Author's Note: This is a short part. I had originally intented to focus back to Max, Isabel and Kyle in San Fran but decided to wait until the next part. This part should illustrate that things are not what they seem, and that it's about to hit the fan.
Enjoy!!!
JO
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PART ELEVEN
Liz sat at the kitchen table having placed Seth on the school bus and showered, sipping a cup of strong black coffee. She ran her fingers down the length of her hair, having haphazardly cut it in attempt to release the emotions welling up inside her shortly after Michael’s late-night visit. It hadn’t looked too horrible when she woke this morning and she almost felt like a different person. She had spent the night in Jase’s room, Michael’s drunken form in her bed, and she was thankful that she had not seen him yet. There was too much that could be said now that they were in the house alone together.
“Morning,” Michael grimaced as he entered the kitchen and Liz’s back went rigid. His hair stuck up at odd angles and he still wore his shirt and jeans from the night before. She did notice that his feet were bare.
“Good morning,” she replied, unconsciously wrapping her robe tighter around her chest. She did so as Michael passed by on his way to the coffee machine, and the length of her robe fell open, exposing her crossed legs to Michael’s view. They both froze, their eyes momentarily locking before Liz flipped the terrycloth robe over her legs. Michael drudged onward to the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee into the mug Liz had provided. “Did you cut your hair?”
“Yes.”
“Looks good,” he replied, pouring himself a cup of black coffee. “Did something happen between...”
“No,” Liz interrupted, a look of horror flashing across her face. “No.” Michael nodded and sipped his coffee, maintaining his distance from Liz. “Did you go to the Crashdown last night?”
“Yeah,” Michael admitted with a nod. “I did.”
“Why would you go there?”
“I don’t know,” he shrugged, placing the empty coffee mug into the sink, filling it with warm water. “I just did. I used my key and sat down on the couch in the back room.” He cleared his throat. “This isn’t getting any easier.”
“Trying to drown the pain in Jim Beam doesn’t help,” Liz reminded him in a soft voice as she stood and walked to the sink. Michael glanced at her and opened his mouth to respond but quickly closed it. “I know you miss Maria. I miss her too.”
“I can’t get through this. I can’t do it.” He turned away from Liz and placed his hands on the rim of the sink, his knuckles white.
“You can,” Liz said, her voice strong with conviction as she placed her hand on Michael’s shoulder. “You will make it, Michael. You have to.”
“I need your help.”
“Michael -”
“No one else can fix me, Liz,” he admitted. “You’re the only one I need, the only one I trust. Please. Please don’t abandon me because of my mistakes. Please don’t leave me.” His shoulder shook with tears and Liz’s brow furrowed in response.
“I won’t abandon you, Michael. I promise.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and Michael pulled her body against his in response. Her robe dipped slightly but neither of them noticed as they continued to hold each other. She pressed her face to Michael’s chest, her own tears wetting her face and she closed her eyes against them. An early morning breeze fluttered through the kitchen and when she opened her eyes, she saw Jase and Absalom standing in the doorway.
* * *
Jase dropped his duffle bag in the back yard, Absalom following suit, as both men stomped toward the back door of the Evans home. They removed their boots at the back door out of habit despite the fact their bare feet were almost as dusty as their shoes. He could silently hear Larissa’s squeals of joy when he appeared at her front door unannounced, clean-shaven and smelling of soap.
He pushed open the back door without knocking, stopping instantly once he was inside the house, Absalom banging into his back. In front of him, both of them, stood Michael and Liz, Michael’s arms firmly around Liz’s petite frame, Liz’s face crushed against Michael’s chest. Before any of them could speak, Jase bolted from the house, his bare feet hitting grass, concrete, then asphalt as he ran toward Larissa’s house.
Pathos/Chaos/Terminus (CC/UC/AU,Mature) (Complete)
Moderators: Itzstacie, Forum Moderators
Terminus: Part 12
PART TWELVE
“You’re really going to Roswell,” Isabel questioned as she sat beside Max on the couch with Kyle sitting opposite them in a leather recliner, Maria Grace running back and forth between the three adults.
“It’s time. I’ve been gone too long. I have to tell Liz the truth...about everything. She deserves to know.” Isabel smiled weakly, her face paling as Max’s words rolled through her mind. She glanced hesitantly at Kyle, Maria Grace giggling in his lap, and pulled her lower lip in between her teeth. “Hey,” Max continued, interrupting her from her thoughts about the secrets she kept. “Are you okay?”
“Oh,” Isabel said, her face suddenly bright with a smile. “I’m fine.” Before Max could press her further, the door bell rang, Kyle on his feet at once to answer it.
“That must be the cab company,” Max replied as he stood to his feet, his small duffle slung across his shoulders. “Come back to Roswell for a visit, Isabel. Liz would love to meet Maria Grace.”
“We might do that,” Isabel said, hugging Max around his shoulders, his chin length hair and scruffy beard tickling her face. “Be careful.”
“I will,” Max said and both of them turned toward the front door and the two shadows that appeared in the hallway. “I just have this duffle,” Max began, his voice trailing off when he saw that it wasn’t a cab driver in the hallway beside Kyle; it was Tess.
“Tess,” Isabel seethed, stepping past Max before he could prevent her from doing so. “What are you doing here?”
Tess ignored Isabel’s defensive reaction, her eyes already trained on Maria Grace standing by the coffee table. “Is this your daughter, Isabel? She’s beautiful. What’s your name?”
“Maria Grace.”
“How honorable. You named her after Maria. You’re very good at naming your children after your dead friends.”
“Tess,” Kyle cautioned, both he and Max stepping to Isabel’s defense.
“Maria Grace, go upstairs.”
“Am I in trouble, Mommy?”
“No, honey,” Isabel said, stooping to her daughter’s height. “I just want you to go upstairs for a little while, okay.”
“Okay,” Maria Grace agreed and ran past Tess and Kyle toward the stairs at the front of the house. She struggled as she climbed the stairs and Isabel waited what she considered a suitable amount of time before addressing Tess again.
“What do you want, Tess?”
“I want to help you,” Tess replied as she stepped past Isabel into the living room. “I want to fix my mistakes.”
“Can you bring my mother or my son or Maria back? Or Alex?”
“No,” Tess solemnly replied, her head lowering slightly.
“Then we have nothing else to say to each other.” Isabel crossed her arms defiantly over her chest, glancing sideways at Max and Kyle, the three of them confused by Tess’ actions.
“I think we do. I think I can help you find Lily.”
“Why would you want to help me find my daughter,” Max questioned, his voice almost booming through the room. “You were the one that took her in the first place.”
“I didn’t know what she was. I didn’t know she was the acrea. I kidnapped your children to hurt Liz, and to hurt you, but now I see that I was wrong. I want to help you find her.”
“Why are you doing this,” Max continued. “You’ve never done anything to help us, Tess. Why would you simply start now? Are we supposed to believe you’ve just turned over a new leaf, that you’re not loyal to Kivar?”
“I haven’t seen Kivar in almost four years. When my children and I joined him after leaving Copper Summit, he stayed only a short time before he abandoned us. I haven’t spoken to him since but I think I know where he is.”
“You’re not answering my questions,” Max demanded, unable to hide his contempt for Tess any longer. “Why should we believe you? Why should we trust you when you’ve lied to us so many times before?”
“I’m here to tell you the truth, Max. Yes, I’ve lied, schemed and killed in the past to get what I want. It’s been for the wrong cause. I see that now, and I’m here to offer my services and my knowledge to help you get Lily back before she’s forced to bear Kivar’s child.”
“What,” Kyle questioned, he and Isabel sitting down on the sofa. Max dropped into the chair nearest Tess, Tess choosing to remain standing.
“If you’re willing to listen, I’ll confess everything to you,” she replied, her attention focused on Max. “But I have to start with my biggest deception.”
“What is your biggest deception,” Max asked as a spike of energy bounced through the room. He glanced at Isabel, her face pale as she stared at the floor just in front of Tess’ feet, but turned his attention back to Tess, knowing Isabel’s paleness could be attributed to any of Tess’ deceptions.
“Tristan,” Tess calmly replied.
“No, Tess,” Isabel countered, her voice cracking with hysterical emotion, the kind Max hadn’t heard since the death of their mother and her son. “Please.”
“Tristan isn’t your son, Max,” Tess continued as Isabel fell onto her knees behind the coffee table. Max glanced between the two blondes, suddenly confused by both their actions.
“Tess!”
“We...slept together,” Max reminded Tess. “You said we created a child.”
“We did sleep together. That’s how our connection became solidified. I forced a connection with you, Max, and tried everything in my power to break the hold Liz had on you and your heart. I had to make you want to leave with me in the granolith and saying I was pregnant with your child was the easiest way to control you.”
“Are you saying you were never pregnant? That is was all a lie?”
“I was pregnant,” Tess replied as Isabel emitted another desperate plea. “But I was already pregnant when we slept together. I lied to all of you and Kivar when I said Tristan was your son. I mindwarped those who discovered the truth and killed those that couldn’t be mindwarped, all to protect my lie.”
“Tess, no,” Isabel pleaded a final time but Tess closed her eyes and straightened her shoulders, ignoring Isabel while she pulled something from deep inside her to tell the truth. “Please, Tess,” Isabel whispered again.
Tess opened her eyes, training them directly on Max. “You’re not Tristan’s father, Max. Kyle is.”
“Tess!”
“You’re lying,” Max shouted, all but jumping from his chair beside Tess. “I know you’re lying. You have to be lying.”
“Why,” Tess argued. “Because you believed me? You believed that I was sick and our son was dying, and that we had to leave Earth for him to survive?” She laughed slightly, quickly biting her tongue. “I made you believe me, Max, just like I made everyone else believe me. Kyle doesn’t even remember we slept together.”
“So you mindwarped me,” Kyle asked as he too stood to his feet beside Isabel’s crumpled form. “You mindwarped...me? You could have killed me. Alex broke out of his mindwarp and he died. Didn’t you think about any of that?”
“I was only thinking about my objective, my cause, but I now I see it was the wrong choice to make. I’ve been fighting against all of you when I should be fighting with you.”
“No,” Max shouted again. “You’re lying.”
“Ask Isabel,” Tess screamed, pointing to Isabel’s form between the coffee table and the sofa. “Isabel knows. She’s seen Tristan and Kyle together. She’ll tell you I’m telling the truth.”
“Isabel? Is Tess telling the truth? Is Tristan Kyle’s son?”
“Don’t,” Isabel whispered as she rose to her knees, her face streaked with tears. “Don’t do this to me, Tess. Don’t destroy my life any more than you already have.”
“It’s true,” Max questioned as he turned away from Tess and focused on Isabel. “Tristan isn’t my son?”
Isabel’s entire face pursed and she buried it within her hands. Max watched as her shoulders shook and her cries echoed through the living room, then glanced at Kyle. Just as Max’s life had changed forever when Tess announced she was pregnant, so now had Kyle’s, and Max remembered that feeling of helplessness and confusion all too well. The son he had spent so many years in search of wasn’t really his son. His heart fell to the pit of his stomach, his mind unable to comprehend what was really being revealed: everything had been a lie. “What do we do now?”
“We find Lily,” Tess calmly announced. “I help you find your children and you help me destroy mine.”
“You’re really going to Roswell,” Isabel questioned as she sat beside Max on the couch with Kyle sitting opposite them in a leather recliner, Maria Grace running back and forth between the three adults.
“It’s time. I’ve been gone too long. I have to tell Liz the truth...about everything. She deserves to know.” Isabel smiled weakly, her face paling as Max’s words rolled through her mind. She glanced hesitantly at Kyle, Maria Grace giggling in his lap, and pulled her lower lip in between her teeth. “Hey,” Max continued, interrupting her from her thoughts about the secrets she kept. “Are you okay?”
“Oh,” Isabel said, her face suddenly bright with a smile. “I’m fine.” Before Max could press her further, the door bell rang, Kyle on his feet at once to answer it.
“That must be the cab company,” Max replied as he stood to his feet, his small duffle slung across his shoulders. “Come back to Roswell for a visit, Isabel. Liz would love to meet Maria Grace.”
“We might do that,” Isabel said, hugging Max around his shoulders, his chin length hair and scruffy beard tickling her face. “Be careful.”
“I will,” Max said and both of them turned toward the front door and the two shadows that appeared in the hallway. “I just have this duffle,” Max began, his voice trailing off when he saw that it wasn’t a cab driver in the hallway beside Kyle; it was Tess.
“Tess,” Isabel seethed, stepping past Max before he could prevent her from doing so. “What are you doing here?”
Tess ignored Isabel’s defensive reaction, her eyes already trained on Maria Grace standing by the coffee table. “Is this your daughter, Isabel? She’s beautiful. What’s your name?”
“Maria Grace.”
“How honorable. You named her after Maria. You’re very good at naming your children after your dead friends.”
“Tess,” Kyle cautioned, both he and Max stepping to Isabel’s defense.
“Maria Grace, go upstairs.”
“Am I in trouble, Mommy?”
“No, honey,” Isabel said, stooping to her daughter’s height. “I just want you to go upstairs for a little while, okay.”
“Okay,” Maria Grace agreed and ran past Tess and Kyle toward the stairs at the front of the house. She struggled as she climbed the stairs and Isabel waited what she considered a suitable amount of time before addressing Tess again.
“What do you want, Tess?”
“I want to help you,” Tess replied as she stepped past Isabel into the living room. “I want to fix my mistakes.”
“Can you bring my mother or my son or Maria back? Or Alex?”
“No,” Tess solemnly replied, her head lowering slightly.
“Then we have nothing else to say to each other.” Isabel crossed her arms defiantly over her chest, glancing sideways at Max and Kyle, the three of them confused by Tess’ actions.
“I think we do. I think I can help you find Lily.”
“Why would you want to help me find my daughter,” Max questioned, his voice almost booming through the room. “You were the one that took her in the first place.”
“I didn’t know what she was. I didn’t know she was the acrea. I kidnapped your children to hurt Liz, and to hurt you, but now I see that I was wrong. I want to help you find her.”
“Why are you doing this,” Max continued. “You’ve never done anything to help us, Tess. Why would you simply start now? Are we supposed to believe you’ve just turned over a new leaf, that you’re not loyal to Kivar?”
“I haven’t seen Kivar in almost four years. When my children and I joined him after leaving Copper Summit, he stayed only a short time before he abandoned us. I haven’t spoken to him since but I think I know where he is.”
“You’re not answering my questions,” Max demanded, unable to hide his contempt for Tess any longer. “Why should we believe you? Why should we trust you when you’ve lied to us so many times before?”
“I’m here to tell you the truth, Max. Yes, I’ve lied, schemed and killed in the past to get what I want. It’s been for the wrong cause. I see that now, and I’m here to offer my services and my knowledge to help you get Lily back before she’s forced to bear Kivar’s child.”
“What,” Kyle questioned, he and Isabel sitting down on the sofa. Max dropped into the chair nearest Tess, Tess choosing to remain standing.
“If you’re willing to listen, I’ll confess everything to you,” she replied, her attention focused on Max. “But I have to start with my biggest deception.”
“What is your biggest deception,” Max asked as a spike of energy bounced through the room. He glanced at Isabel, her face pale as she stared at the floor just in front of Tess’ feet, but turned his attention back to Tess, knowing Isabel’s paleness could be attributed to any of Tess’ deceptions.
“Tristan,” Tess calmly replied.
“No, Tess,” Isabel countered, her voice cracking with hysterical emotion, the kind Max hadn’t heard since the death of their mother and her son. “Please.”
“Tristan isn’t your son, Max,” Tess continued as Isabel fell onto her knees behind the coffee table. Max glanced between the two blondes, suddenly confused by both their actions.
“Tess!”
“We...slept together,” Max reminded Tess. “You said we created a child.”
“We did sleep together. That’s how our connection became solidified. I forced a connection with you, Max, and tried everything in my power to break the hold Liz had on you and your heart. I had to make you want to leave with me in the granolith and saying I was pregnant with your child was the easiest way to control you.”
“Are you saying you were never pregnant? That is was all a lie?”
“I was pregnant,” Tess replied as Isabel emitted another desperate plea. “But I was already pregnant when we slept together. I lied to all of you and Kivar when I said Tristan was your son. I mindwarped those who discovered the truth and killed those that couldn’t be mindwarped, all to protect my lie.”
“Tess, no,” Isabel pleaded a final time but Tess closed her eyes and straightened her shoulders, ignoring Isabel while she pulled something from deep inside her to tell the truth. “Please, Tess,” Isabel whispered again.
Tess opened her eyes, training them directly on Max. “You’re not Tristan’s father, Max. Kyle is.”
“Tess!”
“You’re lying,” Max shouted, all but jumping from his chair beside Tess. “I know you’re lying. You have to be lying.”
“Why,” Tess argued. “Because you believed me? You believed that I was sick and our son was dying, and that we had to leave Earth for him to survive?” She laughed slightly, quickly biting her tongue. “I made you believe me, Max, just like I made everyone else believe me. Kyle doesn’t even remember we slept together.”
“So you mindwarped me,” Kyle asked as he too stood to his feet beside Isabel’s crumpled form. “You mindwarped...me? You could have killed me. Alex broke out of his mindwarp and he died. Didn’t you think about any of that?”
“I was only thinking about my objective, my cause, but I now I see it was the wrong choice to make. I’ve been fighting against all of you when I should be fighting with you.”
“No,” Max shouted again. “You’re lying.”
“Ask Isabel,” Tess screamed, pointing to Isabel’s form between the coffee table and the sofa. “Isabel knows. She’s seen Tristan and Kyle together. She’ll tell you I’m telling the truth.”
“Isabel? Is Tess telling the truth? Is Tristan Kyle’s son?”
“Don’t,” Isabel whispered as she rose to her knees, her face streaked with tears. “Don’t do this to me, Tess. Don’t destroy my life any more than you already have.”
“It’s true,” Max questioned as he turned away from Tess and focused on Isabel. “Tristan isn’t my son?”
Isabel’s entire face pursed and she buried it within her hands. Max watched as her shoulders shook and her cries echoed through the living room, then glanced at Kyle. Just as Max’s life had changed forever when Tess announced she was pregnant, so now had Kyle’s, and Max remembered that feeling of helplessness and confusion all too well. The son he had spent so many years in search of wasn’t really his son. His heart fell to the pit of his stomach, his mind unable to comprehend what was really being revealed: everything had been a lie. “What do we do now?”
“We find Lily,” Tess calmly announced. “I help you find your children and you help me destroy mine.”
Terminus (Sequel to CHAOS - *Part 13 - 7/6*)
PART THIRTEEN
Jase bent at the waist, dropping his hands to his knees to catch his breath. It was still early in Roswell, and he knew that Larissa could be asleep. He didn’t care; after seeing his mother in Michael’s arms, he needed to see Larissa, no matter how bad he smelled. He tapped his knuckles against Larissa’s window and carefully raised the pane. He smiled to himself that she still left the window open for him but reminded himself to chide her for her carelessness. She was a target to his enemies, just as Maria, Amy and Josh had been. He couldn’t afford to lose her, not when they were so close to being together permanently. “Larissa,” he whispered to her sleeping form as he crept toward her bed. “Larissa, wake up.”
She stirred underneath the covers, sighing as she ran her hands through her hair in an attempt to wake up. “Not yet,” she mumbled and pulled the covers over her head.
Jase rolled his eyes and sat on Larissa’s bed, careful to limit his movements so he wouldn’t leave a dirt trail on her comforter. “Rissa, wake up. It’s Jase. I’m home.”
“Jase,” she questioned sleepily, shielding her eyes against the dawn. She pushed herself away from him, her eyes blinking rapidly. “It’s really you?” She cautiously stretched her hand toward his face and once she their skin connected, Larissa couldn’t control her tears. “Jase,” she sighed, throwing herself into Jase’s arms.
“I’m dirty,” Jase argued as he wrapped his arms around Larissa’s back.
“I don’t care,” she replied, pressing her lips to his face in random places. “I don’t care. Oh, I’m glad you’re home. I’m so glad.” She eagerly sought out his lips, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck.
Jase returned her kisses with equal fervor, his hands winding down Larissa’s back to the waistband of her pyjama pants. Without thinking, he pushed their bodies down onto her bed, their lower bodies separated only by their clothes and the sheets Larissa’s legs were underneath. He paused for a split second to look at Larissa, to make sure it wasn’t simply his hormones driving him toward completion. Larissa’s eyes were closed, her hands roaming over the front and back of Jase’s shirt sprinkling her sheets and self with dust. “Rissa,” Jase sighed as he buried his face against her neck the exact moment Larissa’s bedroom door flew open.
“Larissa! We missed the bus!”
Jase spun off Larissa, landing in her floor with a thud as she sat straight up in bed, Livvie standing in the hallway, her backpack in one hand and Nina’s arm in the other. Both girls looked like they had just woken up and Nina’s unruly hair stuck out at odd angles. “Where’s Evan,” Larissa questioned as she stepped over Jase’s body, rushing toward her bedroom door. “Let’s go!”
* * *
“Kyle,” Isabel began as Kyle stormed past her, his arms full of boxer short and socks. She spun away from their bureau toward the bed, an open, half-filled duffle bag lay on top of the floral comforter. “Kyle, please.”
“I’m still mad at you, Iz,” Kyle said in a low voice, stepping past her toward their closet. “You lied to me.”
“I had a good reason for not telling you, Kyle. I swear it was a good reason.”
“What,” he questioned as he turned away from the closet, facing her.
“What?”
“What was your good reason? I’d like to hear it.”
“Maria Grace,” Isabel squeaked, dropping herself onto the bed beside Kyle’s duffle. “Maria Grace is the only reason. I was already pregnant with her when I found out about Tristan. I mean, I didn’t know I was pregnant at the time but once I found out, I couldn’t tell you about him.”
Kyle shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “Do you want to know why I’m really mad, Iz, I mean, really?”
“I understand why you’re mad,” Isabel admitted, her head bowed as she wiped at her eyes with the used tissue.
“No, you don’t,” Kyle said, crossing the room to sit beside Isabel on the bed. He took her hands into his but not before forcing Isabel to look him in the eyes. “You were scared. A lot of things would be different once I found out Tristan was my son, and not only would Tristan be in our lives, Tess would be too.” Isabel bristled at the mention of Tess’ name but Kyle’s grip on her hands remained firm. “I know you were trying to do the right thing by keeping it from me, but you hurt a lot of people by keeping it a secret.”
“But Tristan is a horrible person, if we’re to believe but Tess says. Why do you have to go with her to find him? He thinks Max is his father.”
“Tristan is my son. I’m not going to continue lying to him. I’d like to know my child and make the judgment on what kind of a person he is for myself.” Kyle dropped Isabel’s hands and stood, walking toward the closet once again.
“Kyle,” Isabel began but a hiccup erupted from her throat instead of her words. “I don’t trust Tess,” she continued after several seconds of silence. “I...I can’t help it. She’s lied about so much. What if this is a lie too? What if this is just another one of her games? What if something happens -”
“I love you, Iz, and I love Maria Grace,” Kyle replied softly as he took Isabel into his arms. “No matter what other child I have, Maria Grace will still be ours. I have to do this and when I’m finished, maybe we all can be safe.”
Jase bent at the waist, dropping his hands to his knees to catch his breath. It was still early in Roswell, and he knew that Larissa could be asleep. He didn’t care; after seeing his mother in Michael’s arms, he needed to see Larissa, no matter how bad he smelled. He tapped his knuckles against Larissa’s window and carefully raised the pane. He smiled to himself that she still left the window open for him but reminded himself to chide her for her carelessness. She was a target to his enemies, just as Maria, Amy and Josh had been. He couldn’t afford to lose her, not when they were so close to being together permanently. “Larissa,” he whispered to her sleeping form as he crept toward her bed. “Larissa, wake up.”
She stirred underneath the covers, sighing as she ran her hands through her hair in an attempt to wake up. “Not yet,” she mumbled and pulled the covers over her head.
Jase rolled his eyes and sat on Larissa’s bed, careful to limit his movements so he wouldn’t leave a dirt trail on her comforter. “Rissa, wake up. It’s Jase. I’m home.”
“Jase,” she questioned sleepily, shielding her eyes against the dawn. She pushed herself away from him, her eyes blinking rapidly. “It’s really you?” She cautiously stretched her hand toward his face and once she their skin connected, Larissa couldn’t control her tears. “Jase,” she sighed, throwing herself into Jase’s arms.
“I’m dirty,” Jase argued as he wrapped his arms around Larissa’s back.
“I don’t care,” she replied, pressing her lips to his face in random places. “I don’t care. Oh, I’m glad you’re home. I’m so glad.” She eagerly sought out his lips, wrapping her arms tighter around his neck.
Jase returned her kisses with equal fervor, his hands winding down Larissa’s back to the waistband of her pyjama pants. Without thinking, he pushed their bodies down onto her bed, their lower bodies separated only by their clothes and the sheets Larissa’s legs were underneath. He paused for a split second to look at Larissa, to make sure it wasn’t simply his hormones driving him toward completion. Larissa’s eyes were closed, her hands roaming over the front and back of Jase’s shirt sprinkling her sheets and self with dust. “Rissa,” Jase sighed as he buried his face against her neck the exact moment Larissa’s bedroom door flew open.
“Larissa! We missed the bus!”
Jase spun off Larissa, landing in her floor with a thud as she sat straight up in bed, Livvie standing in the hallway, her backpack in one hand and Nina’s arm in the other. Both girls looked like they had just woken up and Nina’s unruly hair stuck out at odd angles. “Where’s Evan,” Larissa questioned as she stepped over Jase’s body, rushing toward her bedroom door. “Let’s go!”
* * *
“Kyle,” Isabel began as Kyle stormed past her, his arms full of boxer short and socks. She spun away from their bureau toward the bed, an open, half-filled duffle bag lay on top of the floral comforter. “Kyle, please.”
“I’m still mad at you, Iz,” Kyle said in a low voice, stepping past her toward their closet. “You lied to me.”
“I had a good reason for not telling you, Kyle. I swear it was a good reason.”
“What,” he questioned as he turned away from the closet, facing her.
“What?”
“What was your good reason? I’d like to hear it.”
“Maria Grace,” Isabel squeaked, dropping herself onto the bed beside Kyle’s duffle. “Maria Grace is the only reason. I was already pregnant with her when I found out about Tristan. I mean, I didn’t know I was pregnant at the time but once I found out, I couldn’t tell you about him.”
Kyle shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “Do you want to know why I’m really mad, Iz, I mean, really?”
“I understand why you’re mad,” Isabel admitted, her head bowed as she wiped at her eyes with the used tissue.
“No, you don’t,” Kyle said, crossing the room to sit beside Isabel on the bed. He took her hands into his but not before forcing Isabel to look him in the eyes. “You were scared. A lot of things would be different once I found out Tristan was my son, and not only would Tristan be in our lives, Tess would be too.” Isabel bristled at the mention of Tess’ name but Kyle’s grip on her hands remained firm. “I know you were trying to do the right thing by keeping it from me, but you hurt a lot of people by keeping it a secret.”
“But Tristan is a horrible person, if we’re to believe but Tess says. Why do you have to go with her to find him? He thinks Max is his father.”
“Tristan is my son. I’m not going to continue lying to him. I’d like to know my child and make the judgment on what kind of a person he is for myself.” Kyle dropped Isabel’s hands and stood, walking toward the closet once again.
“Kyle,” Isabel began but a hiccup erupted from her throat instead of her words. “I don’t trust Tess,” she continued after several seconds of silence. “I...I can’t help it. She’s lied about so much. What if this is a lie too? What if this is just another one of her games? What if something happens -”
“I love you, Iz, and I love Maria Grace,” Kyle replied softly as he took Isabel into his arms. “No matter what other child I have, Maria Grace will still be ours. I have to do this and when I’m finished, maybe we all can be safe.”
Terminus: Part 14
Warning: Strong language and sexual situations
PART FOURTEEN
“So you really lied,” Max questioned softly, he and Tess sitting across from each other in Isabel’s kitchen. “All those moments I wondered if he was okay, they were all for nothing.”
“Not nothing, Max,” Tess objected as she slid her hands onto Max’s. “Tristan believes he’s your son. He believes everything I’ve ever told him.”
“Just like the rest of us,” Max retorted, the anger in his voice unmistakable, and he tore himself away from Tess’ hands. “How could I have believed you? How could I have trusted you?”
“You were weak and you were alone. I used you, Max. I used you to get what I wanted and you used me to feel alive,” Tess paused momentarily to look at Max, who lowered his face to his fisted hands. “I remember how you touched me, how much you wanted me. You needed me. Me, Max. You needed me that night like you had never needed me before and I wasn’t going to deny you what I’d craved for so long.”
“But it was a lie,” Max argued, emotion bubbling up from his throat. “All of it. Everything was a lie. I...I destroyed my relationship with Liz because of you. My son hates me because of you. I...I can’t find my daughter because of you.”
“I know where she is,” Tess interrupted calmly, causing Max to stand up from the chair so suddenly, the chair toppled backwards onto the kitchen floor.
“I don’t care! You ruined me. You used me for some twisted forty year old plan hatched by Nasedo and Kivar! You destroyed me, my life and the lives of those I love. Look at what you’ve done to Isabel.”
“Isabel made her own bed,” Tess replied. “She’s known that Tristan was Kyle’s son for almost four years. It’s not my fault if she’s too scared -”
“It is your fault! Everything is your fault. Don’t you see that? Don’t you see how all of this is related to you? Everything wrong that’s ever happened to me can be traced back to you.”
“Then maybe you and Liz should have just fucked the night you two found the orb and given in to that mysterious passion instead of letting scientific curiosity dictate your actions,” Tess screamed as she stood from her chair, it too crashing backwards onto the kitchen floor. “You set all this in motion, Max. You healed Liz Parker. You found the orb. You ran away from your destiny.”
“You’ve been trying to control me and my destiny since the first moment you set foot in Roswell. You’re nothing to me, Tess. Whatever feelings I had for you don’t exist anymore. I love Liz -”
“So why are you in San Francisco with Isabel and Kyle? Why aren’t you in Roswell with Liz?”
“You know why,” Max conceded as he straightened his fallen chair and sat back down at the table. “You know why I make my decisions just as well as I do.”
“I can help you find Lily if you’ll just let me,” Tess said as she returned to her chair as well. “I think I know where she is. I can explain it all to Liz, if that’s what you want.”
“You’re not getting anywhere near Liz or Seth. There’s been enough death in Roswell, Tess, and I won’t let you be a party to any more.”
“Absalom is in Roswell. I need to see my son.”
“Why?”
“He and Jase will be the ones that find Lily.”
“How do you know that?”
“My son has a destiny too, Max. All of our children do. His destiny is to fight wars and be victorious. Finding Lily is the end of the war.”
“How do you know that,” Max questioned again, his tone clipped, his words short, as he stared at Tess.
“I’ve known how the remainder of my life would play out from the moment Absalom helped Jase escape from Copper Summit. Absalom made a choice and it was the right choice for him to make. Now, he just needs to be given the opportunity to make another choice.”
“What do you mean?”
“Lily could be at two of Kivar’s remaining compounds: one is in Chandler, Arizona, and one is in Las Cruces. Absalom has to choose which compound he will go to to find Lily.”
“Then what are we waiting for,” Kyle questioned, his arms folded across his chest as he leaned against the door frame between the kitchen and the dining room. “Let’s go to Roswell so Ab can make his choice.”
* * *
“Are you sure you want to do this,” Jase questioned as drove the car onto the desert floor, the sun high in the sky. He glanced at her, taking his eyes off of his intended destination for a split second.
“I can afford to skip school every now and then,” Larissa replied as she held her long hair with both hands, attempting to keep it under control. “I’m going to be valedictorian, you know.” She turned toward him and offered Jase a small smile before returning her gaze to the road ahead of them.
“I don’t mean about school,” Jase admitted, clutching his hands tighter around the steering wheel while bringing the car to a halt.
“I love you. That’s all that matters to me.” She exited the car before Jase could respond, her laughter filling the desert. “C’mon,” she called after several seconds and Jase exited the car, watching her as she ran in circles.
“You act like you’ve never been in the desert before.” Jase pulled the green army blanket from the back seat and stepped toward her, Larissa still bouncing around in the small area in front of the car.
“Don’t you feel alive,” Larissa questioned, her chest heaving as she approached Jase. She stepped toward him, surprised that he flinched at her touch and cautiously pressed her lips to his. Snaking her hand down Jase’s arm, she took his hand in hers then pressed his hand to her heart. “Don’t you feel that,” she whispered as she broke their kiss, their lips still dangerously close.
“Yeah.”
“Whatever happens, Jase Parker, I want you to know how alive you make me feel. My heart beats only for you. You’re my destiny.”
Jase swept her into his arms, dropping the army blanket onto the desert floor, and rewarded her with the most passionate kiss his mind could imagine.
* * *
“You’re blocking me,” Larissa whispered as she traced the Whirlwind brand on Jase’s left shoulder. They lay together in one of the desert’s many caves, their bodies naked and cool after the fire between them had reached its culmination.
“What,” he questioned as he raised off of her and swept his hand tenderly down her cheek. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach he had never experienced before, a feeling that had never appeared after his many dreams of making love to Larissa. Somehow despite how many times their bodies had joined together in passion during the course of their afternoon in the desert, it was not the kind of passion he had expected.
“You’re blocking me. I know something’s wrong,” Larissa pressed. “Just tell me.” She moved close to him again, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Did I do...something wrong?”
“No,” Jase said, framing her face with his palms. “No, you’re wonderful, perfect. I guess my mind’s just on something else.”
“Your mom and Michael?”
Jase sighed and ran his hands down the length of his face. He pulled Larissa against his chest and kissed the top of her head as they settled into the blanket. “I don’t know. I saw them in the kitchen when Ab and I came home.”
“Were they....together?”
“They were hugging each other and they looked like they were crying.”
“You should get to the bottom of what’s going on, Jase. If they are having an affair, well, it affects more people than just the two of them. There’s you and Lily and Seth and Maria’s kids...” Larissa trailed off, settling herself tighter against Jase’s chest. “A lot of people could get hurt.”
“I’ll deal with it,” Jase mumbled as he lowered their bodies to the floor of the cave. “Right now, I’d rather not think about my mom.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re naked,” Jase whispered, tracing his fingers from the curve of Larissa’s left breast to her thigh. He felt cold chills ripple through her body and placed a breathy kiss on the sensitive spot underneath her chin. “And I’m naked,” he continued, trailing his lips down her collarbone. “And there are better things we could be doing.”
PART FOURTEEN
“So you really lied,” Max questioned softly, he and Tess sitting across from each other in Isabel’s kitchen. “All those moments I wondered if he was okay, they were all for nothing.”
“Not nothing, Max,” Tess objected as she slid her hands onto Max’s. “Tristan believes he’s your son. He believes everything I’ve ever told him.”
“Just like the rest of us,” Max retorted, the anger in his voice unmistakable, and he tore himself away from Tess’ hands. “How could I have believed you? How could I have trusted you?”
“You were weak and you were alone. I used you, Max. I used you to get what I wanted and you used me to feel alive,” Tess paused momentarily to look at Max, who lowered his face to his fisted hands. “I remember how you touched me, how much you wanted me. You needed me. Me, Max. You needed me that night like you had never needed me before and I wasn’t going to deny you what I’d craved for so long.”
“But it was a lie,” Max argued, emotion bubbling up from his throat. “All of it. Everything was a lie. I...I destroyed my relationship with Liz because of you. My son hates me because of you. I...I can’t find my daughter because of you.”
“I know where she is,” Tess interrupted calmly, causing Max to stand up from the chair so suddenly, the chair toppled backwards onto the kitchen floor.
“I don’t care! You ruined me. You used me for some twisted forty year old plan hatched by Nasedo and Kivar! You destroyed me, my life and the lives of those I love. Look at what you’ve done to Isabel.”
“Isabel made her own bed,” Tess replied. “She’s known that Tristan was Kyle’s son for almost four years. It’s not my fault if she’s too scared -”
“It is your fault! Everything is your fault. Don’t you see that? Don’t you see how all of this is related to you? Everything wrong that’s ever happened to me can be traced back to you.”
“Then maybe you and Liz should have just fucked the night you two found the orb and given in to that mysterious passion instead of letting scientific curiosity dictate your actions,” Tess screamed as she stood from her chair, it too crashing backwards onto the kitchen floor. “You set all this in motion, Max. You healed Liz Parker. You found the orb. You ran away from your destiny.”
“You’ve been trying to control me and my destiny since the first moment you set foot in Roswell. You’re nothing to me, Tess. Whatever feelings I had for you don’t exist anymore. I love Liz -”
“So why are you in San Francisco with Isabel and Kyle? Why aren’t you in Roswell with Liz?”
“You know why,” Max conceded as he straightened his fallen chair and sat back down at the table. “You know why I make my decisions just as well as I do.”
“I can help you find Lily if you’ll just let me,” Tess said as she returned to her chair as well. “I think I know where she is. I can explain it all to Liz, if that’s what you want.”
“You’re not getting anywhere near Liz or Seth. There’s been enough death in Roswell, Tess, and I won’t let you be a party to any more.”
“Absalom is in Roswell. I need to see my son.”
“Why?”
“He and Jase will be the ones that find Lily.”
“How do you know that?”
“My son has a destiny too, Max. All of our children do. His destiny is to fight wars and be victorious. Finding Lily is the end of the war.”
“How do you know that,” Max questioned again, his tone clipped, his words short, as he stared at Tess.
“I’ve known how the remainder of my life would play out from the moment Absalom helped Jase escape from Copper Summit. Absalom made a choice and it was the right choice for him to make. Now, he just needs to be given the opportunity to make another choice.”
“What do you mean?”
“Lily could be at two of Kivar’s remaining compounds: one is in Chandler, Arizona, and one is in Las Cruces. Absalom has to choose which compound he will go to to find Lily.”
“Then what are we waiting for,” Kyle questioned, his arms folded across his chest as he leaned against the door frame between the kitchen and the dining room. “Let’s go to Roswell so Ab can make his choice.”
* * *
“Are you sure you want to do this,” Jase questioned as drove the car onto the desert floor, the sun high in the sky. He glanced at her, taking his eyes off of his intended destination for a split second.
“I can afford to skip school every now and then,” Larissa replied as she held her long hair with both hands, attempting to keep it under control. “I’m going to be valedictorian, you know.” She turned toward him and offered Jase a small smile before returning her gaze to the road ahead of them.
“I don’t mean about school,” Jase admitted, clutching his hands tighter around the steering wheel while bringing the car to a halt.
“I love you. That’s all that matters to me.” She exited the car before Jase could respond, her laughter filling the desert. “C’mon,” she called after several seconds and Jase exited the car, watching her as she ran in circles.
“You act like you’ve never been in the desert before.” Jase pulled the green army blanket from the back seat and stepped toward her, Larissa still bouncing around in the small area in front of the car.
“Don’t you feel alive,” Larissa questioned, her chest heaving as she approached Jase. She stepped toward him, surprised that he flinched at her touch and cautiously pressed her lips to his. Snaking her hand down Jase’s arm, she took his hand in hers then pressed his hand to her heart. “Don’t you feel that,” she whispered as she broke their kiss, their lips still dangerously close.
“Yeah.”
“Whatever happens, Jase Parker, I want you to know how alive you make me feel. My heart beats only for you. You’re my destiny.”
Jase swept her into his arms, dropping the army blanket onto the desert floor, and rewarded her with the most passionate kiss his mind could imagine.
* * *
“You’re blocking me,” Larissa whispered as she traced the Whirlwind brand on Jase’s left shoulder. They lay together in one of the desert’s many caves, their bodies naked and cool after the fire between them had reached its culmination.
“What,” he questioned as he raised off of her and swept his hand tenderly down her cheek. There was a feeling in the pit of his stomach he had never experienced before, a feeling that had never appeared after his many dreams of making love to Larissa. Somehow despite how many times their bodies had joined together in passion during the course of their afternoon in the desert, it was not the kind of passion he had expected.
“You’re blocking me. I know something’s wrong,” Larissa pressed. “Just tell me.” She moved close to him again, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Did I do...something wrong?”
“No,” Jase said, framing her face with his palms. “No, you’re wonderful, perfect. I guess my mind’s just on something else.”
“Your mom and Michael?”
Jase sighed and ran his hands down the length of his face. He pulled Larissa against his chest and kissed the top of her head as they settled into the blanket. “I don’t know. I saw them in the kitchen when Ab and I came home.”
“Were they....together?”
“They were hugging each other and they looked like they were crying.”
“You should get to the bottom of what’s going on, Jase. If they are having an affair, well, it affects more people than just the two of them. There’s you and Lily and Seth and Maria’s kids...” Larissa trailed off, settling herself tighter against Jase’s chest. “A lot of people could get hurt.”
“I’ll deal with it,” Jase mumbled as he lowered their bodies to the floor of the cave. “Right now, I’d rather not think about my mom.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re naked,” Jase whispered, tracing his fingers from the curve of Larissa’s left breast to her thigh. He felt cold chills ripple through her body and placed a breathy kiss on the sensitive spot underneath her chin. “And I’m naked,” he continued, trailing his lips down her collarbone. “And there are better things we could be doing.”
Terminus Part 15
PART FIFTEEN
Absalom sat on his bed in his darkened room, his eyes closed in concentration while his hands clutched at Lily’s bracelet. He, Jase, Seth and Liz had shared their meal in relative silence which was not surprising considering the scene he and Jase had walked into that morning. He wanted to talk to Liz and Jase separately but his mind was too occupied by thoughts of Lily to try and mend broken relationships.
He slowly counted to twenty as he rolled the bracelet between his thumb and forefinger, his mind absolutely blank. He thought of Lily, the ten-year-old girl that had captured his twelve-year-old heart. He tried to imagine how she would look today and a perfect picture of her flooded his mind. Her hair was long and dark, her skin creamy, and her most beautiful feature were her eyes.
He narrowed his concentration, trying to connect with Lily, to get her to respond in any way with any piece of information that would narrow their search. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he felt another presence in his mind. He stood alone in the desert, a carpet of stars overhead. A cool desert breeze blew across his skin and created a small sandstorm in front of him. Once the dust cleared, he saw a dark-haired woman standing several yards in front of him dressed in white. He knew immediately it was Lily.
He ran toward her, her dark hair blowing in the breeze. “Lily. Lily.” She did not answer him which prompted him to run faster and harder to reach her. He felt like he was making up the distance between them but each time it seemed like he was about to reach her, she slipped out of his grasp. “Lily, stop.”
She turned toward him, a bright smile on her face, a smile that could only come from recognition. “I’m waiting for you, Absalom.”
Absalom felt his heart pound against his chest as Lily spoke his name. He clutched at his chest, his ears ringing with the timbre of her voice. “Where are you, Lily? Tell me and I’ll find you.”
“I know. I believe in you and I’m waiting for you to find me.”
“Then help me,” Absalom pleaded, blindly reaching for her hands. “Tell me where you are.”
“Something’s going to happen. I can feel it.”
“What?” He reached for her again but his hands passed through her body. “Lily? Where are you?” He felt a hand on his shoulder and his eyes popped open, startling both he and Seth.
“Ab,” Seth began, creeping toward Absalom. “Ab? Are you okay? You were shouting.”
“What?” Absalom blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the lamplight.
“You were shouting,” Seth continued as he leaned on the bed. “I turned on your light to see why you were shouting. I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re fine. I was trying to connect with Lily.”
“Did it work?”
“I’m not sure. She wouldn’t tell me where she was. I mean, I saw her in the desert but I couldn’t get her to tell me anything.”
“Something’s going to happen,” Seth admitted. “I can feel it.”
“What did you say?”
“Something’s going to happen. Something big.” Seth paused and sat on Absalom’s bed. “Can I ask you something, Ab?”
“Sure.”
“I...I don’t want you to be mad.”
“You can ask me anything, Seth. I’m not likely to get too mad, unless you tell me you ate the entire box of my favorite cereal.” Absalom smiled and mussed Seth’s hair, prompting Seth to smile too.
“Kivar is your dad and Tess is your mom, right?” He waited until Absalom nodded his agreement then exhaled slowly. “So, well, they’re not the nicest people and you are and, um, I just wondered how you turned out so nice when they’re not so nice.”
Absalom tightened his lips, slowly nodding his head as he allowed Seth’s question to penetrate all areas of his brain. It was a question he thought of daily and one that he had no easy answer for. “That’s a good question, Seth. I’m not really sure how I turned out like this except that Meran took an interest in me.”
“So Meran saved you from being like your parents?”
“I guess you could say that. Meran taught me to think for myself and to make my own choices.” Absalom shrugged slightly and turned toward Seth. “Did that answer your question? It’s probably not the answer you were looking for but -”
“No, it was a good answer, Ab, just the answer I thought you’d give,” Seth replied with a smile. “I’m glad you’re like you are and that you’re helping Jase find Lily.”
“We’ll find her, buddy, and when we find her, we’ll bring her home so you can meet her.”
“I know. I believe in you.” Seth stood up from the bed and ran out of Absalom’s room but not before peaking Absalom’s curiosity by making the some of the same statements to him as Lily had during their brief connection, and Absalom wondered if Seth were perhaps more connected to Lily than any of them had originally thought.
* * *
Lily’s body lurched forward, Absalom’s name dancing on her lips. She kept her eyes closed, her senses painfully aware of his presence all around her. She could smell him, could see what a beautiful man he had become and could feel his overwhelming love for her. A small tear rolled down her cheek as his presence dissipated, and Lily reluctantly opened her eyes to the darkness of her room. She had felt him as if he had been in the room with her.
Throwing the blanket off her legs, she stood and pushed her feet into the tennis shoes beside her bedroom door. The moon shone into her room and Lily walked to the window, pressing her hands against the cool pane. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Absalom. She blindly reached for any trace of him, frustration building within her mind when she was met by nothingness. Opening her eyes, she beat her fist against the window pane, shards of glass raining down onto the tile floor.
Kivar’s threat rang in her ears as she waited for the guards to make their presence known. Don’t make me hurt you, Lily. If you try to escape again, I’ll be forced to hurt you. I’ll have to kill your mother. Don’t make me to that. Don’t force me to hurt those you love when all I want is you. Part of her worried about her mother’s safety if she attempted escape but the other part of her, the majority of her, called out for Absalom in a way she had never experienced.
She heard muffled voices outside of her door, and began summoning courage she didn’t know she possessed. She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, chewing on it as thoughts of Absalom flickered across her mind’s eye. She clenched her hands into tight fists and prepared herself to run out the door once it opened. She knew Kivar’s threat against her mother had been serious; she did not take the threat lightly, and she knew there would be no way to overpower the guards with her weak abilities. She only hoped to stun them long enough so that she could make it to the desert, to the place Absalom had taken her in hopes he would find her and take her home.
Absalom sat on his bed in his darkened room, his eyes closed in concentration while his hands clutched at Lily’s bracelet. He, Jase, Seth and Liz had shared their meal in relative silence which was not surprising considering the scene he and Jase had walked into that morning. He wanted to talk to Liz and Jase separately but his mind was too occupied by thoughts of Lily to try and mend broken relationships.
He slowly counted to twenty as he rolled the bracelet between his thumb and forefinger, his mind absolutely blank. He thought of Lily, the ten-year-old girl that had captured his twelve-year-old heart. He tried to imagine how she would look today and a perfect picture of her flooded his mind. Her hair was long and dark, her skin creamy, and her most beautiful feature were her eyes.
He narrowed his concentration, trying to connect with Lily, to get her to respond in any way with any piece of information that would narrow their search. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he felt another presence in his mind. He stood alone in the desert, a carpet of stars overhead. A cool desert breeze blew across his skin and created a small sandstorm in front of him. Once the dust cleared, he saw a dark-haired woman standing several yards in front of him dressed in white. He knew immediately it was Lily.
He ran toward her, her dark hair blowing in the breeze. “Lily. Lily.” She did not answer him which prompted him to run faster and harder to reach her. He felt like he was making up the distance between them but each time it seemed like he was about to reach her, she slipped out of his grasp. “Lily, stop.”
She turned toward him, a bright smile on her face, a smile that could only come from recognition. “I’m waiting for you, Absalom.”
Absalom felt his heart pound against his chest as Lily spoke his name. He clutched at his chest, his ears ringing with the timbre of her voice. “Where are you, Lily? Tell me and I’ll find you.”
“I know. I believe in you and I’m waiting for you to find me.”
“Then help me,” Absalom pleaded, blindly reaching for her hands. “Tell me where you are.”
“Something’s going to happen. I can feel it.”
“What?” He reached for her again but his hands passed through her body. “Lily? Where are you?” He felt a hand on his shoulder and his eyes popped open, startling both he and Seth.
“Ab,” Seth began, creeping toward Absalom. “Ab? Are you okay? You were shouting.”
“What?” Absalom blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the lamplight.
“You were shouting,” Seth continued as he leaned on the bed. “I turned on your light to see why you were shouting. I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re fine. I was trying to connect with Lily.”
“Did it work?”
“I’m not sure. She wouldn’t tell me where she was. I mean, I saw her in the desert but I couldn’t get her to tell me anything.”
“Something’s going to happen,” Seth admitted. “I can feel it.”
“What did you say?”
“Something’s going to happen. Something big.” Seth paused and sat on Absalom’s bed. “Can I ask you something, Ab?”
“Sure.”
“I...I don’t want you to be mad.”
“You can ask me anything, Seth. I’m not likely to get too mad, unless you tell me you ate the entire box of my favorite cereal.” Absalom smiled and mussed Seth’s hair, prompting Seth to smile too.
“Kivar is your dad and Tess is your mom, right?” He waited until Absalom nodded his agreement then exhaled slowly. “So, well, they’re not the nicest people and you are and, um, I just wondered how you turned out so nice when they’re not so nice.”
Absalom tightened his lips, slowly nodding his head as he allowed Seth’s question to penetrate all areas of his brain. It was a question he thought of daily and one that he had no easy answer for. “That’s a good question, Seth. I’m not really sure how I turned out like this except that Meran took an interest in me.”
“So Meran saved you from being like your parents?”
“I guess you could say that. Meran taught me to think for myself and to make my own choices.” Absalom shrugged slightly and turned toward Seth. “Did that answer your question? It’s probably not the answer you were looking for but -”
“No, it was a good answer, Ab, just the answer I thought you’d give,” Seth replied with a smile. “I’m glad you’re like you are and that you’re helping Jase find Lily.”
“We’ll find her, buddy, and when we find her, we’ll bring her home so you can meet her.”
“I know. I believe in you.” Seth stood up from the bed and ran out of Absalom’s room but not before peaking Absalom’s curiosity by making the some of the same statements to him as Lily had during their brief connection, and Absalom wondered if Seth were perhaps more connected to Lily than any of them had originally thought.
* * *
Lily’s body lurched forward, Absalom’s name dancing on her lips. She kept her eyes closed, her senses painfully aware of his presence all around her. She could smell him, could see what a beautiful man he had become and could feel his overwhelming love for her. A small tear rolled down her cheek as his presence dissipated, and Lily reluctantly opened her eyes to the darkness of her room. She had felt him as if he had been in the room with her.
Throwing the blanket off her legs, she stood and pushed her feet into the tennis shoes beside her bedroom door. The moon shone into her room and Lily walked to the window, pressing her hands against the cool pane. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Absalom. She blindly reached for any trace of him, frustration building within her mind when she was met by nothingness. Opening her eyes, she beat her fist against the window pane, shards of glass raining down onto the tile floor.
Kivar’s threat rang in her ears as she waited for the guards to make their presence known. Don’t make me hurt you, Lily. If you try to escape again, I’ll be forced to hurt you. I’ll have to kill your mother. Don’t make me to that. Don’t force me to hurt those you love when all I want is you. Part of her worried about her mother’s safety if she attempted escape but the other part of her, the majority of her, called out for Absalom in a way she had never experienced.
She heard muffled voices outside of her door, and began summoning courage she didn’t know she possessed. She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, chewing on it as thoughts of Absalom flickered across her mind’s eye. She clenched her hands into tight fists and prepared herself to run out the door once it opened. She knew Kivar’s threat against her mother had been serious; she did not take the threat lightly, and she knew there would be no way to overpower the guards with her weak abilities. She only hoped to stun them long enough so that she could make it to the desert, to the place Absalom had taken her in hopes he would find her and take her home.
Terminus Part 16
PART SIXTEEN
“Are you sleeping with my mother,” Jase questioned, his tone even but firm as he rested his hands against the back of one of the kitchen chairs. He had left the kitchen when Michael arrived shortly after their dinner was over, but the thoughts and consequences of his mother’s actions were too much for him to ignore, especially given his fits of imagination the longer his mother remained downstairs with Michael. His jaw twitched as he waited for an answer, not sure if he really wanted the truth or not.
Liz’s eyes widened in shock, spinning away from the sink, and felt Michael’s eyes upon her as she stared at Jase. “Jason Parker!”
“It’s a valid question, Mom. I...I know it’s probably none of my business but I’d like to know. I think I deserve to know.”
“It...it’s not that simple,” Liz stuttered as she wrang out the soapy dishrag and folded it across the faucet. Beside her, Michael dried his hands on a dish towel and placed the final plate in the drying rack. “I...I can’t believe you’d even ask such a thing. I am still married to your father.”
“Yes or no,” Jase continued. “I just want a yes or no answer and I’ll never mention it again.”
Liz lowered her head, absently picking at her fingernails and she felt Michael’s forearm brush against her shoulder. Technically speaking, she and Michael had not slept together but they were carrying on an emotional affair of sorts. Liz just didn’t know how to explain to her son that she had been physically faithful to his missing father.
“I’ll be honest with you,” Michael began and Liz turned her face upward, Michael meeting her gaze instantly. “I need Liz and Liz needs me. We understand each other. We lean on each other. We’re good for each other.”
“Yes or no, Michael,” Jase said again, the tone in his voice now almost pleading.
Liz closed her eyes and felt Michael grab her hand, pressing a tender kiss into her palm. She opened her eyes, several tears falling down her cheeks, and glanced at Jase. He looked at her in shock but he made no accusations and no movement to stop Michael from holding her hand. “Michael,” she whispered as Michael folded her hand into his.
“No, Jase. Liz and I are not having an affair.” He paused, lowering his and Liz’s joined hands to his side. Liz touched his arm with her free hand, her vision blurring as she released it.
“D...do you...love her,” Jase questioned and Liz almost broke free from Michael to pull Jase into her arms. Standing in front of her, despite his height and muscular build, was the five-year-old little boy that had asked where his daddy was and if his daddy loved he and Lily, and Liz’s heart, her mother’s heart, broke for him all over again.
“Oh, Jase,” she replied, unable to control her motherly urge to hug her son, and she released Michael’s hand, decreasing the distance between she and Jase in seconds. She buried her arms underneath Jase’s arms, crushing herself to him. Tears fell down her cheeks again as she felt Jase’s arms loop over her shoulders.
“I just want you to be happy, Mom,” Jase said as he partially released Liz from their hug. “Both of you. Do you love Mom, Michael?”
“Yes,” Michael replied, looking directly at Liz. “I love Liz.” Liz felt a shiver run down her spine as his words registered in her brain. He had never said those words to her aloud, in private or in one of his drunken stupors. It had always been about need between them. I need you, Liz. My kids need you. You’re the only one I need. She pulled her hand to her mouth, not prepared to respond to Michael’s declaration when a shadow emerged to her right. Jase felt it at the same time, both of them turning to find a shaggy-haired and bearded Max Evans standing in the kitchen.
“I love Liz too,” Max countered, his eyes aimed directly at Michael. Jase released her and Liz’s gaze darted between Michael and Max. An unusual energy exploded through her body and she watched with bated breath as Michael stepped toward Max. Her breath unconsciously caught in her throat and she exhaled as Michael offered Max a half-smile. Before she or Jase could stop it, Michael’s smile faded and he connected a right hook to Max’s jaw, knocking Max to the ground.
* * *
Lily ran through the stairwell, running so fast she felt like she would lose her footing at any time and her body would roll down the series of steps. She paused at the old emergency exit door to listen for the sounds of footsteps chasing after her and when she heard none, she shoved the metal door open with all her might.
The moon illuminated the entire desert and Lily frantically looked left and right for some place to hide. Her heart fell when she saw there was nothing. They were in the heart of the desert; no sign of other life or inhabitants as far as the eye could see.
She kicked up dirt with her tennis shoes as she ran toward the moon. She ran several steps when she hit an invisible wall, which soon revealed itself to be one of Kivar’s most elite guards, the moord’ga. She had wrongfully assumed that Kivar had left his few remaining moord’ga in Copper Summit, and shuddered as several of Sharon’s stories about Antar and Kivar’s fabled moord’ga surfaced in her mind. She inhaled sharply as the moord’ga’s tentacle-like fingers wrapped around her head, and Lily’s feeble attempt at defense did nothing to help her cause.
* * *
Lily’s body jerked forward, a scream erupting from her stomach with a frustration like none she had felt before. She ran her shaky hands through her hair as she surveyed the small room. It was no bigger than the prison cells she had seen in the old black and white movies she and Sharon had watched during her captivity in Copper Summit, a rudimentary toilet and sink sat in one corner. The room had no windows, no lights and no mirror and Lily covered her mouth in an effort to keep her tears at bay.
The door slid open and Lily scrambled toward the opening, only to stop when Kivar’s looming shadow appeared in the doorway. A nervous squeak bubbled out of her throat, Lily quickly changing her direction to step away from Kivar. His green eyes shone brightly, his jaw set as he advanced toward her, making any distance Lily tried to put between them disappear in a matter of seconds. When she reached the corner with no place else to run, she pulled her knees against her chest and attempted to shield herself from Kivar’s gaze.
“Did you think I would really let you go, Lily? Did you think it would be so easy to escape me?”
“Are...are you going to kill me,” Lily questioned as she covered her head, pushing her body as close to the wall as possible.
“No.”
“Are...are you going to kill.....my mother?”
“Why do I care about Max Evans and Liz Parker when I have exactly what I want? You’re the important one, Lily. I wouldn’t do anything to harm you. Your guards, however, were not so lucky.”
“What did you do to them,” Lily asked, suddenly feeling brave as she rose to her feet though she remained as much in the corner as possible. “They didn’t do anything wrong.”
“They let you escape. They had to be punished.” Kivar stepped away from Lily, turning his back to her as he stepped toward the door. “And you will have to be punished too.”
“You said you weren’t going to kill me.”
“I meant it, but I can’t let you take advantage of that fact. I can’t let you put yourself or me in that position again.”
“What are you going to do,” Lily pleaded while she followed Kivar across the room. She felt her emotions flaring wildly within her, a build-up of power seeking release which once upon a time would have made Kivar proud. She clinched her fists as Kivar stepped out of the room and placed his hands on the sliding metal door.
“I’m locking you into this room, Lily.”
“I’m already your prisoner,” Lily screamed as tears began to stream down her face. “Please. Please don’t leave me in here. Please. It’s dark and you know…you know I don’t like the dark.”
“Three more days, Lily, and then you can step back into the light.”
Lily gasp as the sliding door latched and she was unable to control the emotional scream that tore from her lips or the tears that followed as the door locked from the outside.
“Are you sleeping with my mother,” Jase questioned, his tone even but firm as he rested his hands against the back of one of the kitchen chairs. He had left the kitchen when Michael arrived shortly after their dinner was over, but the thoughts and consequences of his mother’s actions were too much for him to ignore, especially given his fits of imagination the longer his mother remained downstairs with Michael. His jaw twitched as he waited for an answer, not sure if he really wanted the truth or not.
Liz’s eyes widened in shock, spinning away from the sink, and felt Michael’s eyes upon her as she stared at Jase. “Jason Parker!”
“It’s a valid question, Mom. I...I know it’s probably none of my business but I’d like to know. I think I deserve to know.”
“It...it’s not that simple,” Liz stuttered as she wrang out the soapy dishrag and folded it across the faucet. Beside her, Michael dried his hands on a dish towel and placed the final plate in the drying rack. “I...I can’t believe you’d even ask such a thing. I am still married to your father.”
“Yes or no,” Jase continued. “I just want a yes or no answer and I’ll never mention it again.”
Liz lowered her head, absently picking at her fingernails and she felt Michael’s forearm brush against her shoulder. Technically speaking, she and Michael had not slept together but they were carrying on an emotional affair of sorts. Liz just didn’t know how to explain to her son that she had been physically faithful to his missing father.
“I’ll be honest with you,” Michael began and Liz turned her face upward, Michael meeting her gaze instantly. “I need Liz and Liz needs me. We understand each other. We lean on each other. We’re good for each other.”
“Yes or no, Michael,” Jase said again, the tone in his voice now almost pleading.
Liz closed her eyes and felt Michael grab her hand, pressing a tender kiss into her palm. She opened her eyes, several tears falling down her cheeks, and glanced at Jase. He looked at her in shock but he made no accusations and no movement to stop Michael from holding her hand. “Michael,” she whispered as Michael folded her hand into his.
“No, Jase. Liz and I are not having an affair.” He paused, lowering his and Liz’s joined hands to his side. Liz touched his arm with her free hand, her vision blurring as she released it.
“D...do you...love her,” Jase questioned and Liz almost broke free from Michael to pull Jase into her arms. Standing in front of her, despite his height and muscular build, was the five-year-old little boy that had asked where his daddy was and if his daddy loved he and Lily, and Liz’s heart, her mother’s heart, broke for him all over again.
“Oh, Jase,” she replied, unable to control her motherly urge to hug her son, and she released Michael’s hand, decreasing the distance between she and Jase in seconds. She buried her arms underneath Jase’s arms, crushing herself to him. Tears fell down her cheeks again as she felt Jase’s arms loop over her shoulders.
“I just want you to be happy, Mom,” Jase said as he partially released Liz from their hug. “Both of you. Do you love Mom, Michael?”
“Yes,” Michael replied, looking directly at Liz. “I love Liz.” Liz felt a shiver run down her spine as his words registered in her brain. He had never said those words to her aloud, in private or in one of his drunken stupors. It had always been about need between them. I need you, Liz. My kids need you. You’re the only one I need. She pulled her hand to her mouth, not prepared to respond to Michael’s declaration when a shadow emerged to her right. Jase felt it at the same time, both of them turning to find a shaggy-haired and bearded Max Evans standing in the kitchen.
“I love Liz too,” Max countered, his eyes aimed directly at Michael. Jase released her and Liz’s gaze darted between Michael and Max. An unusual energy exploded through her body and she watched with bated breath as Michael stepped toward Max. Her breath unconsciously caught in her throat and she exhaled as Michael offered Max a half-smile. Before she or Jase could stop it, Michael’s smile faded and he connected a right hook to Max’s jaw, knocking Max to the ground.
* * *
Lily ran through the stairwell, running so fast she felt like she would lose her footing at any time and her body would roll down the series of steps. She paused at the old emergency exit door to listen for the sounds of footsteps chasing after her and when she heard none, she shoved the metal door open with all her might.
The moon illuminated the entire desert and Lily frantically looked left and right for some place to hide. Her heart fell when she saw there was nothing. They were in the heart of the desert; no sign of other life or inhabitants as far as the eye could see.
She kicked up dirt with her tennis shoes as she ran toward the moon. She ran several steps when she hit an invisible wall, which soon revealed itself to be one of Kivar’s most elite guards, the moord’ga. She had wrongfully assumed that Kivar had left his few remaining moord’ga in Copper Summit, and shuddered as several of Sharon’s stories about Antar and Kivar’s fabled moord’ga surfaced in her mind. She inhaled sharply as the moord’ga’s tentacle-like fingers wrapped around her head, and Lily’s feeble attempt at defense did nothing to help her cause.
* * *
Lily’s body jerked forward, a scream erupting from her stomach with a frustration like none she had felt before. She ran her shaky hands through her hair as she surveyed the small room. It was no bigger than the prison cells she had seen in the old black and white movies she and Sharon had watched during her captivity in Copper Summit, a rudimentary toilet and sink sat in one corner. The room had no windows, no lights and no mirror and Lily covered her mouth in an effort to keep her tears at bay.
The door slid open and Lily scrambled toward the opening, only to stop when Kivar’s looming shadow appeared in the doorway. A nervous squeak bubbled out of her throat, Lily quickly changing her direction to step away from Kivar. His green eyes shone brightly, his jaw set as he advanced toward her, making any distance Lily tried to put between them disappear in a matter of seconds. When she reached the corner with no place else to run, she pulled her knees against her chest and attempted to shield herself from Kivar’s gaze.
“Did you think I would really let you go, Lily? Did you think it would be so easy to escape me?”
“Are...are you going to kill me,” Lily questioned as she covered her head, pushing her body as close to the wall as possible.
“No.”
“Are...are you going to kill.....my mother?”
“Why do I care about Max Evans and Liz Parker when I have exactly what I want? You’re the important one, Lily. I wouldn’t do anything to harm you. Your guards, however, were not so lucky.”
“What did you do to them,” Lily asked, suddenly feeling brave as she rose to her feet though she remained as much in the corner as possible. “They didn’t do anything wrong.”
“They let you escape. They had to be punished.” Kivar stepped away from Lily, turning his back to her as he stepped toward the door. “And you will have to be punished too.”
“You said you weren’t going to kill me.”
“I meant it, but I can’t let you take advantage of that fact. I can’t let you put yourself or me in that position again.”
“What are you going to do,” Lily pleaded while she followed Kivar across the room. She felt her emotions flaring wildly within her, a build-up of power seeking release which once upon a time would have made Kivar proud. She clinched her fists as Kivar stepped out of the room and placed his hands on the sliding metal door.
“I’m locking you into this room, Lily.”
“I’m already your prisoner,” Lily screamed as tears began to stream down her face. “Please. Please don’t leave me in here. Please. It’s dark and you know…you know I don’t like the dark.”
“Three more days, Lily, and then you can step back into the light.”
Lily gasp as the sliding door latched and she was unable to control the emotional scream that tore from her lips or the tears that followed as the door locked from the outside.
Last edited by JO on Tue Nov 02, 2004 11:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Terminus: Part 17
PART SEVENTEEN
“Michael! Michael,” Liz screamed, her hands on Michael’s shoulders as Michael raised his fist repeatedly against Max. “Michael, stop it. Stop!” Liz scrambled to his other side, Max returning Michael’s blows with ones of his own. “Stop it!”
“Dad! Michael!” Jase fell to the ground behind Max, his arms looping over Max’s shoulders as Max and Michael continued to brawl. Jase watched his mother’s unsuccessful attempt to stop Michael and placed his right hand between his father and his father’s best friend. After several seconds, his green shield appeared between the two men, and Jase helped his father to his feet. “Are you okay,” Jase questioned his father while the shield remained intact.
“Yes,” Max replied, clearly winded from the fistfight. He shrugged out of his jacket and threw it across the back of the closest kitchen chair.
“Mom? Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine,” Liz replied and Jase allowed his shield to dissipate, the kitchen whole once again.
“How long has this been going on,” Max asked as he stepped toward Michael and Liz, Jase restraining his arm before he got too far out of reach. “How long have you two been sleeping together?”
“We aren’t,” Liz refuted, Michael’s arm coming from behind her, his palm outstretched toward Max. “Michael and I aren’t sleeping together. We’ve never slept together.” She glanced down and slapped Michael’s hand down. “Michael, don’t.”
“He said he loved you, Liz. You don’t love someone for no reason.”
“You did,” Michael argued as he finally stepped out from behind Liz’s frame. “You loved Liz for years and if she hadn’t been shot, you probably would have never spoken to her.”
“You’re in love with my wife,” Max continued, taking a step toward Michael, Jase’s hand still firmly attached to his arm. “I think I’m entitled to get a little upset.”
“You’ve been gone for four years, Maxwell. I don’t know if you have a say in the matter any more.”
“Michael,” Liz gasp in response to Michael’s brazen comments just as Max connected a left hook to Michael’s jaw, causing Michael to stumble backwards. “Max!” Michael grabbed Liz for support before fully crashing to the ground and Max flung Jase’s hand away, his fists ready for another round with Michael.
“Goddamn, Maxwell.”
“Get out,” Max screamed, blood from Michael’s lip dripping down his chin and onto his shirt, Liz offering a paper towel to him. “Get the hell out of my house.”
“Gladly,” Michael said and dropped the bloody paper towel onto the kitchen floor as he made his way to the back door, slamming it closed as he left the Evans house.
“Max,” Liz began but Max quickly silenced her with a look like nothing Liz had seen in over twenty years.
“Get out.”
“This is my house,” she meekly reminded Max.
“It’s my house too and right now, I want you to get out.”
“You can’t throw me out, Max. We need to talk about this, just you and I. What you heard -”
“I don’t care. Get. Out.” Max glared over his shoulder at Jase, who after looking at Liz for a split second disappeared through the hallway. Max turned his attention back to Liz and stormed past her to open the door to speed up the process. Liz reluctantly stepped through the door and Max slammed it shut behind her the second Liz’s feet touched the threshold.
* * *
Liz wrapped her jacket tighter across her chest, the slight breeze from the water sending an unusual chill over her skin. She carefully sat down on one of the large rocks, the shattered rock ledge where she and Max had once shared a romantic evening in her periphery. The evening sun danced on the water and Liz’s thoughts turned inward. The trials of her life had started the day aliens invaded her world. Granted, she wouldn’t have Jase, Seth or Lily had it not been for Max but somehow she felt her life, and the lives of those she loved, would have been better had she not returned to Roswell for Maria and Michael’s tenth wedding anniversary.
Pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around her legs, she stared at the water, watching the breeze make tiny ripples against the quarry rocks. Emotion bubbled to the surface and Liz did something she hadn’t done in a while; she cried.
“I’m sorry this is happening to you,” Michael said, startling Liz. She rubbed her eyes and face with her hands in a vain attempt to remove all traces of her tears. “It’s my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Michael,” Liz replied as Michael sat beside her. “I’m as much to blame as you are.”
“I do love you, Liz.”
“And I love you.”
“Just not like you love Max.”
A memory from the past filtered through her mind, causing Liz to turn her face away from Michael’s.
Just tell me one thing. Do you love her?
Not like I love you.
She swallowed slowly and nodded her head. “Max is who I need to be with. We’re different people but I think we’re still the same. I guess that applies to all of us.” She felt Michael sweep her right hand into his and open her tight fist. Pulling it upward, Liz didn’t have to guess what Michael was planning on doing next. He tenderly pressed his lips to the center of her palm and Liz couldn’t control the choked sob that escaped from her mouth.
“I knew I’d find you here.” Liz turned her head over her left shoulder, Max’s clean-shaven face in view at the edge of the slope almost five yards away from she and Michael. Michael released her hand and stood, and Liz waited breathlessly for some kind of acknowledgment from either man of the anger she felt brimming between them. Michael passed by Max slowly, turning to look back at Liz one final time, then he disappeared from her line of sight. “I guess Michael knew where to find you too,” Max replied as he sat beside Liz on the rocks, the space between them larger than the inches that separated their bodies.
“Nothing happened with Michael,” Liz admitted as she rolled several smaller pebbles underneath her palm. “There might have been a time when I thought it could but you always stood between us, even if you weren’t here.” She glanced sideways at Max, surprised to find him looking at her. “And Michael still loves Maria. He’s just drowning his pain in alcohol.”
“What are you drowning your pain in,” Max questioned as he fingered the tips of Liz’s chin-length bob.
“Haircuts,” Liz replied with a slight laugh. “I think you could use one too. Your hair is longer than mine.” She threaded her fingers through the length of Max’s long hair, portions of it still damp from his shower. “But you do look better without the beard and that’s a start.”
“Isabel said the same thing.”
“Isabel? When did you talk to Isabel?” Liz shifted to face Max, her legs bent underneath her in an attempt to make herself as comfortable on the rocks as possible.
“Isabel’s here…and so is Kyle and their daughter.”
“Kyle and Isabel have a daughter? How old is she?”
Max’s face lit up with a wide smile, the kind of smile Liz hadn’t seen from him in years, even in the years before his long absence. “She’s almost five and she has Kyle wrapped around her finger. Her name is Maria Grace.”
“Maria Grace. That means Isabel was pregnant when we went to Copper Summit,” Liz said as she shifted slightly back toward the quarry. “Where have they been? Why...why didn’t Isabel tell any of us?”
“I know this is important, Liz, but there’s something else we have to talk about. What I saw this morning...”
“I understand why you got upset,” Liz replied as she pushed herself to her feet, keeping her distance from Max. “It wasn’t the most innocent-looking situation to walk in on.” She brushed back several loose strands of hair behind her ears, kicking several smaller pebbles with the toe of her boot. She raised her head and saw Max staring at her, a faint smile across his lips. Liz smiled in return and Max slowly closed the distance between them.
“I should have called you.”
“To say you were coming home or just because,” Liz asked as she turned away from Max.
“Both,” Max said as he grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn around to look at him. “I should have done both, but I felt like a failure, Liz. Lily was within my grasp and I lost her.”
“Jase and Absalom kept looking. That missed opportunity made them want to find her even more.” She paused and exhaled slowly. Their conversation was moving too fast and with too much anger behind it. Liz knew she had to calm herself down before she could begin to talk to Max in a normal manner. “You were just doing what I asked.”
“And I let you down so I ran away. That was one of the worst nights of my life, Liz. Absalom found Lily’s bracelet in the building’s rubble and Jase swore she wasn’t dead but I felt like my entire world had just shifted, like I’d lost our daughter and you’d never be able to forgive me.”
“We would have found Lily, Max. We will find her, I believe that with my whole heart.” She sighed and wrapped her arms across her chest. “I...I’ve not been a good wife. I kept Jase and Lily from you. I...I got pregnant with Seth when we weren’t really back together. I blamed you when I lost the baby.”
“I never should have let you go back to Copper Summit.”
“I gave you an ultimatum to find Lily without any thought about what that would do to us. I should take more of the blame on my own shoulders. I’ve made lots of bad decisions.”
“We both have,” Max said as he placed his hands on Liz’s shoulders, absently rubbing his hands up and down the length of her arm. “We’ve kept secrets from each other and secrets are not the best way to continue or strengthen a relationship.”
“But I hurt you. I damaged our relationship. I’m the one that started keeping secrets, Max. My secrets go all the way back to Future Max.”
“It’s not irreparable, is it,” Max questioned, tracing Liz’s cheek with his thumb. “We can find each other again, can’t we? I still love you, Liz.”
“And I still love you, Max.”
“A lot has happened to us since that day on the Crashdown floor,” Max whispered as he pulled Liz into his arms, Liz willingly accepting his embrace as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Yes.”
“So we’ll start slow and get to know each other again, okay?” He pushed Liz out of his arms, his palms framing her face and Liz smiled slightly.
“Okay, and no more secrets.”
Max nodded his head then quickly pressed his lips to Liz’s, not surprised when a tiny spark of their once-powerful connection flew between them. “Then there’s something I have to tell you,” he admitted as he rested his forehead against hers, both of their eyes still closed. “Something about Tristan...and Tess.”
“Michael! Michael,” Liz screamed, her hands on Michael’s shoulders as Michael raised his fist repeatedly against Max. “Michael, stop it. Stop!” Liz scrambled to his other side, Max returning Michael’s blows with ones of his own. “Stop it!”
“Dad! Michael!” Jase fell to the ground behind Max, his arms looping over Max’s shoulders as Max and Michael continued to brawl. Jase watched his mother’s unsuccessful attempt to stop Michael and placed his right hand between his father and his father’s best friend. After several seconds, his green shield appeared between the two men, and Jase helped his father to his feet. “Are you okay,” Jase questioned his father while the shield remained intact.
“Yes,” Max replied, clearly winded from the fistfight. He shrugged out of his jacket and threw it across the back of the closest kitchen chair.
“Mom? Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine,” Liz replied and Jase allowed his shield to dissipate, the kitchen whole once again.
“How long has this been going on,” Max asked as he stepped toward Michael and Liz, Jase restraining his arm before he got too far out of reach. “How long have you two been sleeping together?”
“We aren’t,” Liz refuted, Michael’s arm coming from behind her, his palm outstretched toward Max. “Michael and I aren’t sleeping together. We’ve never slept together.” She glanced down and slapped Michael’s hand down. “Michael, don’t.”
“He said he loved you, Liz. You don’t love someone for no reason.”
“You did,” Michael argued as he finally stepped out from behind Liz’s frame. “You loved Liz for years and if she hadn’t been shot, you probably would have never spoken to her.”
“You’re in love with my wife,” Max continued, taking a step toward Michael, Jase’s hand still firmly attached to his arm. “I think I’m entitled to get a little upset.”
“You’ve been gone for four years, Maxwell. I don’t know if you have a say in the matter any more.”
“Michael,” Liz gasp in response to Michael’s brazen comments just as Max connected a left hook to Michael’s jaw, causing Michael to stumble backwards. “Max!” Michael grabbed Liz for support before fully crashing to the ground and Max flung Jase’s hand away, his fists ready for another round with Michael.
“Goddamn, Maxwell.”
“Get out,” Max screamed, blood from Michael’s lip dripping down his chin and onto his shirt, Liz offering a paper towel to him. “Get the hell out of my house.”
“Gladly,” Michael said and dropped the bloody paper towel onto the kitchen floor as he made his way to the back door, slamming it closed as he left the Evans house.
“Max,” Liz began but Max quickly silenced her with a look like nothing Liz had seen in over twenty years.
“Get out.”
“This is my house,” she meekly reminded Max.
“It’s my house too and right now, I want you to get out.”
“You can’t throw me out, Max. We need to talk about this, just you and I. What you heard -”
“I don’t care. Get. Out.” Max glared over his shoulder at Jase, who after looking at Liz for a split second disappeared through the hallway. Max turned his attention back to Liz and stormed past her to open the door to speed up the process. Liz reluctantly stepped through the door and Max slammed it shut behind her the second Liz’s feet touched the threshold.
* * *
Liz wrapped her jacket tighter across her chest, the slight breeze from the water sending an unusual chill over her skin. She carefully sat down on one of the large rocks, the shattered rock ledge where she and Max had once shared a romantic evening in her periphery. The evening sun danced on the water and Liz’s thoughts turned inward. The trials of her life had started the day aliens invaded her world. Granted, she wouldn’t have Jase, Seth or Lily had it not been for Max but somehow she felt her life, and the lives of those she loved, would have been better had she not returned to Roswell for Maria and Michael’s tenth wedding anniversary.
Pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms tightly around her legs, she stared at the water, watching the breeze make tiny ripples against the quarry rocks. Emotion bubbled to the surface and Liz did something she hadn’t done in a while; she cried.
“I’m sorry this is happening to you,” Michael said, startling Liz. She rubbed her eyes and face with her hands in a vain attempt to remove all traces of her tears. “It’s my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Michael,” Liz replied as Michael sat beside her. “I’m as much to blame as you are.”
“I do love you, Liz.”
“And I love you.”
“Just not like you love Max.”
A memory from the past filtered through her mind, causing Liz to turn her face away from Michael’s.
Just tell me one thing. Do you love her?
Not like I love you.
She swallowed slowly and nodded her head. “Max is who I need to be with. We’re different people but I think we’re still the same. I guess that applies to all of us.” She felt Michael sweep her right hand into his and open her tight fist. Pulling it upward, Liz didn’t have to guess what Michael was planning on doing next. He tenderly pressed his lips to the center of her palm and Liz couldn’t control the choked sob that escaped from her mouth.
“I knew I’d find you here.” Liz turned her head over her left shoulder, Max’s clean-shaven face in view at the edge of the slope almost five yards away from she and Michael. Michael released her hand and stood, and Liz waited breathlessly for some kind of acknowledgment from either man of the anger she felt brimming between them. Michael passed by Max slowly, turning to look back at Liz one final time, then he disappeared from her line of sight. “I guess Michael knew where to find you too,” Max replied as he sat beside Liz on the rocks, the space between them larger than the inches that separated their bodies.
“Nothing happened with Michael,” Liz admitted as she rolled several smaller pebbles underneath her palm. “There might have been a time when I thought it could but you always stood between us, even if you weren’t here.” She glanced sideways at Max, surprised to find him looking at her. “And Michael still loves Maria. He’s just drowning his pain in alcohol.”
“What are you drowning your pain in,” Max questioned as he fingered the tips of Liz’s chin-length bob.
“Haircuts,” Liz replied with a slight laugh. “I think you could use one too. Your hair is longer than mine.” She threaded her fingers through the length of Max’s long hair, portions of it still damp from his shower. “But you do look better without the beard and that’s a start.”
“Isabel said the same thing.”
“Isabel? When did you talk to Isabel?” Liz shifted to face Max, her legs bent underneath her in an attempt to make herself as comfortable on the rocks as possible.
“Isabel’s here…and so is Kyle and their daughter.”
“Kyle and Isabel have a daughter? How old is she?”
Max’s face lit up with a wide smile, the kind of smile Liz hadn’t seen from him in years, even in the years before his long absence. “She’s almost five and she has Kyle wrapped around her finger. Her name is Maria Grace.”
“Maria Grace. That means Isabel was pregnant when we went to Copper Summit,” Liz said as she shifted slightly back toward the quarry. “Where have they been? Why...why didn’t Isabel tell any of us?”
“I know this is important, Liz, but there’s something else we have to talk about. What I saw this morning...”
“I understand why you got upset,” Liz replied as she pushed herself to her feet, keeping her distance from Max. “It wasn’t the most innocent-looking situation to walk in on.” She brushed back several loose strands of hair behind her ears, kicking several smaller pebbles with the toe of her boot. She raised her head and saw Max staring at her, a faint smile across his lips. Liz smiled in return and Max slowly closed the distance between them.
“I should have called you.”
“To say you were coming home or just because,” Liz asked as she turned away from Max.
“Both,” Max said as he grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn around to look at him. “I should have done both, but I felt like a failure, Liz. Lily was within my grasp and I lost her.”
“Jase and Absalom kept looking. That missed opportunity made them want to find her even more.” She paused and exhaled slowly. Their conversation was moving too fast and with too much anger behind it. Liz knew she had to calm herself down before she could begin to talk to Max in a normal manner. “You were just doing what I asked.”
“And I let you down so I ran away. That was one of the worst nights of my life, Liz. Absalom found Lily’s bracelet in the building’s rubble and Jase swore she wasn’t dead but I felt like my entire world had just shifted, like I’d lost our daughter and you’d never be able to forgive me.”
“We would have found Lily, Max. We will find her, I believe that with my whole heart.” She sighed and wrapped her arms across her chest. “I...I’ve not been a good wife. I kept Jase and Lily from you. I...I got pregnant with Seth when we weren’t really back together. I blamed you when I lost the baby.”
“I never should have let you go back to Copper Summit.”
“I gave you an ultimatum to find Lily without any thought about what that would do to us. I should take more of the blame on my own shoulders. I’ve made lots of bad decisions.”
“We both have,” Max said as he placed his hands on Liz’s shoulders, absently rubbing his hands up and down the length of her arm. “We’ve kept secrets from each other and secrets are not the best way to continue or strengthen a relationship.”
“But I hurt you. I damaged our relationship. I’m the one that started keeping secrets, Max. My secrets go all the way back to Future Max.”
“It’s not irreparable, is it,” Max questioned, tracing Liz’s cheek with his thumb. “We can find each other again, can’t we? I still love you, Liz.”
“And I still love you, Max.”
“A lot has happened to us since that day on the Crashdown floor,” Max whispered as he pulled Liz into his arms, Liz willingly accepting his embrace as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Yes.”
“So we’ll start slow and get to know each other again, okay?” He pushed Liz out of his arms, his palms framing her face and Liz smiled slightly.
“Okay, and no more secrets.”
Max nodded his head then quickly pressed his lips to Liz’s, not surprised when a tiny spark of their once-powerful connection flew between them. “Then there’s something I have to tell you,” he admitted as he rested his forehead against hers, both of their eyes still closed. “Something about Tristan...and Tess.”
Last edited by JO on Sun Sep 14, 2003 9:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Part 18
PART EIGHTEEN
“What about Tristan,” Liz questioned, pulling herself out of Max’s arms, unable to hide the pained expression on her face. Tess’ voice rang in her ears, as clear today as it had been almost twenty years ago. You’ll never be rid of me, Liz Parker. Me or my son. “What have they done?”
“Tess and I are…connected,” Max began, his hands already deep into his pants pockets. “We’re connected because of that night in the observatory.”
“And because of Tristan,” Liz said with a sigh. “I remember why you and Tess have a connection, Max. I remember all of it.”
“Every time we attempted to rescue Lily, Tess knew. She knew about it, Liz, and she always told Kivar. My connection with Tess has cost us dearly.”
“Max -”
“But you don’t know the truth. You only know what Tess wanted you to know, what she wanted all of us to know.”
“Are you saying…Tristan doesn’t exist?” Liz felt heat rush into her cheeks and she heard her voice echo slightly through the quarry. “Your son has been some elaborate mindwarp for twenty years? Is that what you’re saying?”
“No, Tristan exists,” Max replied as he lowered his head to the rocks beneath their feet. “He’s just not my son. He’s Kyle’s.”
Liz watched as Max stepped toward her, almost as if he were moving in slow motion. She felt his hand on her forearm and her struggle to get out of his grasp. The moment those words registered in her brain, her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. She felt ill, the scenery around her spinning violently out of control. “Wh…what,” she meekly questioned, relieved to feel Max’s arms around her, supporting her. “Wh…what did you say?”
“Tristan is Kyle’s son,” Max whispered, his breath hitting Liz’s forehead. “Tess lied.”
“Oh my God,” Liz exhaled and she felt Max wrap his arms tighter around her waist, crushing her face against his shoulder. A slight wave of relief flooded Liz and she remembered that she had felt this same type of emotion when Max made his decision not to follow Tess. Unable to cry or even control her whirling thoughts and too numb to move, Liz simply allowed Max to hold her, resting her cheek against his chest.
* * *
“She’s in there right now,” Liz asked as she and Max stood in front of the back door of their home. Liz pointed to the door then crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for Max’s answer.
“Yes, but so are Kyle and Isabel.”
“How did Isabel handle it? Didn’t you say she was there when Tess told you?”
Max sighed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. “Tess seemed to think Isabel has known the truth for a few years.”
“What?”
“Liz,” Max said in an attempt to calm Liz before they walked into their home. “I don’t know all the details, just that Tess said Kyle was Tristan’s father.”
“If she’s lied once, Max, how do we know this isn’t a trick too? How can we trust anything she says? I don’t know if I can trust her with Lily’s life, especially since she’s the one that took her away from me in the first place.” Liz let her arms fall, her shoulders dropping forward as Max placed one hand on the doorknob and the other on her arm. “Doesn’t that seem just a bit too ironic, even for us?”
“Let’s go talk to her and then we’ll make our decision whether or not to trust her.”
“Okay,” Liz agreed, intertwining her fingers with Max’s as they stepped through the threshold into the kitchen. Max swiftly closed the door behind them and they wordlessly walked through the kitchen to the living room. Liz remained hidden behind Max for several moments in an attempt to collect herself. She had not seen Tess in almost eighteen years, the last time begin when Tess had threatened Max’s life if Liz saw him while in Roswell for Michael and Maria’s wedding. A surge of anger boiled within her, knowing she would confront the woman who had killed her parents, stolen her children and almost destroyed her life, and that she was now in the position to accept help from her most hated enemy.
“Liz,” Kyle said and Liz exhaled slowly, stepping from behind Max to see that Kyle and Tess sat on her couch, Jase and Absalom standing as close to any doorway as possible.
“Hi, Kyle,” she said warmly, releasing Max’s hand to hug her longtime friend. Kyle surprised her with a kiss to her cheek and Liz tightened her hug for a split second. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too, even though I’m sorry it has to be like this.” He shrugged and Liz nodded. “You look wonderful.”
“I can’t wait to meet Maria Grace. Max says she’s beautiful.”
“She is,” Kyle replied, and Liz noticed a proud fatherly smile on his face. “She’s upstairs with Isabel.”
“Hello, Liz,” Tess cooed as Kyle returned to his seat beside her on the couch and Liz felt Max’s steadying hand on her shoulder, guiding her into the tan leather chair. Absalom sat beside Liz on the fireplace hearth, Jase lowering himself to the ground in front of the television. Liz almost laughed when she noticed how the entire room seemed to be prepared for advancement against Tess. It was as if no one in the room trusted her, not even her own son.
“Tess.”
“You do look wonderful.”
“Thank you.”
“Did Max tell you?”
“He told me you lied about your son, but I should have never expected anything less from you. You have always been out for yourself, no matter the cost to others.”
“I want to help you find Lily,” Tess said, an air of sincerity in her voice.
“Why should I believe you? Why should I trust you when you’re the one that took she and Jase to begin with?”
“I see now that I was wrong, Liz. I was wrong and I’m sorry. I want to help you find Lily before something happens to her.”
“What do you mean,” Absalom questioned, stepping toward his mother, Jase immediately flanking his side. “What could happen to Lily?”
“Lily is the acrea. Tristan should know that by now. He has been lead,” Tess paused and placed her fingertips on her upper lip. “I led him to believe he is the acrea from the moment he could understand the prophecy. Now that he knows Lily’s true destiny, he’ll try to claim her for himself.”
“What about Kivar,” Max questioned and Liz squirmed in the leather chair. “Surely Kivar will do what he can to protect Lily.”
“That’s why he left Copper Summit.” Tess shook her head and exhaled slowly. “There’s more at work here than just our desires. The destinies of our children are at stake and the choices they make will affect everything.”
“That’s why we came to Roswell,” Kyle replied, capturing Liz’s attention then forcing her to focus on Absalom.
“What do you mean, Kyle?”
Kyle glanced at Tess, who moved forward on the couch to have a better view of Liz and Absalom. “Absalom is the savior, Liz. It’s been prophesied that his choices will dictate all of our lives. He’ll be the one to find Lily.”
“What do I have to do,” Absalom asked as he sat on the floor at his mother’s feet. Tess reached for him but quickly retracted her hand, realizing that he was no longer her little boy. His choices had brought him into Liz’s life for a purpose, and Tess realized that, just as she had lost Max to Liz, she had lost Absalom to Lily.
“You have to choose, Absalom. There are two of Kivar’s bases that remain intact. You have to choose which base you will go to on your search for Lily.”
“Where are the bases,” Jase asked.
“One is in Chandler, Arizona and the other is outside Las Cruces. Kivar could be at either location.”
“Why don’t you know for certain,” Liz inquired, all five faces turning toward her at once. “Why can’t you get inside Kivar’s mind to find his exact location? You’re still his wife, you share a child. Shouldn’t that solidify a connection between the two of you?”
“I’ve never been able to penetrate Kivar’s mind,” Tess admitted, lowering her chin toward her lap. “I’ve tried many, many times, but none of my attempts have been successful.”
“So Absalom has to make the choice,” Liz continued. “All of this is on his shoulders now? That doesn’t seem very fair, Tess. Why would you give your son such an overwhelming task?”
“I didn’t assign it to Absalom. That is the way things work out. He’s Kivar’s son. Kivar’s son has a destiny, just like Lily and just like Jase.”
Liz pursed her lips, her jaw tightening of its own accord, when she felt Max’s hand on her shoulder. She clinched her fist and lowered her head, looking away from Tess before her anger became too much for her to handle.
“We should have a back-up plan,” Max offered after several seconds. “Jase and Ab can go to whatever location Ab chooses and Kyle and I will go to the other.”
“I’ll go with you and Kyle,” Tess replied.
“Like hell,” Liz growled, almost standing up from the chair in her anger. “If anyone goes with Max to find our daughter, it will be me.”
“I think Tess is right, Liz,” Max said, holding up his hand to silence Liz’s rebuttal. “I can’t be worried about you when all this is happening. You, Isabel and Michael can stay here with the children, and Kyle, Tess and I will go.”
“Which base do you choose, Absalom,” Kyle questioned in an attempt to get to a concrete decision. “Chandler or Las Cruces?”
“I think Jase and I should go to Chandler.”
“Then we’ll go to Las Cruces,” Max replied. “Should we leave tonight?”
“Lily will be eighteen in two days, Max,” Liz reminded. “I don’t think we have any time to waste.”
“Then we leave tonight.”
“What about Tristan,” Liz questioned, pulling herself out of Max’s arms, unable to hide the pained expression on her face. Tess’ voice rang in her ears, as clear today as it had been almost twenty years ago. You’ll never be rid of me, Liz Parker. Me or my son. “What have they done?”
“Tess and I are…connected,” Max began, his hands already deep into his pants pockets. “We’re connected because of that night in the observatory.”
“And because of Tristan,” Liz said with a sigh. “I remember why you and Tess have a connection, Max. I remember all of it.”
“Every time we attempted to rescue Lily, Tess knew. She knew about it, Liz, and she always told Kivar. My connection with Tess has cost us dearly.”
“Max -”
“But you don’t know the truth. You only know what Tess wanted you to know, what she wanted all of us to know.”
“Are you saying…Tristan doesn’t exist?” Liz felt heat rush into her cheeks and she heard her voice echo slightly through the quarry. “Your son has been some elaborate mindwarp for twenty years? Is that what you’re saying?”
“No, Tristan exists,” Max replied as he lowered his head to the rocks beneath their feet. “He’s just not my son. He’s Kyle’s.”
Liz watched as Max stepped toward her, almost as if he were moving in slow motion. She felt his hand on her forearm and her struggle to get out of his grasp. The moment those words registered in her brain, her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. She felt ill, the scenery around her spinning violently out of control. “Wh…what,” she meekly questioned, relieved to feel Max’s arms around her, supporting her. “Wh…what did you say?”
“Tristan is Kyle’s son,” Max whispered, his breath hitting Liz’s forehead. “Tess lied.”
“Oh my God,” Liz exhaled and she felt Max wrap his arms tighter around her waist, crushing her face against his shoulder. A slight wave of relief flooded Liz and she remembered that she had felt this same type of emotion when Max made his decision not to follow Tess. Unable to cry or even control her whirling thoughts and too numb to move, Liz simply allowed Max to hold her, resting her cheek against his chest.
* * *
“She’s in there right now,” Liz asked as she and Max stood in front of the back door of their home. Liz pointed to the door then crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for Max’s answer.
“Yes, but so are Kyle and Isabel.”
“How did Isabel handle it? Didn’t you say she was there when Tess told you?”
Max sighed and tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear. “Tess seemed to think Isabel has known the truth for a few years.”
“What?”
“Liz,” Max said in an attempt to calm Liz before they walked into their home. “I don’t know all the details, just that Tess said Kyle was Tristan’s father.”
“If she’s lied once, Max, how do we know this isn’t a trick too? How can we trust anything she says? I don’t know if I can trust her with Lily’s life, especially since she’s the one that took her away from me in the first place.” Liz let her arms fall, her shoulders dropping forward as Max placed one hand on the doorknob and the other on her arm. “Doesn’t that seem just a bit too ironic, even for us?”
“Let’s go talk to her and then we’ll make our decision whether or not to trust her.”
“Okay,” Liz agreed, intertwining her fingers with Max’s as they stepped through the threshold into the kitchen. Max swiftly closed the door behind them and they wordlessly walked through the kitchen to the living room. Liz remained hidden behind Max for several moments in an attempt to collect herself. She had not seen Tess in almost eighteen years, the last time begin when Tess had threatened Max’s life if Liz saw him while in Roswell for Michael and Maria’s wedding. A surge of anger boiled within her, knowing she would confront the woman who had killed her parents, stolen her children and almost destroyed her life, and that she was now in the position to accept help from her most hated enemy.
“Liz,” Kyle said and Liz exhaled slowly, stepping from behind Max to see that Kyle and Tess sat on her couch, Jase and Absalom standing as close to any doorway as possible.
“Hi, Kyle,” she said warmly, releasing Max’s hand to hug her longtime friend. Kyle surprised her with a kiss to her cheek and Liz tightened her hug for a split second. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too, even though I’m sorry it has to be like this.” He shrugged and Liz nodded. “You look wonderful.”
“I can’t wait to meet Maria Grace. Max says she’s beautiful.”
“She is,” Kyle replied, and Liz noticed a proud fatherly smile on his face. “She’s upstairs with Isabel.”
“Hello, Liz,” Tess cooed as Kyle returned to his seat beside her on the couch and Liz felt Max’s steadying hand on her shoulder, guiding her into the tan leather chair. Absalom sat beside Liz on the fireplace hearth, Jase lowering himself to the ground in front of the television. Liz almost laughed when she noticed how the entire room seemed to be prepared for advancement against Tess. It was as if no one in the room trusted her, not even her own son.
“Tess.”
“You do look wonderful.”
“Thank you.”
“Did Max tell you?”
“He told me you lied about your son, but I should have never expected anything less from you. You have always been out for yourself, no matter the cost to others.”
“I want to help you find Lily,” Tess said, an air of sincerity in her voice.
“Why should I believe you? Why should I trust you when you’re the one that took she and Jase to begin with?”
“I see now that I was wrong, Liz. I was wrong and I’m sorry. I want to help you find Lily before something happens to her.”
“What do you mean,” Absalom questioned, stepping toward his mother, Jase immediately flanking his side. “What could happen to Lily?”
“Lily is the acrea. Tristan should know that by now. He has been lead,” Tess paused and placed her fingertips on her upper lip. “I led him to believe he is the acrea from the moment he could understand the prophecy. Now that he knows Lily’s true destiny, he’ll try to claim her for himself.”
“What about Kivar,” Max questioned and Liz squirmed in the leather chair. “Surely Kivar will do what he can to protect Lily.”
“That’s why he left Copper Summit.” Tess shook her head and exhaled slowly. “There’s more at work here than just our desires. The destinies of our children are at stake and the choices they make will affect everything.”
“That’s why we came to Roswell,” Kyle replied, capturing Liz’s attention then forcing her to focus on Absalom.
“What do you mean, Kyle?”
Kyle glanced at Tess, who moved forward on the couch to have a better view of Liz and Absalom. “Absalom is the savior, Liz. It’s been prophesied that his choices will dictate all of our lives. He’ll be the one to find Lily.”
“What do I have to do,” Absalom asked as he sat on the floor at his mother’s feet. Tess reached for him but quickly retracted her hand, realizing that he was no longer her little boy. His choices had brought him into Liz’s life for a purpose, and Tess realized that, just as she had lost Max to Liz, she had lost Absalom to Lily.
“You have to choose, Absalom. There are two of Kivar’s bases that remain intact. You have to choose which base you will go to on your search for Lily.”
“Where are the bases,” Jase asked.
“One is in Chandler, Arizona and the other is outside Las Cruces. Kivar could be at either location.”
“Why don’t you know for certain,” Liz inquired, all five faces turning toward her at once. “Why can’t you get inside Kivar’s mind to find his exact location? You’re still his wife, you share a child. Shouldn’t that solidify a connection between the two of you?”
“I’ve never been able to penetrate Kivar’s mind,” Tess admitted, lowering her chin toward her lap. “I’ve tried many, many times, but none of my attempts have been successful.”
“So Absalom has to make the choice,” Liz continued. “All of this is on his shoulders now? That doesn’t seem very fair, Tess. Why would you give your son such an overwhelming task?”
“I didn’t assign it to Absalom. That is the way things work out. He’s Kivar’s son. Kivar’s son has a destiny, just like Lily and just like Jase.”
Liz pursed her lips, her jaw tightening of its own accord, when she felt Max’s hand on her shoulder. She clinched her fist and lowered her head, looking away from Tess before her anger became too much for her to handle.
“We should have a back-up plan,” Max offered after several seconds. “Jase and Ab can go to whatever location Ab chooses and Kyle and I will go to the other.”
“I’ll go with you and Kyle,” Tess replied.
“Like hell,” Liz growled, almost standing up from the chair in her anger. “If anyone goes with Max to find our daughter, it will be me.”
“I think Tess is right, Liz,” Max said, holding up his hand to silence Liz’s rebuttal. “I can’t be worried about you when all this is happening. You, Isabel and Michael can stay here with the children, and Kyle, Tess and I will go.”
“Which base do you choose, Absalom,” Kyle questioned in an attempt to get to a concrete decision. “Chandler or Las Cruces?”
“I think Jase and I should go to Chandler.”
“Then we’ll go to Las Cruces,” Max replied. “Should we leave tonight?”
“Lily will be eighteen in two days, Max,” Liz reminded. “I don’t think we have any time to waste.”
“Then we leave tonight.”
Terminus: Part 19
Author's Note: Real life - blah. Sorry for the delay. We're on the downslope now.
Enjoy!!!
JO
_____________________________________
PART NINETEEN
Liz sat on the edge of the bed as Max packed a small duffle with a couple changes of clothes and various toiletries. He seemed to move in slow motion and Liz watched his every move for signs that he would change his mind and allow her to accompany he and Kyle to Las Cruces. The small duffle packed, Max sat on the bed beside Liz, his hands surrounding hers tightly. “We’re going to find Lily. One way or another, we’ll find her.”
“I know,” Liz replied, the previous conversation with Tess doing little for her emotional state other than to ensure her Lily would be found, and that Absalom would be the one to find her. “It’s Absalom’s destiny, right? He’ll be the first to find her. I just worry about Tess.”
“What about Tess?”
“I don’t trust her, Max.” Liz sensed Max begin his rebuttal but she quickly silenced him, removing her hand from his grasp and standing up from her seat on the bed. “I’m sorry. Maybe I should trust her but there is just too much anger, too much hate, in my heart to believe a word she says.”
Max stood up from the bed and crossed the bedroom, wrapping his arms around Liz from behind, his face nuzzled against her neck. “I know, Liz. It is hard to trust her, especially after everything she’s done to us but I…I believe her. Since Kivar took Lily and left Copper Summit, she has nothing, no power, no army, nothing. Whatever power she once possessed no longer exists.”
“I won’t be able to trust her until you, Lily, Jase and everyone else is safely in Roswell, Kivar finally out of our lives forever.”
“What then?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what will we do then?” He nudged her and Liz turned to face him, Max wrapping his arms around her waist as Liz pressed her face against his chest. “What will we do then, Mrs. Evans, when there are no worlds to be saved and no children to rescue?”
“The war will be over, Max, and we’ll finally be a family. Peace. That’s the one thing I’ve always wanted.”
* * *
Her blonde hair swept past him, the faintest hint of the ocean lingering in the long tresses. He felt her body collapse against his and a peaceful wave washed over him. “It won’t always be like this,” Morgana whispered, her lips close to his ear.
“Yes, it will,” Jase answered her, his eyes closed as he focused solely on the sound of her voice. He brushed his hand down her spine, his fingertips dancing across her smooth skin. “What we have is perfect.”
“What we have is imaginary. We are not really together, Jase, and part of you knows it. You are feeling what I want you to feel, what I tell you to feel. You don’t love me. You don’t care about me.” She sat up and Jase instantly felt a void without her warmth beside him. “You don’t even know me, not the real me. You wouldn’t want to know me once you know what I’ve done.”
“But I want to,” Jase argued as he untangled himself from the starched white sheets of their shared bed. “I want to know you. I want to be with you. You make me feel things I…I don’t feel with anyone else. You make me feel alive.”
“What about Larissa,” Morgana questioned as she turned to face him, having allowed Jase to catch her easily. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled them back to the bed, the mattress heaving as their weight crashed onto it. “You love Larissa. You’re in Roswell…with Larissa.”
“Don’t do this to me, Morgana,” he exhaled, the scent of the ocean wafting through his nostrils once more. “Don’t make me choose.”
“You’re going to have to choose one day, Jase Parker. It’s either Larissa or me. You can’t have us both.”
“Jase, wake up.”
Jase’s eyelids fluttered open and he jumped, surprised to see Absalom standing over him. “What,” he questioned as he sat up from his bed, his duffle visible beside the doorway. “Who packed that?”
“Oh, Seth helped me,” Absalom replied while he zipped his own duffle and dropped it to the floor beside Jase’s. “You were talking in your sleep.”
“Was I?” He raked his nails across his forehead in an attempt to rid his mind of Morgana and the happiness he felt in his dream. He tried to shift his mind to thoughts of Larissa but he could only feel Morgana’s tresses brushing against his neck. “What did I say?”
“Something about Larissa,” Absalom said with a shrug. “I just left you alone after that. I didn’t want to wake you. Max said we would leave within the hour.”
“Really? I…I better go see her before we leave.” Jase stood from the bed, his legs suddenly feeling like lead as he attempted to walk to the door. He turned to look at Absalom, his hands braced against the doorway, when he saw a flash.
A small blonde-haired boy with blue eyes sitting in the floor of the room playing with a set of building blocks.
“Are you okay,” Absalom questioned and Jase shook his head in the affirmative, his eyes closing as he attempted to process what he had seen. He nodded to Absalom again, then quickly left the room to say good-bye to Larissa once more.
* * *
The flash was somewhat disturbing to him because, unlike his parents, Jase had never experienced a flash that had not been triggered by an emotionally intense moment. In their childhood, Lily had never experienced a flash at all; then again, Jase knew her powers were not as strong as his had been. Liz had never encouraged them to strengthen their powers, only telling them about their true heritage after she had witnessed Jase healing himself. He stepped onto the Valenti doorstep and rang the doorbell, memories of his dream about Morgana filling his mind.
You’re going to have to choose one day, Jase Parker. It’s either Larissa or me. You can’t have us both.
A shudder ran down his spine and he brought his hand to his mouth in an attempt to gain control of his emotions just as Larissa opened the door. “Hey, Jase. What’s wrong?”
“We’re going to find Lily. We’re leaving tonight. I…I just wanted to see you again.”
“Come inside,” Larissa replied with a smile as she wrapped her hand around Jase’s arm and pulled him into the house. “Do you know where you’re going and when you’ll be back?”
“Ab and I are going to Chandler, Arizona.” He hesitated to mention Tess’ name and dropped his gaze to the floor for a split second. “Kivar has a base camp there and my dad seems to think it’s a good idea. He and Kyle are going to the other base in Las Cruces.”
“Do you think you’ll find Lily?”
“I think so,” Jase replied honestly. He had never felt more sure they would find Lily; something just seemed right within his mind. “Yeah, I think we’ll find her.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Larissa said, throwing her arms around Jase’s shoulder, pulling him into a tight hug. Jase’s hands brushed down toward her waist and he clamped his arms tightly around her, his mind imagining the smooth skin that played underneath his fingertips. The scent of the ocean crept into his nostrils and he buried his head against Larissa’s neck. “You have to be careful, okay,” Larissa continued as she placed a chaste kiss onto Jase’s jaw. “I want you to come back with Lily.”
Jase released her and smiled awkwardly then wildly avoided her eyes. “I promise I’ll be back. Don’t worry about me. You stay safe, okay?”
“I will,” Larissa admitted as she leaned forward to kiss Jase. He accepted the kiss with little emotion, attempting to push any thoughts of Morgana out of his mind. He clutched at Larissa’s hair, scowling while she deepened the kiss as the thought of how the texture of Morgana’s hair differed so drastically from Larissa’s.
“I love you,” he shouted, breaking their kiss to hold her at arm’s length, his hands wrapped tightly around her shoulders. “No matter what happens from here on out, never forget that I love you, Larissa. I want to be with you.”
“I love you too, Jase. Please be careful.”
* * *
“What did you see,” Tristan growled, stalking her as a lion might stalk its prey. He hovered close to her, so close that Morgana could smell his breath; as quickly as he had invaded her space, he would step to the opposite side of the room, his agitation obvious to her. “Do you know where Lily is being held?”
Chandler, Arizona. Morgana kept her eyes closed, intent on keeping the ruse up for as long as she could. She had known almost immediately where Lily was held, especially once she heard Jase’s voice echo through her mind that he and Absalom would be going there. She could feel his hands on her back, his fingertips dancing up and down her spine, his soft lips grazing against her neck, and her heart fluttered at the feelings she felt from him. These were not the same feelings she had felt on any of her previous encounters; what she felt from Jase was unusual, so unusual that it stirred her to want more. She clenched her fists as she imagined surprising him as she had surprised so many other men and she wondered if he could love her knowing whom and how many had touched her to further a cause she no longer believed in.
“Where are they,” Tristan screeched, this time, grabbing Morgana’s forearm and wildly shaking until she opened her eyes. “Where is Lily?”
“Absalom and Jase Parker are going to Chandler, Arizona.”
Tristan smiled at her and Morgana watched as the small smile quickly became a sneer. “Then we will go to Chandler too.”
Enjoy!!!
JO
_____________________________________
PART NINETEEN
Liz sat on the edge of the bed as Max packed a small duffle with a couple changes of clothes and various toiletries. He seemed to move in slow motion and Liz watched his every move for signs that he would change his mind and allow her to accompany he and Kyle to Las Cruces. The small duffle packed, Max sat on the bed beside Liz, his hands surrounding hers tightly. “We’re going to find Lily. One way or another, we’ll find her.”
“I know,” Liz replied, the previous conversation with Tess doing little for her emotional state other than to ensure her Lily would be found, and that Absalom would be the one to find her. “It’s Absalom’s destiny, right? He’ll be the first to find her. I just worry about Tess.”
“What about Tess?”
“I don’t trust her, Max.” Liz sensed Max begin his rebuttal but she quickly silenced him, removing her hand from his grasp and standing up from her seat on the bed. “I’m sorry. Maybe I should trust her but there is just too much anger, too much hate, in my heart to believe a word she says.”
Max stood up from the bed and crossed the bedroom, wrapping his arms around Liz from behind, his face nuzzled against her neck. “I know, Liz. It is hard to trust her, especially after everything she’s done to us but I…I believe her. Since Kivar took Lily and left Copper Summit, she has nothing, no power, no army, nothing. Whatever power she once possessed no longer exists.”
“I won’t be able to trust her until you, Lily, Jase and everyone else is safely in Roswell, Kivar finally out of our lives forever.”
“What then?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, what will we do then?” He nudged her and Liz turned to face him, Max wrapping his arms around her waist as Liz pressed her face against his chest. “What will we do then, Mrs. Evans, when there are no worlds to be saved and no children to rescue?”
“The war will be over, Max, and we’ll finally be a family. Peace. That’s the one thing I’ve always wanted.”
* * *
Her blonde hair swept past him, the faintest hint of the ocean lingering in the long tresses. He felt her body collapse against his and a peaceful wave washed over him. “It won’t always be like this,” Morgana whispered, her lips close to his ear.
“Yes, it will,” Jase answered her, his eyes closed as he focused solely on the sound of her voice. He brushed his hand down her spine, his fingertips dancing across her smooth skin. “What we have is perfect.”
“What we have is imaginary. We are not really together, Jase, and part of you knows it. You are feeling what I want you to feel, what I tell you to feel. You don’t love me. You don’t care about me.” She sat up and Jase instantly felt a void without her warmth beside him. “You don’t even know me, not the real me. You wouldn’t want to know me once you know what I’ve done.”
“But I want to,” Jase argued as he untangled himself from the starched white sheets of their shared bed. “I want to know you. I want to be with you. You make me feel things I…I don’t feel with anyone else. You make me feel alive.”
“What about Larissa,” Morgana questioned as she turned to face him, having allowed Jase to catch her easily. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled them back to the bed, the mattress heaving as their weight crashed onto it. “You love Larissa. You’re in Roswell…with Larissa.”
“Don’t do this to me, Morgana,” he exhaled, the scent of the ocean wafting through his nostrils once more. “Don’t make me choose.”
“You’re going to have to choose one day, Jase Parker. It’s either Larissa or me. You can’t have us both.”
“Jase, wake up.”
Jase’s eyelids fluttered open and he jumped, surprised to see Absalom standing over him. “What,” he questioned as he sat up from his bed, his duffle visible beside the doorway. “Who packed that?”
“Oh, Seth helped me,” Absalom replied while he zipped his own duffle and dropped it to the floor beside Jase’s. “You were talking in your sleep.”
“Was I?” He raked his nails across his forehead in an attempt to rid his mind of Morgana and the happiness he felt in his dream. He tried to shift his mind to thoughts of Larissa but he could only feel Morgana’s tresses brushing against his neck. “What did I say?”
“Something about Larissa,” Absalom said with a shrug. “I just left you alone after that. I didn’t want to wake you. Max said we would leave within the hour.”
“Really? I…I better go see her before we leave.” Jase stood from the bed, his legs suddenly feeling like lead as he attempted to walk to the door. He turned to look at Absalom, his hands braced against the doorway, when he saw a flash.
A small blonde-haired boy with blue eyes sitting in the floor of the room playing with a set of building blocks.
“Are you okay,” Absalom questioned and Jase shook his head in the affirmative, his eyes closing as he attempted to process what he had seen. He nodded to Absalom again, then quickly left the room to say good-bye to Larissa once more.
* * *
The flash was somewhat disturbing to him because, unlike his parents, Jase had never experienced a flash that had not been triggered by an emotionally intense moment. In their childhood, Lily had never experienced a flash at all; then again, Jase knew her powers were not as strong as his had been. Liz had never encouraged them to strengthen their powers, only telling them about their true heritage after she had witnessed Jase healing himself. He stepped onto the Valenti doorstep and rang the doorbell, memories of his dream about Morgana filling his mind.
You’re going to have to choose one day, Jase Parker. It’s either Larissa or me. You can’t have us both.
A shudder ran down his spine and he brought his hand to his mouth in an attempt to gain control of his emotions just as Larissa opened the door. “Hey, Jase. What’s wrong?”
“We’re going to find Lily. We’re leaving tonight. I…I just wanted to see you again.”
“Come inside,” Larissa replied with a smile as she wrapped her hand around Jase’s arm and pulled him into the house. “Do you know where you’re going and when you’ll be back?”
“Ab and I are going to Chandler, Arizona.” He hesitated to mention Tess’ name and dropped his gaze to the floor for a split second. “Kivar has a base camp there and my dad seems to think it’s a good idea. He and Kyle are going to the other base in Las Cruces.”
“Do you think you’ll find Lily?”
“I think so,” Jase replied honestly. He had never felt more sure they would find Lily; something just seemed right within his mind. “Yeah, I think we’ll find her.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Larissa said, throwing her arms around Jase’s shoulder, pulling him into a tight hug. Jase’s hands brushed down toward her waist and he clamped his arms tightly around her, his mind imagining the smooth skin that played underneath his fingertips. The scent of the ocean crept into his nostrils and he buried his head against Larissa’s neck. “You have to be careful, okay,” Larissa continued as she placed a chaste kiss onto Jase’s jaw. “I want you to come back with Lily.”
Jase released her and smiled awkwardly then wildly avoided her eyes. “I promise I’ll be back. Don’t worry about me. You stay safe, okay?”
“I will,” Larissa admitted as she leaned forward to kiss Jase. He accepted the kiss with little emotion, attempting to push any thoughts of Morgana out of his mind. He clutched at Larissa’s hair, scowling while she deepened the kiss as the thought of how the texture of Morgana’s hair differed so drastically from Larissa’s.
“I love you,” he shouted, breaking their kiss to hold her at arm’s length, his hands wrapped tightly around her shoulders. “No matter what happens from here on out, never forget that I love you, Larissa. I want to be with you.”
“I love you too, Jase. Please be careful.”
* * *
“What did you see,” Tristan growled, stalking her as a lion might stalk its prey. He hovered close to her, so close that Morgana could smell his breath; as quickly as he had invaded her space, he would step to the opposite side of the room, his agitation obvious to her. “Do you know where Lily is being held?”
Chandler, Arizona. Morgana kept her eyes closed, intent on keeping the ruse up for as long as she could. She had known almost immediately where Lily was held, especially once she heard Jase’s voice echo through her mind that he and Absalom would be going there. She could feel his hands on her back, his fingertips dancing up and down her spine, his soft lips grazing against her neck, and her heart fluttered at the feelings she felt from him. These were not the same feelings she had felt on any of her previous encounters; what she felt from Jase was unusual, so unusual that it stirred her to want more. She clenched her fists as she imagined surprising him as she had surprised so many other men and she wondered if he could love her knowing whom and how many had touched her to further a cause she no longer believed in.
“Where are they,” Tristan screeched, this time, grabbing Morgana’s forearm and wildly shaking until she opened her eyes. “Where is Lily?”
“Absalom and Jase Parker are going to Chandler, Arizona.”
Tristan smiled at her and Morgana watched as the small smile quickly became a sneer. “Then we will go to Chandler too.”
Part 20a
PART TWENTY A
“Do you think we’ll find her,” Absalom questioned aloud as Jase drove the used pick-up truck west on Highway 380 toward Bingham. Absalom pressed his thumb and forefinger against his temples to cover his eyes with the palm of his while Jase seemingly pondered the question. The five of them had said good-bye in Hondo; Max, Tess and Kyle taking Highway 70 into Las Cruces.
“Please be careful,” Tess said, a loose hug shared between mother and son. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I will,” Absalom curtly replied to the woman who had given him life. He felt her stare at him and lowered his head, moving rocks with the toe of his boot.
“You will find her, Absalom. I have faith in you. Besides, it’s your destiny. To fight wars and be victorious, remember?”
“I remember.”
“Please, Absalom. I know…I know I have made some terrible choices in my life and deceived everyone -”
“Don’t say you did that because you had to. You could have chosen a different path.” He looked past Tess to Max, Jase and Kyle, the three men in a tight circle, and Absalom wished he were with them instead of in closed conference with Tess.
“I’m not going to say that,” Tess refuted and Absalom sensed the anger in her quaking voice. “Everything has a reason, Absalom. I cannot change my destiny and neither can you.” Tess stepped toward him and hesitantly placed her hand on his shoulder. “Trust only Meran and Jase, no one else.”
“Not even my father?”
“No. You have to make choices from the head and not choices from the heart. Make wise choices, Absalom, and though it may not mean much to you now, I love you.”
“Did you hear what I said?”
“No,” Absalom replied in a startled voice. “Sorry. I was thinking about something else.”
“Lily?”
“Actually something my…mother said. Well, it wasn’t what she said, more like how she said it. Like she was saying good-bye to me permanently.” Absalom paused and turned toward Jase for some kind of response. Jase’s mouth opened but when no words came out, Absalom turned away from him and watched the miles tick away underneath the beam of the headlights.
“I said I think we’ll find her,” Jase responded after a moment’s silence and Absalom nodded his understanding. He couldn’t help feel like they would finally be successful in their quest to find Lily but for the first time since the quest had begun, he wondered what price their victory would bring.
“You told me to mention it,” Jase continued, interrupting Absalom from his thoughts, “but I’ve been having dreams again…about Morgana.”
“Pull over,” Absalom instructed, uneasy thoughts tumbling around in his brain.
“But Lily -”
“Just pull over!” Jase guided the truck to the side of the road and cut off the ignition while Absalom thought over how to approach the subject of Jase’s sexual dreams about his sister. “What kind of dreams,” Absalom questioned and he saw Jase’s face slightly blush.
“Same ones I always have.”
Absalom frowned as his mind wandered to a theory he did not want to reveal to Jase just yet. “When you were in Copper Summit, did you ever talk to Morgana or meet with her?”
“No,” Jase replied. “I never talked to her. I saw her maybe two times but it was always through the glass in the door.”
“But you never spoke?”
“No. What’s going on? Do you know something I don’t?”
“I think it’s what my mother did to your father.”
“What?”
“When Tess first came to Roswell, she invaded Max’s mind, made him see and feel things that weren’t there. I think Morgana is doing the same to you.”
“Oh God,” Jase sighed and rested his forehead on the top of the steering wheel.
“What?”
“I feel things…when I’m with her -”
“That’s the point, Jase.”
“No, I mean, I feel things with Morgana that I don’t feel when I’m with Larissa. I felt this way when I was away from Larissa but now, I feel this…pull toward Morgana.”
“Do you…love Morgana?”
“I don’t know. So many things are wrong with this situation. She’s Tess’ daughter and she’s pulling the same shit Tess pulled on my dad…”
“She’s with Tristan, you know,” Absalom quietly offered. “If Tristan wants Lily for himself and Morgana is helping him -”
“ – it could be a trap and whatever I feel for her could be some form of mind control.”
“You have to be careful,” Absalom replied, his mother’s similar advice echoing through his mind.
“I plan on it,” Jase replied, starting the ignition and easing the truck back onto the highway
“Do you think we’ll find her,” Absalom questioned aloud as Jase drove the used pick-up truck west on Highway 380 toward Bingham. Absalom pressed his thumb and forefinger against his temples to cover his eyes with the palm of his while Jase seemingly pondered the question. The five of them had said good-bye in Hondo; Max, Tess and Kyle taking Highway 70 into Las Cruces.
“Please be careful,” Tess said, a loose hug shared between mother and son. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I will,” Absalom curtly replied to the woman who had given him life. He felt her stare at him and lowered his head, moving rocks with the toe of his boot.
“You will find her, Absalom. I have faith in you. Besides, it’s your destiny. To fight wars and be victorious, remember?”
“I remember.”
“Please, Absalom. I know…I know I have made some terrible choices in my life and deceived everyone -”
“Don’t say you did that because you had to. You could have chosen a different path.” He looked past Tess to Max, Jase and Kyle, the three men in a tight circle, and Absalom wished he were with them instead of in closed conference with Tess.
“I’m not going to say that,” Tess refuted and Absalom sensed the anger in her quaking voice. “Everything has a reason, Absalom. I cannot change my destiny and neither can you.” Tess stepped toward him and hesitantly placed her hand on his shoulder. “Trust only Meran and Jase, no one else.”
“Not even my father?”
“No. You have to make choices from the head and not choices from the heart. Make wise choices, Absalom, and though it may not mean much to you now, I love you.”
“Did you hear what I said?”
“No,” Absalom replied in a startled voice. “Sorry. I was thinking about something else.”
“Lily?”
“Actually something my…mother said. Well, it wasn’t what she said, more like how she said it. Like she was saying good-bye to me permanently.” Absalom paused and turned toward Jase for some kind of response. Jase’s mouth opened but when no words came out, Absalom turned away from him and watched the miles tick away underneath the beam of the headlights.
“I said I think we’ll find her,” Jase responded after a moment’s silence and Absalom nodded his understanding. He couldn’t help feel like they would finally be successful in their quest to find Lily but for the first time since the quest had begun, he wondered what price their victory would bring.
“You told me to mention it,” Jase continued, interrupting Absalom from his thoughts, “but I’ve been having dreams again…about Morgana.”
“Pull over,” Absalom instructed, uneasy thoughts tumbling around in his brain.
“But Lily -”
“Just pull over!” Jase guided the truck to the side of the road and cut off the ignition while Absalom thought over how to approach the subject of Jase’s sexual dreams about his sister. “What kind of dreams,” Absalom questioned and he saw Jase’s face slightly blush.
“Same ones I always have.”
Absalom frowned as his mind wandered to a theory he did not want to reveal to Jase just yet. “When you were in Copper Summit, did you ever talk to Morgana or meet with her?”
“No,” Jase replied. “I never talked to her. I saw her maybe two times but it was always through the glass in the door.”
“But you never spoke?”
“No. What’s going on? Do you know something I don’t?”
“I think it’s what my mother did to your father.”
“What?”
“When Tess first came to Roswell, she invaded Max’s mind, made him see and feel things that weren’t there. I think Morgana is doing the same to you.”
“Oh God,” Jase sighed and rested his forehead on the top of the steering wheel.
“What?”
“I feel things…when I’m with her -”
“That’s the point, Jase.”
“No, I mean, I feel things with Morgana that I don’t feel when I’m with Larissa. I felt this way when I was away from Larissa but now, I feel this…pull toward Morgana.”
“Do you…love Morgana?”
“I don’t know. So many things are wrong with this situation. She’s Tess’ daughter and she’s pulling the same shit Tess pulled on my dad…”
“She’s with Tristan, you know,” Absalom quietly offered. “If Tristan wants Lily for himself and Morgana is helping him -”
“ – it could be a trap and whatever I feel for her could be some form of mind control.”
“You have to be careful,” Absalom replied, his mother’s similar advice echoing through his mind.
“I plan on it,” Jase replied, starting the ignition and easing the truck back onto the highway