Standard stuff:
Title:Touch of Death {cryptic huh}
Author: Kathryn C.
Disclaimer: Me No Own.
Distribution: You want it, you take it, just give me
the URL.
Feedback: Send it, or I don't feel like writing.
Well, maybe for some of you, you might want
that.SEND IT, SEND IT, SEND IT. I won't
stop writing, so I can't threaten that, but please
send it. Let me know you're reading.
Rating: Uh, pg-13/14a?
Spoilers: Well, it's mostly speculation based on
spoilers mentioned. But, spoilers for Sexual Healing
and the whole "T" person storyline.
********
Tess shut the door to Max's bedroom behind them as they walked in. She considered locking it, but decided against it.
Max was watching her from where he sat on the bed. There was doubts entering his mind. "Maybe we should go back downstairs," he said nervously, "I mean Liz and.."
Tess sauntered up to him and he caught a whiff of her perfume. All doubts fled away from his mind. In fact, he didn't even remember not wanting to be here.
Tess grabbed Max's hands and pulled him to his feet. They were standing inches from each other. Max's breathing began to labour.
"I really like you Max," Tess said, drawing a circle on his chest with her finger.
"I like you too Tess," Max said with a smile.
"I mean, it's more than that," Tess continued, "I've only known you for a few days, but I feel like I've known you forever. I trust you with my life you know."
"Do you trust me Max?" she asked in a sultry voice, running her hand along his chest.
"I trust you completely Tess," Max said breathlessly. "I can't explain it, but I do."
Tess gave a funny little smile. "That's good Max. We trust each other. And, I think we should be completely honest with each other, don't you?"
Max nodded, "Uh huh. Completely honest."
"Good," Tess said in a satisfied tone. She leaned in close to Max again. "Kiss me Max."
Max didn't need a second invitation. Kissing her had been his on his mind since he had gotten close to her for the first time.
Max slowly lowered his head to hers. He wanted this to be perfect. Tess closed her eyes and raised up her head. Their lips made contact.
And the visions flooded Max's head.
He was no longer aware of the sensation of Tess's lips on his. This wasn't like it had been with Liz. The visions, they weren't one sided. There was no joining, no two way street.
There were no memories of him and Tess. There wasn't even flash backs from the past.
Max was seeing Tess's thoughts and memories. It was overwhelming as they all flooded in to his mind at once.
//Watching her mother die on the floor of the tiny apartment as a little girl. Praying and wishing her daddy was there.\\
Max not only saw the vision of the event, he felt what she had felt. At that point he was the little girl angry at the world.
Peace is what they tell me
Love am I unholy
Lies are what they tell me
Despise you that control me
//Lying on her bed at the orphanage. Wishing and praying that her daddy would know she was in trouble and come for her. Knowing all the while he never would. She hadn't seen him since she was a baby.\\
//First day of school. Knowing she was different from all the kids. Not because of her parentless status, but because she just was. Discovering she was truly abnormal.\\
The peace is dead in my soul
I have blamed the reason for
my intentions poor
Yes I'm the one who
the only one who
Would carry on this far
//Crying in the steel room. She had let her secret be discovered, and now she was here. The faces through the mirror. The hands touching her. Examining her.\\
//Older now. Still living in the steel room. The faces still watch and examine, but now they talk. They tested her, to see what she can do.\\
//Being told about the others. Seeing their normal lives. Being angry that she couldn't have what they had. Knowing that they deserved the life she led.\\
Torn, I'm filthy
Born in my own misery
Stole all that you gave me
Control you claim you save me
//Being trained at the facility. Wanting to get even, wanting to hurt everyone that had deprived her. //
//Being given the assigment. Find them, and bring them back. Then, and only then, would she be free. Free to finally lead a life.\\
The peace is dead in my soul
I have blamed the reason for
my intentions poor
Yes I'm the one who
the only one who
Would carry on this far
All her memories, all her thoughts flowed into Max. He was no longer blinded by her, by who she pretended to be.
He saw the truth. All of it.
Max's eyes flew open. This kiss did not end though. Now, this was a two-street. However, Tess didn't get his memories, all his previous thoughts. She got his current rage. His anger.
She got all his feelings of betrayal, guilt. But, most of all the anger. All that Max was with angry with her. It flowed from inside him to inside of her. On and on.
All of a sudden, they broke apart. Tess pushed him back, gasping for air.
She clutched her hand to her chest and tried to speak. I'm sorry! she mouthed. Max reached out to her with his hand, but she fell back on the floor. Her breathing stopped.
Then, the body of Tess vaporized into thin air.
********
The group in the living room just sat there. The movie was still playing, nobody had bothered to turn it off. Isabel was crying softly into Alex's shoulder. They all half expected FBI agents to come barging into the house at any moment.
"Should we go up there?" Liz asked nervously.
"What's the point?" Michael sighed. "He's going to say or do whatever he wants, whether we're there or not."
Liz just sat on the couch, fidgeting anxiously. She tapped her foot, a nervous habit. Maria herself was tempted to return to her old habit of biting her nails.
There was a sudden banging on the floor upstairs. Everyone jumped to their feet. "What was that?" Liz asked, wide-eyed.
"Let's go see," Maria said impatiently. She was second only to Michael running up the stairs.
Michael pushed open the door to Max's room slowly.
All they saw was Max standing in the middle of his bedroom floor, staring down at a piece of carpet. He didn't turn when they opened the door.
"Max," Isabel said gently, "Where's Tess?"
Max finally turned to face them. He had a haunted look in his eye. He didn't say anything for the longest time, just stared at them with unseeing eyes. After a few moments he finally spoke.
"She was Nasedo's daughter," he said in a quiet, trance-like voice.
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