A/N: I've decided that this story takes place before "Hello, Goodbye."  Just makes my life a little easier!

Chapter 5: A Boy's Best Friend

"Joshua!"  Alec burst into the rickety house, running through the hallway, up the stairs and then back down.  Max followed at a more sedate pace, fervently wishing the dart he'd been shot with in the early morning hours had contained a tranquilizer.

"Alec, no blurring in the house!" 

He slowed down and called out once more.  "Josh!"

"In kitchen, Alec," came the answering shout.  The X5s walked to the kitchen table where the big guy had just finished eating lunch.  Alec smiled and Max sighed.

"Big Fella, I need your help."

Alec interrupted her, pointing at a pot on the stove.  "Is that mac'n'cheese and little hot dogs?"  At Joshua's nod, Alec practically pounced on the stove with a shouted, "Yes!"  He grabbed the pot and began chowing down using a wooden stirring spatula.

Joshua grinned at him.  "Medium Fella like mac'n'cheese?"  Alec nodded hard in response while managing to stick the heaping spatula in his mouth.

"Alec!"

Alec cringed and spoke around a mouthful of food. "Wha?"

"Get a fork!"

He shrugged.  "Okay."

"And a bowl."

He shrugged again.  "'Kay." 

"Geez.  You'd think you were raised in a barn."  Alec was too busy shoveling food into his mouth to answer that, so Max turned to the other dog at the table.  "Joshua, can I talk to you in the living room for a minute?"

Joshua rose and followed Max across the hall.  When they were out of earshot, Max turned to her big friend with a desperate look on her face.  He tilted his head to the side.

"What's up Little Fella?"

"Listen, Alec is kind of…sick."

"He look and smell okay to Joshua."

"I know he does, Big Fella.  But he's sort of sick in his head.  The doctors think he'll be fine within twenty-four hours."  She sighed and glanced toward the kitchen where Alec sat scraping the last of the mac'n'cheese into his bowl.  "We just need to wait this bitch out until then."

"What can Joshua do to help?"  Max smiled at him for the first time.

"Could he stay here for a little while?  He could get into a lot of trouble outside."

Joshua nodded wisely.  "People afraid of what they don't understand."

She glanced toward the kitchen where Alec sat wolfing down his food.  She sighed again.  "Something like that." 

"Okay Little Fella.  Joshua take care of him.  We lay low together."  He put one large hand on Max's shoulder.  "Don't worry, Little Fella.  Alec be okay here."

She reached up and squeezed his hand.  "I know."  Joshua nodded.

"Anything special Medium Fella need?"

Max shook her head.  "Not really.  Just watch him because he likes to get into stuff.  And he'll probably want to eat everything in your fridge.  And, uh, I'm pretty sure he needs a nap."

Joshua threw his head back and laughed.  "Cat nap!" 

She chuckled and hugged him. "Thanks Big Fella." 

"No problem, Little Fella." He patted her on the back.  Max returned to the kitchen and stood in front of Alec.  He looked up at her stern expression. 

"I'm leaving you here with Joshua."  At his smile she scowled and pointed a threatening finger at him.  "Behave yourself."

"'Kay."

"No blurring inside."

"'Kay."

"No going outside."

"'Kay."

"No playing in the bathroom."

"'Kay."

"And stop saying 'Okay'!"

"'Kay."

"Ugh!"  She threw up her hands and left.  Alec giggled mischievously and went back to his lunch.  Joshua entered and sat down just as he finished off the last bite.  Alec sat back and let rip with a belch. 

Joshua chuckled and asked, "Good?"

Alec's face lit up with a satisfied smile.  He placed a hand on his stomach.  "Yeah.  The best."  Joshua blushed at the compliment – quite a feat for a dog-man.  Alec leaned forward.  "What are we gonna do now?" 

The big transhuman shrugged.  "What does Medium Fella want to do?" 

A mischievous glint sparked in Alec's eyes and his smile turned conspiratorial.  "We could go play outside…"

Joshua shook his head emphatically.  "Max said no."  Alec sighed dramatically, placing his elbows on the table and his chin in his hands.

"Well, I guess we could watch some cartoons."

"Joshua not have a television."

Alec's jaw dropped and he stared at his friend in disbelief.  "You. Don't. Have. A. TV?!"

"Nope."

"What do you do for fun?!"

Joshua shrugged again.  "Read.  Paint.  Think."

Alec's head fell to the table.  He groaned and slumped so far forward that he almost fell out of his chair.  "We're gonna die of boredom."  Joshua also rested his head on the table and tried to think of something that might occupy his friend.  After a few moments an idea occurred to him and he sat up excitedly.

"Father's piano still in the basement.  Alec could play songs.  Maybe teach Joshua too."  Alec turned his head to the side and looked at Joshua without sitting up.  The bridge of his nose dimpled as he pretended to think over the suggestion.  Suddenly, he stood and smiled broadly, clapping the other man on the back.

"That's a great idea Big Fella!"  At Alec's exclamation, Joshua sprang up and led the way toward the basement.  They trudged happily down the stairs, the old wood creaking under their weight.

Joshua plopped down on the worn bench.  His smile faded when he looked expectantly up at Alec.  The younger transgenic stood beside the piano with an expression of sudden fear clouding his features.  From the distant look in Alec's eyes, Joshua could tell his friend was thinking about the dark days that followed the first time he sat down at a piano.  A complicated myriad of emotions that Joshua couldn't begin to name crossed Alec's face.  The X5 jumped a little when Joshua laid a strong but soothing hand on his arm.

"Play happy songs, Medium Fella," Joshua whispered gently.  "No tricks, just treats."  Alec took a deep breath and forced a brave smile onto his face.

"Okay, Josh.  Only happy songs."  He took a seat next to his friend and rested his fingers on the keys.  Over the next hour he set about teaching Joshua how to play the piano.  It became glaringly apparent that whatever Sandeman had originally intended to create when he made Joshua, 'concert pianist' wasn't it.  The big guy got better as they practiced, but Alec still had to consciously clamp down on his wincing reflexes each time Joshua's large fingers came down on the ivory keys.  In the end, Alec convinced Joshua that he should just sing as Alec played every simple song in his repertoire.  They made quite a merry racket, with Alec banging out the notes and belting the words at the top of his lungs to the accompaniment of Joshua's amazingly in-tune howls.  Neither of the transgenics always remembered the words, but they found great joy in making up lyrics as they went along, and most of the time they could remember the choruses.

"Goodness gracious great balls of fire!!!"  The two collapsed into laughter as the last note rang clear and Joshua's howls echoed off the basement walls.  Just as Alec caught his breath, a huge yawn took him unawares.

"Uh-oh," Joshua said and pointed at his friend.  "Alec need sleep." 

Alec immediately sat up straighter.  "No I don't.  I'm not tired at all."  He opened his eyes as wide as possible and leaned toward Joshua.  "See?  Wide awake!"  

Joshua wasn't buying any.  He stood and hauled Alec up, throwing the young man over his broad shoulder and making for the stairs.  "Max said cats must nap."  Alec didn't struggle.  He just whined in protest as Joshua carried him to the couch in the living room.

"But I'm not even tired!  Really.  I'm wide awake."  The bigger transgenic set him down on the couch.  "But I'll just lay here bored!" 

 "Alec sleep now."  Joshua started to turn away, but Alec grabbed his arm.

"Joshua?"

"Yes, Alec?"

"Will you at least read me a story.  Please."  Joshua practically glowed at the request.  He patted Alec on the head with one large hand. 

"Of course, Medium Fella."  The transhuman walked to the bookcase and selected from among the hundreds of titles while Alec snuggled himself down into the couch.  When Joshua returned it was with an old copy of The Iliad and a blanket.  He settled the blanket over Alec, tucking him in.  Alec eyed the battered leather-bound book. 

"Does this book have pictures Josh?"

"No, but you can make the pictures in your head.  More like television that way." 

"Oh.  M'kay, I guess.  Well, what's it about?"  Joshua settled his large frame onto an adjacent armchair.  Alec sat up and continued before his friend could answer.  "Does it have fighting?"

"Yes, Alec.  Has very big battles, and big heroes, and even love."  Alec's eyes widened with excitement as Joshua spoke, although he did scrunch his nose in disgust at the mention of love.

"Now lay down Medium Fella so Joshua can get started."  Alec obeyed with a beaming smile on his face and closed his eyes as Joshua began.  As his friend had promised, vivid pictures played out against Alec's eyelids to the accompaniment of the dog-man's soothing voice.  And even though the pictures and story were exciting, Alec was soon carried off to sleep.

********

When Max returned in the early evening, she was greeted by the smell of paint and the thunderous beat of the stereo.  She entered the living room quietly.  Joshua stood in one corner, a large canvas set on the easel in front of him.  He was no doubt working on what promised to be a profound new painting – the meaning of which Max would never quite see or understand. 

Alec was kneeling on the floor, his own large canvas resting beside him.  In his painting, swirls of the brightest yellows, purples, and oranges linked and danced together around childish handwriting.  Alec had written Alec Alec Alec Alec Max Max Max Max Josh Josh Josh Josh in a tight bundle at the center of the canvas.  'Max' was written in a bright red, 'Josh' in the deepest blue, and 'Alec' in blackish green.  There was paint all over Alec's hands, face & clothes.  He'd even managed to get some in his hair. 

He bit his lower lip as he concentrated on his art.  There was a small part of Max that found Alec's appearance to be the most endearing thing she'd ever seen – blue, green and yellow highlights in brown hair and all.  An unexpected knot of delight coiled in her stomach.  Her brow furrowed as she tried to puzzle out the sensation.

Joshua glanced up to see her standing in the doorway and smiled.  "Hey Little Fella," he called.  "Wanna paint?" 

Alec lifted shining hazel eyes.  He nodded vigorously at her, happiness flowing off him in contagious waves.  "Yeah Maxie!  Come paint.  Josh showed me how.  Said I could paint anything I wanted.  It's lotsa fun!"  He matched Joshua's glowing smile with a grin of his own.

Joshua chimed in, "And Medium Fella taught Joshua to play Chopstick on piano in basement." 

A pained expression briefly clouded Alec's features, but then he smiled again and said, "He's very good."  Joshua's smile widened at the praise and he barked.  Alec laughed.

Max was tempted to hunker down in Joshua's battered armchair and bask in the warmth of their smiles and laughter, but then her beeper went off.  Again.  She glanced at the number, an irritated frown replacing her smile.  Surprise.  It was Logan.  Again.

Joshua walked over to her and nodded at the beeper.  "Max gotta blaze?"

"Yeah."  She picked up Alec's jacket and gestured for him to take it.  "Come on."

Alec stood up and wiped his paint-covered hands on his already besmeared black t-shirt.  "Do I have to?"  He made puppy dog eyes at her as he put the jacket on.  "Josh still has to finish my story."  He glanced at his canine buddy in forlorn supplication, but the big guy just shrugged.

Max was outwardly unmoved.  "Now Alec."

He tried one more time, whining, "Maxie…"

She pointed to the door.  "Out Alec."  He pouted, but obeyed, flouncing down the hall and out the house.  Max turned back to Joshua with a wry smile on her face.  She hugged him before turning to follow Alec.

"Bye Little Fella."

"Bye Big Fella."  The door  shut behind her as she yelled, "Alec, if you get any of that damn paint on my baby, I will kill you!" 

Joshua chuckled and bent down to the floor.  He lifted Alec's painting and placed it on an empty easel.  Then he stepped back and stared at it, his head tilted to one side.  After a few moments of study, he smiled. 

"Huh.  Not bad."

TBD

A/N: Thanks again to those who've stuck with me so far and sent feedback.  It's encouraging to know that I'm not alone in my demented amusement!  Special thanks go out to Waterlilly (Your comments echoed some of my own thoughts as to where I want to take the remainder of this story.  And a couple of your points gave me a fresh perspective on Alec's relationship to another character that we'll see unfold in the last few chapters.).  Only three more chapters to go, folks!  I'm hoping to finish it off by the end of the month.  Wish me luck!  ~Fli