Disclaimer: I don’t own anything. Well maybe I own the swingset, but if someone claims it’s theirs it probably is.

Category: Other. Wow someone got her head out of the pink M&M clouds. Hey, they should make pink M&M’s !!

Rating: G - unless “butt” is a rude word. I don’t know?

Spoilers: “Destiny”.

Summary: Look at the title for crying our loud!!!

Feedback: Is always highly appreciated, and just a click away! Call now and get a free imaginary Michael on top! J

Distribution: You know the drill - ask and you shall receive.

Author’s note: This was written in 5 minutes. If it makes no sense, bear with me. Please?

***

She had always loved the swings.

Her dad had been the best to push her ever, he would push her higher than anybody else could - and of course, he was dad.

Then dad left.

Alex was still there to push her but (completely besides the fact that he couldn’t push her very high) it just wasn’t the same.

Somewhere along the line another male had come into the picture.

Another, completely different, male with spiky hair instead of dad’s neatly combed, with “I hate you DePukah”’s instead of dad’s gentle “Love you Ria”'s, and with angry burning eyes instead of dad’s warm smiling ones.

And he too could push her high, way high up in the sky.

So high that it felt like she was flying.

So high that sometimes she thought she saw jealousy in Liz’s eyes, jealousy that dorky Max couldn’t swing her the same way.

Eventually they got too old for the swings, but she never really outgrew them.

And then he left her too.

Not left-left like dad in out-of-the-state left, but left just the same.

Since then the red swingset had been her secret haven when she needed to be alone.

And now she was here.

Nothing new really, she had come here every single night since the whole destiny thing.

Sitting on a swing, thinking, remembering…

“Hey,” a soft voice said.

Maria was just slightly surprised - she knew who it was by the voice, but that was probably the last person she had expected to see.

“Hey Isabel.” She turned around and faced the other girl.

Isabel sat down on the other swing and stared into the ground.

“So…how are you? I mean, are you okay with this whole Michael and I thing?”

Isabel’s voice was trembling a little, and Maria was glad.

She knew that Isabel feared her.

After all, she could endanger Isabel’s life by picking up a phone.

“Are *you* okay with this whole you and Michael thing?” The question that popped out of her mouth surprised even Maria, but she actually wanted to know.

Isabel looked wearily at Maria. “What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Maria sighed. God these aliens could be so thickheaded! Advanced species, my butt! “Do you love him?”

Isabel turned her swing around in circles a couple of times and then lifted her feet of the ground making the swing spin around and back in place.

“He’s my brother. Of course I love him.”

Maria’s next biggest wish was fulfilled by Isabel saying those words.

“So you don’t…” She hesitated, what exactly was she supposed to say?

“No, I don’t love him in the destiny way. And he doesn’t love me in the destiny way.”

And there goes fulfilling the biggest one.

Michael doesn’t love Isabel in the destiny way, Michael doesn’t love Isabel in the destiny way, Michael doesn’t love Isabel in the destiny way!

“But that doesn’t mean that he isn’t trying. Maria, I know he loves you but…”

Isabel looked at the girl beside her.

How could she tell her this? It would break her heart all over again she knew it.

“Maria, Michael doesn’t want to see you anymore.”

She looked at Maria, tried to read in her face what was going on in her mind.

Maria felt like a plunge had been pulled, and all of her feelings - except the painful ones - had left her.

She started to say something but when she moved her mouth, not a sound came out.

She looked like a goldfish, and if the situation wasn’t so ugly it would have been funny.

“He doesn’t want to see me anymore,” she finally choked out; tears were running silently from her eyes.

“Maria…look, he’s just really…do you want me to leave?” Isabel looked at Maria.

What was she supposed to do? To say?

“No, I don’t want you to leave Isabel. But, like, can you explain why?” Maria tried to sound brave but her wavering voice gave her away.

“Maria, all his life he’s been looking for a purpose, a reason - I mean you know that. And now it’s here. It’s knocking at his door - actually it’s pounding him in the face, you know? And he just wants a reason so bad that he’s willing to give up everything. Even you. Maria you gotta understand, he’s not used to second chances. And I guess he’s afraid that if he lets this one get away then that’s it. Then he's reasonless again. Purposeless and useless.”

Isabel looked at Maria.

Did this make any sense to her?

Should she tell her about his nightmares? About how he cried out her name every night? About how his dreams always involved Maria?

“Again?” Maria shook her head. “He’s never been useless - why doesn’t he get that?”

She made a face.

“Welcome to Michael-land,“ the two girls said simultaneously and giggled.

“Maybe you should just tell him that.” Isabel said.

“Tell him what?” Maria was far away, thinking about what had happened the night she had first heard that sentence.

The Kiss.

“Duh! Tell him that he isn’t useless. That he never was - that he has a purpose - with you! Maria, all you have to do is convince him - I mean the guy loves you. Just start being you again, and he’ll come around.”

“Being me?”

“Yeah you know, smart, sassy, Blabbermouth DeLuca!“ Isabel smiled at Maria.

Maria smiled back.

“I can do that…”

“Of course you can!” Isabel laughed and pushed the swing back as far as she could, then lifted her feet and she started swinging.

“I can do that. I can do that!” Maria thought and started to move her own swing with a laugh.

Watch out Michael Guerin, Blabbermouth DeLuca strikes again!!

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