Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Dark Angle characters that existed in the series, anyone else that happens to crop up is of my own invention.
A/N: Try not to be too discouraging; this is the first time I attempt to post a fan fic.
Census
Alec sauntered into headquarters and handed the latest Terminal City "census" to Luke.
"That'll have to do until next week. No one showed up the last half hour, so I think we're good," Alec told the pale transhuman.
A housing committee had been set up to not only find living quarters for the TC inhabitants, but also to keep track of the sheer number and catalog the skills of the transgenics sheltered within the compound. Every Sunday night, between 8 pm and whenever they stopped showing up, all TC newcomers could be found waiting in line to be entered into the database, referenced by name, barcode, and specialty.
Though not technically part of the housing committee, Alec was handing in their night's work because both he and Max, while not active participants in everything, made it a point to show interest in and stay knowledgeable about the majority of what occurred in TC. "This is great, it looks like we have a few more medics," Luke replied.
"Is our fearless leader in?" Alec asked in his usual jovial tones.
"In her office, I think. I haven't heard anything in a few hours though, so she may have left without me noticing," Mole growled.
"Nah, she wouldn't rake off without telling anyone. I'm going to go in and see her, she'll want to know tonight's number."
The lizard man and the trench digger smirked at each other, silently acknowledging that Alec would use any excuse, no matter how transparent, to check in on Max.
Alec walked into Max's office without bothering to knock (why start now) ready to harass her into going home to relax, only to be met by a surprise. Little Miss Shark DNA was sound asleep, pen poised in her hand, head resting on the desk. Alec eased her away from her perch, gathering the exhausted brunette in his arms, carrying her towards the door.
"Alec?" She murmured drowsily, as her hands instinctively went around his neck and her head snuggled into the hollow of his shoulder.
"Shhh, just go back to sleep, Maxie," he responded, rubbing his hand reassuringly on her back.
"Can't…have to finish the plan…for tomorrow night's heist." The petite woman's sentence was punctuated by several yawns. She half-heartedly pushed against his muscular chest, signaling that he should let her down.
"When was the last time you got some sleep?" Alec questioned, ignoring her non-verbal request.
"I don't know, a week or so, maybe," she answered before drifting off to sleep again.
This confirmed his suspicions that Terminal City's new mayor was pushing herself too hard. It wasn't the first time in the last few months that Alec had carried her to the apartment they shared. Perhaps even more disturbing was the fact that she had forgotten to tell him not to call her "Maxie."
The housing committee had decided that it made the most sense for TC's leader and her second in command to be housed in the same living quarters. Not only was space at a premium in the new city, but it would also make it more efficient to find one of them in case of an emergency. Surprisingly, neither Alec nor Max had minded the arrangement, in the time following the siege their somewhat stilted relations had grown into a solid friendship. Lately, Alec had started to realize that he felt more that mere camaraderie for the beautiful transgenic. He had begun to suspect he was in love with her.
Once, he had believed himself in love with Rachel Berrisford, but Alec now realized what he had felt was infatuation, infatuation with a girl who represented a way of life, he, as a genetically engineered soldier, could not access. The more Alec's mind dwelled on the situation, the more his awareness increased. He had been enamored with her carefree existence, no the girl she was. It was unfair to Rachel; she had essentially been a good person and had deserved more. She had deserved a man who wanted her for herself. Perhaps that was one of the reason s he had had such difficulty letting go of his guilt at following orders. Even armed with the knowledge that Rachel was never truly as innocent as she seemed, he still felt as though he had betrayed her.
Berrisford shared everything with his daughter, including the decision to sell information about Manticore to the highest bidder. Rachel was revolted by the idea of creating the perfect super soldier through genetic manipulation and had believed that selling Manticore's secrets would increase knowledge of the government's nefarious schemes. She had naively hoped shedding light on the situation would cause its downfall. Alec accepted that though the young woman had professed to love his alter ego, Simon Lehane, she would have hated X5-494.
It was Max who had helped him get past Rachel Berrisford's memory, just as Alec had aided her in dealing with her role in her brother, Ben's death. During the process of unburdening their consciences, the two learned to trust each other. Trust grew into friendship and now, for Alec, friendship had grown into a more intimate emotion. Though the jokester was normally unafraid of anything, he was reluctant to share his feelings with the object of his affections. He didn't know how Max would react to a romantic revelation coming from him. It was only recently that she had stopped using him as a human punching bag.
A/N I can either stop here or continue. Please let me know if anyone is interested in finding out what happens next, if not, I will keep is a one shot.