Title: Pieces Of Me

Author: Katie; 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 Eight: Getting In

When Michael and Maria got back to her house Maria dropped her purse and jacket on a chair in the dinning room. She kicked her shoes off her feet and glanced over at Michael who was following suite, draping his leather jacket over a chair and taking off his shoes.

Maria walked into the living room and Michael followed until Maria spun around and faced him. She saw something in his eyes, something unfamiliar to her. She was about to ask him what was going on and about what went on in the Crashdown just a little while ago when with out warning she felt his lips crash down onto hers.

Michael's hands were everywhere – in her hair, running along her back and arms, under her shirt, slipping slightly under the waistband of her jeans – everywhere. Some where in the back of his mind Michael knew that he needed to stop, knew that he needed to maintain some kind of control, knew that he should talk to Maria about what was wrong instead of just kissing her to chase his worries, and all his thoughts, away. But the all ready tiny sliver of those thoughts abruptly disappeared (along with Maria's shirt) when he heard her moan into the kiss.

After Michael pulled her shirt off Maria felt his lips on her neck. She tangled her hand in his hair. They started walking until Maria felt the back of her legs hit the couch, she pulled Michael's shirt off before they fell down on to the couch. Maria felt his lips kiss down her collar bone and when she moaned softly his lips came back to hers.

They both needed to breath, that's why they finally pulled apart. Michael pressed his forehead against hers and she smiled at him. He tangled his hand in her hair and trailed the back of his other hand down her cheek. He kissed her, but it was different than the kisses they shared just a moment before, it was sweet and slow and gentle. When he pulled back he smiled at her. In that moment, if only for that moment, everything was perfect. Then Michael's thoughts drifted back to the Crashdown, back to what Michael was trying so hard not to think about, to Max's words, to his own words.

"…That just by being who I am I'm going to hurt her…"

Michael abruptly sat up and reached for his shirt and pulled it on. He would do anything to protect Maria, to make sure that she never got hurt. And if he hurt her, now, after everything, he would never forgive himself.

When Michael sat up Maria grabbed her own shirt and pulled it on. She felt tears spring to her own eyes and took a deep breath trying to keep them at bay.

"I think that I'm going to go get my stuff from the trailer" Michael said looking at her back.

"You want a ride?" She asked and finally turned to face him. "You don't have to tell me anything…let me give you a ride, Michael" She added sensing his hesitation.

He nodded and they both put their shoes on and grabbed their jackets before heading to the car.

"Hank shouldn't get home for a couple of hours; do you want to come in?" He asked, it was the first thing said throughout the entire car ride. They were sitting in the car outside of Hank's trailer and Michael didn't want her to sit out here alone, but at the same time he didn't really want her to see the trailer either. But in the end it was safer for her to go in with him.

"Okay" She answered simply and they walked in. Maria glanced around the small living room for a second. It was messy, clothes and food and empty bottles of beer laying everywhere, and the TV was left on.

Michael didn't say anything just walked down the short hallway to his small, clean room. Maria followed him and he pulled a book bag out from under his bed. He went to the closet and pulled out all the clothes, he folded the clothes and shoved them in the bag. Maria sat crossed legged on the bed and silently watched him. She felt tears sting her eyes for what felt like the thousandth time so she turned and started pulling items off the small table next to his bed and putting them in the bag. She picked up a note book and when she did several folded pieces of paper fell out. She put the note book down on the bed in front of her and picked up the papers. One by one she unfolded them and saw pictures of the Atherton's Dome in Marathon. They were all amazing and looked exactly like Atherton's. One by one she unfolded, looked, folded it back up, and placed it back in the note book. She did this until she came across a picture that wasn't of Atherton's Dome. It was of her. It was amazing, and obviously fairly recent. "Michael…" She breathed just above a whisper. When he turned to face her she held up the drawing.

Michael sighed and pulled the paper from her hand, "It's not even finished"

"It's beautiful" She whispered. She stood up and walked over to Michael. She pulled the paper out of his hand and laid it carefully on the bed. She reached her hand out and grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled him to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in the crock of his neck. She felt his arms wrap around her waist and hold her tightly. She finally let the tears that had been building up all night spill out. She felt Michael tighten his arms around her and she buried her face farther in his neck.

Michael could actually, physically, feel his heart tighten. He lightly ran his hand up and down her spine, trying to comfort her. He didn't know what to do, how to handle it, so he stood there, holding this girl that meant so much to him, really the only person that ever meant anything to him, and as he did he realized that he didn't know how to not hurt her. If he stayed with her she would get hurt later, if he walked away from her then she would get hurt now. Michael closed his eyes tightly and let his forehead rest on her shoulder. "I love you, Maria" He whispered against her shoulder.

Maria tightened her arms around him. She knew that, she knew that he loved her, she saw in to his soul; of course she knew that he loved her. But then what was going on? Why was he acting like this with her? She felt him pulling away which was insane because they had only really been together a day. She would do anything for him, and that scared her. She has never felt like that before and the thought of this boy…this alien…who meant absolutely everything to her pulling away from her now hurt more than anything had ever hurt in her entire life. Maria thought back to the many conversation she and Liz had shared on the topic of their alien counterparts since the shooting. Liz had always told her that she didn't think Michael was good for her, that he would leave as soon as he could, that he would run – kind of an always has always will kind of thought - Liz always told her that Michael would hurt her. But it was too late; she couldn't let him go now if her life depended on it. "I love you, Michael…" She whispered against his neck.

Michael finally loosened his arms from around her waist and held her at arms length from himself. She quickly pulled her hands across her face pulling the tears that had gathered there away. She reached up and brushed her hand against his neck, pulling those tears away to. She finally laid her hands on his arms which were lightly holding her waist, holding her at arms length. She lightly ran her fingers down his arms until they reached his hands; she pulled his hands off her waist and held them in hers. She took a step closer to him, "What is going on, Michael?" she asked raising her eyes to meet his.

"Maria … I…" Michael didn't know what to say to her. As Michael searched his head for the words to explain things to her they both heard someone trying to push keys in to a lock and slam their hand on the door. Michael lifted Maria's hand so he could see the watch that she was wearing; Hank shouldn't be home for over an hour. But that didn't matter, it didn't matter what time Hank was supposed to be home, what mattered was that Hank was home.

Michael was terrified. All in all if Hank hit him it was just another day, but he couldn't let anything happen to Maria. The only way out of the small trailer was the front door. Where Hank could be heard drunk, cursing, and trying to gain entry to the trailer. Michael turned his attention to Maria once again. He placed his hands on her cheeks and looked into her eyes, "Stay here".

"What are you going to do?" Maria asked. Michael had come to her last night because Hank hit him. Maria didn't want Michael to get hurt. When he didn't answer her she laid her hand on his chest and slid it up to rest on his cheek. "What are you going to do, Michael?" She repeated her earlier question.

"I don't know" Michael answered honestly, "But I have to do something" he leaned in a kissed her quickly, "Please, just stay here" He pleaded. When she nodded he kissed her again, "thank you" he whispered when he pulled back.

Michael left his small room and closed the door behind him. Michael entered the small living room at the same time Hank finally got the door open. Michael tried to gauge his mood on his appearance; if he was in a good enough mood they could just wait until he drank a little more and passed out. It was if he was in a bad mood that they had to worry, if he was feeling mean and wanted to beat the shit out of something…or someone. That was when he had to worry.

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Okay, please review. And I'm not really sure where I'm going with the Hank thing so any suggestions would be amazing. Thanks for reading please review!