"What are you doing?" Michael finally said. His voice was stressed and slightly annoyed.

Maria didn't like to hear Michael sound so harsh, but the fact that someone was talking made her feel better. "Nothing, I'm just..." Maria started to say, but she figured that Michael might get more annoyed with her. She put the collar back into the glove compartment. "Nothing" she finally said after a few seconds.

"So what's the deal?" Maria asked only moments later.

"Deal?" Michael repeated.

"Yeah, I mean you drag me out of bed just after midnight, tell me to get dressed, pack some stuff, and get in the car without any explanation." Maria explained.

"The deal is that I need a break." Michael answered in a monotone voice.

"Break? Break from what?" she asked.

"I need a break from everything. I'm so sick of everything back in Roswell, and since it's a school break, and I don't have to answer to Hank I figured I'd take off. Plus your Mom is away, so why the heck not?" Michael said.

"Yeah, but you know you could have said something before you had me get my stuff and get in the car. People are going to be wondering where we are. Liz.... I know Liz will realize I'm not home," Maria said her voiced sounding strained.

"God, will you shut up? No wonder your dad left." Michael said in harsh voice. He looked over at Maria. Her eyes were filled with tears. Crap I said the D word. Michael thought. He instantly regretted saying what just slipped out of his mouth.

"Maria I-" Michael began to say.

"What the hell did I do?" Maria said almost shouting.

"What?" Michael said almost taken back.

"I mean what did I do? For as long as you've known me you've had this grudge for me. I mean there are times where I wouldn't do anything and you'd like punish me. I mean sure you had your moments, but mostly you would just be all nice for when you wanted to make out, but then five seconds later when we're talking you say some nasty comment, or what not. So, now I'm asking what did I do? Why is it that you hate me so much?" Maria blurted out her voice was trembling with the tears.

"I'm really sorry Maria. I didn't mean to say what I said about your father. I was just frustrated. For no real reason. I don't mean to act the way I do. It's just my personality." Michael said in a half attempt to explain.

"Pull over" Maria said solemnly.

"What?" Michael asked.

"You heard me. Pull over into that store. I need to get out of this car now." Maria answered.

Michael unwillingly pulled over into the parking lot of the Mini Market. Maria and Michael both climbed out of the car. They both headed into the store. Michael decided to take this opportunity to buy of couple of cans of soda and something for the two of them to eat. He had a fairly decent amount of money that he'd been saving. He went over to the fridge area and grabbed to cans of Mountain Dew, and then went up to the front and ordered two bagels. One with cream cheese for himself and the other he ordered with cream cheese and olives. He knew that maybe it'd make Maria feel better since she always liked cream cheese and olive sandwiches.

Maria walked out of the bathroom and headed towards the exit of the store. She decided to call Liz and tell her that she wasn't going to be home and that she didn't have to worry. She walked over to the phone and picked up the phone. Just as she started to dial she felt a hard impact to the back. She was slammed roughly into the pay phone. She turned around slowly in pain. A large man wearing a ski mask stood in front of her.

"Give me all of your money" the man ordered fiercely. "I.... I don't have any with me" Maria stammered.

The man asked no more questions. He grabbed the back of her neck and forced her to bend over while he kneed her in the gut. Maria moaned in pain. He dragged her easily behind the store. He then pushed her to the ground and immediately turned her so she was lying on her back and he sat down on her stomach.

Maria struggled underneath the large man, but it was practically pointless. He was far too heavy. The man roughly grabbed her by the chin.

"If you scream you'll be dead faster then you can count your prayers" he told her. He the took the knife and cut along her cheek. Maria winced in pain.

Michael smiled at the man as he put the can of sodas on the counter along with a Hershey bar he grabbed. The man gave him his total and Michael paid the man as he grabbed his stuff in a bag. He headed out to Jetta he saw that Maria wasn't there. He looked over at the pay phone and didn't see her there either.

"Maria" he shouted in attempt to get her attention.

No answer.... Michael tossed the stuff in the driver's seat of the car and started to search around the outside of the Mini Mart. As he made his way over to wear the pay phone was heard noises. He quietly moved along side of the wall to the corner right where the back of the Mini Mart was. He peered around the corner to see a large dark figure on the ground on top of another. He started to back away thinking he walked in on a couple of people having a good time when he realized that the girl underneath the figure was Maria. Her tank top and jeans were off and lying about a foot away. Maria was shaking badly under the man and whimpering as started to remove her bra. Michael had seen enough.

"Hey!" Michael shouted as he stepped out from the corner of the building. The Man looked over at Michael. He whipped out his knife and stabbed Maria in the stomach, and immediately ran off. Maria groaned in pained as she lay there on the ground completely disoriented. Michael ran over to her immediately and placed his hand on top of her bare stomach. He concentrated as hard as possible to make the connection afraid for the both of them that he wouldn't be able to.

To his surprise only moments later he was in. Dozens of images flashed through his brain. One from the time her father left. One of their first kiss when he tried to calm her down. Another from their make out session at the Crashdown, another from when he broke of their relationship, another from when she comforted him in the dark, another of her alone crying after another one of their arguments. Most of the images were of them and a lot of them were her pain. He not only saw those images, but he could feel all of her pain as well. It was overwhelming. As soon as he felt her stomach heal he broke the connection.

Michael looked down at Maria his eyes filled with tears. Maria pushed herself away as grabbed her tank top and pants and put them back on. Michael was still in a state of shock over what had just happened.

"Maria" he said as he moved over and he put his hand on her shoulder. Quickly she jerked away. Her entire body was trembling like a rabbit. Her face was covered with tears and blood from the open gash. Michael used the same hand and placed it on her cheek where the gash was. Maria repeatedly jerked away, although this time she winced in pain from the pressure on her wound.

"Maria please let me heal this" Michael said as he once again placed his hand on her cheek. Maria's entire body stiffened as he placed his hand on the wound on her cheek. Her throat let out a low whimper that was a completely new sound from Maria that Michael hadn't expected to hear.

A flash of similar images went through Michael's mind as he made the connection. He broke away faster this time, since the wound was less severe. Maria instantly stood up and walked away when he pulled his hands away. Michael was afraid to push her so he followed her as they both climbed back into the car.

They drove along the road in silence. Michael had tried to get her to eat, but she refused. He had lost his appetite as well. He glanced over at her Maria every once in a while. She didn't look at all like Maria. Her face was pale and tear stained, her entire body was trembling still, and all she did was stare blankly out onto the road ahead of them. She looked incredibly cold.

Michael pulled over to the side of the road. There were no cars since they were driving on a backroad. "You're cold.... Here" Michael said as he removed his sweater. Maria quickly unbuckled her seat belt and start to claw for the door handle. Immediately she had opened the door and started to fly out.

"Maria!" Michael shouted as he raced out of the car bareback. She quickly ran through the open field. It didn't take long for Michael to catch her. He grabbed a hold of her bruised shoulders careful not to hurt her. Maria struggled desperately free herself as he pulled her down to the ground holding her in his arms. For the first time since she the Mini Mart she spoke. Her voice was muffled with tears.

"Please.... Don't hurt me" Maria begged.

Michael was taken back by those words. He felt as though he had just been sucker punched.

"What?" Michael asked his voice sounded completely shocked.

"Please don't...." Maria said as she struggled.

"Maria I wasn't.... I mean I'm not trying to hurt you" Michael said his voice weighing heavily down upon him. "I mean I would never. I thought you looked cold so I wanted to give you my sweater. I wasn't planing on doing anything to you," Michael explained as his voice started to choke up with tears.

He immediately let go of her shoulders. The both sat there not say anything at all.

Her head was down, and she was still trembling and crying.

"Are you okay?" Michael softly. He kept lowering his head trying to see her eyes.

Maria could talk quite yet. She just nodded keeping her face hidden. Michael immediately pulled her in gently for a bear hug. Maria resisted slightly at first, but then just allowed her to be held. She started to cry harder. Michael then pulled his shoulders back, and lifted up her head, cupping her chin in his hands. He gently began to kiss Maria. She kissed him back her lips still trembling from everything that had happened.