drowned out all other sounds.

It had been almost three weeks since Liz's wedding, and she and Michael were

moving up to the ranch themselves in two days time. She was anxious to see

Liz again and share their everyday lives as they used to, but her worries

over her own future still loomed over her.

Maria sighed and lowered herself further into the bubbles surrounding her.

She knew Michael had said he wanted her with him when he went to the ranch to

start his program with the troubled teens in the area, but she wondered if

he'd changed his mind since then and just not had the heart to tell her.

Her dark thoughts had been building for the past week. Another social worker

from Jordan's ranch and a fellow "alien" as well had been meeting with

Michael in town going over the final details of the program they were going

to start next week. The young woman was eager and knew that Michael had to

finish his last week at work here in Roswell, so she had come down here to

work with him on his off hours.

Michael had been spending a few hours every night after work meeting with

Sheila to go over the program, leaving Maria to feel left out. The first

night Michael had invited Maria along to hear the exciting plans he had for

the teen program, and share in his happiness.

But as Sheila and Michael made their plans and their excitement built, Maria

only felt more left out. She too wanted to have something she could feel a

part of. She wanted to know there was something out there she wanted to do

with such passion. But she still didn't know what she wanted to do with her

life. And the more she saw the excited Sheila with Michael, the more she

thought he might be happier with one of his own kind, and with someone who

knew what they wanted to do with their life. Maria knew she was not fun to be

around lately, and her sour mood was not something Michael should have to put

up with when he was so excited about his new life.

Maria really was happy for Michael and loved the whole troubled teen program

that he and Sheila had come up with. She just couldn't help but feel that her

own life was that much more dull and boring because Michael was moving ahead

and Maria felt she was standing still.

Right now, she knew Michael was meeting one last time with Sheila before she

went back up to the mountains tonight. They were at the Crashdown finalizing

the last minute plans for the teen center. She knew because she had just left

them there an hour ago. She couldn't get the picture of their two heads close

together and laughing animatedly at each other out of her mind as she'd left..

She had gone home and found that her mother and Jim were out to dinner and

she had the house to herself for a while. She was glad for the time alone as

she slid down further into the bubbles and closed her eyes, sucking in her

breath as tears escaped from under her lashes.

The first indication that she wasn't alone was when the music was turned off..

She was lying back, her head against the wall, bubbles to her chin. The

sudden silence raised her head and made her grip the sides of the tub.

"It's only me, don't get nervous." Michael's deep voice came from the

adjoining bedroom.

"I know for a fact that I locked the front door after I came in." she said in

a harsh voice. "But then when has a locked door ever stopped you." She

mumbled to herself.

The bathroom door was open and she saw Michael lean one shoulder against the

doorjamb, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"What exactly are you mad about?" he asked. "That I let myself in, or that I

was busy with the teen center again."

Maria winced at the thought of Michael believing she was upset about being

ignored. She was a self-sufficient woman. Or at least she had always felt

like one until she'd realized she didn't have the faintest idea what to do

with her life.

"I'm not mad at you." Maria said tiredly and without heat.

Michael knew that too, and sighing, he raked a hand through his already

spiked hair and came and sat down on the closed toilet seat lid.

"Maria…talk to me." He pleaded in a gentle voice.

"Sheila is very bright and will be great with the program." She started,

shifting the bubbles around with a shaky hand.

"Hmm…. It's going to work out well." Michael answered but was more worried

about Maria than talking about his teen center right now.

"She's bright and beautiful and so full of enthusiasm and knows what she

wants to do with her life. She has such drive and passion." Maria went on.

Michael stiffened as the image Maria was creating hit him. Then his heart

went out to his little pixie and he smiled softly knowing everything was

going to be okay. Now that he knew what her fears were, he could banish those

for her and help her with her own insecurities about her life.

"Maria." Michael started, and turned his head deliberately to look directly

at her from beneath eyebrows pulled together in concern. "I don't want Sheila

that way. I don't care if she knows what she wants in her life right now. I

only want you." His eyes dropped to the bubbles that concealed her naked body

and then returned to her face. "In more ways than one. In every way you can

think of."

His voice rang with sincerity she couldn't doubt. The bad feelings that had

been plaguing her seemed to float away on the clouds of steam that drifted up

from the water, and suddenly all her worrying became silly and unimportant.

Maria smiled a foolish smile and wiped at her eyes. Then her gaze drifted to

the thick bulge behind his zipper, and she sucked in her breath.

Michael pushed off of the seat and came to the tub, bending over to grip

either side. His nose was only an inch from hers and his eyes bored into her

own. "I did not, at anytime think of Sheila in that way. You are the only one

I will ever want. And I can prove that." He smiled a little. "But I saw you

look, so I know you're already aware of just how fond I am of you."

"Hugely" Maria's eyes twinkled up at him now.

"Then why don't you let me help you out of those bubbles?" He straightened up

and held a hand down to her.

Maria took his hand and let him pull her to her feet, thought of everything

else falling away with the bath bubbles. Once she was standing he scooped her

into his arms and took her to the bedroom in long strides.

"I'm wet," she complained, as if he hadn't noticed.

Michael laughed a wicked laugh. "I haven't even started yet." He said and

laid her on her bed.

Maria started to reach for Michael, but he shifted out of her arms and pulled

back. Then he stared down at her under hooded eyes and slowly took a deep

breath.

Maria watched him with wondering eyes. Then they widened a little as she saw

him bend on one knee before her next to the bed. And when he pulled out a

small black velvet box from his pants pocket, Maria threw a hand over her

mouth to cover her sob of joy.

"I was going to wait and do this tomorrow night. I was going to take you to a

nice restaurant and wine and dine you and then after some dancing, I was

going to take you out to the desert and propose to you there, under the

stars." Michael admitted huskily as he saw the wide eyes of his little pixie

glisten with tears.

"This is much better. It's perfect." Maria managed to smile around her hand,

and then brought her hand away from her face, took a deep breath and waited.

Her eyes never leaving Michael's intense ones.

"Maria DeLuca, you might not know what to do with your future career, but

there is one part of your future that was set a long time ago. Will you do me

the honor of marrying me and making my life complete." He asked in a hoarse

voice.

Maria's mouth opened at his words but nothing came out. The tears of joy

burst forward and she let them stream down her face as she gasped and took a

deep breath. "Yes! Michael, yes!" she managed to get out before he took her

into his arms. They met in a deep kiss to seal their vow and then Michael put

her back down on the bed and stood above her. He handed her the box and

waited.

Maria opened it up to find a beautiful diamond surrounded by little emeralds

and a matching band. She gasped his name.

Michael took the engagement ring gently out of the box and taking her small

hand with his shaking one, she slid it on her finger where it belonged.

No words were necessary as they stared at each other. Then Maria's eyes fell

again on the bulge against his zipper and she smiled. "Michael…" she sighed.

Michael didn't need the words. He knew what she wanted because it was what

they both needed right then. He kicked off his shoes and he quickly

unbuttoned his shirt and shed it. Down went his pants and then he stood there

gloriously naked.

Maria stared unabashedly at what he equally unabashedly displayed to her. And

it made her catch her breath a little.

Then she began to rise from the bed, purely on instinct, wanting so much to

feel all of what her eyes feasted on. But he came down to her before she

could get that far, his hands bracketing her hips, his mouth meeting her sin

a hungry, seeking kiss, as he eased her flat on the bed beneath him.

His hot probing tongue lapped at her chin, down the column of her throat, and

between her breasts at the same time he flexed his hips against her thigh and

retreated, coming back again and again with a rhythm that only hinted at what

was yet in store.

Maria ran her palms along his shoulders, down his back to his firm buttocks.

And then she moved around in front finding that long, hard proof and making

him groan beneath her own firm touch.

Together they explored each other in a barely controlled frenzy. Her hand

around the shaft of him, his reaching below, between her thighs, as his mouth

worked magic at her breasts, her nipples.

Her legs went around his waist, and it was her turn to flex those most

private parts against him as she reached a hand to each of his male nipples

and made them harden the way the rest of his body was.

With a guttural, primitive sound rumbling from his throat, Michael

repositioned his body and plunged home, embedding himself in the core of

Maria, uniting them so deeply that more than their bodies meshed, mingling

their spirits, the very center of their beings with each powerful drive until

they found bliss, in each other.

Michael cried out her name at that moment in what sounded like pain, but

Maria knew it was pleasure. Pleasure she felt every bit as fully.

Braced on strong, straight arms, Michael lowered himself to her and in that

moment she realized her fingers had been digging into his back. They were

both wet then, wetter than when he'd lifted her from the tub, slippery,

gleaming with the glow of loving making.

Maria sighed and her eyes drifted closed with pure joy and equal exhaustion.

Michael turned his face to her ear, kissed it. Rolling over next to her he