Title: Discovering Her Destiny : Tempting the Fates

Disclaimer: If I owned Alec, do you think that I'd give him to Max?

Summary: The Fates weave the threads that lead people to their destiny. They've led Max astray before, but perhaps this time she's found her soulmate.

Pairings: Max and Alec. If any two people were destined/designed to be together, it would be them.

Setting: 2023

Spoilers: Anything and Everything from both the show's seasons can pop up somewhere. I have only just begun to watch Season 2 myself - Designate This aired on the 22 March, so if I'm not totally accurate; just know it's because I must've read the transcript wrong or something, and TELL me that it's wrong, so that I can FIX it!

Chapter 6: Omens

_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*- *-_-*-*-_

The day should have been warm and sunny. Instead, heavy grey clouds covered the Seattle sky. Max sighed as she looked out the window. This was not the weather that should greet a bride on the morning of her wedding day. She'd been staying at her old apartment so that she wouldn't see Alec before she walked down the aisle. A knock on her bedroom door made her turn around. Immediately, a smile appeared on her face when she saw her visitor.

Original Cindy held out her arms to give Max a congratulatory hug.

"Today's the day! Are you ready, Boo?"

"No."

Cindy pulled back, frowning at Max's worried face.

"I think you're supposed to say 'YES!!!! I can't wait to get married!' etcetera, etcetera. What's the dealio?"

"How am I supposed to stand up there with Jondy as my Maid of Honor, and my brothers and sisters in the audience, and know that they think that Zack is dead?"

Original Cindy shook her head at Max's fears.

"Repeat after me, Suga: Today is my wedding day"

"Today is my wedding day."

"Today, I'm going to marry Alec, the love of my life."

With Alec's name, came Max's smile.

"Today, I'm going to marry Alec, the love of my life."

"It's going to be perfect."

"It's going to be perfect."

"Good. All you have to do is get beautiful for your boy. Shove all your worries to the back room, ok?"

"Got it! Thanks OC."

"Hey, Original Cindy just wants to see her Boo happy! And she's gonna make sure that nothing goes wrong today."

"Nothing?"

"Original Cindy never lies. Nothing's gonna upset her Boo's most important day of her life. You have her word."

_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*- *-_-*-*-_

"So, how does it feel?"

"How does what feel? The tux?"

They were in the apartment that Alec normally shared with Max. They'd moved out from Joshua's house not long after they had stated dating - needing privacy.

"No, you idiot! You're getting married to Max. Today. The woman who, two years ago, probably would've disconnected my head from my body if I'd told her that she'd hitch it with you."

"That was a long time ago, Sketch. Yeah, there were times when I wondered if I was losing my mind, but I can handle it. And so can Max. We've both changed."

"You both seem the same to me...except that the two of you are actually getting MARRIED."

"Ah. I see the light. Pal, are you mad at me for leaving the bachelorhood?"

"Things just aren't gonna be the same."

"Hey, Max and I will both be around. We'll all hang at Crash. Same as always. Nothing'll change."

"Yeah, what about when the two of you got kids? You still gonna have time to hang with the gang?"

Alec laughed.

"That won't be for a long time coming, Sketchy. Come on. It's my wedding day. Can't you wish your friend a little good luck?"

"Good Luck, man. I mean it. With Max, you're gonna need it!"

_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*- *-_-*-*-_

"Something Old, Something New. Something Borrowed, Something Blue. That, Max, is the secret to every happy marriage. Or so my Grandma used to tell me."

"Yeah, Logan told me."

"You spoke to Logan?"

"He came over last night, while you were out. Said that I should wear these as my 'Something old'." Max held up an expensive-looking delicate pearl drop necklace. OC looked at it in horror.

"Oh no, girl! I mean, those are stunning, but you can't wear those today!"

"Why not?"

"Pearls are tears. I think it's an Irish saying."

"Of course I'm wearing it! It goes perfectly with my dress. The Irish are nuts. Superstitions and leprechauns!"

OC looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"OK, so I'm being a little supersticiously nutty today, myself but what's a necklace gonna do?"

" Suit yourself...Don't say Original Cindy didn't warn ya! What about the others?"

"Well, the lipstick is new. My garter's blue...Oh no!"

"What?"

"I forgot about 'Something Borrowed'!"

OC looked thoughtful and went out the room. In a few minutes, she was back.

"Never fear, Original Cindy's here! My Grandma gave me this charm bracelet back when I was just a little Boo. It's been my good luck ever since. Figured that you could borrow it."

"OC! Oh my...It's beautiful. Thank you!" She threw her arms around her best friend.

"Oh no, Girl! Don't start crying on me now! I refuse to let you get all puffy-eyed coz today..."

"Today's my wedding day." Max finished off for her.

"That it is."

"Wish me luck?"

"You already got it."

_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*- *-_-*-*-_

"You ready?"

Alec glanced away at the mirror with a grin.

"I'm always ready."

"For tying the knot?"

"You make it sound like a noose around my neck, Sketch!"

"Well, you know what they say about women changing after the "I do's". By the way, I'm really honored to be your best man, Alec. It really means a lot to me."

"No problem." said Alec, giving Sketchy a slap on the back.

There had been nobody else. Except Logan. And Alec hadn't been too thrilled at that idea. So Alec had to settle for Sketchy.

"Don't worry, Alec. I'll make you proud! The ring's right here in my pocket."

"Good, coz you know what I'll do to you if anything gets screwed up today. Right?"

"Don't sweat! The wedding will go off without a hitch. Trust me."

If Alec wasn't in such a great mood, he would've taken Sketchy's last comment as a bad omen.

_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*- *-_-*-*-_

Jondy tapped her pen against her wrist impatiently. She was at Joshua's, waiting for her siblings to pitch up. Zane, Syl, Krit and Brin had been delayed a few days, and they still weren't in Seattle. No matter how many times she tried to call them, there was no signal. The wedding would take place in less than two hours, and Jondy would be damned if anything ruined Max's day. Her cellphone rang.

"Hello?"

"Jondy!"

"Dammit, Zane! Where the hell are you."

"Jo, you're NOT gonna believe this! We had to stop at this ranch to get provisions and..."

Jondy heard a crackling sound.

"Zane? Zane, you're breaking up. I can't hear you. Zane? Zane! Dammit!"

_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*-*-_-*- *-_-*-*-_



A/N: This WAS going to be the actual wedding chapter, but I still have to do more homework. I'm not a Christian, so I don't know much about the actual ceremony other than what I've seen on Days of Our Lives and Bold and the Beautiful! It would be much appreciated if somebody could send me a brief summary/overview of what has to happen when.

I'm absolutely HEARTBROKEN about Dark Angel being cancelled! In South Africa we still have episodes to get through - we just watched 'Medium is the Message' on the 17th May, so we're not feeling the hunger pangs yet, although after we finish the finale, we'll be starving! I recently got a friend to FINALLY watch Dark Angel by lending her my tapes, and now she's HOOKED. I had to tell her that there's not going to be Season 3, and she was devastated. Here in S.A. Dark Angel is the channel's MOST POPULAR show! That shows how much of a fan base it has in one country alone. (And an almost third-world country at that!). If all fans of all countries stand together, and fight Fox's decision - we might just win this! We need to stand together - M/L and M/A- to get our show brought back!

Don't make me beg. REVIEW!!!!!