A Baby Story (AU, ?C Teen) *Need Kyle, Isabel, Michael*

[isabelle]

*MAX*

I'm so shocked by Jim's suggestion that I can't even speak for a moment. Kyle jumps in, defending my baby's life, and I'm amazed again. He includes himself in the team to keep my baby safe. I hardly know which one surprises me more.

"Your son?" Jim repeats, staring at me and Tess.

"Yeah," I tell him. "We know it's a boy. I've - connected - with him. He's real. He's my son." I feel Tess tighten her grip on my hand and I correct myself. "Our son."

I look into her eyes, sure that she's feeling the same as I do about the baby. "Kyle's right. I'm going to do everything I can to protect this baby. There's a lot we don't know about what's gonna happen, but I'll be here, to help you figure it out."

Tess sighs and puts her head on my shoulder. I know this has to be exhausting for her. I feel beat myself and I'm not pregnant. I wrap my arm around her and look back at the Valentis. Jim has finally taken a seat, but I direct my next words to Kyle. I'm beginning to get an idea what Tess meant when she said Kyle took it pretty well. He actually seems willing to support us. It's so confusing. He stole my girlfriend from me, but now I have to feel grateful for him. "Thanks for ... well for offering to help."

[FallenMagic]

~*~* Kyle *~*~

I barely hear Max make his 'I-will-protect-one-an-all' speech to my father because my attention is riveted by how close Tess is sitting to Max. Something in my gut clenches with anger and pain when I see Tess lean her head against Max's shoulder and sigh deeply. Instantly Max has his arm wrapped around her and I feel this insane urge to push him away from her, to be the one she needs to lean on.

Max turns to look at me before he says, "Thanks for ... well for offering to help."

Still feeling bitter over Max and Tess I glare at Max coldly, making sure he knows exactly how I feel about him. "I didn't do this for you, Max." I say, my voice like ice. My eyes flick breifly to Tess, and for one moment I allow myself to wonder what it would be like to kiss her. But I banish the thought just as quickly as it came. She's with Max now. I have to accept that.

I turn once more to Max, keeping my voice cold and distant. "I did it for Tess. I...care about her. A lot. And I will not let anything happen to her or her baby." I sneer slightly. "This has nothing to do with you."

[isabelle]

*MAX*

Kyle's venom-filled rant actually makes me want to smile and I fight to keep it from showing. Like Liz suddenly yelling at me earlier, this actually makes sense. He's not supporting US, he's supporting TESS. I can deal with that. She's the one who needs the support and if he's gonna give it, I'm happy. And if I don't have to pretend he's my best friend, so much the better.

"That's fine by me," I say, keeping my voice neutral.

I don't quite understand what's behind this. Is it "my kid-sister's baby" or the "girl I took to the Prom?" And what about Liz? I know they didn't sleep together, but there's something there. Something I no longer have a right to wonder about, I guess. But I do, anyway. I'll give Tess whatever she needs, but I don't think I'll ever stop caring about Liz.

"Tess and her baby are what's important now. As long as she's supported here, I don't care about the rest."

[FallenMagic]

~*~* Kyle *~*~

I stare at Max in slight surprise for a moment. I hadn't expected him to take the barbed comments so casually. What has me irritated is that I'm now going to get used to seeing those two together. I have to get used to see Tess being with Max, holding his hand, trusting him, kissing him...

Refusing to let my mind go there I give Max a curt nod. "As long as things are clear between us..."

I turn around and begin to head out quickly. I don't think I can stand to see the two of them together a minute longer. I remember that I had to talk to Liz as well. Maybe I'll give her a call to see if she wants to talk. Maybe we can both indulge in a Max-hate fest.

"I've got work to do." I throw over my shoulder. Then I pause and turn to fix Max with a penetrating glare. "Take good care of her."

[isabelle]

~*MAX*~

"I will," I promise Kyle as he leaves the room. I put my hand over hers. Taking care of Tess and the baby has to be my top priority now. That and figuring out how to be a father. How am I gonna protect an innocent baby when there are skins and Khivar and who knows who-else out there wanting to kill us. Jim's concerns are valid, but there's nothing to do but face it.

I look over to Jim now, he's still sitting in shock. "Jim?" I ask. "Can I count on you, too?"

Jim sighs and then slowly nods. "I can't say I'm happy about this, Max. But I'll do what I can."

[Elizabeth Evans]

(I hope this is OK)

*Tess*

"Thank you so much...all of you...for your support. It means everything to me," I say as Jim reluctantly joins with Kyle and Max in pledging his support in helping us with the challenge of bringing a new life into this world. I'm so grateful, but at the same time, incredibly guilty inside. I don't deserve their support and caring...not after being so stupid as to blindly follow Nasedo's evil, twisted plan and bring this into our lives. Max is such a wonderful person; he deserves much better than this, I think as he puts his hand over mine in a sweet gesture of caring and loyalty.

In my heart, I promise to give him all of my support and loyalty in return, and I make that same promise, plus all my love, to this baby boy growing inside me. Despite the dangers and the difficulties in timing and other relationships, a part of me can't help but rejoice that Max and I were able to create a new life together. A son. It's something that we'd been robbed of the opportunity to do in our last life.

I also can't help but think of Kyle. He is truly incredible, still caring about me and supporting me through all the alien craziness that is my life. Even now that this latest is one of my own doing....No matter what happens now, I will always love Kyle.

Trying not to think of that, I turn my thoughts toward what has to be done. There's still telling Max and Isabel's parents the news. There's also going to be shopping for supplies and decisions regarding living arrangements, not to mention figuring out daycare plans so that Max and i could finish high school, and maybe even go on to ocllege. The future was still up in the air about whether or not we would return to Antar. We had the way home now....but could be ever bring ourselves to use it? Yet anotherh thing I wasn't ready to think about. Instead, I deliberately focused on the next item on our agenda.

" Max, how do you think your parents are going to take this news?" I was just as scared about that meeting as Max was, but I hoped that my support would be enough to help him though telling them, just as his support helped me through this meeting.

[isabelle]

~*MAX*~

Tess asks about my parents and I frown. I didn't want to talk about them now. But then, if she hadn't brought it up, I'm guessing Jim would have. I look up and see him watching carefully for my answer.

My throat goes dry and I swallow to clear it. Looking down, I rub my palm on my jeans. "I don't know. I doubt it'll be good."

"Are you going to tell them?" Jim asks. "About you?"

"I wasn't planning to," I tell him. "Not unless I have to. Not yet."

"Not yet?" Jim repeats incredulously. "Don't you think they have a right to know? With a grandson on the way?"

I shake my head. I don't want to lose any possibility of support by telling them that I'm not completely human. "They didn't know about us, and did okay. We'll take care of the baby."

[FallenMagic]

~* Kyle *~

I can still hear my father talking with Max and Tess and at this particular moment I don't want to hear anything else. Closing the door, I pick up the phone and dial Liz's number. Maybe she still wants to talk.

The phone rings and I utter under my breath. "Come on, Liz. Pick up."

[KatnotKath]

~Liz~

I turn over on the bed as I hear the phone ringing. Why can’t people just leave me alone…? I curl up in a little ball, trying to block out the noise. Please let them just hang up… I allow myself to actually believe this is what’s happened for a few moments as the ringing ceases, but it’s soon apparent that it’s not true.

“Liz…Kyle’s on the phone for you!”

I groan. I really don’t want to talk at the moment! “Can you tell him I’m not feeling too well please…” I yell back. She obviously doesn’t like the idea of this and within a minute my bedroom door opens.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to talk about it mom…please just tell Kyle I’m not well enough to talk to him…” I beg her softly.

She shakes her head firmly. “NO, I think you need to talk to someone…and if you won’t talk to me maybe you’ll talk to Kyle!” She picks up the extension in my room and sticks it in my hand. “TALK to him!”

She’s obviously not going to leave the room until I do so I finally give in. “Ok fine!” I hold the handset up to my ear. “Hi Kyle…”

[FallenMagic]

~* Kyle *~

"Hi Kyle..."

Liz's voice is exasperated and a bit annoyed as she greets me. I can tell she doesn't want to talk to me but from the sounds of it, it might do her good to talk to someone.

"Hey, Liz." I say. "I was going to ask how you're doing but from the sounds of it you don't seem any better off that me."