Hope you liked my last chapter, thank you for all the comments, Alex's life is about to take a jump so, hold on to your red hunting hats( catcher in the rye reference) :).
Weeks passed and Alex filled Max in on her story and her achievements up until then. They spent lots of time talking about their cover story. One night Max informed Alex that his mother Cassandra had died two years prior to Alex's arrival. She had created many enemies, and one day they caught up to her. As Christmas rolled around they had become very good friends and excellent partners. Alex sat on the couch with Misha, Max came over and handed her a non-alcoholic drink. He sat next to her as they watched the fire burn, " happy Christmas Alex" he said smiling. "happy Christmas Max" she said her voice weighed down with heart ache. Max watched, as she was lost in memories, standing up he turned up the music playing and held out his hand. Alex smiled and took it, pulling her close he began dancing with her as best he could. Alex started giggling, "Max who taught you to dance haha" she asked unable to keep the smile off her face. " What! I have excellent dancing skills" he said mocking a hurt expression as he twirled her. She laughed and rested her head on his shoulder, "we are going to have to work on that " she said as the danced. As they laughed Alex forgot her pain and felt the happiness of the here and now. As the song ended he helped her sit, her stomach had gotten bigger. They sat there smiling and talking about good times, exchanging stories and happy moments. Alex proceeded to tell Max about Michael, she told him about Michael's back story. "I always wanted to hate my father for leaving us, but hearing his story and after my mom died I found that I could not hate him." Max said. Alex remembered what Michael had told her. He had been asking Alex if he had made the right choice by leaving Max. "the day your dad watched your and your mom drive away from that air field was one of the hardest things he has ever had to do." Alex said taking his hands in hers." Nikita told him something she said I used to think that any parent giving up their child was unforgivable, that there was no excuse, what I just saw was an act of grace" Alex said. "Michael never wanted to leave you, he loves you, your mom had to disappear, but he was not, if some one ever followed him, he could lead them straight to you. He would never forgive him self if anything happened to you or your mom." Alex said her eyes glistening with tears as she spoke of her father figure. Max nodded and pulled Alex into a hug "thank you Alex" he whispered, for so long he had been un-sure of what had made his father leave. He thought for so long that it was because of him, because Michael didn't love him, but now he knew. He knew that his father loved him and that the woman in front of him was his sister not by blood but close enough. The following morning Alex woke to the smell of coffee and breakfast. Walking out to the kitchen she saw Max standing there in a T-shirt and jeans, the jeans were covered in paint. He looked up smiling "morning" he said passing her a cup of coffee, she took it great fully. They as they sat down Alex noticed how Max could not keep this goofy smile off his face. " okay whats up with you ?" she asked returning his lopsided grin. He scooted his chair out and held out his hand and walked her to the extra room. "happy christmas" he said opening the door, Alex gasped the room was painted a calm sea green. In the center of the room was a crib, made of a rich colored mahogany. A dresser made out the same material sat against the wall, a picture of Sean and alex sat on the top. One of Alex, Max, and Misha, and a collection of the gang. "I had them photo copied from your book" Max said as she crashed into him hugging him "thank you Max, everything looks great" she squealed. Alex gave max a grin and said " I have something for you too" she lead him to the stairs to the loft. He looked at her quizzically but she pushed open the door and walked up the stairs Max trailing behind. When they got to the top she turned and said " Happy Christmas Max" as he stepped past her his jaw dropped. The once old battered room was now a high- tech operations. Beeping computers and monitors filled the room, Alex walked over to the old closet for the pull out bed and entered a code. The door clicked un-locked, when she opened them Max nearly had a heart attack, at least 200,000K worth of guns and equipment. " holy crap how did you get all of this?" he asked pulling her into a hug. "oh well being the heirs to a billion dollar company might of had something to do with it." she smiled "when you were out I had some friends of mine set it all up, there is video surveillance around the entire house. And I set up a net work similar to Birkhoff's shadow net. It will never be as good, but it should get the job done and keep us invisible" Alex said handing Max a packet " all the pass-codes" she said. He nodded " Alex this is great, I... Wow I think this would give Birkhoff a run for his money." he laughed. As the weeks passed Alex became Max's life line, running missions from the loft. They were currently trying to scare a guardian who was to close to them for comfort. Neither of them wanted Nikita, Michael, or Owen to come searching London. Even though the guardian was in Liverpool, Alex had been shocked to find that there were more black boxes. "Alex I think I see a possible tango" Max's voice came in through her head set. "yup gotch you" she said typing furiously on the key bored. The computer zoomed in" hacking traffic cams now," she said. Letting out a breath of relief when she saw Max it always made her nervous when she could not see him. " Alex I have a visual on the target" he said. Alex zoomed in on Max " where?" she asked" grey jacket jeans blond hair tall, right by a cafe" he said. Alex toggled the street cameras. Her heart leaped to her throat, " Max do not engage I repeat do not engage" she yelled. Owen Elliot's face looked across the street searching for the same thing they were. "Alex I have him" Max said ignoring her, walking forward his eyes met the mans, Max did not know that this was Owen. Max watched as the blond haired man did a double take. The man spun around as Max followed his gaze his eyes widened, his father was staring back his own eyes wide with shock. Max cursed" Damn it!" "Alex its Michael he is here" Alex had already started typing scanning cameras for the familiar face of her mother figure. "Max run don't stop just run" Alex ordered. Max took of running Owen was close behind he could hear his fathers voice, telling Owen to stop. Max ran down the crowded street adrenalin pumping through his veins. Daring to glance back he could no longer see Owen and his father, suddenly he crashed into some one. "oh sorry sor..." Max looked up fear slipped into his eyes Nikita stared back down her mouth open in complete shock. "Michael I thought you were with Owen you did not leave him did you" she scolded helping him up. Max was lost in thought though, "Hello earth to Michael" he walked by her he had seen someone he momentarily forgot that the people he was trying to keep away from Alex were almost there. "I see him" Max whispered to Alex, "Max I.." she was cut off " it's the only way I can do this, I will see you at home." she groaned as she watched him loom at the camera "good luck" she whispered as he pulled the piece from his ear and crushed it. Nikita placed her hand on his shoulder" Michael what's wrong?" Max was about to say something when the guardian turned around an started running toward them. "NIKITA !" someone yelled. Max saw his father and Owen sprinting toward them none of them had seen the guardian. Max spun around taking off hoping that they would follow, he was right. As he ran the streets got less crowded, max looked back and saw to his horror the gaurdian was gaining on his father. Max ran for a few more meters before spinning around and running right toward the man. Knocking Nikita and Owen out of his way he whipped out his knife and threw it just as the man was within shooting distance of Michael. The man was hardly phased but it was enough to get Michael's attention. He spun around and began sparing with the man. Max's sprint became more desperate as he saw his father thrown into the window of a shop. Tackling the guardian as he was about to shoot at Michael, the guardian flipped Max as they rolled into a crouched position. The guardian moved first pulling the knife from his arm he lunged at Max, who dodged easily. Grabbing his wrist and placing his hand on the guardians shoulder using his own weight he slammed forward hearing the satisfying crack as the bone snapped. The guardian twisted with his own momentum and sent a neat kick to Max's head. Max dropped to the ground dodging the kick he launched himself forward kicking the mans knee, they both stood and began sending a flurry of well aimed punches and kicks. Out of the corner of his eye Max saw the rest of the gang trying to step in and help but Max knew his movements were too fast. The guardian suddenly got the upper hand and brought Max to his knee's, there was a loud bang and Max cried out as a bullet passed through his arm. Michael rushed forward but the guardian pressed the cool metal against his head " move and he dies" the rough voice of the guardian said. Michael held his hands up and backed up, Max felt dizzy with the pain, it barley dulled his senses tho. Max clenched his jaw, Nikita was trying to talk to the man, and Owen and Michael were slowly creeping forward. Max looked up and met Nikita's eye he winked and snapped his hands up to the man's wrist breaking it and disarming him. They traded more punches and kicks. Max however moved quicker, side stepping a blow he tripped the guardian snaking his hand around to his mouth and the other to the back of his neck he gave a smooth twist. The guardian fell limp to the ground, his neck snapped, Max took the black box from inside his own pocket. "wait how the hell did you get that?" Owen asked, Max smiled, " I lifted it off him when I tripped him" they all recoiled at his voice. "Hahahahah wow I guess I really do sound like my father huh" he said. Michael stepped forward "Maks" he said, using the Russian pronunciation. "Hi dad" Max whispered. Michael launched forward and wrapped his son in a tight embrace." oh god Max I thought I would never see you again" Michael said as Max griped his father for the first time since he was 8. "I never thought you all would be here, your lucky I saw my dad when I did or you would have been dead" Max said to Owen, "yeah kid your small you would dissolve fast" he threatened. Max gave a strong laugh " yeah when was the last time you had the regiment " owen growled "well I'm kind of low if you know where I can find any" Max nodded "I have a shipment locker by the docks I need to grab my stuff and get the bullet out of my arm," he said walking past them to a sports car. Pulling out his knife he slipped it between the rubber and the window until he heard a click. Opening the door he said " y'all coming " Nikita walked past him and said back to Michael"my kinda guy" Max smiled and wrapped his arms around her "Privet pistolet dama yego khorosho videtʹ vas snova" (hello gun lady it's good to see you again). He said to her speaking in Russian, as they all piled into the car each one had thoughts on Michael's mysterious doppelgänger, who was he now, where did he learn to fight like that, how did he know about black boxes. Could he be trusted, all these questions buzzed around in their minds, but Max's thoughts rested with Alex, and if she was okay. He would have a hard time leaving Michael but they could not know about her at all. As he drove to the docks, he wished he could make sure she was okay.