Episode 9 - Past Indescretions

Premieres March 4th, 2002

Written by: Andy, Bill, David, Marianne and Rosie

A battle he wasn't winning.

Tess stirred, and moaned softly as she slowly awoke, the sheets moving as she sat up, bleary-eyed and blinking. Kyle looked at her carefully. Same blonde hair, but her face was thinner, and the dark smudges around her eyes showed exactly how she was doing. Yes, she'd changed. All the demons he'd known were inside of her had made it to the surface, making her all the more vulnerable. But now wasn't the time for sympathy.

"Kyle…"

Her voice came out almost silently. That one word was full of emotion, trepidation, relief… affection?

Kyle looked at her and tried to keep any sign of his feelings out of his voice as he spoke. "Tess… why did you do it?"

She sat silent. She opened her mouth a few times to speak, but nothing came out. Finally she spoke. "Nothing I say is going to make you change your mind."

"The least you can do is give me an explanation!" he exclaimed, the anger floating around with all those other emotions taking precedence. "You killed Alex, you were against us all from Day One."

Tess just sat there, her eyes slowly welling up with tears, offering no defence. All that did was make him angrier: if she was sorry she could at least explain, that wasn't expecting too much.

"You manipulated everyone for your benefit. We trusted you! I trusted you, Max trusted you, my dad trusted you and you betrayed us all! Isabel trusted you and you killed her boyfriend! You made me carry Alex's body! You didn't even stop to think about the consequences, about how we'd feel, you just used all of us for YOUR benefit, Tess!"

"I didn't want to!" Tess cried.

Kyle blinked, momentarily taken aback at the break in her silence. A part of him wrenched with guilt at the sight of her tear-drenched blue eyes. But the other part was still simmering with anger from long ago at the thought of what she did.

"Where's Max's son?" he asked in a low voice.

Tess stared at him, wide-eyed. Then she slowly shook her head. "There's no baby anymore."

It took him a few minutes to process the information. No baby? That meant that Max's son was dead. Max had been worrying about his son ever since Tess left and now his son was dead. Damn, poor Evans...how's he going to take that?

Kyle took a look at Tess. She was openly crying now, silent tears dripping down her face. He resisted the urge to wipe them away, just for a reason to touch her. This was too important. He couldn't lose sight of the fact that she'd betrayed them all.

She fought her way to her feet, wobbling unsteadily, her eyes half-closed in obvious pain. He watched her carefully, readying himself to lean over and catch her if she fainted again, fighting to keep the concern off his face.

"What happened, Tess? I want an explanation, hell, I deserve an explanation!"

Tess shook her head and pointed to the door. "I… I want you to leave, Kyle."

Did she honestly think he was about to do that, with her in this state? What kind of human being would that make him?

"I leave, and I go get Max," he threatened. "We come back here, and both of us don't leave until we've got the answers we deserve. I'm sure Michael and Isabel might want some answers as well, and I'm sure Liz and Maria will be happy to welcome you back. And while we're at it, we may as well alert my dad, too. We'll have a party."

One look at her face made him instantly regret what he'd said. The defeated expression on her face hit him straight in the gut, but he struggled to keep the pity off his face once more.

"Tess, I'm not going anywhere," he told her. "You will have to drag me out, kicking and screaming."

He got a small smile from her at the mental image, the tension momentarily broken. She sighed. "You weren't the type to make this thing easy, were you?" she told him, sitting down on the edge of the bed. He sat down, too. Maybe he was finally going to get some answers

~ ~ ~

Maria sat on her bed and replayed the events of the previous night. She sighed as she lay down defeatedly. Did she really expect him to act any differently? He was Michael...Michael who was apparently always right, about everything. He has been so quick to remember all the things hegot wrong and all the times he's screwed up in his life...if I was as hard on him as he wants me to be with dad then we wouldn't have lasted very long. I'm right on this...

She nodded her head as she silently agreed with herself. "See, Maria. You give yourself the best advice...stupid Michael doesn't know anything..."

"I thought you had figured that out months ago?" Maria jumped slight as she looked at the door to see a smiling Liz looking at her. "Or were you temporary blinded by his kind nature and good humour?"

Maria sat up and smirked. "Jeez, Lizzie. You scared the beejeesies out of me, and no...I always knew what a jerk he was but I found it charming until recently, now I realise that he is just a no good, egotistical, spoilt, badly dressed, arrogant, spoilt..."

"Uh-uh, you said that already..." Liz said with a sigh as she sat down.

Maria looked at her and jestured with her hands wildly. "But it really applies! I have seriously had it with alien guys...I refuse to take it anymore. I'm going to find a nice human boy, one who is kind, considerate, sociable and..." Maria took a deep breath as she looked at Liz and continued. "Human! One who isn't afraid to talk about their emotions, or to be happy for me, or to get along with my dad..."

Maria looked at Liz who nodded her head in realisation. "I take it dinner didn't go well?"

Maria groaned and lay back down. "Total disaster. Seriously. Michael and Sean even teamed up to bash my dad...they were like this little annoying tagteam that had fun bashing him in turns."

Liz struggled to contain her laughter when Maria sat up and started to do an imitation of Sean and Michael complete with squeaky voices and hand movements. "So Brian, you hear to steal the painting? So, Brian, when you running of next? Oooh, is that champagne on the menu? Brian, you're still getting this right? Good, I'll have a bottle..."

As Maria finished the laugh that Liz had been so valiantly trying to supress escaped. Maria looked at her with her eyes widened. She didn't find it funny? "Liz? Please tell me you aren't laughing?"

Liz shook her head and tried to put a serious expression on her face. "So...sorry. Just...it's pretty funny to imagine Sean and Michael...and Brians reaction..."

Maria looked at her and shook her head. "It wasn't funny! It was slow torture...can you imagine having a meal like that? Not that you would have to. You have the worlds most perfect boyfriend..."

Liz suddenly looked a lot more subdued as she shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about...I'm not dating anyone..."

Maria raised an eyebrow and smiled. She wasn't trying to deny that her and Max were an item? "Liz...you've been spending more time with him now than when you were "together" as a couple. Of course you're dating...even if you're too chicken to come out and say it..."

Liz looked at her and groaned as she lay down on the bed. "It's not like that...it's just...really complicated. And confusing, and tiring..."

Maria slumped back on the bed and sighed. "You should pick a nice human boy like I'm going to do...we'll steal the jetta and go on a road trip...somewhere with a beach. You, me and the open road..."

Liz sighed as she looked at the ceiling. "I don't want a human boy...I just want my life to suddenly uncomplicate itself..."

Maria nodded as she sighed. She knew that feeling. "I hear you...but unfortunately none of us has that power..."

"Dear God, will you look at the faces on you two..." A voice came from the doorway.

Maria groaned but didn't sit up as she responded. "Go away, Sean. You are so close to getting smothered in your sleep tonight..."

Sean grinned as he walked in. "You aren't still annoyed about last night are you?"

"No. Get out."

Sean held his hands up and walked to the door. "Hey, I'm not going to get in the way of the both of your 'lets be as depressed as hell' time...I mean god forbid you should have more fun with your life. You know, with you being so old...you shouldn't be having fun..."

As he walked out the door Maria sat up and grabbed her pillow and threw it at him. "Grrr. I am seriously going kill him!"

Liz sat up suddenly and looked at her. "What are we doing?"

Maria looked at her quizzically. "We're sitting, moping and about to go and get a large tub of expensive and fattening ice cream with 2 spoons before I burn all my photos of Michael...why?"

Liz groaned and stood up. "We're 18! There has to be more to life than boys and aliens! Come on!" She grabbed a hold of Maria's arm and pulled her to her feet. "Lets have some fun for once..."

Maria groaned as Liz pulled her out the room. "You're taking Seans advice...I didn't know we were that desperate..."

~ ~ ~

Max stood next to a display in the UFO centre as Brody talked to him about the arrangement of a display.

"Okay, I'm thinking we should move the crop circles over to the cattle mutilation section. They kind of go...what do you think?"

Max nodded his head with mock enthusiasm. "Um, sure...I guess."

Brody sighed and looked at Max. "Max, I know that you think that this is all tourist stuff but we have to cater for people who believe that this is alien related..."

"And not some ellaborate small town hoax?" Max said with a smile as he picked up a picture of an apparent UFO made crop circle. "I mean, I would love to see how they made these without getting seen."

Brody smirked as he pointed to the wall. "Well, I don't pay you to believe it...just make sure you sound like you do to the visitors..."

Max nodded his head and grinned. "I'll do my best..."

Brody rolled his eyes as he walked away before he spotted a figure standing at the door. "Evans, visitor."

Max turned around from the display and looked and saw Michael standing there. As he smiled apologetically to Brody he shot Michael a look. Why did everyone think it was okay to come and unload on him when he was at work? Brody was going to seriously fire him one of these days. "I'll get that display done in a second Brody."

Brody nodded as he walked over to a computer and sat down as Max walked over to Michael. "Michael, what the hell are you doing here? I'm trying to work."

Michael looked over at Brody. "Well, he's not going to mind...I'll just pretend I was abducted or something..."

Max gave Michael a stern look. "That's not funny. What are you here for?"

Michael sighed and looked over at Brody. "I'm suddenly single and I need a date, what the hell do you think I'm here for? I came to talk."

Max took a deep breath and shook his head as he whispered. "Couldn't we talk after work?"

Michael raised an eyebrow. "If we could talk after work I wouldn't be here just now would I? It's about Maria."

Max looked at him concerned. What if there was something wrong? "What about her? Is she okay?"

Michael nodded. "Yeah, well...no. She's totally losing it about Brian. I mean she said we were through last night...totally out of no where."

Max looked at him disbelievingly. "No where? Really?"

Michael nodded his head. "Really, I don't know...maybe she's PMS'ing or something...she's just been really irritable and irrational. I try and give my opinion and she shoots me down. He's definitely manipulating her or something..."

Max looked at him and shook his head. "Maybe if you stopped trying to force your opinion down her throat she wouldn't be as irritable. Seriously, you should know better than that by now...you should apologise."

Michael looked at him and nodded his head. Max sighed as he looked at him, he knew what that look meant: "sure thing Max, I'll do that." before he would run off and do the exact opposite. "Michael, I'm serious. Apologise."

"Yeah, yeah, sure thing Maxwell. Listen, I have a question for you...supposing I wanted to research something what would the best way be?"

Max looked at him confused. Michael researching something? "What are you researching?"

Michael shook his head, "None of your business. I just want to know how I would access some public records and stuff..."

Max shook his head and walked away. "No! No way. That is wrong for so many reasons: a)it's illegal, b) it's immoral and c) he's Maria's father...her word should be good enough for you."

Michael followed him over to the display. "Well, it's not. I'm not going to let her get hurt, will you help me?"

Max turned and looked at him and shook his head. "No. You are going to lose any chance you had of making it up with her if you continue. You will lose her forever. Think about that Michael. You have no idea how hard it is to see the person you love everyday and not be with her. You have no idea what it's like to see her with someone else. Would you be able to handle that? You will never get her back if you ruin this for her."

Max looked at Michael, desperately hoping his argument had got through to him. Max knew what he was talking about...it had nearly destroyed him when he lost Liz. Michael wouldn't be able to live with himself if he lost the one thing that was important to him.

Michael looked at him and shook his head and gave a growl of frustration as he turned away. "Thanks for nothing, Maxwell. Thanks a lot!"

"You'll thank me for it."

"Sure I will..." Michael began walking away before turning to Brody with a slight smile. "Unless...hey Brody...quick question...you got time to give me a crash course on the internet?"

Michael looked at Max and gave a smirk before turning to Brody who was looking at him with a confused expression. "Umm, sure...I guess..."

~ ~ ~

Jim tried Kyle's cell phone number again. He'd tried more than a couple of times now and all he was getting was Kyle's voicemail. C'mon, Kyle…answer the damn phone…. He was about to dial one more time when he heard the doorbell rang.

He tried to ignore the door as he waited on his call to connect. The door rang two more times before he sighed and hung up the phone and decided to answer it. He walked irritably over towards the door and opened it to find Amy DeLuca standing before him.

"Amy," he said, not really knowing how to make a transition into another sentence; she was the last person that he had expected to see.

"Jim," she said, partly wondering why it took him so long to answer the door. "Is everything all right…?"

"It's not really a good time…" He turned away, half hoping Amy would walk away and half hoping that she would stay.

Amy noticed the bruise on his face. "Jim?! What happened?" She inched towards him, reached out for the wound when Jim pulled away.

He gave her a slight smile as he spoke, "Uh, we've had some family problems...Kyle found out about his mom. That she…you know…"

As Jim's voice trailed off Amy looked at him intently. "She what? Got remarried?"

Jim shook his head and took a deep breath as he ran his hands through his hair. This really wasn't a conversation he wanted to have just now. "No...she's...she's dead. She's been dead for years and now I'm the owner of a shiny new bruise and Kyle's missing...he just...he took it really badly and now I need to find him." He wasn't sure why he was telling her all of this. She probably had other things she'd rather be doing than playing Valenti Family Damage Control.

Amy looked at him for a second as she tried to process the information that Jim had told her. As she looked at him she sighed and walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Oh, God, Jim…I'm so sorry." She gave him a hug as he awkwardly hugged him back.

He closed his eyes for a second before he pulled away slightly and looked at her. "Amy?"

"Yeah?" She looked at him expectantly.

"When were you going to tell me about Brian?" Jim wished that he could have brought this up in a more subtle way.

For the next few minutes, Amy was speechless. Brian's return had completely thrown her. She was still getting used to it and to be honest, telling Jim was the last thing on her mind. "I'm sorry," was the only thing she could manage to say.

~ ~ ~

"Answer me, please!"

Kyle sat next to Tess and stared at her. He wasn't sure how to react to her sudden appearance. Should he be angry? She made him think that Alex's body was – of all things – luggage! Of course, Tess was also a victim of circumstance. Events were set in motion years before she was even born…or, well, in her case, hatched. He sighed and looked at her as she looked at him desperately, it wasn't that he was deliberately trying to hurt her...it was just really hard to work out what he actually felt.

It was all too much to take in, hence the silence.

"Kyle, if you're not even going to talk to me…then maybe you should bring Max here. I'm sure he hates me even more than you do." Tess looked to the ground. She couldn't take the angry stares anymore.

"You can leave you know," Kyle finally said. Tess noticed that his voice was cold and detached. "I'm not making you stay. Just make me go." He paused and then added: "Like you did with Alex."

Tess' face was awash with confusion as his bitter words sunk in.

//FLASH://

Alex in Tess' room. "How could you make me decode that stupid book for you?!

//FLASH//

"Why did you kill Alex, Tess?!"

//FLASH://

"You destroyed my mind! There's nothing left!"

Alex falling to the floor, dead. Silenced forever.

//FLASH//

"I didn't want to kill him, Kyle. You have to believe me." Her voice was full of genuine remorse, genuine pain.

"But you still did."

//FLASH://

Tess and Max at the summit in New York. Max and Tess meeting Brody/Larek, Nicholas.

//FLASH//

Tess looked at Kyle, tears in her eyes as she whispered to him. "I didn't have a choice…they made me do it.".

~ ~ ~

Michael sat in the murky backroom as the soft hum of the computer broke the silence. Brody looked at the screen intently as Michael looked over his shoulder.

"Are you sure that she needs this? It's just...well, not entirely legal...to go hacking into government files..."

Michael nodded his head only half listening. "Yeah, Maria will really appreciate it. As I said, she would have asked herself but...well, she was embarrassed about it. You know what she's like..."

Michael looked as Brody grinned slightly as he nodded his head. "Yup, she's quite a lady..."

Michael scowled slightly as he clenched his fist. Be nice, Michael. The English twat doesn't stand a chance with Maria...but you need his computer...

"Yeah, that she is..." and you don't stand a chance with her... Michael said with a forced smile as he looked at what Brody was doing.

They sat in silence for a few minutes until the door opened slightly and Max popped his head around the door. "Brody, we got a couple of ladies out here who want to buy the alien autopsy dummy...I told them it wasn't for sale but they wanted to see you..."

Brody groaned and stood up. "I'll leave you with this Michael, you know what to do right?"

Michael nodded and sat on the seat that Brody vacated as he muttered. "No problem...you go sort out the old bags who want a disected alien..."

Brody smiled at Max as he walked out. "I think we should start selling them...we'd make a fortune, what do you think?"

Max nodded his head non commitedly as he looked disaprovingly in at Michael. "It's not right to lie to Brody...he thinks he's helping."

Michael didn't turn from the screen as he answered. "He is helping. He's helping to nail a scumbag...he just doesn't know it."

Max shook his head. "If she finds out you will lose her forever Michael. Forever."

"Max? Do me a favour...mind your own business. This has nothing to do with you so butt out." Michael began typing loudly as Max shot him a look before walking out.

~ ~ ~

"I cannot believe you have brought us here, Liz! I haven't been to one of these places, well, in pleasent circumstances since I was 11!" Maria laughed excitedly as she grabbed Liz's hand and pulled her over to the dodge'em's.

Liz grinned as she nodded her head. It had been nearly 3 years since she was in a fairground. She involuntarily shuddered as she remembered what happened before, when Max was caught with Pierce. Stop it, Liz. You are here to have fun. Forget the past and live for the now for once! She mentally chastised herself as she allowed Maria to cajole her into dancing along to one of the songs on the radio.

"Maria, if you keep dancing like that you are seriously going to injure someone!" Liz said with a smile.

Maria looked at her and winked. "That'll teach 'em for getting in the way of talent!"

"You should stick to singing..." Liz said as Maria stuck her tongue out at her.

Maria looked at her and laughed before stopping and looking at Liz. She jumped over beside her and whispered loudly. "Look, look!! Look who's coming over!"

Liz turned around and noticed what Maria was pointing to. Walking over towards them and smiling flirtilly was two guys. Both looked about their age and were very good looking. Liz smiled at them as Maria took a deep breath.

"Okay, I want the guy in the shorts...he looks easy going and human...that fills my criteria..."

Liz shook her head, "You are not serious." But before Maria could reply one of the guys stopped and looked at them.

"Hi."

Maria looked him up and down and smiled coyly. "Hi."

Liz rolled her eyes and turned around to look at the guys who was smiling up at them.

"I'm Liam and this is Ethan." Liam indicated to Ethan, who was the one that Maria had claimed earlier. Liz looked at Liam and smiled as she responded. Oh whats the harm, Liz...it isn't like you're attached...

"Hi, Liam. I'm Liz and this is Maria."

Liam never took his eyes of Liz as he smiled. "Nice to meet you, Liz. So...I know we haven't seen you around before so I'm guessing you guys are from out of town?"

Liz looked at him and grinned as she leaned in and smiled. "How do you know you haven't seen us around before?"

Liam looked at Ethan who was flirting with Maria and smiled, "I'm pretty sure we would have remembered you two..."

Liz smiled as she looked at Maria.

"So, we're going to go grab a bite to eat and then head into a club. Would you ladies like to join us?" Ethan looked at Maria as he spoke and Maria sighed as she looked at him.

"I would love to...but, unfortunately...I'm kind of seeing someone..." Liz looked at her and smiled inwardly. So much for her and Michael being finished with...

Ethan looked at her and was clearly disapointed. "Oh...oh, well okay...that's fine. Well, Liam and I should probably head off..."

Liam looked at Liz questionally. "You too?"

Liz looked at him and nodded her head slightly. "Kinda...sorry."

Liam sighed and began to walk away. "Hey, you can't blame a guy for trying. It was nice to meet you Liz, and you Maria..."

"You too." Maria said before she turned to Liz and sighed. "Well...they were nice..."

Liz grinned as she looked at him. "I thought you were available? I thought Ethan met your criteria? I thought that you and Michael were through?"

Maria looked at her and sighed dramatically. "So did I, but you know, there are two types of over. You know there's the over which you say when you have an argument in an abandoned street and walk home alone and theres the over where you collect your stuff from their place and never speak to them again." She looked at Liz and smiled as she continued. "And you know what Liz? Michael may be a jackass...but he's my jackass...and I love him."

Liz looked at her and smiled broadly before she hugged her quickly, which caught Maria off guard. "I'm glad you've found someone like that...I'm really glad..."

Maria hugged her back for a second before she pulled back and looked at her with a grin. "You know what? This conversation has turned far too serious..." She pulled away and grabbed Liz's arm and pulled. "This calls for the rollercoaster!"

Liz's eyes widened as she pulled against Maria who was grinning at her, "Maria! No!!"

Maria shook her head and pulled harder as Liz let out a scream as she was dragged to the rollercoaster.

~ ~ ~

Jim lay on the sofa and held Amy tightly to him. The silence that enveloped the room was a living being; its breath, tension. He sighed as he closed his eyes and thought. Okay...I've tried all of Kyle's friends, even that pig, Mallamud. Where else would he go?

The sound of the phone pierced the troubled silence like a siren. Startled, Jim fell off the sofa and took Amy with him. He scrambled to the phone and picked it up on the fourth ring, after helping Amy up.

"Hello?" Jim said somewhat breathlessly.

"Dad?"

Jim sighed, thankful to hear his son's voice. "Kyle, thank God...where are you? Please come home."

"Dad, I'm sorry that I ran. I'm just...I'm pretty confused right now. I'm safe. I'm with a friend. I need to think, Dad."

Jim tapped his hands against the recievor and spoke slowly. "Kyle, please come home. We really need to talk about this."

"I'm really sorry, Dad. I'll be home later. I really need to have my head clear first. You don't know how sorry I am for punching you. I never meant to hurt you...just wanted you to know..."

As Jim began to speak he heard the click come from the other end of the phone. He cast a look at the enchanting woman who has captured his heart and placed the receiver on the cradle.

Feeling arms wrap around him, Jim felt some measure of safety. "Why couldn't Michelle tell us? If she didn't want Kyle to know, she could have told me. I've hated her for 11 years for abandoning us. I came so close to losing Kyle, too. I've lost my mother, my wife, my daughter ran away, and my son's decided that rather than talk about his problems he'd be better running off. I don't know what I would do if I lost him, too." The tears fell softly from his eyes.

Amy looked up at him and wiped his tears with her finger tips as she spoke softly. "Jim, Kyle is a great kid. You are the reason why. You did a great job. He didn't mean to do it. He's probably hated his mom for years. Maria sometimes hated her dad for leaving us. Kyle will be back. He said so."

Jim looked at her and smiled sadly. "Amy, I've done so many things wrong. I think the only things I've done right have been Kyle and you."

"You're human, Jim. You've made mistakes. Kyle's a good kid. You are the reason why. Michelle knew you could be there for him. She wouldn't have done what she did otherwise. Jim, I think we should slow down, at least for a little while. You loved Michelle. You need to mourn. So does Kyle. I love you and I'm not going to leave you. You know that, right?"

Jim looked at her and nodded his head as he took a deep breath. "Amy, I've hated her for 11 years. I'm so damned angry that she couldn't tell me she had breast cancer. I feel just as guilty for the way I felt about her. I'm so lost."

Amy looked at him and caressed his hand tenderly. She knew how to pick up the pieces after years of practice with Maria and her own relationships...she knew she could help him. "Jim, Kyle feels the same way you do. It might be worse for him. He's lost his mother. I hope this friend of his can help him."

"So do I, Amy. So do I." Jim said sadly before she reached up and kissed him tenderly.

~ ~ ~

As he turned off his cell, Kyle turned and sat on the bed next to the weakened girl. They sat in silence for several minutes before Tess looked at him and began to speak softly.

"Kyle what happened? Why did you hit Jim?"

Kyle looked at her and thought how to answer. How did he explain this to her without going into the details? "Tess, I just lost it...I didn't mean it to happen. I found out that the reason my mom left was that she was dying. I've spent nearly 11 years thinking she left because my dad and I weren't enough for her. I even started to hate her. She was dead and I hated her. What kind of son does that make me!" He angrilly wiped his eyes as she looked at him in confusion and pity. She wanted to help him, she didn't want him to hurt like this.

Tess understood the pain the person, who if things had been different could have made her happy, is in. Moving her hand to touch his face, to comfort him and to seek comfort for herself. Wanting to trust her, but having been burned, he shied away.

Looking at the girl who was once so close to him, he asked, "Tess, what did you mean?"

She held her hand that he had flinched from as though he had slapped it and asked quietly as he looked at her expectantly. "About what?"

"You said 'they made you do it.'? How? Who?"

She looked at her hands and sighed as she spoke quietly. "Kyle, the Granolith crashed in the desert. I was hurt pretty badly. I lost my son. I wasn't there long before Nicholas, Lonnie, and Rath found me. I was in too much pain at the time to realize how they found me. They asked me time after time if I was still pregnant." She shook her head and took a deep breath as she continued slowly. "I...I just cried and cried. They wanted to know because Khivar wanted my son. Wanted to use him as a way to legitimize his rule. I hate that son of a bitch."

Her voice suddenly became stronger as she continued speaking. "Nicholas knew Alex was dead. That's when I started to suspect I was being controlled. I wanted to go home, but I burned my bridges. I stayed with them because I had nowhere to go. I came back because they wanted me to torture you all. Nicholas took control of me with Lonnie's help after the summit. Most of the time I was me. Anything dealing with what I did to Alex and you, I wasn't aware of until later."

As he listened to her tale intently, he remembered the girl who was almost, but not quite his sister, not sure if that person was even real. Could she lie as well as this? Was she that good an actress?

She looked at him and said desperately. "Kyle, I never wanted to hurt anyone. I'm sorry about everything. I really am. If I could undo it, I would."

"Tess, you've lied to me. Hell, you mindwarped me after you knew it could kill. You...you made me treat Alex like a piece of luggage. Do you know I still have nightmares about it? Do you know how hard it is to be near anyone. I helped cover up my friend's murder. You may have manipulated me, but that doesn't erase the guilt. Burning your stuff didn't erase it either. I was so hurt by you."

Tess's eyes locked on his and she shook her head. "Kyle, I'm not lying. You, above anyone else, were the last person I wanted to hurt. You and your dad gave me the family I had waited my whole life for. And I blew it. I don't expect anything from you anymore. You have every reason to hate me."

He looked at her and got off the bed and walked out the room. "That's the problem, Tess. I don't know what I feel about you anymore."

~ ~ ~

Michael sat and looked at the words that were appearing on the screen... He closed his eyes as they blurred and he began tapping the keyboard irritably. Great idea, Michael...waste 6 hours of your life on this piece of crap...

"You know, if you enjoy doing this we could get you in at weekends and train you up a little..." Brody said with a smile as he looked over Michael's shoulder.

Michael sighed as he rolled his eyes. "If I had to sit in front of a computer all day I would probably kill someone..."

Brody shook his head. "I wouldn't be that quick, Michael. Computers is where the future is...with computers we will be able to reach places that we can only dream about now."

Michael nodded his head. "Yeah, whatever you say..."

Give it up, Michael...you aren't going to find anything... Michael sighed as he slowly typed. As the page loaded up he looked at Brody who was clearly talking about something he found fascinating but which Michael hadn't heard.

"Don't you agree, Michael?" Brody asked as he looked at Michael expectantly.

Michael quickly turned back to the screen and nodded his head, hoping Brody wouldn't ask him to expand anymore. As the screen loaded he smiled slowly as he spoke quietly. "What's this?"

Brody walked over and looked at the screen. "Is that what you were looking for?"

Michael nodded his head as he stood up. "I knew it. Can you print that?"

Brody nodded his head as he hit the print option. The pages printed slowly and Brody looked at them. "Michael, what is this? Why would Maria possible need this? And who is this about?"

Michael looked at him and took a hold of the sheets as they finished printing. He walked out the office as Brody followed him. "Michael? What is this about?"

Michael looked at Brody and shook his head. "Look at the name. It's Maria's dad."

As Michael walked towards the exit Brody stood for a second and watched him walk away before he ran over towards him. He reached out and grabbed Michael's arm. "Why would you waant to give Maria something like that? Knowing that it will only hurt her? What kind of person are you?"

Michael looked down at Brody and shook his head as he used his free hand to remove Brody's hand. "I'm trying to stop her from getting hurt. Thanks for your help, Brody. I appreciate it."

Brody watched as Michael went out the door and swore loudly as he glared after him. The last thing he had wanted to do was hurt Maria.

"Everything okay, Brody?" Brody turned around to see Max looking at him.

Brody looked at him and sighed. "I just thought it would make her happy...i never thought that he would do that. I would never have helped..."

Max looked at him and walked over. "I know you were only trying to help, and so will Maria. Trust me, I'll talk to Michael. He should have told you what he was doing."

Brody looked at him and nodded his head angrilly. "He should have. Why would she want to be with him?"

Max looked at Brody and opened his mouth to reply, to defend Michael but instead shook his head. As Max looked at Brody's defeated face he couldn't manage to think of anything that could excuse what Michael had done.

Brody began to walk away before he turned and looked at Max. "Do me a favour, Max. Tell Michael that if he ever wants to come back here then he better not be expecting me to help him destroy anyone elses life. If he can't even repect his girlfriends happiness then what hope have any the rest of us got? Just tell him to stay away until he can get his priorities straightened out."

~ ~ ~

Liz and Maria sat on the hood of the Jetta, eating some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. "Did you see the look on that guy's face when I told him that I was seeing someone? He looked like he found out he had lice or something. He was completely devastated."

Liz laughed. "I bet he won't be as devastated as Michael when he finds out that you've become a tramp."

"Right, like you can talk Miss I Make Out With My Boyfriend Every Five Seconds." Liz and Maria both cracked up. "Hey, wait a minute, do you hear that?"

"What?" Liz went completely silent, intent on hearing whatever it was that Maria heard.

"I believe that this is the sound of two angst-free teenagers. I can't remember the last time we had this much fun." Maria finished her ice cream and tossed the container to the ground. She looked over and saw that Liz had a serious look on her face. "What? I'll clean that up."

"I remember." Liz's voice took on a sad tone.

"Remember what?"

"The last time we had fun. It was before Alex died…"

Maria realized that Liz was right. The last time she remembered having fun was the night before his death. She and Liz were trying to convince Alex that he needed to be strong around Isabel. That whole night had been a blast. "Liz…do you think that this is weird? You know, doing this type of stuff without him?"

"Of course…sometimes I have to remind myself that I can't call Alex and complain about him not coming over anymore."

Maria was glad that Liz was talking about this. After his death, she remembered that Liz had put up this incredibly strong front and didn't let anyone in. "You want to hear my opinion on this?"

Liz smiled as she looked at her. "Of course."

"I think that Alex wouldn't want us to stop having fun just because he's not here." Maria looked over at Liz.

Liz looked at Maria. "I agree." There was a small, non-awkward silence that followed. "Maria, you know that I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you, right?"

Maria nodded and smiled. "Right. And you know that goes for you too?"

"Absolutely." The two of them hugged tightly.

"So you want to get outta here?" Maria asked, hopping off the hood of the Jetta.

"Sure." They both entered the car and started home.

~ ~ ~

Michael stood outside Brian's hotel room after searching for it for the best part of an hour.

He knocked and waited for a few minutes before Brian answered. "Michael, to what do I owe this honor? Are you here to make me miserable, or is my daughter the only one that warrants that behavior?"

Michael held up the computer printouts that he had. "You're remarried. You have a son. One of us isn't being completely honest," he said matter-of-factly.

Before Brian could respond, Michael quickly added, "You were also went to jail for fraud. Were you planning on telling Maria any of this?"

Brian lunged at Michael and tried to take the papers. Michael stepped to the side and easily dodged him. "You want the painting."

"You have no idea what I want," Brian responded angrilly.

"Care to enlighten me?" Michael had to remember that he couldn't use his powers. This guy may be a scumbag, but he still is a human.

Brian didn't respond.

Thought so... Michael glared at Brian. "When are you going to tell Maria that you left her and her mother for another family?"

Brian was beyond angry. He couldn't believe that some punk kid was telling him what to do. "You shouldn't get involved with this."

"Too late for that. Now are you going to tell them, or am I going to have to tell her what a scumbag her dad is myself?"

Brian still couldn't respond. Everything was happening too fast.

"If you don't tell her, I will tell her everything I know."

"You'll lose her," Brian said, hoping that this would be the trump card into getting him to shut up.

"I'm willing to risk it." Michael turned around, as if he was about to leave.

"Why?"

Michael looked over his shoulder at Brian. "Because…I'm willing lose her again than see her be hurt by you again." Michael left Brian's hotel room, slamming the door behind him as he exited.

Brian watched the closed door for a minute or two. Then he walked over to the dresser and pulled out a picture. One picture was of Maria. The other was a boy who was the same age as Maria. After thinking for a few minutes, he put the pictures down and sighed.

~ ~ ~

Kyle stood outside resting against the side of the house as he tried to clear the thoughts out of his head.

I really want to believe her. I really do. Part of me is telling me she's telling the truth. The rational part of me is telling me, if she was being controlled, why didn't I see it? Maybe I did, but was made to forget. Did I fail her? Could I turn my back on her? Do I want to? How could they have not noticed? Oh, yeah. Most of the time they treated her like a damned pariah.

Walking slowly to the bedroom, he hesitated at the door and knocked. As he opened it slowly, he saw her collapsed on the hardwood floor, blood flowing from her nose. Without a second thought he was at her side, carefully picking her up into his arms and placing her gently on the bed.

Please...please let her be ok, He studied the slow, yet rhythmic, rise and fall of her chest. Thank you. As he sat down he breathed a sigh of relief as he watched her. How could she look so peaceful yet be so sick? He looked at her and rubbed his eyes. What would he do if anything happened to her? How would he help an alien?

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him as he looked at her concerned. "Tess, what's wrong with you? I thought you guys don't get sick. You certainly never used to collapse all over the place before..."

Tess looked at him and shook her head. "We don't get sick. I don't know what's wrong. My head fells like it's been through a blender on puree and I'm tired all the time. Kyle, please leave me alone."

Kyle shook his head. "No, Tess. When did you start feeling this way?"

Tess sat up and closed her eyes as she tried to think. "It started after I got back. Maybe I deserve this."

"Have you ever felt like this before?"

She nodded her head. "Mindwarping gives me headaches if I hold it for a long time. I haven't used it on anyone but Max. It was to make him hear our son. To torture him. I feel like I'm mindwarping myself. Go, Kyle. Please. I don't want you to see me like this."

Meeting her gaze, Kyle stood his ground. Tess buried her face in the pillow and started to cry. Kyle, with a heavy heart, left her room. He walked to his car and got in as he wrestled with what he needed to decide: to help Tess or pledge fealty to El Presidente. The closer he got home, the clearer his choice became.

~ ~ ~

Liz walked in the door to the Crashdown after Maria had eventually dropped her off. She still had a grin on her face as she scanned the restaurant and spotted Max sitting alone in a booth towards the back. Liz quietly made her way over to Max and slid into the booth across from him.

"Hey there stranger," Liz said with a grin as she sat down.

"Hey Liz," Max said looking up from his papers. "So where have you been?" Max asked with a smile.

"Oh me and Maria went to the fun fair today," Liz said with a grin.

"Oh," Max said. "And did you have fun?"

"Yes," Liz nodded happily. "It was so great. We just went and...and relaxed. But she dragged me onto a rollercoaster against my will and I was screaming so loudly the couple in front kept on galring at us everytime they passed us..."

"Sounds like fun," Max said with a laugh. "I'm glad you got a chance to get out."

"I had a great time," Liz said. "It's funny when I look back on it because it was like we were a pair of normal teenagers."

"But you are a teenager," Max said with a slight smirk.

"I mean without having to worry about any...pressures," Liz immediately stopped herself before.

"I meant...," Liz said attempting to find the right words.

"I understand what you meant," Max said with an understanding smile. "You mean without having to worry about any of the problems that come with being in the alien capital of the states?"

"I'm sorry I said...," Liz said awkwardly before Max stopped her.

"Liz," Max said reaching across the table taking her hand in his. "I know ever since I let you know what I was, your life has been filled with so many worries. But I also want you to know that I would give anything feel like you did today. And Maria would kick my ass if I let you slip down into that angsty mode already...so forget about it."

Liz squeezed Max's hand gratefully as she looked at him intently for a minute. "Max? Do you remember when I said I had fun today?"

Max nodded.

"Well it would have been better if you would have been there," Liz said with a smile before adding coyly. "Although I doubt Ethan and Liam would have been as interested in us then..."

~ ~ ~

Should I call him? Maria thought to herself as she drove her Jetta home. Her time at the fair with Liz had done wonders for her, but when two good looking guys had come up to them it had reminded Maria about Michael.

And how much she missed him. "Only you Maria would turn down a handsome and charming guy for the most annoying man in Roswell."

As Maria pulled up to her house she noticed Michael's dirtbike parked in the driveway. Looking out her window sure enough there was Michael standing on her front porch. Getting out of her car, Maria cautiously walked up to Michael.

"So have you calmed down yet?" Michael asked her quietly.

"WHAT!?!" Maria yelled directly into Michael's face. "HOW COULD YOU ASK ME

THAT!?! YOU JERK! YOU!...YOU!..."

Michael's hands quickly shot up between him and Maria as if to ward her off. "Hey, peace. I didn't come here to fight."

"So have you come to make more accusations about my father then?" Maria asked angrily.

Michael shook his head. "I actually came to apologize,"

Maria moved past Michael and opened the front door to her home. Stepping into the house she left the door wide open. After a moments hesitation Michael followed, closing the door behind them. Maria led Michael to her bedroom where she turned and faced him.

"Well, go on."

Michael sighed and looked at her as he began. "I'm sorry about earlier," Michael said. "I'm sorry for what I said about your father. I should have known better, because I can still remember what you told me back in that motel room. When you started talking about your

father I remember getting this feeling from you. A feeling of hope, the same kind of feeling I had been clinging to ever since I first came out of my pod."

Maria remained silently still.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt," Michael said. "I couldn't bare it if that happened."

Maria took a step towards Michael and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly.

"I'm so sorry," Michael said.

"I know," Maria said as she pulled back from Michael and leaned in gently to kiss him.

~ ~ ~

Reaching the door, Kyle carefully put his key in the lock, and as silently as possible opened the door. After closing it just as silently, he saw Amy fast asleep, her head resting on his dad's shoulder. They look so cute together. I want that one day.

He tried to make it to his room as quietly as possible but he didn't succeed: as he passed the couch, Jim's eyes shot open. Kyle caught it as he passed and pointed to Amy. Jim took a pillow and put it down on the cushion. Lifting Amy's head off his shoulder, he gently helped her to lie down, trying not to wake her. A sigh of "Jim" escaped her lips. Jim kissed her forehead and covered her up with a Navajo blanket that he'd gotten as a Christmas present from Owen five years ago.

Jim walked over to Kyle and looked at him for a second before he wrapped his son in a fierce hug, Jim smiled and led Kyle into the kitchen for a gentle grilling. "Kyle, I don't like seeing you hurt. I hope your friend was able to help. Who were you with? I was scared out of my mind."

Kyle rolled his eyes slightly. He had called. "Dad, I called you so you wouldn't worry. I was with Paulie at the bowling alley. We played a couple of games. It kind of helped me get my mind off everything. But, I've got to go back out for a little while. I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I'm sorry." With that Kyle headed to his room closing the door behind him.

After a minute, Jim entered the room. Kyle's eyes kept shifting from his dad to the letter, the last thing his mother would ever say to him. Jim noticed it, not because of his years of being a trained police officer, but the eighteen years experience he had at being a father. "Kyle, when you're ready to talk, I'll be there."

"I know, Dad. I'm just not ready to, yet." Jim sighed and nodded his head in understanding as he left Kyle to spend time with his mom's legacy. After the door closed, Kyle walked to the dresser and picked up the letter. Sitting back down on the bed, he took a deep breath and opened it and began to read the missive.

Kyle,

I hope that you could one day forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye. I found out that I have breast cancer. It spread to my lungs and liver. I have maybe 4 months to live. My mom died of breast cancer when I was 11. For the last 6 months of her life, I was the one taking care of her. I left to spare you from doing that for me.

You may think that I'm a coward, but taking care of my mom made me grow up way too fast. I wanted you to stay a child. I didn't make this decision lightly. I had thought for a month and a half before leaving. I thought that having you possibly hate me was better than watching me waste away.

This has nothing to do with you or your dad. I love you both more than life, which is why I'm trying to save you from this. I'm going to miss so much and theres so much I still wish I could tell you, but more than anything, I hope that you find that special person. If you do, hold on tight and don't let her go. Don't run away like I did, trust your instincts and I know you'll make the right choice. You were always my smart little boy...

I don't expect your forgiveness for a very long time, Kyle, but I hope you'll be able to understand. I hope that one day you will.

I love you, always.

Mom

"I forgive you, Mom. Thank you." The tears began to fall from his eyes as he clutched the letter close to him. He took a few deep breaths before he stood up and wiped his eyes before he walked towards the lounge.

As he was about to walk out the door he turned and noticed that Amy had woken up. He looked at her for a second before he walked up to her and she hugged him. It felt almost right for her to comfort him like a mother would. "Goodnight. I've got to go somewhere for a little while. I'll be back. Thank you for being there for my dad."

"It's my pleasure..." She nodded her head as he pulled away and smiled sadly as he walked out the door towards his car.

He pulled up to the abandoned building and found her still lying on the bed with her head buried in the pillow. As he sat down beside her, he gently held her hand.

"Tess, I'm back. You need to get better. I've missed you. You are my family," he whispered to her quietly.

Turning to face him, blue eyes locking, she asked him, "Kyle, you don't owe me anything. Why'd you come back?"

"I...I know there is a million and one reasons why I shouldn't have, but...I got some really good advice tonight from my mom...so I had to come back..."

She looked at him and shook her head, not quite understanding what he meant. He looked at her and smiled reassuringly. "I lost one woman that was important to me. I'm not going to let you go. I can't lose you, too. I'm sorry I never noticed that there was something wrong. You are my best friend. I had never been able to remember having a relationship where I felt that comfortable...where things felt that right and I felt that happy.... My mom would have loved to meet you."

"Kyle, I know. I feel the same way about you. But things can't go back to how they were..."

Kyle shook his head. "I know they can't...but, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. You just concentrate on getting better..."

Brushing a curl away from her face, he told her simply, "I'm not going to give up. You're not either. I won't let you. You owe me that much..." If I have to get him here to help you at gunpoint, I will. If they come to hurt you, they will have to kill me to get you.

Tess could only smile weakly at what he had told her. "Kyle, I never wanted to hurt you. No matter what happens, remember that."

Kyle kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly to him. "I'll remember that. Just get better..."

~ ~ ~

The car had been parked outside the Deluca residence, with it's engine running for twenty minutes now. Brian sat in the drivers seat, his hands nervously tapping the wheel. He watched as Maria's boyfriend Michael walked out the door.

Nearly halfway down the path from the house to the sidewalk Michael froze in his tracks as he noticed Brian sitting in his car. Michael stood there as still as a statue, his eyes never leaving Brian's. The two never moved an inch as they continued there staring contest. After a few moments, hoping Brian got the message Michael finally made his way down the driveway to his bike. Michael started his bike, backed down the driveway, and drove off.

As Michael's bike turned the corner of the street, Brian shut off the engine and stepped out of his car.

The time it took for Brian to walk up pathway to the front door was only seconds, yet it seemed like hours. Upon reaching the front door Brian reached into his coat pocket and removed a small envelope. Brian turned the envelope over in his hands. He had hoped that it wouldn't have to come to this, but knowing his options it left him with very little choice. Ever so gently, Brian placed the envelope in the mailbox and left.

Once again in his car Brian turned partially in his seat to take a look in the back seat. Of course he was sure he packed everything so he could find no fault in doublechecking. As soon as he was done Brian turned back, settled in his seat, and started the car. His eyes settled on the photograph of him and Maria that he had taped to the dashboard. Brian reached out and let his fingers gently trace over Maria's face. Brian closed his eyes and sighed as he shifted the car into drive and drove off.

Inside her bedroom Maria sat cross legged on her bed as she looked through a magazine.

"Hey," Sean said leaning against the frame.

"Hey," Maria greeted in return with less agression than she had for him earlier in the day.

"So how ya feelin?" Sean asked. "I see you took my advice?"

"Kinda tired," Maria said. "It's been a long day."

Sean hesitated for a moment before he walked over to the bed and sat next to Maria.

"I got a question, but don't snap my head of. I've only got one of them remember...anyway how do you feel now about your dad and everything," Sean asked as he looked at her.

Maria bit her bottom lip and anxiously began to chew on it.

"I don't know how I feel," Maria said lying. "I mean it's been so long, and some things are just don't seem to working out right now."

Sean nodded and joined Maria in staring out the window. Once again the room fell silent, the only noise that could be heard was that of the clock

"You know I see you sitting here and I think back to the way my family was," Sean said. "My Dad sure wasn't going to win humanitarian of the year award. And my mother, well I guess she just drank to block out my father. I couldn't stand to be in that house, or around my own parents, I would've done anything to get out of ther. And so I did. I lied, I cheated, and I

stole. And the entire time I was doing these things I kept wondering to myself. Wondering whether or not my parents even cared about all the wrong things I had done. And it hurt to know that they didn't. And now I see your dad's come back after all this time, now that shows to me that he does care. Even if it is as suspicious as hell."

Sensing that Maria probably wanted to be alone at the moment Sean got up from the bed and began to leave the room. Right before he made it to the door he heard Maria gently whisper something. Immediately Sean stopped in his tracks and whipped his head around.

"Excuse me?" Sean asked.

Maria turned towards Sean, "I said I'm glad," Maria said with tears in her eyes. "I'm glad he's back."

Maria leaped up from the bed and wrapped her arms around Sean.

"That's good to hear," Sean said with a smile. "That's good to hear..."

TBC

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