Roswell Fanatics

So. Okay. This part might very well get me lynched I think. It will be broken into a couple of parts, mostly for dramatic effect. I will post all three parts tonight. So if you want to wait to read them all, go right ahead. So when you read part 20c know that I am done with this part and next week will be switching to Tess's POV.

This may be the roughest part to read, as things will get really messy from here. But, well you will understand when I get there. I can't say I am happy where this is going, but it is unfortunately the logical course once I made a couple of decisions.

I won't say that things will get fluffy and happy after chapter 20, but I think most of you will like chapter 21. In fact chapter 21 has so much going on, there will be companion stories that will show exactly what happens to everyone. This story will remain just Tess and Kyle, but well, a lot is about to happen.

And its not all bad. Well not all bad after this chapter.

Thanks again for reading.

Please note that this story is now labeled Adult.

Jake17- Thanks. You are unfortunately right about the oncoming storm. Things are about to get messy. Thank you for all the high praise. Hope you don’t hate me after this chapter.

Earth2Mama- He will remember. But will he have time? Things are about to get messy. All I can say is that Aric is a complete bastard.

Vilandragirl- I like Tess as a character, and not just because she’s hot. There was such potential there, so many opportunities wasted…..

The same is true with a lot of the secondary characters. All we have of Pam is that Liz hated her. Not contempt or disdain, hate. If she were just a shallow slut like I so often see in stories, I can’t imagine that Liz would care enough about the girl to hate her. To openly claim to hate someone to the point that your best friend makes comments that you merely sit by her…. Yeah, there has to be history there. So many possibilities.

I knew someone like Vicky in school. I have fond memories of her.

We will run into Livian in Kyle’s next POV I think. Desperate situations call for desperate measures.

A/N- Sorry I am so long winded tonight, just a little nervous about how this part will be received.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

A Kiss to Build a Dream On part 20 PART A

Kyle-

Kyle watched as Tess ran off.

To say the girl confused him was an understatement. For just one moment everything in the world had been okay. He felt as his mind was filled with a glowing golden white light, filling him with a sense of purpose and joy.

And then the kiss was over and she was gone.

He trembled with desire.

That was a kiss to build a dream on. To build a life on.

Only, where was she going and why was she so scared? She wasn’t frightened of him. That much he knew.

She was frightened for him. For all of them.

Tess was in danger! He needed to protect her, to save her!

Kyle began to quickly walk to the Mustang, to track her down. To somehow help his love. He caught sight of a trembling Liz huddling in Max’s arms.

Tess had done that. Had sent a girl she didn’t particularly care for to comfort in the arms of a boy that she had always chased after. Because Tess had known that Liz would need it.

Hell, that Max probably needed it too.

Kyle paused, ‘Stop, Valenti. Don’t assume that Tess doesn’t know what she is doing. The girl is highly manipulative, but she does have a good head on her shoulders. If running from him right now is what is called for, maybe she has a reason.’

She’d better have. Because, Kyle really hated being in the dark without reason. But Kyle could wait.

He could trust her. Trust that she had her reasons.

He blinked with sudden understanding. She was the reason his head was so messed up! The various layers of conflicting memories all swimming dizzily about his skull.

For just a moment Kyle felt as he was thrown hard against the wall…. As he felt that he was going to die, that Tess was going to die. And that he was helpless to stop it…..

Kyle shook his head desperately, trying to get the whole memory back. Tess had saved him. Kyle was pretty sure of that. She had saved him.

But from what? What had been threatening them?

And how could he stop it? How could he get her back?

Kyle made a little whimper as he felt need drive along his body. It hurt more because it was deeper and sharper than the mere need to get laid.

Tess had done something to him. Had changed him. Had set a fire in his veins that only she could quench.

No, he needed answers. He needed answers, but he needed to be smart about it. To wait, at least for now.

A sly grin flashed across his face. Later. Tonight, but later.

He turned to face Liz and Max again, only to see them both still trembling. Both still obviously in need of each other. Drifting apart. Max shot him an enigmatic look, different from the glares of condensed hate he’d gotten from the man before. Wistful, but demanding. Demanding that Kyle try to protect Liz.

Kyle nodded softly.

Max left.

Liz was stoic and calm until Max pulled out of the parking lot, although Kyle could see it was costing her. Once he was gone, once he left a certain distance. She just broke down. Completely broke down.

Kyle watched as one of the stronger people he knew just folded into herself, almost in a fetal position and just sobbed her eyes out.

Kyle nodded, she needed Max as much as he needed Tess now. And yet she kept pushing him away. Kept hurting the both of them badly.

Not for the first time he regretted his actions to help her that night. It had cost him in so many ways. Perhaps as much as it had cost Liz.

He cocked his head slightly as a sliver of memory laced through him. Or perhaps it had merely led Tess to erase and adjust his memories. Somehow he knew that some Lamp Trimming had been involved.

Kyle could only smile at the thought. But the smile faded as he took Liz in again. He lifted her up and carried her to the car. She was warm to the touch. No, she was hot.

Suddenly she wasn’t just laying there in his arms. She was alive in his arms and he could feel her trying to wrap herself around him. He stood there stunned as her arms pulled his head to hers, as their mouths locked and her tongue darted into his open mouth.

Kyle dropped her. Or tried to anyway. She clung to him. He pushed her away.

It hurt to see her this way, but it wouldn’t help. Not either of them.

“They’ve ruined us.” Kyle said calmly to Liz.

“Please, Kyle. Please. I’m just so cold.

Kyle just shook his head and remembered Vicky. A Vicky he still loved, but a girl who was no longer enough. Just as he knew that he would not be enough for Liz. Not even if they both wanted it.

He knew that he needed and wanted Tess and no other. And somehow he was sure that Liz would never truly settle for less that Max.

“No, Liz. It wouldn’t help. Let me get you home. Promise you won’t do anything either of us regrets?”

Liz sniffled and nodded.

Kyle picked her up and carried her to his car. He set her in the passenger seat. “I’m going to let the others know we are going. Do you want to wait here?”

Liz just nodded, her eyes tearstained.

Kyle moved purposefully towards the Hospital. He walked through all the rooms to where Michael and Isabel waited along with Amy Deluca.

Amy looked shattered.

Maria was still in critical condition with the doctors still busy trying to save her life. If she died…..

Kyle looked up and met Michael’s face. And knew. How he wasn’t sure, but he knew. Whether or not Maria and Michael had been skin to skin yet, they were still bound like he was to Tess.

Michael would not take Maria’s death lightly.

Kyle sought out Isabel’s haunted eyes. She had lost Grant. Had it affected her?

Maybe, but not the same crushing it would have been if she had truly loved him. Not like Liz did Max or Maria did Michael. Or he did Tess.

Perhaps she was the only one of the hybrids who still held her heart close. That is until he saw her glance over at a stunned Alex. Alex must have just come in.

For just a moment, when Isabel had looked at Alex, Kyle had seen the sun. Had seen a deep radiance hiding in Isabel’s tear struck eyes.

The human counter parts were not the only ones ruined. They had claimed their hybrid as deeply as they were in turn claimed.

Kyle sat down. He needed to think.

Something big was going on. Something important. And as far as Kyle could tell the only one with any clue was Tess. He needed those answers.

He stood up. “I need to get Liz home. This whole series of events…..”

Michael nodded.

Amy still just sat there stunned, in a horrific world all her own.

“Call me if anything happens.”

Isabel said quietly, “Be careful out there.”

“Yeah, you guys do the same.” Kyle walked to a nearby phone and called his dad.

It embarrassed him sometimes, but he knew that his father cared for Maria’s mother. And right now, too many of those who needed each other were separated by events. Maybe they weren’t right for each other, they certainly weren’t dating anymore. But Amy needed someone as much as the others did.

He got his father’s voicemail. “Hey Dad, it’s me Kyle. You probably already know this, but Maria’s pretty badly hurt. Its really shaken us all up. But we have each other. Who does Amy have? Talk to you later.”

He paused before he hung up. “I uh, really love you Dad. Be careful out there.”

He walked out and drove Liz home.

--------
Kyle frowned slightly at the sound of the bubblegum pop that was coming out of his cars speakers. This wasn’t even what Liz listened to. It was Maria’s music.

Liz was listening to his radio and weeping slightly.

Kyle got into the car and placed his keys in the ignition. Hopefully she hadn’t worn down his battery.

Except…. How had she turned the radio on in the first place?

Kyle shook his head, he must have done it before he left her. He just needed to get her home.

“Its all my fault. All of this is my fault.”

“Liz, will you please stop saying that?””

“Maria is going to die. My best friend in the whole world is going to die and it is all MY fault.”

Kyle put the car in gear and started the drive home. “Right, you put a contract out on her. You made sure that you were at school when the van ran her down so that you would have an air tight alibi.”

“Kyle, this isn’t funny!”

“No, I get that. I just don’t see how you are involved in this at all.”

“None of this should be happening! That is why! She should be there for me when I get married! All of you were there. Well.” She paused. “I don’t think you were. I don’t know if we were still friends.”

“Why?”

“Because of Tess. Because of how mean Max was, maybe all of us were to Tess. You love her don’t you?”

“Yes.” His head might be a jumbled mishmash of memories, but he knew that much.

“Maybe that is why I didn’t invite you.”

“Your still not making sense.”

“The night, the night I had you pretend to sleep with me was a special night.”

“Um, Liz I like you and maybe there was a time but right now.”

Liz just glared at him, “Not like that Valenti. I was supposed to be with Max that night. To lose my virginity.”

“That was how you knew, how you knew he would be there….. But how?”

“I was visited Kyle. By someone from the future, a Future Max. And my life would have been wonderful except for one thing.”

“And that would be?”

“That without Tess, our friends wouldn’t be strong enough. And they would not be able to stop their enemies from destroying all that we love. From conquering the Earth.”

“And this is why…. Why you hurt Max so badly? Why you made everyone think that we had slept together?”

Liz nodded. “You have to promise, Kyle. Please, not to tell anyone!”

“Sweet Buddha, they need to know! They deserve to know.”

“Please,” she said with a slight whimper. “Its all I have left.”

“Did you ever think that if all you needed was to keep Tess in town was just NOT be mean to her? That she might have found a reason of her own to stay?”

“Kyle….”

“That night, the one before we pretended. The one where you gave Tess a burst of hope that she might win Max after all…. We were getting real close. Real close. We might even have….”

A flash hit him of Tess coming home, depressed at Max’s anger. Kyle’s calm soothing of her nerves. Of the sudden fire that laced through them.

A feeling of warmth washed through him as his memory of his first time with Tess washed through his mind.

The memory did not stay. It faded like they all did. But the memory of the memory made him smile.

“What Kyle? What were you going to say?”

“Tess and I are lovers. We have been, since that night I think. But she still thought she needed to follow her destiny. And so my mind is as twisted as a ball of yarn.”

“Tess…. Tess mind warped you?”

“Yes. More than once. Can’t tell you how many times.”

“That b…” Liz didn’t continue as Kyle placed a finger on her mouth.

“Please, I promise not to bad mouth Max, if you don’t bad mouth Tess.”

“But Kyle, she’s hurt you!”

“And Max hasn’t hurt you? I watched you last year. You can’t tell me there haven’t been times…..”

“Kyle, there is a difference here. Max hasn’t messed with my head!”

“I beg to differ. Of course, if I am right we’ve had the same effect on them. Max would never be content with anyone except you, I think. Not in the long run. Anymore than you could truly feel the same for anyone except him. So if you had any serious plans for Sean you might as well forget them.”

“Sean? No I don’t feel that way about him. I, I just need something. Just something to fill the void.” She looked at Kyle again.

Kyle smiled at Liz. “Not going to happen Parker. I care for you, but as a friend. Funny world. I never thought I would ever truly settle for someone totally until college at the very least. The end of college. Still expected to be sowing wild oats, you know. But with what I know, with what I feel.”

“Tess.”

“Yep. Now I just need to know why she is running from me.”

“They need to be together. They need to follow their Destiny.”

“Liz….” Kyle sighed. And stopped the car. They were at the Parker apartment. “We are here.”

Liz nodded and got out of the car. She stumbled and almost fell, catching herself on the door to the apartment. She seemed to try vainly to pull herself up completely.

Kyle sighed again and went to help his friend. He helped her up.

Her eyes were strange and rolling. And her fever was worse. They needed to get her inside. He thought about going around to the front, where the Crashdown was. He would get plenty of help there.

“Liz, your keys?”

She giggled slightly, and said in a semi slurred voice, “Pocket.”

He looked at her pants and then back up at her. Tess was going to kill him. He reached into Liz’s pocket to fetch the key.

Liz was purring contentment in his ears.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. He needed to call Max. Have him take a look at her.

Only his own head was beginning to swim. He felt like a band of darkness was squeezing his mind. Like something was pushing him to….

He had to stop it. He had to…….

Blackness.

And here is part b. Please do not hate me okay? This was different on my first couple writes, but unfortunately it just didn't feel right. This is a hell of a lot more tragic, but, well it just seems truer somehow.

And one of the reasons I am spliting this up is so that if you just want to avoid this section, you can.

Earth2Mama- Sorry. I really am. As I said, you can avoid this part and skip to part c that I will post around midnight EST. I just hope you don't entirely give up on my story, although I would understand.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Kyle felt very strange. Torn almost.

Like there was a part of him that was screaming for him to stop.

But the rest of him was excited. Very excited and aroused by the silky skin of the girl beneath him as she moaned. His mouth left the valley between her breasts to give her another kiss.

Her own hands roamed the expanse of his own skin, setting tiny waves of warmth rolling through him.

Both of them still had their undergarments on, the last thing separating them. She was in a rush almost, in a hurry to get it over.

But this was her first, and he wanted to do it right. Wanted to make it last and be memorable.

Her hand slipped into his underwear and encircled him, slowly caressing him from base to tip.

Okay, so maybe a little more speed might be called for.

He slipped his own hand into her panties, one finger slipping into her to see if she was ready for him. Not quite. But well on the way.

So he said hello to her Little Princess and watched as she shuddered and moaned.

His mind was so messed up he almost missed her calling Max’s name. Almost.

This was wrong! Tess doesn’t have olive skin!

But it was so soft, so very soft and firm, everywhere it was supposed to be. He needed this.

But it was wrong.

And his head hurt so much, pressure pushing him, pushing him…..

A few more minutes and she was ready. He helped her slide the undergarments off her legs and slid his own down and out.

He took his time as he slid the condom on.

Why was he delaying? Why did this feel so wrong?

She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him closer. He couldn’t help a tear of helpless frustration roll down his cheeks as he nuzzled his tip near her opening.

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

She was shaking, a mix of fear and desire. She shakily reached in to help guide him into her.

And he paused there, needing to plunge himself into her warmth. But something held him back, even as the sensations he could feel, muffled by the condom assailed him.

Just the smallest push. And he needed it so very badly….. But it was wrong. He met her eyes, they were clouded. With more than desire. It was like she was completely out of it.

He could feel her trembling hips slowly moving, threatening to push him into her.

He had to get out of here. Had to stop it.

But he couldn’t. He just hovered there as first his tip and then more were surrounded by her. Until there was a pause. She had stopped.

Both of them trembling, he not more than an half inch inside her. Both of them were crying.

Something is forcing this on us, Kyle realized. Something was screwing with their heads. Using their bodies like toys.

Tess? Could it be Tess? Would she go this far to protect him? To make Liz’s lie all too real?

No. No she wouldn’t, couldn’t do that to him. Not now. Not just as he was beginning to remember.

Liz just lay there, her hips slightly raised to meet him, brown eyes welling. But full of despair and determination. To make this real. She arched her hips slightly more, to push him in further.

But the barrier was still there. A still unbroken hymen. And she was moving too slowly to break it. To force him all the way inside.

“I’m sorry, Liz. This is wrong. We can’t.” He felt as bands of iron squeezed his brain harder and harder, making it so very hard to think. A trickle of blood from his nose joined the pathway of tears.

And he began to pull himself out, her hips angling to keep him in.

“OH, Yes you can. Rut like the animal you both are, and show them all they need to know about humans!”

Kyle felt his world began to fade again, as the pain grew too great. But he fought, the fact that he was overmastered did not stop that. Fight to the end.

But he could not stop as a force pushed him into Liz. Pushed him roughly deep inside of her.

Liz cried out in pain.

And for a moment they just lay there, his weight crushing down on her.

Kyle had failed. Tess would never forgive him. Never.

And the voice was back. “That’s right human. She will never forgive you. Give into your despair. Its already too late, you might as well enjoy it. Seeing as its all you will ever have. Nice work, Kyle. Once they learn the truth, and they will, I assure you. They will move back on track. Back to where they should already be. Go on enjoy your rut.”

Liz began to move against him. Slowly at first. But Kyle could feel the familiar pleasure of sex fill him. And he joined her, the two slowly finding a rhythm as they bitterly moved against the other, straining to achieve whatever fleeting joy this might give them.

To gain back what they could from the terrible price they were going to pay for it.

And here is the final part of chapter 20. Hopefully it cuts some of the sting.

Earth2Mama- Sigh. Once I realized that Aric was present, there really was only one outcome. I am sorry. Aric is now thinking that he has it all sown up now, and trust me he is wrong. That is why chapter 21 will have to have companion chapters, just to give the full scope.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.


Kyle got dressed after taking a quick shower. But no matter how hard he scrubbed he could not remove what he had done.

What they had done.

He looked over at Liz. She was still huddled up on her bed sobbing. “I am sorry. I’ll call my dad, tell him, tell him that I, that I raped you.”

A small hoarse voice came from the bedding, “You didn’t rape me Kyle. If anyone is at fault its me. I needed it. I, I can’t keep pushing him away anymore.” She propped herself up on her pillows, not even trying to hide.

What would be the point?

Her face was blotchy and eyes red-rimmed. “I used you, Kyle.” She continued., “They need each other. Or the world will end in fourteen years. I am just sorry, sorry for what I took from you.”

“Liz, I wasn’t the virgin here.”

“No. No you weren’t. But I took from you what I gave up. I gave up my love for Max, my life with him, to save the world. But you, from you I TOOK it. I stole away what you could have had with Tess….. God, I hate myself!” she finished quietly.

Kyle looked at her, “Liz? Are you going to be okay?”

She smiled, “No, Kyle. I think I can honestly say that I doubt I will ever be okay. Not now. But I will survive. I’ll get over the pain and the soreness, I am sure. That will be easy. The heartbreak…..”

“You should tell him. Tell him about all of this. We were forced Liz. I didn’t want this, and be honest with yourself, you didn’t either. Even if you won’t admit it to yourself. You didn’t want this. If you had, if this had truly had been your first choice to push Max away we would have done it then.”

She rolled over and sat up.

Kyle was very aware that she was still naked, still covered with their shared sweat. He looked away.

Her voice was soft, “And if I had asked you then, would you have?”

He turned to face her. To take her all in one more time. “Yes. I loved you before Max stole you away. And there have been dreams, I won’t deny it where something like this happened. But not like this. Not when both of us already have our hearts given away. Not now.” Kyle shrugged, “But then, sure. I’m not going to lie.”

“And if I asked you again? What would you say.”

He looked at her, seriously looked at her. She was a wreck. He was almost tempted to stay. Not to sleep with her again, but simply because she was so broken.

But he needed answers. He had a feeling that the force, the enemy that Tess was afraid of had made himself very apparent tonight. And Kyle was tired of fighting blind.

You could fight against overwhelming odds if you had some clue of what was going on. But this lack of knowledge… He couldn’t fight what he couldn’t see.

And if he was going to go down swinging, he want to land at least one punch before he went down.

Tess had the answers. And he needed to get them.

And to ask her forgiveness. He doubted it would be given. Doubted he deserved it. Even if you erased Liz tonight, he had been so very willing last night with Vicky.

“No. Not now. Not for a while. There is too much unfinished business between me and Tess I have to deal with first. And until you deal with Max, and I mean really deal with him…. No. But someday….. Someday if Tess and I don’t work out, if you and Max can’t rekindle what shouldn’t have gone out to begin with. When we aren’t having to deal with all this shit. You are beautiful, Liz. And smart. But you aren’t Tess, any more than I am Max. So until all that has been dealt with…..”

Liz just nodded. “You should leave. My dad will be finishing up downstairs soon. I’ll clean up.”

“I am sorry, Liz.”

“Me, too. You will let me tell Max? Promise me you will.”

Kyle sighed, “Yes. But tell him soon, okay? Tell him everything.”

She gathered up a bathrobe and walked him to the door, “Good night Kyle. Tell Tess, I am sorry for me will you.”

“What makes you think…..”

“Kyle, I know you. Go to her.”

Kyle walked down the steps to his car. He drove first to his house.

He needed new clothes. He couldn’t meet Tess in these. To bright for one.

But that wasn’t why, not really. He would probably burn these clothes. Just for the memory of his betrayal of Tess.

Walking through the house kept bring up memories. So many of Tess. How could he have forgotten?

He stood there in the bathroom, after another hot shower, determined to scrub the past from him. To remove every bit of Liz that might still be clinging to him.

For just a moment his mind moved to his father’s gun safe. His father had changed the lock, but Kyle was still pretty sure he knew where the new key was. For just a brief moment he contemplated the solace of oblivion.

He smiled softly. Why make it easy for Tess’s enemies? Why hurt her, or for that matter Liz, more? Things were already destroyed. But you could build from that.

You could build from rubble. Oblivion would simply be an end to him. He could not help her, could not save her.

He looked down and saw the toilet seat. It was up.

Flash-
Kyle walked over to the bathroom. There was a little steam coming out of the warm humid room. He looked over and saw Tess. And yes she was furious. And hot.

She was wearing a towel wrapped on her head. Kyle really didn’t understand the why of that. The woman could just wave her hand over her head and it would be dry. Why bother doing anything else? She was also wrapped in a bath robe. It had been hastily wrapped around her, and he could see a tiny amount of cleavage from the top.

Too bad he wasn’t taller. He’d have a better view.

Tess glared at him and pointed toward the toilet. “Kyle, you are a guy. And therefore genetically a idiot. But surely you can remember this. This is a toilet seat. When you are done doing your business, it is lowered. Always, end of story. And yes, it is always raised before you go about spraying everything.”

Tess made a grand gesture, her robe opening just a little more.

Kyle couldn’t keep a small smile from his face. The left side had opened just a bit more than the right. While the whole breast wasn’t exposed, he could see the edge of the areola. His gaze slipped further down, and yes the opening was heading toward promising territory.

He’d never actually seen Tess naked before. Oh, he’d seen her pretty close. Her usual nighttime attire was one of his old shirts and panties. She lived here. It wasn’t that hard to catch a glimpse or two.

Still a robe wearing Tess, fresh from the shower, with the robe opening? Definitely a dream sequence.

A good one. Might as well enjoy the show.

“Are you paying any attention to me? I almost fell in. If I ever do I am going to slag….”

“Me with your laser beam eyes.”

“What!? Are you mocking me? Are you in such a hurry to meet Buddha, buster?” Each comment was punctuated with a poke to his chest.

He tried to stand his ground, even as she continued to lace into him with her words. Insulting his race, his gender, himself personally.

But he really wasn’t paying attention. Each time she hit him the robe opened just a little bit further. Until it just hung from her shoulders.

Beautiful. She was so beautiful. He looked back up to her blue eyes. Surely she had to notice. There was an element of puzzlement in her demeanor as she continued her tirade. Kyle usually at least tried to fight back.

She looked down. And blushed.

Kyle had never seen her do that before. Never. He just looked at her square in the face and smiled at her. He was so dead.

She closed up her robe. But the rage Kyle had expected wasn’t there. It was a mixture of confusion and several other emotions he couldn’t quite catch.

Well he was still probably dead anyway. But still it was worth it. Something to tell the guys at school.

Only he wasn’t sure that he would. That camaraderie didn’t mean as much to him as it used to. Not as much as Tess did. And the ridicule she might have to face, the snide comments….

No.

But why?

Because he loved her. He loved her and didn’t want her to face those comments and slurs.

It was too bad she was so out of his league in so many ways.

So both of them stared at each other for a few moments, looks of confusion, touched with a small dose of passion.

And Kyle kissed her. Not a demanding kiss, but not a chaste one either. He wasn’t about to try to take advantage of her. But he wanted her to know without a doubt he was interested.

He hadn’t meant it to be a serious kiss, but it became one. And he could… feel… something. Something not normal. He had kissed girls before, but it had never been like this.

For that matter he’d kissed Tess before, long ago right when she had gotten here. And it hadn’t been so… intense. He felt as if he could almost sense something, see something out of the corner of his mind…..

She broke the kiss and firmly closed her robe. Her eyes were a little smoky as she looked up at him. She opened her mouth to say something and shut it. She just looked at him with those clear blue eyes.

Kyle himself was shaking. He felt hot and flushed, sweat pouring out of every pore. He wanted her more than anything. But he wanted her to want him too. There was no doubt she knew the effect she had on him, he’d been poking into her belly.

That reaction was probably why she had broken away from him.

He stared at her, his heart pounding. He just looked at her and tried to calm his breathing.

Tess broke the silence, “I guess I should finish getting ready for school.”

Kyle nodded and reluctantly walked away from the bathroom.

“Kyle?”

Kyle slowly turned around.

Only Tess wasn’t in the bathroom anymore. She was right behind him. And she wasn’t holding her robe closed either. Rather it was draped for effect.

Kyle had a completely unimpeded view of her fabulous body. He looked back up to her eyes.

They were searching his. And in them was a desperate longing. And…. And he wasn’t quite sure.

“Tess?”

“I changed my mind.” The robe fell to the floor and she rushed and kissed him. He over balanced and landed on his back on the floor and a naked Tess straddled above.
End flash

Kyle just stood there and let the happy moment wash over him.

He needed to talk to her. To get answers.

Before he left the bathroom, he lowered the seat.

He quickly got dressed in the clothing that would best conceal him. It was fairly late, but not so bad as to be too late to wake her. Still he was a good hunter. And he had played quite a few practical jokes in his time.

-----
A brief drive later saw him outside of the Evan’s. And it looked like they were all home.

Which room was Tess’s now?

He quietly circled the house. He saw Mr. and Mrs. Evans watching TV in the family room.

He crept up to one room, the strains of the Counting Crows assailing him. Kyle could only shake his head. If Evans wanted depressing he should really switch to old style country. This alternative rock stuff was just whiny compared to that.

If Max had hated him before, what would Kyle have to face now?

Kyle sighed and moved away from that room. He went to the next and peeked in. Isabel was having a serious heart to heart with Alex. From the pain on both of their faces, he was pretty sure he was glad he couldn’t hear what either of them were saying.

Was sorrow all that the could have now amongst each other?

No, they would find out who this bastard was and pin him to the wall. He just needed to find out who was threatening them.

So finally he went to a small room near the back. And from the window, a moan, almost of ecstasy floated from the room.

Kyle peeked in. It was Tess.

She was wearing one of his old shirts. And that was all.

She had already kicked off the covers and her breath was hurried and hushed.

That had to be one vivid dream. His heart broke as he heard her voice call out, “Oh, Kylllllleeee…..”

He felt as a wave of desire swept through him.

He wanted her. Right now.

Could he trust himself if he went in there?

Tess’s eyes fluttered open. She looked over. Her eyes were a mix of disbelief, worry, and passion.

Kyle was pretty sure anger was going to be dominating soon. But he rapped quietly on the window.

She walked over and opened it and he entered the room. “Why are you here Kyle.”

“Two things. I need answers.”

“Look Kyle you need to go.”

“I slept with Liz.”

“YOU WHAT?”

“Shhhhh, quiet now. I slept with her, Tess. I’m sorry.”

Her gaze was hot and sharp, “She can’t have you. You are mine, Buddha-boy! Do you understand that! No hussy is going to steal you away.”

“Tess, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help it.”

“What, you both just happened to be naked and tripped? You just happened to slip inside of her and had problems getting out?” Tess walked over to him and place her thumbs on his forehead.

“Um, Tess…..”

“Just be quiet, you idiot. I love you, but I’m trying really hard not to kill you right now. So just be quiet.” She hissed and he felt himself float. He could feel her. All of her. He could feel bits and pieces of himself float into her and parts of her float into him.

He felt as waves of her life began to soar into him. Constant frightened travel from one place to another. The knowledge that she was better than any of the nearby humans. But that they still were a threat somehow. Learning how to manipulate them. Learning her powers.

The joy at finding her family fading to a bitter resentment that they did not remember her. The feeling of abandonment as Aric spent less and less time with her. As he focused on the more ‘important’ members of the Royal Four.

The pain of his death. The pain of being tortured by Whitaker, her mocking voice filling her every pore as she told Whitaker everything.

Kyle felt as his love was broken once, only to be saved at the last moment. As she used hysterical strength to throw off the Skins.

She had never expected to fall in love with a human. Had not considered them more than semi rational animals. The contempt she had once felt for the other hybrids at their fascination. Her contempt switching to curiosity in the wake of Kyle’s constant antics. Curiousity becoming affection. And then that night when Max had spurned her even after Liz’s help. The passion, the need for concealment.

The need and desire. Constant attempts to bury it, and constant failure.

At the memory of Aric’s survival. Of her being so unimportant that he only saved her because Max might get hurt. His demands that she pursue destiny rather than those secret feelings that had crept up on her.

She had kept it hidden from him. Kept Kyle from him. As passion and lust began to change to love, as she began to care for him. Of her horror of their growing Bond. Not because she didn’t love him, but because she was afraid Aric would hurt him.

And then the day, the day Aric had found them out. Yesterday. Had it only been yesterday?

All of it. He got all of it.

And he could feel as she pulled every scrap of him as well. As she felt every moment that he had existed.

How he wished he could hold things back! To hold back memories of tonight, if nothing else.

But it was much too late for that. She had seen it all. And he could feel the bitterness and regret soar through him.

And guilt? Why would she feel guilt?

He planned on asking her as the world began to form around him again. But she kissed him. And again his mind felt like it was exploding in glory.

He felt wave after wave of suppressed passion well over him. He tore at her shirt and felt as his clothes began to slip off of him to the ground.

Where they touched was incandescent glory. He could have sworn he saw flickers of light out of the corner of his eyes.

He lifted her to get a better purchase and she wrapped her legs around him.

This wasn’t right. He had just cheated on her, this couldn’t. He stopped and pulled his lips from hers.

“Tess…. I.”

She glared at him, blue eyes gleaming with desire and anger. “You are mine. I claim you. She can’t have you. I will deal with her later. Now just shut up and make love to me.”

Kyle wanted to talk to her. Wanted to demand that she tell him what he needed to know so that he could protect her.

But he needed her too much. He needed to feel every bit of that silky smooth skin. To drink in that unique smell that was Tess.

To feel her shudder in delight beneath him. Or on top.

He didn’t really care.

Or both.

And he got that wish.

But he also learned why monogamy was so prevalent on Antar. Because as he slipped into her, as their passion built, he could feel her.

All of her. And inside of it all was the bitterness and anger at him. It dug at him and worried at him, even as he felt the bliss come. Even as he could feel it slowly diminish, he knew that he would never cheat on her again.

That he would die first.

As well he might. For while he had gotten flashes of Aric before, the truth of him of what and who he was slowly drifted into him along with all her other memories.

Aric was Nasedo. And he needed to die if they were to be together and happy.

And Tess had no idea of how to kill him dead. To permanently rid themselves of the shape shifter.

Because he had been killed before. More than once. And he had come back

The healing stones merely sped up the process.

And they made love, Tess radiating uncontrolled and uncontrollable desire.

Feedback for Kiss part 21

Okay. So the next couple of chapters are going to be a little frantic. So much so that there will be tags for these chapters, one POV for each of the other major characters to explain all that is going on this frenetic night. Personally I think of them as exploding dominoes, each falls one after another, but the results are different than might be expected. Certainly Aric’s plans are about to fall apart.

Thanks to Mt Gazer who gave me an assist on this chapter.

Jake17- Aric is pretty messed up, yeah. He’s not done for the evening either, but things are going to get a little rough for him. Well, if you felt the tension in the scene, trust me when I say that I felt it too. But Aric wanted to be SURE. He wanted them past the point of no return.

That was not an easy chapter to write, trust me.

Thanks again, Carrie.

Mt Gazer- Thanks again, Rhonda. Yeah, took a turn for the worse when I was writing it. Amazing what can happen in a short period of time.

Earth2Mama- I am sorry, Ellie. I originally had Kyle find a way to stop it, because Aric would leave once he was sure that they would just keep going. But Kyle kept fighting it. And Aric, Aric wouldn’t leave. Not until the end. Thank you as always.

Chanks_girl- Thanks, Leila. Things are about to get messy and frantic. You will see. Somehow I think you will like some of it, even if its not as explicit as you seem to prefer.

Kyle is in bad shape. But he’s trooping along the best he can right now. Let’s hope it is enough. But you are right, for everything to be better, Aric has to die. Tess has her reasons for what she is doing. Of course, she’s not in full control of herself, and that is the thing that is setting this whole chain of dominoes careening through the night.

Vilandragirl- Thanks. Aric promised to do worse than just kill Kyle. He said he would destroy him. Aric has more cards to play. Hopefully they can stop him before they are played.

Thanks again, to everyone. I really was worried about this chapter. If ever anyone has a question or comment you don’t want shared, please pm me.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

A Kiss to Build a Dream On part 21

Tess-

Tess stared over at her lover. For Kyle with all his faults would ever and always be such to her. Her first. And if she was lucky, her only.

His eyes flicked open and he looked at her. “I am sorry.”

“I am still angry with you, you know. Even now.” Tess sighed, “Even when I know it is not even your fault.”

“Aric.”

Tess nodded. “And more. I can’t escape my own part in this.” Her eyes began to tear up, “Oh, if you could only see what I have done to you, Kyle.” Tess used her powers and looked, seriously looked at her handiwork.

Layer upon layer of warps over ran his sense of reality. Distorting him, twisting who he was, who he should be. And leaving wide open gaps for Aric’s ability to Dominate.

She sidled over and took his head in her hands again.

Kyle took the opportunity to nuzzle at her breasts.

“Kyle, please. I don’t need a distraction now.”

He twisted his head in her hands to get a better look at her. “I know that you’ve warped me. And I know that your worried. Just how, how bad is it.”

Tess sent tiny filaments into his head. Not trying to move or shift anything. Just to see.

She had to blink back more tears. A less stubborn mind might have already collapsed. Her voice was a wail as it left her throat, “I’ve almost KILLED you. If I kept it up, if we’d had another week…..”

“Right.” He moved slightly, moving past her hands to hold her to him. He gave her a peck on the cheek, one hand brushing away her tears. “But you can fix it, right?”

She just looked at him in sorrow. And slowly shook her head. “Its too much. I mean maybe. But its, its kind of like a game of Jenga Kyle. If I pull the wrong warp at the wrong time…. Your mind will collapse.”

“And that would be bad?”

“Kyle!”

“That would be bad then. Okay. Um so I just stay like this? I got to tell you, and it really hurts to admit this. But I’m not exactly working at a hundred percent here. I mean, things have been happening to me.”

“I will need Max.”

“Max. It always comes down to Evans doesn’t it. Tess, I don’t think he is going to want to help me. Not now. I slept with Liz.”

Tess looked away, filled with a sudden wash of anger and jealousy. Kyle was HERS. “Couldn’t you have picked anyone else? I mean Vicky, Vicky would have been okay….”

“Uh, Tess, yesterday….”

“Look, I know. You are a walking case of zipper failure. I got that Kyle. But why Liz?”

“I’ve always liked her Tess. Always. But you’ve gotten flashes from me, I have from you. So I know what you think of her, what you’ve done to her. But now, now she is just a friend. Or was one. I, I don’t know what will happen now.”

“You are mine Valenti.” She sighed, “We’re still going to have to pretend for a while. Until we find a way to deal with Aric. But.”

Kyle kissed her. “Yeah. There isn’t anyone else for me. Now that my memories are coming back…. “ He looked at her intently.

He must have seen her sudden worry.

“Your warps are breaking down by themselves.”

Tess nodded.

“How long do I have.”

Tess’s voice was quiet. “I don’t know. But Max will help you. Even with what happened with Liz. Maybe more so.” She closed her eyes. “She wasn’t exactly running at a hundred percent herself.”

“You warped her as well.”

Tess nodded. “Not as often, but so much deeper.” She sighed and held Kyle close, drinking in his warmth. “I didn’t know. I really didn’t know that this would hurt you. Not like it has.”

“And Liz?”

“Liz is strange. Her mind is, well resistant now. The old warps are there, but lately…. Lately its hard to get in there. Can we, can we talk about something other that Liz right now?”

He gave her a kiss and rubbed himself along her body. “So what exactly would you like to discuss Miss Harding?” His free hand roaming along her body, making some interesting detours on its way.

She opened her blue eyes wide and innocent. Her own free hand drifted south, testing the waters so to speak. He growled with pleasure as her hands reached their destination. He kissed her then, and all the thoughts and worries that she had were shelved.

So many potential problems, so much future trouble. But for now, for now she would content herself in her lovers arms.

It might be a while before she had another chance.

-------

It was late and Tess didn’t have the heart to wake Kyle up yet. She would have to kick him out of bed soon, just to be on the safe side.

She had sound proofed her room to some degree, and the door was locked. But if the older Evan’s wanted to see if she was okay, hiding Kyle might be a problem.

She grinned at the idea of him hiding in the closet waiting for her new guardians to leave.

And there was also the possibility of Aric.

They had both talked and had decided that this would have to be the last time in a while, if only to give them some working room. They needed a way to take down the shape shifter. Particularly if he was starting to go to such lengths to eliminate the alternatives.

No they needed to find a way to fight him. They had even discussed just killing him. But Tess was not sure how much time it would buy them. Aric would recover in time. And he would not be pleased with them.

It was an option, one that had to be seriously considered. But the thought of Aric one day waking and beginning his stalking again…..

No better to find a way to finish him first.

Tess got up and walked to the closet and grabbed her robe. It was a bright sky blue robe that she almost never wore. She smiled as she felt the soft texture enfold her.

It had been a gift of Isabel’s for her birthday. Isabel had been scandalized that Tess only wore t-shirts to bed, and had gotten her a whole set with pajamas and a robe.

Tess kept her sigh soft. Poor Isabel. Finally realizes how important Alex is to her and has to send the poor guy away. At least that was the vibe Kyle had gotten when he had crept up to the house.

She opened the door and listened to the silence that filled the house. There was the sound of soft music coming from Mr. and Mrs. Evans room. Strange. It was kind of late for them to be up.

She quickly used the bathroom and made her way into the kitchen to grab something to drink. She stopped immediately when she saw that the light was already on.

Isabel was fidgeting and pacing back and forth in front of the coffee machine, her red dress robe brightening up the kitchen.

Tess couldn’t quite make out what she was mumbling under her breath. Tess just watched her for a moment.

Isabel looks out the window and shakes her head in amazement. She then turns and faces Tess. Her gaze takes in the gown and looks intently at her. Her mouth slips immediately into a smirk and her eyebrow arches questioningly at her choice of clothing.

Tess stares back at Isabel. The girl is on cloud nine, almost giddy. Her face is still slightly flushed and there is a slight glow to her.

No way.

She couldn’t have…..

She wouldn’t have…..

Tess nodded to herself. She must have. The hair alone gave it away. She had spent the occasional night over at the Evans before, and she could swear that Isabel kept her perfect hair in a drawer by her bed and just plopped it on first thing. But now….

“So I take it he was good, huh?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know, Alex? Tall lanky guy, not super strong but flexible. That must come in handy.”

Isabel was about to answer when Diane entered the room breezily. Her hair was mussed and she had a grin plastered on her face. She stopped briefly when she saw the two girls. “I know it must be nice now that both of you are here together on a more permanent basis, but tomorrow is a school day and…..” She walked over and grabbed two long stemmed wine glasses and a bottle of wine.

“I doubt that will be an issue,” Isabel said, gesturing out the window.

Both Tess and Diane crowded to get a better look. A blanket of white covered everything.

Diane’s grin if anything grew larger. “Well don’t stay up too late, girls.” She grabs a second bottle of wine and scurried out of the room.

Tess and Isabel just turn to look at one another, eyes wide. Both of them giggle a little nervously.

Isabel’s mouth twitches back to a smirk and shakes her head. She makes herself a cup of coffee, stirring in her usual six packets of sugar. She just looked back at Tess. “So when did Kyle sneak in.”

“Kyle?”

Isabel rolls her eyes and takes a sip of her coffee. “All we really need now is for Liz to come stumbling out my brothers room for a full house.”

Tess immediately stilled her expressions. Somehow she doubted that would happen. In so many ways that would be the best thing. But she doubted they would be so lucky.

Not after the stunt Aric forced Liz and Kyle to go through. And Tess was certain that Liz had been as much a victim as Kyle.

“What is it? Did something happen to Liz?”

Tess raised her hand. “Nothing we can fix tonight. Just, just enjoy it okay? Tomorrow will be here soon enough, and, and everything will be just the same as it was. So enjoy it.” Tess walked past the girl and made herself a cup of coffee. She debated on the seventh sugar packet. Six wasn’t quite right, but seven was too much.

Isabel just watched her and sipped her coffee.

Tess walked over and took a seat. “So, do you want to talk about it?”

Isabel took a sip and swirled it around her mouth in thought. She swallowed, “I, I really don’t know where to start.”

“The beginning usually works. But if it embarrasses you we can always talk another day.”

“The beginning, huh? Well. That beginning shouldn’t have led to this ending.” Isabel made a broad gesture encompassing them.

Tess smiled, “Sounds interesting. Come on, pull up a chair.” It was good to see the tall blonde look so happy for once.

A tiny almost demure smile graced Isabel’s face and she nodded slightly. She filled up her cup and grabbed some more sugar. “Need some?”

“Long story, huh?”

Isabel just smiled, “Has a happy ending though.”

“Well then, bring the whole pot over.”

And for a time the two gossiped about their loves.

Well here we are. Another day of insomnia, another part posted ahead of schedule. Thanks again for following along and for the feedback on the Companion stories.

Odds are pretty good that I will post answers to the questions you posed in each Companion at some point throughout the week. Thank you for the level of response.

jake17- Thanks. You have it right. That is just how she is. She will pretend to be calm no matter how bad the storm truly is. As for Tess's mindwarping, she will confess to all of it in her next POV.

Mt. Gazer- Thanks.

Earth2Mama- Thanks. Does she have a right to be angry. Not really. Is it human for her to be angry, even when she is partly to blame. Yes. Hopefully, the Companion stories answered some of your questions.

Vilandragirl- Thanks. It is all a bit umm, complicated at the moment. We'll leave it at that.

Ti88- Thanks. And welcome aboard. Hope you continue to enjoy.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

A Kiss to Build a Dream On part 22

Kyle-


Kyle stared up at the ceiling and thought of life and love and second chances. For with a little luck and an outrageous amount of heroics, he might just be able to have such with Tess.

He closed his eyes. Aric was a monster. And not just for what he had done to Tess or to Liz or even himself. It was simply because of the memories gleaned from the flashes he shared with Tess that made Aric seem so implacable.

He could have his Tess, could have his life. But somehow Aric would have to be stopped.

A task akin to stopping Fate or Destiny itself.

He racked his mind, his damaged teetering mind, for ways to kill it. For that was how he thought of Aric now. Not as a he, not as a she, but as an it. Although apparently on Antar, before he was changed, Aric had been male.

Tess knew a surprising amount of useless information on Aric. Information gleaned by an energetic and inquisitive child who had whiled away many an hour asking questions of her lone guardian. Surprisingly enough the monster had answered most of them.

Sifting through the memories, through the scattered pieces of Tess’s life that had stuck to his own from his many encounters with her, led him to one startling thought.

Aric had not been a bad father.

Evil? Perhaps yes. He could see the way what he had taught her had shaped the girl he loved. The contempt for regular humanity. The idea that duty was more important than her own desires. Telling her that she had been created to serve a purpose, to save the fate of millions of people. People who depended on her fulfilling her Destiny.

But the countless hours teaching her, not only on how to use her powers, but also the everyday basics of life. He had spent hours upon hours lavishing her with the training he thought she might need, both here on Earth, and let on Antar.

Kyle had to chuckle. The whole situation was ridiculous. He was jealous! Of an evil alien who would try to kill or debase him in a heartbeat. Who had been the one behind the attempt at mutual self destruction in Liz’s bedroom not hours ago.

The man, no the creature, was evil. Was capable of such great harm to all of them…..

But he could feel there was a part of Tess that already mourned the man who Aric had been, back before they had come to Roswell. Before she became last in his hierarchy of protection.

Another small well of bitterness that Tess held against the others. Not only had they not been what she had been taught they would be. Had they not immediately recognized and loved her, but they also had stolen her father.

Truly life was strange.

He thought of his own childhood, of the precious few hours he’d been able to snag from his father. Of feeling that sense of desperation that comes from realizing that you may be first in their heart, but you were not first in their priorities. Kyle had long known that Roswell and Chaves County were important to his father. That his father’s duty to protect them had caused him to miss so much of his son’s life.

Kyle had always derived pride and joy at his father’s position. But the price, the price had been high.

Kyle closed his eyes for a moment and focused his attention. He needed to find a way to eliminate Aric. There had to be a way.

It was why he was sifting through these memories. Often being able to defeat a team or an opponent could come from the most seemingly trivial piece of information. You never had time to get all the information that you needed, so you needed to figure out what you might not know from what you did.

And there were useful tidbits. Aric’s boasts that he could not be killed. A couple of stories told to an adoring Tess, of him recovering over time from fatal wounds.

Something that could be sped up with the Healing Stones, but in time he would heal regardless.

He could walk through walls. Kyle laughed as nine year old Tess demanded he show her. Of Tess’s attempts and her bouncing against the wall.

Aric could turn invisible. That gift interestingly Tess could emulate to some degree. She couldn’t do what Aric did, couldn’t bend the light completely around herself. Tess couldn’t quite manage that completely. Although she had figured out ways to use it to her advantage. To highlight how light hit her, to enhance and entrance.

Tess could also make others not see her. But that was using her warping abilities.

Those powers didn’t work on Aric. Nor did her blasts. Aric had trained her to blast by having her shoot at him.

She had never hurt her Protector.

Kyle could only hope one of the other hybrids had more firepower, or this was not going to end well for them.

Kyle looked over in alarm as the door opened. What Mr. and Mrs. Evans would do to him if they found him naked in Tess’s bed he wasn’t sure.

But it likely wouldn’t be pleasant.

But it was Tess.

He looked at her, as the shadows and light caressed her, making her look incredibly sexy. “Hi.”

She walked over to the bed, removed her robe and slid in beside him. Her arms wrapped around him and she smiled at him, “Well, hello yourself.”

For a moment he looked at her, and his own arms wrapped around her. He pulled her close and moved against her. He felt as her nipples hardened against his own chest.

The lady was insatiable.

Which was good, because he was rising to attention himself.

There were a million things he wanted to say. Things they needed to talk about. Everything from eliminating Aric to the state of their relationship.

But he just stared at her. And kissed her.

That was apparently the right move, because he could feel her joy soar through him as he kissed her.

They moved slowly this time. Languidly enjoying each other in anticipation of a dearth of future activity. So they stretched it out. Enjoyed every minute, slowly building each other to a climax that hit them nearly simultaneously.

And he had felt not just his own pleasure, but hers as well. For that brief time, as the flashes had flown between them, as their very souls caressed, they had been one mind, one body and one soul.

For that brief wondrous moment, they had been complete.

Kyle felt in that moment, but a hairs breadth from Enlightenment, so complete was his bliss. For that moment all was well with the world.

They lay there together, resting contentedly in the ashes of their passions fire.

It felt like he was moving the world, but Kyle moved a sweat heavy lock of hair that had lain across Tess’s face. It had been bothering her, and he felt her thanks soar into him through their Bond. “You were gone a long time.”

Tess smiled and slowly shook her head. “We weren’t the only ones to be lucky tonight. Isabel and Alex.” She chuckled, a small silvery sound, “I even think the elder Evans’s found happiness tonight. It’s a magical night.”

Kyle despairingly growled, “School. And I am going to be so tired.”

Again that wonderful laugh. “Its snowing outside.”

“Your kidding.”

“Go look for yourself.”

“Too comfortable.”

“Hmmmm.”

And they held each other, neither quite willing to slip into sleep. Both enjoying the wonderful sense of closeness they still held. Tess whimpered slightly when Kyle finally slipped out of her.

But they were both much too tired to do anything about it.

Yet.

Kyle lay there enjoying Tess’s warmth, still staring at her face and he half closed eyes. The wind outside began to howl.

And Tess’s eyes shot open. “Kyle!’

“What is wrong?” A sudden sense of adrenaline coursed through his body. If something threatened her, he would crush it with his own two hands.

Kyle was very awake now.

Tess’s eyes were wide and full of terror. “Its, its not me. Its, its Isabel. She’s, she’s in trouble.” Tess was suddenly scrabbling out of bed. Scooping up her robe and she ran out the door.

In a flash Kyle grabbed and slipped on his jeans.

He was right behind Tess as she stormed through the house. It was silent save the sound of music coming from the elder Evan’s room.

Good. Maybe he’d live to see another day.

Of course, if this were bad enough it was still good. Fewer people in the crossfire.

The idea that he himself would be one never crossed his mind.

Tess tried the door. But it wouldn’t budge. So she raised her palm and the door was suddenly a collection of matchwood flying into Isabel’s room.

Isabel’s scream was heart wrenching, the sort of sound someone makes when they realize their soul is damned.

Kyle moved into the room behind Tess. He noticed one body on the floor.

A bruised Alex. Which made two of them as another was pumping away into Isabel. Isabel was trying to fight him off, and a dizzying array of objects from around her room were circling and pummeling the Alex assaulting Isabel.

Kyle didn’t hesitate. He reached the Alex on top of Isabel right after Tess’s first blast. The combination of his rushing body and her blast dislodged the second Alex.

And then began the fight of Kyle’s life.

Aric. This Alex had to be Aric. Or Alex was a hell of a lot stronger than Kyle was the judge of.

Aric was certainly stronger than Kyle. But he didn’t know how to wrestle all that well. Not really.

Kyle felt a tiny patch of his arm that felt warm as if Aric were trying to burn him. But Kyle was not about to let Aric get away. He was driven to eliminate him. To destroy him.

More so now than ever. Kyle had never really chased Isabel in school, even if their two groups of popular people mingled frequently. No, she had been beautiful, but harsh.

Not worth the effort when there were other easier and more willing targets.

But he had always liked her. Always liked her quick wit and scathing commentary. When it wasn’t focused on him, anyway.

The thought that this piece of scum had been raping her…..

No. He was not going to get away. Not from him. Not from justice.

There were a variety of ways to incapacitate or kill an opponent with wrestling with them. Unfortunately, so many require leveraging of muscles and bones, human muscles and bones. Kyle didn’t even think about it, but he realized that such would not necessarily work.

So he went for something he was pretty sure Aric needed.

Air.

He didn’t bother going for the carotids or any spot that in a human carried blood to the brain. No, he would simply keep the pressure on the monsters neck until it broke or it stopped.

And Aric was inflicting some damage of his own on Kyle. Kyle felt as one, then two of his ribs broke. As Aric’s elbows were undoubtedly doing a number on chest.

Kyle simply didn’t care.

After a little more than a minute, there came to be a level of frantic panic from the Shape shifter. He threw them about the room, slammed Kyle in so many painful ways.

But Kyle would NOT let go.

No one was more stubborn than a Valenti. Aric would have to kill him to make him let go.

Kyle wasn’t sure why the bastard hadn’t used his powers on him yet, but frankly he didn’t care. He just planned to hold on until Aric stopped.

He could count the cost later.

Even the steadily growing headache, the trickle of blood that trailed from his nose, and the odd flatness that seemed to fill his vision didn’t stop him. Whirls and whirls of memories swept around inside his head threatening to engulf him.

Aric tried to escape by moving through the walls.

But Kyle would not let go. His arms wrapped around Aric’s throat being the only thing keeping him from safety.

The pressure in his head became intense, almost crushing. And Kyle knew he would not survive this.

Knew that he would die taking this monster down.

And it would be worth it.

As one by one his memories shattered. As his mind began to shudder and collapse, Kyle held on to the need to kill Aric. To free his love from Aric’s tyranny.

But while the spirit may be willing, sometimes the body is not. Or in this case Kyle’s mind.

Under the incredible pressure of Aric’s desperate attempts of Compulsion, Kyle’s mind collapsed.

Kyle felt one brief moment of regret and loss before he was no more.

Thanks again to everyone reading along.

Mt. Gazer- Thanks as always for you help.

Earth2Mama- Thank you as always. The only insurance I will give is this, I like happy endings. The question really is how much they will cost.

killjoy- Thanks. Kyle almost got him.

vilandragirl- Thanks. As I said above to Ellie, I like happy endings. Getting there can be hell, but I do like them. And unfortunately you were right about Aric.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

A Kiss to Build a Dream On part 23

Tess-

Tess watched in horror as Kyle was thrown around the room. But her horror turned to amazement at the webwork of green that surrounded him. As Aric used his powers to cook the pesky human.

And failed.

As Aric tried to use his superior strength, his shifting abilities, every trick he had in the book.

And failed.

Tess watched in awe as her boyfriend slowly choked the life out Aric.

It wouldn’t kill Aric dead, not in the long run. But right now she didn’t care.

Not after what he had done to Isabel. And the vibes she was getting off of Alex weren’t healthy either.

Aric needed to DIE!

Tess just wished she could be more of a help. She turned and released Alex. And with one eye on Kyle and Aric she went to look at the now hysterical Isabel.

Because the girl was starting to frighten her. For if Kyle was glittering with a green web that seemed resistant to Aric, Isabel was beginning to spark with a vibrant golden light.

She tried to get Isabel’s attention, her focus still somewhat divided.

Alex just slowly dressed. Something was wrong with that boy. What had happened to the white knight she had seen earlier? Why wasn’t he here comforting Isabel?

Kyle was holding Aric’s head inside of the house. Aric must have given up on trying to kill him.

What would happen if he died while phasing through the wall? Tess didn’t know and hoped it wouldn’t be too explosive.

She wasn’t sure how much more she could handle. Because Isabel would not calm down.

Alex still seemed shocked and detached from the whole scene. Dazed and broken.

‘He’s in shock.’ Tess thought. “Alex, I need your help here.”

“The last thing she needs is another one of me touching her. I doubt she will ever let me touch her again.” And there was something muttered under his breath that Tess couldn’t catch.

Alex looked out the window calmly. And his face turned pale.

Tess didn’t have time for this!

And Aric made his escape and Kyle collapsed against the wall.

Tess could feel as his mind began to collapse under the strain. As one by one his higher functions began to fail. Soon it would hit his autonomic functions and he would stop breathing, his heart would stop.

And Kyle would die.

The wind outside began to howl. The house shook with the sound of thunder and a rattle of heavy hail began to hit the roof.

Tess turned and slapped Isabel, “You have to CALM down, Isabel! You will kill us all!”

“Michael, I need Michael. I’m not SAFE! I NEED to be SAFE! I will make it safe!” And Isabel raised her hands in supplication to the skies.

Tess could feel the massive cables of power that stretched from the hysterical girl up to the sky.

There was no way she could reach her. Isabel simply wasn’t going to pay any attention to her. Alex was their only hope. And she would have to get him to move fast.

Because she had an idea to help Kyle. But to do it she needed to move fast. She couldn’t do both, couldn’t vainly try to bring Isabel back to her senses and save Kyle.

And frankly if Kyle died, she wasn’t sure that she cared if Isabel destroyed Roswell. Because that level of power….. It would kill Isabel for one. And for another, Tess wasn’t sure what Isabel was doing but it had to be of Biblical proportions.

“Tess, um, you really should take a look at this.” Alex said with a flat nearly dead tone of utter shock.

Thunder shook the house again and the power flickered.

Tess turned away from the now brightly glowing Isabel and rushed over to Alex, desperately needing to hold and fix Kyle. But as she approached the window she stopped.

The clouds in the sky were no longer the placid soft grey of snow. It looked almost like they were boiling.

And spinning. Spinning in many locations.

She could see her stark shadow being cast from the brightness of Isabel behind them.

Minutes. They had at best minutes before a storm of tornadoes ravaged the entirety of Roswell and the nearby area. Already lightning was flicking down here and there.

Alex just stared with her at the incredible mayhem being brewed.

Tess grabbed his shoulders. “Alex, you need to calm her down. Somehow. You have to stop her. She will kill us all to make herself feel safe.”

“You can not honestly make me believe that Isabel…..” He pointed a finder outside.

“That is exactly what I am saying. No go, go calm the girl you love. I don’t care how you do it. Find a way!”

“There is no way….”

Tess shook him vigorously, “We do not have time for you to obsess about this. Both of you suffered a severe trauma. We will deal with that. But we have to be alive to deal with it. Right now Isabel is KILLING herself to channel this much power. You have to save her. You have to Alex. You are her only hope. To save her from herself. No matter what happened here, I know that deep down she still loves you. The true you. So go. Go save your love and I will save mine.”

Alex slowly nodded and moved towards Isabel.

It would have to be enough. Kyle needed her now or it might be too late.

In truth it might be too late anyway.

NO. No she would NOT accept that. Kyle could not die on her.

She rushed to his side and cradled his head in her hands and linked with him. She was incautious with how deep she went. Because in truth, she didn’t care. Either she saved him or they both died.

She was tired of being alone.

Never again.

But it was a deeply hidden secret that she buried deep under her cynicism. Tess Harding was an optimist. A romantic. She believed in happy endings.

And she would be damned if she was not going to get hers!

So she reached into him and began to rebuild him. Bit by bit, from memory she reassembled the entire edifice that was Kyle. She still couldn’t completely fix him. But she did what she could as she reassembled the entire delicate structure, making what fixes she could along the way.

She could feel herself slip as she worked, could feel her power begin to weaken.

She was so tired. So very tired.

But at some point, at some critical point she was no longer alone. No longer doing it all by herself.

Kyle was alive!

Together they rewove him.

And Kyle picked up Tess and carried her off to his bedroom where they made love for hours innumerous. Again and again the thrills of ecstasy.

“This is a dream. I am sleeping and this is just a dream.” She said after their latest bout of lovemaking, their bodies cooling.

“A dream that I share. So, babe, why don’t you just roll with it. Why not let ourselves be happy. Sooner of later we’re going to have to wake and…..”

“Yeah.”

They both lay there for a while.

“So this is a dream.”

“Yep. With both of us. At least you feel real to me. Much more so than any dream I’ve ever had before.”

Tess nodded. She cocked her head to the side. “If this is a dream, there are a few things I would like to try.”

“Okay, like?”

Tess whispered into his ear.

“Kinky. Aren’t you afraid of one of us getting hurt?”

“Dream.”

“Right. Why not?”

And they set about trying to play out their fantasies.

Because as Kyle said, all to soon the real world would intrude.

Thanks to everyone who voted. It appears that I will be doing at the very least another round of Companions, most likely two. One to bridge us to the party, and one of the party itself.

And yes, I will try to have a happy one or two scattered in there.

Thanks again.

chanks_girl- The others are coming, although it may take a little longer for some to show up. And yes, there is an element of bittersweetness for Tess. Aric was not the perfect father, but he wasn't a horrible one either. As for Aric, the problem isn't killing him. In the next few parts plans are going to be set to eliminate him, you will understand their dilemna then.

Earth2Mama- Thanks. And thanks for the nice bump for the Companions. I will try to get to your questions, really I will!

keepsmiling7- Thank you and your welcome. Welcome aboard, I hope you continue to enjoy the ride.

Mt. Gazer- Thanks for your help on some of these pieces. I went to help you on your story, and here you are helping me on one of mine! Thank you.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

A Kiss to Build a Dream On part 23b

Tess-

Tess awoke from her pleasantly shared dream with Kyle with a start. Every alien attack ability that she had came on line as two people crept through Isabel’s window.

She didn’t care that Aric could kill her. It didn’t matter. She would defend Kyle to the death.

And beyond if necessary.

Kyle had already proven that he would do the same for her.

But before her powers were loosed she recognized them. Max and Liz. Aric could pretend to be one but not both. Still she was wary.

The three of them stared at each other. Behind her, Tess could hear Alex mumbling some weird lullaby to Isabel.

It must be working because the winds surrounding the house were not too severe.

Max was the one who broke the silence, “What the hell is going on here?”

Tess examined them closely, trying to make sure that neither was the enemy. They stood so closely, with Max slightly in front. Trying to shield Liz.

And they were close. Very close. In fact, neither of them could not touch the other, their hands tightly interwoven. And there was that fading glow that seemed to cling to them.

She would never warp again… She knew that. Not unless it was to save a life. But the power was more than just that. It could at low levels let her feel out people.

And when she touched the two she shivered. They were Bonded. And more. There was something there, something more.

For just a moment she had the impression of a crown of light gracing both of them. His igniting hers and Liz setting Max’s ablaze. And Tess shivered.

She had been replaced. Liz was Queen.

A sudden surge of anger and bitterness filled her as she looked at them. Thought of what she had lost.

Of their own accord her eyes glanced down at Kyle. He would never bring her a kingdom. All her pent up dreams of power and domination, drilled into her by Aric seethed inside of her.

Had she been a fool? Had she missed her only true hope to get what she wanted out of life.

She looked at Kyle a heartbeat longer. As the darkness that Aric planted in her fought against her true nature. Of the woman who had been Ava on Antar.

And she made her choice

She remained one of the Four. One of the Royal Four that had been prophesied to one day to save Antar. This did not change that fact. That day would come. Whether tomorrow or the next day or a year or decades hence….. She KNEW that. It was driven into her very bones.

It would come. And they had to be ready for that day. For that day of glory and power to come.

And she would be. She would be.

With Kyle at her side.

On Antar they had been lacking. Had missed something. Something that all four of them had needed. Needed for glorious Destiny.

Here on Earth they had found what they had sought, what they had needed.

And for Tess, for Ava that was, it was Kyle. How had she not understood? How had she not seen?

Her eyes were tear laden as she rushed to hug her new King and Queen. They would need her.

And she would be there.

“Oh, thank God you are here! We need you, oh how we need you.” She sobbed as she kissed first Max and then Liz on the cheek.

Liz and Max just stood there stunned, a tiny drift of a mix of rain and snow pouring through Isabel’s open window.

Liz just turned and smiled at Max.

Max smiled back but turned to face Tess, concern filling his eyes. “What has happened here?”

“A dream followed by a nightmare. I, I…..” Tess could not make the words come. Instead the tears, numberless tears followed as she sobbed. She felt Max’s arms surround her, and Liz softly patting her back.

Max faced Alex, “What happened her?”

His voice was flat. A deadness to it not evident in the whispered lullaby. “I slept with your sister, Max. And Aric came and destroyed us. If you know where Michael is, you should bring him here. She will only truly feel safe with him now.”

Liz spoke next, “Alex? Why?”

Again the same flat voice, “Because if her first time was with me, her second was with Aric in my from. She will never trust me again. Not like that.” He muttered something more, but it was too quiet.

Tess pushed herself back. And looked up at a now terrified and angry Max. “I can’t say it. I just can’t. But I can show you. I can show you everything.” She turned to Liz. “You should know as well.”

Liz looked shocked, “Tess? You don’t mean?”

“Yes. You need to know. Both of you.”

Max looked down at her suspiciously, “Can you do this?”

She smiled sadly at Max, “Aric is evil and a monster. But he did train me. I still know more than you, particularly the basics. So both of you come closer…..”

Tess closed her eyes and felt as Liz softly grabbed her hand.

Good this would need physical contact.

And she opened her mind. She felt both of their presences, and she sent the memories. Not all of what she was. There were things she would only share with Kyle. Feelings and sensations that were her.

But all she knew of Aric, all her life with him, all of her time in Roswell. All of it. All her crimes and all her heroics.

It took but a moment. But she hadn’t lied. She knew how to do this. And she would teach them, all of them, even Liz, if they would just let her.

If they would just let her stay. If they would not exile her for what she had done.

She opened her eyes fully expecting to see hatred in their eyes.

And there was anger. Anger at her for what she had done.

But they didn’t hate her.

“My God,” said Max. “Tess when this is over we all need to sit down and talk. Seriously talk about everything. All of us.”

“Can you, can you save Kyle?”

Max shook his head, “I don’t know. I am so… very tired. And I am worried about Isabel.”

Liz opened her eyes, a plan already in her eyes. “I have an idea. You aren’t going to like it. None of you will.”

“What?”

“Liz?”

Liz licked her lips. “Tess, I got the feeling that the memories you, you adjust, they get buried deep enough that the conscious mind has no access to them.”

Tess nodded. She did not like where this was going. “Yes, but from what I have experienced with Kyle, some of it lingers.” She sighed. “You want me to warp the memory of tonight from Isabel.”

“Yes.” Liz turned to Max. “I know you don’t like this. And, and we’d remove it once we take care of Aric.”

Max looked at Liz for a moment and then turned his worried eyes to Tess.

Tess sighed. “I don’t like it. But it would be safe, Max. It, it’s the layers that threaten Kyle. If he wasn’t so damn stubborn…. It would have killed different people, you know that. You felt it from what I sent you. But this, this is one layer. One lie.”

“And you haven’t warped her like you have Liz?”

“No. I sent you everything Max. Everything.” Tess sighed before elaborating. “I think your powers make it difficult to get into your head to do anything but alter the now. I know that I tried to do more when I was first here. But it was so hard.” She sighed again. “I am sorry. I really am for everything I have done.”

It was Liz who laid her arm on Tess’s. “We did it to ourselves. You helped. Knowing what you did to me…. Can you reverse it?”

“Yes. I, I just strengthened what was already there. It’s not complicated like what I did to Kyle. Fixing you and Maria should be easy.”

Max looked down. He thought for a moment and looked up. “Do it. If this storm goes on long enough it will destabilize the weather for the whole country.”

Liz said softly, “If not the world. This is one hell of a butterfly.”

Tess nodded abruptly. She turned to face Isabel. The thought of her bright mind collapsing like Kyle’s had flooded her thoughts. Tears began to flood down her cheeks. The rational part of her knew that what she was doing was not as dangerous, not as complicated. But just the thought, the realization of how evil her power was…..

She closed her eyes and let the power come to her. And she reached out. But it was so hard.

Would Max heal Kyle if she couldn’t save Isabel?

Would she lose both the friend and the lover?

She felt another tug on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw a softly smiling Liz. Max was over near Kyle, laying a hand on him.

Liz said, “Max will do what he can tonight. He won’t be able to do it all, but a balance, a balance can be found.”

Tess just jerkily nodded. But the tears would not stop. And she could not talk. She didn’t even try.

She turned again towards Isabel, who was still being rocked by the dead-eyed Alex. And again she started.

Liz softly said, “Can I help you?”

Tess stopped. “I just can’t do it, Liz. Not after Kyle. Never again.”

“Tess….. Your gift is not evil, nor are you. Both it and you have that potential, yes. So do I. So does Max. We will need your gifts before the end. If only to do what we do now. But if you will let me, I will help you.” Liz held out her hand.

Tess took it.

And together they buried Isabel’s horror and terror. They buried the memory deep and covered it with a night of blissful sleep.

It would have to be dealt with. But it would give them time. Time to defeat Aric.

They offered to do the same to Alex, but he quietly refused. He kissed Isabel one last time and left.

------

And outside the storm did not just disappear. The world doesn’t work like that.

The thunder and lightning would strike and the winds would howl for a little longer. But without Isabel’s support the system began to fade and fail. And by dawns early light it would be down to a mix of rain and snow.

School would indeed be cancelled. And people would talk of the wonders of the night, of the new Roswell Incident.

But the day, like the storm wasn’t over. This was going to be a holiday season that now one would forget.

Thanks again to everyone following along. This part is kind of slow, transition chapter.

Earth2Mama- Thanks. Alex has a plan. And he needs those memories, and what he dredged up from Isabel when he was singing to her. As for Max and Liz, if you are thinking what I think.... Then yes, it is a possibility that she has indeed.

Mt Gazer- Thanks as always.

keepsmiling7- Thanks. The simple thing she saw is that Liz is prepared to rule by Max's side. As for more than that, well, you shall see in a few chapters.

Grace52373- Thank you. Aric does indeed have valid reasons for wanting the Royals to do as he wants them too. He is still wrong, and a monster for what he has done. But he is not doing this solely for kicks.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

A Kiss to Build a Dream On part 24

Kyle-

Kyle opened his eyes. Surprising he didn’t’ hurt.

And he was still alive. He found that somewhat gratifying if a little surprising. He saw Tess and smiled. She was a knockout.

Well she always was, but now….

“Going somewhere?” Kyle said hoarsely. He lifted his head to take her all in. Tight black jeans and bright blue tight sweater. If he felt just a little better….

“The party remember? Its today.”

Kyle flumped back onto the pillow. He had forgotten. With all his thoughts of his messed up head and of Tess and of killing Aric….

It had simply slipped his mind.

“I take it I missed school?” He stared up at the ceiling. His dad wouldn’t be happy with that. His grades has slipped a little this quarter and he couldn’t really afford to miss a class right now.

“No. School was cancelled because of the snow.”

Kyle looked over again at Tess, “Snow?”

Tess shrugged slightly.

Kyle just watched her with a small smile. He shook his head after a moment. Funny, there was a time not so long ago that moment of silence between them would have felt awkward.

But now….. Kyle couldn’t help but smile and he sat up. His head felt strange. And everything looked subtly different.

Tess was just watching him, a slight smile on her face.

Kyle looked down. He still was just in his jeans.

Wait.

Where was he?

He was still in Tess’s room at the Evans’. He was so very dead.

“I need to get home!”

Tess walked over and pushed him back down onto the bed with one hand. “No. You can’t. Someone firebombed your house last night.”

“Aric?”

“We think so.”

“Is everyone okay?”

“Liz and Max are getting a large lunch ready for us. Isabel is setting up the space. Alex went home to get changed.”

“Michael is with your father and Amy, they are still looking for Maria.” Tess gulped worriedly, “Things are changing so fast, Kyle! And last night, I-I thought I almost lost you.”

Kyle pulled her close to him. He breathed in her scent, augmented with a touch of perfume.

Tess held him for a moment before pulling back. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. “I can’t cry. I can not cry.”

“Tess, I know its hard. But its better to let them go.”

“No,” She waved her hands over her face and smiled at Kyle. “Later, when we have finished. Then I can cry. Isabel and Liz just spent like an hour doing makeup on all of us. Isabel would kill me if I messed it up.”

Kyle’s voice was soft, “How is Isabel?”

“She’s, she’s fine.”

“You mind warped her?” Kyle asked, with only a touch of an edge. You would think that Tess could see how dangerous it was now….

“It was Max’s decision. Liz helped me, buffered her mind. My God, how could I not have seen what an evil bastard Aric was?”

“You did remember? That was why you kept mind warping me.”

“Oh, Kyle! I could have killed you.” Tess threw herself back into his arms, tears flowing freely.

“But you didn’t. You didn’t. Now we just need to take care of Aric. And then we can well, move forward I guess.” He kissed her and held her close.

“How, Kyle? How?”

He pushed her back a little, enough to look her in the eyes. “Its really simple. We just kill him.”

“Well pardon me. I think I remember telling you he will only come back.” She brushed a little hair out of her eyes.

“I admit it will only buy us time. But right now, right now that is what we need. We will just have to be very careful..” Kyle wiped a tear away from Tess’s eyes.

“What you did last night…. Kyle it was very brave.”

“Yep that’s me. Brave to a fault.”

“And stupid. He could have killed you. In fact he should have killed you. He can kill with a touch!”

“Well for whatever reason he didn’t.”

They held each other close for a little bit, kiss each other softly.

Both of them knew it couldn’t go far. Not here. Not now.

But it was an opportunity for them to just be together. Moments that would likely be harder to come by now that she lived here rather than at his house.

His house….

“Tess, what am I going to wear? If my house was torched….”

“I picked up a few things for you. Don’t worry I have money.” She got up. She turned to face him. “And Kyle, Mr. and Mrs. Evans they know about us. Just take you shower here.”

“They know about us as in…..”

“Yes, their not happy about it. Think we are too young, and might be a bad influence for Isabel and Max.”

Kyle just nodded.

Tess continued, “But while finding time might be hard, they do know about us. Your father does too.”

Another round of the Talk. Fun.

“Lunch should be ready in about a half hour or so. So you should get ready now.”

“Ok. Um, can I borrow your phone? I need to call Vicky. Make sure what time I need to pick her up.”

Tess walked to the door, looked back at him and nodded. “Its charging on the dresser. Just remember to plug it back in when you are done. I think I should have it at full charge just in case.”

“Yeah.” He smiled at her, and once more admired her outfit. Even if she would have to play around with it to get it back to perfection again.

Tess gave him and air kiss and left the room.

Kyle slipped out of bed and grabbed Tess’s cell phone. He called Vicky and scheduled when he would pick her up. He made the time a half hour earlier than it needed to be.

Kyle had a plan.

He dialed a separate number. “Hey, Pam?…. I have a favor to ask of you.”

It took him a couple of minutes to convince Pam of the dire necessity, but he was able to.

Kyle sighed. Just survive lunch and then on to the hard part. Hopefully Livian would actually know something that he could use.

At this point Kyle was desperate. He would use anything.

He sat down for a moment and used a meditation trick to calm himself down.

Now short of time, Kyle rushed to get a quick shower and get ready.

This was going to be an eventful party.

Thanks again to everyone reading this story and its related Companion stories. Also i should note that I took a somewhat distrubing section from the Companion Sinister Reverie. So you might want to skip the flash that Tess sees. It is in italics. Thank you again.

Mt. Gazer- Thanks again. That part, and to a lesser extent this one are a bit quieter. The action will pick up more at the party. The gang is planning now, and well meetings aren't the most exciting of things.

Earth2Mama- Thanks again. They plan on going to the party, all of them, because they KNOW Aric will be there. Then all they have to do is find and eliminate him. Easy to plan, hard to do. Vicky was Kyle's date. Kyle aslo has a stop or two to make before he get to the party, you will see them in his next part.

Grace52373- Thanks. They need to stop Aric somehow. After what he has done, it would be hard for them to leave him able to wander around free. But you are right, if they couldn't do it last time when the Royal Four had all the resources available to them, why does Aric think it will work this time?

Jake17- Thanks again. Sorry for that bit in A Soldier's Wife. I hopefully will have a happy companion in the works this week, just for you. Well you and all my other poor traumatized readers. Thank you again.

Roswelladdict- Thank you. Welcome back, I am glad you like my story. Part of the reason I write, certainly the reason I write in the Roswell community, is that the characters have such potential. I hope you continue to enjoy.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.
A Kiss to Build a Dream On part 25

Tess

Tess walked down the corridor from her room at the Evan’s.

Isabel was standing at the door to her room. She was shaking slightly. She startled as she noticed Tess. A slow smile full of chagrin filled her face. “You let him wreck your makeup.”

“Sorry.” Tess could not help but notice just how nervous Isabel was just standing there. “Um, I could use some help if you can. You know make it perfect again?”

Isabel ignored her and turned back towards her room. The shaking started to increase, although you wouldn’t know it from the voice. “Something awful happened to me here last night. Didn’t it?”

“Isabel…. I….” What could Tess say? Tess and Liz had taken away the pain, but obviously part of her still knew.

Maybe what had happened earlier had been more than just flashes.

Isabel’s voice was soft as she continued, “It was Aric wasn’t it. I saw the way Max’s eyes hardened when his name was brought up. Not even Pierce made him react like that.” She turned back to Tess. “Let me guess. He raped me.” Isabel took a deep breath, “He raped me in Alex’s form. Didn’t he?”

“Isabel, something did happen. And yes it happened here. But it won’t help you to remember it. Not right now. Not until we have dealt with Aric.”

Isabel nodded slightly. “You mind warped me. No, don’t deny it Tess. My head feels strange and tight. Like something is blocked inside of me.”

“I promise I will remove it, Isabel. But right now…. Right now knowing won’t help you. After all of this is done, all of can heal.”

“Does Alex know?”

Tess nodded slowly.

Isabel blinked back tears. “Maybe that is why he won’t talk to me. He called you know. But he only spoke to Liz. He didn’t even ask for me.”

“Isabel it’s not like that! He loves you. You have to believe me.” She moved to hold the taller girl.

“But I am damaged. Damaged and broken. And T-t-t-ess?” Isabel was shuddering in her arms.

“Yes, Isabel?” She ran her hand along the distraught girl’s back.

“I am so s-s-scared. I-I-I don’t get s-s-scared. Not any more.”

“Me either. I thought I was invincible when I came to Roswell, Isabel. And I learned that I could and would be stopped. By people I used to look down upon, by a human. Then to find out my greatest power almost killed the man I love….. Yeah. I am scared too. But we are together Isabel. All of us together will defeat Aric, and then we will defeat anyone else stupid enough to try to hurt us.”

Isabel coughed a laugh, “I thought you said you were not invincible?”

“I am not. But all of us together, we’re something special Is. If you could have seen Kyle last night. He rushed in to save you. A human verses a waking nightmare. And he nearly killed him.” Tess’s grin was bright, “With his bare hands.”

“Wow. Nice to see all his years as a jock aren’t totally wasted.”

“And Liz…. You have seen her. She has fully accepted her new path.” Tess shook her head, “Together we can accomplish anything I think.”

“But Alex….”

“Alex was hurt as badly I fear. And….’

“NO! No I promised him. I promised I would protect him. That he could trust me! That I would protect him! He must hate me! I need to see him!” Isabel began to struggle in Tess’s arms. There was a frantic, desperate quality about it.

Tess reached out and calmed Isabel.

Isabel glared at her. “Get out of my skull, witch.”

Tess silently pushed her against the wall. “Isabel, this is NOT fair. Not fair or just at all. But you NEED to remain calm. If you loose it again, the warp might fray. Last night in your panic you nearly DESTROYED Roswell!”

“What!”

Tess had a small smile on her face, “Apparently Alex inspires you, you made it snow. Yes, it snowed throughout a sizable amount of Chavez county. But the windstorm afterwards was quite the sight. Apparently there were at least two tornadoes that touched down.” She saw the shock on Isabel’s face, “Is, no one got hurt. But you can see why we need to defuse the situation first. We take care of Aric first, then we try to ease those memories out.”

Isabel just stared at Tess in shock, “I made is snow?”

“Yes. Pretty and messy. Last night before Aric, before he….”

“Before he raped me.” Isabel said in a calm dry tone.

Tess winced, “You and Alex apparently came to terms. Pleasant terms.”

“I was going to break up with him. I don’t plan on it now, not if he, not if he will still take me. But you are making it sound like….”

“You made love to him. Quick, where is Alex?”

Isabel’s head swiveled, “He’s, he’s not here.” A tone of wonder began to creep into her voice, “But I can almost feel him. He is, he is that way. He is at home. And focused. So very focused.”

“Well. It seems you can pick up more than I can. Kyle’s lolling on my bed talking to Vicky.”

Isabel shot her a look.

Tess smiled broadly, “Trust me when I say that Kyle is mine. I am not jealous about her at all. I had him completely warped on Wednesday and he couldn’t sleep with Vicky. He tried. He couldn’t get it up. And trust me, girl, that is not a problem he has with me!”

“That is entirely too much information Tess.” Isabel said with a roll of the eyes. She looked again into her room. “I don’t know if I can go back in there.”

“Do you need anything?”

Isabel’s voice was small. “My purse and my phone. And tonight….”

“Tonight you bunk with me. And I will get everything you need out of there. We are here for you Isabel. You are not now and never will be alone.”

Isabel’s eyes were tearstained and sharp, “You have changed. You have changed for the better.” She hugged Tess tight. “I, we will be there for you as well.”

Tess pulled back slightly, tears in her own eyes. “That is what family is for.”

“Yeah.” They held each other tightly for a moment. “Tess?”

“Yeah?”

“You had better grab my make up case too. I think we both need a touch up.”

Tess giggled thickly, sniffling and wiping her eyes. “I think you are right.” Tess walked into the room and grabbed the make up case.

Both of them walked back and tied up a bathroom while Isabel and Tess got ready. Again.

--------

Tess smiled as a now smiling Isabel walked down the hallway. It had taken fifteen minutes before Isabel had been content with their make up.

Liz and Max were back from the Crashdown. They had come bearing lots of food.

Tess had paid for it. Aric had yet to close down the accounts he had set up for her. Or even touch the hidden accounts he had left for all of them if he had fallen.

She wasn’t quite sure what Max and Liz’s thoughts would be when she turned some of it over to them. Aric had made sure that she would be financially stable if anything had happened to him.

Technically most of it was in the hands of trustees until she turned eighteen. The house was a good example. Technically Aric still owned it in the name of Ed Harding. There were financial instruments in place that paid the bills and taxes on it.

But that wasn’t the deepest money well she had. Aric had set up lots of little accounts. Where he had gotten the money was something she had never really considered before now. But she assumed he had done things for people or had stolen it.

She shook her head. They simply needed to be rid of Aric.

Money wouldn’t be a major issue for them at their start.

Diane was dressed and walking toward the door. She turned and saw Tess. “Honey, we need to talk. About you and the Valenti boy.”

“Yeah. I am sorry about that. I just, I just….”

Diane smiled sympathetically, “Being a teenager is a confusing time for all of you. I just need to make sure you understand all the risks. That you know everything you need to before you get over your head.”

Aric had covered the basics of human biology not long after her first period. It had been a frank and open discussion that had also touched on Antaran biology as well.

Tess closed her eyes. “Thank you. I am sorry if I have made things difficult.”

“Not at all, not at all. I am going out to do some last minute Christmas shopping. Is there anything you need?”

“No thanks, Mrs. Evans.”

“Oh, I still wish you would call me Diane. You enjoy your party tonight. It looks like you have a lunch planned as well.” Diane looked over at the now full table.

“That is just for us. Before we go.”

Diane smiled at her, “It is so nice to see all of you back over here. It hurt to see all of you drifting apart. Well I need to go. Bye kids.” She left.

Max smiled at Tess, “Come on in Tess and dig in.”

Tess walked over to the table. Isabel was already filling her plate. Kyle was probably still getting ready. It would give the rest of them some time to get some food. She selected a hamburger and fixed it just the way she liked it.” She looked up, “Thanks Liz. This is great.”

“Hey, you paid for it. And my dad thanks you for that by the way. Usually we just raid the kitchen, this will help the bottom line.”

Tess loved money. And not just for spending it either. She picked up a stalk of celery, slathered it with cream cheese and added a couple of jalapeños…. She smiled as the taste rolled in her mouth. She opened her eyes and looked at Liz with a smile, “I think you will find I bring more than just mind warping to the table.”

It was the whole psychology of the market. Aric had even allowed her to have a small fund of online trading in his name. She wasn’t always right, but she had a positive track record.

Maybe if she got a hold of some CEO photos for Isabel to use, she could do even better.

Nah. Max and Liz would never stand for it.

Of course, what they didn’t know…..

She would have to think about it.

Liz smiled back, “I don’t doubt that. But still we need to get there first.”

“And that means eliminating Aric.”

Kyle breezed in and grabbed a plate. “Hmmm. Food.” He tossed and Orbit Ring in his mouth, “So where is Alex? Or Michael and Maria?”

Tess sighed, “I think they are still looking for Maria.”

Kyle’s face hardened, “Aric?”

Tess looked away, “I hope not. Because…..”

Liz said, “Maria is not dead. They called a few minutes ago. Maria was found in the Jetta alive. A little banged up and apparently she has a pretty nasty cut on her face. But…. Aric had her. And let her go.”

“Are you sure it’s Maria?”

“Michael assures me that it is her. Unless, can he mimic the bond?” Liz looked at her worriedly, before shooting a glance at Max.

“No. And he’s not really human. It takes some concentration but you can tell if it is a shape shifter. But…”

Kyle looked at her intently, support shining in his eyes as he plowed through a second hot dog.

Max sighed, “What is the catch?”

“My range for it is almost point blank. Around three feet. At that point…..”

“It is too late. So what are we going to do?” Max sat down and made himself a sandwich.

Liz had brought a lot of food. But then she was familiar with Michael and Kyle and Alex. Max too, for that matter.

Kyle mumbled around his hot dog. “We kill him. Simple as that.”

Isabel and Tess shared a glance. Boys.

Max finished his bite before responding, “Tess made me believe that just killing him was pointless. That he would regenerate and just come back later.”

Kyle looked over at Max, “Evans, what we need now is time. This will give us time. Unless you can think of a better idea?”

Liz and Max shared glances, but it was Liz who spoke up. “Not yet. Is there anything you haven’t told us Tess?”

Tess sighed slightly and set down her own burger. Her knowledge was part of the main course after all. “Not that I am aware of. I will say one thing. He is resistant to our powers. He knows how to use them better than any of us.” She fixed Max, “Even me. Maybe in particular me. My mind warps are useless on him.”

Max sighed, “He fought Michael to a stand still in the Hospital. I doubt I can heal him to death.”

Liz raised up her hand, “Don’t be too sure of that Max. That is a possibility. Not one I am happy with, but if we must….. “

Tess shivered. Liz would think of a way to turn the most positive of gifts into a weapon.

Of course, she had also thought of a few things Tess could do with her powers to help others. When the girl wasn’t overstressed or overemotional, her mind simply rocked.

Liz continued, “There had to be some sort of failsafe against this specific situation. There has to be some simple way to stop him.”

Tess said, “If there is, he never told me. And I never saw one.”

Isabel’s face suddenly lit up. “He is here.” She got up and headed to the door. She was half way there before the first knock landed.

All of them shared a mix of worried and amused glances.

They all waited for Isabel to come back. And ate for a few minutes in relative silence.

But Isabel did not immediately come back.

Liz looked at Tess worriedly, “Could she had broken the warp already?”

“I don’t think so. I will go check.” Tess said.

“I’ll come with you. Alex may need some help too.” Liz replied. “You two just keep munching. Just remember to save some for the rest of us.”

Kyle had a smirk and Max had a wounded but a amused look.

Liz simply shook her head and walked to the door.

Tess followed.

Both Isabel and Alex just stood there holding each other. Both of them were sobbing.

Tess touched Liz’s arm. “You take Isabel. I really need to check Alex out. Its not just covering up bad memories I am worried about. Isabel, well she is protected against some things Alex is not.”

“You think he might be booby-trapped?”

Tess looked at a now grim faced Liz, “It is possible. Stay close, I will call you if I need you.”

“Ok. But don’t hesitate.” She looked over at the two still holding each other and sobbing at the door. “Are you sure….”

Tess shook her head, “Aric couldn’t hide, not with all that emotion…. Isabel would get a flash for sure.”

Liz just looked at Tess. “You are right. I actually got one that time he pretended to be Max.”

Tess chuckled grimly, “I never stood a chance did I?” Liz tried to get a word in, but Tess placed a finger on her lips, “No, no it’s a good thing. I have Kyle, and I am probably happier with him than I would be with Max. Now we just need to pry those two apart. If only for a few moments.”

Liz walked up and said something to Isabel. Isabel nodded sadly. “See you in a few minutes?” She said hopefully to Alex.

Alex’s smile was soft, “I will be there for you always.”

Tess just shook her head. And waved at him. “I need to talk to you.”

Alex looked tired but focused, “I thought I told you I want to keep my memories. They hurt, but they are part of me.” He looked thoughtfully after Isabel, “You will give her back her memories, won’t you? Of us at least?”

Tess nodded, “Of course. I plan to eventually have her have all of it. She won’t really heal otherwise. But I may take it slow. And I can do it for you as well. Alex, I can help. I really can.”

Alex shocked her at his next bitter words, “I doubt you can give me the help I need. I doubt even Max can work that kind of miracle.”

Tess took a step forward, she had her tendrils of power lightly touching his mind. “What did he do to you?”

“Please don’t. I would like to keep a least a shred of dignity for as long as I can.”

Tess could feel knots in his skull. They certainly weren’t hers. She really hadn’t had to do much to Alex. Both he and Isabel had been neurotic enough that she just had to keep them separated. Words not power had sufficed with them. And she hoped that words would heal the breech as well.

“Alex, she loves you. She wouldn’t have slept with you otherwise.”

“Our one golden night. One never to be repeated.” Alex bit out the words as if they were venomous. He closed his eyes, “Please don’t rape me too.”

Tess flinched hard.

She clamped her mouth tightly shut. And glared at him. There was something horribly wrong with his mind. And he was going to try to brazen it out.

Not going to happen. Not on her watch.

Not even if it was Alex.

“Okay, Alex. We have two possible courses of action here. I am not going to push my powers on you, not without Max’s approval. But I can pretty much guarantee that he will give it to me. Only if he gets involved Liz and Isabel will be brought in. I’ll probably have Isabel buffer for me at the very least. Probably Liz too. So any secret you think you might be hiding will be out in the light of day. But if you let me do my job, let me make sure Aric didn’t plant some sort of suicidal command in your mind then we can just keep this confidential.”

Alex suddenly grabbed his head. “You think he might have done something here as well?”

Tess nodded tiredly, “One of his powers is domination. It’s sort of similar to what I do, but well it’s complicated. He can plant commands. He can’t mess with your memory at all, but he can make you do things. It is not fool proof. But we don’t want to take that risk.”

“Okay. Okay I will let you do it.”

Tess didn’t hesitate. She flashed the invisible tendrils deep into his mind. She often wished she saw more when she did this. But she would hold off a connection unless absolutely necessary. Besides she was looking for things that were not part of his normal mental architecture.

And she saw them. Too tough for her to loosen them as she was. She needed more leverage. She opened her eyes. “Okay. I am going to need to connect to you. I might see things, I will try to keep it as shallow as I can. But Alex, Aric really did a number on you.”

He nodded his head sadly. “Go ahead. You would all know soon enough.”

She dove in deep, and tried to pry the structure away…..

Flash-
Aric continued, “And to make sure that you will leave her alone until she has fulfilled her duty, you will have nothing to do with her. Or I will make you pay. I can preserve the seed you spilt within me. Save it for a more opportune time.”

The glow and heat began to grow, the bed shaking slightly. And Aric’s form rippled. Suddenly it wasn’t Isabel he was lying with. It was Vicky. Her voice and body exactly like the leggy cheerleader’s

“If you don’t do what I say. One day you will rape someone. Perhaps a school mate.” The body glowed again. And it was a sad eyed Liz. “Or maybe a dear friend. Or possibly even a…” Again the glow, again the heat. Only this time it was a small frightened body of just developing preteen girl. “Maybe even a little girl. They don’t treat pedophiles that well in prison I hear.”

Alex was just shaking his head, “No, no!” He desperately tried to pull himself out, but Aric held him firmly.

“Yes, I think a small girl would be best. Perhaps the daughter of a friend of the family. Or two. So many opportunities! And there will be no doubt of your guilt.”

Again Aric’s body shifted, still holding him tight. And Alex stared into his own face.

“Yes, my dear Alex,” Aric continued in Alex’s own voice, “There won’t be any doubt. Because, I will be you. The only thing I lacked was a sample to leave inside the girl. And now you have helpfully provided it.” Aric cocked his head to one side and made an evil smile. “In fact why don’t I keep these for a little while, as you won’t need them.”

Alex felt a great searing cutting pain from his crotch.

Aric pulled away. And he definitely was equipped as a guy now. He slid off the bed and looked down at Alex.

Alex couldn’t resist, one hand slipped along to his crotch. His heart pounding. He checked because all sensation, even pain was gone.

And his fears were realized. He was a sexless as a Ken doll.

Aric just grinned and hefted him up.

Alex tried to resist, but Aric was too strong. He tied up Alex, changing the fabric he used to a more durable form.

Aric set him in the closet, and with one hand absently playing with himself. He told Alex everything he was going to do with Isabel. “I was never a noble on Antar you see, I might as well get my taste while I can. Hope you enjoy the show.” And he sauntered over to the bed, climbed in and waited for the unsuspecting Isabel.

Alex strained and cried. But the best he could manage was a weak mumble. He worked at the complicated knots that Aric had woven into the bindings. He had to hurry!

It would have to be enough.
End Flash

Tess tried to hold in her need to vomit. For one person to do that to another!

And this was her FATHER!

No.

No she would NOT let him win. She kept her feet. Kept herself under control, swallowing heavily as she did. She focused angrily on the knot and felt as it burst.

And Alex was free.

She backed away and sat down.

Alex was right there, hands on her shoulders. “Are you okay? Do I need to call Max?”

Tess shook her head and looked up at Alex. To be hurt that badly, to be abused that badly, and still fear mostly for Isabel….

Alex was a very good guy. If she hadn’t known it before, she knew it now. And knew that Aric had tried to destroy him.

He had come close, Tess thought. But Alex’s love for Isabel kept him going.

She looked down at his crotch.

Alex noticed, “So you know.”

Tess swallowed heavily, trying to keep the bile down. She looked up at him, and said thickly, “Alex, it was all an illusion. He didn’t castrate you. And if he did, his other threats to you would have been pointless.” Tess wiped her mouth, a little drool escaping.

“That’s impossible. I checked Tess, trust me. They aren’t there anymore.”

“Go check. You are fine.”

Alex looked down. Then he looked at Tess. “Um, I will be right back.”

Tess just nodded and fought her nausea.

Kyle walked in. “I thought I felt you needed me. Is everything okay.”

Tess just looked up at his stormy eyes. “He needs to die, Kyle. The sooner the better. No one is safe with someone like that out there.”

“We’ll take care of him babe. Hopefully for good. But if not….” His eyes were hard as stone. “Next time we will be ready for him. But for now.”

“We need time. Do you really think he will be there tonight?”

“Yes. Yes, that bastard will want to see how effective all the crap he tried last night was. We will have to be careful. But we will shoot him down like the rabid dog that he is.”

“God you look so hot all determined.”

“Really? Too bad we don’t have any time to do anything about it.” He flopped down nest to her. Eyeing her lasciviously.

“Well, we could be late?” She ran a hand under his shirt.

“What about the others?”

“Max and Liz are trying for a baby. They probably wouldn’t mind a quickie themselves. Isabel and Alex well….”

“A bit awkward.” Kyle sighed and kissed her.

They happily kissed for a few moments before Kyle backed away.

“Kyle?”

He sighed, “I have to pick up Vicky, and there is something I need to get before I go.”

“Damn. This was starting out so well too.”

“After the party, or maybe,” Kyle’s grin was wide, “Maybe at the party.”

Tess rolled her eyes.

Kyle stood up, “We should get back to lunch before they come looking for us.”

“Okay, Kyle.” She looked at him as he helped her up. “and thank you.”

Kyle just grinned and lead her out to the rest of her friends.

And they talked and plotted. Aric had to die. There had to be a way.

Somehow.

Because no matter what Aric had to say, she had her mate. And it wasn’t Max.

Thanks again to everyone reading along. This is the last chapter before they get to the party and their opportunity to eliminate Aric, or suffer a horrific fate.

Note that there are three companions between chapters 25 and 26. Ultimatum catches us up with Michael and Maria. Majesty catches up with out Dreamer couple. And finally, Memory of Loss covers Alex and Isabel.

Ellie- Thanks again. Yep, Alex was under a cruel mindwarp. And unfortunately yes, it does mean that Aric will make good on his threat if he believes that Alex is a threat to Isabel's Destiny. They not only need to kill him dead, they need to hurry. Or even if our heroes live their lives will be irreparably damaged. Tess's mind warps are very effective, although part of the detachment is from Liz's help as well.

Carrie- Thanks again. You get your happy in the Dreamer story Majesty. A Memory of Loss is a little bittersweet, but not an angst ridden doom ride.

Grace52373- Thanks. Aric has definitely crossed the event horizon. And no, if his wife ever saw what he had become, she would be appalled.

Marymary- Thank you.

Mt. Gazer- Thanks again.

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

A Kiss to Build a Dream On part 26

Kyle

Kyle pulled up to Pam’s house. He walked up to the door and knocked.

His plans were still kind of hazy. He wasn’t sure that it was the best of ideas to pick up Pam first. But she was on the way to the UFO Museum.

And she was demanding answers.

A tall man opened the door. He looked down at Kyle. “You my Pammie’s date for this party she’s going to tonight?”

“We’re just friends. I will make sure that she has fun and gets back safely though.”

“Dad, cut the third degree. Kyle is the Sherriff’s son. Trust me tonight will be boring with him around. Right Kyle?”

“So you’re the Sherriff’s kid. Heard you were a bit of a trouble maker. But a good kid. Well, try to keep her from prying too much and getting in the wrong sort of trouble, you hear?” He kissed Pam. “Call me if you need a ride home, okay, honey?”

Pam just smiled and lead Kyle off the porch. They were almost to the car when Pam growled softly, “You better have a good reason for this Kyle.”

“Yeah, you brought your crystal?”

Pam frowned at him worriedly, “Yes. But why did you want me to bring it. You can’t be thinking to hypnotize Vicky tonight. Not with the party.”

Kyle sighed, “That is part of it. We have another stop to make before we get there.”

“Where? I really want to go to this party, Kyle.” She sat there a moment. “Something is seriously wrong isn’t it? It has something to do with Tess and all the Czechs.”

Kyle winced. It was bad enough she knew, but he would feel horrible if she came to some bad end because of his making her more involved than she already was. “Yes. I need to get something that might help us. But I need to talk to Livian to see how it works. She has to know.”

“Something to help you? But how? And why? And…..”

Kyle pulled up to the UFO Museum. “Just wait here a second and I will be right back.”

She just had her mouth open in shock. It opened and closed a couple of times, before snapping with a click. She shook her head, “Somehow I should have known.”

Kyle got out of the car and walked towards the door.

Pam followed. She nervously giggled, “So what are we looking for, an alien ray gun?”

“If you are coming with me, keep it down.” He stopped and turned to face her. “Its and alien device that might mean the difference of life and death of me and my friends. So, please, either help me or go wait in the car.”

Pam searched his face, “My God. You are serious.” She shook her head slightly and said quietly, “Please tell me you are joking.”

Kyle sighed, “I wish. Just please follow my lead. Or better yet, try to distract Brody. The item I need is in his office.”

“What if he has it locked up?”

“Then I am screwed and we do without.” Kyle shook his head, “Look, I will explain more when we are done. Just please, help me or go back to the car.”

“Let’s do it. But Valenti, the explanation had better be good.”

He grabbed her arm and started them moving back to the Museum, “It will be better than good. I will be true.”

The walked through the door. The Museum was technically open, even though business was always bad this close to Christmas. There were a couple of people looking at things in the gift shop, but the main portion of the Museum was empty.

Empty save a large Christmas tree and a little girl helping Brody to decorate it with little UFO ornaments. She looked to be all of five and very energetic. The light also seemed to shine on it a little brighter than normal for a moment.

Kyle shook his head.

Brody saw them. “Hello. We aren’t actually closed, but I am afraid I am not doing tours today. You can browse the gift shop or wander around for a little while. I need to finish this tree. Right Sydney?”

The little girl just ran up and smiled at both of them. She tilted her head slightly when she looked at Kyle. She shrugged slightly and began tugging her father towards the tree.

Pam smiled, “Do you mind if I help?” She then walked over to the tree and began engaging both Sydney and Brody in a conversation.

Kyle smiled. Perfect. He moved slowly toward the office. It was a bit of skill to move towards something without seeming to. And another to walk up the stairway to the office proper looking like you had every right to be there.

This part could get sticky.

But Pam was a good conversationalist apparently. Because no one called after him.

He searched the office quickly, but it was surprisingly easy to find. It was simply sitting on the desk next to a bunch of monitors.

One of the sigils lit up as he approached but nothing happened. He quickly put it in his pocket and made his way back towards the entrance.

The little girl was waiting for him.

Behind her, back in the Museum proper he could see Pam and Brody talking enthusiastically. About what Kyle had no clue.

“Hi.” What else could he say? Merry Christmas wasn’t going to get him anywhere at this moment.

“The Angel helped you too, didn’t he? Some time in the past.” Sydney had her head cocked sideways taking him in. “He fixed you up, just like me.”

“Uh….”

“You shine. And the only other people I have seen that shine like that are the others from the hospital. It was so nice they let me go home. I miss my daddy.”

She was one of the people Max had healed. What were the odds?

“Yes, I was. But right now I need to borrow this from your daddy, to help the Angel. But if I promise to bring it back, will you not tell your daddy that I took it.”

Sydney looked up at him.

Kyle had the odd feeling that he was being weighed and measured somehow. It was sublimely eerie.

The little girl hugged him. “Okay. But daddy will miss it. So bring it back. And tell the Angel I love him. And for him to thank God for me.”

“Okay, I will let him know.”

Sydney just smiled up at him and the two of them left the office.

Kyle walked up and patted Pam the shoulder. “We should go. We still have a party to go to.”

Pam nodded, “Thanks, sir. I still don’t think digital will ever replace 35 mm film, but I would love to see the cameras you have. And the photos…..”

Brody made a broad gesture, “Drop by the museum anytime. I will bring a couple cameras and show you how easy they are to work and….” He smiled sardonically. “I should let them go shouldn’t I pumpkin. Are you hungry? I think the Crashdown is till open and….”

“Blood of Alien Smoothie!”

“Bye.”

“Merry Christmas.”

Brody smiled, and said, “Yes, this one will be. Come on Pumpkin, dinner awaits us.” He moved to the office to call in an order.

Kyle grabbed Pam’s hand, “We should go. Quickly, just in case he notices its missing.”

Pam was still smiling as she nodded. She was quiet until the got into the car. “Okay, you owe me an explanation.”

Kyle started the Mustang and drove towards Vicky’s house. “I should warn you that there is a bit of danger that seems to come along with this knowledge.”

“Yeah, yeah, I have heard the warnings. Aliens are here.”

Kyle glanced at Pam, “Some of them are killers, Pam. And they would think as little of killing you as killing a bug. It really is dangerous.”

“Fine, you have your disclaimer, on with the actual explanation. I already know there is something up with your friends, and I suspect that is what all the drama is about tonight. So go on and tell me already!”

Kyle was silent for a moment, trying to figure out exactly how much to tell her. He decided to give her a bare bones account of the truth. If she asked extra questions, well he wouldn’t lie. But he wasn’t about to offer too much either.

“You have already figured out that Tess, Max, Isabel and Michael are special. Well they are reborn royalty from a far off world. Their family brought them back from death by mixing their DNA with our DNA and making hybrids. The rogue Protector, the reason for all of this, was actually part of their plan. The thing is, my friends are alive, and the plan that the aliens had for them….. Well it doesn’t work for them. Max is supposed to be with Tess and Isabel with Michael.”

“Oh that last would be fun to watch. From a distance.”

Kyle nodded. “Anyway, this creature will not accept anything other than complete capitulation to the plan. And he will do anything.”

Pam shook her head, “Kyle, your dad is the Sherriff, why doesn’t he just stop it? Or is he not in on this little secret?”

“Pam, this Protector has powers. He can change his shape. He can kill with a touch. As I said very dangerous. And before you ask about calling in more reinforcements, that simply isn’t an option. Not unless you want to see all of us, possibly including you, disappeared into some black project.”

“Jesus. I warned Vicky.” She tilted her head, “Topolsky was in on it, wasn’t she? I caught that she was a Fed last year she was here. It is one of the reason I started to pry a little bit in the Czechs’ affairs. But she was FBI, not DEA. So it wasn’t drugs. I couldn’t’ thing what it could be.” She laughed, a little hysterical. “For once I simply wasn’t paranoid enough. But you know, Roswell, aliens. It’s just such a cliché…. Silly me.”

“So you might be safer if I drop you off somewhere other than the party after we get to Vicky’s”

“And that will stop this monster? I presume it is a monster?” Pam shuddered, “I mean, a Shape shifter? He could be anyone!”

Kyle nodded. “He had killed and tortured. He even raped…..” No that was none of her business.

Pam’s eyes were wide, “Maybe you should leave me somewhere.”

“I will. Just let me know someplace I can drop you off at.”

Pam’s jaw set, “No. No I suppose I should see this through. I am going to want the truth from one of them after this is over, though. This was bad enough when I was half convinced Vicky was going nuts.”

Both of them were silent for the short remaining time it took for Kyle to drive to Vicky’s.

Vicky’s parents still were not home. A definite convenience as it would allow them to have Pam call Livian here. That way if Vicky were too drained he could leave both girls here.

To be honest, that would probably be the best thing anyway.

Of course, if these girls were like any of the headstrong women he already had in his life, they likely would want to go despite the danger. And as Vicky had a car, leaving them here would do no good.

They would be safer with him. Not much safer, but safer.

Plus if Doug noticed Vicky not at the party, he would likely go sniffing around her house. There was something… off about his old friend. If he didn’t know better, Kyle would think Doug was on drugs.

But he couldn’t think his ex-friend would be that stupid. They had started to do occasional drug tests for the student athletes. And that could ruin any hope of a scholarship, and Doug was very good at football.

Better than Kyle if truth was known. Kyle was too short and not quite fast enough to compensate.

That was okay, he preferred baseball anyway.

Kyle shook his head and got out of the car.

Pam followed him. Her face was grim.

Not surprising what he had told her, really. And there was a good chance that she picked up things that he hadn’t realized he’d said.

Kyle just hoped she could keep this secret.

Pam reached the door first and knocked. “I hope she can help you.”

“Me too.”

Vicky opened the door. She looked between her cousin and Kyle. “Okay, triple date? Never knew that Tess was quite that accepting.”

Pam opened her hand. Her crystal locket was in it.

Vicky swallowed. “I see. I take it we have to do that tonight?”

Kyle’s voice was soft, “I am sorry Vicky. If there were another way. But I need to know.”

Vicky swallowed again, “Okay, um, come in.” She looked over at Pam. “The living room?”

Pam nodded.

They all walked in silence. Vicky sat in an overstuffed chair.

Pam began to sway the pendant before Vicky. For what seemed forever nothing happened, Vicky only looked vaguely at the swirling pendant.

But Kyle noticed the sudden change. Vicky’s eyes grew sharp, “What is it? She is already taxed from last time. The last thing I need is for her to get hurt.”

Kyle moved in front of Pam, “It is my fault. I need to know how to use this.” He pulled the pentagon shaped our of his jacket. “I know from what I have, well lets just say I know this can help me.”

Livian looked at Kyle and then at the device. “Where did you get your hands on a Trithium Amplification Generator?”

“Someone had one in the local area and I borrowed it.”

“Do you have any clue how valuable that thing is?” Livian gestured expansively.

“Not a clue. I just know it could be useful.”

“Yes, but how? I didn’t think the hybrids memories were operational. Unless…..” Livian in Vicky’s body did something.

Kyle felt as if something were trying to reach into him and he PUSHED BACK.

Livian just stood there. “How very unexpected. We knew the possibility existed, and yet…. Fascinating.”

“Look, we have a rogue Protector who is going to harm me and my friends if we don’t stop him!”

Livian shook her head, “That shouldn’t be possible. Protectors shouldn’t be able to hurt their charges. It is possible it might be a threat to your human friends, though.”

Kyle grabbed Vicky’s shoulders and shook her, trying to get to the alien abducting her how important all this was. “He RAPED Isabel! Raped her! Does that not constitute harm on Antar?”

Livian was shaken. “He-he raped Vilandra? That, that shouldn’t be possible. Unless, unless he is broken from all the years he has been stranded. Do you, do you know the name of the Protector?”

“Aric, his name is Aric.” Kyle just looked deep into Vicky’s eyes. It was hard seeing someone else there peeking out of her eyes.

There was a brief pause. “This is not good. He was never supposed to be on the direct detail of the Royals. He is strictly a guard for the others.”

“The others died. They died before my friends were born.”

Livian was crying. She looked at the device. “I can’t hold on much longer without hurting her. But there is a way.” She closed her eyes for a moment, “But you will have to let me in.”

Why was he always stuck with aliens trying to get into his skull. He knew he was fairly average as far as brains were concerned. So why him?

But if it gave them any edge at all…..

“Okay.”

Vicky opened her eyes and Livian connected to him. He felt as information streamed into him at an incredible speed.

Too much! Much too much! Much too fast!

Kyle collapsed in a heap on Vicky’s rug. He blinked his eyes and tried to get himself functioning again.

Livian had left too quickly, hadn’t shut everything down properly. He felt a little dizzy and nauseous but okay.

Vicky was crying and looking at him. “I felt some of that. Near the end. It was… It was so beautiful.”

Pam looked at both of them. “Are either of you going to be ready for this party? We are already going to be late.” She looked seriously at Kyle, “Did you get what you needed?”

Kyle nodded. His brain still felt a little fried. He recognized the device. Even knew its real name and the name of the various symbols. But there was no way he could come close to pronouncing them.

Not even close.

Pam turned to face Vicky, “Are you going to be okay? I can go in your place.”

Kyle shook his head, stopping after a moment. The world still seemed shaking even now that his head had stopped. But things were slowly getting better. His voice sounded very strange in his ears. “You should both stay. It’s not safe.”

Pam looked at him. “If that creature came against us, you said it could kill with a touch. Is there anything we could do to stop it?”

Kyle shook his head again before holding his head in his hands. No more head shaking. Not tonight.

“And that device will work on it?”

Kyle looked at Pam, “Yes, but….”

“So it will work, then see, we are safer with you.” She reached over and straightened Vicky’s blouse a little for her. She looked over at Kyle though. “And I will not stand by as one of my friends is hurt and I can help.” Pam shook her head, “Isabel always seemed so invincible. I presume she had ways of protecting herself?”

Kyle nodded. Nodding didn‘t seem to rattle his head quite so much, “It is still not safe. If you stay here, Aric won’t even know you exist. You will be safe unless you get very unlucky.”

“Yes, but if you deal with him, we will be even safer.” Pam put away her pendant. “You can forget trying to convince me to leave. Not now.”

Vicky turned to face Kyle, “Isabel was raped?”

Kyle knew he was so very dead. If Michael didn’t kill him because he had spread the secret out, Isabel surely would because of this. “Are you alright?”

“Yes. She took the hit more herself this time. It is going to be a while before we can contact her. Please, Pam. Just don’t for a least a week okay?”

Pam nodded. “So we are going. How long do you think it will take for you two to be ready?”

Kyle sighed. Might as well arm his two new compatriots of the abyss as well as he could with the little knowledge he had.

Michael could only kill him once after all.

“How about we all have a nice cup of coffee and I will fill you both in on what I know. The short version should take a good ten to fifteen minutes. I should be okay by then. Vicky?”

Vicky slowly got out of the chair, “Three cups of coffee coming up.”

Kyle slowly followed the other two into the Delany’s kitchen. He sat down and gathered his thoughts. “It is hard to know where to start.”

Pam and Vicky just looked at each other. And waited.

Kyle nodded. Yeah, it started there. It wasn’t the full beginning, but it was the beginning of the humans inside of the abyss. “It all started the September before last when Liz Parker was shot…..”