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.
Pairings: You’ll have to wait and see!
Pronunciation Guide:
Author’s notes: Queen Fadilia
Kedar: Max/Isabel’s mother
King
Alaric Kedar: Max/Isabel’s father
Andaria: Tess’ mother
Radim:
Tess’ father
Kedrans: race from which Royal Four descended
Iturians: race from which Khivar descended, and
overthrew and killed Zan and the Kedrans
***
To endure is the first thing that a
child ought to learn, and that which he will have the most need to know.
-
Jean J. Rousseau
***
“Birth pains shall make you groan,
As the cycle begins once more.
Out of the ashes they shall come,
Each more than they were once.
From earthen wombs and darkness –
Without light, life shall dwindle –
My chosen people shall arise.
Though the celestial light blinds,
Truth shall fall upon them.
None shall be left behind,
None shall turn from their path.
Where all seems lost and hopeless,
Truth and light shall enter through the fallen gates.
What was taken shall be returned.
Those who were exiled to darkness
Shall rise in the power and glory of the One and Only.”
~~~
“I’m going away for a few days.” Max repeated himself once
more to Isabel, Kyle, and Maria, who stood quite perplexed at the announcement.
“But what about school?” Maria asked. She frowned as if she just realized how
unimportant that question was. She
sighed as everyone looked at her strangely.
“What?”
“School will have to wait,” he replied calmly. “There’s just too much I need to work out –
too much going on.”
“I’m going with you,” Isabel blurted out.
Max furrowed his brow and looked curiously at his
sister. “I need this time to be alone
and figure out what I want.
There’s too many outside distractions and pressures here.” His eyes darted between Liz and the trio,
who stood in front of him.
“You can do that,” Isabel said deliberately, her voice
detached from the words. She locked
gazes with Max. “But I’m coming.”
“Why?”
“I need to figure out things too, Max.” The strength in Isabel’s voice tapered off.
Max stared at Isabel with discerning eyes. He tried to read what lay behind those dark
defiant eyes. Pausing a moment to
consider her situation, Max nodded slowly.
She would come along.
“Hey!” Maria’s jaw dropped.
“You’re letting her go too? after telling us you wanted to be alone?”
“Look this whole thing - the almost dying, dealing with the
memories I have – it’s all coming to a head,” Max sighed. “And I have all these conflicting emotions
concerning my past and this ‘destiny’ chosen for me.”
He was being honest, and he hoped that they could understand
that. Max couldn’t keep pushing the
memories aside and pretend that they weren’t there, or important. For once in his life he would deal with it
head on, rather than running away, or waiting to see what would happen.
“But we choose our own destinies,” Liz reminded Max
with his own words. “Right Max?”
Max turned around and stared longingly at Liz. It tore him apart to think he could be
separated from her at the end of this journey for ‘self’, but it was a journey
he had to make. There were warring
factions from within himself – Zan, the man who had a past and future, which
needed to be resolved, and Max, who had made a life here on Earth.
He must make this journey.
“I’ll be leaving tomorrow,” he stated, glancing over at Isabel. She nodded. Max knew she would be ready to leave tomorrow; already he could see her mind churning with a list of things she would need.
“Where are you going?” Kyle asked, looking confused by the
dramatics of it all.
“I don’t know. I’ll
know when I get there.” Max felt this
driving force urging him on, as if something was calling to him.
“And your parents?” Maria asked skeptically. “They just got you back. Don’t you think they’ll have more than a few
questions?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Isabel replied mechanically. “We’re leaving. They’ll deal with it.”
“And yeah, what about Jesse?” Maria asked
hesitantly. “What’s going to happen to
him?”
“He has no say,” Isabel replied stiffly. If by some miracle she could forgive him,
Isabel didn’t know if she could ever look at him in the same way.
“But you’ll be back right?” Liz asked tentatively.
Max smiled half-heartedly, trying to reassure her. “Of course we’ll be back.”
~~~
“Remember not a word,” Tess whispered, her tone adamant.
Michael rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, I got it. You don’t want
them to know.” He rested on the second
to last step of the staircase, which led to his apartment. Digging his hands into his pocket for his
eyes, just in case they had locked the door.
“Why don’t you want to tell Max is beyond me,” he sighed in frustration.
He knew it wouldn’t change the fact of Alex’s death to any
of them, but it would matter to Max that Tess hadn’t betrayed them. In fact, she had saved them all.
“It’s too late for Max and…” she stopped herself from finishing the thought. “He’s made his choice.” Tess was ardent about the statement.
“From what I’ve seen in the past week, and what I’ve learned
tonight, things are anything but decided,” Michael countered. “Max has feelings for you.”
Tess looked at him strangely. He didn’t say things like that – ever. Feelings weren’t his forte.
But not expressing his emotions didn’t make him blind.
Max was protective of Tess, just as Michael was of
Isabel. Even though Max held the belief
that Tess was responsible for Alex’s death, there was some little part in him
that continued to question it – however strong the proof. Michael saw the conflict in Max’s eyes
whenever Tess was in the same room.
“Don’t,” Tess winced, as if the words burned
her. “There’s no more time for Truth.”
Michael watched Tess turn her back to him and walk toward
his apartment. She was convinced Max
sincerely loved Liz; and in this time and place, belonged with her. And at time Michael would have agreed.
He had felt the same way about Maria, in what seemed like
ages ago – though a little less obsessive and infatuated. But always deep down, Michael was drawn to
Isabel. And when Tess revealed to each
of them their past and who they were, he understood; but human weakness placed
him in denial, until it was too late.
He looked towards the apartment. Idiots. All of
them were, including himself, he thought to himself as he stalked down the
hallway.
~~~
Tess took a breath before entering the maelstrom, which she
had left earlier. For the first time
since she returned, she bore news for Max that would put a smile on his
face. Tess closed her eyes as she reached
out and wrapped her fingers around the cold brass knob. Okay.
You can do this.
As she turned the knob and pushed it open, Tess was
confronted with the surprise that Max and Isabel were not alone. Her eyes drifted onto Liz. How predictable?
“Tess.” A solemn
voice spoke her name.
As her eyes flickered past Maria and Isabel, they fell upon
someone whom she had missed much in the past year and a half exile. “Kyle.” His name left her lips breathlessly, as if someone had punched
her in the stomach.
~~~
How many times had he dreamt about this moment? How many times had he imagined exactly what
he would say to the woman who had used him to do her dirty work, in what was
the most disgusting act of his life?
Now as she stood in front of him, the voiceless thoughts
left him and he was once again rendered helpless – just as he was the night
Alex died.
~~~
“What’s going on…”
Michael walked into the apartment and was greeted by a thong of
people. He hadn’t expected to see Liz,
Maria, or Kyle here. And by the expressions
on their faces, it looked like everything was about to hit the fan.
“Kyle,” Liz called to him softly. She knew that he had mentally dealt with the idea of Tess
returning, but to see her for the first time since she slipped into the
Granolith…the expression on his face told her exactly how unprepared he was.
Kyle felt a gentle squeeze of his shoulder and turned around
to see Liz standing there, her face filled with understanding. It had seemed like a lifetime standing
there. “I’m…I’m fine,” he managed to
choke out. Buddha give me strength.
“It’s all right,” Isabel whispered, standing on the other
side of Kyle. She hadn’t expected Tess
to come back so early…or even at all.
She couldn’t imagine the torment he was going through – the possible
memories that remained etched inside, never to be erased.
Kyle frowned and looked around to see everyone staring at
him with some level of concern. “What?”
he exclaimed, plastering a smile on his face.
“Did someone die in here or what?”
Everyone in the room seemed to tense up. Suddenly Kyle felt the impact of the
misplaced joke. He mentally slapped
himself for opening his mouth at all.
“I’m going away for a few days,” Max announced to the new
arrivals, hoping the change of subject would relieve some of the awkwardness in
the room. His eyes glanced at Michael
before settling on Tess.
Her eyes flickered in acknowledgement of the news, but she
didn’t turn to protest, or beg to go with him.
Not that she had ever begged in her life. Max was disturbed by her elongated departure
and this unexpected calm that seemed to exude from her. He looked questioningly at Michael who
remained silent.
Tess tore her gaze from Kyle and looked at each of the
individuals standing in the eerily quiet room.
How relieved they would be.
As she turned to seek out Max, she found that he was already staring at
her. “You’re not the only one leaving,”
she said calmly.
An almost inaudible gasp could be heard from each of the
bystanders in the room. She had to stop
herself from rolling her eyes at the look of relief on each of their
faces. Tess lowered her eyes, and
turned her head slightly to look over her shoulder; knowing Michael was
standing behind her with more to say.
He already knew what she was going to say. They had discussed it at some length after
their time in the caves.
Max stiffened at her comment. “You’re not coming with me,” he protested. From his peripheral vision, Max could see
Liz shift uneasily beside Kyle; her eyes darted between him and Tess.
Tess straightened her posture, pulling herself up and
staring indignantly at Max. “I’m not
talking about coming with you,” she said slowly. “I’m returning to Antar.”
The words seemed to slip past her lips so effortlessly, but it took
every ounce of her strength in her to form each word. She blinked several times, chiding herself for leaving her
emotions unchecked. Clearing her
throat, she set her jaw, her eyes remaining fixed on Maxwell. She would never let them see her cry.
Isabel felt the tension leave everyone’s body at the
seemingly ‘good’ news. Her eyes strayed
past Tess on to Michael. He stood tall
and strong with his arms folded across his chest, as if standing guard over
her. She felt her stomach flutter at
the image. Something wasn’t right.
As she caught Michael’s gaze, Isabel thought she saw something in those dark brooding eyes. She wasn’t sure, but as he stared intently at her, there was a flicker of sadness.
What for?
Michael wished it hadn’t played out like this. As he studied Isabel’s face – memorizing each feature, each strand of hair upon her head, the placement of her lips and eyes – Michael silently prayed she would understand his decision. He took a step forward and cleared his throat. “And I’m going with her.”
~~~
The storm had come on suddenly. It had surprised Andaria.
During the New Moons, storms were an aberration; only twice in the books
of Cian had there been recorded storms.
But life was not as it had been, she thought to herself as she peered out
of Tel Edrei.
“M’lady!” Medgio burst into the command center, panting for
air.
Andaria was startled at the sudden entry. She braced herself, resting her hand against
her smooth neck. Frowning, Andaria
tilted her head looking at her servant with concern. “What is it?”
He stood at attention, as a soldier would, though he was no
soldier. “There has been rumblings that
Khivar is moving against Tel Edrei,” Medgio said ominously. “Tonight.”
Andaria steeled herself at the news. “How long do we have?” Her mind flashed with lists of things that
must be accomplished before Khivar and several of his officers – she was sure
he would choose his most violent – entered Tel Edrei.
“They should be in no more than 15 minutes,” Medgio
replied.
Andaria took a deep breath and stared at her faithful
servant. His eyes were clouded with
worry for her. She could tell that it
was taking every bit of training not to voice his concerns. A slight smile curled from the corners of
her lips. How they had prepared and been
so loyal…but this was no time for waxing sentimental.
“Medgio, have the few officers that are under watch, leave
their posts. Empty out the house,
except the kitchen staff and maids,” she commanded forcefully. “I will begin encryption on the security
codes and the concealment of center.”
Medgio stood, nodding his head as if jotting the commands
somewhere behind those cold grey eyes.
“Go!” The old servant
bowed and quickly exited the central command station.
Andaria’s mind raced, weighing the possibilities of Khivar
knowing about this command center and who was involved in their
conspiracy. Had he found out about
Tess’ departure? She closed her eyes
and shook her head, as she quickly punched in the non-sequential codes to veil
the inner workings of Tel Edrei. None
of Khivar’s architects had the ability to create a sophisticated detection
device to reveal the location of their hidden operational command center – at
least not when she finished encoding the Curium visage system.
She was quite proud of her architects - the top in their
fields. There were many Loyalist
architects that had remained faithful to their True King. Most of them realized how destructive
Khivar’s intentions were and went into hiding with the remaining Royal Family
and Court.
The Curium visage system had been developed during their
time of exile. Curium while highly
toxic and radioactive had been found to hold several properties, which the
architects would be able to meld into their developmental stealth devices. Only in the past Season were they able to
develop a protective containment unit, which the curium could be held. It was immediately supplemented the security
system that was installed within Tel Edrei.
As she finished typing in the last line of the Curium
activation codes, Andaria rushed out of the center, which had been like a
second home to her. Running up the
stairs and through the phasial wall, Andaria smiled insolently.
Let him come.