Title: An Unexpected Visitor

Author: HeavenlyVixen

Rating: PG-13

Series: The Story of Us (Part 1)

Description: Set after Changes - Maria receives a visit from someone unexpected.

Disclaimer: I don't own them, but if I did season 3 would have been a hell of a lot better for our candy couple.

Dedication:

To Sarah -

Your work inspires me. You can always

make me laugh or cry. Either way you leave

me with tears in my eyes.

Love you.

Author's Note:

This is a really old series. I wrote this years ago and never got around to posting it here. It was posted at the Candy is Dandy forum but for some reason I never uploaded it here. I don't know if anyone still reads Roswell fic, but it doesn't really matter, this series meant a lot to me, and I wanted to post it here finally. I hope you all like it and give it a chance.

Maria walked into her empty house. Her mother was still at work and wouldn't be home for another hour. She felt so alone. She'd never felt truly alone, but now as she walked through the empty house, with no one to talk to, no one to be near, she felt as if she were the last person alive.

She was so exhausted. So tired of thinking all the time, of worrying and being scared. She was too tired to even cry as the emotions washed over her and threatened to consume her. She walked slowly to her room, the task more difficult than it should be. Her body was so heavy. She collapsed onto her bed and prayed for some peace. Just as she started to drift off into slumber she heard a familiar voice call out her name. The sound made her shoot upright, she was afraid, afraid it wasn't real and she was going insane. She looked around her room but saw no one. Maria closed her eyes and let one single tear roll down her cheek unchecked. She jumped slightly as she felt a hand cup her cheek and wipe the moisture away.

"Is it really you? Please tell me it's you?" She asked quietly.

"It's me Ria."

Maria slowly opened her eyes, when she focused on him she flung herself into his arms. He was there.

"Alex." She gasped as she clung to him. He smiled as he rubbed her back like a father comforting his child.

"It's ok Ria. Everything's all right. I'm here to help." He pulled away from her gently and sat beside her, taking her hand in his. "Tell me what's wrong," he whispered.

"I don't know. I'm so lost Alex. I miss you so much."

He smiled softly at her and squeezed her hand.

"I miss you too, but you do know what's wrong and I'm here to help you find your way. So tell me Ria. What happened?"

She looked into his eyes, still so bright.

"I left him. I hurt him. It makes me sick to know that, but I did. I walked away and hurt him."

Alex's soft smile faded slightly.

"I know that. I want to know why."

She looked away from him.

"I couldn't do it anymore. All the crazy alien chaos was just too much. I couldn't deal."

Alex forced her to meet his eyes.

"Ria, please don't lie to me. Why'd you really leave him?" She laughed lightly.

"I never could lie to you... He's going to leave me." She whispered.

"But Ria, he stayed for you, he loves you."

A tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another as the fear she'd been holding in was finally let go.

"One day he's going to realise that I'm not enough, that I wasn't worth it and he'll leave me."

Alex shook his head and attempted to wipe the tears away, it was no use, they just kept flowing.

"If he leaves, I don't think I would be able to handle it. I was getting so dependant on him, maybe I already am, that it would kill me."

"Ria, it's killing you now."

Maria broke down. A sob ripped through the air as she laid her head on his shoulder. Alex pulled her into his arms and rocked her back and forth trying to comfort her and soothe the pain away.

"It's never going to happen Ria. He loves you, I never thought I'd say this about Guerin but he's changed and he's proven that he's worthy of you. Now are you strong enough to be loved that much?"

Maria pulled her head up and looked at him.

"I know what you're doing Alex. It's an old trick."

"Is it working?" He smiled that smile that only Alex had. She smiled brightly but it quickly disappeared.

"I don't want you to go. Don't leave me Alex. Please"

He looked at her sadly. "Ria, I'm already gone, let me go."

She looked at him, pain in her eyes. "I can't." She wanted to look away, ashamed at her admission, but she couldn't. She wanted to look at him for as long as she could.

"Yes you can. Look at what you've done. You've got a demo deal. You can do anything Ria, I believe in you. Not even death can change that."

"You believe in me?"

"Always. Now it's time for you to believe in yourself, in Michael. Defy destiny Maria and believe in fate."

She looked at him in awe. Maria reached up and touched his cheek. He smiled at her softy and rose to his feet, taking her hand.

"No Alex, please don't go."

He shook his head. "You don't need me. Just remember this, when things get tough, believe in the love." She squeezed his hand. "Go to New York Ria, take a chance, but before you do you have to go to Michael. You can't leave it like this, life is unpredictable, you never know if you'll have another chance to tell him you love him."

"What am I going to do without you?"

He smiled his smile again, "What you'll always do Ria... Shine... Love you."

"Ditto."

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. Her eyes closed and when she opened them he was gone. She leaned back slowly and curled up on her bed. She closed her eyes and thanked whoever was listening for the peace they offered her in the form of an unexpected visitor.

TBC...