A/N: I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE I LAST UPDATED. YAH, I SUCK BUT ANYWAY, I FINALLY GOT AROUND TO WRITING THIS CHAPTER. FINALLY! WELL, THIS ISN'T THE END. I'LL EXPLAIN AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER. BUT READ AND REVIEW, OKAY.
~*~
"I know you're disappointed." Tess said softly as she stood in front
of Kyle, Alex, and Michael. Liz and Maria had gone off with Sheriff Valenti and
Isabel to see Max and Lex.
"Well of course we're disappointed." Michael blurted out honestly. He still could not believe that she was
leaving.
"That's not what Michael meant." Alex said sending a glare towards
Michael who just glared back.
"No, actually, that's what I meant." Michael argued resolutely.
"What they mean is that this isn't exactly the ending that we wanted you
and Max to have. We just wanted you to be together and be a family; live
happily ever after you know?" Kyle interrupted both Michael and Alex.
"But this isn't a fairytale guys." Tess declared softly. "We
don't always get the happily ever after."
"Tess, that's what you deserve. After everything you and Max went through,
you've earned that kind of ending and as your friends, we want what's best for
both of you." Alex declared.
"I know, but Max has to be honest with himself.
He needs time to think this through. I want him to be sure that he wants to be
with me because he loves me and not because he feels that he has to because of
what I've done." Tess explained quietly as she gazed at the three boys-now
men-who had as much influence in her life as Max did.
"So that's it? You're going back to Antar while Max thinks this whole thing through for god knows how long?"
Michael argued impatiently.
Tess sighed, suddenly feeling like she was defending Max from his own friends.
"Have faith in him. Please. I owe him that much. We all do. He's been
shoved from one thing to another, forced to make decisions in a heartbeat.
Can't we just give him a few more weeks, months to let this whole thing settle
in his head?"
"Tess, do you know what can happen in months? People can die within months
or they can fall in love with other people or they can grow apart, more than
they already were. Please, don't do something that you'll regret in the
end." Alex pleaded.
Tess shook her head.
"If one of us does die, or Max and I find other people to care about or if
we drift apart to the point that we can never be together then so be it!"
Tess said firmly as she shot the three of them a determined look. "I am
not forcing him into this life!"
"Even when he's already made it clear that he wants you and no one
else?" Michael demanded; his eyes narrowed as he waited for Tess' rebuff.
"I heard him Tess. I heard him say over and over again that he loves you
and he wants to spend his life with you and Lex. Why can't you just accept
that?"
"Michael, don't push it." Tess said sternly.
"I know that you've sacrificed a lot for Max and maybe, you are punishing
him for what you went through but why can't you see that you're hurting
yourself too?"
"I'm not punishing him, Michael! And I sure as hell am not hurting myself
or anyone else in the process. Why can't you see it from my point of view? It's
not that easy! We can't just resume from where we left off. A lot has
happened!" She hissed angrily. "Max needs time and so do I!"
"Tess-" Kyle started but she snapped at him too.
"No! I'm not going to listen to this! I am going back to Antar. Now, Max
has accepted that and he knows, even though he doesn't understand, what I want
and he's had enough decency to accept my wishes. Please, please, trust me in
this. I am trying to do what I think is right." She said, her eyes softening.
Michael, Kyle and Alex nodded somberly. They didn't want her to do this. They
didn't want Tess to leave and if she did, they wanted her to take Max and their
son with her.
"I hope you know what you're doing." Michael said grudgingly as he
stepped forward and hugged her; finally giving up his argument. There was no
point fighting with Tess. She had made up her mind and she was going to go
through with it.
"I do know what I'm doing. I've always known." She whispered as she
hugged him tightly, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before letting go. A
part of her loved Michael. He was after all family, and he had been there for
her when Max wasn't.
He was the protector, the guardian of the Royal Family and she always felt safe
with him and for that she was grateful.
"Good luck, Tess. I'll miss you." Kyle said, taking his turn to say
his goodbyes to his almost sister.
"I'll miss you too, Kyle. But it's not the end. I know that you all think
that, but it's not." She smiled as she gave him a hug too.
Tess then turned to Alex who looked at her with sad eyes. "Thanks for
everything." She said a she gave him a quick hug. "I don't know what
I would have done if you hadn't helped." She smiled tearfully.
"My pleasure. Let's just not do that again. Ever." Alex
smiled.
"Thank you. All of you. I owe you so much and I
am grateful for everything you've done for me and Max and our son. I will never
forget your kindness." She smiled as she took a step back from the three
men as if she was memorizing their faces in her mind.
"Take care of yourself, Ava." Michael said softly in their native
language.
"I will. You too, Michael. Tell Isabel, the
Sheriff and Liz and Maria I said thanks and bye." She said softly before
she turned away from them to met Kail.
The three men stood together, the wind slowly blowing the dirt on the ground
and the sun just setting in the horizon. They watched in silence as Tess walked
side by side with Kail, and then disappeared into one of the black jeeps. It
then sped away, taking her further and further from them, leaving them feeling
somewhat fearful for her safety but more saddened that she was leaving them
again and this time no one was forcing her.
Max stepped out of the hotel, just as the jeep that carried Tess finally
disappeared. Isabel followed just a few feet behind him with Lex in her arms.
"Is she gone?" He asked, his eyes taking note of the expression on
his friends' faces.
"Yeah with Kail." Michael replied for all of
them.
Max nodded unhappily, his chest heavy from the thought that Tess had left
again. He turned his head to the direction that she had gone; his eyes steady
as if he was trying to see her face. He sighed and turned back to meet his
sister and his son.
"Let's go home." He told everyone.
Max gave Lex a quick kiss on the forehead, hoping that Tess was right and that
he wouldn't fail her again. In the end, Max knew that would choose her and
finally, after so long, they could finally be together for good.
************************************************************************
Heavy footsteps echoed into the large halls of the Palace. Men dressed in armor
suits walked from one direction into another, many of them shouting orders.
They quickly cast a respectful glance on the small figure that walked amongst
them.
"Your highness, the rebel troops have seized the front of the city."
One of the leading soldiers said as he approached her.
Tess nodded grimly as she removed the helmet from her head, spilling long
strands of uncombed blonde hair over her shoulders.
"We have to fight." She said firmly, her eyes never leaving the
soldier whose name she couldn't quite remember.
"We know your highness but we need orders." He said with a small nod.
Tess sighed as she gripped the helmet on her side tightly. "Do what you
can to protect our people." She said quietly. "I'll see you in the
battlefield." Tess then nodded, indicating that he was dismissed and
finally for the first time in almost three months, she was alone.
She cast a quick glance towards the hall where men and women, most of them soldiers
and their families, before turning to the balcony to let herself think.
Taking a deep sigh, Tess ran her cut and bruised fingers through her hair. She
looked down at them, pained that the delicate features of her hands were now
covered with cuts, dried blood, mud and bruises and blisters.
She looked out into the horizon, her hands completely forgotten, and saw smoke
rising into the once clear sky of Antar.
Refusing to cry, Tess placed her thoughts on her son and Max and the rest of
her family. In earth times, she hadn't seen them in almost six, seven months,
give or take a few weeks. She had not heard from Max, Michael or Isabel. She
had sent Kail to earth a few weeks before the war started and she was glad that
Max hadn't made up his mind yet.
Tess was even more grateful that she had decided to leave Lex with his father.
Had she taken him back with her, she would have endangered his life again.
Relieved but saddened, she realized how fortunate they were that she and Max
hadn't resolved whatever it was that kept them apart. As much as she wanted to
be with her family, as much as she wanted to hold them again, she didn't want
them here to face this war that she knew was coming.
I was right, Tess thought unhappily.
Her instincts had told her to return to Antar as soon as possible once the
ordeal with Khivar was finished. She knew that the larger fight wasn't over
yet. But she never mentioned it to anyone.
Only Kail knew.
When Tess reached Antar and the news of Khivar's death have spread over the
planet already; it only took a month for before an army of his supporters rose
up against Ava who was now the sole ruler. The Council had stood by her side,
demonstrating its loyalty to the Queen.
One by one, the Royal Four's supporters were assassinated, some murdered in
broad daylight by many of Khivar's men.
Now Ava and the remainder of her supporters and people were left in the middle
of a war that seemed to have no possibility of ever ending.
Tess was tired. She would never admit it but she was exhausted of having to
burden the problems of her people by herself. Her ordeal with Khivar hadn't
even cooled down but she was forced to fight again before she could let herself
sit back.
I hope you're all doing better than I am,
Tess thought to herself, her thoughts yet again drawn back to her family on
Earth who she assumed had no knowledge of the war in Antar.
She wanted to send them a message or at least visit them for a few hours but
there was no time for that. She was needed in the battlefield. She had to lead
her troops to whatever doom that awaited them. And it was too dangerous to
leave the planet now. Any ship that left was either shot down in the air or
sabotaged before it could leave the ground.
She prayed that the war would end already so she could return to simpler
worries such as Max and his undeniable love for two women. She wished that she
could destroy the army that Khivar created in secret with the snap of her
fingers.
"If only things were that simple." She whispered darkly.
Heavy footsteps interrupted her and someone cleared their throat. "Your
majesty, I have sent the rest of the troops to meet the Rebels. I suggest you
leave the county as soon as possible for your own safety." Kail declared
firmly, wearing a suit very similar to Ava's.
"No." Tess declared. "I'm not abandoning my people. This war is
more mine than theirs. I will not leave them in such desperate times."
Tess then turned away from him and placed the helmet back on her head and
braced herself for another anguishing and never-ending day.
"Go back to your post Kail and meet me back here when the war is over. I
won't stop fighting. Not ever." She said firmly before disappearing into
the crowd of wounded soldiers.
************************************************************************
Max looked up at the dark sky sprinkled by tiny stars. "Mommy's up there,
Lex." Max pointed out one of the stars to his son.
They were sitting in his backyard. Lex was on his lap, leaning comfortably
against Max's chest and also looking up at the sky.
Spending time with Lex had given Max a chance to learn about his son, to
understand his tiny baby moods and to bond with him.
"Mommy." Lex repeated eagerly as he clapped his hands together.
Max smiled as his eyes grew distant. "We're going to see her very soon,
Lex. Maybe even tomorrow." He said hopefully as he tried to think of what
Tess was doing in Antar.
He wondered if she missed them, if she thought of them constantly, or if she
took a few moments from her presumably very busy day to look up at the sky and
wonder the same thing they were thinking.
Max had not heard from her in almost seven months. He was ready. He was sure of
it. Spending time with Lex had made him appreciate Tess more. They were parents
and they loved each other despite the constant hardship that they faced.
Tess was right though. He needed time to let things settle down, to think
everything through. He had spent time with Liz since Tess left. They have
spoken to each other but whatever bond they once shared in the past, Max could
not seem to find it anymore.
They had grown too distant from each other. Their hearts had been wounded but
soon learned to heal and love other people. Max loved Tess. That he knew for
certain.
Liz, whatever she may have meant to him in the past, was now just a friend to
Max. His heart didn't skip a beat whenever he thought of her. His chest didn't
tighten whenever he heard her name.
It was Tess who made him feel like he had no control, like the world was
spontaneous and exciting. It was her that taught him about sacrifice, about
love and trust and loyalty. It was in her absence that Max felt hollow, like a
part of him had been ripped off and his body needed that other half to survive.
It was Tess.
Not Liz.
Max smiled, liking the feeling that he felt whenever he thought of Tess.
"The mother of my child." Max said proudly as he looked down at his
little boy. "Mine and Tess'." Max whispered as he placed a kiss on
Lex's hair.
"Stars." Lex said as he continued to gaze up at the night sky.
"How about we go home to mommy, Lex? Would you like that?" He asked
his son who grinned at the mention of his mother. "Okay, we'll pack as
soon as possible and then off to Antar." Max smiled, feeling excitement
fill up in his body.
He couldn't wait to see his wife.
~*~
IT'S NOT THE END OF THE STORY. I KNOW. I'M HORRIBLE. I KEEP SAYING THAT IT IS
BUT I HAD ELEVEN PAGES AND I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS
WAY TOO LONG. SO I CUT THE OTHER HALF OFF AND THAT WILL GO AS THE ENDING. ILL
MAKE IT EVEN BETTER THAN IT IS NOW, IF I CAN. ILL MAKE
UP FOR IT. I PROMISE. ANYWAY, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK AND SOME
SUGGESTIONS ON HOW YOU WANT THIS TO END. I ALREADY HAVE THE ENDING. I JUST WANT
SOME OF YOUR INPUT.
READ AND REVIEW PLEASE. THE SOONER YOU DO SO, THE SOONER I POST OF UP THE FINAL
CHAPTER.
THANKS.
