Roswell Fanatics

Tess and Max never had sex. There is no baby Zan (OK Dreamers, you can cheer out loud!) They did get a little close and dated a bit since Liz pushed them together though with pressure from Future Max. I may not be a Dreamer, but I have respect enough to give these two a decent storyline that they deserve. Liz and Max were adorable and kind. I will write these two with complete adoration in this fic.

Liz did change and took on alien powers. She was deathly afraid of the changes at first, but later on, she took on the transition more amicably and it brought her and Max closer together. She never went to the Windham Academy.

Maria talked to Liz on the bench like the scene in CH CH CHANGES and helped Liz realize not to be afraid of the change and to not push Max away. This convinced Liz to go to Max, where they finally cemented their relationship. (DREAMERS even though I’m a CANDY writer here, you can still love me! GO ahead and cheer once again!)

After the night Maria talked to Liz, Maria left the next morning to New York and never came back. She tries calling Michael one last time before she leaves from the bus depot to say goodbye. She didn’t want their last conversation to be the encounter she had with him on his stoop. It wasn’t the warm comfort she needed and she didn’t want Michael to feel used just because they slept together. Unfortunately, Michael purposely doesn’t pick up the phone when Maria calls, but he chooses to hear the voicemail she leaves. Once he does, he deletes it.

Michael moves on, Monk never gets killed in this version, so Jim was never saved by Max. Jim is still human. Max never dies so Michael never becomes King. Get it?

Isabel finally gets the courage to tell Jesse about her being an alien. Jesse, while at first surprised and outraged, works it out with Isabel and accepts her.

There’s no special unit (That was so random how they appeared in season 3) Nasedo killed them off and disassembled the unit when he was Agent Pierce in Season 2. There was never any evidence of Max, Isabel, and or Michael as aliens. All is well. But the Dupes? That could be another story...

Jim and Amy have started dating. Jim hasn’t told Amy about pod squad being aliens….yet.

So what happens to Tess? You gotta read to find out! But don’t forget this is a Candy story, so while other characters will make an appearance, M/M is the center of the story.

Chapter 1

Pressure can mean the difference between life and death. Not enough and you might not amount to anything; too much, and you can suffocate. Maria’s eyes glazed over at the goldfish swimming the inner perimeter of its tank. Without the right amount of water pressure, this goldfish would perish yet it seemed so alive, though he was confined to the restrictions of the cold glass, boxed in, trapped. Trapped yet immensely thriving. Ironic. 

I’m just like this goldfish Maria thought to herself. No! I AM this goldfish, she corrected as she hopped off the barstool, fuming, her guitar still held in her hand. 

Adam and her manager Dominique were occupied with replaying the vocals that Maria had just recorded. They didn’t even notice when she walked past them and exited the recording studio. She wanted to take a moment to get some fresh air from outside. She left her guitar at the door before she ventured out. The guitar that once belonged to her best friend. Alex.

The New York air was chilly and thin. Immensely frustrated, she tied her wooly scarf tighter around her neck, and took out her mittens from her tan suede jacket and put them on. She looked up to the sky in hopes to see the stars, but to her dismay, not one pierced the night sky. Not like back home. In Roswell, you could always see the stars, unlike here in New York due to the ever-growing air pollution. 

She was tired of this New York life. Once she had felt so free to be in New York, to be away from all the drama that Roswell brought her--that the aliens had brought her. In fact, she felt like she had always belonged in the big city, that she was meant to be here all along. But now, she was not feeling at all synced with the big city. Especially because of her manager Dominique and the demands of the record label. Adam Chase had even begun to become a pill as well.

He kept sticking around longer and longer in the recording studio during sessions, even when he didn’t need to. He seemed to be constantly overstepping his boundaries in the workplace, like asking Maria to come in on days she had off just so they could work one and one. Alone. It was more like him staring at her than working. The man gave her bad vibes and hardly listened to her opinions. She rarely got to include her guitar playing in the songs. She didn’t understand the need for all the extra one on one time with him if she wasn’t asked to do more especially when she felt she had potential. 

When she asked Dominique about it she would just reply back with the same default phrases:

“Stick with me if you want to be famous toots.” or, 
“Adam Chase will get you there, just do what he asks you.” 
And the one that Maria hated the most:
“Maria, because I said so and you're lucky he gives you any attention at all!”

She was trapped. Allowed as much creative freedom as that goldfish was in its tank. The barriers were suffocating. She wasn’t making the music she believed in anymore. She never had to begin with but she tried to conform to their ways hoping that if she gave in a little they would too. She tried to thrive, but it never happened. She regretted she had forced herself to give it a shot. 

She had two big hit songs in the past two years but she wasn’t proud of these accomplishments, even when they hit platinum. Perhaps becoming a famous singer wasn’t something she wanted anymore. Maybe it was something she never wanted. She wanted something else entirely. She wanted her past back. Would it still be there waiting for her?





“Oh My God! Maria!” Liz exclaimed as she pulled Maria in a warm embrace practically lifting her feet off the floor. 

”I’ve missed you so much!” Liz added as she still held Maria’s hands in her own. “How’s New York?”

Maria shook her head. “It’s New York,” Maria said with a forced smile as she shrugged her shoulders. Liz hooked her arm around Maria's as they walked through the double doors of where they got their first jobs. The Crashdown. It was early morning, a slight cool breeze in the air, and the vicinity was completely empty. They were closing their restaurant to host a party that day. A celebratory going away Party for one Amy DeLuca.

“How’s your mom?” Liz asked.

“She’s excited. Going to Italy for a year to run some art galleries there while pursuing her internship. I think it’s right up her alley you know?” replied Maria as she took one of the empty barstools next to Liz. 

Liz smiled politely as she rested her head in one hand, elbow on the table. Maria couldn’t help but glance at the short cook window that she and Michael used to converse through when he was cooking away. The memory brought a slight smile to her face. 

Since Maria left for New York a lot of changes had taken place, and some of them started before her departure. Throughout the latter half of junior year and all of Maria’s senior year Amy decided to take some college art history courses in Las Cruces, leaving Maria alone more often than not. 

Maria remembered spending a lot of time with Michael in those days. She had become very attached to him and lost herself completely in him, and his life as well. It was like they both were living his life together as one, in some odd unexplainable way. She grew to depend on him a lot, and she wasn’t used to that. She was used to being independent. The change in her scared her, not to mention the stressors that came along with being Michael’s girlfriend. You can’t always escape where you’re meant to be though. That was a lesson that Maria needed to learn the hard way.

“Who knew all this time that while she was pursuing an art history degree that going to Italy was in the cards for her. It’s all so whimsical,” Liz said with a smile.

“Whimsical?” Maria scoffed. “Yeah, I guess. I don’t know what’s more whimsical. The fact that my mom is going to Italy for a year or the fact that I’m now step sibs with Kyle!”

“That’s not whimsical, that’s more like… awkward!” Liz exclaimed causing Maria to laugh.

“It’s not like we’ll be real step siblings anyway. I mean we don’t live with our parents or anything. I guess Kyle does but he soon won’t be. Stepsiblings are not always so great so I guess it could’ve been worse. At least I like Kyle,” Maria shrugged.

“ Yeah. He’s a good guy,” Liz nodded.

“So Boston? How’s your first semester going?” Maria asked, changing the subject.

“Well, it’s good. Max is taking some classes at Boston College while I’m at Harvard doing the whole science thing I guess,” Liz said with a chuckle making Maria laugh a little too.

“Yeah, all that science stuff. Has Max decided what he wants to major in?”

“Well, you’d think with the power to heal he’d want to be a...” Liz shrugged, tucking some hair behind her ear in that cute way she did. The gesture made Maria feel nostalgic. No matter what changed Liz was just so sweet and attentive.

“Let me guess doctor?” Maria said with an eye-roll.

Liz laughed and nodded. “Totally. Maybe a surgeon eventually. So it’s the Pre-Med route for him.”

“Wow, that’s awesome,” said Maria. She could totally see Max in scrubs and dawning a stethoscope around his neck. He was made to help people. Maybe lead too, but definitely help.

“Yeah, I bet if we went to the same university he’d still be my chemistry partner, given our worlds have the ability collide. Microbiology and Pre-Med”

“Worlds collide? Oh yeah, you can say that again Earthgirl!” Maria quipped causing Liz to laugh. Gosh! Liz hadn’t laughed like that in a long time. Not since Maria left. It had been a while. It felt so wonderful being with her best friend in their most familiar setting together.

“Weren’t you interning at Meta-Chem just after I left for New York?”

“Yeah, for like a summer. Michael had already left Meta-Chem a while before I got there. Pursuing his Criminal Justice Degree and all. He and Kyle hang out often since their both deputies at the station”

Maria nodded and smiled sadly looking down.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to bring it up that way,” Liz said apologetically as she placed her hand on Maria’s in remorse. 
“It’s ok Liz,” Maria said, sounding convincing. “He’s always going to be a part of my past,” Maria shrugged.

“You miss him, don’t you”.  Liz said in more of a statement than a question.

Maria nodded. “Always.”
Maria hugged herself tighter in the cold air as she leaned against the cold brick wall. Two and a half years ago she left Roswell, but she made it back for a visit two years ago just for her mother’s farewell party right before Amy decided to venture out to Italy. This time Jim Valenti would accompany her-- as her husband. She was happy her mother found happiness again. Over the years Jim proved to be a great man, with an even greater honor. He might not ever feel like a dad to her, but she would always appreciate his help and look up to him in admiration. And even though Kyle and she were now full-grown adults and technically step-siblings, she knew nothing would change. They would all still be friends.

 Everything with everyone despite all the change would be ok. Except when it came to Michael. She had made a suggestion to Michael the last time she ventured back to New Mexico, to possibly try and keep in touch. To her dismay, Michael never reached out. Did leaving for New York really put a nail in the coffin when it came to their relationship? She guessed they would never be okay again. What were they now anyway? Were they friends? Acquaintances? 

Maria quickly shook her head, throwing the thought out of her mind immediately. There was no way that a person she had first made love to, and went through so much together could just resort to a meaningless acquaintance. However, Maria’s thoughts were starting to become less optimistic.

“Maria?” 

Hearing her name woke her up from her thoughts. As she followed the voice to the right, she found Dominique at the entrance to the building holding the door open.
“You did great!”

Maria smiled at her, beaming, and came towards the entrance. “Yeah, you think so?”

“Oh yeah, baby! Look just practice a couple more times with Adam, and it’s solid!” she said as she took Maria back inside the building. Maria stopped her tracks in the hallway.

“I have to work more? Dominique, it’s ten PM! I’m done.” 

Dominique gave a testing look.

“Maria, we’ve been through this. You don’t get to say when it’s done. Only I, Adam or the record label does okay?”

“What more could you possibly get out of me this late at night?” Maira pleaded wanting an answer.

Dominique put her hands on her hips. “You’re Maria DeLuca! You have two major hits under your belt. That’s great but look, I gotta be honest toots, that’s not enough!”

“Maybe it is for me,” Maria mumbled as she looked away.

“You can do better, Cookie! And Adam, he’s going to get you there,” Dominique said as she grabbed her purse from the hook where it was hanging.

“You’re going to leave me here all alone with Adam again?” Maria asked in shock. “You’re my manager shouldn’t you be around more?”

Dominique gave her a perplexed look. “You’re in good hands toots! I trust only my best talent with Adam Chase, and you my dear are the best talent I’ve got. Don’t disappoint me!” she belted as she went out the door.

“I’m the only talent you got,” Maria dejected softly to herself as she helplessly looked on to the door that led to the studio.

She begrudgingly opened the door, and to her dismay, found Adam eagerly seated at the control panel.

Yay! I'm glad you posted this! And thank for giving this story an happy ending to Max and Liz.
I can't wait to see where this will go, the summary and the trailer totally captivated me!

Adam better not try anything with Maria, I know she can deffend herself, and I guess, maybe that's why she'll left NY? But still... I hate him.
I hope Maria will be able to get through this, though, it must be so hard on her!
I loved the part where Maria went back to Roswell and chatted with Liz! I love their friendship so much!

Can't wait for the next chapter!

A interesting start. Great job!

Great video you produced.....
I am 100 % Dreamer and usually skip over the Candy parts, but I plan to read along this time.
On the show, I had a strong dislike for Dominique and Adam Chase, so it will be interesting how long Maria will put up with them.

Stefuh : I too loved that flashback of Liz and Maria. There’s more on that Flashback soon. It will be interesting to see how you feel when she sees everyone, and I mean EVERYONE in that Flashback. Thanks for sticking by this story. I can’t wait for it to get more angsty. Oh and Adam….you’re about to find out.

Parker1947: Thanks for the review. I’m a big fan of your fics and love how you write Max and Liz. They have a special place in my fic too. After all, if it wasn’t for Max and Liz…would there have been a Michael and Maria?

keepsmiling7 : I love that you’re a dreamer, and to be honest Max and Liz are getting the justice they deserve in this fic. There was no sex with Tess, there’s no baby Zan (even though gosh darn it- he was an adorable baby!) it’s going to be Liz and Max’s turn for happiness. I’m glad you’re going to stick through the Maria and Michael parts too. I love them a lot, but yes- Adam. I highly disliked him for some reason when I saw him Season 3. I don’t know what it was, but I expanded on it and now, well….you’ll see in the next chapter



(Warning this chapter could be triggering to some who have been assaulted)



“Maria! Ready for some one-on-one,” he said a little too flirtatiously as he unknowingly licked his lips. He looked back down at his notes and stood up handing them over to Maria.

“What’s this?” Maria asked as she looked at the pad of paper with his scribbled writing. As she turned the pages of the pad she noticed many red marks and edits, over the song pages and lyrics.

“All the parts of the song where you screwed up,” Adam replied almost too immediately. “And we’re going to stay here late till you fix -every, -one, -of, -them,” he enunciated as he poked her nose. Maria annoyingly shook her head brushing his hand away from her face.

“This is going to take hours. It’s already late. How would any singer function like this?” Maria complained clearly upset.

“Well, that’s why I brought help!” Adam said coolly as he opened the fridge at the corner of the room. All this time Maria had been singing in the studio, and she never once noticed the fridge at the corner of the room. Walking back to her, Adam held two bottles of Heineken. Maria raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry I’m more of a Corona girl,” she replied sarcastically as she walked towards the hooks on the wall and began to take off her jacket and scarf.

Adam licked his lips again catching a glimpse of Maria’s back. He took in her alluring figure as her beautiful blonde hair cascaded in perfect waves midway of her back. Her jeans hugged her ass perfectly and just the sight of that was almost too sexy to hold back a moan. He saw the exposed skin of her abs as she raised her jacket and scarf to hang on the hook. She was a beauty.

He had been mesmerized by her ever since their first meeting in New Mexico. He remembered especially being thankful to hear that the song she had first written back then was about her ex-boyfriend, whom she had just broken up with. It meant she was available and he relished in the thought.

The Beauty was single, and that made Adam happy. Very happy. He stealthily walked over to her, quickly encircling her waist with his arms. Surprised and taken aback, Maria found herself unwillingly in Adam’s grasp. Looking down she saw two ice-cold Heineken were held in each of his hands.

“Let go of me,” Maria stated calmly as she daringly turned in his arms to face Adam. The action made Adam only gleam in pride more. He liked it when the girls he was interested in were playing hard to get or showed some assertiveness. Complete turn on.

“Come on love, pick a bottle,” he said as he brought the bottles up to her chest pressing the bottles against her bosom. The action made Maria both tense and cold all at once. She could feel her nipples harden from the cold temperature of the bottles, and she was sure her white tank top would expose major “headlights”. She pushed him a bit back only causing Adam to chuckle as his eyes froze at her chest. Yup. There were headlights.

Great! He’s totally going to get the wrong idea. I’m so not turned on!

Maria crossed her arms over her chest. “Can we just get this over with?” She was definitely annoyed and tired of his pathetic advances. Adam didn’t say anything. He threw the bottle she rejected on the couch, while he twisted the other open and took a big gulp.

“Ready whenever you are sweetheart,” he whispered wearily as he took a seat at the controls. Maria glared at Adam as she opened the glass door to the recording room. She was pissed. She had unfortunately gotten used to his pathetic attempts at flirting and even the unwanted tapping, groping, and pushing here and there. She didn’t like being harassed, but she felt so trapped in many ways. How could she fight back Adam Chase? That would ruin her career. A career she had fought for.

All the sacrifices she had made had begun to feel like it wasn't worth it. All of a sudden, an epiphany that brought on great remorse washed over her. To fight for her career, she left behind what mattered to her most. And now Maria was beating herself up for making such a devastating mistake.

But I can’t go back now. No one would take me as I am, let alone forgive me. I can’t even forgive me, she thought sadly to herself as she cupped the mic with both hands and closed her eyes.

“Ready?” Adam said a little rough in the intercom. Maria noticed the tone, but ignored it and simply nodded as she opened her eyes. As he put the music on, Maria’s started singing and it was mesmerizing. Out of all the singers Adam had ever worked with, none of them had a voice so full of feeling and passion like Maria’s. She was and always would be his magnum opus. His. He was never one for sharing. He hated that she never responded to his advances, and the truth was he was getting really tired of it. Especially today.

As she sang and sang, Adam sipped and sipped his beer. What Maria didn’t know was this was his fifth drink that day which made him tenser, bothered, and agitated than usual. Maria’s disinterest only added more fuel to the fire.

Putting his fingers to his head stroking his temples in a circular motion, he felt the angst from the compilation of Maria’s many rejections. Many months of moves, and not one reciprocated! His headache began to pound louder and louder with more fervor and pain. He was drunk, and when he was drunk- he was an angry drunk.

“Enough!” he roared as he flipped off the music.

Maria angrily took off her headphones letting them rest around her neck.

“What is it now?” she said glaring at Adam through the glass, agitated by the sudden disruption. She knew she was hitting the notes perfectly and with already being tired from working overtime Maria couldn’t hide her disdain.

Adam’s eyebrow raised at her disrespectful reaction.

With no more than a second’s notice, Adam was in the records room with Maria, and the door banged as it closed behind him.

“What is it now?” He exclaimed, repeating her phrase mockingly. He chuckled with a dark look causing Maria to apprehensively backup, unknowingly dropping her headphones to the floor.

“You need to back off Adam,” Maria started raising her hands slowly up. She was hoping the signal of surrender would calm him. “You’ve drunk too much,” Maria stated as she noted the Heineken still in his hand. He threw the bottle against the viewing window in a rage. The bottle caused a crack in the glass and in mere seconds the crack spread and got bigger and bigger, extending and extending. It was as if time had gone into slow motion and Maria’s eyes remained glued at the crack of the glass. Finally, the glass broke into thousands of pieces. The glittery storm crossed over to the studio controls room. The now exposed panel of the sound system dashboard was cascaded with broken glass. A sharp piece from the contact flew and nicked the side of Maria’s cheek. She quickly brought her hand to her face where there was tingling pain.

Danger. She was in danger. She was always good at sensing it from her escapades with Michael. She knew when danger was the real type of danger. This was real.

Maria quickly dodged for the door as she saw Adam preoccupied at the view of the exposed control panel and the mess he had made. Just as she was about to grab the knob, a hand grabbed her arm throwing her against the floor. Pain jolted from her tailbone to her neck, her headphones now flying across the room. She groaned and then groaned louder when Adam plopped himself on top of her. Finding it hard to breathe beneath his weight she screamed and heaved as she tried with all her might to push him off of her.

But to her dismay as much as she was trying to get him off, Adam’s persistence grew as well and he effortlessly clamped Maria’s arms down to her sides.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” he sneered, his alcoholic breath causing Maria to wince. She turned her head to the side to avoid the putrid stench radiating from his breath. She tried to kick her legs up from under him hoping she could somehow kick his backside or any side for that matter so she could escape from under him!

“Stop struggling!” he exclaimed furiously as he grabbed her shoulders up then slammed them down. Simultaneously the back of her head hit the bare floor of the record room with a thud, radiating pain like no other in her skull from the whiplash. She had to get out from under him--somehow someway.

She felt his hands repositioning hers, as one of his grabbed both of her hands and raised them above her head. He then took his free hand and placed it underneath her tank top. He skimmed his hand up and up until it found lace. Maria at this point was whaling from disgust, crying and pleading for him to get off of her. It was no use though. The whole thing just made him more turned on, and he began to knead her flesh over her laced bra cup.

“No!” Maria wailed repeatedly as she shook her head no. She peeked from the side of where her head turned and noticed the Heineken bottle just out of reach.

How did the bottle not cross the threshold of the glass on to the controls?

No time to think about that now! Looking up at Adam, who was now looking down at her navel, appeared to be completely fixated and distracted by her body. Maria somehow managed to get her right arm out of Adam’s grip, grabbed the Heineken bottle, and smashed it on Adam’s head as hard as she could. Shards of glass flew in all directions and Maria could feel the remnants of beer trickling down her right arm.

Adam screeched as he sat up cupping the back of his head, then quickly fell next to Maria’s side on the floor, wincing in pain. More green glass fell on top of her and Adam, but that didn’t stop Maria from making her move! Maria bolted from the floor, almost tripping as she ran out of the record room. As she dashed past the control panel, quickly pulling her purse and jacket and scarf off the hooks she turned to find Adam still on the floor, wailing in agony.

As she went to the door in hopes of escaping it all, she noticed a red light. It was the recording bulb on the control panel that caught her sight. The sound of the whole incident had been recorded. Maria’s head was pounding in pain, but she was clear-headed enough to know that she needed this as proof in case-- in case anything happened! Quick thinking had become second nature to her, ever since she went on alien escapades with the podsquad and her friends. She was a quick thinker, always was, but even more so now, especially under pressure. She quickly skimmed the control panel and found the location of the tape. With a nervous shaky hand, she flicked the off button to stop the recording and hit the eject.

“What the fuck? You bitch!” Adam cried as he was now standing in the record room towering in anger and pain. There was no glass window that now separated him from where Maria was standing at the control panel. Convinced that he might leap from where he was standing to where Maria was, she quickly confiscated the tape and ran out the door.

Racing down the hallway, she flew through the entrance doors of the building. The cold air hit her like sharp razor blades cutting her all over her body. She dashed around the corner, running down the street finally hitting a sharp right coming across stairs leading down to a metro station. She was out of breath and still very dizzy but she couldn’t stop, especially with Adam at her tail! Racing down, she could hear the doors of the building open in the distance and an infuriating scream of Adam Chase echoing the street as she raced down the stairs.

Taking each step quickly and carefully as possible, she shuffled her hand around in her purse, hoping to find a MetroCard. Running past a few people, she could hear the sounds of a train approaching the platform.

“Come, come on,” she cried to herself. Sliding the card through the machine, practically moved the turnstile itself with her body as she ran out to the edge of the platform.

Two metro doors opened right in front of her. No one got out, and she smoothly went in the car practically collapsing inside, clinging on to the nearest pole to break her fall. Looking around, doused in beer, and smelling of Heineken to her relief she found it to be empty. The doors closed and all of a sudden she turned from the sound of a loud “thud”. It was Adam Chase. He was on the other side of the metro car doors.

He slammed on the doors, with two tight fists banging repeatedly against the doors. As the metro train started down the track he continued cursing at Maria from the outside, even running beside it for a few seconds till he finally gave up for not being able to compete with the train’s gradual increase in speed.

As the metro entered the tunnel at full speed, Maria collapsed onto the floor in tears. Her thoughts for some reason went back to that goldfish that was still trapped in the tank at the recording studio. Knowing that the goldfish was still stuck made her feel sad and guilty. She knew it sounded silly, but she couldn’t explain the remorse she was feeling, because while the fish was still trapped, she had somehow escaped. She was safe, and now, finally free.



Note from the author: I will be updating every Friday. I am sorry if I am a bit late to some of you in the world. Please write a review and let me know if you like the story and if you think I should update it more regularly than just every Friday. I hope you all like it so far. Michael will enter the picture soon I promise. I can’t wait to introduce Liz and Max to you all. I am so proud of myself, that I have given the happy ending they deserve. Liz and Max forever but will Maria and Michael be ok too? Please do leave a review if you can, and predict what you think may happen or should happen. --------Santi

Oh my God, I'm so glad that she was able to escape from Adam, that was truly scary! I hope he won't come back in her future or something.
Is she going to go straight to Michael or? I hope she does, since she realized that she made a mistake leaving him when she was in the studio...
Can't wait for the next chapter! Every friday is good for me since I'm busy because of work, but if you do update more than once a week, I'll try to keep up! ^^

Of course Adam is not backing off, and Maria is feeling real danger.
Adam was recording---------what a jerk!
Thank goodness for the Metro escape.

Hello Santi, good to see you here on the board with your new fic.

Chapter 1

Had me interested with this opening line.

“Pressure can mean the difference between life and death. Not enough and you might not amount to anything; too much, and you can suffocate.”

I enjoyed this little deet. I have a thing for stars.

“She looked up to the sky in hopes to see the stars, but to her dismay, not one pierced the night sky. Not like back home. In Roswell, you could always see the stars, unlike here in New York due to the ever-growing air pollution.”

Chapter 2

Interesting little deet...

“How did the bottle not cross the threshold of the glass on to the controls?”

This nasty time with Adam really shows us who Maria is years later without Michael in her life. Hungry for her music, but not happy with her contract and the people involved. A young woman at a place of uncertainty of her choice she made years ago and yet strong in herself at the same time. Adam just made a big mistake. Maria is no damsel in distress. It would still be true even if she hadn’t gotten away from him. Glad she did get away.

Looks like Maria’s journey of where she belongs is on its way.

Great start.

Thank you so much for the reviews and sorry it’s been a while. I will try to update more often to make up for lost time Also I had a weird dream the other day that’s making we want to write a CC Roswell story too. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter because here it is!!




Michael woke up with a jolt in his bed and an unsettling feeling in his stomach. Maria? Yet another dream about her. He peered over to his end table to find his clock. It was close to midnight. He had never gone to bed so early before, but the studying and his work schedule started taking a toll on his energy. Sighing, he got up and went to the bathroom to take a quick leak.

The house was dark and quiet. He was making a few modifications to the place, but nothing drastic. He decided he would work on the house little by little. He still wanted to keep its character and charm intact as he had promised Amy, but he knew she would appreciate the small renovations he had made.

Michael had been staying in the Deluca house for almost two years now. It was more like an extended house sitting assignment. He didn’t own the home but he treated it with a lot of care, surprisingly much more than his own apartment. It was clean. The young alien-human hybrid finally learned to clean up after himself- and he was less lazy and actually put his powers into good use like conjuring up maid service a la Michael Guerin!

When Amy offered for him to look after the home while she was in Italy, Michael did not accept the offer right away. Staying in that house would mean being reminded of Maria, every second of every day. His heart bled when she left. He was in a complete stupor. Amy wasn’t oblivious to this either. She knew that when Maria left it broke Michael. Amy had grown fond of Michael since Alex passed away. He took care of her family when they needed it the most. Amy had developed a soft spot for him, and she was beginning to understand why her daughter cared for Michael so much.

They were both strong souls. Maria didn’t have it easy with her father leaving. Michael did not either with Hank. But together they were a force to be reckoned with. Though her daughter was pursuing her dream, Amy couldn’t help but wonder if leaving Michael behind was worth it. And in case her daughter needed to come home, she wanted to ensure that someone would be there for her, just in case, while she herself, was away in Italy.

Michael thought long and hard when Amy offered the idea of a house sitting to him. After all, Maria had only been gone a couple of months when Amy presented the opportunity. He just about lost all hope that Amy wouldn’t wait for his final answer, but she remained patient, which he was, in turn, grateful for. It really was a great offer she knew he couldn’t pass up. A house all to his own and no need to pay rent- Amy owned it. She worked hard for every penny and owned property now under her name.

Roswell wasn’t the Roswell he used to know anymore. The place had changed. The people had changed. It wasn’t even home to him. Home belonged somewhere else altogether for Michael. That she-devil of a blonde that had somehow been able to break down his wall still haunted his dreams. Maybe Roswell wasn’t home, but at least he was living in the closest thing that felt like home since every corner, nook, and cranny of that house screamed Maria Deluca.
“I want to thank everyone for coming out to this celebration. Jim and I are just happy to spend it with those we love the most.”

Amy raised her glass of champagne with Jim doing the same next to her. The couple giggled and laughed while exchanging loving whispers in each other’s ears. The crowd kept clinking their glasses with butter knives, receiving another resounding cheer for the couple to kiss again, and of course, the newlyweds obliged.

Amy and Jim had just gotten married that morning at the Courthouse. The couple was planning to head out to Rome the next day, but not before having a celebration at the Crashdown. The Parkers had closed down the restaurant for the day, just for this private gathering. The guests were coming up to Amy and Jim with their gifts and best wishes. Jim’s band The ‘Kitshickers” were playing in the background, while some of the guests danced, drank, and conversed. The Crashdown had never looked as lively as it did today.

Everyone was there. A few of Jim’s old pals from the station, including Hanson, the town’s new sheriff, and the two most newly appointed deputies. His son Kyle and Michael Guerin. Michael focused on getting his life together whether or not Maria wanted to be a part of it or not after she left. When she questioned if she should go to New York, Michael couldn’t give her the answer she wanted to hear. Or what he thought she wanted to hear.

Instead, he blew her off, made her feel guilty for not noticing Liz’s changes, and didn’t even say goodbye when she left for New York. He regretted his actions. Perhaps if only he had picked up the phone that day before she left. It was too late now to fix past mistakes though.

He knew he was going to see her at the party. Max and Liz would be there from Boston, and of course, Isabel and Jesse were still close by. The gang would be back together again. Everyone except for Alex.

The loss of Alex was always a subtle notion of disarray to everyone in the group. Michael and Maria had gotten extremely close after the death of Alex, to the point where no one would have predicted their separation. After being the only one of the three aliens to be so persistent in finding a way in going back home, he chose to stay and abandon his findings, because to him, home was and always would be Maria Deluca.

Where did the two go wrong? It was a question that both Maria and Michael questioned daily, though the other didn’t know. It was a shame Maria and him never really talked about it. Maybe their relationship would’ve been salvageable had they tried to discuss it. Ever since Maria left, he always thought he had done something wrong. He was happy for her success he really was, but she had also broken his heart. It was a fact.

Beautiful women would definitely make passes at Michael, and while a few times he did flirt back, try as he might, it was of no use. He hadn’t been with anyone since she left, and he was pretty sure he couldn't jump back on the horse any time soon.

He also knew that his blondie would be back in town. As much as he tried to convince himself that she had brought him nothing but pain, the truth was she had given him more joy than anyone else did his entire life. She was and always would be his angel, and he was regretting the wedge he had caused between them.

As soon as he entered the Crashdown he could feel her. There she was standing next to Liz in a lavender short dress with spaghetti straps talking to her mother. She was gorgeous and for a moment Michael seriously forgot to breathe. She still had that effect on him. Max was there as well, talking to the couple of the hour. Maria could feel a pull in the direction of the Crashdown entrance. The energy was powerful and all too familiar. Michael. Her green eyes met his golden ones. She gave a nod from afar to acknowledge his presence. He nodded back, as he took off his hat and walked towards the newlyweds.

Maria noticed as he walked closer to them, that he had cut his hair. It was neatly combed. A bit conservative in fact, and quite a change from the long shaggy tresses she was all too familiar with. His hair was gelled, combed back, nothing long in the back. It was short, but a wild piece of bang graced his forehead. The little detail made him look very sexy, and Maria could feel her heart hammering in her chest. What she didn’t know was Michael’s heart was hammering away inside him as well.

Michael was definitely staring. She was an angel. Stunning. A bonafide showstopper. Her blonde hair was luscious and shiny, curled a little, and looked so well put together. Her dress hugged her in all the right places, and she was gracefully holding a bouquet of purple tulips in her hands. As Michael approached only an arm’s length away from the couple of the hour, he smiled at Max, Liz, and Maria, but quickly went to give Amy a hug. Maria was surprised to see Amy respond with a tight embrace in return as if she was his own mom. Had they been getting closer in Roswell while she was in New York?

Amy never mentioned Michael to Maria. It was one of the promises Amy made to Maria. Maria couldn’t bear to hear what Michael was up to not because she didn’t want to hear it. On the contrary! She desired to know everything and anything about him while she was in New York, but she knew it would make her so sad, and may even entice her to return to Roswell. She needed to give New York a shot, and she needed to do it for herself without being pulled to Roswell. Amy knew Maria missed him immensely so she respected her daughter’s wishes. Her daughter deserved to strive for her dreams, given so many hopes for Maria were shattered at such a young and tender age.

“Good to see you kiddo,” Amy said as she squeezed his shoulder making Michael smile a bit as he bashfully scratched his eyebrow. A habit he could never stop himself from doing.

“Good to see you, Michael,” Jim said.

“Right back at you Jim,” he replied softly as he went in for a hug. Jim gave two quick hard pats on Michael’s back during their quick hug, knowing that Guerin wasn't the sentimental type.

“So Max when did you guys get back in town?” Michael asked as he focused his attention on Max and Liz, purposely ignoring Maria.

Maria was a bit surprised by his neglect, even catching shocked looks from Max and Liz. It had been more than a year since he last saw her. Wasn’t he the least bit interested and eager to see how she was doing? Maria excused herself to the barstools since she was feeling obviously dejected. She ventured to the vacant seat she saw next to her new stepbrother.

“Maria,” he said with a smile as she gave her a hug.

Maria hugged back more tightly. Kyle noticed the intensity and wrapped his arms around her harder.

“You okay Deluca?” he asked with concern as they pulled apart. She nodded reassuringly as they both took their seats at the barstool.

Michael looked back and saw them for a glance. Maria looked sad. He knew why, but he didn't want to talk to her. Not yet.Too many people around.

“So I guess we’re brother and sister now huh?” Kyle said, cocking a smile up.

“I guess so.”

“Gosh all my guy friends are going to be asking me all about you since you’re like a famous rock star and all,” Kyle said causing Maria to chuckle.

“ I’m not that famous and I’m definitely not a rockstar, more of a... popstar, I suppose,” Maria replied grudgingly.

“Not your cup of tea?”

Maria shook her head with a frown. “I’m giving it a shot because it’s always been my dream. For the past six months, New York has been good to me.”

“I bet. The food, the nightlife, damn! You’re one lucky chick Deluca.”

“Not so lucky,” Maria replied as she looked at Michael longingly. Kyle noticed where Maria’s attention was.

He sighed. He guessed it was time to give some brotherly love and advice. “If it’s any consolation, he hasn’t been with anyone else.”

Maria nodded. “I miss him.” She looked down at her dangling feet from where she was seated at the barstool.

“He misses you too,” Kyle whispered in her ear.

“Please,” Maria scoffed, “if he had missed me he would’ve at least said something to me right now when he saw me. When I was planning on leaving he didn’t even say bye. I guess I can’t blame him. In the beginning, he didn’t want to get entangled with me. Those were his words when we first felt a connection. Maybe deep down that’s what he’s always wanted.”

Kyle didn’t like the way Maria was talking. He knew while Maria and Michael had their fair share of problems, he didn’t know that they were still not talking to each other. He thought Michael wouldn’t hold a grudge like that. Did he not wish the best for her? Michael didn’t talk about Maria too much with Kyle so it was hard for him to know. Then again Michael wasn’t much of a talker. But one thing was for sure. Michael did miss her. Why else would he have agreed to look over Amy’s house while she and his dad ventured to Italy?

Amy, holding Jim’s hand to follow her, approached Kyle and Maria at the barstools. “Maria sweetie, do you think my famous daughter, with the oh so famous voice, would care to sing a song for her sweet mother on her wedding day? Jim and I want a couple’s dance.” Maria looked at the couple, standing close to each other arm in arm, and smiled. She didn't feel like singing especially with Michael around and ignoring her, but it was her mother’s big day and Maria wanted nothing more but to make her mother happy.

She nodded. “Of course.”

Amy giddy with excitement dragged Jim to the dance floor, while Maria took to the corner where the band was settled. Michael had been talking with Max when all of a sudden he felt a shift in the room and looked up as he saw Maria taking the mic in her hand.

“At Last….” Maria started to sing as the whole place cheered and whistled. They had a celebrity in the midst and good looking one at that. All the men were hooting and staring at Maria. Michael couldn’t help but get irritated at the catcalls, but he was surprised to find Maria totally unphased and undistracted by them, singing, with her eyes closed. Deeply in tune with her music, song, and voice. She had tuned everyone else out. Looking at her was like being in an intoxicating trance.

As the crowd began partnering up to grace the dance floor, Michael took a seat next to Kyle.

“I miss Maria’s voice,” Kyle said so Michael could hear. “No one can belt out Etta James in Roswell like Maria Deluca.”

“Yeah,” Michael merely replied.

“Is that all you have to say? Yeah?” Kyle said mockingly as he took another sip of his coke.

“What do you want me to say, Valenti?” Michael said, sounding a little too harsh.

“I don’t know. Why don’t you start by saying something? A word. A phrase. A syllable. Something! But not to me. Say something to that girl up there,” Kyle said as he gestured to Maria.

Michael rolled his eyes and scratched his eyebrow as he looked on at Maria. God, she was breathtaking. For an instant, her eyes opened and immediately locked with Michael’s as she belted out the last part.

“And here we are in heaven, for you are mine….at last.”

At that moment, it felt like she was only singing to him.

The crowd applauded with gusto. Maria gave a little bow. Amy mouthed ‘I love you to Maria’ from the dance floor. Maria nodded back in acceptance and blew a kiss back. The crowd reconvened all conversation as a bubbly Isabel went up to Maria, dragging Jesse behind her.

“Maria!”

“Isabelle!” Maria cried as the taller woman embraced her.

Michael looked on, never losing his sight on Maria, as he went on sipping his drink.

“It’s so good to see you,” Jesse said as he gave Maria a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you,” Maria nodded. “How are you guys?”

“Oh god, same old same old,” Isabel replied thoughtfully as she shrugged off any details. “I’m still in college, Jesse’s firm is doing great. There’s an opportunity for Jesse to venture up to Boston though.”

“Oh wow, you’ll be up north on the East Side with your brother and Liz. Closer to my neck of the woods,” Maria noted.

“I’m not sure about all that yet,” Jesse deflected as he took a sip of his wine.

“Ugh! I want to go so badly! I mean anything is better than here in Roswell am I right Maria?”

Maria smiled as she looked away catching Michael staring at her. Michael, feeling caught, looked away immediately and pretended like he was talking to one of his buddies from work.

“Not everything is better than Roswell,” Maria said with a sad smile.

“Come on! Don’t tell me those celebrity parties are boring,” Jesse encouraged as Isabel giggled.

Maria scoffed, “I’ve only been to like two, and trust me they're really not as great as they sound.”

“Met any celebrities?” Isabel asked with excitement.

“Tons, but I’m not that famous enough for people to give me a second turn,” Maria shrugged.

“You’re obviously being way too humble,” Isabel said. Maria had already produced a hit since she left Roswell. For that short span of time to have a hit under her belt, was definitely considered a success.

Maria didn’t want to admit it, but becoming famous and glamorous was not all it amped up as she thought it would be. Working hard wasn’t the problem. She could work hard, write all day and night if she had to, and tweak guitar chords till her nails broke. The problem was enduring the constant pressure from the label while being forced to be something she wasn’t. Being forced to be someone she wasn’t.

She always felt like she wasn’t able to carry out the expectations well enough. She was failing. Worse, flailing...because the success was such a slow climb. In her eyes success meant getting to do your own thing but to require that type of exception would take years. She felt like while New York was great, people on the other hand were noticing her shortcomings more than her talents. Or perhaps she was just being too self-conscious.

“I’m going on tour soon with a pretty famous singer so that may help.”

“Who?” Isabel asked a little too eagerly. Maria smiled.

“I can’t say anything yet since I signed a contract, but when I can you’ll be the first to know,” Maria humbly replied, while receiving agreeable nods from Jesse and Isabel.

After a few minutes of conversing and updating each other on their lives, Maria excused herself to use the restroom. Though she said that she had lied. She just wanted to get out of there, and more importantly, get away from the cold vibes she was feeling from Michael. She headed through the double doors of the Crashdown kitchen and opened the backdoor to the outside where all the shipping items came in. She took some steps and stood on the loading dock. The garbage cans were all empty.

She leaned her back against the brick wall, hugging herself tightly. Looking up at the night’s sky she was mesmerized to see it pierced with so many stars. It was utterly delightful and such a fresh change from the New York Night sky. There you could hardly see the stars given the pollution but sometimes there were clear night skies, albeit very few. And during those clear night skies in New York, she would try to see if she could decipher the twinkling lights, and find the “V” formation Michael had taught her to scout for. Maria felt that if she was looking at Antar the same time Michael was from New Mexico, maybe it would feel as if, just for a moment, they were together.

“Well, this is quite a sight. Never saw more of an oxymoron come to life than this scene right here.”

The voice was familiar. Maria turned to find Michael approaching her. After all the time they had spent apart, these were the first words he would say to her? Well, at least it was something.

“What’s an oxymoron?” Maria asked not budging from where she was. Michael stood next to her and leaned back against the wall, arms folded just like Maria.

“This has got to be the ugliest background ever. I mean you got garbage cans to your left, empty crate boxes to your right, not to mention the broken down cardboard over there. And amongst this horrendous surrounding, you got the most beautiful thing in the world, standing right there in the middle of it.”

Maria looked up stunned at the compliment. It was a compliment, right? Michael was known as being the worst at compliments. In fact, no one really knew if Michael was able to conjure one up at times! Before the night began she wasn’t sure if Michael would talk to her let alone say two words to her, and now he just summed up a compliment to her!

“Good to see you, Maria,” Michael smiled as he motioned to hug. Maria hugging back didn’t want to let go of being in his arms. She somehow felt like Michael felt the same way. They didn’t pull apart right away, instead, Maria buried the side of her head to his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

“I thought you hated me,” Maria said finally. Michael, with a concerning look, pulled away only far enough so that he could look at her.

“Why?”

“You never said...anything to me when I left for New York.”

Michael pulled back fully and placed his hands in his pockets. Maria felt the pulling away vibe he was giving off. He was building the wall. The wall she had worked so hard tearing down was now building itself back up.

“I know. I was mad. But I was never mad at you. I was mad at the situation more than anything.”

Maria nodded as she looked on at the ground while playing with her watch in her wrist.

“It’s just...you never said hi either to me earlier when you walked in.”

Michael sighed. This was harder than he thought it would be. “I’m sorry for not saying hi. I wanted to. I just didn’t know what to say either. I didn’t know how you would react.”

“You don’t hate me then?”

Michael shook his head. “No, I could never hate you. I thought maybe you might hate me.”

“No, I don’t hate you. I’ll…” Maria wanted to say that she would always love him, but that may be taking it too far, even though she really did. She would always love him. That was her truth.

“I’ll always think of you in the highest regard,'' Maria said clearly frustrated she couldn't find better words. Michael noticed her efforts of being civil and smirked a bit.

“Same here.” Michael relaxed a bit. “I just can’t you know…”

“Trust me?” Maria guessed. Michael nodded giving her an answer.

“It’s not just that. Guess it’s kind of complicated to explain,” Michael said as he scratched his eyebrow. “I was never inclined to trust many in the first place,” Michael said, hoping to make her feel better

It didn’t though. Maria internally scolded herself. She had caused this wedge between them. She should’ve never slept with him to just say they weren’t connected. Of course they were, they would always be linked. But she was afraid if she kept clinging to him he wouldn’t let her live a life of freedom. Who knew freedom came at such a cost? She wasn’t free in New York. She had just traded one cage for another. If only he had picked up the phone that day, or maybe called her back after hearing the voicemail she left.

“Are you happy there?” Michael asked.

Maria shrugged her shoulders. “There are moments. Most of it is a bit lonely.”

Michael frowned. “No friends?”

Maria shrugged. When you’re working on your music constantly you really don’t have time for a social life. “Not really. Too busy I guess.”

Michael nodded. “Wasn’t Billy in New York with you for a bit?”

Billy had turned on Maria when she began compromising herself for the Label. She had reasoned with Billy that she wanted to do what the record label wanted and that perhaps if she gave an inch they would give her an inch back and gradually let her sing and write how she preferred. But Billy could see the mistake she was making. And instead of being there for her when it all blew up, he left for the west coast.

Maria shook her head. “I guess he didn’t like how the industry was changing me, so he kind of wasn’t really there for me. He made some friends in New York way before I got there, and became really close with a girl. I think her name was Loretta,” Maria said pensively and shrugged her shoulders. “They’re long gone anyway, left for the west coast a month ago,” Maria shrugged. “She seemed really great. I liked them together.”

Michael was worried about Maria, and the fact that she was constantly avoiding eye contact with him didn’t help either. Maria was a vibrant bubbly soul that could make friends with anyone. Why was she all alone up there?

“I know you’ve only been in Roswell for like a day, and maybe I can’t say this because we’ve hardly talked but...you don’t seem different to me Maria.”

Maria looked up at Michael. “No?”

Michael shook his head. “People change, but I can see you. You’re still you.”

The words almost made Maria cry but she swallowed some air to suppress the emotions from coming out.

“Thanks, Michael.”

After a few minutes of silence, Maria noticed how Michael combed his hair back with his fingers.

“That’s a nice cut you got there Spaceboy”

Spaceboy . Wow. He hadn’t heard that in a while. Boy, did he miss it.

“Thanks. Actually your mom, cut it for me,” he bit out the words hesitantly.

“She did?”

Michael nodded. He explained briefly that after she left for New York he focused on getting his GED. Then he decided to become a deputy as long as he promised to pursue a criminal justice degree on the side. The haircut came along with becoming a deputy.

“So I registered at a local college campus. Take a couple of classes during the day or night depending on my shifts. I make due. The job has benefits like paying for my classes so long as I make decent grades.”

“Wow. That’s, that’s so great Michael. We all always knew you were smart.”

Michael gave an amused look of question. “Really?”

“Well at least I did,” Maria clarified. “Especially that day when you quoted Ulysses,” Maria said with a whistle to emphasize how impressed she was. This made Michael smile a bit.

“Yeah, who knew right?”

“I always did,” Maria said confidently. It was great hearing how Michael was getting his life together. She was happy and proud of him. “So the new job?”

Michael shrugged. “Your mom kind of nudged Jim, to help me. She’s been very supportive.”

Maria was in awe. All this time while she was gone her mother and Michael had somehow gotten closer. The thought warmed her heart a bit.

“And then, well she offered me something else that helped immensely--”

Michael was about to tell Maria that he had decided yesterday morning to care for the Deluca house while her mother was away in Italy and had finally given his answer to Amy the day before, but Maria cut him off.

“ I’m glad she’s helping you, Michael.”

The action caught Michael off-guard. It was as if Maria didn’t want to know. Maybe if she heard too much she would feel sucked back into Roswell, and the last thing he wanted to be was for her to blame him again for all the mistakes she had made. Unbeknownst to Michael that was exactly why Maria didn’t want to hear anymore. Deep down she wanted to know everything but then, they would be in that constant cycle of being together only to break up yet again. Maria had a lot more to lose this time, and she feared given how well things were going for Michael he might lose a lot too. It was for the best.

Maria paused and looked back to the sky and then fumbled with her watch some more.

“Who would’ve thought you and her would be like this given how things first started,” Maria said with a soft giggle as she tried to make light of the situation. Michael reminisced about the time Amy caught him in Maria’s bed.

“Yeah, me too. Guess my relationship with her has improved since those days of her hitting me on the head with a newspaper,” he joked.

Maria and Michael both gave a little chuckle. Maria remembered that night. The night she let Michael into her room, and slept with him. He had never been so vulnerable with anyone before until Maria came into his life. That night was only the first of many vulnerable nights to come.

“You ok? I mean your mom did you tell you right? Because--”

“--Whatever my mom did, it's fine,” Maria said, cutting him off. “I’m glad you’re doing ok and that she’s helping you in any way possible.” She didn’t want to hear it, because she knew it wouldn’t help her situation. Plus, Amy had promised to never bring up Michael. Maria couldn’t afford to have an emotional breakdown. The Label would kill her if she ever acted unrulily.

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I am,” Maria smiled.



Michael placed the glass of water in the sink, as he peered out of the kitchen window. It was still dark. There was no need for him to be up and about but he felt restless. He walked past the dining table and passed the room. Maria’s room. He couldn’t sleep in there. It brought back too many memories. The house itself was a constant reminder of his blondie. He couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. As much as he missed Maria, he knew there could never be anything between them again, and yet here he was living in her own house. Selfishly it did provide him the familiarity that he missed though he never admitted it to anyone.

When he first moved in he thought it best to move his bed to where Amy’s room was. Amy hardly slept in this house over the past couple of years. She was always gallivanting to some convention or heading down to Las Cruces for classes. She stayed overnight in different towns frequently with good friends.

He hadn’t been in Maria’s room ever since Amy emptied it and put Maria’s items into public storage. The only thing left was Maria’s dresser. The drawers were empty as was her closet except for a suitcase. Amy had put all of Maria’s most memorable clothes in there, from onesies to dresses, and spirit wear. Michael knew if he opened the suitcase he would never leave the room, so never entering it was the only option he had to guard his heart.

Sighing, he decided to go back to bed. He and Kyle had to get up early tomorrow and Michael had a night class, and a paper due as well. He would try to finish the damn thing while he was writing up his reports at work. Another day. It was funny how just a couple of years ago they were always on alert. Now, life has become so mundane.

Michael settled back into his sheets, turning on one side. For a minute, he swore he saw Maria’s face right next to him. The illusions were getting stronger. Her smell, taste, and feel would always be imprinted in his mind. He closed his eyes wondering what Maria could be up to now? Getting ready for a new album? Preparing for a new tour? About to give all major radios a new single? Or maybe, she had herself a new boyfriend. Michael frowned at the last thought. Wherever she was and whatever she was doing, he sure hoped she was just safe and happy. God knows that’s all he wanted to give Maria. Protection. Hopefully, God was doing his part and providing that since Michael couldn’t be there.