A/N: Ahh…don't hate me…

FEAR AND LOATHING IN SEATTLE

Chapter 12: MAYBE I'M JUST TOO CLOSE

Max must have been fallen asleep sometime during the night, because when she opened her eyes again, bright daylight welcomed her together with Alec's wide grinning face only centimetres in front of hers.

"Hello sunshine! Who's the sleepy head now?"

She freed herself from the blanket, which Alec apparently had placed over her during the night and rubbed her eyes to clear her vision. Then she stretched her aching body. The armchair wasn't that comfortable to sleep in.

He moved easily to the kitchen, returning with a steaming cup of coffee. When had he made coffee? She frowned and took a closer look at him.

"You look better."

Nonchalantly he answered: "Of course I do. Always been the pretty one." He passed her one of the cups and continued. "Maybe Manticore has additionally given you healing skills, too. I really feel better. A lot. You would definitely make a good looking nurse. Grumpy, but good looking."

When he sat down next to her she punched his shoulder challengingly, carefully avoiding spilling her coffee.

"Hardly surprising with those friends!" She took a reluctant sip of the steaming black brew, while he was still trying to cool his down with blowing into it. Looking at the white bandages on his arm, she noted: "I need to redress that nevertheless." He shrugged. "Do what you have to."

He felt so much better, so much more like his usual self that he didn't cared. Everything was fine with him unless this creepy exhaustion stayed away. For ever. He felt ready to face anything today. And in Max astonished but satisfied glances he saw that he was physically better, too. The burn mark on his arm still was swollen red, but it didn't radiate with heat any longer. The bruises on his body were finally fading to a more greenish colour. Alec endured the procedure without any complains, making smart-ass comments, smiling.

Max couldn't believe it. He was back. This knot in her guts vanished. She was happy. Relieved.

Alec's voice interrupted her thoughts: "Hey, are you still sleeping? I said, we better go now before we give Normal a heart attack."

Together they left the apartment. This time he easily climbed her beloved ninja behind her and they arrived at Jam Pony a few minutes later without incident. Normal welcomed them: "Alec! So glad you're back. Are you sure you're okay. Do you need some more time to recover? You know you shouldn't rush things!" He hugged the male X-5 tightly. Anoyed Alec looked over to Max for help, but she just smiled and shook her head, mouthing:
"Deal with it!" before she vanished from his sight.
So he had to endure Normal fussing over him, placing him down on a chair, serving him tea until Max came back with her bike, loaded with packages. Quickly he jumped up and ran over to her before Normal could voice his protests.

"Hey Max!" brotherly he draped his arm around her shoulders. "Maybe you're in use of some help? I'm definitely able to keep up with you today!"

"Hm...," she pretended to consider his suggestion, letting him dangle a little more.

"Oh, please, don't leave me here with mother hen Normal. He's creepy!" He looked at her with pleading eyes.

She smiled and put her hand around his waist, pulling him closer to her.

"so you need me to save you once more?...Of course! Let's go!" she laughed.

It was hard to believe for her, more like a dream than reality. All those worries about nothing? Had she simply overreacted? She watched him, cruising on his bike a few metres in front of her. He was better, there was no doubt. Not longer slow and exhausted. Maybe his reflexes were a little less accurate than usual, but she wasn't sure.

She shook her head to get rid of the last worries. Oh, she had been stupid. He was Alec after all. He would always struggle along everywhere, no matter what. Bad weeds grow tall. How could she have forgotten that?

She smiled, pedalling faster. Her long, dark hair blew freely in the wind and sunshine reflected on her bike. The streets were full with people enjoying the warmth. It was a perfect day.

It happened all of a sudden.

Alec turned around on his bike, shouting something to her she didn't understand because at the same moment she was distracted by a car turning round the corner at high speed heading directly towards her friend.

She screamed, but it was too late. The pictures in front of her were moving in slow motion, soundless. Helpless she had to watch the car hitting Alec on his bike; his body flying through the air, then crashing into the windshield and finally falling down to the ground, where he stayed motionless. The car didn't come to a stop until it collided with a water hydrant. Cold water was raining down the street. The unconscious driver's head pressed the signal horn. An alarm bell was shrieking.

One moment everything around her was silent and just one second later deafening chaos hold sway over her world. Time jumped back to normal speed.

Max regardlessly threw her bike to the ground and with her eyes fixed on the lifeless body she ran to Alec and fell to her knees next to him.

She heard all the noises around her, felt the people gathering on the street, many of them shouting, but all that mattered to her was the shallow rising of his chest. He was alive. Everything would be fine. She had to calm down. But her hands were shaking when she touched his face, trying to wake him once more.

"Alec," she whispered and her voice was shaking, too. She really had to pull herself together so she took a deep breath and cleaned herself of all the useless emotions she felt, let herself embrace the emptiness inside her. Drained of her feelings, her body felt numb and she easily changed into soldier mode.

Listing his injuries, assessing the damage.
Unconscious. Racing pulse. Head wound. Laboured breathing. Fracture of his left upper arm, bone piercing through skin. Possible inner bleeding. Her healing hands would not be sufficient for those.

Carefully she fixed his head in her lap, stroking his hair.

His eyes flickered and he moaned, trying to get up.

It was too easy for her to hold him down."Shhh! Don't move. Help is on the way."

He croaked. "Max!"

She shook her head. "It's okay. Everything's gonna be fine. Just stay still." Soothingly she kept stroking his head, disregarding all the blood staining her clothes.

"No, Max…we have to…get out of here!" He gulped. Still, he struggled against her tight grip. "We….can't stay here!"

Max could feel something wet on her cheeks. Tears?

"I'm sorry, Alec, but we can't go. You need a hospital first."

"No, Max, I'm fine! Don't worry about me, had much worse!"

Angrily she wiped away those tears, smearing blood all over her face in this way.

"Sure you had. We still are going to get you to the hospital."

In the distance she could hear the ambulance arriving. Alec's efforts strengthened.

"Max!" he shouted weakly but the she just continued patting his hair.

"N..No…hos…pitals." he slurred before he lost consciousness again.