Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons.
Fashion Stunt
Max looked at the house that sat among hundreds of identical houses, and couldn't help feel a cold feeling wash over her. The house didn't look homey or like a house full of love. It was just a structure.
Getting out of car, Max walked with Alec up the slightly slopped lawn. Instead of just walking in, like she would've done at her family home, Alec knocked on the front door. Few seconds later a clicking of female heels could be heard, getting louder, when the door opened, a woman with short blonde hair stood before the duo, this was Nana Renfro-Lydecker. She was tall and slim, and dressed in a dark blue skirt suit, "Alec," she greeted with a small smile, that didn't seem to be a smile to greet your son. Alec's mother leaned forward as Alec, stiffly, leaned down to kiss his mother's cheek. No affection was in the act. Turning to Max, Nana kept the same smile on her face and looked the girl over. "You must be Max, nice to meet you." Extending her hand, Nana never really showed any emotion as Max reciprocated the gesture. Max was starting to understand why Alec was reluctant on coming here. "Come in you two, Deck is out back." The two followed the scientist throughout the sparsely decorated house. Everything was in neutral colors with an occasional family portrait or award plaque decorating the walls. Walking through the living room to the kitchen, Max saw for the first time Donald Lydecker, Alec's commander and chief father.
Deck, as his wife referred to him, didn't acknowledge his son or companion at first. Instead he continued reading the newspaper that was clasped in hands. While they waited for acknowledgment, Max took in the man before her. Since he was sitting down, she could only guess he matched Alec's 6'1 height, but had a thicker built. His clothing consisted of a standard issued camouflage shirt and pants, without a single wrinkle, and laced up shined, black boots. He oozed military and control. Things that Alec had said were really starting to make since.
"Alec," a commanding voice broke her out of thoughts. Now standing, Deck stood facing his son, who stood statue like next to her.
"Deck," was Alec's only response. The two men stared at each other for a moment before nodding their heads, ever so slightly.
"You must be Max Guevera, nice you meet you miss." Deck turned to the young model, who was completely shocked. He had gone from a cold commander to his son, to a polite host to her. Strange.
"Yes, nice to meet you Mr. Lydecker," Max took his out stretched had and felt the firmness in his grip. Control.
"Deck will be fine. Now that you've arrived, 7.4 minutes later than originally discussed, I will be going back on base. See you at 1700 hours for supper." With that Deck walked past two and left the house.
"I have to go the lab, get comfortable and we'll catch up over lunch." Nana said from the patio door before she turned and left without waiting for a response.
"Come-on I'll show you your room," Alec took her hand lightly and led her down a narrow hall where more pictures and plaques were strategically lined on the walls. Not homey at all.
The room was small with a double bed, a small side table with a lamp, and a simple dresser where a set of sheets, a blanket and a pillow were perfectly folded. The room felt like a cell, "Homey," Max joked turning to Alec who cracked a smile.
"I'm gonna go get our stuff, look around, get familiar, and grab a couple of beers from the fridge." Nodding, Max watched as he left her alone. Walking out of the room she began to examine the frames on the hallway walls. The first she came to was a family portrait. For the first time Max saw what Ben looked like, and Alec wasn't kidding when he said they looked identical. If she hadn't gotten to know Alec in last few weeks, she'd never been able to tell which one was he. But she could, their eyes. Although identical in color, there was something different in them. Alec's held defiance while Ben's held a broken look. Their mother had the same smile she had greeted her with, and Deck stared straight ahead with no expression. Looking at the next, it was a picture of Alec and Ben with their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders while dressed in graduation gowns with honor ropes hanging around their necks. They couldn't have been anymore than 14, both looked ecstatic at their achievements. Smiling she moved onto other frames. Another family portrait of when they were younger, almost identical to the previous.
Walking down the hall this was what was displayed, a family portrait, some achievement, photo of the boys or of their parents. When almost reaching the living room again, there was a picture of Nana and Deck's wedding picture. It didn't ooze celebration of matrimony. Nana's dress was high collared lace dress with a train that wrapped around her, while Deck was dressed in his formal Army dressing. Uptight and straight.
Deciding to explore the opposite end of the hall, she walked back down the hall, taking in what was on the wall. Nothing different than the other side, passing her room, she walked to the door next to it. Opening she saw a room similar to hers only there were posters and awards decorating the room. Walking further into it, she felt like she was walking into her brother's room just by the feeling it gave off. This was a teenager's room, completely. Looking at the bulletin board by the door she saw several pictures of people, looking at the pictures closely, she realized that this was Ben's room. Looking further on the board she saw notes similar to ones she had passed in class before. Little jokes and doodles accompanied the notes. Looking around the room she saw band, movie, and popular book posters.
"Hey what are you doing?" Alec's voice came from the door; whirling around quickly Max let a slight squeak in surprise.
"Oh just looking around. This Ben's room?" Alec walked further into the room and took in the surroundings.
"Yeah, guess they finally gave up." He commented.
"What?"
"My parents, they never liked the posters and stuff on the walls. "Un-necessary" as my father would say."
"Where's your room?"
"You're sleeping in it," Alec said smiling.
"That was your room? Were you the good one and didn't put "un-necessary" things up?" Max joked.
"When I decided to leave home, I took all my things with, that meant something to me. I figured they'd be thrown away immediately after I left." Alec said, still not totally walking into the room.
"So does Ben live here?"
"No."
"Then why didn't he take his stuff with him like you?"
"Just didn't."
Max was confused.
