“Hey.” Max greeted Tess lightly.

“Hey, Max…Isabel.” Tess acknowledged them, turning to address Max. “Can we talk?”

“Yeah…Why don’t we all go back to Izzy’s room?”

“Um, actually, I just need to talk to you alone, Max. If you don’t mind.” Tess stammered, obviously ackward at the way the whole Evans family was smiling at her.

“Yeah, sure…come on back.” Max suggested, leading her towards his bedroom. Shutting the door behind him, he turned to give her his full attention. “What’s up? I didn’t think the sheriff would let out so soon. He seemed pretty angry with us.”

“Yeah…well I really needed to talk to you, so I mind warped him and sneaked out.” Tess explained. “Kyle’s going to cover my tracks if he realizes I’m gone.”

Max chuckled softly…only in Roswell…

“So what’s so important?” He asked curiously.

“I want to talk to you about us, Max. About our destiny.”

Max’s eyes immediately widened in horror, and he mentally groaned to himself. He had thought that she had let the whole destiny crap go. It had been weeks since he had even heard that word out of her mouth, and he preferred it that way. And he definitely didn’t want to deal with this now, with all that was happening between him and Liz…he just wanted to relish in his happiness a little while longer, before reality struck and he had to let go of their night of romance in Vegas.

“Reaction noted.” Tess laughed. “Don’t worry, Max…it’s not bad. The thing is…something happened while we were in Vegas…and I realized a lot of things…I just really wanted to get it all out into the open.”

“What happened?” Max asked, his curiosity piqued…apparently he and Liz weren’t the only ones to have a life changing night.

“Well…the whole thing is kind of embarrassing actually…I’d rather if we keep this fairly quiet. It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done…but I don’t regret any of it.”

“Oh God…” Max groaned, thinking about his own experiences in Vegas…he had definitely been acting out of character…maybe the city just brought it out of them. “What did you do?”

“Well…last night after dinner, Kyle and I left the club alone together, and went out on the town. We kind of got really, really drunk…I don’t even know how! I only had one drink!”

“That’s all it takes!” Max laughed. “Trust me, I know.”

“Really? You’ll have to tell me about that one sometime. Anyways…I pretty much don’t remember much after we got drunk…when I sobered up I was…in a pretty compromising position with Kyle. And that’s not even the crazy part…only the part I vaguely remember. The crazy part is that we got married in that little chapel in the basement of the hotel! I’m now Mrs. Kyle Valenti!”

Max stared at Tess in shock for a moment, wondering if she was joking. Absorbing her completely serious, not to mention overjoyed, facial expression, Max immediately erupted with laughter. He laughed so hard that tears were running down his face, and he was gasping for breath.

Tess on the other hand was not amused by Max’s reaction. In fact, she was flat out confused, as she waited for him to regain control of himself.

“What?” She asked him. “What’s so funny?”

“You’re serious?” Max asked between laughs.

“Totally.” Tess swore to him.

Max took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.

“The thing is, Max…” Tess continued. “I don’t regret any of it. Kyle and I are together now…even if we have to keep it pretty quiet, because God only knows what Jim will think of all this. But I don’t want it to be undone or anything. I realized last night that I’m in love with Kyle. I was never really in love with you, Max. I was just trying to follow my destiny, because it’s what Nasedo always taught me to do. But it’s not enough anymore. I understand now…what you had with Liz. And I’m really sorry that I was the cause of the rift between you two.”

“Yeah…” Max mumbled, as his mind processed all of this. Tess was giving up her destiny. She was moving on with Kyle.

“Have you thought about maybe getting back together with Liz?” Tess asked him gently. “I know you’ve never stopped loving her, and I see the looks she still gives you when she thinks nobody’s watching. Maybe if I talk to her…” Tess trailed off, as she acknowledged the look of realization as her words sunk in for Max.

“You’re okay with it…if Liz and I get back together?” Max asked as he almost bounced with excitement.

“Yeah…you two are perfect for each other anyways. You and I…it would have never worked.” Tess admitted. “God, a year ago when I first showed up in Roswell I would have never willingly admitted that. I guess a lot has changed.”

“You’ve changed a lot.” Max reminded her. “A year ago I would have never imagined that I would ever even call you my friend…but you are, Tess. You’re a really good friend. Thank you…for letting me be with Liz.”

“Do you want me to talk to her?” Tess offered again.

“No, no…it’s okay. I don’t think it will take much convincing…”

“Good…I’m glad.” Tess smiled warmly at him. “I should probably get back before Jim notices that I’m gone. I’ll see you at school on Monday.”

“Bye.” Max nodded goodbye to her, as she headed home.

Sitting down on his bed, Max’s whole body hummed with excitement. This was it…exactly what he and Liz were waiting for…an excuse, an opportunity to be together again. They were out of danger. Tess was staying. She wasn’t in love with him…she never had been…she was just lost. But now she had found her home, and Max was free to return to his.

Without even stopping to grab a sweatshirt, Max leapt up and raced for the door.

“Max?” His mother called after him, as he was already halfway out the door. “Where are you going?”