"Some people saw something..."

"Listen, you've searched all around and you didn't find anything. No blood anywhere, no dead body."

"Well, some murderers are really good at..."

"You think I'm a murderer!" Michael interrupted him. He couldn't believe what was happening to him.

"I don't think anything, I just make some hypothesis."

"You make them all wrong, officer, 'cause I didn't kill anybody."

"I didn't say so, but something happened and I want to know what. I need your collaboration. Now, tell me all again from the beginning." Michael sighed.

Four hours before...

Michael walked in the street. He was in a bad mood. He hit the tire of a car with his feet and the tire exploded. The car alarm began to ring.

"Great" he muttered to himself.

He was walking on a viaduct when a vision hit him. He got all dizzy and tried to hold himself but he swung and fell down the viaduct.

Under the viaduct, Michael was lying on the ground. He opened his eyes slowly. He tried to move, but it was too painful. "Hope it will work..." he thought, running his hand down his hurt body. "It worked!" He smile to himself proudly. He got up carefully, not quite sure. All of a sudden, ambulances and police cars came from everywhere....

At the police station. Michael picked up the phone and began to dial Max's number. "Oh shit! If I call Max, Isabel will know and she will freak out and Max will make me one of is little speech about how he always clean up my mess... No, not a good idea." he thought. Then he smiled and dialed another number.

"Maria?" he asked when a sleepy voice answered. "Maria, it's me. I'm in a little trouble... I'm at the police station... No, I didn't do anything... I'll tell you later... A bail? Probably... Do you?... Okay, I'll wait... Hum Maria?... Nothing." He hung up. He'll have to thank her, but not now. Maybe later.

Maria hung up the phone. She was confused. Was it just a dream? Well it could be, she has dreamed of Michael a lot since the past months... But this time, she wasn't sure if it was a dream or a nightmare. What was that all about? Police, bail, Michael... Okay, two out of three were nightmares. But the third one...

No, it was not a dream, she suddenly realised it completely. Michael needed her. Not in the way she wanted him to, but nevertheless he needed her to be there for him. And, as always, she would be there for him.

When Maria showed up at the police station, she was surprised to be welcomed by Michael hugging her. "I thought you'd never come..."

He then backed up and ran his hand through his hair awkwardly. "What are you doing man, you may be tired and exasperate and exhausted... but... but it's not time to become sentimental! God, how can she look so damn good at this hour of the night?"

"So, hum, does everything's okay, I mean, are you free to go?" Maria asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Hum, yeah. They found no reasons to keep me here so they decided to let me out."

"So, no bail to pay?"

"No, no bail to pay."

"Great, 'cause I've already spent enough money for you, with all those road trip and you using my car all the time... And I'm sooo sure you would have never paid me back..." Maria started babbling.

Michael just pulled her outside the police station and they climbed in her car. They did the most of the drive in silence. Maria finally stopped the car in front of Michael's place.

"So... I guess I will not see you tomorrow at school?" She said with a glance at him.

"Well, maybe you will... Hum, Maria?"

She looked at him, waiting for him to say something, maybe a thank you...

"Nothing" He finally mumbled, getting out of the car.

"Yeah, sure, you're welcome Michael. Call me anytime, days or nights, I will always be there for you!" She replied sarcastically. But she knew too well that it was true.

Maria tried to sleep after she got home. She had one hour and a half left before she had to wake up and go to school. What was it with him falling down from a viaduct on a Tuesday night? Why hadn't he chosen another night like Friday, or Saturday... Oh, great, now she was babbling in her thoughts! Damn Michael Guerin!!!

And he hadn't even thanked her! Well she was getting used to that, but still. If only he had kissed her, like in the vision at the reservation... But no, nothing. A big NOTHING!!! And that's what he told her. His own word. It wasn't even better than "mud". Well, it had more letters, seven compared to three. And now she was counting the letters of his words. Hum, that was bad. Yeah, she definitely got it bad.

Michael, on his side, didn't try to sleep. He knew he would not. Why hadn't he thanked her? Two times, he tried two times, but "nothing" came out. He sighed. He would have to tell something or she was going to let him down someday.

How could it be so difficult? "Thanks Maria for what you did for me last night. It was really nice of you and I'm very grateful to you. In fact, I'd like to thank you not only for last night, but for everything. I'm grateful to you for being you. You're a wonderful person, a beautiful woman and I love you..."

Okay, just "thanks" would be enough. He wasn't really good at that anyway, so he had better make it easy.

"Thanks" would be okay.

"Maria, you look exhausted! Are you sure you're not sick or something?"

Dear Liz! She was always worrying for her friends.

"Yeah Liz, I'm fine. I just, well, I had a weird dream and that kept me awake for the rest of the night." Maria hated to lie to her best friend, but she promised to Michael she would not talk about it. And it wasn't totally a lie...

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Oh, it was nothing important, really!" She assured.

"You sure?" Maria nodded. "Okay then, I'll see you later!" Liz walked away.

"Let me guess, she's heading to her biology class?"

Maria smiled. She knew this voice too well. "Oh... He's not trying to avoid me. Good thing! We're making progress!" She thought to herself. "Good guess spaceboy!"

"So I see you got to sleep well last night..." He teased.

"What makes you think so?" She smiled. It was getting better and better if he got that flirting grin on his face.

"Well, you seem... in a good mood."

"Kinda.. But you seem not bad yourself..."

"Thanks."

"Not that you slept a lot, I'm sure, but... Did you just say thanks?" She asked, not quite believing it.

"Yeah... I did." He answered, not quite believing it himself.

"Hum... What's that for? I mean, do you thank me for telling you you're looking good or are you thanking me for last night?" She was shocked.

"Well... Both, and everything else, you know."

He looked down a moment, but since she didn't say anything, he looked up at her. She had a bright smile on her face. She knew he was not really into that sort of things so it meant a lot. She made a few steps, closing the distance between them. Michael saw a twinkle into her eyes... Love? And he was sure his eyes were a mirror of hers. He leaned in.

"What are you two, kids doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" A voice interrupted them.

Michael backed up. "Yes sir, we're going." He turned to Maria. "I'll see you at lunch time..."

And then he ran away.

"Stupid teacher... What was it with him, interrupting one of the most intimate moments with Michael! Well, emotionally intimate... Stupid teacher, I hate him!" Maria grumbled in thoughts. She was so upset. "And now what? I supposed he's gonna run away. Damn stone wall!" She thought she was going to cry. It hurt her so much, staying away from him.

"No wait!" She almost shouted out loud. "He told me he'd see me at lunch time! Oh, stop it girl, don't make you up such illusions. It didn't mean anything. But still..." Alex looked at Maria who was sitting across the class. She had been late and she kept making faces. Anger, sadness, hope, sadness, hope again... He wondered what was going on with her. "One of her Michael-things, I guess." He thought to himself. It was so usual.

At the same time.

"Michael, what's going on with you? Why were you late? Well, it's not like it's the first time, but you look strange."

Michael looked at Isabel and congratulated himself for not calling Max and her the previous night.

"It's nothing Isabel. Like you say, it's not like it's the first time."

Isabel frowned. She knew him too well to believe that. His "nothing" always meant something. "Oh, must be one of his Maria-things..." She thought, looking back at the teacher. "Nothing unusual!"

Michael literally ran to their table. It was finally lunch time and the evening had seemed to last an eternity. He looked around the table. Max, Liz, Alex and Isabel were already there, but no Maria. Where was she?

"Hey Michael! How's it going?" Max asked in his I'm-happy-I'm-with-Liz tone.

"Where's Maria?" Michael seemed really nervous.

"Why? Is there something wrong with her?" Liz asked, ready to run to her friend for help.

"Everything's fine, babe!"

Everyone turned to Maria who had just showed up from behind Michael. Michael shuddered at the feeling of Maria's breath on the back of his neck and her hand running down his arm.

"What's going on?" Max asked.

"Nothing." Michael turned to face Maria. "We need to talk."

Saying that, he dragged her apart from everybody. They stood a few minutes, facing each other, not knowing what to say. Suddenly, he grabbed her and kissed her. Not that she complained, she had waited for that moment for what seemed to her forever, but she still was a little surprise. The surprise quickly disappeared and she opened her mouth to let him deepened the kiss. It felt so good. Their tongues began to play with each other, fighting and caressing. Maria ran her hand through his hair, pulling his mouth even closer to hers if it was possible.

"Maria..." Michael moaned softly. He needed to talk to her, but he couldn't stop kissing her. He could feel her everywhere, all around him. There was nothing but her. He slid his hand under her shirt. He needed to feel her skin. Maria sucked in her breath. One touch, she was flying. She felt the ground disappear under her feet and she melted in his arms. Michael kissed his way down her neck. She could feel his hot breath and she knew he was growing harder down there. With one hand on her butt, he lifted her. She wrapped her legs around him, enjoying the closeness of him between her legs.

"Kids! What are you doing again!" It was the same teacher who had caught them a few hours ago. Maria slide down Michael's arms. She still felt hot and dizzy with passion, but she stood on her feet. "This is a school, a respectable establishment, not a bedroom. If you want to make those... things, whatever you were planning to do, make sure you're in the right place for that. Now, go join all of your friends and... try to look decent." With that, he rushed away to his office.

Michael and Maria stayed there, looking at the ground awkwardly.

"Michael...?" Maria wanted to know where they stood. Was he going to run away this time? No, not after all that had just happened between them. Michael leaned in and kissed her softly on the forehead.

"We'd better go back to the others." She looked at him and when she saw that smile on his face, she knew it would be okay.

The following night, Maria came to Michael's. She wanted to know where they stood. Everything happened so fast since the previous night, when he called her from the police station. She knocked on the door and took a deep breath.

Michael heard a light knock on the door. He smiled. He had been waiting for her to come. There was no way he was going to get out of that relationship-speech. He let out a little sight before opening the door.

He sucked in his breath. There she was, standing before him, eyes closed, deep in thoughts, her breasts going up and down with each breath. She opened her eyes and looked straight into his. She bit her lips. She had come to talk, but to see him there, looking at her with so much passion in his eyes... She just wanted to kiss him and never let him go.

"Michael." She said, her voice not as steady as she wanted. She took a step forward. He didn't move, still staring at her. He didn't trust him to move, he knew too well he would jump on her and make love to her just there, in the hall, with the door still opened...

She placed her hand on his chest and pushed him in the apartment, closing the door behind her. Had she read in his mind? Michael looked at her hand still on his chest. He took it and brought it to his mouth, kissing each of her fingers lightly. Maria's breath became heavy.

"You're here to talk, aren't you?" He said, a big grin spreading across his face.

"Yeah... I wanted to..." She said, trying to ignore the warm forming in her belly.

"Talk on." He said, taking one of her finger in his mouth and making circles around it with his tongue.

"Well, about everything that happened today..."

"The kiss?" He could feel her growing more and more hot and her face was a little blushed. He kissed his way up her arm.

"Yeah, the kiss and everything, I mean, what are we AH Michael!" She gasped as he reached her sensitive spot on her neck. From this moment, she forgot everything she came for.

He grabbed her and kissed her hard. She immediately responded. Their tongues tangled, fought with each other. He led her to the couch, never breaking the kiss. They laid down, him on top of her. His mouth finally released hers. She felt the lost but she moaned when she felt his breath on the skin of her neck. She shivered. His hands start unbuttoning her shirt, letting a wet and hot kiss for each button. She arched her back, needing, wanting, craving for more of his touch. He took off his own shirt and tossed it on the ground with hers. Then he looked at her. With his last bit of lucidity, he asked.

"Maria?"

No other words were needed. She ran her hands up his chest to his neck and pulled him into another kiss. He reached for her bra and unclasped it. Her breasts. Michael looked at them as if they were the most beautiful thing he had eve seen. He cupped them in his hands and squeezed her nipples with his forefingers and thumbs. She moaned and arched her back. He bent down and laid a soft kiss on her right nipple. She ran her hands in his hair, pulling him closer. He swirled his tongue around it, bitting it teasingly, then looked up at her.

"Please Michael, don't stop!" She pleaded.

He switched to the left nipple, repeating the same little game. Maria's hands made their way to Michael's hardness. She started rubbing it through his jeans. Michael gasped at her touch and then groaned. She rubbed him and squeezed him, making him even harder.

"Maria! Oh god Maria... You've gotta stop it." He said, his voice all husky with want. She released him and he pushed her back on the couch. He unbuttoned her jeans and slid them down her long legs. He looked at her panties and smiled. They evidently matched with her bra. "Only girls care about that!" He thought before being pulled in his big passionate mood. He took them off slowly, looking at her straight in the eyes, before diving in her.

He kissed her hot center and swirled his tongue round her clit. Maria squirmed and moaned. He started licking her, tasting her. Her scent made him all dizzy with passion. He let his tongue enter her, deep inside of her. Maria cried his name.

"Michael! Michael! Pleeease, I can't take it anymore!" She cried as she approached her climax. Michael quicken the rhythm of his moves and squeezed her clit with his fingers. Maria reached her top and her body started shaking as she cried his name even louder.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Michael's. He smiled at her and kissed her softly. She blushed, still shaken up by the strong orgasm she just had. Michael looked at her, caressing her body, waiting for her to catch her breath.

"I want you inside of me." Michael looked at her and saw that all her desire and want are back and even stronger.

"Are you sure?" He asked, not wanting her to regret anything later. She answered by kissing him passionately. She unbuttoned his jeans and they quickly got rid of them, boxers along with. She leaned back and took his erection in her hands. She led him to her wet enter. He slowly slid into her. When he hit her wall, he stopped, but she thrust him deeper. She let out a cry of pain. Michael kissed her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.

She nodded and opened her eyes. She smiled at him.

"I wanted you to be my first. I'm gonna be okay, I'm so happy."

He kissed her deeply and she started to move. Michael took his cue and began his in and out moves. As Maria started moaning, Michael went faster and faster and deeper into her. Maria felt like she reached the heaven. She moaned louder and louder. And then she screamed.

"Oh god! Michael! I'm gonna cum!"

Hearing that, Michael quicken even more the beat and the two of them reached their climax. Michael collapsed on top of her. He put a soft kiss on her lips and laid his head in her neck. She caressed his hair lovingly.

"Thank god you're there..." He said in her ear. She smiled.