Title- Blind Faith
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Category- CC-M/M
Rating- Mature - for now it will stay here, but it may ratchet up to adult.
Summary- This is a companion piece to A Kiss to Build a Dream On. Unlike the others it will contain more than one part. Essentially there are things that were happening to Maria and Michael behind the scenes on Friday at the party and a little beyond. This will cover that. It also will also function as the Epilogue for Michael and Maria.
It starts on the Saturday after the events of A Kiss to Build a Dream On, but most of it will be flashbacks on the events that actually occurred during that story.
Hope you folks enjoy.
Blind Faith Prologue
Maria
Maria sat at the table and enjoyed the cool breeze that blew by her. The winter sun soaked into her shoulders and filled her with the simple joy of being alive.
She had convinced Jeff Parker to put a table out for her, even though there was still fairly cold. But Maria simply did not want to be inside. Not on a beautiful day like today.
After yesterday, everyday was beautiful. She already had her list of things she needed to do.
But right now she was content to sit here and just be. She took a bit out of the blueberry muffin Michael had brought her. It was good, but it reminded her of her mom.
Her mother subsidized her income by providing bakery goods for some of the local establishments. Really to Maria’s mind she didn’t know why her mom didn’t just give it all her attention.
She was good.
But her mother had refused. She loved her little shop, even though it was always so close to trouble.
Maria sat up straight. She knew why her mom refused to give it up. Her dad had helped found that shop. Figuring that the eighties had been when the whole alien craze was really hitting Roswell. It was the last thing of dad’s she really had.
That and Maria herself, but then her dad had never truly wanted Maria.
Then again, given that her mother had thrown her out yesterday, maybe she hadn’t really either.
Maria sighed and let the pain go. Right now she couldn’t deal with it.
Just live in the now.
She grasped the mug that held her hot chocolate. It was so cool that she could feel where it was.
Maria was still blinded from last night. Max had not had enough power to heal her. But he had promised that he would do it as soon as he could.
It was so strange to not be able to see everything. To be surrounded, listening to things as they rushed by, but to not actually be able to see them.
At least, she couldn’t see them with her eyes. But somehow, last night has woken something in her. She could, well see with her mind.
The range was still small for non living things. Maybe five feet or so. Hence she had been able to feel the cup.
But while it was kind of like seeing things, it wasn’t really the same. There was a…. granularity to everything. Like it everything was all made of tiny little pieces, and that if she could just somehow figure a way to move them…..
She had asked Michael to alter something, his hand on top of hers. And she felt as the wood of his table top had changed. She hadn’t really seen it turn to black or brown or white, like he said it had. But there had been a difference to the feeling of the wood.
That granularity was everywhere and in everything. She could feel it in the air and the table. Could feel it in her clothes and even the sunlight that was striking her back.
Tess said it was the first step. And that she would be teaching Liz to fine tune her abilities. And to tell her if Maria noticed that she could do more than just sense things.
Because doing more could be dangerous.
Maria shuddered. Her life had changed so much in the last few days. Since Aric. Since Max had healed her.
She could still feel the pool of light that Max had left in her. It was moving around her. Changing her.
And when she was close, she could see it in other people too. Her hybrid friends were almost like neon signs they glowed with various colored streamers of light.
Liz did too.
Kyle glowed a bit too. But she had talked with Tess. And Tess had cautioned her to not bring it up with Kyle. Those changes were something he was worried about.
Maria wondered what she would see if she went back to the hospital and saw some of the other six that had been healed by Max that Thursday night. Had he changed them as well? Or was it their relationship to the hybrids that really kick started it?
Maria didn’t know.
But she was fairly certain they would have to find out. And probably soon,
A worry for another day.
Today she just wanted to live. And when Michael got off his short shift she was going to take him home and have mad passionate sex with him. Not only did that appeal to her, watching the energies flow between them as they made love…..
She loved him. She had thought she had before, and maybe she had. But now…. Now that he had let her actually see him. To see just how much he cared for her.
Oh, the walls were still there. They still hampered him, just as her insecurities hampered her. But together, they could work on both.
Maria’s nose wrinkled, although that was going to take some work. Michael was far from the best home keeper. And while Maria didn’t mind doing her share of the housework, she wanted him to do at least some of it. Particularly if they were going to make this arrangement permanent.
She took another sip of her Hot Chocolate.
Maria heard a hushed voice that she had begun to dread, “Maria? Is that you?”
Her mother. The mother who had tossed her out of the house, into the cold and the rain, because she had been unwilling to give up Michael. Been unable to give up her friends.
Yes their life was dangerous. They had finished Aric, but Maria knew that other monsters lurked out there. But what good would it be to hide? Would the monsters truly go away simply because she was hiding?
No.
Maria tried to ignore her mother. She so didn’t want to deal with this right now… The day had been so nice.
“Maria. Um. Hi.”
Maria could feel her mother standing next to her. Could feel as the little pools of energy swirled through her. They weren’t the bright cables that her friends had. But then her mother didn’t have powers.
Maria closed her eyes and wished Michael were here, pulling slightly on the cord that Bonded them. “Mom, what did you want to say? I think you said it all last night. You know, the part right before you threw me out into the street!”
“Maria, I…. I….” Amy sighed and pleaded, “Won’t you at least LOOK at me?”
Maria could feel Michael coming to her rescue. “Why don’t you just leave me alone. You didn’t want me last night when I NEEDED you. So why now? What could you possibly want now?”
Maria felt as Amy grabbed her face and made her look at her. Only her eyes were not what she was seeing with. And so they just stared ahead.
Amy said with a stilted voice. “What. Are you blind now? Did something happen and you lost your sight…. I told you that….”
Maria felt as her blood began to boil, as rage from the bottom of her soul started to move through her. How dare her mother!
Michael stormed out. “Get away from her! Haven’t you done enough? Do you realize how much you hurt her last night!”
Amy’s voice was cold and sharp, “My baby is blind. I take it you and your merry band of aliens couldn’t fix her!”
Michael was about to answer when Maria had had enough.
“ENOUGH!” She slammed her hand down on the table.
And the table cloth caught on fire.
Maria, Amy, and Michael quickly put it out.
Michael’s voice was quiet. “I didn’t do that.”
Maria said quietly. “Well I did.”
Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Epilogue - 10/03/10
Moderators: Anniepoo98, Rowedog, ISLANDGIRL5, Itzstacie, truelovepooh, FSU/MSW-94, Forum Moderators
Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Epilogue - 10/03/10
Last edited by PML on Sun Oct 03, 2010 9:59 pm, edited 10 times in total.
Re: Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Prologue - 07/15/10
Thanks again to everyone following along. Much like Paladin, this story will be matched flashbacks with a current timeline POV. So things like how exactly Maria became blind will be discussed in future parts for instance. Hope you all enjoy. This part is mostly flashback and set up.
xmag- Thanks. Yeah, in this story Tess is not a queen, but rather a teacher. Or at least that is what she has become.
Mt Gazer- Thanks. Not asking much of me here are you, Rhonda? Do you have any clue how stubborn those two Deluca women are? I will try.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Yep, Maria set that table cloth on fire. But then the only reason she can 'see' anything is through a low powered version of molecular manipulation, so....
Ellie- Thanks. Maria with powers.... Could be a recipe for disaster, yeah. As for Amy, look at from her perspective. Yes, Maria would be paralyzed without Max's and the aliens help.... BUt she wouldn't have been a target in the first place if they had just let her alone and kept her out of their plots. And it is going to be a while before Maria forgives what Amy did to her in Ultimatum.... Things are going to be tense for a while I think.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended
Blind Faith part 1
Saturday night at the party - Maria
Maria purred softly as she felt the lazy happy contentment that rolled through her. If that climax had not been as explosive as the one at Michael’s, it had made up for it in duration. Wave after wave of pleasure had coursed through her, like drowning in a sea of chocolate.
She could feel Michael was a little freaked out. But why she wasn’t quite sure.
Had it been something he had seen?
The wind rattled the barn and the cold gust of wind that rolled past them got her brain working again. The music of the not so distant party thrummed in her ears.
‘My God. A party? Me and Michael had sex at a Christmas party? One where we are supposed to be on the look out for an enemy alien who wants to kill us all.’
Maria couldn’t help it. She started giggling. Her mother had warned her that the Deluca women were hot blooded, but this….
If their friends found out about this they would never live it down.
Maria could feel Michael’s look of disbelief as she continued to giggle uncontrollably. But it was just so funny.
He had been so angry to find her at the party, had wanted her to go home. And they had argued.
Maria smiled. She wasn’t sure who had kissed whom first. But they had moved fast afterwards, seeking shelter in this old barn. Whoever had owned these blankets probably would not be too happy with them.
Michael removed the condom, cupped his hand and it was reduced to ash. He stood up and got dressed.
Maria looked up at him, “Michael are you okay.”
“I wish you hadn’t come.” Michael didn’t look at her. “This has endangered us all. We would have been safer if you had just stayed home.”
Through the bond she could feel the warring instincts surging through him. He so desperately wanted to protect her. And that warmed her, it did.
But he wanted to keep her safe by keeping her completely out of the line of fire. And Maria wasn’t sure she could do that. She wanted, no needed to be useful. Somehow.
She knew that she didn’t always have the skill set that they needed, but she also knew that her intuition had found things in their investigations that he might never have caught.
They made an excellent team, each covering for the others weaknesses. But it was true that in a strait up fight Maria was at a disadvantage.
Or so it would seem. Things had changed. His opening up the bond, letting her into the dark places that made him Michael seemed to have carried more than its share.
Like the fight she had had with her mother. Oh, sure, Amy had made sure that she and for that matter Liz had taken a basic self defense course last year. But a couple of classes to not make a fighter.
And she had beaten her mother fairly badly. Her untrained muscles using moves her body had never truly learned to use.
But Michael had. Once long ago. On a distant world he had been a general, a warrior. One good enough to adapt to handicap. Namely having the body of a teenage girl.
“Do you truly think I would be any safer there? In your apartment. Now, maybe in my house, or more likely given where my Mom’s head was going on the road to my Aunt’s in California….” Maria rolled smoothly to her feet.
Was that her yoga that she had been practicing lately, or had that been a bit too easy. Certainly what she was about to do had nothing to do with her more recent studies.
“Yes. You would be safer. I, I would miss you. But you would be safe. You are too important for me to let get hurt.” He turned to hold her. His eyes roaming down her still flushed creamy skin.
Maria poked him in the stomach, “Yeah, well if I were headed to California, you wouldn’t be getting any of that either.” She looked up into his eyes and smiled a half smile. On Michael it would have been called a smirk. She had him right where she wanted him. “You think I’m still some helpless damsel, ready to get into distress? Some helpless hussy to fill your nights with sighs?” She moved just slightly. Yes, yes it was so easy…..
“Maria! What the hell has gotten into you?”
Her smile and gaze were so very innocent. “You have. And in more ways then one. Surprise!”
Michael tumbled to the ground, stunned and arms pinned. A grinning Maria on top of him. “Very funny, but….” As he twisted, Maria twisted his arms just so…. “Maria let me up!”
Maria salaciously looked Michael up and down, “So many possibilities. Of course to do most of them I would have to let you go, and I am not so sure you would behave yourself.”
Michael’s face went sheet white, “Oh. God. Aric. What did you do to her!”
Maria sighed and kissed him. “I am right here you dolt. I am Maria, your ditzy but lovable girlfriend. But somehow I have gotten some of your hidden memories. Can I let you go? I really need to build up some muscles to do this more often.”
Michael grunted.
Maria let go.
Michael was several feet away, hand slightly raised. Ready to blast her.
Maria found herself studying his eyes and body posture very carefully. There was something else, like trying to listen to color or see sound. She wasn’t sure what she was doing, only that she was doing it.
She wouldn’t be able to dodge the blast, but she might be able to keep it from being fatal.
Michael just stared at her. Uncertain.
Maria knew he could feel her through the bond, but Aric had shown so many different tricks. And he had fooled Isabel somehow last night.
Aric was very dangerous. None of them would be safe until he was taken care of.
“Michael it really is me. And we do need to get our plan working so we can get him before it gets this. And yeah this interlude, pleasurable as it was, probably didn’t help. But you were as much involved in it as I was so there. And why are you just staring at me, Michael. You need to say something, your hand is making me twitchy. And I don’t really know what these reflexes will make me want to do, I nearly killed my mother you know…..”
Michael sighed and put his hand down.
“What!” Maria threw her hands up in frustration. She was starting to freeze and really needed to get dressed. Not to mention what anyone would say if they caught a mostly naked Maria next to a mostly dressed Michael.
Well, probably not much more than there were already saying. Or would be saying soon, because Michael was off the market. And Maria had no intensions of remaining chaste during that time.
And she didn’t really care what the other bitches at school had to say about that.
Michael chuckled slightly, “Only the real Maria could babble like that.” His gaze took her in. “You need to get dressed, and I need to connect with the others.”
Maria nodded. And gratefully grabbed her clothes and started putting them on.
BRRRRRRR
“What do you need me to do?” Maria said rubbing her arms. Even with her jacket she felt cold now. And she had been so warm just a little bit ago…..
“Stay here. If you see Aric, call Isabel or Tess on their cell phone. I’ll get the others our here and we’ll plan it all out. Just, be safe, okay?” He walked to the barn door.
Maria ran up and gave him a big kiss. “Be careful you big lunk. And don’t forget to have Is or Tess call me if the plan changes.”
Michael smiled and ran back towards the main building.
Maria watched him go and sighed, wishing she could go with him. She was still cold. So she gathered some blankets, and she found herself a position where she could watch the building.
But if some of her instincts were borrowed from Rath of old, Maria was still just a sixteen year old girl. A tired, frightened and physically sated teenager.
So it could perhaps be forgiven that warmed by the blankets, she fell asleep.
As she vainly fought off needed sleep, she had to wonder. If she had gotten some of his old skill and knowledge, what had she given him?
And she slept.
---------
Michael, current day
Michael looked worriedly at the two Deluca women.
For the most part he did not now, nor had he ever, really cared what someone else thought. Oh, there were a trusted few whose opinions mattered. But even then, he had his opinions and ideals and he mostly stuck with them.
It was in many ways his job. To balance noble and somewhat starry-eyed Max.
He had been working on his impulsiveness. That had gotten him into too much trouble, but then, Max always wanted to wait. And sometimes waiting was not the answer.
A work in progress.
Something he would admit to only Maria. Maybe. And only because she knew anyway.
That was why he cared. Oh, he respected Amy Deluca. Always had. The woman had worked so hard, sacrificed so much to give Maria a good life.
Too bad she hated his guts. Or if she hadn’t before, she certainly did now. Now that Amy knew that he and Maria had slept together. Not once, but several times.
Now that she knew what he was. That the he wasn’t some maladjusted bad boy, he was an alien hybrid as well. One with enemies. Enemies that could get her daughter killed.
No. Michael didn’t blame Amy Deluca for her animosity towards him. He just wish that it didn’t hurt Maria so.
It was why he had always tried to stay on the good side of Amy Deluca. And to be honest, the woman scared him a little.
‘Maybe intimidated was a better word? Nah, lets be honest, at least with myself. The woman scares me.’
Michael looked back at the restaurant that was filling with people. They needed him back inside, helping Jose with the oncoming rush.. “Maria, I need to go back. Will you be okay?”
Amy’s voice was chipped ice, “I think she needs to talk about whatever it was she just did.”
Maria looked down at the table.
Michael knew she had some sort of strange sight, even now. Aric might have damaged her optic nerves, but somehow she was able to see things that were very close by.
Michael was beginning to think he knew what she was doing. And it both exhilarated him, and scared him.
Maria was becoming like he was. He didn’t know if she was becoming a hybrid, or if somehow what he was had changed her.
Seeing what had happened to Liz, he thought it likely.
Maria had powers. And she was using her ability, albeit still weak and rudimentary, to sense nearby molecular structures.
It was the first step to being able to manipulate them.
Or set them on fire as the case might be.
Maria quietly said, “You know that pool of light that Max left in me when he healed me?”
Amy looked up at Michael.
Michael just grunted assent.
Maria continued, “When I could see that your argument was going to spiral out of control…. I knew I had to stop it. And some of the light…. Leaked out into the tablecloth. That’s all it was. Just a little bit of the light inside me got out.” She reached up and wiped a tear from her face. “What is wrong with me Michael? I could feel the light go into the fabric and make it vibrate very quickly, too quickly for it to hold. And it caught on fire.”
He grabbed her hands in his. “When we are done here, we will go find Tess. She helped me get it under control. She will help you.”
She reached up and pulled him down for a kiss. After a moment they broke away. “Don’t worry about me, I will be fine. And, and I will be careful. As long as someone doesn’t rile me up.” Maria looked unfocusedly at her mother.
Amy sat down. “I will be good. I just want to talk with Maria. Now go on. And if you would be so good as to have some coffee brought out to me?”
“Yeah.” Michael had a bad feeling about this.
He walked back into the Crashdown, told one of the waitresses to bring out some coffee to her. He then marched back into the chaos of the kitchen.
After all the strange things that had happened in the last couple of days, you would think that the Christmas rush would have slackened. But if anything the snow from yesterday had cut one shopping day from the schedule.
And every shopper apparently needed alien themed diner fare today.
At some point, he needed to sneak out there and get something for Maria himself. And he’d never been able to ask Isabel for pointers.
Michael was doomed. He had two days and then it was all over.
They were halfway through the lunch rush when Maria came into the restaurant to tell him that she and her mother had come to an agreement of sorts. And that Amy would let Maria pick up a few things at least.
And maybe after the holiday…. Their tempers might cool.
That would be a true Christmas miracle.
Before she left, “Maria, you know I still need to get you a gift. Come on here, help me out. What do you want?”
She turned to face him, “You will think of something, I am sure of it. I trust you.” And she turned around and left with her mother.
Michael just leaned against a near by wall and softly batted his head against it over and over.
Doomed. So very doomed.
xmag- Thanks. Yeah, in this story Tess is not a queen, but rather a teacher. Or at least that is what she has become.
Mt Gazer- Thanks. Not asking much of me here are you, Rhonda? Do you have any clue how stubborn those two Deluca women are? I will try.
keepsmiling7- Thanks. Yep, Maria set that table cloth on fire. But then the only reason she can 'see' anything is through a low powered version of molecular manipulation, so....
Ellie- Thanks. Maria with powers.... Could be a recipe for disaster, yeah. As for Amy, look at from her perspective. Yes, Maria would be paralyzed without Max's and the aliens help.... BUt she wouldn't have been a target in the first place if they had just let her alone and kept her out of their plots. And it is going to be a while before Maria forgives what Amy did to her in Ultimatum.... Things are going to be tense for a while I think.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended
Blind Faith part 1
Saturday night at the party - Maria
Maria purred softly as she felt the lazy happy contentment that rolled through her. If that climax had not been as explosive as the one at Michael’s, it had made up for it in duration. Wave after wave of pleasure had coursed through her, like drowning in a sea of chocolate.
She could feel Michael was a little freaked out. But why she wasn’t quite sure.
Had it been something he had seen?
The wind rattled the barn and the cold gust of wind that rolled past them got her brain working again. The music of the not so distant party thrummed in her ears.
‘My God. A party? Me and Michael had sex at a Christmas party? One where we are supposed to be on the look out for an enemy alien who wants to kill us all.’
Maria couldn’t help it. She started giggling. Her mother had warned her that the Deluca women were hot blooded, but this….
If their friends found out about this they would never live it down.
Maria could feel Michael’s look of disbelief as she continued to giggle uncontrollably. But it was just so funny.
He had been so angry to find her at the party, had wanted her to go home. And they had argued.
Maria smiled. She wasn’t sure who had kissed whom first. But they had moved fast afterwards, seeking shelter in this old barn. Whoever had owned these blankets probably would not be too happy with them.
Michael removed the condom, cupped his hand and it was reduced to ash. He stood up and got dressed.
Maria looked up at him, “Michael are you okay.”
“I wish you hadn’t come.” Michael didn’t look at her. “This has endangered us all. We would have been safer if you had just stayed home.”
Through the bond she could feel the warring instincts surging through him. He so desperately wanted to protect her. And that warmed her, it did.
But he wanted to keep her safe by keeping her completely out of the line of fire. And Maria wasn’t sure she could do that. She wanted, no needed to be useful. Somehow.
She knew that she didn’t always have the skill set that they needed, but she also knew that her intuition had found things in their investigations that he might never have caught.
They made an excellent team, each covering for the others weaknesses. But it was true that in a strait up fight Maria was at a disadvantage.
Or so it would seem. Things had changed. His opening up the bond, letting her into the dark places that made him Michael seemed to have carried more than its share.
Like the fight she had had with her mother. Oh, sure, Amy had made sure that she and for that matter Liz had taken a basic self defense course last year. But a couple of classes to not make a fighter.
And she had beaten her mother fairly badly. Her untrained muscles using moves her body had never truly learned to use.
But Michael had. Once long ago. On a distant world he had been a general, a warrior. One good enough to adapt to handicap. Namely having the body of a teenage girl.
“Do you truly think I would be any safer there? In your apartment. Now, maybe in my house, or more likely given where my Mom’s head was going on the road to my Aunt’s in California….” Maria rolled smoothly to her feet.
Was that her yoga that she had been practicing lately, or had that been a bit too easy. Certainly what she was about to do had nothing to do with her more recent studies.
“Yes. You would be safer. I, I would miss you. But you would be safe. You are too important for me to let get hurt.” He turned to hold her. His eyes roaming down her still flushed creamy skin.
Maria poked him in the stomach, “Yeah, well if I were headed to California, you wouldn’t be getting any of that either.” She looked up into his eyes and smiled a half smile. On Michael it would have been called a smirk. She had him right where she wanted him. “You think I’m still some helpless damsel, ready to get into distress? Some helpless hussy to fill your nights with sighs?” She moved just slightly. Yes, yes it was so easy…..
“Maria! What the hell has gotten into you?”
Her smile and gaze were so very innocent. “You have. And in more ways then one. Surprise!”
Michael tumbled to the ground, stunned and arms pinned. A grinning Maria on top of him. “Very funny, but….” As he twisted, Maria twisted his arms just so…. “Maria let me up!”
Maria salaciously looked Michael up and down, “So many possibilities. Of course to do most of them I would have to let you go, and I am not so sure you would behave yourself.”
Michael’s face went sheet white, “Oh. God. Aric. What did you do to her!”
Maria sighed and kissed him. “I am right here you dolt. I am Maria, your ditzy but lovable girlfriend. But somehow I have gotten some of your hidden memories. Can I let you go? I really need to build up some muscles to do this more often.”
Michael grunted.
Maria let go.
Michael was several feet away, hand slightly raised. Ready to blast her.
Maria found herself studying his eyes and body posture very carefully. There was something else, like trying to listen to color or see sound. She wasn’t sure what she was doing, only that she was doing it.
She wouldn’t be able to dodge the blast, but she might be able to keep it from being fatal.
Michael just stared at her. Uncertain.
Maria knew he could feel her through the bond, but Aric had shown so many different tricks. And he had fooled Isabel somehow last night.
Aric was very dangerous. None of them would be safe until he was taken care of.
“Michael it really is me. And we do need to get our plan working so we can get him before it gets this. And yeah this interlude, pleasurable as it was, probably didn’t help. But you were as much involved in it as I was so there. And why are you just staring at me, Michael. You need to say something, your hand is making me twitchy. And I don’t really know what these reflexes will make me want to do, I nearly killed my mother you know…..”
Michael sighed and put his hand down.
“What!” Maria threw her hands up in frustration. She was starting to freeze and really needed to get dressed. Not to mention what anyone would say if they caught a mostly naked Maria next to a mostly dressed Michael.
Well, probably not much more than there were already saying. Or would be saying soon, because Michael was off the market. And Maria had no intensions of remaining chaste during that time.
And she didn’t really care what the other bitches at school had to say about that.
Michael chuckled slightly, “Only the real Maria could babble like that.” His gaze took her in. “You need to get dressed, and I need to connect with the others.”
Maria nodded. And gratefully grabbed her clothes and started putting them on.
BRRRRRRR
“What do you need me to do?” Maria said rubbing her arms. Even with her jacket she felt cold now. And she had been so warm just a little bit ago…..
“Stay here. If you see Aric, call Isabel or Tess on their cell phone. I’ll get the others our here and we’ll plan it all out. Just, be safe, okay?” He walked to the barn door.
Maria ran up and gave him a big kiss. “Be careful you big lunk. And don’t forget to have Is or Tess call me if the plan changes.”
Michael smiled and ran back towards the main building.
Maria watched him go and sighed, wishing she could go with him. She was still cold. So she gathered some blankets, and she found herself a position where she could watch the building.
But if some of her instincts were borrowed from Rath of old, Maria was still just a sixteen year old girl. A tired, frightened and physically sated teenager.
So it could perhaps be forgiven that warmed by the blankets, she fell asleep.
As she vainly fought off needed sleep, she had to wonder. If she had gotten some of his old skill and knowledge, what had she given him?
And she slept.
---------
Michael, current day
Michael looked worriedly at the two Deluca women.
For the most part he did not now, nor had he ever, really cared what someone else thought. Oh, there were a trusted few whose opinions mattered. But even then, he had his opinions and ideals and he mostly stuck with them.
It was in many ways his job. To balance noble and somewhat starry-eyed Max.
He had been working on his impulsiveness. That had gotten him into too much trouble, but then, Max always wanted to wait. And sometimes waiting was not the answer.
A work in progress.
Something he would admit to only Maria. Maybe. And only because she knew anyway.
That was why he cared. Oh, he respected Amy Deluca. Always had. The woman had worked so hard, sacrificed so much to give Maria a good life.
Too bad she hated his guts. Or if she hadn’t before, she certainly did now. Now that Amy knew that he and Maria had slept together. Not once, but several times.
Now that she knew what he was. That the he wasn’t some maladjusted bad boy, he was an alien hybrid as well. One with enemies. Enemies that could get her daughter killed.
No. Michael didn’t blame Amy Deluca for her animosity towards him. He just wish that it didn’t hurt Maria so.
It was why he had always tried to stay on the good side of Amy Deluca. And to be honest, the woman scared him a little.
‘Maybe intimidated was a better word? Nah, lets be honest, at least with myself. The woman scares me.’
Michael looked back at the restaurant that was filling with people. They needed him back inside, helping Jose with the oncoming rush.. “Maria, I need to go back. Will you be okay?”
Amy’s voice was chipped ice, “I think she needs to talk about whatever it was she just did.”
Maria looked down at the table.
Michael knew she had some sort of strange sight, even now. Aric might have damaged her optic nerves, but somehow she was able to see things that were very close by.
Michael was beginning to think he knew what she was doing. And it both exhilarated him, and scared him.
Maria was becoming like he was. He didn’t know if she was becoming a hybrid, or if somehow what he was had changed her.
Seeing what had happened to Liz, he thought it likely.
Maria had powers. And she was using her ability, albeit still weak and rudimentary, to sense nearby molecular structures.
It was the first step to being able to manipulate them.
Or set them on fire as the case might be.
Maria quietly said, “You know that pool of light that Max left in me when he healed me?”
Amy looked up at Michael.
Michael just grunted assent.
Maria continued, “When I could see that your argument was going to spiral out of control…. I knew I had to stop it. And some of the light…. Leaked out into the tablecloth. That’s all it was. Just a little bit of the light inside me got out.” She reached up and wiped a tear from her face. “What is wrong with me Michael? I could feel the light go into the fabric and make it vibrate very quickly, too quickly for it to hold. And it caught on fire.”
He grabbed her hands in his. “When we are done here, we will go find Tess. She helped me get it under control. She will help you.”
She reached up and pulled him down for a kiss. After a moment they broke away. “Don’t worry about me, I will be fine. And, and I will be careful. As long as someone doesn’t rile me up.” Maria looked unfocusedly at her mother.
Amy sat down. “I will be good. I just want to talk with Maria. Now go on. And if you would be so good as to have some coffee brought out to me?”
“Yeah.” Michael had a bad feeling about this.
He walked back into the Crashdown, told one of the waitresses to bring out some coffee to her. He then marched back into the chaos of the kitchen.
After all the strange things that had happened in the last couple of days, you would think that the Christmas rush would have slackened. But if anything the snow from yesterday had cut one shopping day from the schedule.
And every shopper apparently needed alien themed diner fare today.
At some point, he needed to sneak out there and get something for Maria himself. And he’d never been able to ask Isabel for pointers.
Michael was doomed. He had two days and then it was all over.
They were halfway through the lunch rush when Maria came into the restaurant to tell him that she and her mother had come to an agreement of sorts. And that Amy would let Maria pick up a few things at least.
And maybe after the holiday…. Their tempers might cool.
That would be a true Christmas miracle.
Before she left, “Maria, you know I still need to get you a gift. Come on here, help me out. What do you want?”
She turned to face him, “You will think of something, I am sure of it. I trust you.” And she turned around and left with her mother.
Michael just leaned against a near by wall and softly batted his head against it over and over.
Doomed. So very doomed.
Re: Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Part 1 - 07/24/10
Thanks again to everyone following along. Real life is not exactly being kind to me at the moment, but I will try to keep my parts flowing.
Ellie- Thanks. Poor Michael and the great present caper.... But you are right. AMy is the one to watch here.
Mary mary- Thanks
Ti88- Thanks. Amy and Maria have a few similarities, stubborness being among them.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 2
Michael - Friday night at the party
Michael took one last look at Maria as he left her in the barn. She would be safer there. She wasn’t stupid and she would find a place to hide.
Without powers, Aric would have to search for her. The powers the hybrids had could be a double edged sword, lighting them up to those with the right senses. No, Aric would have to stumble onto Maria if she hid well.
And she would hide well. Each time they had connected bits of him had lodged in her, bits of his past. And he wasn’t referring to his time with Hank Whitmore. Maria Deluca might actually be in better touch with the Rath of old than he was.
Only bits and pieces, but Michael could see it. Like the Majesty he now could see rolling off of Liz Parker. What did Kyle and Alex get, Michael wondered. Because they had bonded as well by now.
Something he was sure.
And what have we gotten from them?
Have I changed too?
Michael thought about it as he stalked into the main house. He wasn’t sure. And it would be worth it for Maria.
Which brought up the whole present debacle.
Well that at least would have to wait until tomorrow.
He looked across the room and spotted Liz. And had to smile. Because Liz was effectively holding Court. And the poor humans didn’t even realize it. But they were holding on to her every word. Listening to her intently.
A girl that while not an outcast had been but a few days before decidedly not on the popular list.
He’d seen Max do something like it before. But typically Max liked to hide, and this was not exactly hiding. So Max would do something that mixed hiding and this. People would pay attention to him, listen to him. And forget that it was Max who had spoken to them.
Tricksy Evanses.
Isabel could just over awe people as she walked in. Could become you best friend in minutes. Could make you love her in a hour.
Tess, well. Tess could probably play you like a song and you wouldn’t even know.
Michael himself? Had never gotten beyond simple intimidation. Which admittedly had kept the number of fights down.
Michael used it now to cut into the crowd that Liz had around her. “Liz. We have to go now. And get the others.”
She looked at him thankfully, “Sorry guys, I guess Max calls. See you all at school.”
There were a few disappointed groans but they dispersed.
And the two of them sought out their other friends.
Maybe this was going to work.
-------
Maria - current day
Maria had had a strangely pleasant conversation with her mother. And then getting the clothes and other stuff she would need at Michael’s….
That was a godsend.
It was almost a good thing she couldn’t see right now at Michael’s. She knew she would want to rearrange and clean things. Things were going to change for both of them she knew it.
Arguments lay in their future. But Maria was actually fairly optimistic about it all. As long as they were honest with each other, and kept their conversations open…. Didn’t try to hide like Michael had done before……
Yeah, they had a good chance of success.
Even her mother seemed to agree. Although Maria wasn’t sure if Amy believed her about the Bond.
Maria reach over and grabbed a favorite stuffed animal, one that almost seemed to have a flicker of light to itself. She touched it and felt a small flash of past happiness spinning around the room with the bear in her arms.
A tear tracked down her cheeks. She was changing. There was no doubt about that now.
Was this something she wanted to happen? Did she want all these strange abilities? Along with all the dangers that would now follow her.
Maria shivered in memory of Max’s discussions of what happened to him in the White Room.
That could be her fate now too.
She would just have to be careful. They would all just have to work together and be careful about everything.
Maria felt Amy walk into the room. “Mom? I am just about done. Thanks for this.”
Amy’s voice seemed calm. “I can’t say I am happy about this. I am really not. But I would do anything to protect you honey, anything.”
Maria had to smile at her mother’s dogged loyalty. “Thanks, mom.”
“Here, Maria honey, I made you a cup of that blended tea you always liked. Why don’t you drink it while I take the last of these bags out to the car.”
“Okay.” And she sipped the tea. Almost perfection, One tiny flavor out of line. Were her taste buds changing too?
Still it was a very good cup of tea.
And then less than ten minutes later they were off.
Only something was wrong. They were headed the wrong way. “Mom, where are we going? Why are we headed this way. Michael’s is over there.” Maria pointed vaguely.
In truth she wasn’t exactly sure where Michael’s was. But she did know where Michael was. And if he were at the Crashdown, they shouldn’t be going so far away from him.
“Oh, honey. Don’t worry we will be safe soon enough. Things will be better. I will miss my shop and my friends. But I did not spend almost seventeen years of my life watching you grown to see you lost like this.”
“Mom, please. It’s almost Christmas. Don’t do this!” There had to be a way to stop this. There had to be a way to stop the car or to do something.
But she was so tired. Her eyes wouldn’t stay open.
The tea.
Her mother had drugged her.
Her very own mother had drugged her and was abducting her. Stealing her away from Michael and her friends. From the people who she could depend on, who could teach her about this new world she was being thrust into.
Maria felt as her mother’s hands brushed against her eye lids and slid them firmly shut. “Good night my dear. In time you will see this was the right choice.”
Inside Maria was screaming at her mother to turn around. But she was so tired.
So very tired.
And so she slept.
Ellie- Thanks. Poor Michael and the great present caper.... But you are right. AMy is the one to watch here.
Mary mary- Thanks
Ti88- Thanks. Amy and Maria have a few similarities, stubborness being among them.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 2
Michael - Friday night at the party
Michael took one last look at Maria as he left her in the barn. She would be safer there. She wasn’t stupid and she would find a place to hide.
Without powers, Aric would have to search for her. The powers the hybrids had could be a double edged sword, lighting them up to those with the right senses. No, Aric would have to stumble onto Maria if she hid well.
And she would hide well. Each time they had connected bits of him had lodged in her, bits of his past. And he wasn’t referring to his time with Hank Whitmore. Maria Deluca might actually be in better touch with the Rath of old than he was.
Only bits and pieces, but Michael could see it. Like the Majesty he now could see rolling off of Liz Parker. What did Kyle and Alex get, Michael wondered. Because they had bonded as well by now.
Something he was sure.
And what have we gotten from them?
Have I changed too?
Michael thought about it as he stalked into the main house. He wasn’t sure. And it would be worth it for Maria.
Which brought up the whole present debacle.
Well that at least would have to wait until tomorrow.
He looked across the room and spotted Liz. And had to smile. Because Liz was effectively holding Court. And the poor humans didn’t even realize it. But they were holding on to her every word. Listening to her intently.
A girl that while not an outcast had been but a few days before decidedly not on the popular list.
He’d seen Max do something like it before. But typically Max liked to hide, and this was not exactly hiding. So Max would do something that mixed hiding and this. People would pay attention to him, listen to him. And forget that it was Max who had spoken to them.
Tricksy Evanses.
Isabel could just over awe people as she walked in. Could become you best friend in minutes. Could make you love her in a hour.
Tess, well. Tess could probably play you like a song and you wouldn’t even know.
Michael himself? Had never gotten beyond simple intimidation. Which admittedly had kept the number of fights down.
Michael used it now to cut into the crowd that Liz had around her. “Liz. We have to go now. And get the others.”
She looked at him thankfully, “Sorry guys, I guess Max calls. See you all at school.”
There were a few disappointed groans but they dispersed.
And the two of them sought out their other friends.
Maybe this was going to work.
-------
Maria - current day
Maria had had a strangely pleasant conversation with her mother. And then getting the clothes and other stuff she would need at Michael’s….
That was a godsend.
It was almost a good thing she couldn’t see right now at Michael’s. She knew she would want to rearrange and clean things. Things were going to change for both of them she knew it.
Arguments lay in their future. But Maria was actually fairly optimistic about it all. As long as they were honest with each other, and kept their conversations open…. Didn’t try to hide like Michael had done before……
Yeah, they had a good chance of success.
Even her mother seemed to agree. Although Maria wasn’t sure if Amy believed her about the Bond.
Maria reach over and grabbed a favorite stuffed animal, one that almost seemed to have a flicker of light to itself. She touched it and felt a small flash of past happiness spinning around the room with the bear in her arms.
A tear tracked down her cheeks. She was changing. There was no doubt about that now.
Was this something she wanted to happen? Did she want all these strange abilities? Along with all the dangers that would now follow her.
Maria shivered in memory of Max’s discussions of what happened to him in the White Room.
That could be her fate now too.
She would just have to be careful. They would all just have to work together and be careful about everything.
Maria felt Amy walk into the room. “Mom? I am just about done. Thanks for this.”
Amy’s voice seemed calm. “I can’t say I am happy about this. I am really not. But I would do anything to protect you honey, anything.”
Maria had to smile at her mother’s dogged loyalty. “Thanks, mom.”
“Here, Maria honey, I made you a cup of that blended tea you always liked. Why don’t you drink it while I take the last of these bags out to the car.”
“Okay.” And she sipped the tea. Almost perfection, One tiny flavor out of line. Were her taste buds changing too?
Still it was a very good cup of tea.
And then less than ten minutes later they were off.
Only something was wrong. They were headed the wrong way. “Mom, where are we going? Why are we headed this way. Michael’s is over there.” Maria pointed vaguely.
In truth she wasn’t exactly sure where Michael’s was. But she did know where Michael was. And if he were at the Crashdown, they shouldn’t be going so far away from him.
“Oh, honey. Don’t worry we will be safe soon enough. Things will be better. I will miss my shop and my friends. But I did not spend almost seventeen years of my life watching you grown to see you lost like this.”
“Mom, please. It’s almost Christmas. Don’t do this!” There had to be a way to stop this. There had to be a way to stop the car or to do something.
But she was so tired. Her eyes wouldn’t stay open.
The tea.
Her mother had drugged her.
Her very own mother had drugged her and was abducting her. Stealing her away from Michael and her friends. From the people who she could depend on, who could teach her about this new world she was being thrust into.
Maria felt as her mother’s hands brushed against her eye lids and slid them firmly shut. “Good night my dear. In time you will see this was the right choice.”
Inside Maria was screaming at her mother to turn around. But she was so tired.
So very tired.
And so she slept.
Re: Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Part 2 - 08/07/10
Thanks to everyone reading along.
Ellie- Michael knew the moment Maria started getting far away that something was wrong. As long as Maria doesn't try to hid her bond, Michael could find her anywhere. Getting there in time, well that we will need to see.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 3
Maria- Friday night at the party
Maria was so warm and comfortable. But her sleep was becoming fitful.
Below her hiding place, further in to the barn Isabel was completely breaking down at the hands of Aric. And the sobbing of a girl she respected and had once feared was invading her dreams.
She awoke with a start and to a little stiffness. But she remained as quiet as she could. The whimpering beneath her was real. As was the voice of Alex taunting the prostrate girl.
Only it wasn’t Alex. It was Aric. How she could tell, Maria wasn’t sure. But she KNEW.
What could she do?
She dialed Tess.
No response. Who could she call to let someone know that Isabel needed help? What could she do?
Maria watched as Aric shifted into a little girl and Isabel just broke down and sobbed.
Aric smiled and put Isabel’s head under his foot. And laughed.
There was more than a small tinge of madness to the laugh.
Maria could not standby while this was happening. She didn’t know what she could possibly do. But this could not be left unchallenged….
Maria dropped down from her hiding place. “So is this what you mean by bringing them to their destiny? You get to torture and already tortured girl? A girl that you have already raped? How do you justify that? I thought you said you were a man of honor? What would your wife say? What would Merelille say if she could see you like this?”
Aric stopped and whirled to face her. Various emotions flitted across the face of the girl he now wore. Anger and madness yes. But guilt and shame flitted across them as well. “I need to make sure they follow their destiny. And if you knew what that whore had done on Antar…..”
“She is not the same person. She doesn’t remember any of it. None of them do. Not even Tess. And you know it. Look at ME, damn you. YOU KNOW THIS! And yet you still torture her for crimes she doesn’t remember. That SHE did not commit. Where is the justice in this? Or is it just petty revenge. You bullying her because you can. Because YOU remember? Because YOU can remember her supposed crimes?” Hands on hips, Maria advanced in full rant mode. “And this somehow gave you the right to RAPE her? Oh, I found out all the details of last night from my friends. Your hands are far from clean.”
His form flickered, back to the form she recognized as Ed Harding. “I have done what I must!”
Maria continued her advance, poking the shifter in the chest. Hard. “You personally raped two friends of mine. You caused two others to RAPE EACH OTHER. God, how SICK are you? And Grant….” Maria paused a moment, “Okay, maybe Grant deserved what he got, considering all I know now. But the rest? Why?”
A combination of frustration and rage filled Aric’s face, “Because they simply won’t listen. I am almost out of time, Merelille! Soon I will die, and who will carry on the work! It will all have been in vain. So yes, I have transgressed. I have done things I will serve long in the Hells for before I can be with you again. But I needed to! I have to make sure they succeed! I WILL NOT LET IT ALL BE IN VAIN!”
Maria waved her hand toward Isabel, and quietly said, “So all of that is justified? There really was no other way?”
Aric would not meet her gaze. “Perhaps I let my personal feelings get in the way a little. But I still stand by what I have done. And I will not let you stop me, Merelille! Not even you my love. My lost and reborn songstress.” He grabbed her shoulders.
Maria struggled uselessly. But he was too strong.
Aric looked down at her. “I should kill you. But killing you on Antar almost broke me. Not even in a human body…. No. I can’t do it. But I must keep you from interfering.”
Maria looked up at him. “In the end you will fail. Even if you succeed, my friends will never serve your cause. Not after all you have put them through.”
“They will do what they must, because they must.” His voice was much quieter and one of his hands slipped to her throat. “Your voice of course. Always your greatest weapon. I must take that first.”
Maria felt as a warmth slipped into her throat and for a brief moment she couldn’t breathe. She coughed a couple of times. But the last few were just soft gasps.
Her voice box was gone.
She was full of fear now and she struggled. But he was still too strong. To strong for any of them unaided, let alone Maria.
Knowledge flowed into her. Memories from Rath. Her struggles intensified, but in the end it was no use. She was already partly pinned to start. It took little for the bigger and stronger Aric to pin her to the ground, one knee driving out her breath.
“Yes. And your eyes. You always did see to much. These may heal in time. Maybe.”
She tried to scream as she felt warmth flood into her eyes. But she made almost no sound.
And darkness. Maria was blind.
She felt one last pressure as Aric kissed her and left. She heard him pick up Isabel. And she could hear him move around the barn.
But she was lost in the center with nothing to touch. And she could make no noise. Even the tears sliding down her cheeks were painful and felt hot.
And she cried warm tears.
--------
Michael - current day
Michael knew something was wrong late in his shift when he felt Maria getting more distant from him.
She was leaving him.
Only he was pretty sure it wasn’t under her own devices. Either Amy persuaded her to leave or Amy had simply taken her. The woman was capable of it, Michael was sure.
Amy was a dangerous woman.
Better yet, his good friend Jose had had mercy on him and told him what he should get Maria. Not precisely what she wanted. But at least a ball park idea.
Jewelry. Apparently chicks liked jewelry for Christmas.
Add a little pleading to Mr. Parker for an advance on next weeks check…..
And he might yet survive Christmas. Of course he still needed to pick it up in the insane shopping nightmare known as the mall. He only had a few hours available.
Which made the whole Maria being driven off to parts unknown and extra annoyance.
And all he wanted to do was go home, pop in a TV dinner and watch football.
Not likely.
He got on his bike and drove off to follow Amy. Because it had to be Amy right? Maria couldn’t be tired of him already, right?
And drove.
Towards Texas. Huh. Amy must realize Michael knew of her sister in California. Trying to throw him off.
285 South. Brought back memories.
He made one stop along the way in his quest before he found the Jetta. There was still a whiff of ozone coming from it.
He touched the car and found it thoroughly fried.
Michael smiled. Maria must have woken up. He looked up and chuckled.
What were the odds.
Michael got on his bike and road up to the motel.
Ellie- Michael knew the moment Maria started getting far away that something was wrong. As long as Maria doesn't try to hid her bond, Michael could find her anywhere. Getting there in time, well that we will need to see.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 3
Maria- Friday night at the party
Maria was so warm and comfortable. But her sleep was becoming fitful.
Below her hiding place, further in to the barn Isabel was completely breaking down at the hands of Aric. And the sobbing of a girl she respected and had once feared was invading her dreams.
She awoke with a start and to a little stiffness. But she remained as quiet as she could. The whimpering beneath her was real. As was the voice of Alex taunting the prostrate girl.
Only it wasn’t Alex. It was Aric. How she could tell, Maria wasn’t sure. But she KNEW.
What could she do?
She dialed Tess.
No response. Who could she call to let someone know that Isabel needed help? What could she do?
Maria watched as Aric shifted into a little girl and Isabel just broke down and sobbed.
Aric smiled and put Isabel’s head under his foot. And laughed.
There was more than a small tinge of madness to the laugh.
Maria could not standby while this was happening. She didn’t know what she could possibly do. But this could not be left unchallenged….
Maria dropped down from her hiding place. “So is this what you mean by bringing them to their destiny? You get to torture and already tortured girl? A girl that you have already raped? How do you justify that? I thought you said you were a man of honor? What would your wife say? What would Merelille say if she could see you like this?”
Aric stopped and whirled to face her. Various emotions flitted across the face of the girl he now wore. Anger and madness yes. But guilt and shame flitted across them as well. “I need to make sure they follow their destiny. And if you knew what that whore had done on Antar…..”
“She is not the same person. She doesn’t remember any of it. None of them do. Not even Tess. And you know it. Look at ME, damn you. YOU KNOW THIS! And yet you still torture her for crimes she doesn’t remember. That SHE did not commit. Where is the justice in this? Or is it just petty revenge. You bullying her because you can. Because YOU remember? Because YOU can remember her supposed crimes?” Hands on hips, Maria advanced in full rant mode. “And this somehow gave you the right to RAPE her? Oh, I found out all the details of last night from my friends. Your hands are far from clean.”
His form flickered, back to the form she recognized as Ed Harding. “I have done what I must!”
Maria continued her advance, poking the shifter in the chest. Hard. “You personally raped two friends of mine. You caused two others to RAPE EACH OTHER. God, how SICK are you? And Grant….” Maria paused a moment, “Okay, maybe Grant deserved what he got, considering all I know now. But the rest? Why?”
A combination of frustration and rage filled Aric’s face, “Because they simply won’t listen. I am almost out of time, Merelille! Soon I will die, and who will carry on the work! It will all have been in vain. So yes, I have transgressed. I have done things I will serve long in the Hells for before I can be with you again. But I needed to! I have to make sure they succeed! I WILL NOT LET IT ALL BE IN VAIN!”
Maria waved her hand toward Isabel, and quietly said, “So all of that is justified? There really was no other way?”
Aric would not meet her gaze. “Perhaps I let my personal feelings get in the way a little. But I still stand by what I have done. And I will not let you stop me, Merelille! Not even you my love. My lost and reborn songstress.” He grabbed her shoulders.
Maria struggled uselessly. But he was too strong.
Aric looked down at her. “I should kill you. But killing you on Antar almost broke me. Not even in a human body…. No. I can’t do it. But I must keep you from interfering.”
Maria looked up at him. “In the end you will fail. Even if you succeed, my friends will never serve your cause. Not after all you have put them through.”
“They will do what they must, because they must.” His voice was much quieter and one of his hands slipped to her throat. “Your voice of course. Always your greatest weapon. I must take that first.”
Maria felt as a warmth slipped into her throat and for a brief moment she couldn’t breathe. She coughed a couple of times. But the last few were just soft gasps.
Her voice box was gone.
She was full of fear now and she struggled. But he was still too strong. To strong for any of them unaided, let alone Maria.
Knowledge flowed into her. Memories from Rath. Her struggles intensified, but in the end it was no use. She was already partly pinned to start. It took little for the bigger and stronger Aric to pin her to the ground, one knee driving out her breath.
“Yes. And your eyes. You always did see to much. These may heal in time. Maybe.”
She tried to scream as she felt warmth flood into her eyes. But she made almost no sound.
And darkness. Maria was blind.
She felt one last pressure as Aric kissed her and left. She heard him pick up Isabel. And she could hear him move around the barn.
But she was lost in the center with nothing to touch. And she could make no noise. Even the tears sliding down her cheeks were painful and felt hot.
And she cried warm tears.
--------
Michael - current day
Michael knew something was wrong late in his shift when he felt Maria getting more distant from him.
She was leaving him.
Only he was pretty sure it wasn’t under her own devices. Either Amy persuaded her to leave or Amy had simply taken her. The woman was capable of it, Michael was sure.
Amy was a dangerous woman.
Better yet, his good friend Jose had had mercy on him and told him what he should get Maria. Not precisely what she wanted. But at least a ball park idea.
Jewelry. Apparently chicks liked jewelry for Christmas.
Add a little pleading to Mr. Parker for an advance on next weeks check…..
And he might yet survive Christmas. Of course he still needed to pick it up in the insane shopping nightmare known as the mall. He only had a few hours available.
Which made the whole Maria being driven off to parts unknown and extra annoyance.
And all he wanted to do was go home, pop in a TV dinner and watch football.
Not likely.
He got on his bike and drove off to follow Amy. Because it had to be Amy right? Maria couldn’t be tired of him already, right?
And drove.
Towards Texas. Huh. Amy must realize Michael knew of her sister in California. Trying to throw him off.
285 South. Brought back memories.
He made one stop along the way in his quest before he found the Jetta. There was still a whiff of ozone coming from it.
He touched the car and found it thoroughly fried.
Michael smiled. Maria must have woken up. He looked up and chuckled.
What were the odds.
Michael got on his bike and road up to the motel.
Re: Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Part 3 - 08/15/10
Thanks again to all who are reading this. Writing had been a struggle these last couple of months. But hopefully I will be moving along at a fast clip.
Either way, thank you all.
Ellie- Thanks. That trust is going to take a long time to rebuild. I think you are right about Amy. All she sees is that her baby girl is in danger and she must save her from herself. But after this part will come the confrontation that will decide exactly what kind of relationship she has with her daughter after this. If any.
Velvet Skye- Thanks. You caught the motel. I was going to describe it and how it brought back memories to Maria. But unfortunately she is still blind.
marynmary- Thanks. The confrontation is in the next part. But Amy still gets a surprise in this one too.
Carrie- Thanks. Glad you like it so far. As for Amy.... Everyone always writes her as the cool parent. Mostly I do too. But given the way this story has written itself, and how irrational any Deluca and or Guerin can be about those they love. I just thought this appropriate.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 4
Michael- Friday night, Aric’s Prisoner at Eagle Rock
Michael woke up to warmth of silken skin moving against his. For just a moment he reveled in it. She was half turned from him, pulling at the blankets.
Typical Maria move, hogging all the blankets on a cold night.
‘Did we win? The blast must have knocked me out and…..’ He traced one hand along ‘Maria’s’ body. The body shuddered and a faint despairing whine came from her.
And knew. They hadn’t won. They had lost.
Isabel. He was laying in bed naked with a naked Isabel.
There had been a time, not more than a year or two ago that he had wished for this. Had hoped and even secretly dreamed of it. Very secretly.
How could you not have a crush on a woman like Isabel? He had figured it would be years, but that they would slowly gravitate towards each other.
Despite the fact that he knew that she thought of him as a brother.
Mostly. There had been those few moments…..
But that was all long gone. Maria had worked her way into his heart. And unlike Isabel, who had always simply been content to condemn him, Maria had made an effort to change him. Had considered him worth the effort.
And getting flashes of her rants with Liz over him and Max were some of the funniest things he had ever seen. Her rants at him were a bit less fun. But she saw something in him.
He certainly had seen something in her. Maria was so alive. And she didn’t hide herself. She was who she was and mostly proud of it. Even her insecurities were open to read.
And that internal honesty made Michael feel safe with her. You couldn’t always trust what she said, but you could always trust what was in her eyes. He could see it. Always.
Isabel was all about secrets and managing the truth. While she trusted him, mostly. She still didn’t fully trust him.
In fact, he doubted Isabel fully trusted anyone. Except maybe Alex. Only given what had happened, perhaps that too had been spoiled.
Anger filled him then. Anger at all that Aric had done to them. He slipped out of bed, leaving the still shaking Isabel there. He grabbed a towel and made a crude loincloth out of it.
Isabel had been hurt enough.
Isabel turned to face him. Her eyes were shuttered and barred, but he could see tear trails making their way down her cheeks. “Michael. We have to do what he says. He will hurt Alex. He will kill my parents. We have to.” She was trembling near the end.
Near to breaking.
He touched her cheek. “Isabel we can’t. We just can’t. Maybe if there was some reason, some deeply compelling reason…. But blackmail? It would never end.”
Isabel nodded, a mixture of relief and fear on her face. “My powers are gone. Or I probably would have already killed myself. As it is I can’t seem to pull myself together to check the room. God, I am so tired of being weak. Of being afraid.” She looked up with him with a bit of hope, “But you could do it! You could kill me before Aric, before Aric…..”
Michael closed his eyes and reached out. And Maria was there. The bond was still there.
And if his bond to his love was there, maybe, just maybe Isabel’s lingered too. Assuming that Alex and Isabel had been able to forge a bond that quickly. At least a deep enough one for her to feel it with her powers out of commission.
But the thought of her eyes staring at him blankly, like Pierce’s had.
No. There was no way he could kill her. But he had to stop her from doing something self destructive. And he had two weapons for that.
Michael shook his head, “Not going to happen Iz. Can you still feel Alex? Because I can feel Maria and she is close.” And getting closer. Probably a rescue attempt. Maria wouldn’t let something trivial like blindness from participating.
It made him want to scream at her for her recklessness. While at the same time he could feel a pool of warmth that she go to such extremes for him. Just like he would for her.
Isabel froze for a moment. “I can feel him. He, he feels different. Strange. I thought him focused at the party, but now….”
“They are coming to get us.”
“NO! They can’t, they’ll be killed!” Isabel began to shake even harder. “If Alex dies, I don’t know what I would do. It’s almost like he is part of me now…..”
“Then we are going to have to help them.” Michael quickly looked around the room. He saw a couple of tables that could be used to batter at the door.
Again the rage came. Rage of what Aric had done to Maria. Of what he had done to Isabel.
Isabel of old would have told him to turn his back and made a toga like thing out of one of the blankets. She would have dared him to make a comment and she would have looked damn sexy in it. Not now. Not after what Aric had done to her.
Now she huddled under the blankets waiting for the sky to fall.
He walked over and examined the door. He pressed against it and the framework it set in.
Old and not in great condition. This was probably a normal room, maybe an office or storeroom before Aric got to it.
The strongest door is only as strong as the hinges and lock that keep it closed. Aric thought this would be enough to stop him
Aric was wrong.
Michael was about to smash the door for the first time when he could almost feel Maria standing next to him. She turned those emerald eyes and told him to try the door FIRST. That he would look so very stupid if the door were unlocked.
So he smiled and tried the door.
Locked.
So he battered it down.
--------
Maria current day, abducted by her mother
Maria could feel the car pull further and further from Roswell. Further from Michael.
But for the longest time she simply couldn’t do anything. A part of her aware even as she slept. She could hear her mother arguing with herself.
She couldn’t quite make sense of the words, too much of her mind was still asleep. But she could understand the gist of it.
Her mother was trying to justify to herself what she was doing. Because this would have major effects on Amy’s life as well. Her shop certainly was left behind. So was the house.
Had her mother made any provisions for any of it, or did she just plan to disappear? Had she even planned that far ahead. Or had she simply reacted…..
Or a really dark thought popped in her head.
Aric. Could Aric be behind this?
Certainly he was dead. Shot by Alex. Cremated. Put in a tiny depleted uranium container and dropped into the deepest part of the quarry lake.
No. He was dead. But the actions he had set in place before he had died….. Could he have planned this? Could he have used his creepy mind warp like powers on her mother and made her take her away?
Maria could feel the adrenaline begin to pump through her, as her body sought to defend itself. Only it had new tools now. Tools she didn’t fully understand, but knew were there.
Could she detoxify her blood? Could she do that?
Probably. But could she do it without hurting herself? That she didn’t know. So she waited and felt as the gap between herself and her friends increased.
This was doing her no good. So she decided to let go. To let her body rest and recharge.
Was she more full of that light than she had been? She thought she was. And the more she rested…. Well her mother was in for a big surprise.
Maria was not happy with this decision. Not at all. And Amy was about to learn that the days when she could arbitrarily decide Maria’s life were over.
Maria drifted into that comfortable darkness. And rested.
------
Maria woke up. She still felt a little groggy from whatever drug her mother had given her. But it was no longer enough to keep her asleep.
She was awake and aware. With her new senses she felt as the Jetta kept cruising along the highway. Maria had no idea how long she had been unconscious, no idea how long they had been driving.
But there was another change. They were no longer moving as fast away from Michael and Roswell.
It took her a moment to realize what that meant. Because Maria could feel the car moving quite rapidly along the highway. She didn’t really know how fast simply by feel, but it felt like her mother was still flooring it.
Michael was following her.
She closed her eyes tighter and let a couple of tears flow. Of course he was following her. He loved her.
Just like she loved him.
Her mother could not hide her any place that Michael could not follow. But to catch them….
Michael’s bike was not fast. Had it been in better condition maybe it would slowly catch up to the Jetta. But she knew that it wasn’t. And unless Michael had seriously gotten better at fixing machines rather than breaking them, she doubted he would be able to use his powers to fix that.
But then that gave her an idea. She could send her energy, the light that filled her into the Jetta and disturb one of the millions of little things that were keeping it running. Even if she only slowed it, Michael would catch up.
And they would be together. She and Michael could return to Roswell. Return to her friends and family.
It would be up to Amy to decide whether to remain part of her life or not.
So she reached into the car and felt along those many parts. And she touched there and there and there.
And the engine began to stall and the car began to slow.
Amy’s voice was plaintive, “No, this can’t be happening! I took you to the shop yesterday. Toby said you were all fixed!” The sounds of her hands repeatedly hitting the steering wheel.
Maria opened her eyes. Still darkness. Except she could feel the substance that surrounded her. Could feel her mother sitting at her side. She looked over at her mother and gasped.
Dimly lit, but still beautiful. Someday she would like to understand it. To understand all of it.
How could Michael go through the world every day looking at this and not be filled with wonder? Perhaps he and the others were just so used to it. So jaded by it being so every day that the simply did not see it.
Just as she knew that she had taken her sight for granted. And she wanted it back. To see what she could now was a wonder.
She still wanted to see the light of day again. Maria wanted Max to repair her sight.
Another thing her mother would deny her.
Maria couldn’t help laughing. Her mother couldn’t stop her now. Michael would come for her and she would go home.
Life would likely be hard at first. But Maria had every intention of living it.
The car came to a stop.
Maria could hear her mother sigh. In a resigned voice she asked, “Maria honey, did you do something to the car?”
“Sorry mom. You just don’t understand. I am not going to let you destroy my life simply because you can not accept it.”
An intake of breath, Amy spoke, her voice full of anger and disappointment. “Everything I have done has been to help you.”
Maria looked over in her mother’s direction, “Throwing me out of the house in the pouring rain was to ‘help me’?” She felt her mouth twist into a Michael like sneer, “Thank you but no thank you. I will just stay here and wait for Michael.”
She could feel the anger build in her mother could feel as she was about to fight….. And felt as it all collapsed. As her mother began to sob uncontrollably.
Maria just sat there wondering what to do. She wanted to hold her mother, but her mother had just tried to take many of the most important things in her life away from her.
Yes. It wouldn’t change anything. Wouldn’t make her stop being angry at her. But her Mom was still her Mom.
Besides she had been cool most of Maria’s life. Maybe it would be good to try to build something off of that.
But her days of living with her mother were over. And that was not going to change.
So she held onto her mother and comforted her. If only a little.
Which is how she found herself in a motel room with her mother. Both of them laughing and talking of better days.
Maria had called Max and supposedly Tess and Kyle would be by to help the Jetta get back onto its feet. Michael was less than an hour away.
And she knew another confrontation was coming. One she wasn’t looking forward to.
But one that she knew HAD to happen. One that the outcome was already a forgone conclusion, but still…. It had to be done.
For now they talked of happy days.
And waited.
Either way, thank you all.
Ellie- Thanks. That trust is going to take a long time to rebuild. I think you are right about Amy. All she sees is that her baby girl is in danger and she must save her from herself. But after this part will come the confrontation that will decide exactly what kind of relationship she has with her daughter after this. If any.
Velvet Skye- Thanks. You caught the motel. I was going to describe it and how it brought back memories to Maria. But unfortunately she is still blind.
marynmary- Thanks. The confrontation is in the next part. But Amy still gets a surprise in this one too.
Carrie- Thanks. Glad you like it so far. As for Amy.... Everyone always writes her as the cool parent. Mostly I do too. But given the way this story has written itself, and how irrational any Deluca and or Guerin can be about those they love. I just thought this appropriate.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 4
Michael- Friday night, Aric’s Prisoner at Eagle Rock
Michael woke up to warmth of silken skin moving against his. For just a moment he reveled in it. She was half turned from him, pulling at the blankets.
Typical Maria move, hogging all the blankets on a cold night.
‘Did we win? The blast must have knocked me out and…..’ He traced one hand along ‘Maria’s’ body. The body shuddered and a faint despairing whine came from her.
And knew. They hadn’t won. They had lost.
Isabel. He was laying in bed naked with a naked Isabel.
There had been a time, not more than a year or two ago that he had wished for this. Had hoped and even secretly dreamed of it. Very secretly.
How could you not have a crush on a woman like Isabel? He had figured it would be years, but that they would slowly gravitate towards each other.
Despite the fact that he knew that she thought of him as a brother.
Mostly. There had been those few moments…..
But that was all long gone. Maria had worked her way into his heart. And unlike Isabel, who had always simply been content to condemn him, Maria had made an effort to change him. Had considered him worth the effort.
And getting flashes of her rants with Liz over him and Max were some of the funniest things he had ever seen. Her rants at him were a bit less fun. But she saw something in him.
He certainly had seen something in her. Maria was so alive. And she didn’t hide herself. She was who she was and mostly proud of it. Even her insecurities were open to read.
And that internal honesty made Michael feel safe with her. You couldn’t always trust what she said, but you could always trust what was in her eyes. He could see it. Always.
Isabel was all about secrets and managing the truth. While she trusted him, mostly. She still didn’t fully trust him.
In fact, he doubted Isabel fully trusted anyone. Except maybe Alex. Only given what had happened, perhaps that too had been spoiled.
Anger filled him then. Anger at all that Aric had done to them. He slipped out of bed, leaving the still shaking Isabel there. He grabbed a towel and made a crude loincloth out of it.
Isabel had been hurt enough.
Isabel turned to face him. Her eyes were shuttered and barred, but he could see tear trails making their way down her cheeks. “Michael. We have to do what he says. He will hurt Alex. He will kill my parents. We have to.” She was trembling near the end.
Near to breaking.
He touched her cheek. “Isabel we can’t. We just can’t. Maybe if there was some reason, some deeply compelling reason…. But blackmail? It would never end.”
Isabel nodded, a mixture of relief and fear on her face. “My powers are gone. Or I probably would have already killed myself. As it is I can’t seem to pull myself together to check the room. God, I am so tired of being weak. Of being afraid.” She looked up with him with a bit of hope, “But you could do it! You could kill me before Aric, before Aric…..”
Michael closed his eyes and reached out. And Maria was there. The bond was still there.
And if his bond to his love was there, maybe, just maybe Isabel’s lingered too. Assuming that Alex and Isabel had been able to forge a bond that quickly. At least a deep enough one for her to feel it with her powers out of commission.
But the thought of her eyes staring at him blankly, like Pierce’s had.
No. There was no way he could kill her. But he had to stop her from doing something self destructive. And he had two weapons for that.
Michael shook his head, “Not going to happen Iz. Can you still feel Alex? Because I can feel Maria and she is close.” And getting closer. Probably a rescue attempt. Maria wouldn’t let something trivial like blindness from participating.
It made him want to scream at her for her recklessness. While at the same time he could feel a pool of warmth that she go to such extremes for him. Just like he would for her.
Isabel froze for a moment. “I can feel him. He, he feels different. Strange. I thought him focused at the party, but now….”
“They are coming to get us.”
“NO! They can’t, they’ll be killed!” Isabel began to shake even harder. “If Alex dies, I don’t know what I would do. It’s almost like he is part of me now…..”
“Then we are going to have to help them.” Michael quickly looked around the room. He saw a couple of tables that could be used to batter at the door.
Again the rage came. Rage of what Aric had done to Maria. Of what he had done to Isabel.
Isabel of old would have told him to turn his back and made a toga like thing out of one of the blankets. She would have dared him to make a comment and she would have looked damn sexy in it. Not now. Not after what Aric had done to her.
Now she huddled under the blankets waiting for the sky to fall.
He walked over and examined the door. He pressed against it and the framework it set in.
Old and not in great condition. This was probably a normal room, maybe an office or storeroom before Aric got to it.
The strongest door is only as strong as the hinges and lock that keep it closed. Aric thought this would be enough to stop him
Aric was wrong.
Michael was about to smash the door for the first time when he could almost feel Maria standing next to him. She turned those emerald eyes and told him to try the door FIRST. That he would look so very stupid if the door were unlocked.
So he smiled and tried the door.
Locked.
So he battered it down.
--------
Maria current day, abducted by her mother
Maria could feel the car pull further and further from Roswell. Further from Michael.
But for the longest time she simply couldn’t do anything. A part of her aware even as she slept. She could hear her mother arguing with herself.
She couldn’t quite make sense of the words, too much of her mind was still asleep. But she could understand the gist of it.
Her mother was trying to justify to herself what she was doing. Because this would have major effects on Amy’s life as well. Her shop certainly was left behind. So was the house.
Had her mother made any provisions for any of it, or did she just plan to disappear? Had she even planned that far ahead. Or had she simply reacted…..
Or a really dark thought popped in her head.
Aric. Could Aric be behind this?
Certainly he was dead. Shot by Alex. Cremated. Put in a tiny depleted uranium container and dropped into the deepest part of the quarry lake.
No. He was dead. But the actions he had set in place before he had died….. Could he have planned this? Could he have used his creepy mind warp like powers on her mother and made her take her away?
Maria could feel the adrenaline begin to pump through her, as her body sought to defend itself. Only it had new tools now. Tools she didn’t fully understand, but knew were there.
Could she detoxify her blood? Could she do that?
Probably. But could she do it without hurting herself? That she didn’t know. So she waited and felt as the gap between herself and her friends increased.
This was doing her no good. So she decided to let go. To let her body rest and recharge.
Was she more full of that light than she had been? She thought she was. And the more she rested…. Well her mother was in for a big surprise.
Maria was not happy with this decision. Not at all. And Amy was about to learn that the days when she could arbitrarily decide Maria’s life were over.
Maria drifted into that comfortable darkness. And rested.
------
Maria woke up. She still felt a little groggy from whatever drug her mother had given her. But it was no longer enough to keep her asleep.
She was awake and aware. With her new senses she felt as the Jetta kept cruising along the highway. Maria had no idea how long she had been unconscious, no idea how long they had been driving.
But there was another change. They were no longer moving as fast away from Michael and Roswell.
It took her a moment to realize what that meant. Because Maria could feel the car moving quite rapidly along the highway. She didn’t really know how fast simply by feel, but it felt like her mother was still flooring it.
Michael was following her.
She closed her eyes tighter and let a couple of tears flow. Of course he was following her. He loved her.
Just like she loved him.
Her mother could not hide her any place that Michael could not follow. But to catch them….
Michael’s bike was not fast. Had it been in better condition maybe it would slowly catch up to the Jetta. But she knew that it wasn’t. And unless Michael had seriously gotten better at fixing machines rather than breaking them, she doubted he would be able to use his powers to fix that.
But then that gave her an idea. She could send her energy, the light that filled her into the Jetta and disturb one of the millions of little things that were keeping it running. Even if she only slowed it, Michael would catch up.
And they would be together. She and Michael could return to Roswell. Return to her friends and family.
It would be up to Amy to decide whether to remain part of her life or not.
So she reached into the car and felt along those many parts. And she touched there and there and there.
And the engine began to stall and the car began to slow.
Amy’s voice was plaintive, “No, this can’t be happening! I took you to the shop yesterday. Toby said you were all fixed!” The sounds of her hands repeatedly hitting the steering wheel.
Maria opened her eyes. Still darkness. Except she could feel the substance that surrounded her. Could feel her mother sitting at her side. She looked over at her mother and gasped.
Dimly lit, but still beautiful. Someday she would like to understand it. To understand all of it.
How could Michael go through the world every day looking at this and not be filled with wonder? Perhaps he and the others were just so used to it. So jaded by it being so every day that the simply did not see it.
Just as she knew that she had taken her sight for granted. And she wanted it back. To see what she could now was a wonder.
She still wanted to see the light of day again. Maria wanted Max to repair her sight.
Another thing her mother would deny her.
Maria couldn’t help laughing. Her mother couldn’t stop her now. Michael would come for her and she would go home.
Life would likely be hard at first. But Maria had every intention of living it.
The car came to a stop.
Maria could hear her mother sigh. In a resigned voice she asked, “Maria honey, did you do something to the car?”
“Sorry mom. You just don’t understand. I am not going to let you destroy my life simply because you can not accept it.”
An intake of breath, Amy spoke, her voice full of anger and disappointment. “Everything I have done has been to help you.”
Maria looked over in her mother’s direction, “Throwing me out of the house in the pouring rain was to ‘help me’?” She felt her mouth twist into a Michael like sneer, “Thank you but no thank you. I will just stay here and wait for Michael.”
She could feel the anger build in her mother could feel as she was about to fight….. And felt as it all collapsed. As her mother began to sob uncontrollably.
Maria just sat there wondering what to do. She wanted to hold her mother, but her mother had just tried to take many of the most important things in her life away from her.
Yes. It wouldn’t change anything. Wouldn’t make her stop being angry at her. But her Mom was still her Mom.
Besides she had been cool most of Maria’s life. Maybe it would be good to try to build something off of that.
But her days of living with her mother were over. And that was not going to change.
So she held onto her mother and comforted her. If only a little.
Which is how she found herself in a motel room with her mother. Both of them laughing and talking of better days.
Maria had called Max and supposedly Tess and Kyle would be by to help the Jetta get back onto its feet. Michael was less than an hour away.
And she knew another confrontation was coming. One she wasn’t looking forward to.
But one that she knew HAD to happen. One that the outcome was already a forgone conclusion, but still…. It had to be done.
For now they talked of happy days.
And waited.
Re: Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Part 4 - 09/03/10
Thanks to everyone following along. This part is short, but I suspect I will have the next part up shortly. It just came to a natural stopping point here.
Keepsmiling7- Amy is a woman who nearly lost her daughter a couple days ago, only to nearly lose her again. She is merely trying to protect her. How she is going about it is... not the right way.
Ellie- Thanks. Ellie, I promise I will try to get that meeting written this week. (I am on vacation.) But this part wanted to be written first. And it ends on a natural ending point. Please don't hate me.
Carrie- Thanks. As always you are full of such praise, praise I am not sure I am worthy of. But I thank you for it, it warms my heart that I may possibly have some measure of skill. For that I thank you.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended
Blind Faith part 5
Amy
Amy chuckled a little in remembrance of the last story Maria had shared about a particularly dense customer she had had just last week. Such a small time ago.
But so much had changed. Her daughter certainly had, and in such a short time. The blindness, her eyes not looking at Amy even the slightest bit.
Blind and yet she could see.
Amy shuddered. So many changes. Her daughter had been the one to wreck the Jetta.
With her mind. Her daughter could break things with her mind. Could see without eyes. Had become, what? One of them? An alien freak hunted by the government?
Why couldn’t Maria see that leaving them was the only possible way for her to escape that? Why did she have to be so stubborn?
Amy sighed and sat down on one of the ridiculously colored couches. She heard the shower behind her start.
Michael would be here soon. Maria had been so excited to be reunited with her paramour. She had said that no matter how far they went Michael could follow.
Amy wasn’t so sure that soul-bonding thing was more than some sort of alien hocus-pocus placed on her daughter. One that would leave her high and dry, possibly with some alien spawn growing within her.
Men could not be trusted. That was simply part of their makeup. Dave had told her that one day he wanted a family. But when she had turned up pregnant he had told her he wasn’t ready. That she should give up the child or abort it.
Oh, the arguments that had resulted. That had shattered their perfect harmony.
In the end she had done it. Had killed the life inside of her. She had tried to pretend it had not affected her. That her sadness had merely been from the hormones.
But Amy loved kids. She always had. She had always wanted a nice full family. One that she never had.
Not after the accident that had stolen her father when she was ten.
No, she had seen her mother work so hard to raise her five kids, and swore that she would never be in that situation. It had been part of why she had agreed to the abortion, because Dave had promised, promised that someday he would be ready.
Then Maria had been conceived. Again the fights, again the recriminations. But this time Amy won. Dave had tried to live up to his word and his marital vows.
And ultimately failed. Abandoning her and a seven year old, a mortgage and a business on the rocks. And like her mother before her, Amy persevered.
She had sworn her daughter would never face the same threat. But there was no way someone like Michael could possibly be true to her. From his own mouth he had told Amy that one day he might have to leave for parts unknown. And not just to another state or country but to another damned star.
No Michael was not going to plant half-alien spawn inside her daughter and then saunter off into the unknown, leaving her and Amy to pick up the pieces. No. It WOULD NOT happen.
Amy would see to it.
And if she couldn’t shake Michael, if she could not get him to leave them alone…. Well there was one last way she could rid her daughter of this unwanted pursuer.
Amy walked over to her purse and rummaged through it. Past the can of mace that had long been her last line of defense. But that would only slow Michael. And Amy wasn’t even sure it would work on him. Not now.
Amy pulled out a revolver she had swiped from Jim. Another man whom she had thought she could trust. Another failure on her part. She had been so happy about a man who had seemed to care for more than just sleeping with her. With someone whom she had been beginning to think she might seriously be falling for.
But just like every other man she had ever known he had lied to her. Had hidden important things from her.
Like just how much danger her only child was dealing with on a daily basis. The random weirdness that followed the alien hybrids was bad enough, but it wasn’t all by any means. Secret government agents? Evil alien warlords? Who knew where it would end.
No her baby was better out of it. Hadn’t she been tainted by the weirdness enough? Did they want her to fully die?
The worry and anxiety that had afflicted her only a few days ago when Maria had been lying in a coma, one that the doctors had been sure would be final… She blinked back tears.
No. She could not fall apart now. Not when Michael could be here any moment.
Maria would be angry. Might hate her for life. But in the end it was for her daughters own good.
Michael must die.
Amy loaded the gun.
Keepsmiling7- Amy is a woman who nearly lost her daughter a couple days ago, only to nearly lose her again. She is merely trying to protect her. How she is going about it is... not the right way.
Ellie- Thanks. Ellie, I promise I will try to get that meeting written this week. (I am on vacation.) But this part wanted to be written first. And it ends on a natural ending point. Please don't hate me.
Carrie- Thanks. As always you are full of such praise, praise I am not sure I am worthy of. But I thank you for it, it warms my heart that I may possibly have some measure of skill. For that I thank you.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended
Blind Faith part 5
Amy
Amy chuckled a little in remembrance of the last story Maria had shared about a particularly dense customer she had had just last week. Such a small time ago.
But so much had changed. Her daughter certainly had, and in such a short time. The blindness, her eyes not looking at Amy even the slightest bit.
Blind and yet she could see.
Amy shuddered. So many changes. Her daughter had been the one to wreck the Jetta.
With her mind. Her daughter could break things with her mind. Could see without eyes. Had become, what? One of them? An alien freak hunted by the government?
Why couldn’t Maria see that leaving them was the only possible way for her to escape that? Why did she have to be so stubborn?
Amy sighed and sat down on one of the ridiculously colored couches. She heard the shower behind her start.
Michael would be here soon. Maria had been so excited to be reunited with her paramour. She had said that no matter how far they went Michael could follow.
Amy wasn’t so sure that soul-bonding thing was more than some sort of alien hocus-pocus placed on her daughter. One that would leave her high and dry, possibly with some alien spawn growing within her.
Men could not be trusted. That was simply part of their makeup. Dave had told her that one day he wanted a family. But when she had turned up pregnant he had told her he wasn’t ready. That she should give up the child or abort it.
Oh, the arguments that had resulted. That had shattered their perfect harmony.
In the end she had done it. Had killed the life inside of her. She had tried to pretend it had not affected her. That her sadness had merely been from the hormones.
But Amy loved kids. She always had. She had always wanted a nice full family. One that she never had.
Not after the accident that had stolen her father when she was ten.
No, she had seen her mother work so hard to raise her five kids, and swore that she would never be in that situation. It had been part of why she had agreed to the abortion, because Dave had promised, promised that someday he would be ready.
Then Maria had been conceived. Again the fights, again the recriminations. But this time Amy won. Dave had tried to live up to his word and his marital vows.
And ultimately failed. Abandoning her and a seven year old, a mortgage and a business on the rocks. And like her mother before her, Amy persevered.
She had sworn her daughter would never face the same threat. But there was no way someone like Michael could possibly be true to her. From his own mouth he had told Amy that one day he might have to leave for parts unknown. And not just to another state or country but to another damned star.
No Michael was not going to plant half-alien spawn inside her daughter and then saunter off into the unknown, leaving her and Amy to pick up the pieces. No. It WOULD NOT happen.
Amy would see to it.
And if she couldn’t shake Michael, if she could not get him to leave them alone…. Well there was one last way she could rid her daughter of this unwanted pursuer.
Amy walked over to her purse and rummaged through it. Past the can of mace that had long been her last line of defense. But that would only slow Michael. And Amy wasn’t even sure it would work on him. Not now.
Amy pulled out a revolver she had swiped from Jim. Another man whom she had thought she could trust. Another failure on her part. She had been so happy about a man who had seemed to care for more than just sleeping with her. With someone whom she had been beginning to think she might seriously be falling for.
But just like every other man she had ever known he had lied to her. Had hidden important things from her.
Like just how much danger her only child was dealing with on a daily basis. The random weirdness that followed the alien hybrids was bad enough, but it wasn’t all by any means. Secret government agents? Evil alien warlords? Who knew where it would end.
No her baby was better out of it. Hadn’t she been tainted by the weirdness enough? Did they want her to fully die?
The worry and anxiety that had afflicted her only a few days ago when Maria had been lying in a coma, one that the doctors had been sure would be final… She blinked back tears.
No. She could not fall apart now. Not when Michael could be here any moment.
Maria would be angry. Might hate her for life. But in the end it was for her daughters own good.
Michael must die.
Amy loaded the gun.
Re: Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Part 5 - 09/12/10
Thanks again to everyone reading this story.
Ellie- Thanks. No I am not trying to kill you. But this is just the sort of impulsive over reaction I can see Amy doing to something this extreme. There are reasons for her actions, this POV is Michael. The next one in the next part will be Amy's and things might be more clear. I hope.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. Yeah, Amy is a lot like Maria in some ways. She is normally more level headed since she is older, but recent experiences have left her off kilter.
Disclaimer-Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 6
Michael-
Michael stood in front of the motel room, trying not to smirk.
What were the odds? Not only was it the same motel, it was the same room. The room where Maria had begun to sneak her way into his heart. Where she had set the first seeds to the vines that had shattered the wall he had so carefully built to shield him from the world.
Those walls were now sundered. If only enough to let her in.
And enough for him to see out of. To see the world not just as a place he needed to bide time in, but one in which he himself would have to live. Perhaps the day would come when he could return home. Perhaps the day would come when he would live again the life he had once as a pivotal member of a royal court.
But perhaps not as well. Maybe he would simply live a quiet life with Maria and the kids they would surely have. Liz had told him herself that she wasn’t sure that it would be this generation that headed back. She had merely done the unthinkable to ensure that it would be her at Max’s side.
That it would be her children or grandchildren that would ascend to Antar’s throne.
Not because she lusted after power or privilege, but simply to carry out a duty that whoever became Max’s wife and lover would have to deal with.
Max was a King. A King without a crown or throne, but still an acknowledged King, if one in exile. And the first law of monarchy was to protect the succession.
No Michael wasn’t sure he would ever like Liz Parker, but his respect for her was sealed.
He sighed. He was wasting time.
He knocked. He knew they were in there.
There was no answer.
He knocked again.
Still no answer.
Something was wrong.
He used his powers to open the door. He stared right into Amy’s bright eyes. There were tears there, and determination. But mostly it was the gun in her hand that worried him.
It was naturally pointed straight at him.
Amy looked at him grimly, her hand shaking a little with the weight of the gun.. “How did you find us? Maria said you two share a Bond that ties the two of you together. That she can feel where you are at all times. Is that true?”
Michael held both hands up in front of him, “Mrs. Deluca, why don’t you put the gun down and we can talk rationally.” Never had there been a time when he wished he could raise a shield like Max. But he had tried and tried to no avail.
He could blast and hope it stopped the bullet mid-flight, but the blast would likely go on to kill Amy. Memories of Agent Pierce’s body flying across the room, dead flashed before his eyes.
No. He could not risk it. Even assuming he could dial down his power now that he was here and so very nervous, he would still likely hurt Amy. Perhaps badly.
Doing that, even now, given how screwed up the mother/ daughter relationship must be at this point, would be like hurting Maria. He could already picture the pain in her green eyes.
No. He couldn’t risk it.
He would have to pray that Amy was in a rational mood. That he could reach her.
Amy waved the gun slightly, “You see, my daughter is all I have Michael. All the rest of it. My whole life…. It’s one failure after another. Except Maria. She’s the one bright shining point. The one place I haven’t failed…. Yet.” She swallowed hard, “I will not let you ruin her.”
Michael looked at Amy, “Look I care for your daughter, and I will do whatever I can to protect her….”
Amy just laughed bitterly, “Protect her? She has nearly DIED three times in the last week, simply because of who you are. Protect her my ass. All you will do is put her in a damn shooting gallery that your enemies will take potshots at you. And there’s a good chance my daughter will be caught in the crossfire. It’s too damn likely. No thank you, Michael. Maria doesn’t need your ‘protection.’”
Michael looked at Amy. Some of what she said was true. But it was so much more complicated than that. Maria had entangled herself in his problems. Sure he had kidnapped her and that had led to being in this very room so long ago. To that first halting bonding moment.
All leading to that first halting kiss to calm them both down while they distracted the FBI. That had lit a fire that had never truly gone out. A need for her that had only grown.
A need that they shared. If Amy thought this was just him, he was sadly mistaken. Maria was very much involved in this relationship. More so than he had been for most of it.
That too would have to change. But the earrings he had in his pocket said that maybe those changes were already starting. But to get to that happy ever after, he needed to face Amy.
Michael rubbed above his eyebrow nervously. What he said here would be important. “Maybe you are right Ms. Deluca. Maybe you daughter would be better off without all this hassle and danger. But she chose it. She chose to belong with us. To be with me. Do you truly think you own her? That she is some possession you can just take away from me, knowing very well this is against her wishes?”
Amy bit out, “She is only sixteen, Michael. A child. I have every right as a parent to do this. To protect her.”
Michael nodded slowly, “I guess legally, maybe you do. Maybe you can try to drag her off to where ever you want to hide. But I can still find her and she can find me. Are you going to be able to teach her how to not hurt herself or others? Those powers can be quite dangerous.”
“I will think of something. And there is one way to make sure you can’t follow me. One way I can make sure I never have to deal with you again.”
“Ms. Deluca, if you were going to shoot me, you already would have. You might be trying to work up your courage, to steel yourself to do it, but you are not a killer. You are a good woman, who has raised a good daughter.”
Amy held out the gun, put her other hand on it to keep it steady.
Michael stood there. But he watched her eyes. He’d almost certainly get hit, but moving a few inches before she shot could mean life or death.
“Michael!” Maria stood at the bathroom door. She was clad only in towels.
Michael couldn’t help it, he drank her in. Amy’s gun was forgotten and he drifted over to her.
She flew into his arms.
They briefly kissed. When Michael remembered Amy…. Thankfully before removing any of the towels that Maria was wearing.
He looked over to where she had been.
But she was gone.
Ellie- Thanks. No I am not trying to kill you. But this is just the sort of impulsive over reaction I can see Amy doing to something this extreme. There are reasons for her actions, this POV is Michael. The next one in the next part will be Amy's and things might be more clear. I hope.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. Yeah, Amy is a lot like Maria in some ways. She is normally more level headed since she is older, but recent experiences have left her off kilter.
Disclaimer-Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 6
Michael-
Michael stood in front of the motel room, trying not to smirk.
What were the odds? Not only was it the same motel, it was the same room. The room where Maria had begun to sneak her way into his heart. Where she had set the first seeds to the vines that had shattered the wall he had so carefully built to shield him from the world.
Those walls were now sundered. If only enough to let her in.
And enough for him to see out of. To see the world not just as a place he needed to bide time in, but one in which he himself would have to live. Perhaps the day would come when he could return home. Perhaps the day would come when he would live again the life he had once as a pivotal member of a royal court.
But perhaps not as well. Maybe he would simply live a quiet life with Maria and the kids they would surely have. Liz had told him herself that she wasn’t sure that it would be this generation that headed back. She had merely done the unthinkable to ensure that it would be her at Max’s side.
That it would be her children or grandchildren that would ascend to Antar’s throne.
Not because she lusted after power or privilege, but simply to carry out a duty that whoever became Max’s wife and lover would have to deal with.
Max was a King. A King without a crown or throne, but still an acknowledged King, if one in exile. And the first law of monarchy was to protect the succession.
No Michael wasn’t sure he would ever like Liz Parker, but his respect for her was sealed.
He sighed. He was wasting time.
He knocked. He knew they were in there.
There was no answer.
He knocked again.
Still no answer.
Something was wrong.
He used his powers to open the door. He stared right into Amy’s bright eyes. There were tears there, and determination. But mostly it was the gun in her hand that worried him.
It was naturally pointed straight at him.
Amy looked at him grimly, her hand shaking a little with the weight of the gun.. “How did you find us? Maria said you two share a Bond that ties the two of you together. That she can feel where you are at all times. Is that true?”
Michael held both hands up in front of him, “Mrs. Deluca, why don’t you put the gun down and we can talk rationally.” Never had there been a time when he wished he could raise a shield like Max. But he had tried and tried to no avail.
He could blast and hope it stopped the bullet mid-flight, but the blast would likely go on to kill Amy. Memories of Agent Pierce’s body flying across the room, dead flashed before his eyes.
No. He could not risk it. Even assuming he could dial down his power now that he was here and so very nervous, he would still likely hurt Amy. Perhaps badly.
Doing that, even now, given how screwed up the mother/ daughter relationship must be at this point, would be like hurting Maria. He could already picture the pain in her green eyes.
No. He couldn’t risk it.
He would have to pray that Amy was in a rational mood. That he could reach her.
Amy waved the gun slightly, “You see, my daughter is all I have Michael. All the rest of it. My whole life…. It’s one failure after another. Except Maria. She’s the one bright shining point. The one place I haven’t failed…. Yet.” She swallowed hard, “I will not let you ruin her.”
Michael looked at Amy, “Look I care for your daughter, and I will do whatever I can to protect her….”
Amy just laughed bitterly, “Protect her? She has nearly DIED three times in the last week, simply because of who you are. Protect her my ass. All you will do is put her in a damn shooting gallery that your enemies will take potshots at you. And there’s a good chance my daughter will be caught in the crossfire. It’s too damn likely. No thank you, Michael. Maria doesn’t need your ‘protection.’”
Michael looked at Amy. Some of what she said was true. But it was so much more complicated than that. Maria had entangled herself in his problems. Sure he had kidnapped her and that had led to being in this very room so long ago. To that first halting bonding moment.
All leading to that first halting kiss to calm them both down while they distracted the FBI. That had lit a fire that had never truly gone out. A need for her that had only grown.
A need that they shared. If Amy thought this was just him, he was sadly mistaken. Maria was very much involved in this relationship. More so than he had been for most of it.
That too would have to change. But the earrings he had in his pocket said that maybe those changes were already starting. But to get to that happy ever after, he needed to face Amy.
Michael rubbed above his eyebrow nervously. What he said here would be important. “Maybe you are right Ms. Deluca. Maybe you daughter would be better off without all this hassle and danger. But she chose it. She chose to belong with us. To be with me. Do you truly think you own her? That she is some possession you can just take away from me, knowing very well this is against her wishes?”
Amy bit out, “She is only sixteen, Michael. A child. I have every right as a parent to do this. To protect her.”
Michael nodded slowly, “I guess legally, maybe you do. Maybe you can try to drag her off to where ever you want to hide. But I can still find her and she can find me. Are you going to be able to teach her how to not hurt herself or others? Those powers can be quite dangerous.”
“I will think of something. And there is one way to make sure you can’t follow me. One way I can make sure I never have to deal with you again.”
“Ms. Deluca, if you were going to shoot me, you already would have. You might be trying to work up your courage, to steel yourself to do it, but you are not a killer. You are a good woman, who has raised a good daughter.”
Amy held out the gun, put her other hand on it to keep it steady.
Michael stood there. But he watched her eyes. He’d almost certainly get hit, but moving a few inches before she shot could mean life or death.
“Michael!” Maria stood at the bathroom door. She was clad only in towels.
Michael couldn’t help it, he drank her in. Amy’s gun was forgotten and he drifted over to her.
She flew into his arms.
They briefly kissed. When Michael remembered Amy…. Thankfully before removing any of the towels that Maria was wearing.
He looked over to where she had been.
But she was gone.
Re: Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Part 6 - 09/25/10
Thanks again to everyone reading along. Two more chapters after this one I think. And a warning that this chapter will have a few dark spots in it. So be warned.
Ellie- Thanks. Well thats what this chapter is about. What did Amy do when she left the room? Hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 7
Amy-
Amy watched as her daughter kissed Michael. And she felt as the anger fled. Her daughter truly loved the boy.
For now.
There might come a day, a horrible day after he had broken her heart that Maria would understand where Amy was coming from.
But it would not be today. Today her daughter loved Michael.
And Michael was right. She was too weak. To weak to do what needed to be done.
Amy Deluca had failed. Failed at this just as she had at every other aspect of her life. She brushed a tear away as she walked toward the door.
She sat down on the curb outside and stared out at the darkening sky. How was she going to explain everything to Maria? That Amy’s attempts to keep her shop open until the holidays filled her coffers….
Except the holiday rush hadn’t been as brisk as it had been in previous years. She had made money. Just not enough.
Not enough to save her shop.
And with Christmas already basically here, her business was about to drop again. There was no way she could make up the payment for February, even assuming she made the one for January.
Maria’s medical bills simply broke the bank.
Oh, Amy didn’t even want to think about the bills to come. Bankruptcy might be her only hope.
Failed wife. Failed business woman. College dropout.
And now, failed mother.
Because any way you look at it, Maria would never forgive her. Amy’s mother had threatened violence on the boys she had spent time with. Had harassed and driven off plenty of them.
But she had never actually held a gun to one. Had never actually considered killing someone as far as Amy knew. In her rage, Amy had been prepared to take a step she could never have taken back.
She had nearly killed someone. She looked down at the gun she still held in her hands. She had felt as her hands had begun to pull on the trigger. How much harder would it have taken to send a bullet straight into Michael’s heart.
Killing him.
A vision of an crying Maria cradling the dead body of Michael, glaring up at her with those sightless eyes that still saw so very much.
How could she even have thought to do that? It wasn’t like Michael was any worse than the boys Amy had been with in High School. Better in a lot of ways, really.
But Amy had been so determined to make sure her daughter did not have the same fate. Didn’t fall for the same rebel without a clue type she had.
And Michael seemed to fit that stereotype so well. Unfocused and drifting. Not paying any attention in school….. The boy had no future.
Still, Michael had been paying for a lot of his own stuff, responsible for paying bills and maintaining his apartment.
That was more than most of the boys Amy had been interested in when she was Maria’s age.
It was just she had wanted something better for her daughter. Had wanted her to go to college. To be successful. To not suffer like she herself had.
And then there was the whole alien angle. Her daughter had nearly died horribly several times in the last few days because of him. That wasn’t likely to change.
Michael had enemies, vicious enemies. How long was her daughter likely to survive them?
And was it truly her daughter anymore. Or had they changed her. Made her into something else. Because her daughter had done something to the car. Maria admitted to it.
Her daughter could not have done that.
Maybe she shouldn’t worry about losing her daughter at all. Maybe she already had.
Total failure. Complete and total.
Amy stared down at the gun she had stolen from Jim. There had been times when she had thought about suicide. When it had seemed so much easier than going through the day to day hell of a single mother.
It had been Maria, the thought of her little life shattered. And Amy had gone on.
But now…. Her daughter lost.
Because she had to face it, even if Maria didn’t hate her, it would be a long time before the girl trusted her again.
Tears came to her eyes as Amy thought through her actions of the last few days. It had all been for Maria’s benefit, but Amy knew how she herself would have reacted if her mother had gone to such extremes.
Her chest began to tighten and hurt. Her head pounding and shaking as the tears begun.
Amy had crossed a line. And even if her daughter had not turned into some alien monster, Amy had lost her. Quite likely forever.
Might as well end it.
She lifted the gun to her right temple. She was shaking, tears streaming, and so full of so much internal pain and self hate. Her finger fumbled on the trigger slightly, as a part of her warred inside of her against this.
Against this horrible folly.
But the pain was too much, simply too much for her.
She pulled on the trigger.
It was in that last split second. Her last split second that she realized how much she wanted to LIVE. That things had looked as dark and grim before as they did now. That she had always been able to muddle through, to regain what she had lost.
Images flashed through her mind of all the things she had to live for. All that she had given up.
And she waited, her life, the good and bad flashing before her eyes.
CLACK.
Amy stood there waiting for the bang. Waiting for the hammer blow that would send her brains across the parking lot and her soul screaming into hell.
Nothing.
She began to laugh. She couldn’t help it. And in that moment she felt so very ALIVE. Alive and grateful to God or whatever power had saved her.
She simply couldn’t stop laughing.
“Ma’am, are you okay?”
Amy looked over at the speaker. She was still laughing as she took him in. He looked a little older than her, and tired after a long day. But he was handsome. Her eyes roved to his hands and noted there was no ring.
That didn’t always mean anything. But….
She shook her head. Now was not the time. “I am…. Fine.”
He sat next to her. “I saw what you were trying to do. It doesn’t really help, ma’am. Doesn’t take away the sorrow from you, just leaves destruction in your wake. You’re too pretty to not have loved ones.”
“How would you know how I feel?”
He looked at her soberly and at the gun in her right hand. “Been there myself. When my wife died, I simply didn’t think I could go on. But then I thought about my kids, you know? Who would be there for them? They were hurting too you know.” He sighed. “You are right. I suppose it’s not my business to get involved. I just don’t want to see you make a mistake you can’t ever take back.”
Amy put the pistol back into her purse. “No, that’s okay. It’s Amy by the way.”
He put his hand out, “David.” He looked around. He waved his arm over to the parking lot, where a big rig had pulled up. “I have a few things to do right now, but if you need someone to talk to. I am here.”
“Yeah, well I suppose I could use a drink if you are up to it? Meet you here in thirty minutes?” Amy said looking up at him.
He laughed slightly. It was a nice laugh. “I could knock a few beers back I think.”
Amy stood up unsteadily. David kept her stable.
Amy smiled once more, flirting a bit with her eyes. “Is there a store nearby? Just need to pick up a few things.”
“That depends on what you need. A real store, well that’s about twenty miles away. But there’s an attached convenience store attached to the gas station next to the motel” He pointed.
“That should be fine. See you in a little bit.” Amy started walking. Her mind was swimming with all the contrasting emotions that were floating inside of her. Had she really just offered to go out for drinks with a complete stranger out in the middle of nowhere?
Yes. Yes she had. And she had no clue where it would go from there. But she was alive.
And most likely this was a mistake she would survive.
Hopefully she would be back before her daughter and Michael really got going. Because she had been serious about not being ready to be a grandmother. And she was pretty sure Michael hadn’t brought any protection with him.
Given the nature of the motel next door, the clerk didn’t look twice when she purchased a couple boxes of condoms, some food, and a six pack of beer.
Amy was smiling as she headed back to the motel….
Ellie- Thanks. Well thats what this chapter is about. What did Amy do when she left the room? Hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 7
Amy-
Amy watched as her daughter kissed Michael. And she felt as the anger fled. Her daughter truly loved the boy.
For now.
There might come a day, a horrible day after he had broken her heart that Maria would understand where Amy was coming from.
But it would not be today. Today her daughter loved Michael.
And Michael was right. She was too weak. To weak to do what needed to be done.
Amy Deluca had failed. Failed at this just as she had at every other aspect of her life. She brushed a tear away as she walked toward the door.
She sat down on the curb outside and stared out at the darkening sky. How was she going to explain everything to Maria? That Amy’s attempts to keep her shop open until the holidays filled her coffers….
Except the holiday rush hadn’t been as brisk as it had been in previous years. She had made money. Just not enough.
Not enough to save her shop.
And with Christmas already basically here, her business was about to drop again. There was no way she could make up the payment for February, even assuming she made the one for January.
Maria’s medical bills simply broke the bank.
Oh, Amy didn’t even want to think about the bills to come. Bankruptcy might be her only hope.
Failed wife. Failed business woman. College dropout.
And now, failed mother.
Because any way you look at it, Maria would never forgive her. Amy’s mother had threatened violence on the boys she had spent time with. Had harassed and driven off plenty of them.
But she had never actually held a gun to one. Had never actually considered killing someone as far as Amy knew. In her rage, Amy had been prepared to take a step she could never have taken back.
She had nearly killed someone. She looked down at the gun she still held in her hands. She had felt as her hands had begun to pull on the trigger. How much harder would it have taken to send a bullet straight into Michael’s heart.
Killing him.
A vision of an crying Maria cradling the dead body of Michael, glaring up at her with those sightless eyes that still saw so very much.
How could she even have thought to do that? It wasn’t like Michael was any worse than the boys Amy had been with in High School. Better in a lot of ways, really.
But Amy had been so determined to make sure her daughter did not have the same fate. Didn’t fall for the same rebel without a clue type she had.
And Michael seemed to fit that stereotype so well. Unfocused and drifting. Not paying any attention in school….. The boy had no future.
Still, Michael had been paying for a lot of his own stuff, responsible for paying bills and maintaining his apartment.
That was more than most of the boys Amy had been interested in when she was Maria’s age.
It was just she had wanted something better for her daughter. Had wanted her to go to college. To be successful. To not suffer like she herself had.
And then there was the whole alien angle. Her daughter had nearly died horribly several times in the last few days because of him. That wasn’t likely to change.
Michael had enemies, vicious enemies. How long was her daughter likely to survive them?
And was it truly her daughter anymore. Or had they changed her. Made her into something else. Because her daughter had done something to the car. Maria admitted to it.
Her daughter could not have done that.
Maybe she shouldn’t worry about losing her daughter at all. Maybe she already had.
Total failure. Complete and total.
Amy stared down at the gun she had stolen from Jim. There had been times when she had thought about suicide. When it had seemed so much easier than going through the day to day hell of a single mother.
It had been Maria, the thought of her little life shattered. And Amy had gone on.
But now…. Her daughter lost.
Because she had to face it, even if Maria didn’t hate her, it would be a long time before the girl trusted her again.
Tears came to her eyes as Amy thought through her actions of the last few days. It had all been for Maria’s benefit, but Amy knew how she herself would have reacted if her mother had gone to such extremes.
Her chest began to tighten and hurt. Her head pounding and shaking as the tears begun.
Amy had crossed a line. And even if her daughter had not turned into some alien monster, Amy had lost her. Quite likely forever.
Might as well end it.
She lifted the gun to her right temple. She was shaking, tears streaming, and so full of so much internal pain and self hate. Her finger fumbled on the trigger slightly, as a part of her warred inside of her against this.
Against this horrible folly.
But the pain was too much, simply too much for her.
She pulled on the trigger.
It was in that last split second. Her last split second that she realized how much she wanted to LIVE. That things had looked as dark and grim before as they did now. That she had always been able to muddle through, to regain what she had lost.
Images flashed through her mind of all the things she had to live for. All that she had given up.
And she waited, her life, the good and bad flashing before her eyes.
CLACK.
Amy stood there waiting for the bang. Waiting for the hammer blow that would send her brains across the parking lot and her soul screaming into hell.
Nothing.
She began to laugh. She couldn’t help it. And in that moment she felt so very ALIVE. Alive and grateful to God or whatever power had saved her.
She simply couldn’t stop laughing.
“Ma’am, are you okay?”
Amy looked over at the speaker. She was still laughing as she took him in. He looked a little older than her, and tired after a long day. But he was handsome. Her eyes roved to his hands and noted there was no ring.
That didn’t always mean anything. But….
She shook her head. Now was not the time. “I am…. Fine.”
He sat next to her. “I saw what you were trying to do. It doesn’t really help, ma’am. Doesn’t take away the sorrow from you, just leaves destruction in your wake. You’re too pretty to not have loved ones.”
“How would you know how I feel?”
He looked at her soberly and at the gun in her right hand. “Been there myself. When my wife died, I simply didn’t think I could go on. But then I thought about my kids, you know? Who would be there for them? They were hurting too you know.” He sighed. “You are right. I suppose it’s not my business to get involved. I just don’t want to see you make a mistake you can’t ever take back.”
Amy put the pistol back into her purse. “No, that’s okay. It’s Amy by the way.”
He put his hand out, “David.” He looked around. He waved his arm over to the parking lot, where a big rig had pulled up. “I have a few things to do right now, but if you need someone to talk to. I am here.”
“Yeah, well I suppose I could use a drink if you are up to it? Meet you here in thirty minutes?” Amy said looking up at him.
He laughed slightly. It was a nice laugh. “I could knock a few beers back I think.”
Amy stood up unsteadily. David kept her stable.
Amy smiled once more, flirting a bit with her eyes. “Is there a store nearby? Just need to pick up a few things.”
“That depends on what you need. A real store, well that’s about twenty miles away. But there’s an attached convenience store attached to the gas station next to the motel” He pointed.
“That should be fine. See you in a little bit.” Amy started walking. Her mind was swimming with all the contrasting emotions that were floating inside of her. Had she really just offered to go out for drinks with a complete stranger out in the middle of nowhere?
Yes. Yes she had. And she had no clue where it would go from there. But she was alive.
And most likely this was a mistake she would survive.
Hopefully she would be back before her daughter and Michael really got going. Because she had been serious about not being ready to be a grandmother. And she was pretty sure Michael hadn’t brought any protection with him.
Given the nature of the motel next door, the clerk didn’t look twice when she purchased a couple boxes of condoms, some food, and a six pack of beer.
Amy was smiling as she headed back to the motel….
Re: Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Part 7 - 09/30/10
Thanks again to everyone reading along. This is the last normal part, to be followed by a short epilogue in a day or two.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. Amy is in a rough place at the moment and not at her most emotionally stable. If she were, a lot of the events of this story would be quite different. The heroes weren't the only ones traumatised by the events of Kiss.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 8
Maria-
Maria held tightly onto Michael. He had come for her as much as she had come for him a couple days back. This close she could feel so much of him, all but feel his sensations as he clung to her.
She could still not truly see, not see the way she had. But she could still see him, see the aura that he projected. Maria saw an outline of light over his whole body, and this close could sense the sensations she was causing.
Everywhere they touched they were glowing. She doubted it could be seen with the eyes. But this new vision, this let her see so much. She hoped she could keep it when Max brought her real sight back.
But for now she watched in awe as her caresses occurring on more than the physical scale. For where they touched their aura’s touched too, and mingled.
That was where the glow came from, from the connecting of their souls and minds not just their bodies. She ran her hand along his arm, watching the glowing patch follow…..
“Maria, please. The last thing we need is for you mother to walk in on us. Dressed like you are at the moment its hard not to.”
Maria chuckled, “That’s not the only thing that’s getting hard, now is it Spaceboy.” How she wished she could see his expression!
“Maria!” But Michael did not pull away, just held her.
And she kissed him.
It started slow and sweet. Both of them taking their time. But the fire began to lace through both of their systems. Maria could see it even with her eyes closed.
And their hands began to roam. Her towel was the first casualty. Not even truly a deliberate victim at the time, Michael’s hands simply roaming to far for the knotted towel to hold.
Michael’s shirt was next.
No doubt things would have gotten even more interesting, but the door opened. Michael quickly shielded her with his body.
Maria peeked around and by the aura at the door it was her mother.
This was bad.
Now more than ever Maria was glad she had damaged the pistol her mother had in her purse. Because if she was of the mood to shoot someone, now would likely be it.
Amy said, “Well, it looks like I cut my timing a bit close. You have no idea how glad I am that I didn’t catch you two in the midst of the act. My eyes are already seared at the sight of my daughter naked in your arms, Michael.”
Maria felt as Michael caught something.
Michael said, “Condoms?”
“Yes, well if my daughter is determined to make this mistake, I need to make sure she does it as safely as possible.”
Maria stood out from behind Michael, one hand on him, the other on her naked hip. “Michael is NOT a mistake Mom.”
How she missed being able to read peoples faces!
“I hope so honey, I really do. I am taking all of this on blind trust here. On faith. But I guess in many ways, you can only learn so much from the mistakes of others. At some point you need to make your own. I certainly did.”
“Mom….”
“No, please let me finish. I am sorry for what I did today. For the trust I have undoubtedly lost. But I did it because I love you. That won’t be enough, I know. But I do love you. And I hope you don’t hate me. Either of you.” Amy’s voice was full of emotion near the end.
Michael’s voice was soft, “Ma’am, I can’t say we have always seemed eye to eye.”
Amy snorted.
Michael continued, “But I know you have done this just to protect your daughter. And I respect you for it. But I love your daughter, Ms. Deluca. That isn’t going to change.”
Amy said, “Sometimes that isn’t enough Michael. Her being with you is dangerous. But also apparently her choice. I just didn’t expect to lose her this quickly.”
“Mom? You didn’t lose me, I just love Michael too. I love him so much.” She curled her body so that both arms could hold Michael.
“Well I am glad I got here in time. I really am not ready to be a grandmother yet. I do want to be one. But, please, five years or so? Long enough so that you can do college or be established or…. Please?”
“We can wait I think. I am not ready be a father yet. But if Maria is willing, I do want to be one.”
Maria just held Michael tighter and nodded at her mother.
Amy sighed in relief, “Well I must be going, I have other plans.” There was the deliberate tinking of several glass bottles, as Amy shook something. “I will see you two tomorrow. Have fun..”
Maria couldn’t help herself. She laughed, surprised at how throaty it came out, “Oh, believe me, we will.”
Maria could hear the door open and close. She turned to Michael. “So where were we?”
The door opened again, “You do know how to use those condoms, right, Michael?”
“Mom.” Maria said, “We will be fine. Please.”
“Just didn’t realize how hard this was going to be honey.” She paused in the doorway.
Maria could feel Michael tense a little.
She turned to face her mother, well her mother’s aura outline anyway. “Mom?”
Amy’s voice was emotional, but very clear. “I just want to thank you Maria. For being a good daughter, and for saving my life tonight. I love you dear. And Michael, if you hurt her….”
“If I do, I would deserve to be shot.”
“Yes, you would. Goodnight both of you.” The door closed.
Maria began to cry. The darkness she had seen in her mother…. It had lead her to do at least one of the things she had fears. Possibly both.
Michael held her, “Maria, why are you crying. Your mother just gave us permission. Permission! To have sex. I know you want it as much as I do. So why?”
Maria raised a hand to caress his cheek, “Did my mother threaten you? With a gun, did she say she would shoot you if you didn’t leave.”
Michael was silent. Unwilling to rip daughter and mother apart further.
“Michael, did she?”
His voice was soft and harsh, “Yes.”
“Did she pull the trigger? I need to know!”
“No. No she couldn’t. She couldn’t bring herself to do it. And when you came out of the bathroom she left.” Michael was softly rubbing her back and arms.
Maria knew what had happened next. She could see it in her mind. Because her mother knew the gun didn’t work. It was the only explanation for saying that Maria had saved her life.
Her mother had tried to take her own life with the pistol she had sabotaged.
There was a large part of Maria that wanted to surge out into the night. To drag her mother back and make sure she was safe. A very large part.
But when she had left, when she was at the door, Maria had seen her mother clearly. Not perhaps with the eyes that no longer worked, but with her soul. And the darkness was gone for now.
Her mother still wasn’t happy about this situation, but she was content. In an odd way her mother wanted this, a gift of sorts to her daughter. Her daughter who she had harmed today.
So she looked up at her love, her Michael. And said, “Make love to me.”
And he did.
Mt. Gazer- Thanks. Amy is in a rough place at the moment and not at her most emotionally stable. If she were, a lot of the events of this story would be quite different. The heroes weren't the only ones traumatised by the events of Kiss.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Blind Faith part 8
Maria-
Maria held tightly onto Michael. He had come for her as much as she had come for him a couple days back. This close she could feel so much of him, all but feel his sensations as he clung to her.
She could still not truly see, not see the way she had. But she could still see him, see the aura that he projected. Maria saw an outline of light over his whole body, and this close could sense the sensations she was causing.
Everywhere they touched they were glowing. She doubted it could be seen with the eyes. But this new vision, this let her see so much. She hoped she could keep it when Max brought her real sight back.
But for now she watched in awe as her caresses occurring on more than the physical scale. For where they touched their aura’s touched too, and mingled.
That was where the glow came from, from the connecting of their souls and minds not just their bodies. She ran her hand along his arm, watching the glowing patch follow…..
“Maria, please. The last thing we need is for you mother to walk in on us. Dressed like you are at the moment its hard not to.”
Maria chuckled, “That’s not the only thing that’s getting hard, now is it Spaceboy.” How she wished she could see his expression!
“Maria!” But Michael did not pull away, just held her.
And she kissed him.
It started slow and sweet. Both of them taking their time. But the fire began to lace through both of their systems. Maria could see it even with her eyes closed.
And their hands began to roam. Her towel was the first casualty. Not even truly a deliberate victim at the time, Michael’s hands simply roaming to far for the knotted towel to hold.
Michael’s shirt was next.
No doubt things would have gotten even more interesting, but the door opened. Michael quickly shielded her with his body.
Maria peeked around and by the aura at the door it was her mother.
This was bad.
Now more than ever Maria was glad she had damaged the pistol her mother had in her purse. Because if she was of the mood to shoot someone, now would likely be it.
Amy said, “Well, it looks like I cut my timing a bit close. You have no idea how glad I am that I didn’t catch you two in the midst of the act. My eyes are already seared at the sight of my daughter naked in your arms, Michael.”
Maria felt as Michael caught something.
Michael said, “Condoms?”
“Yes, well if my daughter is determined to make this mistake, I need to make sure she does it as safely as possible.”
Maria stood out from behind Michael, one hand on him, the other on her naked hip. “Michael is NOT a mistake Mom.”
How she missed being able to read peoples faces!
“I hope so honey, I really do. I am taking all of this on blind trust here. On faith. But I guess in many ways, you can only learn so much from the mistakes of others. At some point you need to make your own. I certainly did.”
“Mom….”
“No, please let me finish. I am sorry for what I did today. For the trust I have undoubtedly lost. But I did it because I love you. That won’t be enough, I know. But I do love you. And I hope you don’t hate me. Either of you.” Amy’s voice was full of emotion near the end.
Michael’s voice was soft, “Ma’am, I can’t say we have always seemed eye to eye.”
Amy snorted.
Michael continued, “But I know you have done this just to protect your daughter. And I respect you for it. But I love your daughter, Ms. Deluca. That isn’t going to change.”
Amy said, “Sometimes that isn’t enough Michael. Her being with you is dangerous. But also apparently her choice. I just didn’t expect to lose her this quickly.”
“Mom? You didn’t lose me, I just love Michael too. I love him so much.” She curled her body so that both arms could hold Michael.
“Well I am glad I got here in time. I really am not ready to be a grandmother yet. I do want to be one. But, please, five years or so? Long enough so that you can do college or be established or…. Please?”
“We can wait I think. I am not ready be a father yet. But if Maria is willing, I do want to be one.”
Maria just held Michael tighter and nodded at her mother.
Amy sighed in relief, “Well I must be going, I have other plans.” There was the deliberate tinking of several glass bottles, as Amy shook something. “I will see you two tomorrow. Have fun..”
Maria couldn’t help herself. She laughed, surprised at how throaty it came out, “Oh, believe me, we will.”
Maria could hear the door open and close. She turned to Michael. “So where were we?”
The door opened again, “You do know how to use those condoms, right, Michael?”
“Mom.” Maria said, “We will be fine. Please.”
“Just didn’t realize how hard this was going to be honey.” She paused in the doorway.
Maria could feel Michael tense a little.
She turned to face her mother, well her mother’s aura outline anyway. “Mom?”
Amy’s voice was emotional, but very clear. “I just want to thank you Maria. For being a good daughter, and for saving my life tonight. I love you dear. And Michael, if you hurt her….”
“If I do, I would deserve to be shot.”
“Yes, you would. Goodnight both of you.” The door closed.
Maria began to cry. The darkness she had seen in her mother…. It had lead her to do at least one of the things she had fears. Possibly both.
Michael held her, “Maria, why are you crying. Your mother just gave us permission. Permission! To have sex. I know you want it as much as I do. So why?”
Maria raised a hand to caress his cheek, “Did my mother threaten you? With a gun, did she say she would shoot you if you didn’t leave.”
Michael was silent. Unwilling to rip daughter and mother apart further.
“Michael, did she?”
His voice was soft and harsh, “Yes.”
“Did she pull the trigger? I need to know!”
“No. No she couldn’t. She couldn’t bring herself to do it. And when you came out of the bathroom she left.” Michael was softly rubbing her back and arms.
Maria knew what had happened next. She could see it in her mind. Because her mother knew the gun didn’t work. It was the only explanation for saying that Maria had saved her life.
Her mother had tried to take her own life with the pistol she had sabotaged.
There was a large part of Maria that wanted to surge out into the night. To drag her mother back and make sure she was safe. A very large part.
But when she had left, when she was at the door, Maria had seen her mother clearly. Not perhaps with the eyes that no longer worked, but with her soul. And the darkness was gone for now.
Her mother still wasn’t happy about this situation, but she was content. In an odd way her mother wanted this, a gift of sorts to her daughter. Her daughter who she had harmed today.
So she looked up at her love, her Michael. And said, “Make love to me.”
And he did.
Re: Blind Faith (CC/MM, Mature) Part 8 - 10/03/10
So I was torn with what to write tonight, as I had a block of time free. And I decided to finish this story once and for all. I hope some of you at least have enjoyed it. Thank you very much for following along and reading it.
Disclaimer-Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended
Blind Faith Epilogue
Maria-
Maria was tired. Happy and sated but definitely in need of some more sleep.
Taking a shower and getting dressed had seemed to take forever. She couldn’t afford to fall asleep. Kyle and Tess would be here at any moment. They were coming to fix the Jetta so they could all go home.
It was Christmas Eve after all.
Maria shivered. It was so hard to believe all that had happened in such a short time. Aric and Jan’s party and all of it. And her mother to top it all off. Her mother going nuts had disoriented her the most.
She had talked with her mother briefly this morning. Just to figure out what they were going to do. Amy said it would be okay for her to stay at Michael’s for now. That they had a lot to discuss.
Michael had gone out to fetch some breakfast for the both of them. He didn’t feel comfortable with her on his bike while she was blind. How that mattered, since she could practically see everything when it was up close Maria didn’t know.
She figured he was just afraid she would damage his precious motorcycle.
And she did need to work on her powers. Last night she had set fire to a couple of pillows when she had gotten really involved. Supposedly there were a few other small effects she had left behind.
Michael had been grumbling as he walked around the bedroom this morning about it.
Learning to use her powers. The mere fact that she had them filled her with a mix of horror and wonder. And the flashes she had gotten of what Tess had had Michael do in training. Is that what she would be doing, or did Maria have to learn even more basic things.
Focusing on busting rocks seemed a pretty boring way to learn.
Still it would beat unconsciously breaking things.
There was a knock at the door.
“Michael?” Only if it were Michael, why would he be knocking? Maria walked toward the door, feeling a little nervous, her left hand tingling and feeling like it was getting heavy.
A heavier knock this time, almost impatient.
Maria opened the door slightly. “Can I help you?”
There were three of them, and she recognized them. Max, Tess, and Kyle all stood at her door. She opened it wide and let them in. The heaviness in her left hand began to hurt a little. “Come in, come in.”
All three of them trouped in.
Kyle spoke first, “So this was your love nest last night.” He chuckled, “I swear it looks like a cross between a cheap skin flick and Aladdin…. A whole new world indeed.”
Maria felt her cheeks blush. She also saw Tess cuff Kyle lightly. “Yes, you would know wouldn’t you, Mr. Valenti. I hear your stash is quite extensive. Unless Tess has burned it. Which if she needs help, I will gladly offer my assistance.”
Tess’s voice cut in, “Kyle, say a word and you will regret it.”
Kyle was silent.
Maria turned to Max, “Where is Liz?”
“She went home, I think she had a shift. But we are meeting later for a Christmas Party at my parents house. You, Michael, and your mother are all invited.” Max sighed worriedly, “It was a long night, but my powers have mostly returned. So rather than brood at home, I came with Tess.”
Tess spoke again, “Better to say I dragged him here. It beats you worried about your sister and your girlfriend.”
“Different scenery at least. Where is Michael?”
Maria said, “He’s out getting breakfast. I told him to get extra for you guys and my mom. In fact, I’m a little worried about her. I would have thought she would be here by now.”
Kyle chuckled, “Oh, she’s fine more than fine. My dad’s heart is going to break, but that’s what he gets for letting her get away in the first place.”
“What?”
“Kyle!”
Kyle continued to chortle as he talked, “Hey she really should see this. Come on, Maria!’
Tess said firmly, “She can’t she’s blind remember?”
“What else is El Presidente for? Go on, you know that’s what you came here to do.”
Maria saw Tess push Kyle back a little and whisper firmly at him too quietly for her to make out the words.
How she missed reading peoples faces!
“Max? Please?” If there was something going on with her mom she wanted to know!
“Okay, concentrate and look at me.”
Maria snorted.
“Just face me, I need to see into your eyes….”
And she felt it. She felt as the warm glow invaded her eyes and cleared the darkness out. And slowly light invaded her world until she was staring back at Max’s golden brown eyes.
She reached over and hugged him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“You are welcome. You have always been there for us, how could we not do the same for you?” Max backed away beaming down at her.
Maria spun quickly and grabbed Kyle by the arm. “Now you show me what you are talking about or I rip your arms out and beat you with them!”
“What is it with you violent women?” Kyle spluttered his gaze flicking from Maria to Kyle.
Tess gave him an air kiss, “You know you love us.”
Kyle just nodded as they headed to the door, “I know I do. It just makes me question my sanity.” As they exited the room, Kyle turned Maria slightly and pointed. “Voila!”
Amy finished kissing a man standing next to a big rig truck. And it had NOT been a platonic kiss either. The man got in his truck and Amy backed away.
The truck began to pull away as Maria determinedly marched towards her mother. What had her mother been thinking? Had she been thinking at all?
Amy was still waving at the truck as it drove off into the morning light, her eyes slightly misty.
Maria stopped a couple paces shy, “Mom, exactly what were you and that man doing?”
“That man’s name is David. And I think you have a good idea what we were engaged in. At least a better one than you had a few days ago.”
“MOTHER! You and he…. I mean… You couldn’t have?”
Amy’s gaze was searching, “I could and did, and it was quite fun. You didn’t think I had bought protection just for you child” Amy clucked her teeth. “It was a pretty easy seduction though, I very well may have been his first since his wife died. He said he’ll call me tonight when he drops off the road.”
“Do you normally have one night stands with random truckers?”
“Maria!” She shook her head, “You know I don’t, but if ever I needed a release it was last night.” Her smile was very wide, “And he delivered.”
Maria put her hands in her face, “I so didn’t need to hear that.”
Amy’s voice was soft, “You can see again, can’t you.”
She looked up again at her mother, “Max came with Tess and Kyle. So yeah.”
Amy closed the distance and held her daughter close. “I love you Maria, don’t ever forget it.”
“That I never doubted. How you show said love, well….” Maria started walking back to the hotel, one arm still around her mother.
“It’s going to take a while for me to live this down, isn’t it.” Amy said giving her a one armed squeeze.
“You think?” Maria looked at her mother with a mix of annoyance and affection.
“Yes, well……”
What she said next was drowned out by Michael’s motorcycle driving near by them. “Tell me your not trying to steal Maria again, Ms. Deluca?” Strapped to the back of his cycle were several large bags of food.
Amy laughed. “Not today, Michael. Not today.
Maria heard her stomach rumble at the smell. “Michael, Tess and Kyle and Max are here.”
“Good, I won’t have to reheat as much food. Come on, I for one am starving.”
Michael pulled up in front of the motel.
Amy walked over to help him.
Maria just turned around and drank in all the light. She could still feel that other sight still lurking there. Could still sense things close by. But the light, the blessed light covered the land and brought back the most vivid sights.
She was there minutes later when Michael came to fetch her. He stood with her for a few moments, drinking it all in himself. Then he kissed her and directed her back to the room where her friends waited.
And she happily followed, eager to drink in their faces. To be able to read them once more.
For she could truly see again.
And she was happy.
Disclaimer-Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended
Blind Faith Epilogue
Maria-
Maria was tired. Happy and sated but definitely in need of some more sleep.
Taking a shower and getting dressed had seemed to take forever. She couldn’t afford to fall asleep. Kyle and Tess would be here at any moment. They were coming to fix the Jetta so they could all go home.
It was Christmas Eve after all.
Maria shivered. It was so hard to believe all that had happened in such a short time. Aric and Jan’s party and all of it. And her mother to top it all off. Her mother going nuts had disoriented her the most.
She had talked with her mother briefly this morning. Just to figure out what they were going to do. Amy said it would be okay for her to stay at Michael’s for now. That they had a lot to discuss.
Michael had gone out to fetch some breakfast for the both of them. He didn’t feel comfortable with her on his bike while she was blind. How that mattered, since she could practically see everything when it was up close Maria didn’t know.
She figured he was just afraid she would damage his precious motorcycle.
And she did need to work on her powers. Last night she had set fire to a couple of pillows when she had gotten really involved. Supposedly there were a few other small effects she had left behind.
Michael had been grumbling as he walked around the bedroom this morning about it.
Learning to use her powers. The mere fact that she had them filled her with a mix of horror and wonder. And the flashes she had gotten of what Tess had had Michael do in training. Is that what she would be doing, or did Maria have to learn even more basic things.
Focusing on busting rocks seemed a pretty boring way to learn.
Still it would beat unconsciously breaking things.
There was a knock at the door.
“Michael?” Only if it were Michael, why would he be knocking? Maria walked toward the door, feeling a little nervous, her left hand tingling and feeling like it was getting heavy.
A heavier knock this time, almost impatient.
Maria opened the door slightly. “Can I help you?”
There were three of them, and she recognized them. Max, Tess, and Kyle all stood at her door. She opened it wide and let them in. The heaviness in her left hand began to hurt a little. “Come in, come in.”
All three of them trouped in.
Kyle spoke first, “So this was your love nest last night.” He chuckled, “I swear it looks like a cross between a cheap skin flick and Aladdin…. A whole new world indeed.”
Maria felt her cheeks blush. She also saw Tess cuff Kyle lightly. “Yes, you would know wouldn’t you, Mr. Valenti. I hear your stash is quite extensive. Unless Tess has burned it. Which if she needs help, I will gladly offer my assistance.”
Tess’s voice cut in, “Kyle, say a word and you will regret it.”
Kyle was silent.
Maria turned to Max, “Where is Liz?”
“She went home, I think she had a shift. But we are meeting later for a Christmas Party at my parents house. You, Michael, and your mother are all invited.” Max sighed worriedly, “It was a long night, but my powers have mostly returned. So rather than brood at home, I came with Tess.”
Tess spoke again, “Better to say I dragged him here. It beats you worried about your sister and your girlfriend.”
“Different scenery at least. Where is Michael?”
Maria said, “He’s out getting breakfast. I told him to get extra for you guys and my mom. In fact, I’m a little worried about her. I would have thought she would be here by now.”
Kyle chuckled, “Oh, she’s fine more than fine. My dad’s heart is going to break, but that’s what he gets for letting her get away in the first place.”
“What?”
“Kyle!”
Kyle continued to chortle as he talked, “Hey she really should see this. Come on, Maria!’
Tess said firmly, “She can’t she’s blind remember?”
“What else is El Presidente for? Go on, you know that’s what you came here to do.”
Maria saw Tess push Kyle back a little and whisper firmly at him too quietly for her to make out the words.
How she missed reading peoples faces!
“Max? Please?” If there was something going on with her mom she wanted to know!
“Okay, concentrate and look at me.”
Maria snorted.
“Just face me, I need to see into your eyes….”
And she felt it. She felt as the warm glow invaded her eyes and cleared the darkness out. And slowly light invaded her world until she was staring back at Max’s golden brown eyes.
She reached over and hugged him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“You are welcome. You have always been there for us, how could we not do the same for you?” Max backed away beaming down at her.
Maria spun quickly and grabbed Kyle by the arm. “Now you show me what you are talking about or I rip your arms out and beat you with them!”
“What is it with you violent women?” Kyle spluttered his gaze flicking from Maria to Kyle.
Tess gave him an air kiss, “You know you love us.”
Kyle just nodded as they headed to the door, “I know I do. It just makes me question my sanity.” As they exited the room, Kyle turned Maria slightly and pointed. “Voila!”
Amy finished kissing a man standing next to a big rig truck. And it had NOT been a platonic kiss either. The man got in his truck and Amy backed away.
The truck began to pull away as Maria determinedly marched towards her mother. What had her mother been thinking? Had she been thinking at all?
Amy was still waving at the truck as it drove off into the morning light, her eyes slightly misty.
Maria stopped a couple paces shy, “Mom, exactly what were you and that man doing?”
“That man’s name is David. And I think you have a good idea what we were engaged in. At least a better one than you had a few days ago.”
“MOTHER! You and he…. I mean… You couldn’t have?”
Amy’s gaze was searching, “I could and did, and it was quite fun. You didn’t think I had bought protection just for you child” Amy clucked her teeth. “It was a pretty easy seduction though, I very well may have been his first since his wife died. He said he’ll call me tonight when he drops off the road.”
“Do you normally have one night stands with random truckers?”
“Maria!” She shook her head, “You know I don’t, but if ever I needed a release it was last night.” Her smile was very wide, “And he delivered.”
Maria put her hands in her face, “I so didn’t need to hear that.”
Amy’s voice was soft, “You can see again, can’t you.”
She looked up again at her mother, “Max came with Tess and Kyle. So yeah.”
Amy closed the distance and held her daughter close. “I love you Maria, don’t ever forget it.”
“That I never doubted. How you show said love, well….” Maria started walking back to the hotel, one arm still around her mother.
“It’s going to take a while for me to live this down, isn’t it.” Amy said giving her a one armed squeeze.
“You think?” Maria looked at her mother with a mix of annoyance and affection.
“Yes, well……”
What she said next was drowned out by Michael’s motorcycle driving near by them. “Tell me your not trying to steal Maria again, Ms. Deluca?” Strapped to the back of his cycle were several large bags of food.
Amy laughed. “Not today, Michael. Not today.
Maria heard her stomach rumble at the smell. “Michael, Tess and Kyle and Max are here.”
“Good, I won’t have to reheat as much food. Come on, I for one am starving.”
Michael pulled up in front of the motel.
Amy walked over to help him.
Maria just turned around and drank in all the light. She could still feel that other sight still lurking there. Could still sense things close by. But the light, the blessed light covered the land and brought back the most vivid sights.
She was there minutes later when Michael came to fetch her. He stood with her for a few moments, drinking it all in himself. Then he kissed her and directed her back to the room where her friends waited.
And she happily followed, eager to drink in their faces. To be able to read them once more.
For she could truly see again.
And she was happy.