Title: Break The Rules
Author: Heavenly Vixen aka Ally
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Yes I own Michael Guerin and I've written him to stand before me pledging his loyalty and his body to my divine service.
Description: Isabel vents to Maria when faced with objection to her relationship with Jesse. Set around SAL - Control - THATH.
Isabel Evans, soon to be Ramirez, stormed into the Crashdown cafe and sat down at the counter slamming her planner down. She put her head in her hands and sighed. It was too hard, it was all too hard. Maria DeLuca watched the angry beauty enter the cafe before walking over and around to stand behind the counter and in front of where Isabel sat appearing to be trying to hide from the world with only her hands.
"What's wrong?"
Isabel looked up at Maria and shook her head. "It's not fair."
Maria looked confused. She reached out and put her hand atop of Isabel's in an attempt at comfort. "What's not fair?"
Isabel looked up at the petite girl in front of her in the crazy uniform and found herself wanting to confide in someone for the first time in her life.
"When you and Michael got together did anyone stop you? No. And god knows Max does whatever he wants. So why can't I marry the man I love?"
Maria looked down at the counter, extremely interested in the linoleum surface. "Actually that's not entirely true."
Isabel was taken aback. She was expecting platitudes and an attempt at comfort from the kind girl she'd never given enough credit. Her brief but confusing statement left her thrown. "What?" She ran and hand through her now short hair.
"Michael and I. Everyone objected to us as well, they stood in our way." A sad look graced Maria's usually full of life features.
"What are you talking about?" Isabel asked softly. She knew nothing about this.
"Ok well, for starters, you hate me." Isabel tried to speak up but Maria stopped her. "Or at least you did. And when Michael and I first got together, we didn't even knew what we had, but that didn't stop Max and Liz from interfering. They cornered us, told us it was wrong, that we shouldn't be together, that we didn't belong together, so Michael dumped me." Maria whispered as her eyes glazed, tears threatening to spill.
Isabel couldn't believe what she was hearing. The nerve her brother had. He may have been the King in another life and another world, but in this world and this life he had no right to interfere in anyone's lives or decide who anyone else should love. "I'm sorry Maria, I didn't know about that. But they came round." A look graced Maria's face that Isabel couldn't quite identify. "They did come round, didn't they?"
"Not really. But they sort of backed off eventually; they pretty much leave us alone now, for the most part. They still don't approve of our relationship, especially now that it's advanced further."
Isabel nodded, she too hadn't approved at that part of their relationship. However she'd always believed it was because she was afraid that Michael's alien physiology would end up hurting Maria. As she looked at the girl who she now called her closest friend, she frowned. Isabel couldn't believe she hadn't seen it. It was right in front of her and she never noticed. The anger that was already coursing through her, directed at her brother and Liz boiled over. What right did they have to judge their relationship? Isabel reached across the counter and took Maria's hand. Maria looked up at Isabel and smiled softly.
"I'm really sorry Maria. They... I had no right to judge your relationship. You love who you love, and you deserve to be with that person without the people around you making it damn near impossible."
Maria could hear the anger in Isabel. "It's ok Isabel. You just have to fight them. Break the rules, that's what Michael and I do." Maria smiled cheekily at Isabel causing her to laugh. There was something about Maria. She had this aura about her that would engulf you and make you feel warm and loved. She completely understood why Michael had fallen so quickly and so hard for this tiny human girl.
"You know, I never told you this, but the reason I didn't like you was because you made Michael feel. I'd been trying our whole lives to make him care about his life, to break through his stone wall he put up to keep everyone out. But then you came along and I watched as you had no trouble at all breaking through it."
Maria laughed. "Oh believe me; I had a hard time getting through it."
Isabel smiled softly. "Not as hard as you think. He loved you immediately."
The smile that lit up Maria's face at her words had Isabel wishing that she'd told Maria that particular truth long ago. "Thank you."
Isabel nodded once and glanced at her watch. Her eyes grew wide and she looked out the window, the streets were dark.
"It's 11 o'clock. You're supposed to be closing."
Maria looked up at the clock and cheered, causing Isabel to look at her strangely.
"I get to go home." Maria explained. Isabel smiled and nodded and picked up her things.
"Thanks for the chat Maria." Maria smiled and nodded. She wasn't sure if she helped any, but Isabel seemed to be calmer, so she couldn't have done any harm. Maria followed Isabel to the door and locked it behind her. She quickly went about cleaning and closing the cafe and soon was finally able to go home. She locked the back door and walked to the Jetta. She climbed in and drove over to Michael's apartment singing along to the radio softly.
When Maria pulled up in front of Michael's apartment building it was midnight. She knew Michael would be asleep or at least trying to but she went inside anyway. She used her key and quietly entered the small space. She tip toed into the bedroom, thankful that Max was out of town. When she walked into the bedroom she saw Michael lying, facing away from her. He was spread out on his stomach fast asleep.
Maria smiled softly and leant against the door. She just wanted to watch him for a while. Telling Isabel about the struggles they'd faced to be together made her realize just how lucky they were to make it this far. Here she was with the love of her life, and so what if they had to fight to be together, it was worth every battle to be with him. Maria pushed herself off the wall and crept over to the bed. Sliding on beside him carefully she wrapped her arms around him. Michael stirred and rolled over.
"Hey," he whispered as his sleep clouded mind regained conscious thought. He opened his eyes and looked straight into her green depths.
"Hey," Maria whispered back as she raised her hand to caress his cheek. "I missed you today." Michael smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her in to him.
"I missed you too." Michael whispered as he leaned in to capture her lips in a tender kiss. Like all their kisses, it took his breath away. He pulled away and Maria yawned. Smiling Michael held her tighter. "Go to sleep, you're exhausted."
Maria shook her head. "I want to stay awake with you."
Michael kissed her forehead. "I'll be right here all night, and in the morning when you wake up. I'm not going anywhere."
Maria smiled and nodded burying her head against his chest. His hand ran up and down her back, soothing her into slumber. Michael waited until her breathing became even and her movements stilled, signalling that she'd drifted off before allowing himself to follow her.
The two lovers lay just like that all night, tucked away from the world and the objections of the people around them, locked safely in the warmth of each other's embrace.