Title: Repercussions

Author: SyFyDiva

Disclaimer: I do not own Dominion or any of its characters. I just want to play with them for a bit.

Rating: PG

Summary: Quick One-Shot of Alex's thoughts as Michael punishes him in episode 1. (working from memory, so not word for word as the episode went. But you get the basic idea.)

Repercussions

"Leave the whip."

My head shot up slightly as I heard those words. Not that I hadn't been expecting them...Michael always favored the whip when he thought punishment was needed...but that didn't make hearing the certainty in his words any easier.

I hated the whip.

"You know the rules and why they exist.." Michael was saying. "Everything in Vega serves a purpose. For the protection of all, the gates are inviable."

"We have a right to leave." I fumed, heat rising to my face. "We all do."

"No." Michael said calmly. "You don't."

Emphasis on the word 'you' and I looked struggled not to roll my eyes. He was holding that damn whip.

"Tell me about the angels."

That I could do. Let's focus on the angels out there and not on the one in here. "There were three of them. All eight balls. But they were different. One could change shapes. A soldier. He had wings."

Michael didn't look happy. "Where were they?"

"A few miles down the strip."

"And what were they doing?"

I allowed a small smirk. It was funny. "Playing Texas Hold em."

Michael raised an eyebrow and my smirk grew. "I'm not kidding."

"And what were you doing out there." Michael asked, causing me to lower my head without answering. I couldn't tell him why I'd been out there. No one could know. Especially not him.

Michael nodded to himself, momentarily lost in thought, before turning his attention back to me and the matter at hand. Damn it.

"You know the punishment for going outside the walls." Michael was saying, staring down at me. I forced my gaze up to meet his.

Yeah, I knew the punishment.

"I'll be purged." I said, trying no to let my voice betray the worry that I felt. I'd been V1 before. Bottom of the totem pole. Not enough food. No freedom. But I was older now. I could handle it better. Let them purge me. They wouldn't break me. Not this time.

Michael was shaking his head. "No. You are Archangel corps. But if you every do something like this again, I'll not spare you."

He moved behind me, so I was able to roll my eyes at that statement without him seeing me. Spare me? Since when had he ever spared me?

The longer he stood behind me, the more nervous I became.

"Do you understand?"

I didn't say anything. No, I didn't understand. I had the right to leave. Regardless of what he thought.

The sound of the whip hitting the floor ignited goose bumps on my skin. I struggled not to cringe as sweat broke out on my brow.

I really hated the whip.

"Stand up."

I took a deep breath, my mind instantly telling me to stand up and run. I had the right to leave the city, despite what Sir High and Mighty Archangel said. I had that right.

But he was right. No I didn't. I was sworn to obey him.

I stood up, placing my hands on the table in front of me while I slid the chair away, slowly, with my foot. A breath escaped me loudly as I tried to stand there with as much dignity as I could muster. How many would it be this time?

Waiting was the worst and Michael knew that. He let me sweat it out for several seconds before I heard the soft whistle of the whip slicing through the air and braced for impact. Pain scorched my back as I grunted from the impact, proud that no sound escaped. He wouldn't hear me cry.

Another strike and I grunted again, my eyes closing as fiery pain exploded across my skin. He wasn't holding back this time. Michael was putting every ounce of strength he had into this.

Another one and this time, a cry almost escaped. Christ but that one hurt and I squeezed my eyes shut again to stop the tears from escaping. He was waiting for me to beg him to stop.

No way in hell would I ever do that.

I braced for another strike even as a savior entered the room, calling for Michael to stop.

Riesen.

Who would have thought he would ever step in to save me.

"I think that's enough Michael." Riesen said, looking at me as I struggled to control my breathing and clamp down on the humiliation of another person seeing me like this. "I'd say he's learned his lesson. Haven't you boy?"

Boy?

I raised my eyes to look at him even as I bristled at the term he'd used to describe me. Like I was some disobedient child.

I could feel Michael bristle at the intrusion as well, but for different reasons. The sadistic asshole angel liked beating me. And his punishments rarely ended with a beating. I was getting off easily this time, if Riesen had his way. Michael was brutal in his show of dominance.

"Tell no one about the angels." Riesen said to me, still looking over my shoulder at Michael. "Now go back to your duty."

With as much dignity as I could muster, I gave him a small nod, squared my shoulders, and walked stiffly out of the room, away from Michael.

As I walked away, I heard the two men get into a heated debate regarding, of all things, me. I almost scoffed. They wasted so much time on a lowly Sergeant in their army. I'd never been able to figure out why.

I almost wished for the anonymity that my friends had.

I was no more special than they were.

But deep in my soul, I knew that wasn't true. Things were happening in Vega. And I couldn't shake the feeling that I was going to play a major role.

Sighing, I headed for my duty assignment, pushing the nagging feeling aside.

Let it come.

The End

My first Dominion fanfic. Hope you liked it. Please review! ~ SyFyDiva

I haven't written anything in quite some time, so please be nice!