Title: Collision
Author: Kelie
Summery: 24 hrs after Max & Liz wed; Liz begins to undergo another transformation. (M/L/T). Also, Jesse is gone, and Isabel isn't as upset as you'd think, as she starts to see something in Michael she'd never realized was there. (Mi/I). Will love conquer all, or will they be fixated to their design?
Note: This story goes b/w present and past lives, with points of view from almost all characters.
"It was so beautiful." Isabel gushed to Michael, handing him a Polaroid of Max and Liz's wedding.
He wasn't as enthused. "Yea, it was great."
Isabel was lonely. It had been months since she's left her husband – rather – forced him to leave. They were constantly on the run, always scared, always afraid. Max was happy, he and Liz had each other, and they were both aliens now too, so it wasn't like they had to worry about that. But she was alone, without husband, without a love. She felt sad, but not for loosing her husband – she just felt empty.
"So, is your room ok?" Michael tried to keep Isabel from staring at him.
Snapping back into reality, she nodded. "Oh yea, it's a great motel room, just like the hundred others I've seen – and am bound to see."
He watched her eyes roll carelessly back into her head, and her smile curl up at the sides of her mouth. She looked beautiful. For years he'd harbored something for her. He wasn't sure if it was love, but it was an attachment. Maria had just left – at his request. She couldn't handle the constant danger, all the stress, all the time. Kyle had offered to drive her back to Roswell, with the knowledge he'd have to sneak back out of the godforsaken town to get back to them. It shocked Michael that he wasn't as disturbed by Maria's absence as he thought he'd be. Suddenly he realized that he too was staring, at Isabel.
As they stared at one another, the TV behind them began to flick on and off, the lights suddenly went out, and left them in the dark. They simultaneously scooted themselves closer to one another. Before one could object to the personal space violation, they found themselves in the mist of a very long, very passionate kiss.
In the room next door, Max and Liz laid in bed – the night of their marriage. It was as close to a honeymoon as they would ever get. Side by side they slept. It had been rough in the past few months. Max had to deal with the continuous threat of the FBI, CIA and every other government agency. They got money through theft, which didn't help their desire to stay off the radar. Their lives were dwindling down to just barely surviving. He was happy to be married, but there was something missing inside him – other than his son. He couldn't pin point it, but it was like an itch he couldn't scratch. He loved Liz, but he wanted something else, something more.
"You were different-- you were a king! Now you're just a boy!" Liz trashed in her sleep – having some kind of nightmare.
Max, who had been lying awake – unable to sleep, immediately remembered where he'd last heard those words. It was what Tess had told him, just before she left to Antar with their son still in her womb. He rolled over to wake his sleeping wife.
"Liz, wake up. Wake up!" He begged.
Liz sat up with a start, breathing heavily – still in sleep mode, not completely awake.
"I did what I had to, to protect our son!" She screamed.
Confused, Max took her shoulders and shook her lightly. "Liz? Are you ok?"
"What, Max, what happened?" Liz seemed more confused than he did.
She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and got up to go to the bathroom. While alone, Max took the opportunity to go to his suitcase. He opened it up and shoved his hand in the little pocket hidden under all of his clothes. After a moment he pulled out a letter, and looked at it, remembering. It read:
Max –
You will never know how much you meant to me. How much I loved you. I wasn't able to stop you from falling for her. You don't understand the ties that bind us are unbreakable. One day it'll hit you, I might not be there anymore – but you'll feel it, just as I have all these years. If you're reading this it means you have found out about some things that I am not proud of. Most likely you've sent me away, or worse; I just hope you can learn to forgive before it's too late.
Always,
Tess
Folding the letter up as Liz crawled back into bed; he stared down at the paper, and then looked oddly to Liz – who had just spoken Tess' words. Only, she'd not been present for either of those events. How could she have known what was said? Least of all what Tess said – with such accuracy?
"Coming back to bed?" Liz asked, questioningly.
Hesitant, he answered. "I'll be right there."
Years ago in another life time, on another planet
His majesty walked with elegance and grace as he moved silently through the large, palace halls. He opened the second to last door of the main hall, and walked inside – closing the door behind him.
The room was huge, bright with long flowing curtains, falling over the floor like waves of water, as the wind made them curl around the large bay windows. There seated in the middle of the bay window was a young girl with long dark hair. Her eyes were dark brown – very rare for their species. He took her in with a moment of breathlessness. Once she saw him, she stood up to greet him, motioning to hug.
"Not now, Kesia, I told you." Zan pushed her away.
Kesia pressed herself against the king. "You know, you would be happy with me." She reminded.
Taking a deep breath and sighing. "Happy – and empty." He concluded. "I'm sorry." He said at last.
Kesia seemed confused. "For, breaking my heart?"
"No." He turned his head to the doorway and yelled. "Guards!"
A wave of guards swept into the room and grabbed Kesia by the arms, forcibly dragging her out of the room.
"You can't do this! I didn't do anything! Stop!" She cried.
Zan walked out of the room, with the sounds of her screaming becoming muffled as she was led further away. As he neared the end of the hall another woman greeted him with open arms. This time he embraced her warmly, kissing her cheek.
This woman was blonde, with long curls that tumbled down her back. Her eyes were like a pair of dark blue gems. This was the Queen – Ava. The universe seemed to gleam from within her – like a light just waiting to be seen. She wore a dress with the royal seal on it, which matched the seal Zan carried on his shirt. Their hands clasped as they followed the trail of guards into the throne room.
"You're brave for doing this." Ava whispered into her husband's ear.
He was tickled by her words, but answered. "I think you're brave, for staying with me."
Inside the throne room, Kesia was shackled to a podium. She was stripped down to nothing but her under dress, a simple white gown with nothing special about it. Her long brown hair was pulled away from her face – showing the marks of a beating from the guards.
At the center of the room, in front of the podium was a set of four thrones, two larger in the middle and a smaller one on either side. Seated in one of the two smaller ones was a young woman, Vilondra, sister to the king and princess of Antar. In the other smaller throne sat a young man, Rath, the second in command and set to rule with Vilondra in the event that anything happened to Zan and Ava.
King and Queen sat down on their thrones, and waited for a moment as members of the king's court assembled. As they all came in and sat down, Zan took a moment to look at Kesia. She was shaking in fear; she knew all too well what this meant.
Zan cleared his throat, ready to give his sentencing. "Kesia has been found guilty of conspiracy against the throne!" The court let out a wave of shock. "This violation of our civil code will not be forgotten."
Ava took over for her husband. "For this crime, she will be terminated – and her essence shall be transported to Earth, a planet by which a species much like ours resides, however – they are far less evolved. She will not be given evolution through genes – she will live as they do, and thus die again as they do until she is recycled back into our civilization."
Vilondra stood up, pointing to the guards at her left. "Take her away for prepping."
"Let this punishment be a warning to anyone who would seek to conspire against your king." Rath stated, before escorting Vilondra out of the room.
Turning to his Queen, Zan took her hands into his, and looked into those giant blue eyes. She trusted him to do what was right, she trusted him to protect their station as rulers – and to keep this world from falling into war. So far, he'd managed to do that, but Kesia threatened to destroy everything they had worked for.
"Try not to worry, Zan." Ava smiled at her husband.
He tried to crack a smile. "I'm not."
"I know you too well, you can't lie to me. Do not worry my husband, for there is nothing to be worried about. Nothing will go wrong." She assured him.
Present time, present life
What made things always happen when they were least wanted? Why did the bad things happen when the good things had just settled down? Why was he haunted by a life, a woman that had betrayed him? Why was Liz crying out words that only Tess had said? Why was any of this happening?
"Michael…" Max knocked on the door – trying to keep from waking anyone else in the motel.
The door slowly opened. Michael was standing in his boxers, looking as if a hurricane had whipped through his room, and his alone. He rubbed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. He then stuck his face through a tiny opening between the door and molding, and began to speak.
"What is it Maxwell? Do we need to get moving again?" He sounded hurried, but hushed.
Suspicious of his actions, he asked. "Wait a minute – Is Isabel in there with you?" He tried to peak over Michael's shoulders.
Keeping him from seeing he stepped outside, and closed the door. "Maxwell, what do you want?" He insisted – changing the topic.
"Liz, she said something in her sleep." He began.
Rolling his eyes. "Yea, well people talk in their sleep." He was not impressed.
Taking him aside, he whispered. "Things that Tess said to me, in confidence."
"What?" A little bit more interested. "Does she know she said anything weird?"
Max shook his head. "I don't think so; she seemed dazed after she woke up."
"Maybe it was just her flashes – you know – getting into her dreams, or something?" He shrugged; shooing Max back to his room as he went back inside.
As he crawled back into bed, his body rested against Isabel's side. They began to spoon one another, and he fell back into a deep sleep.
The next morning, Kyle arrived at about eight, waking everyone up with news from Roswell. Liz was happy to hear that her father and mother were ok, and that according to Maria, they had destroyed her journal as asked. Although her parents had decided it would be too dangerous to let anyone else read it, so Maria's mother had not read the journal. Leaving Maria to explain where she had been for so many months. Apparently Jim Valenti was now Sheriff again, after the sheriff he had been working under got caught in a fire and didn't make it out.
Kyle had started to develop powers himself – nothing special, just the general molecular distortion that they all shared. Even still, he was one of them now, and just as nervous about being caught by the government and shoved in some white-room for the rest of his life. His knowledge of the law, thanks to his father, was very handy and usually kept them one step ahead in most cases, of potentially dangerous situations.
"How was the trip?" Isabel asked over a cup of coffee.
Kyle shrugged. "It was pretty much ducking behind bushes, and making sure I wasn't seen. Oh… the fun of being extraterrestrial. Pass the sauce." He stated, taking a bottle of Tabasco sauce and adding it into his coffee like milk.
Isabel smiled at him using the sauce and then looked at him questioningly. "What was it like?" She asked.
Kyle stared up at her from his cup, confused. "What was what like?"
"The taste of food, the smell of coffee; I mean, before you acquired our less acute taste buds." She wondered.
He thought about it. "They were just like I taste them now – but stronger, better." He remembered fondly.
Isabel knew he was stretching it, but it was harmless and she just smiled at him. "Huh, I can't imagine anything smelling or tasting different." She stared into her cup and watched the liquid swirl around. "Where's Max and Liz?" She asked, suddenly realizing that she hadn't heard anything from them since this morning when Kyle came back.
"I think they went for a walk. Max had to talk to her about something that happened last night." Michael explained, adding his own mixture of Tabasco sauce and milk to his coffee.
Kyle frowned, not being there last night he had no clue what that meant. "Huh?"
"Yea, what does that mean?" Isabel concurred with Kyle.
Michael groaned. "Nothing, Maxwell will tell you if he thinks it's a problem." He sat down, picked up a paper and began to read the obituaries.
Outside the motel; in a small field Max and Liz walked to the edge of the planted grass and sat down on the fence. Liz swung her legs over the fence and played with a lock of hair; while Max just became quiet and somber. Noticing her husband's sudden change in persona – Liz asked:
"What's the matter, Max?"
Snapping back into his current setting, he answered. "Last night. You said some things, things you couldn't have known." He began.
"You mean while I slept?"
He nodded. "Yes." Taking a breath, he continued. "Things that Tess said to me, while we were alone."
"What are you saying?"
Max could see the confusion on her face, and honestly, he didn't have an answer. "I don't know what I'm saying. I just know that it was weird, and it freaked me out."
"It was probably nothing. I probably got flashes in my sleep, when we touched." She shrugged.
Nodding, and resigning his stand. "Yea, that was probably it."
Isabel and Michael were alone again. Kyle had gone over to Max's room to take a shower and get changed. They sat on the bed and looked at one another again – like they had the night before.
"What's going on with us?" Isabel asked.
Michael shrugged. "I don't know." He admitted.
"Michael, we had sex. We know what that means." Isabel reminded him.
He nodded. "I know."
They looked down at the bed between them, where the alien book laid. It was opened to the page which described their destiny; Max and Tess and their son, and Isabel and Michael, and their child. Isabel touched her stomach and closed her eyes, a tear streaming down her face. Michael caught the tear and touched her stomach too. It began to glow blue, a tiny set of feet began to glow orange separately from the blue surrounding it.
"What are we going to do?" She asked, worried. "We can't let a baby come into this world, not when we're always on the run like this."
Michael agreed. "But what choice do we have?" He touched her face warmly.
As the sun set over the horizon, and everyone sunk into their beds, making themselves cozy and safe – Max once again lay awake. This time, he could not rest or sit in bed, so he took a walk.
While he was out, his wife began to thrash around in bed, violently as if having a seizure. Her hair flashed from brown to blonde again and again, lightening struck the ground outside the motel, and as the thunder roared in the distance, Liz settled back, sitting up with a start. Shadow covered her, making her nothing but a silhouette.
The door creaked open and Max tip-toed back inside – careful not to wake his wife. When he saw that Liz was not in bed, he stopped, startled. He felt a presence; it was familiar, like a recurring dream.
"Max." A soft, wispy voice called from behind.
He spun around to find a shadowed figure sitting in the chair by the window. When it stood up, it became clear that it was female.
"Liz?" He asked, nervous.
The figure stumbled closer, and grabbed his shirt for balance. Coming from the shadow the figure revealed itself to be none other than Tess! Max gasped, unable to speak; he backed away, frightened.
"What is this? Are you a ghost?" He asked.
She staggered. "Help me. They have me… you have to help." She begged.
"Tess, is that really you?" He reached to touch her.
Falling flat on the bed, she gasped for air. "Help…"
Max reached to help her, but before he could, Tess began to thrash violently, changing in and out of her current state. Finally she settled down into a sound sleep, once again as Liz. Max touched her cheek, and kissed her head, lifting her and putting her back into bed properly. This would have to wait until morning.
"I don't want morning to come."
Isabel was nervous, pacing quietly as Michael watched her. They didn't want to explain to Max that yet another baby was coming into the world. Possibly a child of human DNA, one they couldn't raise.
"I don't want morning to come." She repeated.
But morning did come. The sun rose up over the land and cast bright rays of light over all it saw. The warm, yellow and red light spilled through the curtains and spread along the floor, finally resting upon their bodies. Max rolled over and kissed his wife to wake her. She squinted, and fluttered her eyes – waking gently to the feel of his touch.
"Good morning." She smiled with a sleepy grin.
He grinned back, less enthused. "Good morning."
Liz wasn't stupid. She knew Max too well to not see his fear. Something had changed in the night, something had happened – but what?
"What's the matter, Max?" Her voice registered of a familiar insecurity.
He struggled to say what he knew he must. "Last night, I saw Tess."
Liz sat up, pulling the sheets around her like a little girl. She looked about, as if Tess would pop out of the shadows and attack. Once the momentary shock had passed, she realized that what her husband spoke of was impossible, Tess was dead.
"How can that be, Max?" She reminded.
He nodded uncomfortably. "I don't know."
"Well, what did she say?" She wondered.
He adjusted himself so that he was sitting eye to eye with her. "She asked me for help, she sounded like she was in pain."
"I see." Liz sounded devastated by the idea, and she quickly rose from the bed and moved to the small kitchenette. "You know Max, I put up with a lot, but your ex-wife showing up from beyond the grave is too much!" She was emotionally exhausted. "I can't deal with her – not again!"
Max stepped behind her. "Liz, you don't get it. You were Tess. You transformed before my eyes."
"I don't believe that, how?" She didn't want to hear this. "No." She shook her head.
He nodded, understanding this was a touchy matter. "We can keep this between us – for now." He rubbed her back, comforting her.
Later that morning, at their daily quasi breakfast-meeting, Isabel, Kyle and Michael snacked on croissants and Tabasco sauce. They stared at Max and Liz, who weren't talking, who weren't even looking at them. It was like the staring match of the century – but no one could win. Fed up with the silence Michael butted in with a comment:
"If you guys have something to tell, speak up." He suggested, munching down on his food.
Max shifted uneasily. "It's nothing, really."
"Well, if you have nothing to say, I'd like to mention a little detail." Isabel began – ignoring Michael's gestures to shut up. "I'm pregnant."
The deafening silence began, but quickly ended with Max's loud disapproval. "How could this happen? Do you realize what this means?" He sat down, almost falling into his seat.
Michael stood to defend Isabel. "Hey, it's not her fault ok?"
Max cocked his head to the left, and looked at his alien friend with an intensity he'd not seen in a long time. Michael hesitated before backing away and landing himself squarely in his seat again.
"Are you the father, Michael, did you get my sister pregnant?" He was angry.
Isabel stepped in to defend Michael. "Max, please – this isn't helping and it's not going to change the fact that what's done, is done."
Kyle tried to play the peace maker. "Hey guys, lets remember what the issue here is, our safety."
"How can we remain safe with a child tagging along? This isn't some joy ride, we're targeted – people will find us eventually, unless we figure out how to get off this God damned planet!" Max argued.
Everyone stared at him. They had never discussed leaving before. They all knew in the end that it was probably their only option, but still, it was a choice that none of them wanted to face. Least of all Liz or Kyle, who may be aliens now, but they had been born as humans. Every moment they spent as aliens caused them to loose a bit more of their humanity, they became more like the others, less ability to taste, or smell – as they gained their alien senses they lost their human ones. It was like the universe had a balance to keep, trading one sense for another.
As another argument was about to ensue, outside a vehicle halted. They all stiffened and became very still. The sound of footsteps grinding into the dirt became louder – the feet were coming right for the room! Max snatched his bags – always packed – and peeked out the window. Crawling along the side of the parking lot was a line of MP troops, making their way toward the doorway. Max signaled the others – they knew what it was and picked up their own bags and began to silently make their way toward the back door, where their van was parked.
Max jumped in the drivers seat, while Liz jumped in the passenger seat beside him, throwing their bags in the back with Michael, Isabel and Kyle. As soon as the side door had shut, Max slammed the petal; all while using his powers to rev the engine beyond its capability; a vehicle that could normally only reach eighty or ninety at most without falling to pieces was now topping just over a hundred and nine. The tires were shaking under the pressure. The seats in the car were also beginning to vibrate. Isabel took a moment to look behind her; the troops were starting to gain on them. She moved to the very back of the van and used her powers to open a hole in the window. She stuck her hand out and pushed the MP's truck back, causing a small explosion and fire in their engine. She watched as they fled from their doomed vehicle and as they ran to shield themselves from the fire.
"We're safe, for now." She sighed in relief.
Max glance behind him at the destruction. "They'll still come."
On Antar – in a life from the past
"Please, I beg of you. I'll do anything – don't do this. You can still stop this, please." Kesia whispered as an anonymous guard shackled her on a cold metal table. The guard was non responsive, as expected. They grew up with the belief that their king was their one and only ruler, what could ever be expected of them? According to their king, she was accused of treason, and no one accused of betraying the kingdom was going to get anything but death.
As she was being lowered into a flat position she saw Vilondra enter the chamber, looking erotically alluring. All the men seemed to let their gaze wander ever so slightly toward her. Even Kesia could appreciate her unique beauty. The royal family did come from excellent genes. They were stronger, smarter and more powerful than most on Antar.
"Lonnie, please – I beg of you…"
The princess smiled fondly at her, almost as if she were plotting something. She leaned over the table, resting her hand on the metal right by Kesia's arm. Brining her face close enough to hers to feel each other's breath, she spoke softly.
"My brother fancied you, you know?" Her tone was smug at best. "But he never loved you. He loves his wife."
Kesia began to cry. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because…" Her tone became more threatening now; she touched Kesia's cheek and looked at her coldly. "I want you to take that feeling with you to the next life. You would have ripped this family apart. Scandal would have destroyed Zan's credibility." She sneered. "The throne would have been ruined for our whole family."
The bound girl let the tears stream down her face. "I never meant to…"
"You never meant to, but you almost disturbed destiny, and destiny is not something to be touched." She dug her nails into Kesia's temple. "Zan was born second, but I was a girl – so he got the crown. My destiny is to be Queen – whether my brother knows it, or not. You almost ruined my plans. You were so close…" She smiled, fantasizing. "…but with just a few suggestions of conspiracy any trust the king had in you was diminished. I will be Queen, and you; you'll be forgotten." Looking up from the girl to the guards near by, Vilondra became an authority figure again. "I'm all done."
Upon her order, the guards began to lower a machine that hung above the metal table. It had two long tubes connected to it. One that entered into her mouth, and another that seemed to hover just above her chest. The tube that rested in her mouth began to pump red liquid – Antarian water - down her throat. She struggled at first, but after a few moments, she stopped moving and remained that way; she was dead. Just as her body fell still the tube that hung over her chest generated this loud humming sound. As the sound escalated a faint mist began to rise from Kesia's chest and glazed eyes. Once the mist was safely captured in the tube, it was then transported to a machine where a small embryo was growing. The mist was delivered into the tiny life and whisked away; sent to Earth where it would be implanted into the woman who would carry the child to term. The journey to Earth would take many years in a normal ship, which meant during this time the small fetus would be frozen, stored on the ship until it was ready to be placed in a human woman.
