Michael looked up at Max. "No. And I want you to leave me alone," Michael said.

"Michael, I'm your best friend-"

"Ah! Now, stop right there. Yes, you are my best friend and I want you to trust me enough to leave me alone," Michael said.

Max shook his head, "Not going to happen. Ever."

"Yeah, I know," Michael whispered.

"So, Christmas is coming up and I wanted to know if you were coming over to spend it with us?" Max asked. Michael shook his head.

"Michael, you can't spend Christmas alone," Max said.

"Max, last time I spent it with your family Isabel and I were still together. I just don't feel like I belong there anymore," he said.

"Michael, my family still loves you dearly. Even since you and Isabel aren't together anymore, they still want you to come. They want to go see the Christmas symphony and they've already bought you a ticket," Max said. Michael sighed.

"All right, fine. I'll go. Jeez you're annoying," Michael said.

Maria sat miserably in the wheelchair parked in the corner of the room. It was December 24th, Christmas Eve and she is miserable. Although she was a pretty good actress when it came to pretending you were happy.

Kyle finally came out of the room wearing a nice black suit and a smile. Maria looked up and tried her best to smile at him.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked. She shrugged and he began to push her wheelchair out to the car. "You know I'm glad you decided to go with me to the Christmas symphony. You do need to get out more," he said.

"I get out," Maria protested.

"Maria, I mean other than going out and teaching music to the 3rd grade," he told her.

"Kyle, I love my job. And I do get out. Those kids are my life. I take them out on field trips and a lot of other things like that. We have fun," she said, offended.

Kyle huffed as he lifted Maria and put her in the passenger seat. "Maria, I didn't mean to offend you. I just mean that you should do other things."

"Like hang out with you?" She challenged.

Kyle through his hands up in frustration, "Please, let's not fight." He leaned down to look her straight in the eyes. "I know this is hard for you. I...just want to make sure you are happy," he said sincerely.

"I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry. I'm such a grouch," she said with a smile.

"Alright, grouch! To the symphony!" He said happily as he got into the car and drove off.

Michael stretched in the chair and said, "That was an excellent dinner, Mrs. Evans." "Why thank you, Michael," she said.

Michael slowly began getting up to bring the plates to the table, but Mrs. Evans stopped him.

"No, no young man. You and Isabel will be late for the Christmas symphony. Now, put those down and get going!" She scolded. Michael smiled ather.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Michael, I have never been more sure. Now, SCOOT!" She said as she pushed him away.

Isabel grabbed Michael by the arm and pulled him out the door.

"Come on, Michael. We'll be late," she said.

"Maxwell, aren't you coming?" Michael asked. Max shook his head. Michael glared at him. Great, he's trying to get me back together with Isabel.

"I'll get you for this," Michael mouthed to Max. Max just rolled his eyes.

"Wasn't that beautiful?"

Michael looked over at Isabel and nodded. She then got up and stretched.

"I have to go to the bathroom. I'll meet you outside?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'll get our coats," Michael said as he got up. Isabel left for the bathroom.

"Maria, are you OK?" Kyle asked as he passed her a tissue and Maria wiped away her tears. She nodded. "Yes. I just loved it so much," she said.

"It was very beautiful. Listen, we'll sit here and wait for all the people to pile out. Then I'll go out and get the chair," he told her.

"OK," she said.

Maria wiped away more of her tears and then her heart started to beat rapidly when she looked up.

Michael walked slowly and broodingly down the isle. Suddenly, as if subconsciously, he looked over to the right and there she was. Maria.

By, the look on her face she was just as shocked as he was. He stood frozen, looking at her beautiful angelic features.

There he was. Michael.

Maria was in such shock, but she knew her face was lit up with happiness. She had so longed to see him everyday. But, he was hurt and she could tell by the look on his face.

She wanted to call out to him. She wanted to yell why she never came that day and that he was still the most important thing in her life, but then he looked away and walked off.

Maria finally noticed an uncomfortable Kyle sitting next to her.

"Wasn't that Michael Guerin from high school?" He asked. Maria looked down as pain shot through her heart. "I don't know," she breathed.

Kyle got up and retrieved Maria's wheelchair, which Michael never saw.

"Michael, is everything OK?" Isabel asked, worried.

Michael stretched uncomfortably in the car seat. "Just wondering," hesaid.

"About what?" She asked. He hesitated. "Michael, we used to tell each other everything."

"I know, but things are different now," he said. Isabel looked at him with much sadness and Michael sighed. "I was just wondering about this painting I did a few months ago," he told her.

"What about it?"

"Well, a friend of mine put it up in her restaurant and she told me someone had insisted on buying it. I just wonder," he said.

"It's no surprise, Michael. Your paintings are beautiful," she said. Silence. "Michael, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I mean about tonight. I wasn't-"

"Isabel, it's OK," he said.

"No, it's not. I just felt so awkward around you. I wasn't trying to trick you into getting back together with me. I just felt, I just felt like I lost my best friend," she told him. They reached Michael's apartment and before Michael got out he leaned over and hugged her.

"Isabel, I love you very much. You will always be one of my best friends. You never lost me," he said.

"Thank you," she said as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm really glad to hear you say that."

"Hey, no matter what. I'll be there for you. Maybe not as a lover or a boyfriend, but definitely as a best friend," he assured her. Isabel nodded and Michael got out of the car.

"So, what do you think?" Liz asked.

Maria smiled. "I like it. It's very nice," Maria said about the necklace she had just received for Christmas.

"Maria, what's been going on? Ever since, what happened I thought maybe it's because you can't walk, but you are my best friend and I know there is something else," she said.

Maria sighed deeply. "Liz, trust me. I'm fine. I am just not used to this life style of being in a chair. You know me! I like to be all over the place," Maria said.

"Maria, the doctor said that you will walk again," Liz said.

"I know, but I wish it would come quicker. I hate all this waiting. All this therapy," Maria said.

"I know, but HEY! You're teflon babe!" Liz told her and Maria laughed. Liz got up and covered Maria with a blanket on the couch.

"You know, Liz. I'm glad you're my best friend," Maria said.

"I'm glad too," Liz said. Liz then came over to the couch and sat next to Maria. She was silent for a few minutes before she started to talk. "Maria, I want to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"You and Kyle aren't back together are you?" Liz asked.

"No, of course not," Maria said. "That's not what you wanted to tell me though."

"Yeah, I know. Um...Max called me yesterday," Liz said gently.

Maria immediately smiled. "Liz, that's great! It's been so long since you've seen each other!"

"I know. Maria, I never realized how much I loved him until we talked yesterday," Liz said.

"I know how you feel. Believe me," Maria said.

"You do?" Liz asked. Maria nodded. "I'm glad. Anyway, we talked for so long. Hours."

"WAIT! You got Max to talk? Oh my god! I thought that was impossible!" Maria joked.

"Maria!" Liz said.

"I'm just kidding. I'm so happy for you. You two definitely deserve to be happy," Maria said honestly.

"So, do you Maria," Liz answered. "So, do you."

"OK, give me a hug and go home before I start to cry," Maria said and Liz gave her a hug.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay?" Liz asked.

"Go home," Maria said firmly.

"OK, but I fully intend on calling you ever hour," Liz said.

"OK," Maria chuckled as Liz walked out the door.

Finally, some peace. Maria thought as she leaned back on the couch. Her thoughts drifted to Michael and the look in his eyes last night when they saw each other for the first time since the train. He looked so hurt.

That's it, Maria thought to herself as she struggled to sit up and reach for her phone book. I'm going to call him and tell him everything. But, as soon as she picked up the phone book she put it back down. No, he probably is back with Isabel. Maria slumped down and another tear threatened to fall.

The knocking on her door made Maria sit up and wipe her tear away. She reached over to her remote control for the door and clicked the open button.

"It's unlocked," she said knowing it was Liz coming to make sure she was OK.

Michael slowly stepped into the apartment and Maria was shocked beyond belief. She struggled to sit up and fix her hair a little bit.

"Michael," she breathed. Her face was lighting up again and she knew it, but Michael's showed know emotion. He stood still and just looked at her.

"Maria," he stated.

He stepped over towards the couch, which she remained sitting on and never let his wonder away from hers. Don't do it, he told himself. You're not even supposed to be here. You promised you'd never contact each other if one of you didn't show up. You're breaking a promise. He didn't care. The woman he loved more than anything in the world broke his heart and he needed to see her again. "Imagine," he said. "The wait."

Maria knew what he was talking about. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "I waited for hours," she said imagining she was Michael. He nodded. "Hurt."

"Yes, hurt," he said.

"Lonely," she added and he nodded again. "It probably even started to rain. As if anything else could go wrong."

"Nothing else could go wrong," he told her. "The most important thing to me in the world, the day I waited my whole life for, was ruined."

Maria opened her eyes and looked at him. "I'm sorry I hurt you," she said. Silence.

Michael studied her closely. He could see so much pain in her eyes. He wondered if she still loved him. She wasn't even getting up from the couch and he wondered why. "I'm sorry you hurt me, too." He said.

"Michael, we said that only something very important would keep us from each other that day," she said softly.

"That was the most important thing," he said. He shook his head and stalked towards the door.

"Michael, wait!" Maria cried and automatically went to get up, but her legs ignored her and she remained on the couch.

Before he got out the door he stopped and turned around. Maria sat silently, waiting for the next thing to happen.

"I painted a picture of you a few months ago," he began. "A friend of mine put it up in her restaurant. She said a lady insisted on buying it one day," he began to walk around the apartment looking for it. "I...just want to see something," he said.

Maria watched him walk around looking for the picture.

"She said that the lady didn't look like she was a very rich," he continued talking as he looked all around. He finally opened the door to the kitchen and his breathing stopped.

There it was. The picture of Maria, in a blue dress, dancing in the stars. He knew, he had a feeling she had bought it. But, why would she buy it if she didn't even love him. His eyes wondered down and then he saw the wheelchair. He blinked to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Then his eyes darted to Maria, who was still sitting at the couch.

That's why she hasn't gotten up, he finally realized. His mouth dropped in shock and he slowly walked towards her.

Maria knew he saw it. She knew he saw the wheelchair and that he knew.

"It was my fault," she said as a tear began to form. "I had to look up that day. I looked up and I never saw the car."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked.

"I didn't want you to see me until I could walk again," she said as tears flowed freely.

"Did you think that mattered to me?" He asked. "Didn't you think that I'd give anything just to see you again?"

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I didn't know."

Michael ran up to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "Maria, I love you."

"I love you so much!" She said. "I don't ever want you to let me go."

"I never want to let you go," he told her. Michael stepped back and ran his hands through her hair as he looked into her eyes. "Do you still want to be Mrs. DeLuca Guerin?" Maria shook her head, "No. Just Mrs. Guerin."