Part 24
It was just a small movement that woke Maria several hours later and she blinked in an effort to focus her bleary eyes. Her hand shot out to find Michael and only came in contact with the warm spot where he'd lain since she had gotten him into bed. The warmth indicated the movement she had felt was recent and it hadn't taken long for her to wake up once it had registered. She threw the covers back and sat up, brushing her hair out of her face as she looked around for him.
She located him standing by the window, arms crossed over his tee shirt-covered chest as he stared out into the night. The moonlight fell over him, making his face appear as if it was carved in granite. His features had lost the softer expression he had worn earlier, indicating that the alcohol he had ingested had dissipated and he was once more stone cold sober. The cloak of responsibility was once more weighing on him and she knew his thoughts could be on any number of things.
Michael didn't move, didn't acknowledge her as she watched him, but he was aware of her steady gaze. His mind was on the van, or better yet, what they were going to do if Kyle was right. As much as he wanted to think that he could be wrong about his assessment the night they had broken down Kyle had a tendency to be right when it came to things of a mechanical nature. He had sounded certain that the engine was done in and if he was right where did that leave them? Engines didn't come cheap and the van was an older model, considered a classic by some, which would only drive the price up.
"Michael?"
The only indication that he had heard her was the slight shift in his stance.
"Why're you up?"
He shrugged his shoulders as he continued to stare outside, his gaze roving over the white fields around them. "Don't know, just thinkin'."
Maria got up out of bed and walked over to him, hissing at the cold floor and shivering as the cool air in the cabin brushed against her exposed skin. "Aren't you cold?" she asked, glancing at his bare feet below the frayed cuffs of his jeans.
Michael snorted softly and gazed at her for several long seconds before reaching out to her. "C'mere." He took the hand she held out to him and pulled her up against him, her back to his front as he pointed outside. "See out there? All that white just seems to go on for miles." He inhaled deeply as he felt her relax against him. "Stevens Sanctuary, this place is something else, huh?"
She stared outside, feeling a sense of peace settle over her, a direct contrast to the tension she could feel in him. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if the world would just leave us alone here?"
His only response was a grunt, his mind already busy going over his options and determining what it was going to take to keep them safe. He had to figure it out because failing them… failing her, was unacceptable. He had nearly blown it and put her in unimaginable danger back in October. The few days following their uncontrolled moment of passion in that roadside park had put him in a constant state of fear. Fear for her safety, for what it would mean to them as a group, what it meant to them as a couple that already had enough unresolved issues between them, and the fear that getting her pregnant might come at a cost neither of them was ready or willing to pay.
"I know back in October I really screwed up… when I…"
Maria swallowed hard as what he was trying to say began to sink in. "Michael, we needed each other, and I could've stopped you. I could've said no."
He was silent for a while, knowing what his next question was and fearing her answer. His voice was quiet when he asked, "Why didn't you?"
"Because I love you and I needed to be in your arms."
Michael pursed his lips as he considered her answer. "And afterward?"
She thought about that, choosing her words carefully before she spoke. "Even though I was due for my period in a day or two, I was scared. Since that day I've made sure I always have a box of condoms in my bag," she said, her tone lighter.
"Yeah?"
Maria turned in his arms and reached up to frame his face in her hands. "Yes. I love you, Michael." She kissed him, enjoying the heady rush of desire that erupted in her veins. She could feel how much he wanted her, could feel it in his taut body and see it in his expression as she leaned back to look at him. One of her hands slid down over his arm, linking their fingers and pulling him with her as she walked backwards to the bed.
He followed her willingly, settling beside her with his right leg caught between her thighs. Their mouths were fused in a long, heated kiss and their hands were everywhere as they hurried to re-familiarize themselves with each other. As his right hand swept up along her bare thigh and the oversized tee shirt covering her bunched up and brushed against his wrist he pulled back to look down at her. He dragged in several breaths and met her gaze in the moonlight. "Are you sure?"
Her eyes filled with unshed tears at the question, her heart clenching at the memory of hurting him this way. "I love you," she whispered. "I'm sure."
He nodded and his furtive gaze shot around the room, looking for her bag or his wallet. He smiled as the moonlight reflecting off of his wallet chain caught his attention. He lowered his head stealing another kiss that left her breathless. "Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back."
He drew back from her embrace but not before she reached for the button on his jeans. Never again, Michael, she thought.
She forced a playful smile, her voice nearly hoarse as she whispered, "I'll be here." She watched him as he pulled his tee shirt over his head and in one quick movement stripped his jeans and boxers off. He left his clothes in a pile on the floor and her breath caught in her throat when he stepped into the swath of moonlight that filtered through the window. Her eyes were riveted to his sculpted body as she traced over the hard planes and the hollows dipped in shadow. He was magnificent; a work of art brought to life and she felt that familiar tug of desire.
The metallic whisper of his wallet chain drew her gaze to his hand as he replaced it. "Um, Michael… when did you buy those?"
He looked at her as he slipped into bed next to her, the necessary little packet in hand. "Did you really think I couldn't find a shower curtain?"
His skin was cold from being out of bed and she wiggled around under the covers to shrug out of his tee shirt. "Here, let me warm you up, Spaceboy." She rolled on top of him, reveling in the silky strength of his body. Her fingertips brushed along his jaw as she brushed his lips with hers, seeking permission and feeling relief wash over her when his mouth softened fractionally.
Michael's dark eyes followed her movements as she began to work her way down his body, mapping his chest and abdomen with her lips. Occasionally she would use her teeth to nip at him before soothing the tiny mark with her tongue. His hands grazed over her sides, trailing heat along her flesh as they dragged over her arms and shoulders so he could tangle his fingers in the long blonde waves.
He hissed when she got dangerously close to having him undone and he reached down to haul her back up over him and rolling them over to pin her beneath him. His hand slipped down between them to pleasure her and he was rewarded with her breathy moan.
He reared up to rock back onto his heels as he opened the little foil packet.
"Michael… I've missed you."
His hands stilled as he looked down at her, momentarily motionless as if contemplating her words. He swallowed hard before he spoke. "Missed you too," he admitted gruffly. He lowered himself over her, his lips skimming over her skin as he inhaled her scent. He detoured slightly to run his tongue over the tight tips that topped the mounds of her breasts before resuming his original path to reach his goal as his mouth once more settled over hers.
He kissed her deeply as his body rubbed against hers, enjoying the feel of her skin against his. This was something that he had missed so much. It was something that would never be theirs as long as their lives continued to be lived on the run. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck as he pushed that thought away, not wanting it to intrude.
Maria's thoughts were running in a similar direction but the lack of their connection still bothered her. She knew he was still shutting her out that way and it was going to take more than what little beer-induced progress they had made before that was restored between them. Her eyes locked with his, falling back on the most elemental of connections when he positioned himself between her legs.
"So beautiful," Michael whispered as he entered her.
It had been nearly three months since they had been together this way and their bodies quickly fell into their rhythm. Whispered words, ragged moans, and their bodies coming together were the only sounds to be heard as they quickly reached their peaks. Their breathing was labored as they collapsed and Michael carefully rolled off of her to lie beside her. They stared up at the ceiling as their bodies recovered and he pulled her into his arms when he felt her reach out to him.
A while later he spoke up, breaking the stillness that had fallen around them. "Maggie's a cute little girl."
"That she is," Maria agreed as she shifted to rest her chin on the back of her hand where it lay on his chest.
"Back in October… the few days when we were waitin' was hell and when you told me that you weren't pregnant I was relieved, but the weird thing is I kinda felt…" he hesitated and bit his lip.
"Sad at the same time," she finished his sentence.
His arms tightened around her momentarily. "Yeah." He shook his head. "It's stupid to want somethin' like that with the way things are."
She shifted up onto her elbow to look down at him, meeting his eyes in the moonlight. The desire to have his own family was strong and even without seeing it there she knew it was something he held close to his heart. "It's not stupid, Michael."
"It's the kinda thing that's just too risky." His hand came up to cradle her face and she rubbed her cheek against his callused palm. "I should've – "
She pressed her forefinger against his lips to silence him. "You weren't alone that day," she whispered. "Just like you're not alone now. And I'm not just talking about things like that. I think maybe it's a good thing we broke down when and where we did." Her eyes traced over his features, still amazed at how intense his stare could be when he focused on her. "We all needed the break and it'll make it more bearable when we have to get back in that van and leave again."
He didn't reply, just tugged her down so that she was lying against him. Whether or not it was a good thing had yet to be seen. A lot was going to depend on what the mechanic told them when they finally got around to checking on it. She fell silent and before long he knew she was asleep, her body comfortably pressed against him and it wasn't long before he followed her into slumber.
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When Maria awoke again the room was filled with bright light streaming in through the windows. She closed her eyes and rolled over, reaching for Michael and coming up empty-handed. She frowned at the feel of the cool sheets and her features scrunched up into an expression of concentration as she listened, finally detecting the sound of the shower running. Right on the heels of that sound came the realization that she could smell coffee.
The knowledge that he had been up long enough for the sheets on his side of the bed to cool, make coffee, and get in the shower had her wondering what time he had gotten up. The fact that he had done all of that was a pretty clear indicator that he was ready to get moving as soon as possible and she sighed in resignation.
After dragging herself out of bed and pulling his tee shirt on again she walked over to the window and looked outside. It had stopped snowing and she wondered how much more had accumulated overnight. She dropped the curtain back in place and made her way to the kitchen, grabbing her mug and frowning at the empty coffee pot.
"Must've been a two-Tigger cup pot," she muttered with a derisive glance at the happy cartoon character etched mid-bounce on the side of Michael's mug. The empty mug he hadn't bothered to rinse out sitting next to the empty coffee pot he hadn't cut off and that was well on its way to burning the last few remaining drops of the dark liquid.
She reached out to turn it off just as the bathroom door opened and she turned to see Michael step out in a cloud of steam, wearing nothing but the towel knotted around his hips. It was the first time in so long that she had seen him in this state in the daylight. Her eyes followed the small droplets of water clinging stubbornly to his skin as one by one they lost the battle with gravity and began the slow descent over his skin to disappear in the towel. He glanced up and the sight of his face, dark eyes watching her and shaggy towel-dried hair framing his face held her gaze.
He gave her a quick good morning kiss, wiping the gawking expression off of her face. "Shower's all yours," he said as he crossed the room, his bare feet slapping against the floor and leaving heated footprints that dissipated within seconds.
"What about breakfast, Michael?"
"You bought strawberry pop tarts, didn't you?" He shrugged and dug out a pair of socks, sitting on the bed to pull them on.
"I see you made coffee." And then drank all of it, she thought but didn't say.
He frowned and yanked the sock off again when he felt a string between his toes. That would drive him insane all day. "What? Yeah, but it turned out to be just enough for two Tigger mugs." He shrugged again and removed the offending string before pulling the sock on once more. "Who knew?"
"Right, well… I'll just go grab a shower."
He nodded and went to get a pair of jeans and a shirt, sitting down again to give her room to get her things together. He watched her without her realizing it and when she disappeared into the bathroom he turned to stare at the bed thoughtfully.
Maria's mind was busy going over every moment of the night before as the hot water washed away the evidence of their union. As wonderful as it had been to make love with him again she missed their connection, missed them being so open to each other. It was something that heightened their intimacy and without it she felt as if an essential part of them was missing.
She made it through her shower in record time, interrupted only once when he pounded on the door and yelled for her to get a move on. She jerked the door open and stuck her head out while she was getting dressed. "What is your hurry?" she huffed.
He pulled the curtains back and gestured to the scenery beyond the window. "Do you see that?"
She rolled her eyes and he continued before she could speak.
"Blue skies, the sun is shining… That means clear roads," he clarified when she just looked at him.
"I see." She sat on his side of the poorly made bed and pulled her socks on. "You think the roads are suddenly clear because the sun's out?"
He leveled a look at her. "I think the roads will be passable and passable roads mean we can get in to check on the van an' find out when it'll be ready."
Her mind went back to what Kyle had told her just the day before. "Michael, you do realize that it might not be ready right away, right?"
"They're mechanics," he said with a shake of his head. "Fixin' broken vehicles is what they do."
"I'm just saying it might not – "
"C'mon, your breakfast's ready," he said when the toaster suddenly released the pop tarts it had been busy warming.
Maria moved to the counter as he dropped the pop tarts on a small plate and slid them down to her. She wasn't sure how he was feeling but he was making it pretty clear that he didn't want to talk about it. She broke one corner of the hot pastry off and popped it into her mouth, chewing it slowly. She turned her head slightly when he came up behind her, his left hand resting on the small of her back as he reached around her to fill her mug with coffee.
She smiled. Even though he was in a hurry he had taken the time to make a fresh pot of coffee and warm up a couple of pop tarts for her. She leaned back into his touch and sighed quietly when his thumb stroked over her spine a couple of times before he moved away. It wasn't anything big but the small touches were enough to tell her what she needed to know. Even though things weren't resolved between them he felt closer to her than he had in too long.
"We need to get movin'. We need to have another meetin' before we head up to the house."
Maria was glad she wasn't facing him because she rolled her eyes before she could stop herself. Well, she consoled herself, at least we won't be barging in so he can take over their bathroom.
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Isabel wiggled around as she raised her arms over her head to stretch and immediately froze when her elbow impacted with something and a curse broke the early morning silence. "Are Buddhists even allowed to say words like that?"
"I think it's acceptable when someone tries to shove your nose up into your brain," Kyle grumbled.
"I'm sure you're fine." She rolled onto her side to make sure he was alright. She brushed his hands aside and ran her thumb and forefinger over his nose before pushing against the bridge.
"Somehow I always imagined extraterrestrial probing a little different than this," he muttered, his tone amused.
"That's disgusting, Kyle."
"Tell me about it. Nasal probing just doesn't sound all that interesting. Although, as a guy who enjoys female companionship none of that alien probing really sounds all that interesting."
She made a face at him before flicking the tip of his nose with her middle finger.
"Ow!"
She flopped over on her back and glanced out the window. "What're you doing in here?"
Kyle looked at her, eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You don't remember?"
"Remember what?" she asked slowly.
She didn't remember, he realized. It was a golden opportunity and one he might never get again. "You know," his eyebrows dipped down over the bridge of his nose, "last night. Us, together… you asked me to stay after you got into bed."
Her eyes widened comically as her hand felt around and she realized they were lying on top of the covers. Her gaze locked on the Mickey Mouse blanket covering them. "You mean we…" No, she was sure she'd remember if they'd done THAT!
"Um-hmm… all night long. Jeez, when you get really into it you're very, um, vocal." He gave a yawn when he realized he wasn't going to be able to control the grin as her mind automatically went in the wrong, yet intentional, direction. "Haven't slept that good in a long time." He paused for just a moment. "How 'bout you?" He bit his tongue hard when she lifted the edge of the blanket to peer down at herself.
Isabel knew he was never going to let her hear the end of it when she realized they were both fully dressed. She had played right into his hands just the way he had known she would. "Couldn't have been all that memorable if I can't even recall a single detail," she said, shoving her elbow into his side.
"Harsh," he muttered and then grinned. "First the nose and now the ego?" He glanced at her. "You feelin' okay?"
"Yeah." She hesitated a moment. "Why don't I remember anything after we sat down to dinner?"
"Edward's secret batter?" He nodded when she looked at him. "Yeah, the super secret ingredient's beer."
She shot up into a sitting position. "Max and Michael?"
"Oh, the two of them were very happy last night too. Liz and I got you and Max outta there pretty fast. I don't know how long it took for Maria to get Michael outta the house."
"So we didn't do anything suspicious?" she asked worriedly.
"Not really. You did a little redecorating when we got back here last night."
"What? Why didn't you tell me to change it back?"
"It wasn't hurtin' anybody and no one's here but us. I figured you could change it back this mornin' before we head up to the house."
Isabel studied his expression for several long seconds. "What?"
He shook his head. "You were feelin' kinda homesick last night and it shows in your makeover of the living room." He hadn't tried to get her to change it back the night before because he figured it couldn't hurt to let her hold onto the illusion a little longer, but now… What if seeing it made her feel worse? He watched her as she threw the covers back and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
"Really vocal," she snorted as she got up.
Kyle grinned unrepentantly. "You are! It was like sleepin' next to a buzz saw."
"I do not snore."
"I beg to differ." He got up to follow her into the living room, taking one of her hands in both of his when her shocked gaze had her reaching out to him.
Someone started pounding on the door before she had too much time to process what she was seeing.
"Sounds like Michael's feelin' no pain this mornin'," he muttered. "I really envy the way you guys get drunk and don't have to suffer the hangover the next mornin'." He squeezed her hand and nodded at the room. "Switch it back and then go take your shower. I'll fix us somethin' quick to eat 'cause that sounds like his impatient knock."
Isabel rolled her eyes. "How can you tell the difference?"
He grinned and walked to the front door, leaning back against it, watching as the room transformed before his very eyes. "Hey," he said when he saw the sadness on her face as she looked at the cabin that was once more in its original state. His body was jolted when Michael pounded on the door again but he held her gaze as he remained otherwise unmoving. "You will see them again, Isabel."
She swallowed hard and nodded before slipping back into her room.
He waited until he heard the shower come on before he turned and unlocked the door, pulling it open and shaking his head when he saw Maria munching on a pop tart. "Mmm… breakfast on the run?"
"Where's Isabel?" Michael demanded as he prowled around the room.
"Hey, El Capitan, leave the snow by the door," Kyle said before Michael could track it all over the room.
Maria shook her head when Michael turned to say something to Kyle and a moment later he returned to stomp his feet on the rug by the door.
"We're gonna have somethin' to eat." Kyle grabbed a box of cereal and poured it into two bowls before putting the milk on the table between them. He dropped a couple of slices of bread in the toaster before going to the refrigerator and grabbing the grape jelly.
"We don't have time for all this," Michael grumbled.
"Pop tarts to go is tempting but I'm gonna pass… pretty sure that'd be grounds for divorce in this cabin. And Isabel might just tell you where you and your pop tarts can go if you suggest she have them while we run over to Max and Liz's cabin." He looked up from pouring two glasses of orange juice. "I'll assume that's why you're here so early? Time for another meeting?" He nodded when Michael just glared at him. "So, no invasions prior to breakfast? No FBI agents cleverly disguised as little mounds of snow popping up all around us?" He shook his head. "No? Good, then there's no need to rush." He sat down and started mixing Tabasco sauce in the jelly, stirring it before spreading it on a piece of toast and taking a bite.
Maria winced as she watched him. Disgusting. The rest of them ate hot sauce in most things but she didn't care for it. Something that separated her from the others. She ignored that thought and moved to lean against the short wall that divided the breakfast nook from the kitchen.
"So, looks like things went okay last night," Kyle said as he watched Michael investigating their cabin. He waggled his eyebrows playfully as he nodded at the nosy hybrid. "Guess you took my advice, huh?"
Before Maria could come back with a scathing comment Isabel came up behind him and smacked the back of his head. "Eww, Kyle, not over breakfast."
Michael turned to face them, observing how easily Kyle and Isabel interacted. She didn't have a single word of reproach for his choice of breakfast food as she talked with him and Maria. He shook his head and turned to continue his investigation of the cabin, freezing when his gaze caught the Mickey Mouse blanket on Isabel's bed. His eyebrows lifted in interest as he made another pass through the cabin, surreptitiously scanning the second, smaller bedroom. The top bunk covered with the sheets that matched the blanket on Isabel's bed but no other blanket in sight. Huh, go figure.
His patience, what little there was of it, was wearing thin as the three of them talked and Maria eventually joined them for a piece of toast, opting for butter and cinnamon instead of the spicy jelly. "We have a meeting to get to," he said finally.
Kyle responded automatically, bringing his right hand up to salute and smacking himself in the forehead with his spoon. He made a face as the girls burst out laughing and he just grinned at Michael as he wiped his forehead off. "And on that note, I think we should head out for El Capitan's meeting before he bursts a blood vessel."
Michael refrained from further comment when that seemed to get everyone up and moving. As soon as the dishes had been rinsed and stacked in the sink he was able to get them into their coats and out the door. He shook his head at them, relaxing when Maria's hand slipped into his as they took the lead on the walk to the honeymoon cabin.