Title:The Rift
Rating:PG13ish or R
Characters:Max, Alec, Logan, Joshua, a few baddies, and a little of the Jampony crew threw in occasionally.
Genre:Drama, angst, romance.
Summary: Slightly Au due to Max being cured of her virus. Max gets what she has always hoped for from Logan. Question is, why does it seem to effect her fellow X5 in such a negative manner?
Author's note:First DA fic, so be kind and R&R!
Disclaimer:Not mine.
The Rift
Ch.1
"Shut up Alec, who asked you anyway?" Max asked, rolling her eyes at her fellow transgenic from where she sat perched on the arm of Logan's chair.
"Hey look, I'm just stating the facts since no one else will stand up for themselves."Alec replied with a shrug, looking at Logan with a smirk and mouthing "pussy".
"Shouldn't you be going home soon? Like now maybe?" Max asked through gritted teeth, tilting her head to the side, giving him an insincere smile.
"Nope, there's no big hurry."he replied, flashing her an equally insincere smile of his own before continuing on with his rant from earlier,"As I was saying, in reality there's no way that stupid mouse could outrun that cat all the time. Not to mention avoid all those traps in the process, and I know you think that too Logan, unlike some people who are highly disillusioned." he finished, looking pointedly at Max.
"You do realize you're talking about a cartoon don't you? Which in big people talk means it... isn't... real. So anything is possible."Max argued before letting out a grunt of exasperation as she rose from her seat, saying,"And why am I even arguing with you about this? You seriously need to get a life Alec." as she disappeared through the door leading into Logan's small kitchen, elbowing him in the side as she walked past him in the process.
In the kitchen, Max walked over and opened the refrigerator, pulling out a soda and leaning against the counter with a pout, thinking for the thousandth time in the past hour that Alec had to be the most annoying person , genetically enhanced or other, that she knew, and how lucky it was for him that she chose to put up with him instead of kicking his ass.
Lately it seemed like he was around all the time, and she was really starting to miss her alone time with Logan.
Any opportunity they had for quality time was interrupted by him. It was like he had a "most inopportune time to be annoying" beacon that went off whenever she and Logan were within 5 ft of one another.
What good was it to be cured of the virus finally if she hardly ever got the opportunity to make up for lost time with Logan?
Oh what are you thinking girl? It was plenty good, she thought with a smile, remembering a particular night from the week before.
She almost wished that Alec and Logan hadn't been getting along so well as of late, that way it would be much easier for her to just walk wordlessly back into the room, grab him by the collar of his leather jacket and toss him out the door. But no, they were "friends" now, and so she grudgingly put up with him.
It was like having your brother around all the time, which was how she'd come to think of Alec over the time, a decision made much easier by the fact that he looked just like her dead sibling. Though looks were as far as the similarities went between them.
Not that she actually hated havinghim around or anything. Though she'd never admit it, she'd grown rather attached to him, but considering they also worked together, she got more than enough of "Mr. Sarcastic" at Jam Pony, and would like to come to her boyfriends afterwards just once and relax without him walking in unannounced 10 minutes later and planting his ass on the couch for the night.
Hearing Alec talking loudly from the other room, saying something about "Tom's ass being out the door if he was his cat and couldn't catch one little mouse", she put the drink down, flipped her hair behind her shoulder's and stalked back into the room, resolve on her face as she went and stood in front of where Alec now sat on the couch, blocking his view of the cartoon he and Logan were having a debate over and saying point blank,"Go home. Now."
"What? And miss the best part? I think not, so get out of my way."he replied with a look of annoyance as he kicked at her to try and get her to do as he said.
Stepping back to avoid his foot, she turned around and flipped the TV off, then walked back over and stood in his path once more, narrowing her eyes, hands on her hips, standing her ground,"You have a TV at your place, so go watch it."
"Now your just being rude."he complained with a pout.
"Yes, I am. Now go."she replied, pointing a finger at the door."Because if you have no objections I'd like to have 5 minutes alone with Logan without having to hear your moronic chattering about cartoons or various other stupid subjects as background noise."
"Well, if you really want me to go..."he said, slowly standing up, looking at Logan.
"We do Don't we?"she asked, directing her last question at her boyfriend also, who up to this point had sat observing their little spat with a amused smile and the occasional snicker, her eyes mentally daring him to disagree with her.
"Um...yes. It is getting late."was his reluctant, lame reply, looking for everything like a deer caught in headlights.
He really would like some alone time with Max, but he didn't want to be rude to Alec, who had as of late became very key in aiding with certain aspects of their cause.
Now that he thought about it though, he'd rather put up with a mad Alec than a mad Max any day, and he did have something very important to ask her also.
Max glared at him, thinking how could have choked him at that moment.
It was only 7:42. You'd think the mastermind behind Eyes Only could have come up with something a little better than "it is getting late."
Either way, he had still agreed with her, which was enough.
"There it is, majority rules. There's the door, now get lost."she said smugly, pushing Alec towards it as she spoke."I'm sure there's many other people out there for you to spread your endless wit and good will towards. Joshua's always happy to share in one of your little talks I've been told, though for the life of me I can't understand why."she added sarcastically,and having successfully gotten him over the threshold , smiled and slammed the door with a flourish.
"Wasn't that a bit harsh?"Logan asked from where he now stood behind her.
"Well, I just thought maybe you'd like to play that little game we did the other night again, but if you want I can go chase Alec down before he's gone and bring him back to watch more "Tom and Harry" with you."she replied innocently.
"It's "Tom and Jerry" Max."he corrected, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back to where she was leaning against his chest, and breathing her scent in deeply added,"I'll take a rain check on Alec."
"That's what I thought."she said huskily, turning around to wrap her arms around his neck. Kissing him hungrily, then pulling away she asked, "Now how about we take this into the bedroom."
"Sounds good to me."he replied, grabbing her up and carrying her towards their intended destination.
Every day Max and he both thought how lucky they were to have finally gotten the ant-virus that had for so long kept them from acting on their mutual feelings towards one another.
After tossing her kicking and giggling form onto the bed, he asked, raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively,
"Now, how's about we play doctor?"
"Alec home early tonight."Joshua stated when his roommate walked in.
Grunting and nodding his head in reply, Alec sat down in the unoccupied chair beside the couch Joshua was on, the book he was currently reading laying face down in his lap.
"Alec want to watch TV with Joshua?"he asked when after 5 minutes his friend still had yet to speak, instead he just sat sulking in the chair staring sullenly at his hands. "Joshua will put on cartoon Alec like."he added as incentive to get some sort of reaction from him, thinking maybe the idea of watching the show he'd grown so fond of would do the trick.
"No, that's alright. Watch what you want."Alec answered, speaking finally, his voice sounding every bit as depressed as he looked.
"Alec sure? Joshua like kitty and mouse too."
"I said watch what you want and leave me alone."Alec snapped at him.
"Alec mad at Joshua?"he asked later, after they'd sat in silence a few minutes. His feelings obviously hurt by his friends harsh words.
"No Joshua. I'm sorry about that, I'm not mad at you."Alec stated with a sigh as he stood up and walked towards the door, adding over his shoulder as he opened it."I'm going out."
Looking at the closed door that Alec had just exited, Joshua couldn't help but feel a tinge of worry.
Medium fellow had been acting very strange lately.
Making the decision to talk to little fellow about it when she visited the next day, he turned his attention back to the book he had in his lap and let himself get lost in another world once more.
Jampony, the next morning:
"Oh my god boo, that thing is huge!"Alec heard OC squeal as he walked in the door, ready for another oh so exciting day of work. Her words continuing as he let his curiosity get the best of him and walked over to where the small group of his co-workers were gathered.
"Original Cindy knew this was coming soon girl."
"What's the big deal?"Alec asked Sketchy.
"The big deal is that Max's boyfriend asked her to marry him last night."the other man replied in a hushed tone, adding,"You should see the rock her gave her, it must've cost a fortune."
"What? He did what?"Alec asked angrily, his features clouding.
"Um...he asked her to uh...marry him."Sketchy repeated slowly, not missing Alec's obviously less than happy reaction.
"And her answer was?" Alec asked with narrowed eyes aimed in Max's direction.
"Uh..that would be a yes."he answered timidly. He'd always thought that his fellow co-worker might have a thing for Max, but Alec seemed to have a thing for any good looking woman so he hadn't put too much thought into it, thinking that it was merely a physical attraction brought on only by Max's obvious hotness.
Judging by his reaction, Sketchy now thought that maybe he was wrong about that.
"Mother fucker."Alec hissed as he turned away from the group, throwing his back pack at the wall as he walked back towards the exit door.
"Hey Alec."Normal said as he walked past, oblivious to his actions, his mind as always on work and nothing else."I have a delivery that needs to be run."
"Fuck you, and your delivery. I quit."was Alec's growled response as he shouldered past his now ex-boss man.
"Quit?" Normal asked, his head jerking up in surprise, his eyes finding Sketchy, who stood looking every bit as shocked as he himself felt, and asking,"What just happened here? Did he really say what I thought he did?"
Shrugging, Sketchy replied with a frown," Yep, if what you thought he said was he quit, cause that's what he said."
"Damn, he was one of my best workers."Normal stated before saying loudly, clapping his hands to get all his employees attention,"Oh well, the show must go on, so lets stop socializing and do a little work here people. That is what I pay you to do you know."
The crowd around her having disbursed when Alec had left in the manner he had, Max frowned, feeling very confused by her fellow X5's abrupt departure, and the fact he'd just quit the job she thought he had really grown to like.
What was wrong with him? Why had the dumb ass just walked out on what was, other than the occasional side job, his only source of income?
Surely it wasn't because of her announcement of engagement. Why would he be upset over that?
"Hey boo, Original Cindy says that there ain't no reason for her girl to be frowning like that on such a happy day."her friend proclaimed, putting her arm around her as she too pondered over Alec's quiting,"That man is moodier than a woman going through menopause, so there ain't no reason to try and figure out why he's done any of the crazy things he has."
"I guess you're right. He never makes the smartest decisions."Max agreed a moment later, shrugging off her worry as she looked down at the ring on her finger and let the feeling of happiness she'd felt earlier come over her once more.
Why do I care anyway? She wondered. If he wants to quit than that's his choice and there's nothing I can do about it. No matter how stupid a decision it was.
"I'm getting married."she said happily, acting more like a love sick, happy woman than any of her co-workers had ever, with the exception of OC, witnessed. They were used to the usual tough act that she exuded.
"Yeah, yeah. You're getting married."Normal said sarcastically."Congratulations. Now get to work. There's a lot of deliveries to be made and thanks to your buddy leaving, we have 1 less person to be doing them, so hop to it."
Everyone switched into business mode, and though still very happy about Logan's proposal, Max's good mood was dampered for the remainder of the day because of Alec's erratic behavior, and after she got off she immediately, instead of going straight to Logan's, went to he and Joshua's place to kick his ass for ruining it for her.
Opening the door and barging in without knocking, she saw him sitting in the chair he'd occupied the night before, a beer in his hand, watching TV with a stony expression on his face.
"What the hell was that all about?"she demanded after stalking over to stand in front of him."What would possess you to quit your job?"
Joshua, who was sitting silently observing in his usual place, looked back and forth between his two friends, unsure what to make of what was happening.
Medium fellow had quit his job?
Sure he had come home earlier than usual, but he hadn't thought for a second that he'd done what the very angry Max had accused him of.
Alec at first tried to ignore her, but she wasn't having that.
"Look at me Alec."she demanded,"And tell me is going on with you. I thought you liked working at Jampony."
"I don't have to justify anything to you Max."he replied coolly, taking another drink from the beer in his hand."So would you kindly get the hell out from in front of me. Shouldn't you be at Mr. Wonderful's place now anyway?"
"What is wrong with you? I know you're always an asshole, but now you're being more of one than usual."Max said through gritted teeth as she glared at him through narrowed eyes, ignoring his request for her to leave.
"Yeah, I'm an asshole and proud of it, and the reason I quit was because I'm tired of working with you and all your lame ass friends."he spat, his eyes narrowed and glaring coldly right back at her.
"They're your friends too you little prick."
"No, they're not and neither are you."he retorted automatically.
"Why Alec talking to little fellow like that?"Joshua spoke up finally in Max's defense."Little fellow is his friend."
"No little fellow isn't."Alec stated, finishing the beer and crushing the can with his hand before discarding it on the floor and reaching for another from the 12 pack sitting on the floor beside him.
"You know what, maybe I'll just leave and come back to finish this discussion when your stupid ass isn't drunk."Max hissed.
"No, you won't. Because this is my place and you're not welcome here."Alec muttered.
"This is Joshua's place too, and he says that little fellow is welcome any time."the dog faced man said with a growl.
"No, that's fine Joshua, if he doesn't want me here, then I won't come back except to visit you when he isn't here, and in turn, I don't expect to see him at Logan's anymore either."
"Thats okay with me."Alec commented with a casual shrug.
"Fine."Max snapped at him before turning to stalk out of the door.
"Fine!"he repeated loudly to her departing back.
Joshua, after giving his roommate a look of contempt, followed her out the door into the hallway.
"Alec not mean it little fella."he stated as she turned to face him."Alec your friend, just like Joshua."
"Whatever big fella. I'll catch you later, okay?"she asked with a gentle smile of affection.
"Okay, but Joshua wants to tell Max before she leaves that he is worried about Alec."the man/dog proclaimed."Alec been acting weird lately."
"No kidding."she commented sarcastically."He's always been weird though, so what do I care?"
"Alec your friend, just like Joshua, and friends care about one another."he said with a frown at her words.
"Maybe you didn't hear the same thing I did in there Joshua, but asshole isn't my friend any longer."she said in response before smiling at him and saying,"I've gotta jet, but I'll see you tomorrow big fella."
"Bye."he said after she gave him a warm hug.
"Bye yourself, and don't waste any more time worrying about him, because he doesn't deserve it."she said and then turned and stalked out to where she'd left her motorcycle.
She wouldn't ever admit it to anyone, but Alec's words had hurt her more than she'd let on, and starting her bike, she pulled away with a few stray hot tears that managed to escape leaking from her eyes.
Screw him, if he didn't want to see her anymore than she was more than willing to oblige. It wasn't like she needed his friendship anyway.
Then why did it hurt so much?
TBC
Okay, there's chapter one, which I know wasn't that great but I'm still trying to work out the bugs, and get their characterizations down right since this is my first attempt at a Dark Angel fic.
Anyway, I have lots of action, surprises, and major Alec angst planned. Not to mention some of our favorite bad guys also, so if you like please drop me a line and tell me what you think.