DISCLAIMER: THE CHARACTERS DON'T BELONG TO ME. YOU KNOW THE DRILL.
A/N: HERE YOU GO PEOPLE. THIS IS THE SEQUEL TO MIXED BLESSINGS. IT TOOK FOREVER TO POST UP BECAUSE I GOT STUCK ON THE NAME FOR THE BABY AND I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO START THIS ONE. I FINALLY LOST ALL MY PATIENCE AND DECIDED TO GO WITH THE NAME BEN. I KNOW THAT OTHER AUTHORS HAVE DONE THIS BUT IT ACTUALLY WORKS WITH THE STORY AND OH WELL.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A TRIAL RUN ON HOW YOU GUYS LIKE IT SO I WANT REVIEWS. ILL SEE YOUR REACTIONS AND MAYBE ILL KEEP THE STORY POSTED AND UPDATED. THANKS FOR READING. REVIEWS PLEASE!
The gun went off. Max screamed. The shot rang in her ears. It seemed to last forever. It was deafening. She looked down. There was blood on her hands. Blood was smeared all over her arms, her shirt and there was a pool of it right by her feet.
Max woke with a start. She sat up and put her head in her hands and sighed heavily. Her breathing was short and shallow and her heart was beating so hard it made her chest hurt.
She looked over at Alec. He was sleeping peacefully right next to her. Max smiled wryly. She hated waking him in the middle of the night. Unlike Max, he didn't have shark DNA in him. Alec needed sleep like any other human out there. Max remembered when the nightmares began and she had screamed, waking Alec, almost scaring him to death. He had held her until she calmed down, telling her that he was there when she needs him. Alec would always be there for her. Max already knew that though.
Max pushed the covers off of her and got out of the bed. She walked quietly to the other room, trying not to make any more noise. She didn't want to wake Alec or the baby.
She looked down at her son. He was sleeping peacefully, very much like his father in the other room. It had been almost six months since they got him back. Max was beyond grateful to Brin for that. Max and Alec had named their son Ben after her brother. Max thought it was a great idea. Alec was the one who actually came up with it.
"Time to heal old wounds." Alec had said sincerely. He was right. It was his way of making peace with his twin.
To Max, it meant a second chance, a way of forgiving herself for Ben's death and moving on with her life.
"You are my courage." Max whispered to her little son as she stroked his hair. "You and Alec." It was true. Ben and Alec were her strength. They made her keep going, keep fighting. They made her strong.
But every time Max looked at her son, it hurt her just as much as it made her happy. She and Alec had brought this little boy into this world filled with pain and chaos and Max didn't really know for sure if she could keep protecting her son forever. She remembered Tinga and the great sacrifice her sister had done for the sake of her son Case. She wondered if she would be able to do the same if it came to that. Max knew she loved her son and she would do anything to keep him safe but she was terrified of Manticore, now more than ever. She had been back there more than once and each time was not pleasant for her. She prayed she'd do the right thing when it came to her son.
She and Alec had to adjust to living with each other and raising a baby as well. As much as she loved Alec, she just wasn't used to having him around so much and being affectionate while at it. Two years of isolation and loneliness back at Manticore had done that to her. Taking care of Ben made it even more awkward. Max knew nothing on caring for children, especially infants. Alec on the other hand was really good at it, a natural and Max admired him for that. But she also envied him. Alec and Ben connected easily. It wasn't that simple with Max. She loved her baby more than anyone in the world beside Alec of course but she wasn't used to taking care of him. It made her somewhat uneasy that being Ben's mother hadn't help her adjust to him or make anything easier.
To top all the complications off, White came back to hunt down Max as usual. He hadn't known about Ben at the time. Why and how he couldn't have known about Manticore's little perfection puzzled everyone. Manticore sure knew how to keep their secrets from anyone even Ames White. Despite the fact the White didn't know about Ben, Max was still nervous. It made her paranoid either way. She almost went insane with worry, almost driving Alec a little over the edge along with her. Max wouldn't leave Ben's side for almost a month. She insisted that he wasn't safe. Alec had to force her to go back to work or Normal would fire her ass again, for the millionth time. Alec had promised her that he would look out for their son and that made Max feel a little better. He was the only one Max would leave Ben with knowing full well that Alec, out of everyone she knew in Seattle, was the most capable of protecting him.
That was when the nightmares began.
It was always the same. Max would be standing in the middle of a crowd. The scene looked familiar. Ames White was standing a few yards from her, his army of familiars right behind him. She could see Alec. She wasn't sure where he was standing exactly. He looked sad and worried, almost begging her for something. Begging her for what though? White was saying something. He looked angry as usual. Max wanted to break his neck. She couldn't hear what he was saying. No matter how many times she dreamt it, the words never made sense. In the background, there was a baby crying. Her baby. But her son was nowhere to be found and the wailing wouldn't stop. Max would say something to White. He would get angry. He would raise the gun and shoot. The bullet would always miss her. Everyone else goes down including Alec. There's blood all over her. Hell breaks loose.
Max shivered, remembering the nightmare. She brushed the thought away and focused on her son. She had been standing in front of his bed longer than she realized.
Sleeping was a bitch, a worse one especially when it came along with the nightmare. Max had avoided sleep for a while just so she wouldn't have nightmares anymore. She would just sit in little Ben's room and look at him or sing to him all night until he fell asleep or she had to wake Alec up the next day. He thought it wasn't healthy but Max was still too damn stubborn to listen to him.
Max was humming the song now. Jondy's song. Her thoughts went back to her siblings. She owed them a whole lot considering what they had done for her. They had rescued her over and over again.
Zack was in Canada to visit Case and Charlie there. He had declared that he was just there to check up on them and see if they were okay when everyone knew that he adored his nephew and he just wanted to see him. It had been a while, considering that Zack had amnesia for a couple of years and then had to rescue Max when he got his memory back.
Brin had tagged along with Zack. Traveling from one place to another and checking up on her siblings gave her purpose. She was still a soldier. Manticore wasn't completely out of her system just yet. Max suspected that it would never be. At least Brin now knew what she wanted.
Krit was somewhere in California. He checked up on them once in a while.
Syl was in the Caribbean, declaring that she needed a vacation and totally choosing not to listen to Zack's protests.
Zane went back home, completely worried that his dogs weren't taken care of by his neighbors. Max thought it was funny that he was so attached to them but she understood anyway.
Tinga, Ben, Jack and Eva were gone. Max didn't know where Jondy was. She suspected she was alive. Zack lost track of her few years after their escape. Max didn't know anything on the rest that escaped with them. Zack still wouldn't tell her. At least they were out there, living. Actually living a life, besides the one what Manticore gave them. Or so she hoped. God, she missed them.
Max sighed heavily. Her eyes were starting to tear up. It hurt her just thinking of her family. She loved them beyond reasonable doubt. She prayed they were okay. She prayed Manticore wouldn't come back to haunt them again. Max had, had enough. She wanted to be normal, to be happy with Alec and to raise their son without a bunch of military trained men in armored suits and weapons chasing after them day and night.
"We'll be alright," That's what Alec kept telling her. Max wasn't so sure. They'd try. They'd try the best they can to be 'alright'. She sure wasn't going to give up now. They had gotten this far.
Max looked out the window. The sun was coming up. She had been awake since five in the morning. That was two hours ago. Max's mind ran with of thoughts of what would happen today. Would White show up again? Will someone get shot? A million thoughts raced in her mind. She was paranoid. Max smirked at the thought. Every transgenic out there, X5 or not was paranoid.
"This is just another day in this god forsaken city that I call home," Max mumbled as she walked into their room to wake Alec up.
Boy, was she wrong.
A/N: HERE YOU GO PEOPLE. THIS IS THE SEQUEL TO MIXED BLESSINGS. IT TOOK FOREVER TO POST UP BECAUSE I GOT STUCK ON THE NAME FOR THE BABY AND I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO START THIS ONE. I FINALLY LOST ALL MY PATIENCE AND DECIDED TO GO WITH THE NAME BEN. I KNOW THAT OTHER AUTHORS HAVE DONE THIS BUT IT ACTUALLY WORKS WITH THE STORY AND OH WELL.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A TRIAL RUN ON HOW YOU GUYS LIKE IT SO I WANT REVIEWS. ILL SEE YOUR REACTIONS AND MAYBE ILL KEEP THE STORY POSTED AND UPDATED. THANKS FOR READING. REVIEWS PLEASE!
The gun went off. Max screamed. The shot rang in her ears. It seemed to last forever. It was deafening. She looked down. There was blood on her hands. Blood was smeared all over her arms, her shirt and there was a pool of it right by her feet.
Max woke with a start. She sat up and put her head in her hands and sighed heavily. Her breathing was short and shallow and her heart was beating so hard it made her chest hurt.
She looked over at Alec. He was sleeping peacefully right next to her. Max smiled wryly. She hated waking him in the middle of the night. Unlike Max, he didn't have shark DNA in him. Alec needed sleep like any other human out there. Max remembered when the nightmares began and she had screamed, waking Alec, almost scaring him to death. He had held her until she calmed down, telling her that he was there when she needs him. Alec would always be there for her. Max already knew that though.
Max pushed the covers off of her and got out of the bed. She walked quietly to the other room, trying not to make any more noise. She didn't want to wake Alec or the baby.
She looked down at her son. He was sleeping peacefully, very much like his father in the other room. It had been almost six months since they got him back. Max was beyond grateful to Brin for that. Max and Alec had named their son Ben after her brother. Max thought it was a great idea. Alec was the one who actually came up with it.
"Time to heal old wounds." Alec had said sincerely. He was right. It was his way of making peace with his twin.
To Max, it meant a second chance, a way of forgiving herself for Ben's death and moving on with her life.
"You are my courage." Max whispered to her little son as she stroked his hair. "You and Alec." It was true. Ben and Alec were her strength. They made her keep going, keep fighting. They made her strong.
But every time Max looked at her son, it hurt her just as much as it made her happy. She and Alec had brought this little boy into this world filled with pain and chaos and Max didn't really know for sure if she could keep protecting her son forever. She remembered Tinga and the great sacrifice her sister had done for the sake of her son Case. She wondered if she would be able to do the same if it came to that. Max knew she loved her son and she would do anything to keep him safe but she was terrified of Manticore, now more than ever. She had been back there more than once and each time was not pleasant for her. She prayed she'd do the right thing when it came to her son.
She and Alec had to adjust to living with each other and raising a baby as well. As much as she loved Alec, she just wasn't used to having him around so much and being affectionate while at it. Two years of isolation and loneliness back at Manticore had done that to her. Taking care of Ben made it even more awkward. Max knew nothing on caring for children, especially infants. Alec on the other hand was really good at it, a natural and Max admired him for that. But she also envied him. Alec and Ben connected easily. It wasn't that simple with Max. She loved her baby more than anyone in the world beside Alec of course but she wasn't used to taking care of him. It made her somewhat uneasy that being Ben's mother hadn't help her adjust to him or make anything easier.
To top all the complications off, White came back to hunt down Max as usual. He hadn't known about Ben at the time. Why and how he couldn't have known about Manticore's little perfection puzzled everyone. Manticore sure knew how to keep their secrets from anyone even Ames White. Despite the fact the White didn't know about Ben, Max was still nervous. It made her paranoid either way. She almost went insane with worry, almost driving Alec a little over the edge along with her. Max wouldn't leave Ben's side for almost a month. She insisted that he wasn't safe. Alec had to force her to go back to work or Normal would fire her ass again, for the millionth time. Alec had promised her that he would look out for their son and that made Max feel a little better. He was the only one Max would leave Ben with knowing full well that Alec, out of everyone she knew in Seattle, was the most capable of protecting him.
That was when the nightmares began.
It was always the same. Max would be standing in the middle of a crowd. The scene looked familiar. Ames White was standing a few yards from her, his army of familiars right behind him. She could see Alec. She wasn't sure where he was standing exactly. He looked sad and worried, almost begging her for something. Begging her for what though? White was saying something. He looked angry as usual. Max wanted to break his neck. She couldn't hear what he was saying. No matter how many times she dreamt it, the words never made sense. In the background, there was a baby crying. Her baby. But her son was nowhere to be found and the wailing wouldn't stop. Max would say something to White. He would get angry. He would raise the gun and shoot. The bullet would always miss her. Everyone else goes down including Alec. There's blood all over her. Hell breaks loose.
Max shivered, remembering the nightmare. She brushed the thought away and focused on her son. She had been standing in front of his bed longer than she realized.
Sleeping was a bitch, a worse one especially when it came along with the nightmare. Max had avoided sleep for a while just so she wouldn't have nightmares anymore. She would just sit in little Ben's room and look at him or sing to him all night until he fell asleep or she had to wake Alec up the next day. He thought it wasn't healthy but Max was still too damn stubborn to listen to him.
Max was humming the song now. Jondy's song. Her thoughts went back to her siblings. She owed them a whole lot considering what they had done for her. They had rescued her over and over again.
Zack was in Canada to visit Case and Charlie there. He had declared that he was just there to check up on them and see if they were okay when everyone knew that he adored his nephew and he just wanted to see him. It had been a while, considering that Zack had amnesia for a couple of years and then had to rescue Max when he got his memory back.
Brin had tagged along with Zack. Traveling from one place to another and checking up on her siblings gave her purpose. She was still a soldier. Manticore wasn't completely out of her system just yet. Max suspected that it would never be. At least Brin now knew what she wanted.
Krit was somewhere in California. He checked up on them once in a while.
Syl was in the Caribbean, declaring that she needed a vacation and totally choosing not to listen to Zack's protests.
Zane went back home, completely worried that his dogs weren't taken care of by his neighbors. Max thought it was funny that he was so attached to them but she understood anyway.
Tinga, Ben, Jack and Eva were gone. Max didn't know where Jondy was. She suspected she was alive. Zack lost track of her few years after their escape. Max didn't know anything on the rest that escaped with them. Zack still wouldn't tell her. At least they were out there, living. Actually living a life, besides the one what Manticore gave them. Or so she hoped. God, she missed them.
Max sighed heavily. Her eyes were starting to tear up. It hurt her just thinking of her family. She loved them beyond reasonable doubt. She prayed they were okay. She prayed Manticore wouldn't come back to haunt them again. Max had, had enough. She wanted to be normal, to be happy with Alec and to raise their son without a bunch of military trained men in armored suits and weapons chasing after them day and night.
"We'll be alright," That's what Alec kept telling her. Max wasn't so sure. They'd try. They'd try the best they can to be 'alright'. She sure wasn't going to give up now. They had gotten this far.
Max looked out the window. The sun was coming up. She had been awake since five in the morning. That was two hours ago. Max's mind ran with of thoughts of what would happen today. Would White show up again? Will someone get shot? A million thoughts raced in her mind. She was paranoid. Max smirked at the thought. Every transgenic out there, X5 or not was paranoid.
"This is just another day in this god forsaken city that I call home," Max mumbled as she walked into their room to wake Alec up.
Boy, was she wrong.
