Isabel looks at her, "Well do you think it could be someone from school?"

Maria sits down next to Michael and he wraps an arm around her. "I don't know, it could be."

Everyone is quiet not quiet knowing what to say. Even thought it's a school night they all decide to spend the night there, and just go home before their parents find out. They're not about to leave Maria alone.

They decide to try to get some sleep and Maria nods. "Whoever wants my room can take it, I don't want to sleep in there." She walks to her moms room, and Michael walks to her room. "Michael what are you doing?"

"I thought we were going to bed?" Michael says confused.

"If it's not to much to ask, would you mind sleeping in here with me? I don't want to be alone."

Michael nods his head. They go in her mom's room, she climbs up in the bed. Michael takes his shirt off and puts it on the floor to use as a pillow.

Maria sits up and looks at him. "What are you doing on the floor?"

"I didn't think you wanted me up there with you." He says.

"I do, I want you to hold me."

Michael is next to her in a heartbeat. He gathers her up in his arms. After a while of laying there in the dark he hears Maria sob.

"Michael why did this happen to me?"

Michael sighs, "I don't know Maria, some people are just sick." He lifts her chin to look at her "I'm sorry, if I had been here none of this would have happened."

Maria looks at him, "Michael this isn't your fault."

"I should have been here, if Hank hadn't been drunk I would have gotten here sooner, and whoever did this wouldn't have been here."

"Michael you can't what if something like this, it happened, and yes it's horrible, but it's not your fault."

Michael hugs her tighter. Maria finally drifts off to sleep around 4:00. But Michael stays up all night, protecting and watching her.

Around 6:00 the others come in, and say that they're leaving but the'll see them at school. All of them look like they didn't get any sleep. Liz looks at Maria "How is she?"

"Well she fell asleep around 4:00 so...I just don't know yet."

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It's been two weeks since Maria was attacked. Instead of the vibrant, outgoing person she used to be, Maria has digressed. She wears jeans, and sweats a lot. She wears old baggy shirts. And no make-up. Sometimes she goes days without showering, until her mother tells her that she needs to. Everyone is worried about her, but she won't talk about it. She goes to work, and school and that's it. Everytime someone mentions telling someone, Maria gets upset and mad. So they leave it alone.

Another week goes by, and it's Thursday. Liz is trying to talk Maria into going out this weekend but she says no as usual. Michael is going to come over, at 10:00 Friday and their going to watch videos.

That day at work Liz's dad tells her that he and her Mom are going to go to visit her Moms sister this weekend she lives a couple of towns over.

Max comes over to the diner on his dinner break. Liz goes over to him, and makes sure that her dad is in the back.

"Hey," She says.

"Hi what's up?" he asks.

"Well my Mom and dad are going to go visit my Aunt this weekend and I was wondering if you wanted to come over."

Max smiles at her. "Yeah I would like that."

"Good." She gives him a quick kiss and heads back to work.

Friday night comes and Liz's parents left way earlier and Liz is closing up with Maria, their working in silence somewhat. Maria looks at Liz. "If you want you can go get ready, I know your anxious about Max coming over tonight."

"No it's okay, I'll help you finish," Liz says.

Maria laughs for the first time in weeks "Look we both know you want to, so just go. All I have to do is wipe down the counters and sweep the floor, then I'll lock up and go home."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, now go."

Liz hugs her "Thanks Maria, your a great friend."

"I know."

Liz goes upstairs, and Maria starts sweeping. The bell on the door jingles and she looks up startled. Then she relaxes, it's just the cook Jose. "What are you doing here, did you forget something?"

Liz comes out of the shower and walks into her room. Thinking *Hmm the light must have burned out* She goes to flick the lightswitch to double check.

Jose grabs her from behind and covers her mouth with one hand. With the other he reaches down and fondles her through the towel.

He whispers in her ear his breath hot on her. "Mmm Liz, I think you'll do just fine. He then looks at Maria on the bed duct taped and naked once again.

"I think you'll both do fine, two pretty girls at once, hmm what's a guy to do."

Liz tries to scream but his hand prevents it.

"Shhhhhh.. that only excites me more, I like girls that struggle, don't I Maria?"

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Michael goes over to Maria's and Amy opens the door. "Oh Michael, Maria isn't home from work yet, but you can come in and wait.

"Thanks Ms. DeLuca, but I think I'll go and wait for her at the Crashdown."

Michael starts walking to the cafe. As he gets near the Crashdown, he sees Max outside the UFO center. He goes over to him. "Hey Max what's going on?"

Max kicks the car. "Damn car won't start. And I'm trying to get home before I see Liz, what about you?"

"Maria and I are watching videos, but her Mom said she's still at work, so I decided to come over."

Max looks over at the cafe. "Well I have to use the phone, so lets go over."

They walk over to the cafe and open the door. The broom is on the floor, and there is a sugar shaker, and some ketchup on the floor. Michael picks the sugar shaker and gets a vision. He sees Maria struggling, and the shaker getting knocked over in the process. He looks at Max. "Maria is in trouble, I don't know what happened but she was struggling with someone."

Max looks panicked. They call out for Liz and Maria but no answer. Max and Michael go outside to go to Liz's house upstairs. The climb the steps and the door is locked. Michael opens it no problem. Max calls Liz's name, but there is no answer.

In Liz's bedroom, Jose has both girls naked on the bed crying, he is biting Maria on the nipple while touching Liz hurtfully. He has all four fingers in her and Liz being a virgin, it hurts her. All of a sudden he hears someone calling Liz's name. He grabs Liz by the hair and pulls her up, he hisses in her ear "you tell whoever it is to go away, and you better not let on about anything, or I'll kill Maria, and you'll wish you were dead."

"Liz?" Max calls again. He walks to her bedroom door and tries the doorknob.

Jose pulls her hair and Liz speaks up "Max I don't feel good" she says "Can you please leave."

"Liz what's wrong?"

"Nothing! I just don't feel up to company."

Michael is at the door. "Liz where is Maria."

Jose pulls her hair again, "I don't know."

Jose whispers in her ear "Tell them to go away."

"Look I appreciate all your concern, but can you please leave."

Michael looks at Max and Max shakes his head, he mouths "something is going on." Then says outloud "Okay Liz, we'll see you later."

Max and Michael walk to the door and open it, then close it loudly. They go to her bedroom door and listen, after a minute they hear noises, it's quiet...too quiet.

Michael looks at Max "What's going on?" he whispers.

Max whispers back, "I don't know, but I have a feeling whoever attacked Maria is in there with both of them."

Rage flashes over Michaels face, and the same is on Max's face. Both boys look at each other. Then Max uses his powers to unlock the door.

They're really quiet as they slowly open the door.

Jose is so intent above Liz and on what he's about to do that he doesn't hear them.

Maria sees them. Michael shakes his head as if to say don't make any sudden movements.

Just as Jose is about to rape Liz, Max and Michael attack him. They charge him knocking him off Liz. They tumble to the ground. Max has lost it. He's punching Jose, Michael throws a couple punches to, and between the two of them not only is Jose knocked unconscious, he's lost a couple teeth and his nose is broken.

Once he's subdued, Max and Michael concentrate on the girls. They fix the light and look at them. Maria is covered in bruises from where Jose bit her, and Liz has them to. They take the duct tape off, and the girls' tears fall. They hold them for a while and then Max goes to call Isabel and Alex.

When Isabel gets there, they all agree that this time they have to tell. Isabel looks at Jose, who is coming around. Isabel glares at him, and then kicks him in the head knocking him out again. They call the sheriff, even though Liz is scared that Max and them will get in trouble somehow, but Max just hushes her.

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Epilogue

Three months later. The girls have healed physically, but there will always be emotional scars. Jose got sentenced to 10 years in jail.

Michael and Maria are still together taking things really slow.