TITLE: Coming Decisions – Chapter 10

WRITTEN BY: Heather Ferguson (fergus80)

EMAIL: hmfergie@charter.net

RATING: PG-13 (NC-17 where applicable will be separate)

SUMMARY: Set after Freak Nation. A miss understanding turns into some truth telling and decision making for our transgenic pair.

SPOILERS: Everything!

DISCLAIMER: All Dark Angel characters belong to James Cameron, FOX, etc. etc. etc.

FEEDBACK: Always makes me smile! :)

DEDICATION: To all the Nuns at the Church of Jensen, the Blue Lady, and of course Jensen!

RANT: Okay… I did the stupid thing and watched Freak Nation with the commentary. Can I actually say I'm HAPPY that DA was canceled? Seriously what Cameron and/or what the writers wanted to do…. UGH! So, with that annoyance in my head, I just had to correct a few things, or I couldn't live with myself, whatever this will be (obviously, writing this, before I write my fic) is the result of this huge annoyance. SO… let's see how it goes. ;)

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He turned around looking back out at the city. He had been ordered to help her 'escape' that first time into the other man's arms to kill him. But now... now he did it of his own free will and had given her the means not to kill him. He took a heavy seat back on the cold metal. Yep... she was happier out in the real world with... him.

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The door to Headquarters opened and the aura changed immediately. The talking stopped and the only sound was the clicking of boots against the cement as Max walked across the room and over to the small group of computers.

Alec stood up straight from leaning over Dix at his computer. He turned to look at the rest of the room. "Is there a problem?" He asked everyone. "Because I thought you all had stuff to do?"

Everyone quickly looked away and turned back to what they were doing and discussing. The noise level going back to normal in a matter of seconds.

He turned back to the computer, not looking at her as she took a spot behind Luke. Alec gave a slight nod to the little transgenic. Luke nodded, "Okay Max, let's get you up too..." He caught Alec's look. Stopped, and rephrased his answer. "Let me tell you what we just found out."

Luke pointed at the computer screen. "We have decoded many more of the symbols. All but three actually. And those are going to be difficult because they didn't turn out very well... almost like a fuzzy picture."

Max nodded in understanding from looking at the picture. The lines on those symbols were just not as distinct as the others, or had fallen over a slight scar she had on her. Making them hard to 'read'.

"But we have symbols that look similar to them, and are trying to place them in context with the rest to see if they make sense and will give us the bigger picture." The two X's nodded back at him, and Alec moved his hand in a circular motion. "Right... so anyway." Luke looked over at Dix.

"Basically, this whole thing has to deal with the approaching Comet. The large series of nights with all these falling stars is just a preview to the Comet passing by."

"Passing by... right?" Max asked, part of her fearing an actual crash landing.

Dix nodded, "Yes, it won't hit. But as it gets closer, larger and large chunks will be coming in contact with the atmosphere... like the small ones are now. They are totally burning up in our atmosphere. But larger pieces will actually hit ground."

"How big?"

Luke shook his head, "Nothing that would create any serious damage... nothing structurally anyway..." he said trailing off looking at Alec.

Alec looked back and forth to the two transgenics, realizing that neither of them wanted to be the one to actually tell Max what was going to happen. He sighed, and turned towards her. He took a deep breath, "The damage is from the microscopic virus that is inside these pieces of the comet. The big ones that hit will carry this virus."

"Wouldn't the virus be killed by the heat of burning at least partially in the atmosphere?" Max asked him.

"Not in the really large ones. And when they hit... and break open."

"So what... we just have to go and find these things and contain them, right?"

Alec wanted to laugh. "First, there will be too many to even attempt to collect. But most importantly... it's airborne." Max's eyes widened, and she wanted to sit down.

"How... how do we know this?"

He pointed at the screens, "From what we have deciphered. It's happened before... the last time the comet passed... roughly... a 'few thousand years'…"

Her eyes widened, "White… the familiars… the breeding cult."

Alec nodded towards Dix. He adjusted his eyepiece and started, "It seems their group survived the virus the last time, and almost everyone else died. Since then they have kept the immunity to themselves basically."

The dawning of the information came over Max, a sudden understanding of the whole picture. "God… they are TRULY sick." She wanted to shudder at how evil it all was.

He watched the realization cross her eyes, and the range of emotions going through her. He knew she was afraid. He knew she was sick by it. He knew she was angry. He knew… because he was too. His arms wanted to go around her, tell her it would be okay, that they would figure it out… he wanted to… for both of them. *But… she's got him to comfort her. She doesn't want that from someone who she thinks hates her.*

Max turned back to Luke and Dix… trying to move forward. "What can we do?"

"Well… we know we are immune to it… at least you are fully. And the rest of us… at least that we can tell… only get sick for awhile with flu like symptoms…"

"MAX!"

She quickly turned towards the direction of her screamed name, but didn't have much time because she found herself being hoisted up in the air and spun around.

Finding her face pushed tightly into a chest, she barely heard, "You came back home!"

She pushed her face away as best she could, with her arms trapped by her side, "Joshua…"

He sat her feet back on the floor with a huge smile on his face, and she hated to break his heart. "I'm just here for a meeting Big Fella'."

Joshua's eyes lowered and he nodded.

Alec coughed, "So basically..." he said turning to Dix, and refocusing the group.

Dix quickly understood and spoke. "What we need to do is figure out exactly what Sandman was trying to accomplish. We have a pretty good idea."

Joshua jumped in, "He wanted to save people. Go against the cult. Father was a good guy."

Max gave him a smile and patted him on the shoulder.

Alec nodded, "Yeah, that's what it looks like. But we need to be sure. Some more lab equipment arrived yesterday, and we have more coming in tomorrow."

Luke agreed, "We have already had some of our lab guys working on a sample of your blood. They are making some great headway."

Max looked at everyone. Heard everything they had to say, and then realization hit her. "Well you all seem to have everything under control. What do you need me for?"

Alec looked at his feet for a minute. "We don't totally know where this is going. We don't know if more runes might show up on you. You need to stay in the 'loop'."

She got it. "Okay, well... I'm up to speed." She turned to Joshua, "It was great seeing you. But I need to go." He gave her a slight frown. She didn't know what to say, and just patted his shoulder. "If you need to tell me anything else, or need me, just call." She told no one in particular as she started for the door.

"When we do..." Alec started, "I could also fire up the computer terminal... that way..." He knew she didn't feel comfortable being there. "Also you and Josh could then..."

She cut him off, "Nah... just use my phone," and with that she was out the door.

He ran his hand though his hair as he watched the door shut. It had actually gone better than he thought it would have.

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Curly hair shook back and forth as Cindy stared at her friend on the couch. She was looking out the window lost in thought as water streaked down the window glass. OC could almost see the water reflected back on Max's face, perfectly displaying her friend's mood. "Boo... you can't keep doing this to yourself."

She turned to look at her, "What do you mean?"

"Okay... you're free from Logan. You've finally opened your eyes to your little self-deceit. But now... now you have to live. And livin' doesn't mean being cooped up in Original Cindy's apartment for the rest of your life."

Max sighed, "And where am I supposed to go? I can't just go get a job. My face is pasted all over the place. Heck... I shouldn't even be here... if anyone saw me... you would be..."

Cindy raised her hand. "Don't even think about it. Original Cindy can take on whoever comes after her or her Boo."

She just smiled at her friend and shook her head. "But seriously... where? Logan's?" Max laughed. "Wouldn't want to, even if I could. I did enough there to hurt both of us. I dragged him along so long, making him think there was a future... putting him in harms way..."

"Hey... he didn't complain."

"No... but he really thought there was something. And deep down... deep down I knew." She could admit that to herself know. "All the reluctance I had. All the times I would put us being together off... I knew... but yet I didn't. Ya know?"

Cindy just nodded her head and came over and sat on the couch, looking out at the rain as well. "So what are you going to do?"

"Well... I can't leave." She took hold of Cindy's hand, "And I wouldn't want to. I am truly sick of running and hiding. This IS my home. You... and Joshua are my family." She looked down, "You're all I have left."

OC moved closer to her on the couch and hugged her, "That's not true."

"Yes it is."

Cindy put her hand under Max's chin and lifted it, "Listen Boo. I don't care what you believe. But everyone in Terminal City... all the other transgenics... they do not ALL hate you. Hate is such a strong word."

Max shook her head, not wanting to listen.

OC's hand made her stop and look at her, "No, you're going to listen to me."

She sighed, "Fine."

"The others... Max they hardly even KNOW you. They only know what Manticore brainwashed into their minds. Or they have only heard what others have said."

"Yeah, but what has been..."

Cindy didn't even want to hear it, "Oh no. I know the REAL Max. I remember the REAL Max. And while my girl has some attitude... you gotta love her."

"Cindyyyy." Max whined.

"Oh no... you have never given up on anything. Why are you going to start now? Why don't you get your pretty little ass back to Terminal City. Help them all out. And at the same time... be yourself. Be the self you REALLY are. Let them get to KNOW who YOU are. Then they can judge."

She sat there looking at her friend, then a small smile spread across her face and she jumped into Cindy's arms. "You know you're the best don't you."

"Oh, I know." OC said with a smile hugging her friend back.

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Chapter 11 Coming Soon! – Please Review!!!