Title: anything and everything

Author: sue

Rating: PG13

Show: DA

Genre: Angst/Romance/Adventure

Type: WiP

Summary: under the chaos of a failed mission, somehow Logan had managed to do the impossible- infect Max with the deadly virus. Now, it's up to Alec to stop her from plunging into the bottomless crater of death. And he would do anything.. and everything to make sure of that.

*****

again, sorry for the late update :( I was actually waiting for the additional chapter for this one, I added some more stuff coz I think this chapter is too short but somehow my beta must've been super busy and so I decided to post this one first. I'll post the second part in a couple of days, so keep your eyes open ;)

and this chapter was betaed by Mel, Heather and Maia who was roped in because of my mistake. Why? Let's just say I was a scatter brain *hung head in shame*

*****

Previously on Chapter 14.

This is bad, Carr thought frantically as he called out, 'Make it two hundred.'

'Charging.'

'Clear!' the nurses took a step back as Max's body was lifted from the bed, propelled by the rush of electricity.

But the flat sound droned on and on.

'Two forty,' he ordered desperately as beads of sweat started to form around his temple.

'Charging.'

'Clear!'

'Still no pulse doctor,' the nurse said worriedly.

'Two eighty,' he said as a drop of sweat run down towards his stiff jaw.

'Charging.'

'Clear!'

'Still nothing, doctor.'

'Three hundred,' he gritted his teeth as he thought anxiously, come on Max, you can't die now, come on..

and now..

Chapter 15- The Unveiling of Emotions Part 1.

The darkness had been swirling all around her, unnoticed and unwanted for so long, she was accustomed to its presence by now. Max sighed heavily as she tried to move some part of her body, for the umpteenth time, but still.. failure. Where the hell am I? She thought to herself as she squinted a little, trying to see what was beyond the murky silence and the cold darkness. Despite her enhanced vision, she came up with nothing.

A flutter of panic started working its way up her spine and a wave of loneliness hit her, hard. Where's everyone? What happened?

Suddenly she cried out in pain as something surged through her body. A hot blinding pain, starting from her chest and quickly radiating to her entire body. Max gritted her teeth as she whimpered, the pain was excruciating and her eyes filled with tears as the agony continued. A few moments later, the red haze that surrounded her vision burst out into heated colours. Then, her recently dark world exploded blindingly into a bright white light. And at that moment, her heavy body had started to feel extremely light and she could sense how her body was floating towards the warm bright light.

And slowly, the pain dissipated, and she smiled as the white comforting glow enveloped her in its cozy embrace. She was enjoying the light peaceful feeling before she noticed something odd. Her feet had touched solid ground. She snapped her eyes opened and frowned, looking around with calculated eyes, unconsciously tensing her body for unseen dangers. But there seemed to be none that she could see.

Max looked around with bewilderment, 'Damn, where am I?' Her dark eyes narrowed with suspicion as she cast long searching glances all around her, 'Since when is good ol' Seattle covered in mist? Now, we're gonna have mist AND rain?,' she muttered tensely to herself, staring angrily at her new surroundings.

'Max?' a startled voice rang behind her, 'What are you doing here, baby sister?'

Max whipped around at that familiar voice and gaped with shock as she stared into Tinga's calm eyes. 'Tinga!' she shrieked happily, running towards the waiting arms of her sister, 'You're okay! I thought you were dead!' she mumbled into Tinga's warm neck, her arms were wrapped tightly around her big sister. 'I thought you're dead,' she whispered softly as she let Tinga's gentle scent swirl all around her.

Tinga smiled sadly as she stroked Max's soft hair, 'I am.'

'What did you say sister?' Max asked, light creases marking her forehead as she looked up into her sister's eyes. But Tinga never had the chance to reply as again, Max burst out happily, 'Brin? Is that you?'

She turned around and saw the emerging Brin and she smiled as she saw how Max hurtled herself towards her waiting sister. Brin grinned widely as she opened her arms wide and a second later, she was hugging Max tightly, as if she never wanted to let her go.

'Oh my god! You made it from Manticore! And I was so worried you had been trapped in that fire!' Max sniffed happily, wiping her teary eyes.

'I'm glad to see you too, Maxie,' Brin mumbled into Max's dark hair before another voice cut in.

'I hope you're happy to see me too.'

All of them turned as one and looked at the newest arrival. Max frowned as she stared at the beautiful stranger who was smiling happily at her. Slowly, her jaw slackened as she looked deep into the stranger's cheerful eyes. That pair of gleaming eyes seemed hauntingly familiar. 'Eva?' she whispered, tears continued to gather at the corner of her eyes. She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her long lost sister.

'What are you doing here Maxie?' Eva asked, looking over to Tinga and Brin for answers. But her two sisters just shook their heads and Eva frowned.

But Max was smiling happily as she looked at the three of them and completely missed the frown. She was too delighted at that moment, the happiest she had ever been in her entire life and she smiled brightly at Tinga before she put her arm around hers. She opened her mouth to ask them about their whereabouts and for the fourth time, her eyes widened and she gasped before bursting out, 'Alec? What the hell are you doing here?' But despite it, her eyes brightened and her spirits rose higher. Alec is here! Oh my god, he's really here, she thought happily as she took a few unconscious steps forward.

Somehow, Alec wasn't as excited to see her because he frowned as he scrutinized her closely before opening his mouth, 'Alec? Who's Alec?'

Max blinked in bewilderment as disappointment rose, engulfing her in its sweaty grip. Then she gasped as a sudden ray of light shone through her muddled brain, 'Ben?' she squeaked as her brother raised one immaculate brow and grinned down at her.

'The same one,' he said and put his arms around her. 'And tell me Maxie,' he said after he disentangled himself from her, holding her at an arm's length as he peered into her dark eyes, 'Who is Alec?'

Max practically squirmed as four pair of eyes kept her on a tight leash. 'Well.. he.. he's Ben's twin.. or clone.. or something,' she stuttered, blushing beet red as her earlier memory with him chose that particular time to parade in her head.

'I love you Max. I love you with all my heart and soul.'

'My twin? Ben asked amusedly, watching the red stain on her cheek grew, 'And how exactly did you meet my twin when I don't even know I have one?'

Max looked more flustered that ever. 'He was my.. ahem.. my breeding partner.'

'Your what?' the others chorused in amazement as Max continued to impersonate a ripe tomato.

'You two were paired as.. breeding partners?' Tinga asked, a smile started to tug at the corner of her lips, 'And then, what happened?'

'I kicked him to the door and said that that was the only contact we were going to have,' Max shrugged, her face still flushed.

'Really?' Brin grinned, 'Then what did he do?'

'He waved it aside and took a nap.'

'Ahh,' Brin nodded knowingly, 'A rebel. Loves to flaunt the rules if he gets the chance, huh?'

'Oh yeah,' Max rolled her eyes, 'After I burnt down Manticore, we scattered and guess what he chose for a career? A cage fighter! And we were suppose to lay low, under the radar and everything but he.. He marched into the ring as 'Monty Cora' and got snatched by White for that. After I saved his ass and stopped his head from exploding, he disappeared.. for a while, before appearing on my heist and I lost that priceless Sammy Sousa baseball,' she ranted quickly, oblivious to the smiling glances thrown her way.

'Ahh,' Tinga smiled as she noticed the bright gleam in her sister's eyes, 'You two seem to have a very interesting relationship.'

Max coughed fitfully for a few seconds before sputtering, 'What?! We don't have a relationship. Not that kind!' she denied, red faced.

'I love you Max. I love you with all my heart and soul.' His deep voice whispered enticingly in her ears and she shuddered slightly, moved by the warmth in his voice.

'We were just.. friends.. friends who irritated and annoyed the hell out of each other. On a daily basis to boot! How can you say it's a relationship?'

Tinga, Brin and Eva looked at each other and smiled knowingly.

'Are you sure that's what he thinks, Max?' smiled Tinga, one eyebrow arched suggestively.

'I love you Max. I love you with all my heart and soul.'

Blushing furiously, Max lifted her eyes and looked at her sisters before stealing a gaze at Ben, but quickly she turned her head away and stared at the floor. The fact that he looked just like Alec was one of the reasons she couldn't look him in the eye at that moment. 'Emm.. actually.. he did mention something earlier.'

'What?' Brin prodded impatiently, 'What did he say?'

'He said.. he said.. he loved me,' she said softly and if it wasn't for their enhanced hearing, they might've missed it entirely.

'And what about you?' Eva asked lightly, cocking her head to one side, 'How do you feel about him?'

'I don't know!' Max cried out, 'I mean, I thought I was supposed to be with Logan, then the virus thing happened.. we grew apart. Right now, I don't know how I feel about Alec. He.. confuses me,' she said tiredly, looking at them with her wide dark eyes, imploring them to understand her.

'Max,' Tinga said suddenly, 'What if I say that Alec is dead?'

Max snapped her eyes to Tinga's, looking horrorstruck. 'No.. No!! That can't be!' she whispered wildly, her breath coming in desperate bursts as her heart hammered frantically against her ribs. 'No! That's not true Tinga, tell me that's not true!' she begged as she took hold of Tinga's hand in a tight grasp, holding on for dear life and tears started prickling at her eyes. 'Tinga, tell me that, please!!'

'Baby sister, listen to me,' she said gently, her calm eyes looking deep into Max's tortured ones, 'Why? Why is it that you didn't want him to die?'

The next few seconds, silence descended upon them as Max tried to put some order into her chaotic thoughts, 'Does that mean he's still alive?' she asked breathlessly as a warm ray of happiness shot through.

Her wild eyes started to gleam as Tinga asked, 'And what are you feeling right now?'

'I.. I don't know.. I'm still confused as hell,' she mumbled, 'What am I feeling right now?'

'You were terrified when I told you he was dead, am I right?' Tinga asked again.

After a long pause, Max nodded hesitantly, 'Yes.'

'And what were you feeling when you thought he might be alive?'

'I don't know.. happy..'

'And what does that tell you?'

'What Tinga? What's that supposed to mean?' she asked dazedly as all around her, her three sisters smiled while Ben stared silently, still not saying a word.

'You care about him sweetie. If you didn't, you wouldn't care if he dropped dead right in front of your feet.'

For the second time, Max was silent as she mulled it over, 'Does that mean.. I have.. emm feelings for him too?' she asked tentatively, her face flushed. 'And you still haven't told me if he's okay yet. He's fine, right?'

'I can't answer that for you baby sister,' Tinga said calmly while Brin and Eva nodded in agreement, 'You have to answer that on your own. Look into your heart and you will find the answers. Remember that when you're on your way back.'

'What?! No, I'm not leaving yet!' she argued heatedly.

'You have to. It is not your time to be here yet. You have to leave Max. And you want to know about Alec, right? Go Max.'

'But..'

'Don't be afraid of the dark Maxie,' Ben said gently, 'Always remember the light will always be at the end of a tunnel. The Blue Lady will look out for you.'

With her siblings smiling encouragingly, she took a deep breath and with a reluctant step and a last lingering glance she moved into the darkness.

***

'Three forty,' Carr barked desperately, he was sweating profusely now.

'Charging.'

'Clear!'

'Still no cardiac activity,' the nurse said anxiously.

'Three sixty!'

'Charging.'

'Clear!'

Again, Max's body lifted itself from the bed and one of the monitors beeped shrilly.

Blip..

Blip..

'Thank god!' Carr groaned as he dragged a trembling hand over his heated face. He continued to watch the monitor for a few more seconds, as if trying to convince himself that she was still alive before something hit him, hard. Alec! Damn it! I forgot all about him!! Please, please don't let him have a cardiac arrest too!! 'I have to check on another patient, stay with her for a while, okay?' and without waiting for her answer, he dashed off to the next room, praying frantically that he would not be too late.

His eyes sought out the monitors and his heart sank as he saw that Alec's vitals were not that encouraging. But he's still alive, he thought to himself, and that's what's important right now. He wiped away the sweat that was glistening around his temple and stretched out his hand to continue what he was about to do earlier.

Stop the procedure before it killed Alec.

But again, he was distracted as the door was pushed suddenly and he turned and watched as the lab technician walked in, holding another test result. The tech handed Carr the papers and said, 'I think this is what you were waiting for.'

Carr grabbed the papers and he almost laughed out loud as he skimmed through the numbers and figures. Alec's white cell count had dropped to zero and there was some sign that his bone marrow had started to mass produce the stem cells.

He heaved a huge sigh of relief as he turned and looked into the sunny Seattle. Everything will work out, that's for sure. There's nothing to worry about anymore. Too lost in his thoughts, he almost jumped out of his skin as a weak voice asked, 'How's Max?'

'Alec! You're up!,' he said delightedly as he unconsciously glanced towards the monitors, looking at the numbers there. 'How are you feeling?' he asked worriedly.

'I feel like crap,' Alec mumbled hoarsely, closing his eyes for a few seconds before he grimaced in pain as the lethal drug surged through. 'Max.. she's still okay?'

Quickly, Carr took a fleeting look at the next room as the recent event played itself in his mind. 'Yes, she's still holding on. Don't worry about her and I've got some good news. Seems like you're starting to mass produce those stem cells as we speak. At this rate, we'll have what we need in less than an hour.'

'Good,' Alec said tiredly, slowly slipping back to the ever waiting darkness.

Eyes filled with worry, Carr started to prepare for the harvesting. He thought about his two unconscious patients and he shook his head fearfully, dreading the worse.

to be continued..