Disclaimer: I don't own the series Roswell or the original characters. All I own is my imagination and the plot.
A/N: Hey! :-) I know, it has been a while since I updated this story, but school recently started again and, well, let's just say that I don't have to worry anymore about what I'm going to do with all my time. :-) I hope you'll like this chapter because I have spent a great deal of time working on it and adding things here and there so it would be to my liking. (as much as possible anyway.) Be sure not to skip the A/N at the bottom and the beta-ed version will be up asap.
Fooled
Two headlights lit up the arid desert ground, a shade of burnt sienna for a handful of seconds as Max's jeep came to an abrupt halt. Another pair of headlights followed as Maria's Jetta was parked right behind it. Both cars were turned off at the same time, their lights dimming to a grim darkness and their engines suddenly silencing, though no car doors were opened, not yet. Michael didn't mind the extra time or the silence - a silence that was only disturbed every now and then by the ghostly howling of the wind and the grains of sand as they were stirred, resulting in a steady grating sound - a sound he liked to listen to; it soothed him, calmed him in a way that nothing else could, not even Max. It was a silence that almost didn't seem of this earth, a silence where every whisper could be heard and every thought could be sensed.
There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Nicholas knew they were here. Michael could always feel it when one of his kind was around; an electrifying shiver warned him every time. Their movements were more cautious and calculated, not wanting to risk the possibility of standing out from a crowd. He had lived like that for the first few years of his existence, under Max's wing. It had made him feel safe to not be alone and to be looked after, but he had become independent soon enough and hadn't let anyone come close; he had learned how to keep people at a distance, though Maria had come close to nearing him. It were the emotions that blurred his vision - emotions that had made him weak and his guard falter, allowing her to near him, inching closer to him with every day that past.
Michael looked over at the jeep, making sure that he didn't get too tangled up in his thoughts. Tess and Max seemed to be talking, going over their plan once more by Max's request probably. He shifted his gaze over to the backseat where Isabel and Kyle sat listening and waiting. Isabel was listening more closely than Kyle by the way her lips had pulled back into a thin line and the cold look in her eyes - so cold that somewhere during the ride here, she had reached over for Kyle's hand, loosely entangling their fingers. There was no need to hide her fear from him when he was one of the only people that had the ability to see right through her.
Michael averted his gaze, feeling as if he had invaded their subtle intimacy in a way, trespassing by simply stealing a glance. He looked over at Maria whom he could look at as long as he chose to. All this time she had been looking out of the window while absently toying with the vial of cedar oil between her fingers. He had a good guess of where her thoughts had wandered to. She was worried about Liz, just like everyone else, only it was her closest friend and every time her pondering edged near even so much as the possibility of Liz being hurt, tears would appear in her eyes, glazing them with sadness. She wasn't as strong as Max and couldn't hide it as well.
He looked at her hands once more. Her nail polish was chipped because it had been neglected these last couple of days. Michael wanted to reach out and grab her hand, clasp it within his fingers, but before he could make an attempt, he heard a car door open and it took him only seconds to do the same, Maria mimicking his actions at a slightly slower pace. He waited for her to get out of the car before heading over to where the others were standing. Max's hands were placed calmly in his pockets only to hide the opposite, his eyes intently fixed on Isabel's face as if they were silently going over the plan once more. Michael and Maria didn't say anything as they joined the others in a messy circle, knowing that the silence would be broken soon enough.
Max lowered his eyes to the ground as he shuffled with his feet, hesitating before looking directly at Tess. She nodded and hooked her fingers in her back pockets before speaking. ''We decided that it would be best if only Isabel and I went up to the Pod Chamber.'' Both Kyle and Michael wanted to object, but Tess didn't give them the chance to. ''No one will be at risk. I'll windwarp Nicholas into believing that he is seeing Vilandra before he can suspect why the rest of you aren't there.''
''Why does Isabel have to come?'' Kyle asked, searching for Tess's eyes with his own, missing the small smile that appeared on Isabel's face for the slightest of seconds.
''I have to be near Nicholas to be able to get control of his mind. Isabel will be the distraction. Don't worry, nothing will happen to her.''
''And you'll get Liz?'' Maria's question immediately followed. She didn't trust Tess, she never had.
''They'll get Liz,'' Max answered while throwing Tess a look.
Maria nodded and held out her hand which Michael instantly grabbed, giving her the comfort she sought.
''Okay then. I guess we better get this over with,'' Isabel said, looking over at Tess who nodded and detached herself from the small group quickly. Isabel watched Tess head over to the sandy path that would lead them to the cave first before following, gently brushing past Kyle's shoulder with her own on her way. Tess slowed down her pace so she could catch up with her easily, but Max's movements were quicker than Isabel's as he took a few strides towards her and grabbed her by the arm, silently asking her to turn around which she did. Isabel looked up and met her brother's eyes.
''Are you sure about this, Iz? You don't have to do this if you don't want to; we'll find another way to rescue Liz.''
Isabel smiled at her brother's heroism. She couldn't remember when he hadn't been like this, so caring towards other people, so gentle and strong at the same time. She nodded. ''I'm sure, Max. We'll be back before you know it, Liz included so don't kill yourself worrying, okay?''
Max nodded, his expression serious as he let go of her arms. He looked over at Tess who was waiting. ''You two have ten minutes. If you two take a second more Michael and I will come and get you.''
''I know,'' Isabel said before turning around and hurrying over to Tess, not bothering to explain why Max had stopped her and what words were exchanged between them.
Max watched the two girls disappear with ease into the night, blending back into the silence as if it has never been disturbed. He turned around, his back now facing the sandy path they had followed and waited, his gaze on Michael whom's own eyes were on the watch he always wore, his fingers still locked around Maria's.
Kyle started to pace, back and forth he went as the minutes past. None of them had dared to break the silence that had formed between them, but after eight minutes, both Max and Michael cried out and reached for their heads. Michael's hand pulled itself from Maria's and Max's left the comfortable resting place of his back pocket.
''Michael?'' Maria softly said, her expression streaked with concern and confusion.
Kyle stopped pacing and turned to look at the two aliens reaching for their heads first before letting their hands slide down to their ears. ''Are you two okay?''
''What's happening?'' Maria looked from Kyle to Max before bringing her gaze back to Michael. ''Michael, what's wrong?''
''It's Isabel,'' Max said. ''I can hear her screaming in my head. Something's wrong.''
Michael was the first to remove his hands from his ears, letting them know that the screaming had stopped. He looked at Max, his decision already made. ''We're going up there to get her, Maxwell.''
Max nodded, letting Michael brush past him without saying a word. Kyle made an attempt to follow, but he stopped him. ''You have to stay here, Kyle.''
''Look, I know I'm not an alien and I can't blast people and stuff, but I do know how to fight.''
''This has nothing with you being able to fight or not. This is about your safety and ours,'' Max said while gesturing towards him and Michael. ''If something goes wrong you and Maria will be able to get away and get help.''
Kyle nodded, understanding what Max was saying. ''Okay.''
Max turned around and started to run, not stopping until both he and Michael had reached the entrance of the Pod Chamber. Max opened it, not caring if Nicholas had heard them or not. The moment he entered the cave he quickly looked around the cave, finding Liz sitting against one of the walls, Nicholas only a couple of feet away down on his knees as he placed the last of four stones on the ground.
''Max,'' Michael whispered, pointing over at Isabel whom was standing in the middle of the white shapeless stones, its texture reminding them of a diamond. Max's eyes, however remained on them only one or two seconds before they flew over to Tess. She was standing with her back almost against the wall opposite from Liz. Her eyes kept switching between Nicholas and Isabel.
''Why isn't she doing anything?'' Michael asked.
Max shrugged.
''Well, I am doing something,'' Michael said as he started to approach the scene.
Liz was the first to see him. She struggled with the ropes of her hands, wanting to help, wanting to let him know that nothing was what it seemed, not anymore. She tried to speak, yell and even scream, but no sound was heard because of the piece of fabric that was still stuffed in her mouth, deeper than it had first been.
Isabel was the second to spot him. ''Nicholas, behind you.''
Nicholas looked at Michael over his shoulder and got up the second he spotted him. Michael looked at Isabel partially in confusion and partially in frustration. ''Isabel, why did...''
''It's Vilandra,'' she interrupted.
''What did you do to her?''
Nicholas smiled. ''I didn't do anything to her, but your wife did, Max!'' he said, raising his voice with every word, knowing that Max wouldn't be able to stay in the shadows.
Nicholas's words stung Liz, though she didn't try to show it, knowing that Max was probably watching her...or maybe he was watching Tess, still clueless. Liz didn't know much more, but she did know that Tess couldn't be trusted and never should have been.
Max stepped out off the shadows and joined Michael, his eyes narrowing as he met Tess's eyes. ''You're making Isabel believe that she's Vilandra. We trusted you, even when Maria and Liz said we shouldn't. You've been going behind our backs all this time, haven't you?''
''Let's just say she made a deal with the devil and she had to trade in her soul for...''
''I did it for us,'' Tess said, cutting off Nicholas before he could reveal her secret for her. ''Those stones are a way home, back to Antar. Nicholas wouldn't take me with him if I didn't give him Isabel.''
''Max,'' Isabel whimpered, her hands reaching for her head just like Max and Michael had done minutes ago.
''Control her,'' Nicholas ordered Tess.
''Iz, are you alright?'' Michael asked as he took a step towards her. Max reaction came a few seconds later; his eyes were still on the stones and his mind was repeating Tess's words.
Nicholas took a couple of steps to the side and placed his hand on Liz's head. ''If you two move as much as an inch closer, my kindness will be forced to be tested.''
Max abruptly stopped. Michael hesitated, but came to a halt, too. Nicholas smiled. ''Good.'' His eyes traveled over to Tess who was intently looking at Max. ''Stop drooling and control her long enough for us to get out of here.''
Tess nodded and looked over at Isabel who was slowly becoming aware of what was going on, but before she could fully awake, Tess pulled her back down again. She dug into the deepest part of Isabel's brain and altered her to Nicholas liking.
Meanwhile, Nicholas grabbed Liz by her elbow and pulled her up roughly. Liz whimpered, but only he heard it. ''I'm sorry, did I hurt you?'' Tears sprung to Liz's eyes at his harsh and uncaring tone. He really didn't care if he hurt her or not and it scared her. It scared her because neither Max nor Michael could do anything about it. Nicholas noticed her tears and looked at Max, smiling. ''Imagine what pain she would be in if I took her with me to Antar. I've heard that humans can't survive there and that they die a slow and painful death, of course that's just one of those silly alien rumors and it has never been witnessed before, not yet anyway.''
''If you hurt her I'll...''
''You'll do nothing, but move to the side and watch as I take Vilandra with me and leave this horrid place forever. If you don't agree to my therms I will kill Liz here and now and you'll have a front row seat, understood?''
Max nodded and could do nothing but watch as Nicholas pulled Liz in the direction of the stones and into the square between them. His hand rested on top of her head while the other held her steady around her waist. Michael gritted his teeth and balled his hands into fists to prevent himself from not giving into his anger, but he knew that if he lost his temper now, they would lose Liz, Maria and Max would lose Liz.
Tess who had been standing next to Isabel all this time, looked at Max, her eyes pleading. ''Come with us?''
''Yeah, come with us,'' Nicholas said with a grin.
''This was never our home, Max, Antar is. Our baby would be raised in a healthy and save environment.''
Liz's eyes widened in shock and looked over at Max, ignoring Nicholas's laughter, but he turned his eyes away. ''You tricked me,'' he said and raised both of his hands, aiming them directly at Tess.
''Tut tut...not so fast, are you sure that you want to do that?'' Nicholas asked as he removed his arm from Liz's waist and brought his other hand up to her head, too.
Max glared at him, but lowered his hands nonetheless. Liz was too important to lose, though Tess's confession had already caused for another fragile string to snap, their relationship now loosely hanging by its remaining threads. She had made the choice this time to distance herself from him and blindfold her emotions from him, though he knew that the truth had hurt her. He had lied to her. He had kept something from her for the very first time, something that she found so disgusting and beautiful at the same time. She looked over at Tess, at her stomach. She knew that Max couldn't kill her, not when there was a baby growing inside of her.
Tess stepped out of the square, in the direction of Max. Nicholas sighed at her human behavior and looked down at his watch because if felt like the perfect gesture to go with his sigh. He moved his gaze over to Isabel and smiled at the sight of her. She had kept quiet all this time, knowing that it would be requested by him. She showed him respect and once they were back on Antar she would remember how much she loved him. He reached out to touch her hair, removing one of his hands from Liz's head, a movement Max caught. Tess moved closer and closer to him, telling him of the wonderful life that lay waiting for him if he only chose to live it.
Nicholas didn't pay any attention to her words. All he could see was Vilandra and her blond locks as they shone with the life she held. His fingertips brushed against her hair and as he pulled back his hand, he knew that something had changed and that something was wrong. Caught up in his admiration of the girl beside him, he hadn't seen through her act and he hadn't felt her arm snake around his waist, searching for an easy way to kill him. She had found his weak spot without him noticing and because of his recklessness a sharp pain ran as fast as a lightning bolt through his body, through every single bone. And before the watchful eyes of everyone else, he quickly started to crumble, turning into dust. He vanished within seconds, leaving nothing behind but ashes.
Liz fell to the ground, unable to catch herself because of her tied hands. She felt her knees scrape against the hard stone of the ground, but didn't care. She just wanted to get out of here, go home and lay on her bed so she could think and maybe even write all of this down for her to keep throughout her entire life. The memory might not be pleasant, but it was worth remembering.
''Isabel, are you...,'' Max started, but stopped when he saw Isabel kneel to the ground to help Liz. She pulled the piece of cloth out of her mouth. Liz started to cough, an innocent action that brought fresh tears to her eyes. Her mouth was dry and she tried to moisten it with her saliva so her breath wouldn't be ragged. Isabel untied the ropes as fast as she could. Liz brought her arms back to the front of her body and looked at her fingers as she clenched and unclenched them.
Max opened his mouth to say something, but Liz's image was blocked by Tess as she came to halt right in front of him, her eyes blazing with anger. ''You betrayed your own people!''
''Nicholas wasn't my people,'' Max defended. ''I don't even know my people.''
''Then come with me. You'll get the chance to get to know them. You'll get the chance to rule your own kingdom, have power. It's were you belong, Max.''
''I belong here.''
''You're alien,'' Tess said sharply.
''And part human,'' Max said. ''How do you know that I will be able to live there or that you will be able to live there?''
''We're only human on the outside, Max. Our appearances will change once we get to Antar, that ability has been given to us for a reason. You could bring peace to Antar and watch your child grow up the way it was intended,'' Tess explained, placing her hand flat against her stomach.
Max trailed her movement with his eyes. ''Are you sure that it's mine?''
Tess nodded. ''Humans can't impregnate our kind. You are the only one I've slept with, Max.''
Liz averted her eyes from the scene unfolding in front of her. The words were enough to create the image she didn't want to see.
''You tricked me into sleeping with you, you told me...you told me that I fell asleep and had been dreaming of something that lay ahead, in our destiny, something I wanted to prevent.''
''It was the only way to get close to you and keep you close. You have to understand,'' Tess said.
''I don't,'' Max admitted. ''I don't love you, but I do love that child inside of you, even if I won't be there to raise it.''
Tess raised her head, her eyes locking with Max. ''You'll let me go?''
Max nodded. ''We don't know if the baby will survive here and I'm not taking any chances.''
Tess lowered her eyes back down to her stomach, affectionately stroking it. She turned around and headed back over to the stones. She looked at Max over her shoulder once more before stepping into the square. ''I'm sorry.'' She took her place in between the stones and closed her eyes. Her lips started to move, saying words that the aliens understood, even though the language was foreign to them. The stones lit up brightly, creating four pillars. From there the light started to spread itself, locking her in a white transparent room. Tess met Max's eyes one more time before the light became so bright that it blinded them and forced them to look away. After a couple of seconds, the light completely dimmed, leaving no evidence behind but the four stones. Michael went to collect them, knowing that he would have to hide them in the desert with Max as soon as possible.
Liz was the first one to come between them and the silence. ''I want to get out of here.''
''You won't hear me complain,'' Michael remarked.
''Yeah, Kyle and Maria are waiting for us,'' Isabel reminded.
''Liz,'' Max started as he took a step towards her, ''are you alright?''
Liz ignored his question and turned to look at Isabel. ''Can you please let me out of here?''
Isabel looked from Max to Liz before nodding. She headed over to a wall and placed her hand upon it and created an exit for Liz without saying a word. Liz thankfully smiled at her before stepping out of the cave. She wrapped her arms around herself to protect herself from the coldness and hurried down in the direction of the cars, choosing not to listen to Max as he called her name. She found them with ease; the lights of Maria's Jetta were on and she could hear the motor running. She hurried over to the car, shocking both Kyle and her best friend. Maria ran over to her and threw her arms around her for a quick hug. ''Liz! Oh my God, are you okay? What happened in there? God, are you alright? Are you hurt?''
Liz pulled away from the hug and shook her head. ''I'm fine.''
''What about Isabel?'' Kyle carefully asked.
Liz looked over at him, managing a sad smile. ''She's fine, too.'' She brought her eyes back over to Maria. ''Can you take me home?''
''But Michael, Tess...Max,'' her friend uttered.
''Tess is on Antar, she was carrying Max's baby.''
''Ba...a what?'' Maria asked.
''Max slept with Tess,'' Liz said. ''I'll tell you the story later, but right now I just want to go home, please?''
''Yeah, sure, get in. Kyle can wait for the others.''
''They can manage,'' Kyle said as he headed over to the car and opening the passenger side door for Liz. ''They're the one with the super powers, right?''
Liz mumbled a 'thank you' before getting in. Maria and Kyle did the same. No one said anything as the car was started and none of them looked back at the remaining three figures. Liz didn't look back at Max; it hurt too much.
REVIEW! Please? :-) So, so, so?! :-) I'm happy with some of the parts of this chapter, but I don't think I did the part in the Pod Chamber justice. I did try my best, though. :-) Let me know what you think because without your reviews I would have never felt as confident about this story as I do right now, well, maybe not right now, but you get the picture. I'll try to update asap, but I have other stories to update, too, so I plead for you to be patient. Thanks :-)