Chapter One

Welcome home

Alex and Isabel were sitting at their usual booth, talking about the last few days of freedom until they had to be in school again. While she wasn´t exactly thrilled to get bored with crappy stuff that she wouldn´t even need in her future life, he was really excited. He knew that his girls didn't have any excuses anymore to avoid their other halves in school, so that meant they had to face their problem head on.

" Do you think it will be that easy? I mean with Liz maybe, but Maria? She will be harder to crack", Isabel wished nothing more than to have her brothers back the way they had been before they lost their girls. But she also knew that it wouldn´t be just a damn walk in a daisy field.

Alex put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer at his body. He knew his best friends and he was sure that they would be pudding in their hands as soon as the guys started to charm them, well at least Max would do that. Michael was a hard nut and he would be having the most trouble with his approach. But he was positive that everything would go as planned. " Don´t worry. They won´t know what hit them".

Isabel hoped that her boyfriend was right in that assumption, because she couldn´t bear to see her brother's moping alone in his room anymore, listening hours and hours to the depressing songs from Counting Crows or watch Michael trying to ignore his heartbreak by focusing all his attention on his powers. " Hopefully or else I will personally put an end to this nonsense".

" What did lover boy do this time?", Maria just caught the end of the conversation during the few minutes she could take it slow and not run around in her haste to serve the starving people. She wasn´t in a good mood since it was her first day back in uniform and of course she was the only waitress in action. Agnes was on her break again, Liz had a job interview with some Congresswoman and Jose was repeatedly hitting on her.

Isabel glanced at the human girl, wondering why she was still so surprised about the different appearance and attitude. She should be used to it by now, but it was still a shock to see Maria so radiant and confident, although she could understand why the girl needed a change, she would do the same. " Nothing, we were just talking about Max and Liz".

Maria´s expression was clearly showing her opinion to that statement and it was more than obvious that she wasn´t so in agreement with the topic. Even though she loved Liz like a sister and Max was a really good friend, she wouldn´t interfere in their lives to meddle into something that wasn´t any of their business. " Isabel, please keep your nose out of that".

" Don´t you want to see your best friend happy again? She loves my brother, but she´s too scared to see that clearly", Isabel realized with a start that the same was applying to Michael, too. Well not that he was in love with Max, but the situation in general.

Maria rolled her eyes dramatically at the other girl, knowing it was pointless to argue with the Ice Queen, she would only lose in the end and that was namely her patience. " Just leave them alone", before Isabel could open her mouth she was gone again, having noticed a man entering the front and walking to a booth.

Isabel huffed angrily while she pushed her body on the backrest, crossing her arms over her chest and sulking visibly. She wouldn´t just give up on some really good plan as long as she saw a chance to help her friends. She just wanted everyone to be happy, was that too much to ask? " She´s so damn stubborn, just like Michael".

" Who´s like me?".

Isabel startled, having not expected Michael to come here today, especially considering that it was his free day. Instantly her mood brightened and a new plan was forming in her head. She couldn´t wait to see the reaction when her brother at heart would lay his eyes on Maria after the changes she had done. " I was talking about someone at school. She has no fashion sense just like you".

Michael rolled his eyes at the dig at his clothes. He was used to that by now and it didn´t bother him anymore. Like he wanted to be a sheep like everyone else and chase after the newest trend, which was out before it was even in. He wore what he wanted and he didn't care what others thought about him. " Great. Don´t you have anything better to do than discussing my fashion style?".

" Oh yes. I like Maria´s new style. I like her longer hair and she finally dresses a little more daring", Isabel couldn´t keep her grin from appearing and she saw Alex shake his head at her obvious try. But she ignored her boyfriend and just focused on Michael, which pleased her more than anything, because he reacted just like she had predicted.

He tried to glance around without making it too noticeable and as soon as he spotted Maria his mouth was widening slightly and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets. For a moment longing and love was mixing in his glance before he caught himself again and put on his stoic façade. " Great, another fashion victim".

Alex felt like pummeling the alien boy into oblivion or at least long enough to knock some sense into him. Michael was obviously in love with Maria, just too stubborn to admit the fact. He didn´t understand exactly the fear to be dangerous to others, but that was ridiculous. Going against everything he preached to his girlfriend day for day, he interfered in the love life of his best friend. " Her new boyfriend doesn´t think so. He likes the way she dresses. I even think he was the trigger for her new look".

" She got someone new already?", even though Michael didn´t want to respond to that, he couldn´t help himself. The thought of another guy doing things to her, she had only allowed him to do to her wasn´t sitting well with him.

Isabel was stunned about the words having come out of her boyfriend's mouth, but barely managed to compose her features to not give anything away, she hadn´t known that Alex was so good at lying or had even one bad bone in his body. Well she wouldn´t complain, as long as he wasn´t doing that to her and as long as it helped her plan. " Yeah, she met him during her vacation".

Alex was sure that Isabel just wanted to help, but he didn´t need it. He could easily hold his own in that matter. Besides it wouldn´t hurt to give Michael a little scare, maybe then he realized that he had to get in gear if he wanted to have Maria back. " His name is Caleb Danvers. He´s a really good friend from her step brother Tyler and he will attend Harvard next year. His family is very rich as well".

" Good for her", Michael spat before he jumped to his feet and stormed out of the restaurant, leaving his friends behind. Almost damaging the doors on his way out, he had to use every bit of his control to not let his powers overpower him.

Isabel was very pleased with their small victory. It was always a nice sight to see Michael losing his cool and act like a human being with feelings, one day the guy had to accept that it wasn´t a weakness to love someone. " Wow, I think we should definitely keep away from him for a while", turning to her boyfriend, she kissed him. " How did you come up with that so fast? His name is Caleb; he goes to Harvard and he´s rich. That was so great".

Alex slightly blushed at the PDA where everyone from school could see them. Unfortunately he couldn´t take the credit alone for that story he dished out. " I didn´t come up with it. The guy really exists and everything I said was true. The only lie is that he´s not Maria´s boyfriend, although from what I heard he wouldn´t be against the idea".

" You´re evil. Why didn´t you tell me that she was seeing someone else? Oh I have to suggest a girls night, I have to find out what I missed during these three months", Isabel calculated a date in her head, it was Friday today and Monday it was back to school, which was too long for her to wait. Deciding to screw arranging everything, she jumped to her feet and almost crashed against Maria. " You´ve got a minute? Great, so I want to do a girl's night today, you interested. Good. Come to my house at seven".

Maria shot her best friend a confused look, scratching her head in astonishment and wondering what the girl was smoking. Unfortunately Alex seemed just as clueless about his girlfriend's behavior as her and so she continued her work, reminding herself to tell her mother that she would sleep out this evening.

Evans Residence nighttime

Maria stood in front of the house, Liz at her side. Both girls were wondering why they were here and why they felt like they were walking in a trap. Ringing the doorbell the girls clutched their bags closer to their body, in case they needed a cushion. Their faces twisted into a mask of fear and panic.

" Why did you agree to this?"

Maria glanced at her best friend with astonishment, asking herself why it was her fault now. Liz could have told dropped out so easily with some lie, but she had chosen to come with her, so it wasn´t her fault alone. " Isabel completely took me by surprise, she didn´t even let me say anything. I did not agree to anything".

Liz felt her inside trying to escape her body. She knew that Max would be behind that door and she had actually managed to keep away from him so far. But that would change now, because she couldn´t avoid him when they were in the same house. And she would lay the blame on Maria, if the girl wanted or not. " Why did I agree?".

" Maybe to see some alien king with his soulful eyes", Maria gushed, knowing that she could tease her friend with that. Unfortunately for her, that was the moment Max opened the door and heard what she said, to the complete embarrassment from Liz. " Hey girlfriend. We´ve got an appointment".

Max tried to keep his heating cheeks in the shadows. He hated that nickname Maria had given him; it was making him question his manliness, besides he didn´t wanted Michael to overhear that or else he wouldn´t hear the end of it. " Come on in, Izzy is already expecting you".

Liz went instantly inside to escape the awkward situation. Why couldn´t her best friend shut her mouth or at least say these things when they were alone. It was one thing to tell each other something like that in private, but not in front of the door of the mentioned boy. Moving quickly to the stairs and walking up, she hoped that he would forget what he heard.

" Lizzy! Come on, don´t be like that", Maria sniggered amused, having so much fun with embarrassing everyone around her. And then Max´ face, it was just too hilarious to see them both blinking like Rudolph´s red nose. " Is it possible to share a room with you tonight? I think Liz will kill me in my sleep".

Max ´ blush intensified at the mental picture. Even though he was heavily in love with Liz and he would never do anything to hurt her, he was still a hormonal male teenager and Maria very beautiful. " Uh sorry. Michael is already crashing in my room. But if you want he´s probably not against sharing".

Now it was Maria´s turn to get uncomfortable. The topic with Michael was still a sore spot with her. He had told her he loved her and then walked away from her, ignoring her existence in the next minute. She just couldn´t figure that guy out. He was hot and then cold and then hot again. " He wishes. I think I´d rather sleep with a psychopathically murder than sharing a room with him".

" Ouch, when did you turn into this harpy?", Michael appeared besides his friend, using his sarcasm to cover how much that sentence was cutting into his heart. He didn´t want to admit it, even to himself, but he knew it had been a mistake to push her away and he regretted ever thinking that her presence hadn´t affected him.

Maria bit her tongue to prevent herself from throwing something as nasty in his direction. But after her vacation with her father, his new family and their friends she knew that it wasn´t very mature to fight fire with fire. Glancing at Max, she visibly ignored Michael. "I think the other two are waiting for me. See you tomorrow".

Max winced at the cold shoulder and he wasn´t even the wrong at the receiving end. He had always known that Maria would one day give up on his best friend, tired of trying to butt against a wall over and over again. But he hadn´t imagined Michael taking it this hard and openly showing his emotions, even if it was just a quick sparkling of his eyes. " Could you maybe not act like a jackass every time she´s near you? You would manage more if you would start treating her special or show her that you care".

" I told her that I loved her? What more does she want?"

Max shook his head, wondering how his friend had actually been able to snatch Maria in the first place. The girl wasn´t high maintenance like most of the girls in their school, she just wanted Michael to acknowledge her or give her some indication that she was more than just someone to make out with. " You told her goodbye in the same sentence, so it doesn´t count. I mean even I know that much".

Michael rolled his eyes, tired of getting lectured from the great Max, the all knowing guru. The guy had confessed his love for a girl as well and it got thrown back in his face, so he wasn´t exactly the one he wanted advice from. " Good for you".

" Come on, let´s get something to eat", Max hated that they couldn´t talk to each other like any normal guys. It was hard to show any emotion with Michael, because his friend wasn´t some touchy feeling person.

Isabel´s room

Liz and Isabel were already sitting on the ground and talking about what they wanted to do when Maria stumbled angrily in the room, throwing her bag on the floor with too much force and plopping down near the two other girls, who couldn´t keep their grins to themselves, knowing why their friend was in such a bad mood.

" Ahh I could kill him. I´m not a harpy! At least I´m not an asshole!"

Isabel bit the inside of her cheek to keep the mirth from showing on her face. She wasn´t sure how the other girl would react to her amusement and she´d rather avoid any situation that could get her in trouble. " What did he do this time?"

Maria rubbed her face, just wanting to forget the last two minutes and think about something nice for a change. Two days back in Roswell and she was again sucked into the abyss called Michael Guerin, so much for her resolution to move on from the drama that had been their relationship. " Nothing, I´m not here to bitch about his royal annoyingness. Let´s skip that for later".

" Okay, then we should start with the evening. Change into more comfortable clothes and we´ll continue with facial mask. I´ve got milk and honey for Liz, avocado and cucumber for Maria and the last Yoghurt, olive oil and curd is mine".

Liz had been really uncomfortable before, but now that she knew what she was facing, she felt extremely better. She could do that and maybe she would finally stop thinking about Max all the time, even though she knew that he was just next door. " That sounds like a plan. Where can I change?"

Isabel pointed at the door to her right before she went to her bed to get the red silk pajama she had thrown there earlier. Picking up the top, she noticed that Maria was still in the room and changing into an old Metallica shirt. As soon as the breasts from the other girl were visible, she noticed some mark on the flesh peeking out of the black bra. " Nice love bite, you´ve been naughty with someone".

" I uhm just bumped into the door", Maria instantly felt her cheeks flaming up and she tried to hide that fact by acting like she was busy with pulling the shorts up her legs. She had thought that thing had already disappeared and nobody would ever see it. Unfortunately it was still there and she could kill Caleb for putting it there.

Isabel was almost exploding at not knowing what happened and how far the girl had gone with this guy she had been seeing. It was so hard to not burst out with the question and she was ashamed to realize that she was close to lose the cool exterior. " Don´t give me that. Alex already told all about Caleb".

Maria looked up after she finally managed to put her clothes in her bag. Glancing at the statuesque blonde alien, she was nervous how the girl would take that revelation. She knew that Michael was like family to Isabel and she didn´t want to start a fight here. " He did? Did he tell you that it wasn´t anything serious, too?".

" Yeah, but why not? I mean from what Alex told me the guy was a dream come true. Why did you choose to let him go?", Isabel loved the human geek and she wouldn´t trade him for anything in this world. But if she would have been single and someone as rich, smart and educated as this Caleb would have shown up on her door, she wouldn´t have hesitated to tie the knot with him.

Maria would have liked to tell the alien girl that the distance relationship was not her thing or that he had been a pervert or that they both had just been rebounds. But the truth was, she couldn´t let go from Michael, not even when he was hurting her over and over again. She didn´t know if she was masochistic or if she just used to the pain, but she couldn´t stop loving the jackass. " It wouldn´t have worked with us, I´m sadly still in love with another person".

Isabel smiled; glad to realize that there were still feelings involved and everything wasn´t so lost either. She just had to get Michael to open up and admit his love for the girl and this whole mess would blow over, which would finally get them to continue with the whole Liz-Max drama thing. " He loves you, too. Even though he acts like an idiot, he had missed you a lot these three months. And he exploded when we told him about your new boyfriend".

" You told him?", Maria didn´t know if she should be pissed at them for blurting something out that wasn´t their place to tell or grateful for taking that out of her hand, although some part of her felt good that he reacted jealous. He shouldn´t think there weren´t other options for her and she would always wait for him.

Isabel felt slightly uneasy, not knowing what she had to think about that question. Was the human girl mad or not about it? Thankfully she was spared to find that out when they heard a scream from Liz and both girls stormed in the bathroom. " What´s going on?"

Maria had to keep herself from laughing at the picture. Liz was repeatedly hitting Max with a towel all the while saying that he almost gave her a heart attack. Michael was standing behind his friend, watching the scene with amusement. " Liz, stop attacking the poor boy".

" No, the pervert watched me change my clothes and he didn´t say anything".

Even though Maria could understand her friend, she didn´t think it was that bad. Putting her arms around the other girl, she dragged Liz away from Max. The guy had just done what was expected and now he got punished for his pleasure. " Any normal boy would have done the same. Believe me if some hot guy would undress in front of me without noticing me, I wouldn´t have said anything as well".

Michael lifted an eyebrow, already imaging how much she had seen from that other guy. Already the thought that she could have done things with that Caleb person, more than she had done with him was making him edgy. It was hard to notice that she let someone else touch places that had been his from the moment he had placed his hand there. " Yeah, Caleb must have liked that".

" What´s your problem? We´re not together anymore, I can do whatever I want and with whoever I want. You don´t have any claim on me", Maria was so sick of his pointy little comments in her direction. He had made it absolutely clear that it wouldn´t work between them, now he had to live with the consequences.

Michael was relieved to see her reacting to his words and he felt some kind of pleasure from the fact. As long as she fought with him, everything was still the same between them and not over. Fighting was just another word for foreplay for them and it meant that there was still hope for him. " That doesn´t mean I have to like it when you turn around and give it to everyone crossing your path".

Maria saw red and that literally. She could take a lot from that guy and she meant really a lot, but that was pushing it. Letting go of Liz and pushing the girl away from her, she walked up to him and almost ran Max over in the process. " I hope for you that you didn´t just imply I´m a slut or I will have to get very violent with you, buddy!"

" I would never do such a thing. Besides, that would mean you had sex and I know you´re not that easy or I would have already managed to get in your pants", Michael couldn´t stop himself, even if he wanted. His imagination was running wild in his head and he couldn´t get the picture from her nude body on top of another man out. It was driving him crazy to have all that scenarios and maybe find out that one of them was true.

Maria recoiled from him like his words had been a physical blow. He had said a lot to her and most of it hadn´t been nice either, but this was the lowest blow he ever dished out. Shaking her head, she knew that she couldn´t just take it like she had every single time. This once she had to hit him with something as well. " I had sex, just not with you. I´m still getting wet when I think about Caleb so hard and strong inside me; filling me out completely and making me scream".

Max knew the moment when it was getting too dangerous. Putting a hand on his best friends chest, he pushed the other boy in his bedroom again and closing the door tightly behind him. He didn´t want anyone getting hurt as soon as the guy would explode and it looked like it wouldn´t take too long for that to happen. " Calm down. She was just trying to hurt you, don´t believe her".

" I can´t stand the thought of her and this other guy, it´s driving me crazy", Michael slumped on the bed in defeat, his anger leaving him as soon as the door was closed. He just felt like he already lost a game that he even wasn´t aware of playing.

Max sat besides his friend, feeling for him. In his shoes he would be completely devastated about that, probably sitting all day long in his room and listening to Counting Crows until Isabel would pull him out of bed and make him face reality. " I can understand that. But you won´t go far with her with insulting her. Show her that you care, make a compliment or just be nice to her".

Michael snorted at the advice, knowing already that it wouldn´t work like that between the two of them. He and Maria weren´t like Max and Liz all lovesick; they were very passionate people and more into the spur of the moment thing. Everything would feel fake and not real to them. " We´re not like that. And I don´t know how I can change that"

" You have to do something or you gonna lose her to this Caleb guy. Do you want that?", Max hated to hit his brother when he was already down, but it was time to pull out the big guns and stop cuddling him.

Michael glanced at the door where he knew Maria was sitting with the other two girls, probably cursing his existence and imagine really painful ways to kill him. He didn´t know what to do at the moment. He wanted to keep away from her to make sure that she was safe from him and at the same time he didn´t want anyone else at her side. It was all so confusing and he wished himself back at the time when his only problem had been if they would find a way back home and when he could leave this hell hole. " No of course not, but what can I do?".

Max didn't know the answer to that one, seeing as he was having his own woman trouble. If he would know some way to win back Liz´ heart, he would gladly help his friend out in that matter. Unfortunately he was just as clueless. " Just show her that you care about her".

" That's very helpful", Michael reminded himself to never ask his friend for guidance again. Show her that you care his ass, he had done that already and it blew right back in his face. If anyone should make amends now it should be Maria and not him.

Max sighed, remembering that the other guy had no concept of caring for another person that wasn't his species. He was sure that it wouldn't be good if he interfered in their love life, but he couldn't see that look on his brother's face either. Isabel would probably agree with him on that and she was usually right. " Okay, I'll help you. We're going to sweep Maria off of her feet".

Michael raised a stunned eyebrow at him, wondering what brought the change, but he wouldn't complain. If it would help to get back in Maria's good grace he would do about everything, even listening to his friend.

Other bedroom

Isabel and Liz were still too shocked to find a coherent thought after they had witnessed the explosion of firework that was Michael and Maria. The verbal attacks had been very cruel and hurtful on both sides and they couldn't understand what brought this on. Okay, the relationship with them hadn't been a walk in the daisy field as well, but they never had been so angry with each other that they were trying to inflict pain on the other one, not in that extent.

Maria saw the stunned and surprised faces of her friends and she knew that she had done one step too far. She hadn't meant to say that, at least not like that and not when she was so angry. She felt bad for her stunt, but she knew that the damage was done and the only thing she could do now was to forget any chances that she could be with Michael again. " Say it. I know I've screwed up".

" Did you really sleep with Caleb or had that been just something you said in the heat of the moment?"

Maria wished Isabel would have asked something different or told her that she was a real bitch for hitting her brother like that. The short liaison with Caleb wasn't something she was very proud of, but she didn't regret it either. He had been a great guy and they had a lot of fun together, it had to happen. " One time, two days before I flew back here".

Liz´ eyes widened in surprise, she hadn't really believed that her best friend would do something so life altering without talking with her about it. They had promised each other to speak about it before doing "it". " Wow. And how was it?"

" LIZ!", Isabel was stunned about the curiosity of the usual shy girl, even though she wanted to know that as well. She wasn't sure if it was possible for her to have sex with a human being, so she wanted to know what she was missing. Maybe she would hear something horrible, which would make her feel better about not being able to do it in the first place.

Liz glanced at both blondes, wondering what she said wrong. She just wanted to know more about being intimate with another person; she didn't know any girls having lost her virginity she could talk about. All she heard was the gossiping from the cheerleader in the locker room and those girls were usually too drunk when it happened to remember if it was good or bad. But she was curios how it felt when the person was coherent enough to realize what was going on. " What? I just want to know".

Maria felt a slight blush covering her cheeks when she thought about the evening. Everything had started with a nice date. They had dinner at a homey restaurant, they had talked about everything and they laughed a lot. At the end of the evening he brought her to the door of the huge mansion his father owned. They kissed and before she knew it they had been in her room, their clothing were missing and the only sounds were moans and groans. " It had been wonderful. Caleb had been really nice and he took his time to explore my body before we... you know did it. He had been gentle and careful. Afterwards he put his arms around me and kissed my head before we fell asleep".

" Was he there when you woke up the next morning?", it sounded so wonderful and Liz didn't understand why her friend hadn't waited to experience it with someone she loved, someone with unruly hair and a pissy attitude. It seemed like something that should be shared by people who loved each other.

Maria was still in her fantasy world, just that Caleb was replaced with Michael. She wished he would have been the one to give her so much pleasure. Even though she had feelings for Caleb, she hadn't loved him like she loved her spaceboy. If they both would have taken that step, it would have meant something more. " Yeah, he made me breakfast. And he survived the inquisition from my father and my step brother".

Isabel saw the dreamy look from the girl and she felt guilty for not joining the happy wagon with her. She was worried what Michael would think when he would realize that it hadn't been just something to hurt him, but the truth. He would be heartbroken to know that she had shared something intimate with someone not him. " Why did you do it when you still love Michael?"

" It just happened, you know. We had a nice evening and before I knew it we were desperately clawing our clothes off. I don't know what possessed me to be so wild, but I don't regret it".

Liz couldn't believe it, her best friend wasn't a member of the V Club anymore. She had always thought they would talk about taking the next step before doing it, but she was glad that Maria at least had a good time and that it had been happening with someone she barely knew or didn't have feelings for. " Have you, you know…..had the big O?"

Maria smiled at the description of her friend, even though they were old enough to call it by their real name. Of course she had an orgasm, Caleb had already experience with women and so he really knew what he was doing and how he had to do it to give a lot of passion. She was still blown by how spent she had been the next day. " Yes, twice. Why you want to know?"

" I'm just curious, that's all", Liz blushed at the underlying meaning from the other girl. She just wanted to have a comparison when she would experience her first time so she could find out if it had been good or not.

Isabel shook her head and in that moment she noticed the two heads peeking through the door to the bathroom. Instantly she realized that both of her brothers had listened to their conversation and they knew about what they had talked about. For a moment she saw the devastation in Michael's eyes before he noticed that they were busted and turned away from the door. Max followed after him shortly after, but not before throwing his sister a small smile.

Liz and Maria were very obvious to the exchange and were in a heated discussion which movie they should watch during their beauty program. It seemed to be becoming a battle between Pride & Prejudice and Pearl Harbor. Thankfully Isabel wasn't so thrilled about old costume flicks, which ended that they were watching Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck in action. Putting on their mask, arranging their junk food and drinks they made themselves comfortable on the floor in front of the TV in the living room. After a while the boys joined them quietly as soon as they heard the explosions going on. But despite the tension earlier, the rest of the evening was very harmonic and peaceful, which was probably because Michael and Maria ignored each other the whole time.

TBC