A/N: This was supposed to be attached to Chapter 1. It's not really meant to stand alone. The real Ch. 2 is in the works. Thanks to those who have reviewed. I appreciate it and will incorporate suggestions.

The Space Needle--Midnight.

"I figured you'd be up here." Alec spoke gently as not to startle her, but he needn't have worried. She heard him coming long before his shadowy figure appeared in front of the glowing moon.

"Yeah, I'm sort of saying goodbye to Seattle." She smiled at him, and at the memories she would take with her of the city. It had been good to her, mostly.

"Yeah, I guess there is no point in convincing you to stay." He stood next to her gazing at the gigantic moon.

"No, I'm leaving." She looked at him.

"Okay kiddo, don't be afraid to ever come back, or look me up."

"Alec, I'm touched. I didn't think you had become so. ."

"Human?" He said sarcastically.

"I was gonna say emotional." She smiled softly.

"Where are you going?" He didn't honestly expect her to tell him.

"Not sure yet but lots of operations could benefit from someone with my, shall we say, training."

"You're not going into. ." He was stunned.

"Alec, I tried to live a life, I failed. Military is where I belong. I fit there."

"Are you kidding?" He said incredulously.

"No, and I don't think. . ."

"Max, this is nuts. You won't be able to handle that!"

"I'm going." She didn't have any fight in her.

Alec knew the conversation had ended. There would be no persuading her now. Maybe in time, maybe if she let him know where she was.

"Did he tell you why he left?" She asked.

"No." Alec answered. He wished he had more to tell her, but Logan hadn't been at all happy that Alec had stopped by while he was making his escape.

"Yeah, well, I can't worry about the riddle of Logan Cale anymore."

"I worry about the riddle of you." He said staring into her chocolate brown eyes.

"I'm no riddle Alec. I'm a descendant of a blueprint. I can be duplicated, assembled, reassembled, and reissued."

"I guess you are speaking of all the X series." His voice had turned to stone.

"No," she answered gently. She hadn't realized that she had hurt him. "But maybe, if you find love Alec, don't tell her that you're a genetically engineered killing machine."

Alec's expression softened as he watched the pain flash in Max's eyes. He knew Logan had wounded her. He sure as hell didn't understand why these two couldn't stop themselves from inflicting torment upon each other, but it was their soap opera.

Max looked at him, smiled and finally spoke. "Good luck to you. I will think of you often and wish you happiness." And with that, Max dove off the Space Needle and into the thick black fog that had descended on the city.