Title: I Have a Dream

Author: Dontia

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything but the plot.

Spoilers: None

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Michael and Tess define their relationship and tell the others.

Notes: Sequel to "New Year’s Kiss"

Feedback: It keeps me writing and thinking of new stories.

Dedication: To those who say I’m making them Mental Vibrators. There’s no greater compliment.

***************************************

It’s Thursday afternoon before the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. At the Roswell High Library, Kyle and Tess are sitting at a table, books spread out in front of them.

Kyle waves his hand in front of Tess’ face. "You in there?"

"What?" asks Tess, her eyes focusing on him.

"What’s with you? You’re supposed to help me study, not zone out every other minute. You all right?"

"Yeah."

"Things okay between you and Michael?"

"What’s Michael got to do with anything?"

Kyle glances around to make sure no one can hear. "I saw you. You know, New Year’s Eve, midnight, ring any bells?"

"No, no, NO. Did you tell anyone? Did anyone else see?"

"Alex saw you too."

"Please tell me you’re kidding."

"Relax, he hasn’t said anything either."

"Why didn’t you tell the others?"

"Cause they’re likely to kill the messenger. Jeez Tess, I was kidding. All right, not exactly."

"They’re gonna lose it."

"Understatement, especially concerning Maria. I’d pay to see her face, from a safe distance. Somethin’ tells me fearless leader won’t be thrilled either. When are you gonna tell ‘em?"

Tess sighs. "I’m not sure there’s anything to tell."

"Believe me, there’s plenty to tell."

"Kyle, I live with Michael. Up until that night we shared the bed platonically."

"It’s not platonic anymore?"

"Michael sleeps on the floor now. When we’re at home, we avoid each other. Which isn’t easy, it’s not a big place."

"So you’re not a couple."

"I don’t know what we are anymore."

"Maybe you should sit Michael down and ask him."

"I would but…I’m afraid of the answer. Michael was my first real friend, EVER. I don’t wanna lose that."

"There’s no law that says you can’t be more while still being friends."

"What if he doesn’t want more? What if he thinks it’d complicate things too much with the others? I have all these feelings for him, I’m not sure I could survive him wanting to be just friends."

"You hafta decide if the risk is worth it."

***************************************

Isabel stops Michael in the school parking lot as he’s leaving.

"What is it Isabel?" asks Michael. "I’m runnin’ late for work."

"You don’t start for another two hours. Stop avoiding me."

"Stop pushin’ Maria at me. I get you’re not into our destiny. You don’t hafta pair me with someone else to make sure it doesn’t happen."

"I’m not doing that." Michael just looks at her. "Fine, I am doing that. But she’s the only person besides me and Max you’ve opened up with."

"Didn’t exactly have lots of choices. I’m not takin’ anything away from her. She’s been great, to and for me."

"You sound like you love her."

"Not the way she wants or need me to."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Then you’re gonna be mad at me."

"What’d you do?"

"My parents are goin’ outta town this weekend. They said I could have a dinner party Saturday night-"

"So you told Maria you’d use it to get us together."

"I did it cause you’ve been so distant lately. When you and Maria were together, you tried to be part of the group."

"You know why I’ve been distant."

"I don’t understand what Tess has to do with Maria."

"When I look at Tess, I see me."

"I don’t understand."

"The years you didn’t know where I was, no one loved me. I definitely didn’t have anyone who knew what I was and still cared. Then I found you and Max again, and it was better. For ten years Tess was told it’d be better once she found us."

"But it wasn’t, we shut her out," whispers Isabel, agonized as she begins to grasp what her actions have done to Tess.

"Exactly. I’m makin’ sure she knows my life is a better place because she’s in it. Like you always did for me."

"How do I make this better for her?"

"You can start by inviting her to your dinner party."

"That’s not a good idea."

"Call me when you think of somethin’ that is." Michael puts on his helmet.

Isabel grabs his arm. "I didn’t mean it like that."

"How did you mean it?"

"Think about the guest list. They’re not gonna be nice to her; civil’s probably wishful thinking. It’s gonna look like I got everyone together to gang up on her."

"If you don’t invite her, it’ll make it that much harder for you to reach her later."

"If you think it’s a good idea, I’ll call her."

***************************************

Later that night, Michael gets home from work. Tess is on the sofa waiting up for him.

"I thought you’d be asleep," says Michael.

"Isabel called me earlier."

"What’d she want?"

"She invited me to her dinner party Saturday night. How’d you get her to do it?"

"What makes you think I had anything to do with it?"

"Please."

"I didn’t make her ask you. I suggested it when she asked how she could get closer to you."

"She did? Really?"

Michael smiles, sitting next to her. "Really. Did you accept?"

"Uh huh, once she agreed to invite Kyle."

"Why do you want him there?"

"I’ll need all the support I can get." Tess sighs. "Besides, he’s lonely. He doesn’t feel comfortable with his old friends because of our secret, and he can’t make new ones for the same reason. He’s adrift, and I don’t want him to feel left out by the only people he can truly talk to anymore."

"Are you interested in Kyle?"

"What?"

"Do you want him to be your boyfriend?"

"No."

"The way you’re talking, I just wondered."

Tess looks at Michael silently for a moment. "Would you care if I wanted to be with Kyle?"

"Maybe."

"You’re gonna hafta do better than that."

"We’re friends Tess."

"I know that." She remembers her conversation with Kyle and takes the plunge. "Does that mean we can’t be more?"

"Do you wanna be more?"

"Yes."

"What about Max, what about our destiny?"

"What about being happy? I’m happy when I’m with you. And it’s not like I didn’t try the destiny thing. Max isn’t interested."

Michael cups her face in his hands. "Are you sure about this? No one’s gonna make it easy on us."

"You mean they can be colder and meaner? I can handle anything they throw at me."

"If you’re sure, we’ll tell everyone Saturday."

***************************************

Saturday night, Kyle goes to pick up Tess and Michael. When he gets to Michael’s apartment, he finds the door partially open. Fearing something happened, he swings the door wide and is confronted by the sight of Michael and Tess making out on the sofa. He clears his throat to make them aware of his presence. "Should I go to the party and give everyone your regrets?"

"I don’t think I’d regret skipping tonight," says Michael.

"Neither would I," admits Tess. "But we can’t hide if this is ever gonna get better. Besides, tonight’s just as good as any."

"Just as good as any for what?" asks Kyle.

"To tell everyone Michael and I are together."

"You’re doin’ that tonight? Okay, umm, how ‘bout you take my car, Michael lends me his motorcycle, and I go home?"

"Why don’t we all skip it and go for pizza?" says Michael.

Tess glares sternly at them. "Look you two, there’s never gonna be a good time for this. Better they find out when we’re together Michael, so we can lend each other support. And better it happens in the privacy of the Evans home, rather than in public where someone might drop secrets they shouldn’t. And Kyle, you’re probably the only one that’ll manage to stay calm about this. We’ll need you to play peacemaker."

"I didn’t sign on for that," says Kyle.

"It comes with being Buddha boy."

"I told you not to call me that."

Michael sighs. "Tess is right, let’s go."

***************************************

At the Evans’ home, Isabel is putting the finishing touches on the dinner table she set up in the living room. Not liking the color of the flowers, she changes them from red to purple.

Max comes in. "I still don’t understand why you invited her."

"For the millionth time Max, Tess is one of us. We should make more of an effort to get to know her. We need her."

"I’m not disagreeing, but why tonight? Couldn’t the four of us have picked another night to hang out?"

"The others aren’t gonna give her a chance unless they see we are. Unless we’re gonna cut the humans out of everything alien from now on, they need to get along with Tess too."

"I just have a bad feeling about tonight."

"It’ll be okay Max. Could you answer the door while I check on dinner?"

Max opens the door to Liz, Maria, and Alex. "Hey everyone, hey Liz. Come in."

"Hi Max," says Liz with a smile.

"Is he here yet?" asks Maria.

"They’ll be here any minute," says Max.

"Why are Tess and Kyle coming?" asks Liz. "When Isabel invited me, she said it’d be just the six of us."

"Isabel thinks our survival depends on all of us getting along. Have a seat, I’ll put on some music."

When Max gets out of earshot, Maria says to her friends "I bet Tess forced Isabel to invite her."

"Don’t worry about her," says Liz. "Concentrate on showing Michael you’re meant to be together."

Alex remembers the kiss he saw between Michael and Tess on New Year’s. He starts to tell Maria to play it cool, not get her hopes up, but the doorbell rings.

Isabel comes out of the kitchen. "Hey guys, let me get that." She opens the door to Michael, Tess, and Kyle. "I’m glad you guys could make it."

"Thanks for inviting us," says Tess. She points to the dish Michael’s carrying. "I brought a dessert."

"Thank you, come in."

"Are we the last ones here?" asks Kyle.

"Everyone else is waiting in the living room."

Isabel wonders about the look Michael, Tess, and Kyle exchange, but decides to ignore it for now.

***************************************

At the end of dinner, half of Isabel’s meal is still sitting on her plate. She stopped eating a while ago, and is tapping her fingernails on the tabletop. Max and Michael recognize this as a sign she’s ticked that things aren’t going her way and she’s about to explode.

"Who wants dessert?" asks Isabel in a low, dangerous voice.

"Let’s wait a while on that," says Max. "Great meal Is, let me help you clear the table."

"Do you want some help?" asks Liz.

"Thanks, but we got it."

In the kitchen, Max opens the back door and guides Isabel outside. "Take deep breaths."

"I asked for one peaceful meal. I just wanted everyone to try to get along. It wasn’t too much to ask."

"No it wasn’t. But maybe it was too soon to ask."

"The Skins aren’t gonna wait until we deal with our personal problems. We hafta be able to count on each other. If we can’t, we’re all screwed."

***************************************

Tess shakes her head as Liz and Maria glare at her, then head to the bathroom together. "Isabel looked really mad."

"We’re lucky she hasn’t torn a strip off our hides for tonight," says Michael, unconsciously taking Tess’ hand in his.

"Night’s still young," says Kyle. "Can we go yet?"

"We should say goodnight first," says Tess. "Isabel put a lot of effort into this, we need to thank her."

"We should also skip our announcement," says Michael.

"What announcement?" asks Alex.

"They’re gonna come clean about New Year’s," says Kyle.

"Are you insane?"

"Tonight seemed like a good time," says Tess. "We’re all here, we have the privacy to yell whatever at each other."

"To yell about what?" asks Isabel as she and Max reenter the living room.

"Nothing," say Tess, Michael, Alex, and Kyle in unison.

"What’s going on?" asks Max.

No one answers. Michael’s face is expressionless. Tess is blushing slightly. Alex and Kyle are looking any and everywhere in the room except at Max and Isabel.

"We can’t afford to keep secrets from each other," says Isabel.

"What secrets?" asks Liz as she and Maria come back.

"We don’t know," says Max. "Whatever those four are hiding."

"What’s going on Alex?" asks Liz.

Maria, who’s staring intently at Michael, drops her gaze. She notices Michael and Tess holding hands. "What the hell?"

"What is it Maria?" asks Isabel.

"They’re holding hands," shouts Maria, pointing.

Everyone turns to look. Tess starts to let go of Michael’s hand, but he hangs on, giving her a reassuring smile.

"What is this?" asks Max.

"Tess and I are together now," says Michael.

"How could you," yells Maria. "You and her, how could you?"

"This has nothin’ to do with you."

"How can you say that?" asks Liz. "You know how Maria feels about you."

"And I’ve told her repeatedly it’s not gonna happen."

"You said it was because of your duty to your home planet," says Maria. "Not because you’re lusting after that slut."

"Don’t talk about Tess like that."

"Why not? She is a slut."

"Let’s leave the name calling to a minimum," says Kyle.

Maria glares at Kyle. "Stay outta this Valenti."

"How long has this been going on?" asks Liz.

"That’s none of your business," says Tess.

Liz turns to Alex. "You knew about this, didn’t you?"

"Yeah," admits Alex.

"Since when?" asks Max.

"Since the New Year’s party."

"Why didn’t you say anything?" asks Maria.

"They kissed at midnight. I didn’t wanna say anything if it was innocent."

"This is why Michael wanted to be paired with Tess," says Isabel. "This is why Michael was cool with Tess moving in with him. You’ve been together since before then, haven’t you?"

Tess shakes her head. "No."

"Don’t lie whore," says Maria.

Tess narrows her eyes. "That’s your last freebie."

"What are you gonna do?"

"You really wanna find out? Try me."

"That’s enough," says Max, stopping Maria’s next words. "I wanna know why."

"Why what?" asks Michael.

"Why you two got together."

"We care about each other."

"And that’s it?"

"What were you expecting?"

"An admission," says Maria.

"Of what?" asks Tess.

Liz looks at Tess solemnly. "That you’re only with Michael because you can’t have Max."

"That’s ridiculous."

"Is it?" asks Isabel. "So you’d be with Michael anyway if Max wanted to pursue destiny?"

"Before now? No. Now, yes. Michael and I are together because we wanna be. It has nothin’ to do with who else we can or can’t be with."

"No one here believes that," says Maria. "You’re using Michael to hurt everyone cause you can’t have Max. Just admit it."

"There’s nothing to admit. Of all people, you should know what a great guy Michael is and how lucky a girl is to be with him."

"You bitch."

"Stop, now," says Michael. "It doesn’t matter what the rest of you believe. I know why Tess is with me and why I’m with her."

"Let’s go to neutral corners and calm down," says Alex.

"I think it’s time we left altogether," says Kyle. "I don’t think anyone’s gonna be rational about this tonight."

Michael nods. "Good idea."

"We aren’t finished discussing this," says Max.

"There’s nothing to discuss," says Tess. "Michael and I aren’t asking your permission to be together. We’re telling you about us in the interest of communication. It’s a courtesy, nothing more. Thank you for inviting me Isabel, the food was great."

"You’re welcome," says Isabel.

"Thanks Is," says Michael. He and Tess, still holding hands, turn and walk out.

***************************************

An hour later, Michael and Tess are at home, sitting on the sofa. They just finished getting ready for bed.

"We’ll have to figure out our next move soon," says Tess.

"Our next move in what?" asks Michael.

"Getting everyone to accept us and get along."

"Uh, do you remember tonight at all?"

"It was rough, a little rougher than I expected. That whole ‘using you to get back at everyone cause I’m not with Max’ thing came out of nowhere. You know I’m not, right?"

"I know. Tess, I think you hafta accept that we’re not all gonna get along. I don’t think that’s in the cards."

"I won’t accept that. You know what Monday is, don’t you?"

"It’s a no-school holiday, so I can work an extra shift?"

"It’s Martin Luther King Jr. day. Of all the leaders of this world, he’s the one Nasedo made me study hardest."

"Why?"

"He was able to bring people together who were at odds. He was able to unite warring factions for a common goal."

"He was assassinated by his enemies."

"But even now, over thirty years later, his message of peace and freedom lives on. He had a dream, a wonderful dream, of different peoples coming together. I have a dream that one day the eight of us can do the same. And that we can take that dream and make it a reality on our home world, and all other worlds."

Michael looks at Tess in awe. "I finally see it."

"See what?"

"You sound like a leader, a great queen."

"I was, once."

"Us being involved will make it hard for you to make your dream a reality, on this world or any other."

"Doesn’t mean it’s impossible. And being with you is worth the extra effort. Now come to bed."

"We talked about this Tess."

"And it’s ridiculous. Come to bed."

"We’re dating now, we can’t share a bed."

"What kind of twisted logic is that?"

"When we share a bed again, it’ll be to do more than sleep. Now give me a kiss and go to sleep in the other room."

Tess pouts. "But I don’t sleep well without you holding me."

"We’ll have to tough it out. Come here."

Tess moves closer and they share a slow, leisurely kiss. After a minute, Michael pulls away. "Go."

Tess gets up and moves to the bedroom doorway. "I’m gonna wear you down."

"Maybe, but not tonight. See you in the morning."

***************************************

THE END