Title: Mythology

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Author's note: Okay, so this chapter ended up in a completely different place from where I thought it would. I hope you like it, I think I reached a good turning point for Tess and for those still on Earth. The song is Vienna Teng's Momentum (one of my favorite songs of all time), but I only put in a few verses and not the entire song, so if you want to know all the lyrics, you should listen to the song (it is sooooo good).

Also, about Khivar finding where Shalimar is staying, I do agree that it happened very quickly. And Khivar's incredible luck will be discussed in a later chapter, so just keep reading at it will be more clear later.

this is the stuff of legends…

Chapter Eight: The Thunder Crashes

Day 8

"Okay, how about this?" Maria suggested. "Isabel could talk to Jesse, try to convince him to drop the entire investigation?"

"How?" Isabel snapped back. "Tell him I have secrets that I'm hiding but can he please not look into them?" She shook her head in frustration and glanced over at Max and Michael.

The five of them were meeting in the Crashdown after closing. Max and Liz sat side by side in a booth, while Michael paced restlessly across the floor. Maria was perched on a chair nearby, and Isabel was leaning against the wall, her arms folded across her chest.

"Well, if you can be convincing enough…"

"He thinks we murdered Tess," Isabel spat. "What lie could I give that would be convincing enough to make him drop it?"

"Well, do you have any suggestions?" Maria demanded harshly. When Isabel did not reply, the blonde human continued in a huff, "Then I think my idea is probably the best one, seeing as it is the only one we've got."

"Then we had better start coming up with different ideas," Isabel quipped back.

"What, my ideas aren't good enough?"

"Guys, this isn't helping," Liz cut in, resting her head in her hands as she propped her elbows up on the table. "We need to all take a deep breath and calm down, okay? We need to find a solution to this problem, and fast, so that we can deal with the end of the world."

"Lucky us," Michael muttered coolly.

"Is there anything at all we could say to Jesse that he would believe?" Max asked, glancing over at his sister.

Isabel considered the question for a moment, then proposed, "Maybe if we could come up with a reason why Tess left…"

"And what reason would that be?" Michael asked gruffly, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Tess was…friends with Alex and upset when he died?" Liz suggested.

"And what? She decided to skip town? How does that figure in the whole us killing her thing?" Isabel asked, puncturing a hole in Liz's idea.

"Something about the baby?" Maria asked, glancing over at Max.

Max was silent for a moment, thinking. Then he nodded slowly. "You know, that might work. We still need to figure out why we would have said we killed her, though."

"Abusive boyfriend," Michael said. All eyes turned to him, and he elaborated. "She had an abusive boyfriend back…where did she say she was from last. New York?"

Isabel nodded, picking up the story. "She and Max had this thing, and she got pregnant. But then she had to move back with her father, so she went back to New York."

"Max let her leave when he knew she was pregnant?" Liz asked skeptically. "I don't think his parents would buy that."

"I didn't know," Max said. He bit his lip, weighing his options. "I didn't know until Ed Harding called me to tell me that Tess was pregnant. But at that point, her boyfriend…" he grinned suddenly, "…whom we'll call Nicolas, Nick for short, had already found out, and beat her up."

"And she died?" Maria asked, not liking the story.

"We didn't know," Isabel murmured. "We could have stopped her from leaving, could have protected her, but we didn't know she was in danger, and by the time we found out, it was too late."

"This plan is just crazy, reckless, and stupid enough to work," Michael commented with a satisfied nod. He glanced at Isabel. "Can you pull it off?"

"I can try," Isabel replied. She turned to Max. "But what if Dad looks into the story?"

"Sheriff Valenti can help us with some stuff," Max replied thoughtfully. "We have to let him and Kyle know what our plan is anyway. Oh, and Cal can help us." At the blank looks he received, he elaborated, "Cal is the other shape-shifter. The one in L.A. But movie producer who is biologically programmed to obey my orders."

"What if Tess comes back?" Liz asked.

There was a silence, then Max said slowly, "I don't think she's going to be coming back to Roswell. Maybe somewhere else on Earth, but I don't see her willingly coming back here."

Michael and Isabel nodded their agreement to that one, but Maria was not entirely convinced. "If she comes back to Earth, she's going to have to come here."

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get there," Max declared. He knew it was a valid point, but he couldn't explain or shake the feeling that Tess was not coming back to Roswell. Ever.

"Okay, well, I'd better find Jesse," Isabel said at last. She pushed herself away from the wall and took a few steps towards the door, when a wave of dizziness swept over her, and a moment later she had fallen to her knees, to her side, and into darkness.

Tess pulled her son on to her lap and closed her eyes, taking a breath. "Okay, Alex, do you remember when I had you reach out to connect with Isabel? I need you to do this for me again. Okay, baby?"

Alex looked up at his mother, his blue eyes wide with childhood innocence.

"Come on, sweetie," Tess whispered, "I know you can do this. Just try to find Auntie Isabel." She blinked suddenly, surprised that she had used the word Auntie. Was she starting to think of Isabel as her sister again?

Alex blinked and yawned, his tiny hands clutched into fists around Tess' hair.

"No, Alex, don't pull Mommy's hair," Tess murmured, pulling her hair out of her grasp. "Can you find Auntie Isabel? Please?"

Alex closed his eyes and let his head fall to one side.

"Oh for God's sake," Tess muttered.

And then, quite suddenly, her conscious was sent headlong into the void, and she barely had a chance to register the empty darkness before she had made contact with something both strange and familiar. She was hit with rushing emotions and images, with colors and feelings and thoughts. The darkness around her was murky and heavy and almost overwhelming.

And then she was through.

always I am mistaken
I look for love I find a storm
of all the seasons winter befriends me
I come to you in friendship
and hold my breath against the snow
what are you thinking as I gaze into you

She was standing in empty darkness again, but this time she was holding Alex in her arms. And Isabel was standing in front of her, staring at Tess and Alex with shock and surprise.

"See, I knew you could do it," Tess cooed at her son, never taking her eyes off of Isabel. "Where you sleeping?" she asked calmly, regarding the taller hybrid.

"No, I was at the Crashdown," Isabel replied. "I think…I think I passed out."

"Oh…" Tess glanced down at her son. "I didn't realize he had the ability to form connections with people who were awake."

"This is your son?" Isabel asked, taking a few steps forward. She gave Tess a hesitant look, but when hybrid queen made no move to stop her, she took the next several steps and peered down into the bundle in Tess' arms. "He's beautiful. He's got your eyes."

"Yes," Tess replied simply. "He is and he does."

"What's his name?" Isabel asked.

"Alex," Tess replied. Isabel looked up sharply in surprise, her eyes questioning, and Tess continued, "He lost his life because of this war. I thought it appropriate to name my son after him, given his sacrifice for us."

Isabel nodded slowly, then said, "I assume you didn't contact me to talk about your son?"

Tess sighed and shook her head. "I need your help."

"With what?" Isabel asked. She ran a hand through her short hair and studied Tess intently. "We're having some problems as well."

"Oh?" Despite herself, Tess was interested and worried for the others.

"My Dad is looking into everything about us, and Liz had a vision of the end of the world," Isabel explained. Tess raised an eyebrow, and Isabel elaborated, "Apparently in about ten years, Khivar is going to come here and take over Earth, and because we don't have the Four Square, we can't defeat him."

Tess nodded slowly. "Well, actually, it was the last of those problems I've come to talk to you about. I may have a solution to it. I am going to face Khivar in the battle field in a few days, and I need you, Michael, and Max to help me with that."

"We're still on Earth," Isabel replied, frowning slightly. "How can we help you?"

"A friend of mine…a general of the Resistance…is bringing the Granolith to me. With it, I should be able to reach out and connect with you, draw on your power. I can channel it through the Granolith into me, and use it to defeat Khivar."

"Is that possible?" Isabel breathed, impressed.

Tess shrugged. "The only things that are impossible are the things you believe you can't do," she answered quietly. It was the sort of thing Sria or Larek would have said, and she felt the tears well up in her eyes at the memories of her friends.

Isabel noticed the tears, but tactfully chose not to comment on them. Instead, she said, "How do we give you our power?"

"I don't know," Tess replied honestly. "I don't know how you give it to me, and I don't know when I will need it."

"Then how…?"

"You'll know," Tess said confidently. She looked up into Isabel's eyes. "You will know, when the time comes, what to do and how to do it. Trust me."

"I do," Isabel said softly, her answer barely audible.

Tess stared at Isabel for a moment, then nodded. "I know," she said. She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment, then continued, "I'm glad Khivar did not manage to turn you. Or, at least, I'm glad he did not manage to keep you as Vilandra."

"How did you know…?"

"I saw most of it," Tess replied. "I've had prophetic dreams. Only a few, but that was one of them…" Her eyes hardened. "I saw you doubt me once again."

"Khivar…"

"Khivar lied."

"We know that now," Isabel answered. "And we are sorry."

Tess didn't respond for a moment, then she said, "If you can handle your father's investigation, I can take care of Khivar. Just be ready for me to connect with you when the time comes."

Isabel nodded. "I'll pass the message along to Michael and Max."

"Good."

There was an awkward silence, then Isabel gathered her courage and said, "We really are sorry, Tess. I know it doesn't mean much, but we…we miss you."

forgive me the confusion
forgive me as I realize my thoughts betrayed
you are the answer
cry and smile the same

"I miss you, too." The words were out of Tess' mouth before she could stop them.

Isabel quickly covered her surprise and stared at Tess with an unreadable expression. "Do you?" she asked at last.

Tess looked at Isabel, then down at her son. "I know you trust me now, Isabel, and I wish to God you had trusted me before. I'm not going to lie and say that I harbor no anger or hatred for you. But I'm also not going to lie and say that all I feel is hatred. Your trust means the world to me, but gaining it cost me everything that I cared about. So thinking of you is…bittersweet."

Isabel was crying, silent tears sliding down her cheeks as she stared at the woman who could have been her best friend. "I'm so sorry, Tess…"

"I know. And I know that, if you could, you would be here, with me, facing Khivar at my side. But you aren't here, and you can't be here, and that is a truth we all have to deal with." Tess looked away. "If I die, that's your fault. If we fail, that's your fault. Whatever happens, Isabel, is your fault."

She turned and looked back at Isabel. Shifting Alex' weight to one arm, she freed her other hand and placed it on Isabel's elbow. "But, if it helps you sleep easier at night, I forgive you for this." Isabel looked up, startled. "I forgave you a while ago."

Khivar paced the room slowly, thinking. Nicolas stood to one side, watching the skin king. He knew the plan had been a success, Khivar had learned what he wanted to know, and more. He had ordered his army to send a contingent of soldiers to the base of Mt. Sinai and make sure the Resistance did not manage to take it, and he himself was preparing for the journey to Shalimar.

But something else was bothering Khivar.

"Your Majesty?" Nicolas ventured.

"She loves him," Khivar said abruptly, turning to look over at Nicolas. "She loves him, I can feel it. Even all the way over here."

Nicolas frowned at the enigmatic comment, his eyes clouded with confusion. "Sir? I don't understand…?"

"Vilandra. She loves Rath, I can feel the connection," Khivar elaborated hoarsely.

"She is married to someone else," Nicolas reminded his king. "A human, I believe."

"I know, and she may love him as well, I can't tell. But…" Khivar drew a breath and closed his eyes. "I can feel the connection between the two. It grows stronger, as does the connection between Ava and Zan."

"How is that possible? The Queen is no longer on the planet," Nicolas pointed out. "Their connection…"

"They do not have to be close to each other for the link to be strong. It is etched into their essences, and they can't escape it, no matter the distance that separates them," Khivar replied. He paused in his pacing and looked over at Nicolas. "But if the connections between them are growing, it means their power is as well. The Royal Four…they are getting stronger."

"How?" Nicolas questioned. "They don't even trust each other."

"The other three trust the Queen," Khivar countered. "I was able to plant some doubt in their minds, but not enough to change what they now know is true. That she would never had betrayed them." He resumed pacing. "It was their betrayal of her that broke the link, but it was her anger towards them that kept the link from being rebuilt."

"So what does this mean?" Nicolas asked curiously. It was obviously worrisome enough that it had put Khivar on edge, which was quite the feat considering the success of his plan and the fact that he had discovered Shalimar's location.

"It means…" Khivar drew another deep breath. "It means that the Queen she has forgiven them. The Four Square has been restored."

Next Chapter: The Lightning Strikes

Due: Tuesday 2/28