Dedicated to all those who have supported me in one way or another – mainly just not given up on me. *g*

PART 7

I was about to leave when suddenly Michael pulled me back. His hands slid under my shirt and my breath caught.

"The wire." He said, attaching a recorder to my skin, his fingertips were warm against my skin, skimming the swell of my breast not covered by my bra.

*~*~*

Michael was just so irresistible… his sexy ways completely out weighed the headache he was capable of giving and I found myself watching his butt as we made our way to the car park.

We stopped in front of my 'pussy' painted nova and had our own thoughts. Liz must have dropped it off, either she or Max. My bet was on Max; he had the type of resources I didn't even want to think about. I'd go over to Liz's and we would talk, she'd calm me down about Pierce, the missing witness, Jim Valenti and… oh god.

Looking at my reinstated nova I suddenly became uneasy.

Michael began watching me and a cold sweat broke out on my forehead.

"Even if the bomber knew which car you were gonna drive they'd have to be stupid to try the same thing twice."

I grimaced and Michael took the keys from my clenched fist with a hard yank.

"No way. This is my problem. I'll start it up."

"If one of us is gonna blow it might as well be me." He said. "I'm used to intense explosions." He added grinning.

"Wait till I move back." I grinned, backing away from the car.

Michael got into the car and I held my breath. He turned the key and when the ignition caught he slumped against the wheel.

I wandered on back and beamed at him. "Is my seat wet?"

"Very funny." Michael got out of the car and his eyes put me on a slow heat. "I'll be on Stark Street if you need me."

I wasn't completely sure his definition of 'needing' was exactly like mine so a fought against the urge to go after his leg like a dog in heat.

*~*~*

When I arrived at the Crashdown I saw Max there as well, Liz was showing him a new dress. "What do you think?" she asked him.

Max's eyes darkened and his mouth tightened into a small smile.

Gulp. "Hi." I said all cheery-like because I admit I was slightly jealous and not too unhappy that I had interrupted.

Max smiled secretively.

"What?" I accidentally snapped showing my true mood.

"Cute." He replied surveying the outfit I had put on to drive Michael crazy this morning.

I narrowed my eyes and straighten my skirt. "Well aren't we the fashion critic." I scoffed.

Max grinned down at me and Liz glanced over at me. "You okay?"

"Never better." This morning I wanted Michael so bad it was painful driving away from him and now I'm jealous of my best friend.

There was just something about Max – stable, dependable… he was the extreme opposite of Michael – maybe that's why I found this different kinda safe vibe coming from him. Hey, go figure, usually girls don't have opposing tastes, but I've not only got that characteristic but I also have a taste for extremes!

"Stay outta trouble babe." Max said softly to me, he nodded at Liz and left. Mr Sociable.

"What's up?" Liz asked when Max's butt was out of sight.

"Everything." Then I let everything off my chest. Apart from the helping Michael bit.

Liz was silent until I got to the part about 'wanting to find the missing witness so I could *find* Michael Guerin'.

"People with faces squashed like a frying pan give me the creeps."

I grinned – Liz, Miss Agreeable Friend. "How many do you know?"

"Only one." She blushed. "But he gives me the creeps… he's really hostile and let's just say when he drops off the stock today I'm hoping you'll stick around, I had hoped Max would stay but…"

"I'll do?"

"Nicely." She grinned.

"When is he coming?"

Liz looked at her watch. "Should be out back now actually."

We wandered out the back and my mouth dropped open when I realised this guy *really* did have a squashed-with-a-frying-pan-face.

"Khivar… just stock them there." Liz said pointing to a clear area next to his parked refrigerator truck.

Omigod. As soon as he looked up we both stood stunned and his eyes wandered over me with deadly assessment. This was the guy, the missing witness – Khivar, the Killer of Milton Ross, Hal Carver and Jim Valenti.

He nodded at Liz and speedily unpacked the goods from the front seat of the truck.

"I thought we were getting a bigger load…" Liz questioned looking at the small boxes, totally oblivious to my shaking limbs.

"No." He said coldly. "That's it for now."

He knew who I was, he knew I recognised him, he was leaving… what was I going to do? Ring Michael and lose him or follow him and then ring Michael? Damn it! It was going to have to be the latter.

*~*~*

Khivar was heading out to the desert. I was probably twenty cars behind him in Liz's new Honda Civic.

He had just turned onto South 285 and I had sped my pace – scared that I'd lose him.

I saw him drive off the road suddenly and drive down into the 285 Basin two miles from the road.

So here I was, parked behind a bolder, about fifty metres away on top of the Basins ridge.

Khivar seemed to be staying put in the truck so keeping my eye on it I searched blindly for Liz's mobile phone that I had tossed in my bag as I had hurriedly made a lame excuse to Liz for needing to go.

Finding the phone I called Michael.

"Found the witness – his name is Khivar." I said when he answered.

"Where are you?"

"On the ridge above the basin off route 285."

"I'll be right there."

I disconnected and watched as a low dust storm approached. Jeez, that was fast Guerin!

It wasn't Michael though. It was a sleek black BMW and it was heading straight for Khivar's truck.

The BMW parked right next to the truck and I had a feeling that no one was getting out because the BMW parked in such a way that allowed the driver to talk to Khivar through the driver's side window.

So I waited, watching the two vehicles. I was so engrossed that when a hand touched my shoulder a yelped. "Guerin!"

"Shhhh… when did Pierce show up?"

"Th..That's Pierce's car?" Gulp.

Michael nodded.

"About 5 minutes ago."

"And they've stayed in the cars?"

"Yes, haven't keep my eyes off them." An engine caught and I added. "Well not until you distracted me."

"I do that to women." Michael grinned now completely focussed on the two cars. Pierce's BMW sped away and Michael radiated 'thinking' vibes.

"What now?" I asked.

"We go visit Khivar." Double Gulp.

We stood and I felt like telling Michael of the weird scary vibes I had gotten from this fella… but instead I nobly let Michael go first.

"So what did you do all day?" I asked as we approached the car from behind.

"I drew." I wasn't expecting that.

"What, what did you draw?"

Michael stopped and turned around, looking directly into my eyes. "You ask a lot of questions." I beamed and he started walking towards the truck again. "I drew eyes."

"Mine?" It just popped out, okay! I wasn't really thinking he'd ha-

"I've already drawn yours." He answered softly.

"Oh." I replied just as soft, of course… That's Michael, always wanting to do things only once. That really summed up this guy – Done it, seen it, have the T-Shirt!

"I did draw them again today though," he admitted softly. "I wanted to, so I did."

It was like he was proud that I had no control over his drawing subject. "Just today?" Maybe I was feeling so gutsy because *I* was the one that had found Khivar.

"No." He replied hurriedly arriving at the truck.

I wanted to tell him about the sketchbook, but the sight of Khivar's dead body slumped over the steering wheel stopped me.

"Shit," I said. "Pierce has killed him."

"Christ." Michael answered, we both knew we really needed a alive witness.

A loud thump came from the back of the truck and we both jumped.

There was something-alive back there.

How fickle is that, I wanted something alive and now I'd prefer dead.

Deadness means you don't have to make conversation, or in my case wet your pants.

Michael went around to the back and slowly slid the doors open.

A dead woman lay on the floor of the truck and a bluish, quite alive but very sleepy, woman sat there shivering above her.

"Isabel!" Michael cried pulling the alive bluish one from the truck with emotion but care.

He then sat Isabel on the ground and told me to hug her. "You're always war- it will warm her up." He added placing Khivar in the back of the truck with the other dead body.

"Who's the woman?" I asked gaining a sinking feeling.

"Kathleen Topolsky." Michael answered avoiding the dead woman's eyes as he searched the back.

As I rubbed Isabel's back I grew to wonder how she could have possibly survived and- "What are you looking for?"

"Topolsky's alien gun, it will prove self defence."

"Um Spaceboy, alive girl here – alive witness."

"Doesn't count."

WHAT! "Excuse me?"

"She's an alien, she'll probably even be less trusted and believed than I was."

"I trust her." I whispered suddenly feeling all glowy as a small light radiated off Isabel and soaked through my skin.

"You're different." Michael sighed still searching for the gun in the back of the truck.

I helped Isabel into the front seat of the truck and assessed the situation as I did so.

Walking back to Michael I said. "Michael it *will* be okay."

Michael looked up quickly when I had said his name but shook his head at the rest of my plea.

"No Maria, it won't."

"Trust me." I whispered.

"Ha!" Michael scoffed just before I made my decision and shut the back door locking Michael inside.

Walking quickly to the drivers' side door I levered myself into the seat and headed back to Roswell.

Isabel stirred and fumbled with the refrigeration temperature. "So Michael won't turn into Popsicle." She explained sleepily.

I nodded. "Good thinking." But probably wouldn't really help Michael thinking better of me anytime soon.

I picked up the truck's car phone and dialed Alex, hoping he wouldn't mind my Michael delivery with extra dead bodies.

*~*~*

When we got there I looked at the *alone* Alex and reassessed the situation. "I think Guerin'll be a bit upset, maybe you should call for backup."

Alex's eyes flickered to the truck. "Ria, he's not in the back… is he?" I nodded. "Shit."

Isabel had stumbled out of the front seat and before I could stop her she opened the back and Michael catapulted himself out at me and used some very nasty invented words. No doubt he had been thinking them up on the way over.

We went crashing to the floor and rolled around for what seemed like an eternity before three cops pulled him off me and marched him through the doors.

Standing up shakily I told myself I deserved that. My legs were scraped and Alex pulled me into his arms just before I asked where Isabel was.

"She's been taken to the hospital… I'll take you home then head on over to see how she is and give you an update in the morning."

*~*~*

Flipping through Michael sketchbook in my apartment I dwelt again about Michael. I had mixed feelings.

I wasn't really sure I had done the right thing. I had reasoned that Michael's name would be cleared, he'd have a fair trial and that Isabel could back him up about everything and in next to no time they would find the gun or not even need it.

Suddenly I shuddered, and instantly knew the reason for it.

Someone was in my apartment.

He called my name and I felt my hair stand up so much it felt like it was rubbing against the ceiling.

"Close the curtains," he purred, "and turn around nice and slow so I can see you."

I did as I was told. It was Necedo. With a gun pointed at my face.

"You're a real pain in the arse."

"So I've been told."

"You try and take over the earth and a ditzy bleached-blonde woman stands annoyingly in your way."

"I'm naturally blonde."

He was not amused. "Well you're not going to naturally die."

Shit. "What?" I said shakily.

Necedo grinned. "Well, I might as well explain, seeing as though you'll be eliminated before you can tell."

Eliminated? Exsqueeze me? I suddenly noticed his change in manner, surgical, cold…

"I'm one of the bad, evil aliens."

Necedo was an alien… I now realised how he felt, like those nasty alien boys at school… he assumed I was scared of aliens…

"Aliens aren't 'evil'." I retorted thinking of Isabel's cold body, Max's lonely life and Tess' nervous glances… and the distance Michael had place between us for as long as I could remember.

"Oh human, trust me there are some *very* bad aliens around…"

Omigod. "The ones that remember-"

"And pretend to be like the other unearthly creatures." He smiled smugly.

Shit, it was all coming together.

"Our slaves were such great tools. We fled with them and pretended to be like them – all noble… sickening. They go into comas if traumatised badly enough and if they stay like that for too long the memory is the first to fade you see." He then laughed. "Imagine hating war… my race lived for it… we spread it."

"You used them," I choked, it was so cruel. "There pain… you, you were the ones spreading the rumours to keep them oppressed even in their place of refuge."

"Genius wasn't it?"

"Your love of war…" My mind was buzzing.

"Keep going human, you're doing surprisingly well."

"You want a alien/human war to begin, even though…" I choked up further at the thought of the nice aliens being forced to defend themselves against the wrong enemy.

"You're a real danger Maria." He said almost admiringly but suddenly deadly serious. "You've found out the only element of human control that can defeat our plan, compassion… love. Guerin found it out to… alien/human social worker, such sad endeavours… It was only a matter of time before he pieced it all together."

"Isabel pieced it together…"

"No. Daniel ran off at the mouth to the blonde Harding."

"Pierce…" More of the picture was fitting together by the minute.

Necedo shrugged. "Dumb crazy human - he was going to help create a war, what could be more glorious for your pitiful race?" Necedo looked like he was about to choke up - disgusting.

"He is mad poor Daniel, but it was women like you that made him so." Now I was really disgusted and getting more edgy by the minute. Necedo wasn't the Mad Scientist from Hell; he was the Mad Dictator from Pluto!

"It was my mistake, I see it now, I needed to keep a low profile so I let the blind clean up after the blind. Daniel is crazy and Khivar stupid… I should have taken control early, but that smart arse Guerin slave-born and female Tess were so goddamn weary!" He was beginning to yell, losing control over his sinister calm side.

"Khivar couldn't even kill you!" Necedo waved the gun at me to remind me of its presence and continued wistfully. "I've lost count of how many times he's tried to kill Guerin… it's funny how even when Kathleen was there she was the only one to lose her life."

I could reach my bag; it was a metre away, if he was suddenly distracted I could reach it.

"Poor Kathleen, she was in love with Daniel…" Man that's gross. "Would even kill for him, but the Harding slave tricked her… dumb humans. Never send a human to do a noble job like killing."

Necedo motioned for me to sit down which took me further then three metres away from my bag. Shit. My heart felt cold and heavy as I sank into the cushion.

"I'm quite impressed with the Harding slave… using a weakness as a protective force… very clever… however I will visit her after I've eliminated you." He then laughed at me and I understood he knew my weakness - others suffering. "The trauma that put her into that coma was extreme. Torture… rape, all great repercussions of war." He grinned crazily.

His eyes were darting around the room but I saw no light in them… just like Pierce. "She survived Pierce, but she won't survive me… just like you won't."

He was going to kill me. Quickly, please God let him do it quickly. Necedo grinned at my trembling hands and pulled out a mobile phone from his jacket pocket and dialed.

"My human," He said when the connection was made. "I've got a blonde here wanting attention." Something was said at the other end. "Maria DeLuca," Necedo answered. "She's at home waiting for you. And Daniel, make sure no one sees you. Maybe you better come up the fire escape." The conversation was severed and the phone discarded.

"You were the one in Pierce's car. You killed Khivar…"

Necedo seemed shocked that I had pieced more together, and I was wishing my mind would stop doing it, it was too upsetting, sad, I was going to cry any minute. I hadn't even told Michael that I loved him, I always had. We had talked indirectly; both so scared of what the other might say.

Necedo got himself some water and I watched as the *thing* that wanted to start a war with good aliens and humans alike being the causalities gulped down the entire glass. "What happens when Pierce gets here?"

"I turn my back while he does his thing, then I shoot him with your gun over there in your purse and I watch you both bleed and fantasize of others dying just like you."

"I'll tell Pierce you're going to kill him."

"He won't believe you."

"How come?"

"Because when Isabel Harding tried to defend herself by telling Daniel I was upset with him for telling her our species plan she… well wasn't treated well was she?"

He was insane, an insane awful alien. Christ. It was now or never…

My eyebrows raised and I pretended like I was covering up a persons entrance. Necedo took the bait and turned while I jumped out of the couch and BLAST! A pain like never before hit my arse and I was sent forward against the wall.

I was going to die, I felt him come to inspect the damage, he didn't want me dead… that was the worst thing to realise, he wanted me alive… for Pierce.

I turned to face him to show him I was a survivor and that he'd gotten more then he bargained for with Maria DeLuca when a powerful blue flare hit him from behind and he hurtled to the wall.

"I thought I told you to stay outta trouble."

Max humour, or more precisely alien humour.

I gave him a weak smile. "I think I'm gonna hurl."

Max put his hand to the back of my neck and pushed my head down between my legs. "Push against my hand."

The bells stopped clanging and Max pulled me to my feet.

"When did you came in?"

"When he blasted you."

"I'm gonna die… I've been blasted." I said systematically.

"You're not gonna die."

Max slid an arm around me and pulled me to him. I rested my head on his chest and he nuzzled my hair. Kissing me just above my ear he asked. "Are you feeling better?"

No way. I was as unbetter as a person could get. "Sure, I'm fine."

I could feel him smile. "Liar."

I bright green light shot through the window and a man screamed savagely. Max and I jumped apart, the loud clanging of someone falling ringing in my ears.

We looked out and Pierce was laying motionless at the bottom of the fire escape, Michael was just as still but standing over Pierce.

Michael looked up and our eyes held and I wanted to go to him but Max pulled me into his arms again and I began to shake so badly that if I hadn't had Max's support I would have fallen to the ground.

*~*~*

The boys in blue swarmed around Alex and I and the noise was muted by the numbness of my mind.

"Guerin broke out."

"Yes."

"He came here, when he pieced it together."

"Yes." Gotta love Alex's 'hinting'. Alex was a good guy. "You came here first as well."

"When Isabel told me everything-"

"Isabel's okay?"

"Yeah… she's gonna be fine. She's a survivor."

"Us women are."

Alex grinned and he looked over to behind my shoulder. I turned and saw Michael standing near Pierce's body, completely focused on it, his expression unreadable.

Again I wanted to go to him, comfort him for coming to protect me, comfort him for… not killing me for the refrigerator or Jetta thing.

*~*~*

Necedo and Pierce were dead. Max hadn't been charged and Michael had been acquitted of Topolsky's murder it was stated in the paper, so I lived in fear of my safety once more now that Michael was released and would probably come seeking revenge soon.

I had been named the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, which I considered funny, my mother and Liz were as pleased as punch. Michael had wired me so well my whole conversation with Necedo was recorded and from the autopsy on Necedo and Khivar they found away of telling evil aliens from good.

Michael had been given a grant from the government and the future was looking brighter for alien/human relationships then ever before. Well all but one… Michael was one day going to get me for the locking-him-in-a-freezing-truck-with-two-dead-bodies thing.

It had been two days since I'd been blasted and the pain was down to an annoying but manageable ache in my back. The mental healing would be slower.

Ten thousand dollars had been deposited in my account so it was time to start building my furniture population in the apartment, either that or go to Vegas with some funky new shoes.

I jumped at the sound of someone knocking on my door. Cautiously making my way to the foyer I looked out of the peephole and gasped at the sight of Michael Guerin grinning back.

Michael was freshly shaven and dressed, he stared directly at the peephole and smiled smugly. He knew I was looking, deciding if it was wise to open the door.

Michael waved and I remembered the time when our positions had been reversed in what seemed like ages ago now.

I unlocked the dead bolt but left the chain in place. "Yes?" I said cracking the door open two inches.

"Take the chain off." Michael said.

Not on your life! "Why?"

This brought a slow, evil smile. "Are you afraid of me?"

"Uh… yes."

"You should be. You locked me in a refrigerator truck with two dead people. I'm going to one day repay you for it."

"But not tonight?"

"No," he said. "Not tonight."

I let him in and he followed me over to the kitchen.

"Looks like you're walking a little slow… how are you feeling?"

"Oh fine… the blast did most of its damage on my wall."

Michael's smile had faded. "How are you really feeling?"

I'm not sure what it is about him, but he never fails to strip down my defences. Even when I'm watchful and on guard Michael can piss me off, turn me on, make me question my judgement and actions and in general provide inconvenient emotions.

Concern pinched his eyes and there was a seriousness to his mouth that belied the casual tone of his question.

I bit down on my lip and tears silently flowed down my cheeks. Michael gathered me into his arms and held me close. He rested his cheek against the top of my head and pressed a kiss into my hair.

We stood like that for many minutes and if it hadn't been for the pain in my 'blasted arse' I would have fallen asleep. Finally comforted and at peace, feeling the right sort of 'safe' in Michael's arms and him safe in mine, I knew that apart of my tears was caused by the happiness of knowing he was safe.

"If I ask you a serious question," Michael said against my ear, "will you give me a serious answer?"

"Maybe." I murmured.

"Do you remember that time in my father's garage?"

"Vividly."

"And that time when we went at it in the Crashdown?"

"Uh huh."

"Why did you do it?" He asked. "Are my powers of persuasion really that strong?"

I looked at him in the eye and was surprised to see the concern that had built up all these years for me. "I suspect it had a lot to do with curiosity and rebellion on my part."

"So are you willing to share the responsibility?"

"Yes."

The smile had returned to his mouth and made his eyes twinkle. "And if I made love to you here in your kitchen, how much of the blame would you be willing to assume?"

"Jesus Michael, I've been blasted in the arse."

"Cupcake you've forgotten about my healing capabilities."

Oh Boy.

I won't tell you what happened next, or for that matter what continued to happen, but I will tell you that Michael's biggest fear now is that one day I'm gonna be the mother of his children.

END

Cast Swap Characters

Stephaine Plum ~ Maria DeLuca

Joseph 'Joe' Anthony Morelli ~ Michael Guerin

Mary Lou Molnar/Stankovic & Connie Rosolli ~ Liz Parker

Ellen Plum & Grandma (Edna) Mazur ~ Amy DeLuca

Morty Beyers ~ Jim Valenti

Connie Rosolli & Vincent Plum ~ Kyle Valenti

Ricardo Carlos Manoso (Ranger) ~ Maxwell Evans (Cagier)

Carmen Sanchez ~ Isabel Harding (name swap: Evans)

Ziggy Kulesza ~ Kathleen Topolsky

Eddie Gazarra & Carl Constanza & Dorsey ~ Alex Whitman

Benito Ramirez ~ Daniel Pierce

Mrs. Santiago ~ Betty Osorio

John Kuzack ~ Hal Carver

Edleman ~ Milton Ross

Carlene & Mrs Morelli ~ Courtney Banks

Gus Dembrowski ~ Gus Moss (Name added: Gus)

Jackie & Lula ~ Tess (name delete: Harding)

Jimmy Alpha ~ Ed Necedo (Name substitution: Harding)

Louis ~ Khivar