A/N: To all of you still reading this story I am so so sorry that it has taken me so long to update. I know I promised some of you I would have this chapter posted in a day or two over a month ago, and for that I apologise. The last couple of months I have been working 12 days on, 2 days off, and I have literally had no time. But in celebration of now being on holiday (YAY!) I thought I would stay up and get this out to you before I head off for a week. This is a super long chapter with some Alecy/Maxness thrown in, so enjoy!
Chapter 12
It was nearing morning by the time they were approaching the clearing again. Max stopped the gelding and turned him so that she could speak to Syl and Krit.
"We'll ride as close as we can to the room, then you two get Alec inside and I'll return the horses."
Krit and Syl glanced at each other as they both nodded in agreement.
Max turned the gelding and they were off again through the forest, this time at an even faster pace; even the horses were anxious to put as much distance between themselves and their pursuers as possible.
A short time later Max stopped at the very edge of the forest, as close to their room as she dared get.
Syl and Krit both dismounted gracefully without a word. Krit handed Max the mare's reins and then turned to help Alec off the back of the gelding.
Max took one last look at Alec's retreating back slung between her brother and sister before hastily turning the horses around and heading back to the clearing.
oOoOoOoOo
As she entered the room Max saw Alec lying on the bed with Syl and Krit standing over his leg, inspecting it. "How bad is it?" she demanded as she rushed to his side.
"Not too bad. It's a through and through. He'll live." Syl answered matter-of-factly, more focussed on the worry and emotions playing across on her sister's face. Now that was more interesting than a bullet wound.
"Told ya you couldn't get rid of me that easily, Maxie," Alec joked, however the pain was evident in his raspy tone and shadowed eyes.
"We managed to get the room next door," Krit said. "We should all get cleaned up and get some sleep and move out tomorrow. We should be safe here till then, it'll take them a while to try and track us through the forest."
"Good idea," Max murmured, still looking at Alec with a worried expression.
"Well, I'm assuming you can handle this," Syl said with a knowing smile, looking pointedly at Alec and then Max, "so we'll leave you to it," she said with a sly wink aimed at Alec as she walked towards the door.
"Yeah, sure," Max said uncertainly, still looking with concern at Alec, before she dragged her gaze away and toward her brother and sister, realising that she hadn't properly greeted them what with the rescue mission and Alec's injury. "It's great to see you again," she said, emotion in her voice as she looked from one to the other, giving them both an enthusiastic hug. As she hugged Syl Max flinched as Syl brushed the knife wound on her back.
"You know, you should get someone to take a look at that," Syl said with a mischievous grin on her face, looking Max in the eye and then letting her gaze drift towards the bed where Alec lay.
"Thanks for riding to the rescue guys," Krit joked, trying to do the same for his baby sister as he looking at Max and then threw a nod of thanks in Alec's direction; he knew exactly what Syl was up to.
"Yeah, thanks Alec. Have fun playing doctors and nurses," Syl said slyly, a smile creeping across her face because she knew he was going to milk his current situation for all it was worth. And she had to admit he was a professional, looking every inch the adorable wounded hero in need of some personal attention.
Once Syl and Krit had left Max returned to the bed, dropping to her knees to inspect Alec's wound more closely, her brow creasing in a combination of concentration and worry. But after a moment her brow relaxed as she looked up at him and said in a commanding, matter-of-fact voice, "take off your pants Alec."
Alec's expression was momentarily one of shock, which quickly morphed into a leering grin. "Max, you don't know how long I've waited to hear those exact words leave that perfect mouth of yours."
Max just gave him a disgusted look and waited not so patiently with her eyebrows raised and an annoyed expression on her face.
"All right, all right," he muttered as he sat up wincing, silently amused that when he winced the pain was also reflected on Max's face. He carefully stood up, unbuttoned his jeans and unzipped the fly, pushing them down his legs passed his knees, revealing a pair of baby blue satin boxer shorts and a pair of very muscular, slightly hairy thighs.
Max didn't spend much time admiring Alec's physique because as soon as her gaze settled on his wound she couldn't concentrate on anything else. It looked quite nasty, the bullet having passed through the right thigh on the outside edge, but was luckily nothing more than a nasty flesh wound. Max inspected it, trying to avoid touching Alec as much as possible. She could see that it had gotten quite dirty from their ride through the forest, and needed to be washed.
"You better go for a shower and try to clean it out before I dress it."
As Alec headed towards the bathroom Max grabbed her jacket and headed for the door.
"Hey, where are you going? The patient needs a sponge bath, and I really don't think I can manage on my own," Alec said with a cheeky lopsided grin on his face, wondering how far he could push the crippled patient act.
"Sorry, thats not part of the job description," Max retorted. "I'm going to go and find something to disinfect your leg with," and with that she breezed out the door.
oOoOoOoOo
Alec had just stepped out of the shower when he heard Max return. He gingerly put on a pair of navy boxer shorts, and limped out into the bedroom, where Max was busily arranging the first aid materials. He sat back down onto the bed, grabbed the bottle of scotch she had managed to procure, and proceeded to swig out of it. Max took the bottle off him and poured some into a bowel before handing the bottle back. She then proceeded to dip a swab in the brown liquid and started to mop at the wound. Alec gave a wheeze of pain, his face contorted, and preceded to chug out of the scotch bottle all the more vigorously. After she was satisfied that she had done all she could do Max began to bandage Alec's leg.
"Right, you're done," she said as she got off the bed and starting cleaning up the first aid materials.
"Now let's have a look at your back" Alec instructed, his attention drawn to it as she lent over him to clean up the used swaps.
"It's fine, it's not too bad". Max turned her head to try to see the wound over her shoulder and gave a wince of pain as the wound stretched.
"Come on, let me have a look," Alec said gently, giving her a disarmingly tender look.
Max obliged by grudgingly removing her sweater to reveal a singlet underneath. She returned to sit back on the bed and shifted her position so her back faced Alec.
He slowly and carefully moved the straps of her bra and singlet off her shoulder so that he could pull the back of it down to get a better look.
Max tried to sit still but fidgeted slightly with the awkwardness of the situation, and the fact that she felt so undressed in front of Alec. She was intensely aware of the path his warm hand was travelling across her shoulder and back as he removed her singlet straps.
"You're going to have to take your shirt off so I can have a proper look at it, Max," Alec said seriously, not liking the look of the wound and knowing it was going to be hard to get Max to take him seriously enough to comply.
"No way!" Max snapped. "It's not that bad," she argued as she moved to get off the bed.
"Yes, it is," Alec said, gabbing her arm and turning her slightly so he could look at her intently. "I think it might need stitching." Max just looked back at him and shook her head stubbornly.
"Max, it's an open wound that hasn't stopped bleeding. The last thing we need is for you to be weak from blood loss or slowed down because it's not healing quickly enough," he said frustrated as he ran a hand through his damp hair. "If you won't let me look at it, I'll go and ask Syl," Alec said raising his eyebrows questioningly. He had to admit he was a little hurt that she still didn't trust him enough to let him help her when she was in pain. Hadn't they been through enough?
Max could see the hurt flash behind Alec's eye's at the thought that she didn't trust him, and she had to admit that he was probably right; the wound would heal faster if it was stitched.
She gave a small nod that was almost indiscernible. "I need a shower first" she said, not waiting for a reply from Alec as she swiftly got up and headed for the bathroom without a backward glance.
While Max was in the shower, Alec got comfortable on the bed and turned on the TV. Suddenly his phone began to ring.
"Yeah?" he said in answer.
"Oh, Logan, buddy. What's been happening in the world of corruption and espionage?" he asked with humour in his voice. Although Alec wasn't really fond of the cyber journalist he felt he could at least afford to be a little generous towards the man considering Max had just confessed her doubts about them, and the fact that he was the one sharing a motel room with her, and not Logan. Alec knew he didn't need to say anything; if he were in Logan's position that fact alone would have been more than enough to provoke his jealously.
"Hi Alec," Logan said shortly, not wanting to have a conversation with the man who had stolen his sweetheart. "Is Max there, I need to speak to her?"
"Ah, she's a little busy at the moment, can I --"
Just then Max opened the bathroom door a crack, "Hey Alec, is there another towel out there that you can pass me?"
"Coming Max," Alec called, not doubting the fact that Max's voice had carried clearly over the other end of the line.
"Look Logan can I get her to call you back, thanks." Alec snapped the phone shut without waiting for an answer, and went in search of a towel for Max.
Once dressed in a pair of shorts and a singlet Max returned to the bedroom to let Alec inspect her back properly.
"Ready?" Alec asked as he gathered the suture material off the table. Max nodded and turned her back to him about to remove her shirt, then looked over her shoulder at him.
"Turn around. And if I catch you peeking…" she threatened, not sure what she would do to him, but Alec had no doubt that it would be much more painful than a gunshot wound. He gave her a sheepish look, slightly embarrassed that he had forgotten. He obediently turned his back and waited patiently, listening to the bed creak slightly as he heard her climb onto it.
"Okay," Max said quietly when she was ready. As Alec turned back to the bed his breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. She was beautiful. She was lying in the middle of the bed on her stomach naked from the waist up, her beautiful olive skin glowing in the dim lights of the motel room. As he let his gaze travel the length of her he couldn't help but marvel at her exotic beauty, her radiant skin, her tiny waist, and her lean shoulders whose muscles he could see ripple ever so slightly when she moved, and the small flash of pain that crossed her face as she turned her head to look at him and say in an annoyed tone:
"Are you coming? Lets get this over with before my senses return and I change my mind." She turned to face forward again, resting her chin on her crossed arms, feeling intensely awkward and cursing the fact that she hadn't insisted on wearing a bra and just making him suture around it.
Alec forced his mind back on task and walked over to the bed and sat down, having to sit right up close to Max to get the best access to the wound. He was aware that there was something intensely intimate and almost erotic about the situation. Max was lying below him, trusting and vulnerable. His hip touched hers and his thigh ran the length of her torso, his bent knee resting just under her arm, a whisper away from the curve of her breast.
He picked up a swab and the bottle of scotch, soaked it, and held his breath as he began to clean the wound thoroughly. Max stiffened slightly as the alcohol entered the deepest part of the wound and began to sting.
"Here," Alec said, handing the bottle of scotch to her, "You might want to start on this because it's the only anaesthetic we've got, and this is gonna hurt." Max took the bottle without a word and took a gulp.
As Alec got out the needle and suture thread and began to prepare them he wondered if he could really do this. Sure he knew what he was doing, hell he'd even done it in the field half a dozen times before under much worse conditions, but this was different. This was Max. Alec couldn't bear the thought of causing her pain, because God knew he'd done enough of that already. He'd been inadvertently responsible for breaking her heart a couple of times already, and now he was about to cause her physical pain.
"Okay, you ready?" Alec asked in a deep low tone, almost hopeful she would change her mind so he wouldn't have to do this to her.
"Yep, go for it medicine man," Max said with a hint of humour as she took another large swig from the scotch bottle, already feeling a little lightheaded, and she wondered idly if there was enough left to get her thoroughly drunk.
Alec placed his left hand on her back next to the wound and held the needle in his right, ready to begin. He took a deep breath and tried to tell himself this was no different to all those other times.
"Alec, just get on with it," Max said frustrated. She just wanted to get this over with and put her clothes back on where they belonged.
As Alec started on the first suture he noticed Max's breathing change and knew she was trying hard not to move. He knew he would need to try and work as fast as he could. As he began to stitch he tried to keep talking to her and engage her in conversation, trying to distract her as much as possible from what he was doing.
As he stitched Alec noticed the wound was ten to twelve inches long and started over her left scapula and ran downwards in a diagonal line, ending just before it reached her spine. He was fully aware of how much pain she was in and was trying to close the wound using as few stitches as possible, whilst also keeping them neat to prevent prolonged scarring. Although he knew that with her advanced healing capabilities the scar would eventually fade, he didn't want her to have one any longer than necessary.
"Come on Alec, are you nearly done? They don't have to be neat, just wack 'em in and hurry up," Max growled between gritted teeth, not sure how much more she could endure.
"Now Max, we wouldn't want you to have a scar. You never know when in the near future you might be overcome by the urge to enter a swimsuit contest," Alec said, a smirk on his face at the thought.
"Alec just hurry up, please," Max asked quietly, not joking anymore.
"Okay, only two more to go," he replied, his brow furrowed and his voice echoing his concentration on the task at hand.
Max put up with the pain as best she could and tried to stay still, but she couldn't help wiggling from discomfort every now and again. She was wondering whether this really had been such a good idea, but she knew that Alec had been right to insist that she get it stitched. She had to admit that what was really bothering her was her vulnerability at this moment. The fact that she was hurt in a strange town with White after her didn't effect her nearly as much as lying half naked on a bed with Alec pressed against her. It was only in this exposed position that she came to the realisation of how much she trusted and depended on her loveable sidekick; and how this both reassured and scared her. But what was most horrifying was that although she was in immense pain her body was still responding to Alec's proximity and his touch. She was desperately trying to shut those thoughts and feelings down and focus on the pain every time the needle slid through her flesh.
"Okay, that was the last one," Alec said as he tied off the final suture. "How are you doing?" he asked softly, relieved it was over for both their sakes.
"Ah, I'll be fine," Max said, clearing her throat and feeling immensely uncomfortable, even more so now that the pain had stopped and she had nothing to distract her from Alec's hands on her back and the thigh that occasionally brushed the side of her breast.
"I'll just finish bandaging it and then you're done," he said as he gently finished cleaning the rest of the blood off her back. He reached across her to grab a piece of gauze and some tape from the other side of the bed where he had discarded them earlier. Max stucked in a breath and lay very still as she felt his thigh press up against her and his bare stomach brush against her side. Breathe Max, just breathe, she had to remind herself.
As Alec taped the edges of the gauze down he couldn't help admiring Max's beauty again, but as he finished he suddenly noticed the number of bruises she had sustained, and he ran is fingers over them ever so lightly.
"White really did a number on you didn't he," his voice betraying both concern and distraction as he concentrated on studying the marks.
"Ah, yeah… well…," Max said nervously, "ya gotta expect to come off with some bruises when someone's out to kill you."
Max started to panic as Alec's hands continued to wander ever so lightly across the bruises on her back; and more alarming were the little shivers his hands were sending all over her body, and the fact that she wasn't in any position to do anything about it.
"You know Max, you really need too learn to relax a little every now and again, you're so tense," Alec said absentmindedly as he felt the tension in her shoulders.
"Yeah well, saving an entire race of people is pretty much a full-time job," Max replied sassily, hoping he would back off and not provoke her to say something nasty in her moment of discomfort.
"Maybe you should share the burden with those around you who are willing to pitch in," he said in a soft lecturing tone; and even though Max couldn't see him, she knew Alec had that look on his face that was characterised by an upraised eyebrow whenever he was making a point he knew to be right.
Max sighed loudly, "So maybe I have a tendency to bare my burdens single-handedly. I go with what works," she said resolutely, trying to convince herself of the words she spoke.
"Just because it's worked up until now doesn't mean it will continue to work, and just because it works doesn't mean it's the most efficient or healthiest for you," he said gently, knowing this was a difficult topic for Max.
Max struggled for a reply but realised there was no real recourse to his argument.
"All you have to do is ask Maxie. I'm with you one hundred percent of the way. You can lean on me." Alec said, earnestly in his voice, his hands still on her shoulders giving her an affectionate shake.
"It's hard for me Alec," she said softly, beginning to relax under his touch and with the conversation. "It goes against my nature."
"I know, but I have faith in you. All I'm saying is that you don't have to do it all alone anymore," he replied softly.
"Come on, stop poking my bruises and let me put my clothes back on," Max suddenly said, not wanting the conversation to get any deeper, and suddenly feeling very weary.
"It's not like me to encourage the beautiful, half drunk woman currently lying in my bed to put her clothes back on, but I wouldn't want you to catch a cold," Alec teased, as he got off the bed and turned his back to allow her to get redressed.
"Always the eternal flirt. Tell me, is it a conscious action, or did Manticore encode it into your DNA?"
"Oh come on Max, we all know that you love me for my wit… amongst my extensive repertoire of other talents."
Max ignored his cheeky comment as she reached for her singlet on the side of the bed, clutching it to her bare chest she carefully sat up and looked over her shoulder to check Alec still had his back turned, then as quickly as her stitches would allow her she pulled the singlet on over her head.
"Okay, I'm dressed," she said as she slid off the bed.
"And I sorely lament that fact." Alec flashed a grin as he turned to face her again before stretching and yawning in a very catlike manner, making the muscles in his chest stretch and flex enticingly. "Well, I think it might be time for bed, because I know I'm beat, and you certainly look like you could do with some rest."
"That's not very polite," Max said a little miffed, but knowing full well she probably wasn't looking her best.
"I think you and I are well past the point of politeness," Alec replied with a soft smile and a knowing look.
All of a sudden the guilt of how badly she had always treated Alec hit her, brought on by his admission of this grossly understated truth and his willingness to understand and forgive her without her needing to ask or apologise.
Max knew that she'd never treated Alec fairly, often treating him like an annoying insect that constantly kept biting her and infecting her life. She realised she hadn't been understanding enough, nor made enough allowances for the fact that for twenty years he had lived under the despotic rule of Manticore, and might have some difficulty adjusting to life on the outside. He was so good at playing the role of the cocky self-sufficient rouge that even she had bought his façade, not recognising that he was really lost, insecure and looking for meaning; much the same as herself even now.
From the first day she had met him she had punished him for the fact that he was Manticore and still willing to obey their orders. But most of all she had punished him for not being Ben. Max guiltily remembered all the times she had treated him like he was an inferior imitation of Ben, like his existence didn't matter, and that every mistake was due to his incompetence or failure of character, even when he was risking his life for her and the ones she loved. He had occasionally called her on it, asking why he was always the bad guy with her, but she had guiltily dismissed it as his excuse for not wanting to accept the responsibility for his screw-ups.
Max had to admit that another reason her surliness towards Alec was because he often agreed with her voice of reason; which she frequently tried to ignore. She didn't like the fact that he voiced out loud what the little voice in the back of her head was whispering to her. That she was treating him unfairly. That she was endangering Logan's life. That she and Logan didn't belong together. That she was potentially exposing herself to White for the sake of others. Alec was her voice of reason, and he was determined not to be easily ignored.
But the primary reason for her bitchy behaviour towards him was that lately she was constantly aware of his presence. Max was determined he was not going to effect her like he did every other female within a two block radius. But he did. And no matter how hard she fought his attentions and flirtations, which were always accompanied by that sexy smirk of his, she couldn't stop something within her giving a little flip of joy whenever he looked at her a particular way. She hated the fact that he could effect her like that, and that she was powerless to stop it. So in an attempt to stop him she had become a bitch in an effort to halt his flirtations. But Alec had seemed to take pleasure in her displeasure and discomfort, and his goading had continued unabated. She had then resorted to reverse psychology, vowing to ignore his comments, hoping that he would soon tire of his teasing when she continued to be unreactive. But unfortunately he had seen this as a challenge, revelling in the effect he could have on her.
What puzzled Max most was, was Alec conscious of the effect his words and looks had on her, or was he just baiting her as a form of sport? Every now and then she thought she felt his eyes on her almost like a caress. Like tonight. A couple of times she thought she had seen a flash of something like affection and longing in his eyes as he gazed at her. But if she believed all of this - that his attentions were genuine - could she believe that his motives were also? Alec after all was the first to endorse the benefits of free love, and seemed quiet content with his philosophy of love 'em and leave 'em. How was she to know that his interest was not born out of a desire for something unattainable? A curiosity of what it would be like with her, or the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction of the conquest?
Max had to reluctantly admit that she had occasionally found herself wondering what they would be like together. They just seemed to understand things about each other that others couldn't begin to. She was aware that lately she was seeking out and relying on Alec's opinion and judgement more and more, and she knew she trusted him with her life.
And with that in mind Max knew that Alec had just presented her with the perfect opportunity to clear the air between them and apologise for the way she had treated him all this time. She felt a desperate need to put things right between them, especially considering all the things he had done for her over the last couple of days.
"Look Alec," she said taking a deep breath to steady herself as she looked him in the eye. "I want to apologise to you for being such bitch to you ever since we met."
"Max you don't have to--"
"Yes I do," she said firmly, cutting him off. "You don't deserve it. Not after everything you've done for me," she said, her voice wobbling slightly. "I'm sorry."
"Max, you have nothing to be sorry for. If anyone should be apologising it should be me, for all the trouble and pain I've caused you," Alec replied earnestly, looking intently at her, glad of the opportunity to repent for some of his sins. "I'm sorry for almost killing Logan, and trying to kill you and Joshua, and for losing the cure, and for not asking for help when I needed it. But most of all for bringing back so many painful memories about Ben. I know it must be hard, especially seeing as though I don't seem to be anything like he was," he said quietly.
"Well on some accounts I think we should be thankful for that," Max said with a small smile as she gave him a kind look. "I'm sorry I've always made you feel like you didn't live up to Ben. That was unfair and untruthful. Ben wasn't able to adapt to the real world after Manticore like you have. And I would have hoped that if he could have overcome that he would have turned out something like you," she said slowly, averting her eyes from him, slightly embarrassed about her admission.
"Max, I think that is the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me," Alec said, genuinely touched that she felt that way.
"Well I mean it. And I just want to say thanks for everything you've done the last couple of weeks. I don't know what I would have done without you. I know I wouldn't have been able to rescue Syl and Krit without you today."
"Hey, anything for a former breeding partner," he said with a smile as he reached out and touched her arm, giving it a small affectionate squeeze.
"But you nearly died today. I got so scared when I thought I might lose you. It would have been all my fault," she blurted out, a tear escaping down her cheek, the stark realisation of how badly things could have ended finally hitting her.
"Hey, hey, hey," Alec cooed as he drew her into his arms. "It was just a flesh wound, nothing serious. Hell, you've inflicted worse on me," he said with a chuckle into her ear, "and we got them back alright, so there's nothing to get upset about. It all turned out okay."
"It's all just getting too much Alec. It's all falling apart on me, and no matter how hard I try I can't keep it all together. Not matter what I do the people I care about get hurt," Max sniffled tearfully into his shoulder as he held her and stroked her hair. "There was Eva, Brin, Tinga, Ben, Zack, Logan, and now you. I'm poison Alec. Everyone I touch ends up hurt or dead," she said, tears streaming down her face.
"Hey, no one in this mess in an innocent. They're either in it because they've chosen to be, or it's chosen them. It has nothing to do with you," Alec said, pulling away slightly and cupping her face with his hands, making her look him in the eye. "Brin and Tinga were casualties of Manticore; and Zack knew exactly what he was doing when he gave you his heart. And you said yourself Ben was hurting people and if you hadn't stopped him Manticore would have. He made his choice Max. You just respected it. And as for Logan, the guy's known from the beginning what the score with you was. He could have bailed at any time," he said looking her intently in the eye, trying to make sure she believed.
"And what about you Alec? Why are you still around when I'm such an ungrateful bitch?"
"Because you're a good person Max," Alec said whilst wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "You always have everyone else's back without any regard for yourself. I mean, you've rescued my butt more times than I can count, or ever deserved. And you've taught me a lot about how to be a good person, and for that I owe you. Who knows where I would be if you hadn't been assigned as my breeding partner. Probably dead," he said with a lopsided smile and a small shake of his head at the possibilities. "Besides, us Manticorean's need to stick together. And I think we make a good team, you with the perfect DNA and street cred, and m--"
"You're the brawn?"
"Nah, I make us look good," he quipped with a cheeky grin and a wink.
"Hey!" she said giving him an affectionate shove and a smile.
"That's more like it," Alec smiled, glad that he had been able to make her smile.
"You know, I don't know what I would have done without you the last couple of weeks. You always know what to say to make me feel better," Max admitted honestly.
"Even a rock needs a rock Max. Besides, every superhero needs a wingman; you know, someone to actually do the work."
"Hey, don't push it," she said laughing, giving him a harder thump on the arm.
"And on that note I think it's time for bed," Alec replied wryly, rubbing his arm.
Max nodded and turned, walking over to the bed and slipped between the sheets. Alec walked across the room to turn out the light, shrouding the room in darkness. He then moved to his side of the bed and gingerly sat down, carefully sliding his wounded leg under the covers.
"How's the leg?" Max asked into the darkness as she saw the wince of pain he gave with her enhanced eyesight.
"It's okay, but it would have been better if you had given me that sponge bath," he taunted naughtily.
"Well I suggest that you go and find Marilyn again. I bet she'd love to give you a sponge bath," Max retorted smartly as she rolled over to go to sleep, not seeing the little shudder of disgust Alec gave at the thought.
A/N: I am going away for a weeks holiday, but I am hoping that I will have more time after I get back – I should go back to a normal working week thank god! If you're still interested in this story please drop by and let me know, I'd love to hear what you think!
