I want to thank everyone that reviewed before and I hope people continue to read this. I'm finishing up on all of my stories, though it may take some time. 

Chapter Two

Michael groaned quietly, rubbing his eyes as he heard his window opening. The 14 year old turned on the lamp beside his bed and looked at the clock, then groaned again. "Deluca, it's 3 in the morning..." He muttered as he watched his best friend crawl into his room through the window. If his parents... if HER parents knew she was climbing in at this time, they'd flip, but no one ever knew anything, so that was a decent plus.

"They're fighting again..." Maria whispered, she had her heavy jacket wrapped around her, but Michael could see her cloud pajama's peaking out from beneath. "It's the 5th time this week Michael..."

He heard the catch in her voice and he lifted the covers to his twin sized bed, immediately the blonde pounced, shrugging out of her jacket and crawling into his bed. He was used to this, for so many years she'd been in his bed...and for three years now, she'd been using his window when the fights got bad. She'd seek comfort in him and he'd give it willingly. He was tough guy Guerin, but he couldn't stand to see Maria in any pain.

"I didn't know what they were talking about...they got so loud tonight and..." There was another catch in her voice, and Michael remained quiet, knowing she'd continue. "I think...I think my dad cheated on mom..." She whispered, as if it was murder. She looked up at him with big tearful eyes. "She kept talking about some woman at his work and he kept shouting that if she...I don't know, I left...I couldn't... What if he did sleep with another woman Michael? How could he do that? Doesn't he love my mom?" She questioned.

Michael's arms went around Maria on instinct and he held her close, "I'm sure he does Ria, but all couples have problems...at least that's what mom says a lot."

Maria let Michael hold her and buried her face in his neck, trying desperately not to cry in front of him...again. "I think he's going to leave..." She whispered, so quietly that Michael doubted she'd said it, until she repeated it. "I think he's going to leave us Michael."

"He's your dad, he won't leave you guys."

"But you didn't see him! SEE THEM! HEAR THEM! It was awful Michael, they were fighting, I was so afraid that she'd slap him, or...I do..." She broke down then, crying as Michael held her tightly, trying to get her to quit crying, but finding that hard to do.

She was so torn up about this. The fighting hadn't really ever bothered her before, sure they got bad and she'd leave the house and run to the Guerin house hold, but nothing had been as bad as tonight. She had woken to the sound of glass shattering and when she'd crept down the stairs, she heard her father hissing at her mother not to wake her. But Amy Deluca had taken no notice to that and had continued on with her shouting and violent tantrum as she threw things. She'd gotten Brian up and roaring again, both forgetting about their 14 year old daughter as they screamed at each other, threats, lies... At least that's what Maria thought, but was she so sure.

Was her father's threat to leave really a threat and lie? Were her mother's accusations of her father sleeping with some woman from work true? Were her mother's threats to keep her from her father true? Would they really get a divorce? Or was it all in the heat of the moment, all just lies and bitter words to hurt each other?

Maria's crying eventually wore her down and she fell asleep in Michael's arms, not for the first time, and certainly not for the last.

The next morning, as the sun rose, Michael Guerin woke Maria Deluca and sent her back home, both pushing the night filled with crying and heartache to the back of their minds.

"He left you know..." Michael looked up from his work in the backyard, having been doing his homework outside. He frowned in confusion at Maria's words. She looked pale and not all there as she sat down beside him on the bench. "He left...I went home and went back to bed, and when I woke up...Mom was crying and Dad was gone..." She whispered.

"What?" Michael snapped, completely dazed by the news, "What...no...Your dad wouldn't leave." He defended with wide eyes.

"He did. He did! My mother is in there crying on your mom's shoulder because my dad left. He packed some bags and left. He didn't leave a note, he didn't say goodbye, and he didn't do anything but leave!" Maria cried, earning herself a concerned look from a still smaller girl, the 11 year old Tess walking into the backyard from the gate.

The small girl began to walk towards Maria with confusion at the cry, and worry, but as Michael shook his head and nodded for her to go into the house, she obeyed her older brother and walked around to the side door, letting herself in. "Come here Maria." He set aside his books and pen as he stood and opened his arms for her. She collapsed into his embrace, for once in her life, not cursing how big he was. He didn't look 14, he looked more like a 16 year old boy, he stood so much taller than her, yet it seemed to be the perfect fit when she threw her woman-child body at him.

"He doesn't...He didn't love us Michael, he didn't love me. Why would he leave if he did?" Maria whispered brokenly and Michael held her a little tighter, not having any words to comfort her with. "Don't you leave me Michael, don't you ever leave me."

"I won't..." Michael said quickly. It threw him into a panic to even think about never being around or seeing his best friend again. "I won't leave you Ria. I promise." He pulled back and when she turned those eyes on him, he leaned down and gave her lips a small kiss.

They both seemed to stop breathing for a second as they pulled back from the gentle kiss. But then that second was over and Maria was tucked in Michael's arms again. Neither wanting to think about the kiss and what it could mean for their friendship. Things had just changed in their relationship, though neither would acknowledge it.

To Be Continued