*This is not good,* Maria thought. *I can't believe I let this happen to me. I don't know what I'm going to do. This can't really be happening. I can't become a statistic.*

*This is horrible,* Liz thought. *Poor Maria. She won't be able to handle this. Maria can be strong, but this is too hard for a person to handle alone. I can't believe this. I never thought Maria would become a statistic.*

Liz noticed the look of worry on Max's face.

"You're what?" Isabel shrieked. She was unable to hide her anger. "Who's the father?"

The realization of who the father was finally hit Isabel full force. Isabel walked over to Michael and slapped him across the face. He didn't even flinch.

"How could you have sex with her?" Isabel cried. "We're not supposed to get attached. You don't know what this thing..."

"It's a child," Liz interrupted. She was angry because of the way Isabel was handling the situation.

"Child," Isabel continued, "will do to Maria. This child is half of whatever you are Michael. My God!"

"Isabel, stop." Max yelled. He couldn't handle Isabel freaking out.

"Stop!" Isabel yelled. "Damn all of you! If Maria and Michael weren't so horny..."

"We're not horny," Michael interrupted quietly. He was in a fog. He couldn't believe what was happening. "What we did was more than physical desire."

"Oh, is Michael Guerin getting deep?" Isabel said sarcastically. "Maria probably just used you for sex. She couldn't get it from any normal guy. No, she had to get it from you!"

"Don't make me seem like a slut," Maria cried. A few tears slid down her face. She suddenly felt a wave of nausea hit her full force. She stumbled a bit, but before she knew it Max was on one side of her and Michael was on the other.

Isabel suddenly felt horrible about what she had said. She walked over to the couch and sat down. She looked straight at Maria.

"I'm sorry," Isabel said. "I just didn't know what to do."

Maria looked at Isabel and she knew that what the girl had just said was true. Maria noticed she still had Michael and Max on her side. She tried to shake them off of her.

"Come on," Max said. "You should sit."

"Yeah, Max is right." Michael said.

They headed Maria toward the couch and they sat her down. Liz came over and sat next to her. Liz grabbed Maria's hand.

"It'll be okay Maria," Liz said. "You know I'll be here for you, always. You're like a sister to me."

"Thanks," Maria said.

Maria was about to lean in and hug Liz when the wave of nausea became even worse. She stood up from the couch and ran to the bathroom. They all watched as she ran off.

"I wonder what's wrong," Alex said.

"Probably morning sickness," Liz said.

"It's not even morning," Michael said.

"Men," Isabel sighed. "They just don't get it."

Isabel started to lighten up and not be as mean. Michael looked nervous and disturbed. His eyes darted from the bathroom, to the floor, and then back again. Max sat calmly next to Liz, while Alex twiddled his thumbs.

*She's been in there forever,* Michael thought. *What is she doing in there? She can't possibly barf that much, can she?*

"Go and check on her, Michael." Max finally said.

Michael walked toward the bathroom and knocked on the door. He could hear small sobs coming from inside the bathroom.

"Who is it?" Maria said in a quiet voice from inside the bathroom.

"Michael. Are you alright? Can I come in?" he asked.

"Yeah," Maria said.

After a few seconds the bathroom door opened and revealed Maria on the other side. Her eye make up was smudged from crying. Maria motioned for Michael to come inside and he did. She closed the door behind him and locked it. She turned around and saw him seated on the edge of her white bathtub. She walked over to him and sat down next to him. She couldn't seem to make herself look him in the eyes.

"Maria, I'm so sorry." Michael said.

This struck her heart. She hadn't expected him to say that. She found it truly touching. She turned her eyes up toward his and caught his gaze.

"Michael, you don't have to be sorry." Maria said as she slid her hand up to his cheek.

"But, you wouldn't be pregnant if I was more careful."

"You were careful. I was even on birth control because my Mom made me take it. She said that it was for the best that I take it because I wouldn't discuss my sex life with her. She wanted me to be safe."

"Well, I guess we know that alien sperm can out beat birth control pills." Michael said with a smirk.

"Yeah," Maria sighed. Michael noticed she seemed to be distracted by her own thoughts.

"What are you thinking?" Michael asked.

"How am I supposed to tell my Mom? She is going to be very upset with me. She is going to want to disown me. I don't think I can handle this."

More tears started to roll down her face. Michael pulled her into a hug. She grabbed onto his shirt for dear life.

"Don't leave me Michael. I don't want to be alone. My Mom is out of town for a few days, and I don't want to be alone."

"I won't leave you Maria," Michael said. "I may be a jerk sometimes, but I now know I can't deny my feelings for you. Everything will be okay, I promise you that. I'm going to go and tell the others they can go home, alright?"

Maria shook her head okay and reluctantly let go of Michael's shirt. He walked out to the group. When Michael reached the group out in the living room, all eyes looked up at him. Isabel was seated on the couch next to Alex, while Max and Liz stood by the couch. "Maria wants to be alone," Michael said. "Oh, and you're going home right?" Isabel said harshly as she stood up off of the couch. "No," Michael said. "She needs me." "Whatever," Isabel said. She started to walk to the front door. "Can I say bye to her?" Liz asked as she walked over to Michael. Michael shrugged. Liz walked by him and over to the bathroom. She opened the door ever so slightly and peered in. *Oh God,* Liz thought. *Maria is so upset. She's never upset. She is always upbeat, and wacky. Never letting anything get her down. I don't know what to do, other than feed her. This is horrible.*

Liz opened the door the rest of the way and walked inside. She saw that Maria was seated on the edge of the white bathtub. She walked over to her and sat down next to her. "Hey," Liz said. Maria looked up and wiped her mouth on some tissue. "Hey," Maria said quietly. "I have to go, but I wanted to say bye." Liz said. Maria started to cry again. "I know," Maria said. Liz pulled Maria close in a hug. She let her hand paint invisible circles on her back. She couldn't even start to comprehend all the emotions Maria was feeling. "Don't worry," Liz said. "You can keep the baby and I can be Aunt Liz. Or you won't keep the baby and we'll deal with that. Whatever happens and you do, I'll support you. You're not alone Maria. You have all of us. It will be okay. I know it will." "I don't know what to do," Maria sobbed. "It's okay. You have time to decide," Liz said. "You could have an abortion.."

"No," Maria interrupted. "I am not going to do that." "Alright," Liz said. "I know you will do what you feel is right." "Yeah," Maria said. "I have to go," Liz said. "Will you be alright?" "I guess," Maria said. "Can I get any worse?" A small smile formed on Maria's lips and Liz was pleased to see it there. "Okay, bye." Liz said. "Bye," Maria said. Liz walked out of the bathroom and back into the living room. No one was left in the living room, except for Michael. She walked over to him and stared him dead in the eyes. "You better be good to her," Liz warned. "You better not make her upset or anything. Do you hear me? If you do anything to make her upset, my God, Michael, I will hate you forever! You have not seen me get mad, and it's not a pretty site. You better not give her crap." "I won't," Michael said. "You better not," Liz said. She then walked out the front door.

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Maria walked out of the bathroom. She saw Michael in the living room. She walked up to him and smiled a wary smile. He put his arms around her and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. She never wanted to leave his arms. She felt safe, secure and loved inside his arms. "Come on," Michael said. "Let's get you some food." "I don't want food," Maria whined. "I don't need it. I feel sick." "I'm sorry, Maria. I don't know what else to do." "Neither do I!" She couldn't cry anymore, because her eyes had run dry. She couldn't believe she was in such a situation. She never imagined her life would turn out like this. She didn't regret what they had done, and she didn't feel hatred toward the baby she carried, she just felt overwhelmed and sad. "Don't worry Maria, whatever happens, I'll be by your side." She nodded her head. "Yeah, you better spaceboy." "Since you don't want to eat, do you want to watch some television?" "I guess, Dawson's Creek is coming on soon." "I hate that show, it's too girlie." "Please." "Okay." Michael grumbled as they walked over to her couch in the living room and turned the television set on. They watched as Joey and Dawson did their usual thing. As Andie was weird as usual. A baby diaper commercial came on and that struck Maria. She started to cry and Michael pulled her into his arms and kissed her head. After they watched Dawson's Creek, they fell asleep in each other's arms. Maria woke up a few hours later and noticed she was alone. She didn't have anytime to question where Michael was because she had to get to the bathroom. Once she was inside of the bathroom she threw up. When she was finished, she sat down on the cold tile in the bathroom. *I can't believe Michael left me,* Maria thought. *I wonder where he is? I can't believe this is happening to me.* Michael walked into the bathroom, and found Maria on the floor. "What are you doing down there?" Michael asked. "I don't know," Maria said. "Where were you? I was wondering where you were. I must be getting paranoid because, I don't know. I just have this weird feeling." Michael laughed and showed his rare smile. "I bet you do," Michael joked. "Especially with baby Michael growing inside of you." Maria smiled. "How do you know it's a boy?" Maria asked. "I mean, alien boy. It could be a girl, or shall I say alien girl. And even if it was a boy, what makes you think we'd name him Michael?" "Why wouldn't you want to name him Michael?" Maria stood up off of the floor and the depressed look she had earlier returned to her face. A few stray tears slid down her face. "I can't believe this is happening. Why? I can't believe I let this happen." "Don't cry," Michael said as he walked toward her. He slid his hand onto her cheek. "I can't help it. I feel like I'm never going to stop crying. Every time I think, I want to cry," Maria sobbed quietly. Michael pulled her close into a hug. He slid his hands through her hair. "You better get some sleep," Michael mumbled into her hair. "Yeah, I guess. Will you come and sleep with me?" Maria asked as she pulled away. "Are you sure that's such a good idea because you're pregnant?" "Not that. Men, I swear. I mean, sleep in the bed with me. Totally platonic." "Sure." She walked past him and motioned for him to follow, which he did. They walked inside her room, where they had made love just a few weeks earlier. They got in the double bed and Michael wrapped his arms around Maria. They fell asleep in each others arms. The next morning Maria awoke and turned over to look at Michael, but he was nowhere to be found. She got up out of bed and looked through the whole house for him. He was nowhere in sight. Maria was angry, but she was also very scared. She wondered how he could just leave. He had disappeared during the night.

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