He Called Her Tessa
by
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Roswell and all associations do not belong to me!
Author's Note: This is my first try at Roswell fanfic, so if you criticize, please be polite. All feedback can be sent to teneljade@netzero.net, and thank you!
Also, this is my own twisted story, so although mostly everything else is up to date, Valenti is still sheriff here.
Rating: R, again.
Chapter Four
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tess felt like she was wading in deep, deep mists. She looked up over her head, and found that the mist neither thinned nor disappeared there, either.
She put her hands out in front of her, and parted the mist. It grew thinner for a split second, but then snapped firmly back in place. In frustration she groaned.
"Aaah!"
*****
Kyle had dropped his head to his chest after realizing that there would be no answer forthcoming. She still has two days, he reasoned with himself. But time was growing short, and the decision had already been made, he knew. No matter which way things had gone, nothing could change them now.
A sound came from the bed. It sounded like a groan. Kyle snapped his head up so fast that his father would have told him he was in danger of getting whiplash. But at this particular moment, Kyle didn't care what his father would have thought. Because the sound had come from Tess, and more importantly, her hand was moving!
*****
Tess was still wading through the fog, but it was getting thinner. Suddenly she heard something call out to her. "Tess! Tessa, where are you? Tess, please come back to me!"
Tess knew that voice. And the owner of that voice... she couldn't wait to see him again.
With a huge effort, Tess willed the fog out of existence, and pushed her eyelids open. "Ky...Kyle?" She stuttered.
Kyle's eyes were alight with joy. Tess's heart warmed to know that she had put that joy there, but at the same time, it ached with the knowledge that she had worried him so much. "Shh," He replied. "Don't try to talk yet. I'll get you some water, and then we can talk."
Tess nodded wordlessly, not sure if she could have spoken even if she'd had to. She felt drained, though she was happy to feel that her powers were intact, albeit much weaker than normally. She turned her head to the side, realizing that if that small movement was an effort, then it was going to be a while before she was back to normal.
Looking around, she took in her surroundings. She was in Kyle's room, and she had an I.V. in her arm. She touched the needle, unsure why she felt the need to do that, and winced. "Ah..." She groaned with the slight pain, not quite speaking.
Kyle rushed into the room. "Tessa? Are you okay?"
Tess nodded her head, noticing that her blond curls weren't anywhere near the mess she'd expected. Had Kyle been brushing her hair, too? As if he hadn't been doing enough, watching her day in and day out, changing her... Tess blushed at the thought. Well, she thought, I guess I don't have to worry about modesty. Not that I ever did before. But now Kyle's seen everything I've got.
On this somewhat sour thought, she turned back to the dark-haired teen, and though puzzled, willingly took the nipple of the baby bottle in her lips. Sucking gently, she managed to drink her first water in a couple of weeks, and her throat rejoiced.
When she had guzzled half the bottle, Kyle gently but firmly pulled it away. "This is the first thing that's been on your stomach in nineteen days," He explained. "We don't want to overdo it."
Nineteen days! She'd been out longer than she thought. She looked back at who was, as far as she was concerned, her guardian angel. "You... took care of me... for nineteen days?" She asked, her voice sounding harsh and foreign even to her own ears.
Kyle smiled. "Yep."
Tess looked away. "You didn't have too. I mean, I'm sure I didn't need to be watched all the time."
Kyle was still smiling as he gently tilted her chin up and forced her to meet his eyes. "The others helped in the afternoon, let me get out. And the rest of the time... I didn't mind at all, Tessa."
Her heart warmed when she heard him call her by her sacred nickname. "I wasn't... a problem?" She asked, knowing that she sounded apologetic.
Kyle shook his head vigorously. "No! Tess, you're one of my best friends. Hell, you probably are my best friend. I know that you're my favorite Martian. And that's what friends are for, taking care of you when you can't take care of yourself."
Tess smiled a little, but inside, she was saddened by the knowledge that Kyle considered her in the best-friend context, instead of the romantic-possibilities context. Kyle seemed to read her mind, and once again tilted her chin up so that she met his eyes.
"Tessa... this may not be the best time to do this, because I know you're probably emotionally out of it, as well as physically, but I've been waiting for nineteen days, and I can't hold it in anymore."
Tess's heart began to beat a little faster, as she wondered what Kyle would say. Would he tell her he loved her? Would he asked her something? Would he ask her if she loved him? What would she say?
Kyle's words "do this," began to register in her brain pretty much the second her eyes registered the fact that he was leaning towards her.
She knew what he was going to do... and she sure as hell wasn't going to resist. Closing her eyes, she felt instead of saw his lips settle softly on hers, touching gently at first, almost tentatively.
Tess wanted more. She nibbled on his lip, and he responded in kind. But that still wasn't enough. Taking the plunge, she pushed her tongue against Kyle's lips. Hesitantly, he opened them, and she entered his mouth.
A wave of sensations washed over Tess as Kyle aggressively pushed his own tongue into her mouth. She didn't resist him, enjoying the feelings that moved over her body with every touch of their mouths.
After a time, which was definitely too short, Tess was sure, Kyle pulled away, and she sucked in air, hard. His face was immediately apologetic, and he started to stammer, like he had a habit of doing when he was disconcerted. "I'm sorry... I should have remembered that you're still sick..."
Tess cut off his hesitant apology with one quick command. "Kiss me again," She ordered.
Kyle complied, even more nervous this time, it seemed. Tess let him play around for a moment or two, sucking her lip a little, and allowing her to do the same to his, but then she was forced to take matters into her own hands, Or mouth, as the case may be, she giggled internally, and again helped him, by pushing his mouth open and entering with her tongue.
When this kiss was over, both teenagers had dazed expressions on their faces. Tess leaned back against her pillows, and was about to motion to the water bottle when Kyle seemed to read her mind.
When he picked up the bottle, Tess noticed the hole in the nipple was larger than normally used to feed babies. For that matter of fact... why was he feeding her with a baby bottle? She wondered. He answered her question, too.
Holding the bottle to her lips and tilting it upward, he watched Tess suckle the nipple with a look of fascination on his face. But he managed to answer the question he was sure was racing through her head.
"You won't be strong enough to do much on your own for a while, and the bottle just makes it easier for me. Otherwise, I would have to hold you up, and try to feed you the water at the same time and stuff. I would have used a pop-cap sports bottle, but they have to be squeezed to get anything out. This way, you control the flow of your drinks."
Tess smiled, and let go of the bottle nipple, gasping. Kyle put the mostly empty bottle down, and admonished her gently. "Don't drink too fast, Tessa. You don't want to get sicker, do you?"
Tess gently shook her head. "No way." Her voice was growing weaker, and Kyle noticed that her eyelids were slipping.
"Why don't you take a nap, and I'll call everyone and tell them you're awake." Tess nodded sleepily, and then cracked a smile.
"I can't believe I'm this tired... and I just slept for nineteen days!"
Kyle's smiled was more somber this time. "Even if you don't remember it, your body and mind did a lot of work while you were unconscious. Now, get some rest."
Tess smiled once more, and closed her eyes. "Yes, Doctor Kyle," She teased sleepily. "'Night."
Kyle grinned. "'Night, Tessa. Sleep well."
*****
His spirits higher than they had been in many days, Kyle walked softly out of the room, and then left the house. He jogged down to the corner, not wanting to awaken Tess with the noise he ached to make. Then he leapt high in the air, and punched at the sky. "Ya-hoo!" He shouted. "She's awake! Thank you, God!"
A mystified woman poked her head out of her window, but didn't say anything. Kyle wasn't going to volunteer any information, but in the end, he was just too excited not to share. "My girlfriend," He explained. "She just came out of a coma, and she's going to be fine!"
The woman's confusion left her face, and she smiled. "Well, I'm glad for you, son." She responded. "Take good care of her, now."
Kyle gave a little salute, thinking about how it felt to call Tess his girlfriend. She was now, he supposed. "Yes, ma'am." The woman pulled her head back inside, and closed the window. Kyle punched the air once more, and headed home at a quick clip.
*****
Sheriff Valenti had been sitting on the couch when his son had gone running out of the house. Kyle hadn't told him what was going on, but he assumed that if it had been bad news, Kyle would have shared it with him. So he just smiled, and settled back to watch whatever football game was on today.
The door swung open ten minutes later, and a clearly elated Kyle Valenti came bouncing through the door. Jim raised an eyebrow to inquire what was going on, and Kyle grinned from ear to ear. "She's awake, Dad!"
This piece of information took a few seconds to sink in, and then Jim Valenti was up from the couch, grabbing his son in a bear hug and slapping his back. "That's great! She's going to be all right?" He asked.
Kyle was grinning so hard the sheriff thought his face might split from the stress. "Yep."
The sheriff nodded, his own goofy smile plastered across his face. "Can I see her?"
Kyle shook his head reluctantly. "She's asleep. She's completely exhausted, and really weak. Dad... I'm going to need to stay home and take care of her for a while longer."
Jim's brows furrowed in though, but he couldn't think of any other solution, and besides, if Tess was awake, then all was well in the family, even if Kyle did miss a third of the school year. "Sure. I'll think of something."
Kyle wrapped his arms around his father, and slapped his back. "Thanks, Dad."
The sheriff turned Kyle around, and pointed towards the phone. Kyle slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot! I was so happy, I just ran outside so that I could shout." Jim grinned.
"I know how that is, son."
*****
Later that night, most of the 'gang' was assembled in Kyle Valenti's living room. The sheriff had allowed him to drag chairs and stuff in, and all were patiently awaiting the moment when Tess would awaken.
Isabel fidgeted. Maria had been fidgeting for an hour. Liz was sitting as far from Max as possible, though Kyle doubted she even did it consciously anymore, and Alex was literally twiddling his thumbs. Michael had his eyes focused on the TV screen, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere. Like... on the small person who kept grinding her hips into his lap when she moved.
Maybe certain people weren't waiting so patiently.
Michael finally decided to call Maria on her behavior. Of course, he knew she was doing this somewhat because she just couldn't sit still, and somewhat because she knew exactly what she was doing to him, and loved to feel her power over him. "Maria! Can you sit still for five seconds, please?"
The grinding of her hips into his lap stopped, and he heard her mumbling something under her breath, which he chose to ignore. Then, after several seconds, she began to fidget again. Michael quickly realized his error. Maria had, to bug him, taken his request for five seconds of stillness seriously.
He sighed, and grabbed her hips to still them. But even when she had her hips held down, she managed to wiggle her bottom in such a way that she brushed up against his arousal, again and again. Michael uttered a low growl into her ear, and she looked up at him, a 'who, me?' look on her face.
In a low voice, he threatened her, keeping his tone so that no one else could hear. "Maria DeLuca, if you don't stop that in the next five seconds, there is a going to be one horny alien to deal with when we're done here."
Maria grinned, dropping the innocent act. "That's the idea," She hissed back. She flipped around so that her front was against Michael's, and laid her head on his shoulder. Or, at least, that was what it looked like to the rest of the room.
In reality, Maria was taking the chance to run her tongue along the side of his neck, flicking it in and out over the soft flesh. Michael stifled the urge to move his head to the side so that she would have better access, remembering the presence of others in the room just in time. Instead, he forced himself to remain still, and allowed his senses to be immersed in the sensations coming from Maria's gently grinding hips and flicking tongue.
When Maria reached his earlobe and started to suck, Michael had had enough. He stood abruptly, Maria's legs still wrapped around his waist, her bottom hiding his arousal, and made a quick exit. "Excuse us. Maria and I are going to have a little chat."
Maria grinned naughtily, and switched sides to suck on his other earlobe. This only made Michael hurry their departure more, and this in turn made Max and Kyle flash him knowing grins. Liz and Isabel's expressions were more wistful, clearly remembering the days when they had had Michaels of their own to play with and drive crazy, and Alex appeared to be totally fascinated with his left thumb.
The door slammed shut, and Sheriff Valenti finally looked up from the TV screen. "Where are those two going?" He asked.
Liz exchanged a look with Isabel, the only remaining female in the room. By shared agreement, they decided Michael and Maria should suffer a little for their display, and what better way then to later happen to drop a hint to Maria that Sheriff Valenti knew where she and Michael went? Maria wouldn't be able to look the sheriff in the face for weeks.
"I think they had to... relieve a little tension." Liz tried hard to keep a straight face, but she abandoned that attempt when Isabel cracked up. The sheriff gave them a funny look, but returned willingly to the game on the screen.
Isabel and Liz fell against each other, their stomachs aching with laughter, which was only made worse when they noticed that the guys didn't seem to think it was funny at all. They slapped each other's hands, and leaned back against the couch, finally spent, their whole bodies aching with the strain they had just produced.
Isabel leaned over, and whispered in Liz's ear. "Are they sleeping together?"
Liz shrugged, but her eyes betrayed a twinkle of interest. "They better not be, if Maria didn't tell me."
Isabel flipped her long blond hair over her shoulder in one fluid movement, catching Alex's eye immediately. She then joined the two-person huddle with Liz again. "Why don't you tell Maria, and I'll tell Tess, when she's better, that we should get together, and do the female bonding thing."
Isabel grinned playfully. "And while we're at it, we can do the incorrigible female investigators thing. Maria won't know what hit her."
Liz returned her grin, causing Max and Kyle to sigh with annoyance over not being able to hear what was taking place in the females-only zone. Alex's eyes were still firmly glued to Isabel's hair, which she continued to flip in what Liz knew was the most excruciating way for Alex.
A sharp female moan came from the outside the front of the house. Max, Kyle and Sheriff Valenti were up in a second, closely followed by Alex, who had to first untangle his gaze from the familiar thick blond locks. Liz and Isabel were on their feet a split second later, and Liz called out to the guys. "Max! Kyle! Alex! Sheriff!" They each stopped in their tracks when they heard their name.
Isabel took it upon herself to explain, since Liz was very busy doing the 'staring-deep-into-his-eyes-soulmate-thing', as Maria had dubbed it, with Max. "I don't think it's necessary to run to her rescue, boys."
As instincts kicked out and brains kicked in, there were at least a couple of red faces when they realized not only what Isabel was implying, but the fact that they'd been rushing out to 'save' Maria from it. The guys grumbled and stumbled and generally made their way clumsily back to the couch and chairs just as slightly red-faced and sweaty Maria and Michael opened the door and made their way back inside.
"Hey," Maria said in Isabel and Liz's direction. Isabel grabbed her arm, and led her away from Michael who watched her go with an admiring eye. Max grinned, and gave Michael a friendly hit. He received a 'shut up, man' look in return.
The girls had dropped to the floor in the farthest corner of the room, Maria somewhat unwillingly. "Okay," Isabel began. "Tell us, Maria."
Maria blushed a little, but tried to cover. "Tell you what?"
Liz jumped in. "You think we didn't hear you?" Maria blushed even harder, but Liz ignored the discomfort her friend was very obviously in. "Are you sleeping with him?"
"No!"
Isabel eyed her critically. "Pretty close, then."
Maria looked at the floor. "Well... he can do some pretty amazing things with those hands..." She let her thought trail off, knowing that Isabel and Liz would know what she was talking about.
Simultaneously came Liz's little gasp and Isabel's half-shriek. The guys looked over, and Michael even called over to them, asking what all the noise was about, but everything male was currently to be ignored, and Michael was no exception.
Liz leaned in even closer. "He touches you... like that?"
Maria nodded, finally getting into this little gossip session. Isabel hung onto her every word as she replied. "And sometimes with his mouth, too."
The same little gasp and half-shriek. The guys again, only this time it was Kyle, inquiring why he was being left out of something in his own home. He had no better luck than Michael had previously.
"Are you going to sleep with him?" Liz asked. Maria gave a hesitant nod.
"I think so."
Liz immediately went into mom format. "You've got to--"
Maria cut her off abruptly. "Be safe, I know. Just because I love my mom, doesn't mean I want to be her."
Isabel frowned. "But we don't know anything about us... whether conventional birth control will work."
Maria gave a shaky smile. "Guess we'll just have to decide if we want to take that risk."
*****
The baby-monitor in Kyle's hand that he was using to keep an ear out for Tess, gave a squall of static and then a weak voice came through. "Kyle?"
Instantly the living room went still as everyone listened to her voice for the first time in nineteen days. Kyle clicked the two-way button, and responded. "Yeah, I'm here. I'm in the living room, with practically everyone else you've ever met," He acclaimed as he ran a critical eye over the crowd in his family room.
"Could you come in by yourself, please?" Tess's voice was weak, and her usual 'send 'em my way and I'll take 'em' attitude was lacking. Kyle saw the concerned expressions on his friends' faces, but he didn't comment.
"Sure. I'm coming, Tessa."
Isabel elbowed Liz at Kyle's use of the nickname, which, she had to admit, sounded cute coming from him. Liz smiled back, but Isabel felt the wave of concern rocketing off her friend, and hurried to reassure her. "She'll be fine, Liz. The worst is over. Now she just needs to gain her strength back."
Liz gave a more convincing smile this time, and Isabel let it go. The three girls, as well as all the guys but Kyle, settled in to wait.
*****
Tess was lying in her nest of pillows when Kyle knocked softly and entered the room. She gave a little smile, and then her face returned to its concerned expression.
Kyle sat gently on the edge of the mattress. "Is something wrong, Tess?"
She bit her lower lip, worrying it with her teeth. "Yes... and no."
"Well, what is it?"
Tess averted her eyes from his. "I... have to go to the bathroom."
Kyle smiled. "Okay. Would you like me to ask one of the girls to help you?" He queried.
Tess shook her head apprehensively. "No."
Kyle shrugged. "All right, then." He took her hand in his, and explained. "I need to take the I.V. off if we're going to be moving you around."
Tess nodded, and Kyle peeled the tape off the back of her hand. He winced sympathetically when she jerked her hand a little in pain as he removed the needle and stopped the drip, and placed all the parts to the contraption on the bedside table.
Kyle then stood up, and turned around to face her. Pushing one arm under her neck and shoulders, and one under her knees, her scooped her up. It really wasn't very hard, she was a petite little thing, and Kyle was Roswell High's star quarterback after all.
Tess tensed momentarily, but then realized that Kyle had done this time and time again while she was unconscious, and the whole being-carried thing was only new to her. Settling in, she allowed herself to enjoy the feel of Kyle's strong arms around her, and his warm skin against her cheek, separated from hers by only a thin barrier of cotton T-shirt.
When they reached the bathroom, Kyle courteously helped her with everything she needed, and then pulled all her clothes back into position. He sat her on the counter for this, and when he noticed that even the small act of sitting up by herself was hard, he frowned, but didn't say anything.
A cheerful smile pasted onto his face, he held onto her, steadying her as she sat on the hard counter. "Ready to go see your welcoming party?" He asked.
Tess managed a small smile. "Sure," She decided bravely. "Let's go."
She put her arms up and wrapped them around Kyle's warm neck, smiling as he scooped her up as if she weighed nothing.
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