Oh, where to begin? I guess I could say I'm posting this as a celebration upon completing my AP US History test...that I probably failed...epically...but I'll say it's because I've worked super hard on this story and I am quite excited to finally be posting! This story is a prequel to my, and anything joint custody with Iwait4theRain's, menagerie of AU stories. Why write a prequel? Well, I could give a detailed rationale, but I'll say it's because a prequel explains why things are in an after-thought kind of way; prequels make you say, "Oh, so that's why this is *insert word choice here*. Also, I can proudly say this is the longest story I ever wrote; fifteen chapters and FYI, I'm never writing anything this long ever again!

And before I let you embark on my story, I want to thank Iwait4theRain for being awesome sauce and at times my unofficial beta; me hearts you. Also, Tony tastes like cotton candy and there is glitter on my keyboard! BLARG! To CouchPotato94: you are really my long-lost sister. And it isn't wrong to love tuna! I love both of you and hope you special girlies, and anyone else who may read this, enjoys. And if you don't enjoy it, well...I'm sorry that I made you sad. You can PM me if you would like a forgiveness hug. Yes I'm being serious.

Heck, if I owned West Side Story, I'd do a rewrite and have all the characters singing Beatles songs. Nor do I own any of the songs used to top off my chapters; they are simply borrowed frosting on my own cupcakes.

Come away with me on a bus

Come away where they can't tempt us with their lies

And I want to walk with you on a cloudy day

In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high

So won't you try to come?

Come away with me and we'll kiss on a mountaintop

Come away with me and I'll never stop loving you

~"Come Away With Me" by Norah Jones

Tony sat at the counter in complete shock at what he had just witnessed and prevented. The only reason he even ventured upstairs was because he thought it was Maria who was screaming for mercy; to find it was Anita who was in a plight made Tony even more angry. She was just doing a favor for a friend; a friend who was running away with her own lover's murderer. Tony didn't find this fair at all. Hadn't Anita gone through enough tonight? he thought. And the worst part in all of this was that Anita had sworn Tony to secrecy. Anita told him that the only way she would never tell where he and Maria ran off to would be if Tony never told Maria what those boys tried to do to her.

It didn't seem right, it wasn't right to keep something like that in the shadows. Then again, Tony killed someone and wasn't speaking up about it, so he really couldn't point fingers. Tony and Anita were running away from their inner darkness; Anita was doing it alone and Tony was doing it with Maria.

The little bell above the door jingled, and Tony jumped up from his seat. Any little noise made him feel nervous; he'd been rather jumpy since the fight.

"Tony," was all Maria said. She walked towards him with open arms and she eagerly fell into his. "I am sorry I took so long. Did Anita give you my message?"

"Yeah," Tony whispered. You must never tell Maria; I do not want her to know. It may hurt her in ways that even you could not make better. But I still wish the two of you well; I know that you will take care of Maria. Anita's words echoed through Tony's mind. He pulled away from Maria only the slightest bit and smiled at her. "Anita said that she wishes us well."

"Good. She took so long, I thought maybe something happened or that…"

"No, nothing happened," Tony reassured her. Maria ran her fingers over the frayed ends of Tony's sleeve, proof that the fight had gone through.

"I hope things are easier for us."

"Me too Maria. All we have to do is wait until Doc gets back; then we'll be set to go." Tony noticed how Maria's face took on a shade of uncertainty. He put a hand to her cheek and stared into her eyes.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"If it is the only way we can be together, then yes, I am sure."

The door opened once again as Doc slowly came in. He smiled at Tony, not sure if he should be happy for him because he found a way out of the city, or upset at him for running from the police.

"Doc, this is Maria," Tony said, totally enamored. Doc couldn't help but feel happy for Tony when he saw how for himself how this Maria girl made him feel. She was rather young, Doc thought. But he guessed Tony was pretty young too. After giving Tony an envelope, Doc looked at the young couple.

"I hope you two find what you're looking for out there."

"So do we." Tony stole a glance of Maria before slipping an arm around her waist. "Thanks for helping us; I promise I'll pay you back someday."

Before Doc could protest, Tony and Maria were already out the door.

The bus station was empty, with the exception of some people in tattered clothing slumped over benches. As Tony tried to decipher the map of stops, Maria thought about what lay ahead. She knew that the future was uncertain, but the future also held hope. The future being bright was based on faith and faith alone; this whole affair was a leap of faith.

"You ready?" Tony came up behind Maria and flashed two tickets to her. Maria slowly took one from his hand and smiled.

"Yes, I am."

"Good, 'cause I'm ready to get out of here."

~.~

Once situated on the bus, the reality of what Tony and Maria were doing had set in. With their hands joined, Maria looked at Tony.

"I love you."

"I love you too. And I promise to always love you."

Maria rested her head on Tony's shoulder, taking in the scent of his shirt. She then closed her eyes and dreamed of that somewhere Tony promised her. She envisioned open fields, like the ones full of tropical flowers back in San Juan, fresh air that held only the smell of rain and not fumes from cars. Maria eventually fell into a deep sleep letting the city, and the pain that came with it, melt away.