Thanks again to everyone that is reading these companions to A Kiss to Build a Dream On. I should warn you this is not the happy one. That will be Max and Liz's. The Alex and Isabel one will be less angsty than this, but still bittersweet. The dreamer one I am going to try to make positive and happy. If only to see if I can!
Still I hope you enjoy.
Title- Ultimatum
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Category- CC-M/M
Rating- Mature
Summary- This is the thirteenth companion piece to A Kiss to Build a Dream On. Thursday night has ended, the horrors and wonders of which are recorded in the other Companions. Maria has been let go by Aric. But this by no means the end of her problems. In order to explain what has happened to her, Michael has told Amy the full story.
Amy is less than pleased.
It is not crucial to read these to understand Kiss. But it will help to understand why this is happening.
Maria-
Maria was cold. And wet.
How had everything gone so wrong so fast?
Maria sat still and simply breathed in slowly, savoring another minute of life.
She vaguely heard Michael’s voice cry out, “Maria?”
“Oh, my baby! No, get away from her, you cretin.”
Maria felt as she was removed from the car and held tightly in Michael’s arms. She looked up and smiled at him.
She felt so warm…
Maria looked down Main street, down the long path that would lead her to Liz’s home and the warmth she would surely find there.
Only Liz had left. Liz and Max were surely gone on their little sojourn to provide little heirs for Max’s kingdom. Mr. and Mrs. Parker would be all questions by now.
No safety for her there now. No warmth for the outcast.
She stood there and shivered, her thin yoga jacket unable to even slow the chill brought about by the winter wind. Even the slight pine smell from a nearby Christmas tree lot did not bring joy to her eyes.
Maria looked at her dirt stained face as she looked into the mirror. Who was the bright eyed girl that glared at her from the other side of the mirror? How could her image look so fierce and strong and yet Maria herself felt so empty?
She closed her eyes and felt inside her, to that pool of light that had been left to her from Max. That tiny well of pure light that she could still flow along her veins.
Her mother knew everything. Everything.
The sex she had had with Michael. The truth of Michael’s origins. All the lies Maria had told to shield him and the rest of her friends over the last year.
Her mother knew everything.
Maria noticed the half bottle of cedar oil on the counter. She opened it and smelled its clean scent….
Maria opened her eyes. No. The Crashdown and the apartment above it would not be a haven today. Not today of all things. Not when she desperately needed something.
She stepped on a piece of cardboard, giving her frozen feet a moment of reprieve from the icy concrete of the sidewalk.
Maria could feel eyes on her. Her wet clothes clung to her like a second skin.
Surely someone recognized her? Surely someone could see she needed help?
No one stopped to help her.
Then again, why would they. She was simply herself. Just that wacky Maria girl. A girl no one wanted.
Her father hadn’t even wanted her to be born. Her mother….. Her mother had loved her. She had.
Once…..
The imprint of Maria’s hand stood out firmly on her mother’s cheek.
Maria certainly felt the warmth from her own cheek. She felt too, the wetness that spoke of the cut her mother’s blow had reopened. Maria felt full of an aggressive tingly energy.
Her eyes tightened and watched her mother’s center of balance. She had been attacked once today. She was not going down easily a second time.
She felt a measure of confidence. Her decision to do yoga to calm herself had lead her to wear her yoga outfit. It would allow her much more freedom of movement than her mother’s jeans and blouse.
Her mother’s face was full of rage as she said, “All Michael wants is what you seem so eager to give him…..”
“Is that what your little dance with the Sherriff was about, eager to have someone, anyone between your thighs? He’s only, what ten years older than you? No one your own age would have you?”
Maria felt a tingle of guilt at saying that. She would have to apologize to the Sherriff, even if she doubted she would ever be specific of why. But if she wanted to win this fight, she needed to fight dirty.
Odd calculations and stratagems flashed inside her head as she watched her mother take the bait and move. Maria felt her own muscles scream as she moved.
The next moment her mother lay on the ground, and Maria was kneeling on Amy’s chest restraining the blow that would kill her enemy. Just a quick solid blow, right there. And Amy would never stand between Maria and Michael again.
Maria closed her eyes. There was a pressure, a need to cry.
The tears would not come.
There really was only one place left for her now.
She began the long walk, her bare feet avoiding the glass and occasional patch of remaining slush. She was freezing now, her fingers numb with the cold.
But deep inside, that pool of light remained.
Maria walked on.
----------
Michael-
Michael sat quietly, listening to the others. He saw Max looking at him worriedly, but he just waved him away.
This wasn’t a problem Max could heal.
He was worried about Maria. Amy had been so very angry when she had learned what had been happening behind her back.
The things she had called Valenti!
He himself had let the insults roll of off of him. Another day he would try to win her trust and perhaps someday in the distant future a level of affection.
But he doubted that would be any day soon.
Amy whirled to face him as he set down Maria. “Now get out of my house, you, you despicable creature! If I could be certain that they wouldn’t hurt Maria as well, testing her, I would call up any and every news organization on the planet and tell them who and what you are. If I ever see or SMELL your mangy hide any where near my daughter, I will personally peel off every layer of skin with a lemon zester!”
With each point she thrust her finger deep into his chest.
He had never seen anyone so angry before. Not even when she had chased him out with a newspaper.
“I love your daughter, Mrs. Deluca.”
Her face became contemptuous, “Let me be honest here, Michael. I don’t really care. You are bad for her. She, what, nearly died twice in two days because of you? No. She will get over you, I am sure. Now leave. And don’t come back.”
“She loves me too.”
Amy snarled, “She may think she does. She is just a hormonal teenager, infatuated by a bad boy who isn’t even HUMAN. Get out of here, creature. Or I will get Sean’s gun and SHOOT YOU!”
Michael left, one eye looking back at Maria’s room where he had left her.
Would she truly be safe here?
Michael absently ate another Orbit Ring. By taste the oil would have to be changed tomorrow.
Naturally it would have to be on his next closing shift.
He was supposed to be working with Maria that night. They had even tentatively picked out a movie earlier on in the week that they would see after work.
Back when the world had made a tiny bit of sense. Before Aric had re-entered their lives.
Isabel seemed both more and less herself. She seemed self possessed, but there was an air of brittleness that he had never seen in her before. Her hand was tightly holding Alex’s.
But he could tell that she felt safer with him there.
He missed Maria. She was the only one of their group not here. And he could feel the lack.
Isabel grasped his hand, “Michael, are you still going to take me to Jan’s party?”
“Yeah.”
Liz asked quietly, “What about Maria?”
Michael shook his head, “There is no way she is going. She was pretty strung out when I carried her into her house. And Amy was…. Not happy with me. Or any of us, really.”
Max looked at everyone in the room, “Do you think she will keep the secret?”
Michael nodded, “Yeah, but only to protect her daughter. If she could do something that would hurt us, but not her….” Michael shivered. That woman scared him.
“We will just have to be careful. And in the worst case scenario….” Liz looked at Tess.
She frowned, “If I must. But if there is any other way.”
Michael looked in mild shock at Tess. Even knowing a bit of the drama behind the whole Tess and Kyle situation, he was surprised at how much she had changed. He looked at her.
She smiled softly back, “After we take care of Aric, we will make it all better, Michael, you will see.”
“I hope you are right.” Michael made another hamburger for the road. “I should get ready.” He grabbed a few more other things. Worse case they would be there for him after the party.
Michael could always use free food.
“Michael, we’ll use my mom’s car okay?” Isabel said.
Michael looked at Max, “We aren’t all taking the Jeep?”
Max shook his head.
But it was Liz who answered. She seemed different too. Deeper somehow. Stronger. “Aric will be expecting us to be there. But we don’t want him to be too suspicious that we are all working together for his downfall. He has fall back plans that he could put into play that could seriously hurt us.”
Tess nodded vigorously and looked somewhat nauseous. Later on he would have to find out what she knew.
Michael already knew about Isabel’s pictures. He smiled at Isabel, “Does he know?”
“About?”
Michael tilted his head towards Alex.
Isabel looked at Michael and them turned to face Alex, “I think you know everything, but before we go, I want to speak with you.” She glared at everyone else, “Alone. Seriously guys, I am not made of glass.”
Alex looked up at her, “We should talk then.”
Michael had to smirk a little at the inflection Alex put on ‘talk.’
Yeah, he’d like to ‘talk’ a bit with Maria right about now too.
Again he felt everyone’s eyes on him, “I’d better go.”
He could tell that some of them wanted to talk to him. To discuss what had happened with Maria.
But he couldn’t. Not right now. Not so close to the event.
Not when he wasn’t sure he would ever see her again.
He hopped on his bike and drove off in the still crappy weather. Supposedly Isabel had had a hand in the craziness that had happened last night.
Well it had been good for a day off of school anyway.
He zipped home, got off his bike and ran into the shower. He hated parties and social occasions. But then this time he wouldn’t have to mingle.
He wasn’t going to a party, he was acting as a bodyguard. And that made him feel… strong, needed.
It was a good feeling.
Still he wasn’t looking forward to the whole social thing. Isabel would probably drag him around for a bit to mingle. Before they located Aric, and nailed his hide to the wall.
Michael realized he was growling in expectation. He shook his head and took a quick shower. A few moments later he was dressed and doing the finishing touches on his hair.
He nodded to himself. He liked it much better this way that what he’d had last year. He turned away and began to walk to the door.
He mentally worked his way through the checklist of things he might need at the party. For some reason he felt as if his stomach was filling with butterflies.
Why would he feel so nervous? It was just a party.
Sure they would be facing off against an evil Protector. Someone who had defeated him already at the hospital. But they had gone over what had happened.
Aric could probably defend himself against one, possibly two of them. But if all of them attacked him at once…..
No. It should be easy.
Michael opened his door.
A pale and shivering Maria was waiting on the door step. Her green eyes caught the light in a way that made them almost seem to glow. Her torn cheek was bleeding slightly again.
One of her small hands was balled up as if she had been about to knock.
All he could do is stare at her. He could feel his body respond to her immediately. Her wet clothes clung to her. She looked like she was freezing.
How could someone who was so cold look so hot?
“Can I come in? I-I don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Michael knew there were a million things he should say. Probably half as many that he should do.
But he did what felt natural and kissed her. He gathered her into his arms and held her.
She kissed him greedily back. Her legs wrapping around his.
He awkwardly staggered back against the door frame, supporting both of them.
Flash
Maria stood up. She had almost killed her own mother. She backed away and walked to the door, walking past her yoga mat and even her shoes.
She needed some fresh air. Some air and a bit of a perspective.
She was still reacting from what had happened to her this morning. Still in fight or flight.
She was about five paces from her house when she realized just how cold the ground was. When she turned to go back, her mother was standing in the doorway.
Her face was indescribably. Literally filled with rage and determination. “Where do you think you are going, Maria? Get in the house now and pack. We are leaving Roswell and never looking back.”
“But I….”
“No, buts Maria. Get inside and pack. Or….”
“Or what? You will leave without me?” She placed her hands on her hips.
“Yes Maria. Make your choice. Me and your family, or them.”
“Mom, seriously you need to…..”
“You WILL listen to me for a change, Maria. If you leave now, I am cutting all ties to you. I will disown you. I will never acknowledge you again. You will be just like your boyfriend. Abandoned by your family and alone. So make your choice. Him. Or me.”
“Mom…..”
“This is your last chance. If I close this door, and you are not on my side of it, I will know what your choice is.”
“Mom? You can’t be serious…..”
“Watch me. I have wasted my entire life trying to give you a good life. To raise you so that you wouldn’t have the same problems I had. That you would go to college and have a nice life. But you seem determined to ruin your own life. To put yourself into situations that will either cause unending heartbreak for you and me, or your own death. I simply can not watch you destroy yourself.
Good bye, Maria. I love you. But good bye.”
She slammed the door.
Maria pounded on it.
Her mother did not open the door.
White hot rage filled her, tinged with an emptiness she had never felt before. She had always known that her mother would be there for her. That she could always count on her love.
Not anymore.
She pounded on the door one last time and demanded her mother open the door. There was a key hidden around here somewhere……
It began to rain on her. Cold uncaring pellets of water slashing into her.
Maria stared at the door of what had once been her home for a few moments longer. And turned away.
She did not look back.
End Flash
Michael broke off the kiss. He looked at his beloved. Because that is what Maria was. She had given up so much for him….
And he had just taken it. And now she had lost her mother over him. Lost one of the few things she had thought was certain in her life.
She certainly did not consider him to be so.
Something that would likely take years for him to disprove to her. To prove that he did not plan to leave her. To abandon her as so many others had.
He swore to himself that he would never leave her. And prayed that life would never prove him false on that vow.
“Oh, Maria.”
She looked at him, “You saw something? A flash?” Her legs unwound themselves around him and set themselves firmly on the floor.
“I am so sorry. You are always welcome here. Everything have here is yours. My life is yours.” He ran a hand over her damaged cheek and used his weak gift of healing to knit the torn flesh together. Max would be needed to get rid of the scar that his powers were not great enough to remove.
Maria shivered. She looked up at him, “Can I borrow a shirt of something? I really need to remove these wet clothes.”
“Go right ahead.” He sent a wave of warmth into her. She was so cold.
He tried to calm himself, but the thought of a naked Maria in his room….. Yeah, she did not need that now. Not after her mother basically disowned her like that.
Still he found himself drifting towards his room, listening as the she pulled the wet fabric from her body. He shivered as his imagination provide visuals of what was going on.
It had only been that morning that he had held her body firmly in his arms.
He ached to do it again. Normally he was all for following his instincts. For doing what felt right. But she had been through so much…..
And Isabel would likely kill him if he made her late for the party.
He looked down. As it was he would have to change. The clothes he had originally chose were now wet.
He walked into his room, just as she was smoothing the Metallica tee shirt over her thighs.
He could feel himself almost quivering with desire. His eyes met Maria’s.
She arched her eyes and sent him a challenging gaze.
His thought as he carried Maria to the bed was that Isabel could wait. He had something much more pressing to take care of.
Surely Isabel would understand his need to warm Maria up after her walk in the cold rain?
And for the moment, their troubles faded into a haze of pleasure and bliss.
Ultimatum (CC/MM Mature) 1/1 - 05/14/10
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