A/N- no new reviews. *sob* O well...maybe this chapter will be better. Be prepared...just be prepared...;) What kind of story would this be if something didn't go wrong?

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A Changed Man

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Alec closed the door to his apartment. Sam was already there. She was stretched out on his couch and had been waiting for him to get back from talking to Max.

"Hey you." She smiled, leaning her head back over the armrest.

"Hey." Alec tossed his keys onto the kitchen counter. He walked over to the couch, bent down, and gave her a kiss. He remained on his knees. "Listen. I just want to apologize for insisting to come with you. I know you can do this by yourself and that you'll be fine. I guess I'm just scared that something will happen and I won't be able to protect you."

He stroked her hair and pushed it out of her face. She smiled at him and put her hand on his knee. He looked as if he'd been worried she'd be upset.

"Alec," she laughed,"The more I thought about it...I'm actually kind of glad you're coming with me. It's a nice change from having to look out for myself."

He'd been so nervous about her being upset that his hands were shaking. He didn't want to screw things up with Sam. With a sigh of relief he began to tell her the details of that night's mission.

It wasn't anything difficult. They should be back at Terminal City within an hour after leaving. They were meeting Bling a few blocks from the perimeter. He'd give them the money he'd recieved from selling some of Logan's possessions he'd been asked to hold on to before Ames White and his crew ransacked the penthouse. Once the money was in hand, they'd go straight back to the rait-infested hell hole they called home.

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Around eleven Sam began pacing the floor. They'd be leaving soon, this she knew, and she'd been trying to psych herself out. It was her first mission since Manticore. Even if they were only going to be on the outside for an hour she was still worried. She knew exactly how dangerous it was out there. At first she'd thought it was only the rioters they had to worry about, but a visit to Mas earlier had proven otherwise. Ames White was another monster bent on killing her brothers and sisters. It made her wonder whether or not they'd ever be safe.

A hand grasped her shoulder which brought her pacing to an abrupt halt. "Calm down. We've got nothing to worry about! We have to leave now, but maybe when we get back I'll whip up some spaghetti or something. Sound good?" Alec grinned from ear to ear. Seeing him smile relaxed Sam.

"Spaghetti? At 1:00 in the morning?" She shrugged. "Why not?"



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Max was waiting for them near the east perimeter, the same place Sam had jumped to come into Terminal City. She'd come to see them off.

"The gaurds should be changing soon," whispered Sam. Max agreed.

All three of them crouched behind the corner of a run-down abandoned building. However much she tried to hide it, Sam was still nervous. She put it all behind her though as the gaurds began to abandon their posts.

"Good luck!" Max smiled and sent them off.

Swiftly and soundlessly they jumped the fence and landed on the other side. The moon and flaming X's established by the rioters provided enough light for Alec and Sam to navigate their way around. The wind was chilly, but it didn't distract Sam. All she wanted to do was go back to the apartment and cuddle up in Alec's arms. She shook her head. Concentrate....concentrate!! Business first...pleasure later. Alec looked as if he was thinking the exact same thing.

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Alec spotted Bling before Sam and began to speed up his pace, leaving Sam a few steps behind. They were still a couple of blocks away but an X5's vision had to be good for something, right? Sam was distracted with checking the surroundings for possible threats. They were less than a hundred yards away when Bling noticed them. Alec was still a few feet ahead of her; neither of them noticing the black unmarked car pulling up beside them. Sam's scream brought Alec back to reality. She was struggling to fight off three large men carrying tasers.

A stabbing shock of pain errupted at Sam's side. Those tasers delivered a hell of a sting. Caught off gaurd, one of the men hit her so hard she fell unconcious. He shoved her in the car. Her last sight was seeing Alec take on a guy three times his size...for her...then everything faded to darkness.

Two of the gaurds had already jumped in the car. Obviously a familiar of White's breeding cult, the guy beating the crap out of Alec felt no pain. Alec would just have to change that. Just as Alec snapped the guy'd leg the car pulled off at a speed that even an X5 couldn't persue on foot. This wasn't good.

"Damnit!" he screamed. He kicked the large man on the ground out of anger. Something had to go wrong...and now he'd lost Sam.

"Alec! Calm down! We'll get her back." Bling had reached him and was holding his gun aimed at the man on the sidewalk. They were lucky that no one was out at this hour to notice this strange behavior and alert the Sector Police. "Call Max!" Bling commanded Alec.

Alec wasn't sure what to think. He'd let them take her. It had to be Ames White and his familiars who had her now. He could have fought harder. Now there was only one thing he could do...rely on the one person who always saved his ass.

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A/N- What do you think? Here's what's coming up in the next few chapters...M/L, a misunderstanding, *drumroll* a decision, someone unexpected, and a rescue.