Tess in the City (CC ALL/Teen) 1/1 - 06/22/2011

[PML]

Tess in the City

Author- PML

Disclaimer- Roswell is not mine and no infringement is intended.

Category- CC ALL

Rating- Mature

Summary- This story starts out right towards the end of the Max in the City from season two. It is a participant in the Inferno challenge from Roswell Heaven. Pride as the Deadly Sin for this story.

Tess-

Tess slowly gathered her stuff in the hidden cave that the New York hybrids had grown up in. She hadn’t really wanted to come here. She didn’t really know what had happened back in the room where Max had found her.

She had vague memories of Nicholas trying to pry into her mind. And of her going completely berserk. Of her past self rising and smiting all of them.

There was a tiny part of her that could remember holding Nicholas’s heart in her hand as he dissolved into flakes around her. Of the tightly bundled blade of air slicing deep into Vilandra, the hated woman’s smile disappearing in shock and pain.

She didn’t remember killing Rath but she must have. She must have or she never would have still been alive for Max to find her. He had truly cared for his treacherous lover.

Or then again maybe it was all a plant in her head. Maybe it was all a dream.

She certainly had thought she had killed Nicholas back in Roswell with that flame burst. But he had been very present at the Summit. And she had felt his mind caress hers. Had felt his foul touch.

It was what had driven her berserk. She had trained extensively in personal defense tactics ever since Whitaker had nearly killed her. She wouldn’t be surprised again.

But how good she truly be without someone active to practice against. She simply didn’t know.

Max came into the central room and looked at the Pods hanging on the wall. He turned to face her, “I have the tickets, are you ready to go?”

Tess looked at Max and smiled. It was a forced smile. She truly cared for him, part of her even still thought she loved him. But that was mixed in with so much jealousy and anger. Even with Liz’s help, even with all she had done to push Max away from her and into Tess’s arms still hadn’t truly been enough.

Tess had her plans though. Slow and steady. Make it so she was the person he could trust and listen too. Someone who would listen without judging.

But she could remember that moment when Rath had placed his hand over her mouth, that moment when she saw what Lonnie was going to do. When she realized that not only had Ava been right about Lonnie, she had also been right about Tess.

Ava looked at her critically and looked over at Liz. “Your problem isn’t just that cornball over there. It is in you.” She looked away, her voice rough and New York accented, “You care more for yourself than you do him. You love and you want him, I think everyone can see that. He certainly can. But that Parker chick, she loves him completely. Without reservation. She would die for him in an instant. But you, you have conditions. You love him, not just for him but of who he is. Not just the man but the King. You would die for the throne and Antar. We have before, it’s why we are here. You would die for Zan of Antar, and all of course that includes Max Evans. But it is Zan of Antar you remember, the part of him that calls to you.”

Tess, “It is why they brought us back.”

Ava nodded, “But we ain’t the same Tess. Yeah, a part of us is from there…. But a part of us is from here. And…. I know that what I had with Zan wasn’t perfect. He was always looking for something. Someone like this Parker chick that would love not just who he was and had been, but just someone for who he is now.”

Tess shot Liz a glare, “But she keeps hurting him, keeps trying to push him away. To me.”

“A you don’t have a part of that action, Tess?” Ava smiled wryly, “I don’t just know you, I am you. And I tell you this…. He would be happier with her. Whatever her current problem is, well its driving them both crazy. And he might choose you. But Tess, you will always be second. I was.” She looked away, blinking away tears, “And I think that is why I blinded myself to what was going on around me. To why I didn’t react fast enough. Don’t lose your Max the same way I lost my Zan….”

Tess just opened her mouth and watched her twin cry.

“I am sorry Max. I am so sorry that I wasn’t able to warn you about Lonnie.” She lifted up her bag.

Max smiled wanly back to her. “It was Liz. Somehow. I don’t know. I saw her.” His voice was awed. “She warned me. She motioned to me, just in time.”

Tess’s voice was cold, “Liz. Of course it was Liz.”

“What is wrong Tess?”

Tess looked into Max’s eyes and told him flatly, “I am your WIFE, Max. Your wife. Do you know what it is like to constantly be second best? To know what we once had and to see it taken away? Do you know how that makes me feel?”

Max looked at the Pods again, “I am sorry, Tess. I truly am. But I love Liz. And given what she has done to me…. God I am such an idiot, but even now I love her. Even now I can’t believe what I saw. I can’t believe I really caught her in bed with Kyle.” His voice was soft and pained, “It just doesn’t feel real.”

“Maybe because it wasn’t.”

Max’s gaze was very sharp when he looked at her, suspicion filling his gaze, “What did you do Tess? What did you do to Liz?”

Tess rolled her head back and let loose a wave of caustic laughter. “And its obviously my fault, isn’t it? I the interfering interloper that ruined your pathetic little sheltered lives. Use your eyes Evans, Liz isn’t some kind of casual slut. She would have to have feelings for Kyle to do have sex with him. Day after, outside of some rumors, how did they act towards each other? Normal. No real change. And sure, maybe you think they are hiding it, but I live with Kyle. He likes Liz. But classmate he pants over is ME! Not some overly intellectualized emotional basket case! Hot blonde verses mousy brunette, gee most males hot blonde WINS! Oh, but not with you. You LOOOOOVVVEEE her. You’re as bad as you sister described, and Liz is as bad or worse. Not that you two ever talk or reason with each other. No you LOVE each other so much you believe you have magic telepathy! So you expect that the other will see that you are acting in the others best interest. Damn, but watching it is FRUSTRATING! Particularly since I know who and what you are. I know what we once shared. What I can offer you. But no, you don’t want that. You want her. So go to her.” She waved at Max dismissively.

“Tess, what has gotten into you.” Max reached over.

Tess pushed him away, “Don’t touch me.”

Max’s voice took on that calm tone it always had when he was deliberately holding his temper. A temper he usually kept under wraps, one that he usually tried to pretend didn’t even exist.

Tess thought, ‘Good he’s angry, maybe he will actually see me for once. Not that it will matter,’ She looked him over. It was too late.

Max said in that irritating tone of his, “Tess, what is wrong? Did Nicholas hurt you? Did they do something to you?”

Tess simply let him have it, “No you ass, I am simply letting you know that your Lizzie loves you. She has some idea that you belong to me, that somehow you should be with someone of your own kind. Someone who will have powers that can help you. Just a thought. Why do you think she went to Florida you numbskull! She was trying to clear the decks so to speak. Didn’t work for her any better than it did with you. She still wants you. So now she is alternating pushing you away and reeling you back in. Tell her she can stop. I am done.”

“Excuse me?”

“I am done, Max. Go home. I won’t be going with you. Don’t worry, I will call the Valenti’s and let them know.”

Max blinked repeatedly, “You can’t just stay here….”

Tess looked at him coolly, “Yes I can. Nasedo left me some money. Don’t worry, I will be fine. Tell Isabel she can have my SUV. I will give you a forwarding address for my stuff.”

“But….”

“Max. I love you. I always will. But its like Ava said, I will never be better than second best. I deserve better.”

Max looked away, “Tess, maybe I haven’t been very nice to you. But we are still a family, still a group. Why do you want to stay here, separated from all of us?”

“A group? I don’t think so. Most of you hate me, the ones who don’t resent me. Trust me it will be better this way.” She set the bag down and placed her hands on her hips, “Go home Max. Wear Liz down. She loves you and wants your babies. She certainly didn’t sleep with Kyle. And, hell if you saw her, maybe she has powers now too?” Tess held back a tear, “Maybe she’s the one you need.”

“Tess….. Why?”

She managed to hold the tears back with an act of will, “Because I have my pride Max. And watching you in that woman’s arms. I don’t know if I could stand it. No better for us all if I stay here.”

Max looked away. She could tell he was ashamed. But that she had won her argument.

Tess said softly, “Do you want me to accompany you to the airport?” She couldn’t help the first of the tears sliding down her cheeks. Her anger was slowly flowing out of her, and the notion of the emptiness that would be her fate for sometime taking its place.

For all the frustration and anger living in Roswell had brought her, it had also brought her a family. People who actually cared for her. Who knew the actual Tess. Here everything would have to be through a mask. No one would be able to know the true her. And she could never let it slip.

Max said softly, “I thought you hated me.”

Tess could no longer hold them back, the tears poured down her face. She sobbed, “No Max, I, I love you.” She reached out to touch him, to feel his warmth for just a moment longer, “Just not enough. Not enough to win you from her.”

Max hugged her.

Tess cried in his embrace. This morning she would have rejoiced, would have considered this just one more step in her conquest.

No more.

They hurried to the airport where they had enough time for a leisurely dinner. And they talked.

It was funny, but now that she wasn’t chasing him, she found herself actually liking him better. Maybe this would indeed be for the best.

Watching Max leave on his flight without her was hard. Telling the Sherriff was harder. Even more so when he actually flew to New York to get her.

But Tess was adamant. She would not be coming back to Roswell.

She did keep in touch. Liz sent her a long letter explaining why she needed to come back. Why she had resisted Max for so long.

Tess sent her a brief email telling her no.

And their odd friendship began. Emailing leading to instant messaging leading to long honest conversations. Something that would have been nearly impossible in person.

Tess was unable to bring herself to go to the wedding, but she did send a gift. And on the birth of their first child, Tess was there with the rest of the gang.

It was Tess who rescued Maria from the slow spiral she began when she came to New York with Billy. It was under her aegis that a wiser Michael was able to finally able to woo his love.

Tess had taken the money that Nasedo had given her and become a lawyer, spending way to much time working. But the passive abilities to scan in details and her prodigious memory served her well. She didn’t even have to use her mind warping abilities much.

It was a nice life, if different than the one she expected. But it was what she had, so she lived it.