Author's Note: I'm back! I thought of the rest…I HOPE…and I'll slowly start posting again.

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Chapter 9: Piercing Every Thought Together

The ride to the Valenti household was quiet, filing with that tense silence that accompanies suspicion, fear, and anger.

Michael kept glaring at Max, as if he was a parasite that was going to infect his sister with his mere presence. But, Michael couldn't shake the feeling that the boy sitting in front of him was important. It sprung a feeling of protectiveness toward that that nearly rivaled the same feelings he'd had towards his sister. It was one of the only reasons why he didn't beat him into a pulp at the Crashdown—well, that and Tess yelled at him.

Tess sat beside her brother, uncomfortable. The baby was making her feel ill. So far "morning sickness" eluded her, but as quickly as the baby was growing inside of her…it was perhaps a miracle that she hadn't gotten sick yet.

The car pulled up the house a few minutes later. Kyle and his father climbed out the car. Kyle went to try to help Tess out and was rebuffed by Michael who immediately pulled her, gently, of course, to follow behind him.

Max climbed out, instinctively moving towards Tess. Immediately, Jim stepped in and grabbed him by the arm to pull him away from Tess and towards the house before Michael and/or his son decided to give the neighbors a free show.

Once everyone was inside, Valenti ordered them all to sit down—making sure that Evans was far away from his daughter. The way he was staring at his adopted daughter was making him feel like a voyeur. He remembered that his ex-wife had once called that look 'bedroom eyes.'

"Alright! Now, I want to know what the hell is going on. Right now!" Valenti ordered. When there was no response, he yelled, "Anyone?"

Kyle spoke up first. "Well…uh…umm…We were just walking around, shopping; things like that. Then we decided to go to the Crashdown for lunch. All of a sudden, Isabel and her lame friends, well, they started talking…"Kyle's face flushed, "and, uh, it was pretty bad. Michael jumped up to confront her—and then Max attacked him." Kyle flung his arms out in confusion. "Then Max went psycho on us. This is too weird."

Tess interrupted, speaking directly to Max. "Why did you attack my brother?!"

"I was defending my sister!"

That made Tess jump up out of her chair.

"Did you even hear what she was saying? Your sister was being a bitch!" Tess yelled back, all the while not noticing Michael's restraining grip on her. "She practically called me a whore and dared Michael to attack her."

"Well, he could've just ignored her."

"Why? So, she could get away with it? She's just some spoiled little brat that lives on ridiculing--." Tess stopped her attack abruptly, her face turning pale; sub-consciously her hand went to her belly.

"Tess." The voices overlapped each other. To her it sounded like she was floating in the ocean, and the sounds of the shore were dampened by the gentle slapping of the waves. She didn't even feel herself falling.

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Michael couldn't stop the panic that flooded through him as he caught his sister in his arms as she collapsed. Staring at her, the fear only intensified when he looked at her eyes. Her eyes, a beautiful blue, were now, in contrast a milky white.

"Tess. Tess, wake up." He called to her, shaking her—even though he was shaking himself. He barely noticed Max sitting down beside her or Valenti as he quickly called for an ambulance.

"We can't!" He found himself saying. "Tell them not to come…"

Jim swallowed hard, staring at his phone, then the young woman lying on the ground. "Michael, I understand. But can you help her? Do you know anyone who can help her and the baby?"

Michael's hand shook as he rubbed his mouth, "No. I just--" tears started streaming down his face. "I can't lose her." He shook his head. "I don't know what to do. If we go to the hospital, they could save her…the baby. But, they'd find out. If we don't, she could die."

Max had been sitting beside the beautiful blonde angel, staring at her, but listening. "What do you mean?"

Michael looked surprised to see him. As if he'd forgotten that anyone else was in the room. "Um. Nothing."

Kyle started pacing. "Okay, people. We really need to get a doctor here now! I don't want to deliver a baby in the house, okay?"

Max got on his knees, and with a harsh glance, shut Kyle up. "Michael, listen to me. What did you mean?"

It was then that Tess groaned in pain, clutching her belly as it began to throb.

"Michael. Listen to me. You have to trust me, okay. Just let her go, for a minute." Max asked, pushing him away from his sister.

"What are you—." Michael started to ask.

"Just trust me, Michael." Once Tess was lying flat, Max place one hand on her face, the other on the baby. "Tess. Just look at me."

Max's face rumpled as he concentrated all of his healing ability. He felt it working, he felt the baby relax for a while…

There was a flash in his mind—one that seared red hot as if his brain were slowly boiling. Max gasped, pulling away from them, falling back on the ground.

The residual image was practically burned into his mind—the image of Tess's baby. Tess still lay on the ground—not moving, but alive. He pushed the pain away, and crawled back to her side to try again. This time, he focused all of his attention on the baby. Lifting up her shirt, he placed a hand against her skin using his abilities once more, reaching out to the life inside of his love.

Kyle looked nervously at his father, who stood open mouthed, staring at the young man who…for a moment, looked as if his hands were glowing.

Slowly, Tess's eyes opened to find Max Evans kneeling beside her, his hands caressing her skin lightly. She moved her own hands on top of his, a smile coming to her face. "I know you…" She reached out to cup his face with a gentle hand.

Max smiled back at her, wanting nothing more than to kiss her… "I knew you before I met you." Leaning forward, he couldn't stop himself, he kissed her lips softly. Her skin felt so warm as he traced her body. He half expected her to slap him, and was excited when she deepened the kiss.

"Hey!" Valenti yelled, "Stop. Get off her, right now!"

Michael pushed him away, going back to her side and pulling her up to rest against his back. He put his hands where Max's were, masking the silver hand-prints that covered her protruding belly. "What did you do? How did you…do that?"

Max blinked up at him, a half smile gracing his glazed, yet happy expression. "I can heal."

Valenti reached the phone again, apologizing for the mistake…an ambulance wasn't needed after all. Only a false alarm…pregnant women, he laughed half-heartedly before hanging up.

"Heal? Like Wolverine?" Kyle asked, feeling really dumb, when Max laughed.

"No, not like wolverine; I can't heal myself. I can heal others; it usually exhausts me…but, in this case, I feel like flying. There was this—surge of energy that I usually don't get."

"What did you do to my sister?" Tess slapped Michael's arm. "What! Tess, he was all over you!"

Tess turned her face so that she could look into her brother's eyes. "Michael. It's okay. I know him…somehow, I know him."

Michael let his thumb graze her cheek, "What do you mean?"

Tess blinked, a smile forming on her face. "I think—he's one of us. Don't you feel it?"

Licking his lips, he couldn't help but nod. "Yeah, like, uh, there's something special about him. It makes me want to—I don't know—protect him, like the way I protect you."

She looked back at Max. "I think—it was meant to be…that…"

"We belong together." Max finished her thought.

"Yes."

Max stood, walking over to her, then held out a hand to help her up off the ground. Michael's hand rested on her elbows, assisting.

Valenti watched, "I don't understand. You're not from…Roswell. How can you know each other?"

Max straightened, cocking his head to the side as he considered the information Valenti had shared. He led Tess to the couch, where he and Michael sat beside her. He pointed Kyle and Sheriff Valenti towards the chairs beside them, as if suddenly, the roles had changed and now, he was in charge.

"I think that it's safe to say that whatever secret Michael and Tess have, they've shared it with the both of you. That they both think of you as family. You obviously know my secret and I want you to know that if you choose to share that secret with me, I would guard it as if it was my own." Turning towards Tess, he began to address her, "You're safe with me, Tess. I feel—there's a very strong connection between us. It's something that I can't control. From the moment I saw you…"

"It was like a magnet. I guess I'm irresistible."

He laughed, a light huff, "Yes, you are." He smiled, a grin lighting up his entire face. "Sheriff Valenti mentioned that you aren't from Roswell… well, my sister and I aren't from around here either."

Michael looked interested, "What do mean? Where are you from?"

Max took a deep breath, "I don't know exactly…all I know is that I'm not from Earth."

Kyle's mouth dropped open, "So, what? You're an alien?"

"I guess…though I'd prefer 'not of this world.' It sounds less—science fiction."

Valenti rubbed his stubbled jaw, "So, how did you arrive?"

Max shrugged, "I don't really remember—honestly. I just remember my sister and I were walking across the desert one day and this young couple in a car found us and adopted us."

Michael jumped in, "Wait a second! You were walking around in the desert?"

Nodding, Max answered, "Yes, naked actually. We were about five or six when my parents found us. I don't remember anything before that."

"So, your sister is like you as well? Isabel?" Michael asked.

"Yes. Her abilities are very different than mine…she can visit people in their dreams. Sometimes, she can move things with her mind—telekinesis, I suppose you can call it, but it only happens when she's emotional. You've met my sister—she doesn't get emotional very often."

Tess placed her hand on Michael's arm, rubbing it lightly to get his attention. They stared quietly at each other—communicating silently, an ability most siblings shared…theirs strong and unbreakable. Michael nodded, resting his hand lightly on top of hers in agreement.

"Well, Max," Tess started, "It seems that we have something in common…Michael and I—we were also found in the desert. Except the people who found us, well, they didn't adopt us—they just put us in foster care until Hank Guerin and his wife of the moment took us in."

Max sat up straighter, "You were found in the desert too? –Do you…have abilities?"

Tess and Michael stared at each other. Michael answered for her, "Yes. We do. Tess—she can, uh, we call it a mind warp. She can make you see things that aren't really there. I don't know, like mind control or something. She can, I don't know, change things—put things back together. Well, I really can't do those things—I just end up blowing things up when I try. I'm not very good at it."

"Well, I can't do the things that my sister does either—perhaps you're not supposed to 'put things together.' Perhaps 'blowing things up' IS your talent?" Max remarked, trying to be encouraging.

Valenti stood up, "You know, this is, uh, an incredible story, Max." He stared at Tess's stomach, the silver prints still glowing against her skin. "Unfortunately, I don't believe you. I know who you are—and I'm placing you under arrest."

"What?" They all screamed. Michael, Kyle, and Max jumping up.

Valenti placed a hand on his holster, "Listen, I don't want to pull out my gun, so you better just do I say." He motioned him away from his family. "Now, get on your knees on the ground."

Tess couldn't stand without assistance, "Please, Jim, what're you doing? He saved my life—the baby's life. Why are you arresting him?"

Max walked in front of her, making sure she was protected behind him, "Okay." He slowly slid to the ground. "I want to know why you are arresting me."

Valenti pulled a set of handcuffs from his belt hook, moving to hand cuff the suspects hands together. "Maxwell Evans, I'm placing you under arrest for serial murder. You have the right to remain silent…"

"What! No! I've never hurt anyone—never murdered anyone."

"…if you don't have an attorney…"

"Stop, Sheriff! Listen to me."

"Dad! Stop! What do you mean murder?"

"He couldn't have murdered anyone."

Jim's face was an impenetrable wall, completely emotionless when facing a monster. "I have evidence to the contrary. As of 1949, there have been four murders with the same silver handprint that you left on my daughter."

"What?" They all gasped. Michael rested his hands against his sister's shoulders, "Are you saying there's someone like us—murdering people?"

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To Be Continued.

I seem to have gotten my muse back. What do you think?