Disclaimer: All X5s, except Chi, belong to James Cameron

AN: Takes place right before BBWW

Dedication: To Joy. Happy Birthday! This is one of the many birthday drafts I started for you – the finished product will be sent this weekend!

MIXED EMOTIONS



How many times did this happen? Jondy and Zack. He didn't admit it to himself, but he felt something for her. Something he never felt for anyone before, not even Max.

Max would kill him if she found out. She had these bent ideas about her family and how they were all related and it was incest.

Bust Max and Tinga had been lucky, to find norms. Jondy and Syl had both tired. Syl's experiences had driven her into Krit's arms and, now, him and Jondy…

"We're banging each other."

Zack chuckled to himself. Jondy's more discrete way of putting it.

He watched her sleep – her hair spread like a fan over the pillow and a faint smile on her lips. She was gorgeous. Like Max, but so completely unlike Max, it made his head spin.

Her skin was paper white, no matter how many hours she spent in the sun. She had these unnerving green eyes and full lips, reminiscant of Maxie. Her hair was spectacular – darkest brown at the roots and almost blonde at the tips. She was tall and slim, like a ballet dancer. She was sarcastic, sweet, offbeat, quiet, caring, humorous and completely unique. The second youngest, to Jace.

She crashed one night every ten, and tonight was that night. Zack slipped out of bed into the cold night air, away from another X5 secret, away from another weakness.

Onto another city, spending a night in a bar, keeping his ears open for news of Manticore, of Lydecker, of anything that might destroy what he had worked so had for. But at these bars he had to put up with one or two girls, wearing almost nothing, trying to do business with him. After the whole ordeal with Chi years ago, Zack viewed prostitutes as the lowest. These girls were desperate. Or morons. Or both. He usually paid them to leave him the hell alone.

She turned up in one of those bars; more a club actually. Open mike night.

//Gotta take a little time

A little time to think things over

Better read between the lines

In case I need it when I'm older//

She never aged – looked like a winsome teenager her whole life. Zack focused on her lips, her eyes, her beautiful shiny hair…

//Gonna take a little time

A little time to look around me

Got nowhere left to hide

Looks like love has finally found me

In my life

There's been heartache and pain

I don't know if I can face it again//

The song was so appropriate and sounded fantastic…Jondy was a brilliant singer.

The song ended and the patrons clapped. She was good.

She didn't come off stage and have a drink with him. She met him outside, in a back alley, wearing a skimpy top and a leather skirt…micro mini…

Zack reached for her, kissing her roughly.

"Missed you too," she purred, allowing him to pull her towards his flat. "How was I?"

"Fantastic as always," Zack said. She pulled him into a back alley, tugging his face down to hers. His hands rested on her hips, guiding them forward slightly.

"Mmm, how far away is your place?" she asked in a suggestive voice.

"Two blocks."

She nodded at him and somehow they made it back to his flat and into his bedroom. Zack was quite pleased when the leather skirt was discarded somewhere in the building. Jondy wouldn't care. She wore those clothes to tease him, not because she liked them.

The clothes were discarded and Jondy lay back on the bed, eyes bright. No words were exchanged.

Later on, Jondy propped herself on her elbow and gazed at him. Her hair fell freely around her face. She smiled at him, tracing his cheek.

"I missed you," Zack said, pulling her closer, stroking her stomach.

"I missed you too. I love you Zack," she said, resting her head against his shoulder. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow, I need to check on Max."

Jondy nodded. "I'll head back to New York City then."

"Come with me." Completely spontaneous remark and Zack knew he'd probably regret it in the near future.

Jondy sat up, reaching for her clothes. Or what remained of them.

"I can't Zack," she said. "Max'll hate me now, I've changed so much."

"Into the woman I love," Zack finished. He was never this open with his feelings, even with her.

"No, I don't want any special favours. Tell her I miss her and love her very much," Jondy said. Zack pulled her backwards, his hand running down her side and over her thighs.

*~*~*~*~*~*

I have another three chapters written, I just wanted to see if anyone was interested (