hello
well here i am back with the rest of chapter 19 leading up to those final words THE END or in my case not quite the end cause i've got a good idea for a sequal.
its literarly hot of the press this afternoon, so my apologies for spelling mistakes and the ending being a little rough around the edges.
dont forget i'm doing a chat 2nite, be sure to come over and tell me what ya think (The links in a previous post)
Thanks to all of you for your support, i hope you've enoyed reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it. Sorry i'm gushing this is the first story i've ever completed!!! Yeay ME!!!! I'm hoping to start a trend and i'll complete some of my others.
Anyways enjoy!
Part 19 - Enlightenment (Part 2)
Max risked a quick glance at his family, Michael stood firm and folded his hands across his chest, giving max the slightest nod of his head. Isabel adopted her ice queen pose, also nodding her head a little, she then turned to be welcomed in to Michael arms as the prepared to watch the execution..
Tess struggled some more as max tighten his grip.
“Kill me max and you’ll never know…. You’ll never know what the book really say’s…. You still need me I can help you……”
Her eyes bulged as she felt a warm sensation on her neck, which increased to scolding in seconds; she let out a piercing scream as everything started to turn black.
Max felt a presence by his side and a soft hand placed on his arm, which gently pushed his arm down. He caught his breath and looked at Liz as she stood beside him. Her hand softly brushed the side of his face.
“let her go my love”
He instantly dropped Tess and she slumped to the floor, dead or alive he suddenly didn’t care as he pulled Liz tightly in to his arms.
“you’re alive… I thought I’d lost you”
Liz pulled out of his embrace and her delicate hands cupped his face
“shhh my love” her thumbs brushed away his tears. As his vision cleared he looked more closely at Liz’s deathly pale face, looking deeply in to her eyes, he was sure that there was a emerald shine, to her usual earthly brown.
“Liz?” he tied cautiously
Liz smiled at him knowingly
“Liz is safe, she’ll be returned to you very soon”
Max let her move away from him, he wanted to shake her and demand Liz back right now but something in her voice held him back and something in his own subconscious tried to surge to the surface.
They all watched as Liz’s body sat beside Tess, she had placed her hand on the side of Tess’s head and her hand glowed a little
“Ava”
Tess’s eyes fluttered open
“Ava it’s me, I know that you’re in there, come towards my voice”
Tess felt Liz connecting with her and knew instantly that some one else was currently inhabiting Liz’s body.
“talk to me my sister”
Tess found her voice but the words seem to come from deep inside of her, from a well of resentful memories she had tried so hard to keep locked away.
“You’re no sister of mine, I have know sister”
“Yes you do! You have me, you’ve always had me, and I love you very much!”
Max inched closer to Tess and Liz, wary of what Tess might attempt to do, his shield went up when Tess slapped Liz across the face. Liz’s hand gave a swift motion and Max's shield dropped and she moved to use herself to shield Tess from the others.
“You ruined my life, everything I had you took, even my husband!” Tess/ava screamed
“Zan was never yours Ava, in your heart of hearts you’ve always known that. All I wanted to do was to protect you so you wouldn’t get hurt. I’m sorry perhaps I should have told you about my feelings for Zan right in the very beginning, so you could have made your own choice about your future but it’s too late now and I have so many regrets.”
Tess looked at Liz’s face full of grief and softened as everything inside of her that was Ava reached for her little sister Tia
“Tiana, we are all to blame…. You were my little sister, I knew how much you loved Zan, you were young and in love, you could not have hidden that from me. I practically raised you., but I was jealous of you, you always had Zan's heart. I asked Larac once after I was married, why Zan hadn’t married you and he told me about your mother. All my happiness died that day, I knew that I was the Queen of Antar but I would never be Zan’s wife. When the news came of your death I though perhaps that it would be my chance to make things work with him, but he rejected me even then. After that things are hazy for me”
“you lost your sanity” Tia replied solemnly, “much as you seem to be in this form, you have to fight it Ava, be the sister that I love so much, I know you can. Please forgive so you can me happy in this life.”
Ava blinked as the tears slide down her face “oh god… I remember…oh Tia I’m so sorry, it’s not my fault! It’s not my fault!”
“ssshhh! It’s ok ! let it go..”
Tia stood shakily, she didn’t have much time left in this body. She walked over to Isabel and Michael as they continued to hold one another.
“Valundra, Rath?, “ she took both their hands in her own, “ you two at least.. I see have found some peace in this life.”
“your deaths were greatest tragedy to our cause, You were given false information my general, and I could not get the truth to you in time.”
Michael frowned at her “how so?” As he’d stood watching things unfold between Tess and Liz. He’d held Isabel in his arms, a feeling of such love and possessiveness had washed over him. His emotions were conflicted as his mind flooded with images of a time when he had been married to Valundra, the mutual love and respect that they had shared. He looked down at Isabel, to see her gazing back up at him, similar emotions playing across her features. They knew these feelings were not there own, the Rath and Vaundra were trying to speak through them somehow. His arm dropped suddenly from around Isabel and the strong emotion of betrayal plagued his thoughts.
“she betrayed us!” he stated as he moved away from Isabel, he could move far as Liz still held both their hands.
“i.. i.. “ Isabel tried but she could find the words to speak
“no, Rath, she did not, I was listening the day she came to tell Kivar, that she loved you and would never betray her husband and brother. You both died the day Antar fell, I’m afraid I never new exactly what happened but I believe information that Valundra was the betrayer was leaked to you Rath and you went out to destroyed Kivar, when you didn’t return Valundra ran out into the city never to return either” Tia pressed their hands together, “but there is something you should know.. your son is safe, he survived and still lives, I hope you find some comfort in that” she let go of their hands and was pleased to see that they still held on to each other, she looked on pleased with herself as Valundra stepped in to Raths open arms and they held each other tightly. Her hands dropped to her side and she slowly turned, she had one person left to face and he had been watching her intently for some time, she’d felt his eyes boring into her back.
Max hadn’t stood a chance as Zan took over his body, Zan had wanted it to much, all max could do now was watch.
“Tia”
She nodded and eagerly stepped into his arms, he looked at the others desperately wanting to be alone with Tia.
“….could you 2 take….Ava to the kitchen and check she’s ok” he was grateful when they nodded and the 3 of them left the room. As soon as the door was closed he lips hungrily found Tias. “I’ve missed you, my love” he breathed in between passionate kisses. All thoughts of what Tia had wanted to say to him and gone out of her mind as he kissed her, the memory of the passion they once shared, trying to consume them. Zan began to unbutton her blouse and his hands were pressed firmly against her warm skin, in return she began to tug at his T-shirt which was quickly discarded and her hands roamed his torso.
Liz slowly began to regain some sense of herself, she was being kissed and she had the gentle sensation of being touched. She fluttered open her eyes, max? max was kissing her..not just kissing, her blouse had just fluttered to the floor. The sensation was toxic but they were going to far, she had to stop.. how had she got here. It was when she tried to push him away she realised that she had no control over her body. Her panic rose has max pulled them both down on to his bed.
“Max!” her mind screamed, she felt her self sucked backwards and it all went black, looking down she could see her own hands, another hand reached across and entwined its figures with hers. Looking up she saw max.
“Max.. stop it please..”
Max looked over his should as if he was looking at something.
“I cant, he’s to strong”
“who?”
“Zan!.......Zan and Tia have taken over our bodies”
“What!! They cant!
“they can and they are!”
“but.. its not right, Tia promised me it would only be long enough for her to say her goodbyes”
Max smirked
“oh yeah there saying goodbye alright”
“Then why cant I get my body back and why is your body currently….oh”
Liz looked at max, her eyes wide, “they wouldn’t”
“they are”
“stop him”
“i've tried, he wont listen, he loves her.”
“TIA!!” Liz yelled the top her lungs “TIA! SHOW YOUR SELF RIGHT NOW!!”
“TIA!... YOUR STEALING MY LIFE.. YOU PROMISED” Liz began to sob
As Tia appeared before her Liz grabbed the other girl by the arm, “you can’t do this, it’s my body, I saved myself for Max”
Tia blinked and pushed Zan off her, “Zan”
Zan looked at her in confusion and then panic as he read her face.
“no… no don’t leave me again”
He watched as she seemed to slip away from him and struggled to follow.
Max and Liz stood hand in hand as to figures appear in front of them.
“thank you Liz” Tia began “for allowing me to make my peace and say goodbye”
Liz gulped, “did you and he?” she blushed.
“no and I’m sorry, we should not have lost control, but its time to go.”
“Tia” she felt Zan holding her tightly, turning in his embrace she kissed him lightly.
“no my love, we’ve had our chance, its time for us to fade into memories and allow them to live in their own world.” She smiled lovingly at him. “I could not rest until, we were together again and now its time for us to go and be at peace together” with that she kissed him and Max and Liz watched as the Tia and Zan disappeared and the darkness faded away.
Liz looked at Max and blushed as she noted that he was topless, it didn’t take long for her register that she was also stripped down to her bra as Max also turned a shade of red. He reached down and handed her, her blouse, “thank you” she mumbled. He hurriedly pulled on his t-shirt, keeping his back turned afraid that she would see how the sight of her in her bra had aroused him. “Mud, mud, mud” he muttered under his breath.
“max? are you ok” Liz asked worriedly.
“Yeah.. I’m sorry if i..he hurt you” he reached out and brushed a hicky on her neck.
“I’m ok, that was close” she looked at max unsure where they went from here.
Max cupped her face in his hands, “I love you Liz Parker” he didn’t wait for a response he leaned in instantly and kissed her. Liz kissed him back her resolved melting away, she loved him to, god knows she did. Future Max’s warnings rang loudly in her head. She pulled away from him as his thoughts seem to mirror her own. “What did you mean when you said, you’d saved you self for me?” he frowned “you slept with Kyle…didn’t you?”
Liz shook her head and looked down, she could lie to him anymore.
“but why?”
“because, I was told that in the future the war came to earth and because you and I were together Tess left. It turned out that we need her, making you fall out of love with me seemed like the only way, so I asked Kyle to help me”
“It was a trick Liz it had to be, why would you believe it.”
“because it was you… 14 years from now we figured out how to use the granolith for time travel, you came back in time to change things, when future you, disappeared, I new that you seeing me with Kyle had worked.”
“I was wrong, I could never stopped loving you Liz, and this future version of me must have been desperate if he though that I could ever stop loving you.”
“Liz” he gentle touched her chin forcing her to look at him. “I want my life to be with you”
Liz sighed and softly pushed his hand away “I know that Max but….” She sighed again “we should go check on Tess!”
“But what?”
“Please Max I’m tired, we need to deal with Tess then maybe we can find some time to talk”
“Ok” he said taking her hand in his.
Max followed her out of the glad that she hadn’t let go of his hand. He had so many questions burning in his mind but he was wise enough to know that this wasn’t the time to push Liz for answers. His thoughts flitted to Tess and he could help but feel his heart harden, logically he knew that she wasn’t completely to blame but all his heart saw was Liz cold and lifeless on the floor. He had know idea what they were gong to do about her, the big question was could she really change and dose she want to?.
Michael, Isabel and Tess had walked slowly down to the kitchen, each one lost in the own personal dilemma, Tess sat at the kitchen table and pulled her legs up against her chest. She sat quietly hugging herself. Isabel looked at her as she made her way past, she could make out the faintest of rocking motions as Tess gazed off in to space lost in a forgotten memory. Moving to the sink she poured her self a glass of water and drank it slowly as she gazed out of the window. Michael moved up behind her.
“How you doing?” he asked softly
She put the glass of water down slowly before answering.
“I feel empty”
“Yeah me to… it’s kinda weird…. Do you suppose max and Liz are ok, I don’t think they where entirely alone” Michael said glancing back towards the hallway. Isabel followed his gaze for a second “yeah I think so, they needed to be alone…”
She turned to look at Michael directly “for a few moments there Valundra was with me in more that just DNA, I don’t know why but some how when she took over I seemed to get a rush of her memories all at once”
Michael nodded “me too, but it’s a mess of information”
Isabel reached for another glass of water. “I need time to processes a lot of it but it’s her raw emotion that’s with me now, she was heart broken knowing that rath thought she could betray him… that she didn’t love him. I just wish I knew how it ended for them”
Michael pulled her into a hug. “I know…..as far as I can tell Rath wanted to believe in her and he did until he found her with Kivar, he overheard Kivar declaring his love for her asking her to be his queen, he never waited for her reply his jealousy got the better of him and he attacked, kivar pulled a gun and shot him before he even made across to Valundra, after that Valundra ran to his side. I think something in that action caused Kivar to flip because he shot her in the back before she made it to rath. She was luckier than rath, her death was instant.”
Isabel buried her head in his chest and held her eyes tightly closed. They stood silently holding one another, listening as Tess faintly mumbled ‘it’s not my fault’. They were raised out of their revelry as Max and Liz walked into the kitchen.
Liz looked over at Tess and frowned with concern, ‘how long has she been like this?’ she asked walking cautiously over to her. Michael shrugged "pretty much since we left the bedroom”
Liz nodded at his comment and knelt in front of Tess. “Tess….are you ok?” she was sure she heard max mumble something but chose to ignore it. “Tess” she tried again waving her hand in front of Tess's vacant stare. She gripped Tess's shoulders tightly trying to get the girl to focus “Tess!” she almost shouted. Getting no response she glanced at the others. Max shook his head angrily “Tess stop it! If you think this act is gonna get you sympathy…think again!” Liz looked towards him angrily
“Max..stop it… I don’t think this is an act”
Max frowned “so what are we supposed to do.. mollycoddle her?
Leaving Tess's side Liz marched past max to the phone an idea forming in her mind “you don’t have to be so cold max” she looked at Tess sadly “she’s had it rough to”
Max clenched his fists “Cold!... COLD! She nearly killed you Liz” Liz looked at max and paused mid dial “yeah she did and I’ve chosen to give her the benefit of the doubt, my personal feelings aside NOTHING changes the fact that we NEED her max! Whether you like it or not and I suggest that you respect my decision, it is my life after all.” She looked solemnly at Michael and Isabel “can’t any of you see just how broken she is right now, that didn’t just happen in that room, it’s been going on for a long time. She needs us right now and it’s important that we don’t let her down.” With that Liz angrily dialled the phone “hey, it’s me! Can you come over to Max’s place.. Tess needs a ride.. Ok see you in 5” she hung up.
"so who did you call?" isabel asked cautiously, "kyle" liz stated matter of factly. "Oh" isabel mouthed as she made her back further into the kitchen and pulled up a stool to the counter. Micheal took up postion opersite her and they both watched max, liz and tess. Liz was making another atempt to get through to tess while max hung back, trying not to look visibly annoyed and failing. When the door bell finally rang, max moved to answer it but liz stoped him "i'll need to explain"
Max waited while Liz went to open the door, he heard kyles cheery hello, their voices turned to a hushed whisper as liz did her best to explain quickly. A few mintues later Liz led kyle into the kitchen.
"Tess" kyle ignored the rest of the group as he made his way over to her. "Its me.. Kyle" for a split second her eyes focused with recognition but it was lost again just as quickly. He glared angrily at max as he carefully lifted tess out of the chair and into his arms. "what the hell did you do to her?"
Max started to respond but liz interjected "kyle..please not now. just take her home and i'll call you later."
Kyle nodded at liz "ok" he glared at max again "stay the hell away from us" with that he carried tess out of the house. Liz followed and stood on the porch as kyle put tess in his car, she was the only one to see him place a tender kiss on the girls forehead and she knew instantly that she'd made the right decision calling kyle. She felt max place his hand on the small of her back, looking up at him she smiled, he smiled back pleased she hadnt pushed him away. Micheal moved around them and leaned on the railing, watching as kyle pulled away.
"she's definately a problem max"
Max nodded and pulled liz close to him "only if we keep making her one"
"so thats it!" isabel huffed "we're just going to let her get away with what she's done here today."
Micheal stood tall and started down the steps towards his bike "yes Iz we are, turning on Tess is just what our enemies would like to see happen and i for one am not going to give them one damn inch.. not anymore. Not after what i've learnt today"
"spoken like a true tactition" she called after him, micheal grinned and touched two fingers to his brow in mock salute before riding away.
"i'm going to check my emails, see if i've got anything from alex" isabel stated before going back into the house leaving max and liz alone on the porch. Max gazed down at liz, who was still in his arms, he was just about to kiss her when she spoke, dampening the mood.
"nothings changed max... "
He nodded "but i'm hoping togetehr we can change it"
She smiled "i hope so to Max...i hope so to"
THE END
zansdivine
