Michael came awake awhile later to the sound of knocking on the door. He had locked it and obviously some nursing or medical staff was trying to gain entrance to check on their patient. Michael quickly put himself back together and straightened Maria and her hospital gown. Covering her with the blankets, he picked up the used scalpel from the floor and tossed it in a red plastic dispenser box mounted on the wall.

Opening the door he found a not so happy-looking nurse staring at him, taking in his crumbled clothes and her sleeping patient.

“Michael?” He looked past the over-worked and under-appreciated nurse at his partner. “Are you okay?”

Michael nodded and left the room to get out of the nurse’s way. He had already made her job tough enough for one day. Looking at Max, he ran a hand through his hair.

“Where did DocJim go?”

“He was going to go check on a few other patients, but he said to call his beeper when you wanted to talk to him and he would swing by before he left.” Michael nodded and took the card Max was holding.

“How long was I...?”

“Two hours. What happened? Michael...” Max paused. He didn’t Michael to hurt any more than he already was, however he did need to bring up the subject. “What did you two decide? About the baby?”

“We’re keeping our child.” Michael pulled out his cell phone and made the call. The nurse came out of the room with a slight blush on her neck, and while making notations on the patient’s chart and her own notes, she kept sneaking glances at Michael while he talked on the phone.

Michael just ignored her and rolled his eyes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He’s the beast that knocked his girlfriend up, left her all sick and dying, and while she was in the hospital almost having a miscarriage had her take care of him sexually. Yeah, like she didn’t get a rush from all the pheromones in the air in that room. Michael purposely turned his back on her and left DocJim a message with his answering service.

Michael looked at the nurse’s receding back as she walked away and noticed her looking back at him on occasion. Quickly going to Maria’s chart, he read her vitals. Good. Blood pressure, heart rate and temperature were back to normal. He went back inside the room and looked down at her sleeping form. She was sleeping peacefully for the first time in days, and he was happy to see her without that washed-out, hard, concentrating facial expression, that she had had lately, like she was determined to get some rest. She looked so damn beautiful. Michael’s hand reached out to touch her...

“Michael.” Max called to him to remind him that he wasn’t alone. “What about Amy?”

Michael looked at Max and sighed. What about Amy? Taking his phone, he walked out of the room and gestured for Max to follow, closing the door so as to give Maria some peace. He then made the hardest call of his life. He saw Maria's doctor walking towards him as he ended the call.

“Max, could you go upstairs and tell Sean and the others about Maria?” Max followed Michael’s eyes and knew that his partner needed some time alone to talk to DocJim. Max just squeezed Michael’s shoulder in support and headed to the nearest elevators.

“Michael? Did you talk to Maria?” Michael nodded. “How is she?”

“She’s sleeping right now.” It was best just to get it over with and go from there. “We’re keeping the baby.”

Jim looked at the man. “It could be a losing battle, you realize that? Both of you?”

“We know. Maria refuses, and I can’t let anyone take anything from her that she’s unwilling to give up. And...and I don’t want to give up either.” Michael looked at the doctor. “She freaked when she realized that she was pregnant, but that was just her normal knee-jerk reaction that she has to most new things. In the last week to ten days, she’s settled down, accepted the baby and now she’s already attached.”

“I know, Michael. I’ve been Maria and Amy’s doctor since they moved to Roswell. I know them both professionally and personally. I don’t want to take her baby, but I’ve got to tell you that as her doctor...I’m having some problems with your decision.” DocJim held up a hand to keep Michael from interrupting. “But it still remains your decision. So...we’re going to put that aside and concentrate on doing everything in our power to keep this baby.”

Michael looked at the man with powerfully emotional brown eyes. “Thank you.”

Jim just nodded. “I’ve got to tell you that this case is an enigma. It’s something beyond anything I’ve ever seen. She’s totally turned around in the last few hours. Everything has stabilized except her iron. So she’s back to being slightly anemic...again.” Jim motioned for Michael to take a seat next to him. “Michael, her blood work came back with strange results.”

“Strange?” Michael just looked at the man confused. “You’re going to have to explain that to me. How do you mean, strange?”

“She’s got a special type of iron in her blood with a iodine combination that I’ve never seen. It’s like a ferritin-iodine mix found in sea mammals. I think the iodine in her system is binding the iron, and that’s causing the anemia. Also there is a compound, a protein or enzyme that is totally foreign.”

“She’s been drugged?” Michael felt a growing anger.

“No. I can’t be sure, but I think it’s the fetus.” Jim just sighed at Michael’s confused look. Yeah, he felt that way too. “I’ll try to explain. In pregnancy, the fetus and mother share a common blood supply. The first thing that happens is an increase in bloodflow in the mother’s uterus, and the fetus is attached to the endometrial wall. There the blood supply of the fetus runs concurrently with the blood supply of the mother, and it's through this thin barrier that all the nutrition and essential building blocks are provided to the fetus and waste material is removed. Literally, the mother’s blood feeds the baby and transports waste out.”

“So this strange...drug? It’s being created by the baby?”

“I think so. I don't think it's actually a drug. It’s more of a protein or enzyme...a hormone. We could check the fetus’s blood and amnio-fluid, but we need to wait a few more weeks for that until Maria is a little more stable...especially after this scare.”

“This hormone...is it like a pheromone?”

“I don’t know. I just know that Maria’s blood is swimming in it.” Jim looked at Michael. “I noticed that in our records your blood is a unique type, very rare. It’s your child, so maybe this rarity is what is causing these changes, but so far I can’t really see any harm being done. The changes in her blood chemistry are causing the anemia, but that hormone seems to be having little effect.”

Michael nodded. Max was right. It was a sort of pheromone, a chemical reaction they were all having to Maria. It explained the hyped-up sexuality and the almost addictive need for her blood. He was addicted to her. The taste of her blood was like...sweet with a touch of fire.

“So it’s not putting her in danger. It’s just a ‘neat’ difference that makes her unique?”

Jim laughed at that. “Basically, yeah. At least for now. It could change later, but we’ll keep an eye on it. Not that Maria DeLuca needed anything else to make her unique.” They both laughed at that. Nope, she did fine on her own. “You might consider letting me take some of your blood so we can look at it, the baby’s and Maria’s. It might make an interesting comparison.”

Michael couldn't explain it, but suddenly his body went still and the hair on the back of his neck stood up in protest. No . His blood was off-limits unless needed. “Maybe...if it becomes necessary, but otherwise...I sort of lose a lot of blood on my job at times. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve come awake to see medical people giving me blood to replace what I lost. I think I’ll keep what I have unless it becomes something you really need.”

“Since I’ve read the papers and heard the stories from Maria, I guess I can respect that. No one wants to become a science experiment or a medical paper.” Jim stood up and motioned to Michael. “Let’s go talk to Maria and make some plans. I’m going to start insisting that she come in twice a week for a monitoring check-up with labs. I want to keep a closer eye on her blood chemistry so we can keep this from happening again. And I’m going to add some special dietary shakes to her eating regimen. They’re high protein with lots of extra fats, mineral and vitamins. The iron is a problem, but let me do some work on what’s available, and I’ll let the two of you know.”

They entered the room to a waking Maria, who slowly sat up in bed as they came into the room. Michael quickly went to her side and used the bed controls to set her upright.

“Well as usual, Maria you chose to be my most difficult patient.”

“I hate it when I have to try so hard to get your attention, Doc.”

Jim just laughed and watched Michael sit on the side of the bed and how Maria instinctively realigned her body to rest up against him.

“Well, you’re going to learn to get sick of my ugly mug, so much so that my wife is going to get jealous, because we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other over the next twenty-eight to thirty weeks.” DocJim looked at he door as the nurse came in carrying three cans and a straw. “Ah good! Dinner is served.”

Maria looked at the cans of liquid in horror and then at Michael in desperation. “Dinner?”

DocJim just laughed at her look of horror. “This is just an appetizer. I want you drinking three cans of this before you eat your dinner. It’s a special formulated protein shake that’ll give you a ‘Boost’ to your usual dietary intake.” Jim looked at the nurse for confirmation. “Your other dinner should be here soon.” She nodded and waited as Maria took a drink of the shake, shuddering at the taste. “The food is lousy, but if everything goes well I’m discharging you tomorrow afternoon. We’ll wait until your morning labs come back, and I’ll write up the discharge after morning rounds as long as there are no more surprises. Meanwhile, I’m going to give you some additional iron to help that anemia.”

Michael watched Maria valiantly trying to get down the shake. “What’s the policy on bringing in outside food?”

“Why?” Jim asked looking up from his note writing in Maria’s chart.

Michael looked at Maria and smiled. “No offense to your hospital’s food, but I’ve eaten here a few times.” Michael ignored Maria’s sarcastic snort. “And it’s not going to be enough. She ate a turkey the other day.”

Jim and the nurse both looked at the overly thin Maria in admiration and shock. “Not a whole turkey!”

Maria glared at Michael. “I saved some for you!”

“Yeah, the parts you don’t like.” Looking at Jim, Michael explained. “That means the dark meat.”

“I ate the drumsticks. That’s dark meat.” The doctor and nurse listened to the couple argue for a few moments before a laughing Jim interrupted.

“Okay, I think I get the point. She’s eating like an army. I’ll write an order that will allow you bring her food from outside on top of her hospital food, along with the shakes.” He took her chart in his hand and wrote the order and gave the nurse a few extra instructions for blood draws and an increased iron supplement. Jim stood up after handing the order book to the nurse and said his goodbyes to the couple as they began discussing what food she wanted to eat.

Michael was standing outside the room listening to Maria talk with her nurse as a new IV was hung that included the extra iron. He saw Amy and Jim Valenti moving towards him fast. It took a moment for him to realize what hit him, as the shock of Amy DeLuca slapping him hard across his face registered in his brain. Looking at her in shock he saw her anger and her fear, and he felt badly. She was literally the only mother, or the closest thing to a mother he ever had. He had betrayed her, kept secrets and as a result her daughter almost died.

“How could you?? How could all of you keep this from me?” Jim was trying to calm her down and was equally surprised when she tossed herself into Michael’s arms and cried against him. Michael let his hand move comfortingly over her shiny short brunette head and looked over at Cap. Amy was more upset with herself than she was with Michael, or even Maria. She knew Maria had been sick lately. She had even watched her vomit a few times and fall asleep, but she had been so pre-occupied with her own plans that she ignored the more than obvious signs of her daughter's distress.

The nurse came out, noticed the crying woman and quickly left them alone. Amy just clung to Michael, until he gently held her away from him.

“Maybe you should go see Maria. I think she’s happy that you know now. She really needs you.” He nudged her gently towards the door. Amy looked at him and nodded. She reached up to stroke the red cheek that she had caused and then kissed him. She cautiously entered the room leaving Michael and Valenti looking at each other.

“I’m sorry.” Jim shook his head. “You didn’t deserve that.”

“Yes, I did. We all did. We kept her in the dark.”

“I know. But you did it for me, and if she should’ve hit anyone it should’ve been me.” Michael just shrugged. It didn’t matter. No one ever cared enough about him to actually feel betrayed before, not since Mikey. Strangely enough, it made him really feel like part of the family.

“Is she going to go through with the wedding on Saturday?”

Jim just sighed and looked down at the ground. “I don’t know. She’s already talking about canceling it, with both Sean and Maria in the hospital.” Suddenly Jim wished he had one of Sean’s imaginary, ‘I don’t smoke’ cigarette’s to comfort him.

Michael patted his Captain on the shoulder. “Let Maria take care of it.”

~~~

Maria looked up to see her mom standing in the door, unsure. “Mom?”

Amy burst into tears again, and rushed to her daughter’s side. She should’ve hit Michael harder, since it wasn’t possible for her to hit her daughter. Especially not with Maria looking so small and helpless in her hospital bed with tubes coming out of her arms.

“Oh god, Maria!” Amy’s hand rested on her daughter’s flat stomach. “Is the baby...is...?”

“Fine. The baby’s fine.” She hugged her mom tight, glad to finally be able to talk to her. She whispered to her mom, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you a million times, but I couldn’t.”

Amy sat on the bed and looked at her daughter. “Why?” She shook her head all confused and still incredibly hurt. “Why, Maria?”

“I didn’t want you to postpone your wedding.” Maria rushed on before her mom could protest. “I knew that you would’ve used it as an excuse to delay again, and make Jim wait another seven months or so to finally marry you, assuming you didn’t find another reason to postpone it again then. We told Jim and that’s why he pushed the wedding date up--so we could tell you. Holding off a week was all I could handle.”

“I wouldn’t have...” Amy looked at Maria and sighed, “Okay, I would have. It’s just that...I worry and...I mean...” Amy looked at her daughter and frowned. “I didn’t do such a good job that first time, and Jim...he means too much too me to take a chance on ruining his life. What if it’s me? What if being married to me makes him...change?”

“Mom, it’s not you. He’s not going to change.”

“Your father did. He was so different when I married him, and then one day I woke up to a stranger. I can’t, Maria...I can’t stand to have that happen again.”

Maria hugged her mom tight. “It won’t. I promise you. It won’t.”

“Still. I think we should hold off on The Wedding . I can’t go off on a honeymoon with you all sick, and then maybe come back to find that you lost the baby. You might need me.”

“I’ll always need you, Mom. But you have to get married. Now .”

“Maria.” Amy just shook her head no, and Maria did the only possibly thing she could do. All this for nothing. Keeping the baby from her mother, sneaking around trying to get the wedding planning done in time--everything would be for nothing if her mom didn’t go through with The Wedding as scheduled.

So Maria burst into tears, whining and blubbering incoherently, almost impossible to follow, but not quite. Amy listened in distress.

“You have to get married! I want to marry the father of my baby! How can I marry him if you’re not married? I hate that I ruined Jim’s life, that I stole his wedding, that he has to pay because Michael and I weren’t careful enough. Maybe the baby almost dying and me being sick is judgment! Maybe God is punishing me for ruining Jim’s life. I can’t...I won’t get married until you do and...” Maria increased her tears sending Amy into a frenzy. “and...I want to marry Michael, but now I can’t, and the baby isn’t going to have his father’s name, and Michael is going to be hurt, and...” A look of mounting fear rushed across Maria’s face as a tinge of hysteria was added to her escalating voice. “It’s the baby! Something’s wrong. I thought they would tell me, but they’re not...because I won't be able to handle it. That’s why you refuse to leave town, because my baby is going to die...I’m going to die...”

Amy held her daughter trying to calm her down and rushing to reassure her. All this emotion and distress couldn’t be good for her grandchild, or even her child. “Of course I’m marrying Jim. Don’t be silly. And you’ll be there to see it, and the baby will be fine. I promise. Now wipe your eyes. I’m going to make you some chicken soup and get some nice soothing aromas to burn that will relieve the stress and calm the baby. Maybe a nice apricot herbal bath with...”

Amy was off listing all the things she needed to do. And Maria saw Michael at the door looking at her with a question in his eyes. He had heard her escalating voice and came to make sure she was okay.

“And the honeymoon? Do you think I’m too sick to be left alone with only Michael to take care of me? Don’t you trust him?” Michael held his breath waiting for Amy’s answer, afraid he had risked something important to him, that he risked her confidence and trust in keeping the secret of the baby from her.

Amy made a face and kissed her daughter, and was wiping her face. “Of course I trust him. He’s perfect. Who would I trust more than Michael to protect you? Jim and I will only be gone for ten days, and if you need us you can call, and we’ll be on the first plane home.”

Michael watched the two women with a smirk that soon faded. Maria was good. Actually, she was too good, because Amy was nobody’s fool. Michael narrowed his eyes and wondered how often she pushed him around without him not realizing it. That thought was lost in the wake of the increasing moving chaos that surrounded the DeLuca clan as they found their way towards Maria’s room.

“Where is my niece? Where have you put her? Is it a private room? I don’t want her in some stuffy ward with hundreds of people staring at her. How is she supposed to eat?” Michael groaned at the bellowing Marco DeLuca. “Is that food? Not for my niece. Take that away! Luis, call for some real food.” Marco and the family pushed past Michael to enter the room, all of them stopping to give him hugs and friendly pats on the shoulder. Valenti tried to swallow his amusement as an overwhelmed Michael just stood there and heroically took all the attention.

Marco’s voice rose again when he saw Maria. “Look how small...Luis call for more food! Where are the doctors?”

It felt like hours and days before Maria’s room was blissfully empty of wandering DeLucas, friends and family as all of them took themselves off somewhere. Michael had mentioned that the doctor wanted her to sleep, and within half an hour they were all gone. Maria was steadfast in trying to get him to go home, shower and get some sleep. Michael was determined to remain at her side, but Maria mentioned poor unfed Mr. Booboo. So Michael stayed as long as he could, until the ending of visiting hours at ten.

“Okay, I’ll go home, but I’ll be back first thing in the morning before work.” Michael kissed her brow. She did look tired. “But before I go...” Michael went to the door, and locked it again, took another scalpel and came back to her sitting up in bed. “Feel like a little snack?” He groaned aloud at the darkening of her eyes, and the lift to the side of her mouth in a slight smile.

By the time he left she was sound asleep, resting peacefully. When he got out of the bed she moaned his name in her sleep, and he almost climbed back in. But he needed to go check on the cat, change his clothes, get Maria some of her stuff including a change of clothes and check the loft that they had left in a hurry.

The loft was dark and cold when he entered. It was missing her presence. Mr. Boo was sitting at the front door waiting. Michael thought he wanted to be fed, as the feline mewed his despondency in loud wailing sounds. But even after putting fresh food out and changing his water, the cat still sat by the door waiting.

“She’s not coming home, buddy. Come to eat. I’ll bring her home tomorrow. I promise.”

The cat looked at him and blinked, but then went back to waiting. Michael gave up and decided to go upstairs to shower and sleep. The Boo would decide for himself if he needed to eat or just continue to sit there. It was almost two-thirty before Michael sat up in bed. His stomach was unsettled and he was agitated. He couldn’t sleep. Getting up, he roamed the loft, moving things around, picking up objects and discarded clothes. Mr. B was still at the door on alert. Finally, Michael got dressed and left the loft slamming the door behind him as he and the motorcycle took a ride across town.

When he entered Maria's room, she was still peacefully asleep. Michael took off his jacket and shoes, gently moving her over so he could share her bed. As soon as his hands touched her, she moved over to rest on him and finally, gratefully, he fell asleep.

~~~

“Michael! Help!” Michael came back into her room carrying a bag of donuts--special Krispy Kreme buttermilk glazed.

“I leave you for what, ten minutes? And you’re already needing help?” Maria gestured to the room and Michael slowly turned around whistling softly. “Oh sh-it, where did all these plants and flowers come from?”

“The University, the museum, the charitable organizations I participate in, the Foundation, the PD, numerous students of mine, the downtown animal shelter, Margo and the others, that really nice waitress, Bess at The Grease Pit, Lydia, the woman who mixes my morning mocha double latte every day, the laundry on fifth, who by the way wants to remind me that we still have clothes with them needing to be picked up, the...”

“How did they know?” Michael was confused that so many people could know that Maria was sick in the hospital, because neither of them really had had time to inform anyone outside of close family and friends.

“Isn't Roswell a growing large town with a small town feel? I don’t know, but all the flowers are giving me hives and making it hard to breathe.” Maria showed him her inner arm with red marks already rising. Maria was allergic to some flowers, usually ones that were sprayed with a special chemical that floral shops used to help them keep their crispness. She could handle fresh flowers from the outside or even ones bought from floral shops, but not at this quantity.

“What should I do with them?”

Maria thought about it for a moment. “Call the nurse and get one of those carts they use for discharges. Have them take them to Geriatrics and the leftovers can be sent to a nursing home, except for the exotic arrangement with the Birds of Paradise. That one I want to keep!”

Michael nodded and then looked at the plant again. “Who sent that one?”

“Jonathan. He knows I love the exotic plants.” Maria smiled looking at the arrangement with some fondness. Michael just rolled his eyes. Sure, Jonathan would know her favorite flower, but so did Michael. However Michael had more sense than to bring her plants that would die. She hated that. She liked flowers in pots so they could continue to live, and right now donuts were a better present.

“Here, eat.” Michael walked out of the room to the sound of Maria's happy squeal over the donuts, and he went to find a nurse to get her some milk and start deflowering her room. Especially the carnations. They were the worst in giving Maria hives.

Maria was on her sixth donut when Liz Parker and Isabel Evans arrived. They were both carrying a present. Isabel's was a box of chocolates, and Liz had brought balloons attached to a stuffed animal that looked surprisingly like Mr. Booboo, plus a stack of magazines.

“Maria?” Liz whispered her name almost too softly to be heard.

“Liz, Iz! No, come in. I’m surprisingly alone right now. Michael just took a gross of plants out of here with the nurse.”

“You’re getting rid of your flowers?” Maria just nodded and took the presents from the girls.

Isabel sat in a chair and looked at Maria critically. She was still pale, but looked healthy considering she had been rushed to the hospital the day before. “We decided to visit both you and Sean at the same time.”

“That’s nice, but really I’m fine. They’re releasing me this afternoon, as soon as Michael is off work.”

“That’s too soon.” The women looked at the door Sean who was standing there in a robe.

“Cousin, are you supposed to be up and walking? They made you ride down here in the wheelchair last night.” Maria laughed at Sean’s expression, as he made a face and rolled his eyes.

“Damn, Parker. You were lucky to stop dating him when you did. He gets uglier every time I see him.” Liz laughed at Isabel’s comment, but looked at Sean’s face. He really was bruised and looking worn.

“Thanks girls, it’s nice to inspire longing and affection in all those I meet.” Sean came over and took a seat on a chair on the other side of Maria’s bed. “Where’s Michael? I expected him to be guarding you like a sacred relic.”

“He’s running special errands. He’ll be back soon.” Maria smiled at her cousin. “So really, are you supposed to be moving around on your own so soon?”

“Nope.” Sean said with bravo. “But surprisingly a punctured lung heals pretty fast once you fix it, and my lung perked up immediately. The heart arrhythmias are corrected, and the only real problem I’m having is the bloody broken ribs which hurt like a son-of-a-bitch when I breathe. So I’m only breathing every third to fourth time.”

Isabel looked at him suspiciously. “Where's your crew of family and guards, and does the nursing unit even know you took a walk?”

Sean feigned innocence. “Of course they do!”

Liz looked at him and shook her head. “You ran away! You’re hiding from them!”

“Am not! I’m just visiting my favorite cousin.”

Maria watched the interaction between Sean, Liz and Isabel with amusement as the teasing increased along with the sharp banter and the comebacks. It was nice to see them all smiling, relaxed and not alone. Liz was laughing at something Sean said to Isabel when Michael returned. Her eyes found his when he entered the door and he sighed having to deal with more people.

“Sean, what’re you doing here? I should have known.” Michael just shook his head. “That explains your father fast heading this way.”

“Oh god! Hide me!”

Too late. Sean’s father entered the room and after kissing his niece, berated his son for walking off the unit without assistance or letting anyone know where he was going. They discovered that the nurse was supposed to give Sean an injection in his hip, and suddenly they turned around and he was gone.

“You’re afraid of needles?” Isabel asked in disbelief. The man could handle electrical shock, torture, whipping and being beaten to a bloody pulp, but a tiny little needle and he was gone.

“Never could. As a child he would get an anxiety attack, forget to breathe and then pass out. While he was down, they would give him his immunizations.” Sean wasn’t too happy with his father divulging private information to the room at large. “Now back upstairs, or must I call your mother?”

Sean kissed Maria and reluctantly went to leave. Isabel and Liz decided to escort him upstairs just to make sure he got there.

“I should go with my son, to make sure he doesn’t detour along the way.” Marco kissed Maria again and went to join his son at the door, but first he stopped to talk to Michael. Handing Michael a slip of paper, he pressed it in his hand and closed Michael’s fingers around it.

“Your Dump.” Marco looked at his son and then Michael. “No one should be without their loved ones.”

Sean looked from Michael to his father, and an expression of determination came over his face. “I’m going with you.”

Michael shook his head. “You’re on medical leave and mandatory stand-down until Medical clears you.”

“You can take me with you, Guerin, or you can meet me there. Either. Or. It doesn’t matter to me.” Michael looked him for a moment and then nodded. It’s what he would do too.

“Go. I’ll be upstairs to get you in a minute.” Sean and the others left, leaving Michael and Maria alone.

“I hate you having to do this alone.”

“Sean and the others will be there. Don’t worry.” Michael knew what she meant. She hated that she was in the hospital, and his first instinct would be to protect her from it. He appreciated that even though she wanted to protect him from unpleasantness too, she didn’t try to keep him from going. Sometimes Maria understood his duty better than he did. “I’ll be back. I promise.”

“I know.”

Michael looked at the door to see if anyone was there before continuing. “Are you set for food right now?” Maria knew what he meant.

“We’re fine. Green. Someone brought me two dozen Krispy Kremes and three cartons of milk, and I had a huge breakfast earlier this morning.” Michael smiled at that. Hospitals. Another public place for them. She woke that morning, surprised to find him sleeping with her.

“Call me if you feel weak, cold or tired. Promise.”

“I promise. Now go.” Michael kissed her, and started to pull away when suddenly he kissed her again. “I’ll be back.” And she watched him leave the room.

Maria knew she had another visitor as soon as she heard Michael’s reaction in the hall. But regardless, the man entered despite Michael telling him that she wasn’t seeing anyone but family.

“Hello, Professor Price.”

“Maria.” The man looked uncomfortable in the hospital room. “I thought I should check to see how you are.”

“That’s nice and really, I’m fine.”

“Cheryl said that you almost had a miscarriage. I didn’t realize that you were pregnant.” Maria smiled without humor, racking her brain for some way to get him to leave. Talking about her personal health was more than she wanted to do, but still she did need to see him.

“I did and I am. The baby is fine. Actually I’m glad to see you, because I was going to have to make a special trip to meet with you anyway. I need to take a leave of absence from my teaching position due to health concerns. My doctor says that if you need a special letter, that he would be happy to provide it for my employment files.”

“No. That’s not necessary. I’ve realized you’ve been sick. It’s late in the semester for me to hire anyone to cover your classes, but I can see about covering them with the existing staff.”

“Actually, I was thinking that you might consider hiring Eddie to take over my classes. He and Tess can split the position so they have enough time for their own classes. I’ll continue to work the museum and split time with my assistant curator. Both Eddie and Tess have already been hired for next year as Assistant Professors while in the PhD program, and I’m already approved for Associate Professorship, so this could be an opportunity for them get involved before the new school year.”

“I’d have to hire them as instructors only. We never replaced Jahnie Kovitch from last year. None of the applicants were approved, and the current staff is spread thin covering his labs and courses. The tenure position you’re taking next year is his, and I have two more professors requesting retirement, one who is going halftime, and the other in full retirement. Also Professor Wyle is going on sabbatical.” Ken sat back in this chair and thought about it for a moment. “I also have to account for the fact that your classes will have to be covered in the Fall once you go on maternity leave, and who's to say when you’ll want to come back.”

Maria refused to feel badly about whether her pregnancy was an inconvenience to him. He was the Department Chair, and had beaten out older and more experienced Professors to have that position. Scheduling problems were part of the headache of his job. Maria was on the hiring committee for Jahnie's replacement, and it had been Price’s stubbornness that made it impossible to find an appropriate applicant. Price’s standards were impossibly high.

“Well I'll figure it out later.” Before Ken could go on with what he came to see her about, the nurse came in to replace Maria’s IV and give her more milk and three cans of the nutritional shakes.

“Peggy, no! DocJim said before meals. It’s only after breakfast.”

“Sorry, Maria. He added two snacktimes between meals. Don’t worry. I brought you two chocolates and a strawberry. Avoid drinking too much of the vanilla ones because if you don’t you’ll never be able to drink anything vanilla again.”

“They’re nasty.” Peggy just nodded her agreement and told Maria she’d be back later to check her vitals.

“When you get home add them to ice cream.”

Maria looked at Ken. “Does that work? I mean does it make them more palatable?”

“Surprisingly, yes. I was really small when I was a boy, but I could run. My father tried to bulk me up with all these protein drinks. I used to drink them six times a day, and the cloying protein taste really started to wear thin until I learned to add them to vanilla ice cream and malt mix, making a thick malt.”

“You run?” Maria was shocked to realize that he might even have a life outside the University. She saw him at social functions, but didn’t even know if he had a wife.

“Marathons in college, but that’s so many years ago. It’s something you have to keep up with, or you soon lose the ability for long distance running. I really should take it up again, but since I became the Department Chair it seems I rarely have any time.”

“Perhaps. But I'll bet it was very freeing to be able to run for long distances.”

“It was. When I first moved to Roswell I use to run in the desert. That’s been forever and a day. Now I’m winded after two city blocks.”

Maria nodded. She hadn’t worked out with Michael in almost a week, had already missed four yoga classes in a row and she hadn’t even found time to meditate. Amazing how much of her time had been taken over by eating and sex.

“Maybe you should try finding a jogging buddy or two? I know Eddie is a long distance runner and hurler, and Jonathan Stiller is also a jogger. He ran the local marathons. He tried to talk me into the Roswell Cancer run last fall, but somehow running 10K wasn’t my idea of a fun Saturday, or any day.”

“It’s a thought. Anyway, I wanted to stop and check on you, and I’ll get your paperwork done for a leave of absence.” Ken paused uncertain how to continue.

“And the other thing you came to talk to me about?” Maria asked gently. It was useless to try to forestall the inevitable. He would hunt her down until he found her so it was best to get it over so she didn’t have to worry about a run-in with him again.

“The Foundation.”

“Of course, the Foundation.” Maria looked at him and sighed. “Did you talk to Jonathan?”

“I did. He gave me a list of the current board members. I talked to most of them. They all wanted to know what you thought.”

Maria winced at that. Traitors. “Well really I haven’t given it much thought at all. I really haven’t been involved in the situation. What do they want to know exactly?”

“Where you stood on my appointment.”

Maria bit her lip. “I can’t say. I would have to review the situation and make a decision. That could take some time since I can’t do anything until after my mother’s wedding on Saturday.”

“If you’ll look into my application and get back to me, I’d appreciate it.” Maria watched as the man tried to be pleasant and actually smiled at her. It left disturbing goosebumps on her skin. He really shouldn’t smile. It was frightening.

Maria looked up to see the Bug Guys, George and Jeremy enter the room with Jonathan behind them. Jonathan backed out of the room when he saw Ken Price. Maria smiled at them in relief.

“Maria!” Ken looked at the two Bug Guys and frowned. Taking their arrival as his cue, he told Maria that he would get her all the information either later that day or by Monday. And Maria was happy to see him leave.

Looking at the two entomologists, she smiled as they gave her a present. “You two shouldn’t have.” Opening the box she frowned at the roll of bugs in the box. “Really.”

George smiled at her. “They’re novelty candy! Shaped like...”

“Bugs. I noticed that.” Maria looked at them and found their enthusiasm charming. She offered them a chocolate bug.

“Try the praying mantis. Its feelers are crunchy!” Maria cringed as Jeremy downed a cockroach and heard it crunch.

George searched the box for a katydid. “They cover the outer shell in a crunchy chocolate to emulate the tough exoskeleton of the common insect including the beetle. Be careful of the outer hinging wing. Sometimes it can get stuck in your gums and make them bleed.”

“Well-received advice, not to be ignored or taken lightly.” Maria searched the box and finally selected a nice Egyptian scarab to nibble on. “I can’t wait to show Michael.”

“He’ll love them!” George informed her giving Jeremy an ‘I told you so’ look from when they discussed what to give Maria.

“So how did you two find out I was in the hospital?”

“Oh it’s all over campus, but actually we were working on our collection at the museum this morning, and ran into Eddie, who heard it from Cynthia, the coffee lady at the Commons, who heard it from...”

“Around. All over campus? That explains all the flowers.” Maria smiled at them. “You didn’t have to come. I’m going home today.”

“Well we didn’t know if we should send you flowers or something else, but George came up with the chocolate bug idea and we couldn’t wait to see your surprised face.”

“Surprise! Actually it was the most unique present I’ve had.”

Jeremy congratulated himself and George. “We pride ourselves on unique and rare items!”

“I know.” Maria looked at Jeremy and noticed a bandage around his ankle. “Did you have an accident?”

Jeremy followed her glance. “George’s dogs attacked my leg.”

“No! Are you okay?” Maria offered him another chocolate bug.

“I’m fine.”

“They wouldn’t have attacked him, but we were out on the bluff the other night, and he stepped in our syrup bait getting it all over his shoes and pants leg.”

“I tried to get it off, but it was dark. The dogs seemed to like the stinky sweet smell.”

Maria laughed at them. “And what happened to your hands?” Both men looked at their hands, and then at each other sheepishly. “What did you do?”

“It was George’s fault!” George protested, but Jeremy went on. “We noticed our biggest competitor, you know, Professor Styles in the invertebrate section? Well lately he’s been collecting, and he sets out traps, so...”

“You saw one of his traps?”

“Well, it was just there, suspended from the Bluff, and picking up quite the number of specimens, so...George thought we should just haul that puppy in and take it in for Styles, just so his trap was...”

“Too full?”

“Exactly!” George smiled. His very reasoning. “It couldn’t have held any more specimens anyway, and the species was wrong.”

“So anyway--I reached down, but couldn’t get it, so George reached over to help, and...”

“He anchored it!” George said indignantly. “Who anchors a collecting jar in the middle of nowhere? The man is insane I tell you! Neurotically damaged--just way out there!”

Maria laughed at his expression. “So what did you grab? The bailing wire?”

“Yeah, it sliced right through my hand, and when Jeremy came to help untangle me, he ripped the side of his hand and arm. It was gruesome the way the dogs smelt the bait on Jeremy, and then the blood.”

“I didn’t know that bug collecting was so dangerous.”

“OH! It is! And sexy!” Jeremy nodded with George’s assessment. “You can’t imagine the women we attract with our stories. There are groupies you know.”

“I had no idea. Bug groupies!” Maria just nodded her head knowingly. “Why sure there’d be.”

“There was this time in Peru we were on the trail of a...”