A/N this was gonna be chopped into three but at the last minute I decided to leave it as two but it is super long. Don't lose interest!
Disclaimer-
Some Chapters might get you freaking out in joy, or sadness, so that you'll
scream, laugh, cry, start moving uncontrollably in
your chair, because you feel the urge to help some of the characters, or hit
some of the characters. All this noise might get other members of your family
worried, and you'll end up in an crazy house. Also be prepared
for Police showing up at your door, because your Neighbours interpreted your
screams, (maybe you were bursting our in laughter?) as a fight, or a thief
attacking you.
Don't say I didn't warn you. (LOL, thanks
Nora)
Chapter 13b- Washing away the pain.
~~
Drew stood in one corner of the Med Bay and watched as Max and Dek worked tirelessly on Mets who was crashing. She bit down onto her hand hard as she watched the beeping lines on the monitor. When she had seen him get shot her heart had leapt into her throat choking her with fear and horror. It was only the fact that they were in the fight that stopped her rushing over to his side to be with him. Her head was firmly in the game as opposed to in the clouds.
But now, back in camp, she stood still as a statue silently urging for the beeps to start again and Mets to open his eyes and say something. Her prayers seemed answered when Max sighed and the medics around beamed in jubilation as the steady beat of the monitor started up again.
It wasn't until Max and Alec walked away that she let out the whoosh of breath that she had been holding.
She closed her eyes and let the knot that had tied in her stomach loosen.
"Hey, girl."
She looked up to see Dek standing there wiping blood off his hands with a stained cloth.
"He okay?" she asked noting that her voice was still trembling.
"He'll live," Dek grinned and held out one arm. "C'mere."
Drew leaned into his embrace and laid her head on his shoulder finding comfort in his heart beating against hers, the two rhythms simultaneous.
Dek kissed the top of her head. "You okay, babe?"
She nodded, not wanting to move from the comfort that he offered and the safety that she felt in his arms.
"I heard about you marching in, much in the style of John Wayne."
"Who?" She pulled away confused and Dek shrugged.
"Some weird cowboy guy that I never heard of. Alec said it."
Drew laughed, knowing full well of Alec's love for television and human media studies.
"Well they bugged me, all bleeding and whatever. They deserved to have their Red asses firmly kicked."
"And my girl handed that to them on a plate," Dek sounded so proud.
"That I did."
Dek stroked her hair and pushed it behind her ears a thoughtful look on his face.
"What?" she wanted to know what had him suddenly so serious.
"You like Mets a lot?" his voice was slightly hesitant and Drew frowned.
"Yeah, he's a nice guy," she chuckled, "a little protective and archaic. But nice you know?"
Dek nodded, his blonde hair falling into his face and Drew reached up to brush it away from his intense eyes.
"Why?"
"Just not sure if he's good enough for my girl," Dek said teasingly but there was an undercurrent of something in his voice that Drew picked up on.
"I'll always be your girl," she promised and his head shot up and fixed her with his dark blue eyes.
"Promise?"
Drew knew that this was important to him for some reason and as she stared she could feel herself falling into his gaze.
"My word is always strong and true –"
"– I'll die if I break my word to you," Dek finished off their childhood pledge and chuckled softly, the tension suddenly broken.
"Go check out your guy," he waved her towards the med bay. "I need to wash up."
Drew watched him as he walked away, her face unreadable and then she shook herself and she went to see Mets.
~~
Emma watched as Max sat herself by the fire and warmed her hands. She carried herself differently and Emma hoped that that meant she was more relaxed.
She walked over and sat by Max.
"Deep thoughts, Maxie?" she inquired and smiled as Max looked at her.
"Deep," Max agreed.
Emma could see Max working things out in her head and knew that she was working through whatever it was that had been holding her back all this time.
Biggs had said that he and Max were working things out and that she was ready to forgive, at least in part.
Emma had never turned her back on Max, instead taking a step back to let Max get over her issues in peace. But she missed the level of closeness that they had had before.
As well as having a mixture of DNA that allowed her to only sleep one night in four, Emma had abilities that bordered on Psy-technic; She was empathetic and could feel others pain. When Zan was taken away she had sought comfort from Max because Max was the strongest emotionally, her walls prevented her emotions leaking onto Emma's psyche. Emma had found Max like a big sister, willing to hold and hug or help and harass depending on what they needed.
When Max had pulled away she had nearly gone into a deep depression and it was only Aiden that managed to pull her out of it with his amusing comments and witty ways. Now she was feeling the hope of all of the transgenics towards Max and hatred to Unit 6 and she wanted Max to understand.
"So we Okay too?" Emma wanted to know indicating the rest of the team. "All of us."
Unit 8 heard Emma's words and waited with bated breath as Max stared at them all in turn.
Feen grabbed Techie's wrist and held tight as she waited for the verdict and Chance held her breath.
It seemed an age before Max's face slowly softened and they let out a single breath of relief moving towards Max seeking her warmth and scent, like the pack animals they were descended from.
Chance knelt at Max's feet in a submissive gesture and leaned her head on her knee.
"Sorry," she whispered and Max started to run her fingers through Chance's hair. Chance fought the urge to purr as she felt the gesture sooth nerves that she didn't realise that she had.
Feen sat by Max and leaned into her arm, "Forgive me?" she urged and Max nodded. Feen's relief was palpable and she tucked her head into Max's shoulder and breathed deeply of her scent.
Steve stood against the tree wondering if his touch would be as welcome to Max as the others. He had taken sides so damn forcefully and didn't think that he should be forgiven that quickly.
Skye touched his arm and pulled him along with her motioning to Max.
Steve sighed and followed hoping that Max wouldn't turn him away. They dropped by her feet and Max nudged Steve ruffling his hair as he gazed hopefully at her.
Steve felt a weight life off his chest and he relaxed back enjoying the feel of warm bodies as more and more of his unit came to touch Max in much the same way as they had when Alec had just come out of Psy-Ops, comfort, reassurance and family.
~~
Mets woke up to see Drew sitting on a chair across from his bed. A calm breeze swept over her, tangling her hair around her face. She swept it back impatiently so she could continue reading the book she had found.
"E-even you are allowed some time off studying," he croaked and she looked up happy to see him awake.
"Hey there, how are you feeling?"
"Like I was shot," he paused, "Actually pretty good. Morphine?"
"Morphine," she confirmed and he lay back down
"Ahh, bless drugs."
Drew laughed. "Glad to see you awake anyway; I swear you were like sleeping beauty."
Mets grinned stupidly. "You were gonna wake me with a kiss, hmm sweets?"
Drew rolled her eyes. "I am not sweet, and you need to get some rest."
Mets pouted, his eyes heavy as the drugs kicked in and his body started to shut down to cope with the intense healing that was needed. "Don't wanna."
Drew stared at him; the drugs were making him very loose. She could have fun with this version of Mets.
"What do you wanna do then?"
"Wanna kiss pretty girl," he yawned. "Pretty Drew."
She giggled as his eyes fluttered, his long lashes making half moons on his cheeks.
"You like the pretty girl then?" she teased.
"Uh huh, Drew smells nice and she's good at kissing."
Drew smothered a laugh with her hand and leaned forwards in her chair.
"Really?"
Mets nodded tiredly. "Gonna hafta fight for 'er soon or she'll go away."
Drew's amused grin faded a little. "Fight?"
"Hmm, fight. Him 'n' me, fight. He's there 'n' I'm not. She won' be wi' me if I don' fight."
"Fight who?"
Drew waited until it felt like Mets had fallen asleep before his one word reply escaped his lips.
"Dek."
Drew's jaw dropped.
~~~~~~~
Carrot's eyes flickered open to see Tara staring at him with a tender expression. He smiled to see her and then his gaze fell to her bruised chest and his mind quickly filled him in on the blanks. One of the Reds had knocked him head first into a wall; he'd been dizzy and disorientated and when Tara had tried to administer aid he'd not realized that he wasn't in danger and had kicked her clear across the Med bay. He paled and looked away ashamed.
"Hey sleepy head, you've been out for a few days, must have been some knock to the head," she teased but Carrot said nothing.
"Hey," she said softly and Carrot grimaced.
"Tara, I am so sorry."
Tara knew what he was thinking and bit her lip, not sure what to say.
"Carrot," she paused and forged ahead, "It hurt and I'm gonna kick your ass."
Carrot's head shot up at those words from Tara. She was smiling impishly and shrugged.
"Hey it works for Max and Alec!"
Carrot's incredulous look turned into one of pure amusement and Tara perched on the end of his bed and ran her fingers through his soft red hair.
"I get it and it doesn't matter at all. I know that you would never intentionally hurt me."
Carrot leaned into her caress but his face turned away, "But I did, I hit you hard."
Tara sighed, she knew that he would take that hard. She had a thought and her fingers went to her shirt.
Carrot turned as he heard the rustle of clothes and his eyes opened and she unbuttoned her shirt.
"Tara what –"
Tara grabbed his hand and brought it to her chest. He flushed the same colour as his hair and stared at rapt attention at the fading blue and black bruising that she uncovered. After a few days it had faded so as to be almost invisible only transgenic eyesight could see the slight discolouration now.
All he could think was that her skin was so soft under his fingertips.
"See, you can touch it and it doesn't hurt me at all."
"Uh," he choked and Tara giggled at the look on his face. He snatched his hand away.
"Don't laugh at me, Tara."
She straightened her face, "Sorry, but there's no need for you to be so serious. You told me once just to go with the flow. Relax."
"But I hurt you," he emphasized. "I would never do that, not ever, I want you too much for –"
Tara's eyebrows shot up as his words registered. "For what?" she backed away and folded her arms "Sex? Is that what you want Carrot?"
Carrot swallowed, "No…well yes, but no."
She glared at him. "Which is it?"
"Uh Tara, I want to sleep with you of course, but that's not –"
"Save it!" she held up a hand and started to move away, Carrot sat up and hissed loudly.
"Dammit."
"Sit yourself back down!" Tara pushed his shoulders until he was touching the bed again. "Honestly you men are such –"
"I love you."
Tara's hand froze over his chest and he reached up to grab her fingers.
"What?" she whispered as if she didn't have transgenic hearing.
"I love you and I want you to be my mate. That's what I was going to say." He ducked his head but kept his eyes fixed on her searching her reaction.
"Love?"
He shrugged playing with her fingers. "Not very soldierly of me, I know, but when I'm around you I f-feel things. I think about you all of the time, even when I'm supposed to be concentrating on the mission. I'm glad that you're a field med because it means that you stay mostly out of the way of harm."
"Except from tetchy soldiers," she managed with half a smile.
"Yeah," he laughed shortly. "But the thought of anything bad happening to you, well it tears me up inside. I'm a soldier, Tara, I'm not equipped to deal with these feelings. But when I'm around you I don't care."
"Oh," she raised a hand shakily to her mouth.
"Anyway," he shrugged one shoulder casually, "just thought you should know."
Tara let her soft expression show as she leaned forwards and pressed her lips to his feeling the warm slide of his mouth under hers. Carrot raised a hand and deepened the kiss clutching at her hair.
They could have kissed for hours, if not for the clearing of a throat behind them.
Carrot pulled back to see Dek standing there hiding a smirk.
"Can we help you?" he asked irately.
Dek shrugged, a half grin lighting his face. "Nah, I'm good. Just wanted to let Tara know that we might be inundated with casualties, later on."
"Why, are they going back in?" she demanded alarmed.
Dek shook his head. "No, Bulli tried to hit on Max and according to Alec they're plotting against her. We're kicking some ass later tonight."
"Count me in," Carrot said with a savage expression. "I owe that little shit some pain."
"No way. You still have concussion, Carrot; there is no way that I'm letting you out of the bay for at least a week." Tara maintained.
"But baby, come on. He was mean to Maxie," Carrot whined and Dek rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"No. Who is the qualified medical expert here?" her tone was sharp.
"But Dek is too,"
Dek backed away with is hands in the air. "Whoa there, leave me outta the domestic, okay? I'm going to check Mets' vitals."
Tara started tapping her foot as Carrot winced.
Oh he was in for it now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zan staggered to his feet and grabbed his crutches from against the tree then he paused, looking at them in distaste, and threw them on the ground.
"Uh Zan, where are you going?" Sunny looked disapprovingly at him. He was supposed to be resting.
Zan gave her a 'deer in headlights' look and then grinned sheepishly. "I just saw Alec and Biggs head into the woods after Bulli and his band of miscreants. I was wondering what they were up to."
Sunny's eyes narrowed and she gave him a look of patent disbelief.
Zan fluttered his eyelashes in an attempt to look innocent and her lips twitched.
She fought with her memories of Bulli and the knowledge that Zan was injured.
"Don't get those bandages dirty."
Zan's face split into a huge grin when he realised that she wasn't about to give him a hard time. Sunny really had grown into the mommy of the group and he knew that she only had his best interests at heart. He lumbered over giving her a one armed hug and peck on the cheek before hobbling into the jungle after Alec and Biggs.
Sunny shook her head and shared an exasperated look with Drew who was polishing her gun.
"Men!"
Drew smiled at her friends emphatics and looked over to where the females of Max's old unit sat.
"Maybe they have the right idea," She said slowly staring at the haughty women as they sat laughing and pointing.
Sunny followed her look and bit her lip, "Drew?"
"Justice, revenge or even just old fashioned penance I'd like to make them pay is all," Drew finished and put down her cleaning lotion.
Sunny knew a lot of what Max had gone through at their hands but most of what they had overheard last night had brought it all back and the wounds still ran deep, especially knowing that she had never said anything about it at all. She'd been to scared of her C.O and had been just as bad as the rest of those who looked the other way; it was something that still shamed her to her core and suddenly she wanted them to feel even a small piece of the hell that they had put Max through. Sunny suddenly made up her mind.
"Think we can talk Unit 8 into it?"
Drew shot her a glance and a cruel look flittered over her face "I think they could be persuaded."
She winked at Sunny and walked over to where Coco and the others stood.
~~
"Aiden?"
Aiden turned and saw Sunny hurrying over to him.
"Yeah?" he hid his gun behind his back and Sunny shook her head.
"Just so you know, there was one boy-- 765 I think is his designation-- he allowed it to happen but never actually hurt Max. Go easy on him okay?"
Aiden laughed as he realised that she knew what he was going to do and wasn't going to give them her usual mommy lecture.
"I'll keep an eye out for him," he promised and went to relay Alec's message to B.J and Techie.
"Hey guys!" he said as he neared them they were with Steve sorting out some of the data that they had retrieved from the compound. "We have an issue."
"What's that?" Techie put down the terminal that he was sifting through and B.J dropped the clipboard, Steve just looked up with mild interest.
"Alec wants us to help clean house," He motioned to where Unit 6 sat with their heads close together. "Take the pets for a little walk."
Techie grinned, "Well I was always good with animals."
"I'm allergic," Steve put down his lap top and the others looked at him in surprise "I followed the anti-Max brigade and it feels crappy and I wanna make it up to her but I know that everyone wants dibs on the scum guys, including Dek who is on watch duty right now. He was in Max's corner and he gets rights to the," he chuckled, "dog walk. I'll take watch for him."
"Mighty decent of you," said Aiden with a nod "I'll come with you." As he walked away with Steve, Aiden turned quickly.
"Oh, Sunny said to say that there was one called 765, who wasn't so bad. Don't hit him too hard."
They waved him off and turned to each other.
"Should I volunteer to take watch too?" B.J asked "I wasn't exactly Max's champion."
"No one's perfect." Techie said and pulled out his gun from his waist band, checking the chamber.
B.J shrugged and grabbed his own side arm off the side. "Let's take the pets for a walk."
The two of them walked carefully over to where Unit 6 sat talking quietly.
"Yeah?" one barked out as the two men stared at them.
Techie grinned widely "Stand up."
"Why?" another eyed him.
B.J pulled the gun out and aimed it at the one who had spoken. His eyes widened dramatically.
"Because we say so."
Unit 6 stood slowly "Two of you against six of us?"
"And two guns," Techie let them know as he bought his own up "Plus we're Special Ops."
"I am anyway," B.J said and Techie glared at him.
"Anyway," B.J thought it was a good idea to carry on quickly "We need you guys to come with us."
"At gun point?" a sandy haired male spoke up tentatively "This is about 452 isn't it?"
"You 765?"
The boy nodded and Techie exchanged glances with his friend.
"Yeah this is about 452, you come quietly now."
~~
Zan was almost caught up with Alec and Biggs when he heard their voices.
"She isn't a bitch… well not all the time."
He grinned; they had to be talking about Max.
"To be fair, she can be but it's mostly just her way," He said coming into view. Biggs was leaning against a tree near him watching Alec who was standing in the small clearing with Bulli and two of his friends. They looked more than a little disconcerted at seeing three transgenics surrounding them.
"Aren't you supposed to be in med bay?" Alec asked and Zan glared at him, hating to be reminded that he wasn't exactly at his best right now.
"What and miss this, are you kidding?" he asked incredulously. It infuriated him that Alec often thought that he was the only one that was hurt by what Max had gone through, almost as if he cared about her more than anyone and her pain was his pain. Zan knew that Alec's feelings for her went deeper than just as his C.O or even 2IC, that maybe Alec was even in love with her but he wasn't the only one who had feelings for Max, no matter if she reciprocated them or not.
"If you open your stitches Max will play hell."
He was brought out of his rambling thoughts by Alec who motioned to his knee. Zan scowled.
"And she'll go easy on you?" he glanced pointedly at Alec's arm swathed in bandages and still obviously sore, although probably less now that Max had administered her own unique brand of healing on it. His gaze darkened.
"Your knee is screwed for a week."
There was a harsh tone in Alec's voice that seemed to be for Zan's ears only and he picked up on it immediately. No matter how annoying Alec was, he was right. If Zan got his leg smacked or snapped by one of those Unit 6 losers, he'd be out of commission for weeks waiting for it to realign and heal, not to mention the fact that Max would play hell because of his actions. She may be flattered that they'd' all fight for her but it wouldn't stop her being pissed at him for doing the fighting. He sighed knowing full well that he'd be sitting this one out.
Biggs breathed a sigh of relief as Zan sat down. For a moment there he thought that there would be a fight between Alec and Zan and to be honest he had been waiting for it for a long time. Alec and Max were just too close for Zan's liking and vice versa. He knew that sooner or later the two males would come to a head and then it would be only a matter of time before Max found out and then they truly would find out the meaning of pain.
"Ok, I'll sit but I wanna watch," Zan pouted and Biggs grinned, well at least that was one less worry.
"And you watch your arm," Zan added forcefully.
Glad that he had won that argument Alec nodded and his face lit up. "I don't need two hands."
Zan rolled his eyes at Alec's arrogance and ferreted around in his pockets. He looked up as reinforcements arrived in the guise of Pix, Flex and Dek.
They were close by and he turned to them as the others talked.
"Hey Dek, I thought you were on guard."
"I was, Steve took over so I could have fun." He raked his fingers through his dirty blonde hair and shoved his hands in his leather jacket pockets, looking happy at that.
"Good old Steve," Zan smirked and sat further back.
He ignored their chatter and dug into his pockets, finally coming out with what he was looking for. With a grin of triumph he found the chips that had been stored there. With a broad smile he started to crunch them, only looking up when he felt all eyes on him.
"What?" his words were muffled by his mouthful.
Alec's eyes glittered with amusement as he chuckled deeply
"Where the hell did you get chips in the jungle?"
Zan fought back his own smile and shrugged
"Apparently you need them when you watch entertainment. Go figure." He looked up into the cocky face of Bulli and had to remind his hands to let go some or risk crunching up all of the chips. He was going to get the show of his life and he needed something to eat whilst he enjoyed it.
Biggs noticed that none of the females had come along for the ride.
"Where are the girls?"
"Oh they are having a few words with Uh is it Simper and Airy and the rest of the women," Aiden added pleasantly.
Biggs was suddenly struck by an image of Sunny wrestling in the jungle mud with another female and suddenly the jungle was a lot hotter.
"Chick fight? Can we get this done and go watch?" he asked excitedly. He saw Dek roll his eyes at him and fought the childish urge to poke his tongue out which was why he missed the exchange between Alec and the men. He wanted them to get their priorities in order.
"Alec, chick fight, jungle mud- can we please get started?"
"But there's not enough for everyone yet," Alec said reasonably and Biggs wanted to hit him "Three against us? Not fair."
Flex had been silent up to now just enjoying the mounting look of terror on the faces of the men who had hurt his C.O. but at Alec's words he was compelled to speak.
"Screw fair, we know what they did to Max."
Her name brought Biggs back to the reason why they were there in the first place. Oh yeah he wasn't to pay penance for his crappy behaviour to his friend, who just happened to be the love of his C.O's life.
"Yeah, but it wasn't just them."
They all turned as six men were marched into the clearing by B.J and Techie at Gun point.
"Lookie what we got!" Techie enthused and the six boys joined their cronies in the middle of the clearing.
"We wanted to have a few words with you guys." Alec said and Zan felt a grin slip over his face.
Alec prowled closer to them, a feral gleam in his eyes that was at odds with the causal smirk on his face.
As Zan watched he knew that no one could question the animal aspects of their D.N.A when they were like this. Their movements were too fluid, too streamlined; it was like all of their bones had suddenly been replaced with liquid. Their elegance and grace belied their aggressive stance putting in mind the large jungle cats whose sleek, sensual movements drew you away from their fierce and deadly powers.
Alec stepped to the side, watching Bulli like a hawk eagerly awaiting its prey to make the first, fatal, move.
Bulli sensed that Alec was the one to watch out for and, just like any animal that knows its match, he grunted and raced towards Biggs instead.
Biggs saw him coming and sidestepped, letting Bulli's momentum carry him into the tree that Biggs had been leaning on.
Bulli's attack had been what they were all waiting for and they charged with a roar that came directly from their most primitive parts. The part that separated man from beast.
Channelling that self same instinct Alec turned to Biggs with a snarl, his eyes blazed as Biggs touched his quarry and Biggs spun, his head lowered in submission to his alpha and backed away, eager to find another victim.
Bulli glared with casual arrogance, his ice blue eyes mocking Alec and Zan felt his fists curl at the sheer audacity of the male. As Alec faced off Zan's attention left them.
Zan turned his attention to Dek who was faced off against a smaller boy with sandy hair. He had his head lowered, showing Dek his barcode.
"I accept my punishment," The boy said hesitantly "452 was in my unit and I did nothing to help her."
Aiden shook his fist as his chosen transgenic clutched his bloody nose and howled, he turned to Dek who was looking puzzled.
"Sunny said that 765 wasn't a fighter but he stood by," he quickly turned back as his foe charged at him catching him around the midsection.
"452 is my C.O and my friend," Dek said slowly "Your silence condemned her."
765 nodded his head and opened his arms wide "Go for it."
Dek frowned "Takes the fun out of it if you act like a bloody martyr." He pulled back his fist and smacked 765 clean across the mouth. His head snapped back and blood dripped down his chin. "That was for being an ass and a coward. Now piss off."
765 looked shocked that he had gotten off so easily and with one last glance at his unit who were being beaten black and blue he nodded in grim satisfaction.
"I think I could help out on watch?"
"Just get gone," Dek nodded and waded back into the fight.
Aiden was leading his enemy around by his hair and laughing as the short man tried to kick him but couldn't reach.
Zan chuckled and saw Biggs grab one of the heftier males in a headlock. He slammed his fist into the man's face, Zan thought Max had called him Dredge, and was rewarded by a grunt of pain.
Dredge let his weight fall and Biggs loosened his grip only to find that, for his size, Dredge was surprisingly quick and rolled out of the way, slithering like a snake until he was out of Biggs's reach. He rose to his knees in a crouch and brought out his fists.
Biggs rolled his eyes "Who do you think you are, Spiderman?"
He kicked at Dredge's head. He snaked his hands out quick as a flash and caught Biggs' foot and Biggs flipped backwards landing on his feet and sliding down in a tackle knocking Dredge to the floor. He reached up and slammed his head onto the grassy ground before flipping to his feet again getting in fighting stance.
Dredge blearily staggered to his own feet, looking dazed and glared at Biggs who smirked.
~
B.J was helping Techie with two transgenics who had thought that he had looked like an easy mark. The larger of the two grabbed B.J in a bear hug and attempted to squeeze the air out of him. B.J breathed in, expanding his lungs until the man was forced to loosen his grip and then B.J dropped, spinning around and knocking him off his feet. Techie head butted the smaller of the two and they landed in a heap on each other. With a roar of fury they sprang up, almost in tandem, and faced Techie. Techie brought his elbow back into one's face and snap kicked at the other dropping him back again.
"I'm gonna cut your heart out!" snarled his foe from the ground and bared his teeth.
"What?" Techie stared nonplussed at the man.
"I think you're supposed to be scared," B.J offered as he reached around the neck of the larger one and cut off his marks oxygen supply.
"Scared of that?" Techie shook his head "That's not scary."
"Well kind of, if you look at it from this way," B.J tilted his head and squinted. The man flushed at being dismissed.
"You want scary, you hang around with Feen for a while," Techie shuddered. B.J looked at him.
"You have issues."
~
Pix had the one named Silt on the ground with his knees in his chest using his face as his own personal punch bag.
Silt had been one of Bulli's main henchmen back in Wyoming and had gotten both Max and Pix himself in punishment more than once. Pix hated him more than he had hated anyone, with the obvious exception of Bulli. His instincts told him to kill his prey and that any sign of weakness was unacceptable but the soldier in his warned him that that would be bad for him. Renfro would not accept instincts as a valid reason behind murder of a super soldier representing millions in research and development. His thought lost him his concentration for a second and it was then that Silt caught him with his guard down.
Silt reared back and slammed his legs into the back of Pix's head, knocking Pix on his ass. Silt flipped himself up and towered over Pix, he aimed a foot at his mid-section and brought back his leg.
"Not joking now are we 418?" he gloated.
Pix caught the foot in mid air and twisted; he heard the quick snap of bone and gave an exquisite smile of satisfaction. As Silt fell backwards, with an anguished cry, Pix stood up.
"Yeah pretty much am," he said simply and booted Silt in the stomach as hard as he could. Silt instinctively curled into a ball as bile came up and he backed onto his side losing his lunch onto the grass.
Pix backed away with a disgusted look as the acrid smell reached his sensitive sense of smell.
Zan looked down at his chips and back up at the still heaving Silt.
"Hey, I'm eating here!" he called.
"Sorry Zan!" Pix apologised over the din of battle.
Zan nodded, somewhat mollified and stared at the scene again.
Bulli was on the floor with Alec standing over him, his hands in the man's hair, pulling his head back to get in his punches. Alec's muscles rippled in his tight t-shirt as he slammed his fist into Bulli's face over and over getting rid of some frustration. Zan watched carefully. Alec's glance was almost abstract as if he were substituting all of the people that had annoyed him in Bulli's face and maybe he was, Maybe this was his way of taking out on Unit 8 what they had done to Max without actually attacking any of his own unit. It was only when Bulli swept his feet around in a scissor movement and caught Alec by surprise that he got his head back into the game.
There was a scream of pain and Zan turned to see a stocky transgenic cowering under Flex's gaze cradling his arm which hung uselessly from its socket.
"Damn I want action replay!" Zan shouted.
"He's got two arms!" Flex said and the transgenic scuttled backwards, a look of horror on his face.
Zan burst out laughing and had to cover his mouth so he didn't lose his chips.
~
With a growl Dek launched himself at his opponent who ducked hoping that Dek would go flying over his head.
Dek wasn't in Special Ops for nothing and instead of going over, he dropped straight on the man. He fell back with a grinning transgenic on his chest. His opponents stared up into Dek's face, his white eyes showing dramatically against his dark skin.
"Get off!" he snarled and Dek chuckled in the infuriating way that Drew said made people want to smack him.
"Now that's not nice," a devil overtook him "Say Dek is king and I'll let you up."
"What?" The man looked at him like he was crazy. Dek knew that Unit 6 had acted mystified whenever they used each others names instead of designations but this was the first time one of them had mentioned it at all. "What's a Dek?"
"This is," Dek punched him in the face feeling the crack of his jaw under his knuckles. The man's eyes rolled back intro his head as he fell unconscious. Dek sighed and got off him dusting off his hands.
"Wimp."
Zan surveyed the scene.
Flex stared down in loathing as his antagonist cried, tucked into a ball. B.J and Techie had finished with their heap of trouble makers and were comparing the bruises on the men.
Pix was busy placing two of his unconscious enemies in a compromising position while Biggs stood there laughing so hard he looked about to pass out.
Dek watched amused as he brushed dirt off his leather jacket and rolled his eyes. He sat by Zan and they watched Alec as he continued to play with Bulli. They winced as Bulli slammed head first into a tree.
"Think he's enjoying himself?" Dek asked Biggs who laughed and helped himself to Zan's chips.
"All done!" Pix announced and Dek rolled his eyes again. Then as his gaze fell on Silt and Dredge's hands as they lay with one clasped together and the other on each others butt, Dek too started to laugh.
"You are just bad!" he told Pix who shrugged and delved into his pockets for his black book and turned to the back pages.
"Unit 6, Silt," he murmured as he scanned it and then with a grin of triumph he crossed something off and snapped the book shut.
"Uh Pix, your list?" B.J asked nervously thinking of his fights with Pix and his argument with Max.
"Yeah?"
"Am I on it?"
Pix grinned wolfishly "Wouldn't you like to know!"
"I say we get the book," B.J said to Dek who nodded, an eager look of anticipation on his face. Pix started to back away and they closed on him.
"Get the book!" B.J yelled and Pix raced off into the jungle with B.J and Dek chasing him.
"Like puppies." Biggs said as he sat back. They had obviously not used up enough energy fighting with unit 6 who, to be honest, hadn't been much of a challenge. He supposed that was because they were used to fighting with Special Ops and not regular Units. He wondered briefly if that meant that it would be easier to fight normal Units from now on or if it was just because they had a particular grudge against Bulli and his crew.
He dismissed the thought and watched as Alec grabbed Bulli around the throat and slammed him against a tree.
"Let's go over this one more time," Alec hissed his voice calm on surface but with a underlying taste of danger that even Zan and Biggs shuddered at. "You ever touch 452, or even look at her, breathe the same air or go within 200 feet of her and I will rip out your spleen and beat you to death with it. Do I make myself clear?"
He smiled as if they were talking about the weather and the blonde gasped.
Alec dropped his bruised and battered body to the floor as if taking out trash. He crouched down so that he was on eye level with the man and made eye contact. Bulli stared up transfixed at the authority and danger that Alec showed in his deep blue eyes.
"I hope…for your sake…that that was a yes. I don't like to be upset and when someone messes with what's mine. I get upset."
Bulli swallowed hard, obviously petrified of Alec and nodded quickly.
"Glad we understand each other," he brought back his fist as if to render Bulli unconscious and the man winced, his eyes almost swollen shut as it was but Alec just laughed ruffled his hair
"Dumbass, never give them what they expect."
Zan and Biggs rolled their eyes at each other as Alec came towards them.
"Where did everyone go?"
"Oh we finished ages ago; they really weren't much of a challenge," Biggs said his mouth full "But we saw you were having too much fun with that one and decided to wait for you."
Alec seemed almost embarrassed as he glanced back at Bulli who seemed to be thanking some deity or other that he was still alive.
"Oh yeah, that. Issues," he explained with a shrug and Biggs laughed.
"Don't we know it!" Biggs rolled his eyes. "Perfectly platonic. Yeah whatever!"
Alec glowered at him, "We are!" he maintained and Zan felt a curl of anger. But he wouldn't break the stalemate. It seemed that the fight had done them some good and Alec was wound much less tonight and actually seemed to have forgiven Biggs now. He looked between them and sighed.
"Well as fun as that was, I think we should go get some shut eye. Max will want to kick our collective asses for this and I for one want to tell her that I so wasn't involved."
"Wuss!" Biggs said as he stood up and offered Zan his hand. Zan's legs were stiff from being sat in one place but he still smiled.
"Yup," He agreed cheerfully "You've seen Maxie in a bad mood. Manticore didn't raise us to be chumps; I'm putting the blame solely on you guys."
Alec leered "Fine, I don't mind being the object of Max's attention,"
He paused realising that what Zan had said had more than a passing chance of being accurate "She is gonna go mad isn't she?"
"C'mon lover boy, like she'd want to mess up your pretty face." Biggs sassed and Alec relaxed again.
"Yeah," Zan rolled his eyes.
"I'm the one on crutches, will you guys hurry up, the girls might still be fighting."
At that Biggs raced off into eth jungle with a broad smile. Chick fight!!
~~~
The girls had waited until B.J and Techie marched away with the last of Unit 6 before edging closer together, sitting by the fire.
"What?" Chance looked up as Drew smirked.
"Want to make amends?" she whispered with that gleam in her eyes that meant someone soon would be in a world of hurt.
Cece looked up at them, "What do you mean?"
"Alec is paying Bulli and his cronies back, we want to give the females a little taste of their own medicine too," Sunny said.
"Count me in," Feen said and Chance nodded.
"Coco is on perimeter watch," Cece offered and Drew glanced at her coolly.
"Maybe you should take over. Coco will want to get her licks in and you weren't exactly Max's great defender."
Cece looked away. She and Drew still had a few issues to settle, the least not being that she had basically said that Drew didn't belong in Special Ops. They had been friends once upon a time and Cece was sorry that she had hurt her friend so badly.
She nodded and stood up, "I'll take her place."
Drew inclined her head and waited for the girl to walk away.
Emma looked between the two of them, "Drew I know that you're mad at her but,"
"Leave it." Drew's tone brooked no argument and Emma let it go; for now anyway.
"Poor Tara stuck in Med bay," Feen grinned and Drew shrugged.
"Well it's not like she won't get to see the results of the work." They chuckled and watched as Drew's attention snapped to the girls who were moving.
"Let's go," she whispered and they followed her as she slunk into the trees almost becoming like a ghost as she faded into the night.
They caught up with Coco who was blurring through the trees to get to them before they started to fight.
"Hey!" she whispered as she caught up with the girls.
"Incoming!" hissed Chance and they dodged out of sight.
Coco slipped down into the brush and waited until she heard the footsteps that signalled that the other unit was on their way.
As soon as they had passed her hiding place she stood up
"Hello ladies."
903 spun around and fixed her with a haughty glare. Coco was sure that Max had called this one Simper.
"What do you want?"
She grinned at the thin, almost dainty brunette.
"Just a few words," she said.
Chance stepped out from behind her tree with a bright smile "Yeah but some of them are mean words."
Chance looked around as Sunny, Drew, Anna, Feen and Skye made their presence known.
"You mean like coward?" there was a hard edge to Sunny's face that wasn't usually apparent. It was too easy to forget that the sweet, bouncy blonde was actually a member of Special Ops, she was so good at hiding her underlying fierceness that she was often underestimated. But no one could deny that she was indeed a danger as they saw the raw power that she possessed as she let her good humour façade drop. Sunny often seemed like the mother of the group and the potential was the same ferocity as when a mother lioness finds her cubs being manhandled and even those in the circle could feel it.
Coco shrugged off the raw power that ebbed from Sunny "Or bitch, whatever works."
Simper eyed the bright women and bristled "I don't know what you're talking about."
Emma laughed; the sound harsh in the air. "Quelle surprisé. Not the sharpest crayons in the box are we?"
Simper turned to a girl with long shiny blonde hair. Sunny recognised her as 103, Airy according to Max. They had been thick as thieves back in Wyoming and looked like they had grown up as mean.
"We're talking about your previous behaviour to our C.O." she prompted and felt her anger grow as another girl rolled her eyes.
"Oh for…Look 452 was an 09er, we got put through Psy-Ops for that bitch and her rug rat traitors in 09 and we went through hell after she was taken away. As far as I'm concerned the little tramp got whatever she deserved."
"Except for 494," Simper leered "Oh he is so tasty!"
Coco exchanged glances with Drew whose eyes narrowed. The very idea of their C.O with anyone other than Max was enough to make them angrier than before.
"Like he'd ever touch trash like you," Drew hissed her fury starting to show in her face. Coco saw the warning signs. Drew was loyal to a fanatical degree to those she loved and Max had made her way onto that list. She was one of Max's most active allies and sometimes there just weren't sure how far Drew would go for her friends and where she would draw the line. Drew was calm, controlled and in charge most of the time. Her composure helped settle more than one dispute but when she was mad, then everyone had better fall in line or get out of the way.
"But he's perfectly willing to screw a traitor? Hmm maybe she was the best option of all of you," her flippant gaze dismissed them all as being unimportant "Obviously none of you managed to catch his attention. Maybe he needs a real woman."
For a second Drew wished that Max was here to teach this self righteous bitch a lesson. Well she'd have to do the honours for her friend.
Anna snarled and clenched her fists tightly "Can we hit her now?"
Sunny stepped forwards annoyed at the girl's words "Nah, I'm curious as to what she thinks makes a real woman?"
Feen was close enough to feel the anger flow off Sunny and she stepped forwards taking hold of her arm.
"Calm down sweets, she'll get hers," she soothed trying to calm Sunny down some.
But it seemed that Simper simply hadn't realised the danger that she was in. "From the likes of you?" she scoffed.
"Well you did just insult both our C.O and 2IC," Feen let go of Sunny and rubbed her hand over her back. It wouldn't do for Sunny to lose it just yet. "That puts you in the category of thick as shit, in my book."
"I like your book, can I borrow it?" Sunny snarled and the rest of the women picked up on Sunny and Drew's states. They exchanged glances wondering if either of them would actually take it as far as to kill someone here. They looked at Coco and she nodded with the unspoken suggestion. They'd have to watch Sunny and Drew. Payback was all well and good but if one of the unit was to meet with a fatal accident there would be nothing that they could do to keep her from Psy-Ops.
"You think you can take me?" Simper ignored the danger she was in and adopted a fighting stance.
"Stupid and arrogant," Coco shook her head; even a fool should have picked up on the danger by now. "Bad combination."
~
Simper swung out and caught Chance a stinging blow around the face, the sound of the slap echoing around the woods.
Chance reeled back and her eyes narrowed. She brought back her own fist and slammed it into Simper's face feeling the satisfying crack of bone beneath her fist.
The rest of Unit 6 waded into the advancing soldiers.
~
Drew launched herself at one dark haired girl with a snap kick to the mid-section that made her breath whoosh out of her in one long sigh. With her doubled over Drew brought down an elbow into the girls spine, dropping her to her knees gasping for breath.
The sun was staring to disappear behind the trees and as the light ebbed from the clearing they felt the telltale prickle of night dawning on their senses.
~
Sunny had simply thrown herself at her foe and was trying to gouge out her eyes with her nails. The girl held her head back, almost frightened at Sunny's feral growl as it rumbled from her chest.
"Get off me, psycho!" she squealed and Sunny responded by stomping hard on the girls foot.
"Is that what you said to Max? I'll show you the same mercy you showed her." Her teeth bared Sunny clawed her hand and swiped, like a bear batting at a hive and five welts appeared on the girl's face, blood trickling from one deep scratch. She dropped her head in shock and Sunny flipped her over her shoulder to land on the floor.
Sunny grabbed her by her hair and slammed her head into the ground.
~
Emma dropped into a sliding tackle feeling the slick jungle carpet scrape her skin and knocked a small girl onto the floor. She reminded her of one of the pictures of the 09ers that they had been shown, Max had said that her sisters name had been Brin and this girl could have been a clone, which was why she attacked her with such force. Seeing a clone of her sisters attacking her must have been hell on Max and this girl deserved to pay. Emma waited until the girl flipped back up before she spun aiming a flying kick at her face. The girl dropped and Emma soared over her head, landing in a cat like crouch ready to pounce again.
~
If the boys' fight had shown the power of their animalistic D.N.A, the girls' fight showed the passion and grace of such genetics.
~
Emma peered up from under her red bangs straight into the eyes of her opponent and she leaped, like a cat, somersaulting over the girl to land behind her kicking her in the back.
~
Skye and her chosen foe, a girl with long red hair, circled each other as if waiting for the other to make a move. Skye grinned and feinted right. The girl sidestepped and was met with Skye's foot snapping her knee. She screamed in pain and Skye silenced her with a slap around the face, her own palm aching at the force of impact. The girls' eyes widened and she reeled back, away from Skye but it was no good as she was stopped by Anna who stood behind her wrenching her arms behind her back.
"Help!" she called and Anna was spun around by another girl who punched her, Anna felt blood drip down her face as pain exploded in her cheek, stars in her vision.
"Bitch!" she cursed and grabbed the girl by her hair, swinging her around and letting her momentum carry her into the tree, its rough bark rubbing her face like sandpaper.
~
Feen was trading blows with Airy, each punch and kick sounding like a gunshot in the clearing. They were matched well and Feen didn't seem like she was getting the upper hand.
"Gee and they let you out without a leash," Airy purred "Didn't I see you with 886? Oh he is adorable, maybe when I'm finished with you I can see if he needs any help?"
Feen's jaw dropped at the thought of this she bitch with her claws in Techie.
"Over my dead body bitch," She spat and her fury spurred her on. Feen closed her eyes and felt that well of hostility and resentment and shoved it to the outside. She brought her hands up, blocking Airy's punch and twisted the girls arm, there was a satisfying snap and Feen grinned maliciously as she turned the already broken arm. Airy screamed and it was a sweet sound. Feen spun and kicked out, knocking the girl off her feet and to the floor.
~
Chance was in a headlock by Simper and had another girl trapping her arms so that she couldn't get enough leverage to get free.
"Mind if I join in?" Drew said grabbing Simper's long silky hair and yanking hard. She let go of Chance and Chance rubbed her throat.
"No, fine take the bitch." She choked and rammed her fist into her captors' throat. She looked around to see the girl that Drew had been fighting was unconscious on the floor. It took a few seconds to make out that the girl was still breathing. Chance was never really sure with Drew whether she was quite rational or just dancing on the edge. They all had that little bit of doubt, Drew was fierce and ferocious in a fight. A great one to have on your side but a bitch of an enemy. Chance was glad that they were on the same side.
She turned her attention to the choking girl at her feet.
"Oh now oxygen is important?" she teased and jumped as the girl swept her feet under her, trying to get her knocked down. Chance reached up and grabbed onto the branch of the tree above her. She held on until the girl looked confused at the apparent disappearance of her enemy and then, in a trick Max had shown her, Chance swung herself over the tree limb and dropped hard onto the girl, slamming her head into the floor as she fell.
The girl was knocked unconscious and Chance preened.
~
Drew circled Simper, checking for weaknesses and ducked her head, her hair falling in curtain over her features. The night had fallen by now and her face was cast in eerie shadows. Not that they needed the light, their feline D.N.A making the night just as easy to see in as the light, but the primitive part of Drew relished the fact that the darkness had fallen and scary animals were free to roam because the night was their domain. The night was Drew's domain and a predatory smile flickered around her lips. She licked them looking like a cat would at a canary that had dinner written all over it.
Simper swallowed, her own instincts understanding that she was in over her head, even if she was too proud to admit that fact.
Drew waited until Simper's body hummed with anticipation and then she casually stepped forwards. Thinking that this was the attack Simper snarled and launched herself at Drew, she missed as Drew stepped out of the way. Drew snapped her elbow into Simper's face and caught her from behind. She leaned against Simper's back, her hands tight around the girl's throat feeling soft skin under her palms.
"I am going to make you pay," she said calmly and Simper struggled in her grasp. Drew loosened her grip, letting the girl think that she was getting away and then she pushed her to the floor.
Simper snapped out arching her back to get to her feet but Drew was too fast, she booted her in the side and Simper cried out, curling on her side in pain as she felt her cracked rib.
Drew's eyebrow rose as she stalked around her prey, the scent of blood rampant in the clearing.
"Now, what were you saying about my C.O?"
"She's a traitor, and you should be ashamed that she was better than you."
"Better than you too sweetheart," Drew dropped to her knees besides the girl and grabbed a fistful of her hair. Only Simper's darting glance let her know that some one was creeping up behind her and Drew spun, kicking out at the creeping transgenic. She staggered backwards, her arms pinwheeling but Drew advanced on her. Her mind set as she launched an upper cut to her face. The girl crumpled to the floor like a marionette whose strings had been cut and Drew smiled in satisfaction.
She quickly glanced around to see the results of their fight.
Sunny had one girl pushed up against a tree with her arm twisted up behind her back. She was hissing into her ear and whatever it was that she was saying the girl looked petrified.
Emma's chosen victim was unconscious next to Drew's first foe, as was Chance's and the two girls stood together remarking on Anna's technique as she drop kicked her opponent into the ground rendering her breathless and unable to move. Chance and Emma clapped as Anna bowed.
Feen sat by Airy's still form wiping blood off her lip and watched Coco as she and Skye finished off the last two girls. Drew nodded in satisfaction and turned just in time to get Simper's fist in her face.
Annoyed that the girl had caught her off guard, Drew crouched in a ball and then leaped over her head feeling the air soaring through her hair and brushing her face with its gentle kiss; she landed behind Simper and grabbed her hair, flipping her onto the floor again with a hard thud.
Drew back-flipped to land straddling Simper's midsection and brought her fist into the girls' face, slamming it down again and again, blood gushing between her knuckles. Drew had always been one of the boys as all of her friends were male, at least until she had found a friend in Max, and was used to making her frame count. She angled her fists and let them snap with her feelings. This girl had hurt one of Drew's only female friends and for that she would pay.
Drew wrapped her hands around the girls head and braced to snap her neck.
"Drew, NO!" Screamed Sunny and Drew stopped, her eyes coming back to life and staring down at the face of Simper. She was sobbing, her face wet with tears and horror in her eyes.
Drew smiled softly and leaned down, kissing Simper on her upturned nose.
"So not worth it," she whispered and got up, dropping Simper to the floor.
"Drew?" Sunny asked shakily, her eyes asking the question that she hadn't dared to. Would Drew really have killed the girl just then? It was a question that Drew was almost afraid to ask herself. Would she have killed Simper?
Drew needed to talk to Max. She saw that the fight was over and just grinned at Sunny.
"Just playing," Sunny smiled but her eyes were still wary and Drew shrugged.
She looked up as footsteps ran through the brush. It was Biggs.
"Aww, is the fight over already?" he moaned.
Drew laughed "Yeah and we just got dressed to!"
Biggs's jaw dropped as he imagined the scene and was hit by Sunny as she stalked past him.
"Pervert!"
"It's a healthy obsession!" he called as he rubbed his head. He looked at Drew and his eyes widened.
"Drew behind-"
But Drew head heard Simper's footsteps and spun her kick straight in Simper's side.
Simper fell again and this time she had the sense to stay where she was, her eyes wide. Wondering what her punishment would be.
Drew looked down at her "No offence," she laughed "But you fight like a girl." Drew marched past Chance and winked. Chance smiled uneasily.
Biggs held his arm out and she walked under it, letting him curl his arm around her and they walked away leaving Unit 6 crying and writhing in the clearing.
~
~~
Tara smiled down at Carrot and stroked his soft red hair. She was glad that he was out of it for now, as he'd be mad when he woke up that she had drugged him. But he was in no condition to go beat up transgenics, besides she was sure that Alec could handle it.
She glanced over at Mets vitals, happy to see that he was stable and resting. Things were going to be better from now she knew. Alec and Max would help them all to heal and they'd be one solid unit again, friends and more. And that was what she had craved all of this time. Somewhere she could be herself and have people who genuinely cared about her because of it.
It was enough to, as they said in Common Verbal, blow her mind. A few years ago she'd thought she'd never belong anywhere and now she not only had a family but someone who loved her. Love, that was so strange to hear from his lips, a soldier's lips that should be more familiar with barking out orders that making her heart race like a bullet through a gun. She softened as she looked at Carrot with his serene smile; he leaned into her caress even in his sleep. She leaned down and kissed his head. He wanted her to be his mate. She wasn't sure how or why but she knew for her insides that it was something that she wanted too, something she needed.
She'd have to talk to Max and Sunny about this.
A noise made her glance up to see one of Unit 6 hobbling into the clearing, then another carrying one over his shoulder. Blood ran freely down their faces and bruises shone in the candle light.
The first one stopped in front of her, his nose clearly broken and his eye swollen shut.
"C-can I h-have I-ice?" he croaked and Tara rolled her eyes as she focused her eyes on his crushed Larynx.
"Sit down, I'll patch you up."
His good eye widened "Y-ou w-w-ill?"
Tara nodded and dished out orders to those of Unit brave enough to come into the Med Bay.
"Take triage and sit down okay?" she called and turned her attention to her role as nurse.
The first boy stood staring at her strangely.
"What?" she wanted to know.
"Y-your Unit just messed us up bad and you want to help us heal?" His friend came up behind him and watched her closely.
"I love my Unit, but my job is field Med. No matter how much I hate you for what you did to my C.O, nothing gets in the way of that."
And it was true, no matter how much she hated these guys, she had an obligation for her talents to set their bones and their bruises. It wasn't what she wanted but it was what she had to do.
They locked eyes and respect and admiration as well as appreciation spread over his face.
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me," Tara said coolly. "I do this for Max, 452. Not you."
He inclined his head and Tara draped an ice pack over his shoulder. As she turned she saw the females of Unit 6 hobble into the clearing.
She rolled her eyes heavenwards.
"Gee thanks guys!"
Oh well, at least they were low on anaesthetic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jade-K- Zan and Alec get on well when they are not fighting about Max. I love possessive Alec too!
Geminangel- It was going to be even longer ff/net was down this morning and I was going to have to go to work without posting!!
Stormvind- Cheers pet, threats don't work! But Praise, now that is something else entirely! And of course long reviews.
Sigma1- what can I say I was feeling in a vindictive mood!
Fangedangel- I know updates so fast, I wanted the other side of the story this time as well, they show didn't show much of the Reds and I thought they were a great plot device.
Nora- Thanks for that disclaimer- I'll be using that!! Doesn't matter which order you read as long as you review too and enjoy!!
Kat461- Aw bless, hope she gets better soon. Glad that she led you to my stuff too. Glad my fight scenes have improved.
Feenian- LOL, I think everyone wants Chapter 17 to come quick. Me too!
Poo- I don't think the Reds need help to be scary but hey!! The show didn't really show them to their advantage. Zan set fire!!! You like Skye? Me too strangely especially since she wasn't supposed to be a likable character. But she took on her own character.
Raven- Thanks pet, I was actually gonna have this in three parts but I think I'd get lynched! Alec can be so adorable can't he? You have a good point about the pre-packaged meals, I never even thought of that. Feel free to tell me about anything like that- I don't take offence- honestly I like knowing that people are paying attention.
m/a fan- Me too, aint he cute? I can't believe that she didn't let him~! I would have!
Moonangel18- hey there, Biggs will have to come up with something to get back into Alec's good graces as well as Max's. Another Skye fan!!
Moonlite star- cheers pet, glad you like! Too long to update in one part J
Ganko- awed huh? Aw thanks pet. It gets easier to make it link she says after hating the next chapter's links I get to change a lot now that I am reading it again and making it better which is a bonus for me too. Plus all the different POV's are fun to do.
Talichernin- LOL, thanks…I think. That's two people I've heard to say that they'll explode! Not sure what to say to that! LOL. And I'm sure you have a life!
SGOU- The snuggling was adorable wasn't it? I liked it too. Biggs' conversation was made much better when my beta offered some suggestions and I am glad that I took them on, the whole thing was just so much better afterwards. Yeah B.J seems to be getting away with it doesn't he? Hmm have to do something about that! Zan and Alec should get along after all they have a lot in common! Max! Thanks for that, I am so glad that my fight scenes have improved so that you visualise them now. Glad someone likes my SOH too!
Nat452- Of course! Like I could leave you with that scene and no malecy goodness!!
Restive nature- hey there! Nice name btw, thanks for delurking and letting us see ya. The characters seem to get bigger with each chapter so they are actually people and not just background, and there are so damn many of them now!!! Thanks.
Kim- cheers pet, happy and sad I can do and I am so glad that you like that too. Ben obsessed with teeth? LOL, maybe. Wait and see! I work in the Disney Store, and no it's not as great as everyone says. Yay word of mouth! Tell all of your friends and if you don't have friends tell enemies!
Chaosti- me too, I asked my dad for one but he just gave me a worried look and changed the subject. pouts I'd nurse Alec back to health, ahhhh. Pictures!!!!
Lynn- Hey! Thanks for the review you are a sweetheart! Its not being stupid, just young and naive. LOL!! O know there are so many new guys to deal with and they all have their own personality to deal with as well! Hug Alec or Biggs- or both? LOL, I know who you meant. I'm a M/A shipper- of course they'll get together- eventually. I know what you meant about the Reds being underused in the show, they rocked! Feel free to talk lots, I like it!! And glad you like the pics too, they take forever!!
Arwen-amy- Awesome? Cheers pet, glad you like that!
Megs- short and sweet. Thank you and okay!!
UHU twist and glue- I laughed when I read your screen name. LOL, thanks for that! glad you like it too, all of them at that. cheers pet.