Title: The Caged Bird Sings
Author: Kayarra
Summary: Maria centered—based on spoilers for episode "Behind the Music"
Disclaimer: I own nothing. The title is based on the poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou. The song that is used throughout the fic is my own song that I've written.
Authors note: I love POV fics, and Maria is my second favorite character, so this was very fun to write. I hope you like it!
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Maria walked through the quiet Roswell streets. Her golden hair flapping as the fall's evening breeze enveloped her.
She paid no attention to where she was going as her small fingers strummed the guitar she had strapped around her body and her mouth opened, releasing a wonderful melody.
"Breathe as if you're living for todayAnd not waiting for tomorrow…"
She stopped as her fingers fumbled on the chords of the guitar.
"I can never get that one right…" she muttered to herself, angry that she couldn't play her song.
She removed the guitar from her body and sat on the sidewalk. Strumming her fingers on the cement as she watched with envy the young children across the street play.
She remembered when those little kids were she, Liz, and Alex. Spinning around without a care in the world. Everything was…simple.
Billy, her old, simple friend from band camp had just left from his one-week vacation in Roswell. His visit somehow made her different…made her eyes open and her wings flap. She knew what she wanted to do now. No, she knew what she *had* to do.
She picked up her guitar and placed her strap over her shoulder and stood up, once again trailing the sidewalk. Her fingers found the chords and her melodious voice picked up from where she left off.
"Smile as your tears go away
Don't cry any more
Cause everything will be okay…"
Her feet walked the path which she subconsciously remembered since she was a kid.
"…And my pain don't hurt me no more
My skin holds the barrier.
And there's no more secrets
Hiding under my flaws"
Maria stopped and walked towards a bench in the park as she waited for Michael to meet her. She once again lifted the guitar from her body and lay on her back on top of the bench, watching the stars as the night quickly came upon her. Silently she sat there as she waited for him.
"Maria?" Michael quietly asked, interrupting her from her stargazing.
Maria sat up quickly. "Michael…" she whispered out to him.
Michael sat next to Maria. "So what's this meeting about?" he asked her.
Maria took a deep breath and looked into his eyes, preparing the speech she had made up for him earlier that day.
"Michael…I'm stuck." She started.
"Wha-?" Michael started. She silenced him with a touch of her finger to his lips.
"I'm stuck here and I don't know what to do. Billy…he opened my eyes and I can't shut them." She told him.
"So you're here about your little friend? How is the little ass anyways?" Michael said angrily.
Maria closed her eyes to sooth the anger that was willing to come out. "Billy opened my eyes and I can't shut them." She repeated. "I see what I want Michael. And I see why I don't have it."
Michael looked into Maria's eyes and saw that she was serious. "…And what do you want?"
"I want to fly Michael…I want to break out of this cage."
Michael shook his head in confusion. "What are you saying?
"I'm saying Michael…that I want a lot of things in life. I want to be a singer; I want to get out of Roswell. But I can't. I can't because of you." Maria looked down as a tear slipped down her face.
"Michael, I love you. But I can't be with you. My heart belongs somewhere else, somewhere besides Roswell. Besides you."
Michael looked at her incredulously. "I can't believe you're doing this to me Maria." His voice got louder and he stood up as passion began to fuel in his bones. "AFTER EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN THROUGH…" his voice got quieter as he sat back down next to her and looked at the scenery ahead of him.
"You're leaving me…" he trailed off.
He turned his face toward Maria, gazing in her apple green eyes. "Please don't…" he whispered. "Please…" he told her.
Maria took his hands in hers. "But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing…" she recited from memory. It was her favorite Maya Angelou poem.
"I can't be that bird," she whispered to Michael. "I can't be tied down Michael. I need to move on. I'm sorry Michael."
Michael fiercely dropped her hands from his.
"Fine." He stated, his voice eerily calm.
"Fine…" he stood and he left, never once looking back.
Maria looked at his retreating back and once again got her guitar and sat on top of the bench.
"Take one more look at me babyIt might be your last
Don't be surprised if I don't say goodbye
I'm putting this and you in my past
You're kisses won't save me
My heart won't heal that way
I'm telling you now, I'm gonna be okay…
…And my pain don't hurt me no more
My skin holds the barrier.
And there's no more secrets
Hiding under my flaws
Say goodbye for the last time
My feet's taking me the other way
Don't pretend that you didn't see this coming
We both couldn't play this game
…And my pain don't hurt me no more
My skin holds the barrier.
And there's no more secrets
Hiding under my flaws…"
"Goodbye Michael Guerin," Maria silently said before picking herself up and leaving for her house. She was moving away. Chasing her dreams, being what she always wanted to be.
The caged bird had finally developed her wings.
--End
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
P free bird leaps
on the back of the win
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom
The free bird thinks of another breeze
an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing
The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.