| "Who Will Save Your Soul" |
| Part 24 by Hero of the Day |
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| Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to the WB, except Gaven who will come in later. Summary: Michael is leaving Maria for Isabel but for a reason he can't explain and only time will make Michael stronger as he searches for what Isabel gave up to save the group. Category: Unconventional Couples Rating: R |
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| (Christmas Morning) Maria snuggeld a little closer to the warm body next to her. It was Christmas morning and she had no intention of getting up anytime soon. Then the alarm clock went off and Michael carefully rolled over and turned it off. He didn't want to wake her up but little to his knowledge she already was. "Where are you going?" she asked putting a hand over his warm bare chest. "I have to go to work." he said kissing her hand. "But it's 5am on Christmas morning." she held him closer and tighter so he wouldn't leave. "I know..but I got to go to work so I get money so I can buy you presents!" he smiled as she looked up at him. "What kind of presents?" she asked. "Jewlery?" he answered not sure if that was the right answer. "Okay" Maria sighed,"Get to work!" she released her grip on his chest and he got up. Michael grabbed his cloths and headed to the living to change so Maria could seep. Maria herd the phone ring but it was picked up before she could get to it. "Hello?" she herd Michael, "Good morning to you too.....thank you, I'm getting ready to head out now......No, she's sleeping....naw, I'll just let her sleep, it's no big deal that she's not up.......I get off at 4 this afternoon.....ya we'll be there.....dinner is at 5? Okay,....Merry Christmas to you too, Ms.DeLuca....huh-uh, bye." Michael headed to their room, "We're going to your mothers for dinner!" Maria pulled the blankets over head, "I don't think I can watch my mom and Jim suck face tonight!" she sighed from under the covers. Michael walked in and pulled the covers down. He kissed Maria. "Bye" he said. "Bye Space Boy....have a good first day!" she said as he walked out. Michael strapped his bag on the back of his motorcycle. Maria listened as the bike roared off down the street. At that same time, a blocks away Liz was kissing Max goodbye. "Be careful!" Liz told him, "Don't eat too many of those" she pointed to the bag of doughnuts, "I don't want a fat police man who can't run down the street, be careful there are werid people out there with guns who don't know how to use them and-" she was cut off when Max kissed her. "I'll be careful. I promise." He said looking in her eyes. "Okay...." Liz said as he got in the Jeep. "Maybe I'll come by and show you my car when I get it!" he said "so you can see it and check up on me...make sure I'm okay!" he said with a smile. "You better!" Max smiled and pulled off down the street. As Max pulled off the phone rand and Liz ran to grab it so that it would not wake up her parents. "Maria!!" she shouted into the phone. "We are offically dating men ing UNIFORM!!" Maria shouted in to the phone. Both girls jumpped and laughed. "Merry Christmas, Lizzie!" Maria said once they finally calmed down. "Merry Christmas, Ria!" Liz said back, "Guess what Max got me!" "The pretty necklace you were wearing last night?" Maria guessed. "NOPE! His dad bought him a house for an early grad present and he gave me a key! and then..." Liz took a deep breathe, " then he gave me promise ring!" "NO WAY!!!" "YA...." Both girls started to laugh again. "I'll get dressed and come pick you up so we can get to Alex's okay?" Maria asked. "I'll be ready!" It was 6am when the girls got to Alex's new house. They opened the back of the moving truck and started to bring in boxes and some of heavy stuff. By noon the girls had brought everything in and Alex had showed up. The bedroom was set up except for some boxes that needed to be unpacked, Maria decorated the Christmas tree Alex picked up yesterday after Isabel left, and the house was looking a little more "welcome". The three of them sat down for lunch. "Thank you guys so much!" Alex said, "She is gonna love it! And Maria...the tree looks great!" he gave her the famous thumbs up. "Here" Maria handed Alex and Liz their presents. Alex opened his first. It was an 8x10 of him and Isabel at his seinor prom (remember that Isabel graduated before everyone else did.) they were dancing to a slow song and their forheads were touching. "I took it at prom...I figured that once I enlarged it, it would be a good picture for the bedroom" Maria said. "Thank you!" Alex said as he hugged her. Liz tore into the paper and found a she too had a picture. Liz began to laugh. "I remember this summer!" She said holding up the picture to show Alex. It was the summer when they were six in Alex's back yard. Alex had his hands around Liz and Maria's waist as they stood on each side of him, both girls kissing his cheek. Liz on the left in her one piece hot pink bathing suit, Alex in the middle in his hot orange swim trunks and Maria on the other side in her two piece hot blue suit. "Oh my god you still have that?" Alex said in disbelief, "I HAD NO FRONT TEETH!" he laughed. The girls laughed too. Alex handed the girls their presents. Liz was the first one to get the paper off. "OH ALEX!" she said looking at the orniment, "It's beautiful!" On the orniment was a picture of Liz when she was a child. She was a baby pink ballet out fit and her name was under the picture. Liz got up and kissed Alex's cheek. "Thank you." "Your welcome." Maria opened her box. She too had an orniment. On her was a picture of her and Michael at the Crashdown. "I used that picture because that was the happiest I had seen you since your dad left." Alex said. The picture was of Maria sitting on Michael's lap after work and they were kissing. "Figured you could use it today!" Alex said. "Thank you Alex..I really love it." She said and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "My turn!" Liz yelled and handed each of her friends a bag. Alex and Maria opened their bags. Each got a scrap book with pictures from as far back as they could remember up to the most recent pictures. "You guys have no scrap books in your houses...." Liz smiled at Alex, "So I made you guys some!" They all hugged eachother. "We should get going" Maria said as she gathered her stuff, "I have to wiz by my mom's before dinner and wrap presents for Mom, Jim, and Kyle...oh and I have to find Michael's present!" she laughed. "Okay, drive safely!" Alex said as the girls left. The girls were singing Christmas carols as they pulled up to Maria's old house. "Who's truck is that?" Maria asked. "Kyle's?" Liz asked. "No...he drives that little yellow sports car over there." Maria said as she got out. The girls walked inside the house, "Mom...I'm here." Maria yelled. Amy walked out of the living room. "Maria, honey, HI! Hi Liz!" "Hi mom" Maria said. "Hi mom" Liz said giving Ms.DeLuca a hug. "Maria...there is someone here to see you." Amy said leading the girls to the living room. Maria locked eyes with the man standing on the other side of the living room. "Amy...you have done a great job!" he said. Maria looked at Amy then back at the man. "STEVE?" she gasped. "I was hopeing for 'Hey dad haven't seen ya in a while'" Steve said, "but ya, it's me." Maria backed up against the door, "Come on Lizzie,..." Maria said grabbing her hand, "KYLE!!" Maria shouted. Kyle came running down staris. Liz grabbed his hand and they stood there as Steve approched them. "Lil' Lizzie Parker....I knew you looked familiar! How ya doin' sweetheart?" Steve asked. "I'm fine Steve." Liz said back harshly. Maria led Liz and Kyle outside. "Whats going on?" Kyle asked, "I thought you would be happy to see your dad." "How are we going to keep this a secret from the boys?" Maria asked, "He's back, memories resurface.....I can't take this now!" "Maria...we'll do fine!" Liz said hugging Maria. "Hi..I'm Kyle...anyone want to include me in on this secret?" Kyle asked. "Kyle....Steve is like Roswell's sickest man. When Maria and I...when we were 6-years-old...a year before Steve left......he um....he forced us to watch him and another woman have sex in Amy's bed......we didn't know what to do because he told us that if we told anyone he would do to us what he did to that lady. Kyle she was screaming....and we didn't realize what he did to her until like 7th grade....he raped her Kyle....and he made us watch it. Then when he was done...he killed her." Liz explained. Steve came out of the house. "See ya later sweethearts!" he said as he roared down the street in his rusty grey pick up truck. "Tell mom I'll be here later for dinner.......with Michael." Maria whispered. Kyle hugged Maria then hugged Liz. "Please don't tell Max or Michael...." Liz asked, "they don't know. Alex is the only other person who knows beside us." "Okay..." Kyle agreed. "Liz why dont you drive...." Maria just stared down at the ground biging her lip and crossing her arms. Kyle walked her to the passanger side of the car and put her in. Liz backed out of the drive way and headed to the Crashdown. Liz put the car in park infront of the her house. "It's okay, Maria" she said hugging her. "We aren't 6 anymore...." Maria sobbed into Liz's chest then she pulled away and wipped her eyes. "If you need help when you are moving in to your new house call me up. I'll help ya if you want." Maria said changing the subject. Liz smiled, "Okay" The girls got out and switched seats. Liz stood on the curb and watched Maria pull off down the street. Maria's Jetta was followed by a police cruiser who stopped in front of Liz. "Ma'am, your under arrest for looking so damn hot in the middle of December!" The officer said. "Well Officer Evans, maybe you can arrest me later!" Liz said with a smile. "I'll be looking forward to that!" Max said, "I'll be by later to pick you up for dinner!" "Okay" Liz smiled. As Max pulled away from the curb and headed back to the station. "Okay..open your eyes now!" Alex said. Isabel opened her eyes and saw the house all decorated. "Oh Alex!" she hugged him, "It's beautiful! and you even put up a tree!" she smiled. "Why don't you go upstairs and get ready for dinner." he said. Isabel ran up stairs to the big bathroom. On her way there she noticed the 8x10 prom picture sitting on their dresser and she smiled. Alex sat down in his laxy boy, in his house, and turned on his tv to watach the game. "I AM the king of the world" he told himself propping up his feet. "Honey I'm home!" Michael said walking through the door. Maria got up off the couch to meet him. She put her bowl of popcorn down on the counter. "Hey!" she said, "How was your first day?" she put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Boring as all hell!" he answered. He kissed her again and got a funny feeling like something wasn't right. He just ignored it and kept kissing her. "When do you want to leve for dinner?" Maria asked. "Let me change and we can leave now." he said heading to their room. Maria took the presents out to the car. She noticed the rusty grey truck parked across the street but no one was in it. "Lets go" Michael said making Maria jump. "You okay?" he asked. "Ya...just a little pukie feeling and you startled me." she answered. "We don't have to go if you dont want.." "No! I want to go. Come on." Maria said with a smile. They got in the car and headed for the DeLuca's house. |
| Part 23 | Index | Part 25 |