Title: Paternity – Interlude #6

Author: Dontia

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

Spoilers: I’m so beyond the "reality" of the show. Some of you think that’s a good thing.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Will it be Alex or Max? Read to find out.

Notes: Sequel to "Rockets Red Glare". Season Two doesn’t exist except for brief glimpses here and there.

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: Thank you everyone who voted. Even with the last minute votes, the score still tied. Twenty people voted and it went right down the middle. I’m stunned. Thank goodness for Ally, who gave me an excellent idea. Although I didn’t follow it exactly, I think this twist is a good one.

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

Everyone except Liz is gathered in the Deluca living room. Maria’s sitting in the easy chair. Amy is standing on one side, Tess on the other. Maria has a hand from each in her grip.

Isabel’s sitting between Alex and Max on the sofa, lending them her silent support. She’s determinedly not looking at Kyle though she wants to.

For his part, Kyle’s pretending not to look at Isabel. He’s leaning against the wall next to Michael. Both are watching everything and everyone, waiting to see how this plays out.

Jim’s standing slightly apart from the others, waiting for the outcome.

"Why is everyone here again?" asks Maria uncomfortably.

"It affects all of us," says Michael.

"It’ll just take a minute," says Max, kneeling in front of Maria.

"Take as long as you need," says Alex. "Just be sure."

Max carefully puts his hand on Maria’s stomach and opens his mind to his powers.

After a minute of Max not moving, Isabel shifts impatiently. "Well?"

"I don’t know," says Max.

"What do you mean you don’t know?" asks Amy. "You said this would work. That’s the only reason I agreed that Maria not go to the hospital."

"It is working. I just don’t know what I’m seeing."

"What DO you see Max?" asks Tess.

"I think the child is human, Alex’s."

"Are you sure?" whispers Alex.

"I’m sure about that."

"What aren’t you sure about?" asks Kyle.

Max moves his hand from Maria’s stomach. "I think the baby’s mine too."

"Is that even possible?" asks Jim.

Amy laughs humorlessly. "We’re standing in a room full of aliens and you’re asking about what’s possible?"

"How could it be both of yours?" asks Isabel.

"I think…I think Alex got Maria pregnant," says Max. "But then I…changed the fetus somehow."

"Is my baby all right?" asks Maria.

Max tries to smile reassuringly. "Yeah. Strong heartbeat, good lungs."

"With an alien kick," says Kyle.

"You’re not helping," says Isabel.

"Why don’t you tell me what will?"

"Maybe I should look," says Michael, straightening from his slouch against the wall. "See if you’re seeing what you think you are Maxwell."

"That’s a good idea," says Isabel. "I’ll look too."

Michael and Isabel go in front of Maria. At the same time, they each put a hand on her stomach and use their powers to see the child inside her.

Isabel moves back and blinks at Maria. "That is so cool."

"What?" asks Amy frantically.

"You’re gonna have a beautiful granddaughter."

Maria smiles. "She’s a girl?"

"Yep. I’d just like to mention that Isabel is a great name."

Everyone laughs a little, the tension easing slightly.

"Is Max right Michael?" asks Jim. "Are they both the father?"

Michael nods slowly, standing up. "I’m not sure how to explain it. It-"

"She," jumps in Tess.

"-appears completely human. There are no alien strands of DNA."

"Then why does Max think he’s the father too?" asks Alex.

"Because she’s playing with herself."

Kyle’s eyes widen. "Excuse me?"

"Get your mind outta the gutter Valenti."

"Babies in the womb play appear to be fascinated with their different body parts, like their fingers and toes," says Isabel. She rolls her eyes at the looks everyone gives her. "What, I can’t read?"

"Why were you reading about babies?" asks Max.

"That pregnancy scare last year. I wanted to know what would be happening to me."

"What pregnancy scare?" asks Kyle.

"Michael and I were having those dreams and I thought I was pregnant."

"Why would you think you’d be pregnant from a dream?"

"I’m an alien. How’d I know I’d only get pregnant the human way?"

"Can we get back to the one who is pregnant?" says Maria. "How is my baby alien if she’s Alex’s?"

"I don’t know," says Max. "She appears completely human, which my child wouldn’t. But she’s giving off these…"

"These what?"

"They’re like power surges," says Michael.

"I don’t get it."

"You know how sometimes you see our powers manifest themselves?" says Isabel. "That what’s happening. She’s raising her hands and bouncing glowing bursts against the wall of your uterus. Somethin’ tells me you’ll feel it when she gets bigger."

"Wait a minute," says Amy. "She shouldn’t be big enough for her hands and feet to have formed yet. Maria, are you further along than you said? Has this thing with Max and Alex been going on a while?"

"No!" says Maria, jumping up. "I told you the truth."

"Sometimes I wonder. You’ve kept so much from me the last two years. You used to tell me everything."

Maria starts crying uncontrollably. Amy pulls Maria into her arms and cries as well.

"I’m sorry I’m such a disappointment," says Maria.

"You’re not, you never could be," says Amy. "I just wish we were as close as we used to be. I miss you."

"I miss you too."

"I think we should give them some time," says Tess. "I’ll be home later Maria if you wanna talk."

"Thanks Tess."

Everyone without the last name Deluca leaves.

Outside, Jim turns to Max and Alex. "I wanna talk to both of you. I’ll expect you at my house in fifteen minutes."

Jim goes to his truck and drives away.

"And the fun continues," deadpans Alex. "Max, how ‘bout you give me a ride to the Sheriff’s? We need to talk."

Max nods. They go to the jeep and drive off.

Tess smiles innocently at Kyle and Isabel. "Why don’t the two of you come back to the apartment and watch a movie with us?"

"I got somethin’ to do," says Kyle.

"Something with Liz?" asks Isabel.

"How’d you know that?"

"You’ve been spending a lot of time with her lately."

"I’m the only friend she has left."

"Liz still has all of us," says Michael. "If she wanted us."

"All of you come with Max attached," says Kyle. "I don’t."

"What Kyle, you’re not our friend anymore?" asks Tess. "You’re not my friend?"

"That’s not what I meant."

"Are you sure? Cause we don’t hang out anymore."

"We’re still friends. We’re all screwed up but we are friends."

"Good. Cause if I didn’t lose everyone over what we’ve done to each other up ‘til now, I’m certainly not gonna lose you cause you’re too stupid to believe Isabel cares about you."

Tess grabs a smirking Michael’s hand and pulls him toward his motorcycle. They get on and speed away.

After a minute of silently refusing to meet Isabel’s eyes, Kyle mutters "I gotta go."

"I’m not stopping you."

Kyle goes to his car.

"Kyle!"

He turns to her. "Yeah?"

"When you’re ready to stop running, you know where I am."

Kyle doesn’t say anything. He gets in his car and heads to the Crashdown.

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

At the Valenti house, Jim opens the door and lets Max and Alex in. He gestures for them to sit on the sofa. When they do, he paces in front of them a moment, gathering his thoughts.

"I won’t ask what you were thinking," says Jim. "Because I know what you were thinking with. What do you plan to do next?"

"I’m gonna get a job," says Alex. "One of the scientists at the observatory is looking for an assistant."

"I’m gonna put some cautionary measures in place," says Max. "Make sure Maria and the baby are protected from the Skins."

"Do either of you plan to marry her?" asks Jim.

"She’d say no," says Alex.

"Have you already discussed it with her?"

"She told us about her dad," says Max. "She thinks he only married her mother because Amy was pregnant."

"She thinks that’s why her dad eventually abandoned them," says Alex. "She’d never put herself through that."

"Do you plan to stick it out?" asks Jim. "Even if you’re called back to your home planet Max?"

"I’ll be there for Maria," says Max. "But I don’t know if I’ll have the option of not going when the time comes, if it comes."

"What about you Alex? I know your parents planned for you to leave for MIT next year."

"MIT is on hold indefinitely," says Alex. "If I do go, it’ll only be if Maria and the baby go with me."

"These are things you should’ve taken into consideration before all this happened. Your lives will never be the same. I hope you know that."

"We do," says Max. "We’ve talked about it a lot between the two of us since we found out."

"We agreed that no matter what, we’d both be there for her," says Alex. "If just one of us had been more responsible, none of this would’ve happened. So we’re all responsible."

"You have to decide what you’re gonna tell people," says Jim. "We can’t say you’re both the father. You have to decide whose name goes on the birth certificate, who officially holds responsibility."

"That’s gonna be me," says Alex.

"How’d you decide that?"

"Alex decided," says Max quietly.

"And you’re all right with that?"

"I have to be. Alex made some good points, one of the biggest being Nicholas. He’d come after my child."

"That’s no reason to shirk your responsibilities."

"If it were just his child, he wouldn’t," says Alex. "But she’s mine too. There’s no reason to put her in danger. We’re gonna do this together so its not like he’s giving up his rights. He’s just taking a back seat for our daughter’s safety."

Jim looks at them with a little respect. "You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?"

"We’ve done nothing but."

"I can see that. One more thing. Was Amy right? Did this thing with the three of you happen more than once?"

Max shakes his head. "Just the one time."

"Then the baby’s bigger than she should be."

"She seemed fine, but she did seem more developed than she should be."

"Is this something we need to worry about?" asks Alex.

"If I knew more about my alien side, and how they mixed what I was with human DNA…I have no idea."

"You have that book, right?" asks Jim. "I think Tess mentioned it a couple times."

"I have it but that doesn’t do any good. I can’t read the language."

"Maybe I could decode it," says Alex. "It’s worth a try to make sure our daughter’s all right."

"Let’s get it from the pod chamber and get to work."

"Not tonight," says Jim.

"Why not?" asks Alex.

"Because you have to tell your parents you’re gonna be a father. Your decision gets Max off the hook, not you."

"Actually, it doesn’t," says Max. "Isabel and I have been talking it over. We’re gonna tell our parents the truth."

"Are you sure that’s a good idea?" asks Alex.

"No, but I need to do it anyway. Luckily Tess is speaking to me, even if Michael isn’t. We’ll have a place to stay if my parents don’t react well."

"You’re always welcome here Max," says Jim. "I may be angry but you’re still like a son to me."

"Thank you."

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

Liz is sitting on her balcony waiting for Kyle. She nervously glances at her watch.

She watches as a hand appears on the ladder leading up to her balcony. She smiles in relief when she sees Kyle appear. "What happened?"

"There was some confusion," says Kyle, sitting on a chair. "It took a while to clear up."

"Confusion about what? Is Max the father?"

"They both are."

"What?"

"Alex’s sperm made it home first, then Max changed the kid from human to alien. At least part alien."

"So Max isn’t the father?"

"The consensus was that he’s as much the father as Alex."

"I see."

Liz turns away from him to hide the tears on her face.

"What can I do?" asks Kyle.

"Could you hold me a minute?"

"Sure."

Kyle takes Liz in his arms and rubs her back.

"It was supposed to be me," says Liz, her eyes looking blankly over Kyle’s shoulder. "I was supposed to be the mother of Max’s children. Not Maria, not Tess, not anyone else."

"I’m sorry."

"Why is this happening?"

"I don’t know Parker, but you’re strong enough to make it through this."

Liz pulls back and looks in Kyle’s eyes. "Thank you."

"It’s the truth."

"I meant for being here for me the last few days. I know I hurt you when Max and I got together but you’re still here comforting me instead of saying I told you so."

"I wouldn’t do that."

"No, you wouldn’t. You’re one of the best people I’ve ever met."

Liz leans forward and presses her lips to Kyle’s.

After a second, Kyle pulls away. "What was that?"

"I know it’s been a while since I kissed you, but-"

"You shouldn’t."

"Kiss you?"

"Yeah."

"Why not?"

"You and Max just broke up. You’re vulnerable."

"Kyle-"

"I’m gonna head home. I’ll see you tomorrow."

Kyle goes down the ladder, feeling guilty because he felt a spark when Liz’s lips touched his. At first, he doesn’t know why he feels guilty. It hits him when he gets to his car.

Although he doesn’t consider himself and Isabel together anymore, he feels like he cheated on her with Liz.

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

At their apartment, Michael and Tess are sitting on the sofa.

"Now I don’t know whose ass to kick," says Michael.

"What?"

"I was gonna kick the ass of whoever got Maria pregnant. But since they both did…"

Tess laughs. "They have enough to deal with, leave them alone."

"I thought you’d be right there with me."

"Normally, yeah. But Max and Alex have to go home and tell their parents, and deal with all that."

"Usually I hate being an orphan but sometimes it’s not so bad."

"Tell me about it. Did Isabel tell you what she and Max decided?"

"You mean telling their parents about them being aliens?" asks Michael. "I tried to talk her out of it but she wouldn’t listen. And Max, he does what he wants when he wants. I didn’t even bother to talk to him."

"I got them to agree to leave our names out of it."

"Like they won’t be able to put it together. I’m tired of bein’ on the receiving end of Max’s decisions."

"I think it’s the right thing to do."

"You’re taking his side?"

"I’m not on Max’s side."

"Sounds like you are."

"I’m not allowed to have opinions that disagree with yours?"

"Just tryin’ to figure out why every time we disagree, your opinion matches Max’s."

"I’m not doing this again. You’re the one I love Michael, you. You’re the one I live with, I sleep in your arms every night. Hell, if you wanted, you’d be the one I was having sex with. You have nothing to be jealous of."

"Max has found every excuse in the book to talk to you lately."

"That’s cause his best friend, YOU, aren’t speaking to him because he slept with Maria. Speaking of which, should I worry that you’re so upset on her behalf?"

"I only see Maria as a friend now."

"That’s the way I see Max."

"Good."

"Good."

There’s a moment of silence, then they both start laughing.

Michael cups Tess’s face in his hands. "I’m not jealous because of happened with Max and Maria. I feel responsible."

"Why?"

"Cause our relationship caused all this, yet we’re happy."

"We didn’t do anything."

"No, but us being together made them do stuff they wouldn’t have otherwise. I mean, can you see Max cheating on Liz? Or Maria turning to Max for comfort? Could you have seen Isabel and Kyle getting together, and Alex’s reaction to it?"

"Actually, I always thought Isabel and Kyle would be good together. Isabel takes herself too seriously sometimes and needs to loosen up. Kyle’s great at that."

"How do you know?"

"He’s my friend?"

"And that’s it?"

"What are you asking Michael?"

"We never talked about if you and Kyle had a thing. I know he liked you for a while."

"Kyle and I decided not to have a thing."

"But it got to where you had to talk about it?"

"Do I have to give the ‘who I love, who I sleep with’ speech again?"

"No."

"Good."

She leans forward and kisses him. His lips massage hers open and his tongue plunders her mouth. He slides his arms around her and pulls her closer.

"I love you Tess," says Michael, laying her down with his body on top of hers.

They continue to kiss as Michael’s hands stroke her outer thighs before moving up her body. Just before his hands reach her breasts, Tess grabs them and wriggles out from under him.

"It’s time to stop," says Tess, standing in front of him.

"You wanna stop? Now?"

"No, but if we stop now, I won’t be mad at you."

"We’re just kissing," says Michael.

"You’d have had my top off in another minute."

"Tess, I just wanna be close to you."

Tess squeezes her eyes shut, willing herself not to give into his plea. She bites her lip with indecision.

Michael sees her passion-bruised lip catch between her teeth. He pulls her toward him until she’s straddling his lap. He brushes her neck with a light kiss before capturing her bottom lip with his teeth.

"Do you really wanna stop?" asks Michael.

"Are you ready to go all the way?"

"Not…not yet."

"Then I really wanna stop. I’m gonna take a shower. Want me to leave you some hot water?"

"Don’t think I need any, but save some of the cold."

"Just remember whose fault it is." Tess goes to the bathroom. Inside, she leans heavily against the closed door. "This better work Isabel."

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

THE END

Next up, I have another adult interlude. I think it’s time for Michael’s POV. But don’t worry underage people. I’ll put out an R version. Expect it in two weeks.