A General's Dilemma (CC/MM, teen) 1/1 - 04/23/10

[PML]

Title- A General’s Dilemma

Author- PML, beta'd by Mt. Gazer

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Category- CC-M/M

Rating- Mature

Summary- This is the tenth companion piece to A Kiss to Build a Dream On. As the others have detailed, this night has been a mix of glorious highs and horrific lows. This Companion occurs after the horrible night has ended and light is finally reaching a reeling Roswell.

But what will the dawn bring for the Candy couple currently enclosed in each other’s arms?


Michael-

Michael had known the pleasant dream would end. He had not imagined being woken up by guys with guns.

Apparently they were a little nervous about the whole destroyed hospital thing.

Deputy Hanson glared at him. “So, Guerin, what exactly were you doing in the hospital last night?”

“I told you. I was trying to visit my girlfriend. They kicked me out after visiting hours. And, and, look you know how badly she was hurt. She needed someone there. Not just those cold machines.”

Hanson nodded slightly and frowned. “Did you see anyone? See anything happen?”

“No. I was doing my best to avoid everyone. I was kind of glad to not see anyone, you know?”

“And you just happened to run into your now fully healed girlfriend, and you two decided to have sex?”

Michael blinked a couple of times and rubbed his eyebrow. “Have you ever been a teenager Hanson?”

“Don’t try to sass me, Guerin.”

“Look at if from my point of view. From all I could know my girlfriend was a day or two from death, you can read the reports. It really was that close. And if those machines had shut off while she was still so badly hurt…. She’d be dead Deputy. When the lights went out, I was certain she was a goner….. But, but I had to see. I had to, you know?” Michael hated himself for his weakness, but even now he couldn’t keep the emotion from his voice. He brutally blinked back a tear. “I had to see her, just one more time. Now if you came in expecting to find the girl you loved, dead. Only to find her warm and alive and so desperate to do the things she was certain she never would. And so, well maybe it was foolish. But…..”

Deputy Hanson was interrupted as another deputy walked through the door. “Hanson, as far as the girl was concerned it was all consensual. We’ll need to get a hold of the mother, but otherwise….” He shrugged.

Deputy Hanson sighed and muttered, “Damn it, Jim. Where are you?” He stood up and looked at Michael. “Well we know where you live, and if we need to ask anymore questions, we will find you.”

“Can I see Maria?”

Hanson just nodded and Michael shot out of the room. The hospital was bustling now with people trying to get it back into order.

He kept his winces to himself when he saw areas that had been blasted. How would they explain all this? Max’s idea was to simply let people think something strange and alien happened here. To hide amidst the furor seemed borderline insane. But he was stuck.

He wasn’t going anywhere without Maria. And there really was no other option but to run.

Last year that had always seemed like a good plan. But he had been on his own for a while now. And while he had a little help, it wasn’t easy. Trying to make it on the run without anyone helping…. That would be hard.

It was still in the works, and he had a better idea of what they would need. But it was a less appetizing action than it had been last year.

No. For now he would have to live with this dangerous plan. But it did have some compensation. He could keep Maria safer.

He really did need to connect with the others and let them know. Hopefully, Maria would be able to come with him.

It took him a few minutes before there was a pause in the tests they were subjecting her to.

Michael jumped into the gap. “Come on, we need to go.”

Maria shook her head. “I can’t. They have a bunch of tests they need to do. But they said I should be able to leave later this afternoon.”

Michael just nodded grimly. “Damn. I was hoping to connect with the others.”

“Well, why don’t you call them.”

Michael shook his head and looked around. “Too much I do not want to say on the phone.”

Maria nodded. “Okay. Well I will be stuck here. Why don’t you just go?”

“Maria, there is an insane shape shifting killer who is trying to get you. Don’t you think I should be with you to protect you?” He placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Look, Michael. There are people with guns. Guns hurt him before. I think I will be safe. And that will just give you a reason to rush back to me.” She pressed herself against him. She kissed his cheek. “At least one more anyway.”

Michael made the most of it and enjoyed the next few minutes before some embarrassed nurses made them separate.

He gave Maria a large smile. They’d already made a big splash with how they had been found out. No point in hiding the PDA’s.

She gave him a large air kiss as a nurse used a sphygmomanometer to test her blood pressure.

The first nurse rolled her eyes, while the other giggled and closed the curtain.

Michael just stood there and felt the bond he had built with her. He could still feel her. Feel her happiness and joy.

It actually made him smile. Not a smirk. An actual smile.

And it wasn’t going away.

Michael was finally truly happy.

Now to go warn the others. And to rush back. Maria was probably right. It was a risk, but a small one.

There was still snow on the ground. Apparently it had been a wild night outside the hospital as well as inside.

Michael still didn’t believe the twister sightings. Not in December. IN the snow. No, impossible.

But as he carefully maneuvered his bike he came across numerous areas of wind damage. In fact his trip was several miles longer because of some areas with downed power lines.

He had to hurry.

Maria would be waiting.

Unless Amy got there first. Michael winced. Maybe running wasn’t out of the cards yet. Michael knew he had Amy’s wrath headed in his direction. He knew that he would win her over eventually, but the process. That process would likely prove painful.

He would have to face her at some point. Might as well be while he still had some of the happiness left in him.

Finally he was pulling up to the Evan’s. He noted that Kyle’s Mustang was parked nearby. Kyle must still be following Tess. Poor guy.

Unless there was a meeting.

He crept over to Max’s room and knocked on the window. He tried it several times and no response. He sighed. Isabel was never reasonable this early in the morning. But what else could he do?

He rapped softly on Isabel’s window. He tried a second time. He was about to try a third when the window shade moved slightly and Liz looked out at him.

Liz? What was she doing here? She and Max should be on their little lover’s retreat.

Liz opened the window “Michael? What are you doing here?”

Michael climbed in, “Checking up on you guys. What are you doing here?” He noticed that there were tear stains on her cheeks and that she looked so much more serious than she had when he had seen her at the hospital. “What happened? Is Isabel okay?”

“She’s fine now….. Look, Max is going to have a meeting later on today. I’ve already let them know what happened at the hospital. Why don’t you go back and make sure that Maria stays safe. What happened to her, Liz? Don’t lie to me!”

Liz looked at him gravely, “Isabel was raped by Aric. He did something to Alex. What I am not sure, he certainly wasn’t talking.”

“How? Isabel can defend herself. How could he do that to her?!”

Liz closed her eyes and sighed. “Last night Alex and Isabel slept together. Apparently it was a busy night in that regard. Three firsts for our little group.”

“So Kyle missed out?”

She opened her eyes and shook her head, “Apparently Tess has been sleeping with him since early November and mind warping him to forget. She just couldn’t stop. She knew about Aric, Michael. Knew he was coming back. She didn’t know how far he would go.”

“So you still didn’t say how Aric….” And then it came to him. “He impersonated Alex?” he said softly.

“And Alex had to watch. I still think there was more done to Alex, but that would be enough. The thing is we need to finish Aric first. Then we can try to fix all of this.”

Michael looked at Isabel’s slightly smiling face. Not the face of someone who has experienced a night of horror. He quirked an eyebrow and pointed at Isabel.

Liz nodded, “We had Tess mind warp her to deaden the pain until we are out of this mess. I, I helped.” Liz closed her eyes, and she began to shake in memory.

Michael looked at her for a moment and awkwardly hugged her.

After a couple of moments Liz calmed down. She said quietly, “I saw it Michael. I experienced it. It was so horrible. But it nearly broke her Michael. I don’t know how we will ever fix this. How we can ever heal this?”

“We’ll do what we can. And we will do it together.”

Liz backed up and looked up at him. “That’s an un-Michael statement.”

“Enjoy it while it lasts, I’ll probably be normal tomorrow. Or when I next see Amy.” Michael shuddered.

“Oh, come on. Its not like she’s going to know…..”

“Liz we fell asleep in each other’s arms. They found us naked and intertwined. What do you think Amy will make of that.”

“And you’re not running?”

“Tempting, but no. Maria is worth it.”

“Yes she is. Nice of you to finally realize it.”

“Where is Max?”

“Sleeping. They all are. We will get you for the meeting. Do you have Maria’s cell phone?”

Michael shook his head. It had been destroyed in the impact.

“Well we will find a way. Now, go. Give Maria a kiss for me.”

“You should get some sleep too, you know.”

“Someone should be awake and here for Isabel if, if the warp doesn’t hold.”

Michael nodded. “See you at the meeting.” And he climbed out of the window and quickly ran to his bike.

The journey back was as annoying as the drive to the Evans. Luckily most of the local drivers had decided to stay home. School had been canceled. But that wouldn’t last.

The warm sun had finally broken through the clouds and was melting the remaining snow. By ten or eleven at the latest, it would be gone. And people would flock to the mall to make the most of the extra weekend day.

Christmas was such a marketing ploy.

He had just pulled in when a familiar voice stopped him. He steeled himself at the sound of Amy Deluca’s voice.

He had to meet her sooner or later, might as well make it now.

Michael forced a smile on his face. “Uh, Ms. Deluca, and uh, Sherriff. Nice to see you.”

“Do you know what has happened here? They say my daughter was healed on the radio? Is it, is it true?”

Michael couldn’t help as the joy of the event changed his nervous smile to a genuine one. “Yes. She wasn’t the only one. But a miracle happened here last night.”

Sherriff Valenti looked at him intently. “A miracle? Do I know this miracle?”

Michael looked over at a now joyously crying Amy who was hugging the Sherriff fiercely. She wasn’t looking. Michael nodded. “Also, I heard that Mr. Harding was back in town. Bad news, I’m afraid.”

“Oh, is that Tess girl going to be leaving Roswell?”

“Not exactly.”

The Sherriff cleared his throat, “So I take it he’s not here just for a visit.”

“No, he’s apparently got big plans. And we need to get to Maria quickly.”

It occurred to Michael that either of these people could be the shape shifter. “Do you remember that night it was raining and I was in Maria’s….”

“I remember it too well, Michael. And if I find out you have hurt her or had sex with her I will kill you. Do you understand that Michael Guerin?”

“Loud and clear. I don’t suppose you are going to arrest her? She’s going to kill me!”

The Sherriff’s eyebrows fluttered. “You slept with Maria?”

Amy began spluttering and trying to hit him.

“Just checking. Mr. Harding said something about it.”

“Mr. Harding. And I take it he’s been a bit of a problem?”

“Yes..” Michael kept trying to get away from the now irate Amy.

“Can we just go see your daughter? Please?”

“Alright. But if I find out its true…..” She stalked quickly into the hospital.

Michael and the Sherriff followed her.

The Sherriff said quietly, “How badly has he tried to affect things?”

“He’s the one who tried to kill Maria. And, he hurt Isabel. Badly. There’s a lot more. I just don’t want to say it.”

The Sherriff nodded. “I need to find out what is going on here. I’m never really off the clock. Try to catch up with me later to tell me everything okay?”

Michael nodded and both of them walked into the hospital.

Amy was yelling at a nurse. “What do you mean that she has already left?”

The nurse looked at her strangely, “You picked her up Ms. Deluca. Is there a problem? Did she forget something?”

Michael blurted out, “She’s not here?”

“No, sorry lover boy. Your little playmate had to go home.”

Amy just turned and glared at him.

But Michael didn’t care. He felt as his legs gave way. He fell to his knees.

He had failed. Had failed utterly.

Aric had Maria.

And he cried.