TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES Category Conventional Couples Rating R Summary Alternate series ending. Set three years after 'Graduation'. Kyle's POV. It's been 3 years since we escaped Roswell. It's been 2 years since Jesse rejoined the group and conveniently got shot- three guesses on who has alien powers now. It's been 1 year since we had to split up. And since I am the lucky one without a significant other, I am by myself- running from the law. It's not like I'm bitter or anything. ~ "Nick!" a voice rings out. Oh yeah, that's me. "Yeah?" I reply, turning to the voice, catching my reflection in the mirror. The green eyes glare back at me, sending chills down my spine- I still haven't gotten used to the new me. "I need you to continue the investigation on the Peterson woman," Joe orders as he sits on the corner of my desk. "Isn't that Zack's case?" I inquire as he nods. "Well, Zack will no longer be working on the case since he found the need to screw Peterson's daughter-" "He didn't!" I cry out as Joe shakes his head. "Unfortunately, it's the truth," Joe sighs. "So, I need you to take over his cases, with the Peterson case being high priority-" "No problem, I just finished the Felix case." I reply matter of factly as his eyes widen in shock. "You're the best detective," Joe chuckles. "I'm so glad you decided to come here." I nod. Not like it was my choice. Joe leaves momentarily and then returns with five red files in his hands. He places them on my desk. "Thanks," I reply as he nods and leave my office. I sigh and gaze at the files. Five new cases, my new life. Figures I'd follow my dad in some way- I'm a detective in sunny California. But since my new latent alien powers have advanced and grown, it only takes me a fifth of the time everyone else takes on a case. Making me jump the ranks in little over a year and I'm the youngest one here. I'm barely old enough to drink- even though I can't have a single drop. Lucky me. I put aside the Peterson case- I already know about that case and I quickly glance through the rest of the files. Tucker, Smith, Johnston, and Evans. Whoa- Evans? It's a coincidence- it has to be. I open the file and shift through the contents. A Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery are looking for their adopted son- Alexzander Montgomery. Zack's notes were sloppy, but he had figured out that Alexzander was a Zan Evans. Only thing was that he wasn't able to track down the birth parents or a hospital record. Oh, fuck. Zan. Damn, out of all the fucking states! Why me? Why now? Crap, this can blow my cover. I don't want to change my name or appearance again. I'm tired of running. I'm tired of everything. "Nick Valentino?" A harsh voice inquires, snapping me out of my self destructive thoughts. "Yes?" I reply as I look up at an older looking couple. "How old are you?" The man groans as he looks nervously at his wife. "Old enough," I reply quickly. "How can I help you?" "We were told that you were taking over our case. We are Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery." "Ah, yes-" I reply softly, my heart pounding. "I was just reviewing your file." "Yes, we wondering if there had been anything new." "I'm afraid not," I state calmly. "Would you mind filling in some gaps. I'm afraid that Zack didn't write down everything you had said-" "Anything, to help," they reply quickly, taking their seats in the chairs across from me. "Do you have any recent pictures?" I ask as she fumbles through her wallet and pulls out a dozen pictures. "He's adopted, so he doesn't look much like us. He's about three and a half now," she whispers, her voice breaking with tears. "He's been missing for six months. With no leads," her husband adds. "Who do you think might have taken him?" "I know it was his mother-" she cries. "The last time I saw him a young woman, about your age, was cooing over him. I turned around for a second and they were both gone." "Could you describe her?" I inquire as my heart races even more. This can't be happening. She has to be wrong- "She was short, petite, very pretty- blue eyes and long blonde curls." Oh, shit- I take a deep breath and gaze through the pictures. He looks like Max. "I have some things to look over," I reply quickly. "We won't keep you any further," Mr. Montgomery states as they stand up and head for the door. "If you need anything else, let us know," she adds with tears in her eyes. "I will," I respond firmly as I stand up and escort them out. I shut the door as I feel the weight on my shoulders crumble. I can't do this. ~ Two weeks later I had finished every one of my assigned cases except for one. I glance over the pictures of Zan, my heart and my body aching. I can't do this. I push the folder away and I place my head against the desk. My thoughts race of everything and nothing of that year over three years ago- I've tried so hard to put it behind me. "Nick Valentino?" A familiar voice rings out and I look up from my desk. Oh, Buddha. My heart swells and I know I can't even acknowledge him, my father. "Name's Valenti. I came to offer my help in the Montgomery's case." "How do you know of this case, Mr. Valenti?" I reply trying to fight the urge to hug him, to touch him. "I'm a close friend," he lies smoothly. "I'm also the Sheriff of Roswell." "Sheriff?" I repeat and my heart soars with pride. He made it. He nods as he studies me briefly, "have we met before?" "Can't say that we have" I reply quickly. "Ever been to San Francisco before?" "No," he replies with a smile. "I'm here for a bit with my wife." "Wife?" I repeat, my voice cracking as a surge of emotions run through my body. "Actually, we are on our honeymoon." "Your wife must be very understanding." "Amy's the best-" he sighs. Amy? Amy Deluca? Oh, shit- Maria and I have always joked about this. "Well, there haven't been any leads- I don't know how you can help at this point." "Good," he replies with a sigh of relief. I search his eyes- he knows something, he's covering. "Not good for the Montgomerys," I quickly add as he notices his mistake. He chuckles, "I just meant good for me. Amy will be pleased to know our honeymoon plans will be unchanged. I just thought I’d offer my help." "I see-" I nod as I stand and take his hand. "Thanks for the offer," I reply. He continues to stare at me- and I want more then anything for him to recognize me. "Nice meeting you," he offers after a strained silence and turns to leave. Fuck. "You wouldn't happen to know of a good BBQ place?" he inquires as he turns back around. "I do- it's a little place, but it has the best ribs," I reply as I put the Evan’s file in my briefcase and I pick up my jacket. "I have the rest of the day off. I'll be happy to show you around." I look around my office, knowing that depending on tonight I may not be able return. ~ An hour later I enter their hotel room. He introduces me to Amy. My stepmother- My resolve fades, I can't hide anymore. I just can't. "Did Amy read the journal- does she know about them? About me?" I whisper as he steps closer to me, confusion etched on his face. "Liz's journal?" she questions as I wave a hand over my face changing my features back to the Kyle they knew. "Kyle!" My dad cries as he wraps his arms around me. I hug him back, making up for three long and lonely years. "Dad-" I groan as tears sting my eyes. I turn towards Amy, "Mom-" She cries softly as her arms tighten around me. "How are you? How are the others? Are they here too?" "Um-" I reply as I look around the room. "I think we're safe-" "Just keep it simple," my dad whispers. "We've been safe and secure for the past year. No 'otherwordly' or national activity has been detected. M and L are still married and are up north. M and M just married and they are expecting," I explain as Amy gasps with joy. "They are down south and I know for a fact that she loves and misses you." "Thank you," she replies, smiling softly with tears in her eyes. "J rejoined us two years ago. J and I renewed their vows and are on the east coast-" "And you?" "I'm here, by myself on the west coast," I sigh, feeling the weight of my loneliness. "I'm so proud of you," he replies as he hugs me again. "You've got a great record as a detective." "Tess is alive, isn't she?" I question as he stares blankly at me and looks away. "How long have you been helping her?" "Almost three years." "Three years?" I cry. "She's been with you this whole time? Did you know she was going after her son?" "I had a feeling she might." "You had no intentions in helping the Montgomerys," I accuse as he nods. "She came to me after you had all left, she was hurt badly- I nursed her back to health." "And no one seemed to notice that she was back?" I ask in wonderment. "They went chasing after the six of you," he explains. "They went after Jesse for a bit and then he disappeared. But I had put up a good front. They had no idea of my real involvement. I was their link to Roswell- they left us be." I nod as I take a seat on the bed, my head spinning with the new information. "Where is she?" I ask softly. "I honestly don't know," he replies. I excuse myself and I go into the bathroom. I gasp at my features. It’s sad that my true features seem foreign to my eyes. I wave my hand and change my features back to 'Nick Valentino'. I didn't have much time. I go back into the room and hug my parents one last time. "Goodbye," I whisper, dreading the parting a second time around. "Must you go?" Amy whispers. I nod and "I have no choice, they know who I am- they know my involvement. I may have jinxed everything for this brief moment. I must leave-" "I love you," my dad whispers as he hugs me one last time. "I love you too," I reply as try to put up a brave front. I pull away and wave goodbye. I then turn and run away, not daring to look back- knowing that I would change my mind. I had to reassess my situation. I had to prepare to run once again. I sank down on the bed my head spinning- less then a few hours ago I was with my father. I had a family- I wasn’t alone. Ugh. I can't do this anymore. It's not fair. Why the fuck am I alone? It's not like I can bring someone else in. I love you, but I'm not quite human- but, I'm not exactly an alien either. Oh, and guess what? We have to stay on the run form the FBI- 'cause they want to experiment on us, actually they just want to kill us. Yeah, sure- that would go over smoothly. I groan and look over at my laptop. Oh, shit. I didn't check in today- I log in and check my e-mail. Three new emails are labeled check in, and then another 10 are labeled with question marks and concerned remarks. I briefly read them and I send off a quick note. To: mnm_baby@hotmail.com, maliz@aol.com, JeLo@yahoo.com From: valky@excite.com i'm here, safe for now. slight situation- dad and mom have seen me. may move on. I get up for a soda and I return to see that all three of them have replied. All three had questioned about the mom comment. To: mnm_baby@hotmail.com, maliz@aol.com, JeLo@yahoo.com From: valky@excite.com um, maria. congrats sis, they did it. One. Two. Three. Maria is too predictable. To:valky@excite.com From: mnm_baby@hotmail.com WHAT? I chuckle as I send a longer explanation to Maria and the others. I sigh as I sign off and head to bed. Tomorrow seems so uncertain. Tomorrow, I may be another person all together. ~ The shrill phone ring awakens me from a deep slumber. I groan as I reach for the phone, "Hello?" "Nick Valentino?" An unfamiliar voice questions. "Yeah? Who's this?" "Mrs. Montgomery, I'm sorry to have awaken you-" "But?" "We have a lead." "A lead?" I question as all sleepiness vanishes from my mind. "She sent us a note," she cries. A note? What the fuck were you thinking, Tess? "I'll be right there," I reply quickly. Deep breath. Calm. Focus, Valenti- what are you going to do? If you find her- what are you going to do with Zan? What are you going to do with Tess? Fuck. ~ I smile at Mrs. Montgomery as she hands me over the note. Her note is brief and sincere. She also sent a few pictures of Zan playing in the park. Nothing remarkable on the envelope, except for the postmark- Las Cruces, New Mexico. You've got to be kidding me. Las Cruces? I gaze at the pictures and I notice the slightly doctored background and the V- constellation in the tree. She left an alien clue. "Thank you," I reply to Mrs. Montgomery. "I'll see what I can find." "Do your best," she replies as she mouths another thank you. I sit out in my car and pull out a map. Assuming she is in a bigger city, I trace my finger starting in Las Cruses in the form of a V. Truth or Consequences, Alamogordo, and Ruidoso are the cities closet to the V. I sigh as I rub my forehead, it’s a start. But, do I want to begin? I call the office after a short pause, "Joe?" "Nick, my man, what's up?" "I have a huge lead that I'm taking." "Where are you going?" He questions as I put the car in gear. "New Mexico," I laugh. "Plane or car?" "I think I'll go by car- I could use a few days off." "You deserve it- you've been working hard," he laughs, "I'll see you later." "I'll see you when I get back," I reply as I hang up the phone. "If I come back." Ready or not here I come. ~ Two days later, I collapse in a hotel room in Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico. Exhaustion takes its toll after being on the road nonstop. A nice thing about being a little alien is that I don't need as much sleep. Good thing, I had enough energy and thought to change the car and license plate before I entered into town. You can never be too safe. ~ I wake up feeling slightly dazed and numb. What the fuck I'm doing here? Ugh. I unpack my lap top and log on. I hadn't checked my e-mail earlier and I knew that the e-mails would pile up. They were always so worried about me. I know they think I'm about to snap. And truth be told- I've come close. Maybe, I already have. But have they left their cozy little love nests to come and check up on me? That'd be a big fat no. Max, our leader, our king- thinks that we are safer, if we stay in twos. Which is good and dandy, but there is an odd number of people. I thought we had worked well as a group of six- but, then Jesse had to come and blow our cover. He got shot and the FBI was closer on our heels then ever before- after being safe for almost a year. That's when Max decided what it was best for the group to break up. Lucky me- I always knew that he hated me. I quickly write a note and check in, my fingers itching to tell them about my plans- to tell them that Tess is alive and that she is somewhere in New Mexico with her son. But, I couldn't tell them, not just yet- I need a little more time. I need to find her. It could be tomorrow, it could be a few months form now- I just need some time. I log off as my stomach growls. Damn, I'm starving. I need something to eat, now. I stroll down the street and find a small Mexican Cafe. I walk through the door, spices linger in the air. My mouth waters as I notice bottles of hot sauce on the tables. Perfect. I take a seat at one of the booths and I notice another couple sitting in the small cafe. The quite atmosphere is homey and nice. Even better. "Buenos noche," a soft voice welcomes me as I turn to a beautiful young lady about my age. "Hi," I reply as she hands me a menu. Her fingers graze past mine and my heart skips a beat. The reaction her fingers produce, intensify a feeling of unknown origins. Stirring something inside me that has been dead, for so long. "Tonight's special is our enchilada dinner," she announces, her soft accent soothing to the ear. "It's your choice of either cheese, chicken or beef. Or a combination of the three. It comes with a side of rice and beans," she explains as our gazes lock. Her emerald eyes twinkle, sending bolts of electricity down my spine. "I'm new around here," I reply as she giggles in response. "I stick out like a sore thumb, don't I?" "Just a little," she laughs, as her smile widens. Damn, she's hot. "What would you recommend?" I ask as she reaches over and points at the menu, her hand grazed mine once more as her ebony curls fall in front of her face. I fight every urge to move the soft curls and gaze into her eyes. To sweep her off her feet and make her mine. "Personally," she whispers. "I love the Spicy special. It's a platter of 2 enchiladas, a tamale and a chile relano- all with an extra kick." "Sounds great," I moan, my mouth watering for more then just the meal. "Think you can handle it?" she teases as she takes the menu away from me. "Positive," I reply as she smiles in reply. "Would you like any thing to drink with that?" she asks as she writes down my order. "A beer or a margarita?" "No-" I chuckle. "I don't drink." She nods and gazes at me. "Would you like something else?" "Oh," I stammer. "Cherry cola, if you have it." "Sure," she replies as she leaves my table. Damn it, Valenti- focus. You can't get involved. I lean back, closing my eyes. I take a deep cleansing breath, trying to calm my excited and raging hormones. "Who's the hottie?" A hear a husky voice ask and then a clatter of dishes. "Momma!" I hear her voice once more. "He's new around here." "Well?" The older woman questions as I hear a muffled giggle. "You know I can't get involved- what about Alex?" "Alex will be there, he loves his mommy." Her mom replies- she has a son? "I bet his mommy is needing some lovin' too-" "Momma!" she cries. "Why don't you speak a little louder? I don't think he heard you!" I can't help but chuckle as I hear another round of crashing dishes. "Krista, he was checking you out-" her mom protests. "Krista-" I whisper as she rounds the corner and blushes at the sound of her name. "Momma!" she fumes, banging the glass onto the table in turn, splashing the contents onto the table and me. "Dios mio-" she mutters as she grabs a napkin and dabs at the sticky liquid seeping through my shirt. "You really don't have to-" I reply as she looks at me, her face inches from mine. I take my hand and rest it on hers, stopping the dabbing motion. I feel a sudden warmth explode inside me. I suck in a quick breath as I reach out and touch her face. Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to kiss her, to taste her soft lips- So, I do. Our lips touch and my heart soars. I don't care about the consequences. I need her to feel again- A little bell rings and she pulls away. "Your food's ready-" she whispers. I nod as she runs back into the kitchen. I hear a squeal of delight as I gather she hugs her mother. I can't help but grin. I'm not alone. ~ After dinner she sits down and joins me for some ice cream. "How did you like your meal?" "It was kinda bland-" I reply truthfully. "I added a little more hot sauce to it." "You did?" she laughs. "Then you'll love the ice cream." "I will?" I ask as I take a spoonful and taste the sinfully delicious concoction. "Like it?" she whispers as I nod in reply. "It's a spicy chocolate sauce." "It's great," I sigh as I gaze at her from across the table. "How long are you going to be in town?" "It depends on my business-" I reply as she nods with understanding. "My name's Nick." "Nick?" she repeats softly. "Nice to meet you Nick." "Nice to meet you Krista," I reply as I stand up. "But I should be going." "Yes, it is after hours," she replies as she follows me to the door. I take her hand in mine and I gaze into her eyes. "Can I see you tomorrow?" I ask. She smiles as she takes her pen and writes her number on my hand, "I'd like that." I look at her number and then gaze around the darkened cafe. I pull her into my embrace and our lips meet. I gasp slightly as she pushes me up against the door, deepening our kiss. I moan into her mouth as her tongue grazes mine. I can taste the spicy chocolate on her lips. I feel like I've died and gone to heaven. "Tomorrow," she moans as she pulls away. I nod as I reluctantly let her go. I smile and wave good bye as she shuts the cafe doors. ~ I sigh and take a walk in the darkness. Not necessarily the safest thing to do- but, I do have alien powers to protect me. I sit down on the bench, thinking about her kiss- her touch. "Krista," I moan as I look across the way. I snap out of my state of bliss as I notice my surroundings. Shit, this is the park. This is where she took the pictures of Zan. I stand up and look at the trees and benches more closely. There has to be another clue- there just has to be. After searching for awhile, I find 'Morgan + Lane' carved in a little heart on the tree and 'Class of 1986' carved in the bench. Two carvings- they had to be clues. The only way I can think to link them together is that they are both in the pictures and they are both fresh carvings- so, it's not possible that anyone from the class of 1986 could have carved 'Class of 1986'. She must live on 1986 Morgan lane. If there is a Morgan lane, and if there is a Morgan lane is there a 1986 Morgan lane? Ugh. This is happening too fast. I didn't expect to find any clues, let alone track down an address- I need another day. I need time to think. ~ I turn around and walk away from the clues. As I pass by the cafe, my heart skips a beat. I touch my lips, recalling the feeling of her tender lips on mine. "Krista," I whisper, my heart and mind racing- "What am I going to do?" I'm so tired of being on my own. I'm just, so tired of everything. "Can I risk my life and hers? Can I make that choice?" I whisper into the night’s air. Knowing that no one has the answers that I seek. Ugh. ~ I lie down and my mind races about Tess and the clues she left behind and of Krista. Krista. Buddha man, help me out here! What am I supposed to do? I drift off into a restless sleep, I dream of Krista and the pain I cause her and her family. The lies, the hiding- all too much to bear. I wake up and I look at her number, still written on my hand. "I'm sorry," I whisper, as I wash off the number that would've given me a life, that would've given me a part of myself that I had lost. Fuck. ~ It's noon and I find myself in front of 1986 Morgan lane. Lucky me, it does exists. I take a deep breath and I knock on the door. I wait a few seconds, when the door inches open and a little face looks up at me. His blue eyes burn into me."Daddy!" he cries as he takes my hand and leads me in. "Zan," I whisper as he looks at me strangely. He pulls me in, waddling slightly on his little legs. I stare at him- he doesn't look anything like Max, like the pictures did. But then she could've changed his features as well. Then again, I could have the wrong place- I could have the wrong kid. "Football," he gurgles as he throws me a football. I can't help but smile at him as I toss the ball back to him and he catches it. "Where's mommy?" I question as I kneel down. He studies me briefly and then points to a closed door. "Is mommy in there?" He nods and resumes playing with his toys that are littered across the floor. I stand and walk closer to the closed door. "Ok," I mumble to myself as I take another deep breath and I raise my hand to knock. My hand freezes in mid air as I hear voice through the door. "I know, I know," she insists. "Dad, I know." My heart stops as I process her soft voice. Dad? She must be talking with my dad- she calls him dad now? She stole my dad too? Ugh, that's so not fair! I spent three fucking years alone away from my dad and he plays daddy to her? "I only sent the clues because you told me, it was him-" Whoa- what? She wanted me to find her? Why? "Dad, I think I can recognize him. I did live with the guy." She laughs. Yeah, right. If my own dad couldn't recognize me, what makes you think you could? "I will deal with him when he gets here, I should have a week or two to prepare-" Wrong again. "Oh, I met someone-" What? "I really like him, but I'm kinda scared- he has no clue what I am." "Ball!" Zan cries as he throws me the ball. I catch it as he runs and attacks my legs. "Score!" "Bye, Dad." I try to move as he holds on to me. "Alex!" she calls out as she opens the door. I try to turn around to see her, but I can't. Wait, did she say Alex? "Alex?" I repeat out loud as he lets go of my legs and runs to her. "Nick?" she questions as I spin around. Oh, for the love of Buddha. "Krista?" I choke out as she smiles. "Did Momma give you my address?" she questions, her accent back. Her smile falters slightly as I continue to stare at her. It can't be- Fuck. "Krista," I whisper once more as she studies me. "Nick?" she questions. "Are you okay? You look ill-" "I- wow, no-," I reply shaking my head. "Nick?" she whispers as she trails her hand down my arm. My body trembles at the intensity of her touch- "What's wrong?" Our gazes lock and I stare at her. Her hand lingers on mine and a part of me wants to push her away. To hurt her like she has hurt us- And then the other part of me wants to take her in my arms and make love to her. "You," I manage to whisper as she blinks in response. "Tell me what's wrong," she whispers as she inches closer to me. Her gaze penetrates mine. Her eyes are filled with lust and desire, the same as mine- I turn my head quickly and I gaze at Alex who simply smiles and runs down the hall. "Alex-" she calls after him, turning to follow him- Without, a second thought, I wrap my arm around her waist preventing her from moving. She sighs as she turns to me, her body pressing against mine. She moves her hands up my chest- I suck in a quick breath in response to her heated touch, my body screaming out for her touch, for her sweet caress. I want her. I need her. I pull her tighter against my body, my lips seeking hers. I groan as she opens her mouth, her tongue massages mine- Oh, Buddha. "Nick," she moans as she pushes me towards the couch. We collapse onto it, our bodies never losing contact with each others. As her hands continue to explore my body, I can feel the electricity and power build within me. The electricity snaps in the air around us. Oh, shit- I pull away trying to gain control over my powers, my raging hormones and lust spurring them on. The power continues to build up as an electric current crackles between us. She stares at me with confusion. "Nick?" she gasps as I close my eyes trying to focus my powers and failing miserably. "Nick?" "My name isn't Nick!" I snap as she looks at me with fear in her eyes. "And you aren't Krista." "Who are you?" she cries, her voice trembling. "Who do you think?" I growl as my hands glow slightly. Just perfect- She stares at my hands and then studies my face. "No, no- it can't be- I would've known." "Surprise!" I chuckle. "Kyle?" she whispers. "Tess," I reply as she stares back at me. "No, I'm not Tess anymore," she cries, "I am Krista." "You can change your look, you can change your name- but, you are still Tess!" "You can't take him," she whispers harshly. "I won't let you-" "Then why did you send the clues?" I snap. "It was a dead end- no clues, no leads. You were safe." "I- I-" "Why?" I gasp as I notice the tears pooling in her eyes. "I wanted this, I wanted someone," she groans. "I wanted you." "Why me? Why now?" I question, my body aching to touch her, to be with her. "I've been so lonely-" "Lonely?" I gasp. "You had my father, you had Alex- you’ve never been truly alone." "It's not the same- and you know it." "Dada-" Alex cries as he runs back into the room and jumps on my lap, breaking the tension and calming my powers with his smile. "Dada!" "Will you tell him to stop that!" I groan as Tess smirks. "What?" "Look at him, who does he look like?" I study his face, "I dunno, he looks kinda like you. Is this some sort of trick? I saw the pictures, he had hazel eyes and dark hair- like Max. And now- well, he doesn't. He looks more like you-" "No, he looks like you," she sighs as she reaches over and takes Alex from my arms. I stare blankly at her, what? This has to be another one of her lies, another one of her many tricks. "That's impossible- we’ve never had sex." She sighs and whispers something into Alex's ear. He jumps up and leaves the room. She rubs her head and gazes at me, "I'm not a 100 percent positive we did, and I'm not a 100 percent positive that we didn't." "And what is that suppose to mean? I'd think I'd remember something as monumental as sleeping with you-" "Not if we were both drunk-" "What?" I gasp. "When, if ever, have we been drunk?" I question as my mind races. There is no way. Not possible- "The night before I slept with Max." I blink at her as I try to remember that night. "No." "Think about it," she insists. "I came home after a day out with Max and you were drinking-" Her voice drifts off as I try to recall the events of that night. I remember vaguely the overwhelming feeling helpless and loneliness- Oh, shit. And I remember wanting to get drunk, since I knew I wouldn't be able to in the near future, due to all the alien crap. Fuck. "I dared you to drink a shot of tequila," I whisper as the memories came flooding back. "And I did-" she giggles. "It was the worst thing I’ve ever tasted, but I never felt so good in my life." "I don't remember much after that," I whisper. "Neither do I," she replies. "Then how do you know that we slept together?" I question as she rolls her eyes. "Cause when I woke up that morning, we were both naked on the couch-" "What?" I cry. "I don't remember that-" "That's because I woke up before you. I put your boxers back on and I went back to my room. I was terrified. I didn't know if we did, and I didn't know if we didn't." "I don't believe you," I reply. "How am I suppose to believe anything you say?" "Kyle-" she protests. "You mindwarped me! You were a part of my family, I loved you," I groan as she places her hand on my arm. "I loved you too-" she whispers as she leans over and kisses me. Her lips burn and my body defies my mind as I respond to her kiss. No- "Like you loved Max?" I snap as I pull away from her and head for the door. "No! Kyle!" She cries. "Don't go." I slam the door behind me. Not daring to look back. My body trembles and I find it hard to focus as I start the car and drive away- I look back to see her standing in the road, waving for me to come back. It's too much. I just can't- I had to leave- I don't know what to do, I don't know who or what to believe. My mind continues to race as I go back to my hotel room and I quickly pack up my belongings. I look at the map. I need- I need to go home. ~ Six and a half hours later, I cross the city limits of Roswell. Every fiber of my body is screaming at me to turn around, that it's not safe. Old memories and feelings overwhelm me as I drive through town, it's been three long years- I circle the block scouting for anything suspicious before I stop the car. I look up at my childhood home. I don't even know for sure, if they still live here. I get out of the car as my dad's truck pulls up. I wave as he jumps out of the car and rushes to me. "Nick," he whispers as he shakes my hand and escorts me inside. He quickly shuts the door and embraces me. "Dad," I groan as I feel the rush of tears and emotions that I've been trying to hold back. "Kyle," he whispers as he holds onto me. My knees buckle and I sink to the ground in tears. Everything that I have felt for the last three years explodes and manifests itself. I can no longer hide and push back my feelings. I’ve officaly snapped. He doesn't say a word, he just holds onto me, letting his grown son cry in his arms. I cry even harder as his arms tighten around me, giving me the support and love I’ve craved for over the years. We've never been close, he's helped others more than he has ever helped me. It's kinda expected- I've tried to live with it. ~ An hour later, Amy walks in and I stand and wipe away my tears. She is slightly shocked to see me. "Amy," I whisper. "Mom-" She smiles and wraps her arms around me. "Welcome home," she whispers. "And you're in luck-" "I am?" I question. "I made fresh pies today-" she announces. Oh, her pies? I've so missed her pies. "You'll love her latest creation, it's called the 'alien special'," my dad adds with a grin on his face. "Let me guess," I laugh. "Chocolate and Tabasco?" "You're so smart-" Amy smiles as she hugs me again. She pulls back and studies my face. "You look tired." I nod as I feel my dad's hand on my shoulder. "Why don't you take a nap, while we make dinner." "Ok," I whisper as I head to my room and collapse onto my old bed. I breathe in her scent that still lingers on the pillow and sheets- "Tess," I sigh as I close my eyes and drift off to sleep. ~ She runs her hand over my face, awakening me from my slumber. "Kyle," she whispers as she climbs into bed with me. Before I can protest she pulls off my shirt and slowly kisses down my chest, sending waves of pleasure through my body. I reach for her and guide her lips to mine. Her arms wrap around me as our kiss deepens. We moan softly as our hands linger and tease each other. The passion and lust building. I need her- "Kyle", she pants into my ear as I use my powers to dissolve our clothes away. "Tess," I growl with need as I gaze at her body. "Kyle!" Another voice cries pulling me away form her magnetic pull. "Huh?!" I groan as I sit up- feeling the loss of her touch. I stare at my dad in front of me. "Dinner's ready," he replies as I nod blankly at him. I try to calm my breathing and raging hormones. "It was only a dream," I whisper as my body trembles with need and longing. Ugh. ~ "You look a little flushed," Amy states as she gazes at me from across the table. "Are you feeling ok?" "Yeah-" I reply softly. "Just weird dreams." "Ah-" Amy replies as she and my dad strike up a conversation about their days. They mingle and talk as it is any normal day, like any normal couple. I want that. Why can't I have that? I sigh as I finish my meal listening to their days events and flirtatious comments. They're so happy- Amy serves the pie and awaits my approval. I laugh as I take a bite. The sweet and spicy concotion melts in my mouth. "Oh, Amy-" I groan. "This is the best pie I've ever tasted." Amy laughs as she pats me on the back. "Thank your dad and Tess for that." "Tess?" I question as she pales slightly and looks to my dad for support. "Kyle," my dad states as he gets up and walks over to the wall. He waves his hand over the wall revealing a safe. I stare in shock as he pulls out two envelopes and hands them to me. "These are for you." I take the envelopes, "I don't understand." "She wanted me to give them to you," he explains as I stare at the blank envelopes. "Oh," I reply as I leave the table and return back to my room. I take a deep breath and open the lighter of the two. 'Dear Kyle- I don't know if you will ever read this note. In fact, you will probably never read this note. I just wanted to say- No. I needed to say that, I'm sorry- for everything. My appearance in Roswell began one hell of a roller coaster ride. It changed everything. It changed you- and mostly it changed me. You were everything that I never knew that I wanted. I grew up denying my human side and embracing my alien side- I tried everything to ignore my human side and in turn I denied my true feelings for you. Yes, Kyle James Valenti- I love you. I've loved you ever since your piercing blue eyes meet mine. I guess, it was never meant to be- not as long as Nasedo and Nicholas had their way. I was meant to be with Max. It was drilled into my head- I had no choice, but to follow my destiny. I've hurt so many, and it hurts me the most to know that I've caused you pain. The night I came back- your words stung the most, because your feelings and thoughts were the only feelings that mattered to me. Especially since I had the lingering feeling that you were really Zan's father. It makes so much more sense- and I secretly wished for it too. I know, I have a lot to explain- It's funny- you almost die and the world looks so different, it looks brighter and clearer. Like you can do anything- I know, I'm babbling here- it's Amy's influence I tell you. She been a great mother to me, these last few years. I'm a better person because of Jim and Amy. I even pushed them back together- You and Maria should be happy for them, they were truly meant for each other. They got a chance to be together. One day soon, I hope that maybe- Oh, I guess it's too much to ask for. Just know that, I do love you. And one day I hope I can hear you say it too- Love Tess' My body trembles, tears burning my eyes. I, I- Oh, Buddha. I take a deep cleansing breath and I try to clear my head as I open the second letter only to find another envelope inside. It’s addressed to my father from a genetics lab in Huston. Oh, crap. 'Kyle- I didn't have the guts to open the letter. I already know the answer in my heart. But, I thought you might need a little proof. -Tess' My heart races and my hands continue to tremble as I open the letter. 'To whom it may concern, It is 99.8% certain that the DNA presented is the biological father of the subject in question- I drop the letter, not caring what the rest of it said. Zan is my son- "Dad!" I cry as I storm out of the room. "How long have you known?" "About what?" he questions as I open my mouth but nothing comes out. My heart continues to pound in my head- Ugh- "Kyle, sit down." Amy commands. I nod in reply and sit down beside her. She takes my hand and gazes at me. "What are you feeling?" She questions as she rubs my hand softly. "Feeling?" I gasp as I close my eyes and I take a deep breath. "Hurt. Betrayed. Lost. Alone. Scared. Confused-" Amy nods, "and what about love?" "Love?" I question. "She lied to me, she mindwarped me-" "It's in the past-" Amy replies. "Do you love her?" "She killed Alex and countless others," I cry as Amy nods in reply. "But do you love her?" Amy repeats as my heart tugs at her words. "Yes," I whisper, shocked at my own words. "Then nothing else matters," she smiles. "It's not that simple," I reply shaking my head. "Yes, it is." Amy replies firmly. I stare at her as she grins, "but-" "No buts. Tess loves you- you and her son where the only things that kept her going." Amy sighs, "she knows what she has done, and she has had nothing but time to reflect on them while she was fighting for her life." "Huh?" I groan as she shakes her head. "You don't know do you?" she whispers as I stare blankly at her. "Know what?" I ask as she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Jim found her in the desert the night the six of you fled. She was practically dead. She was in a coma for about six months," she explains. "A coma?" I gasp as she nods in reply. "We couldn't take her to the hospital for obvious reasons. Jim had hired a nurse from out of town to provide hospice care. We doctored up papers that showed that Tess was dying and that all we wanted for our daughter 'Krista,' was to keep her hydrated and painless." "They bought that?" I question as Amy laughs. "Hook, line and sinker," she laughs. "They provided care that 'Krista' needed for those first few months. When she finally woke up, she had no idea who she was or where she was." "I had no idea," I whisper in shock. "We slowly worked with her to regain her strength and use of her muscles. Her life began as 'Krista' and she was happy-" "Then she started having nightmares," my dad adds as he joins into the conversation. "Her 'nightmares' were her memories," Amy adds as tears form in her eyes. "She couldn't believe that she could have been so heartless and cruel." "When she realized that she had killed Alex, she went crazy and tried to kill herself." "What?" I gasp. "Why?" "She figured she deserved to die for killing someone that she considered one her friends," Amy explains. "Then she remembered Zan." "Zan," I whisper. "He's my son." "Oh, Kyle," Amy smiles as she hugs me. "He's such a good boy. It's what she was secretly hoping for." "When I removed the block, it was apparent that he was yours. He looked just like your baby pictures," my dad sighs. "Block?" I question as the phone rings. "She changed his appearance, before they arrived here on Earth. Only she did it internally," he explains as I nod. "The chance that he was your son was all I needed to convince me to find him and get him back." "Jim," Amy calls out frantically as she passes him the phone. "Hello?" he answers as his face pales. "Shh-" he whispers. "What happened? Where are you?" "What’s going on?" I ask as I glance at Amy’s worried face. "It's Tess," she whispers as my heart stops. "What?" I cry as I take the phone from my dad. "What's wrong?" I ask as I hear a muffled cry. "Oh, Ky- Nick. They're following you-" "Who?" I question as a feeling of dread washes over me. "They said they worked with you. They questioned momma and she spilled-" she replies as her voice fades in and out. "Where are you?" I question my heart racing. "In the car-" she sighs. "And our son?" I question as there's a brief pause. The silence sends a chill up my spine. I hear a soft sniff, "you've read the notes." "Yes-" "He's sleeping," she sighs. "We had to run-" "I'm sorry-" I reply. "You'd both still be safe, if I-" "I'm not," she whispers and I suddenly understand. "Tess," I whisper as I feel the sting of tears. "Oh, god," she groans. "They're still following me-" "Can you get rid of them?" "Um-" her voice trembles. "Meet me at the pod chamber." "When?" I question as I hear the squeal of tires and then silence. "Tess?" I drop the phone as my world suddenly takes a nose dive. I can't lose her now. Not now. "Kyle?" Amy questions as I stare blankly at them, my mind racing. "Dad," I sigh, trying to think of a plan of action. "Pull my car in the garage and change it- the color, the make, the license plate." He nods as I toss him my keys. I rub my head as I try to ease my panicked heart. I turn to Amy, "Can you pack a survival pack of sorts? Food and a few supplies for the road?" She smiles, "of course I can." "Thank you," I reply softly as Tess' words repeat in my head. 'They're following you. They said they worked with you-' "Joe." I growl as I pick up my cell phone and call the office. The phone rings and Joe's familiar voice answers it. "Joe." "Nick, my man," he jokes as usual. "Cut the fucking act," I growl as he laughs in reply. "Finally figured it out?" he laughs. "You do realize they are offering 250,000 dollars for you?" "That's it?" I question. "I'm hurt." "Kyle," he whispers as a shiver runs down my spine. "So, where are you?" "Nowhere important." "Thank you," he sighs. "For what?" I question as my mind races. "You did lead us to the girl and the boy," he chuckles. "They are worth much more to them. Especially her-" "Leave them alone," I growl as I clench my fist in anger, the air around me snapping with electricity. "We will catch up to them, soon enough. Then, we will track you down." "I don't think so," I reply harshly as he laughs in reply. "We shall see," he taunts as he hangs up the phone. "No!" I cry as I throw my cell phone across the room. It shatters into a pieces. A piece of metal reflects in the light. I cross the room and pick up the shiny material. A fucking bug- Damn- A tracking device. There has to be one somewhere. Fuck. I race to the garage as my dad places the finishing touches to the car. A red mustang- sweet. I open the trunk and pull out all my crap. I sort through my stuff, finding nothing. I glance at the Evans case file and rip it apart. A shiny piece of metal with wires fall out of the seam. Fuck- I smash it as I let out of cry of anger. I gaze at my dad as he wraps his arms around me. "You'll be together soon," he whispers softly. "She has to be ok," I groan. "They have to be ok." He nods as he releases his hold. "They will be." "She has powers, she can lose them," I state out loud, trying to calm my nerves. "She can mindwarp them.” My dad looks away from me and sighs. My heart drops with worry. "Dad?" I gasp. "I'm afraid she doesn't have power." "What?" I cry. Oh, shit- "How?" I manage to whisper as he sighs. "The explosion, the coma-" he explains. "We aren't really sure why she no longer does. She remembers how to use them, she just doesn't have them anymore." "Her appearance-" I whisper as he nods. "I changed her appearance," he sighs as Amy enter the garage. "Here you go-" she replies softly, forcing a smile. She hands me a basket of goods and hugs me. "Be careful." "As always." I whisper as hug her back and then place the basket into the car. "Go get your family," my dad smiles as he hugs me one more time. "I will," I reply. I wave at them as I get behind the wheel. I study their faces, this may be the last time I ever see them again. Oh, Buddha- I turn into the clearing near the pod chamber. I leave the car running and I mask the car- I kneel behind a rock and I await them. I feel a surge of power tickle at the back of my neck and I know they are near. Every breath I take is agonizing, waiting for them to appear. I sigh with relief as a small red car pulls up and I see her behind the wheel- Thank, Buddha. I rush to the car as she leans over and unbuckles our son. "Tess-" She looks up at me and smiles. "Kyle!" she cries as she hands me our son. He looks up at me briefly and closes his eyes, snuggling in closer to my body. I pull her close to me and I kiss her. "They are right behind us," she mumbles in between out hungry kisses. I nod as I kiss her one more time. "Let's go." ~ The vast landscape rolls by as we continue to run. Every second or so, I sneak a glance at Tess as she sleeps. Her hand rests on mine, holding onto me- making sure I won't disappear. But I don't plan on going anywhere without her or our son. At the thought of my son, I gaze back and look at our son. I can't help but grin, it almost feels real- it almost feels normal. ~ An hour passes and I can feel the need for sleep resting heavily on my eyes. I stop at a hotel and register under Mr. and Mrs. Delanti. Mr. and Mrs.- they look good together. I'm a part of a pair, no what- a trio. I'm not alone. I return to the car and I nudge Tess lightly, awakening her. She blinks and looks up at me. She smiles at me and my heart soars. "Are we stopping for the night?" she yawns as she climbs out of the car and grabs her bag. "Yeah," I reply as I open the backseat and unbuckle our son. He groans and looks up at me briefly before going back to sleep. We enter our room and I lay our son down on the bed. He continues to sleep as if nothing had happened. As if, this was a family vacation and nothing more- Tess sits down on the bed and I scan the room, looking for any bugs or cameras. "Is it safe?" Tess inquires. "For now," I reply as I join her on the bed. In the soft light of the room I notice a dark red stain on her shoulder, "what happened?" "It's nothing," she whispers. "A bullet graze-" "A bullet graze?" I question. "Let me see it." She winces as I help her remove her top. I shudder slightly as I gaze at her torn flesh. I press my hand to it and in an instant her skin is flawless. "There, good as new-" "You can heal?" she questions, her eyes wide with awe. "Yeah-" I sigh. "I'm a freak, like Evans." Tess laughs as I study her face. She scrunches up her nose and grins, "what?" "Close your eyes," I whisper as she follows my instructions and closes her eyes. I place my hand on her forehead and in an instance I change her back to the girl I had fallen in love with, once upon a time. She opens her eyes, her dazzling blue eyes piercing mine. She glances at the mirror and grins, "can you change back?" I nod as I wave my hand and return to the Kyle she once knew. "There-" "Very nice," she purrs as she pulls me close and we kiss. She pulls off my shirt and traces her hand against the lines of my chest. Her bare skin teasing mine- She pulls away slightly and sighs. "What?" I question as I wrap my arms around her. "Where are we to go?" she whispers as she glances at the other bed. "I want to make it seem as normal as we can for him." "We'll need new names and appearances," I reply. "I'm supposed to stay on the west coast- but, I don't think I can." "Why the west coast?" she questions. "Luck of the draw," I shrug. "When we split up there were four groups and Max figured we be safest if we were far away from each other." "If you say so-" Tess rolls her eyes and I can't help but laugh. Oh, how I've missed this. "Who's following us?" she questions, my mood dropping. "Someone I considered my friend," I groan. "I still don't know how he figured it out. I was so careful, hell- I was the best damn detective they’ve had in years-" "Maybe you were too good," Tess offers. "Huh," I wonder. "You're probably right- and I now know that he gave me your case on purpose. The binding had a tracking device." "And it didn't help that they questioned Momma." Tess sighs as she traces circles on my abdomen. "Who was Momma?" I inquire. "You kept calling her your Momma and well I assumed she was-" "Oh, well she is a kind Mexican lady." Tess sighs, "I stopped into the cafe for lunch with Alex one day. We ate the spicy special and I thought it needed just a bit more hot sauce." I laugh at her remark as she sighs softly. "I couldn't find the money dad gave me and I just broke down in tears. Everything, just hit me- and she let me cry on her shoulder. I told her that I didn't know how I could make it as a single mother, and to make a long story short- she took me in." "Ah-" I nod as she snuggles into my chest and I run my hand through her curls. "I hope she's ok-" she whispers. "I overheard her talking to the two men and I left-" "You had no choice, you had your son to think of-" "Our son," she corrects me. "Our son," I reply as she smiles. "Thank you-" she states softly, her voice wavering with tears. "For what?" I gasp, confused. "For reading the notes- for giving us a chance." "I'm sorry it took me so long to realize-" "Shh-" she hushes me with her lips. "You have nothing to be sorry about." "I think I'm falling in love with you." "I've already fallen," she whispers as she kisses me. Our passion and lust igniting- More clothes are removed as we touch and caress each other. She deepens our kiss and then pulls away. "Oh, god- I want you so much, but we can't," she whispers as she nods towards our son. I gaze at our son and I know that it's not the best timing in the world. "Ok," I reply as I look towards the bathroom. "A shower?" Her face lights up at the prospect and nods. She walks over and kisses our son on the forehead. I check the lock on the door and then I seal it with an extra seal- better safe then sorry. I turn and hear the water running. The mist of the shower spraying out into the room. I can see the outline of her figure and I quickly pull off the rest of my clothes. My heart continues to race and my breathing is slightly labored. I shut the door and join her in the shower- Tonight. ~ The shrill alarm awakens me as it blares through the room. I quickly reach over and turn it off, not wanting to disrupt their sleep. Tess' arms wrap tighter around my chest. I take a deep breath and relish in her touch, her scent, her closeness. I smile as I glance over at our son who is squirming around on the bed. He peeks his head out from under the covers and waves. I wave back as he giggles and ducks back under the covers. I can't help but laugh as I feel Tess move beside me, "Tess?" "A few more minutes," she mumbles. "We need to move on," I reply as I pull away from her and put my clothes on. "Ok," she sighs as she rolls bock over and closes her eyes. I glance over at the laptop- oh, fuck. With everything happening, I have not checked in. There's probably a ton of e-mails waiting for me. But, it's not like I had a choice in the matter- I quickly set up the computer and log on. Fifty two e-mails, "Ah- I guess they do love me." I sigh, not really wanting to read the e-mails. "Dadda," a small voice whispers as a feel a tug on my pants. I look down at my son and smile. "You want to play on the computer, too?" He nods and I push out my chair, giving him the space to climb up onto my lap. He stares at the screen in awe, "puter-" he giggles as he pushes on a few of the keys. "Play!" I laugh, "Just a second- I have to read something first." "Why?" he questions as he turns up and looks at me. "Because, I have to. They are e-mails from my so-called family-" "You've got mail!" he giggles and I join him in his laughter. "He loves that commercial," Tess explains as her arms wraps around my chest and she pats him on the head. "For weeks he repeated 'you've got mail'- it drove me crazy." "Did you?" I ask as he blushes and shakes his head 'no'. "Bath time," Tess smiles as she winks at me. For a second, I transport back a few hours as our steamy shower scene replays in my head. A small buzz of electricity runs through my body as I recall our lovemaking against the shower walls- "Are you going to tell them?" she questions, breaking me from my lust driven thoughts. "Not everything," I whisper as I try to return my focus to the unread messages sitting in my inbox. Thirty minutes and fifty six e-mails later, I start to type my response. I take a deep breath and study what I have written- Sorry for the delay. I’m safe for the moment. Cover's been blown, on the run- the fourth’s alive and she's with me. I stare at the screen, wondering if I should add that Zan is with us and he's mine. But, I think I'll wait to drop that bomb a little later- "Kyle!" Tess cries out and I dash into the bathroom. "What?" I question as I notice Tess' green hair. "Look!" she gasps, pointing to her hair. I glance at my son and we laugh. "Mommy's funny," I laugh as she pouts. "Aren't you going to ask how it happened?" I stop laughing as I realize her meaning. Oh, shit- "Alex?" I question as she nods. We both stare at our son as he continues to laugh and splash in the water. "How?" I gasp as she shrugs in reply. "Nasedo always said our powers were human in nature." I kneel down besides the bathtub and I look at Alex. "Want to play a game?" His eyes light up and he scoots over to me. "Blue," I state as I change my shirt blue. "Red, " he giggles as he reaches over and changes my shirt red. He grins as I look at Tess in disbelief. "You have special powers," I reply as he stares intently at me. "Did you know that?" "Me, special," he claps and returns back to his splashing. This could be trouble. Tess sighs and continues to pace back and forth. I could feel her nervousness and apprehension roll off her in waves. "What if he can't control it?" she cries, "what if someone sees him-" she continued to cry, making a grand sweeping gesture with her hand. The air crackles with energy as she sends a small burst of energy into the mirror. Oh, shit- I shield her from the falling shards of glass as I wrap my arms protectively around her. She trembles in my arms, "Oh, God!" "I thought your powers were gone-" I whisper. "So, did I-" she groans as tears fall down her cheeks. "Shh--" I whisper, "It'll be okay-" She sniffs back her tears as I wipe off the traces on her cheeks. I kiss her lips softly and she sighs against me. "Besides, they'll come in handy later on- when we tell Max the truth." She laughs, her mood lifting slightly. "Yeah." I turn away and I concentrate, putting the mirror back together. "See, good as new-" Tess smiles wearily and turns to help our son out of the bathtub. She wraps him in a big fluffy towel as I kneel before him. I place my hands on him and change his hair to a dark brown with hints of red highlights. I gaze into his eyes and I change them to a hazel green. Tess nods in approval as I turn to her. I place my hands on her and change her hair to match, making her hair longer, thicker, and with a soft wave rather than the curls. I change the color of her eyes to a light green. I feel lightheaded as I stand up and I look at myself in the mirror. I change my hair to a lighter brown and I make it shorter with spikes. I change the color of my eyes to a light brown as well. I gaze at our reflection- we look like a family, we were ready. "Let's go-" I go back to the laptop and I press send. Without waiting for a response I log off and shut down the computer. "Ready," Tess replies, carrying Alex in her arms. I grab the laptop and the bags. "Here goes nothing," I state as I kiss her briefly and open the door. I gaze around and I see a few people lurking about. I close my eyes and concentrate. I visualize and send everyone with in a certain distance an image of the three of us with different features altogether. We make it to the car as I feel my hold faltering. "You drive," I whisper as we get into the car. Without hesitation she starts the car and pulls away. "Where too?" she questions. "South-" I reply as I struggle to keep the last few moments of the illusion. I lose control and the image fades as Tess turns on to another street. "South," I hear her whisper as everything dims to a shade of black. ~ "Kyle!" her voice cries softly. "Oh, Kyle please!" "Tess," I whisper as I look up at her and smile. "Kyle?" she gasps. "Oh, God- don't you ever do that to me again!" "Do what?" I question as I struggle to sit up. I look past her and notice our dark surroundings. "Where are we?" "Are you ok?" Tess questions. "You've been out cold for the last eight hours!" "Huh?" I stare at her blankly as I notice the unshed tears in her eyes. "Are you really ok?" she repeats as I capture her lips with mine. "I'm fine," I whisper. "I used too much of powers at once-" Tess sighs as she wraps her arms around me, "you'll be more careful in the future?" I nod as I gaze back at our son napping in the back seat. "I'll be careful-" "Good- because we need you." she whispers into my ear as she pulls away and returns to the driver's seat. "Where are we?" I question once more. "Texas," she replies as she starts the engine. "Can we stop for the night?" I take her hand in mine and kiss it softly, "that would be fine." "Are you hungry?" she questions as I notice the rumble in my stomach. I'm not just hungry, I'm famished. "Yes," I nod as she laughs. "I saw a sign for a Mexican place a little while ago- are you in the mood?" "Hell, ya-" I growl. "While you were sleeping," she pauses and glances at me. "I was thinking." "About what?" I question as she nervously bites her bottom lip. "Our names." "Ah," I sigh. "New names for our new appearances." "Yes," she whispers. "Our names will they be tog- I mean will we-" "How about Mr. and Mrs. Lenti?" I offer as her smile broadens. "Mr. and Mrs.-" she gasps. "Are you sure?" "Yes," I reply firmly. "And when we can, I want to make it legal-" "Legal?" she questions with tears in her eyes. She parks the car and turns to me. "That's if you would consider being my wife-" "Oh, God- yes!" She cries as she crawls over the little divider and into my arms. "I've always dreamed of you asking me-" Our lips touch, sending sparks of lust and passion through our bodies. I wrap my arms around her and pull her tighter against me. A knock on the window startles us and we break apart. We look up to see a Sheriff’s badge glistening through the window. Oh, shit. I roll down the window as Tess gets off my lap and back into the drivers seat. "Yes, sir?" "Just thought you two should break it up," he coughs and then winks at me. "After all this is a family restaurant." "Oh," I sigh as a blush crosses over my face. "Sorry, officer. We just renewed our vows." "That's great, but keep it in the bedroom," he chuckles. "Have a nice day." I glance over at Tess and we both start laughing. "I like this town." "You think we can find a place here?" she questions, her eyes full of hope. "We've been on the road for two days-" "Why not?" I reply as I look at the peaceful surroundings. "But first let's eat." "Yes-" she agrees as she turns back to our son. "Alex." His eyes snap open and he gazes at us, "dinner," I add and he grins. We make our way into the small Mexican cafe and take a seat. Tess smiles at me from across the table as she holds our son in her lap. "Welcome, to the Longhorn cafe- my name's Amy," our waitress announces as she flashes a smile. I stare at her for a second and her smile falters. "Do you live around here?" Tess asks as she looks out the window. "Yes," she hesitantly replies. "Do you like it here?" Tess questions as she turns to Amy. Amy looks at me with a puzzled look across her face. "We’re thinking of moving here," I add as I notice her take a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry," Tess smiles. "My name's Kianna Lenti, and this is my husband Kevin." Kianna and Kevin Lenti? I can live with that. "Nice to meet you-" she smiles and looks at our son. "What's your name?" I freeze as he smiles and looks up at her."Bob," Amy looks at us as Tess and I exchange an amused look of surprise and we laugh. "His name is Kyle," Tess smiles and our son nods. "Kianna, Kevin and Kyle-" Amy repeats. "How cute." "Too many K's?" I question as she laughs. "No, I was just thinking of my family- Amy, Aaron and soon to be Adriana," she whispers as she rubs her rounded abdomen. "When are you due?" Tess questions. "Any day now," she sighs as another customer comes through the door. "I just wish we had another waitress." "I can," Tess offers as I look at her in shock. "What?" Amy gasp. "Are you serious?" Tess looks at me for a nod of approval, "Are you sure?" I ask as I look at the small cafe. "I have worked in a cafe all my life," she smiles. "My Momma owned a little Mexican cafe and I worked the lunch and dinner rush almost everyday." "And experience?" Amy sighs. "You got the job!" "That's it?" I question. "Well, my husband I own the place," she replies as she looks back towards the back. "Kia, why don't you follow me and I’ll show you the place." "Kia?" Tess laughs, "I like that-" I watch in awe as she stands up and hands me our son. She follows Amy into the back and disappears. Weird. Everything is working out- this could work. "Kevin!" I hear Tess' voice ring out. Oh, yeah- that's me. I look over at her and she waves at me to follow her. I carry our son into the back office as I see Amy passed out on the floor. Oh, crap- "What happened?" I question as I hand Tess our son and I rush to Amy's side. I check her pulse, it’s faint but present, "Amy?" I question as she moans. "Call an ambulance-" "No-" Amy cries out and Tess drops the phone. "No hospitals-" "You need-" "I need my husband-" she cries as another groan escapes her lips and her hand grabs onto mine. "Oh, fuck-" "Where is he?" Tess asks as Amy waves towards the kitchen. "I'll go get him." Amy smiles as Tess disappears from the office. "Is the baby coming?" I ask as she nods. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" "Yes," she groans. "No hospitals." Oh, shit- Her nails dig into my flesh as she cries out in pain. I look back at the door and I press my hand to her abdomen. I send her a calming wave as another contraction hits. She looks up at me and narrows her eyes at me- "how?" I ignore her comment and send her another calming wave as I feel another contraction. A man comes rushing in as Tess follows. "Amy!" he cries as he kneels down beside her, "Is it time?" She nods as I get up to leave. "No," Amy groans as she holds onto me. I pull her hand off mine, I back up and grab Tess’ hands. We turn to leave as I hear her whisper to her husband. Oh, shit- "Wait," he moans. "We need your help.-" "I can't help," I reply as I turn to them and I stare at him. His gaze penetrates mine, "we need to leave." "What happened?" Tess questions as Amy cries out in pain. "I have a feeling you can help more than you say," he states as I notice a faint glow on her abdomen. Shit, I left a handprint. The glow intensifies and Tess gasps in shock. "The baby's in distress!" she cries out as she rushes to Amy. "What?" Amy gasps as Tess touches her and is engulfed in a white light. "Kyle!" Tess cries as the light fades. "Michael, I need you both to center your energy onto her abdomen as she pushes-" Michael? Michael? -I look at him and he stares at me. But there’s not time to discuss the details as we follow her instructions. "Maria," Tess whispers. "I need you to push as soon as you feel your next contraction." Maria? I blink back tears as I target my energy into her. "Ahh-" Maria cries out as she pushes. "You are doing great, one more time-" Tess whispers as Maria nods. A blinding flash of light engulfs the room as we hear a faint cry. "Kyle," she calls to me as I watch her pull off her t-shirt and begin to clean off the baby. "The cord-" I put my hand on the baby’s abdomen and heal the cord. I pull off my shirt and wrap the baby into the dry shirt. I hand Maria her baby as she smiles at me and looks at her baby. "Thank you," she cries as Michael wraps his arm around his girls. "Kyle," Tess whispers once more and I place my hand on Maria and heal her as well. A peaceful quiet lingers in the room as we watch the two coo over their child. I turn to Tess and wrap my arms around her. "How did you know?" I question as she smiles. "I almost lost our son," she whispers. "That light was a sign that the baby was in distress." "Our son?" I whisper as she nods. I look over at him sitting in the corner and I wave to him. He runs to us and squeezes in between our arms, his little body shaking against ours. I look over at Michael and our gazes lock. I have a feeling we are going to have a long talk. The lights flicker as I try to focus on the scene in front of me. I feel lightheaded and numb. "I know that you're Kyle, but who are you?" Michael questions as he stares at us. I can't help but stare at his blonde hair and blue eyes. He looks so different- I would've never guessed. "Tess," Maria answers as she smiles at us. "But you're dead!" Michael cries. "Oh, the fourth- damn, it Valenti. Do you always have to be so cryptic?" "Duh," I groan. "I just couldn't say Tess' alive, now could I? We don't know if our messages are being monitored." "Right," Michael agrees as he pauses slightly. He looks around the room, "maybe we should head back to our place, so that we can talk." "Sounds good," Tess replies as she pulls away from me and stands up, taking our son in her arms. I watch as Michael helps Maria and their baby up. Maria smiles at me, as I make no attempt to move. I watch as the new family leaves the room. "Kyle?" Tess whispers as she reaches out to me. I manage to smile in response as she pales. "I'll be okay," I try to reassure her. "You need food," she replies firmly. She puts Alex down and leaves the room quickly. Alex looks at me and climbs on my lap. "Dada-" he sighs as he rubs his head against my chest. I look down at him with tears in my eyes. He's so grown up for the little boy, he's seen so much- "Are you coming?" Michael questions as he stands at the door way and glares at me. "Gladly," I reply with a smirk as he continues to stare at me. "Well?" he sighs, leaning up against the wall and rubbing his fingers against his eyebrows. I'd forgotten about his little nervous quirks. I've missed him. "Well?" I repeat as Tess returns with a plate of food. "Where'd you get that?" Michael growls as Tess ignores him, handing me the plate of food. "What the fuck is going on?" "You will not cuss in front of our son!" Tess snaps at Michael. Michael looks taken aback, "Our son?" He repeats as I take a bite of a club sandwich drenched in Tabasco sauce. Oh, this is good- "Our son?" Michael repeats again, his voice slightly more frantic. Tess and I share a smile. "Oh, my God-" Michael cries as he puts the pieces together. "Does Max know?" "No," I reply with a mouthful of food. "How can you eat at this time?" he questions. "I need it," I reply as Alex gets off my lap and walks over to Michael. Tess kneels down beside him and they both look up at Michael. "Say hi to your Uncle." Michael looks at her with shock as Alex wraps his arms around his legs, "Un-cle!" "Huh?" Michael groans as I see his eyes light up with joy. Ah, the wonders of a child. Michael hesitantly, hugs him and sighs. "Uncle?" Michael repeats as Alex giggles. "You're our family," I reply as I feel my energy restoring. Michael nods and looks back towards the door. "Tess, would you mind checking on Maria. She's waiting in the car-" "No problem," Tess replies as she looks at me. "Are you sure you'll be ok?" Tess questions as she picks up Alex. "I'll be fine-" I reply as she nods and leaves the two of us alone. Michael paces back and forth. He stops and he gazes off into the distance. "I'll be forever grateful that Tess saved Maria and our child," he sighs and turns to me. "But, are you crazy?" "Yeah," I sigh. "I'm crazy in love with her. I've always have been in love with her." "Huh?" Michael mumbles. "How long have you been together?" "A few days," I reply as his mouth drops open in shock. "A few days?" he shouts. "She could be mindwarping you! You know what she's capable of- she's killed!" "I trust her with my life," I reply, my anger flaring. "Besides, she no longer has her powers." "What?" he gasps. "But, she saved Maria-" "Yes," I reply. "She was the first one to have a child. She went through this- she just knew what to do. We were the ones that used our powers." Michael nods, pondering the situation. He starts back to the door as he realizes that I still haven't gotten up. "Why aren't you getting up?" "I drained my energy when healed your wife and child," I explain as he smiles. "Thank you," he sighs as he leans over and helps me up. "Can you walk?" "With a little support," I reply as I regain my sense of balance. We walk out of the office and back into the empty diner, "where did everyone go?" "Wonders of being the owner- you can close when you want too." He chuckles. "I had Jose close down the shop as soon as Tess found me. I wasn't sure what was going to happen." "Good thing too," I reply dryly. No one would have thought the strange lights and weird noises suspicious. Not at all- ~ I catch Tess' gaze across the parking lot and she smiles. Michael and I stop in front of my car as she runs from their car to ours. She opens the door and helps me in. "Just follow us-" Michael orders as he turns to his car. I feel Tess' arms wrap around me as I pull her onto my lap and give her a deep kiss. "Have I told you lately that I love you?" I whisper into her ear. Tess pulls back and gazes into my eyes, "you do?" "I love you," I moan as tears roll down her face. I kiss away her tears as she melts into my arms. "I love you," she whispers between her kisses. A honk rings through the air and we reluctantly pull apart. We laugh as we look over at Michael and Maria awaiting in their car. I wave at them as Tess climbs into the driver's seat. We drive through town, following them to a secluded, two story house. "It's kinda spooky," Tess gasps as she stops the car. I laugh at her comment as I notice her gazing at Michael. "What's wrong?" "You think he will accept me?" she whispers as she turns to me. "I don't know," I reply truthfully, leaning over and squeezing her hand. "She knows," she sighs. "Maria?" I question. "What does she know?" I can feel Tess' body tremble slightly as she pulls away her hand and smiles, "it's nothing." I nod, knowing that it's not nothing. I sigh and get out of the car as Tess gets Alex out of the car. "Hello!" I hear a soft voice cry and we turn to see an elderly couple decked out in running gear. "Hi," I reply as Tess joins me at my side. "We are the Sixtins, we are the Lucas neighbors-" they explain as they shake our hands. Lucas? How original. "Marion!" Maria cries as she walks over to us. "I want you to meet our little one-" "Oh, Amy," Marion cries, "she's adorable." "And this is my brother," Maria pauses as she smiles at me. "Kevin, and his wife Kia-" "And this is Kyle," Tess adds, lifting up our son as she looks nervously at Maria. "This is Marion and Marcus Sixtin," Maria smiles. "They are our neighbors, they've been like the parents we've always wished we had." "Nice to meet you," I reply. "We better run," Marcus replies. "Need to keep our heart rate up!" We laugh as we watch the two walk off. I wrap my arms around Tess as we follow Maria into the house. ~ A half hour later, we settle into their living room. Maria had changed and she sits across from us in the love seat. She looks radiant with her precious baby in her arms. Tess sits besides me as Alex plays in front of us. "So?" I whisper after a long pause. "What happens now?" Maria questions as her gaze rests on us. "I'm tired of keeping to ourselves, I'm tired of hiding. Can't we stay together?" "Besides," Tess continues. "With the kids as young as they are. They need extra protection from them and they'll need our support. They need a family-" Tess sighs as Maria and Tess exchange a glance- They are up to something. "I don't know-" Michael groans. "I don't know if I can trust her-" "Why not?" Maria snaps. "She saved my life! She saved our daughter’s life!" "Uh," Michael mumbles as I recognize the glow in Maria's eyes. She’s just warming up, they didn't call her 'Hurricane Deluca' for nothing. "Do you have any idea what she has done to be here?" Maria challenges. She takes a deep breath and looks at Tess. "I'm sorry that you had to live your life under that jerk. You should have told us- you should've let us know." "Huh?" I gasp as I feel Tess stiffen beside me. "God- Tess!" Maria cries, "you've suffered so much, you've endured a living hell. You came back from the dead- you came back for your son and your true love." Maria explains as I turn to Tess, tears shining in her eyes. "Maria," Tess cries. "Don't-" "Don't what?" I question as Tess looks away from me. "Tess?" Tess shakes her head and her hand clings to mine. My heart sinks at the idea that she's hiding something- something big. "I don't get it," Michael sighs as he sits down beside Maria. "After you found out about Alex, you hated her, you wanted her dead-" Maria sighs and looks over at Tess, "I'm sorry- we should have given you a chance to explain." "Explain what?" Michael groans. "What the fuck happened?" "Michael!" Tess snaps, "not in front of the children." "Maria!" Michael cries. "Not in front of the children," she adds firmly. "Ugh," Michael grovels as I can't help but laugh. He glares at me. "When Tess touched me during the delivery," Maria sighs. "I don't know how, but I saw everything-" "Everything?" Tess gasps as I feel her tremble beside me. Everything in my body is screaming to find out what happened. But, I know it's not the time. "Everything," Maria confirms as there is a silent exchange between the two. "What are we going to do?" I question as I feel Tess relax beside me. I sigh as I squeeze her hand softly. "We need to call Max," Michael replies. "Call Max?" I gasp. "Why? We don't need his fucking permission." "Kyle!" Tess cries as she points to Alex. I roll my eyes and glare at Michael. Michael sighs. "Max needs to-" "I don't care what Max needs," I reply bitterly. "he has had too much to say in this-" "He had his reasons," Michael refutes. "He hates me, he always has- he basically proved it when he sent me away to fend for myself alone in freaking California." "He saved you," Michael whispers. "I know," I reply quickly. "He only reminds me every day. He didn't do it because he liked me." "He still saved you," Tess whispers. "I'm glad he did." I sigh, feeling defeated. "I still don't think he should have a say in our lives." "Fine," Michael states firmly as he stands up and starts to pace. "What do you want to do?" "I want them to stay," Maria smiles. "I want to stay," Tess adds as she squeezes my hand and I nod. "We want to stay." "Guess you're outnumbered," I laugh as Michael shakes his head. "Ok, but you have to tell Max the truth." "Ok," I reply, my heart racing. How do I tell a man that the child that he thought was his isn't? Tess wraps her arms around me, and I can't help but wonder what else she's hiding. Her arms linger around my waist as I stare up at the ceiling. It has been a long day- scratch that, it's been a long week. My life has changed, I love and I am loved. For the first time in years, I am not alone. I look down at her angelic face- looks are deceiving. She is no angel and she has made no attempt to hide from her past- so, what is it that she doesn't want me to know? "What are you hiding?" I groan as I trace lazy circles on her back. "Hmm," she moans as she stretches and looks up at me. "Mmm- can't sleep?" I sigh and take a deep breath, "I want to know." "Know what?" she questions as she shifts and pulls herself closer to me. "Everything," I manage to whisper as her eyes grow wider with realization. She closes here eyes tight and I feel her begin to pull away. "You don't know what you're asking," she replies sharply. "Tess-" I sigh as I pull her back, pressing her body to mine. "Why can't you tell me?" "I don't want you to know," she whimpers, tears pooling in her eyes. "Know what?" I ask, my heart crying out as tears roll down her face. "Please," she cries. "Why the secrets?" I whisper harshly as she trembles slightly in my arms. "They are my secrets to tell! It was a mistake that Maria found out," she whispers harshly as she pulls away and gets up off the bed. "Tess!" I groan as she continues to walk away and leaves me in the guest bedroom, alone. "Fuck." I stand up and I begin to pace. I want to go after her, but I know she needs some time to herself and I need time to cool down. Ugh. I freeze as I notice the cell phone on the bedside table. The phone that had Max's phone number programmed into it. The phone that Max had given Michael when he found out Maria was expecting- for emergencies. I sigh and I pick up the phone. "It's now or never." My heart races as the phone rings and I hear the phone pick up. "Hello?" A groggy voice answers. I know that voice, it haunts my dreams- Max. "Hello," I reply as I hear dead silence in response. "How did you get this number?" he snaps as I feel my anger beginning to boil. "From a friend," I reply as I hear silence once more. "What's wrong?" he sighs. "What's happened?" "Is this line safe?" I question. "Yes," he replies quickly. I take a deep breath, "Tess is alive. She's with me and we are going to be married. She has taken her son back and he's my son, not yours-" Silence. "What?" he cries out. "Tess is alive. She's with me and we are going to be married. She has taken her son back and he's my son, not yours-" "Is this a joke or something?" he questions as I roll my eyes in response. "Would I be calling?" I retort as I hear silence once more. "I had a feeling," he whispers. What the fuck? Now, it was my turn to be pissed. "What do you mean you had a feeling?" I question as I hear him sigh. "That he was your son," he explains. I feel the electricity snap in the air and I hang up the phone. That fucking bastard! He knew? What gave him the fucking right to take away my son? Ugh. I sit down on the bed as I try to control the energy building inside me- Now what? ~ The phone rings, pulling me out of my trance. I look at the cell phone and pick it up. "What?" I question harshly, still feeling a rush of emotions. "What's your problem?" he snaps. "My problem?" I gasp as I hear the door open and I turn to see Michael standing at the door. "It's not my fault!" he growls. "If anything, I'm the one that should be pissed with you-" "What?" I growl. "You heard me," he groans. "Besides if you want someone to blame, it's her fault. Everything is her fault." "Fuck you," I manage to respond as Michael pulls the phone out of my hand. I stare at Michael as he turns away and talks to Max. My mind races as his words repeat in my head. 'It's her fault-' Of course he would blame her, he always blames everyone but himself. But, he fucking started it all! It's his fault. It has to his fault- "Kyle," Michael sighs and I turn to him. "Calm down." "Huh?" I groan as he laughs. "You're glowing like a Christmas tree." "What?" I question as I look down and I see for myself that his words are true. "Fuck." I take a second to refocus my energy and the eerie glow slowly starts to fade. "What happened?" he asks as he sits down. "Max is a fuc-" "No," he interrupts. "What happened with Tess?" "What?" I shrug as I take a seat trying to avoid his gaze. "Maria is in with Tess as we speak," he explains. "I know you have problems with Max-" "Nah-" I laugh. "I don't have problems with Max." "Yeah, right. And I'm the tooth fairy-" I can't help but laugh as I picture Michael in a pink tutu. We continue to laugh as the mounting tension in the air lightens. Our laughter soon fades and our gazes meet. "I just don't understand why she won't tell me." "She has her reasons," Michael sighs as he looks away. He knows. "How do you know?" I question as I feel my anger rising. "I don't, it's what Maria implied- and I honestly don't want to know." "I love her. I want her," I reply. "But, knowing she is keeping something from me is eating away at me-" "Let it go." I sigh in defeat. "I know." Michael nods and gets up to leave. He stops at the door and looks at me. "All I know is, I'm glad I didn't grow up with Nasedo." I nod as he's words register- fuck. I stand up and cross to the window as my thoughts race and my heart continues to pound. I look up at the stars and I try to push aside my feelings and think of hers- I'm such a selfish bastard. Oh, Buddha, can she forgive me? I sigh as I hear the door crack open and I see her standing there. The moonlight reflects the tears in her eyes. "Tess, I'm sorry-" I grovel as I cross to her. "I shouldn't have pushed-" "Shhh," she replies softly, pulling me into an embrace. "Can you forgive me?" I question as I run my hand through her hair and kiss her forehead. I feel her sigh against me, "I'm sorry-" "Shh-" she whispers as she looks up at me. I wipe away the remnants of her tears as I lean in to kiss her. Our lips meet and my heart soars. Our heated embrace soars and she pulls me to the bed. "Tess?" I question as she tugs at my shorts and pushes me onto the bed. ~ I feel the hot sun against my skin and I sit up. I stretch and reach for her, but I find that her side of the bed is empty. My heart squeezes and my breath catches in my throat. The thought of losing her and my son lingers- I almost lost her. I can't lose her, I need her- "You're up," Tess smiles as I look and see her standing in the doorway. I smile, "What time is it?" I question as she walks over to me and wraps her arms around me. "Around noon," she giggles. "Noon?" I gasp. "You were so tired, I didn't have the heart to wake you-" she whispers as she trails her hand down my chest and kisses my neck. "Waking up with you would have been better," I whisper as she stiffens slightly in my arms. "Alex needed me," she replies. "And I- I needed some time to think." "And?" I question knowing there is something more. "Can you forget about the past and start anew?" She questions as she pulls away. Every part of my being is screaming that I could. "No," I reply as I watch the hope in her eyes fade. "I can't do this-" she whispers as she bites her lower lip and I try to wrap my arms around her. "No, don't-" "Tess-" "When you decide that you want me and our son in your life-" "No," I groan. "You can't leave-" "I have to-" she sighs as she blinks back tears. "You need to work through this- whatever this is." "Tess-" I whisper my thoughts and feelings racing. "Goodbye," she sniffs as she holds her hand out to me and I stretch my hand out to her. Our fingertips graze against each other’s and the familiar electric vibe runs through our body. A glimmer of hope sparkles in her eyes, before she turns and walks away. I take a deep breath, my heart aching and my body trembling. I feel the tears sting at my eyes and I sink to the floor. What the fuck is wrong with me? Why can't I- "Dada-" I hear Alex's voice giggle as he runs and throws himself at me. "We go bye-bye." "Bye-bye," I repeat as I look to see Maria standing where I expected Tess to be. Alex pulls away and studies me, "Dada- come too?" Tears pool and I wrap my arms around me. "Yes," I reply as the tears roll down my face. "Come, Alex-" Maria whispers. "It's time." I watch as Maria pulls Alex away from me. I feel numb. I feel lost. And it's my fault. ~ I stare up at the ceiling, my thoughts race as I continue to hear her voice echo in my head- I ache to touch her, I tremble with need- why did she leave me? Why did she have to go? Is it so wrong for me to want the truth? "Kyle!" I hear Michael’s voice pierce through my hazy thoughts. I glance over at him and roll my eyes in response. "Kyle!" "What?" I growl. "Are you done with your self pity session?" he questions as I stare at him. My what? "Go away-" I grumble as he walks in and pulls me to my feet. "Get your ass up and do something productive-" he shouts as I continue to stare at him. "What's the point?" I question as I push him away and he glares at me. "That's it!" he groans, "you've been moping around for the past few weeks-" "So?" "I give up," Michael sighs as he sits down. "Not like you deserve it-" "Deserve what?" I snap as his gaze meets mine. "Her love," he whispers as I stare at him. I blink at his response. He's right. I don't. I'm not capable of love. Even my own mother didn't love me, she left me too- "You're right," I whisper. "Huh?" "You're right," I repeat as I feel my heart sink. "I don't deserve her love-" "Whoa," Michael gasps. "I didn't mean it-" "It's true," I reply. "I've never had a solid loving relationship. Somehow, I always ruin it- in the end they always leave me." "Kyle-" "I'm cursed-" "Kyle!" Michael snaps and I stare up at him. "What?" I cry. "You can't tell me differently- I ruined my relationship with Tess." "Then fix it." "It's too late," I moan. "No, it's not," another voice pipes in and we turn to see Maria standing at the door. "Huh?" I groan as she crosses to me. "Do you love her?" She questions as I sigh. "Yes." "She doesn't think you can love her if you knew the truth of her past." Maria sighs. "She loves you, she wants to be with you. But, in order for her to survive she chose to leave her past behind. She loves you so much, she would rather let you go, then tell you the truth of her past-" "Why?" I question as she rolls her eyes. "Why does it matter?" she snaps back. "Why do you have to know?" "Because it was secrets that split up my parents," I cry as the realization of my actions hit home. Oh, shit. "You aren't your parents," Maria whispers as she wraps her hand around mine. "Start fresh with Tess." "Oh, Buddha." I sigh, "will she forgive me?" "There's only one way to find out," Maria smiles as she squeezes my hand. I nod as a renewed hope lingers in my heart. I love her and that's all that matters. That's all that really ever mattered. ~ I stand in front of the door and I knock. My heart pounds as the door creaks open and a small head pops out. "Dada!" Alex cries as he wraps his arms around me. I pull him up and hug him. I put him down and I marvel at how much I've missed him- he rattles on about his room and his new truck. I glance around the living room, where's Tess? He tugs on my pants and I glance down at him. "Where's momma?" I question as he smiles. "Bathroom-" he giggles as I nod. He takes my hand and drags me down the hall. "Tess?" I call out as I strain to hear a response. "Kyle?" I hear her soft voice reply through the door. "Can we talk?" I question as I hear muffled noises coming form behind the door. "What do you want?" She asks as I try the door, but I find that it's locked. "Tess," I sigh. "I love you and I want start over." I hear the door click and she peaks her head out. I sigh as I gaze into her eyes. I've missed her. "A fresh start?" she questions, her voice wavering with unshed tears. "Forgive me?" I whisper as I feel the threat of tears. I touch the side of her face and she sighs at the feel of my hand. "Yes-" she answers as she opens the door further and I wrap my arms around her. "I'm sorry-" I whisper as I feel her hot tears against my chest. "I love you." "As I love you," she replies with a tender kiss. My heart soars and I pull her tighter against my body. My hand travels down to her waist and I feel a warm pulsating glow against my hand. My hand rests on her abdomen as we pull apart. Our gazes lock as she smiles. No- I take a deep breath and gaze down at my hand to see the soft glow of her abdomen. My heart skips a beat. "A baby?" I gasp as I suddenly realize why she had pushed me away as she did. "Yes," she smiles as her hand touches mine. A flash of light encircles us, a bonding of sorts with my unborn child. "I love you," I whisper as I kiss her, pushing my fears and past away from us. We still have so much to work out, but now I can move forward. Love conquers all. ~ The End

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