I Love You Too Much By Gina Marie (oloph1@yahoo.com)
I Love You Too Much Rating: R for language
Spoilers: None
Disclaimer: I don’t own anyone, they all belong to the WB, the plot however is MINE, MINE, MINE :)
Distribution: Take it just give me credit :)
Feedback: requested, please.
Summary: Our fab six mixed with Tess right after the season finale.
***
"You can build a mansion but you just can't live in it
You're the fastest runner but you're not allowed to win
Some break the rules
And live to count the cost
The insecurity is the thing that won't get lost
And you want her and she wants you
We want everyone
And you want her and she wants you
No one, no one, no one ever is to blame..."
- “No One Is To Blame”, Howard Jones
***
It was the morning after… the morning after he watched Liz run, Tess gloat, and Maria in shock. Michael hadn’t slept - he kept replaying the previous days events over and over.
Tess was one of us, Liz walked away from Max, and I told Maria I loved her too much. Damn that Tess, not oblivious to what was happening, all the emotions flying, but not caring either. She was amazing. Liz’s car wasn’t even out of site before she said, “What now Max?” or something to that effect. She may be an alien, she may have come from the same ship, but she will never, ever be one of us.
Us…we three… we lone three that became five and then six. Izzys’ relationship with Alex hadn’t gone unnoticed. Michael knew just how much it took for Alex to break down Izzy’s walls and how happy he was that she had someone. We were ‘us’ we were family, my family, and I’ll be damned if Tess thinks she’ll ever become a part of that.
Michael’s head was aching something fierce. He knew that he had hurt Maria, his Maria, his princess, for the hundred millionth time. He wanted to comfort her, be there for her, but he couldn’t, not yet. He had to sort everything out before he could return to her. What was it Max said, “we all make our own destiny?”
***
“How the hell can you love someone too much!” Maria cried to Alex. “Tell me Alex!” Alex put his arms around Maria and Liz - his girls, always his girls, his best friends in the world - and told her he didn’t know, but he had an idea. Maria questioningly looked at Liz whose eyes were bloodshot and puffy and then back to Alex.
The three of them spent the night at Maria’s. Her mom was off again on some wacky convention so they had the house to themselves. They talked all night and cried, cried till there were no tears left. It was now around three in the morning when Maria found her next reservoir of tears. They were all in pain; pain and despair so much so that not even Ben and Jerry could help them calm down, even Alex. Maria looked back at him and asked him to explain.
“What do you mean you can kind of understand it, Alex? Have your senses gone aboard the mothership too?”, Maria yelled through her tears.
Alex finally spoke. “Maria, Liz, listen to me. I know we are all hurting, we are hurting for the same thing, but for different reasons. Liz, you are hurting because you walked away from Max, even as he called to you.”
Liz tried to interrupt, “But I had to…”
And Alex cut her off. “No Liz, listen! He was calling out to you, but because of the great love that you have for him, you walked away. You walked away knowing what Max’s destiny is supposed to be, not what he wanted it to be. You wanted him to be strong, be the leader he was meant to be and to save his people. You love him… enough to let him go.”
He turned to Maria, “Maria, do you understand?” She blew her nose and tried to wipe her eyes, but it was no use. The tears kept streaming down from her swollen eyes as she shook her head no.
“Maria,” Alex began, “you would give your very life for Michael, would you not?” Maria didn’t hesitate at the question, she shook her head again, this time her answer was a resounding yes.
“Maria, Michael loves you, he loves you with every fiber of his being. He doesn’t want you to get hurt. Just like you would give up your life for him, so he has done that for you. You know he loves you and he does, too much to see you hurt. That’s what he meant when he said too much.”
“I know all of this is hard, but it’s not like all of us no longer care about each other. The six of us, we are a family and that will never, ever go away. We all had to do what we thought was right.”
It was then that Liz finally spoke. “Alex, you’re right. You walked away from Izzy just like I did Max and Michael did Maria.”
The three of them sat in the darkened family room of the empty house amidst tear-soaked tissues and bottles of cypress oil in silence. Each of them, with Alex’s help had come to their own resolutions - they were their own, but they were all one in the same. They will wait as patiently as they can for those that they love to come back to them and hope in the process of saving the world that Tess would be sucked off the face of the earth to another planet in another galaxy. After all, they couldn’t wish her dead since she was a part of them now, could they?
***
"I went to your house
Walked up the stairs
Opened the door without ringing the bell
Walked down the hall
Into your room where I could smell you
And I shouldn't be here
Without permission
Shouldn't be here...
Would you forgive me love if i danced in your shower
I took off my clothes
Would you forgive me love if i danced in your shower
I burned your incense
So forgive me love If I cry in your shower
- “Your House”, Alanis Morisette
***
It would be dawn soon. Michael was wandering the streets, just like he did on nights he couldn’t sleep - wouldn’t sleep - in the same house as Hank. He knew where he was going. His feet always instinctively took him there, to his heart, to his Maria. He climbed up to her window and let himself in. The room was empty of Maria, but she was all over the room, he could smell her, feel her. Her room, which was once in order, is now in complete disarray. Clothes everywhere, pillows thrown against the wall, CD’s knocked over and spilled to the floor and her diary ripped to shreds. He bent down to touch it and was jolted.
~flash~
It was after she talked with Liz and Alex.
~flash~
She was in her room, tearing it apart. She had come up to write in her diary when the song came on the radio, it was their song.
"The first time ever I saw your face
The first time ever I kissed your mouth
The first time ever I lay with you
- “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, Roberta Flack
~flash~
She couldn’t handle it, she cried in her pillows then threw them against the walls, next were the CD’s and the stereo and finally her diary.
~flash~
She thought there was not a reason for writing anymore. Her friends knew everything that was in there anyway. All her heartfelt words, her poems, the words she wrote about Michael but never shared, she tore them to pieces and cried. Then, exhausted, she ran downstairs back to Alex and Liz.
~end flash~
Michael jolted back. Once he regained his balance he walked out of her room towards the stairs. He wasn’t surprised at what he saw. Alex, Liz and Maria curled up beside each other on the floor, tissues everywhere and the television broadcasting the morning news.
Liz was holding a picture of Max, Alex was sleeping with his yearbook - the only picture he had of Izzy was in there, and Maria…she was holding the napkin holder that Michael made gripped tightly next to her heart. It looked like they hadn’t been sleeping very long so he went back up to Maria’s room.
Inside her room, he made her bed, fixed her stereo and tried to put her room back into some order - Maria order - he thought to himself. He didn’t use his powers at all. He did it all by himself. He knew when she awoke Maria wouldn’t have the strength to fix her room and make it whole again. Oh how he wanted to make her whole again. His Maria, his love, his soulmate. He wanted to fix it himself, no powers, just him…that is, all except one thing, her diary. He held out his hand and watched as the remnants of her words, he life came back together. Once everything was right, he took the diary and left out her window just the same as he came in hours before.
***
What seemed like mere minutes to the sleeping was actually hours, many of them. The three forlorn souls awoke to find it early afternoon. It was around noon when they finally had themselves somewhat together. They were hungry but it wasn’t for food, none of them could eat. Alex decided to go home and get a change of clothes as did Liz. She was going to go to her room via the fire escape so her parents wouldn’t notice there was something wrong. They decided to meet back at Maria’s and wouldn’t go to school since it was Friday and they had missed half of it already. They decided that they would spend the weekend together and wallow.
Izzy and Max were in school as was Tess, cornering Max at every turn “But Max, what about us? What about our destiny?” She was gloating that she hand single handedly managed to break up the three couples and get her life back, her life, her love, that was missing for so long, or did she?
Max kept avoiding her and pushing her away. “You can’t hide from our destiny, Max! We are meant to be together and there is nothing you can do about it! So mourn, mourn the loss of your little insignificant love affair with Liz and then get on with your life, all of our lives!” With that she huffed away.
Izzy and Max had to come to school today, had to make sure that things were normal even if they really weren’t. The trio’s absence from school did not go unnoticed, then again neither did Michael’s. But Michael rarely came to school anyway so that wouldn’t cause suspicion.
***
Michael was out in the desert, he had been there since he left her house hours before. He sat upon his rock and began to read her diary. He was surprised at how she wrote, she didn’t write to her diary like Liz did, she wrote to him. Every entry was to him - no dates, no times - he realized he didn’t need them, he knew when each entry was as if he had wrote it and not her. He began…
Dear Michael,
What goes through your mind when you look at me? You don’t think I notice, but I do. I can feel you staring at me as I work, watching me, taking in every move. I can feel your eyes go right through me. I know when you’re with me and when you’re not. I know when you follow me home, when you’re outside my window. Can you hear me call to you in the deep hours of the night? Can you hear me call out to you for you to let down your walls and let me love you?
Love Always,
Strange, he thought. He knew in his heart she loved him, after all, she was a vibrator, as was he. “Yes,” he answered her letter out loud. “Yes, Maria, I hear you call to me in the dark of the night.”
“Yes, princess, I love you too but I can’t give you everything, not yet.” He was happy he was alone so no one could hear the thoughts of which he spoke. He was somewhat surprised that she could feel him, he didn’t realize she knew he watched her. He was glad she knew though. She signed it “Love always”. She would always love him, but that was before yesterday.
Dear Michael,
What was that? You kissed me to calm me down?! Spaceboy, my spaceboy, don’t you know by now that that wouldn’t calm me? You set me on fire with your kiss. I was elated. You finally showed me how you feel. Even if you didn’t mean to, I felt it in your kiss. Me? Stay calm? With you around? Oh spaceboy, when will you realize what you do to me and how much I love you?
Love Always,
She did it again, he noticed, she signed it “Your Maria”. She truly was his and she realized this. Why couldn’t he. Truth be told, he knew, he knew she was his and he was hers. He wanted to tell her, but alas, he would have to wait.
He read through the diary. The entries ranged from her love for him, pining for him, to her fantasies about him, to their sarcastic banter back and forth which they both loved. He read all morning since he left her house until he got to the last entry. Last night’s entry, the one she started before ransacking her room.
Dear Michael,
Once a yo-yo, always a yo-yo aren’t we? You love me, you hate me, you love me. I can’t forget your eyes, Michael. I knew you loved me. You showed me in your not so subtle Michael ways, in your smile, your arms, the way you held me, the way you let me see inside of you, your life. But never did you say the words, not until tonight. I looked in your eyes and I can still feel them burning into mine. I can still feel your hands on my shoulders telling me how you love me too much. Ironic don’t you think, Michael? You finally tell me how much you love me and it’s the last time we will be together. You were right all along. I was too blind to see. We can’t be together, you have your destiny to fulfill and I wasn’t written into it. You are to be with Isabel, not me. It will take me some time to come to terms with it but I do understand, you love me, you always have loved me, and maybe if I wish on the right star hard enough, you always will love me. I will always love you and no matter where on earth, no, no matter where in this world you go, you will always be my Spaceboy and I will never let you out of my heart.
Love Always,
Tears were streaming down his face. The “almighty, no emotion, big walls you can’t get through” Michael Guerin was crying. She signed it “Maria”. Plain “Maria”. Not “Your Maria”. In her own way, she said goodbye to him. She silently said she was no longer his.
He couldn’t handle it, he let out a cry. It was a cry that would shake the very core of Izzy, Max, and even Tess. They heard it. They were miles away in school, but it shook them. Max was walking down the hall and stopped, he dropped his books. Tess was in biology, she dropped her beaker on the floor shattering it to a million pieces and then covered her ears. And Izzy was at her locker, she first grabbed her head, it felt like it was going to explode, then her heart as she slid down her locker onto the floor in tears.
Michael’s cry lasted only a few minutes but it felt like an eternity to the others. Michael’s tears came faster and harder now. He ran as he was always so good at. He ran and ran till he couldn’t breathe anymore. He ran all the way to his apartment and collapsed on the floor hurt and exhausted. The three didn’t waste anytime, they left school to find him.
Max and Iz headed for the jeep. Tess wanted to come, but Iz protested. “Iz, I am one of you whether you like it or not, I need to go, he could be hurt!”, Tess yelled.
“He IS hurt you bitch, can’t you get that!” Max yelled surprising even himself. He continued, “We all are hurt, all of us. Except you. And all you want is for me to let you fall into my arms and fulfill some destiny that none of us but you want a part of, NO, you’re not going!”
With that, Max knew what he was going to do. In that instant it clicked. To hell with destiny and to hell with Tess. He created his destiny, and in retrospect the destiny of Iz and Michael, the day he saved Liz.
***
With everyone gone, Maria went upstairs to take a bath. She didn’t want to even think about her room, how she was going to clean it. She shrugged and realized that she didn’t even care. She opened the door to her room and let out a gasp. Her room was fixed. Had last night been a dream, she wondered? She didn’t wonder long, she knew. In her heart she knew he was there. He fixed everything. Everything but her broken heart.
She looked around the room at amazement and wonder of all he had done. The only thing she couldn’t find was her diary. She looked everywhere but to no avail. She figured it must have gotten thrown out. She went into the bathroom and filled the tub with hot water, as hot as she could stand it, and some jasmine bubble bath to soothe her aching muscles. Maria slid down into the tub quietly and let herself drift away. That’s when she felt it, the pain in her chest. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t move. She was in shock, paralyzed.
“Michael”, she thought. “Michael! Where are you? Help me!” Could he hear her thoughts, she wondered.
***
Iz and Max burst through Michael’s apartment and saw him on the floor curled up in a ball clutching something. Max moved in for a closer look and saw it was Maria’s diary. “Michael! Wake up! Can you hear me?!”, Iz screamed. Max tried to shake Michael, gently at first, then harder.
“Michael!” they screamed in unison.
Startled, he came to. “What are you two yelling about?”
“We heard you, Michael, all of us,” Iz said. “We heard your cry and we came here as quick as we could and found you passed out”.
“What happened?” asked Max.
Michael wasn’t sure whether to share about the diary, but he had no one else to talk to so he explained. He explained about going to the house, her ransacked room, the three of them huddled on the floor with tear-streaked faces, and the diary. Max and Izzy wanted to know how they were doing, but they couldn’t go. Each secretly hoped that Michael did so no one chided him for going.
No one that is, except Tess, who arrived with her impeccably horrible timing. “How dare you go to her! You walked away remember?! We don’t need them, we need each other. The four of us here in this room, WE are our destiny!”
“I thought we told you not to come!” Max screamed.
“I don’t remember anyone letting YOU in!” Iz scolded with her perfect ice queen glare.
“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!” yelled Michael with such a rage that it invoked fear even in Izzy.
Tess ran out of the apartment crying. “He’ll come around soon… he’ll see.” She grinned at the thought of what she knew and the others did not.
***
Liz and Alex arrived at Maria’s at the same time and let themselves in. “Maria?” Liz shouted.
“She’s probably upstairs sleeping,” replied Alex.
Liz went upstairs to check on their friend while Alex put their stuff away. He had bought some food on the way over, enough to last them the weekend. That is, if they could ever find their appetites again.
Liz walked into Maria’s room quietly. She didn’t want to disturb her, just check on her. When she saw that she wasn’t in bed, she walked over to the bathroom door and knocked. “Maria, are you okay?” There was no answer. Maria lay silently, unable to move anything but her eyes, unable to speak.
“Maria, are you okay!?” Liz said louder this time. After the third time she opened the door and saw the look of horror on Maria’s face.
“Maria!” She yelled. “Alex, come quick, HURRY!” She bent down to her friend, “Maria, talk to me.” Maria could only roll her eyes.
Alex came bounding into the room and gasped at the sight of Maria. She looked cold. She was shivering. Liz tried to get her to talk or move but to no avail.
“We have to get her out of the water,” Alex cried. He quickly thought up a plan of action and hollered out the directions.
“Liz, get some towels on her bed and bring her robe, the terry one, not the silk. Now, get her feet and I’ll get her head, and we’ll put her on the bed.”
Liz did as instructed and, careful not to hurt Maria, she grabbed her feet as Alex counted, “On three… one, two” and on three they lifted her and placed her on the bed.
Liz dried Maria off the best she could while Alex held her in a sitting position. They were in such a frenzy no one seemed to notice or care that Maria was naked. Even if they did, it wouldn’t matter. They had seen each other’s bodies years ago in gym. And the added factor that they were a family to each other. They were brother and sisters.
After Liz dried off Maria, she placed her robe over her while Alex held her close and tried to warm her. Liz went to Maria’s dresser and brought out some underwear and sweats and dressed Maria. Then Alex laid her down on the bed.
It was then Alex noticed her eyes. “Liz, look! She can move her eyes!”
“Maria, can you hear me?” cried Liz.
Maria instinctively blinked her eyes. Liz screamed, “Alex, she can understand us!”
“Okay Maria,” started Alex. “Here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to ask you some questions and you answer by blinking once for yes, twice for no, understand?” Maria blinked once.
Liz cried, “That’s a yes, Alex!” It looked like she had been in the water for a long time.
“Maria, are you in any pain?” asked Alex. One blink.
“Is it your head?” Two blinks.
“Your arms?” Two blinks.
Maria motioned her eyes down towards her body. “Maria,” Liz started. “Is it your heart?” One blink and suddenly, quietly, tears began to stream down Maria’s face out of her eyes.
Liz instructed Maria to rest although she knew it was a futile attempt. They were scared, all of them.
Alex pulled Liz aside as Liz quietly asked, “What are we going to do, Alex?”
While Alex thought for a moment, Liz went to check on Maria. Unbeknownst to any of them, they were being watched through Maria’s window by none other than… Tess.
“Right on schedule,” she thought to herself. “Once Maria dies, Michael’s will will be broken and he will fall right into place. And the others will follow.” She smiled her wicked smile and left before anyone could see her.
“Liz, it’s the only way!” cried Alex. “We don’t know what happened or how to help her, we’ve got to call them. They’ll understand.”
“How can we call on them after everything that has happened, what about their destinies?”, Liz wondered.
Alex looked back at her. “Look Liz, we are not trying to alter their destinies. We are taking control of ours. The Czechs may have their destiny but we have ours and it includes you, me, and Maria! Now move, so I can call!”
Liz moved out of the way. She knew that they had to call, that they needed their friends help. She didn’t want to see Max, she couldn’t, but she pushed all her hurt away. She needed to help Maria.
“Hello?” It was Izzy. Of course, she would have to be the one to answer, Alex thought to himself.
“Izzy, its Alex.” There was silence on the other end. “Izzy, is Michael there?” More silence. “Izzy, it’s important, it’s… Maria.”
“Hold on, Alex.” Izzy turned to Michael, “Michael, it’s for you, it’s Alex. He says it’s important.”
Michael finally removed himself from the fetal position he had been in since he came home. Even when he told Max and Izzy what happened he had stayed in that same fetal position the whole time.
“I don’t want to talk to him, Izzy,” Michael whispered. “He’s probably just going to yell at me on how I broke Maria’s heart for the billionth time. I don’t need that Iz. I know what I did and I’m paying for it.”
Iz returned to the phone. “Alex, Michael doesn’t want to talk right now.”
“I DON’T CARE WHAT MICHAEL WANTS,” Alex screamed into the phone, “THIS IS ABOUT MARIA! SHE’S SICK, REALLY SICK, IZ!” Iz held the phone away from her ear as Alex screamed into the receiver. He was so loud, Max and Michael heard. Michael jumped up and grabbed the phone from Iz.
“Alex, what’s wrong, tell me! How is she?”
“There is no time to explain Michael, get over here now, she’s really bad and we need you now!” Michael hung up the phone and the three looked at each other.
Michael had to go to her, his heart, his life. He no longer cared about finding home, what his destiny was or anything about Tess’ bullshit. Max looked at Iz and instinctively, they all ran to the jeep. At that moment in time, everything changed. No one cared about saving the world. No one cared about finding their home planet. They only had one single thought between them. Maria.
***
“They’re on their way,” Alex told Liz. She was keeping watch over Maria, who had fallen asleep a few minutes ago. Her breathing was very shallow and her pulse was faint. Within minutes, Max, Iz, and Michael were in Maria’s room. There was tension in the air the minute they saw each other, but as soon as Max, Iz, and Michael saw Maria, it all disappeared.
“What happened!” screamed Michael. He went over to the bed and laid with her. Then he sat up, still holding her in his arms.
“Max, help her,” Iz said. She noticed the tears in Michael’s eyes.
Max took his hand and scanned her body. Alex explained how they found her in the tub about 45 minutes ago and made sure not to leave anything out. They told of how she talked with her eyes and how the only thing hurting her was her heart. Michael cried. That was the first time anyone in the room saw him cry. Anyone but his Maria, that is. He didn’t care either. He cried for his love, for his life, that he might lose.
“She’s not sleeping,” said a scared Max.
“What do you mean she’s not sleeping!” screamed Liz.
“She’s in a coma,” he replied.
Everyone was now terrified. “Alright! Tell me again where you found her and what she was doing,” cried Max. Liz told of how she found her in the tub. Max went into the bathroom. In their haste to get her out of the water and warm her up, they didn’t drain the tub. He ran his hand over the water and colors began to form. First green, then yellow, then blue, red, purple and finally black.
“She’s dying!” Max cried. They all turned to look at him.
Four voices spoke one word simultaneously. “HOW?” That was an answer they didn’t have. Max brought them to the bathroom and explained.
“She’s in the tub”. They all looked at him, confused. “Not her… her essence, her life. Watch and listen.” Then, Max ran his hand over the water again and the colors followed in the same order. They were still confused so Max began explaining.
“First was green, right?” They all nodded. “She was jealous of Liz for being smart, for having a loving stable family, for having me. Then there’s yellow, calm. She came to terms with her jealousy. She wanted so much for you to be happy.” He nodded to Liz, then continued on. “She realized how much you meant to her and she wanted you to be happy. Next came blue, her aura. Think of it as the wacky, loving girl we know as Maria in a color - blue.” They smiled at the thought of Maria happy and laughing. They all wished she was that way now. “Red,” he went on. “Red is Michael. His anger, his love, all of Michael in the color red.” Michael couldn’t help but smile. “Purple,” Max went on, “was Michael and Maria together - their love, their teasing, their emotions so raw. And finally, black, her death, her sorrow, her hunger for what once was. Her consuming grief.”
After he finished they went back into Maria’s room. Michael climbed up on the bed and held her. “Do something Maxwell, bring her back to me,” Michael said through his tears.
“I can’t, Michael, I don’t know what’s wrong, so how can I heal her?” Max said.
Iz went back into the bathroom. She remembered Maria as she was, before yesterday, happy and vibrant, her friend. Iz looked around for any clue, then she saw the bottle of jasmine oil on the tub and a bottle of cypress oil empty, on the floor. “Max!” she screamed. “I think I’ve found something.” Michael wanted to run and help, but he didn’t want to leave Maria alone for a second.
Liz followed Max into the bathroom. “But that’s just her regular stuff,” Liz shrugged
Izzy wasn’t so sure. “Max, the colors, I remember where I saw them, where I heard about them.” Max looked at Iz quizzically. “Don’t you remember? The book.” she said.
“What book?” said Liz. Max’s eyes grew wide.
“WILL SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT’S GOING ON!” Liz pleaded.
“We can’t Liz, not right now, we’ve got to help Maria,” Max said. “Iz, go help Michael, I’ll be back”.
Before anyone had a chance to say anything, Max was gone.
“Michael,” Iz started. “You need to help Maria, you need to bring her back. Remember the book, THE book?” His eyes widened just like Max’s had.
“But Iz, how, I can’t dreamwalk?!” his voice shook when he talked.
“I’ll help you, Michael. I’ll get you in but then I’ll leave, you have to do the rest.”
Liz and Alex were back against the walls at this point. The only thing they knew was that their friend, their best friend, was dying and they couldn’t do anything but watch. So they watched and prayed. They prayed to God, to the stars, to anyone who would listen. Alex instinctively held Liz as they watched.
***
Michael held Maria in his arms as he drifted off to sleep. “We’re in!” Iz said. “I’ve got to go, Michael, the rest is up to you. You can do it, I believe in you, we all do.” Michael smiled and just like that Iz was gone.
It was a black room… it was warm. Then the colors came. The same ones from the bathroom he had heard Max explaining. Green, yellow, blue, red, purple and black. Over and over they would repeat and as the colors went by the room would get colder. It would start out warm and comfortable, but as the colors moved the temperature would drop until the color was black and the room was freezing. Then it would start over.
“Maria! Maria! Where are you, princess?!?” Michael screamed. Nothing. He walked all over the room. Banging his fists on the walls, looking for an opening.
“Maria!” He began to cry. He thought he had finally lost. He slumped against the wall and slid down it to the floor in defeat.
He cried. As he cried, the lights swirled around him and he began to sing. Well, not exactly singing, but talking softly. But it wasn’t just words - it was their song. “The first time, ever I saw your face…” He would stop and cry and then start over.
“Maria, come back to me, baby… Maria”. Then, he heard something. A small whimper.
“Maria?” He walked towards the sound. He walked for what felt like hours, then he felt her. He could feel her around him.
“Maria!” He was excited and panicky.
“Michael?” It was her! “Michael! Where are you?”
“I’m here,” he cried. “I’m coming, baby, just keep talking so I can find you!”
“What do you want me to say?”
He laughed. She sounded like herself and he thought for a moment. “Sing to me, Maria. Sing to me our song. Come on, I’ll even start it.” he said.
She laughed. “Did I miss something? Michael Guerin is going to sing?”
He was so happy to hear her he didn’t care what she was saying. He started, “The first time ever I saw your face,” and she continued, “I thought the sun rose in your eyes… And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave… To the dark and the empty skies, my love, To the dark and the empty skies.”
“I hear you, I’m coming,” he yelled.
She continued on through her sobs, “The first time ever I kissed your mouth… And felt your heart beat close to mine… Like the trembling heart of a captive bird… That was there at my command, my love… That was there at my command.”
“I’m almost there Maria, almost, hold on!” Michael cried.
She continued on. “The first time ever I lay with you… I felt the earth move in my hand… I thought our joy would fill the earth… And last 'till the end of time, my love… And last 'till the end of time.”
As she finished she heard him scream, “Maria!” She looked up to see Michael. He reached down to touch her , she was freezing. He held her close to warm her. God, her hair smelled good.
“Michael, you came!”
“Of course I would, how could I not come for you, you’re my life, remember?” He smiled.
“But this is just a dream, one of my fantasies. You’re not really here.” She sobbed. He turned her head to look up at him and held her face in his hands gently as if he was holding a newborn child.
“Maria, listen, we are in your room. Everyone is here, you are in a coma and I need to bring you back, please come with me!” He begged.
“But I don’t want to. There’s nothing left for me anymore. I can still feel you, don’t you get it, Michael? Even though we can’t be together our connection still is, and…” she stopped.
“And what?” he asked.
“And I can’t bear to live my life feeling our connection and not having you in my life. It’s killing me. Knowing I can feel you, but I can’t be with you, that you don’t belong to me and I don’t belong anymore, to anyone.”
“But you do belong!” he explained. “To Liz, to Alex, to your mom… and to me and always to me, Maria”.
She looked up at him through her tears. “I’ll come back if that is what you really want, Michael.”
“Yes it is,” he replied. And he picked her up in his arms and started walking. As they walked he noticed that the colors had stopped changing the room was now purple - deep, beautiful purple. And the room was no longer cold, but warm.
***
“How much longer?” Liz asked Izzy. “He’s been asleep for 40 minutes.” Liz wondered allowed.
“Look!” shouted Alex, “she’s waking up!” With that they all turned to Maria’s bed.
Michael woke and looked over at Maria still in his arms and as she awoke he kissed her. He kissed her the kiss of a thousand lonely years and he told her he loved her. Everyone rushed to the bed all talking at once explaining to Maria what happened.
Finally after everything calmed down, Maria wanted to know where Max was. “He had to run somewhere, but he’ll be back,” was Izzy’s reply.
***
“I’ve been looking for you, Tess,” Max said as he entered the cave.
Startled, Tess turned around. “Hi Max, what are you doing here?”
“I was looking for you,” he replied. She saw the sadness in his eyes.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Maria’s dead,” he replied. He knew she wasn’t. Michael and Izzy sent word she was okay, but Max had a plan. Max always has a plan.
“Oh my God, HOW?” Tess said slyly.
“I think she died of a broken heart. No one knows for sure, but there’s nothing left to do now,” Max continued.
“So, what do we do now Max?” Tess asked.
“We fulfill our destiny,” he replied. “Come, we must get the others. There are only a few hours left before the ship comes to take us home.”
Tess squealed with glee. “Oh Max, we are going home! Max, you did it, you’ve finally come around. You’ll see, I’ll be the best wife ever!”
They got in the jeep and headed to Max and Izzy’s house. Max had put a firewall up in their heads - his, Michael’s and Izzy’s. They still didn’t trust Tess, and they wanted a way to communicate with each other privately. Max had sent word of the plan to Izzy and Michael. He then instructed Izzy to tell Alex of the plan, but not the girls. They would need Alex’s help.
***
“Michael, why did you come for me?” asked Maria.
“Because I love you, silly,” he replied. “But I have to go. Izzy too, but we will see you soon, I promise. Just rest.”
“Alex, can you give us a ride home?” said Izzy.
Of course he did. He was part of the plan and that made everything all worthwhile.
***
Maria was still feeling the loneliness of her dream, that she didn’t belong. She had Liz now, but that was all she had - no family. Her mom was never home and Michael was going to leave. She felt empty. After they left, Liz held Maria close and rocked her back and forth. Each one trying to comfort the others, not really knowing how.
***
“Thanks for the ride, Alex,” Izzy said as she gave him a kiss. One that he was happy to get.
Hew rapped his arms around her and said, “Anytime.” Alex finally felt complete. Alex left Michael and Izzy off at the Evans house and prepared for phase two.
***
Once inside the house they met Max and Tess already there. Michael and Izzy were all over each other only they weren’t kissing. They just couldn’t bring themselves to do it. Tess was happy, gloriously happy. Her plan had worked. Maria was dead and everyone was falling into line.
“Almost ready to go, honey?” Max asked Tess.
“Yes! We have to hurry because the ship will be here soon and this is the last time it will come by.”
After a few minutes everyone was ready and they headed out to the desert. It was dark and the ship would be here in less than thirty minutes. They parked the jeep and walked out to where the ship would come.
“I can’t wait to go home,” Michael said. “I’ve waited my whole life for this.”
Max continued, “I know what you mean, finally knowing everything and being able to fulfill our destiny - it’s great!”
Iz was sad, though, and Tess wanted to know why - after all she was going home.
“Maria,” was all Iz said.
“That flake?” Tess started. “I honestly don’t see how you guys could be so wrapped up in those sorry excuses for humans.” They were giving her plenty of rope and Tess was about to hang herself. “I mean all Maria did was babble on. The only thing she was good for was making those Alien Blasts. And Liz. Little Miss Scientist can’t even figure out how to get you to sleep with her,” she said, pointing to Max and beginning to laugh. “Oh and Alex, god. He, nerd of the century, Izzy’s little puppy dog. Can’t you see how much better you are without them?” Each of them, through their anger agreed.
“You’re right.” Michael spoke first. “You are right, Tess.”
“But it’s hard leaving Liz and Alex. At least Maria is dead.” Max asked Michael for forgiveness before he spoke the words. Michael, knowing what had to be said agreed.
“I know,” said Iz. “It would have been so much easier if they all were dead, then we still wouldn’t feel these connections.”
Tess began, “Well, I didn’t have time, I could only kill one.” With that they looked at her.
“Gotcha, you bitch,” Michael said mentally to Max and Iz as they smiled.
“What do you mean?” said Iz.
Tess continued, “Well, I knew in order for you guys to understand and finally see our destiny through, you’d have to get on the ship tonight. And I knew you wouldn’t leave unless the connections were broken. I knew all of them couldn’t be broken, but I knew if one was then you would all leave as a group.”
“How did you decide who to kill?” asked Max. “And how did you do it, out of curiosity, of course.”
“’Who’ was the easy part. It had to be Maria, there was no doubt. Michael’s will was the strongest. All I had to do was break his will and once he lost Maria, he would have nothing left in his life here and he would go. And I knew you two would follow suit.
“The ‘how’ was a little hard at first, but I remembered from the book, remember the one I showed you the other night after they left? Well, after their little cryfest they fell asleep. I went in through Maria’s window into her bathroom. I put my hand on her jasmine and cypress oils. I changed them. The jasmine she would put in her bath and it would paralyze her body. Then she would sniff the cypress oil and that would slow her heartbeat to the point that it would stop. Within a few hours she’d die. I knew they’d find her and get you guys to try and help, but there’s no way to stop it. Well, only one but that wouldn’t work.”
They looked at her as if to tell her to go on.
“Must I spell everything out for you guys? Sheesh! Only her soulmate could save her. Her true soulmate - the marriage in which she was joined in heaven before she was sent here. He would be the only one to save her. And, knowing that Michael and Izzy are meant to be together, he wouldn’t be able to save her, she’d die, and you would follow suit.”
A rumbling noise came overhead. They all looked up and saw the mothership approaching. It was almost time to go. Tess was so excited, she clung to Max. “We’re going home!”
“Just a few more minutes,” Izzy said.
***
Alex had a hard time convincing the girls to go watch the ship leave. He finally got them to go by telling them it would be closure, something all of them needed. They saw the ship appear and a wide blue beam come out and reach the earth.
With that Liz screamed, “Max!” He turned around.
“Liz, what are you doing here?!” Tess screamed. Max acted as if he didn’t already know his own plan.
“We wanted to say goodbye,” said Alex.
“Well, since it’s the last time you’re going to see them, I don’t see any harm in it,” Tess said as she snuggled up to Max, who wanted to vomit. “Just get this girl off of me” was all he could think of.
Maria had no idea why she had to wait in the jeep, but she promised she would until the signal. There it was! She ran out of the jeep as fast as she could to Michael.
Michael turned around and looked up at the stars. “I wish Maria was here so I could say goodbye,” he said with tears in his eyes.
“Oh get over it would you, you’ll be home soon and you and Iz can start to fulfill your destiny,” Tess screamed.
The six of them - Max, Tess, Izzy, Alex, Michael and Liz - walked towards the blue beam; they only had a few minutes to go.
“Michael! Michael! Wait!” Maria screamed.
“What’s that bitch doing here? She’s supposed to be dead!” cried Tess. “We have to go, our destiny is calling,” she cackled.
“This ‘BITCH’ as you call her, Tess, is MY DESTINY!” screamed Michael.
“But how?” Tess, now panicking, asked.
“No let me,” said Iz and she walked up to Tess. “Michael saved her.”
“But…Bu…” was all Tess was able to get out before Iz started again.
“Michael saved her, he is her soulmate. Like you said Tess, he couldn’t have saved her if he wasn’t. So your little destiny plan, is shot to hell! Michael’s not going and neither am I!” She walked over to Alex and kissed him. They looked over at Michael holding Maria tight.
“Max?” Tess cried, “Max, this was about us, our destiny…we’re family.”
“I told you before!” screamed Max. “We make our own destiny and mine is with Liz!”
Tess tried to pull Max into the beam with her. If the others weren’t going to go, she’ll be damned if she was going to lose Max. Max pulled back, but Tess was angry and her anger only made her stronger.
Iz walked up to Tess, lifted her arm and in one punch sent Tess flying into the blue beam by herself. “That was for Maria!” Iz said. The beam started moving up off of the earth.
“Max, Max I don’t want to go without you, Max! Our DESTINY!” Tess screamed.
With that Max said the only thing he could to Tess and it was without words. He looked down at Liz in his arms and kissed her and he said “I told you before, we make our own destiny.”
With that the beam shot up and the ship was gone. Tess was gone. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, especially Michael.
Maria was still confused. “Michael? How did you save me?” she asked.
“Let me take this one,” said Iz.
She broke away from Alex for a minute and kissed him with a kiss that said I’ll be back and went to Maria. She gave her a hug and then had her sit down. She told them, all of them, about the book Tess showed them. She explained about the colors in the bath water and Michael chimed in about the colors and the heat in Maria’s coma.
Then Iz told of Tess. Of how she spoke of true love and the marriage in heaven and that that destiny was the only one who could save her. She told them all of Michael’s cry that resounded through them. How, at that moment, she realized that Maria was his soulmate. She had read about the cry from the same book that Tess showed them. She knew what was happening and she knew that Michael could save Maria.
***
Weak and tired, they all went back to Maria’s house to revel in their freedom from Tess and their love for each other, for their family. Iz was cooking in the kitchen with Alex helping. They had to get Maria to eat something; she was still weak from all that had happened.
Max and Liz were out in the family room on the couch making up for lost time. And Michael was up in Maria’s room holding her trying to get her to rest, but she was too excited to rest.
“But, Michael, how could you give up your home, your destiny, to be with me?” she asked.
“Silly girl, you heard Iz,” he explained. “YOU are my destiny, my soulmate and this is my home. You are my home.”
“I love you Spaceboy,” she said and she kissed him. “But how could you not leave?” she persisted.
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her a soft passionate kiss and said, “I love you too much not to stay.”
With that she smiled and they both knew where they belonged and that they were home.
Put on your robe
Went through your drawers
And i found your cologne
Went down to the den
Found your cd's
And i played your Joni
And i shouldn't stay long
You might be home soon
Shouldn't stay long
Would you forgive me love if i laid in your bed
Would you forgive me love if i stay all afternoon?
I ran a bath
I noticed a letter that sat on your desk
It said:
'Hello, love.
I love you so, love.
Meet me at midnight.'
And no, it wasn't my writing
I'd better go soon
It wasn't my writing
So forgive me love for the salt in your bed
So forgive me love If I cry all afternoon..."
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the empty skies, my love,
To the dark and the empty skies.
And felt your heart beat close to mine
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love
That was there at my command.
I felt the earth move in my hand
I thought our joy would fill the earth
And last 'till the end of time, my love,
And last 'till the end of time.
Your Maria
Your Maria
Maria