Chapter 3- Adjustments

Max paced outside the operating room. She snorted derisively at that, 'operating room'; ha they hadn't even been under siege for more than a month. They'd had no time to set up serious medical facilities, and the 'medical faculty's' experience was limited, as in self-taught or simple encounters. She sat on a rickety wooden chair and began to rock back and forth, praying.

"God, if you're up there please hear me out. I know I asked for a miracle once, and I think I got it but please please give me another one. I know I don't deserve it, but he doesn't deserve to die. Please, I don't even know my brother, what he's been up to. Don't show him to me then take him away, I want him here, I need him here, please God grant me my miracle." Max let a lone tear escape through her tightly shut eyes.

Alec had just stepped out of the operating room and heard every word, he was torn between going over to comfort her and getting away while she was still preoccupied so that she wouldn't notice him. He heard her other siblings coming down the hallway and decided against comforting her, he ducked into the next room to wash off his bloodied hands.

Max looked up at the sound of Krit's voice, he walked in with Jondy and Syl. They didn't say anything, they just came to stand beside her, Jondy squeezed her hand and gave a quick reassuring smile.

Vamp, a 'nomily with extremely pointy teeth stepped out of the operating room. The others that had been helping with the procedure slowly filtered out. She looked at the little group huddled together and smiled, it gave a rather eerie effect. "He's going to be alright, it was amazing those stem cells sure worked fast and he clotted quickly too so minimum blood loss and minimum damage. He was very lucky, it just barely missed his heart and lungs but the bullet was lodged in a very tricky spot, hard to get out; Alec here" Alec had just stepped out of the room, all traces of his previous activities erased, he caught the last part and quickly made motions to get Vamp to not mention him, stilling when the others looked at him. Vamp cleared her throat "Alec was a really good sport, he cheered us on. The bullet in his arm went right through, so we had to cauterise, but like I said he's healing fine". 

Jondy smiled, "They were very pleased with his chemical structuring in Manticore, his stem cells operated particularly fast, his blood clotted over, his white blood cells were stronger and produced more antibodies; Zane never came down with anything"

"Can we see him?" Max piped up.

"Sure" Vamp replied, "but he's under heavy sedative right now, one that even your X-5 systems will have a hard time purging, so I wouldn't count on him waking up any time soon"

"That's okay, we just want to see him"

They all crowded into the room, Zane was fast asleep, his breathing even and regular. Max grabbed a seat from the side and placed it next to his bed. The others remained standing, Syl placed a quick kiss on Zane's forehead and then walked out, everybody followed suit until only Max was left. She wanted to be alone with him. "If you're up there, and responsible for this then thank you" she whispered.

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 The next morning

  Alec stepped into the room, Max was exactly where he left her in the chair; her head was resting on Zane's stomach and she was fast asleep, her eyes moving under their lids as she dreamed. She looked untroubled, carefree as she slept a soft smile curving her lips, suddenly she moved in her sleep and mumbled a name. *Probably Logan* Alec thought disgustedly, he moved closer to wake her up. Just as he reached her, she repeated the name "Alec", he froze. Then he smiled, so it was his name she was calling; he wondered what she was dreaming about *Doesn't make a difference, she'll just go back to hating me when she wakes up* Alec sighed. Still it was nice to know that he wasn't always the devil to her.

  Gently, he shook her awake. Max rudely awakened from her dream, moaned "Go away" and went back to her soft cushion, a rather unusually shaped soft cushion. "Ahh!" Max yelled, then she remembered "Zane?". He continued his sleeping but he apparently his sub-conscience had kicked in because he put his arm around Max and mumbled "Go back to sleep Max". She grinned like a delighted child and attempted to do just that, "Uh uh Maxie, no more sleep for you" then she pouted like one. Slowly she pried Zane's fingers off her then followed Alec out the door.

  She must've been in a good mood because she was smiling when she asked him "What now?"

"What can I say Maxie, duty calls. TC wants to see their leader up and running. The one and only, saviour of our world, mighty and unconquered, the Helena of modern day, the great and fearless…" Max punched the smirking Alec before he could complete, scowled at him and stalked towards the command center. "Now that's the Max I know" Alec rubbed his shoulder.

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Max walked into the command center feeling rested and fitful, Syl and the others were just filling in Mole on the firepower the cops and army had placed around the perimeter. Krit looked at her questioningly, "He's all right" she reassured him. She grinned "Remember in Manticore when I couldn't sleep, or Jondy couldn't we used to bug you guys? Zane developed an immunity to our poking and prodding, he used to hug us and tell us to go to sleep. He did that this morning" She really was elated.

She turned to Mole "Henceforth, I want to see any new arrivals. We can't just lock them up"

Then she turned to her siblings "You guys need to be assigned jobs" she said, then it struck her "Did you get any sleep?"

They glanced at each other "Nope" Syl replied.

"Mole, you're in charge of assigning rooms right? Could you organise some for these guys?"

"What am I? The reception? Fine, I'll work on it but this place is becoming more congested by the minute, we're running out of space"

"No problems Mole" Alec butted in "Worse comes to worse, Max can always move in with me and someone else can have her place, it's big enough for four. Besides she won't mind, will you Maxie?" he winked at her.

Max looked at him like he was a rabid dog "What're you insane?? Why would I move in with you?"

Alec pouted and put his hands over his heart in mock hurt "Aww, you're breaking my heart"

She raised her eyebrows and smirked "Good" she walked past him brushing against her shoulder.

Jondy and Syl exchanged meaningful glances "Notice she didn't say no" Jondy chewed her lip thoughtfully then looked at Syl "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Syl grinned mischievously "Let's do it"

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