Chapter 2
Maria took a deep breath as she walked onto the stage trying not to show that she was nervous. She looked at Liz and Isobel and saw them laughing and cheering at her as she reached the microphone; even though she hadn't admitted it to Michael the incident with the group of boys earlier had really scared her and made her incredibly nervous about performing. But now as she looked into Michael's eyes she felt her breathing return to normal and a smile spread on her face.
As Maria walked onto the stage Liz and Isobel could tell that she was nervous; but noticed that once she had found Michael's eyes she began to smile dazzlingly at the crowd; even though it was mainly aimed at a small group of people standing in the middle of the dance floor. As the opening notes of the song began to be played Maria took a deep breath and let the music flow through her and out into the room.
Liz and Isobel had danced to every song that Maria had sung so they could show their support for her, but the boys had continued to watch from the sidelines far away so that they didn't have to dance but also close enough to intervene if there was any trouble. As Maria and Alex's set began to draw to a close Maria said into the microphone. "Now everybody grab a partner and let's have the last dance of the set" and as she watched Max walked over and 'claimed' Liz; whilst Michael walked over and ask Isobel if she wanted to dance. Maria watched the couples move onto the floor as the opening beats of the band's version of 'Here with Me' by Dido began to play.
I didn't hear you leave
I wonder how am I still here
And I don't want to move a thing
It might change my memory
Even though Michael was dancing with Isobel he continued to stare up at the stage looking as Maria sang her heart out to the crowd he felt a smile break out onto his face as he watched his girlfriend sing. The word girlfriend still sent all kinds of mixed emotions through him; about 70% of him was overwhelmed still by the feelings of love that he felt for Maria, whereas the rest of the percentage was about him being afraid for her and what his unique situation could mean for them in the future. For now he was content to see where this would lead hoping silently that ultimately that they would stay together forever.
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
I won't go
I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
I won't leave
I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me
Isobel knew that Michael was wishing that he could dance with Maria and she wasn't that upset; because she knew that she would much rather be in somebody else's arms like Alex. She missed Alex like crazy ok she had put out the image of the ice queen cometh but in reality she was terrified in case anybody discovered her heritage and she was either forced to leave the people she loved or that she would be taken by the FBI like her brother Max had been so many months ago. Looking at her brother now you would never have guessed what he went through at the hands of Agent Pierce but Isobel knew better then anybody else that deep deep down her brother still bore the scars of his torture and even sometimes woke up in the middle of the night screaming. At which point Isobel would run into his room, put her arms around him and then soothe him back to sleep just like she had done when they were kids. She returned her gaze to the stage where she could watch Alex play in utter security that no one could see her.
I don't want to call my friends
They might wake me from this dream
And I can't leave this bed
Risk forgetting all that's been
Max tightened his hold on Liz as though he couldn't believe that he was here dancing with her in his arms. In actual fact that wasn't all that far from the truth, he was amazed that even after all that they had been through that they were still here together even if it wasn't quite how he predicted it would be when he had finally relented on his decision that they could never be together. They had been though so much together like the time that he had been taken captive by the FBI convinced that he would never see his 'family' again his family which consisted of Isobel, Liz, Maria, Michael and Alex. Then shortly after that Tess the fourth alien had arrived in town and had began to royally screw up his life with the whole destiny crap that she had gone on with for months and months managing to succeed in pushing Liz out of his arms and almost out of his life when she had gone to Paris after he had caught her sleeping with Kyle. Then slowly but surely Tess had moved on and was now involved in a relationship with Kyle Valenti. Max thought it was a bit strange about the 'quick' turn around in her feelings but as long as it kept her out of his life, he could go back to trying to convince Liz that he loved her and despite her sleeping with Kyle, he would prove to her, that he needed her in his life and that he didn't care what Tess did.
Every time that Max tightened his hold on her, Liz thought that she was going to jump out of her skin; the amount of electricity that shot up her arms when he moved his hands or when he placed them on her back she felt like a human voltmeter. Liz couldn't stop smiling though, she was glad that on some sort of level her and Max were still able to get along even if they weren't together anymore. As much as she missed him she knew that she still couldn't take the chance that Tess would leave even though she appeared to be happy with Kyle. Even though she had tried to block it out, Liz wondered if she had felt like this on their wedding day, whether they had been as happy as this or even more so, but she knew that she couldn't think of this anymore as it made her upset and depressed; she was also well aware that that future didn't exist for any of them anymore and hopefully it was going to be for the better.
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
I won't go
I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
I won't leave
I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me
As Maria finished her song she opened her eyes and saw all of her friends smiling and looking happy and relaxed for a change even after what had happened to them earlier on that evening. As she stepped away from the microphone with a loud round of applause she lined up with the band as they held hands and bowed to the audience they had had captive for nearly forty minutes they all smiled and cheered and had a massive group hug as they made way for the DJ that was going to play for the rest of the evening. At the bottom the band split up to go in different directions Maria and Alex walked over to their friends who hugged them congratulating them both all at once. They had formed a group hug when Maria noticed that two people were missing, "where's Tess and Kyle?" she yelled across the thumping beat of the music.
"We are right here," a voice said and as the group of six looked around they saw Tess and Kyle just behind them so they opened up a bit to allow them to join in the hug. So the six of them became eight just like they had done a couple of months ago thinking that their lives seemed to of settled down but little did they know that it was far too good to be true.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
From their vantage point on the roof the group of boys that had tried to attack Liz and Maria earlier looked through until they saw the group of eight and then one of them pulled out their cell phone pushed a button and said "they're in" before putting the phone away and signalling to his friends that it was time to leave.