Alphabetically in Love

Alphabetically in Love

Disclaimer: Much to my dismay I do not own Dark Angel, even more upsetting, I don't own Jensen Ackles, but a tranquilizer gun could soon set that to rights…

AN: Daughter was partially inspired by Seamagik's A to M alphabet collection, more specifically her "Daughter" short, what Sea wrote got me thinking, so it's sort of a flip side.

AN2: Cold K, Daughter K+

Cold:

It is twelve years to the day since my unit and I escaped from Manticore. Twelve years since I fell beneath the ice and lost the only family I'd ever really known. I can still remember the feeling of the cold as it seeped into my bones, making my blood slow and my brain shut down. I can remember with perfect clarity ever moment that passed under the ice, how long before my lungs started to burn, the sleepy feeling as my body began to die. The freedom of my first breath after surfacing, the sound of the snow crunching under my feet. But what I remember most is that the cold never really left, it lingered even after my trembling body was warmed. Sometimes I can pretend like it has, that the cold was just a result of hypothermia, nothing more. But on this day, not even I can deny that the cold is still inside me, spreading out from my core until I'm burning with it.

It is twelve years to the day since my unit and I escaped from Manticore. Twelve years since I fell beneath the ice and lost the only family I'd ever really known. I can still remember the feeling of the cold as it seeped into my bones, making my blood slow and my brain shut down. Its twelve years since I have truly been warm.

XXXXXXXXXX

It is twelve years to the day since Max and her merry band of miscreants escaped from Manticore. Twelve years since they came for me in the middle of the night, tearing me away from the only family I'd ever really known. I can still remember the feeling of the cold seeping up through my bare feet on the concrete floor, the way it climbed up my body chasing away the warmth I'd felt when I was lying safe in bed, until every inch of me was shaking. I can still remember with perfect clarity the terror as they led me down the corridor to PsyOps, my pleas for forgiveness, and the confusion I felt because I hadn't done anything wrong. The hatred for my brother, and all the other 09ers who were the cause of my suffering; the sound of the other twins as they cried out, even though they knew no one would save them. But what I remember most is that the cold never really left, it lingered even after I'd been released from PsyOps and placed in a new unit. Sometimes I can pretend like it has, like I'm always alright; that the cold was just a bad dream, the result of a young boy scared and alone, nothing more. But on this day, not even I can deny that the cold is still inside me, spreading out from my core until I'm burning with it.

It is twelve years to the day since Max and her merry band of miscreants escaped from Manticore. Twelve years since they came for me in the middle of the night, tearing me away from the only family I'd ever really known. I can still remember the feeling of the cold seeping up through my bare feet on the concrete floor, the way it climbed up my body chasing away the warmth I'd felt when I was lying safe in bed, until every inch of me was shaking. Its twelve years since I have truly been warm.

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Daughter:

Alec looked down at the little girl in frustration.

"Abigail, you know the rules, no stories before bed on Sunday, it's a school night and you need your sleep." The dark haired girl gave no verbal response, a widening of her eyes and a slight tremble in her lower lip the only sign she had heard him.

"Your momma's gonna be here tomorrow, do you want to get me in trouble?" He tried again, appealing to that soft hearted nature she'd inherited from her mom, along with the hair, and knack for wrapping him around her finger.

"Please? Just one eensy, teensy, little story," Abby begged; eyes pleading as though all her happiness rested in being told a story before bed. Alec sighed and new he was defeated, he'd never been able to resist those eyes, and he hoped she never learned to use her powers for evil.

"One story," he conceded. Abby squealed and clapped her little hands together in glee. At his stern eyebrow raise however she settled down into the pillows and arranged an angelic look on her face, big eyes still sparkling in mischief.

Alec smiled slightly to himself, knowing he was whipped. Abigail was her mother's daughter in almost every way; especially as he looked at her now, the face of an angel and eyes that promised trouble. The intent in her eyes was pure Max, but the color, that she had gotten from her father.

"Ahem," the little voice broke Alec from his reverie. "Once upon a time," she prompted.

Alec smiled at the mini-Max impatiently waiting for her story.

"Once upon a time," he began indulgently as she settled in to hear the tale, now assured that he'd be telling it right. "There was a beautiful princess, and she lived in a tall tower hidden in an enchanted forest."

"Why would a princess want to live in a tower?" Abby's little voice interrupted.

"Hold your horses I'm getting there!" Alec chided the girl with a soft tap to the end of her nose. "The Princess had lived in the village just outside the enchanted forest for many years; but she was special, different from the people who lived there, and some of them were afraid of her. Now one day the Princess was kidnapped by a dragon; the dragon, while horrible on its own, was controlled by an evil witch. And after she escaped the Princess decided to live in the tower, so nobody could ever get to her again."

"Who rescued the Princess?"

"No one rescued her."

"Then how did she get away to live in a tower?"

"She rescued herself."

"The Princess can't rescue herself," Abby said, speaking slowly as if trying to explain a simple concept to someone very dim.

"This one can," Alec answered. "In fact, after she chopped off the dragon's head and vanquished the witch she led all the other innocents that the witch had taken to freedom. Many of these people had been cursed by the witch, or were special, like the Princess, and didn't want to live in the village. So they all moved into the enchanted forest, and made a new home for themselves. One of the people rescued was her brother whom the witch had cursed with the face of a dog, so everyone would fear him; but the princess saw through the enchantment to the sweet man inside, and broke the spell, and soon all could see her brother the Prince for who he truly was."

"Wow. That's some princess," Abigail mussed.

"Yeah," Alec replied. "She is," Alec shook his head to clear his thoughts and continued the story. "Anyway, after her escape the Princess shut herself away in the tower, the only people she allowed to come up were her brother the Prince, and the village Wise Woman who had been her best friend before she was captured. Eventually word spread of the beauty in the tower, and many men tried to win her love, but she kept her heart locked away in fear.

One day a rich knight came to call upon her, he was smart and romantic; and he told her many tales of how he helped the innocent. The stories of how he'd saved people made the Princess want to do something to help too. So she came down from her tower, and the two went off saving the poor and defeating the bad guys. But at the end of each adventure, the Princess would climb the stairs back to her tower, and the Knight was never allowed in.

While off on one of their adventures the princess and the knight met another man, he was a soldier who had been freed by the Princess. The Soldier was brave, handsome, and funny, in fact, he was the only person apart from the Prince and the Wise Woman who could make the Princess laugh. The Soldier was so taken by the Princess's heroism and determination that he agreed to help vanquish an evil lord who was taxing his people into starvation to feed his own greed. Together the three made short work of the evil lord and the Princess returned once more to her tower.

As time passed the Knight grew more and more fond of the Princess, but it was the Soldier who became her friend. Eventually the Princess began to leave her tower just to spend time with the Soldier. Now, the Evil Witch, you remember her right?" Alec looked into those eyes of Abby's, so wide they were like pools you could swim through. Abby couldn't even respond she was so caught up in the story; she merely nodded her head to show she remembered and waited for him to continue. Alec gave a small smirk before starting up the tale again.

"Well, the Evil Witch hated the Princes so much that with her final breath she put a curse on her; that the first man who fell in love with the Princess would die if she touched him!" Alec smiled at the small gasp allowed to escape past Abigail's lips. "One day the Knight woke up and realized he was in love with the Princess, and not being one to waist time simply pining after the girl of his dreams, he decided to tell her right away. The Knight professed his love for the Princess and she admitted that she felt the same way about him. Just as they were reaching for each other the Wise Woman came running, screaming for them to stop, but they were so lost in each others eyes that they couldn't hear her. Fortunately the Soldier was passing by, and hearing what the Wise Woman shrieked he grabbed the Princess before she could touch the other man."

"Wait a minute, how did the Wise Woman know about the curse?"

"She uh, she had a vision," Alec replied thinking fast.

"Well why was the Soldier there?"

"He'd stopped by to say hi to the Princess," he improvised.

"So where did this happen, in the forest? And why did-"

"Do you want me to continue the story?" Alec interrupted impatiently.

"Yeah, but-" Abby began, only to be cut off again.

"But nothing, this is my story and if I want plot holes, then that's what you're gonna get!" Sheesh, he was never letting her watch A Few Good Men again, ever since she'd seen it he swore that girl was angling for a "you can't handle the truth moment".

"After her close call the Princess retreated to her tower and refused to talk to anyone. But the Soldier didn't give up so easily, he went to the village where he bought a rope and a grappling hook, then he came back to the tower and using all his skill and training, he broke into the tower without the Princess's knowledge. When she learned that he was there she became furious, and beat him soundly; but the Soldier didn't fight back, he just took all her punishment, until eventually her blows ceased, and she started to cry. The Soldier held the Princess all through the night, and vowed to himself that he would find a way to break the curse so his princess could be happy once more.

Eventually the Soldier left to search distant lands for the answer to the curse, the Princess was sad at his leaving, but understood that this was for her. The Soldier was gone several weeks, and when he returned he gave the cure for the curse to the Knight, and told him to take it to his lady. Upon receiving the cure from the Knight the Princess realized who it was she truly loved, she ran into the arms of her beloved and they got married. The Princess, no longer afraid of life, took up her rightful place as queen, and was loved by all her people. The end."

"That can't be the end," Abigail protested half asleep.

"No? And why not, may I ask?"

"You didn't end it right, you're supposed to say," Alec held up a finger to silence her.

"And they all lived happily ever after, the end."

Alec smiled at the now slumbering girl, before taking a good look at the clock and shuddering at how late it had gotten. Her mother's gonna kill me, he though to himself as he headed off to his own bed.

The next morning Alec made chocolate chip pancakes, and hoped that the sugar buzz would disguise how late Abby had been up. As he sat drinking his coffee and reading the paper he realized that Abigail had stopped eating.

"What is it sweetheart?"

"Who did she choose?" Abby asked eyes serious.

"Huh?" Alec had never been his most eloquent in the morning.

"The Princess," Abby answered him, exasperated. "Who did she end up marrying?"

Alec considered his answer a moment. "Who do you think she married?" He asked instead of answered.

Abigail paused weighing the merits of each man. "The Soldier," she finally replied. "He was always there for the Princess, and he had her back, no matter what. The Knight spent too much time mooning about."

Alec bit back a laugh, and opened his mouth when there was a knock at the door. Still chuckling to himself Alec got up and answered the not so patiently waiting person just outside his apartment.

"Hey Alec," Max greeted him as she breezed in. "Sorry about the banging, I stopped in at HQ before coming here, and I left my keys on my desk" Alec draped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her head with a smirk.

"Ah Maxie, so sad," he practically tut-tutted. "Getting forgetful in your old age," hazel eyes laughed at brown. Max smacked his arm lightly but gave him a peck on the cheek anyway.

"Hi Alec," a new voice sounded from the doorway.

"Logan, hey buddy," Max and Alec moved away from each other; Alec to lean against the kitchen counter and Max to hug her daughter.

"Thanks for watching Abby this weekend Alec," Logan smiled unconvincingly.

"Logan, how many times do I have to tell you, it's no trouble for me to look after my own daughter. Besides, the custody arrangement we all worked out says quite clearly that Abs stays with me on the weekends," Alec replied his smile just as false.

Alec looked at his daughter and wondered what she'd say if she knew the truth. Most of what he'd told her last night was how it happened, a bit embellished, but he'd always had a knack for improving the facts. However, the night that the Soldier spent in the Princess's tower after that near miss wasn't so innocent. Also Max's heat had more to do with her almost killing Logan then any declaration of love; although God knew he'd done that enough times too. How could he tell his sweet angel, with her mother's face and his eyes that the next morning Max had run? She'd abandoned TC and taken off; Alec knew she'd be back after she cleared her head, so he'd spent the time hunting down the cure. He wanted her decision to be made freely, if she chose him he wanted it to be because he was the man she wanted, not second best.

Logan took a more stalkerish approach, he tracked her down, but the guy was no fool. He waited until Alec found the cure before he contacted Max. Alec got the cure, but the showdown between himself and White who held the key to ending the virus, resulted in an extended hospital stay for Alec; still it could have been worse, he could have been White. Alec road into TC clutching a vial and half dead, after making the med team understand what he'd found Alec collapsed. He was in and out of consciousness for the next few days, but he wasn't responding to meds and he wasn't healing like he should. It wasn't until Logan promised to take the cure to Max and tell her who it came from that he was able to sleep and his body began to mend. When Max had chosen Logan, Alec felt his world collapse, she didn't love him. But he'd promised himself that he wouldn't let anything stand in the way of the friendship he'd formed with Max. It was the most important aspect of his life; it was what kept him going day after day. So he'd brushed off her awkward attempts to talk about what happened, said it was just a little heat induced madness, and that he couldn't be happier for her. Alec was always a better liar than Max gave him credit for. It wasn't until Abigail was three years old and already calling Logan "daddy Logo" more often then not that Alec learned the truth. Logan never told Max that Alec was the one who had found the cure; he'd claimed that a contact of his had come though, and with Max out of TC no one was there to contradict him. In the end Alec decided against telling Max the truth. He loved his girls, and his girls loved Logan, it would only hurt them.

The day Max told him she was pregnant he'd taken a gun from the armory and a bottle of scotch from his secret stash. He'd stared at them for hours trying to make up his mind, in the end he got drunk, it had taken a lot more then the one bottle of scotch, but once Alec put his mind to something, it got done.

It wasn't until three days later when Doc did the official test to find out how far along Max was that they did the math and realized Logan couldn't be the father.

The day Max told him he was going to be a daddy, but that Logan and she weren't breaking up he'd snuck into town and bought cigars and a crib, one of those things new dads were supposed to stay up nights working on. When he got back to his apartment he took out the gun again, his eyes flickering between the easy answer and a life raising his child, loving Max, and watching her be happy with Logan. Alec had lost Max to Robo-Boy, he'd be damned if he lost his child too. Alec returned the gun to the armory, bribed Mole with the cigars into helping him set up the crib at Max's place, and started baby proofing everything in sight.

When Abby was born Alec and Max went through every name in the book, and more then a few not in any book, (really, who in their right mind would want to name their daughter "Buffy"?) It was Joshua who suggested "Abigail", he'd seen how devoted Alec was to the little girl, and had informed them that it was a Hebrew name which roughly translated meant Joy of the Father. It was perfect, Max had taken one look at Alec's face when he heard the translation and declared their little girl named.

Alec knew in his heart that he could never tell Abigail the true end of their story. That the Princess became a Queen, married a man who wasn't worthy of her, and who could never be her equal; the people wouldn't acknowledge him as King, so he became her Consort, a faithful lover whispering his own agenda into her ear. The Prince, her brother, became the Queen's royal advisor, and his council was respected by all. The Wise Woman was a great friend to the kingdom, and her help was invaluable in times of trouble. As for the Soldier, he became the Queen's Steward, her loyal second in command.

Alec watched as Logan picked Abby up with one arm before wrapping the other around Max, taking them away with him. Alec knew that Max would always see him as her best friend, her SIC, he was in love with a woman who could never love him back, not the way he wanted. The Soldier may have become the Steward, he'd never felt more like the Court Jester.

His own voice echoed from the past, "We weren't designed to be chumps Maxie." Maybe not, but even Manticore couldn't predict the effect love would have on their perfect super soldiers, and if there was one thing Alec had learned in his time on the outside, it was that love made chumps of them all.

AN3: Well, those were a lot more depressing then I'd originally intended…OK so I was going to have "Daughter" be an angst-fest, but I hadn't intended "Cold" to go down like that... um, sorry? Please try not to kill yourselves before you review! :-)