I'm sorry for the wait for this chapter. My Dad was put in the hospital and they live 600 miles away so I had to make an unplanned trip. As always thanks for the feedback and I hope you enjoy this next part
Chapter 26
The Earthlings first day on Antar was spent in a whirlwind tour of the planet. Isabel excitedly pointed out various points of interest, and the humans couldn't believe the natural beauty of the planet. It was strange getting used to the violet skies and bright orange sun, but it was still breathtaking.
The hover craft came to a stop in a small village and they all got out. While it was impossible to do that in the more populated areas due to security reasons, they decided to show the Earthlings what a typical small town was like on Antar.
Isabel excitedly got out of the hover. "Today is their Day of Commerce. It is kind of like the Farmer's Markets they have back on Earth. They sell fresh food, homemade crafts, things like that. This village makes most of it's income from this day every week. It used to be a big tourist spot, before the war. Hopefully it will be restored to that soon."
Liz took a look around. If it wasn't for the strange material the houses were made of out of, and the different shapes, it could almost be a small town in America. There was a field to the left that was planted with what looked to be hay in vibrant colors. Isabel had explained to them earlier that this was a plant used to make most of the cloth people wore.
Liz looked down at her dress. It was a short, pink, empire style dress made out a material that almost left you feeling naked. It was so soft and airy that you could barely feel it on your skin. She had checked the mirror a couple of times before she left the room to make sure she had clothes on at all. Antar was a balmy 80 degrees most days, so this type of material suited the planet. Even though it took some getting used to, Liz and the other Earthlings definitely decided they liked it.
In the middle of the town was a square set up with different booths and tents from the local residents. The group started to separate, each seeing to their own interests. They were unaware of the shocked looks from the townspeople, or the excited whispers.
Liz walked up to a booth that held many pieces of jewelery, and began looking them over. She picked up one stunning piece, a necklace, that was in the shape of the V Constellation. The stones could almost be compared to Opals back on Earth, and it was breath taking.
She felt two arms go around her waist as Max came up behind her. "Do you like it?" Max murmured against her ear, sending tingles all the way to her toes.
"It's beautiful," Liz said softly.
"Then it's yours," Max said, kissing her cheek softly. "Excuse me sir," he called out to the merchant, "we would like to buy this necklace."
The merchant, a middle aged man with dull brown hair and bright eyes looked up from his receipts, and they promptly fluttered to the ground when he realized who his new customers were.
"Your Majesty!....Your Majesties!" he corrected as his face turned red from how flustered he was. He bowed to Max and Liz. "You wanted...uh what was it you asked?"
Max smiled kindly at the man. "My wife," he said, running his hand down Liz's arm, "thinks this necklace is beautiful and I would like to buy it for her."
"Oh your Highness, if you like this necklace I insist on giving it to you as a gift!" the man said.
"Oh we couldn't Mister....what is your name?" Liz asked, and then realized she really had no idea how Antarian money worked, or how she didn't have any. It made her a bit uncomfortable. Even though on Earth Max had always insisted on paying for everything, she always had her own money in case she ever wanted to pay.
"Jordan" the man said, "and please, take this as a gift. After all you have done, after giving us our lives back, it is really nothing," Jordan said, eyes glistening with tears, pleading with Max.
"It is a lot more then nothing," Liz said, "and I will cherish it. Thank you," she said, reaching out to shake Jordan's hand.
He looked taken aback for a second, but shook her hand anyway. Liz realized this was more of an Earth custom, and the Antarians weren't as physical as humans. She knew that even if Max weren't the King, people would still find it strange the way he held her hand as they walked or whispered in her ear. She would have to find out why Antarians just didn't seem to have physical contact with each other.
It was one of the main differences she could see between Earth and Antar so far. The people didn't seem cold like she thought they would be, quite the opposite actually. They were very forthcoming with what was on their mind, even if it was their emotions. Liz had always assumed the people of Antar would be like Nasedo, cold, calculating and emotionless. Even Kal seemed to have a hard time with emotions, but perhaps that was just an after effect of being on Earth all alone for so long.
"Let's put it on," Max said, taking the necklace from Liz as she lifted up her hair. He clasped the necklace and gently placed his hands on her shoulders to turn her around. His finger lightly traced the necklace from her neck down to the V constellation that hung a few inches from her breasts back up the other side. "It's beautiful, thank you," he smiled at Jordan.
"You are most welcome King Maxwell," Jordan said, bowing again. "The pleasure is all mine."
Liz offered her thanks again and they walked to the next merchant hand in hand. She could still feel the burning path Max's finger had taken as she absent mindedly touched her necklace. Not for the first time since they had landed on Antar Liz wondered why he seemed to effect her this way.
Max's touch always had a profound effect on her, but here on Antar it seemed amplified. The last time she felt even close to this way was when they were getting flashes about where the orb was buried, and this was even more intense then this. She wondered how she was going to sleep in the same room with him and behave herself with all this going on. Suddenly Liz was slightly afraid....but very excited about going to bed that night.
______________________________________________________________________________
Jim Valenti tried not to show his nervousness as he was led down the stark hallway leading to the prison visiting room. After the tour of Antar the group had been led back to the castle, and the unpleasant subject of Tess had come up.
Jim knew what they were doing. While they had said they wanted to give them all a chance to decide what happened to Tess, he knew what would happen in the long run. The best case scenario would be that she would spend the rest of her life in prison, and the worst case would be she would be put to death. They wanted to give each of them a chance for closure before Tess's fate was decided.
The Earthlings had decided before they came to Antar that they shouldn't undermine any of Antar's laws, and that she should have a trial like anyone else should receive. Jim knew enough about the law to know that any sign of weakness from the Royal Three at this point would be very detrimental to their society that was teetering precariously right now.
He understood the strict Antarian laws and wished some of them were in effect on Earth. He had spent all last week reading the books on their laws that Max had sent for Liz last week, and while some of them seemed crude, he understood that a society with the kind of power the Antarians had needed a very firm hand when dealing with criminals.
So time had been set aside during their three day visit for each of them to say their piece to Tess, and Jim chose to go first. Amy declined to see her since that one Christmas dinner was all she knew of Tess, and she really couldn't fathom her doing the things she did.
Maria also declined, not wanting to do the things she would do to Tess if she was alone with her, not wanting to be that kind of hateful person whether Tess deserved it or not. Maria knew that karma had her in it's vengeful claws and she would get exactly what she deserved.
Jim, Liz, Alex and Kyle all agreed to see Tess, and Jim decided to go first. There were things he needed to get off his chest, and now, walking this desolate hallway, he was beginning to question his decision to go first. He was nervous, anxious really to see the girl who had become like a daughter to him.
They stopped in front of a metal door. The guard turned to Jim. "Mr. Valenti," he said, "when you are ready to leave just press the red button on the table." Jim nodded his thanks and the door was opened.
He tried not to draw in a shocking breath when he gazed upon Tess for the first time, but he was unsuccessful. There she sat on the other side of a make shift table. Her hair was pulled into a tight french braid that showed about four inches of dark outgrowth and she wore baggy clothes that resembled hospital scrubs and were a dreary grey in color. She would have looked much younger then her 17 years if it weren't for the dark circles under her eyes, the stress showing on her face.
Tess turned her downcast eyes up and saw Jim. If this wasn't cruel and unusual punishment she didn't know what was. She remembered back to when Max had visited her the other day.
2 days earlier-Tess's prison cell
Tess sat doing what she did every day, trying to remember the people she had known on Earth. She remembered everything that had happened, but she couldn't put names or faces to these people and she was sure it would drive her positively mad. The only people she could half remember were Jim and Kyle, the ones that had taken her in. She had lived with them and they were like family.
Her prison door had opened and a guard had come in, commanding her to get to her feet. This wasn't how her life was supposed to turn out. That guard should have been bowing at her feet, doing her bidding. He ordered her out of the cell and took her to a room down the hall, where she saw the back of a man with dark brown hair.
He slowly turned around and Tess realized it was Max. His hair had grown out a bit, curling at the ends, and his body was in even better shape then back on Earth if that was possible. The light, airy clothing from Antar showed his well defined body off, and Tess stood there mesmerised until the guard shoved her roughly on the shoulder, forcing her to her knees.
"You are to bow before your King," he said roughly.
Max held his hand up as if to say 'that's enough'. "Leave us now please," Max said softly.
"Sit down Tess," Max said, motioning to the chair on her side of the table. Tess quickly got off her knees and sat down in the chair.
"Why am I here?" Tess asked, looking everywhere but at Max.
"I'm here to restore your memories," he said. "You are going to be having some visitors and for their visit to be successful you must remember everything you have done." Max walked over to Tess and placed his hand on her forehead. Suddenly she remembered Liz, Maria, Alex...She knew their faces. She remembered the restaurant Liz's parents owned, she remembered her high school, but she couldn't quite remember the names of those places.
Seeing her look of confusion when he was done Max chuckled to himself and sat on the other side of the table. "You don't think I'd give you their location, did you? I'm not quite as naive as I was on Earth."
"Of course not," Tess said quietly. "Who is coming here that you would give me this information?"
"Well, during Kivar's trial Liz astral projected into the middle of it, so everyone knows who she is now. You having that information isn't dangerous anymore, and considering they are all coming to Antar in two days the knowledge you have is useless." Max said.
"Wait, what? Liz astral projected from Earth to here? That's impossible!" Tess said. She knew that Liz had done it when Max was in New York, but she always thought that was Isabel's doing. Liz couldn't have powers, she was just an Earthling.
"Ahhh, that is where you are wrong Tess," Max said. "It is very possible. Is it that shocking to you that Liz developed powers? That possibly everyone I healed had powers?"
"Kyle?" she whispered.
"Yes, Kyle has powers too, but not quite as strong as Liz's. Being Queen and having access to the Granilith usually gives you a bit more juice," he said, watching Tess for her reaction to this news.
Tess's face flew up for the first time as she looked at Max in horror. She swallowed the extra liquid that formed in her mouth. "Liz....Liz is the Queen?"
"Yes she is, so when you asked Killian to kill her that was but one of your crimes against the crown," Max spit out.
"I...I didn't know..." Tess said, wondering how much this information would have changed what she did on Earth. If she had known there is no way she would have went ahead with her Father's plan. She would have known it would be impossible and might have gave her that extra push to do the right thing.
"Neither did we until my blocks came down. She has been the Queen ever since I healed her. With the knowledge you and Killian had I'm surprised you didn't figure it out, or hell at least Killian. You two always were to arrogant to believe someone would prefer another over you. You see, there was another timeline Tess, and in that timeline things went horribly wrong," Max said, "and we came back and fixed it."
"What do you mean, you fixed it?" Tess asked incredulously.
"Your Father thought he knew everything about the Granilith, but he didn't. Your Father assumed that if you were pregnant and we came back the castle would be taken over by Kivar, but he didn't know there would be a protective field around the castle the whole time. He didn't know Queen Serena would still be alive, and he sure didn't know that every King can use it for time travel once. The old future you left and joined the enemy, and my blocks didn't come down until Michael and Isabel were killed." Max said. "So I came back from the future and made sure that something very traumatic would happen to knock them all out."
"Liz sleeping with Kyle," Tess said, understanding dawning on her. "You went to her, didn't you?" she asked.
"Yes I did, and as always Liz came through for the greater good. She didn't know about the blocks, she didn't know what was going on. All she knew was she was going to lose her soul mate to you, but she did it for the fate of the world. She did it because she is unselfish and good," Max said. "She did it because she loves me more then herself."
"So she didn't sleep with Kyle?" Tess asked, taking Max aback. After all this information she was only worried about her sleeping with Kyle?
"No she didn't. It was a set up, and that night, sitting on the bench talking to you, the blocks were falling down. I was remembering everything, gaining my powers. I began to piece together what you and Nasedo were doing, and after the conference in New York I knew everything." he said.
"You knew the whole time then? What we were trying to do?" Tess asked, a look of horror on her face.
"Yes we did, and we gave you every opportunity to come clean, but you never did. Now you will be punished, but not before the people you hurt most have a chance to find some closure," he said.
"Who is coming?" she asked in a small voice.
"Liz," he said, hoping she would come, "Maria, the Sherrif, Kyle.....oh, and Alex."
"Alex??" she asked in shock.
"You didn't think we'd let you just use him and kill him, did you?" Max asked, growing angrier by the minute.
"Thank God," Tess said, relief showing on her face for the first time. Out of everything that he knew about Tess, this was perhaps the most surprising thing he had ever seen. Tess actually had a conscious.
Not wanting to look at her face anymore Max got up and left without a word, leaving Tess to assemble her new memories.
Present Day
Jim sat down at the table and looked at Tess. She was staring intently at her fingers and he could tell she was trying hard not to cry.
"I'm sorry Tess," Jim said.
Tess looked up at Jim as big fat tears leaked out of her eyes. "What?" she whispered.
"I said I'm sorry," Jim repeated. "I failed....I failed you and I'm sorry. I tried to give you a good home, make you feel like you belonged. I...I tried to be a Father to you and I failed."
"No, no no!" Tess said as she shook her head violently back and forth. "You did not fail me. Everything I did, it was all me. It was not your fault. You showed me the only kindness I've known in two lifetimes worth of memories, and I'll always be grateful. Maybe if I had come to live with you earlier, maybe if I hadn't been so afraid...."
"Tess, I loved you like a daughter and I still do. I know you did some pretty terrible things back on Earth, and even though I can't understand why I don't hate you for it," Jim said, tears beginning to leak from his own eyes. "You were...you are my daughter and that love in unconditional. You gave Kyle and I both a great gift, and I know the other side of you, and that is the side I choose to remember. I know you will be sentenced and I have no illusion that you will ever be set free, but I wanted you to know that I will remember that Tess that invited Amy over for Christmas dinner. I will remember the Tess that made a house a home."
He stood up, ready to press the red button.
"Wait!" Tess exclaimed. "When I called you Dad, when I said it sounded a little to weird? I lied. It sounded like something I wanted to say my entire life to a man like you, to a man that was you."
Jim went around the other side of the table and hugged Tess fiercely, both of them crying their eyes out proving that no matter how long one is a parent, that love is unconditional.
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Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
Thanks for all the well wishes for my Father! He is doing better and out of the hospital thank God!
Also thanks for the feedback. I'm glad it seems I'm getting my point across about Tess. Yes, in my story she did some bad things, but she was raised to do those things. She still had a choice though, so trust me when I say she won't get off easy.
Chapter 27 A
As Jim was having his meeting with Tess the others were separating for the night. Kyle and Amy were tentatively waiting for Jim to be done, knowing full well that he would need their support after his conversation with Tess.
The Evan's and Mr. Whitman were having dinner with Roman, the newly elected President of Antar, who was very curious about how the America's judicial system worked. This was one area where Antar was behind Earth. It was easy to prove when people did things wrong, so it had never really evolved. Roman realized that people had changed greatly on Antar due to living in a war torn country for so long, and that the judicial system needed updating.
Maria and Michael were going with Kaleb, Katrina, and Kay to visit some long lost relatives, and Queen Serena had requested a short visit with Liz to talk 'Queen to Queen', much to the dismay of Max.
The only thing that kept him at bay was the fact that they had no scheduled Isabel events for the rest of the night, and they could have a much needed time to discuss things in private once Serena was done with her small talk.
That left Alex and Isabel to their own devices, which quite frankly left Alex and Isabel both nervous for their own reasons. Isabel planned a small romantic early dinner for the two of them on the patio overlooking the palace gardens. She nervously led Alex out to the small, candle lit table.
Isabel couldn't believe how nervous she was. Alex had held her hand almost the entire day. He had been nothing but polite and sweet to her. She couldn't help but have a feeling that there was something he needed to get off his chest, and she didn't know if she would like it. Max and Michael may have their problems with their 'brides', but Isabel knew there was nothing tying her to Alex and she just hoped it wasn't to late.
They sat down and the royal servants brought out their dinner. "Thank you," Isabel smiled.
The food looked amazing, even if Alex couldn't tell what it was. Everything he had ate had been delicious since arriving on Antar, and it was nice for it to already be spicy enough. The minerals in the ground made everything have a bit of a kick to it.
Alex added his thanks as they left the couple alone. "Isn't that weird? Having people wait on you?" Alex asked.
"It took some getting used to, that's for sure," Isabel said. "Max wanted to dismiss everyone at once until our Grandmother explained that most of these people have been here for over 50 years. It is the only life they know, and being a part of the house staff is their lively hood."
Alex nodded his head in understanding and took a bite of something that resembled a steak. "What is this?" he asked.
"It's a steak," Isabel laughed as Alex looked at her shocked. "During the early trips to Earth they brought back many of the farm animals from there. It just tastes different because they are uhhh seasoned by eating the plants from Antar."
"Well I'll be damned, they were right about cows being abducted?" Alex laughed.
Isabel laughed. "Among other things," she said dryly.
The two ate in silence for awhile, neither really knowing what to say. Finally Isabel broke the silence.
"Are you sure you want to meet with Tess later?" she asked in a concerned voice.
"Yes I do, I have to," Alex responded. "It's not like she can try and kill me again," he tried to joke.
"That's not funny Alex!" Isabel exclaimed. "If we wouldn't have got to you in time...."
"But you did," Alex said. "And from the looks of things everything is turning out pretty well, on Earth and here."
He paused a moment and asked the question he really wanted to ask. "So once everything is calm, settled, are you planning on staying here or Earth?" he asked, already knowing the answer to this question.
Isabel sighed. "That's a difficult question Alex. I mean I have so much on Earth, my parents, my whole life....you...you guys that have come to mean so much to me. But here, even though it has been only a few months, and a lot of them haven't been pleasant, here I feel like I can be myself, and I don't have to hide. That is incredibly freeing."
"I can imagine," Alex said. "No, actually I can relate. I never truly understood you three back on Earth. Oh I tried, that's for sure, but I couldn't comprehend what you were going through until I had to go through it too. The worrying of someone finding out, the wrong person finding out and what would happen if they did. It's incredibly stressful. I can't imagine going through that as a kid."
"Yeah," she said. "It was hard, but we had each other, you know? Even though we had our parents, it wasn't the same as the relationship that the three of us had. That's why it was so scary when you all found out. I guess the only way to describe it would be to say it was like one of those dreams when you are walking down the hall naked at school. Exposed, embarrassed, feeling judged. It was terrifying Alex, it really was," she finished, her voice just above a whisper.
"I can imagine so," Alex said, taking her hand in his.
Isabel looked up into Alex's eyes. "Why do you still put up with me?" she asked. "After how hard I pushed you away, after...after the whole Grant situation. I want to explain about that Alex, I really do. He was just a way to distract me from my feelings for you. I could never get close to him, fall for him so he was a saa..." she was interrupted by Alex's finger on her lips.
"That's all well and good Isabel, but it is water under the bridge. I propose we start from now," he said and then his face turned serious. "There is only one thing I'd like to add, and that is if you start any pushing away games I'm gone. We are honest with each other from here on out or I walk."
Isabel nodded as she smiled and with tears in her eyes jumped up and threw her arms around Alex. She couldn't help but wonder where this strong Alex had come from and why she had never seen it before, because looking back, he was always the strongest of them all.
______________________________________________________________________________
Liz had just left a pouting Max and was on her way to visit Serena. She was very curious as to why Serena wanted to talk to her, and wondered if it was some kind of 'you better not hurt my child/grandson' thing. She smiled as she heard the conversation between Michael and Amy, who was walking Michael and Maria out on their way to visit Michael's relatives.
"What do you mean Maria will be sleeping in your room?" Amy asked incredulously.
"Moooom, I'm his wife for God's sake!" Maria said causing a grin on Michael's face.
"Maria, this is between Michael and I," Amy warned, "and as far as I remember I've never saw you walk down an isle in a big white dress. I've never done the chicken dance at a wedding reception. You may be married by Antar's standards, but we are from Earth."
"Yeah, like being bonded permanently to someone is so much less then the stupid chicken dance," Michael mumbled.
"What did you say?" Amy asked as Michael and Maria both said "Nothing!" at the same time.
Amy continued her rants as they went to turn a different way then Liz was going, and Liz couldn't help but laugh when Amy caught her eye and winked. She just wouldn't be Ms. Deluca if she didn't give them a hard time.
As Liz rounded the next corner she entered a room and she saw Serena sitting on a big pillowy couch in a deep rich purple. "Ah, Liz, come join me," Serena said, patting the seat next to her.
Liz smiled and sat down next to Serena, incredibly nervous all of a sudden. She hadn't really had a conversation with her, and this Queen before her was all she feared back on Earth, back when she had heard about Destiny.
But she wasn't that Queen, and that wasn't her message. Nasedo didn't even make the image look like Serena, probably afraid that it might spark memories. Liz almost had to laugh as she realized Nasedo had boosted the image of a popular soap opera actress and aged her for the vision of Max and Isabel's Mother. It seemed like there were so many clues like this they should have seen.
Serena picked up a pitcher from the table in front of them and poured Liz a drink. It was green in color and almost had the consistency of syrup. Liz said thank you as Serena handed her the goblet and closed her eyes in pleasure at her first sip.
"This is wonderful," Liz said, basking in the spicy sugary mix. "What is it?"
"It's called Chermon. It's a treat drink really, I think on Earth they have something similar called soda pop," Serena explained.
"Well it's delicious," Liz said, "back home I have to add Tabasco to everything now."
"I'm glad you like it, and I hope you'll be around to enjoy it much more in the future," Serena said, raising an eyebrow.
"I see what you are doing," Liz said in mock shock. "You are trying to get me addicted to this stuff so that I'll never leave," she laughed.
"Drats, you figured out my plan," Serena deadpanned. "Seriously though, the reason I asked for this little chat is that I wanted to thank you. You showed incredible bravery back on Earth, and were instrumental in saving our planet."
Liz smiled self consciously. "Really I didn't do anything, I was just easy to manipulate so it seems," she said humbly.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Serena. "In this timeline and the last you've proved your merit. It had to be an incredibly hard thing to go through, giving up someone that was to be your husband someday."
"It wasn't easy, that's for sure," Liz sighed, "but it all worked out for the better."
"Yes it did," said Serena. "Liz, I want to ask you a question, and I don't want any of your previous thoughts about this to taint your answer. Do you believe in destiny?" At the look on Liz's grimacing face Serena rephrased her question. "I'm sorry, it seems you all have a big problem with that word," she chuckled. "Do you believe in fate, as if something bigger then all of us is leading us to a path we are supposed to take?"
Liz thought of this, trying not to think about Tess or that fake message that caused so many problems for them all back on Earth.
"I guess I do," Liz said hesitantly. "After all I've been through it is hard to discount anything anymore. Things that I believed to always be impossible are not possible, so to think about there being something bigger then us, something with a plan for us is not that big of a stretch."
Serena smiled. "That is how I think of it also," she said, "and I really believe that everything that has happened, the war, sending the pods to Earth, Max healing you, it was all in the plan. Even changing the timeline, it was all in the cards of fate."
"I know what you're saying, and it make sense, but it is still hard to wrap my head around it, that my life has been chosen out of billions and billions of beings on 6 different planets," Liz said, "I still am that small town girl, and this is all overwhelming."
"As you should remain," Serena said, "but you also need to understand, you are a Queen now. I know a bit about become Queen when you really had no choice in the matter, and it's not easy, but if you put your heart into it, it is very rewarding. I was Antar's version of a small town girl when I became Queen, and I really believe it all happened for a reason. I'm just not arrogant enough to try to say that I know what that reason is," she smiled.
"But you were humble enough to do what you needed to do?" Liz questioned.
"Exactly," smiled Serena. "You know, I visited Earth before the war, before everything went wrong. I was fascinated by it. Just the affection people showed each other was amazing to me. We've lost a lot of that here, as technologically we advanced. People didn't have time for such nonsense. I'm still taken aback when my own Grandchildren hug me! How sad is that?"
Liz gave Serena a sympathetic smile. "So maybe part of the reason this all happened is whoever the higher power is thought some of the mannerisms on Earth needed to be brought back to Antar?"
"I think so," Serena said, "and just your little trip today has already started to change the mindset of people. The citizens seeing you all walking hand in hand, hugging, touching. They follow our lead. Earth is just going through the beginning stages now I think. The sexually transmitted diseases, the easy ways to communicate without actual physical presence. That's where it all starts."
Liz thought about this, about the instant messages and cell phones and the Internet. It was easy to keep relationships with people and never even see them. It wasn't a stretch to see how detached people could get after years and years of that.
"So you think we are here to bring back some of the physical emotion to Antar?" Liz asked.
"As I said before, I'm not arrogant enough to believe I know what the grand plan is, but I know fighting it is useless," Serena winked.
Liz sighed. It did seem that resistance was futile.
Also thanks for the feedback. I'm glad it seems I'm getting my point across about Tess. Yes, in my story she did some bad things, but she was raised to do those things. She still had a choice though, so trust me when I say she won't get off easy.
Chapter 27 A
As Jim was having his meeting with Tess the others were separating for the night. Kyle and Amy were tentatively waiting for Jim to be done, knowing full well that he would need their support after his conversation with Tess.
The Evan's and Mr. Whitman were having dinner with Roman, the newly elected President of Antar, who was very curious about how the America's judicial system worked. This was one area where Antar was behind Earth. It was easy to prove when people did things wrong, so it had never really evolved. Roman realized that people had changed greatly on Antar due to living in a war torn country for so long, and that the judicial system needed updating.
Maria and Michael were going with Kaleb, Katrina, and Kay to visit some long lost relatives, and Queen Serena had requested a short visit with Liz to talk 'Queen to Queen', much to the dismay of Max.
The only thing that kept him at bay was the fact that they had no scheduled Isabel events for the rest of the night, and they could have a much needed time to discuss things in private once Serena was done with her small talk.
That left Alex and Isabel to their own devices, which quite frankly left Alex and Isabel both nervous for their own reasons. Isabel planned a small romantic early dinner for the two of them on the patio overlooking the palace gardens. She nervously led Alex out to the small, candle lit table.
Isabel couldn't believe how nervous she was. Alex had held her hand almost the entire day. He had been nothing but polite and sweet to her. She couldn't help but have a feeling that there was something he needed to get off his chest, and she didn't know if she would like it. Max and Michael may have their problems with their 'brides', but Isabel knew there was nothing tying her to Alex and she just hoped it wasn't to late.
They sat down and the royal servants brought out their dinner. "Thank you," Isabel smiled.
The food looked amazing, even if Alex couldn't tell what it was. Everything he had ate had been delicious since arriving on Antar, and it was nice for it to already be spicy enough. The minerals in the ground made everything have a bit of a kick to it.
Alex added his thanks as they left the couple alone. "Isn't that weird? Having people wait on you?" Alex asked.
"It took some getting used to, that's for sure," Isabel said. "Max wanted to dismiss everyone at once until our Grandmother explained that most of these people have been here for over 50 years. It is the only life they know, and being a part of the house staff is their lively hood."
Alex nodded his head in understanding and took a bite of something that resembled a steak. "What is this?" he asked.
"It's a steak," Isabel laughed as Alex looked at her shocked. "During the early trips to Earth they brought back many of the farm animals from there. It just tastes different because they are uhhh seasoned by eating the plants from Antar."
"Well I'll be damned, they were right about cows being abducted?" Alex laughed.
Isabel laughed. "Among other things," she said dryly.
The two ate in silence for awhile, neither really knowing what to say. Finally Isabel broke the silence.
"Are you sure you want to meet with Tess later?" she asked in a concerned voice.
"Yes I do, I have to," Alex responded. "It's not like she can try and kill me again," he tried to joke.
"That's not funny Alex!" Isabel exclaimed. "If we wouldn't have got to you in time...."
"But you did," Alex said. "And from the looks of things everything is turning out pretty well, on Earth and here."
He paused a moment and asked the question he really wanted to ask. "So once everything is calm, settled, are you planning on staying here or Earth?" he asked, already knowing the answer to this question.
Isabel sighed. "That's a difficult question Alex. I mean I have so much on Earth, my parents, my whole life....you...you guys that have come to mean so much to me. But here, even though it has been only a few months, and a lot of them haven't been pleasant, here I feel like I can be myself, and I don't have to hide. That is incredibly freeing."
"I can imagine," Alex said. "No, actually I can relate. I never truly understood you three back on Earth. Oh I tried, that's for sure, but I couldn't comprehend what you were going through until I had to go through it too. The worrying of someone finding out, the wrong person finding out and what would happen if they did. It's incredibly stressful. I can't imagine going through that as a kid."
"Yeah," she said. "It was hard, but we had each other, you know? Even though we had our parents, it wasn't the same as the relationship that the three of us had. That's why it was so scary when you all found out. I guess the only way to describe it would be to say it was like one of those dreams when you are walking down the hall naked at school. Exposed, embarrassed, feeling judged. It was terrifying Alex, it really was," she finished, her voice just above a whisper.
"I can imagine so," Alex said, taking her hand in his.
Isabel looked up into Alex's eyes. "Why do you still put up with me?" she asked. "After how hard I pushed you away, after...after the whole Grant situation. I want to explain about that Alex, I really do. He was just a way to distract me from my feelings for you. I could never get close to him, fall for him so he was a saa..." she was interrupted by Alex's finger on her lips.
"That's all well and good Isabel, but it is water under the bridge. I propose we start from now," he said and then his face turned serious. "There is only one thing I'd like to add, and that is if you start any pushing away games I'm gone. We are honest with each other from here on out or I walk."
Isabel nodded as she smiled and with tears in her eyes jumped up and threw her arms around Alex. She couldn't help but wonder where this strong Alex had come from and why she had never seen it before, because looking back, he was always the strongest of them all.
______________________________________________________________________________
Liz had just left a pouting Max and was on her way to visit Serena. She was very curious as to why Serena wanted to talk to her, and wondered if it was some kind of 'you better not hurt my child/grandson' thing. She smiled as she heard the conversation between Michael and Amy, who was walking Michael and Maria out on their way to visit Michael's relatives.
"What do you mean Maria will be sleeping in your room?" Amy asked incredulously.
"Moooom, I'm his wife for God's sake!" Maria said causing a grin on Michael's face.
"Maria, this is between Michael and I," Amy warned, "and as far as I remember I've never saw you walk down an isle in a big white dress. I've never done the chicken dance at a wedding reception. You may be married by Antar's standards, but we are from Earth."
"Yeah, like being bonded permanently to someone is so much less then the stupid chicken dance," Michael mumbled.
"What did you say?" Amy asked as Michael and Maria both said "Nothing!" at the same time.
Amy continued her rants as they went to turn a different way then Liz was going, and Liz couldn't help but laugh when Amy caught her eye and winked. She just wouldn't be Ms. Deluca if she didn't give them a hard time.
As Liz rounded the next corner she entered a room and she saw Serena sitting on a big pillowy couch in a deep rich purple. "Ah, Liz, come join me," Serena said, patting the seat next to her.
Liz smiled and sat down next to Serena, incredibly nervous all of a sudden. She hadn't really had a conversation with her, and this Queen before her was all she feared back on Earth, back when she had heard about Destiny.
But she wasn't that Queen, and that wasn't her message. Nasedo didn't even make the image look like Serena, probably afraid that it might spark memories. Liz almost had to laugh as she realized Nasedo had boosted the image of a popular soap opera actress and aged her for the vision of Max and Isabel's Mother. It seemed like there were so many clues like this they should have seen.
Serena picked up a pitcher from the table in front of them and poured Liz a drink. It was green in color and almost had the consistency of syrup. Liz said thank you as Serena handed her the goblet and closed her eyes in pleasure at her first sip.
"This is wonderful," Liz said, basking in the spicy sugary mix. "What is it?"
"It's called Chermon. It's a treat drink really, I think on Earth they have something similar called soda pop," Serena explained.
"Well it's delicious," Liz said, "back home I have to add Tabasco to everything now."
"I'm glad you like it, and I hope you'll be around to enjoy it much more in the future," Serena said, raising an eyebrow.
"I see what you are doing," Liz said in mock shock. "You are trying to get me addicted to this stuff so that I'll never leave," she laughed.
"Drats, you figured out my plan," Serena deadpanned. "Seriously though, the reason I asked for this little chat is that I wanted to thank you. You showed incredible bravery back on Earth, and were instrumental in saving our planet."
Liz smiled self consciously. "Really I didn't do anything, I was just easy to manipulate so it seems," she said humbly.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Serena. "In this timeline and the last you've proved your merit. It had to be an incredibly hard thing to go through, giving up someone that was to be your husband someday."
"It wasn't easy, that's for sure," Liz sighed, "but it all worked out for the better."
"Yes it did," said Serena. "Liz, I want to ask you a question, and I don't want any of your previous thoughts about this to taint your answer. Do you believe in destiny?" At the look on Liz's grimacing face Serena rephrased her question. "I'm sorry, it seems you all have a big problem with that word," she chuckled. "Do you believe in fate, as if something bigger then all of us is leading us to a path we are supposed to take?"
Liz thought of this, trying not to think about Tess or that fake message that caused so many problems for them all back on Earth.
"I guess I do," Liz said hesitantly. "After all I've been through it is hard to discount anything anymore. Things that I believed to always be impossible are not possible, so to think about there being something bigger then us, something with a plan for us is not that big of a stretch."
Serena smiled. "That is how I think of it also," she said, "and I really believe that everything that has happened, the war, sending the pods to Earth, Max healing you, it was all in the plan. Even changing the timeline, it was all in the cards of fate."
"I know what you're saying, and it make sense, but it is still hard to wrap my head around it, that my life has been chosen out of billions and billions of beings on 6 different planets," Liz said, "I still am that small town girl, and this is all overwhelming."
"As you should remain," Serena said, "but you also need to understand, you are a Queen now. I know a bit about become Queen when you really had no choice in the matter, and it's not easy, but if you put your heart into it, it is very rewarding. I was Antar's version of a small town girl when I became Queen, and I really believe it all happened for a reason. I'm just not arrogant enough to try to say that I know what that reason is," she smiled.
"But you were humble enough to do what you needed to do?" Liz questioned.
"Exactly," smiled Serena. "You know, I visited Earth before the war, before everything went wrong. I was fascinated by it. Just the affection people showed each other was amazing to me. We've lost a lot of that here, as technologically we advanced. People didn't have time for such nonsense. I'm still taken aback when my own Grandchildren hug me! How sad is that?"
Liz gave Serena a sympathetic smile. "So maybe part of the reason this all happened is whoever the higher power is thought some of the mannerisms on Earth needed to be brought back to Antar?"
"I think so," Serena said, "and just your little trip today has already started to change the mindset of people. The citizens seeing you all walking hand in hand, hugging, touching. They follow our lead. Earth is just going through the beginning stages now I think. The sexually transmitted diseases, the easy ways to communicate without actual physical presence. That's where it all starts."
Liz thought about this, about the instant messages and cell phones and the Internet. It was easy to keep relationships with people and never even see them. It wasn't a stretch to see how detached people could get after years and years of that.
"So you think we are here to bring back some of the physical emotion to Antar?" Liz asked.
"As I said before, I'm not arrogant enough to believe I know what the grand plan is, but I know fighting it is useless," Serena winked.
Liz sighed. It did seem that resistance was futile.
Find all the links to my fics in one place:
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
Thanks for all the feedback guys! I am so glad you are enjoying my story.
I also must appologize because in my q & a author's note I said the Max/Liz meeting was this part. It's actually in the next chapter because it takes up a whole chapter, and should be up on Wednesday. I hope you all like this one in the mean time.
Chapter 27B
Alex followed the guard down the hallway leading to the room where Tess was being held. He was torn on if he wanted to see her again, the person who used him and would have killed him if need be.
In the end he decided he did want to see her again, if only to bring closure. Sure, he let on like his time in Las Cruces wasn't a big deal, but those first two weeks had been terrifying. He would temporarily break out of the mindwarp while he was in his dorm room, but he couldn't escape because the room was being protected by alien mumbo jumbo. His screams for help went unheard, and at those times he knew exactly what Tess and her Father were doing to him.
The only reason he could see for these breaks were they were afraid of destroying his brain to fast. Every once in awhile he'd be joined by Tess or Nasedo, like they were checking up on him to see if he was still functioning.
To have someone control your mind like that, to make you do their bidding, was such a violation. Alex knew when he heard some of the aliens refer to mind rape that they weren't joking. He had a feeling that the emotions he went through were very similar to someone who had been raped, and thankfully Max and Michael showed up to release him from his living hell.
He hadn't shared how truly traumatizing it had been with anyone other then Max, and he really didn't have a choice in the matter considering he saw it all when he healed him. Max had been very compassionate, and a great listener considering he also had been violated, just not as intensely as Alex.
So Alex was going to take this opprotunity to confront his abuser, his captor. Even though he knew his mind was now protected and it could never happen again, he still needed closure.
He took a deep breath and opened the door to the holding area. The guards explained about the red button like they did Valenti and left him. He saw a much smaller, weaker looking Tess sitting on the other side of the table and felt a shiver run down his spine. 'She can't hurt me ever again,' he said to himself, and with all his courage walked to the table and sat down.
Tess sat with her head looking down at the table. She knew Alex was next, and she knew what she needed to say, but it just didn't seem like it could come out right.
"I'm sorry Alex, and I am glad that you are alive. I am glad that it all turned out this way," she said in a small voice, raising her head to look into Alex's eyes.
Alex was taken aback by what he saw, because it might very well be the first time he saw real regret in her eyes. Yes, she had appologized before to him, back in Las Cruces, but it always seemed half hearted. This seemed.....real?
"I really thought you were going to be ok, and with my Father gone nothing else would happen to you. You coming to the Valenti's, saying I messed with your mind, that wasn't real, was it?" Tess asked.
"No it wasn't. It was Max. I'm sure you've figured out that Max has that little power now, and it's a lot stronger then yours was," Alex said.
"Yeah, the whole sex thing, my....my baby, it was all a mindwarp. I figured that out a while ago, even though they didn't tell me. I guess I'm still to lowly for them to share information with," Tess said with a sarcastic laugh.
Alex jumped out of his chair, knocking it backwards. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" he shouted. "AFTER ALL YOU HAVE DONE, ALL THE PAIN YOU HAVE CAUSED, YOU ARE STILL FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF?"
"You're right," Tess said weakly. "I have no right. I should have realized the first time I met them that I didn't belong with them, but I wanted to believe what my Father said so desperately."
"Didn't you ever wonder Tess? Didn't you ever wonder why your Father told you you had this great love but you were to destroy Max? Didn't you wonder why he insisted you manipulate them, why he would manipulate them that way?" Alex ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "One thing you aren't is stupid Tess. You should have gone to them. Even if not at first, after you Father died."
"Yes I did Alex!" she cried. "I did wonder about it! He was all I had on an entire planet full of beings different then me. When I first met Max I knew in my heart my Father was wrong about him, he couldn't be this person that thought of no one but himself, but once he died and you and Kyle fell into that pit, I remembered. I remembered how I was used and tossed aside. I remembered how Zan treated Ava, justified or not. It was not my fault my Father played Ava for a fool, and I knew they would never trust me, that Max and I were never meant to be. That left me with no one except Kyle and the Sheriff, and when I made my choice, I chose wrong, and I'll pay for it now."
Alex sighed. "I don't know what I'm doing here..." he said as he reached for the red button. Tess reached her hand out to stop him, and Alex got a flash.
"Father, please, he's had enough!" Tess cried as they looked at a restless Alex half asleep on his dorm room bed.
"It's only been a week Ava," Nasedo shouted. "He needs to be here at least another three. We'll have to let him out of the warp when he comes back to the dorm room."
"No! You said he would come here and remember nothing, that he would just have the memory of an awesome vacation when it was over. You said nothing would happen to him, that you would fix his brain when we were done!" Tess cried.
A flash of light came out of Nasedo's hand as Tess was thrown against the wall.
"You weak little bitch! No wonder you can't get the King to look twice at you, no wonder a human seems better then you. Since when did you start caring about these humans? Since you moved in with the Valenti's? Is that it? Do I need to pay them a visit?" Nasedo said.
Emotions fluttered quickly across Tess's face and she expertly reigned them in. "Of course not Father. I'm just thinking about our plans. He needs to at least make it back to Roswell, or the others will get suspicious. We just need to be careful, that's all."
Nasedo grunted in agreement and helped Tess to her feet. He pulled her into a hug and stroked her hair. "You're right, your right," he whispered. "You know I'm only tough on you because it's important for our survival."
Tess nodded as Alex saw her eyes full of unshed tears, her face tensing so they wouldn't fall.
"You were protecting the Valenti's," Alex said as the realization hit him. "You never thought I'd remember, and you thought your Father would fix my brain......"
______________________________________________________________________________
Liz was on her way to the Royal chambers when she heard Maria calling for her. She turned around and saw her friend running down the hallway. "Liz! Liz wait! I have to tell you something!" she said.
Liz stopped and turned towards her friend. An out of breath Maria came running up to Liz, and stopped in front of her. She placed her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. "I....have....to....talk....to....you....before...you....see....Max," she panted.
"Maria, calm down, catch your breath," Liz said, looking at Maria worriedly. Maria looked over at Liz's ever present guards, nodding her head.
"Could you gentlemen please give us a little privacy," Liz said. "Of course your Majesty," one guard said as they walked down the hall a bit, giving the girls some breathing room.
"Phew," Maria said, finally starting to catch her breath. "I totally need to start doing aerobics or something."
"Maria, what's wrong?" Liz asked.
"Oh, ummm....I wanted to ask you if you took that pill Michael gave you?" she asked sheepishly.
Liz suddenly knew what was bothering Maria. When Michael had come back to Earth he had brought some "alien" birth control, which was much more convienent than Earth's means. You only had to take a pill once every five months.
"Maria, I don't think Max and I need to worry about that right now," Liz said.
"Did you take the pill?" Maria asked again more urgently.
"Yes I did," Liz said. She didn't plan on losing her virginity while on Antar, but she didn't plan on a lot of things in her life that happened anyway, so she wanted to be prepared.
"Oh thank God," Maria said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Something tells me that you didn't just suddenly become all worried about me sleeping with Max, sending you sprinting through the castle to find me," Liz said.
"Well, kind of. I just learned something new about Antarians tonight," Maria said.
"And that would be.....?" Liz questioned.
"Remember when you and Max were looking for the orb? Remember that pull you had to each other, like you couldn't keep your hands off each other?" Maria asked as Liz nodded. "Well from what I've heard when your womb is readying for....you know pregnancy your libido is thrown into over drive. Yours and his. And the way I've been feeling with Michael since I got here, and how our cycles are the same...."
"Oh," Liz said, knowing what Maria said was true. She had felt it earlier, felt it since she had arrived on Antar. It was the same can't get enough of each other feeling that she had when they were looking for the orb.
"So you took the pill, so you are fine," Maria sighed with relief.
"Yes, I'm fine," Liz laughed. "I think Max and I can control ourselves enough to not need it though, we have a lot of things to work through."
"Uh huh," Maria said with a devilish smile.
"Good night Maria," Liz said, "and thanks, for the warning I mean."
"No problem, night," Maria said as she watched Liz join up with her guards. She was pretty sure her best friend was in for quite a night.
I also must appologize because in my q & a author's note I said the Max/Liz meeting was this part. It's actually in the next chapter because it takes up a whole chapter, and should be up on Wednesday. I hope you all like this one in the mean time.
Chapter 27B
Alex followed the guard down the hallway leading to the room where Tess was being held. He was torn on if he wanted to see her again, the person who used him and would have killed him if need be.
In the end he decided he did want to see her again, if only to bring closure. Sure, he let on like his time in Las Cruces wasn't a big deal, but those first two weeks had been terrifying. He would temporarily break out of the mindwarp while he was in his dorm room, but he couldn't escape because the room was being protected by alien mumbo jumbo. His screams for help went unheard, and at those times he knew exactly what Tess and her Father were doing to him.
The only reason he could see for these breaks were they were afraid of destroying his brain to fast. Every once in awhile he'd be joined by Tess or Nasedo, like they were checking up on him to see if he was still functioning.
To have someone control your mind like that, to make you do their bidding, was such a violation. Alex knew when he heard some of the aliens refer to mind rape that they weren't joking. He had a feeling that the emotions he went through were very similar to someone who had been raped, and thankfully Max and Michael showed up to release him from his living hell.
He hadn't shared how truly traumatizing it had been with anyone other then Max, and he really didn't have a choice in the matter considering he saw it all when he healed him. Max had been very compassionate, and a great listener considering he also had been violated, just not as intensely as Alex.
So Alex was going to take this opprotunity to confront his abuser, his captor. Even though he knew his mind was now protected and it could never happen again, he still needed closure.
He took a deep breath and opened the door to the holding area. The guards explained about the red button like they did Valenti and left him. He saw a much smaller, weaker looking Tess sitting on the other side of the table and felt a shiver run down his spine. 'She can't hurt me ever again,' he said to himself, and with all his courage walked to the table and sat down.
Tess sat with her head looking down at the table. She knew Alex was next, and she knew what she needed to say, but it just didn't seem like it could come out right.
"I'm sorry Alex, and I am glad that you are alive. I am glad that it all turned out this way," she said in a small voice, raising her head to look into Alex's eyes.
Alex was taken aback by what he saw, because it might very well be the first time he saw real regret in her eyes. Yes, she had appologized before to him, back in Las Cruces, but it always seemed half hearted. This seemed.....real?
"I really thought you were going to be ok, and with my Father gone nothing else would happen to you. You coming to the Valenti's, saying I messed with your mind, that wasn't real, was it?" Tess asked.
"No it wasn't. It was Max. I'm sure you've figured out that Max has that little power now, and it's a lot stronger then yours was," Alex said.
"Yeah, the whole sex thing, my....my baby, it was all a mindwarp. I figured that out a while ago, even though they didn't tell me. I guess I'm still to lowly for them to share information with," Tess said with a sarcastic laugh.
Alex jumped out of his chair, knocking it backwards. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" he shouted. "AFTER ALL YOU HAVE DONE, ALL THE PAIN YOU HAVE CAUSED, YOU ARE STILL FEELING SORRY FOR YOURSELF?"
"You're right," Tess said weakly. "I have no right. I should have realized the first time I met them that I didn't belong with them, but I wanted to believe what my Father said so desperately."
"Didn't you ever wonder Tess? Didn't you ever wonder why your Father told you you had this great love but you were to destroy Max? Didn't you wonder why he insisted you manipulate them, why he would manipulate them that way?" Alex ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "One thing you aren't is stupid Tess. You should have gone to them. Even if not at first, after you Father died."
"Yes I did Alex!" she cried. "I did wonder about it! He was all I had on an entire planet full of beings different then me. When I first met Max I knew in my heart my Father was wrong about him, he couldn't be this person that thought of no one but himself, but once he died and you and Kyle fell into that pit, I remembered. I remembered how I was used and tossed aside. I remembered how Zan treated Ava, justified or not. It was not my fault my Father played Ava for a fool, and I knew they would never trust me, that Max and I were never meant to be. That left me with no one except Kyle and the Sheriff, and when I made my choice, I chose wrong, and I'll pay for it now."
Alex sighed. "I don't know what I'm doing here..." he said as he reached for the red button. Tess reached her hand out to stop him, and Alex got a flash.
"Father, please, he's had enough!" Tess cried as they looked at a restless Alex half asleep on his dorm room bed.
"It's only been a week Ava," Nasedo shouted. "He needs to be here at least another three. We'll have to let him out of the warp when he comes back to the dorm room."
"No! You said he would come here and remember nothing, that he would just have the memory of an awesome vacation when it was over. You said nothing would happen to him, that you would fix his brain when we were done!" Tess cried.
A flash of light came out of Nasedo's hand as Tess was thrown against the wall.
"You weak little bitch! No wonder you can't get the King to look twice at you, no wonder a human seems better then you. Since when did you start caring about these humans? Since you moved in with the Valenti's? Is that it? Do I need to pay them a visit?" Nasedo said.
Emotions fluttered quickly across Tess's face and she expertly reigned them in. "Of course not Father. I'm just thinking about our plans. He needs to at least make it back to Roswell, or the others will get suspicious. We just need to be careful, that's all."
Nasedo grunted in agreement and helped Tess to her feet. He pulled her into a hug and stroked her hair. "You're right, your right," he whispered. "You know I'm only tough on you because it's important for our survival."
Tess nodded as Alex saw her eyes full of unshed tears, her face tensing so they wouldn't fall.
"You were protecting the Valenti's," Alex said as the realization hit him. "You never thought I'd remember, and you thought your Father would fix my brain......"
______________________________________________________________________________
Liz was on her way to the Royal chambers when she heard Maria calling for her. She turned around and saw her friend running down the hallway. "Liz! Liz wait! I have to tell you something!" she said.
Liz stopped and turned towards her friend. An out of breath Maria came running up to Liz, and stopped in front of her. She placed her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. "I....have....to....talk....to....you....before...you....see....Max," she panted.
"Maria, calm down, catch your breath," Liz said, looking at Maria worriedly. Maria looked over at Liz's ever present guards, nodding her head.
"Could you gentlemen please give us a little privacy," Liz said. "Of course your Majesty," one guard said as they walked down the hall a bit, giving the girls some breathing room.
"Phew," Maria said, finally starting to catch her breath. "I totally need to start doing aerobics or something."
"Maria, what's wrong?" Liz asked.
"Oh, ummm....I wanted to ask you if you took that pill Michael gave you?" she asked sheepishly.
Liz suddenly knew what was bothering Maria. When Michael had come back to Earth he had brought some "alien" birth control, which was much more convienent than Earth's means. You only had to take a pill once every five months.
"Maria, I don't think Max and I need to worry about that right now," Liz said.
"Did you take the pill?" Maria asked again more urgently.
"Yes I did," Liz said. She didn't plan on losing her virginity while on Antar, but she didn't plan on a lot of things in her life that happened anyway, so she wanted to be prepared.
"Oh thank God," Maria said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Something tells me that you didn't just suddenly become all worried about me sleeping with Max, sending you sprinting through the castle to find me," Liz said.
"Well, kind of. I just learned something new about Antarians tonight," Maria said.
"And that would be.....?" Liz questioned.
"Remember when you and Max were looking for the orb? Remember that pull you had to each other, like you couldn't keep your hands off each other?" Maria asked as Liz nodded. "Well from what I've heard when your womb is readying for....you know pregnancy your libido is thrown into over drive. Yours and his. And the way I've been feeling with Michael since I got here, and how our cycles are the same...."
"Oh," Liz said, knowing what Maria said was true. She had felt it earlier, felt it since she had arrived on Antar. It was the same can't get enough of each other feeling that she had when they were looking for the orb.
"So you took the pill, so you are fine," Maria sighed with relief.
"Yes, I'm fine," Liz laughed. "I think Max and I can control ourselves enough to not need it though, we have a lot of things to work through."
"Uh huh," Maria said with a devilish smile.
"Good night Maria," Liz said, "and thanks, for the warning I mean."
"No problem, night," Maria said as she watched Liz join up with her guards. She was pretty sure her best friend was in for quite a night.
Find all the links to my fics in one place:
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
So what do you know? The chapter I think a lot of you have been waiting for a whole day early. I'm more of a 'your imagination can probably run way more wild then what I can write' type of writer, so I really hope you enjoy this. Oh, and the next chapter has a little bit more 'descriptive' stuff. 
As always, thanks for all the FB. I'm glad some of you are relating to my version of Tess. No one is pure good or pure bad, and I've tried really hard to show that in Tess with this story.
Oh, and since this story only has maybe 4 or 5 chapters left, I've started a short fic over on the AU w/aliens board. The link is in my sig if you are interested.
Chapter 28
Liz stood looking at the door to her future. It was really the door to the Royal chambers, but she knew that however tonight turned out would be the next direction her future would take her. She had eaten a quick dinner with Serena, and Max would be joining her shortly as he ended up going with his parents to meet with the President of Antar.
One of the guards opened the door and entered first, bringing another guard with him. They expertly combed the room, making sure everything was safe. Finally they opened up the big french doors leading to the balcony and checked it out. Once they were assured that everything was ok, the other guards escorted Liz into the room.
"I think the King has set some things out for you on the balcony," one of the guards said with a knowing smile. "Do you need anything else?"
"No thank you, I'm good, and thanks again for everything," Liz said as the bowed and left the room. Even though they had left, Liz knew that one or two of them would be on the other side of the door. This was perhaps the hardest thing to get used to on Antar, being guarded at all times. Just the thought that someone would lay down their life for her that really didn't know her was mind blowing.
She looked up at the Antarian clock and smiled to herself when she saw the Earth clock next to it. Max had thought of everything to make her feel comfortable. She tried to figure out when Max would be back to the room by only looking at the Antarian clock, and was extremely pleased with herself when she checked on the Earth clock and knew she had an hour and a half. Serena had made their dinner together very light and quick, and Liz just knew Serena had guessed that she would need some time alone.
Liz decided to take a quick bath before Max returned, needing to relax from the long day. She couldn't help but sneak a peak at the balcony first, and almost laughed out loud when she saw the Christmas lights, candles, and lawn chairs out on the balcony. Deciding she would just put pajamas on, she went over to her huge trousseau that had been filled with her night clothes by the palace staff.
A frown marred her beautiful features as she realized most of the garments in the trousseau would put Victoria's Secret to shame. She blushed as she held up one article of clothing that consisted of two long straps of cloth connecting to something that could almost pass for panties. She finally fished out a two piece ensemble that was made out of the softest fabric Liz had ever felt. It was like a mixture of silk and fur, but very light weight. The top was a scalloped tank that would show a bit of midriff and the bottoms were in a boy short cut. It would cling to her body, but everything would be covered.
She stopped at the wall by her bed and waved her hand in front of it, smiling when the hand print appeared. She touched the hand print and the wall folded out, revealing her journal and another small book. This was Michael's handy work, and only after he assured Liz several times that his hand print would not open it did she use it. She did have to give him a hard time, after all.
After her bath was full, she slowly glided down into the steaming water, sighing at the relaxing of her muscles. She reached over and picked up her journal, thumbing through the pages.
It was hard to believe that all of this had started just a little under two years ago. Her journal entries were so innocent, so sweet. Her biggest worry back then was if Max was thinking about her, if they would ever be together. She smiled at the naitivity of it all, and frowned at the big glaring blank spaces from when they had seen the message in the cave to when she went lane walking with Sean. That was a part of her life she would never want to relive.
She climbed out of the tub and dried herself off. After using her powers to dry her hair into long waves, she dressed in her Antarian pajamas, blushing at the site in the mirror. Even though they covered everything, they left very little to the imagination. Michael had told them to pack light, and that they would not need any clothes. Thankfully she had brought her colorful robe from home, and she wrapped it around herself like a security blanket and headed out to the balcony.
She set the small pink book to the side, opened her journal, and began to write.
September 1, 2001
It's funny how, sitting here on this strange balcony in a strange land looking at three moons I feel like I've come full circle from the events that have happened in the last two years. Two years ago if a person would have told me that I would be sitting here, married to shy Max Evans, and was the Queen of an entire planet I would have either laughed myself silly or called the authorities because that person was in obvious need of medical attention, the kind they give in insane asylums.
If that person would have told me that a year ago, I might have believed it, and if they would have told me six months ago, I sadly would have told them that I altered that reality.
But here I am, Liz Parker, married to the formerly shy Max Evans, and the Queen of an entire planet. The most funny part about that is none of it was in my control.
I've always liked to be in control, which is probably why I like science so much. It is probably why I like writing so much-I tell the characters what to do, what to say, where to go. Some may say that kind of character trait is a gift, while others may say it's a flaw, but either way it is one of my own.
It is also one of Max's, and if we are ever to find any true, lasting happiness we both have to agree to relinquish some of that control. Sure, we are bonded to each other for life, but that doesn't guarantee happiness, it doesn't guarantee sheer bliss. You only have to look at our history to realize that.
Maria used to say I lived the life she so desperately wanted, but would she really want it? I admire her relationship with Michael. They had it tough, they fought like cats and dogs, but they also fought for each other. They learned how to work at their relationship through those trials, and came out of the other side in perfect balance, perfect compromise.
I'd like to think in the other future Max and I learned that balance, that we learned to relinquish the control, that we learned to compromise. I mean, if we hadn't how else could we have sent Max back from the future to change our lives so dramatically, without any sense of control. There was no detailed plan, no real hidden information. They gave us a push in one direction and left it for the fates and us to decide, and there is little or no control involved there, just a whole lot of faith in each other.
So if I could have that kind of faith 14 years in the future, I hope I can have that kind of faith now, because really some of the best things in life can't be controlled. Who your family is, who you care about like they are family, who you love.
"Hey," Max said as Liz looked up, startled. She was so engrossed in her writing that she didn't even here him come in.
"Hey yourself," she said as she closed her journal, setting it to the side as he leaned down to place a sweet kiss on her lips.
"I'm sorry if I frightened you," Max said while contemplating sitting next to her in the lounge chair but thought better of it and pulled another close to hers.
"You didn't, just startled me a bit is all," Liz smiled.
Max took her hand in his. "Still writing in that thing I see," he chuckled. "Are you ever going to let me read it?" he asked, eyes sparkling as he kissed her hand.
"Actually, it is funny you should ask that," Liz said, "because I'd like you to read my journal now, well I'd like to read a few parts to you if that's ok."
Max raised his eyebrows and smiled. "I'd like that, I think," he said with mock seriousness as he settled back in the lounge chair.
"Alright then, here we go, and no falling asleep on me" Liz joked, taking in his relaxed position.
"Never in a million years," Max said. Liz rolled her eyes and picked up the little pink book.
"Wait, I thought you said you are going to read from your journal?" Max asked.
"I am," she said, proudly producing a little key to unlock the small lock on the front of the book. "I just didn't say which one."
Max looked at her quizzically as she began to read. "September 6th, 1993. Today I went to 3rd grade. It was fun. Maria is in my class. There was a new boy named Max. He is nice."
Max leaned over Liz. "No way, it does not say that!"
Liz playfully swatted him with the book. "Oh yes it does, and this is my story Mister so let me tell it."
"Ok, Ok, no need to resort to violence," Max teased. "Does it really say that?" he asked seriously.
"Yes it does. Now shush and I'll read you more," Liz said as she thumbed through some pages.
"September 13. Maria and I played jump rope today. Max helped and turned the rope. He is not so shy now. He is my friend!"
Max smiled. "Did I really do that? I don't remember that," he said.
"Neither did I until I read it. I think you were coming out of your shell a little bit," Liz said.
"October 20. I fell off the slide today. I hit my head. It hurt bad and I bleeded. Max was scared. He wanted to help me. Isabel pulled him away," Liz read.
Max reached out and traced the small scar above Liz's eye. "I was terrified that you were seriously hurt, I wanted to heal that so bad," he said quietly.
Liz reached for Max's hand and kissed the finger that traced her scar. She cleared her throat. "November 6. I had a birthday party today. I am 9. Max did not come. He said he would. I was so sad."
"Liz...." Max said. Liz shushed him and continued reading.
"November 8. I asked Max about my party. Max looked at the ground and Isabel said they forgot. I guess he does not want to be my friend." Liz said as she closed the book. "There isn't a whole lot more about you until we had science together in the 6th grade, but that's another book."
"God Liz," Max said as he climbed over her into her chair and gathered her into his arms. His heart broke as he saw a huge tear slip out of one of her eyes. "Do you have any idea how much I wanted to go to that party. I even remember you gave me my invitation first. Me, first," he said as he wiped away her tear with his thumb.
"But you tried to heal me," Liz said.
"And it scared Isabel, it scared me," Max said, "because I forgot everything when I saw you hurt."
"So you didn't come to my party because you were starting to get close, and it was dangerous, for you and also for me you probably thought" Liz continued for him, "and I gave up on a friendship with you at the first bump in the road."
"I guess you are right," Max said, hugging Liz close.
Liz leaned back and looked into Max's beautiful hazel eyes. "We seem to have a long history of you pulling away and of me walking away. Longer then I ever realized. It has to stop Max, or we'll never be happy. I've walked away when you needed me most, like the summer after the white room, and I'm promising you now I will never do that again."
"Liz....Liz that wasn't your fault. Tess implanted the suggestions that you should let me follow my destiny," Max argued.
"No Max, don't do that. Yes, she may have done that but I still followed them. She didn't make me walk away. She didn't make my mind up for me. I did that, and I need to own up to it and say I'm sorry and I will never do that to you again," Liz finished.
Max kissed Liz's cheek. "I know you won't, and while we are spilling our souls I need to apologize for the way I treated you when you were leaving for Sweden."
"Max, I understand why all that happened. Yes, it took me awhile to come to terms with all of it, but I know why you did it, I know why you did everything you did after Future you came back and I've accepted it," Liz said with understanding.
"Now don't you do that," Max said and took a deep breath. "Yes, I was petrified of you getting on that plane, but I was still trying to control your actions. If you would have tried to leave the shapeshifters would have stopped you, and thank God you got that call. But I panicked and went for the jugular Liz."
Max drew in a haggard breath and continued. "I knew how much pain you were in, how much you needed me, and I still did it. I was...I was physical with you Liz. I didn't need to go that far, but I was so angry that you wouldn't just listen to me. I was so angry that we had hurt you so bad, that we were lying, that I had put you in danger once again. I lost it Liz and I am so sorry. I will never, ever do that again," he said as tears glistened in his eyes.
Liz acknowledged his words with a quick nod, not trusting her own voice. Max reached down and cupped her face, forcing her eyes to his. "No more Liz...no more lying for your own good, my own good. No more hurting, no more taking anyone's free will away, from either of us," he said.
"Never again," Liz whispered as his lips crashed down on hers, spiraling both of them into all the feelings of sadness, regret, and finally joy. They kissed each other senseless, and when they finally broke for air Liz disentangled herself from Max and stood up.
Just as Max was about to stand with her Liz reached over and untied her robe, letting the Earthly garment flutter to the ground. Max willed himself to breath as he took in the site of her.
"I'm ready Max, ready for the next step in our lives if you are," she said as Max still raked her body up and down with his eyes. She blushed slightly as she said, "This is one of the outfits the staff had made for me,"
Max stood up and in one swift motion picked Liz up in his arms. "Remind me to give them a raise tomorrow," he said as he carried her through the big french doors, through the pain and through the sorrow, through the mistakes and through the darkness. He carried her bravely through all of that straight into the light.
As always, thanks for all the FB. I'm glad some of you are relating to my version of Tess. No one is pure good or pure bad, and I've tried really hard to show that in Tess with this story.
Oh, and since this story only has maybe 4 or 5 chapters left, I've started a short fic over on the AU w/aliens board. The link is in my sig if you are interested.
Chapter 28
Liz stood looking at the door to her future. It was really the door to the Royal chambers, but she knew that however tonight turned out would be the next direction her future would take her. She had eaten a quick dinner with Serena, and Max would be joining her shortly as he ended up going with his parents to meet with the President of Antar.
One of the guards opened the door and entered first, bringing another guard with him. They expertly combed the room, making sure everything was safe. Finally they opened up the big french doors leading to the balcony and checked it out. Once they were assured that everything was ok, the other guards escorted Liz into the room.
"I think the King has set some things out for you on the balcony," one of the guards said with a knowing smile. "Do you need anything else?"
"No thank you, I'm good, and thanks again for everything," Liz said as the bowed and left the room. Even though they had left, Liz knew that one or two of them would be on the other side of the door. This was perhaps the hardest thing to get used to on Antar, being guarded at all times. Just the thought that someone would lay down their life for her that really didn't know her was mind blowing.
She looked up at the Antarian clock and smiled to herself when she saw the Earth clock next to it. Max had thought of everything to make her feel comfortable. She tried to figure out when Max would be back to the room by only looking at the Antarian clock, and was extremely pleased with herself when she checked on the Earth clock and knew she had an hour and a half. Serena had made their dinner together very light and quick, and Liz just knew Serena had guessed that she would need some time alone.
Liz decided to take a quick bath before Max returned, needing to relax from the long day. She couldn't help but sneak a peak at the balcony first, and almost laughed out loud when she saw the Christmas lights, candles, and lawn chairs out on the balcony. Deciding she would just put pajamas on, she went over to her huge trousseau that had been filled with her night clothes by the palace staff.
A frown marred her beautiful features as she realized most of the garments in the trousseau would put Victoria's Secret to shame. She blushed as she held up one article of clothing that consisted of two long straps of cloth connecting to something that could almost pass for panties. She finally fished out a two piece ensemble that was made out of the softest fabric Liz had ever felt. It was like a mixture of silk and fur, but very light weight. The top was a scalloped tank that would show a bit of midriff and the bottoms were in a boy short cut. It would cling to her body, but everything would be covered.
She stopped at the wall by her bed and waved her hand in front of it, smiling when the hand print appeared. She touched the hand print and the wall folded out, revealing her journal and another small book. This was Michael's handy work, and only after he assured Liz several times that his hand print would not open it did she use it. She did have to give him a hard time, after all.
After her bath was full, she slowly glided down into the steaming water, sighing at the relaxing of her muscles. She reached over and picked up her journal, thumbing through the pages.
It was hard to believe that all of this had started just a little under two years ago. Her journal entries were so innocent, so sweet. Her biggest worry back then was if Max was thinking about her, if they would ever be together. She smiled at the naitivity of it all, and frowned at the big glaring blank spaces from when they had seen the message in the cave to when she went lane walking with Sean. That was a part of her life she would never want to relive.
She climbed out of the tub and dried herself off. After using her powers to dry her hair into long waves, she dressed in her Antarian pajamas, blushing at the site in the mirror. Even though they covered everything, they left very little to the imagination. Michael had told them to pack light, and that they would not need any clothes. Thankfully she had brought her colorful robe from home, and she wrapped it around herself like a security blanket and headed out to the balcony.
She set the small pink book to the side, opened her journal, and began to write.
September 1, 2001
It's funny how, sitting here on this strange balcony in a strange land looking at three moons I feel like I've come full circle from the events that have happened in the last two years. Two years ago if a person would have told me that I would be sitting here, married to shy Max Evans, and was the Queen of an entire planet I would have either laughed myself silly or called the authorities because that person was in obvious need of medical attention, the kind they give in insane asylums.
If that person would have told me that a year ago, I might have believed it, and if they would have told me six months ago, I sadly would have told them that I altered that reality.
But here I am, Liz Parker, married to the formerly shy Max Evans, and the Queen of an entire planet. The most funny part about that is none of it was in my control.
I've always liked to be in control, which is probably why I like science so much. It is probably why I like writing so much-I tell the characters what to do, what to say, where to go. Some may say that kind of character trait is a gift, while others may say it's a flaw, but either way it is one of my own.
It is also one of Max's, and if we are ever to find any true, lasting happiness we both have to agree to relinquish some of that control. Sure, we are bonded to each other for life, but that doesn't guarantee happiness, it doesn't guarantee sheer bliss. You only have to look at our history to realize that.
Maria used to say I lived the life she so desperately wanted, but would she really want it? I admire her relationship with Michael. They had it tough, they fought like cats and dogs, but they also fought for each other. They learned how to work at their relationship through those trials, and came out of the other side in perfect balance, perfect compromise.
I'd like to think in the other future Max and I learned that balance, that we learned to relinquish the control, that we learned to compromise. I mean, if we hadn't how else could we have sent Max back from the future to change our lives so dramatically, without any sense of control. There was no detailed plan, no real hidden information. They gave us a push in one direction and left it for the fates and us to decide, and there is little or no control involved there, just a whole lot of faith in each other.
So if I could have that kind of faith 14 years in the future, I hope I can have that kind of faith now, because really some of the best things in life can't be controlled. Who your family is, who you care about like they are family, who you love.
"Hey," Max said as Liz looked up, startled. She was so engrossed in her writing that she didn't even here him come in.
"Hey yourself," she said as she closed her journal, setting it to the side as he leaned down to place a sweet kiss on her lips.
"I'm sorry if I frightened you," Max said while contemplating sitting next to her in the lounge chair but thought better of it and pulled another close to hers.
"You didn't, just startled me a bit is all," Liz smiled.
Max took her hand in his. "Still writing in that thing I see," he chuckled. "Are you ever going to let me read it?" he asked, eyes sparkling as he kissed her hand.
"Actually, it is funny you should ask that," Liz said, "because I'd like you to read my journal now, well I'd like to read a few parts to you if that's ok."
Max raised his eyebrows and smiled. "I'd like that, I think," he said with mock seriousness as he settled back in the lounge chair.
"Alright then, here we go, and no falling asleep on me" Liz joked, taking in his relaxed position.
"Never in a million years," Max said. Liz rolled her eyes and picked up the little pink book.
"Wait, I thought you said you are going to read from your journal?" Max asked.
"I am," she said, proudly producing a little key to unlock the small lock on the front of the book. "I just didn't say which one."
Max looked at her quizzically as she began to read. "September 6th, 1993. Today I went to 3rd grade. It was fun. Maria is in my class. There was a new boy named Max. He is nice."
Max leaned over Liz. "No way, it does not say that!"
Liz playfully swatted him with the book. "Oh yes it does, and this is my story Mister so let me tell it."
"Ok, Ok, no need to resort to violence," Max teased. "Does it really say that?" he asked seriously.
"Yes it does. Now shush and I'll read you more," Liz said as she thumbed through some pages.
"September 13. Maria and I played jump rope today. Max helped and turned the rope. He is not so shy now. He is my friend!"
Max smiled. "Did I really do that? I don't remember that," he said.
"Neither did I until I read it. I think you were coming out of your shell a little bit," Liz said.
"October 20. I fell off the slide today. I hit my head. It hurt bad and I bleeded. Max was scared. He wanted to help me. Isabel pulled him away," Liz read.
Max reached out and traced the small scar above Liz's eye. "I was terrified that you were seriously hurt, I wanted to heal that so bad," he said quietly.
Liz reached for Max's hand and kissed the finger that traced her scar. She cleared her throat. "November 6. I had a birthday party today. I am 9. Max did not come. He said he would. I was so sad."
"Liz...." Max said. Liz shushed him and continued reading.
"November 8. I asked Max about my party. Max looked at the ground and Isabel said they forgot. I guess he does not want to be my friend." Liz said as she closed the book. "There isn't a whole lot more about you until we had science together in the 6th grade, but that's another book."
"God Liz," Max said as he climbed over her into her chair and gathered her into his arms. His heart broke as he saw a huge tear slip out of one of her eyes. "Do you have any idea how much I wanted to go to that party. I even remember you gave me my invitation first. Me, first," he said as he wiped away her tear with his thumb.
"But you tried to heal me," Liz said.
"And it scared Isabel, it scared me," Max said, "because I forgot everything when I saw you hurt."
"So you didn't come to my party because you were starting to get close, and it was dangerous, for you and also for me you probably thought" Liz continued for him, "and I gave up on a friendship with you at the first bump in the road."
"I guess you are right," Max said, hugging Liz close.
Liz leaned back and looked into Max's beautiful hazel eyes. "We seem to have a long history of you pulling away and of me walking away. Longer then I ever realized. It has to stop Max, or we'll never be happy. I've walked away when you needed me most, like the summer after the white room, and I'm promising you now I will never do that again."
"Liz....Liz that wasn't your fault. Tess implanted the suggestions that you should let me follow my destiny," Max argued.
"No Max, don't do that. Yes, she may have done that but I still followed them. She didn't make me walk away. She didn't make my mind up for me. I did that, and I need to own up to it and say I'm sorry and I will never do that to you again," Liz finished.
Max kissed Liz's cheek. "I know you won't, and while we are spilling our souls I need to apologize for the way I treated you when you were leaving for Sweden."
"Max, I understand why all that happened. Yes, it took me awhile to come to terms with all of it, but I know why you did it, I know why you did everything you did after Future you came back and I've accepted it," Liz said with understanding.
"Now don't you do that," Max said and took a deep breath. "Yes, I was petrified of you getting on that plane, but I was still trying to control your actions. If you would have tried to leave the shapeshifters would have stopped you, and thank God you got that call. But I panicked and went for the jugular Liz."
Max drew in a haggard breath and continued. "I knew how much pain you were in, how much you needed me, and I still did it. I was...I was physical with you Liz. I didn't need to go that far, but I was so angry that you wouldn't just listen to me. I was so angry that we had hurt you so bad, that we were lying, that I had put you in danger once again. I lost it Liz and I am so sorry. I will never, ever do that again," he said as tears glistened in his eyes.
Liz acknowledged his words with a quick nod, not trusting her own voice. Max reached down and cupped her face, forcing her eyes to his. "No more Liz...no more lying for your own good, my own good. No more hurting, no more taking anyone's free will away, from either of us," he said.
"Never again," Liz whispered as his lips crashed down on hers, spiraling both of them into all the feelings of sadness, regret, and finally joy. They kissed each other senseless, and when they finally broke for air Liz disentangled herself from Max and stood up.
Just as Max was about to stand with her Liz reached over and untied her robe, letting the Earthly garment flutter to the ground. Max willed himself to breath as he took in the site of her.
"I'm ready Max, ready for the next step in our lives if you are," she said as Max still raked her body up and down with his eyes. She blushed slightly as she said, "This is one of the outfits the staff had made for me,"
Max stood up and in one swift motion picked Liz up in his arms. "Remind me to give them a raise tomorrow," he said as he carried her through the big french doors, through the pain and through the sorrow, through the mistakes and through the darkness. He carried her bravely through all of that straight into the light.
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My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
Chapter 29A
Liz snuggled her head into the soft pillow and sighed as she started to awake from her deep sleep. Even before her eyes fluttered open, she realized she couldn't move if her life depended on it, and strangely enough this didn't bother her.
It would take her a few seconds to realize that her immobilization was being caused by the fact that Max's muscular thigh was pinning the lower half of her body down, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, his head next to hers on the pillow. She smiled thinking of their activities the night before, and slowly turned her head as not to wake him.
Max looked so young, so innocent in his sleep with his hair slightly tousled. The only thing that gave away his real age was the cat that ate the canary smile plastered on his face, even in sleep. As if feeling her eyes on him, he slowly came back to the world of reality.
"Mmmmmm..." he said, rolling her naked body over and pulling her front flush to him. "Good Morning," he murmured in her ear, biting it softly.
"Morning," Liz said, kissing the top of his head. "You were smiling awfully big in your sleep, were you having a sweet dream?" she asked innocently.
Max continued nipping at her ear, then down her throat. "Very sweet," he said in between nibbles.
"I...I....Is...Isabel is going to be waiting for us," she managed to choke out.
Max sighed and stopped his ministrations. He laid his head on the pillow next to hers and stared into her beautiful eyes. Slowly he leaned towards her face to kiss her.
"Wait!" Liz exclaimed, startling them both. She pressed her finger to her lips, smiled, and then pressed her finger on his lips. Max felt the tingling in his mouth as she took away his morning breath.
He smiled wickedly back as he leaned in and took her lips with his, squeezing her body as close to his as possible. Liz sighed in contentment as he began kissing her cheeks, working his way back to her ear. She ran her hand down his chest, loving the feel of the hard muscles under his taunt skin. She massaged her way to his waist, heading for his strong back when she was interrupted by a very surprising giggle.
"Umm Max, did you just giggle?" Liz asked, raising her eyebrow when he stopped kissing her.
"No," he said all wide eyed and innocent.
"Max, are you ticklish?" she asked, and as he vehemently shook his head no she gave him a little rub again that sent him howling with laughter.
"STOP! STOP!" he begged as she laughed right along with him tumbling around the bed.
"Ok, I'll be good," she said as he pinned her down. "How is it that I could not have known this?"
"I guess I've never been this relaxed before," Max said smiling.
Liz figured he was right. Even though he still had the weight of the world on his shoulders, even though he probably still felt responsible for every person he cared about and every person on this planet actually, this was probably the first time Max Evans got to be what he was meant to be without hiding, fear, and secrecy.
Max Evans could finally be what he was meant to be. King, lover, husband, friend, son. Max Evans was finally coming into his own.
Liz couldn't resist one more tickle, sending Max into another fit of giggles. "Liz, you said you'd be good. Don't make me go Henry the VIII on you," he joked and laughed harder when her eyes mockingly got as big as saucers.
"Alright, I promise, I'll be good....for now..." she said. "Is there somewhere else you would rather me massage?" she asked innocently, surprised by her own forwardness.
He answered her in a half growl/half something incoherent as he kissed her passionately. As his hands wandered to places he had only dreamed about touching, he noticed that she tensed up.
"Is everything ok?" Max asked, concerned as he cupped her face and looked into her eyes.
"Yes, I'm fine, I'm just...just a little sore there is all," Liz said embarrassed. After losing her virginity the night before Max had wanted to heal her, but they had decided to do this the 'normal' way.
"Liz...Liz, let me heal you, please?" he begged softly.
"But Max, we agreed to do this the normal way, remember?" Liz said.
"We are on Antar Liz, healing you is the normal way, besides, if I heal you we can make love again before breakfast," he said, looking at her with such great passion.
It took Liz all of two seconds to think about this proposition. "What's so great about normal?" she asked as a huge smile spread across his face. It took her a second to realize that it wasn't because they were going to make love again, but because he remembered saying that to her the night of the blind date.
"Do you remember that night Max?" she asked, staring at him intently.
"I plead the fifth," he said, "and if I did remember it, it probably would have been days later and I would have been to embarrassed to tell you that I did in fact remember turning parking meters into sparklers."
"Why you," Liz started to say as Max put a finger to her lips.
"Remember, what's so great about normal?" he said as he reached down between her legs and began to heal her. Max purposely slowed the healing down when he could see what it was doing to her.
Liz began to squirm a bit at the sensation, and then her breathing became labored. It was such an intense, erotic sensation that she thought she would die from the jump start to her libido.
"Oooh now Max," Liz panted.
"What?" Max asked, not believing his ears.
"Now Max, I need you now," Liz said as Max entered her for the first time pain free.
"OH MY GOD MAAAAAAX!" Liz cried out.
______________________________________________________________________________
The whole group, minus Max and Liz, were in the dining room eating breakfast the next morning. Isabel was tapping her pen expectantly on her notebook when Alex reached over and grabbed it from her.
"Thank God," said Michael as Isabel gave him a death stare.
"Where are they at?" Isabel said to no one in particular. "Max knows we have a tight schedule. Liz and Kyle have appointments with Tess, We have the complete tour of the castle and grounds, a luncheon with Preston, and Maria is penciled in to be changed."
"Excuse me?" Maria exclaimed. "Penciled in? You have my change penciled in? Like one of the biggest events of my life, like the changing of my cells does not warrant pen?"
The group sat silent as the watched the cold and warm front collide. Anyone who knew anything about the weather on Earth knew that was a recipe for disaster. Thankfully the cold front receeded.
"Fine, give me my pen back Alex," Isabel demanded as Alex handed it to her. "Wimp," Michael muttered. "What was that?" Isabel asked as Michael looked intently at his food.
"Nothing," said Michael as Kyle chuckled.
Isabel stood up. "Well if they think they are going to throw off the schedule by sleeping in they have another thing coming," Isabel said as she grabbed her planner.
"Uh, Isabel, I wouldn't do that," Maria warned.
"Yes honey, sit down, enjoy your breakfast," Alex offered feebily, knowing it would do no good.
"I'll be right back," Isabel huffed and left in the direction of Max and Liz's room.
Blonde hair flying and heals clicking Isabel passed the two guards who were standing at the end of the hallway that led to Max and Liz's room. She gave them a curt nod as she passed them, wondering why they were so far away from the chambers they were protecting.
Just as Isabel was about to knock on the door she heard.... "OH MY GOD MAAAAAAX!"
She backed up a step away from the door and held her hands out, as if she were pushing the sound away. "Eww," was all she could say. Isabel gathered up her composure, straightened her shirt, and gracefully made her way back down the hall.
"Is it to much too ask to have a well planned visit?" she asked as the guards muttered "No princess."
"Is it too much to ask that my brother control his hormones for one day?" Isabel asked as they muttered "No princess," again.
As she rounded the corner she didn't see the guards break into their fit of laughter, nor did the guards see Isabel turn bright red, bright red but smiling that her brother had finally found his happiness.
Liz snuggled her head into the soft pillow and sighed as she started to awake from her deep sleep. Even before her eyes fluttered open, she realized she couldn't move if her life depended on it, and strangely enough this didn't bother her.
It would take her a few seconds to realize that her immobilization was being caused by the fact that Max's muscular thigh was pinning the lower half of her body down, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, his head next to hers on the pillow. She smiled thinking of their activities the night before, and slowly turned her head as not to wake him.
Max looked so young, so innocent in his sleep with his hair slightly tousled. The only thing that gave away his real age was the cat that ate the canary smile plastered on his face, even in sleep. As if feeling her eyes on him, he slowly came back to the world of reality.
"Mmmmmm..." he said, rolling her naked body over and pulling her front flush to him. "Good Morning," he murmured in her ear, biting it softly.
"Morning," Liz said, kissing the top of his head. "You were smiling awfully big in your sleep, were you having a sweet dream?" she asked innocently.
Max continued nipping at her ear, then down her throat. "Very sweet," he said in between nibbles.
"I...I....Is...Isabel is going to be waiting for us," she managed to choke out.
Max sighed and stopped his ministrations. He laid his head on the pillow next to hers and stared into her beautiful eyes. Slowly he leaned towards her face to kiss her.
"Wait!" Liz exclaimed, startling them both. She pressed her finger to her lips, smiled, and then pressed her finger on his lips. Max felt the tingling in his mouth as she took away his morning breath.
He smiled wickedly back as he leaned in and took her lips with his, squeezing her body as close to his as possible. Liz sighed in contentment as he began kissing her cheeks, working his way back to her ear. She ran her hand down his chest, loving the feel of the hard muscles under his taunt skin. She massaged her way to his waist, heading for his strong back when she was interrupted by a very surprising giggle.
"Umm Max, did you just giggle?" Liz asked, raising her eyebrow when he stopped kissing her.
"No," he said all wide eyed and innocent.
"Max, are you ticklish?" she asked, and as he vehemently shook his head no she gave him a little rub again that sent him howling with laughter.
"STOP! STOP!" he begged as she laughed right along with him tumbling around the bed.
"Ok, I'll be good," she said as he pinned her down. "How is it that I could not have known this?"
"I guess I've never been this relaxed before," Max said smiling.
Liz figured he was right. Even though he still had the weight of the world on his shoulders, even though he probably still felt responsible for every person he cared about and every person on this planet actually, this was probably the first time Max Evans got to be what he was meant to be without hiding, fear, and secrecy.
Max Evans could finally be what he was meant to be. King, lover, husband, friend, son. Max Evans was finally coming into his own.
Liz couldn't resist one more tickle, sending Max into another fit of giggles. "Liz, you said you'd be good. Don't make me go Henry the VIII on you," he joked and laughed harder when her eyes mockingly got as big as saucers.
"Alright, I promise, I'll be good....for now..." she said. "Is there somewhere else you would rather me massage?" she asked innocently, surprised by her own forwardness.
He answered her in a half growl/half something incoherent as he kissed her passionately. As his hands wandered to places he had only dreamed about touching, he noticed that she tensed up.
"Is everything ok?" Max asked, concerned as he cupped her face and looked into her eyes.
"Yes, I'm fine, I'm just...just a little sore there is all," Liz said embarrassed. After losing her virginity the night before Max had wanted to heal her, but they had decided to do this the 'normal' way.
"Liz...Liz, let me heal you, please?" he begged softly.
"But Max, we agreed to do this the normal way, remember?" Liz said.
"We are on Antar Liz, healing you is the normal way, besides, if I heal you we can make love again before breakfast," he said, looking at her with such great passion.
It took Liz all of two seconds to think about this proposition. "What's so great about normal?" she asked as a huge smile spread across his face. It took her a second to realize that it wasn't because they were going to make love again, but because he remembered saying that to her the night of the blind date.
"Do you remember that night Max?" she asked, staring at him intently.
"I plead the fifth," he said, "and if I did remember it, it probably would have been days later and I would have been to embarrassed to tell you that I did in fact remember turning parking meters into sparklers."
"Why you," Liz started to say as Max put a finger to her lips.
"Remember, what's so great about normal?" he said as he reached down between her legs and began to heal her. Max purposely slowed the healing down when he could see what it was doing to her.
Liz began to squirm a bit at the sensation, and then her breathing became labored. It was such an intense, erotic sensation that she thought she would die from the jump start to her libido.
"Oooh now Max," Liz panted.
"What?" Max asked, not believing his ears.
"Now Max, I need you now," Liz said as Max entered her for the first time pain free.
"OH MY GOD MAAAAAAX!" Liz cried out.
______________________________________________________________________________
The whole group, minus Max and Liz, were in the dining room eating breakfast the next morning. Isabel was tapping her pen expectantly on her notebook when Alex reached over and grabbed it from her.
"Thank God," said Michael as Isabel gave him a death stare.
"Where are they at?" Isabel said to no one in particular. "Max knows we have a tight schedule. Liz and Kyle have appointments with Tess, We have the complete tour of the castle and grounds, a luncheon with Preston, and Maria is penciled in to be changed."
"Excuse me?" Maria exclaimed. "Penciled in? You have my change penciled in? Like one of the biggest events of my life, like the changing of my cells does not warrant pen?"
The group sat silent as the watched the cold and warm front collide. Anyone who knew anything about the weather on Earth knew that was a recipe for disaster. Thankfully the cold front receeded.
"Fine, give me my pen back Alex," Isabel demanded as Alex handed it to her. "Wimp," Michael muttered. "What was that?" Isabel asked as Michael looked intently at his food.
"Nothing," said Michael as Kyle chuckled.
Isabel stood up. "Well if they think they are going to throw off the schedule by sleeping in they have another thing coming," Isabel said as she grabbed her planner.
"Uh, Isabel, I wouldn't do that," Maria warned.
"Yes honey, sit down, enjoy your breakfast," Alex offered feebily, knowing it would do no good.
"I'll be right back," Isabel huffed and left in the direction of Max and Liz's room.
Blonde hair flying and heals clicking Isabel passed the two guards who were standing at the end of the hallway that led to Max and Liz's room. She gave them a curt nod as she passed them, wondering why they were so far away from the chambers they were protecting.
Just as Isabel was about to knock on the door she heard.... "OH MY GOD MAAAAAAX!"
She backed up a step away from the door and held her hands out, as if she were pushing the sound away. "Eww," was all she could say. Isabel gathered up her composure, straightened her shirt, and gracefully made her way back down the hall.
"Is it to much too ask to have a well planned visit?" she asked as the guards muttered "No princess."
"Is it too much to ask that my brother control his hormones for one day?" Isabel asked as they muttered "No princess," again.
As she rounded the corner she didn't see the guards break into their fit of laughter, nor did the guards see Isabel turn bright red, bright red but smiling that her brother had finally found his happiness.
Find all the links to my fics in one place:
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
Thanks for the FB as always! It's a short part, the second is longer and should be up on Wednesday night. Enjoy!
Chapter 29B
Tess sat once again in that room void of anything other then the table and the big red button. How she hated that button. The button of rejection. The button people pressed when they had enough of her and wanted to move on. To bad people hadn't had one of those back in Roswell, because if they did maybe she wouldn't be in this mess.
She took in the extra guards in the room and remembered the way they checked her over before today's visit. Tess knew what was coming, and it was probably going to be Liz. When she asked who she was going to be her visitor today the guards just snorted and said something along the lines of "'someone to good to be in the company of you." She knew from her talk with Max that it couldn't be him, Isabel, or Michael, as he had told her none of them ever wanted to see her again until her sentencing.
Even with the loneliness of the cell, the lack of contact with anyone other than guards that hated her guts, Tess would rather have stayed there then face Liz. She knew it wasn't Liz's fault the way things went down, and truth be told she admired her in a way. Liz always did the right thing, never thinking of herself. Liz would never hurt someone to get her way.
She sighed wishing she still had her powers, if only to color her hair. Yes, it seemed like a rather lame thing to be thinking of at the time, but she didn't want Liz to see her like this-grow out roots, sunken cheeks, just plain defeated. Tess knew that Liz would look at her with pity, and Liz was the last person who should pity her but she would anyway, which was just another character trait difference between them.
Her Father had been so wrong, so wrong about everything. One of the first things he ever taught her was how to make her hair blonde, because 'Zan' would like her better that way. She meticulously changed ever strand of hair each morning her whole life, making sure no dark ever showed. Right before she came to Roswell they had decided she could also give herself a little boost in the chest area, just for 'Zan'.
She should have known how wrong they were the first time she saw Max making his doe eyes at Liz, how happy he was, how much he loved her. Liz with her brown hair and flat chest. Sure, she was cute, but it took a lot more then cute to make Max fall in love with her. The strength of her character, the size of her heart. Tess could never compete in those areas because she was always taught that those things were weaknesses.
Nasedo never understood the value in those things, and Tess, in either life, had never been strong enough to do the right thing. She had never been strong enough to tell her Father to go to hell when he made her do things that she knew were wrong with every fiber in her being.
Tess knew she only had two visitors left, and from what she gathered it was Liz and Kyle. If they left her fate to the court she knew she would die. It was ironic that only four people wanted to talk to her before she was executed, and one was someone she thought she killed and the other was his best friend.
The big door started to open and Tess held her breath. She would not look down at the table this time. She would look at her nemesis straight in the eye. Reining in every ounce of control Nasedo have ever taught her, she waited for Liz to walk through the door.
She watched as the guards jumped to attention, filing in formation in front of a....well a rather radiant looking Liz. She walked in with grace and her head held high, smiling and thanking the guards who bowed at her feet. Her hair was in long waves and her dress was obviously made of the finest fabric, fitting snugly at her breasts and cascading down around her slight frame in a river of the richest red Tess had ever seen.
After Liz addressed her guards she turned her eyes to Tess and she saw what she was afraid she would see. Pity, compassion, and worry. Tess knew that she shouldn't have broke when she talked to Alex, she shouldn't have given him that flash. Powers or no powers she knew how to keep people out of her mind. Undoubtedly Alex had told the others what had happened, how she originally thought the whole transcribing of the book would be nothing more then a memory of a great vacation for Alex.
No, she couldn't have Liz feeling sorry for her. She couldn't have someone with that kind of power over Max feeling that way. For once in her life she was going to do the right thing.
As Liz approached the table a guard said, "Bow to your Queen."
"That bitch will never be my Queen," Tess said as she slammed down the red button with her fist.
______________________________________________________________________________
"And then the guards tried to force her to bow, and that she couldn't dismiss me. I decided to just leave. It was ugly," Liz said to Max as they left the luncheon with Preston.
Max squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I knew it would be bad, but I didn't think she'd refuse to speak to you," he said. "I knew you shouldn't see her."
"Max...." Liz said sternly. "I needed to go. After what Jim and Alex said....I guess I just wanted to see if she had really changed, if she really wasn't this monster that lives in my mind."
"So, do you think she is? That monster?" Max asked.
Liz sighed. "No, I don't. I think she couldn't deal with seeing me in the place she has always thought belonged to her. I think she didn't want to break down in front of me," she said thoughtfully.
"Either way, she'll be out of our lives for good soon enough," Max said.
"But what about the Sheriff, Kyle?" Liz said. "It will destroy them if she is sentenced to death."
"The Sheriff will understand, Liz," Max said. "He has lived his life providing law and order, and he knows that certain things have to be done. Kyle, well I imagine we'll know more about how Kyle feels about all of this once he's done with his meeting with her."
Liz just nodded sadly. "Look," Max said, lightly grasping Liz's shoulders so she turned to face him. "I don't mean to sound cold or unfeeling, but Tess has made her bed and now she has to lie in it. If it was up to her we'd all be dead right now."
Liz circled her arms around Max's waist and hugged him tightly. "I know," she said quietly. "It is still hard to think of someone being put to death, someone our age, even if she was the bane of my existence for so long. She never had a chance, you know? I keep thinking of Ava, and how different she was, how she put herself out there to tell us the truth about Lonnie and Rath. If Tess hadn't grown up with Nasedo, she could have been like that too."
Max just sighed and hugged Liz tighter. "Come on now, Maria is waiting for us. We don't want to be late on her big day, do we?"
"No, I guess not," Liz said sadly as they continued their way to the Granilith chamber.
Chapter 29B
Tess sat once again in that room void of anything other then the table and the big red button. How she hated that button. The button of rejection. The button people pressed when they had enough of her and wanted to move on. To bad people hadn't had one of those back in Roswell, because if they did maybe she wouldn't be in this mess.
She took in the extra guards in the room and remembered the way they checked her over before today's visit. Tess knew what was coming, and it was probably going to be Liz. When she asked who she was going to be her visitor today the guards just snorted and said something along the lines of "'someone to good to be in the company of you." She knew from her talk with Max that it couldn't be him, Isabel, or Michael, as he had told her none of them ever wanted to see her again until her sentencing.
Even with the loneliness of the cell, the lack of contact with anyone other than guards that hated her guts, Tess would rather have stayed there then face Liz. She knew it wasn't Liz's fault the way things went down, and truth be told she admired her in a way. Liz always did the right thing, never thinking of herself. Liz would never hurt someone to get her way.
She sighed wishing she still had her powers, if only to color her hair. Yes, it seemed like a rather lame thing to be thinking of at the time, but she didn't want Liz to see her like this-grow out roots, sunken cheeks, just plain defeated. Tess knew that Liz would look at her with pity, and Liz was the last person who should pity her but she would anyway, which was just another character trait difference between them.
Her Father had been so wrong, so wrong about everything. One of the first things he ever taught her was how to make her hair blonde, because 'Zan' would like her better that way. She meticulously changed ever strand of hair each morning her whole life, making sure no dark ever showed. Right before she came to Roswell they had decided she could also give herself a little boost in the chest area, just for 'Zan'.
She should have known how wrong they were the first time she saw Max making his doe eyes at Liz, how happy he was, how much he loved her. Liz with her brown hair and flat chest. Sure, she was cute, but it took a lot more then cute to make Max fall in love with her. The strength of her character, the size of her heart. Tess could never compete in those areas because she was always taught that those things were weaknesses.
Nasedo never understood the value in those things, and Tess, in either life, had never been strong enough to do the right thing. She had never been strong enough to tell her Father to go to hell when he made her do things that she knew were wrong with every fiber in her being.
Tess knew she only had two visitors left, and from what she gathered it was Liz and Kyle. If they left her fate to the court she knew she would die. It was ironic that only four people wanted to talk to her before she was executed, and one was someone she thought she killed and the other was his best friend.
The big door started to open and Tess held her breath. She would not look down at the table this time. She would look at her nemesis straight in the eye. Reining in every ounce of control Nasedo have ever taught her, she waited for Liz to walk through the door.
She watched as the guards jumped to attention, filing in formation in front of a....well a rather radiant looking Liz. She walked in with grace and her head held high, smiling and thanking the guards who bowed at her feet. Her hair was in long waves and her dress was obviously made of the finest fabric, fitting snugly at her breasts and cascading down around her slight frame in a river of the richest red Tess had ever seen.
After Liz addressed her guards she turned her eyes to Tess and she saw what she was afraid she would see. Pity, compassion, and worry. Tess knew that she shouldn't have broke when she talked to Alex, she shouldn't have given him that flash. Powers or no powers she knew how to keep people out of her mind. Undoubtedly Alex had told the others what had happened, how she originally thought the whole transcribing of the book would be nothing more then a memory of a great vacation for Alex.
No, she couldn't have Liz feeling sorry for her. She couldn't have someone with that kind of power over Max feeling that way. For once in her life she was going to do the right thing.
As Liz approached the table a guard said, "Bow to your Queen."
"That bitch will never be my Queen," Tess said as she slammed down the red button with her fist.
______________________________________________________________________________
"And then the guards tried to force her to bow, and that she couldn't dismiss me. I decided to just leave. It was ugly," Liz said to Max as they left the luncheon with Preston.
Max squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I knew it would be bad, but I didn't think she'd refuse to speak to you," he said. "I knew you shouldn't see her."
"Max...." Liz said sternly. "I needed to go. After what Jim and Alex said....I guess I just wanted to see if she had really changed, if she really wasn't this monster that lives in my mind."
"So, do you think she is? That monster?" Max asked.
Liz sighed. "No, I don't. I think she couldn't deal with seeing me in the place she has always thought belonged to her. I think she didn't want to break down in front of me," she said thoughtfully.
"Either way, she'll be out of our lives for good soon enough," Max said.
"But what about the Sheriff, Kyle?" Liz said. "It will destroy them if she is sentenced to death."
"The Sheriff will understand, Liz," Max said. "He has lived his life providing law and order, and he knows that certain things have to be done. Kyle, well I imagine we'll know more about how Kyle feels about all of this once he's done with his meeting with her."
Liz just nodded sadly. "Look," Max said, lightly grasping Liz's shoulders so she turned to face him. "I don't mean to sound cold or unfeeling, but Tess has made her bed and now she has to lie in it. If it was up to her we'd all be dead right now."
Liz circled her arms around Max's waist and hugged him tightly. "I know," she said quietly. "It is still hard to think of someone being put to death, someone our age, even if she was the bane of my existence for so long. She never had a chance, you know? I keep thinking of Ava, and how different she was, how she put herself out there to tell us the truth about Lonnie and Rath. If Tess hadn't grown up with Nasedo, she could have been like that too."
Max just sighed and hugged Liz tighter. "Come on now, Maria is waiting for us. We don't want to be late on her big day, do we?"
"No, I guess not," Liz said sadly as they continued their way to the Granilith chamber.
Find all the links to my fics in one place:
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
Chapter 30
"Is it going to hurt?" Maria asked, her eyes big and round as she sat in front of Max.
"No, it won't hurt at all, I promise," Max said with a smile.
"Are you going to like see....things?" Maria asked a bit nervously.
Max sighed. "Probably, but I'll try and keep the flashes to a minimum."
"You do that," Michael growled, feeling very uncomfortable that Max would receive flashes from Maria.
"Down big boy," Maria laughed. "If you want a hot looking wife at 70, we have to do this."
"I know," Michael said, but it didn't mean he'd have to like it.
Michael, Maria, Max, and Liz had all met in the Granilith Chamber to proceed in the changing of Maria, what she had dubbed her 'Special Day.'
Knowing that she couldn't be changed once she was out of the adolescence stage, which was more then likely the age of 18, they had decided that they better act quickly, even if Maria would be returning to Earth to finish High School. Preston had some interesting theories at lunch, about how the change might take place faster in the more nurturing Antarian atmosphere.
"I need you to look at me," Max said as he gently placed both hands on the side of Maria's face. Maria did as she was told, and soon her breathing began to match Max's.
Max felt himself be sucked into Maria's mind, and he quickly started working. He needed to make a few connections that were missing in the part of the brain where their powers originated from. Much to his surprise, he saw that connections has already started growing by themselves, and it took very little time to finish the process. Thankfully he didn't get to many flashes, and even more thankfully he didn't get any 'Michael and Maria' flashes.
He gently let go of Maria's head as Maria sat back in the chair. "Are you alright?" Liz asked, concerned.
"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine," Maria said as she shook her head a bit and blinked her eyes.
"That didn't take long Maxwell," Michael said.
"I know, it was strange, the connection between tissues was already starting to grow on it's own, and that area was becoming active before I ever touched her," Max said confused.
"Maybe because of our bond?" Michael said thinking out loud.
"Or maybe because of being here?" Liz threw out there. "What we need is a control subject, someone who won't change."
Just as she said that Jim, Kyle, and Amy walked past the entrance of the door. "I know this is going to be hard son, but you really should get closure with Tess," Jim was saying as Michael called them into the room.
"Oh my baby!" Amy said and knelt before Maria. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine Mom, but there was something strange with my brain. The connection between tissues had started on it's own. Max needs to check someone out who won't change to see what is different," Maria explained, looking at her Mom with innocent eyes.
"Alright," Amy said, standing up. "Sock it to me Max. If there is something possibly wrong with my daughter I want to find out now!"
"Ms. Deluca, it isn't that we think there is something wrong, it's just unusual," Max said. "Here, sit down and we'll try it."
Amy did as she was told while Max explained for her to let her mind blank out. After a few seconds Max pulled his hands back like he was scalded. "Oh my God," he whispered.
"Max, son, what's wrong?" Jim asked concerned.
"Sheriff, I think I need to take a look at you too," Max said.
After Max checked him out he sat back in his chair and rubbed his eyes, everyone looking at him expectantly.
"I...I don't know how or why this happened, and I am so sorry....but it seems you both also have growing connections. I think you are both also turning Antarian," Max said apologetically. Neither one of them had asked for this.
"So they are going to have all the benefits too?" Maria asked, tears in her eyes.
"I'm not sure Maria, but probably," Max said as Maria threw her arms around her Mother.
"Oh Mom! The worst part about this changing deal was that I would live so long without you. Now that is gone!" Maria said as Amy hugged her back fiercely.
"Don't apologize for something you didn't know, Max," Jim said. "Maybe you should just finish the connection now so we don't have any surprises back on Earth."
Everyone decided this was the best plan of action, and their was so much excitement that no one noticed that Kyle had left the room to go visit Tess.
______________________________________________________________________________
Kyle sat looking at the girl who was like a sister to him. That actually wasn't true, it was said more out of protection of his heart then anything else. If there was one thing Kyle knew to be true, it was he lost when he competed with Max Evan's for a girl's affections.
He loved her though, even still, even now. Kyle didn't know what to think after hearing about his Dad's visit, then Alex's, and finally the disaster that was Liz's visit. Had she just been kind to her Dad because he let her live with them for awhile? No, the monster everyone had Tess painted out to be didn't worry about being kind unless there was something in it for their self.
He looked at her, with her head bowed, not wanting to look him in the eye. Kyle finally found his voice and spoke.
"I believe you you know, that you didn't want to kill Alex," Kyle said as she looked up in surprise.
"When I started getting my memories back of that night I saw how upset you were, how you were trying to fix him when he supposedly died," Kyle said. "But you did mean for me to carry my friend's dead body like a duffel bag to the car."
"Kyle," Tess said, trying to fight the tears. "I didn't mean to, I didn't have a choice!"
"That's where you're wrong Tess, you had a lot of choices. You could have told them about the deal with Kivar, before or after Nasedo died. You could have told someone that Alex was being held in Las Cruses. But you didn't. You just used people for your own purposes, not caring about what would happen to them." Kyle fumed.
"You're right Kyle, I'm a terrible, horrible person, and I will pay for my sins, probably with my life," Tess said, staring straight at him.
"I don't buy it," Kyle said. "The Tess that lived with my family was not a horrible person. She was not selfish, uncaring. She gave so much to us, made us a family again. So what is it Tess? Which one are you? The vindictive, selfish Tess or the Tess that gave us our family back?"
"Don't you see Kyle," Tess whispered. "I don't know. I don't know which Tess I am. Do you think I didn't have thoughts about telling everyone everything? I did, all the time, I just didn't think it'd go over well. Everyone hated me with the exception of you and the Sheriff. How do you think it would have went over if after Nasedo died I said 'Oh, by the way I've been mindwarping your friend and plan on getting knocked up by Max and taking you back home to your deaths? But now that Nasedo is gone how about we say let bygones be bygones.' Yeah, that would have went over real well."
"It wouldn't have, but it would have been out there, it would have been dealt with, and you would be free, free of your lies." Kyle said as he leaned over the table to Tess.
"Kyle, I figured they'd kill me. Yes, I know you think they would never be capable of it, but I wasn't so sure. You need to realize the way I grew up. I could count on one hand the times I had a conversation with an actual person besides my Father. I never went to school, was always moving around while he got his revenge on the FBI," Tess said shakily. "I only knew what he told me about people, learned to interact with the few times he let me out of where ever we were staying. I read books, watched movies to learn the human race, so excuse me if I wasn't good at making judgement calls when it came to people's characters."
"Oh God Tess, I never knew that," Kyle said.
"Nobody did, because nobody asked. These people were supposed to be my family Kyle. I knew in my head things didn't add up, things that my Father told me. I had this great love, this great love affair, yet I was to turn him over to his enemies. You think I didn't question that? Well let me tell you something Kyle, asking questions like that to my Father didn't sit well with him, and the punishments were severe."
Kyle just sat in silence and looked at his hands like they had suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world.
"I used to fantasize about them you know," Tess said. "I'd meet them, and they'd take me away from my Father. Isabel would be my best friend, and Michael would be like an older brother to me. And Max, well Max would love me with all his heart. But what did I find when I got there? Isabel rejected me as soon as she found out I was one of them. Michael could have cared less and probably wouldn't have had anything to do with me except he was smart enough to realize he needed help with his powers. And Max....well Max my supposed soul mate was in love with someone else, and he just radiated hate towards me. I could literally feel it, and all my hope was gone. I began to stop questioning my Father, because I realized no matter how bad he was, he was the only one I had."
"Tess, you have to realize why they were like that. You came in there and played with their minds. You violated them," Kyle said. "How could you expect them to care or trust you with a start like that?"
Tess sighed. "I know all this. I understand this now. Back then, my Father was watching them and I was hidden away in Dexter. He would leave enough food for me for a month and would be gone. I didn't dare leave the house he had rented, knowing what punishment would await me when he got back. He did this for months after Liz was shot, until we emerged. He is the one that told me to send those messages to them, those dreams. He told me they were to human, and they needed to be awakened. I didn't know any better, and didn't realize my mistake until it was to late."
Kyle shrugged his shoulders in defeat. Tess never had a chance, never had a chance to be who she really could be. "Did you put a suggestion in my mind, a suggestion that I thought of you as a sister."
"Oh Kyle....If only I had known then what I know now..." Tess said with regret.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kyle said incredulously.
"Prom was like a dream for me. Even though I was on this...path to go home, when you asked me to prom it was like a dream come true. One of the normal things I used to fantasize about. It scared me Kyle, scared me because I was glad it was you and not Max taking me. That realization shocked me, especially knowing that you had slept with Liz, or supposedly slept with her I should say," Tess said.
"I knew what would be happening, I knew I'd be leaving. I didn't want to break your heart if you had feelings for me, and if I'm going to be totally honest the one thing that held me back was the fact that you were with Liz. I couldn't bare to play second fiddle to her, not with you," she said looking down at the table.
Kyle reached out and grabbed Tess's hand. His touch startled her as the only contact she had with another living being all these months had been when Jim hugged her. "You were never second fiddle to Liz," he said tenderly.
Tess broke, totally broke down at this comment. "I wish we could go back, I wish everything could be so different. Oh if only I knew then what I know now. I could have been happy Kyle, I could have done the right thing, but I was just to weak," she said sobbing her heart out.
Kyle couldn't take it and went around the table, pulling Tess into a big bear hug. He made shhushing noises as he stroked her hair.
"You are right about one thing Tess, you were deceived too. Some of the things Max and company did could be considered entrapment you know. I know they are revising the legal system here, maybe...."
Tess pulled back from Kyle. "Kyle, NO. I have to be punished, and punished severely. If there is one thing I know from Ava's memories is a society like this needs strict rules. I broke them all....treason, attempted murder, illegal powers, hell I even tried to have the Queen assassinated. If they don't deal with me harshly it will show weakness, and that is not a good idea at this time."
"But...Max....We gave a lot to know him, to come to this place and save it. Without everything that happened back on Earth we'd still be there, sitting ducks waiting to be executed in 14 years. Technically your behavior is what brought us here Tess," Kyle said thoughtfully.
"Kyle, listen to me. You need to accept this. I will more then likely be executed tomorrow. I can't stand to live in jail, all alone for the next what, 130 years or so? I lived the first 16 years of my life that way. I've made a mess of two lifetimes because I wasn't strong enough to stand up for myself. Do you think Buddha will give me a little more strength in my next lifetime since I realize that?" she asked, her eyes pleading with him to understand.
"I think so Tess, I really think so," Kyle said.
______________________________________________________________________________
Tess slowly followed the line of prisoners out to the yard where they were allowed to exercise. Since her sentencing was tomorrow she was granted the access to the yard when she had a fit about it after leaving Kyle.
She was pretty sure that Kyle would not let this go. Tess hadn't meant for the conversation to go the way it had, but it was to late to worry about that now. She knew that Kyle would go to Max and beg for mercy on her behalf, and whichever way Max decided would be devastating.
If Max did grant her mercy, the whole solar system would question his judgement. He would be seen as weak and it would place Antar in jeopardy. If he didn't grant her mercy, Kyle would never forgive him. He had enough bottled up feelings about Max to begin with, and this would tear Kyle away from the group, leaving him alone and bitter.
Tess stumbled as a prisoner behind her gave her a push, but she kept on walking until she reached the sunlight. She hadn't seen that since back on Earth, and she marveled at the violet sky with the bright orange sun. Squinting her eyes until she got used to the light, she looked around the yard until she saw a group of men huddled together.
Tess drew in a deep breath. 'You are strong Tess, for once in your life you are going to do the right thing,' she thought as she walked over to the men.
"Well, well, well," said a rather large man that was covered in scars. "Look what we have here, the fallen Queen," he sneered.
Tess held her head high and walked into the middle of the group. "You will not speak to me that way," she said haughtily. The group of men broke out in laughter.
"Who do you think you are?" another man asked. "All you and that piece of shit Father of yours are is failures. You couldn't carry one little assignment out."
Tess weighed her words carefully. These men were the ones loyal to Kivar, even after his death. "Oh give me a break. You expected us to handle Max when he stripped Kivar of his powers without even breaking a sweat. Don't blame me, blame your weak leader Kivar for underestimating Max. I heard he cried and begged like a little girl to Max. Perhaps he's the best leader after all."
The men were in a rage at these words, and the last thought Tess had before the large scarred man broke her neck was Kyle and Jim, how much she loved them, and how hopefully her next life would be better since she did the right thing.
"Is it going to hurt?" Maria asked, her eyes big and round as she sat in front of Max.
"No, it won't hurt at all, I promise," Max said with a smile.
"Are you going to like see....things?" Maria asked a bit nervously.
Max sighed. "Probably, but I'll try and keep the flashes to a minimum."
"You do that," Michael growled, feeling very uncomfortable that Max would receive flashes from Maria.
"Down big boy," Maria laughed. "If you want a hot looking wife at 70, we have to do this."
"I know," Michael said, but it didn't mean he'd have to like it.
Michael, Maria, Max, and Liz had all met in the Granilith Chamber to proceed in the changing of Maria, what she had dubbed her 'Special Day.'
Knowing that she couldn't be changed once she was out of the adolescence stage, which was more then likely the age of 18, they had decided that they better act quickly, even if Maria would be returning to Earth to finish High School. Preston had some interesting theories at lunch, about how the change might take place faster in the more nurturing Antarian atmosphere.
"I need you to look at me," Max said as he gently placed both hands on the side of Maria's face. Maria did as she was told, and soon her breathing began to match Max's.
Max felt himself be sucked into Maria's mind, and he quickly started working. He needed to make a few connections that were missing in the part of the brain where their powers originated from. Much to his surprise, he saw that connections has already started growing by themselves, and it took very little time to finish the process. Thankfully he didn't get to many flashes, and even more thankfully he didn't get any 'Michael and Maria' flashes.
He gently let go of Maria's head as Maria sat back in the chair. "Are you alright?" Liz asked, concerned.
"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine," Maria said as she shook her head a bit and blinked her eyes.
"That didn't take long Maxwell," Michael said.
"I know, it was strange, the connection between tissues was already starting to grow on it's own, and that area was becoming active before I ever touched her," Max said confused.
"Maybe because of our bond?" Michael said thinking out loud.
"Or maybe because of being here?" Liz threw out there. "What we need is a control subject, someone who won't change."
Just as she said that Jim, Kyle, and Amy walked past the entrance of the door. "I know this is going to be hard son, but you really should get closure with Tess," Jim was saying as Michael called them into the room.
"Oh my baby!" Amy said and knelt before Maria. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine Mom, but there was something strange with my brain. The connection between tissues had started on it's own. Max needs to check someone out who won't change to see what is different," Maria explained, looking at her Mom with innocent eyes.
"Alright," Amy said, standing up. "Sock it to me Max. If there is something possibly wrong with my daughter I want to find out now!"
"Ms. Deluca, it isn't that we think there is something wrong, it's just unusual," Max said. "Here, sit down and we'll try it."
Amy did as she was told while Max explained for her to let her mind blank out. After a few seconds Max pulled his hands back like he was scalded. "Oh my God," he whispered.
"Max, son, what's wrong?" Jim asked concerned.
"Sheriff, I think I need to take a look at you too," Max said.
After Max checked him out he sat back in his chair and rubbed his eyes, everyone looking at him expectantly.
"I...I don't know how or why this happened, and I am so sorry....but it seems you both also have growing connections. I think you are both also turning Antarian," Max said apologetically. Neither one of them had asked for this.
"So they are going to have all the benefits too?" Maria asked, tears in her eyes.
"I'm not sure Maria, but probably," Max said as Maria threw her arms around her Mother.
"Oh Mom! The worst part about this changing deal was that I would live so long without you. Now that is gone!" Maria said as Amy hugged her back fiercely.
"Don't apologize for something you didn't know, Max," Jim said. "Maybe you should just finish the connection now so we don't have any surprises back on Earth."
Everyone decided this was the best plan of action, and their was so much excitement that no one noticed that Kyle had left the room to go visit Tess.
______________________________________________________________________________
Kyle sat looking at the girl who was like a sister to him. That actually wasn't true, it was said more out of protection of his heart then anything else. If there was one thing Kyle knew to be true, it was he lost when he competed with Max Evan's for a girl's affections.
He loved her though, even still, even now. Kyle didn't know what to think after hearing about his Dad's visit, then Alex's, and finally the disaster that was Liz's visit. Had she just been kind to her Dad because he let her live with them for awhile? No, the monster everyone had Tess painted out to be didn't worry about being kind unless there was something in it for their self.
He looked at her, with her head bowed, not wanting to look him in the eye. Kyle finally found his voice and spoke.
"I believe you you know, that you didn't want to kill Alex," Kyle said as she looked up in surprise.
"When I started getting my memories back of that night I saw how upset you were, how you were trying to fix him when he supposedly died," Kyle said. "But you did mean for me to carry my friend's dead body like a duffel bag to the car."
"Kyle," Tess said, trying to fight the tears. "I didn't mean to, I didn't have a choice!"
"That's where you're wrong Tess, you had a lot of choices. You could have told them about the deal with Kivar, before or after Nasedo died. You could have told someone that Alex was being held in Las Cruses. But you didn't. You just used people for your own purposes, not caring about what would happen to them." Kyle fumed.
"You're right Kyle, I'm a terrible, horrible person, and I will pay for my sins, probably with my life," Tess said, staring straight at him.
"I don't buy it," Kyle said. "The Tess that lived with my family was not a horrible person. She was not selfish, uncaring. She gave so much to us, made us a family again. So what is it Tess? Which one are you? The vindictive, selfish Tess or the Tess that gave us our family back?"
"Don't you see Kyle," Tess whispered. "I don't know. I don't know which Tess I am. Do you think I didn't have thoughts about telling everyone everything? I did, all the time, I just didn't think it'd go over well. Everyone hated me with the exception of you and the Sheriff. How do you think it would have went over if after Nasedo died I said 'Oh, by the way I've been mindwarping your friend and plan on getting knocked up by Max and taking you back home to your deaths? But now that Nasedo is gone how about we say let bygones be bygones.' Yeah, that would have went over real well."
"It wouldn't have, but it would have been out there, it would have been dealt with, and you would be free, free of your lies." Kyle said as he leaned over the table to Tess.
"Kyle, I figured they'd kill me. Yes, I know you think they would never be capable of it, but I wasn't so sure. You need to realize the way I grew up. I could count on one hand the times I had a conversation with an actual person besides my Father. I never went to school, was always moving around while he got his revenge on the FBI," Tess said shakily. "I only knew what he told me about people, learned to interact with the few times he let me out of where ever we were staying. I read books, watched movies to learn the human race, so excuse me if I wasn't good at making judgement calls when it came to people's characters."
"Oh God Tess, I never knew that," Kyle said.
"Nobody did, because nobody asked. These people were supposed to be my family Kyle. I knew in my head things didn't add up, things that my Father told me. I had this great love, this great love affair, yet I was to turn him over to his enemies. You think I didn't question that? Well let me tell you something Kyle, asking questions like that to my Father didn't sit well with him, and the punishments were severe."
Kyle just sat in silence and looked at his hands like they had suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world.
"I used to fantasize about them you know," Tess said. "I'd meet them, and they'd take me away from my Father. Isabel would be my best friend, and Michael would be like an older brother to me. And Max, well Max would love me with all his heart. But what did I find when I got there? Isabel rejected me as soon as she found out I was one of them. Michael could have cared less and probably wouldn't have had anything to do with me except he was smart enough to realize he needed help with his powers. And Max....well Max my supposed soul mate was in love with someone else, and he just radiated hate towards me. I could literally feel it, and all my hope was gone. I began to stop questioning my Father, because I realized no matter how bad he was, he was the only one I had."
"Tess, you have to realize why they were like that. You came in there and played with their minds. You violated them," Kyle said. "How could you expect them to care or trust you with a start like that?"
Tess sighed. "I know all this. I understand this now. Back then, my Father was watching them and I was hidden away in Dexter. He would leave enough food for me for a month and would be gone. I didn't dare leave the house he had rented, knowing what punishment would await me when he got back. He did this for months after Liz was shot, until we emerged. He is the one that told me to send those messages to them, those dreams. He told me they were to human, and they needed to be awakened. I didn't know any better, and didn't realize my mistake until it was to late."
Kyle shrugged his shoulders in defeat. Tess never had a chance, never had a chance to be who she really could be. "Did you put a suggestion in my mind, a suggestion that I thought of you as a sister."
"Oh Kyle....If only I had known then what I know now..." Tess said with regret.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kyle said incredulously.
"Prom was like a dream for me. Even though I was on this...path to go home, when you asked me to prom it was like a dream come true. One of the normal things I used to fantasize about. It scared me Kyle, scared me because I was glad it was you and not Max taking me. That realization shocked me, especially knowing that you had slept with Liz, or supposedly slept with her I should say," Tess said.
"I knew what would be happening, I knew I'd be leaving. I didn't want to break your heart if you had feelings for me, and if I'm going to be totally honest the one thing that held me back was the fact that you were with Liz. I couldn't bare to play second fiddle to her, not with you," she said looking down at the table.
Kyle reached out and grabbed Tess's hand. His touch startled her as the only contact she had with another living being all these months had been when Jim hugged her. "You were never second fiddle to Liz," he said tenderly.
Tess broke, totally broke down at this comment. "I wish we could go back, I wish everything could be so different. Oh if only I knew then what I know now. I could have been happy Kyle, I could have done the right thing, but I was just to weak," she said sobbing her heart out.
Kyle couldn't take it and went around the table, pulling Tess into a big bear hug. He made shhushing noises as he stroked her hair.
"You are right about one thing Tess, you were deceived too. Some of the things Max and company did could be considered entrapment you know. I know they are revising the legal system here, maybe...."
Tess pulled back from Kyle. "Kyle, NO. I have to be punished, and punished severely. If there is one thing I know from Ava's memories is a society like this needs strict rules. I broke them all....treason, attempted murder, illegal powers, hell I even tried to have the Queen assassinated. If they don't deal with me harshly it will show weakness, and that is not a good idea at this time."
"But...Max....We gave a lot to know him, to come to this place and save it. Without everything that happened back on Earth we'd still be there, sitting ducks waiting to be executed in 14 years. Technically your behavior is what brought us here Tess," Kyle said thoughtfully.
"Kyle, listen to me. You need to accept this. I will more then likely be executed tomorrow. I can't stand to live in jail, all alone for the next what, 130 years or so? I lived the first 16 years of my life that way. I've made a mess of two lifetimes because I wasn't strong enough to stand up for myself. Do you think Buddha will give me a little more strength in my next lifetime since I realize that?" she asked, her eyes pleading with him to understand.
"I think so Tess, I really think so," Kyle said.
______________________________________________________________________________
Tess slowly followed the line of prisoners out to the yard where they were allowed to exercise. Since her sentencing was tomorrow she was granted the access to the yard when she had a fit about it after leaving Kyle.
She was pretty sure that Kyle would not let this go. Tess hadn't meant for the conversation to go the way it had, but it was to late to worry about that now. She knew that Kyle would go to Max and beg for mercy on her behalf, and whichever way Max decided would be devastating.
If Max did grant her mercy, the whole solar system would question his judgement. He would be seen as weak and it would place Antar in jeopardy. If he didn't grant her mercy, Kyle would never forgive him. He had enough bottled up feelings about Max to begin with, and this would tear Kyle away from the group, leaving him alone and bitter.
Tess stumbled as a prisoner behind her gave her a push, but she kept on walking until she reached the sunlight. She hadn't seen that since back on Earth, and she marveled at the violet sky with the bright orange sun. Squinting her eyes until she got used to the light, she looked around the yard until she saw a group of men huddled together.
Tess drew in a deep breath. 'You are strong Tess, for once in your life you are going to do the right thing,' she thought as she walked over to the men.
"Well, well, well," said a rather large man that was covered in scars. "Look what we have here, the fallen Queen," he sneered.
Tess held her head high and walked into the middle of the group. "You will not speak to me that way," she said haughtily. The group of men broke out in laughter.
"Who do you think you are?" another man asked. "All you and that piece of shit Father of yours are is failures. You couldn't carry one little assignment out."
Tess weighed her words carefully. These men were the ones loyal to Kivar, even after his death. "Oh give me a break. You expected us to handle Max when he stripped Kivar of his powers without even breaking a sweat. Don't blame me, blame your weak leader Kivar for underestimating Max. I heard he cried and begged like a little girl to Max. Perhaps he's the best leader after all."
The men were in a rage at these words, and the last thought Tess had before the large scarred man broke her neck was Kyle and Jim, how much she loved them, and how hopefully her next life would be better since she did the right thing.
Find all the links to my fics in one place:
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My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
Oh this chapter! I have half a one for you, as re-writing is just not my thing. I hope to have the next part up on Wednesday, and hopefully it won't be as hard as re-writing the first part of it.
Again, thanks for all the FB and your patience with my technical malfunction!
Chapter 31A
It was a somber group that looked on as Max handed the ashes of Tess over to the Valenti's. Liz felt her heart break as tears rolled down the Sheriff's face. It made her feel so small, so helpless to see the man who had always been there for them, always protected them at all costs cry. There are a lot of people you expect to see cry, people like your Mother or your girlfriends, but whether fair or not it is always crushing to see the strong men in your life break down.
Liz silently thanked God for Amy and Kay as they put their arms around the Valenti men. They would help them through it. Liz's logical mind had put things together, and she realized what Tess did.
The moment Kyle came back from his visit with Tess he had insisted on speaking with Max. Kyle kept pointing out how technically Tess had never killed anyone and how technically she was the one who brought them back to Antar, that if she wouldn't have done what she did two planets would have suffered the consequences.
He wanted Max to send her back to Earth, send her without her powers to live the rest of her life as a human. Liz was starting to waver on her position with Tess, which was she should be tried and held accountable by Antarian law. She didn't want to see someone her age put to death, but she knew how Max would be judged by people on five worlds on how he dealt with this situation.
Max had actually told Kyle he would think about it, and Liz and Max were discussing it when the news came that Tess had been killed. After the guards explained the manner in which she died, how it seemed like she had almost asked them to kill her, everything fell into place for Liz.
"It all makes sense, she did this for you," Liz said, looking at Kyle and the Sheriff. "Really she did this for all of us. Why she wouldn't talk to me, why she tried to remain cold. It all makes sense now. She was afraid that Max would be swayed to give her mercy, and knowing how that would look she couldn't let that happen."
"And if Max didn't change his mind, Kyle might blame you and Max and it'd cause a big riff in the group," Kay added.
Kyle nodded his head, giving acknowledgement that he had heard their words. It wouldn't be until he returned to Earth that he would finally break down, when he buried her ashes under the Acacia tree that she loved so much because of it's bright yellow flowers.
He meditated under the tree for 49 days as was Buddhist custom, trying to cleanse her soul of all her wrong doings. After the 49th day he felt an incredible release. He knelt before the tree in the desert for the last time. "I think he realizes it Tess, and next time you'll have a shot at a good life. I love you," he said, the last part a whisper as he walked away.
______________________________________________________________________________
Liz stood on the balcony looking at the three moons in the Antarian sky. While they were beautiful, she wondered if they would ever feel like home. So much had happened this weekend. Tess's death, Maria being changed and the knowledge that the parents were changing too, just from the trip. Liz wondered if her parents would ever come to Antar, knowing what it would do to them. It just seemed to get more complicated as they went when it came to them.
The other parents were shocked to find out about their change, but in the end they were glad. It did change the plans up a bit, because now their would have to be an exit plan for all of them on Earth. They had asked Preston his thoughts and he was sure the parents would now have all the Antarian benefits, and would probably stop aging until they reached the age of 90, where their bodies would slowly start to age again.
Since most of the parents were middle aged, it would be harder to cover up the fact that they didn't age like humans. They figured the parents had another 10-15 years on Earth before they had to either start new lives there with new identities or come to Antar for good.
It was easy for Mr. Whitman, because Alex had all but decided to stay on Antar once graduation was over. They had little family on Earth, and Mr. Whitman's curiosity and love of education made Antar a wonderful place for him. The Evan's were planning on moving straight away. Soon after they returned to Earth they would be announcing their retirement, selling their house, and moving to Antar permanently. Shifters back on Earth would make their presence known around the world, so it would just appear that they were a retired couple seeing the world. They would keep a small base apartment in Roswell where they would go every once in awhile to keep up appearances.
Amy and Jim had a harder decision. Maria would also being staying on Antar, and Michael had even agreed to marry Maria on Earth, just to make Amy happy. They were now solid as a rock, and if anyone knew the truth Michael couldn't wait to start a family. Kyle was the wild card, as he hadn't expressed any interest in moving to Antar.
Once Liz had moved, it would be harder to stay in contact with Earth, harder to move between planets without the King on one world and the Queen on another. No one wanted to push Kyle, especially with all that had happened this weekend. He had never been thrilled to be sucked into the alien abyss, and to now expect him to change galaxies was unfair. Kyle would need time to make up his mind, but until he did Amy and Jim would be torn between their two children.
Liz thought back to her own parents, wondering if they'd ever accept the situation. If they did would they move to Antar? She couldn't help but hope they would, as her visits to Earth would be less and less once they got through the current school year. Explanations as to why would be harder and harder, and if her parents didn't come to terms with all of this she'd end up losing them.
Two strong arms circled Liz's waist from behind. "Penny for your thoughts," Max said next to her ear as he gently nipped it.
"Don't you mean a diodade for my thoughts?" Liz asked using the Antarian term for a penny.
Max turned her to face him and laid a sweet kiss on her lips. "Diodade is probably better, since I actually have one of those. I could go look and see if I have a penny around here somewhere....." he said, acting like he was going to leave and go back in side.
"No way Mister," Liz laughed as she pulled him back to her body. "I was just thinking about everything that happened, about the parents, about my parents."
"Liz, look at me," Max said, gently tilting her face up. "I promise you, I will get your parents to accept this. If it is the last thing I do, your parents will know and not turn away from you."
"If you tell them it might be the last thing you do," Liz said quietly, remembering how scenario after scenario her Father turned him into the FBI.
"Liz, the scenarios aren't 100% accurate, and I'm pretty sure I can talk to your Father and make him understand. No, I know I can talk to your Father and make him understand. Do you trust me?" he asked.
"Of course I do but Max...." Liz started to say.
"No buts. When I come to Earth for my birthday, I'm going to tell your Father, and I'm going to make him understand," Max said. One of the things they had decided this weekend was that Max would be allowed to go to Earth on September 19th. After all he had been through he deserved it. Things were stabilizing on Antar, so a short trip shouldn't be a problem.
"Alright Max, I believe you," Liz said, praying that he was right.
Max knew exactly what he had to do, and it would be one of the hardest things he had ever done, which considering his life that was saying a lot. But he would do it for Liz, do it for them.
Again, thanks for all the FB and your patience with my technical malfunction!
Chapter 31A
It was a somber group that looked on as Max handed the ashes of Tess over to the Valenti's. Liz felt her heart break as tears rolled down the Sheriff's face. It made her feel so small, so helpless to see the man who had always been there for them, always protected them at all costs cry. There are a lot of people you expect to see cry, people like your Mother or your girlfriends, but whether fair or not it is always crushing to see the strong men in your life break down.
Liz silently thanked God for Amy and Kay as they put their arms around the Valenti men. They would help them through it. Liz's logical mind had put things together, and she realized what Tess did.
The moment Kyle came back from his visit with Tess he had insisted on speaking with Max. Kyle kept pointing out how technically Tess had never killed anyone and how technically she was the one who brought them back to Antar, that if she wouldn't have done what she did two planets would have suffered the consequences.
He wanted Max to send her back to Earth, send her without her powers to live the rest of her life as a human. Liz was starting to waver on her position with Tess, which was she should be tried and held accountable by Antarian law. She didn't want to see someone her age put to death, but she knew how Max would be judged by people on five worlds on how he dealt with this situation.
Max had actually told Kyle he would think about it, and Liz and Max were discussing it when the news came that Tess had been killed. After the guards explained the manner in which she died, how it seemed like she had almost asked them to kill her, everything fell into place for Liz.
"It all makes sense, she did this for you," Liz said, looking at Kyle and the Sheriff. "Really she did this for all of us. Why she wouldn't talk to me, why she tried to remain cold. It all makes sense now. She was afraid that Max would be swayed to give her mercy, and knowing how that would look she couldn't let that happen."
"And if Max didn't change his mind, Kyle might blame you and Max and it'd cause a big riff in the group," Kay added.
Kyle nodded his head, giving acknowledgement that he had heard their words. It wouldn't be until he returned to Earth that he would finally break down, when he buried her ashes under the Acacia tree that she loved so much because of it's bright yellow flowers.
He meditated under the tree for 49 days as was Buddhist custom, trying to cleanse her soul of all her wrong doings. After the 49th day he felt an incredible release. He knelt before the tree in the desert for the last time. "I think he realizes it Tess, and next time you'll have a shot at a good life. I love you," he said, the last part a whisper as he walked away.
______________________________________________________________________________
Liz stood on the balcony looking at the three moons in the Antarian sky. While they were beautiful, she wondered if they would ever feel like home. So much had happened this weekend. Tess's death, Maria being changed and the knowledge that the parents were changing too, just from the trip. Liz wondered if her parents would ever come to Antar, knowing what it would do to them. It just seemed to get more complicated as they went when it came to them.
The other parents were shocked to find out about their change, but in the end they were glad. It did change the plans up a bit, because now their would have to be an exit plan for all of them on Earth. They had asked Preston his thoughts and he was sure the parents would now have all the Antarian benefits, and would probably stop aging until they reached the age of 90, where their bodies would slowly start to age again.
Since most of the parents were middle aged, it would be harder to cover up the fact that they didn't age like humans. They figured the parents had another 10-15 years on Earth before they had to either start new lives there with new identities or come to Antar for good.
It was easy for Mr. Whitman, because Alex had all but decided to stay on Antar once graduation was over. They had little family on Earth, and Mr. Whitman's curiosity and love of education made Antar a wonderful place for him. The Evan's were planning on moving straight away. Soon after they returned to Earth they would be announcing their retirement, selling their house, and moving to Antar permanently. Shifters back on Earth would make their presence known around the world, so it would just appear that they were a retired couple seeing the world. They would keep a small base apartment in Roswell where they would go every once in awhile to keep up appearances.
Amy and Jim had a harder decision. Maria would also being staying on Antar, and Michael had even agreed to marry Maria on Earth, just to make Amy happy. They were now solid as a rock, and if anyone knew the truth Michael couldn't wait to start a family. Kyle was the wild card, as he hadn't expressed any interest in moving to Antar.
Once Liz had moved, it would be harder to stay in contact with Earth, harder to move between planets without the King on one world and the Queen on another. No one wanted to push Kyle, especially with all that had happened this weekend. He had never been thrilled to be sucked into the alien abyss, and to now expect him to change galaxies was unfair. Kyle would need time to make up his mind, but until he did Amy and Jim would be torn between their two children.
Liz thought back to her own parents, wondering if they'd ever accept the situation. If they did would they move to Antar? She couldn't help but hope they would, as her visits to Earth would be less and less once they got through the current school year. Explanations as to why would be harder and harder, and if her parents didn't come to terms with all of this she'd end up losing them.
Two strong arms circled Liz's waist from behind. "Penny for your thoughts," Max said next to her ear as he gently nipped it.
"Don't you mean a diodade for my thoughts?" Liz asked using the Antarian term for a penny.
Max turned her to face him and laid a sweet kiss on her lips. "Diodade is probably better, since I actually have one of those. I could go look and see if I have a penny around here somewhere....." he said, acting like he was going to leave and go back in side.
"No way Mister," Liz laughed as she pulled him back to her body. "I was just thinking about everything that happened, about the parents, about my parents."
"Liz, look at me," Max said, gently tilting her face up. "I promise you, I will get your parents to accept this. If it is the last thing I do, your parents will know and not turn away from you."
"If you tell them it might be the last thing you do," Liz said quietly, remembering how scenario after scenario her Father turned him into the FBI.
"Liz, the scenarios aren't 100% accurate, and I'm pretty sure I can talk to your Father and make him understand. No, I know I can talk to your Father and make him understand. Do you trust me?" he asked.
"Of course I do but Max...." Liz started to say.
"No buts. When I come to Earth for my birthday, I'm going to tell your Father, and I'm going to make him understand," Max said. One of the things they had decided this weekend was that Max would be allowed to go to Earth on September 19th. After all he had been through he deserved it. Things were stabilizing on Antar, so a short trip shouldn't be a problem.
"Alright Max, I believe you," Liz said, praying that he was right.
Max knew exactly what he had to do, and it would be one of the hardest things he had ever done, which considering his life that was saying a lot. But he would do it for Liz, do it for them.
Find all the links to my fics in one place:
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
Welcome to my little story Ellie and martine ! I am glad you are enjoying it!
As for the rest of you, Stars at Night10, IheartMax, Addicted2AmberEyes, ultimatepickupline, begonia9508, Maiqu, RhondaAnn, kay_b, forever dreamer, Timelord31, Natalie36, vilandragirl, katydid, dusk, chanks_girl Michelle in Yonkers, and anyone I unintentionally forgot, thank you so much for your feedback.
I started writing this with the intention of writing it for myself, not caring if anyone read it or not. While this is still true to a certain degree, you all have made it much easier to hash through what has become a very complicated Roswell re-write. Sometimes I think your comments are more entertaining then my story, and for that I am truly, truly grateful.
Now on with the story!
Chapter 31B
Liz and Max walked into the chaos filled room after another perfect night together. Things were exploding, or being thrown across the room. At first Liz wondered if they were in the middle of a full scale attack, until she realized that it was just the parents and Maria practicing their powers.
"ENOUGH!" cried Michael, who was in the middle of all of this. He had just dodged a very large lamp. "WHO DID THAT?" he bellowed.
"Sorry about that Michael," Amy Deluca said sheepishly. "I was just trying to turn it on."
"It's ok Ms. Deluca," Michael said between gritted teeth.
"Oh please Michael, I'm Amy," Ms. Deluca said.
"Alright, Amy," Michael said.
"Well maybe you should call me Mom now," Amy said thoughtfully.
"Alright, Amy," Michael repeated.
Maria came up and wrapped her arms around Michael's waist. "Wasn't it you who thought we should all be advanced before we went back to Earth?" Maria asked.
Michael gave Maria an exasperated look and hugged her back. "It's going to be a long day."
Max and Liz slipped quietly out of the room and out into the garden. They walked hand in hand in silence until they came upon a large tree that had vibrant pink five petal flowers instead of leaves. Max sat down and pulled Liz on his lap.
"You've been quiet this morning," Liz said.
"I wish you didn't have to go back tomorrow," Max all but whispered as he kissed the top of her head.
"I wish I didn't either, but I have to go," Liz said.
Max sighed and pulled Liz to him tightly. "I know you do. Everything is just so much easier with you here."
No matter what the circumstance, Liz was always Max's sounding board. She could make sense of any confusion in his life, her logical mind complimenting his emotional one in every way, and he had missed that terribly the last four months. Hell, he had missed every single thing about her.
Liz climbed off his lap as Max growled in protest, and she sat across from him with her legs crossed. "Talk to me. This is about more then me not being here, isn't it?"
"It's just....This doesn't feel right, Antar. I thought it was because you weren't here, but now that you are, it still doesn't feel right, still doesn't fit," Max explained. "The first few months were a blur of activity, finding Kivar, stopping the war, getting everything settled. But now...Now that Roman is President he has taken over most of those duties. I'm feeling lost I suppose, but not because I don't have those responsibilities, but because I feel like I should be doing something else, be somewhere else."
"Like you should be on Earth?" Liz questioned.
"Yes. It's just a feeling I have in my gut Liz, and it won't go away. Like maybe I am supposed to be there, to build a bridge between the planets for the future. Maybe not in our lifetime, maybe not in our children's, but that sometime in the future, however far away, those connections are important," Max said. "I know I'm needed here because of the Granilith, but in what capacity? To just activate it every couple of months and do the council's bidding? It just doesn't seem like it is what I'm supposed to do, it doesn't feel right."
Liz carefully took in all Max had said. Democracy was being totally embraced by the Antarians. They may not have been ready for it before, but after decades of living under a dictatorship the people of Antar and the other worlds were ready to place their fates into their own hands. They were not ready for it in Zan's time, as his Father had made them dependent on the Monarchy and undone a lot of the great work Zan's Grandfather had done. Now, after having all their power stripped away and been laid totally bare could they truly espouse ruling themselves for the first time.
"Well I think you can't discount that Max. Have you talked about this with Serena or Isabel or Michael?" Liz asked.
"No I haven't," Max admitted. "I didn't want it to look like I was shrinking away from my responsibilities, and I wasn't really sure if the feeling was coming from being homesick, from being away from you, my parents, my friends. Now everyone I care about is here and I still have this nagging feeling. I just don't know what I should do about it."
"Max, you are the most stand up guy any of us know. There is no way this could ever be about your shrinking away from responsibility. If you have this feeling, then maybe there is a way. Maybe there is something else you are supposed to do," Liz said. "You need to talk about this with everyone. We can no longer afford to be afraid of people's reactions, and I'm behind you 100%. We'll figure it out. I promise," she said sincerely.
Max reached over and pulled Liz to him. "I could never survive without you, you know that?" he asked while gently placing a kiss on her lips.
"I think I know the feeling," she said, returning his kiss in earnest.
____________________________________________________________________________
"So once everything was taken away, all my doubts about Liz, being with my parents again, seeing my friends again, I've realized this feeling hasn't went away," Max explained to the group of people, the people that were his family. Some where family by blood, and others were family made from the heart, but either way this group of people had come to represent all he cared about on two planets.
"Wow," Maria said as he finally wrapped her brain around what Max was saying.
"I think I know how you feel Max," Isabel said. "I...I think I've been feeling the same way, but I didn't know how to say it. I just chalked it up to being homesick, but you're right. Here we are, with everyone that we love, and the Earth is still calling to us."
Max looked to Michael. "What about you Michael? How do you feel?"
Michael scratched his eyebrow and ran his hands through his hair. "I've always felt like that," he said. "At first I thought it was because of Maria, but now I know it is not. Rath was the General of the Army here, not me. Yes I have his memories and can do the job, but it doesn't feel like me, like what I should be doing."
Everyone sat in silence pondering the ramifications of what it would mean for the Royal Three to truly leave Antar.
"I've felt it too, and it is part of the reason why I didn't want to come back. I thought it was because I failed the mission so terribly, but now I think that might have only been a small part of it." Kal spoke up. Liz looked at him in surprise. She had never told anyone what he had told her, how he was afraid to come back to Antar, afraid people would think he was a coward and had failed.
"I felt it the minute I reached Earth, that it was home. The shifters back on Earth, the ones who wanted to stay, I bet the feel the same way," Kal finished.
Kaleb and Katrina looked to the group with tear-filled eyes. "Antar is home for us. It fits," Kaleb said.
"But you've always wanted to come back," Kay said. "I was the one that felt like home was Earth," she all but whispered as Kyle wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Serena looked on at the group of people in front of her. She wanted to scream that they belonged on Antar with their people. But looking into the faces of Max, Isabel, and Michael she finally came to terms with the fact that they were not Zan, Vilandra, and Rath. She loved them dearly, but they were not her children, and perhaps they were not meant to follow in their footsteps.
If they stayed on Antar their lives would be led in a gilded cage. With the flourishing of democracy, the need for Royalty was quickly becoming extinct. They could never live full lives there. Michael might continue on in his role as General, but Max and Isabel? What would they be other then heros?
Yes, Max would always be needed for the Granilith, but with travel so much easier now maybe there was a way.
"Feelings should never be discounted, this much I have learned in my 110 years of life. Everytime I discounted a feeling something tragic happened, so if you feel your place is on Earth, then we will find a way. It may not be today or next month, but we will find a way," Serena said with conviction.
Max breathed out a sigh of relief. It wasn't just him. He knew there were many hurdles to overcome, like dealing with Liz's Father, but for the first time in a long time, Max felt like things were going exactly how they should be.
TBC[/b]
As for the rest of you, Stars at Night10, IheartMax, Addicted2AmberEyes, ultimatepickupline, begonia9508, Maiqu, RhondaAnn, kay_b, forever dreamer, Timelord31, Natalie36, vilandragirl, katydid, dusk, chanks_girl Michelle in Yonkers, and anyone I unintentionally forgot, thank you so much for your feedback.
I started writing this with the intention of writing it for myself, not caring if anyone read it or not. While this is still true to a certain degree, you all have made it much easier to hash through what has become a very complicated Roswell re-write. Sometimes I think your comments are more entertaining then my story, and for that I am truly, truly grateful.
Now on with the story!
Chapter 31B
Liz and Max walked into the chaos filled room after another perfect night together. Things were exploding, or being thrown across the room. At first Liz wondered if they were in the middle of a full scale attack, until she realized that it was just the parents and Maria practicing their powers.
"ENOUGH!" cried Michael, who was in the middle of all of this. He had just dodged a very large lamp. "WHO DID THAT?" he bellowed.
"Sorry about that Michael," Amy Deluca said sheepishly. "I was just trying to turn it on."
"It's ok Ms. Deluca," Michael said between gritted teeth.
"Oh please Michael, I'm Amy," Ms. Deluca said.
"Alright, Amy," Michael said.
"Well maybe you should call me Mom now," Amy said thoughtfully.
"Alright, Amy," Michael repeated.
Maria came up and wrapped her arms around Michael's waist. "Wasn't it you who thought we should all be advanced before we went back to Earth?" Maria asked.
Michael gave Maria an exasperated look and hugged her back. "It's going to be a long day."
Max and Liz slipped quietly out of the room and out into the garden. They walked hand in hand in silence until they came upon a large tree that had vibrant pink five petal flowers instead of leaves. Max sat down and pulled Liz on his lap.
"You've been quiet this morning," Liz said.
"I wish you didn't have to go back tomorrow," Max all but whispered as he kissed the top of her head.
"I wish I didn't either, but I have to go," Liz said.
Max sighed and pulled Liz to him tightly. "I know you do. Everything is just so much easier with you here."
No matter what the circumstance, Liz was always Max's sounding board. She could make sense of any confusion in his life, her logical mind complimenting his emotional one in every way, and he had missed that terribly the last four months. Hell, he had missed every single thing about her.
Liz climbed off his lap as Max growled in protest, and she sat across from him with her legs crossed. "Talk to me. This is about more then me not being here, isn't it?"
"It's just....This doesn't feel right, Antar. I thought it was because you weren't here, but now that you are, it still doesn't feel right, still doesn't fit," Max explained. "The first few months were a blur of activity, finding Kivar, stopping the war, getting everything settled. But now...Now that Roman is President he has taken over most of those duties. I'm feeling lost I suppose, but not because I don't have those responsibilities, but because I feel like I should be doing something else, be somewhere else."
"Like you should be on Earth?" Liz questioned.
"Yes. It's just a feeling I have in my gut Liz, and it won't go away. Like maybe I am supposed to be there, to build a bridge between the planets for the future. Maybe not in our lifetime, maybe not in our children's, but that sometime in the future, however far away, those connections are important," Max said. "I know I'm needed here because of the Granilith, but in what capacity? To just activate it every couple of months and do the council's bidding? It just doesn't seem like it is what I'm supposed to do, it doesn't feel right."
Liz carefully took in all Max had said. Democracy was being totally embraced by the Antarians. They may not have been ready for it before, but after decades of living under a dictatorship the people of Antar and the other worlds were ready to place their fates into their own hands. They were not ready for it in Zan's time, as his Father had made them dependent on the Monarchy and undone a lot of the great work Zan's Grandfather had done. Now, after having all their power stripped away and been laid totally bare could they truly espouse ruling themselves for the first time.
"Well I think you can't discount that Max. Have you talked about this with Serena or Isabel or Michael?" Liz asked.
"No I haven't," Max admitted. "I didn't want it to look like I was shrinking away from my responsibilities, and I wasn't really sure if the feeling was coming from being homesick, from being away from you, my parents, my friends. Now everyone I care about is here and I still have this nagging feeling. I just don't know what I should do about it."
"Max, you are the most stand up guy any of us know. There is no way this could ever be about your shrinking away from responsibility. If you have this feeling, then maybe there is a way. Maybe there is something else you are supposed to do," Liz said. "You need to talk about this with everyone. We can no longer afford to be afraid of people's reactions, and I'm behind you 100%. We'll figure it out. I promise," she said sincerely.
Max reached over and pulled Liz to him. "I could never survive without you, you know that?" he asked while gently placing a kiss on her lips.
"I think I know the feeling," she said, returning his kiss in earnest.
____________________________________________________________________________
"So once everything was taken away, all my doubts about Liz, being with my parents again, seeing my friends again, I've realized this feeling hasn't went away," Max explained to the group of people, the people that were his family. Some where family by blood, and others were family made from the heart, but either way this group of people had come to represent all he cared about on two planets.
"Wow," Maria said as he finally wrapped her brain around what Max was saying.
"I think I know how you feel Max," Isabel said. "I...I think I've been feeling the same way, but I didn't know how to say it. I just chalked it up to being homesick, but you're right. Here we are, with everyone that we love, and the Earth is still calling to us."
Max looked to Michael. "What about you Michael? How do you feel?"
Michael scratched his eyebrow and ran his hands through his hair. "I've always felt like that," he said. "At first I thought it was because of Maria, but now I know it is not. Rath was the General of the Army here, not me. Yes I have his memories and can do the job, but it doesn't feel like me, like what I should be doing."
Everyone sat in silence pondering the ramifications of what it would mean for the Royal Three to truly leave Antar.
"I've felt it too, and it is part of the reason why I didn't want to come back. I thought it was because I failed the mission so terribly, but now I think that might have only been a small part of it." Kal spoke up. Liz looked at him in surprise. She had never told anyone what he had told her, how he was afraid to come back to Antar, afraid people would think he was a coward and had failed.
"I felt it the minute I reached Earth, that it was home. The shifters back on Earth, the ones who wanted to stay, I bet the feel the same way," Kal finished.
Kaleb and Katrina looked to the group with tear-filled eyes. "Antar is home for us. It fits," Kaleb said.
"But you've always wanted to come back," Kay said. "I was the one that felt like home was Earth," she all but whispered as Kyle wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
Serena looked on at the group of people in front of her. She wanted to scream that they belonged on Antar with their people. But looking into the faces of Max, Isabel, and Michael she finally came to terms with the fact that they were not Zan, Vilandra, and Rath. She loved them dearly, but they were not her children, and perhaps they were not meant to follow in their footsteps.
If they stayed on Antar their lives would be led in a gilded cage. With the flourishing of democracy, the need for Royalty was quickly becoming extinct. They could never live full lives there. Michael might continue on in his role as General, but Max and Isabel? What would they be other then heros?
Yes, Max would always be needed for the Granilith, but with travel so much easier now maybe there was a way.
"Feelings should never be discounted, this much I have learned in my 110 years of life. Everytime I discounted a feeling something tragic happened, so if you feel your place is on Earth, then we will find a way. It may not be today or next month, but we will find a way," Serena said with conviction.
Max breathed out a sigh of relief. It wasn't just him. He knew there were many hurdles to overcome, like dealing with Liz's Father, but for the first time in a long time, Max felt like things were going exactly how they should be.
TBC[/b]
Find all the links to my fics in one place:
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net
Ahhh I hate to say it, but this will probably end with Chapter 34 and have a prologue after that.
I may write a few companion pieces, short little holiday type fics about the group. I have an idea for a Christmas one, so that may be coming soon after I'm done with this.
Thanks again for all the FB and your diligent reading of my little story. Here's the first part of Chapter 32:
Chapter 32 A
"One more day," Liz said to herself as she trudged her way to AP English. The last two weeks had been incredibly hard after leaving Max back on Antar. It wasn't like it was ever easy being away from him, but now that they were back on track and everything was out in the open it was almost physically painful to be away from him.
"Tell me again why I thought it'd be a good idea to come back?" Liz asked Alex as he walked up to her in the hallway.
"Because we want to graduate. Because you want your parents to know the truth. Because you and Max are going to make a life here on Earth and it would look suspicious if you both were gone," Alex said, counting the reasons down with his fingers.
"I know, I know," Liz said and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry I'm being such a whiner Alex."
"Well it's better then what Maria is doing. I swear she misses arguing with Michael so much that she's using me as a replacement," Alex says while rubbing his sore arm, his sore arm that had received a rather painful punch from Maria earlier. "Come on Liz, AP English awaits," he said, making a sweeping gesture towards the door.
At that very moment the door to the pod chamber opened, and out walked Max, Michael, Isabel, Mr Evans, and Mrs. Evans. Their eyes adjusted to the bright sun, which was much brighter then on Antar.
"We're home," Isabel whispered.
The group made their way down the mountain, Max gently helping his Mother as they went. "Did get a hold of Kal Michael?" he asked.
"Yes, and he's on his way," Michael said.
"Great," Max said, a mixture of nerves and excitement. To all of their surprise Kal was already waiting at the bottom of the mountain.
"Welcome home your majesties," Kal said, bowing low.
"Thanks Kal, and no bowing, no your majesties on Earth," Max said.
"Of course," Kal said.
"How did you get here so fast?" Michael asked.
"I was just out scouting my new property," Kal said. When the others looked at him curiously he continued. "Since you are all going to live here for the next 40 or so years and will need to travel back and forth to Antar so much I figured we better have a reason for coming out here all the time."
"Brilliant," Michael said with appreciation. "How did you pull that off? Isn't this land slated as some kind of park?"
"Michael, no matter what planet you are on money makes it go 'round," Kal answered flippantly. "Your all lucky I was out here today. You are a whole day early."
"I don't want anything ruining my birthday tomorrow, so I wanted to come a day early and take care of the Mr. Parker situation," Max explained.
"Ahh yes, the in-laws. One reason why I never married," Kal said thoughtfully as the rest of the group jumped in the big black SUV. "Where to?" he asked.
"The Crashdown," Max said as he opened his cell phone. He called the Sheriff, Mr. Whitman, and Amy and asked them to meet them there.
"Are you sure you should do this?" Diane Evans asked Max with concern.
"More sure of anything in my life," answered Max with determination.
______________________________________________________________________________
Jeff Parker was busy cleaning the counters while worrying about his daughter. She hadn't been the same since she came back from her weekend of camping. 'It figures,' he thought. Liz had told him that Max Evans had beed there, and everything seemed to go to hell when Max Evans was around.
He had watched his daughter change over the last year. Some changes were good, and he really was proud of the fact that she was a successful writer, but a lot of the changes didn't seem so good. She had been caught in lies, had been caught sneaking around, and just seemed to be hiding something from them. There used to be a time when she told him everything, and he just knew she was hiding something from him, something big.
His wife Nancy walked in and gave him a sexy, secret smile. One thing that had improved since that weekend was the situation with his wife. When they found out Liz was going to be gone, they had closed the Crashdown for the weekend for some minor remodeling, and went off to a couple's retreat for two days.
Jeff hadn't noticed how unfair he had become towards his wife, how he had pushed her into the background of Liz's life. He really forgot about all that was important along the way. Liz became the center of his universe, and while he was generally a great, compassionate man, he let his hopes and dreams for his daughter rule his life.
They hashed a lot of that out during their retreat, and were well on their way to recovering from the years of distance and indifference. This was one of the reasons why he didn't push Liz to hard when she came back and seemed so upset. His wife had explained of course it would be tough to leave someone you love, especially when you are a teenager, and that it was perfectly normal. He knew he needed to trust his wife's judgement, but it didn't stop him from worrying.
Nancy came over to the counter to great Jeff, and as she did the doors to the Crashdown swung open. In walked the pod squad and all the parents.
"Great," Jeff muttered as Nancy playfully smacked his arm.
"Be nice," Nancy said as she smiled at the group. "Welcome home. Liz said you wouldn't be in town until tomorrow," she said to Max.
"Umm, it's kind of a surprise," Max said, feeling incredibly nervous all of a sudden. "I was wondering if we could go upstairs and talk, all of us."
______________________________________________________________________________
"I don't believe you," Mr. Parker said. He was going crazy, yes that is what was happening. He grabbed on to his wife's arm like it was a lifeline, holding him in place.
"It's true, all true Jeff," Jim Valenti said.
"If it is true, then you let my daughter run around with these...these aliens, never informing us that she was in danger, and even lied so she could go off to some other planet?" Jeff asked, his voice raising a decibel with each word.
"It was necessary," Kal spoke up, "because you would have put the Queen in danger, and we can't have that."
"Don't you dare say that! Don't you dare say I would put my...my daughter in danger! This is all too much, too much!! My daughter, a Queen? My daughter, married to an alien? My daughter being hunted by the FBI while she finishes her sophomore year in high school?" Jeff asked angrily.
"Mr. Parker," Max said. "No one would ever think that you would purposefully put Liz in danger. Whenever Michael ran the scenarios you always called the FBI, and we can't have that, you don't realize what they will do."
"Are you hearing this?" Mr. Parker said, acting like Max doesn't exist. "Nancy, you can't be falling for this?"
Nancy had been awfully quiet while the aliens had told them what had been going on for the last year and a half. Aliens, FBI, time travel....It was all so much to take in, but she had to admit, it explained a lot of things.
"I think it makes a lot of sense actually," Nancy said in an unsteady voice. "Liz's change in personality, her secretive nature...."
"That's it! Get out!" Mr. Parker yelled. "Get out of my house, all of you!"
Max stood up to face Mr. Parker face to face, man to man. He knew it was now or never, so he reached out and touched Jeff's arm, staring straight into his eyes.
The connection flared instantly, and to the other people sitting in the Parker living room it looked as if the two had been frozen in time.
"What...what is he doing?" Nancy asked worriedly.
"Max is showing Jeff his worst nightmare," Michael said quietly.
Indeed he was. As Jeff was sucked into a connection with Max, he was being taken to a place Max never went, to a place buried so well and deep it worried Michael that he may never be the same again.
I may write a few companion pieces, short little holiday type fics about the group. I have an idea for a Christmas one, so that may be coming soon after I'm done with this.
Thanks again for all the FB and your diligent reading of my little story. Here's the first part of Chapter 32:
Chapter 32 A
"One more day," Liz said to herself as she trudged her way to AP English. The last two weeks had been incredibly hard after leaving Max back on Antar. It wasn't like it was ever easy being away from him, but now that they were back on track and everything was out in the open it was almost physically painful to be away from him.
"Tell me again why I thought it'd be a good idea to come back?" Liz asked Alex as he walked up to her in the hallway.
"Because we want to graduate. Because you want your parents to know the truth. Because you and Max are going to make a life here on Earth and it would look suspicious if you both were gone," Alex said, counting the reasons down with his fingers.
"I know, I know," Liz said and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry I'm being such a whiner Alex."
"Well it's better then what Maria is doing. I swear she misses arguing with Michael so much that she's using me as a replacement," Alex says while rubbing his sore arm, his sore arm that had received a rather painful punch from Maria earlier. "Come on Liz, AP English awaits," he said, making a sweeping gesture towards the door.
At that very moment the door to the pod chamber opened, and out walked Max, Michael, Isabel, Mr Evans, and Mrs. Evans. Their eyes adjusted to the bright sun, which was much brighter then on Antar.
"We're home," Isabel whispered.
The group made their way down the mountain, Max gently helping his Mother as they went. "Did get a hold of Kal Michael?" he asked.
"Yes, and he's on his way," Michael said.
"Great," Max said, a mixture of nerves and excitement. To all of their surprise Kal was already waiting at the bottom of the mountain.
"Welcome home your majesties," Kal said, bowing low.
"Thanks Kal, and no bowing, no your majesties on Earth," Max said.
"Of course," Kal said.
"How did you get here so fast?" Michael asked.
"I was just out scouting my new property," Kal said. When the others looked at him curiously he continued. "Since you are all going to live here for the next 40 or so years and will need to travel back and forth to Antar so much I figured we better have a reason for coming out here all the time."
"Brilliant," Michael said with appreciation. "How did you pull that off? Isn't this land slated as some kind of park?"
"Michael, no matter what planet you are on money makes it go 'round," Kal answered flippantly. "Your all lucky I was out here today. You are a whole day early."
"I don't want anything ruining my birthday tomorrow, so I wanted to come a day early and take care of the Mr. Parker situation," Max explained.
"Ahh yes, the in-laws. One reason why I never married," Kal said thoughtfully as the rest of the group jumped in the big black SUV. "Where to?" he asked.
"The Crashdown," Max said as he opened his cell phone. He called the Sheriff, Mr. Whitman, and Amy and asked them to meet them there.
"Are you sure you should do this?" Diane Evans asked Max with concern.
"More sure of anything in my life," answered Max with determination.
______________________________________________________________________________
Jeff Parker was busy cleaning the counters while worrying about his daughter. She hadn't been the same since she came back from her weekend of camping. 'It figures,' he thought. Liz had told him that Max Evans had beed there, and everything seemed to go to hell when Max Evans was around.
He had watched his daughter change over the last year. Some changes were good, and he really was proud of the fact that she was a successful writer, but a lot of the changes didn't seem so good. She had been caught in lies, had been caught sneaking around, and just seemed to be hiding something from them. There used to be a time when she told him everything, and he just knew she was hiding something from him, something big.
His wife Nancy walked in and gave him a sexy, secret smile. One thing that had improved since that weekend was the situation with his wife. When they found out Liz was going to be gone, they had closed the Crashdown for the weekend for some minor remodeling, and went off to a couple's retreat for two days.
Jeff hadn't noticed how unfair he had become towards his wife, how he had pushed her into the background of Liz's life. He really forgot about all that was important along the way. Liz became the center of his universe, and while he was generally a great, compassionate man, he let his hopes and dreams for his daughter rule his life.
They hashed a lot of that out during their retreat, and were well on their way to recovering from the years of distance and indifference. This was one of the reasons why he didn't push Liz to hard when she came back and seemed so upset. His wife had explained of course it would be tough to leave someone you love, especially when you are a teenager, and that it was perfectly normal. He knew he needed to trust his wife's judgement, but it didn't stop him from worrying.
Nancy came over to the counter to great Jeff, and as she did the doors to the Crashdown swung open. In walked the pod squad and all the parents.
"Great," Jeff muttered as Nancy playfully smacked his arm.
"Be nice," Nancy said as she smiled at the group. "Welcome home. Liz said you wouldn't be in town until tomorrow," she said to Max.
"Umm, it's kind of a surprise," Max said, feeling incredibly nervous all of a sudden. "I was wondering if we could go upstairs and talk, all of us."
______________________________________________________________________________
"I don't believe you," Mr. Parker said. He was going crazy, yes that is what was happening. He grabbed on to his wife's arm like it was a lifeline, holding him in place.
"It's true, all true Jeff," Jim Valenti said.
"If it is true, then you let my daughter run around with these...these aliens, never informing us that she was in danger, and even lied so she could go off to some other planet?" Jeff asked, his voice raising a decibel with each word.
"It was necessary," Kal spoke up, "because you would have put the Queen in danger, and we can't have that."
"Don't you dare say that! Don't you dare say I would put my...my daughter in danger! This is all too much, too much!! My daughter, a Queen? My daughter, married to an alien? My daughter being hunted by the FBI while she finishes her sophomore year in high school?" Jeff asked angrily.
"Mr. Parker," Max said. "No one would ever think that you would purposefully put Liz in danger. Whenever Michael ran the scenarios you always called the FBI, and we can't have that, you don't realize what they will do."
"Are you hearing this?" Mr. Parker said, acting like Max doesn't exist. "Nancy, you can't be falling for this?"
Nancy had been awfully quiet while the aliens had told them what had been going on for the last year and a half. Aliens, FBI, time travel....It was all so much to take in, but she had to admit, it explained a lot of things.
"I think it makes a lot of sense actually," Nancy said in an unsteady voice. "Liz's change in personality, her secretive nature...."
"That's it! Get out!" Mr. Parker yelled. "Get out of my house, all of you!"
Max stood up to face Mr. Parker face to face, man to man. He knew it was now or never, so he reached out and touched Jeff's arm, staring straight into his eyes.
The connection flared instantly, and to the other people sitting in the Parker living room it looked as if the two had been frozen in time.
"What...what is he doing?" Nancy asked worriedly.
"Max is showing Jeff his worst nightmare," Michael said quietly.
Indeed he was. As Jeff was sucked into a connection with Max, he was being taken to a place Max never went, to a place buried so well and deep it worried Michael that he may never be the same again.
Find all the links to my fics in one place:
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My Author's Page
New Fic!
Little Girl Lost in the alternative universe w/aliens forum!
Check out my website! http://kel.uppercaseliving.net