Title: Broken
Author: (Grace) purplemud
Disclaimers: Roswell not mine... *sigh* what a depressing thought
Summary: From "Cry Your Name" episode. Michael was just sooo sweet in this ep. I couldn't help but write this.
Author's Note: Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. I hope you all like this. Feedback is very much appreciated. Thanks.

Broken

Her bedroom smelled like her. Sweet and a little minty, like jasmine and eucalyptus combined. Subtle and strong. That was what she was. That was how she should be, not broken and torn and defeated.

Maria gave another whimper and kicked the covers off her legs. Michael sighed and picked up the ruffled sheets. He stood there motionless for a second, clutching at the discarded blanket, willing himself not to break down. He had urged her to sleep. She needed the rest, she hadn't listened to him when he asked her to eat dinner, she refused to take a light snack and the last time she ate was during her lunch break at Crashdown and that had been hours ago.

It seemed to him like a whole eternity had passed and time had cruelly slowed down ever since Valenti had walked in on Maria and told her the news. He wished Valenti had kept his mouth shut, at least waited until Maria was with them. He didn't know what it had been like for Maria hearing about Alex's death at the backroom of a greasy smelling kitchen with all of her friends laughing just behind the door... when minutes ago everything was just fine.

But it didn't happen that way, and she had received the news first.

He shook himself from the memory and leaned forward to smooth gold silken strands off her forehead. She sniffed a little and snuggled her face deeper into her pillow.

"Alex."

His throat tightened. She whimpered his name again and curled up her body into a tight ball. He hated seeing her like this. So un-Maria-like. The brightness she used to have, it was suddenly snuffed out of her. He covered her body again with the jasmine-scented sheet and sat down on the edge of her bed.

His weight caused the bed to creak, the sound shattering the stillness inside the room. He wanted so much to make it better for her. But it's not like he can do anything about it. Alex was dead. Even Max couldn't change that. Max healed, he didn't bring dead people back to life.

Still, they had hoped, they had wished and they had prayed.

But Alex was dead. And it was going to stay that way. No amount of concentration, special alien powers or healing stones can ever change that.

Michael swallowed hard. He had never really thought about death like this. Like something that could happen to him, to one of them...to her.

Sure there was Nasedo, his death did stir something inside him. Aliens die. They weren't invincible creatures that can survive a bullet or maybe a car crash. But it didn't get him like this.

It didn't render him so brokenly.

Because this death, this one broke her spirit. And he knew that whatever happens, even after a hundred years, Maria, his Maria would never be the same again. Something inside her died with Alex tonight. He swallowed the burning lump in his throat and paused for a whole second. He could never be what Alex had been for Maria. Alex had been a solid friend and he would've known how to comfort her.

Michael felt useless.

Worst than that feeling, was the thought that plagued him, that made him feel sick. What if Alex's death was somehow related to their alien conspiracy? What if he was killed because of them?

He looked at Maria. He had seen her sleeping before. Many times he would stay outside her window and just watch her sleep, because he always found peace in her. But he knew that sleep would never come easy for her. Not anymore and dreams would haunt her - the peacefulness of her slumber was now marred by this death.

On impulse, he knelt down and sought her lips. Not the hard passionate kiss that would wake her up, but the kind that she loved, the kind that she needed now. Soft, slow, filled with love, filled with sorrow.

"I'm not going to let this happen to you Maria." He told her, knowing that she'd never really hear him, knowing that she wouldn't like what he was telling her. "No one's ever going to hurt you. I'd rather die myself. And if that happened you'd forgive me, won't you? Because I don't think I'll be able to survive without you."

And he wanted to make a promise, that he'd never let her succumb to death. Not ever. But he can't.

He would give her his life willingly, if it ever came to that. Better him than her. Else, how would he survive a world without her smile?

"Michael..." She mumbled suddenly, as if hearing his unvoiced promise and he knew she'd contradict it with passion that would leave them both breathless from arguing or kissing as it would most always end up whenever they were in a heated discussion.

But much as he wanted to kiss her right now, breathless, hot and hard, she needed the rest.

"It's ok. Sleep. I'm here." And he held her hand for a few minutes, trying to remember one of his many lectures with Isabel on dream walking and tried putting it into good use. He concentrated on her. Just her, the sleepy-greenness of her eyes and her uneven breathing and he tried to use some of his alien powers to coax some sleep into her.

The prom. We were happy then. You were dancing. Twirling around. White dress floating around you. We danced a slow song. I didn't step on your feet. It was perfect.

When her eyes fluttered shut, Michael pulled back and heaved a soft sigh.

I promise. I'll protect you forever.

He left the room only when a ghost of a smile reached Maria's lips.

-end

Okay. Something from 2003. I know it was really short and all. I do hope you liked reading it. I apologize for any grammar errors or misspelled words that I missed. Feel free to point them out so I can make the necessary changes. I guess that's it for now. Again, thanks for your taking your time reading this.