing harder. At every other turn he had pushed mindlessly ahead, paying no attention to who he was hurting. But when it had come to this he had faltered, he hadn’t given it his all and he had used her and the situation as a scapegoat. It was on the drive back from Las Cruces when he had pulled over and spilled the truth about Tess, getting her pregnant, and their impending departure that it had come out. That entire conversation still haunted him.

“You can’t just leave us with a killer out there.”

“I don’t have a choice!”

He’d had a choice, even then. His son had been a factor, of course, but he had chosen Tess and been willing to leave the woman he loved without protection, knowing there was a killer on the loose. A killer who had already taken one of them. He felt the guilt eating at his soul, chewing further into it at everything that could have happened after leaving them there alone and defenseless. She hadn’t held back, throwing the obvious accusation in his face.

“Not anymore, but you did and then you got Tess pregnant!”

“I know you’re upset.”

Even now he cringed at his own words to her. How thoughtless and condescending could one person be? She had shaken her head at him and started to yell.

“I – I trusted you, I gave you everything. I jumped off bridges for you, I broke laws for you, I risked getting shot for you, I trusted you! And you go off – God, with Tess – God, I saved myself for you!”

“Saved yourself? You slept with Kyle!”

“Take me home.”

Later, sitting outside the Crashdown after giving her the pendant that he was still surprised she hadn’t flung into his face he had looked at her and asked a question that he already knew the answer to.

“Liz, you never slept with Kyle, did you?”

She hadn’t spoken, but she had shaken her head, confirming what he had known.

In the granolith chamber he had been shocked by Michael’s decision to stay. Deep down he had been jealous of his willingness to follow his heart and stay for the girl he loved. He had been relieved when Isabel had said she was going and looking back at it now he knew it was only because Alex had been taken from her just as she had really started to accept her feelings for him. After everything he had threatened her with he hadn’t deserved her decision to accompany him regardless of the reason.

His heart and mind had been at war as Tess had opened her mouth to divert their attention to how little time they had. He had watched Michael walk away, wondering how he had become the stronger one and resenting Tess for coming in and ruining everything. That’s right, Evans, keep placing the blame everywhere but on your own shoulders, his mind taunted. If it weren’t for Michael turning back and Liz’s dogged determination to prove Alex hadn’t committed suicide the truth would never have come out.

His heart had stopped in his chest when she had suddenly appeared in the chamber and he had found it so easy to believe her when she accused Tess of murdering Alex. He hadn’t wanted to go, had been scared of what awaited them on that other planet, and when Liz had hurled the accusation and Kyle had backed her up there had only been proof in the form of his recall of being mindwarped. It hadn’t been solid proof but he had jumped on it, grabbing onto what felt like a lifeline as he turned on Tess.

He had screamed at her, had even felt the desire to wipe out her existence as she discounted his feelings for Liz and revealed her true intentions. He had been relieved to not have to go, relieved to blame Tess and not have to face the truth about what a coward he was and he had directed every bit of anger and self-loathing he felt into his voice as he had stalked her around the chamber, getting in her face and letting his failures fuel his temper. He had let her go for his son’s sake, let her go so he wouldn’t have to deal with her, and he had gone to Liz.

She shouldn’t have allowed you back into her life so easily. If she thought she had broken laws for him before… He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he remembered their senior year. She had gone along with him in his quest to find his son and gotten into more trouble in a matter of months than she’d gotten into in her whole life. He had enjoyed the freedom of suddenly rebelling against everyone and everything. Neither of them had wanted to face the fallout from his time with Tess or her pretending to sleep with Kyle and it had given them an outlet for all of their anger, hurt, betrayal and frustration with the situation.

After everything he had put her through he didn’t deserve her. She had given up everything for him: Her safety, her reputation, her family, her home and her dreams. She had a promising future ahead of her before you came in and took it all away. He looked down at his hand as he thought back to the day he had healed her and set into motion a chain of events that had changed the course of all of their lives. You saved her life and destroyed it all in one day. Of course she came with you. What were her other options? Stay and be captured by your enemies? Be put in a white room and tortured?

He stumbled to the sink and braced his hands on the counter, avoiding his own gaze as he waited for his pounding heart to calm down. He finally turned and walked into the living room, turning the television on and turning the volume up just enough to fill the cabin with background noise. He sighed in relief when the voices began to slip back into their hiding places and he nudged the volume up a bit more so that it would carry over into the bedroom.

He reached out to place the remote back on the coffee table and the light from the television caught his wedding band. He brought his hand up and rubbed it, feeling that knot of tension begin to ease as he remembered the look on her face when she had spoken her vows at the simple wedding ceremony.

That day he had sworn to himself that he would do everything in his power to be the man she needed him to be and to do whatever it took to erase his mistakes. He would make up for every single one of them even if it took his entire life to do it. He took every opportunity to do that but somehow he felt that he had fallen short on that promise. He looked around him, taking in the cabin and thinking about the seclusion it offered from the outside world.

Maybe this was the place that would really give him the chance to make up for some of what he had put her through. His thumb brushed over the band and he smiled as he turned to look at Liz. His wife. He was breathing a little easier as he slid back into bed beside her and wrapped his arms around her. He could fix this, he was sure of it.

[KindredKandies]

keepsmiling7 – Oh, thank you, you so get this. Max and Liz will have to have a talk. Just like in RL we can't go back and fix things. We can only learn from them and make life better.

Loved that it was too quiet for Max to sleep and started facing his many "screw-ups"....

Thank you, it just seemed to fit Max.

Ah Tess, we liked her during Christmas the year before as well....poor everybody.

Glad you liked the Mickey Mouse sheets, lol. Oh Snoopy sheets, how cute...We love Snoopy, so does Miss Cindy Bear, lol!

Alien_ Friend – We're glad that Max is facing his mistakes as well. For now his feelings are just waking up after being on hold for the last six months and are overwhelming him in the quiet of the night. He and Liz need to eventually confront their issues to insure a healthy and happy relationship.

The whole Future Max thing, another issue unresolved between them. You'll have to continue to read...

We're glad that you can see the hard time that Kyle suffered with Tess. In spite of his humorous comments, he's hurting as well. That kind of pain doesn't go away ....

We love Kyle and Isabel's friendship as well. They're so alone.....

Aww thank you! Here's your new ud.

mary mary – Ah, thank you! We don't believe that Max feels he cheated on Liz...Rather he is just letting down during the first quiet time that he has had and his emotions are overwhelming him. He loves Liz and feels the pain that he caused her with the choices he made and didn't make.

Christmas is coming....it will be good for all of them.

cjsl8ne – Thank you and you're so right on your assessment of our couples. Yup, we believe Christmas with the Stevens will be good for them.

Eva – Thank you. K&I are good together and give us so much to work with. We like their friendship as well.

We agree, being on the run constantly looking over their shoulders has been hard on all of them. A lot of their personal lives were shoved to the back burner. Having time for them to rest and sort out some unresolved issues will make them all stronger.

Christmas is coming anything is possible.


Author’s Note: A few lines in this part were borrowed from the Roswell episode “Baby it’s You”.


Part 16

Morning light filtered in through the cabin windows as Michael stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. His mind was racing from one topic to the next as he considered their situation, wondered about his and Maria’s relationship, weighed their options if things went south for any reason, and even pondered Kyle’s words to him the night before. He didn’t know how to turn off that hyper-vigilance and he wouldn’t even if he could. Their safety, their lives, depended on his ability to protect them. They looked to him to make decisions and that responsibility weighed heavily on him. It probably wouldn’t hurt to tone it down a notch or two but he wasn’t sure he even knew how to do that anymore.

Maybe the sleep he’d gotten would help, he thought. How long had it been since they had slept through the night? Since they had been alone together in a warm bed? He glanced down at Maria when she moved closer and buried her face in the crook of his neck, snuffling sleepily against his skin. He shifted his hip away from her when she stretched lazily, bringing her dangerously close to finding out just how awake he was. He held her for a few minutes, taking advantage of the opportunity to be close to her. When she moved, her hand tracing random patterns on his abdomen he decided it was time to get out of bed.

He didn’t realize how cool it was until he threw the covers back and gooseflesh erupted on his skin. Maria glared at him blearily as she made a grab for the blankets, pulling them tight around her and blocking the draft. He hissed audibly when his bare feet landed on the floor for an icy introduction.

Maria sat up, wrapped up in the blankets with just her head sticking out. “Michael, come back to bed,” she said as she shivered. “I’m cold.”

He ignored the temptation to crawl back into bed with her and forced himself to cross over to the fireplace. “It’s almost nine and Julia wanted us back at the house between nine an’ ten for breakfast.” He put wood in the fireplace and stretched his hand out, nodding in satisfaction when flames began to dance over the logs. He turned to look at Maria. “I’m gonna grab a shower.”

Maria fell back against the pillows and just waited for it. She watched him walk into the bathroom and held her breath for the handful of seconds it took for him to discover that he wouldn’t be showering. She was mentally counting down to one when she heard it.

“Fuck.”

His voice was low but she heard it all the same and she couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped. “Aww, Michael said a bad, bad word,” she teased. “If ‘damn’ gets you dishwashing duty, what d’you suppose you get for that one?”

Michael just gave her the look as he stepped out of the bathroom. “We need to go down to Max and Liz’s cabin for a meetin’ anyway. So get ready an’ I’ll just take my shower there.”

“Michael, you can’t just go over there and expect to take a shower! That’s their space while we’re here. You wouldn’t like it if one of them came over and – “

“So, you’d rather I just not shower?”

“Well, no, that’s not what I said.”

“Then I’d suggest you get ready to go.”

Maria made a face as she got up. “You do know you can be insufferable when you want to be, right?” She rolled her eyes when he just looked at her. “When did we decide we were having a meeting?”

“We’re leavin’ in ten minutes,” he said as he sat down and started lacing his boots up.

She let it go and grabbed her clothes, running across the cold floor and barricading herself in the bathroom to get ready. When she emerged nine minutes later she propped her hands on her hips and looked at him. “What is that look for?”

“I told you ten minutes,” he said, his eyes tracing over her. She had dressed in jeans and a shirt, brushed her teeth, pulled her hair into a ponytail and forgotten her makeup.

“So? I’m ready.”

“Fine, you’d better bring your makeup with you ‘cause we’re not comin’ back here for a while.”

She shook her head at him as she tried to decide if he was being deliberately obtuse and finally came to the conclusion that he was as clueless as he appeared. “I haven’t physically put makeup on in six months, Michael.”

“What?” Damn, he looked at her every day. He was pretty sure he’d remember her not wearing makeup.

“One of the perks of being on the run with aliens.”

“Whatever.” He rolled his eyes. “Can we go now?”

She shrugged. “Just waiting on you.” She smirked when he growled and grabbed their coats before putting the fire out and rushing her out the door.

*****

Maria’s gaze bounced between Kyle and Isabel as they plowed through what had to be at least a foot of fresh snow. She was certain she and Michael had interrupted something because Kyle looked absolutely gleeful while Isabel looked like she was on the verge of killing him.

“I don’t suppose you could reverse it?” Michael asked, drawing Isabel’s wrathful gaze.

“What?” she snapped.

“The snow… don’t guess you could reverse it?”

For a moment she just stared at him and then she remembered standing in the center of the park back home in Roswell, making it snow and trying to calm her brother down. Michael had ridden up on his bike and motioned to the snow falling around them.

“A little public, isn’t it?”

“It’s a freak storm, you know, who cares?”

A faint smile let him know she had caught the reference and he nodded in response. “So… Valenti drivin’ you nuts?”

Kyle just grinned unrepentantly as he turned to walk backwards, not really considering how difficult that would be. “Do you know just how freaked out Isabel gets over clowns?”

Well, that explained Isabel’s mood, Michael thought. She’d had a weird fear of clowns since they were kids. He didn’t like clowns but he wasn’t afraid of them. There was just something wrong with the way they hid behind the painted-on masks, the heavy grease makeup creating grotesque faces that hid the truth.

“You have a clown in your cabin?” Maria asked.

“Yeah, he’s short and he’s not as funny as he thinks he is.”

Kyle stuck his tongue out at Isabel. “She hid it in the broom closet in the kitchen.”

“He had it propped up in the cabinet over the coffee pot this morning so when I went to grab a cup the damn thing jumped out at me.” She glared at him when he laughed and when he suddenly tripped over a snowdrift she reached out to shove him, pushing him back into the snow.

“Hey, this stuff’s cold, ya know!” he sputtered as he struggled to get back up on his feet.

“Suck it up, Kyle.” Isabel shook her head at him and kept walking. “Why don’t you tell them about your Mickey Mouse sheets,” she tossed over her shoulder.

Maria turned her head to look at Kyle, trying hard not to laugh. “You slept on cartoon sheets?”

“Well, apparently Julia only has sheets with cartoon characters on them for the twin bed… and since the wife was in a mood last night, I had to take what I could get.” His joking tone ended in a coughing fit when ‘the wife’ suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned to face him.

“That’s what you told her?” Her icy gaze shot to Michael. “Is that what he told her?”

“I’m not getting in the middle of your marital dispute.” He walked around her. “C’mon, we’ve got a meetin’ to get to.”

*****

Max opened his eyes, glancing around the room as he tried to identify the muted voices he could hear. For several seconds his fuzzy mind tried to understand why anyone would be so excited over a food processor before he remembered that he had gotten up and turned the television on. He turned his attention back to the woman in his arms when the feel of her skin against his woke the rest of his body up. What would he give to be able to wake up like this every morning? he wondered.

He peppered her shoulder with whisper-soft kisses, nibbling his way up to her neck. He brushed her hair back and sucked on the sensitive spot between her neck and shoulder. She shifted back against him, pushing her backside into the cradle of his hips and he heard the smile in her sleep-roughened voice when she whispered a, “Good mornin’ to you too, Mr. Evans.”

Liz added a tantalizing wiggle that made him groan before she turned in his arms and pulled him down for a proper good morning kiss. She moaned when he nudged her thighs apart and moved to settle between them, loving the feel of him against her. “I could get used to waking up like this,” she whispered.

He chuckled roughly in agreement as he rolled his hips, the light friction not nearly enough to satisfy. “I can – “ Pounding on the door interrupted him and he growled when he heard the accompanying voices. “We can ignore them… they’ll go away.”

She nearly snorted at the hopeful denial in his voice. “You know better than that.”

He shook his head as he leaned over the edge of the bed, snatching up his discarded jeans. He gave her one last kiss before getting up and jerking them up over his legs. He finished dressing on his way to the door, muttering under his breath the whole way. He paused a moment with his hand on the doorknob, drawing in a deep breath and turning it just as another round of pounding started.

“Hey, you got coffee made yet?” Michael asked as he barged past Max as soon as the door opened. “I’m gonna grab a shower and then we’re havin’ a meeting.”

“Um, we were kinda…” he trailed off when Michael continued on his way and he hurried after him to stop him before he could walk in on Liz still in bed.

“What is wrong with you?” Michael demanded when Max jumped in front of him.

“You can’t just walk in there! Liz was – “

“Your wife’s modesty is safe, Maxwell… If I was lookin’ for a cheap thrill that’s not where I’d be lookin’ an’ she’s in the kitchen anyway.”

Max’ mouth dropped open as he turned to see for himself that Liz was indeed in the kitchen.

Maria mouthed a silent apology at her best friend, grinning at the slight blush that crept up over Liz’s cheeks. It was obvious she had dressed in a hurry and the bedroom on the other side of the open glass double doors revealed the unmade bed that had been hastily vacated.

Michael shook his head as he glanced around the bathroom. Every damn time, he thought. He and Maria had the tub with no shower crammed into a small bathroom. Isabel and Kyle had an even smaller bathroom with a shower stall you could practically put your feet in while sitting on the toilet. Max and Liz had ended up with a roomy bathroom that had a tub big enough for two people and a separate shower. Where was the justice?

He turned in a circle, eyes scanning over the rest of the room as he started the water and stripped out of his clothes. Even the john was set apart from the rest of the room. He dug around for a bar of soap and only came up with body wash. He eyed the name of the scent warily. What the hell was joe-joe-bah anyway? He unscrewed the cap and inhaled, further annoyed at the scent that lacked a sense of masculinity. He did one more search of the cabinets before accepting that it was this or nothing.

He snorted at the wall heater before staring at the walls, trying to figure out what color they were. Some kinda red or purple or something… He tipped his head to one side. What was that crap that people always put out on Thanksgiving? They dumped it out of a can and set the jiggling, can-shaped crap on the table… cranberry sauce! Was cranberry even a color? He rolled his eyes and reached for one of the towels on shelf near the tub. Big, soft, fluffy… the ones he and Maria had weren’t like this. “Wouldn’t wanna chafe the king’s ass,” he muttered under his breath. Even in the middle of nowhere Max managed to come out on top.

“So, um, is there a problem with your shower?” Max asked as he scratched the back of his head. He didn’t want to be rude or anything but they had kinda been in the middle of something.

“Only a problem so far as there’s no shower to speak of,” Maria answered in an apologetic tone.

“Plus it’s nearly nine and El Capitan’s got a bug up his ass about us havin’ a meetin’ before breakfast,” Kyle added as he started checking out the contents of the cabinets in the kitchen. He turned his head to look at Liz. “Where’s the coffee?”

“The coffee?”

“Julia sent the basics with each of us last night.” He made a face at her. “Remember?”

“Oh, right, it’s in the box over by the door.”

“By the door? You didn’t…” he glanced between her and Max, smirking at their red faces. “Oh, right. Nevermind, ‘nuff said.” He went to collect the coffee and set about making a pot.

Maria wandered around the kitchen while Kyle leaned on the long green and black marble tiled countertop. The cabinets were stained a warm oak color, giving the room a homey feel. The appliances were probably as old as she was and maybe even older, but they were clean and well cared for. This cabin seemed to have a forestry theme, she thought as her eyes moved over the deep green curtains that framed the window above the sink. Even the little night light, plugged into an outlet by the window was shaped like a fir tree.

The floor was a warm beige, a nice complement to the darker colors used in the room. The small rug in front of the sink was decorated with a moose and more fir trees. She paused in her perusal of the room to glance at Isabel, watching her for a moment as she moved around the living area, no doubt cataloging its imperfections. She smiled to herself at that thought. It was just a part of who Isabel was, a coping mechanism that she had developed to deal with whatever was going on.

Isabel reached for the stuffed grizzly bear propped up in the wooden rocking chair in one corner of the room, holding it as she turned to take the seat for herself. She glanced around to take in the cabin, intentionally ignoring the looks going back and forth between her brother and Liz. She studiously avoided the bed as her eyes traced over the bedside table and the imitation Tiffany lamp that resided at its center. She frowned at the door on one of the walls in the bedroom, certain that it was a closet. The room itself was beige with a deep green carpet on the floor. The windows above the nightstand were covered with lace curtains and drawn back to show the snowy landscape behind the cabin. She turned her head and caught the full-length mirror on the closed bathroom door that faced the bedroom and gave a perfect view of… No, do not let your thoughts go there! She shuddered comically and turned her attention back to the living area, her eyes settling on the fireplace. Electric, she realized as her eyes moved over the knobs that controlled the thermostat.

“Floor might be a little bit wet,” Michael said as he came back into the room.

Max just gritted his teeth together. He had no doubt the bathroom floor was wet and he also had no doubt Michael had left big wet footprints all over on purpose.

Liz sniffed the air when he walked past her, knowing he was doing his best to aggravate Max. “That’s a nice floral scent you’ve got there, Michael.” She forced a too-sweet smile on her face when he turned to glare at her.

He just barely caught himself before he shot the finger at her. The one and only time he had ever done that Maria had nearly annihilated him. He busied himself digging around in his coat pocket when he noticed Maria pouring him a cup of coffee. When she brought it to him he turned and handed her the cookies he had brought back with him the night before. He raised an eyebrow at the obnoxious happy face on the front of the mug. “Alright, let’s get down to business,” he said after taking a drink. “We need to get a few things straightened out before we go up to the house.”

“Hey, can I have one of those?” Kyle asked as he reached around Maria.

“Let’s focus on why we’re here,” Michael huffed impatiently as he shoved Kyle’s hand away. “We need to get on the same page with this insane story before we completely give ourselves away.”

Maria handed Kyle one of the cookies and he snatched it and ran back to the safety of the kitchen area. She laughed, but sobered when she caught the impatient look on Michael’s face. “Sorry, important meeting.” She knew how important it was that they all have the same story and not slip up and adlib somewhere, possibly tripping all of them up, but she also knew that his intensity could receive a negative response from the others under the right circumstances.

Michael nodded after a moment and cleared his throat.

[KindredKandies]

Eva- LOL! Actually, Michael was giving us a hard time about what he was going to say next so we gave him a time out! We thought that was the best place to leave him to gain his compliance, lol.

We're glad that you love the gang's morning grumpiness....They're about to go into their first meeting being off the road with their grumpiness, it should make the meeting interesting.

It was all that Isabel could do to keep herself from redecorating the walls but she knows that using her powers like that could really get them all into trouble if someone saw the change, lol.



Alien_Friend- Yes, Michael has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders that was handed off to him by the others. We're not too sure the others have so much patience as much as they just didn't have the energy to stay focused on running and dealing with Michael. Now that they're off the road and semi safe.....his luck could just run out, soon if he doesn't make an adjustment in his attitude, lol.

Now that the gang is off the road and Christmas is coming giving them all a chance at some levity in their lives. We're glad that you're enjoying the gang joking with each other.

Thank you! Here's your new part.


keepsmiling7- We love Kyle's humor as well and yes, where would they all be without Kyle? He's the one who seems to be a buffer between everyone and the glue keeping them all together. We love Kyle.

So true, Max and Liz really had an extra appreciation for their honeymoon cabin. It was a nice unexpected surprise for them.

Yup, we could feel his anticipation for that really great hot shower without anyone waiting for the bathroom....The hot water going over his shoulders....and...Then no shower head! Poor guy that sure didn't help his tense mood.

Yes, getting their stories straight should be interesting, lol.

mary mary- We feel for Michael as well and for the gang. Christmas is coming and for now they're in a safe and quiet place. It will give them all a chance to sort things out among themselves and rest. Help is on the way.


cjsl8ne- Thank you, we're glad you enjoyed the ud. Lol, it's fun to write Kyle and Isabel.

As for the cover story, Liz and Maria already made that impossible to do now. But you're right there is a lot more to deal with as the days go by. We hope you'll continue to enjoy reading.


Part 17

“Alright, here’s what I’m thinkin’. We need to…” He trailed off when he realized Max wasn’t listening. “Am I boring you?”

Max frowned at him, his mind still on Michael’s announcement a couple of minutes earlier. “You need to go dry the bathroom floor.”

He started at him for a moment before going right back into what he had to say. He knew how to clean up after himself but he still enjoyed getting a rise out of Max on occasion. “We’ve gotta handle damage control for all the lies that’ve already been told.” He looked between Maria and Liz. “No more answerin’ questions if you don’t have a preapproved answer to them.” He shook his head when Maria opened her mouth to protest. “That whole story about,” he lifted his hands to make air quotes as he looked at Liz, “goin’ to Sault Sainte Marie to visit a friend at school.” He turned to Maria again, glaring at her as he once more made air quotes. “Miami?”

Maria met his gaze steadily. “Last time you changed the plates you chose Florida, genius.”

“What should we have done?” Liz asked.

“That’s true,” Maria chimed in. “The longer we waited to answer the worse it was gonna be. You’d better be glad I was paying attention while I was busy goin’ blind from starin’ at maps.”

“Yeah, well, speakin’ of lies since that’s your current topic,” Max spoke up, “whose bright idea was it to tell Maggie you knew Santa?”

“She’s just a little kid,” Michael said dismissively. “Look, for every lie we tell, we’ve gotta make it true. At least to some extent. We’ve already got a shitload of stuff to remember; we make a slip and we’re in trouble. We stick to the story that’s already been started… can we all remember that? We don’t need to give this guy any more reasons to be suspicious.”

Liz shook her head, certain he was wrong about this. “Oh, please… have you seen Edward?”

“No, Michael’s right,” Isabel said, breaking her silence. “Edward’s highly suspicious and regardless of what he does or doesn’t suspect, we can’t give him anymore ammunition than we already have.”

Kyle looked at her and a quiet smile appeared as he took in her appearance as she sat in the rocking chair, cradling the stuffed grizzly bear. Her posture wasn’t defensive for the first time in a long time and he found himself remembering her taking him around to the parties for New Years’ Eve the year before. He shook himself out of his rambling thoughts when she looked at him and frowned.

“What?”

He shrugged. “Just wonderin’… aren’t you the one who told Maggie about Snowflake havin’ some pull with Santa and Candycane havin’ pull with a certain reindeer wrangler?” He just grinned when Max shot daggers at him for bringing that up. “So, I guess we’re gonna have to make that one true too, huh, El Capitan?”

“I have every intention of making that true,” Isabel said before Michael could say differently. “It wasn’t a lie.”

“No, we’re not,” he denied. “We’re gonna be long gone before that ever happens.” He shook his head at her when she just looked at him. “No. There is no way I’m ever wearin’ another fat elf suit.”

“Michael, she’s a little girl… you can’t just tell her stuff like that and then not follow through.”

Maria smiled knowingly. “I’ve seen you with children, Michael, you wouldn’t do that.”

He rolled his eyes and his mouth tightened in irritation. “Christmas isn’t important here. Am I the only one who sees just how boxed in we are here? Boxed in without any means of escape in the event of a threat? Are you all blind?” He hurried on when Max opened his mouth to say something. “We’re in danger here. We’re not on vacation an’ we’re not on a honeymoon!”

Kyle exhaled loudly and wiped one hand over his brow. “Whew! I’m sure glad you clarified that ‘cause it’s certainly not livin’ up to all the hype I’ve heard.”

Isabel leveled her eyes on him when he started to laugh but instead of going off on him she turned to Michael. “And whose fault is that?”

“What?”

“You’re having a fit over us being,” she made air quotes just to mock him, “boxed in… whose bright idea was it for us to go north in the middle of winter?”

“Isabel,” Max intervened.

“Back off, Max. Look, Michael, I agree that we need to get our story straight, but we’re here for now… it’s a good place and I don’t think the Stevens are gonna give us up. Especially if we don’t provide Edward with any more reasons than we already have for him to be suspicious of us.” She desperately needed the time away from the others to regroup and she knew they all needed it too, and she honestly believed that if they could control their story they would be safe here. At least temporarily.

Maria’s thoughts were moving along the same lines as she tapped her forefinger against her lip. “The borders into Mexico and Canada have agents and cameras…”

Max nodded, seeing where they were going and following along with them. “It would make sense to wait them out, keep a low profile…”

“True,” Kyle mused, “and going further north in the winter would make it just as hard for the FBI to follow us.”

Michael’s gaze swept over the room as he internally shook his head. “Do ya think?” he muttered sarcastically. Why the hell did they think he had gone north in the first place? Because he was really all that excited about the cold? Hello, people! Raised in the desert! He silenced his inner voice, his eyes darkening as he gave voice to the words that had been tumbling around in his head for a while now. “It’s time to split up.”

“And just where do we go?” Isabel bit out, not liking the turn this meeting was taking.

“Canada. We can’t risk a border check, but there’s gonna be open land where we could cross… from Minnesota maybe.”

“Not to break this streak of strategic brilliance you’ve got goin’ on, El Capitan, but even if we can get the van fixed it’s not gonna be up to a trip like that.”

“No,” Michael agreed thoughtfully. “But we could do it on snowmobiles.”

Silence fell over the room until the sound of Kyle’s stomach rumbling reminded them of the time.

“Maybe we should worry about one thing at a time,” Max said as he pulled Liz up against his body and wrapped his arms around her. “For now we’ve gotta get the van back.”

They’d have to steal to get their hands on snowmobiles. Michael felt a wave of self-loathing wash over him at the thought. He had managed to keep them from having to do that so far. He looked at Maria and walked past her, grabbing his coat and shrugging into it as he pulled the front door open.

He shoved his bare hands in the coat pockets, wishing he had gone back and grabbed the gloves when they had gotten to Isabel and Kyle’s cabin and he had realized he had forgotten them. He had put them down when he had gone to grab the cookies and then completely spaced picking them up again. He thought about the silence in the cabin when he had mentioned using snowmobiles to cross the border. They all knew how they would be procured if they decided to follow that path when the time came.

He dreaded becoming the lowlife stealing whatever they needed to get by. He didn’t want that life for her. It wasn’t a good enough life for her. He could accept it for himself if he had to, but not for Maria. They had kept far enough ahead of the game that they had been able to avoid that so far, but there was no way of knowing how much the van was going to set them back. They picked up the odd jobs here and there, always doing their best to put back a little more than what they had to use, but something like this could wipe out their savings in no time.

His thoughts turned to his own words as he plowed through the snow. It’s time to split up. It had never really been a question of if they would split up, but more a question of when. Six months had been pushing it, they all knew that staying together was a risk but it was one they had continued to take. Would Maria come with him because it’s what they’d always done? Like a bad habit that just refused to be gotten rid of? What if she wanted to go with one of the others? Could he stand back and let her go?

Given the choice, would she come with me? His stride slowed down because of the deep snow and he swallowed hard as his thoughts took a dark turn. Got a better question for ya, Mickey… why would she? Plannin’ to keep her safe by lying and stealing… how long before she regrets the decision to be with you a second time? How do you know she doesn’t already regret it? He shook his head to clear it, hating that particular voice. Doubts, fears and insecurities, they always seemed to have that same voice and he didn’t need a shrink to know why.

He knew how much she had given up to be with him… whatever that meant. He wasn’t even sure they were together and now here he was contemplating whether or not she’d continue to stay with him when the group split up. She had given up her home, her family, her singing… she’d given up everything to be with him. He stared around at the white landscape feeling old doubts and insecurities creeping up on him. She had given up everything and he had given her nothing in return.

*****

Kyle called Maria’s name, stopping her before she could go after Michael and he nodded to her when she stopped in her tracks, hand on the doorknob.

“What’s up?”

“Listen,” he lowered his voice, “El Capitan’s startin’ to cross the line into scary territory. He’s gonna go ballistic when he finds out… um…”

Maria wrinkled her nose and her eyes narrowed when he started hedging. “C’mon, Kyle, just spit it out already. When Michael finds out what?”

He cleared his throat. “Look, you’ve gotta get that guy to relax. I could suggest some meditations but I’m pretty sure he and Isabel have conferred and he’d give me the same response I get from her. And I’m pretty sure if I ever took that advice I’d be walkin’ funny for a long time and Buddha wouldn’t appreciate it either.”

Maria rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him so close their noses were almost touching. “Kyle, I do not have all day here, so if you would please get to the point…”

“Thevanengine’stoastanditcan’tberepaired,” he said quickly.

Her eyes narrowed further as she attempted to translate his mumbles. “It can’t be repaired,” she repeated slowly. “You’re sure about that?”

“Pretty damn sure, yeah. It was dark and it was nearly cold enough for me to be frozen to the van, but uh… the size of the oil puddle underneath was pretty self-explanatory. Very bad sound, puddle of oil… kinda equals one huge red flag. He was seriously on edge when we broke down and I figured pointing it out at that moment wasn’t necessary. Not to mention he’d just about busted his ass on the asphalt right before I made that discovery, so… no.”

She released a pent-up sigh. “That’s just great.” Ballistic was too tame a word for the meltdown he was going to have if Kyle’s analysis of the van was accurate. They were looking at an eruption of volcanic proportions for sure.

“Maria, he’ll listen to you. Just… ya know… get him to relax.”

“Um-hmm, and how exactly do you expect me to do that? Have you seen him lately? Relaxing is so far out of his realm of capabilities right now.”

“Well, you know… maybe some,” he wiggled his eyebrows in an effort to convey his thoughts meaningfully, “together time.”

She stared at him for a moment, trying to decipher his cryptic tone and dancing eyebrows. “Are we talking about sex, Kyle?” She held a hand up, stopping him. “Please say no.”

“Well, you are the one here with the best chance of usin’ that particular method to get him to chill out. Other than you, what’re our other options? A married couple, Isabel’s practically his sister, and well… I’m sooo not goin’ there. That leaves you and it’s in the group’s best interest that you… ya know.” Kyle held his hands up when she made a face at him and turned to pull the door open. “What’d I say?” he called after her.

“You’re a man of such tasteful ideas,” Isabel remarked as she placed the little grizzly bear back in his seat and gave him a final pat before turning to Kyle. “I have no idea why I married you.”

He snorted and followed her out the door. “Goes to show you just how lucky you are.” He glanced at the last two standing in the cabin. “Time for breakfast, you guys.”

Max and Liz exchanged a look.

“Uh, yeah… we’ve still gotta shower,” Liz said, her dark eyes dancing as she looked at her husband.

“Yeah,” Max added, not bothering to take his eyes off of her. “You can cover for us, right, Kyle?”

“Ungh, so do not need to be here right now.” He pulled the door closed and ran after Isabel. “Hey, babe, wait up!” He took a step back when she suddenly stopped and turned and he ran into her. He hadn’t realized she had been walking slowly so he could catch up to her.

“I don’t do pet names, Kyle. Not babe, baby, sugar, sweetie, sweetheart, or any other colorful pet name you can come up with. I am not a child and I am certainly not your pet, so do not refer to me as such.”

He grinned and gave her a sloppy salute. “So, is this our first official fight?”

Isabel glared at him for a moment before turning and heading for the house.

Kyle released a relieved breath and reached up to wipe his brow when she started walking again. Whew, that was a close one! Talk about your arctic fronts! He hurried to catch up with her, falling into step beside her. His intention had been to keep her mind occupied, not start a fight. He knew Michael’s mention of the group splitting up had to be bothering her and before long she would say something just to get it out.

Isabel’s thoughts were running in circles, seeming to be stuck on five little words. It’s time to split up. She had known it had to happen eventually, not just for their safety but for their sanity as well. She had just hoped that it wouldn’t be as permanent as the ominous words made it seem. She already felt so alone. The thought of being separated from the only family she had left was just unbearable.

She found herself seeking reassurance from the one person who seemed to know her better than anyone else. What would she do without him if it ever came to that? “What happens when we split up, Kyle?”

He reached for her hand and tucked it in the crook of his arm. “We can’t split up without havin’ a way outta here, can we?” He shook his head in response to his own question. “Don’t worry, we’re gonna be okay no matter what happens.”

She nodded but remained silent, feeling a calm settle over her at his words. Her fingers tightened on his arm for just a moment, conveying her appreciation and she smiled when he patted her hand in response.

[KindredKandies]

keepsmiling7- Yup, telling lies can be tricky... Thank you! We love Kyle as well; he's the buffer between everyone and the glue that's helped keep them together.

Yes, the van is an issue, but it's Christmastime. We just need to have a little faith.



Alien_Friend- We agree, we believe it is a tactical decision that Michael has been putting off.

This has been Michael's fear all long. Getting close to someone and not being able to give them a normal life.

Exactly! You so get this. Thank you.

As for calming Michael down and having a chat well it won't be easy. M&M aren't really known for their communication skills and right now they're both stressed. It's going to take more than one night alone for him to relax. But help is on the way starting in this ud.

We're glad that you loved K&I's moment at the end...They're both so lonely.

Thank you! Here's the next part.....



mary mary- Lol, Your suggestion about the hybrid's using their powers to move forward so reminded us of Maria in 285 South. . The following quote was borrowed from Roswell's 285 south episode.

Maria: Come on. Wiggle your nose, blink your eyes, do the Samantha-Jeannie alien thing. Come on.

We wish it worked that way. Yep, it wouldn't get them very far here either. There are real issues that need to be addressed.

Help is on its way to help our gang and Michael to relax some and it begins in this ud.



cjsl8ne- Thank you. Oh, we agree about the van it's amazing that it's kept them on the road all this time. Thank goodness for Kyle and his set of tools.

Yes, for now Michael finding out about the van is a concern, but one never knows sometimes it can be really amazing when things kinda work out for themselves in unsuspecting ways. You'll just have to keep reading.

We're glad that you loved K&I's moment, we enjoy writing them.

As for the Christmas Nazi's appearance we asked Isabel about Christmas. A shining gleam took over her eyes as she smiled.

"Like I told Michael.... I didn't lie to Maggie, I have every intention of making what I said to her come true."

Aww, thank you. Christmas is a time for miracles we hope you'll continue to read.


Eva- Thank you! We love Kyle as well and feel his character was underused in the series.

Help is on its way to relax our gang a bit beginning in this ud.

As for splitting up, we believe that it's a tactical decision that Michael's been putting off. He knows that they'll be harder to track if they're not together. Yes, their splitting up is going to be an emotional adjustment. We're sad as well. We keep hanging onto what Kyle told Isabel......

“We can’t split up without havin’ a way outta here, can we?” He shook his head in response to his own question. “Don’t worry, we’re gonna be okay no matter what happens.”

Thank you all for your lovely feed back!



Author’s Note: A couple of lines in this part were borrowed from the Season Three episode Samuel Rising.


Part 18

“Hey, check it out,” Kyle said, pointing at the activity up ahead.

The Stevens kids were outside, working together to hollow out an area of the snow-filled ditch that ran alongside the driveway. The boys were using the excess snow to create a wall of sorts while Maggie was busy checking out their work and creating a large smiley face in the ‘wall’.

As the group neared the boys moved away and Michael overheard Eddie tell her she was the princess of the fort and she should stay inside. The little girl nodded enthusiastically and scrambled into the snow fort without any further encouragement and the boys grinned as they high-fived each other.

Brian turned his head and grinned at them, waiting until they were close before he spoke. “Hey.”

Michael nodded. “How’s it goin’?”

Maggie popped up to announce, “We got a snow day!”

“Cool.” He looked around at the white landscape and silently cursed the cold that was making his feet numb. He wiggled his toes around as he turned back to the kids. “Isn’t it about time for breakfast?”

“Um, Mom an’ Dad weren’t up yet.” Brian shrugged uncomfortably as he dusted excess snow from the snowball he was forming in his gloved hands. “No way I’m gonna go knock on that door.”

“Brian, duck!” Eddie hollered.

He turned and opened his mouth, barely getting out “What’re you – “ before a snowball hit him square in the chest. His surprised gaze dropped to his little sister and he hefted the snowball in his hand before pulling his arm back and firing back at her, missing her when she ducked down in the fort again.

“Hey, this looks like fun,” Kyle enthused as he and Isabel joined them.

Brian glanced at him. “You can be on our side.”

Kyle winked at Isabel. “Guys against the girls?”

“Yeah, you guys can be on our side,” Eddie said as he came up beside his brother. He nodded at Isabel and made a face. “You gotta be on Maggie’s side since you’re a girl.”

Isabel narrowed her eyes when Kyle turned and opened his mouth. “One word, Kyle,” she warned.

“Michael’s on our side,” Brian insisted.

“Uh-uh.” Maggie ran up to Michael and wrapped her small gloved hand around his right hand as she smiled up at him. “You can come see the castle.” She wrinkled her nose and lowered her voice to a stage whisper. “They said it’s a fort, but it’s really a castle.” She turned and motioned for Maria and Isabel to follow them. “C’mon, all the princesses get to stay in the castle.”

Michael ducked down at the entrance to the fort/castle and glanced around. “This’s kinda cool.” More like freezing, he thought. “So you’re gonna hang out in here ‘cause you’re the princess?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Who protects the princess?”

“Um…”

“Every princess needs her Captain of the Guard to protect her.”

Maggie thought about that for a moment. “What’s that mean?” She turned to look at the girls when Maria snorted.

“It means we’re strong princesses and he has to listen to our commands,” Isabel said.

Maria shook her head. “Strong, yes. In need of protection, no.”

Michael ignored them as he dropped to his haunches, bringing him to eye level with the little girl. “What is your command, Princess Maggie?”

She pursed her lips as she glanced around and after a moment she pointed at a nearby tree. “You can guard from there.”

Standing guard at the tree didn’t keep him from coming under attack as the Stevens boys and Kyle launched their assault on the fort. Kyle took great delight in sneaking around to score a direct hit on Isabel. Michael shook his head at the girls’ attempt to fight back. Maggie couldn’t get much distance on her snowballs, Maria really did throw like a girl, and Isabel was spending so much time making each snowball perfectly round before firing that she wasn’t getting many shots off. It was only a matter of time before the fort fell into enemy hands. The boys were getting bolder as they advanced on the fort and they were getting more hits than the girls were.

He ducked behind the tree just in time to miss a hit and as he came around the other side he saw Maggie take a direct hit in the face with a snowball that had been thrown hard. She fell back to land on her backside in the snow and he could see several emotions race across her expressive features in just a matter of seconds. As the shock wore off he saw her lower lip tremble for just a couple of seconds and he hurried over to help her up. Her blue eyes were swimming in tear that she was trying to hold back.

“What happened?” Isabel asked when she noticed Michael pulling Maggie behind the wall.

“The princess just intercepted enemy fire intended for Maria.”

“What?” Maria crouched down next to the little girl. “Are you alright?”

Maggie sniffled and rubbed her gloved hand across her eyes, wincing slightly when it brushed over the spot where the snowball had impacted with her cheek. “I’m okay. My captain saved me.”

Maria bit back a smile as she looked up at Michael. “Abandon your post?”

“Mission protocol states clearly that defending the fort and the princess takes precedence over standing a post. Why don’t you two see about holdin’ ‘em off while Princess Maggie restocks the ammo an’ I decide which target to take out first.”

For the next few minutes Maria and Isabel did their best to defend the fort while Maggie made snowball after snowball, handing them to Michael and watching him as he packed them good and tight before flinging them at the boys.

Kyle turned his head when he caught movement from the corner of his eye and he nodded at Max and Liz. “Better pick a side,” he warned.

“I think we’ll sit this one out,” Max said, eyeing the others warily when they all paused to look at him and Liz, armed with snowballs and just waiting to fire.

“No way, Evans.” Kyle shook his head and tossed the snowball from one hand to the other.

“Yeah, pick a side or else we all target you,” Brian yelled.

Liz glanced back and forth between the two sides. It really wasn’t much of a choice, she thought with a glance at Michael. She saw him say something to Maggie and she scooped up a snowball that he packed, his eyes moving between her and Max. “Good luck!” she yelled and ran for the fort.

Max’ mouth dropped open at her sudden defection and he leaned over to scoop up a handful of snow.

“Look at that,” Kyle mused. “Looks like it’s me an’ you again, Evans.”

“Shouldn’t you be with your wife?” Max asked.

Kyle grinned and jumped back with Isabel hit Max with pinpoint accuracy. Before he could get a laugh out he took a hit between the shoulder blades and went into the snow face-first.

Liz and Maria both started making snowballs and handing them off to Isabel since it quickly became apparent that she and Michael were both adding a little extra force when aiming at Max and Kyle.

Michael stood up, hands braced on the wall as he glanced over at the opposing side. Max and Kyle were lying on their backs after another round of fire and Brian and Eddie had taken cover behind a makeshift wall of snow. “Surrender or end up like your comrades!” he yelled.

“Yeah!” Maggie added as she clambered up on one of the walls, holding onto Michael’s shoulder as she pointed at the boys. “It’s time to give up!”

Maria glanced at Michael, wincing when she noticed just how red his bare hands were. She saw him flex his fingers slowly as he leaned forward to rest his weight on his elbows.

“Whatcha think, Princess Maggie?” he asked as he looked up at her. “Have they had enough?”

The little girl turned her head to look at the others, smiling in satisfaction when they all stayed where they were. She looked at him once more and nodded. “I think so.”

Michael picked her up and settled her on his shoulders. “Time for breakfast then.”

*****

Once inside their outer gear came off and Maggie took Michael’s hand to lead him over to the table, pulling out the chair he had used the night before. “I’ll make yours,” she insisted, making sure he sat down before she scurried across the room to pick up Miss Cindy. She carried the bear over to Michael and rested her chin on its head as she looked up at him. “Can Cindy sit with you? She’ll be lonely all by herself.”

No. The answer was no. Michael cleared his throat and nodded silently, reminding himself to give Max and Kyle both a good swift kick as soon as the little girl wasn’t looking.

Maggie smiled up at him before placing the beloved toy in his lap and hurrying over to the pantry. The boys reached over and around her as they gathered boxes of cereal, the milk from the refrigerator, bowls and spoons, glasses and juice. They unloaded everything on the table so everyone could dig in, ignoring their little sister while she chattered on about Michael’s abilities as the Captain. They had first-hand knowledge of his abilities. There was no need to relive their defeat through her retelling of the story.

Maria watched Michael with Maggie, smiling at the little polar bear held snugly under one of his big reddened hands. He had relaxed since being outside playing with the kids. She thought back to last Christmas, remembering watching the way he dealt with the kids while he played Santa. Liz had pointed out the obvious when she had spoken up from beside her.

“He’s really good with kids.”

“Yeah, he’s so adorable. Oh! This is exactly what was not supposed to happen.”

She chewed on her lip at the memory. Uselessly she found herself wishing she could go back, change the way she had handled certain things and stop herself from saying other things. She reached over and took one of his hands, warming it between both of hers.

Eddie elbowed his older brother when their parents walked into the kitchen and both boys made identical faces of disgust at the obvious affection between Edward and Julia. Maggie ran to Edward, already launching into the morning’s activities and Michael’s heroics when he picked her up in his arms.

“We made a fort and Brian an’ Eddie made me the princess of the fort an’ it was gonna be attacked, Daddy!” She was completely oblivious to the hard look he shot at the boys who were suddenly very interested in the cereal in their bowls.

Edward reached up to brush his fingers over the tiny red spot high on her cheek, a mark leftover from the snowball. He tipped his head back to study it, trying to determine if it was going to bruise as he made a sound of agreement to whatever she had just said.

“That snowball was intended for me,” Michael said.

“I see.” Edward nodded to the things strewn out over the counter. “Whatcha doin’ over here?”

“Oh! Makin’ a special breakfast for Captain Michael.”

“Captain… uh-huh.” He put her down and watched her run over to finish making breakfast.

Maggie pushed the button down on the toaster and hummed to herself while she went to get the jam from the refrigerator. She filled a bowl with Cocoa Puffs and added milk just as the toast popped up. She spread a thick layer of jam over the toast and then carried it over to the table, the bowl held high and her steps slow to avoid spilling anything.

Maria held tighter to his hand when he started to pull it away. “Your hands are freezing, Michael,” she said, shaking her head at him.

“Don’t worry ‘bout ‘em, they’re fine,” he insisted. He gave in and let her hold onto his hand as he looked over the food Maggie was putting on the table for him. “Looks good.”

Maggie beamed proudly as she watched him munching on his Cocoa Puffs while Miss Cindy sat in his lap, held carefully between his body and the edge of the table. She tipped her head back to look up at Mama when she came up behind her.

Julia took a look at Michael’s hands, seeing the early warning signs of the first stage of frostbite. “Maggie, would you get me a bowl from the bottom cabinet while Michael’s eating his breakfast?”

The little girl followed Mama’s gaze to Michael’s reddened hands and she reached out to touch the one still wrapped around Miss Cindy. “Oh,” she said, dragging the word out for several seconds, “his hands got too cold like the time when Daddy tried to fix your broken car, huh?”

“Yes, honey.”

Michael shook his head. “Nah, they’re fine.”

“They’re not alright, Michael,” Maria disagreed. “You need to get them warm.”

“After I finish my breakfast of the champions.” He turned his attention back to Maggie and with a smile asked, “May I have seconds on the Cocoa Puffs, Princess?”

Maggie gave him a big smile as she nodded. “Of course, Capt’n Michael.”

Maria wanted to roll her eyes at ‘his worship’ but how could she when he was enjoying the attention he was getting from Maggie and Miss Cindy? He was almost smiling… nearly showing his teeth. She missed this side of him so much. “Michael, as soon as you’re done…”

He turned to look at Maria, his gaze dropping to their hands for just a moment before his eyes lifted to hers once more. “Ya know, I was thinkin’ I could really go for a hot cup of coffee and later on… maybe a foot rub,” he added with a wink. He frowned when she released his hand and got up, but before long she was returning with a cup of hot coffee.

“Don’t put your hands on that cup,” Julia said just as his hands were moving towards the heated ceramic. “You’ll damage the tissue where you’re frostbitten.”

Maria snatched the coffee out of his reach, earning a glare from him.

Julia ran warm water into the bowl Maggie had gotten for her, constantly dipping her fingers into it to check the temperature. “Maria, would you mind grabbing some hand towels from the hall closet?”

Michael’s gaze followed the coffee cup when Maria slid it further down the table and Kyle took it before reaching for the sugar bowl at the center of the table. He shifted to look up when Julia appeared at his right elbow, leaning forward to place a bowl of water in front of him. Maggie appeared at his other side to slide his bowl of Cocoa Puffs on the table.

“Maggie, go see if Daddy wants some toast with his cereal.”

Michael watched the little girl as she rounded the table, smiling slightly when Edward picked her up and settled her on his lap. That list of people to envy was getting longer, he thought.

“Mama,” Maggie giggled as she laughed at something Daddy whispered in her ear. “Daddy says you promised him cookies for breakfast.”

“I did, really?” Julia fought back a smile. “Is Daddy sure?”

The boys groaned as they finished their cereal. “Mom, can we be excused?” they asked at the same time.

She gave them a look.

“May we?” they chorused.

“Go on.” Julia eased Michael’s right hand into the water. “Let it soak for just a few minutes.” She patted his shoulder and moved to the refrigerator, reaching for the cookie tin on top. She opened it and a look of confusion crossed her face as she stared at the contents… that weren’t there. “Where’d the cookies go?”

“I dunno.” Edward looked at her with knowing eyes. “Must’ve been a hungry thief in the middle of the night.”

Kyle watched the others around the table as he finished his bowl of Rice Krispies. To his right he had Max and Liz, caught up in the secret language of lovers. Across from him Michael was being waited on hand and foot by not one, but three females. And his ‘wife’ was busy reading the nutrition panel on each of the cereal boxes and unconsciously separating the marshmallow shapes in her Lucky Charms and putting the different shapes in their own little section of the bowl.

He finished stirring the sugar into his confiscated coffee, tapping the spoon against it before setting it aside. He shot a triumphant grin at Michael as he prepared to enjoy the spoils of war but before he could pick the cup up for a taste test Isabel reached over and swiped it, taking a sip and smiling at him.

“Oh, honey,” she said, drawing the endearment out, “it’s perfect. You made it just the way I like it.”

She thought she had him. Kyle just grinned at her as he nodded. “Anything for one of your foot rubs, babe,” he said with a smirk on his face. Oh, yeah, he’d pay for that one later, but for right now she was just gonna have to suck it up and deal with it.

[KindredKandies]

A/N: RL and our muse delayed our posting, here it is out of the oven....Hope you'll enjoy.

keepsmiling7- Thank you, we had so much fun writing it. Sometimes life can calm us down in the most unexpected ways.



mary mary- We're so glad you enjoyed the ud...Max using his powers to heal has consequences. Maggie just has a red spot on her cheek, she'll be fine. And well Michael can't be bothered. He doesn't view his hands as a big deal, they'll heal fast enough.

Yup, the Stevens are really good for our worn out gang.

Aww, thank you.


Natalie36- Lol, we're glad you had fun reading.



Alien_Friend- Wow, thank you! We're glad you enjoyed our gang having a good time. Sometimes good times show up unexpected.

Yup, Maggie is good with kids and Maggie is good for Michael. We love Maggie with Michael.



Eva- Exactly! Sometimes good things happen unexpectedly. We had fun writing the snow fight and are glad you enjoyed it. Yup, Michael's hands are in good hands, lol.

Lol, we wonder what Isabel will throw at Kyle next as well.




cjsl8ne- Thank you! We had fun writing it. As far as Michael letting Julia and Maria help heal his hands, does he have a choice? LOL! Michael's hands aren't that bad and will heal quickly.

As for Maggie, she just has a faint red spot on her cheek. If there was a bruise, well....let's just say that Edward wouldn't have to get his truck out to plow the driveway. Brian 'n Eddie would be shoveling it by hand, all 16 inches of it.



Part 19

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose when the sound of arguing began to filter in from the living room. The boys were fighting over the remote as the television droned on in the background and he knew if it wasn’t stopped soon it would only escalate. He pushed himself up out of his chair and went into the other room, taking the remote and stepping between them.

“The TV is mine and the remote is mine… you two don’t own a thing.” With that said he flipped the channel over to the news, listening as the reporter talked about the 16 inches of snow already on the ground and predicted more wind and snow on the way.

Maria watched Michael as he dried his hands on the towel she had placed next to him. It would have been impossible to not hear the weather report since Edward had turned the volume up and she knew it wasn’t what Michael had wanted to hear. He got to his feet, walking over to the window and looking out at the seemingly endless canvass of white laid out before him. She could see the tension in the set of his shoulders and the way he held his jaw so taut and she knew his mind was on the van. She glanced at Kyle as her own mind drifted to his last words to her at the cabin. He was positive the engine was shot and when Michael found out she knew he was going to lose it. Maybe getting snowed in was a good thing.

Kyle joined Michael at the window under the guise of taking a look outside. “Just play it cool, Mi Capitan,” he muttered under his breath.

“Dealership’s only about 12 miles from here,” Michael said as he contemplated the distance the mouthy tow truck driver had given him the day before.

“They haven’t had time to look at the van. Hell, they probably haven’t even made it to the shop yet. If they make it in at all today. Plus, there’s the little issue of the van not even makin’ it outta the parkin’ lot in this stuff. Rear-wheel drive, remember? Not that it matters if that engine’s in the same condition it was in when it was picked up yesterday.”

Edward stepped into the kitchen again and his eyes locked on Michael as the younger man turned away from the window. “Looks like you kids’ll be here another night.”

Julia rolled her eyes. Hadn’t she told them all that very thing the night before?

“Besides, Julia did promise to make cookies with Maggie and the girls today.”

Eddie suddenly forgot all about whatever he had wanted to watch on TV as he followed Dad into the kitchen and asked, “Can we get the sleds out?”

Maggie’s little ears perked up as Eddie’s question caught her attention and she squeezed Miss Cindy tighter as she hurried over to Daddy. “Oh, Daddy, can we go sledding at Mr. Tony’s house?”

“Not those kinda sleds, Maggie,” Brian cut her off. “Besides, we can’t go to Mr. Tony’s house.”

Eddie elbowed him when he caught the tell-tale sign of shining eyes as Maggie looked between them. “Nice work, dufus, you’re gonna get us in all kinds of trouble.” He walked over to his little sister and smiled. “Maybe you an’ the girls can make cookies while we go snowmobiling and later I’ll take you over to Mr. Tony’s hill to go sleddin’.”

“First things first,” Julia held a hand up before anymore plans could be made. “We’re gonna need some groceries and since we won’t be making it in to Oscoda we’re gonna need to make a trip to Big Dave’s Hardware.”

Kyle patted Michael on the back before he took his seat once more. “Hardware store food, huh? Isn’t that great, honey?” he asked as he reached over to pat Isabel’s arm. “You just love beef jerky.”

Julia snorted at that, somehow doubting that Kyle’s wife had ever touched a piece of beef jerky in her life. “Big Dave has a general store that he stocks with enough variety that we’ll be able to get by until we can get into town.”

Edward looked at the boys as he reached for Maggie’s hand. “We’ll get the snowmobiles out after I plow the driveway.” He smiled at his little girl and his eyes grazed over the mark on her cheek before he turned to the boys. “When I’m done we’ll take the sleds over to Big Dave’s to get supplies.” He picked his daughter up. “What would you rather do? Stay here and bake cookies with the girls or go sleddin’ over at Mr. Tony’s while I take these boys out and try to catch some dinner out on the lake?”

Michael watched the Stevens boys as they held their breath, no doubt hoping that she’d pick baking cookies. He smirked when she chose to go sledding and their expressions revealed their disappointment. He could only imagine that her choice meant that one or both of them would be sent with her to keep an eye on her. He turned to look at Maria as she talked to Liz, wondering if she had been like Maggie as a little girl.

His gaze strayed to Edward and Maggie once more and he thought about Maria’s dad. His lips lifted in a smile as he remembered a young Maria courtesy of one of the first flashes he’d ever had of her. He could still see the red shoes with the Kermit patch on them… the Dalmation dog licking her face… The smile vanished, replaced by a frown that pulled his eyebrows down over the bridge of his nose as he recalled her pain. How could her dad just leave her like that? What a loser!

“Any of you boys ever been fishin’ before?” Edward asked, wondering at Michael’s scrutiny.

“I went with my dad once,” Kyle spoke up. “Caught a largemouth bass.”

Michael snorted. “I think you left out the little part about you puttin’ it back in the lake.”

Liz rested her chin on Max’s shoulder. “Max used to go fishing with his dad all the time.”

He forced a smile as he remembered the last time he had been out on the lake with his dad. Things hadn’t been right between them and now that they knew the truth it was too late to make it right.

“What about you, Michael?”

He shrugged, wishing he could remove the man’s predatory gaze. “I can fry ‘em.”

“That’s good ‘cause we’re low in the pantry an’ Julia will be busy makin’ cookies.” He turned to his youngest boy. “Eddie, you’re on shovel duty; porches and anything Brian can’t get to with ‘Little Red’.” He looked at his little girl and smiled. “You and Miss Cindy Bear stay here with Mama while I get ‘Big Red’ out to plow the driveway.” He set Maggie back on her feet as he set about getting ready to go out into the cold.

“What’s a ‘little red’?” Maria asked curiously.

Eddie jumped to be the first to answer, smiling as he shared the information. “Mom names everything around here. ‘Little Red’ is our snow blower an’ Dad’s truck is ‘Big Red’.”

Brian rolled his eyes at his brother. “You’re such a dork,” he muttered, shoving Eddie’s shoulder as he walked out of the room to get ready.

“Don’t forget Hercules the Hawk,” Maggie added. “He lives here too.”

Julia crossed the room to take a look at Michael’s hands, reaching for them and holding them up to the light coming in through the window. “You’re lucky they weren’t more frostbitten,” she mused as she gently probed his hands that were still red in patches. “Maria, would you run into the laundry room and pick out a pair of thermal socks? There’s a pile of Edward’s clean socks on the dryer.”

Maria returned with the socks a few moments later and walked over to Michael. Julia was doing something across the room so she tucked one sock under her arm and rolled the other one in her hands. “I think I know what she wants to do,” she said as she held it up in front of him.

“What? I’m not puttin’ someone else’s socks on my hands,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“We’re gonna have to go back to the cabin to get your gloves before we do anything else. You don’t want to expose them to the cold.”

He tucked his hands under his armpits and stared at her mutinously.

“Michael, don’t make me call Maggie over here.”

His gaze shifted to the little girl who was anxiously watching him as she leaned on one of the kitchen chairs, her chin resting on top of Miss Cindy’s head. He sighed in defeat and held his hand out to Maria.

*****

Michael watched Edward as he unlocked the garage door and pushed it open, wincing at the screeching sound of metal on metal as it rolled along the tracks. His eyes moved over the snowmobiles, mentally counting them. There were six in all. Four that they rented out and two that belonged to the family as Edward explained it.

His gloved fingertips brushed over the handlebars of one of the snowmobiles before he threw his right leg over the seat to get a feel for it. He visually scanned over the controls. Brake, throttle, kill switch… not too different from the dirt bike. He could probably have a pretty good handle on these things without too much trouble or time. If it came down to it, they’d be able to make a run for it. He felt that familiar feeling of disgust roll over him as he contemplated the lock on the door, the gas containers stored away in one corner, the snowmobiles themselves and what it would take to steal them.

“Alright, let’s get you kids outfitted,” Edward said as he motioned to the open lockers on the far wall where the gear was stored.

Half an hour later he was satisfied that he had everyone was as ready as they were going to get.

“Nice high-waters,” Kyle said, snorting at the too-short legs on Michael’s coveralls.

“Why don’t you shut up, Valenti?” he bit out.

Maria rubbed his arm and shook her head sharply at Kyle. Michael was already on edge and while Kyle was just teasing and messing with him he was just not in the mood for it. There was no way to convince him he didn’t look like the jolly green giant dressed up in an outfit that was considerably too short so she just left it alone. She nearly choked on a laugh at the mental image of Michael as a green giant in a pair of too-short black coveralls and she quickly sobered and asked, “What were you sayin’ about drivin’ these things?” to distract him before he demanded to know what was wrong with her.

“Huh?” Michael turned his head to look at her. “Oh, just that I basically know what I’m doin’. Not that much different than ridin’ the bike back…” he shrugged. “Anyway, similar enough that I can handle it.”

The ride to the general store only took a few minutes and Michael glared at Maria as they dismounted. His ears were still ringing from the continuous scream of “Slow down!” that he no doubt would still be hearing in his sleep. “Slow down,” he snorted. “It only took like two minutes to get here.”

“Yeah, because you were drivin’ like a bat outta hell.”

“That was great, huh?” Kyle asked as he joined them, pulling his helmet off.

Maria just rolled her eyes when they high-fived each other before Michael grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him as they filed into the store with the rustic exterior. As soon as they were inside everyone split off, going into different directions.

Isabel stopped just beyond the entrance and her eyes roved over the interior. “Who designed the lighting in this place?”

“Who cares?” Michael muttered.

She turned to tell him to shut it when she noticed Maria browsing along the aisle across from them, humming to herself as she poked through the selection of toothbrushes. She nudged him with her elbow and motioned to his girlfriend when she picked up the box for an electric toothbrush… or was it a waterpick?

Michael smirked and stood up a little straighter as he took in Maria’s focus on the back of the box. He shot a smug look at Isabel and nodded at her, feeling vindicated.

Until Maria opened her mouth to mutter derogatorily, “The perfect gift?” She held the box up, showing it to Michael and Isabel as she pointed to it. “Can you believe that? It actually says it’s the perfect gift! They honestly printed it on there!”

Isabel chuckled. “Chalk one up for the Christmas Nazi,” she whispered before turning and walking away.

Michael wandered over to join Maria, glancing over at the next aisle to see what Max was picking up. He rolled his eyes at the bottle of Luscious Locks heather-scented shampoo Max held in one hand as he and Liz teased each other and laughed quietly as they picked through the available selection of condoms. Sooo don’t need to see this, he thought.

Julia caught his attention when she approached the man who had to be the Big Dave behind Big Dave’s Hardware. The guy was… well… big. Tall, round, with grey hair, hazel eyes and an easy smile.

“Looks like you’ve got quite a bit of company here, Julia.”

Michael pretended not to watch her, but his ears were straining to hear every word she spoke and he could hear the smile in her voice when she did.

“Yes, we do. They were on their way to visit relatives in Sault Sainte Marie and their van broke down so they’re staying with us until it’s fixed.”

He looked at Maria when he heard Julia’s variation of the story that the girls had come up with. “See, even Julia didn’t buy it,” he muttered. He rolled his eyes when Max and Liz finally left the next aisle after stocking up and they wandered down over to the aisle with donuts. He watched with interest as Kyle meandered down to the condom section and he leaned forward to rest his forearms on the top of the shelf in front of him as he listened to him muttering to himself.

“How much longer before the dry spell’s over, Buddha?”

Michael snickered and scratched his chin with his thumb. “Oh, c’mon, Valenti… can’t be that bad. You an’ Rosy have a standin’ date, don’t ya?”

Kyle whirled around to glare at Michael. “What the hell are you talkin’ about?”

“Rosy… ya know…” he smirked and held his right hand up. “Rosy Palm.”

“Bite me,” he snapped and wandered out of the aisles to join Isabel where she was standing at the counter, talking to an older woman on the other side of the ancient cash register. His eyes scanned over the woman and then the big fella talking to Julia and he decided they must be married. His ears perked up when he realized that Isabel and the woman were in a seriously in-depth conversation about Christmas at Tawas Lake.

Oh boy, he thought when the woman glanced at him and smiled. He immediately recognized the manic gleam in her eyes as she talked about Christmas. This was the countrified version of Isabel Evans, he realized.

“Oh, Kyle, this’s Dayna Martin,” Julia introduced them when the woman stopped for a breath. “Dayna, this’s Isabel’s husband, Kyle.”

Yep, there it was. He could feel the death glare from less than three feet away. He shook the woman’s hand and smiled when she launched into praise of his ‘wife’s’ brilliant ideas.

“I’d just love to see Christmas on the Lake happen even though Tony isn’t here.” She touched her husband’s arm, giving it a gentle squeeze as she continued. “He’d love it if the tradition continued.”

Maggie stretched up on her tiptoes to rest her chin on her knuckles as she looked up at Big Dave. “Michael knows Santa,” she announced as she pointed in his direction without looking at him. “An’ Isabel, she knows Santa’s special elves, Snowflake an’ Candycane.”

Maria snorted softly when Michael groaned. He looked like he was on the verge of beating his head against the shelf in front of him. While Maggie was busy sharing everything she knew about her new friends, Isabel and Dayna were busy plotting and scheming, coming up with a plan to make Christmas on the Lake happen this year.

“Say,” Kyle spoke up, “ya know, the wife used to throw this sort of thing together back home. She used to arrange for actual reindeer to be brought in.” He grinned at Max who was standing just close enough to hear him. “Yep, she knows a reindeer wrangler. Fella just does wonders with all sorts of animals.”

Michael thumped his forehead against the shelf twice before he straightened up and looked at Maria. “I’m gonna go look for a showerhead,” he muttered.

Maria nodded as she moved down to the next section. “Okay. Oh, Michael?” she called before he could get too far away. She smiled when he turned to face her. “Pick up a shower curtain too.” She rolled her eyes at him when he gave her that annoyed look that told her just how much he hated shopping for anything. “One is no good without the other.”

“Whatever.”

Maggie eventually found her way over to the candy aisle and browsed the colorful wrappers looking for her favorite one. Her hand finally wrapped around the package and she smiled as she ran over to show it off to Michael and Maria. “It’s my favorite candy,” she said as she held it up.

“Your favorite, huh?” Michael asked as he eyed the little brown package of M&Ms. He and Maria exchanged a look before he turned his attention back to Maggie. “Good choice.”

Julia looked up from her perusal of the dry pastas when her daughter ran up to her.

“Mama, Michael said if it’s okay with you that I can have the M&Ms. He’ll buy them for me.”

She smiled at her little girl. “He did, did he?”

“Mama, can I have the M&Ms?”

She thought about correcting her until she glanced up at Michael and caught his faint smile. “Yes, you may. What do you say to Michael?”

Maggie ran up to Michael with a little skip in her step. “Thank you, Michael.”

Edward called the boys over to give him a hand as he showed them how to pick out tackle and minnows for their fishing trip that afternoon and while Michael had little interest in fishing he wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to learn a new skill because there was no telling when it might come in handy on the run.

By the time everyone had picked up what they needed Isabel and Dayna had hatched the beginnings of their plan and they set a date for the next day to meet to go over more details. Isabel was feeling much better as she leaned against the counter, not even realizing that she hadn’t picked anything up until she noticed Big Dave ringing things up and bagging them.

“Oh, I should – “

Kyle held his hand up and shook his head. “I got our stuff.”

Max was wrapped around Liz from behind and the two of them were swaying back and forth in time to the music coming from the old radio behind the counter. He grinned at something she whispered as he turned his head and noticed what Maria was holding. He caught her eye and mouthed a silent ‘thank you’.

Maria held up the packages containing the showerhead and the curtain with little yellow ducks on it, winking at him. She shoved Michael with her elbow when he shot a look of disgust at the curtain. He had tried to convince her that the little store didn’t stock shower curtains but Big Dave had been kind enough to point her in the right direction. As soon as she’d seen the selection of the single shower curtain she had understood his reluctance to pick it up and walk around with it. He’d rather have water all over the floor than be surrounded by little yellow duckies.

Kyle motioned to the things Julia had placed on the counter a little further down. “You can bag it separately, but put it all on one bill, please.”

“Oh, that’s not necessary,” Julia protested and then made a face at Edward when he poked her. She smacked his hand away. “Really, Kyle, it’s not necessary.”

“Maybe not, but we’d appreciate it if you’d let us cover it,” Kyle said.

She started to protest again but this time it was Isabel who spoke up. “We really would like to cover it, Julia. You’ve already done so much for us.”

“Well…”

Liz smiled at the woman who had taken them into her own home and taken care of them without knowing a single thing about them. She could see the woman’s reluctance to let them pay for things but she finally gave in gracefully with a ‘thank you’ and a smile.

[KindredKandies]

cjs18ne – Aww, thank you! We’re so looking forward to Christmas in Tawas Lake and are glad that you are as well.

mary mary – Lol, so you liked Edward’s way of handling the boys… Yup, we’re familiar with his principles in dealing with his children as well. In my family it’s passed down as a family gift from the generation before it, lol.

We’re glad you’re enjoying the Christmas Nazi gathering recruits, lol.

Alien_Friend – Thank you! We’re glad that you enjoyed it. Yup, we were trying to come up with something that Maggie wanted from the store, so we thought about candy obviously and well, M&Ms, we just couldn’t resist.

Thank you, it was so much fun to write the store scene. We agree it was sweet of Kyle to represent our gang and pay for the groceries. They’re conscious of how much it costs to feed six extra people. Well, at least four of them are, lol. Yes, it was sweet of them.

We’re glad that you enjoy Kyle and Michael’s humor-buffered relationship. We love Kyle and his humor and have a lot of fun writing his responses to Michael. In our opinion he was way underused in the series.

keepsmiling7 – Julia thanks you for the compliment that you made about her. Lol, we just couldn’t resist the fight over the TV remote.


Author’s Note: A few lines in this part were borrowed from the Season Three Roswell episode Ch-Ch-Changes.



Part 20

Liz was straightening up when someone knocked on the door and the simple pleasure of having a door for someone else to knock on made her smile. She glanced around on her way to the living area and experienced a rare moment of peace. It wasn’t permanent, she knew that, but she had every intention of enjoying it while it lasted. She pulled the door open and motioned for Maria to hurry up and come inside.

“I was hoping it’d be you.”

“After this morning’s interruption I wouldn’t have answered the door,” Maria said as she walked into the small kitchen and set a bag on the counter.

“Well… he’s just been under a lot of pressure.”

“That may be the reason for his behavior but it doesn’t excuse it.” She rolled her eyes and shrugged out of her coat, draping it over the back of the couch as she followed Liz. Her eyes wandered over the furniture, the spacious interior and the romantic French doors that led into the bedroom. “He’s reverting back to old behaviors and I know it’s his way of coping but it still doesn’t excuse him.”

“Okay, well, his timing could’ve been better,” Liz admitted as she put the last of Max’s clothes away. “So, where’s Isabel?”

“She went up to the house to give Julia a hand with the cookies since Maggie went with the guys to go fishing or whatever.” She wrinkled her nose and shuddered comically. “I can’t imagine anything that would be worse than standing on a block of ice and fishing through a little hole when it’s this cold out.” She paused a moment. “Okay, well, that wouldn’t be any fun if it wasn’t this cold either.”

Liz rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it. And when they come back we’ll be duty-bound to be impressed with whatever they’ve caught.”

“I don’t know about duty-bound but I’ll be impressed if Michael catches something. He’s never been fishing a day in his life so if he catches anything at all it’ll be impressive. You might be duty bound and so is…”

They looked at each other and said, “Mrs. Valenti,” at the same time before they burst out laughing.

Maria’s eyes followed Liz as she moved around the room, straightening things up and dusting. Busy work, she realized. “So, spill, how was your night?” She watched her hand hesitate as she wiped down the mirror that hung on the bathroom door. “It must’ve been good if the coffee was still in the box by the door.” She rolled her eyes when Liz continued to wipe the mirror down. “Good grief, Liz, you’re gonna polish that mirror until it no longer reflects… what exactly did that thing see last night?”

Liz literally felt the heat in her face and knew without looking that she had flushed crimson. “Maria,” she protested.

“I’m just sayin’… it’s got a great view of the bed,” she teased, laughing when Liz turned yet another shade of red.

She smiled slightly as she moved away from the mirror, folding and refolding the little dust cloth she held. “It feels weird to be together like this. I’ve really missed this.”

Maria held a hand up and pointed to the bed. “Sit. I’ll be right back.” She ran to grab the contents from the bag she had left on the kitchen counter and rummaged around in a couple of the drawers before hurrying back. She offered the pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream to Liz along with a spoon and she sat down across from her on the foot of the bed. “I sooo could not believe that Big Dave had cookie dough ice cream!” She wiggled around in a parody of her happy dance. “Yay! Okay, let’s talk. For real, chica”

“Weren’t we just talking?” Liz asked with a frown as she popped the top off of the ice cream and leaned over to place it on the nightstand.

“You know what I mean.” She pointed at Liz with her spoon. “Talk to me. How was your night?”

“It was… Parts of it were good. Like really good,” she said with a tinge of red heating up her cheeks, “but there’s just something, I don’t know, missing.” She sighed as she held the ice cream out to Maria so she could get some. “I guess I was hoping that our connection wouldn’t feel so distant since we were alone and for the first time in what feels like forever it wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment rushed thing.”

Maria nodded as she sucked on the spoonful of ice cream she had just put in her mouth. “I know what you mean.”

Liz took another bite of her ice cream and pulled her knees up as she leaned back against the headboard. “How was your night with Michael?”

“Long.” She exhaled slowly. “I don’t feel him reach out to me with his mind anymore, Liz,” she admitted finally, her voice low. “Not even when we’ve been, you know, together.” She glanced at her reflection in the full-length mirror, taking in her flawless hair and makeup along with the clothing that was layered for the weather but courtesy of Isabel, still had style.

As she met her own gaze she was taken back to another bedroom and another mirror that she had stood in front of, trying out outfits and chattering on about being with Michael after learning about the demo deal.

“This so does not mean that we are back together.”

Liz had been sitting on her bed, watching her. “Does Michael know that?”

“Well, he knows that I’m not interested in having what we used to have. I’ve been clear about that. It’s a… it’s a boy-girl friendship with a twist.”

“It sounds romantic…”

She slumped back against the low footboard and stared morosely at the ice cream. What was I thinking?

“Do you think he’s holding back on purpose?”

Maria nodded sadly. “Yeah. He’s forgiven me, you know? But he doesn’t trust me anymore, like, emotionally. It wasn’t easy for him to open up to me and when he did I turned around and destroyed that trust.” Her vision blurred and she wished futilely that she could go back and somehow change the past, erase those mistakes. “I don’t know if he’ll ever be able to trust me again.”

“Maria, no, don’t say that,” Liz said as she moved to sit beside her best friend so she could hug her. “Have you guys ever talked about that?”

“Have you and Max ever talked about things?” Maria countered.

She stuck her tongue out at Maria. “That’s definitely one of the negative factors about being a couple trapped in that van day and night with four other people. No privacy kinda means you can’t talk or argue or… well, you know…”

Maria laughed when she saw the blush on the brunette’s face. “Oh, Liz, I love you, girl,” she said as she hugged her.

“Maybe breaking down here happened for a reason, you know?” Liz shrugged. “I don’t know. We all needed the break from each other, a little space to give us some perspective and a chance to reconnect with each other. Our relationships are all in need of some help and now we have the opportunity to work on them while we’re stranded here.” It was true, she thought. Whether it was their friendships or romantic relationships, they all needed a little something. She dragged her spoon through the ice cream, creating a deep trench in the center of it. “I just hope we really do get to stay through Christmas before we have to wedge ourselves back into that van and leave again.”

“Well,” Maria leaned her shoulder against Liz’s as she reached for the pint of ice cream, “if Kyle’s right about the engine I don’t think that’ll be a stretch. He’s pretty sure it’s shot. But we’ve also got Isabel on our side, and her plan to do this Christmas thing will definitely keep us here through the holiday. And seriously, who’s gonna tell her no?”

“True, and there’s Julia. She didn’t seem to think the van would be repaired before Christmas. Of course, she’s a mom and I think she’s watching out for us.”

Maria nodded. “She’s really intuitive, but you’re right, she’s got that whole mom thing going on. It feels kinda nice to have her fussing over us though, doesn’t it?” She sobered as she stared out through the window above the nightstand. “I miss my mom so much, Liz.”

Liz shifted to rest her head on Maria’s shoulder. “Me too.”

“You know, we should have a girls’ night while we’re here and include Isabel. I know she has Kyle to talk to, but it’s not the same.”

“Yeah, we should do that. Who knows when we’ll get the chance to do that again?”

Silence fell over them as they wondered how much longer they would be together after they left Stevens Sanctuary. There were enough uncertainties in their lives right now without bringing that into the mix. The thought of being separated was too hard to think about and before long they decided to go up to the house and give Julia and Isabel a hand with the cookies.

*****

Michael watched Kyle as he carefully removed the hook from the mouth of the fish he had just pulled up, waiting to see what he was going to do with it. Here it comes, he thought when Kyle held the thing so he could look it in the eye. “Put that thing on the ice with the others,” he said before it could be released back into the water. He was going to start chanting over it, praying over it, or contemplating the meaning of life with it any second now.

Edward looked up when he heard the two of them talking and he shook his head. It was the second fish Kyle had pulled in and if he stayed true to form it would be the second one he turned loose. He could hear the annoyance in Michael’s voice and honestly, if that fish went back in the water after another speech about the circle of life he was banning Kyle from the ice.

Kyle turned his head to look at the hill where Maggie and Eddie were sledding. Earlier the boys had been fishing side by side when they had gotten into an argument because Brian wanted Eddie to switch spots with him and the younger boy had refused. He had caught several fish while his brother had caught nothing and he didn’t want the hole Brian was unsuccessfully fishing.

Edward had settled the fight by asking Eddie to take Maggie to the sledding hill on Mr. Tony’s property and to keep an eye on her. Brian had quickly moved, taking the hole Eddie had been fishing from and Max had offered to take his spot. The fish had wasted no time taking the bait for Max and Brian had been confused when he hadn’t gotten so much as a nibble of interest.

Kyle glanced at the fish lying on the ice, swallowing hard when he saw the most recent catch flipping around, struggling to breathe. He couldn’t do it. He looked at the fish in his hand one more time before crouching down and turning it loose.

“Valenti, I swear, you’re tryin’ my patience,” Michael growled. “Does Buddha not understand the concept of hunger?”

“Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace,” he said simply. His dad hadn’t understood him either, he mused, remembering the day they had gone fishing and his poor dad had gone off on a rant about the guys not coming over to watch games anymore and how the Buddha thing was getting in the way of him dating. At least Dad tried to understand later though, he thought with a wry smile.

Michael had no idea what that meant and he didn’t particularly care.

“I think I’ll go see if Eddie wants to switch off an’ I’ll keep Maggie company on the hill.” He smiled and gave Edward a nod as he passed him.

“Your brother-in-law’s a strange fella,” Edward commented with a quick look at Max.

Max started to correct the older man but suddenly remembered that the family believed his sister was married to Kyle. “Yeah, he’s um…”

“He’s an idiot,” Michael muttered with a shake of his head.

“Uh-huh.” Edward glanced up when one of the tip flags raised and he went to pull it in. Beneath the exasperation in Michael’s tone was something else that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Fondness? No. Respect maybe, he decided. He had a feeling that if anyone outside of their group called Kyle an idiot they wouldn’t get away with it.

Max watched Edward, taking in everything he was doing and committing it to memory in case he ever needed it later on. How many times had he gone fishing with his dad over the years? He smiled at the memory of the first time his dad had taken him fishing when he was seven years old. At the time he hadn’t understood what they were doing. All he had known was that what they were doing made his dad happy and he had wanted to be just like the man. He had been so proud the first time he had reeled in a fish and it hadn’t mattered that it was just barely large enough to keep. From his dad’s reaction anyone who didn’t know better would have thought he had just reeled in the largest fish he had ever seen.

The happiness of that memory dissipated as he pictured the last time they had gone out on the lake together. He could still remember the sense of betrayal that had washed over him when he had discovered the board in his dad’s office. All he had seen was an investigation into who he was. What he was. And he had immediately gone on the offensive. The man who had raised him, who he had grown up loving and emulating, had suddenly felt like the enemy and he hadn’t been able to reconcile that in his head.

At the time he hadn’t been able to understand that the secrecy that surrounded him like a cloak had concerned his dad, worried him. He had seen it as nothing more than someone digging around and trying to expose his secrets. He barely saw the large pike he was unhooking as his memory took another turn and he remembered feeling cornered when his mom had questioned him after the fire he had put out in their kitchen. That day in the park when they had sat on the bench and he had offered to leave… he hadn’t seen it at the time but he had hurt her so badly.

Both times he hadn’t been able to see beyond the questions they were asking, taking their concerns as an attack on him. Now that he was a father he could understand a little better that they had simply been trying to get answers, trying to understand why their own child couldn’t come to them with his problems, why he couldn’t trust them with whatever was bothering him. They had just been trying to help him, to protect him, and what had he given them in return? More worry, more concerns, more fear for their children… and probably for themselves as well. He wished he could go back, really sit down and talk to them and explain.

He glanced over his shoulder when Michael moved to the next upended flag to pull the line in. He knew Michael fought his own demons on a daily basis and it wasn’t fair for him to be shouldering everything. There was a reason why, as king, he’d had a second in command. It was too much responsibility for one person to carry alone and Michael had been stuck doing it because he had turned in his king card and someone had to make the tough decisions.

“I’m not interested, Evans.”

His eyebrows lifted at Michael’s comment. “What?”

“Whatever you’re thinkin’ the answer’s no.”

Max chuckled and shook his head. “Just thinkin’ mine’s bigger.”

Michael just snorted without raising his head. “Not likely.” He looked at the perch hanging from the hooks on the line he had just pulled in before glancing at the much larger fish that Max had just unhooked. Well, of course his kingship would have the larger one. Fish, that is, he added with a mental high-five to himself.

“Aww, you caught two little ones!” Maggie said as she crouched down across from Michael. “When we went fishin’ last summer me an’ Mama caught some perch like yours an’ she named them Percy an’ Pringle. Can we name yours that? They’re almost as big as the ones me an’ Mama caught.”

Michael cleared his throat. “I thought you were sleddin’?” he asked as he added his catch to the rest.

“It’s getting too dark. Kyle just sledded through a bush an’ I don’t think he wants to do that anymore.”

The guys turned to look at Kyle, taking in the scratches on his face and his disgruntled expression.

“What, Buddha doesn’t have a sayin’ for this one?” Michael questioned with a smirk.

“Yeah, somethin’ like ‘man who sleds through bush gets berries in hair’ or somethin’?” Max asked.

“Buddha and Confucius are not the same. And Confucius never said anything like that.”

“Now he’s an expert on the fortune cookie king,” Michael muttered.

Maggie stood up and reached out to pat Kyle’s arm. “Maybe Isabel will kiss an’ make it all better. Do ya wanna go back home now?” She walked over to Daddy and tugged on his sleeve. “Daddy, me an’ Kyle’s gonna go home now, ‘kay?”

Edward glanced up at the sky and then back at the path they had taken to get to the lake. He motioned to one of the snowmobiles as he looked at Kyle. “Be careful when you cross over 23 an’ tell Julia we won’t be far behind.”

“I’d just about pay to see Isabel’s expression when Maggie makes that suggestion,” Max muttered under his breath.

*****

The girls looked up when the back door opened and Maggie and Kyle stepped inside, stomping the snow from their boots. The house was warm and smelled of freshly baked cookies and something else… Kyle sniffed the air and his stomach grumbled in response. Spaghetti or lasagna, he decided and a moment later narrowed it down to lasagna since there was no evidence of spaghetti cooking on the stovetop.

“What happened to you?” Isabel demanded as soon as she saw the scratches on his face.

“Kyle was sledding down the big hill at Mr. Tony’s house an’ he went right through a bush,” Maggie told them. “I never seen anyone do that before.”

“Just how many bushes were there?” Isabel asked.

“Oh, it’s all by itself an’ Mr. Tony puts lights on it at Christmastime so nobody runs into it.” She looked up at Isabel when she approached them. “Are you gonna kiss an’ make it better for him?”

Kyle’s face was red and he couldn’t blame all of it on the cold. “It was a really big bush,” he explained. He glanced at Julia for a moment. “Edward wanted me to tell you the others aren’t far behind. I think they were tryin’ to catch a couple more fish before callin’ it a night.” He nudged Maggie. “Why don’t you tell ‘em about Michael’s catch,” he suggested.

The little girl quickly launched into the story and Isabel shook her head when Kyle mouthed an I’m sorry at her. She reached up to tip his chin up to examine the scratches, deciding after a moment that they were superficial.

When the guys traipsed in a while later Kyle was in the living room being waited on while the girls listened to him recounting his life-threatening sledding feat down what had suddenly turned into Martin Mountain. Michael rolled his eyes as he and Max exchanged a look.

“We bring dinner home an’ he’s the one bein’ fawned over,” he muttered after a quick glance into the living room.

“Go figure.” Max lifted an arm to wave at his wife, smiling when she deserted Kyle in favor of greeting him.

“Alright, we’ve got fish to clean,” Edward said as he shrugged out of his outer gear and put it away. He sent Brian and Eddie upstairs to clean up and he waited to see if one of his guests would offer to help with the fish.

“I’ll give you a hand with that,” Michael offered when he noticed the green tint to Max’s skin. He’d never be able to stomach it and neither would Kyle. “You should probably get cleaned up, Maxwell. Grab some attention before Valenti hogs it all.”

Edward walked over to the counter and peeled an edge of the foil back off of the foil pans placed next to each other. He turned when Julia came up behind him and he shook his head at her.

“What? They’re going in the fridge for dinner tomorrow night.” Her eyes danced with humor when she saw the look on his face. He knew lasagna had been her backup plan in case they had come back empty-handed.

“They’ll never last in the fridge.”

She made a face at him. “They’ll go in the freezer.”

Max was proudly showing off the rather large pike he had caught and going on about ice fishing, explaining how it worked when Maria came into the kitchen.

“So, I hear your haul was pretty impressive,” she said with a smile as she stretched up to give Michael a kiss.

“Well, they were until I saw that,” he said with a nod at the fish Max was showing off.

Maria waved dismissively at Max and his fish. “He’s been fishing for what, 12 or 13 years? This was your first time and you caught something… that’s pretty impressive if you ask me.” She bit back the smile when he straightened up slightly before reaching for the bucket he had set on the floor.

“Yeah, okay, that’s true.” He pulled the line up to show off his catch and he felt ridiculously pleased at the impressed look on her face. It wasn’t like he had gone out and conquered a city or anything but she made him feel like he had done something huge. “I’ve gotta give Edward a hand cleanin’ ‘em and then he’s got some secret batter he’s gonna make so I can cook ‘em.”

“I’m sure they’ll be delicious. Make sure I get one of yours.” She had no idea what kind of fish he had caught or what it would even taste like but she didn’t care. He was proud of himself and he had an actual smile on his face.