Title: Tag to Max to the Max

Author: Ashleyt

Summary: Well it's a tag so hopefully you watched the episode and know what it's about. All Maria POV.

Rating: Teen

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em.

Note: This is a ficlet for a challenge based at Candy is Dandy where we're writing the missing scenes to all of the season one episodes.

MARIA: You didn't tell Liz?

MAX: I haven't seen her since this morning.

MARIA: What are you talking about? You picked her up an hour ago. I saw you guys leave.

MAX: I didn't pick her up. I just got here.

MARIA: Max, I saw you.

"Maria, this isn't about you or me or our stupid relationship. This is about Isabel. Something is happening to her, and that's all I care about"

Even now as Maria's best friend was missing those words still wouldn't leave her alone. She rubbed her forehead attempting to ease the tension, failing miserably because she couldn't forget the words he'd said. Who was she kidding anyways? Michael Guerin was a lot of things but into her, Maria Deluca?

Why should he be?

She was just a girl whose own father hadn't wanted her. Her mother was always away on business, leaving her all alone. The meagre amount of guys she'd dated had only been after one thing. Even Alex and Liz had friends and circles where they belonged taking them away from her when the time came. The bottom line was always the same; poor Maria Deluca was as unwanted as herpes. No she was more unwanted than herpes because at least the people who caught herpes had a good time when they were getting it.

Who was she kidding to think that he could want her?

"Maria?" His voice invading her pity fest, sounding full of concern but ringing hollow and false in her head. He reached out to touch her and she jumped away from his touch.

She stood and walked to Max's other side. This is how he got her. He'd screw up and do something mean but than just when she was done with his hot and cold behaviour, just when she'd wiped her hands clean of him there he was being nice; being strong and full of warmth and comfort. The mature, almost, woman in her scoffed at her weakness while the yearning in her inner child wanted to run into his arms until the latest crisis was over.

What is wrong with me?

Licking her lips she focused on finding Liz, "Max what are we gonna to do? If you're right, than some shape-shifter named Naceko-"

"Nacedo" Michael interrupted.

Glaring at him she continued, "Nacedo has Liz. And is wearing your face as we speak. What does he want with her? What if she doesn't know it isn't you and he like uses that to do something to her..." Her eyes widening as her thoughts continued, her voice dropping down to a whisper "What if he uses that to do something with her?"

A shocked silence fell over the group as they pondered over the thought. Max pulled out his phone and walked away from the group as he begins to dial Liz's phone number

Maria begins to follow before she's pulled away, looking at the arm pulling her she sees that it's connected to the last person she wants to speak to right now. But before she can pull her arm away, he pulls her into the staff room of the Crash Down, closing the door to the alley, giving them the privacy they need.

"Maria-" He beings.

Standing tall and firm Maria holds up her hand "No, nu uh. Nope. I am so over anything you have to say right now buddy"

A stubborn look comes across Michael's face and she can feel him struggling not to turn this into a normal conversation between the two of them. Meaning lots and lots of yelling.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to call our relationship stupid or push you away. I'm just scared and a stupid, as you're well aware of and I thought for a minute there that I could actually have the family that I've never had. It's dumb I know"

Maria looked up at the honest and the yearning in his voice as he said 'family', she could almost taste how much he wanted that. Maybe she could forgive him...

Stupid.

She shook her head from giving in so easily, "We all want things Michael. Things like love, acceptance, lots of money and space ships to bring them home but that doesn't mean that we should throw away the things that we do have. Why do you do that? Is it so easy to push me away?" She could feel the tears forming in the back of her eyes and knew that she couldn't deal with this on top of the situation with Liz. Liz...

Sighing, she turned away from him, "This isn't the time to discuss us, whatever we are, Liz is missing and we need to focus on that"

"But" He objected taking a step forward.

She took a step back, turning her back completely on him "I still lo- have these feelings for you. And I know you care about me, I'm just not sure if it's enough"

She went to open the door but before she did she said "For what it's worth, I'm hoping it is" Than she opened the door, hoping to God that Max had news about Liz.

And adding a little prayer for her and Michael too.

Scene Two

I hope they're okay

Frightened, scared, apprehensive and left feeling a bitter taste in her mouth (courtesy of Grief Relief), Maria watched her best friend Alex Whitman pace as they waited. And waited.

"Alex" She said and patted the seat next to her.

He stopped pacing and sat down. "How you holding up?" He asked as he placed a comforting arm around her.

"I'll be better when we're all safe and home" Maria answered, not even caring if all she and Michael ever did from here on in was argue and make-up. Anything was better than being left with this helpless feeling when the people you loved and cared about were in danger.

He nodded his agreement, and they sat there in a comfortable silence; both lost in their thoughts. Maria fidgeted as she came back to the question that had been plaguing her since the aliens had left.

"Why weren't you mad?"

"Hm?" Alex asked puzzled.

Sighing, she clarified. "You know for the whole Isabel-Michael pregnancy thing. Why weren't you mad?"

Shrugging his shoulders his answer was simply. "I'm in love with her"

Maria pulled away and stared up Alex. For a nerdy and slightly neurotic guy, he was somehow the most inspiring person she knew. "And that was that? It was really that easy?"

Grinning sheepishly he added, "Well I had some fantasies of cage matches with Michael but I knew that being away from Isabel would always be harder than being with her even if she was really pregnant."

"So it was that simple?"

"What's ever that simple?"

She smiled. "Alex Whitman, you are amazing"

"I play a mean game of dodge ball too"

Their laughter filled the air as the tension dissipated and Maria enjoyed this small moment of being content, instead of the constant fear and pain that she seemed to be surrounded by. And she thought about what Alex said. She was mad, very mad, but she couldn't deny her feelings for Michael.

"Let's go check out the Crash Down to see if they're back yet" Alex said softly interrupting her thoughts. She nodded and they got up to leave.

While she drove to the diner, Maria's was still lost in her thoughts.

Could she really just turn and walk away?

What's it going to be Deluca?

She knew how she felt. It'd been the cause of her joy and sadness from the moment she'd seen that there was more to Michael in that tacky motel room on Route 285. He was an enigma. Both soft and hard; rough and tender.

Caring and harsh...

Even with the fact that he could be a big jerk, mean and unfeeling. He was who he was, she had always known that and she still wanted to be with him.

So what to do? Could the answer really be that simple?

As they entered the front door of the Crash Down, Liz came from the back with a frightened Isabel, stunned Michael and a silent Tess.

With a pained expression she came crashing into Maria's arms, frantic about Max being taken and as she comforted her friend her eyes sought out Michael's.

She read the fear, anger, sadness and worry in his eyes and made her choice.

She caught Liz's eyes, one last time, with a look of understanding before walking past her.

And she went to him.

The End