Author: Kathryn
E-mail: [email protected]
Rating: I don't know, PG-13.
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Distribution: my page http://www.geocities.com/myroswellpage
and whoever else wants it.
Feedback: SendSendSend
***********
"Is she dead?" Michael asked quietly as he stared at the lifeless body of Tess.
Maria just nodded. She didn't know what to say. She didn't want Michael to feel responsible for her death. Maria didn't want him to regret saving her.
"It's because of me isn't it?" he asked, squeezing his eyes shut.
"It's not your fault," Maria insisted automatically, "You didn't kill her Michael, the other alien did. You didn't pull the trigger."
Michael shook his head, "I shouldn't have knocked his hand away. I doomed her to death. I should have known better."
"Is that really what you want to have happened?" Maria demanded, "You realize that if you hadn't done it, I wouldn't be sitting here with you right now. Is that what you want? For me to be dead instead of her just because she happened to be an alien like you?"
Michael turned haunted eyes to her, "Of course not, I don't want you dead, but I didn't want her to die either."
Maria took his hand, "I know that. You didn't make the choice whether she lived or died. All you did was save me. You didn't condemn her to die, so don't blame yourself. Don't let this eat you up."
Michael wasn't really listening to what she was saying. "See what I meant about me being dangerous," he said softly after a few moments. "You nearly died because of me, and Tess did."
"You didn't put me in danger," Maria said stubbornly.
He shook his head, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be here at all. If I hadn't lost my temper, I never would have been injured and you never would have gone after that alien. If I had found another way to save you, Tess would be alive."
Maria grasped his face in her hands, "Listen to me Michael," she said stubbornly, refusing to let him look away. "Now repeat after me, I. Am. Not. Responsible. You did not kill her, now believe that. And don't feed me anymore bullshit about you being a danger because I'm not going anywhere anyway."
"I can't help feeling guilty," Michael said, "She didn't deserve to die. Not like this. Not so young."
"Tess deserved a lot of bad, but she didn't deserve to die," Maria agreed reluctantly, "But don't blame yourself. You can't Michael. I will not allow it."
"We should leave," Liz said, putting a hand on Kyle's shoulder as he still held Tess.
"Do we go home?" Isabel asked tiredly, "Back to Roswell?"
Max nodded, "Yeah, we go home now."
"What do we tell our parents?" Alex said, taking Isabel's hand.
Max cast a glance at Isabel, and then at Michael who sat with Maria on the floor, stroking her hair. He turned back, "Isabel and I, we tell out parents the truth."
Isabel looked shocked, and Michael's head snapped up. Isabel cleared her throat. "You mean we can tell mom? The entire truth about us?"
Max nodded. He reluctantly admitted that he had been selfish before. As he looked at Isabel's happy expression now, he realized how much she had wanted to tell their mother. He realized what it had cost her to go along with him when he thought it was too dangerous, and he knew what they right thing to do now was.
Michael was too tired and worn to argue. But, he had to make sure they were clear on something. He spoke to Isabel, still not entirely amicable towards Max. "Tell your mother about the two of you first, see how she reacts to that. If she doesn't freak or think you're crazy, then maybe I'll let you tell her about me."
Isabel nodded, accepting it. She was just happy she didn't have to hide from her adoptive mother anymore. Seeing her real mother not long ago didn't diminish the bond she held with her human mother. She couldn't wait to get the weight of these secrets off her shoulders.
"Are we sure it's safe to go back?" Maria asked, still holding on tight to Michael. "How do we know those are the last of them? We can't be sure it will be safe."
"It's a chance I'm willing to take," Michael said wearily, "I always wanted to get out of Roswell, but not like this, not constantly on the run. There may be more after us, and there's still the FBI, but it doesn't matter. If we get in trouble, we simply leave again."
"Hey," Maria said smiling, "Remember what I told you? I go where you go. And if that's back to Roswell, all the better."
"What should we do with Tess?" Kyle asked quietly, still holding her still body. "We can't just leave her here, and I don't think I want to answer the questions that would be necessary to take her on the plane."
"We can make her disappear," Max said quietly, leaning down beside Tess. "One wave of my hand and she turns into a pile of dust."
"Never to be seen again," Kyle said quietly, his voice slightly bitter.
"It's the only way Kyle," Liz said comfortingly. "I know it doesn't seem right, I know you want to do the right thing. This is what has to be done. We can't explain a dead body, not even with your dad on our side."
A thought struck Liz though. The other aliens had said that anyone who had associated with the foursome must die, and they had been in Roswell. That may mean the sheriff was dead. She didn't raise the point though. Hopefully she was wrong.
Max leaned down beside Tess whom Kyle still held. He hesitated for a moment, looking down at his 'young bride'. She had brought more trouble, but she had still been one of them no matter what. The funny thing was, even though he was supposed to marry her, he didn't feel any kinship or connection with her. She was a stranger to him, and now she would stay that way.
He kissed her cool cheek once, and then slowly ran his hand over her body, until Kyle held nothing but a light dust.
"Let's go," he said solemnly, standing up and helping Kyle to his feet. "I just want to get home."
He couldn't help casting a glance at Liz, and, as she had been doing for the past while, she avoided his eyes. They had a lot to talk about, and a lot to work out, but he would do everything in his power to make her see that he needed her. Nothing stood between them, but him. The aliens he was meant to destroy were likely all dead. As horrible as it was, his supposed mate was gone. He would be hers forever, if she would take him.
"Home," Liz echoed weakly. "Sounds nice."
Maria for one sighed. As nice as it would be, she didn't know how to explain this to her mother. Even if Maria told her mom the truth, and she never would, Amy DiLucca would think she was going insane.
********************
"We will be landing in Roswell in a few moments". Those were the words that came over the intercom as the seatbelt sign began to flash. Maria sat beside Michael, clutching his hand as the plane descended.
"I never thought I'd be glad to see Roswell," he said, looking down at the fast approaching city. "But, I am."
Maria sighed, "You're lucky. You have nobody to explain to why you have been gone out of town with no explanation for a long time."
"You'll think of something," Michael said.
"Oh yeah," Maria said sarcastically. "I could tell her : 'Mom, I've been flying around the country with a boy who's not your favourite person at the moment. In fact, we even slept in the same bed together. Did I forget to mention that we were being hunted by evil aliens, and this same boy isn't of this earth either.' It would take her seconds to ship me off to the looney bin."
Michael laughed, "You can spend tonight at my place till we think up a plausible excuse."
Maria nodded, "Sounds like a plan. Hopefully she won't find out I'm in town before tomorrow."
************
As the whole group came through the gates at the airport, Maria realized she would not be spending tonight at Michael's. In fact, she doubted she'd ever be allowed to see him again.
They had called the Evans' to come pick them up at the airport, because they had no transportation. Unfortunately, Max and Isabel's parents weren't the only ones there. Liz parents followed behind, worried expressions on their faces, as did Alex's parents. Maria's mom was behind them, but she didn't look worried. She looked pissed off.
Maria grabbed Michael's hand, praying this wouldn't be the last time she touched him. She glanced at the others. They all knew they had a lot of explaining to do. But, everyone had big smiles on their faces.
They were home.
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