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Part 6

Asha's mouth closed shut and a hissed gasp escaped her lips. Her eyes were still wide and she was trying to restart her heartbeat. Alec's gaze tore away from hers to the exit of Crash and she watched him watch the brunette leave.

Tears of joy and jealousy and anger welled up as he stood and hugging OC he left. She sprung up from her chair and ran after him. The cold air hit her, goose bumps forming wherever the chilly night touched her naked skin.

She finally caught sight of him walking towards his apartment and she ran after him catching up, "Alec? . . ." her voice was broken with the restrained tears and hoarse with insecurity.

She noticed his back tense and his jaw clench. When he turned and looked at her she threw herself in his arms hugging him to her and a choked sob was muffled by his jacket. Back straight and rigid, he didn't respond to her embrace instead he pushed her back and stared at her waiting. She looked up at him slightly scared at the look he wore. It was the same expression she'd seen him wear after Sam had died, the one he'd had after the South Africans.

It was cold, detached and unreachable. She unconsciously shivered, "Alec? Why didn't you tell me you were alive? I . . . I can't believe it's really you," she whispered.

The chuckle his lips released wasn't the happy, carefree one she'd always heard and the grin that spread upon his lips wasn't the cocky arrogant one she was used to, "Oh I had planned to. In fact I went straight to your place the minute I got into Seattle. Guess you were busy," he scoffed.

"I don't understand. I was home all of last night with . . ." Asha trailed off as it struck her. Her eyes fell to the pavement ashamed to look at him and see the hurt in his expression.

"That's right. You were with your Captain America and S1W leader of which I already forgot the name. Was he a good fuck huh Asha? Did he rock your world? HUH?" he screamed watching her flinch at his harsh words. He hadn't meant to go that far but he was hurt and he was lashing out.

"That's not fair," she muttered almost inaudibly.

"Well life isn't fair Asha. If it were I wouldn't have been born in Manticore. I wouldn't have been recaptured and when I finally escaped I wouldn't have found you in that asshole's arms. Am I that easy to forget? You waited how long before making somebody's night? After that Logan guy died last year in that shooting you wouldn't talk to me for days. You would only cry and not eat or move. Did you even shed a tear for me Asha?" his voice was broken and the pain he was feeling could be felt in his every word.

"Of course I cried for you! You mean the world to . . ." he cut her off angry, "I don't even want to hear your excuses right now. Call me in a few weeks. Maybe I'll be calm enough to talk rationally and we can go back to being what we were, 'friends' but Asha?" he said bitterly.

Her eyes met his and saw betrayal; "I seriously doubt it."

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Surrounded in the darkness the wind bit at his clothes and skin. He could see all the tiny insignificant lights of Seattle from up here and he let his thoughts untangle with the calmness his High place brought.

The bourbon bottle weighed in his hand; a firm reminder that he was still alive, still kicking to stay on the surface of the dark waters that threatened to swallow him into their depths the same way they had done to Sam. He took another long swig letting the liquid burn incandescently down his throat to settle in his stomach.

"Love sucks but alcohol isn't the answer. You can't get drunk before going broke considering your JamPony salary. But then again you're an X5, that usually states you have another source of income," the one familiar voice he didn't want right then spoke.

"What would you know about love?" he snorted shaking his head.

For a moment there was silence and Alec strained his ears to make sure she was still there. A small scoffed chuckle confirmed her presence, "A lot more than you think."

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