Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Dark Angel oh howI wishI did, never have, never will. And no i don't plan to steal it, as much as i do want it :)

Being Who I'm Meant to Be

ChapterOne: Getting Out?

Her seizures had been getting more severe as the days passed. As the ten-year old shook uncontrollably, the rest of her unit tried to cover for her. Some going so far as to forming a wall in front of her, hiding her from eyesight. They were all afraid of what might happen to her. Ever since Jack….

That's when Zack decided they had to get out. He wouldn't risk anymore of his siblings getting killed by the sycophantic scientists that operated at free will in this place.

The only hitch in his plan was speed. They couldn't travel very fast with Max in such condition. But they couldn't leave her behind, she was the soul of the unit, the youngest and most considerate of them.

Always during training, Max had been yelled at. "Eyes front!" They always shouted at her. She couldn't help the fact that she couldn't focus when the seizures hit. Finally, one of the TAC officers got tired of yelling at her to stand at attention. Incompetent girl, she kept shaking, couldn't keep still. Considering his own opinion that she needed reindoctrination, he had gone directly to Lydecker. He informed the colonel of the details of the situation and left the decision with him.

As the condition witnessed in the X5 gradually worsened, the TAC officer eventually became concerned. This was not a problem with following orders. The girl simply couldn't operate her own motor skills when she was like this. When he had given the update to the colonel, he walked away knowing that there was nothing that he personally could do. He shrugged it off as another loose wire in the X series.

Lydecker had gone to the barracks that night to find the whole unit huddled around her bunk. He could see from his position just outside the door that the bed was bucking with 452's seizes.

His heart hurt. The little girl that he felt a direct connection to was in such pain. Out of all of 'his kids,' Lydecker felt like 452, the one who had his wife's eyes, was really his daughter.

He knew there was a way to manipulate the DNA in the X5's after birth, and he knew that there was a way to fix the serotonin imbalance in the brain causing the seizures. He would do something to help her.

"Attention!" Lydecker firmly spoke into the baited breathing of the room. They all looked up, some shifting sideways, but all kept a hand on some part of Max's small form. The poor girl, she was shaking so badly that she couldn't even sit up for attention, though Lydecker could tell that she did try. "452." Lydecker walked over to the twin bed-sized bunk and crouched down to be near her. "I'm going to take you to the infirmary. There is a procedure that we can use… It will stop the seizures, for good."

"Sir," Zack protested. He didn't trust anyone at Manticore anymore. He couldn't let his sister be taken from the rest of them. He couldn't let the same thing happen to her that had happened to Jack. He just couldn't betray his mistrust of command.

"I understand your unease, 599. I assure you, she will be well looked after." Lydecker looked at the eleven year old CO of the unit to emphasize his intent. What he had hoped to relay with his own eyes--care and concern, as well as intent to heal--was reflected in the blonde boy's own navy eyes, along with a healthy mistrust for the man who intended to take his sister away. Zack had heavy doubts that Lydecker would do as he said he would. After all of the times spent in the tank and on the obstacle courses, the hours spent in training for escape-and-evade and catch-the-prisoner, he had just cause for such doubts. The colonel had put the children through what felt like hell. There was no way that this demon could become an angel of grace so fast. But still, if it would make Max better, then maybe it was worth a moment of trust in the enemy. "I promise." Lydecker said the words sincerely enough for Zack to be satisfied.

But it would mean leaving Max behind. Zack weighed the consequences in his mind. They could all stay, live devoid of freedom. Not an option. They could all go, taking Max to an unknown world that may not be able to help her. He wouldn't take the risk. They could go, leaving Max to be supposedly cured, and then eventually try to get her out later.

The instant Zack nodded his acceptance of the colonel's help, he felt like he betrayed himself as well as Max. As Lydecker bent to lift her frail, shaking body, Max reached for Zack arm. She looked at him intently and whispered hastily, "Don't wait up for me." They all knew she wasn't talking about lock down. She had seen the conflicting thoughts weigh in Zack's eyes. Essentially she made the decision for him, accepting the risk. She tried to smile at them all, knowing that with Zack's decision and her approval they would do as she asked. They all knew at that moment that she had decided to face her fate, whatever it would be, staying with Manticore.

END part 1

------------

A/N: Please R&R I would like feed back :) I have some other parts already written for this piece, butI would like to have at least three reviews beforeI post them up.