Do You Take This Woman
"Michael, despite the countless ways in which you infuriate, irritate, and annoy me, I love you. I have right from the very beginning, but was too afraid to admit it. You are a larger than life, walking, talking, bundle of chaos on two feet, and I love you with all my heart."
There were tears standing in Maria Deluca's eyes as she gazed up into Michael's handsome face. She could see he was struggling to keep his turbulent emotions in check, and had to clear his throat before he could speak.
"Maria, you have challenged me to become the best man I can be. You put me in my place when I need it, encourage me to pursue the things that I want to do, and love me more than I deserve. I love you. I am so happy that you agreed to be my wife."
"Take each other's hands." Pastor Jean Mason instructed. "Maria, do you take this man to be your husband?"
"I do." Maria whispered.
"Michael, do you take this woman to be your wife?"
"You bet I do!" Michael exclaimed.
"Now that the rings have been exchanged and your vows spoken, it is my honor to declare you husband and wife. Michael, you may now kiss your bride."
Michael pulled Maria into his arms and captured her lips with his own. This kiss, though like so many others was filled with love and passion, was different. It held hope and promise, as well as commitment. Something he had always felt scared of until now. He wasn't scared anymore.
Maria felt emotion well up within her. She had never been happier in her life, as she was at that very moment. She had meant every word she said to Michael, and regardless of what chaos and danger he had brought into her life, it was well worth it because the man of her dreams had just married her.
The sounds of cheers and clapping pulled Michael and Maria out of their wandering thoughts. They broke apart, flushing happily as they turned to face the others.
Liz Evans hugged Maria as close as her bulging stomach allowed her too, happy tears shining in her eyes. "I'm so happy for you and Michael."
"Thanks Liz." Maria cried. "I'm happy for us too."
"About time you two got married." Max Evans told Michael as the two best friends embraced.
"I know." Michael replied." I just wanted Maria to be sure of what life with me would be like."
"It will be as chaotic.." Maria glanced around to see that the Pastor was across the room talking to the elderly women who had hastily put together a small meal, complete with wedding cake. " And dangerous as anything else we have already been through. As long as we're together…all of us…we can get through anything."
"Maria's right. Especially now that I've joined the 'club'." Kyle Valenti discreetly flicked the fingers on his right hand, igniting sparks between them before quickly distinguishing it.
As the Pastor turned to look at them, Isabel Ramirez instinctively reached out to grab Kyle's hand, hiding it from prying eyes. Both she and Kyle jumped as a spark of electricity arced through both of them as their hands made contact.
Just like Liz's blatant alien powers had come to life about a year after Max had saved her, so now, had Kyle's. He was still figuring out exactly what he was capable of doing, but the fact that they had another person capable of alien powers, meant extra protection for all of them.
"Come and cut your wedding cake dearies." A silver haired matron called out from where she stood by the small, but elegant cake.
Maria happily pulled Michael over to the refreshment table by the hand, with the others following after them. Michael willingly poses for pictures that Liz took of him and Maria cutting the cake and feeding it to each other.
Any time one of the older ladies tried to snap a picture as well for their records, each of the six Roswellians made a point to turn their faces or stepped in front of someone to prevent theirs from being captured. It was one thing for them to have pictures of each other, but not for anyone else. They couldn't afford to have recent pictures of them circulating for just anyone to see.
They had all done a good job keeping ahead of the Alien Task Force. Although they knew that Tess had been successful in decimating its ranks when she confronted them, there were still plenty others after them.
"Hate to spoil your day and all, but we really should leave soon." Max said softly as they all ate cake, finger sandwiches, and cold salads.
"We know." Michael said, digging into another slice of cake.
"As soon as we're finished eating." Maria promised.
"This lobster salad is so good." Isabel practically moaned as she savored the bit she had just put in her mouth.
'Sure beats hot dogs and hamburgers." Kyle agreed.
"This ambrosia is heavenly too." Liz piped up, dishing out more of the marshmallow fruit salad onto her plate.
"Eat as much as you like little Mama." A tiny older woman with thinning white hair and bifocals." Your baby will grow big and strong."
Liz smiled sheepishly at her, looking down at her loaded plate. It had second helpings of practically everything the older ladies had prepared for them. Maybe she was eating way more than she was supposed to, but she was hungry all the time, and they didn't get home cooked meals very often.
She felt a hand press against her stomach and turned her head to see Max looking at her. She could see the worry standing in his dark eyes. She was nearing her ninth month and hadn't been seen by a doctor once. It was just too dangerous for her to be examined by a doctor, who would automatically schedule extensive testing including blood work.
They didn't know to what extent Max's saving her life had changed her inside. For the most part she had never felt anything physical different about herself prior to her fingers beginning to spark, power to thrum through her, and the mind numbing premonitions she got from time to time. They couldn't risk doctors finding something abnormal in her blood work.
So they were playing everything by ear. They had already realized that this baby was following a more human growth pattern than Zan had when Tess was pregnant with him. Only a month had passed between conception to birth, or so that's what Tess had told all of them, when she had returned to Earth with Zan in tow, only a short time before they had fled Roswell.
They had all studied books about baby development while in the womb, birthing babies, first aid, survival skill techniques, CPR, etc. She was on prenatal vitamins, got the best bed wherever they crashed for the night, and had first dibs on any extra food they came across. Soon though, they were going to have to find someplace to hunker down for awhile so that she could give birth in an actual house, instead of the back of a crowded van or some makeshift shelter out in the woods somewhere.
She didn't let on that she was worried too…and scared. She had never given birth before or had much to do with any other babies except for the few short hours they had with Zan before Max's dad took him to his new adopted parents. But she couldn't let it show. Max was already worried enough. Even though he had abdicated the Antar thrown, they all still looked to him for the hard decisions.
"i'm fine Max." She smiled at him, and was relieved when he smiled back.
"Eat up." He told all of them, turning his attention back to his own plate of food.
All too soon they all declared themselves full, and with packages of wrapped cake and sandwiches, the six Roswellians left the tiny church and climbed into the beat up Volkswagon van that had been their mode of transportation, and mobile home for over a year now.
"I love you Maria Guerin." Michael whispered to Maria, pulling her close so that she fit under his arm on the beat up leather seat in the back of the van.
"I love you too Micheal. Always." Maria whispered back, lifting to seal her words with a kiss as Max put the van into motion and they drove off into the night.