Part Fourteen

"You mean you crashed?" Maria asked almost in tears of laughter.

"I didn't crash." Michael scowled at her as she shut the door behind herself.

"You crashed and burned!" Maria resembled a child on Christmas morning.

"It was a rink-a-dink bike." Michel growled before turning and walking towards the fridge, pulling a bottle of Snapple out and taking a soothing mouthful.

"Michael you're home!" Tess said walking into the kitchen then doing a double take, "With friends."

Michael shrugged.

"I'm," Maria began to introduce herself, the dock meeting hadn't been formal so this one might as well be.

"Maria." Tess said quickly, "Kyle talks about you a lot."

Tess smiled to herself, no wonder Michael hadn't beaten the living hell out of her boyfriend, "Listen Alex and Max left, and I'm on my way out."

"Where are you going?" Michael asked eyeing her suspiciously.

"Out." Tess rolled her eyes.

"Out where?"

"Kyle's." Tess said slowly as if he was a kindergartener.

"Ok." Michael said with a nod.

Tess' eyes almost bulged out before she looked back over to Maria and smiled knowingly, "Later bro."

Tess kissed Michael's cheek and was gone.

"You act like her father." Maria said accusingly as she moved forward snatching the Snapple from Michael's hands and taking a giant gulp.

"I have to." Michael shrugged again.

"I'm kind of like that with the others." Maria said looking downcast at the Snapple bottle she had just lowered from her lips, "After Dad was gone I took care of Isabel and Mom. Kyle took care of Liz for me though."

"Speaking of Liz, I think she put a whole through Max's tongue." Michael broke in noticing her quickly depressing mood, "Well another one anyway."

"Yeah." Maria nodded not really hearing what he was saying as she toyed with the neck of the Snapple bottle.

"My parents have been gone for three months." He blurted out not knowing what the hell he as doing.

Maria's eyes cleared as she looked at him strangely, obviously as lost as he was.

Michael almost let out a jump of joy, he had at least distracted her, but it suddenly occurred to him she would now want him to explain his comment.... His joy depleted.

"Where are they?" Maria probed at him, her eyebrows drawn together.

"Today? Somewhere in Italy." Michael said looking from side to side, "I think."

"Second honeymoon?" Maria asked nosily.

"Business." Michael shook his head no at her inquiry, "They own a franchise and they are setting up a new shop there."

"So they just left you guys here?" Maria asked confused.

"We take care of the shop and ourselves, but it's been like this forever." Michael shrugged nonchalantly as he leaned forward and pulled the Snapple bottle from her hands, "Well since we've moved here at least. Before here we were really close."

"Where did you move from?" Maria asked truly interested in the answer.

"Japan." Michael tossed the empty bottle into the trash can.

"Oh, anime and kabuki theater right?" Maria nodded her head with a small smile.

"Not for us," Michael returned her smile leaning back against the counter, "We were more into the mythical parts of it. The dragons, the Zen, and the eight immortals."

"Dragons and Zen.... OK they so don't fit together," Maria looked at him skeptically.

"In our community they named our family the Dragons because of the way my parents run their business. So we were always referred to as the baby dragons or in Japanese the 赤ん坊のドラゴン." Michael's Japanese accent was almost flawless.

"I like that." Maria said looking at him critically.

After a few seconds of intense scrutiny Michael adverted his eyes, "Wanna go work on bikes?"

"Hell yeah!" Maria vaulted off the counter bouncing lightly on her toes.

Michael almost laughed at her eagerness before turning towards the shop door.

*

Isabel watched as Alex strode carelessly towards the front door his baggy pants scrapping the carpet, and his wife beater hiding nothing.

"Took ya long enough." Isabel accused half heartedly as she shifted her weight against the door frame, her cut off shorts leaving white strands of cloth down her thighs.

"Didn't know I was on the clock." Alex shrugged with a smile as he made his way to her.

"When you're working under me you always are." Isabel shrugged back with a flirtatious smile.

"Wouldn't mind working under you." Alex winked back at her.

"Too bad you don't know the mechanics." Isabel kept her face placid.

"You could give me a crash course." Alex offered with a small smirk.

"Or I could kill you." Kyle's voice came from the shop's door as he peered outside.

Alex almost laughed as he ducked his head, looking like an infant being caught with his hand in the cookie jar.... Alex looked over Isabel's body, but what a lovely jar.

"And I'm supposed to trust you with him?" Kyle asked watching Alex's eyes stealthily drink his sister in.

"No," Isabel ground her teeth together, "You're supposed to trust me."

"Why?" Kyle asked confused his teeth just as a tight as the threw a threatening glance at the boy.

"Kyle!" Isabel's eyes found themselves rolling skyward.

"Touch her and die!" Kyle warned, letting out a huff he left, glaring at Alex the entire time.

"Tough crowd." Alex offered as the door slammed behind Kyle.

"He's in a bad mood because Liz and him got in a row." Isabel explained.

"She fights with everyone, doesn't she?" Alex asked as he walked forward a little, only a foot away from Isabel, "Now you mentioned something about mechanics?"

"Did I now?" Isabel teased reaching out and pulling him closer by his bare arm.

Alex dipped his head low and nuzzled his face against Isabel's neck. Leaving soft chaste kisses on her flesh he whispered, "You did."

Isabel shivered as his breath left hot tendrils along her skin, "Mechanics are..."

Alex's mouth sufficiently silenced her.

*

Max tilted his board against the bench noiselessly. Coming around the side of the bleachers he rested his body against the rows, his arms perching on them as well.

Evaluating his position he took a deep breath before opening his mouth, "Good Morning Sunshine."

Liz's head slowly rose, her eyes burning with anger as she focused her site on Max, "Fuck."

Max's eyebrows rose as her head come crashing down on her arms once more.

"NOT YOU!" The scream was barely muffled by her position and reached Max's ear loud and clear.

"It's good to see you too." The sarcasm just rolled from his tongue.

"Not you, not now!" Liz's voice lost it's volume but not it's not of disgust.

Max watched as Liz's shoulder's tensed up and her body rose from it's position. Clearly a flight or fight response.

Standing up she leveled him with a glare and tromped noisily down the stairs, her shoes making contact with the concrete.

"Running away are we?" Max accused jumping in front of her blocking her way.

Liz just growled as she tried to walk around him to no avail. Turning on her heel she made to walk away.

"Why ya in such a hurry?" Max asked gripping her upper arm in his hand, not hard enough to bruise, but her arm began to color crimson.

"Get away." Liz's voice was slow and deadly. Anyone who knew her, or had a small speck of common sense would have read the murderous look in her eyes and backed away slowly before running for their life. Max was neither of these.

"Why?" The last inquiry had barely left his lips before he was forced to the ground. A rabid brunette perched on top of him, her slim fingers wound tightly around his neck.

Before he could even react he found his head colliding harshly with the ground behind him, the concrete not giving, but his head....

"Stop!" The cry was choked out of his quickly reddening face.

The words flew past her as she again went to slam his head into the ground, but she instead found herself being bucked-off, so to speak.

Max rolled his body into a ball, subsequently thrusting her upward. Bringing his hands to clench hers, he managed to pry her fingers from around his own throat.

"Stop," Max took an ample breath, "Stop."

It took several moments for his gasp to subside.

Liz's eyes were wide and unseeing as she slouched backwards coming to rest on her heels; her breathing almost as harsh and ragged as her victim's.

"What is wrong with you?" Max's hands were rubbing at his raw throat.

Then Liz did something Max never thought possible.... She apologized.

"Sorry," The admission was mumbled, "I'm so sorry... I never.... I didn't mean.... I'm sorry."

Max evaluated the insensible babbling girl for a moment before letting his guard fall slightly, "Are you OK?"

Liz's vision had been set on the ground between them, but she now brought her eyes up to meet Max's. What he saw broke his heart a million times more than she had his wind pipe. She had the eyes of a lost doe. Scared. Terrified was more like it, and brimming with unshed tears. She quickly diverted her eyes back to the ground.

Max was shocked.... This was Superwoman? The woman who had injured him, cursed him, and drawn him into her warped little game?....

Max slowly moved from his sprawled position so that he was facing her, sitting up. His voice was slow and gently, as if he were calming a wild animal, "Liz."

Liz started a little but remained mostly still.

Max said a quick prayer before he moved a little closer. No reaction. He wasn't sure whether this was a good or bad thing though. No reaction meant no blood shed.... But it also meant that Superwoman was still out of it... Which was just as dangerous.

But he really never paid heed to caution in the first place.

Moving even closer he slowly reached a hand out to Liz's face, drawing it up so that they were eye to eye, "Are you OK?"

Liz's face fell and she slowly shook her head from side to side, before either of them knew it she was in his arms with her head buried in the crook of his neck, her tears leaving trails down his bronze shoulders.

Max's eyes widened before he regained his composure and started to idly stroke her hair while whispering trivial things in her ears.

*

"Kyle!" Tess' yells could be heard for long distances as she tried desperately to pry her boyfriend from her brother.

As Tess pulled desperately at the back of Kyle's shirt Isabel tried in vain to put her body between the two of them. This had resulted after Kyle had come outside to greet his girlfriend, but instead found his girlfriend's brother with his mouth all over his sister.

Alex pulled back slightly at Isabel's physical persuasions only to dive back at her brother, slamming his fist into Kyle's jaw.

Kyle felt himself being propelled back and hitting something blonde and curly on his way to the ground. As soon as his body made contact he felt an extra weight being put on him and soon he found small fist of fury assaulting his already bruised chest, "TESS!"

Tess' hair flew from side to side as she beat her boyfriend high and low, her anger powering her all the way.

Isabel helped Alex to the side of the house where he wiped the blood from his nose, "You OK?"

"Peachy." Alex's voice came out in a thick nasally accent.

"Let's get you inside and take care of that." Isabel moved her hand to the side of Alex's face turning it from side to side to look the injury over.

"You don't want to go help your brother?" Alex asked titling his head softly towards the still fighting couple.

"He'll get what he deserves." Isabel sneered at the aspect in front of them before taking Alex's free hand and taking him inside.

*

"So can I touch her this time?" Maria teased as she gawked at Michael's motorcycle.

Michael looked at her apprehensively before taking a deep breath, "I'll think about it."

Maria let out a cherubic laugh and rolled her eyes, "I know how you feel. My ride is my baby."

Michael laughed with her before walking over to the red tipped fire pixie, "You really want to touch her?"

Maria took in a deep breath, Michael towered her easily, but not in an intimidating way. Instead she felt safe more than scared. His height and presence didn't block her way, but instead added to her being there. Her voice was soft, "Only if you want to let me."

Michael let a smile flit across his face before he reached down and caught Maria's hand, bringing it up so that it was eye level with her. Turning it from side to side he let his other fingers run over her digits softly, "No jewelry, so you won't scratch it."

Maria practically swooned at the soft gentleness of his voice, but found herself too caught up in his actions. Using his free arm he spun her around putting her back to his chest, not exactly touching but so close that she could feel the heat coming from his defined body.

Michael extended his arm; their still joined hands causing hers to come parallel to his own. Moving slowly he brought his hand to rest just above hers. Pressing gently he placed her hand against the tank on his bike. Using a little pressure and guidance he brought her hand across the cool metal.

Maria titled her head back subtly, causing the back of her skull to rest lightly against his chest. She bit her lip to keep her smile contained, he let her touch his bike, his baby, his pride and joy... He trusted her. He had to. Her teeth released her lips as she took in a deep breath, slowly pulling their hands up, she turned and faced him. In their position her head came to directly below his, perfect position for what she wanted.

Leaning up on her tip toes she looked him straight in the eyes, her smile reflecting on his face. Bringing her face only inches from his she found her voice barely audible, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." His voice was soft. As he spoke his head started to lower and his tongue ran unconsciously over his lips.

Mere moments before their lips were to meet the shop door was thrown open and two ominous figures stood in the door way, "Michael Whitman where the hell is everyone?"

Michael's head snapped up at the voice and his eyes hardened as he caught sight of the offending people, "Hi Mom, Hi Dad. Welcome home."

*

Ok guys- holler at me lol tell me what you think and I really really really really appreciate all the feed :D

Later,

Vix