AN: Decided this chapter should concentrate on the relationship between Max and Alec. I'm not going to rush them into fluffily goodness so consider yourself noted. For those who don't know, UPC is 'unwanted physical contact'.
Rated M – sex, violence & coarse language. All possibilities. You have been warned.
Disclaimer: I hereby claim this fic to be disclaimable. If you wish to claim the disclaimable you will find it disclaimably pissed off.
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Alec's hand froze on the doorknob. He'd hurried back, a cold, panicked feeling chilling his body soon after he left. A part of him wondered why, but he pushed it back. He didn't really want to know why, he knew it was Max.
"You could leave the Conclave and spend the rest of your life worshipping my every move, obeying my every order and begging for forgiveness. If any part of you I loved was real, I would never love you again. Now that I've seen what you are, or what you've become - whichever it is."
Something in him protested, knowing exactly who it was she was talking to. How did he find them? They couldn't have been there for more than half an hour. He listened to the defeated click of the receiver and waited a little while longer, feeling her despair and pain through the door.
When he did enter, he saw her calmly standing by the window, arms folded across her chest. Should he tell her he heard? Comfort her maybe? He didn't know. They didn't train him for things like this and his own personal kaleido-scale of a conscious was busy crawling on its hands and knees to beg her for some semblance of approval. He tossed the bags on he'd salvaged from the Junker on the floor with a loud thump.
She smiled at him and he walked to stand in front of her, eyeing the turn with suspicion. Max hadn't smiled like that since…he couldn't remember. "Hey Max, you okay?"
"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" her look turned playful and she reached for his hand, running her fingers across the ridges. "Alec" she said softly, meeting his eyes. "I've hurt you a lot, haven't I?"
He gulped at the tingle of her warm caress and stumbled for words and a wavering smirk. "I like to think it's part of your genetic coding to cause me pain. Like it's in mine to enlighten you on what a bitch you are."
She slapped him up the side of his head and ended the motion in a caress, rubbing her fingers gently over his barcode. His breathing hitched and his eyes rolled back as she pressed more firmly. "I'm sorry" she whispered, her face suddenly close to his.
"I forgive you" he rumbled. This is wrong. So, so wrong. Back off man! She's not herself. "Max"
"Shhh" she said bringing her lips to his.
She tasted like Max. It was the only way to describe the shock of warmth, hunger and emotion her lips conjured from his being. Not sweet, or spicy, no subtle tang or honey pull. Just Max. She made him an addict at first taste.
His will to part disappeared the moment she leaned towards him. Her closed mouth brushed teasingly over his bottom lip, nipping at the center and tracing it lightly with her tongue. "Alec" she whispered and the sound of his name spoken in the low, seductive tone broke him. He pulled her hard against his body, hand fisted in her hair. Three years of putting up barriers against her, calculating reasons why, why he couldn't go back and drag her away. Lock her up and force her to care, force her to feel the slightest weight of what he had held for her. It was all gone as he claimed her mouth with his own. She moaned in completion, her arms around his neck and her fingers still caressing his barcode. He consumed her, moving over her lips in hungry, violent motions until she parted them and he slipped inside.
He almost died for the taste of her, so close and full on his tongue. His hand relaxed at the base of her skull, teasing her barcode as she teased his. His other brushed over the bare skin of her abdomen and traced a path to the small of her back. It was slower, softer, as he savored every inch of her through the confines of her mouth. It was firm, demanding as he refused any inclination of its ending. But he wanted more.
His lips left hers, gliding across her jaw and down to her shoulder, a brush of air across her skin as he breathed her scent. "Max" he hissed reverently across her throat and she shivered in his arms. He smiled and places an open-mouthed kiss on her skin, scraping his teeth over the soft flesh. She arched into him, instinctively turning her head to allow him better access. His teeth scraped her again, harder yet still not breaking skin. A whimpered cry tore from her throat and her pelvis pushed harder against his.
Her hands left his neck and slid under his shirt scraping up his abdomen and over his pectorals. He groaned and bucked against her, his hard length pleading for more contact. His mind was a mess and since only one word made sense, it chanted repeatedly. Max, Max, Max, Max…
"Make me forget"
The whisper was so soft that even with their close proximity, he wouldn't have heard it without transgenic hearing. As it was, he wasn't so sure if she'd actually spoken, or just communicated telepathically. His eyes snapped open and his head jerked away, the familiar pain and hurt returning like the unwelcome squatters they were.
"Alec?" she frowned in confusion, eyes still closed and lips swollen. Her arms dropped to her sides and she tilted her head to the side, eyes open. "What…"
"Forget?" he said hoarsely.
Her eyes widened with realization and her gaze turned repentant. "No, I'm…"
"Hurt? Angry? Desperate? Yeah I know the feeling." He stared down at her, struggling to find the mask he'd thrown away so easily. "I don't remember turning it against you."
"Alec…"
"Just don't. I don't know what this is."
She folded her arms and looked away. "This is me."
"No. It's not you. I should know because I spent a long time getting to know you."
"Things change."
"No."
"We are what they make us."
"No!" he choked, stepping back. "We are what we choose to be Max. Right now you're choosing to abuse yourself…and me."
She reached out her hand towards him. "I didn't mean to…"
He jolted back from her touch and glared at her knowing he couldn't hide the pain in his eyes. "I'm going to…I'm just going." He moved swiftly out the door, slamming it shut behind him and leaning back against it, breathing hard. It hurt. And he wasn't sure if it was more painful because of the kiss, or the three years of defense it ripped away.
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Max didn't even notice the tears streaming down her face or the unvoiced sobs wracking her body. She collapsed beside one of the bags he'd thrown on the floor and rifled through the pockets. In seconds she'd found what she was looking for.
She lifted the cell to her blurred eyes and scanned through the phonebook, closing them briefly in relief as she found the name 'Cindy'. She used the landline to dial the number, not wanting Alec to know she used his phone. She'd violated his trust enough for one night.
Her leg ticked impatiently as it dialed. What would she say? Just start talking like it was old times? It didn't matter that she had no idea, she needed this. Now. "Original Cindy's alive and kickin', and boo you better say the same 'fore I put the smack down on your transgenic ass."
"Cin?" Max choked.
"Max?" OC gasped. "Honey, you better not be playin' with a sista, bin too long since I heard that voice."
"Oh Cin I so sorry!" she choked and the tears came thick and fast.
Cindy's voice stilled and when she spoke again, it was obvious she was also crying. "Now boo, don't start that. You know you're my girl."
"I screwed everything up and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You were always there for me, and the first opportunity I got, I turned my back."
"Max…"
"And I did it for him." She said the word with a strained growl. "Him! And I know I don't deserve it but I just wanted to say I'm sorry."
"Sweetie, calm down and listen to OC."
Max's breathing hiccupped with tears.
"Max! You gotta stop that or a sista's likely to reach through the phone lines and strangle you."
She bit back another apology and steadied her breathing.
"Good. Now listen to me boo, cause I'm only gonna say it once and you damn well better believe it. I. Forgive You. Original Cindy don't lie. You caused this fine piece of ass some pain. But you know you're always in OC's heart, and that aint never gonna change."
That started another shower of tears, and Original Cindy cooed comfort over the phone.
When they stopped her voice was clipped and hard. "Now when are you gonna get that booty down to London? Cause girl, you an' I have some serious catchin' up to do."
Her faced hardened in determination, a small smile on her lips. If she had to run, she was going to see her girl on the way. "In a couple of days? If it's okay" she added quickly.
"Yeah. That's okay. But if you're gonna be askin' stupid questions like that when you're down here, we're gonna have a problem. You're my family. You don't need an invite."
She laughed. "I've missed you."
"You know it boo. Just get your sweet self down here. There's some action of the heterosexual persuasion that got Original Cindy regrettin' her feminine wiles. One of us gotta take it down 'fore all these man-shaped pleasures start with UPC, you know?"
A pang hit her chest as she thought of how she'd handled her last 'man-shaped pleasure'. "Anything for my boo." She said and noted down the address. She hung up before the owner could come in screaming about long distance and tucked the paper into her pocket.
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Mole was staring at him with unguarded curiosity Not the normal kind but the Mole patented 'you're-gonna-explain why-you're-in-the-shit,' with the side threat of 'I-don't-like-you-enough-not-to-shoot-you.' Needless to say, Alec kept quiet.
Sketchy was slightly more direct. "Hey Alec, something wrong with Max?"
He groaned internally and shifted. "Nope, nothing wrong with Max. She's juuust peachy."
Mole sniffed deeply and his eyes glinted with recognition.
"Um, okay then." Sketch shrugged and walked away.
Mole's face was blank but Alec could tell the sonofabitch was laughing on the inside.
"Shutup" he growled turning back to watch Dix and Luke.
"Shhyeah, that'll work" Mole muttered puffing on his cigar.
Surprisingly it did. For about 3.2 seconds.
"Did she slap ya?"
He growled louder.
"Cause that'd be a real bitch to miss"
"Mole."
"What with her having your nuts in a shiny glass case under ten tons of C4 and a Winnebago."
He forgot his anger and snickered. "A Winnebago?"
He flicked the ash off his cigar. "Just came to me. So?"
He stood silent for a moment before shrugging. "She handed me the detonator and I tripped and hit the big red button."
"Messy."
"Yeah."
More silence as they watched yet another fight break out between Dix and Luke and even Joshua gave up trying to calm them.
"Bitch."
"You have no idea."
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Max thought about just leaving but decided against it. A couple more hours wouldn't hurt and she could really use the rest. Joshua would be hurt if she just packed up and walked off without saying goodbye. And she really needed to at least try and smooth things out with Alec.
She sighed and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her puffy eyes and still kiss-swollen lips. She ran a finger over them remembering how his lips lit her body on fire and the unbelievable pleasure of his teeth scraping her shoulder. She knew about mating from her time in TC and there was no doubt what his teasing meant.
He had wanted to claim her and Max would have let him.
She thought about what life would be like with Alec, knowing they'd probably spend it in the Junker rushing off to help her people and running from bad guys. Stale air and bullet wounds, tensions probably having them fighting every five seconds and making up at truck stops. Maybe it was her fucked up mentality, but it didn't seem that bad. Her hand slid down her abdomen and hooked on her jeans. If she closed her eyes she could feel his arms wrapped around her and murmuring whispers against her ear.
Sadly, she took off her clothes and slid into the warm bath water. Things were not going to be okay between them by the time she left. She knew. She also knew she wouldn't be saying goodbye. He'd try to stop her, his 'savior' mentality wouldn't allow for anything else.
Or was it more? He'd been so hurt when she'd asked him to make her forget. She sighed and leaned back in the bath, pushing the thoughts away. If it was more, then he definitely didn't want her attention now. The warmth and the scent of the bubbles soothed her exhausted body and she soon drifted off to sleep.
This time it wasn't the graveyard, it was the living room of her old apartment. The one she'd shared with OC before all the stuff happened. She smiled, running her hands along the ninja with her back towards the door. She didn't turn when she sensed him but she stiffened and the pain of her betrayal turned her stomach.
"I could love you, you know." He said.
"I won't let you."
"I know." He walked around her and sat on the couch, leaning back in that casual, nonchalant way. "You're poison. You kill everything you touch. Ben, you snapped his neck. Zach shot himself in the head so you could have his heart. Came back though, didn't he? Oh wait! You sent him away. Guess that's kinda killing him too."
"Stop" she pleaded.
"Hmm, who else?" he tapped his chin. "Oh! Joshua's brother Isaac. That would be your fault too Maxie. Logan, you must have almost killed him a thousand times, pity it didn't stick. I heard a couple of things from the other transgenics. Was was it, Tinga? Oh, and Brin?"
"Manticore…"
"Through you." He tipped his head to the side. "How many more Max? How many I don't even know about yet?"
"Why are you doing this?" She closed her eyes and when she opened them he was right in front of her. His hand stroked her cheek and tilted her face up. "Because you're not poison Max. As many people that died because of something you did or didn't do, the life you brought to the rest is worth it. Those people died because of Manticore. That makes them martyrs. It's not your poison, it's your strength. It's on their hands, not yours. Let yourself believe it. More will die Max. Hell, I might die. It's still worth it if it means our freedom."
Her nails dug into his arms and she shook her head wildly. "No, it's not."
"Look at me."
She did and his eyes warmed her. She leaned against his chest and breathed in the scent that was still Alec even in her dreams.
"I could love you Max."
"I won't let you."
"I know." He paused and she waited coldly for his comment. His lips pressed into her hair. "But you should."
She darted awake, choking on her tears. She was leaving. She was. But she wouldn't go happy.
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There is a happy hum in the air and it's all thanks to the fantastical vibeage my reviewers, alertifiers, and favorks are shlooping my way. Shloop, shloop, shloop. Too much coffee, no sleep. This is what I become.
Review and I'll…uh nope, Okay, Review and I won't…ummm. Hey! Look! Shiny! *runs away yelling "REVIEW!" over shoulder*
Quirkys– I missed you!
Beige Flicka – Hmm. Tough one. Oh wait! Do both. And don't forget the boiling oil. If you drizzle it on to certain 'sensitive' parts his girly screams should really hit that pesky little anti-logan bitch inside. Not that you'd really want to be rid of it because, really, she's the voice of reason. And yeah they get along fine. In the strictly manliest of ways of course.
Pup-of-Power – Here's your kiss. But unfortunately not with the gooey goodness, so much as the drama. Hope it's sufficient to tide you over. I know the withdrawals are a bitch.
