This part is a little long but it is bringing us closer to what all you slash ho's have been waiting for...
Also, I know you're not likers of Tess but really, she's good here and it evens it all out (as long as she's not with Max she's not too bad)
Chapter 13
Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess sat on the couches in the silent room. Max and Michael had paced so much that Tess had insisted that they sit. The group had a plan forming but it did not prevent this next step from happening. Isabel sat wringing her hands nervously as the time was upon them to separate for the next 18 days.
“Max. I don’t think I can do this.” Isabel said.
Max took her hand and looked into her eyes. He sent his love and assurance to her. On Earth, Isabel had always been in control of her emotions on the outside, icy even but since coming to Antar, her façade had fallen. “You’ll be fine Isabel. You can do this. You won’t be totally alone.”
“I know but I’m scared. I have these feelings that I don’t know if I can not act upon. They get stronger everyday. Having you all around has helped me with them.”
“We are all scared and we are all feeling those same emotions also. Isabel, do you trust me?”
Isabel nodded and squeezed his hands. “With my life Max.”
“Good. Because I trust Alex so you can too. He won’t hurt you or force you into anything. In fact, I think it will absolutely kill him at the thought of something happening to you.” Max did not feel the need to tell her that he and Alex had a long talk about Isabel or the threat he issued to Alex about her well being. He was doing his big brother duty.
Isabel opened her mouth to say something when the door opened and the four humans walked in.
“Are you ready Isabel?” Alex asked. He’d felt her anxiety all morning and was eager to assure her. Isabel nodded and hugged Max, Tess and Michael before leaving with Alex.
Tess came up to Max. He looked down into her crystal blue eyes. He was proud of her. She’d been so calm and mostly controlled through this entire ordeal, lending support when anyone needed it, especially to Isabel.
“You OK?”
“Yes. Kyle will take care of me.” Her statement was matter of fact.
Max nodded, not telling her he’d spoken to Kyle as well the day before. Again, the big brother mode kicking in. Tess hugged Michael and Max then left with Kyle.
Max looked to Michael. No words were needed but they embraced quickly.
“Be nice.” Was Max’s only warning.
Michael smirked. “Always.” Then he left with Liz.
“Let’s go you Highness. Let’s check out our deluxe suite with a view.” Maria said, humor filling her voice.
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Michael was lying on the bed waiting for Liz. They were now situated in their new room but it was too quiet. He wished he had his Metallica CD collection to listen to. He looked around the room and wondered if the others’ were the same. It was a small room much like a studio apartment. There was a kitchen area, a table with two chairs, a couch and bed. Off to one side was a door to a closet that held Michael’s scrubs that he wore and Liz’s clothing. Another door nearby went to a bathroom that Liz was currently using. One last door was found that led to a small walled yard.
“Yes, all four rooms are identical.” Liz said coming out of the bathroom in a pair of PJ pants and a t-shirt. She had a towel in hand drying her wet hair. She sat on the bed and looked at Michael. Now that they were here alone, she was nervous, not really knowing how to act with him.
Michael took the towel from her hands and began to dry her hair. “It would be faster with my powers.”
Liz let a small smile grace her lips then Michael felt his energy flow freely through his body. He put the towel down and ran his hands through her hair slowly, using his powers to dry it. Within minutes it was dry, smooth, and shiny. With his job done, he resumed his position on the bed lying on his back.
“It’s late Liz, come here.” He patted to the area next to him.
“I thought we all agreed not to do what Khivar wanted.”
“We all agreed not to allow him to use us to repopulate Antar. But that does not mean we can’t sleep in the same bed. I promise, I just want to hold you.”
Liz looked at Michael. She could sense his nervousness and a little fear in him also. He wanted to comfort her and needed some in return. “OK but we sleep, right?”
Michael nodded. His arms ached to hold her small frame to his and let her scent fill him. Liz moved to lie beside Michael but he gathered her into his arms, as they lay on their sides, her back snug against his bare chest. As they drifted off to sleep, they both knew that they were home and safe.
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Isabel was lying on the grass outside in her and Alex’s little yard looking up at the star littered sky. She looked at the bright ones, the dim ones, and the twinkling ones. She heard Alex come and lay by her, not touching her.
“Do you know if one of those is Earth?” she asked softly. She never dreamed she’d be so homesick.
“Over there.” Alex pointed off to the left to a dim star.
“It’s so far away.” She commented. They laid there in silence until Isabel spoke again. “Do you ever think of Earth? Ever imagine what it would be like?”
“Probably as much as you did about Antar before coming here. I used to imagine having a big family. One where I had a lot of brothers and sisters and that they missed me and loved me. I saw myself walking into the house and being surrounded by love and family, all happy that I was finally home. But I guess that’s all is was, just a dream.”
Isabel turned so that she could see Alex. “Alex. You have a father at home who loves you very much and still hopes to find you one day. As for family, you’ve had one all of your life. Liz, Maria and Kyle are your family. Now it has grown with Max, Michael, Tess and me. You do have a big family who love you and are very happy you are with them. You’ll see when we get back to Earth, everyone will fall in love with you like I have and you will then complain that you have too many people watching over you.”
Isabel had not meant to admit her love for Alex but she couldn’t help it. Since meeting him, she felt complete and had fallen in love with him the more time she spent with him.
“Isabel.” Alex looked at her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
“No. Don’t take it back. I’ve fallen in love with you also. I think I fell the first time I saw you.”
Alex reached out and took her hand. They both laid on their back again and gazed up at the stars, hands clasped, bodies touching, both opening their connection to each other fully.
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Tess sat on the couch, knees drawn up to the chest, arms wrapped around them. Her back was pressed against the side. Kyle came out of the bathroom in pants and a t-shirt. He normally went to bed without a shirt but he didn’t want to make Tess uncomfortable. He sat next to her.
“Tess are you alright? You’ve been very quiet and withdrawn since we got here. Did I do something wrong?”
Tess looked at Kyle and tried her best to give him a reassuring smile. “No Kyle. I’ve just been thinking.”
“Care to share. We can talk. For some reason, Liz and Maria think that I’m a great listener.” Kyle smiled trying to lighten the mood.
Tess took a deep breath and decided what she wanted to say to him. “I’m just trying to figure out how I fit into everything. What I can remember, I’m not of Royal descent like Max and Isabel and I’m not some great Commander like Michael. From what I’ve put together, I was not even born here on Antar. Am I really an Antarian? Ava was married to Zan making her Queen and Royalty by marriage.
“All my life, this life I mean, I have felt that sometimes I don’t really belong. I mean look at Max, Michael and Isabel. They are all tall and it’s obvious that they share some physical traits that are common in the Antarians I’ve seen here. Look at me. I’ve always been smaller, shorter than the others and I don’t see that similarities to being Antarian.”
Kyle looked at Tess and sighed. “Tess I am going to let you in on your other life that you don’t remember. I didn’t say anything before because I didn’t know what you have remembered about your past life.
“You are very important to Max and the others. You’re part of the Royal Four. You were a loyal Queen and loved your husband very much along with Antar. It was your home though you were only here a short time. You do not remember it but Ava was from Royal descent just as Michael is. Don’t think that you two were just chosen out of the blue. You two are actually distant cousins.”
Kyle paused a moment to let that information sink in before continuing.
“Your mother was Antarian and had blood ties to Royalty on Sera. She married a Planetary Diplomat from the planet Zithron but you were born on the planet Teritona. Your lineage allowed you to marry Zan, who from the stories took one look at you and fell head over heels in love with you like I did.”
Tess sat shocked with all this new information. Why didn’t she remember this? Did he just say that he loved her? “How do you know all of this Kyle?”
“Research. I wanted to know all about the woman who was to carry my children.”
Tess sat there and stared at Kyle. So many thoughts flew through her mind. He knew so much about her. It seemed so strange that he knew more about her than she did herself yet she was the one who had the key to his family.
“Wait. Did you say children? As in plural?” She asked her eyes wide.
“Well yes. When the time is right and it’s not for some breeding experiment, I want to be the father of your children.”
“And earlier you said…”
“I love you Tess. I love you for who you are now, today. You’re strong, intelligent and level headed. I’ll admit that Ava intrigued me but after meeting you and getting to know who you are these past weeks you’re more than I ever imagined you could be. I have fallen in love with you and would have despite this damn genetic pull.”
Tears ran down Tess’s cheeks at the words Kyle spoke. Never had she imagined that someone could love her for who she really was, an alien. But here sat a man declaring his love for her.
“Oh, Kyle. I love you too.” She said flinging her arms around his neck.
“Come on. Let’s get some sleep.” Kyle said pulling away from Tess only enough to help her up off the couch then to the bed where they laid together in each other’s arms.
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There was a pressure in his head. It increased in strength with every breath he took causing a sharp pain. As the pressure strengthened, the pain intensified. At first he was surrounded by light but then a knocking sound started, like someone at a door wanting admittance. As the sound and pressure got stronger, the light began to dim and shrink, closing in on him. Soon the pressure was too much, the noise too loud, the only light now was two feet around him. His hands went to his head where the pain seared. He couldn’t take it anymore.
“NO!!!” he shouted.
Max sat up fast, pain shooting in his head and screaming. His stomach churned and knotted. In the process of getting off the couch, Maria was dumped on the floor. She was stunned for a moment from the ungentle wakening.
“Max? Max, what’s wrong?” she asked following him to the bathroom. Before she could reach the door she heard him vomiting. Automatically she grabbed a washcloth, wet it and went to Max who still leaned over the toilet, relieving his stomach of its contents. She placed the cold, wet cloth on the back of his neck and sat next to him, rubbing his back.
When he was finally done and lifted his head, Maria took the cloth from his neck and placed it in one of his hands so that he could wash his face.
“What happened?” Maria knew that Antarians rarely got sick and Max had mentioned that he’d never been sick before.
Max sat up some more, wincing at the pain that still pounded in his head. “I’m not sure. I was asleep then there was this pressure in my head causing pain then a knocking started. When the pain was too much, I woke up and my stomach was upset.”
“Shit.” Maria muttered.
“What?”
“Khivar. He was trying to get into you head. Probably to search you mind for any information that he may think is handy.” Maria touched Max’ neck deactivating the chip allowing his own healing energy to flow freely through his body.
“It’s said that the Royal Four’s minds could not be intruded upon or tampered with. Khivar must have been testing the waters, seeing if you had it like Zan. Damn. We need to tell Liz what happened.”
Just then Liz leapt through their connection to Maria.
‘Maria. What’s happening? Everything OK?’ Liz had felt Maria’s distress and panic, waking her.
“Speaking of…”Maria mumbled.
‘Max. You OK?’ Michael intruded Max’s head making him wince again with its loudness. Max opened he and Maria to the two.
'Maria says that Khivar tried to get in my head. I’ve got a hell of a headache but I’ll live.’
‘That bastard. He knows what it does to you. He’s probably in the same shape though. Max get some rest, he won’t try it again. Maria, watch him tonight. Don’t let anyone near him.’ Liz had to wonder why Khivar waited this long to try it. Was it because Max was at full strength now, the chip in place along with the fact that the others were not with him now? Or did he have another agenda that they knew nothing about?
‘What would they want with him now?’ Michael asked. He woke feeling Max’s pain and his protector mode kicked in but he had to fight his instincts.
‘I don’t know but let’s just play it safe in case Khivar has other ideas we don’t know about.’
‘What’s going on?’ Kyle butted in sounding sleepy then suddenly the eight were connected.
Michael and Liz informed the others what had happened to Max knowing he was weak and tired. Maria helped him to the bed and laid him down after the discussion ended.
“Stay here with me.” Max said when Maria went to get off the bed.
“Of course.” Maria lay next to him as she cradled him in her arms, protecting him while he was weak.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Maria asked confused.
“For knocking you off the couch.”
Maria chuckled. Max was such a caring, sensitive guy. Earlier they while they were on the couch he had shyly questioned her about her lunch with Khivar the day before. She had nothing to hide and told him everything that they’d talked about. She knew that Khivar was trying to pry information about Max and the others from her but she blocked him like Liz does and only let him hear and see what he wanted. She’d had years of practice like Liz and never really trusted Khivar. Surprisingly Max was alright with it all.
“It’s alright Max. It’s not the first or the last time I’ll be knocked on my ass.”
“Are you hurt? Do you need me to do anything for you?”
“I’m fine Max. No hurts. I just want you to rest. I’ll leave your chip off to make sure you heal.” She was amazed at how he was so worried for her when he was the one in pain. They laid there in silence.
“Maria?”
“Yes Max?”
“I can override that stupid little chip anytime I want.”
“I know. You all can.” She chuckled at the man she held in her arms.
‘I love you Maria.’ He said in her mind.
“I love you too.” Maria whispered to him as he fell into a deep sleep.
TBC...