What is up with Michael and Maria?

Maria left Isabel in Jonathan’s capable hands, but refused him Max’s phone number. She informed him that if he helped Isabel, he’d have the number without coercing it from her. Jonathan and Max? Maria’s curiosity was having a field day.

“Eddie?” Maria stopped on the way back to her office when she heard her museum assistant and friend, Eddie, having a minor bitch fest. Eddie was in his last year of graduate work. His master thesis was accepted, and he was already accepted into the PhD program starting in the Fall.

“Maria.” Eddie just continued to work on the display.

“What vexes thee? Want to go off on me for stress relief?” It couldn’t hurt after having Gerald Tiny’s grubby hands already all over her. She was feeling mangled and soiled anyway.

“Never you, Maria.” Eddie looked at his friend and advisor shaking his head no. Blowing out the air in his lungs he wiped his eyes with the side of his arm, like he could feel sweat there. “I got refused for the Peterson site.”

Maria felt for him. It was the largest archaeological site running in the state this coming summer, and it was in close association with Eddie’s own tribe and heritage. “I’m sorry, Eddie.”

“It doesn’t matter, not really. It was just an opportunity to stay close to home, instead of traveling out of state. I’m sick of being away from home.” Eddie punished the display he was working on a little more. “They gave it to Brian Laetsky.”

“Brian, from Las Cruces?”

“Yeah. Brian.” Eddie tore away some more felt backing viciously. “So if I join the excavation it’ll be as a worker, and not the project assistant, and I’ll be under Brian.”

“That’s not possible. I read his literature review on panel for the last conference. It...well it sucked. His entire paper was nothing but fluff and filler, rehashing old theories. It was more of a survey of the history of local archaeological sites.” Maria sighed and took the battered material from Eddie’s hands and sat next to him. “What happened?”

“My research is better, my paper is better, but Brian’s looks better on the surface. He comes off calm, collected and knowing his stuff.” Eddie just shook his head. “I’m just a boy from the reservation. My people...we don’t usually leave the reservation, not because we love it so much, but because our nature makes us isolationist, untrusting of strangers. There is us, the real people, and then there is everyone else.”

“You’re very personable, Eddie. I’ve never seen you be stand-offish.”

“Well, you’re different. It’s easier with you and people I know. But in front of the selection committee, I had to sell myself, and I couldn’t, not like Brian could.” Eddie stood up and started rolling out the fabric he was using as the replacement background for the display. “I guess I should feel good that after they have him on site for a while his lack of knowledge will become apparent. But it’s an empty feeling losing to that fake.”

“Well, I know it happens. The world of academics is far from perfect. Let me check out some people I know locally, and see if we can’t find you a position closer to home this summer.” Maria looked up at the display he was working on, frowning she tipped her head to the side. “What is this exactly?”

“It’s a bug, moth and butterfly collection that the Biology and Entomology Department created. They’ve got their space ready for plants and local fauna, and a huge display for their Zoology collection. We should have all the specimens labeled and ready for them to use in their Fall classes.” Eddie just shook his head. “Poor students will have to come and identify all the specimens' scientific names as a test. I think I’d change my major to drama. I understand their classes don’t even start until after noon every day.”

“Why don’t the butterflies and moths disintegrate? They look delicate and well preserved.”

“They are. There’s a special preservative and fixer applied to them that keeps them looking alive and fresh. It’s not hard. I’ve been collecting since I was a kid. What the else is there to do when you’re a kid on a reservation in the middle of the dessert?” Eddie laughed to himself. “Bugs. Lots of bugs.”

“How do you catch them without damaging them?” Maria looked closely at the barely noticeable shine from the fixative on the specimen. It was perfect, with all the colors and vibrant lines preserved in time.

“Some people use nets, but the best way is a killing jar. Once you lure in the moth or bug, you close it with a special top, usually filtered, and you drip ether or some other agent that puts them to sleep. Too much and they die. Easy. Then you just lay them out, fix them, check them for flaws, and pin them to a special display.”

“You do that?”

“Sure. It’s a great hobby. Easy to learn, but over the years you can really become an expert if you take the time to really get into it.”

“Who did theses collections?”

“Bug guys in the Biology Department.”

“The Bug guys? Are they as repulsive as that sounds?” Maria asked imagining large beetles talking to each other while rubbing their antennae.

“No. They’re fine. You know them. George and Jeremy.” Maria just nodded and looked at the display. She never heard them referred to as the Bug Guys before, but somehow now that she thought about it. It made perfect sense. Her quiet regard made him smile. “You’ve changed.” Eddie observed softly.

Maria looked at her friend and frowned. “How so?”

“You used to be all over the place, ‘oh my gosh’, ‘oh my gosh’, kind of highstrung, repressed, and dramatic at the same time. You’re quieter now, gentler, almost...”

“A touch of inner serenity?”

“Yeah, definitely that.” Eddie breathed deep. “Lots of sex, huh?”

“Uh huh.”

~~~

“Liz.”

Liz looked up from her microscope, and gasped when she saw Sean’s face. “Sean, someone beat you up?”

“Naw, just me.” Sean came to stand next to her work table ignoring the rest of the workers in the room. “You okay?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? I didn’t use my face to stop someone’s fist.” Liz went back to what she was doing. “Did you need something?”

Sean knew it was going to be hard, but her monotone question and lack of emotion was bothering him. “Anything on the Seers case?”

“Actually, I was just going to copy you a report. It was a good call on the latex in the blood vessels. The stuff is used in scientific companies to process and preserve biological specimens, especially for Zoology. Unfortunately there are over one hundred and thirty seven companies that supply it, and they cover most of the continental United States, including some overseas.”

“Can you narrow the field?” Sean tried to remain professional and unassuming, following Liz’s lead.

“Hard to do. We’ve got the computer geeks running cross indexes, and checking all suppliers catering to New Mexico and surrounding regions. The list is huge, more than huge-monumental.”

“How long? Any clue?”

“Yeah.” Liz stopped working and looked at him. “Never. This latex isn’t going to pan out. You’re looking at a special type of latex that is liquid, can be shot into the veins and then stiffens into the final product. Do you have any idea how diverse the uses of this latex are?”

“Tell me.” Sean rested his hip up against her table.

“Well, it’s a clear coater. All the Universities, industrial areas, anyone that wants to coat with latex could use this stuff. I’ve got a list of production companies who use it for special effects. The Geology museums are using it to make mold castings. It a hot product. Liquid latex, I should’ve invested in it.”

Sean nodded and cracked his neck. “Anything else?”

“The filler is harder to narrow the field. I don’t know how he does it, but Michael was right. It’s a polyurethane very much like that used in those tire kits. Not an exact match, but damn close. Even the clear shellac isn’t a lacquer. I can’t narrow the field. We’re testing all known market lacquers and preservatives.” Liz just shrugged. “It’s going to take some time.”

“You copied us all this information?”

Liz just nodded. “Yeah, it should be hitting your mail boxes as we speak.” Liz tried to go back to work, but Sean didn’t move. “Was there something else?”

“You going to ever really talk to me again?” Sean asked softly.

“Sean.” Liz looked around and lowered her voice. “I can’t talk about this here, and for now...can’t we just give it some space?”

“Okay.” Sean started to leave, but he stopped. “You could talk to Maria.”

Liz just rolled her eyes and shook her head no. “She’s your cousin, Sean. Don’t you think that puts her in a difficult position?”

“No. She’ll be on your side.” Sean looked around the room, and then grabbed Liz’s arm bringing her closer to him, close enough so they couldn’t be overheard. “Talk to her, Liz. She’s been your friend for over a year. Maria isn’t going to stop liking and caring about you just because we’ve called it quits.” Sean smiled sarcastically. “Believe me, Maria is brimming with good gossip right now, and she's lacking in female friends that she can share it with. Do her and yourself a favor and give her a call.”

Liz rubbed her arm where he had held it watching him leave the labs. Call Maria. Liz turned and looked at her phone beside her workspace. She really could use a night out, and despite what Sean said, Liz was sure that she needed Maria more than Maria needed her.

~~~

Maria was negotiating her way through the traffic across town, swearing at the cars and trying to will them to speed up so she could make the next light. Her cell phone ringing increased her anxiety. It had to be her mom. No one else would interrupt her in the middle of potential road rage.

“Mom, I can’t talk right now, I’m about ready to pit the Jetta against a Dodge Ram truck in a fight to the death.”

“Don’t do it, Maria. Statistically the Dodge Ram is equipped with reinforced side by side panels of steel designed to take impact, whereas the Volkswagen Jetta is seriously faulty in protective carriage, and those impact airbags can do some serious damage to you personally.”

“Liz?” Maria sighed her relief. “Oh thank goodness, it’s you. I thought it was my mom.”

“I think Amy's charming. I can’t see why everyone finds her so hard to deal with.”

“Did I mention she wanted you to join the Wedding party? Mom feels like she needs yet another bridesmaid and attendant.” Maria smiled at the gasp from Liz. Big words, easy to talk when you’re only watching the chaos. It’s another thing to be drawn into the sucking vortex, into that pit of despair where no light has ever shown, known as the Wedding .

“I might be busy, um...when is the date exactly?” Liz squeaked in a high pitched voice.

“Nice try, Parker, but it’s not going to work. Mom is flipping the dates around so fast just to keep everyone off-balance. My advice is to leave the state or never answer your phone.”

“I’ll note that.” Liz smiled at Maria’s voice. She missed her good humor. “Look I was calling to see if you’d like to go out tomorrow night, like a girl’s night. There’s a movie I want to see, and it falls under the domain of 'chick flick'.”

Maria listened as she drove and made comments along the way. A night out sounded just what the boys ordered. That would give Michael an opportunity to have his poker game without having to worry about bothering her.

“Spacey. I love Kevin Spacey. Michael thinks he’s too gay, but he really liked him in all the cop movies, though I’m sure he won’t like this latest one with the alien psych patient. You’re on. I’m on my way to the Station right now to see Michael. I’ll check with him, and stop and see you on my way out.”

“Guerin! Someone from downstairs wanted me to inform you that your prettier half is in the house, and abusing a machine on the third floor.” Michael looked over at Philips and then stared at Max across from him. Okay, not Max, so that could only mean Maria.

“I’ll be right back, partner.” Michael went to find her before someone was forced to arrest her for damage to city property. Maria and vending machines had a merry war going between them. She paid them what she thought the candy should cost, and actually expected the machine to cough it up.

Michael increased his speed when he came around the corner and found her trying to pick up a trash can to smash the machine.

“Whoa there Professor! Violence is never the solution.”

Maria just snorted. “Since when? Get away from me you imposter, and get me my boyfriend. He’d make short work of this thieving machine.”

“How much did you put in, Professor?”

“Coins. Lots of coins. All of them really, really shiny, and it won’t cough up my candy bar.” Michael hooked an arm around her middle and pulled her away from the machine. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out some more coins and started plugging the machine.

“Don’t do it! Don’t encourage its theft!” Maria watched him as he pushed in the coins one by one.

“What number?”

“B7.” Michael looked at her sharply, and then back at the 5th Avenue bar she was trying to acquire. He pushed the buttons, but nothing happened. What the hell? “I warned you. Should I get the trash can, or you just want to shoot it?”

Charley from requisitions stopped next to them. “Hey, Guerin, if the light isn’t on in the machine, that means it's off.”

Both Maria and Michael looked at the man like he was the bearer of very bad news. The man just shrugged and walked off leaving Maria chanting under her breath about peanutty goodness covered in chocolate. Michael looked up and down the hallway.

“Take point and watch both sides, Maria. You know the sign.” Maria stepped back against the wall and watched both ways as Michael reached up and tipped the entire machine forward. He did it four times before a 5th Avenue bar dropped, and then another. Michael reached in and grabbed two candy bars.

Maria was bouncing. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Kissing Michael enthusiastically. Lunch was for crap. “You got me two!”

“Yeah, well you paid for one, and so did I.” Michael looked at her suspiciously. “You did pay, right?”

“Uh huh.” Maria made a gesture of plugging a machine with cha-chinking noises included. Looking down at all the other things that dropped still in the bottom of the machine Maria asked Michael, “what about that stuff?”

“Didn’t pay for it. Come on.” He led her away before anyone came by. If someone else decided to eat a free candy bar that was their own karma, not his.

In the elevator, Maria was still thanking him enthusiastically for the candy bar. Looking up at the security camera, Michael swore, and moved her forward so he could reach a hand up to cover it. Reaching around her, he flipped off the run switch and let her finish showing her appreciation until a voice on the speaker asked them to please turn the elevator back on.

“This place has too many rules.” Maria said as Michael dragged her off the elevator finally.

“Tell me about it. Next time we’ll take the stairs.” Michael looked at her as they worked their way towards his desk. “You going to tell me what you’re doing here?”

“Maybe, if you let me sit on your lap.” Maria looked at Max and smiled. “Hi, Max!”

“Maria, good to see that the vending machine didn’t take you prisoner.” Maria just laughed. “What did you buy?” Maria showed him her last remaining 5th Avenue bar, but didn’t notice Max’s frown as he looked at it.

“Maria, what’s up?” Michael asked, then his eyes fell upon the candy bar. “Are you going to share that?”

“Nope. Mine. Two things, but the most important one first.” Maria reached into her bag and took out a small vial of clear liquid. “This is a special coating used in entomology to coat insects in bug collections. This stuff is special. It’s not a lacquer, but it’s like one. It was originally used in Central America and Mexico. They use special beetles, boil them, and the extract is this thick syrupy residue that has qualities very much like lacquer, but it doesn’t yellow over time, and it leaves the specimen clear with no decrease in the color.”

Kyle and Sean came over to join them. Michael took the vial, and opened it, smelling it. That was the smell. “Where’d you get this, Professor?”

“The Bug guys in the Entomology Department at the University. Here’s their card. I told them you would probably be in contact, and I brought you a sample to test.”

Michael took the sample followed by both Sean and Kyle. “Wait here, I’ll be right back, Professor. You coming, Maxwell?”

Max's phone rang at the same time, and he gestured Michael to take off without him. Maria just sat down in Michael’s chair and opened up her candy bar, and was eating it when Max hung up the phone.

“So, Max. I saw Isabel today.” Max looked over at Maria. She had that look in her eye, the look full of mischief and speculation.

“Really? How’d it go?”

“Pretty good. I introduced her to Jonathan Stiller.” Maria watched him closely, and Max felt his heart speed up at the mention of the other man’s name.

“Really? What does Jonathan...Stiller have to do with Isabel?” Maria noted the pause in Jonathan’s name and Max avoiding her eyes.

“He’s going to help her apply for funding to go to school.” Maria tossed her wrapper in the garbage, smiled at a picture of her on Michael’s desk, and casually opened the bottom drawer of his desk slightly. Jackpot! Mother load of chocolate goodness! Maria helped herself to a chocolate and peanut candy bar. “When did my Detective start hoarding candy bars in his desk?”

“He bought them today from Waters. I think Waters' oldest daughter is selling them for band camp or something.” Maria took a bite of the candy.

“Admirable.” Maria looked for something to drink and spied Michael's half-finished coffee. Wincing at it because it was tepid, she drank it anyway. “Jonathan asked about you.”

Max went still. “He did? What did he ask?”

“For your phone number.” Max leaned back in his chair and rubbed a hand over his face. He didn’t know what to do about that, what to say. Part of him was pleased that Jonathan was seeking him out, but a big part of him was appalled, still beating himself up over the uncharacteristic event in his life. And if it weren’t for the kiss, he might have convinced himself it was nothing.

“Did you give it to him?” Max asked trying to appear casual.

“No.”

“No?” Max tried to calm down.

“Should I have?” Max just shrugged. “What’s going on Max?”

“Nothing. Nothing is going on.” Max tried to avoid her eyes, because she was always able to get things out of him with just her voice or a look. “I don’t want to talk about it, and especially not to you.”

“Why? We’re friends.” Maria’s eyes became thoughtful at the phrase ‘especially not to you’, and leaning forward she put her arms on the desk. “Is it because you thought you were in love with me?”

“Oh sweet Jesus! Does everyone is the entire state know this?” Max shook his head and looked at her. She didn’t seem too concerned. “Why didn’t you say anything?” he asked quietly looking around.

“It seemed kinder not to, and I knew sooner or later you would figure it out. Figure out that you weren’t.”

“I’m that obvious, huh?” Thinking of Jonathan Stiller, and his attraction to him, Max put his head down on his desk and moaned. He was doomed. Fatherhood, Isabel, and lifestyle re-evaluations were too much at once.

“Not really. I just knew that you were looking for something, and you saw the hope of that in me.” Max looked up confused. “When people are around the same age, especially family like you and Michael, and one starts settling down, it's inevitable that the other one would follow. Or want to follow. Michael found me, and you were looking for the same thing. Trying to find that sense of family that you really hadn’t had since your parents died. It was just time, Max. And it was flattering that I was the ideal you were fashioning your search on.”

“I thought I was close with Tess.”

“I know. She has a sense of power about her. It’s hard to explain.”

“I saw that, but it wasn’t what I wanted. It was strong, just not...warm.” Max looked down at his hands watching them clench and then unclench. “I expected to feel her in my stomach, that butterfly feeling and the ache in my heart, but I didn’t. But there was a part of me that did feel that, but it wasn’t strong as I thought it should be, more like a memory of a feeling and not the feeling itself. Then I kissed...” Max just went silent. “Maybe I’m having an identity crisis?”

“So are you going to tell me about Jonathan?”

Max shook his head. “No, no. No. No.” And then lying his head down on his arms again, he told her anyway. “I kissed him.”

Maria leaned forward. “Did you say you kissed him?” Oh my, so that was how the milk got in the coconut! “Did he kiss you back?”

“Maria!” Max looked around and moved forward closer to her leaning on his desk. “It was during the gay bar bust. He was there. We talked. We danced.” Maria’s eyebrows went up at that. “And then we kissed. It started out as mutual protection, and...and...”

“It became something else all together?” Max just nodded. “Well! I mean, I think Jonathan had a relationship with a male before, in college. Not sure about since, but I didn’t think that you were really...”

“I’m not! Okay. Or I wasn’t...or not...or maybe I am... I don’t know.” Max looked at her and then around the room. “You’ve got to help me, Maria. What should I do?”

“I can’t answer that.”

“What would you do?” That was an unfair question, and Max knew it.

Maria just wrote something on a piece of paper and seeing Michael and the others coming back, stood up and handed it to Max, quickly and gently kissing him on the lips. “Jonathan’s number. He asked for yours, so I’m giving you his. What you do with it is up to you.”

“Maria...”

“Just ask yourself about whether you would always want to know, or if it was just the moment. The decision is yours, Max.”

“Professor, are you rifling my desk?” Michael asked as Max quickly pushed the paper in his top pocket, and mouthed a thank you to Maria.

“Yes I was, and I found your stash of chocolate bars.”

“Maria! You didn’t take...”

“I took one.” Kissing him quickly in a thank you.

Michael looked at her and shrugged. “Oh, well that’s okay.” He really did owe her for bringing down the bug juice. It was the first real break they had so far in the case. “You said there were two reasons you came down. What was the other one?”

Max looked at Maria sharply. She just shook her head no, and turned and smiled at Michael. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m going out tomorrow night on a sort of date.” Michael’s eyes narrowed. He should have known better to listen before reacting. “With Liz. We’re going to see a ‘chick flick’ with the delectable Kevin Spacey. So it looks to be a golden opportunity for you,” Maria hooked her finger in his shirt and leaned up and kissed him, “to have your famous poker game without me upstairs having to ignore the rude comments, and you having to shadow me all over town.”

Some time later, Maria realized she had tolerated the talking and laughter from the men for as long as she could, but a glance at her watch told her time was a'wasting. “I’m heading out. I’ve got to hit a dry cleaners, order some beer for tomorrow, and numerous other things.” Maria kissed Michael goodbye, and waved at the others on her way out. Stopping at Waters' desk, she had a short conversation with him, and left him her card, then went to find Liz Parker. If she hurried, she could get a nap in before Michael made it home.

~~~

Michael and Max finally got a lead on another one of their cases, and after an uneventful interlude, they apprehended the suspect. Finally a successful end to a case that didn’t include injury or mayhem!

“Feels like a letdown, doesn’t it?” Max asked as they finished processing their collar.

Michael laughed. Yeah. Yeah, it did. “It’s like that feeling you get when you look at this awesome dessert, your mouth waters and the anticipation is high, and then you take the first bite, and it's just so-so.”

“Exactly. Like working up to an orgasm, and then having it fall flat.”

“I wouldn’t know about that, partner.” Michael snickered as Max pushed him to the side. “So what does this make us? Adrenaline junkies?”

“Not sure, but whatever it is, the bug has Sean and Kyle, too.” They laughed on their way out to tie up loose ends, which included Max having to return to court for the arraignment.

Max finally tracked Michael down a few hours later in the breakroom refilling his coffee cup. “Hey, partner. It’s late in the day to be still hitting the juice.”

“Tell me about it. If I don’t suck down more caffeine, I’m down for the count. I need a nap or something.” Michael poured a generous amount of sugar in his coffee as well. “You all finished with court now?”

“Yeah, the arraignment was fast and easy. They didn’t even need me, but I got to meet the new Assistant DA. She’s really easy on the eyes. She’s from Texas, and has this real nice soft Texan accent.”

“Would that be a lilt or a twang?” Michael asked while yawning and stretching.

“Definite lilt, and that soft singsong voice is backed up with some incredible legs.”

“Great, what happened to our last ADA?” Michael sat down in a chair and leaned back resting his eyes.

“That would now be the DA.” Max took the chair across from his partner. “What’s up? What’s got you fried?”

“Whitman.”

“Whitman? We got anything on the cousin, yet?”

“No. That’s the problem. I checked the wire. Nothing. All Points is catching nothing but fly-bys, and all support services, hospital, and morgues haven’t seen any Jane’s matching. The community has pulled rank, and not even the snitches are coming through.” Michael drank his coffee. “I called Alex and told him that we still don't have any word.”

“How’d he take it?”

“Silent. He was silent.” Michael rubbed his eyes. He knew how Sean would’ve taken it if it was Maria, how he would take it. Silent, hard, cold, and deep anger.

“You want to talk?” Max went and poured himself a cup of coffee.

“About?”

“Why you’re so weird lately. Why you need a nap?” Max said quietly.

“Weird? I’m not weird. And the nap thing? I’m just sacked.”

“No. It’s something else.” Max reached into his pocket and took out a ten dollar bill. “Easy money partner. Ten bucks says that if you dial right now, call Maria, she's napping, or needing one.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed, and he looked at Max thoughtfully. “Don’t be an ass. You can’t know that.”

“I can. I’ve got a theory. Ten bucks. Make the call.” Max watched as Michael called Maria’s phone, and the penetrating look his partner gave him as he woke up a sleeping Maria. After hanging up, he looked at the phone, and then at his partner.

“Max? What gives? How did you know?”

“It’s been weird, that’s all I’m saying. You nap recently. You complain about your stomach, and in the mornings you’re off your usual eating habits or just plain sick. And you never get sick. By mid-morning you’re eating the most incredible crap, especially sugar, meat, and protein like peanuts. The other day you told me that your feet looked like they were swelling, and tell me when did you ever eat a 5th Avenue bar or even know what one was? You searched the entire PD until you found the only machine stocking them, and today your lady walks into this station, goes to the third floor, and almost takes out a machine to get to a 5th Avenue candy bar.”

Michael could add a few more things to the list like his overactive libido, a raging dark possessiveness, and his thirst for Maria and her blood, but he refrained. “Your point being?”

“My point is that if you were a woman I’d think you were pregnant.”

Michael stopped drinking his coffee. “Pregnant. That’s not possible.”

“Of course not, men can’t get pregnant.”

But women can. Michael took his checkbook out of the back of his pocket and flipped to the calendar. Quickly counting the days and weeks since the last circles he ignored Max. Two, three, four...how could she ignore this? Five...six. Six weeks, almost seven.

“She’s late.”

“What?” Max leaned to look at what Michael was doing.

“Maria is late by over two weeks.” Michael sat back taking in the concept. Two weeks ago Maria was in the middle of test block, and so busy that she barely had time to eat or sleep. But how could she miss that?

“You keep track of her cycle?” Max looked at Michael in shock.

“Sure. You've obviously never lived with a woman that gets grumpy, achy, and totally bitchy around that time of the month. I try to keep track so I know what’s coming, and I usually do something nice for her.”

“Nice?” The concept was completely foreign to Max. Not the doing something nice thing, but the idea that Michael would do it.

“Sure. For three days a month I don’t toss my dirty socks on the floor and clean the shaving scum out of the sink when I finish, close all the cabinet doors, don’t leave the seat up, tell her she looks beautiful, rotate the tires on her car, and under no circumstances schedule a poker game. It took me three months to catch a clue, but once I did it's been smooth sailing ever since.” Michael looked at the calendar. Six weeks, almost seven since her last period. Counting the days, that put her about five to six weeks pregnant. “Being aware saves me from having to duck when glass objects come flying at my head, or saying something that hurts her feelings. You know, like 'Is that picture hung crooked?'”

Max couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t wait to tell Isabel. She wouldn’t believe Michael could pay that much attention to any thing except a crime scene. “Either way, it doesn’t mean she’s pregnant. That whole stupid idea that men take on the symptoms of pregnancy is a nothing more than an old wives' tale. Look at me and Tess. I had to be told, and she’s three months along.”

“Get with it, Max. One minute you tell me I act pregnant, and the next you’re reassuring me that Maria isn’t.” Michael eyes darkened. “What is it?”

“I’m just observing, okay. But before you go off all emotional and such, maybe you should confirm it. They’ve got tests for that, you know?”

“Emotional? I don’t get emotional!” Max raised his hands in surrender as Michael’s voice rose in volume. “Within reason.” Michael sat back and really thought about it. She was pregnant. She was! That had to explain the rising possessiveness he had been experiencing lately. They had gotten past that months ago, and suddenly he was feeling it again in spades. “A father. I’m going to be a father.”

“Michael, before you get yourself all worked up, maybe you should consider having it confirmed.”

“I don’t need it confirmed. I know. Now...how to tell Maria. She’s going to freak and blame me.” Michael said not just a little smugly. It was hard to forget Maria’s reaction when they had first met and become intimate, her bag of supplies and her belief that he was able to impregnate her from across the street. Considering they had beaten the pill, it looked like the Professor was right once again.

“Michael, maybe you shouldn’t get your hopes up.” Max pause at that thought. That was it. That was what Michael was doing. He was counting on Maria being pregnant, because he wanted it to be true. Max frowned, wondering what the statistics were on hysterical pregnancies for men. Probably nonexistent, but this was Michael they were talking about.

“I just know , okay?” Chloe was a nice girl name, and if it was a boy it had to be Michael, called Mikey after Michael’s dad.

“Michael...”

“Look Max, I know, okay? I just know.” Michael looked at his partner’s concerned face and sighed. “There’re things...things between me and Maria that I've never mentioned to you or anyone. Things that I can’t explain.”

“Things? What kind of things?”

“Weird things, okay?” Michael blew air out of his mouth, and wet his lips, looking around the room to make sure no one was around. “Maria and me, we’ve got this connection, a real connection that’s more than physical.” Max just frowned in confusion. “Look, she knows things about me, things I've never told anyone, things that she couldn’t know about my life, and we share common dreams, and...” Michael paused, uncomfortable talking about something personal to him and Maria. “I see her, too. I get these flashes, or maybe they’re just insights. But I see things about her, in her, and I feel her all over, inside.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Max,” Michael looked around quickly before continuing, “ Maria is psychic. ”

~~~

Freddie stood in the door looking over at his friend and boss. Alex was sitting in a booth with a bottle of scotch and a glass in front of him. The bottle was half empty, and Alex looked intent on finishing the rest.

“Alex? That’s not gonna help.” Freddie took the seat across from Alex.

Alex just shrugged. Forty-eight hours. It was almost forty-eight hours since Krystal had disappeared. No word. Nothing. Alex rubbed both his hands across his face.

“The boys?” he asked quietly.

“They're still looking. They’re hitting the streets, but word is nothing. Pete has friends belling and delivering in local raves, even jumpers from dark side are searching, but word is no one has seen Beauty. Crank town is closed down and they send their sympathies.” Alex just nodded. All the local underground clubs and parties were closely looking for Krystal, but no one had words or news.

“Tell Keeley and Ed to find Sly. He doesn’t run this side any longer, but word is he’s running uptown in Bricks for yuppies. Street snitch sniveler has to be holed up somewhere. Someone find Bennie, just clean him up before bringing him in. I want to see them both.”

“Alex, maybe we should let the cops do the clean sweep.” Freddie frowned at the slowly lowering level of booze left in the bottle. “Your cops, Guerin and Evans are shaking trees, rousting known mouths, and we’re crossing their wires.”

“Cops aren’t going to catch the floaters. Their Vice teams were stretched thin last few weeks to take out the Nazi high steppers trolling and bagging fags. The drifting parties are under their wire, and it’ll take some legwork for them to get back into the life.” Alex downed another shot. “Time is short, too short. I need answers now.”

Freddie nodded and took off to pick up the scum that Alex wanted to talk to. They heard things, it was hard not to. But suddenly the entire community was in shock. Taking a family member from a protected club was unheard of, and her disappearance had other joints reassessing their people. Doors were closing fast and undesirables were banned as the clubs did what they did best. Protect their own.

Forty-eight hours too long. Alex just sat there smoking and drinking, waiting for news and answers. There was only silence as the music was stopped, and time stood still. The nights were getting longer.

~~~

Michael banged into the loft, tossing his stuff across the sofa and headed for the upper bedroom.

“In a hurry, Detective?” Maria asked casually from where she stood in the kitchen cooking. Mr. Booboo was keeping her company as she slipped him a few choice morsels.

“Thought you’d still be asleep.” Michael looked her over critically, from head to toe noting her attire of his shirt again, barefoot, and looking rested.

“I was until someone woke me up. Then I decided I was getting hungry. So me and Mr. B are cooking up an old favorite family recipe. If you want to get cleaned up, you’ve got time. It won’t be ready for at least an hour. I just tossed it in the oven.” Maria continued cleaning up the kitchen, tossing more scraps of ham to the cat.

“I need you to do something for me.”

Maria looked at him curiously, then shrugged. Moving out of the kitchen she gave the cat one last scrap of food, and set the timer on the oven. “You behave. No getting on the counters. Don’t think I won’t know.”

The cat just looked at her and blinked.

Michael took her hand and practically dragged her upstairs with him. Maria spied the paper bag he was clutching. “What’s in the bag?” Maria asked and suddenly her face became brighter. “Cookies?”

“No, not cookies. Come on.”

When they headed for their bathroom Maria became even more curious. “What’s going on?”

“I need you to do this for me.” Michael shut the bathroom door, and pulled out a pregnancy test. Maria looked at the test and shook her head.

“Don’t need that.” She pushed it back along the bathroom basin counter towards Michael.

“Professor, just take the test.” Maria stubbornly refused shaking her head. “Listen to me. I’ve been sick in the mornings, and sometimes in the evenings. I’ve been having strange cravings, but they’re not strange, they’re your cravings. And I take naps in the middle of the day.”

“Sounds like you’re pregnant, Detective. So fine.” Maria pushed the box at him. “You take the test, I’m going to go finish cooking.”

He hooked an arm around her waist, and stopped her from fleeing. “Maria, you’re late. Look at your schedule.”

“That’s impossible, the pill not only protects me, but it makes my cycle run like clockwork.” Maria tried to pull away again. “I’m not pregnant.”

“Just look, Maria. You skipped two weeks ago.”

“No, I didn’t. I would have noticed.” Maria pushed him away and went to the drawer where she kept her birth control pills. “I haven’t missed a single pill. Look. And my period comes at the end of one pack, and the beginning of the other.” Maria took out the pill counter and looked at it confused, almost counting the days.

Except last cycle. She was late. She remembered starting the new pack and wondering why she was late. But then there was testing block, students’ papers, a chapter of her Thesis due, the museum’s environmental controls and heating went haywire, and all the work getting ready for the charity auction. All those things hit at once, but one thing didn’t. Her period. Maria sat on the closed toilet seat just staring at her counter. That was impossible. She was on the pill, and she never missed or skipped a day.

“Maria?” Michael lifted her head and forced her to look at him. “Maria, you’ve got to take the test, honey. We’ve got to know.”

Maria just nodded as Michael opened up the box and took out instructions and the testing kit. Reading it, he started explaining it to Maria when she suddenly stood up taking the stuff from him and pushing him out of the bathroom.

“Out. I can handle it.”

“What? Look all you’ve got to do is pee...”

“Out!”

Michael suddenly found himself on the other side of a shut door. Resting his head on the door, he knocked. “Maria. Come on, let me in.”

“No!” Michael could hear her voice breaking through the door.

“Maria?” He just waited as she didn’t speak. She was taking it better than he expected.

Maria sat on the toilet seat reading the directions, trying to quell the rising panic in her stomach. Ignoring Michael’s knocking on the door, she tried to concentrate. It seemed stupid especially after being intimate with him for a year, but she couldn’t pee if he was in there watching. It was just different.

Chocolate. She needed chocolate. Looking around the room, she cursed whatever foolish gene in her body that didn’t force her to keep a stash in this room handy. Rushing to the door, she opened it suddenly, almost making Michael fall forward on his face.

“Chocolate, for the love of God, find me some chocolate...” Michael searched her face, she was pale. Meltdown, she was on her way to a full scale panic attack like the one she had had when a bat found its way into the house last Fall. She shut the door in his face again, but this time didn’t lock it.

Rushing downstairs, he searched high and low until he found a large chocolate bar. Rushing upstairs, he knocked on the door trying to respect her privacy, but when there was no answer he entered anyway. Maria was sitting in the bathtub, the empty bathtub, staring at the test on the tiled shelf.

“Did you?”

“Shush,” Maria held up her hand. Oookay. He stepped into the bathtub with her, and pulled her into his arms while she stared at the test.

“How long?”

”Three minutes. Shhh.” Michael looked at his watch wondering how long it already had been. Passing her the chocolate, he watched as she nibbled on it, never once removing her eyes from the test. When five minutes passed he sighed. She wasn’t going to look at it, but just stare at it like it was the enemy.

Reaching over, he took it from the shelf, ignoring her quick intake of breath. Looking at the small window in the test, he frowned. “What do the colors mean? Maria?” Giving up he spied the information sheet, and quickly read the result readout. Positive. It was positive. Michael leaned back resting his head and pulling her close to him. He felt like he had run a marathon.

“Michael?”

“Positive.” Maria just nodded against him and he watched as she started eating her chocolate faster. “You want a paper bag with that?”

“NO! I’m not panicking, not really. I’m adjusting.” Maria got up and out of the bathtub suddenly and began pacing while Michael watched her from where he sat. Mr. Booboo came to sit in the doorway and followed her pacing with a move of his head back and forth, like he was watching a tennis match.

“If you calm down just a second...”

“I’m calm! This is me calm. Ok? This can’t be happening. It can’t.” Maria stopped and looked at him. “It has to be illegal.”

“What?”

“Uh huh, I sure there’s a law, or statute or some mandate that states plainly that Maria DeLuca should at no time be responsible for small helpless creatures!” Maria looked at the cat, and shrugged. “That doesn’t include you, Mr. Boo.” Maria stopped next to the bath and pointed a finger at Michael. “You’re in so much trouble, buster.”

“ I’m in trouble? Why me?”

“Hellooo? Knocked up,” Maria gestured to herself. “And knocker upper.” She pointed to Michael. “Great, just great. Knocks me up, and then he’ll be languishing in prison, getting three square meals a day and watching television while I have to raise the kid alone.”

“Maria...” She stopped pacing at the word ‘kid’. Reaching down she placed both her hands over her flat stomach. A kid. A small child. Someone defenseless and helpless depending on her to remember things, be there, and not flake out. A mother. She was going to be a mother. Maria quickly sat down on the side of the bath and put her head between her legs.

“I can’t.” Maria just shook her head. “I didn’t prepare. I didn’t read any books yet, or...or watch videos. They make you watch videos don’t they? I always figured when I got the urge to...to...um...to procreate I would read everything, interview breathing mothers, or watch videos, and then put it all away as a bad idea for me. I can’t find my shoes most mornings. I never remember to put myself to bed. I...”

“Maria.”

“It snuck up on me. Oh God! Oh course it did. It’s your child, and you’re always so damn sneaky, just sliding in there without even announcing your intentions.” Maria was off on a rant and pacing again. “I knew it! I just knew it. The moment I laid eyes on you I knew you were a baby-making machine, just lying in wait to impregnate. I let my guard down after a year.” Maria put her hands on her hips. “Soooo devious!”

“Devious?” Michael’s voice rising in exasperation. “Maria.”

“Well, you’re going to have to set a better example than that! I won’t be ambushed in my own home. I can already see it, the two of you and the cat ganging up on me, getting your way.” Maria shuddered as cold harsh reality was settling on her. “Oh god, I’m a victim of a sneak attack.”

Michael finally got out of the bathtub and pulled her against him as he leaned back against the sink. “No you’re not. What are you saying, Maria? You don’t want this baby?”

Maria shoved his hands off her. “Oh course I want it! Hellooo? Catholic. The worse kind. Italian Catholic. Very, very Catholic. Rosary beads, school uniforms, catechism classes and communion.” Maria closed her eyes and sighed resting against him. “Just give me a few moments to adjust okay?”

Michael nodded and pulled her head to his chest as his hand went under her hair to hold her close. His other slowly moved down her body to come to rest on her stomach over her womb. Closing his eyes he just felt, just felt...complete.

“I’m not ready for this,” she whispered next to him. “I need to catch up, do some reading, or take a class. I can’t take a chance on failing at this.”

“Shush, it’s okay, we’ll both do some reading, okay?”

Maria just nodded when a thought occurred to her. “Michael, do they come with instructions?”

Michael just laughed under his breath. Why wasn’t he more upset or panicked like Maria was? It was hard to come to terms with what he felt, but the closest description would be wonder. Awe. He had never had family, just Mikey. And when Mikey died, Max and Isabel. But they were more a self contained unit, so until he met Maria he never really had anyone that belonged to him exclusively, not since Mikey. This was his-all his and Maria’s. This tied them together forever in a way too physical to deny.

Michael finally calmed her down enough to talk her into helping him finish cooking. That basically involved him doing all the work while asking her for instructions while she sat on the sofa making ‘uh huh’ noises. He just finished dinner as best he could, making a salad, and setting the table. Reaching for a bottle of wine, he quickly put it away and poured them both a glass of milk.

Michael talked her into eating something, but for the rest of the early evening she remained quiet and pensive. At one point, Michael was racking his brain trying to think of someone to call who could make it better.

“Oh God!” Michael looked at her sharply thinking she was in pain. “Birth control, I was taking my birth control!” Maria sat up and grabbed Michael painfully. “The baby’s going to have birth defects or...or...I drank alcohol. I’m positive I drank alcohol. A beer last week, wine for dinner...oh God, hand me something to write on. I should record all the bad things I did to warp our baby.” Michael frowned as Maria started to work herself up into another panic. “Do you think it will be abnormal because of me?”

“Maria...”

“It’s not even born, and I’m already a terrible mother.” Michael watched as tears started to fall. Oh sh-it.

“Maria, you’ve got to calm down, okay?” Michael wished he could pour her some whiskey, or anything with caffeine, but both would just increase her anxiety. “Maria, it’s okay. People get pregnant everyday, and don’t realize it for weeks. Tess is just figuring it out after three months.”

Maria thought about it, and nodded. That was true, but then again Tess was crying for over a week. Maybe she’s afraid the baby is wrong. Maybe...

Michael frowned. He expected her to be freaked, and a little apprehensive, but her real fear was touching him. “Maria, let’s not let this get out of control. Tomorrow we’ll call and get an appointment. Until then, how about a movie? I’ll let you pick.”

Maria looked at him and smiled slightly. He was right, and she was just feeding her own anxiety. “Can I have extra butter and a large milk dud?”

“Yeah, but no cola, bottled water or juice.” Maria just shriveled up her nose, as they went to change and grabbed their coats. On the way out the door, Michael had to know. “So that Catholic schoolgirl’s uniform, um...you don’t still have it do you?”