That was the first thing Liz noticed after she woke up. She wiggled out of Max’s arms and headed straight for the roof.

She found Maria sitting in her chair, watching the sun rise.

“Maria?”

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” the small blonde said without turning around. “You know, I never get up this early. I haven’t seen the sun rise in the longest time. What time is it anyway?”

“Um… about six I think.” Liz said as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “Did you sleep at all last night, Maria?”

“Maybe an hour. Michael and I pretty much stared at each other or the ceiling all night. I just, um, I couldn’t sleep, you know.” She picked at her nails.

“Maria--”

“Yeah. So we’ve been sitting out here for a while now. I just asked him to go get me a glass of milk or something. I needed a couple minutes by myself.”

“Oh… Do you want me to go?”

Maria turned to face Liz. “No. You can stay.” Liz couldn’t help noticing the dark circles beneath her friend’s eyes. Maria turned back to the horizon. “I can see why you come up here to write. It’s a good place to be alone with your thoughts. It’s just so pretty.”

Liz sat down beside her. “Maria, are you going to be all right?”

She said nothing. She folded her knees up to her chest and rocked a little. Liz put her hand on her shoulder.

“I want to kill him, Liz.” She was completely expressionless.

“What?”

“We had her for ten days. I told Michael two Sundays ago. We were just getting used to her. And he took her away.” She said flatly. “I forgot about it this morning. I forgot she was gone.” She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Michael put his arms around me. He put his hand on my stomach and I realized that she wasn’t there. I couldn’t feel her and it was like losing her all over again.”

Liz put an arm around her shoulder.

“Michael has sworn that he’ll kill him. This morning, I almost asked him to do it.”

“You really want that?”

“Yes.” She shook her head. “No. I don’t know. I can’t ask Michael to do that after what happened with Pierce. And I’ve wondered if I could do it, but I honestly think that I wouldn’t have the guts. I don’t know. But I hate him.”

Liz sighed.

“So what does it mean? He killed my baby and he damn near killed me and nothing happens to him. My baby is dead. My mother doesn’t even know that she existed. My friends are hurting. And Michael is completely torn up. He’s angry and upset and it’s almost like he feels guilty about this. He has no reason to feel that way.” Maria stared at the horizon. Her face was unreadable.

“But how do you feel, Maria?”

She inhaled sharply, as if Liz’s question had hurt her physically.

“Maybe I wish that it had been too late for me too.”

***

“Michael?” Max asked. He walked down the stairs and saw his best friend in the kitchen of the Crashdown.

“Good morning, Maxwell.” Michael said as he got a glass out of the sink.

“What are you doing?”

“Couldn’t sleep. Maria and I have been up for a while and she wanted me to get her a glass of milk.” He took a gallon of milk out of the refrigerator and put it back again. “But, uh, two days ago she said that she couldn’t drink milk in the mornings because it made her stomach hurt.” He went to the cupboard and took out some tea bags. “I think I’ll just make some tea or something. She likes tea. Maybe I can put some milk in the tea. Maybe that would be okay.” He looked at Max. “Did you sleep?”

“A little,” He yawned. “How are you both?”

Michael filled the teapot with water. “It was a long night.” He sighed.

“Yeah, I know.”

“It keeps playing over and over in my head. She was fine in the morning at work. Then she tells me that she wants to be by herself for the night and I let her go. Next time I see her, she’s half dead and the baby is gone.” He picked up the sugar. “She told me two Sundays ago. It’s only been ten days.” He shook his head. “And I trusted him.”

“Everyone trusted him, Michael.”

“Yeah, but I thought that he was my family.” He got out a cup and placed the tea bag in it. “He killed my little girl and he tried to kill Maria. I was supposed to protect both of them. I’ll fix it, though. I promised her.”

Max sighed. “What are you going to do?”

Michael poured hot water into the teacup. He looked Max squarely in the eyes.

“I want to kill him.”

***

“We can’t all stay here. “Liz said. “The Crashdown opens in an hour or so.”

Everyone was awake and gathered in the little room. Isabel, Max, Liz, and Alex stood around the bed where Michael and Maria were sitting.

“So what do you suggest we do? And what if he tries something again? I think it’s better if we all stay together,” Isabel said.

“Yeah,” Alex said. “But I see what Liz is saying. Six kids living in the back room of a restaurant would be a little suspicious. We’ve gotta go somewhere else.”

“Where? I’m not going home. I’m not leaving any of you,” Isabel said.

“But what about our parents?” Max said.

“Okay…” Liz said. “Max, you and I can go in to work today and clear our schedules. I’ll cover for Michael and Maria. I’ll say that they’re both sick or something. We can all make up some excuse for staying together for a while. Alex and Isabel, you can both go with Michael and Maria. We’ll all meet up later.”

“Where?” Isabel asked.

“What about Michael’s--” Alex started.

“No,” Michael said. Images of Maria’s bloodied figure flashed before his eyes. “I don’t want to go back there. She doesn’t need to be there.” Michael said.

“And Maria’s house?”

Maria remembered Nacedo dragging her through the door. She squeezed Michael’s hand. “It’s okay,” She said. “We can stay there.”

“But--” Michael started.

“It’s okay. I want to go home.” She turned to the others in the room. “But we don’t need you guys to baby-sit us.”

“I’m not leaving you two, Maria,” Liz said.

“She’s not saying that,” Michael said. “But you guys should try to act normal. We’ll be all right.”

“Michael--” Isabel started.

“They’re right,” Max said. “They need a little time to themselves. But we’re not letting you two alone.” He said to Michael and Maria.

“Yeah, someone needs to stay with you, at least at night.” Alex said.

“We don’t need protection--” Michael said.

Maria touched his hand. “They’re just worried about us. Humor them. Someone can stay in the spare room.”

Michael sighed. “Fine. Who?”

Maria heard the doorknob turn. Michael was the first to see her walk in the room.

“I’ll do it,” Tess said. “I’ll stay with you.”

Max, Liz, Isabel, Alex, and Maria held Michael back as he flung himself at Tess.

“Damn you! Bitch!” Michael writhed in Max’s arms. “Let me go!”

“I’m sorry!” Tess shrieked.

Michael lunged at her again. “Stay the hell away from us!”

“Michael!” Maria screamed. “Stop!”

“I will break your damn neck,” He growled at Tess.

“Michael, please! Maria would be dead if not for her!” Alex yelled.

Michael twisted around in Max’s grasp and faced Maria. “What?” He said.

“Alex is right,” Maria said. “You said she told you that I was in trouble, so you could save me. She’s betraying her father for us. I think that says something.”

Tess cringed at the word ‘father’. Michael tried to shake out from under Max’s grasp.

“She’s been setting us up the whole time! Why should we trust her now?” Michael asked.

“I’m not saying that we should trust her. You know, she’s not exactly the light of my life. But… part of me wants to rip her hair out and the other part of me says that her motives are pure. Something tells me that she really is sorry. I think she’s being honest.”

Maria touched Max’s arm. He let go of Michael.

“So what are you saying?” Michael asked.

“She was partly responsible for saving my life. We might not trust her, but we should remember that.”

Michael glared at Tess. “I don’t like this.”

“I’ll make it up to you. I promise.” She said. She looked at Michael and Maria pleadingly.

“I don’t like it either,” Max said. “I don’t want her around you guys. We can all stay. We can just take turns or something.”

“Max--” Tess began.

“You keep your mouth closed.” Michael said. He turned to Max.

Tess looked away. “I’m not going to leave this alone.” She said under her breath.

The others ignored her.

“Come on,” Liz said. “My dad should be opening up this place soon. Let’s all just go.” Liz hugged Maria. “I am coming over tonight. Don’t even try to stop me.”