Title: Realizations Part 2
Pairing: Michael/Maria
Summary: I was not happy with how the writers dealt with the Isabel/Michael pregnancy scare. This is how I envisioned Maria reacting to overhearing Isabel and Michael talking in the Crashdown and the fall out from her reaction. There is a little Alex/Isabel thrown in this too. Nothing changes in the overall plot of the series. Do not repost without permission.
Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me of course. Merely using the wonderful characters created for Roswell to satisfy my romantic heart.
Michael slowly walked back into the Crashdown. He moved towards the sink and washed his hands. The water had a cooling affect. Michael wouldn't admit he was scared. That he was panicked over what to do. Maria. Isabel. A baby. He was so confused and once again kicking himself over hurting Maria. That was all he ever seemed to do.
Those dreams... he was so happy in those dreams of a future that almost appeared normal. But that future was with Isabel, his sister. He always thought of her as that. Family. Sometimes she nagged him like a mother or tried too hard to help or protect him. Isabel was someone Michael trusted but not someone who'd ever seen him the way Maria had. No one was like Maria DeLuca.
Things were never simple with that crazy girl. Michael wasn't in control. It was just a case of lust. Hormones. That's all it was. It couldn't be anything more. He turned the water off finally and wiped his hands on a nearby towel. He looked out towards the restaurant but didn't see Maria anywhere.
Michael was only kidding himself if all he thought Maria and he shared was physical attraction. If that was all it was, then why was he looking for her? Why were his hands shaking ever so slightly as he went towards the grill and reached to pick up a spatula?
The way Maria had looked at him and the sound of her voice shook Michael to his core. But he couldn't admit to that. He couldn't admit to any weakness. He'd just have to explain to her what was happening. Or did he really want to? He didn't try when he was with her outside. Instead he froze up, reeling from the sting of her harsh words. She was right. He didn't deserve Maria. He'd always known it deep down.
And now here was the perfect excuse to let her go, to not allow her to dig even closer to his heart.
Those dreams... they weren't real. Only glimpses and bursts of color, light and emotion. If all it took was a dream, then no more headaches. No more humiliating attempts at being a normal boyfriend. This could be his way out. His way of running from the one person who could change him and who he might actually need. Michael didn't want to need anyone. He couldn't.
"Hey Michael-" Isabel began as she came into the kitchen. She stopped when she looked into his eyes. "You look... are you okay? I know this is so crazy and overwhelming-"
Michael cut her off, "She knows."
"What?" Isabel's eyes widened in alarm.
"Maria. She overheard us talking. And she thinks we've been sleeping to-"
"Oh god! I'm so sorry Michael," Isabel expressed with concern and worry.
"She hates me. Never wants to see me again. She wouldn't let me explain. Typical Maria." Michael threw the spatula he'd been gripping away from him. It crashed into a pot in the sink. He was angry Maria thought the worst of him but what did he really expect? He didn't deserve the benefit of the doubt. He was always messing up. Story of his life. One crash after another.
"Well, where is she? You need to go to talk to her. God, I should have talked to Alex. He shouldn't find out from anyone else but me." Isabel sounded frantic. He didn't blame her.
"Calm down Iz. We'll figure it out. But Maria..." Michael trailed off, choking on his words.
Isabel looked into Michael's eyes. His eyes had started to glisten. And for the first time, she realized what Michael was probably too stubborn to admit. Michael was in love with Maria DeLuca. She'd noticed how much Michael had changed when he was around Maria over the last few months. It was surprising to both Max and Isabel that Michael had taken such a strong interest in Maria. That he was growing more and more attached. He was the one that had always cautioned Isabel whenever she had gone out on dates with humans. He was always lecturing Max about Liz and the impossibility of their situation. Yet, Michael never realized that you can't control your emotions no matter how much you might want to. Isabel was learning that each day with Alex.
"I'll go talk to her Michael. I'll explain everything," Isabel decided.
"No, it doesn't matter. Maybe this is better. I knew from the start that things between us would never work. Could never work. I just, I-"
"You just what Michael? Look at yourself. You're a wreck. Why? Why are you this upset over Maria finding out? Maybe it's because you can't face how you really feel for her," Isabel rattled off. She closed her eyes thinking about how Alex would feel if he found out and got the wrong idea. Hurting Alex in any way tore at Isabel's heart. One thing she had vowed to herself a long time ago was that she would always be honest with Alex because something inside herself told her she could trust him. But here she was keeping the truth from him. That had been a mistake.
"What are you talking about?" Michael turned away from her, avoiding Isabel's gaze.
"How do you feel about Maria? Do you really want to lose her Michael? Well, I don't want to lose Alex. I don't want any of this to be happening but it is. I'll find Maria and straighten this out if you are being too pig-headed to do it yourself. Whatever is going on between us in our dreams is not reality. It's not what either of us wants right now, in the present. Forget the future or our past or what we are. One thing I am sure about is that in some crazy way you belong with Maria. Maybe not forever, but right now you need her. Just as Max feels he-"
"Isabel, I'm not Max. And I don't need any-" Michael said as he turned back towards Isabel.
"Shut up Michael. Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
Michael looked at Isabel. She was so passionate about everything she was saying. He almost believed her. And though he hated feeling this way, all he wanted was to hold Maria and forget about the pregnancy and the dreams.
"If you don't go and talk to her then-" Isabel started.
"I don't know if she'll even talk to me. She was so angry. She told me she never wanted to see my face again. And it's all my fault," Michael let out. He looked defeated. Isabel had never seen him look like that before. She had to try and fix this mess.
"Then maybe it's best that I try to talk to her first. We still haven't heard from Max if this is even really happening. Where did she run off to?" Isabel asked, now more determined to make this somehow right again.
