"You are one lucky little son of a bitch," Uncle Fred said to Michael as he dumped take-out Chinese food onto a plate.

"What do you mean?" Michael asked picking up a fork and stirring the food around on the plate. He wished he had some hot sauce, but settled for lots of soy sauce.

"That girl Isabel is a hottie. And she comes over here to see the likes of you? I don't get it."

"I have many good qualities and talents."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, that's so." Michael took a bite of the food and grimaced inwardly. Bland and boring. But he would only have to put up with it for a few days.

"My associate and I are thinking that it is about time for us to be leaving," Uncle Fred said mildly.

"When?"

"Tomorrow or the next day. Depends on what happens."

Michael made no comment, and concentrated on choking down the tasteless meal. Maybe he wouldn't have to put up with Uncle Fred or this food for that long after all. He finished eating, picked up his plate and put it in the sink. "I'm going to head to my room," he said.

Uncle Fred waved him away.

Michael entered the bedroom and closed the door behind him. Now he could relax. He piled pillows behind his back and sat back against the bed's headboard. He turned on the TV and started to surf.

@@@@@@@@@@

Maria felt better than she had all week long. Tomorrow was Saturday. The day that they had all agreed Michael would end his masquerade as Kyle. She watched the Friday Fright Fest and wondered if Michael was watching the same bad horror movie. She was sure Michael would have a lot to say about the buxom vampire women, and she wished he was there so she could hear it. Oh well, it was late, she was tired, and the sooner she went to sleep the sooner tomorrow would come. She turned off the tube and slipped under the covers laying on her side and wrapping her arms around a pillow. Sooner than she thought she would, she was drifting off into sleep.

Maria felt a warm body slip into bed next to her. A familiar arm wrapped itself around her waist and pulled her close.

Michael.

She snuggled against him and sighed in contentment. She didn't know how he had managed to sneak out of the Valenti house, but she was glad that he had. She smiled, opened her eyes and turned toward him.

She was alone.

A dream. It had just been a dream. Had she dreamed it on her own, or was Michael waiting for her on the dream plane?

Either way.

Wait for me, Michael, she thought. I'm coming. She closed her eyes again and slowly drifted off back to sleep.

He was there.

"You came back," he said.

"I'll always come back for you," she said smiling. She looked around her. They were in a beautiful garden, surrounded by colorful and fragrant flowers. "This place is beautiful," she said.

"I'm glad you like it," Michael answered. "It could never be as beautiful as you."

Maria blushed and looked down. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed when she saw the dress she was wearing. It was lavender, her favorite color. The sleeves were long and full. The neckline was low enough to show cleavage but still maintain modesty. It was form fitting to just above the waist, and the full skirt flared to the ground. The fabric was soft as a cloud, and it floated and moved in the breeze. It made her feel incredibly feminine. The feel of the soft fabric moving against her skin was sensual, like the soft touch of a lover's hand. "Are we the only ones here?" she asked.

"I think so. We can be if that's what you want," he replied.

"Did you do all this?"

"Some of it. You did part of it and I did part. The flowers are you." He looked around at the profusion of blossoms. He held out his hand, and she took it. "The dress is mine. I saw it when we connected."

"I don't think I've ever dreamed of a dress like this," she said.

"Yes you did. When you were a little girl going through your lavender phase, you thought this would be the perfect princess dress."

"Oh, God!" she groaned. "Could this be more embarrassing?" She remembered drawing the princess dress and imagining how beautiful she would look in it. Lavender had seemed the perfect color for a princess.

Michael laughed and pulled her toward him. "I think it's cute."

"I never dreamed a dress this low cut," she teased.

"Well, I improved on the basic design," he said with a grin.

She took his arm in hers. "Walk me through the gardens?"

"Absolutely."

As they walked arm in arm around the lush rosebushes the breeze picked up slightly. The fabric of her dress caressed her legs as she walked. It danced lightly over her ankles, and up to that little area behind her knees that was so sensitive, and up to her inner thighs as the wind blew the fabric between her legs. The sleeves slid gently across her arms and as she raised her hand to tuck a curl behind her ear, it brushed against her cheek and kissed her neck. They were going at a very leisurely pace, but her pulse pounded as the dress caressed her in all the places that Michael liked to touch her. All the places where he knew her body would respond. A tingling warmth swept through her. She looked up into his face, and he smiled back down at her.

"Are you doing this?" she asked in a suspicious tone.

His smile grew wider as he took her into his arms and held her tight.

"I thought so," she said raising her face to his.

They kissed and she invited the kiss deeper. His tongue stroked hers as he buried one hand in her hair. His other hand trailed down her back to her waist, but no lower. It didn't need to. The skirt kept moving in the breeze. It stroked and smoothed against her in all the right places. It felt as though several pairs of hands were all making love to her at the same time.

Maria pulled away from the kiss and looked into his eyes. "I love you, Michael."

He crushed her body to his. He held her so tight she could barely breathe. "I love you too," he said, and then his lips met hers in a kiss so intense it was as if he was trying to consume her from the mouth down.

Suddenly he pulled away from her gasping, a look of panic on his face. His face contorted and he cried out as if in horrible pain.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Maria cried.

Michael looked down at her in terror. "Help....."

And then he disappeared.