1 [b]Part Four[/b]
Michael's eyes followed the measured walk Liz displayed as she waved goodbye and turned, heading up to the apartment above the Crashdown. Her slight shoulders were slumped; much in the same way he had seen Maxwell's do so many times before – as though they had the weight of the world resting upon their shoulders. He winced, recalling the grudging thank you he had offered Liz in light of what she had told them that night, remembering every effort she had made which he had accepted as though his due, feeling the pang of guilt. Michael could feel Maria's burning gaze boring into the back of his head, and he rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what she wanted and knowing that he would do it, despite the fact that touchy feelies weren't his thing. Sighing, he got out of the car and strode after the brunette, taking the steps two at a time in order to reach her before she closed and locked the door.
At hearing the footsteps, Liz stuck her head out of the door she had been in the process of closing, her eyebrows raised in query. "Michael?" She glanced behind him, expecting to see Maria hovering there. "Is everything okay?" She opened the door further and stepped back, wordlessly inviting him inside.
"No, everything is fine." Michael glanced around the room, distractedly. "Maria is waiting for me in the car, I'm going over to her place to watch some movies while her mom is on a date with the Sheriff." Mentally, he slapped a hand upon his forehead in disgust. He was babbling nervously, not unlike Maria, he realised and cut short his words. He took a deep breath and frowned. He didn't know what he was so nervous about; after all, it wasn't like he needed her acceptance or friendship. Nevertheless, even as he assured himself, part of him was calling himself a liar.
Awkwardly, Michael cleared his throat, his attempt at acting nonchalant failing dismally. "Liz, I came up here because…well, I wanted to thank you for everything you have done for me, for us," he spoke the words quickly and shifted uncomfortably underneath Liz's incredulous stare. He was only just getting used to opening up to Maria, and, right now, he had a feeling that he was going about this all wrong. Inwardly trying to maintain his unruffled indifference, Michael opened his mouth to try and clarify what he had meant. "I guess I had never really thought about it before, the way it is for you, Maria and everyone else." He laughed, its ring bitter. "Our fight has become yours, and at a time when you all could have turned your backs on us, you have really come through," he broke off suddenly, hearing so clearly the admiration in his own voice. "Well, what I am really trying to say is…I wouldn't want a better group of people at my back than all of you," he finished inelegantly.
Speechless, Liz could not keep the surprise from her voice, no matter how much she tried. "Thank you, Michael," she smiled, her eyes sincere. "Coming from you….well, it means a lot to me."
He studied her uncertainly, yet saw nothing but genuineness in return, and felt as though his words had been accepted with an open heart. It made him feel…good. Actually, it made him feel great. Michael smiled back widely, all thoughts of cool detachment out of the window in response to such acquiescence. "Really?"
Smiling just as widely as he was, Liz nodded as his eyes lit up and, for a moment, she could see exactly what Michael always fought to hide - the caring and sensitive nature he tried to pretend that he did not have, his craving for acceptance that he always fought to conceal.
Clearing his throat, he attempted to reconstruct his manly exterior. "Well, that's good. I mean, I just wanted you to know that if you ever need me, I'll be there for you…you know….if you…..anything at all," he stuttered.
Liz felt her eyes well with grateful tears as she watched Michael stammer and shift his feet. Her friendship with Michael, which had always been somewhat fragile, had come a long way in recent weeks, from barely there to…well, not so barely there. A surge of sentiment swept her as she realised the full importance of this moment – he was accepting her into his own circle, one that only included Max, Isabel and Maria. It was one that included those people of whom held his complete trust.
"Oh Michael," she murmured and stepped forward, grasping him into a hug. For a moment, he merely stood there, his posture stiff before his arms moved around her…and squeezed her tightly.
"Thank you," she whispered into his chest, and knew that he had smiled.
****
Stepping down the stairs, Michael felt better than he had in weeks. Walking to the Jetta, he felt the full force of Maria's curious gaze upon him, unrelenting. Getting in the car with a non-committal sound, he busied himself by fiddling with his seat belt, trying to hide his smile as he avoided her stare. He almost laughed at the frustration that emitted from his girlfriend in waves.
"Well?" she burst out, reaching over to start up the car. "How did it go? Did you speak to her? Of course you did," she muttered, answering her own question hurriedly. "I've been waiting here for almost fifteen minutes…how did it go?"
Looking over, he smiled, knowing too well that he could not hide the feeling of happiness from her.
"Well," he answered softly, glancing over to his bubbling girlfriend. "It went well."
****
He should have known that there would be no escaping the elder Hurricane Deluca, Michael pondered as he impatiently paced Maria's room. He had already been waiting for 20 minutes, his eyes moving across the eclectic assembly of personal items that Maria treasured, as Amy consulted her daughter on what to wear on her date that night. Getting out while the getting was good, Michael scampered into Maria's room, feeling all the while Amy's warning stare burning the back of his neck. He grinned for a moment. It was one trait her daughter had picked up from her well. But now he was standing here, alone and bored. He breathed in deeply, taking in all of the herbal fragrances that Maria constantly hauled around with her, scents that never failed to remind him that she was his girlfriend, quirks and all.
He passed by her dresser, his long artists fingers breezing gently against the napkin holder he had made for her, placed carefully in the centre of the table top.
Signing, he threw himself upon her bed, bouncing once lightly when he landed, being careful not to get his grimy boots on her donah. Stretching, his hand brushed against a book perched precariously upon the bed and he moved quickly before it fell.
Holding the book in front of him, he felt his lip curl as he took in the couple on the front cover, entwined in a seductive pose. Michael snorted, throwing it down beside him in disgust. He hadn't known that Maria had read that crap. Romance novels. Silently, he sneered.
Bored, he jiggled his foot, wondering what was taking Maria so long. Surely it didn't take this long to pick out one outfit. Michael sighed, jiggling his foot even faster. His eyes shifted towards the book that lay beside him, its front cover seemingly beckoning. Hesitantly, Michael reached out and brought the book in front of him again. Well, he was bored, he inwardly shrugged, so….he turned to the front page.
Suddenly, a door slammed and Michael jumped, startled.
"God, I never thought that she would stop talking!" Maria exclaimed, bursting into the room with her usual flair.
Scrambling quickly, Michael shoved the book which he had been engrossed in behind a pillow, looking up guiltily as Maria halted mid step.
"What are you doing?" Maria asked, her voice mild. Her blond hair flew around her shoulders as she tilted her head, looking him over carefully.
"Nothing," Michael blustered, smiling to ease the suspicion.
Maria eyed him for a moment longer before she shrugged, moving toward the dresser to place her purse on it. "Mom just wouldn't let me go, wanting to show me outfit after outfit. I tell you, I don't know why she is so nervous about this date with the Sheriff tonight," Maria paused, her head tilted in thought before she screwed her nose up. "Actually, on second thought, I don't want to know!"
Content, Michael crossed his arms behind his head and smiled as Maria continued to ramble.
"I'm so glad that you and Liz have now become 'official'," Maria grinned, utilising air quotes to make her point "friends," she continued, blissfully veering off from her original topic. Moving across the room, she settled in beside Michael, smiling when his arm snaked around her. "I mean, you are my two best friends…just like Alex …" her smile dimmed and Michael squeezed her in comfort. "And I want you to get along," she finished, smiling up at him.
He nodded, pleased as well. It was about time he had let her in, he knew, not just for Maria's sake, but also for his own. If he had known that it was going to be so easy….
"By the way," Maria broke in on his thoughts. "There is a sequel to the book that you were reading. Once you have finished the first, I can lend you the second if you like."
Embarrassed, Michael felt his face flame red. How had she known? "I….It was…." He protested before giving in, smiling sheepishly. "Thanks," he muttered.
Maria grinned, knowing her boyfriend too well. "You're welcome, sweetie," she chirped and leaned forward to kiss him.
Michael's eyes followed the measured walk Liz displayed as she waved goodbye and turned, heading up to the apartment above the Crashdown. Her slight shoulders were slumped; much in the same way he had seen Maxwell's do so many times before – as though they had the weight of the world resting upon their shoulders. He winced, recalling the grudging thank you he had offered Liz in light of what she had told them that night, remembering every effort she had made which he had accepted as though his due, feeling the pang of guilt. Michael could feel Maria's burning gaze boring into the back of his head, and he rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what she wanted and knowing that he would do it, despite the fact that touchy feelies weren't his thing. Sighing, he got out of the car and strode after the brunette, taking the steps two at a time in order to reach her before she closed and locked the door.
At hearing the footsteps, Liz stuck her head out of the door she had been in the process of closing, her eyebrows raised in query. "Michael?" She glanced behind him, expecting to see Maria hovering there. "Is everything okay?" She opened the door further and stepped back, wordlessly inviting him inside.
"No, everything is fine." Michael glanced around the room, distractedly. "Maria is waiting for me in the car, I'm going over to her place to watch some movies while her mom is on a date with the Sheriff." Mentally, he slapped a hand upon his forehead in disgust. He was babbling nervously, not unlike Maria, he realised and cut short his words. He took a deep breath and frowned. He didn't know what he was so nervous about; after all, it wasn't like he needed her acceptance or friendship. Nevertheless, even as he assured himself, part of him was calling himself a liar.
Awkwardly, Michael cleared his throat, his attempt at acting nonchalant failing dismally. "Liz, I came up here because…well, I wanted to thank you for everything you have done for me, for us," he spoke the words quickly and shifted uncomfortably underneath Liz's incredulous stare. He was only just getting used to opening up to Maria, and, right now, he had a feeling that he was going about this all wrong. Inwardly trying to maintain his unruffled indifference, Michael opened his mouth to try and clarify what he had meant. "I guess I had never really thought about it before, the way it is for you, Maria and everyone else." He laughed, its ring bitter. "Our fight has become yours, and at a time when you all could have turned your backs on us, you have really come through," he broke off suddenly, hearing so clearly the admiration in his own voice. "Well, what I am really trying to say is…I wouldn't want a better group of people at my back than all of you," he finished inelegantly.
Speechless, Liz could not keep the surprise from her voice, no matter how much she tried. "Thank you, Michael," she smiled, her eyes sincere. "Coming from you….well, it means a lot to me."
He studied her uncertainly, yet saw nothing but genuineness in return, and felt as though his words had been accepted with an open heart. It made him feel…good. Actually, it made him feel great. Michael smiled back widely, all thoughts of cool detachment out of the window in response to such acquiescence. "Really?"
Smiling just as widely as he was, Liz nodded as his eyes lit up and, for a moment, she could see exactly what Michael always fought to hide - the caring and sensitive nature he tried to pretend that he did not have, his craving for acceptance that he always fought to conceal.
Clearing his throat, he attempted to reconstruct his manly exterior. "Well, that's good. I mean, I just wanted you to know that if you ever need me, I'll be there for you…you know….if you…..anything at all," he stuttered.
Liz felt her eyes well with grateful tears as she watched Michael stammer and shift his feet. Her friendship with Michael, which had always been somewhat fragile, had come a long way in recent weeks, from barely there to…well, not so barely there. A surge of sentiment swept her as she realised the full importance of this moment – he was accepting her into his own circle, one that only included Max, Isabel and Maria. It was one that included those people of whom held his complete trust.
"Oh Michael," she murmured and stepped forward, grasping him into a hug. For a moment, he merely stood there, his posture stiff before his arms moved around her…and squeezed her tightly.
"Thank you," she whispered into his chest, and knew that he had smiled.
****
Stepping down the stairs, Michael felt better than he had in weeks. Walking to the Jetta, he felt the full force of Maria's curious gaze upon him, unrelenting. Getting in the car with a non-committal sound, he busied himself by fiddling with his seat belt, trying to hide his smile as he avoided her stare. He almost laughed at the frustration that emitted from his girlfriend in waves.
"Well?" she burst out, reaching over to start up the car. "How did it go? Did you speak to her? Of course you did," she muttered, answering her own question hurriedly. "I've been waiting here for almost fifteen minutes…how did it go?"
Looking over, he smiled, knowing too well that he could not hide the feeling of happiness from her.
"Well," he answered softly, glancing over to his bubbling girlfriend. "It went well."
****
He should have known that there would be no escaping the elder Hurricane Deluca, Michael pondered as he impatiently paced Maria's room. He had already been waiting for 20 minutes, his eyes moving across the eclectic assembly of personal items that Maria treasured, as Amy consulted her daughter on what to wear on her date that night. Getting out while the getting was good, Michael scampered into Maria's room, feeling all the while Amy's warning stare burning the back of his neck. He grinned for a moment. It was one trait her daughter had picked up from her well. But now he was standing here, alone and bored. He breathed in deeply, taking in all of the herbal fragrances that Maria constantly hauled around with her, scents that never failed to remind him that she was his girlfriend, quirks and all.
He passed by her dresser, his long artists fingers breezing gently against the napkin holder he had made for her, placed carefully in the centre of the table top.
Signing, he threw himself upon her bed, bouncing once lightly when he landed, being careful not to get his grimy boots on her donah. Stretching, his hand brushed against a book perched precariously upon the bed and he moved quickly before it fell.
Holding the book in front of him, he felt his lip curl as he took in the couple on the front cover, entwined in a seductive pose. Michael snorted, throwing it down beside him in disgust. He hadn't known that Maria had read that crap. Romance novels. Silently, he sneered.
Bored, he jiggled his foot, wondering what was taking Maria so long. Surely it didn't take this long to pick out one outfit. Michael sighed, jiggling his foot even faster. His eyes shifted towards the book that lay beside him, its front cover seemingly beckoning. Hesitantly, Michael reached out and brought the book in front of him again. Well, he was bored, he inwardly shrugged, so….he turned to the front page.
Suddenly, a door slammed and Michael jumped, startled.
"God, I never thought that she would stop talking!" Maria exclaimed, bursting into the room with her usual flair.
Scrambling quickly, Michael shoved the book which he had been engrossed in behind a pillow, looking up guiltily as Maria halted mid step.
"What are you doing?" Maria asked, her voice mild. Her blond hair flew around her shoulders as she tilted her head, looking him over carefully.
"Nothing," Michael blustered, smiling to ease the suspicion.
Maria eyed him for a moment longer before she shrugged, moving toward the dresser to place her purse on it. "Mom just wouldn't let me go, wanting to show me outfit after outfit. I tell you, I don't know why she is so nervous about this date with the Sheriff tonight," Maria paused, her head tilted in thought before she screwed her nose up. "Actually, on second thought, I don't want to know!"
Content, Michael crossed his arms behind his head and smiled as Maria continued to ramble.
"I'm so glad that you and Liz have now become 'official'," Maria grinned, utilising air quotes to make her point "friends," she continued, blissfully veering off from her original topic. Moving across the room, she settled in beside Michael, smiling when his arm snaked around her. "I mean, you are my two best friends…just like Alex …" her smile dimmed and Michael squeezed her in comfort. "And I want you to get along," she finished, smiling up at him.
He nodded, pleased as well. It was about time he had let her in, he knew, not just for Maria's sake, but also for his own. If he had known that it was going to be so easy….
"By the way," Maria broke in on his thoughts. "There is a sequel to the book that you were reading. Once you have finished the first, I can lend you the second if you like."
Embarrassed, Michael felt his face flame red. How had she known? "I….It was…." He protested before giving in, smiling sheepishly. "Thanks," he muttered.
Maria grinned, knowing her boyfriend too well. "You're welcome, sweetie," she chirped and leaned forward to kiss him.
