This takes place in season 2, after episode 3: Proof of Purchase. Hope you enjoy and Thanks for reading ^_^

Siren Shiera

Disclaimer: I own Shara but none of the rest.

Max had felt that something was wrong that morning when she had been getting ready for work. She always had these gut feelings when something bad was about to happen. She waited for that page from Logan that was bound to come with whatever it was that was going to happen, but he didn't beep her. She had already made her first delivery of the day and still nothing out of the ordinary had happened. As she sat down on the bench in front of her locker for a five minute break, that Normal would no doubt comment on any second now, Max began to think that she was worried over nothing.

"What up Boo? Not used to getting to work on time?" OC asked as she sat beside her. Max laughed, she knew that OC had been covering for her the last few weeks, she was so grateful that OC was such a fast thinking, inventive person, what would she have done without her the last few months?

"Funny, no I just have this feeling." Max said as she rooted though her bag.

"And what, pray tell might this feeling be?"

"I dunno, like something bad is gonna to happen." Max said with a shrug.

"Sugar, you worry way too much, take this for what it is, a break from your norm"

"Yea, you're probably right."

The rest of the day was fairly normal, mundane even. Max actually enjoyed days like these, days where she could forget that she was a genetically engineered super solder, and feel like she was just a regular girl. When Normal finally announced the last run of the day and she managed to slip out without having to do a last run she was feeling completely satisfied with her day. She was considering going to Logan's but thought better of it. With all the complications in their relationship and the frustrations that went with it, she'd more than likely only ended up depressed and after such a good day she didn't want that to happen, besides a little break would do Logan and her some good, it was better to keep the distance. Max decided to head to Joshua's. She hadn't been able to see him much the last few days and she figured he must be low on food. She felt slightly guilty about not visiting him much, but with all her Manticore cousins lose in the world she was finding her hands full.

"Hey Big Fella!" Max called as she opened his back door. She was surprised that he made no response, normally her canine friend was thrilled to have company. She threw the groceries she had picked up for him on the table and walked into Joshua's makeshift living room.

"Joshua?" She called him again. 'Maybe he's painting in the basement.' she thought to herself as she headed down the stairs.

"Joshua you down here?" Max looked around, the basement was filled with an odd collection of things all stacked and piled haphazardly. Max started to get that bad feeling again when she didn't instantly see her tall friend, even in this mess, she should be able to find easily.

"Joshua?" she called 'Please don't tell you went outside again.' She added silently to herself. Max's mind was running though various bad outcomes to Joshua heading outside alone when she heard a faint groaning sound. She was able to identify its origin easily with her sharp hearing. It was then she noticed a huddled form lying in the dark shadows in the corner.

"Joshua!" Max rushed to his side "Oh my god! What's wrong?" Max asked him frantically as she rolled him over so she could see his face.

"Sssssiiicccck." was all he groaned in answer to her.

"It's ok Big Fella, I'll get you help." She told him confidently.

"Maaaaaxx Heelllpp." Joshua always had such faith in her. Whatever automatic response she was about to give caught in her throat, she should have gone to see him sooner, and maybe he might not have gotten so bad. Max took a second to lay him as comfortably on the floor as she could before she left him to find a phone. He needed a doctor, but who could they turn to? There was no way that she could pass Joshua off as a regular human. Max raced to the nearest pay phone, Logan might know someone that they could trust.

"Logan" his familiar voice answered after the second ring.

"Logan it's me, I need some help." Max knew that she should be calmer but her guilt was making her panic slightly.

"Max what's wrong?"

"It's Joshua, he's sick. He needs a doctor."

"How bad is he?" Max knew that Logan was wracking his brain for people who could be of help.

"He's bad Logan and I don't think that the doc's in the emergency room will fail to notice his modified DNA."

"Right, I think I know someone who we can trust. She's a doctor that worked with 'Eye's Only' a few years back."

"Does she know about Manticore and transgenic's?" Max thought that if she did surely she would already know her.

"We've never discussed it openly but she gave me a call a few weeks back, I think she was fishing for information on you and yours but without really saying anything. Anyway I think she's our best chance. I call her and bring her to Joshua's."

"Are you sure about this?" Max trusted Logan, but this seemed risky.

"At the very least she owes me a favour, she'll help us, I'll get there as soon as I can."

"Thanks Logan." Max hung up the phone and hurried back to Joshua's. She didn't move him, not being sure that it was safe. He had a fever and moaned at the slightest touch. Max knew that sometimes if a transgenic's cocktail was off by the slightest bit that the genetic structure can breakdown, she prayed that that wasn't what was wrong with him. It couldn't have taken Logan more than 30 minutes to get there, but it felt like an eternity to Max.

"Max?" He called from upstairs.

"We're down here!" she called not wanting to leave Joshua's side.

"Max," Logan said as he came down the stairs to her, a woman not much older than Max hot on his heels "This is Shara." Max looked this young woman up and down, there was no way that she was a proper doctor; she would have been like 12 when she went to med school. Max was starting to panic a little more.

"You must be Max," Shara said calmly as she made her way towards them. Max was watching to see her reaction when she saw Joshua. "And this is Joshua." Shara said as she reached Max. Shara looked around Max and caught her first glimpse of Joshua. Her eyes widened in surprise. 'Here it comes.' Max thought to herself.

"You could have mentioned that he was a transgenic." Shara said calmly to Logan as she knelt beside Max.

"You didn't tell her!" Max turned to look at Logan who was standing behind her.

"I was afraid she wouldn't come." Logan explained as he looked down at Joshua, his face showed the worry that Max felt, "Sorry Shara I couldn't take the risk, I wasn't even sure you knew about transgenics." Shara didn't respond, she seemed busy looking over Joshua. Max stood up to give her more room. All Max could do was watch; she hated not being able to do something to help him.

"Can he talk?" Shara asked as she checked his pulse.

"Of course he can talk." Max knew she shouldn't snap at the women, but she wasn't at her best.

"I know," Shara said calmly, seemingly unoffended "I mean has he been too sick to talk to you."

"Oh," Max suddenly felt a little childish "He talked a little bit, but his speech was a little slurred."

"Joshua can you hear me?" Shara asked him. Joshua groaned but made no understandable response. After a few more moments Shara stood up.

"I need to make a call." She told them

"Use my cell phone." Logan said as his fished around in his pockets for his phone.

"Who are you calling?" Max asked her, she always had to be careful when it came to people she didn't know and her transgenic brethren.

"I'm only qualified to treat 50% of him, I have a friend who's a vet, I want to run a few things past him, make sure that we do things right." Shara told her honestly as she took the phone from Logan.

"Can we trust your vet friend?" Max hated having to interrogate the woman, but better safe than sorry, she could almost feel Logan glare at her.

"He's the one who first told me about transgenics, he's safe."

"Sorry." Max apologized for what she knew must seem like ungrateful behaviour.

"Don't be, I'd ask the same questions." Shara said with a gentle smile as she walked away slightly to make her call. Max knelt beside Joshua again.

"Hang in there Big Fella." She doubted that he could hear her, but she wanted to tell him all the same.

"Shara's a talented doctor, he'll be ok Max." Logan said comfortingly.

"OK, I think we figured out what's wrong with him," Shara said as she rejoined them a few moments later "Mick's got some medication he thinks should do the trick, but someone's gonna have to go get it though."

"I'll get a friend to pick it up, just let me know where." Max said as she took the cell phone off Shara. Once she had the address, Max headed upstairs to make the call. She could get the medicine herself, but she didn't want to leave Joshua. Alec was her best option, after all the crap he'd pulled lately it was the least he could do for Joshua, she just hoped he would actually come through for once. Alec complained as was expected, but eventually decided to help, after Max threatened to kick his ass again. Max went straight back to Joshua.

"Well?" Logan asked her as she handed back his phone.

"Luckily Alec wasn't too far away from sector 6, it shouldn't take him long to get here." Logan smiled reassuringly at her, but she knew that he was thinking the same thing as her, Alec had better not screw this one up.

"I've made him as comfortable as I can." Shara told them as she joined them. They all stood a bit away from Joshua, making sure that their conversation won't disturb him.

"Is it safe to move him somewhere more comfortable?" Max couldn't imagine that the basement was the best place for him.

"No, not until he's a bit more stable."

"How bad is it?" Max wanted to know exactly what the situation was.

"I won't lie to you. He's very ill, the next couple of hours will tell." Max appreciated her honestly.

"What's wrong with him?" Logan asked when Max was silent.

"Well my guess is that back at Manticore he wasn't exposed to a lot of regular infections that are common to canine's so he never built up any immunities, but living in the city with its abundance of strays…" Max nodded, they hadn't thought that would happen "What I can't figure out is why his immune system didn't protect him, most of the transgenics I've met have had strong immune systems, that doesn't appear to be the case with Joshua." Shara said thinking out loud as she looked over at the silent form on the floor.

"Joshua was the first," Max said quietly, almost without thinking, "Maybe Sandeman didn't have the perfect cocktail for him." Shara nodded, but didn't answer her.

Alec actually made good time getting to Joshua's. He was actually kinda worried about the big guy, not that he would ever admit that. He walked into the house casually, like nothing was wrong. Max raced up the stairs and had reached him before he had made no more than three steps inside the house.

"You get it?" she asked him, Alec had never seen her this stressed.

"Hello to you too Max." Alec said in his typical manner.

"Did you get it?" Max asked him more forcibly, he knew he probably shouldn't try and antagonise her, but it just seemed to happen without him thinking about it.

"Take it easy Max" Alec said as he pulled the package from his bag "You'd swear that it was a matter of life and death." Max just glared at him as she snatched the package his out of his hand and headed down to the basement almost at a run. Alec decided to follow her and see for himself if Joshua was really that ill or was Max a typical female and being dramatic. He soon discovered that she wasn't being dramatic. He had to admit that Joshua looked rough. He was pale and almost eerily still as he lay on the floor.

"Here it is." Max said as she handed the package to a young women who was kneeling beside Joshua. Alec didn't think he knew her, but he couldn't really see her either as she had her back to him. Alec joined Logan who was leaning against a wall keeping out of the way.

"What's wrong with the dog boy?" Alec asked him.

"I'm not really sure." Logan said shortly. Alec was well aware that Logan wasn't very fond of him; Alec wasn't really worried about it, it's not his fault if Logan couldn't get over him helping Manticore to kill him.

"Are you sure it's safe to give him medication meant for animals?" Max asked the young women as she prepared an injection, clearly meant for Joshua.

"Well 50% of him is canine, and it would take a lot of this stuff to do any real damage a regular human, so it'll be fine." She told her patiently. Max always did worry too much.

"You're sure?" Max her clearly not convinced.

"Yes" the woman answered her calmly.

"Who's the chick?" Alec asked Logan. There was something vaguely familiar about her.

"Her name is Shara," Logan said pointedly "She's a Doctor friend of mine."

"Hmmmm.." Alec said, it was almost second nature to annoy Logan as well "A lot of your friends are women, Max's gotta love that." Alec said lightly.

"All we can do now is give the med's time to work." Shara said to Max "Maybe you should go get some air or something, I'll wait with Joshua." She said as she started to steer Max towards the stairs.

"No I want to stay with Joshua." Max argued.

"Look." Shara said firmly as she took hold of Max's arm and stopped her in her tracks as she headed back towards Joshua. "There is nothing you can do, he needs rest and time for the medication to work. If you stay down here, you'll only get in my way." Alec waited for Max's reaction, this should be good.

"Ok" Alec was surprised that Max didn't offer any sort of argument, that was not her normal sort of behaviour. Alec had a sort of respect of Shara if she could manage Max that easily. Logan followed Max up the stairs; he was such a good not-boyfriend. Shara turned back to Joshua, Alec recognised her face, and he had definitely seen her somewhere before, it might take him awhile, but he'd remember, he never forgot a face.

"Alec!" Max called gruffly from upstairs, Alec rolled his eyes, he had better follow her up.

Shara looked down at her new patient. She really hoped that this worked, she wasn't nearly as confident as she led Max to believe. There was no good in worrying her, there was nothing that Max could do anyway. Shara knelt beside her patient; she wondered what he looked like normally. There was a certain kindness about his face, he looked like the gentle type, something that most transgenics seemed to have lost in their training at Manticore. Shara had noticed an old leather bound book lying beside Joshua when she first arrived, she pick it up and looked at it more closely now.

"'The Count of Monte Cristo', I read this in college, I think I liked it, can't really remember, I was sorta all over the place in college." She didn't know if he could hear her, but she always felt that it helped when someone talked to people when they were ill. She opened the book to where the book mark was and started to read it to him, it gave her something to do and maybe it would comfort him a little if he could hear a voice.