Title: Irish Magic

Author: Dontia

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

Spoilers: None

Rating: R for language and slight touching.

Summary: Maria has a plan and finds a co-conspirator.

Notes: Sequel to "Braveheart – Interlude # 2".

Feedback: It keeps me writing, so the choice is yours.

Dedication: To Kakia, have you seen her Fanforum signature?

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The morning of St. Patrick’s Day, Maria gets up early and goes to the Evans house. She climbs to Max’s window and knocks.

Max opens the window as he tiredly rubs his eyes. "What are you doin’ here this early?"

"I need your help," says Maria, entering his bedroom. She whistles at Max’s naked chest. "Lookin’ good Evans."

"Tell me what you need," says Max as he pulls on a shirt.

"I need your help proving that Tess doesn’t want Michael."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"That’s where you come in. I need you to come on to Tess."

"What?"

"You’re the one she really wants. If Michael knows she gave into her feelings, he’ll see she’s just using him."

"This is a bad idea Maria. If Tess does give in, Michael’s not gonna thank us."

"He’ll thank us in the end. I love him so much Max. If I have to, I can handle him being with someone else. But I want him with someone who appreciates him. As long as Tess is hung up on you, that person isn’t her. Michael deserves better."

"She really seems to care about him."

"I have to be sure before I give up on him. Please help me. I see her making him smile, making him laugh, and it hurts. It won’t stop hurting ‘til I let him go. But I can’t unless-"

"Unless Tess really wants him. All right, I’ll help you."

Maria hugs him. "Thank you Max. Here’s what we’re gonna do. Michael’s working today, so while he’s at the Crashdown…"

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

At Michael and Tess’ apartment, Tess wakes up with her back aligned to Michael’s front and his hand cupping one of her breasts. As she’s lying there, she feels him swallow before taking his index finger and begin playing with her nipple through her nightgown. Tess moans as pleasure washes over her.

"You’re awake, aren’t you?" asks Michael.

"Yes. That mean you’re gonna stop?"

"I still wanna wait Tess."

"I know, this is just…foreplay."

"I should stop."

"OR, you could keep doing that and stop in five minutes."

"I won’t be capable of stopping in five minutes."

"And that would be a bad thing?"

"I don’t have any condoms."

"I bought some, they’re-"

"I threw ‘em out. Having them here would make it too easy to give in."

Tess sighs. "Then you should stop."

"I’m sorry."

"Don’t be. Come on, we have to get up. You need to get ready for work and I need a cold shower."

"Let me make it up to you," says Michael as Tess gets off the bed and begins laying out her clothes.

"You’re gonna make it up to me July 4^th. Make sure you take a couple days off cause you’re not leaving that bed."

Michael grins. "I meant dinner tonight, wherever you want."

"Why don’t I order a pizza and rent some videos?"

"You sure?"

"Yeah. It’s St. Patrick’s Day and Kyle told me about this movie called Leprechaun. Have you seen it?"

"No, what’s it about?"

"Some people steal this poor leprechaun’s pot of gold so he tries to get it back."

"Can’t we get a horror movie instead? Somethin’ with a little blood and guts?"

"Next time, tonight we’re commemorating a holiday. I’m also getting "Far and Away". It’s about the Irish migration to this country."

"It’s a chick flick," says Michael with a groan.

"Didn’t you say you were making something up to me?"

"Fine, but it’s not my fault if I fall asleep."

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

Later that day, Tess is sitting on the grass in the park. She’s thinking about how happy she is. She’s amazed that she loves someone who loves her back, something she thought would never happen. She looks down and sees a four-leaf clover. "My luck’s finally changing."

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

At the Crashdown, Maria glances at Michael in the kitchen before walking to Max, who’s at the counter. "You still gonna do it?"

"I’m having doubts about this," says Max.

"I need to know Max, and Michael deserves to know. Please."

"How much longer is Michael gonna be here?"

"At least another hour."

"Okay, I’ll go do it now."

"Thank you."

As Max leaves, Michael comes up behind Maria. "Where’s Max going?"

"To your apartment to see Tess. He has some questions for her."

"Okay. Need me to do anything before my shift ends?"

"Make sure the grill’s ready for Jose to take over. He’ll be here in twenty minutes, then you can take off."

"Thanks. And thanks for cuttin’ down on the hostility today, I appreciate it."

"We’re still friends, aren’t we Spaceboy?"

"Yeah. Let me get back to the grill."

Maria watches him walk away. "We’ll be more than friends soon Michael. I’m sorry Max, but Michael needs to see with his own eyes what a two-timing slut Tess is. She’ll bat her eyes and tell him it was a misunderstanding otherwise."

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

Max knocks on Michael and Tess’ door.

"Hey Max," says Tess when she opens it. "Anything wrong?"

"I’m looking for Michael, he here?"

"No, but he’ll be home in a while. You’re welcome to wait."

"Thanks." Max sits on the sofa. "How’ve you been?"

"Good, and you?"

"Fine. Thanks for talking to Michael for me."

"No big deal."

"Yes it is. No one in our group, including me, especially me, has given you much of a chance. But you still make our welfare a priority. That’s takes a really special person."

Tess blushes slightly. "Thank you. Want something to drink?"

"Sure."

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

Liz approaches Michael as he’s getting on his bike. "Hey."

"Hey. Why weren’t you at work today?"

"My dad gave me the day off so I could research a paper. Do you know where Max is? He’s not at home or at the UFO Center, and he’s not answering his cell phone. I’m starting to worry."

"He’s at my place, Maria said he had some questions for Tess. I can tell him you’re lookin’ for him."

"Can I get a ride with you instead? I have this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. It’s not gonna go away until I see for myself that Max is all right."

"Sure, hop on."

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

Back at the apartment, Max tries to think of a way to come on to Tess without seeming obvious. "I’m worried about somethin’ and need your help."

"What is it?" asks Tess as she hands him a soda and sits down.

"It’s about us."

"Us as in you and me?"

"Yeah. I’m with Liz and you and Michael are together and appear happy."

"We are," says Tess, fingering the locket Michael gave her for Valentine’s day.

"I can’t help but remember our kiss a year ago. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Don’t get me wrong, I love Liz. But when you and I kissed, I felt like I connected to part of myself I didn’t know existed."

"What are you asking me?"

"If you’d kiss me. I need to know if I felt that way because the stars were in the V formation or if it was something in us. And if it was us, was it programmed or was it real?"

Tess shifts uncomfortably. "You can get the same answers by retrieving your memories."

"What answers would I get?"

"I told you before Max, we were happy and in love in that life. I thought you didn’t wanna remember that."

"You told me I can’t effectively lead with my head buried in the sand."

"Why are you listening to me now?"

"I can’t keep everyone safe if I pretend the past doesn’t exist. The quickest way to remember is for us to connect, and the quickest way to connect is to kiss."

"Fine. I’ll come by your house tomorrow, we’ll do it then."

"What’s wrong with now?"

"This is my home with Michael."

"So?"

"I can’t kiss you here, it’s disrespectful to Michael and everything we share. Besides, I have to tell Michael about this before we go through with it."

"Why does he need to know?"

"I can’t NOT tell him. Look, you go home and I’ll talk to Michael. If he agrees, I’ll call and let you know when I’m coming by tomorrow."

"I’m kinda anxious about this. Couldn’t we make a small connection now so I have something to work with tonight?"

Tess rolls her eyes. "Just hurry, before Michael gets home."

Now that he has his way, Max has second thoughts. "Maybe this is a bad idea."

"I don’t have time for this. Kiss me or leave."

Max moves closer to her on the sofa and cups her face in his hands. He ignores the annoyed look in her eyes as he leans forward and kisses her.

When Max kisses her, Tess keeps her eyes open. Eventually she closes her eyes and lets herself be drawn in. The connection deepens as images of their previous life flood their minds.

Neither is aware of anything but each other and the memories. Their first clue that they’re not alone is the slamming of the front door. They break apart and look up to see a furious Michael standing over them.

Michael points at Max. "Get out."

"It wasn’t what it looked like," begins Tess.

"Really? Was it a mindwarp of you two kissing?"

"You don’t understand."

"I think I do. I said get out Maxwell."

Max warily stands, having never seen Michael so angry. "You wanna go with me Tess?"

"Why would I do that?" asks Tess.

"Michael’s not himself right now, I don’t want him to take it out on you."

Michel gives a bitter laugh. "You think I’m gonna hurt her? After all the pain you caused Tess, you have the nerve to be scared that I’ll hurt her? That’s rich."

"Go Max," says Tess. "I’ll be fine."

"Yeah, go Max. Better hurry if you wanna catch Liz. She got a real eyeful before she ran outta here."

Max pales. "Liz was here? She saw us?"

"You’ll have a hell of a time explaining it to her, not that I think you can."

Max quickly leaves.

"Michael, I wasn’t kissing Max to kiss Max," says Tess.

"What, it was an experiment?"

"Sort of."

"Let me guess, you were seeing if I’m who you really want."

"Of course you are."

"I get it, you were seeing if Max is jealous because he wants you. I could’ve told you he does."

"What are you talking about? Max doesn’t want me."

"He’s been jealous of our relationship since before we got together."

"If he is, then that’s his problem. Me, I’m in love with you."

"Which is why you were kissing Max on our living room sofa."

"He asked for help retrieving his memories. The fastest way to do that is to make a connection to another alien."

"The connection can be made without kissing. Just admit it, you wanted Max to kiss you."

"Kissing makes the connection happen faster and Max wanted a memory to work with tonight."

"You fell for that? I pegged you as a lot of things Tess, but never naïve. Unless you knew what Max’s game was and went along with it."

"If Max was playing a game, he was doing it alone. I’m in love with you Michael, have been since Christmas. I realized it when I knew I’d do anything to keep your eyes from being sad. I wouldn’t hurt you for anything or anyone."

Michael looks in Tess’ eyes and sees her sincerity. "I can’t be your second choice."

"You’re not, I promise you’re not. How do I make you believe that?"

"Tell me you don’t have any romantic feelings for Max."

"I love you Michael," says Tess, a lump settling in her stomach. "If Max offered himself to me, I’d choose you. But I’m not being honest if I say I have no romantic feelings for Max."

Michael closes his eyes against the pain. "I can’t be here right now."

As Michael turns to leave, Tess desperately grabs his arm. "Isn’t it enough that I love you, that I choose you over him?"

"I wish it was, but I don’t know if it can be. Don’t wait up."

Tess watches helplessly as Michael walks out. She goes to her purse and takes out the four-leaf clover she found in the park. "Some lucky charm. Must only work with humans, not hybrids."

She throws the four-leaf clover in the trash, then sinks to the floor and sobs.

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

THE END

You won’t have to wait until April Fool’s Day for the series to be continued. Ally and Lisa gave me an idea, so in a few days "Waiting – Interlude #3" will be making an appearance.