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Nightly encounters

He awoke from his restless slumber to find his arm curled under a warm body.

He didn't even notice that she'd crept into his room and slid into his arms. Now that's saying a lot considering his transgenic senses. It was that scent…her scent, it put him completely at ease.

Vanilla and Leather

Such a contradiction in itself but then again so completely her. Tough and durable with an indescribable passion and a vulnerability she's only begun to show.

His eyes slowly took in the features of her face. He'd been in this position so many times now, he could close his eyes and be able to see every inch of her face. The beauty spot on her cheek. The small scar on her brow, which is usually hidden by her long brown tresses.

His heart breaks when he notices the frown on her face. On a good night it was only a slight pout but most nights he could still see the tracks of her tears as she slept.

With a sad smile he forced himself to remember that she didn't feel the same, she didn't know how many nights he lay there just watching her, trying to memorise the way she felt nestled against his body.

And boy did he have that memory burned into his mind. The way she fit against him made him question once more whether she really had been made for him. Her head lay comfortably in the crook of his neck with her hands splayed across his chest resting on top of his beating heart.

In the morning he wouldn't say a thing. It's the least he could do for her, give her the comfort and warmth of being held.

After all the times she'd saved him, hell she set him free. He wouldn't ask what had driven her to him. It wasn't his place to ask such things. Besides she didn't want him…not like that.

It was raining the first night she came to him. No scratch that, it was practically a tsunami out there. He'd been on sentry duty most of the night and by time he reached his squat of an apartment at TC all he wanted to do was sleep.

Of course that wasn't what someone else had planned for him. Instead he was woken by a sharp knock at the door but he simply turned his head and hoped that whoever it was would just go away.

No more that a minute later he heard his lock being picked and someone had just let themselves in. Instantly he sat upright in his bed, his hand automatically reaching for the glock underneath the mattress.

That's when he heard it. The muffled sound of cries as she came into sight at the doorway of his room. He was too baffled to ask her what had happened or what she had come to find him for.

Realising that he was still holding his gun he quickly dropped it back into its place before cautiously walking towards her and pulling her into his arms. He was actually surprised at the force in which she clung to him, he could feel the wetness, as her tears dripped down his neck.

Never before had he seen her so broken. Well so openly broken in his company. He'd always known how unhappy she was, the bruises he had, a testament to that. But this, no this was something else, something on a completely different level.

When her sobs subsided Alec drew back,

"Max, what's wrong?"

Brown eyes hesitantly rose to meet his. He half expected her to glare at him and spew a 'you tell anyone about this and I'll kick your ass' but instead she just stared up at him, suddenly looking lost and very young.

"I don't want to talk Alec. I just…" Seemingly embarrassed she looked down and mumbled "can you just hold me please…I don't want to be alone."

Shocked and wide eyed Alec could do nothing but nod and say "Of course Maxie, whatever you need." He brought a hand back to hers and gently guided her to his bed, suddenly he wasn't so tired anymore. Gingerly wrapping his arms around her, drawing her close, a million questions popped into his head.

He had no idea what was going on. And apparently at that moment she was not going to tell him.

Funnily enough, for all that shark DNA in her cocktail she fell asleep pretty fast. Must have been exhausted he thought. Those were his last thoughts as his own fatigue carried him into the darkness.

When he woke the next morning he was alone and for a brief moment he wondered if it was all just a dream. Except his dreams involving Max usually went a lot differently and evidence of her presence was her scent all over him.

Confused, he got ready and headed into HQ to find out what the hell was going on. It seemed like everyone had something to show him that morning. He didn't get a chance to see Max until atleast 4pm that day.

Cautiously he knocked on the door to her office before blatantly opening it to step through. There she sat, at her desk amidst a pile of paper not even glancing up to acknowledge him.

"Max"

"Oh hey Alec, is there something you need cause I got a lot to do here."

"Max, what happened last night?" He asked pushing himself closer as he spoke "What's the problem?"

"I don't want to talk about that" she stubbornly replied,

"Well I want to talk about it"

"Alec" she warned, eyes glinting dangerously.

"Max, I just want to help." He pleaded, his eyes begging to see his sincerity and concern.

"Well I don't need your help," Finally she raised her head and added, "I don't need you"

Alec's jaw clenched, he nodded and ground out a "Fine, if that's the way you want it." Turning on his heel he reached for the door but with one last look at her, he saw how defeated she looked. Her shoulders slightly slumped forward and her hands bracing against the wooden desk as if it were the only thing holding her up.

Releasing a sigh he softly said, "It might not mean much Max but I'm here if you do ever need me…see ya later."

They didn't talk about it again but the late night visits continued, he wouldn't ask her about it and she pretended it never happened.

But at night when he held her in his arms she was as open as she'd ever been. So he just gave her what she wanted. He held her like a lover when they slept but in the morning he let her untangle herself and leave. They both knew he was awake but they pretended anyway. It was easier this way.

He watched her in awe and tenderly brushed a strand of hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear.

Why couldn't she see how much he'd changed? Genetically engineered supersoldier and still, x5 494, Alec, would never be enough for her.

As if she were reading his mind her eyes blinked open, searching his own.

"Alec…"

A.N:

To be continued! Update should be sometime next week as long as college isn't too hectic. Please review! It helps the creative juices lol! The next chapter should be in Max's POV. Im thinking that this will be a 3 part piece.