Author's Notes: These were written for a challenge, the directions being to put your iTunes on shuffle, write the first thing that pops into your head when listening to the song, finish writing before the song is over, and repeat nine more times. Most of them were written under all of three minutes, then. I am actually very fond the way that they turned out. None of them are related to each other.

Disclaimer: I don't own Michael, Holly, or the songs.

Nine Song Snapshots

Feels Like Rain - Motion City Soundtrack
It was raining. Holly pressed her nose against the window of her new house. The raindrops were pouring down rapidly. She watched them as they fell to the ground. It was cold, and she shivered. She remembered that Michael had liked to dance in the rain. She backed away from the window. Her nose had made a smudge on the glass. She went to wipe it away, but decided against it. She left it there, so that she would remember watching the rain and missing Michael.

Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado
Holly was hot. Michael knew that there was nothing but truth in that statement. Truth and accuracy. He leaned over to her side of the bed and kissed her. She moaned and rolled over, so that she was lying on top of him. They continued to kiss. Seconds later, clothes were gone, blankets were ruffled, and they were one.

Michael hoped that the neighbors would not complain about the noise. And if they did, screw it. They wished that they could have what he and Holly had. They wished. Suckers.

Missed the Boat - Modest Mouse
Michael stared at the dashboard of Daryl's truck. The ride back from New Hampshire had thus far been quiet. If Michael had to describe how he felt at that very moment in one word, he would say sucky. Sucky sucky sucky. Holly had been his number one. His other half. His soul mate. And now they were off key, like Beethoven being played on the piano by a novice. They were off key. No, they were nothing at all. Stupid, stupid seven hours. Stupid sucky seven hours. He had let her go; his number one, his other half, his soul mate. He had let her go and he was gone. He tried to smile, but it didn't come out right. He kept quiet for the rest of the ride, continuing to stare at the dashboard of Daryl's truck.

I Saw It On Your Keyboard - Hellogoodbye
Holly grinned. Michael made her feel giddy. When they were together, she felt so cheerful and lighthearted and free. He had that amazing effect on her. And she loved him for it. She loved everything about him.

Michael grinned and took Holly's hand. When he was with her, he felt that he could do anything. Anything that he put his mind to. Holly gave him the ability to fly, to touch the moon, to be truly happy. He was glad she was real and not a hologram. He was glad that they loved each other.

I Constantly Thank God For Esteban - Panic At The Disco
Holly was pissed, Michael could tell. She was in one of those moods; Michael associated them with PMS. She said words, called him things. Immature, obnoxious, inappropriate. It made Michael wonder. She wasn't usually like this, at all. She never lectured him; typically, she laughed along with him. But now this. She was a preacher in that moment, all high and mighty. Michael wondered what was with it, this mood. He didn't like it, but he loved her so much nonetheless. After all, no one was perfect.

How To Save A Life - The Fray
The hospital smelled like Lysol. It was clean - too clean. It made Michael nervous. He squeezed his wife's hand. Holly was optimistic. Well, as optimistic as one would be in this situation. She was the force that held their family together. Family. Michael, Holly, and Anna. Anna. God, their little girl had tried to kill herself. Their little girl had tried to kill herself and was lying in a hospital bed. Anna was in room 3C, had no roommates, and was doing well despite everything. It was all so surreal to Michael - this stuff only happened in movies or tearjerker novels. Holly was so strong, had been so strong throughout all of this. He needed to be more like her. He needed to be strong for Anna. He squeezed Holly's hand again and took a deep breath.

Steadier Footing - Death Cab for Cutie
He hadn't seen Holly in awhile. Not since the Company Picnic, but he had since heard through the grapevine that she and AJ were engaged. He continued to drive, his fingers firmly gripping the steering wheel. He was nervous and didn't quite know what he was doing. He finally arrived at her house. Their house. She came out to see him. As fate would have it, AJ was not around So they talk and talk, but the engagement does not come up.

Back Home - Yellowcard
Holly yawned and got out of bed. She opened the curtains and peered out of her bedroom window. It was a sunny day. She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. To a casual observer, it would appear that she had settled back into Nashua well. Steady job, friends, nice house. What a casual observer did not know was that she missed him. She missed Michael like crazy. She missed waking up next to him every morning, the way he made her laugh, his smile. Yes, in Nashua she had friends, a job, a nice house. But she didn't want that. She wanted Michael. She frowned; this wasn't home without him. It just wasn't. She got into the shower, fixed her hair, and got dressed. It would be another day of missing him. Another day of missing Michael.

Transatlanticism - Death Cab for Cutie
There were miles and miles of space between them. It made both of them sad. They were both so broken, but neither of them knew it because they were so far away from each other. They went about their lives as usual, trying to forget each other and failing each time. Michael called Jan but never followed through on their date. Holly told herself that she was happy with AJ, that really, she was, and that buying a house with him was the right thing to do. But one day, after months and months of trying to convince herself that she was happy, she realizes that she isn't. She calls things off with AJ. She begins to drive. It's a long journey, but she doesn't care. Nothing matters anymore. Nothing matters but this. She is on a mission, not taking her eyes off of the road once. Not once in seven hours, until finally, she's at his door. After a knock, she says it. She says those words that make Michael's hard go thumpity thump thump.

She says, "I think I'll look for a job in Scranton."

And it doesn't matter that they're standing on his front stoop and it's freezing cold outside, or that it's seven thirty on a Saturday None of that matters anymore. They have each other once again, and they're no longer broken. Their lives are once more intertwined.