~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lucy's room, TC medical center
"So, you'll still need to be really careful about all of your cuts and stuff opening again, but you're discharged." Sandy tells Lucy, and hands her the clipboard. Max smiles, knowing that Lucy'll love the apartment she set her up with.
Sandy signs the clipboard, commemorating Lucy's freedom from the med center. "Lucy Witkopp, you are free to go." Max says happily, but Lucy's face scrunches up in thought.
"Is that the last name I told you? I was having a hard time remembering it. I switched every city, so that it would make it a little harder for White to catch up." she explains, and smiles. "I'm Lucy Sandeman. God, that feels weird to say after all this time."
"Sandeman?" Max asks, her eyes widening.
"Yeah. Is that bad or something?" Lucy asks, looking concerned. Max shakes her head, mentally screaming, 'OH MY GOD!!!'
"Not at all, Luce. Now come on, let's get you an apartment." she says, and helps Lucy up. The girl smiles, finally feeling safe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Street, TC
"We just have to check in at headquarters and then we're good to go. Dix told me it was important that we're there at 12." Max tells Lucy, suddenly remembering it.
"That's cool. I can wait." she says, grateful she's even able to stay in TC.
"So, how's everything healing up?" Max asks conversationally as her and Lucy walk down the street. She walks close to Lucy, one hand hovering at her side in case Lucy stumbles.
"It's all right. If I don't think about it much, it's pretty numb." she says. "Mind over matter, right?"
Max smiles, and nods. "Yeah. Hey, you're going to need a dress to wear for the dance, aren't you?"
Lucy blushes a bit, biting her lip shyly. "I don't even know if I'm gonna go, Max."
Max rolls her eyes, smiling. "Of course Xander's going to ask you. There's no question about it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Headquarters, TC
"Alec, I can't do this. Way too nervous, man." Xander says, freaking. He runs his hands through his hair nervously, biting his lip.
"Xander, you piloted a fighter plane when you were ten. You can sing to the girl you have the hots for." Alec assures him while trying to convince himself the same thing.
The girls walk into head quarters, laughing over something girl-talky, Xander assumes.~I can do this. I can so do this...well, ok, I'm having doubts. Pull yourself together, Xander! If this is the best way to ask Lucy, then you sure as hell better do it!~ he thinks, giving himself a private peptalk.
"We're on in ten." Alec tells Xander, and both of them try to stop the nervousness from getting to them. "Wave." Alec says, and they both wave at the girls, who smile and wave back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Headquarters, TC
"Why does Xander look like he's going to throw up?" Lucy asks, and Max shrugs, noticing Alec fidgeting a bit.
"Maybe he's gonna." she replies, then spots Dix. "Yo, Dix! What'd you want me here for?"
"Um....I, uh...oh, look, there's Mole. Well, gotta run!" he fumbles, then walks away quickly.
"What the hell was that about?" Max asks, utterly confused. Lucy shrugs.
"I don't know, but Xander and Alec both have microphones. Do you know what's up?" Lucy asks, kind of nervous not knowing what's happening.
"Oh, god...let's go check it out." Max says, and they rush to the center of Headquarters just as Alec and Xander step onto a table with the mics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Headquarters, TC
"Ok, hey everybody." Alec greets everyone, and they wave back, Mole grumbling about how they stole his table. "Well, Xander and I have to do something that most guys are trying to think of ways to do. So, being the great leaders that we are, we've decided to set all of the menfolk out there the best example possible." he announces, smirking. Well, by now everybody's really wondering what they're doing. Then the music starts.
"Lucy, Max, I guess what we idiot are trying to do...well, besides embarrassing ourselves, is ask you to the Transgenic Pride Dance. Because, well, we like you." Xander says, and Lucy smiles at her man. ~My man? When did that happen!!?~
"She doesn't have the answer yet (The answer yet)
~God she's beautiful.~
I'm breathing down her neck. Maybe I should give her time.
~I think I love her. Damn, I really do!~
If it were up to me, she would know that
~If it were up to me, she'd come up here and stop me from making a fool out of myself~
She'll be the one, who when I'm dead will use my bed.
~I actually really don't get that line~
If it were up to me, she would know that our love (our love)
~Her blue eyes are so pretty, like blue lakes or something.~
is the best love (best love) if it were up to me...
~I love her eyes. They remind me of chocolate.~
Our love (our love) Is the best love(best love) So just let it be...
~Woohoo! She's smiling...oh, no, and crying. Is that good? Crying isn't usually good. Oh, crap.~
I want you to know I've done our charts And it says we work as one
~She's rolling her eyes...in a good way? A guy can only hope.
Like the Jackson Five and The Temptations. If it were up to me, she would know that
~What'll I do if she says no? Okay, Alec, really bad plan! I made the girl cry!~
Our love (our love) Is the best love (best love) If it were up to me...
~They're coming closer...~
Yes our love (our love) Is real love, So just let it be
~I know I must have hurt her feelings, but I hope she doesn't hit me...~
Well your friends likes my smile, and your family likes my lifestyle
~And Xander said this is a bad plan. Ha! I laugh at him...~
Should I ask them what I asked you To get the answer?
~Stupid plan....who said that Alec was in charge?~
Yes to get the answer? It's easy....it's easy...
Max and Lucy push through the clapping crowd, nothing but their guys on their minds. Max finds Alec first, and kisses him. "That was the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me." she whispers, knowing that pasta dinners with EO could never have measured up to this. "So, that's a yes?" he asks, smirking that famous, patented Alec-smirk.Max kisses Alec right on the lips, making him the happiest man in the room, but not for long.
Lucy runs to Xander and wraps her arms around him. "You are the sweetest boy alive, Xander!" she shouts, and He spins, pulling her tighter. "So, I guess that's a yes?" he asks, grinning madly. She pulls out of the hug and looks at him, her blue eyes gazing happily into his hazel ones. "Are you crazy?" she asks, and his heart sinks for a moment. "I wouldn't dream of going without you." she tells him, and promptly leans in and kisses him. He spins her around again, and she giggles loudly, drawing "aw.."'s from the women in the crowd.
"You want to go catch something to eat?" Max asks Alec, lacing his fingers with hers. He pulls her close and they walk out the door, Alec's arm wrapped around Max, and her leaning her head on his shoulder.
"So, you want the world-famous tour of Terminal City? You haven't seen it much, on account of you being gutted." Xander says, following Alec's lead and wrapping his arm around Lucy. She grins.
"Yeah, that did kinda blow. I'd love to...you never know when you'll be stuck in the Med Center again, so why not enjoy the time out, right?" she laughs, and they go out the side door....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Terminal Park, TC
"Ooh, and over there," Xander points to a building with his free hand, "that's where Alec tripped and fell into a puddle of mud."
"Really?" Lucy laughs, imagining it perfectly. "Hey," she looks up, a thought occuring, "why have I only heard embarrassing moments from other people, not you? Or are you that perfect that you never trip, or fall, or do anything embarrassing?"
"Of course not, Lucy. I never, ever- ooph!" Xander ruins the statement he's trying to make by tripping over a stick, taking Lucy down with him. They land on the ground and stay there for a moment, silent...
"I can't believe you just did that! Talk about irony!" Lucy manages to say between laughs. She finally regains composure and crawls over to Xander, who gives her a pout.
"You're not being very nice." he tells her, and looks up into the cloudy sky, his face scrunched up. "I think it's raining."
"I know!" Lucy says happily, staring into the sky. Xander looks at her like she's crazy, and the drops start coming down heavily. We're not talking your average, everyday showers...we're talking Africa during monsoon-season.
"Luce, my dear, I don't think you quite get the concept. Rain equals wet Xander. Wet Xander equals very, very irritated Xander." he tells her, motioning for her to head with him. "Come on, my apartment is just down the street."
"Aw...I haven't been here for a real rainstorm. I wanna see it!" Lucy whines, throwing her arms up in the air and spinning around with her tongue out. Xander smiles at his girl...~Wait a minute, my girl? That's so cool to say!~
"Lucy, I really wouldn't do that...this is probably the closest we can get to acid rain that burns your skin off." he laughs, tackling her.
"Ahhh!!!! I'm all muddy!!! You evil boy, I'm gonna make you pay!" she squeals, reaching for mud and rubbing it all over his face. He groans, and tries to wipe it off, and while he's busy with that, Lucy slips out of his grasp, running behind a tree.
"Try to find me!" she yells, and Xander stands up, pretending that he can't see her .
"Where are you?" he asks, holding his hand over his eyes in the 'Land Ho!' pose. He hears a giggle from behind the tree, and yells, "Olly Olly Oxenfree!" (A/N: I really don't know how to spell that-sorry!!! MJ)
Lucy runs out from behind the tree, a warcry and a smile on her lips. She jumps on Xander, and they tumble to the ground, laughing all the way. Both not aware of their audience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Alec's Apartment, TC
"Look at them. They're so cute together." Max whispers to Alec. He nods, pulling his arms tight around her.
"And it's pretty hard to look cute covered in mud." he muses, giving her a quick kiss. They walk away from the window and sit down on his couch, both loving the feel of finally being in each other's arms.
"I've wanted you for so long, Max." Alec whispers to her, and she shudders at the feel of his breath on her cheek. "Me too," she tells him, knowing in her heart that they're meant for each other.
"I would have waited forever, if I needed to. I don't think that I've ever fallen this bad for someone." Alec says, putting a finger under her chin and pulling her gently to face him. He kisses her, and the rest of the world just melts away. The worries of tomorrow, the hurt of today...everything in the entire world is gone but them, and it feels perfect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~St. Francis Fort Army Base, Seattle
"Stupid, stupid! How could you let her get away, you moron?" a very angry Ames White yells at Frank Miller, and Frank tries not to look intimidated by the vein popping out of his employer's neck.
"Two transgenics helped her. We believe they were 494 and 452." he says, staring at the wall. Ames throws a chair into the wall, leaving an impressionable dent.
"The Conclave wants the girl dead." he says menacingly, but then an idea comes to mind... "Well, if we can't get to her, we can make her kill herself. Send the tape."
"Sir, that was our last plan of action. Are you sure-" Frank begins, but then White turns over the table, and he knows to shut up.
"OF COURSE I'M SURE! Don't you ever, EVER question my judgement. Understand?" he yells, and Frank merely nods. "Good." he says calmly and stalks out of the room, punching the cement wall on his way out.
Frank stares at the bloody knuckle-print. "This can't be good for my stress level."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: okay, so it has officially been forever since I've updated, and I'm sorry. So I made this the longest chapter ever!!!! happy? Sad? REVIEW AND TELL ME WHATCHA THINK, PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
I really appreciate anything you could say to me, even if it's just a 'um...I read your story and didn't barf.' I'd be cool with that...although, that's kinda unappealing, but whatever floats your boat, right?
Live fast.
Cheer hard.
Die laughing.
Molly Jeane :D