Blood and Balls
Disclaimer: Would I even be here if I owned Dark Angel? I think not.
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: M/A
Summary: Max and Alec have to attend a charity ball in an attempt to retrieve some blood samples that have fallen into the wrong hands. Naturally, it leads to all manners of confusion.
Author's Note: I wrote this story ages ago, way before I had even started writing 'Triangle' or 'Freedom on the inside'. I didn't particularly like it, cos I thought, if I was being brutally honest, it was a bit on the cheesy side but I thought I'd let you guys be the judge of that. Please read and review!
Chapter One
Brain surgeons and Penguins
"Uh uh! No way!" Max yelled at Logan from a safe distance.
"Come on, Max, this is important – you of all people should know that," pleaded Logan.
"It's that idiot's fault for letting them take a blood sample in the first place," Max argued.
"Look Max, I have no arguments there. He is an ass, but if you don't do anything, it just means exposure for the lot of you."
"An ass? He's more than an ass, he's a-"
"Max" interrupted Logan, "please."
Max stood watching him. He was right as always and by normal standards she probably would have had this mess sorted out ages ago – but there were only so much of Alec's stuff ups she could take. But as per usual, one look from Logan was all it took for her to go against her better judgement;
"Ok, fine. I will go to this stupid charity do, but Alec is not going with me."
Logan shook his head, "You need him, if you're going to get those blood samples back."
"No I don't, I can do it myself," she said adamantly.
"Max, who goes to a charity ball without a date? I know you have a few problems with Alec, but I can't exactly go, can I?"
"Oh I'd prefer it if you could."
Logan tapped on the computer desk, "You know it isn't that hard to pretend."
"No, pretending to be a neuropsychologist or a brain surgeon isn't that hard, but pretending to like Alec? Now that's hard."
Logan cracked a small smile, "It's only for the one evening."
Max smiled back, "Okay, okay, okay. Anyway, all the medical talks might just help me to invent a cure for this virus."
"Maybe," Logan said quietly, his hopes obviously not high.
"Well I guess I gotta go and find a dress now," Max said turning to leave.
"Yeah, as long as you don't steal one," yelled Logan.
Max just rolled her eyes shutting the door quietly behind her. As if she'd do that.
"Hey Logan," said Alec as he stepped into the apartment, "So what was so important, cos I was just at Crash and there was this-"
"We need your help," interrupted Logan.
"Who's we?"
"Me, Max and the rest of the transgenics, which includes you."
"Whew," Alec blew, "Sounds big."
Logan walked over to his desk with Alec following close behind,
"That time you got shot-"
"Yeah that's healing okay now, thanks."
Logan just stared up at Alec from his seat with nothing but annoyance plastering his face, "Well that's good for you, but apparently we didn't get you out of that hospital fast enough because-"
"Wait a minute, let me guess-"
Logan wasn't going to wait until Alec grew a brain, "They got your blood sample."
"Oh," said Alec, his face immediately becoming more serious, "Max is gonna kill me."
"Well, no, actually tonight you're going on a date," Logan said smiling.
"A what?" Alec spluttered; his eyes wide open in shock.
"A date," repeated Logan.
"You know very well, if I'm even within just a metre of her, she loses it."
"There's the 35th Seattle Medical Institution Charity Ball tonight at Dr. Murphy's grand mansion."
"And that is related to the blood samples how?"
"Dr. Murphy saw your blood work and he found it, let's just say, interesting. So as you can imagine he's been doing some research."
"So are you saying the blood samples are in that mighty fine mansion," said Alec pointing towards the computer screen.
Logan nodded, "You and Max are going in and getting it out."
"Yeah, well that'll be easy," said Alec sarcastically.
"You're gonna have to be careful though."
"When am I ever not careful?"
Logan glared at Alec,
"Ok, don't answer that."
Turning around on his chair, Logan opened some drawers and pulled out a few pieces of paper, "These," he said, shoving them into Alec's hands, "Are your entry passes and your ID."
Alec flicked through the cards,
"Dr. A. Howard?"
"Suits you."
"Ugh. What kind of name is that?"
"It's better than X5-494."
Alec shrugged his shoulders, "true."
"Ok, now do you have a suit?" the older man asked.
The look on Alec's face was of sheer terror, "A suit? Oh, please don't tell me I have to dress up like a penguin?"
Logan laughed, "You can't go to a charity ball in jeans, t-shirt and a leather jacket."
"Why not?" said Alec stuffing his hands protectively into his jacket.
"Oh, just follow me; you can borrow one of mine."
"Yippee, I get to dress like the computer nerd," said Alec without a hint of enthusiasm.
"I'll pretend I never heard that."
"Ok so what do you think?" asked Max giving Original Cindy a twirl.
"Boo, I think you know what I'm thinkin'."
Max smiled, "So is my barcode covered up?"
"Yep, I'm not seein' a single line of it."
"Good."
The room fell silent as Max continued to tidy up her dress, whilst Cindy sat quietly at the foot of her bed. She was the first to break the silence,
"So you and Logan goin' together as a date?"
"Uh no."
"Then who you goin' with to get back those samples?"
"Um . . . Alec," said Max, not turning around.
"Ah ha," began Cindy.
"Don't even say a word," interrupted Max.
"It's just-"
Max turned around glaring at Cindy.
"Ok, fine," Cindy mimed zipping up her mouth and throwing away the key.
Max's expression softened at the gesture, "I'm sorry, it's just that he always seems to go out of his way to do something to piss me off.
"Plus, he's unbelievably arrogant and still seems to believe he's god's gift to women."
"Sugar, you got some serious issues," Cindy said smiling, forgetting all about the fact that she had just apparently zipped up her mouth, "but you sure still wanna dress to impress."
"For Logan, not for Alec."
"Whatever, honey. You're goin' with Alec remember."
Max rolled her eyes at Cindy and grabbed her handbag from off of her, "Well I'm off to Logan's now, so I'll leave you to your twisted thoughts."
"Have fun boo!"
'Oh yeah I will,' Max thought silently, 'Yeah right, fun? My ass!'
A/N 2: A little on the clichéd side of things but I thought I'd get it up here anywhere. I was looking through some of my old books and I came across it after a very long time, so I would really appreciate it if you'd review and let me know if I should get the rest of the story typed up and on Thanks!