Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel, so on and so forth. You know the drill.

Setting: After FN

A/N: Please review. I'd love any ideas you guys have about what should happen in this story. This is kind of a 'what I would do if I was in Dark Angel' story so feel free to give me some input on that. Thanks.

A Normal Girl

Maleah's POV:

It was kind of obvious that the two X-series transgenics who'd moved off to the side were deciding my fate. My eyes kept flickering between watching them and keeping an eye on the transgenics standing around me, especially the tall, lizard-like one. I never thought lizards could growl before.

The two apparent leaders walk back over and I immediately straighten up. This is it. This is the moment when my plan succeeds or fails miserably, accepted or rejected by even the outcasts. That's a depressing thought.

"Alright, people, here's how this is going to work." the girl says in a commanding tone, "We're going to cut this girl a break because we all know what it's like to be out of place, to not fit in. So, she's on probation and Alec, here, is going to make sure everything stays cool."

"This isn't a home for the strange. It's us against them! We can't let them into our ranks." the lizard-guy protests.

"Hey!" the girl snaps, "Some of them are what's keeping cigars in your mouth so I'd show a little more appreciation."

"A handful of exceptions don't make up for the millions that want us dead, Max."

"But they could be the difference between us living and dying. We need all the help we can get and you know it." the girl who must be Max retorts.

"I don't like it." lizard-guy growls and stalks off.

"Noted." Max mutters. Her attention turns to me, "So, what's your name?"

I try not to give a relieved sigh and reply, "Maleah."

"Pretty name." the guy that Max had called Alec comments.

Now that the pressure is mostly off, I actually take the time to realize how incredibly good looking this guy is. He's all perfect muscle, clearly defined even through his clothes. His eyes are a deep hazel, his hair just begging to be touched. His perfect grin seems to make my knees less stable somehow. My mind quickly recalls all the guys I can remember meeting, but I can't think of one that was sexier. I quickly look away, hoping that he won't notice that my cheeks are getting redder.

"Thanks." I manage what seems like about thirty seconds after I should have responded.

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye and see that he is grinning. I'm sure my cheeks are getting even redder. I try to ignore my embarrassment and instead notice the dispersal of the transgenics who had been encircling me. They go to various positions in the building, working at computers or looking over papers. I can hardly believe they let me into their world. I know they have every right to hate and fear me. I am a member of the race that feels the same way towards them. I was just sort of hoping that they would find it in them to give me a chance. Luckily, that highly improbable occurrence actually happened. I kind of feel like celebrating.

"So, should I give you the grand tour?" Alec asks, drawing my attention back to him.

"Alec, we have some things to take care of, remember?" Max says before I can respond.

"Later." Alec waves her off, "Check out the plans on the desk over there and I'll meet you here in an hour."

"Alright, but don't be late or I'll--"

"Kick my ass. I know, I know." he finishes for her. He turns to me and gestures for me to follow him towards the side door, "Don't mind her. She's kind of uptight and violent because of her unrequited lust for me."

"Alec!" Max hisses.

"She's obsessed with my ass. It's kind of unnerving." Alec continues with a large grin on his face.

"Alec, I swear to God I'll kill you!" Max yells just before we're out the door.

Judging from Max's reaction and Alec's expression, Alec is just teasing her and is really getting a kick out of it. I smile. Transgenics don't act much different than regular people.

I decide to tell him as much, "You don't seem so different."

"Oh, I'm not your average guy." he says, emphasizing 'average' and raising an eyebrow. He obviously means in more ways than just the one I was talking about. I try again not to blush.

"Well, what makes you so different, then?" I ask, feeling bold, "They weren't very specific on the news. Just said that you're supposed to be some kind of real-life G.I. Joe or something."

"Or something." he scoffs. His eyes go kind of dark before he continues, "It's like this, babe. Back in the day, this crazy guy decided that he wanted to improve upon the old model human. The government came along and said, 'Good idea and while you're at it, why don't you make him a soldier in our army. We'll give you the funding and let you do your research without sticking you in prison.' So, of course, Mr. Mad Scientist agrees and the next thing you know you've got kids with spliced DNA in boot camp and some wack guys like Mole in there running the new and improved special ops units. You and me are more different than you can imagine."

For a moment, I'm stunned as images of toddlers with machine guns flash in my mind. I blink a few times to get back to reality.

"Oh, yeah? Well, show me something, then." I challenge.

"Alright." he agrees.

He looks around, clearly trying to think of what he can show me. His eyes kind of light up and his lips quirk as an idea comes to his mind.

"How about this?" he asks.

The next thing I know he's running towards the wall. I lose track of him, he's moving so fast and then, all of a sudden, I feel a tap on my other shoulder. I whip my head around to find him standing on my other side. How the...

Obviously, seeing my surprise, he smiles and explains, "We can move a lot faster than you can. Fast enough to run up a wall and flip over your head before your eyes can follow."

"Cool." I utter before I can think not to.

He smiles wider and continues walking. I follow, my mind suddenly racing with questions.

"How can you do that? What did they splice your genes with? What was Manticore like? What did they train--" I ramble off questions, barely pausing to take a breath.

"Hey, hold it. I may be genetically enhanced, but I can only answer one question at a time." he jokes, "All X-series have some animal DNA spliced with theirs. None of us are too sure about all of what they put in our cocktail, but we know that cat DNA was a big part of it. That's what makes us able to jump high, land on our feet, see in the dark, and other stuff like that."

For some reason I start thinking about those old superheroes that were so popular before the Pulse. Those old comic books were a kind of secret obsession with me. Like I told Max, Alec, and the others before, I've never felt like the so-called 'normal' people. I've always felt I should have been born like one of them so that maybe I could be someone extraordinary, do something extraordinary. I know I shouldn't be, but I'm actually kind of jealous of the transgenics. I don't want to be persecuted or anything, but I would almost be willing to accept that consequence if I could be one of them.

I stamp down on my thoughts and shove them to the back of my mind like I always do. I don't need to share that with Alec. He'd probably be offended.

"It's hard to believe that you trust me enough to tell me all this." I say instead.

Alec catches and holds my gaze.

"Hate to break it to you, babe, but we don't. I'm only telling you things that the people who really want to hurt us already know." he admits.

I nod slowly. I'm kind of disappointed, but I understand. They have to be careful.

"But, on with the tour." Alec says, dismissing the serious moment, "On your left is the lovely abandoned supermarket. Up ahead is one of many trashed warehouses. And just past that is one of my personal favorites, the shitty, run-down apartment complex where I live."

I glance ahead at the places he's indicated. Despite the immense amount of sarcasm in his voice, I'm actually kind of interested in these places. After all, the transgenics have probably completely changed the insides of them.

"You want to go up to my place and get a drink?" Alec asks, adding, "You probably shouldn't stay outside for too long at a time anyway. What with the toxins and stuff."

I nod. That was the one part of my plan that I hadn't completely thought through. I knew that remaining in Terminal City for too long would make me sick and I wasn't sure what I was going to do about it. Maybe the transgenics would have an idea since they appeared to be immune to whatever chemicals were in the area. But that's probably another question to save for when they trust me.

"Why not?" I say, adding a shrug to emphasize my indifference.

"Well, follow me then. Just...uh...don't expect much." he warns.

In my mind I reply, 'Like I'm really going to be looking at my surroundings when you're in the room.' But, of course, I don't tell him that.

"I won't." comes out of my mouth.

I let him lead the way to the apartment building. The outside is just as trashy as any building in Terminal City. Nothing would reveal to a stranger that a bunch of genetically engineered soldiers are living inside. The rear end of the guy in front of me, however, was a whole different story. I'll bet that attracted a lot of attention.

"Coming?"

I nearly jumped, immediately straightening and hoping he hadn't seen my head tilted to the side and my eyes focused somewhere lower than his back.

"Yeah." I agreed quickly, hurrying a little to make up the space that had appeared between us due to my lagging behind.

I was really going to have to try harder to be more inconspicuous.

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