Maria suddenly felt strange. I mean this was Michael, the same Michael who last year she would have voted him in the top 10 creepiest guys out there. She didn't know hat had caused his sudden change in personality, she had expected him to be rude and then get cold and distant. While it was nice that he was being 'Mr. Supportive' She still felt awkward a little bit.

"Do I dare asked what has brought this change in personality?" She meant it as a joke, she hoped he didn't take it the wrong way.

Michael just looked at her for a moment, "What? I can't be supportive? Yeah a lot has changed in the past months, you can't still think I'm some monster do you?" Michael was very apprehensive of what her answer would be.

Maria also just glared at him. "Michael I didn't mean it that way, I just felt...I don't know what I felt, I don't even know why I asked the question, I guess I meant it as a joke, you know kidding around and mocking you, it's what we do best, we make fun of each other." She was trying to help the mood, mission not accomplished.

He put a tad of distance between him and her. "Yeah I know Maria, so what are you saying though, you don't see me as the type of guy who will be a supportive boyfriend and father?"

Maria tried to hide her smile when she heard him say the word 'boyfriend' He'd never called himself that to her or anyone else. She liked the way it rolled off his tongue. Then when she came back down to reality, his words cut her like a dull knife.

Michael saw how his words affected her, immediately he knew he had jumped the gun and that Maria didn't mean anything by her words, just that she was surprised by his affection. 'Damn you Guerin.' He said to himself mentally. "Look, Maria, I'm sorry, let's start over." He suggested to her.

Maria liked that idea, she could go with that. "Yeah, it sounds really good to me Michael."

Michael nodded, "Hi Maria, I know about the baby, I will be there for you whenever you need me, and when you don't, I'm not mad about the baby, surprised yes, but upset and mad, no. And would you like to go get a drink?" He said it in a scripted way, but it amused Maria, which was his goal.

Maria was the first to get up, then she pulled him up. "Works for me."

On there way to the Crashdown, Maria and Michael saw a mother, her husband, and their two little twins in a carriage, looking just like a family to come out of the Brady Bunch. Maria looked at Michael with a sad, "aww..." Look on her face.

Michael knew exactly when she was thinking, "Your time will come." He said to her before grabbing her hand.

TBC...

Feedback is always nice, if you do I'll give you a dozen of Max or Michael lollipops...if I had a dozen Max and Michael lollipops... ok scratch that idea.