A/N: Thanks have to go out to Sorrow for sticking by me as I complained about how I suck at writing smoosh! Thanks also to Rowe who helped me in the early stages of this chapter! Thank you also for all the reviews and all the people who have been on my back to update! I never thought this story would be liked, but there you go! Hope you enjoy this chapter J ~Mel

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Chapter three - Falling Hard

Max sat atop her window sill, allowing the cool breeze that drifted in flow across her face. She had been trying to look over the plans once more, inspect the new printouts she had collated earlier. But her mind wouldn't let her. It was taking her to places she shouldn't go, thoughts that shouldn't form.

And they were all about him.

Alec.

That single word flooded her brain over and over again. She'd tried pacing the room, burring herself in work, punching into the wall and even sleeping. But that attempt to forget was the worst. She made a mental note that when you couldn't get something or someone off you mind, you don't close your eyes!

Finally she had resigned herself to letting the toxic air of Terminal City flow across her body and into her lungs. A part of her hoping that if she sucked in enough of the air, whatever toxins may remain would knock her out cold. Damn those pesky antibodies!

She couldn't understand why she was so taken aback by him. This had never happened to her before. Not once in her entire life! She was Max, leader of the transgenic nation! Hell the last contact she'd had with a guy was when they'd tried to partner her up with one of the other soldiers back at Manticore. She shuddered at the thought of her 'breeding partner', then suddenly relaxed as her eyes closed and she saw Alec walking into her cell. *Now that would be ni-*

Max shot her eyes open and forced the thought to leave her mind. No it wouldn't have been nice. It would have been strange and very, very off putting. Though it probably would have helped stop the way she was feeling right now.

God! She was so annoyed with herself for getting like this. It was like someone had ripped her out of her normal world and changed everything around, having a great time telling how things may have been!

There was a soft tapping at the door which finally drew Max out of her frustrated thoughts. She looked to the watch she wasn't wearing and wondered what time it was, followed by who may be at her door.

If it was Mole coming to complain that he had just puffed his last cigar she was going to tell him where he could well and truly stick it.

As the tapping came once more, Max moved off the window sill and towards the door. She wrapped her hand around the door knob, words flowing before she twisted it and opened the door.

"Mole, I'm going to kill" He eyes widened as she saw his face in front of her. "You."

She spoke the last word softly, but the exchange caused a confused look to stretch across Alec's face.

"I guess I came at a bad time?"

"No, no." She put a hand out in innocence. "I thought you were someone else."

She stepped aside from the door and signalled for him to enter. He obliged with a thankful nod.

"You get a lot of visitors at this hour?"

"No," She spoke as she closed the door. "Just annoying smoke puffing lizard guys complaining that they've run out of the one and only thing that gets them by in the world."

Alec grinned at her description of who he could only imagine being Mole.

"Is everything ok at Joshua's?"

Alec turned on the spot he was standing and gave her a reassuring glance.

"Yeah, everything's fine. He fell asleep at his easel painting Joshua number one seventy something. I got him to bed."

"Thanks, he does that a lot."

Max placed her hands in her pant pockets and swayed awkwardly from side to side.

"I'll keep that in mind."

The two stood there in silence for a moment, staring at one another, content yet not sure if they should speak. Alec finally broke.

"So what keeps you up at this hour?"

The papers that Max had left on the window sill blew to the floor. She walked over to them as she spoke.

"Oh, I'm not a sleeper. Well very rarely anyway. I tried, but couldn't. You?"

As she knelt down, she felt his presence beside her. His hands reaching out and helping her pick up the mess.

"Same."

"Really?" Max turned her body so she was facing him. "It was usually only the girls for us."

"Oh no, I'm a sleeper. Just couldn't get to sleep tonight." He whirled his hand around at the side of his head. "Too many thoughts."

Max knew the feeling.

"About?"

Alec stood from the ground and delivered the papers to Max's desk.

"Oh you know, everything, anything."

That was vague.

"You going through the plans again?"

"For like the umpteenth time." Max sighed a quiet laugh. "I know it all like the back of my hand but it's-"

"Better to be safe than sorry?"

Max nodded even though it wasn't her reason. It just kept her mind from travelling elsewhere, but Alec's explanation was much better.

Alec laughed as he flipped a passing gesture her way. "Stuff being safe. It's more fun when you don't know everything. Nothing like a little surprise to get the blood pumping."

Max turned her lip at him and scrunched her face. Was he for real? These types of things had to be planned to the smallest detail.

"You're kidding me right?"

Alec gave her a sideward glance. "Now why would I do that?"

"I don't know, why would you?" Max had instinctively moved her hands to her hips, her face leaning forward slightly as her voice rose.

Alec held out his hands in defence.

"Whoa! Down Sheira! I was just making a comment about personal preference. Don't tell me you don't like a little danger?"

"I don't have time for danger!"

"Well you may want to make time. My guess is that you have and will continue to face it your entire life. We're transgenics. Danger, trouble, whatever - it follows us where ever we go."

"I know what we are! That's why everything!" She tore the papers from his hand. "And I mean everything has to be planned properly."

Alec looked annoyed. "Right? So that's why you mistook me for the wonderful, yet much older, Eyes Only today? Because you had everything so well planned?"

Max was all fired to respond, but took a mental step back. She wasn't prepared all that well for such an important mission was she? And she should have been able to distinguish Alec as a transgenic straight away so-

"Why did you mistake me for him? Did you know you were going to have to give yourself to him? Cause if you did, I probably would have gone with me too. Cale's so…"

They both shuddered.

"Yuk."

It was Max that said the word and it surprised Alec, he wasn't sure why. Perhaps in some other world he was used to hearing that Logan Cale was the be all and end all of Max's life. God only knows why, she could have much better. She could have him.

The room remained silent, both parties deliberating their own thoughts, backs to one another. Once again it was Alec who spoke first, turning to Max and inching closer.

"Tell me something?" He waited for her to face him, but she denied him such a gesture. "When you thought I was him, Eyes Only, would you have…you know?"

Max flung around quickly.

"Of course not!"

Alec couldn't help the smile, he could see through her easier than a black thong in white pants. He turned his head to the side, dipped it slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?"

He inched closer once more. Max shifted back slightly.

"Of course I'm sure! Why wouldn't I be sure?"

Alec's smiled remained.

"You just don't seem all that convinced yourself." He moved closer to her again, their toes almost touching. Max didn't move, just stared at his smiling face. "I know women Max."

She continued to stare up at him, her mind screaming for her to move, but her body not listening. She spoke quietly, almost seductively. "You don't know me."

Alec placed a foot between Max's, the warmth of his body encircling her own. He moved a hand through the feathered hair across her face, tucking it behind her ear and resting his palm there. As he caressed her skin from ear to jaw line, he leaned his head forward, drawing his mouth to her other ear and whispered quietly.

"But I'd like to."

He moved his face across hers, his lips skimming her cheek. He heard her breathing halt, felt her heart begin to pound. She moved a hand to his chest in an attempt to push him away.

"But what about Logan?"

He trailed back across her cheek, leaving the slightest hint of kisses as he returned his mouth to her ear.

"I don't want to get to know him."

He took her lips with his, taking her slight weight in his arms as she allowed herself to let go. Her senses were buzzing, her mind was going wild. She hadn't felt like this in…forever and she didn't want it to stop. Her hands trailed the hardened curves of his back, making their way to his shoulders, then back to the small of his back. Together they deepened the kiss, their mouths meeting in perfect harmony.

His hands smoothed across her back, crossed around her, resting on her hips and drawing her forward. Instinctively, she shifted her body upwards as he lifted her from the ground, her legs encircling his body as he moved her backwards, neither breaking from their kiss. Gently, he tipped her towards the bed, slowly lowering her to the mattress, then resting carefully beside her.

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He hummed a jaunty tune as he sifted the perfect quantity of flour. He ass was still a little sore from his fall in the bar earlier that night, but that didn't stop him from wiggling to his little number, Boyzone were always one of his favourites groups. He didn't need a recipe book, he was Eyes Only and he knew how to make the perfect batch of fresh pasta.

Luckily he had brought his own supply of wine to Terminal City, they didn't even have a post let alone pre-pulse selection and nothing else would do. He added the perfect quantity of water to the mix and began to need the ingredients together.

Max could pine over him for tonight, he had seen her earlier looking longingly out the window, obviously wishing for him to break down her door and take her at once! But he would let her dream of him tonight and tomorrow he would serve her pasta and wine and woo her like she had never been wooed before.

For he was Logan Cale, Eyes Only and come tomorrow, Max would have eyes for him…only.

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The two faced each other as the lay beneath the covers, Alec's hands massage the skin of Max's back as she held a finger to his lips tracing their full lines. Max shifted her body closer to his as she spoke so very quietly.

"Do you think it's possible to fall so hard for someone so fast?"

A cheeky smile crept across Alec's face. "We're not talking about Cale again are we?"

"God no!"

Max clamped her mouth shut and her eyes widened at her outburst, but than she couldn't hold it and the laughter came, Alec stopping her as he caught her mouth with his, kissing her softly. He broke from the kiss and moved his nose to hers, nudging it gently.

"I think it has to be possible."

He embraced her once more, their bodies melding together as though they were meant to be.