A Is For:

Anything

She didn't understand...and he was beginning to think that she never would. He really would do whatever she asked him to. Go on a heist? Yeah sure, why not? Train the young X-series? Gladly. Be the merry little go between for her and Logan? With bells on. He didn't expect her to understand because he himself didn't, not really.

"What were you thinking?" She demanded, screeched might be a better word. He was glad that they were alone.

"Max-" He started but she cut him off as usual.

"You could have been killed, you could have gotten the others killed. It was stupid and reckless, guess you haven't changed after all." She sneered.

He blinked in surprise and opened his mouth again, "I could not have gotten anyone else killed. I was alone." He ground out, trying to keep calm.

Max paused for a second, "And you think that was smart? Going off and doing...whatever the hell it was you were doing, alone? Without backup?"

He tried to reply again but she interrupted, "What were you doing, Alec? Where the hell were you?"

Alec was getting angry now, "If you would let me talk I might be able to tell you!" He said loudly, talking over any interruptions. She snapped her head back in surprise.

"Well?" She asked, her voice dangerously low.

He put his hand in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small vial, "I got you your damn cure." He said, his voice was just as low and dangerous as hers, "I didn't bring anyone because it was a one man job. I didn't tell you in case it didn't pan out. That's where the hell I was." Max looked at him in shock, she opened her mouth to try and say something but he was already gone. Her eyes fell on the small vial lying on the nearby table. 'I got you your damn cure'. Crap, now she was gonna have to go apologize. And talk to Logan.

The video conference call went as she expected it to, "Hey you." Was his greeting.

"Hey." She replied as always. "I got some news."

"Really?" He asked, already he was in hacker mode ready to solve the latest crisis.

"Yeah...Alec-" Logan cut her off.

"Is he back yet?" He asked reluctantly, Max had been bitching nonstop about Alec since he disappeared 5 days earlier.

"Yeah, just got in today. He brought somethin' back with him." Max hedged.

"Another transgenic?" Logan asked curiously.

"No. The cure." Max blurted out. Silence rang out on Logan's end of the line. Max waited, somewhat impatiently, for him to say something.

"The cure? The real cure?" He questioned.

"Yeah. I had it tested before I called you. It's already been injected, I'm virus free." Max told him.

"For how long?" Logan asked warily, recalling the last time Max got 'cured.'

"The cure eradicated the virus, it's gone for good." Max told him confidently. That was all Logan needed to hear, his face split into a huge smile.

"This is great! We can finally be together, for real this time Max. No dying or viruses to stand in the way." Logan said excitedly.

Max's face took on a distant expression, "Yeah...great."

Logan would arrive in TC later that evening, necessary computer equipment in hand. Max had mixed feeling about seeing him, on one hand she was excited to have the virus out of the way. On the other hand the virus had created a fantastic excuse to remain distanced from him. She hadn't seen Alec since he gave her the cure and she was somewhat anxious to get her apology out of the way.

Max stopped at the table where Mole sat cleaning his gun, "You seen Alec?" she asked the lizard man.

"Princess went out on a mission an hour ago. He should be back within the hour." Mole replied dully.

"Who approved the mission?" Max demanded angrily, Alec had to stop doing this.

"Alec did. There was a trapped transgenic, the cops were closing in on him. It was an emergency no time for paperwork." Mole reported.

"Someone should have told me." Max snapped.

"Someone tried. You told her to get the hell outta your office." Mole sneered back, finally looking at her. His eyes were filled with disgust and anger.

Max sighed and berated herself. She had been so distracted by the cure that she hadn't wanted to see anyone and when Wendy, the transgenic who came into her office, had tried talking to her Max had kicked her out. "Sorry."

Mole looked at her again, "There are a lot of people you need to apologize to. I'm not one of them," he told her. It didn't take a genius to know that he was referring to Alec. Mole hardly talked to her and when he did it was almost always work related, so when he interfered on a personal level she knew that it was about Alec. He and Alec got along great. Max would even call them best friends. Then again Alec seemed to be best friends with everyone in TC. He was so different in here then he was out there.

"Hey Max," a quiet voice said from behind her.

Max turned slowly, preparing herself. Logan was standing there looking at her with warm gentle eyes that were full of excitement and love.

"Hey. Lets go into my office," she suggested with a smile. Together they walked into the office and closed the door behind them.

She and Logan stared at each other in silence, Logan made the first move gently taking her bare hand into his bare hand. Skin on skin for the first time in almost two years. They stared at their joined hands, savoring the moment. Logan basking in the realization that his was real and he could finally have Max. And Max loving the fact that an accidental touch would no longer kill anyone.

Without warning Logan's lips were hovering above hers. She had no time to think before they were crashing down on her. She could feel his love and enthusiasm as he poured every emotion that had accumulated over the last two years into this single kiss. She closed her eyes and willed the fireworks to come sweep her off her feet. She felt nothing. There was no burn, no heat. Had there ever been? Had it all just been an imagined feeling? Had she been so caught up in the excitement of a normal relationship that she had imagined the heat? Or had it just disappeared after the virus?

Logan pulled back and looked at her in confusion after she stopped responding. "Max?"

Max looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Logan smiled kindly, "Don't be. I know it's a lot to process after so long."

Max's face fell even more as she shook her head at his misinterpretation. "No. Logan, I can't do this. Us," she reiterated.

His face went blank, "What?"

"It's not there," she said, hardly audible.

"What's not there?" he asked in desperate confusion.

"The spark. The heat. The passion. It's gone, Logan. Or maybe it was never really there," Max told him, desperate for him to understand. "Maybe it's just been so long that I can't feel it anymore. I dunno," she finished, almost to herself.

"We need to give it a chance. You haven't given it a chance!" Logan argued.

Max shook her head again. "No. If we do this then we'll just fall back into our old pattern and we'll never get out. I can't live like that. A year ago I thought I could but I wasn't being realistic. I don't deserve to have to settle and you don't deserve to have someone settle for you."

Logan stepped back looking like he'd been slapped. "You'd just be settling for me?" he laughed self-deprecatingly. "Of course you would, I always knew that. I'm just ordinary...a paralyzed ordinary at that. You were always meant to be with another transgenic. Alec," he told her, the last word whispered in anger.

"It doesn't matter that your ordinary, paralyzed or not. You are a great person, Logan. You're just not the person for me," Max paused. "What does Alec have to do with anything?"

"You guys have enough unresolved sexual tension to light an entire city, Max. He was your breeding partner at Manticore. You two were meant for each other on a genetic level and as an observer I'd say you were meant for each other on every other level as well," Logan explained sadly.

"Me and Alec aren't like that," Max disagreed vehemently.

Logan smiled sadly, "Neither were we," he hinted.

Max softened immediately. "Yes we were. At some point, we were. I'm sorry, Logan."

"Don't be. I understand. I'll still help you guys as much as I can, of course. I should be getting back, toxins and everything. Goodbye, Max," he said in a rush, the need to leave overwhelming.

"Bye, Logan," she whispered as he walked out of her office.

As Logan was walking towards the secret exits he came across Alec and another strange transgenic. "Hey Logan." Alec called out cheerfully. It didn't escape Logan's attention that he was clutching his left shoulder.

"Alec," he nodded.

"If you continue straight ahead you'll come across HQ. They'll get you all taken care of," Alec told his transgenic companion kindly.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

"Anytime," Alec nodded with a smirk before turning back to Logan. "So how's it goin?" he asked.

"Max and I broke up, for good this time. Thank you for the cure," Logan told him honestly.

Alec's face twisted in confusion, "The cure was supposed to bring about the opposite effect."

Logan laughed bitterly, "Apparently there is no passion anymore."

Alec grimaced in sympathy, "Sorry man."

"Not your fault," 'Not all your fault' he added silently to himself. "Hey, take care of her...and yourself," Logan told him.

"Of course. You take care of yourself too, Logan. Call if you need anything," Alec said seriously.

"I will. You should get that shoulder looked at. GSW?" he asked.

Alec rolled his eyes. "What else? I swear I must have a target on this shoulder," he laughed.

Logan chuckled along with him, "I'll see you around." Alec nodded and walked around him. Logan turned and watched the young transgenic swagger away. The male transgenic had changed a lot since Manticore had burned down, he was still somewhat annoying and sarcastic but he also cared and always got the job done. There was no doubt in his mind that Alec and Max were meant to be together, he had known it since he had first met the cocky kid he just hadn't wanted to admit it. He had hoped that Max would never figure it out, selfish he knew but he hadn't been able to bring himself to care. Now he wished them luck and hoped that it wouldn't take them as long as it had taken he and Max.

Max walked out of her office to see if Alec was back yet when she noticed Dix talking with someone that she had never seen before. "Hello," She greeted, walking up to the transgenic.

"Hi," she replied sweetly.

"Max this is Sugar, Sugar this is our CO, Max," Dix introduced. "Sugar is who Alec went out to retrieve," he explained.

"Welcome to Terminal City," Max welcomed with a smile. "Where is Alec?" she asked Dix, who shrugged.

Sugar answered the question for her, "If you have an infirmary then he's probably there. He took a bullet for me," the transgenic told her, hero worship in her eyes at the mention of Alec's act.

Max barely heard anything after infirmary, of course that was where he was. That's where he always was. She numbly excused herself and hurried towards their hospital area hoping that the wound wasn't too bad.

Alec whistled in boredom as he waited for the medic to finish wrapping his wound. He was getting jittery and anxious to leave. He couldn't believe that Max had broken things off with Logan. After all the trouble he went through to get the cure. It was just like her, never could be happy with what she's got. He couldn't help but feel that tinge of hope and relief though. He was good at hiding it, he was always good at hiding.

"You got ants in your pants?" the medic asked in amusement.

Alec leered. "Among other things," he winked.

Sue giggled. "You never could sit still for more than two minutes," she said rolling her eyes.

"I get bored," Alec defended himself.

Sue laughed again, "And we've all seen what that leads to." Alec joined her laughter. "And you're done," she announced. "Good as new."

"Finally!" Alec exclaimed.

"Hey my work is good. And if you didn't get your ass shot up as much you wouldn't have to see me so often." Sue told him as they left the private room.

"Ahh but then you wouldn't get the pleasure of my company," Alec smirked.

"My life would end," she replied dryly.

Alec laughed again, "Undoubtedly. Thank you," he said in appreciation, leaning down and kissing her cheek.

"You're welcome," she blushed as he turned away. "See you next week!"

Alec laughed once more, "Same time?" he called out over his shoulder.

"You are very consistent," she joked as they walked in their separate directions, both of them chuckling to themselves.

Max watched in relief as Alec and one of the medics walked out of one of the patient rooms. Her relief soon turned to jealousy as Alec leaned down and kissed the medic. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment as she realized she was envious of Sue. She quickly ducked around the corner and left the building. She didn't get far before Alec appeared beside her, walking quickly towards head quarters.

"Alec," she called out, stopping. She watched as he slowly stopped and turned towards her. Cocking his head in expectation as he waited for her to continue. "I'm sorry about this morning. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I was just worried," she blurted out.

Alec smirked. "No problem," he told her before turning back towards HQ.

"How badly are you hurt?" she couldn't help asking, needing him to stay with her longer and not knowing why.

"Just a bullet wound to the shoulder. You know, 'been there, done that,'" he quoted her, making her flinch at the memory of her callousness.

"Sorry."

Alec stared at her in confusion, "Why? You didn't shoot me," he stated.

"No, about before. About everything before. My behavior towards you was inexcusable," she admitted.

Alec looked at her in shock. "Don't worry about it Max. I'm used to it," he told her, realizing his wrong choice in words after she flinched again. He sighed and shifted, uncomfortable with the emotional display, "Look, I'm not exactly the easiest person to get along with. I'm cocky, rude, and am what some would consider a slut," he chuckled. "I don't need or ask people to like me and for the most part I don't care what they think about me. It makes me...unlikable to some people. You happen to be one of them, I don't blame or hate you for that. As long as we're able to get along when it counts then nothing else matters," he finished with a shrug.

Max looked at him in shock. Her eyes narrowed as she thought over his blunt assessment of himself and her thoughts from earlier today. "But that's not who you are, is it?" she asked.

It was Alec's turn to look surprised. "Who I am?"

"It's who you pretend to be. A cocky rude slut. But that's not who you really are. You're not just X5-494, or Simon Lehane. You're not just Ben's clone or just a smart aleck," Max paused, confident in her words. "In here you're kind, work-oriented, and a good role model. Something I never thought I'd hear myself say about you. But I think that it's just another mask you put up so that no one questions you."

Alec sighed in irritation. "Questions me about what?"

Max sucked in a deep breath and looked at him, really looked at him like she never had before. "Who are you, Alec?"

Alec looked at her and her heart broke when she saw genuine confusion on his face. "I don't know what you mean, Max." He was silent for a moment before something clicked as he went over her words. He shook his head and looked at her again. "I am who I need to be."

"What?" it was her turn to be confused.

"I'm X5-494 when someone needs a soldier. I'm Simon Lehane when someone needs a piano playing assassin. I'm Ben's clone when crazy Manticore scientists need a reason to take me apart. I'm a smart aleck because that's what you needed me to be in order to deal with me looking like your brother. In here I'm a kind, work-oriented role model because that's what people need me to be so that they can continue to hope that someday we'll get to live better than this. Out there I was a cocky, rude slut because I didn't know how to adapt so I mimicked what I saw around me. I'm anything anyone needs me to be," he finished with a nod, satisfied with his explanation.

Max was stunned into silence. Her mind processed his words, 'I'm a smart aleck because that's what you needed me to be in order to deal with me looking like your brother'. ' I didn't know how to adapt so I mimicked what I saw around me.' She hadn't realized, it seemed so obvious now. He was trained to be a chameleon. To become other people, and when she burned down Manticore he needed to find someone else to be. She didn't see that, she thought that he was just this happy-go-lucky sociopath. He had been as lost as she was in '09 and she had refused to see it. He knew that she didn't want to see a guy with Ben's face so he molded himself into someone with a completely different personality. She had been blind. 'I'm anything anyone needs me to be.'

"You're anything anyone needs you to be," she repeated. Alec shrugged, relieved that she had finally broken the silence. She looked him in the eyes. "Your anything everyone else needs you to be. Who do you need you to be."

Confusion entered his expression again. "I-" he stumbled. "I'm nobody. I don't need to be anybody, if I had my way I'd be nobody. Just another face in an endless sea of faces." he finally replied with a smirk. He shook his head wanting to get off this topic. "Max, I don't know what you want from me. I'm trying here, I really am. I don't see why you need to know who I am. I get the job done, and I get it done well. You don't like me, that's fine, I don't get why you need to understand me."

"You're wrong. You're not nobody. You could never be nobody," Max assured him.

Alec huffed in frustration and ran a hand through his hair. "Why ask me who I want to be if you're just gonna tell me I'm wrong?"

"Because anyone who has people that care about them can never be nobody," Max told him firmly.

Alec rolled his eyes, "Yes well, as you've so aptly pointed out, no one knows the 'real me'," he mocked using quotations with his fingers. "so how could anyone care about a person that doesn't exist?"

"I think-" Max started thoughtfully. "I think that you just haven't figured out who you are yet. No one's let you. I haven't let you. I do know that whether you're X5-494, Simon Lehane, or Alec McDowel, you have people that care about you. You have an entire transgenic community that cares about 494, Rachel Berrisford cared about Simon, and you have an entire transgenic community, Normal, Original Cindy, Sketchy, Jam Pony in general, and Logan, who care about Alec McDowel. And you have me. I care about you no matter who you pretend to be," she admitted softly.

Alec cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable, "Well...thank you." There was an awkward pause. "Uh- are we done with the Spanish inquisition?"

Max laughed, "Yeah. We're done."

Alec nodded, "Cool. I gotta go make sure Sugar settling in okay," he said quickly leaving before Max started up again.

Max watched him walk of with a better understanding of the man who had stood by her side for the last two years. She was saddened by his confession and was left with the hope that maybe she could help him become someone that he would be proud to be. She was already proud of who he is...whoever that may be.

-End-