Title: Without Condition
Author: Zia mad_siren_productions@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: What do you think?
Distribution: E-mail me and link to me.
Author's Note: Ok, give me feedback, and I'll give you more fic. That sound fair? I need inspiration. The fic is completely planned; just don't have the inspiration to write it. So give feedback, and I'll love you.


Maria sat in the lobby of the hotel where they all lived. It was a large hotel, but there weren't many people there. Most of the people had left this town. Nervously she bit her lip and tapped her foot. "They'll be ok, Maria." She heard Kyle, her brother tell her and she nodded.

"I know they will. They'll be home soon." She glanced at the clock again. They'd been gone over three hours. Michael left with a small group of people just to check things out, and an hour later they hadn't returned so Max had gone out to look, and they still weren't back. She heard the door open and jumped up quickly. "Max did you-" She cut herself off and her knees gave out at what she saw. Michael, bloody and beaten, one arm draped over Max's shoulder, the other over Alex's, his chin touching his chest. "NO!" She screamed as hot tears unconsciously started streaming down her face. He was "NO!" She screamed again.

Max and Alex glanced at each other and carried Michael's body over to the couch and laid him down. Alex watched as Isabel walked towards Maria and touched her arm, he knew Isabel was hurting too, but she had become so close to Maria over the ten years. "Maria-" She whispered but Maria jerked away from her comforting touch.

"Don't touch me!" She screamed at her and tried to stand, but feet tangled together and she landed hard on the floor again sobbing. Maria curled up on her side in the fetal position and softly started murmuring things no one else could here.

"How about we leave her alone." Max said gesturing to the door. They all left the lobby and went their own separate ways to their rooms. Max alone to his, Liz having died a year earlier. Max became obsessed with winning the war, but it hadn't helped. They were still losing. Kyle to his room that he shared with Tess. Never married, but together. Alex wrapped his arms around Isabel and led her from the room as she cried quietly and down to their bedroom that they shared with their two-year-old daughter Alexandra.

Maria lay on the floor and cried, she wasn't sure how long she'd been there before she pulled herself up onto her hands and knees and crawled over to the couch where Michael's body was covered with a blanket. "Oh god no Michael baby why? You weren't supposed to die" She pulled the blanket down to look at his face. A large cut across his forehead, his lip split open. Dry blood and dirt covering him. "God Michael you weren't supposed to die!" She yelled at him as if she yelled enough things would be ok, he'd wake up and things could go back to normal.

How long had they been doing this? The last fifteen years they'd spent with the aliens, avoiding the FBI and evil aliens and people coming and trying to destroy relationships. And all through that, through Michael pushing her away to keep her safe, they were the first to get married. Their little trip to Vegas as a group, Michael and Maria slipped away before Valenti had showed up and they were married. Isabel and Alex married a few years later, and then Max and Liz.

Maria brushed her fingers through his blood soaked hair and pushed it back from his face. "I love you so much Michael. I love you so much." Tears rolled down her face, dripping onto his. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried, wishing he were there to hold her just one more time. She touched her stomach softly and cried harder. She'd been able to tell him about the baby, but he was supposed to be there to take care of them.

Maria stood beside the grave. No tears in her eyes as Max shoveled the dirt onto Michael's wooden coffin. She lost her husband. The love of her life. And now she was left here, in this hell to raise their child alone. She tossed the rose into the grave before turning and walking back inside.

Everyone was dying around her. First her mom, and Valenti, at least they were together. And then Liz, her best friend was killed by a skin. She watched it. She saw it happen. She stood there and watched her die. And then Michael. He wasn't supposed to die! That wasn't part of the deal! Michael swore to her he'd be there to take care of them, to love them, but now he wasn't.

And then Isabel, and Alexandra. Kivar had gotten a hold of them and killed them both. Poor Alex was the one to find him, but he got his revenge. That night he walked into the their hideout and found Kivar and killed him before killing himself. If only someone had done that ten years ago none of this would have happened. Her friends would still be alive. She would still be alive, because in truth, without Michael she wasn't alive. Her heart ached with out him. She rubbed her hand over her swollen belly.

"You're not a king Max!" Maria yelled at him after he made a comment about trying to rebuild earth. The war was over, but people were hurting everywhere. Max stared at her in shock. "You're not a king and you never have been! Not here, not on earth. If you weren't such a selfish assh-le they'd all be alive!"

"What are you talking about?" Max asked glancing at Kyle and Tess.

"I know about that deal that you refused to make with Kivar. The one that guaranteed he'd leave earth, and leave us all alone. If you'd just give up your damn kingdom! And would have left and things would have been ok. But no, Because of you." Maria hissed. "They're all dead. My family is dead." Tears welled up in her eyes and Kyle and Tess looked in shock and disgust at Max.

"How could you Max? After what we went through?" Tess shook her head. "Maria come with me." Tess said leading Maria and Kyle from the room. They walked into the pod chamber and Tess pulled out the key. "Maria, go back and fix things."

With a shaky hand Maria slowly reached up and touched the granolith, one hand on her stomach. She felt herself being pulled inside, and looked through the swirling colors at Tess and Kyle. "Goodbye." She whispered.

It was all a blur. She didn't know how long it had been, but the swirling colors made her dizzy, and at some point she passed out. Slowly her eyes opened and she found herself outside her old hours, lying beside her window. She got up and looked in the window, and no one was there. She climbed through the window and looked down at herself. A long black skirt, and a long sleeved back shirt. She walked over to the closet and changed into a pair of jeans, and a top, then took out one of the jackets that had a hood before she climbed back out the window.

Maria pulled on the jacket and pulled the hood of the jacket up over her head as she headed down the street, trying to figure out when it was. She noticed a newspaper, and looked at the date. The day it all started. She quickly rushed to the Crashdown, and saw herself, and Liz talking animatedly about something, She saw herself point at Max and they both laughed. Maria didn't have much time. She watched in slow motion at the two men arguing, one stood up, the gun in his hand. Maria ran inside and grabbed his arm, pushing as hard as she could to prevent Liz from getting hit, so Max would never save her, so things would be different. The gun went off twice and she heard her younger self-scream. Maria looked over quickly and saw her lying on the floor, with a blood spot on her uniform that was rapidly growing. Then Michael was at her side. Hunched over her, his hand pressed against the hole in her stomach, and Maria smiled.

That was one thing that no one ever knew. Michael and Maria had been together before the whole thing started. Some stupid report they were paired up together on, Maria had gone to Michael's house and met Hank, and had been obviously shaken up by the experience, but Michael had taken care of her. "Michael." She whispered and he turned his head. "I love you." One hand moved to rest on her stomach, and then she just seemed to fade into nothing.

Part Two

Michael stared in shock. That was Maria, but she looked older, tired, and pregnant? He quickly looked down at the Maria in front of him. Her eyes were partially open, looking up at him. "You'll be ok." He told her, moving one hand up to brush some hair behind her ear. His other hand pressed tight against her stomach, concentrating, trying to heal it at least partially.

It wasn't until Maria had been rushed to the hospital that Michael realized other things going on around him. He saw Max being placed into a body bag, and carried away. Max died. Michael didn't have any idea. He walked outside and was met by a frantic Isabel. "Michael!? Michael! What happened?!"

He took a deep breath and pulled her into his arms. "Shh it's ok Izzy." He rubbed her back softly. "Some guys came in, got into a fight, and the gun went off. Maria, and Max were shot" Michael felt the guilt eating at his stomach. If he'd helped Max, he'd still be alive, but Maria would be the one in the morgue now. "I'll take you home." He wanted to go to the hospital and check on Maria, and make sure that she was ok.

Michael dropped Isabel off at her house and made sure she was safely tucked away in her mother's arms before he walked to the hospital. He found Maria's room, and saw her mother sitting close to her, and crying into a tissue. "Mom I'm fine." He heard and he looked quickly at Maria. Her eyes were open, but she was pale, and looked weak. "Mom can you go get my something to eat?" Maria asked softly.

Amy glanced towards the door and saw Michael, she sighed inwardly and nodded slightly before getting up. As she left Michael walked in and sat on the edge of the bed. "Hey." He said awkwardly.

"Hi. You saved me life." He looked at her and shrugged.

"I couldn't just let you die."

"But Max did." Michael nodded, and looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry Michael. I really am. I keep thinking that maybe if you had gone to his side, instead of mine he'd be ok."

"Don't say that Maria."

"But isn't it true?"

Michael shook his head. "No, they said he died instantly, so no matter what I would have done, it would have been too late. I'm glad I went to your side." He slowly looked up at her and took her hand in his and squeezed gently. It wasn't true though, but Maria didn't need to know that. If Michael had gone to Max's side he would be alive, but Michael would keep that his secret, and let it haunt him for the rest of his life.

Maria sat on the couch trying to kick her mom out. She was hovering, and Maria knew that she had to get to work. "Mom I'm fine, if I need anything I will call you." Finally Amy sighed and left and Maria shook her head picking up the remote. She'd just gotten home today, her stomach was still sore, but she was getting better.

The phone rang and Maria sighed as she picked it up. "Mom, I'm fine. Ok?"

"Ok, but I'm not your mom." She heard Michael's voice and laughed quietly, then winced.

"Sorry, my mom is really worried about leaving me home alone. Are you coming over?" She asked as she started picking at the blanket covering her up.

"I would, but Isabel is really upset about Max, and she doesn't want to let me out of her sight."

"Well, she can come over too I mean if you don't mind her knowing We could watch a movie or something."

"Ok, yeah, we'll be over soon." Michael told her and Maria smiled hanging up the phone, she picked it back up quickly and dialed Alex's number.

Michael sat on the couch, staring blindly at the TV with Maria leaned up against his chest. Isabel and Alex sat on the floor together, analyzing the movie they were watching. He looked down at Maria and saw her sleeping. Gently he ran his fingers through her hair before scooping her up in his arms and carrying her down to her room; Michael carefully tucked her blankets around her and then leaned in and kissed the side of her mouth.

"Thank you." He heard her soft voice murmur and pulled back slightly to look at her.

"For what?"

"Today, it was nice." He nodded slightly.

"Do you need anything?" She shook her head slightly. "Then get some sleep."

"Stay?"

"Maria"

"Please? Just stay finish watching the movie, just stay for a while, please?" Michael relented and she smiled slightly. "Thank you." Maria reached for his hand and squeezed it gently before letting her eyes slip shut again.


Part 3

Maria stood in the kitchen in her house, holding a cup of ice cubes against her forehead. She pulled one out and popped it into her mouth, letting it slowly melt down her throat. Her mind was thinking back on the last three months. She was shot. But for some reason it had brought her and Michael closer, along with Isabel and Alex, she was happy for them. There had been a dance a few weeks after the shooting, and she had stayed home, and Michael came over and they spent a few hours, just together, not really doing anything, or talking, just enjoying each others company. And somehow she had managed to talk Isabel into going to the dance with Alex. She laughed quietly to herself. The next day he had called and thanked her for an hour straight.

Michael made his way through the gate at the side of the house. It was hot. A heat wave or something. He felt sweat trickle down the back of his neck. He stopped when he saw Maria through the kitchen window. She looked just as hot as he was. He walked over to the backdoor and knocked softly. She jumped and set down the cup that was in her hand down on the counter as she made her way to the door. Maria pulled it open and looked up at him, her mouth opened to speak but he didn't give her the chance.

Before Maria could utter a syllable Michael leaned in and covered her mouth with his. A moan came from the back of her throat as her arms quickly wrapped around him to keep herself from falling down. His hands slid around her waist, to rest on her ass, then lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Her mouth was cold, and he realized it was from an ice cube she'd been sucking on, which melted quickly between their passionate kiss.

Michael pressed her against the wall as he ravaged her mouth, one hand tangled in her hair, the other on the small of her back. Her hands roamed over his back, tugging at the thin cotton shirt he was wearing, until her hands found a way under it. He groaned into her mouth and she lightly ran her nails down his back.

Maria broke the kiss, and trailed her lips over his jaw towards his ear. "My room." She purred, gently biting on his ear lobe causing Michael to grunt and hold her tighter. Michael made his way towards Maria's room, through the dark house, but it wouldn't have mattered if the entire place had been lit up since his face was buried in her throat, sucking and biting at he skin.

Maria's eyes slowly fluttered open when she felt the bed shift. Michael was climbing out of her bed and she groaned softly and reached for his hand. "Wait. Where are you going?"

Michael pulled on his boxers and turned around and kissed her softly. "I need to get out of here before your mom gets home." Maria nodded slightly, thankful that he was actually thinking, because she wasn't. He finished getting dressed and climbed back onto the bed over her and kissed her softly, as he brushed her sweat dampened hair from her face. "I'll see you tomorrow." He leaned down and kissed her shoulder before getting off the bed.

Maria rolled onto her side, pulling the sheet up around her as she watched him go. She smiled to herself as he closed the window. "I love you." She whispered curling up and drifting off to sleep.

Maria woke with a start the next morning, her stomach lurched and she jumped out of her bed and ran to her bathroom and started throwing up. She groaned running her hands over her face as she climbed in the shower. She finished and got out, and slowly got dressed, but she started to feel dizzy. The room spun and swayed around her so she slowly made her way to her bed and fell down on it, clutching her eyes shut.

Colors swirled in front of her eyes, but slowly cleared and she realized she was standing in the middle of the desert. She glanced around and saw Michael standing a few feet away. "Michael?" But no sound came out. Flashes from the night before flew past her eyes. Making love to Michael. Collapsing together on the bed, in a sweaty embrace. Her stomach. Growing, and glowing. Maria's hand flew to her stomach and it was much larger than it used to be. She looked down quickly and realized she was pregnant. She looked at Michael again quickly, with her eyes wide.

"Maria?" Michael said sitting on the edge of her bed. She was curled up in a ball, clutching her stomach and he was worried about her. He gently shook her arm and she jerked away, her eyes opening quickly.

"Michael?"

"Maria what's wrong? What happened?"

"I I think I'm pregnant." She whispered touching her stomach and looking at him. She saw the look of dread on his face and tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't expect him to be thrilled, she wasn't, but the look on his face, it wasn't just one of the average teenager getting his girlfriend pregnant, there was more to it.

Michael quickly pulled her into his arms. "Oh god Maria I'm sorry." He whispered rubbing her back. He got her pregnant? What was going to happen he was an alien, she was a human. He pressed his lips against her temple. "I need to tell you something Maria." He said pushing her back slightly to look into her eyes. "Maria I'm different."

"What?"

"Me and Isabel we're not human."

"Michael what are you talking about?"

"Maria the '47 crash was real."

"What?" Her voice had raised at least 3 octaves. Michael looked at her. She was scared. He didn't blame her.

"I'm an alien and if you're pregnant, that baby inside of you is half alien." Her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out in his arms. Just the reaction he was looking for. He thought sarcastically. A few minutes later she stirred. "Maria?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him. "You you're an alien." She said quietly and he nodded. "I bet I'm the first girl to really be impregnated by an alien."

His eyes met hers and he saw an understanding there. She had accepted it. "You can't tell anyone." She nodded.

"I know." Michael sighed inwardly and pulled her closer and kissed her forehead softly.

Part 4

A month had passed since that little incident. What an eventful month it had been. Luckily the pregnancy was a false alarm. But then Maria had found out that Amy was now engaged to Jim Valenti, and Kyle was her soon to be step brother. She heard her phone ring, at the same time that Kyle walked through the door, looking like a lost puppy dog.

"Hello?" She asked as she answered her phone.

"Maria, it's me."

"Hey were are you, I thought you were picking me up at seven."

"Yeah about that look I found some thing, that could give me some answers about who I am. I really have to do this. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He hung up without giving her a chance to respond. She stared at her phone for a second before looking at Kyle.

"What's wrong with you?"

"You know that new girl Tess? I was supposed to go out with her tonight, but she bailed." Maria knew that girl, because she'd often found her staring at Michael. With a sigh Maria made two cherry sodas and slid onto a stool beside Kyle.

Maria climbed into her bed that night, tired and upset, a dangerous combination for anyone who crossed her. She heard her window open and growled. "Go away." She told Michael rolling onto her other side away from the window.

"Maria I need to talk to you."

"That's nice, I need to sleep, and since you ditched me tonight, to go search for you stupid answers-" She cut herself off. She hadn't meant to say that. She didn't think they were stupid. She understood his search, he wanted to know more about who he was, but it upset her, because over the last few days he'd become more and more involved in it. "I didn't mean it like that." She said sitting up and looking at him.

Michael's face was hard, his jaw clenched shut, his eyes narrowed at her. "Michael I'm sorry, I really didn't mean it like that, it's just you've been so involved in it lately-"

He cut her off before she could say anymore. "Shut up." He snapped. "I should have known you wouldn't understand. You're not one of us."

"Michael?" Maria asked, her voice quivering slightly.

"I did find some more of my 'stupid' answers. Tess is one of us, and she was with Nesado, our protector. They have all the answers I could ever want. You were just a ridiculous human infatuation."

Tears filled Maria's eyes as she listened to him. "Yeah, I love you too Michael. Get out of my house. Don't ever come back, I never want to see you again." She rolled onto her side again and pulled the blankets up around her, trying to hold back the sobs until he was gone. She heard the window shut and let out a quiet sob.

Maria woke up the next morning to the sound of someone pounding on her door. She was still tired. She hadn't slept at all the night before, but instead was up all night crying over Michael. Maria climbed out of her bed and stumbled down the hall to the front door where she was met by a frantic Isabel. "Isabel? What's wrong?"

"Um can I come in?" Maria nodded and stepped back to let her inside. "I'm pregnant." Maria's jaw dropped.

"What? Isabel are you sure?"

"Yeah. Me and Alex have been really 'together' for the last few weeks, and now I'm pregnant."

"Isabel, remember when I thought I was? Are you sure it's not just a false alarm?" Isabel lifted the hem of her shirt to reveal a small glowing handprint. "Well, I bet it's safe to say yeah, you are. You tell Alex yet?" Maria asked calmly.

"I'm afraid to he doesn't know what I am what if he thinks I'm a freak or something?"

"Isabel, you've seen the guys dreams, he's head over heals in love with you, nothing would ever change how he feels, so just tell him." Isabel nodded slightly. "Things will be ok Isabel." She nodded slightly again and then hugged Maria tightly.

"I never had an real friends, other than Michael and Max, thank you for being one." Maria smiled slightly and nodded.

"Go on, tell Alex." Isabel nodded and left.

Part 5

The next day Maria walked up to Alex's door and knocked softly. She wanted to know how things had gone with Isabel. She heard muffled voices and something fell over, then she heard a giggle and Maria bit her lip before Alex yanked open the door wearing only a pair of boxers. "Oh wow um " Maria tried not to laugh. His hair was everywhere and he had large hickeys, and scratch marks all over his chest and neck. "I uh take it Isabel is still here and things are ok."

Isabel peaked out from behind Alex, wrapped in a large sheet. "Thanks Maria. I don't think I could have worked up the nerve to talk to Alex without you." Alex's arms wrapped around Isabel and pulled her close, and kissed her throat.

"You know the alien body is extremely flexible." Isabel's eyes went wide and Maria shook her head.

"Alex. I didn't need to know that. I'll just go and let you to get back to uh"

"Making lunch." Maria glanced past them and saw the kitchen table covered in overturned bowls and melted ice cream.

"Riiiight. You two need serious help. I'll see you guys later, hopefully it is out of the house, and fully dressed." Maria turned and walked back to her car, before driving to work.

Michael walked into the Crashdown, Isabel, and Tess were supposed to be meeting him there soon. He saw Maria cleaning up the tables and walked over to her. "I need to tell you something."

"You know what Michael? I don't give a sh-t!" She turned and yelled at him, before turning quickly again and starting to walk away. Michael grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him and looked at her.

"I'm leaving. I just thought I'd tell you that."

"What?"

"I found a way home. To my real home. I'm leaving." The room swayed under Maria's feet and she stumbled slightly, bumping into Michael's chest before she quickly righted herself again. The bell over the door went off but she couldn't take her eyes off him.

"Michael?" She heard Isabel's voice and finally tore herself from Michael's gaze, and wrenched her arm out of his hand. Michael walked over to Isabel and led her to a booth and started telling her what he'd found. Isabel quickly shook her head. "I won't go Michael. I can't."

"Why not Isabel? We have nothing here. That is our real home."

"No, this is my home Michael. Alex and I are engaged."

"What?!"

"And I'm pregnant. I'm staying here, with him because I love him."

"Isabel you can't."

"Don't order me around Michael. I'm not going with you. When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning, with Tess, and Nesado." Isabel nodded slightly.

"Then I guess this is goodbye." She got up and hugged him tightly. "I'll miss you. Are you ever coming back?" He shook his head and Isabel nodded slightly.

Michael walked into the back room and found Maria sitting on the couch, her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with sobs.

"I'm sorry for everything." Her head jerked up quickly.

"Get out." She snapped, quickly wiping at the tears on her face.

"I'm leaving in the morning, and I'm not coming back. I'm sorry for hurting you, but our relationship it wasn't a ridiculous human infatuation."

"I said get out!" She screamed at him. Michael bowed his head and walked to the door.

"I love you." He said softly before walking out of the Crashdown, and out of Maria's life. Her knees gave out and she hit the floor hard, sobbing violently.

Part 6

Maria sat in her big comfy chair, staring out at the city below her. She'd moved to New York five years earlier, and got her music career up and going, and now she was rich to say the least. She had a huge loft that she shared with her dog. She surrounded herself in pictures of her friends and family, because she rarely went back to Roswell. Ones of her Mom, and Jim, and the twins, and ones of Alex, Isabel, and their daughter Alexandra. They'd gotten married not long after Isabel found out she was pregnant, and they were happy as can be. She was happy for them too. Her wonderful brother was engaged to Tess, who in the end decided she couldn't go to Antar. Their home planet, that was 'home' to only Michael.

Her small puppy Doberman Zan pranced into the room and jumped up into her lap causing her to smile. "Hey baby." She picked him up as she got up from her chair. She walked through the apartment and shut off all the lights before walking down to her room. She set Zan down on the bed and watched him turn in circles before lying at the foot of the bed. Maria climbed into her large bed and stretched out on her stomach and closed her eyes, quickly drifting off to sleep.

Michael waved his hand over the lock of Maria's apartment. He'd been following her around for a few days now. To the concert she had last night, where he'd watched in awe of her beauty, and her singing. It had been seven years since he'd seen her. Now he was back. He walked through the dark apartment, and was met by a small dog. He knelt down beside it and scratched its ear, and was instantly accepted by the dog that led him straight to where Maria was sleeping. He looked at her, lying in bed and slowly moved and climbed onto the bed beside her. He buried his face in her hair and closed his eyes. "I love you Maria." He whispered and felt her shift slightly. He slid one hand around her, and rested it on her stomach.

Maria woke up feeling someone touching her and jumped quickly from her bed, screaming. She reached for the bat under her bed when she realized it was Michael. She stopped and just stared. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm home."

"This isn't your home. Your home is on Antar. Get out."

"I love you."

"Leave."

"I missed you."

"I don't care."

"Yes you do."

"I hate you."

"I know." He took her hand and tugged on it, and she instantly fell back onto the bed and on top of him. He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off with a passionate kiss. Her mouth covered his and she ran her fingers through his now longer hair. His hands roamed up and down her back, slipping under the skimpy tank top she wore.

Maria moaned into his mouth as her tongue fought against his. His hands seemed to be everywhere on her skin, burning her, marking her skin, telling everyone that she was his, and she accepted it completely.


Part 7

Maria woke up slowly feeling Michael's fingers coming through her hair. "Why did you come back?"

"I had to." He pressed his lips against the back of her shoulder and rested his head there, breathing in her skin.

"What do you mean?"

Michael took a deep breath before beginning. "The day you got shot I saw you, but older. You were sitting there, and you told me you loved me. You put your hand on your stomach, and you were pregnant. When I looked into your eyes her eyes, I saw all of this stuff I saw everything. She was from the future, 15 years in the future. Things were bad, your mom and Jim died, and then Liz, and me, then Isabel, Alexandra, and Alex, who died after he finally, killed Kivar. This badass guy that wanted to rule the five planets. One of them being Antar. But Max, he was the king, and he wouldn't give it up, So you came back to change things. Instead of Liz being shot, it ended up being you, and Max. Max died and I became King. This I found out from Kivar. He was trying to convince me to go to Antar for completely different reasons then what I went there for. I went to make sure none of that ever happened. That I wouldn't die, and leave you all alone in this world with our child, that Isabel, Alex, and Alexandra wouldn't die. So everyone would be safe." Michael closed his eyes and held Maria tighter.

"I made a deal with Kivar. I gave up everything, us ever going back to Antar, our royalty, our old lives, because I wanted to keep you safe."

"You hurt me Michael you told me we meant nothing and you left me, thinking that it was because it was more important to you than I was."

"It was Maria. Keeping you safe is more important to me then being with you." Maria turned her head and looked at him and he pushed some hair back from her face. "I love you Maria."

Part 8

Maria adjusted her dress as she looked at the long mirror. Isabel came up behind her and straightened her veil. "So how do you feel?" Isabel asked her.

"Like I'm gonna throw up." Maria laughed quietly resting her hand on her slightly swollen stomach.

"Just make it through the ceremony, then you can throw up, but hey, if you have to throw up, run." Isabel smiled at her in the mirror. "Michael is going to have a heart attack when he sees you." Maria wore a simple white dress, with thin straps, and iridescent beads at the bottom of the full skirt.

"I hope not." Maria chuckled quietly.

"Ladies, it's time to go." Alex said popping his head in the door, Maria smiled at him and nodded, then noticed the little girl wrapped tight around Alex's leg.

"Alexandra." Maria smiled and grabbed the little basket of flowers. "This is for you. Remember, do just what we practiced." Alexandra finally let go of her father's leg and smiled at Maria.

Maria took a deep breath as her turn came to walk down the isle. Her eyes locked on Michael's as she walked towards him. He smiled broadly at her and mouthed 'I love you' to her, causing her smile to grow, and her nerves to calm. Life was good, and they had a long one ahead of them.