One month. He missed her so much. She was right next to him sometimes, and it was like she was on another planet. That reference reminded him of the reason she wasn't by his reason she wasn't by his side. Why did he have to be who... what... he was? An alien, and a king. All his life, he'd felt this... urge... to be near her. Ever since that day he first saw her at school, he loved her. At first, he didn't know that's what it was. But then... he saved her life, and he knew he loved Liz Parker. And she loved him back. He wanted to keep her safe more than anything in the world. So he stayed away for a little while, before giving in.
Her discovery of his secret didn't go over well with the others, his sister Isabel and friend Michael, at the beginning. It was their secret too, and he didn't consult them. He couldn't let her die, she didn't deserve to. Eventually, the other aliens accepted Liz, and then her friends Maria and Alex into their circle. It was perfect, everyone was happy.
Then, she came along. Tess had intrigued him since he met her in his kitchen. There was something familiar about her. Like he'd known her for years. A month ago, he found out just how long he'd known her. She had been his wife on their world. He was heartbroken, even more when Liz left him. She told him she couldn't stand in the way of his destiny.
Since that day, they've been ignoring each other, and he knew it wasn't because they wanted to. There was also Michael and Isabel. The idea of them as a couple just didn't seem possible. The last month had been hell for everyone. The humans stayed away from the aliens, and the aliens were barely speaking to each other. This was a disaster. He wanted everything to be okay, to have his friends back.
At the moment, he wasn't sure how he felt about the situation. He wasn't angry with anyone, not even Tess. It wasn't her fault. It's what she'd been taught her whole life.
He felt something then, it was a strange feeling, but it was there. Something was gonna happen that night, it was coming. And he couldn't fight it. He wouldn't. He had no idea what it was, but he couldn't run away, he had to face it eventually. So he sat and he waited.
At about a quarter to nine, Isabel came through the living room, headed for the front door.
"Is? Where are you going?"
It was like she was hypnotized or something, like she couldn't hear him. She just left. He was confused, but he let it go.
A little while later, the doorbell rang. Max got up slowly. This was it. He walked to the door and carefully opened it. He knew it would be her.
"Tess. What are you doing here?"
"Hi, Max," she said, a nervous smile spread across her face.
'Is she blushing?' he thought. And she was, just a little. "Why are you..." he started, but she cut him off and replied,
"I think we both know why."
She was right. He let her in. He got a good look at her. She looked like a totally different person. He noticed some things for the first time. She wasn't just his alien wife. She was also a regular girl. He knew this, and he wished he'd seen it before. She was scared, but she tried to cover it with all her strength. He saw through it, though. Right then, she was confused, scared, and she was letting him see it. She just stood there.
He called her name, but she was in her thoughts. He stepped closer, and tapped on her shoulder. She looked up at him, still silent.
"It's okay," she whispered.
She didn't know what to do, and he pulled her to himself knowing they both needed it.
*
"Well, that's certainly the first time you've this."
"Done what?"
"Held me," she said pulling back.
"I knew you were coming."
"Makes sense. I felt drawn here. I never decided to come, I just did." She looked around. "Where is everyone?" she asked.
"My parents went to see a movie, just the two of them. Isabel left a little while ago, she wouldn't say where."
They both knew where, now. They stood there for a minute, neither able to start the conversation.
"What now?" she asked finally.
"We can sit."
"Okay."
They did, uncomfortable to no end. They slowly looked at each other. Then came thunder, rain and lightning. They could see that the rain was very heavy. Then the lights went out.
"Max?"
"Tess?"
He made a light in his hands, and she came closer.
"We need to find a flashlight and candles, and..."
"Can't we just..."
"We're aliens, not electricians, Max."
"There's a flashlight in that drawer," he indicated with his head. She found it and turned it on, so Max made his light go away. He walked to the phone and picked it up. "It's not working."
"Oh, great," she said.
"Guess we don't have a choice. So let's talk about this."
"O... okay."
It was dark, but he could see her blush. For some reason, that made him smile. When she saw it, she did too.
"What?"
"Nothing."
They sat back down. Once again, they were silent.
'Why can't I talk? I was all prepared to talk to him, and now I'm just sitting here like an idiot. Say something!'
'Damn, she looks great when she blushes. Wait. Did I just think that? My head hurts. We should talk now, but how?'
Five minutes passed, both lost in their thoughts. Through it, though, he saw that she jumped a bit when there would be thunder cracking over the sky as they sat there. He moved over a bit, and she was startled when he took her hand.
***
One month. The whole thing was ridiculous. He just knew that it wouldn't return to how it was, not that long ago. He didn't have any regrets, though, as much he wanted to. It would be easier that way, wouldn't it?
He'd never admit it, but he was almost happy when Max told Liz what they were. He found more people he could trust, Liz, Alex and Maria.
Poor Maria. He'd never meant to hurt her. He was furious at himself knowing he'd caused her pain, he didn't mean to, it just happened. He'd avoided contact with humans for that very reason. He didn't want anyone to get hurt because of him. People would look at Michael Guerin and see some tough guy, but he wasn't. He was a regular guy.
Well, except for the alien thing. Him, Max and Isabel Evans, and, as he later found out, Tess Harding, had been in incubation pods aboard a spaceship when they crashed to Earth in 1947. The famous Roswell incident. Sometimes he wondered why they'd remained in that city instead of going somewhere a little less alien-crazed.
But Max and Isabel had a nice life here, with real parents and everything. Michael, however, hadn't had that luck, stuck in foster homes. He envied them and they knew it. And Tess, all she'd had was Nasedo, their 'protector'. That wasn't better than him. Nasedo had no human side at all, his only purpose was to protect the four of them. But for some reason, they had all 'woke up' before Tess, and left. So Nasedo raised her, while trying to find them.
That had come a few weeks ago. By then, Max and Liz, Michael and Maria, and Alex and Isabel were very close. But at their arrival it all changed. Soon, two more humans, Kyle Valenti and his father, the Sheriff found out. 30 days ago, the Valentis learned the aliens' secret, and the aliens found out something about themselves.
Destiny... Max and Tess, Isabel and him. He actually felt bad for Liz, Alex too. But Maria was another story entirely. He stayed away from her, knowing he'd only make it worse otherwise. Then there was Isabel. She was like his sister, not his wife.
After taking a shower, he'd dressed, black shirt and blue jeans. He was walking around barefoot after combing his wet hair back. He had this feeling at the pit of his stomach that something big was gonna happen that night. He sat and turned the TV on. He flipped the channels for a few minutes, finding nothing so he turned it off. He picked up his biology book, which was lying nearby. He leafed through it for ten seconds before putting it down.
He got up and walked to the bathroom, picking up his towel and throwing it in the hamper. Finally, there was a knock at the door. Still careful, he walked to it slowly. He opened it and was relieved.
"What's up, Is?"
"Not much. Can I come in?" He stepped aside and she came in. "You know why I'm here, don't you?"
"I think I do."
"Good 'cause I'm not sure I do."
They both smiled a bit.
"You okay?" he asked her.
"I guess," she said, almost whispering.
"Is..." He noticed then that she was starting to cry. "Hey, hey, come on," he said, trying to calm her as he took her into a hug. In response, she pulled him closer. He wanted her to be happy, and she wasn't now. That made him feel bad.
They remained this way for some time, but he didn't mind. He felt good. It made him realize how he felt when she was near him. It made him feel... whole, for some reason he didn't know, although deep down he knew why. She wasn't his sister. This girl was his destiny.
*
"I can't explain it, really. I was sitting at home, and I had this feeling I had to go out. I didn't know where I was going. When I stopped, I was here."
"That's strange. I had this feeling something was gonna happen tonight," he said, as they sat on a couch.
"Something? Like what?"
As an answer, the sound of thunder was heard. He jumped slightly, and she nearly jumped to the ceiling. As she calmed down, they heard more of it and they saw there was heavy rain and lightning also.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she said, mostly to herself. That's when the lights went out. "On second thought, I'm not so fine," she said through a shaky breath.
"Stay here," he said, and got up.
He couldn't see anything and tripped a few times. Each time, she asked if he was okay, and he was. Finally, he found the flashlight, and turned it on.
"I'm gonna have bruises in the morning," he muttered. She giggled a bit, trying to hide it. "You laughing at me?"
"No," she said, before bursting into full-on giggles.
"Stop," he asked, not really serious. He was happy to see her smile. She didn't do it much lately.
"Make me!" she managed to blurt out before even more giggling began.
"Don't mind if I do," he said.
He picked up a pillow and threw it at her. She wasn't even stunned and just threw it back.
"Alright, that's it!"
Before they realized it, a pillow fight had begun. Both of them enjoyed every second of it. They had forgotten all their worries and concentrated on themselves, for the first time in a very long time. They could hardly see anything, but it didn't matter. They were having fun, and that was what was important. For Michael, something normal and new. For Isabel, a new beginning.
End of the prologue
Her discovery of his secret didn't go over well with the others, his sister Isabel and friend Michael, at the beginning. It was their secret too, and he didn't consult them. He couldn't let her die, she didn't deserve to. Eventually, the other aliens accepted Liz, and then her friends Maria and Alex into their circle. It was perfect, everyone was happy.
Then, she came along. Tess had intrigued him since he met her in his kitchen. There was something familiar about her. Like he'd known her for years. A month ago, he found out just how long he'd known her. She had been his wife on their world. He was heartbroken, even more when Liz left him. She told him she couldn't stand in the way of his destiny.
Since that day, they've been ignoring each other, and he knew it wasn't because they wanted to. There was also Michael and Isabel. The idea of them as a couple just didn't seem possible. The last month had been hell for everyone. The humans stayed away from the aliens, and the aliens were barely speaking to each other. This was a disaster. He wanted everything to be okay, to have his friends back.
At the moment, he wasn't sure how he felt about the situation. He wasn't angry with anyone, not even Tess. It wasn't her fault. It's what she'd been taught her whole life.
He felt something then, it was a strange feeling, but it was there. Something was gonna happen that night, it was coming. And he couldn't fight it. He wouldn't. He had no idea what it was, but he couldn't run away, he had to face it eventually. So he sat and he waited.
At about a quarter to nine, Isabel came through the living room, headed for the front door.
"Is? Where are you going?"
It was like she was hypnotized or something, like she couldn't hear him. She just left. He was confused, but he let it go.
A little while later, the doorbell rang. Max got up slowly. This was it. He walked to the door and carefully opened it. He knew it would be her.
"Tess. What are you doing here?"
"Hi, Max," she said, a nervous smile spread across her face.
'Is she blushing?' he thought. And she was, just a little. "Why are you..." he started, but she cut him off and replied,
"I think we both know why."
She was right. He let her in. He got a good look at her. She looked like a totally different person. He noticed some things for the first time. She wasn't just his alien wife. She was also a regular girl. He knew this, and he wished he'd seen it before. She was scared, but she tried to cover it with all her strength. He saw through it, though. Right then, she was confused, scared, and she was letting him see it. She just stood there.
He called her name, but she was in her thoughts. He stepped closer, and tapped on her shoulder. She looked up at him, still silent.
"It's okay," she whispered.
She didn't know what to do, and he pulled her to himself knowing they both needed it.
*
"Well, that's certainly the first time you've this."
"Done what?"
"Held me," she said pulling back.
"I knew you were coming."
"Makes sense. I felt drawn here. I never decided to come, I just did." She looked around. "Where is everyone?" she asked.
"My parents went to see a movie, just the two of them. Isabel left a little while ago, she wouldn't say where."
They both knew where, now. They stood there for a minute, neither able to start the conversation.
"What now?" she asked finally.
"We can sit."
"Okay."
They did, uncomfortable to no end. They slowly looked at each other. Then came thunder, rain and lightning. They could see that the rain was very heavy. Then the lights went out.
"Max?"
"Tess?"
He made a light in his hands, and she came closer.
"We need to find a flashlight and candles, and..."
"Can't we just..."
"We're aliens, not electricians, Max."
"There's a flashlight in that drawer," he indicated with his head. She found it and turned it on, so Max made his light go away. He walked to the phone and picked it up. "It's not working."
"Oh, great," she said.
"Guess we don't have a choice. So let's talk about this."
"O... okay."
It was dark, but he could see her blush. For some reason, that made him smile. When she saw it, she did too.
"What?"
"Nothing."
They sat back down. Once again, they were silent.
'Why can't I talk? I was all prepared to talk to him, and now I'm just sitting here like an idiot. Say something!'
'Damn, she looks great when she blushes. Wait. Did I just think that? My head hurts. We should talk now, but how?'
Five minutes passed, both lost in their thoughts. Through it, though, he saw that she jumped a bit when there would be thunder cracking over the sky as they sat there. He moved over a bit, and she was startled when he took her hand.
***
One month. The whole thing was ridiculous. He just knew that it wouldn't return to how it was, not that long ago. He didn't have any regrets, though, as much he wanted to. It would be easier that way, wouldn't it?
He'd never admit it, but he was almost happy when Max told Liz what they were. He found more people he could trust, Liz, Alex and Maria.
Poor Maria. He'd never meant to hurt her. He was furious at himself knowing he'd caused her pain, he didn't mean to, it just happened. He'd avoided contact with humans for that very reason. He didn't want anyone to get hurt because of him. People would look at Michael Guerin and see some tough guy, but he wasn't. He was a regular guy.
Well, except for the alien thing. Him, Max and Isabel Evans, and, as he later found out, Tess Harding, had been in incubation pods aboard a spaceship when they crashed to Earth in 1947. The famous Roswell incident. Sometimes he wondered why they'd remained in that city instead of going somewhere a little less alien-crazed.
But Max and Isabel had a nice life here, with real parents and everything. Michael, however, hadn't had that luck, stuck in foster homes. He envied them and they knew it. And Tess, all she'd had was Nasedo, their 'protector'. That wasn't better than him. Nasedo had no human side at all, his only purpose was to protect the four of them. But for some reason, they had all 'woke up' before Tess, and left. So Nasedo raised her, while trying to find them.
That had come a few weeks ago. By then, Max and Liz, Michael and Maria, and Alex and Isabel were very close. But at their arrival it all changed. Soon, two more humans, Kyle Valenti and his father, the Sheriff found out. 30 days ago, the Valentis learned the aliens' secret, and the aliens found out something about themselves.
Destiny... Max and Tess, Isabel and him. He actually felt bad for Liz, Alex too. But Maria was another story entirely. He stayed away from her, knowing he'd only make it worse otherwise. Then there was Isabel. She was like his sister, not his wife.
After taking a shower, he'd dressed, black shirt and blue jeans. He was walking around barefoot after combing his wet hair back. He had this feeling at the pit of his stomach that something big was gonna happen that night. He sat and turned the TV on. He flipped the channels for a few minutes, finding nothing so he turned it off. He picked up his biology book, which was lying nearby. He leafed through it for ten seconds before putting it down.
He got up and walked to the bathroom, picking up his towel and throwing it in the hamper. Finally, there was a knock at the door. Still careful, he walked to it slowly. He opened it and was relieved.
"What's up, Is?"
"Not much. Can I come in?" He stepped aside and she came in. "You know why I'm here, don't you?"
"I think I do."
"Good 'cause I'm not sure I do."
They both smiled a bit.
"You okay?" he asked her.
"I guess," she said, almost whispering.
"Is..." He noticed then that she was starting to cry. "Hey, hey, come on," he said, trying to calm her as he took her into a hug. In response, she pulled him closer. He wanted her to be happy, and she wasn't now. That made him feel bad.
They remained this way for some time, but he didn't mind. He felt good. It made him realize how he felt when she was near him. It made him feel... whole, for some reason he didn't know, although deep down he knew why. She wasn't his sister. This girl was his destiny.
*
"I can't explain it, really. I was sitting at home, and I had this feeling I had to go out. I didn't know where I was going. When I stopped, I was here."
"That's strange. I had this feeling something was gonna happen tonight," he said, as they sat on a couch.
"Something? Like what?"
As an answer, the sound of thunder was heard. He jumped slightly, and she nearly jumped to the ceiling. As she calmed down, they heard more of it and they saw there was heavy rain and lightning also.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she said, mostly to herself. That's when the lights went out. "On second thought, I'm not so fine," she said through a shaky breath.
"Stay here," he said, and got up.
He couldn't see anything and tripped a few times. Each time, she asked if he was okay, and he was. Finally, he found the flashlight, and turned it on.
"I'm gonna have bruises in the morning," he muttered. She giggled a bit, trying to hide it. "You laughing at me?"
"No," she said, before bursting into full-on giggles.
"Stop," he asked, not really serious. He was happy to see her smile. She didn't do it much lately.
"Make me!" she managed to blurt out before even more giggling began.
"Don't mind if I do," he said.
He picked up a pillow and threw it at her. She wasn't even stunned and just threw it back.
"Alright, that's it!"
Before they realized it, a pillow fight had begun. Both of them enjoyed every second of it. They had forgotten all their worries and concentrated on themselves, for the first time in a very long time. They could hardly see anything, but it didn't matter. They were having fun, and that was what was important. For Michael, something normal and new. For Isabel, a new beginning.
End of the prologue
