Title : Crossed Wires

Rating : PG-13 / R

Genre : General/ Romance

Pairing : M/A (what else? :-) )

Disclaimer : I don't own them but if James Cameron and Charles Eglee want to give them away ….

AN : This is my first fic so please, please read and review. If there are any confusing bits let me know and I'll try to clear them up.

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Chapter 1

"Jam Pony – the oppressor of the depressed"

"What in the name of all that's good are you talkin' about sketchy?" OC demanded. She was extremely tired and Sketchy was going to drive her up the wall very quickly if he planed on talking crap all day.

"Well, every one who works here's depressed 'cos we don't have any money and we cant even have conversa-"

"Bip! Bip! Bip! People – I don't pay you to stand around all day and talk. Sketchy move! NOW!"

A miserable Sketchy lay down on the bench by OC's locker and groaned. "See what I mean OC! The man works us all to the bone and then pays us peanuts"

OC laughed and helped her friend up "works some of us to the bone. I doubt Alec's ever done more work then he's offered to do. What sector you running today?"

"Same as you OC, same as you. Why do you think I was waiting?"

"Come on then, I can't afford to lose my peanuts paying job and neither can you boo."

"Max not in yet? How can she come in so late and Normal always lets her off . . . OC, you don't think that maybe she and Normal are – Oww"

" I never ever want to know what you were about to suggest about my home-girl. Ever suggest anything along those lines again Sketchy and I won't slap you upside the head – I'll lay the smackdown on yo' ass. As it happens she's already out on a run."

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"Jam Pony Messenger" Max called in a syrupy voice through the dark oak door. Inside the apartment she could hear movement and someone bumping into things. 'Maybe I woke him up', then the front door opened to reveal a very dishevelled looking man. When his green eyes fell on Max he grunted and moved back into his apartment leaving the door wide open for her to follow.

Max couldn't help but smile at the way Alec looked collapsing on the sofa – all creased clothes and sleepy eyed. She closed the door noiselessly but the sound still managed to make Alec wince with pain, owing to his transgenic hearing. Balancing on the very edge of the sofa she ruffled Alec's hair.

"And we thought transgenics couldn't get drunk." as Max started talking Alec pulled one of the cushions over his head to block out as much as he could "Come on gorgeous, we've got work to do, go have a shower and I'll get you something for your head."

Alec tried to hit Max with the cushion, "when someone feels this bad they should not be forced to work… but the rest of that sounds nice…" as his words trailed off, Alec nodded slowly and ambled towards his bathroom, with the cushion still in his hand. 

Max wandered into the kitchen in search of something to make him feel a bit better 'I can't believe he's that hung over he didn't even notice that he missed me with the cushion.' She rolled her eyes and began rummaging through the cabinets.

Quarter of an hour later Max had not only found aspirin, she had made him toast and coffee, which he seemed more then grateful for.

"You look more alive, how do you feel?"

"Like hell incarnate. I can't believe Sketchy spends most of his life feeling like this."

"So how much does it take to get a transgenic drunk?" Alec did not look forward to answering this question but he knew it had been coming. Very quietly he started to answer, whilst finding something extremely interesting at the bottom of his coffee cup.

"Well … I drank 8 bottles of scotch, 3 Jack Daniels, and 2 Vodka… there may have been more, I can't remember…" His voice trailed off.  He knew it was coming, the speech, the 'Alec you're a screw up, no good pain and the world would be a better place without you' speech. He might just as well brace himself for the onslaught.  Max stared at him with a wicked grin on her face; she was annoyed with him for getting into such a state, but didn't blame him. How many times had she wished she could get pissed and forget, if only for one night, but she would never have gone this far.

"So you consumed the contents of a small brewery then." Her voice came out harsh. If Alec had looked at her he would have noticed the grin and sparkling eyes, but still he looked at the empty coffee cup as though it held the answers to all the world's problems.

"… kinda …"

Max moved over to him kissed the top of his hair and gave him a soft hug. "Lets go, I already got enough packages to keep us busy till lunch, and OC's expects to see a very sober version of you at lunch. So don't say I didn't warn ya." Her voice had been soft and comforting. She walked out of the apartment and headed for their bikes not realising she had left a very stunned Alec behind.

'O…k… what the hell just happened. Max hasn't hit me… or threatened to hit me… or seemed remotely angry with me or … where is she? And why is the front door open- oh yeah, work. right.' With a sigh he got up and went down to where she would be waiting for him, he hoped.

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