Thanks Fanficer Lore, Pixie, orly, and loveroffanfic for the great reviews! You guys rock!
Fanficer Lore - Sorry, but you're going to have to wait, cause I'm not exactly sure when and if that part is going to happen. :(
Pixie - I'll keep writting as long as people keep reading and reviewing!
orly - Since I already had this chapter written when you reviewd I'm going to put "candy love" in the next M/M chapter just for you!
loveroffanfic - I'm glad someone likes the fact that I named their kids after each other! My sisters thought that part was wierd.
AN: (F) Michael or (F) Maria - means Future Michael or Future Maria. (P) Michael or (P) Maria means Past Michael or Past Maria.
Chapter 12 - Seeing Double
Maria was still beaming from what Michael had told her. Me and Michael get married and have children! She looked at him and saw the serious expression on his face.
"Why aren't you excited, Michael? We're in the future! We get married and have two kids! I still can't even fathom it!" she said.
"I'm just a little overwhelmed right now. I don't know what to think. I mean all my life I never thought I'd get married, let alone have kids. It's a little unnerving to think that I have a child. Me! Michael the screw up! Michael Stonewall Guerin!"
"Shut up. I'm sure you're a great dad." Maria said reassuringly.
"How do you know I'm not a terrible father?" he asked.
"Because, Space boy, I won't let you be." she said matter-of-factly. Try as he might to still be mad, all he could do was smile and her statement.
"Well, obviously, she's your daughter." Maria said after looking at the license again.
"Why do you say that?" he asked wondering what she meant.
"Because she apparently drove to the Pod Chamber without a driver's license; it's a learner's permit." she said, laughing as she showed him the ID.
"Like father, like daughter." he said, shaking his head and laughing, as well.
"I can't wait." she said, rolling her eyes.
They got to the Guerin residence, Michael parked across the street where he had parked before and cut the car off. When he didn't seem to be making any move to leave, Maria turned to him.
"Michael, what's wrong? I thought we covered the fact that you're going to be a great dad."
"It's not that. I just realized that we probably shouldn't have come here."
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because my future self is here and the moment he sees you he'll know who you are."
"What? How? Everyone else we've met today has thought I was our daughter, Beth. So how would he know?"
"Because, he's me." Michael stated.
"And that's supposed to mean what exactly?" Maria asked.
"It means that when I first saw Beth's picture on her ID I knew it wasn't you."
"How?" she asked, baffled as to how Michael could tell her from her daughter when apparently they looked exactly the same.
"Easy. She looks different." He then took the license from her hand and looked at it.
"Sure she has short hair, but that wasn't the difference I noticed. I know you, Ria. I know every inch of your face, every curve, every freckle, everything. And this is not you. Anyone else would have thought she was you, but not me. I know better." Michael looked up to see Maria smiling at him with unshed tears in her eyes. He smiled back. "Why don't you use your powers to alter my features to look like Beth?" Maria asked. Michael looked at her stunned.
"Why didn't I think of that?" She smiled. Michael waved his hand in front of Maria's face and then over her hair, changing both to look like Beth's.
"Can I see my future home now?" Maria asked hopefully. Michael answered by getting out of the car and began to cross the street. Maria happily followed.
When they got to the front door Maria noticed the grey square.
"I think I know what that does." she said proudly. She reached out and placed her hand on the square. Immediately a voice was heard, "Welcome home, Maria." and the door opened. Maria smiled in amazement, while Michael starred at her wondering how she knew what to do.
As soon as they walked in Maria began looking at everything, but stopped when she heard Michael yell, "I thought I told you not to do that!"
Maria looked at her boyfriend only to find him starring at something behind her. She turned around and saw Michael's future self. He looks exactly the same, just older. I hope I look as good as he does. Maria thought. (F) Michael had heard the automated voice and came to welcome his wife only to find his kids.
"How many times have your mother and I told you not to change your hand prints to ours? What if someone heard?" (F) Michael yelled. "What's the matter with you two? Zan you look like you've seen a ghost." he asked worried, no longer angry at his kids.
Noticing that (P) Michael was still in shock, Maria spoke, "Nothing's wrong with us. We're fine. It's just been a long day." That's the understatement of the year. She thought.
"That reminds me, what on earth did you two do to your cousin? Kyle called; he said Andon brought Emma home and that she was almost unconscious! What is wrong with you two? Why would you let your emotions get so strong when you knew she was there? Why would you send her home in that condition and not try and help her? And why in world would you let Andon of all people take her?! He's g….." (F) Michael was cut off by Maria.
"What is with you two? Why do you hate him so much? Are you going to hit him too?"
"Hit him? What are you talking about?" (F) Michael asked.
"I punched him." (P) Michael stated, the mention of Andon finally bringing him around.
"You punched him! I wish it had been me." (F) Michael said. Wow! What do you know; wishes do come true! (P) Michael thought, smiling.
"Well, I guess I can forgive you for skipping school, because you punched Andon. Just don't tell your mother or sister." (F) Michael whispered to (P) Michael.
While the Michaels had been talking Maria was looking at a photo on the wall. He looks just like Michael but then he doesn't. This has to be my son. Wow, now I now what Michael meant when he said he knew Beth wasn't me. No one else would notice the little differences but me. Just then a voice was heard, "Welcome home, Maria." and the front door opened. Oh no. She thought. (P) Maria quickly grabbed her Michael and drug him upstairs, while (F) Maria came in and (F) Michael watched them run up the stairs completely confused.
"What's their problem?" (F) Maria asked her husband. He shrugged.
"They're your kids." he said and followed his wife into the kitchen.
Upstairs:
"Maria what on earth are you doing? You almost pulled my arm of the socket!" Michael said while rubbing his arm.
"Sorry, Michael, but I couldn't let my future self see you."
"What? Why?" he asked confused.
"For the same reason your future self couldn't see me."
"No problem I'll just adjust my face too." he said.
"Ok, but lets not do it in the hallway." she said. He led her into Beth's room and shut the door. Michael set down on her bed, while Maria looked around.
"So how do I look different from Zan?" Michael asked when Maria had set down beside him.
Maria looked at him and then started pointing to places on his face as she spoke, "This is slightly different from him, and this needs to change, he…." Maria didn't finish what she was saying; frustrated at not being able to understand what she was talking about Michael kissed her.
Flashes immediately began to form in his mind. He saw flashes of Maria growing up and flashes him and her together, as well as flashes of various other things. Michael quickly found the memories he was looking for, the ones of their son. He saw everything Maria saw, every little detail that was different, every feature that wasn't his. It all became clear to him. When he had added every detail to memory he broke away from Maria.
"What was that for?" she asked shocked that he had suddenly kissed her, but glad that he had done it.
"So I could do this." he said and then waved his hand across his face. To anyone else it would have looked like nothing happened, but to Maria it was like looking into the face of a completely different person.
"You two get your butts down here now!" (F) Maria yelled up the stairs.
"I guess we have to go down stairs." said (P) Maria.
"Do we have to? You sound really mad."
"It's not like it's the first time I've been mad at you." she said as she walked out of the room with Michael following behind her.
When they got into the kitchen (F) Maria began yelling at them. "I can't believe you two would be so irresponsible! I can't believe you let this happen and while Andon was there!" She stopped and looked over at (F) Michael, who had been unsuccessfully trying to hide the fact that he was laughing.
"Do you mind telling me what you find so funny?" she asked.
"What are you talking about?" (F) Michael asked. His wife just glared at him, not wanting her anger turned on him, he spilled the beans.
"Zan punched Andon."
"WHAT?!" (F) Maria yelled. "ALEXANDER, TELL ME THIS ISN'T TRUE!!"
"I can't believe you told!" (P) Michael said looking at his future self with disgust.
"I asked you a question?" (F) Maria said.
"NO YOU DIDN'T! ACTUALLY YOU TOLD ME TO DO SOMETHING!" (P) Michael yelled. He was mad at his future self for ratting him out and he was mad at both Marias for kissing and sticking up for Andon. (F) Michael and Maria were both completely shocked by their son's outburst. Sure he had a temper, but he had never yelled like that before.
(F) Michael was the first to recover, "Zander what has gotten into you today? First you skip school, then you forget to pick up your sister, then you hit Andon and now you're mouthing off to your mother. You're acting like…like…"
"Your father!" (F) Maria said finishing her husband's sentence.
"Exactly! I don't know if I should be proud or scared of the fact that my son is acting like me." (F) Michael said.
"And Beth what is wrong with you? Why are you so quiet? Why aren't you angry with Zan for fighting with Andon? (F) Maria asked completely baffled by her daughter's reaction or lack thereof. Since when is Zan the one who yells back when fussed at and Beth the one who stands back and takes it? (F) Maria thought.
"I.......ummm........we......." (P) Maria stammered, unsure of what to say, luckily the door bell rang.
"We'll finish this later." (F) Maria said as she walked into the other room to see who was at the door.
AN: Don't foget to review! I live for reviews!