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Alex shifts on the hay pallet in his glass prison and picks mindlessly at one of the scabs on his arm from where he’d been hooked up on machines. He stares straight ahead at the empty glass prison across from his own, unseeing and lost in his thoughts. He doesn’t know how long he’s been trapped here, years at least.
It’s hard to keep track, he counts the passage of time by the pattern his captors keep: feed him mushy food that unsettles his stomach and causes him to pass out, guards haul him out of his cell and strap him to an examination table, a white-clad figure probes at him, hooks him up to the machines pumping something into him, and reads out the results to someone else in the lab, they give him something that makes him pass out again, then he wakes up in his cell again.
Days pass but it’s all rinse and repeat.
Sometimes his dad is in the lab with the white-clad figures.
Those are the worst days.
* * *
Alex has spent his entire captivity alone. That changes one day after he wakes up from the latest round experiments. He wakes to a loud commotion, someone yelling threats and obscenities while the familiar guards’ clipped voices tell him to shut up. They appear in front of Alex’s cell; the guards holding a struggling man in their iron grip. They open the glass cell across from Alex’s and push the man in, shut it tightly, then leave without a backward glance.
Stunned, Alex continues to watch, wide-eyed. The man looks vaguely familiar as he angrily bangs on the glass. He finally realizes Alex is in the cell across and abruptly stops, going slack-jawed. “Alex?” he can’t hear the man but can read his lips form his name.
Alex cowers slightly under his intense gaze. The man gestures wildly, trying to communicate but Alex eyes the security camera in the hallway and turns away. They are always watching and they’ll both pay for it if they interact in any way. He curls up on his pallet, back facing the glass and ignores the man’s attempts to get his attention.
The next day, guards are slowly pacing the hall between their cells. The new prisoner looks sullen when Alex peeks over, but when they make eye contact he smiles hesitantly at Alex. He quickly looks away, there are no friends in here and the sooner this new prisoner realizes it, the better off they’ll both be.
When one of the guards notices Alex is up, he knocks twice on the glass. Alex knows what this means so he stands up and puts his back against the furthest wall, arms stretched over his head and hands interlocked. The guard opens the glass and pushes in the mush before slamming it shut. Alex remains in place until the guard knocks twice again.
He drops the position and resignedly makes his way to the food. This guard is particularly nasty, always treats Alex like an animal so naturally, he didn’t provide utensils, forcing Alex to eat directly from the plate. He glances up at one point and meets the other prisoner’s gaze and he looks horrified watching. Alex feels shame and embarrassment fill him, so he turns his back to him to finish eating.
He starts feeling the effects of the drug quickly. He sways where he’s sitting and decides to lay on the pallet so he doesn’t knock out on the hard concrete. Before he knows it, he feels the guards’ grip on him, pulling him out of his cell. They drag him down the hall, he’s half-conscious as his head lolls to the side and he thinks he sees the prisoner plastered against his cell door with tears in his eyes.
* * *
Alex only ever half remembers what happens when he’s in the lab. He always knows when his father is there though. There’s a silence that overtakes the scientists, moving about quietly and in deference to Jesse. Today is one of those days.
He tries to curl in on himself, but the scientists stretch him out and clamp his ankles and wrists down to the table. The physical prodding he’s endures here is something he can tolerate with no issues, it’s the psychological pushing that Alex fears the most. And psychological taunting is something Jesse particularly revels in.
It’s in these sessions that he’s told Alex what he is: a half-alien monster. Jesse had told Alex with twisted pleasure about how he had raped one of the surviving alien prisoners his family had held captive and how she birthed the monstrosity Alex is. It’s why Alex’s “mother” left their family, how could she love a freak like Alex? It was his fault she left. Alex is kept prisoner because if he were free, he would be a danger to society.
The psychological torment has cost Alex much throughout his captivity but his voice has been the steepest price. He can choke out a few words, but the overwhelming anxiety he feels when he tries to speak is crushing. It stops the words from coming out, staying stuck in his throat. It makes Jesse laugh the most.
Once the drugs start wearing off, Jesse approaches Alex. “Have you met your new companion yet?” he always has a sneer on his face when he talks to Alex. “You know why he’s here?”
Alex swallows thickly and tries to form the words. He struggles while Jesse watches in amusement and finally chokes out, “Alien?”
“Full. A much better specimen than you,” Jesse derides. “Let’s make a deal, Alex.”
Alex can’t speak, paralyzed with fear, so he just tilts his head to let his father know he’s listening.
“In exchange for your freedom, you help me exploit his secrets. He knows who the other aliens walking around Roswell are, where they came from. Get me that information, and I’ll set you free.”
His eyes fall closed, thinking about feeling the sun on his face again. When he opens them again, Jesse is watching him expectantly. Alex nods hesitantly.
* * *
When Alex is returned to his cell, he feels his powers thrum under his skin for the first time in years. They didn't administer the muting serum they usually give him before sending him off so he could spy on the full alien prisoner.
His heart twinges slightly when he looks over and the prisoner is watching with sadness in his eyes. He looks painfully familiar but Alex can’t quite place him. He gives him a reassuring smile and the prisoner returns it, making Alex’s heart ache more.
The prisoner traces letters on the glass R U OK. Alex’s heart flips at the concern. He merely shrugs one shoulder and shakes his head a bit. Then he flicks his gaze to the security camera and the man’s gaze follows. Alex places his palm against the glass and tries to communicate to the other man to do the same. It takes a moment, but he nods and mimics Alex’s actions.
Suddenly, their minds are connected and Alex is a little disoriented. He hasn’t connected with someone’s mind of his own volition for years. While Alex is trying to regain his footing, the other man speaks first, “Alex? Alex, is it really you?”
That voice. Alex would recognize that voice anywhere. He hears it in his dreams. “Michael?” he asks tentatively.
Michael’s grin is blinding. “Shit, it is you,” then his face falls, “We all thought you went to live with your mom…”
Alex shakes his head, obviously not he doesn’t say.
“You’re an alien?” Michael asks.
He almost laughs, they’re literally communicating through a psychic bond. “Half,” he answers, “You?”
“Full,” Michael confirms. They stare at each other for a long time before he asks, “You’ve been here the whole time?” Alex merely shrugs in confirmation. “What have they been doing to you?”
In his mindscape, words come easier. The panic is still at the edges, but he can push through it to get the words out. “I can’t talk about it, but um…” Alex trails off, “I - I can show you?”
Michael nods and Alex is suddenly flooding him with the memories of the years of experimentation, the forced psychic bonds with the scientists, Jesse’s relentless torture. Michael breaks away from the memories, gasping and looking nauseous, “How...how could he do this to you?”
Alex looks sad for a moment before shrugging. “Hates me, hates aliens. Pretty easy for him to do it.”
Michael looks stricken, “We’ll get out of here, I promise.”
He merely smiles sadly at him, “How long -” Alex starts, takes a deep breath and looks Michael in the eyes, “You said you all thought I’d left. How long has it been?”
Michael looks unbearably sad before answering, “It’s been twelve years, Alex.”
Alex abruptly breaks the mental connection, taking gulping breaths. He sees Michael frantically trying to get Alex’s attention in the corner of his eye, but he can’t look at him now. Twelve years is echoing and reverberating in his head. Twelve years he’s been here. Almost half his life.
Alex curls up on his pallet, back to Michael so he won’t see his tears. Twelve years. He feels something brush at his back, almost like a tentative hand trying to soothe him. Before he can give the gesture a second thought, he falls asleep.
* * *
Alex barely sleeps that night. He always knew that his father had stolen his life, but twelve years. It makes his heart ache, his head spin, and he wants to cry. Twelve years changes everything. His father is never letting him out of here, it’s just another ploy to exploit Alex. Michael deserves better.
Alex deserves better.
The next morning, when Alex wakes, he sees Michael is missing from his cell. He assures himself that Michael is too valuable, a trove of the information that Jesse is seeking, they’re not going to do anything to harm him. Likely want to mute his powers, Alex tries to think reassuringly.
Still, the hours crawl. His only meal of the day is dropped off and he barely picks at it; his anxiety paralyzing him to his spot on the pallet. He picks at the wound on his arm and chews on his lip while his imagination runs away from him. By lights out, Michael still hasn’t returned and Alex is convinced they’ve killed him.
He hears a low clank of the metal door and the sound of a body being dragged down the hall. Alex crawls to the glass and presses his face against it, trying to see if it’s Michael. Sure enough, two guards appear dragging Michael who appears to be unconscious. One of the guards shoots Alex a nasty look and something emboldens him to stare defiantly back at him rather than cower away like he normally would.
They tear open Michael’s cell door and unceremoniously drop him on his pallet. Michael stirs a bit after they leave, but remains prone in his cell. Alex watches him to make sure he’s still breathing for a long time before feeling satisfied that he wasn’t going to suddenly stop. He falls into a fitful sleep, worry still tight in his stomach.
Michael is sitting up against one of the walls, eyes shut when Alex wakes. He scoots over to the glass and taps on it to try to get Michael’s attention. It takes a few tries before Michael opens his eyes and gives Alex a small smile. He waves half-heartedly and tries to telegraph asking if Michael’s okay.
He shrugs and gives a thumb up then points to Alex who points to himself and holds up a peace sign Me too. Michael nods then looks both ways down the hall and returns his attention to Alex and puts his palm on the glass.
Alex is feeling weak from his restless nights, but he needs to make sure Michael is okay so he places his palm up and opens the psychic link.
Michael is suddenly there, clutching Alex in a tight embrace. “I’m so sorry. So sorry,” he keeps repeating wetly into Alex’s shoulder. He rubs Michael’s back, unsure what he’s apologizing for. Michael finally calms down and slightly moves away but keeps Alex in his arms. “Twelve years they’ve been doing this to you? You’re so brave,” Michael’s gaze straight through Alex and he tries to duck away but Michael gently pulls Alex’s face up, “Seriously Alex, you’re the strongest person I know.”
The familiar panic pulls at Alex. He wants to respond, but he can only hear his heart hammering in his head, the blood rushing. He gestures helplessly at his mouth and tries to implore Michael to understand.
“You...Can’t you speak?” Michael asks hesitantly.
Alex shakes his head and makes a hand movement to indicate sometimes.
Michael frowns as he tries to understand. “Last time…you only said a few words,” he realizes. “Does it hurt to speak?”
He shakes his head and puts his hand on his chest and quickly pumps it back and forth.
“It makes you nervous? Anxious?” he guesses and at Alex’s nod he continues, “I understand. It doesn’t make you any less strong.”
Alex’s heart skips a beat and he smiles. The panic has shrunk away at Michael’s easy acceptance, it prickles under his skin still but he can push through it easily enough. “Did they hurt you?”
Michael’s face shutters, “Only a bit.”
“Okay,” Alex nods. He pauses, trying to find the words, then continues, “My father...wants me to spy on you,” pause, deep breath to regulate his heartbeat, “wants all your alien secrets. Said he’d set me free.”
Michael looks shocked, “Why are you telling me?”
“He lies,” Alex replies, “You don’t deserve it.”
“Thank you for letting me know,” Michael says seriously then smiles a bit, “We’ll get out of here.”
“Will anyone notice,” Alex takes a deep breath, “you’re missing?”
“It might take a few days, but yeah.” Michael thinks for a moment, “You remember Max and Isobel?” Alex nods so Michael continues, “They’re like us. We have a weak bond, but they can sense when I’m in a lot of pain and well…” he laughs humorlessly. “They’ll notice, they’ll find us.”
Alex looks at Michael dubiously. No one noticed he was missing, no one had found him, he gave up on hope a long time ago. But Michael looks so sure, so determined that Alex puts his doubts aside. Maybe this time will be different, maybe people care more about Michael than anyone ever cared about him.
* * *
The days pass and Jesse interrogates Alex for any information from Michael. Michael gives him innocuous but real information to feed to him about aliens: hatching from pods, no memories of their home planet, that he can sense other aliens but has never met them. It’s enough so Jesse won’t get suspicious but it doesn’t abate the torture either of them receives. Alex continues to be granted the privilege of not having his powers muted so he and Michael can talk every night.
It takes a tremendous toll on Alex to keep the bond active every night, he’s weakened from overuse and the experimentations, but he hasn’t had a friend in literally over a decade so he continues to push himself. Michael fills him in on as much as possible that he’s missed and he holds Alex when he breaks down with what the reality of being imprisoned for twelve years means.
Alex trips over his words frequently, they get stuck on his tongue, and he pulls at his hair in frustration. But Michael gently pulls his hands out of his hair and tells him to take his time, he doesn’t care. It’s the kindest anyone has ever been to him and Alex feels his heart swell.
* * *
One day, Alex gets pulled abruptly out of his cell without the usual mush of drugs and panic settles itself in his bones. This is the first time there’s been a change in the routine and he shares an alarmed look with Michael as they drag him away.
He’s not surprised that his father is waiting for him in the lab, but the man standing next to him is a shock. “Hello, son,” Jesse gleefully greets, “You remember your old friend, Kyle?”
Alex feels his knees buckle and the guards mercilessly push him forward to the table. He doesn’t resist as they strap him down, too shocked by Kyle’s reappearance in his life.
“Don’t bother waiting for an answer,” Jesse continues derisively to Kyle, “He can barely talk on the best of days.” The duo approaches Alex, Jesse’s usual sneer in place and Kyle looks down at him with cool indifference holding a syringe. “Go ahead and administer the drug, Kyle.”
Alex used to wonder if Kyle ever worried about him after his disappearance, but figured he hadn’t because they’d barely been speaking at the time of his imprisonment. Their friendship had begun to splinter then and the only words they’d exchange were from Kyle cruelly mocking Alex. But there was a huge difference between barbed taunts and taking part in his torture.
* * *
This drug is more potent than the one they usually give him. He’s usually at least semi-conscious but he’s out stone-cold during this encounter. He wakes intermittently and it’s a different set of scientists working on him. He doesn’t see Kyle again by the time he’s fully conscious once more and they drag him back to his cell and he thinks it’s a small consolation.
Michael looks absolutely frantic when they bring him back. He’s too weak to try to bond with Michael, so Alex merely gives him a weak smile and a tilted thumbs up. Michael nods hesitantly but Alex promptly passes out on his pallet.
When he wakes, Michael is watching him and brightens when he notices Alex is awake. “Okay?” he mouth. Alex shrugs and lifts his palm toward Michael.
The connection is instant and Michael is immediately hugging him. “You were gone for three days.”
Alex’s blood goes cold and he pulls away from Michael’s embrace to hold up three fingers. Michael nods vigorously. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Alex chokes out, “My father brought Kyle in, had him give me...a new kind of drug.”
“Kyle?” Michael asks, “Valenti?” Michael curses when Alex nods in confirmation. “Bastard. He’s one of them?”
Alex shrugs, “I’m tired. I can’t…”
“Yeah, of course. Get some rest.” Michael agrees. “Let me know if--” he cuts off, frustration on his face and he balls his fists up.
If I can do anything, Alex hears anyway. He smiles reassuringly at Michael. “Thanks.” He breaks the connection and feels completely exhausted. Whatever they’d done to him utterly wrecked him and he just wants to sleep. He falls asleep with Michael’s watchful gaze on him.
Alex knows Michael is gone when he wakes again. He still feels lethargic, but can’t sleep while Michael is away. He picks at his cuticles and absently rubs his arm. Michael's absence always makes Alex feel like he’s reverted back to the time when he was alone; nothing to do, nothing to look forward to, trapped in all senses of the word.
Michael returns hours later, he looks like he normally does after his visits to the lab: a little dazed and confused and Alex breathes a sigh of relief. Michael has the same ritual of sitting on his pallet with his eyes closed when he gets back like he’s trying to ground himself. Today, he gives Alex a wide-eyed look and gestures to Alex that they need to talk.
He’s still feeling drained but it’s obvious that Michael has something important to tell him. Alex initiates the bond, but it’s weak, distorted so much that they don’t see each other, can barely hear. “Alex?” Michael sounds faraway.
“Here,” Alex responds weakly, “Tired, can’t…”
“I’ll be quick,” Michael jumps in, “Kyle was there for me too, but your dad wasn’t. Liz Ortecho was also there.”
“What?” Alex feels the betrayal bubble up.
“No, no, they’re here for us. Max and Iz have been working with them to save us.”
This conversation is an emotional rollercoaster. “Are you sure?”
“Completely. They knew things that only Max and Izzy know about me. Kyle is a doctor, apparently, his family has been working with yours for generations to hunt aliens. Your dad recruited him then Kyle told Liz. She’s a biomed engineer so that’s how they were able to get into the lab. We’re going to get out of here, Alex, I promise.”
Alex is overwhelmed and can’t hold the connection any longer. He falls back into his cell and presses the heels of his hands to his eyes. Freedom. Something he never thought he’d get back, even when Michael first got here and was certain someone would come for them. He’s still not sure, but he’s willing to hope because he trusts Michael.
* * *
The days pass and nothing really changes. Alex regains some of his strength but he and Michael rely on simply gesturing to each other because Alex doesn’t feel like he can hold the bond steady. Michael remains optimistic and Alex tries to match it, but his hope is beginning to flag.
He’s awoken one day by a commotion outside his cell. There are two people standing in the hall with their backs to him and he doesn’t recognize them as guards. One of them, the woman, turns and Alex is looking at Liz for the first time in a decade and he bursts out crying. Liz looks emotional as well as she approaches his cell with purpose in her step.
Before he knows, she’s opened his cell door and is embracing him. “Alex. Alex, I’m so sorry we failed you. But you’re safe now. You’re safe,” she soothes into his hair as the sobs wrack his body.
Someone else approaches and places a gentle hand on his shoulder. It takes Alex a moment to pry his head off of Liz’s shoulder but when he does, he looks up into Michael’s face. He holds his arms out and Alex launches himself into them, feeling Michael's’ embrace for the first time physically. Liz hugs him from behind and they all stay like that for a long moment.
“Michael,” a deep voice intones and Alex looks up to see an older Max Evans. “We need to go. Kyle is waiting for us to look you both over.”
Alex doesn’t let Michael go as they’re ushered out of the prison that has been Alex’s home for twelve years. The sun burns his eyes and he hides his face in Michael’s neck and he picks Alex up and carries him to the waiting car. Isobel Evans is driving it and she reaches out to squeeze Michael’s hand before they drive off.
Liz quietly explains that Max got the Sheriff’s office to investigate Jesse and found out he had been embezzling money from the Air Force for years to fund this torture exercise. They reported it up the chain of command and he has been court-martialed and is awaiting his sentencing. The project was shut down and all the participating scientists and guards have been arrested.
He only half listens, the reality of being away from the prison is still setting in. Michael is holding Alex tightly as though he can protect him from all the bad things in the world and he wants to believe it. He snuggles further into Michael’s embrace and lets the steady flow of the conversation around him lull him to sleep.
* * *
Alex awakes to gentle hands on his upper body but regardless of how gentle the touches were, Alex had been used to waking up strapped to hospital beds while being experimented on so he jerks away. “Hey, hey, it’s okay, you’re safe,” a soothing voice says above. He peels his eyes open and Kyle is standing over him looking a bit guilty but trying to be reassuring.
Alex’s heart is in his throat and he begins to flail to get away from him. He knows logically that Kyle is on their side, but it’s hard to get the image of him standing next to his father obeying his orders out of his head. There’s another pair of hands on him soon enough, “Alex, it’s okay. You’re okay.” He looks about the room wildly before focusing on Maria, looking so beautiful and safe.
Like he did when he saw Liz in the prison, Alex bursts out crying reaching out for her. She hugs him and smooths his hair down. She shushes him as he hiccups the sobs down. Kyle hesitantly approaches them, repentance in his eyes. “Alex, I’m sorry. I can’t justify that I helped drug you and I understand that you don’t trust me. But I can promise you that I will never hurt you. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”
He eyes Kyle distrustfully but he does seem sincere. “Do you want us to get Michael?” Maria asks him, still running her fingers through his hair. He nods and Kyle exits the room and soon returns with Michael.
Michael takes over from Maria soothing Alex, “Kyle’s okay, he already looked me over. And I’m okay, I’m here. He’s not going to hurt you.”
Alex looks over Michael’s shoulder and sees Kyle keeping his distance and he appreciates that. He nods once to Michael and he stays by his side as Kyle examines him. At the end of the examination, Kyle gives Alex a small smile which he shakily reciprocates.
Maria drives Alex and Michael back to her apartment above the Wild Pony. “Stay as long as you need to, Alex. This is your home too,” she tells him and he’s incredibly grateful for the easy love everyone is giving him. He hugs her and doesn’t let go until after Michael has left and they’ve both fallen asleep.
* * *
Returning from captivity is overwhelming, to say the least. Alex has to wear sunglasses for a few days as his eyes acclimate to sunlight again. Maria and Liz wrap him in their love and take the lead in helping him return to society. Words continue to get stuck in his throat, he’s paralyzed with anxiety and unable to speak but everyone is patient with him. He keeps a notepad with him and scribbles out his thoughts or gestures if he’s without it.
Liz introduces him to acetone, tells him that it’s what Max, Isobel, and Michael drink to regain their strength. It’s foul-tasting to him, but he gets used to it and it helps him feel stronger. She goes with him to every checkup with Kyle and he thinks they’ll get to a point where he can go alone and trust Kyle completely.
He spends his time learning about the things he missed out on. Maria patiently teaches him how to drive, he experiments with cooking, studies for his GED, but most of all he becomes fascinated with how advanced computers have become.
Months pass and he sees Michael frequently, but never alone and in a twisted way, he misses the alone time they spent in the cells. He and Maria are sitting at her table and while she’s reading, he swallows thickly, pictures the words in his mind, wets his lips, and croaks out, “How’s Michael?”
Maria looks up, startled. Tears well up in her eyes but she tries not to make a big deal out of hearing Alex speak a complete sentence for the first time in years. “He’s doing better. All recovered now, I think. You should go see him,” she says encouragingly.
* * *
Alex takes a few days but does drive out to the junkyard to see Michael. He’s sitting in one of his chairs out front when Alex gets out of the car. Michael lights up when he sees Alex, “Hey,” he calls out.
Alex smiles and waves in response. “How are you doing?” Michael asks carefully.
He shrugs and puts his thumb straight up then tilts it a little toward the middle. Michael huffs, “Yeah, me too.” He gestures to the chairs, “Do you want to sit?”
He hesitantly approaches and points to Michael’s lap then gives a thumbs up in question. Michael smiles widely and spread his arms out to let Alex curl up on his lap. He places his head on Michael’s chest and Michael wraps his arms around him. They stay quiet for a long moment before Alex clears his throat. Michael offers his palm up to Alex for a bond, but he shakes his head and Michael smiles and drops his hand without a word. Alex struggles for a bit before finally getting the words out, “Thank you.”
Michael squeezes Alex before loosening, but like Maria, he doesn’t make a big deal about it. “What are you thanking me for?”
Alex gestures around them and Michael smiles. “You don’t need to thank me for doing literally the bare minimum.” Alex just shrugs in response. “Yeah, I get it.”
They fall into silence again with Michael rubbing soothing circles into Alex’s back. “Have you found anything interesting to do since you’ve been back?”
He thinks for a moment then pretends to type on a keyboard. “Computers?” he guesses and Alex nods enthusiastically. Michael makes a considering noise, “I’ve been thinking about going to school, studying engineering. Maybe...maybe you could come too? Learn more about computers?”
Warmth spreads in Alex’s chest and he nods hesitantly, not to agree but to let Michael know he’s listening. “I think it’ll help you to acclimate and I like your company.” Alex smiles and Michael taps his temple. “Think about it, okay?”
Alex nods and snuggles closer to Michael. He thinks about how there are only three other aliens he knows of and Michael is the only one that knows what he went through and it would be nice to have someone that understands.
Alex closes his eyes, the words are stuck in his throat, but he pushes through. “You make me feel safe,” he finally says, his heart is racing and he’s out of breath after saying the simple sentence, but he’s thrilled to speak the words into existence.
Michael’s breath hitches and he places a gentle kiss on the crown of Alex’s head. “I’m glad,” then he holds Alex closer and his eyes fall shut because he knows everything will be okay.