CHAPTER 3 (The start of something)

"Maria"

Maria turned and saw Michael heading towards her. 'Just great' she thought 'This is all I need' "What do you want Guerin" she said harshly. She didn't mean to sound that way but she couldn't help it.

"What is your problem?" he yelled

"What? Who the fuck do you think you are?" Maria yelled back

Michael stopped walking and looked into her eyes, seeing nothing but anger and something else he couldn't put a name to. "Look, we aren't going to say anything alright, I know you don't believe us but we won't. And about what happened in there just now, you aren't a screw up so don't think you are."

Maria narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me how to think, and yes, I do think your going to spill our secret, I mean the perfect Parker couldn't keep it in so why should I trust that you would?"

Michael glared at her. "Never compare me to Liz Parker ever again"

Maria was taken back by the tone of his voice. "Not a fan I see"

"Never was, never will be. Look, I don't like Liz and quiet frankly I think she was wrong in telling us your secret but it's too late now. We know and that's not going to change so you better start getting use to it" Michael said calmly hoping she would just listen to him. He was wrong.

"Get use to it?" Maria asked "Oh I don't think so, I don't have to get use to anything, just because you know our secret doesn't mean your going to be in our lives, so forget it. Just forget that the bookworm in there mentioned anything and go back to your perfect little lives" with that Maria turned and walked away.

Michael stared after her. 'Forget it? How the hell do you forget something like that?' he thought. "Maria wait up"

Maria sighed and flopped her arms. "What now?" she asked angrily

"I'm not going to forget about it and I doubt any of them in their will either," he said as she turned. "Why is it so bad to let anyone else in your life?" he asked

Maria closed her eyes and sighed. "It's too dangerous to get anyone else involved." She said softly. "Look, it's not to late, you all can still walk away from this"

Michael shook his head and walked closer to her. "We're not going anywhere"

Maria nodded her head knowing he was telling the truth but for some reason the thought of him not leaving was oddly comforting. "Then know that your life will be in danger everyday, and you'll have to look over your shoulder everywhere you go, this isn't a one day thing, you know what we are, you'll have to carry this for the rest of your life, you'll have to lie to loved ones, to friends. Can you do that? Can you risk to lose everything for us?"

'For you anything' he thought but just nodded his head. "Maria, I know all of that and it's ok, I can deal and so can they, Maria you can trust us, you can trust me" he said softly grabbing her hand in his.

Maria looked down at their linked hands liking the feeling his touch was creating. "I'm going against everything I know," she said to herself softly making Michael smirk. "But for some reason I think I can trust you." This made Michael's smirk turn into a fully-fledged grin. "But I still don't trust Liz" she was quick to add making Michael laugh.

"Don't think you're the only one blondie," he said getting a small smile out of her. "Come on let's go back"

They both walked back to the apartment in a comfortable silence. When they got back into the living room Max and Alex were shocked to find Maria's hand intertwined with Michael's. When Maria saw their shocked looks she automatically took her hand from his making him frown. Alex smirked realising that the man beside her had a crush on his best friend. He thought that maybe it was a good thing, that if Michael can go out and talk to her and bring her back calmer than what she was when she left then maybe he might be the one, besides him, that she could open up to. But if her ever hurt her he would kill him. Maria deserved to be happy and Alex was going to ensure that she did.

Max walked up to Maria and gave her a small hug and whispered into her ear. "You ok?"

Maria smiled. "Yeah, just needed to think, clear my head"

"So what should we do now?" Liz asked "I mean, I think that we should spend some time together to get to know each other better, it's obvious that we're going to be friends now so I think that we should get together and do something this weekend"

Max nodded and Maria rolled her eyes thinking about how sick Max was. He'd say yes to anything in regards to Liz.  "We'll what do you suggest?" Max asked

"Um, how about a sleepover, tomorrow, with all of us? I mean it's the weekend and it's the perfect way to get to know each other," she offered.

Maria was shaking her head at Max mouthing 'no' but Max ignored her and agreed making her pout, something Michael found arousing and excused himself to the kitchen to try and calm himself down, if he had stayed there any longer he was going to jump her.

"Ok, why don't we all sleep here, I mean there's no parents and there's enough room, so come over around 5 pm." Max told them. They all agreed and left leaving Alex and Maria glaring at Max who had ducked his head.

"Come around at 5 pm" Maria said mimicking his voice. "I told you I wasn't going to get chummy with them Max" Maria said crossing her arms over her chest.

Alex couldn't resist, she walked right into his comment. "What do you call walking in here hand in hand with Michael then?"

Maria glared and threw a cushion at him. She missed and it hit Max, which started a cushion fight between all three. Once they all calmed down and had stopped laughing Max spoke. "It won't be so bad, and Liz is right, we do need to get to know each other" Maria and Alex looked at each other before singing 'Max and Liz sitting in a tree'. "What?"

"Liz is right" Alex said in a high voice, making Maria laugh.

"I do not sound like that" Max protested.

"It's ok Max," Maria said. "We know that your Liz's little whipping boy, no need to keep it from us" she continued laughing.

Max glared at her. "Hey I'm nobody's whipping boy, just because I agreed with her…" he stopped when he noticed Maria and Alex rolling their eyes. "I'm not her whipping boy," he grumbled

"Of course not Max" Maria said trying not to laugh but then turned serious. "Just don't go getting to involved Max, you know we can't get attached, we need to be able to leave at any time"

Max nodded. "I know, I won't don't worry. But same goes for you as well"

Maria was confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You and Michael" Alex clarified for her.

"Me and, no, there's nothing going on between me and Liz's loser friend" Maria denied shaking her head.

Max and Alex smirked. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that Ria" Alex laughed.

Maria growled and hit him with a cushion once again starting a fight between the three.