ROSWELL on PLANET-SF

CHAPTER ONE

"Why did you decide to move in with Michael all of a sudden?" Amy DeLuca was following her daughter around. "I thought you were going to wait until you were more comfortable taking care of Leia by yourself!"

"I was, I am." Maria began packing more clothes in a suitcase. "It's just time, you know. We're ready."

"Do you plan on getting married to Michael any time in the near future?"

"Oh my God!" Maria pivoted around to meet her mother. "Do we have to talk about that now? Can't you see I'm a little busy?"

"I see you're packing like a crazy person. Why do you have to do this tonight?"

"Because it's the right time," Maria silently added and because my baby can make things fly through the air. "It's just the right time. We're ready."

"Has Michael even been alone with the baby, yet?"

"Yeah, he's great with her." Maria took a deep breath. "We're her parents and I just think it's time we start acting like a family. That's it."

"Yesterday everything was fine." Amy put her hands on her hips. "Did something happen? Oh God, you're not pregnant again are you?"

"Chill Mamasita, Leia is more than enough. I'm on the pill now, no more babies."

"You really have to do this tonight?" Amy looked towards a sleeping Leia in her carrier. "It's just that I'm so used to having her around. I'm going to miss her." She sat down on the bed, folding her hands in her lap.

Maria took a deep breath and sat next to her mother. "I know, I'm sorry. You knew this day was going to come sometime, right? That shouldn't be a surprise."

"The abruptness of it is."

"It's just time. Michael's only got a couple more months at the Academy and then he's done. His job is so secure, you know that. I'm good with Leia, really good. Michael's good with her, he would die for her. We'd never let anything happen to her."

"I know. Michael has turned out to be something I never expected. He's taken responsibility for everything. I'm happy for you, I mean, for you to be with him."

"Really?"

"Yes. I've been giving him credit for a lot of things and I think you two are going to live a long, happy life together."

"Thanks, mom." Maria hugged her.

"I think you should get married and be legitimate, but that's a whole other story."

"Someday."

* * * *

Michael was pacing in his apartment; Max and Liz were there with him. Liz was cleaning. She had rubber gloves on and a mop in her hands.

"Do you have any floor cleaner?" she asked Michael for the second time after getting no response the first. "Michael!"

"What?" He looked at her running his hands through his hair.

"Floor cleaner?"

"I don't know." He shook his head and went back to pacing.

"Michael," Max placed his hand on Michael's shoulder. "You have to calm down."

"Calm down?" he laughed. "How can I calm down? My baby made her bottle fly across the room a few hours ago. Do you know what that means?"

"She's got a little something extra." Max cocked his head to the side and suppressed a smile.

"It's not funny. Do you know how bad this could be?"

"I know. I was just thinking about your expression when it happened."

"Great. How are we supposed to keep this quiet?"

"I don't know. Moving her and Maria in with you is a start. At least you can keep tabs on her."

"We won't always be around her. When I start my new job, there's going to be a lot of nights that Maria and I both are working and Ms. DeLuca is going to baby-sit. What happens when Leia calls something else to her?"

"We'll figure it out, we always do."

"Speaking of them moving in, I could use a little help." Liz tapped her foot impatiently on the floor. "This place is a dump. You can't have a baby living in a dump."

Michael looked at her and nodded. He breezed past Max and went into the bedroom. He began picking clothes up off the floor and then stripped the bed, throwing the bedding on the floor. Max and Liz watched from the threshold.

"When is Maria coming over?" Max asked.

"I don't know, soon, I guess. Kyle and Isabel went to his house for boxes then they're going to help her pack."

"Ms. DeLuca is going to have a fit," Liz said softly. "I don't know if she'll let Maria go."

"She's not a little girl, Maria can do what she wants," Michael said as he lay down on the floor and pulled things from underneath the bed. "This place is dangerous." He held a saw blade in his hand. "I can't let them move in here until it's baby-proofed."

"They can stay with us," Liz offered, ignoring the pained look from Max. "I mean, until you have time to fix this place up."

"Seriously?" Michael sighed. "That would be great. I need a day or two to get it done. Kyle can help, he's handy."

"Are you sure you just don't want to zap everything?" Liz asked raising her eyebrows. "You know..."

"No. I want to do it." Michael stood and dropped the saw blade on the bed. "I want it to be from me."

Max looked to Liz and shrugged. "So, I guess we're going to have our first houseguests, huh?"

"Yeah," Liz smiled innocently. "I better call Maria and tell her." She backed out of the doorway and went into the kitchen. She dialed the DeLucas' and was relieved when Maria answered. "How's it going over there?"

"I'm pretty sure that this house sits on top of a Hellmouth."

"Okay, Buffy. Anyway, Michael's place is a dangerous dump. You and Leia are staying with us for a few days until sanitation and order can be restored here."

"Thank you," she let out a deep breath. "Kyle and Isabel just got here and now my mom is quizzing Kyle. Poor me."

"How long until you've got enough for a few days?"

"Really freakin' soon." She called something to Isabel then went back to Liz. "I want almost all of Leia's stuff out tonight and a lot of mine. The sooner I get this done, the better."

"You really are in a rush," Liz laughed.

"Trying to keep it together, don't want a freak out in front of Amy. When will you be back home?"

"Soon," Liz looked over her shoulder at Max. He was smiling at her. She smiled back. "Real soon. Just come on over."

"Is Michael going to be there?"

"I don't think so, do you want to talk to him?"

"No. He's freaking out isn't he?"

"Yeah."

Liz hung up and went back in the bedroom. Michael was sitting on the bed, the saw blade back in his hand. "Do you have any idea what could have happened if Leia had gotten a hold of this? She could have killed or maimed herself."

"But she didn't," Max reminded him.

"She could have." Michael shook his head. "I have no business bringing her here."

"You'll get it together Michael, give it a couple of days."

"She's not human, Max." Michael finally looked up at his friend through red rimmed eyes. Liz exited the room.

"Yes, she is." Max held his hands out to him. "She's very human."

"She can move things, she's got powers and apparently knows how to use them. Fuck! I knew everything was going too good. Nothing ever went this smooth for Michael Guerin."

"Quit feeling sorry for yourself." Max looked at him. "Everything is going smooth and it will continue to. You should be counting your blessings that Leia was born healthy. So she's got a little power. So what?"

"We could be found out."

"We won't be. We'll all keep an eye on things. You know Liz and I will baby-sit as much as we can for you when you're out pulling over speeding teenagers." Max sat down next to him placing his hand on his shoulder. "We're all family here Michael. We look out for each other. It's not like you're going to go through this alone."

Michael pursed his lips and nodded. "You promise you'll help?"

"As much as I can."

"Thanks, brother."

* * * *

"Jim! Thank goodness you're here!" Amy welcome him into her home with a hug. "Can you try to talk some sense into my daughter?"

"What's going on?" He motioned to the few boxes in the living room.

"Maria is moving in with Michael. Now."

"Right now? Like tonight?" He raised his eyebrows. "I guess Kyle is probably helping, isn't he? I saw his car out front."

"He brought her the boxes!" Amy exclaimed. "I just wish someone could explain why she feels the need to move out at midnight!"

Jim Valenti looked past Amy at Kyle who was walking back in the living room carrying a box in one hand, an armful of clothes in the other. He stopped when he saw his dad. "Hi dad."

"Kyle." Jim nodded at him. "So, what's with the moving in the middle of the night?"

"Maria wanted to move and Isabel and I are helping. That's it." He looked nervously from his dad to Amy.

Amy rolled her eyes. "I'm going to try to talk to her again." She walked from the room.

Kyle set the box down and laid the clothes over the back of the couch before approaching his father.

"Kyle, what the hell is going on?"

"Someone's got special powers," he said in a sing song voice and smiled.

"The baby?"

Kyle nodded then cringed when he heard Maria start yelling. Isabel suddenly appeared in the doorway to the living room, she was carrying Leia.

"There she is!" Jim went to the baby and coaxed her out of Isabel's arms. "You are such a pretty baby!"

"What are you doing here?" Isabel asked raising her eyebrows. "Kind of late for a date, isn't it?"

"I just stopped by because I saw my son's car out front," Jim answered while not taking his eyes off Leia. "What's going on in there?"

"Ms. DeLuca begging Maria not to leave and Maria saying something about living on a Hellmouth."

"Huh. Are you almost done?"

"Just waiting for Maria, really." Isabel looked to Kyle who nodded in agreement.

"Okay, get the stuff to the car and wait for Maria. I'll handle Amy."

"Did Kyle tell you...?" She motioned to the baby as he finally looked up at her.

"We'll talk about it later, now go!"

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STORY OF LINES:
4 - DOORWAYS

CHAPTER ONE

WRITTEN BY BECKY W

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