He directed his attention back to the sleeping girl in his arms. He pulled her closer, if that was possible, and breathed in her scent, reminding himself that she was there, she was ok, and he vowed to himself that he would do everything in his power to keep her from getting hurt again.

"You're gonna be just fine Maria, I swear," he whispered to her, more for his benefit than for hers, but it seemed to reach her anyway because she snuggled closer into his chest.

Liz crept slowly down the hall towards Michael's room. She and Max had spent hours cuddling on the couch, but Max had sent her to be sure that Michael and Maria were still breathing. She cracked open the door a tiny bit, not wanting to invade their privacy- and what she saw almost brought her to tears. Maria had her back to the door, her face in Michael's chest, Michael held her as close as humanly possible, his arms practically swallowing the fragile girl in his embrace. Both were sleeping soundly. She smiled and shut the door, grinning at the ceiling, thanking whomever was responsible for bringing Michael and Maria together.

"They're still sleeping," she told Max as she walked back to the living room.

"We should probably get them something for dinner, they're going to be starving when they wake up."

"Good idea," Liz walked past him into the kitchen and started opening cabinets on the off chance that Michael had gone grocery shopping recently. No such luck. She looked back at Max and grinned, realizing that they both knew that it was futile to look for healthy food in Michael's apartment. "Take out," she said, and he nodded. Surprisingly, Michael did have a phone book, however beaten and ragged it was, it did have current numbers in it. She found a rotisserie chicken place close by and quickly ordered enough food to feed an army, figuring that Michael and Maria could use the food if they were both going to be living there, it would keep in the refrigerator for a while. She and Max wrote them a quick note and left to pick up dinner.

Maria woke up to the sound of the front door slamming. Her traumatized body instantly tensed, remembering what had happened the last time a front door had slammed. But almost instantaneously, she realized something was different. Strong, comforting arms were wrapped around her, holding her against a hard but comforting body. She opened her eyes. Michael. She breathed a sigh of relief, once again letting her body relax into his. Michael must not have been a very sound sleeper, the next thing she knew, his hazel eyes were above hers, his weight supported on either side of her petite form by his arms, effectively trapping her beneath him.

"Hey Blondie," he breathed against her forehead, "how'd you sleep?"

"Good," she whispered against the smooth column of his neck. He slid down so that his eyes were level with hers. And was completely shocked by the unshed tears he saw slowly pooling in her eyes.

"Ria, what's wrong?" He searched his mind frantically to figure out why she was crying for the umpteenth time in twenty-four hours. He couldn't stand to see her cry, he knew that if she kept this up, he wouldn't be able to take it. Every tear she shed was like salt in a wound for him. He brushed a stray hair away from her forehead with his fingertips as he studied her face with confusion.

"Thank you Michael."

"For what?"

"For this...you know... you...you saved me."

"Oh, Maria," he feigned exasperation, but he smiled tenderly at her and kissed her soundly on the lips before replying. "And it had nothing to do with your quick thinking, amazing stamina, and bravery?" She took a moment to recover from his thorough kiss before she had enough breath to answer.

"I guess that had a little to do with it." She grinned sheepishly.

"Duh. Now, I think I smell chicken. Max and Liz must have done take out. God bless 'em. Get your butt out of bed and join me?"

"Absolutely." She giggled and threw back the covers. "Liz is here?" she questioned, a little apprehensive. Michael offered his hand and she took it willingly as he pulled her up from the bed.

"Yeah, she got here around three. Don't worry, Max and I told here what she needed to know, she's behind us on this one 'Ria." She smiled up at him and he tugged on her hand, reminding her that there was food to be eaten and friends to meet. Her stomach growled in response, and she let herself be led down the hall to the kitchen area. Max and Liz stood at the counter taking containers out of carry out bags. She hung back a little nervously as she saw Liz, but Michael gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and pulled her through the door.

"Lizzie," Maria whispered. Liz whirled around to face her.

"Maria," she ran across the room and flung her arms around Maria's neck. Finally feeling like she could stand alone, Maria let go of Michael's hand and returned her friend's hug full force. The two girls stood there embracing each other for a long time before Liz finally spoke with tears in her voice.

"Thank God you're OK!"

"I'm fine Liz," Maria reassured her. But that didn't stop Liz from practically suffocating poor Maria in her frantic embrace.

"Liz...chica...Maria needs to breathe!" Maria gasped out between laughing and sobbing for joy.

"Sorry Maria," Liz loosened her grip a bit, and stood back slightly, smiling through her tears.

"Don't cry Liz!" Maria whisked away one of her own newly forming tears before she reached up to catch Liz's. "I'm ok! Michael and Max took good care of me, I'm fine!" Liz nodded and wiped away more tears as she hugged Maria fiercely again. She pulled away to look at her.

"You're really and truly ok?" Maria bit her lip and nodded.

"Really and truly ok-physically, I guess mentally I've got a lot of issues." Liz didn't want to push Maria, but she had to know.

"Maria, what...what happened?" Maria bit her lip again as another tear coursed down her cheek, unbidden. Liz winced.

"I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I want to Liz, it's just...oh God, this is so hard." She glanced over at Michael and Max, standing respectfully out of the way, looking on with sympathy and concern.

"You guys want to sit down?" Max asked cautiously.

"Yeah," Liz agreed, taking Maria's hand and leading her to the couch, not really giving her an option. But Maria didn't object. Her stomach was doing flip flops. She didn't want to relive this nightmare again, but she really did want to tell Liz. She was so lost in her panicking thoughts, she didn't feel warm fingers close over her other hand, but she looked up, and Michael was standing on the other side of her, smiling reassuringly. She relaxed and allowed her best friend and her boyfriend to guide her to the couch, where she collapsed in nervous energy.

"I'm sorry, this isn't the time or the place, you've been through so much and here I come, demanding answers that I'm sure you've been through a thousand times. Never mind me, you need food." Liz scolded herself out loud and moved quickly to the kitchen to fix Maria a plate. Max followed quickly to help her, leaving Maria and Michael alone again. Michael looked at her sympathetically and she smiled at him.

"I'm ok," she answered his unasked question.

"Good," he grinned and found her hand, squeezing it tightly. "Do you think you're up to going to see Valenti tomorrow?" She grimaced, but quickly met his eyes with a half smile.

"I guess so, might as well get this over with." A sudden look of apprehension passed over her face. She hid it quickly, but Michael caught it.

"Maria?"

"What if...what if Valenti doesn't see this our way? What if he makes me live with a foster family? What if he makes me leave? What if I never see you again?!" Michael moved closer so that he could pull her to him and kiss her forehead as she tried not to cry against his chest.

"Never gonna happen."

"How do you know?"

"I'm going wherever you're going 'Ria, no ifs ands or buts. And you're staying right here with me. Valenti trusts us, he knows that we need each other. He will understand."

"What about the fact that we have no concrete proof of what she did?" She tensed involuntarily and he held her tighter.

"We tell him the truth. Max healed you."

"You both healed me," she corrected. He smiled shyly, sidestepping the compliment.

"Ok, so we tell him."

"But he won't be able to see it."

"Don't worry, I have a plan."

"Uh oh," she grinned in spite of herself.

"What'd I just say? Don't worry."

"Fine, ok, this is me, officially not worrying." She grinned up at him.

"Good, now eat," he commanded teasingly as Liz set a huge plate down in front of her. She had loaded it with rotisserie chicken, red skin mashed potatoes, biscuits, fruit salad, and a glass of milk.

"Wow, Liz, you cooked!" Maria joked.

"HA! Right chica, I would have cooked for you, but you probably need more than Jello and French toast in you right now."

Maria grinned and picked up her fork. She could feel the three people in the room watching her carefully, gauging each mouthful she took, making sure she ate. Part of her felt completely and totally loved to have three people in the world who cared so much for her well-being. The other part of her looked up at them, annoyed.

"OK guys, I'm eating, you can stop looking at me now." Her comment broke the tension in the room and Liz and Max laughed while Michael put his arm around her waist.

Liz cleared her throat and voiced a question. "So, what are you guys going to tell Valenti?" Michael met her gaze levelly and answered.

"I'm going to show him."

"What? How?" Liz was thoroughly confused. Michael felt Maria's hand tighten its grip on his own. "I got flashes of what Maria went through. I'll give him the images. It'll be all the evidence he needs."

"What? Michael, no!" Michael turned to face her, concerned, but no less convinced of what he had to do.

"Why not Maria?"

"It's just...I just..." She couldn't form a complete sentence, couldn't voice her thoughts as to why she didn't want Michael doing this. "I don't want him to know, ok? He doesn't need all the detail." She sounded almost angry, but Michael knew there was something there beyond anger, something deeper.

"We have to tell him Maria! She can't get away with this! I won't let her hurt you again!" He declared vehemently, and something in Maria flared joyously at his protective instinct towards her. "Do you have a better idea?" She hesitated.

"No," she answered after a long pause. "I don't know what to do, I don't feel like I know anything anymore." She buried her face in Michael's chest, almost ashamed to look her friends in the eye. Michael just held her, exchanging a few looks with Max and Liz. Max was watching Maria closely. He noted the returned tension in her stance, the desperate way she clung to Michael, and the wariness she still had in her eyes when she looked at them. He couldn't take it anymore finally spoke up, breaking the tension once again.

"It's OK Maria, don't worry. Let Michael and me handle it. Can you do that?" Michael half expected Maria to go flying off the handle, vying for her independence and calling him a chauvinist, but she only looked up at Max with something between sadness and gratefulness in her eyes, and nodded. Michael's eyes widened as he exchanged a shocked look with Max. 'What the hell?' he mouthed silently. Max just shrugged his shoulders and mouthed 'later.' Liz had seen the silent exchange between the two men, and she leaned back into Max's arms and kissed him, silently applauding Max for his perception. It was obvious that Maria couldn't think at the moment. She was too wrapped up in a pain that had yet to diminish, the cause and implications of it were still fresh in her mind. Michael leaned forward to take the half full glass of milk from the coffee table and hand it to her. He was silently thankful that she'd managed to eat all of the food Liz had served her, he'd been worried that her lack of appetite would make him resort to force feeding her if he'd had to. Yes, he would have done that, and many other things, if it would keep her safe and healthy and with him; he reminded himself. He watched her critically as she drank the milk and put the empty glass on the table. Satisfied with her healthy appetite, he leaned back and looked at his watch. It was almost 7.

"Max and I will get going," Liz read Michael's silent signals, "as long as you promise me, Maria, that you will let Michael take care of you and you will to see Valenti tomorrow." Maria smiled weakly.

"I promise."

"OK, then, goodnight guys." She quickly hugged Maria and then Michael, whispering "thank you" in his ear once more. Max took his cue, squeezed Maria's hand gently, shook Michael's, and followed Liz out.

"Call if you need anything," he reminded them before pulling the door closed behind him.

"Phew!" Maria closed her eyes and leaned her head against the back of the couch. "I didn't know that would be so exhausting. I love them, but man, Liz can get so mother hennish!"

"She's just concerned about you. But I know what you mean." Michael moved to stand behind the couch and massage her temples. "Be thankful you have someone like her Maria, I never did." Maria's eyes snapped open.

"Michael Guerin. No matter what happened to you in your previous life, know that whatever happens in the future, you will always have ME. No more of this loner crap, k?" Michael smiled at the spitfire below him, marveling at her energy when it came to matters concerning him, or anything else for that matter. He knew she had him pegged, and he had every intention of listening to her, but his loner habits were going to be hard to break; they both knew that. But, he realized, she just told him that she would be there, and as much as he hated to, he knew he would eventually take her up on that.

"K, Maria, but I'm warning you now, I may take you up on your perpetual shoulder to lean on offer."

"Any time Spaceboy." She leaned up to kiss him and squeaked in surprise when he vaulted himself over the back of the couch, and landed next to her, never breaking contact with her lips.

"Wow, someone's eager, she said between kisses.

"When am I not?"

"Good point." His mouth descended on hers again and she let him slide his hands up to her face to better angle her head. Maria kissed him back with all of her pent up emotion. Love, joy, anger, fear, relief, gratitude, all flowed through their kiss. "It's gonna...be okay....'Ria...you....know..."

"I know...Michael...just don't...stop..." Michael's lips had just started to move lower, when a brief thumping at the door interrupted them.

"Damnit," Michael swore, jumping back from Maria to answer the door. "We're moving to Spain!" Without a second thought, he gripped the doorknob and yanked the door open. And immediately sobered at the sight of the person on the front step.