Roswell Fanatics

Part 81.

“MAX!”

Max looked up when his name was yelled from where he was heading down the school corridor in search of Liz. He frowned slightly as he watched Natalie run towards him full tilt. Her face was pale, and she stumbled as she reached his side, Max reaching out to steady her. Nat grasped his hand tightly, her voice low with urgency.

“It’s Liz…there is something wrong with her,” Nat gasped out quietly, causing Max to immediately pale.

Max turned them towards the wall fluidly as he lowered his head slightly.

“What? Where is she?”

“In the science room…we found her crying on the floor. I don’t think she knew we were there Max…she’s really scared…crying…please Max…you have to hurry.”

Max nodded. “Can you go and get my brother…he’s out in the quad Natalie…. just pull him aside…I don’t want to cause a scene.”

With that he turned and ran, Natalie taking off in the other direction. Max’s heart was pounding in his chest as he ran down the corridor, his fear palpable as he rounded the corner and threw open the door to the science room. He could hear Pauly murmuring softly, his breath coming in sharp gasps as he rounded the desk and stopped short.

Liz was curled up on her side, Pauly’s letterman jacket draped over her shoulders and upper body as she lay there shaking. Pauly looked up, and remained silent as he watched Max’s face contort with pain. Max closed the distance between them and sank to his knees by Liz’s side. He reached out and rolled her over gently, Liz opening her eyes as she stared up at him blindly.

Slipping his arm under her neck, Max sat her up slowly, and gathered her into his arms, as her shaking gradually grew worse. Max sank onto the ground and opened his knees as he pulled Liz tightly against him, her head resting on his chest as she started to cry softly. Supporting her with one arm, Max used his free hand to sweep the hair back from her face.

Liz’s eyes were red and swollen, her face wet with tears as Max swallowed convulsively. Max blinked when Pauly recovered Liz with his jacket, Pauly staring straight at him. When Liz whimpered, Max broke their staring contest, and brushed his lips gently over her forehead as he continued to rub her back. His body felt strange…it hummed…almost like he was attached to a live wire. Looking back at Pauly, Max blinked slightly, his voice low as the feeling continued to run through him.

“Thank you.”

Pauly nodded, and then reached out slowly. He peeled the side of his jacket away, revealing Liz’s hands and gestured to them silently as he continued to hold Max’s eyes. Max looked down; his breath forced out of his lungs in shuddering gasps when he saw what Pauly was trying to show him. Why he had covered Liz up. And why he was staring at Max like he was. Green energy crackled and danced over Liz’s hands, her fingers twitching as if she was in pain.

“Keep her hands covered Max.”

The warning was low, Max covering her hands up as footsteps thudded towards them quickly. Zan burst into the room with Natalie in tow, Pauly blinking in surprise as Zan skidded to his knees before Max. The differences yet similarities in them were amazing. Max in jeans and a tight tee shirt. Zan in leather pants and a shirt that was unbuttoned, revealing his bare chest as he reached out and cupped Liz’s face in his hands.

“Liz…what da fuck happened Max? Jy said she was fine this mornin…what changed it?”

Max shook his head helplessly, the other three watching as Zan swept his thumbs under her eyes.

“Liz…open up baby…come on…”

Zan grew more and more frustrated as Liz’s eyes remained blank, only the falling tears showing them she was still locked inside of herself. The jacket fell away as Max shifted Liz in his arms, Zan’s eyes drawn straight to Liz’s hands. Brief shock flickered in his gaze, before wary distrust took over his golden gaze as he glanced slowly up at Pauly and Natalie through lowered lashes.

“Max…?” His voice was wary, his gaze flicking between the two frightened teenagers and his brother. One he trusted…two he didn’t know.

“I know Zan…that’s the reason he covered her up before I even got in here…I don’t care…I don’t care anymore…it’s gonna all come out eventually anyway…just…please…what do I do? What happened? She was fine Zan…what happened to her?”

Zan looked at Max silently, watching as his younger brother slowly began to lose it before his very eyes. Snapping his gaze over to Pauly, he spoke softly, the warning clear in his voice.

“Shut the door…and lock it.”

Pauly nodded, and scrambled to his feet. Running to the door he shut it softly and locked it, before returning to Liz’s side, Natalie kneeling down beside him and wringing her hands slightly. Zan looked at Max silently, Max raising eyes that were slowly clouding over in pain as he continued to absorb the excess energy in Liz’s body.

“Max…ya sure ‘bout this? Coz I can make it go away…like it ain’t even happenin bro…”

Max felt the first tear slid down his face. He understood now. He was channelling what she was feeling…her pain…her fear…and it shook him to the very depths of his soul. He knew Zan was offering to make Pauly and Natalie forget what they were seeing…in the end he simply nodded.

“All that matters Zan is Liz …the rest can wait…can’t it?”

He directed that last comment at Pauly, who simply nodded when Max’s voice broke slightly. Zan bit his lower lip but nodded in consent. Cupping Liz’s face in his hands again, he ignored the soft gasps that echoed around them when his hands glowed as he tried forcing a connection with Liz. Sweat beaded on his brow and upper lip, Max gradually getting paler and paler as the moments crept past.

The doorknob rattling had them all looking up in distraction, both Natalie and Pauly blinking when the doorknob glowed suddenly and the door swung open. Jy walked in and shut and relocked the door behind him, before turning to face them and striding over quickly. Kneeling down he simply shook his head and spoke quietly.

“Well this is fucked up ain’t it?”

Bright green eyes lingered on Pauly and Natalie, before he spoke again.

“No worries in tellin ‘em Max…they’ll keep it quiet. They’ll back ya when da time comes. As for this…Zan…ya know how to do it. Ya also know ya ain’t gonna be able to do it to Max or Liz or Ava…so back it up man, and support ya brother…he’s ‘bout to fuckin keel over. Max? Ya gonna have to trust me bro.”

Max barely had time to blink, before Jy leant closer to Liz and kissed her forehead gently. When he raised his eyes again, his voice was low.

“Do ya trust me?”

Max blinked, suddenly realising what Jy was asking of him. Did he trust him enough to connect with Liz? Did he trust him to keep her safe? To keep them all safe? To let him in and let him help…something he hadn’t really been doing. To stand aside not only as king, but as a man…and let him save the person Max feared losing more than any other? Was he strong enough to lay Liz’s life in the hands of another alien?

“Yes…I trust you.”

Jy nodded without breaking eye contact with Max, Max slumping slightly against Zan as he sat down behind him and gripped his shoulders, Zan’s low groan telling him that Zan was now channelling this strange energy too. But then it didn’t matter, Max watching in pained silence as Jy tilted Liz’s chin up, one hand holding her face, the other threading through her hair.

When Jy leant closer and pressed his lips against Liz’s, Max simply closed his eyes. He knew better than anyone that this was the easiest way to form a connection, but it still hurt. When he felt a hand grasp his, he opened his eyes again, Zan twisting slightly as the two brothers stared at each other. Max could see the pain in Zan’s eyes, and suddenly understood what Jy had been saying…or hadn’t been saying.

“Ya also know ya ain’t gonna be able to do it to Max or Liz or Ava…”

It would have been the ultimate betrayal for Zan. To finally have Ava in his life…to have Max in his life, which in turn meant Liz…and to Zan, it would have been a betrayal to kiss one girl who belonged to his brother, when his heart was owned by another. To see what Jy was no doubt seeing. To feel what Liz was feeling in those moments…it would have destroyed what little strength Zan had left….strength he needed to face what was coming.

“That fuckin dog!”

It was spat softly, Max breaking the look he shared with Zan to stare at Jy.

“What is it?” he asked weakly.

Jy looked down and sighed, his eyes troubled. When he looked back up he sighed softly again.

“I’m sorry Max…I can’t get to her.”

“What? How?” Max whispered.

Jy swallowed again, and then broke Max’s heart.

“Kivar owns her man…he was here. He’s done this. I’m sorry Max…. but there ain’t nothin I can do…not here anyways.”

“What about the others?” he asked weakly, tightening his hold on Liz.

Jy shook his head sadly. “It’s over Max…now it’s just a matter of time until he comes back for her…or she goes to him. I’m so fuckin sorry man. I can’t fix this…”

Max broke then, pulling Liz closer to him as he buried his head in her neck, his shoulders shaking as Natalie and Pauly looked on in growing horror. This was obviously bigger than they thought. They were so intent on watching Max, that they didn’t see Jy and Zan lock eyes. Didn’t see Zan’s eyebrows jerk up in surprise at what Jy mentally fed him. Or the look of understanding that dawned on Zan’s face. They looked at Jy though, who sighed softly.

“Meet us later on tonight at the quarry…we’ll answer all ya questions then.”

Pauly shook his head, his jaw tightening. “No…I want to know now.”

Max simply nodded. “Alright…we go to my house then. Jy...go get the others.”

Part 82.

Isabel watched Alex with a small smile on her face as he clowned around with Kyle and Tess, showing them that although he was lanky, he was also triple jointed, Tess collapsing against Kyle as tears of laughter ran down her face. The sound of Jy clearing his throat had them looking up, Tess rising to her feet slowly at the look on his face.

“What…what is it?”

Jy swallowed. “Kivar got to Liz,” he said softly, deathly silence following his statement. Jy lowered his gaze and spoke quietly.

“He’s taken da block I put in her mind, and replaced it with one of his own. I can’t get to her…I can’t get in.”

Silence followed his statement, a thick heavy silence that threatened to suffocate them all. Until Alex broke it.

“What do we do now then?”

Jy sighed. “We leave…we’re goin to Max’s house. Can ya’ll meet us there?”

“How are we going to get out of classes? I mean…yeah, we cut no worries, but it’ll be a bit funny to have eight of us missing at once,” Isabel ventured.

“Ummm…ten actually,” Jy mumbled. The silence fell again, Jy speaking quietly.

“That Pauly kid and his missus were da ones who found her…and she was sparkin.”

“Sparking?” Isabel asked in a soft voice.

“Showin power…they both saw it.”

Michael muttered an explosive oath under his breath and stood up, Isabel restraining him as he went to walk away. He swung to face her, anger clouding his eyes as Isabel stood up and stared him straight in the eye.

“No more Isabel…we can’t let anyone else in.”

“It’s too late for that Michael…we have no choice.”

Isabel stepped closer to him, Maria’s eyes widening slightly as Alex paled, Isabel brushing a soft kiss over Michael’s forehead. He relaxed slightly under her gentle caress, a wry smile crossing his face.

“That always calmed me down didn’t it?” he mumbled. Isabel simply smiled, cupping his cheek in her palm.

“Mi Rathard…He sabido siempre usted demasiado bien.”

Michael simply smiled. “And I you,” he murmured, reaching up to trail his hand across the back of her head. Her hair slipped through his fingers as he trailed some of the burnt gold hair through his fingers, a small smile crossing his face.

It was Jy clearing his throat that snapped them out of it, Isabel dropping her hand and Michael jerking back as if her touch had burnt. They stared at each other silently, both of them looking down at the ground as their cheeks burned.

“What the hell just happened?” Michael mumbled. Jy exchanged glances with Serena, and then spoke frankly.

“Isabel just told you…”

“I know what she said! What I want to know is, how the hell do I know? Why did I know she used to do that on Antar, and that it always worked to calm me? Why did I just look at her…like that? Like she was Valandra and I was Rathard again? What’s happening Jy?”

Jy sighed softly, and gathered his jacket and helmet up.

“I’ll tell ya everythin. As for school…Lyra? Ya got it covered?”

Lyra simply winked at him, and then waved her hand slightly.

“Done deal Jy…lets go.”

“Wait…what did you just do? Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Isabel cried, getting angrier as the seconds ticked past. Jy turned to face her as he started to back away.

“Lyra just created a warp…not only are all ten of ya in class, but ya all participating like ya normally would too, and da shit you need for class she’ll be able to relay to ya’ll individually. As she said…done deal. Now let’s go.”

It was six very confused teenagers that followed the four shape shifters and Ava down to the car park. They saw Zan leaning against the Trans Am, and Max’s dark head in the back seat of the same car, Liz cradled in his arms as he buried his head against her neck. As they approached them, Pauly pulled in beside Zan in his Bronco, Natalie in the front seat beside him. Zan tossed the keys to the Jeep to Isabel, his jaw tight.

“I’m takin Max and Liz. Aves…come on.”

Isabel nodded, and she walked over to the Jeep with Alex. Within minutes, the car park was missing a Jeep, a Jetta, a Mustang and a Bronco. As Pauly followed behind Zan, he opened his eyes to what he had originally thought was normal. But now he knew differently. There was something completely different about the four who were on the bikes. The two guys stayed either side of the Trans Am, the two girls floating between the three cars behind him.

Pauly shook his head and threw that thought to the wind. No need to speculate now…he’d know the truth soon enough. He chanced a quick look at Natalie, who was chewing her fingertip as she too stared at the car in front of them. They’d both seen Max’s brother’s hands glow…they’d seen it. Pauly was shaken from his thoughts however, when Natalie spoke softly.

“He knew Max was scared…he knew Paul. Max asked me to go and get him…. and as I went to pull the door open, his hand closed around my wrist…and I looked up at him…and he just knew. How’s that possible? I found Max looking for Liz in the hallway…Zan was outside…but he was looking for Max…”

Natalie turned to face him, her lower lip being thoroughly chewed on as she stared at him.

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to find out why…are you?”

Pauly swallowed, and pulled up on the grassy lawn of a well-kept house and shut off the engine. Turning to face her, he took her hands in his, and spoke softly.

“Not really no…but I don’t think it’s bad Nat. Max is just a kid…look at him.”

They both turned to watch Zan slide from the car and reach into the backseat. He gathered Liz up in his arms so Max could climb out, the heartbreak and misery evident as he took Liz back from Zan and turned to face Pauly and Natalie.

“He’s broken over this Nat…that tells me one thing.”

“What’s that?” she whispered.

Pauly smiled sadly. “That he loves her more than you or I could ever hope to comprehend. And that makes him a man in my book. Come on babe…lets go.”

Translations: “My Rathard…I’ve always known you too well.”

Part 83.

“I’m just gonna go upstairs,” Max mumbled as he walked inside, Zan grabbing his arm gently to stop him. The two men locked eyes, Zan speaking softly. His voice was flat, yet it spoke volumes to Max.

“Nah…ya gotta hear this Max. Ya gotta be there. So just sit on da couch…. Liz is sleepin anyways, so she’s safe for now. But when this is done? You and me gotta talk bro. It’s time…ya understandin me? But ya gotta see this out first.”

Max nodded silently, and followed Zan into the lounge room. He sank down into the armchair, Zan covering him up with the blanket from the couch as Liz whimpered softly and shifted in his arms. The others set themselves down around the lounge room, Pauly and Natalie sitting down on the couch with Kyle and Tess silently.

“Question…” Everyone looked up when Jy spoke. “Who was da last ones to see Liz?”

Tess and Maria raised their hands, Jy raising his eyebrow in silence. Tess scowled slightly, both she and Maria already feeling guilty enough as it was.

“Look Jy, she wanted a moment to catch her breath…a moment alone. So we left her at her locker. Is there anything wrong with that? We didn’t know ok?”

Jy sighed softly. “I know Tess…I’m not havin a go at you. I didn’t think he’d go for her at school either. But he did, so we go from there. Now… ‘nother question. Ya’ll wanna ask da annoyin little questions ya’ll have? Ya know? Da ones that niggle at da back of ya head? Or do ya want me to just go with da big picture?”

Max glanced at Pauly, and then spoke quietly. “The little ones…Pauly…why don’t you start out? I’m sure you have some.”

Pauly blanched when the group turned to look at him as one, and he nodded weakly as he swept his gaze over them. Max sitting in the armchair, his whole being shaken as he held Liz who was either asleep or unconscious. Max’s brother Zan, sitting on the arm of the chair Max sat in, Ava leaning against him from where she stood between his thighs. As he watched, subtle movement caught his eye, and he watched silently as the group rearranged themselves.

Isabel came to stand behind the chair Max sat in, her hands resting on Max’s shoulders. Michael stood beside her, his grey eyes flicking between Jy and Maria, a pleading expression on his face. And Tess, who sat at Max’s feet, her hand stroking his shin lightly as if to let him know she was there.

Kyle joined Alex and Maria on the stone hearth of the fireplace, Maria smiling bravely, even as questions danced in her clear green eyes. They held no discrimination as she looked slowly between Michael and Isabel, even though they both blushed and lowered their eyes. Alex laced his fingers through Maria’s, presenting a united front.

And between the two groups, sat the others. Kyan sat sprawled, with Lyra lounging between his thighs. Jy stood behind them, with Serena at his side. Pauly nodded slowly again, his eyes travelling over their faces slowly as he looked at each person. When his eyes finally came to rest on Max’s face, Pauly waited until Max lifted his eyes.

“What are you?”

It was blunt and to the point, Max smiling slightly as he shifted. “You want the long version or the shorter one?”

Pauly glanced at the others, and saw the first trickle of fear they were all trying so desperately to hide. “The shorter one. You all have a reason for being here other than Nat and me. If I have any other questions, I’m sure I can talk to you alone at some point Max.”

Max nodded, and then glanced over at Jy. “You sure about this Jy?” Jy nodded, Max shrugging slightly. He had nothing else to lose. He’d already lost Liz. He looked back at Pauly, and straightened his shoulders, even as his jaw tightened.

“We’re aliens. And what you’ve stumbled into, is a war that’s been going on between worlds, for the better part of the last seventy years.”

Pauly’s reaction was the one they had all been expecting. He snorted. “Sure Max. Aliens. I don’t believe in aliens Max. Aliens are something our parents tell us about in stories…not in reality. Seriously…what’s going on?”

Max smirked then, and let Zan take Liz as he stood up. Zan sat down, Max rolling his shoulders slightly as he approached Pauly.

“You don’t believe me…do you? You really do think I’m making this up don’t you?”

Pauly smirked and shook his head. Zan glanced Jy, and after a quick glance at Max, spoke quietly. “Show him. Show ‘em all.”

Jy smiled and untangled himself from Serena slowly. Standing up he levelled Pauly with another smile, before simply dropping his human form, and revealing the Antarian hidden beneath. His blades were fully extended, his eyes glowing with acidic fire as he smirked. When he spoke, his voice was low and laced with laughter.

“You’d better start believin boy…coz we’re real. Da war is real. And if this is da story of da century…. ya might wanna get comfy…”

Jy stalked over to them, and braced his hands on either side of Pauly’s shoulders and leant forward, letting him into his mind momentarily and showing him the truth. When he spoke again, his voice was so cold, that everyone shivered.

“…Coz ya in it. It’s real man. Da war that rages on our planets? Just spilt into ya back yard. Get ready to rumble Paul…coz by da end of it? Da whole world’s gonna know we’re real…you just get da heads up is all. It’s called bein in da wrong place at da right time. Welcome to reality man.”

Pauly stared up at Jy in shock as he slowly hid his true form under his human shield, the process of shifting back deliberately slow on Jy’s side. Pauly’s eyes dropped to Jy’s hands, where the blades were slowly disappearing under his skin, and then back up at Max. Pauly knew he could react one of two ways. Freak out completely, or sit and listen and keep the freak out to a minimum. He blinked once, and then nodded slowly.

“That actually explains a few things then,” he mumbled.

“Like what?” Max asked as Jy went back to sit with the others. Max approached them slowly, and eased himself down onto the coffee table as Nat stared up at him in a mixture of silent fear and fascination. Pauly looked up, and smiled slightly.

“It was one of you guys then that melted Kyle’s locker and gave Tommy that weird assed rash.”

Michael snorted with laughter and spoke up for the first time. “Yeah…that was me.”

“What can you do? I mean…I think I saw you do something to Tess’s hand the other day after she whaled on Pam Troy. Her hand was split across the knuckles, yet the following period, it was smooth again. Almost like it had never happened.”

“I healed her.”

“Healed?” It was Nat who asked that softly, Max nodding as he looked over at her. When Jy approached her with a small smile, Nat jumped, Jy shaking his head as he held out his hand.

“Just a small demonstration…nothing too bad,” he promised, Pauly nodding as he extended his own hand. He hissed in fright when Jy let one of his real fingers appear, his hiss of fright turning to one of pain when Jy gripped his hand and drew the sharp nail of his index finger down over the centre of Pauly’s palm. Nat gave a small cry of fright when blood immediately welled in the centre of his palm, Jy’s grip incredibly strong as he drew Pauly’s hand towards Max.

“Look at me…”

Pauly looked up at Max, and watched in shock as his eyes flooded gold. A tingle ran over his hands, not so different from pins and needles, and when Max let his hand go, Pauly looked down at his hand in muted fascination. His palm was blood- and cut-free. He snapped his eyes back up at Max, who simply smiled sadly.

“We’re not here to hurt anyone Pauly. We’re here to live. Nothing more.”

“Do you look like that too?” Nat asked. Max shook his head.

“No. Jy and the others are shape shifters. One hundred percent pure alien. They keep their true form hidden behind a human shield. Michael…Isabel…the rest of us. We’re half and half. Human alien hybrids. We’re exactly like you are Pauly…we just have a few added extras.”

“And how did you guys get pulled into this?” Nat asked, looking over at Kyle and Maria and Alex.

Maria smiled slightly at Max. “Liz was shot last September. Max saved her life. That was it. We were in. And when Kyle as shot, and Max healed him too…the group was complete. Eight of us. Four and four. Four square…right Max?”

Max nodded, Pauly knowing instantly that the others would talk to him later, that they had more urgent matters to deal with. Namely Liz. But he couldn’t help asking one last question.

“Max…how did you get down here?”

Max smiled slightly. “We died.”

Pauly blanched, his face paling as Max leant against the chair and gestured to the others.

“I told you Zan was my brother. That Ava and Tess were twins. That’s true. But it’s more than that. We died in the war on our planet. They recreated us…mixed our DNA with human DNA and sent us to earth where we baked for the next forty years. When we hatched…we looked like six year olds. Four of us were hidden in Roswell. Four were hidden in New York. Two sets.”

Pauly blinked slowly, Max shaking his head as he gesture helplessly to Zan for help. Zan smirked and leant forward.

“To put it blunt man? I’m Max. He’s Zan. One and da same person. We both came outta da same mixing bowl. I’ve always known ‘bout Max and them. They found outta ‘bout us earlier on this year. Two kings. Da same king. Yet Max is more my bro, than he is to Isabel. And it ain’t ‘bout livin in da same house. Ya savvy?”

Pauly nodded slightly, Michael turning to face Jy impatiently.

“Enough. We can talk more about that later. Can we get down to it now?”

Jy and Kyan exchanged glances, Jy sighing. “What do ya wanna know?”

“Everything. As you so nicely put it…the niggly shit first…then the real problem.”

Jy smirked and sat back. “Mmmkay then…let’s get it done. Who’s first?”

Part 84.

It was Michael who spoke up first, his cheeks flushing as he glanced at Maria.

“What happened between Isabel and me before?” he mumbled. Jy smirked, and sat back down with Serena.

“That one’s easy. Maria is ya link here…ya human link. We woke ya grumpy ass up remember? Ya dealin with residual emotions that ya had for Valandra. Ya haven’t got nothin to worry ‘bout. It happens. She knew ya Antarian half. Ya alien side. She knows how to calm it down. Just like Maria knows how to calm ya human side. Cos ya now more alien than human, she has to learn how to calm Rathard too, rather than just Michael. She’s dealin with it Michael…. you just have to meet her half way. But don’t stress. Ya ain’t gonna go jump Isabel’s bones any time soon.”

“It still hurt to see them like that though Jy” Maria said softly.

Jy turned to face her, and gestured casually at her and Alex’s entwined hands. “And that little display ain’t hurtin them?”

Maria and Alex both blushed, and let go. Jy chuckled softly, and glanced back at Michael and Isabel. “You both have to remember something. You were lovers on Antar. You were going to be bonded. Down here though…ya bro and sis. Friends. It makes ya both feel freaky when ya get a sudden rush like ya did today. When Rath momentarily comes out to play. When Valandra looks out of ya eyes. It’s kinda like déjvu…but that’s all it is. At da end of da day? Ya human halves? They control ya heart…and who ya let into it.”

Four people visibly relaxed, Max looking over at Lyra when he spoke. “Why did you tell me you were here for Zan? What did you mean by that?”

Kyan and Lyra exchanged silent words, before Kyan spoke up. “Zan’s my boy Max. We’ve already established that. Da reasons behind our loyalty though? I owe both Lyra’s and my life to Zan. I can’t heal, Max. Not like you and he can. Not like Serena and Jy can. Lyra was attacked by a group of Niko’s strongest Skins. If Zan hadn’t been with us? Lyra and I both would have died. He saved her life…and in turn, saved mine. Simple.”

“What do you mean?” Tess asked quietly.

“Lyra and I bonded on Antar. If she dies…I die. Da soul can’t handle it…its like bein cut in half. You see it on Antar between bonded souls. One dies on da killin fields, and da one on da other side of da planet drops dead at da same time. I owe him my life…he has my friendship because I’m his protector. I don’t know you yet Max. but I’m willin if ya are…to meet half way.”

“Where are ours?” Isabel ventured softly. Jy shrugged.

“Dunno. Each set was sent to earth with an individual protector and a group leader. I’m Ava’s…Serena was Lonnie’s. Kyan for Zan. And Lyra for Rath. Cal was our leader, but he shot through, and went and made himself a life. You four had a set and Nasado as a group leader. If what Cal told me is true, when Nasado brought Tess to LA, he realised what Nasado’s plans were, and knew da four individual protectors were dead by Nasado’s hand.”

“Why didn’t you come to help us then?” Michael bit out.

Jy raised his eyebrows silently, causing Michael to fall silent. “Ya have to understand somethin Michael. We didn’t know ya protectors were dead. Not until ‘bout six months ago. And anyways, what could we have done? Hmm? Taken ya outta da foster situation ya were in? Taken ya back to da city, to live in da sewers? Hmm? We got our first place about…. six months before Lonnie and Rath tried murderin Zan. Before that though? We had nothin man…Cal not only left da four high and dry…. he left us high and dry too.”

“What about destiny?” Max spoke up quietly.

Serena snorted softly. “What about it? Ya’ll heard da message. Ya were recreated, and sent to earth. Ya mum told ya who ya’s were in da last life, and that Antar was still in da grips of a civil war. That she wants ya to come home and free ‘em all. Ain’t gonna happen though.”

“Why?” Michael asked.

Lyra looked at him sadly, and spoke softly, her words chilling them all. “Everyone we loved? Everyone we knew? They’re all dead Michael. Yes, Antarians live for a fuckin long assed time, but we don’t live forever.”

Michael frowned slightly. “How old are you Lyra?”

Lyra frowned slightly as she thought about it, her answer sending gasps echoing around the room. “I’ve been on earth for forty odd years now…. I was in da army for thirty odd…I was…Ky? Seventeen? When I joined da army? …Sooo…. nearly ninety in human years?”

She grinned slightly, and blew Michael a kiss. “I look damn good yeah? Seriously though Michael. We live to be roughly a thousand or odd years.” Her smile faded, and she spoke softly. “I’ll still be here Michael…. when your body turns to dust. I’ll still be here…when the world ends. I’d rather live a human life…than basically for eternity.”

“What’s happened to Liz?” Tess asked softly.

Jy sat forward then, and spoke quietly. “Look…this is how it is. Kivar has taken da block I put in Liz’s mind…she’s reliving what happened to her…. over and over again. While that’s happenin…he’s put a block of his own in. It’s changin her…”

Jy ran his hands through his hair when he broke off, his voice low and laced with pain when he answered. “She will wake up soon. And when she does? She’s goin to start turnin. On all of us. She’ll begin to hate us. And crave him. She’s gonna dream ‘bout him. ‘Bout how it would be to be with him. He’ll possess another body whenever he can…come to her side to fuel da fire. And when he gets here in his own body? She’ll go to him willingly.”

“NO! I won’t accept that! I’ll kill him first,” Max spat out angrily, Jy standing up in one fluid motion.

“Ya ain’t got a fuckin choice in this Max. It’s already done! Ya wanna see what she’s seein? Ya wanna feel what she’s feelin? Fine.”

Before Max could react, Jy grabbed him by the arm, and twisted him, so that Max’s back was pressed up against Jy’s chest, Jy shoving him to his knees and grabbing Max’s face in his hands. Just like in New York when the emissary had used his powers to display the seal, Jy used his and Max’s combined powers to show the whole group. And it shattered them all….


Liz glanced around as she headed towards home. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the Crashdown lights up ahead. Her relief was short lived however. The silhouette of a man blocked her path, causing her to pull up sharp, her breathing shallow as she looked up into his face.

“Hello, beautiful. I’ve been looking for you,” he said cheerfully.

Liz took a step backward as he took one toward her. “What do you want?” she asked quietly, her whole body starting to shake as fear trickled down her spine.

“I can smell your fear,” he continued cheerfully, as if she hadn’t said a word.

Without another word, he lunged for her. A frightened cry escaped Liz’s lips as her bag was yanked from her back as she turned to run. The strap broke, bruising her shoulder as she ran toward the light, causing pain to explode in her shoulder. She was tugged back suddenly, her hair swinging violently around her face as he caught hold of her cardigan. Liz shrugged free of her cardigan wildly and she continued to run.

As she neared the lights, pain exploded in her head. Her attacker caught her by the hair, swinging her back to him. Her scream of fright died when she saw his eyes glowing in the darkness, her screams further cut off by the hand that squeezed at her throat, cutting off her airway. She clawed at his hands, his low chuckle echoing in the silence.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” he whispered, licking the side of her face.

Liz reared back, her knee coming up instinctively. She felt her knee connect, and for a moment she thought she was free when he let go of her, and she once more turned to run.

“Fuck!”

Then a cold hand closed around her arm, another tight around her waist. Pain exploded in her skull as she was picked up and slammed down on the ground. Stars exploded behind her eyes, leaving her stunned and helpless. His face loomed above her, a sadistic smile crossing his face.

“I wonder if his highness will want you when I’m finished,” he murmured.

Anger flashed in her eyes, her words slipping out before she could stop them. “I’d rather die than let you touch me!”

He smiled. “You might die yet baby…but not before I’m done…”

Liz twisted as he straddled her thighs, pain exploding along her lower jaw when his fist connected with her face. She felt a warm trickle run down the crease of her lip, her soft cry muffled when her attacker bent forward and licked her lips slowly. She cried out, once in revulsion, once in pain, when he gripped her chin in his hand and forced her to meet his eyes.

“Don’t tell me the little king hasn’t had the pleasure of this yet…that he hasn’t broken your body into the Antarian way of life.”

Liz started crying, the man sitting up and tapping the side of his face in delight. Then he grew still, his smile returning as he stared down at her.

“I really should apologise Elizabeth. How rude am I? Here we are, getting acquainted, and you don’t even know who I am. Oh well…time to rectify that I suppose.”

Liz’s chest heaved as his human skin slowly melted away, revealing the truth….

“No more!” Max cried, breaking free of Jy’s hold with a soft sob. Jy sank to his knees, his face dark with anger. Gripping Max’s chin, he forced him to face the wall, and the image that was frozen on it. Kivar’s image.

“Not nearly enough Max! Grow up and face it man. This! Is the fucker who raped and murdered your wife. Your sister. He slit your general’s throat. And made you watch as Avaria was gang raped by his men. That is the fucker ya gonna be facing Max! This is the asshole that tried rapin Liz. Who wants her…who is gonna come down here and kill all of us if we don’t pull together.”

Max shook his head, Jy gripping his chin and speaking so softly, that his words only reached Max’s ears. His words hardened Max’s heart, and turned him into the alien Jy needed him to be. It was a necessary cruelty…if they were to survive. And one he wouldn’t be crucified by anyone for making.

“Then say goodbye to Liz…your soul mate…now Max. There is a way to save her…but I guess ya just ain’t man enough to do it hey? Lay her out then Max…and let Kivar have her. You’re obviously still too weak…. boy…to save her. And here I was…thinkin ya were a man…who loved her enough. Are ya that man?”

Max lifted his head slowly, and looked at Jy quietly. “What do we need to do?”

Part 85.

After eight weeks of being as sick as a dog, and then having my hard drive go to computer heaven, I’m back. I want to thank each and every one of you for your continual patience and well wishes. I’m also now four and a half months pregnant, so I’m no longer sitting here with my eyes hanging out of my head while I stare wearily at a bucket!

I had this fic basically finished…but then my computer fried, and nothing could be pulled from the old hard drive, so I’m starting fresh too. I didn't get a chance to get these to chaps to Jenny to be beta'd so if there are any boo boo's, forgive me in advance!! And sorry guys, but you only get 2 today...but it's better than a kick in the ass right?

I’m picking this up two weeks later coz I can! The kids have just finished school, and have the holidays ahead of them. You’ll learn what has happened in those two weeks in later chapters…. I promise!! One more thing....big thanks to WendyEvans for the pm's...you rock babe! With that said…on we go…enjoy, and thanks again.

“Ompphh!”

Michael stared up at the clear sky through dazed eyes, his head ringing with a combination of thudding on the hard compacted sand of the desert, and the solid kick Lyra had landed on his chest that had launched him clear into the air. He vaguely heard her heavy boots crunch over the sand as she walked towards him, before her face swam into view before his eyes.

“Ya aiight down there Michael?” she purred, Michael hearing the self satisfied tone that flittered through her voice.

Scowling up at her, he accepted the hand she held out, and let her tug him to his feet. They regarded each other momentarily, before Lyra started laughing, Michael unable to hide the grin that crossed his face at her mirth.

“Da look on ya face Michael…ya got ya ass beat down by a chick man!”

Michael simply scowled, but his dancing eyes gave him away as they trudged towards the bags that were resting by the jeep. They sat side by side, sharing a bottle of cold water as they watched the others practise. They had been training for solidly for nearly eight days now. From the crack of dawn, until the sun sank, they trained with only short breaks for meals and rest.

The others drifted towards them in pairs, taking a brief break from the relentless pace Jy and Kyan were setting, their bones creaking and muscles aching as they all sat down. Only Tess continued to spar with Kyan, the others taking in the changes that were visible with in all of them, but mainly within her.

While Kyan was wearing loose jeans and boots, his bare chest gleaming with sweat, Tess was clad in torn off denim shorts that rode dangerously high, a black bra top, and doc martin boots that were covered with dust. Bruises stood out on her thighs, her curly hair pulled up into a messy knot as she and Kyan worked fluidly in the heat.

“Come on Tess…ya know ya want it” Kyan taunted, Tess’s soft grunt loud and clear as she ducked the punch he aimed at her face.

Even as the others watched in silently, Tess shoved a wayward curl out of her eyes. She straightened up, her eyes clear as she smirked at his taunts.

“What’s the matter Kyan? That all you got? Up the stakes.”

They stared at each other silently, the others wondering what she meant. Kyan knew though, and dropped his fighter’s stance as he stepped closer to her. Staring down at her, he searched her face carefully, his voice low when he spoke.

“Ya sure…really sure about this? I could seriously hurt ya Tess.”

Tess smiled slightly, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Is who ever coming at me in reality really gonna stop to gonna ask that? Are they really gonna stop and ask me if I’m ok if I break a bloody nail?”

Kyan shook his head, Tess glancing over at Jy silently. “Jy’s here incase anything goes wrong Kyan…I trust you.”

Kyan sighed but nodded anyway. When he stepped back, he heard but ignored the gasps that echoed around them when he let his hands relax, the lethal blades glowing in the bright sunlight as they slowly extended. Holding his hands out to the sides with his palms up, he regarded Tess once more. When she nodded, he rolled his neck, and they began once more.

They started out slow, Kyan giving Tess time to get used to dodging the blades. They paused momentarily when the tip of one scratched her upper arm, Tess hissing as the others jumped to their feet at the sight of the small trickle of blood that ran down her arm. She waved them back, holding Kyan’s gaze as she smiled again.

“Damn…that didn’t tickle hey! Hurts more than a bikini wax!”

Kyan snorted with laughter, and threw all defences down. Dust was kicked up into small clouds as they danced around each other, ducking punches, and jumping low sweeping kicks. Kyle held his breath in trepidation as the fight grew more serious, but managed a weak smile when Kyan’s loud grunt echoed as Tess landed a kick to his stomach.

Jy sat up straighter as Tess started to gain the upper hand, slowly driving Kyan backwards with each high kick she took. As one, the group held their breath when Kyan’s blades crashed together near Tess’s face, the muscles in Tess’s arms straining as she gripped his wrists in her hands from where she had caught them centimetres from her face.

Tess stared up at Kyan through his blades as she forced his arms apart, his smirk faltering when she made a kissing motion with her lips at him before smirking herself. That was all the warning he got, Tess leaning back slightly, and bringing her leg up between them, and kicking him in the chin. The move snapped Kyan’s chin back, and he stumbled, before falling flat on his back.

It didn’t stop there, Kyan snapping straight back up to his feet, and ducking the next kick Tess aimed at him. He slashed out at her with his blades fully extended, sending them humming with sound and vibration as they narrowly missed Tess’s side. Only her quick twist saved her skin, Kyle and Jy both jumping to their feet in shock.

As the two guys stepped forward however, Jy suddenly stopped and restrained Kyle by the arm, the warning shake of his head telling Kyle he could feel something was off in the air. Jy narrowed his eyes slightly, and started to smile as he stared at something that shimmered behind Kyan as Kyan continued to fight with Tess.

Kyle caught sight of the shimmer as it started to solidify, his grin breaking out in such happiness that his cheek muscles hurt. They watched as Tess approached Kyan silently from behind, while he continued to fight her mirror image. It was the strongest mind warp she had ever pulled off, her eyes narrowed with concentration as she silently stalked up behind Kyan.

He sensed the disturbance in the air a moment too late, Tess’s solid kick sending him sprawling, but not before he grabbed her wrists and dragged her down to the ground with him. He twisted as he fell, Tess landing on top of him with a thud. They stared at each other silently as the dust settled around them, before Kyan smirked and fisted his hand in her hair. Sitting up, he kissed her with a resounding smooch on the lips, before hooting with laughter.

“Ya cheeky fuckin bitch! I didn’t even feel ya warpin me…when da hell did it start?”

Tess grinned. “The first time I knocked you to the ground” she admitted, Kyan shaking his head as he leant to the side and spat some blood out of his mouth.

“Damn girl…ya getting mighty powerful with ya mind there…I’m proud of ya Tess. When have ya been practising?”

“While I watch Liz…”

The mention of Liz’s name sobered the entire group, the others looking down at the ground. Zan, Max and Ava were all missing, the three of them taking their turn to stand guard while the others practised. They took it in turns, sitting with her, and holding her limp hand as she stared vacantly at the ceiling of her room.

“Has there been any news today?” Isabel asked quietly.

Jy shook his head silently, his jaw tight as he glanced at his watch. When he looked back up, he regarded the others silently. Michael stared at him; worry turning his gaze serious and dark.

“What is it?” he asked softly.

Kyan and Jy exchanged glances, before simply sitting down and gesturing for the others to join them. Kyan drew his blades back and forth across the sand slowly, his voice low when he spoke.

“I spoke to da guy this mornin that I have in da city, who is watchin over things for us while we’re gone.”

Kyan flexed his hand, his blades withdrawing into his hand slowly as he lifted his gaze.

“Kivar left Antar a week ago. He’s on his way…with his own personal army.”

The others blanched white, Kyan biting his lower lip as he lowered his gaze again.

“Da army he’s bringin…they’re upper level skins…fully trained and willin to die for Kivar’s cause…namely Liz. These aliens fight almost as well as Antarians do…they know our strengths and weaknesses…they know a human’s strengths and weaknesses. They ain’t like da skins ya fought down here before.”

“What do you mean?” Kyle asked, voicing the question that had sprung to mind with everyone.

Kyan sighed helplessly. “With those skins, ya popped a seal on their back, and they went poof…these skins are different.”

“Different how?” Michael demanded.

Jy glanced up, his eyes flashing emerald fire. “For starters, they’re damn near impossible to kill. Like us, ya have to get close enough to spill blood…or set ‘em on fuckin fire. None of da fuckin easy goin poof shit.”

“What aren’t you saying Jy?” Tess asked quietly.

“We have two choices here…we can either stay and fight…maybe die for a cause that we won’t be able to win.”

“Or?” Michael asked.

“We run.”

“Fuck no!”

It exploded out of Alex’s mouth, the others turning to stare at him as he glared at Jy.

“We stay…we all stay.”

Jy grinned as the others nodded. “I was hopin ya’d all say that…coz I ain’t takin this fucker down on my own…. this is what we’d come up with if ya’ll decided to stay….”

Part 86.

Max stared down at Liz silently; her hand limp in his own as dust particles spun and danced in the air above her bed. Ava was curled up asleep beside her, Ava’s arm tucked gently around Liz’s waist as she snored gently. The creaking of a chair had Max lifting his gaze, and he watched as Zan sat up straight and rubbed his eyes. Zan blinked, his voice low when he spoke.

“Any change bro?”

Max shook his head, and scrubbed at his own eyes tiredly. They had come straight from training the night before to stay with Liz, catching what sleep they could in shifts. Jeff popped into the room hourly during the day, and had slept on the floor near the door that night.

“She woke slightly before, but her eyes were still glowing, so I knocked her back out,” he mumbled softly, Zan sighing as he stood up and came to sit at Max’s side. Max closed his eyes when Zan gripped his shoulder tightly, and dropped his chin to his chest.

“I feel so guilty Zan…she’s never going to forgive me for this. Keeping her unconscious like this with my powers.”

Zan sighed again. “It ain’t like ya got a choice man…ya saw how she was da one day she was awake. Ya gotta look at it from her point of view too Max…she was flittin between bein herself and bein…somethin else entirely.”

Max winced at the reminder, and nodded. The one-day Zan spoke of had been a nightmare. Liz had woken, and it had been almost like she was possessed. One moment she was a woman hell bent on hurting all of them with her words and accusation, and the next she was in tears, horrified with the things she had said and done…

Accusing Max of being after only one thing with her. Accusing Tess of really wanting Max, and of using Kyle to get to him. Calling Maria a selfish bitch, who only cared about what she wanted. Telling Isabel that she had an ice cap shoved up her ass, and a stone heart. The list was endless. Then there was that kiss with Zan…

Max sighed softly. He and Liz had had a blazing row, Zan coming between them to break it up. Liz had stared hard at Max, before smirking, and leaning against Zan.

“I wanna know what it feels like to be kissed by a real man,” she had purred, before yanking Zan’s head down by his collar, and pressing her lips against his in front of everyone.

Zan had shoved her away from himself roughly, Liz colliding with Jy hard. She had shaken her head slightly, before staring up at Jy with tear filled eyes. She had spoken once more, her voice a pain filled whisper.

“Help me…make it stop.”

Make it stop they did…and they all carried the guilt of that decision. Nearly two weeks had passed since that day, and they checked how she was daily. If she was Liz…she sat with them, and tried to apologise. None of them would hear of it. They knew she was being controlled now. But if she wasn’t Liz…well…that was entirely different.

Max sighed softly, thinking back to the conversation he had had with Jy, his own guilt put aside as he slid a sidelong glance at Zan. Zan knew the truth now as did Max…and it had taken Kyan, Michael, Kyle and Alex to hold Zan down. The truth had broken him for a single night…a night he and Ava had spent locked in their room, her soft crying and his anger still carrying through to Max’s room.

“How’s Ava doing?” Max asked softly, Zan glancing down at his lover with concern filled eyes.

“Better…we’ve both spoken with Jy, and we know why he did it. But I’ve gotta say Max…I wanted to kill him that night. I would have if it hadn’t been for da others.”

Max nodded in understanding. The whole truth had come out that night. The others thought that Jy would ask Max to force a bond with Liz, but he hadn’t. All Jy wanted, was for Max to face his alien side completely, and train as hard as he could. To not only train his body, but his powers too. That had been the easy part. The harder part was when Jy took Max aside, and told him to make his mind up. Was he willing to die for this…was he willing to let Liz go if that’s what it would take. Max had shaken his head, Jy smiling slightly as he clapped Max on the back.

“Da hardest thing in this that ya gonna face is da truth Max. Da truth ‘bout ya true origins…da side that ya kept buried. There are still secrets dividin da group…and they need to come out. I ain’t able to shield everyone…no matter how much I want too. Everythin I’ve ever done has been outta love…outta friendship. That can all change…it will all change…and I’m outta time man…I need ya help.”

The truth about what had really happened to Ava had come out. And Zan had seen red. It had taken the four guys to hold him down, and even then that had taken all their combined strength. It was only Ava’s soft sobs that had broken Zan’s anger, and he had carried Ava up to their room.

The following dawn, Zan had come down stairs for a smoke, and had found Jy sitting outside watching the sunrise with blank eyes. It was only then, that Zan saw the toll the last year had taken on Jy, and he had put his anger aside, and listened as Jy spoke in a flat voice, telling Zan the truth, and holding nothing back.

Kivar had raped Ava. And in those first few hours while Zan and Ava had slept, Jy had come inside to check on his cousin. Being an empath, he had sensed what had happened in the air. It was then, and only then, that he knew he had to bury it within Zan and Ava until the time was right. But then Kivar had tried raping Liz. And Jy knew he was out of time.

Zan and Max had taken a single night out into the desert together. They had spent all night talking. About Ava. About Liz. Their past lives, and this life too. Rath and Lonnie. Michael and Isabel. Jy and Serena. Kyan and Lyra. Friendship and love. Betrayal. Pierce. Life in the city. Life in solitude. Life in general. Death.

And as the sun rose, they had made a promise to each other. That if one died, the other would look after the others lover. Take care of them. Make sure they were ok. And to bury Kivar, no matter the cost. They went into the desert family. They returned brothers. Best friends. One soul, divided into two bodies. A bond only death would sever. The boy with in Max had fled with the dawn. In his place was a man. A man, who would go all the way.

Max knew how to break Kivar’s hold on Liz. It had been Zan who had explained it to him. Simply put…bond with her. But Max couldn’t do it. Not without her knowledge, and her consent. It had been Ava who had told Liz in one of her more lucid moments. So she knew too. But they were yet to talk about it together.

While her waking moments were rare, her dreams were vivid. They were either filled with what Kivar had done to her, or with what Kivar wanted her too see. And of late, they were starting to become more and more about Kivar himself, and the life he would give her as his queen. Liz had admitted in one of her better moments that she knew it was all lies, but it was still hard for the others to see.

One of the worst dreams Max had gone into with Isabel had been the night before. He had seen Liz at a lavish ball, her hair swept back with ribbons, and dressed in an elaborate ball gown. She had been sitting by Kivar’s side, her hand tucked into his. Max had stood on the fringes of her dream, watching helplessly as Kivar escorted Liz onto the ballroom floor, and had swept her into his arms.

Max had watched in pained silence as Kivar led Liz through the dance, holding her close to his body as slow haunting music played. Whether Kivar knew Max was there or not was beyond him, his gaze riveted on Liz as she was turned one way, and then another. Unable to do anymore than watch, Isabel had held Max’s hand, yet they had both seen the sadness and confusion within Liz’s gaze, and it gave them a small measure of comfort, knowing she knew it was all an elaborate lie.

The creaking of the bed snapped Max out of his solitude, and he smiled gently at Ava as she sat up. Dark shadows swept under her eyes, her skin pale as she blinked. Zan sat beside her, and pressed a soft kiss to her temple. They were back at square one, and everyone knew it. Yet no one blamed Jy any longer…he had been trying to do the right thing for his family was all.

“Why don’t you guys go and get some food…I’ll stay with Liz” Max murmered softly.

They agreed, and within moments, Max was alone with Liz. He continued to stare down at her, and watched warily half an hou later when life flickered into her dull eyes. She turned her face towards him, and blinked slowly.

“Max.”

It was the tone with which she said his voice that had him smiling in relief and leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips.

“You came back to me” he whispered.

Liz sighed, even as her eyes slowly darkened again. “Always…find me Max…it’s nearly time…”

Max nodded and watched as she fell silent once more. They were running out of time too quickly now…and there was nothing he could do to help her. Never in his whole life had he felt as helpless as he did right then. So he remained assilent as Liz, his grief private as the sun slowly sank on another day.

Abby! You were the one who corrupted me babe...now we party in gutter togather, and enjoy the naughtyness! Enjoy as always guys, and thanks again for the nominations. *smooches*

Part 87 ‘Because of you’ ~ Kelly Clarkson

Pale moonlight filtered in the open window, setting the room ablaze with ethereal light. Music played softly in the dimness, a cool breeze sending foamy curtains spinning gently around her as she stared up at the sky silently. Alone with her demons. With her continual nightmare. With the knowledge she probably wouldn’t survive. That she would die young. That her death was for a cause bigger than herself.

Her tears were as silent as her resolve. In moments like this, when the silence of the night was overwhelming, she could almost wish she could turn back time. But then reality slapped her in the face, and she knew she wouldn’t change a single moment. For the first time in her life she was standing on her own two feet. Making her own decisions. Being accountable for her actions, both past and present. She was finally free.

I will not make the same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself cause my heart so much misery
I will not break the way you did
You fell so hard
I've learned the hard way, to never let it get that far

She didn’t turn when her door opened, but simply sighed as warm hands closed over her shoulders, drawing her back against a solid chest. Without a single word he’d known. He always seemed to know when she was at her lowest. He always tried his best to cheer her up. To make the coming days easier to face. He didn’t know the details. She wouldn’t burden him with those. But she was yet to turn him away, when deep inside, she knew she should. It would only end in heartbreak, and deep down, they both knew it.

Yet when she turned within his embrace, blindly seeking out his mouth, he could taste her tears. Her sorrow. And the deep-rooted fear that continued to drive her to breaking point. He just held her tighter, relieved that she let him in at all. Let him help her in the silence of the night. Let him help her chase away the demons and pain. It was only when she took a step back from him that he stared down into her bottomless eyes.

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

He watched in silence as her shaking hands went to the first button on the shirt she was wearing. Watched as the button slid free, her hands moving down slowly to the following. His own hands came up, and closed gently over hers; stopping the journey they were taking. When she lifted her eyes, fear and tears turning them luminous, he knew if he spoke now, it would drive her away from him. So even though he knew they should talk about this, he undid the next button for her, and watched as love flooded her eyes. Just for him. And he knew he would love her for the rest of his life.

I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake, a smile, a laugh
Every day of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with

The feel of satin smooth skin under his fingers drove a soft groan from his mouth, and he pushed the shirt from her shoulders gently as she stared up at him. The dark blue material fell to her feet slowly, her skin gleaming. When he reached for her again, she came to him willingly. Her hands warm as they smoothed up over his chest and around his neck. Her mouth hot as it once more seeked his out. The softness of her hair as it slid over his hands. The smooth skin at the base of her spine. The curve of her bare back, and the fire burning deep within.

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust
Not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

The taste of her skin as he skimmed his lips down her throat, and her soft gasp as he dragged her closer to him. Turning with her locked in his arms, and crossing the few steps to her bed. The trust in her eyes as she stared up at him silently, her hair fanned out around her face, and her skin glowing in the moonlight. That trust turning to surprise as her eyes turned darker when he continued to taste her skin. Her breasts. And the feel of her arching up into him, and delving her hands into his hair.

I watched you die
I heard you cry
Every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry
In the middle of the night
For the same damn thing

Her breathless cries were muffled as he skimmed his hands over her body gently. Feeling the softness of her skin, and the gentle slope of her stomach, as he pressed moist kisses to her skin. His low chuckle when she tugged on his hair, her insistence turning his laughter to a groan as she caught his lips, and kissed him desperately. Pink lace panties joining black silk boxers on the floor. And a single whisper in the night as he paused, lying cradled between her thighs, and staring into her eyes.

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side
So I don't get hurt
Because of you
I tried my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty
Because of you
I am afraid

“Are you sure?”

Because of you

Her wince when he took her virginity. The single tear that slid down her face. And her small smile when he stopped moving, his eyes dark with concern, desire and love. Her breath catching when he moved again long moments later. Her body catching fire with his, and learning slowly as he slid his hands under her hips, and helped her to meet him. The feel of their skin rasping against each other. His soft groan against her throat, and her surprised cry muffled when he caught her mouth again, silencing them both as they moved with each other.

The feeling of his back and shoulders slick with sweat under her hands. Strong arms holding her tightly. Arms that were beginning to shake. Her whole body tightened, her cry soft as he lunged harder into her, pushing her that final step, and leaving her shaking in his embrace as he stiffened, and kissed her desperately, his face buried in her neck as he found his own release. Long silent moments passing between them. Broken when he lifted his head, his hair damp on his forehead. Hers in tangles, and caught up in his fingers. Sleepy smiles crossing both of their faces. A serious look entering his eyes and turning his voice low when he spoke.

“I love you…I’m always gonna love you.”

Tears that spilt over her lashes as she stared up at him. Tears he caught with his fingers. And she knew.

“It was always you. I just never knew it. But now I do. Always remember that. No matter what the future might bring…remember this moment…and that I love you too.”

Because of you

The opening of the door didn’t stir them. Neither did that the soft sigh that echoed around them as tired eyes took in the discarded clothing, and the empty condom wrapper. Eyes that took in the silhouette of their entwined bodies under the thin sheets. And the look of love that crossed his son’s face when he woke and looked down at her. And Jim knew…things would never be the same again.

Part 88.

Tess walked across the desert ground silently, her thoughts on Kyle, and how she had felt when she woke, locked in his arms that morning. The blush that had stained her cheeks, and the sleepy smile Kyle had given her. The slight ache between her thighs, that reminded her of how far she had come. Love and pain had driven her into Kyle’s embrace the previous night, and now Tess knew she had to face her future…and her past. Looking up, she regarded the entrance to the pod chamber silently, and knew she had final ghosts to lay to rest.

The chamber door slid open silently, the dust clearing slowly as Tess ducked inside. She stopped short however, when she saw Ava sitting under Max’s old pod, a strange look on her face. It reminded Tess that she wasn’t the only one with ghosts, and she crossed to Ava silently. Kneeling down beside the other girl, Tess simply looked at her. When Ava eventually spoke, her voice was low.

“I know why Jy did what he did, and I’m aiight with it.”

Tess nodded, and simply tucked Ava’s hand into her own. When Ava looked over at her, Tess simply stared back, the two mirror images understanding without a word why they had both come here in this moment in time.

“What did Avaria say to you when you were woken?” Tess asked softly.

Ava stood up and brushed her pants off, before heading for the entrance of the pod chamber. Tess followed her silently, the two girls climbing down the rocky face to stand at the base of the rock formation. Ava stared out across the desert in silence, her eyes shadowed when she finally turned to look at Tess.

“I was woken when I was ten…as were da others. She told me about ya…and that I had to show ya da way. That love and knowledge shared, would win da final war. How ‘bout you?”

Tess lowered her eyes. “She showed me the future…and how to win this. But I don’t know how to tap into it. I’ve done it twice and it scared the utter shit out of me both times Ava.”

Ava nodded, and turned back to face the desert.

“Jy doesn’t know that I know da way. He ain’t gonna know either Tess. This is between you and me…”

Ava glanced back at Tess, and smiled slightly. “Ya ready to shake down girl?”

They settled down on the sand, Ava’s face serene, and Tess’s curious. Leaning back on her hands, Ava tilted her face up to the sun, letting it warm her slowly as she gathered her thoughts on how to explain this to Tess.

“Aiight…ya know how to throw a shield now. Ya focus ya power on da one spot, and when it feels right, it tingles…so ya then focus on forming a wall yeah? A protective wall…and it just…happens. Am I right?”

Tess nodded as she sifted the sand through her fingers. Ava glanced over at her quietly.

“This is completely different. Ya have to let all da power ya carry out…ya feel it rollin through ya body…heatin ya skin and warmin ya blood…then it comes out in one big assed wave…ya just have to be strong enough to let it happen.”

Tess had been chewing on her lip while Ava tried explaining it to her, and she let her lip slide from between her teeth with a moist sound as she slowly nodded.

“Kind of like when we warp a person…is that what you mean?” she asked.

Ava shook her head. “No…with that, ya tryin to get into da person’s head…makin ‘em see shit that ain’t there. With this…ya lettin it out. I know when I sustain a massive warp, I tend to get a headache after…da power rolls through their mind as well as mine…this is like openin a can of worms…it just…pops…. shit, I ain’t makin no sense am I?”

Tess started laughing, Ava smirking as she shook her head.

“How’s things with Zan?” Tess asked after a while. Ava frowned slightly.

“He’s walkin on egg shells around me…I know he thinks that if he makes a move, or says da wrong thing, that I’m gonna break. But for some reason, I don’t think I would. I think I always knew Tess…that it had happened.”

Tess glanced at her hands, contemplating her words carefully. When she looked up, she took a deep breath, and saw that Ava knew what she was going to say.

“Have you said it out loud at all? Admitted what he did to you?”

Ava scowled. “Admit what Tess? That da fucker raped me? That he kicked da shit outta me? That he had my lover killed …phfft. Believe me babe, I know what he did. And he’s gonna pay. One way or another…he’s gonna pay.”

Tess winced, Ava dusting her pants off as she stood up and stared vacantly across the desert again. Tess watched her silently, her eyes widening slowly when she saw the flames that flickered to life on Ava’s hands, and circled her wrists. Glancing back down at Tess, Ava motioned for her to stand up.

“I’m stronger than I look Tess. And that’s my biggest weapon. Kyan knows…he’s always known. He’s da one who trained me. So he knows what I’m capable of. Just as he knows what you’re capable of. He and Zan might be boys…but in da other life? I was his queen…and he was my protector alone. Him and Trist. Trist was sent with you…Kyan with me.”

“What was Trist like?”

Ava started laughing. “He was worse than Kyan…one overly sexual bein, packed into one hell of a body. Da stronger protectors came with you guys. And Nasado killed da lot of ‘em…”

Tess turned away violently at the mention of Nasado’s name. And Ava knew she finally had the button to push.

“Now that was one seriously fucked up alien. Who da hell did he think he was? Tryin to make ya into a whore? Tryin to get ya to turn ya back on da people we need most? Do ya know that if ya had of returned to Antar, that Kivar woulda killed ya? He woulda had ya publicly executed…and any kid ya were carryin…and da worst part? Nasado knew all of this. Ya were just a means to an end…a ticket home. Ya meant nothin to him…”

Tess closed her eyes tightly, once more hearing Nasado’s voice in her head. Once more feeling the pain he inflicted on her. The lies he had told her. And felt her anger begin to rise. Ava simply smiled as she let her own power gather.

“Did ya know that Cal asked him to let ya be? That ya were innocent? Nasado and Cal were chosen to come here…they didn’t have no choice. And Nasado took his revenge out on ya. A kid. Man…would ya have really tried to warp Max into fallin in love with ya? To havin a kid with ya? Do ya know how much they would hate ya if ya had of done that and yet…here ya are…finally at home with da group…and Nasado wanted to take that all away from ya.”

Tess started to breath heavily, her eyes closed, and her hands tightly clenched as she fought an internal war. And when Ava spoke next, it broke Tess.

“Ya were pregnant on Antar Tess…a baby formed in love. And Kivar took that from ya. His men gang raped ya…in front of Zan…and as his men defiled ya…Kivar killed Zan in front of ya…and that’s what he plans on doin again.”

Tess felt her body coil, her back arching in pain as she fought what she was feeling. Opening her eyes weakly, she gasped in rage when she saw Nasado standing in front of her. A scream of undiluted rage echoed across the desert, Ava throwing a shield up as Tess finally let go. And a wall of flames spewed out across the desert, burning plant life, and crystallising the sand as Tess finally fell to her knees.

When she finally opened her eyes, the sun was setting. Warm thighs cradled her head, a gentle hand sifting through her hair. And Tess looked up into Ava’s warm gaze. And even as Ava spoke, Tess knew. She could feel it.

“Now ya ready.”

Tess nodded, and simply closed her eyes weakly. It had taken a lot out of her…but she knew. She knew how far she was willing to go. Opening her eyes, Tess looked up at Ava once more.

“Did I get him?”

Ava simply smiled. She knew Tess knew that Nasado had been a warp, but it wasn’t the point.

“Yeah babe…ya crispy crittered his ass. Ya got him.”

Tess nodded, and simply smiled. “Felt good…to pay him back…thank you.”

Ava smiled in response. “Any time…”

Part 89. Sorry it's so short guys, and thanks for the constant support.

Max woke slowly. The room was dark, and the bed beside him empty. Swinging up, he searched the room quickly, a soft sigh of relief escaping his mouth when he heard the bath running. Standing up, he moved silently towards the door, only to stop short when he heard two voices instead of one. Resting his hand against the door, Max listened silently, a small frown appearing between his eyebrows.

“I just feel like I don’t have any choice Tess. That if I don’t do this, that everyone I know and love will die, and that everything is riding on me…bonding...with Max.”

Max swallowed hard, and slid down the wall slowly, his eyes sliding shut in pain as he continued to listen. Inside the bathroom, Tess sat beside the bath, and washed Liz’s back slowly, the steam and gentle scent of vanilla comforting them both.

“You do have a choice Liz,” Tess murmured softly.

Liz looked up at her, and shook her head sadly. “Not really Tess. I can feel him getting closer. Kivar…he haunts my dreams all the time now. Each dream is becoming more detailed…he’s trying to show me the life he would give me. That if I go to him without argument…it would save us all.”

Tess shook her head violently. “No…don’t you even think about that. I’d rather die than watch you fall. You hear me Liz?”

Liz lowered her gaze, tears sliding down her face slowly as Tess stared at her. She heard Tess swear softly, before the water suddenly sloshed dangerously over the edge of the bath, Tess kneeling down in the water in front of Liz and tilting her chin up so that the two girls met eyes.

“No…let me tell you something. You saved me. You saved me from myself. Now it’s my turn to repay the favour. We’ll find a way Liz. If you don’t want to bond with Max, then don’t. No one can force that on you…not Jy and the shifters…not any of us…it’s you who has to make that choice. If you want to…then great. But if you don’t…then don’t.”

Liz bit her lip, and swept some hair behind her ear as Tess continued to kneel before her.

“I’m scared Tess.”

Tess smiled sadly. “So am I Liz…but the thing is though, that you should really talk to Max about this. Tell him how you feel. He can’t read minds Liz. None of us can. In that respect, we are as human as you…fumbling along in the dark.”

Liz sighed, before a small laugh escaped her lips as Tess simply sat back fully clothed in the bath with her.

“How’s things with Kyle?” Liz asked slyly, unable to hide her smile as Tess’s cheeks flamed red.

“Nice subject change Liz…things are great…I should have kissed him a long time ago…he makes me…I dunno….feel safe?”

Liz smiled and nodded. “That’s how I used to feel with Max.”

“Used to?”

“I don’t feel safe with anyone now Tess. And I’m not saying that to hurt anyone…but what if he gets here…what if I go to him. I don’t want to Tess. I want to stay here…I want to love Max. I want him Tess…but not because of this…I just…I just want things to go back to normal.”

Tess sighed, and helped Liz stand up. Looking her square in the eye, Tess spoke seriously.

“That’s the problem Liz…there is no normal. There never was. And all you can do is sit down with Max, and tell him how you feel. Tell him what you told me. That you do want to him, but that you’re scared.”

“How do you know what scares me so well?” Liz mumbled.

Tess simply smiled. “I had sex with Kyle yesterday for the first time Liz…believe me…I was so scared, that I thought I was gonna be sick. But I wasn’t, and it was the best night of my life. Because I learnt something last night Liz…”

“What’s that?”

“That I’m human. That I have a heart. And that I love Kyle. Now get dried, and go and talk to Max.”

Part 90.

Ricardo’s footsteps where muffled by the thick carpet lining the corridor, the dull metal of the ship’s hull gleaming as he swept into the private chambers of his king. Kivar was facing the outer window, the endless spance of star filled darkness glowing in his eyes. His legs were encased with what the humans called leather, the rest of his body bare except for the flowing cape that swirled around his feet. It was how they all dressed…their code. Ricardo knelt on one knee in respect, his head lowered as he waited for Kivar to acknowledge him.

“Rise Ricardo…what news do you bring?”

Ricardo rose slowly, his eyes down cast as he spoke quietly.

“We reach the star system she is located in with in a week my lord. It will take us a further week following that.”

Kivar nodded, and turned his gaze back to the endless spance of space before him. He could feel what Ricardo was thinking, and chuckled softly.

“You wonder if this girl is worth the war that will break out when I take her…am I correct Ricardo?”

“Aye my lord…I mean no disrespect in any way my king, but you are taking a human girl. A girl who is guarded by Jyrelik and Kyan. Many of the men think this is a suicide mission my lord. What makes her so special? Why her, when you could have Avaria. Or Valandra. Other than her beauty, why her?”

Kivar chuckled softly. “Many reasons. Her power. Her beauty yes. The way she fought me. But most of all?” Kivar turned slowly, a feral smile crossing his face. “Because she belongs to him. And he will fight for her…and it warms me to the depth of my being, to know her face is the last thing he shall ever see. That I shall bring him to his knees once more over his chosen mate.”

Ricardo smiled faintly, the scars on Kivar’s face standing out a deep red against his dark skin. When Kivar gestured for him to come closer, Ricardo went willingly, and watched in silence as Kivar raised a clawed hand, and tapped out a code on the hologram board before him. The window shimmered, before turning opaque. When the surface solidified, a single screen appeared, before splitting off into eight smaller screens. And Ricardo caught his first silent glimpse of his king’s enemies.

Maria and Michael sat close together on a swinging hammock, Michael watching the sun slowly sink as they leant against one another. Their hands were entwined, Maria’s eyes shut as she caught up on some much needed sleep. Michael glanced down at her when she shifted, a small smile crossing his face as she resettled, before once more watching the sunset.

Isabel and Alex were sitting on Alex’s bed together. Alex was strumming his guitar softly, Isabel watching his hands closely. When she nodded, Alex handed the guitar to her, and positioned her fingers correctly. Isabel strummed the strings slowly, Alex telling her something silently, that had her throwing her head back in silent laughter, Alex blushing when she leant forward and kissed him slowly.

Kyle was sitting on the couch with Jim, his father’s face serious as he spoke softly. Kyle blushed and ducked his head, Jim’s grip on Kyle’s wrist solid as he shook his head. Kyle looked back up, Jim reaching down behind him and handing Kyle a small box. When Tess walked in, both men blushed, the small box disappearing into Kyle’s pocket, as they turned innocent glances towards Tess. She simply shrugged, and settled down between them, her head resting on Kyle’s shoulder as she turned the television on.

Kyan and Lyra were entwined on the bed together, the sheet covering their obvious nudity as they slept. Their damp skin shimmered with both drying sweat and the more noticeable sign of their shared bond. It set their skin ablaze with dancing light, showing them to be the true aliens they were as their forms shimmered between human and Antarian.

Jy and Serena were caught up in a heated embrace, the setting sun sending sparkles dancing across the surface of the lake as Jy caught a handful of Serena’s hair in his fist, and tugged her head back, giving him easy access to her throat as he trailed his lips down her skin. Her hands slid up over his wet shoulders, and curled around his neck as they sank further into the water, the gentle rocking of the water around them telling Ricardo they were already mating.

Ava was standing next to Diane in the kitchen, her eyes trained on the bowl Diane had in front of her. As Diane listened, Ava spoke quietly, pointing to a herb jar and holding her hand out for it. Diane handed it to her, and nodded as Ava explained what she was doing to the wet mixture before her. Phillip was sitting at the kitchen table, the look on his face one of obvious relief that Ava was cooking, and not Diane.

Zan was in the back yard, the punching bag in front of him swinging violently as he steadily punched and kicked the bag, dodging it when it spun back to him, and simply launching into another round of high kicks and low punch combinations. The scars on his ribs stood out clearly, the skin appearing as if someone had taken a cheese grater to it. His back gleamed with sweat, his eyes glowing golden with silent rage as he continued to fight the unseen enemy…his past.

When Ricardo saw the final screen, he immediately understood his king’s snarl. Max was curled around Liz’s body, her head resting on his chest as he swept his hand up and down her back. Liz was looking up at him, her eyes shining with tears, her hand entwined with Max’s free one, and her body relaxed.

The screens froze, Ricardo turning to face Kivar slowly. He bit his lip, tasting the faint metallic tang of his blood as his teeth pierced the skin. Kivar snarled softly, before speaking, his voice sending a chill down Ricardo’s spine again.

“You wish to know what they are talking about yes?”

Ricardo nodded, and Kivar turned to face his younger brother. “It will give me a greater insight to how they work as a group…how humans work as a group,” Ricardo admitted.

Kivar started laughing, and simply smirked.

“You are also curious…aren’t you? Do not fear me Ricardo…we are blood. Nothing will take that from us.”

Turning back to the screen, Kivar gestured. “Alex is teaching Isabel how to play his guitar. She doesn’t have the skill, and he just told her that her greatest gift is her beauty, which is good thing, considering she is tone deaf. It made her laugh, because it shows how comfortable with her he really is.”

Kivar gestured again. “Kyle’s father just handed him a box of condoms…they will stop Tess getting pregnant. Jim has just explained that he doesn’t want Kyle to feel uncomfortable with this subject, but could he please keep his bedroom door shut.”

“Ava is teaching Diane how to make dumplings the correct way. She just asked for the basil, which is a sweet herb grown on earth. She is aware that Zan is outside, and she keeps watching him. He is just as aware, and is trying to rein his emotions in, but it is of no use. For her, they come across more clearly than if he had them written in blood on his body.”

“And Max…he is promising to always be there for my lady. That is a promise he will break, because I plan on breaking him.”

Ricardo nodded, and followed Kivar over to the plush seating. Sinking down amongst the cushions, Ricardo spoke plainly.

“To beat them cleanly Kivar…you must break them first. Your biggest problem obviously, is the shape shifters. Break them…you break Max. You break Max…you win. And she will be yours.”

Kivar smirked. “She will be mine Ricardo. No two ways about it. I will have her. And I will kill him. History will repeat itself. Now tell me brother. How do I go about this? How do I cripple the group completely?”

Ricardo nodded, and standing up, returned to the screen. Studying it silently, he finally tapped the screen, bringing up two separate images. Pointing to them, he spoke slowly.

“Kill these two…and you have it won. The group will splinter…and nothing will bring it back together again.”

Kivar smirked slowly. “And tell me dear brother…how do you plan on killing them? Because that’s the point isn’t it?”

Ricardo turned red eyes back to his brother…. his king.

“Aye. And as for how? As painfully as possible. I want them to know, that it was alien related. Not some road accident. Not some twist of nature. But a direct hit.”

Kivar nodded. “Done. Take a small group of men, and head out in the shuttle. Make it a clean and fast entry into their solar system, and onto the planet. No need to alert them to the fact that we are moving is there? Who will you take?”

“Larenik, Tyritian, Zima and Maytlen.”

“Go then…I expect you to keep in contact…close contact you hear?”

Ricardo nodded his head, and with a swirl of his cape, turned and left. Kivar turned back to the screens, and watched as the images faded down into the group of eight. Reaching out he bought Liz’s up, and traced her sleeping face gently.

“Soon…soon.”


I know, I know….I’m an evil bitch right? See ya’ll next week….

Part 91.

Big thanks to Timelord31 for part of this idea. Hope you like it darl. Also guys, just a warning: You’re all gonna have to trust me with up coming chapters. It’s not going to be nice and pretty. It’s gonna be down right nasty. But just trust me…remember the words ‘bombshell from hell’? Enjoy.

Liz opened her eyes slowly, an unfamiliar feeling sending chills skittering down her spine as she lay in the darkness. The creak of a chair alerted her to a presence in her room, a scant second before a lamp flickered to life beside her. Liz swung up in bed violently, her hair swinging around her face as she panted harshly.

“Relax cornball…I’m alien but I ain’t that alien.”

Liz relaxed when Ava’s voice drifter towards her, a wry smile crossing her face. Ava stood up and crossed the room towards her. Sitting down beside her, Ava lent back against the pillows, a small smile crossing her face as Liz settled down back beside her. The two girls regarded each other, Ava speaking softly.

“Good to see ya fightin again girl. To see ya more with us than with him. Da closer he gets, da less of a hold he’s got over ya…sounds strange, but it’s true. He can only get in ya head now, and ya know da truth.”

Liz lowered her eyes, her voice low and laced with pain.

“I’m sorry for kissing Zan Ava. I don’t know what came over me…”

“Kivar came over ya Liz. Simple as that girl. He hitched a ride in ya brain, and made ya do some mad crazy shit. We’re cool aiight?”

“Yeah…”

Ava smirked slightly, and nudged Liz with her shoulder.

“Da way I figure it Liz? Ya were drawn to his animal magnetism,” she teased lightly, Liz blushing as she snapped her eyes towards Ava. She could see the smile playing around Ava’s lips, and knew the other girl was trying to lighten the mood.

“Oh I dunno Ava…might have something to do with the fact that I think Kivar’s gay under it all” she replied, causing Ava to smirk.

“Yeah…’bout that. Ya feel it don’t ya?”

Liz straightened up, her eyes sweeping the room quickly. Ava snorted.

“Relax…I sent Max home a couple of hours ago.”

“How? He hasn’t really left my side in the last week.”

Ava smirked. “I told him his mum was gonna start cookin here so she could see him. He freaked, and was gone in a matter of minutes. What he doesn’t know is that his ma and pops are goin out tonight.”

Liz started laughing, the tension between the two girls easing for a moment. Glancing back at Ava a moment later, Liz spoke softly.

“What did you mean before?”

Ava stood up, and stared up at the night sky through Liz’s window. Shaking her head slightly, she turned back to Liz.

“Ya feel him gettin closer. Feel him stronger with each day that goes past. Am I right?”

Liz nodded slightly, unable to lie to Ava as the other girl turned to face her.

“Yes. The dreams are becoming clearer. I can hear his voice in my head. Whispering to me. Telling me how much he wants me. How much he’s fallen in love with me.”

“Ya know it’s a fuckin lie right? Ya know he only wants to use ya and abuse ya right?”

Liz nodded slightly, and Ava pursed her lips as she lent back against the window, absently scratching at a speckle of paint on one smooth thigh.

“Tess told me about ya conversation today. Wanna hear my side now?”

Liz nodded weakly, knowing that she was about to get the brutal truth from Ava. But then again, she had come to expect nothing less.

“Ya bein stupid.”

Liz’s head snapped up, her eyes tinged with anger.

“Excuse me?” she spat.

Ava held her hand up, an eyebrow rising as she stared at Liz. Liz sighed, before nodding her head. It wasn’t Ava’s way to sugar coat things.

“Ya bein stupid. Maybe it ain’t da way ya once envisioned givin yaself to Max. All candles and mood music and shit. But he loves ya Liz. Really loves ya. And that should be enough.”

Liz looked up then, her eyes swimming with tears.

“Kivar…he tried…”

Ava shook her head. “That’s just it Liz. He tried. He didn’t succeed. Ya still as pure as a drift of fuckin snow girl.”

Liz stared at Ava silently, before the final piece of the puzzle snapped into place.

“He did…with you…didn’t he?”

Ava’s jaw tightened, and her eyes clouded over with anger.

“In da few hours he was with me? Repeatedly. He got off on my pain. And that’s what ya gotta get ya had around. If he takes ya Liz? He’s gonna rape ya. It ain’t gonna be like it would be with Max. Ya might not get ya rose petals and ya scented candles, and some harpy crooning in da background, but ya will get da man who loves ya. Who’s willin to die for ya. And that should be enough.”

Liz looked up slowly, and bit her lip as she stared at Ava.

“How did you…the first time?”

“Ya mean, how did me and Zan?…”

Liz nodded, and Ava grinned slightly.

“I was nearly fifteen Liz. Lonnie and Rath were off doin their own thing. They’d been bumpin uglies for a while by this time, but Zan and me just avoided da place when they were at it. Anyways…we were lyin in our bed…just a mattress on da floor, and we were talkin. We’d done everythin else by this stage…just foolin around.”

Ava sighed softly, remembering a time when things had been simpler.

“We’d been foolin ‘round all afternoon, and it just happened. It felt right. It was right.”

“Did it hurt? I mean…it’s gotta hurt right?”

Ava shook her head. “Stung for a sec at first, but then it was all good.”

Liz blushed, silently berating herself for her fear. Glancing down, she spoke softly, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

“It’s not that I don’t want to Ava…but…what if I’m no good? I mean…I’ve never done it before…”

“And Max has?” Ava drawled. “Believe me Liz…ya learnin together. He loves ya…. everythin else falls into place. It ain’t about da perfect settin. It’s about how ya feel on da inside. That’s all that matters. That’s all that should mater to ya. Lemme ask ya somethin girl. If this shit hadn’t happened, and you and Maxie boy were ok all along…. would ya have had sex with him yet?”

Liz blushed, but nodded her head slightly. Ava simply sighed, and pulled Liz to her feet.

“Then go talk to him. See how it feels.”

“What are you going to do?” Liz asked softly.

Ava sighed again. “Take my own advice, and talk to Zan.” She looked up then, her eyes burning with honesty and knowledge. “He’s da love of two lifetimes now Liz…that’s gotta count for somethin. And I know…he’s in love with me. Everythin else is gonna have to wait. Coz at da end of this? When it’s all over? He’s all I want. And I’ll be fucked if that twisted asshole in space is gonna take that from me now.”

Picking her jacket up, Ava headed towards the door. Pausing at its entrance, she glanced back at Liz.

“Ya comin or what?”

Part 92.

Ava pulled Liz through the door of the Evan’s home. Isabel looked up and smiled slightly, before waving Liz up stairs to Max’s room. Standing up, Isabel spoke quickly as she gathered her things together.

“Mum and Dad are having dinner with clients. They should be home in a few hours. And I’m going to go to Alex’s. If you need me, just call the cell.”

Ava nodded, and watched Isabel as she almost danced towards the front door. Dropping the keys to the trans am on the kitchen bench, she shrugged out of her jacket, and slung it around the back of a chair. Glancing out the kitchen window, she watched as Zan washed his hands with the garden tap.

He was shrouded in darkness, his eyes down cast as he reached down and turned the tap off. A few candles flickered on a table at his side as he sat down and stretched, sending his eyes ablaze. Ava smiled slightly, her eyes drawn to the muscles in his stomach. They flexed as he bent down, a small smile touching Ava’s lips as she remembered them flexing for another reason a few weeks ago.

With one eye on Zan, she bent down and tugged her boots off. The grass was cool and damp as she padded across the yard, her footsteps muffled as she approached him. He looked up when she passed her fingers over a CD, sending multi coloured lights dancing over its surface, and one of her favourite song echoing around them.

Zan shifted on the chair, his body open, his legs spread. Only his hands were shaking, something he tried to hide, but she saw them anyway. Ava smiled slowly, her eyes darkening as she stared down at him. Her movements were graceful as she sank to her knees before him, her touch light as she gripped his knees.

“I’m not made of glass Zan…I ain’t gonna break…no matter what’s happened, or will happen…in da future. I’m stronger than that…we’re stronger than that. Don’t pull away from me now.”

Zan sighed softly as he reached for her, drawing her fully between his thighs and resting his forehead against hers. His voice was low when he spoke, his words causing Ava to jerk back and stare up at him.

“It’s my fault Ava. What he did to ya…it’s my fault. How can ya even stand to be touched by me?”

“No way Zan. Get ya punk ass off da pity train. It ain’t leavin no time soon. It’s high time ya listened to me…really listened to me. Da blame rests on his shoulders. Not your’s. So I’m tellin ya this: ya my lover and ya my friend. Don’t let that punk tear us apart coz of what he did. I won’t let ya…I need ya too much, and I love ya too much for that. So guess what…ya stuck with me. So what do ya think of that?”

Zan smirked slightly, the shadows leaving his gaze slowly.

“Da truth Aves?”

“Nothin but Zan.”

“I’m as selfish now as I was in da last life. Da only difference? I’m spillin his blood…he ain’t spillin mine. And I ain’t lettin ya go. Da weeks we were apart while I was healin and ya were tryin to live? That’s long enough to be away from ya. I need ya. I need ya more than anythin.”

“Air ya breath?”

“Air I breath. Ain’t nothin without ya.”

“Ya tryin to sweet talk me baby?”

“Is it workin?”

Ava started laughing, Zan low chuckle mingling with hers as they rested their heads against each other. Ava’s eyes danced with laughter and love, her voice soft.

“Depends on where ya tryin to sweet talk me too.”

Zan grinned wolfishly, and wiggled his eyebrows. Ava’s eyebrows lifted, and she smirked.

“Getting down with nature are ya Zan? Never figured ya for someone who was all about da cool air on his ass and shit.”

Zan smirked again. “I’ll try anythin at least once. Ya should know that. Train tunnels. Nightclubs. Why not my bro’s backyard?”

Ava rose to her feet slowly, and cocked an eyebrow. “Well then?”

Zan blinked, Ava laughing softly as she tugged him to his feet, and into the shadows. His eyes remained on her face even as she lent against the fence, his hands coming up to cradle her face.

“Aves…what did ya mean? Before? ‘Bout da future?”

Ava lifted her gaze, and spoke softly as she tugged his face down towards hers.

“Doesn’t matter Zan…just be with me now…it’s all that matters. Da rest can wait. We’ve got time.”

Zan’s reply was lost when she bit his lower lip, his hands delving into her hair as he responded to her kiss. He could feel her undoing his belt and jeans, and lifted his head weakly.

“Inside…ya deserve better than a backyard Aves…”

Her low chuckle overrode his soft groan, his surrender coming swiftly as her hand tightened around his growing erection.

“I don’t wanna go inside…I wanna stay here…get down with nature and all ya know?”

“Ughhh…k…what ever da lady…”

“Shut up Zan.”

“K.”

Ava sighed in relief when she felt his hand trail up her thighs, bringing her short denim skirt with it. He’d understood what she was trying to say: she didn’t want romance right now. She just wanted him. To feel him possess her again. Make her his once more. And to remove the lingering touch Kivar had left behind on her body and mind.

But then it didn’t matter anyway, because thinking required taking her mind off of what Zan was causing her to feel, and to feel was all she wanted. The feeling of his blunt fingertips tracing her through her underwear, his breath expelled harshly against her neck when he found her already slick with desire.

Cool air against fevered skin as he tugged her underwear down her thighs, the scrap of pale blue lace disappearing into his pocket for safekeeping. His lips skating desperately over her jaw to her mouth. His muttered oath as he simply hauled her into his arms, her thighs locking around his hips automatically.

“Ya to damn short…ya aiight like this baby?”

Then she was lost, her soft cry swallowed by his mouth as he entered her without apology, thrusting deeply and setting a pace that was deep and hard. All she could do was feel…all she could do was surrender without misgiving. Her hands tangled in his hair, her lips seeking his out.

And when she came apart in his arms moments later, seconds before he did, the lingering feeling of being tainted was swept away, leaving her shattered for a whole new reason. Her head rested on his sweaty shoulder, her breathing coming in shallow gasps, his answering gasps sending shivers down her spine. And when he spoke, her laughter echoed around them.

“Gimme time to drag ya into da shower…. get ya all soaped up and clean…and then we’re doin that again.”

Ava continued to laugh as he dragged her inside and up the stairs. But true to his word, Zan did bring her apart again in his arm. And as the long night crept towards dawn, he set out about making her his…time and time again.

Part 93.

Alrighty guys. After much pleading, and some downright begging…. For Abby… my muse. I blame this entire story on you. And for Jenny, who groans every time she gets multiple chapters to beta. You rock babe. This story just wouldn’t be possible without you two ladies. So thanks for the ass kicking when I needed it, and for the encouragement, and for just being there, through every pregnancy induced idea these past few months. I love you both. One other thing guys…. just trust me ok…;) It’ll all work out in the end.

Liz walked towards Max’s room slowly, her heart thumping in her ears as she paused in front of his closed door. She had taken her time coming up the stairs, her fear eating away at her slowly as she climbed them. She had almost doubled back, but something had stopped her. More like someone really. Two someone’s.

Stopping by the backdoor, she had watched as Ava and Zan had spoken quietly, her gaze riveted on the two lovers as Ava knelt before Zan. Even as she watched them, the air almost shifted around them, going from serious to playful, and Liz watched in surprise as Ava tugged Zan to his feet, and into the shadows. Taking a deep breath, Liz headed back inside, and now she stood poised on the threshold.

Her earlier talk with Ava had opened her eyes; yet one more, fear held her back from knocking. Leaning against the wall, she shut her eyes, her heart thumping in her chest as she fought for some margin of control. Her skin was crawling, a familiar presence in her mind fighting to take control of her again.

Kivar.

Liz shook her head violently, her eyes snapping open as she took a deep cleansing breath. It made sense in a way. He could feel her trying to pull away from him, and was trying to gain the upper hand by invading her once more. Trying to separate her from reality. From her family. Her friends. From Max. Stopping her from letting him in completely.

“No.”

It was whispered in the dim light, Liz shoving herself up the wall and straightening her spine. She was only a victim if she let him win. If she let him control how she felt. What he was showing her was a lie. What he was trying to do was destroy her. Not love her. There was only one man who loved her in this reality. Raising a trembling hand, Liz knocked once.

“Come in.”

Liz pushed the door open, and promptly blushed bright red. Max stood in front of her, clad only in his boxer shorts. Small drops of water clung to his skin, a towel hanging from his hands as he looked back at her silently. Music played softly in the semi darkness, the only light coming from the lamp by his bedside table.

“Liz…are you ok?” Max asked softly, surprised beyond belief that she was standing in his room.

Liz nodded slowly, her eyes trained on a single drop of water that clung to his chest. As she watched it, the drop slid slowly down the centre of his chest, down over his stomach, and into the band of his boxer shorts. Max watched her eyes lower, before they slowly lifted again, her dark eyes catching his golden gaze, the moment stretching out between them. Max took a step towards her, only to cross the distance quickly when a thud echoed through out the room.

Liz spun around, Max’s arms closing around her waist protectively and drawing her back against his chest as he lifted his hand towards the open door. A shadow loomed, Liz able to feel Max’s whole being humming as he gathered his powers. They both blinked before starting to laugh however, when Zan stumbled past the door, Ava slung over his shoulder, and his pants held up with his free hand. Zan glanced in as he walked past, and raised his eyebrows slightly.

“Don’t shoot…I’m kinda helpless right now bro” he drawled, Ava’s laughter echoing around them from the base of Zan’s spine, her hair hanging down to the middle of his thighs as Zan winked, and reached in to shut the door.

Max shook his head as he lowered his hand, and he glanced down at Liz who was still laughing softly. A small smile crossed his face, and he unconsciously drew her closer to him. Liz sighed softly, her head turning towards the music as it played. Glancing up at Max, she wondered if he would recognise the song. She got her answer when Max glanced over at the CD too.

“I love this song,” he whispered.

“Why?” she whispered in return.

Max simply smiled. “You let me back in while it was playing. You let me back into your heart, and back into your life.”

“And into the bath too” Liz said softly, Max nodding as Liz turned around and looked up at him through lowered lashes.

“Do you understand the meaning of why this song has become so important to me yet Max?” she asked softly.

Max shook his head slightly, and with a wave of his hand, restarted the song. He listened closely to the lyrics, Liz still standing close to him. Wrapping his arms around her waist as he listened, he slowly began to move to the music, and as he did, it all fell into place with a gentle click.

Standing by yourself
High on the hills above the ocean
This is where you'd come
To walk with your friends
Strange how it leaves you
With no emotion

You can't fight the undertow
Not when you're all alone
You can't fight the undertow
How long til you let go

Take it one step back
Try to pull yourself together
No matter what you say
Nothing you do
Can hold by the forces of youth forever

You can't fight the undertow
Not when you're all alone
You can't fight the undertow
How long til you let go

You can't fight the undertow
Not when you're all alone
You can't fight the undertow
How long til you let go
How long til you let go

“I’ve been fighting for so long now Max, that I don’t know how to stop” Liz said softly. “Fighting to keep my lies about Kyle intact. Fighting to keep myself from disappearing. Fighting to hide my love for you. And now, fighting for my life.”

Max looked down at her silently; his face shadowed as Liz slowly stepped out of his arms, and walked over to the stereo. She turned the music up slightly, and pressed repeat, the now familiar song a soothing balm on her shattered nerves. She turned back to face Max, and bit her lower lip as she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I don’t know how to stay strong anymore.”

Liz looked up then, and watched as Max slowly crossed the room to sit on his bed.

“I don’t want to stay strong anymore. I don’t want to fight anymore.”

Max looked up, and watched as Liz walked slowly towards him, only stopping when she was a step away from him. Within reach. He tiled his head back slightly when she stopped, her hands fluttering nervously at her waist. He cleared his throat slightly, and wet his lower lip as he found his voice.

“What do you want then Liz?”

Liz lowered her head slightly, her hair swinging down around her face. She smiled slightly however, when Max reached up and shifted her hair behind her ears, the silky strands sliding through his fingers. When he looked at her again Liz spoke softly.

“I just want you.”

Part 94.

Max was stunned into silence, his hand shaking as he lowered it slowly. He watched in silent anticipation as she tangled her fingers with the hem of her shirt, and slowly lifted it upwards. His breath caught when her stomach, and then her ribs were uncovered. Standing up swiftly, her caught her hands in his, and watched as Liz looked up at him.

Max just smiled, and finished helping her remove her top. The dark pink material hung from their clasped fingers for a moment, before Max simply let it drop at their feet. A pale blush stained Liz’s cheeks when Max continued to look at her, but she didn’t lower her eyes as he trailed his eyes over her slender body.

Max bit his lip gently, fighting the groan that wanted to spill free. White lace against tanned skin. Warn blue jeans hanging from rounded hips. And bare feet, Liz’s slip on shoes resting by his doorway. He sat down again on his bed, his breath whooshing out of his lungs swiftly when her hands went to the buttons on her jeans. He wanted her to feel as if she was in control, not the other way around.

Liz wiggled out of her jeans slowly, letting the denim pool at her feet as she stood silently before Max. She watched as he shifted backwards o his bed slightly, his hand rising in silent invitation as he continued to watch her. Liz took that final step towards the bed, and let her hand slid over his, their fingers entwining gently. And with a final shift of his body, Max drew her into a sitting position beside him on the bed.

They sat facing each other for a moment, before Max reached out and shifted her hair over her shoulder, the long strands swinging down around the middle of her back. Liz blushed slightly, and lowered her eyes as Max shifted closer to her, his warm breath brushing her skin as he brushed a soft kiss over her shoulder.

She leant into his solid strength, a small smile crossing her face as his fingers brushed her hand, before trailing slowly up her arm to her shoulder. She felt him hook his finger unde her bra strap, and drag it off her shoulder slowly, his lips skimming her skin softly as he inhaled the scent of her skin.

Liz could feel her hand shaking as she lifted it, Max’s skin warm under her palm when she placed her hand over his heart. The steady thump of his heart was reassuring, Liz lifting her chin when Max used his index finger to nudge her gaze up to meet his. Only love shone in his gaze, the look he sent her melting some of her remaining fear. And when he brushed his lips over hers, she let the kiss linger, before deepening it herself.

It reminded her of the gentle way Max had been in the bath with her. Letting her lead, his own desires and needs kept under lock and key. It was empowering in a way, Liz slowly taking control of the kiss, and leaning further against him. She could feel the tremors that wracked his body when he let his hand slid around the back of her neck, his fingers strong as his other hand came up to cup her face.

Liz broke the kiss off slowly, leaning away from his slightly as she entwined her fingers with his, and lifted their joined hands. Max stared at her silently as Liz placed his palm over her heart, pressing her own hand against his. Liz swallowed gently, her voice low and laced with hesitation as she spoke.

“I can’t fight this anymore Max. Can you feel it? The way it’s beating?”

Max nodded silently, Liz pleading with her eyes.

“This beats for you. It always had. But right now, I’m too frightened to make a move incase it breaks again…my hearts being ruled by my head now…and I just don’t trust myself.”

Max swallowed slightly. “What do I need to do…to make you believe that I love you?” he whispered.

Liz shifted on the bed, and laid back before him, her body stretched out in open invitation.

“I don’t trust my mind…but I trust my heart. I trust you…. show me…show me that you love me. It’s the only thing I know now…the only thing I want.”

Max shifted slowly, his eyes darkening as he laid down beside her. He feathered his fingers along her jaw, his touch warm and sure. But his voice was soft when he spoke.

“I need to know that you’re sure Liz. I need to know that you do want this for us, and not because everyone else wants us too. I need to know that you want me as much as I want you.”

Liz just smiled slightly, and tangled her fingers in his hair. Tugging his lips down, she sought them out with her own, and sighed softly as Max hovered just out of reach.

“It was you…it was always you” she whispered, bringing back a memory of another time and place. But then it didn’t matter anyway, because their lips touched, and they were lost to the moment, and for two lost souls, time simply stood still.

Dreams or not, they both knew the others body now. There was no hesitation in Max’s movements when he lifted Liz slightly off the bed, and snapped the back of her bra open. There was no fear or blushing on Liz’s part when his hands followed by his lips, learnt her slight curves for real.

He was fascinated by the smattering of freckles on her breast. Liz in turn took her time learning the curve of muscle and sinew in his back. The weight of his body as he shifted over her. Trembling hands that weighed her breasts, and slick heat as he drew her nipple into his mouth. Her soft cry of desire enflamed him, and he crushed her to him helplessly.

Liz could feel him hardening against her thigh, and she rolled them both slightly as she sent her hands wandering down over his chest to his stomach. Max groaned softly, his hands delving into her hair as she placed small kisses along his collarbone. Down over sculpted muscle. Silky hair brushing his skin, and setting it on fire.

Siting up quickly Max used his weight to tumble her onto her back, her eyes wide as a small smile crossed her face. He hooked his fingers into the edge of her underwear, and looked up at her. Liz held his gaze as he slid the scrap of white lace down her thighs; his hands closing around her legs and sending sensations dancing on the way back up.

Liz’s back arched, Max’s lips cutting off the moan that spilt from between them as his fingers traced her opening, before he sank into her, stretching her and enflaming her body completely. But even as he sought out the connection that was usually between them, he realised it was shut. He was still on the outside.

Pulling back from her lips, Max stared down at her. Liz opened her eyes, tears swimming in the dark depths as she stared up at him. Her eyes were flickering between cloudy and clear, the tears spilling down her cheeks as she reached up and traced his lips.

“Please Max…I can’t fight him for too much longer…I need you now.”

Max swallowed hard, knowing now what Liz was asking of him. She wanted him to bind her to him bodily. But her mind was still caught in Kivar’s snare, and she was fighting Kivar even now as she lay naked in his arms. Even as he fought his own internal war, some of the conversation he’d had with Zan in the desert came back to him.

“Da whole time Ava was tied to da bed…da whole time she was fightin me…it wasn’t her in complete control. That was Kivar, and he was laughin his ass off as I fought to keep her with me. I guess I musta known on some level what he’d done to her, coz I couldn’t bring myself to make love to her, when that’s what woulda broken her free. But I kept her with me as much as I could with just touchin her. If I’d known then, what I know now Max, I woulda taken her as mine, da consequences be damned. She’s my whole life…I’d die for her bro…I love her that much.”

Max swore softly, and sank into a kiss with her that curled his toes. He felt the sob that ripped free of her chest, her tears mingling with his as he helped her fight her mind. But he knew it wasn’t enough. Pulling back once more, he knelt up, his eyes seeking hers out.

“Just know this Liz. I love you with everything I am…and I’ll make this right for you one day.”

Liz smiled and opened her arms, Max sinking down into her embrace even as she pushed his shorts down over his thighs. Entwining their fingers, Max settled between her thighs, his eyes locked with hers as he reached between them. He begged silently with his gaze, for any flicker of uncertainty to be voiced out loud now. But there wasn’t any, Liz biting her lower lip before speaking.

“”I love you…and that’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter that this is about him as well as us…I just want you now. I want to belong only to you. You already own my heart Max…the rest can wait.”

Max nodded, and edged into her body slightly. His breath escaped from between his lips with hiss, Liz biting her lip again as he pushed slowly into her. Withdrawing slightly, Max pushed forward again, his gaze steady as Liz smiled slightly. With a mumbled apology, Max pushed forward hard, Liz’s soft squeak lost against his shoulder as he claimed her as his.

Max collapsed slightly, his head resting against her collarbones as he struggled to wait for her. Liz shuddered slightly beneath him, but not in pain. Ava had been right…slight pinch, and then…. her soft cry echoed once more when Max moved, unable to hold still any longer.

Long moments in which only their breathing intermingled echoed between them, Max feeling the pinprick of the connection start to open. He surged into her Liz’s welcoming body harder, and felt Liz raise her knees to help him. Lifting his head, he stared down into her eyes. Eyes that were as clear as a summers day. Blinding with love. And he spoke once, his voice ringing with authority.

“Let her go you asshole…she’s mine.”

Liz cried out under him, her teeth sinking into his shoulder as blinding pain tore through her mind, and Max kissed her hard, feeling the pain and sharing it with her as the block Kivar had place in her mind tore free. Images of that night, and that day, tumbled through his mind, along with the burning love she had kept hidden from him. Her feelings pushed them both over the edge; Max groaning loudly as he jerked, stiffened, and then collapsed bodily onto her slender weight.

Long moments drifted past, Max’s whole body numb as he trembled in the wake of it. And when he finally lifted his head, staring down at Liz, tears welled in his eyes and spilt fret when she smiled…really smiled. It was her again…his Liz. One small war won out of love. And as he gathered her close, shifting the blankets over their bodies, Max knew they could face anything together. As they drifted off, Max heard Liz’s last whisper for the night.

“I love you…I’ve always loved you.”

Part 95.

Hey guys…thanks for your patience once more. Sorry if this seems stilted, but as I haven’t written on this for nearly 2 months now, ya’ll have to excuse me while I get back into the swing of things! I hope ya’ll enjoy it anyways. Just a warning though...remember how I said it was gonna get nasty?... Not long to go now…

Diane hushed Phillip as she pushed open the front door. The feeling of tremendous weight had lifted from her shoulders a few hours earlier, and without a word, she knew it came from Max. Something good had happened for her son tonight. The Jeep was gone from the driveway, but Diane knew already that Isabel was with Alex, so that took care of that.

Zan’s car was still there, Diane and Phillip pausing at the foot of the stairs as they stared at one another. They had both felt the sudden rush of pain and love earlier, and they now wondered what had caused it. With a final shrug, they started up the stairs, deciding to check on the boys before retiring for the night.

Stopping by Max’s room, Diane pushed the door open gently, her hand groping for Phillip’s and gripping it tightly for a moment, before she reached in and shut the door. She turned to stare at her husband for a moment, both of them blushing as they glanced back at the door again.

“That was more of Liz that I planned on seeing tonight,” Diane mumbled softly, Phillip fighting to hide his smile at his wife’s reaction to the scene they had encountered.

Liz had been facing Max, the sheet low across the base of her spine. Max had his arms wrapped around her, the darkly tanned skin of his arms standing out in stark contrast to the smooth olive of her bare back. Both had been asleep, but it was more than obvious what had transpired in Max’s bed earlier on in the evening.

They continued down the hall, pausing once more outside of Zan’s room. Phillip reached for the handle, but before he could touch it, a low dragged out groan caught both of their ears, Phillip snatching his hand back as if it had been burnt. He looked at Diane in surprise, his mouth hanging open slightly.

“I’m not even going to ask,” Diane whispered with a small smile, before heading back downstairs.

Phillip found her boiling a kettle of water for tea, her face pensive as she stared outside. Her movements were slow and methodical, Phillip sinking into a chair at the kitchen table as he waited for her to gather her thoughts together. He had found her staring off into space several times that night, and he wondered what was causing his wife so much trouble.

“Do you ever wonder why we could never have children, Phillip?” Diane asked out of the blue, her back still turned as she started searching for some biscuits to put with their tea.

“I mean, we had the tests done. We were both fertile. But not even IVF helped us fall pregnant.”

“I remember how upset you were,” Phillip admitted softly. “The dream of having a family slipped away, and we were all that was left. Why bring this up, love?”

Diane set the pot of tea down and set out to make them both a drink as she thought about how to broach the subject.

“I think…it might have been a higher power at work sometimes. We finally gave up having a baby of our own, and only days later we found Max and Isabel. I really think we were meant to find them Phillip. The question is though, why then? Why on that road? And why now, ten years later, do Max’s eyes haunt me? The look in his eyes as he turned to face us?”

“What are you getting at Diane?” Phillip asked in a low voice.

Diane looked up then, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

“Do you not realise how long it took for the fear, mistrust and uncertainty to leave his eyes? To look at him Phillip, and see my son looking back? No walls Phillip. He isn’t hiding anymore…not from us. He’s trusted us with his biggest secret…and I…I’m so scared Phillip.”

“Of what?”

“My son dying. Don’t you see? He’s preparing for war…the fight of his life. And I’m so scared…what if he doesn’t make it? What if he does, and Isabel doesn’t?”

Phillip reached out and covered her hand with his, his grip tight and reassuring.

“Have you spoken to Max about this?”

Diane shook her head, causing Phillip to sigh softly.

“You haven’t watched them train have you? Any of them. They’ll be fine Diane.”

“How do you know?” she whispered softly.

“Because Zan drags Max out of bed at the crack of dawn each day, and they lash it out together in the backyard, under the cloak of morning. Zan’s obviously the better fighter, because he’s had to fight all his life. But you should see Max with him now. If Max does die Diane? He’ll go down fighting. And it won’t be by choice. Whatever Zan did to him, changed him. And in my opinion? It’s for the better. It’ll all work out…you’ll see.”

Diane nodded, and let him kiss her goodnight. Her thoughts slowed, and cleared, Diane realising her husband was right as the minutes ticked by. Isabel came home, and mother and daughter spent a few precious hours talking and laughing softly, before finally heading upstairs too.

The night once more grew silent, stillness returning to the household. Max still held Liz tightly, his face buried in her hair. Zan lay on his back snoring, Ava sprawled limply over his chest. Diane and Phillip slept easily; secure in the knowledge their children were home.

Only Isabel remained awake, her skin still on fire from the feeling of Alex’s trembling hands. Her brother hadn’t been the only one to lose his virginity that night. Looking back up at the night sky, she breathed in deeply, her eyes still sparkling with love and some tears of happiness. To finally let someone in…really let them in…and have them tell you that they had never seen anything as beautiful as you…Isabel sighed softly. It had been all she hoped for and more. She was finally home…. Isabel stood up quickly, her eyes following the trail of dust across the night sky.

“That…what the hell was that?” she whispered, hurrying to pick her phone up and dial Jy’s number. He answered on the first ring, his thick accent echoing in her ears.

“Yo ‘Bella…what’s keepin ya ‘wake at this hour?”

As Isabel explained what she had seen, something else was occurring that would shatter them all in less than twenty-four hours. A door opened slowly, groaning as metal scraped against metal, and letting out a hot hiss as the door to the ship hit the ground with a thud. Footsteps thumped down the walkway from the interior of the ship, Ricardo taking his first lungful of air.

Larenik, Tyritian, Zima and Maytlen all followed him down, the five of them standing together as they stared out over the desert. One by one they shifted into human form, allowing them the ability to blend. Only their eyes remained cold and cruel, their skin glowing silver in the moonlight.

“Let’s get it done,” Ricardo murmured, the others nodding in agreement. A wave of his hand had the ship turning to rock, Ricardo smirking once more. Time to get down and dirty….

Part 96.

The day started out normally enough. The group met at the quarry at dawn, once more setting their training into effect. They stopped at lunchtime for sandwiches, sitting in one large group and talking quietly. The shifters had all noticed the new closeness that the pod squad shared with their respective human partners, Jy smirking to himself when he realised what had transpired the night before.

Only Kyan seemed more on edge than usual, pushing his sparring partner, whomever it might be, to new punishing levels of fitness. It was only when he had launched Max through the air and down onto the ground with a bone cracking thud, that he seemed to snap out of it, his gaze apologetic as he helped Max to his feet.

“Sorry man…” he mumbled softly, Max staring at him closely as the others gathered around them in a small group. Kyan turned beseeching eyes to Jy, and pleaded with him silently, before finally voicing what had been bothering him all day, and which had now heightened as the sun began to lower in the sky.

“Can’t ya feel it Jy? Da subtle shift in da air…we ain’t alone no more man…its time…we gotta move now man…and I mean like…right now.”

Jy blanched when he felt the shift Kyan was speaking of, and surveyed their surroundings warily.

“Aiight…we gotta move. We ain’t safe…Kyan’s right. Ya’ll know what ya gotta do…pack quietly, and meet us back at Max’s place…we gotta get ya humans to safer ground right now.”

The group knew what he meant, and hurried towards their respective rides. The plan had been simple really…four new shape shifters were waiting, ready to take on the forms of Kyle, Maria, Alex and Liz. The real foursome were being sent underground for their own safety…Jy started his bike with a roar, only to jump as a pair of slender arms circled his waist. Glancing over his shoulder he smiled slightly as Ava nodded towards the Trans Am.

“Somethin’s up with da car…I’m ridin with ya, Zan’s with Kyan. Kyle and Tess are with Serena and Lyra…aiight cuz?”

He nodded and dropped a quick kiss on her nose, before the group pulled out. As they rode, Kyan and Jy kept exchanging looks, their senses starting to overload as fear began to set in. They subtly began to pick up the pace, the night beginning to settle in quickly. Shadows loomed around them, moving cruelly in, and Jy blinked as he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. It was only his senses that kept the bike upright, Ava crying out as the blast narrowly missed her head.

“Split it up!” he cried, Kyan nodding, and jerking the bike to the right as Jy swerved to the left.

That move saved their lives, another flaming shot speeding by them as Jy felt Ava’s arms tighten around his waist. Back in the car, Max watched in horror as the ball of flame headed straight for them. He jammed on the brakes, and spun the wheel of the car; the blast sending sparks flying as it bounced harmlessly across the bonnet.

Stamping on the gas pedal as the others cried out, he shot off after the bikes, watching his surroundings warily as Jy and Kyan crossed lanes, Lyra and Serena dropping in speed and falling back behind the Jeep as Max started to reach new speeds. Kyan and Jy both dropped down the sandy edge of the road, Jy momentarily disappearing from sight behind some bushes, only to reappear a few moments later, riding along lower ground.

Michael hung onto the edge of the roll cage, his heart beating quickly when he saw the bridge up ahead, signalling they were just before the town limits. Glancing to his right, he watched as Jy bounced over some rough terrain, only to have his heart skip a beat when he saw the new aliens behind them, shooting off blasts.

They were riding what Michael could only later describe as skateboards without wheels, the slim disks remarkably fast as the two aliens began to get closer to Jy. Wrenching his head to the left, he saw that only a single alien was following Kyan. It was Max’s breath hitching that caught Michael’s attention however, and time slowed down to a crawl as the sky turned black, plunging them into darkness.

Max flipped on the head lights, only to hit the brakes with a burning screech of rubber as Jy suddenly road up the embankment, his bike swerving heavily as he fought for control, when the bike became momentarily airborne, the wheels bouncing heavily when they touched back down on the road. Kyan came up behind Jy, the Jeep, the three aliens on the hovercrafts focusing their attention on the two bikes. Kyan gunned his bike as Max pressed down on the gas pedal once more, the others watching in silent fear as two more aliens were illuminated up ahead on the bridge, their hands already glowing with power as they awaited the two bikes.

“Go Kyan…go, go, go!!!”

Zan’s frantic cry would echo in the stillness that followed, and in their minds for a long to come. The two bikes continued to cross lanes, swerving blasts, and reaching heightened speeds in a desperate move to reach safety. A well judged blast suddenly hit the back tire of Jy’s bike, and the others could only watch in horror as Jy lost control, the bike coming down heavily on its side, and sliding serenely towards the concrete wall of the bridge, still carrying its two passengers.

Kyan swerved violently, barely missing the overturned bike in his path, and almost feeling his own bike drop out from under him. In Max’s headlights, they all saw Ava turn her face towards them; her eyes wide with fear as she looked back at them. A sudden blast from Jy took out half the bridge wall, sending chunks of concrete flying out over the still water below. The bike crashed into the wall, the explosion lighting up the night sky with a fireball. The bike went through the opening Jy’s blast had created, and dropped towards the water below, taking Jy and Ava with it.

Zan’s scream echoed loudly, Max fighting for control of the car as he stepped on the gas pedal once more. The two bikes behind him split paths, and shot past him, Max screeching to a stop a few seconds later, and watching the carnage unfold as tears swam in his gaze. It was all he could do.

He saw Zan come off of the back of Kyan’s bike as Kyan slid to a stop, the bike falling on its side as Kyan wrenched his helmet off, the blades on his hands glowing in the flames that were burning the side of the bridge. Kyan dropped his helmet, and leaped up into the air as one of the aliens ran at him, shape shifting mid jump as his body twisted around, his right arm held high as he started to swing it in a downward arc.

Max fought his nausea as Kyan’s blades made contact with the alien’s body, where his neck and head met, the jump and force behind Kyan’s arm, causing the blades to sink in, and almost tear the other alien in half. The alien dropped dead at Kyan’s feet, Kyan stepping over the body calmly, and starting to fight again.

Zan ran to the edge of the bridge, his right foot hitting the railing, and his body illuminated in fire for one heart breaking moment, as he swan dove off the edge of the bridge into the unforgiving waters below. Kyle followed Zan off the edge of the bridge, leaving Tess fighting for her own life as Lyra and Serena joined the fight.

And then time snapped back into focus, Michael’s disjointed cry echoing in his ears as he started taking careful aim, and sending blasts as he leapt from the Jeep. Max joined Michael, throwing up his shield every few moments, when a blast would come their way, only to lower it again when Michael nodded tersely at him.

The stench of blood was heavy in the air, Kyan’s grunts and the insults he traded with the man he fought spoken too quickly for Max to understand. And as Max lowered his shield for the final time, he watched in amazement as all five aliens, dead and alive, simply vanished from sight. One second they were there, the next they weren’t.

Kyan twisted from left to right, his eyes glowing an unearthly shade of purple in the dying flames as he twisted around completely, his blades drenched with blood, and his chest torn open down the left side. Even as Max stepped towards him, Kyan brushed past him, and ran towards the edge of the bridge.

Michael and Max followed him down the steep embankment, slipping and sliding on loose gravel the whole way. The others followed moments later, all of them coming to a complete stop at the scene before them. Liz gasped, and turned her face away, Maria turning into Alex’s strong embrace as she stored the horrible sight before her in her mind.

Jy lay on his back, half in and half out of the water. His blood ran down his face, throat and chest freely, as Kyle forced air into his lungs as he preformed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. His right arm hung at a twisted angle from his shoulder, the flesh torn and broken, splintered bone poking through the tissue, from where he had born the brunt of the impact of the bike dropping.

Further past them, in the shallow waters, Zan sat with his back to the group; Ava curled up in his arms against his chest. Her helmet lay discarded in the shallows, and her hair hung in wet curls down over Zan’s shoulder and arm. Her head rested against the crook of his neck as he spoke softly in her ear, his hand smoothing her hair back gently.

Max approached Zan quietly, not wanting to startle his brother as he continued to whisper softly to Ava. He turned however, when Jy started coughing violently, the dirty water spewing up from his lungs, and onto the ground as he fought for air. Max turned back to Zan and knelt down by his side. Looking down at Ava, Max swallowed hard, and wished he hadn’t. Her eyes were open as she stared up at the night sky, her face serene as Zan continued to whisper softly, her blood coating Zan’s hand.

“Aves…come on baby…come on baby…stay with me now…stay with me now…remember…ya da air I breath…I need ya baby…I need ya…don’t ya leave me Ava…Aves…please…”

Max stumbled back with a horrified gasp, his stomach heaving as he put two and two together. The longer Ava stayed silent, the more desperate Zan’s pleas became, until his voice cracked, and he screamed out loud. The scream was a strangled sound full of pain and hatred, and it echoed out over the silent waters, and drowned out the sounds of Jim’s sirens approaching, from where Tess had called for help. For Ava, it was too late…but for the rest of them? This was only the beginning…

Part 97.

“No…Aves…please baby…”

It was whispered in the silence of the night, a plea that was choked with grief and fatigue. A lone figure twisted within sweat-drenched sheets, before stilling.

“I’m not made of glass Zan…I ain’t gonna break…no matter what’s happened, or will happen…in da future. I’m stronger than that…we’re stronger than that. Don’t pull away from me now.”

“Aves…what did ya mean? Before? ‘Bout da future?”

“Doesn’t matter Zan…just be with me now…it’s all that matters. Da rest can wait. We’ve got time.”

Zan opened his eyes slowly, and stared up at the ceiling in silence as Ava’s voice whispered through his mind. Rolling over, he tugged her pillow closer, and buried his face in the downy softness, breathing in the lingering scent of her hair as his grief threatened to consume him. She’d known. He knew that now.

Rising slowly, Zan walked blindly to his window, and stared up at the unforgiving sky, unaware that his cheeks were wet with tears, and that someone weighed down by guilt and grief was watching him. Raising his arms, Zan rested his hands to the top of the window ledge, and pressed his burning face against the cool glass. Heavy rain clouds were gathering, adding a bleakness to his mood, that was heavy enough as it was.

“Zan.”

Zan’s head lowered as his shoulders began to shake, and turned blindly into the solid strength of Kyan’s embrace when he felt his friend’s hand come to rest on his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry man…I’m so fuckin sorry…I…this is my fault…if I’d spoken up sooner…she’d still be here man…”

Zan could only shake his head as the two men held onto each other for grim life, both of them sinking to their knees as they shared in their grief for a woman who was family…lover…best friend…confidant…

None of them had been able to bring Ava back. She was gone, her spirit fleeing to the stars above, and leaving more emotional carnage behind than physical. It had been five days since the first attack, four of which Jy spent unconscious. When he had awoken, he had asked after Ava with his first breath, only to retreat into silence when he learnt of her death.

Zan had yet to leave the room in which he had reclaimed his lover. He had retreated into himself with a darkness clinging to him, that Kyan knew would destroy them all if left unchecked, so he had spent those five days curled up against the other side of the door, listening intently as his best friend slipped further and further into his grief.

Jy was in the same dark place, a place that not even Serena had been able to reach him in. He simply sat by his window, staring blindly at the sky as Zan did, cursing Kivar, and making plans. Ricardo had been right: Her death had indeed split the group. Jy kept away from Zan, unaware of how his king would react, and Zan did the same, sure that he blamed him.

Max and the others stayed away too, thinking Zan needed his peace and his space, not knowing the plans his brother and Jy made, or the murderous intent with which now Zan and Jy both breathed. Revenge. It was the only thing keeping them both alive right then.

Zan looked up a few minutes later, and with a heavy sigh, shifted out of the comforting embrace Kyan gave. He stood up on unsteady legs, and shoved his feet into his boots as Kyan continued to kneel there and watch him. When Zan looked back up moments later, he held his hand out, the tremors that shook his hand visible.

“I need ya keys man…I just need to get outta here for a bit.”

Kyan opened his mouth to argue, but Zan shook his head slowly.

“Please man…I just need to say goodbye to her…I need some space…I feel like I’m chokin to death in here…and I ain’t gonna be able to focus if I’m drownin…ya said it yaself Kyan…now I’m holdin out my hand bro…and I need ya to know that it ain’t you who needs to take it.”

Kyan stood up slowly, and stared into Zan’s eyes silently. Grief, anger and hatred clouded Zan’s eyes, along with a sorrow that Kyan knew Zan needed to vent alone. So with a heavy sigh, he slipped the keys to his bike out of his pocket, and handed them over to Zan.

“Zan…ya ain’t gonna do nuthin stupid are ya?”

Zan took the keys silently, and picked up his bag. Turning to face Kyan once more, he spoke softly.

“Da only stupid thing I ever did man, was love her. But am I sorry for it? No. Am I gonna hunt down da fuckers who did this? Not yet. Do I blame you or Jy?”

Zan swallowed hard, and lowered his gaze as Kyan stared at him with wide eyes.

“Not a chance in hell. Am I gonna lay down at my lovers grave, and wish I was dead instead of her? Bet ya ass. Am I askin ya to respect da fact that I need to do this alone…that if ya my bro, ya gonna gimme this? Well…only ya know da answer to that one Kyan.”

Before Kyan could reply, Zan was slipping out the door. Jogging after him, Kyan stopped in the doorway, and sighed heavily as he watched Zan swing his leg over the bike. Max joined Kyan at the door, the two men watching as Zan started the bike and took off into the night, before turning to face one another.

“Are you driving or am I?” Max asked softly, Kyan managing a ghost of a smile.

Kyan waited by the jeep as Max hurried to get his keys, before joining the shape shifter.

“Where too?” Max asked softly as he started the jeep.

“One place I know for fact he’s gonna end up at…her grave.”

Max nodded, and squinted up at the night sky. “Nice night for it isn’t it?” he asked sarcastically, watching as the first of the rain fell, before it became a downpour. Kyan could only manage a weak smile in response, before they too headed off to confront the past.

Max’s parents had helped bury Ava in the Roswell cemetery. Phillip had asked Zan softly on the second day if he wanted Ava’s body shifted back to the city, but Zan had shaken his head.

“No…she’s got family here…if I’m gonna die here too…all I ask is that ya bury me on top of her. Ya cremate da both of us…I ain’t bein dug up by da government.”


Zan stared blindly out across the darkened cemetery, his hands clenched in fists as he tried to lower his eyes. He was unaware of the rain that was falling, or the fact that Max and Kyan were huddled together some distance behind him. All he knew was that if he lowered his eyes now, it would become real. He would wake up, and Ava would be gone. She would be nothing but a jar buried within the earth.

He could smell the heady scent of the flowers that crowded around the simple nameplate. He could also see the flickering light of the candles that dotted the base. Glass covers kept the flames lit, Zan watching as the caused tiny shadows to dance at the bottom of his line of sight.

“This life. Our last life. Da next one too…I’m always gonna love ya.”

Zan groaned softly, and sank to his knees. Lifting his head slowly, he stared down at the brass marker that showed her life in undeniable truth. Reaching out he traced the letters softly, the cold brass under his fingertip reminding him harshly of the fact that her warmth was gone.

Ava Harding. June 2000.
Lives beneath the stars once more.

Zan swallowed hard, and rubbed his hand across the brass plate. Barely aware of the play of lights under his hand, he let his powers spring forth, and add the final etching before he stumbled to his feet and away into the darkness, leaving the bike behind, and letting his feet lead him forward.

Max and Kyan exchanged glances, before walking forward to check what Zan had done to the nameplate. When they saw the new script, they split up, Max running for the jeep, and Kyan bolting for his bike. Fear pushed them both now. Fear for what Zan would do, and fear for what he could withstand…. or couldn’t withstand.

Ava Harding. June 2000.
Lives beneath the stars once more.
I can’t live without you.
I’ll find redemption, and then I’ll find you.

The window slid up slowly, a soft glow allowing it to slid smoothly, rather than squeak. A cold wind blew across the room, causing Tess to wake up quickly. Sitting up in bed, she watched as one leather clad leg appeared, followed by a second, and simply shifted on the bed as Zan slid through her window.

Slipping from under the covers, Tess approached him silently, and reached out. Zan let her pull his top up and off, the soaked material making a soft plopping noise as it hit the ground. He wasn’t aware of the shaking that wracked his body, or the tears that slid down his face as he stared down at her in faint light.

All he could see was her. The way her hair hung in loose curls. The gleam of her skin that showed under the over sized shirt she wore. And when she lifted her head, the tracks her tears made across the smooth spance of her face. The shadows under her eyes. And the pain and understanding that turned her gaze dull.

Kicking his boots off, he felt cool fingers brush his stomach as she undid his pants, before sliding them down his legs and moving to hang them over the back of a chair. Turning back to face him, Tess took his hand, and led him into the warmth of her bed, letting the covers cover them both and warmth to return to their chilled bodies.

They lay silently in the darkness, staring at each other as the moments ticked by. Sharing a pillow, blonde curls and black spikes moved closer together until their foreheads touched. A calloused hand that slid across the smooth skin of her back, and tugged her closer. And the lips that pressed a gentle kiss to eyes that were spilling tears already.

“I know ya ain’t her Tess…I just need…”

“I know Zan…it’s ok.”

And it was only then that Zan let his grief go. Sharing a bed with a girl who wore the face of his lover. Who understood him better than anyone at that point. Tess grieved too, for a girl she considered her sister. For a girl who had laughed with her and at her. And for the man who was shaking so hard, that she feared his whole body would break.

“I miss her Tess…I don’t think I can do this no more. It just hurts too bad.”

Tess shuddered, and pulled Zan tightly into her arms. She felt him angle his head, and the coolness of his breath sweep her skin as he laid his head upon her chest, her heartbeat no doubt thumping out it’s steady rhythm in his ears. Sliding her fingers through his wet hair, she spoke softly in his ear.

“You are going to cry with me tonight Zan. You are going to let your grief out. And tomorrow? You’re going to get up, and show me how to live. And I’ll show you that you can live. And we’re going to hunt them down, and kill them. And when this is all over? Only then can you lie down if you still choose too. I won’t stop you then. But I need you now.”

“She knew Tess…she knew she was gonna die…and she didn’t tell me. She didn’t let me know…she lied to me…”

“I know Zan…but we both know that what she did was right. You know…not telling anyone.”

Zan lifted his head slowly, and stared down into her eyes.

“Do you know Tess?”

Tess simply pulled him back down into her arms, and resumed stroking his head. When she spoke it was softly, her tears sliding down her face as she whispered the words in his ears.

“Ava left me with a message to tell you Zan… part of a song she knew you would understand. Do you want to know what it is?”

Zan shook his head slowly, his eyes clouding over slightly as Tess sat up and reached over him for a CD that was by her bed. Sinking back down into his embrace, she passed her finger over the CD gently, and let Ava’s final message for her lover play out.

No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
And no one knows
What it's like to be hated
To be fated to telling only lies

But my dreams they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

No one knows what its like
To be mistreated, to be defeated
Behind blue eyes
And no one knows how to say
That they're sorry and don't worry
I'm not telling lies

But my dreams they aren't as empty
As my conscience seems to be
I have hours, only lonely
My love is vengeance
That's never free

No one knows what its like
To be the bad man, to be the sad man
Behind blue eyes.

“The message in that Zan? She loved you. You loved her. Use those feelings as your revenge…use that love to keep you alive. Only then…will it all be set right. She never blamed you…she never hated you. You were her whole life Zan…you just need to remember that. She finally understood why you did what you did when you pushed her away…she forgave you for that…and you need to forgive her for this.”

Kivar smirked as he watched the scene unfold before him. Two of his men had died in that confrontation, but they were no great loss. He could barely contain his glee as he watched Zan break down completely in Tess’s warm embrace, and rubbed his clawed hands together. A small communication device beside him sparked, before a message was relayed, causing him to smile even wider.

“Your highness…we have reached the jump point. You will be entering earth’s atmosphere in less than an hour.”

Part 98.

I know it’s short guys, but I figured you’d be happy with a slight teaser. I have just over 5 weeks of my pregnancy to go, and depending on how I feel, I might be able to update again before I give birth. Thank you all so much for your patience, and also to erinmc5 for this kick ass movie poster that they made in appreciation for this story. I think it bloody well rocks!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/ ... poster.jpg

Tired eyes looked out over the dim spance of the quarry, unseeing and unfeeling as they waited for death to come knocking…that or the sun to rise, which ever came first. Guilt was heavy within his heart, his betrayal worn upon his sleeve for all to see. The first rays of the sun split the horizon, causing his eyes to water and soulless tears cascading down his face.

Footsteps crunched unhurriedly toward him, before coming to a stop with in reaching distant, and causing his back to straighten with resignation. Death it was. But still he continued to kneel, his head lowering in submission as he awaited the death he felt he deserved.

“I don’t blame ya man…it wasn’t ya fault.”

Jy turned his head slightly, and gazed across at Zan as his friend lowered himself wearily to the ground. The two aliens locked eyes, grief and understanding shadowing both of their auras. Zan held his hands apart slightly, and gave Jy a weak smile.

“Ya once told Tess ya were an empath…read me now Jy. I don’t blame ya. I don’t hate ya for this. We both know who is to blame, and it ain’t either of us. Aves knew man…she knew she was gonna die. But she came with us anyways.”

“How’d she know?” Jy asked softly, his voice rusty from lack of use.

Zan shrugged tiredly. “I dunno man. But Tess told me she knew. I wanna hate her for that…I wanna hate her for not tellin me before…but I understand why. Same as ya do. Ya my boy Jy…how were ya to know? Ya barely survived it yaself.”

“I’d trade places with her in a heartbeat Zan if it would bring her back…I’d give my life for hers if it meant she was still here.”

“I know that man. But I also know somethin that ya don’t…I need ya here with me. I can’t do this alone no more. I don’t wanna do this alone no more. And we still have da others to think of. Liz. Max. Ya woman.”

Jy sighed heavily, and turned his gaze back to the sun. “I failed ‘em all Zan.”

Zan snorted softly, and shook his head. “Nah man, ya didn’t. Ya kept da others alive…”

“That might be so Zan, but Aves…Jesus man…Aves is fucken dead Zan…”

“Yeah man, she is. I feel that down inside, and it burns…ya think I can see past this war? I can’t man. I can’t see nothin but dyin so I’m with her again…but before I can do that, I gotta get da others through this first. Da others are all that matters. That…and killin Kivar. Nothin else matters to me now.”

Jy sighed and looked back towards Zan. He was surprised however, to see Tess lower herself to the ground between them, and lace her fingers through Zan’s.

“Tess…ya ok girl?” Jy asked softly.

Tess shook her head sadly, and squinted up at the sun.

“No I’m not Jy…none of us are. None of us knew this would happen…I didn’t realise what Ava was telling me until her actual death. But I get it now. I’m scared…I’m scared for my family. I’m scared for my friends. I’m scared for my own life…for Kyle’s life. But I can’t hide anymore. I can’t pretend this isn’t happening. And neither can either of you.”

Tess stood up then, and gazed across the empty quarry, the weight of the world resting on her slender shoulders as she weighed up what was on her mind. She had woken Zan early, and told him where he would find Jy. He hadn’t believed her, but now she could see that he did, and it was time for her to tell them why.

“I know how this ends Jy. I can tell you when…where…and who will be left standing.”

She was unsurprised when Jy sprang to his feet, and spun her around to face them, his eyes flashing in shock as he stared down at her.

“How?” he wheezed. Tess simply smiled sadly.

“You woke me…and I saw her. And she told me then…”

“Who?”

“Avaria.”

Jy sat down with a thud, his shock apparent as he stared up at her. Zan smiled sadly, and gestured for Tess to sit back down.

“How does it end Tess?”

Tess looked at Zan sadly, and when she spoke, her voice was low. “You’re not asking the right question Zan…ask me the right question, and I’ll tell you both everything…but I literally can’t tell you until you ask…Avaria made sure of that. Ask me…”

Zan blinked, and watched as Tess’s eyes welled with tears. “Please Zan…ask me the right one…I can’t carry this alone any more…ask me…what are you all searching for? What are you looking for now?”

Awareness settled over all three of them, Tess starting to cry softly as Zan spoke in a low voice, the disturbing calmness of his voice sending chills down his own spine.

“How far…how far are ya willin to go…for redemption?”

Tess’s breath escaped in a shuddering breath, and she straightened her spine.

“All the way…and I can tell you this…I’m who is standing when he falls…this is what Avaria showed me….”