DREAM AND NIGHTMARES

CHAPTER ONE

"Just exactly how big an idiot do you take me for?" Alec's words were almost as cold as the look in his eyes. "Where should I start?" answered Max.

Logan sighed heavily. Here we go again he thought.

Alec had only just arrived at Logan's apartment and already Max was giving him a hard time. Asha moved over to Logan at his desk and whispered. "What happened this time?"

Logan merely shook his head with a 'you don't want to know' look on his face.

Asha took a seat next to Logan and the two of them watched on as the row escalated.

"So where is it then?" demanded Max. "You lost it, didn't you?!"

Alec raised his hands and sighed. "There's just no winning with you! I made one mistake and you're never gonna let me forget it!"

Alec turned away and started to leave the room. Max stormed up to him and grabbed his shoulder. "Where the hell do you think you're going? We ain't done here!"

Alec turned his head and locked eyes with her. His hazel-green eyes burned with rage. Max let go of his shoulder and took a step back. She'd seen that look of his before and it always meant trouble.

Alec took a step toward her. "No, you ain't done here. I'm gone!" with that, he turned and left the room. He quickly returned, wearing his leather jacket and holding his backpack. Alec opened a pouch on it's front, pulled out a disk and threw it to Logan.

"Here. Everything you asked for is on that. I outta here."

Logan caught the disk and shot Max a 'shouldn't you apologise' look. Max took the hint but knew better than to say anything until Alec had calmed down. Saying sorry too soon would just piss Alec off even more. Max knew that.

Asha jumped to her feet and rushed after Alec. She caught up with him just before the elevator doors closed. "Crash?" she said jumping into the elevator.

Alec looked her up and down, it always made Asha's spine tingle when he did that. "Sure." said Alec as the doors finally closed.

"Is it all there?" asked Max nervously. She tried to focus on the screen but the words meant nothing to her.

Logan nodded. "Every last bit of what I asked for and more!"

"What do you mean? More?" Max asked curiously.

Logan had the biggest smile on his face. "I could kiss that boy right now!"

"That's a little creepy down you think?!" laughed Max.

Logan laughed with her. "He's not only got the virus info we need, but so much more! I can't imagine how long he spent finding all this!"

Max was growing more curious by the second. "What do you mean?"

Logan turned the computer screen so she could get a better view of the information. "He's not only checked but crossed-checked, referenced, linked and calibrated more info than I've ever been able to find!"

"But what does it say?" Max was getting annoyed with Logan's hero worship now.

"You see that?" asked Logan pointing at the screen. "That is the chemical coding of the virus they based your one on! And that,"

Logan clicked and opened another window on the screen. "Is the name of not only the company they got it from but also has the name of the man who created it! This is my favourite part though." Yet another window opened on the screen. "This, is the actual coding of your virus!"

Asha gazed at Alec as they finished their drinks. She was sure he must have noticed by now but he had not said a word. In fact, he had barely said a word since they arrived. Alec stood up sharply, grabbed their glasses and headed over to the bar for a refill. Asha watched as he ordered, her eyes drifting all over his body. every time she looked at his face she could almost feel how angry and hurt he must be. No matter what he said or did, he could never get it right according to Max. Asha always wondered why a guy as gorgeous and obviously independent as Alec, would make all that effort, take all those verbal beatings and still jump if Max needed him.

Alec gently set her drink down in front of her. "Penny for them?"

Asha jumped slightly, she had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Alec get back. Now he sat there expectantly. "Well?" he said.

Asha blushed. "I was just wondering."

"About?" Alec asked. That heart melting grin of his firmly on his face.

"You!" Asha paused when she saw his look change to a more serious one. "I just cant figure you out!"

Alec smiled. "I am a bit of a mystery!"

"One I'd like to know more about!" Asha said, unable to hide the smile creeping across her face. Alec leaned across the table a kissed her. "Come home with me!" he said softly, his hand caressing the side of her face. Asha simply smiled and kissed him back.

Max and Logan rushed into Crash. Max's vision zoomed quickly around the bar area but Alec was nowhere to be seen. Logan checked the back room but only found Original Cindy beating Sketchy at pool. Sketchy didn't seem too impressed. "Hey! No Fair! You've been getting lessons, ain't you?!" O.C laughed. "Damn straight, Sketchy. No way was I letting you win again." Sketchy had to know. "Who?"

"Who'd you think? The man himself!" laughed O.C again. Sketchy shook his head. "I should have know! So much for Alec being my bud!"

Logan walked over to them. "Have you guys seen Alec?"

Sketchy shook his head again. "Seems everybody wants him these days!"

O.C just laughed again. She turned to Max who had also come in to the back room. "Hey Boo, you looking for your boy too?"

Max nodded. "Yeah, but he ain't my boy!"

O.C gave Max one her special 'if you say so' looks. "He just left with Asha. Looked pretty cosy too."

"Yeah." added Sketchy. "I'd leave him tonight if I was you. If you get what I mean."

Only O.C saw the flash of upset on Max's face. If it had been anyone else, they might have mistaken it for something else but O.C knew Max better than that.

Sometimes, O.C felt like she knew Max better than even Max did.

Sketchy went to the bar with Logan as they got the drinks in. Max stared into space for a few moments then turned to O.C. "I'm glad Alec's found someone."

O.C knew better than to comment anything more than. "Of course you are, Boo!"

Logan and Sketchy quickly re-appeared and the four spent the rest of the night laughing and joking about anything and everything. O.C did the occasional side glance at Max and although Max was hiding it well, O.C could tell instantly that Alec being with Asha was more than just a 'glad for him' kind of thing.

Max went straight to bed when they got home. O.C shook her head as Max's bedroom door closed. "You got it bad, Boo!"

Asha lay on Alec's bed breathless and in absolute amazement. Oh My God she thought to herself. Alec had got up for a glass of water. Asha could feel her heart beating so fast, she thought it was trying to escape. They had just finished having the best sex she had ever experienced. She could still feel his breath on her neck, his hands touching her body and his heat! She could still feel him between her legs and deliciously deep inside her. Alec re-appeared in the bedroom doorway and smiled at her.

Asha raised herself up on to her elbows, smiled back and slowly opened her legs. "Ready, willing and very able, sir!" Alec did not need told twice. He climbed up the bed and, as his lips found hers, entered her even deeper than before. Asha moaned with absolute pleasure as the magic flowed between them. Beads of sweat trickled down their bodies and without realising, Asha clawed her nails down Alec's back. They reached their peak of passion and Asha felt the entire universe drifting away as wave after wave of sheer bliss swept through her body.

Max was standing at her locker at work. Her glove had been torn when she had taken a tumble on her last run so she had come back to change them. "That's the third time this month, Max. Everything okay?" said Alec appearing from the corner and opening his own locker. Max smiled. "Hey, Alec, Sorry about the other day at Logan's."

Alec smiled and shook his head. "Already forgotten." he said as he closed his locker.

Max was so glad he did not hold a grudge. "You busy later? I was thinking, I'd buy you a thank you drink at Crash." Max asked as Alec passed directly in front of her. He stopped and looked her in the eye. "I just love how generous guilt makes people."

"I'll take that as a yes then." said Max with a smile.

That's when it happened. It seemed to come from nowhere and took them both completely by surprise. Their eyes had been locked on each other as they spoke.

A spark, or something even more powerful passed between them. A moment where nothing else existed.

The next thing they knew, they were locked in a passionate embrace. Their mouths finding each others and their tongues entwining as they kissed. They rolled along the lockers and slipped in to the back store room.

Alec locked the door behind them so they would not be disturbed as Max pulled his belt off, his fly open and his jeans down around his ankles.

Pinning her against the nearest wall, Alec lifted her top and kissed his way up from her waist to her neck, paying very special attention to her perfectly formed breasts. Alec slipped his hand down in to her jeans and Max moaned happily as she felt his fingers ease inside her. Max took a gentle but firm hold of his manhood and tugged it teasingly until it reached full size. Max then opened her own jeans and slid them down as far as they would go.

There was no going back now. Their kiss grew stronger. Alec caressed Max's breasts with his left hand and gripped her buttocks with his right. Max gripped Alec's buttocks firmly with both hands and drew him inside her as she parted her legs.

The sex was more powerful and passionate than either of them had ever known before. Alec's powerful upward thrusts and Max's firm grip pulled him even deeper inside her. They both tried desperately not to scream out as they rolled along the wall before finally landing on and old wooden table. Max kicked off one leg of her jeans, allowing Alec even closer, even deeper.

Breathing became harder as they reached the point of no return. Max pulled him as close in to her as she could as they were overcome by the simultaneous climax.

Max sat bolt upright in her bed. What the hell? she scanned the room as she tried to catch her breath. She was alone. A dream? I dreamt that? Why the hell did I dream that? she thought frantically. She looked at the clock. It read 08:00. Coffee. Max decided it would clear her head and hopefully erase her dream. Max padded softly through to the kitchen. She didn't see any point in waking O.C.

"Mornin' Boo." said O.C from her seat at the table. "There's fresh coffee in the pot."

"Thanks." said Max as she poured herself a big mug of it. "You couldn't sleep either huh?"

O.C fixed Max with one of her 'not happy but not surprised' stares. "You woke me up with all your oh so happy noises."

Max couldn't see it for herself but she could certainly feel the heat of the blush as it swept across her face. "It was just one of those dreams, O.C. Sorry for waking you."

"A dream it may have been, Boo. But it sure wasn't Logan's name you were screamin."

Max's eyes widened as she felt an even stronger blush sweep over her face. She was so embarrassed, as if she would die from it at any minute. It didn't help matters that O.C now wanted details and wouldn't stop until she got them.

To Be Continued….