Disclaimer: If I owned Dark Angel, I would be in bed with Alec right now, not writing this for us sad and pathetic ones who can only dream of owning Alec….sigh….
Synopsis: After a bank job gets screwed up due to Alec's carelessness, Max and Alec have a little "chat" in his apartment….
Dedication: Zhaneel, it's all because of you, girl. Thanks for getting me off my lazy arse.
Oh, and my inspiration, the Nuns with Pens. You guys are great =)!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Max glared at Alec as he paced back and forth across his apartment. It was hot and she just wanted to kick his ass and go home. Why did he always have to screw everything up?! It'll be an easy job, he said. We can use the money to buy more supplies, he said.
What he didn't say was that he needed to take a LARGE portion of the money to pay off a gambling debt. A stupid bet that he couldn't pay off by himself 'cause he was too damned….. she was too angry to think of a proper term for him. He had also conveniently forgot to mention the alarm system surrounding vault was one of the finest available. Because of this little "miscommunication", she had been forced to spend close to three hours trapped in an air duct pressed up against him. Her temper that had cooled somewhat since the incident flared up again as she remembered the feelings that contact had aroused in her. Why did a man that was such a gods-damned asshole have to be so incredibly sexy? She was long over Logan, having realized long before that she was merely infatuated with the older man and that any chances they had had of romance was long since dead, killed by the virus.
She continued to glare at Alec, sweat running down the sides of her face. He stopped pacing and looked at her, obviously trying to keep his temper in check.
"Look Max, I said I'm sorry. I should have researched mo-"
"You're damned right you should have researched more!" Max exploded. "We could have been caught by the fuckin' bank guards just because you were too damned lazy to investigate the alarm system!"
"Max, I know!" he shouted, eyes flashing. "The guard that I got drunk said nothing, I repeat, NOTHING, about the damned alarm system!"
"Well then you should have found out anyway!" Max shouted back, meeting him stare for stare. "Because of you, I was trapped for three hours, THREE WHOLE HOURS, in an airduct with none other than yours truly, the world's most spectacular dumbass!"
"Dammit Max!" Alec pounded the wall in frustration. "Yeah, I screwed up – so what? We still got out didn't we? What more do you want want from me?"
Before she could stop herself, Max found herself eyeing Alec up and down. What do I want from you? She asked herself. Unbidden, an image of Alec, completely naked and staring down into her eyes from his position atop her, sprang to mind. She shook her head violently, trying to dispel the image and banish the treacherous feelings it aroused in her at the same time.
Stop it Whore! She yelled at herself mentally. What you're feeling is lust, that's it…nothing more than lust for a man who has no right to be that sexy.
She looked up. Alec was still staring at her, his blue eyes penetrating. She forced herself to be angry.
"What I want is for you to be serious about our cause for once, to drop your damned attitude –"
"My attitude? MY attitude?! This from the Bitch-Master herself? My so-called attitude does nothing but try to lighten the situation, to add some humor, keep my and everyone else's hopes up." He advanced on her, his eyes smoldering with an emotion she couldn't identify. She backed up a step unconsciously. "Ever hear of morale?" His voice was soft, dangerous. He continued to stalk towards her.
Max opened her mouth to threaten him, to put him in his place, but nothing came out. This was a side of him she wasn't used to seeing. It unnerved her, and she didn't like the feeling.
Alec continued. "Your attitude however…that's what brings you down, Max. You and your fuckin' pessimistic attitude. You've always got to be the ice Queen, the emotionless Amazon, never allowing anyone to get close to you…."
Max jumped unconsciously. She had backed up against the wall without realizing it and Alec was still advancing. He came closer, his eyes still unreadable. She flinched as he put his arms against the wall, trapping her. She was sweating, but not from the heat.
"Why Max?" his voice was gentle, almost pleading – or was she imagining it? "Why won't you let anyone close to you? Not Cindy, not Joshua, not even Logan…not me…"
"You?" Max whispered hoarsely. "Why would I want you close to me?"
He just looked at her searchingly. "I don't know Max. Why don't you tell me." His voice was liquid velvet, soft and comforting.
Almost against her will, Max lifted her head to look up at him. What was he saying?
"Don't pretend you don't understand me, Max. I've seen the way you look at me when you think I don't notice," He brought his hand up to caress her cheek. "And I know that you're aware that I do the same thing."
Max shook her head, uselessly trying to deny what she knew to be true.
"Tell me Max," Alec whispered, his soft voice commanding. "Tell me why. Why are you so afraid of me?"
"I'm not afraid of you." Max whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. She quickly raised a hand to wipe it away, but Alec caught it in his.
"Then why won't you answer me?"
Knowing she had lost, Max gazed helplessly into his eyes. "Because…I- I'm in love with you Alec."
He smiled, wrapping his arms around her as she started to sob noiselessly into his chest.
"I know Max," Alec murmured, smiling with a joy that he not felt in a long time. "I know. And I want you to know," He lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "That I love you." He kissed her deeply, passionately. She was stunned by the fervor of his kiss and returned it to the best of her ability. After a few moments they broke apart, breathing heavily.
Max smiled querulously, blinking away her tears.
"I'm so sorry Alec….."
"Don't be." He shrugged, grinning, "I acted like an ass and I deserved most of what I got." His smile suddenly turned predatory. "But I think I know something that we both deserve…" Before she could think, Max was thrown over his shoulder and carried towards the bedroom, laughing.
Alec tossed her onto the bed and leaned forward, still wearing his predatory grin. "Well…" He started. Max leaned towards him, grabbing his face and kissing him fervently. She ended the kiss lingeringly, smiling seductively at him through her lashes.
Alec chuckled. "That's all the answer I need."
TBC? Maybe…. R&R please!