A/N: Sorry this took so long to get up. Computer problems. Ugh. Enough said on that subject. I'm not sure exactly how long this story is going to be, but I'm figuring somewhere around 22 chapters plus the epilogue. I'm already working on the next chapter, plus I have a new long-assed story I've started, and I'm tossing around ideas for some more standalones. Also, if you notice, this chapter takes place two weeks after the last one did. Just a note.
Disclaimer: Not mine. You know this, I know this, the people who own Dark Angel know this.
Chapter Seventeen
____________________________________________________________
Signs
Jam Pony Xpress
Seattle, Wa., September 28th, 2021
His masculine scent wafted to gently entice her nostrils, softly permeating the
surrounding atmosphere. She watched him from beneath lowered lashes, an amused
smile curving full lips. *Gone the extra mile, have ya', pretty boy?* She hooked a leg over
either side of the bench she perched on to straddle it, mahogany orbs lingering over his
frantic movements.
"Yo' plannin' on winein' and dinein' my Boo today o' somethin'?"
Alec turned from his locker, his gaze twining with hers for a moment. "What?"
"Ya' heard what I said. What convinced the resident hot boy that he had to smell
all pretty today?"
"I always smell pretty, OC." Alec returned with a charming smirk.
"Sure yo' do, but not the way ya' smell today. Yo' been pilin' the shit on. OC's
nose never misleads her."
He shrugged, unslinging his messenger bag from one muscular shoulder and
tossing it amongst the jumbled contents of his locker. "So I decided to sneak a little of
Logan's cologne this morning. It was the only decent-smelling one he had, too-you'd
think with as much money as he has, the man could afford to buy a few men's perfumes
that don't smell like dog crap."
"I thought that shit smelled like the expensive stuff. Nice scent fo' ya', hot boy.
Makes yo' smell a little more...masculine."
He quirked both eyebrows at the young black woman before him. "Are you trying
to say I normally smell feminine?"
"No, chile', OC just sayin' it's a good scent fo' ya'. Take the compliment with a
smile, o' shove it up yo' ass."
"That wasn't a compliment." Alec whined, pouting slightly. "You insinuated
that I usually smell like a girl, but don't today because I'm wearing Logan's cologne."
"Ok, chile', ya' gonna' have it like that, fine; yo' smell like a five-year-old
hoardin' her mommy's posies in the back pocket o' her cutsey little dress. Ya' happy
now?"
"Yeah, OC; you always know just how to brighten a guy's day." he said
sarcastically.
"So what's up with yo' an' my girl? Hot date?"
"Not exactly. But I found a place over in sector 6-nothing special, just a little
apartment I got for a decent price-and I was plannin' on moving my stuff out of Logan's
place and heading over there. I just closed the deal about five minutes ago."
"Ah, the wonders o' havin' a cell phone. When did yo' move yo' stuff *into*
Logan's place? Last I saw, yo' were doin' laundry just 'bout every day an' wearin' the
same stuff over an' over."
"About a week ago. Max and I scouted out her apartment to make sure White
didn't have anyone hanging around, then she picked up some things, and we headed over
to Joshua's." His voice lowered for a moment. "And I packed up my stuff. Kinda' tiring
to keep doin' laundry over and over again."
" 'Specially when yo' a male with minimal ta' no domestic skills."
Alec returned her smirk with one of his own. "Anyway, I was hoping Max might
want to...you know, come with me. I'm gonna' ride my bike over to Logan's and spend
my lunch break with her." He slammed the door to his locker, the metallic clash
reverberating throughout the old building. "You think she'll just want to crash at
Logan's? Not bother movin' again?" he asked softly.
"Honey, Max loves yo' now in case ya' forgot that. An' she loves yo' dumb ass a
lot. She not gonna' want to stay with Logan when yo' got a perfectly good place waitin'.
She'll move out in a heartbeat, chile'. It ain't exactly comfortable fo' her to be livin' at
Logan's when yo' two are gettin' all cozy together."
"Maybe. But this is Max we're talking about. She might freak and think we're
moving too fast."
It was OC's turn to shrug this time. "Maybe. But OC thinkin' her girl won't
hesitate. And she ain't never wrong 'bout these things."
Alec's lips curled faintly as he removed the leather biker gloves from both hands.
"Hope you're right."
"Yo' take good care of my Boo, ya' hear? O' Original Cindy gonna' lay the
smackdown on yo' fine, genetically engineered ass." she demanded, the threat offset by
the softness of her voice. He glanced at her, pocketing both gloves within his jacket,
another little smile curving his mouth as he perused her surprisingly fond eyes.
"Don't worry about it. I'd give my life for her."
* * *
Her nostrils flared with his scent even before the door thrust aside to encompass
his dripping figure, but the knowledge of his arrival barely registered within the fogged
depths of her mind. She stared numbly upward, eyes frosted in blankness, trembling
fingers clutching a crumpled newspaper to her chest. It bucked slightly in her grip,
whispering softly against clothing, its surface marred by teardrops.
"Max." he called, and she blinked, her eyes straying to his rain-slick features. He
flung open his arms to her, flashing a smirk, announcing his presence to the world-or at
least to one high-society apartment in Seattle-as though he expected trumpets and a
parade. "Hey, hey."
"Hey." she whispered weakly.
Any semblance of joviality dissipated immediately. "What's wrong?" he asked,
crossing to kneel beside the couch where she lay.
She felt his fingers move to softly caress her hair, and the tender gesture roused
tears to already damp lashes.
"Max?" Alec said tentatively, his thumb stroking the soft curve of her cheekbone.
His gaze surged to the paper in her hands, a trashy tabloid depicting the dog-like features
of one of the elite genetically-engineered. *Joshua.* he realized grimly.
He leaned over her to kiss the single tear that streaked her flesh, taking the paper
from slack fingers and setting it on the table.
"I went back there today. I just had to see it for some reason. I didn't think I
could handle it, last week when we went back to get your stuff. That's why I stayed
outside. But today..." she trailed off, lips trembling in a way that tightened his chest.
He laid his cheek against the top of her head, breathing her scent, trailing his
fingertips lightly down the side of her face. She turned her face into the warmth of his
palm, kissing his hand. "I saw where he died. His blood." Her voice cracked.
"I know, Max." he whispered, gently kissing her forehead. His own experience
revisiting the old Sandeman house had been just as unpleasant. There had been no
collection of evidence, no marking the house off with crime tape so Joshua's death could
be looked into. No one cared who had killed the 'freak,' and for those who did, it was
only so they could track the murderers down and give them a pat on the back for ridding
the fair city of Seattle of a bit of transgenic trash.
*No one's going to be patting Joshua's killers on the back anytime soon.* Alec
thought darkly, draping an arm across Max, closing his eyes against images of broken
bodies lying still against glistening pavement.
They stayed like that for a long moment, content in the comfort offered by the
other. Soft breathing permeated the apartment, penetrating the stillness.
"What are you doing here?" Max asked after a moment. "Shouldn't you be at
work?"
"Lunch break." Alec replied, drawing back. "Rode my bike over. In the pouring
rain, I might add."
Her lips curved slightly. "So I've got you whipped now?" she said, reaching to
stroke sodden strands of hair from his forehead.
"Nah. Come on, Max. The playah himself whipped? No way."
"Any sign of Sketchy yet?"
Alec's face grew somber. "No. He's still missing. And fired, if he can 'drag his
drunken ass in long enough to figure that out,' as Normal put it."
"Where the hell could he be?" Max asked, shaking her head as she thrust into
sitting position. "OC says he hasn't shown up for about two weeks now."
"I don't know. But Sketchy's not exactly the most responsible man around, Max,
you know that. Maybe he's passed out in a gutter somewhere, sleepin' off the last of his
latest trip to Crash."
"For two weeks?" she asked skeptically, lifting an eyebrow.
He laid his head against her shoulder, his mouth lightly touching the flesh of her
neck. "Hey, with the way that guy chugs his beer..."
Max sighed and scooted closer to him, seeking the warmth of his body. "Sketchy
wouldn't just disappear for two weeks. Not unless something had happened." She
dropped her head to rest it against his own damp one, absently stroking the hair at the
nape of his neck. "What if-"
"Max, don't worry about it. We'll do some checkin' up, I promise. Find out
where he ran off to." he said quietly, kissing her lips gently. Then he drew back, taking
her hands in his own, his expression serious. "Max, I'm movin' out today. I think
Logan's had just about all he can take of me."
"What?" she demanded, straightening, her grip on his finger tightening. "What
do you mean you're moving out?"
"I mean as in packing up my stuff and taking it over to my new apartment."
She blinked. "New apartment. When the hell did this happen?"
"I just worked it all out today, at Jam Pony. It's a place over in sector 6-nothing
fancy, like this, but it's a place to stay. I think you can probably imagine why I'd rather
not move back into Joshua's."
"Yeah." she whispered.
He raised her fingertips to his mouth and kissed them firmly, his lips lingering
over soft flesh. "Max, I want you to come with me. Move into this new place I got. We
can have our stuff outta' here by tonight. We'll have our own place." he said quietly,
perusing her face as he spoke. He swallowed around the sudden lump crusting his throat,
his large hands tensing around her own slender ones. "But if you don't want to, I
completely understand. If that's moving too fast...You can see if OC's got room, or
maybe just stay here..." he trailed off, cringing at how pathetic he sounded.
*He looks scared.* she thought, peering wide-eyed back at him. She felt his grasp
slacken, the warmth of his fingers dissipate as he pulled them away.
"Hey." she snapped, snatching them back. "Who the hell said you could leave?"
Then her voice softened, and her lips curved in a small smile. "Alec, I don't want to stay
here. I'd rather be with you."
His eyes brightened. "Really?"
"Yeah." Max replied, reaching out to ruffle his hair affectionately.
He surged forward to kiss her, pulling her lithe frame against his hard body, his
mouth moving softly against her own, tongue tracing the fullness of her lips. She leaned
into him, hands grasping for his sodden hair. Her tongue flicked out to meet his own, his
scent writhing within her sensitive nostrils. He cupped her cheek in his hand, deepening
the kiss, breath whispering softly over her flesh.
They broke apart a moment later, panting and flushed. Alec's lips traversed the
slope of her chin to her delicate jaw, closing hotly against carmel flesh.
Her eyes fluttered as she felt him working his way back up, his hands cupping
either side of her face as he trailed kisses across her chin.
"So I'll come home from work and take you to our new place?" he asked,
breaking away.
"Sounds like a plan. I'll get my stuff together. And...tell Logan."
"I'll be back in a few hours." Alec promised, and kissed her one final time before
leaving.
* * *
"Kinda' strange."
Logan spared a brief glance toward the woman perched on his couch, his fingers
still dancing restlessly over the keyboard. "What?"
"The quiet." Asha smiled briefly. "They've been camping out here about two
weeks, now, right? And all of a sudden they're just gone. No more fighting, no more
pillow fights, no more Alec remarks."
"Yeah." he said quietly, a pang resonating throughout his chest. "But Alec
wanted a place of his own. Can't blame the guy. It was getting a little...crowded in
here."
Asha suspected it might not have seemed so crowded if Max and Alec had still
been at one another's throats, and not falling asleep together on the couch instead, but
chose to remain silent on that particular subject.
"It was a good idea. Setting up a place for Max...he can watch after her a lot
better than I ever could."
"Logan, are you still in love with Max?" Asha asked bluntly.
He froze, even his fingers stilling this time. She watched his throat pulse in heavy
breath, crossing both arms over her chest. For a moment, it seemed as though he
wouldn't answer. Then slowly, lethargically, he spun to face her.
She cocked both eyebrows at him. "Well, are you?"
"Max means a lot to me." Logan said carefully, his cerulean gaze seeking hers
from behind slightly askew glasses.
"My car means a lot to me. You didn't answer my question."
He sighed and reached to caress weariness from stressed eyes. "I told you before
that a part of me will always love Max. I wasn't exaggerating. But I know there's no
chance for us anymore...I'm not going to hold out hope for that anymore. Maybe before,
if we'd found a cure to the virus, if Alec and Max hadn't gotten...attached, we might have
had a chance." He shrugged. "But maybe not. Maybe it was meant to be this way."
Asha's lips curved slightly. "I think, whether any of us wants to admit it or not,
they would have ended up together. They just sort of seem as though they're made for
each other. Breeding partner thing aside."
Logan's gaze surged to the ground for a moment. Then, with a quiet, wistful
smile, he looked back up at her. "I think you're right."
"It's time for you to move on, Logan. You can't spend the rest of your life pining
after someone else's girl. Because that's what Max is now. She's Alec's. It's time to
move on, put your past behind you, that sort of thing." she said quietly, gathering her
coat from where it lay draped over the couch.
He watched her go, brow rippling into lines as his gaze followed her slender body.
*She's right.*
"Asha, wait."
She paused, her hand on the doorknob.
"Do you want to stay for dinner? I'll take a break, cook something nice." he
spoke tentatively, the words lingering within air scented sweetly by her perfume.
She glanced back over her shoulder at him, a slight smile curving full lips.
"Yeah. I'd like that."
Max noted the presence of Alec's precious 'boob tube' with a smile, shaking her
head slightly. *Of course his beloved TV would be the first thing he moved here.*
Their new apartment, as Alec had warned her, wasn't nearly on a par with
Logan's penthouse suite, but she'd hardly expected something grand, considering that he
lived off the paltry earnings of a Jam Pony messenger. The main room held only a
battered couch and ratty old armchair, the kitchen a few empty cupboards and old stove.
But perusing her surroundings, Max felt her heart leap slightly, the sight of their
new home bolstering her lagging spirits considerably.
She heard his footsteps on the stairs, and spun in time to see him stagger inside,
his arms laden with three separate duffel bags. He sagged with an exaggerated grimace
beneath their weight, the scent of fresh precipitation clinging heavily to his glistening
body.
"Ma-ax. How the hell much did you pack?" he whined, thrusting his load to the
ground with a flourish and dusting both hands.
"Are you kidding?" she demanded, lifting an eyebrow. "Two duffel bags for
twenty years of living?"
"Well what the hell did you put in there? My arms are about to fall off."
"If you're really so weak that carrying a couple of bags full of clothes up a flight
of stairs practically sends you into cardiac arrest, maybe you should be spending more
time doing some push-ups."
"Two flights of stairs." he corrected, smirking. "And I'm not weak. Just
food-deprived. There's only so much punishment my gorgeous body can take before it
needs nourishment."
Max rolled her eyes.
"So...What do you think?"
"Not bad. Pretty good digs, actually, considering most of the stuff on the market
today."
"Yeah, well, it would probably be worse than 'not bad' if my wonderful presence
weren't here to brighten the place up." He smiled wickedly. "What do you say we check
out the bedroom?"
"Is that all you think about?" she demanded, scowling.
"Yep." Alec replied cheerfully. "You gotta' know, Max-this was all a master
plan of mine to get you alone so I could seduce you." He raised both eyebrows. "Are
you seduced yet?"
"Nope." she replied just as cheerfully.
"Max, Max, Max." he said, slowly shaking his head. "What do I gotta' do to get
you in the sack?"
"We can play later, Big Boy." she promised, flinging the door to the bedroom
aside and ducking her head into darkness.
"Ooh, 'Big Boy.' I like the sound of that." Alec murmured, smirking as he
sauntered after her. "Could that be a reference to a certain part of my male anatomy?"
She chose to ignore that, reaching to flick the light switch, painting the room in
golden illumination.
"Not bad, huh?" he asked, moving to stand beside her.
Max shrugged. "Looks comfy. Can't complain."
"Wait 'til you try this baby out." he replied, flopping backward onto the mattress,
tucking both hands behind his head. "Guaranteed to give you nothing but sweet dreams."
He winked. "Well, maybe you won't be dreamin' much, since we'll probably have more
interesting things to do than sleep, but you would have sweet dreams if you had time to
sleep."
"I won't have time to sleep?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Gee, Alec, you're
really hyping yourself up. You think you can live up to all the bragging?" Her voice rang
with just enough sarcasm to make him feel slightly defensive.
"Not a problem. Transgenic stamina, remember?" He patted the bed beside him,
lightly rumpling the covers. "Come on, Max. Don't be shy."
"Like that's ever been a problem." she snorted, dropping to perch on the edge.
He watched her eyes flare and smiled. "Hey, nice." she said, bouncing for emphasis.
"This feels like something some hoity-toity, stuffed shirt rich ass would have in his
bedroom. Where the hell did you find it?"
Alec shrugged. "Came with the place. Kinda' surprising; I mean, it's not like the
rest of the apartment is a shithole, but it's not exactly a five star hotel. The previous
occupants must have stayed in bed a lot or something." he said, smirking. "Or they
wouldn't have invested in somethin' this nice."
"Jesus." Max sighed, lying back beside him.
He reached a hand out, lightly touching the silken strands of her hair, his
fingertips whispering softly against her forehead. "What else would I want to think
about? Can you think of anything more interesting than sex?" he said in defense of
himself, before she could voice the oh-so-imaginative 'Is that all you think about?'.
She snuggled against his side, smiling softly as his arm automatically draped over
her lithe figure, spooning her warmth against the muscular hardness of his body.
"Depends."
"On what?" he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her temple, his eyes boring into
hers as he caressed the side of her face.
"On if you're some hormonally-overloaded dickhead or not."
His forehead rippled into lines of hurt. "Max." Alec whined, pouting. "You still
think I'm just a hormonally-overloaded dickhead after all the times I've put my ass on the
line for you? You know what a sacrifice that is? I mean, don't you realize how many
women would be devastated if that specific part of my anatomy was damaged?"
"Oh God." she groaned, pulling slightly away. "You're such a conceited
bastard."
He chuckled and thrust up on one elbow, reaching to snag her jacket as her
warmth dissipated into the surrounding chill of the room. She halted her movement, and
lay still as he seized her hand, loosely entwining their fingers.
Max smiled at his puppy-dog expression. "Hormonally-overloaded. Maybe not
dickhead." she amended with a shrug. "And don't worry about the women who would
be devastated if your ass got shot up. 'Cause whether they like it or not, it's my ass now."
"So I'm your ass?" he replied, making a face. "Not sure if I really like that."
"You know what I mean." she said, punching him on the arm.
Alec grasped her hand before she could pull it away, and thrust her forward, into
his arms, her body sprawling atop his. "Yeah. You're laying your claim of ownership."
He smirked.
She ruffled his hair with a gloved palm, placing a light kiss on his forehead.
"You're my property, aren't you? People have a right to claim ownership on their own
property."
"Property? Well why don't you just whip out the leash and dog collar, Max?" he
asked wryly, circling both strong arms around her slender waist. "And while you're at
it-"
She silenced him with her lips, her mouth caressing his own, fluttering his eyes
closed. He shifted beneath her, hands traversing the curve of her back to tangle within
the satin fall of her hair.
They kissed long and slow, heat flowing between them, breath flowing raggedly.
Alec pulled slightly back, lowering his head to sample the flesh of her neck, his teeth
nipping gently at heated skin. Max entwined her fingers within his hair, tilting her chin
to allow him access, a low purr rumbling from her throat as his tongue flicked out to
softly stroke the curve of her throat.
He worked his way back up, the warmth of his tongue present at her jaw for a
single moment before she felt his mouth on hers once more.
She leaned into him, her grasp on his hair tightening as the kiss grew harder. His
tongue traversed the fullness of her bottom lip, parting her mouth to taste its depths, his
hands surging to cup the base of her skull. She arched slightly against him, drawing her
fingers lightly down his neck, a smile curving full lips as she felt him shiver.
They drew apart a moment later, panting, eyes fluttering.
Alec nuzzled his face into her neck, heart drumming insistently within his chest.
"Max I love you." he said softly, his eyes seeking her own as he lifted his head slightly.
"Well who wouldn't?" she returned with a cocky smirk of her own.
"And you keep complaining about *my* ego."
"Hey, I learned from the best." Max retorted, touching a slender hand to his
cheek. Her eyes softened as he kissed her wrist, his lips lingering, warming her flesh. "I
love you too, asshole." she whispered with a smile, laying her head down on his chest.
"Asshole?" he mumbled, nestling his chin against the top of her head.
"Asshole?"
"Just shut up, Alec."
Disclaimer: Not mine. You know this, I know this, the people who own Dark Angel know this.
Chapter Seventeen
____________________________________________________________
Signs
Jam Pony Xpress
Seattle, Wa., September 28th, 2021
His masculine scent wafted to gently entice her nostrils, softly permeating the
surrounding atmosphere. She watched him from beneath lowered lashes, an amused
smile curving full lips. *Gone the extra mile, have ya', pretty boy?* She hooked a leg over
either side of the bench she perched on to straddle it, mahogany orbs lingering over his
frantic movements.
"Yo' plannin' on winein' and dinein' my Boo today o' somethin'?"
Alec turned from his locker, his gaze twining with hers for a moment. "What?"
"Ya' heard what I said. What convinced the resident hot boy that he had to smell
all pretty today?"
"I always smell pretty, OC." Alec returned with a charming smirk.
"Sure yo' do, but not the way ya' smell today. Yo' been pilin' the shit on. OC's
nose never misleads her."
He shrugged, unslinging his messenger bag from one muscular shoulder and
tossing it amongst the jumbled contents of his locker. "So I decided to sneak a little of
Logan's cologne this morning. It was the only decent-smelling one he had, too-you'd
think with as much money as he has, the man could afford to buy a few men's perfumes
that don't smell like dog crap."
"I thought that shit smelled like the expensive stuff. Nice scent fo' ya', hot boy.
Makes yo' smell a little more...masculine."
He quirked both eyebrows at the young black woman before him. "Are you trying
to say I normally smell feminine?"
"No, chile', OC just sayin' it's a good scent fo' ya'. Take the compliment with a
smile, o' shove it up yo' ass."
"That wasn't a compliment." Alec whined, pouting slightly. "You insinuated
that I usually smell like a girl, but don't today because I'm wearing Logan's cologne."
"Ok, chile', ya' gonna' have it like that, fine; yo' smell like a five-year-old
hoardin' her mommy's posies in the back pocket o' her cutsey little dress. Ya' happy
now?"
"Yeah, OC; you always know just how to brighten a guy's day." he said
sarcastically.
"So what's up with yo' an' my girl? Hot date?"
"Not exactly. But I found a place over in sector 6-nothing special, just a little
apartment I got for a decent price-and I was plannin' on moving my stuff out of Logan's
place and heading over there. I just closed the deal about five minutes ago."
"Ah, the wonders o' havin' a cell phone. When did yo' move yo' stuff *into*
Logan's place? Last I saw, yo' were doin' laundry just 'bout every day an' wearin' the
same stuff over an' over."
"About a week ago. Max and I scouted out her apartment to make sure White
didn't have anyone hanging around, then she picked up some things, and we headed over
to Joshua's." His voice lowered for a moment. "And I packed up my stuff. Kinda' tiring
to keep doin' laundry over and over again."
" 'Specially when yo' a male with minimal ta' no domestic skills."
Alec returned her smirk with one of his own. "Anyway, I was hoping Max might
want to...you know, come with me. I'm gonna' ride my bike over to Logan's and spend
my lunch break with her." He slammed the door to his locker, the metallic clash
reverberating throughout the old building. "You think she'll just want to crash at
Logan's? Not bother movin' again?" he asked softly.
"Honey, Max loves yo' now in case ya' forgot that. An' she loves yo' dumb ass a
lot. She not gonna' want to stay with Logan when yo' got a perfectly good place waitin'.
She'll move out in a heartbeat, chile'. It ain't exactly comfortable fo' her to be livin' at
Logan's when yo' two are gettin' all cozy together."
"Maybe. But this is Max we're talking about. She might freak and think we're
moving too fast."
It was OC's turn to shrug this time. "Maybe. But OC thinkin' her girl won't
hesitate. And she ain't never wrong 'bout these things."
Alec's lips curled faintly as he removed the leather biker gloves from both hands.
"Hope you're right."
"Yo' take good care of my Boo, ya' hear? O' Original Cindy gonna' lay the
smackdown on yo' fine, genetically engineered ass." she demanded, the threat offset by
the softness of her voice. He glanced at her, pocketing both gloves within his jacket,
another little smile curving his mouth as he perused her surprisingly fond eyes.
"Don't worry about it. I'd give my life for her."
* * *
Her nostrils flared with his scent even before the door thrust aside to encompass
his dripping figure, but the knowledge of his arrival barely registered within the fogged
depths of her mind. She stared numbly upward, eyes frosted in blankness, trembling
fingers clutching a crumpled newspaper to her chest. It bucked slightly in her grip,
whispering softly against clothing, its surface marred by teardrops.
"Max." he called, and she blinked, her eyes straying to his rain-slick features. He
flung open his arms to her, flashing a smirk, announcing his presence to the world-or at
least to one high-society apartment in Seattle-as though he expected trumpets and a
parade. "Hey, hey."
"Hey." she whispered weakly.
Any semblance of joviality dissipated immediately. "What's wrong?" he asked,
crossing to kneel beside the couch where she lay.
She felt his fingers move to softly caress her hair, and the tender gesture roused
tears to already damp lashes.
"Max?" Alec said tentatively, his thumb stroking the soft curve of her cheekbone.
His gaze surged to the paper in her hands, a trashy tabloid depicting the dog-like features
of one of the elite genetically-engineered. *Joshua.* he realized grimly.
He leaned over her to kiss the single tear that streaked her flesh, taking the paper
from slack fingers and setting it on the table.
"I went back there today. I just had to see it for some reason. I didn't think I
could handle it, last week when we went back to get your stuff. That's why I stayed
outside. But today..." she trailed off, lips trembling in a way that tightened his chest.
He laid his cheek against the top of her head, breathing her scent, trailing his
fingertips lightly down the side of her face. She turned her face into the warmth of his
palm, kissing his hand. "I saw where he died. His blood." Her voice cracked.
"I know, Max." he whispered, gently kissing her forehead. His own experience
revisiting the old Sandeman house had been just as unpleasant. There had been no
collection of evidence, no marking the house off with crime tape so Joshua's death could
be looked into. No one cared who had killed the 'freak,' and for those who did, it was
only so they could track the murderers down and give them a pat on the back for ridding
the fair city of Seattle of a bit of transgenic trash.
*No one's going to be patting Joshua's killers on the back anytime soon.* Alec
thought darkly, draping an arm across Max, closing his eyes against images of broken
bodies lying still against glistening pavement.
They stayed like that for a long moment, content in the comfort offered by the
other. Soft breathing permeated the apartment, penetrating the stillness.
"What are you doing here?" Max asked after a moment. "Shouldn't you be at
work?"
"Lunch break." Alec replied, drawing back. "Rode my bike over. In the pouring
rain, I might add."
Her lips curved slightly. "So I've got you whipped now?" she said, reaching to
stroke sodden strands of hair from his forehead.
"Nah. Come on, Max. The playah himself whipped? No way."
"Any sign of Sketchy yet?"
Alec's face grew somber. "No. He's still missing. And fired, if he can 'drag his
drunken ass in long enough to figure that out,' as Normal put it."
"Where the hell could he be?" Max asked, shaking her head as she thrust into
sitting position. "OC says he hasn't shown up for about two weeks now."
"I don't know. But Sketchy's not exactly the most responsible man around, Max,
you know that. Maybe he's passed out in a gutter somewhere, sleepin' off the last of his
latest trip to Crash."
"For two weeks?" she asked skeptically, lifting an eyebrow.
He laid his head against her shoulder, his mouth lightly touching the flesh of her
neck. "Hey, with the way that guy chugs his beer..."
Max sighed and scooted closer to him, seeking the warmth of his body. "Sketchy
wouldn't just disappear for two weeks. Not unless something had happened." She
dropped her head to rest it against his own damp one, absently stroking the hair at the
nape of his neck. "What if-"
"Max, don't worry about it. We'll do some checkin' up, I promise. Find out
where he ran off to." he said quietly, kissing her lips gently. Then he drew back, taking
her hands in his own, his expression serious. "Max, I'm movin' out today. I think
Logan's had just about all he can take of me."
"What?" she demanded, straightening, her grip on his finger tightening. "What
do you mean you're moving out?"
"I mean as in packing up my stuff and taking it over to my new apartment."
She blinked. "New apartment. When the hell did this happen?"
"I just worked it all out today, at Jam Pony. It's a place over in sector 6-nothing
fancy, like this, but it's a place to stay. I think you can probably imagine why I'd rather
not move back into Joshua's."
"Yeah." she whispered.
He raised her fingertips to his mouth and kissed them firmly, his lips lingering
over soft flesh. "Max, I want you to come with me. Move into this new place I got. We
can have our stuff outta' here by tonight. We'll have our own place." he said quietly,
perusing her face as he spoke. He swallowed around the sudden lump crusting his throat,
his large hands tensing around her own slender ones. "But if you don't want to, I
completely understand. If that's moving too fast...You can see if OC's got room, or
maybe just stay here..." he trailed off, cringing at how pathetic he sounded.
*He looks scared.* she thought, peering wide-eyed back at him. She felt his grasp
slacken, the warmth of his fingers dissipate as he pulled them away.
"Hey." she snapped, snatching them back. "Who the hell said you could leave?"
Then her voice softened, and her lips curved in a small smile. "Alec, I don't want to stay
here. I'd rather be with you."
His eyes brightened. "Really?"
"Yeah." Max replied, reaching out to ruffle his hair affectionately.
He surged forward to kiss her, pulling her lithe frame against his hard body, his
mouth moving softly against her own, tongue tracing the fullness of her lips. She leaned
into him, hands grasping for his sodden hair. Her tongue flicked out to meet his own, his
scent writhing within her sensitive nostrils. He cupped her cheek in his hand, deepening
the kiss, breath whispering softly over her flesh.
They broke apart a moment later, panting and flushed. Alec's lips traversed the
slope of her chin to her delicate jaw, closing hotly against carmel flesh.
Her eyes fluttered as she felt him working his way back up, his hands cupping
either side of her face as he trailed kisses across her chin.
"So I'll come home from work and take you to our new place?" he asked,
breaking away.
"Sounds like a plan. I'll get my stuff together. And...tell Logan."
"I'll be back in a few hours." Alec promised, and kissed her one final time before
leaving.
* * *
"Kinda' strange."
Logan spared a brief glance toward the woman perched on his couch, his fingers
still dancing restlessly over the keyboard. "What?"
"The quiet." Asha smiled briefly. "They've been camping out here about two
weeks, now, right? And all of a sudden they're just gone. No more fighting, no more
pillow fights, no more Alec remarks."
"Yeah." he said quietly, a pang resonating throughout his chest. "But Alec
wanted a place of his own. Can't blame the guy. It was getting a little...crowded in
here."
Asha suspected it might not have seemed so crowded if Max and Alec had still
been at one another's throats, and not falling asleep together on the couch instead, but
chose to remain silent on that particular subject.
"It was a good idea. Setting up a place for Max...he can watch after her a lot
better than I ever could."
"Logan, are you still in love with Max?" Asha asked bluntly.
He froze, even his fingers stilling this time. She watched his throat pulse in heavy
breath, crossing both arms over her chest. For a moment, it seemed as though he
wouldn't answer. Then slowly, lethargically, he spun to face her.
She cocked both eyebrows at him. "Well, are you?"
"Max means a lot to me." Logan said carefully, his cerulean gaze seeking hers
from behind slightly askew glasses.
"My car means a lot to me. You didn't answer my question."
He sighed and reached to caress weariness from stressed eyes. "I told you before
that a part of me will always love Max. I wasn't exaggerating. But I know there's no
chance for us anymore...I'm not going to hold out hope for that anymore. Maybe before,
if we'd found a cure to the virus, if Alec and Max hadn't gotten...attached, we might have
had a chance." He shrugged. "But maybe not. Maybe it was meant to be this way."
Asha's lips curved slightly. "I think, whether any of us wants to admit it or not,
they would have ended up together. They just sort of seem as though they're made for
each other. Breeding partner thing aside."
Logan's gaze surged to the ground for a moment. Then, with a quiet, wistful
smile, he looked back up at her. "I think you're right."
"It's time for you to move on, Logan. You can't spend the rest of your life pining
after someone else's girl. Because that's what Max is now. She's Alec's. It's time to
move on, put your past behind you, that sort of thing." she said quietly, gathering her
coat from where it lay draped over the couch.
He watched her go, brow rippling into lines as his gaze followed her slender body.
*She's right.*
"Asha, wait."
She paused, her hand on the doorknob.
"Do you want to stay for dinner? I'll take a break, cook something nice." he
spoke tentatively, the words lingering within air scented sweetly by her perfume.
She glanced back over her shoulder at him, a slight smile curving full lips.
"Yeah. I'd like that."
Max noted the presence of Alec's precious 'boob tube' with a smile, shaking her
head slightly. *Of course his beloved TV would be the first thing he moved here.*
Their new apartment, as Alec had warned her, wasn't nearly on a par with
Logan's penthouse suite, but she'd hardly expected something grand, considering that he
lived off the paltry earnings of a Jam Pony messenger. The main room held only a
battered couch and ratty old armchair, the kitchen a few empty cupboards and old stove.
But perusing her surroundings, Max felt her heart leap slightly, the sight of their
new home bolstering her lagging spirits considerably.
She heard his footsteps on the stairs, and spun in time to see him stagger inside,
his arms laden with three separate duffel bags. He sagged with an exaggerated grimace
beneath their weight, the scent of fresh precipitation clinging heavily to his glistening
body.
"Ma-ax. How the hell much did you pack?" he whined, thrusting his load to the
ground with a flourish and dusting both hands.
"Are you kidding?" she demanded, lifting an eyebrow. "Two duffel bags for
twenty years of living?"
"Well what the hell did you put in there? My arms are about to fall off."
"If you're really so weak that carrying a couple of bags full of clothes up a flight
of stairs practically sends you into cardiac arrest, maybe you should be spending more
time doing some push-ups."
"Two flights of stairs." he corrected, smirking. "And I'm not weak. Just
food-deprived. There's only so much punishment my gorgeous body can take before it
needs nourishment."
Max rolled her eyes.
"So...What do you think?"
"Not bad. Pretty good digs, actually, considering most of the stuff on the market
today."
"Yeah, well, it would probably be worse than 'not bad' if my wonderful presence
weren't here to brighten the place up." He smiled wickedly. "What do you say we check
out the bedroom?"
"Is that all you think about?" she demanded, scowling.
"Yep." Alec replied cheerfully. "You gotta' know, Max-this was all a master
plan of mine to get you alone so I could seduce you." He raised both eyebrows. "Are
you seduced yet?"
"Nope." she replied just as cheerfully.
"Max, Max, Max." he said, slowly shaking his head. "What do I gotta' do to get
you in the sack?"
"We can play later, Big Boy." she promised, flinging the door to the bedroom
aside and ducking her head into darkness.
"Ooh, 'Big Boy.' I like the sound of that." Alec murmured, smirking as he
sauntered after her. "Could that be a reference to a certain part of my male anatomy?"
She chose to ignore that, reaching to flick the light switch, painting the room in
golden illumination.
"Not bad, huh?" he asked, moving to stand beside her.
Max shrugged. "Looks comfy. Can't complain."
"Wait 'til you try this baby out." he replied, flopping backward onto the mattress,
tucking both hands behind his head. "Guaranteed to give you nothing but sweet dreams."
He winked. "Well, maybe you won't be dreamin' much, since we'll probably have more
interesting things to do than sleep, but you would have sweet dreams if you had time to
sleep."
"I won't have time to sleep?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Gee, Alec, you're
really hyping yourself up. You think you can live up to all the bragging?" Her voice rang
with just enough sarcasm to make him feel slightly defensive.
"Not a problem. Transgenic stamina, remember?" He patted the bed beside him,
lightly rumpling the covers. "Come on, Max. Don't be shy."
"Like that's ever been a problem." she snorted, dropping to perch on the edge.
He watched her eyes flare and smiled. "Hey, nice." she said, bouncing for emphasis.
"This feels like something some hoity-toity, stuffed shirt rich ass would have in his
bedroom. Where the hell did you find it?"
Alec shrugged. "Came with the place. Kinda' surprising; I mean, it's not like the
rest of the apartment is a shithole, but it's not exactly a five star hotel. The previous
occupants must have stayed in bed a lot or something." he said, smirking. "Or they
wouldn't have invested in somethin' this nice."
"Jesus." Max sighed, lying back beside him.
He reached a hand out, lightly touching the silken strands of her hair, his
fingertips whispering softly against her forehead. "What else would I want to think
about? Can you think of anything more interesting than sex?" he said in defense of
himself, before she could voice the oh-so-imaginative 'Is that all you think about?'.
She snuggled against his side, smiling softly as his arm automatically draped over
her lithe figure, spooning her warmth against the muscular hardness of his body.
"Depends."
"On what?" he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her temple, his eyes boring into
hers as he caressed the side of her face.
"On if you're some hormonally-overloaded dickhead or not."
His forehead rippled into lines of hurt. "Max." Alec whined, pouting. "You still
think I'm just a hormonally-overloaded dickhead after all the times I've put my ass on the
line for you? You know what a sacrifice that is? I mean, don't you realize how many
women would be devastated if that specific part of my anatomy was damaged?"
"Oh God." she groaned, pulling slightly away. "You're such a conceited
bastard."
He chuckled and thrust up on one elbow, reaching to snag her jacket as her
warmth dissipated into the surrounding chill of the room. She halted her movement, and
lay still as he seized her hand, loosely entwining their fingers.
Max smiled at his puppy-dog expression. "Hormonally-overloaded. Maybe not
dickhead." she amended with a shrug. "And don't worry about the women who would
be devastated if your ass got shot up. 'Cause whether they like it or not, it's my ass now."
"So I'm your ass?" he replied, making a face. "Not sure if I really like that."
"You know what I mean." she said, punching him on the arm.
Alec grasped her hand before she could pull it away, and thrust her forward, into
his arms, her body sprawling atop his. "Yeah. You're laying your claim of ownership."
He smirked.
She ruffled his hair with a gloved palm, placing a light kiss on his forehead.
"You're my property, aren't you? People have a right to claim ownership on their own
property."
"Property? Well why don't you just whip out the leash and dog collar, Max?" he
asked wryly, circling both strong arms around her slender waist. "And while you're at
it-"
She silenced him with her lips, her mouth caressing his own, fluttering his eyes
closed. He shifted beneath her, hands traversing the curve of her back to tangle within
the satin fall of her hair.
They kissed long and slow, heat flowing between them, breath flowing raggedly.
Alec pulled slightly back, lowering his head to sample the flesh of her neck, his teeth
nipping gently at heated skin. Max entwined her fingers within his hair, tilting her chin
to allow him access, a low purr rumbling from her throat as his tongue flicked out to
softly stroke the curve of her throat.
He worked his way back up, the warmth of his tongue present at her jaw for a
single moment before she felt his mouth on hers once more.
She leaned into him, her grasp on his hair tightening as the kiss grew harder. His
tongue traversed the fullness of her bottom lip, parting her mouth to taste its depths, his
hands surging to cup the base of her skull. She arched slightly against him, drawing her
fingers lightly down his neck, a smile curving full lips as she felt him shiver.
They drew apart a moment later, panting, eyes fluttering.
Alec nuzzled his face into her neck, heart drumming insistently within his chest.
"Max I love you." he said softly, his eyes seeking her own as he lifted his head slightly.
"Well who wouldn't?" she returned with a cocky smirk of her own.
"And you keep complaining about *my* ego."
"Hey, I learned from the best." Max retorted, touching a slender hand to his
cheek. Her eyes softened as he kissed her wrist, his lips lingering, warming her flesh. "I
love you too, asshole." she whispered with a smile, laying her head down on his chest.
"Asshole?" he mumbled, nestling his chin against the top of her head.
"Asshole?"
"Just shut up, Alec."