As Bling continued to watch the door,

As Bling continued to watch the door, after being relieved for a minute to clean himself up, the others began the slow process of cleaning up their mess.

However neat they'd had to have been at Manticore, the six X5's still managed to complain every step of the way. Original Cindy attempted to convince Logan to bring in a cleaning crew, but he just regarded her stoically.

With not much energy left, Max didn't complain much, and instead listened to the small bits of conversation between the others. For most of them, less Zack, it had been their first time seeing each other since the escape. And other than Max and Zack, the rest had never even known if the other's were still alive.

Max could see that, even though their reunion was on a battlefield, it still lifted a lot of weight off everyone's shoulders.

Every second she could without being caught, she glanced in on Bree, who hadn't changed positions. With Zane helping out in the kitchen, Griff had come to visit a few times in the past half hour to help 'clean up' her way. Grabbing any available food that was still sitting around, she stayed until Zane reprimanded her and she went, tail between legs, to go sit over by Bree.

It was after the kitchen was cleaned that everyone else began cleaning up. Even with two showers, it didn't happe n very quickly, Logan and Original Cindy grabbing the washrooms the first time, and from then on it whichever X5 could beat their family to it.

Max found herself lying on the floor outside the washroom with Zane on the floor after diving for the door. Syl had beaten them both, but now it was as to who could stay there longer.

With Zack now cleaning up in the guest washroom, Max went to find Logan, who was sitting in front of his computers staring at the screens again.

She left the room, not wanting to interrupt him, and wandered in to the couch where she looked down on Bree on the couch.

She found herself grinning, a small smile was spread across Bree's lips and Griff was licking her face. But what she hadn't been expecting was Bree to open her eyes then.

They focused blearily on Max, "Hi." she whispered, working her throat muscles and swallowing.

Max didn't say anything for a second until the girl began to sit up.

"No." Max said, "You should probably keep laying down, I don't know what they use in those darts anymore."

Bree mumbled something then groaned.

"What?" Max asked quickly.

Bree opened her eyes once more, looking at Max, who stood worriedly over her. She couldn't help but smile. No one had ever really cared for her as much before. Neither on a friendly or sisterly basis. For her, it had always been that someone was looking out for her, strictly because she either had connections, or knew how to kick some ass.

"I'm fine." Bree said, her voice cracking a bit because lack of use. She sat up as Max grabbed a seat, rubbing Griff between the ears.

"It's just that it's not everyday you wake up to a dog licking your face," she smiled.

Max grinned back, "Her name's Griff, she's Zane's d-baby."

"Who'd he hafta kill to get her in here?" Bree asked teasingly, reaching over and rubbing the dog, who seemed to be in Heaven momentarily.

"So this is Bree." someone said, coming out from the kitchen.

Bree turned around to see a guy, roughly Max's age and with brownish hair, standing behind them.

"Bree, this is Zane, Zane Bree," Max commented, turning.

"Hey" Bree greeted easily, watching his eyes study her in a suspicious fashion. "Would you like to see it?" she asked, somewhat sarcastically.

"What?" he asked.

"The barcode. Did you like, have to see it to believe me or something?"

He didn't reply for a moment, surprised at her question for a second.

"Jus' don't get my girl in a strangle hold a'ight." Original Cindy said, coming from behind, "She doesn't take it very well, ask Zack," she grinned, walking over to Bree.

"How's my girl?" she asked, taking her hand and squeezing it.

"I'm fine," she replied automatically. "Hungry but good."

"No wonder." Zane said, good naturedly from the doorway.

"Sorry?" Bree asked.

"It looks like you haven't eaten in a week." he shrugged, "We make a pretty good pair, wanna help me raid the kitchen?"

Bree smiled at his sudden trust and openness, glad she didn't have to go through another Zack moment, and got up off the couch. "I'm sure I could handle that," she commented, wa lking around the couch. Griff followed her heals and Original Cindy sat down.

"Told you the girl'd be a'ight," she pointed out.

Max nodded, then thought for a moment, "What did you mean about Zack and Bree?" she asked.

Original Cindy looked caught, "Bree di'n't tell you?"

She shook her head.

"A'ight Boo, Zack over reacted a li'l when he saw Bree standin'in the doorway, but it ain't gotta get all bad 'cause our girl took him down on it, which was when Original Cindy came walkin' in on them."

Max looked slightly pissed off and turned her head away from Original Cindy to hide what she was thinking. Zack didn't trust anyone, probably never really would, but it wasn't like he had to go and strangle every stranger that opened the door.

In her mind's eye, she could picture Bree taking down Zack in one kick if he was unsuspecting, and she couldn't help but smile. At least the guy'd been taught a lesson, right?

"You okay Boo?"

"I'm good" Max replied, turning back and standing up. "I'm gonna go steal that shower from Zane if Syl's out yet, don't tip him off quite yet, a'ight?"

"Whateva you say." she replied.

Max made her way to the washroom, finding Syl just coming out. "The water's getting kind of colder, so you gotta turn it on hot a lot, sorry girl." she shrugged.

"It's okay, this girl's used to having cold showers," she smiled and entered the washroom after grabbing a stack of towels sitting outside the door on the floor.

Logan. He was so considerate of everyone in her family. Even Zack. For now anyways. Her heart warmed, and she didn't seem to care how cold the shower was getting. All she knew was that her family was finally coming together, and it would be a hell of a ride up ahead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We're on the road to nowhere, c'mon inside. We're on the road to nowhere, come take that ride...." Krit and Jondy sung together along with the old, pre-pre-pulse tape playing in the stereo. As the song and the tape came to an end Jondy let out a laugh and reached into the back of the jeep for some food and Krit's tape box.

"Hmm," She muttered as she inspected the load of food that Krit had grabbed from a bakery in the last township they'd been in while she took a bathroom stop. After choosing a relatively safe looking filled roll she turned to the tapes. "Metallica, AC/DC, The Stones, The Who, The Carrs, The Pogues, Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, Bloodhound Gang..." She let out a surprised laugh. "Alanis Morrissette? Why Krit, I'd never have guessed."

Krit shrugged. "I like angry music, she's got a few angry songs."

"Mmhmm." Jondy replied around a mouthful of roll, she offered it to Krit and he took a bite.

"Beethoven's Fifth?" She enquired.

"Dramatic." Krit replied. "Strong and soul stirring." He stole the last of the roll out of her hand. Jondy pretended to pout for a second before grabbing herself another one.

"B52's, Mozart, Haydn?" Jondy continued surprised at the diversity of Krit's collection.

"What music collection is complete without them?" Krit replied with a shrug.

"Shania Twain?" Jondy nearly choked as she read the title.

"The more rocky stuff. She had some good ones." Krit shrugged.

"Riight." Jondy teased. "Bach?"

"Ah, Johann Sebastian, the master of counterpoint." Krit grinned.

"The Cure, Clash, Aqua?!"

"I'm a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie world... You wouldn't want me to be stereotypical now, would you?"

"Meatloaf, hmm. Tchaikovsky?"

"A technical genius, born before his time."

"You really like your music, don't you li'l bro." Jondy grinned.

"Yup, call it an anti-Manticore thing. It's just my own way of saying that Lydecker can kiss my genetically engineered ass. There's plenty of selection there, find something you like and chuck it on."

"Hmm, the best of Reggae, now that's more my thing."

"Oh, poor Jondy-John, can't handle the hard rock huh?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Zane, shower's free." Max called sweetly.

"Thanks." Zane replied sarcastically as he and Bree emerged from the kitchen.

Max just shrugged and started gathering up the washing. About a minute later there was a surprisingly girlish shriek from the bathroom.

"Max! Why didn't you tell me there was no hot water left?!" Zane yelled.

"Oops." Max replied unsympathetically. "Zane, there's no hot water left."

"How am I s'posed to get grease of in cold water." Zane demanded.

"The same way everybody else does Zane, you scrub."

A couple of minutes later loud music could be heard coming from the direction of the elevator. Clash's "Should I stay or should I go?" to be exact. Everybody exchange confused looks and then looked in the direction of a groaning Zack.

"Krit." He answered by way of explanation. "Music always precedes him."

Everybody moved towards the hall outside of Logan's apartment to meet the opening doors. They were however surprised to see two figures in the elevator, both singing along to Krit's tape player.

"...If I go there will be trouble, if I stay it will be double. So you gotta let me know, should I stay or should I go?" Jondy and Krit sang in unison as the song ended and they stepped off of the elevator.

"Definitely stay." Max replied grinning.

"Krit, Jondy." Zack greeted coolly. But his voice clearly questioned their simultaneous arrival.

"Hey Zack." Krit replied lightly.

"Hey Zack." Jondy replied just as coolly, neither was going to give him an answer just yet.

"Jondy?" Max asked, suddenly unsure of herself.

"Maxie?" Jondy replied. A moment later the two sisters were in an unbreakable embrace and both speaking at once.

"Oh god Max.. when I saw you fall through the ice..."

"Jondy I've missed you so much..."

"Looking good li'l sistah..."

"Zack wouldn't tell me anything about how you were..."

"God.. I've wanted to hit Zack sometimes... the way he clams up.."

Both girls had tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces when they finally pulled back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~