Chapter 7:
Author's Note: Obviously this isn't going to be easy. Heck, easy wouldn't be any fun. Besides, hurt Alec is very much fun, so I have to milk it at least another chapter.
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own em, damn.
A/N2: Hah, yes, Birds of Prey does seem very much like DA to me, at least the way Ashley Scott plays the character. And yeah, Ackles can even make Dawson's Creek bearable.
~*~
He was sinking, falling fast into a deep abyss, and he didn't care. He didn't want to stop, and he couldn't, even if he had wanted too. She was so close, so perfect. The moment was perfect, she was perfect. It was like his dreams, but this was better, because this was real. 'God she tastes good,' the thought ran through his mind. Her fingertips brushed his jaw. He deepened the kiss, and his hand traveled down her side.
Max didn't know why she had kissed him. She didn't know when exactly he'd crawled so completely under her skin. And she didn't know why suddenly, but the thought of him not being there was like a knife in the gut. It was almost as if this was assuring her he was still there, and she wanted him there.
SO she'd kissed him. She'd just suddenly felt the need. He pushed his lips into hers and she pushed back, her hands finding his face. His hand rested on her hip. His lips were chapped, rough, and she could feel faint stubble growing on his chin beneath her fingers. He felt right. He felt good. It felt so good it almost hurt.
She'd forgotten what it was to feel so much. She was drowning in it. It had been so long with her and Logan 'not-being-like-that' yet so completely like that she could barely remember at exactly what stage their on-again off-again relationship was at. 'Logan,' Max thought, 'God Logan.'
She almost stopped then, thinking about that man she was supposed to love. But Logan wasn't there, and Alec was. And suddenly feeling hurt seemed far preferable to not feeling at all, and even as tears pricked her eyes she kissed him again. And then she was falling too.
Alec felt Max stiffen slightly, brace against his hands. Then she kissed him again, harder. Part of him wanted to ignore what he knew, but his better half was winning out. She would regret this later he knew, so better to stop it now while there was still a chance of her not hating him. He pulled back from her, preparing himself for the hurt he didn't want to see in her eyes. His lips pursed and he ducked his head.
Alec pulled away from her. Her fall ended abruptly, as she slammed head first into her own walls. It was funny, how one could feel so much, and yet still be unable to say one damn word. She wanted to scream, to cry, but instead she sat, perched on her toes, waiting for Alec to look at her.
He lifted his eyes to her own. They didn't have to say anything, what would be the point? They would have to talk, but not now, maybe no for a while. He could see it in her face, in her eyes, the defeated slump of her shoulders. She sighed, fixing him with those incredible dark eyes. She was lost and looking for a way back, but this, this was not the path to take. So instead of speaking he just drew her in, wrapping her in his arms. Max gave his shoulder a squeeze, happy that he could understand, and she rested her head on his chest. They stayed like that a long time in quiet, even as the night drew darker and the wind howled outside, until they both drifted to sleep.
--
Alec woke in the morning, and he pulled the blanket tighter around him. He wondered for a moment why his bed felt so hard. Then he remembered, the cave, the avalanche and the night before. He pulled his right arm closer, expecting to feel Max somewhere near him, but she wasn't. His hazel-green eyes flickered open, searching the far walls of the cave. He couldn't see her, hear her, smell her.
Alec sat up, albeit slowly as his battered body protested loudly. He grimaced. The initial shock on his body had worn off, and he could suddenly feel the effects of the incident. His entire body ached, from head to foot. His neck was stiff and his joints throbbed. His right knee in particular, wanted nothing more to do with him. He peeled the blanket away from his leg, revealing a mass of irritated, swollen, bruised flesh. He reached down to gingerly prod his leg. The flesh was soft and swollen all over, and an interesting yellow purple in color. He could feel the heat radiating off it. "Shit," he said, running a hand through his hair.
His leg was bad. He'd had worse actually, in the course of his missions for Manticore, but considering the situation it was less than ideal. He shouldn't walk on it at least until the swelling went down, and if he had to it was going to hurt like a bitch. Hearing something outside the cave, Alec quickly covered his leg. He didn't need Max to consider him a weak link, a burden.
She appeared at the entryway, rosy cheeked and windblown. Her usually soft skin was dry from the elements and she had deep sunburn on her face and neck. Max brushed some snow from her jacket and tossed the pack at Alec's feet. She stood at the entrance, unable to look up. She couldn't stand to see his face.
Waking up in his arms that morning had seemed strangely calming. The feeling had lasted only a few moments before a new wave of guilt and self-loathing over Logan passed through her. She was horrible, weak. Alec probably thought………, hell she didn't know what Alec thought, that was the problem. She couldn't read him.
AS much as he didn't want to, they needed to talk. "Max..," he started, but was cut off by a wave of her hand.
"I'm going back up the pass. See if I can't find out what started the slide yesterday."
"You don't think it was natural?" He asked, letting himself be led on a tangent despite himself.
"I don't think we're that lucky. I think maybe Zack was waiting us out, let us pass and then followed us. But I can't be sure till I find out what happened." She stared at her feet, glancing every so often outside, like any second she might turn and run.
Alec shifted, preparing himself to rise before he remembered his knee. He sank back to the ground, clenching his teeth in irritation. If Max noticed the action she didn't say anything. "You shouldn't go by yourself in case it was Zack."
"Well, it's not like you can go with me. You need to rest here."
"I'm not an invalid Max," he scowled. "What if you meet up with him? You don't know what he might do."
"Zack wouldn't hurt me," she answered flippantly.
"If he set that avalanche on us he wasn't really too concerned with your safety Max. That slide could have buried you just as easily as me. I think we've pretty much firmly established his head isn't exactly screwed on straight right now," his voice rose and his scowl deepened.
"I don't need you looking over my shoulder Alec. I've been doing fine without you for years, and I don't need you." The statement came across harsher than she had intended. And in one fail swoop the two transgenics had settled back in familiar patterns. Their arguments created distance between them, and suddenly the kiss seemed more like a mistake than something to ponder.
Alec glared at her, angry that she was once again pushing him away. "Fine. You don't need anyone, I get it. And last night was just………"
"Last night was last night, and I don't want to talk about it. It was just………a mistake." She closed her eyes, feeling another wrench in her gut as she remembered how much she'd needed him in that moment, and the empty, hollow feeling in her chest when she'd pulled away. "I'll be back," she finished shortly, turning on her heel and striding back into the snow. Soon she disappeared into the glare.
Alec growled and swore beneath his breath. He clenched the pack in his fist and threw it at the wall. God she was infuriating. Anger burned his eyes for a few moments before he finally sighed. He wasn't even sure what he wanted to say, so how could he be mad at her? 'Because she makes it so damn easy,' he thought before he could stop himself. He grumbled again, stretching back down and putting his forearm across his face. He couldn't go along, his clothes were soaked and his knee a wreck. He'd be okay to move on it in a few hours he was sure, but not before that, so, left with little to do, he slept.
--
Max kicked angrily at the snow at her feet. The motion sent a spray of powder up in front of her. She'd been heading back up the pass for an hour and a half now. She wasn't going too quickly, finding a slow, meandering trip far preferable to one where she would be back in the cave with Alec within a few hours. Not to mention that she had, despite Alec's best efforts to the contrary, seen his knee just before he'd covered it. He needed time enough to rest and heal. And besides, if Zack had set the avalanche, which is what her gut was screaming, Jondy wasn't in immediate peril. Zack still had his sights set on Alec.
The cold was blistering and even the mild breeze cut through her jacket, but she still wanted to be anywhere than near Alec. She couldn't believe she had let herself be so disloyal to Logan, so weak. And if she really wanted to admit it to herself it wasn't even so much Alec that was the problem. He was just there, a convenient escape. She had used him, and that made her feel worse. But since when had Logan become something to escape from? So she moved slowly, letting the thoughts ramble on in her head, all the while embracing the numbing forces of nature.
The top of the pass was icy and she could see where large slabs of snow had slipped and begun the slide. Giants chunks of rock protruded out of the white. Max wandered around for a long time, her keen eyes sweeping everything for a clue, without success. The storm the night before had successfully eliminated any and all signs that might have been left.
She let out a long sigh and sat heavily on a large rock. She drew her feet up onto a small ledge and leaned back, bracing her palms against the stone. The storm had cleared significantly, and the view from the top of the pass was incredible. She could see for miles on end. It reminded her, in a small way, of the Space Needle, though here there were no buildings to view, no cars or traffic, just beautiful untouched country. SO she sat, unmoving, looking with eagle eyes out beyond the horizon.
--
Alec gritted his teeth in annoyance. Max had stalked back into the cave an hour or so earlier, announcing their departure. The firm set to her lips and steely gaze left little room for argument, not that Alec wouldn't have tried, but for the fact that he really didn't want to talk to Max at all. So he'd thrown on a sweatshirt and his jacket, rising carefully to his feet. The swelling in his knee had diminished considerably in the five hours Max had been gone, and he'd wrapped it as an extra measure of support, but he was still careful. Now he was outside, dogging behind Max as she cut a fast path through the snow.
His knee didn't hurt, aside from the occasional throb. His adrenaline and the blood coursing through his leg were enough to dull the pain away almost completely. He knew however, it would probably come roaring back later. His irritation festered and grew with each passing step. For two hours he followed her down the mountain, back down past the tree line, without Max so much as glancing back over her shoulder.
"Max," he finally said. She kept going, though the almost imperceptible hesitation in her step told him that she'd heard him. "Max," he said again, louder this time. This time she stopped, though she still didn't look at him.
"What? We need to find Jondy Alec. I don't want to stop and waste time. We still need to cross the river before dark."
"Oh get off it Max. You didn't seem too concerned this morning when you left for five hours on a wild goose chase back up the pass. And, come on, I know it didn't take you that long to get up there. So, what's the real reason you don't want to talk to me?" he shrugged his pack off, letting it drop to the ground with finality. He wasn't moving till he got some answers.
"I saw your knee," she began weakly. "I didn't want to push you."
Alec shook his head. "Try again Maxie. I'm keeping up with you just fine now and I know you're not all that concerned for my health."
Max turned slowly. "Logan," she told him quietly.
'Logan. Of course Logan,' he thought bitterly. 'Why didn't I just guess?' "What about Logan? You two aren't together anymore? Or wait, is this an on-again week?"
"Don't joke Alec."
"I'm not Max. You're the one that can't figure out your 'relationship' or whatever the hell you want to call it."
"No, we're not together. I told him we were done and I meant it. I can't risk hurting him. But I knew what would happen. We'd just fall back into our patterns and be right back to where we started. So I lied, to protect him. I just never thought………I never thought the lie would be anything more."
Alec's eyes narrowed. "You lied? What do you mean you lied?"
"I had to keep him away Alec. It was the only way to keep him safe."
"Max."
"He saw us Alec, outside my apartment, right after I broke you out of jail. He called me on it, and I just told him what he needed to hear. I told him we were together." Alec blanched, an angry flush rising up his neck. "I never meant for anything to happen Alec, I wasn't ever even going to tell you."
"What Max? Like that makes it better? You were going to use me, but as long as I didn't know about it, that's okay?"
"It's not like that Alec. I was desperate."
"It's just like that Max. It's so easy for you to make me the bad guy. You don't want to tell Logan it's over, so you use me. That way he doesn't hate you. You know, you've got all the forgiveness in the world when it suits your purpose, like now with Zack. I thought you were stronger than that." He turned, and began to walk away.
"Alec," Max started. She felt guilty. She hadn't really thought about the repercussions of her lies to Logan. She'd never even considered that she might hurt Alec while protecting herself. Alec, who was always there when she needed him, fighting the good fight by her side, even though in the beginning it hadn't been his fight. She searched for words to apologize, but there weren't any.
"Forget it Max." he put the pack back on. "I'll be back, but right now….." he shook his head, "I need to walk, alone." Max watched him till the trees blocked her view. Then she sat down and cursed herself, and her own weakness.
--
Max jumped and stiffened when she heard the gunshot. She leapt to her feet, wheeling. The shot came from the direction Alec had gone. Max paled. She scooped her bag up and began a mad dash through the trees. Another shot reach her ears, then another, and with each she flinched and ran faster. She headed South, toward the canyon and the river.
The trees thinned as she neared the rim. "Alec!!" She burst out of the forest still going full tilt.
"Get Down!" There was a brief flash of movement at her right just before she felt her legs go flying out from underneath her. Alec had hit her in a flying tackle just below the waist, sending them both crashing to the ground, as another shot passed just overhead. Alec sprang immediately back to his feet, grabbing Max's arm and dragging her along with him.
"Come on," he growled through gritted teeth. He noticed the look she was giving him and rolled his eyes. "I'm pissed at you Max, I don't want to see you dead."
"What's the situation?" She called as they ran, weaving back and forth haphazardly.
"Sniper, on high ground," he filled her in between breaths. He's got good cover, I couldn't spot him. I must have lost my gun in the slide, I can't find it in my pack. I think we need to cut our losses and make a tactical retreat."
"IS that your way of saying, 'run faster,'?"
"Yep."
The two transgenics matched each other stride for stride. Suddenly Max hit the skids, holding out her arm and catching Alec near his waist. The two slid to a stop right at the edge of the canyon, peering straight down some forty feet or fifty feet into the river. "This is just great Alec!" Max snapped. "You led us right to a dead end."
"I know. I have a plan."
"Yeah and that would be?"
Alec glanced quickly between Max and the drop. He fixed her eyes with his. He grasped her wrist in his hand. "Do you trust me?" Max blinked, her mouth hanging slightly open. "Good." With that he stared straight ahead and jumped, pulling Max with him. Another shot ripped through the air.
Max felt herself jerk as they jumped. Then she was hurtling downward at an incredible speed. Her hair flew up in her face and she felt Alec's grip tighten around her wrist. They hit the water with unbelievable force. Max felt the air whoosh out from her lungs. The water was so cold it was like a thousand knives stabbing her at once. The current lashed at them, tearing Alec's hand from her wrist as the water sucked them down.
She was tossed head over heels. She fought every natural instinct she had not to fight. The river was deep and she didn't quite know which end was up. She had to relax, let her body float toward the surface. She wanted to breath, but as of yet it was only a mild inkling, score one for Manticore and the tank. After what seemed like an eternity she felt herself float and immediately kicked for the surface.
She broke the surface and sucked in a deep breath. Her eyes flew open and she tread water to stay afloat. "Alec!" She called. She couldn't see him anywhere. "Alec!" There was no answer. Max felt the current change and suddenly she saw the top of a rock protruding just above the water's surface. She kicked, but it was too late. She hit the rock, crunching her wrist against it's surface. The water pulled her under once again. When she came up she began to swim for the river's edge.
--
Alec trudged slowly along the river. His coat hung off the back of his pack, and he dripped with every step. He hadn't seen Max when he'd surfaced. He let himself float along the river for a while, hoping to see her, but he hadn't. Now he was backtracking, hoping that she'd washed up somewhere up river. The sun was settling again, and the sky shone a brilliant orange-red. Soon it would be dark and the temperature would dip below freezing once again. He had no inclination to spend the night alone, out in the open, freezing and wet.
He spotted her five minutes later, trudging toward him. "Max!" He called out, relieved. He broke into a jog. She still didn't look up. "Max!" he reached her just as she stumbled. He grasped her chin, lifting her head. Her eyes were dull and hollow, and she was sweating despite the cold. "Max?" Her eyes flicked briefly over his face. Her knees buckled. He caught her before she struck the ground. She was soaked, obviously, but he could feel something warm on his hand. He pulled his hand from her back. "Oh shit. Max?" Her eyes were closed, and his hand was covered in blood.
Chapter 7
Yeah!! Much fun. Input is loved and appreciated. Feel free to press that little purple button and leave your thoughts.
Author's Note: Obviously this isn't going to be easy. Heck, easy wouldn't be any fun. Besides, hurt Alec is very much fun, so I have to milk it at least another chapter.
Disclaimer: Nope, don't own em, damn.
A/N2: Hah, yes, Birds of Prey does seem very much like DA to me, at least the way Ashley Scott plays the character. And yeah, Ackles can even make Dawson's Creek bearable.
~*~
He was sinking, falling fast into a deep abyss, and he didn't care. He didn't want to stop, and he couldn't, even if he had wanted too. She was so close, so perfect. The moment was perfect, she was perfect. It was like his dreams, but this was better, because this was real. 'God she tastes good,' the thought ran through his mind. Her fingertips brushed his jaw. He deepened the kiss, and his hand traveled down her side.
Max didn't know why she had kissed him. She didn't know when exactly he'd crawled so completely under her skin. And she didn't know why suddenly, but the thought of him not being there was like a knife in the gut. It was almost as if this was assuring her he was still there, and she wanted him there.
SO she'd kissed him. She'd just suddenly felt the need. He pushed his lips into hers and she pushed back, her hands finding his face. His hand rested on her hip. His lips were chapped, rough, and she could feel faint stubble growing on his chin beneath her fingers. He felt right. He felt good. It felt so good it almost hurt.
She'd forgotten what it was to feel so much. She was drowning in it. It had been so long with her and Logan 'not-being-like-that' yet so completely like that she could barely remember at exactly what stage their on-again off-again relationship was at. 'Logan,' Max thought, 'God Logan.'
She almost stopped then, thinking about that man she was supposed to love. But Logan wasn't there, and Alec was. And suddenly feeling hurt seemed far preferable to not feeling at all, and even as tears pricked her eyes she kissed him again. And then she was falling too.
Alec felt Max stiffen slightly, brace against his hands. Then she kissed him again, harder. Part of him wanted to ignore what he knew, but his better half was winning out. She would regret this later he knew, so better to stop it now while there was still a chance of her not hating him. He pulled back from her, preparing himself for the hurt he didn't want to see in her eyes. His lips pursed and he ducked his head.
Alec pulled away from her. Her fall ended abruptly, as she slammed head first into her own walls. It was funny, how one could feel so much, and yet still be unable to say one damn word. She wanted to scream, to cry, but instead she sat, perched on her toes, waiting for Alec to look at her.
He lifted his eyes to her own. They didn't have to say anything, what would be the point? They would have to talk, but not now, maybe no for a while. He could see it in her face, in her eyes, the defeated slump of her shoulders. She sighed, fixing him with those incredible dark eyes. She was lost and looking for a way back, but this, this was not the path to take. So instead of speaking he just drew her in, wrapping her in his arms. Max gave his shoulder a squeeze, happy that he could understand, and she rested her head on his chest. They stayed like that a long time in quiet, even as the night drew darker and the wind howled outside, until they both drifted to sleep.
--
Alec woke in the morning, and he pulled the blanket tighter around him. He wondered for a moment why his bed felt so hard. Then he remembered, the cave, the avalanche and the night before. He pulled his right arm closer, expecting to feel Max somewhere near him, but she wasn't. His hazel-green eyes flickered open, searching the far walls of the cave. He couldn't see her, hear her, smell her.
Alec sat up, albeit slowly as his battered body protested loudly. He grimaced. The initial shock on his body had worn off, and he could suddenly feel the effects of the incident. His entire body ached, from head to foot. His neck was stiff and his joints throbbed. His right knee in particular, wanted nothing more to do with him. He peeled the blanket away from his leg, revealing a mass of irritated, swollen, bruised flesh. He reached down to gingerly prod his leg. The flesh was soft and swollen all over, and an interesting yellow purple in color. He could feel the heat radiating off it. "Shit," he said, running a hand through his hair.
His leg was bad. He'd had worse actually, in the course of his missions for Manticore, but considering the situation it was less than ideal. He shouldn't walk on it at least until the swelling went down, and if he had to it was going to hurt like a bitch. Hearing something outside the cave, Alec quickly covered his leg. He didn't need Max to consider him a weak link, a burden.
She appeared at the entryway, rosy cheeked and windblown. Her usually soft skin was dry from the elements and she had deep sunburn on her face and neck. Max brushed some snow from her jacket and tossed the pack at Alec's feet. She stood at the entrance, unable to look up. She couldn't stand to see his face.
Waking up in his arms that morning had seemed strangely calming. The feeling had lasted only a few moments before a new wave of guilt and self-loathing over Logan passed through her. She was horrible, weak. Alec probably thought………, hell she didn't know what Alec thought, that was the problem. She couldn't read him.
AS much as he didn't want to, they needed to talk. "Max..," he started, but was cut off by a wave of her hand.
"I'm going back up the pass. See if I can't find out what started the slide yesterday."
"You don't think it was natural?" He asked, letting himself be led on a tangent despite himself.
"I don't think we're that lucky. I think maybe Zack was waiting us out, let us pass and then followed us. But I can't be sure till I find out what happened." She stared at her feet, glancing every so often outside, like any second she might turn and run.
Alec shifted, preparing himself to rise before he remembered his knee. He sank back to the ground, clenching his teeth in irritation. If Max noticed the action she didn't say anything. "You shouldn't go by yourself in case it was Zack."
"Well, it's not like you can go with me. You need to rest here."
"I'm not an invalid Max," he scowled. "What if you meet up with him? You don't know what he might do."
"Zack wouldn't hurt me," she answered flippantly.
"If he set that avalanche on us he wasn't really too concerned with your safety Max. That slide could have buried you just as easily as me. I think we've pretty much firmly established his head isn't exactly screwed on straight right now," his voice rose and his scowl deepened.
"I don't need you looking over my shoulder Alec. I've been doing fine without you for years, and I don't need you." The statement came across harsher than she had intended. And in one fail swoop the two transgenics had settled back in familiar patterns. Their arguments created distance between them, and suddenly the kiss seemed more like a mistake than something to ponder.
Alec glared at her, angry that she was once again pushing him away. "Fine. You don't need anyone, I get it. And last night was just………"
"Last night was last night, and I don't want to talk about it. It was just………a mistake." She closed her eyes, feeling another wrench in her gut as she remembered how much she'd needed him in that moment, and the empty, hollow feeling in her chest when she'd pulled away. "I'll be back," she finished shortly, turning on her heel and striding back into the snow. Soon she disappeared into the glare.
Alec growled and swore beneath his breath. He clenched the pack in his fist and threw it at the wall. God she was infuriating. Anger burned his eyes for a few moments before he finally sighed. He wasn't even sure what he wanted to say, so how could he be mad at her? 'Because she makes it so damn easy,' he thought before he could stop himself. He grumbled again, stretching back down and putting his forearm across his face. He couldn't go along, his clothes were soaked and his knee a wreck. He'd be okay to move on it in a few hours he was sure, but not before that, so, left with little to do, he slept.
--
Max kicked angrily at the snow at her feet. The motion sent a spray of powder up in front of her. She'd been heading back up the pass for an hour and a half now. She wasn't going too quickly, finding a slow, meandering trip far preferable to one where she would be back in the cave with Alec within a few hours. Not to mention that she had, despite Alec's best efforts to the contrary, seen his knee just before he'd covered it. He needed time enough to rest and heal. And besides, if Zack had set the avalanche, which is what her gut was screaming, Jondy wasn't in immediate peril. Zack still had his sights set on Alec.
The cold was blistering and even the mild breeze cut through her jacket, but she still wanted to be anywhere than near Alec. She couldn't believe she had let herself be so disloyal to Logan, so weak. And if she really wanted to admit it to herself it wasn't even so much Alec that was the problem. He was just there, a convenient escape. She had used him, and that made her feel worse. But since when had Logan become something to escape from? So she moved slowly, letting the thoughts ramble on in her head, all the while embracing the numbing forces of nature.
The top of the pass was icy and she could see where large slabs of snow had slipped and begun the slide. Giants chunks of rock protruded out of the white. Max wandered around for a long time, her keen eyes sweeping everything for a clue, without success. The storm the night before had successfully eliminated any and all signs that might have been left.
She let out a long sigh and sat heavily on a large rock. She drew her feet up onto a small ledge and leaned back, bracing her palms against the stone. The storm had cleared significantly, and the view from the top of the pass was incredible. She could see for miles on end. It reminded her, in a small way, of the Space Needle, though here there were no buildings to view, no cars or traffic, just beautiful untouched country. SO she sat, unmoving, looking with eagle eyes out beyond the horizon.
--
Alec gritted his teeth in annoyance. Max had stalked back into the cave an hour or so earlier, announcing their departure. The firm set to her lips and steely gaze left little room for argument, not that Alec wouldn't have tried, but for the fact that he really didn't want to talk to Max at all. So he'd thrown on a sweatshirt and his jacket, rising carefully to his feet. The swelling in his knee had diminished considerably in the five hours Max had been gone, and he'd wrapped it as an extra measure of support, but he was still careful. Now he was outside, dogging behind Max as she cut a fast path through the snow.
His knee didn't hurt, aside from the occasional throb. His adrenaline and the blood coursing through his leg were enough to dull the pain away almost completely. He knew however, it would probably come roaring back later. His irritation festered and grew with each passing step. For two hours he followed her down the mountain, back down past the tree line, without Max so much as glancing back over her shoulder.
"Max," he finally said. She kept going, though the almost imperceptible hesitation in her step told him that she'd heard him. "Max," he said again, louder this time. This time she stopped, though she still didn't look at him.
"What? We need to find Jondy Alec. I don't want to stop and waste time. We still need to cross the river before dark."
"Oh get off it Max. You didn't seem too concerned this morning when you left for five hours on a wild goose chase back up the pass. And, come on, I know it didn't take you that long to get up there. So, what's the real reason you don't want to talk to me?" he shrugged his pack off, letting it drop to the ground with finality. He wasn't moving till he got some answers.
"I saw your knee," she began weakly. "I didn't want to push you."
Alec shook his head. "Try again Maxie. I'm keeping up with you just fine now and I know you're not all that concerned for my health."
Max turned slowly. "Logan," she told him quietly.
'Logan. Of course Logan,' he thought bitterly. 'Why didn't I just guess?' "What about Logan? You two aren't together anymore? Or wait, is this an on-again week?"
"Don't joke Alec."
"I'm not Max. You're the one that can't figure out your 'relationship' or whatever the hell you want to call it."
"No, we're not together. I told him we were done and I meant it. I can't risk hurting him. But I knew what would happen. We'd just fall back into our patterns and be right back to where we started. So I lied, to protect him. I just never thought………I never thought the lie would be anything more."
Alec's eyes narrowed. "You lied? What do you mean you lied?"
"I had to keep him away Alec. It was the only way to keep him safe."
"Max."
"He saw us Alec, outside my apartment, right after I broke you out of jail. He called me on it, and I just told him what he needed to hear. I told him we were together." Alec blanched, an angry flush rising up his neck. "I never meant for anything to happen Alec, I wasn't ever even going to tell you."
"What Max? Like that makes it better? You were going to use me, but as long as I didn't know about it, that's okay?"
"It's not like that Alec. I was desperate."
"It's just like that Max. It's so easy for you to make me the bad guy. You don't want to tell Logan it's over, so you use me. That way he doesn't hate you. You know, you've got all the forgiveness in the world when it suits your purpose, like now with Zack. I thought you were stronger than that." He turned, and began to walk away.
"Alec," Max started. She felt guilty. She hadn't really thought about the repercussions of her lies to Logan. She'd never even considered that she might hurt Alec while protecting herself. Alec, who was always there when she needed him, fighting the good fight by her side, even though in the beginning it hadn't been his fight. She searched for words to apologize, but there weren't any.
"Forget it Max." he put the pack back on. "I'll be back, but right now….." he shook his head, "I need to walk, alone." Max watched him till the trees blocked her view. Then she sat down and cursed herself, and her own weakness.
--
Max jumped and stiffened when she heard the gunshot. She leapt to her feet, wheeling. The shot came from the direction Alec had gone. Max paled. She scooped her bag up and began a mad dash through the trees. Another shot reach her ears, then another, and with each she flinched and ran faster. She headed South, toward the canyon and the river.
The trees thinned as she neared the rim. "Alec!!" She burst out of the forest still going full tilt.
"Get Down!" There was a brief flash of movement at her right just before she felt her legs go flying out from underneath her. Alec had hit her in a flying tackle just below the waist, sending them both crashing to the ground, as another shot passed just overhead. Alec sprang immediately back to his feet, grabbing Max's arm and dragging her along with him.
"Come on," he growled through gritted teeth. He noticed the look she was giving him and rolled his eyes. "I'm pissed at you Max, I don't want to see you dead."
"What's the situation?" She called as they ran, weaving back and forth haphazardly.
"Sniper, on high ground," he filled her in between breaths. He's got good cover, I couldn't spot him. I must have lost my gun in the slide, I can't find it in my pack. I think we need to cut our losses and make a tactical retreat."
"IS that your way of saying, 'run faster,'?"
"Yep."
The two transgenics matched each other stride for stride. Suddenly Max hit the skids, holding out her arm and catching Alec near his waist. The two slid to a stop right at the edge of the canyon, peering straight down some forty feet or fifty feet into the river. "This is just great Alec!" Max snapped. "You led us right to a dead end."
"I know. I have a plan."
"Yeah and that would be?"
Alec glanced quickly between Max and the drop. He fixed her eyes with his. He grasped her wrist in his hand. "Do you trust me?" Max blinked, her mouth hanging slightly open. "Good." With that he stared straight ahead and jumped, pulling Max with him. Another shot ripped through the air.
Max felt herself jerk as they jumped. Then she was hurtling downward at an incredible speed. Her hair flew up in her face and she felt Alec's grip tighten around her wrist. They hit the water with unbelievable force. Max felt the air whoosh out from her lungs. The water was so cold it was like a thousand knives stabbing her at once. The current lashed at them, tearing Alec's hand from her wrist as the water sucked them down.
She was tossed head over heels. She fought every natural instinct she had not to fight. The river was deep and she didn't quite know which end was up. She had to relax, let her body float toward the surface. She wanted to breath, but as of yet it was only a mild inkling, score one for Manticore and the tank. After what seemed like an eternity she felt herself float and immediately kicked for the surface.
She broke the surface and sucked in a deep breath. Her eyes flew open and she tread water to stay afloat. "Alec!" She called. She couldn't see him anywhere. "Alec!" There was no answer. Max felt the current change and suddenly she saw the top of a rock protruding just above the water's surface. She kicked, but it was too late. She hit the rock, crunching her wrist against it's surface. The water pulled her under once again. When she came up she began to swim for the river's edge.
--
Alec trudged slowly along the river. His coat hung off the back of his pack, and he dripped with every step. He hadn't seen Max when he'd surfaced. He let himself float along the river for a while, hoping to see her, but he hadn't. Now he was backtracking, hoping that she'd washed up somewhere up river. The sun was settling again, and the sky shone a brilliant orange-red. Soon it would be dark and the temperature would dip below freezing once again. He had no inclination to spend the night alone, out in the open, freezing and wet.
He spotted her five minutes later, trudging toward him. "Max!" He called out, relieved. He broke into a jog. She still didn't look up. "Max!" he reached her just as she stumbled. He grasped her chin, lifting her head. Her eyes were dull and hollow, and she was sweating despite the cold. "Max?" Her eyes flicked briefly over his face. Her knees buckled. He caught her before she struck the ground. She was soaked, obviously, but he could feel something warm on his hand. He pulled his hand from her back. "Oh shit. Max?" Her eyes were closed, and his hand was covered in blood.
Chapter 7
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