Title: Pieces Of Me

Author: After Michael spent the night in Independence Day, he did not get arrested or go talk to Mr. Evans. Instead he went back with Hank. This is what happened. A Michael/Maria Fan fiction.

Spoilers: Up to and including Independence Day

Pairing: Michael and Maria

Authors Note: Feedback is appreciated.

Distribution: Please! Just let me know.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Roswell. I wish I did though.

Chapter Seven: Love Hurts

Michael ran his hand through his hair thinking for a moment if he even wanted to tell them anything. He almost immediately felt guilty for the thought. For so long Max and Isabel were all he had. They deserved the truth, besides there was no way he could just move out the trailer and not tell them, they were bound to figure it out eventually.

"So, what happened to your face?" Isabel asked again clearly not amused.

Michael nodded a little – that was Isabel. "I just had a meeting with your dad." Michael answered.

A chours of "huh''s and ''what''s could be heard from Max and Isabel followed by "why" and "what for" and finally "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine … I just …Hank…" Michael trailed off knowing they could figure it out. "I went to see your dad about emancipation – getting permission to live on my own. He thinks I can do it if I get a job and an apartment lined up before the court hearing in four days."

Max and Isabel looked at each other. "Did you stay with Hank last night?" Isabel asked. Michael didn't stay at her house last night and she found it very hard to believe that Michael would stay at the trailer all night if Hank hit him – he never did.

"No" Michael answered and hesitated. "I went and stayed with…" Michael glanced over at Maria who was sitting at the counter sipping an alien blast milk shake and talking to Liz.

"You went to Maria's?" Isabel asked her voice just barley above a whisper. Her voice was a mix of disbelief (they broke up and all Michael had been talking about lately was how the three of them should stay away from the humans – that they couldn't be trusted) and hurt (Michael had always come to her and Max, they had been everything for him. She just could believe that Michael would pick Maria over them).

"Isabel, calm down" Max hushed her and when she took a drink of her cherry cola he turned his attention to Michael, "I think Liz said something about her parents looking for a new cook here"

"Thanks Max" Michael mumbled taking a drink of the soda Maria left behind when she went to sit at the counter.

"So are you to like back together now – cause I thought humans couldn't be trusted" Isabel asked her voice laced with sarcasm as she used his own words against him.

"Yeah, we're back together" Michael answered gaining sharp looks from both Max and Isabel.

"Michael, I hate to agree with Isabel, but you have been saying all along that we should stay away from the humans, that getting attached was dangerous. And you are the one that said you were scared that you are going to hurt her" Max said.

"And on that note…"Michael stood up and walked over to Maria and Liz. They were so deep in conversation that neither noticed him until he laid his hand on Maria's back and she jumped in surprise.

"Oh, my god, I hate you" She breathed as she jumped sarcasm thick in her voice. She looked up at Michael as he dropped his hand from her back.

Maria stood up and faced him. "I was only kidding" Maria said after she looked up and saw the pain evident (to her) in his face.

For less than a second a real smile found its way to Michael's face. He loved her. He would hurt her. His normal stoic face returned as that thought found its way to him. He turned to Liz, "Hey, Liz, are you looking for a cook here?"

"Yeah, you interested?" Liz asked and when Michael nodded she pulled a clipboard from under the counter. She went to write something down but pulled her pen back and looked at Michael, "Can you cook?" she added and he nodded again. "Okay, I can set you up for an interview with my dad tomorrow at…" Liz checked her clipboard, "4:30 in the afternoon?" She asked and when he nodded she wrote his name in the interview time slot, along with a short recommendation from her on his behalf to her dad in the margin.

She heard someone come in to the café and smiled before leaving to seat them.

Michael turned back to Maria, "You wanna get out of here?"

"You do" she smiled, "What happened?" She asked and leaned up to kiss him.

"Nothing" he answered quickly and moved back a little before she could kiss him.

She frowned when he pulled away. "Please don't lie to me" She whispered, pain in her voice and tears in her eyes. You won't even kiss me she added silently. When he was silent for a few long moments she sighed, "Come one … we can go to my house" she reached for his hand but pulled her own hand back just before it would have touched his. She sighed again and turned on her heels. She walked out of the Crashdown and Michael followed scowling at Max and Isabel as he passed them.

Max and Isabel who had seen the entire thing looked at each other in confusion.