Disclaimer: I own nothin' but the plot

A/N: I'm glad to see you guys thought it was funny too! This is another somewhat lighthearted one...but with obvious dark undertones...Anyway hope you enjoy it!

She was in front of a large stonewall. Compared to it's enormity, she was so mall, but something told her she had to climb it, that something on the other side needed to be found, discovered. A treasure that was meant for her and her for it. Carefully she grasped the stone by her head and held on as her feet found the stones. Slowly she began to climb gripping on first with her left then with her right; concentrating. Suddenly her foot slipped and she looked down to try and put it back against the wall she could see how far from the ground she was. It was a dangerous journey that she was on but she had to do it. After all, she was already half way there. Peering up she saw the top of the wall meet the clouds that began to clump and crawl across the sky.

Maria woke suddenly, her sheets on the floor, feeling cold despite the morning heat. She couldn't quite remember her dream but had a restless, frustrated feeling coiling inside of her. Jumping out of bed she went to get ready for work.

Later that day Max came into the Crashdwon in his UFO center vest and plopped into a stool with a sigh.

"How's it going Girlfriend?" she asked filling a cup up with cherry cola. He smiled at the new nickname.

"A bus came in full of alien fans from Texas"

"I know" Maria said giving the drink to him, "they all came here to eat. I don't think I've had my butt pinched that much…ever. I was this close to punching a guy" she gritted her teeth.

"Having been on the receiving end of your fist, I worry for the guy" she smiled at him. He looked into the kitchen, "So Michael wasn't on today?"

Maria paused before answering, "No, why?"

"Because if he was, I think he would've punched him first" Maria couldn't help but smile. Though she was stronger then she appeared to be, it didn't hurt to have a protector, especially a protector like Michael.

"So," Max began, quickly changing the subject "I just came to say 'goodbye'. I'm going to Albuquerque to visit my grandparents for a few days" he finished as Alex entered the Crashdown in his VideoFlicks baseball hat.

"Hey Alex, our Vice President is leaving us" Maria informed as he sat down beside Max.

"Where to?"

"Albuquerque, grandparents"

He patted him on the back, "Well have fun Max and remember the mission statement"

With a slight grimace he asked, "Are you going to make me do the handshake?"

"Handshake?" Maria interrupted putting a glass full of coke by Alex who took an appreciative gulp.

"It's this thing Alex and I invented" Max said with a light chuckle.

"I want to learn the handshake," she put a hand on her chest, "I mean, I am the president"

"Hold out your hand" Alex instructed and Maria complied. First they shook hands then hit the backs of their hands together twice, repeated with their palms, then linked their pinkies shook three times, each did a 'low-five', and finished by shaking hands again.

"Cool"

"Um," Max looked between the two "Do you think we've might have gone a little too far with this Club thing?"

Maria and Alex took their hands back somewhat shyly. "So I assume you don't want us to write a theme song?" Maria asked with a grin.

Max just laughed and got up to leave "I'll see you guys in a few days", waved and left.

They watched him go and Alex said, "I guess it's just you and me kid"

"Yep"

She was so close to being at the top of the wall that she was climbing amongst the clouds that were slowly turning gray. Her fingers reached the edge and she began to heave herself up when Michael appeared. He crouched in front of her and whispered, "I shouldn't be around you" and pushed her off the wall. Watching him turn into a dot as she drifted back down, the stone flew past her.

Her scream woke her. She waited a few seconds for her mom to come through her door, as she usually did when Maria woke up screaming, until she remembered that her mother had left for a convention in another town. Maria rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. Feeling, somehow, even more tired then when she got into bed the night before.

"Alex!" she greeted with a wide smile frozen on her face.

"Hey Maria" he said from behind the counter where he sat with his feet propped up.

"This is where you work, huh?" she looked around VideoFlicks, the walls lined with movies.

"This is my place of employment, yes"

"Are you working tonight?" she asked the grin growing wider a she reached into her bag.

"No," he answered slowly, narrowing his eyes with suspicion.

Maria did a little excited jump as she presented the sheet of paper hiding in her bag. Alex reached for the flyer and inspected it, "A party at Pam Troy's house?" he peered over the paper and Maria nodded vigorously. "I thought you and Liz hated Pam Troy"

She waved off the thought "That won't prevent us form going to her party. Besides she handed me the invite herself"

"I still don't think this is such a good idea," he said scanning the flyer.

"Come on Alex," Maria said with a hint of wining, "If you don't go with me, I'll be forced to go alone and then who knows what would happen"

They stood outside the house, side bye side, as music blared from out the windows and the lawn filled with teens and cars pulled up beside them.

"Still want to go?" Alex checked looking over the party raving inside.

She took his arm; "Of course I do" she started to go inside but paused when she thought she saw the tips of brown hair sticking up and moving within the crowd, but shook it off and continued on.

A few hours later Alex was sitting on a couch sandwiched between a couple making out and a large football player, with his arm around him, slurring on of his plays at him.

"Aw, it was great" he pulled Alex a little closer to him, "Infamous!"

Alex tried to pull his limbs in closer to himself and gave slightly nervous glances to both sides of him.

"Infamous" the football player echoed taking another chug of his beer.

"I think you mean 'famous'," Alex corrected.

"What?" he slurred turning his attention back to Alex.

"You meant 'famous'. 'Infamous' is the bad kind of famous"

Using the hand holding his beer her pointed at Alex "You know Felix, you're a real smart guy. You should be, like, a…you should" he trailed off still pointing at him.

Alex began to get up "Yeah, I'll look into that. I have to go find my friend"

"Bye Felix!" he called after him.

Searching amongst the crowds Alex found Maria putting down an empty shot glass and jumping up to dance.

"Hey Maria!" Alex called over the music.

Turning to see him she smiled "Alex, hey everyone! It's Alex, my Erick, my Ursula, my blue Power Ranger"

He grabbed her and began to lead her outside, "That's right Maria. How much have you had to drink?"

Stumbling against him she bobbed her head to the music, "I lost count after five"

"Oh Maria" he shook his head leading her down the path across the lawn.

He stopped and pulled her cell phone out of her jacket and called a taxi. After putting the phone back, he began to put the coat on her.

"Alex" she mumbled pulling her arms through the holes, "The stonewall, it's too big…too far"

Ignoring her drunken rumblings he dragged her to the sidewalk and waited for the cab.

The yellow car pulled up soon after and Alex carefully put Maria in the back seat and sat beside her. Because Alex's house was closest he was dropped off first.

Before he got out her looked at Maria who seemed to still be mumbling about rock climbing or something, "Maria" he grabbed her face forcing her to look at him, "you are going straight home right?"

She nodded lightly with a smile, "You're the bestest of the best, Ursula"

"Thanks" he smiled at her, "but I go by Felix now"

"Well Felix, do you know why I like you so much?"

He shook his head and handed the cab driver enough money to get Maria home.

"Because you aren't a wall stone, stonewall, you're more like a…jello wall" she gave him sloppy smile.

"Ok Maria, go right home" he got out of the car, "And I'll call you tomorrow"

"Ok, bye Jello Felix" she waved as the cab pulled away.

Leaning against the car's window she watched the houses under heavy eyelids. "Hey" she called to the cabbie suddenly, "Stop the car!"

"What?" he asked looking into the review mirror.

She slapped the window between them, "Stop the car! This is where I get off"

He drove to the curb, "You're boyfriend told me a different address" he said looking back at her.

"Felix isn't my boyfriend, I like guys made out of rock not jello" she clarified getting out of the cab.

"What about your change?" he called out the window.

"Keep it!" she wobbled up to the door of the building. As soon as Maria's cab drove off another pulled up. A man got out and followed Maria into the building.

Slowly she went up the stairs. Giving up half way there she settled herself on a landing.

"Maria what are you doing at my apartment?"

Through hazy eyes she saw Michael standing above her. "It's my knight in shiny stone" she mumbled and promptly passed out.

A/N: Eeeep, yes it's Michael...dun dun dun