Title: Mother’s Day

Author: Dontia

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

Spoilers: None

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Tess helps Maria.

Notes: Sequel to "The Talk – Interlude #4".

Feedback: It’s the circle of life. I love to write, you love to read. Tell me you love reading, I’ll continue to love writing.

Dedication: To Lisa, who’s MV pics give me inspiration.

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Tess is in the corner store picking up a few things. As she’s walking down the aisle to buy some feminine products, she spots Maria. She starts to avoid her when she sees a frightened look on Maria’s face as she reads a home pregnancy test box.

Tess walks over to Maria. "You all right?"

Maria drops the box like it’s a hot potato. "Why are you sneaking up on me?"

"I’m not. I saw you standing here and you looked scared."

"I’m fine."

"Are you sure?" asks Tess as she picks the pregnancy test kit off the floor."

"I said I was. I’m…buying that for a friend. I have to go."

"Aren’t you gonna buy this for your friend?"

"I’ll get it later."

Maria hurries out of the store. Tess stares after her thoughtfully as she fingers the pregnancy kit.

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

Twenty minutes later, Maria’s sitting in her living room, grateful her mother isn’t home. She looks at her watch and realizes she has to be at work soon. She decides to drive to the next town after her shift and buy a pregnancy test there.

Maria’s startled when the doorbell rings. She opens the door and is surprised to see Tess. "What do you want?"

Tess holds up a bag. "I thought you might need this."

"What is it?"

"I don’t think it’s a good idea for your neighbors to see."

"Fine, come in."

"Thanks. Nice house."

"Whatever. What’s in the bag?"

"A home pregnancy test. I got the one you can take any time of day. I didn’t think you’d want to wait ‘til tomorrow morning."

"I told you I was buying it for a friend."

"Then pass it on to your friend. See you."

"Wait! Tess, please don’t tell anyone about this."

"Okay."

"I don’t want anyone to know."

"It would be bad if they knew you did a favor for a friend?"

"We both know this isn’t for a friend."

"Yeah, but I thought you’d be more comfortable if I pretended to believe you."

"You seriously need to work on your acting skills."

"I’ll consider it. I’ll go so you can take the test. I got two so you can be extra sure."

"Thank you. Um, could you stay? I don’t wanna be alone when I get the results. And since you already know I might be…"

"I’ll stay."

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

Max comes into the kitchen of the Crashdown where Michael’s working the grill. "We need to talk."

"About what?" asks Michael, things still strained between them.

"Alex overheard some gossip we need to deal with. We’re all out front."

Michael sighs before taking off his apron and following Max to the front. He sees the tense and worried expressions on everyone’s faces. "Where’s Tess and Maria?"

"We couldn’t find them," says Kyle. "Tess’ cell phone keeps going to voice mail and Maria’s not answering at her house."

"Are they in trouble?"

"That’s what we want to know," says Isabel. "Michael, Tess was spotted buying a home pregnancy test a little while ago."

"What?"

"I overheard the cashier talking to a couple customers," says Alex. "She said Tess bought two home pregnancy tests."

"Is there somethin’ you wanna tell us Michael?" asks Liz.

Michael glares at all of them. "For the last time, Tess and I aren’t sleeping together, not that it’s anyone’s business. There’s no reason for her to buy a home pregnancy test."

"Is it possible Tess is seeing someone else?"

"My girlfriend isn’t cheating on me. There’s no way she’s pregnant."

"Are you sure?" asks Max.

Michael takes a step towards Max. "You implyin’ somethin’ Maxwell?"

"No he’s not," says Isabel, standing between them and glaring at Max. "We’re just worried you might not be telling us everything."

"You’d know if we were sleeping together Is. We’re not."

"So we need to wait and talk to Tess," says Kyle. "I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for this."

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

At the Deluca house, Maria comes out of the bathroom and looks at Tess. "The results will be ready in a few minutes."

Tess nods. "You want water or somethin’?"

"No."

"Maria, it’s none of my business but why isn’t Liz here with you? She’s supposed to be your best friend."

"She is my best friend, that’s why I can’t ask her to help me."

"I don’t understand. Look, if you need to talk I won’t say anything to anyone, not even Michael."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

"Well, after you and Michael got back together I…wasn’t myself. Liz wasn’t speaking to me and everybody was mad at me and Max, except Alex. Actually, I think he was mad too but he knew we needed someone to speak to us. Anyway, Max heard you, Michael, Isabel and Kyle making plans for Easter and didn’t wanna run into you. Neither did I so we made plans to watch movies at Alex’s."

"If you’re pregnant Maria, is Max the father?"

"I don’t know. That day was so crazy. Alex’s parents went out to dinner with some friends after church and the three of us somehow decided to get drunk."

"We aliens don’t have a high tolerance, at least that’s what Max says. It only takes a sip for Max to get drunk."

"That’s true, although he had a lot more than a sip. Somehow, we ended up naked and doing things and…"

"And either Max OR Alex could be the father."

"That’s why I can’t go to Liz. How do I tell my best friend I had sex with the man she loves, and that I might be having his baby? It happened when they were broken up, but still…"

"Okay, I get why you didn’t share with Liz. But why aren’t Alex or Max here? They’re just as responsible for this."

"We agreed that it never happened and we wouldn’t discuss it again. I won’t bring it up unless I have no other option. I don’t wanna be pregnant!"

"Maybe you’re not. I mean, you used protection, right?"

"I don’t remember," whispers Maria. "If I am pregnant, I pray the baby is Alex’s. Being an unwed teenage mother is bad enough without having to deal with the whole alien baby thing."

"If you’re pregnant and the baby’s Max’s, or even Alex’s, I’ll be here for you."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because if I were in your shoes, I’d hope someone would do it for me. The results should be ready."

"Okay."

Tess watches as Maria doesn’t move from the sofa. "You want me to look with you?"

"I was thinking for me."

"Okay, I’ll be right back."

Tess goes in the bathroom and comes out thirty seconds later. "Both tests came up negative."

"Are you sure?"

"I checked the box twice. They’re negative."

"But if the baby is Max’s, would the test even work?"

"Our physiology is human enough that it should. You’re not pregnant. You were probably late because of the stress in keeping quiet about Easter."

"I’m not pregnant." Maria starts crying in relief. Tess sits next to her and holds her.

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

At the Crashdown, Isabel hangs up her phone in frustration. "Tess still isn’t answering."

"I can’t reach Maria either," says Liz.

"Maybe they’re together," says Kyle.

"Only if they were kidnapped together," says Alex.

"Now I’m starting to worry," says Michael when he doesn’t get an answer at his apartment. "Tess always tells me where she’s going. Where the hell is she?"

"We’ll search the town for them," says Max grimly. "If we don’t find them, we’ll go to the pod chamber."

"If you don’t find who?" asks Maria, tying on her apron as she walks up to them. She’s surprised when she’s engulfed in a hug by Liz. "What happened?"

"We couldn’t reach you," says Liz.

"I didn’t feel like answering the phone. Did somethin’ happen?"

"Tess was spotted buying some home pregnancy tests then went missing," says Alex. "We couldn’t find her and we couldn’t find you. We were worried the Skins had taken you."

"There’s Tess," says Kyle as the front door of the Crashdown opens and Tess walks in. Everyone moves toward her and misses Maria going pale when she hears about the home pregnancy tests.

"Where were you?" asks Michael, hugging Tess.

Tess frowns at everyone’s concerned faces. "Did something happen?"

"You disappeared," says Max. "Did you lose your cell phone?"

"I turned it off."

"Why?"

"Cause I was busy and didn’t wanna be interrupted."

"Busy taking a pregnancy test?"

"What?"

"It’s all over town that you bought a home pregnancy test," says Alex.

Tess laughs. "I didn’t buy it for me, I bought it for a friend. I’d have to be gettin’ some action to need one for myself."

"What friend?" asks Max.

"A friend that’ll remain anonymous. It’s not my place to spread her business all over town."

"How do we know you’re not lying?" asks Liz.

"You don’t, but that’s your problem. Now can we drop this? I’m hungry and I’d like to order."

Tess sits in a booth and picks up a menu. Michael kisses her forehead and goes back to the kitchen. The others drift away to talk quietly to themselves. Only Isabel notices the grateful look Maria gives Tess.

Isabel is thoughtful and resolves to question Tess about it later.

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

THE END