I'm Only Me When I'm With You
Disclaimer - Dark Angel is not mine, nor do i claim to own it
Summary - Second Chapter.
"Max" he repeated walking towards her "I seen you at the park it was you that bumped into me"
She looked into his eyes "that's right" her voice was hard.
"Why didn't you tell me?" not bothering to wait for an answer he flung his arms around her and pulled her against him. She allowed him to pull her but she didn't return the hug instead she stood rigid in his arms "I missed you so much" he breathed into her hair.
Max allowed herself to close her eyes for a second, she'd missed him too but then his words from earlier seeped back into her mind and her eyes shot open and she pulled away from his embrace.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing" she looked to Mrs McDowell "How long until dinner is ready I'm quite tired I just wanted to sleep"
"Still quite a while you two catch up I'll call when it's ready"
No one had to tell Alec twice he'd do anything as long as he didn't need to help his mother in the kitchen.
Max turned on her heel and walked out of the kitchen, Alec followed "You look great Max"
"Yeah" she scoffed. His face twisted in confusion he couldn't tell why she was being so horrible to him "what's wrong why are you acting like a bitch to me?"
She was about to place her foot on the first step that led to the second landing but turned around to face him "Why?"
He nodded his head "I heard you"
"Heard me?"
She laughed she couldn't actually believe he was this dense "In the park why do you think I didn't tell you it was me"
"In the…" then he suddenly remembered his mouth formed and 'O' shape and he started violently shaking his head "Max I didn't mean anything like that" he stepped towards her but she stepped back away from him.
"You said I looked like a boy and was ugly and fat"
"I didn't mean it!" he fought back.
"Then why say it?"
He sighed "Max my friends can be harsh and I didn't know what you looked like and I wanted to say it before they did"
"I was 12 Alec" she reminded him and he sombrely nodded his head "I know"
"You know?" he looked at her but didn't say anything "when I was 12 you know I hated the way I looked but you were always the one that told me I was fine that it didn't matter now I found out your just the same as the rest of them"
"You are"
"Yeah now because look at me Alec!" she waved her hands around her body "I'm not fat nor do I look like a boy"
"Max please…" she tried but she held up her hand stopping him from talking "I knew it wasn't going to be the same so here's an idea you stay out of my face and I'll stay out of yours I'm only here for a year then you never have to see me again"
"I don't want to stay out of your face" he explained "Max I was so happy you were coming back I didn't care what you looked like I just wanted my best friend back"
"I'm not your best friend never was" she smiled sadly. "Bye Alec" she said in a sickly sweet voice as she once again turned around and headed up stairs.
Alec watched her go and couldn't believe how screwed up everything had became so quick.
He's said what he had to protect her, how was he to know that she would now be the hottest thing he'd ever seen? He'd said it so no one else could because if she still looked the same he knew his friends would tease her or at least try to and then he'd have to kill them not because that's what he thought. Now he'd blown the chance to get to know her again all because he was trying to protect her.
His head fell forward and he climbed the stairs, he stopped outside what he knew was her room because he had spent all off the previous night making it right for her and he had planned on doing more to it tonight because she wasn't meant to arrive until tomorrow.
He knocked on the door but didn't get a response "Max" he said against the door, he could hear her moving around inside "go away Alec" she said in what sounded like an upset tone.
He didn't listen, listening wasn't one of his strong points it never had been, he turned the handle of the door and found it wasn't locked to he walked in.
"Get out!" she demanded jumping up from the bed and standing in front of him "No" he smirked.
"If you don't get out I'll make you" she warned.
His smirk turned into a grin as his eyes wondered down her body as if assessing what damage she could do to him "doubt it" he scoffed.
And before he knew what was happening she had slapped him around the head "Ow!" he complained rubbing the sore spot on his head "if you don't leave I'll do worse" she promised glancing down at his groin for a split second then giving him a slightly evil smile.
"You haven't changed a bit" he commented "still think you can use me as your own personal punch bag"
"If the cap fits" she said with a shrug "gonna forget what I said?" he said giving her his best innocent look "I need my best friend" he said with an honesty to his voice that couldn't be ignored.
"I don't forget anything" she informed him with a smile.
"Ok forgive then?" he suggested.
She placed both her hands on his chest and pushed him back out of the room "I'll think about it" with that she closed the door on his face.
Smiling to herself. He wanted her, that she knew but she wasn't about to let him off that easily, no way and anyway he's right when she was 12 she did look like a boy and was a little chubby.
Walking to the mirror in the room she looked at herself remembering just how she ended up the way she was.
It all started when she was 14, Alec's mum had sent a photo of them when they were at a party and Alec was standing with this girl who looked perfect.
It was the summer Max was meant to be spending with the McDowell's but after seeing that picture she couldn't not until she looked a little better, so that summer she set about changing how she looked, not just for Alec though for her to because ever since she's felt great about herself, so she's glad something gave her the kick she needed to get her ass into shape and boy was it in shape. But after that missed summer Alec basically stopped talking to her because he was annoyed she didn't turn up and over time they just grew further apart that's one of the reasons she was so against coming here but a part of her was glad, she'd missed him more than anything and the chance to be with him again was too good to miss.
At 6.30 Alec's mum called them down for dinner. Walking downstairs Max found Alec's dad waiting on her along with his little brother.
"Max" his father said smiling as he stood forward and hugged the young girl "so good to see you"
"You too Mr McDowell" she hugged him back she'd always liked Alec's dad.
"Hey Jesse" she said smiling at his brother the last time Max had laid eye on him he was only 8 now he was 13 and he looked just like Alec.
"Max" he said in his teenage way. Max laughed, he also acted like Alec.
Next thing Max knew someone jumped down the steps and landed at her side "Show off" she heard Jesse say in a brash tone. There was only one person it could be, she turned her face to the side "Alec" she said "Max" he smiled.
"Let's go eat" Mr McDowell said leading the three kids into the dining room.
"Ladies first" Alec said in a cheeky tone.
Max eyed him suspiciously "I want to watch you walk away" he said as he leant forward and smiled at her.
He could see the look in her eye and ducked before her hand managed to connect with his head
He laughed "Seen that one coming Maxie"
"Don't call me Maxie" she demanded while stomping away and following his dad into the dining room.
Alec's head tilted to the side as he watched her walk away 'I've always called you Maxie' he thought to himself before shrugging it off and following them into the dining room.
Walking into the dining room there was 2 seats free one next to his brother or the one next to Max, just as he was deciding where to sit he could see that Max had realised that there was 2 free seats. She looked up and met his eyes; he smiled then walked towards the table, towards his brother.
Max relaxed when she noticed he was moving to sit beside his brother but at the last minute he changed direction and sat down beside her.
Max closed her eyes and sighed
"So how are you two getting along?" Alec's mum asked breaking the tension between them a little Max turned her attention from Alec and focused on his mother.
But before she could speak Alec spoke "you know us mum" his arm wrapped around Max's shoulders and pulled her towards him slightly "best friends" he grinned and Max gave him a small smile "get your hands off me" she said in a hushed voice trying not to let anyone else hear her.
"Nope" he replied in the same hushed tone.
So in order not to alert Alec's parents to any problems between them Max excused herself went into the bathroom and when she came back she sat down sending a glare towards Alec which told him not to in anyway but his arms near her.
"Looking forward to starting school tomorrow?" Alec's dad asked.
Max was taking a drink of water "tomorrow?" she choked, "Yeah honey didn't you know?" Alec's mum asked leaning over to rub her back.
"I thought it wouldn't be until next week"
"Well I called them earlier and they agreed you could start tomorrow, I didn't think you'd want to wait"
"OK" Max nodded her head
"We're going out to meet a few friends, Alec will you make sure you're brother gets to bed? We'll be home before midnight" his mother asked looking at him.
"Sure" she agreed.
At 10pm that night Max was in the sitting room watching TV.
"Jesse get your ass in that bedroom!" she could hear Alec saying to his brother she couldn't help but laugh because right now Jesse wasn't listening to him.
"Drop dead" Jesse called back as he ran down stairs away from his brother.
"Drop dead?" Alec barked and ran after him, Jesse ran a little faster "I'll kick your ass when I catch you kid" he promised.
Jesse ran into the sitting room and stopped when he noticed Max
"Hi"
"Jesse" Max said with a laugh "giving your brother hell?"
"He deserves it" he assured her "sure he does" she agreed.
Just then Alec barged into the sitting room and lunged at his brother but Max stood up quickly and blocked his path
"Not so fast" she stood in front of him "I'm not letting you hit a kid"
"He's my brother" he said as if that gave him the right to smack him around a little "and he won't listen to me"
Jesse was trying to edge out of the room while Max had Alec's attention "Wait!" Max said snapping her fingers at him and he froze, she turned her head "time to go to bed don't you think?"
He opened his mouth to complain but Max fixed him with a look and said "or would you rather I let him do what he was about to do?"
"Fine" he agreed and walked out of the sitting room, they both listened to his footsteps then heard his room door slam shut.
"Thanks" he said throwing himself down onto the sofa "didn't do it for you"
"Going for a shower then I'm going to bed" not bothering to say goodnight she left him alone in the bedroom.
Alec sighed and went up to his bedroom once inside he stripped down to his boxers and flung himself down onto his bed. At just after 11 he got up off his bed and headed for the kitchen.
It was dark and he wasn't paying attention, that's when he collided with another body.
"Hey!" the feminine voice said "Crap" Alec cursed fumbling for the light switch on the wall, hitting it he turned on the light.
And he was faced with Max, slightly wet and wrapped in only a towel.
"Sorry" he apologised quickly as his eyes roamed over her body "It's ok" she said but for some reason they couldn't take their eyes off of each other.
Alec licked his lips "Nice shower?" he asked casually.
"mmhmm"
"Right"
"Right"
Alec cleared his throat "I better" he said pointing towards the steps "yeah" Max agreed while she stole a quick glance at his body and damn was it so much better than the last time she'd seen it then again he was 12.
The front door opened and his parents' laughter could be heard echoing through the house and it brought them back to earth.
"Goodnight" Max said slipping past him and heading for her bedroom.
"See you in the morning" Alec said watching her until she had closed the bedroom door forgetting what he was doing on the landing in the first place he turned around and walked back into his bedroom.
A/N - Tell me what you think!
