This is my first Dark Angel story in a while, but since my last one my writing's improved so I decided to give it another shot. :^)~ Please review and tell me if you like it!

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Lust to Love

Chapter 1-Garbage Picking

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Max sighed as she walked through the piles of garbage. Walking around digging through trash at a dump was not one of her favorite things. But, she was doing it for Logan. His newest Eyes Only case had sent her on a mission to Seattle's finest dump. She turned around as a rat scuttled towards her, a Hot Wheels car in his paws.

"That was just weird," Max said. As she turned back around, she heard a loud crashing noise to her right. Walking over to investigate it, Max was met by the most unlikely person.

"Well well well. I knew you were stupid. I knew you were selfish. But you're a garbage-picker too?" She taunted as Alec's surprised expression looked up at her.

"Maxie-hey!" he said as he scrambled to his feet. "What-what are you doing here?"

"I'm here for Logan. Why are you here?"

"Oh, you know, I got a meeting here with one of my contacts. That's all," Alec covered.

Smugly, Max said: "Just admit it, you're here looking for stuff to spruce up the old apartment."

"Why don't you admit that's why you're here?"

"Because I'm not!" Max said.

"Sure Max. Whatever," Alec teased and sauntered away, hoping for a good exit.

"Umm, Alec?" Max asked.

"Yeah Max?" he asked, not turning around or stopping.

"If you're meeting someone, then why do you still have that frying pan in your hand?" She could hardly contain her laughter.

Inside, Alec was cursing and smacking himself with the frying pan, while on the outside he continued walking and said, "Frying pan? What frying pan?" and chucked the pan over his shoulder while Max burst out laughing.

*

The next day Max walked into Jam Pony back from a run to Sector 5, decked in her usual outfit of tight, dark jeans and tank top under her leather coat. OC was with her, and they were discussing Normal's home: was it nasty, or was it freakishly neat?

Their discussion was interrupted as Sketchy and Alec approached, grins plastered on their faces. "What's up?" Sketchy asked them.

"Nothing. Why?" Max eyed the two guys suspiciously. "We were just wondering which of you two beautiful ladies would like to deliver this package to sector 3," Alec said, in full sweet talk mode now.

"No way," Max pushed past Alec with Cindy behind her.

"Aw, come on!" he begged, blue eyes pleading.

"Alec, I have no idea why you would be asking me for a favor when I have dirt on you," Max smiled as she spun the com on her locker to open it.

"What dirt?" Alec asked, just daring Max to humiliate him that badly.

"Aw, come on Alec. Where you were last night, what you were looking for, how bad it smelled?"

"Okay, okay! I'll stop bugging you guys!" Alec held up his hands in defense.

"What did you need us to do it for anyways?" Max asked as she grabbed her bike's handlebars, prepared to leave for the day.

"Well Sketch and me got a little problem with sector 3. You see, there's like 30 guys there that are just waiting for us to return some of their belongings to them, and we kinda aren't going to." Alec smiled.

"Sorry boys, but me and Original Cindy got some business at Crash tonight. It's called "girl's night out". Now if you would excuse us…" Max and Cindy walked away.

"That sucks. That really sucks. Now what are we going to do?" Sketchy asked.

"We'll just have to be careful. You know, keep our heads down, deliver the package, and get the hell outta there."

*

"Do you think Alec and Sketch will be okay in Sector 3?" Cindy asked as they seated themselves at one of the tables. Crash was unusually busy that night, but Max had managed to "persuade" some people to move to the bar.

"Positive," was Max's reply. She was pretty sure that Alec would take care of Sketch, although they may come out with a couple of cuts and bruises. When Max thought about Alec, her first thoughts were selfish arrogant pig. But sometimes, he actually surprised her with an act of kindness and she found it hard to hate him as much as she used to. And that trademark smile and intense blue eyes didn't help matters any either.

*

"Look! I said we don't have it! Can't you just let us go, for old time's sake Jimmy?" Alec asked as the fat man with spiked hair shoved him into a wall. Sketchy was in the same position, only it appeared that he had had a little accident.

"Alec, you thieving little monkey!" the man laughed. "Do you think I'd ever do something like that?"

"No. Not really." Alec smiled. "Which makes it all the harder for me to beat the hell outta you." Alec's foot came up, knocking the man's grip on his coat away. Moving with unnatural human speed, he kicked Sketchy's attacker down to the ground and motioned for his friend to book it.

After Sketchy had made it a little bit away, Alec turned it up a notch. People went flying as his super speed and strength gave him the overall advantage. When the cocky trans genic suddenly found himself pinned against the wall by an unusually strong human, he placed his arms on the other person's and flipped over their head, using the wall for a boost.

When he had finished, he surveyed the small pile of unconscious men with a smug expression. "Not bad for a day's work," he smiled, but immediately booked it when one of the men gave a small moan and sat up.

*

As Sketchy and Alec stumbled into Crash, laughing and smiling like they had accomplished something great, Max looked up curiously. She had actually just begun to worry the slightest bit about the two of them, but seeing them just then put her heart at ease.

"-and then when you took out that guy who was holding me, you were like whoosh! I mean, I've never seen anyone move that fast."

Alec gave a false laugh and slightly shoved Sketchy into a chair at Max's table. He walked around to her side while Sketchy continued with his ramblings. Whispering in her ear, Alec said, "He may have seen a little bit of action. Get him drunk, wouldya?"

"Sure, but you're buying," Max whispered back, a small smile on her lips. "Fine," Alec mumbled and shoved a 10 into her hand.

"Hey Sketch, buy ya a beer?" Max offered casually.

"Yeah, that'd be awesome Max. Thanks," Sketchy smiled cluelessly.

Max got up and spotted Alec casually walking to the door. "Where you goin?" Max yelled over the noise.

"Uh, nowhere. I think I'll just head home," Alec replied, and gave a small wave as he dove through the door.

Max turned around to face the bar where OC was sitting at talking to a leggy blond. "Hey, OC, get Sketchy drunk wouldya? Alec's up to something, I gotta check it out." Without waiting for a reply, Max exited Crash with her coat in hand.

"Now what are you doing, Alec?" she mumbled to herself while starting her Ninja.

This should be fun.

*

So that was my first bit. Not romancy yet, so just be patient! But please review and tell me how I did!