Title : A lost soul

Author : CandyGirl1980

Rating : Mature

Couple : Everybody but mainly M/M and the scooby gang

Summary : While on the run from the FBI the gang drives through a town called Sunnydale. They want to stay for a while. But then something happens and they have to stay longer then expected.

Disclaimer : I only borrowed the shows Roswell and Buffy

Author´s Note : Every review is wanted

Chapter 1 Marias POV

We thought after we escaped the FBI on our Graduation that life would be a little less dramatic. Ok we were on the run and we had to be careful for the rest of our life, but that didn´t mean that we couldn´t have fun while we did it. We were wrong. Isabel was in bad shape for a few days. She missed her husband very much. The whole day she would sit in the back and look out of the window. Or she cried. Sometimes she did both. Kyle tried to brighten the mood in the little van. Althrough he missed his father he was glad that he was still alive. Max and Liz were the only ones who were in some degree really happy. They married the day we escaped. For days they would throw each other loving glances or were so sickly in love that everybody was close to losing the little food we ate. I wanted to be happy for them. I really did, but I couldn´t bring myself to it. That was no wonder when I looked at my relationship with Michael. He was closed off most of the time. I thought that he wouldn´t do that anymore after I made the decision to go with them. But our "honeymoon" lasted exactly until New York. Then we fell in our old habits. Only we didn´t have the luxury of seperate households or privacy. Everyday our fights were more hateful and meaner. I think our relationship was on the brink to die out. Not that we didn´t love each other. I knew that Michael still loved me and I still loved him. But we had unfinished business that we didn´t have the time to discuss alone. Most of the nights I laid awake and thought about my decision. More than once I regretted that I went with my friends. I left my home, my mother and everything I knew my whole life. And for what? I didn´t know. If it weren´t for Kyle, Liz and Max I would have already gotten off in San Francisco. The only good thing I can say about this trip is that my friendship with Liz is getting better this days. We were growing to be the friends we were before the aliens invaded our life again. And Kyle. He is a great guy and that´s really the truth. Many nights he slept next to me or let me sleep on him. He was becoming the brother I always wanted. Althrough we weren´t blood related we felt like siblings. Some night, after we were on the road for straight three weeks, Max drove through a town called Sunnydale. It was like Roswell, without the alien themes. Kyle suggested to stay for a few days. He said that we saw no FBI Agents for a long time and we all needed the time out. Everybody was content with it. And so we looked for a cheap hotel we could sleep in. Thankfully Sunnydale was not that expensive and we found a nice hotel within a half hour. Kyle and I went to the clerk and we got us three rooms. It was decided that Isabel and I, Kyle and Michael and Liz and Max would be sharing a room. It was the best solution, althrough I would have prefered to share a room with Kyle. But strangely it was Isabel request to sleep in a room with my. I had nothing against it. As long as I didn´t have to share with Michael I was ok. So we all got in our rooms and catched up missing sleep. I never was so glad to be in a comfy bed like that night. The next morning we wanted to see what the town had to offer for us. Kyle, Isabel and I went looking for a nice cafe, Max and Liz wanted to be alone and Michael stayed in the hotel room. The town was slightly boring. There was nothing interesting to see and the people were a bit strange. Sometime later Kyle discovered a shop called the " magic box". Immediately we went inside. The shop was as weird as it sounded. Everywhere were old books and artifacts that were probably from horror movies. I think I saw a hand. But i wasn´t sure.

" Hey Maria. Check this out", Kyle held something in his hand that looked like a glas of olives.

I walked in his direction. " What is this?"

" That are eyes of lizards", he was so excited that I just had to laugh. Even Isabel smiled for the first time in days.

" Ewwww. Take it away", that was not something I had to ever see again in my life. What freak would sell such a thing. Or better who would buy something.

After Kyle was occupied again with a statue I made my way to the books. Maybe I would find a book that could help me with my problem with Michael. The books were really interesting. There were about white magic, black magic and a book full of spells. I took that book and read a little. Suddenly someone bumped into me.

" Sorry. I didn´t see you", it was a girl with red hair and her clothes screamed geek. But she seemed really friendly.

" It´s alright. I have a good insurance", despite that I didn´t know that girl I smiled at her. She was the kind of girl that you liked at first sight.

The girl smiled back at me. " That´s good to know", she looked at the book in my hand. " Are you interested in witchcraft?"

I probably looked like an idiot. What was she talking about? Then she pointed at the book. Oh damn. " Not really. But I´m open for everything"

" If you need help I can show you some tricks", the girl stepped a closer to me. Then she seemed to remember something. " By the way my name is Willow".

I took the hand she extended towards me. " I´m Maria".

" Are you new here or just on vacation", she asked me.

" Vacation. Or something like that", I didn´t want to tell her to much. Althrough she seemed not to be the dangerous type, I wanted to be careful.

" Something like that?", Willow didn´t seem to believe me. I couldn´t blame her. I was the most worse liar on earth.

I got slightly nervous now. What could I tell her? Thankfully Isabel came to the rescue. She took my arm and without a word she dragged my out of the shop. I threw a quick goodbye over my shoulder before we went out the door. On the way to a cafe, Isabel asked about the way to one, Kyle quizzed my about the girl. But I ressured them that I didn´t tell to much about me or the others. After all we talked two minutes with each other. After we found the cafe and relaxed a bit, it was getting dark already. Kyle saw on his watch and told us that we should go back to the hotel. So we made the trek back. I didn´t want to, but what I could I do against it. Max and Liz weren´t there when we came to the hotel. Isabel parted from us and went to Michael. She wanted to keep him company. At one time I was the one who did that. But now everything was different. Kyle and I walked in the room Isabel and I shared. Immediately we turned the tv on. Maybe something interest was showing. However we didn´t have that much luck and so we talked. About Roswell, about our parents and mostly about my relationship with Michael. Kyle comforted my and told me that I should give it time. He quoted Buddha to me, but I couldn´t understand what he meant. Despite the riddle talk I felt a little better. A while later Max and Liz knocked at our door. They found a club called Bronze, which seemed to be the meeting point of the town. They suggested that we would go there and forget for a few hours about our problems. Everybody was game, althrough Michael was not really in the mood. So with the help of Isabels powers we dressed ourselfs for a night out. Thank god that Sunnydale wasn´t that big of a city and we found the Bronze really easily. The joint was packed when we went inside. I felt really great. All this people, great live music and a huge dancefloor. The moment I heared the music I grabbed Iz and Liz and we made our way on it. The guys were getting cold drinks and then looking for a table. I let myself carry away with the beat. I didn´t notice anything around me. Not even the cold body behind me. Not until my right arm was brutaly gripped and I was dragged from the dancefloor.

" Michael. Stop. You´re hurting me", I tried to pry my arm off of him. But he only gripped harder. What was up with him?

We were near the exit when Michael released my arm. Immediately I slapped his shoulder. " What were you thinking manhandling me like that?".

" What I was thinking?", Michael was furious. His eyes were almost dark and his jaw muscles were moving. Oh oh." Maybe that I didn´t want a strange man hitting on my girlfriend".

Did I hear him right? No definitely not. My ears must have deceived me. " Your girlfriend? Since when?". Maybe I missed something?

" What?".

" Don´t what me. You know what I´m talking about. The whole trip you ignore me or say hurtful things and suddenly we have a relationship. Make up your fing mind", I nearly screamed the whole building down. But I had swallowed so many things and now they wanted out.

Michael was shocked for about a few seconds. " Look who´s talking. At first you want out of the alien crisis and then you want back in. You break up with me and still want me in your life. I think you should make up your mind".

I really wanted to strangle him at the moment. But my mother taught me that violence was not an answer. " And that from a guy who wanted me in his life and then not. How many times did that happen. I think it was weekly".

" I made mistakes. I´m sorry that I´m not so perfect like Max".

" Oh no. Don´t start with that garbage again. I´m so sick of this conversation everytime we fight", besides we had so many fights about this topic that I could rehearse every word Michael yelled at me.

" Fine. We don´t have to talk ever again", I knew that was a empty thread. Michael would hold out for a few days top. Actually we didn´t talk for a long time. Screaming doesn´t count as a conversation in my book.

" That´s alright with me", I turned around. I had to get fresh air or I would do something I would regret later.

" I wish you wouldn´t have come with us", that sentence was the most hurtful thing he ever said to me.

With tears in my eyes I stormed out of the club. It was cold and really scary outside, but I didn´t notice it. I was too hurt to feel anything at the moment. I started walking back to the motel. I didn´t know which direction I had to take, but I just walked along the streets. What Michael said hurt me deeply. I thought we had a little low at the moment. But now I knew that we were over. And that for good this time. I would never forgive him that. The damage he created tonight could never bended. Not in this life and not in the next. Suddenly dark shapes jumped out from an alley. I was startled out of my thoughts.

" What do we have here?", one of shapes came closer.It seemed to be guy. His face was twisted and he looked really scary. I was scared out of my mind.

Now one of his friends did the same. He touched my face with his disgusting hand. " What is a pretty girl like you doing here alone at night"

" I´m on my way home", I tried to sound not to frightened. But I failed. I stuttered like an idiot.

The first guy was now behind me. He removed my long hair and exposed my neck. Oh God they would rape me or worse kill me. No I didn´t want to die that way. Without thinking I threw my head backwards. Judging after the scream of pain I hit him. After that I tried to run away. But the second guy grasped my arm and threw me at the wall. I landed with a thud on a few wooden boxes. Every part of my body started to hurt. But I couldn´t give up or I would surely die. However my attempt to stand up was hindered by my aching bones. Within seconds the two guys were at my side again. They lifted me from the ground and pressed my against their bodies. Then I felt a prick at the right side of my neck. One guy bore his long teeth in my flesh. The other did the same on the left side. I wanted to struggle, but I didn´t have the strength anymore. I felt like they sucked the life out of me. Strange that I wasn´t scared anymore. Slowly my mind was getting fuzzy and I didn´t feel any pain anymore. It was like a release. My problems were gone and all my anger was disappearing. With every suck I remembered every detail of my life. I thought about Liz, Max, Alex, my mother, Kyle, Isabel, Tess and mostly Michael. Now I didn´t have the chance anymore to tell him how sorry I´m and how much he really meant to me, even if didn´t show it. I hope everybody would move on when I´m gone. Then I felt it. Death was coming. One more gulp and I was dead.

" Hey. Hands off", I heared vaguely through the mist I was in. Suddenly the two guys let go off me. Like a stone a fell to the ground. I could hear sound of fighting. Wood splintered and bones broke. I lay there what felt like a eternity when a shadow fell over my eyes. It was a guy again. But not one of the two earlier. He looked like them, but something was different about him. Maybe it was the similarity with Billy Idol. I don´t know.

" Are you ok? Can you speak?", the guy asked me. I wanted to tell him that I felt like crap. But not a sound wanted to come out. I only shook my head. Then he did something that really creeped me out. He slit his wrist with his long fingernail until it began to bleed. After that he stretched it in my face.

" Drink. You have to drink it or you die".

In every other situation and if I weren´t on the brink of death I would have run away disgusted. But I wanted to live. Therefore I sucked the blood out of his wrist. At first the taste was pretty nasty. But after a while it tasted better. Sometime later he snatched his arm back. That´s when the change in my body started. My heart started to beat really fast, my limbs were getting heavy, my breating was faster and I was cold. I could feel my soul leaving my body. I listened like my heart was beating slower and slower until it stopped. After that everything went black for me.

TBC