A/N: Thank you soooooooo much for all the reviews of the last chapter. I know some of you wanted me to get passed the rift fast, so I've tried to hurry my update for you. I hope you enjoy this one as much as the last and I hope I'm keeping you all intrigued enough to keep reading. Thanks again to Sorrow, you're my Jedi Master and my partner in crime (and kidnapping procedures…oops have I said too much?). ENJOY!

"Ok buddy, I just need you to sit still for a moment."

Alec brought a damp cloth to Joshua's face, cleaning up the blood that had escaped his wound. He had Joshua seated in the medical bay, not that you would notice. The guy was huge! Joshua flinched back slightly as the cool material moved across his face. Alec moved in as he inspected it closer.

"That's gonna need some stitches Big Fella." Alec moved to the cabinets and retrieved the materials he needed. He turned from one of the cupboards, "How'd she get you anyway?"

"Threw glass."

"But how did it happen? Did you say something? Do anything to provoke her?"

"No!" Joshua got defensive and jumped off his chair.

Alec raised his hands, "Ok, ok. Just asking."

"Max walked into room and threw glass and hit Joshua" He mimicked her actions from earlier.

"So she didn't look at you or anything? She just hurtled the first thing she saw across the room?"

Alec returned to the table with his supplies. He guided Joshua back to his seat. Joshua shrugged at the questions.

"Well thank your lucky stars you weren't the first thing she saw, otherwise I'd be having to clean up a lot more than one cut." Alec stopped and stared at Joshua's sad face. "You know she'd never mean to hurt you buddy. She loves you."

"Max hurts you."

"Max thinks she hurts me bu- huh?"

Alec was about to give Joshua a questioning look, but was distracted by a knock at the door.

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Max exited her quarters and quietly moved across the ground in the main room. She had heard the commotion earlier and knew that it was not the time to run into Mole. She slipped quietly passed the lizard king and made it to the door of the medical room without being detected. She rose her hand tentatively, took in a deep breath and lightly knocked. The door opened slowly and she came face to face with Alec.

***********************

Alec placed his materials back on the table and moved to the door. He opened it slowly and came face to face with Max.

Her eyes were swollen and surrounded by dark clouds. It was obvious that she had been crying as her drained features watched him in silence. At that very instant, Alec knew that it was all an accident. He was sure of it before, but now there wasn't the slightest hint of doubt in his mind. The face that stood before him was one of complete guilt and sorrow. Max watched him as he let her guilt move across his own features. This was his fault. Max was angry at him and Joshua got caught in the crossfire.

Alec lowered his head as Max passed him in silence.

"I'm so sorry Joshua." Max moved toward him and drew a hand to his face. He flinched slightly, but slowly let her pat his skin. "I never meant to hurt you. You know that right? It was an accident." Her voice and eyes pleaded with him.

"That's what Alec said. Max never hurt Joshua on purpose. Max love Joshua."

Max gave Joshua a soft smile, but her eyes trailed to Alec, his back tensing at the comment. She could see he was waiting for her response.

"Well Alec was right." His shoulders relaxed. "Max does love Joshua and I would never, ever mean to hurt you!"

A smile moved over Joshua's face. "Joshua loves Max too." He took her slight frame in his arms. "And Alec."

Alec turned slowly and smiled at his K-9 friend. "Alec loves you too buddy."

Joshua reached an arm out to Alec and motioned for him to join them. "Group hug!"

Alec looked at Max, unsure whether to join them. She closed her eyes slowly and nodded her answer. He moved tentatively towards them and reached out his arms. Joshua grew impatient and grabbed one of Alec's hands, crashing him into the embrace.

"Group hug!"

Alec and Max each felt one of Joshua's hands move to their back. He then ducked under their arms, forcing them to hug one another. Their bodies crashed together, faces millimetres apart. Max felt her chest go heavy as she slowly moved her eyes to Alec's. He gazed at her with such softness, such…hope. She turned her head slightly, a small smile moving across her face as she noticed the soft golden flecks that rested against hazel. She was losing herself, until she heard Joshua laugh.

"Max and Alec make up!"

The two X-5's dropped their hands and moved away from one another so fast that even they missed it. Without blinking.

"How about I fix that cut Joshua?" Max spoke quickly and moved to the supplies Alec had placed on the table.

"Yeah you do that." Alec brought a hand through his hair. "I'll see how things are going out…" Alec didn't finish his sentence before he left the room.

**********************

Max was so glad that everything was ok between her and Joshua. She couldn't handle him being angry or upset with her. She got enough of that from everyone else. But Max knew that the tension within Terminal City was rising and everyone would be looking to her for guidance. She just didn't know if she could give it.

Maybe Mole was right, maybe she wasn't fit to lead them all. She knew that her moods were getting the better of her. God, she just had to stitch up one of her best friends faces as a result of them. But nobody seemed to understand the pressure she was under, what she was going through. And not just with Logan and the events of the past week. It had all been too quiet over the past two months.

The first four weeks of the TC lockdown were intense. Police, Military and government officials were posted all over the perimeter, waiting for the transgenics to attack, or at least try to escape. When this didn't happen, there were several attempts to raid the city, to gas them out, making it obvious that they had forgotten to read their copies of 10 Easy Ways to Kill a Transgenic. The gas bombs did little more than blanket the city in a murky haze, making it even more obvious that White had nothing to do with these attacks. A fact that worried Max more than anything else. White and his group of snake loving familiars would have known that the gas would not have effected the transgenic race, so he couldn't have been involved. He had been too quiet and now everything else had taken the same tone. Something that told Max, White was in charge again. And he was up to something. Something big.

Either that or the heavens had smiled upon them once more and White had choked on the electrical tape they tied him up with at Jam Pony. *Get out of my head Alec*.

Max pounded her fists hard against the cement column. She had wrapped one of the floor mats around the stone and used it as a punching bag. She hit it harder, bruising the skin around her knuckles as she thought about everything. Especially her argument with Alec. Why did he get her so frustrated? She just didn't get it. How could someone be the only person she ever wanted to talk to, as well as being the last, all at the same moment?

Max dropped her hands to her sides and sighed heavily. She needed to clear her head, but she knew the building top would not help tonight. She moved over to the centre of the room and took a seat on the floor, legs stretched out, hands underneath them.

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Alec stopped at the training room's entrance as he saw her take the position. Slowly she took her weight on her hands, legs rising from her sides until she was once again parallel to the wall.

A content smile moved across his face as he silently moved into the room and took a seat against the far wall. At least he had done something right, taught her something she could use.

There would be no timing, no competition. Alec would leave her their for as long as she needed and he would stay seated against the wall and watch.

**********************

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow." Max thumped to the floor.

Alec had been watching her for at least an hour in complete silence. *I can stay quiet see*. He was instantly at her side, well almost. He didn't quite manage to catch her before she hit the mat. Not that he didn't want to catch her, it just looked too funny. Not to mention the guaranteed fist he'd get in the shoulder for trying to 'cop a feel'. Waiting for her to get hurt first, then help was a much safer plan. He moved his hands down to her back causing her to flinch at his touch.

"Alec what are you doing, ow, ow, ow!"

"Are you ok?"

He went to help her up, but she slapped his hands away. "I can do it-ow, ow." She fell back to the ground.

Alec laughed slightly. "Cramp?"

"Mmmhmmm."

The cramp was seizing up the left side of her torso and travelling up her arm and through her shoulder. She threw her arms awkwardly around her body, trying to relieve the pain. Alec knelt down softly next to her, his smile growing larger, more like the 'smart aleck' for whom he was named.

"Would you like me to help you Max?" She glanced at him for a moment, then nodded at him in pain. "Ok, but I am going to have to touch you."

"Fine." She gritted the answer between her teeth.

Alec slowly put his arms under Max's and brought her to her feet. He stood her in front of him and raised her left arm. He took her right arm and moved it behind his back.

"Hold on."

He tensed slightly as her fingers gripped onto his shirt. He placed his left hand on her left elbow and slowly applied pressure, moving her body to the right in front of him. He motioned with his feet for her to cross her legs over one another and she followed his instructions. Slowly, he applied more pressure to her elbow, causing her body to curve like a cats back and stretch her side out.

"Is that helping?" Alec's face was nuzzled against Max's as he whispered the words.

"Yep." Max's answer was quiet, but held a hint of relief.

He held her in that position for several minutes, slowly feeling her hand gripped on his shirt relax as the cramp eased. Her breathing slowed and she released her hold. Alec didn't have to be asked. He slowly let her arm down and helped her back to her upright position. He then took a step back, giving her space. Max drew her arm across her body, stretching out her shoulder.

"Thanks."

"Welcome." Alec nodded and took another step back.

Max circled her arms at her sides, trying to loosen up a little more. She stopped and placed her hands on her hips. "What were you doing in here?" She tried her hardest to not sound rude. She thought she pulled it off.

Alec had to think quick, "I…I'd been looking for you and as I was coming in, I saw you hit the floor."

"Oh."

Alec couldn't believe she believed that. *Huh.*

"Is everything ok? Joshua ok?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." Alec placed his hands in his pockets and looked to the floor.

"So…what did you need me for?" Max foot turned out as she found her comfort zone.

"I just…" He slowly brought his eyes back to her face. "We're ok aren't we?"

"Pfft." Max brushed the comment away with her hand. "We're fine Alec. We've fought on many occasions and I'm sure there'll be many more to look forward to."

"Good." Max gave him a questioning look. "What?"

"Good? Good you want to fight or good we're ok?"

A smirk returned to his face. "Both." She shook her head at his answer. "What? You keep a guy on his toes."

Max continued to shake her head at him. She really did pick the perfect name for him.

She turned to exit the room, but suddenly came face to face Mole. She stepped back slightly as he stood over her. He removed his security blanket from his mouth as he stared at her. He then turned his attention to Alec as he spoke.

"We have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Alec moved forward as he asked the question.

"The kind that I don't care much about." He looked down at Max again. "It's Chucky."

"Chucky?" Alec was beyond confused. Max shared his current mind state, her nose scrunched at the statement.

"You're boyfriend. Cale. The guy who caused my shotgun to be in quarantine for the past three days!" Mole returned the cigar to his mouth. "Smell's still hanging around."

"What's happened to him?" Max was doing everything she could to stop herself from wrapping her hands around the lizards throat.

"He's been arrested."

Max stood for a second in silence. She then turned without saying a word and headed for HQ. Alec walked to Mole slowly, shaking his head.

"Chucky?" He raised an eyebrow in disapproval, shook his head again and left the room.

"I thought it was funny." Mole shrugged his shoulders and followed Alec back to HQ.

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A/N: I know I know. WHY! Why did I have to bring him back?! Please, hang in there! It'll be ok! Promise.