Ava the Queen Chapter 36, a roswell fanfic

Chapter Thirty-Six

Amy De Luca opened her eyes to a strange sight, knowing that she wasn't in her room at all and for a moment wondered where she was. For a moment before the hospital scent brought the events of the previous night flooding back in her mind. Her being called from work, dropping everything as Jim Valenti told her about Maria, rushing to the hospital, finding out about Maria's condition. The condition wasn't so bad, Mrs. De Luca tried to reason with herself as she glanced at her baby-girl who lay beside her. Amy should be glad it wasn't a fated disease like cancer or womething physical like a damanged brain...it could be worse. Maria was having a mental breakdown but that could be fixed, a couple of pills, therapy and all will be well. Amy didn't allow herself to dwell on the possibility that mental breakdowns could led to a worse situation.

She couldn't sent Maria to any mental institute but what if she didn't get a choice. No...she shouldn't think such thoughts, her daughter was going to be alright . A few minutes of complementing and a sleepy male grunt broke of her concentration, turning to find another presence in the room. Michael was sleeping soundly on a chair beside Maria, his head lay on the bed, a hand grasping on his beloved's hand. The night before as Amy could remember, Michael had caused a disturbance when he refused to leave the hospital. Amy had conceded, she had allowed Michael to stay. Amy had never really disliked Michael at all, she just knew that even the occusional bad boy with a heart could cause heartbreak. His behavior, his own and off relationship with Maria, for goodness sake the boy had a motorcycle, Amy had every reason to be concerned about their relationship. But she understood now that Michael really loved Maria and no matter what will happen in the future...she would never forget that fact. The young mother got out of bed, moved to the other side and preceded to wake up Michael.

"Michael" Amy whispered, while shaking his shoulders a little rousing him from his sleep.

"Huh" Michael awoke to what he precieved to be his nightmare as he met Mrs. De Luca's eyes and immediately bacome worried, "What is it? What happen? Is Maria worse?"

"No, sweety...nothing" She said softly shaking her head, "I just thought that maybe you should go home"

There was a moment of silence after Mrs. De Luca's suggestion and Amy was finding herself feeling rather uncomfortable under Michael gaze. The teen didn't look at all happy with the suggestion and for a moment Amy thought she wasn't dealing with just a normal boy. His eyes that had been full of concern a while ago were now dark and creeped with streaks of anger that had her unnerved.

"You want me ro leave, Maria" Michael asked in what Amy precieved to be a dangerous tone.

"That's not what I meant" Amy took a deep breath knowing that she had hurt the guy with her suggestion so she tried to explain as softly as she could, "like I said, I thougt you might want...freshen up, take a shawor, have some breakfast...I am not baning you from the room, I just want to spent a few hours alone with my daughter.

Micheal remained unmoved for a second before his eyes softened up and his lips twisted into a small smile. Amy was going through so much and it wouldn't be right for Michael to make things so difficult for her. Michael had been scared the previous night when Mr. Valenti had called him with news of Maria's condition. The way he had been scared when Max had been taken hostage by the government, or when Max had decided to heal all those people during christmass time... This was just as bad, but he realized that even with everything that he was feeling, a mother's pain had to be way worse.

"Okay, you are right" Michael agreed, he stood up and kissed Maria on the cheek.

I'll come back, Michael promised, soon

Tess was already up, awake and sitting on the couch when Michael stepped into his apartment. Tess looked up and smiled slightly when he came in. She knew about Maria being in the hospital, Liz had seen fit to tell her why she was clinging to Max. But she wasn't upset about that, not at all...she and Max weren't boyfriend and girlfriend, not officially anyway so Tess wasn't really all that angry. Infact, she was rather worried about Maria. And she hoped that it was nothing serious.

"Hey" Tess greated Michael in a lame manner, she really didn't know what else to say really.

Michael hadn't even noticed her when he walked in, waking up from his daze state, he nodded back in greating and went to take a shawor leaving Tess staring after him. She knew he had a lot going on in his mind and thought of ways to make feel slightly better though she knew that if someone you loved was in danger nothing could make you feel better until the danger had passed. When Michael had finished getting clothed he walked out of his room and was met with a wonderful scents floating around in the air. He found out a few minutes later as Tess placed dish after dish filled with eggs, baccon, hotdogs, beans, bread.

"Hey" Tess greated once more turning around to find Michael in a surprised state and within reason, this breakfast was too much and she knew that, "My mother once said that food is the best medicine for a worried heart so..."

"Which mother?" Michael questioned now staring at her, she looked surprised by the question, "You have two right? One on earth and the other on Antar? Which one?"

Tess gave a small smile now sure why he was mentioning that but she didn't have to answer.

"I'm not hungry" Michael declared grabbing a jacket from the couch.

"What?" Tess was shocked and knew that he had to say something, "You have to eat something and keep your strength up for...Maria"

Michael stopped then turned and looked straight at Tess, "Maria is having a mental breakdown, I've been trying not to think about that but the more I do the more I have the same conclusion"

Tess had an incling of where this was all going, "You blame me?"

"Everything has become too much for her to handle right now" Michael stated factly with a shrug, "Her boyfriend is jerk, her best friend is going through hell, her other best friend died, and the person who murdered her is living with her boyfriend...yeah, I'm gonna say that you contribute a lot, but no I don't blame you"

Tess turned from Michael and blinked a couple of times, she hadn't really thought about how Maria might be feeling about this whole roommate thing with Michael but Michael had obviously thought about it.

"Do you want me to leave?" She asked silently.

Michael stared at her for a moment, "Do you have anyway to go?"

That was the last statement Michael made before turning to leave. Tess stood next to the stove for a while longer thinking about what Michael had said and then she couldn't breath. The air in the apartment seemed to take a lot out of her system and she knew that she had to get out of this hole she dag for herself. Michael had just made her realize something, the whole Alex thing had to be resolved and soon but until then, she really had to get out of there.

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"Do you want me to leave?" She asked silently.

Michael stared at her for a moment, "Do you have anyway to go?"

What was he going to do now, Tess had come back, what was he suppose to do now?

"Morning Dad"

Mr. Valenti looked up to find his beloved son coming in the room already ready for school but he could see the signs of relunctance forming under his eyes. Kyle had known and yet had refused to devulge the information and he could understand why.

Kyle seemed to notice that something wasn't really right about the way his father sat on the couch and wondered what was going on through his mind...Kyle then remembered that Maria was in the hospital.

"Dad" Kyle called out and waited until he had his father's attention, "What happen to Maria?"

"She is just emotionally exhausted" Mr. Valenti said in the simplest way, "She is just in pain right now"

"Is she going to be okay?" Kyle asked in a concerned manner while getting a nutriant bar from the kitchen then turned to his father, "She will be fine, right?"

Mr. Valenti shook his head trying to keep focuse on the current conversation, "I don't know but I think she will be fine"

Kyle smiled a little but not worried about the unconvincingway his father had worded reply. But right then he really had to go to school, "Okay, gotta go"

"Maria said somethings about Tess" Mr. Valenti said before his son could leave.

Kyle froze, turned and looked at his dad who seemed to be in another world, "What did she say?"

"That Tess was back" Mr. Valenti then looked at his son with a look he used on crimnals, "But that's not true, right?"
Kyle was silent for a moment not knowing how to answer the question, "Dad..."

"Because if she was bad" Mr. Valenti enterupted standing up still staring kyle down, "I would know, right?"

"Well" Kyle sighed then walked over to his dad, "I am sorry, I should have told you sooner"

Mr. Valenti looked down for a minute feeling slightly betrayed but Kyle hadn't stated his reasons at all, "Why didn't you tell me"

"I don't know" Kyle claimed as he sat down, "It was hard to find the words to say...it's complicated because I kinda...don't hate her"

Mr. Valenti was silent and looked at his son who was now staring at the floor. He understood how Kyle felt because he really didn't hate Tess either but the human emotions were full of complications. You may hate the actions people took however it may be impossible to hate the perpetrators. That was the situation as it was now, Tess had been like a daughter to him in those few months that she stayed with the Valentis.

"How was I suppose to say it? What was I suppose to say?" Kyle asked then looked at his dad, "Hey Dad, the girl who killed my friend and used me as an accessary to murder is back"

If the situation wasn't so serious Mr. Valenti would have laughted at his son's choice of words but it wasn't funny at all because what he said was a statement of fact. Tess had killed someone and she had used his son. No matter how much of a daughter she had been like to him, he was still angry. He had taken her in his home, had trusted, had become attached to her and even come so far as to love her and the girl shook all that by killing Alex in his home and by using his son to carry Alex's body. He couldn't forgive that, he would not forgive that. Even if he didn't hate her at all, he wasn't just going to stand back and watch her go unpunished. And according to Maria, Tess hadn't at all felt the consequences of her actions. But what could he do, he could hand her over to the police but if he did then the others would be found out. So what he should just let her off, she had killed an innocent person and he should just let it go.

"She is staying with Michael, right?" Mr. Valenti asked coming to a conclusion.

Kyle looked at his father wondering what was going on through his head then nodded, "Yeah" Kyle said comfirming his belief, "Why?"

Mr. Valenti looked up Kyle almost concerned voice and knew that at that point that Tess was poison but how to get rid of that poison was the question, but whatever. He had to see her and talk to her...if only to understand why she had killed Alex and why she had used his son. Maybe he needed an excuse not to hurt her but really, he wanted to find out the truth even if the truth would hurt.

"No reason" Mr. Valenti said to his son, "You should go to school now, okay"

Kyle looked at his father for a moment as if not buying his answer then nodded, stood up and left.

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Liz walked through the school halls in a gaze as she thought about her best friend Maria laying in the hospital room. She couldn't believe that Amy was the first one to break, Liz had always figured that if anyone would lose their minds first it would be her. She never believed for one moment that Maria would be the first to emotional have a breakdown. Liz had always been able to count on Maria for almost all the emotional support in the world. Come to think of it, Liz always allowed herself to lean on Maria for almost anything. When Alex died, Maria was always one to seem strong especially when Liz was in need.

This was too much.

And Liz was to a disadvantage as to what to do about it. What was she going to do without Maria by herside, she couldn't lose another person she cared about...Not when she had lost Alex. Liz turned around the corner towards her locker and stopped short when she found Max leaning against her locker. He looked so relaxed and very handsome indeed but Liz was in no mood to talk to him. She was in no mood to talk to anyone at all so relunctantly she walked over however slowly. Max looked up when she came near and stared at her in that way that made her feel ever more closely to him, like he was looking deep inside her soul. Liz internally shook those thoughts away, she really didn't want to go there.

"Hey" Max greated her with a small smile, moving slightly away so she could open her locker, "Here is a stupid question"

Liz placed books from her previous class in the locker before turning to Max while forcing a smile, "What?"

"How are you doing?" Max asked with raised eyebrows.

"Wow that is a stupid question" Liz agreed after a moment of silence, "right now, I am trying not to feel anything"

"How is that working for you?" Max asked as he followed Liz to her next class, "The not feeling thing...I mean"

Liz stopped all the suddenly and turned back to Max, the fake smile all gone and struggled to keep the tears from falling, "No...it's not working, I feel helpless and out of control...my life is in shumbles, my best friend is dead, my boyfriend is in love with the murder and my other best friend is in the hospital, how could I not feel anything at all"

Disregarding her comment about Tess because she had a point, Max was surprised by the calm tone she used, in fact he couldn't believe that she wasn't yelling or screaming which was what she was rightly obligated to.

"I am sorry I couldn't do anything to help" Max finally apologized and went on to explain, "It's something emotional so I really can't fix something like that...you know...It's mostly up to her"

"I'm sorry" Liz said taking a fastrrauted sigh, "I know you took a big risk"

Max studied her for a moment then sighed as well, "Wanna get out of here?"

Liz raised her eyebrows in the surprise question then without giving it much thought gave a small nod. Max grabbed Liz's hand and the two began to walk out of the school campas only to be stopped short when someone interceded the couple.

"Hello, lovebirds" The greating came from a cheerful, blond-haired teen goddess wearing a sophisticated almost-like business suit.

Max and Liz looked at each other then to the girl, "Hi, Shelby" The two chorused.

"Oh...how cute" Shelby said with a bright smile, she was rather peacky, before chatting away, "I am so glad I ran to you guys, I've been looking for you everywhere but I found you so I guess I have to tell you the good new...ha..you two have been voted...get this have been voted...guess...not gonna guess, here is a clue, a couple has been voted the best looking couple at Roswell high"

Liz struggled to keep her emotions in check as the statement ran through her head...could things get worse. How in the world was it possible that she and Max had been voted the school cutest couple when they had already broken up. Not officially but still, this was a knife added the extreme pains that seemed to stab through in her heart. Liz become aware that the entire time Max had been watching her. The twoo held eyes for a moment.

"Hello!" Shelby exclaimed interupting their thoughts, she knew that something was way wrong, "That's good new people, you are suppose to be happy...you know what...whatever, I need both of you to come with me so I can take your picture for the yearbook"

Max broke his gaze from Liz and looked at Shelby, "We would love to but...we were kinda of in the middle of something"

Shelby's smile slipped off as the looked back and forth at Max and Liz, "Middle of something"

"Yeah" Liz said struggling to keep her senses, "kinda busy"

"Busy" Shelby repeated the phrase still glancing between the two, "I am sure the principle would love to know that the elected super couple of our school are too busy skipping school to have their picture taken for the yearbook...are you two busy now"

Max thought it riduculas that he, the king of Antar was being threatened by this teenage human girl. The guy who had in his last life always got what he wanted and ordered armies to war and fought and got his way. Even so after a glance at Liz, he followed the two to the football feild. Following instructions, he and Liz tried to appear as normal as possible though he knew that the title didn't belong to them. They weren't a couple anymore.

"Thanks you, guys" Shelby said once again cheerful, waving goodbye and on her way she went.

There was a silence in the air for a moment before Liz and Max glanced at each other once more. The akwardness had come back rest between the two of them.

"So, still wanna leave?" Max asked finally breaking the silence after a tiresome moment though he didn't know which answer he wanted to hear. He really wanted to be friends with Liz, he knew that it was because in this lifetime, Liz had been his first love. He wanted to stay connected to her, he wanted to comfort her at this point in time because she desperately needed him.

Liz was silent for a moment, really tempted to take him on his offer but the moment was broken and now she had absolutely no desire to go anyway with him, "No, let's just go to class"

Max nodded his head, stood up and offered his hand. Liz inhaled and exhaled slowly trying to meant her heart and while disregarding his hand stood by herself. Both began to walk towards the school building before another interuption aquired in the form of Max's phone.

"Hello" Max answered quietly and stopped, "Mr. Valenti...what, no...what!"
Liz looked at Max as he exclaimed in a concerned voice, his expression had changed as well, "what is it?"

Max looked at Liz with rage filled eyes, "Okay, I'll be right there"

"What is it?" Liz asked again as Max strode past her without a sound, "Max!"

Max stopped when she called out his name and turned to her, "Tess is gone"

Liz opened her mouth but couldn't say anything but since she was a part of this she followed him silently.

Michael, Isabel!!!!

Max called out, senting his desperate need to see them. He was feeling a rage thorbing down his body and felt the need to exhalt some violence but underneath that violent rage in his spine, Max felt a huge sense of belief. Maybe she had only left Michael's apartment for a while but even though something inside him told him otherwise. He couldn't seem to sense her, and he even tried to call her through his thoughts but his thoughts bounced back, as an echo. She was blocking him out, which caused him to think that she really had ran away.

The ride to Michael's apartment was in silence because well Liz didn't really know what to say. If anything, Liz felt that Max was slightly overecting, if she was Tess and well if Tess had any normal human emotions, she wouldn't want to be cooped up in that apartment forever with no sunlight. For all Max knew, Tess had decided to take a walk in the park with Zan. To be rather honest, if Tess had really left Max in the cold, not that she wished it so however if thats what really happened...Liz hoped that Tess would just stay gone.

Ten minutes later, Liz, Max, Michael, Isabel and Mr. Valenti were gathered in the living room. Five minutes ago, Max had read the note that Tess had left saying that she had left and that she was sorry. Five minutes ago, Max had come to the simple conclusion that Tess was trying to drive him over the edge.

I'm gonna kill her, Max thought outloud trying to calm himself.

"When I find her, I'm gonna kill her" Max said then looked at everyone who seemed not all concerned with Tess's disappearance, "We have to find her"

"Why?" Isabel was the first to ask as she looked up to her brother, "Seriously, why should we find her...if we are lucky, the government will get a hold on her"

"Isabel" Michael snapped, shaking his head slightly. He was feeling a little guilty because, he was the one that told her to leave. He had been upset about Maria and really didn't think that she would have taken him so seriously, "Don't forget that Tess has Max's son"

Liz looked up at that statement, then at Max...she really didn't like the look of pain on his face. Even though she didn't want Tess around, even though she hated Tess, thinking about Max and his son apart like before was more than she could bear.

"Sorry" Isabel responded after a moment turning away from Max, "How are we going to find her though?"
Silence followed the question because now it seemed just like before, when Tess had left with Zan to go to Antar. Since she didn't seem to keen to response when Max was calling for her mentally, how were there going to find her then.

"Eric" Liz said silently her eyes never leaving Max, "We could ask Eric"

"Of course" Max breathed relief as he spoke wearing a smile, if only for a moment, "I don't have his phone number"

"I do" Liz admitted with a shrug then she sighed, boy was she an idiot!