Part 28
Max seemed to stay connected to Maria for a long time.
Liz couldn't tell if anything was happening or not. His face was completely blank, unlike every other time she had seen him trying to heal someone. Liz knew that when Max healed, he took the other person's pain into HIS body. She had seen it happen when he had tried to heal her grandmother enough so that Liz could talk to her...she had also seen it when Max had healed Kyle. It was not a pleasant thing to watch, always made Liz feel ill to think of Max hurting...
But this time there was nothing. It was like he was in a trance.
"Is it working?" Kyle whispered to her, obviously trying not to disturb Max.
"I don't know." Liz replied, frowning slightly. "When Max healed me I needed to look at him, but you didn't have to when he healed YOU. I don't even know if he's made any sort of connection with Maria."
Kyle was quiet for a while. Liz could tell he wanted to say something to her though. "We've never talked about it Liz...I mean, what it was like..."
"Having him save your life you mean?" Liz glanced at Kyle calmly, knowing exactly how SHE felt about it. She was curious as to how Kyle had dealt with it though.
Kyle nodded, paused before replying. "I think I might have actually died Liz. I mean, I couldn't feel anything anymore...and then it was suddenly like I came back into my body...like I was coming down a water-slide...you know?" He paused again. Liz watched him stare at Max. "What I just didn't get was why you know? Why would he do that for me? I mean, its not like he liked me."
Liz could tell that Kyle really wanted to know. He wanted to understand who Max was. She wondered briefly if it had anything to do with the way he felt about Tess.
She knew that it was hard for Kyle to always feel like he was playing second-fiddle to Max Evans. First with Liz, then with his father, and now with his once -upon-a-time bride Tess.
"I think he did it for a lot of reasons Kyle." Liz began carefully. "I mean he respected your dad so much and, no matter what you might think, I think he did like you and he was upset that you got caught in the crossfire of something that had nothing to do with you then. But I think mainly it was because he is who he is. He is so good Kyle. I don't think anyone realizes how good he is."
"Saint Max." Kyle muttered. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Is it why you fell in love with him?"
Liz flushed. It was weird to be talking about this with Kyle. She knew that she had really hurt him when she had turned away from him for Max.
She remembered what it had been like to fall in love with Max. It had been like she had had no control over herself but also like she was making the most significant decision of her life at the same time.
She had seen into his soul. She KNEW him in a way that she would never know anyone else ever again.
It was the only way to explain it. She didn't even know how to put it into words for Kyle though.
Kyle was good too, in his own way.
But Max...he was like a being apart, even in spite of being an alien - kind, compassionate and yet strong and determined too.
And he loved HER.
The miracle of it was what made her love him more everyday...
And even though he didn't remember loving her...the fact that he now seemed to know that he DID...
It just reinforced even more strongly what Liz had known for a long time.
They were meant to be. That was all the explanation that was needed.
Kyle was still looking at her, waiting for an answer. She finally just whispered, "Yes."
Liz returned her gaze to Maria's face. Her best friend's face was serene, and yet their was no animation at all, none of the spark that was Maria.
Liz and Kyle watched Max work quietly for several more minutes.
"Do you think he's hurting himself?" Kyle finally asked.
Liz had been wondering the same thing. "I don't know. Maybe we should make him stop. It doesn't seem to be doing anything anyway."
"I wonder if Michael's okay?" Kyle said moments later. "Maybe I should go check. It looks like Max could be at this for a long time."
Liz glanced at her watch. A good ten minutes had passed. She was absolutely amazed that no nurse or doctor had poked their heads in here recently.
What kind of ICU was this?
Kyle was making his way to the door when Max suddenly released a great breath. His legs immediately collapsed under him.
Both Liz and Kyle were at his side a split-second later.
Max seemed to be in a daze. "How can this be?" Liz heard him say.
She took his chin in her hand, forced him to look at her. "Max! Are you okay?"
He blinked, seemed to focus on her for the first time. "Liz?"
"It's me. Max, what happened?"
He didn't reply immediately. He let Kyle and Liz help him to his feet, then collapsed into the chair next to the bed. "I can't heal her." He said finally, sounding like he still wasn't totally with them.
Liz felt her heart drop. She glanced at Kyle. His face was white.
"I'm sorry Liz. I can't do it." Max had his head in his hands.
"Forgive me for sounding like an ungrateful ass Evans...I mean I know you tried...but why can't you?" Kyle's tone was a combination of anger and sadness.
Max raised his head, stared at Kyle. "I scanned every inch of her. There's nothing wrong with her." He finally replied after a lengthy silence. "At least nothing physical."
Liz watched his eyes. He wouldn't meet hers. She could tell that Max was hiding something. "Kyle could you excuse us for a minute."
Kyle eyed Max a moment longer but nodded. "I was just leaving. Need to go make sure Guerin isn't blasting up the place anyway."
After the hospital room door shut behind her ex-boyfriend, Liz didn't beat around the bush. "What's going on Max? I think you found out more than you're saying." Max looked away, stared at Maria's still form for what seemed like forever.
"I saw things Liz. Things that change everything that I know about Illyria and my place on it."
*************************************************************************************
"I really don't think this is a good idea Michael." Alex pulled his parent's car up in front of the Evans' house and turned off the ignition. He stared at the dark house, a frown on his face. "It looks like everyone's asleep."
Michael thrust open his door. "No one gets to sleep until Maria is all right." He snapped. "I mean, Maxwell should have been at the hospital first thing. He's got the power to fix her, he's going to fix her dammit. I don't understand why everyone's being so protective of the guy."
"Ummm...maybe because as far as he's concerned you guys basically kidnapped him off his home planet?" Alex asked quietly. "You've got to give him a break Michael. He's dealing with a lot."
Michael ignored him. Alex sighed and followed his friend across the Evans' front lawn. "Michael!"
Michael turned around, glared at him. "Go through Izzy's room. Max doesn't need you barging in through his window during his first night in a strange bed."
A strange look crossed Michael's face. "I always go through Max's window." He said quietly, looking sad. He paused, turned back to Isabel's window, tapped lightly.
The light came on and Isabel's face appeared at the window. Alex felt his breath catch in his throat.
He hadn't seen her since she'd been back. He just hadn't felt right about leaving Maria alone at the hospital and he had known that Isabel was dealing with helping Max adjust to his return...not to mention dealing with a new little sister.
She was so beautiful, even more so with her sleep-tousled hair tumbling around her shoulders, no make-up on her naturally glowing face. How could she possibly be his girlfriend? He barely managed to stop from pinching himself.
She didn't notice him right away. She was staring at Michael, an annoyed look on her face. "Michael! You're going to wake the kid." The way she said "the kid." It gave Alex pause. It was clear that Isabel was NOT the "kid's" biggest fan.
"I've come for Max." Michael told her, his tone brooking no opposition. "Maria isn't going to make it through the night unless we do something. They want to take her off life-support Isabel."
Isabel's face softened. "Oh no." It was that moment that she looked past Michael to see Alex lurking in the shadows. Her face lit up. "Alex!"
"Hi Iz." He pushed Michael aside, kissed her lightly. He definitely wanted to say hi more significantly, but Michael was breathing down his neck.
"You guys can do that later." Michael snapped, hauling Alex back. "I'm coming in to get Maxwell if I have to drag him out."
Isabel eyed him a moment longer. It always amazed Alex how well she handled herself under Michael and Max's often high-handed behavior. She was the tie that bound the two male Czechs together and she knew that neither of them would ever hurt her.
She never backed down - from either of them.
"Unfortunately he's not here." She finally replied.
"He's gone to see Liz!" A small, dark head appeared under Isabel's arm. Alex saw Izzy glance down in annoyance.
"Jennetta! You told me that if I told you where Jaxon was you'd go to sleep!" She then turned back to Michael. "Now look what you've done! Do you know how long she's been blathering in my ear?"
Alex frowned. Isabel was not the most patient person in the world, but he couldn't imagine her being deliberately mean to a child. He saw Jennetta's eyes fill with tears.
Something was going on here.
"I'm sorry Mirana." Jennetta said quietly.
"Great Isabel!" Michael was clearly angry. He reached past her, pulled Jennetta out of the window and hugged her. "It's okay Jenny. She just got up on the wrong side of the bed. She yells at me and Max all the time."
Alex watched Isabel's face during this entire exchange. A bevy of emotions flitted across his girlfriend's beautiful features - annoyance, guilt, sadness and...yes, there it was...jealousy.
Not for the first time Alex was glad that he was able to read Isabel like a book. The ice queen that everyone spoke of was not HIS Isabel.
"So Max went to see Liz huh?" Michael was asking Jennetta as Isabel's eyes met Alex's. He shot her a sympathetic look, sent her the message that they were going to talk about this later.
Jennetta sniffed, looked at Isabel questioningly.
Isabel sighed. "It's okay." She said, clearly trying to control the tone of her voice. "You can tell him."
Jennetta smiled. "He WANTED to go see her Michael! Isn't that great news?"
It sure sounded like good news to Alex. He blinked when he realized that Jennetta was staring at him. "You're Alex!" She turned to Isabel. "He's cute."
"You're a little young for him." Isabel replied wryly, grinning despite herself at Alex's reddening face.
Jennetta tilted her head. "He's yours forever." She said it in such a strange way, it caused Alex and Isabel to exchange glances.
"Or at least until the next time she forgets to pick me up because of a sale at the mall." Alex quipped, trying to break the tension.
Jennetta didn't reply, just smiled knowingly. Alex felt like squirming.
"So, it's off to Liz's then." Michael decided, gently placing Jennetta back on the window-sill beside Isabel.
"I'm coming with you." Isabel announced.
"Isabel, we can't leave Jenny alone on her first night here." Michael told her impatiently.
"That's okay." Jennetta said. "I want to come too."
"No way." Michael replied sternly. "It's after 1 A.M. It is WAY past your bedtime."
"Oh give her a break Michael." Alex butted in. "She's not a baby."
Jennetta smiled at him. "No, I'm not." She pursed her lips at Michael primly. "Besides, you're not my brother. Only Jaxon can tell me what to do. "
"And I'm her sister, and I say she can come." Isabel finished.
Alex saw Michael scowl in irritation, but he gave in. "Fine. But let's go."
Isabel closed the window briefly while she and Jennetta dressed. They came out the front door ten minutes later.
Alex and Isabel sat in the front seat, Michael and Jennetta in the back. Isabel and Alex exchanged amused glances when Michael proceeded to argue with the little girl for several moments over whether or not she was putting her seatbelt on.
"But you don't have yours on." Jennetta pointed out reasonably.
"I'm grown-up." Michael replied, sounding frustrated.
"That doesn't mean your head can't still crack open."
Alex heard Michael snort. "Seatbelts on EVERYONE." He interjected, feeling like a referee. He saw both Jennetta and Michael open their mouths to protest in the rear-view mirror. "It's MY car, so I win."
He sighed and relaxed when he saw both Michael and Jennetta frown at each other, then reach to put on their seat-belts. Straightening out Czechoslovakian family ties were not his idea of a fun way to spend his time at one in the morning.
Although he couldn't be sure, Alex thought he heard Michael mutter, "Yes Daddy." He chose to ignore it.
"Next stop Crashdown!" He chirped, feeling like an idiot. He felt Isabel pat his hand affectionately.
Part 29
Jennetta was Tristandor's daughter. And she was half human.
Jaxon was still in shock.
He was seated on a bench in front of the hospital, staring at the sun which was just beginning to rise on the eastern horizon. He had told Liz that he needed a few minutes alone to try and work out some things in his own mind. Liz, in her quiet way, had accepted it, told him that she was going to check on Maria's mom.
He had felt his heart lighten slightly when Liz had run her hand down his face affectionately, had kissed him lightly before she had left. His heart had started to thunder in his chest. He had almost changed his mind about wanting to be alone...but Liz had known that he needed it, so she had left him.
He could still not quite believe what he had seen when he had connected with Maria. It had almost been like he had been living the experience of giving birth to Jennetta through Maria. It had been disturbing and yet exhilarating at the same time.
While connected to Maria, someone he had clearly been close friends with in his life as Max Evans, he had felt exactly what she had felt, had known how much she loved Tristandor - Michael - and their daughter.
It had been beautiful.
And yet, none of it explained how they had reached this point in time.
It was clear from Maria's dream that he had still been Max during a lengthy portion of his stay on Illyria. How had Michael and Maria ended up back on Earth, with no memory of their child - at least if the way that Michael behaved was any indication? How had he, Jaxon, forgotten who he was? Where had all the memories of a complete life as Jaxon Falconer come from?
The only answer was one Jaxon was not quite ready to accept.
Tarsus was a traitor.
Jaxon sighed as he scraped a hand across his eyes. He was exhausted. The connection, first with Liz, then with Maria, had been strong...he had drained himself.
The only question that had been answered was the one about what was wrong with Maria.
Jaxon had not been lying when he told Liz and Kyle that there was nothing physically wrong with Maria. It was true.
However, there WAS something that could be physically done to heal her.
Jennetta was the key.
He was trying to pretend that he wasn't really sure why he hadn't told Liz right away.
But he knew.
He knew that if he told the truth he would lose Jennetta...the one person in the world who loved him unconditionally. He had only just found her. He didn't know if he was ready to give her up yet.
And yet - now he knew - she was NOT his sister.
Jaxon jumped slightly when a hand touched his shoulder. He glanced to the side, saw that it was Liz.
She was gazing down at him, concern on her lovely face...
Perhaps Jennetta was not the only one who loved him unconditionally after all...
Liz sat slightly behind him on the bench, wrapped her arms around him. She let her head fall to rest on his shoulder. Jaxon turned his head slightly, breathed in the clean scent of her silky hair, which was brushing up against his neck. "Are you okay?" She asked softly. "You looked miles away when I came up."
Jaxon didn't reply for the longest time.
The decision he made now would forever determine the course of the rest of his life.
If he told Liz the truth, he would be turning his back on being Jaxon Falconer for good. He would be turning away from the only life he remembered...although he now knew that it was false memory.
He would be giving up the sister he had only just found.
And yet, somehow, if it meant being with Liz, it did not seem such a large sacrifice to make.
"I have some things to tell you." Jaxon began quietly. He felt Liz shift slightly. She began to stroke his arm lightly. "I need you to not interrupt me because this is difficult for me...and I really want to kiss you right now, and if you talk I'm just going to have to."
"Okay." He could hear slight amusement in her voice, but it was underlined with sadness.
He knew that Liz was never going to be truly happy again unless her best friend was healed.
"First of all, I want to tell you that I know that I'm in love with you. I don't know how I know it, but I just KNOW it. I know that I was in love with you when I was Max Evans, and I know that I still am now." He felt Liz stiffen slightly. He was glad that he could not see her face. If he could, there was NO way that he would not be kissing her right now. Her eyes...
An image of her shining eyes came to him....like a breath of memory of some other day...
Flash*
"Okay, fine, if you know so much, the tell me, Max...what's my destiny?"
"I only know the part I'm hoping for."
"Max?"
Jaxon blinked. Where had that come from?
It was a memory. A memory that did not belong to Jaxon Falconer, but one that belonged to Max Evans.
And it had come from HIM.
He was remembering - he didn't know where it had come from or what had unearthed it, but it was there...
It meant that they ALL had to be there...lurking somewhere in his mind.
Jaxon felt a rush of joy so intense it left him speechless.
"Max? Are you okay?" Liz had moved around on the bench so that she could see his face. Her expression was concerned.
"I just had a memory!" He finally managed to croak. "It was of me and you and we were walking across the street..."
Liz's face had stilled at his first statement. He could tell that she was holding her breath. "And?" She breathed.
"You asked me about your destiny and I told you something about there being a part that I was hoping for?" Jaxon stared at her, willed her to tell him that it was truth and not some fantasy that he had conjured up in half-mad mind...
She swallowed. A sheen of tears appeared in those beautiful dark eyes of hers. "It happened. It was after the night we stayed out in the desert all night and then got in huge trouble with our parents..."
Jaxon frantically searched his mind for that corresponding detail.
He came up with nothing. Frustration welled up. He brought his hand up to rub his eyes again, took deep breaths in order to calm down.
There was no use in getting totally discouraged.
Now was not the time for this anyway. There was still Maria to worry about.
"I don't remember that. I'm sorry." Liz's face did not fall though.
"You will." She appeared to be on the same wave-length he was...knew that now was not the time to address this. "I think there was something else you had to tell me."
"I do...it's about Maria...and what's wrong with her. And its about Jennetta." Liz blinked in confusion.
"Jennetta? What do you mean?"
Jaxon grimaced. "For it to make any sense, I need to tell you a few things about Illyria."
Liz's brow furrowed. "Okay?"
"When babies are born on our planet they are bonded with their mothers. It's meant to be a way to protect them until they can be podded." Jaxon watched Liz's face. She was clearly perplexed.
"You mean that babies are born and THEN podded?" She asked incredulously.
"Yes. They are bonded with their mothers for the first six months of their lives. If the bond is broken prematurely then the mother dies."
"Why?" Liz asked, looking horrified.
"It's to protect the child. If the mother is bonded to the child, she will never leave it until it can be podded and protected in that way. Over the millennia on Illyria there had been many cases of mothers abandoning their children - the maternal bond did not seem to be a totally natural occurrence with our women. The solution was to genetically encode the woman to be bonded with their child at birth...the bond is resolved after the child is podded at six months."
"What does the pod do?" Liz questioned.
"It matures the child to an age that it can begin to protect itself." Jaxon replied. "My mother told me that Jennetta has only been out of her pod for about nine months."
"So children on your planet lose years off their lives." Liz concluded. "Is it really so dangerous on Illyria?"
Jaxon shook his head. "Time works differently there. I can't really explain it simply right now, but suffice it to say that Jennetta's life span will be light-years beyond any human's. The podding is a safety precaution that has become traditional. Our planet has ever been practical." He finished wryly.
Liz had turned to stare at the sunrise, a blank look on her face. "But what does this have to do with Maria?"
Jaxon did not reply, waited for her to make the connection herself. It was still such a fresh concept to him as well, the fact that Jennetta was not his sister, he was loathe to mention it aloud.
He knew the exact instant Liz connected the dots. "Oh my God! Maria...and Michael?" She turned to stare at him. He nodded. She looked dumbfounded. "Is there any way to stop it - to stop what's happening to her?" Liz asked a few moments later after she seemed to have digested the information.
"Jennetta." Jaxon replied simply. "She is the only one who can do it."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Liz demanded, jumping to her feet, grabbing his hand and pulling him up after her. "Let's go get her!"
"Go get who?" It was Isabel's voice. Liz and Jaxon whirled around. They exchanged glances. Michael, Isabel, Alex...and Jennetta... were standing about ten feet away from them. They had clearly just arrived, were on their way into the hospital.
"Glad to see you decided to show up." Michael snapped at Jaxon. Jaxon frowned slightly. "We've been chasing you half-way across town."
Liz interrupted, using a tone that made Jaxon look at her in amazement. "Why would you do that Michael? You called me two hours ago to tell me that Maria was almost gone. We've been here since then."
Michael blinked. He looked slightly embarrassed. "Oh yeah." He mumbled. "Sorry, I'm just worked up..."
Jaxon felt his eyes narrow as he watched Jennetta reach up and take Michael's hand. He tried to control the stab of jealousy that struck him.
She was Michael's DAUGHTER. She was not his anymore.
And that was when he realized that in many ways he had seen Jennetta more as his child than as his sister. It had been she that had turned the tide, who had made him start to soften his heart against the family he had been convinced had betrayed him...
It felt like his heart was being ripped out.
She had started the healing that it seemed Liz was going to finish...
It was an ending...
And yet a beginning...
Jaxon felt Liz lace her fingers through his. He glanced down at her.
She was worth giving up ANYTHING for.
He turned to Michael. "Take Jennetta to see Maria."
"What?" Michael glared at him. "Why? Aren't you going to heal her?"
"I've tried Tris...ER Michael." He glanced at Jennetta, who was watching him with serious eyes. He smiled at her reassuringly. "You'll know what to do sweeting." She smiled at him. He felt his heart lighten. She turned to follow Michael into the hospital.
She was not his child - but their bond would not be broken easily. They were connected through the love and affection they shared.
He should have known that she would not let him leave her so easily.
Jennetta was a wonder that continued to amaze him. Her heart was so big...he had forgotten that love was not something that had to be between only two people...
It had been so long since he had allowed himself to feel, he was not thinking clearly...
There was no choice to be made. He could love Liz freely and have enough room left for many others as well. Love existed in many different forms. The way he felt about Liz was on a completely different plain from the love he felt for his young sister...for he would continue to think of her that way. Knowing the truth could not change what she was to him.
Jaxon glanced at Mirana - Isabel - who was watching him with sad eyes.
He swallowed. He had no idea what to say to her.
He still felt the mistrust...it burned within him like a bonfire waiting to erupt.
Although he was beginning to accept that Tarsus had likely programmed him to hate his family, the feelings of betrayal and despair still existed.
He could not forgive he. He turned his face away.
He heard her leave quickly, made himself watch her. Her back was shaking as she hurried through the hospital doors, Alex on her heels.
He hated himself in that moment.
There was only one way to end all the pain and mistrust...
He HAD to remember being the person who loved Isabel and Michael...
There was no other choice. He WANTED to remember.
He missed them.
Jaxon glanced down at Liz. She was staring at the doors to the hospital, a pained expression on her face. He could feel that she was disappointed in him for the way he had just treated Mirana.
He was disappointed in himself.
"I'm sorry Liz. I'm trying..."
"I know." She said quietly.
"But trying isn't good enough." He continued. She turned to look at him.
"What do you mean?"
"This has to end. No one can endure it much longer." Jaxon explained. Liz continued to regard him seriously. "And for it to end, I'm going to need your help."
Part 30
Isabel stumbled through the hospital's automatic doors, trying to control the sobbing that wanted to erupt.
He hated her. Her own brother hated her.
And it was different this time.
The last time he had acted this way towards her it had all been an act. It had hurt but, looking back, she could remember instances where Max had clearly been trying to shield her from the brunt of his anti-Max behaviour. He had stayed away from her for long periods of time, ignoring her the majority of the time. It had hurt, since they had been so close, but it had been better than the cruel way he had treated their parents, their teachers, their friends.
But this time...the contempt in his eyes was real.
He hated her.
And to top it all off, she had been replaced.
He had another sister, one he clearly adored. Max did not need her anymore. She had thought that maybe he was snapping out of it when he had asked her take him to Liz, but the way he had just turned away from her...
Nothing had changed.
Isabel leaned forward against the wall of the hospital corridor, rested her forehead on her arm.
This was worse than losing him had been.
She felt a light touch on her shoulder. "I'm sorry Izzy."
Alex. Thank God for Alex.
Isabel turned, threw her arms around his neck and let the tears come.
Michael crept down the hospital corridor, Jennetta holding his hand tightly as she trailed behind him.
The hospital was quiet, the early morning cleaning staff the only people visible. Michael could hear a doctor talking quietly to a nurse nearby, but basically they were alone.
Perfect.
They reached Maria's hospital room moments later. Michael stared through the glass at Amy Deluca. She was seated at her daughter's bedside, stroking her hair gently. She had her head on the bed beside Maria's and was staring at her quiet daughter in a way that made Michael shudder.
It was like Amy was trying to memorize what she looked like...so she would remember when she was gone.
Sheriff Valenti was asleep on the couch near the wall. Michael was glad that the Sheriff was around. He would help Amy if this didn't work.
A brief thought tried to penetrate his consciousness... "But who will help me?" Michael suppressed it ruthlessly.
There was still hope.
Michael glanced down at Jennetta, who was standing quietly beside him, watching Maria and Amy through the window.
This little girl was his last chance - Maria's last chance. Max had told her that she would know what to do....but she was so small, so fragile. How could he deposit all of the pressure onto her skinny shoulders?
Jennetta's face was serene as she turned to look up at him. "I can do it Michael. I know just what to do."
She closed her eyes.
Michael blinked when a doctor suddenly appeared at his elbow. The doctor pushed open the door to Maria's room. "Mrs. Deluca?"
Amy sat up with a start. "What? What's wrong?"
"I need to speak with you right away." The doctor's voice was sympathetic but with an underlying tone that brooked no refusal. Amy glanced down at Maria a moment longer, smoothed her hands over her hair, but stood up.
"Michael." Amy said as she passed him. "You're back." She glanced down at Jennetta. "Who's this?" She asked, perplexed. Jennetta's eyes were still closed.
"Oh, she's Isabel's new sister, Jennetta." Michael told her quickly. "Er - the Evans just adopted her."
Amy stared at him. "Really? That's weird."
"Mrs. Deluca?" The doctor motioned impatiently for her to follow him. Amy stared at Jennetta strangely for another moment, but followed the doctor.
Jennetta's eyes popped open. "Well, that was easier than I expected."
"What? You did that?" Michael asked her, amazed.
Jennetta grinned at him. "Yup. He was getting ready to ask the nurse he was talking to on a date when I entered his mind and told him to come and get Maria's mother."
Michael grinned back despite himself. For the first time, he actually let himself begin to hope...
This kid knew what she was doing.
Jennetta pushed open the door to Maria's room, looked at the Sheriff. "We can trust him can't we?"
Michael nodded.
"I think I'll make him stay asleep anyway." Jennetta told him, waving her small hand in front of the Sheriff's face. "I can't be interrupted once I start."
Michael scratched his head in amazement. This kid was powerful...much more powerful than any of the four of them. She was going to be a powerful ally.
Jennetta was now at Maria's bedside, her gaze locked on Michael's girlfriend's peaceful face. "She's very beautiful." She commented to Michael.
"I know." He replied quietly.
Jennetta tilted her head slightly. "It's time to wake up Maria." She said confidently.
Michael held his breath as she climbed up beside his girlfriend and placed her small hands on Maria's temples.
Dreams* Maria
Maria held her baby against her neck, patted her back comfortingly.
Jennetta was wailing, had been for close to twenty minutes.
Maria did not blame her daughter one bit. She was terrified herself.
She was seated on a small bench in a cavernous hallway, her head leaning back against the stone wall. She had been there for so long, her butt was seriously starting to ache.
But Tarsus had told her to stay there, and stay she would. At least until Max or Michael came to get her.
Today was the day that her fate was to be decided once and for all.
They had been recaptured close to a month ago and while they had been much more closely guarded, very little had changed. She and Michael had been thrown back into their tent, the one they had lived in for more than a year now. Tarsus had wanted to take Jennetta to a wet-nurse, but Maria had flat-out refused. She had been amazed by how easily Tarsus had accepted it.
Max had been separated from them. They had not seen him for close to a week, until Maria had caught a glimpse of her friend one day while she had been peeking out of her tent in direct defiance to Tarsus' orders.
He had been across the camp, talking to Tarsus...well, arguing was probably more accurate a term. Maria had never seen Max so worked up. He had been waving his hands in the air in frustration, clearly yelling.
It had worried her. Whatever had gotten Max so upset could not be good for her - or her baby.
For while Maria had been treated with the utmost courtesy since their return to the camp, there was an underlying menace in the way everyone regarded her that caused her to be fearful. She knew that she was an unwanted outsider. She had been safe since the original judgment, and also while she was pregnant, but she knew it was because she carried Michael's baby and not because they were suddenly softening towards her.
And finally the day of truth had arrived.
When Max had come to their tent that morning she had still been curled up on their bed, Jennetta having just finished nursing. Michael had been lying beside her, half-asleep, his hand stroking the baby's back.
Michael had sat up abruptly when his best friend entered. "Maxwell! How did you get in here?"
Max had not replied immediately. He had been staring at Maria and Jennetta, a strange look on his face, like he was coming to some sort of decision. Maria had felt a shiver run down her spine.
"Tarsus let me come." Max finally replied quietly. "You guys need to get dressed. They've come to a decision about you."
Michael climbed off the bed, pulling a tunic over his bare chest. "What did they decide?" He asked warily.
"You're going home." Max replied.
"What!" Maria shrieked, flinching when Jennetta started to cry. She started to rock her daughter comfortingly. "I'm sorry baby." Jennetta settled against her shoulder, making small noises. "What do you mean? Just like that? It's been over a year and just like that they decide that we're going home?"
Michael said nothing, just stared at Max, a suspicious look on his face. "I don't buy it."
Maria saw Max close his eyes briefly in annoyance. "Guys, why would they let me come in here and lie to you? It's the truth. You're going home."
Maria glanced at Michael. That didn't sound right at all. Shouldn't Max be saying "WE'RE going home?"
"Why?" Michael demanded.
"Because I told them you were." Max replied simply. Michael glanced at Maria. "They've accepted me as their leader."
Max had refused to say any more after that. Neither Maria or Michael had been at all pleased by his recalcitrance, but had both shut-up when Max had stared them down with those sometimes disturbingly serious eyes of his.
The fact that they had both quieted so immediately - it made Maria wonder now if he had done something to them with those eyes of his...hypnosis or something.
They had been brought to Tarsus' headquarters, which was currently a large manor house in a town near the tent-village that made up the Dernians camp. It had made Maria wonder why the Dernians were all living in tents when much more comfortable quarters were nearby.
She had been told by Tarsus to stay out in the hallway. Her guard, Ren, was standing nearby, his face expressionless as usual. Michael had managed to squeeze her hand quickly before being thrown through a nearby doorway into what Maria assumed was some sort of conference room.
Maria could feel Jennetta settling down against her shoulder, clearly on the verge of going to sleep. Her baby was generally an easy one, but she was very in tune with her surroundings. She seemed to know whenever Maria was upset and those were the only times she cried.
"Do you have any idea what's going on in there?" Maria asked Ren now. He stared at her for a moment, shook his head. "I thought they had already decided that we were going home. What's left to decide in there?"
Ren just shook his head again. He could be a most frustrating individual. Sometimes he talked like there was a leaky faucet in his brain that needed to drain as much information as possible and other times he was stoic and silent in a way that irritated Maria because he had so recently been the complete opposite.
Maria had begun to amend her original assessment of him as being emotionless. Ren's eyes sometimes gleamed in such a way that she wondered exactly how much emotion was still roiling around inside of him waiting to erupt without notice.
Her thoughts on Ren were interrupted when the door to the room where Max and Michael had disappeared flew open. It was smoking. "NOOOOOO! I won't allow! Max! No!" Maria realized that Michael had used his powers on the door.
Maria jumped to her feet. "MICHAEL!" She screamed.
"Secure him." Maria blinked. That was MAX talking. "Get the girl." Maria just turned to stare at Ren in shock when he gently took her arm, trying not to jostle Jennetta, who had begun to wail again.
The events of the next ten minutes were a blur to Maria. Ren shepherded her down the hallway and out into the bright Illyrian sunshine, which was accentuated by the yellow sky. Maria was frantically trying to catch a glimpse of either Michael or Max...neither had emerged from the room although she could still hear Michael yelling, although slightly muffled now.
The next thing she knew she was gently thrust into a transport by her guard and it took off without further ado. She saw Dernian faces staring at her as they passed through the town's streets but could see no sign of either Michael or Max.
What seemed like moments later, the transport ground to a halt. Ren was seated across from her. He pushed open the door, stepped out, helped her to do the same. Maria had Jennetta clutched tightly against her chest. The baby was still screaming as though she was in some sort of great pain. It was making Maria panic even more than their wild flight through the Dernian countryside.
For Maria had figured out fairly quickly exactly where they were going...
The Ring.
And there it was, standing silently and majestically amid the yellow waving grass. Maria hated it, hated the way it seemed to be watching them. She knew is was ludicrous...it was just a bunch of rock, but she swore that those stones had ears.
"Where are they?" Maria asked Ren in an undertone. There were people everywhere, starting at her in their silent, judgmental way.
"Coming." Ren replied quietly.
He was right. Moments later another transport arrived. Maria watched Max swing down, his expression grim. He stood to the side, turned back to stare at the door.
Maria gasped when Michael was pulled out of the transport by two guards. He was bound hand and foot and gagged as well. Maria gasped, clutched Jennetta tightly, only eased her hold slightly when the baby squawked in protest.
Despite Ren reaching for her, Maria managed to evade his grasp. She was at Max's side a moment later. "Max! What's going on?" Max glanced down at her briefly, looked away.
"Michael and I had a little disagreement." He finally told her, his tone sad.
"Well, what else is new? Why is he tied up?" Maria could see Michael's eyes practically spewing fire above his gag. He was glaring at Max in such a way, it made Maria take a step away from her friend.
Max finally sighed and took her by the hand, leading her slightly apart from the others. "I've managed to negotiate your return with Michael and Jennetta to Earth." He told her.
"Ummm...that still doesn't explain why my child's father is tied up like a criminal Max!" Maria could hear a slightly hysterical note creeping in to her voice. This was NOT what was supposed to be happening. Max and Michael were supposed to be working together, not against each other.
Max glanced back at Michael, looking sad again. "They won't let us all go Maria."
"What?" Maria stared at him in horror. "You're not staying?" This COULD NOT happen. What was she going to tell Liz? This would kill her best friend. "Max, that is unacceptable! We're not going without you."
Max grabbed her by the shoulders. "Maria! Please. Michael is giving me enough problems. You need to get the baby out of here. I don't think they know how important she is yet. You need to get her safely out of here. She is the future of my entire people. This is the only way."
Maria could feel her mouth hanging open. Her baby was in danger! "Okay." She finally managed to croak.
"I'm guessing Michael was not in agreement with you?" She asked wryly, understanding why Max had had his best friend tied up. There was no way that Michael was going to leave willingly without Max.
Max smiled slightly. "Good guess." He sobered again immediately. "Maria...I need you to tell Liz...that I'll always be with her." His voice cracked.
Maria closed her eyes briefly. Liz was going to be absolutely devastated...and Isabel too...in fact all of them. How were they going to manage without Max? He was the glue that held them all together. "I know Max." She could see the tears that were beginning to well in his eyes. They matched her own.
But she knew that Max would not cry. He was sacrificing himself for her daughter. She would not LET him cry. "We'll find a way to get you back." She told him fiercely, hugging him, Jennetta squawking again at being crushed between them. Max stepped back, gently touched the baby's face.
"Keep her safe. She is the key Maria." Maria nodded.
Tarsus joined them. "It's time. Our agents tell us that your sister is opening the portal." Maria stared at him.
"How does he know that? And how does Isabel know what to do?" She asked Max. Max shrugged.
"Nothing here makes sense." He replied, just shaking his head.
"They need to be in the Ring. You too my lord." Tarsus inclined his head towards Max. Max swallowed nodded. He lifted a hand, motioned to Michael's guards.
"Bring him." Maria watched Michael struggling against his captors, his eyes shining with an almost mad light of desperation. Max went over to him, laid his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Michael. You need to accept this. You have to protect your child." Max removed the gag from Michael's mouth as it was clear that he wanted to say something.
"This is insanity Max. I should be with you. I'm your right-hand! Your mother told us so."
Max's eyes narrowed. "Michael, I don't want to have to order you to go." Maria flinched, saw Michael's jaw clench. She buried her head in Jennetta's clean-smelling neck, tried to control her tears.
It appeared that Michael was going to continue to argue with Max, but was interrupted as the Ring began to come to life. Maria watched in amazement as light seemed to shoot from the stones, binding them all together, to create a central pillar of red light so intense, she shielded Jennetta's eyes.
"It's time." Tarsus announced. Max began to push Michael towards the light.
"MAX! No!"
Maria walked quietly behind them. She knew that Michael was going to be furious at her for letting Max do this, but she had to respect his wishes. Besides, no matter how much she cared about Max and how much she was going to miss him...her baby came first.
Jennetta had to be safe.
And she almost was.
Maria was only moments away from stepping into the light, when someone's hand on her shoulder stopped her. She whirled.
It was Tarsus.
Maria could see Max swiftly untying Michael's bonds. He didn't even seem aware of Tarsus' presence with them in the Ring. Maria stared at the being who had caused them nothing but trouble since the first time they had met him.
His eyes, as usual, were blank.
"Don't tell me you want to say goodbye?" Maria asked him sarcastically. He didn't reply, just watched Max for a moment. Max was done with Michael's bonds. Michael was still struggling but Max had him in a firm enough grip that he couldn't free himself.
"Tell Isabel that I love her." Maria heard Max say to Michael. He glanced at Maria once, his eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of Tarsus.
Yet he did what had to be done. Maria watched him tuck something into the small bag that hung at Michael's hip. And then he pushed Michael with all his strength.
His friend stumbled slightly, seemed on the verge of being able to catch himself. But it was too late...he was in the light. He managed to turn around. Maria could see the devastated expression on his face, just heard him yelling, "MAX!"
Silence.
Michael was gone.
Max turned to Maria. "It's time." He took a step towards her, clearly wanting to say good-bye.
And then the unspeakable happened.
Tarsus grabbed Jennetta from Maria's arms, thrust her tiny form behind him. Maria's arms were still reaching out for her child when the shapeshifter thrust an orb into her hands, picked her up and threw her bodily into the light. Maria screamed. "JENNETTA! NOOOO!"
The last sight she had of her child was of her guard Ren holding the baby tightly, staring after her.
She couldn't see Max anywhere.
Then blackness.
Max seemed to stay connected to Maria for a long time.
Liz couldn't tell if anything was happening or not. His face was completely blank, unlike every other time she had seen him trying to heal someone. Liz knew that when Max healed, he took the other person's pain into HIS body. She had seen it happen when he had tried to heal her grandmother enough so that Liz could talk to her...she had also seen it when Max had healed Kyle. It was not a pleasant thing to watch, always made Liz feel ill to think of Max hurting...
But this time there was nothing. It was like he was in a trance.
"Is it working?" Kyle whispered to her, obviously trying not to disturb Max.
"I don't know." Liz replied, frowning slightly. "When Max healed me I needed to look at him, but you didn't have to when he healed YOU. I don't even know if he's made any sort of connection with Maria."
Kyle was quiet for a while. Liz could tell he wanted to say something to her though. "We've never talked about it Liz...I mean, what it was like..."
"Having him save your life you mean?" Liz glanced at Kyle calmly, knowing exactly how SHE felt about it. She was curious as to how Kyle had dealt with it though.
Kyle nodded, paused before replying. "I think I might have actually died Liz. I mean, I couldn't feel anything anymore...and then it was suddenly like I came back into my body...like I was coming down a water-slide...you know?" He paused again. Liz watched him stare at Max. "What I just didn't get was why you know? Why would he do that for me? I mean, its not like he liked me."
Liz could tell that Kyle really wanted to know. He wanted to understand who Max was. She wondered briefly if it had anything to do with the way he felt about Tess.
She knew that it was hard for Kyle to always feel like he was playing second-fiddle to Max Evans. First with Liz, then with his father, and now with his once -upon-a-time bride Tess.
"I think he did it for a lot of reasons Kyle." Liz began carefully. "I mean he respected your dad so much and, no matter what you might think, I think he did like you and he was upset that you got caught in the crossfire of something that had nothing to do with you then. But I think mainly it was because he is who he is. He is so good Kyle. I don't think anyone realizes how good he is."
"Saint Max." Kyle muttered. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Is it why you fell in love with him?"
Liz flushed. It was weird to be talking about this with Kyle. She knew that she had really hurt him when she had turned away from him for Max.
She remembered what it had been like to fall in love with Max. It had been like she had had no control over herself but also like she was making the most significant decision of her life at the same time.
She had seen into his soul. She KNEW him in a way that she would never know anyone else ever again.
It was the only way to explain it. She didn't even know how to put it into words for Kyle though.
Kyle was good too, in his own way.
But Max...he was like a being apart, even in spite of being an alien - kind, compassionate and yet strong and determined too.
And he loved HER.
The miracle of it was what made her love him more everyday...
And even though he didn't remember loving her...the fact that he now seemed to know that he DID...
It just reinforced even more strongly what Liz had known for a long time.
They were meant to be. That was all the explanation that was needed.
Kyle was still looking at her, waiting for an answer. She finally just whispered, "Yes."
Liz returned her gaze to Maria's face. Her best friend's face was serene, and yet their was no animation at all, none of the spark that was Maria.
Liz and Kyle watched Max work quietly for several more minutes.
"Do you think he's hurting himself?" Kyle finally asked.
Liz had been wondering the same thing. "I don't know. Maybe we should make him stop. It doesn't seem to be doing anything anyway."
"I wonder if Michael's okay?" Kyle said moments later. "Maybe I should go check. It looks like Max could be at this for a long time."
Liz glanced at her watch. A good ten minutes had passed. She was absolutely amazed that no nurse or doctor had poked their heads in here recently.
What kind of ICU was this?
Kyle was making his way to the door when Max suddenly released a great breath. His legs immediately collapsed under him.
Both Liz and Kyle were at his side a split-second later.
Max seemed to be in a daze. "How can this be?" Liz heard him say.
She took his chin in her hand, forced him to look at her. "Max! Are you okay?"
He blinked, seemed to focus on her for the first time. "Liz?"
"It's me. Max, what happened?"
He didn't reply immediately. He let Kyle and Liz help him to his feet, then collapsed into the chair next to the bed. "I can't heal her." He said finally, sounding like he still wasn't totally with them.
Liz felt her heart drop. She glanced at Kyle. His face was white.
"I'm sorry Liz. I can't do it." Max had his head in his hands.
"Forgive me for sounding like an ungrateful ass Evans...I mean I know you tried...but why can't you?" Kyle's tone was a combination of anger and sadness.
Max raised his head, stared at Kyle. "I scanned every inch of her. There's nothing wrong with her." He finally replied after a lengthy silence. "At least nothing physical."
Liz watched his eyes. He wouldn't meet hers. She could tell that Max was hiding something. "Kyle could you excuse us for a minute."
Kyle eyed Max a moment longer but nodded. "I was just leaving. Need to go make sure Guerin isn't blasting up the place anyway."
After the hospital room door shut behind her ex-boyfriend, Liz didn't beat around the bush. "What's going on Max? I think you found out more than you're saying." Max looked away, stared at Maria's still form for what seemed like forever.
"I saw things Liz. Things that change everything that I know about Illyria and my place on it."
*************************************************************************************
"I really don't think this is a good idea Michael." Alex pulled his parent's car up in front of the Evans' house and turned off the ignition. He stared at the dark house, a frown on his face. "It looks like everyone's asleep."
Michael thrust open his door. "No one gets to sleep until Maria is all right." He snapped. "I mean, Maxwell should have been at the hospital first thing. He's got the power to fix her, he's going to fix her dammit. I don't understand why everyone's being so protective of the guy."
"Ummm...maybe because as far as he's concerned you guys basically kidnapped him off his home planet?" Alex asked quietly. "You've got to give him a break Michael. He's dealing with a lot."
Michael ignored him. Alex sighed and followed his friend across the Evans' front lawn. "Michael!"
Michael turned around, glared at him. "Go through Izzy's room. Max doesn't need you barging in through his window during his first night in a strange bed."
A strange look crossed Michael's face. "I always go through Max's window." He said quietly, looking sad. He paused, turned back to Isabel's window, tapped lightly.
The light came on and Isabel's face appeared at the window. Alex felt his breath catch in his throat.
He hadn't seen her since she'd been back. He just hadn't felt right about leaving Maria alone at the hospital and he had known that Isabel was dealing with helping Max adjust to his return...not to mention dealing with a new little sister.
She was so beautiful, even more so with her sleep-tousled hair tumbling around her shoulders, no make-up on her naturally glowing face. How could she possibly be his girlfriend? He barely managed to stop from pinching himself.
She didn't notice him right away. She was staring at Michael, an annoyed look on her face. "Michael! You're going to wake the kid." The way she said "the kid." It gave Alex pause. It was clear that Isabel was NOT the "kid's" biggest fan.
"I've come for Max." Michael told her, his tone brooking no opposition. "Maria isn't going to make it through the night unless we do something. They want to take her off life-support Isabel."
Isabel's face softened. "Oh no." It was that moment that she looked past Michael to see Alex lurking in the shadows. Her face lit up. "Alex!"
"Hi Iz." He pushed Michael aside, kissed her lightly. He definitely wanted to say hi more significantly, but Michael was breathing down his neck.
"You guys can do that later." Michael snapped, hauling Alex back. "I'm coming in to get Maxwell if I have to drag him out."
Isabel eyed him a moment longer. It always amazed Alex how well she handled herself under Michael and Max's often high-handed behavior. She was the tie that bound the two male Czechs together and she knew that neither of them would ever hurt her.
She never backed down - from either of them.
"Unfortunately he's not here." She finally replied.
"He's gone to see Liz!" A small, dark head appeared under Isabel's arm. Alex saw Izzy glance down in annoyance.
"Jennetta! You told me that if I told you where Jaxon was you'd go to sleep!" She then turned back to Michael. "Now look what you've done! Do you know how long she's been blathering in my ear?"
Alex frowned. Isabel was not the most patient person in the world, but he couldn't imagine her being deliberately mean to a child. He saw Jennetta's eyes fill with tears.
Something was going on here.
"I'm sorry Mirana." Jennetta said quietly.
"Great Isabel!" Michael was clearly angry. He reached past her, pulled Jennetta out of the window and hugged her. "It's okay Jenny. She just got up on the wrong side of the bed. She yells at me and Max all the time."
Alex watched Isabel's face during this entire exchange. A bevy of emotions flitted across his girlfriend's beautiful features - annoyance, guilt, sadness and...yes, there it was...jealousy.
Not for the first time Alex was glad that he was able to read Isabel like a book. The ice queen that everyone spoke of was not HIS Isabel.
"So Max went to see Liz huh?" Michael was asking Jennetta as Isabel's eyes met Alex's. He shot her a sympathetic look, sent her the message that they were going to talk about this later.
Jennetta sniffed, looked at Isabel questioningly.
Isabel sighed. "It's okay." She said, clearly trying to control the tone of her voice. "You can tell him."
Jennetta smiled. "He WANTED to go see her Michael! Isn't that great news?"
It sure sounded like good news to Alex. He blinked when he realized that Jennetta was staring at him. "You're Alex!" She turned to Isabel. "He's cute."
"You're a little young for him." Isabel replied wryly, grinning despite herself at Alex's reddening face.
Jennetta tilted her head. "He's yours forever." She said it in such a strange way, it caused Alex and Isabel to exchange glances.
"Or at least until the next time she forgets to pick me up because of a sale at the mall." Alex quipped, trying to break the tension.
Jennetta didn't reply, just smiled knowingly. Alex felt like squirming.
"So, it's off to Liz's then." Michael decided, gently placing Jennetta back on the window-sill beside Isabel.
"I'm coming with you." Isabel announced.
"Isabel, we can't leave Jenny alone on her first night here." Michael told her impatiently.
"That's okay." Jennetta said. "I want to come too."
"No way." Michael replied sternly. "It's after 1 A.M. It is WAY past your bedtime."
"Oh give her a break Michael." Alex butted in. "She's not a baby."
Jennetta smiled at him. "No, I'm not." She pursed her lips at Michael primly. "Besides, you're not my brother. Only Jaxon can tell me what to do. "
"And I'm her sister, and I say she can come." Isabel finished.
Alex saw Michael scowl in irritation, but he gave in. "Fine. But let's go."
Isabel closed the window briefly while she and Jennetta dressed. They came out the front door ten minutes later.
Alex and Isabel sat in the front seat, Michael and Jennetta in the back. Isabel and Alex exchanged amused glances when Michael proceeded to argue with the little girl for several moments over whether or not she was putting her seatbelt on.
"But you don't have yours on." Jennetta pointed out reasonably.
"I'm grown-up." Michael replied, sounding frustrated.
"That doesn't mean your head can't still crack open."
Alex heard Michael snort. "Seatbelts on EVERYONE." He interjected, feeling like a referee. He saw both Jennetta and Michael open their mouths to protest in the rear-view mirror. "It's MY car, so I win."
He sighed and relaxed when he saw both Michael and Jennetta frown at each other, then reach to put on their seat-belts. Straightening out Czechoslovakian family ties were not his idea of a fun way to spend his time at one in the morning.
Although he couldn't be sure, Alex thought he heard Michael mutter, "Yes Daddy." He chose to ignore it.
"Next stop Crashdown!" He chirped, feeling like an idiot. He felt Isabel pat his hand affectionately.
Part 29
Jennetta was Tristandor's daughter. And she was half human.
Jaxon was still in shock.
He was seated on a bench in front of the hospital, staring at the sun which was just beginning to rise on the eastern horizon. He had told Liz that he needed a few minutes alone to try and work out some things in his own mind. Liz, in her quiet way, had accepted it, told him that she was going to check on Maria's mom.
He had felt his heart lighten slightly when Liz had run her hand down his face affectionately, had kissed him lightly before she had left. His heart had started to thunder in his chest. He had almost changed his mind about wanting to be alone...but Liz had known that he needed it, so she had left him.
He could still not quite believe what he had seen when he had connected with Maria. It had almost been like he had been living the experience of giving birth to Jennetta through Maria. It had been disturbing and yet exhilarating at the same time.
While connected to Maria, someone he had clearly been close friends with in his life as Max Evans, he had felt exactly what she had felt, had known how much she loved Tristandor - Michael - and their daughter.
It had been beautiful.
And yet, none of it explained how they had reached this point in time.
It was clear from Maria's dream that he had still been Max during a lengthy portion of his stay on Illyria. How had Michael and Maria ended up back on Earth, with no memory of their child - at least if the way that Michael behaved was any indication? How had he, Jaxon, forgotten who he was? Where had all the memories of a complete life as Jaxon Falconer come from?
The only answer was one Jaxon was not quite ready to accept.
Tarsus was a traitor.
Jaxon sighed as he scraped a hand across his eyes. He was exhausted. The connection, first with Liz, then with Maria, had been strong...he had drained himself.
The only question that had been answered was the one about what was wrong with Maria.
Jaxon had not been lying when he told Liz and Kyle that there was nothing physically wrong with Maria. It was true.
However, there WAS something that could be physically done to heal her.
Jennetta was the key.
He was trying to pretend that he wasn't really sure why he hadn't told Liz right away.
But he knew.
He knew that if he told the truth he would lose Jennetta...the one person in the world who loved him unconditionally. He had only just found her. He didn't know if he was ready to give her up yet.
And yet - now he knew - she was NOT his sister.
Jaxon jumped slightly when a hand touched his shoulder. He glanced to the side, saw that it was Liz.
She was gazing down at him, concern on her lovely face...
Perhaps Jennetta was not the only one who loved him unconditionally after all...
Liz sat slightly behind him on the bench, wrapped her arms around him. She let her head fall to rest on his shoulder. Jaxon turned his head slightly, breathed in the clean scent of her silky hair, which was brushing up against his neck. "Are you okay?" She asked softly. "You looked miles away when I came up."
Jaxon didn't reply for the longest time.
The decision he made now would forever determine the course of the rest of his life.
If he told Liz the truth, he would be turning his back on being Jaxon Falconer for good. He would be turning away from the only life he remembered...although he now knew that it was false memory.
He would be giving up the sister he had only just found.
And yet, somehow, if it meant being with Liz, it did not seem such a large sacrifice to make.
"I have some things to tell you." Jaxon began quietly. He felt Liz shift slightly. She began to stroke his arm lightly. "I need you to not interrupt me because this is difficult for me...and I really want to kiss you right now, and if you talk I'm just going to have to."
"Okay." He could hear slight amusement in her voice, but it was underlined with sadness.
He knew that Liz was never going to be truly happy again unless her best friend was healed.
"First of all, I want to tell you that I know that I'm in love with you. I don't know how I know it, but I just KNOW it. I know that I was in love with you when I was Max Evans, and I know that I still am now." He felt Liz stiffen slightly. He was glad that he could not see her face. If he could, there was NO way that he would not be kissing her right now. Her eyes...
An image of her shining eyes came to him....like a breath of memory of some other day...
Flash*
"Okay, fine, if you know so much, the tell me, Max...what's my destiny?"
"I only know the part I'm hoping for."
"Max?"
Jaxon blinked. Where had that come from?
It was a memory. A memory that did not belong to Jaxon Falconer, but one that belonged to Max Evans.
And it had come from HIM.
He was remembering - he didn't know where it had come from or what had unearthed it, but it was there...
It meant that they ALL had to be there...lurking somewhere in his mind.
Jaxon felt a rush of joy so intense it left him speechless.
"Max? Are you okay?" Liz had moved around on the bench so that she could see his face. Her expression was concerned.
"I just had a memory!" He finally managed to croak. "It was of me and you and we were walking across the street..."
Liz's face had stilled at his first statement. He could tell that she was holding her breath. "And?" She breathed.
"You asked me about your destiny and I told you something about there being a part that I was hoping for?" Jaxon stared at her, willed her to tell him that it was truth and not some fantasy that he had conjured up in half-mad mind...
She swallowed. A sheen of tears appeared in those beautiful dark eyes of hers. "It happened. It was after the night we stayed out in the desert all night and then got in huge trouble with our parents..."
Jaxon frantically searched his mind for that corresponding detail.
He came up with nothing. Frustration welled up. He brought his hand up to rub his eyes again, took deep breaths in order to calm down.
There was no use in getting totally discouraged.
Now was not the time for this anyway. There was still Maria to worry about.
"I don't remember that. I'm sorry." Liz's face did not fall though.
"You will." She appeared to be on the same wave-length he was...knew that now was not the time to address this. "I think there was something else you had to tell me."
"I do...it's about Maria...and what's wrong with her. And its about Jennetta." Liz blinked in confusion.
"Jennetta? What do you mean?"
Jaxon grimaced. "For it to make any sense, I need to tell you a few things about Illyria."
Liz's brow furrowed. "Okay?"
"When babies are born on our planet they are bonded with their mothers. It's meant to be a way to protect them until they can be podded." Jaxon watched Liz's face. She was clearly perplexed.
"You mean that babies are born and THEN podded?" She asked incredulously.
"Yes. They are bonded with their mothers for the first six months of their lives. If the bond is broken prematurely then the mother dies."
"Why?" Liz asked, looking horrified.
"It's to protect the child. If the mother is bonded to the child, she will never leave it until it can be podded and protected in that way. Over the millennia on Illyria there had been many cases of mothers abandoning their children - the maternal bond did not seem to be a totally natural occurrence with our women. The solution was to genetically encode the woman to be bonded with their child at birth...the bond is resolved after the child is podded at six months."
"What does the pod do?" Liz questioned.
"It matures the child to an age that it can begin to protect itself." Jaxon replied. "My mother told me that Jennetta has only been out of her pod for about nine months."
"So children on your planet lose years off their lives." Liz concluded. "Is it really so dangerous on Illyria?"
Jaxon shook his head. "Time works differently there. I can't really explain it simply right now, but suffice it to say that Jennetta's life span will be light-years beyond any human's. The podding is a safety precaution that has become traditional. Our planet has ever been practical." He finished wryly.
Liz had turned to stare at the sunrise, a blank look on her face. "But what does this have to do with Maria?"
Jaxon did not reply, waited for her to make the connection herself. It was still such a fresh concept to him as well, the fact that Jennetta was not his sister, he was loathe to mention it aloud.
He knew the exact instant Liz connected the dots. "Oh my God! Maria...and Michael?" She turned to stare at him. He nodded. She looked dumbfounded. "Is there any way to stop it - to stop what's happening to her?" Liz asked a few moments later after she seemed to have digested the information.
"Jennetta." Jaxon replied simply. "She is the only one who can do it."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Liz demanded, jumping to her feet, grabbing his hand and pulling him up after her. "Let's go get her!"
"Go get who?" It was Isabel's voice. Liz and Jaxon whirled around. They exchanged glances. Michael, Isabel, Alex...and Jennetta... were standing about ten feet away from them. They had clearly just arrived, were on their way into the hospital.
"Glad to see you decided to show up." Michael snapped at Jaxon. Jaxon frowned slightly. "We've been chasing you half-way across town."
Liz interrupted, using a tone that made Jaxon look at her in amazement. "Why would you do that Michael? You called me two hours ago to tell me that Maria was almost gone. We've been here since then."
Michael blinked. He looked slightly embarrassed. "Oh yeah." He mumbled. "Sorry, I'm just worked up..."
Jaxon felt his eyes narrow as he watched Jennetta reach up and take Michael's hand. He tried to control the stab of jealousy that struck him.
She was Michael's DAUGHTER. She was not his anymore.
And that was when he realized that in many ways he had seen Jennetta more as his child than as his sister. It had been she that had turned the tide, who had made him start to soften his heart against the family he had been convinced had betrayed him...
It felt like his heart was being ripped out.
She had started the healing that it seemed Liz was going to finish...
It was an ending...
And yet a beginning...
Jaxon felt Liz lace her fingers through his. He glanced down at her.
She was worth giving up ANYTHING for.
He turned to Michael. "Take Jennetta to see Maria."
"What?" Michael glared at him. "Why? Aren't you going to heal her?"
"I've tried Tris...ER Michael." He glanced at Jennetta, who was watching him with serious eyes. He smiled at her reassuringly. "You'll know what to do sweeting." She smiled at him. He felt his heart lighten. She turned to follow Michael into the hospital.
She was not his child - but their bond would not be broken easily. They were connected through the love and affection they shared.
He should have known that she would not let him leave her so easily.
Jennetta was a wonder that continued to amaze him. Her heart was so big...he had forgotten that love was not something that had to be between only two people...
It had been so long since he had allowed himself to feel, he was not thinking clearly...
There was no choice to be made. He could love Liz freely and have enough room left for many others as well. Love existed in many different forms. The way he felt about Liz was on a completely different plain from the love he felt for his young sister...for he would continue to think of her that way. Knowing the truth could not change what she was to him.
Jaxon glanced at Mirana - Isabel - who was watching him with sad eyes.
He swallowed. He had no idea what to say to her.
He still felt the mistrust...it burned within him like a bonfire waiting to erupt.
Although he was beginning to accept that Tarsus had likely programmed him to hate his family, the feelings of betrayal and despair still existed.
He could not forgive he. He turned his face away.
He heard her leave quickly, made himself watch her. Her back was shaking as she hurried through the hospital doors, Alex on her heels.
He hated himself in that moment.
There was only one way to end all the pain and mistrust...
He HAD to remember being the person who loved Isabel and Michael...
There was no other choice. He WANTED to remember.
He missed them.
Jaxon glanced down at Liz. She was staring at the doors to the hospital, a pained expression on her face. He could feel that she was disappointed in him for the way he had just treated Mirana.
He was disappointed in himself.
"I'm sorry Liz. I'm trying..."
"I know." She said quietly.
"But trying isn't good enough." He continued. She turned to look at him.
"What do you mean?"
"This has to end. No one can endure it much longer." Jaxon explained. Liz continued to regard him seriously. "And for it to end, I'm going to need your help."
Part 30
Isabel stumbled through the hospital's automatic doors, trying to control the sobbing that wanted to erupt.
He hated her. Her own brother hated her.
And it was different this time.
The last time he had acted this way towards her it had all been an act. It had hurt but, looking back, she could remember instances where Max had clearly been trying to shield her from the brunt of his anti-Max behaviour. He had stayed away from her for long periods of time, ignoring her the majority of the time. It had hurt, since they had been so close, but it had been better than the cruel way he had treated their parents, their teachers, their friends.
But this time...the contempt in his eyes was real.
He hated her.
And to top it all off, she had been replaced.
He had another sister, one he clearly adored. Max did not need her anymore. She had thought that maybe he was snapping out of it when he had asked her take him to Liz, but the way he had just turned away from her...
Nothing had changed.
Isabel leaned forward against the wall of the hospital corridor, rested her forehead on her arm.
This was worse than losing him had been.
She felt a light touch on her shoulder. "I'm sorry Izzy."
Alex. Thank God for Alex.
Isabel turned, threw her arms around his neck and let the tears come.
Michael crept down the hospital corridor, Jennetta holding his hand tightly as she trailed behind him.
The hospital was quiet, the early morning cleaning staff the only people visible. Michael could hear a doctor talking quietly to a nurse nearby, but basically they were alone.
Perfect.
They reached Maria's hospital room moments later. Michael stared through the glass at Amy Deluca. She was seated at her daughter's bedside, stroking her hair gently. She had her head on the bed beside Maria's and was staring at her quiet daughter in a way that made Michael shudder.
It was like Amy was trying to memorize what she looked like...so she would remember when she was gone.
Sheriff Valenti was asleep on the couch near the wall. Michael was glad that the Sheriff was around. He would help Amy if this didn't work.
A brief thought tried to penetrate his consciousness... "But who will help me?" Michael suppressed it ruthlessly.
There was still hope.
Michael glanced down at Jennetta, who was standing quietly beside him, watching Maria and Amy through the window.
This little girl was his last chance - Maria's last chance. Max had told her that she would know what to do....but she was so small, so fragile. How could he deposit all of the pressure onto her skinny shoulders?
Jennetta's face was serene as she turned to look up at him. "I can do it Michael. I know just what to do."
She closed her eyes.
Michael blinked when a doctor suddenly appeared at his elbow. The doctor pushed open the door to Maria's room. "Mrs. Deluca?"
Amy sat up with a start. "What? What's wrong?"
"I need to speak with you right away." The doctor's voice was sympathetic but with an underlying tone that brooked no refusal. Amy glanced down at Maria a moment longer, smoothed her hands over her hair, but stood up.
"Michael." Amy said as she passed him. "You're back." She glanced down at Jennetta. "Who's this?" She asked, perplexed. Jennetta's eyes were still closed.
"Oh, she's Isabel's new sister, Jennetta." Michael told her quickly. "Er - the Evans just adopted her."
Amy stared at him. "Really? That's weird."
"Mrs. Deluca?" The doctor motioned impatiently for her to follow him. Amy stared at Jennetta strangely for another moment, but followed the doctor.
Jennetta's eyes popped open. "Well, that was easier than I expected."
"What? You did that?" Michael asked her, amazed.
Jennetta grinned at him. "Yup. He was getting ready to ask the nurse he was talking to on a date when I entered his mind and told him to come and get Maria's mother."
Michael grinned back despite himself. For the first time, he actually let himself begin to hope...
This kid knew what she was doing.
Jennetta pushed open the door to Maria's room, looked at the Sheriff. "We can trust him can't we?"
Michael nodded.
"I think I'll make him stay asleep anyway." Jennetta told him, waving her small hand in front of the Sheriff's face. "I can't be interrupted once I start."
Michael scratched his head in amazement. This kid was powerful...much more powerful than any of the four of them. She was going to be a powerful ally.
Jennetta was now at Maria's bedside, her gaze locked on Michael's girlfriend's peaceful face. "She's very beautiful." She commented to Michael.
"I know." He replied quietly.
Jennetta tilted her head slightly. "It's time to wake up Maria." She said confidently.
Michael held his breath as she climbed up beside his girlfriend and placed her small hands on Maria's temples.
Dreams* Maria
Maria held her baby against her neck, patted her back comfortingly.
Jennetta was wailing, had been for close to twenty minutes.
Maria did not blame her daughter one bit. She was terrified herself.
She was seated on a small bench in a cavernous hallway, her head leaning back against the stone wall. She had been there for so long, her butt was seriously starting to ache.
But Tarsus had told her to stay there, and stay she would. At least until Max or Michael came to get her.
Today was the day that her fate was to be decided once and for all.
They had been recaptured close to a month ago and while they had been much more closely guarded, very little had changed. She and Michael had been thrown back into their tent, the one they had lived in for more than a year now. Tarsus had wanted to take Jennetta to a wet-nurse, but Maria had flat-out refused. She had been amazed by how easily Tarsus had accepted it.
Max had been separated from them. They had not seen him for close to a week, until Maria had caught a glimpse of her friend one day while she had been peeking out of her tent in direct defiance to Tarsus' orders.
He had been across the camp, talking to Tarsus...well, arguing was probably more accurate a term. Maria had never seen Max so worked up. He had been waving his hands in the air in frustration, clearly yelling.
It had worried her. Whatever had gotten Max so upset could not be good for her - or her baby.
For while Maria had been treated with the utmost courtesy since their return to the camp, there was an underlying menace in the way everyone regarded her that caused her to be fearful. She knew that she was an unwanted outsider. She had been safe since the original judgment, and also while she was pregnant, but she knew it was because she carried Michael's baby and not because they were suddenly softening towards her.
And finally the day of truth had arrived.
When Max had come to their tent that morning she had still been curled up on their bed, Jennetta having just finished nursing. Michael had been lying beside her, half-asleep, his hand stroking the baby's back.
Michael had sat up abruptly when his best friend entered. "Maxwell! How did you get in here?"
Max had not replied immediately. He had been staring at Maria and Jennetta, a strange look on his face, like he was coming to some sort of decision. Maria had felt a shiver run down her spine.
"Tarsus let me come." Max finally replied quietly. "You guys need to get dressed. They've come to a decision about you."
Michael climbed off the bed, pulling a tunic over his bare chest. "What did they decide?" He asked warily.
"You're going home." Max replied.
"What!" Maria shrieked, flinching when Jennetta started to cry. She started to rock her daughter comfortingly. "I'm sorry baby." Jennetta settled against her shoulder, making small noises. "What do you mean? Just like that? It's been over a year and just like that they decide that we're going home?"
Michael said nothing, just stared at Max, a suspicious look on his face. "I don't buy it."
Maria saw Max close his eyes briefly in annoyance. "Guys, why would they let me come in here and lie to you? It's the truth. You're going home."
Maria glanced at Michael. That didn't sound right at all. Shouldn't Max be saying "WE'RE going home?"
"Why?" Michael demanded.
"Because I told them you were." Max replied simply. Michael glanced at Maria. "They've accepted me as their leader."
Max had refused to say any more after that. Neither Maria or Michael had been at all pleased by his recalcitrance, but had both shut-up when Max had stared them down with those sometimes disturbingly serious eyes of his.
The fact that they had both quieted so immediately - it made Maria wonder now if he had done something to them with those eyes of his...hypnosis or something.
They had been brought to Tarsus' headquarters, which was currently a large manor house in a town near the tent-village that made up the Dernians camp. It had made Maria wonder why the Dernians were all living in tents when much more comfortable quarters were nearby.
She had been told by Tarsus to stay out in the hallway. Her guard, Ren, was standing nearby, his face expressionless as usual. Michael had managed to squeeze her hand quickly before being thrown through a nearby doorway into what Maria assumed was some sort of conference room.
Maria could feel Jennetta settling down against her shoulder, clearly on the verge of going to sleep. Her baby was generally an easy one, but she was very in tune with her surroundings. She seemed to know whenever Maria was upset and those were the only times she cried.
"Do you have any idea what's going on in there?" Maria asked Ren now. He stared at her for a moment, shook his head. "I thought they had already decided that we were going home. What's left to decide in there?"
Ren just shook his head again. He could be a most frustrating individual. Sometimes he talked like there was a leaky faucet in his brain that needed to drain as much information as possible and other times he was stoic and silent in a way that irritated Maria because he had so recently been the complete opposite.
Maria had begun to amend her original assessment of him as being emotionless. Ren's eyes sometimes gleamed in such a way that she wondered exactly how much emotion was still roiling around inside of him waiting to erupt without notice.
Her thoughts on Ren were interrupted when the door to the room where Max and Michael had disappeared flew open. It was smoking. "NOOOOOO! I won't allow! Max! No!" Maria realized that Michael had used his powers on the door.
Maria jumped to her feet. "MICHAEL!" She screamed.
"Secure him." Maria blinked. That was MAX talking. "Get the girl." Maria just turned to stare at Ren in shock when he gently took her arm, trying not to jostle Jennetta, who had begun to wail again.
The events of the next ten minutes were a blur to Maria. Ren shepherded her down the hallway and out into the bright Illyrian sunshine, which was accentuated by the yellow sky. Maria was frantically trying to catch a glimpse of either Michael or Max...neither had emerged from the room although she could still hear Michael yelling, although slightly muffled now.
The next thing she knew she was gently thrust into a transport by her guard and it took off without further ado. She saw Dernian faces staring at her as they passed through the town's streets but could see no sign of either Michael or Max.
What seemed like moments later, the transport ground to a halt. Ren was seated across from her. He pushed open the door, stepped out, helped her to do the same. Maria had Jennetta clutched tightly against her chest. The baby was still screaming as though she was in some sort of great pain. It was making Maria panic even more than their wild flight through the Dernian countryside.
For Maria had figured out fairly quickly exactly where they were going...
The Ring.
And there it was, standing silently and majestically amid the yellow waving grass. Maria hated it, hated the way it seemed to be watching them. She knew is was ludicrous...it was just a bunch of rock, but she swore that those stones had ears.
"Where are they?" Maria asked Ren in an undertone. There were people everywhere, starting at her in their silent, judgmental way.
"Coming." Ren replied quietly.
He was right. Moments later another transport arrived. Maria watched Max swing down, his expression grim. He stood to the side, turned back to stare at the door.
Maria gasped when Michael was pulled out of the transport by two guards. He was bound hand and foot and gagged as well. Maria gasped, clutched Jennetta tightly, only eased her hold slightly when the baby squawked in protest.
Despite Ren reaching for her, Maria managed to evade his grasp. She was at Max's side a moment later. "Max! What's going on?" Max glanced down at her briefly, looked away.
"Michael and I had a little disagreement." He finally told her, his tone sad.
"Well, what else is new? Why is he tied up?" Maria could see Michael's eyes practically spewing fire above his gag. He was glaring at Max in such a way, it made Maria take a step away from her friend.
Max finally sighed and took her by the hand, leading her slightly apart from the others. "I've managed to negotiate your return with Michael and Jennetta to Earth." He told her.
"Ummm...that still doesn't explain why my child's father is tied up like a criminal Max!" Maria could hear a slightly hysterical note creeping in to her voice. This was NOT what was supposed to be happening. Max and Michael were supposed to be working together, not against each other.
Max glanced back at Michael, looking sad again. "They won't let us all go Maria."
"What?" Maria stared at him in horror. "You're not staying?" This COULD NOT happen. What was she going to tell Liz? This would kill her best friend. "Max, that is unacceptable! We're not going without you."
Max grabbed her by the shoulders. "Maria! Please. Michael is giving me enough problems. You need to get the baby out of here. I don't think they know how important she is yet. You need to get her safely out of here. She is the future of my entire people. This is the only way."
Maria could feel her mouth hanging open. Her baby was in danger! "Okay." She finally managed to croak.
"I'm guessing Michael was not in agreement with you?" She asked wryly, understanding why Max had had his best friend tied up. There was no way that Michael was going to leave willingly without Max.
Max smiled slightly. "Good guess." He sobered again immediately. "Maria...I need you to tell Liz...that I'll always be with her." His voice cracked.
Maria closed her eyes briefly. Liz was going to be absolutely devastated...and Isabel too...in fact all of them. How were they going to manage without Max? He was the glue that held them all together. "I know Max." She could see the tears that were beginning to well in his eyes. They matched her own.
But she knew that Max would not cry. He was sacrificing himself for her daughter. She would not LET him cry. "We'll find a way to get you back." She told him fiercely, hugging him, Jennetta squawking again at being crushed between them. Max stepped back, gently touched the baby's face.
"Keep her safe. She is the key Maria." Maria nodded.
Tarsus joined them. "It's time. Our agents tell us that your sister is opening the portal." Maria stared at him.
"How does he know that? And how does Isabel know what to do?" She asked Max. Max shrugged.
"Nothing here makes sense." He replied, just shaking his head.
"They need to be in the Ring. You too my lord." Tarsus inclined his head towards Max. Max swallowed nodded. He lifted a hand, motioned to Michael's guards.
"Bring him." Maria watched Michael struggling against his captors, his eyes shining with an almost mad light of desperation. Max went over to him, laid his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Michael. You need to accept this. You have to protect your child." Max removed the gag from Michael's mouth as it was clear that he wanted to say something.
"This is insanity Max. I should be with you. I'm your right-hand! Your mother told us so."
Max's eyes narrowed. "Michael, I don't want to have to order you to go." Maria flinched, saw Michael's jaw clench. She buried her head in Jennetta's clean-smelling neck, tried to control her tears.
It appeared that Michael was going to continue to argue with Max, but was interrupted as the Ring began to come to life. Maria watched in amazement as light seemed to shoot from the stones, binding them all together, to create a central pillar of red light so intense, she shielded Jennetta's eyes.
"It's time." Tarsus announced. Max began to push Michael towards the light.
"MAX! No!"
Maria walked quietly behind them. She knew that Michael was going to be furious at her for letting Max do this, but she had to respect his wishes. Besides, no matter how much she cared about Max and how much she was going to miss him...her baby came first.
Jennetta had to be safe.
And she almost was.
Maria was only moments away from stepping into the light, when someone's hand on her shoulder stopped her. She whirled.
It was Tarsus.
Maria could see Max swiftly untying Michael's bonds. He didn't even seem aware of Tarsus' presence with them in the Ring. Maria stared at the being who had caused them nothing but trouble since the first time they had met him.
His eyes, as usual, were blank.
"Don't tell me you want to say goodbye?" Maria asked him sarcastically. He didn't reply, just watched Max for a moment. Max was done with Michael's bonds. Michael was still struggling but Max had him in a firm enough grip that he couldn't free himself.
"Tell Isabel that I love her." Maria heard Max say to Michael. He glanced at Maria once, his eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of Tarsus.
Yet he did what had to be done. Maria watched him tuck something into the small bag that hung at Michael's hip. And then he pushed Michael with all his strength.
His friend stumbled slightly, seemed on the verge of being able to catch himself. But it was too late...he was in the light. He managed to turn around. Maria could see the devastated expression on his face, just heard him yelling, "MAX!"
Silence.
Michael was gone.
Max turned to Maria. "It's time." He took a step towards her, clearly wanting to say good-bye.
And then the unspeakable happened.
Tarsus grabbed Jennetta from Maria's arms, thrust her tiny form behind him. Maria's arms were still reaching out for her child when the shapeshifter thrust an orb into her hands, picked her up and threw her bodily into the light. Maria screamed. "JENNETTA! NOOOO!"
The last sight she had of her child was of her guard Ren holding the baby tightly, staring after her.
She couldn't see Max anywhere.
Then blackness.