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*The Longest Day*
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Spoilers: This is the fourth story in my series – if you haven't read any of my work before, you'd be best off going back to read and understand. The first story was Shattered Trusts and Whispered Confessions. The second is Remembering to Forget and the third, which I only just finished, is Events That Lead To Greatness. This series is set after Hello Goodbye but does reveal spoilers from the rest of the season, as I incorporate it into the story.
Disclaimer: Ideas are mine based on the brilliant work of the Dark Angel team – so don't sue me! I wish I owned Alec, but I don't. So I have to settle for writing fiction about him.
Authors Note: Just a general shout out thanks to all the great readers who have been reviewing my work and totally keeping me motivated. If it weren't for you guys I wouldn't be writing this stuff. I am trying out a new style of writing in this one; let me know what you guys think.
When it says someone's name over the top, it means that the chapter is in their point of view. It wont be like that for the entire story, just when necessary for what I am doing. Have fun and remember to review!
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CHAPTER TEN: Hit And Run
Seattle; Crash; January 1st 2023
1900 hours and counting...
Alec looked up as the bartender refilled his drink,
"It's courtesy of the pretty brunette at the other end."
He sniffed, the strong smell of scotch burning his nose, as he pushed the drink forward,
"Tell her thanks anyway."
"She says just accept it as a token of friendship."
The bartender winked and moved off, leaving Alec with the drink. Looking down the bar, he caught the eye of a petite brunette with large blue eyes. She smiled coyly at him, then ducked her head down shyly, revealing a flustered Max behind her. Alec turned his head away quickly, but she was already next to him,
"You're a hard one to find. Predictable, but still you're haunts are all on the opposite ends of this city."
"Come to accuse me to my face of being a backstabber, or are you just going to stand behind me and say it?"
"You have no right to be angry with me Alec."
"I have every right. And who are you to be checking up on what I do?"
"Why did you steal files?"
"I didn't. I sent copies to someone, I owed them a favour."
"You're a traitor, I knew it. You left us and then all of a sudden you come back to play the dashing hero? It couldn't be. I knew it."
"You don't know anything. You think you do, but you don't. The files I copied, I gave to Lydecker. Not by going against you guys, but so I could save your asses. He wants to know how many of us are in TC so he can try to be accountable for us, help us out with problems such as food, exposure – whatever. He is the reason we got out of there alive today, not because you smooth-talked a cop into giving us a van."
"You gave Intel to Lydecker?"
"What choice did I have? You guys were as good as dead in there today Max! There was no way any of us would have made it out alive without capture. He is willing to help us in the future. I trust his word. And if I didn't, then I wouldn't have held up my end of the deal. That's it. I am capable of making the right decisions, contrary to popular belief."
Alec stood up, leaving his drink untouched as he walked out of the bar, the night sky split open with clouds, the rain starting to lightly drizzle. It would get heavier, he noted as he came out, ignoring the fact that he was wearing only a singlet and the air was bitterly cold. Max came thudding out seconds later, becoming wet instantly,
"Why did you come back here?"
"Because I thought you were in trouble."
"Why would you care, you left us. You left me..."
"I left you? I left you? You left me! You left me to die in that fucking water plant!"
"I thought you were already dead! You had no pulse, I couldn't hear you breathing, and I couldn't hear your heart beating. There was nothing!"
"So you just left me there for the rats – or even better, the police?"
"I didn't know what to do – I was in shock; I was upset!"
She gave him a glassy look and he snorted angrily,
"Well it isn't my fault! You can't claim that you were upset so that the blame shifts over to me just as fast as you bat your eyelids. You can't do that! Don't do that!"
"Well you can't blame me Alec! I thought you were dead – isn't that what we always assumed the prophecy meant?"
"So when you thought that was going to happen; you still couldn't tell me you loved me?"
Max stared at him, her mouth partly open. Realising her comical appearance, she snapped it shut, opening it again to icily answer him,
"Alec... I..."
"Forget it Max."
"Alec..."
"Its over okay."
His curt response ignited a fire in her, one that she had been trying hard to suppress. Seconds later, Max exploded,
"How can you be such a bloody hypocrite?"
"What?"
"That time in the rain, all those months ago. When I told you. When I told you I loved you. And you didn't answer me!"
"I did, I just..."
"You just what Alec?"
Silence.
"You just what? Answer me Alec!"
"I don't want to love you!"
"What?"
"I said that I loved you when you told me, but you had already gone inside with Biggs. I said it to you when you were asleep, hell I've said it in my sleep. When I'm dreaming of you. I didn't want to die with you not knowing so I told you again, actually mustered up the courage to tell you to your face and you didn't care! That's why I did what I did, the knife, running away. I love you but it kills me; I don't want to love you!"
Max's face crumpled and she looked away from Alec, coaxing herself not to show any emotion,
"Then don't love me."
He laughed sarcastically, low and rough – his voice rumbling and making the hairs on her arm stand, her spine tingle,
"If it were that simple Max..."
"Make yourself stop. Or run away again – you're good at that."
"Don't you think I've tried to stop! And yes I ran Max, but I had to – it doesn't stop. It never stops... and I can't stop. The whole time I was away all I thought about was you. You're the only thing in this world keeping me sane – keeping me alive. You're the only thing worth living for and I cant have you – and that kills me!"
She involuntarily shivered, her skin somewhat slick with sweat from nerves, despite the freezing air and hardening rain. Alec panted, his green eyes stormy and directed on her,
"Don't you think I want to stop? I do. But then I see you and it throws me because I want you so bad."
"Why not tell me this before? Why keep it all to yourself and leave me, not even let me know you were okay for months?",
Max wailed at him, her voice rising significant notches,
"Why just run and not call?"
"Because..."
"Why!"
"Because I wanted you to want me the way I wanted you. To love me the way I loved you. To love me for me, not for the things that I said – or couldn't say."
She looked away, her eyes downcast and her voice falling to a timid whisper,
"I told you I loved you."
"It burnt out..."
"No. I still do."
Her last words came in vain as loud screeching from Original Cindy drowned her voice out,
"There you two are! Everyone in TC has been wondering where you are."
Max bit her lip, shooting a hesitant glance at Alec, who was staring blankly at the ground,
"What's going on?"
"Auris had a baby boy, boo – he's just so slamming, ya know? Gem's helping her out with tips and such. You shoulda seen it girl, Normal helped deliver him and everything!"
"That's great OC, but look now isn't..."
"We gotta haul ass back there, everyone's waiting."
"For what?"
"You. That detective called."
"TC has a phone?"
"Yeah. But he called on the car-phone in that van you negotiated. He wants to speak to you boo."
She glanced at Alec again, his eyes flicking everywhere but in her direction. He turned, retreating back into Crash with an incoherent goodbye thrown OC's way. Sighing, Max leaned into Cindy's outstretched inviting arm,
"Okay. Lets go home."
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