******Part 30******
"Baby?" Maria asked. Michael was shocked.
"You didn't know? You're not that far along but the baby suffered some trauma due to the struggle that occurred between you and Austin. Also we can tell you haven't been eating well and the baby isn't getting enough nourishment. There are things we could do for the baby if you were farther along in the pregnancy but the baby is just too young."
"What are you saying doctor?" Michael asked.
"I'm saying that it is likely Maria will lose the baby. We're going to keep her in the hospital for observation and in case there are any further difficulties."
"So you want me to just lay around here in the hospital until my baby dies! Well I'm not going to do that!"
"I'm sorry Maria. Look I'll give you two some time alone. Talk to her," the doctor said looking at Michael. The doctor then left the room.
Maria turned away from Michael and hid her face in the pillow. Michael could see her body shake. "Our baby is not going to die!"
"Maria, you heard the doctor," Michael tried to reach out for Maria but she pushed him away.
"No Michael. Austin has taken so much from me. He can't take my child too!"
Michael went over to Maria again and scooped her off the bed into his arms. She struggled but he was more powerful.
"Calm down. I'm taking you home. No arguments. You're living with me where you belong. Max will come with us and we'll see if he can heal the baby."
It was a long drive back to Roswell. The sheriff and Kyle took his car and Max drove Michael's car. Michael sat in the back seat holding Maria and Dakota in his arms. Michael tried to get Maria to relax and get some rest but she refused.
They finally reached Michael's apartment and Liz, Tess, Isabel, and Amy were there waiting for them. Max had called the girls and told them the situation. They told Amy everything except about the baby. They didn't want her to get suspicious after Max healed it.
"Maria!" Amy screamed. She ran over and hugged her daughter. "I'm so happy you're alright."
Maria burst into tears. "I'm not alright! Nothings ever going to be all right ever again!" She ran into the apartment and into the bedroom.
Amy turned to Michael. "I didn't mean to upset her. What happened Michael?"
"She's just upset. I promise you I'll take care of her Amy."
"I know you love my daughter but after everything that's happened I'm terrified for her."
"Amy why don't you let me take you home. I'm sure Maria will come around. Just give her and Michael some time alone," Jim said putting his arm around Amy.
"Alright, Jim."
Michael and the others walked into the apartment. Kyle and the girls watched Dakota as Michael and Max went into the bedroom. They found Maria curled up on the bed in tears. Michael and Max walked over to her. It took Maria a few minutes to realize the men where standing there.
"Max please save our baby."
"I'll try. Lay out on the bed and keep your eyes open." Maria did as she was told.
Michael stood back and watched Max as he laid his hands on Maria's belly. Max and Maria stared into each other's eyes for several minutes. Max was concentrating as hard as he could.
"Max?" Maria asked.
"I'm so sorry. There's nothing I can do."
"Please Max. Why won't you help me?"
"Maria I tried. I can't do anything."
Max apologized to Michael as he walked out of the bedroom to see the others.
"Is the baby alright?" Isabel asked.
"There wasn't anything I could do. I'm sorry." Max couldn't look at the others. He started to leave the apartment.
"Wait Max." Liz ran up to him and laid her hand on his shoulder. "I know you tried. It's not your fault."
"I just feel so bad for Maria and Michael."
"I know," Liz said hugging Max. "Can you drive me home? I don't want to be alone and I know Maria needs time alone with Michael and Dakota.
"Sure."
Everyone left the apartment except for Isabel and Alex who were watching Dakota until Michael came back into the room.
"Michael why is this happening? What is wrong with me? I want our child so bad. Please don't let it die."
Michael's heart sank. He didn't know what to say to her. He was dying inside knowing there was nothing he could do to take away her pain. It tore him up to know his child was dying but he had to be strong for Maria.
******Part 31******
"Maria you know I'm not like Max I can't heal. The only thing I can do is blow up rocks. I'm useless Maria. I don't want to lose you or the baby but there's nothing I can do."
"Just try. Please I'm not giving up!"
"Maria what if I hurt you?"
"You won't. I trust you. Please try."
Michael walked up to Maria and sat next to her on the bed. He kissed her on the forehead and smiled trying to convince her that everything would be all right. Michael laid his hand over Maria's belly and concentrated. He got flashes of their night together through Maria's eyes. He saw how much she loved him and wanted him that night. Finally their connection stopped.
Michael looked away from Maria and stepped away from the bed. "I told you I was a screw-up. I put you and our children in danger and then I can't even protect you or them. I'm sorry Maria. You don't deserve any of this. If I wasn't in your life you would be happy now. You would have had everything that you always wanted. It's not enough that I screwed my life up but I ruined yours." Michael was in tears.
"Michael stop! I don't blame you. Everything that has happened has been my fault. I'm the one who got drunk that night and went to the bar."
"I know but If I hadn't have left..."
"No it was still my choice. It's not your fault."
"Mommy! Daddy!"
"Dakota! Dakota! Dakota!" Alex shouted chasing after him.
"I'm sorry Michael. He ran away from us and we couldn't catch him," Isabel said.
Dakota ran in his mom's arms and they lay together on the bed.
"It's okay. You two should go home now," Michael told Alex and Isabel.
Alex and Isabel left the apartment.
Maria had stopped crying now that Dakota was in her arms. Maria looked up at Michael. "Please come lay with us."
Michael lay down next to Maria and wrapped his arms around Dakota and Maria. Michael felt so much love for his family and he was devastated at the thought of losing this baby. After a while they fell asleep in each other's arms.
The sunlight shone through the bedroom window waking Maria. Dakota was still asleep but she noticed Michael was awake.
"How long have you been awake?" Maria asked Michael.
"For a while now. I didn't want to wake you. You, Dakota, and this baby mean everything to me."
Michael reached out his hands to hold Maria's stomach. He kissed her belly. "If you can hear me in there me and your mother love you very much. We want you so much so if you could please just hold on for us."
Maria reached out to hold Michael's hand that was still attached to her stomach. There sudden movements must have wakened Dakota because they felt his tiny hand clasp there's. As soon as all three of their hands touched a bright glow could be seen around Maria's stomach. The heard the faint sounds of the baby's heartbeat. Suddenly the heartbeat grew stronger and stronger. The glow went away and Michael removed his hand from Maria.
"It's a girl," Michael smiled.
TBC...
"Baby?" Maria asked. Michael was shocked.
"You didn't know? You're not that far along but the baby suffered some trauma due to the struggle that occurred between you and Austin. Also we can tell you haven't been eating well and the baby isn't getting enough nourishment. There are things we could do for the baby if you were farther along in the pregnancy but the baby is just too young."
"What are you saying doctor?" Michael asked.
"I'm saying that it is likely Maria will lose the baby. We're going to keep her in the hospital for observation and in case there are any further difficulties."
"So you want me to just lay around here in the hospital until my baby dies! Well I'm not going to do that!"
"I'm sorry Maria. Look I'll give you two some time alone. Talk to her," the doctor said looking at Michael. The doctor then left the room.
Maria turned away from Michael and hid her face in the pillow. Michael could see her body shake. "Our baby is not going to die!"
"Maria, you heard the doctor," Michael tried to reach out for Maria but she pushed him away.
"No Michael. Austin has taken so much from me. He can't take my child too!"
Michael went over to Maria again and scooped her off the bed into his arms. She struggled but he was more powerful.
"Calm down. I'm taking you home. No arguments. You're living with me where you belong. Max will come with us and we'll see if he can heal the baby."
It was a long drive back to Roswell. The sheriff and Kyle took his car and Max drove Michael's car. Michael sat in the back seat holding Maria and Dakota in his arms. Michael tried to get Maria to relax and get some rest but she refused.
They finally reached Michael's apartment and Liz, Tess, Isabel, and Amy were there waiting for them. Max had called the girls and told them the situation. They told Amy everything except about the baby. They didn't want her to get suspicious after Max healed it.
"Maria!" Amy screamed. She ran over and hugged her daughter. "I'm so happy you're alright."
Maria burst into tears. "I'm not alright! Nothings ever going to be all right ever again!" She ran into the apartment and into the bedroom.
Amy turned to Michael. "I didn't mean to upset her. What happened Michael?"
"She's just upset. I promise you I'll take care of her Amy."
"I know you love my daughter but after everything that's happened I'm terrified for her."
"Amy why don't you let me take you home. I'm sure Maria will come around. Just give her and Michael some time alone," Jim said putting his arm around Amy.
"Alright, Jim."
Michael and the others walked into the apartment. Kyle and the girls watched Dakota as Michael and Max went into the bedroom. They found Maria curled up on the bed in tears. Michael and Max walked over to her. It took Maria a few minutes to realize the men where standing there.
"Max please save our baby."
"I'll try. Lay out on the bed and keep your eyes open." Maria did as she was told.
Michael stood back and watched Max as he laid his hands on Maria's belly. Max and Maria stared into each other's eyes for several minutes. Max was concentrating as hard as he could.
"Max?" Maria asked.
"I'm so sorry. There's nothing I can do."
"Please Max. Why won't you help me?"
"Maria I tried. I can't do anything."
Max apologized to Michael as he walked out of the bedroom to see the others.
"Is the baby alright?" Isabel asked.
"There wasn't anything I could do. I'm sorry." Max couldn't look at the others. He started to leave the apartment.
"Wait Max." Liz ran up to him and laid her hand on his shoulder. "I know you tried. It's not your fault."
"I just feel so bad for Maria and Michael."
"I know," Liz said hugging Max. "Can you drive me home? I don't want to be alone and I know Maria needs time alone with Michael and Dakota.
"Sure."
Everyone left the apartment except for Isabel and Alex who were watching Dakota until Michael came back into the room.
"Michael why is this happening? What is wrong with me? I want our child so bad. Please don't let it die."
Michael's heart sank. He didn't know what to say to her. He was dying inside knowing there was nothing he could do to take away her pain. It tore him up to know his child was dying but he had to be strong for Maria.
******Part 31******
"Maria you know I'm not like Max I can't heal. The only thing I can do is blow up rocks. I'm useless Maria. I don't want to lose you or the baby but there's nothing I can do."
"Just try. Please I'm not giving up!"
"Maria what if I hurt you?"
"You won't. I trust you. Please try."
Michael walked up to Maria and sat next to her on the bed. He kissed her on the forehead and smiled trying to convince her that everything would be all right. Michael laid his hand over Maria's belly and concentrated. He got flashes of their night together through Maria's eyes. He saw how much she loved him and wanted him that night. Finally their connection stopped.
Michael looked away from Maria and stepped away from the bed. "I told you I was a screw-up. I put you and our children in danger and then I can't even protect you or them. I'm sorry Maria. You don't deserve any of this. If I wasn't in your life you would be happy now. You would have had everything that you always wanted. It's not enough that I screwed my life up but I ruined yours." Michael was in tears.
"Michael stop! I don't blame you. Everything that has happened has been my fault. I'm the one who got drunk that night and went to the bar."
"I know but If I hadn't have left..."
"No it was still my choice. It's not your fault."
"Mommy! Daddy!"
"Dakota! Dakota! Dakota!" Alex shouted chasing after him.
"I'm sorry Michael. He ran away from us and we couldn't catch him," Isabel said.
Dakota ran in his mom's arms and they lay together on the bed.
"It's okay. You two should go home now," Michael told Alex and Isabel.
Alex and Isabel left the apartment.
Maria had stopped crying now that Dakota was in her arms. Maria looked up at Michael. "Please come lay with us."
Michael lay down next to Maria and wrapped his arms around Dakota and Maria. Michael felt so much love for his family and he was devastated at the thought of losing this baby. After a while they fell asleep in each other's arms.
The sunlight shone through the bedroom window waking Maria. Dakota was still asleep but she noticed Michael was awake.
"How long have you been awake?" Maria asked Michael.
"For a while now. I didn't want to wake you. You, Dakota, and this baby mean everything to me."
Michael reached out his hands to hold Maria's stomach. He kissed her belly. "If you can hear me in there me and your mother love you very much. We want you so much so if you could please just hold on for us."
Maria reached out to hold Michael's hand that was still attached to her stomach. There sudden movements must have wakened Dakota because they felt his tiny hand clasp there's. As soon as all three of their hands touched a bright glow could be seen around Maria's stomach. The heard the faint sounds of the baby's heartbeat. Suddenly the heartbeat grew stronger and stronger. The glow went away and Michael removed his hand from Maria.
"It's a girl," Michael smiled.
TBC...