PART FIVE

Everyone had left after the meeting ended, each heading their separate ways. Max had gone to the library, and Liz sensed he was more desperate than ever to wrap up his thesis. Only Tess had remained, and they’d decided to order a pizza and hang out for a while.

They sat on the living room floor, listening to an old Counting Crows CD. Max still kept them in occasional rotation, even when he wasn’t feeling melancholy.

Tess doused her pizza with Tobasco sauce, and offered the bottle to Liz. She shook her head, and Tess laughed. "Still haven’t developed a taste for it yet?"

"Not really." Liz answered. "Well, maybe I like hot foods a little more than I did before…" and her voice trailed off. She’d almost said far too much, but she could tell by the expression on Tess’s face, that she hadn’t missed it.

"Before?" Tess questioned, raising her eyebrows curiously.

"Well…before Max."

"In other words, before the two of you joined?" Tess corrected playfully, fire dancing in her eyes.

Liz felt her face flush, and she wondered how Tess could even know about that, though of course Marco’s letter had alluded to it. Liz hadn’t missed the meaningful note to Tess’s voice—she seemed to know all about their spiritual mating.

"Tess!" She cried, rolling her eyes. "Don’t even say that."

"Sheesh, Liz, I do know all about the alien birds and bees," she laughed, taking a bite of her pizza. "I have Nasedo to thank for that."

Liz knew her face must have turned bright read, even though it was ridiculous for her to feel embarrassed about any aspect of her relationship with Max—even one as personal as their bond. But of course, this was Tess, who had once wanted him for her own.

Tess glanced up at her, realization dawning. "Liz, look…you don’t have to feel weird. I let Max go years ago. You know that."

Liz nodded silently, reaching for a piece of pizza.

"So is it as amazing as they say?" Tess asked in a hushed voice. "Alien sex?"

She was not having this conversation--especially not with Tess of all people. "I’m not even going to answer that," she laughed uncomfortably.

"I’m serious, Liz," Tess continued quietly. "I really want to know…because I realize I’m never going to have that."

Liz heard a trace of sadness in her voice, and frowned. "Tess, there’s no reason why you can’t."

"Oh, yeah right. There are so many aliens just wandering around the streets of Las Cruces…or anywhere else on the planet."

"Well, apparently there are," Liz corrected. "We just met another one tonight."

This time Liz noticed it was Tess who flushed—at the mention of Marco--and she made a mental note of that key information.

"Yeah, well he’s not even a possibility." She laughed nervously "He’s your protector."

"Well, he also said there are others here. And if what Michael said is true, they’re bound to be gorgeous."

Tess smiled softly, taking another bite of pizza. "Maybe."

"Look, I think Michael’s got a good theory going," Liz continued. "You’re gorgeous…Isabel obviously is. It doesn’t even seem to be gender specific."

"Well, thanks for the compliment, but I stopped believing that I’d find anybody long ago."

"Tess, you can’t honestly mean that?" Liz questioned seriously, setting her pizza down. "Guys are always asking you out…you just keep turning them down."

"That might have just a little something to do with my alien status," she answered softly, pouring more Tobasco sauce on her pizza.

"I accepted Max when we both thought I was human," Liz countered gently.

"You and Max are unique, Liz. That doesn’t happen for most of us."

Well, she couldn’t argue with her on that count.

Liz rose to change the CD, because she really couldn’t listen to Long December again. Max had subjected her to it thousands of times during the course of their relationship.

"I’m saying there’s no reason why you couldn’t…join with a human, Tess," Liz said. "At least not that I know of."

"Kyle and I never had flashes when we kissed years ago, Liz. Nothing."

"Maybe that was because he’s so very Kyle."

Tess laughed throatily. "Yeah, you’ve got a point there."

"Maria and Michael have gotten very intense at times," Liz offered, settling again on the floor.

Tess raised an eyebrow. "Have they…"

Liz coughed. This was getting very personal…for all of them.

"I mean, I didn’t think they’d…" Tess’s voice faltered a bit.

"No, I don’t think so, but I do know they’ve shared a very intense connection at times."

Tess nodded thoughtfully, growing suddenly very quiet. "Look, let’s just change the subject, okay? We’ve got a lot more important things to discuss."

"Like Marco?" Liz offered helpfully. She just couldn’t help herself—and she saw Tess flush again.

"Well, yeah, like Marco," Tess answered, and Liz had to smile conspiratorially, as she leaned close across the table. "He’s really gorgeous, isn’t he?"

"Liz!" Tess rolled her eyes. "Please."

"Alright, alright." She raised her hands in surrender. "I’ll give you a break."

Suddenly, Liz began laughing giddily. The whole conversation was just such a bizarre one, and especially for her to have with Tess. They’d been growing slowly closer in the past few years, but this was new territory for them. Liz smiled, thinking how it pleased her that the two of them were becoming very good friends.

"But now back to this whole joining thing," Tess said, interrupting her thoughts. Liz groaned quietly, and now it was Tess’s turn to laugh. "Hey, you were the one giving me a hard time, now it’s your turn."

"Fair enough," Liz answered calmly.

"I just want to know what it’s like," Tess asked, her blue eyes so open and curious. "I’m not prying about you and Max, okay? I just want to know…generally speaking."

Liz thought a long moment, chewing on her lip. She sighed dreamily, despite herself. "Its beyond incredible, Tess. Simply the most beautiful thing in the world."

"Damn," Tess groaned, her eyebrows drawing together. "I knew it."

"And the most amazing thing is…it just gets more and more intense all the…" Liz’s voice trailed off. She had a sudden thought, even as mortifying as it was.

"What?" Tess asked.

Liz hesitated, because to ask her question, would take a huge amount of trust. She wasn’t sure she was there yet with Tess—but she realized it was likely that Tess might have some answers that she needed.

Liz glanced at her keen blue eyes, and decided to simply go for it--to take the leap, and hope that their relationship really had advanced to this level. She leaned close across the table, tracing her finger along the wood grain pattern.

"Tess, can I ask you a question?" She began quietly. "Something really personal…just between the two of us, okay?"

"Sure." Tess nodded, curiosity dancing in her eyes.

"Umm…" Liz hesitated a moment. This was tougher than she’d thought it would be. "Is there some reason why…things might get even more intense occasionally?"

Tess just stared at her, her expression unreadable, and Liz instantly regretted having taken this route.

"Liz?" She asked finally, glancing around the room. "Are you asking what I think you’re asking?"

"I don’t know," she replied timidly. "What do you think I’m asking?"

"Well…" Tess stared down for a moment, averting her eyes. Liz swore her face flushed a bit. "If there’s, like, certain times when…let’s say your physical need for one another becomes insatiable?"

Liz had taken a sip of her diet coke, and she nearly choked. Leave it to Tess to just spell it all out.

"Yeah," she coughed. "Yeah, I guess that is what I’m asking."

"So you don’t know, do you?" Tess asked in amazement. "All of it…the whole alien birds and bees thing?"

"Tess," Liz asked seriously. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, God," Tess groaned. "I would have thought you’d have figured it out by now."

"Figured what out?" Liz nearly shouted, starting to feel incredibly disconcerted and uncomfortable.

And horribly curious.

"That you have cycles…seasons. Mating seasons. God, Liz, you two have been married for four years, how could you not know?"

Liz had never felt more mortified in her entire life. She felt her body flush from the crown of her head, all the way down to her toes.

"I don’t know what you mean," she answered quietly, though her heart felt anything but quiet. "We don’t need any kind of season…we just…"

"No, Liz," Tess interrupted gently. "I mean that…well, there are just certain periods of time when you’re driven to one another. Mating seasons…it’s like you’re in he--"

"No!" Liz squealed, jumping to her feet. "Do not say it out loud!" She shivered and did an embarrassed little jig. "Oooh! Totally ooh!"

"Liz!" Tess started laughing hysterically. "There’s nothing to be embarrassed about."

"No, see that’s just awful." Liz started pacing and didn’t stop. "It makes us sound like animals or something."

"Not at all," Tess replied, shaking her head firmly. "It’s the most natural thing in the world. Beautiful really."

"I don’t get it," Liz whispered, settling again on the floor near Tess. "We don’t need that, in order to want one another."

"No," Tess answered thoughtfully. "But Liz you’re both alien. Our race was much more reserved…constrained than the human one. It was necessary to ensure reproduction."

Liz laid her head on the coffee table, thudding it softly. "This is literally the most mortifying conversation I’ve ever had in my life."

She heard Tess laugh gently. "You are a married woman, Liz. Why should this embarrass you?"

"I don’t know. Maybe because I’m discussing it with you," she answered quietly.

"Well, I was the one with the answers."

Liz raised her head again, clearing her throat. "Alright, if we’re going to have this conversation, I really need to know more about this."

"Okay,"

"Why haven’t we had this…problem before now? Like you say, we’ve been married for almost four years."

"It might be that you’ve reached the right age. Remember that it’s all about procreation."

"I’m on the pill."

"Your body doesn’t care."

"How often?"

Tess shook her head. "I’m not sure…I think it varies…but at least once a year."

"Oh, God," Liz groaned, raking her hand through her hair. "So now I know what’s been going on."

Tess smiled, taking a sip of her drink, then set it on the table in front of her. She leaned a bit closer toward Liz, and cleared her throat. "Um, Liz, there’s something else about this season…something you should know."

"What?" Liz asked, her eyes quickly meeting Tess’s.

"Well, it’s just that Nasedo said it’s also meant to awaken our alien nature more," She hesitated briefly. "I mean, that’s part of the purpose of it for us as hybrids."

"Oh," Liz answered, chewing on her lip. Something about that idea was very unsettling to her, and she couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. In fact, this whole discussion just made her feel really strange…gave her a fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Liz, there’s something I’ve got to say, okay?" Tess ventured softly. "And you can get mad at me if you want, but as your friend, I really feel I’ve got to say it."

Her words were ominous, and Liz felt her throat go dry in response.

"Sure," she encouraged, swallowing hard. "Go ahead."

"Liz, I think you’re afraid of your alien side," she said, staring at her hands. "I think that when I told you what this was, it scared you. Kind of revolted you."

Liz could only stare at her, mouth open. Countless thoughts and emotions raced through her mind, colliding quickly.

"Tess, I can’t honestly believe you’d say that to me," Liz finally replied in a tight voice. "Because what you’re really saying is that somehow I don’t accept Max."

"No, not at all, Liz. Why does accepting your alien nature have anything to do with Max?"

"Because you’re saying that I’m scared of it, and that means I’d be afraid of that part of him."

"Liz, listen to what you’re saying," Tess prompted softly. "That it’s about accepting Max as an alien. The problem is, you don’t see yourself as alien, Liz."

Liz could only stare at her, heart racing, because she knew Tess was absolutely right. Then hot tears sprang quickly to her eyes, as the realization truly hit her.

Tess reached for her hand, and squeezed it softly. "That’s why the idea of having a mating season freaked you out so much,"

"I…it made me feel like something… less than human."

"It’s not that you’re less than human, it’s that you’re not human, Liz. You have so many abilities and gifts that you’ve never even tried to use."

Liz shook her head, wiping at her tears, realizing just how right Tess was. "No, I haven’t really tried."

"No, and Max has never pushed you," Tess answered softly. "Because I suspect he knows you’re scared."

Her heart flipped within her chest. If Max knew that, then surely he’d think she was afraid of him. The tears pooled in her eyes afresh. "Has he ever said that to you?"

Tess shook her head vigorously. "Never."

"It kills me because if he thinks that, then why wouldn’t he think I’m afraid of him?"

"Liz," she began softly. "Max knows that you accept him perfectly. But that’s not the same thing as understanding a part of yourself that’s confusing. You didn’t grow up knowing what you were…we all did."

"It’s just always been so unreal to me," Liz said, sighing heavily. "Like I’ve never even seen my pod…anything. I have so many unanswered questions."

"Maybe Marco can answer some of them."

"I don’t even have a clue how to use my gifts," Liz said softly. "No idea."

"That’s what I’m saying, Liz…if you’d just embrace your alien side, you’d begin to understand."

"But how do I do that?" Liz asked, her voice thick with fear. Her heart was hammering crazily within her.

"Well, I just think that…this season you’re in could really unlock some things for you," Tess answered, tucking her feet up underneath her legs. "If you let it. It’s part of the purpose for it."

"How? What do you mean exactly?"

Now Tess flushed a bit, her fair skin suddenly red. "During the lovemaking…while you’re joined. You’ll both just know….but you have to be open to it."

"Oh…." Liz said, and felt her own cheeks grow even hotter.

"As your mate, Max can…help awaken things within you, okay? That’s what I’m saying."

Liz stared down for a long moment, feeling awkward and embarrassed. Her mind raced with all these revelations, and she couldn’t even fully process them at the moment.

"This is a lot of really useful information, Tess." She finally laughed, raising her eyes. "You’re just my very own alien Dr. Ruth."

Tess smiled softly. "That’s Dr. Tess to you, thank you very much."

"I’ll remember that in case…further questions arise."

"Absolutely. Here if you need me."

They stared at each other for a long moment, smiling, and then Liz began laughing hysterically. "Oh. My. God." she groaned, covering her face in her hands.

"What?" Tess asked.

"It just hit me." Liz finally managed to say, amidst her laughter. "I have to explain this all to Max. Tell him that we’re…in heat!"

Tess choked on her soft drink, and then they were both giggling hysterically.

"And you thought this conversation was interesting," Tess laughed.

"Somehow I don’t think it’s going to be much of a conversation."

"No, just…communicating, right?"

Liz grabbed a pillow off the sofa, hitting Tess soundly with it. Then they both laughed for a very long time.