"Look, I don't want to lose you. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, ever, if I can help it," he said.

Maria paused, and then threw her arms around him. "I thought I was going to lose you," she said.

He held her quietly for a long moment and then whispered, "You're not going to get rid of me that easily."

Pulling back, he looked at her and wiped the tears from her face. "Look Maria, everybody does die, but not everybody has a girl like you. In fact, I'm the only one, and I'm not going to let anyone get in the way of that. If that means taking out the odd alien in human form, then so be it. But whatever happens, you are not getting rid of me."

"Michael," she said softly, then she kissed him. A moment later, she pulled away and disappeared into the bathroom. When she emerged, she was wearing something black, and small.

Very small.

"Wow," was all he could say.

"It's a surprise," she said. "For you."

"But I didn't get you anything," he replied, approaching her. Then she was in his arms, and he felt himself getting lost.

"You'll have to make it up to me, then," she said.