Title- That darn dog followed me home again……….

Disclaimer- I don't make the toys I just play with them

Summery- What is there is a reason Alec followed Max home and continually protects her maybe the mysterious runes that appear on his skin will explain it??????? Alec POV

NOTE- I only made a few small changes and combined my chapters enjoy



Life in terminal city has never been easy but we're making a pretty good go at it. My mat is on the floor right next to Max's so I don't mind that much. It keeps her closer which means I can protect her. I never could figure out why I feel like I need to she can take care of herself. Kick my ass from her to New Orleans.

But here I am in a place that is scarily close to where we came. With Max barking out orders left and right. But hey the down time's a hell of a lot better.

"Hey get your lazy ass out of bed already, come on I got a job for us." Can you guess who that is? Ah you're good Max of course.

"Ah come on five more minutes" I roll over and act like I'm asleep.

"Fine you have 10 minutes to get your ass out here," it only takes one good kick to the back to get me going but hey whatever works. The showers here are all cold. We managed to hook up a running water system by hacking into the pipes nearby. Someone gonna have a really high water bill this month.

Only takes me a minute to get my close off and into the water. Getting in and out quickly is definitely something I'm learning to master. As soon as I'm out I take a look in the mirror. That's when I see it. Sharp black lines on my chest, arms, and back. "You have to be kidding me," I almost felt like laughing but I didn't. "MAX" I yelled hoping she was still nearby which she was.

"What you need help ya big baby I mean ……what the hell" As soon as she opened the door she saw them too. The runes marring my skin. She starts running her fingers over them concentration on what they could possibly say I think. "Will you hold still, ok I think we should get you to Logan ASAP have him translate this stuff but I really do have a job for us to do so hurry up and get dressed" I do.

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Logan's place, or the computer room whichever you prefer

How fun is this gonna be right. "Logan you gotta check this out" as soon as Logan's in few Max takes my wrist and shows him the marking which as shockingly similar to Max's own.

"Oh gotch ya." He starts wondering around his little room to find his digital camera "Anymore?" I can only nod. I really don't like this. "Ok then let's see take off your shirt!"

"But Logan we hardly know each other" I say with my trademark smile, both of them just glare as me. My smile falls "Fine." I soon find myself straddling the back of a chair while Logan looks over the markings on my back. He takes pictures of all the marking before I can leave. "Can I go now?"

"Go shoo; I should be done translating these by tonight come back then both of you." I practically run out all this poking and prodding is definitely not for me.

"Don't we have some mission to go on or something," the look on her face was priceless like she completely forgot.

"Come on" she grabs by the wrist and half drags me to where our motorcycles are waiting.

"I can't believe you dragged me out of bed for that."

"What is was important" Max says exasperated with me

"Yeah whatever lets just head over the Logan's already" I hope he's figured this out. Really really hope

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The bearers of these marks shall be by the side of the one whose power is hidden

The bearers of these marks shall defend the life of the one, shall be leaders among the runes, The Protectors…

"It goes on like that"

"Call me a moron but huh? What is that supposed to mean?" and what's with the plural

"Well the one whose power is hidden would be Max, I think your supposed to protect her and fight with her in the final battle." I turn my head slightly to the side to check Max's reaction, she seems as confused as me her head tilting slightly to the side, while reading the rest of the translation.

"Hey why is everything plural??? The protectors, the bearers…?"

"What, um my guess is Ben was a part of this too. Looks like he would have been another protector."

"Great" I whispered, as soon as the words past my lips I regretted them. No more like I regretting letting Max hear them. Great I made her mad at me once again good job Alec. We left without another word, and started out walk back to out living spaces. "Hey, do you think I'll get some cool powers too?" I get a smile on my face thinking about it. I get nothing more than a "Pff" out of her. I really should of made that comment. "Ok" I make her stop walking by grabbing her arm, she automatically pulls away. "Look I'm sorry for what I said I didn't mean for it to sound the way it did. I just.."

"Don't worry about it. I know you don't like him, even though you never met him. You have every right not too. But it's just hard to find out that this person I cared about and then killed was a part of this too, like maybe I put everything in jeopardy. I'm supposed to save the world or something and I just don't think I can do and now I know your gonna be by my side but he was too."

"So you're actually glad this happened. That I'm a part of this."

"Well yeah I'm glad I'm not alone anymore we're in this together right?" she moves her fist out waiting for my response.

"Always" we knock fists and head to bed it's getting late. Some people may not need to sleep but others like me do. The last thing I remember before I fell asleep was Max reaching out and taking my hand then I drift into my restless slumber.

Next thing I know I'm standing in a field looking out as the grass beneath my feet begins to burn. ~~Where am I? What is this place?~~ I don't see anyone around then I hear it.

~~Hey you…… Long time no see huh?~~ the voice was deep, strange yet I can't help but feel like I know it from somewhere.

~~Who are you?~~ I finally ask and I see a figure just beyond my range of vision behind a drape of smoke. Everything in this place seems to revolve around him. It took what felt like an eternity for the smoke around him to clear. ~~YOU!!~~

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~~Who else would it be?~~ Even as I look upon him for the first time I can remember, rage fills me. I strike out. We fight evenly matched for a short time then he takes the upper hand, with a blow to the chest that knocks me several feet. Next thing I know he's leaning over me and I can't move. ~~Hey now calm down, you can't struggle all you want but you still won't be able to move.~~

~~What if I don't wanna, Big brother....~~ I can't stop my trademark cocky smile from showing up. He doesn't seem nearly as amused as I am. I struggle for several more minutes before I finally do settle down.

~~Good boy~~ he says calmly. ~~My time here is short there are many thingy you know nothing off. When the pain subsides it is the time for searching. Our path was planned for us long ago, but with my death things have changed, your destiny has been made more difficult but is ultimate destination remains the same. You are the protector, you will decide the outcome of everything. ~~ Wind and smoke come out of no where and cover him in a sheet of smoke as he walks away. ~~When the time comes you will understand everything~~

~~No wait!!! What does that mean??~~

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"No wait!!! What does that mean??" The words were whispered but Max still heard them. She slowly opens her eyes and turns towards where Alec was asleep. She can see him moving around slightly as if held down by some invisible force. His face drenched in sweat, twisted in confusion.

"Alec? Alec? Hey wake up" she speaks loader with each word hoping he would wake "Come on Wake up"

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~~Come on Wake up!!~~

I wake with a start sitting straight up. "Hey are you ok? Looked like you were having a nightmare or something?"

"Not a nightmare, I'm not sure what it was but it was cryptic" really really cryptic. "You are the protector, you will decide the outcome of everything?"

"What?" Max asks having no idea what I just said.

"My dream that's what my dream said that and 'When the time comes you will understand everything' mean anything to you"

"Nope not really but a dreams a dream right? So any new tattoos yet?" I can only nod after pulling the collar of my shirt out to peak inside and seeing the new markings. "Maybe they will help decipher your dream?" Max shrugs her shoulders "Let's head to Logan's shall we." Sure why not what's another round of poking and prodding gonna do to me right? The walk is short but it feels like it takes an eternity.

Everything seems to be spinning, I don't know if I'm still walking or not. But I can hear Max saying something but I'm not sure what it is. I can feel pain seizing up inside my chest. I feel like I can't breathe. Max is by my side as I find myself no longer standing but on the ground, on my knees. I know Max is the only thing keeping me upright.

I can feel myself shaking in her arms. As I look up at her face, fear clearly there, as she calls out for help. Everything turns black until my eyes open one last time to see that I'm being places in a bed. As soon as I touch it, I can feel it shaking along with me.

The darkness comes again.

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As my consciousness finally returns I is see Max sitting next to me on the bed. My shaking seems to have slowed but not completely stopped. " Alec?" she takes my looking up at her in response "Hey how you feelin'?"

"Uh like crap" I try to swivel my body around and swing my legs over the side of the bed I fail pretty miserably simply falling back into the position I awake in.

"Good, don't scare me like that What happened? One second you were fine then boom out like a light" I can only shrug my shoulders in response. Not having a clue.

"I don't know but I feel different. And no I don't know how I just feel like everything's different. When the pain subsides it is the time for searching. That's what he said in my dream. But searching for what?"

"Wait what who's he who told you?"

"Ben he was in my dream he told me that it's a time for searching but for what? Hey how long was I out by the way?"

"About 2 hours actually really had me worried"

"Sorry, I'll try to give you a heads up next time alright?"

"Good" I try to sit up again and this time I'm successful but not with out making my head spin a little. And of course Logan takes this opportunity to come on in.

"Ok I think I've finally got this whole thing pieced together, Thanks to the latest of Alec's tattoos and .."

"Hey wait wait, when did you see the latest in the Alec tattoo series huh? Ok what does a guy have to do to get a little privacy? I was only out for 2 hours."

"Chill out Alec, we thought maybe it would help us figure out what was happening to you. Whatever it was, it wasn't your usual X5 seizure." Logan pulls out a piece of crumpled paper; my guess is the newest translation.

"So what does it say?" Max and Logan exchange a look. "Come on it can't be that bad what does it say?"

"No I think we should wait until you're feeling better for this. Or at least sure it isn't gonna happen again. Alright?" Max can be really really annoying sometimes

"Oh come on you have to be kidding if it's about me I think I should get to see it. Now if you don't mind?"

"Nope not today"

"But.."

"NO!!!!!"

"Ugh fine Mom we'll wait happy now." God she's exasperating sometimes.

"Good now rest." She pushes me back down to the position I had just gotten myself up from. There is no point in fighting her.

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I come in darkness, but fill the mind with light.

I bring enlightenment to some while gripping others with fear.

With me, it can be a journey of joy or sorrow. Journey with me and what you see may haunt you.

Journey with me and you may never want to return home.

What am I? I am a dream. I am a hope for the future.

I can change everything for the better or the worse.

There are many tests that will come to pass.

With each passage or failure, a decision will be made.

The first is already done but more shall come

"That's it. And you wouldn't tell me this last night why?"

"Oh just shut up, I thought we'd let you rest." Gee only here for five minutes and I'm already pissing her of gotta be a new record or somethin'. "Let's go we got some stuff to do, you'll probably even find it fun" She smiled to herself which makes me think she's right.

"And to what pleasure will I be working with you today?" I can't help but follow up with a small bow and a trademark grin. But I only get a glare. "Oh come on lighten up, you said this is gonna be fun remember. So what are we doing anyways?"

"Well we're runnin' low on supplies so we're gonna go and steal some more money from the first lucky drug dealer we run into. Oh and you can beat them up if you want, then we go and get the supplies and find out way back in to terminal city. Sound fun? "

"Actually no, why would I find this fun exactly?"

"Because for one it does not involve us running around in the sewers." She got me on the that one "Come on let's go already"

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"How'd it go?"

"Got the supplies, of course we also got a little bit of trouble on the way if you can't tell." She swings her head in my direction pointing out the fact I'm covered in sewer goo.

"It'll be fun she says no sewers she says yeah right you know one of these days I'm just not gonna come." Of course she doesn't believe me but one day. "You could of at least warned me."

"I did warn you I said 'don't tempt me' but you just kept on pushing I can't help if I push back now can I." Grrrrrrrrrr I almost feel the growl coming off my lips but it doesn't. Slowly almost feral she walks over stands on her tip toes and sniffs the side of my face only to take a few steps back with two fingers pinching her nose. "Now will you go get cleaned up already, you smell like well, the sewer. Go Go, please go"

"Not until I get a hug," I grabbed her before she could move getting only a squeal in response, "What Max it's good enough for me but not you."

"Ew ew come on put me down." I ablidge but only long enough for her to complain "Now I have to take a shower too.. AHH no no" Before I know it we were in an all out wrestling match. No one really willing no one really trying to just for once being what never had the chance to be before. Two carefree kids playing a carefree game. Without a worry in the world.

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