For nearly two weeks, the change in Max and Alec's relationship was well concealed from everyone, including Cindy. After her various transgenic-saving duties, max often went back to Alec's, and simply told Cindy she'd been working all night. At work, no one noticed a thing, as Max and Alec still had their little rivalries as always. However, one morning, when they were all crowded round talking, ignoring Normal's cries of "Bip, bip, bip, people!" Cindy noticed something very unusual. Totally unconsciously, Max was entwining her fingers in Alec's, until they were softy holding hands. Cindy said nothing realising that no guy would ever be perceptive enough to notice, and Cici was busy arguing with Normal over her lateness. Cindy didn't dare to join the conversation, as she didn't think she would be able to keep a straight face. So she was very relieved when Cici joined them, moaning about Normal, and Cindy saw her eyes widen as she registered that Max and Alec were holding hands. She glanced at Cindy, who grinned and nodded towards the lockers.
"I gotta get something." She said quickly, and hurried off, dragging Cici with her. Once out of sight and earshot, Cici gasped,
"What the hell is with that!?" Cindy shook her head, shrugging,
"I have no idea. Max hasn't said anything." She laughed a little, "They didn't even seem to notice! But if they keep at it, even Sketchy will have to realise!" Cici laughed too, then shook her head,
"Huh. Max and Alec. I never woulda guessed."
"I know. But Max has barely been home a single night this week. I would have question it, if she hadn't claimed to be doing transgenic stuff." Cici nodded. "But I have to say, all this transgenic-White stuff doesn't seem to be getting her down as much as I thought it would if there was really this much trouble. Hell, in fact, she's actually a load more cheerful than she has been in ages!" Cici raised her eyebrows at this,
"Really?" Cindy nodded, knowing that Cici had not known max all that long, and definitely didn't know the details of the whole max and Logan saga. "But I've not noticed them acting any differently." Cindy agreed,
"I hear that, girl. But I don't think either of them is the kinda person to change the friendship they already have just cos they've… move to another level."
"Well then, I think that pretty much settles it." Cici grinned.
"At lunch?"
"Lunch." Cici agreed.
"Ai-aight. But right now, I gotta stop them having some serious embarrassment. She rejoined the group, and waited til sketchy handed Max a drink, so that her other hand was full. Then Cindy spoke. "Hey Bu, can I see your nails?"
"What?" Max looked surprised.
"Your nails Bu. I wanna see what you've done to my manicure."
"Oh." Max said, releasing Alec's hand and holding her own out. As she looked at Cindy, it dawned on her what she'd had to do to free up her hand. She said nothing, but the look in Cindy's face told Max that she knew. Cindy tutted at the chipped ends of Max's nails and said meaningfully,
"Could be very embarrassing if someone saw that." She smiled, seeing that Max had got her meaning, "I'll have to re-do them for you." She finished her cover story.
"Thanks." Max said, her face a little worried, and very red. Cindy left with Cici for the morning runs.
At lunch, max was once again the first back. She went round to her locker and only minutes later, she found herself flanked on either side by Cindy and Cici, both smiling broadly.
"Do tell." Was all Cindy said. Max continued sorting her stuff,
"I don't know what you could possibly be talking about." Cindy reached past her and closed the locker. Max turned round, leaning against the locker. "What?" she asked.
"You know what Bu. Now long has it been going on?" Max opened her mouth to claim innocence, but Cindy continued. "And don't you dare say you don't know what I'm talking about cos we both saw. You and Alec. How long? What exactly is going on? Y'know the drill Bu. Details!" she grinned cheekily. "Cos I'm right? Aren't I?" Max sighed in resignation.
"Maybe." Cindy laughed, and Max couldn't help smiling. Behind Cici, max saw Alec come round the side of the lockers. His eyes widened and he tried to slip away again, but Cindy saw him too.
"Uh-uh, no way!" Cindy exclaimed, and Cici spun round and grabbed Alec's arm, pulling him in next to Max.
"Sorry." Max groaned. He just smiled, seeing how embarrassed she was.
"Maybe you could elaborate a little Alec." Said Cindy, and sensing what his answer would be, she added, "and don't bother denying it! We got Max to say 'maybe'." He grinned at that too, finding Max's embarrassment very amusing. He looked down at her, asking what to say. She shrugged. "Come on you guys!" Cindy moaned. We won't tell anyone if you don't want us to. But you gotta tell us how long this has been going on." A look passed between Max and Alec, and she eventually said,
"Nearly two weeks."
"You managed to keep this from me for two weeks!?" Cindy was shocked, but suddenly a dawning look crossed her face. "Two weeks?" she looked at Alec. "Then when I saw you, behind here, that's was…" Max burst out laughing at Cindy's expression.
"Yeah, that was me." She admitted. Cindy smiled though,
"And you're serious?"
"O.C!" Max exclaimed. Cindy shook her head,
"That's not what I mean. I mean are you happy, are you, y'know…" Max smiled up at Alec, a look in her eyes Cindy hadn't seen in a very long time.
"Yes." She said. Alec took her hand, also smiling. Cindy looked as if she might burst into tears. Cici laughed a little at Cindy's reaction, but said,
"Well, y'know, good for you." Max then became very serious.
"But you can't say anything! O.K? We're just not ready to tell everyone." Alec nodded stiffly in agreement, not being very good at this kind of stuff. Cindy and Cici both nodded,
"Surely thing, Bu. My lips are sealed." Then they all heard to loud voice that declared Sketchy's arrival. Cindy rolled her eyes. When Sketchy yelled out, asking where everyone was, they all came round from the lockers, and Cindy watched as max slipped her hand out of Alec's and they each easily dropped back into their normal roles. She shook her head in amazement.
That night, Max and Alec found that they were a lot closer to Max's apartment than his, and since Cindy wouldn't be suspicious anymore, they went there. They sat on the couch, just talking again, as they often did. Alec gently smoothed a strand off hair away from Max's face as she talked. When she'd finished, he said,
"I know this is gonna sound very corny and soppy, but you're really beautiful. Did I ever tell you that?" Max smiled,
"Don't think so, but if you did, I don't mind you repeating it." Alec laughed softly.
"Well you are." Max grinned happily at this, and kissed him. Just a small kiss, but he then pulled her close and they met again. She moved forward, kneeling on the couch, until she was sitting on his lap, one knee on either side. Wrapped up in their own little world, neither of them noticed Cindy coming through the door. She stopped abruptly, seeing something that she still found very difficult to imagine; Max, in the middle of a passionate kiss with Alec. Alec suddenly saw Cindy, and at his shock, Max allowed the rest of the world in and realised that Cindy was there. They broke apart swiftly, and Max nearly fell off the couch. Alec caught her and helped her back up.
"Hey Cindy." Max said as if this was perfectly normal. Cindy laughed shortly,
"Hey girl, don't mind me, I'm going straight to bed. You two can do what you like." She smiled. Max gave her a withering look, cocking her head to one side. "See you Alec." Cindy finished before disappearing into her room. Max looked at Alec and they both laughed, not even really knowing why. Max relaxed back, leaning against Alec, who put his arm around her, and they just sat there, perfectly content to just stay there with one another.
About a week later, Mia, the little girl Alec and Max had saved that first night went missing. They soon got a call in terminal city from none other than White himself. He had Mia, and his terms were simple. If Max came to him, then she would be spared. Of course everyone except max said that that was never going to happen. But Max pointed out that they had no idea where he was holding her and therefore, there was no other way.
"No, max." Alec insisted, "there is no way you're just gonna give yourself up to him. You know what Logan said the translation meant. And anyway, I hate to say it, but Mia is probably dead already."
"Alec I have to! If there's even the tiniest chance that she's alive, you know I have to!" Alec sighed and shook his head,
"We'll find another way. OK? Just hang on." They spent the next few hours trying to work out where White might have her. Max's eye was constantly on the clock, counting down the time until she was supposed to meet White. When there was about half an hour left, she looked around to see that Alec had just left the room. That meant she was alone with no one but Joshua. She grabbed her coat.
"Max." said Joshua, "Where are you going?" she smiled at him,
"You know where I'm going."
"But Alec said stay here. Logan's coming, he'll help, just wait, little fella'."
"I can't Joshua. He'll hurt Mia. I have to go. Please don't tell." She squeezed his hand. He neither agreed nor disagreed, but she left anyway. A few minutes later Alec came in, looking around.
"Where's Max?" his asked Joshua. Joshua said nothing, but looked very sad and guilty. Alec shook his head, "No way. Shit, Joshua!" he turned swiftly and left.
When Max arrived at the pier on which she'd been told to meet White, he was standing alone and smiled broadly when he saw her.
"452." He greeted her.
"Where's Mia?" Max demanded. White laughed.
"You didn't really think it would be that simple, did you?"
"Where is she, you bastard?" He smiled at her.
"This was never about her and you know it. She'd long dead." Max swung a fist, screaming,
"You bastard!" he ducked, and the fight began. Despite Whites superior strength, Max held up her side well. They slowly moved further down the pier as they fought, and as they came to the edge, White caught Max with a blow to her stomach, winding her. Moments later, he grasped her throat with the other hand while she was still breathless. He lifted her off her feet as she struggled in vain. She didn't have the oxygen to strike out properly so all she could do was wriggle, and scratch at his hand, desperately trying to break his grip as he held her out over the water.
As Alec rounded the corner onto the pier, Max was barely conscious. White grinned at her,
"Goodbye 452." He hissed, and let go, allowing her to plummet into the sea. There were several loud bangs, and White looked down in confusion at the blood that covered his chest. Then he collapsed. Alec lowered the gun and ran to the edge of the pier. Looking over the side, he called out,
"Max?" when there was still no sign of her, he dropped the gun, and dove desperately into the water.
Cici and Logan arrived on the pier to see two motorbikes and a crumpled form on the end of the pier. They hurried down, looking all around for their friends. Logan crouched down beside the man, checking for a pulse.
"It's White." He said, "He's dead." Cici nodded, still looking around.
"So where are they?" she wondered. As if in answer, Alec broke the surface seconds later, supporting Max's limp form with him.
"Oh, god." Gasped Logan, running down onto the small beach beside the pier. Alec dragged Max up out of the water, calling her name,
"Max! Max, come on!" when she didn't stir, he checked for breath- nothing. He immediately began mouth to mouth. This shocked Logan slightly, as he noticed that Alec hadn't hesitated at all before locking lips with Max, and as he watched, he soon realised that among the many drops of water on Alec's face, there were also tears. Alec was crying. As Logan and Cici looked on, Alec frantically tried to breathe life into Max's still body, and eventually, her chest heaved and she choked and splutter. Alec supported her head as she opened her eyes, looking a little confused. "Are you ok?" Alec managed, wiping wet hair away from her face, "Max, speak to me! Are you alright?" she nodded slightly, trying to smile,
"You saved me." She whispered. He choked a laugh,
"Yeah, yeah I did."
"Thanks." She leaned up and kissed him, totally oblivious of the audience. Logan swallowed. He hadn't known that Max and Alec were like that, and wondered if anyone else did. Alec looked up at Logan,
"You came by car?" he asked. Logan nodded, unable to speak. "Ok, then, Cici, can you ride Max's bike, and Logan take Max in the car. She's in no state to ride." Alec practically ordered. Logan couldn't help noticing that Max didn't argue, she always used to argue when I said she needed help, he thought jealously, as Alec scooped her up in his arms and headed towards the car.