Dreams and Nightmares

This story takes place in the very early part of the second season. It's been sitting in my computer for a while. I will write some more, but right now my energy is focused on Dark Lights, a Dark Angel fanfic I'm so close to completing so please be patient if you like this story.

                                                            Peace

                                                Original Max A

Dreams and Nightmares

Michael couldn't figure out what to do. It was 1:00 am and he couldn't go to sleep. He tried watching mind-numbing infomercials, playing solitaire, even listened to his hidden Mariah Carey CD. Finally Michael just sat down in defeat. Then he had an idea. Might as well see what other people are doing in their sleep, he thought.

Michael slowed his breathing and relaxed his muscles until he reached the dream plane. That place between sleep and awake where he could look and be in other peoples dreams. Each dream was in a colorful orb that was unique to each person who was sleeping. He was about to decide which orb to call on when one of them hit him upside the head. What the... He rubbed the top of his head, and then it hit him again, this time on the shoulder. Alright, that's it. Whose dream is that anyway? He was about to call it when it just zoomed in his hands. This is weird. He looked inside of it, and then realized it was Maria's.

Michael laughed at himself.  Should of known. The girl can even track me down in her sleep. Wonder what's inside. He made the orb grow until he could step inside. The dream was in the desert, the pod chamber to be exact. Why is she dreaming about this? he wondered. Then he looked up and saw himself and Maria hugging. Maria was wearing a long blue spaghetti strap dress. He was in jeans and a brick red shirt. Typical. This was not a surprise to him. He had been in Maria's dreams before and he was often apart of them. Well him and Ricky Martin. He had seen some . . . interesting dreams of him and Maria. He was about to leave when he heard Maria's voice.

" No, Michael, don't leave me," Maria cried

Michael looked up and saw Maria's dream Michael walking into the pod chamber. His clothes had changed to an all black suit.

" I can't have a chick at home waiting for me," dream Michael said coldly.

Michael felt tight in his throat. Did I...

" But, I thought you loved me," Maria said with tears rolling down her cheeks.

" That was then, I was confused. We are over and have been for a long time. I don't love you" dream Michael replied.

 He never looked at Maria or saw how much he was hurting her. That bastard. How could he do that and not... Then he remembered that was him, Maria's mental picture of him. He was that bastard. This wasn't a dream; it was a nightmare.

"Go home. I don't need or want you around," dream Michael stated.

 Suddenly the ground shook violently. The horned point Maria was standing on gave way and she was hanging over the edge.

" Michael, Michael, help me," yelled Maria

" I'm supposed to be a solider," said dream Michael

Michael couldn't believe this. How could...

" AAAHHH" Maria screamed

" Maria!" Michael screamed as he tried to run and get her. But by the time he had taken his third step, Maria had already fallen into oblivion. The dream Michael had just gotten inside the pod chamber.

"Maria!" Michael shouted as his eyes snapped open. Was that my dream or hers? he wondered. He realized he was sweating. Even if it wasn't his dream in scared him badly. "Am I really that cold?" he asked," No, Just Maria needs protection."  From you or the person you have become? Said a nagging voice in the back of his head. He didn't need this, It was only a dream and yet he still felt guilty and . . . and ashamed. Ashamed of himself and his arrogance. How could he not look back and see Maria falling off the edge? How could he not see that pain and hurt in her eyes? One silent yet apparent voice in his head knew the answer. Because that sight could make his heart break in a million pieces. Maria's tears could tear down all his walls of protection if he stared at it too long, like how the sun can hurt your eyes. His gaze drifted to the clock. 5:00 am. Might as well take a shower. There was no way he was getting any sleep tonight.

* * * * *  

  "Michael!" Maria screamed as she suddenly sat upright in her bed.  Only a dream, she thought. She had had the same dream . . . no, nightmare on and off for the past three weeks. It started right after the whole thing with Courtney. It always ended the same way. She would be falling off the cliff and Michael wouldn't come to he rescue. He'd just let her fall, but this one was different. She still fell, but she thought she had heard Michael call her name as she was falling. Only a dream, She repeated to herself, but that felt so real. Her dreams always felt real to her, but in the end she could always tell it was a dream.

She looked at the clock. 5:30 am. I'll just take a bath. Nothing like Vanilla-scented candles and a warm bath to ease your nerves. She thought. Right now that's just what she needed.

* * * * *

Maria walked into school a little edgy. If one person annoyed her, the slightest bit she would go off like the A-Bomb, especially if that person's last name happened to be Guerin. She saw Liz at her locker and ran over to her.

"Liz, I really need to talk to you," Maria quickly stated.

"What happened? Is everything okay," Liz asked

"No!" Maria whined

"That wouldn't happen to be the source of your problem, would it?" Liz said

Maria turned around and saw Michael down slowly coming in their direction. NO, this can't be happening. This isn't happening. She looked up, as Michael was getting closer. It is.

"You bet it is," Maria trying to resist making eye contact with the brunette. She turned around and faced Liz. The less I look the better. She thought before her mind started wondering elsewhere, like his body. Stop! That's not helping!

"Is he still behind me?" Maria asked.

"Yes, but now his going, going, still going. He's gone," replied Liz

 I know I got a good look at his cute butt from here.

"Thanks, Liz," said Maria. Some would wonder what for, but you don't become best friends without being read each other's mind sometimes.

"Anytime. You still need to talk?"

"Yeah, but I might be to handle this on my own."

* * * * *

"You little puck," Michael said to himself in the bathroom mirror.

He was in the bathroom around the corner from Liz's locker. He had wanted to talk to Maria, but he got scared as soon as he saw her. You're a fool. How could you let a little dream shake you up like that? Michael's only answer was because it was Maria's dream. Maria needed him and he knew that. He also knew he needed her just as much, if not more. But he didn't even have the courage to say "hello."

"What am I gonna do?" Michael asked his reflection. Then he got tired of looking at it and left, just in time to see Maria walking down the hallway.