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: 2022

Spoilers: Anything and Everything from both the show's seasons can pop up somewhere.

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AN://

Ok...I know that it's been months since my last update. I sincerely apologise. My muse has abandoned me and left me to fend for myself. I thought it would return with school, but apparently it liked the vaction so much that returning to work was just not on the cards.

This chapter was *supposed* to be much longer and wrap off the wedding, but I decided that if you were going to see any form of update, it would have to be what I'd already written. If it's any comfort, the chapter that was supposed to have been ch 12 was completed in July. Needless to say, I've never been great at prioritising. (sp?)

Candyabble...

Your review opened my eyes. Really, I needed to hear that, and I thank you for helping me realise that writing fanfic should not be solely for the reviews! I guess it was some sort of need to fuel an ego or boost esteem, and the result was that I was manipulating a situation in order to achieve that. You're right. If my writing does not encourage reviews, then I have no right to hold any chapter hostage. It was a cheap ploy on my part and I can't apologise enough. It did, however serve as an experiment: The fact that I had a decent response to the 'chapter hostage situation', showed that people actually wanted this story to continue. At least, I hope so...

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Chapter 11: Meet the family

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Syl led Max to the van. The occupants were already out, greeting Jondy. Jondy herself was clutching Zack like he'd dissappear if she dared to let go. Her cheeks were wet and her make-up ruined from the tears that streamed down her face. For the second time in a very short while, Max had witnessed Jondy lose control of her tightly reined emotions. It was then that she realised how much Zack had meant to her sister, and how much it must've killed her when she'd heard that Zack was dead. Max tore her eyes away from the two and studied her other siblings. Krit, Brin and Zane watched her warily as Max and Syl approached them. They didn't look hostile, but they weren't exactly brimming with warmth either. It suddenly struck Max that she felt like an outcast from the people who had the most in common with her. And it wasn't just because she was dressed in a silken wedding gown while their attire consisted of jeans, t-shirts and tank tops. Max noticed Zack looking at her intently over Jondy's shoulder. Still, nobody spoke. Max found the silence deafening, and she begged them with her eyes to say something...anything.

It was Zack who heeded her plea. He gently pulled away from Jondy and walked over to Max. He cupped her chin and lifted her head up so that her now downcast eyes would meet his stormy blue ones. He wiped away the silent tear that had slipped from her eyes and he sighed. "Why did you do it, Maxie?"

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Alec saw OC enter the chapel - without Max or even Jondy. He caught her eye and made a subtle questioning gesture with his hands. She motioned with her her head that they were still outside. She looked calm and composed but the uneasiness in her eyes did not go unnoticed by him. Once again, Alec excused himself from the absolutely baffled guests and went in search of his runaway bride. She wasn't in the garden, but he did hear voices in the parking area.

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Zack was never comfortable with human emotion: his or other's. But Jondy's break down and the sight of Max all dressed up for her wedding did manage to invoke a sentimental clogging in his throat. He debated with himself whether it was because his little sister was getting married without him or because he held feelings for her that would be classified as unbrotherly. He had no answer. All he knew was that he loved Max and that seeing her in the wedding gown was probably the most painful experience he had ever encountered. She hadn't answered his question, but he knew her reasons. She had sacrificed him to hold on to Logan a little bit longer. The irony was that in the end, her sacrifice was fruitless because she'd discarded wheelboy - who apparently wasn't a wheelboy anymore - and moved onto her latest sidekick. The others had been filling him in on that particular tidbit on the long drive over from Buddy and Mary's farm where they had stopped for food supplies and consequently found him. That had been a surprise. Max had left the man she'd refused to abandon for another X5. Zack remembered Alec vaguely. Little plot points ran through his mind:

The clone or twin of Ben

The annoying guy who perpetually pissed Max off.

The X5 who he had almost choked to death.

The fool who *hadn't* arrived to help Max when the Steeelheads had kidnapped her.

The man who was coming round the corner towards them at that moment.

Brother - in - law?

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Please review. I'm asking nicely and not threatening with chapter withdrawal, because, honestly, I have no idea when the next chapter will be up. And if you want it, here's a South African update: We finished Season 2. Freak Nation sucked. I remember that I re-watched AJBAC abt 10 times after it aired and could not get enough of it. I haven't even bothered putting in the FN cassette.

Please read Big Brother Dark Angel by Little Fella and myself (Little- Goddess). If you hate reality shows, don't be alarmed, so do we. We plan on ripping off that show as much as we can. :)