DISCLAIMER: Dark Angel and all of its characters belong to James Cameron and Fox.

Old Boyfriends

Max seemed distracted. That wasn't exactly something new and special. From an observant guy like Alec's point of view, Max was always distracted at Crash. No matter what she was doing or laughing about, he could generally tell that she was somewhere else. Usually he assumed that she was thinking about Logan and moping, but tonight she kept looking over to a couple at the bar.

It was a typical couple. She was pretty, although not out of the ordinary way, and she seemed to just be realizing that she was too good for the lanky, awkward dope she'd come in with. As Alec observed more about the couple, he seriously considered approaching the woman. After dumping Gilligan she would be ready for a night or two with someone better.

The redhead rose angrily and left for the bathroom. Alec had mostly forgotten that Max had been the one to tip him to the situation, until Max beat him to making the first move. Max walked straight to Gilligan throwing a sexy sway into her hips that he hadn't seen her use since that whole mermaid thing.

She smiled.

It was, in fact, the same smile she'd used on the bouncer. It was a promising smile, the sort of smile that a girl shouldn't give a guy unless she honestly intended to go home with him. Alec wondered if he'd need to kill the guy. Just to help Logan out, of course.

"Hi, Eric," Max said in a sultry tone that Alec had never, ever heard her use.

"What?" the depressed young man looked up and his eyes widened in surprise. "Hey Max. It's been a long time."

"Yeah, it has. That your new girl?"

"Mary, yeah, she's great."

"She doesn't appreciate you." Max was flirting with Gilligan. Alec pinched himself, but did not wake up.

"She's just a little cranky tonight," Gilligan defended.

"I meant it, you know," Max murmured putting a hand on the nerd's elbow. "You did more for me than any other man."

Alec noticed that red had returned from the bathroom and was staring at her boyfriend as though she couldn't believe her eyes. Gilligan only had eyes for Max as he swallowed roughly.

"What do you think?" Max asked. "Willing to give a dangerous girl a second chance?"

"Max," the idiot swallowed, "I told you before, you and I are very different people." He had to die, Alec decided. A person that stupid just didn't deserve to live.

"What the hell is going on here?" an angry Red snipped. Max's head snapped up at the intruder.

"We're just talking," Max retorted. "There a law against that?"

"No," Red said, her voice growing calm. She leaned over and kissed Gilligan possessively. "But we're leaving. Say goodbye Eric." She pulled his hand and he followed her a little unwillingly.

"Uh, bye Max… It was nice to see you again." He stumbled up the stairs after his girlfriend. Alec figured it would be a little while before the girlfriend tried to dump Gilligan again, which might explain why Max was grinning from ear to ear. Then again, she could just be happy about the free beer that was left untouched.

"What was that about?" Alec asked when she returned to their little corner.

"Oh," Max grinned into her beer, "Just an ex-boyfriend."

Alec stared at her. She'd actually dated that? There was no hope. He would never have a chance with her, because she had absolutely no taste in men. Max noticed his look and laughed.

"He did more for me than you've ever done for a girlfriend," she quipped still looking mighty pleased with herself.

Stinging a little, Alec took a sip of bourbon.

"I wasn't talking about her," Max said quietly.

"So," Alec began, not wanting to go in that direction, "You think I'm bad boyfriend material?"

"I'll let your record speak for me," she joked. "You have more Xs than a strip club."

Alec made his voice as low as possible. "Maybe I could be good, if I had the right girlfriend."

Max rolled her eyes and hit him in the head, which was about what he expected. "Yeah, that's what your type always says. Like it's the girl's fault you're a slut."

Alec just grinned into his drink. "People might surprise you, Max, if you gave them a chance."

"Contradiction in terms, my friend," she concluded taking a long pull from her beer. "At least Eric is doing all right. He's one of my favorite ex boyfriends."

"To ex lovers," Alec tried, raising his glass. Max grinned and clinked her bottle against it.

"I said boyfriend, not lover."