Discliamer: I own nothin' but the plot so back off

A/N: I know it's been a while since I updated...well not that long but longer then what you're used to. Sometimes I don't update for months...but don't worry that won't be happening with this little gem. Anyway I was having problems with my internet and then stuff with school...but here is a brandspanking new chapter for you, not that funny but still!

Maria was washing some glasses during a lull at the Crashdown ignoring Michael, or at least vigorously trying to. She hadn't spoken to him since she woke up, hangover in his bed. It was just too awkward that she didn't even remember how she got there, though she had a pretty good idea. It wouldn't have surprised her if it had turned out that she was on her way home and was hit with the urge to see him and in her drunken haze she decided to follow it. Pondering over this while rubbing off the glasses the memory slowly came back to her…

"This is where I get off!"

The car stopping in front of Michael's…

"Felix isn't my boyfriend"

The cabbie trying to give her the change…

"Maria what are you doing at my apartment?"…

Her resting in the stairwell, and Michael climbing up the stairs to her…

'Wait' she stopped her thoughts, 'he was coming up the stairs…not down. He must have been coming in from somewhere…' she looked over into the kitchen and saw him scrubbing at the stove. Putting the glass down in frustration she tried to make the memory clearer. 'Didn't I see a cab pull up behind mine?' she asked herself peering over at his back, his muscles were moving under his t-shirt with effort. 'I thought I saw him at the party…more then once'.

Tess entering the Crashdown disrupted her thoughts. She sat down in a booth and opened a menu as Maria went up to her pen and pad in hand.

"What can I get you?"

Her piercing blue eyes flicked from the menu to Maria's face and there was a second before Tess put on a wide smile that Maria thought she saw something in the other blonde's eyes that she couldn't quite identify.

"I'll just have a cherry cola"

Not even attempting to put on her usual friendly waitress demander she asked, "Do you want anything to eat?"

"No" she continued to smile, "I'm just waiting for Michael. He's getting off soon right?"

Maria narrowed her eyes, and drew out her answer, "Yeah"

"Great"

"Ok then"

She returned with Tess's drink then went back to cleaning the glasses this time shifting her glare from Michael to Tess.

Soon after, he clocked out. Maria went into the back brimming with questions, her worry of talking to him forgotten.

"Michael" she began walking up to him as he took off his apron and bandanna. "We've got to talk"

He looked over his open locker door at her then quickly back into his locker trying to push the memory of her body curled up against his out of his mind. "We've got nothing to talk about," he went past her.

"Yes we do" she insisted standing in his way.

Frowning to prevent the smirk that usually formed whenever she got into her 'I'm not leaving till I get answers' stance he firmly said, "No we don't"

Expecting his resistance to talking to her, she stood her ground. "What are you doing with Tess?" she pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows waiting for an answer.

He sighed and rubbed his hands over his face needing to take his eyes off of her. It was almost like she was trying to taunt him. First insisting that she sleep beside him lining his body with hers, tickling his neck with her soft breath, resting her head right by his so the smell of her shampoo could waft up to his nose. Whenever they worked together he would be able to see her fluttering around the Crashdown flashing her smile with her shapely legs moving beneath her slightly too short skirt. And now she was pouting her full lips at him, her figure outlined in her uniform, standing an arm's length away from him so if his resolve were to bend the slightest he would be able to have her in his embrace within mere seconds.

"Michael" his name coming from her lips with such a curt tone pulled him back to his situation.

The frustration of being so near to her without being able to do anything about it caused his voice to be harsh, "Maria you aren't my girlfriend anymore alright? You shouldn't be asking me this question" He went past her, and from the back room window she was able to see him leave, with Tess trailing behind.

She walked backwards the shock of the cruel quality of his voice, even after it being directed at her many times before, caused her determination to fade away. With the back of her legs hitting the couch, she sat down.

Tears began to fall from her eyes and she gruffly wiped them away telling herself, 'You knew this was going to happen' she swallowed down her sobs, 'what did you expect?' Taking the heel of her palms and rubbing them against her eyes angrily trying to prevent the tears from coming any further, 'You're acting stupid DeLuca,' she scolded herself. It was just one more reminder of how far they seemed to be drifting apart, after she had tried so hard to make them close. She couldn't help asking herself if it was possible that he was just throwing their connection, their relationship, away without a second thought. Finally giving up on preventing the tears she let them flow down her face and curled up against the couch. 'It can't be' she told herself, she had seen the way he looked at her before he had been so harsh, deep down she knew that he still had strong feelings for her, ones that matched her own.

But that made it so much worse. The one guy who loved her was convinced he shouldn't be around her when she needed him, needed him so much that she ached.

Alex entered the backroom to be met with the sight of one of his best friends weeping on the couch. He went, without asking anything, and sat beside her, took her in his arms and held her. Turning to rest against his chest she sobbed into him.

Later that day Alex burst into the UFO Centre and went searching for Max, who he later found hidden under a pile of stuffed aliens that appeared to have fallen off a shelf.

"Max?" Alex asked looking at the heap of fuzzy aliens.

His head popped out of the pile sending a few to roll down to the ground. "Yeah Alex?"

"Do you need some help?" he asked as he went to pick up some of the toys and throw them into the empty box that lay beside him.

"Thanks" he climbed out of the mound, "What's up?"

Continuing with his work he answered, "We need to help our President"

"What did Michael do now?"

"I don't know," Alex said his anger beginning to grow, starting to chuck the toys into the box he added, "and I don't care. I just want Maria to begin to be happy again"

"Me too" Max agreed and paused as he watched Alex hurl the toys in frustration. He held up the one in his hand towards Alex and joked, "We come in peace"

Realizing what he was getting at Alex started to put the toys more gently into the box.

Once they finished putting everything away Max got off work and the two went to get some drinks to cool down.

Exiting the convenience store they sat on a bench in the shade and began to sip their drinks with thought.

"We could…" Max started but the idea had already slipped away from him.

"She really likes cake," Alex said, "we could bring her cake…and then she could eat it"

Max looked at him with uncertainty "Just bring her a cake and watch her eat it?"

"Or….she likes shopping" Alex said triumphantly, "we could take her shopping"

"Are you sure you're up for that?"

"Yeah, maybe that's not such a good idea either"

They sat in silence for a while until something caught Max's eye from across the street. He quickly got up, "I've got to go"

"But what are we going to do about Maria?" Alex called after him.

"I'm sure you'll think of something" Max tried to reassure him and hollered over his shoulder "I'll pick you up at seven then we can get Maria!"

Max jogged across the street and out of Alex's view, who just sat on the bench and continued to try and think of ideas.

"Hey!" Max called as he turned to corner.

Michael saw Max running after him, "What's up Maxwell?" he slowed so his friend could catch up.

Walking beside him Max asked, "What did you do to Maria?"

"Me?" Michael asked in disbelief pointing at himself.

"Yeah"

"I've done nothing. She's the one who's showing up at my apartment, questioning me in the backroom and taunting"

"Taunting?"

Michael stopped walking abruptly and turned to face Max full on. "Look I'm trying to do the right thing here Maxwell."

He folded his arms and shrugged his shoulders, "The right thing being?"

"Not getting involved with her again and she, frankly, isn't making it easy for me" he smirked at the thought.

Max frowned at him, "Don't you care about her?"

"Of course I do" he responded curtly. "That's why I'm trying to protect her" he looked away and shook his head.

"Protect her by ignoring her?"

"Exactly"

"I don't get it"

"I wouldn't expect you to" he shrugged and stalked away leaving Max more then a little confused.

Max walked the other way. He couldn't understand Michael's thinking, if Liz was willing to get back together with him, hell even talk to him, he'd jump at the chance.

The male members of 'The I've Been Dumped Club' went up to Maria's door. Max knocked and she answered a few seconds later.

"I didn't know we were doing something today" she said with a frown.

"Surprise" Alex said with a grin.

They all climbed into the jeep and Maria finally asked, "So where are we going?"

Max looked into the review mirror at Alex awaiting his answer so he'd too know their destination.

"Well this trip was planed with you in mind Maria" he informed and she smiled somewhat shyly knowing what he was referring to, "so we're going to the Pizza Pit"

"What's at the Pizza Pit?" Max asked as he started to drive there.

"Karaoke" he answered with a smirk and cocked eyebrow.

A/N: There's another chapter for you and yet again ended on a happy note…maybe I'm getting soft.