Intense


Disclaimer: I now state I do not own any of the people mentioned in this fan fic (though I'm welcome to offers Brendan and Jason!) This is purely for entertainment.

Rating: If you're old enough to watch the show you can read this.

Author's note: Set around Wipeout. Michael and Maria think. I added just one little thing.

Michael

God, where he hell are they? All of them apart from us aliens are gone. Alex, Kyle, the sheriff, Liz. Maria.
This has gotta be to do with the skins. How else would every single human disappear into thin air? I KNEW we would end up hurting them. On the Michael Guerin scale of screw-ups this has to rate very high. We have managed to cause a whole town to disappear. How's that for a new and inventive way to mess up everyone's lives?

Maria

Where is everybody? We only left town for a little while and when we come back everyone is gone. It was like stepping into the Twilight zone. Who am I kidding? My life has been permanently stuck in there since I learnt that aliens exist and come in exceptionally gorgeous packaging. I mean it must be genetic. Max is a hottie, Isabel could be a supermodel, Tess is just plain cute and Michael…there are no words for how good-looking Michael is. He's beautiful, those cheekbones, those eyes…I'm getting of track. Me and Liz need to get somewhere safe so we can sort this out.

Michael

I didn't have time to wonder what Courtney was talking about theories before the door was opened and in walked Maria and Liz.
I don't think I've ever been more relieved in my life.
"Michael!" she says softly. I reckon she must have been worried too, because her she seems relieved too. Her shoulders relaxed as soon as she came in here.
My whole body seems to be tuned to hers because when she runs towards me my arms wrap round her automatically.
Thank god she's OK.

Maria

Oh god. I'm so glad he's OK. I didn't think about what I was doing when I ran straight to him. It was like I had tunnel vision. All I could see was him and my body seemed to take over.
It seems like so long since I've felt him hug me. The closest we've come is holding hands that one time in the Granolith chamber. But this…this is good. Apart from the whole disappearing without trace thing.

Michael

What the hell is going on? Is Courtney going to be alright? We need more information. And I do kinda owe her my life. So do Max, Tess, Liz, Isabel and Maria. If she hadn't smashed the husks feeding system than Nicholas would have killed me, the other skins would have killed Max, Tess and Liz, then they would have moved onto Isabel and Maria. She has to be fine.

Maria

Part of me hates her but part of me can't help but thank her. It's like Tess. I started off being scared off her, then I hated her, now I kinda like her. She's cool when she doesn't hang on Max's every word.
I think the way we have to live, only trusting each other, breeds a certain familiarity. I mean before all this I wouldn't have dreamed of sleeping over at a boy's house. It was just too weird. But half of last summer I stayed with Max. At one of our meetings at the Valenti's after the whole Whitaker thing we didn't think twice about all taking showers and sitting around in Kyle's shirts while Max and Michael cleaned and repaired our clothes. Those boys are whipped. Come on, how many girls my age would feel comfortable with having a mass mixed sleepover after one of your closest friends was nearly killed and another friend had to kill someone? It's not normal for most people but for me…I've gotten used to it.
Just now, a skin threw me across the room and would have killed me if Tess hadn't been fast enough to kill her. I owe them all my life and Liz's.
I know this secret and it's my responsibility to keep it safe.

Michael

I'm not sure if I made the right decision. I told Courtney where the Granolith is. Probably not one of my smarter ideas but I couldn't just let her die. It's not me. I only hope Nicholas doesn't find her.
The humans are heading out to try and bring everyone back. I'm not sure if it's a good idea but I know that none of them are gonna listen to me. They'll just go do it anyway. I can see how torn Max is. I don't blame him.
She's standing there looking at me. I step up so we're real close.
"I know how you hate it when things get all goopy so…"
"Yeah so I'll see you soon."
I'm not even gonna think about the idea that I might not.
She smiles and sort of laughs.
"Yeah."
She obviously doesn't have the same confidence that I do.
"No I will."
I think she's gonna cry. Instead she just puts her arms around my neck and holds me tight. It's over all to quickly. I wish I didn't have to let her go.
We share one last look before she skips up the stairs and runs out.
God, you listened before so please keep her safe.

Maria

What am I doing? Is this how I want him to remember me if I die? No way.
I turn right around and run down those stairs. He looks surprised as do Tess and Max.
Before he even knows what's happening I'm kissing him. It takes him a moment to respond but when he does it feels like we've never stopped. I know I have to hurry. Quickly I press my lips to his hard one last time and pull away, my hands still resting on his shoulders.
His eyes look as dazed as mine must.
I smile at him and climb the stairs again. I don't turn back.
I don't need too.
No number of peeling aliens are gonna keep me away.