Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Melinda Metz, various publishers and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
AN: In my story, there is an upper-class langue. The upper class langue is Italian. I speak neither, nor do I write this language, due to this I use a website.
This story is based on an old challenge of Mary Eve's for Pretender. A what if - Alex did not die; Tess did not tell Max about the baby. What would you do to protect the ones you loved? And just how far would you be willing to go to achieve your aim?
Walking Away
"This couldn't be happening to me, not after all those years of waiting!" Tess sobbed as she tried to wash away her tears with the back of her hand. She was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, watching herself in the mirror - pale and tired. 'Enough of this, it's not helping matters.'
Picking herself up off the bathtub Tess stared at herself in the mirror. 'You can do this. You have to do this.' Turning on the tap Tess splashed her face with lukewarm water. Turning off the tap she ran the towel over her face.
Going out of the bedroom Tess looked around. 'This is not another no-named town and a sleazy hotel. It should have been home. It's time to leave before anyone suspects, especially not Max.'
After picking up her belongs, Tess took another inventory sweep of the room. 'Ok, let's do a run down: torn apart room: check. Blood everywhere: check. Not that Jim will allow anyone to ever test it. Thank God.' Stepping over broken glass, Tess made her way towards the door. 'Smashed stuff: check; I hope Kyle will one day forgive me for breaking his Buddha.'
Taking a deep breath, Tess squared her shoulders. 'I couldn't tell him even if I wanted to. She would twist it around, making me the villain.' Tess walked out into the night leaving behind one destroyed life.
Later that evening, Kyle knocked on his bedroom door. 'She can't be asleep,' Kyle thought as he knocked a bit harder. He was slightly shocked when he didn't hear any noise inside the room. 'She's probably out, and in that case she won't mind me taking back my jersey,' Kyle thought as he twisted the doorknob. Reaching a hand inside he flickered on the lights, and then stood in the doorway as shock slammed into him.
"Tess! Tessa Harding! Where are you?" Kyle bellowed.
A he heard is son's bellow, Jim knew something was instantly wrong. Knowing that his son could get angry but he truly didn't sound angry more scared. 'Oh, what has that girl done now?'
"Kyle, what's wrong," Jim questioned as he came running down the hallway. Spotting his normally active son just standing in the doorway, gave Jim a chill. "Kyle?" He watched as his son turned his head and looked directly into his eyes, in that instant he knew that something was very wrong. He hadn't seen that look since his mother left them.
Swallowed hard, Jim forced himself to look into the room where Tess was staying. In that second, his breath was stolen away. Shaking off his fear, he promptly entered the small room, frantically looking around for any signs of Tess under the debris.
"She's not here," Jim whispered as he ran a hand down his face.
"That's a good thing, right? Dad," Kyle replied until he saw his father's face.
"I don't know, but I'm going to have to call this in," Jim muttered.
"Dad, you can't. They'll run the blood sample and Tess will be in more danger, then she's in now," Kyle argued.
Kyle, son I have a duty to report anything suspicious, or even a possible adduction," Jim stressed.
"No! I refuse to believe it. Tess is strong; she would have fought them off. She's probably out there hurt and scared. I'm going to call Max. Maybe between Max, Isabel… hell even Michael, between them, they could find her."
"Alright, it's worth a shot. If that doesn't work, then I'm going t have to call this in," Jim stressed as Kyle dashed down the hallway. 'Please God; don't let their gifts fail them now.'
Snatching up the phone, Kyle punched into the number for the Evan's residence. With each ring of the phone, his emotions twisted themselves into a tighter knot in his chest. He only prayed that it either Max or Isabel picked up the phone or they somehow had already known that something was wrong and they were looking for her.
"Hello," Isabel greeted cheerfully.
"Izzy, you've got to come to my house," Kyle chocked out.
"Kyle, what's going on? What happened?" Isabel questioned with forced cheerfulness.
"Just come, and hurry. Oh, god it's bad. It's Tess… she… oh, god Izzy. Bring Michael and Max with you. Don't come alone!" Kyle chocked out his voice cracking several times.
"Kyle, stay there. Don't move, we're on our way," Isabel ordered.
Within twenty minutes, tires squealing on Jim's driveway informed him that the Calvary had arrived. He was slightly surprised to see Liz and Maria with the group, he knew that they didn't really like Tess, but he thought they would offer Kyle some moral support.
With great reluctance, Jim led Max and Michael to Tess's room. He was put off when both boys went pale at the scene before them.
"She's not here. We found the room the way you see it now," Jim stated.
"Did you call it in?" Max questioned as he attempted to compose himself.
"No," Jim mumbled as he watched Michael charge into the room. With a glowing hand, Michael skimmed the room quickly. Off the nightstand, Michael snatched up a recent picture of Tess and Max.
"Good," Michael grunted as he tossed the photo to Max. "Take that to Izzy. Tell her time is of the essence," Michael ordered taking command. Several times Jim observed Michael squatting down and run his glowing hand over several objects, only to stand up muttering to himself and shaking his head.
"Kyle is hoping that you can use something to locate Tessa. I should have called this in," Jim explained feeling agitated.
"You did the right thing, calling us. Izzy and Tessa are close. If anyone can find her, it will be Izzy. However, that doesn't mean it will be right away." Michael stated cautiously.
"Michael!" Isabel cried as she rushed into the room, only to sway once she had surveyed the room.
"Damn it, Izzy! We kept everyone out of here for a reason," Michael growled as he rushed to catch her before she fell to the ground. Sweeping her up into his arms, Michael carried her out to the living room.
Once there he mentally noted that Max was hovering around Kyle, who was holding photo of Tess. 'Well, that's new. Usually he's hovering around Liz,' Michael thought as he carefully placed Isabel on the couch. He watched Liz glare at Max before whispering to Maria. 'Why do I have a bad feeling about her?'
"So what was so important, that had Isabel rushing to Michael?" Jim questioned.
"Nothing, I felt nothing. Usually I feel something, but I'm not getting anything from her," Isabel whispered looking scared.
"She could just be asleep," Liz huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"I can dream walk! I can't ….. it's just empty air," Isabel snapped at Liz.
"I just meant…" Liz started to explain.
"Be silent!" Michael bellowed, effectively silencing the group. Taking a deep breath he looked over the group, before scratching his eyebrow. "Jim, call it in."
"What?" Maria shouted.
"We can't call this in, the blood," Kyle argued.
"What are you thinking?" Max snapped reaching out and grabbing Michael's bicep.
'It's controlled bedlam, not really a crime scene. If it was there would be a hell of a lot more destruction,' Michael's voice ringed about Max's head as if Michael said it out land. 'It's a set-up.'
"Call it in," Max agreed deferring to Michael's command.
'I hope you're right or we're all in trouble,' Max's voice ringed about Michael's head.
It was late breaking news in the sleepy town. There was so much evidence of foul play but no real definite clues as to who did it. After the acting sheriff lost several pieces of forensic evidence, the town begged Jim to take back his old position. It was a few weeks later that the case was silently declared an unsolved crime. Until one day a deputy walked into Jim's office.
"Ah, Sheriff, I know that you didn't want us to run the blood sample, but those Feds, well they ran one anyways. However, it came back with some strange results," stuttered the deputy.
Ah, Sheriff, I know that you didn't want us to run a blood sample," stuttered the deputy.
"Now, deputy don't …." Jim started hoping to cut him off.
"Most of the blood in Tessa's room was pig's blood," the deputy stated.
TBC….
Note: The 'she' Tess is referring to is not Liz, but someone a bit more dangerous and a lot more deadly. Yes, I know that Alex didn't make an appearance but he will and soon.
So let me know what you think…