A/N- once again this chapter has had to be split into two. This is because I focus on so many other transgenics and not just Max and Alec and they all demand equal screen time which makes it long!

Chapter 12- Maximum transgressions

(Alongside I'd rather do anything.)

Pix was counting his push ups in tens rather than individually in the hopes that the increased mathematics would get rid of some of his less than charitable thoughts about his fellow transgenics. It had been two days since Alec had returned and by now, even the most intellectually challenged anomaly had picked up that there was something wrong with Max. It was subtle but it was there. The way that she avoided spending time with anyone other than Special Ops, the way she left lessons with them at the same time but somehow arrived later for lunch and bed than the rest of them so they had no chance to really talk to her before lights out, the way she rarely smiled or laughed and the fact that it never met her eyes when she did.

Alec had let it go the first day but now he was snooping around trying to discover what was wrong but Max had forbidden them from telling him. She said that as far as she was concerned it was over but any one could see that it wasn't, the tension hung in the air and was so apparent at times that it was like a visible barrier between Max and unit 8. They had come to Special Ops with heads bowed and tried to patch things up for doubting their beloved C.O. and to all intents and purpose the bridges were mended. Coco and Cece didn't hiss and claw each others eyes out, Zan hadn't tried to dislocate B.J.'s face and Feen wasn't in danger from Sunny's nails anymore which was all good. But that sense of camaraderie was all but gone.

Pix rounded off his two-hundredth push up and sank to the floor letting his breath escape in one fell swoop.

He was worried about Max and he wasn't the only one, but as long as he continued to think about her he wasn't dwelling on other people.

Before his mind could meander down that road he heard a knock on his cell door and peered up to see Biggs walk in.

He gracefully leaped to his feet and peered at the dark haired male.

"Hey."

"Yeah." Biggs had his hands in his pockets and watched Pix with his head tilted. Pix put his shirt back on and shrugged until it fell better over his sweat soaked back.

"You want something, Biggs?" Pix asked after a few minutes.

Biggs stared up at him with intense eyes, "You and Chance."

Pix stiffened, "Yeah?"

"You have something going on?"

Pix had no idea what to say to that. Before this whole Max/Alec debacle he would have said yes, hell yes…although maybe not to Biggs' face. But now, he wasn't sure. It wasn't that he had stopped liking her, stopped craving her, or stopped missing her. But he wasn't sure that he could be with her when she was still so easily swayed by her friends and gave up on others so quickly.

"Maybe."

Biggs and Pix sized each other up.

Biggs sighed, "Look Pix, I know that Chance would go crazy if she knew I was here but I had to. She's miserable."

"And that's my fault?"

"Well yeah."

Pix laughed softly, "Dammit you guys don't change do you?"

Biggs blinked, "What?"

"It's Max's fault Alec's in Psy-Ops, it's my fault Chance is upset. It's not Alec's fault for screwing up a mission and it's not Chance's fault for being judgemental. You know we've been with you for three years. THREE YEARS, Biggs. It isn't us verses you, we were all a team. Yet you still operate as if we're outsiders. If you didn't grow up with us then we're not part of you."

"That's not it at all." Biggs protested.

"Then what is it, Biggs, huh? I'm dying to know."

Biggs folded his arms over his chest and glared at Pix, "Listen pretty boy, Chance is my sister and when she's upset then I'm upset. She likes you and you won't talk to her. To me that's your fault."

Pix rolled his eyes and Biggs bristled.

"Lose the attitude already, I was just saying that she's different when you're around."

"Gee maybe that's because I don't put her down or laugh at her for tripping up, call her a klutz or pick on her for being less than feline graceful."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Biggs's eyes narrowed as Pix let rip all the things he had been too annoyed to say before.

"You say you want her happy Biggs but all this time you are the one who has kept her unhappy because of your constant abuse and emotional crap. Oh Chance always falls over; Chance is an accident waiting to happen. The reason that she always hid behind her hair is you and your merry band of unit 8 tried to keep her as a child. Sticking up for her yet putting her down at the same time. Me and Max- yeah Max- pulled her out of her shell. Hanging with us she was happy and could be herself in a way that you would never let her. If she's unhappy it's because she pushed away the few people who accepted her for what she was and THAT, isn't my fault."

Biggs's eyes widened but Pix continued.

"Chance isn't a child; she isn't your 'little sister' or someone that needs protecting. She's a grown woman with intelligence and poise. You keep her locked in her little box labelled 'child', well if she wants to stay there then that's her deal. You wanna blame someone for Chance and her happiness look at yourself Biggs."

Biggs's jaw dropped and he gaped in astonishment and abject horror at Pix.

"You…I… there's…" he stammered and then turned and walked away.

Pix raked a frustrated hand through his hair and groaned.

Shit he hadn't meant to say that.

~~~

Drew stared out at the pouring rain and leaned her head against the cold window pane.

Her base body temperature was higher than that of a normal person so sitting here she was freezing, she could feel goose bumps up and down her arms but she didn't want to move. It wasn't that she was comfortable- because, to be honest, she wasn't- but her thoughts seemed intent on her not moving until they sorted themselves out. These past few weeks had been tough. First with Alec getting sent out on a mission and then coming back to go to Psy Ops, the division in the ranks and the attacks on Max, and then there was Mets. She sighed, Mets.

They had…something. They'd kissed, they'd been together. She just wasn't sure that he knew her. Drew had been kicking ass since she could walk; first because Manticore had drilled it into them and then later to keep her place in line. He seemed to want some kind of delicate flower that needed protection. She wasn't that. She was the antithesis of that. She wasn't a lady; she was a soldier and a damn good one. No matter how much she cared for Mets, she couldn't be that delicate flower, she couldn't be the lady. Didn't know how to for one thing. She was used to dirt under her nails, not nail polish on them; she was used to khaki's and sweats not kisses and sweet nothings; she was used to guns and ammo, not gowns and accessories. She'd rather climb trees than sit and play with her hair.

Was that so bad? Max didn't think so but she could see the despair in Mets' eyes every time he saw her fight with one of the others over Max.

She huddled into herself more and traced the lines of rain as they dripped down the pane in rivulets.

~~~

Alec tried asking directly. He tried sneaking around the subject. He tried threats. He tried orders and he tried subterfuge but so far none of it was working. They refused to tell him what was wrong. They maintained that all was well. Yeah sure it was and he was the Easter Fairy…or was it the tooth bunny? Something that didn't exist anyway; like Renfro's heart. It was crap, he knew that something was wrong with the way that they all avoided Max and she, them.

It just wasn't like Max to avoid her friends, well not to this extent.

He watched her as she sat staring into space in the lecture hall and it was only his timely nudge that made her sit up as the Trainer turned his attention to her.

"Ok 452, you are in charge on this exercise. Take one unit with you to train with in field A."

"Yes, Sir!" Max nodded as if she had been paying rapt attention to the man.

The Trainer snapped his clip board shut, "All other units are to report to Field B for drill formation and range tactics."

"Sir!" Came the shout of acquiescence from the X-series and he turned and walked away.

Alec rubbed his hands together and looked at Max who sat at the front of the room. She slid out of her chair and he could see her take a deep breath.

Alec grinned and turned to Feen, "bet I beat you on the exercise."

Feen grinned, "No way, you know I'm better at seek and destroy than you."

"Not this time!" he vowed.

Feen frowned and Alec followed her eyes as she watched Max walk over to the C.O of unit 2.

"Ok, unit 2 on the field with Special Ops. We'll separate into halves so half Special Ops with half unit 2 in each team to make it fair."

Alec blinked as Feen gaped and Skye folded her arms and watched Max.

Biggs exchanged glances with Chance who was similarly stunned. Unit 8 always, always went on exercises with Special Ops, it was like a rule or something. 

Cece looked down as Alec caught her eye and Tara just sighed and got up to leave.

Alec frowned, his face a mask of confusion and hurried after Max.

"Maxie?"

Max smiled, "Yeah?"

He gestured to unit 8 who hadn't moved.

"Aren't we with-"

Max arched an eyebrow, "I'm in charge of this exercise. We need to learn to work with different units and adjust our command tactics to suit them. Besides," she shot a quick glance at the stationary members of unit 8 "I think we need a break."

Leaving Alec to ponder that remark Max walked away with Zan who had materialised at her side.

Biggs sidled up behind Sunny who was talking to Emma.

"Now what do you think that could possibly be about?" Emma rolled her eyes sarcastically.

"Overreact much?" Cece said who was standing nearby.

Sunny turned to her, "Maybe she wants someone who can watch her back," she paused "Instead of stick a knife in it."

She locked eyes with Biggs and then stalked off.

"She's still pissed." Biggs sighed even as Cece coloured at Sunny's harsh words.

"Max?" Chance put out her hand and touched the raven haired transgenic as she passed.

Max looked down at the hand on her sleeve and then up at its owner. Chance swallowed and bit her lip, hoping that Max would smile at her, talk to her- something.

Nothing.

Max shrugged it off and blinked "Is there something you wanted?"

Chance shook her head and Max moved away leaving Chance feeling cold and alone. Biggs came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be okay babe."

Chance turned to him, tears in her eyes, "How?"

But Biggs had no answer for that.

~~

"We have to say something," Carrot told Pix over dinner "I know that Max is our C.O but her personal life can't affect her mission parameters."

"I'm not saying it does," Pix argued "She's within her rights to alter who we spar with."

Zan nodded and chewed on his bread, "That she is."

"But we work best with unit 8. We have learnt their habits, they know how we operate and we just mesh well together."

"That we do," Zan waited until Mets leaned over to talk to Emma before stealing his bread roll and dropping it into his lap.

"But if Max doesn't trust them anymore, then she isn't comfortable with them watching our backs," Sunny pointed out, gesturing with her knife.

Flex swallowed his mouthful, "I don't think it's that she doesn't trust them."

"So what then?" Drew picked up her roast beef slice and leaned over the table to drop it onto Dek's plate.

"She doesn't want to trust them," Flex finished "There's a difference."

Dek handed his roast potatoes over to Drew and gestured with his empty fork, "So she does but doesn't want to?"

"What are you Psych Eval?" Coco laughed as Flex bristled, insulted.

"No, but I get what Carrot is saying."

"We work best with what we know," Sunny frowned as Aiden tried to pass his vegetables over to Emma. She rapped his hand with her knife and he shrank under her glare, putting the green things back on his plate with a shudder of disgust.

"It's true," Carrot added his eyes on unit 8's table. "That's why Renfro has paired us up again for this mission. Who knows maybe something good will come out of it and we'll all be fast friends again afterwards."

"Have we forgiven them yet?" Coco asked confused and they grinned.

"Some of us," Drew nodded towards a besotted Carrot and the girls giggled.

"That he did!" Zan grinned wider.

Carrot coloured as he realised that they were talking about him, "Ahem, so what do we say to Max?"

"To get over her grudge already?" B.J suggested and dropped his cutlery as he was kicked under the table by Anna.

"Bitch!" he hissed and she poked her tongue out at him.

"You and Chance okay?" Drew asked Pix who poked at his food.

"Not right now," he smiled ruefully, "And probably less when Biggs talks to her," he winced. "I told him he was smothering her."

"Ouch! Gee some people are just overprotective," Drew said ignoring the searching glance that Mets sent her "They need to realise that she doesn't need protecting; that she is a soldier."

"Maybe he does and just wants to help out. It doesn't mean that he thinks she's weak," Mets added firmly.

"She doesn't need helping out," Drew maintained "She needs to stand on her own two feet and maybe she likes it that way."

Mets sighed, "So because he doesn't want her hurt, he's the big bad oppressor of femininity right?"

"No, but he could have more faith in her to take care of herself," Drew's voice raised and everyone looked between the two of them.

Pix cleared his throat, "Um, text, subtext. Not to be self-centred but can we please get back to talking about me?"

Drew looked down, the flush of anger fading and Mets turned back to his plate.

"So Chance is gonna kick your ass huh?" Emma grinned.

"Yeah," Pix paused, "I'm actually looking forwards to it."

"Sadist," Emma teased.

"That he is," Zan nodded.

"Damn that's annoying!" Sunny slapped Zan's head and moved the bread roll from his lap back to Mets' plate. "Quit it!"

"Ow!" he pouted, "My head hurts now."

"Baby!" Sunny teased and his pout grew.

"Coco, she hit me!"

"Tattletail!" Sunny said in mock indignation.

"I have a headache," Carrot rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"It's like dealing with children," Aiden agreed sagely.

"Hey!" Anna poked Aiden, "You stole my bread!"

"Did not!"   

"Did too!"

"This it?" Sunny reached over and picked it up from his lap.

"Oops?" Aiden winced guiltily.

"Why do I feel like I'm in a kindergarten?" Dek asked Drew and she shrugged.

"Look what are we gonna say to Max?" Carrot interrupted before they could start a fight again.

"Say to Max about what?" Biggs slid into the space next to Sunny and they all went quiet.

"A-bout, her tendency to disappear around dinner time," Aiden replied quickly, "Doesn't she know cats are supposed to show up at dinner time?"

Biggs chuckled, not buying it for a second, "Right. That's what got you all so jazzed up."

"No," Pix said with a grin "But it's a damn good point!" he looked at Aiden as though he'd never seen him before "I'm impressed."

Aiden bowed his head in pride.

"Well Renfro wanted to talk to them about our mission tomorrow, our very own little search and rescue." Zan told Biggs who looked suitably impressed.

"Yeah according to Director Renfro there are rumours of some group called the Reds who have been experimenting with neural implants to create stronger soldiers."

"Weird!" Biggs said.

"Talking about yourself?" Chance came up behind him and slid into the seat next to him studiously avoiding Pix's face.

"Yeah, look guys. I know we've had a few differences these past few weeks,"

"Some more than others," muttered Coco with a frown.

"Yeah but I was hoping that we could at least try to get back what we had. It's what Max and Alec would want and we want it too."

"Yeah well-" Zan started to reply but was cut off as Alec showed up.

 "What?" Alec said looking at the frozen faces.

"Where's Max?" Zan asked peering over Alec's shoulder. Max wasn't behind him.

Alec shrugged "She's acting weird."

Biggs looked away wondering if Max had left the room because he was sitting with Special Ops.

"What the hell went on here while I was gone?" Alec demanded again.

"Don't know what you're talking about." Biggs denied and the rest of them looked at each other. Max had asked them not to say anything so they'd remain quiet.

"Well she just handed command of the mission over to me, giving Renfro some lame heat excuse."

Sunny frowned at that interesting piece of news, "But Max's heat isn't until after mine and I'm over six months away."

 "So what the hell is going on?" Alec scowled

"Women!" Biggs tried to lighten the atmosphere and was slapped by Sunny, Coco and Chance.

"So what's the deal with these Reds?" he changed the subject- fast and massaged his sore head "Pix was telling me about your mission."

Alec sighed "Your mission too, Renfro wants another team with us. I choose Unit 8, I'm sure Max would agree. Right?"

They all ignored his searching glance as they thought back to the exercises of the past few days where Max had chosen any other unit than 8.

"So what's the deal with these Reds?" Biggs asked again, hoping to change the subject.

"I heard they stick pins into their spine which increases neural receptors," Zan said and they all winced.

"Ouch!"

Chance shuddered "Wouldn't that reduce lifespan? Who would want that?"

Alec shrugged, "Souped up super soldiers with a death wish."

"Lovely mission," Pix spoke for the first time since Biggs and Chance came to the table and they both looked at him, even as he avoided their gaze.

"How did our men get caught anyway?" Sunny asked flicking her bread at Carrot who caught the roll with a grin at her and a 'nah nah' look at Zan.

Alec flipped open his file and scanned it "Doesn't say, just that the C.O, uh…261 made the call at---"

Zan froze and Sunny grabbed at Alec's hand even as Carrot dropped his bread roll.

Alec looked up in surprise at Sunny "Wait, Did you say 261?"

"Yeah." Alec watched as Sunny exchanged glances with Zan, Pix and Carrot.

The rest of the table looked bewildered as they communicated silently.

"What?"

Carrot flushed bright red and Sunny leaned against him as if searching for comfort and everyone stared as a small growl came from Zan.

Pix pushed away his plate and looked like he was going to be ill.

Zan stood up quickly and left them all staring at his back.

"What?" Alec demanded "Who is 261?"

Sunny bit her lip, unsure what to say.

"261 was Max's C.O."

Alec started, Max C.O?

"And?" B.J shrugged.

"Vindictive little shit." Pix muttered but Alec wasn't sure if he was talking about B.J. or not.

"So what was so bad about 261?"

"Ha you should have seen the little bitch's face." The boy bragged.

The girl by his side laughed, "She was so sad, aww poor 452, in the pit again."

"So you threw the whole mission to get her in the pit?" the dark haired boy asked half impressed, half horrified.

"Yes." 261 threw his arm over 903's shoulder and she smiled up at him in adoration.

521 shuddered "That's horrible."

261 turned on her "She's an 09er, she deserves all she gets." He spat and 521's C.O stood in front of her.

"Back off her 261, 452 may be in your unit but 521 is in mine."

521 smiled but it fell as he looked down at her "Mine to punish if she steps out of line."

521 winced as she knew what had prompted that remark. She hadn't kept an eye on her speed in today's escape and evade mission and had overtaken her C.O, he had told her repeatedly not to do that and now she was in trouble.

261 smirked "Well I personally broke 452's rib cage. Sternum to breast plate. Bitch will be coughing blood for a week."

521 shivered and followed her C.O even as 903 clung to 261 and giggled.

 Sunny shivered at the memory and looked at Pix.

"What was so bad about 261?"

418 hit 261 again in the mouth.

"I thought I told you no more fights with 452 while she is on crutches."

261 spat out the blood dripping down his chin, "She fought back."

"Of course she did!" 418 yelled "That's not the point!"

"What is the point?" 261 demanded.

"If she can't defend herself then it's not fair."

"And your practical jests are fair?" 261 scoffed "Anyway what do you care 418?"

"She's not an animal 261."418 lashed out with a punch that winded 261.

"As good as, we all know that the 09ers are traitors."

"Maybe so, but she's still here and Lydecker cleared her, so she can't be all bad."

261 laughed "Colonel Lydecker wants us to get rid of her as an example. He knows what's going on already."

418 swallowed "He knows?"

"Affirmative. So you can stop this now." 261 said and he climbed to his feet.

"Not so tough without your two mountains." 418 smirked and 261 straightened "Look behind you 418."

As he turned he saw the Trainers standing there.

"Sir!" he snapped to attention cursing himself for being so caught up in his fight that he hadn't noticed the approach of the Trainers.

"Sir we were just-"

"418 ambushed me, Sir." 261 interjected smoothly "He was attempting to make me do one of his jests."

"Is that so?" The Trainer glared "In that case you are in trouble 418."

"But I didn't-" he began.

 "418, I swear you are in my black books already. Don't make things worse!"

"Black book, sir?" 418 frowned confused.

"Don't make trouble, 418." The Trainer said "As it is you have one hour in the pit."

"Uh Sir, 452 is there right now." 261 informed him.

"Again!" The Trainer sighed "Ok then two hours duty in the library."

"Sir!" 418 saluted and walked away.

Carrot started to crumble the bread roll in his hand.

"261?"

SMACK.

 "921, what are you saying?" 261 smirked.

"Stop beating 452," He demanded "The last trip to the medical bay wasn't necessary."

"Says who?" 261 raised his hands "The Trainers said that it was an accident, are you going against their orders?"

"We saw her," 219 stood by his side "The Trainers couldn't condone that much non-essential aggravation."

261 smirked as his unit stood behind him against the two boys, "Look the 09er was put in my care. She is mine to do with as I see fit, as her C.O."

"Didn't she beat you in Escape and evade?" 219 smirked as 261 lost his cocky demeanour.

"Well the 09er would be good at escape."

"Not that good," 261 spat "She got caught."

"She has support." 921 said quietly.

"So do we, and ours is higher up the chain of command." 261 sneered as the rest of his unit gathered around. "Let's show you how high our support goes. Lets play seek and destroy. Get them."

Sunny, Pix and Carrot fell silent.

"He was bad." They chorused and Alec frowned as they got up as one and walked away.

~~~

Pix paced in his cell remembering all of the times he had fought with Bulli, as Max called him; he hated the little shit and wanted to see him in pain. Intense pain.

He was disturbed from his musings as the door opened and Chance stormed in, her face red.

"How dare you!" she demanded and he leaned one shoulder against the wall with his arms folded.

"How dare I what?"

"Tell Biggs what you told him."

"Which was?" he raised an eyebrow, knowing full well that he was being a jerk.

Her eyes narrowed. "This is not a joke Pix. Biggs thinks I hate him for holding me back. He came to my cell so damn upset, thinking that he made me miserable. You had no right to tell him what I told you in confidence!"

"You are lecturing me in loyalty?" he seemed amused which fuelled her fire.

"We are not talking about Max now; we're talking about me and you."

"Funny, I thought we were talking about Biggs." Pix pushed away from the wall. "He came to me, yelling at me for making you unhappy. I simply stated that if he wanted to lay blame he was looking in the wrong place."

Chance clenched her fists "So you told him that I was miserable."

"No, what I said was that since you had cut yourself off from the ones that didn't hold you back, it was your own fault if you weren't happy."

She looked like he had slapped her.

"What?"

"Look at you!" He said. "Two years ago you would never have had the courage to say this to my face. Biggs held you back, you admitted that. We brought you out of your shell; we accepted you and we helped you to become yourself. Then just because you knew Alec longer you ignored everything we did for you and turned your back on us. You were siding with the ones who never saw you for the beautiful, confident woman that you are, only the shy, clumsy girl that you were."

"You shouldn't have said that to him," She whispered.

"Maybe not, but someone needed to."

Chance sat down on his bed ands dropped her head into her hands.

Pix softened, "Look Chance, I was just trying to help."

"I know," she ducked her head. "Sorry."

Pix sat by her side on the bed and breathed in of her sweet scent. He had missed it so much these past weeks and he ached to touch her but wasn't sure if it would be welcome.

"We go on the mission in a few hours," She said into the quiet.

"I know."

"Can I stay here?" she bit her lip and stared up at him. "I missed you."

"Missed you too," he confessed and pushed her hair behind her ears. "But Biggs would kill me if he knew you'd spent the night here."

She nodded, knowing that he was right and got up to go. She paused at the door.

"Pix, are we okay?"

His smile eased her aching heart.

"We will be."

She smiled back and opened the door.

Chance took one step when she found herself hurled round and she gasped as Pix leaned down and captured her mouth.

He moaned as she tentatively slipped her tongue into his mouth and he tasted her again, it was like coming home. He pulled her closer and ran his hands up her shirt and then slipped them under it stroking her smooth silky skin. She traced her hands over his chest and nipped at his bottom lips eliciting another moan that raced through her body in delicious shivers. Pix devoured her mouth like a starving man and dragged her body tight against his, marvelling at their precise fit in the corner of his mind that wasn't otherwise engaged.

Chance melted into his touch and her hands got bolder dragging down his body to his waist and hips pulling him into her.

He gasped and pushed her away.

"Shit!" he breathed heavily "You'd better go."

"Did I do something wrong?" she asked worriedly and as he turned his heavily lidded eyes to her she gasped. The desire for her was blatant, screaming for her like an animal calling for its mate and she trembled, wanting it so very badly.

"We have a mission," He bit out the words "Get some sleep."

She nodded, not trusting her voice at all.

"Chance?" she turned and he seemed to have himself under some sort of control.

"We're okay."

She shut the door and a wide grin beamed over her face as she danced down the hall to her cell.

Inside his own cell, Pix slammed his hands against the wall and shuddered with frustration and need. He wanted to throw his head back and roar, a primal roar – anything to take the edge off this burning desire, this aching need that throbbed in him.

But instead he dropped to the floor.  It was too late for a cold shower but three thousand push ups might do it.

Tbc….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1red1- One red what? Ok sidetracked, anyhow, yeah nastiness abounded! You like Dek and Drew as a couple? Not sure who she is gonna end up with so its nice to have views on that. Pix is cool!

Moonlite star- He'll be spitting mad!

Sigma1- Don't get sad- get mad!!

Ting- Ooh pet, sorry! But hey good response!

Gamegirl452- yeah they treated her like crap but don't worry they'll get what's coming to them, especially now that Alec knows what's going on! This chapter was also very long so I had to split it, I think I may have to do that  a lot from now on which means that….brain permitting, you could get two posts of this per week!

Nat1- Max kicks ass because she is such a cool gal! I think everyone knows that I have issues with fics that bash my Maxie!

Barcode_babe-210- aw thanks pet, so glad that you think so!! hugs

Athena80- Yeah I was told that my Cece was too evil by my beta so I was forced to add something in that made her a little less evil, shucks!! I was enjoying hating her. Will Max forgive them? LOL, read on pet. How long will my story last? Moving Ahead is now 24 Chapters and I suppose that this will last as long, maybe even longer and will finish at the same point and everyone will be yelling at my ass for a sequel! Again.

Raven- I am the Queen of angst! Everyone cried at the last two chapters it was like a wet fest! Biggs was a surprise, everyone likes him but we have to see if he can make it up.

Cesium- Aw bless ya, thanks so much for that. I'm glad to see that you guys can understand my guys. They are building themselves up, my own little army of men! Oh yeah!

Lyndsay- When things crumbled it was surprising to see all of the characters come to life. They really came into their own here, especially little characters like Aiden and Cece. LOL, glad you liked that line- its something my sister says all the time and seemed to fit! I loved Pix as he stood up for Max and not just for what the others did, like Chance. He rocks! Does your sis read both of these?

Geminangel- Ahh I thought you were new! Good ta see you again.

Feenian- Yeah Alec's found out and the Pix has hit the fan! Watch it explode!

Jade-K- Thanks, I'm glad that you liked that Line, it really summed everyone's misgivings up.

Kim- Oh good, I don't want you to hate me! Nah, see I updated fast. If you guys have no idea who Drew should be with then I for sure as hell don't! Pix showed his maturity under all of that and didn't worry about what Chance would say or do to him! Bonus there for our boy! As for Zan. Max would see it as a betrayal of confidence of she knew that he had been through her files without her say so. so he was wise to keep his mouth shut for now.

SGOU-my sister will be pleased t having another convert to her Cece hatred club J Poor Techie, I felt for him to when she started to cry we were both going ahh! Not entirely sure what is going on Mets head but we will find out soon! I get your vote and am so glad that someone at least has made up their mind as to which way they want this one to go! Zan did stay in the background for a while and so it was logical for Pix and Sunny, especially to come to Max's aid when she needed it!  like I said I was impressed with Pix as well, he did good here. Carrot never struck me as shy but more Manticorian than the rest and he showed that here. Yeah Max missed the meaning in Biggs's gesture, I think she was focussing too hard on what she felt and thought rather than her instincts. Cece hopefully will redeem herself soon. As for your questions? Hope this answered some of them.

Ganko- welcome pet, glad that you liked it so much. Max fortified herself well through that and it's gonna take some hammer to knock down those walls. Love Pix here and like you said Biggs showed well what peer pressure can do to ya!

Moonlight19- Calm sweetheart. Take deep breaths. I'll have to send you an email to address everything that you said, check it out.

Poo- Sorry darling but glad that it made such an impact on you, love that! Techie is adorably clueless!

Messymissy- Thanks, since they seem to have their own issues and drama's the stories are getting longer to deal with them and I hope I am doing them all justice in this and not cutting them short! If I am feel free to tell me! Aiden seems to have sprung a very strange sense of humour! Yay Aiden! Dek/Drew, Mets/Drew- who knows?! Biggs needs to cool down some before Max and Alec both kick his ass and he'll suffer when Sunny won't talk to him!

Cloudburst- 10/11/12- hope your exams and all are going okay pet, know you don't get to read the stories until much later because you are busy revising so I love it when you get time to review and appreciate your words- thanks for that. sorry isn't enough but they'll work on it, mark me on that. Good luck with all, sweets!

Natasqi- Cheers pet, LOL, I take it you want more then? Are you having fun at uni?