Title: Mysteries
Author: Anla
Summary/Author's Note: Okay (takes deep breath). I started writing this fic a while ago, in an attempt to address some of the unanswered questions and dropped plotlines in the first season or two of the show. I found that for the sake of my sanity as I watched the show, I needed to make up some explanations for things. It's mostly Michael and Maria, but it includes the other characters as well. It starts about two weeks after VLV, so anything that happened after that episode in the show has not happened in this story's reality.
Disclaimer: I don't own Roswell or any of its characters. They belong to Melinda Metz, Jason Katims, and UPN. I am just writing this for my own enjoyment.
Part 1 - Welcome Home, Buddha Boy
The opening notes of the Star Wars theme song floated through the Crashdown Cafe as Kyle Valenti pushed open the door. Once inside, he dropped his duffel bag and looked around. Yep, nothing different. Same cheesy decor, complete with pictures of ufos and alien crop circles. Same alien head keychains and little green men dolls for sale at the counter. Same waitresses in blue dresses and stupid antennae headbands. Same general atmosphere that cried out "Tourist Trap!" Kyle felt a big goof grin spread across his face. It was good to be home.
One of the waitresses turned around and noticed him standing there. "Kyle!" she cried, giving a little bounce as she ran over to give him a hug.
"Gosh, Maria, I was only gone for a week," he said, hugging her back. "You're acting like I've been gone for a year."
"You have no idea," she answered. "Things have been insane here lately."
As she drew away from him, Kyle noticed the dark shadows under her eyes. She looked tired, and worried. A cold knot formed in his stomach. "What happened? Is everybody okay?"
"Everybody's fine," came a voice from the counter next to him. He looked down at the tiny blond sitting there, smiling at him. "Care to pull up a seat and treat a girl to lunch?" Despite her kidding tone, it was clear to Kyle that Tess was upset about something, too.
"Okay, is somebody going to tell me what's going on? What has El Presidente gotten us into this time?"
"Max didn't do anything," Maria responded absently as she noticed a customer waving at her. "I"ll be right back." She hurried off.
Kyle sat down next to Tess. "So, how was football camp?" she asked.
"Okay, I guess. I just don't seem to be able to get as into it as I used to. I guess nearly dying tends to change one's priorities." He noticed how white she became at his reminder of his shooting. "Okay, that's it. Either you tell me what's going on or I'm going to go back to the kitchen and ask Michael."
"No," Tess said urgently, grabbing his arm. "Don't do that. We'll tell you."
Liz came out of the back room at that moment, and waved at Kyle before going to her station. Maria took advantage of the relief to come over to where Kyle and Tess were sitting.
"Things are okay now," Tess said. Maria gave a very unlady-like snort.
"Well, they're okay in the sense that nobody's trying to kill us at this exact moment." Maria was interrupted by Michael bellowing at Liz to get her butt back there and take this order out. Kyle expect Maria to run back there and yell at him for his rudeness, but instead she just stood there, resolutely not looking towards the kitchen. Maria DeLuca avoiding a fight with Michael Guerin? Curiouser and curiouser.
"Well, obviously Michael's not in the best mood," Kyle said. "And you two look like you haven't slept in days. So what did I miss?"
A look passed between Tess and Maria, then the human girl took a breath. "The day after you left, we had visitors from New York." At the shocked look on Kyle's face, Maria nodded. "You guessed it. Lonnie and Rath."
"They came to Roswell again?" The girls nodded. "Why?"
"I believe the main reason was to get the Granolith," Maria explained. "Trying to kill Max was a side benefit." Maria looked at the crowded restaurant. "Listen, I have to get back to work or we're going to have a fast food riot on our hands, and in the mood Michael's in right now, I don't think a free-for-all is the best idea. Why don't you two go in the back and Tess can fill you in on the rest? If you're up to it, that is?" she said with a concerned look at Tess.
Tess gave a small smile. "I can handle it. Come on, Buddha Boy." She took Kyle's hand and led him to the back as Maria joined Liz in feeding the masses.
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Once in the back room, Kyle sat down. "Okay, so Lonnie and Rath were in town. And they tried to kill Max." A sudden thought crossed his mind. "Where is Max? Is he okay?"
"Max is fine. So are Alex, Isabel, and the sheriff. None of us were hurt."
"Tell me," Kyle demanded.
"I don't know all of the details," Tess said with a shrug. "The dupes came to town and tried to get the Granolith's location from Max. He refused to tell them anything. So they tortured him some, but he still wouldn't talk." Tess looked proud of their leader. Kyle wasn't too thrilled about that. He might have managed to achieve some measure of inner peace, but he didn't have much when it came to the subject of Max Evans. "Then Rath tried to get Michael to give him some information, but Michael refused, too."
"Did Rath and Lonnie hurt Michael, too?" Somehow Kyle found it hard to believe that anybody could grab and torture Michael, but hey, these were other aliens after all.
Tess looked confused. "I don't think so. From what we can tell, Rath just talked with Michael. But Michael won't tell anybody what happened. Not even Maria."
Kyle frowned. That didn't sound good.
Tess gave a little shake. "Anyway, Rath and Lonnie eventually decided to kill Max. But Ava got in the way." Tess looked so sad that Kyle put his arms around her. "Rath killed Ava instead." She looked up at Kyle. "Kyle, I was there. We all were. We saw Rath kill her."
"Tess." That was all he could say. He just held her tight for a minute. He couldn't even imagine what it must have been like to watch someone kill your identical double.
As if she could read his thoughts (and who knew? maybe she could) Tess murmured, "It was the strangest thing. It was like I was looking at myself dead there."
"Everyone's been pretty shaken up about it," Maria said as she came into the room. "Max was pretty upset when she was killed. He blames himself. And Michael's just put up his stonewall again. I thought we were getting somewhere after our trip to Vegas, but whatever happened with Rath, it's put us all back to square one."
Kyle nodded, then stood up, bring Tess with him. "Well, we're still alive, but I might not be much longer if I don't get home soon. Come on, Tess."
Tess waved good-bye to Maria as Kyle gathered up his belongings. Together they left and went home.
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Maria was glad that Kyle was back. Tess had been in pretty bad shape ever since Ava was killed. Of course, they had left out some of the story, but she was sure Tess would fill Kyle in later. The part where Rath and Lonnie had taunted Isabel about her past as Vilandra. The part where Liz's heart had broken apart again as she watched Max cradle Ava's body in his arms. The part where Max had yelled at Liz for not telling him sooner that she had seen Rath in town. And of course, the part where Michael hadn't spoken one word to her that wasn't work-related since his little meeting with Rath.
That was the strangest part of the whole thing. From what she could see, neither Michael nor Rath had been injured when they came away from their meeting. But nobody knew what had gone on. It had been a stupid idea for Michael to meet with his dupe alone, but they thought it was the only way to find out where Max was being held. Isabel's one attempt to dreamwalk Max had met with a Lonnie-sized obstacle. So, Michael went to a "peace" meeting with Rath, which led to the showdown that ended in Ava's death.
Maria heard sudden cursing from the kitchen. More Michael joy and cheer. Suddenly, Maria had enough. It had been four days since she had last spoken with Michael, and that was more than long enough. Squaring her shoulders, Maria entered the kitchen.
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Michael looked up as she entered the kitchen, but then returned to his cooking. "I'm busy," he said impatiently.
"Tough," she said as she grabbed his arm and pulled him outside into the alley.
"Dammit, Maria, I have work to do."
"The work can wait for a few minutes. This is more important." She could see the stubborn expression on his face start to harden. "Kyle's back."
"Oh. Does he know what happened?"
"He knows what we know," Maria answered. "Which isn't anywhere near everything, is it, Spaceboy? Michael, I need to know what happened with Rath."
"None of your business." Michael moved to go back inside, but Maria placed herself in his way.
"It is my business, Michael, when it affects our relationship. And whatever happened, it definitely affected our relationship. So, spill."
Michael looked her in the eye then. The expression in them was so lost it made her want to cry. But his voice stayed calm and hard. "Nothing happened. We just talked. He told me where Max was, and we went there. We got Max back, and Ava died. End of story." He tried again to return inside. When he saw that Maria wasn't budging, he sighed. "He also offered me a deal. Want to hear it?" At Maria's silent nod, he went on. "He offered me a partnership. We work together to kill Max and go home with the Granolith."
"He did what?" Maria was shocked. "Did he really think that you'd betray Max? That you'd kill him?"
Michael shrugged. "Why not? He killed his Zan, didn't he? The guy has some serious issues with Max." There was a considering note in his voice. "It's like there's history there, even though they just met last Thanksgiving." Then his voice became business-like again. "Whatever. I said no. You know the rest."
"I don't think so," Maria said slowly. "There's something more to it, or else you wouldn't be avoiding me again."
"Maria, it's nothing. I was just reminded that humans and aliens don't mix. We're too dangerous for you to be around."
"I can take care of myself."
"Not around me, you can't." Suddenly, he pushed her up against the wall and tilted her head up so that she was looking directly at him. "Listen to me, Maria. Rath made me realize a few things, things about who we all are, things about who I am. We're too dangerous for you to be near. You don't need a relationship with a killer."
Maria could hear the despair in that last sentence. "You killed Pierce in self-defense."
Michael shook his head. "I wasn't talking about Pierce. I was talking about Rath."
"You mean, Rath's a killer?" Maria asked in confusion. "I know, but he's not the one I want to be in a relationship with."
"No, I mean that I'm going to kill Rath." The calm way he said this made Maria's blood cold. "I decided that after I watched him kill Ava. The next time I see him, we'll fight, and I'll have to kill him. I'm planning on killing someone, Maria. So what does that make me?"
Maria couldn't think of anything to say to this. Michael nodded as if he expected her silence, and walked into the restaurant.
This time she didn't try to stop him.
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