Alive
-The Final Confrontation-
By: In Fair Verona/Sibby
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Disclaimer: It's not mine...
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A/N: Well, here it is. The final chapter of 'Alive'. Everything's gonna be solved, everything's gonna come together, and we'll see what happens. I already have the ending planned in my mind (I have for a while) so unfortunately I must say, due to the planned ending and my lack of time, there will be no sequel. I have thoroughly enjoyed working on this story and it will definitely be weird not writing any more chapters. Maybe, once my time is more available again and more of my fanfics will be completed, I will indulge you with another Fifthwheeler story. This has truly been extremely fun, and I probably never would've done this if not for one day getting bored with the usual CC Stargazer-ness and stumbling through fanforum and finding the Fifthwheeler's thread. That opened up a world of possibilities for me then and there and I quickly became adept to the idea of Tess/Alex. It's thanks to Fifthwheeler's that I got over hating Tess, and thanks to Fifthwheelers that all of a sudden I've gone on a UC shipping spree (Of course, nothing wavers my Dreamer heart.) I would definitely like to thank MagnusXXN, and Chrissy, two very faithful Fifthwheelers who have put in their suggestions for the story. Thank you so much you two!
Thank you to every single reviewer who has read/reviewed and here it is...
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Tess buried her face into his chest, her cheeks were red and harsh from leaking with tears and it burned fiercely as her faced rubbed against his worn T-shirt. But she didn't care. She pushed herself as close as she possibly could to him. She had withstood more pain than this and would go through even more to be reunited with Alex again. There was only one problem. Alex had fallen right into Khivar's trap.
"When you're done swooning and mooning over each other, let me know." The deep voice thundered. Alex and Tess stood unaffected, wrapped up in each other's arms without paying attention. "I have a few romantic moments I need to get through myself." He waved his arm and in a blooding curdling scream Isabel appeared before them, falling into the alien dictator's arms. Hearing the shriek, followed by a faint yelp from Kyle, Tess and Alex pulled apart slowly, keeping their arms encircled around another for safety, but looking at the evil alien head on. "Glad you could join us Vilandra." The blonde alien ran his hand through her short auburn hair, holding her close to him. "I preferred you as a blonde, but none of that matters anymore, we're together and now that we have Alex here as bait, it won't be long before Zan comes to the rescue and I finish him off-for good this time." He grinned, holding onto Vilandra's waist tightly.
"Khivar!" Isabel said in frustration, trying to push herself away. Alex frowned and looked from Tess to Isabel to Khivar.
"Khivar ... you're sick." Tess snapped, glaring at him and holding on tighter to Alex. "A sick ... twisted ... insidious bastard."
"Yes. I am." He gazed at the human and the alien queen, and eyed them suspiciously. His eye twitched suddenly and Tess let out a painful cry. Khivar smirked triumphantly.
"Ah!" Tess cried, limping onto her knees. Alex quickly rushed down on his knees as well, holding her at his side.
"Tess, what's wrong? Tess what did he do?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Tess breathed all of a sudden. "He's just using his powers..."
"He's hurting you!" Alex said fiercely. He stood up and faced Khivar, who seemed very careless and nonchalant. "Hey!" Alex barked, calling his attention away from Isabel. Alex grabbed onto Isabel's hand and pulled her easily out of Khivar's grasp. "Go to Kyle ... now." He demanded, standing in front of Isabel and Tess and before Khivar. Isabel didn't need telling twice and she took off.
"Alex what are you doing?" Tess said painfully, seeing the man she loved standing in front of the most powerful alien alive. An alien who could hurt him easily. "Alex, don't, stay back-"
"No. I'm not as easy as he thinks. No one is going to hurt the people I care about. It's his fault that we're all in this predicament anyway. And I am going to make him pay for it! I'm going to unleash my fury because it wouldn't be this way if he didn't-"
"Alex!" Tess cried. "If it wasn't for him ... would Isabel, Max, Michael, and I be here? If it weren't for him, would Max and Michael have met Liz and Maria? If it weren't for him, I'd still be living on Antar unhappily with Max. If it wasn't for him, would I have fallen in love with you?" Her voice stung his heart fiercely and he turned his back to Khivar and looked at her pleadingly.
"Tess, you can't expect me to just let him off the hook?"
"You're not strong enough Alex, I just don't want you getting hurt-"
"I have my powers!"
"I know you do, Alex, I know you do. But it doesn't matter ... he'll always be stronger. He defeated Max and Michael together, Alex, don't forget..."
"I can't just let hi-" Alex was cut off as he was levitated off the ground and his hands wrapped around his neck. A ragged gagging noise escaped his throat and Tess screamed out.
"Khivar! Stop!" She crawled over on her weak legs, the muddy dirt rubbing all over her knees as she approached and raised her hand at his face. A soft cerulean blue and white translucent light emitted from it and stung him in the eye, he blinked and Alex dropped to the floor. Tess crawled over to his body and laid his head in her lap.
"Why do people always find the need to choke me?" Alex murmured... "Second time today..."
"Alex..." Tess said softly, caressing his hair with her hands. "Alex!" She called out as she was thrown backwards on the hill and away from him.
"Tess!" Alex yelled, struggling to get on his feet again.
"I'm getting bored with this soap opera. I have much attending to do until Zan arrives." With a snap of his finger, the hoards of skins that was once there before surrounded them all, filing in and climbing up the big hill. A girl skin with long auburn hair grasped Alex tightly, digging her nails into his skin and another female evil alien had already held Tess down at her knees. Moments later, two bulky males emerged through the crowd holding Isabel and a limping Kyle. "I think this will be interesting." Khivar sighed, raising his hands in a circular motion. The canopy of trees surrounding the hill around suddenly grew and stretched towards them. They encircled and ensnared each other, the complex branches and vines hovered over what once was a peaceful clearing. As the trees thickened to become a black out roof, almost total darkness engulfed them. "Drink, my children." Khivar said, hands still raised as the thunder boomed and rain began to fall through the tiny cracks, replenishing the millions of hoards of skins. The last thing Alex saw, in the barely visible surroundings was Khivar snapping his fingers, the sound echoing through the forest, and Tess's hopeful eyes, before something hit hard across the back of his skull. Then, nothing was visible at all anymore.
"What's happening? Is he having a seizure?"
"No, no! He's coming to... Alex... Alex? Are you awake?"
"Um...huh?" Alex mumbled, hearing Tess's voice calling out to him. He blinked and cleared the blurred vision from his eyes to see Tess peering over above him carefully. "Tess!"
"That means he's awake." Kyle explained to Isabel. Alex looked around at the three others and frowned.
"Where are we?" Alex asked. The sky was a dark blue and the stars and distant galaxies twinkled before them. On either side of Alex was grass sloped and piled up high. "Are we in a ditch?!"
"Give the boy a prize." Kyle said sarcastically. Alex tried to move to get a better view of his surroundings, but ended up toppling over to his side, his face kissing the slick wet Earth. "And yes, your hands are bound. All our hands are bound." Kyle said, answering the question before it was asked. Alex look over his shoulder, seeing his hands tied together by something metallic ... it wasn't rope, or tape, or anything possibly human.
"What? Is it?"
"Cadmium X." Tess replied simply. "Yes, it's melded."
"I'm guessing that makes it a no-go on any escape plan?" Alex asked, shifting into a more comfortable position on the ground before using his elbow to prop him upright again.
"Not really." Tess smiled meticulously. "We were waiting for you to wake up." She looked to Isabel and Kyle who smiled despite the fate of their current circumstances.
"Is there...well, obviously there is, but is there... a plan?"
"Yes," Isabel nodded, her auburn hair was slicked back from her face and water dripped down the side of her sickly pale face.
"But we have to work fast..." Tess finished. "And be as adroit as possible ... it's going to take some duplicity..."
"Shouldn't be too hard then." Kyle scoffed, looking at both Isabel and Tess.
"Anyway. We just need Isabel to distract Khivar, and she can get herself free, which leaves the three of us. Once Isabel is gone, Alex use your powers of telekinesis to blow these bindings, and we'll hide nearby. I'll mind-warp the skin that patrols every now and then, into thinking we're still there. Then we can leave, and Kyle will just have to buy us as much time as we can."
"What about Isabel?" Alex asked, the worry apparent in his voice.
"I can take care of myself Alex. I'll be fine. We've got it all planned, we just have to be quick about it."
"Exactly." Tess finished. She turned to Isabel. "Go."
"Master... Vilandra wishes to see you." The skin said in monotone, bowing at the level ground on top of the hill before the alien dictator. Khivar looked down at the female skin with her red auburn hair hanging low and touching the murky puddles in the grass.
"It's about time." He said gruffly. "Bring her to me." The skin dashed off and not too long later, returned, grasping Isabel tightly around the arm. Isabel could've used her powers to blow the stupid bitch to smithereens, but thought better of it. "Vilandra."
"Khivar." Isabel replied bravely, holding her head up high as she walked to the top of the widespread hill. He smirked maliciously and waved his hand in an upward motion, as two dark thrones made and embedded with Cadmium X literally sprouted and flourished from the ground. Isabel warily made her way to the thrones and seated herself in one. The hard surface wasn't comfortable neither on back nor behind, and Isabel shifted but couldn't help but be averse to the seating arrangements. Khivar swiftly plopped himself down next to her.
"It feels good doesn't it?" He said slowly, sitting upon his throne and scanning the horizon. "Powerful?"
"...This is where I belong. At the top." Isabel said with vivid breath as she exhaled the scent of rain and cold air. "With you." She looked at him. For a general bastard, he wasn't hideous. It was probably why she- Vilandra had fallen for him so many eons ago. Too bad, she was not Vilandra.
"With me?" Khivar replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm followed by a sort of growl/chuckle. "Oh, don't tell me Vilandra. This is some foolish plan made by your pathetic human friends to distract me?"
"It's not." Isabel said hastily. Too hastily. "And if it was..." She leaned forward towards him, resting a hand gently on her shoulder. "Wouldn't you say it was working?" Isabel whispered softly. She flicked her eyes up at his, and the steely gray oculars were indeed distracted. So she made her move, and kissed him.
"Done." Alex announced harshly. Kyle wriggled his hands free of the broken metallic bonding and was helped up to a standing position by Tess and Alex. He took a moment to dust the grass off of his wet once expensive clothing. Talk about a grass stain ... and pneumonia!
"Hurry, into those bushes!" Tess said frantically, pointing to a group of bushes by the trees some 10 feet away. Ducking and trotting in the mud, causing light splashes in the forming puddles, Tess led the two men towards their destination. They reached the bushes in time and all hid behind the thick tree trunks, as a skin with long auburn bright red hair approached.
"Do your thing." Alex whispered to Tess, giving her a supportive smile. She grinned esthetically and closed her eyes in deep concentration... Alex and Kyle watched silently as she'd frown and then lift her eyebrows patiently and then furrow them again. It shouldn't be taking this long ... suddenly Tess flicked both her eyes open and her jaw dropped.
"Oh no." She whispered. Alex put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.
"Tess, what is it? Did it not work?"
"It did... but then..." She stood up suddenly, and brushed aside the bush branches faltering their view. Alex and Kyle stood behind her and peered out into the clearing. Standing there, by a limp body of the auburn skin, was Michael Guerin and Max Evans.
"Is she...dead?" Max asked carefully, looking over Michael's tall shoulders. Michael shrugged nonchalantly and turned.
"Dammit!" He exclaimed. Max spun on his heels in time to see a blurry figure running up the hill behind them. "A skin! He's going to Khivar!"
"It would've been unavoidable..." Max trailed off, rolling up his damp sleeves. He peered into the ditch. "Michael look..." He pointed at the strips of metallic gray laying in the dirt, bending down onto his knees and picking one up. "Cadmium X?"
"You think?"
"They were here..." Max announced, standing up and dropping the metal strip. "They're right here... really close I can feel it. I can feel all three of them."
"Isabel, Alex, and Kyle?" Michael asked, shifting on his feet.
"No. Alex, Kyle and... Tess."
"Tess? Of course." Michael said, glancing around. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck Michael in the foot sending him spiraling away from Max.
"Michael!"
"It's Khivar!" Michael said, pointing to the top of the hill, where a dark shadow stood out against the steely cold wind, holding another figure with him.
"And Isabel." Max said worriedly.
"Max!" A faint shout came from the trees and Max and Michael both turned seeing three familiar faces there.
"Alex." Max announced, taking a step forward and then flying off his feet as an unseemly force pulled him away, skidding his body across the grassy slopes of the hill. The next thing he knew he was on his back, and after a series of faint cries, Alex had landed next to him. They were on top of the hill... and standing before them, was Khivar with Isabel clutched desperately to his side. Max quickly pulled himself onto his feet and glared at his immortal enemy. "Khivar."
"Zan."
"It's Max."
"Touching." Khivar smiled. He threw Isabel down at the two men and Alex stood up quickly to catch her.
"Is!" He straightened her and Isabel hung on dearly to his side. In the same moment, Michael emerged from the bottom of the hill.
"Michael." Max looked over his shoulder. "Take Isabel and Alex and go!"
"What? I'm going to kick this guy's ass Maxwell!"
"No, no you're not!" Max yelled over the now howling wind. "Take them and take Liz and everyone else far away! This is my fight!"
"Your fight!? That's bull Maxwell!"
"He's right Michael, this is his fight." Isabel pleaded, limping on Alex.
"Take her!" Max repeated. Michael knew it would only danger them all to oppose and carefully took Isabel into his arms and backed down the hill. Khivar watched with an amused face. "Alex!" Max yelled.
"I'm not going Max!"
"Alex, you're not as strong as Michael, you can't be here!"
"Max, Michael's better off helping the others, but I'm better off here! This is something I also have to do! It wasn't before, but it's my battle now! He hurt Tess, and he's going to pay!"
"Alex, you're in over your head!"
"Listen to him, human." Khivar yawned, diminishing the two thrones to make way for a battlefield. "But I have no problem with a 2 on 1."
"I'm not leaving!" Alex yelled.
"Very Well." Khivar smirked, snapping both his fingers causing two bolts of lightning to protrude from the heavens, nearly missing both Max and Alex who stood their ground. Max glared with belligerence at Khivar.
"How did you do it Khivar?" Max asked. "I'm curious..."
"Of course you are. That's the same thing you asked me before I conquered you so many years ago. I told you, right before the final blow, that it was all your sister... then I killed you." Max curled his hands into fists at this.
"That wasn't my sister. That was Zan's sister."
"Right." Khivar grinned. "But since your curious... let me tell you a little story. It starts of like this... I won... You won the many battles, but I won the war. I had done it. You, Rath, Ava were all dead. I had won and I left the royal palace to retrieve one of my many prizes- your sister. However, when I returned to my quarters she was dead. She committed suicide. I rushed back to the royal palace, only to find all three dead bodies missing. You had a faithful friend... by the name of Larek. He took your remains, as well as Vilandra's and two remains of the elders, and went to the Granolith Chamber where she met up with, none other than your mother. Together they created the human alien hybrid pod from you, using informaton from a recent controversial experiment, in a hasty attempt to preserve your lives. Then they made another batch, in case something where to go wrong. Before I could stop them, they had sent you off. But I did get the pleasure of ending their miserable little lives. That's right. I killed your mother. Oh, how she begged for mercy at my-"
"Shut up!" Max yelled in a rampage, lunging at Khivar and knocking him down. Max pelted the alien's face with his fist causing green blood to seep out through Khivar's nostrils.
"You think you'll win this by a match of wits?" Khivar laughed, using his powers to through Max off of him. "I'm not done with the story! So I lived and ruled the kingdom of the dead, since I killed everyone... and it was not what I had depicted. Sure, the exiled skins had returned, but I realized I would not yet be satisfied... until I killed you. But there was no sign of you... or your duplicates... at all. Until... using the orbs the message from your mother was displayed before you... and I knew exactly where you were. I sent my skins... I contacted Nasedo... I made a clever deal with him and I told him where the Granolith was located. But Nasedo and his little blonde bitch failed, and you obliterated my skins. And as your precious humans say, 'if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!' So it took me almost a whole year, but your Mother Nature seems to work into my advantage. On Antar, we have something called a stellar-"
"A stellar lineage." Max finished, cutting him off. Alex listened carefully to both the aliens. "It's when the V constellation the 5 planets orbit in, are shifted into a straight line, basically, it's an eclipse." Max explained to Alex.
"Amazing. You remember."
"It just came to me."
"A stellar lineage only happens every 351 earth years, that is 546 Antar revolutions. When the planets align like so..." Khivar pointed to the grass beneath him as 5 patches of grass darkened into the V constellation and then shifted into a straight line, and then back to the constellation again. "Power is increased 10 ten fold, and you already know how powerful I am. This lineage, can allow a simple alien to open a black hole in space with their very thoughts- a more advanced alien could open up a can of worms. I had planned to use this eclipse to open up a very peticular can of worms."
"Heaven." Alex muttered, glaring at Khivar.
"Please, not just Heaven. Hell, as well. I mean, my entire army was down there in that confounded earthen underworld of yours! If I had a choice, you wouldn't be here." Khivar said, glancing at Alex. "Heaven and Hell are your Earth's forces of balance. Good and Bad, Holy and Evil, etc... Releasing only one of them... could have disastrous effects... in a kindred explanation- your world would tip over on it's axis and fall into space... eventually the outer pressures would force it to combust, as well."
"I didn't know you cared so much." Max said sarcastically, watching as Khivar paced back and forth.
"Please. Do you think I wanted to revive my forces, which would return to the location of their demise, and then have the planet explode? Quite, silly, and oh, idiotic don't you agree?" Max and Alex simply glanced at each other and then back at Khivar.
"Are you done yet?" Alex asked, "I've been waiting for a while now to kick some ass."
"If you say so. I've waited so long for this... " Khivar trailed off, stopping in the middle of his pacing before the two men and spreading his feet apart. Without warning he lifted his hand and a translucent orange beam shot out of it, straight towards them. Max was quicker and with a wave of his hand, a green forcefield was in front of him and Alex, the orange laser reflected off of Max's field and shot up towards the sky. Once again, without expectation, Khivar launched a volley of orange missiles at them, bombarding Max's forcefield as he struggled to keep it up. "You can't hide under there forever!"
"On three..." Max shouted to Alex, over the volley of orange neon missiles. Alex nodded. "One... two... three!" And the forcefield vanished...
"Tess! Liz! Come on!" Michael yelled to the two girls still standing at the foot off the hill. The same look reflected in each one's eyes. In Liz's amber honey oculars, the worry, love, and commitment of her relationship with Max. In Tess's shiny blue pools were the concern, adoration and love of Alex Whitman. Michael didn't have time for this... He ran towards them, grabbing each by the arm. "Let's go!"
"I can't!" Liz and Tess protested in unison. They both looked at each other in surprise, they probably hadn't even notice they had been standing there together for about 5 minutes, watching the orange, green and various colorful sparks fly from the hill.
"Alex is still up there!" Tess cried, yanking her arm away from Michael's grasp."I'm not leaving!"
"Fine! See if I care if you get blown up!" Michael shouted. "Come on Liz." He led her back towards the trees where everyone else was waiting desperately. Liz looked over her shoulder at Tess who watched the battle vividly. Liz tore her hand free of Michael and ran to her grandma and Maria.
"Grandma!" Liz exclaimed, throwing her arms around her grandma and hugging her tightly. "Do you remember, when you told me... if it wasn't complicated it isn't love?"
"Of course I do. It was the wisest thing I ever told you..." Claudia said, stroking her grand daughter's hair.
"Grandma... it's complicated."
"I know. I understand. Go."
"Wait, what's going on?" Maria asked in confusion, staring at her best friend in perplexion. Liz threw her arms around Maria as well.
"My husband needs me." With that she pulled away and pushed past Michael, running with all the speed she could muster until she returned to Tess's side, holding the stitch in her stomach. "Tess! Let's go!"
"Finally, I knew you'd come back." Tess commented. With that, the two girls quickly made their way back up the hill...
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Alex screamed as he was thrust onto his back with a loud snap, crackle, and indeed, a pop. Max waved his arm forward, sending Khivar flying backwards as well before running to Alex's side and placing his hand under Alex's back. The soft white light emitted as he began to heal the fractures.
"Alex!" Tess shouted, running to his side, with Liz trailing behind. Max looked up suddenly, and stood up in alarm after healing Alex, who was helped up by Tess.
"What are you doing here?" He said frantically to Liz, and then gave Tess an accusing look.
"Max, I came here, because I had to be your side, the way Tess needs to be by Alex's side!" Liz said urgently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not letting you do this alone. You said yourself that we decide our own destinies Max, that's what we're doing, that's what we're all doing, and your destiny isn't going to repeat itself, because you're not going to be finished by him!" Liz said, her eyes watering.
"Liz, I-" Suddenly by some supernatural gravitational pull, Max was falling forward through the air, pushed into Liz, whom he wrapped his arms around protectively as they were pushed off the hill and falling down with rapid speed.
"Liz!" Alex yelped, looking behind him as the two stumbled down. He looked frantically to Tess who looked just as shocked. He looked back at Khivar who approached rapidly towards them. Tess quickly held up her hand, the cerulean beam of fluorescence flashed out and hitting Khivar straight in the heart. He dropped onto his knees quickly and Tess held onto Alex tightly and waited... "Tess, you didn't... kill him... did you?" Alex whispered. Tess shook her head.
"I couldn't have... Max's powers surpass mine... and Khivar is too strong... it's impossible." Tess said softly, staring at the lifeless form. Suddenly, the seemingly dead body convulsed and using it's hands-er claws, jumped backwards onto his huge feet. It was the most gruesome sight they had ever seen... a green alligator skinned face, and arms of 3 tentacles protruding. The torso was far too large and ripped the human clothing that was worn. What must've been his hair, were 3 jagged spikes that immersed from the crown of his head and were stained with blood, like his yellow venom eyes and even yellowed fanged teeth. It was a hideous sight; the monstrous creature was the wailing quintessence of all belligerences and the enmity of evil itself.
"What the fu..." Alex trailed off, he grimaced at Khivar wide-eyed, not in terror, but in shocking disgust.
"It's... it's his real form." Tess said softly.
"Max! Liz!" Isabel ran forward, helping her brother and his wife onto their feet. Max didn't waste any time to brush himself off and turned to Liz.
"Are you all right?" He asked with concern. Liz opened her mouth to answer when a loud agonizing roar cut her off. The three all looked to the top of the hill; Alex and Tess's forms emerged, running down frantically hand in hand. "What's happening..." Max trailed off, holding his arm and healing it quickly. All of a sudden, the green protruding monster rose high and followed them with slow yet gargantuan steps. On his hind legs, he stood at about 15 feet tall and loomed over them. Tess and Alex made it to Isabel, Max and Liz, and now Michael had joined them as well.
"Holy shit." Michael muttered. "Maxwell... think fast."
"I'm going to fight it." Max said simply.
"Don't you get it- you beat it up badly enough and it keeps getting stronger!" Michael protested.
"It didn't happen like this last time... he didn't do this. That means I've gotten stronger as well."
"Then the battle's not over, and we still have to fight." Alex said from beside them. Max turned to Alex.
"I don't think I can stop you."
"No way, no how."
"And you can't stop us either." Tess said, holding onto Alex's hand dearly and glancing at Liz. Liz smiled up at Max.
"It's going to take a lot of us to kick that thing's ass..." Michael trailed off. He shrugged. "What the hell, what have we got to lose?"
"The ones we love. Which is why we have to do this." Alex said, grinning goofishly at the most un-appropriate time.
"Agh!" Max turned around just in time as Khivar hauled up on him, ready to strike, but Max sent him backwards. It was harder to use his telekinesis- Khivar weighing a hell lot more now and all that. Liz quickly linked hands with Max and Michael stepped in between Tess and Liz, closing the gap. Isabel took Alex's other hand and they all faced the coming alien. Khivar growled a shrieking sound far worse than a banshee and opening his mouth, yielding a bright yellow ray to come towards them. "Now!" Max yelled. Putting all of their concentration, energy, and most of all, love and emotions- pouring it through each other as it emitted from Max's hand in one brilliant flash of blinding soft white.
"Whoa." Alex breathed out, opening his eyes to look at the spectacle as the two beams met and refracted slightly at the crash into another. Sparks shed and flew, but they all stood their ground. It was an exhilarating moment... and indeed it only lasted a moment as their astonishment grew when Khivar's streak of yellow started to pulverize it's way towards them slowly, defeating the white glow. Isabel unwilling let out a startled cry, but turned her head curiously when she felt someone take her hand. She smiled warmly at Kyle who had his hands linked with Maria as well. Liz looked over her shoulder back to the woods where she could make out Courtney standing shyly but watching intricately, with Grandma Claudia.
"Go." Grandma Claudia said to the young blonde girl. "They need you. I'll be fine." With that, Courtney sprang forth from the trees and ran towards the group. She pushed her way through into Tess and Michael's hands and grinned up at Michael. With the addition of the three, well two aliens powerates and one 100% human, their beam was vitally charged up a great degree. So much in fact, that Khivar let out another agonizingly bloody shriek.
"You don't want to defeat me!" Khivar roared. "I am the master of the heavens and hells- if you defeat me, your friends will join me in death! You won't accomplish anything!" Liz frowned and almost dropped her hand from Max as she leaned forward to look at Alex and Tess with sympathy. Alex returned a weak smile and looked down at Tess. With that smile that you could read his feeling so clearly, Alex slowly nodded his head at Liz reassuringly. A few silver tears slid down Liz's cheek for her best friend and she turned boldly to face the alien monster. Then something horrible happened. Their connection was weaker! Somehow, when Liz had paused, the energy that had built up so greatly had gone down. And now it was taking its toll on Max! The alien king let out a painful gasp, and using his free hand to clutch a pain in his side.
"Max!" Liz yelled, looking at him frantically. As Max dropped to his knees the power to their connection had weakened twice as much now. They were doomed.
"He's targeting his powers on Max!" Tess yelled. "He was trying to fight us all of, but he realizes he can defeat us by eliminating the most powerful!" The monster roared with an evil sickening laughter as shrill as a banshee did. Tempting enough to make the Roswellians let go of their firm grip of each other to cover their ears.
"What do we do!?" Isabel shouted, looking at Tess as if the answer was clearly written across her face. Tess looked helplessly at Alex and then to Max and Liz then back to Isabel.
"I don't think there's anything we can do." She replied softly.
"I can try to heal Max!" Alex shouted, almost letting go of Tess's hand.
"Alex, don't break the connection!" Tess said quickly. "It wouldn't help anyway, it would take away your power from the group as well!"
"Pathetic fools. Don't you realize that the only way you'd defeat me is with the power of another king, which you have already lost?" Khivar boomed, using his powers to elicit another gasp from Max who was now in such bad shape he lay on the grass in seizures and convulsions with Liz bending down, trying not to break her grip but to keep her husband safe as well.
"We're done. We're done. This is it." Michael said simply, shaking his head and clicking his tongue.
"Wellz, if they need anudder king, guess dat's what I'm here fo?" A strange voice interrupted them from behind the Roswellians. (A/N: Guess! Guess who the special guest star is! GUESS!) Tess looked over her shoulder, sweeping her wet blonde hair around. Her jaw dropped and she nearly let go herself...
"Zan!?" She practically shrieked in disbelief.
"ZAN!" Michael yelled frantically, looking over his shoulder to get a glimpse of Max's dupe. Zan stepped forward from the shadows of the treetops. The remaining white light glowed against his face. Placing his hands on his hips and examining the battle field moment for a few moments, he finally spoke.
"Sorry fo da delay. You know howz it iz, being dead n shit." Zan shrugged.
"Zan, please help us!" Alex shouted.
"No shit sherlock, what else am I doin' here?" Zan said, walking forward and pushing himself between Michael and Liz, taking their hands. "Let'z get this ova with, and let me show you how'z it'z done!" Zan exclaimed. Liz and Michael simply watched in awe, as Zan squeezed his eyes shut and you could tell he was concentrating exactly. Within a few moments a golden wave of energy in the form of light had gleamed off of Zan's body and the light surrounded Liz and Michael, spreading towards the end of the chain and revitalizing Max who was brought back to his feet. "A'ight, let'z do this!" Zan exclaimed, snapping his eyes open energetically. "I've been waiting for this for a long time Khivar!"
"This is impossible! Of all the foul things to happen!" Khivar roared. "TWO OF YOU!"
"Don't forget us!" Alex recoiled, signaling to the rest of them. Khivar simply glared and opened his mouth, the streaks of yellow energy shooting like pistols and bullets from his jaw. They were no match for the energy Zan had awakened in them all, including 100% human Maria who glowed with excitement. Zan leaned over Liz and nodded in a signal to Max, who slowly raised his weak and battered arm up at Khivar. Within seconds, the most phenomenal thing (besides Alex and Tess falling in love) had happened. It was like a photon ray, or some sonic boom, sheer rejuvenation. The alien nuclear bomb. It had erupted from Maxwell's hand in a burst of vivid colors, every single color of the spectrum imaginable. And it had gone in all directions. Thrusting Earth's self proclaimed and destined warriors to the ground and slicing into Khivar. Slicing into Khivar so much that he was blown back so far, to the extreme that-
"He's dead." Alex said softly, lifting himself to his elbows and adjusting to the mud beneath his battle battered body.
"Oh my gosh." Tess exclaimed, rolling over on her side so that she faced Alex. Alex laid his head back down in the grass and wrapped an arm around Tess, pulling her head down onto his chest. He listened to her faint soft and shallow breathing and she listened to his rapid heartbeats as they gradually slowed down.
"We did it." Alex smiled, kissing her forehead. "We did it."
A/N: And now... the real fluff!
"How much time do you think we have?" Tess said softly, sitting down on an old log in the tree covered outskirts of the hill. The hill. It would be like some sort of a landmark now. The trees had shrunken back and the rain had ceased, leaving the view of a clear stellar starlight sky. However, the embedded burn marks of the royal seal of Antar forever scarred the top of the grassy slope.
"Not much." Alex said, from his place leaning against the tree. They had found themselves a nice little place in the privacy of the trees, while the others made preparations outside in the clearing. Their friends had been more than happy to give them time to their selves after the most grueling battle either of them had ever been through. They were scratched, slashed, muffled, and caked. But it wasn't bothering them as much as they thought. The impending return to doom was the true discomfort.
"Do you think it will hurt?" Tess asked, placing her head in her hands and rubbing her sore and tired eyes.
"Not as much as what we've been through." Alex said simply, turning to face her. Tess flashed him a quick smile, but it soon faded.
"Did it hurt... the first time?"
"Tess..." Alex trailed off, leaving his post at the tree and quickly sitting down next to her on the log. "Please don't think about that." He pleaded, placing his hands on her shoulders and rubbing her bare and cold shoulders to return warmth to them. "It doesn't matter anymore."
"Alex, how can you just forget about that!?" Tess exclaimed, trying to wipe the coming tears before Alex could see them flowing down, but it was too late. "... Ever since we kissed..." Tess left her sentence unfinished and turned her gaze to the ground.
"Ever since we kissed..." Alex repeated, moving a hand from her shoulders to stroke her cheek gently. "Tell me..."
"I can't." Tess said, biting her lip and crossing her arms protectively around herself.
"Please." Alex coerced, tilting her chin gently so that she faced him. Tess let out a stifled sniffle and shook her head. There was only one thing Alex had left to say. "I think you owe it to me, to tell me." He knew the words were memoirs and harsh ones at that. But he needed to know what was troubling her, especially if it had something to do with him.
"I've been wondering if I've been mind-warping you without even intending to!" Tess blurted, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands furiously, turning them red and swollen.
"Shh. Shh." Alex gently pulled her hands from her eyes and looked at the wrecked blonde beside him with as much understanding as he could. "It's not a mind-warp Tess. It's not a mind-warp."
"But, all the other times I've mind-warped since we came back, what if it affected you, what if some hidden desire-"
"Tess. It was a two way street. You know that. I had tried to deny it for awhile, but... you got to me Tess. You really bore down into my soul, and your persistence and wishes for my forgiveness... it meant more to me than I'll ever know. People who aren't serious will continuously pester and beg till they get what they want. You never did that, and you gave me my space, and I knew you were real, just from that. And I'm going to repeat myself; it was not a mind-warp. I really do love you, Tess Harding." Alex looked down into her crystal blue eyes and leaning his head downwards, kissed her tears away tenderly. He felt her shiver at his touch and used his arms to embrace her lovingly.
"I love you." Tess whispered softly, moving her lips up to meet his. Tess felt her heart race and tears of joy brimming at the edge of her eyes as she flashed them open to see Alex smile against her cheery lips. Instinctively, she raised her hands slowly; placing them gently over Alex's quickly beating heart, as they didn't break their kiss. After a few moments of silence, Alex pulled away slightly.
"We don't have much time left." Alex said, repeating what he had said earlier.
"I know." Tess said, looking up at him eye to eye. "You said that." She smiled slightly.
"Tess, I-" He cut himself off quickly, feeling a flush of something like guilt and love at the same time run through him. "I can't believe what I was thinking."
"I know what you were thinking." Tess said, nodding nervously. They didn't need words. The desire and love for each other was visible to the naked eye. "Alex, would you, only if you would, I um. Alex, er..."
"Tess, it's just that well, we never really had a chance to live, and maybe some type of force is giving us time, time to be with each other. I mean, we'll never have a wedding or anything and uh-"
"Yeah. Yeah." Tess nodded. "It's just hard to say... usually... it spontaneously happens. But it's really true when you ask." Tess said, biting her lip. "Alex, will you make love to me?"
"Only if you're sure." Alex whispered.
"Are you sure?"
"I love you Tess, I'm sure as hell. Er- heaven." He chuckled nervously. Tess smiled nervously and simply nodded. Placing his hands on the log they were sitting on, and using his new-found powers stretched the log to the size of a king sized bed and smoothed it out to the softness of one. Cradling Tess Harding gently in his arms, he laid her down on the makeshift bed and then lowered himself next to her, planting a kiss gently on her lips...
(A/N: Yeah I can't write smut. I'm 14; it's a pG-13 story. Shoo!)
Tess slowly opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. It was still dark and the stars shone brightly in the sky, it was probably a couple hours after midnight, and that meant they had only got around an hour of sleep. Turning herself around she found herself wrapped up in a soft blanket and facing her love. Alex Whitman. She caressed his cheek gently, causing him to stir. His eyes fluttered open swiftly and he smiled as his oculars quickly met up to hers.
"Hey." He said softly.
"Hi." Tess whispered. Alex leaned forward and kissed her softly, trailing his tongue against her lips until they parted. After a few moments of passionate kisses they parted again. Alex looked down at the blanket wrapped around them.
"This wasn't here before." He smirked, eyeing the blanket.
"Alex, I didn't want Liz or Max or anyone else accidentally walking in here...," Tess said chuckling as she planted another kiss on Alex's lips. "Oh." Tess pulled away quickly.
"What?" Alex asked, his face filled with concern.
"I don't know... I just felt this weird... tingly sensation go through me?"
"Even an hour after?" Alex chuckled, the male in his ego brimming out. "I'm flattered."
"Sorry Alex, but it's not that... it's... I don't know..."
"I feel it to." Alex said suddenly. The two simply looked at each other. "We should get changed." Instinctively they both grabbed their clothes, putting them back on. Alex took the blanket from the log and draped it around Tess' shoulders. Taking her hand in his the two walked from their hidden cove in the forest to the base of the hill where the others were gathered.
"I can't believe you'z actually married dis dork!" Zan exclaimed, pointing to Max, who crossed his arms defensively. "I know we're good looking but he's so-"
"Zan, I wouldn't finish that sentence." Max smirked, walking over and putting an arm around Liz.
"Zan, did you ever see Ava again?" Liz asked suddenly.
"Eh." Zan looked up at the starry sky for a moment then back down. "Yeah. I died in New York so'z naturally, I returned there. Of course, I see her. With a baby. A baby named Zan, but still a baby, and I swear it's not mine." Zan chuckled.
"Named Zan?" Liz repeated, her eyes wide. She looked at Max who seemed awful alarmed. "Don't worry Max. He's in good hands."
"Anyway. Oh. Whoa. There's that feeling again!" Zan exclaimed.
"Max!" Alex pulled Tess towards the big group. "We're getting the same feeling."
"Do you think this could be it?" Tess said worriedly.
"I, I don't know." Max confessed.
"Oh my god!" Liz exclaimed suddenly. "Alex, you, your growing...wings!" Alex's eyes popped out of their sockets as he looked over his shoulder to be greeted by a pair of soft, white, feathery, and real angel wings. Zan and Tess were also welcomed by this strange experience and watched in amazement.
"Whoa." Kyle blinked.
"Kinda makes you jealous, huh?" Maria said, tilting her head.
"Don't be jealous." Zan scoffed. "These babies come with a price." He said, signaling to the wings on his back.
"I don't know. I'm pretty jealous." Isabel smiled, glancing at Alex and Tess. "But some things are just meant to be... and some thing aren't."
"Well, I guess it'z bye. It was phat, meeting you all." Zan shrugged. "I got some scores to settle back up there though." With an evil smirk he looked up towards the dusty blue sky and levitated off of the ground a couple of feet. There was a pause and then he shot towards the sky at rocket speed, and grew transparent as he went. In the dark sky a beam of holy light from the clouds had opened up, welcoming his soul, and just like THAT! He was gone.
"Liz." Alex stepped forward and gave his best friend a quick hug. Maria quickly joined in. "I'm glad that this time, I get a chance to say good bye."
"Alex, take care of yourself." Maria sniffled.
"No, you take of yourselves." Alex corrected, giving them an extra hug.
"We're always thinking of you." Liz added with a sad smile.
"I know. And I was always watching over you guys." He gave them each a kiss on the cheek and moved over to Kyle. "Dude..."
"Aw, come here man." Kyle said, pulling Alex into a hug. "That was pretty fun. The whole journey through the forest thing." Kyle chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry I never got to say it before... but you were one of the only real friends I ever had. I was really torn..."
"Don't be." Alex said, cutting him off. "You told me, and I appreciate it. I think we made up for lost time." He gave Kyle and extra smile and moved onto to the aliens. "Thanks for everything. Healing me, and letting me fight, and taking care of Liz and Maria, you guys..." He gave Max and Michael a handshake and a hug.
"Take care." Max smiled. Alex nodded and gave Max a salute. "Aye, aye cap'n."
"Now there's the Alex we all know." Michael chuckled. Alex gave him a goofy grin and proceeded onto to Isabel.
"Hey." Isabel said softly.
"Hi." Alex said simply. Isabel admired him for a few moments then pulled him into a quick hug.
"Good luck." Was all she could say as she released him from her grasp.
"Yeah. You too." Alex nodded, walking back to Tess's side. Tess smiled at Alex and then stepped forwards, towards Liz.
"Liz..."
"Tess, we already cleared out our differences." Liz said, thinking back to when she sacrificed herself.
"I know, but I wanted to thank you again." Tess said simply.
"Well, thank you too. For being there for Alex." Liz smiled. Tess grinned and moved over to Kyle, giving him a hug.
"Bye Buddha Boy."
"Bye, sis." Kyle grinned giving her a hug. Tess walked over to Max, Michael, and Isabel. Uneasily, she began what she needed to say.
"I'm sorry. For anything and everything, every pain and hurt that I caused you three." Max nodded as understandingly as possible, Michael simply shrugged and Isabel smiled while clasping her hands behind her back. Tess gave the Pod Squad a weak smile and walked back to Alex's side.
"I can feel it. This is it." Alex said with a deep breath. Tess nodded and leaned against him as he wrapped an arm around her, his wings flapping peacefully.
"You know, Alex. Just because we're in Heaven, doesn't mean we still can't do the bad thing." Tess grinned seductively.
"You think?" Alex smiled widely.
"Not the time, or the place!" Maria called out jokingly.
"We'll have to see." Tess shrugged. Alex grinned and leaned forward, embracing her and kissing her softly as the spirits that be lifted them up towards the sky, and towards their final Heaven.
We never saw Alex or Tess again. Not to mention another skin, Zan, or anyone else. Shortly after Alex and Tess had left, Grandma Claudia and Courtney had also joined the others. And it was just the five of us once again. It was lonely. I missed them all, Grandma, Alex, even Courtney and Tess. There was a bond when everyone was together, and you felt invincible. We were invincible for that short time. Now, we're all alone again and all we have is each other. We're still running from the FBI, of course. I don't know if we'll ever escape them, but I don't worry about it much anymore. I said when we were together, we were invincible, but I know that Alex and Grandma are watching over me, and that in itself contributes enough strength to me. Then there's Max. He is what supplies the rest of the strength, and I try to give back to him. Speaking of Max, we are currently on our way to New York to visit a friend. It seemed out of question at first... Max was concerned about my feelings. You know, these things stay with you forever. But thanks to Alex and Tess, I think I am okay with it. Love conquers all doesn't it? I wasn't even sure I believed that until I saw them both again. As for the hill, well it's the latest tourist attraction since Roswell hit it big. Some witnesses living close by said they saw a bunch of colored lights and heard loud explosive sounds. By the time the police arrived, all they were left to were the burnt remains of the Antar constellation on the top of the hill. Oh, here we are at a local New York City hotel, time to unpack and transform, once again. If you're wondering how we got the van back, well, we didn't. We got a new one. It's been easier for us to move around and stay and motels and stuff lately as we get farther away from our past. Some people say to treasure the past, but now I have to say, don't dwell on it.
Finishing her train of thought, Liz Parker turned around, grabbing her bag from the new van's seat. As she yanked it upwards, a few slips of glossy paper slipped out and fell down onto the car seat. Picking it up gently, and flipping it over she met the photograph of Alex and Tess, arms draped around each other in a friend fashion, with Alex obviously holding the camera in front of them. Smiling to herself, she slipped the photo back into her bag gently, and followed her husband into the motel.
The End.
A/N: Ahhh! I finished! Ahhh! Why am I screaming? I don't know, because I've finished and it feels all funny!
MagnusXXN- He got his wings! He got his wings, that was for you!
Chrissy- The calling Max a dork line was for you. :P
THANK YOU EVERYONE! KEEP SHIPPING (ESPECIALLY ALEX/TESS)!
-Sibby/In Fair Verona
-The Final Confrontation-
By: In Fair Verona/Sibby
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Disclaimer: It's not mine...
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A/N: Well, here it is. The final chapter of 'Alive'. Everything's gonna be solved, everything's gonna come together, and we'll see what happens. I already have the ending planned in my mind (I have for a while) so unfortunately I must say, due to the planned ending and my lack of time, there will be no sequel. I have thoroughly enjoyed working on this story and it will definitely be weird not writing any more chapters. Maybe, once my time is more available again and more of my fanfics will be completed, I will indulge you with another Fifthwheeler story. This has truly been extremely fun, and I probably never would've done this if not for one day getting bored with the usual CC Stargazer-ness and stumbling through fanforum and finding the Fifthwheeler's thread. That opened up a world of possibilities for me then and there and I quickly became adept to the idea of Tess/Alex. It's thanks to Fifthwheeler's that I got over hating Tess, and thanks to Fifthwheelers that all of a sudden I've gone on a UC shipping spree (Of course, nothing wavers my Dreamer heart.) I would definitely like to thank MagnusXXN, and Chrissy, two very faithful Fifthwheelers who have put in their suggestions for the story. Thank you so much you two!
Thank you to every single reviewer who has read/reviewed and here it is...
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Tess buried her face into his chest, her cheeks were red and harsh from leaking with tears and it burned fiercely as her faced rubbed against his worn T-shirt. But she didn't care. She pushed herself as close as she possibly could to him. She had withstood more pain than this and would go through even more to be reunited with Alex again. There was only one problem. Alex had fallen right into Khivar's trap.
"When you're done swooning and mooning over each other, let me know." The deep voice thundered. Alex and Tess stood unaffected, wrapped up in each other's arms without paying attention. "I have a few romantic moments I need to get through myself." He waved his arm and in a blooding curdling scream Isabel appeared before them, falling into the alien dictator's arms. Hearing the shriek, followed by a faint yelp from Kyle, Tess and Alex pulled apart slowly, keeping their arms encircled around another for safety, but looking at the evil alien head on. "Glad you could join us Vilandra." The blonde alien ran his hand through her short auburn hair, holding her close to him. "I preferred you as a blonde, but none of that matters anymore, we're together and now that we have Alex here as bait, it won't be long before Zan comes to the rescue and I finish him off-for good this time." He grinned, holding onto Vilandra's waist tightly.
"Khivar!" Isabel said in frustration, trying to push herself away. Alex frowned and looked from Tess to Isabel to Khivar.
"Khivar ... you're sick." Tess snapped, glaring at him and holding on tighter to Alex. "A sick ... twisted ... insidious bastard."
"Yes. I am." He gazed at the human and the alien queen, and eyed them suspiciously. His eye twitched suddenly and Tess let out a painful cry. Khivar smirked triumphantly.
"Ah!" Tess cried, limping onto her knees. Alex quickly rushed down on his knees as well, holding her at his side.
"Tess, what's wrong? Tess what did he do?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Tess breathed all of a sudden. "He's just using his powers..."
"He's hurting you!" Alex said fiercely. He stood up and faced Khivar, who seemed very careless and nonchalant. "Hey!" Alex barked, calling his attention away from Isabel. Alex grabbed onto Isabel's hand and pulled her easily out of Khivar's grasp. "Go to Kyle ... now." He demanded, standing in front of Isabel and Tess and before Khivar. Isabel didn't need telling twice and she took off.
"Alex what are you doing?" Tess said painfully, seeing the man she loved standing in front of the most powerful alien alive. An alien who could hurt him easily. "Alex, don't, stay back-"
"No. I'm not as easy as he thinks. No one is going to hurt the people I care about. It's his fault that we're all in this predicament anyway. And I am going to make him pay for it! I'm going to unleash my fury because it wouldn't be this way if he didn't-"
"Alex!" Tess cried. "If it wasn't for him ... would Isabel, Max, Michael, and I be here? If it weren't for him, would Max and Michael have met Liz and Maria? If it weren't for him, I'd still be living on Antar unhappily with Max. If it wasn't for him, would I have fallen in love with you?" Her voice stung his heart fiercely and he turned his back to Khivar and looked at her pleadingly.
"Tess, you can't expect me to just let him off the hook?"
"You're not strong enough Alex, I just don't want you getting hurt-"
"I have my powers!"
"I know you do, Alex, I know you do. But it doesn't matter ... he'll always be stronger. He defeated Max and Michael together, Alex, don't forget..."
"I can't just let hi-" Alex was cut off as he was levitated off the ground and his hands wrapped around his neck. A ragged gagging noise escaped his throat and Tess screamed out.
"Khivar! Stop!" She crawled over on her weak legs, the muddy dirt rubbing all over her knees as she approached and raised her hand at his face. A soft cerulean blue and white translucent light emitted from it and stung him in the eye, he blinked and Alex dropped to the floor. Tess crawled over to his body and laid his head in her lap.
"Why do people always find the need to choke me?" Alex murmured... "Second time today..."
"Alex..." Tess said softly, caressing his hair with her hands. "Alex!" She called out as she was thrown backwards on the hill and away from him.
"Tess!" Alex yelled, struggling to get on his feet again.
"I'm getting bored with this soap opera. I have much attending to do until Zan arrives." With a snap of his finger, the hoards of skins that was once there before surrounded them all, filing in and climbing up the big hill. A girl skin with long auburn hair grasped Alex tightly, digging her nails into his skin and another female evil alien had already held Tess down at her knees. Moments later, two bulky males emerged through the crowd holding Isabel and a limping Kyle. "I think this will be interesting." Khivar sighed, raising his hands in a circular motion. The canopy of trees surrounding the hill around suddenly grew and stretched towards them. They encircled and ensnared each other, the complex branches and vines hovered over what once was a peaceful clearing. As the trees thickened to become a black out roof, almost total darkness engulfed them. "Drink, my children." Khivar said, hands still raised as the thunder boomed and rain began to fall through the tiny cracks, replenishing the millions of hoards of skins. The last thing Alex saw, in the barely visible surroundings was Khivar snapping his fingers, the sound echoing through the forest, and Tess's hopeful eyes, before something hit hard across the back of his skull. Then, nothing was visible at all anymore.
"What's happening? Is he having a seizure?"
"No, no! He's coming to... Alex... Alex? Are you awake?"
"Um...huh?" Alex mumbled, hearing Tess's voice calling out to him. He blinked and cleared the blurred vision from his eyes to see Tess peering over above him carefully. "Tess!"
"That means he's awake." Kyle explained to Isabel. Alex looked around at the three others and frowned.
"Where are we?" Alex asked. The sky was a dark blue and the stars and distant galaxies twinkled before them. On either side of Alex was grass sloped and piled up high. "Are we in a ditch?!"
"Give the boy a prize." Kyle said sarcastically. Alex tried to move to get a better view of his surroundings, but ended up toppling over to his side, his face kissing the slick wet Earth. "And yes, your hands are bound. All our hands are bound." Kyle said, answering the question before it was asked. Alex look over his shoulder, seeing his hands tied together by something metallic ... it wasn't rope, or tape, or anything possibly human.
"What? Is it?"
"Cadmium X." Tess replied simply. "Yes, it's melded."
"I'm guessing that makes it a no-go on any escape plan?" Alex asked, shifting into a more comfortable position on the ground before using his elbow to prop him upright again.
"Not really." Tess smiled meticulously. "We were waiting for you to wake up." She looked to Isabel and Kyle who smiled despite the fate of their current circumstances.
"Is there...well, obviously there is, but is there... a plan?"
"Yes," Isabel nodded, her auburn hair was slicked back from her face and water dripped down the side of her sickly pale face.
"But we have to work fast..." Tess finished. "And be as adroit as possible ... it's going to take some duplicity..."
"Shouldn't be too hard then." Kyle scoffed, looking at both Isabel and Tess.
"Anyway. We just need Isabel to distract Khivar, and she can get herself free, which leaves the three of us. Once Isabel is gone, Alex use your powers of telekinesis to blow these bindings, and we'll hide nearby. I'll mind-warp the skin that patrols every now and then, into thinking we're still there. Then we can leave, and Kyle will just have to buy us as much time as we can."
"What about Isabel?" Alex asked, the worry apparent in his voice.
"I can take care of myself Alex. I'll be fine. We've got it all planned, we just have to be quick about it."
"Exactly." Tess finished. She turned to Isabel. "Go."
"Master... Vilandra wishes to see you." The skin said in monotone, bowing at the level ground on top of the hill before the alien dictator. Khivar looked down at the female skin with her red auburn hair hanging low and touching the murky puddles in the grass.
"It's about time." He said gruffly. "Bring her to me." The skin dashed off and not too long later, returned, grasping Isabel tightly around the arm. Isabel could've used her powers to blow the stupid bitch to smithereens, but thought better of it. "Vilandra."
"Khivar." Isabel replied bravely, holding her head up high as she walked to the top of the widespread hill. He smirked maliciously and waved his hand in an upward motion, as two dark thrones made and embedded with Cadmium X literally sprouted and flourished from the ground. Isabel warily made her way to the thrones and seated herself in one. The hard surface wasn't comfortable neither on back nor behind, and Isabel shifted but couldn't help but be averse to the seating arrangements. Khivar swiftly plopped himself down next to her.
"It feels good doesn't it?" He said slowly, sitting upon his throne and scanning the horizon. "Powerful?"
"...This is where I belong. At the top." Isabel said with vivid breath as she exhaled the scent of rain and cold air. "With you." She looked at him. For a general bastard, he wasn't hideous. It was probably why she- Vilandra had fallen for him so many eons ago. Too bad, she was not Vilandra.
"With me?" Khivar replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm followed by a sort of growl/chuckle. "Oh, don't tell me Vilandra. This is some foolish plan made by your pathetic human friends to distract me?"
"It's not." Isabel said hastily. Too hastily. "And if it was..." She leaned forward towards him, resting a hand gently on her shoulder. "Wouldn't you say it was working?" Isabel whispered softly. She flicked her eyes up at his, and the steely gray oculars were indeed distracted. So she made her move, and kissed him.
"Done." Alex announced harshly. Kyle wriggled his hands free of the broken metallic bonding and was helped up to a standing position by Tess and Alex. He took a moment to dust the grass off of his wet once expensive clothing. Talk about a grass stain ... and pneumonia!
"Hurry, into those bushes!" Tess said frantically, pointing to a group of bushes by the trees some 10 feet away. Ducking and trotting in the mud, causing light splashes in the forming puddles, Tess led the two men towards their destination. They reached the bushes in time and all hid behind the thick tree trunks, as a skin with long auburn bright red hair approached.
"Do your thing." Alex whispered to Tess, giving her a supportive smile. She grinned esthetically and closed her eyes in deep concentration... Alex and Kyle watched silently as she'd frown and then lift her eyebrows patiently and then furrow them again. It shouldn't be taking this long ... suddenly Tess flicked both her eyes open and her jaw dropped.
"Oh no." She whispered. Alex put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.
"Tess, what is it? Did it not work?"
"It did... but then..." She stood up suddenly, and brushed aside the bush branches faltering their view. Alex and Kyle stood behind her and peered out into the clearing. Standing there, by a limp body of the auburn skin, was Michael Guerin and Max Evans.
"Is she...dead?" Max asked carefully, looking over Michael's tall shoulders. Michael shrugged nonchalantly and turned.
"Dammit!" He exclaimed. Max spun on his heels in time to see a blurry figure running up the hill behind them. "A skin! He's going to Khivar!"
"It would've been unavoidable..." Max trailed off, rolling up his damp sleeves. He peered into the ditch. "Michael look..." He pointed at the strips of metallic gray laying in the dirt, bending down onto his knees and picking one up. "Cadmium X?"
"You think?"
"They were here..." Max announced, standing up and dropping the metal strip. "They're right here... really close I can feel it. I can feel all three of them."
"Isabel, Alex, and Kyle?" Michael asked, shifting on his feet.
"No. Alex, Kyle and... Tess."
"Tess? Of course." Michael said, glancing around. Suddenly a bolt of lightning struck Michael in the foot sending him spiraling away from Max.
"Michael!"
"It's Khivar!" Michael said, pointing to the top of the hill, where a dark shadow stood out against the steely cold wind, holding another figure with him.
"And Isabel." Max said worriedly.
"Max!" A faint shout came from the trees and Max and Michael both turned seeing three familiar faces there.
"Alex." Max announced, taking a step forward and then flying off his feet as an unseemly force pulled him away, skidding his body across the grassy slopes of the hill. The next thing he knew he was on his back, and after a series of faint cries, Alex had landed next to him. They were on top of the hill... and standing before them, was Khivar with Isabel clutched desperately to his side. Max quickly pulled himself onto his feet and glared at his immortal enemy. "Khivar."
"Zan."
"It's Max."
"Touching." Khivar smiled. He threw Isabel down at the two men and Alex stood up quickly to catch her.
"Is!" He straightened her and Isabel hung on dearly to his side. In the same moment, Michael emerged from the bottom of the hill.
"Michael." Max looked over his shoulder. "Take Isabel and Alex and go!"
"What? I'm going to kick this guy's ass Maxwell!"
"No, no you're not!" Max yelled over the now howling wind. "Take them and take Liz and everyone else far away! This is my fight!"
"Your fight!? That's bull Maxwell!"
"He's right Michael, this is his fight." Isabel pleaded, limping on Alex.
"Take her!" Max repeated. Michael knew it would only danger them all to oppose and carefully took Isabel into his arms and backed down the hill. Khivar watched with an amused face. "Alex!" Max yelled.
"I'm not going Max!"
"Alex, you're not as strong as Michael, you can't be here!"
"Max, Michael's better off helping the others, but I'm better off here! This is something I also have to do! It wasn't before, but it's my battle now! He hurt Tess, and he's going to pay!"
"Alex, you're in over your head!"
"Listen to him, human." Khivar yawned, diminishing the two thrones to make way for a battlefield. "But I have no problem with a 2 on 1."
"I'm not leaving!" Alex yelled.
"Very Well." Khivar smirked, snapping both his fingers causing two bolts of lightning to protrude from the heavens, nearly missing both Max and Alex who stood their ground. Max glared with belligerence at Khivar.
"How did you do it Khivar?" Max asked. "I'm curious..."
"Of course you are. That's the same thing you asked me before I conquered you so many years ago. I told you, right before the final blow, that it was all your sister... then I killed you." Max curled his hands into fists at this.
"That wasn't my sister. That was Zan's sister."
"Right." Khivar grinned. "But since your curious... let me tell you a little story. It starts of like this... I won... You won the many battles, but I won the war. I had done it. You, Rath, Ava were all dead. I had won and I left the royal palace to retrieve one of my many prizes- your sister. However, when I returned to my quarters she was dead. She committed suicide. I rushed back to the royal palace, only to find all three dead bodies missing. You had a faithful friend... by the name of Larek. He took your remains, as well as Vilandra's and two remains of the elders, and went to the Granolith Chamber where she met up with, none other than your mother. Together they created the human alien hybrid pod from you, using informaton from a recent controversial experiment, in a hasty attempt to preserve your lives. Then they made another batch, in case something where to go wrong. Before I could stop them, they had sent you off. But I did get the pleasure of ending their miserable little lives. That's right. I killed your mother. Oh, how she begged for mercy at my-"
"Shut up!" Max yelled in a rampage, lunging at Khivar and knocking him down. Max pelted the alien's face with his fist causing green blood to seep out through Khivar's nostrils.
"You think you'll win this by a match of wits?" Khivar laughed, using his powers to through Max off of him. "I'm not done with the story! So I lived and ruled the kingdom of the dead, since I killed everyone... and it was not what I had depicted. Sure, the exiled skins had returned, but I realized I would not yet be satisfied... until I killed you. But there was no sign of you... or your duplicates... at all. Until... using the orbs the message from your mother was displayed before you... and I knew exactly where you were. I sent my skins... I contacted Nasedo... I made a clever deal with him and I told him where the Granolith was located. But Nasedo and his little blonde bitch failed, and you obliterated my skins. And as your precious humans say, 'if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself!' So it took me almost a whole year, but your Mother Nature seems to work into my advantage. On Antar, we have something called a stellar-"
"A stellar lineage." Max finished, cutting him off. Alex listened carefully to both the aliens. "It's when the V constellation the 5 planets orbit in, are shifted into a straight line, basically, it's an eclipse." Max explained to Alex.
"Amazing. You remember."
"It just came to me."
"A stellar lineage only happens every 351 earth years, that is 546 Antar revolutions. When the planets align like so..." Khivar pointed to the grass beneath him as 5 patches of grass darkened into the V constellation and then shifted into a straight line, and then back to the constellation again. "Power is increased 10 ten fold, and you already know how powerful I am. This lineage, can allow a simple alien to open a black hole in space with their very thoughts- a more advanced alien could open up a can of worms. I had planned to use this eclipse to open up a very peticular can of worms."
"Heaven." Alex muttered, glaring at Khivar.
"Please, not just Heaven. Hell, as well. I mean, my entire army was down there in that confounded earthen underworld of yours! If I had a choice, you wouldn't be here." Khivar said, glancing at Alex. "Heaven and Hell are your Earth's forces of balance. Good and Bad, Holy and Evil, etc... Releasing only one of them... could have disastrous effects... in a kindred explanation- your world would tip over on it's axis and fall into space... eventually the outer pressures would force it to combust, as well."
"I didn't know you cared so much." Max said sarcastically, watching as Khivar paced back and forth.
"Please. Do you think I wanted to revive my forces, which would return to the location of their demise, and then have the planet explode? Quite, silly, and oh, idiotic don't you agree?" Max and Alex simply glanced at each other and then back at Khivar.
"Are you done yet?" Alex asked, "I've been waiting for a while now to kick some ass."
"If you say so. I've waited so long for this... " Khivar trailed off, stopping in the middle of his pacing before the two men and spreading his feet apart. Without warning he lifted his hand and a translucent orange beam shot out of it, straight towards them. Max was quicker and with a wave of his hand, a green forcefield was in front of him and Alex, the orange laser reflected off of Max's field and shot up towards the sky. Once again, without expectation, Khivar launched a volley of orange missiles at them, bombarding Max's forcefield as he struggled to keep it up. "You can't hide under there forever!"
"On three..." Max shouted to Alex, over the volley of orange neon missiles. Alex nodded. "One... two... three!" And the forcefield vanished...
"Tess! Liz! Come on!" Michael yelled to the two girls still standing at the foot off the hill. The same look reflected in each one's eyes. In Liz's amber honey oculars, the worry, love, and commitment of her relationship with Max. In Tess's shiny blue pools were the concern, adoration and love of Alex Whitman. Michael didn't have time for this... He ran towards them, grabbing each by the arm. "Let's go!"
"I can't!" Liz and Tess protested in unison. They both looked at each other in surprise, they probably hadn't even notice they had been standing there together for about 5 minutes, watching the orange, green and various colorful sparks fly from the hill.
"Alex is still up there!" Tess cried, yanking her arm away from Michael's grasp."I'm not leaving!"
"Fine! See if I care if you get blown up!" Michael shouted. "Come on Liz." He led her back towards the trees where everyone else was waiting desperately. Liz looked over her shoulder at Tess who watched the battle vividly. Liz tore her hand free of Michael and ran to her grandma and Maria.
"Grandma!" Liz exclaimed, throwing her arms around her grandma and hugging her tightly. "Do you remember, when you told me... if it wasn't complicated it isn't love?"
"Of course I do. It was the wisest thing I ever told you..." Claudia said, stroking her grand daughter's hair.
"Grandma... it's complicated."
"I know. I understand. Go."
"Wait, what's going on?" Maria asked in confusion, staring at her best friend in perplexion. Liz threw her arms around Maria as well.
"My husband needs me." With that she pulled away and pushed past Michael, running with all the speed she could muster until she returned to Tess's side, holding the stitch in her stomach. "Tess! Let's go!"
"Finally, I knew you'd come back." Tess commented. With that, the two girls quickly made their way back up the hill...
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Alex screamed as he was thrust onto his back with a loud snap, crackle, and indeed, a pop. Max waved his arm forward, sending Khivar flying backwards as well before running to Alex's side and placing his hand under Alex's back. The soft white light emitted as he began to heal the fractures.
"Alex!" Tess shouted, running to his side, with Liz trailing behind. Max looked up suddenly, and stood up in alarm after healing Alex, who was helped up by Tess.
"What are you doing here?" He said frantically to Liz, and then gave Tess an accusing look.
"Max, I came here, because I had to be your side, the way Tess needs to be by Alex's side!" Liz said urgently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm not letting you do this alone. You said yourself that we decide our own destinies Max, that's what we're doing, that's what we're all doing, and your destiny isn't going to repeat itself, because you're not going to be finished by him!" Liz said, her eyes watering.
"Liz, I-" Suddenly by some supernatural gravitational pull, Max was falling forward through the air, pushed into Liz, whom he wrapped his arms around protectively as they were pushed off the hill and falling down with rapid speed.
"Liz!" Alex yelped, looking behind him as the two stumbled down. He looked frantically to Tess who looked just as shocked. He looked back at Khivar who approached rapidly towards them. Tess quickly held up her hand, the cerulean beam of fluorescence flashed out and hitting Khivar straight in the heart. He dropped onto his knees quickly and Tess held onto Alex tightly and waited... "Tess, you didn't... kill him... did you?" Alex whispered. Tess shook her head.
"I couldn't have... Max's powers surpass mine... and Khivar is too strong... it's impossible." Tess said softly, staring at the lifeless form. Suddenly, the seemingly dead body convulsed and using it's hands-er claws, jumped backwards onto his huge feet. It was the most gruesome sight they had ever seen... a green alligator skinned face, and arms of 3 tentacles protruding. The torso was far too large and ripped the human clothing that was worn. What must've been his hair, were 3 jagged spikes that immersed from the crown of his head and were stained with blood, like his yellow venom eyes and even yellowed fanged teeth. It was a hideous sight; the monstrous creature was the wailing quintessence of all belligerences and the enmity of evil itself.
"What the fu..." Alex trailed off, he grimaced at Khivar wide-eyed, not in terror, but in shocking disgust.
"It's... it's his real form." Tess said softly.
"Max! Liz!" Isabel ran forward, helping her brother and his wife onto their feet. Max didn't waste any time to brush himself off and turned to Liz.
"Are you all right?" He asked with concern. Liz opened her mouth to answer when a loud agonizing roar cut her off. The three all looked to the top of the hill; Alex and Tess's forms emerged, running down frantically hand in hand. "What's happening..." Max trailed off, holding his arm and healing it quickly. All of a sudden, the green protruding monster rose high and followed them with slow yet gargantuan steps. On his hind legs, he stood at about 15 feet tall and loomed over them. Tess and Alex made it to Isabel, Max and Liz, and now Michael had joined them as well.
"Holy shit." Michael muttered. "Maxwell... think fast."
"I'm going to fight it." Max said simply.
"Don't you get it- you beat it up badly enough and it keeps getting stronger!" Michael protested.
"It didn't happen like this last time... he didn't do this. That means I've gotten stronger as well."
"Then the battle's not over, and we still have to fight." Alex said from beside them. Max turned to Alex.
"I don't think I can stop you."
"No way, no how."
"And you can't stop us either." Tess said, holding onto Alex's hand dearly and glancing at Liz. Liz smiled up at Max.
"It's going to take a lot of us to kick that thing's ass..." Michael trailed off. He shrugged. "What the hell, what have we got to lose?"
"The ones we love. Which is why we have to do this." Alex said, grinning goofishly at the most un-appropriate time.
"Agh!" Max turned around just in time as Khivar hauled up on him, ready to strike, but Max sent him backwards. It was harder to use his telekinesis- Khivar weighing a hell lot more now and all that. Liz quickly linked hands with Max and Michael stepped in between Tess and Liz, closing the gap. Isabel took Alex's other hand and they all faced the coming alien. Khivar growled a shrieking sound far worse than a banshee and opening his mouth, yielding a bright yellow ray to come towards them. "Now!" Max yelled. Putting all of their concentration, energy, and most of all, love and emotions- pouring it through each other as it emitted from Max's hand in one brilliant flash of blinding soft white.
"Whoa." Alex breathed out, opening his eyes to look at the spectacle as the two beams met and refracted slightly at the crash into another. Sparks shed and flew, but they all stood their ground. It was an exhilarating moment... and indeed it only lasted a moment as their astonishment grew when Khivar's streak of yellow started to pulverize it's way towards them slowly, defeating the white glow. Isabel unwilling let out a startled cry, but turned her head curiously when she felt someone take her hand. She smiled warmly at Kyle who had his hands linked with Maria as well. Liz looked over her shoulder back to the woods where she could make out Courtney standing shyly but watching intricately, with Grandma Claudia.
"Go." Grandma Claudia said to the young blonde girl. "They need you. I'll be fine." With that, Courtney sprang forth from the trees and ran towards the group. She pushed her way through into Tess and Michael's hands and grinned up at Michael. With the addition of the three, well two aliens powerates and one 100% human, their beam was vitally charged up a great degree. So much in fact, that Khivar let out another agonizingly bloody shriek.
"You don't want to defeat me!" Khivar roared. "I am the master of the heavens and hells- if you defeat me, your friends will join me in death! You won't accomplish anything!" Liz frowned and almost dropped her hand from Max as she leaned forward to look at Alex and Tess with sympathy. Alex returned a weak smile and looked down at Tess. With that smile that you could read his feeling so clearly, Alex slowly nodded his head at Liz reassuringly. A few silver tears slid down Liz's cheek for her best friend and she turned boldly to face the alien monster. Then something horrible happened. Their connection was weaker! Somehow, when Liz had paused, the energy that had built up so greatly had gone down. And now it was taking its toll on Max! The alien king let out a painful gasp, and using his free hand to clutch a pain in his side.
"Max!" Liz yelled, looking at him frantically. As Max dropped to his knees the power to their connection had weakened twice as much now. They were doomed.
"He's targeting his powers on Max!" Tess yelled. "He was trying to fight us all of, but he realizes he can defeat us by eliminating the most powerful!" The monster roared with an evil sickening laughter as shrill as a banshee did. Tempting enough to make the Roswellians let go of their firm grip of each other to cover their ears.
"What do we do!?" Isabel shouted, looking at Tess as if the answer was clearly written across her face. Tess looked helplessly at Alex and then to Max and Liz then back to Isabel.
"I don't think there's anything we can do." She replied softly.
"I can try to heal Max!" Alex shouted, almost letting go of Tess's hand.
"Alex, don't break the connection!" Tess said quickly. "It wouldn't help anyway, it would take away your power from the group as well!"
"Pathetic fools. Don't you realize that the only way you'd defeat me is with the power of another king, which you have already lost?" Khivar boomed, using his powers to elicit another gasp from Max who was now in such bad shape he lay on the grass in seizures and convulsions with Liz bending down, trying not to break her grip but to keep her husband safe as well.
"We're done. We're done. This is it." Michael said simply, shaking his head and clicking his tongue.
"Wellz, if they need anudder king, guess dat's what I'm here fo?" A strange voice interrupted them from behind the Roswellians. (A/N: Guess! Guess who the special guest star is! GUESS!) Tess looked over her shoulder, sweeping her wet blonde hair around. Her jaw dropped and she nearly let go herself...
"Zan!?" She practically shrieked in disbelief.
"ZAN!" Michael yelled frantically, looking over his shoulder to get a glimpse of Max's dupe. Zan stepped forward from the shadows of the treetops. The remaining white light glowed against his face. Placing his hands on his hips and examining the battle field moment for a few moments, he finally spoke.
"Sorry fo da delay. You know howz it iz, being dead n shit." Zan shrugged.
"Zan, please help us!" Alex shouted.
"No shit sherlock, what else am I doin' here?" Zan said, walking forward and pushing himself between Michael and Liz, taking their hands. "Let'z get this ova with, and let me show you how'z it'z done!" Zan exclaimed. Liz and Michael simply watched in awe, as Zan squeezed his eyes shut and you could tell he was concentrating exactly. Within a few moments a golden wave of energy in the form of light had gleamed off of Zan's body and the light surrounded Liz and Michael, spreading towards the end of the chain and revitalizing Max who was brought back to his feet. "A'ight, let'z do this!" Zan exclaimed, snapping his eyes open energetically. "I've been waiting for this for a long time Khivar!"
"This is impossible! Of all the foul things to happen!" Khivar roared. "TWO OF YOU!"
"Don't forget us!" Alex recoiled, signaling to the rest of them. Khivar simply glared and opened his mouth, the streaks of yellow energy shooting like pistols and bullets from his jaw. They were no match for the energy Zan had awakened in them all, including 100% human Maria who glowed with excitement. Zan leaned over Liz and nodded in a signal to Max, who slowly raised his weak and battered arm up at Khivar. Within seconds, the most phenomenal thing (besides Alex and Tess falling in love) had happened. It was like a photon ray, or some sonic boom, sheer rejuvenation. The alien nuclear bomb. It had erupted from Maxwell's hand in a burst of vivid colors, every single color of the spectrum imaginable. And it had gone in all directions. Thrusting Earth's self proclaimed and destined warriors to the ground and slicing into Khivar. Slicing into Khivar so much that he was blown back so far, to the extreme that-
"He's dead." Alex said softly, lifting himself to his elbows and adjusting to the mud beneath his battle battered body.
"Oh my gosh." Tess exclaimed, rolling over on her side so that she faced Alex. Alex laid his head back down in the grass and wrapped an arm around Tess, pulling her head down onto his chest. He listened to her faint soft and shallow breathing and she listened to his rapid heartbeats as they gradually slowed down.
"We did it." Alex smiled, kissing her forehead. "We did it."
A/N: And now... the real fluff!
"How much time do you think we have?" Tess said softly, sitting down on an old log in the tree covered outskirts of the hill. The hill. It would be like some sort of a landmark now. The trees had shrunken back and the rain had ceased, leaving the view of a clear stellar starlight sky. However, the embedded burn marks of the royal seal of Antar forever scarred the top of the grassy slope.
"Not much." Alex said, from his place leaning against the tree. They had found themselves a nice little place in the privacy of the trees, while the others made preparations outside in the clearing. Their friends had been more than happy to give them time to their selves after the most grueling battle either of them had ever been through. They were scratched, slashed, muffled, and caked. But it wasn't bothering them as much as they thought. The impending return to doom was the true discomfort.
"Do you think it will hurt?" Tess asked, placing her head in her hands and rubbing her sore and tired eyes.
"Not as much as what we've been through." Alex said simply, turning to face her. Tess flashed him a quick smile, but it soon faded.
"Did it hurt... the first time?"
"Tess..." Alex trailed off, leaving his post at the tree and quickly sitting down next to her on the log. "Please don't think about that." He pleaded, placing his hands on her shoulders and rubbing her bare and cold shoulders to return warmth to them. "It doesn't matter anymore."
"Alex, how can you just forget about that!?" Tess exclaimed, trying to wipe the coming tears before Alex could see them flowing down, but it was too late. "... Ever since we kissed..." Tess left her sentence unfinished and turned her gaze to the ground.
"Ever since we kissed..." Alex repeated, moving a hand from her shoulders to stroke her cheek gently. "Tell me..."
"I can't." Tess said, biting her lip and crossing her arms protectively around herself.
"Please." Alex coerced, tilting her chin gently so that she faced him. Tess let out a stifled sniffle and shook her head. There was only one thing Alex had left to say. "I think you owe it to me, to tell me." He knew the words were memoirs and harsh ones at that. But he needed to know what was troubling her, especially if it had something to do with him.
"I've been wondering if I've been mind-warping you without even intending to!" Tess blurted, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands furiously, turning them red and swollen.
"Shh. Shh." Alex gently pulled her hands from her eyes and looked at the wrecked blonde beside him with as much understanding as he could. "It's not a mind-warp Tess. It's not a mind-warp."
"But, all the other times I've mind-warped since we came back, what if it affected you, what if some hidden desire-"
"Tess. It was a two way street. You know that. I had tried to deny it for awhile, but... you got to me Tess. You really bore down into my soul, and your persistence and wishes for my forgiveness... it meant more to me than I'll ever know. People who aren't serious will continuously pester and beg till they get what they want. You never did that, and you gave me my space, and I knew you were real, just from that. And I'm going to repeat myself; it was not a mind-warp. I really do love you, Tess Harding." Alex looked down into her crystal blue eyes and leaning his head downwards, kissed her tears away tenderly. He felt her shiver at his touch and used his arms to embrace her lovingly.
"I love you." Tess whispered softly, moving her lips up to meet his. Tess felt her heart race and tears of joy brimming at the edge of her eyes as she flashed them open to see Alex smile against her cheery lips. Instinctively, she raised her hands slowly; placing them gently over Alex's quickly beating heart, as they didn't break their kiss. After a few moments of silence, Alex pulled away slightly.
"We don't have much time left." Alex said, repeating what he had said earlier.
"I know." Tess said, looking up at him eye to eye. "You said that." She smiled slightly.
"Tess, I-" He cut himself off quickly, feeling a flush of something like guilt and love at the same time run through him. "I can't believe what I was thinking."
"I know what you were thinking." Tess said, nodding nervously. They didn't need words. The desire and love for each other was visible to the naked eye. "Alex, would you, only if you would, I um. Alex, er..."
"Tess, it's just that well, we never really had a chance to live, and maybe some type of force is giving us time, time to be with each other. I mean, we'll never have a wedding or anything and uh-"
"Yeah. Yeah." Tess nodded. "It's just hard to say... usually... it spontaneously happens. But it's really true when you ask." Tess said, biting her lip. "Alex, will you make love to me?"
"Only if you're sure." Alex whispered.
"Are you sure?"
"I love you Tess, I'm sure as hell. Er- heaven." He chuckled nervously. Tess smiled nervously and simply nodded. Placing his hands on the log they were sitting on, and using his new-found powers stretched the log to the size of a king sized bed and smoothed it out to the softness of one. Cradling Tess Harding gently in his arms, he laid her down on the makeshift bed and then lowered himself next to her, planting a kiss gently on her lips...
(A/N: Yeah I can't write smut. I'm 14; it's a pG-13 story. Shoo!)
Tess slowly opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. It was still dark and the stars shone brightly in the sky, it was probably a couple hours after midnight, and that meant they had only got around an hour of sleep. Turning herself around she found herself wrapped up in a soft blanket and facing her love. Alex Whitman. She caressed his cheek gently, causing him to stir. His eyes fluttered open swiftly and he smiled as his oculars quickly met up to hers.
"Hey." He said softly.
"Hi." Tess whispered. Alex leaned forward and kissed her softly, trailing his tongue against her lips until they parted. After a few moments of passionate kisses they parted again. Alex looked down at the blanket wrapped around them.
"This wasn't here before." He smirked, eyeing the blanket.
"Alex, I didn't want Liz or Max or anyone else accidentally walking in here...," Tess said chuckling as she planted another kiss on Alex's lips. "Oh." Tess pulled away quickly.
"What?" Alex asked, his face filled with concern.
"I don't know... I just felt this weird... tingly sensation go through me?"
"Even an hour after?" Alex chuckled, the male in his ego brimming out. "I'm flattered."
"Sorry Alex, but it's not that... it's... I don't know..."
"I feel it to." Alex said suddenly. The two simply looked at each other. "We should get changed." Instinctively they both grabbed their clothes, putting them back on. Alex took the blanket from the log and draped it around Tess' shoulders. Taking her hand in his the two walked from their hidden cove in the forest to the base of the hill where the others were gathered.
"I can't believe you'z actually married dis dork!" Zan exclaimed, pointing to Max, who crossed his arms defensively. "I know we're good looking but he's so-"
"Zan, I wouldn't finish that sentence." Max smirked, walking over and putting an arm around Liz.
"Zan, did you ever see Ava again?" Liz asked suddenly.
"Eh." Zan looked up at the starry sky for a moment then back down. "Yeah. I died in New York so'z naturally, I returned there. Of course, I see her. With a baby. A baby named Zan, but still a baby, and I swear it's not mine." Zan chuckled.
"Named Zan?" Liz repeated, her eyes wide. She looked at Max who seemed awful alarmed. "Don't worry Max. He's in good hands."
"Anyway. Oh. Whoa. There's that feeling again!" Zan exclaimed.
"Max!" Alex pulled Tess towards the big group. "We're getting the same feeling."
"Do you think this could be it?" Tess said worriedly.
"I, I don't know." Max confessed.
"Oh my god!" Liz exclaimed suddenly. "Alex, you, your growing...wings!" Alex's eyes popped out of their sockets as he looked over his shoulder to be greeted by a pair of soft, white, feathery, and real angel wings. Zan and Tess were also welcomed by this strange experience and watched in amazement.
"Whoa." Kyle blinked.
"Kinda makes you jealous, huh?" Maria said, tilting her head.
"Don't be jealous." Zan scoffed. "These babies come with a price." He said, signaling to the wings on his back.
"I don't know. I'm pretty jealous." Isabel smiled, glancing at Alex and Tess. "But some things are just meant to be... and some thing aren't."
"Well, I guess it'z bye. It was phat, meeting you all." Zan shrugged. "I got some scores to settle back up there though." With an evil smirk he looked up towards the dusty blue sky and levitated off of the ground a couple of feet. There was a pause and then he shot towards the sky at rocket speed, and grew transparent as he went. In the dark sky a beam of holy light from the clouds had opened up, welcoming his soul, and just like THAT! He was gone.
"Liz." Alex stepped forward and gave his best friend a quick hug. Maria quickly joined in. "I'm glad that this time, I get a chance to say good bye."
"Alex, take care of yourself." Maria sniffled.
"No, you take of yourselves." Alex corrected, giving them an extra hug.
"We're always thinking of you." Liz added with a sad smile.
"I know. And I was always watching over you guys." He gave them each a kiss on the cheek and moved over to Kyle. "Dude..."
"Aw, come here man." Kyle said, pulling Alex into a hug. "That was pretty fun. The whole journey through the forest thing." Kyle chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry I never got to say it before... but you were one of the only real friends I ever had. I was really torn..."
"Don't be." Alex said, cutting him off. "You told me, and I appreciate it. I think we made up for lost time." He gave Kyle and extra smile and moved onto to the aliens. "Thanks for everything. Healing me, and letting me fight, and taking care of Liz and Maria, you guys..." He gave Max and Michael a handshake and a hug.
"Take care." Max smiled. Alex nodded and gave Max a salute. "Aye, aye cap'n."
"Now there's the Alex we all know." Michael chuckled. Alex gave him a goofy grin and proceeded onto to Isabel.
"Hey." Isabel said softly.
"Hi." Alex said simply. Isabel admired him for a few moments then pulled him into a quick hug.
"Good luck." Was all she could say as she released him from her grasp.
"Yeah. You too." Alex nodded, walking back to Tess's side. Tess smiled at Alex and then stepped forwards, towards Liz.
"Liz..."
"Tess, we already cleared out our differences." Liz said, thinking back to when she sacrificed herself.
"I know, but I wanted to thank you again." Tess said simply.
"Well, thank you too. For being there for Alex." Liz smiled. Tess grinned and moved over to Kyle, giving him a hug.
"Bye Buddha Boy."
"Bye, sis." Kyle grinned giving her a hug. Tess walked over to Max, Michael, and Isabel. Uneasily, she began what she needed to say.
"I'm sorry. For anything and everything, every pain and hurt that I caused you three." Max nodded as understandingly as possible, Michael simply shrugged and Isabel smiled while clasping her hands behind her back. Tess gave the Pod Squad a weak smile and walked back to Alex's side.
"I can feel it. This is it." Alex said with a deep breath. Tess nodded and leaned against him as he wrapped an arm around her, his wings flapping peacefully.
"You know, Alex. Just because we're in Heaven, doesn't mean we still can't do the bad thing." Tess grinned seductively.
"You think?" Alex smiled widely.
"Not the time, or the place!" Maria called out jokingly.
"We'll have to see." Tess shrugged. Alex grinned and leaned forward, embracing her and kissing her softly as the spirits that be lifted them up towards the sky, and towards their final Heaven.
We never saw Alex or Tess again. Not to mention another skin, Zan, or anyone else. Shortly after Alex and Tess had left, Grandma Claudia and Courtney had also joined the others. And it was just the five of us once again. It was lonely. I missed them all, Grandma, Alex, even Courtney and Tess. There was a bond when everyone was together, and you felt invincible. We were invincible for that short time. Now, we're all alone again and all we have is each other. We're still running from the FBI, of course. I don't know if we'll ever escape them, but I don't worry about it much anymore. I said when we were together, we were invincible, but I know that Alex and Grandma are watching over me, and that in itself contributes enough strength to me. Then there's Max. He is what supplies the rest of the strength, and I try to give back to him. Speaking of Max, we are currently on our way to New York to visit a friend. It seemed out of question at first... Max was concerned about my feelings. You know, these things stay with you forever. But thanks to Alex and Tess, I think I am okay with it. Love conquers all doesn't it? I wasn't even sure I believed that until I saw them both again. As for the hill, well it's the latest tourist attraction since Roswell hit it big. Some witnesses living close by said they saw a bunch of colored lights and heard loud explosive sounds. By the time the police arrived, all they were left to were the burnt remains of the Antar constellation on the top of the hill. Oh, here we are at a local New York City hotel, time to unpack and transform, once again. If you're wondering how we got the van back, well, we didn't. We got a new one. It's been easier for us to move around and stay and motels and stuff lately as we get farther away from our past. Some people say to treasure the past, but now I have to say, don't dwell on it.
Finishing her train of thought, Liz Parker turned around, grabbing her bag from the new van's seat. As she yanked it upwards, a few slips of glossy paper slipped out and fell down onto the car seat. Picking it up gently, and flipping it over she met the photograph of Alex and Tess, arms draped around each other in a friend fashion, with Alex obviously holding the camera in front of them. Smiling to herself, she slipped the photo back into her bag gently, and followed her husband into the motel.
The End.
A/N: Ahhh! I finished! Ahhh! Why am I screaming? I don't know, because I've finished and it feels all funny!
MagnusXXN- He got his wings! He got his wings, that was for you!
Chrissy- The calling Max a dork line was for you. :P
THANK YOU EVERYONE! KEEP SHIPPING (ESPECIALLY ALEX/TESS)!
-Sibby/In Fair Verona