"What the-" he muttered. He looked down and saw his sleeping bag, his quick scan of the room revealing he was back in his cave.

"Oh geez, that's it," he said aloud. "No more of Liz's Christmas fudge with Tabasco sauce before bed ever again. What a nightmare." He reached over to turn on the battery powered lantern by his head, then flopped back on his sleeping bag and rolled on to his side to get comfortable.

"Ouch," he muttered as he rolled onto something hard. "What the hell is that?" he grumbled, reaching under his sleeping bag for the offending object.

His hand closed around something hard and he yanked it out from under his sleeping bag for closer inspection. When he saw what it was, he froze. He was holding a small gold pocketwach in his clenched fist. He turned it over and saw the initials GJC on the back-

"Gavin," he breathed. Suddenly the cover of the watch popped open and Michael saw there was writing on the inside cover. "Michael, remember you're not alone. And thanks for the wings- Just kidding (sorry, couldn't resist)! -Gavin Just then Michael heard a thump from the cave entrance.

"Not again," he muttered to himself, leaping to his feet as he shoved the pocketwatch into the pocket of his jacket. "Who- Maria," he breathed softly.

Maria walked into the cave toward Michael, stopping a few feet in front of him. "I figured you'd be here," she said. "What, don't you want to know why I'm here?" she asked when he just stood silently in front of her.

He still said nothing and she continued, undaunted. "We were all over at Max and Isabelle's and we, well, we just kinda realized it wasn't right without you there. And somehow I knew you'd be here, so I kinda volunteered to come out and get you and bring you back to the Evans's. So, come on, let's go. We still have some Christmas Eve left."

Michael still stood there, saying nothing, just staring at her, and she took a step closer. "Michael, come on, you're starting to freak me out here. Say something. Put me down, say something biting and sarcastic, just say something. Michael?"

As he stood there staring at Maria, a smile spread slowly over Michael's face as she continued to speak. "Michael, are you all right? I-" Her words were cut off as Michael stepped foreward suddenly and captured her lips with his own. She hesitated only a moment before responding, sliding her arms up around his neck.

Michael finally broke the kiss, but stayed standing with his arms around Maria, his forehead pressed to hers. "I'm sorry," he breathed. "I'm sorry for what I said and what I did that night at the factory. I never meant to hurt you. I thought that you were getting too involved with me and that that was making it dangerous for both of us. I mean, if we were together, your life would be in danger from those people who are always after me, Max, and Isabelle. And if I got too involved with you, there was no way I'd be able to just pick up and leave if we ever had to one day."

"Michael-"

But Michael cut her off with a gentle finger to her lips. "But you know what I realized? It was too late for me by then. I was already too involved with you. You don't know how much it was killing me every day to not be able to hold you and kiss you and just be near you." He took a deep breath. "I love you, Maria. I tried so hard not to, tried to keep us both safe from it, tried to stay alone for the good of everyone, but I can't do it anymore. I can't be alone, and I don't want to be. If you're willing to take the risk, I want to be with you."

When Michael finally stopped talking, he saw that Maria had tears in her eyes. "Oh, please don't cry," he whispered, gently wiping away the tears that had spilled over. "God, I'm sorry, I did it again, didn't I? God, I'm just so good at screwing things u-"

Now it was Maria's turn to cut him off by gently touching her finger to his lips. "Shh, no, Michael, you didn't screw anything up," she said shakily.

"I, I know exactly how much it hurt you to be apart from me, because I felt the same way. I still do. I don't care about the danger involved. I love you, too, Michael, and I want to be with you no matter what the risk."

Michael smiled and tilted his head down then to kiss Maria gently before he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "Maybe this holiday isn't so bad after all," he murmured into Maria's hair. "Merry Christmas, Maria," he whispered, brushing a soft kiss across her hair.

She smiled and held him tighter. "Merry Christmas, Michael," she whispered back.

And from somewhere "up north" Gavin gazed down at the happy embracing couple with a huge grin on his face. "Ahhh, I knew it would eventually get through his thick head!" he crowed happily. "The boy is finally learning!"

Then, with a last look at Michael and Maria, who were now walking across the desert to Maria's car with Maria wrapped securely in Michael's arms, Gavin stood, pulled his jacket more tightly around his shoulders, and cheerfully cried, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"