Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update but...life was a little busy for me. But here is a brand spanking new chapter for your enjoyment!

After a few hours of listening to bad singing, pretty good singing, drunk singing, Maria beautifully singing, and Alex, Max and Maria belting out 'Don't Stop Me Now' by Queen in true The IBD Club spirit, the three exited the club like a burst of energy each laughing.

Walking to the parking lot Maria linked arms with her two friends, "Thanks guys I really needed that"

"You're welcome" Max smiled coming up on his jeep.

"I had a great time but I think I should stick to playing and writing music not singing it" Alex said climbing, as usual, into the back.

"I'm going to have to agree with you on that one Alex" she laughed getting into the passenger's seat.

The next day Alex ran into the Crashdown and found Maria handing a couple their bill. He swept her up into his arms and started jumping around in a circle.

"Alex?" she asked bobbing up and down in the air, "What's going on?"

Putting her down to just grab her shoulders he said, "It's a good thing we went singing last night"

"Why?" she asked trying to read him.

"Because it was a good warm up"

"Warm up?" she echoed then grabbed his arms that were still holding her, "Alex what are you talking about?"

He shook her slightly, "The Whits have a gig!"

Jumping she let out a little scream. "That's so fantastic. When are we going on?"

"This Friday"

They smiled widely at each other with excitement.

Later that day The IBD Club met up to go see a movie. Maria went briskly up to Max. "What are you doing Friday?"

"Uh…nothing?"

"No, you are going to come and see me and Alex perform," she informed with a smile, "The Whits' got a gig!"

"That's great you guys" Max congratulated.

"What no jumping?" she joked sharing a smile with Alex.

He hopped once, "How was that?"

"That'll do" Alex nodded as they headed into the movie theatre.

Before Maria went to bed that night she checked her answering machine for a second time since she had gotten home. She had called Michael a few times since their argument in the back of the Crashdown. 'So maybe more then a few times' she corrected herself in her head.

'I have to talk to him' she thought to herself lying in bed, 'I need answers'. She fell into a rough sleep.

The next day she went over to Michael's with purpose. She wasn't going to let herself breakdown this time, this time she was going to get her answers. Giving herself a little pep talk she went up to his door. She took a deep breath, trying to prepare herself for the ordeal ahead before knocking on his door.

Tess answered and Maria tried to prevent the scowl that was about to appear on her face. Michael came up from behind her and Maria could see his subtle shock.

Looking from Maria to Michael, Tess quickly said, "I was just leaving" and then did.

Maria entered the apartment without permission, clutching onto her resolve as Michael's expression hardened.

"Hey," she began her voice wavering, she cleared her throat and began to say the pre-prepared statement –excuse– she made before coming over, "I just wanted to tell you that the Whits have a gig this Friday"

They stood on opposite sides of his apartment, him by the kitchen and her in front of the couch. She took out a flyer with the address of the club and put it down on the table. A long pause followed.

Veering off the script in her head once she looked him the eyes she confessed, "Ok, so that's not really why I came here"

He leaned against the kitchen counter and folded his arms waiting for her reason, thinking it might be important, and really just enjoying her company.

Licking her lips nervously she wrung her hands. She blurted out her first question, "Did you follow me to Pam Troy's party? Because I thought I saw you at the party a few times and then when I showed up at your apartment I could've sworn that a cab had followed me"

She froze waiting for his answer.

Not changing his stance he said simply, "I went, not to follow you…necessarily"

"Necessarily?"

"If I hadn't you probably would've spent the night sleeping on the stairs" he pointed out defensively.

She nodded in cautious agreement eyeing him, "Ok"

"Good" he shrugged stiffening again.

"Thanks by the way" she said looking down anxiously.

"For what?"

"For letting me stay here that night" she glanced up at him and his frown had relaxed but it quickly went back and he took a step away from the counter.

He tightened his jaw before spitting out, "About that, next time you get drunk, do me a favour and pass out some where else"

With a sharp intake of breath she braced herself, she had been prepared for some hostility, but then again he always did mange to surprise her.

"Max has a pretty nice stairwell" he added and then went back to silence.

Letting the anger build up inside of her to push out the pain she quickly asked, "What does Max have to do with this?"

He didn't respond.

"The planter" she whispered as her eyes widened with realization.

"What?" he snapped slumping back against the counter.

"Have you been watching me?" she asked more with curiosity then anger this time.

Again he said nothing but just clenched and unclenched his fists.

"Do you honestly think something is going on with me and Max?" she laughed at the thought.

He narrowed his eyes, "You two seem to be getting pretty close"

She snorted in disbelief, "Come on Michael, he loves Liz. You know this"

Irritated about being laughed at, he didn't think before he spat out "Yeah but Liz is in Florida and you're right here" he motioned towards her with a swift hand, "and look at you. It'd be pretty hard to resist"

Her shell slid off and she gazed into his eyes with a soft smile, "You think so?"

Realizing what he just let slip out he bit his tongue with frustration and quickly attempted to change the topic. "Well do you actually think that I'm interested in Tess?"

The comment snapped her back to the reason as to why she came, "Why was she here?" she asked ignoring his question.

"She's helping me with something" he answered shortly.

Becoming exasperated she sighed, "With what?"

"Controlling my powers" he shouted out hating to admit his weakness.

"Well judging by that planter you demolished you should up the tutoring sessions Buddy" she hollered back.

The planter reminded him of his goal, to stay away from Maria, "You should just get out of here!" he ordered.

"Why?" she threw up her arms with frustration.

"It's not safe!" he then lowered his voice and said seriously, "It's not safe to be around me. There are probably still alien hunters out there, and for all we know the FBI could still be after us …"

"God Michael" her voice cracking with emotion, "that doesn't matter to me"

"It should" he uttered vehemently.

Going closer to him she blinked back the tears that were about to form and said calmly, "I wish we could just get away, you and me. Hop onto Route 285, stay in another crappy motel" she looked at him pleadingly, "Just leave all this…behind us"

"Maria," he began the feeling in his voice finally showing, "it still won't be safe"

"Why not?" she asked gently stopping a few steps in front of him.

"Because I'm not safe" he furrowed his brow, and whispered out through his pain, "I can't control my powers…you know what I did to Pierce"

"I don't care" she said honestly but forcefully.

She reached up and cupped his face and he leaned into her hand but suddenly stopped himself. Gripping her wrist he pulled it away from him, "Maria" he said, his voice hard again, "we can't do this"

Knowing she couldn't really say anything more, she saw him snuff out his emotions before she could get any closer and so she began to leave.

Opening the door she turned to him and asked, "Are you sure? This time we could get a room with a view"

"We can't be together" he urged and walked away from her into the other room, slamming the door behind him.

She closed his door gently and left with watery eyes.

Maria stood back stage trying to calm herself down. Though her stage fright had lessoned she still had nerves. Alex stood beside her speaking encouragingly. She smiled at him before they went on.

They did a few of the Whits songs and few covers. Maria had relaxed on stage and was enjoying herself when the back door opened and she saw Michael creep in.

She didn't expect him to come and once the song ended she blinked still staring at him. Not willing to let him go she turned to the band and asked for a change in the set, moving a song up the play list.

Figuring this was like a last ditch effort she waited for the song to be counted in. She sang to him as he stood in the back of the club never taking his eyes off of her.

Take me to the shore
and wrap me in a blind tomorrow
I won't fight no more
and I won't scream
maybe we'll be washed away
maybe I just need a holiday

This time we'll get
a room with a view and a velvet painting
and this time we'll stay inside
until the lights go down
over the palm trees and the sand

Buy me the blue sky
and wrap me in clouds of blasphemy
in the end I won't ask why
you can do what you want with me
maybe we'll be thrown away
maybe we just need a holiday

This time we'll get
a room with a view and a velvet painting
and this time we'll stay inside
until the lights come up
and everything's vermillion

Take me to the shore
and throw me in the water
I won't fight no more
no, I won't say a thing

A/N: That was a Matthew Good Band song called 'Vermilion' hence the name of the chapter but the lyrics aren't exact there was some repetition and such but I just wanted to get the gist down. Anyway it was between this MGB song and 'Symbolistic White Walls' if any of you are MGB fans or just curious you could download the two songs and make up your own mind as to which one fitted. They are both off of 'Last of the Ghetto Astronauts', which is a great album. I know I put one of the lines into the story and that was just to make the song fit more…ok I'm done.