"Dude, who is that," Sketchy asked Alec, pointing to the young brunette that walked into Jam Pony. Alec had only been there for a few weeks at this point. He turned to look at the girl and his heart stopped, 649. She wore a pair of blue jeans, a black tank top, and her usual pair of combat boots. Alec knew that walk anywhere. He recognized instantly the way her hips swayed with each step. How could he forget? He watched as she walked up to Normal, obviously asking for a job. Jam Pony was transgenic central when it came to employment. Alec couldn't help but smile, especially at Sketchy's reaction. 649 had always had that affect on men, even the guards at Manticore.

"Sorry sweetheart," Normal snapped at her, feigning pity.

Alec walked over, silently, unnoticed and stood behind the girl. "Come on Normal, give the poor girl a job. We could always use extra hands around here. Besides, she's an," he paused as she turned to look at him and he smiled at her, "an old friend. Do it as a favor to me? Huh? What do ya say?"

Normal stood there for a moment, thinking it over. "All right, fine," he snapped. "You're in charge of showing her the ropes."

"Yeahsureyabetcha," he said with a smile as Normal walked away. Alec looked down at the girl who had a smile on her face and wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't explain how happy he was to see her. His partner in crime had returned to him. Oh, the mischief they'd get themselves into.

"So Alec, who's your friend," Sketchy asked, walking up to the two of them. He looked at the girl and smiled at her.

Alec stood there for a moment, looking from 649 to Sketchy. 'Shit, I don't know her name', he thought. "Sketch, this is..."

"Embry," interrupted, extending her hand to him. The name Alec's own clone had given her. She hadn't used it in ten years. "Embry Marshall." She shook Sketchy's hand and smiled at Alec.

"Yeah, Em's an old friend of mine from back in the day," Alec said looking at Sketchy. "Em, this is Sketchy," he said introducing his friend.

"Alec! Where the hell were you yesterday," a loud holler came from the entrance. All three turned and saw Max walk in, Original Cindy by her side. Max stopped and stared at Embry for a moment. They hadn't talked while Max did her second tour of Manticore, in fact Embry hadn't even seen Max since Max's escape in '09. Still they knew exactly who the other was. "Embry," she said with a shocked look.

"Hey Max," she said quietly. There was a shot of anger that coursed through Embry upon seeing Max. Max abandoned her in Manticore, Ben abandoned her, Zach, the one who promised her so many times he'd get her out of there, abandoned her. She didn't let it show though. Things were different now, everyone was out. The only thing that really mattered to her was that 494, or apparently Alec, was alive.

"Well, Max, I'd love to stay and chat but I gotta help out Jam Pony's newest employee," he said with a smile. Alec took her by the hand, grabbed a bike for her and some packages and they headed out. "Let's get out of here while we still can," he whispered as he led Embry away. Sketchy had gotten back to work as well.

"So who was that," OC asked as her and Max walked over to their lockers.

"She was in Manticore," Max said distantly. "We were close, her, Ben, and me. When we escaped... none of us realized she wasn't there until it was too late. I guess you could say we abandoned her there," Max said quietly. "I just can't believe she's alive."

"Let freedom ring, let the white dove sing. Let the whole world know that today is the day of reckoning. Let the weak be strong, let the right be wrong. Throw that stone away, let the guilty pay, it's Indepence Day." That was Embry's job growing up in Manticore. Her and Ben worked together to make the others feel loved. Ben needed his answer, Embry needed Ben to smile. He smiled when she'd sing. Ben always had this hypnotic smile, even when he was little. It was contagious. The two would sit on Ben's bed as he'd tell his stories. "Sing us a song Em," he whispered to her. She'd sing the small snippets of songs she had heard during training. Even at the tender age of nine she had a powerful voice.

Zach always told her that her songs gave the kids hope. She looked up to Zach. He promised her he'd get her out of there, her and everyone else. That wasn't the case though. The night was chaotic, but he made a mistake. Zach had always been perfect in Embry's eyes until that night. He made a mistake and it cost Embry her freedom. She stopped singing after that. After all there was no one to sing to. Ben was gone, nothing more than a painful memory. That's all he'd ever be as she'd never get a chance to see him again. Zach on the other hand became more than just a memory. After the fire, after the escape, after she came back to Seattle and found Alec. That was when Zach came back into her life. She was at Crash with Original Cindy when Alec walked up behind her. "So, guess who's here. Another friend from Max's illustrious past."

"What are you talking about," OC asked, looking over at Alec with her classic 'Alec shut up' expression.

"The infamous Zach," Alec answered with a laugh.

Embry almost dropped the glass in her hand when she said that. She stood, her back to where Max was and looked at Alec. Zach, here? It couldn't be. Embry didn't want to see him. She was afraid of what she might do. Part of her wanted to turn around and search him out, throw her arms around his neck and never let go. The overwhelming part of her though wanted to cut him up into pieces so tiny you couldn't even see them. She didn't have a lot of time to debate staying or leaving. She heard Max walking up behind her and she could hear Zach's voice. It was slightly different as she hadn't heard it in over ten years. Still, it was unmistakably Zach. Embry turned around slowly and looked up at him. He had really grown up, though all of them had. She didn't say anything, she just stared. For a moment she wondered if he knew who she was. "Embry," he whispered taking a step closer.

The look in Zach's eyes broke her; cracked through the walls she had put up and caused her will to collapse. The overwhelming part of her that wanted him dead disappeared when she saw the look in his eyes. It was guilt so strong it was killing him enough already. All she could do was throw her arms around his neck. She stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity to everyone else, with Zach's arms wrapped around her. Finally she let go and looked up at him. The silent exchange between them told Zach that Embry didn't hate him. She had a lot of time to get over what Zach had done. Somewhere in her she understood that she shouldn't put all the pressure on him. He was responsible for everyone else. It just hurt that she got left behind. Alec stood by Embry's side and Zach stared at the two of them. Memories of Embry and Ben flooded his mind, even though he knew the man before him wasn't Ben. "It… it's good to see you Zach," she whispered though the words weren't entirely honest.

Zach smiled and he and Max sat down at the table. Max, Zach, and OC were talking and Embry was just standing there, watching. She had been silent for a long time and Alec was beginning to get a little worried. Embry never spoke of her life before she met 494, so Alec didn't know much of her history with Zach, Max, and his clone, Ben. He stood next to her, the two of them leaning on a nearby pool table. She was lost in her thoughts, he could see it in her eyes. Alec took the opportunity to move just a little closer to Embry. He placed his hand on top of hers in a comforting manner and after a moment he laced their fingers together. He was beginning to realize how painful all of this must be for her. Embry didn't say anything, she simply rested her head on his shoulders and remained quiet.

Alec stood there leaning against the bar, staring at the door Embry had walked out of. "What happened," Max asked, walking up to Alec. She looked from Alec to the door then back to Alec. "Hello," she said waving her hand in front of his face.

"I don't get her," he said with a sighed. Alec got himself a beer and looked over at Max. "Max, you're a girl-"

"You noticed, and yes, last time I checked I was a girl," she said with a laugh then let Alec continue.

"What the hell is her problem? I thought she wanted me. She always makes it seem like she wants me. So the one time I give in she runs off."

Max sighed and shook her head, looking over at her confused friend. She was quickly discovering that though Alec was quite the charmer there seemed to be one girl he couldn't charm, besides Max, and that was Embry. "Alec, she doesn't want sex. This isn't Manticore. You two aren't breeding partners anymore," she said with a sigh and cringe thinking about the two of them. "She wants you Alec, not sex. Well I mean she probably… that's not the point." Max sighed and looked over at Alec. "You know there's a difference right?"

"Yes Max," he snapped at her. Alec looked towards the door and sighed. He set his drink down along with some money to cover it. "I gotta go," he said with a sigh. He looked back at Max. "She's hard to catch up with when she's pissed," he said with a laugh. He headed out of Crash, running back towards his place where he knew Embry would be. Sure enough when he walked in he found her curled up on the couch. Alec stood in the doorway staring at her for a moment before he sighed and walked into the house, closing the door behind him. "Em," he said with a sigh. She didn't answer so he sat down next to her. He pulled her hair back and looked down at her. "Em, you wanna tell me what's wrong?"

"No," she answered simply, without looking at him. She was angry with him, treating her like she was just supposed to be some escape for him. It hurt her. What hurt her more though was through the whole ordeal he pushed her away, pretended that she wasn't there for every second of what happened.

"Em, come on," he said with a sigh. He looked down at her and picked her up. Alec sat on the couch and pulled the girl close to her, whether she wanted to or not, wrapping his arms around her and letting her rest against him. "You're not mad at me for what happened at Crash. I know you better than that. So why are you mad at me," he asked with a sigh. He looked down at her and watched her close her eyes. He hated seeing her like this, so quiet like that. It was killing him inside. "Em, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing," she said quietly, curling up closer to him. She was clinging to him the way she had the first night of the breeding program when they were together. Nothing happened that night, that isn't to say it didn't on others, but not that first night. Embry just curled up in his arms for the hour or so she was kept in his cell. Alec looked down at her and sighed, kissing the top of her head. "I was there Alec," she said softly. "I was there for the whole thing and now… now you're treating me like… like Max, like I don't understand, but I do understand. Alec I watched them torture you. They forced me to watch what they did to you," she said sitting up and looking into his eyes. "You're pushing me away and… and I can't let you do that. You're the only thing in my life that's ever been constant Alec, the only thing I've ever been able to rely on. Ben abandoned me, Max abandoned me, Zach did too. But you, you were always there, I could always count on you and now you're pushing me away."

The last week or so had been stressful on the both of them and it showed in the way Alec was acting towards her and the fact that Embry had tears in her eyes. Embry was one of the strongest women Alec had ever known. He had only seen her cry once and that was when they were carrying him away after the explosion. She was talking so fast, he could hear the fear, the anger in her voice. Alec watched her for a moment after she stopped talking and sat there in silence. What could he possibly say to her? She was right; he was pushing her away because he stupidly thought no one would understand. With his lightening fast reflexes, before any normal person could see, but Embry could, Alec leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. His right hand caressed her face, pulling her into his kiss. His eyes closed slowly. It was the only possible way to really speak to her at that moment and he knew it. Surprisingly almost the instant his lips touched hers he felt her lean into it, giving back to him what he gave to her. Alec felt her hands cup his face shortly before the two reluctantly split.

Sure, they had kissed before, dozens of times. Hell they have had sex together too many times to count but there was something different from that. There was this heat in that kiss that had never existed when they were breeding partners. After they parted Embry's eyes remained closed for just a moment, savoring everything, the feel of his lips against hers, the taste of his kiss. Finally Alec saw her open his eyes and he smiled at her, resting his forehead against hers. They were quiet for a moment, neither one of them sure what to say after that. "Come to bed with me," Alec whispered. After a moment he stood and looked down at her, offering her his hand. Ever since Alec got the place they had their sleeping arrangements settled. Embry slept on the couch and Alec in the bedroom and never shall they both sleep in either room together. It was agreed upon because of the nature of their relationship. Now he was breaking that, leading her into his bedroom.

Leading her? Yes, she had taken his hand and rose to her feet, following behind him. Alec closed the door behind him and turned to look at Embry. The way the moon shown through the window and hit her pale skin made her look almost like an angel. Alec took a few steps to close the gap between them. He ran his fingers through her hair before pulling her forward into another heated kiss, this time it was more hungry than tender. Embry's fists clenched around the shirt he was wearing, pulling him to her as Alec's hands fell to her side, resting on her hips. He could feel his heart rate increase just a little and the temperature in the room skyrocketed. Alec pulled the tank top over her head. She had obviously changed her clothes when she got home as she no longer looked like Max. Embry reciprocated by pulling Alec's shirt over his head and throwing it behind him. Alec's lips traveled down her neck, nipping at her skin every once in a while. They traversed her shoulder and along her collarbone before returning to her lips once more. Alec's arms wrapped around Embry and he gently massaged the skin on her back as he held her close. Embry took a few steps back as he leaned forward and they slowly worked their way back to the bed, which Embry eventually fell back on, bringing Alec down on top of her. His lips traveled down her neck, the center of her chest and over her abdomen then returned to her lips. For once his heart was racing beneath his chest. He looked down at Embry and smiled at her. What was happening? This was different from every other time. Why?