HIGHSCHOOL MISSIONS
Chapter 3
Moving In
_______________________________________________
"Plane tickets, ID's, passports, sector passes. I think we have everything." Logan told them from the car.
"We'll see you tomorrow then. Have a good trip." Alec told him.
"I will." Logan nodded before turning to Max.
"Be careful!" They both said at the same time. Max smiled, "I will."
Logan nodded and started the engine. "Bye kids!"
"Bye daddy!" Alec responded, making Max smile again.
As Logan drove away Max heard Alec chuckle.
"What?" She asked him.
"Could you two be more lame? What's up with the whole 'be careful' thing?"
"Oh shut up Alec"
"You know, we should go pack our own stuff now." Alec suggested.
"Yeah, I'll see you later at Crash right?" Max asked.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Oh and Alec?"
"Yeah?"
"Get some sleep."
Alec smiled "Yeah."
*************
Max sat at a table with Original Cindy, beer in hand, just watching Sketchy get drunk.
"You know Boo, I'm really gonna miss this." Cindy commented.
"Miss what? Watching Sketchy trying to feel me up after a few pitchers of beer?"
"He better not" Alec whispered in her ear.
Max jumped about a mile. "Alec! Will you stop that? I hate it when you sneak up on me like that!"
"You mean I can actually sneak up on the perfect, always alert, never sleeping Max? I'm honored!" Alec joked and grabbed a seat next to Max.
"Don't sound so smug about it, you might be surprised at what this girl can do."
"Trust me, I'm eager to find out." He whispered to her.
"Ugh Alec back off, how about some pool? I feel like kicking your ass today."
"You know, this infatuation with my ass worries me sometimes." Alec smiled and stood up.
"Ok, so what are we playing for? Money?" He asked picking up a cue.
Max smiled seductively and walked over to him, "How about we make it a little more interesting?"
Alec swallowed "I'm game!"
Max got impossibly close to him "The winner..." She tilted his head down and whispered in his ear "Gets first pick at the new beds."
Alec chuckled and relaxed a little. "Oh, that! Fine with me!"
"Well, what did you think I was gonna suggest?" Max raised an eyebrow.
"Max, shut up and play will you?"
*************
Two minutes later most of the balls where gone and Max and Alec where tied with only one ball left each. It was Max's turn.
"That shot is really hard Max." Alec commented.
"I know!" Max said through gritted teeth.
Alec moved closer to her, his thighs brushed against her backside as he moved past her.
"You'll never make it."
"I can manage." Max got ready to take her shot and Alec leaned down, he was so close Max could feel his warm breath on her ear.
She missed.
"Oh, sorry Maxie, better luck next time! I'm winning this round!" Alec prepared his move.
"I don't think so" Max muttered. She stood behind him until she was sure he was about to take his shot, then she pinched his backside.
Alec jumped and missed.
"Max! That was completely unfair!" Alec gasped.
"I really really want the best bed." Max shrugged, "And besides, all is fair in love and war!"
"Oh yeah, and which one are we playing at?"
Max was so surprised at his comment she missed her shot.
"I want a good bed too Max, better luck with the ladies!"
"God knows you need it."
Alec missed. "Hey! No bad comments about Junior, you could hurt his feelings!" Alec motioned to the lower half of his anatomy.
"Oh Alec, you're disgusting!"
"Well, maybe we can just avoid all the trouble."
"How exactly?" Max concentrated hard on her next shot, she was getting tired of fighting Alec
"We could just share the best bed."
But even that wasn't enough to distract Max, who won the game and then slapped Alec on the back of the head.
"Good game boo, what where you and your boy talking about? You look kind of flushed!" Original Cindy offered a beer to Max and she drank greedily.
"Nothing in particular. And it's just really hot in here!"
"What ever you have to tell yourself." Alec teased her, which earned him another slap.
*************
"Max are you ready to go? Our flight leaves in like an hour!" Alec shouted.
"I had never noticed just how much black clothes I own. It's an awful lot! Think anyone will notice?" Max walked out of her room carrying two large suitcases.
Alec kicked his own suitcase open to reveal that three fourths of his clothes where black as well.
"Oh well, who's gonna know?" Max grabbed the rest of her bags and a couple of boxes and carried them downstairs, where Alec had a cab waiting for them. Once the car was loaded Max realized it was time to say goodbye to Cindy.
"Boo..." Max turned to her but found out that she had no words.
Original Cindy sniffled and opened her arms. Max hugged Cindy tightly, a small tear rolled down her cheek, making Cindy cry.
"Promise you'll call or write or something!" Cindy told her between sobs.
"I promise" Max was now sobbing herself. "Cindy, please please please take care of my baby for me, don't let anyone take her nor touch her!"
"I'll guard it with my life." Cindy squeezed Max one last time before turning to Alec.
"You know, you might be a real pain in the ass but I've actually come to like you boo."
Alec smiled, but it wasn't one of his cocky smiles, it was a sincere one. "I really like you too Cindy."
Original Cindy wrapped her arms around him and he hugged her back. "Take good care of my boo for me."
"I'll guard her with my life." Alec repeated Cindy's words.
She had a feeling he was kidding but it still made her feel a lot better. The thing was, as Alec realized, he wasn't kidding, not at all.
*************
By the time they where sitting on uncomfortable chairs at the airport, Max was still crying softly. Alec wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She leaned into his embrace and rested her head on his chest.
"You're really going to miss Seattle aren't you?"
"Staying in this city has been a total risk for me for a while now and I could never bring myself to leave."
"We ARE coming back Max, I promise I'll get you back here. No matter what."
"Do you always keep your promises?"
"To you? Yes."
Max felt oddly reassured. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be comforted by Alec.
*************
"Maxine Jane Bewer? Alecsander Cage? This way please!" A small bald man motioned for them to follow him.
Max took a deep breath and followed the man with Alec at her heels.
"I'm Stuart Young, everyone calls me Stuart. I work at the school" The man helped them haul their things on to a black van
"Doing what?" Alec asked him.
"Oh lots of stuff, I'm everywhere you know?"
They didn't but decided not to say anything while Stuart drove them to Logan's.
Once they got there Stuart introduced everyone and they all shook hands. Max made sure she was wearing her gloves and shook Logan's hand carefully.
"Well, I'll leave you to get acquainted. Get some sleep, classes start tomorrow!" Stuart told them enthusiastically.
"Will do, thank you for the ride!" Max smiled.
"I'll walk you to your car" Alec told him.
Once they where outside Alec asked him "Hey, you know where I can score a nice car around here?"
Stuart squirmed a little "Hum... we don't encourage new students to buy a car so soon..."
"Yeah but you see, I'm a senior so it's kind of now or never." Alec slipped some money into Stuart's pocket
"Well, there are some places downtown... I'll get you some fliers tomorrow and I bet you can find something there."
"Thank you" Alec smiled at him and walked back into the house.
*************
Max dropped down on one of the beds and bounced up and down a few times, then she stood up and bounced on the other bed. Alec watched from the top of the stairs.
"So, which one did you like best?" He asked her.
"I'm not sure, why don't you come here and tell me what you think?" Max asked him so Alec jumped down the rest of the steps and repeated what Max had done.
"I think this one is softer." He pointed to the bed closest to the bathroom.
"Thanks, I'll take that one." Max reached into one of her boxes and extracted some blue sheets.
"Hey that's not fair! You're supposed to take the one I told you was worst so I can have the other one!"
Max smiled from her bed. "Like I didn't know you where going to do that."
"I need to improve my techniques." Alec mumbled and laid down on his unmade bed.
"Ok, let's make some rules here. First of all, no lady friends while I'm here ok?"
"Aww Ma..." Alec stopped suddenly.
"Ale..." Alec turned to Max and silenced her with a look. He focused on listening and shutting out everything else.
Max stared at Alec and frowned.
Alec could hear a small sound coming from somewhere in the room, he looked around, using his enhanced view, until he discovered a hidden camera on a corner of the room on top of a shelve and a bug on the light fixture.
He turned his back to the camera and signaled to Max for her to be quiet and play along.
"So maybe we should unpack, what do you think MJ?"
'MJ?' Max wondered to herself but didn't dare ask him out loud.
"Yeah, could you hand me that box Alecsander?"
Alec slid a box towards her and she took out a lamp and some pictures.
"Hey MJ, this box is yours too." Alec handed her another box.
"It is?" Max glanced at the strange box. Alec raised an eyebrow. "Oh it is! The housekeeper must have packed it." Max opened the box and found some teddy bears and a couple of old dolls, some medals and a few trophies for swimming and gymnastics.
"Here, you can have the top shelve." Alec grabbed some of the teddy bears and arranged them so that the camera was totally covered.
"Hey Alecsander, do you mind if I change the light bulb? This room needs some more light." Max started glancing around, looking for some more cameras but apparently there where none.
"Naw, go upstairs and ask Mr. Cale if he has another light bulb. Tell him we'll pay him back."
'Warn him' Alec mouthed and Max nodded.
"Ok, be right back."
Max ran up the stairs and found Logan on the kitchen making coffee.
"Hey Mr. Cale, do you have a light bulb we can borrow?" Max took a seat on the breakfast bar and grabbed a napkin.
Logan frowned and turned towards her "Why are you..."
Max shoveled the napkin in his direction. It said, "Might be watching and listening."
"...even asking? Of course I'll lend you a light bulb. Go look upstairs, there's a closet by my bedroom, you might find some there. You'll know which one is my bedroom right away."
"Ok, thanks!" Max looked around the kitchen, not finding any cameras but needing Alec to make sure about the bugs.
She ran up the stairs and found Logan's room quickly. She glanced inside, just pretending to be a nosy teen and found a camera on a corner above the bed.
She found the small closet, took a light bulb, inspected the hall finding nothing, and ran back down the stairs.
"Your room has a camera" Max whispered to Logan, getting as close to him as she dared.
Logan nodded. He walked over to the stereo and turned on some loud music.
"Are there any bugs?"
"Not from what I can tell but I need Alec to double check that for us. Let me get this to him and then I'll have him inspect the living room."
Logan nodded and Max thundered down the stairs.
"Mr. Cale said it was ok, I'll just get a chair or something and change..."
"Here, let me do it!" Alec took the light bulb from her, climbed on a chair and changed it.
"Hey, what's this?" He held the bug up.
"I don't know, what does it look like?" Max asked him.
"It looks like..." Alec dropped the bug, then he pretended to fall off his chair and step on it. It broke with a small crack.
"MJ?" Max asked him immediately.
"It was all I could come up with so suddenly. Besides, I like it."
Max considered it "I sort of like it too but why not just Max?"
Alec shrugged, "what if they know about your name?"
Max nodded, it seemed reasonable.
"Where did the stuffed animals come from?" Max asked Alec.
"Probably Logan. I can't believe they bugged us!"
"They are Manticore, what did you expect?" Max said sarcastically.
"I should go upstairs."
"Hey Alec, would you check the first floor for bugs? There are no cameras but I'm not sure about the mikes." Max asked him.
"Sure."
They both walked upstairs, Alec got to work right away, making sure to be really really quiet.
"The first floor is clean. I'll go check upstairs."
"No cameras on the hall, there's one on Logan's room, I don't know about the rest." Max told him.
Alec nodded and left.
"So, did you put that box downstairs?" Max asked Logan.
"The one with the stuffed animals and the trophies? Yeah. Alec has one of trophies and medals as well. I figured you'd need them."
"Good thinking" Max smiled.
"Thanks."
"No microphones, no more cameras but I think there's a camera on the front porch. Remember something Max?"
Max closed her eyes and pictured the front porch. "Yes, above the swing right?"
"I think so." Alec confirmed.
Logan sighed. Well, you guys will just have to come in through your own door and we'll be fine." Logan reassured them.
"Yeah" Max said but there was a felling of uneasiness she couldn't shake off.
************
"So, are you going to teach me how to listen for bugs?" Max asked Alec.
They where sitting around the kitchen table while Logan made lunch for them.
"Oh Max, you can do it! Just concentrate!" Alec moved his chair closer to her.
"I'll guide you through it ok? You just have to do as I say."
"You better not hypnotize me and have me running around flapping like a bird and all that crap or I'll kick your ass." She told him.
Logan, who was chopping some vegetables, chuckled.
"Ok, ok, close your eyes."
"Why?"
"So you can concentrate better Max."
"Ok." Max closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Good now enhance your hearing, concentrate on high pitched sounds."
Max did so and gasped, the electricity of things like the blender and the toaster where hurting her ears.
"Max, are you ok? What happened?" Alec asked her. Logan put down his knife and moved closer to her without touching her.
"Nothing, I concentrated too hard I guess." Max smiled sheepishly.
"Maybe the kitchen isn't the best place to practice." Logan told them.
"You're right. We'll try again later." Alec grabbed the carrot Logan had been chopping up and cut it up quickly and in perfect little slices.
The phone rang then, Logan dried his hands on a kitchen towel and grabbed the phone.
"Hello? Oh hi! Yes of course... no, it's no problem at all! Yes I'm sure, I'm almost done unpacking anyway. The students? They are in their room I think, maybe they left. Ok... fine, see you then."
Logan hung up. Almost immediately the phone downstairs rang. Alec ran to get it.
"What did they tell you Logan?" Max asked him.
"Some of the teachers are coming over tonight, tradition or something, who knows?"
Alec appeared at the top of the stairs. "They where just checking up on us, probably because now there's no bug and no camera on our room."
Max sighed, things where going to be hard for all of them but just how hard, she had no idea.
*************
Max heard the laughter of people upstairs, the door to the basement had been locked to avoid questions and now she was stuck with Alec for the rest of the night... or so she thought.
Alec walked out of the bathroom wearing black pants and a black tight shirt.
"Going somewhere?" Max asked him.
"Checking out the town, checking out the chicks." Alec grabbed his house keys.
"On foot?"
"Yes. Want to come?" He decided to ask her.
"Chick hunting? No thanks."
"Ok!" Alec shrugged and turned to leave.
"Don't stay out too late, you have school tomorrow!" Max called after him.
"Yes mom!" He yelled back but he was smiling.
*************
When Alec got back from his recon mission he found Max asleep on the couch, reading the same book she had been reading two nights ago at Logan's. She was wearing boxers and her sport's bra.
Alec smiled and picked her up in his arms. He carried her over to the bed and laid her down.
"You better not get used to this" He whispered before tucking the covers around her.
He was just about to lean down and kiss her forehead when Max asked him.
"Good night?"
"Naw, being wheelless sucks."
Max smiled "Night Alec."
"Night Max."
*************
Max opened her eyes the next morning and looked around for Alec. She found him in the bed in front of her, asleep.
She got up from her own bed and walked over to his. He looked so peaceful she almost regretted doing what she was about to do. Almost but not quite.
She cleared her throat, leaned close to his ear, took a deep breath and...
"WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD!!"
Alec jumped about a feet and rolled off the bed tangled in the sheets. He landed on the floor with a tud.
"Hey! What did you do that for?!"
"Well I have been calling your name for a minute or so with no response from you what so ever, it was the only way!"
"Yeah, right!" Alec untangled himself and got up, muttering under his breath "Bitch."
That earned him a pillow on the face.
"I'm taking a shower." Max informed him before turning her back on him and walking away.
She closed the door behind her and turned on the hot water.
Max inhaled the vapor coming from the water and smiled.
"Thank God for working water heaters!" She said out loud before stripping and stepping into the shower, closing the pale blue curtains behind her.
Max rubbed the soap all over her body and massaged her scalp with some herbal shampoo that smelled like cherries. She was in the process of rinsing when the door burst open and Alec walked in.
"Alec what the hell are you doing?!" Max shrieked.
"I had to pee." Alec told her trying not to groan at the sight of her naked silhouette behind the curtain.
"Well pee upstairs! There are a few other bathrooms in this house you know!"
"Yeah but Logan forgot to unlock the door last night so it was either this or me peeing outside!"
Max grumbled some response and continued to rinse her hair while se listened to Alec fumbling around and taking a pee.
"You better remember to put the seat down when you're done." She threatened him.
"You know I don't have to put it up, perfect aim." Alec teased. He slammed the toilet seat down, flushed the toilet and washed his hands.
"Pig"
"Control freak"
"I am NOT a control freak!" Max fought back.
"Are too"
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
She moved the shower curtain aside so that she could sneak her head out and look at Alec. "Am NOT!"
Alec raised an eyebrow, finally realizing just how ridiculous everything sounded.
Max laughed and Alec joined her. They laughed for a couple of minutes, getting some of the tension from the last couple of days out.
"Could you hand me that brush?" Max asked him.
"Sure." Alec grabbed a hair brush from the counter and handed it to her. Their hands touched briefly.
Alec jumped away at the contact. Something about Max's naked wet hand filled his head with images of the naked wet arm attached to it and the naked wet...
"ALEC!"
"Yeah?" He jumped a little.
"I said, could you please leave so that I can get out and change now." Max was smiling, knowing he had been deep in thought.
"Aww Max, you can't change with me in the room? What are you shy?!" Alec leaned against the sink and smirked.
"I'm not shy! I'm modest!" Max grabbed a towel from the towel rack and wrapped it around herself.
"Max, they are synonyms!" Alec was obviously enjoying the torture.
Max just blushed and stepped out of the shower, she ran the brush through her hair furiously.
"Max, really, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Your body is perfect! We where made that way remember?"
"Yeah well that doesn't mean I'm gonna parade around you naked!" Max walked out of the bathroom, closely followed by Alec.
"I'm just saying that there is no need for you to be all shy and modest that's all!"
Max grabbed her school uniform and underwear and marched back to the bathroom.
The door to the basement opened and Logan walked in. "Hey you guys, are you almost ready? You're gonna be late!"
"We'll be ready in five minutes." Max told him and slammed the bathroom door in Alec's face.
Logan raised an eyebrow and Alec just shrugged. "Woman." He told Logan.
He nodded knowingly and gave Alec a sympathetic smile. "I made breakfast, come up when you're ready."
"Oh so now you're taking HIS side! Original Cindy was right, all men are the same!" Max yelled through the door.
Logan escaped before she could yell anything else.
*************
"Max, your breakfast is getting cold!" Logan yelled.
"I said I'm coming!" Max yelled back.
Alec sighed. "Seriously, you'd think a transgenic girl would be able to get ready for school quickly like the good soldier she's supposed to be but noooo she had to go all girly on us!"
"I am NOT a good little soldier. Never was, never will be." Max joined the two guys at the breakfast bar and wolfed down her pancakes.
The boys where stunned into silence at Max's appearance. She had her hair loose, a light touch of makeup, lip gloss and clear pink nails. She looked like every teenager's wet dream come true.
Max felt the stares and looked up.
"Whuf?" She asked, her mouth full of pancakes.
"See? Right there, charm breaker!" Alec laughed and stuffed half a pancake into his mouth.
"Loof Olef, fu beffed shuf uf ug I'g giging suf oss!" Max tried to threaten him but it only made him laugh harder and spit out half his pancake.
Logan took cover behind the counter and wiped some of the crumbs away from his shirt.
"Guys, come on! Finish up so we can leave please!" Logan scolded them.
"Hey, we're just getting used to being teenagers!" Max protested.
"Yeah man, chill!" Alec gulped down the rest of his milk and got up to rinse his plate.
Logan smiled "I'm actually glad you guys are going to be doing this whole high school thing. It's a fun experience I really want both of you to have. No one should have to go from being a child to being an adult without going through the fun teenager stuff."
Alec smiled genuinely. "You know, this is one mission I might actually like." He admitted.
"Yeah, I would enjoy it too if it wasn't for the whole manticore-trying-to-turn-kids-into-soldiers thing." Max rinsed her plate and grabbed her backpack.
"Oh come on Max, don't be a party pooper!" Alec picked up his back pack and placed an arm around Max's shoulders but she shrugged it off.
"Yeah Max, things where going so well with my whole optimistic speech." Logan joked and locked the door behind them.
"Let's just hope this 'fun experience' doesn't turn into a disaster."
Alec chuckled "Yeah right, like anything EVER works out the way it was planned with us."
*************
"Ok guys, we're a little bit on the late side so I have to go to homeroom. You two go straight to the office and get your schedules." Logan told them at the school gate.
"Sure thing... Mr. Cale." Max answered.
Logan turned around and found a young girl staring at the back of his head. The student giggled and ran away.
Logan sighed.
"You better get used to it. I have a feeling we're all going to be getting a lot of that stuff." Max pointed at a couple of girls staring at Alec and whispering behind their hands.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Let's just go ok? I'll see you two in class."
Max and Alec nodded. Logan grazed Max's uniform covered arm lightly before walking away.
Max sighed and Alec took her hand.
Max looked down at their joined hands and then at Alec.
"Come on Max, right now I think we both need as much support as we can get." Alec whispered to her.
Max was too nervous to argue or push him away.
"Ready for your first day of school?" He asked her.
"As ready as I'll ever be!"
They walked into the building hand in hand.
____________________________________________
I'm sorry this chapter took so long, I promise the next one will come sooner.
I hope you liked it, it seemed kind of rushed to me!
I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter and remind people to please vote for your favorite couple!! I have gotten some m/l votes, just not enough. If you're an m/l shipper, you still have a chance! Just vote!! And if you don't feel like taking sides then just leave a review please!
Oh, one more thing, if you'd like for me to email you when I update this story then leave me your email adress and tell me please!
Chapter 3
Moving In
_______________________________________________
"Plane tickets, ID's, passports, sector passes. I think we have everything." Logan told them from the car.
"We'll see you tomorrow then. Have a good trip." Alec told him.
"I will." Logan nodded before turning to Max.
"Be careful!" They both said at the same time. Max smiled, "I will."
Logan nodded and started the engine. "Bye kids!"
"Bye daddy!" Alec responded, making Max smile again.
As Logan drove away Max heard Alec chuckle.
"What?" She asked him.
"Could you two be more lame? What's up with the whole 'be careful' thing?"
"Oh shut up Alec"
"You know, we should go pack our own stuff now." Alec suggested.
"Yeah, I'll see you later at Crash right?" Max asked.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Oh and Alec?"
"Yeah?"
"Get some sleep."
Alec smiled "Yeah."
*************
Max sat at a table with Original Cindy, beer in hand, just watching Sketchy get drunk.
"You know Boo, I'm really gonna miss this." Cindy commented.
"Miss what? Watching Sketchy trying to feel me up after a few pitchers of beer?"
"He better not" Alec whispered in her ear.
Max jumped about a mile. "Alec! Will you stop that? I hate it when you sneak up on me like that!"
"You mean I can actually sneak up on the perfect, always alert, never sleeping Max? I'm honored!" Alec joked and grabbed a seat next to Max.
"Don't sound so smug about it, you might be surprised at what this girl can do."
"Trust me, I'm eager to find out." He whispered to her.
"Ugh Alec back off, how about some pool? I feel like kicking your ass today."
"You know, this infatuation with my ass worries me sometimes." Alec smiled and stood up.
"Ok, so what are we playing for? Money?" He asked picking up a cue.
Max smiled seductively and walked over to him, "How about we make it a little more interesting?"
Alec swallowed "I'm game!"
Max got impossibly close to him "The winner..." She tilted his head down and whispered in his ear "Gets first pick at the new beds."
Alec chuckled and relaxed a little. "Oh, that! Fine with me!"
"Well, what did you think I was gonna suggest?" Max raised an eyebrow.
"Max, shut up and play will you?"
*************
Two minutes later most of the balls where gone and Max and Alec where tied with only one ball left each. It was Max's turn.
"That shot is really hard Max." Alec commented.
"I know!" Max said through gritted teeth.
Alec moved closer to her, his thighs brushed against her backside as he moved past her.
"You'll never make it."
"I can manage." Max got ready to take her shot and Alec leaned down, he was so close Max could feel his warm breath on her ear.
She missed.
"Oh, sorry Maxie, better luck next time! I'm winning this round!" Alec prepared his move.
"I don't think so" Max muttered. She stood behind him until she was sure he was about to take his shot, then she pinched his backside.
Alec jumped and missed.
"Max! That was completely unfair!" Alec gasped.
"I really really want the best bed." Max shrugged, "And besides, all is fair in love and war!"
"Oh yeah, and which one are we playing at?"
Max was so surprised at his comment she missed her shot.
"I want a good bed too Max, better luck with the ladies!"
"God knows you need it."
Alec missed. "Hey! No bad comments about Junior, you could hurt his feelings!" Alec motioned to the lower half of his anatomy.
"Oh Alec, you're disgusting!"
"Well, maybe we can just avoid all the trouble."
"How exactly?" Max concentrated hard on her next shot, she was getting tired of fighting Alec
"We could just share the best bed."
But even that wasn't enough to distract Max, who won the game and then slapped Alec on the back of the head.
"Good game boo, what where you and your boy talking about? You look kind of flushed!" Original Cindy offered a beer to Max and she drank greedily.
"Nothing in particular. And it's just really hot in here!"
"What ever you have to tell yourself." Alec teased her, which earned him another slap.
*************
"Max are you ready to go? Our flight leaves in like an hour!" Alec shouted.
"I had never noticed just how much black clothes I own. It's an awful lot! Think anyone will notice?" Max walked out of her room carrying two large suitcases.
Alec kicked his own suitcase open to reveal that three fourths of his clothes where black as well.
"Oh well, who's gonna know?" Max grabbed the rest of her bags and a couple of boxes and carried them downstairs, where Alec had a cab waiting for them. Once the car was loaded Max realized it was time to say goodbye to Cindy.
"Boo..." Max turned to her but found out that she had no words.
Original Cindy sniffled and opened her arms. Max hugged Cindy tightly, a small tear rolled down her cheek, making Cindy cry.
"Promise you'll call or write or something!" Cindy told her between sobs.
"I promise" Max was now sobbing herself. "Cindy, please please please take care of my baby for me, don't let anyone take her nor touch her!"
"I'll guard it with my life." Cindy squeezed Max one last time before turning to Alec.
"You know, you might be a real pain in the ass but I've actually come to like you boo."
Alec smiled, but it wasn't one of his cocky smiles, it was a sincere one. "I really like you too Cindy."
Original Cindy wrapped her arms around him and he hugged her back. "Take good care of my boo for me."
"I'll guard her with my life." Alec repeated Cindy's words.
She had a feeling he was kidding but it still made her feel a lot better. The thing was, as Alec realized, he wasn't kidding, not at all.
*************
By the time they where sitting on uncomfortable chairs at the airport, Max was still crying softly. Alec wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. She leaned into his embrace and rested her head on his chest.
"You're really going to miss Seattle aren't you?"
"Staying in this city has been a total risk for me for a while now and I could never bring myself to leave."
"We ARE coming back Max, I promise I'll get you back here. No matter what."
"Do you always keep your promises?"
"To you? Yes."
Max felt oddly reassured. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to be comforted by Alec.
*************
"Maxine Jane Bewer? Alecsander Cage? This way please!" A small bald man motioned for them to follow him.
Max took a deep breath and followed the man with Alec at her heels.
"I'm Stuart Young, everyone calls me Stuart. I work at the school" The man helped them haul their things on to a black van
"Doing what?" Alec asked him.
"Oh lots of stuff, I'm everywhere you know?"
They didn't but decided not to say anything while Stuart drove them to Logan's.
Once they got there Stuart introduced everyone and they all shook hands. Max made sure she was wearing her gloves and shook Logan's hand carefully.
"Well, I'll leave you to get acquainted. Get some sleep, classes start tomorrow!" Stuart told them enthusiastically.
"Will do, thank you for the ride!" Max smiled.
"I'll walk you to your car" Alec told him.
Once they where outside Alec asked him "Hey, you know where I can score a nice car around here?"
Stuart squirmed a little "Hum... we don't encourage new students to buy a car so soon..."
"Yeah but you see, I'm a senior so it's kind of now or never." Alec slipped some money into Stuart's pocket
"Well, there are some places downtown... I'll get you some fliers tomorrow and I bet you can find something there."
"Thank you" Alec smiled at him and walked back into the house.
*************
Max dropped down on one of the beds and bounced up and down a few times, then she stood up and bounced on the other bed. Alec watched from the top of the stairs.
"So, which one did you like best?" He asked her.
"I'm not sure, why don't you come here and tell me what you think?" Max asked him so Alec jumped down the rest of the steps and repeated what Max had done.
"I think this one is softer." He pointed to the bed closest to the bathroom.
"Thanks, I'll take that one." Max reached into one of her boxes and extracted some blue sheets.
"Hey that's not fair! You're supposed to take the one I told you was worst so I can have the other one!"
Max smiled from her bed. "Like I didn't know you where going to do that."
"I need to improve my techniques." Alec mumbled and laid down on his unmade bed.
"Ok, let's make some rules here. First of all, no lady friends while I'm here ok?"
"Aww Ma..." Alec stopped suddenly.
"Ale..." Alec turned to Max and silenced her with a look. He focused on listening and shutting out everything else.
Max stared at Alec and frowned.
Alec could hear a small sound coming from somewhere in the room, he looked around, using his enhanced view, until he discovered a hidden camera on a corner of the room on top of a shelve and a bug on the light fixture.
He turned his back to the camera and signaled to Max for her to be quiet and play along.
"So maybe we should unpack, what do you think MJ?"
'MJ?' Max wondered to herself but didn't dare ask him out loud.
"Yeah, could you hand me that box Alecsander?"
Alec slid a box towards her and she took out a lamp and some pictures.
"Hey MJ, this box is yours too." Alec handed her another box.
"It is?" Max glanced at the strange box. Alec raised an eyebrow. "Oh it is! The housekeeper must have packed it." Max opened the box and found some teddy bears and a couple of old dolls, some medals and a few trophies for swimming and gymnastics.
"Here, you can have the top shelve." Alec grabbed some of the teddy bears and arranged them so that the camera was totally covered.
"Hey Alecsander, do you mind if I change the light bulb? This room needs some more light." Max started glancing around, looking for some more cameras but apparently there where none.
"Naw, go upstairs and ask Mr. Cale if he has another light bulb. Tell him we'll pay him back."
'Warn him' Alec mouthed and Max nodded.
"Ok, be right back."
Max ran up the stairs and found Logan on the kitchen making coffee.
"Hey Mr. Cale, do you have a light bulb we can borrow?" Max took a seat on the breakfast bar and grabbed a napkin.
Logan frowned and turned towards her "Why are you..."
Max shoveled the napkin in his direction. It said, "Might be watching and listening."
"...even asking? Of course I'll lend you a light bulb. Go look upstairs, there's a closet by my bedroom, you might find some there. You'll know which one is my bedroom right away."
"Ok, thanks!" Max looked around the kitchen, not finding any cameras but needing Alec to make sure about the bugs.
She ran up the stairs and found Logan's room quickly. She glanced inside, just pretending to be a nosy teen and found a camera on a corner above the bed.
She found the small closet, took a light bulb, inspected the hall finding nothing, and ran back down the stairs.
"Your room has a camera" Max whispered to Logan, getting as close to him as she dared.
Logan nodded. He walked over to the stereo and turned on some loud music.
"Are there any bugs?"
"Not from what I can tell but I need Alec to double check that for us. Let me get this to him and then I'll have him inspect the living room."
Logan nodded and Max thundered down the stairs.
"Mr. Cale said it was ok, I'll just get a chair or something and change..."
"Here, let me do it!" Alec took the light bulb from her, climbed on a chair and changed it.
"Hey, what's this?" He held the bug up.
"I don't know, what does it look like?" Max asked him.
"It looks like..." Alec dropped the bug, then he pretended to fall off his chair and step on it. It broke with a small crack.
"MJ?" Max asked him immediately.
"It was all I could come up with so suddenly. Besides, I like it."
Max considered it "I sort of like it too but why not just Max?"
Alec shrugged, "what if they know about your name?"
Max nodded, it seemed reasonable.
"Where did the stuffed animals come from?" Max asked Alec.
"Probably Logan. I can't believe they bugged us!"
"They are Manticore, what did you expect?" Max said sarcastically.
"I should go upstairs."
"Hey Alec, would you check the first floor for bugs? There are no cameras but I'm not sure about the mikes." Max asked him.
"Sure."
They both walked upstairs, Alec got to work right away, making sure to be really really quiet.
"The first floor is clean. I'll go check upstairs."
"No cameras on the hall, there's one on Logan's room, I don't know about the rest." Max told him.
Alec nodded and left.
"So, did you put that box downstairs?" Max asked Logan.
"The one with the stuffed animals and the trophies? Yeah. Alec has one of trophies and medals as well. I figured you'd need them."
"Good thinking" Max smiled.
"Thanks."
"No microphones, no more cameras but I think there's a camera on the front porch. Remember something Max?"
Max closed her eyes and pictured the front porch. "Yes, above the swing right?"
"I think so." Alec confirmed.
Logan sighed. Well, you guys will just have to come in through your own door and we'll be fine." Logan reassured them.
"Yeah" Max said but there was a felling of uneasiness she couldn't shake off.
************
"So, are you going to teach me how to listen for bugs?" Max asked Alec.
They where sitting around the kitchen table while Logan made lunch for them.
"Oh Max, you can do it! Just concentrate!" Alec moved his chair closer to her.
"I'll guide you through it ok? You just have to do as I say."
"You better not hypnotize me and have me running around flapping like a bird and all that crap or I'll kick your ass." She told him.
Logan, who was chopping some vegetables, chuckled.
"Ok, ok, close your eyes."
"Why?"
"So you can concentrate better Max."
"Ok." Max closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Good now enhance your hearing, concentrate on high pitched sounds."
Max did so and gasped, the electricity of things like the blender and the toaster where hurting her ears.
"Max, are you ok? What happened?" Alec asked her. Logan put down his knife and moved closer to her without touching her.
"Nothing, I concentrated too hard I guess." Max smiled sheepishly.
"Maybe the kitchen isn't the best place to practice." Logan told them.
"You're right. We'll try again later." Alec grabbed the carrot Logan had been chopping up and cut it up quickly and in perfect little slices.
The phone rang then, Logan dried his hands on a kitchen towel and grabbed the phone.
"Hello? Oh hi! Yes of course... no, it's no problem at all! Yes I'm sure, I'm almost done unpacking anyway. The students? They are in their room I think, maybe they left. Ok... fine, see you then."
Logan hung up. Almost immediately the phone downstairs rang. Alec ran to get it.
"What did they tell you Logan?" Max asked him.
"Some of the teachers are coming over tonight, tradition or something, who knows?"
Alec appeared at the top of the stairs. "They where just checking up on us, probably because now there's no bug and no camera on our room."
Max sighed, things where going to be hard for all of them but just how hard, she had no idea.
*************
Max heard the laughter of people upstairs, the door to the basement had been locked to avoid questions and now she was stuck with Alec for the rest of the night... or so she thought.
Alec walked out of the bathroom wearing black pants and a black tight shirt.
"Going somewhere?" Max asked him.
"Checking out the town, checking out the chicks." Alec grabbed his house keys.
"On foot?"
"Yes. Want to come?" He decided to ask her.
"Chick hunting? No thanks."
"Ok!" Alec shrugged and turned to leave.
"Don't stay out too late, you have school tomorrow!" Max called after him.
"Yes mom!" He yelled back but he was smiling.
*************
When Alec got back from his recon mission he found Max asleep on the couch, reading the same book she had been reading two nights ago at Logan's. She was wearing boxers and her sport's bra.
Alec smiled and picked her up in his arms. He carried her over to the bed and laid her down.
"You better not get used to this" He whispered before tucking the covers around her.
He was just about to lean down and kiss her forehead when Max asked him.
"Good night?"
"Naw, being wheelless sucks."
Max smiled "Night Alec."
"Night Max."
*************
Max opened her eyes the next morning and looked around for Alec. She found him in the bed in front of her, asleep.
She got up from her own bed and walked over to his. He looked so peaceful she almost regretted doing what she was about to do. Almost but not quite.
She cleared her throat, leaned close to his ear, took a deep breath and...
"WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD!!"
Alec jumped about a feet and rolled off the bed tangled in the sheets. He landed on the floor with a tud.
"Hey! What did you do that for?!"
"Well I have been calling your name for a minute or so with no response from you what so ever, it was the only way!"
"Yeah, right!" Alec untangled himself and got up, muttering under his breath "Bitch."
That earned him a pillow on the face.
"I'm taking a shower." Max informed him before turning her back on him and walking away.
She closed the door behind her and turned on the hot water.
Max inhaled the vapor coming from the water and smiled.
"Thank God for working water heaters!" She said out loud before stripping and stepping into the shower, closing the pale blue curtains behind her.
Max rubbed the soap all over her body and massaged her scalp with some herbal shampoo that smelled like cherries. She was in the process of rinsing when the door burst open and Alec walked in.
"Alec what the hell are you doing?!" Max shrieked.
"I had to pee." Alec told her trying not to groan at the sight of her naked silhouette behind the curtain.
"Well pee upstairs! There are a few other bathrooms in this house you know!"
"Yeah but Logan forgot to unlock the door last night so it was either this or me peeing outside!"
Max grumbled some response and continued to rinse her hair while se listened to Alec fumbling around and taking a pee.
"You better remember to put the seat down when you're done." She threatened him.
"You know I don't have to put it up, perfect aim." Alec teased. He slammed the toilet seat down, flushed the toilet and washed his hands.
"Pig"
"Control freak"
"I am NOT a control freak!" Max fought back.
"Are too"
"Are not!"
"Are too!"
She moved the shower curtain aside so that she could sneak her head out and look at Alec. "Am NOT!"
Alec raised an eyebrow, finally realizing just how ridiculous everything sounded.
Max laughed and Alec joined her. They laughed for a couple of minutes, getting some of the tension from the last couple of days out.
"Could you hand me that brush?" Max asked him.
"Sure." Alec grabbed a hair brush from the counter and handed it to her. Their hands touched briefly.
Alec jumped away at the contact. Something about Max's naked wet hand filled his head with images of the naked wet arm attached to it and the naked wet...
"ALEC!"
"Yeah?" He jumped a little.
"I said, could you please leave so that I can get out and change now." Max was smiling, knowing he had been deep in thought.
"Aww Max, you can't change with me in the room? What are you shy?!" Alec leaned against the sink and smirked.
"I'm not shy! I'm modest!" Max grabbed a towel from the towel rack and wrapped it around herself.
"Max, they are synonyms!" Alec was obviously enjoying the torture.
Max just blushed and stepped out of the shower, she ran the brush through her hair furiously.
"Max, really, there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Your body is perfect! We where made that way remember?"
"Yeah well that doesn't mean I'm gonna parade around you naked!" Max walked out of the bathroom, closely followed by Alec.
"I'm just saying that there is no need for you to be all shy and modest that's all!"
Max grabbed her school uniform and underwear and marched back to the bathroom.
The door to the basement opened and Logan walked in. "Hey you guys, are you almost ready? You're gonna be late!"
"We'll be ready in five minutes." Max told him and slammed the bathroom door in Alec's face.
Logan raised an eyebrow and Alec just shrugged. "Woman." He told Logan.
He nodded knowingly and gave Alec a sympathetic smile. "I made breakfast, come up when you're ready."
"Oh so now you're taking HIS side! Original Cindy was right, all men are the same!" Max yelled through the door.
Logan escaped before she could yell anything else.
*************
"Max, your breakfast is getting cold!" Logan yelled.
"I said I'm coming!" Max yelled back.
Alec sighed. "Seriously, you'd think a transgenic girl would be able to get ready for school quickly like the good soldier she's supposed to be but noooo she had to go all girly on us!"
"I am NOT a good little soldier. Never was, never will be." Max joined the two guys at the breakfast bar and wolfed down her pancakes.
The boys where stunned into silence at Max's appearance. She had her hair loose, a light touch of makeup, lip gloss and clear pink nails. She looked like every teenager's wet dream come true.
Max felt the stares and looked up.
"Whuf?" She asked, her mouth full of pancakes.
"See? Right there, charm breaker!" Alec laughed and stuffed half a pancake into his mouth.
"Loof Olef, fu beffed shuf uf ug I'g giging suf oss!" Max tried to threaten him but it only made him laugh harder and spit out half his pancake.
Logan took cover behind the counter and wiped some of the crumbs away from his shirt.
"Guys, come on! Finish up so we can leave please!" Logan scolded them.
"Hey, we're just getting used to being teenagers!" Max protested.
"Yeah man, chill!" Alec gulped down the rest of his milk and got up to rinse his plate.
Logan smiled "I'm actually glad you guys are going to be doing this whole high school thing. It's a fun experience I really want both of you to have. No one should have to go from being a child to being an adult without going through the fun teenager stuff."
Alec smiled genuinely. "You know, this is one mission I might actually like." He admitted.
"Yeah, I would enjoy it too if it wasn't for the whole manticore-trying-to-turn-kids-into-soldiers thing." Max rinsed her plate and grabbed her backpack.
"Oh come on Max, don't be a party pooper!" Alec picked up his back pack and placed an arm around Max's shoulders but she shrugged it off.
"Yeah Max, things where going so well with my whole optimistic speech." Logan joked and locked the door behind them.
"Let's just hope this 'fun experience' doesn't turn into a disaster."
Alec chuckled "Yeah right, like anything EVER works out the way it was planned with us."
*************
"Ok guys, we're a little bit on the late side so I have to go to homeroom. You two go straight to the office and get your schedules." Logan told them at the school gate.
"Sure thing... Mr. Cale." Max answered.
Logan turned around and found a young girl staring at the back of his head. The student giggled and ran away.
Logan sighed.
"You better get used to it. I have a feeling we're all going to be getting a lot of that stuff." Max pointed at a couple of girls staring at Alec and whispering behind their hands.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Let's just go ok? I'll see you two in class."
Max and Alec nodded. Logan grazed Max's uniform covered arm lightly before walking away.
Max sighed and Alec took her hand.
Max looked down at their joined hands and then at Alec.
"Come on Max, right now I think we both need as much support as we can get." Alec whispered to her.
Max was too nervous to argue or push him away.
"Ready for your first day of school?" He asked her.
"As ready as I'll ever be!"
They walked into the building hand in hand.
____________________________________________
I'm sorry this chapter took so long, I promise the next one will come sooner.
I hope you liked it, it seemed kind of rushed to me!
I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter and remind people to please vote for your favorite couple!! I have gotten some m/l votes, just not enough. If you're an m/l shipper, you still have a chance! Just vote!! And if you don't feel like taking sides then just leave a review please!
Oh, one more thing, if you'd like for me to email you when I update this story then leave me your email adress and tell me please!