Title: Somewhere Between Human and Alien
Author: Vlada
Couples: Kyle and Tess
Sumary: Lost Scenes from various episodes
Rating: PG

Summary: After the TV Scene

"Awh, but a cute idiot," Tess said retreating to her bedroom. Such a cute idiot, Tess thought to herself. 
         "Ha ha, not funny," Kyle replied sarcastically. He followed her to the bedroom door almost out of habit. It felt like only days ago this was his and dad's house, not a seventeen-year old girl's house, and the room she was going to right now was his. In reality it had been months since frilly underwear began to make it's appearance around the house.
           Tess swung open the bedroom door, looking at Kyle over her shoulder.
"What? Why are you following me?"
          "It's much easier to annoy you if you're within the vicinity of my --" Kyle was interrupted by Tess.
           "What? Mocking words?" Tess put her hands above the area of her heart and sighed dramatically. "Oh Kyle, you wound me with your words."
           "You are so not a funny person, err, alien. Whatever." Kyle turned around and walked back to the living room, sitting down on the couch. How could he hate and like her so much at the same time? 
          "What are you so afraid of anyway?" Tess asked standing behind the back of the couch. She kneeled forward, the side of her face inches within his, and whispered into his ear, "What's got Kyle's panties into such a knot, huh?"
           His breathing ragged from the feel of her breath inside him, he shivered involuntarily as she smiled with pride. He was so easy to manipulate. She didn't even have to use her powers. It was child's play. 
          "I'm not...I'm afraid..." She could be so frustrating sometimes, but she challenged him like no one else took the time to do.
           "Of becoming one of us," Tess finished, grimacing. "A freak."
           "That's not what I said," Kyle said, standing up defensively. 
          "No, but it's what you wanted to say and what you meant." Tess turned away. "I don't blame you, Kyle. We are just a bunch of freaks...who even knows what exactly we are." 
          "You are so much more than that," he said softly, the softness of his voice surprising her and even himself. He put his hand on her shoulder, feeling the smooth curve of her bare skin beneath his hand. God bless spaghetti straps, he thought, and no bras. He told his mouth to be quiet, just so they could continue in this silent pause, this stance with his hand on her shoulder, but he needed to make amends. He hated it when she got upset. Her face got all crinkled and he felt like shit.
           "May be it wouldn't be all that bad to be like you. We'd only be even more family," he said.
           "Like hybrid brother and sister? I don't think so," Tess replied, waving her hand in the air. Inside, she loved the idea. He'd probably pay more attention to her than her real family did. Heck, he already did. "But you know what, you really welcomed us into your world and especially me into your family, so I'm sure we'd accept you into our family even if you did grow green, lumpy skin or begin to levitate in bed."
           "Lame-o, make Kyle freak out jokes must stop now," he commanded. 
          "No way, b-ball man. What would Buddha say of a dozen guys showering together?" Tess smiled at him and he tried desperately to come back with a retort. He hated how she could do that to him with just a smile and how she knew exactly what she was doing to him at the same time. All he could muster was "Princess."
           "That's Queen of Antar to you," Tess shot back. 
          "Yes, your highness." He kneeled in front of her and bowed repeatedly until he couldn't stop a smile from breaking through.
    "You're such a doofus," Tess replied through laughter.
           "Tess," Kyle called, the seriousness of his voice surprising Tess, "do you ever feel abandoned?"
           Tess looked at him with a questioningly. "What kind of a question is that? You sure know how to ruin a party, Kyle."
           "I'm serious," he said solemnly, sitting down on the couch again. She followed, making sure to sit at the opposite end of the couch. Safety first.
           "I don't understand. Why this question? Why me?" she asked.
           "I thought it was something we could share on. My mom left me...you left your whole life." Kyle stopped to allow her to answer, but no sound came from her end of the couch. Maybe he was broaching a touchy subject, but he felt that after living with Tess for months, he deserved to know the real Tess and that meant beyond the frilly underwear. "Okay. Fine, another question: What are you so afraid of? What is it?"
           "Human emotion is not my forte," she whispered. "I wasn't brought up to feel it so therefore I can't answer your question." 
          "That can change. Just because you were brought up that way, doesn't mean you have to be that way."
           "It's not so easy"
           "Yes, it is, which is exactly the point. It's so much easier to pass life by day in and day out when you're not feeling. So much easier to not regress." He scooted to her end of the couch. "But it's not gonna kill you to feel, Tess. It's not that awful to feel. So god damn it, Tess, feel," he said his voice rising. Feel what I feel, he wanted to shout out. He took a deep breath to collect himself and stood up. He couldn't believe he'd come so close. He looked back down at her, but her face was cast downwards. He tapped her on the shoulder, but she just shrugged his hand off and muttered something under her breath. He whispered "I'm sorry," but she still didn't say anything. He'd pushed the red button. He began to walk away when he felt her hand on his arm, pulling him back. He turned to face her and saw a rainbow, a smile glowing out from beneath a cascade of tears.
           "What ever happened to trimming my lamp? It's in serious need here," she said, smiling.
           "Everything in it's own time and place." He had her word, which was all he needed for now.
           "You're the expert, Buddha boy." 
They smiled at each other before walking away in their separate directions and in that smile Tess saw acceptance. She saw love and suddenly she was filled with an odd feeling in her stomach. It growed inside of her until she realized it was in her heart. It was indeed odd for her to feel this way. To feel almost human and in love with someone almost alien. 
         
Setting: After the scene in which Valenti is dismissed and before the scene in the Crashdown when Kyle gives the gang the green goo.

When he walks through the front door, his face is sad. The saddest I've ever seen it since probably when mom left. Both then and now, it looks like his greatest passion has been taken away from him. He looks at me, his eyes ashamed, and then casts his face downward. He knows I know. He doesn't say a word, not an explanation or a comforting comment, as he goes to the fridge and takes out a beer. Yeah, dad, drown your sorrows. That'll fix everything. That'll get rid of the aliens and all the trouble they've caused us. He takes his beer and sits down on the couch next to me. We stare at the football game silently for minutes. I usually love silence, but a fight is starting to look more appealing than this stupid game.
           "They fired you, didn't they?" I ask, already knowing the answer. 
          "Yeah," he says like it's no big deal. What is he going to do now? Work at the Crashdown as a waiter? Pump gas?  
         "I don't believe it." He gives me a questioning look. I guess I'm the only one who can see how screwed up our lives our becoming. I don't even recognize it anymore. I don't know this life. "Why do you keep helping them when all they do is get you into trouble? Why?" I yell. I want to know. I want to know why he'd constantly risk putting our family in danger. 
          "They helped me," he says like it's the most obvious answer. "They saved you, Kyle. Or have you forgotten that Max Evans risked his life to save your own?" Of course I'm thankful. I am. But how long do I have to be thankful for before they get us killed?
          "Yeah, once. Once, dad," I say pointedly, raising my index finger in the air. "And you saved their asses more than once. Deal over."
           "It doesn't work that way, Kyle." I know the tone in his voice. There's no changing his mind now, but I can't help trying. God, they got him fired and he still thinks he owes them something.
           "Why not?" It looks like a fair deal to me. You save our life, we save yours, you screw up our life, your screw up our life, you screw up our life.
           "'Cause they're just like you and me, Kyle. Granted they have powers, they're just as human as you and me. They feel pain and fear and they need help to escape from it." He sips his beer calmly. He's so okay with everything; it's driving me nuts. I feel like I'm gonna explode. I think I'm the one who needs a beer. When did he come to trust them so open-heartedly? It feels like just days ago he was chasing after them at the carnival or whatnot and now he's stopping other people from chasing after them. Them. The princess, the weirdo, and the 'I'm so holy' guy. I realize I've forgotten Tess, but it doesn't feel like she belongs it that lineup. She's...ack, too confusing.
           "Why do you hate them so much?" he asks out of nowhere. There's that word again. Them. That annoying pronoun.
           "I do not," I reply a little too defensively.
           "Yes, you do. You despise them. It's in your eyes," he says, "not to mention your words." I wonder what else he can see in my eyes. "Why?" he asks again. If he really wants to know, I'll tell him. I'll him tell till I'm yelling. 
          "Because before them, I used to be able to hang out with my friends without being teased about hanging out with the Evans duo or becoming a Scooby as if I'm living an episode of 'Buffy.' Or maybe it's the fact that Max Evans just came out of nowhere," my voice begins to rise, "and swept Liz away and he did it ag...never mind." I pause at my mistake. He starts to stare at me so I continue. "They come in with their holier than thou attitude and cause chaos in my somewhat serene life."
           "And Tess?" he asks curiously. Where did that come from? Oh God.
           "What about her?" I fold my arms over my chest as if it'll stop the beating.
           "Do you hate her?" Hate her? I can't believe I'm hearing this kind of a question related towards Tess. Sometimes I wish I did. I really do. It'd make things so much easier. 
          "No, no, of course not. Tess is like...well, a sister." Oh God, a sister. Holy shit, I think I'm in love with my sister. "She cooks and that is indispensable." He chuckles.
"We'll it's not official or anything so she's not exactly your adopted sister or whatever." I hope he doesn't see me relax, but I do. It's makes this whole thing that much more uncompleted, but not nearly enough. She's still an alien. She's still...her and there's been a "her" before. 
          "Maybe if we did adopt her, we could get her a tag that says, 'Property of Valenti family. If abducted, please return'," I joke. I would want her back though. A lot.
           "I think we're the ones who'd need a tag," he says through a laugh. It's such a sharp contrast compared to the sad face he came in with. I'm reminded of how broken our family was when mom left. Dad didn't know what to tell me or even what to make for dinner. Once he turned all my underwear pink when he didn't separate the colors. We didn't have any semblance of a life. Everything was such a mess those first few months. But he had his job. He had a means of money and a place he could go to that he loved. Whenever I visited him at work, he was always so much happier. At home, I guess the memories would eat away at him. But at work, he was doing what he loved. He was helping people. Maybe that's what this is all about. He loves his job. He loves to save people and the aliens need saving more than any of us. He has no means of doing it now. He has no job. It was his second passion and now it's gone. Where will he go now when he's sad?
           "So what now?" I ask worriedly. I honestly have no clue.
           "The post game show," he says watching the TV.
           "No, I mean our family." He looks at me thoughtfully before replying,
"We continue being a family. I stay your dad. You continue to be my son. And you and Tess continue to be...whatever it is that you two are." If I only knew what that was.
                  
Setting: Before the scene in which Kyle and Tess walk in on Valenti building.

          I decided I need a change. If I can't have peace of mind, then I shall have this. A new look. A new me. Maybe this is what it will take for him to notice me. It's a crazy thought. I know this as I raised my hand to my hair and begin to try different styles. It's all so YM magazine like. There's no way I'd be caught taking a quiz called "Does He Really Like You Or Just Like You?" though. I'm trembling. I breathe in and exhale repeatedly, trying to calm my nerves. This is all so silly. I've gone mad. Imagine, getting nervous about a new hairstyle. It's a major decision though. It sounds ridiculous, and it is, but it's something I've never done to myself. I have never changed myself for a guy, never put the restraints or expectations of pleasing a guy on myself. I've never cared about such stuff, let alone someone. I wasn't brought up this way, to be vulnerable and self-conscious. I'd never done anything for a guy before, except for Max, but he's different. He was my husband, I know that, but I don't remember loving him. And I certainly don't remember him being "someone." But now I do care about someone and it makes me want to do this. Kyle is special. No one has ever made me feel this way. Not Max. No one. No one's ever made me want to change my hairstyle, let alone given me butterflies, which feel like the stomach flu. When he looks at me, I feel warm inside and my body floats like snow. When he touches me, I feel safe like no alien or human could ever hurt me.
           I survey my work in the bathroom mirror. I have to wipe away the fog from my hot shower first. I am most definitely the person in this family to hold the longest bath time record. That feels so amazing to say. This family... I smile to myself as I look in the mirror. I don't recognize myself, and not because of the new hair do. Who is this person? Who is this straight-haired, lovesick gal? I'm no longer Tess Harding, the fourth alien and bringer of doom. I'm Tess, with a soft sound on the end. I'm Tess, part of a family with friends and a brother. I'm Tess, the sister. And yes, of course there's Tess the maid, cook, and housekeeper. Men.
           I sigh. This will never work, I think, combing my hair. How could I be so stupid and...girly? A new look, no matter how hormonally driven Kyle is, won't make him forget what I am. I'm a freaky alien from another planet. He'll never let that live down. He'll never stop being afraid of me in some strange you're-out-of-this-world way. There's a knock at the door followed by loud yelling.
"Tess, I gotta pee. Get out!"
           "You're such a romantic, Kyle," I reply sarcastically.
           "Oh, look, it is the east and Tess is the bathroom hogger," he mutters, pounding on the door. 
          "Nice, but you got it wrong."
           "Get out!" 
          "Hold your horses." I take one last look at myself in the mirror.
           "My horses are about to blow. God damn--," his words are cutoff as I swing open the door. "You did something to your hair."
           "Yeah."
           "Wow." He reaches out and brushes his fingers through some strands. God, please don't stop, I beg. The look on his face is amazing.
He's memorized. I'm memorized. We're both memorized.
           "Wow...wow or wow, what the hell did you do?" I ask worriedly
.          "Wow...wow," he answers smiling. "So how did you do it? Freaky alien power?"
           This is exactly what's keeping us apart. This constant referring to aliens. I'm so much more than just an alien who has the ability to severely hurt him in his sleep. I wish he'd realize that. I'm part human just like he is. I could be his favorite sister, granted I'm the only one. I could be so much more too. 
          "No, it's called a straightner," I say holding up the piece of metal.
           "Whoa, what the hell kinda of a contraption is that?" he asks in all seriousness, which scares me.
          "You know, sometimes I think you're the alien. Do you not get out?" I ask incredulously.
           "Not to the hair section of the supermarket, no, I don't."
           "Here, I'll show you." I pick up the straightner, approaching his hair.
           "Get away from me with that thing. No using weird powers. House rule number one," he says, backing away. 
          "Your hair is already straight. I just want to show you how it works. By the way, house rule number one is don't leave the toilet seat up."
           "No thanks. Like you said, my hair is already straight."
           "Baby." God, I love this.
           "Freak."
           "Half freak," I correct him, "and so are you."
           He grimaces and I can't help smiling. He's so uncomfortable by the whole half-alien, half-human thing that his squirminess makes me pleased.
           "Bathroom hogger," he says, pronouncing each syllable distinctly as if it's a crime. "And by the way, I have made a point of not leaving the toilet seat up."
           "Only after I had to remind you a thousand times. Do you hear that?" It sounds like a sawing sound. For a minute, I get scared, but then I remember I'm in the Valenti house. Nothing bad could happen to me here, especially with Kyle. He wouldn't allow it and I am surely positive of it as he says, "Stay here." 
          He looks around the hallway before going out the front door. I follow him. Over protective brother or not, I do as I want.
"What is it?" I ask, standing besides him.
           "I think it's coming from the garage," he replies, pointing to the door. He opens the garage door slightly and we both peek through the slip. Valenti is sawing away at some piece of wood. Inside, I surprise myself, feeling awful for what we've done to this family. "What is he doing? He looks strangely like an alien with that mask."
           "Funny, you look strangely like an alien too," I say smiling sweetly. I get a glare in return as we go inside the garage.

Setting: The first half is just Tess's thoughts. The second part has a flashback to a moment between Kyle and Alex in the cave as Kyle drives home with Tess after getting out.

"Earth is infected. You must go home now," Lerrick said. 
          Home. Home? What is that? For all I know, it could have acid clouds and people who hate me because my husband failed the planet. He wasn't a president; he didn't just let down a country. An entire planet fell apart while my husband was on the throne. Do I even have any family or friends on this home? Even if my mother is still alive, she's not my mother. She's the mother of my predestined self. Does this place have beings that love me and care about me? Something I've magically been able to find on Earth, only after many years of loneliness.
           Max doesn't look at me like a bearer of temptation and bad news anymore. Michael looks up to me in some strange way. I know stuff about our past life that he doesn't and I can use my powers more skillfully than he can. Even Liz has even opened up to me. I can't blame Maria for hating me. If I had a friend like Liz, I would try to be as loyal to her as possible too. But I honestly wasn't trying to steal Max from Liz. He was all I ever knew. He was all I had and I was all he had back in our past life. Now I know more than Max. I know the caring of friendship and the love of a family. I know trust and happiness and angst. I know Kyle. I'm not sure what it is that's between us. There's something there. Whether brotherly or romantic, I know there won't be someone like him at "home."
 Will these people be there waiting for me at home?I never expected to get close to anyone on Earth. Nasedo always warned me against forming connections with humans. I never dated. Boys never came up to me. I was the scary loner who didn't match the stereotype. The braver guys tried to flirt with me. I reciprocated. Not like I had any other chances to interact with human boys at home. One guy once asked me for my phone number. Ha, if Nasedo picked up he'd probably zap him through the phone wire. I never went to dances or pep rallies, not that I like them, but maybe if I had the chance I'd learn to like them.
           Then I moved to Roswell. And bam. I saw him hanging out with them, but he didn't look like he fit in. He looked like he was always waiting for something to throw in their face or a chance to break into their secret. He especially seemed to like to distress Max. He was perfect for my plan. He was close enough to get their attention, but not too close to get himself involved. I used Kyle to get to Max. And now I've used Max to get to Kyle. If it wasn't for this whole alien thing, Max healing Liz and falling for her while she was still dating Kyle, Max healing Kyle after he was shoot, and then Max finding me a home with the Valentis', I might have never really gotten to know Kyle. In some strange way, I have Max to thank for all of this. Imagine that. That's why today has been so hard for me.
 "How's the Tess roommate situation going?" Alex asked while we were trapped in the cave.
           "Fine," I answered though it's anything but.
           "Right," he said skeptically. "A beautiful sixteen-year old alien is living with you and everything is fine."
           "Yeah," I mumbled.
           "Kyle, my buddy, and I think I have the right to call you that now seeing as how we'll probably die together in this cave, you're an awful liar." He moved a little closer and put his arm around my shoulders. "None of us have been able to resist the alien charms. Maria is all looney over Michael, Liz gets gaga eyes whenever Max is in the room, and I...I..."
           "Drooled like a dog after Isabel?" I finish smiling.
           "I would have put it differently, but same point. They've all captured our hearts. There's no denying it, Kyle," Alex said, smiling knowingly. He was right, I realize as I drive Tess and me home. She's got my heart and no one can take it away from her. I can't even take it away from her. Believe me, if I could I would. Life would be much easier. Life would be almost normal and human. But Alex was right about something else too. I wouldn't trade knowing this secret, knowing her, for anything.
           "Stop the car," she says suddenly. 
          "What?" I ask in confusion. I turn and look at her. The determined look on her face tells me she's serious. "Tess, we're in the middle of the freaking freeway and you want me to stop the car. Do you have to pee or something?" 
          "Not everything is about peeing or bathrooms, Kyle. Stop the car. I mean it," she commands. I would challenge her or retort with a comeback, but her voice scares me. I pull the car over to the side of the road and park. "Okay, there. Go pee, I won't look. Promise." Instead of getting out and answering nature's call, she starts hitting me in the shoulder repeatedly. And I must say, for a girl she's pretty strong. Well, she is an alien girl. After I think she's permanently planted a disfigured purple shape onto my arm, she sits back in the passenger seat and stares ahead.
           "Okay, what the hell was that for? I didn't think the pee jokes bothered you that much." I know I shouldn't have said that cause then she totally breaks.
           "Don't you ever almost die on me again or I will personally kill you myself!" she yells, starring my in the eye. "Got it?"
           She turns away and I can't see her face anymore, but I hear the sound of raged breathing and I wonder if she's crying. Crying over me. 
          "I'm sorry," I whisper.
           "I don't care. Just don't do it again," she says calmly now. She turns around, her eyes glistening, and says, "You have to be more careful than that because...I need...you just have to. I need you to."
           "Okay. I understand," I reply. I completely understand. Though it's only be a couple of months living with her and years with my dad and just me, I can't imagine her not a part of the Valenti family. I need the same promise from her. "I need you to also, Tess. Now go pee cause I know that's the real reason you made me pullover."
           "One more pee joke and this whole don't-die-on-me pact will be history cause I'll zap you with my death ray eyes."
           "You're a real people person, Tess. Anyone ever tell you that?" I say sarcastically.
          "I don't usually tell people I'm gonna zap them with my death ray eyes." 
          "You should start. You might meet yourself an interesting fellow. Interesting, to say the least."
           "I don't want to meet anyone else," she says almost inaudibly.
           "Me neither," I reply smiling. 
     

Setting: During the car ride back home after Valenti makes Tess and Kyle leave.


The car ride is silent. I'm not sure why. Dad's still mad. He's doing that careful driver routine he does when he's mad. He watches the road like a hawk. You'd think he was still working or something. I can tell he's not as mad anymore though. His grip on the wheel has loosened, his knuckles turning back to their natural color.

I look over at Tess. I can hear her breath. In and out. In and out, her breath grazing the air between us. I can feel it moving through the space in the car, sliding up my arm, and wrapping itself around my neck. She's all the way on the other side of the back seat, but I still feel like she's suffocating me just by breathing. Teasing my neck, opening me to new experience, leaving me breathless. Thank God the window is open.
Tess is doing that thing where she pretends to be asleep when she needs to think. Her arms are crossed over her chest, almost defiantly. Instead of tucking her hands in, they're extended. I never noticed that before. She always has them in that position. It's almost as if she's trying to reach out to someone. Now that I think about it, maybe she's waiting for someone to grab onto her, let her know they need her.
I start to reach out, but her arms slowly fall to her sides. She's sleeping now. As dad makes a sharp turn, her body wavers and suddenly her head is on my leg. I don't know what to do. My heartbeat quickens rapidly and I wonder if someone with my heart rate should still be alive. Should I be like the boy that screamed wolf and yell incest?
"Sorry about that turn. You guys alright back there?" dad asks.
"Yeah," I reply. Oh yeah, just fine. Nothing wrong with this scene.
I start to reach for her head to lift her back into a seating position, but I can't move. Her shampoo is wafting into the air. It smells like citrus. Oranges or lemons. It tastes bitter going down my throat, but when it slides across my lips it's like sugar. I want it all right then. I want to kiss her. Gawd, what am I thinking? She's family and family is steering the car in the driver's seat. I inhale, part of her becoming me. I can barely breathe. She's suffocating me in the best possible way. I wonder if she knows what she's doing to me.
The last time I ever road in a car this silently was when I was coming to Roswell with Nasedo. He rarely spoke to me. It was like living with a mime. The only words I ever heard come out of his mouth were "home," "destiny," and "king." No wonder I turned out like this. No wonder no one liked me when I first came to Roswell. I was brainwashed.
We were riding in the car and I couldn't stop thinking how these words were going to affect me now that I was going to be in the same town as people like me with the same destiny. I was wrong. They weren't like me. They didn't have the same destiny. They believed in creating their own destiny with humans. They weren't brainwashed.
"Are they expecting me?" I had asked Nasedo as we drove past the desert. We were close. The palm trees of Los Angeles were long gone. The horses of Texas slowly disappeared. You knew you were near New Mexico when all you could see was barren land. When I looked at it, I never felt so lonely. I suddenly didn't want to live here, in this barren and dry place without a person in sight.
"I don't know," Nasedo answered. I'd forgotten I'd even asked him a question. "Probably not. They may not know anything at all about themselves or us."
"No, I mean, are they expecting me? Will I be welcome?" I asked nervously.
"I don't know, Theresa," he answered, slightly annoyed. I cringed when he used that name. I felt like I was being reprimanded whenever he said it. Stupid girl, can't do anything right. Just follow the damn destiny. Not that hard, right?
The rest of the ride was silent. It was easier to pretend to be asleep rather than being called Theresa or receiving another lecture about my purpose here. I tucked my hands away and just thought about where I was going. Never did I imagine I'd go to the place I am now. In the Valenti car, being driven home in silence after being reprimanded. And I have never enjoyed it more.
There's an awful pain in my neck. I start to twist my neck, trying to get the kink out, and then I realize something isn't right. The ruff denim of jeans rubs against my cheek as a hand places itself on my neck and begins a back and forth massaging motion. Within a minute the hand, excuse me, the miracle hand gets the kink out.
"Better?" a voice asks. Shit, I fell asleep on Kyle's lap.
"Much," I barely choke out. "Um, thanks." I sit up and scoot back to my original spot on the far, far left side of the seat by the window.
"Can you open your window, please?" he asks. I give him a peculiar look. It's almost dawn and the cold is starting to set in. He just looks at me pleadingly, practically grasping for air, so I slide my window open a little.
"You okay?" I ask.
"Asthma," he says, pointing to his throat.
"Oh." Quite a basketball player for someone with asthma, but if he says so "Sorry, I didn't know. You never mentioned it before."
"It just developed." Uh huh. What an awful lair he is. What's up with him anyway?
"We're here," Valenti says, putting the car into park in the driveway. He turns around and stares at us for a moment. "I hope you guys know you're in very big trouble."
Kyle and I both nod. If Nasedo had just said that, I'd feel like a little child being told how awful and disappointing I am. But Valenti has this look in his eyes that makes me believe he means it in the best way possible as if being in trouble could ever be good.
"You will be punished," he continues. "I haven't decided how yet, but be assured ditching school for anything other than ensuring the survival of a planet is wrong and punishable. Okay, get inside."
Kyle opens the door and slides out and I follow. Once I'm out of the car, I turn back around to the car where Valenti is still sitting.
"Sheriff Valenti --," I begin.
"-- Mr. Valenti," he corrects me.
"Mr. Valenti --," I begin again.
"-- Jim," he says smiling.
"Jim," I reply softly, "thank you."
"For what?" he asks confused.
"For getting mad and making me leave and for punishing me." No further words are needed because I can tell by the look on his face he understands.
"Anytime," he says. "And it's my pleasure."
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