A/N Like I said before I'm just along for the ride on this fic. My muse has been taken captive by the characters so I'm just letting them run with it and seeing where this road takes us. Sorry Max and Logan are a little slow this chapter but Alec and Asha are demanding to be heard and the other two seem to want some time to themselves. Thanks for all the great reviews – a definite motivation to keep this going!

The silence continued on the ride back to Logan's and up the elevator. Logan refused to release Max's hand until they arrived at his door and he had to get out his keys. A subdued Asha followed the pair inside.

"Logan, I need to go throw some cold water on my face or something. I still feel kind of groggy from whatever they hit me with. Be right back." Max excused herself and headed off to his bathroom leaving Asha standing there with him.

"I'm going to make some coffee – I think we could all use some. Why don't you sit and relax for a few." Still unaware of exactly what had happened Logan assumed Asha was suffering from the aftereffects of the drugs, as was Max. Asha grabbed the small reprieve and muttering something headed off to sit on the couch while Logan went to start the coffee. Within minutes Max finished cleaning up and she headed for the kitchen and Logan. Wordlessly he held out his arms and she went into them readily, resting her head on his chest. For a moment they stood there not needing words, both taking comfort from the closeness of the other.

The silence in the apartment was broken by the sound of the door opening and Alec's voice calling out.

"Honey I'm home." Logan and Max looked at each other and couldn't help laughing as they stepped apart.

"You know he really isn't all that bad. Max." Logan began. She slowly nodded.

"Yeah, I guess he's trying. And he did come through tonight. Did you call him? How did you guys know to come?" Logan started to answer but was interrupted by Alec and Joshua, who headed to Max and enveloped her in a hug.

"You okay Little Fella?" Laughing, Max returned his hug looking tiny against his bulk.

"I'm good. Thanks for coming tonight Big Fella." She looked over at Alec, who grinned and holding up his hands said,

"Yeah I know, you're eternally grateful to me as well. I'm sure I can come up with a suitable means of your expressing your gratitude if I try hard enough. I'll send the bill."

Max just rolled her eyes at him. There was a general air of relief in the apartment as they all unwound from the events of the night. For everyone that is except Asha who was dreading what was to come and who sat quietly on the couch. Coffee was ready and Logan put out a bottle of Irish cream as well for any who wanted it. Grinning Alec fixed himself a cup including the liqueur as did Logan and Max. Joshua stuck to plain coffee. Glancing into the other room Logan called out.

"Asha coffee's here. You might want a cup to counteract the drug." Max glanced at Asha but remained silent. Deciding she needed something Asha rose and went to get herself a cup. When she returned Max and Logan were seated next to each other on the couch with Logan's arm draped casually over Max's shoulders. Joshua stood looking out the window, fascinated by the lights of Seattle, and Alec had taken the chair. She hesitated not really wanting to sit next to the couple. Logan noticing her discomfort nodded to Alec who rose and pulled in Logan's rolling chair from the computer room, indicating to Asha the chair he had just vacated.

"So." Logan began. Max sat silently looking at Asha. Logan gave her a curious look wondering what was up. "Do we get to find out what happened tonight? "

"You first. How did you know to come?" Max played for time not sure what she wanted to say yet.

"It was pure luck. Alec happened to see White loading you two into his SUV. He headed over here and we rounded up Joshua to help. The rest you pretty much know. How did White find you?" Max sighed and opened her mouth but was forestalled by Asha.

"It was my fault." They all turned and looked at her. "I set her up." Logan drew in a breath and his eyes blazed as he looked down at Max who nodded in confirmation.

"What the hell?" Asha turned away from the fury in Logan's voice and eyes and saw Alec looking at her not entirely unsympathetically. She continued in a small voice.

"I knew White from a long time ago. He came to me looking for a girl, a unique girl. He showed me a picture of Max. He didn't think I'd know her, he wanted information on Eyes Only so he could get to her through him. When I refused to give him anything he told me he was going to come after Logan, to get to Eyes Only. " She paused and looked at Logan who regarded her coldly. "I was afraid for you; I know what he's capable of. And I guess I was…jealous of Max. So I justified turning her over to him. I told myself she was going to get you hurt or killed that you'd be better off without her. That it was okay, he was just taking her back to where she came from and what she was made for." She paused then continued, "I was wrong. It was selfish and self-serving. I know you all hate me now and you have a right to."

There was silence in the room as she stopped then suddenly Joshua let out a growl and advanced on Asha who cowered back in her chair. Max jumped up and in front of him, placing a hand on his arm and shaking her head. Logan just looked on too angry at the moment to trust himself to speak. Neither noticed that Alec had started to rise to stop Joshua but had stopped when Max stepped in. Max broke the silence.

"It's late and we're all tired. I don't feel like dealing with this anymore tonight. I have a bitch of a headache from the drug." Logan looked at her in concern and rose to stand next to her. Joshua turned to her and gently patted her head.

"Little Fella needs rest." He looked at Logan "You take care of her. Alec and I take care of this…bitch." He turned and glared at Asha. Logan hesitated then glanced at Alec who shrugged.

"Yeah better put Maxie to bed. Joshua and I can deal with Asha for tonight." Max glanced around unused to having three males all trying to take care of her. She started to protest only to be stopped by Logan.

"They're right Max. You need to rest and get the drug out of your system." Turning to Alec he switched the topic. "I'm concerned that White has my name. Think we're secure here?"

Alec smiled. "White has his hands full if he survived the explosion I set off. I doubt he's going to do anything tonight. Joshua and I will stay here just in case and we'll take turns on sentry duty." Joshua nodded.

"Sentry duty," he agreed. Logan nodded satisfied and looked at Max who shrugged but didn't protest. Logan turned to Asha and in an ice cold voice told her.

"There's extra blankets and pillows in the closet. We'll talk more in the morning." With that he turned from her and bidding Alec and Joshua good night headed off with Max to his bedroom. As an after thought he turned and said to Alec.

"If you want a shower Asha knows where the towels are – make yourself at home."

Alec nodded and went over to speak to Joshua quietly as Asha headed to the closet to get some blankets, resigning herself to a sleepless night on the couch.

* * * *

Several hours later all was quiet in the darkened apartment. Joshua was curled on the floor in the computer room in a nest of blankets and pillows having finished first watch. Alec stood by the window looking out and Asha shifted restlessly on the couch. Picking up on her sigh, Alec turned and moved to stand over her.

"I know you're awake. If you want to talk…sentry duty can be a boring bitch." Asha didn't reply for a moment then she sat up and looked at him, unable to see more than a dark shadow in the dim light.

"What's there to talk about? I did the worst possible thing you could do. I betrayed the trust of someone I care about." Her words were soft but bitter. Alec dropped down onto the sofa next to her.

"I won't argue with you there. You care about him that much?" his tone was curious but not condemning.

"I care about him a lot. But it wasn't really about protecting him. I mean I knew I could go to him and warn him about White. I just pretended to myself so I could justify what I was doing. I wanted Max gone, like I thought she was before. I thought if she were he'd finally forget her and see me. I was wrong I realized that tonight. Even if it had worked he would have found out somehow and he would have ended up hating me for it. Like he does now." She fell silent and Alec sat there watching her, the dark not bothering his night sensitive eyes. They sat in silence for a minute and then Asha surprised Alec by asking him,

"So tell me, do you hate me now too?" He hesitated surprised at her question then answered lightly in an attempt to relieve the tension.

"Hate's too much effort. I told you, I'm about fun and games. Love, hate, that's too intense for me." He paused then went on more seriously "Look sometimes it's hard in combat. I've seen soldiers break who I never thought would and I've seen others come through that I wouldn't have given a snowball's chance in hell." Asha laughed bitterly.

"Yeah right. Max went through who knows what tortures and she didn't break. Logan would probably die before he'd betray anyone who trusted him."

"Yeah well those two are something different from most of us. I wouldn't want to be them. It's never going to be easy for either of them because they won't let it be. Life's too short for that. I plan on enjoying mine."

"What do you think they'll do in the morning?" she asked him.

"Oh take you out in front of a firing squad." She stared at him and he laughed. "Lighten up. Logan might want to kill you and Max might want to kick your ass but they won't. Your best bet is to stay away for a while, let them get over it."

"You sound like you know first hand? " she probed. He smiled but didn't answer her.

"Thanks," she said softly.

"For what?" he asked.

"For listening and not hating me." He brushed it off.

"Like I said life's too short."

"Well anyway. So if I see you at Crash sometime can I buy you a beer?" she asked tentatively.

"Sweetheart I never pass up free beer. So long as you know where I'm coming from." he felt compelled to add. She smiled for the first time that night.

"I'm down with that." Sensing that the conversation was over Alec rose and moved back to the window. Asha pulled the blankets up and settled back down, realizing that she was exhausted and feeling like she could finally sleep. Her last coherent thought before she dropped off was of Alec and how his lips had felt on hers just a day ago. Smiling to herself she let sleep claim her.