Part 3

“I’m coming over.”

“No… I’m OK. I just needed to talk.”

“You sure? I can’t believe he’s taking Tess. But at least he came to talk to you before he left?” she said uncertainly, hoping to make her friend feel better.

“Yeah… I know. I should be happy, but I feel like something wrong is going to happen.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, it’s just a feeling.”

“Hmmm…”

“Hey, I’m tired. Thanks for listening -Ria.”

“Any time sweetie. Call me if you need me.”

“Night.”

“Night.”

Maria sat there staring at the phone. So much had happened in a span of three days. They had just met the Dupes on Saturday, now Max was leaving with them to go to New York City. Knowing aliens definetly makes life interesting.

The tapping noise pulled her attention from her thoughts. She turned around and looked outside of her window to see him standing there, hidden by the shadows. She sat on her bed looking intensely at the man outside her window; she took a moment before deciding to walk over to the window and open it, then walking away without saying a word.

He climbed in with little trouble. The room seemed smaller with Michael standing there looking at Maria as she sat on the edge of her bed with her arms crossed in front of her. Tilting his head to the side, Michael scratched the invisible itch on top of his eyebrow with his middle finger. He often did that when he was thinking… concentrating… trying to find the right words. “He’s going with them... Max. To New York.”

“I know… just got off the phone with Liz.”

“Oh…” was all he said as he looked and waited for her to continue.

“She’s not taking it well Michael. What happened?”

“I don’t know. One minute he was staying in Roswell and the next he’s going with them-” he said as he sat down on the chair near the vanity. “Everything's been so, so-”

“Bizarre,” she filled in.

“Yeah-” Michael sighed as he rubbed his face with his hands.

She saw it in his eyes. The weight of the passed few days were in them. He still had questions, but she could tell that he didn’t want to push her; he was worried about her and needed to know if she was ok. It was so hard to keep secrets from him, especially when he knew something was off kilter. She moved up on her bed and patted the area that she just vacated, motioning for him to join her.

Maria lost her balance as the bed shifted to accommodate Michael’s weight when he sat down. He quickly caught her in his arms before she could fall off the bed. Lifting her up, they caught each other’s eyes and all the reason why they should not be together were lost as she gently kissed him.

Michael broke away from the kiss and searched her eyes, wondering. They matted foreheads as she sighed, she needing to tell him the truth.

“Michael… I have to tell you something,” she said as she got off the bed.

He leaned forward on his knees as he watched her pace back and forth, waiting for her to continue.

She looked at him to make sure he was listening and continued, “-something happened on Friday.”

Michael straightened his back as chills ran down up and down his spine.

Before Michael could say anything Maria stopped him with a motion of her hand. She continued, “-let me finish this before you say anything. I did meet that pierced-tattooed one before Saturday.” She let out a sigh as she looked at Michael.

“He came up to me and I thought it was you-” she rambled, “You, I mean… he caught me off guard and he kissed me and we ended up in the eraser room and I didn’t know it was another Michael until I collided with you in the hallway. And then at the UFO center he kissed me again before Brody got there. I know we are not together or what ever you want to call this thing we have, but I feel so guilty hiding this from you.”

Michael watched as tears started to pool around her eyes and streamed down her face. She was so hurt; hurt for something she had no control of.

“I’m not asking for forgiveness… I just wanted you to know. But I hate lying to you and I didn’t want this to affect us,” she said through her sobs.

Michael wrapped her in a hug as he made soothing noises and rubbed her back. It felt good to have her in his arms. His heart ached at the knowledge that she was in pain and that he was a cause of it. He lowered his head and asked, “he didn’t hurt you did he?”

Her head shook no as her body relaxed from the release of the truth. Michael kissed the top of her head then led Maria to the bed and sat her down. Kneeling down beside her he titled up her face and whispered, “sleep.”

Nodding in agreement, Maria laid down as Michael took the covers and tucked her in. He then went to turn off the light when he heard her speak, “Michael… stay.” He turned around to see her looking at him. Taking off his jacket he joined her as she snuggled up against him, lulled asleep by his heartbeat.
***

He needed to go, but it was so hard to leave her. She looked so beautiful and at peace sleeping in his arms and it ached to know that he had never felt anything like this before. He gently removed his left arm from under her head, only stopping when she moved and let out a small sigh. Picking up his jacket that he discarded on the floor, he walked around the bed towards the window. Michael had to turn around to look at her one more time before he left, and was surprised by a pair of sleepy emerald colored eyes looking up at him. The moonlight lit the room in a dreamy softness that was caught in her eyes that asked him where he was going. Taking a few steps towards her bed, Michael kneeled down so he was eye level with her. Her movements earlier caused little strains of blond to fall delicately around her face, making her look innocent, childlike. Michael used his fingers to move a few stray strains, which had fallen hap-hazardly on her face, behind her ear. His fingers lingered as it caressed her cheek down to her jaw line.

The whole time Maria watched him without blinking. She had always known that Michael was never much of a talker, but it was in these moments that his true feeling for her came in waves. His gentleness and love for her were there in his eyes. But there was more, something she had never seen before, something she could not name.

“I have to go,” he said softly.

She nodded.

Lightly kissing Maria’s forehead, Michael said his goodbyes and left through the window.
***

He began to walk the lonely streets, wanting to put some distance between him and Maria’s house. She was floating in his thoughts and when he tried to push them out, it only made it worst. He finally stopped to stand in the shadows of the trees, blending him with the surroundings. Surveying the area, he made sure no one was around. With a wave of his hand Rath changed back to himself.

Rath walked aimlessly, he knew the others were waiting for him, they needed to get back to New York, but he had too much emotions running through his body. He came there for one purpose only, a quickie before a long ride back, but he left feeling more weight then he did before getting there. He had never felt like this before and didn’t know what to make of it. With Lonnie it was always about sex and who was on top, but with this Maria girl, it was more. He knew that all her feelings were never for him, they were for his dupe, fuck’n lucky bastard, but he could always hope.

Rath chuckled at the irony of where his legs took him. Looking through the window, the saw his dupe lying on the couch, watching TV in the dark. The tub flicked from channel to channel never staying on a channel too long. He moved towards the door, unlocking it with a wave of his hand and walked in.

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