Authors Note:  I guess you could say that some of Maria's thoughts are my thoughts…otherwise, how would I write it?  I hope you enjoy this part, took me awhile to write it.  They lyrics used in this part are by Michelle Branch "You Get Me".  Why?  I adore Michelle. Part 2

When I was younger, I wondered if the man on the moon was trapped on the inner grounds.  And he looked on with a smile on his face, so the humans on earth watching him wouldn't feel bad.

I guess you could say that I'm that "man". 

When Raphael was…abusing me, I never let anyone know.  I could never do the rebellious teen thing; because I've been dying my hair, since like, forever and my piercing are nothing new.  So I sat at dinner, with friends, talked with Max, talked to my mom all with a smile on my face.

But after dinner, the food…would come up.  I guess bulimia was a way for my soul to heal, the wrong way anyways.

After I got really skinny, Max began to notice and got mad.  But what the hell right did he have?  He spent his days snorting coke up his fucking nose, nearly killing his fucking self each time.

At least, that's what I told myself to get rid of the guilt. But that didn't work, so Max and I promised each other to stay healthy.  But it wasn't about thinness to me.  It was more about controlling parts of me, that others took control of.  My body was abused and I thought I was helping myself by being able to control it.

And Max and mom stayed in ignorance of the situation with Raphael.

I'd rather of done it that way anyways.  I never wanted Max and mom to feel sorry for what I was going through with him…never wanted them to weep for me.

I'd rather cry my own tears and leave the shallow, salty water to only rain on my face…no others.

But now Max knows…is that good?  Will he look at me differently?  Raphael was one of his heroes, and I messed that up for him.

I wonder if he hates me. 

The only time we ever really talked during the ride to Roswell (might I add, that I love aliens?) was when the radio was off, or when we asked each other simple questions. 

Pain is a funny thing. 

When you feel pain, you shut people out, or maybe even shut out your own brain's logical ways of thinking.

Pain makes you bleed and pain takes the ones you love most away from you.  Not to mention, pain makes you kill.

But that's irrelevant.

The pain I'm feeling…I hope it goes away soon.  I'm not sure how much my heart will last.

The ride is almost over and the road says "ROSWELL—10 MILES".  Guess that's my cue to stop writing.

And my cue to finally learn how to heal.

* * * * *

Maria closed her journal slowly, as if leaving a good friend. 

Max glanced at her, and looked back at the road.  "We're almost there." He said, his voice monotone.

Maria nodded and clutched her journal to her chest and looked out the passenger's side window.  "Yea, I noticed." She said quietly.

Max glanced once more at her and back at the road.  "You excited about going to Roswell, New Mexico?" he said in a teasing voice.

Maria let out a small giggle.  "Yes, actually I am…" she said with a smile on her face. 

"Come on!" she said, facing Max.  "Don't tell me you're not a little excited to find out if the rumors about aliens is true."

Max shook his head.  "No, not really…" he said with a small laugh.  "I'd rather not see little green men."

Maria stuck her tongue at him.  "You suck." She said, with a smile.

Max laughed and looked straight at the road, and stared as he once again fell into silence.

Maria sighed, missing the banter and once again listened to the radio, smiling as Michelle Branch's young soulful voice filled the car.

"She's my hero…"she whispered to herself.

"Why is that?" Max asked her.

Maria looked up in surprise.  "Because…"she started.  "Because she's the famous singer…so beautiful, so much talent." She said softly.

Max nodded.  "Yea, she's great." He said, once again, he stared at the miles of land in front of him and seemed to drift off into thought.

Maria smacked her lips together in annoyance.  "Why won't you talk to me Max?" she asked him.  Her voice gained an octave.  "What, do you like hate me now?" she asked him, her eyes brimming with tears at the possible answer.

Max continued to stare out of the window.  "Why didn't you tell me?" Max asked her, his voice so quiet that Maria could barely hear him.

"You let him…do this to you, and you never told me.  You ate at dinner with him, you smiled, and all the while, he was…raping you." He said, although he tried to hide it, Maria could see the tears that threatened to fall down his face. 

"I'm sorry." Maria said shortly.

Max nodded.  "We should talk about this." He told her.

Maria nodded.  "Yea, yea we will, but now…now, I can't talk about it." She said.  "It's too soon.  It still hurts."

By this time Max had pulled into the Roswell Apartment Complexes.  Before getting out of the car, he turned to Maria.

"Before we left the gas station, I made a few calls and I was able to rent out a two bedroom apartment, we have to pay rent, so we have to get jobs, which we'll look into tomorrow."

Maria nodded.  "How did you manage to get that so quickly?"

"Just pulled a few strings," Max said before exiting the car.  He went to the back and began picking up some luggages while Maria helped.  They found that they could carry everything in one run so they headed up the stairs of the apartment.

Max dropped their bags in front of the door while Maria did the same. 

"Wait right here," Max said.  "I have to go pick up the key." He told her.  Maria nodded and he descended down the stairs.

Maria sat by the front of her door quietly and stood up as the door to the apartment opened.  She watched as a young, tiny brunette wearing a long sleeved shirt stepped out of the apartment.

"Hey." Maria said.

The brunette turned quickly, as if she hadn't noticed Maria before.  The brunette smiled shyly, taking in Maria's pink and blond hair and many piercing.

"Hi, I'm Liz Parker." She said.

Maria stood up and took her hand and shook Liz's.  "Hey Liz.  I'm Maria DeLuca." She said, quite excitedly.

Liz looked at the bags on the floor.  "So, I guess you and your parents just moved here?"

Maria shook her head.  "No actually, me and my brother Max just moved here." She said.

Liz nodded.  "How old are you?  I'm 17." She informed Maria.

"I'm 16…" Maria said.  They stood there quietly.  "I'm just waiting for Max to bring the key."  She looked impatiently down the hall.

As she said that Max was standing at the other side of the hall, looking transfixed at the brunette beauty standing with his sister.

It was she.

Everything…the body, the face, the hair…it was she.

His hand sweated, as if yearning for his art supplies, just to finish the beauty that had marked his dreams for a while.

Maria looked over at the other side of the hall, catching site of Max.

"Max!" she yelled.  "Finally," she breathed out.

Liz looked over at Max and caught eyes with him.  Her breath caught in her throat.  He was…gorgeous, she idly wondered if she were drooling.

Max walked slowly over, never loosing eye contact.

What held their eyes together?  They did not know.  A tune went over in Liz's head as Max walked towards her.

So I'm a little left of center
I'm a little out of tune
Some say I'm paranormal
So I just bend their spoon
Who wants to be ordinary
In a crazy, mixed-up world
I don't care what they're saying'
As long as I'm your girl

Hey, you are on my side
and they, they just roll their eyes

You get me
When nobody understands
You come and take the chance, baby
You get me
You look inside my wild mind
Never knowing what you'll find
And still you want me all the time
Yeah, you do
Yeah, you get me

So what if I see the sunshine
In the pouring rain
Some people think I'm crazy
But you say it's okay
You've seen my secret garden
Where all of my flowers grow
In my imagination
Anything goes

I, I am all you want
they, they just read me wrong

You get me
When nobody understands
You come and hold my hand, baby
You get me
You look inside my wild mind
Never knowing what you'll find
Still you want me all the time
Yeah, you do
'Cause you get me

Hey, you are on my side
they; they just roll their eyes
Yeah, yeah, yeah

'Cause you get me
When nobody understands
You come and take the chance, baby
You get me
When none of the pieces fit
You make sense of it
You get me
You look inside my wild mind
Never knowing what you'll find
And still I want you all the time
Yeah, I do
'Cause you get me
Yeah, oh, yeah, oh

* * * * *

She didn't even know him and her heart raced.  They shook hands.  When had they gotten to that part?  She didn't know.  So she accepted it.

"Max DeLuca." His quiet voice flown to her brain, whispering itself around her mind.

Max DeLuca…Max DeLuca…Max DeLuca…

"Liz Parker" she said.

There hands didn't let go of each other. 

Love?

Funny thing…sometimes…it just comes out at you.

TBC…