Author: Fidomom
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. It is only loosely based on characters from the tv series Roswell as I imagine they could be from different points throughout and beyond the three seasons of the show. I am not affiliated with any of the original creations nor creators from the series. I will make no monetary gains from publishing this work of fiction.
Pairings/Couples/Category: Michael/Maria, Max/Liz AU with aliens,
Rating: Adult
Story Premise: Roswell's three teenaged aliens and three of their friends, upon graduation from highschool, embark on a journey toward adulthood, living life everywhere and anywhere outside of Roswell, New Mexico, and endeavouring to do good, while avoiding law enforcement, and other threats.
Chapter Summary: Michael and Maria consider giving their relationship merry- go-round another ride.
Author's Note: warnings=work in progress, this story will eventually contain relationships that might upset fans of strictly canon and it will also include events that may be upsetting for the reader (no main character death, though). If there's a specific thing you don't ever want to read about you can ask me in PM if I intend to have that in my story; if this is a safe read for you or not and I will tell you. I just don't want to divulge too much of my plot by warning everybody for everything I intend to have in this story.
~FM
Finding Something Better
by Fidomom
Chapter One
Five nights after leaving Roswell, New Mexico, the six member exodus were finally getting their scheduled overnight at a motel with beds and showers.
As Maria and Liz were getting their things from the minivan to take to the motel cabins they'd be staying in that night, Liz asked tentatively, "So what's really going on with you and Michael?"
Maria puffed out her lips and sighed heavily before answering forlornly, "I would love to know the answer to that myself, Liz, I really would. I mean he isn't the only reason I'm tagging along but he's definitely a big part of it. For some Michael logic reason or another things are just really awkward with us right now. I'm starting to wonder if he wishes I'd stayed in Roswell, you know?"
Liz nodded understandingly and then asked pointedly, "Well, have you tried talking to him about it?"
Maria looked down at the ground sheepishly and admitted, "Well, no. He has avoided being one on one with me since the night we supposedly got back together. Maybe I should just not even try any more."
Liz raised her eyebrows skeptically and asked like she already knew the answer, "Do you still love him, though?"
Maria's face coloured slightly and she nodded, confirming Liz's obvious belief, "Yes, of course, I love him. I've come to accept that this is just the permanent state of my heart where he is concerned and I just have to find a way to grin and bear it."
Liz smiled sympathetically at Maria and set aside her belongings to sling an arm around Maria's shoulders, offering words matching her smile, "I'm sorry, Maria. I've been so focused on Max that I missed entirely that you and Michael were not quite okay with each other. I only finally noticed it tonight. Is there anything I can do to cheer you up or at least take your mind off of him for a few minutes?"
Maria smiled back at her gratefully then leaned toward Liz to rest her head against Liz's and she declined, "I appreciate the offer but no, not really and it's okay, Liz. You're my very best friend, I love you like crazy and I am really and truly happy that things with you and Max are working out so beautifully. Hey, who knows in case things don't pan out for me and Michael, maybe someday my heart will make room and I'll love someone new but just differently than I love him, you know?"
Liz's expression belied any conviction her words tried to convey as she offered Maria support, "Yeah. That could totally happen. I hope it really does. You do deserve happiness, Maria."
Maria appreciated Liz's effort and said as much, "Thanks, Liz. Guess I was wrong. You actually did just cheer me up. You really are the best!"
Both girls looked up startled upon hearing a quiet male voice ask, "Why did you need cheering up? Bad news? Everything okay?"
Liz spoke his name in relief, "Michael."
Maria spoke his name guiltily, "Michael."
Liz suddenly blurted an obviously made up excuse to leave them alone, "You know what, Maria, Max and I have this thing, a mini date thing, yeah so I'm just gonna go and let you and Michael talk.,
"Michael, don't leave her, as soon as I'm gone. You guys should talk, okay?", Liz advised him as she walked backward, then turned and ran off.
Michael made an annoyed face and said dismissively, "Whatever. Yeah, fine. Later, Science."
Maria called out in nervous desperation to her already retreated friend, "Thanks a lot, Liz. I'm rethinking the whole you're the best, thing. Just kidding. Have fun on your mini date. Mini date my butt."
Michael started grabbing his things from the minivan, as well, and questioned, "So what is it that she thinks we need to talk about? And why are you so down?"
Maria looked at the ground and kicked at the dirt as she mumbled, "How typical that you really don't know, Michael."
Michael slammed the vehicle door harder than it needed to be making Maria jump slightly and he warned, "If you're cruising for a fight, Maria, I'm out. I'm too exhausted."
Maria countered irritably, "So then why are you out here instead of already gone to bed?"
Michael answered as if it should already be obvious to her, "I was looking for you."
Maria blinked in surprise and asked before she could stop herself, "Oh. Why?"
Michael shrugged and answered honestly, "It's just been bugging me that you haven't crashed with me even once since we got back together. I thought you agreed that we were in this together but I've been sleeping or rather not sleeping by myself for like four days. Like I said, I'm exhausted. You coming to bed with me now or what?"
Maria's eyes and mouth widened perceptibly and then she blurted, "You're unbelievable! Am I coming to bed? Are you serious? You expect me to have sex with you after you've been avoiding and ignoring me since the night we supposedly reconciled?"
Michael frowned in annoyance and denied her assessment, "No, I haven't! And I didn't say sex I said bed. I'm tired, Maria. For the first time in my life, I can't fall asleep in strange places and having you with me is probably my only shot at getting some shut eye, tonight, finally. Can we fight later? Can you just come to bed already? Please?"
Maria opened and closed her mouth a few times wordlessly before finally rambling, "I. What even? Fine. Well, I guess I've gotta sleep, somewhere. Sure why not with my is he or isn't he my ex? Okay, Michael, you win. But I am not being your booty call! We will not be having sex, understood?"
Michael heaved a visible sigh of relief, nodded and held out his free hand to her as he agreed, "Sure. Fine. Come on. Let's just go to bed."
Michael laced his fingers with hers and without speaking, they walked brusquely hand in hand to the cabin that Michael had chosen from the ones they had all rented for the night.
Michael broke the silence just once to object to what she intended to wear to bed. He threw her one of his clean t-shirts instead and claimed, "I don't want a perfume headache tonight. If you don't mind."
Maria huffed and accepted it with a roll of her eyes. She put it on and crawled under the covers on what had traditionally become her side of the bed whenever they'd slept together. She attempted to sleep on her side facing away from him but as soon as he got into bed and snapped off the bedside lamp, he reached for her, rolled her easily onto her back and snuggled up to her chest. Maria objected indignantly, "What did I just say, Michael? What are you doing?!"
Michael didn't alter his position as he defended, "What?! I'm just getting comfortable. Your heartbeat is a comforting familiar sound. I just want to sleep already. Okay?"
Maria relaxed and said quietly, "Oh. Okay, Michael. Sorry for taking it wrong. Goodnight, then. I hope you get a good sleep, tonight. Michael? Michael?"
He rubbed his cheek over her heart and mumbled tiredly, "Huh? Oh, yeah. Love you, too, Maria. Night."
Maria chuckled in amused chagrin and complained under her breath, "And just like that I'm doomed to never be over this guy."
His hand reached under her shirt slightly to lightly rub her side with his thumb and he slurred his words like he'd been drugged, "I heard that and good. Ditto. Can you do that thing with my hair, again?"
Maria sighed in defeat and her fingers began softly combing through the hair at his temple and down behind his ear as she agreed softly, "Sure. Go to sleep, spaceboy."
"And sing?", he requested hopefully.
"Yeah, I can do that, too.", and she sang Nothing Else Matters a cappella until she was certain he was asleep before she finally let herself fall asleep, too.
*****
Maria felt like she'd only just fallen asleep when she became aware of daylight and of Michael fidgeting restlessly as he mumbled, "Don't do it, Maria, don't say yes. No matter how many times I ask just say no. Promise me you'll say no."
Maria asked in drowsy confusion, "Michael? Say no to what?"
Michael startled slightly, lifted his head to look at her through one barely opened eye and said groggily, "Huh? Maria? Wow, you're still here. I thought for sure I was gonna wake up alone. Good to be wrong."
Maria didn't acknowledge his pleasure at finding himself still in bed with her but asked him again, "Michael, what were you just telling me to say no to?"
He frowned in consternation, then shrugged, yawned and snuggled against her again as he mused, "Hmm? Oh. I don't know. Must have been dreaming. Don't remember now."
Maria nodded and rolled her eyes as she absentmindedly rubbed his back and complained, "Figures. Do you think you can let me up, now, spaceboy, since you're awake? I have to pee."
He rolled away from her slightly, answering, "Course.", and then he asked, "You coming back to bed?"
Maria tugged down on the hem of the t-shirt she'd worn to bed, as it had ridden up significantly while they'd slept and she answered him in subdued incredulity, "Uhh, no, wasn't planning on it."
He sleepily pouted, "Why not?"
Maria gave him a knowing look and admonished, "Because in spite of the whole cute, sleepy Michael routine you're playing right now, neither one of us is tired any more and the only reason to go to bed with an on again off again ex-lover when nobody is tired, is for sex and I already told you last night, that is not happening. Here's how it is in broad daylight, if you want me to literally sleep with you after tonight you will stay right there and we are going to talk relationship status, all over again, after I relieve myself, deal?"
Michael scowled and objected, "Ex-lover? Whatever. Yeah, sure. Deal. Won't go anywhere. I'm all yours."
Maria scoffed, "Right. Sure you are. Be right back."
Maria had barely pulled up her underwear and flushed the toilet, when Michael entered the bathroom, completely naked. Maria gasped and scolded him, "Michael! Oh my God! Put some clothes on!"
He gave her a questioning look and countered, "To take a shower? Even for you that's a weird thing to say. Save water with me?"
Maria narrowed her eyes and asked him suspiciously,
"So much for staying put. Wait! Michael, are you trying to seduce me?"
He fought a smirk and denied it, "Nah, I just know you like it when I wash your back. If you don't want me to this morning, it's fine. I'll try to make it quick so you have enough hot left for your hair."
Maria's eyes moved all up and down his body and her throat went dry. She relented and admitted to him, "I can't believe I'm getting sucked in this easily. Okay I'm into it. Move over, spaceboy."
Michael managed to gloat with just the glimmer of a smile and he disclaimed, "Look, Maria, just so you know, the only way we are having shower sex is if you make the first move, so don't pout if I don't come on to you. I still think you're really hot but you said no sex a bunch of times now so I intend to behave myself. Got it?"
Maria lightly smacked his upper arm and complained, "Oh, right, like flattery isn't flirting? What do you call that, if that isn't coming on to me?"
Michael flinched away from the smack, chuckling and answered, "Easy. I call it a statement of fact. You are what you are. Come closer so I can get your back for you."
Maria glowered at him even as she complied. She accused poutingly, "You're the devil, Michael Guerin."
Michael stood just close enough to her for his chest to be in light contact with hers and he lathered his hands and began slowly spreading the lather all over her back. He spoke so close to her ear his lips grazed it, "Yeah, well, your halo is a bit tarnished, too, Maria."
Maria's breath caught and she said his name so quietly he almost didn't hear it over the sound of the shower, "Michael."
He didn't still his hands. He lightened his touch until she visibly shivered and then he finally prompted her to continue, "Yeah, Maria?"
She put her hands on his shoulders and moved them in a light caress between his shoulders, collar bones and chest, before finally speaking her mind, "If you don't give me shower sex like right now, I'm not singing to you ever again."
He pulled her into a full body contact kiss that trailed from her lips, along her jawline down her neck, then up again directly to her ear before acknowledging her ultimatum, "Then I guess we're having shower sex like right now.", and then he turned with her suddenly so that her back was against the inside shower wall.
He slid his hand over her hip, down her behind and gripped the back of her thigh. She offered no resistance when he lifted her leg to his hip and then rubbed his aroused flesh against hers, just hard enough to elicit a response.
She gasped and wound her arms around the back of his neck, inviting him to lift her higher. He accepted and lifted her off both feet, She wound her legs around him, too and he pressed himself tightly against her, pinning her between himself and the wall, grinding against her most sensitive places as he kissed her deeply, sucking on her lips, and tasting her mouth.
She squirmed impatiently against him, with a slight whimper and he gave her what she wanted.
She abruptly pulled away from his kiss to cry out, "Ohhh! Michael, Michael, oh my God. I've missed this. I missed you, so much.", and then she was kissing him back again, matching his hunger and passion.
He dragged his mouth away from hers to echo her sentiments, "I missed you more. Plus I love you more.", and then he spent some time with his mouth on her neck, leaving his mark for her to discover later.
Maria leaned into his mouth at her neck and asked, between laboured breaths, "What is love to you, then, a contest?"
He ceased kissing her and grinding inside her. He looked her in the eye and clarified, "No, but I heard enough of your chat with Science, last night, to know that you forgot how I feel about you. I'm just reminding you, that's all. Your ride is about to get wild, I suggest you hold on tight."
Maria only managed one intelligible, "Michael.", before Michael made good on his warning and rendered all of her subsequent vocalisations loud, frequent and quite incoherent.
By the time they were done in the shower, Maria's legs felt like jelly from her exertions and both she and Michael were quite out of breath. Michael dried them both off but not very well. He embraced her and kissed her as he moved them from the bathroom back to the bed. She didn't utter any word of complaint as he backed her onto the bed and made love to her some more. Afterward, they lay cuddled closely in each others arms with not even a sheet to cover them.
Maria was the first to move. She kissed Michael's chest and said sincerely, "Thank-you. I have some stuff to do, now, though. I have to deal with my hair and my legs aren't gonna shave themselves so unless you are into your girlfriend resembling a porcupine, you should probably let me up."
Michael didn't immediately let go of her and he asked, "Do I get to watch?"
Maria smiled and shook her head in fond exasperation but agreed, "Sure, but no interference allowed. Deal?"
Michael nodded his agreement and let her up. It took her fewer than twenty minutes to do her after shower rituals and Michael didn't take his eyes off of her except for when she disappeared into the bathroom to attend to things which required a mirror. Only when she reached for some clothes to put on did he voice a complaint, "Don't, Maria! Come back to bed with me."
Maria paused with her bra half on, looked at Michael sprawled out naked and uncovered on the bed. She sighed and took her bra back off again, then crawled onto the bed from the foot, up his body and paused on all fours directly over him. He didn't move or reach for her until she leaned down to kiss him softly on the lips. He pulled her snugly to himself then and she cuddled against him with a contented sigh. He lightly rubbed her upper arm and he asked conversationally, "So, you feeling better, now, Maria?"
She laughed lightly and confessed, "Yes. Much. Thank-you, Michael."
He nodded in approval and then tilted her chin to look her in the eye as he spoke, "Good. Now maybe you can explain that crack you made earlier about me being your ex-lover. What the hell was that about?"
Maria looked startled by the question but then she grew pensive and instead of answering him, she asked him a question of her own, "Michael, why have we spent zero time alone together, until last night, since we decided to get back together?"
Michael's eyes softened and he answered quietly, "That's on you. I already told you how I felt about you, all you had to do was bridge the gap. I was waiting for you because I didn't know how you were feeling about us. We agreed we were doing this together and then nothing for four days straight. I'm curious to know what you were thinking for those four days."
Maria shrugged and looked away as she confessed, "I guess I thought that you still wished I had stayed behind in Roswell and that being around me was uncomfortable for you since you only said you loved me when you thought you were saying goodbye to me forever. Plus that was like the week before graduation, so I wasn't sure if anything had changed for you since then."
Michael rubbed at his eyebrow and sighed as he conceded, "Okay, I admit it; I do wish you had stayed in Roswell but not because I don't want you with me. It's because I just want you to be safe and happy and I'm not sure you can be either of those things if I stay in your life. Selfishly, I prefer having you with me. That's what makes me feel safe and happy, but I'm too aware that being on the run like this, when you don't have to be, Maria, it's not good for you.
As you pointed out the night you joined us, though, it's really not up to me. It's your life and your choice. I guess I was giving you space to not get my own hopes up in case you changed your mind. Since we're both here on this journey, though and it seems like you intend to continue whether I give you space or not, well then I guess I'm an opportunist. If you are here, then I want you with me. As in with me, with me, but if that isn't what you want just tell me. Tell me what the rules are and I'll do my best to abide by them. I meant what I said when I thought we were saying goodbye and that hasn't changed and never will. I will love you no matter what. Always, Maria. Whether we are a couple or not. So just talk to me. Tell me what you really want."
Maria looked him in the eye and spoke emotionally, "Michael. You know, sometimes when you speak about us, you put your foot in it and deeply hurt my feelings, but wait, not this time. This time I think you just made me fall more in love with you and made me more sure that I am exactly where I want to be and with exactly whom I belong. I love you so much, Michael.
What I want is to be wherever you are, be it cars, minivans, beds, showers, whatever, if you're there, then that's where I most want to be. Can we do that? Can we just be together; have a life together whether on the run or maybe even someday keep having a life together if the running isn't necessary anymore?"
Michael nodded and agreed, "Yeah. Of course we can. So you're gonna crash with me from now on?"
Maria chuckled at how quickly he'd swung the topic back to sleeping together but answered him, "Yes, spaceboy."
Michael flirted shamelessly, "Naked?"
Maria flirted back more coyly, "Sometimes, yes."
Michael grinned smugly and hugged her extra tight as he declared, "I'll take it. I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings, I really was just being cautious in case you had changed your mind. I had no idea you would think, well, that you would think what you thought. I don't just love you, Maria; I like you. I like having you close to me. I'll try to let you see that more often. Thinking about it, you know, the insomnia was driving me nuts. If you hadn't been here already, I think I just might have turned around, gone back, and abducted you, again. Just saying."
Maria laughed appreciatively at that and admitted, "And I would have let you, again. Oh my God, Michael, do you think I have Stockholm's syndrome?"
Michael nodded resolutely and unofficially diagnosed, "Oh, you definitely do. You wanna get over it?"
Maria pretended to think about it and then she slowly shook her head and committed, "Nope, I think ... I think I'm all good with it."
Michael accepted the answer as if he'd predicted as much. He switched their focus back to his recently favourite topic, "Can we have sex, again, now?"
Maria didn't even blink as she quickly answered, "Oh yes, spaceboy. Definitely. I'm owed at least another three rounds for every night we've missed, since leaving Roswell."
Michael laughed wryly and said, "Well, if you really wanna keep score, I'm owed way more than that for the whole time we were broken up."
Maria caressed his jawline with her index finger and kissed him once before suggesting, "Then I guess we'd better get busy settling the score." and then she kissed him again.
Michael started to respond and kiss her back but then he suddenly pulled away to say, "Maria, I just want to mention that even when we were broken up no matter which one of us did it, I still never thought of us as exes. I didn't like it when you referred to me as your ex, earlier. To me exes are people who used to love each other but don't any more and as far as I know that has never been us. Am I wrong about that?"
Maria winced in regret and agreed with him, "No, you're right, Michael. I have never stopped loving you. I'm sorry for saying we were exes. I mean how did we ever suppose you could be my ex-spaceboy, anyway? How would that even work? There's no such thing. It's completely ridiculous."
Michael looked her in the eye as his thumb caressed the newest mark he'd left on her neck, in the shower earlier and he spoke quietly, "Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Thanks."
Maria leaned into his caress briefly then shifted herself to encourage him to roll her underneath him. When he'd acted on her physical suggestion, she wrapped her arms and legs around him and ordered, "And on that note, you need to come a lot closer, my permanent spaceboy. There's something that I need you to know."
He kissed her mouth with his eyes open and then asked intently, "Oh yeah? And what's that?"
Maria kissed him on the lips repeatedly speaking between each kiss, "Oh, just that I missed your hot bod, your possessive hands and your amazing lips all over me. God Michael you turn me on! Why do you have to be so bloody sexy?"
Michael grinned proudly and nuzzled her neck. He muttered almost to himself, "Yeah, you must have really missed me, you're usually way more careful about saying things that might inflate my ego."
Maria pulled him away from her neck to look him in the eye and she conceded, "You know what, Michael? You're right and I'm sorry. I'm gonna work on being more fair about that."
Michael's eyes were glazed in lust and he asked in confusion, "Wait, what? Why are you sorry, now?"
Maria held his face between her palms and explained in remorse, "For withholding from you what I really think of you, when I am having good thoughts about you and trying to justify it, by blaming you for how it might affect you."
Michael's eyes showed his confusion as he asked for clarification, "I don't follow. Say again but maybe this time in English?"
Maria sighed and hugged him suddenly, rubbing his back appreciatively as she elaborated, "It's just pissy of me to only criticise you and rarely compliment you just in case that might make you feel too good, Michael. It's kind of mean. I love you. A lot. I should be doing what I can to support and encourage you and I should have more faith in you. I should expect the best of you instead of the worst."
Michael pulled away to look at her and disagreed adamantly, "Whoa, whoa, no, Maria. Trust me on this, you're fine. You don't owe me an apology. You know me really well and you're right, I do get too cocky if I think there's smooth sailing and maybe I don't try to give you reasons to compliment me when I'm feeling too full of myself like that.
I like that you call me on my crap and keep me on my toes and give me incentives to try. As long as I'm trying, then I feel like I'm less likely to make the mistake of taking you for granted. Besides if you complimented my body or my love making activities all the time, then it might not turn me on so much, the rare times when you do actually do it."
Maria thought over his stated point of view and mused aloud, "Okay. That does make some kind of sense to me, I guess. Wait, so like, you're turned on, too?"
Michael's brow rose and he asked pointedly, "Are you naked in my arms right now?"
Maria batted her eyes at him coyly, pairing it with a flirty smile as she rubbed her leg against his provocatively and revealed, "Yes, very. Even my legs. Feel that?"
He nodded, kissed her on the lips once and informed her, "Then my being turned on is a given, even when you're sporting quills, by the way, so don't ever stress over that on my account."
Maria's face showed her pleased surprise at his claimed level of attraction to her and she vowed, "I'll keep that in mind.", and then she asked hopefully, "So I get the strongest feeling that you, uhh, wanna make love to me, now. How about it, spaceboy?"
Michael was already getting himself in a better position for making love, as he sought confirmation, "Will we be putting a big dent in the outstanding balance owing for missed time?"
Maria was adjusting her own position to better accommodate him, as well and she gave him the confirmation he was looking for, "Yes, or your girlfriend might get cranky and nobody wants that."
Michael moved against her until they were one and stated his double entendre, "Then I'm definitely in. What are you wearing, Maria?"
Maria moaned in pleasure and then mumbled, "I think we've already established that I'm naked."
Michael began moving his hips slowly, kissing and sucking the side of her neck on which he hadn't yet left his mark and trying to talk against her skin, "I mean that perfume smell."
Maria was matching his pace, digging her self-manicured fingernails into his shoulders and she asked petulantly, "Do you want me to go wash it off, already? I just put it on, Michael."
Michael kissed her lips, her jaw, her ear and emphasised with his hip movements as he objected, "No, don't wash it off, it smells really good."
Maria made her neck more accessible for his mouth, then moved one hand up the nape of his neck, delving her fingers into his hair, enjoying the novelty of his recent haircut and informed him, "Michael, it's the exact same fragrance that I wear all the time, including on New Year's Eve."
Michael paused his hip movements abruptly, then lifted his head from sucking her neck to argue, "That's not possible. That can't even be right. You always smell good like this, except for that one night."
Maria's passion filled eyes cleared briefly and she swatted his shoulder, as she asked incredulously, "Wait, you actually do like my perfume? Oh my God you sneak! You tricked me into wearing your shirt to bed! Perfume headache, my butt!"
Michael said "Ow!", then grabbed her violence prone hand and held it captive, as he resumed his hip movements. He didn't defend himself against her accusations right away, nor let go of her hand until she began responding to his lovemaking again. He looked her in the eye as they moved together and finally explained between kisses, "I can't help it that I like seeing you wear my shirts, as your sleep wear. You make them look really sexy, and then they smell like you after, too. I ran out of ones that still smell like you, when we were broken up. I think it's why I couldn't sleep properly for the past four nights. There was nothing familiar for me to sleep with to help me relax."
Suddenly, Maria's eyes widened and she halted Michael's kisses, with a very quiet but serious order, "Michael, you need to back away from me right now. Like right now."
He frowned in concern but he complied and then asked, "Did I say something bad? Was I hurting you or something? Why are you putting the brakes on right in the middle?"
Maria winced and quickly reached out to touch his face as she reassured, "You did nothing wrong, I promise. It's not that I want us to stop right now but we really have to. I should have never let you seduce me or I shouldn't have seduced you, frankly I can't remember now who started what, but it shouldn't have happened. Oh my God, how could I be this stupid and reckless?"
Michael rolled off of her and lay beside her, with his head propped on his palm and leaning his weight on his elbow. With his free hand, he cupped her face and asked in confusion, "What are you talking about? Now you don't want to be with me, after all?"
Maria turned her face to kiss his palm and assured him once again, "It's nothing like that, Michael. Look I don't know how to sugar coat this so I'm just going to say it. I am not now, nor have I been, on any birth control, for these past three months. I quit taking the pill after the last time we had sex. I thought it would make me have to think twice before jumping back into bed with you, if I didn't actually want us to get back together, because I saw that it hurt you getting your hopes up, like that."
Michael looked panic stricken even as he asked her to restate the obvious, "So you're telling me we just spent the better part of two hours having completely unprotected sex?"
Maria nodded and said the only words she could think of, even though she knew they sounded lame and ineffective, "I'm so sorry, Michael. I got caught up in our reunion and completely forgot until you just ment-"
Michael's jaw clenched and his eyes glowed with unconcealed anger, "Would you just shut-up! None of your explanations matter, now! How could you do this? I trusted you! How could you forget something so important? What the hell is wrong with you, Maria?"
Maria was alarmed by his outburst and she tried to calm him, "Michael! I didn't do it on purpose for God's sake! I'm human, okay? I forgot I went off the pill! It's not like this will wreck your life! If I wind up pregnant it's not like you're the one everyone will judge! My God, my Mom will have a whole herd of cattle if I have a kid without being married first!"
Michael got up, threw Maria's clothes at her and then began getting dressed himself as he vented, "What has marriage got to do with anything? Are you insane? Whatever, Maria, I changed my mind. I don't want to be with you, if I can't trust you. I can't make you not travel with us, but stay as far away from me as possible from now on! We are done!"
Maria was bewildered and tried to reason with him, "Come on, Michael, don't you think you're overreacting just a tad? I mean yeah if I'm pregnant that's definitely not ideal but it's hardly the end of the world, and I really don't think what just happened warrants the level of anger you're directing at me. We love each other, Michael. Whatever happens now we're gonna get through it together just like we always do."
Michael shook his head stubbornly and argued, "Not this time, Maria. We're over."
Maria watched him leave in completely stunned silence and then her tears started. She got dressed and went to find Liz.
