A Baby Story (AU, ?C Teen) *Need Kyle, Isabel, Michael*

[isabelle]

Hmm. We don't have anyone playing Valenti. How do we want to do this conversation? Somewhere I saw a copy of a scene that was cut from "Departure," where Max tells Jim. I don't know where that is, but maybe we could use part of it? I dunno.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*MAX*

Soon enough, we arrive at the Valenti's split-level home. There's no light on in Kyle's room, so I guess he's still back with Liz. ... Liz. I mentally shake my head, knowing there's no way to clear that big dark hole in my soul, but I have to learn to start acting like it's okay. This is how things are and I need to work with that.


We walk up the front walk and I ring the bell. Tess shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot and I'm reminded of the night Nacedo died. The night I brought her here for protection, 'cause we had nobody-else to trust.

"Coming," Valenti calls from inside. In a moment, he's opening the door. "Hey," he says as he sees us, looking confused as he opens the door wide. "You know you don't have to ring the bell, Tess. And, Max, you're always welcome here. Come in. Sit down."

"Yeah," I say, resisting the urge to run my finger under my collar. "I hope you still think that an hour from now."

Now Valenti looks genuinely worried. "What is it?"

Tess comes up beside me and takes my hand. "Maybe you should sit down," I suggest.

.

[isabelle]

Mollie, I found the script I was looking for, but it was extremely limited. So, I guess we'll just go our own way. We'll both do as much Valenti as we want for a post and then let the other do it. That should work. We'll just split it up a bit. Okay?
I'll post what little there was, and then you can go ahead and post.
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*MAX*

The sheriff looks concerned and puzzled, as he takes a seat. Tess and I sit next to each other on the couch, facing him. How in the world am I going to start this? Tess takes my hand in both of hers and I look down at our entwined fingers, glad that she's here.

I take a breath and straighten up. Best to do it straight out, I think. "Tess is pregnant. With my child."

Valenti jumps to his feet at that, shouting. "What?! "

I stay on the couch with Tess, following him with my eyes. "Sheriff -- "

He stands over us. "You've got to be kidding. Tess is living here under my roof. She's seventeen years old!"

"I know, Sheriff." I can feel it. The weight of his anger and disappointment. After all he's done for us, for me to come to him with this isn't right. I don't even know what to say. "She's not in this alone. I'm here. For her and our child."
.

[FallenMagic]

I think I'll make Kyle head over back home. Liz can always call him back. I won't make him reach home but I'll just show he's heading back. That way Mollie or you can make him appear whever you guys want. That okay with you isabelle?

~*~* Kyle ~*~*

I sigh to myself when Liz doesn't answer. Maybe she's asleep...or maybe she wants to be alone. I don't blame her if she does.

"Well if you don't want to talk, that's okay by me Liz." I tell her gently. "But if you need to talk or whatever, don't hesitate to call me, 'k?"

When I still don't recieve a reply, I get up slowly and head back down the ladder. I guess I should go home. I expect Tess to have gone back. I wonder if Max is with her? I wonder if they will tell dad. I shudder involuntarily. I don't want to know my dad's reaction when he finds out. I hope I'm not there when it happens. Sure i'm willing to be there for Tess but not for a millionbucks would I want to trade places with Max when he has to tell my dad that he got Tess pregnant.

But then again, maybe Max deserves a bit of uncertainity and worry...

~*~* End Kyle ~*~*

[Elizabeth Evans]

(Hi, all! Thanks for asking me to play Tess so that this RPG can move forward. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens Ok, I got a suggestion to add more dialogue. I stuck with Tess' thoughts and reactions because right now I have no clue what to have Jim say, and I need to get aaa feel for the story a bit more. But I"ll provide Kyle's cue to enter the scene )

*Tess*

I inwardly cringe at Jim's reaction. I really should have seen this coming, but even had I thought this through, nothing in the universe could have prepared me for how difficult this would be. I give Max's hand a reassuring squeeze, trying to lend him comfort and seek some comfort of my own. And all the while, I can hardly breathe, much less bring myself to meet Jim's eyes as he digests this news. But, even through the anxiety, a small glimmer of hope remains that Jim might one day be able to be OK with this and welcome this child as a grandson or granddaughter. Would that be too much to ask?


Finally, I manage to look up at Jim. "I'm so sorry...I know how dissapointed you must be in me...." And to tell the truth, I was so disappointed in myself for blindly following Nasedo's sick and twisted plan and allowing that lack of foresight to create this havoc in not just my life, but in Max's and thw whole group. Well, I was through with that plan. From now on, my life was my own, and I was going to see that Max didn't pay for my mistake, and that our child wouldn't eitherr. I was grateful beyond words for Max's caring, loyalty, and support, and he would receive no less from me. Whatever happened, we would make it through this.

Just before Jim can answer, I hear the door open, and Kyle walks in. I stifle a sigh of relief; maybe Kyle can keep his father in check, because I can see from the look on Jim's face that he's about to explode. I get up and walk over to Kyle. "Kyle, come sit with us...please." Then more softly, I ask...almost beg...him, "Can you help us talk to your dad about this?"

[isabelle]

*MAX*

"I'm so sorry...I know how dissapointed you must be in me...." Tess says.

My head jerks up at her words. We were both involved. She can't take the blame. I won't let her. "It's not your fault," I start to tell her.

Before I can continue or Jim can respond, the door opens and Kyle comes in. I press my lips together, not sure what to say. I try not to glare. Afterall, this is his house. But I certainly don't need him here right now. This conversation is hard enough already.

Tess has other ideas. "Kyle, come sit with us...please. Can you help us talk to your dad about this?"

I look at Kyle. Wasn't he with Liz? He just left her there? I don't want her to be alone, but I guess I don't have much say in her life anymore. "Tess," I say to her quietly, although my eyes don't leave Kyle. "I'm not sure that's going to help."

[FallenMagic]

~*~* Kyle *~*~

As soon as I come in, I see Max and Tess sitting together in frnt of my dad. I look at my dad's face and the way Tess is clinging to Max with s distressed look and I know dad knows.

"Kyle, come sit with us...please. Can you help us talk to your dad about this?" Tess pleaded when shesaw me.

I can see Max glaring at me as he says something to Tess. My eyes are drawn to the way Tess is holding on to Max and I feel pain shoot through me. Doesn't she see how much it hurts me to see her an Max together? And she asks me to help convice dad?

For a moment I just hold her gaze, contemplating, thinking that I should just leave her in her their own created probmlems but then I sigh. I can't do that. No matter what, I love her too much to just abandon her.

I don't come to sit down next to her but rather take a chair. I look at my dad and say, "Dad, what's done is done. As much as I don't like it the fact s that Tess is pregannt with an alien baby and she needs to be safe/ You're the only one who can keep her safe." I look over Max, not really hiding my contempt for him. "Max can't seem to stay out of trouble."

[KatnotKath]

OOC: hey guys, thanks for asking me to play Liz. I've been thinking about it a bit and I'm still struggling to work out how to deal with it but this is what I've come up with in the end, hope that you all think it's ok.

~Liz~

I know that Kyle wants to help…but right now I don’t know anyone who can. I can’t talk to him at the moment, the only person I want to talk to is Max…I know that it doesn’t really matter now but I want him to know that I never betrayed him…that what he thought he saw that night wasn’t true… I bury my head in my pillows, looking away, unable to speak. If I say anything, I know that the cries which so far I’m managing to hold back will come flooding out. I can feel the tears which are slipping down my cheeks and know that I must look awful but right now I don’t care… I’ve lost my friends, the boy I love has got another girl pregnant and one of my best friends is dead… Alex is dead…it makes no sense, Future Max said that he was there at out wedding…what changed things so much…and if something did change it, who says that it wouldn’t be possible for me and Max to have been together. Well there’s no chance of that now…I’m alone… After I know that Kyle has gone, I turn over to face the window. So many memories, so many times Max has climbed up that way… Now that I know that I’m alone, I finally let go, allowing myself to cry freely. What a mess my life is…

[isabelle]

*MAX*

I try to ignore Kyle's comment as he sits nearby to join this tortured conversation. I can't seem to look at him without seeing him with Liz. I'm sure, somehow, that he didn't actually sleep with her, but it still hurts me in places deep inside, where my healing powers can't touch it.

Jim's eyes widen as he looks at Kyle and then back at Tess and me. She grips my arm, leaning closely, almost hiding. I try to sit straight. I'm not going to duck any of this. Nothing could make it feel worse.

"Kyle knows?" Jim asks me.

I nod. "We told them all this afternoon. I'll talk to my parents tomorrow."

Jim stands there, running his hand through his hair. "I don't believe this!" He takes a few steps across the living room and then reverses himself, coming back to where he was.

"Sheriff," I say and then bite my lip. It's so automatic, but he's not the sheriff any more. And that's my fault, too. I go on, managing not to choke on my next words, "Kyle's right. We didn't plan this, but we do have to deal with it. We don't know anything about what's going to happen. What this is going to be like." I look at Tess, seeing all the emotional pain and fear in her eyes, but also - hope. "I'm going to do everything I can to help her." I turn back to Jim. "She's going to need you, too."

[Elizabeth Evans]

(I hope this is ok. Let me know if you want any changes made )

*Tess*

I glance over at Kyle at his comment about Max. I understand his bitterness and anger toward Max and am grateful beyond words that he still cares enough to support me though this tough time.

"Thank you, Kyle," I give him a small smile as he sits down with us.

"Max is right. I'm going to need you, now more than ever. Jim...you're the closest thing I have to a father. And Kyle....you're one of the closest people in this world to me. I need you, too. I'm so sorry for this mess, but with your support and Max's, I know we can get through this."

Jim still looks concerned. "Tess, Max, you're talking about bringing a baby into the world. A baby who will need parents who can provide for it. You two haven't even finished high school, let alone college. How are you going to handle all the expenses at this point in your lives? And here's another thing to think about. Your lives are filled with constant danger both from the government and other aliens. Is it really fair to bring a baby into this? A baby needs security and stability, and you two aren't in a position to give it that. And neither might human parents be. It wouldn't be fair to human parents to knowingly put them and an innocent baby in danger. I'm not trying to be harsh here, but I'm trying to consider this from all angles and give you the best guidance I can. There is another possibiliity...you could end this pregnancy..."

"What?!" Max and I chorused together, looking to each other in shock at the suggestion. The sherrif had brought up some very important and valid points, but there was more to it than that. Were we prepared to end a life that was now a part of us?

[FallenMagic]

~*~* Kyle *~*~

I sat back stunned by my father's words. How could he even suggest that? Even I, who would do anything to get Tess away from Max, would not suggest that.

"Dad, how can you say that?" I ask accusingly.

"Look son," Dad says softly. "I know this seems harsh but have you considered the dangers of having a baby in the midst of all of this?"

"We've always known the dangers." I tell him. "And if you're worried about if the baby will be safe, if there is anything I'm sure of is that Max will do anything to keep his son safe! We all would!"

I look over to where Max and Tess are sitting and have to look away. How can dad even suggest that? After all that has happened to them, how can he ask them to kill their child?