Author's Note: So many people have been waiting for this sequel. Sorry it wasn't up sooner, but honestly when I had started earlier the inspiration wasn't flowing. Now it is and now its here! (although I'm not sure how much I'm liking it so far...this is more of a fun thing to write just for the hecks out of it) hehe. This chapter is kinda boring…naturally. My first chapters always are ;) Also note that mistakes are inevitable because I'm too lazy to reread what I wrotea habit I'm not used to and I'm very ashamed of. And lastly, a big thanks for Solain Rhyo for helping me sort out a few ideas and such.

Oh…and forgive me for lack of a better title. It's boring, but I couldn't think of anything else.

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Aftermath 2

1.

Alexa Woods tucked a black lock of hair behind her ear. Her vocal cords vibrated lightly with her small chuckle as she listened to a story being told by her dinner companions. The food on her plate had long gone cold and the only attention she gave it was an idle poke with her fork.

Alexa and her boyfriend of now one month, Steven Whiting, were seated on one side of a small rectangular table, their friend Mark and his knew wife Christy, seated directly across. It was a small celebration to welcome Mark back to the east coast after spending a year in South Dakota where he had been stationed for his military work.

"So then he tells me New England put together had as much snow as we had in our town back home," Christy laughed, nodding her head at her husband. Lex, though, looked at her with a fake smile and idly thought that this girl had no idea what a lot of snow looked like.

The group continued conversing as Mark looked at his cell phone attached to his belt. "Well, it's been fun," he said with a grin, "but I think its time to go before the manager kicks us out."

He was right; they had been there for nearly two hours, and the place looked like it was ready to close for the night. Alexa gathered her purse and coat and followed the other three people out the door and into the tiny parking lot in back.

"She's nice," Steven remarked once he and Lex were in the car and on the way back to her apartment.

"In a false sort of way," Lex mumbled, but Steven didn't hear her.

The drive was silent, except for the random remark at how cute and nice Christy was; Lex felt like returning her dinner at how much he seemed to admire her. By the time they parked in front of the apartment building, Lex was more than ready to get out and get upstairs. Steven followed her up, like he usually did, although she wished that he'd make it a five minute stay instead of an extra five hours.

Lex liked Steven—really. But she was easily annoyed for some strange reason. Unlike most women, she wasn't the cuddly, cutesy, "Christy-type;" Lex liked her space and Steven had a hard time remembering that. She didn't mind the homemade breakfasts and dinners, and the weekly bouquet of flowers he spoiled her with, but he wouldn't let her do anything in her own kitchen. She knew he meant well, but it still got on her nerves.

As soon as they were in the door Lex knew Steven was parking himself for a few hours when he took of his shoes and hung up both of their coats. Lex tried to hide the look of displeasure; she just wanted to sit down with something hot to drink and watch TV in hopes of falling asleep in front of it.

"Want some tea?" Steven asked.

"Should I be the one doing the offering?" Lex asked in return, a small smirk on her face.

"I don't climb up mountains every few weeks," he replied. "You should take it easy when you're home."

"Steven," Lex started as she rummaged through her purse for her cell phone so she could turn it off and not be bothered. "I'm old enough to take care of myself. I was able to do it before I met you."

"Yeah, but you know you like it," he said with a wink as he headed into the kitchen.

Lex shrugged as she made her way over to the television set and turned it on. For whatever reason, Lex had an interest in watching the nightly news instead of one of those shows where they find someone dead and use all sorts of ways to find out who, what, why, and when; reality shows annoyed her to no end—those people had no idea what it was really like to survive on your own. As she sat down, she glanced over her shoulder to see Steven getting two mugs from the cabinet. She sighed and turned her attention to the TV screen.

She had just come into the weather section—they were predicting "cold" weather for the remainder of the week. Cold is fifty below zero, not thirty-two, she thought to herself as the two news anchors pretended to shiver from the weather report.

"In other news today," Jane Smith said, a small image of a warehouse popping up at the top corner of the screen next to her head, "police are investigating a mystery at Harbrid Meat Company. Harvey Harbrid, owner of the facility has reported several cow thighs and other pre-processed meat sections have disappeared from the warehouse."

Lex turned the volume up and stared at the screen. Jane Smith continued; "Police Chief Rob Dunn claims that the chains on the main door were cut clean with an unknown weapon. And this is the third time in the past week that Mr. Harbrid has found missing pieces from his warehouse. The investigation will continue throughout the weekend, but Mr. Harbrid says the facility will not close down during the time."

"What was that all about?" Steven asked sitting down next to Lex as she turned the volume back to its normal setting.

Lex didn't answer at first. She was wondering if there was a coincidence at stake—had Scar stuck around since he had "popped in" a few nights ago? She hoped not. She wanted him to go home, wherever that might be. She didn't hate him, but she didn't want him to think that because she allowed him to put the "T" mark on her cheek with the acid blood of an alien that she was his hunting partner or something.

"Lex?" Steven asked again, his head tilting to the side a little.

"Nothing," she said. She couldn't help but glance back over her shoulder at the spear hung on the wall, the one the predator elder had given her after the Bouvetoya Island incident.

She didn't realize that she had fallen asleep. When she woke up, she found herself using Steven as a pillow, who was nicely slumped in his spot on the couch. He too, was sleeping. Lex sat up and cracked her back. David Lettermen was on and talking to some actor she had never heard of before.

Standing up and heading into the kitchen, Lex paused and looked at the spear on the wall again. It was haunting her. She wished she had never got it, yet when she tried to hide it she felt that she was being ungrateful.

"Damn my life," she cursed softly to herself. Lex glanced back at Steven, still fast asleep on the couch. A half smile crept across her face. He was cute when he slept, especially when his glasses were crooked on the bridge of his nose. She should do something for him; what, she had no idea, but he deserved it. She really had no idea why or even how he put up with her. Especially her recent mood swings…she had to find a way to cure those.

The only thing she wanted to do now was sleep, but with Steven still here she felt bad for going into her room and leaving him alone on the couch. Lex sighed, her head hanging as she went into the hall closet and pulled out a blanket. The only thing she could do, really, was let him stay there. She wasn't that mean where she'd wake him up and tell him to get lost.

Lex sat down next to Steven, trying hard not to startle him. Sitting close, she tossed the large flannel blanket over their legs and rested her head on his shoulder once again. It wasn't too comfortable…then again, after a few moments, it didn't matter.

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