Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Takes place before Season 2, in the summer so no spoilers really, except for maybe a few slight Skin and Bones stuff.

Disclaimer: We don't own Roswell or Steve Miller Band's The Joker. We own the original characters. (Willie the bartender? Pat the waitress? Chuck the cowboy? You can have them.)

Summary: Max and Maria go on their own little road trip. What can we say? Wackiness ensues. However, there's someone who senses an opportunity thanks to the duo's impromptu travels…

Author's Notes: From Sheli-- Bonnie wrote the odd parts and I wrote the even parts. Neither of us knew what was coming next, so if one of us made a major plot twist, then the other just had to deal with it. Of course, we worked so well together that by the middle, we were right on the same page… but hey, each part was still a surprise! I just want to say that we don't condone any of the wrong things they choose to do in this fic, including underage drinking. Enjoy the story! Oh, yeah, and one more thing. A major thank you to our faithful feedbacker and an even bigger thanks to Bonnie! You're probably the best Older Adopted Roswell Sister ever! From Bonnie-- Aw thanks Sheli! And thank you guys for the loyal following on the board. This has been a lot of fun for us! Hmm, that’s all. ;)

~*~

Part One

"Girlfriend, you have got to wipe that sad ass look off your face." Maria stood looking down at Max as he sat slumped over in the back booth at the Crashdown. Max smiled briefly at her new nickname for him. Since Liz had left for Florida, Maria had become Max's sole support. Isabel and Michael didn't take to his newfound leadership well and Tess...Max just couldn't give her what she wanted. He was not prepared to give anything more than friendship. And he was Maria's support. Alex tried to be there for her, but no one understood the hurt she felt at Michael's rejection better than Max. "Look, Maxie baby, you and I...we need a change."

"A change? Hasn't enough changed for one summer?" Max looked up at the insane pixie staring back at him with a twinkle in her eye that scared him more than Nightmare on Elm Street did when he and Michael watched it when they were nine.

"Not that kind of change. An adventure. Something different. Just you and me. Besides the Parkers so owe me some vacation time since I have been pulling double duty for Liz. Come on, please?"

"How can I resist that pout?" Max managed to speak before Maria threw herself at him and enveloped the shy boy in a bear hug that would have crushed a stone wall. He watched in amusement as she started doing what Alex called her demented happy dance.

"Oh my God! This is perfect! We can take the Jeep, right? Because the poor Jetta needs some TLC after everything she has been through. Okay, where can we go? Where to go?"

"Well, I was thinking--"

"Shh, Max, honey, I wasn't talking to you." Maria shushed him as she walked back to the kitchen, thinking of the exotic destination for her road trip. Until the drive to Texas with Michael, Maria had never even been outside of Roswell. But now so much had changed in her life and yet here she still was, stuck in Roswell, New Mexico.

"Excited about the two for one pizza special?" Courtney interrupted Maria's train of thought as she smirked at the deliriously happy girl.

"Nope!" Maria just grinned, not ready to let anyone deflate her excited nature just yet. "I'm going on a road trip."

"Where?" Maria whipped her head around to the harsh sound of Michael's accusing tone. He stood behind her in the kitchen door with his strong, muscular arms crossed over his chest. Letting her eyes wander appreciatively over his body for a moment, Maria allowed herself the brief daydream of when those arms would hold her. Shaking herself mentally, Maria plastered on a dazzling smile.

"I don't know."

"How could you not know where you're going?" Michael sneered at her, but Maria could see the curiosity was killing him.

*Hmm, I'll have to let the cat dangle for a little longer I think.* Maria shrugged and grabbed her order book from her locker and exited the back quickly, leaving behind a confused ex-boyfriend.

"Alex!" Maria bounded over to the booth where Alex had joined Max. "Hear the good news?"

"Yeah, so road trippin' it, huh? Have fun." Alex sighed purposefully and looked forlornly at the floor.

"Alex..." Maria tried to bite her smile back.

"Yes?" He batted his eyes innocently.

"Do you want to go on our road trip?" Max grinned to himself at the playful banter back and forth between the two.

"No." Maria shrieked indignantly and slapped him across the shoulder. "Seriously, I would love to but I can't. I'm helping my mom by setting up her new computer system at work. But you two have fun." Alex swiped one of Max's fries from his plate and popped the hot tot in. "Oh hot! Hot!"

Max pushed his soda over to him and faced Maria. "I heard Michael asking you about it in back."

"Oh, that." Maria airily dismissed the comment with a wave of her hand.

"So where exactly are you two wild and crazy kids gallavanting off to anyway?" Alex mumbled as he tried to cool the burning skin on the roof of his mouth.

"Actually..." Max started cautiously before stopping and looking around in Michael paranoia fashion. "I was thinking that none of us have even bothered to go back to Atherton's and since that side of things seemed to have died down recently, maybe Maria and I could go and check it out. There may still be something of substance there."

Maria looked away unconsciously to Michael in the kitchen as he muttered to himself and burned Will Smith burgers. Tearing her gaze away, she regarded Max carefully. "Okay. Let's do it. We'll leave this weekend."

Part Two

"And we're not going to stay in any nookie motel, no, this time it'll be a nookie HOTEL. Like with a real lobby and stuff!" Maria gushed to Alex the next afternoon. The two were in Maria's room as he tried to install a new version of Windows or something onto her computer, and Maria was sitting on her bed bouncing up and down while telling him about the details of her trip.

Alex grinned, glad to see the old Maria was making a brief return. It had been awhile since Maria had bounced, and Roswell was the worse off for it.

"I wish you could come," she added for the hundredth time, momentarily pausing. Alex shook his head, knowing it was better that he wasn't going. Max and Maria had forged this new bond, and Max was the only one who could help her right now. And as long as Alex got back his best friend, he could hold back any small feelings of jealousy he felt.

"It's okay," he told her, rebooting the computer one more time. "I'll be there in spirit. You have fun without me."

"Oh, we will!" Maria assured him. "It's going to be such a relief to get away. Even for just a weekend. And yeah, sure, we could be going somewhere fun like Disneyland or something. But maybe we'll find something at Atherton's. Like, that there is this whole government conspiracy and Nasedo and Tess are really evil aliens and Destiny doesn't exist."

"Um, I doubt it," Alex replied. "Isabel mentioned--"

"Oh, I know it won't happen. But it COULD, and that's the important thing," Maria assured him. She could just see herself going up to Michael and telling him that she'd discovered that he was actually just a very advanced human. Laying back on her bed, she began to imagine…

"It works!" Alex exclaimed, hearing the little ding that signified the Windows system. "I knew I could do it, oh, this system is so advanced, you can use the bibbity-boppy-bop to blah blah blah and at the same time oink oink beep."

Well, that was what it sounded like to Maria, anyway. "Huh?" she asked Alex distractedly, lost in a dream world. Michael had just told her that he loved her just enough, and Liz had just accepted Max's marriage proposal, and Tess had just disappeared into a large volcano full of molten lava.

"The computer. It works," he said patiently.

"Oh, good. Can you check my mail, then?" she asked him, not bothering to glance up at the screen. "Max was supposed to e-mail me our itinerary. The dork, you gotta love him."

Alex refused to let himself think about the days when he was the dork you had to love, and signed Maria online. He opened up her e-mail account and typed in her password, which he knew was spaceboy.

"E-mail from MaxSwell@email.com. Did you think of that?" he asked, knowing Max would never be that creative. His last e-mail address had been MaxPE@email.com.

"Yeah," Maria replied proudly. "Now, come on. I want to know when exactly we're leaving."

"All it says is pick up."

"Huh?"

At that moment, the phone rang and Maria picked up.

"Hey, girlfriend."

Part Three

"You're leaving?" Isabel stood with her arms crossed over her chest as she stood in Max's doorway.

"You were listening?" Max asked softly as he looked up at his sister. "Just for the weekend. Maria and I, we just need to get away."

"You and Maria?" Isabel peered down at him. "Interesting."

Max crossed the room and gave her a kiss on the temple. "Don't worry, we'll be back before you can miss us."

"Hmm, yeah, that's probably true."

"Funny." Max smiled at her and shoved her gently out of the doorway. "Now out. I need to change before I meet Maria at the Crashdown."

"Fine. I can take a hint." Isabel raised her arms and backed away.

"You wanna come with me?" Max invited her.

Isabel shrugged. "Yeah. But you're paying."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Max closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief. He had hoped that Isabel wouldn't ask him where he and Maria were gong on their trip because they had decided not to tell anyone other than Alex. And he only knew because of safety reasons that someone had to know where they were in case of emergencies. But he was not under any circumstances to 'tell anyone where they are going or he would get his butt kicked and DeLuca-fried, and no broken nails or flat tires do not count as emergencies and if he told anyone, especially annoying and poorly groomed aliens and everyone knows that means Michael, and no super model ones either and that means Isabel, are allowed to know'. They all agreed to tell the others and their parents that they were going camping. Max knew that if Michael, Isabel, and Tess knew he was going back to Atherton's dome and Marathon they would worry and want to come along. And right now Max was really just looking forward to some time with Maria.

~*~

"Hey, can we get some service here? Lousy service."

"Ha! I'll show you lousy service." Maria held a pitcher of soda over his head threateningly. "Take it back, buster, or the hair gets it."

"Okay, okay! You win." Max laughed and covered his head protectively. "Just put down the weapons."

"I win..."

"You win, girlfriend."

"I just love to hear you say that." Maria giggled again. "I am telling you by the time I am done with you this weekend you will be a lean, mean, DeLuca speakin' machine."

"I don't understand half of what you say." Isabel looked at the two grinning morons next to her. She rolled her eyes as Maria scrunched her nose and ruffled Max's hair playfully.

"That's because you don't have the Maria filter yet." Alex plopped down across from Isabel and Max in the booth. "Don't worry, it just takes some time, that's all. Max is just more advanced from his one on one tutoring sessions this summer."

"Great. Something to look forward to." Isabel grinned at Alex good-naturedly.

"Yup! It just takes some practice that's all. And Max is going to have an entire weekend of it."

"Here." They all looked up as Michael dropped the basket of slightly burned Saturn rings on the table. "An entire weekend of what?"

"Maria." Isabel smirked at Michael. She grinned as he scowled over at Max at this news. "They're going away for the weekend, just the two of them. You don't mind, do you, Michael?"

"Why would I mind?" He grabbed a Saturn ring, dousing it in Tabasco sauce and throwing it in his mouth. Maria just glared at him as Max and Isabel exchanged their disbelieving looks at his denial.

"Mind what?" Tess cocked her head and bit her lip.

"Max is going away for the weekend. Just him and Maria." Michael took a swig of soda and watched as Max squirmed under Tess's gaze.

"You're leaving? Max, do you think that is really a good idea?"

He stared back at her determinedly and answered. "Yes, I do."

"Yeah, speaking of this trip...where exactly are you going?" Isabel pried now.

"Camping." Max, Alex, and Maria spoke simultaneously as the others watched them in suspicion.

"Camping?" Michael snorted. "Maria doesn't camp."

"Well, that just goes to show how much you know, pally." Maria huffed and turned her chin away from him. As she turned her head, Maria grimaced at the sight of her mom and her arm full of pie boxes.

"Maria, what is it?" Max touched her arm in concern. Michael glared at the contact of Max's hand on Maria's bare elbow, just barely touching her below the spot on her arm where she would giggle continuously. But Max wasn't supposed to know these things about Maria. No one else was supposed to know how she trembled when he kissed her neck just above the collarbone.

"Um, yeah, about the trip, camping, um..." Maria bit her lip, "I haven't exactly asked my mom yet."

"Okay...well, just go ask her now." Max looked at her expectantly. Maria blushed and fidgeted. "Maria..."

"Okay, see, here's the thing. Ever since, um, since, well shecaughtMichaelinmybed and then youandLizzieoutinthedesert she uh, she doesn't like you. You or Michael. She decided that you are bad influences out to break our hearts." Maria paused. "Hmm, smart woman."

"Oh well," Max looked down embarrassed as Tess's eyes focused on him. "Why don't I just go talk to her?"

Max shifted out of the booth and stood. "Word of advice, Maxwell, watch out for newspapers."

Part Four

Maria was a little worried about Max. The way her mother was shaking her head from the moment he started speaking, the way she cast a doubtful glance at Maria and then at Michael, the way she laughed… Wait. Laughed?

"Camping? Is that what they're calling it these days?" Amy was asking Max at that moment as she laughed. "I'm not that old, young man. I know what two teenagers go out into the woods to do, and if you think--"

"Mrs. DeLuca? Like I told you, the most you have to worry about is Maria having one too many marshmallows. Our relationship is, uh, strictly platonic," Max assured her, praying that the woman would listen to reason. Maria really needed this.

"And you say it'll help her feel better?" Amy asked thoughtfully. "She has been very down lately. Her karma's been way off," she added.

Max tried to keep a straight face as he nodded. "Yes, she and Michael have been having problems… as I'm sure you know. I'm trying to keep her mind off of them. Plus with Liz--"

"Oh, yeah. Maria's been miserable because Liz Parker is off in Florida. And I still don't know why she suddenly out of nowhere decided to--"

"Mrs. DeLuca?" Max interrupted.

"jet out of here, I mean, no one ever mentioned her leaving--"

"Mrs. DeLuca?" Max asked, a little more forcefully.

"and then Bam! She's gone. And Maria misses her so much, what with her break-up with that Michael boy and no one to talk to. And you have been very nice to her--"

"MRS. DELUCA!" Max almost shouted, hoping to stop the tirade.

Amy looked a bit disheveled as she snapped out of it and realized Max was still there. "Yes?" she asked.

"Does this mean she can go?" he asked her hopefully.

She turned again to look at her daughter, who was watching the conversation intently with all of her friends. She did have a date with Jim this weekend, after all… Hmm…

"Sure. But Max?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know how much sugar is in one marshmallow? If you even think about letting Maria near one of them, I'll…"

~*~

On the other side of the restaurant, Maria was saying to Isabel, "And if she says no, I'll just sneak out, because I'm so going on this trip."

"Awfully eager to go camping, aren't you?" Michael asked doubtfully.

"No," Maria replied. "Just awfully eager to get away from Roswell and The. People. In. It," she added, enunciating the last four words.

Just before Michael could reply Max came back over and put his arm around Maria. "Watch out world, here we come," he said, smiling broadly for once.

"You're only going camping," Tess reminded him, looking slightly suspicious.

"And nature is a part of the world," Alex said, covering for them.

Maria grinned, glad to be alive. She had a great new friend in Max, she was getting out of Roswell again, and if it wasn't her imagination… she was wearing down Michael!

"So is Roswell," Isabel muttered, but luckily Tess was the only one who heard her.

Part Five

"Maria." Max peered down at the sleeping girl. She scrunched her eyes even tighter shut to block out the harsh intrusion on the morning and pulled her sheets up over her head. Max poked at her side playfully and bit his lip as laughter spilled out of his mouth.

"Sto-op." Maria whined and swatted at his hands that were tickling her into the consciousness of morning.

"Nope, no can do, girlfriend. We have a schedule to stick to and a trip to go on. So get your butt out of bed." Max watched her intently as a tuft of blonde hair peeked out over the edge of the sheet. Her eyes were still screwed shut but he could see her starting to face the morning as she wiped the trail of drool off the side of her mouth. "Attractive."

"Bite me." Maria kicked him and pushed him off of her bed as she swung her legs over the edge and sat there for a minute, trying to convince herself to leave the confines of her comfy blankets. "Okay, I'm going."

"I'll just wait for you to shower here. I can read..." Max trailed off as he examined her collection of magazines littering the floor by her bed, Cosmo, Glamour, Teen, People, Entertainment Weekly, before finally deciding on the lone Newsweek he found shoved under her bed, most likely left over from a school assignment. Shuffling through the pages absentmindedly, Max heard the hiss of the shower as Maria sang along to a radio in the bathroom. After a good half an hour, and reading and rereading the Newsweek before out of sheer boredom picking up the Entertainment Weekly, Max heard the shower shut off as the pipes groaned and the door creaked open. Maria emerged in a towel that clung to her still wet body. Her eyes were slightly puffy and Max considered her in concern. "You seem tired. I mean more than the non-morning person you are."

"Yeah, I couldn't sleep last night." Maria mumbled as she opened her dresser drawer, pulling out a faded pair of jeans and a small tank top.

"Excited about leaving?" He inquired, even though from her nonplused answer, Max had a feeling it was more than that.

"No. Well, yeah, I am. I can't even tell you how much I need this right now. I just..." Maria walked into her bathroom, leaving the door slightly open so she could continue to talk to Max. "I just, okay, you're going think that this is stupid."

"No, no I won't." Max leaned back onto her bed and waited for her to continue.

"You know the feeling you get when someone is watching you? All the little hairs on the back of your neck that you never even notice before suddenly come alive and then your heart races and you just know that you aren't alone." Max listened in rapt attention now. "Well, well I just felt like that."

Part Six

"Maria, I know you want to teach me all about 'Limp' but is it really worth damaging my eardrums?" Max asked an hour later. They'd moved on to the next CD, though Max couldn't really tell the difference, and Maria still had yet to stop talking.

"What?" she shouted over the loud music. While he was easily able to hear her voice, adapted to fit the volume in the Jeep, his voice was about a million decibels under hearing range.

"Can we turn it down?" he asked, straining his voice. Maria shook her head in reply, still not understanding what he was saying. Finally, he abruptly turned off the music and both of their ears rang with silence.

"What were you saying?" Maria asked, her voice sounding unnaturally loud.

Max laughed. "Just wondering if we could switch to something a little quieter," he replied, taking his eyes off the road for just a second to catch Maria's exasperated look.

"You are so the polar opposite of Michael. If he were here, we would probably--" she started.

"Be on the side of the road, doing it all for the nookie?" Max suggested wryly.

Maria let out a loud bubble of laughter, a sound that reached down and warmed Max to the bottom of his feet. He really did love spending time with her. Even with Michael on her mind, she still had this quality to her; a carefree attitude that he'd never had much experience with. It was oddly refreshing.

"That's funny, Max. Very funny. I give it 10 points for originality, but you lose 3 points for forgetting that Michael currently wants nothing to do with me."

"Did you see his face in the Crashdown when he found out we were going camping together?" Max argued.

"Yeah, it was great," Maria laughed triumphantly. "But we're here to forget about him, remember?" she lectured Max, adopting a stern teacher's tone.

"Right. My bad," Max said. He didn't even realize what he'd said until Maria let out a loud chuckle.

"Oh, that was so Maria-speak," she informed him. "Alex was right. You're going to be a walking, talking me clone by the time this weekend is over."

"Two of you? God save us all," Max said, feigning seriousness.

"Just for that, more Limp." And Maria hit the knob on the CD player in the Jeep, cranking the volume up as far as it could go. And Max didn't object, because making his friend happy was indeed worth damaging his eardrums.

Part Seven

"How about over there?" Max nodded to the clearing on the far side of the picnic tables that was less occupied than the other benches around them. Maria regarded the area carefully, as if she were inspecting it to find the place that was 'just right' for them to eat their lunch.

"Ooh, look! Swings!" Maria's eyes lit up and at that moment Max realized that he would be eating lunch at the jungle gym. Two kids, who looked to be brother and sister, ran around the monkey bars, teasing and yelling at each other. Max looked wistfully back at the quiet table that sat far away and separated from the rest of the group but at the look on Maria's face eased the Jeep into a parking spot close to the swings.

Maria hopped out excitedly and Max followed behind with an amused expression on his face as she claimed two of the swings for them. His stomach got a little queasy thinking about his now moving lunch table but if it would make Maria happy. *The things I do, and not even for the nookie. Great now she has invaded my brain as well. I'm doomed.*

"Here ya go." Maria reached into her jean's pocket and pulled out a crumpled ten dollar bill. Max looked at her in confusion.

"What's that for?" He asked her as he reached into the bag and began pulling out the sandwiches and soups that he had gotten them for lunch from the deli place they had passed a few miles down the road.

"Lunch." Maria waved the money at him expectantly.

"Don't worry about it. I got it." Max handed her her half of the giant deluxe sub and the cup of chicken noodle soup before taking his half and soup and dousing each with a more than generous topping of Tabasco sauce. Maria frowned slightly and still held the bill awkwardly in her hand. "What's wrong? I got minestrone if you would rather have that."

"No, Max, it's just that...you shouldn't have to pay for my lunch. So here." She thrust the money at him again and it was then that the real issue dawned on Max.

"Maria, it's okay. Friends can pay for lunch too, ya know." Max thought back to that hideous double date that he and Liz had gone on with Maria and Michael. Maria had to pay for Michael and then the two of them had one of their infamous fights in the middle of the restaurant.

"Thank you." Maria spoke quietly, almost shyly. But Max knew it wasn't shyness that was causing her shift in moods. He also knew that if you waited long enough then... "It's just a little new to me. I mean, I never even had a *date* pay for me. God, can you believe that even before Michael I managed to find some of the biggest losers in Roswell? Not that Michael is a loser. Because he's not! He's just clueless. Stupid, yes. Loser, no. But things like dates and remembering to have money were never exactly high on his list of priorities." Maria paused in her thoughts and swung slightly, taking a few bites of her sandwich.

"Who was before Michael? I mean, if my girlfriend had some dates I wanna know about it. No losers allowed." Max grinned cheekily at her before looking back down. Watching her swing while eating was making it difficult for him to keep his stomach in his abdoman and not jumping up into his throat.

Maria snorted indelicately. "Well, let's see. There was Doug in eighth grade. His idea of romance was sneaking me into the movie theater so he wouldn't have to pay for two tickets and then trying to stick his hand up my blouse the whole time. He didn't try any more after Alex, who was sitting behind us on what he still tries to claim is a total coincidence, spilled his entire super jumbo soda on his lap. Apparently Doug was pretty cooled down after that little manuever."

Max laughed at the thought. "Yeah, I would imagine so."

"Then there was Pete in ninth grade. Ah, yes dear Pete. He was the one to introduce me to the wonders of the eraser room." Max grimaced noticably, hoping that Maria would spare him any of those details. "At least he tried until he went in for a move and I ducked and his braces got caught in my hair. That I can safely say that pretty much killed the mood. There wasn't even much of a chance for a date after the school nurse had to cut his mouth out of my hair. And I won't even *begin* to tell you how hard that one was to explain to my mom! I swear she practically went to Nuclear DeLuca on that."

"I can imagine." Max smiled, remembering her 'newspaper of death'.

"Then later that year came Marcus." Maria shuddered dramatically. "His idea of dating was keeping his hand on my butt during all of Kyle's Christmas party."

"Marcus huh? Tall guy, darkish red-brown hair?" Maria nodded absentmindedly as she took another bite of her sandwich. Max narrowed his eyes. *Hmm, I'll have to remember to have a little talk with Marcus when we get back.*

"Then, lemme think."

"There's more?" Max practically spit out his bite in surprise as Maria giggled and nodded.

"What? Like Isabel just stayed at home every weekend."

'Yeah but Isabel can also, well, you know." Max whispered and Maria opened her mouth in an 'ooooh' of recognition.

"Hmm, well, I'll have you know that I have kicked some serious butt in my day as well. Thank you very much." She smiled at him smugly. "And I did just that on Davis. He tried to play seven minutes in heaven. That is without the actual closet. Huh, you know, that happened at one of Kyle's parties too. Interesting. Anyway, he got a fat lip for that little play. And then," Maria giggled nearly uncontrollably, "Oh god! Alex pantsed him in front of everyone! And he was...he was..."

Max stared at her in anticipation waiting for her to catch her breath and continue. "He was?"

"Wearing superman underwear!!!" Maria shrieked in laughter and soon Max joined her. Both of them swinging there with tears streaming down their faces, trying to catch their breaths as their sides ached from the laughter and their cheeks were sore from smiling. Max couldn't remember the last time that had happened to him and he decided that it had been too long and he would have to change that again soon. He had a feeling it would happen on this trip frequently.

"Any other guys that I need to put on my mental list?" he asked, handing her a napkin to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"Mental list?"

"Yup. Guys that need to get the Czechoslovakian itch." Max beemed proudly at her.

"God, that reminds me of the first time here on 285 south." Max ate his sandwich some more and let her continue talking. By getting things out it appeared to him as though she were coming to terms with Michael more. But then again, Maria could be hard to read sometimes. As much as Michael kept things in, Maria did the same. But at least with Michael, Max had learned to read his face, to read between the lines. But Maria...Maria made it difficult. Liz had once explained the teflon factor to him. Maria could pretend on the outside that nothing bothered her because it make it easier for her to pretend to herself that everything was okay, even if it wasn't.

"I remember. I was so angry at Michael then."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't your car that he stole." Maria playfully shoved Max with her toe.

"No, but that's why I was angry." At Maria's quizzical expression he explained further. "It was because of the danger that he had put you in. We didn't know what was going to happen and he just took off with you in the car. No telling what could have happened to either one of you if Topolsky had found you."

"Wow. I always thought that you only thought of me as Liz's wacky friend. You know, that 'other' one that knows your secret."

"No." Max bopped her with his knee. "Now you're my wacky friend too."

Part Eight

After a few moments of silence, Maria laughed. It was time to get out of this quasi-serious mood and get back to the fun.

"So, how many girls have you dated, you hot thing, you? Twenty? Thirty?" she teased him, knowing as well as he did that there had only been one girl for him.

"Oh, at least that. Let's see, the first had to be Maggie Sherman in fifth grade?" Max started, keeping a straight face.

Maria nodded, playing along. "Isabel set you up, huh?" she asked, referring to Isabel's friendship with Maggie at the time.

"Yeah. Man, that break-up was tough on her, especially. But I just couldn't continue dating a girl who made fun of Alex so much," he informed her matter-of-factly.

"Right, Alex," she agreed. "The poor thing."

"And then in sixth grade, there was the brief fling with Nora Wells… followed by a meaningful relationship with Pam Troy," he went on.

"You and Pam, who would have thought?" Maria grinned.

"We had everything, Pam and I. Our only problem was that we met too young. I sometimes wonder what happened to her… where she is right now…" he trailed off, looking longingly off into the distance like someone in those old-time romance movies.

"And then in seventh grade you and Principal Offely's seventeen year old daughter, right?" she supplied, laughing. She was getting into the game now.

"How did you know?" Max gasped, putting his hands to his cheeks and making the classic 'Home Alone' face.

"Lucky guess. Now, now, go on," she told him, eager to hear the rest.

"Well, after Laura Offely, I had higher standards. Gracie Cohen and I got together in eighth grade."

"But it didn't work out because Maggie was so jealous."

"And so I stayed single for the rest of the year, pining away for Gracie."

"But once you got into high school, Gracie was off your mind and it was that senior, Emma Vanker, who you loved."

"Right, Viscous Emma Vanker, the Swedish exchange student slash weight lifter. The two of us were very close."

"But she was too rough in bed--"

"So I had to break it off. And then there was last year. Ms. Topolsky and I…"

"Ms. Topolsky! I never knew!"

"Well, we kept it secret. Didn't want the wrong people to find out."

"And here I thought she had a crush on Alex."

"Nope, that was just a cover."

"A very good one. And now?"

"Well, you've seen yourself the way I look at Courtney."

"You're kidding!"

"That's all I'm going to say…"

Eventually, their stomachs began to ache from laughing, and they forced themselves to settle down and continue swinging.

"Thanks, Maria."

"For what?"

"For teaching me to laugh."

"No prob. Now, when I teach you how to head bang, that will be an accomplishment."

And Max knew what they would be doing before bed tonight.

Part Nine

Maria bounced along in her seat happily. She had finally decided to let Max enjoy some peace and quiet, but only after he had named all of Limp Bizkit's member in order of do-ableness, at least the order according to Maria. Max was wishing that he had asked for her definition of peace and quiet as she flipped the radio on to some bubble gum pop station. He inwardly groaned as Britney's 'Oops...I did it again', started its opening chords. But his torturous anticipation was cut short as Maria quickly turned the radio off all together. He glanced at her in his peripheral vision, concerned by the quickly missing smile on her face. Deep worry lines marred her forehead and he could see the thoughts behind her eyes.

"Max? What are you doing?" Maria startled as he pulled the Jeep onto the shoulder of the small highway.

"Spill it."

"Excuse me?" Maria huffed. "Spill what?"

"What you are thinking about. Something's bothering you." Before Maria could deny it any further he stopped her. "Maria, I know you. Come on. You can tell me anything."

Maria snorted. "Oh really? Kind of like last week when I was merely explaining to you how Pamprin was better than Midol and you left screaming like a little girl? That kind of anything?"

"Oh no, you don't! I beg to differ. You," Max pointed at her menacingly, "were...were...in mood."

"A mood? I was in a mood?" Maria affected an air of insult.

"Yes." Max laughed at Maria's now dramatic flair. "And you were not merely 'explaining', you were throwing the box at me."

"That's because you bought the wrong one!" Maria threw her arms up in the air as if the answer were obvious.

"Well, next time send a real girlfriend because in that instance I really don't think that I count." Max looked at Maria expectantly as she finally acquiesced. "Now that we have that settled, tell me what's wrong."

Maria sighed remorsefully. "It's my chest."

Max scrunched his eyes shut in discomfort. "I feel vastly under qualified for this discussion right now."

"See, I told you that I couldn't talk to you about it." Maria turned away from him in her seat. "Just start driving again."

Max reached his hand out to touch her shoulder gently but Maria only shrugged off his gesture. "Maria..."

"No, Max, don't worry about it. Just drive." Maria sighed again as she noticed that Max wasn't restarting the Jeep. "Max, it's nothing. Just forget it."

"Maria, I'm not going to forget it. I'm sorry about before. Tell me what's wrong."

"Okay, but you can't laugh." Maria re-situated herself so she was facing him again. Max mad a crossing motion over his heart. Maria smiled slightly, "Okay, see the Britney Spears song just reminded me of the whole boob job rumor and well, well, I know that I am not the prettiest girl and I was just thinking that my chest is too small. Okay? You happy now? I have boob issues. You can drive now."

"Boob issues?" He asked, managing a straight face the whole time.

"Yes. Now go."

"Maria, you have, I mean they are, you, uh, Maria, you are very pretty." Max finally stumbled the words out of his mouth.

"Yeah, right." Maria whispered the words so softly that Max almost missed them, almost but didn't.

"Maria, you are beautiful."

"Oh, please. Max, I'm the wacky friend, remember? The side-kick. Side-kicks aren't beautiful. They aren't models like Isabel, stacked like Tess, sexy like Courtney, or smart like Liz. We're just here. That's it. Oh, and the occasional funny line, but I know that I'm not beautiful or sexy or smart. I'm just Maria DeLuca, waitress from Roswell."

"Maria, do you want to know what I see when I look at you?" Max continued without waiting for an answer. "I see the scar on your knee. The one you got from when you tripped at school. You brushed it off like nothing happened. You have such strength and you hide the scars. I see a slightly curved pinky finger from when you slammed it into the freezer door this summer but didn't cry because you knew Michael would want to heal you. But you knew that he needed his space. Even if he is the dumbest man on this planet, and the next, for staying away from you, you gave him that. I see a bruise. But it's not on your flawless skin. I see a bruised heart that you want to hide away from the rest of the world. But you can't do that, Maria. You can't hide it from everyone. I see it. I see it, and Liz sees it, and Alex sees it. And Michael sees it. He once told me that he felt like he was drowning in your eyes, and if that was drowning then he never wanted to swim. And you know what? There's something very special to be said about being Maria DeLuca, waitress and good friend, from Roswell."

Part Ten

Maria was speechless. Had that just been directed at her? *Her*? Someone had actually just told Maria DeLuca that they saw all of that inside of her? Someone *not* trying to get inside her pants?

"Okay, what was Liz thinking leaving you?" she blurted out without thinking.

"What does that mean?" Max asked, looking away. Damn, Maria, good job. Now he is thinking about Liz and he probably thinks you're hot for him or something. Two birds with one stupidly verbalized stone.

"You're just such a great guy. I mean, if Michael had one ounce of the sweetness you have… if he cared about me one millionth of the percent that you do… I just. You know," she said awkwardly.

Max's response was one of disbelief. "Did you not just hear what I said? He does care about you that much. More, probably. He's just too stupid to realize it," he told her seriously.

"I, uh, thanks. It's just hard… I mean… jeez. He told me he loved me… and then he left. Just like… well, it hurt. And kind of makes me think that it might be me, you know?" she asked, surprised to find that her eyes were filled with tears.

Max nodded, recognizing her veiled reference to her father. "It's not you, Maria. Michael has no idea what he's doing. But we'll find a way to make him realize. And in the meantime… well, there are a lot of people who know there is more to you than just a wacky girl next door."

"You think I'm wacky?" Maria asked, laughing through her tears. She really loved Max.

"Uh-huh. And Michael seems to, uh… be perfectly fine with the, uh… size of your, you know, chest. And could care less about Courtney or Tess or Isabel," he said, cringing at the last name. "So, you just, um, shouldn't worry about that," he told her uncomfortably, causing her to laugh even more.

"Thanks, Max. Just… thanks," she said. After of moment of silence, she sighed and said, "Well, I think that just brings that whole conversation full circle."

"And just in time. Look where we are," she added, pulling the car to a stop in front of the Rootin' Tootin' Texan Inn, a place she herself had chosen. Though Max, of course, was the one who had made not only reservations to sleep, but dinner reservations at that. Protesting the whole time about the horribly tacky sounding hotel.

They began to get out of the Jeep, but Maria grabbed Max's hand before he could open his door. "And Max? We're gonna get Liz back for you, too, you know."

"I hope so."

Part Eleven

"Wow." Maria dropped her bags on one of the beds and looked around the room with wide eyes. "Check it out, Girlfriend, two beds!"

"Damn, I specifically told them only one. How can I seduce you if you are all the way in your own bed?" Max wiggled his eyebrows and Maria giggled, shoving him in the shoulder.

"And look!" She pointed excitedly to the television. Max looked at her questioningly.

"Yeah, um, Maria, see, that's called a television. Can you say television?"

"Ohhh, you better watch it, buddy." Mock glaring at him, she shook her fists at him threateningly. "What I meant was look at the non-porn movie choices."

"Damn it! This hotel just has nothing to offer us then, does it?" Max grinned cheekily at her.

"Sure it does, it's got the Honky Tonk Bar & Grill, and congratulations, Max! You get to accompany me and my breasts there for dinner." Maria grinned as Max turned red and focused his attention on the floor.

"Yeah, um, yeah...I'm gonna go get ready then." He quickly escaped into the bathroom to shower and change for dinner while Maria opened her bag to find some clean clothes to wear out to eat.

"What exactly do you wear to a place called the Honky Tonk Bar & Grill? I bet Kyle would know." Speaking to herself, Maria started to giggle again.

Max smiled to himself as he heard her laughter reaching all the way through the door between them. He loved hearing her laugh and thought to himself again what a great idea this trip was for the two of them. Kicking off his shoes and taking off his shirt, Max turned on the hot water and looked through his bag for his razor. It felt good to be able to be himself and relax around one person for so long. With Maria there were no hidden agendas or secrets or worries or heartaches. *Well, at least not heartaches that I caused.* Max was slowly realizing that she really was his best friend. And he couldn't have been happier about it.

Maria sat on the bed bored and tapping her nails against her knee. Sighing, she flipped throught the channels but nothing was on and she didn't want to start a movie before they left for dinner. "Ooh, I know. I'll call Alex and check up on him."

Rifling through her purse, Maria pulled out the cellphone triumphantly. She quickly dialed his own cell phone and listened for the familiar voice on the other end of the phone.

"'Ello?"

"Alex!" Maria squealed happily.

"Hey, chica! How's it going?" Maria could hear the grin in his voice as he spoke to her.

"Excellent, very excellent. How's the home fort holding up without its two favorite people?"

"Well, Liz and Kyle will be back soon and then things will get better."

"Funny, little man, very very funny. No seriously, how are...things?" Maria bit her lip a the silence on the other end.

"Well, Isabel is trying every sort of torture imaginable to get me to tell her where you guys are but don't worry, I haven't caved, and I won't be either. Tess just kind of sulks and mopes around doing that whole dramatic sighing thing. Which I have to say is a thousand times better than watching Michael though. He misses you, babe."

Maria snorted. "Yeah, right."

"No, seriously, Maria. I mean, you should see him now. I'm at the Crashdown and I swear to God he is even pissier than normal." Alex lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "I think he's jealous."

"Really?" Maria squealed in a happy surprise.

"Really." He confirmed.

Maria thought back to her conversation with Max. "Hey, is he there now?"

"Yeah...why? You want to talk to him?" Alex sounded doubtful at that suggestion.

"Yeah, put him on the phone, will you, Alex?" She sat quietly biting her cuticle as she heard the phone being shuffled back and forth, finally a gruff voice picked up on the other side.

"Hey."

"Hi."

Silence. Complete and total silence.

"I gotta go. I'm working."

"Okay. Bye, Michael."

"Bye. Bye, Maria."

She hung up the cell phone, smiling to herself at the way her name sounded as his voice breathed it into the phone. The conversation wasn't much, but it was the first time he actually picked up the phone. Granted she had called Alex and not him, but it was a start. Looking at the clock, Maria jumped up and started pulling her clothes out of the bag.

"Come on, Max! Hurry up! You and I are going out!"

Part Twelve

"I swear, you take more time to get ready than me," Maria complained ten minutes later, when Max finally emerged from the bathroom ready to go.

He responded by sticking his tongue out at her and gesturing to the pile of clothes that covered the floor around her bed. "You call that ready?" he asked, sitting down and pretending to settle into a comfortable position for a long wait. "I think you need to clean up before you can change… which will add another ten minutes to your usual hour and a half, so that's…"

"I've never taken an hour and a half to get ready!" she argued, grabbing the discarded clothes and stuffing them back into her suitcase. She flounced into the bathroom and shut the door tight before shouting, "It was only an hour and fifteen minutes!"

"It took you that long to pick out some clothes?" he asked in reply through the door, as if that proved his point.

"For your information, I also called Roswell," she informed him, slipping off her shirt and pants and examining her profile in the mirror. Michael always had seemed pretty content with her size, now that she thought about it.

"Oh, yeah? What does it say?" Max asked, flipping through the stations on the TV until he reached a semi-interesting Discovery Channel documentary. He only hoped that he would be able to change it before Maria got out, lest she see what he had lowered himself to watching.

"Mmm, Alex says hi. Well, not really, but I'm sure he would have if he thought of it," she explained, beginning to put on her clothes, almost convinced that she should be satisfied with her reflection. A best friend who could give her a guy's opinion and showered her with compliments could come in handy, she thought to herself, momentarily forgetting the Alex she'd had all her life.

"Really," Max chuckled. "And what does everyone else say?"

"Well, Isabel's suspicious, but he's not talking. And Tess is moping, so what else is new?" she asked jokingly. "And Michael is his normal grumpy, telling you he has to get off the phone after a conversation consisting of hey, hello, and silence."

Max sat up in surprise. "He actually talked to you?"

Suddenly the door to the bathroom swung open and Maria stood there, fully clothed and grinning. "Uh-huh," she answered, and laughed. "It really shouldn't be that big of a deal…" she trailed off, still smiling.

"But it is!" Max said, standing up and spinning her around. "Now we have reason to go to dinner. You look great, by the way," he added, putting her down.

She laughed again and looked down at her casual black shirt with the alien head and jeans. Max was crazy, she thought. "Thanks, Girlfriend. You don't look so bad yourself."

Brushing off the compliment, Max held his arm out to her. "Shall we dine?" he asked in a phony British accent.

Maria rolled her eyes and slipped her arm through his. "But of course," she agreed. "Me and my breasts, too," she added under her breath, giggling, and together they headed down to the Honky Tonk Bar & Grill.

Part Thirteen

"Oh my God. This makes Kyle look like a fashion plate." Maria's mouth dropped open and Max's eyes dropped to the floor where he was standing in...well, he honestly didn't want to know what. The 'Honky Tonk Bar & Grill' was dark and musty and every eye in the place was now turned to the two kids that stood in the doorway. "I have never seen so many cowboy shirts since Liz was dating Kyle and we ransacked his closet once. Interesting story, in fact, maybe I'll tell you about it later."

"This is a restaurant?" Max leaned his mouth in close to ear and whispered quietly. "Smells like a stable, even has sawdust on the floor."

Maria stifled her giggle and nudged Max towards one of the open booths in the back. Max stiffened defensively as he noticed the appreciative eyes following his beautiful best friend. He dropped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in closer to him. *I never had a problem like this with Michael. Hmm, maybe it's the hair.*

"Maria, I think you're being watched." Maria just rolled her eyes and poked at his side. But inside she appreciated his macho display. Granted it was a little more Michael's style than Max's, all the same it was nice to know she had a friend that cared and was looking out for her best interests.

"Somehow when you say that I expect a third eye to pop out of your forehead or something. Relax, Max." Maria grinned at her own rhyme and pulled Max down into the booth with her.

"Yeah, well, I think I am going to go...wash my hands." Max eyed the grimy table in disgust and stood up. "Stay outta trouble."

"Yes sir!" Maria gave a mock salute, ignoring his glare.

As Max made his way to the back of the restaurant, he felt a weird uneasiness in the pit of his stomach. He stepped out of view from the main room of the bar and stood back quietly. Something wasn't quite right here.

Maria smiled to herself, mentally replaying the phone conversation with Michael in her head. *Okay, maybe it wasn't exactly a stellar conversation, but at least he came to the phone. Of course, it sounded like he didn't want to come to the phone. Maybe Alex made him or he only did that so Alex will soften and tell Isabel where we are. Maybe he found someone else while I have been gone and no, he doesn't love me anymore. Maybe he was afraid of Max and me alone out in the woods together. Maybe he's jealous. Maybe he thinks that one dinky little two line conversation is enough to keep me going hooked on him. Well I have other news for you, Mr. Guerin! You can just kiss my ass! I am away from here and ooh, are you gonna get it when I get back. Thinking that two words to me are sufficient!* Her smile was now replaced by a fierce scowl.

Max frowned, watching the wheels turning in Maria's head. He stepped towards her again when she was flanked on both sides by two of the bar patrons. Big, ugly flannel wearing guys who were chewing tobacco and spitting it out of the sides of their mouths onto the sawdust floor. Max hated them immediately for the way they sauntered, no they swaggered, over to Maria and leaned down to her. Too close, they were leaning way too close to her. And Max swore that their breath came out in toxic green, foul smelling fumes, wafting around them like a stench filled aura. He stalked over to the table angrily.

"Ahem." He coughed loudly into one of the guy’s ear. They barely even acknowledged his existence as they continued talking to Maria.

Maria saw as Max's eyes narrowed and his jaw ticked. *Must be an alien pissy anger thing.* Max tapped the one guy on his shoulder again, harder this time. "Excuse me. Maybe you didn't notice but *she's* not interested. Because you see, *we* are here together. Get it?"

"Hey, we're jus' talkin' here."

"And now you're done talking." Max slid into the booth beside Maria and pulled her in closer to him. She smiled at him slightly and waved bye to the guys as they slunk off to the bar muttering obscenities to Max under their breath.

"Sorry." Max ducked his head and apologized.

"Don't be sorry." Maria admonished. "When you told that guy at the rave you and Liz went to she raved about you for a week. Oh, Max is so strong and brave and handsome. He saved me." Maria fanned herself and batted her eyes, pretending to faint. Max laughed and poked her in the side.

"She, uh, she really said that?"

Maria's smiled dropped and she picked up the paper menu, studying it intensely. "Yeah, she did. So what are you going to get?"

"Hey. What's with that?" Max pointed to her face.

"With what?"

"The missing smile. I thought we were celebrating the momentous phone conversation." Max peered down at her as she hid her face behind the blonde locks.

She snorted and shrugged her shoulders. "Not much of a conversation. And why did it take him all summer to say like five words to me? I mean, is that supposed to make me happy? What? That it took Alex to get him to come to the phone? I don't think so."

"Give him some time. He'll come around." Max placed his arm back around her shoulder and hugged her to him. "Things will get better. I promise. Michael and Liz...things will get better. It'll be back to the way it was before in no time."

"Yeah." Maria studied her nails intensely now, picking at her cuticles.

"Maria...spill it."

"Maria-ism there. Told you I would get to you."

"Don't change the subject."

"When you get back with Liz, you aren't going to be my best friend anymore. You won't need me." Maria blurted out, her face turning crimson as tears pricked at her eyes.

Part Fourteen

Max stared, speechless, at Maria, whose eyes began to overflow, causing tears to slide down her cheeks. He reached out a tentative hand and slowly touched one finger to her soft, wet face. She sniffed once and bit her lip, and he gently wiped away a tear.

"Hey. We're girlfriends, remember? Guys, or in my case, girls, don't come between us. Isn't that the cardinal rule of girlfriendness?" he said as he removed his hand, expecting her to at least crack a smile.

She didn't, though. Instead her tears just multiplied as she shook her head and whispered something that he couldn't hear above the sounds in the restaurant. She looked miserable, he thought.

"What?" he asked, trying to ignore all of the background noises in the busy grill so he could make out what she was saying.

"You came between Liz and I, didn't you?" she whispered marginally louder, looking at her hands and ignoring his eyes.

Max was taken aback. No one had told him that he had hurt Maria and Liz's friendship. He hadn't known that they were even having problems before Liz went off to Florida. He opened his mouth to ask what he'd done, but she continued speaking without letting him.

"First I lost Liz when she started dating you and now," she sniffed, "now I'm going to lose you when you get back together with her." She couldn't bare the thought of losing Max, she thought to herself. Not him, too.

He shook his head vehemently, not even believing that they were having this conversation. "No way. You're my best friend, Maria. I'm not going to let you get away from me that easily," he said, grabbing a napkin and attempting to dry her eyes.

She pushed his hand away moodily. "Don't make promises you can't keep," she said, trying to compose herself, realizing that they were still in a crowded public place.

"What can I get you?"

They looked up. Standing in front of them, wearing a bored expression, cowboy boots, and a skirt with horses embroidered on it, was a forty-something women with an order pad in her hand and a nametag reading, 'Howdy, I'm Pat!'

"Uh… a burger and fries?" Max ordered hastily, realizing that he had forgotten to look at the menu and figuring he'd order something bound to be on offered. Pat nodded and scribbled something on her pad without asking him how he wanted it cooked, and he hid a grimace, hoping it wouldn't be charred.

"And the lady?" Pat drawled in an obviously fake Western accent. Max glanced at Maria, hoping she might be laughing, but her face remained stony as she ordered a rack of ribs with coleslaw on the side. Pat sighed, and for what was probably the hundredth time that day said, "Have a Rootin' Tootin' time!" while rolling her eyes.

"I never thought of you as a rib girl," Max ventured after Pat left them alone again. She merely shrugged and looked past him to the bar, pretending to watch one of the guys who had accosted her earlier chug beers.

Frustrated, Max grabbed her hand and clutched it tight, and looked her in the eye. "Maria. I am not, I repeat not, going to abandon you. I promise. I can keep this promise."

She blinked a few times, and Max thought that maybe, just maybe, he'd gotten through to her. Her next words dashed that hope, however.

"Really? What if you got the chance to, you know, go home?" she hissed, glancing around to make sure no one heard her. "Would you stay for me then?"

Part Fifteen

"Are you asking me to?" Max peered at her eyes, his own feeling the tears prick behind them.

Maria sniffled and looked up at him. "No. No, I'm not. I couldn't. I won't ask you to stay because it's not fair to you or Michael. I know how important it is for you both, for Isabel too, to have those answers."

"Thank you. And yes, it is important, but it will never be more important than you are." Max took her hand in his and squeezed it in support. Maria's chin still quivered but her eyes shone a little more brightly at him.

"And it's not that I don't want you and Liz to get back together, because I do. I know how happy you make each other and I want you to be happy. I love you and I love Lizzie. I miss her a lot this summer. It's weird, I think this is the longest I have been away from her since we met. Liz had never been so alive than when she was with you. It's like you brought her to life. Well, other than the obvious way I mean. I just want you both to be happy."

”I miss her too. And I want to be with her, but Maria, that will never, I repeat never, change the way that I feel about you. You will always be a part of my life and if anyone has a problem with that then they are going to have to answer to me. I don't walk away from people I love." He stopped talking then, realizing he may have inadvertently brought the conversation back around. Max paused, not sure if he should venture off into the next topic. "Do you…do you miss Michael?"

"Yeah, I do." Her voice was small and sounded so foreign to him. It wasn't strong and full of emotion. She sounded small, not like the spitfire she should be.

"What did he say on the phone?"

"Say?" Maria snorted. "He didn't say much of anything. But when does he ever? Unless it's good-bye."

"You know that he watches you, don't you?" Max watched as the expression on Maria's face changed from confusion to shock to understanding before settling on surprise and a hint of disbelief.

"Yeah, right. Sure he does, Max. And I'm a big pink cow wearing a tutu named Beulah that likes to tango with Maurice the blue hippo."

Max scrunched his face, as he wasn't sure if he was allowed to laugh at that or not. Finally he just choked out a gargled cough and tried to cover it up with a drink of water. "Please tell me that I'm not Maurice."

"Well…" Maria giggled to herself and soon it gained in strength until she had tears rolling down her face once again, this time from happiness. Her cheeks were red and her shoulders shook from the sheer force of her laughter until she could only gasp in large deep breaths for air.

"What?" Max poked her. "What? What?"

"Oh…my…we're here…in Texas…and…and…" Maria gasped out the words as he laughter continued.

Max shook his head in complete confusion but his heart swelled watching and hearing her laughter again. How Michael could ever walk out on this laughter was beyond him. And how her father could leave this vibrant young woman was a mystery unlike any other.

"Texas! Cowboys!" Maria shrieked in laughter, gaining herself and Max some strange looks from the other patrons. "You…You're Maurice! Space Cowboy!"

”Can I speak on the pompitous of love?" Max grinned, getting the joke until the laughter was infectious. And the two of them sat in the booth, not speaking, just holding their best friend's hand and letting the sound of the laughing heal them both. When the familiar strings of the guitar picked up in the background from the old jukebox in the corner, they both howled in their renewed laughter, letting the voice of Steve Miller drift over them.

Some people call me the space cowboy, yeah
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me Maurice
Cause I speak of the pompitous of love

People talk about me, baby
Say I'm doin' you wrong, doin' you wrong
Well, don't you worry baby
Don't worry
Cause I'm right here, right here, right here, right here at home

Cause I'm a picker
I'm a grinner
I'm a lover
And I'm a sinner
I play my music in the sun

I'm a joker
I'm a smoker
I'm a midnight toker
I sure don't want to hurt no one

I'm a picker
I'm a grinner
I'm a lover
And I'm a sinner
I play my music in the sun

I'm a joker
I'm a smoker
I'm a midnight toker
I get my lovin' on the run
Wooo Wooooo

You're the cutest thing
That I ever did see
I really love your peaches
Want to shake your tree
Lovey-dovey, lovey-dovey, lovey-dovey all the time
Ooo-eee baby, I'll sure show you a good time

Cause I'm a picker
I'm a grinner
I'm a lover
And I'm a sinner
I play my music in the sun

I'm a joker
I'm a smoker
I'm a midnight toker
I get my lovin' on the run

I'm a picker
I'm a grinner
I'm a lover
And I'm a sinner
I play my music in the sun

I'm a joker
I'm a smoker
I'm a midnight toker
I sure don't want to hurt no one

Wooo Woooo
People keep talking about me baby
They say I'm doin' you wrong
Well don't you worry, don't worry, no don't worry mama
Cause I'm right here at home

You're the cutest thing I ever did see
Really love your peaches want to shake your tree
Lovey-dovey, lovey-dovey, lovey-dovey all the time
Come on baby and I'll show you a good time...

"Hey, Maria?"

"Yeah Max?" Maria asked as she wiped a glob of Tabasco Sauce off of his chin where it had dripped from the smothered burger.

"What is the pompitous of love?"

Maria giggled brightly again. "I don't know, Max, but if anyone's gonna find out, it'll be you."

"Oh yeah?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Wanna shake my tree? After all, we know that I love your peaches."

"Max!" Maria swatted him in the arm and went back to attacking her rib platter.

~*~

Outside a man rested against an old car. His cowboy boots tapping faintly to the music that played inside. Grabbing a match out of his pocket, he dragged it along the bottom of his boot, quickly igniting it in flames. Bringing the lit match up to the waiting cigarette in his mouth. He inhaled slowly on the flame, letting the light torch up near his face before exhaling slowly, the puffs of smoke hanging in the dry Texas air around him. Flicking the match out, he circled around to the Jeep parked in the lot. The New Mexico plates flung with dirt from the drive across the dusty highway.

"Max Evans. Ahhh, Max Evans." He took a long drag on the cigarette, enjoying the feeling of the warm air filling his chest before burning that ached at his ribs. He let it out in a slow, deep relief. "It's been too long. Too long. Didn't expect to see you back here. But I'm not gonna waste this chance. Your time will come."

He flipped the matchbook around his hands before pushing his coat back to shove them back into his pocket, the steel glint of the gun shining off of the fluorescent lights of the Honky Tonk Bar & Grill.

Part Sixteen

"Did you really just eat that much?" Max asked incredulously, gesturing to the untidy pile of bare bones on Maria's otherwise empty plate. He had hardly known her to be a heavy eater… let alone someone who would mow down a whole rack of ribs in-- he checked his watch-- ten minutes.

Maria laughed. "It looks that way, huh," she agreed, finally putting down her last rib and grabbing a napkin. "I'm not normally like this. I wonder what got into me," she added, trying in vain to wipe the barbecue sauce off of her face.

"You're not pregnant, are you?" he joked, handing her one of the little wipes Pat had so kindly supplied. He grabbed his own napkin and carefully cleaned his own face until there was no notice of the Tabasco-laced grease.

Her eyes bugged out, hardly the response he'd expected. "No! Uh, no. Why would you think that?" she asked, sounding alarmed and a bit shocked.

"I was just kidding, Maria… You know, when one person teases another person?" he asked, mind racing. There was only one reason for her to react that way, and while he was almost positive it wasn't true… What if it was?

She only nodded and began furiously trying to rip open the packet containing the wet wipe. "I knew that," she informed him, without looking up.

"You, uh, couldn't be pregnant, could you?" Max asked her, hoping that this wouldn't qualify as prying. He was just wondering, he told himself. There was nothing wrong with simply asking. If she didn't want to tell him, she didn't have to. Uh-huh.

"Nope," she replied airily, taking her rage out on the poor handiwipe. He reached out and grabbed her hand, forcing it still. "Nope," she repeated, finally ripping open the now crumbled packet and extracting a limp wipe.

"Because to get pregnant you'd--" he started, trying to prod her along. Hoping she would say the words out loud.

She merely shook her head. "I'm not pregnant, Max," she told him sternly. "Leave it at that," she added, finally getting all of the sauce off of her face and starting in on her hands.

"Okay," he agreed, feeling slightly hurt that she wasn't telling him everything. She must have noticed his tone, because she looked up and smiled at him brightly.

"So, it's early yet. What do you say we go out?" she suggested, waving Pat over. "Check, please," she asked in a fake snooty voice. Pat walked away, rolling her eyes, and Maria laughed gleefully.

"Where exactly do you want to go?" Max asked, raising an eyebrow and deciding to drop the other issue. "It's not like the Rootin' Tootin' Texan Inn is the center of a big party town," he reminded her skeptically as Pat came back and placed the check upside down in front on Max.

"Ah, but you've forgotten. I'm the one who found this place. Do you think that I, Maria DeLuca, could actually choose a hotel that did *not* have a disco?" she asked, grinning happily, ignoring the slip of paper.

Max suddenly felt nauseous. "You didn't mention a disco," he complained, trying to argue his way out of it. He couldn't dance. He couldn't even sway to the beat of a slow song. Maria was not going to get him out onto the dance floor, no way, no how.

"Are you scared, Mr. Big Shot Leader?" she taunted him, laughing, picking up the check and examining it. She then slid it over to Max, consciously making the decision to let him pay.

He shook his head, glad for that, but not about to let her talk him into anything. "I wouldn't say scared. I simply dislike--" he started.

"Ha! Don't give me that! You're going dancing, Max Evans, and you don't have a choice!" she exclaimed in glee, standing up and grabbing his hand. She then led him, as he frowned, past the burly frat jerks and out of the grill.

"Maria?"

"Yeah?"

"Why does a Texan Inn have a disco?"

"Fate, I guess."

Part Seventeen

"Oh my God." Max grinned at Maria's reaction to the 'disco'. It matched her reaction to the Honky Tonk Bar & Grill. But then again what did she expect from a place called the Rootin Tootin Disco. They really should not be surprised about the country music. "Is that a mechanical bull?"

Max peered into the doorway of a room towards the back where shouts of victory rose above Garth Brooks' voice. He could see the mechanical bull bucking as the passenger held on for dear life while the drunken bystanders heehawed their support. Whether they supported the bull or the rider, Max couldn't quite figure out. "Uh, yeah, I think it is."

He silently prayed that Maria would * not* want to ride the bull. Or God, even worse--

"Max, you have got to do that!" Her excitement squealed into his ear. He groaned. She swatted him in the shoulder and just grinned back cheekily at him. "Come on. It'll be fun."

"Yeah, like a root canal is fun." He grumbled while allowing himself to be pulled towards the back of the 'disco'. "Disco my ass."

"Huh?" Maria looked at him confused but shook her head and continued to pull him along. Suddenly she stopped and stared at him. "Have you ever even had a root canal?"

"No." His answer was quiet and he shuffled his feet along the ground, not meeting her gaze. Maria giggled again and ran towards the back room with the reluctant alien trailing along behind her.

"Hey." Maria nodded a greeting to the guy that seemed to be in charge of the backroom. He held a wad of ones in his hand and sat next to what she assumed were the controls for the bull.

"Ma'am." He tipped his hat to her and refocused his attention back to the rider currently trying to stay on the bucking bull.

Maria turned to Max as he caught up with her. 'Ma'am.' She mouthed to him and stifled back her giggles. "So, uh, how much for a ride?"

The guy glanced back at her, his eyes trailing over her diminutive frame briefly before sticking a fresh toothpick back in his mouth. "You couldn't handle it."

Max shook his head and rolled his eyes. He could feel the anger and indignation rolling off of her in waves. Michael was right. Maria certainly was a vibrator. She let her feelings just boil at the surface for a moment before her mouth was set in a thin line and her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Excuse me?"

"You really shouldn't have said that." Max looked at the guy sitting there with a certain amount of pity in his eyes.

"Oh yeah? And why the hell not?" The surly guy turned his attention to Max now and straightened his shoulders, puffing his chest out like a strutting cock in the hen house.

"Because I don't know who exactly you think you are to sit there and look down at me with your condescending attitude, but I will not just stand back and swoon at your little macho display. Now I asked you a question. How. Much. Is. The ride." Maria poked him in the chest to emphasize her every word. Max just stood back and watched in amusement. He had every confidence in Maria to take care of herself. But his hands were still raised slightly at his side, ready to take any action necessary.

*I never had this problem with Liz. Hmm, I sort of did with Michael though. Now there's a thought I don't think I care to share * Max grinned to himself, letting his grin only falter slightly as he remembered Maria's dancing around his question earlier at the table. But he made a mental post-it note to talk to her about it later. He would gauge when the time was right. Now was not the time.

"Tell you what, Missy." The guy leered at her as he swaggered over to the controls and ended to rider's session abruptly. "You ride this thing for longer than 9 seconds and I'll buy you and your friends drinks all night long. You don't…" His eyes lingered around her breasts, chuckling at the alien head on the shirt, and Maria bristled angrily, folding her arms across her chest. "You don't, and I'll show you what a real cowboy can do."

"Hmm, gee, I dunno. Let me think about that one." Maria's sarcastic barbs didn't faze him at all. She eyed him up and down and smirked back at him. Max shuddered, knowing what would come out of her mouth next. "You're on."

"Hey, Chuck! You're off!" He waved the older burly man off of the bull and made a sweeping gesture towards the machine for Maria to try it out. "It's all yours, Honey Lamb."

"Okay, I just know that a root canal would be more fun than this." Max groaned again. "Or maybe the Spanish Inquisition."

Maria crossed to the bull with her shoulders back and her head up. Max rolled his eyes at the display between her and the operator but dutifully followed her to the bull. That and he was not happy with the way every guy's eyes were glued to her butt in her tight jeans. He had no idea how Alex did this best friend with a girl thing for so many years. Two girls none the less. Of course, Liz probably gave him a lot less trouble than Maria ever did.

"Okay, I can do this. I can do this." He smiled as Maria gave herself a quiet pep talk. Her breathing was slow and deliberate and Max knew that her heart had to be pounding furiously in her chest right now.

Max placed his arms around her waist and helped to boost her up onto the bull. She sat there nervously trying to figure out where her hands went.

"Ooh, I just knew I should have paid more attention to when Lizzie was dating Kyle. He has that whole cowboy thing going on."

"You'll be fine." Max reassured her as she held a death grip onto the leather straps.

"Of course I will." Maria threw a grin back at him but he caught the plea behind her eyes. He held onto her hands and shielded them from the view of the bystanders as he 'helped' her grip on the mechanical bull. "Thanks, girlfriend."

"Anytime." Max backed away and stood by the operator again to make sure that nothing went wrong on that end of things.

"Come on, Willie! Crank her up." The cowboy that Willie had called Chuck urged him on and Max kept a watchful eye over just how much he was cranking the bull up to. He was a little suspicious when the dial seemed to be turned a lot higher than he remembered it set at before. Max casually leaned against the post of the controls, his hand glowing slightly, slowing the dial just enough for Maria to have greater control but not enough so that the duo of Chuck and Willie would notice much of a difference.

Maria felt the butterflies in her stomach increase by a thousand as the bull started to shudder and spurt. She gripped her thighs tightly to the sides and closed her eyes, praying to a God she didn't know if she believed in.

One Second... Maria's head was thrown back violently as the bull kicked up and swung around. The only sound Maria could hear was her own heart beating loudly as it jumped up into her throat.

Two Seconds...

Max clenched his fists in fear and nerves. Maria was being thrown around like a rag doll on top of the bull. He tried to shout his encouragement to her but his voice was caught in his throat. Besides the crowd had doubled as Maria took her ride on the bull and Max could barely hear his own thoughts.

Three Seconds...

Willie grinned as he watched the feisty blonde hold on for dear life. He couldn't help but start to root for her as she threw one arm up and let her body flow with the tug and pull of the bull's movements.

Four Seconds...

Chuck double-checked the stopwatch. His mouth was slung open in surprise. He couldn't believe that this girl had held on for half the time. Guys three times her size couldn't even do that.

Five Seconds...

Maria yelled out triumphantly as she felt her hair whip around her face. She was actually enjoying herself and felt a thrill from all the power that was harnessed under her.

Six Seconds...

Max bit his lip as Maria held on with her one hand only. He wanted to close his eyes but was afraid that if he took his eyes off of the blond blur for more than a second then he would lose her.

Seven Seconds...

"God damn, Chuck!" Willie poked at his friend as the girl held on for dear life. He had to admit that he was impressed with her.

Eight Seconds...

"She's actually gonna make it." Chuck whistled to himself. He had to admit that this girl had guts.

Nine Seconds...

Maria's ears pounded still but she heard loud and clear the bell as the longest nine seconds of her life her over. Part of her felt the enormous relief but another part of her wanted it to go on forever.

"Maria!" Max ran over and quickly untied her hand. He picked her up triumphantly and swung her around in glee. She buried her face into his neck and tried to control her heart rate back to normal.

He finally put her down and saw that Maria's grin matched his own. She had every right to be proud of herself. Max's help was inconsequential in comparison to her own accomplishment.

"All right, Honey Lamb. I keep my promises." Willie sauntered over to the two. "I'm Willie. This here is my place and your drinks are on the house. Have whatever you like. And…and well, god damn, that was some fine ridin' there."

"I'm Maria. This is Maurice." Maria giggled as Willie walked off, shaking his head to himself. She turned back to Max with a raised eyebrow. He could read the question on her face.

"Oh, no. No drinking for me." He saw as her eyes lowered and she gazed up at him from under her lashes. Sighing, Max knew he would regret saying this. "But you do whatever you want. I'll watch out for you."

"Thanks, Maurice!" Maria bounced to the bar and saddled up to it, surveying what everyone else around her was drinking. Finally she seemed to have settled on a choice.

"What can I get you, miss?" The waitress came up to her with a bright smile on her face. Willie had already informed her that this girl here was to get anything she wanted. And on the house as well.

"I'll have one of those." Maria pointed to the innocuous looking drink a few seats down from her.

"Long Island Iced Tea? Coming right up." The waitress winked and turned back to fix the drink. "See, Max, it's an iced tea. How bad could it be?"

She tentatively raised the glass to her lips and sipped it cautiously. It tasted like a sour iced tea to her, but not what she expected of any of the liquor bottles that Amy DeLuca had in her house, locked away in the top cabinet. When she didn't gag on it, Maria took a bigger gulp and before she knew it had finished the whole thing. The waitress stood behind the bar grinning at her. She slid a full one in front of her before Maria could even ask. Max watched silently. Maria turned to him and with her drink in one and his arm in the other dragged 'Maurice' out to dance on the 'disco' floor.

The two of them danced the best they could to the rhythm of the country songs. But soon there were broad smiles on both their faces and they let the guards down as they even joined in on the country line dancing.

"Not exactly Limp Bizket, is it?" Maria shouted to him over the sound over the music. He laughed and shook his head no. She grabbed his hands again as she downed the last of her drink and pulled him out to the middle of the dance floor again. But as they reached the center the music changed abruptly to a slow ballad. The guitar sounds soothing on their ears that pounded from the earlier loud assault. Not Limp Bizket Loud, but it was enough to get a ringing effect that Maria couldn't shake out.

"Maurice, let's dance." Maria giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her face was red and she kept tripping over her feet.

"Maria, I think you're getting drunk." Max prodded gently.

"Nuh-uh. I only had two!"

"Come on, girlfriend. Let's get you back." Max tried to usher her towards the door but Maria planted her feet firmly.

"Nope. I wanna dance first." Maria pouted up at him. "Come on, Maurice. Michael never danced with me. Ever! The only time I ever saw him near a dance floor was that rave. Stupid rave. Stupid Michael at the stupid rave. He sucks. Mean Michaels suck."

Max sighed but let her pull back to the center of the dance floor. She giggled at him and wrapped her arms around her neck. Her feet were not their usual gracefulness in dancing as Maria stumbled slightly. Max picked her up and let her rest her feet on the top of his shoes. His arms wrapped securely around her waist. Maria let her head fall to his chest as her head was swimming and the room began to spin a little, but not from the dancing.

Max opened his mouth to speak but then shut it quickly. He breathed in and gathered his courage up. He didn't really want to ask her but knew that he needed to. And yet all at the same time was afraid of the answer.

"Maria?"

"Hmm." She didn't raise her head.

"Did you sleep with Michael?"

The question hung in the air. It sat there between them and Maria breathed it in.

"I wish." Her voice was quiet and Max had to strain to hear her.

"What happened?"

"He said no. Can you believe it?" Her voice was gaining in strength and volume now. "I mean, he said no to me! I was gonna have sex with him! Ha!"

At her last Ha!, she had thrown herself backwards and with her feet balanced on Max's feet, her body swayed as her head pounded from the alcohol. Max caught her arms and pulled her back in. Maria giggled as the room swayed around her.

"Okay, Maria, it's time to get you home." Max tried to pry her off of his shoes but Maria held onto him giggling and shaking her blond curls in front of her face. Max sighed and picked her up, hefting her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Come on, the ride's on me tonight."

"Bum ba bum bum." Maria giggled and patted Max's behind, delighted with herself.

"What are you doing?" Max asked, trying not to laugh at her.

"Bongo butt!" Maria shrieked. "Some people call you Maurice. Woo hoo. Space Cowboy!"

Part Eighteen

The first sensation Maria felt was pain. Sharp, jarring pain in her head before she even opened her eyes. Then, after registering the fact that she was indeed still alive, she realized that the feeling in her stomach was nausea. A headache and nausea. Uh-huh, this was definitely bad.

"Wake up, Honey Lamb. It's past nine." Maria pried one eye open and after a moment of bluriness saw Max staring down at her. She tried blocking her eyes with her hands, but the sunlight still blinded her.

She moaned loudly and glared at Max through the spaces between her fingers. "Why the hell am I up now? Why the hell do I feel like this? Why the hell are you calling me Honey Lamb?" She wanted to go on, but was far too tired and pained.

Max only chuckled. "I have no sympathy, Miss Thing. You want to go get drunk, you deal with the results," he told her, eyes dancing.

She let out a low growl and heaved herself into a sitting position. Max handed her a glass of water and some Tylenol, which she quickly popped into her mouth and swallowed. "Where did I get alcohol?" she asked groggily, the night before a haze.

Max raised one eyebrow at her as she sat the mostly full cup on the night table next to her bed. "You don't remember the mechanical bull? Or Chuck the cowboy?" he asked, tone full of doubt.

Suddenly an image of herself being flung around on a large metal animal flashed through her mind, along with the memory of her 'iced tea' and the bartender named Willie. "Oh, no," she groaned, realizing just what had happened. "I made a fool out of myself, didn't I?"

Max shrugged and forced the water glass back into her hand. "Drink," he ordered. "You didn't dance naked on the tables or anything, if that's what you mean," he went on. "It's not like you'll ever see these people again, anyway."

She took a sip of water and felt marginally better, though her head still pounded and her stomach was still ready to heave it's contents all over the hotel room floor. "But I still have to face you every day, don't I?" she asked, trying to remember what exactly she had let slip through her big mouth the night before.

"Don't worry, you didn't do anything that would make good blackmail material," he reassured her, smiling. "Not that I would blackmail you or anything," he added, raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"Oh yeah, Max, good idea, try to blackmail someone who has enough info on you to get you taken in by the FBI and dissected," Maria snapped, gulping the rest of her water down and slamming the glass onto the table next to her.

Max nodded slowly and stood up, going into the bathroom and starting to rinse out the glass, despite the fact that she'd only drank water out of it. She sighed and rolled her eyes, stretching in all directions. "Sorry, that was mean. My head is just--" she started to explain, but Max interrupted.

"It's okay," he told her quietly. "I understand," he said, continuing to let the water run, though any germs on the glass were long gone by now.

Maria painstakingly got up out of her bed and made her way over to the bathroom. "No, Max, really. I shouldn't have said that. I'm like, dying here, but that's not an excuse to act like a witch."

He rewarded her with a smile, silently forgiving her. "Is it that bad?" he asked, leaning against the sink as he finally started drying the cup, satisfied with her apology. "I feel like I'm missing out on some big teenager rite of passage here."

”Not really," she replied. "I mean, out of the six of us only I have ever experienced a hangover. And probably that's the number it will stay at, because three of you are physically unable, and Liz is too responsible, and once I describe to Alex this exact feeling, I doubt he'll take a single drink in his lifetime."

"It's that bad?" he asked again, trying to get her to open up, one question on the back of his mind, waiting to be asked. He figured he would start with an easy one and work his way up.

She nodded, and put down the cover on the toilet seat so she could sit down. "My head is going to explode, and I think I might barf," she told him. "You're damn lucky you don't ever have to experience this."

"So, no pancake and Tabasco breakfast this morning?" he laughed.

"Max," she said, looking at him seriously with a look of disgust on her face, "If I ever, and that's drunk or not, express a craving for pancake batter mixed with Tabasco sauce, shoot me in the head and don't you dare heal me."

Okay, Max, good opening, he told himself. If you're going to ask this, ask it with finesse. Subtlety.

"I was watching this TV show, and a woman actually had a craving for waffles with pickle juice when she was pregnant," he said casually, looking nonchalantly at Maria to gauge her response. His friend merely nodded, so he went on. "If you're pregnant and want Tabasco pancakes, am I allowed to let you live?"

Maria narrowed her eyes. "I doubt I would have that craving, were I to ever become pregnant," she said cautiously, each word obviously chosen with care.

"I don't know, maybe the kid would be craving Tabasco--" he started.

"Like father, like son, you mean? Jeez, Max, you wouldn't know subtlety if it bit you in the ass. How much exactly did I tell you last night?" she asked, going straight to the point. It was obvious he knew something, and it would probably be better for all of them, Michael included, if she knew how much.

"You, uh, said that you were ready, but, um, Michael didn't, uh--" he stammered uncomfortably.

"Didn't want to?" Maria filled in. "Yeah. That's pretty much what happened. Me say yes, he say no. And since it's pretty hard to do it alone-- please, please don't say anything there-- we didn't," she said matter-of-factly, obviously trying to pretend it hadn't bothered her. She took a finger and traced the pattern on the glass of the shower door, not looking at Max, headache long forgotten.

"You didn't. And, uh, when exactly was this?" he asked, wishing there was something he could say to make her feel better, but at the same time relieved that they had definitely not done anything.

"Just before-- just before Isabel thought, you know, that she was, uh, you know," Maria told him, feeling tears prick her eyes and hating herself for it. "So yeah."

"Oh!" Max exclaimed quietly. He moved away from the sink and tried to hug Maria. She allowed him to wrap his arms around her, but she didn't bother hugging back. "So you thought…"

"Yeah," she nodded, wiping her tears and biting her lip. "So, hey, I figure, good thing, right? It was stupid of me, anyway, for all I know I'd self-destruct."

"You're going to pretend you're just fine about it?" he asked, giving her a pointed look. Hoping that she'd open up to him and not deny her feelings.

She nodded and pushed him away from her. "Max? Hun? Do you think you could give me some privacy? I'm not just sitting here for the fun of it, you know," she told him, terminating the whole conversation with sarcastic remark.

He left her alone in the bathroom, sighing. So Michael had rejected Maria. That sounded nothing like him… had his best friend actually been thinking for once? Or was there a secret hidden reason for his refusal? And why hadn't he been told about this?

"So, you ready to head over to Atherton's?" Maria asked uncomfortably as she reentered their room, reminding him that they had actually had a purpose for this road trip.

"Are you feeling good enough?" he asked, looking at her critically. She seemed exhausted, and her head was probably still pounding, but her nausea seemed to be a bit better, and she would probably be able to survive the trip.

"I'm fine," she said, smiling. But her smile had a trace of sadness to it, and Max regretted ruining their road trip by bringing up a subject that had obviously left such a horrible emotional scar.

Part Nineteen

Max glanced over at Maria as she slept soundly next to him in the Jeep. The wind whipped her hair around her face as a small trail of drool seeped out of the side of her mouth. Smiling, her turned his attention back to the road. Fiddling with the radio, he finally found a station to listen to over the hum of the road. His thoughts were on Michael and what Maria had told him about their relationship. Talking with her made him realize just how little he really knew about Michael these days. It had been so long since either one had talked to each other about anything other than alien issues. And even those conversations were tense and uncomfortable. Max shook his head to clear his thoughts and glanced in the rear view mirror instinctively. His jaw dropped and his mouth dried out, unable to speak he blinked rapidly at the sight that had confronted him. He turned to his left slightly to get a better view from the side mirror, but the car was gone now.

"It's just your imagination, Max." He tried to reassure himself. The sign for the turn off to Atherton's home came up then and Max signaled, pulling the Jeep off the main highway onto the rough dirt road.

Maria stirred in her seat and yawned as she stretched her arms and wearily opened her eyes. "We almost there?"

Max nodded, not looking at her. "Yeah, almost."

She peered at him. His face seemed pale in the harsh Texas sun and his hair stuck to his forehead from sweat. "Max? You okay?"

"I'm fine." He smiled at her and reached over with his hand to squeeze her in comfort. "Just old ghosts."

Maria smiled tightly at him and concentrated on looking for the path to Atherton's. She saw the two pine trees that signaled his driveway. Tapping Max on the shoulder she nodded to the turn off. "Over there."

She held her breath as the run down dome came into view over the horizon. Its very structure looked just as decrepit as she remembered. Max pulled the Jeep up to the door and the two of them hopped out. They looked at each other silently before Maria just raised her shoulders. Max turned back to the door then and placed his hand over the lock. The warmth of using his powers filled his palm and the audible click of the door lock signaled that it was open now. He pushed the red door aside and Maria clutched onto the back of his shirt as the two of them entered the dome in silence.

"Wow." Maria's mouth slung open as they surveyed the large main room.

"They cleaned it all out." Max stood in near disbelief. The entire room was empty. Nothing remained, not even the trash that had been left behind.

"The FBI?" Maria bit her lip and looked up at him.

Max nodded absentmindedly as he searched the room with his eyes. "Miss Topolsky."

"Wow."

"You said that already." Max grinned a little now. "Come on." He took a hold on her hand and made his way to the back of the dome. "Let's see what happened to the basement."

Both Max and Maria ran their hands along the stone wall. A loose stone wiggled as Maria shouted in triumph. "Found it!"

Max took a deep breath and pulled the key out of his pocket. He had taken the key from Michael shortly after Sheriff Valenti returned the lost orb to them in the Crashdown. Thinking back now, Max realized that was the start of the decline of his friendship, his family ties, with Michael. *Maybe Maria's relationship with Michael isn't the only one that needs to be fixed when we get back.* Max thought to himself as he slid the key into the slot hidden within the wall. The floorboards sprung to life next to their feet as the hidden room and its stairways opened itself up to the two intruders within the dome.

"After you." Maria gestured to the stairway nervously. She followed behind Max slowly and cautiously. They descended down the steep stairs together. Maria closed her eyes tightly as they reached the bottom and allowed her eyes to adjust to the dark and musty basement room. As she opened them she gripped Max's arm in sympathy. "I'm sorry."

"I guess it's my turn to say wow." He shook his head sadly at the sight. The entire room had been dissected, each shelf and floorboard was torn up meticulously. "Whatever was in here is long gone now."

"I wonder if this is where the FBI found the other orb." Maria voiced her thoughts.

"I, I don't know." Max looked at her in surprise. "I never thought about it. But that would explain so much." He shook his head in disgust now. "To think that we led them to it."

"Guess this was sort of a wasted trip, huh, Max?" Maria studied the floor, kicking at the dirt with her toe. Suddenly, Max's strong arm looped around her shoulders.

"Now, Honey Lamb, you know that isn't true." He bumped her playfully with his hip. "Are you saying that time with Maurice isn't enough for you?"

"Oh, that's right! I forgot that you are my entire universe and--" Max's hand clamped over her mouth tightly and he shook his head at her, signaling to Maria not to talk. She swatted his hand away. Whispering now, "What was that for?"

"Shh." He pointed above them. "I heard something."

CREAK! Maria jumped and clung to Max tighter as the floorboards settled under the weight of someone walking on them, directly above their heads. He looked around the room and pointed frantically to Maria towards the old duct that had been their escape route last time.

"Mr. Evans." An old crusty voice called out into the darkness from above. Max froze in his steps. "I know you're here somewhere."

"Max? Max!" Maria tried to move him but his feet were planted firmly as he stared in disbelief at the figure that walked slowly and steadily down the stairs. "Max, we have to go!"

"Now, now. I don't think you are going anywhere." The man slowly brought his cigarette up to his mouth and took a long, deep drag. The smoke filled his lungs until they felt ready to burst and his nostrils flared dangerously as the smoke released from within. "Why you looked shocked, Mr. Evans. Didn't expect to see me again, did you?"

"Max?" Maria neared panic as she stared back and forth between the two men. "Who is that?"

Max choked on the words, afraid to speak them. Afraid that if he admit them, then it would be true.

"Did you miss me, Max?" His words swirled in the air with his cigarette smoke. Pushing his jacket back to reveal a silver handgun his evil grin hurt Max's eyes in the dimly lit basement.

"Max?" Maria's chin shook. "Who--"

"Hubble. Everett Hubble." The man grinned as he introduced himself to the frightened girl.

Part Twenty

Maria turned her face towards Max in shock and grabbed his arm tight, looking away from the man's evil smile. She remembered distinctly the last time she had heard the name Hubble, and it had been in association with the word corpse. "Wasn't Hubble the one--" she began, voice shrill and confused.

"That your little friend the sheriff shot?" Hubble supplied for her, chuckling as he watched her cower in fear. He wasn't sure who this little pal of Max Evan's was, but it sure was funny that she thought it was him that she needed protection from.

Maria nodded cautiously, seeking reassurance in Max's eyes, but finding none. "Shot, like dead. Right, Max? Valenti shot him. So he can't be here." Max didn't bother replying, and Maria turned back to Hubble. "He shot you. So you can't be here," she repeated in vain, desperately hoping that if she said it, it might come true.

"Being shot doesn't mean you die. Just ask Max for confirmation on that one," Hubble smirked, flashing the gun in Maria's face again. She bit her lip and took a step back, despite efforts to remain calm.

"Valenti told me you were dead," Max finally spoke up, voice steady and as calm as Maria was not. He forced Maria to remove his arm from his clutches and casually took her hand, squeezing it lightly. The shock of seeing Everett Hubble again had worn off, and now all he could do was remember what their last meeting had resulted in. He wasn't going to let this man hurt Maria, no matter how afraid he was himself.

The man chuckled again, shaking his head as he did. "Valenti is an idiot. A self-serving, cowardice, idiot. With a damn bad aim," he said, patting the gun in his pants. "Unlike me," he added.

"Max?" Maria asked, suddenly wishing she'd brought some cedar oil in with her from the car. She gripped his hand tighter in place of screaming, common sense telling her that that wouldn't be smart.

"So if he didn't kill you, what happened?" Max asked, staring straight into Hubble's eyes. He could feel a ball of power building up inside of him, and he had to remind himself that this poor man thought he was the one who killed his wife. Don't hurt him, Max, he told himself. Just make sure he doesn't hurt Maria.

"I was put in the mental ward of the Texas State Hospital to recover after your buddy Valenti filed his report saying that I had attacked a youth and raved about aliens, causing him to shoot me," Hubble explained. "Like he's never raved about aliens before in his life, the hypocrite," he scoffed.

"Did he think that you were dead or was he lying to us?" Maria asked, instantly regretting it, because it had called his attention to her. He glared her way and ground his teeth before answering, and Max guided her into another step back away from him.

"How am I supposed to know? I was a patient in the mental ward, not the doctor. I have no idea how the mind of that pansy Valenti works. I was shot, and the next thing I knew, I was stuck in a white room and strapped down," Hubble told her angrily. His mind flashed back on the moments before he was shot. The realization that Max Evans was indeed the alien that murdered his wife, the shock that Valenti knew this and wasn't going to do anything about it, and the betrayal as the son of an old foe tried to kill him.

Before anyone could reply, Hubble snapped back to the present and his task at hand. He took a step toward Maria, trying to put on a trustworthy face. "Now, come here, little lady. You don't know just how dangerous this boy is. If you'll just get out the way, everything'll be fine," he assured her. It had never been his intention to hurt another innocent, and if this girl got out of the line of fire, she would be perfectly safe.

Maria's eyes widened as she took in this last statement, and she dug her fingernails into Max's hand in absolute terror. She couldn't just stand by and let this crazy man kill Max. Max firmly dropped her hand and took a step closer to Hubble, looking more dangerous than she had ever dreamed he could be.

Hubble whipped out the gun and instantly had it aimed at Max's head. "I'd suggest you hurry and move, young lady. This boy is not who you think he is," he told her, not taking his eyes off of the alien.

Max took another step. "I'm not who *you* think I am, Mr. Hubble," he said, staring into Hubble's eyes. A white room. The words rang in Max's ears, bringing flashes of torture and pain. The moments at the gas station continued to flip though his mind, like on a television screen. Play, stop, rewind, play. And again. Interjected at random points during the movie were memories of his own time locked up, being taunted by Pierce.

"Max," Maria whispered, terrified. Hubble cocked the gun. Max didn't blink.

Part Twenty-one

Everett Hubble sneered at Max in disgust. He waved his gun dangerously in the air. "You stay back or I will shoot you. And don't even think of moving an arm near me. I won't hesitate this time."

"I am Max Evans." His voice gaining in strength as he faced down with the man who wanted him dead. "I am Max Evans and not you who think I am."

"I know exactly who you are!" Hubble screamed, spittle flinging from his mouth. The gun glinted from the faint light that streamed through the floorboards as it hit the metal. Maria flinched as Hubble stepped closer to Max, the gun still aimed dangerously at her best friend.

"He's not. He's not whoever you may think that he is." She clutched onto Max in near desperation. Her voice wavered and she cursed the tears that burned beneath her eyelids. "He's Max Evans. He's good."

*You heal people. I kill them. You're good and I'm bad.*

"This monster kills people!"

"No, I don't!" Max's voice strained now as his eyes narrowed. "I am not who you think I am."

"You keep saying that, and yet, I still see the lies that sink beneath your skin." His face twisted into a frightening sneer. "You killed my wife."

"No!" Maria cried out and let loose with the tears cause by her fear flow onto her cheeks. Max turned his attention briefly off of Hubble and his heart ached at the sight of Maria shaking next to him.

"Maria…"

"Don't move another step towards her. Now listen to me, girl, you back away from him and I won't let anything happen to you." Max glanced back over his shoulder at her and shook his head imperceptively at Maria. 'Don't move.' He mouthed to her, hoping for once that Maria would actually listen to what someone told her.

"I thought of you." Hubble's twisted mouth spoke angrily. "I thought of you as they poked me and prodded me. I saw you." His voice nothing more than a harsh and raspy whisper in the small basement room. "I saw what you did." He flicked his wrist. "You moved my gun. You moved it with your mind and I knew. I have tracked you for all of my life because my last life ended when you murdered my wife! You killed her! And I will kill you for what you have done to me and to her and to everyone that has been left behind in your wake! I will kill you!"

He screamed at Max and his face turned bright red from the blood that flowed and cursed through his old veins. His hands shook from his violent hatred of the boy that stood before him. Everything in Hubble's life had been a result of what he blamed on Max Evans.

Poked. Prodded. The words echoed in Max's mind as the images from that horrific white room flashed in his head. Pierce. Hubble. Pierce. Hubble.

*Where are you from?*

Pierce.

*You killed her!*

Hubble.

Time stopped. Max Evans stopped. His mind trapped in the deadly memories of his own tortured past. Everett Hubble, too, lost in his painful memories of times gone by.

"You killed her." The whisper never reaching Max's ears, for his mind was filled with the tortured screams of his own head.

The images flashed in front of Maria rapidly as Max stood poised and yet lost. Hubble stood still. His tears, the tears for his wife and for his own life, matched those of Maria's as they fell. Each one leaving a dark splatter among the dirt floor. His finger twitched so slightly. Maria felt caught in the sight. She never felt herself move or pushing Max or the hot painful stab of the metal, the bullet, that sliced through her chest.

Time stopped. Maria opened her mouth to speak, to scream, to cry but nothing, nothing but silence remained. Her mother's voice whispered a lullaby into her ear that Maria had not heard for years. The soothing sounds calling out to Maria. She felt an overwhelming need to follow the voice. The voice. The voices. The voices cried out. Pushing and pulling her in different directions. Her body and soul at war for dominance. For peace.

"Maria!" Max screamed a tortured and primal scream as he felt her tiny body push against his. He fell to the side and struggled to reach her bleeding body. "You shot her! Maria! No!"

"Don't touch her." Hubble ordered, still in shock but regaining his thought as he saw the evil alien poised to finish off the girl and kill him next. "Move and I will kill you."

Max turned the choices laid out in front of him. Let Maria die or be killed saving her. Or he could kill. Could he kill?

Kill.

Part Twenty-two

Max needed time to think logically, to weigh out his choices and determine a clear path, one that would result in-- but, no. There was no time to think, there was no time to determine. Maria was lying in front of him dying, just as Liz Parker had been, so many months before. His heart reached out and ached to use the very same healing process on this girl who had then meant so little to him and now was his best friend.

"I, you said you didn't want her to get hurt," he whispered, voice cracking as he continued to watch blood poor out of her, trying to talk his way out of it. Hubble blinked, surprised at the sincerity of his words, but shook his head.

*You heal people. I kill them. You're good and I'm bad.*

"She'll be fine as long as you don't get to her," Hubble whispered hoarsely, visions flashing in front of his eyes of his wife, his beautiful wife, superimposing with the sight of Maria. This young girl wouldn't suffer the same fate, not if he could help it. She'd made a mistake ever getting involved with the alien who called himself Max Evans.

"No," Max argued desperately. "I can save her," he told him, willing him to put the gun down. "I can save her like you couldn't save your wife. Like I would have saved your wife if I was there," he said in all honesty.

Hubble angrily shook his head, the hand holding the gun wavering slightly with emotion. "You were there," he said determinedly. "You were the one who killed her."

*You heal people. I kill them. You're good and I'm bad.*

Max swallowed and pried his glance away from a helpless Maria and looked straight into Everett Hubble's eyes. "It wasn't me, Mr. Hubble. Your wife died at the hands of a murderer, and I wish I had been there to help her. But if you don't let me help Maria, she'll have the same fate. Only this time you'll be that murderer."

Max could see Hubble's resolve weakening as he let one eye drift down to the bleeding girl in front of him. He let the ball of power, of anger, that had slowly been building up in him since Hubble had first arrived, grow larger. He would need it, either way.

Hubble looked up again, shaking, and Max could see the conflict in his eyes. The words 'you will be that murderer' had obviously affected him greatly. They stared at each other, two broken men, each having known greater pain and fear then any being on Earth deserved, locked in a staring contest. Neither bothered to blink.

*You heal people. I kill them. You're good and I'm bad.*

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Hubble's eyes dropped, and Max hit him with a shot of power so quickly he had no time to defend himself. Max hoped the power was not enough to kill him, just enough to knock him out. It hardly mattered to him, though, as long as he could help Maria. It seemed like it worked; Hubble fell, whispering as he did, "But you killed my wife." Then his eyes glided closed and his body lay motionless.

Max neither hesitated nor bothered to check on Hubble. He quickly kneeled down next to Maria and ripped open her t-shirt, placing one hand on her chest as he carefully nudged her chin with the other.

"Come on, Maria, look into my eyes," he said, trying to relax himself into making a connection with her. It was almost instantaneous, and the images began flashing by him while he searched through her lungs and heart with his powers, trying to find the bullet and repair the damage.

*Flash*

Maria in pigtails at age four, dragging around a picture book.

*Flash*

Maria at eight, coloring in a world of lavender.

*Flash*

Maria at eleven, glaring at a teacher as she yelled.

*Flash*

Maria in ninth grade, being led into the Eraser Room by a guy named Pete.

*Flash*

Michael kissing Maria, just to 'calm her down'.

*Flash*

A younger Maria crying in her room, hair mussed and tear tracks down her eyes.

*Flash*

An older Maria crying in her room, clutching a pillow and asking it what loving someone too much meant.

He was in her mind, he was in her memories, he was in her body. And it was all decaying at an alarmingly rapid rate as he searched in vain to find the spot where the blood originated, the spot where the bullet had entered her body.

With Kyle and Liz, it has been easy. Now, there was too much internal bleeding. He couldn't find it, he couldn't help. Suddenly he felt a shudder go through their mutual bodies, a ripple unlike any other he'd felt before. Was he too late to save her?

Twenty-three

The lights and colors swirled around Maria in a blur and her body pulled at her in a thousand different directions. The light exploded suddenly as a shudder tore its way through her body. Her heart stuttered from the powerful ripple that pulled and pushed and molded her insides.

*Flash *

Max and Isabel sitting on a sandy beach looking at a drawing they didn't understand.

*Flash *

Seeing a strange young boy with spiky hair and feeling the connection. Knowing that they had found him.

*Flash *

Sitting in a booth at the Crashdown, watching as Liz smiled and tossed her hair behind her shoulders.

*Flash *

Liz running away from the cave as tears coursed down her face. Max trying desperately to keep his own tears inside.

*Flash *

Maria's voice crying out in panic as Liz fell, her hands clutching at her abdomen.

*Flash *

Maria sitting in a booth at a dark bar and grill, holding Max's hand and laughing. Laughing together.

Max twitched and shuddered as he felt a connection unlike any other pull him into Maria. He did not connect *to * her as he had to Liz and Kyle but Max connected *with * her. As his hands pulled away from her body Max flew backwards from the physical force of their connection. Maria gasped in a loud breath and her eyes flew open.

"Max?" Her throaty whisper floated across the room and Max felt such relief that he could not stop the tears this time.

"Maria?" He crawled to her and brushed his hands along her face and smoothed back her hair, as if to convince himself that she were still there. "I thought I had lost you." His voice broke and his tears splashed on her face, leaving a clear track where the blood once covered and marred her beautiful face. "I thought I lost you."

His head dropped to her chest and Maria ran her hands through his hair now. "You think that you're getting rid of me that easily?"

He bit back the sob. "Only you, Maria. Only you."

"Only me what?" Her light voice contrasted to his deeply troubled tone.

"Only you would joke after dying."

"Yeah, well, I have Maurice on my side. Besides, I'm not going anywhere." She tried to reassure him. It was odd, Max's worry and fretting while Maria felt this immense calm take her over.

"Sure you are, we both are." Max lifted up and pulled her gently into a sitting position. Her eyes questioned him silently. "We're going home."

She nodded and they helped each other up to standing, both needing the other for support. Maria's eyes trailed around the room until they landed on the knocked out man in the corner. "Is he…"

Max turned to where Maria's stare had transfixed. He gave her a blank look and shrugged. Slowly walking towards Hubble Max paused and looked back at Maria. She stepped towards him and reached out with her hand. Gratefully Max clutched her small hand in his and they both kneeled down to the old man. Max took a deep breath and tentatively reached out to feel for a pulse.

"He's breathing." Maria felt her own chest come alive as she exhaled the breath she hadn't been aware of holding until now.

"What do we do, Max?" His eyes looked just as scared and confused as her question.

"Sheila." Max and Maria both jump back in fear as Hubble's dry and crusty lips part open and his eyes spring to life. "Sheila!"

"His wife." Max answered Maria's question before it is asked. 'Oh,' she mouthed silently and gripped Max's hand tighter.

"Sheila where are you? I can't see you. Where are you?" Everett reached out to the empty space around him. "Sheila? You have such a beautiful voice. Keep singing. Keep singing and I will come to you. Sheila, I can hear you."

Hubble's body stiffened and rose up as a deep breath and shudder tore through his body. But as his eyes slowly closed shut a small smile was played out on his old wrinkled features and a look of peace came over him.

"He found her." Maria nodded and watched in awe as Max crossed the room again slowly and placed his hand over the dead man. Hubble's body sank into the ground as the Earth enveloped him.

"Maybe he's found peace now." Maria tried to help Max but he only shrugged. Truth be known, he didn't care. He hated himself for that fact but it was true. Hubble had terrorized him and nearly killed, no, he did kill Maria, and for that Max could never forgive him. The small tug on his hand brought his thoughts back to the present. "Let's go home."

Part Twenty-four

Maria sighed with relief as she sat back into the comfortable material of the Jeep. They had been driving for a long time now, and she was finally beginning to feel calmer, after the initial numbness. She let out a small smile as she realized that this adventure had exceeded her wildest expectations. Her smile grew and strengthened as she thought back to the past twenty-four hours.

"What?" Max asked worriedly, still unsure about her condition. Now that she was okay, he was probably going to be even more of a paranoid nut, but from the grateful and trusting look on her face, she probably would allow it for a few weeks.

"Nothing… what a weekend, huh?" she asked, pulling the lever that allowed her to recline the seat. "Not exactly what we suspected when we wanted to bond, huh?" She laughed, still amazed at the depth of their connection back there in the cave.

"Maria," he said, in an apologetic voice, "Back there, I didn't mean to… I mean, those kind of flashes didn't happen when--"

"Relax, Max," she said with a slightly childish grin at the rhyme. "I'm not angry at you for giving me flashes, if that's what you're sorry about," she assured him, amused. "You kind of had to save my life--" she began.

"I don't know what you saw, though, and--" he started, a private worry wrinkling his brow.

Suddenly Maria realized what he was hinting at, and she shook her head, slightly sobered. "I didn't see Pierce," she told him, "Or any of the time you spent… you know."

"Good," he replied, suddenly ecstatic. He was with his best friend, they were both alive… and they'd had one hell of a weekend. "So, beats camping," he said with a smile, gesturing to the back, where an untouched tent and two sleeping bags lay.

She nodded vehemently. "I'm not sure whether to envy everyone else for not going through what we did, or pity them for not having the fun we did," she said, joking slightly.

"How about we pity them on the outside and envy them on the inside?" Max suggested wryly, not wanting to think about any of his friends ever experiencing the pain and fear he had just gone through.

Maria got silent for a minute, but before Max could open his mouth to ask her what she was thinking, she spoke up. "Are you sorry that there was nothing at the dome?" she asked.

Max shook his head. "I think we had enough to handle this weekend without finding any alien artifacts," he replied. "Maria, are we--" he began to ask. Almost as if she could read his mind, at the same moment she asked,

"When we get back should we-- "

"Going to--"

"Tell them?"

Maria looked at Max. Max looked back at Maria. Then Maria pulled out a pair of sunglasses, undid her ponytail, and let her newly long hair fly into the wind. "Let's not go there, girlfriend," she answered, leaving it at that.

Then she grabbed a cassette out of her purse and slipped it into the tape player. In an instant, a loud, familiar wailing filled the Jeep.

"Oh, god, Maria, not more Limp Bizkit!"

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