The confrontation

Tess stood among them. Their stunned faces, bewildered that their lack of action had a effect on an entire people.

"Do you actually believe that Antar was just gonna wait until you made up your sniveling little minds?" Tess yelled at Max mostly, but also the others. "T-Tess." Max stuttered trying to fire back. "No! You shut up! I don't want to hear about how you didn't know! I told you! Warned you! But still you took your lives here to mean something!" Tess was silent for a moment.

She leaned back, crossing her arms. "I hope your all happy with Liz and Maria, cause you're not coming home with me!" Tess hook her head. "What? Why did you come, if not to help us?" Isabel asked. "Help you? No. All I cared about was that the secret wasn't plastered all over the freaking TV!" Tess corrected sternly. "Oh." Isabel was silenced. "I thought it had something to do with what I said..." Max muttered under his breath. "My dear, you convince a vampire to suck-blood. Not even if your life hung by it." Tess smugly commented. "No, no. I gave you all the chance. You had it, you left it." Tess was punishing them, and they all knew it. "Liz is our enemy. She knows everything about us, she could destroy us." Max pleads.

Tess looks up, unemotional. "And whose fault is that?" Tess asks, harshly. Michael, having stayed silent all this time, cleared his throat. Tess looked over at him. "Yes, one what?" She quipped. "Just because Max made a huge mistake, doesn't mean you have to punish Isabel. Let her go." Michael suggested. "No can do there. I'm sorry if I don't have any sympathy left. War can have that effect on you." Tess shrugged. "It's not my problem, the only thing that is, is Liz. She could endanger some of our on-going tests being done here." Tess commented. "I'll stop her, but for what's left of Antar, not you." Tess sternly reminds.

Max sighs, taking her aside.

"What is it?" Tess asked, annoyed. "Tess. You may feel like God right now, but you're not. I fucked up... royally." Max tried to not to smirk at his pun. "Oh, that was an understatement. "Maybe." Max agreed. "But so did you." Max raised an eye brow. "How did I manage to mess up, when I was surrounded my morons? Gee I wonder how that happened?" Tess' sarcasm wasn't making this any easier for Max.

He grasped her arms, and brought her close to him. Taking his hand and bringing it to her neck. "I let you live once. Repay the favor..." He points at Michael and Isabel. "...For them." Max insists.

Tess sighs. "Max let me clue you in on something. When I said there was nothing, I meant it. I'm only going back for Zan." Tess assured. Max's eyes widened. "My son?" Max was getting excited. "Yes." Tess grunted. "For them...?" Tess looked over at Isabel and Michael. She was leaning on his, being comforted by him.

"I'd do anything. But I'm not God. I can't work miracles, our home, our planet is dying." Tess said quietly. "Not even the hand of God, if there is such a thing, could save it." Tess admitted.

As Max looked over at Michael and Isabel. Tess began to stare at him. "What the hell?" Tess shrugged. She grabbed Max, and kissed him hard on the lips. Bringing him into her face. Max felt the world rush away, the floor beneath him melt. It was as if he was high, he'd never experienced anything like it.

Time slowed. He felt each tender touch of her lips against his. Her tongue, never tasted so sweet. When she finally broke away, almost heaving for air, with an incredible smile spread over her face. "That was..." But he had not words to describe what it was. It was pure, unimaginable passion. "That was two lifetimes of wanting, and waiting baby." Tess filled in the words for him, with a smirk.

Max tried to not laugh, feeling how true her silly statement was. It was as if his entire life had been built to experience that kiss. It wasn't a kiss, it was something else. The replacement of a connection Max hadn't even known he'd lost. "I-I feel..." Max rubbed his chest, feeling not one, but two hearts. "Us." Tess touched his hand on his heart. "Us." Max sighed, relieved.

Max began to smile, widely. "What's so funny?" Isabel snapped at his smile. "Nothing." Max was trying not to giggle. Tess was using her new connection to make him 'feel' her...

"Seriously." Michael sat up, seeing the weirdness. "I lied." Tess blurted out, covering her mouth. "Shit!" She slammed her fists against the wall. "Lied?" Max was still trying not to laugh. "That damn connection!" Tess muttered. "About what?" Michael asked. "Antar. It's fine. Those images of me... that you saw, Max? They were old, I beat Kivar. He escaped here to get Vilondra- sorry about that Isabel. Look, I didn't want you four coming back. You're not ready." Tess admitted.

"I think we deserve the chance to prove ourselves." Max said. Tess nodded. "So did I." She reminded. Max just looked down.

In Roswell

Liz sat shaking back and forth on her bed at the CD. "No, no, no , no." She muttered. "Got out of my head!" She yelled. Green energy emitted from her body, knocking the grasses over, and blowing out her window. A small boy-like figure appeared at her widow, now shattered. "Get out!" Liz screamed. "You killed Maria!" Liz barked. "No, you did…" The voice snickered. "No…" Liz whined. "You made me!" She sobbed.

The boy entered. "Sh. Don't say things like that. You're so much stronger than Alex was… you can handle the mind warps…" Nicolas smiled, evilly caressing Liz's face. As she struggled not to look at him. "You trued to get me to kill Max!" Liz hissed. "You almost did." Nicolas smirked. "You were so close… but then you broke out… I guess I just need to be rougher on you, huh?" He snickered. "Pl-please, bring Maria back, I'll do it, if you bring her back." Liz sobbed. "I can't. Once you're dust, you're dust." He admitted, smiling.

"I'll kill you." Liz threatened. "Maybe, but not before you kill the one person left in the world, to whom you love more than anything… say goodbye to Max for me." He grinned, placing his hand on her head, as she fought to get free.

Nicolas took a deep breath and began to speak to Liz in a mono- tone. "You will find Max. You will kill Max, and all his family, and friends. Leave no trace, and try not to make a mess this time." He lifted his hand. Liz was staring off into space. "Good girl" He patted her on the head and leaped out the window, the wind blowing the shards of glass on the floor around.

In the desert

The sun setting seemed orange and golden, glowing bright, almost twinkling at them, as Tess laid back on Max's car. "You got a new car…" Tess commented. "Well, yeah. The other one is ash!" Max laughed. "So Liz is just gone nuts?" She asked. "Pretty much. She killed Maria." He sighed. Tess whipped around "Liz, killed? Sorry I'll have to say I just can't believe that one." Tess said, smirking. "Are you laughing?" Max asked. "A little, it sounds crazy." She smiled. "It does." He admitted.

"Listen Max I have to tell you something." Tess sat up. "What?" Max was trying to seem interested, but he was really distracted. "I never killed Alex. I thought I had. I was made to think I had. Someone made me think it, made me remember it. It was a ploy." Tess explained. "Then who did?" Max wondered, looking up at the darkening sky with Tess.

Liz finds Max

It didn't take her long. To figure out where they'd go. She knew them almost better than they knew themselves. She didn't make a sound that night. Slipping out through her window, in the middle of the night.

She stole Maria's car, driving it directly to the chamber. Max's car was parked a good half mile away. Liz gripped her head, battling the demons inside her. But she couldn't win.

She walked up the spot that opened the chamber. Closing her eyes, she got inside Isabel's head...

Inside the chamber

Michael and Isabel were asleep, laying side by side. Tess had fallen into a light, drifty sleep leaning against the wall. Max had fallen asleep next to the PODs.

Isabel shifted in her sleep. She awoke with a start. Moving swiftly to the door, opening it. She stepped outside. A voice calling her. "Vilondra." It called. "Vilondra, my love." It whispered. "Kivar?" Isabel sweetly muttered.

The voice stopped. Liz stepped out in front of Isabel. She shook her head, breaking free of the dream Liz had kept her in. "Hello." Liz tilted her head, smirking lightly. "Liz?" Isabel gasped. "Well, duh!" Liz rolled her eyes. Isabel quickly turned to run back to the doorway. Liz grabbed her, stopping. "Not tonight!" Liz chuckled. She threw her to the side and entered before the doorway closed.

Inside it was dark, moist, and quiet. Her feet were freezing, wearing nothing but sandals. She saw Max, laying away from the others against the POD. She crept up to him, smelling his sweetness. It made her want to fight the demons.

She bent down, on one knee above him. Taking her right leg and swinging it over his waist. She was straddling him now. He stirred lightly. "Max." Liz breathed, shutting her eyes for a moment. "Mmm." Max shifted. His eyes opened lightly. She smiled, grabbing his mouth to keep him quite. "Sh..." She hissed.

She released his mouth. "Liz?" Max gasped. "This is a dream!" He was trying to convince himself. "Maybe..." She teased. "I don't understand. Why are you doing all of this?" Max asked. Liz cocked her head sideways, and smirked lightly. "I have to." She said innocently. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to." Max reminded her. "But I have to do this." Liz insists.

Tess sat up, hearing the noise. "Max?" She said groggily. Liz snapped around. She waved her hand, and knocked Tess back into the wall. "Tess1" Max cried. Liz was furious. "You defend her!" Liz snapped. Max became attention filled, looking up at Liz. "Don't... take me!" Max pleaded.

Isabel came running in, going to Tess' aid. Michael sat up, hearing the commotion. He knocked Liz off Max. He ran to the others, it was four against one, but Liz didn't seem to mind. "Liz." Max hissed. "I won't be second Max! I can't!" Liz warned. "Second? Liz, you and I are over!" Max said sternly. "No, not in this lifetime!" Liz assured. "Hun, get a life!" Isabel chirped, waving her hand, and knocking Liz off her feet.

Liz grew angry. Knocking them all against the wall. "You think I'd come against all four of you, if I could handle it!" Liz says angrily. "Unlike you... I know my opponents weakness'! I'll destroy you all!" Liz violently smashed them again.

Max weakly got up, coughing. "My weakness used to be you. You have nothing on me Liz." Max heaved for air. "Maxwell." Michael warned, but it was too late. Max had already begun. "I know you're weakness, has always been the same... your love for those around you, idiot!" Liz rolled her eyes.

Max glanced at Tess whom was ready to battle. "Oh?" He questioned. "Don't even think about it. I'm not gonna let you two get within contact range!" Liz knocked Tess and Max apart. "I'm not stupid!" Liz snarled.

Michael had, had enough. He sighed, harshly. Charging Liz. "Ooo, a hero among the dirt?" Liz snickered. "I think not." Liz assured, ducking his punch and kicking him in the balls. "Did that hurt, I hope so." Liz said with a pretend baby-girl voice.

Isabel out of instinct ran to Michael. This gave Liz the upper hand. As Isabel bent down to check on Michael, Liz grabbed the back of her hair. "Hey lookie what I got!" Liz laughed. "Like taken candy from a baby. This is the only one Kivar wants... hmmm." Liz looked about.

Her eyes traveled past the carnage she left in her wake. The broken walls, the smashed rock. She eyed a piece of the stone wall that hung over Max and Tess. She kicked Michael, sliding him to the others. Then blasted the rock, covering them in heavy stone.

Isabel screeched, but it was too late. When the dust cleared, all that could be seen of them was Michael's hand, sticking out among the rocks. Not moving, nothing.

"Michael!" Isabel reached for his hand, but Liz zapped the back of her head, knocking her out. "Come along princess. Your prince awaits."