He watched her up on stage, her hips swaying ever so slightly. He watched the other guys watch her, and felt a swell of pride. She was his. But staying away from her, pretending to be on the outs...it was killing him. There had been times when he had watched her flitter around in the Crashdown, and had tuned out Max and Izzy...he just wanted to pull her next to him and lavish attention on her right there.

But he couldn't, because who knew if what they were doing was dangerous? Who knew what dangerous chemicals he had exposed her to...?

He smirked. Nah. No way in hell was anything bad gonna come from their relationship.

She finished up her song, and looked towards the exit. He had seen Liz leave, and assumed that Max had done something stupid. But she was singing, and he loved her voice when she was just talking. It had to be even better when she was singing.

And it was. Seductive...just like her. Suddenly she looked over at him, her lips twisting into a smile. She started the next song, one he didn't recognize. He couldn't take his eyes off her, being sure to soak the image up. Another picture to add to his mental collection. And she was even wearing clothes in this one.

She would have been proud.

- - - -

They were in the wings, sharing a bottle of sparkling grape juice. He couldn't come backstage yet, because Alex was there, and they had to keep up appearances. But she knew he was there. She felt the tingling in her fingertips...he was waiting for her...

It disturbed her a bit that she could feel him like that.

Pretty soon, everyone left. Except for Alex, who was waiting for her.

"Oh...Alex, you can go ahead. I'm gonna stay behind and get changed."

He shrugged and said, "Alright, bye Maria. You did a great set tonight."

And then he was gone. She smiled to herself and grabbed her clothing. Michael was still somewhere (being creepy, as usual) watching her...well, if he was just gonna gawk...

She shimmied out of her tube top, being careful to look damn sexy while doing it, and tossed it onto the ground. She wrapped her arms around herself and smiled.

"Oh dear, I seem to have lost my shirt! Wherever could it be?"

Any OTHER time, she would have thought it was all cheesy as hell. But it was fun. And just why couldn't sex be fun? Was there some law or something?

"Miss, I think you need to get dressed." a whispy voice spoke behind her.

She spun around, ready to be embarrassed, and was relieved to see it was just Michael. He crossed his arms and blatantly stared at the tops of her breasts.

"But I can't find my top! It's dark red and its pretty small...it could have been stolen!" she worked the innocent sex kitten angle perfectly, she thought.

He smiled (an ACTUAL smile, but it didn't surprise her so much anymore) and moved forward, grabbing her arms and moving them out of the way.

"You don't have to wear anything. It's okay."

She pressed into him and purred happily.

"Maybe for you, but it's kinda cold back here!"

"I can feel that...why don't we just get you home, eh?"

"My mother told me not to go home with strangers. And you're pretty strange, big boy."

He rolled his eyes and pulled his button-up shirt off. He pulled it over her shoulders and sighed inwardly. She looked so good in his clothes.

"Let's go, blondie. Unless you wanna christen the stage, that is?"

She shook her head and buttoned two buttons, leaving enough skin showing to taunt him. She grabbed her tube top and pulled it on him, so that he was standing there in his undershirt and the sparkly band of fabric stretched around his chest. She giggled and pulled him out of the theatre, intent on their goal.

- - - -

They barely made it to the trailer park. Michael couldn't keep his hands off her, and was trying desperately to convince her to try the natural thing again. But she had said that even though the time in the woods was fun, she didn't feel like getting jammed into a tree again. She had had bark marks on her back for a week!

So they FINALLY got to the trailer, creeping past a passed out Hank, who Maria noticed gave Michael a good jolt of fear, almost as if he expected the older man to wake up...

She put the thought off for another night, and they reached his room. She threw herself onto his small bed, burying her face in his pillow.

She felt his hands smooth up her back and around, unbuttoning his shirt. She wriggled and let him take it off of her, and he did the same to her pants and shoes, so that she was laying on her stomach, naked except for her choker and bracelets. She felt a little vulnerable...somehow, even though he had seen her like that before...she had almost no control over his actions this time, and she was completely open to him (in more ways than one) and it felt illicit.

He loosened her bracelets and pulled them off, kissing her wrists as they were freed. But strangely, he left her choker on. She turned to look at him, delighted to see the lust in his eyes, and spoke.

"Why don't you take off the choker too, Michael?"

He swallowed and smoothed her hair behind her ear.

"I like the way it looks...just let me have control, okay Maria?"

She nodded and laid her head down, biting her lip. It was a bit terrifying...but only because it was new. What was he going to do?

She found out soon enough.

- - - -

He didn't really know where to start at first. It was daunting, to say the least, that she trusted him so much.

He wanted her all the time...every second he spent without touching her, he devised all sorts of plans for them.

And he intended to enact them all before he died.

But first he had to get out of that stupid tube top she had put on him. Pulling it off, he sat there-- staring at the way her hair curled on the back of her neck --shirtless and horny as hell.

He gripped her thighs, pulling her upwards, so her stomach lifted away from the comforter and her body formed an inverted 'V' shape. He placed the pillow she had been resting on under her hips, and let her go. He noticed that her eyes were still closed. God, could she be any more adorable?

"Maria, do you want me?"

She nodded, but he wanted to hear her...

Grabbing her wrists and wrenching them up over her head, causing her to jump in surprise, he growled the question out again, making sure to not hold her too hard.

"Maria, do you want me?"

"Yes, Michael, yes."

Good...he let her go and reached over. Quickly ripping an old handkerchief he found into shreds, he tied her hands to the headboard. She watched him over her should, wordlessly, a startled look gracing her pretty features.

"You want me, then you can prove it, right?" He tugged at her earlobe with his teeth, and this time, she answered loudly.

"Whatever you want me to do."

"Good girl." he whispered into her ear, and then moved down, to her legs. He kissed the insides of her thighs, and reached between them to pull at her clit. She gasped, but bit her tongue...she was playing this expertly, right along with him. He couldn't keep himself restrained...she would have to do it for the both of them.

Deciding that the pillow could come in handy a bit later, he lifted her up higher, so that her legs were resting on either side of his head. He covered her warmth with his mouth, sending pleasures through both of their bodies.

He held her up, keeping her already weak body stable. She was saying his name, over and over. He pressed closer, because the position left little to be desired as far as closeness went. Which was what made it better.

He had to be rough to get what he wanted.

She almost came. He felt the tightening in her body, and pulled away. She growled, but kept still. After all, her hands were still tied.

- - - -

He was a fucking GOD.

If she was told she was going to die, and she was to choose the manner of her demise, she knew without a doubt, what it would be.

Michael, torturing her, having complete control over HER body. That was perfect. She needed nothing else in life, thankyou very much.

But it was still torture. And he was holding out...what was he planning?

She could feel him slide up along her body, and she closed her eyes.

"Maria, remember the aqua bra? And how all those guys stared at you? You know how much I hated that?"

"I'm sorry...Michael." her voice was trembling...but definately not from fear.

"You may be sorry now, but you have to be..." He paused, kissing her softly, as a preamble to what was about to take place. "Punished. Think you can handle that?"

She didn't answer, instead watching him with wide eyes as he ran his hand down the curve of her spine, resting on the back of her thigh. Then he lifted his hand up, and brought it back down in what could hardly be called a slap. He bristled at his own gentleness, and did it again, harder. She cried out, curling her hands into fists.

"Michael...oh...please."

He nodded, and almost as if he were psychic, and repeated, bringing a slight red mark up on her pale skin. Flashes of pain hit her, of being punched and beaten until she just wanted to give up...she started, meeting his eyes. Heat was coursing through her body, and she felt both aroused and disturbed at the same time...where had those flashes come from?

She forgot about that when Michael moved down, kissing her tender skin, and then spanking her again. She moaned, and he decided to ease up a bit. More of that later, judging by her reaction. She whimpered as he moved up, barely touching her. Resting his chest against her back, he traced lines up and down her arms, causing her to jerk slightly.

"Do you feel better Maria?"

"Yes..."

He smiled into her hair.

"Yes, what?"

She choked out the next words.

"Yes...sir."

"Do you want me to fuck you Maria?"

"Yes sir."

Michael pulled his pants off, relieved to feel her beneath him...he rubbed his erection against her entrance, and pushed into her at once, not willing to wait any longer. She moaned even louder than before, and he reached up, covering her mouth with his hand. He kissed the back of her neck, knowing that was a major erogenous zone for her. He knew her...whether he liked it or not.

Moans became passion-soaked sobs as they both fought to reach climax together...to reach a new level in their relationship.

Whether they liked it or not.

- - - -

It was amazing...they fit together perfectly. They were moving together, instinctively, unable to let go before completion. And then she cried out against his hand, and he heard his name, and he came right after her. She buried her face into his bed, and he buried his in her hair, and they lay like that, still entertwined...

But she had to go eventually.

"Michael...get up...I guess I have to go now."

He grunted and moved over. When she didn't move immediately, he remembered that she was still tied up, and quickly released her. She smiled at him and got dressed.

It didn't escape him that she pulled on his shirt without even thinking of hers. He got dressed, making sure to pinch her where he had slapped her earlier. She reddened and bit her lip, no doubt reliving the moment.

"I'll walk you home."

- - - -

She stood in her room, he stood outside, and they kissed goodbye, not quite ready to part yet.

But they had to anyway.

"Bye Michael...I-- I'll see you later." she smiled and retreated into her room. He touched the bricks below her window and sighed.

He couldn't say it yet, but one day...

He would show her.

He could be completely truthful some other day.