Left Behind
By Imogin2 of the xsorbit4 rebelfic board.
Disclaimer: I take no credit in this story it was created by Imogin2, who does not own Roswell.
3 months later
(Tess POV)
It's been 3 and a half months since IT happened. Max and I told mom and dad a month ago and they didn't take it very well. But, I think they handled it quite well. Mom cried all evening and Dad had a long talk to Max about how he should have treated me. We just bared with them. They didn't kick me out; in fact they begged me not to move out. But I insisted that was what was best for the baby. They'll still be a large part of my life and the baby's, they just won't see us every day. I haven't moved out yet, but I've started packing already. The big move is in a couple of weeks. Max and I already found an apartment that fits our requirements and it's at a good price too. Max has already moved into the apartment and is always buying new things to make it homier for when I move in. He's so sweet and thoughtful.
Isabel has been pretty quiet ever since I told her I was pregnant. Sure, we still do a lot together, but it's not the same. She doesn't tell me all her dark secrets anymore. She always seems more reserved too. Heck, she's even started wearing reserved clothing, as if she doesn't want to show her skin in public. That used to be one of her proudest assets of her. Now she hides it from the world. I don't know what's up with her. She goes over to Michael's a lot. They often eat supper together and watch a movie. I'm trying not to take this all personally, but it's starting to hurt me that she's ignoring me.
The baby is getting bigger every day. To the human eye, I look more like I'm 6 months pregnant, not 3. But I've been able to make a mind-warping shield around me so that when I am around anyone, other than Max, Michael, or Isabel, they see me as 2 months pregnant, which is barely visible. It's hard to keep up the shield for very long, so I stay indoors a lot.
(Narrator's POV)
Tess and Isabel knocked on the door. Michael opened it and let them in. The pod squad were getting together for some Chinese food.
After supper, they all settled down in the living room.
"So you're saying that Lindsay Hockly is moving for sure?" Michael asked Max.
"I swear I heard it in school today. She's moving to LA." Max responded.
"I can't believe it! I thought she was Roswell bound for sure." Michael was in shock with this news. Tess and Isabel sat in silence, smiling at this conversation. Isabel hadn't said much all evening. Finally Tess spoke up.
"So Isabel, you haven't said much tonight. Something up?"
"Oh, uh…yeah, actually. Something is up." Isabel said and then looked over at Michael.
"What?" Tess asked curiously.
"Well…wow, now I know how hard this was for you. Okay. Um…I'm pregnant." Isabel blurted out. Tess' jaw dropped at the sound of those words. Those words were so familiar to her.
"You're pregnant?" Max asked. "How long?"
"3 months."
"But how? Tess is 3 and a half and she looks like she's 6 months. How can you look so thin?" Max asked, puzzled.
"It's called mind-warp."
"You can mind-warp?" Max asked.
"Yeah. Tess taught me a long time ago. Tess, I'm so sorry I never told you sooner. I was just so scared. It's hard enough for one teenager to be pregnant, and then two? It's kind of crazy. Mom and dad are going to kill me." Isabel was so ashamed she'd never told them sooner. Tess had come out with the truth the day she found out and Isabel had held it in for so long.
"It's okay, Izzy. You don't have to be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. You're just scared, and I know exactly how you feel." Tess said forgivingly. She gave Isabel a warm hug. "So is that what's been keeping you from talking to me?"
"Oh have I been ignoring you?" Isabel asked innocently. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it. I was just so wrapped up in
my own problems; I didn't want to talk. But now that I've told you, I'm not keeping anything back. I promise."
"Good! Now, we just have to find out a way to tell mom and dad." Tess said in a worried tone.
"Yeah." Isabel responded.
The next day (Isabel and Tess, along with Michael, have just told their parents about Isabel)
"I thought I raised you better. I'm sorry… but I just can't believe what you've done." Diane was crying in her husband's arms. She didn't want to accept the news that both of her daughters were pregnant. It was too much. "Do you know how irresponsible you were to have gotten yourselves into this situation? No 16-year-old should have to say they're pregnant. And you, Michael. What were you thinking! I hope you know that we expect you to take care of this baby just as much as Isabel is going to." Diane was on the verge of screaming.
"Mrs. Evans, I will make sure this baby has the best father in the world. I guarantee that." Michael told her.
"Mom, there's something else we should tell you. Michael and I think that it would be best if I would move in with him. This way, the baby has a mom AND a dad all the time." Isabel said.
"What? You can't leave. This baby needs a grownup in its life, and you two are definitely not grownups. You can't move out. I'm not letting you. You're my only girl left." Diane began to bawl again. Isabel moved closer to her mom and hugged her.
"Mom, you're still going to see us all the time. It's just that we want the baby to live with its parents, not its grandparents. You understand, don't you?" Isabel said softly.
"Yes…When do you plan on moving out?" Diane asked with a hiccup in-between some words.
"In two weeks, same time as Tess." Isabel said quietly. Diane whimpered again.
8 months later (Tess' POV)
"You know what I hate about being a pregnant alien? The fact that I can't go to the hospital and have a freakin C-Section." I say as I stuff my mouth full of French fries.
"Tell me about it. This completely sucks! I think mom and dad are starting to get a little suspicious." Isabel responds right before she takes a large bite out of her burger.
"Don't worry about it, I've dealt with it already. " We're over-due and getting anxious. I've had to mind-warp mom and dad into thinking I got pregnant later than I actually told them. It really tires me out, so I sleep a lot. I rarely go out and when I do, I only go out with Isabel. Max is busy at the UFO centre where he got a full time job. It makes good money so we can afford the baby. But personally, I think we can manage perfectly fine by just turning $1 bills into $100 bills. I know, I know, it's lying. But that's what our powers are for, right? Helping us to survive.
"So is your nursery finished?" Isabel asks me while taking a sip of her Giant Cherry Coke.
"Yeah, Max finished it yesterday. We're completely ready for the baby to come. And you?"
"Oh yeah. You should come over today and see some of the stuff I got last night. I saw some of the cutest dresses at the mall."
"Great! How bout I come right after we eat."
"Good."
The whole day has passed and the sun has set already. I look to my left to see the time, 11:47 p.m. I can't believe I've been in labour for only 11 hours. It feels more like two days. My belly is now completely blue from the bruises and the baby's head is crowning. I can tell that Max is incredibly tired, but he's trying not to show it. He doesn't want me to think he won't be here for me. But I know he'll stay till the end. Michael and Isabel stay by my side, letting me squeeze their hands when the baby kicks. Sometimes I can hear Michael squint a little when I squeeze so hard. I don't care at this point. The pain I'm giving him is no where nearly as painful as mine. I'm so tired and I can barely keep my eyes open. Max keeps telling me to close my eyes to rest them. But I can't. It hurts too much. Suddenly I feel the pressure from the baby's head release.
"The head's out!" Max exclaims as he prepares to "catch" the baby. "Just a little bit longer and he's out, baby. Just hang on." Now I can feel the baby kick even harder, as if he knows he's almost out and he wants to get out of my body as fast as possible. I mentally encourage him on while I cry out with the kicks. Finally, the shoulders are pushed out and his body falls into Max' hands.
"He's definitely a boy." Exclaims Max when he wraps him tight in a blanket. Isabel is smiling with delight as she looks at her nephew. Michael gives me a kiss on the forehead and says congratulations. Max puts the baby in my arms and I hold him tight. This is the moment I've been waiting for so long. My baby is the most beautiful baby in the world. He looks healthy and that's all that I care about in this moment. I look at Max and he moves in to give me a kiss.
"I love you, Max." I whisper.
"I love you." He responds. "What should we name him?" He asks. My eyes go wide as I remember that we still have to name our baby.
"I don't know. I'm too tired to name him right now. Do you have a name?" I say.
"I like the name Benjamin." He says. I think about it for a few seconds and then nod my head.
"Benjamin is a good name." I turn to my baby boy. "Hey Benny. I love you so much. I don't know where our home will be, whether it's here on earth or far away on a distant planet, but I do know that where you are, that is my home. And I will always be your home." I look at Max and mentally tell him that that went for him as well. He gives me another kiss and then picks up Benny.
"Hi Benjamin. I'm your daddy. Your dadda." He talks in a baby voice, smiling from ear to ear. Then he hands him over to Isabel, so she can hold her nephew. He's so small in her arms. Michael leans over Isabel's shoulder as he looks into Benjamin's eyes.
"Soon we'll have one of our own." Michael says to Isabel.
"Yeah, we just have to wait. But it'll be worth it." Isabel says. Suddenly, I remember mom and dad.
"Max, can you phone my parents and tell them that the baby is born?" I ask Max. He nods as he rushes towards the phone. As he's talking to my parents, I can hear them yelling and whooping when they find out he's a boy. They're going to be here right away.
Tess' parents rushed into the apartment and into Isabel's room where Tess lay on the bed holding her son.
"Let me see him." Diane said quietly as she approached her daughter. She smiled when she saw her grandson and took him into her arms. "Oh he is so beautiful! Hi baby. I'm your Nanna. Yes I am. Oh you're so cute." She talked to the baby. Tess gave out a little giggle as she watched her mom do baby talk. Then her dad took the baby in his arms. "Max, I'm so sorry your parents never lived to see this. But, if it means anything to you, I'd love for you to call me Mom. Only if you want to, of course." Max gave a surprised look when he heard this news. Up until now, Diane hadn't shown much compassion for him.
"I'd really like that. Thank you." Max accepted the gracious offer.
"Your welcome." Diane answered.