TTITLE: In The Still Of The Night
WRITTEN BY: Drea Jackman
EMAIL: DreaJackman@hotmail.com
WEBSITE: Of Dreams & Reality - http://DreaJackman.cjb.net/
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: When Alec experiences the violence of seizures for the first time, it's up to Max to
provide the strength and support needed to help him get through the night.
DISCLAIMER: All Dark Angel characters belong to James Cameron and Charles Eglee
(Cameron Eglee Productions) and Dark Angel itself belongs to FOX...it's just not fair is it? *Sob*
ARCHIVE: If I've said yes before I'll say it again, otherwise email me 'n' lemme know.
FEEDBACK: Don't make me beg, please? ...D'OH!
A/N: Well I have a huge apology to make. I hate it when I have to wait forever to get a new
chapter of a story I've been reading and I always said I'd never let it happen to any readers of
mine. I finally finished this after my muse took a lil holiday of it's own so this along with the 7 (no
less and I'm NOT kidding!) fics I've started and not finished and posted online yet begin to see
the light of day...err...the net. As always feedback is appreciated cause I dunno whether to let it
finish here or keep going. Readers know best...let me know :)
In The Still Of The Night
The seizure had long since peaked and Max was unbelievably grateful that the second dose of
tryptophan had taken effect much quicker than the original. Her head lay close on the pillow
behind him, face buried in the crook where lean muscle connected shoulder to neck smoothly
beneath the surface. His skin was warm, but not uncomfortably so. Max felt Alec shift slightly
and she leaned back to give him a little more room to move. Her eyes came to settle on his
barcode.
Max almost smiled in spite of herself. Just how many times had she suggested covering it up, if
only for his own safety? Not like he'd ever listened to her before anyway. Despite how she'd
seen him change, he'd also stayed the same in many respects. She smiled a little more fondly
as she noted that they were just about every respect she liked in him. In that instant, Max
suddenly gained what felt like an outsider's perspective and found that being there with Alec,
seizure aside, felt kind of right.
As if answering her thoughts, Alec stirred in her arms. His hand opened, releasing the tight
clench it had been in and he flexed his fingers. He felt her grip still present on his wrist and
wriggled free. His fingers tentatively probed her hand in a soft, but testing gesture. Max was
compliant and Alec's fingers continued their gentle exploration over the smooth contours of her
palm before spreading to interlock her fingers with his.
"Feeling better?" Max tested finally.
Alec's eyes closed as a comfortable smile tugged on his lips. In that instant, he felt better than
he had all night.
"Little bit," he replied, voice a little dry in his whispered answer.
Max felt herself grin inwardly as a satisfied smile settled on her lips. She squeezed his hand
lightly in a reassuring response and the pair fell silent for a few moments more. Max continued
to watch him, her eyes settled on the genetic pigment forming his barcode again.
"Hey," Alec complained only half sincere as he jumped at the sudden and much unexpected
sensation.
Max laughed lightly to herself, knowing that blowing on the nape of his neck was definitely a little
more playful than she'd intended to start out. Alec may have whined, but then there was the
lighthearted edge that had been missing from much of his mood that evening.
"Cut that out," he continued, losing none of his mock annoyance.
Max could read him like a book. Just another one of the perks afforded by seeing Alec for the
man he was at last.
"Make me."
Adding emphasis to the act, she blew deliberately on his neck again and stifled a laugh as he
shivered. Slowly, Alec shifted in her arms, released her hand and turned to face her. They lay
there facing each other for a while, eyes locked in the newfound peace of their company and in
those few moments, both fell silent.
"Y'know you really should make more of an effort to cover that thing up," Max began, but she
sounded distracted.
"Didn't know you cared so much," he tossed back a characteristic smart ass reply, but the words
had no flare of meaning as he too seemed distracted.
"Why do you always have an answer for everything?"
"I don't."
"You do!" she exclaimed and her hand thumped down lightly on his upper arm.
Alec flinched and let an expression of genuine hurt take over his once calm facial features. Now
he just looked convincingly upset.
"Hey, that hurt!"
"Baby."
"Am not! I'm still a little tender," he whined and slipped back into the moody role he'd been in
only seconds before.
"Yeah, okay, " Max finally sighed.
Alec didn't betray any of his usual tendencies when presented with the victory either. He just
smiled and continued to read the mirrored expression coming across in the actions and
expression of the woman before him.
"About that," he began in an all-new tone of voice; one that was soft yet completely sincere. "I
just wanted to uh,"
Max didn't flinch at his search for the right words at all. Instead she listened instantly, her eyes
never leaving his. Again she found herself shocked at how quickly their relationship had
changed. The magnitude of the process itself was less surprising than the day she found herself
in a typically heated arguement with him when it dawned on her. She didn't entirely hate it, in
fact she rather enjoyed their arguments. That realisation had also let her take a look at why and
as soon as she did that, she'd been able to look at Alec with much clearer vision.
"Thank you."
Max knew that even though Alec had as much heart as anyone else she knew, he wasn't always
comfortable sharing the sentiments that radiated from it. For that matter, sometimes the words
really didn't come that easily. So, in true understanding fashion, Max decided to make it easier
for him by letting the typical smart alec facaude come into their play.
"For what? Poppin' you full of pills; ordering you around all night; cutting off your air supply by
holding you too tight maybe?" she rhymed off with a smirk of her own.
"Pretty much all of the above," he replied realising her attempt was to ease the process for him
and let him take the opportunity to hide partially in humour. The one thought that brought him
out of reluctance was the one that simply stated 'You could never hold me too tight, or too close,
Max.' Alec had wasted time on that kind of reluctance to speak up before and now wasn't going
to be the same. He didn't want to hide from her any longer. "And for just being here."
Max let the expression of play and humour slip from her features as Alec's words hit home. It
occurred to her that even though they'd grown closer, they'd still never shared something that
deep either. In truth, the prospect scared them a little more than they'd liked. But, for some
reason, Max didn't feel worried about it anymore. The utter sincerity emanating from both Alec's
eyes and his words was enough to send the slightest inkling of fear running for the shadows of
dim memory.
"Anytime," Max replied equally as sincere.
Again the pair were silent, the air around them empty and lacking in their casual banter. As
much as they enjoyed it, it just didn't seem like the right time to play games. If Alec didn't want
to discuss the seizure in detail just then, she'd understand safe in the knowledge that when he
did, he'd come to her.
"How did I ever end up so lucky?" Alec's quiet question surprised her when it finally broke the
comfortable silence between them.
"How do you mean?"
"Just wondering how a screw-up like me could ever deserve anything like you in my life."
The time for games was over and Alec was on the offensive with some things to share that had
become far too heavy a weight on his chest. Perhaps now was the time to tell her how he felt;
the way he thought about her, without having to bear it alone anymore.
"You're not a screw-up, Alec," Max fired back almost intently. The term hit way too close to
home with her old assumptions. "And you're certainly not blessed to have me in your life."
"You're wrong."
Alec's hand slid out without thought to brush some of the dark strands covering her cheek back
behind her ear. His fingertips gently slid back down over her cheek and he looked at her
thoughtfully. The pause for thought didn't go unnoticed, but Alec wanted to be sure he'd not
mess up what he had to say.
"Max, you're the one thing in my life that makes any kinda sense." The words tumbled out on an
almost desperate breath, sounding very much like they were trying to convince her to see herself
the way he could.
Max took the compliment for what it was worth, and what it was worth was far more than anyone
else could've imagined. She smiled slightly and nodded with a look of doubt as she shifted
again on the bed. With a sigh she brought her left arm up so she could prop herself up on it.
"Can't believe that considering I'm a 'human fog bank' and all," she aired lightly.
"A what?" Alec asked, keenly intrigued by her words as he mirrored her motion to prop herself
up, bringing him just over her level again.
Max rolled her eyes and shook her head, further dismissing any pursuing conversation. "Story
for another time."
Alec's slight smile never wavered as he watched her, the way she lay beside him bringing her
head level with his own again, despite his much larger frame.
"So what's got you so confused?"
"Nothing...everything," he admitted finally.
"Wanna elaborate on that any?"
A laugh actually slipped past Alec's lips on a light breath as he shook his head.
"I don't know, everything's just so different now; complicated."
"That part's my fault. Not really like I gave you any choice when I dumped you out on your ass."
"I'm a smart ass, you're gonna kick my ass, you dumped me out on my ass...just what is this
fixation with my ass all about?" he joked.
"You know what I mean, don't pull more of this smart crap with me," she warned.
"What crap? Just being me, what else do you want?"
"How about the real you?"
"This is the real me! What are you talkin' about?" His tone betrayed only the slightest hint of
annoyance, only serving to further her point.
"Look, I know how hard it is trying to figure everything out, especially right away. I'm still trying
now and I'm not even sure I'll ever understand some things. I just...I know we fight and have this
ability to wind each other up, but you know if you ever wanna talk,"
"You'll be there to kick my ass?" Alec tried with his familiar, trademark smirk.
"That too," Max returned, but after a few seconds her expression faded to utter sincerity.
"I know," Alec finally replied, answering to give her the reassurance that he'd understood. She'd
be there if he ever needed her, he got it. All he had to do now was work on realising when to
ask for her help in future. "Like tonight right?"
"Just like tonight."
Both stared at each other for a few seconds in companionable silence before Alec finally averted
his eyes and looked vaguely uncomfortable.
"So what happens now?"
Moments before, Max would have probably dreaded the question, but now that she and Alec
were clear it felt better. "Now I won't be the only one I know with a steady supply of tryptophan.
Seriously, you'll be fine. First thing tomorrow morning we'll go see Dr. Carr and let him check
you over."
Alec looked uneasy and his eyes found hers again. He took in a deep breath slowly before
speaking.
"Alec?"
"Not that I'm keen to play this up or anything, but I kinda have this thing with the medically
professional," he confessed and looked at her with a mix of embarrassment and shame.
"Psy Obs?" Max asked knowing that Alec had never willingly gone into detail about exactly what
had been inflicted on him for the six months he'd been confined to the Psychological
Observation centre at the facility. God only knew what had been done to him there by doctors
and who knew what else. It was no wonder they'd make him uneasy now.
Alec nodded, but didn't make to expand any on the subject. Again it was something Max totally
understood, but she also knew he'd have to talk about it sometime. It was the only healthy thing
to do. At least she knew Alec could talk to her if he needed to. She could leave it and know
he'd come to her if and when he had to.
"It'll be fine. Sam Carr's a good friend of Logan's. He knows about us, just about inside out by
now. You've got nothing to worry about."
Alec still didn't look convinced and Max found his almost child-like 'I'm not buying it one bit' face
incredibly cute.
"Look, I'll even be there if it helps any," she said with all signs of light-hearted inclination missing
in her words. There remained nothing but utter sincerity and an utter wish to dispel his
uncertainty over the whole situation.
To her surprise, Alec's expression changed almost immediately. Max found it touching that even
the thought of her presence could reassure him enough to go through with the whole thing. His
face had brightened into an expression of comfort and his characteristic little smirk even began
to shine through slightly as Max did something completely unexpected.
Offering a smile that echoed his comfort in the situation, her hand gently swept across Alec's
forehead and her fingers entwined the strands of hair that once again had managed to fall flat
there. Slowly she brushed them back thoughtfully before she let her hand drop down to a more
comfortable position between them.
Without words, Alec's eyes drifted closed and he found himself not only taken aback by Max's
actions, but by the sudden urge he felt pushing him on to experience more of the utter safety and
comfort her presence brought. Silently, he leaned in toward her, his action slight and testing her
acceptance of his advance. When Max didn't back away and actually found herself mirroring his
forward motion, all space between them vanished with a single, tentative kiss.
WRITTEN BY: Drea Jackman
EMAIL: DreaJackman@hotmail.com
WEBSITE: Of Dreams & Reality - http://DreaJackman.cjb.net/
RATING: PG
SUMMARY: When Alec experiences the violence of seizures for the first time, it's up to Max to
provide the strength and support needed to help him get through the night.
DISCLAIMER: All Dark Angel characters belong to James Cameron and Charles Eglee
(Cameron Eglee Productions) and Dark Angel itself belongs to FOX...it's just not fair is it? *Sob*
ARCHIVE: If I've said yes before I'll say it again, otherwise email me 'n' lemme know.
FEEDBACK: Don't make me beg, please? ...D'OH!
A/N: Well I have a huge apology to make. I hate it when I have to wait forever to get a new
chapter of a story I've been reading and I always said I'd never let it happen to any readers of
mine. I finally finished this after my muse took a lil holiday of it's own so this along with the 7 (no
less and I'm NOT kidding!) fics I've started and not finished and posted online yet begin to see
the light of day...err...the net. As always feedback is appreciated cause I dunno whether to let it
finish here or keep going. Readers know best...let me know :)
In The Still Of The Night
The seizure had long since peaked and Max was unbelievably grateful that the second dose of
tryptophan had taken effect much quicker than the original. Her head lay close on the pillow
behind him, face buried in the crook where lean muscle connected shoulder to neck smoothly
beneath the surface. His skin was warm, but not uncomfortably so. Max felt Alec shift slightly
and she leaned back to give him a little more room to move. Her eyes came to settle on his
barcode.
Max almost smiled in spite of herself. Just how many times had she suggested covering it up, if
only for his own safety? Not like he'd ever listened to her before anyway. Despite how she'd
seen him change, he'd also stayed the same in many respects. She smiled a little more fondly
as she noted that they were just about every respect she liked in him. In that instant, Max
suddenly gained what felt like an outsider's perspective and found that being there with Alec,
seizure aside, felt kind of right.
As if answering her thoughts, Alec stirred in her arms. His hand opened, releasing the tight
clench it had been in and he flexed his fingers. He felt her grip still present on his wrist and
wriggled free. His fingers tentatively probed her hand in a soft, but testing gesture. Max was
compliant and Alec's fingers continued their gentle exploration over the smooth contours of her
palm before spreading to interlock her fingers with his.
"Feeling better?" Max tested finally.
Alec's eyes closed as a comfortable smile tugged on his lips. In that instant, he felt better than
he had all night.
"Little bit," he replied, voice a little dry in his whispered answer.
Max felt herself grin inwardly as a satisfied smile settled on her lips. She squeezed his hand
lightly in a reassuring response and the pair fell silent for a few moments more. Max continued
to watch him, her eyes settled on the genetic pigment forming his barcode again.
"Hey," Alec complained only half sincere as he jumped at the sudden and much unexpected
sensation.
Max laughed lightly to herself, knowing that blowing on the nape of his neck was definitely a little
more playful than she'd intended to start out. Alec may have whined, but then there was the
lighthearted edge that had been missing from much of his mood that evening.
"Cut that out," he continued, losing none of his mock annoyance.
Max could read him like a book. Just another one of the perks afforded by seeing Alec for the
man he was at last.
"Make me."
Adding emphasis to the act, she blew deliberately on his neck again and stifled a laugh as he
shivered. Slowly, Alec shifted in her arms, released her hand and turned to face her. They lay
there facing each other for a while, eyes locked in the newfound peace of their company and in
those few moments, both fell silent.
"Y'know you really should make more of an effort to cover that thing up," Max began, but she
sounded distracted.
"Didn't know you cared so much," he tossed back a characteristic smart ass reply, but the words
had no flare of meaning as he too seemed distracted.
"Why do you always have an answer for everything?"
"I don't."
"You do!" she exclaimed and her hand thumped down lightly on his upper arm.
Alec flinched and let an expression of genuine hurt take over his once calm facial features. Now
he just looked convincingly upset.
"Hey, that hurt!"
"Baby."
"Am not! I'm still a little tender," he whined and slipped back into the moody role he'd been in
only seconds before.
"Yeah, okay, " Max finally sighed.
Alec didn't betray any of his usual tendencies when presented with the victory either. He just
smiled and continued to read the mirrored expression coming across in the actions and
expression of the woman before him.
"About that," he began in an all-new tone of voice; one that was soft yet completely sincere. "I
just wanted to uh,"
Max didn't flinch at his search for the right words at all. Instead she listened instantly, her eyes
never leaving his. Again she found herself shocked at how quickly their relationship had
changed. The magnitude of the process itself was less surprising than the day she found herself
in a typically heated arguement with him when it dawned on her. She didn't entirely hate it, in
fact she rather enjoyed their arguments. That realisation had also let her take a look at why and
as soon as she did that, she'd been able to look at Alec with much clearer vision.
"Thank you."
Max knew that even though Alec had as much heart as anyone else she knew, he wasn't always
comfortable sharing the sentiments that radiated from it. For that matter, sometimes the words
really didn't come that easily. So, in true understanding fashion, Max decided to make it easier
for him by letting the typical smart alec facaude come into their play.
"For what? Poppin' you full of pills; ordering you around all night; cutting off your air supply by
holding you too tight maybe?" she rhymed off with a smirk of her own.
"Pretty much all of the above," he replied realising her attempt was to ease the process for him
and let him take the opportunity to hide partially in humour. The one thought that brought him
out of reluctance was the one that simply stated 'You could never hold me too tight, or too close,
Max.' Alec had wasted time on that kind of reluctance to speak up before and now wasn't going
to be the same. He didn't want to hide from her any longer. "And for just being here."
Max let the expression of play and humour slip from her features as Alec's words hit home. It
occurred to her that even though they'd grown closer, they'd still never shared something that
deep either. In truth, the prospect scared them a little more than they'd liked. But, for some
reason, Max didn't feel worried about it anymore. The utter sincerity emanating from both Alec's
eyes and his words was enough to send the slightest inkling of fear running for the shadows of
dim memory.
"Anytime," Max replied equally as sincere.
Again the pair were silent, the air around them empty and lacking in their casual banter. As
much as they enjoyed it, it just didn't seem like the right time to play games. If Alec didn't want
to discuss the seizure in detail just then, she'd understand safe in the knowledge that when he
did, he'd come to her.
"How did I ever end up so lucky?" Alec's quiet question surprised her when it finally broke the
comfortable silence between them.
"How do you mean?"
"Just wondering how a screw-up like me could ever deserve anything like you in my life."
The time for games was over and Alec was on the offensive with some things to share that had
become far too heavy a weight on his chest. Perhaps now was the time to tell her how he felt;
the way he thought about her, without having to bear it alone anymore.
"You're not a screw-up, Alec," Max fired back almost intently. The term hit way too close to
home with her old assumptions. "And you're certainly not blessed to have me in your life."
"You're wrong."
Alec's hand slid out without thought to brush some of the dark strands covering her cheek back
behind her ear. His fingertips gently slid back down over her cheek and he looked at her
thoughtfully. The pause for thought didn't go unnoticed, but Alec wanted to be sure he'd not
mess up what he had to say.
"Max, you're the one thing in my life that makes any kinda sense." The words tumbled out on an
almost desperate breath, sounding very much like they were trying to convince her to see herself
the way he could.
Max took the compliment for what it was worth, and what it was worth was far more than anyone
else could've imagined. She smiled slightly and nodded with a look of doubt as she shifted
again on the bed. With a sigh she brought her left arm up so she could prop herself up on it.
"Can't believe that considering I'm a 'human fog bank' and all," she aired lightly.
"A what?" Alec asked, keenly intrigued by her words as he mirrored her motion to prop herself
up, bringing him just over her level again.
Max rolled her eyes and shook her head, further dismissing any pursuing conversation. "Story
for another time."
Alec's slight smile never wavered as he watched her, the way she lay beside him bringing her
head level with his own again, despite his much larger frame.
"So what's got you so confused?"
"Nothing...everything," he admitted finally.
"Wanna elaborate on that any?"
A laugh actually slipped past Alec's lips on a light breath as he shook his head.
"I don't know, everything's just so different now; complicated."
"That part's my fault. Not really like I gave you any choice when I dumped you out on your ass."
"I'm a smart ass, you're gonna kick my ass, you dumped me out on my ass...just what is this
fixation with my ass all about?" he joked.
"You know what I mean, don't pull more of this smart crap with me," she warned.
"What crap? Just being me, what else do you want?"
"How about the real you?"
"This is the real me! What are you talkin' about?" His tone betrayed only the slightest hint of
annoyance, only serving to further her point.
"Look, I know how hard it is trying to figure everything out, especially right away. I'm still trying
now and I'm not even sure I'll ever understand some things. I just...I know we fight and have this
ability to wind each other up, but you know if you ever wanna talk,"
"You'll be there to kick my ass?" Alec tried with his familiar, trademark smirk.
"That too," Max returned, but after a few seconds her expression faded to utter sincerity.
"I know," Alec finally replied, answering to give her the reassurance that he'd understood. She'd
be there if he ever needed her, he got it. All he had to do now was work on realising when to
ask for her help in future. "Like tonight right?"
"Just like tonight."
Both stared at each other for a few seconds in companionable silence before Alec finally averted
his eyes and looked vaguely uncomfortable.
"So what happens now?"
Moments before, Max would have probably dreaded the question, but now that she and Alec
were clear it felt better. "Now I won't be the only one I know with a steady supply of tryptophan.
Seriously, you'll be fine. First thing tomorrow morning we'll go see Dr. Carr and let him check
you over."
Alec looked uneasy and his eyes found hers again. He took in a deep breath slowly before
speaking.
"Alec?"
"Not that I'm keen to play this up or anything, but I kinda have this thing with the medically
professional," he confessed and looked at her with a mix of embarrassment and shame.
"Psy Obs?" Max asked knowing that Alec had never willingly gone into detail about exactly what
had been inflicted on him for the six months he'd been confined to the Psychological
Observation centre at the facility. God only knew what had been done to him there by doctors
and who knew what else. It was no wonder they'd make him uneasy now.
Alec nodded, but didn't make to expand any on the subject. Again it was something Max totally
understood, but she also knew he'd have to talk about it sometime. It was the only healthy thing
to do. At least she knew Alec could talk to her if he needed to. She could leave it and know
he'd come to her if and when he had to.
"It'll be fine. Sam Carr's a good friend of Logan's. He knows about us, just about inside out by
now. You've got nothing to worry about."
Alec still didn't look convinced and Max found his almost child-like 'I'm not buying it one bit' face
incredibly cute.
"Look, I'll even be there if it helps any," she said with all signs of light-hearted inclination missing
in her words. There remained nothing but utter sincerity and an utter wish to dispel his
uncertainty over the whole situation.
To her surprise, Alec's expression changed almost immediately. Max found it touching that even
the thought of her presence could reassure him enough to go through with the whole thing. His
face had brightened into an expression of comfort and his characteristic little smirk even began
to shine through slightly as Max did something completely unexpected.
Offering a smile that echoed his comfort in the situation, her hand gently swept across Alec's
forehead and her fingers entwined the strands of hair that once again had managed to fall flat
there. Slowly she brushed them back thoughtfully before she let her hand drop down to a more
comfortable position between them.
Without words, Alec's eyes drifted closed and he found himself not only taken aback by Max's
actions, but by the sudden urge he felt pushing him on to experience more of the utter safety and
comfort her presence brought. Silently, he leaned in toward her, his action slight and testing her
acceptance of his advance. When Max didn't back away and actually found herself mirroring his
forward motion, all space between them vanished with a single, tentative kiss.