Title: Love in Unexpected Places

Summary: A retelling of Season 2 from Alex and Tess's points of views. This story will feature the UC pairing of A/T.

Rating/Disclaimer: TEEN (not suitable for those under 13). Roswell, Alex, Tess, etc. don't belong to me. Just borrowing them for fun.

Prologue A - ~Tess~ There are Only Three Corners in a Roswellian Four Square

Summer 2000

The first time we hang out, it�s an accident. I mean, of course it is. Like I would end up at the movies with Alex Whitman if it wasn�t by accident.

It�s Isabel�s fault, of course. She�s supposed to meet us both there, but she just never shows up. I mean, not only does she invite Alex along without telling me, but then she has the gall not to show up!

Later I found out that Max was in the midst of another emotional breakdown about Miss Goody-Two Shoes, Liz Parker, who had ditched him for a summer on the beach in Florida. Isabel apologized for not making it, but stressed that she and Michael just couldn�t leave Max alone. Even now I�m asking myself, why not? I mean, it�s not like Max will kill himself or anything. He�s too responsible to do that. He�s probably just sitting staring at the wall, which is what he�s been doing all summer. What made Isabel and Michael suddenly decide that his doldrums had reached crisis point?

Of course, the real reason I�m mad is because they haven�t invited me to their alien pity party for three. It is so typical. It is exactly what the other three members of my four square have been doing to me since the moment I met them - leaving me out. Because, by leaving me out, they can try to pretend that nothing has really changed. That I haven�t come to Roswell to pull them out of their boring, pretend human existences by revealing their destinies to them.

Okay, okay. I�m being a little harsh here. I don�t really think that about Max. I know he�s been through a lot, what with the FBI and losing his "soulmate". Yes, and you can imagine me sarcastically putting my hands up near my ears and making those little quotation marks while I say that.

Let�s discuss the soulmate topic, shall we? Barf. I mean, really. You�d think the fact that I found him across two lifetimes would somehow merit me a little appreciation, or even consideration, as soulmate material. Apparently not though. What is so great about Liz Parker, anyway? Sure, she�s pretty enough, in an entirely boring way, but what is it? I just don�t get it.

Back to what I was saying though. It doesn�t make it any less hurtful that they are doing their best to exclude me from everything. I get that the three of them are close. I get that I haven�t been around. But none of them are making much of an effort to allow me to make it up to them. It�s not like it�s my fault. They were the ones who abandoned me when we were kids, after all.

Anyway, all of this eventually leads to how I end up going to see X-Men with Alex Whitman.

He is standing at the ticket booth when I arrive, glancing at his watch nervously. When he raises his head and sees me, I very clearly see his expression darken. I�m sure I don�t appear any more happy to see him. As I said above, Isabel hadn�t told me he was invited. It is beyond annoying that she persists in inviting the humans everywhere we go. Even if Saint Liz is gone, the ditz and the dork (Maria and Alex, for those who are unfamiliar with my pet names for them. I have another name for Miss Goody Two-Shoes too, but I�m sure none of you want to hear it. Yes, I am perfectly aware that most of you are on her side.) are still present and accounted for, and always sure to be around in order to irritate me, and also to demonstrate how much more Max, Michael, and Isabel prefer to spend time with them than they do with me.

"Hey, Al," I say, unwilling to allow him to see how pissed I am that he�s there. Not to mention hurt. Isabel and I have been planning to see The In-Crowd together for weeks.

"It�s Alex," he replies, very obviously gritting his teeth.

I smirk at him, amused in spite of myself that I have so easily gotten under his skin. "My bad," I retort.

He narrows his eyes at me. "Did you really just say that? My bad?"

"Isn�t that what all the humans are saying this week?" I demand, to hide that I am a little embarrassed in spite of myself. I do tend to be a couple steps behind the human trends. After all, they�re all pointless.

"Not the normal ones," Alex mutters. He continues to eye me suspiciously. "Where�s Isabel?"

"She�s not here?" I ask. "We�re supposed to be meeting."

"We�re supposed to be meeting," Alex corrects me. "I only have two tickets for X-Men. It�s sold out."

"Well, good thing we�re not going to see X-Men," I tell him.

"What?" Alex demands, sounding outraged. "Isabel and I have been planning to see this for weeks!"

"Things change, Al." I turn away, going over to the ticket booth and buying two tickets for The In-Crowd.

It takes me a moment to realize that Alex has followed me and is hovering over my shoulder. I almost run right into him when I turn around.

"The In-Crowd?" he asks incredulously. "Are you kidding me? Did you really just spend good money on that piece of crap?"

"Money, shmoney," I reply breezily, wiggling my fingers at him, then flipping my hair.

He stares at me for a full minute, as though not quite believing that I have just implied that I counterfeited money with my powers. I didn�t, but I knew it would outrage his pure and noble spirit. These humans are so easy to rile. It�s fun to take out my frustration at the other members of my four square by tormenting their human counterparts. Why else do you think I made such an effort to be nice to Liz Parker when I first arrived in town? I still want to puke when I remember the tremulous sincerity in her voice when she told me that she was in love with Max. Like I care. Love has nothing to do with anything. Destiny is all that matters. Now if Max would only stop his moping and understand this. After all, even Liz has realized it.

But I digress. Alex is still staring at me, obviously trying to figure out what to say. I rescue him by adding, "I�m sure you can find some random geek to sell your extra ticket to. If you�re worried about the money. I know it�s a pain to have to make it the old fashioned way."

"I�m not selling anything," Alex growls. I eye him with interest. He sounds really angry now. Interesting. To this point, Maria and Alex have just treated me to deep and stony silence when I happen to be in their presence. But the tone of Alex�s voice seems to indicate that he�s really on the point of losing it with me.

It actually makes me respect him a little more. Not enough to give in, of course, but enough for me to say, "Well, I guess Isabel can decide when she gets here."

Alex crosses his arms and glares at me. "I guess so," he agrees. He marches away to lean against a nearby wall, his arms crossed. I shrug and go to sit on a bench near the entrance to the theatre.

Ten minutes later, and five minutes before the movie is set to start, I am beginning to realize that neither of us is going to win this battle. Because Isabel isn�t coming. Isabel is many things, but she is not usually this late. Nor is she so rude that she�d just leave both Alex and me sitting here. Okay, maybe me, but I don�t think she�d do that to Alex. Of course, she was the one who had made plans with both of us to see different movies, but that doesn�t occur to me at the moment. So, instead, I decide that something has to be wrong.

I feel a pang of fear. Nasedo warned us when we set off the orbs. What if what he worried about has finally come to pass? What if Isabel has been captured by our enemies?

I reach into my purse and pull out my cell phone, dialing her number quickly. She picks up on the third ring. I heave a sigh of relief.

"Isabel! Where are you?"

"Tess?" Isabel sounds distracted. "I�m at home. Why?"

"Because The In-Crowd is starting in five minutes and I�m sitting outside the theatre waiting for you."

There�s a long pause. I can almost hear Isabel grimacing. "Oh. Ooops. I forgot. Listen, Tess, I won�t be able to make it."

"But I already bought the tickets."

"I�m sorry," Isabel replies, sounding it, I will give her that much. "Something came up."

"Is it something I should know about?"

There is another long pause. "Um, no," she finally replies.

I scowl. I can feel myself getting annoyed. Her tone implies that I probably didn�t want to know what had come up, which means that it�s about Max and Liz. I�ve said it twice now, but I�ll say it again, just so we�re clear about how I feel about this topic.

Barf.

"Fine," I snap. Then add for good measure, because I want her good and guilty. "I�ll just go with Alex."

"Alex?" Isabel asks, her voice raising an octave as the memory of the other friend she has left cooling his jets outside the theatre returns to her self-absorbed mind. "God. I totally forgot about him too. Listen, apologize for me, will you?"

"Whatever." I hang up, shaking my head. I cling tenaciously to my irritation, knowing that it will not allow the tears of hurt that are welling in my eyes to fall.

The last thing on this God-forsaken planet I want to do is cry in front of Alex Whitman.

However, this thought, for some unknown reason, is the absolute last thing I should have thought. Because it ends up being the last straw.

I collapse on the bench and the dam bursts.

Prologue B - ~Alex ~ Don�t Call Me Al

None of it would have happened if she hadn�t cried. What can I say? I�m a guy. Sure, I�m a guy with two girls as my best friends, but that hasn�t mitigated this inherent fact. I�m still a guy. I have three older brothers, and I live in a guy house. Tears�they get to me. It�s my mom�s fault, actually. Living with five men, she has to use all the weapons at her disposal. Tears have always been the most effective.

But back to Tess Harding - the girl who is trying to hijack my date with Isabel. I manage to nurse my annoyance at her for about thirty seconds. Of course, that doesn�t stop me from walking about ten steps in her direction before I remember myself.

She�s really crying. It isn�t delicate and it isn�t pretty. It�s great heaving sobs. I think her nose is running too, until she waves her hand under it, using some alien mojo to stop that. She ends up with the hiccups though, which sort of defeats the purpose of any attempt to appear dignified.

I frown, then sigh. And then I go and sit beside her on the bench she has staked out as her position in this latest squirmish in the Isabel Evans war.

Before I get into what happens next, I think I need to state one thing for the record. Because I think we need to clarify some stuff right off the bat.

Liz Parker is, was, and always will be my best friend. Fifth grade gym class bonds people. There have been bumps in the road, particularly the major one involving the Czechoslovakian secret, but Liz and me�We�re friends for life. And with friendship like ours comes loyalty.

Which means that, sure, I can try to find out why Tess is so upset, and I can even try to make her feel better, because no one deserves to cry like this. However, it�s not going to change anything in the grand scheme of my life. Tomorrow, Tess will still be enemy numero uno. Not that Liz would call her that. But I do. So does Maria. This is the girl who has driven my best friend out of town, and out of the life of the one person we all knew she is supposed to be with. Because, let�s call a spade a spade here. There is no doubt in anyone�s minds that before Tess Max Evans and Liz Parker were destined for early marriage and many bouncing, brown-haired babies.

And then Tess showed up. And everything changed. And not for the better. She can cry all she wants, but I won�t forget that. I owe it to Liz not to.

This is where my head is at as I carefully lower myself into the seat next to her.

That, and, If she calls me Al, I�m outta here.

"Are you okay?" I ask, which makes me roll my eyes at the stupidity of it. Clearly she isn�t.

Of course, being Tess, she points this out right away. "Do I look okay?"

"You look great, actually," I snap back. "Red blotches and glassy eyes suit you." Yikes! Where did that come from? This girl makes me rude. I�m never rude. I stand up quickly. "Forget it. Sorry I asked."

"No, wait!" Tess exclaims.

I look back at her, unable to stop myself from scowling. "I�m sorry," she says quickly. "I�m not mad at you."

"What�s wrong?" I can�t help it. I�m curious.

"Isabel," Tess replies. "She told me to tell you�she can�t make it."

"Are you telling me she ditched both of us?" I demand, collapsing down on the bench beside Tess again.

"Apparently," Tess says. She sniffles. I look at her, then stand, going over to the concession and grabbing her a couple of napkins. I return and she blows her nose quite impressively.

After she has finished composing herself, Tess continues, "Max is in crisis."

I start. "What do you mean?" I feel my heart begin to pound more quickly. Max in crisis�not a good thing as the past couple of months have demonstrated. I feel a shiver descend my spine when I remember the last time I saw Max. He looked like hell. The guy�s been through the wringer. First tortured by a psycho, then Liz left. His life basically sucks right about now.

I mean, another crisis? How much more is the poor guy expected to take? What could possibly have happened that would send him spiraling even further into despair?

It hits me with such force, I jump to my feet. "Oh God! Not your enemies!"

Tess stares at me, her blue eyes wide. She then looks around frantically, grabbing me by the hand and hauling me back down beside her. "No! Stop yelling!"

"Sorry," I mutter. I can feel my cheeks heating up. What can I say? The idea that there are evil aliens out there somewhere waiting to get their hands on my friends gets to me. I remember how scary the plain old FBI can be. And they�re supposed to be the good guys. I can�t even imagine what evil aliens might be like.

Okay, that�s a lie. I can. And that�s why I�m so scared.

"It�s just the same old thing," Tess continues. "I�m sure it�s about Liz. When is he going to get over that?" she mutters under her breath, annoying me again.

"Why should he get over it?" I demand. "He loves her. And she loves him. Maybe if you got over him, none of this would be happening."

There is a long pause. Tess looks away. She is holding herself rigidly. I think for one horrifying moment that she is about to start crying again, but she doesn�t. She just clenches her jaw and doesn�t say anything.

I have to admit, in that moment, I admire her. She could have said any number of mean things back to me, but she didn�t. I mean, she isn�t stupid. She knows whose side I�m on. But she still could have said something.

Which makes me curious again. "Is that what you�re upset about? Max?"

She looks back at me, her expression blank. "Don�t you think that�s enough?"

"It�s something else," I guess. Because I can tell it is.

"It�s Max," she confirms, sounding angry. "It�s all of them. They treat me terribly. I mean, I�m not a bad person. Why don�t they ever include me in anything?"

I take a deep breath. Because I see this as an opportunity. She seems to be in the mood to listen. Maybe I can convince her that Max and Liz belong together. Maybe I can explain that this is why everyone is trying their best to stay away from her, so that when Liz gets back, it will be clear that Max isn�t pursuing his destiny with her, and everything can go back to normal. Maybe I can get Tess to leave Max alone, and then everything can just be the way it was before. Because, if Max and Liz get back together, then everyone else will feel like they can go back to the way things were before too. Michael will stop ignoring Maria, and they�ll go back to their bickering, which I kind of miss. And me and Isabel�

Well, me and Isabel can really try again, rather than sitting in the holding pattern in which we presently find ourselves.

When I told Izzy that I knew she needed to take care of some stuff on her own, I hadn�t meant for her to start shutting me out completely. But, in the past two months she has. She�s holed herself up at home, doing God knows what. Which is one reason I was so excited to see X-Men with her today. It was the first time she has agreed to see me on purpose in weeks (I�m not counting all the times we accidentally run into each other at the Crashdown, where she does occasionally show up to hang out with Max, who spends so many hours there waiting for any news of Liz from Maria, it�s kind of scary).

It isn�t all about Isabel for me either. I miss everyone. I miss the way we were for those six magical weeks between the time Max and Liz got back together, when we�d all hung out and really gotten to know each other, and before Topolsky came back. Hell, I even miss the horrible time when we were investigating Tess, and Pierce was on Max�s trail. Because at least then we were all together. I�m not saying that I would ever wish what happened to Max on anyone, but the whole ordeal really brought us together.

I need to be careful. I need to use this opportunity. I need to make it count. I need to make Tess understand just what she messed up.

"Did�Tess, did it ever occur to you that, maybe, you could just let it go?"

She frowns. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, just let it go. Let Max and Liz be together." I pause, then continue in a rush. "I�m not saying that you need to leave town or anything. I�m just saying, rather than try to bulldoze your way into Max�s life�into all of their lives�let them be who they are, and you, you know, just be who you are?"

There is a long silence. I wonder if maybe I have actually gotten through to her. But, when she speaks, I know I haven�t. "Who they think they are�They�re wrong. They don�t know who they are," Tess replies firmly. "All this�" She waves her hand in the air dismissively. "It doesn�t mean anything, Alex. You all need to get that."

"Friendship means something, Tess." I can feel myself getting riled up again. She�s the one who doesn�t get it.

She looks at me, her face deadly serious. "I�m not saying it doesn�t. But I am saying that it can�t take precedence over what has to be. You freaked out five minutes ago when you thought I was upset about some alien problem. Don�t you get that, unless we have a strong four square, you should be scared?" She stands up and starts pacing in frustration. "Why do none of them get it?"

I sigh. I can actually see where she�s coming from. That isn�t the problem. She just can�t see my point. "Don�t you get that being friends with us�It makes them strong?"

Tess rolls her eyes. "Please. You distract them. That�s all you do. She distracts him. Like this summer. We should all be training, preparing ourselves. But instead all he does is mope. And all of you encourage him. He�s a king. He needs to get his act together."

"You pushing him isn�t going to make that happen, Tess. You�re just making him�all of them�distance themselves from you. You need to calm down, let things happen naturally. Maybe then�" I blink, when I suddenly realize that I am giving her advice. In fact, it might be construed as advice to help her get Max to go along with her. "Um, but not romantically of course. Max loves Liz." I grimace at the flash of guilt that pierces my heart. And I wasn�t the only one who noticed what I was saying. Tess is eyeing me, looking a little suspicious, but also interested.

I realize suddenly that maybe she doesn�t know how to be subtle. After all, Nasedo didn�t demonstrate any great facility at the art. And she has never really known anyone but him. He raised her.

Crap. If she takes me up on my advice, Maria is going to kick my ass. Right after I�m done kicking my own. Because the last thing I meant to do was encourage Tess.

I stand up abruptly, making a show of looking at my watch. "Listen, I�ve got to go. My show starts in ten minutes." I scratch my head, feeling awkward. This conversation has spun completely out of control. I want out of here. Plus, I really do want to see X-Men.

"Okay," she says. There is another long silence. "Thanks." She sits back on the bench, looking thoughtful. This freaks me out even further. I can�t allow her to think about what I said and then start plotting how to use it. I need to distract her. Now.

"Do you want to come?" I blurt out. "I mean, I have an extra ticket, and it�s bound to be a great movie, and you�ve already missed your show."

Tess looks at me, her eyes wide. She seems just as shocked by what I have asked as I feel. She wrinkles her nose. "To see X-Men?" I can tell that she isn�t really wary of the movie though. It�s me. She thinks I have an ulterior motive. Which I do. But, whatever.

"Trust me. You�ll love it. If you don�t, I�ll treat you to dinner at the Pizza Pan." Yeah, again. Where did that come from?

Tess smiles slightly. "Okay."

She seems really pleased. And I become even more uncomfortable.

Stupid tears. Why did she cry? This is all her fault.

I reluctantly hand her one of my tickets - Isabel�s ticket. Okay, let�s be honest here, this isn�t Tess�s crying�s fault. This is Isabel�s fault.

I am going to get her for this.

Chapter 1 ~Alex~ Skin & Bones

I am walking down Main Street, on my way to the Crashdown to watch the Senate hearings with Max, Isabel, and Maria, when I decide to stop at the convenience store on the corner to pick up a newspaper. Isabel still owes me a movie - the one she promised me after the X-Men fiasco of earlier in the summer. Just in case she plans to make it up to me today, I better have the movie times handy.

As always, I am excited at the prospect of seeing Isabel. Every time there is the small hope that today will be the day. Today will be the day that she remembers what was starting between us before she found out about the huge destiny she is supposed to have.

To clarify, I�m not trying to stop her from following it. I just want to be there for her when she does. Maybe today she�ll remember that. She�ll remember that I�m not trying to pin her down, or hold her back, but that I just want to be a part of it. Like when she thought she was pregnant last spring. I would have been there for her then. And I want to be there for her now.

Why her agreeing to go to a movie with me will somehow indicate that she does remember this, I don�t know. But, for some reason, it will. Going to see a movie has become a symbol of our entire relationship. And I need to be prepared in case today is the day.

"Hey, Mr. Almeida," I greet the manager after I enter the store. Me and Mr. Almeida go way back - back to the summer I discovered the joy of the comic book as an art form, when I was eight. I used to spend hours in here back then, because this was the only place in Roswell to get the latest books hot of the presses. Mr. Almeida is the most knowledgeable guy I know on the topic too. It has been many a hot, Roswell summer day I have spent dissecting the latest Spidey or X-Men book with him.

"Hey, Alex," Mr. Almeida replies. He nods towards the back of the store, where the magazine racks are located. "The new Avengers is in."

"Cool. Thanks." I glance at my watch. I�m only here for a paper, but the C-Span coverage isn�t scheduled to start for another twenty minutes or so. Since I know that Isabel won�t breeze in until the last minute anyway, and since I also know that Max is no doubt in deep discussion with Maria about how they�re going to solve their respective relationship woes, which is only something I can listen to so many times without getting depressed, I decide I might as well kill the time here.

Needless to say, it is a bit of a surprise to find Tess Harding standing in front of the comic book stand, her face buried in a book.

"Tess?"

She raises her head, blinks, recognizes me, and suddenly looks like a deer caught in the headlights. She has lowered the comic she was devouring, but not before I notice that it is the latest X-Men title.

Well, well, well.

I narrow my eyes at her. But what I really want to do is break into a grin, even though I am mildly irritated that her lie a few weeks ago made me endure the most awkward dinner of my life. "I think someone owes me some pizza," I say.

"What?" Tess quickly replaces the book on the stand, and tosses her blonde curls. My eyes widen slightly. She�s wearing this blue tank-top that, when she does that, renders me momentarily mute.

Okay, I might not be the girl�s biggest fan, but cut me a break here. She�s cute. And she is somehow made even more cute by how embarrassed she obviously is that I caught her in here. Plus, what geek can resist a girl into comics?

"Did I, or did I not, treat you to pizza a few weeks ago because you absolutely insisted that X-Men was the worst movie you had ever seen?" I finally manage to ask, after my voice has returned.

She stares at me for a long moment. I can almost see the wheels turning in her head as she tries to come up with a way to get herself out of this situation, but it�s also clear that she is aware that it�s going to take a miracle.

"Okay, fine!" she finally says, waving her hand in the air dismissively. "I liked it. I admit it. It was a good movie. But I didn�t come in here just for comics. I needed to get some milk for Michael."

"I�m sure," I reply, nodding towards the comic book she has just dropped. "The comic book stand is on the way to the milk coolers. I can see that." I pause, then add, "I�m glad you liked it though. So much that you�re in here reading comics now." I grin at her, then bow. "No thanks are necessary."

Tess scowls at me. "Okay, just drop it," she mutters. "So I�m addicted to the X-Men now. If you tell anyone, I�ll kill you, Whitman."

"Who would I tell?" I shrug. "It can be our little secret." I pause, then add, "But only on one condition."

"What?" she demands.

"What did you like?"

I�m not sure why I want to know, but I do. After all, Tess Harding has never struck me as the comic book type. She seems much more like the Harlequin romance novel type. I mean, she�s kind of a kewpie doll/ bimbo stereotype - at least in the looks department. It�s intriguing to me to know what goes on in the brain that exists under all those blonde curls. Other than the "Max is my destiny" stuff, of course.

She eyes me for a long moment, as though trying to analyze why I even care. Finally, she just sighs, and shrugs as well. "I don�t know. I guess I can kind of relate to them." She looks away, clearly embarrassed again.

"To the X-Men?" I ask. And, suddenly, it makes perfect sense. Of course she can. She�s an outsider, just like they are. She has special powers, just like they do. I mean, duh. "Who�s your favorite?" I can�t help it. There�s still a small part of me that wants to dig at her, to hurt her, like she has hurt my friends. Which is why I go on to say, "Let me guess�The strong, heroic, kind of quiet leader type? Cyclops, perhaps?" Because, really, in some ways, Cyclops and Max Evans could be the same person.

Tess glances back at me. She wrinkles her nose slightly, as though weighing the pros and cons of telling me the truth. I mean, we�re talking about comic book characters here, but I think we�re both aware that something in the air has changed. This is about a lot more than that.

"No," she finally replies, sounding a little sad. "I like Rogue."

Of course. Rogue. The most isolated of them all. The one who can never get close to anyone because she might kill them.

It suddenly occurs to me that Tess doesn�t have to be isolated like Rogue. It�s all of us who have made her feel that way.

"Yeah, I like Rogue," I tell her softly.

There�s another long silence. We are staring at each other, and she finally smiles slightly, saying, "I mean, at least I don�t have it as bad as her."

"No," I agree. "No, you don�t."

"Well, I should go," Tess says, moving away. "Michael�s waiting."

Strangely, I follow her towards the milk cooler. For some reason, I am enjoying this conversation, and I don�t want it to end.

"You�re going over to Michael�s?"

I knew Michael wasn�t going to be at the Crashdown to watch Nasedo take down the Special Unit, but I thought it was because he was avoiding Maria. Apparently not. It�s interesting that Michael seems to be allowing Tess in a bit. I wonder what it means. I must admit, it worries me slightly too. For many reasons. All that destiny mumbo-jumbo�It�s rearing its ugly head again and I can�t help but worry that it�s going to affect my non-existent relationship with Isabel negatively.

Because if Isabel starts to be interested in training, then there is going to be even less time for her to spend with me then she does already.

And, yet, I can�t help but feel slightly glad for Tess that at least one of my Czechoslovakian friends is giving her the time of day. The memory of her crying on that bench is still pretty clear. And the fact that she identifies so strongly with Rogue�I can�t help it. I feel bad for her. This girl is obviously lonely, even though she tries her damnedest to make sure no one knows it. She doesn�t even have Nasedo anymore, and I can�t imagine that he provided the most stimulating companionship even when she did.

"Yeah," Tess says, pulling me from my thoughts. She seems mildly disconcerted that I am still talking to her, but I don�t mind. I find it mildly disconcerting that I want to. I decide not to analyze it at the moment. "He wants to work on controlling his powers."

"That�s good, I guess." I shove my hands into my pockets. "I thought you guys would want to be there to watch Nasedo though."

"Nasedo is doing his job. He doesn�t need a cheering section." Tess now has a carton of milk in her hands, so she turns and continues seriously, "We need to be doing our job, which is training. Michael gets that."

"But Max and Isabel don�t?" I realize that I am slightly annoyed, and, it�s not at Tess. I mean, why isn�t Isabel training too? Isn�t this why I stepped back? So that she could take care of this kind of thing?

You were the one just thinking you were glad she wasn�t, an annoying voice in the back of my head reminds me. I tell it to shut up.

"Apparently not," Tess replies, sounding annoyed. "Max, as usual, is preoccupied with making sure that he can pretend that none of this is happening. And Isabel�well, who knows. She doesn�t really talk to me anymore. Not since she found out who I really am."

I agree, it is kind of weird that Isabel doesn�t seem very interested in Tess these days. She was all gung-ho to be friends with her back in the spring, before she knew that Tess was a part of their group. But I think I get where Izzy is coming from. I mean, even if she ignores me half the time, I do understand Isabel better than a lot of people.

"I think it�s hard for Isabel to let new people in," I tell Tess. "I mean, it�s been her, Max, and Michael for as long as she can remember."

"She let you in," Tess reminds me. She�s listening though, and again I feel like I�m maybe giving this girl information I shouldn�t be. I know for a fact that if Maria could hear me now, she�d be pissed. Liz wouldn�t be, but I think she�d be hurt that I�m actually starting to enjoy a conversation with Tess Harding. I feel a pang of guilt.

But it doesn�t stop me from saying, "Yeah, but it took a while. Longer than you�ve been here. And me, and Liz, and Maria�we�re never going to be to them what you are. I mean, you�re one of them. You�re like them. As much as they like us, and as much as we care about them, we�re never going to really understand what it�s like to be you guys. I think Isabel might be a bit scared to actually find someone who really gets what it�s like to be her. She�s been the only girl in their little club for a long, long time."

Tess is nodding thoughtfully. "That makes sense, I guess. It�s just that�" She trails off, as though suddenly remembering who she�s talking to. A human. One of her enemies. One of the people who she thinks weaken Isabel, Max, and Michael. "Never mind."

I wonder why I feel disappointed that she doesn�t go on. I mean, it�s not like I can force her to talk. I�m not even sure why I�m talking to her about this anyway. My loyalty is to Liz. I shouldn�t be talking to Tess Harding about anything.

"I should go," I say abruptly. Because I should. This is wrong. She might be one of them, but as long as she�s coming between Max and Liz, she can�t be anyone that I interact with. I just can�t allow it. I won�t do that to Liz.

I leave her standing in the grocery aisle. I grab my paper, pay for it as fast as I can, but she�s at the other till paying for the milk before I can vacate the premises.

As I leave the store, I can feel her eyes following me. It makes me even more uncomfortable, because not only am I disappointed that we didn�t get to finish our conversation before we remembered where our real loyalties lie, why do I suddenly feel like I�ve disappointed her too?

Chapter 2 ~Tess~ Ask Not

I am sitting at a table in the Crashdown, waiting for Max and Isabel. Michael is in the kitchen, but he keeps poking his head out to see if they�ve arrived. He has recently become friendlier. I think since the Skins have made their presence known, he is much more focused on the fact that they can�t just ignore what�s about to happen.

He�s not the only one. Max has become less stand-offish lately too. We have actually had a couple of productive conversations, which is kind of ironic that it has happened now, after Liz is back. You�d think he�d be avoiding me even more than ever, but he isn�t.

Nasedo�s death really affected Max though - more than any of us, including me, and I was the one who knew our protector best. Of course, knowing Nasedo at all was relative. He was never particularly forthcoming about anything. We weren�t close. He was always just there. I�m not happy he�s dead - I mean, he was around my entire life - but I�m also less upset than I should be. Probably because I feel like the others are finally opening up a bit.

Nasedo always told me that they were the ones I belonged with. If we hadn�t found Max, Michael, and Isabel before he died, I�d probably be devastated right now that he is gone. But we did, and I am where I�m supposed to be, and Nasedo completed his mission before he was killed. He found them for me, and his work was mostly done. He wouldn�t expect me to mourn him. Our relationship wasn�t like that. We played father and daughter, but we were both always aware that his job - his only job - was to protect me. He didn�t love me, and I didn�t particularly love him.

Okay, I�m not being totally honest here. When I was a little girl, for a long time I did want him to love me, or at least pretend he did. It was lonely back then. And it hurt when he blew off things like Christmas, and birthdays, and even bedtime stories. But I outgrew that. Now I know that I can�t depend on anyone but myself. That was what Nasedo taught me.

That, and the fact that someday I�d have my real family back and he wouldn�t matter anymore anyway.

And, maybe, just maybe, he was right. Maybe Max, Michael, and Isabel are finally reaching the point where I can depend on them too. Because I know they�re scared now, and I think they�re beginning to realize that they need me as much as I need them. Maybe more. We need to be ready. Nasedo�s death has made that more clear than ever.

I sigh, rolling my eyes slightly as Maria whirls by. She�s waiting tables and she�s been ignoring me since I walked in. I know she won�t even give me the time of day until the others arrive. But that�s okay. I can wait a few more minutes for my alien-themed food.

I glance around, shaking my head in annoyance. I really do hate this place. Not only is it far too connected to Liz Parker to ever make me happy to be here, but it�s also kind of insulting. I mean, I absolutely know that I never looked like that giant alien with the bug eyes painted on the wall, either in this life or the last.

I am glaring at the mural when someone slides into the chair next to me, effectively blocking my view of it. I focus on Alex, who meets my gaze, grinning.

"Think I better protect that poor guy," he says, indicating the alien on the wall. "If you keep that up, he�s liable to burst into flames."

I feel my cheeks redden slightly. "I don�t have alien death-ray eyes," I reply flippantly. Then, remembering what I said to Kyle yesterday, I giggle slightly. "In spite of what some people believe."

Alex shrugs. "Well, it�s better to be safe than sorry." He looks around. "Where are the troops?"

"Max and Isabel aren�t here yet," I tell him. "Michael and Maria are around."

"And Liz?" he asks. His tone is light, but I can tell that he is making sure that I don�t forget about her. Like I ever would.

"I�m not sure," I reply. "I haven�t seen her. Maybe she�s not coming. She doesn�t seem that interested in any of this anymore." I, of course, have no idea whether this is true or not, but there is no question that Liz has been avoiding most of us since she�s been back. She�s helped out when necessary, like letting Max go through Whittaker�s files, but I don�t think she was too thrilled about it.

I become aware of Alex�s steady gaze. He is sitting back in his chair, and is staring at me, hard. When I meet his eyes, because the silence stretching out between us is becoming uncomfortable, he says firmly, "It�s an act, Tess. They still love each other. Liz will always care about what happens to Max. That�s why she�s staying away. She thinks it�s best for him to find out about some of this stuff without her interfering. She thinks she�s a distraction."

"She is," I mutter. I feel a pang. One of anger, on behalf of Max. Because, even if I don�t like it, I don�t doubt that he loves her, and what she is doing is hurting him. And, for the first time, I actually care.

Ironic that. Max shows me a little sensitivity over the past couple of days, and suddenly I actually care that he�s pining over Liz? I am clearly losing it.

And, yet, I ask anyway, "If she loves him, how can she just ignore him? I mean, I could never do that."

"Because she�s Liz," Alex replies simply. "Sometimes she can be more stubborn than is good for her. Especially because we all need her." He raises his eyebrows slightly. "But, you know, there is one way this could all stop. You could stop it, Tess."

"How?" I demand. "By pretending that it�s okay for them to be together? It�s not, Alex. You�d think that after what�s happened lately, even you would start to realize that. Max and I belong together. Michael and Isabel belong together. If it doesn�t happen, our enemies are going to win. They�ve already killed Nasedo. We can�t let them divide us anymore."

He doesn�t say anything for a moment. Eventually he shakes his head. "We are divided, Tess. We�re becoming more divided every day."

"There is no we here," I snap. "You are not a part of this, Alex. You, yourself, said a few days ago that you can never understand what it�s like to be us. You just can�t."

His expression remains placid, although what I have said is harsh. He replies mildly, "You�d think that, with that attitude, you�d get that maybe you can�t understand what it�s like to be us."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"The six of us," he says. "We were doing just fine until you came along."

"Right!" I exclaim. When someone at the table next to us turns to look, I lower my voice, and whisper urgently, "The FBI was after you and Max ended up in the White Room. Great job!"

Alex�s lips are compressed now. I am finally getting to him. "In case you don�t remember, it was Nasedo�s screw-up that put Max there."

"And it was Nasedo who got him out," I reply.

"It was the sheriff and Michael who got Max out," Alex returns. "Nasedo got himself shot." But his tone is less confrontational when he continues, "I guess there�s no point in debating any of this though. We�re never going to agree."

"I guess not," I say, still annoyed. It is even more annoying that I realize he is mostly right - about Nasedo anyway.

"I�m sorry about Nasedo."

My head snaps up, and I meet his eyes again. "Huh?"

"I�m sorry he�s gone. I know it�s probably hard."

"Whatever," I say, but his abrupt change of topic affects me. As does his suddenly sympathetic tone. "I�m over it." But this is said through a lump in my throat. I feel tears pricking at my eyes, and I reach out and take a quick sip of water, avoiding his gaze.

Hmmmm�Apparently I do care about Nasedo�s death. I guess I�ve been too preoccupied with Max, as well as settling in at the Valentis, to actually realize this.

Or maybe I knew, and I was just pretending I didn�t. I am, after all, the queen of pretense. Maybe I�ve been mindwarping myself into not caring.

Because, suddenly, I really, really do want to cry about it. About Nasedo! He would be horrified.

It can�t be Nasedo. It must be Alex. What is it about conversations with Alex Whitman that make me cry? This is the second time. It�s ridiculous!

"I�m sure that�s not true," Alex says quietly. "If you need someone to talk to about it�"

I interrupt him. "What? You? Like that�s ever going to happen."

"It could," he shrugs. "I mean, if you wanted it to."

I become aware of Maria, who is standing behind the counter glaring at me. Blinking, I realize she isn�t actually glaring at me. She�s glaring at Alex. Uh oh.

"What about Liz?" I swallow again, wiping my eyes. I haven�t actually started crying, but it was close. What is it about this guy? I mean, really?

There is a long pause. Finally, he says, "Liz wouldn�t mind." He glances towards Maria, grimacing slightly.

"I think she probably would," I reply. But, because I know that he is actually serious, I continue, "But thanks for offering."

He doesn�t get a chance to say anything else, because the bell over the front door rings, heralding the arrival of Max and Isabel. After that, Alex and I don�t really talk to each other again. Max tells us all about Brody, and what happened at the UFO Center. Kyle comes in and apologizes for being a jerk, and actually tells me that I can stay in his room. Then Liz comes in and Max gets up and makes this huge speech about how he�s not going to forget about her.

I know I should be annoyed about this. I know it, and, yet, for some reason, I�m not. Even though I perfunctorily do my duty and tell Max that nothing is over just because Brody isn�t dangerous, and that Nasedo�s killer is still out there, it�s only a half-hearted reprimand. I�m totally preoccupied by the guy sitting next to me, and with trying to figure him out.

Because I don�t get it. Is Alex Whitman actually offering to be my friend? And, if he is�.Why?