Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell, except for a few episodes that I've taped from TV. Please don't sue!

Summary: When Maria DeLuca and Michael Guerin find each other, will they hit it off? And will they be able to overcome the one thing that he can't change?

Includes: All Roswell characters are included in this story: Alex, Isabel, Max, Michael, Liz, and Maria. Maybe others too, but I'm not sure as of yet. It's mostly a M/M fiction, but it will contains others as well.

Authors Note: I know I've been updating like crazy because it's summer and I'm a bum. I have nothing but time on my hands. I want to warn you though. I am prone to get serious writer's block so if by some chance I don't update in a while, you'll know why. If that happens I would love to hear ideas on where I should take it. With that said, I hope you enjoy! Michael and Maria finally meet! And keep sending feedback. I love it!

Unbroken

Chapter 5

Michael stood outside the Crashdown Café, looking through the window at the people who expected him to be there. They were all gathered around one booth, chairs pulled up to seat the people that didn't fit. They were laughing at something, making him dread actually showing up more and more. He began wondering why he even came. Just because he told Max that he'd come didn't mean he actually had to. .. But it did. Max had wanted to include him or he wouldn't have asked so it was only fair that he came out of respect. He didn't always see eye to eye with Max, but he had always respected him.

"Michael!" Liz squealed as she spotted him enter the café. Seeing him walk through the door sent her into a fit of happiness. Her plan might actually work. She hadn't expected him to come but now that he had, it was all over. Better yet, once he met Maria, it would be all over.

"Chill. It's not like I actually wanted to. Max forced me into it." Michael grabbed a chair, placing it in the small space that Alex and Kyle had made for him. Liz was the person he was trying to avoid the most. It wasn't that he didn't like the girl, she was just so damn happy all of the time. It got really annoying really fast.

"Well, at least you came, man. It's good to see you." Kyle smiled in Michael's direction, patting his friend on the back. "It seems like it's been forever since we all sat like this, don't you think?" he looked around the table to see that everyone was nodding along with him, except for Michael and Maria. Maria didn't know what the old times were like and Michael just didn't care enough to reminisce along with them.. "It's kind of nice to have things back to the way they used to be, if only for a short while."

When Kyle stopped speaking, Liz quickly jumped at the opportunity to introduce Michael to Maria. Silence had fell between the group and it didn't look like anyone was willing to break it. "Michael, I want to introduce you to someone." Liz saw him roll his eyes, but chose to ignore it and continue. "Maria, this is Michael Guerin. Michael, this is Maria DeLuca." she watched as Maria raised slightly and leaned over the table to shake Michael's hand.

"We've met before." Michael gazed back at her with confusion, hesitantly placing his hand in hers. "Unofficially of course. Remember? You left me deserted in the halls." Maria laughed to let Michael know that she wasn't angry about it.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Michael raised his hand to itch his brow nervously. "I was just kind of in a hurry. I have class, you know." Maria was beautiful. He had to give Liz credit for knowing that he'd find her attractive. She was more observant than he had originally thought.

Liz was so predictable, though. He knew before stepping into the café why he was here. Liz loved setting people up. She had tried to set him up with a number of girls. It was obvious why she had invited everyone here tonight as well. Liz wanted everyone to witness what she thought would be love in the making, but knowing that made him determined not to fall for Maria. It didn't matter how beautiful he thought she was. He wasn't going to let a girl that Liz picked out for him be the love of his life. Liz would never let him forget that if he did.

Maria nodded, sitting back down in her seat. "Class, huh? From what these people have said about you, I would think that class wasn't your first priority when it came to school."

"Yeah, well, it's not but I don't want to get expelled. People in this town would love that. They are all waiting for it."

"Michael, stop." Isabel warned when she noticed the bitterness in his voice. Michael had always believed that the town of Roswell was out to get him. If anything, though, the town sympathized with him. They knew what he had been through. His hard life was probably one of the biggest reasons Principal Forrester continued to allow him to stay in school instead of just expelling him like he had threatened to do so many times.

Michael turned to Max. He didn't like where this was headed. Isabel was getting demanding and he didn't really want to fight anyone tonight. "All right, Max. I came. I met her. Can I leave now, Your Majesty? Or would that piss off the king?" Okay, maybe that was a lie. Michael was always ready for a fight.

Although he had asked a question, Michael didn't wait for an answer and ignored the nervous glances Isabel and Max were casting around the table. He scooted his chair back and began to walk away despite everyone calling after him. He came. He didn't see why he couldn't leave. Michael knew things were going to end up this way. They always did, but he came anyway. He came because Max asked him to. That, in itself, should give him the right to leave whenever he pleased.