DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of these characters; they are the brilliant
creation and property of James Cameron, FOX etc. I do own Faith and some
minor characters, but you know the rest.
SPOILERS: Takes place after Freak Nation - the imaginary season 3.
Chapter Twenty-One:
"You Alec?", Came a strong, deep voice, thick with an Australian accent. Alec sprung back from Max, pulling his hand away. She closed her eyes and slumped onto the floor dejectedly. She had just lost her chance. "Yeah that's me. Who are you?" "Scotty. This is Sammy, my brother (another man stepped through the doorway). We're here to see our sister. It took us awhile to get over here, some things to take care of. But we're here. She'd told us a lot about you." Alec looked at the two men, taking a minute to comprehend, then whispered softly, "Faith?" "Nah the other Aussie trans you've been shacked up with." Alec exhaled and stood up. He was tired and didn't want this. This was gonna hurt.
"I'm sorry. I tried to save her. But I...I was too slow." Sammy snorted furiously, running his hands through his spiky brown hair. Scotty and him were identical, except that Sammy had blue eyes and Scotty green. Alec looked them over, they really did look like Faith's brothers, not just the term transgenics used to describe their unit. Same hair colour, skin and even their faces held resemblance. Scotty clapped him on the back, "We know it wasn't your fault. How could it have been? Don't make it out like it was, it's OK. I think we gotta spend a little time to deal. She was our baby sister." Sammy looked up at Alec, his eyes were shining with tears, "She loved you. Can you take us to her? We'll pay our respects to her. Pay our respects to a fallen soldier. Then we'll be on our way." "Of course. You're welcome to stay here." "Thanks. But we should move on, try and find the rest from our unit." Alec nodded and after walking the devastated brothers to her burial plot, headed to his apartment. He never would've predicted that.
"Hey.", Max greeted as Alec let her into his apartment. She followed him as he retreated back to the couch, staring absently out the window. "It's been over a week. Was starting to realise I had no one to pick on. Got me all curious where you were. Thought I'd come and see where you'd disappeared to." "No where. Been here. Just needed some time alone." "Oh." Max crossed the room and sat on the table in front of him. He looked tired and she longed to pull him into her arms, hold him and tell him everything was okay. But she had to be his friend. And carefully play this out. "You alright?", She asked finally. Alec didn't answer, his eyes vacantly staring out into beyond. "Alec?" He snapped out of the trance and looked at her. "Isn't this the part where you tell me you're always alright?" "I don't feel like playing games Max." "Who's playing?" They both fell silent and Alec clenched his jaw, "Why are you here?" "Because I care." "Why?" "Alec..." "Tell me why!" She didn't answer, this was definitely not going as she had anticipated. "WHY?!" "Because I love you okay? I love you and it drives me insane because I want to make you happy. But I have been too scared to tell you. I was too scared. I love you Alec and I hate that you're punishing yourself over her. She died so you could live your life, she died for you. You didn't kill her.", Max trailed off uncertainly and Alec stared at her in disbelief. He opened his mouth to finally comment, but she rushed on, "Please don't ask me why again. I just need to know if I could stand a chance with you. I've waited so long, when I just should have..." "What?" "This." She pushed her lips insistently against his, before finally stepping back. "Max..."
Flashback: Alec leaned in and kissed Rachel, his head swimming full of her, his hand lightly sweeping along her cheek. She broke away and looked up at him hesitant, "I love you..."
Flashback: "Mine." "Yours." "Always."
Flashback: "...Faith, I love you. More than anything I love you...I always have."
Max saw the troubled look overcome Alec's eyes and she held her breath as she awaited his reply. "Max, you're my best friend. And a part of me wants you. It always has. But I cant, I am bad new. I bring pain to those that I love. That love me. I'm a burden." "Alec, no!" "Max look at my record. Think it over. My love's end badly. I cant... how can we be together if the cost is your life? Or the life of others?" "It's a price I am willing to pay. You didn't cause their deaths - Rachel or Faith's. I know you are thinking you did, but you didn't. They weren't your fault. And you have not caused others to die!" Alec was silent a moment before answering quietly, "She was pregnant. Faith was pregnant. I let her and the baby die. I wanted it too, the baby. I wanted to be a father. Live a life with her, raising our child. Live forever and die together at some impossibly old age." "Alec you did not let them die!" He grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, shaking her viciously, "How can you love me Max, after everything I have put you through? Everything I've done. Why would you?" "We cant help who we love Alec. We're not supposed to. When you love someone, you love them. Nothing changes that. You've said it yourself before. When you feel it and it's real, it's unconditional. That's how I feel about you." She stopped, her eyes brimming over with tears. She pushed out of his vice- like grip and ran out, crying loudly. Alec let out a shaky breath and moved into the kitchen, pouring himself a generous glass of scotch. He rubbed his barcode and slumped onto the floor, sliding down against the cupboard. He was exhausted physically, mentally and especially emotionally.
Chapter Twenty-One:
"You Alec?", Came a strong, deep voice, thick with an Australian accent. Alec sprung back from Max, pulling his hand away. She closed her eyes and slumped onto the floor dejectedly. She had just lost her chance. "Yeah that's me. Who are you?" "Scotty. This is Sammy, my brother (another man stepped through the doorway). We're here to see our sister. It took us awhile to get over here, some things to take care of. But we're here. She'd told us a lot about you." Alec looked at the two men, taking a minute to comprehend, then whispered softly, "Faith?" "Nah the other Aussie trans you've been shacked up with." Alec exhaled and stood up. He was tired and didn't want this. This was gonna hurt.
"I'm sorry. I tried to save her. But I...I was too slow." Sammy snorted furiously, running his hands through his spiky brown hair. Scotty and him were identical, except that Sammy had blue eyes and Scotty green. Alec looked them over, they really did look like Faith's brothers, not just the term transgenics used to describe their unit. Same hair colour, skin and even their faces held resemblance. Scotty clapped him on the back, "We know it wasn't your fault. How could it have been? Don't make it out like it was, it's OK. I think we gotta spend a little time to deal. She was our baby sister." Sammy looked up at Alec, his eyes were shining with tears, "She loved you. Can you take us to her? We'll pay our respects to her. Pay our respects to a fallen soldier. Then we'll be on our way." "Of course. You're welcome to stay here." "Thanks. But we should move on, try and find the rest from our unit." Alec nodded and after walking the devastated brothers to her burial plot, headed to his apartment. He never would've predicted that.
"Hey.", Max greeted as Alec let her into his apartment. She followed him as he retreated back to the couch, staring absently out the window. "It's been over a week. Was starting to realise I had no one to pick on. Got me all curious where you were. Thought I'd come and see where you'd disappeared to." "No where. Been here. Just needed some time alone." "Oh." Max crossed the room and sat on the table in front of him. He looked tired and she longed to pull him into her arms, hold him and tell him everything was okay. But she had to be his friend. And carefully play this out. "You alright?", She asked finally. Alec didn't answer, his eyes vacantly staring out into beyond. "Alec?" He snapped out of the trance and looked at her. "Isn't this the part where you tell me you're always alright?" "I don't feel like playing games Max." "Who's playing?" They both fell silent and Alec clenched his jaw, "Why are you here?" "Because I care." "Why?" "Alec..." "Tell me why!" She didn't answer, this was definitely not going as she had anticipated. "WHY?!" "Because I love you okay? I love you and it drives me insane because I want to make you happy. But I have been too scared to tell you. I was too scared. I love you Alec and I hate that you're punishing yourself over her. She died so you could live your life, she died for you. You didn't kill her.", Max trailed off uncertainly and Alec stared at her in disbelief. He opened his mouth to finally comment, but she rushed on, "Please don't ask me why again. I just need to know if I could stand a chance with you. I've waited so long, when I just should have..." "What?" "This." She pushed her lips insistently against his, before finally stepping back. "Max..."
Flashback: Alec leaned in and kissed Rachel, his head swimming full of her, his hand lightly sweeping along her cheek. She broke away and looked up at him hesitant, "I love you..."
Flashback: "Mine." "Yours." "Always."
Flashback: "...Faith, I love you. More than anything I love you...I always have."
Max saw the troubled look overcome Alec's eyes and she held her breath as she awaited his reply. "Max, you're my best friend. And a part of me wants you. It always has. But I cant, I am bad new. I bring pain to those that I love. That love me. I'm a burden." "Alec, no!" "Max look at my record. Think it over. My love's end badly. I cant... how can we be together if the cost is your life? Or the life of others?" "It's a price I am willing to pay. You didn't cause their deaths - Rachel or Faith's. I know you are thinking you did, but you didn't. They weren't your fault. And you have not caused others to die!" Alec was silent a moment before answering quietly, "She was pregnant. Faith was pregnant. I let her and the baby die. I wanted it too, the baby. I wanted to be a father. Live a life with her, raising our child. Live forever and die together at some impossibly old age." "Alec you did not let them die!" He grabbed her roughly by the shoulders, shaking her viciously, "How can you love me Max, after everything I have put you through? Everything I've done. Why would you?" "We cant help who we love Alec. We're not supposed to. When you love someone, you love them. Nothing changes that. You've said it yourself before. When you feel it and it's real, it's unconditional. That's how I feel about you." She stopped, her eyes brimming over with tears. She pushed out of his vice- like grip and ran out, crying loudly. Alec let out a shaky breath and moved into the kitchen, pouring himself a generous glass of scotch. He rubbed his barcode and slumped onto the floor, sliding down against the cupboard. He was exhausted physically, mentally and especially emotionally.