They stayed that way for a while- Michael with his arm around Maria, her head leaning on his shoulder. It was nice just to be together, quiet for once, loving the sense of peacefulness.

Her index finger was tracing little circles on his chest lazily. She could hear his heart beating for her, and suddenly she knew she couldn't hold back anymore.

"Michael?" She looked up at him from under her lashes shyly.

He met her eyes, a questioning look on his face. "Yeah?"

"I want to tell you something."

"What?"

She took a deep breath and moved so she was looking directly into his eyes. "I want you to know that you mean a lot to me. I care about you so much and I want to be able to show everyone how I feel. I want to hold your hand in the hall and have you walk me to class and have you come over for dinner with my mom. I want you in my life. And not just as some fling. I... I love you Michael Guerin. I just want you to know that." She exhaled; glad the words were said. She was relieved. The ball was in his court now.

He was stunned for a minute. He'd never heard those words from anyone in his life. And it didn't matter that he already knew them to be true, it was a completely different thing to hear them said out loud. "Maria...I..."

She put her index finger over his lips. "Shhh. You don't have to say it back to me. I just wanted you to know."

The emotions flooded through him like a dam breaking overwhelming his senses. He reached out and drew her face to his, capturing her lips in a kiss. Drawing away slightly he pressed his forehead to hers, and looked into her eyes. "I love you, too, Maria. I promise I do. No matter what I've done or said in the past, I've known it since the first time I kissed you in the Crash Down. I was just scared to admit it. But it's true. I love you, Maria DeLuca. Never ever forget that."

Her arms reached up and encircled his neck, drawing him into a tight hug. She'd been waiting to hear those words from a man her whole life. Her heart was overflowing with relief at not being rejected again and with love for the man in her arms. It felt so good to hold him and know he wasn't going to pull away. She felt a slight tickle against the skin of her neck- his lips were moving on her throat causing little waves of pleasure throughout her body. She began to mirror his actions, nipping at the pulse point beneath her mouth.

"Maria." Her name fell from his lips passionately, and he turned to face her, bringing their lips into contact. Once again, the sensations were overwhelming, explosions of pleasure in their heads, emotional overload. So the bright flash of the Universe in her mind was a bit of a shock.

"Michael?" she gasped.

"What? What's wrong?" He pulled away concerned.

"Nothing, it's just- I think I really saw it. The stars were flying by and then I saw The Earth. Michael, you showed me your memories."

He gulped, hard. "I did?"

"Yeah. I think so. Kiss me again."

He complied, this time sweeping his tongue into her mouth, and lazily exploring the inner recesses. She stiffened in his arms after a moment and he drew back. "Did it work?"

"I saw the ship, and there were all these army men running around- I really saw it Michael. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He cleared his throat. "So, should we... keep going? I mean, maybe we'll learn something Max and Liz didn't."

Maria laughed at his nervous question. "What makes me think this is just an excuse to get my clothes off?"

Michael grinned at her. "I really don't need an excuse do I? I mean, after what I just saw inside your head, I know exactly what you've been thinking about lately."

She raised an eyebrow devilishly. "Oh? And what have I been thinking about?"

Leaning toward her, he kept moving until he was lying on top of her on the couch. Then he buried his hands in her hair and drew her face toward him again. "This." He kissed her passionately, his hands beginning to move fluidly under her sweater, sliding it up expertly.

The passions took over again seemingly controlling their every movement and impulse. Michael kissed his way down the column of her throat and began to lick little patterns on the skin directly above her belly button.

"Michael..." she groaned deep in her throat, the explosive and addictive feelings growing like butterflies in her stomach. His lips began to move higher, and he placed soft kisses all over her abdomen, tracing the contours of her ribcage with his thumbs. Her hands crept between them, and she slipped one under his long sleeved T-shirt, feeling the soft skin of his body. The first touch of her hand on his skin created incredible warmth that quickly spread throughout his body. He'd forgotten how much he loved being able to touch her, and have her touch him.

He grasped the bottom of her sweater and slowly began to lift upwards, until she sat up to help him remove it. She lay back down on the couch beneath him wearing only her bra, and she smiled at the lust written all over his face. Slowly he dipped his head and placed a kiss on her flesh right below her collarbone, and slowly worked his way lower until his teeth caught at the lace cup of her bra. He dragged it downward until her nipple was exposed and then captured it between his lips.

She couldn't think- only feel and see. Pleasure shot through her body at every touch and kiss. And new visions flashed in her head- Michael coming out of his pod, watching as Isabel and Max wandered the desert looking for him. They held hands, and he knew he should go with them, but he was unsure. She watched as the headlights appeared down the road and Max and Isabel called to him without words to join them. He remained where he was on the rock, watching, waiting for something. For what he wasn't sure.

"Maria?" His voice broke through to her, and her mind cleared for a moment. She caught his look of concern, but shook it off. She sat up again and pulled his shirt over his head, kissing and caressing his chest, knowing he wouldn't be able to resist the addicting sense of pleasure.

She kissed her way back up to his mouth, reveling in the feel of him above her, pressing into her seductively. When their mouths met again, time began to slow. Every action happened at a snail's pace, the pleasure maximized and drawn out. Maria reached behind her and unhooked her bra, throwing it on the floor, watching it seem to float to the ground. Their skin met and the heat became overwhelming. Pushing them onward, driving them to experience things they hadn't in months.

She slipped out of the rest of her clothes, and they joined the pile on the floor, then helped Michael remove his sweatpants and boxers. Naked, in each other's arms, the passion drove them forward still. He stroked his fingers over her most intimate place, and she cried out at the feeling.

Breathless, and knowing where this was leading, he asked, "Are you sure you want this, Maria? We can try to stop. Maybe we shouldn't..."

His words didn't register- her mind went blank, and then she started to see colors- blue, green, peaceful bliss of colors. They flashed bright and slow, like a strobe light, and she saw it. She felt good, it felt right, and this place she was seeing- she needed to know.

"Michael, please? I need to see... I need you Michael."

She was too far-gone, and so was he. He placed himself at her entrance, slowly sliding into her. And then his mind went blank too. The colors entered his consciousness, and they saw, as they moved together in slow motion toward the ultimate build up of pleasure, they saw everything they needed to know. Their explosion brought them over the edge, drawn out for what seemed like hours. Michael collapsed onto her at last and time snapped back to normal pace.

She pressed her lips to his forehead, then his mouth. "Did you see it, Michael? Did you see it?"

"Yes. Oh God, Maria. I saw it all."

She wrapped her body around his and held on to him tightly as he cried.

~~~~~
Third Eye Blind- Slow Motion
(Note- this is basically an Instrumental Track, but these are the words to the chorus)

Slow motion see me let go
We tend to die young
Slow motion see me let go
What a brother knows
Slow motion see me let go

Slow motion see me let go
We'll remember these days
Slow motion see me let go
Urban life decays
Slow motion see me let go