The audience cheered and applauded, and Maria and the other band members took a final bow before heading off the stage. “Well, I think we’re doing awesome so far,” Alex said, giving Maria a hug.

“I would have to say I totally agree,” Maria said as she returned the hug. “Now you, go find Isabelle and remind the girl that she’s supposed to have fun at this thing. I swear I don’t think she’s moved from that chair except to dance with Max a few times.”

Alex grinned. “Well, when you put it like that, guess I better go do some rescuing. You go have some fun, too, okay?”

His expression turned serious a moment and Maria had to fight to keep the smile on her face. “Okay, I promise. And we’ll all be back up there soon, okay?” Alex nodded and headed off. “Remember,” he called over his shoulder. “Go have some fun!”

Maria nodded, but the second Alex was out of sight, her smile disappeared and her shoulders slumped wearily. Fun, yeah right. At least while she was on the stage she had a good time, she could forget, but down here that was nearly impossible. *Ok, first order of business, hit the girls’ room,* she thought to herself, glancing at the clock on the wall of the gym. *And then figure out how to kill the rest of that half hour.*

Ten minutes later Maria walked back into the gym, deciding she really couldn’t spend any longer than that in the girls’ room. She looked around and saw Max and Liz dancing together. The fact that the song was a pretty fast one seemed to mean nothing to the two as they danced very slowly and close together. She smiled to herself and shook her head before looking around for Alex and Isabelle.

She had just spotted them sitting together and talking in one of the corners of the gym when she felt a familiar presence behind her. She froze. She knew that presence. She forced herself to slowly turn around, repeatedly telling herself not to be disappointed, she was probably wrong.

But she wasn’t.

There, standing behind her in jeans, a white t-shirt, and a sports jacket he had probably borrowed from Max at some point, was Michael. “Hey,” he said softly.

“Hi,” she practically whispered.

“You look great,” he told her, never taking his eyes off of her face.

“Thanks. You don’t look so bad yourself,” she teased gently.

Just then the song coming from the speakers changed to Tal Bachman’s “(You love) Like Nobody Loves Me,” and Michael held his hand out to Maria. “Dance?” She nodded and took his hand, following him wordlessly out onto the dance floor.

“I’m a difficult man
I admit I’m not easy
At the drop of a tear
I can turn right away.
And all the heartaches I’ve seen
One after another
Can make a man mean enough
To feel afraid.”

Michael pulled her into his arms and held her close, his arms wrapped tightly around her back.

“And nobody cares, no one really knows me
And nobody shares the other side of me
But you love like nobody loves me.

I was there all the time
Even I couldn’t find me
So how did you see, what made you believe?”

Maria sighed and nestled her head against Michael’s shoulder with a contented sigh. She desperately wanted to know where he had been all this time, but she wasn’t about to ruin the moment. She knew he’d tell her when he was ready.

And nobody cares, no one really knows me
And nobody shares the other side of me
But you love like nobody loves me.”

Michael held her tighter, breathing in the sweet scent of Cypress oil that always seemed to surround Maria, mixed with something else that was entirely her scent alone. God, he had missed her so much. He wished he could make this moment stop and last forever, where they were happy and not hurting each other, but he knew he couldn’t, and he took a deep breath, bracing himself against what he had to tell her.

You delivered my heart
One beat at a time after time after time…

And nobody cares, no one really knows me
And nobody shares the other side of me
But you love like nobody loves me

So how did you see, what made you believe?”

He blinked his eyes rapidly against the tears he could feel building in them. No, he was not going to cry over some stupid song, no matter how much it reminded him of him and Maria. He was not going to cry period. Right now he needed to be strong, firm and unwavering in what he was going to do. He took another deep breath. Even if it hurt like hell.

“I’m leaving,” Michael murmured abruptly into Maria’s hair. She pulled back and looked into his eyes. “You’re what?” she asked, praying she had misheard him.

“I’m leaving Roswell,” he told her softly. “This week I started thinking about how much of a burden I am on everyone here, especially the Evanses, and I decided I needed to find somewhere where I could find a job and take care of myself. Especially now that Hank’s gone, I have to find somewhere to live and everything.”

“But Michael, you can’t leave,” Maria said urgently. “You know the Evanses don’t care about that, they’re just glad you don’t have to live with Hank anymore. Besides, there are people who care about you, who would miss you if you left.” She looked up into his eyes, and Michael could see the tears gathering there. “People who already missed you like crazy when you disappeared, and that was only for a week.” She blinked and the tears spilled over, but Michael quickly brushed them away with the gentle touch of his thumb.

“I’m sorry,” he told her quietly. “I didn’t want to make you cry. I was going to just stay gone once I left and found this place in California, but I guess I was too selfish. I couldn’t just leave without getting to see you one more time.” He cupped her face gently in his hands and bent down to kiss her softly. “Or without getting to kiss you one last time.” “Michael, it doesn’t have to be one last time,” Maria told him, trying to regain her composure, trying to be “strong” again.

Michael only stared at her, and Maria began to get angry. “Dammit, Michael, no it doesn’t!” she insisted. “Running away anytime things get too hard may be what you’re used to, but it’s not the right way, and it’s not what you have to do anymore!” Michael nodded sadly. “I’m sorry, Maria,” he repeated. He gently broke away from her. “Goodbye.” He turned and began to slowly walk away from her, and Maria could only watch for a moment.

Then she saw that he was stopping to speak to Max and Isabelle and an idea quickly formed in her mind.

Turning, she saw that the other members of the band had already gathered in front of the stage and were only waiting for her to join them before they retook the stage.

Maria hurried over to them. “Guys, I have a favor to ask,” she said. She explained what she wanted to do, and Alex agreed immediately. He had seen some of what had happened between her and Michael, and was willing to help however he could. The other guys quickly agreed, sensing how important this request was to Maria, and they quickly climbed back onto the stage.

“Hey, we’re back,” Maria told the crowd. “Let’s hear it for our DJ.” The crowd applauded, and when the applause died down Maria spoke again. “Okay, we’re going to start this set up with a great old Phil Collins song that’s a particular favorite of mine. It’s called “Against All Odds,” and I think some of you out there know what I’m talking about.” Maria signaled to the band to begin, then turned and faced the audience. In the crowd, Michael had stopped at her words, and now was staring straight at her as she began to sing.

“How can I just let you walk away,
Just let you leave without a trace?
When I stand her taking every breath
With you, ooh
You’re the only one who really knew me at all

How can you just walk away from me,
When all I can do is watch you leave?
Cause we’ve shared the laughter and the pain And even shared the tears.”

Michael thought back to the night he had shown up at Maria’s house, soaking wet and near tears, and she had just let him in without question. She knew him better than Max and Isabelle did, even with all the history he shared with the other aliens, and now he was just going to throw it away? He found he couldn’t move. He desperately wanted to run to the door, and just keep running until everything tying him here was behind him, but he also knew, deep in his heart, that he would never be able to do that.

“You’re the only one who really knew me at all.

So take a look at me now,
Oh there’s just an empty space
And there’s nothing left here to remind me, Just the memory of your face.”

Maria fought to keep her emotions in check as she sang the heartfelt words, remembering Michael’s words of only a few moments ago. Would he realize she was singing directly to him? That she meant every word she sang?

“Ooh take a look at me now,
Well there’s just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against all odds
And that’s what I’ve got to face

I wish I could just make you turn around,
Turn around and see me cry.”

Even from where he stood in the crowded gym, with all the swaying couples between him and the stage, he could see the tears shimmering in Maria’s eyes, and he knew that he had put them there.

“There’s so much I need to say to you, So many reasons why
You’re the only one who really knew me at all

So take a look at me now,
Well there’s just an empty space
And there’s nothing left here to remind me, Just the memory of your face.”

Michael felt a sharp stab of pain in his chest. Was that really how she would feel if he left? Would it really affect her that much? Did he really mean that much to her? Did she really care that much? And then he knew. He knew with an absolute certainty what his leaving would do to her, and it almost knocked him off his feet. She really did care about him, loved him maybe, and he was not going to be stupid enough to throw that away. Determined, he began to make his way past all the couples and toward the stage.

Now take a look at me now,
Cause there’s just an empty space
But to wait for you, is all I can do
And that’s what I’ve got to face

Take a good look at me now,
Cause I’ll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against all odds
It’s the chance I’ve gotta take

Take a look at me now.”

The last notes of the song faded, and Alex, seeing Michael approach the stage, signaled to the DJ to start up again, knowing Maria needed time with Michael right now. Michael stood at the foot of the steps to the stage, his hand outstretched, as he stared up at Maria with an expression she couldn’t quite identify. She walked tentatively down the steps toward Michael and took his outstretched hand.

Michael pulled her closer to him, and quickly moved her onto the dance floor with him where a slow song was playing. “Maybe it’s not against all odds,” he whispered against her hair.

She looked up at him slowly, scarcely daring to hope that he might be saying what she really wanted him to say. He smiled down at her and the hopeful expression on her face. “I’m staying,” he whispered. Then he faked a much-beleaguered sigh and said, “and it’s all your fault, you know. You got me to fall in love with you when I wasn’t paying attention. It’s all part of some big conspiracy, isn’t it?”

Maria smiled happily, her eyes sparkling as she answered. “Absolutely. I love you, too.” Michael leaned down and kissed her again, and she wound her arms around his neck, kissing him back with all her might. “Good,” he answered breathlessly when they finally broke their kiss. “Because I don’t think I could ever really leave you.”

Maria smiled up at him. “Ditto,” she said before she rested her head against his chest again. Michael kissed the top of her head, and then rested his cheek on top of her head, a smile of contentment on his face. Up on stage, Alex saw the couple dancing and wondered how he was going to tell the rest of the band that they were definitely through for the night. It suddenly occurred to him that now he’d get to spend the rest of the night with Isabelle. He smiled to himself. Maybe cutting the band’s performance short wasn’t such a bad thing after all.