Author's Notes: When I saw "Baby, It's You," a seed was planted. Then I wrote
"Reluctant Wings" and it bloomed. When I re-read the fic, I realized that I
had unwittingly wrote exactly what bothered me about the whole episode. So
I stewed on this and then it all culminated into this little piece. Lemme know
what you think. The only real spoiler is the bigass one in "Baby, It's You."
Everything else is speculation.
Russian Roulette
It had been Maria who realized the truth first, as they all stood together,
discussing recent events at the quarry where they usually met. Once she pointed it out
to Max, he felt like such an idiot. They talked to Larek. The aliens knew that
they were supposed to remain on this planet, to guard the Granolith. Four Square,
their power came from their bonds with each other. Why would they be encouraged
to connect with each other if not to produce offspring? The King and Queen needed
an heir after all. Tess and Max had mated, produced a son. And he was dying.
Because of the Earth's atmosphere.
Maria asked Max how likely it was for only the alien portion of their DNA to be
passed down. Wouldn't two hybrids make another hybrid? After all, she said,
weren't hybrids usually sterile?
He looked at Liz then, seeing the dawning recognition in her eyes. Flashing
back to New York, he remembered finding Tess alone on her knees, telling him that
she had destroyed Lonnie and Rath. Now he found himself wondering if she had, if
he had brought back Tess at all. Max turned to Kyle then, who had sank back against
the hood of his mustang. He had his head buried in his hands, trying to reconcile
himself simply to the idea of Tess being pregnant. Max called his name three times
before he looked up.
How sure was he that Tess was Tess? What the fuck was Max talking about? Max explained
about the possible switch and Kyle stared at him like he was crazy. Then a billion
memories crashed into his head and started colliding with each other.
Before, she kept trying to turn his walls pink and she kept swiping his football jersey
to prance around in. Before, she would give him this sultry look that had him panting.
Before, she looked at him the way she looked at Max.
Kyle met Max's eyes again, his voice hoarse as he admitted that it was possible,
possible that Tess was someone else. Michael protested the loudest, citing all the
incidents where Tess had covered their backs. Maria was the observant one again, pointing
out to Michael how all the Skin attacks had stopped since Max and Tess went to New York.
Would a homicidal race, dependent on a single thing for survival, quit before obtaining
said item for survival?
Something in her eyes reminded Michael of the way Hank used to act, whenever he was
short of money and booze. Nothing would stand in his way, nothing would prevent him
from becoming drunk again. Michael thought about all this and shook his head. No,
the Skins wouldn't just give up. That meant they had something up their sleeves,
something already in motion.
Isabel was the next to make an earthshattering realization. She cried Alex's
name and her knees buckled. Liz was quick to wrap an arm around her waist, supporting
her. Liz met Max's eyes as she reminded him that with the book translated, they
could find a way home and it stood to reason they'd take the Granolith home.
The Skins would have a vested stake in making sure the book was not translated.
Isabel buried her face in Liz's shoulder and Liz could feel the hot tears soaking
her shirt. Surprisingly, it was Kyle who gently pried Isabel off Liz and let her
soak his shirt.
It was like losing him all over again and this time it was personal. One of their
own had iced him. One of their own who was not one of their own. Two losses in the
family now. What would they do now?
Maria came to the rescue again, ordering Michael to make six copies of the
translated book. She wanted the crystal; she'd hide it among the others in her room.
Signaling Liz with her eyes, she told her to take Max back to the Evans house and
to tell him *everything*. Both Kyle and Max looked sharply at Liz who was staring
at her shoes. She nodded and Maria continued. Kyle was to wait with Isabel and
then drive them both to the Evans house where they were to wait. Looking at Michael,
she told him she'd take him back to his apartment to pick up the things before they
also went over to the Evans.
Five pairs of eyes fixed on the petite blonde girl, who was standing there with
a firm look on her face. She stared back and there was a moment before there was
silent unanimous agreement.
Isabel walked off, tears still wet on her face, and Kyle followed, his hands
jammed in his pockets. Max and Liz headed for the Jeep, and this time when Max reached
for her hand, she didn't pull away. Maria was left standing there, Michael at her
back. Finally, she too turned around and strode away, Michael by her side.
Left behind, swirling in the red dust, was the unasked question. What were they going
to do about Tess? The dust settled to rest against the ground, but the question
followed them all home.
"Reluctant Wings" and it bloomed. When I re-read the fic, I realized that I
had unwittingly wrote exactly what bothered me about the whole episode. So
I stewed on this and then it all culminated into this little piece. Lemme know
what you think. The only real spoiler is the bigass one in "Baby, It's You."
Everything else is speculation.
Russian Roulette
It had been Maria who realized the truth first, as they all stood together,
discussing recent events at the quarry where they usually met. Once she pointed it out
to Max, he felt like such an idiot. They talked to Larek. The aliens knew that
they were supposed to remain on this planet, to guard the Granolith. Four Square,
their power came from their bonds with each other. Why would they be encouraged
to connect with each other if not to produce offspring? The King and Queen needed
an heir after all. Tess and Max had mated, produced a son. And he was dying.
Because of the Earth's atmosphere.
Maria asked Max how likely it was for only the alien portion of their DNA to be
passed down. Wouldn't two hybrids make another hybrid? After all, she said,
weren't hybrids usually sterile?
He looked at Liz then, seeing the dawning recognition in her eyes. Flashing
back to New York, he remembered finding Tess alone on her knees, telling him that
she had destroyed Lonnie and Rath. Now he found himself wondering if she had, if
he had brought back Tess at all. Max turned to Kyle then, who had sank back against
the hood of his mustang. He had his head buried in his hands, trying to reconcile
himself simply to the idea of Tess being pregnant. Max called his name three times
before he looked up.
How sure was he that Tess was Tess? What the fuck was Max talking about? Max explained
about the possible switch and Kyle stared at him like he was crazy. Then a billion
memories crashed into his head and started colliding with each other.
Before, she kept trying to turn his walls pink and she kept swiping his football jersey
to prance around in. Before, she would give him this sultry look that had him panting.
Before, she looked at him the way she looked at Max.
Kyle met Max's eyes again, his voice hoarse as he admitted that it was possible,
possible that Tess was someone else. Michael protested the loudest, citing all the
incidents where Tess had covered their backs. Maria was the observant one again, pointing
out to Michael how all the Skin attacks had stopped since Max and Tess went to New York.
Would a homicidal race, dependent on a single thing for survival, quit before obtaining
said item for survival?
Something in her eyes reminded Michael of the way Hank used to act, whenever he was
short of money and booze. Nothing would stand in his way, nothing would prevent him
from becoming drunk again. Michael thought about all this and shook his head. No,
the Skins wouldn't just give up. That meant they had something up their sleeves,
something already in motion.
Isabel was the next to make an earthshattering realization. She cried Alex's
name and her knees buckled. Liz was quick to wrap an arm around her waist, supporting
her. Liz met Max's eyes as she reminded him that with the book translated, they
could find a way home and it stood to reason they'd take the Granolith home.
The Skins would have a vested stake in making sure the book was not translated.
Isabel buried her face in Liz's shoulder and Liz could feel the hot tears soaking
her shirt. Surprisingly, it was Kyle who gently pried Isabel off Liz and let her
soak his shirt.
It was like losing him all over again and this time it was personal. One of their
own had iced him. One of their own who was not one of their own. Two losses in the
family now. What would they do now?
Maria came to the rescue again, ordering Michael to make six copies of the
translated book. She wanted the crystal; she'd hide it among the others in her room.
Signaling Liz with her eyes, she told her to take Max back to the Evans house and
to tell him *everything*. Both Kyle and Max looked sharply at Liz who was staring
at her shoes. She nodded and Maria continued. Kyle was to wait with Isabel and
then drive them both to the Evans house where they were to wait. Looking at Michael,
she told him she'd take him back to his apartment to pick up the things before they
also went over to the Evans.
Five pairs of eyes fixed on the petite blonde girl, who was standing there with
a firm look on her face. She stared back and there was a moment before there was
silent unanimous agreement.
Isabel walked off, tears still wet on her face, and Kyle followed, his hands
jammed in his pockets. Max and Liz headed for the Jeep, and this time when Max reached
for her hand, she didn't pull away. Maria was left standing there, Michael at her
back. Finally, she too turned around and strode away, Michael by her side.
Left behind, swirling in the red dust, was the unasked question. What were they going
to do about Tess? The dust settled to rest against the ground, but the question
followed them all home.