Maiqu- Thanks
tequathisy- Thanks on both counts, Unfortunately Kyle was not successful We'll catch up with him in the next part.
Eva- Thanks Killing Tess was the only way that Kyle could see them being safe. She's too dangerous otherwise. Would it solve their problems? Hard to say. But they would be safer. Unfortuanately he failed.
Begonia9508- Thanks. No future Liz yet. Liz is just trying to figure out a way to stop Tess. And since Future Max could do it, well why not her? I'm glad everyone likes my Tess
chanks_girl- This Tess is evil. And Kyle sees it. He loves her but she is poison. Poor Sean. This part is going to be hard too, in a different way.
DeDe PR- Thanks. No one is checking on Liz, because they believe she has been grounded by her parents and is stuck at home. More on that in the next part.
Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
Weathering the Storm part 20
Liz
Liz hugged the shadows as she heard the door open.
Someone was coming.
Perhaps a friend?
She had no friends. Only those who wished to despoil her and those who would wish to save her.
Liz was beyond salvation. Her life existed solely to destroy Tess. It was all she had left.
A single tear rolled down her impassive face as she pulled the sleeping bag tighter around her naked body. She could not let herself be found.
Liz looked carefully for a place to hide, but there was nowhere to hide in the Granolith Chamber. If she had been in the Pod Chamber, there were a few spaces…..
But she had been studying the device, that ancient alien device that had allowed her beloved from the future to lead her to ruin. There had to be some reason they had needed the bitch to send Max back, to crush both of their hearts. There was no way he could have known, truly known what she was like.
Tess would have left after Liz had slept with Max. And in fourteen years they would all die from her departure.
But why? She wished she knew, wished she had pressed Future Max for more details. Why had she given in so easily?
A tiny voice in the back of her head knew why.
It had been an easy out. A way to escape all the scary chaos that seemed to increasingly follow the hybrids. It justified her decision last May.
It made all her decisions and self justifications for leaving the correct choice. Being with Max would doom them all. All needed to bear witness to the grand martyr willing to give up a deathless love to save all.
How pathetic. If I were as strong as I thought myself, I would have garnered all the information I could and tried to solve the problems the future would bring.
Instead, once again I tried to run away. Clad in noble reasoning and rationale, but cowardly never-the-less.
But then she always did try to escape personal situations she could not control. Bring on a threat to friend or family, and she would stand strong. A personal problem…. And she would find a way to retreat until she could think it through.
And it had destroyed her. Had destroyed Alex.
He would have lived. He would have made Isabel so happy, helping to raise their children. He would have made a wonderful father.
She had taken that from both of them. He lay dead, and she was bereft, as were her children.
Liz heard as the voices approached the gap in Isabel’s pod. They would find her!
Maybe that would be for the best. Let the others find a way to save them all. Let them know of Tess’s treachery.
Or perhaps it would be Tess herself And Liz could assuage her grief through a useless attack and find peace in death.
No.
No she was done running. She would find a way. A way to fix all of this. Somehow.
But for now she not ready. She could not be found.
The voices were walking through Isabel’s pod right now.
And it was Tess! Tess and another!
MUST find a way……
And it came to her. The light. The light in the Granolith Chamber did not react correctly. The little sparkles, they were off set from where they were supposed to be. Shifted in color and position.
Liz thought faster than she ever had. And as so often was the case, came to a workable solution.
--------
Tess
Tess walked through the residue of Isabel’s pod as she walked into the Granolith Chamber. Once again she was held in awe at the magnificent device. Why it had been allowed as the exclusive province of Max’s family on Antar, Tess had no clue.
She certainly planned on letting her family use its power for their own uses.
Those who had recreated her had given her a demi-seal that allowed her access. Not full access or control, but more than most non-Royals had ever had.
She paused a moment as she fully entered the Chamber. “Hello?”
She did not feel alone. And she wasn’t just referring to Aric. There was someone or something here…. A sense of fear and hatred……
Tess walked around the whole of the Chamber. And saw nothing.
Aric stood and stared at her, Control Crystal in his hand. “What are you doing? It is already late, and you will need your sleep. I’m not as good a healer as Max. You will need to rest.”
It must have just been her imagination. “I need to know.. I need to see.”
Aric nodded. And walked over towards the Granolith. “Max is the only one with full access to the Granolith.”
“What if he died?”
“Making plans? You know that your family needs him for leverage. Your children will help, but until they are past the usual childhood issues…..”
Tess nodded. “I have no plans. But if anything happened, then what? Would we all just be trapped here?”
Aric stared at her and sighed. “No, it would go along the chain of succession. First to Michael and then to Isabel.”
“And then to me.”
“No. No Tess, don’t even think it. You are not part of the succession. Control would slip to some other. Probably a distant relative back on Antar. But not you.”
Tess looked away. The Book had said the same.
“No they would be able to command the Granolith to assemble the ship just as Max could. You my dear would simply be let to rot.”
“This is why you took me, isn’t it? Because I would need you, need you to help control them.” Until they got to Antar, of course. Once she got her feet underneath her there, once her position was firmly in place….. He was a dead man.
Maybe sooner. She had already took precautions if Aric had a sudden burst of loyalty. The Trilithium Amplification Generator would work on him as well as any other. And it would cripple his self repair and hibernation elements.
Tess could actually fully kill him dead like all her friends though he had been. Her mouth quirked in annoyance that ‘Nasedo’ had not informed her of his continued survival until she had been in New York.
That was Aric. Always looking for an angle to get home.
He didn’t answer her question, but then they both knew it was true. So she listened to him as he described what would need to be done.
And in the back of her mind she thought of Max and Kyle.
Max who would be her plaything until she was done with him. Liz’s death would shatter him. And she would be able to pick up the pieces easily enough.
Kyle…. Why couldn’t Kyle have just left it alone? She wouldn’t have hurt him. Not him. She’d even had to have Sean take care of him, to dispose of him with the body of Liz.
She had changed her mind about Liz dying by an anonymous serial killer. Oh, she was grateful for the way she had died. Tess only wished she’d had the wit to have Sean videotape it all for her amusement.
Those last sounds of her whimpers and moans as Sean had raped her again, as Tess had whispered her hate into Liz’s ears….
That would be something Tess would treasure always. If only she had heard or witnessed the girls struggle against Sean’s knife, the feel of her still beating heart quivering in her palm…..
A sense of warmth filled her as she day dreamed of her rival’s horrific death.
Too bad it was so late, or she would see if Max was up for a little casual dalliance. He had spurned her earlier, but she was confident in her feminine wiles.
It was already too late to use Kyle. Well if it came to it she could always use Sean. He wasn’t so bad looking.
They left the Pod Chamber and Tess felt a little tension leave her. She had never truly shaken the belief that someone had been watching her. Just her imagination.
She drove Aric towards the Crashdown and their next part of the plan. No she had come up with a better plan for Liz. One that would cover her tracks a little neater if it took a little longer than planned.
She watched as Aric, in Liz’s form clambered up the fire escape to her room.
Yes, this would be a much better plan.
--------
Maria
Maria’s sleep was deep that night. After they’d gone for dinner with Kal, she had planned on going home. But it just hadn’t happened.
They had just stopped at Michael’s for, well she wasn’t really sure. But it had seemed like a compelling reason at the time. It started with her sitting on the couch, watching a little TV while Michael changed his clothes…..
It ended with mad passionate sex. Mixed in with a little languorous sensual sex. Followed by more mad passionate sex.
When they finally collapsed, both of them had been exhausted.
Maria was deeply asleep. She could still feel Michael just beyond the mental horizon, supporting her. She sat in the Crashdown waiting for Alex to arrive.
Maria smiled as she sipped her cherry cola. She’d never really liked it until she started stealing sips from Michael’s. She still couldn’t stand it when they added Tabasco, but Michael was still paranoid about being found, so he didn’t usually add it in public. Not to his soft drinks anyway.
She was pretty sure she’d end up liking Michael’s new drink of choice, Snapple. Even if she hated it now. It would grow on her.
Alex breezed into the Crashdown, still looking better dressed than he ever had in real life. He smiled, talked to one of the fuzzy faced dream waitresses and walked over to her table.
His face was serious when he saw her. “So your really going to do it.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not so sure that it’s a good thing anymore. Maybe you should think about it a little more.”
“Why are you suddenly against this action. I managed to convince the others that it needed to be done. Don’t tell me I have to do the same here. I thought you at least would understand.”
Alex looked away.
“You are the one that led me here. That your babies would need me. And from talking to Kal, well it’s true. They will need someone to Prime the device. And I can provide the most. I can make them human.”
“But the cost….”
“Alex…..” Maria stopped.
Alex’s top button was undone. Every time she had seen him in her dreams it had been the same. It had nagged at her slightly. Tickled her subconscious.
Alex always had it buttoned up. Always. Not even Isabel had been able to convince him…..
Well okay, that had been part of their shtick. When she wanted something or was spending time with him, the first thing Isabel would do was…..
“Isabel?”
Alex blinked, “Excuse me?”
Maria began to weep slightly. She knew. Knew she was right.
Alex was dead. Had always been dead.
“What’s wrong pretty lady?” Alex walked over and held her.
“You’re not real?”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re just a dream. I should have realized it before. But I was just so happy to see you…. So happy to be able to share a few moments with you…. That I, I didn’t let myself see the truth.”
Alex’s face was serious as he held her. “And what is the truth?”
“You are dead. Really dead. And, and this is a dream.”
“Okay.” Alex said in his calm voice. “Go on.”
“If I really were having visions, then wouldn’t I see you at other times too? Like day dreams or, or just in waking life. But no, always dreams….. And always while Isabel was asleep.”
Alex’s smile was sad. “You always did see more than you let on. When you looked outside of yourself you could see through a brick wall.”
“It’s true isn’t it.”
Alex pulled away slightly, wiping a few stray tears from Maria’s eyes. “Mostly. But not entirely. I am dead, or perhaps I should say mostly dead.”
“Mostly dead?”
Alex sighed and looked away. “You’ve bound yourself to Michael, you should know.”
“Know what?” Maria’s heart was beating fast. It was something she knew, but hadn’t fully admitted to herself….
“That you give a piece of yourself in the bond. That a part of you resides in the other. And when I died, when the rest of me died, I was still left behind. Part of Isabel forever.”
“And when she said that she had felt a part of herself die when you died.”
“A part of her did die. We are linked forever, she and I. He is not alone, wherever he is now. Part of her goes with him, as I go with her.”
Yes. She had known. Had not wanted to admit it to herself, but she had known.
Michael had indeed ruined her for other guys. Which was fine, because he was the only one for her. And she for him.
“Does Isabel know?”
Alex shook his head, “I can’t be in her conscious mind too much or she would dwell on me too much. She would drown herself in her guilt and not move on. I know I will never truly be replaced, but she is still alive. I want her to live and enjoy life. And, and, the babies. I knew about them immediately. And I knew that she would need help. Memories of something like this, memories of Antar. I can see them so much clearer than she can. They’re still not clear, but when I knew that she needed help, I knew who I could trust. Liz just wouldn’t listen.”
“Oh, Alex….”
And she held him, held that tiny portion of Alex that had survived his death.
Held him until the alarm woke her. The clarion call for her to be a hero.
-------
Michael-
Michael felt Maria’s arms wrapped around him as the drove off to the Evan’s.
She hadn’t budged in her determination over night. They had played a little in the shower as they got ready, but Maria had been watching the time. Making sure they would not be late.
How he wished he could just turn his bike and ride off into the dawn with her. To take her away and build a life with her somewhere.
But she would never forgive him. She would still love him, but she would always remember. Always remember what he had taken from her.
And he just couldn’t do it. Couldn’t stop her. But he could still try….
Michael brought the bike to a stop at the Evan’s. Both of them got off his bike. He reached out and held her close. “You don’t have to do this. It’s too dangerous…..”
They held each other tightly for a few moments before Maria pushed him slightly back. So that they could look eye to eye. “It’s my turn Michael. Time for me to be the hero.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Never mind Michael, they are waiting for us.”
“Tell me, Maria.”
Maria pulled further back, and tilted her body to one side. She said softly, “I’ve always been the side kick, Michael. Always the one to advise, or support, or help pick up the pieces. But here and now, I can do something for all of you. Something that I can do better and help you all.”
“You’ve always helped us! Helped me! I, I don’t want to lose you Maria.”
“I’ve always been there for you, or for Liz. Or even Max. Always there to pick up the pieces. But now its my turn.”
“You could die, Maria.”
“A risk I am willing to take.” She shifted her weight, “Look it’s not just Isabel this will help. It will help me and Liz too.”
“Maria, there has to be a better way….”
Maria smiled up at him, “Come on they’re waiting.”
And so the morning went. Both he and Max were in the front, quietly listening to their own thoughts. In the back, Isabel and Maria were softly talking and laughing. He couldn’t quite make out what they were saying over the rumbling of the Jeep.
If he lost her he would die. He would simply die.
All too soon they were at the Crèche.
Kal was waiting.
He had set up a little tent that the girls would disrobe in. Apparently it would work better if they were nude. Made sense with Isabel, but why Maria as well?
He made to follow Maria, but they stopped him.
Maria said something softly to Isabel and she almost fell over giggling.
Isabel looked radiant, but tired. And the tiny bump in her abdomen was quite noticeable. If you were looking.
Moments later both of them left the tent, wearing fancy dressing gowns. Both praising Kal over the high quality of the material.
Maria and Kal talked quietly together for a moment. And Maria headed into the Crèche.
Michael followed. They tried to stop him, but let him go.
Max and Isabel understood. Hopefully Maria would as well.
Michael walked into the Crèche. He was amazed at the crystals glowing blue and green and red coming from the walls. They were bright and the place felt…. Cold and sterile. If not completely dead, it felt mechanical. An imitation of life.
He caught up with Maria, still dressed in her gown, as she daintily traced a toe in the water. The water was lit as well from crystals that surrounded it. It almost seemed as if the very water itself were glowing.
“Maria!”
“Michael…. What are you doing here?”
“I, I couldn’t let you face this alone.”
Maria looked at him. “I need you to promise that you will not interfere. That you will let me do this. I’m warning you Michael.”
Michael gulped. This was so very hard! Letting her risk herself like this…..
But he had to.
For the first time he understood how he had always driven Max and Isabel crazy doing something that had seemed completely necessary to him. Sometimes it worked, and sometimes he had made it worse.
But if they had stopped him, if he let them stop him from doing what he believed needed to be done…..
He loved Maria. He did not own her. She wanted, no needed to do this. He had argued with her, had tried to persuade her.
Now came the hard part. Letting her do what he disagreed with. Supporting her.
“I promise.”
Her eyes glowed in approval and her smile was radiant. She slipped off the robe and handed it to him. “Try not to get it wet.” She walked down a few more steps.
“Cold?”
“No, its warm, it, it tingles.”
“So what do you need to do?”
“Just let the pool analyze me. Get an imprint of me.”
“Oh.” He admired her body in the light of the crystals. She was so beautiful
She took a few steps more, sliding in deep enough to almost cover her breasts. She looked coyly over her shoulder, “No you can’t come in and join me. But if you’re real good, I know a little pool we can visit together sometime this weekend.” She gasped.
“What is it?”
“Its nothing. It just doesn’t feel like water does. Its, its so warm and, and…. I can’t really describe it. Like granular. I feel it brushing against me. Caressing me.” Her breathing was becoming more rapid, her cheeks flushed.
Michael watched as she closed her eyes and smiled. Her voice was excited, almost ragged, “Oh, God Michael, this feels so good…..” And she moaned in almost sexual pleasure.
Through their bond he could feel her growing arousal. Could feel his own body respond. It took a great deal of strength to hold himself from going to her.
But he held back. Letting her do what she thought she must.
The air felt heavy, charged. And he watched her as she slowly walked down another step. Could feel her tense up, waiting for release.
Then waves of ecstasy ending in sudden shock. The lights suddenly flared brightly, the pool aflame with brilliance. He could no longer see her in the glare.
But he could feel her. Feel as the pool pulled her under, her muscles still shaking from the release. He felt as the water poured down her screaming throat, filled her lungs, and dug deeper. Ever deeper.
The feelings and sensations grew stranger and stranger…..
But he was no longer a passive voyeur. He HAD to save her!
He raced along the suddenly solid water, water that would not give way for him. Would not let him retrieve his love from its depths. He could see her struggle beneath him, see her reach for him, his name on her lips.
Their eyes locked.
And they knew.
Michael screamed in rage, summoning all the power that was his gift. Fueled by his fear and rage and love, it did nothing, the power slid from him into this place.
All he got was a soft and enigmatic smile from Maria, mere inches from the surface that had turned harder than steel. As she let go.
As she died.
The lights blazed ever brighter and brighter and he could feel the very fabric of the area shift around him.
His eyes were solely on one thing and one thing alone. His dead love.
Once more he rallied everything he had and was, all of it to reach Maria.
And the water gave way…..
---------
Max
Max held Isabel’s hand. He would be there for her. He had a lot to make up to his lovely sister, so much that he needed to make right.
He had made so many mistakes. Mistakes that he would not make again.
He just wished that Liz would talk to him again. He missed her.
“So what are you thinking about, brother dear.”
He looked over at her sheepishly.
“Liz, huh?”
Max nodded. “I’ve made so many mistakes and screwed everything up.”
Isabel nodded and then paused. “We’re not innocent you know. We, meaning all of us, could have reacted better. To this whole damn year. I, I should have trusted you with Vilandra. I just didn’t want to disappoint you.”
“That’s why Lonnie killed Zan I think. She spent her whole life trying to prove how loyal she was. And he took advantage of it. And, well she had this conversation with me. I thought she was you at the time, but well I’ve been thinking about this whole past year. It was all about her and her relationship with her brother. And, and I was starting to do the same things. I don’t know if I was the best person on Antar.”
“You don’t have to be. Your Max. Our Max. You don’t have to be Zan.”
“But what if they come back, what if they need Zan….”
“We will face it together. That is what we forgot this year, that we were always stronger together than apart. Even stronger with our friends. You were right about them. We need them.”
“I just wish Liz were here.”
“She will come around. I know she will. She loves you Max.”
Max opened his mouth to speak when he heard a cry of loss and despair roar from the cave.
“That was Michael!” Max and Isabel ran to the cave. To save their friends.
Michael met them at the cave entrance, his eyes wild. In his arms was a smiling Maria. Her eyes seemed bright, but they were already glazing over. “Please, Max. Please.” The last horse and pleading.
Max motioned him to set her down. Max placed his hands on her warm slick skin and began the connection.
Only there was nothing to connect to.
He tried again and again.
Nothing.
He had failed again.
Isabel just held one of her hand and stared at the body in shock.
Kallen was swearing under his breath as he watched. He turned to Michael, “I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know.”
Michael just lifted her body up and cradled it, rocking it back and forth. Calling her name softly.
Max stood up and walked a ways away. Why had he failed yet again? How could fate be so cruel? To steal away those they loved so ruthlessly.
Isabel walked up behind him, “What do we do now?”
“I don’t know. We can’t let you use the Creche. It is too dangerous. I guess we tell Mom and Dad. And have them help us. How we will cover all this up…. But Michael, we have to somehow keep Michael sane. We will need him.”
“It won’t be easy. I know that I was so very close….”
Max closed his eyes and unconsciously reached out for comfort to an old source. Had he consciously realized what he was doing he never would have done it.
But he felt some comfort return and he felt a need and hunger fill him.
Liz. He needed Liz.
Oh, God, what were they going to do?
He was staring off into the distance, unknowingly staring at the Granolith Chamber and Liz hidden within…..
There was a commotion behind him. A coughing sound and demands, bloodthirsty demands to be set down.
In a voice he had never expected to hear again.
He turned around and there was Maria in all her glory. He turned away, a slight blush.
“Can I have some clothes or a towel here? I’m cold!”
How and why, Max didn’t know. But Maria was alive.