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.

 

 

 

Loving Destiny

 

 

Chapter Twenty Eight

 

***

Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.

                                                                                                      - Ralph Emerson

***

 

Liz couldn’t concentrate in class.  Her thoughts kept on wandering to what Max, Isabel, Michael and Tess had talked about last night.  She hadn’t gotten much sleep either.

 

“Psst, Liz!” Liz turned around just as a piece of eraser hit her in the face.  She turned around to see Kyle with a goofy grin on his face.  “Sorry about that,” he whispered.

 

They were in study hall, and it was as boring as it had always been.  Liz had tried to finish up on a couple of assignments that were given out that day, but all she could do was doodle Max’s name on the empty piece of lined paper.  She smiled at Kyle, welcoming a distraction from her over active imagination.  “What?” she mouthed to Kyle, glancing briefly over at Mr. Kendall to make sure he was still immersed in marking assignments.

 

Kyle jerked his head to the side, signaling for Liz to sit at the desk in front of him.  Liz glanced once more over at Mr. Kendall.  His beady eyes peered over the thick black frames of his glasses, making sure everyone was working quietly.  As he slowly lowered his gaze back to the pile of papers in front of him, Liz slowly closed her binder and lifted her backpack from the tiled floor.  She scrambled across the aisle and maneuvered herself into the chair, breathing softly at the adrenaline rush.

 

Liz needed to talk to someone, and she thought since Maria was in different classes most of the semester, Kyle was the next best thing.  “Hey,” she smiled, tucking a strand of long brown hair behind her ear.

 

“Ahem,” Mr. Kendall grunted. 

 

Liz looked over her shoulder and saw his stern glare and turned around in her seat, the blood rushing to her face.  She quickly opened the binder to the white loose leaf with chicken scratches and inattentive doodles.  Leaning over her desk, Liz pretended work on an assignment as Mr. Kendall kept a watchful gaze in her direction.  Liz rolled her eyes at the man who taught English.  When he’d finally stopped staring at her, Liz leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

 

Suddenly she felt Kyle’s lips brush against her ear.  “Are you all right?” Kyle whispered.

 

Liz kept her body facing the front of the classroom.  She nodded stiffly, not wanting Mr. Kendall to give her the ‘evil’ glare.  “I’m fine,” she lied through the corner of her mouth.

 

As she leaned forward, Liz felt Kyle’s hand hold her back.  “You look really tired and distracted this morning.”  He paused, sitting back down in his seat, as Mr. Kendall lifted his head and narrowed his dark round eyes, trying to discern where the chatter was coming from.  When the coast was clear, Kyle leaned forward on his desk, while Liz turned around slightly to face him.  “I don’t think you’re doing to good.  Something with Max again?” he asked.

 

Liz lowered her eyes and let out a deep breath.  She slouched in her seat and leaned over her chair.  “It’s good news,” she said unenthusiastically.

 

Kyle frowned, a look of disbelief on his face.  “Oh really?  I can tell!” he joked.

 

“No, really.  It is good news,” Liz hissed.  “Max is back.  He’s all right.”

 

Kyle leaned forward even further, making the legs on his chair scratch against the floor.  It made a loud screeching noise on the hard tile floor.  All of the students turned around in their desk and looked up, including Mr. Kendall, who looked ready to kill.  There was silence for a moment and Liz watched as Kyle’s face turned a lovely shade of rose.  Liz shrunk down, feeling embarrassed for him, but unexpectedly Kyle stood up and started waving to the class and took a bow.  “Thank you!” he grinned.

 

The whole study hall erupted in applause and laughter.  Liz shook her head in incredulity.  She laughed along with the class.  The only person who wasn’t laughing in the room was Mr. Kendall.  “If the show is over now Mr. Valenti, I would ask you to kindly remain in your chair,” the rigid and irritable teacher commanded.

 

Kyle touched his forehead with his index and middle finger and saluted casually.  “Yes sir,” he replied with a serious look on his face.  There were a few chuckles and giggles at Kyle’s sarcasm.

 

Liz rolled her eyes at Kyle.  She had forgotten how funny he could be in class.  Though he was one of the best athletes in the school, he also was a class clown.  “Great performance, I’m sure Mr. Kendall appreciated it,” Liz said sardonically.

 

Kyle shrugged.  “Hey, whatever I can do to put a smile on that man’s face,” he grinned.

 

“If that’s what you call a smile,” Liz glanced over at Mr. Kendall, “then I’d hate to see what he looks like when he’s excited.”  Liz and Kyle shared a soft chuckle over her joke.

 

However, after a moment, Kyle frowned at her.  “Why do I get the feeling you’re not too happy about Max being healed?” he asked, turning his expression to one of seriousness.

 

“No reason,” Liz answered curtly.

 

“Liz, c’mon!” he coaxed.  “Remember I’m the one who found you bawling in the loft above The Crashdown.  Don’t lie to me!”

 

Liz swallowed and debated whether he should let Kyle know that Tess had returned to heal Max.  As she studied Kyle’s tanned face, Liz realized they had never really talked about what he felt about Tess mind warping him.  Just when she was about to give a lame excuse, the bell rang and signaled the end of study hall.  “I have to go back to my locker, I forgot my textbook for Chem.,” Liz lied.  “I’ll talk to you about this later okay?”

 

Kyle looked suspiciously at Liz, as if trying to read whether she was avoiding the subject or not.  He sighed out loud and nodded his head, much to Liz’s relief.  “All right.  But you’re going to tell me what’s happening!  I’m a part of this too!”

 

Liz plastered on a smile and nodded.  “I will,” she promised, grabbing her books and backing away quickly.  “I’ll see you at lunch.”

 

As soon as she entered the hallway, Liz headed quickly to her next class and chided herself for chickening out.  She should have told him about Tess.  They would probably find out sooner or later.  Liz shook her head and dragged herself into the next classroom.

 

~~~

 

Isabel and Max drove over to Michael’s apartment later that morning.  They were both grateful that their father had to go to work that morning, so questions would have to be saved until supper that evening.  Mrs. Evans was disappointed that they were going over to Michael’s though.  She had thought they might spend some quality time together.

 

“I’m sorry Mom,” Isabel smiled regretfully.  “How about tonight?  Then you, Dad, Max and I can just hang out?”

 

“Don’t you want to spend sometime with your mother?” she asked hurtfully.  “I mean I thought Max was dead and now he’s back.  I just want to be able to talk with him a bit.”

 

Max kissed her on the cheek.  “Look Mom, I would love to spend sometime with you.  But I don’t really have anything new in my life to talk about.  I was kidnapped and that was about all that happened to me.  It’s not like I went away on some great adventure,” Max explained.  “I really don’t want to talk about it all that much.”

 

“Well we don’t have to talk about the kidnapping.  I just want to be with my son,” their mother replied softly.  “Is that too much to ask?”

 

Isabel glanced over at Max, at a loss for words.  How could they sneak out without making it a big melodrama?  Suddenly Isabel had an idea.  “Mom, how about we meet you for a late lunch?” she suggested.

 

Mrs. Evans seemed to ponder the idea for a moment.  She didn’t seem to buy it.  “Well, where do you guys have to run off to?  I mean you have been in and out of this house for the duration of your stay Isabel?  It’s like you’re just using the house for a place to put your stuff and sleep.”

 

Isabel swallowed uneasily.  “I know Mom, and I’m sorry.  It was just hard being here when everything reminded me of Max,” she lied.  “It just made me want to keep looking for him even more.”

 

Their mother sighed and got up from the kitchen table, clearing the dishes and putting them into the sink. “Well you found him and you’re still running out of this house.  Except this time you’re taking Max with you!” she exclaimed in dismay.  “Is there something going on that you’re not telling me?”  She turned and grabbed the dish detergent from under the sink and filled the sink with hot water.

 

Isabel locked eyes with Max and then turned away.  “Look Mom, I just want to get back to my normal life,” Max sighed, helping Isabel out of the corner she was pinned in.  “I’m back, so why do things all of the sudden have to become so serious, like you’re never going to see me again?”

 

Their mother looked at them incredulously.  Obviously not the right choice of words, thought Isabel.  “Well you have your son missing for months and have him waltz back into your life in the middle of the night and see how normal you can be!” she shouted, her voice cracking.  Isabel watched their mother lean against the kitchen sink, hands dotted with dish detergent bubbles.

 

Max walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.  He tilted his head back so that he could see her face and creased his brow.  “I’m sorry Mom.  I know it must have been hard,” he apologized.

 

Mrs. Evans shook her head.  “No Max.  I’m sorry,” she sighed.   She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, leaving a small fluff of bubbles on the bridge of her nose.  “I’m just being silly.  I am so glad that you’re back and I just want to spend time with you.”  The older Evans shook her head and smiled.  “You go ahead.  Go see your friends,” she chuckled.  “I’ll see you guys at supper.  I’m sure Liz is dying to see you.”

 

Max looked appreciatively at their mother.  “Thanks Mom.  I promise, tomorrow, just you and me, okay?”

 

Mrs. Evans nodded and waved her hands in the air, shooing them out of the kitchen.  “Now go before I change my mind!” she exclaimed mischievously.

 

~~~

 

“And how is my little Zander,” cooed Khivar as he leaned over the playpen where the dark haired heir of Antar sat.  “I can’t believe how big you’re getting.”  He began to bounce him up and down, allowing the child to play with the pendant that hung around his neck.

 

“Khivar?” Nicholas called, peeking his head in the door.  “How is everything going?”

 

Khivar turned around to face his sniveling right hand man.  “How do you think?” he growled.  “I’ve got this elderly woman waltzing in and out of my house unannounced and I don’t know what she’s up to.”  Zander began to gurgle at the mention of Maia. 

 

Khivar narrowed his eyes down at the baby, studying his face.  The large round eyes that had peered up at him some moments ago seemed occupied with the smooth silver pendant in his hand.  Khivar lifted the child slowly in his slender hands and looked at him in the eyes.  “There’s just something about you, isn’t there Zander?” he murmured, as he looked for something tangible in the little rug rat’s brown eyes.  “You’re just like you’re father, aren’t you?”

 

Zander began to gurgle again and a trickle of saliva dripped on Khivar’s tanned face.  Khivar screamed in disgust and handed off the child to Nicholas who had come into the room.  As he wiped the drool off his face, revulsion for the brat filled his every pore.  “He’ll be a problem if we don’t get to work on him soon,” Khivar spat.  “But that old woman is always hovering over the child.  I was lucky to find him alone this morning.”

 

Khivar watched Nicholas as he comfortably rocked Zander back and forth, contorting his faces and nuzzling the child’s neck.  He didn’t know what to do with the simpering fool.  Khivar had been deeply disappointed in Nicholas’ failure to destroy the Royal Four on Earth.  They hadn’t come into their full powers, yet somehow his plan had been foiled.

 

“Do you think we’ll be able to keep Ava from realizing we’re turning little Zander against her?” Nicholas asked as he set Zander down on a nearby blanket.

 

“No,” Khivar smirked.  “She won’t realize it until it’s too late.”

 

“Then why haven’t we begun the mind encoding process?”

 

Khivar clasped his hands behind his back, walking slowly to the balcony.  “You know,” he drawled. “There’s something familiar about Maia.”  Khivar ignored Nicholas’ ignorant question.  He paused for a moment, waiting for Nicholas to realize that he expected the fool to follow.

 

It took a few moments, and then finally Nicholas was by his side and walking with him out onto the balcony.  The sun had begun to travel west in the noonday hour.  “What is it my King?” Nicholas frowned, leaning lazily against the stone ledge.  “I haven’t been able to find anything on her and she never lets anything slip in our short conversations.”

 

Khivar’s brow creased and he gazed steadily down at Nicholas.  “She’s one of them,” he growled.  He didn’t know if he was just saying that out loud or whether it was for Nicholas’ benefit.  “And I know she will stop at nothing to foil our plans for the heir of Antar.”  At the mention of Zander, Khivar noticed Nicholas glance uneasily at the child who was playing quietly in the middle of the room.  “Is there a problem?” sneered Khivar.  “Have you suddenly formed an attachment to our little experiment?”

 

Nicholas jerked his gaze onto Khivar.  He shook his head furiously.  “No my liege.  I am fully committed to our plan.” 

 

Khivar hid his distaste for the small statuesque man who lowered his head and bowed dramatically.  “Oh stop groveling,” he said in disdain.  “It doesn’t become you!”

 

“Yes my King,” Nicholas whimpered, his head still hung low.

 

“I said stop it.”

 

Nicholas lifted his gaze and stood at attention to his King and Commander.  “I am sorry Khivar,” he announced stiffly.

 

Khivar had had enough of watching the man squirm.  “Go check in on our informants in Kedar and Tel Edrei,” he commanded.  “I want to know what Ava is up to and whether Maia has been spotted there recently.”

 

Nicholas bowed at the waist and turned to execute his orders when suddenly Khivar stopped him at the balcony entrance.  “Nicholas,” Khivar called out firmly.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Also find out if General Garrick has any reports on Pilan.  We need to get it up and running soon.  We’ve had enough set backs and delays on the project.  Tell him I want some good news and I want it now!” Khivar demanded staunchly.

 

Khivar turned his back on Nicholas and waved his hand, dismissing him.  As he looked out on the crimson horizon, Khivar was confident that nothing would stand in his way of complete dominion.  He would finally have exactly what he dreamed of so many years ago.  The people of Antar would be under his complete control, even the Sons of Kedar.

 

~~~

 

Tess looked blankly at Valenti, the man who had taken Nasedo’s place as a father figure.  His grim face had aged, since she had last seen him.  He had a few more grey hairs, although the intensity in his eyes remained.  “Hello Valenti,” Tess said, her body tense and alert.  Tess was ready to jump away from any sudden movements the Sheriff might make.

 

Valenti looked away from her for a moment and glared at Michael.  “What is she doing here?” he said through clenched teeth.

 

Michael let out a sigh of frustration, turning his back on Valenti.  “You couldn’t just hide could you?” he muttered under his breath, though Tess heard him perfectly.

 

“Michael, tell me what she’s doing back here!”

 

Tess stepped forward to explain, but Valenti pulled the gun from his holster.  “Don’t you come any closer,” Valenti warned.  “I will shoot you where you stand.”

 

Tess swallowed, and put her hands up slowly.  She hadn’t expected a warm welcome from him, but the ‘pointing a gun thing’ was something new.  “Look Valenti, I’m not here to hurt anyone,” she said slowly.  “I came back…”

 

As she was about to tell Sheriff Valenti about healing Max, he interrupted her, shaking his head.  “No.  I don’t want to hear any of your lies,” he frowned, turning to Michael.  “Tell me what she’s doing here Michael.”

 

Michael shook his head and sighed.  “She’s telling the truth.  We asked her to come back,” he answered.  “Max was sick and she was the only way to save him.”

 

Sheriff Valenti turned his head and glared at her.  “Is that what you told them?” Valenti laughed skeptically.  “I have a hard time believing anything that comes out of your mouth.”

 

Tess saw Michael approaching Valenti out of the corner of her eye.  She quickly focused her attention on Valenti.  “Look Valenti, I’m sorry I had to mind warp Kyle, but there was no other way.”

 

Sheriff Valenti shook his head and smirked.  “Is that what you’re telling yourself these days?”  Valenti saw Michael approaching and frowned at him.  “Has she mind warped you too?  She killed Alex and now you’re letting her stay in your apartment?” he exclaimed.

 

Michael stopped his approach and shook his head.  “Look Valenti, we all hate her for killing Alex.  We haven’t forgotten that,” he declared, glancing briefly at Tess.  “But we had to do what we had to do.  She hasn’t come to hurt or kill anyone.”

 

The Sheriff pursed his lips and gazed steadily at Tess, as if trying to catch some telltale sign of the evil that she represented.  Slowly, he put the safety back on and holstered the black shiny revolver.  “I’ll put away my gun, just because I don’t want to have to fill out a stupid report over shooting you,” Valenti explained irritably.  “But don’t think that means I trust you.”

 

Tess briefly closed her eyes relieved the tense situation wouldn’t escalate to the point of her having to use her powers.  She didn’t want that.  “What Michael said is true.  I don’t want to hurt anybody,” Tess said pointedly.  “I just came because Max was dying and I was the only one who could possibly save him.”

 

Silence filled the room as Valenti, Michael and Tess were at a loss of words.  Suddenly there was a knock at the door, startling all three of them.  Tess looked over at Michael who seemed anxious and irritable.  “Who is it?” he shouted.

 

“It’s Max and Isabel,” Max’s voice said muffled by the door.

 

Michael walked over to answer the door, all the while, cautiously watching both Tess and Valenti to make sure they wouldn’t hurt each other.  As the door opened to reveal a confused and surprised Max and Isabel in the entrance of Michael’s apartment, Tess moved to her left to get a better view of the brother and sister duo.  “Hey Max and Isabel,” Tess said casually.

 

Max and Isabel frowned at Michael.  “What are you doing here?  Don’t you have school?” Max asked, confused.

 

Michael rolled his eyes and nodded.  “Yeah, and I’m late because as you can see, we have company!”

 

Max and Isabel turned to Sheriff Valenti and smiled.  “Sheriff Valenti, nice to see you,” Max said awkwardly.  “What brings you here so early in the morning?”

The Sheriff turned and smiled half-heartedly at Maxwell and Isabel.  “Well I heard from Kyle that Liz was quite upset at dire state that I thought I would come and find out from Michael how you were doing.”  He gestured towards Maxwell and raised his eyebrows in astonishment.  “Obviously you’re fine now,” Valenti stated.

 

Tess watched Maxwell nod and receive a hug from the Sheriff.  “Well this is some kind of love fest,” Tess said cheerily, plastering a smile on her face.  “At least he didn’t pull a gun at you when he saw you.”  All eyes fell on her as the last word passed her lips.  Tess frowned and rolled her eyes.  “What?” she exclaimed.  “It’s true!”

 

She was tired of all the explaining she’d been doing lately.  Part of her had half a mind to just go back to Antar.  She missed her son and longed to hold him in her arms.  Tess just had this awful feeling that something bad would happen to Zander if she didn’t return soon.

 

“Well,” Isabel said, clearing her throat.  “I’m sure you’re busy Sheriff Valenti, and have other things to do today.”  The auburn haired beauty slid her arm around Sheriff Valenti’s shoulder and began guiding him out of Michael’s apartment.  But Sheriff Valenti had other ideas.

 

“I think I should stay and hear the rest of the story,” he said sweetly.  “I mean I’m sure you just forgot to inform Kyle and I of Tess’ arrival in Roswell again.”

 

Tess watched as Isabel, Michael and Max glanced uneasily at their former ally.  “It just, well, completely slipped our minds,” Isabel apologized.   “We meant to tell you, it’s just that everything was in a mess and we didn’t want to bring anyone else in on the mess.”

 

Sheriff Valenti snorted and shook his head.  “Except I was already in it,” he said sarcastically.  “And now I want to know what you’re going to do with her, now that Max is healed?”

 

Tess felt all of their eyes fall upon her again and let out a petulant cry.  “Will you guys stop looking at me like that?” she yelled and turned on her heel and stomped into Michael’s bedroom.

 

As she paced back and forth in the dark musty room, Tess felt herself breaking down into tears.  “Why do I have to be this leper?” she muttered to herself. 

 

‘Well you wouldn’t if you just told everyone the truth about Alex,’ a voice chided.

 

“Well I can’t exactly do that, can I?” she responded out loud.  “It’s not like they would believe me now anyways.”

 

‘And who told you that?’ the voice replied.

 

Tess ran her hands through her blonde hair and stared at the door, as if able to see past the inch and a half thick door to the trio who were discussing her return.  “It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Tess sighed, falling back onto the unmade bed.  “I just wish I could go home,” she choked out.  The walls were the only witness to break down of her defenses, as it watched her pull her knees up to her chest and hide her moistening cheeks.

 

~~~

 

Max walked away from the conversation as Michael and Isabel began their explanation of Tess’ awaited return.  He didn’t know the details and all he could do was listen, so he decided to check up on Tess.  When she had exiled herself into Michael’s room earlier, Max could feel the loneliness and frustration that she’d hid from him, Michael, and Isabel.  As he knocked lightly on the door, Max wasn’t at all sure what he was going to say, or what he was about to walk in on, but he took a deep breath as she answered.

 

“What do you want?” she called out through the door; he could hear the waver in her voice.

 

Max quietly entered Michael’s room and found Tess staring out the window, with her back to him.  “I just wanted to check and see if you’re all right.”

 

Tess didn’t move, and continued to stare out the window.  He noticed the short deep breaths she would take, as someone would, if they were trying to catch their breath after crying.  “Well I’m fine.  You can leave now.”

 

Her curt reply drew Max further into the room.  “Are you sure?” Max asked worriedly.

 

She was a vision as she stood in the rays of the sun.  Max remembered the first time she’d approached him on the hills of Ramera.  The sun was behind her and she had sprigs of purple wildflowers in her hair.  The light hit her hair just so….

 

“Max?”

 

Max looked up at Tess, who had moved from her spot in front of the window and was a few feet from him.  “Hmmm?” he replied, as he stirred from the images of his past.

 

“What were you just thinking of?” Tess whispered, staring intently at him.

 

Max averted his gaze from her clear blue eyes.  “Uh, nothing,” he said quickly, turning away.  “Uh, we should go back out into the living room.”  He took a step towards the door, and felt a gentle but strong hand pull him back.  Max turned and found Tess standing there, her hand resting on his arm, looking up at him.

 

“Tell me what you were thinking of just then,” Tess urged quietly.

 

Max pursed his lips and closed his eyes.  He shouldn’t have come in after her.  Max swallowed and tried to gather his composure, with her hand squeezing his arm gently.  “I said it was nothing,” he repeated firmly.

 

“Then why are you so uncomfortable right now?”

 

“I’m not,” Max exclaimed.  “I just think we should see if Valenti’s gone.”  Once more, Max tried to leave the room but Tess stopped him.

 

“You were thinking about me, weren’t you?”

 

Max turned around and frowned.  “Of course I was thinking about you,” he chided.  “You were standing in front of me and I thought you might be upset.”

 

“No, you weren’t thinking about that,” Tess protested suspiciously.  Her brow furrowed as she stared up intently at him.  She was quiet for a moment, licking her lips as if she almost had something in her grasp, but not quite.

 

Max pulled his arm out of her grasp.  “Then what was I thinking about?” he retorted.  Her steady gaze unnerved him.  She could probably probe his mind and find out what he had been thinking of.  Max frowned and tried to close his mind to those happy images.

 

“I’m not going to read your mind Max,” Tess snorted, finally lowering her eyes.  “I’m not that pathetic.”

 

Max looked at her curiously.  She seemed distant and distracted.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to imply that you would…”

 

Tess looked at him skeptically.  “Like it would be first for me in the tight-knit group friends you’ve built here.”

 

“Well, it just seemed like you were…”  Max’s voice trailed off.

 

“Trying to read your mind?” Tess finished his sentence.

 

“I don’t know,” he murmured.

 

Tess closed the gap between them and reached up and touched his face.  “I don’t need to read your mind Max.  I know you were remembering us.  I could feel you remembering me,” she whispered.  “It’s been a long time since you looked at me like that Max.”

 

Max swallowed.  He’d never felt connected with Tess the way he did now.  Since he’d received his memories back, it was like Tess was always on his mind.  Max struggled against that.  He cleared his voice and swallowed, taking a step back from Tess, who was too close for comfort.  “I wasn’t looking at you ‘like that’,” Max denied weakly.

 

Tess’ lips raised into a soft delicate smile which wrinkled her nose.  “You did,” she insisted.  “And it’s the first time since before I left that I think we might…”  It was her voice that trailed off now.

 

“We might what?” he asked curiously.

 

Tess shook her head lightly.  “Never mind,” she chuckled.  “It was stupid.”  Tess walked past Max and towards the door.  “Are you coming?” she asked, opening the door.

 

Max frowned and let out a deep breath.  What did she mean by ‘we might’?  ‘We might what?’ he thought to himself.

 

“Max?” Tess called.

 

He turned around and nodded.  “I’m coming,” Max replied, distractedly.  Swallowing, Max followed Tess out into the living room.

 

‘You know exactly what she meant,” a voice said inside Max’s head.

 

Max frowned at the comment and pondered what it meant.

 

~~~

 

Isabel looked relieved at Michael, who was closing the door behind Sheriff Valenti, who was radioed about a disturbance in the area.  “I thought he’d never leave,” she sighed.

 

Michael raised his brown and shook his head.  “Yeah.  I wasn’t exactly expecting him to show up at my door this morning!” Michael groaned.

 

Isabel smiled at Michael and patted him on the arm.  “Don’t you think you should be getting to the school?  You’ve missed first and second period, but if you hurry, you can catch third.”  Michael groaned, which made Isabel smile.  “C’mon!  It can’t be that bad Michael!”

 

He rolled his eyes at her.  “You can say that cause you’re not in high school anymore!” he joked.

 

Isabel laughed.  “I guess.  But I still say that you’re just being a baby,” she chided.

 

“Am not!” he pouted.

 

Isabel shook her head and laughed.  “Go!” she commanded, laughing at him while she pushed him out the door.

 

“Hey!” Max called.

 

Isabel turned and saw Tess walking down the hallway with Max following behind.  She frowned.  She’d forgotten that he’d gone in after Tess.  “Sheriff Valenti’s gone, but I have a feeling he’s going to be back,” Isabel warned.

 

Max nodded.  “What did you tell him?” he asked, distractedly.

 

Isabel furrowed her brows and looked at Max for a moment.  He seemed a bit flushed.  What had they been doing in there?  Isabel shook her head and scolded herself for thinking that way.  Max was in love with Liz, or so she had thought.  Lately today, she had caught Max off in dreamland and he would get this far off look on his face.

 

“We told him everything about your being dead and Tess showing up and saving your life,” Michael answered from behind Isabel.

 

Isabel nodded.  “Yeah,” she agreed.  “I think he’ll lay low on this whole Tess being back thing.  But we told him that we didn’t know when Tess was going back and he didn’t seem to like that idea much.”  Sheriff Valenti looked like he would pop a vein in his neck when they had mentioned that Tess might be here for a while yet.

 

“Did you tell him about Jesse?” Max asked.

 

Isabel felt the blood rush to her face as Tess and Michael frowned at her.  “No,” she managed to choke out.

 

Michael turned her around with a confused expression on his face.  “What about Jesse?” he asked gruffly.

 

She lowered her eyes and felt a lump growing in her throat.  How could she answer his question when she didn’t even know?  In fact Isabel had almost pushed that to the back of her mind until Max brought it up again.  And her stomach began to churn again.

 

Isabel had left her cell phone on just in case Jesse phoned, but she hadn’t heard anything yet.  “Jesse didn’t come home last night,” she whispered.

 

Michael ran his hand through his unkempt curls and frowned.  “What do you mean?”

 

“We mean that he wasn’t home when we got there and in the morning, apparently Jesse never came home at all,” Max explained calmly, wrapping his arms around her.

 

Isabel smiled at her brother, glad that he was there to explain something Isabel, herself, didn’t want to even say.  “Max thought that he might have just been too overwhelmed by last night, but I don’t think it’s that,” she choked out.

 

“Why didn’t you mention anything about this before?” Michael exclaimed loudly.

 

Isabel looked up at Michael and she could see the anger in his eyes.  She didn’t know what he was angry about, but it just made her feel worse.  “I’m sorry, I just didn’t want to think about it.  I mean Max just came back to us when we all thought he was dead!” she gasped.  “And what?  Now my husband is missing?  That’s a little too much to ask!”

 

Michael’s eyes softened and Isabel hoped that meant he understood.  She felt Max’s comforting arms rubbing her back gently and looked up expectantly at Michael and Tess.  “You don’t think anyone has gotten to him do you?”

 

Michael shook his head slowly, but then Tess spoke up.  “I don’t know.  It sounds pretty unclear to me.  I mean he just disappeared?” Tess exclaimed.

 

Isabel looked over at Tess and she could feel the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.  “Do you think one of Khivar’s men got him?” Isabel panicked.

 

Tess shook her head.  “I don’t think Khivar would bother with someone like him.  Jesse, wasn’t it?” she asked.

 

Isabel nodded.  “Then who?”

 

“Probably the same guys who chased you before Khivar and that mess of husks.”

 

Isabel looked at Max and Michael.  “The FBI?” Max groaned.  “But how would they know how to find him or even that this happened?”

 

Tess lifted her hands up into the air.  “Don’t look at me!” she exclaimed candidly.  “I don’t even know the guy.”

 

Isabel felt her heart skip a beat.  The Feds would stop at nothing to get them into a lab and examine them, alive or dead.  She closed her eyes and prayed that nothing had happened to her husband.  Though they were having troubles, Isabel loved him.

 

“Do you think he might have contacted the Feds?” Tess asked innocently.

 

Isabel’s eyes shot opened and she glared at the blonde.  “No!” she shouted furiously.  “He would never have talked to them!”

 

Tess backed away.  “I’m sorry, but I don’t see why they would have taken him then!  Or even known where he was,” she explained.  “I’m sure he had nothing to do with this, but you shouldn’t rule it out.  Not everyone is what they seem.”

 

“We know, we learned that the hard way with you,” Isabel snapped at Tess.  She couldn’t believe she would even accuse Jesse of something like that.  Even though Jesse hated the fact that she’d lied to them and that she wasn’t who she had claimed to be, he loved her and wouldn’t do anything like that.

 

“Look, let’s get a grip here,” Michael sighed.  “We should just go back to the desert and see if we can’t trace his steps.”

 

Isabel looked at Michael gratefully and nodded.  “Yeah.  Why didn’t I think of that?” she smiled, a look of relief on her face.  “Max and I can go to the desert and see if we can find his tracks.”

 

“You’re not going without me,” Michael growled, grasping Isabel’s hand.

 

“But what about school?” Isabel protested.

 

“School can wait, I’m coming,” he said firmly.

 

“Well, I’m coming too then,” Tess declared. 

 

Isabel, Michael and Max stared at her skeptically.  “Really?” Michael retorted.

 

“Uh yeah,” Tess replied.  “As if I’m going to stay here and wait for Valenti to show up again!”

 

Isabel rolled her eyes.  “I don’t need that kind of help,” she muttered.

 

“Well, it’s not like you have a choice,” Tess said forcefully.  “You’re going to need me.  I have picked up a couple of things since I’ve been on Antar.”

 

“She might as well come,” Max sighed.

 

Isabel looked over at Max and frowned.  “Fine, but I’m telling you right now, lose the attitude about Jesse.  He has nothing to do with the FBI,” Isabel warned, pointing at Tess.

 

All four filed out of Michael’s apartment. They were going to find Jesse.  Isabel just hoped that it wasn’t too late.  Michael had been right about letting Jesse in on the location of the cave, not for his reasons, but because it had been too dangerous.  If she had only been more careful about protecting Jesse!

 

Isabel couldn’t stand it if another man she loved died.  What was ironic was that the same person who killed the first man she had let through her defenses was now helping rescue the second one.  As Max drove the jeep into the open desert, Isabel glanced over at Tess, who was sitting ponderously in the back seat with Michael.  She shook her head.  Was she crazy to trust her again?

 

 

 

 

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