Sons and Daughters Of The Moon/ADULT/XO 1 open (CC/UC)

[magikhands]

Michael

“Pinch me, Michael. Please.” Those were not the words I expected to hear from Maria when I pull away from our kiss.

“Please, just pinch me.” She pleads with me. Not understanding why I reach up and give her shoulder a pinch. It's then that I notice her hands fading again. Once I tweek her shoulder it becomes solid again. I can't help but feel mesmerized.

"Thank you." She pauses before speaking again. "Michael? You aren’t a Son, are you? I mean, umm…. I..” She shakes her head. “I don’t understand how we .. how I .. saw you as a.. and .. did you really… what was that thing..?”

That's when I realize she saw falshes of me, my life. What I am. She just doesn't understand it....yet.

“What exactly just happened here? And I don’t mean the kiss. I mean the images during the kiss.” Her hand rises to her lips as if she is remembering my lips upon them. The thought stirs something deep inside of me.

“I thought you hated me.”

Her words tore at my heart. I shake my head.

"Hate you? No, I could never hate you Maria." I lift my hand and caress her cheek. "I..." I couldn't finish the sentence. Not yet. Not until I explain to her.

"As for what you saw. I'm sorry. I couldn't block myself. Not when it comes to you. You've always pushed my control."

I removed my hand from her face and let it brush through my hair. I pull my head back, the temptation to kiss her again is too strong. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly as she silently waits for me, for my explaination.

"Maria. Those images...the things you saw when we kissed. They were of me. My life." I pause a moment letting my words soak in. "I wasn't exactly born...more like hatched."

Her eyes widened. I wanted to stop and run away but something pushed me forward. "It was here on Earth...but I'm not quite human. Maria, I'm from another planet. Engineered...I'm an alien."

I let the words lie in the silence of the room waiting for her response.

[StormWolfstone]

~Maria~

"Hate you? No, I could never hate you Maria." Michael lifts a hand and caresses my cheek and I instantly find myself wanting to simply stay like this. "I..." He breaks off and I can't help but wonder what he was going to say.

"As for what you saw. I'm sorry. I couldn't block myself. Not when it comes to you. You've always pushed my control." What? How have I done that, I wonder. He'd always seemed in control, always capable of hiding behind a mask and making me wonder what he was thinking.

When he moves his hand, I sigh hating that I suddenly felt the loss. "Maria. Those images...the things you saw when we kissed. They were of me. My life." It took a moment for me to realize what he was saying. Everything I'd seen was real? I couldn't have been more amazed. "I wasn't exactly born...more like hatched."

Okay, maybe I'm wrong. My eyes widen and I'm not quite sure what to think because no matter what my mind might try to tell me, I'd seen things that just seemed to.. unreal and yet as he spoke I believed him.

"It was here on Earth...but I'm not quite human. Maria, I'm from another planet. Engineered...I'm an alien." An alien? Yeah.. right? I look at him in silence. How am I supposed to take that? Looking in his eyes I remember how lonely he'd seemed in so many of the scene's that I'd seen.

"A..an alien? Um.. what planet are you from? Is.. umm..." I feel myself blush as I try to decide how to ask the next question. Okay, I may not have anything to prove what he is saying to be true, but my heart tells me it is. I reach for his hands, taking them in mine as I try again. "Do you really look like this.. or is this some disguise? How long have you known? Why are you here? I mean.... you're still you, right?" I can't help but hold my breath. I don't know if I can handle learning that the man I love isn't how I thought he was.

As long as he's still him, I can handle it... but I'm not sure if I could handle learning he had a different form, that the eyes that captivate me, the lips that tempt me, the body that causes many dreams.. the man.. aren't real.

He has to be real. My heart screams it. My mind wants to deny this possibility.

[KatnotKath]

OOC: this would probably be where people say this is rubbish, and I'm sooooo sorry that this has been so long in coming. I'll admit, I stuck my head in the sand about this one. With writer's block, I couldn't think of a thing to write so it just mounted up...and up...

Anyway, I finally wrote something of a catch up, and I hope that the next will be better. Hope this is okay for everyone, if you want me to change the very last bit Isabelle, just say and I will - it was meant to finish just before Cameron came over, so hope I'm not causing a problem with that.

BIC

~Liz~

Bounty Hunters, sons and daughters. Floating crockery and crazy information. I don't know what to say as Cameron and Adam begin to explain, joined shortly by a woman who is intorduced as Mena. She hardly looks more than a couple of years older than us, but there's something about her that speaks to me of years of experience. She speaks of the amulets, saying that they will protect us, and I wonder if that explains the feeling I had earlier, when I decided to go back to the house for mine. Maybe it's just an instinctive thing...?

Michael is his usual antisocial self it seeems, but then I can't say that I blame him much. He's never been someone to welcome strangers, and certainly these are no ordinary people. My mind recalls again what Max did at the club, and I wonder once more just how he did that. I always thought of Max as this normal guy... Hence why I could never let him get close. He actually mentions it himself, but as he proceeds to ask further questions, I find myself more interested in the answers to those than my own for the moment.

Maria mentions having got her amulet through her parents, and I nod slightly. That's pretty much the same as for me, except I don't remember my parents ever telling me exactly where it came from...

Mentions of Hecatate and Selene follow, and once more I begin to wonder if this is all some crazy dream or nightmare. We're talking about things that I would have put on a par with fairytales, and seeing things which seem like magic. Magic is for little kids though, surely...it's not real... I shake my head mentally, trying to make sense of it all. Speak of reincarnations, and powers rather than magic, only serve to make my head hurt more and if it weren't for the short deadline timeframe that was put on all this, I really would ask for a break. It's too much to take in all at once, to try and deal with. This goes against everything that I've ever believed in, and while it makes me feel less like a freak, it also makes me feel scared, about what else is out there.

A scream breaks into the discussion we are all having, and Mena stands up, excusing herself and saying she knows what that is. I'm tempted to ask what, but from the look in her eyes I think better of it, simply waiting to see what will be said next.

We're rejoined shortly, but Mena and another woman who is simply introduced as Serena. Mena resumes her talk, but concludes it quickly with the sort of ultimatum that sounds like it came right out of a book. 'the last hope that mankind has...' I shiver, wrapping my arms around myself as I try and to process everything that's been said and work out what's going on.

Turning the direction of the questions now, Mena chooses to direct her next at Max, reminding him that she's trusting him with her...or rather our secret... Watching silently as I am, I don't miss the interaction between her and the latest addition to the group. There's something obviously going on there...

After Max questions Mena's wording regarding Adam, certain facts about Adam and Cameron come to light, revealing that they're not quite like us. What is important of course is the end result though, and that's that they were helping us tonight, not fighting us so I guess that's good. As for the amulets, now that I know what they do, I don't suppose I'll be taking it off much either.

Kyle is the one that finally asks the question that I've been wondering about for some time though. What did Max do...? Deep down, perhaps that's not half as important as all the information we've been given thus far, but he is my friend... After learning what Adam and Cameron can do, and seeing what we all did together, I'm not going to say that we wouldn't have won anyway, but certainly Max's move was important, and gave us some time. He basically saved us tonight as far as I'm concerned... I always thought that he was normal though...

Maria decides to force an explanation, noting that one hasn't been forthcoming thus far, and suddenly I see her throw her phone at Max. A green screen-like thing appears from his hand which I can only say acts like a 'shield' when the phone inpacts. It hurtles back towards the centre of the room, before being stopped and floated back to it's owner curtousy of the guy next to me. He brushes against me, and I feel a shiver run through my spine as he volunteers the now pretty obvious information that he's telekinetic.

In the past, whenever Maria has told me to ask Max out, or to tell him how I feel, I've always refused, telling myself, even if not her, that it would be too complicated. I don't want to be hiding a part of myself... Now, I have to ask...would I have to...?

The explanations, and demonstrations which follow cause me to feel skeptical, and I do note that he never actually explained 'what' he was... A son - no, because Mena would have said... No, they have to be something different, and yet they certainly have some interesting powers. Trevor makes his own attempt but although I have heard about what he's talking about, I hardly find it convincing...

Maria seems freaked - not that I blame her - and she leaves the room. I consider following her, but right now I'm not too sure how much help I would be, and I certainly have more questions for our 'advanced humans'... Max tries to stop her, and I could swear I saw a look of almost pain in his eyes as he does so. From the look in her eyes, it hasn't made a difference though, and as the door closes, I could swear that was not a coincidence. She seems to agree, looking around accusingly, but as Michael goes over to try and calm her, she certainly seems a little calmer - or at least I hope she does...

Max apologises, trying to insist that it doesn't change who he is, and I'm amazed how familiar his comments sound as he turns to speak to me now and tells me that he wanted to tell me for so long. He seems genuine when he speaks of Trevor though, and just as I'm about to speak, Mena does so again, asking us all to sit down, Cameron telling some people to 'open' their minds whatever that means...

I struggle to continue to concentrate, to listen to what is being said, but I have to admit that even my concentration is wanning. Maria leaves the room as Max asks if cameron is trying to do something to our heads, and I can't say I blame her really. This is all too much, too much information, too much to deal with... What are they trying to do now.

As Cameron begins to answer, yet more explanation of what she means, and what is going to happen, I'm surprised to find her mentioning Max as being one of those closed off. So much for the open brain theory - I think, laughing at my silly thoughts because I know this really has nothing to do with that - if I don't laugh though, I'll cry right now... She explains that it's a way of showing that people can be trusted, and I look round at Max a moment. He saved us...he's not working against us...I know that... I can understand how someone who doesn't know him might think otherwise, or rather fear though from everything that has been said. As Max insists that they're not with Atrox, I smile, knowing the truth when I hear it, but I can also hear hesitation as he asks about 'opening' his mind, and I have to wonder if he really wants to do it, and if not...why...?

His questions about seeing personal things seems to suggest that he's hiding something more than simply his powers. Cameron says that she wouldn't pry further, but I have a feeling that tension is still there. What is so important...what doesn't he want her, or us, to see...?

Hesitantly, I reach over with my hand, not really thinking so much about what I'm doing before actually doing it. My hand closes over his, and I squeeze it in an attempt to show him that I'm not scared. Whether he has powers or not, he's still my friend, a great guy who I've spent many happy times with. I believe in him...

[isabelle]

*Max*

I'm still wondering what to make of Cameron's need to communicate mind-to-mind. My mind isn't human. It's possible I can't do this. We might not even work on the same 'frequency.' But even if we can, if she sees what I am, what then? I would want to tell Liz and my other friends first. I don't want a stranger to be the one who finds out what I am...

Suddenly, I'm distracted by my worries when I feel Liz's hand on mine. It's so warm and soft. I look up into her face, seeing her look of complete trust. She's my friend. I've cared about her forever, although I've never been able to show it. What will she think if she knows what I really am? Will she be scared? Maria was scared and all she saw was the teleknesis. Liz seems to accept that, but there's so much more. I'm scared.

"I've never done this with someone that's closed off, but Adam and I have done this at times when strengthening our gifts." Cameron says. Looking back, I see that she's come up to the sofa and is kneeling before me. "Take my hand and look into my eyes, Max. I'll try showing you what's in my mind slowly, it might allow you to open."

I bite my lip softly, and then force myself to relax my expression. I slowly lift the hand that Liz isn't holding. Right now, I don't want to let go of her. For a second I wonder if that would mean that she'll be part of this link, that she'll see anything that Cameron sees -- although Cameron says she won't be looking. (although if she's not looking, how will she know I'm not with Attrox?) Still, as worried as I am, I still want Liz there.

I hesitate, my hand only half an inch above Cameron's. "I know you said you won't be looking, but if you do see something ... something you don't understand. Just give me a chance to explain, okay?"

At Cameron's nod, I brace myself, setting my hand in hers.

[magikhands]

Michael

"A..an alien? Um.. what planet are you from? Is.. umm..." She pauses a moment and I can tell she's thinking. I let her, not daring to interrupt her while she sorts through the information I've told her in her mind. She reachs for mine, cradling them in hers. "Do you really look like this.. or is this some disguise? How long have you known? Why are you here? I mean.... you're still you, right?"

She's asked so many quiestions, it's normal for her to be so curious. I give her hands a small squeeze and can't help the gentle smile that moves my lips.

"Maria...I'm me. What you see is what you get." I answer her last question first seeing her concern. "I don't know where I'm from. I just know that I hatched from a pod and I looked to be about six years old."

I took one of my hands from her and touched her cheek. Her beautiful eyes were wide in woder and full of questions but not a true hint of fear.

"You know the rest. I was found in the desert and put into the system."

I want to kiss her again, my eyes go to her swollen lips and remember how they felt on mine. I fight the urge and keep my distance from those beckoning lips. I know she has more questions so I wait.

[StormWolfstone]

~Maria~

"Maria...I'm me. What you see is what you get." He starts with his answers and I sigh in relief, glad to know that at least the man I fell for doesn't look like something else in reality. "I don't know where I'm from. I just know that I hatched from a pod and I looked to be about six years old."

He removes one of his hands from mind and touches my cheek. I find myself leaning into his hand as I look at him. This is just so amazing. Here I am, a freak and Michael, the man I love is not of this word. "You know the rest. I was found in the desert and put into the system."

It takes a moment, my thoughts are so jumbled that I didn't know what to say first. "Is this the reason you were scared, Michael?" I start and then can't stop from adding, "I mean... here you are able to say something cool, your not of this world... but me... I'm some reincarnated chosen person who's main gift is going invisible. I can enhance my molecules or cause them to shrink. Some 'hero'. I'm not a hero and yet here they are talking about us saving the world."

I sighed as I looked at Michael and tried to keep from saying anything more but one question seemed to keep prodding at me. "What I saw, the other things... of you looking at me... what I felt from... from you when I saw... I mean, I never... I love you... but I never thought..." I close my eyes a moment and shake my head, "This is not... easy... How do you really feel about me, Michael?" I finally blurt, opening my eyes.

Even as I do so, I feel as though my heart is easily seen. As though what I feel is being revealed to him. I was afraid that he'd deny that he felt the way it seemed he did. Afraid that my loving him was all one sided. And at that thought, I realized that I had just told him in my rambling how I feel and I take my free hand to keep pinching myself.

[magikhands]

Michael

"Is this the reason you were scared, Michael? I mean... here you are able to say something cool, your not of this world... but me... I'm some reincarnated chosen person who's main gift is going invisible. I can enhance my molecules or cause them to shrink. Some 'hero'. I'm not a hero and yet here they are talking about us saving the world."

Maria is rambling...the sign that she's nervous. I listen to her words and I can't believe that she feels such lack of confidence about herself and her powers.

"What I saw, the other things... of you looking at me... what I felt from... from you when I saw... I mean, I never... I love you... but I never thought..." She closes her eyes and shakes her head. "This is not... easy... How do you really feel about me, Michael?"

As Maria continues, she lets her feelings be known verbally. Even though I saw and felt how she feels about me through the images I'd seen, hearing the words actual words threw me. I watch as her hand moves and start pinching herself. She's nervous, her body fighting to go invisible again.

"Maria." I say taking hold of her hand. "Take a breath, calm down." She looks up at me and I see her take a couple of deep breaths. I give her a gentle smile.

"It's ok. I know how you feel. As you saw flashes of my life, I saw yours too. How you feel about me, it's humbling. I never knew anyone could have such feeling for a person, let alone me."

Maria opens her mouth to speak but I place a finger across her lips.

"As for who you are...I like you just the way you are. A person can be a hero even without special powers. And never think that your powers are miniscule. Yes, you are reincarnated, you have the powers of that person, but you are still Maria DeLuca. The girl I've watched grow into a woman, the one I've fallen in love with."

[StormWolfstone]

OOC: ok.... this is just wow..... my muse doesn't want to work on everything... but for some unknown reason (though I might hazard a guess that it's Magikhands fabulous Michael) I can write Maria for this RP and a few other characters in things just fine... (not really great with my Michael's or Isabel's at the moment though.... but I'm trying)

I hope this works.... if anything needs to be changed, feel free to let me know.

BIC:

~Maria~

"Maria." Michael takes a hold of my hand, "Take a breath, calm down." I look at him, nervously, but still look at him and try to do just that. Drawing in a couple of deep breath's I wait to be shot down. The smile he gives me almost undoes me.

"It's ok. I know how you feel. As you saw flashes of my life, I saw yours too. How you feel about me, it's humbling. I never knew anyone could have such feeling for a person, let alone me."

I can't help but want to say something but Michael stops me with a finger against my lips. With a sigh, I wait for him to continue. Inside, I'm screaming because it almost sounds like an 'I'm honored, but don't feel the same' thing is about to be said.

"As for who you are...I like you just the way you are. A person can be a hero even without special powers. And never think that your powers are miniscule. Yes, you are reincarnated, you have the powers of that person, but you are still Maria DeLuca. The girl I've watched grow into a woman, the one I've fallen in love with."

My eyes widen, I know it and I feel my mouth drop slightly. He's in love with me? In love with me? I've known Michael long enough to know that he'd never say anything like that without meaning it. "Michael..." I'm not even certain what I want to say. With those few words, I don't even have the mind to speak. Instead, I simply smile and lean forward, touching my lips to his softly.

As much as I'd love to lose myself in a kiss again, I force myself to let the kiss linger only a moment before drawing back to smile at him, "I love you, Spaceboy. Your secret is safe with me." I can't tell Liz or Alex. I can't tell anyone, cause it's not my place. And hey, if I could keep my secret all that time, I can keep Michael's too.

I look at him, feeling awed by everything that has happened in such a short time, "I never thought you'd love me. I always tried to use your brother to make you jealous, but it never seemed to work." I admit and feel myself blush, "Trevor knew my reasons too, he was determined to do whatever he could to help."

I laughed softly and simply squeezed the hand that held mine before looking around us. I can't believe I've been sharing so much in a tub in a stranger's bathroom, with my clothing on and with Michael there. I can feel the emotional whirlwind as I think about everything and feel the excitement grow in place of the nervousness. Yet, even that causes my molecules to go haywire and I sigh as I feel my legs become weightless.

"I guess I have no choice but to let Mena teach me control." I comment as I once again have to pinch myself. I look into Michael's eyes with a smile, "Michael, where does this leave us? I mean... umm... I... with how we feel... do you want... umm... to..." Okay, so I'm not doing good finding out whether he wants a relationship or not. I can't seem to bring myself to say it straight out.

"I mean... you don't... umm... have to feel... umm... obligated or anything. I know... relationships never seemed to... umm... be your thing." I sound pathetic.

Pull youself together Maria DeLuca. Stop sounding so lost. I yell at myself mentally. Just because he loves you doesn't mean he wants you. He may not want you close. An inner voice argues.

I don't care. I'll fight for him. I love him and if I have to I'll fight to prove it. I argue back silently.

[magikhands]

Michael

"Michael..." My name on her lips sounded heavenly at that moment. Before I could say anything else she leaned forward and kissed me. My heart started pounding harder though it was a gentle kiss, not like the one was shared just moments before. My head went into a full spin and lingered even after she pulled away.

"I love you, Spaceboy. Your secret is safe with me."

Her words brought my spin to a crashing halt. I looked at her with all seriousness. Yes, she's already admitted that she loved me, and yes, I knew how she felt but to hear it like that...full of such emotion and honesty...it nearly blew me away.

"I never thought you'd love me. I always tried to use your brother to make you jealous, but it never seemed to work." Her cheeks blush pink. She looks even more beautiful. "Trevor knew my reasons too, he was determined to do whatever he could to help."

I feel my mouth drop open and my eyes widen. Trevor, my own brother, knew why she was always flirting with him? And he helped her by being just as flirtatious? Oohh, just wait til I get alone with that boy. He's got A LOT of explaining to do.

"I guess I have no choice but to let Mena teach me control." She says as I notice her pinching herself again. But then she smiles while looking me directly in my eyes. "Michael, where does this leave us? I mean... umm... I... with how we feel... do you want... umm... to..." She seems flustered and I have to bite my cheek to keep from smiling. At this rate, she may turn invisible all together where no amount of pinching is going to keep it at bay.

"I mean... you don't... umm... have to feel... umm... obligated or anything. I know... relationships never seemed to... umm... be your thing."

I let both my hands slide down her arms. The thumb and index finger on my right hand takes a piece of her flesh and gives it a nice pinch. This stops her babbling and makes her gasp.

I take a deep breath before opening my mouth. "I love you Maria. I have for a long time. I have dreamed of being with you for just as long but it seemed that...a dream. I've always had to keep this secret, of who I am. I couldn't let others get too close, to find out who I am. I think you understand."

Maria nods but keeps silent.

"As for you flirting with Trevor." My expression turned into a scowl. "I noticed. As much as I tried not to let it bother me, it did. I didn't like the way you smiled at him so..." I stopped myself. I refused to get angry about it. Trevor is my brother in almost every sense except for blood.

"Anyway, he and I have a lot of talking to do. But trust me when I say that it worked. Too good sometimes."

I let a smile cross my features. "And yes, working with Mena is a great idea. I mean, I'd hate to have to pinch you everytime I'm around." I chuckle.

[StormWolfstone]

~Maria~


I shiver slightly, not from cold, as Michael's hands slide down my arms. He pinches me and I gasp, looking at him with my lips clamped shut. "I love you Maria. I have for a long time. I have dreamed of being with you for just as long but it seemed that...a dream. I've always had to keep this secret, of who I am. I couldn't let others get too close, to find out who I am. I think you understand."

I nod, I do understand. How can I not? But, he's really close to Max, Isabel..and...Tess. Wait, he couldn't let others get to close, but what about them? Are they? It would fit more with what Max did.

"As for you flirting with Trevor." I notice he scowled and wondered how he was going to react. "I noticed. As much as I tried not to let it bother me, it did. I didn't like the way you smiled at him so..." He stopped and I couldn't keep the smile from shaping my lips. "Anyway, he and I have a lot of talking to do. But trust me when I say that it worked. Too good sometimes."

He smiles before continuing, "And yes, working with Mena is a great idea. I mean, I'd hate to have to pinch you everytime I'm around."

He gives a light chuckle and I shake my head, "Michael, my vanishing isn't funny." I start with a small smile. "You have no idea how many bruises I've given myself when I've been around you, or thought about you."

I sigh as I look at him, knowing that by now the others are probably about ready to leave or get the show on the road or something, but I don't think I'm ready to end this conversation just yet. "Michael... What about Max, Isabel and Tess? Are they? I mean... you are really close to them?"

Okay, so maybe I shouldn't be jumping to conclusions, but now that I'm here with Michael talking in this way, actually being civil..... I want to learn as much as I can and I can't keep myself from asking. "If so, I swear I won't say anything. I mean, it's also part of your secret and I'd never do that to you."

Shut up, DeLuca, let the man answer! I scream at myself inwardly.