Disclaimer: I am so sick of writing these things. None of the characters belong to me, all are Cameron etc.

Authors Note: Sorry about the delay with posting but I really needed a break from this story. Don't worry, so long as everyone reviews I'll get back to writing! :)

DARK TERROR

Chapter 15 - Letting Go

Max smiled slightly as she relaxed against the warm body she was curled up to. Alec had drifted off to sleep shortly after they made love, still recovering from the head injury he had sustained he was weaker than usual. Max however couldn't sleep. She needed little and after telling Alec the truth about how she felt, she couldn't rest, she wanted to enjoy the feel of Alec's arms around him, something she had been afraid she would never feel again.

It scared Max how she had come to care for Alec. She loved him, she had loved Logan as well but she had never needed him the way she needed Alec. Without Alec, Max knew she would have given up the fight for survival a long time ago. Alec had sacrificed everything for her. He could have just taken off after Logan's death and Max's capture but he hadn't. Alec had risked his own life to save her and made himself a target in the process.

Max gently traced her fingers over Alec's resting features. He was beautiful. Max could think of no better word to describe him. So perfectly put together. For so long all Max had seen was her dead brother Ben and then after she found how different the two were, all she had seen was a cocky, smart mouthed guy who only looked out for number one. She had refused to see the concern, the fact that however reluctantly he usually ended up doing the right thing. Max hadn't wanted to care about Alec, not in any way other than as a grudging responsibility.

But Alec had changed. So gradually that Max hadn't even noticed and when she had she hadn't cared. All it meant was that she had someone to give her a hand to look after the other transgenics and run errands for Eyes Only. Logan had been as far as Max could see with her heart. Logan's dead. Max reminded herself as she felt the familiar creeping of guilt. Logan was dead now and like it or not, Max was alive. The grief was always there, the way Logan had died and the last time she had seen him still tortured her dreams. But in Alec's arms the pain faded, with his kiss she forgot if only for a little while, when he made love to her everything that she had suffered was gone and for a short time Max felt at peace.

Max pressed her finger against Alec's lips and smiled as he kissed the finger in his sleep. "I love you Alec." Max whispered. She removed her finger and kissed him lightly on the lips while she carefully disentangled herself from Alec's embrace. Max got up from the small camping cot and pulled on her clothes. When she turned back, Alec was still sleeping. Max reached down and pulled the blanket tighter around his body and brushed his hair back of his face.

Max walked out of the room and down the hallway to what they had been using as the kitchen. She opened the cupboards looking for some food to prepare but there was nothing left of there meagre supplies. A noise alerted her to the fact that she was no longer alone and Max spun around, her muscles tense in anticipation of a fight. It took a few moments for Max to process that it was Lydecker and that she was no longer running from this man who had made her childhood a living nightmare.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you." Lydecker apologised hoarsely at Max's reaction. Max relaxed her body and shrugged, turning her back on the man.

"No big. We need to stock up on some supplies if we're gonna stay here for much longer." Max informed him as she continued to search the cupboards. Lydecker crossed over the room and sat down on one of the old chairs.

"Max." The tone of his voice alerted Max to the fact that he had something important to say and she turned to face him. "Max we need to talk about what we're going to do now."

Max looked confused and gave a small shrug. "I don't know, head for Mexico maybe, I hadn't really thought where we should go next."

Lydecker sighed quietly. I'm so sorry Max…This is the only way… "That's not what I meant Max. I got a phone call from White earlier." His voice was hushed as he said the mans name who had tortured Max so badly.

Max instantly tensed and pain flashed across her face before a carefully blank mask became fixed. She leaned back against the wall and tried to remain calm. "What did he want?" She asked in a whisper. Lydecker found he couldn't look Max in the eye.

"He's on your trail Max, you know we you cant run forever. He'll find us, and the way things are going it will be sooner rather than later."

"I ran from you for ten years without getting caught, its what I do best." Max retorted angry at the truth in Lydecker's words. Lydecker smiled sadly at the glimpse of the old fire that used to define her.

"I know but there's a difference. I would never have risked your life in capturing you but White is loosing patience. As much as he'd rather have you alive White is willing to kill you, its your DNA that matters."

Max felt herself slipping back into her protective shell at Lydecker's words. I cant- I cant hear this right now." She pulled away from the wall and tried to walk out of the room. Lydecker sprang to his feet and blocked her exit.

"Max I know this is hard but you have to listen!" He reached out and held Max still by her shoulders. Max tried to struggle but she just didn't have the strength. "Max please." Lydecker pleaded with the frail woman he was holding.

"Let me go!"

"God damn it Max, listen to me!" He gave her a short shake and Max slapped him across the face.

"You son of a bitch! Let go of me!"

Lydecker felt his cheek throb where Max had struck him. Despite her weakened state she had still managed to get quite a bit of force behind her hit. "I'm not trying to hurt you Max." Lydecker lowered his voice but remained insistent. "But you cant hide anymore. White is coming for you-"

Max kept shaking her head, long strands of her dark hair obscuring her face. "No. no, no, no, no…"

"Max!" Lydecker lost patience and gave her another hard shake. "Max you need to face this. White will find you eventually. The only thing that you need to decide is whether you want him to take you dead or alive."

Max stilled in his arms and her eyes took a glazed quality to them. "You know the answer to that." She said emotionlessly. Lydecker relaxed his grip on her and closed his eyes in grief.

"Yes I know Max." He opened his eyes and stared down at the young woman that was the only reason he kept going with his farce of a life. "I know Max. Do you remember when Tinga died and I took you to that motel."

"I remember." Max said tonelessly. "You were going to kill me and then yourself."

Lydecker nodded. "I'll do that for you Max. It wont hurt and I'll be right behind you I promise."

"No. I told Alec that I wouldn't- he said that he would… if he had to. He would do that to save me from White."

"Do you think that's fair to Alec, Max? He loves you, its obvious in everything he says and does. What do you think killing you will do to him? How do you think he'll cope with living everyday with the grief of your death. I know that pain Max and so do you."

"It might not come to that, White might not find us." Max protested her voice thick with tears.

Lydecker took a deep breath. He didn't want to hurt Max anymore than she already was but this needed to be said, she needed to understand. "Max Your DNA makes you special, as long as your alive there will always be someone after you. White wants you, not Alec. All Alec is to him is an obstacle that needs to be eliminated." Max's face crumpled, she knew what Lydecker was saying was the truth. "Max, you can save him." Lydecker said quietly.

Max shook her head. "Alec will never leave me. He loves me." She whispered. Lydecker released Max's shoulders and pressed one hand to the side of her face, cupping her thin cheek.

"And that's what's going to get him killed." Lydecker forced himself to say the words. Tears spilled over Max's dark eyes and Lydecker felt his old heart wrench painfully. I have to do this… He spoke the words that he knew would destroy any possible defence Max could give. "Loving you is going to get Alec killed just like it got Logan killed."

"Oh God-" Max choked on the sobs that broke free from her chest. Her whole body folded and Max sank to the filthy floor, convulsing with the strength of her feelings. Lydecker knelt beside her and took her in his arms, cradling her as he knew she would never allow had she been fully cognisant. A part of Lydecker felt ashamed that he could enjoy the feel of her beside him when she was hurting so bad.

Lydecker smoothed Max's silky hair back and pulled her tighter. "Max, you have to let him go, you have to leave him."

"I cant- I need him, I love him…" Max cried. Lydecker's features were grim.

"Then leave him. Let him have a life, a life that's safe and normal. You cant give him that Max. As long as your alive you'll be hunted. White will never stop looking for you." Lydecker reached a hand down and lifted Max's face to look at his. "Max you made this mistake once before. You couldn't leave Logan and he died because of it." Fresh tears welled in Max's eyes at the reminder of her lost love. "Don't make the same mistake again. If you love Alec, be strong - leave him."

TBC.