Loved the reviews I got! I was so surprised by how encouraging some of 'em were! Thanks, now I will repay you all with another chapter. Oh, and if this chapter seems weird or whatever, it's just that my dog of five years, Bo, is missing and we have no idea what happened to him. *sigh* I'll miss that big 'ol lug. So, in honor of Bo, I dedicate this chapter.

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Lust to Love

Chapter 2-*CLICK* *RING*

***

As Max parked her bike a safe distance away from Alec, she noticed that he had stopped at Joshua's place. She sighed, hoping that it wasn't another of his stupid ideas that could put Joshua in danger just because Alec wanted to use him.

Max watched as Alec opened the door and stepped inside, making it impossible for her to see what he was doing. She moved closer so that she could now see through the window and hear their conversation.

"Here you go man, large with extra cheese and anchovies on the side," Alec was saying while handing Joshua a pizza box.

Max's jaw dropped. Was Alec actually spending money on Joshua? And caring while he did it? By the looks of things, the two of them appeared to have some sort of nightly congregation where Alec brought Joshua over something to eat. And here Max was, ready to barge inside and confront Alec when he was really just trying to be nice.

I guess the guy really does have a heart, Max thought to herself as she filled with pride. She was, after all, the person who had taught Alec emotion and consequence, or she was teaching him emotion and consequence.

Max came back to reality as Alec began to head for the door, saying, "Just take care of yourself. I'll be back tomorrow."

She dove behind the bushes and watched as Alec exited Joshua's and began walking towards his place. Good, Max thought, he didn't see my bike. She wasn't really in the mood to explain to Alec why she had followed him, he might take it as if Max liked him, or some other stupid idea.

*

Max lie on her back, trying to think. She was on her bed, coat off and hair splayed out around her. Original Cindy walked in, disturbing Max's thoughts.

"Are you deaf boo?"

"Huh?" Max mumbled, sitting up.

"Your pager is goin crazy out here. It's your boy, Logan," OC tossed Max her pager and she got up and walked to the phone.

Dialing the number, Max twirled a strand of hair around her finger thoughtlessly.

//"Hello?"// Logan's voice said on the other line.

"Oh, Logan. You beep me?" Max asked distractedly.

//"Uh, yeah. I had one of my contacts test those samples you found at the dump. The DNA matched those who got attacked by that creature. It's definitely found a home in the dump. Could you check it out tonight? I wouldn't want anyone else getting hurt."//

"Sure. Want me to call Alec?" Max asked. Logan was surprised that Max was the first one of them to suggest Alec's help; he usually had to talk her into it.

//"That'd be great."//

"Ok, I'll get right on it. See ya."

//"Max?"// Logan said quickly.

"Yeah?"

//"Be careful."//

*CLICK*

The usual pleasure Max got from Logan worrying about her wasn't there when he had told her to be careful. Instead, Max just wanted to do anything but be careful. Something new, exciting, different. But she didn't know what.

Or did she?

*

Alec walked around to the back of his couch clad in boxers and a tight tank top with a bag of potato chips in hand. He placed one hand on the back of the couch and jumped over, landing on the cushions with a bounce. He grabbed the remote, hoping for a nice, peaceful night alone with the TV.

Then it happened.

*RING*

"Ahh!" he groaned and reached for his cell out of his coat pocket.

"Hello?"

//"Logan needs us to do something for him at the dump. Meet me there in 10."//

"Would ya look at that? We've moved up from sewers to dumps!" Alec exclaimed sarcastically.

//"Just be there,"// Max replied irratatedly, although there was a small smile on her face.

"Max, are you sure these little "Logan needs us" outings aren't just an excuse to spend time with me?"

*CLICK*

Alec looked at the phone in confusion. "Max? Ya there? Well that was mean."

*

"Alec? Are you here?" Max called into the shadows of towering junk. No answer. Figures. He's always late.

Max heard a noise behind her and walked off to investigate it. "Alec? That you?"

Still no answer. Max proceeded with her search. "You better not be looking for a matching spatula for that frying pan!" Max exclaimed, peeking around an unusually big pile of garbage.

But what stood there wasn't Alec-it was something quite different. The thing had four legs and looked like a dog, except the horribly sharp beak and teeth it had. This was definitely the creature Logan had been talking about.

"Good bird dog thing. Gooood," Max cooed as she backed up against some garbage. She was ready to fight if need be, when something suddenly jumped down from behind her, landing on top of the creature and smacking it with a 2 by 4.

It was Alec. And he looked hilarious. Board swinging, legs sprawled, and savage look was quite entertaining.

After a moment of recovering, Max said, "Alec! I think you got it!" Alec, shocked at himself for such behavior, dropped the board and backed away form the mutilated creature. "Was that so hard?" he asked Max, wiping his hands on his jacket.

"What is it?" Max ignored his question, bending down to study the thing.

"Hell if I know," Alec shrugged.

"Probably just one of their lab rats," Max said in disgust.

Alec shook his head, also in disgust. "What should we do with it?" he asked.

"Got any matches?" Max asked.

"Yeah, actually." Alec handed her the pack of matches he had in his coat. He usually didn't carry them, but when you're with Max, you have to be prepared.

"Lets have a bonfire," Max lit a match and dropped it onto the animal.

It burst into flame quite quickly, but gave off a nose-stinging stench that their delicate senses couldn't handle.

"Ugh, that's disgusting,'' Alec plugged his nose.

"Lets get outta here," Max said. Alec was surprised. "What? You're not gonna run over to Logan's and tell him the good news?"

Why? So I can stand there uncomfortably and unsure, and suffer because I can't even get near him? Max thought.

"Not tonight."

*

All done with chapter 2! Don't worry, I'm getting to the good stuff! Review and tell me how you think it was!