~~~~~~~

“Sorry, I just wanted some water,” Maria pouted. He could be so impossible, why was he so cruel. She loved him but sometimes even she couldn’t remember why. He was so sexy, though, and there was something about him she couldn’t turn down. It was like he was a drug and she was addicted, addicted to his taste, his touch, his smell, even his presence. But the addiction was bittersweet.

~~~~~~~

“I just don’t want to be blamed for another screwed up plan. We are supposed to watch the apartment and this orb thing and that’s just what we are going to do,” he demanded. “Five minutes, I’m timing you. Go to the bathroom while you’re at it.”

She could be so impossible, but so irresistible. He had to let her out of the room before he did something he regretted. He supposed it would be best to let her out of her life but that was not possible, so sending her away for a few minutes was the only thing to do was to send her out of the room for as long as he could. She was a temptation, a sweet temptation, but a bad one, too. He lost himself in her every time they kissed or touched and forgot everything that mattered when they were together, everything except her.

He could hear her rustling around in the kitchen now. He walked to the coffee table, cluttered with food cartons and dirty dishes, and fished out the stereo remote. He hit the play button and music filled the room. He hoped he could use the music as a focal point instead of the tiny girl who drove him so wild. He put down the remote and picked up the orb, waiting for Maria to return.

~~~~~~~

Maria was glad he had let her go, even if it was only for five minutes. She couldn’t stand being in the same room with him right now. She wished it was Max and Liz’s turn to be guard dogs soon but she and Michael had just relieved Alex and Isabel a half an hour ago, they had at least another two hours.

Maria didn’t understand why they had broken up the shifts as they had. She wouldn’t have minded getting to know Isabel or Max better. Plus, Max and Liz would probably be making out the whole time or whatever, which is probably what they expected her and Michael to be doing. They probably would have been if Michael weren’t so addamit on actually doing something right for once. She admired him trying and thought it was cute.

She had already gone to the bathroom and was now looking for something to drink since she wasn’t sure if she could trust the tap water, then she heard the stereo start. “Time’s up,” she heard Michael call a few seconds later. Maria didn’t even bother to answer. She quickly poured a glass of orange juice for herself and walked back into the living room sulking.

~~~~~~~

Michael looked up as Maria walked back in the room. Her tiny tank top showed off her cream white shoulders perfectly and clung to the curves on her body making her look like a masterpiece. She was beautiful, he wanted her so bad he could take her right now, but it was impossible, it could never happen. Right? Definitely, it was impossible.

She sat back on the couch without uttering a word, a pout on her face. Clearly she was unhappy with him and this whole situation. He started to leave to get himself a drink when he heard her snap, “Now where are you going?”

He turned around and looked her in the eyes, “Well since you didn’t have the decency to get me a drink too I was going to get myself a glass of OJ too.”

“Oh,” she said, sounding defeated. Why was he so cruel to her? He hated having her mad at him ‘cause she could hold a grudge for about a year. ‘Whatever,’ he thought to himself. ‘I don’t need her, I’ve got Max and Isabel and myself.’ But deep in his heart he knew that it wasn’t true. He knew he needed her more than anything in the world and nothing could change that. Maria kept him in touch with the human side he never thought he had.

“Dammit,” he said aloud. He just couldn’t handle it anymore. Being an alien in a normal world was just too hard, too damn hard.

~~~~~~~

My god he was gorgeous. She just wanted to jump him the minute she had walked into the room and she was glad he had left. She listened to the music coming from the stereo and hummed along. That would keep her mind away, music always helped her escape and she hoped it worked this time, god she hoped it worked.

He was coming back, she could hear his footsteps, she knew their sound like she knew the sound of her own breathe. He came and sat at the opposite end of the couch and stared at the wall across the room. Maria kept humming, trying to keep her mind off how close they were.

Maria had to fight to hold back tears. The song was so beautiful and Maria started to sing along.

I can't fight this feeling any longer
And yet I'm still afraid to let it flow
What started out as friendship has grown stronger
I only wish I had the strength to let it show

~~~~~~~

It was just too perfect, the song was exactly what he had been thinking about the entire night in two minutes. He couldn’t let the chance pass. Michael had to apologize or else he would never feel right, never feel whole. Although apologizing was not something he was good at. He figured he’d ask her to dance with him. It was romantic, spontaneous, everything she always wanted him to be but he couldn’t, now was his chance.

Michael moved closer to her and then kneeled down so his eyes were level with hers. “Maria,” he said as she turned her head away from him. “Maria, look at me, please. I’m sorry about before, I just actually wanted to do something right for once. Please understand. She turned toward him with tears in her eyes. Michael took her hand and stood up. “Dance with me,” he whispered, “Dance with me now, and forever.” Once again he had given in to temptation.

~~~~~~~

What could she do other than comply with an offer like that? It was the sweetest thing anyone had every said or done for her in her entire life and it was coming from the rudest and most unromantic boy imaginable. ‘Just goes to show, people are full of surprises,’ she thought to herself.

I tell myself that I can't hold out forever
I said there is no reason for my fear
'Cause I feel so secure when we're together
You give my life direction
You make everything so clear

And even as I wander
I'm keeping you in sight
You're a candle in the window
On a cold, dark winter's night
And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might

Maria rose off the couch and snuggled into Michael’s chest. Rocking back and forth to the music Maria forgot why she had been mad at Michael, he had drugged her once again. She felt powerless, hypnotized. “Michael, you know that you are free to live your life, I don’t want to get in the way.”

~~~~~~~

“I know,” Michael replied, not saying what he really felt. Why was it so hard to tell her? He knew he couldn’t live without her, but the question was, could he live with her? He wasn’t sure if he was ready to settle down, he still had hopes of finding his home, although he didn’t want to be there if she wasn’t. Why couldn’t he tell her that where ever he ended up it couldn’t be somewhere she wasn’t, if they were apart too long his heart felt empty.

“Maria,” he whispered.

“Yes,” she answered, her breathe more beautiful than a song itself.

“Maria, it doesn’t have to be that way. I need you. I want you in my life.” There he had said it, she could take it or leave it.

And I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
It's time to bring this ship into the shore
And throw away the oars, forever

'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
And if I have to crawl upon the floor
Come crashing through your door
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore

“I need you too Michael, but what about your home?” She looked as if he had just broken her heart. “You can’t expect to tell me that and then leave.”

“I’m not leaving, Maria. I’ll be here for a long time. I just needed to tell you that now, before you left me.”

~~~~~~~~

And with those words Maria believed Michael would be there, through thick and thin. He always had been before and he always would be, even if he left the planet. “I won’t leave you, you know that.”

Maria looked up and leaned in, sealing their words with a kiss. His mouth was warm and tasted like Michael through and through. She melted into him and collapsed against his body. She felt his strong arms encircle her body and his hands grip her back. He lifted up her tank top the slightest bit and used his forefinger to draw circle on her back. His touch was feather soft and it brought her even deeper into him.

My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you
I've been running round in circles in my mind
And it always seems that I'm following you, girl
'Cause you take me to the places that alone I'd never find

“Michael, thank you. Thank you for making promises you probably can’t keep, thank you for being mine for this moment, and thank you for needing me. Ever since I met you I knew all I wanted was you, now that I have you I won’t let you go. Not until I have to.”

“Shhh,” Michael whispered. “Not now. Right now is ours. Tomorrow we’ll worry about reality.

~~~~~~~

For right now he was her drug and she his sweet, sweet temptation. Tomorrow was another story altogether and the two of them fell back on the couch, showering each other in kisses as the song ended.

And even as I wander I'm keeping you in sight
You're a candle in the window on a cold, dark winter's night
And I'm getting closer than I ever though I might

And I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
It's time to bring this ship into the shore
And throw away the oars, forever