Overall, her day had gone pretty well. She had received an A on her algebra mid-term, survived her second performance with her band, and she hadn't thought about Michael Guerin all day, well at least not as much as usual. She knew that this bath would be a perfect ending to a great day.

She removed her matching silver mini-skirt halter set and her black panties and tossed them to a pile on the floor. She then placed one painted toe into the fragrant water.

Once she was satisfied that it wasn't too hot, she stepped in and sank her entire body into the heavenly bath and closed her eyes, allowing herself to totally relax.

She took her pumice sponge and squeezed a generous amount of vanilla scented body scrub on to it. She then created a lather by running the sponge around in between her hands, and proceeded to run it over her body.

The combined scent of vanilla and lavender was absolutely marvelous. She couldn't remember the last time she had been this relaxed. It had to be before the day of the shooting at the Crashdown. That was the last day her life could be considered normal. After that, pandemonium had ensued and her life had changed forever. Though it was a lot more scary and dangerous, Maria had to admit to herself that she wouldn't change it for the world.

She loved the excitement. She was happy that her life had suddenly become interesting. And if even for a short time, she had gotten to be close Michael Guerin. *No*, she told herself, *I wouldn't change it for the galaxy. Or any other galaxies for that matter.*

Overall, she was happy with her life. She felt bad that Liz was in such pain, and that her heart had been irrevocably crushed since the night of her blind date, but with the exception of that, she felt good.

The record people were going crazy over her band for one thing, and her and Michael had a civil friendship which, though not exactly what she wanted, was better than nothing.

Yeah, life was pretty good.

Sometime later, Maria found herself beginning to fall asleep in the bath. She knew then that it was time to get out. She pulled out the plug from the tub and stood up, turning on the shower for a few moments to wash and rinse off the dirty bath water.

She took a towel and began rubbing herself dry when she heard the knock. It was close, like it was coming from inside the house. Maria knew that should have been impossible; it had been past one a.m. when she had gotten home, and her mother was out of town at some preservation convention. She put her short silk robe over her still wet body and cautiously left the bathroom.

She grabbed her pepper-spray key-chain off of her dresser, exited her bedroom and began to descend the stairs when she hear the knock again. Her shoulders tensed. How could it be possible that the knock was coming from behind her? She slowly walked back into her bedroom, and waited to her the knock again.

And then she heard it. It was more insistent this time and it was coming from her window. *Who the hell would be outside my window at...* she looked at the clock * 1:45 in the morning?* she asked herself. She inched closer and gasped when she saw who it was.

She quickly opened the window. "Michael? What in the hell are you doing here?"

She helped pull him through the tiny window. His foot caught on the ledge and he tripped into her, his arms wrapping around her waist. He began to straighten up and found himself staring face to face with her. He froze. She smelled of some heavenly sweet scent and her warm, damp body felt so soft. She looked up at him with her desire filled eyes and he began to move in to meet her full, lush lips when he realized what he was doing and stopped himself. He ungraciously muttered sorry, and turned around.

"This is your room?" he asked, trying to make a change in the awkward situation.

"Yeah, obviously it's my room. What's wrong with it?" she asked, trying not to let the disappointment in her voice evident. "Wait, how did you know it was my room?"

"Lucky guess," he grumbled, not wanting her to know that he watched her sometimes. "I never guessed you to have such a girly room with...stuffed animals and posters of boy bands," he said, openly scowling.

"Well, I guess there's a lot you don't know about me," She said sadly, and then hardened her voice. "Wait, back to my original question. What the hell are you doing here at two in the morning?"

Maria turned on a lamp and his eyes began to adjust to new light. It was then that he took real notice of her lack of dress. She was wearing a short white silk robe with embroidered flowers on it. It clung tightly in all of the right places and there were small beads of water on her bare legs and arms. She looked so amazing to him right then. So beautiful that he almost forgot his purpose for being there. *Stop thinking with your...energy source and focus, man* he told himself.

Maria melted at the way he was staring her up and down, and tried to fight the heat rising to her face. *Great girl,* she scolded herself, *he's already broken your heart once, are you stupid enough to let it happen again?* She took one good look at his face, so beautiful it could have been the creation of an artist, and at his body which was dressed in tight black jeans which she was sure he had to peel off at night, and a tight black t-shirt which clung so tightly to each and every one of his well developed muscles, and then answered herself *Well, maybe a little physical play can't hurt...that bad.* She brought herself back to the present and cleared her throat waiting for a response.

"What are you doing right now?" he asked, realizing how stupid that sounded, but having to ask anyway.

Maria's eyes widened in disbelief and she said "Uh, well I was getting ready to go to bed, you know, since it's oh, I don't know, two a.m. and we have school in the morning. And I know that it isn't important to you but some of us would like to eventually graduate."

Michael narrowed his eyes and glared at her. "Well fine, forget it! I'm sorry that I thought I could come to you. I'll get the hell out of your hair, okay?" He turned and began to let himself out of the window when Maria's voice stopped him.

"Come to me with what?"

"No, forget it! You wan't to go to sleep!"

She grabbed his arm and roughly pulled him around to face her. "Michael, quit being an asshole and tell me. Now, I repeat, come to me with what?"

"I learned of a new sighting tonight and I wanted to check it out. I thought maybe you'd be up for another road trip, since it was sort-of okay last time. Now I see I was being stupid," he said, an semi-annoyed, semi-hopeful look playing on his face.

"A road trip to where?" she asked cautiously.

"Sedona."

"Sedona? Where's that?"

"Arizona."

"Arizona?!! Are you crazy? That's like seven hours away?"

"Forget it!" Michael yelled. "I'll find another car and go by myself. Have a good night. Sorry to disturb you."