Disclaimer: I don't own any of them.
Timeline: before LAtR and obviously FN.
Sumary: Response to Pai's Not My Heat Challenge. Max goes into Heat and gets pregnant, but not by Alec.
A/N: I'm not really a writer, so I hope this is understandable. J - This is for Pai, for her wonderful ideas and infie, for suggesting I post here.
Tough Call
A baby
The mother of..- Max felt her knees give and would have fallen to the ground had a strong pair of arms not supported her. She felt dizzy. A baby. She was pregnant. And yet somehow she wasn't surprised. Maybe she'd known it all along. Perhaps fear had been a part of her depression.
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2 weeks earlier:
"Hey Maxie!" Alec said coming to sit on the bench she was crouched beside tying her shoelaces. He was having a very nice view of her cleavage and he smiled. She raised her eyes and, noticing where his eyes were lingering, whacked him on the side of his head. He looked up, but the grin was still on his lips.
"Don't you have anything better to do?" She barked.
"Not really" He looked very young when he smiled like that, mischief shining in his eyes. She wondered what he was up to, but of course, she wouldn't ask him. She stood up and walked past him, her I-don't-give-a-damn mask plastered on her beautiful face. He sprang from the seat to follow her and she had to put a lot of effort into suppressing a smile, he looked so eager to tell her something. It was contagious.
When he started to follow her inside the bathroom she turned abruptly "What?"
"You are not gonna believe it" When she didn't ask, he continued "The Romanov Family Exhibition will be arriving in Salem tomorrow!" he announced happily.
"Right, and you want to be there because… you are so close to the children? Let me guess, playmates at that exclusive school you attended in Paris. Or was it the one in Vienna?"
"Very funny" he said, annoyed at her lack of understanding "During the revolution some of their jewelry was smuggled out of Russia. They have this necklace that's worth at least a quarter of a million in the black market. And guess who's got a buyer" He smirked smugly.
"You are unbelievable! Will you ever grow up?"
"Oh, come on, Max. Think about it. How did this museum people get the piece? They bought it from someone who stole it first. So how's that different from what we'll be doing?"
"We? Excuse me, I don't think I heard you correctly" she glared at him.
"It's a two men job. You know you want to" he put on his most innocent face.
"Let's just say for the sake of argument, that I –" she was interrupted by the sound of her beeper. She rushed to the pay phone, leaving a frustrated Alec standing by the lockers, mimicking her `Oh, Logan, it's you…´
When she came back, the moment was lost. *damn*
"Out of the way" she snapped "some of us have important things to do" and she left without even glancing back at him.
Fine, he would get someone else. Yeah, right. Where the hell was he gonna get somebody else? Not like he could take Joshua… He thought briefly about 511, he would have been perfect, except Alec didn't know where he was right now.
It would have been so much easier… He knew he could still talk her into it, but he was tired of constantly begging her. He would have to do it alone. *Let her come looking for me tonight when her EO assignment requires my help* He went home to gather what he needed and was soon heading out of Seattle.
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Max was dragging her feet as she climbed up the steps to Joshua's house. This was not going to be easy. He was going to make her beg and she would have to go with him to get the blasted necklace.
Actually, the second part wasn't so bad. She would never admit it to him, but she was looking forward to it. She had missed the excitement lately. And if she were completely honest with herself, she'd have to acknowledge she enjoyed heists even more since Alec was around. His incessant yapping was... nice. She liked not going in alone and knowing he had her back.
But she did not want to go in right now and ask for his help.
Joshua was reading on the couch when she came in "Hey Big Fella. How are you doing today?"
"Joshua good. Max staying for Mac and cheese?" he asked hopefully.
"Not tonight, Josh, no. Uhm... Alec around?"
Joshua shook his big head "Alec out of town. Business trip. Be back in three days"
"Oh, OK." Max stood in the middle of the room, unsure what to do next *Alec gone? But he... I... we...* She turned to leave, muttering a good bye to Joshua.
As she drove her Ninja the lost expression was still marring her features. Never, not even for a second had she thought he would leave without her. He had said it was a two men job. Who else did he know anyway? No one. She and Joshua were his only family. It hit her then and there. Family. He was her family now. Not in the same way Zack or Jondy or any of her other siblings, but he was still family.
And she had let him down. Again. It wasn't that the heist was important in itself. It was... He had asked for her help and she had turned him down. `I'm here if you need to talk or something´ her own words mocked her.
She wanted to go to Salem right now, but she had promised Logan she would plant that stupid microphone in that stupid Senator's office for some stupid E.O. mission.
But she would make it up to him, she resolved.
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And two days later it had happened.
She had thought they'd fixed, but she'd obviously been wrong. She had spent the entire day going from endless push-up sessions to ice cold showers.
Just when she thought she couldn't handle it any more she heard someone entering through the living-room window. *Alec. He's back!* She rushed to the bedroom door, but it was opened before she could reach it. She jumped at the lean body that presented itself before her. He immediately grabbed her buttocks with one hand while the other reached behind her to draw her mouth to his. Somehow through her haze she realized it wasn't him and tried to pull away. But his lips were already on hers, kissing her expertly. And her hormones were working overtime. She stopped fighting as he threw her onto the bed.
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Alec walked inside Jam Pony, carrying the necklace in his pocket. It hadn't gone as swiftly as he had planned. He'd been stranded there watching the motel room's ceiling for a week. The damn display had been delayed in LA. He had gone to check out the building where it was to be held. He now knew it inside and out. Of course, he'd known it the first time he went in. The other five times had been superfluous. But he was not gonna go back to Seattle empty handed. Nope, he stayed right there in Salem. Besides, he had enjoyed the blizzard.
He should have taken it directly to his buyers, especially with the delay and all. But he had to show it to Max. Let her see what she had missed.
Only, Max wasn't there. When he asked OC she had shaken her curls and said her Boo was not feeling well. He went on to his deliveries thinking *Eyes Only*.
But as the day wore on, he started to think OC would have told him if she was on one of Logan's foolish errands, if only to have him help cover up for Max. And then he remembered Cindy's concerned look and silently cursed himself. He turned in his clipboard absentmindedly and went to the door, decided to pay Max a little visit.
He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned around ready to strike when he saw who it was and broke into a welcoming smile "51..- Biggs!" He patted the other X5 on the shoulder "How are y-...?" his voice died down as he realized Biggs had not raised his eyes from the floor. "What's wrong?" He glanced him over. No, he could see no apparent wound and by the way his friend was standing he knew he could rule out anything physical. "Biggs?"
Biggs seemed to be having a really hard time getting his voice out *That's a first* Alec frowned.
"I came here last week looking for you" there was a long pause "I checked out your home address but you weren't there, so I came here. I remembered you telling me about this place, so... I met this guy. He said you were out of town. He said I should join him for a couple of beers, seeing as I was your friend. He was nice, for an ordinary. I beat him five times at pool."
"Sketchy" Alec murmured, the hint of a smile tugging at his mouth. He had no idea where this was going.
"Anyway, seeing as he was pretty wasted, I asked him if he had any idea where you were. He said he didn't, but I should ask Max or Original Cindy, cause they always seemed to know. I asked him if this Cindy was your girlfriend or something, you know, I wouldn't want to interrupt anything. He said it was cool, that OC was not into boys and Max had a boyfriend, but he was kinda old so he probably wouldn't be around and he gave me their address." He stopped and seemed to be trying to find the right words "I'm so sorry, I ... I didn't know. I got in through the window and..."
A feeling of dread clasped Alec's throat. He was sure he did not want to hear what his friend was about to tell him.
"I smelled them, the pheromones. And I stood by the window. But your friend had told me none of the girls were with you. And then I just stopped thinking. I just walked to this door and... I'm sorry" his voice broke.
Alec took a step back as if someone had hit him. He shook his head in denial, his eyes were unfocussed and he had a knot at the pit of his stomach. He reached back for something to support him and leaned against a dumpster.
Biggs seemed to find his voice again. "She, she was weeping afterwards. I tried to comfort her, but she was oblivious to my presence there. I didn't know what to do. I'd never made a girl cry in my life. I was feeling awful. And then in the middle of her weeping she said your name. It's like the world fell over me. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I swear I would have left if I'd known. Pheromones or not. You have to believe that." He ran a hand through his hair, a self deprecating twist on his lips. "Damn!"
Alec was sitting on the floor where he had slipped as Biggs was speaking.
"Please say something. Hit me! Hell, kill me! I deserve it" the dark-haired man said.
Alec looked at him and saw the pain and self loath in his friend's eyes. "Not. Your. Fault" he managed to get out in a whisper.
Biggs's expression turned into one of total anguish "I'm leaving. Yes, I'm gonna, I'm gonna take off. I swear you'll never see me again" He looked at his best and only friend in the whole world one last time "I'm sorry" he said softly and left.
Alec tried to stop him. At least a part of his brain tried. The rest of it seemed to be completely refusing to function, same as his entire body. He sat there for the longest time. Until someone bumped into him, pulling him off the limbo he'd been at for the last few hours. He got up, his feet taking him to a bar. He entered, but then decided he didn't want to be around other people. He headed home after picking up a few bottles. He did not want to run out of Scotch right now.
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Today
Joshua was really worried. Alec had spent the past two days in the basement. And Max hadn't been around in over a week. Something was definitely wrong. He'd tried talking to Alec a few hours ago, but he had been out of it. Apparently all that alcohol had finally managed to knock down his Manticore defenses.
He was pondering what to do when he heard Alec come up the stairs, his trademark smirk on his lips "Hey Josh, I'm gonna take a shower" as he disappeared into the bathroom. Joshua tilted his head to one side and blinked a few times. He then sat on the couch waiting for Alec to come out.
When the door reopened he followed his wet friend to his room. Alec had a hand shuffling his hair and the other on the blue towel around his waist, ready to loose it, when he heard, or better did not hear, the door he had just kicked shut. He looked questioningly at Joshua standing under the doorframe.
"Alec OK?"
"Yeah, I'm OK" Joshua looked at him dubiously, but seemed to decide it was better to leave it at that.
"You think litl' fella all better now too?"
Alec cringed imperceptibly "I'm sure she is"
"Good. Joshua was getting hungry"
Alec stopped in the act of putting on his turtleneck "What do you mean hungry?"
"Max not been to see Joshua in over a week. Running out of food"
"Shit!" was all Alec said before rushing to the door, one shoe on and trying to put on the other.
When he heard the engine start, Joshua smiled and relaxed on the couch. Alec would take care of Max now *That's the plan*.
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He tried to concentrate on his driving, but it was no use, his thoughts kept wandering back to her. He had spent the last two days drowning himself in alcohol, but that had been no good either She just kept popping into his mind. Beautiful, sexy, alluring... out of reach. He didn't understand why Biggs's words had hit him so hard.
At first it had been the shock. But then he realized what that awful feeling inside him was. Jealousy. He was jealous. Of his best friend. He had been able to touch her, feel her, caress that silky olive skin, kiss those inviting lips... He had needed the whisky to get those images away from his head.
He had realized he'd never been jealous before. Not like that. Sure, Max had thought she was in love with Logan, but they couldn't touch. And even if they could... those two had been `sort of´ together for a year and nothing had happened? Yep. No threat there whatsoever.
But Biggs, that was a different story. He knew Biggs. He still remembered Lola. He couldn't bare the thought of him touching his Max.
That's when it had hit him the hardest. She was not his. Even if he'd been there instead of Biggs. The next day she would not want to be around him. Or at best, she would go back to where they'd been before. Only more awkward. He wouldn't have been able to take it. Damn it, he was pathetic. He had been so depressed he'd finally given in to the bliss of sleep.
He woke up to the sound of his phone, somewhere in his jacket. He had a vague idea of it ringing a couple of times before. He rummaged through his clothes looking for the damn thing, till his fingers stumbled onto something cold and smooth. *Shit!* He finally found his phone and looked at the number on the display. Just what he thought. He'd had them waiting for almost two weeks. He better get them the blasted thing before they got more anxious.
He stretched and got up. God he was filthy! He ran up the stairs to take a shower.
He made a resolution. He would go back to being his usual self. Nothing had changed, right? Everything was fine. He was OK. Not a care in the world – well except for his little unfinished jewelry business. But he did not care about her in the least.
He'd almost convinced himself when his dog-faced friend's words had hit him.
She hadn't been to see Joshua in over a week?!? Shit!
He remembered OC's concern the other day. And Biggs saying she was crying. And she hadn't gone to work. And all he'd done was lie in a basement, wallowing in self pity. He'd never forgive himself if something had happened to her.
So much for his resolution.
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She was curled into a ball. He stepped by the bed to look at her. She'd been crying. And he hadn't thought it was possible, but she was thinner than before. *God Max, what are you doing to yourself?*
He saw an untouched glass of milk on the bedside table. *Cindy* he thought. As he bent down to grab it his nostrils widened and he dropped the glass to the floor, eyes fixed on the sleeping form lying in a tumble of sheets. He fell, sitting on the floor, barely wincing at the shattered pieces of glass that found their way through the jeans and into his flesh.
It had been very faint, but he'd smelled it. She was pregnant. Max was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. Biggs's baby. He had to find him. He had to – What the hell was he thinking? Biggs was gone. And for two days now. Even through the shock he'd seen his face and heard his voice You'll never see me again. Alec knew the other X5. He could search the entire planet and he would still never find him. Biggs had made a promise to his CO and his friend, he would never brake it.
Max had been right all along. He ruined everything. Now her baby didn't have a father because of him. He was a screw up.
Perhaps Logan could… yeah. He was the kind of guy who'd `understand´ and take the kid because it was hers. Yes, that's the way Logan would think of the baby, as hers. But he or she deserved so much more than that, to be loved, to be held, cherished, treasured. There was no way he'd let anyone … He stood up abruptly and placed a hand on Max's stomach. He smiled slightly and moved a strand of hair away from her face, his eyes shining with a strange light.
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Max woke up slowly, stretching leisurely. She was feeling good.
Something in the back of her mind was telling her that was odd, but she didn't want to think about it. She opened her eyes reluctantly, afraid of what she might find. It all came back to her like a blow to the head. She felt it again. The shame, the humiliation, and the sadness. That was the worst of all, this sadness that clung to her and she didn't know why… And yet, there was something different now. She felt this weird sensation of … peace.
She got out of the bed, swaying a little. *Too much time without moving* Her stomach made a grumble. *And without food* She went to the bathroom, bracing herself on the walls.
She splashed some water into her face, avoiding the mirror. She did not want to see herself. Not yet. But a sparkle caught her eye and she glanced at the reflection. Her mouth fell open as she stared at the most beautiful creation of diamonds she'd ever seen. It was perfect, exquisite. And it was resting around her neck.
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She was sitting on the couch, her hair still wet from the shower, when he arrived carrying a large box of pizza and … was that milk?
"Hey" she said nervously. He smiled at her. A real smile. Her heart skipped a couple of beats.
"I brought you something to eat" he was looking at her intensely.
He was so handsome, how had she missed it before? He had the most beautiful hazel eyes, and the sweetest smile, and that strong, lean body..- she averted her eyes, ashamed. How could she be thinking like that? "Alec" she said, still looking away "there's something I have to tell you" She didn't know why, but she needed to tell him. She started speaking rapidly, to get it over with as soon as possible. "While you were away, I went into H..-"
She was silenced by a tender finger on her lips. "I know" he said delicately.
She looked into those green pools and saw the sincerity of his words. And she also saw he was smiling reassuringly at her. A warm feeling washed over her.
The corners of her lips went up tentatively.
She moved her head and that caused a rustle of rocks bouncing lightly against each other. She raised her hand to caress the stunning gems at her chest. "I thought you had a buyer. Quarter of a mill?"
He raised his hand to unconsciously touch a fresh, recent cut on his left eyebrow. But shrugged, not taking his eyes from hers "I just thought it would look better on the mother of my child"
The mother of..- Max felt her knees give and would have fallen to the ground had a strong pair of arms not supported her. She felt dizzy. A baby. She was pregnant. And yet somehow she wasn't surprised. Maybe she'd known it all along. Perhaps fear had been a part of her depression. She was going to have a baby. A little boy or girl to call her own. Someone to..- Her head came up sharply "Your child?"
He nodded seriously "Yes Max. That baby is already my child" he ran a finger along her cheek, his gaze never leaving her "Will you let me be its father?"
Fin.
