"No Obligations"
Series: So Far Away #1
By TaleWeaver ([email protected])

Rating: PG. Sexual references and Max bashing.
Spoiler:  Up to opening credits of �Baby, it�s you�.  Also includes speculation on the purpose Tess revealed in �Departure�.  
Pairings: Tess/Max, minor Max/Liz, Tess/Kyle
Roswell Improv: #1. Memory, servant, air, idolize
Author�s Notes: I�m setting up a story arc, so what you may see as an incorrect detail is actually part of my grand plan (okay, so it�s not all that grand.  Sounds good though doesn�t it?).
Muse-ic: �Breakin� me� - Johnny Lang, �I shall believe� and �My favourite mistake� - Sheryl Crow.  (Both Sheryl Crow songs can be downloaded at Roswell Mp3�s, the other one on AudioGalaxy.)
Summary: If Alex hadn�t translated the book and really had died of an accident, how would Max, Liz and Tess� pregnancy be affected?

�Need I say I love you
Need I say I care?
Need I say that emotion
Is something we don�t share��

He knew something was wrong the second he saw her.

Kyle didn�t like to think about why he recognized Tess from three blocks down the street; it went way too close to emotions he didn�t think about - not since prom.  Not since the other night when Max had brought Tess home at 2 AM on a school night.

He threw a U turn and drove alongside her.  Tess� gait was somewhere between a stalk and a march; even though she was moving so stiffly, something brought destruction to mind.  He had to call her name three times before she turned to face him.  She climbed in the car like an automaton, not speaking.

They drove home in silence.  As Kyle pulled the handbrake, Tess silently climbed out and went in the house, unlocking and opening the door with her powers so she entered at an unbroken pace.  Kyle hurried after her, knowing something was very, very, wrong.  And that he was starting to get very, very scared.

He hurried in after her, throwing a quick glance in her bedroom to make sure she was in there.  He took a quick detour to the kitchen, then quietly came in to join her on the bed, back propped up against the wall.  Her head was high but her shoulders were slumped, eyes vacantly staring at the opposite wall, and the poster of the night sky she�d put up.

He handed her the glass of chocolate milk liberally laced with Tabasco sauce, and she automatically sipped.  As she swallowed, a bit of life came back into her eyes, and she turned to him and gave him the beginnings of a smile, before it faded away.  Kyle carefully put his arm around her shoulders, and she took a couple more sips before settling the glass in her lap.  Though he�d been expecting it, it still took him by surprise when she slumped over, her head resting on his shoulder.  She didn�t shake, her breath didn�t come in sobs, but he knew she was crying; the tears coming from a desolation so profound it froze her.

He didn�t ask her to tell him what was wrong, she just did.  She didn�t ask him to listen without judgement, she knew he would.

*~*~*~*~*

Tess sat on the park bench, breathing in the delightfully cool night air as she waited for Max.  She couldn�t stop recalling the night before.  The memory of his skin warm against her own, of feeling like she was floating in the exultation of fulfilled purpose, as her eyes automatically picked out the flashing V of their home star system in the sky beyond the telescope.

She almost hugged herself, wanting again to feel the mind-to-mind connection she�d made with her child, when it had shyly reached out to let her know it was inside her, to tell her that she had created a new life.

Tess wasn�t nearly as na�ve when it came to �destiny� as her podmates thought; she knew that Max wasn�t going to be wild with joy over what she had to tell him.  But this is what she had been working toward since the first time Nasedo took her hand as she came out of the pod.  Now that he loved her, now that they had created a child, Max would not only accept that his place was on Antar, but he would truly *want* to go home.  That�s what had really kept the Royal four on Earth - their leader had everything he wanted here, so here they stayed.

All they had to do was figure out a way to translate the book and go home to Antar, and the promise she had made in another lifetime would be fulfilled; Antar would be governed by a leader that would understand that the people came first, a leader that would be accepted by every citizen.

She had been trained to be sensitive to others� moods since childhood, Max�s most of all.  So when he sat beside her, her most deep-seated instinct, that of self-protection, told her something was wrong.  When she said that she had something to tell him, when he replied that he had something to tell her also, that instinct told her to let him go first.

That instinct kept her still and quiet as Max hesitatingly told her that he and Liz had reconciled that very afternoon.  That sometime last night - and Tess would bet that it was about the very same time Max had lowered her onto the sleeping bag on the observatory floor - Liz had realized that she�d been using the �aliens murdered Alex� theory as an excuse to avoid her grief; to avoid the thought that she could have prevented his death if she�d just done something� anything.  Tess could have sympathized with that in any other circumstances, she�d had enough of those thoughts herself in the past few weeks.  But not when it had lead to nearly all her hopes and plans tumbling down with a crash so resounding that she wondered if Khivar could hear it.

Max told her that he would never forget what they�d shared; fumbling with the words so badly that she couldn�t miss the fact that the only thing Max felt about her was regret and embarrassment, even if she had been oblivious as Isabel in the throes of a shopping spree with her father�s Amex gold.  Ever since she�d first come to town, the primary emotions she sparked in Max were not joy and acceptance, but embarrassment and resentment; Tess had thought they�d overcome that, but now that Max had no further use or need for her it had come rushing back.

The instinct for self-protection enclosed her in a frozen fortress that was impervious to any hurt, by turning all the warmth in her to ice, all except the glowing coal in her womb that was her child, and the dancing candle-flame in the section of her heart that belonged to two men with matching bright blue eyes.  

*~*~*~*~*

Kyle held her as she wept, making soothing noises.  He resolved to punch Max out in as public a place as possible, first thing tomorrow.  Maybe in the CrashDown, before he told Liz exactly why.  That should put a severe dent in the asshole�s halo.

Not to mention the shock Evans would get when he discovered that Michael and Maria would both be firmly on Tess� side in this.  Maria had strong issues with abandonment; not surprising, considering that her father had left after Amy had told him about her pregnancy.  Michael had shied away from any kind of commitment most of his life mostly because he took responsibility extremely seriously; once he took on an obligation, he kept it come what may.  Kyle was very sure that if Michael and Maria ever made love, Michael would give up any thoughts of making a home anywhere except with her.  

�Don�t worry, Tess,� Kyle told her softly.  �He won�t get away with doing this to you.  He�s messed up my family for the last time.�

Tess shook her head, the platinum blond curtain of her hair brushing against his chin.  �Don�t say anything to anyone, Kyle.  The sooner he has no reason to concern himself with me, the better.  Max and I have no obligations to each other - I made sure he understood that.�

Kyle gazed down at the crown of her head, frowning.  There was something specific behind that statement.

*~*~*~*~*

Tess watched Max watching his feet - unable to even look at the face of the girl whom he�d betrayed his promises to in two lifetimes - and the mind that Nasedo had trained to always calculate the next option automatically began to work out was necessary, and to weigh the factors that would aid and hinder her plan.

Max Evans would never have another chance to regain what he had thrown away this night.  He would never have a chance to hurt her again.  He would never have even a single opportunity to hurt her baby.

As for the people of Antar?  They would have to accept only two lives now.  She would have to be even more careful now, because this was her only chance to keep the oath she had sworn to them.  Tess was the servant of her people, but to her vague astonishment her devotion to them had limits after all; because no matter how many lives depended on having a true heir on the throne, she could never let Max Evans touch her again.

�Max?�

�Yes?� her once husband and King muttered.  He didn�t even have the courage to say her name, and her disillusionment in him grew.  

�We need to get some things straight right now, so we can go on with our lives.�  At her cool tone of voice, Max lifted his head and looked at her for the first time since he�d sat down.

�Let�s make it perfectly clear; you can gambol back to Liz and never give a thought to me.  Shocking as it may seem, Max,� Tess� lips twisted in a smirk, perversely enjoying the way Max flinched when she said his name, �But I can survive without you.  In return, you will never inflict yourself on me or my life ever again.� Her hand shot out and grabbed Max�s chin, digging her nails in as she forced his eyes to meet hers.  Her voice was heavy with emphasis as she told him, �From this moment on, we owe each other nothing.  No obligations, no considerations.  Say that you understand and accept this.�  Tess gave him a slight mental nudge to make sure he used the exact words that sealed a formal, legally binding oath on Antar.

�We owe each other nothing.  I accept and acknowledge this,� Max repeated.  

Tess dug her nails in once more from sheer malice before she stood.  The ice that filled her body held her steady as she turned on her heel and stalked away.  Max Evans would never dismiss her again.

*~*~*~*~*

As she settled her head more comfortably on his shoulder, her body leaning back against the wall again, Kyle stroked Tess� hair, so proud of her that he couldn�t help but smile.  Something he�d learned very early in life was that you never let anyone know that they had hurt you.

The repetitive motion of his own hand drew his attention to the one Tess was making.  Her right hand was resting on her stomach, and she was absently rubbing in circles.

�Tess?  Did I put too much Tabasco in the milk or something?�

Tess looked at him in surprise, and then down at her stomach.  She gave a wan smile and told him, �It calms the baby.  My distress makes it agitated.�

Kyle looked at her as if she�d hit him with an electric cattle prod.  �You�re PREGNANT!  How long ago did you and Max start� well, you know.�

�Just last night.�

�And you already know?�  Kyle stared at her and added, �And what about Max - he doesn�t know, does he?�

�Yes, I do know - hybrids have a lot shorter gestation period than humans.  And Max isn�t ever going to know.�

�Why?  He did this to you and you�re going to let him just get away with it?�

Tess� eyes turned navy blue with determination.  �If I told Max about the baby, what do you think would happen?  My child would grow up knowing that its� father thought it was the worst mistake of his life.  Or what if I told him and left town?  Ten years from now, when he and Liz are married in a cute house with a white picket fence, he decides that *now* he�s ready to be a father and destroys whatever life my child and I have together so he can restore his holier-than-thou self-image.  I offered him eternity, and he threw me away like a used Kleenex.  He doesn�t want me, well I don�t want him coming near me or mine ever again.�

�How can you hide it - you�re leaving Roswell, aren�t you?� Kyle asked in a wondering tone, as her plan became clear.

Tess nodded.  �I have to, Kyle, not just because of Max.  My baby�s going to be born in about a month.  No way could I stay in town and not have someone notice THAT.�

Kyle nodded in acknowledgment of her point, his mind working.  �Where are you going?�

Tess shrugged.  �I�ll make some phone calls once I get to a big city.  Nasedo and I spent ten years on the run; I have contacts in places not even Jim could imagine.  Nasedo left a lot of money behind, too - where do you think that new TV I gave you guys for Christmas came from?  I have enough to support both of us for several years, at least, and then I know a few only semi-illegal ways to get more.  I have Jim�s email address, so I�ll make sure you guys know I�m safe.�

Kyle shook his head and told her, �I�m going with you.�

�Kyle-�

�Don�t bother arguing.  You�re family, Tess, and I�m not going to let you do this without me to back you up.�  Kyle�s voice left no room for doubt.  �Besides, no matter how good a story you give Dad, he�ll wind up getting the truth out of me somehow.�

Tess grimaced in silent acknowledgement of his point.  They both knew without discussing it that Jim would have to be given some sort of cover story; Michael wasn�t the only one who took responsibilities deathly seriously.  If Jim knew Tess was pregnant, no matter how faithfully he promised to keep it quiet, within two days tops he�d be demanding that Max act like a man and live up to his obligations.

�It�s kind of ironic, you know?� Tess sighed.  �What�s that saying - those who forget the past are condemned to relive it?  When he was Zanthos and I was Vilandra, I idolized him.  But he shattered the image of who I thought he was, and I ended up doing the unthinkable to keep the oath I�d vowed to keep above all others.  This time around, I knew exactly what could happen, but I still fell into almost the same trap because I was hoping so badly that things could be different.�

Kyle tilted his head to the side, and told her, �You do realize I have very little idea of what you meant there, don�t you?�

Tess smirked and nodded.  �Gotta cheer myself up somehow, Kyle.  I�ll explain the whole thing to you along the road, somewhere - once I�m sure that you�ll understand why.�

*~*~*~*~*

About twenty-four hours later, Tess and Kyle were in his mustang, headed down Main Street.  

Jim had been told a little about the more unsavoury acquaintances that Nasedo had developed during his years on the run with Tess.  That naturally led into Tess telling him that she�d seen one in Roswell the day before, and that she might be in considerable danger if he was still mad about a certain trick Nasedo had played on him the last time they�d met (concerning a quarter-million dollars and a goat).  

Kyle had pointed out that night before that the Valenti men, for one, had never been told exactly who had killed Nasedo - or even that it was definitely an alien who�d done it, since Max had followed his usual practice of not telling anyone anything, especially if they might need to know it.  Tess herself hadn�t even found out about Whittaker�s confession until the road trip to her funeral, and that was from a oddly distant Isabel.  So telling Jim that a human might very well have killed Nasedo leant a certain urgency to Tess� reasons for leaving Roswell now or sooner.

Jim had also accepted Kyle�s going with her with a certain amount of grace.  He�d been very worried about Kyle�s schooling, but Tess had told him a few stories (quite true, as it happened) about how she�d covered up missing large chunks of school due to her migratory lifestyle before coming to Roswell, and Jim had been reassured.  Above everything else, the Valenti men understood what it meant to protect people who�d placed their trust in you, and Jim knew better than Tess did why Kyle couldn�t let her go alone.

At a quiet command from Tess, Kyle stopped the car across from the CrashDown.  Although the caf� was technically closed, the lights were still on and they could clearly see Liz and Max cheerfully splitting an Alien Blast and playing footsie under the table.

Kyle could clearly hear the derision in Tess� voice as she told him, �He�s going to regret it, you know.  One day he�s going to wake up and realize that life with Liz isn�t enough to satisfy him, and that I was right all along.  He may come looking for me, maybe not, but either way, one day he�s going to realize just what he threw away, and that he�ll never get it back.�  She turned to him and smirked, saying, �I find that really satisfying.�  Her face became serious as she put a soft hand over his on the gearshift, and told him, �Thank you, Kyle.  If you ever want to go your own way, you can, but I�m very grateful that you�re coming with us.�

Kyle gave her a gentle smile and said, �Nothing to thank me for.  Besides, I have the feeling that one day I�m going to be thanking you for letting me come.�

Tess squeezed his hand gently, then broke into a smile and told him, �Let�s blow this dust bowl, already.�

�As you command, your highness,� Kyle snickered as he put the mustang into gear and drove away.

And as they left Roswell behind them, Tess turned on the radio, rested her head on the back of the seat, and smiled up at the stars.

�Someday you�ll be sorry, someday when you believe.
These memories will remind you, that our love was meant to be.
But late at night when you call my name, the only sound you�ll hear
Is the sound of your voice calling,
Calling after me.�
"Throwing It All Away" by Genesis