Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, but to the writers and
producers of Roswell
Spoilers: After Chant Down Babylon, changes happening where Max is
successfully rescued,
and Michael was the one who broke up
with Maria.
***
Love is soft and hard at the same time.
Like water, it is soothing and refreshing,
But who can withstand the raging flood.
-
Lao Ma
***
Max waited for her to speak. Not expecting to see the shimmering figure, and startled by the resemblance to Tess, Max listened as she seemed about to speak, but suddenly she disappeared. The fleeting moment brought unexpected hope into Max as he saw her face. He wasn’t sure that it was Tess, but he was almost positive that it was.
After the long-standing hours and days, Max was beginning to
become frustrated with the whole situation, and his physical state. Like frozen in a place in time – everything
changed except for him. Just as Max
began to rant out loud, since no one really was around to hear him, the figure
appeared once more.
Wary of it’s appearance, human features and all - one Max
did not leap to see – he moved cautiously forward toward the light. Once again the light faded and he was left
with an unchanged Tess before him.
Swallowing, Max reached out to his former lover, and mother of his
child. “Is that you?” he said,
detached.
Max stood a few feet way from the airy presence. She reached out tentatively and caressed his
tired face. Tess nodded. “It’s me Max.”
He slowly pushed her soft hand away. “What do you want?” He backed away, wishing to put some distance
from the familiar presence, yet guarded about the possible reasons she could be
with him.
Tess stepped forward, trying to close the space in between
them. “I’m here to help you Max.”
The simple explanation made Max frown. “How do I know you’re not the reason I’m
here in the first place? For that
matter, how do I know you’re Tess?”
She sighed. “Stop
pushing me away! It’s hard enough to
stay in this dream world without you pushing me out!”
He scoffed at the frustration in her voice. “Why shouldn’t I? You, or the person you’re posing as, killed Alex. Heck maybe now that you realize that I will
be with Liz forever you’ve turned around and done this to me!”
The white aura that surrounded her body seemed to shimmer as
Tess groaned in frustration. “Damn it
Max! I’m just trying to save you! Whatever I’ve led you to believe in the past,
I know you know I love you! I bore you
a son!”
Suddenly Max softened, his heart skipped a beat at the
mention of his child. He hadn’t even
been there when he was born. Max
studied the ‘murderer’ who stood before him.
“A son. I have a son don’t I?” he whispered.
An unexplainable pride welled up within him. How he could have known, Max didn’t know,
but he just knew it had been a boy.
Tess grinned from ear to ear.
“Yes. Zander.”
“Zander,” Max said to himself. “Zander Evans.” Max
smiled
“I’m a dad.” Max
looked up at Tess who glowed. She
looked different. He hadn‘t noticed at
first, but she seemed older, more mature.
She was still the siren that had suddenly appeared in Roswell, bringing
news of his destiny, but a hint of the maternal exuded from her
now. As he cleared his throat, Max,
once more became focused on the reason for her visits. “Why did you come in this mask of light?”
he waved his hand towards the glow radiating from her.
Tess chose her words carefully. “Because…because I was and am being watched,” she
whispered.
Max looked skeptical.
“Well, why are you showing yourself now? I mean, if it’s so dangerous?”
The lids lowered on her crystal blue eyes. “Because I’m alone now. Before I had Nicholas watching every
move I made! I had to contend with a
bunch of people who were hired to spy on me.
Checking on me, to make sure I wasn’t keeping in contact with you guys.”
Max shook his head.
“I don’t buy it. Why bother if
you were in cahoots with him in the first place? You had a deal with them Tess.
Why wouldn’t they trust you? Why
would they be spying on you?”
Tess opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. She looked around her fearfully, as though
not really looking at their surroundings, but beyond them – as if someone were
listening. Max grew impatient. “What?”
All he saw was open space.
“Max I have to leave soon!”
Max grabbed her arm.
Though he disliked her and wished for anyone else’s presence, she had
been the first person he’d had solid contact with since Isabel. He didn’t want her to go. “Wait!” He paused a moment, calming
himself. “If you’re going to really
help me out of this, then you’ve got to tell me what you know! How did I get sick?”
Tess looked around again.
“Look Max, Isabel and Michael know.
And you’ll believe it from them more than you’d believe it from me. But all I can say is that you need to keep
Liz away.”
Max scowled. “I knew
it! This is about keeping me away from
Liz!”
Tess shook her head.
“No! Look, just tell Isabel and
Michael that Liz cannot use what powers…”
Unexpectedly Tess disappeared without another word. Max twirled around, searching for any sign
of the blonde vision. He felt a sudden
dread in the pit of his stomach.
Suddenly the scenery began to fade and the last thing he saw was the blue
horizon fade to black.
~~~
Liz hovered, her hands placed lightly on Max’s chest. She had practiced molecularly manipulating
other inanimate objects and even managed to ambitiously heal a broken wing on a
pigeon she’d found in the park. As she
spoke softly into his ear, Liz moved a lock of hair out of hiding his
face. “Max, I’m here.”
“You know what they are planning don’t you?” Liz said. “I still can’t believe they’re trying to
find a way to bring her back.
Tess.” The words tasted bitter
in her mouth.
“I tried to tell them that she isn’t your soul mate. I tried to tell them that she couldn’t heal
you.” She slipped her fingers between
Max’s clammy limp fingers, entwining them together. “She’ll kill you, just like she killed Alex. She can’t have you, and…” Liz bit her lip
lost in thought. “That’s probably her
plan you know?”
“I tried to tell them I was your soul mate. We made our own destiny…right
Maxwell?”
There was only silence.
Liz studied Max’s sharp chiseled jaw and his regal face. He did look like a king. Noble and handsome.
He had saved her.
Max. And now it was she who would have to save him.
~~~
Michael rubbed his eye as a loud persistent knocking
interrupted his slumber. He groaned
loudly before stumbling to the door.
Michael blinked a few times before the un-welcomed guest came into
focus.
“Michael!” Isabel exclaimed. “Why aren’t you up yet?”
The former blonde began babbling excitedly as she kept waving a box in
front of Michael.
“Because I’m tired and just got off work a few hours ago?”
retorted Michael, as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
Finally he held up his hands and shook his head, unable to
process Isabel’s jumble of words. “Hold
it!” he moaned. “Hold it!”
Isabel frowned as she reluctantly obeyed.
Meanwhile Michael took this opportunity to shake himself
awake and waken his still slumbering brain.
“Okay. First of all, what is the
box you’re holding? And secondly,” he
paused. “Why couldn’t this have waited
until tonight?”
Isabel glared. “Well
if you hadn’t interrupted me, I would have been done by now,” Isabel
growled. “Last night I woke up from
this vision. There was a small boy who
looked like Max and he was reaching out to me and was suddenly snatched away.”
Michael led her to the couch and then walked over to the
fridge. “Snapple?” Isabel shook her head in distain.
“Are you listening Michael?
I had a vision!”
Michael nodded. “I’m
listening! I just need some sugar to
wake up!”
She waited for him to sit down with the Snapple before
beginning again. “So then I woke up.”
“And?”
“And I woke up in the middle of the desert!” Isabel stopped to let the words sink
in. “I was about to go home, but there
was a strange glow in the distance. It
was under this huge rock. I had to use
my powers to get through the boulder and find what was underneath it.” She paused dramatically. “Which brings me to this!”
Michael took the box, which sat in Isabel’s palm. It was made of a foreign metal, the likes of
which he’d never seen. It had this
sheen to it. Alien text decorated the
cover, with a hand in the middle. “Did
you open it?”
Isabel shook her head.
“I rushed home so my parents couldn’t freak when they saw an empty
bed. I hid the box and went back to
sleep. The funny thing was Michael,
after using my powers I wasn’t wiped like I usually am.”
Michael thought about it for a moment. It was strange, but Isabel had been using
her powers more often than usual.
“Maybe you’re just getting used to it and your body’s able to
re-energize quicker?”
Isabel shrugged. “I
don’t know.” She ran her hands though
her hair. Suddenly her eyes lit, like
she’d just remembered something. “On
the way here, I tried opening the box, but it was locked. But there’s no keyhole.”
Michael inspected the box.
She was right. There was no
keyhole or opening of any sort. He
examined it. He would have forced it
open, but he didn’t want to damage what might be inside. “Well how are we supposed to open it?”
Then Isabel nodded excitedly. “I know! I was thinking
the same thing when I noticed two dents on the front panel of the box.” Isabel rubbed her thumb over the oval
fixtures in the side of the box. They
had been made parallel to each other.
Michael frowned.
“They look like the size of a fingerprint?” He peered closer at the oval shapes. Michael pressed his thumb in one of the oval indentations. A sudden green light glowed underneath this
thumb and Michael felt a slight shock.
He pulled his thumb away and sucked it.
“Ow!”
Isabel’s eyes widened.
“Maybe our fingerprints are the keys!”
Michael tried his other thumb on the other indentation, but
the flow and shock that proceeded after the other lock did not occur. He scrunched his forehead. “Nothing’s happening!” Michael informed.
Isabel bit the inside of her cheek. “Let me see?” She looked at the lock and cautiously pressed her thumb into
it. Isabel jumped and quickly stuck her
thumb in her mouth. “That hurt!” she
pouted.
Michael rolled his eyes, his thumb still in his mouth. “I told you!”
Unexpectedly the lid began to open and a light green glow
was being emitted from the interior of the box. Isabel laid the box on her lap and waited for the lid to
completely open. Michael reached inside
and pulled out a piece of parchment paper.
”What’s it say?” Isabel asked curiously.
Michael unrolled the crème-colored paper and read it out loud. “His Royal Highness Zan, Princess
Vilandra and Commander Rath.” Michael looked at Isabel astonishingly.
News of King Zan’s illness has reached Queen Ava. Preparations for her return to earth are being made. Our plans have been under the cloak and dagger since Queen Ava’s return. She has been kept in the dark about the plans until they are ready.
Your servants wish to inform you of great danger. Khivar’s forces are converging to dispose of any possible alliances and allegiances still loyal to the true King. Your long awaited return must be soon or Khivar will hunt those who are loyal and make examples of them. Even now, his army breathes down our necks. If Khivar succeeds, he will be destroying any chances of freedom from his iron fist.
All is being done to send help to your Highness. Preparation is being made for your imminent return to Antar. Forgive us our delay in sending any communications. Earth is being watched and so are we.
Still
loyal, strong and true,
Servants of His Highness.
~~~
Isabel expected none of this. News from Antar? She knew
that both she and Michael were unprepared for the surprising news. They still had loyal subjects? And after all of these years? Isabel breathed out slowly. She tried to process the news and
declaration from Antar. Before it had
been just a far off planet, but now the place was real and the people were
crying out to them.
“Michael we need to see Max!” It was the first thing that popped into Isabel’s mind.
Michael seemed to take forever to speak. “Uh, yeah.
Right.”
~ * ~
Isabel and Michael drove quickly to the cliffs. Liz should be there watching him this
afternoon. Part of Isabel couldn’t help
but smile. It was there first
communications with beings of their kind.
Isabel fingered the box in her lap as Michael drove. “Can you believe this Michael? We have people!”
The phrase sounded strange out of her mouth. It didn’t quite convey what she meant. Isabel turned to clarify what she meant, but
Michael was nodded. “I know Izzy. There are people like us and they remember
us.”
Isabel swallowed.
This whole sickness was turning their whole world around. Her wedding band struck the box and
resonated slightly. Jesse. In all the confusion and uncertainty of what
the letter meant, Isabel couldn’t help but feel guilty.
She already had a home and a husband.
The sun was beating down on them as they drove down the long
stretch of empty highway, into the desert.
“Michael, what does this mean? I
mean we’re still staying here right?”
Michael swallowed and looked at her expressionless. He licked his lips. “I don’t know Isabel. I mean I really don’t know how I feel about
this all. What about you?”
Isabel lowered her eyes and began playing with her wedding
band. “I should have probably told you
this earlier Michael,” Isabel said distractedly. “But Jesse’s coming home tonight.”
There was silence where Isabel would have expected a loud
outburst. Isabel peered over at Michael
whose hands were white from wringing the steering wheel. “What do you mean he’s coming home? When did you find this out?”
Isabel swallowed.
“He told me the night you brought me home.”
Michael just stared ahead.
He didn’t make any contact with Isabel, who was staring at him. She was imploring him with her eyes to say
something. Finally Isabel broke the
silence once more. “I’m sorry I didn’t
tell you earlier. I…I just didn’t know
how to say it!”
Michael grimaced.
“Why would you be sorry? It’s
not like I have any claim on you, right?”
“Right,” Isabel whispered, regretfully.
“And as long as he stays out of our way and our business,
then we won’t have a problem,” Michael stated mechanically. “He could even run interference for us with
your parents!”
Isabel didn’t know about that. Jesse wouldn’t be too happy at the state of everything. Isabel slumped into the back of the seat, closing her eyes and letting the warm desert wind caress her face.
He couldn’t be upset over all of this. It was out of their control and in the hands of something else.