Part 28

Part 28

Maria woke up for the first time in a few weeks, happy. She was out. Way from her father and from Mark. She turned over to look at Michael. He was sleeping peacefully with a small smile on his face. Maria looked around the room at all of her friends who were still asleep; she had hid a lot from them and was not pleased about it. Maria knew that she had shocked them when she blew up the building, and she even scared them a little bit. They were all being brave around her and trying to hide their fear. Not all of them were afraid, but it still hurt that no one would talk to her about it.

Michael woke up when Maria started moving around. It usually bothered him when he was woken up when he didn't want to be, but when Maria woke him up it didn't bother him at all. He could see that Maria was deep in thought and that what she was thinking was making her upset.

"Are you okay baby?" He asked pulling her closer.

Maria turned to him, startled that he was awake. "Yeah, I was just thinking."

"I could tell. But you know that thinking isn't good for the brain this early in the morning." Michael smiled mischievously.

Maria smiled back, all her troubles forgotten. "Is that right?"

Michael nodded, completely serious now, "It's a proven fact. It kills the brain cells, and before you know it, you have none at all. Now I think I know a way for you to stop thinking."

"Do you think it will work?" Maria asked seriously.

Michael nodded, "I'm sure. Let's try it out and see what happens." He pulled her closer to him for a deep kiss. He had meant for it to be short, considering that there were other people in the room, but he couldn't help himself. They were both gasping for breath when they pulled apart, but that didn't stop them from kissing again. Although this time not as long, because someone was clearing their throat very
loudly.

"Are you two quite finished?" Max asked.

Michael and Maria pulled apart embarrassed. "Couldn't you people have stayed asleep for a little bit longer?" Michael asked angrily.

Liz laughed. "Well I was asleep, having a really good dream too, when this heavy breathing woke me up. Is that what happened with you guys? Liz asked everyone else, who nodded.

"It had to have been pretty loud too, considering that I sleep like the dead." Kyle said.

Maria who was now even more embarrassed buried her head in Michael's shoulder. Michael scowled at the rest of them and soothed Maria. They all laughed at the two of them.

Maria knew she was being childish, but she couldn't help it. She decided that it was time to give a little bit back. She looked at Liz. "Liz, you said that you were having a really good dream. You wouldn't care to tell us what that was about would you?"

Liz was now the embarrassed one buried her head in Max's shoulder.

"Do you two have some sort of fetish about burring you heads in people's shoulders?" Isabelle asked laughing.

Liz looked up and smiled, "I can't help it if Max has god shoulders for me to hide in. I'm sure that he doesn't have a problem with it. Do you Max?"

Max smiled at her. She looked so cute when she just woke up. Like a kitten. He gave her a soft kiss, "No I don't mind, I like it."

"Well it's a good thing that I haven't had breakfast yet," Kyle said. "Otherwise all of you would be seeing it right about now."

Tess looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Oh, come on Kyle, you know that you can be as sweet as Max can be. Don't try and act all macho."

Everyone looked at Kyle and laughed. "So Kyle," Liz said. "You're not as macho as you like everyone to think are you. And to think that you kept that side of you from me. I'm hurt." She pretended to wipe away a tear.

Kyle pulled Tess to him and whispered in her ear, "You shouldn't have said anything. I have a reputation to maintain."

Tess just smiled and patted his cheek. "So, what's for breakfast?"

They all spent the next half hour trying to decide how to get breakfast. Since Michael didn't have anything to eat in his whole apartment, they would have to go out and get something.

"We could just order take out." Liz suggested.

"But then they'd know that we were back." Michael said. "If we start ordering thing to here then people are going to know that someone's living here again. It would be better if two of us go out and get some food."

"Good idea," Maria said getting up from the couch. "I volunteer to be one of the people to go."

"Oh, no you don't." Michael said stopping her before she got more than three feet. "You're not going anywhere. You might faint again, and I don't want that to happen in a crowded area."

"But I've been cooped up in small areas for ages, I can't take, much more of this without going insane."

"Michael's right Maria," Max said. "We can't risk anything happening to you, any of you. Michael and I will go and get some food. It'll be okay." Max gave Liz a hug, then went to the front door waiting for Michael.

Michael groaned, but got up and followed Max out the door, giving Maria an apologetic look.

Maria was angry that everyone was treating like she had some sort of terminal illness. She was fine, people fainted all the time. There was no special reason why she had fainted. She just needed regain her strength.

Liz noticed the look on Maria's face. "Are you okay Maria?"

Maria nodded. "Yeah, I just tried of not being able to go anywhere."

"This will all be over soon, Maria." Tess said going over to the couch to sit next to her.

"How do you know? I don't even know if what I did worked. They all could have gotten out of the compound and be coming for us right now. Nothing's certain anymore. I just want them to all go away on leave us alone."

"I know Maria. But I will all end soon. I can feel it. And don't worry about anyone else. We're all perfectly safe here." Tess said.

"How do you know?" Liz asked.

Tess shrugged. "I can just feel it. Look there's nothing for us to do, so I'm going to go back to sleep. I was having a good time of it, until I was rudely awoken." She smiled teasingly at Maria who blushed.

"I think I'll go to sleep to. That will make the day go faster." Maria said lying down on the couch.

*******

Maria was awoken quickly when Michael and Max rushed in the door. They were both breathing hard and looking really worried.

"What's wrong?" Liz asked.

Max walked over to her and hugged her tight. "Nothing, everything's okay now."

Liz pulled away unconvinced. "No, tell me what's wrong."

"We saw Brian and Sean at the store." Michael said softly.

"Did they see you?" Isabelle asked anxiously.

"No they didn't. We had just got the food, and were leaving the store, when Michael saw them. We bolted before they saw us." Max said.

"What are we going to do? They got out and we have no idea how to stop them." Tess said.

"Sean's on our side we know that." Maria began.

"How do you know that?" Alex asked.

"Because I went into his mind. He wasn't lying when he said that he wanted to help us. He should be able to slow my father down, and lead him in the wrong directions. Meanwhile we need to go to someone who knows what they're doing. Who knows how to get rid of my father once and for all."

"Who would know something like that?" Kyle asked.

"My mother." Maria responded.