I See Things 1/1 (Teen) *Tess POV*

[gnrkrystle]

Title: I See Things
Pairing: mentions of Maria/Kyle, Maria/Michael, Alex/Isabel, and Max/Liz (Tess POV)
Rating: Teen
Summary: Tess contemplates the secrets she holds
Disclaimer: I do not own Roswell, or else Maria and Kyle would be together forever.
A/N: This is a little one shot that popped in my head, let me know what you think.


I see things. I know many people seem to think I’m blind, but I see many things that, maybe, I shouldn’t see. Like right now. I see Kyle. To the outside world he appears to be watching television. It takes someone close to him…a sister…to see that his eyes are not really focused on the football game in front of him.

I see Jim, sitting at the kitchen table, milling over bills that he doesn’t have the money for. I see the way he bits his lip in frustrated concentration. I see him look up at Kyle and myself, wondering how he is going to provide for us, now that he’s lost his job.

In our group, I see Max and Liz. They think I’m still in danger of wrecking the perfect love they seem to have found. Liz has made a good show of trying to be my friend, but I see it in her eyes. She’s keeping her friends close and her enemies closer. Max just avoids eye contact. He is more than polite, but I see that he would rather spend as little time with me as possible. And that is fine with me. Max sends my skin on edge. There is something about him that makes me uncomfortable, I just can’t place it. That’s one thing I can’t see.

I see Isabel and Alex, never honest with one another. I see Isabel, ever so slightly, detach herself from Alex whenever they are in public. I see Alex pretend not to notice. Isabel cares for Alex, I know, but she cares about her reputation more and it’s painfully obvious…when you take the time to see them. Alex is head-over-heels for Isabel, and that’s why he lets it slide.

I see Maria and Michael. Everyone thinks they are finally the happy couple. There is no more fighting. No more yelling matches in the hallway. I, however, know the truth. The day they stopped fighting was the day it was over. The day that Maria climbed into Kyle’s window, and the day he stopped watching football and started staring off into space. I see it, unfortunately no one else does.

I look back at Kyle. I know she’s coming over tonight. That’s why he’s particularly distant. I see that he cares about Maria. I also, see that she cares about him, in her own way. It’s in the looks they give each other when they think no one I looking. I always am, of course, because I know the truth. But when they think they are alone, or that the others are distracted, they look at one another with love that runs deeper than the lust they express physically.

Maria’s breath hitches when Kyle enters a room. I see that. I see the way her eyes dilate slightly and he breath comes out in short pants as she try to calm herself when he enters the Crashdown. I see how Kyle almost forgets to breathe when Maria brushes his arm, setting his dinner down in front of him.

I also see how Maria seems absent when Michael touches her. And how, in turn, Kyle seems to internally lose his cool every time Michael shows Maria affection.

In the two months that this affair has gone one, Maria and Kyle only ever meet late at night and only via the small window in Kyle’s room. At first I assumed it was a twisted sex thing. They went at it like to rabid animals that first night, and I thought that as Maria came back night after night, she was just trying to get Kyle out of her system. However, as weeks passed, and I continued to watch them from the silent shadows, I realized that of all of my friends Maria and Kyle were the only two who might truly love one another.

Then the fighting began. They say there is a thin line between love and hate, and I’m inclined to agree. Maria and Michael’s fights were so much different than Maria and Kyle’s. When Maria and Michael fought, it was because that was what held their relationship together. It was always a constant battle only so they could make up later. Anyone should have been able to see that when the fighting stopped, so would the relationship.

With Maria and Kyle, the arguments run deeper. I can see that they try to argue as little as possible, as their time together is precious and short. But everyone once in a while, the stress of their affair grows to be too much, usually for Kyle. They think I can’t hear them, but I can. I can hear everything, and as much as I want to run to Kyle’s side and help him through all of this, I can’t. He has to deal with this alone.

When they do argue it is always about Michael. Maria won’t leave him and Kyle doesn’t know why. He can’t see it, but I can. I can see it all. Maria can’t leave Michael. Maria knows, all too well, what would happen if she left a volatile Michael to be with Kyle. The entire group would be ripped apart and Michael’s stone wall would come back up, blocking any chance of them succeeding in any mission that may face the group in the future.

But Kyle can’t see any of that. He doesn’t see the pain in Maria’s eyes when she climbs out of his window. He doesn’t see the looks she gives him when she thinks he isn’t looking. Kyle only sees his own pain. But he can’t give her up. He made a vow to himself, long ago, that if he could have her in any capacity he would take it. Even if it might very well kill him.

He gets up from the couch and flips off the television. In my silent reflection, I don’t see Jim get up and go to bed, but it appears that Kyle and I are alone in the living room. “I’m going to bed,” Kyle says, his voice gruff and quiet. I know he isn’t going to bed. He’s going to wait for Maria.

“Good night, Kyle,” I say to him, kissing his cheek as I hug him. He smiles slightly at me and continues down the hall to his room. I take his place on the couch and wait. She will be here soon.

Mere minutes pass and I hear Kyle stir in his room. His window opens and Maria’s light frame hits the floor. I silently make my way to Kyle’s room, standing like a voyeur on the other side of his door, listening to their intimate moments together.

“I’m glad you came,” I hear Kyle say, as if he was worried she wouldn’t.

“I love you, Kyle.” Maria blurts out, and then there are no more words. I quietly make my way past Kyle’s room to my own, giving them the little privacy I can. I see that Maria’s revelation was the first of its kind, and as much as I see this relationship heading for disaster, a part of my is satisfied that, no matter what happens, from this point on, they will both know the truth that I’ve always seen.

End.