Frosty Relations

The next day Alec found that he was no closer to cornering Max and making her tell him exactly what had crawled up her butt. And he was cranky - majorly cranky. After his impromptu introduction to the Mattel twins the night before, Alec had stumbled over to Biggs's place and fallen in an unconscious heap on his very lumpy couch. And he hadn't even gotten out Biggs' front door this morning before he was met by another group of transgenics who were seeking his assistance on referral from Max. Clearly Max had decided to finally get her claws out.

Alec waited until late at night when H.Q. was all but deserted to confront her. As he approached her office he could see Max sitting at her desk poring over some documents. He lent up against her door frame and watched her. He noted idly that she at least didn't look too tired - unlike himself, who looked like the walking dead.

"Hey." Alec wasn't about to wait for her to notice him this time, he was tired and he wanted some answers.

Max's head snapped up at the sound of Alec's clipped voice. "Hey..." she relied warily.

"Have you got a minute?"

"Um...sure," Max hedged, she really didn't want to talk to him, but she couldn't really find a good enough excuse not to. She had expected him to have been on her doorstep hours before and fuming over her little counter attack. She had been on alert all day as she sent every distasteful job his way, expecting him to suddenly appear in front of her and provoke a rip-roaring fight – she figured that time had finally come.

Alec moved to sit gracefully in the chair on the opposite side of her desk. "Do I get to know why, or is it a secret?" He got straight to the point, looking at her across the table like he genuinely didn't understand, and Max realized that he hadn't worked it out yet.

"Is what a secret?"

"Why you're trying to work me to death."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied coolly.

"Max!" Alec snapped, his frustration getting the better of him. "I'm tired and cranky - and patience is not my friend on a good day, and today is not a good day, " he said looking at her meaningfully, a warning underlying his tone. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, I'm doing what you told me I had to. I'm delegating."

Alec let out a harsh humorless laugh. "So you thought that you would delegate everything to me?"

"You failed to specify specifically who I have to delegate to. And your name came immediately to mind," Max said with a cold hostile smile. She wasn't about to forgive and forget so easily, she was still smarting over his casual dismissal of their friendship yesterday.

"Why are you doing this Max?" Alec asked, genuinely confused.

Max narrowed her eyes at him. "I could ask you the exact same question," she hissed, and for some reason Alec had the distinct feeling that they weren't talking about the same thing anymore.

"You know what Max? I can't do this anymore," he said tiredly as he rose from his chair. "I'm sick of going round and round in circles with you – because I don't know if you've noticed, but that is all we seem to do lately."

"Well, if you would stop being so controlling, and stay out of my business…" Max threatened, leaning forward across her desk.

"You think that this is how I want things to be between us Max? You think that I like having to come across so heavy handed. I miss hanging out like we used to, and I hate this weirdness between us. And I'm only doing this because I care, however, if you are unable to believe that then fine. But it's the truth."

Max stared at him hard. She wanted to believe him, she desperately did, but she wasn't good at trust. It was something that she hadn't had much practice at, and she was having a hard time after what she had heard him say…

Alec saw the uncertainty flash across her face and it made him mad. "You know what Max, if you don't want to believe me then fine! If you change your mind come find me. In the mean time I will endeavor to stay out of your business, just make sure you abide by the rules, otherwise I can't guarantee anything." Alec swiftly turned on his heel and swept out of the room, leaving Max once again alone with her thoughts.