Remnants

By Didi

Disclaimer: The characters and the show are copyrighted and therefore protected. (Actually, when does the copyright run out?) I don't own any part of it and I certainly am not making any profit from this little attempt at story telling. Any infringement is done without malice or intention to benefit from the establishments.

Timeline: Nowhere…. Ever! At this point, if you're reading this, I'm just going to assume you realize that this timeline is nowhere in the 'verse or the next.

Ratings: M- Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 with possible strong but non-explicit adult themes, references to violence, and strong coarse language.

Chapter Summary: Tess becomes concerned, Max and Kyle receives invitations and Michael makes a decision.

Key: "Spoken" "Thoughts/Memory Flashes"

Author's Note: I promise, I haven't abandoned the story. I'm seriously lacking time and inspiration to write it. I'll keep trying. Thank you everyone that continues to read this story.

Chapter 77 - Behind the Face

"Hey," Maria placed the utensils and glass of coke on the table. "What's up?" The call and meeting had been delightfully unexpected.

Kyle made a face and slide the expensive cream color envelope across the table. "Know what this is about?"

Frowning, Maria picked up a vaguely familiar stationary. "What the hell…" there was no return address on the front. Flipping it over, she pulled a single card stock sheet with a very familiar design embossed across the top. "Oh no…"

Raising a brow at the reaction, "Why would your grandmother be sending me an invitation and a plane ticket to Boston?"

"She sent you tickets?" Maria demanded even as she scanned the short and precise content of the invite.

"To Mr. Kyle Valenti,

You are cordially invited to spend the summer holidays at Chateau Harding. A roundtrip ticket is enclosed for your use at the end of the month. We welcome the presence of Maria's beau and anticipate with great delight your company.

Sincerely, Charles and Claire Harding, grandparents."

"Oh god," Maria moaned and dropped herself into the seat next to him. "I thought it was just going to be Tess."

Shaking his head, "What? I'm sorry, you lost me."

"My grandmother made some cryptic comments about inviting Tess' boyfriend to the family summer blow out at the grandparents' on the East Coast but she didn't…" she fumbled for her phone. "I better warn Tess before Max gets a hold of an invite via mail."

Grabbing the phone out of Maria's hand, Kyle shook his head at her. "Oh no you don't. If I have to jump out of my seat, so does Max."

"Max has a lot to deal with right now," Maria said grabbing her phone back. "And I don't want to add anymore stress to his already crazy life. And I definitely don't want him distracted if he's out there protecting my sister. Besides, Tessie would never forgive me if I didn't at least give her a heads up on this."

He watched her place the phone call in her usual dramatic manner and smiled. Maria Harding doesn't do anything halfway. When she finally hung up the phone and slumped in her seat, he asked the all important, "So am I suppose to go?"

Maria stared at him a moment, imagining in the posh and stately setting of her grandmother's usual country party affairs. Those stale events usually chafed at Maria's wild side and she would ends up doing something that would earn her the disapproving cold shoulders from her starchy grandmother. Kyle Valenti would probably fit into that setting and make a good impression while he was at it. He was all-American and raised with a sense of propriety and decorum; exactly the kind of guy that Maria usually didn't hang with just to be contrary.

"What?" Kyle asked a little antsy. "Did I not get all the shaving cream off my face this morning?"

"You shaved this morning?" she asked, reaching over casually to run had hand along his chin, ignoring the slightly tremor down her back as she did it. "Didn't know you had enough whiskers to warrant shaving."

"Can you two get a room or something?" Liz asked as she walked by and dump ketchup and mustard bottles on the table. "We've got paying customers here." She grinned cheekily at them.

"Don't mind us," two younger teenage boys called out from two tables down. They were enjoying the view Maria's half bend over form was giving them.

Kyle offered them a glare dark enough that had both boys turning about and studying their bellybuttons real intently. They may only be pretending to be dating but no one gets to look at his girl's caboose but him.

Straightening her uniform, Maria cleared her throat uncomfortably and shrugged. The damage was done, nothing to it but to move on. "It's up to you whether or not you want to go. If Grandmother has already bought the ticket and you think you might enjoy a few days in the Hamptons then yeah, you're welcome to."

He fiddled with the envelope for a moment. "Hamptons huh?"

"Ever been?" she asked curiously.

"Never even been out of Roswell," Kyle admitted with an embarrassed grin.

Maria paused, shamed by her own thoughtlessness. She missed the shy eagerness in Kyle's eyes and the way he was wistfully paying with the invitation. "Well if you do decide to go, I'd be glad for the company. Tessie has to go, she'd never allow herself to disappoint our grandparents, and I'm sure Max won't let her travel alone so he'll be there doing the whole white knight thing."

"I thought he was the dark prince?"

"I'm thinking the way he hovers…" she made a circular whirling motion with her finger, "he should be the white knight where she's concern – or at least a dark knight."

"That makes sense," he conceded with a half shrug.

"And you know that my grandmother will want to interrogate, aka terrorize, Max and Tess all weekend long so I'll be on my own."

Nodding thoughtfully, Kyle asked tentatively, "So you want me to go?"

"Sure," nodding her head with a smile, "It'd be nice for you came and at least keep Max company. We can go hang at the beach. It'd be nice this time of year, crowded with yuppies but nice."

He smiled and nodded. "You sure?"

"Absolutely," she grinned back and looked up as the door jingled. "Hey Alex!"

"Hi Maria," Alex greeted with a smile and came over to join them.

"Whoa," Kyle raised a brow and greeted with a nod, "When did you get back? Does Michael know yet?"

Shrugging his shoulder, Alex smiled. "I don't think so." He sat down and waited while Liz eagerly hurried over with Orange Crush. "I wanted to get a few moments to re-orientate myself first."

"I hear you," Kyle shook his head. "I'm telling you, this whole thing has been insane."

"Not exactly your average day in the park," Liz grimaced and glanced about for anyone in need of a waitress. "I'm just glad to be home and safe again."

"What makes you think we're safe?" Alex asked rather slyly, his eyes sliding back and forth around the little group of humans. "Danger lurks in every corner you know."

"Thank you Mr. Optimist," Maria whacked him in the arm. "Like she's not freaked out enough as it is?"

"Well as long as we're all together," Liz reasoned with a smile at her best friend, "I know we'll be okay."

"Yeah," Kyle agreed taking a breath, "Michael, at least, will make sure of that."

"Hey, my sister's no push over either. When she needs to, Tessie can pack quite a punch." And she's seen it happen too.

"I have no doubt of that," Kyle made a face thinking of all the times Tess Harding had pushed, shoved and bullied Michael and him into doing things her way. "She's like the sea. All calm and pretty to look at right up to the moment the waves hits you in the face and knocks you on your butt."

Laughing, Maria nodded her head in total agreement. "I like that. I'm going tell Tess that one."

"Don't!" Kyle begged hurried. "She'll stop making food for us if you do."

"And leave Michael's meals in your oh-so-capable hands? I don't think so," Maria pointed out with a pitying shake of her head. Kyle was ridiculous when it came to food.

Liz giggled with amusement.

Alex glanced at the two. "Still as protective as ever, huh?"

"Oh yeah," Kyle rolled his eyes with exasperation. "Because Michael is soooooo… helpless."

A tilt of his head conveyed Alex's interest, "I meant Michael. Still hovering over… Tess?"

"Like a pit bull guards his bone," Kyle shrugged, "Though I guess he's let up some since Max and Tess have been getting a bit closer."

"Closer?" Maria asked with a frown, "How much closer?" She leaned over the table, unconsciously giving those teenagers another show, and grabbed the front of Kyle's shirt. "What did you hear?"

"Nothing," Kyle's wide eyed stare was something to behold, especially since he was being threatened by someone that was half his size. "Just that he's been backing off a little since Max and Tess made it official and the rest of the school knows not to mess with Tess."

"No one better mess with my sister," Maria let go and pulled up a chair. "Hey Liz, I'm taking a ten minute break."

Liz rolled her eyes and sat down with them. "Has anyone even seen Michael lately? All I've been hearing is how he's been at Max and Isabel's every day or he's at the motorbike shop."

"Isabel had another 'thing' the other day, Michael's been buzzing around like a worried bee all week," Maria informed them with a shrug. "Max and Tessie hasn't exactly been doing too great either. The four of them are huddled up pretty tight right now."

Kyle frowned with concern. "Everything okay?" While he knew he's been pretty wrapped up with dealing with his sister, he didn't want Michael to think that he's forgotten about him.

"All's quiet so far," she sighed and played with the edge of a napkin. She wasn't resentful of her sister's time with her boyfriend; she wasn't. But she missed her baby sister. "I just want it to stay that way."

"Hey," he instinctive reached out and took her hand, clasping it firmly in his own as if the physical contact could allow him to lent her some strength, "Everything is going to be alright. Michael and Max aren't going to let anything happen to your sister or Isabel."

Maria smiled reluctantly in return and squeezed his hand.

Clearing her throat, Liz got up and grabbed Alex's arm. "And on that note, I'm going into the kitchen. Alex, why don't you come help me?" Kyle immediately let go of Maria's hand as it was a hot potato. Liz grinned.

Alex slanted them a smirk and shrugged his shoulder. "Sure," and followed Liz away.

Feeling his face warm, Kyle grabbed his soda and down it fast enough to give himself brain freeze. Maria, on her part, felt like an awkward teenager for the first time since she's hit her teens. Neither of them said anything though both felt it: they weren't just friends pretending anymore.

"How do you feel?" Tess asked softly as she leaned back against the side of the bed, her hands busy with the slender needles she had brought from knitting club. The ball of dark gray wool at her feel bounced and rolled as she tugged on it.

"Like hell spat me up," Isabel murmured lying face down on the edge of her bed watching Tess manually create a scarf. "You know it'd be a lot faster if you just use your…"

"I want to do it on my own," Tess replied non-verbally as was her wont when she was with Isabel; part of an agreement between them. "It means something more when you do it by hand."

Isabel frowned at her. "It'll take twice as long that way."

"Doesn't matter," she reasoned as she continued to knit. "I have six more months until Christmas to finish this."

"Max's favorite color is light blue – like your eyes," Isabel told her teasingly. Her brother was turning into one big cliché – it was both funny and nauseating.

Tess blushed hot with embarrassment. The guy was something out one of those stupid teen romance novels. She might be delighted with his romantic side but it didn't mean she wasn't horribly embarrassed by it at the same time. "This isn't for Max."

Raising a brow in question, "So it's for…"

"Michael," Tess replied, trading yarn of a different color, dark forest green this time.

"What are you doing knitting scarves for my boyfriend for?" Isabel asked reverting back when upset.

Not even phased by Isabel suddenly sitting up or the sharper tone of voice she employed when unhappy. In fact, Tess was becoming quite use to the tiny temper tantrums Isabel was accustom to having on all occasions. "He mentioned he didn't have one last winter."

"You and Michael are pretty close, huh?"

"He and I understand each other. We've been through a lot, the two of us," wrapping charcoal gray wool around her fingers to lace with the new green, "Especially from before."

Suddenly feeling foolish over her own reaction. For god sakes, Tess practically has Max's name tattooed to her forehead; Isabel wasn't sure why she was reacting the way she was. How could she doubt them? Even for a second. "Before what?"

"Before this life," she shrugged and tied yarn together. "He was always so good to me. Rath protected me on Zan's behalf when Zan couldn't, especially before we went public."

"You return the favor in kind," Isabel answered laying down again.

"Speaking of which, I really should talk to him about picking up the defense lessons again," she turned and looked at Isabel. "I think we need to keep our guard up right now."

Isabel made a face. "Max told me about the message."

A shiver went through Tess as she remembered. "What do you think it's all about? Why are they coming back so soon?"

"It can't be good," she reasoned sadly.

"I wonder what is it this time," Tess muttered as she begin to knit again, counting the stitches focusing simply on the next line of yarn to be used. The repetitive motion was soothing. "Hey, where did your parents go again?"

"Annual retreat to Hawaii," Isabel answered with a sign as she flipped over onto her back and stared at the decorative ceiling light. "Mom says it keeps the romance in the marriage."

"That's sweet," Tess smiled and kicked the ball of yarn at her feet to unwind it.

Rolling her eyes, "You would think that."

"Zan and Ava use to take walks in countryside without guards; drove Rath nuts but Zan insisted. Said it was important for him to have a sense of normalcy in his life; like walks in the woods and alone time outside the bedchamber with his wife." Tess laughed remembering some of the more colorful arguments the two friends had over security issues. "Rath was always a little overprotective but at least Zan confined those excursions to off seasons and away from the courts."

Isabel was silent.

"Do you remember when you and Rath use to sneak out to the gardens?"

"Gardens?"

"Yeah, when the courts were in session and Rath didn't have to be standing guard. You use to drag him to the gardens and send your attendants away. Everyone knew what you were doing but no one ever said a word," she giggled. "Rath was horribly embarrassed when he found out about all the circulating rumors."

Isabel turned and stared at the back of Tess's head for a moment, beyond curious. "Was it terrible?"

"Not as terrible as the rumors that went around when Rath use to sneak off alone with me for those defense lessons. He won't let anyone into the sparring circles when we were there. God, the hell he caught for that…" she shook her head pitifully at the memory. "I think that was the first and only time I've seen him and Zan actually fight… at least in front of me."

Isabel hated herself for asking because she had to, "So who won?"

"Zan of course," Tess shrugged and pulled at a knot in the yarn, "but that's only because Rath wouldn't fight back. Seriously, those two were idiots. Zan got mad for no reason and Rath refused to lift a hand to defend himself because it was Zan; which only pissed off Zan even more. Thank god Sheth had the sense to come find me."

"What did you do?"

"Got myself punched in the face," wincing at the memory and unconsciously touching her cheek in the process, almost taking her eye out with the knitting needle. "So much for my brilliant approach."

She really did try to muffled her laughter but the pillow didn't do the trick. "Man I wish I had been there to see the look on his face."

Tess grinned as she turned her head and looked at Isabel. "Rath thought it was funny too. I think Max… Zan was the only one that didn't." She frowned suddenly. "What do you mean you wish you had been there?" she sat her knitting down and turned fully to the bed. "You were there. You were with me when we got the news." She stood up and planted her fist on her hips and regarded her with a stern look. "You were the one that shoved me in the middle of that fight."

It took some effort, but Isabel controlled her reaction.

But Tess was no dummy. "You don't remember, do you?"

She didn't so much as blink.

"You're not getting flashbacks, are you?"

She didn't answer, couldn't meet Tess' eyes.

"Have you talk to Michael about it? It's easier at the beginning when I was with Max before the floodgates kind of opened up. Max said the same thing. Maybe it might help if…"

"I've tried that already," Isabel pushed herself up, frustrated and angry. She hadn't brought it up because she hated to admit her own failures. "Nothing helps. It's just not coming back."

"Hey, hey, hey," she caught Isabel's arm before the taller girl could escape. "Take it easy. Don't worry about remembering, it's not important right now. Heck, it might actually help."

"What do you mean?"

"It means you're not tainted by what happened," Tess frowned and considered it a little more. "We were all brought back for a reason but so far none of us really know why. If we follow the same path that we did before, make all the same decision and mistakes based on what we did before, what's the point of this stupid reset button we've been given?"

Isabel frowned, not certain she was buying Tess' reason. "What if the reason I'm not remembering is because there's some kind of defect in me?"

"Excuse?"

"What if something went wrong with my rebirth?"

"Nothing went wrong," Tess replied calmly, softly, watching Isabel with eyes that saw just a tad too much.

"What?"

"Why are you so scared?"

"Won't you be?" she half snapped back. "Everyone else is remembering things about what happened way back when we weren't even ourselves. And I'm the freak amongst the freaks here. I can't remember more than tiny slivers of a life that I'm not sure was so great to remember."

"And if it's deliberate?"

That stopped Issy dead in her tracks. "What?"

"What if," Tess replied firmly, "you weren't meant to remember?" She glanced down at the dark wool in her lap. "What if none of us were meant to remember what happened back then? What if we're the defects and remembering things that we shouldn't is the problem? What if you're not the one with the defect but the rest of us are?"

"That's ridiculous," Isabel waved it off without a second thought.

"Is it?" Tess raised a brow at her.

"Of course it is."

"About as ridiculous as you thinking there's a defect in you, isn't it?"

Isabel's eyes narrowed. "Did you just play me?"

Wide eyed and innocent, "Did I?" then a smirk appeared for a fraction of a second.

The corners of Isabel's mouth turned up a little.

"Don't think or try so hard," Tess said, patting the space next to her. "We're here for a reason. What that reason is could be anything's guess at the moment since our 'guardians' aren't so forthcoming with the explanations," she made a face to indicate her thoughts on that. "But whatever it is, we'll get through it. All of us; Kyle, Alex, Liz and my sister included." She grinned suddenly.

"What?"

"My family just keeps expanding," she laughed and looked at Isabel with bright glittering eyes. "I'm so glad we moved here." Her joy on her face was undeniable.

Smiling, Isabel inexplicably suddenly felt the same way.

"Ahem," Max coughed into his fist and grinned at them. "Sorry to interrupt."

"What's up?" Isabel asked and ignored the stupid, goofy grin on her brother's face as his eyes fell on Tess. It was disgusting.

"Can I borrow Tess?"

Since the girl in question was already scrambling to her feet, Isabel merely rolled her eyes and got out of the way. "I thought you were working this morning?"

"Brody suddenly had to leave town, said he's closing shop for a few days and not to worry."

"Sounds like him," Tess laughed and packed up her knitting quickly.

Max eyed the big tote. "Why are you making a scarf in the middle of the hottest summer we've…"

"It's a Christmas present."

"In August?"

"It's going to take awhile."

"Why don't you just use your…"

Isabel shook her head at her brother. "I've tried already. Save your breath, your girlfriend is crazy."

"It's more personal this way," she grinned and went to him. The two stood there grinning at one another like cake toppers at a wedding.

"I'm starting to develop a toothache," Isabel said in exasperation, "Go to your own room."

Taking Tess's hand, Max said over his shoulder, "Michael said he'll be by for lunch. Let him know what you'd like him to bring."

"I'll cook," Isabel offered. "Can the two of you tear yourselves away from one another long enough to join us?"

"We'll be down later," Max assured her as he pulled Tess away. "I just want to discuss something with Tess first."

"Keep it clean," Isabel called after them. Tess gave a twinkling laugh of amusement. "I mean it!" she got out just before Max's door shut.

Shaking her head, Isabel made a face before heading to the kitchen with her cell phone in her hand. Text messaging was still new to Michael but at least he knew how to use it. Now the question was: what to make?

Taking Tess' bag, Max set it aside before enfolding her into his arms a moment. She slipped into the contours of his body like she had been created just for him. They stayed there, holding one another like that for a long moment.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Tess asked in a muffled voice as her nose was still pressed against Max's warm shirt front.

"I got an invitation and a plane ticket from your grandparents to spend 10 days in Boston with your family."

She pulled back to look at him. "What?"

He smiled and led her to his desk, showing her the invitation and enclosures he received that day. He gave her a moment to read through the short message, "How do you want to handle this?"

Biting her lip, Tess considered it a moment before looking up at him. "Do you… do you want to come?"

Watching her with hooded eyes, "Do you want me to come?"

Avoiding his gaze, "Only if you want to come."

He touched her chin with gentle fingers, forcing her eyes up and asked very simply, "Would you like me to go to Boston with you to see your grandparents?"

Nodding her head, she blushed. "Yes."

"Why are you blushing?"

"Because it's embarrassing," she replied with exasperation.

"Why are you embarrassed by this?" he grinned and sat down on the bed.

"Because…" she was frowning and smiling at the same time, different emotions warring inside of her at the thought of bringing her boyfriend to meet the grandparents that's nothing if not overly protective and possessive of her future and happiness. "It just is."

Max laughed and brought her a little closer. "It's not like it's a secret. Heck, we were married at one point. I don't see how this is a big deal."

"But we're not married now," she argued, wrinkling her nose, flustered by his blasé attitude in regards to their previous relationship. "And you're kind of meeting my family for the first time."

"Can't be any worse than the last time," Max mused, pressing a quick affectionate kiss between her brows. "Your father tried to run me through with his ceremonial sword, remember?"

Tess laughed. "And then Rath almost killed him with that lamp."

"I knew I should have made him wait outside," Max shook his head.

"That wasn't going to happen and you knew it," Tess snuggled up next to him happily. "God my father's reaction… Father thought I was jesting with him when I first told him."

"Wasn't exactly thrilled, was he?"

"Well… he wasn't expecting it."

"Really? Cause the rest of the court was certainly making a great stink about it."

"My father didn't believe in rumors and as long as I didn't say anything…" she made a helpless gesture, "Well…"

"I couldn't blame him," Max said softly, holding her a little tighter to his side. "Meeting you was the best moment of my life. And yet meeting me brought so much pain into yours."

"That's not true," she protested.

"Oh come on," he gave her a look of exasperation. "You were subjected to rumors, threats, attempts on your life…"

"How did you…" she shut her mouth quickly. Zan wasn't suppose to know about that. "I can take care of myself, you know."

"Never doubted it," Max replied quite mildly, "but it doesn't mean that I don't have regrets about dragging you into that very dangerous world."

"We not them anymore you know," she pointed out softly. "We're not the same people that lived in that world."

"I know," he replied quietly. "But still… I keep thinking that…"

"Issy isn't remembering."

"What?" distracted by the tangent.

"Issy isn't remembering," she repeated, turning to look at him. "She doesn't remember her life back there. She remembers us or Michael but that's about it. She says it's all fractured and foggy for her; not like us." She frowned and made a face that twisted her delicate features. "We're getting great big chunks of your past back, actually faces and events; details like my father… Ava's father's ceremonial sword and Rath's tendency to carry an extra weapon stashed inside his pant legs when he makes long journeys away from the court."

"But Issy isn't remembering," Max repeated softly. "Michael said as much."

"Michael knows too?"

"He suspects," Max sighed and gently rubbed Tess' arm in comfort. "And he's worried."

"She's scared you know; hides it well behind haughty princess act but she's really scared. Issy thinks there's a defect in her rebirth."

"Um…"

Tess studied Max's handsome face a moment. "What do you think?"

"I think there are a lot of questions we need to be asking of our guardians."

"And?"

"And it'll have to wait. Those two are playing at something and hasn't been in contact since that first message. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out but I'm not going to stop living my life and scheduling thing around those two." Max replied. "First, we've got to go the Hamptons and meet your grandparents."

"A see New York," Tess added with a gentle smile. Zan had been the cautious type, the weight of a world on his shoulders; looks like Max had the same considerations. "I haven't been there in a while now and I remember really loving it there." She turned to him with delight in her eyes, "I want to show you New York."

Max nodded in agreement. "I can't wait. Who knows what we might find there."

To be continued….