Max felt a gentle stroking sensation on his face, his eyes fluttered open. His gaze focused on Tess, who was moving away from him, holding her hand as if burned. He looked at her guilty expression with confusion, sitting up slightly.
"I'm sorry," She whispered, shaking her head. She shouldn't have done that…but he looked so pained as he slept, it bothered her.
"No," Max said, sitting all the way up, "It's alright."
"You shouldn't have done that Max." Tess said, changing the subject, growing serious, knowing what had happened to Max to make him look so pained.
"I know, I'm sorry, but I…"
"No," Tess shook her head, "You shouldn't have, you didn't need to see that…you…"
"Yes, I did." Max said, moving to sit next to her on the bed.
"No, you didn't, you didn't deserve that…"
"You're right," Max said, cutting her off, "I deserve worse. I should have been the one that went through that…I should have…"
"No Max." Tess said, standing up before him. "I had to do it. It was my responsibility, my duty…"
"Tess, it doesn't matter, you shouldn't have had to go through that alone…"
"But it was better that I did," Tess said, starting to pace, "If you three had been there, we would all be dead. I could handle it myself, you three couldn't. I can take care of myself, and I can't let you…"
"Tess, you're not alone anymore." Max said, getting up to stop her pacing, "We're with you now, you can let people in…"
"I don't know how to anymore Max." Tess said, angrily. Blame showing through her eyes, directed at him. "After that, I don't want to let anyone in, it'll just hurt more if it happens again. It's better if I just…"
"Tess!" Max sighed, annoyed, "You need to let me in, I can help. I saw what happened I felt it, I know…" Max looked over at Tess in time to see a white blur heading straight for his head…
Tess didn't take Max's words lightly; Michael and Isabel were rudely awoken by a loud crashing noise, as if something had been thrown at the wall. They ran over to the bedroom door, only to find it locked by alien powers. Try as they might, they couldn't budge it…it must have been Tess' doing. The most they could do was listen helplessly at the loud shouting that resonated from behind the closed door. Isabel looked over at Michael, laughter in her eyes, they sounded like an old married couple having a lover's spat…
…then there was silence…
Inside the room, Tess had raised another of Michael's glass pieces preparing to throw it at Max with angry words…something about invasion of privacy when Max grabbed her roughly and pulled her towards him.
As soon as Tess was close enough, Max silenced her with a kiss. Tess fought the feeling as much as she could, her mouth still working as if continuing her rant, but the glass fell from her hand.
Max smirked into the kiss, pushing his mouth more to hers, knowing that her resistance was weakening. He was right, a few seconds later found Tess responding to the kiss, both getting lost in the sensation as stars exploded in their heads. He couldn't help it, kissing her. The fire blazing in her eyes, the anger and passion that flowed from her, the excitement that she was invoking in him…it felt so natural…
Only the need for air was enough to separate the two from their lip lock. Max smiled gently as Tess rested her head on his chest, shaking her head. "No fair," he heard her whisper.
Unfortunately for them, their moment was disrupted by a small gasp from Isabel. As soon as Max had kissed Tess, her concentration on the door broke. Michael and Isabel stood shocked to see Max, soul mate of Liz Parker, in a heated lip lock with Tess, his past wife.
Max and Tess looked over at the couple staring at them, all four of them laughing a moment later. Tess walked over to Zan's makeshift crib, picking him up and moving out of the room. She had reached a hallway door when she sensed that Max had followed her.
She sighed, shaking her head as she opened the door to the bathroom and turned to face Max. "Max…"
"I…well…I'm just…worr" Max stuttered, not looking her in the eye…
Tess just laughed, "I'll be fine…I'm just taking a bath, and cleaning up Zan. Not so difficult a task that I need your help…"
She disappeared into the bathroom, returning a few moments later. She wrapped her arms around Max's neck in a slow pain-staking fashion. She leaned in and whispered "Although later…" into his ear, letting the suggestion trail. She gave him a seductive smirk…before closing the door in his face as he tried to follow her.
A/N: Hi-ya, soooooo…I had a lot to do this week, prom preps, award ceremonies (beating out the stuck up valedictorian in number of awards…tee hee hee), reviews for finals…but I should have free time this week end.
Sorry if this chappy wasn't that great…I've been sick for about a week now…(stupid required shots for college mixed with allergies, and too much sun not enough water in parades…)