Title: Beautiful Stranger


Rating: PG, may contain a few swear words

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Dark Angel, Cameron & Eglee, etc. I own nothing and I'm gaining only valuable writing experience.


Summary: A short, sappy M/A fic revolving around the Madonna song Beautiful Stranger

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay of this last chapter. Life has been rather hectic for me lately and got in the way.

Reviews: Thanks to all those who reviewed this story. I appreciate the support and feedback.

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 Recap:

'That's just great' Max thought bitterly as she tore her hands away from Alec's, jumped up and fled. Alec had finally come to out of his sense of shock to see Max leaving as fast as she could, causing him to jump up and yell "MAX…WAIT" while quickly running after her.

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Max descended the Space Needle as quickly as she could. She tired to push her way through the shrubs that blocked the path to the needle but the tears that had welled up in her eyes and were threatening to spill over at any moment were blurring her vision quite considerably. At this moment, Max didn't care about manticore or being a genetically engineered solider and she certainly didn't care about her tough girl image. Right now all Max wanted was to be loved and she truly thought that she had found that with Alec but it appeared to be a one sided deal.  Max stumbled over a tree root that she could've sworn was never there before and a low branch caught her face, scratching her cheek. She touched her fore finger and index finder to her cheek and was surprised to find a thick coat of rich red blood covering them. Her cheek was bleeding and that was the final straw for Max. She stank down into a heap, right there, amongst the shrubs and trees and let the tears that had only been threatening so far escape and cascade down her cheeks.

When Alec finally caught up to Max he was surprised and disheartened at the state he found her in. Max wasn't supposed to cry, Max wasn't supposed to bleed either!

"Max you're bleeding" Alec said stating the obvious, which elicited only more sobs from Max. He quickly tore the sleave off his shirt and pressed it gently to Max's cheek to stem the flow of blood. Max had quietened down and was watching Alec as he tended to her wound. 'If it can even be called a wound' Max thought to herself, 'let's face it, it's only a little scratch and you're crying like a baby' Max scolded herself. Alec's brow was etched with worry. As soon as the bleeding had stopped, he took the blood soaked material away and gently wiped away the few remaining tears from Max's cheeks with his thumbs. He then placed a tender kiss on the scratch, which had already started to heal.

Max was surprised by this action but put it down to Alec simply trying to be a good friend to her, like he always had. 'But not anymore' Max thought bitterly as she felt tears starting to form once more at the realisation that she'd lost Alec as a friend. Upon seeing the tears spring back to Max's eyes, he took her in his arms and hugged her. Alec couldn't bear to see Max hurt or cry and it was destroying him that she was doing both right in front of him, especially after what she had just declared to him. The touch of Alec instantly calmed Max and her breathing started to even out. Just being here in his arms felt so right but Max knew that it wasn't to be. She pulled away from his embrace and looked him in the face. Alec couldn't help thinking that despite having a scratch on her cheek, tears streaks covering her face and puffy red eyes, she had never been more beautiful to him. 'That song was right' Alec thought to himself, 'Max is beautiful and strange'. Alec was broken out of his thoughts by Max.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, have I ruined our friendship? She asked softly, afraid of the answer but needing to hear it to know for sure.

"Of course you've ruined our friendship Max" Alec replied and upon seeing the look of utter despair clinging to Max's every feature he quickly added, "how can we ever go back to just being friends when you're in love with me?" Max had to admit that he made a valid point but she was beyond reasonable thinking, all she wanted to do know was cry... again. In fact the tears started to spill once more as Max dropped her head and let them fall. But Alec had already planned his next move.

"How can we ever go back to just being friends when you're in love with me?" he repeated and then added, "and I'm in love with you?"

Max's head whipped up and she was greeted by the biggest grin she had ever seen anyone ever wear. She wanted to say something to Alec but she was literally speechless so instead she launched herself at him and hugged him for all she was worth.

"Are you serious?" she finally asked, worried that he was just trying to make her feel better or that he'd change his mind.

"Max, you think I'd kid about something like this? You'd kick my arse!" Alec replied, "Besides, what's not to love?"

Alec pulled Max onto her feet and, taking his hand in his, he led them onto the street to start the walk home. They walked in silence for several blocks, content to just hold hands and smile idiotically and each other. Alec finally broke the silence,

"So when did you switch from hating me to loving me?" he asked casually, playfully nudging Max in the shoulder. Max's brow furrowed and she thought back to the countless number of times she had belittled Alec and scolded him and yet he still stuck around and was in love with her. She was truly amazed.

"I was at crash earlier and I heard this song that got me to thinking"

"Funny," Alec said interrupting, "that's what happened to me tonight, except I heard the song while I was out walking. I'm not even sure where it came from," he added as an after thought.

"I was surprised I could hear the lyrics so clearly over all the other noise in crash" Max stated plainly

The thought hit them both simultaneously. The song was played for them, about them, to them. No one else could hear it because it was meant only for them to hear. It was an indicator, their indicator, their sign to realise what they really wanted and to take the leap of faith in order to get it. The song gave them the push they both needed to open up to one another and finally reveal how they felt. And it had worked.  Max and Alec were both truly happy for the first time in a long time and it was because of the love they shared for each other, the love they had finally accepted and revealed. Max and Alec had stopped walking when the realisation about the song had hit them and they were now standing under the only working street light in a dark street. The light bulb was well and truly above their heads and an idea sprang into both their minds. They were in tune with one another.

Alec placed both his hands on Max's hips and Max, in turn, wrapped her arms around Alec's neck. They stared deeply into one another eyes before Alec whispered, "I love you Max" and lowered his head down to meet Max's lips. Just before their lips connected Max whispered back "I love you too, Alec". Max arched her back up into the kiss as it deepened and Alec quickly wrapped his arms around her entire slender form. They broke apart and once again stared at each other for a few seconds before huge smiles broke out on both their faces. Alec slung his arm around Max's shoulder as they continued to walk and said,

"I guess we've got our song as a couple pretty much sorted out?"

Max laughed, "that we do" she replied, slipping her free arm around Alec's waist. They walked out of the spotlight the streetlight had provided and continued off into the darkness and into the new life they were to share together.

The End.