A/N- Two new reviewers who de-lurked- thank you!!! Chapter 16 is the spare chapter so get your requests in now. LOL, I think more Pix is prett6y much guaranteed at this point!
~~Chapter 14b- Slumber Party~
Alec sat in the rec room flicking one of the pool balls from hand to hand lost in thought. He hadn't been able to sleep after his little talk with Max and then their excursion to Lydecker and finally Max wandering off to her secrets. Truth be told he was a little hurt that she still didn't trust him completely, even though he understood it.
He had hurt her with his words even as his unit had hurt her with their accusations. Having her in his arms last night had been the closest he had ever come to peace in Manticore and he wasn't ready to give that up just yet, no matter what happened he was going to make Max his.
He was startled out of his brooding as the door opened and Dek walked in. Dek jumped.
"Geez Alec! Give a man a heart attack why don't cha!"
"Why aren't you in bed?" Alec grinned at his friend glad for the company.
"Shark D.N.A," Dek said with a shrug "it bites."
Alec rolled his eyes at the pun "Funny."
Dek shrugged "It's late…or early, I'm not at my best. But enough about me, why are you here?"
"I'm thinking,"
"Brooding."
"I can do both!"
"I don't doubt that," Dek laughed "Lemme guess, sad face, haunted eyes-it's either Sloppy Joe night or you're thinking about Max."
Since Max had arrived, and basically shown them a way to be more human starting with names, the unit had found Alec that much more open with them about everything. Due to her influence and unique way of doing and looking at things he had opened up in a way that had never done before, thinking of them now more as brothers than unit-mates. People he could share with rather than just have to protect.
Maybe it was due to Max constantly calling her 09er friends 'brothers', whatever it was, Alec had embraced it. In a way they were closer than real siblings because they depended on each other for back up as well as emotional support, after all there was no 'father' figure to discus things with, like girls for example; and so the boys had become more comfortable with each other, able to talk about these emotions things without feeling ridiculous. Of course one of the bonus' was that since they were all basically innocents in the way of the world there was no shame in admitting when they didn't understand something. It made sharing easier.
"She makes me crazy. I want to just grab her and hold her and never let her go. Protect her from everything but at the same time she's strong and defiant and I love her fire."
"So not Sloppy Joe's then."
Alec glared at him and Dek grinned.
"Women, make you crazy. I'm there I get that."
"Oh yeah?" Alec eyed him with interest "Who makes you crazy?"
Before Dek could answer, Carrot walked in followed by Techie.
"Hey Alec!"
"Does no one sleep?" he asked the ceiling and Carrot and Techie slumped to the sofa.
"What's eating you?" Carrot snapped.
"Girl trouble," filled in Dek.
"Tell me about it!" Carrot sighed "One second they are all fine and good and the next bam, like an explosion. But they won't tell you what the explosion was about or how to stop it from happening again."
"Or what to say to make it better," Alec added.
"Right," Carrot pointed to Alec "Then they look at you with these big hurt eyes and you would rip off your own arm to stop that."
"Not that she'd appreciate it!" Alec scoffed.
"And she seems to want me to say something but won't tell me what it is," Carrot continued and Alec agreed.
"Then she gets mad when I don't say it,"
"Then when I do say it she doesn't believe me."
"It's like she doesn't trust me at all!"
"So I tell her straight and she stands there and doesn't say it back!"
"How am I supposed to get her to talk to me?"
"Women!" they both finished in exasperation and Dek looked between them like he was at a tennis match.
"You have issues."
"Yeah well at least your girls don't terrify you!"
They turned to Techie who blushed but stood his ground.
"What?"
"You and Feen?"
"The girl's a nightmare. She's loud and obnoxious and brash and scary as hell. She's made me into her pet project. Project Techie, codename; scare the beejeesus out of. For an hour a week she makes me sit in on girl talk," The men all shuddered and then Carrot started.
"Hey, you sit in on girl talk?"
Techie eyed him. "Hello, where have you been?"
"So what do they say then?" Alec leaned forwards intrigued.
Techie lost control of his rant and he put his head on the side considering "Well there's the whole hair obsession of Sunny's which I don't comprehend. She talks about it being curly."
"Sunny has straight hair," Dek stated confused.
"I know, must be some weird girl thing because they agreed." Techie shrugged "Emma and Coco like to tease me and talk about…" he blushed and leaned forwards "Heat cycles and fantasies and--"
"Whoa whoa whoa back up!" Dek clapped his hands "This I want to hear!"
"Me too!" Carrot grinned, his whole face bright.
"Not me!" Alec groaned "Come on guys I grew up in the same facility as Coco, and Emma? It'd be like hearing about my sisters!"
"Ok but we are so talking later!" Dek pointed at Techie. "What else?"
Techie shrugged "They talk about mission stuff, how to do make-up for missions involving distractions. Cramps, some weird female things I have no idea what they mean and don't want to and they talk about us."
"They do?" Even Alec was interested as Techie blushed.
"Like what?"
Techie looked at his fingers "They swore me to secrecy."
"Techie?"
"Come on man?" they pleaded.
"No," he shook his head violently "Do you have any idea what Max and Drew would do to me if they knew I spilled?" he shuddered.
"Be a man!" Carrot said.
"Not if they get a hold of me," Techie said with a scared look.
"Well I think I know all of Drew's secrets anyway," Dek said idly.
"Oh really?" Techie had a gleam in his eye "So you know what she thought about Mets' kissing or when he took her back to his room"
Dek shot forward "He did what?" his eyes were wide and his fists clenched.
"Do you by any chance know Max's heat fantasies?" Alec didn't quite pull off the casual tone he was looking for.
"Well let's see," Techie counted on his fingers "We covered how to kill men, which of the males has the best eyes, the best smile, the best personality. Who looks for what in a male, which male has the nicest ass, who is the most annoying, who inspires the most fantasies…yeah it might have come up. Or not, you know Max isn't one to talk much at these things."
Alec glared hard.
Techie grinned at someone else being as off kilter as he was.
"Uh I think we can safely say that that topic is finished!" Carrot said after one look at Dek and Alec's furious faces. "You were saying about Feen, Techie?"
It took Techie a few seconds to recall his thread.
"Oh yeah, she follows me around everywhere and talks non-stop. Chatter chatter chatter 24/7."
He leaned forwards "So when Alec goes to Psy-Ops we all fight and take sides and she's on one, with me elsewhere, right?"
"Right," They chorused intrigued and more than a little amused at this side of Techie that they rarely saw.
"We stop talking and for two weeks, blissful silence; No one following me around, no one talking in my ear while I'm working, no shadow, no problem, right?"
"Right."
"Wrong," he stated "I couldn't concentrate on my work, I made the dumbest errors in programming, I was constantly looking over my shoulder, I hated the silence. I was miserable. Then she comes over and starts crying. She cried." He shivered with the horror not seeing the knowing and amused looks the others were sending each other.
"I was a mess I would have given the girl heaven and earth to stop those tears, right?"
"Stands to reason."
"Any guy would." They agreed and Techie felt mollified by their acquiescence.
"I fix things and she walks away and I have the stupidest grin on my face. What is that about?"
Alec couldn't hold it in anymore, he burst out laughing and felt Dek chuckling by his side.
"It's not funny! The girl terrifies me!" Techie yelled and Alec laughed harder.
"Oh God Tech," Alec wiped tears from his eyes "Buy a matching set of boxing gloves and have done with it. You are in love."
Techie paled "Oh, please no!"
He turned to Carrot who was clutching a pillow and practically sobbing with laughter.
"Some friend you are!" he huffed and folded his arms over his chest.
~~
"I guess I just wanted to know if you're mad at me for patching up the unit?" Tara bit her lip as she sat on the bed.
"Mad at you?" Max shook her head "I have the greatest respect for you. You did your job no matter how much you hated it. I would never have done that." Max looked down "Does that make me a bad C.O, a coward for rather letting them die than help them?"
"Makes you human," Tara touched her arm "I'm glad you don't hate me."
"Nah!" Max laughed and her head shot towards the door.
"Who's there?"
Drew had also felt someone bouncing around outside the door.
It opened and Chance and Feen walked in.
"Hey!"
"Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Drew asked and Feen rolled her eyes.
"Look who's talking!"
"I came to see Max and Feen-" Chance tapered off and Feen shrugged.
"I tagged along because I wanted to talk to Max, didn't think we'd have a crowd."
"What can I say, I'm popular!" Max laughed and moved over "Come sit down!"
Feen and Chance clambered onto the bed sprawling over Tara.
"What did you want to say guys?" Max prompted.
Chance took a deep breath "I wanted to personally apologise for being an idiot and not loyal and screwing up possibly the best friendship I have ever had."
"AHEM,"
"Aside from Feen of course,"
"Of course!" Max inclined her head "I'm not saying all is forgiven 100%, I have issues," she mocked herself "But it's a start. You know we can get back."
"I'd like that." Chance smiled and Feen agreed.
The door opened again and they all looked.
"Hey I heard voices, are we having a slumber party?" Sunny beamed cradling something in her arms. It looked like blankets.
Max frowned "A what party?"
"Slumber, I read about them on the outside," Sunny edged in followed by Skye, Coco and Emma. Max gazed in disbelief,
"I don't think my room is equipped to hold this many people."
"Oh, then I probably shouldn't have told Cece and Anna either?" Sunny winced as the door opened and the two women walked in.
"Cramped much?" Anna said and pushed Coco aside to lie on the floor. Sunny handed her several blankets that she spread out over the cold concrete floor making it more comfortable for them all to sit.
They perched all over Max's room making it look so much smaller. Max exchanged glances with Drew who held her hands up in defeat.
"Ok!" Max gave up. They were here and it was better than being alone tonight.
"So what were we talking about?" Sunny beamed.
"Max was just saying that we have some way to go but she can forgive us," Chance filled in.
"Even me?" Cece said and Max stared straight into her eyes. "After all aren't I as bad as Unit 6?"
Max shook her head "No one's that bad," She sighed "Truth Cece, I have no idea, lets take it one step at a time okay?"
"Done," Cece smiled and the tension was broken.
"Ok, not to be self centred but can I talk for a while?" Feen flashed her teeth in a bright smile.
"Go for Max!" Max shrugged.
"Techie, sweet little geek; adorable despite his dubious fashion sense and hygiene," Feen paused and slumped "Why won't he make a move on me?"
Max grinned and Drew hid her smile behind her hand, the other girls chuckled lightly and Feen started bewildered as even Chance turned away. Tara scratched her cheek and looked down.
"What?" Feen demanded, her shoulders lifting as she gestured.
"Feen honey, how is it possible you don't know?" Sunny laughed.
"Know what?"
"You scare him," Emma added with a trace of sympathy.
"Do not!"
"Do too!" Coco laughed "The times I've seen that boy break out in a sweat because he knows you're coming down the hall!"
"Or duck into the bathroom," Cece added
"Or slide under the table," Anna continued
"Or hide behind Flex," Skye giggled
Feen gaped like a goldfish.
"For real?"
Sunny nodded and touched her shoulder "Sorry honey."
"And none of you thought to tell me this?"
"We thought you knew!" Chance held up her hands.
Feen's face seemed torn between amazement and amusement.
Amusement won out and she let go in peels of laughter.
"No way! Oh the poor guy!" she touched her mouth. "But hey, when we didn't talk for those weeks he said he missed me!"
"Maybe he did," Coco stretched "I mean you are his personal shadow, maybe he likes being scared."
"Maybe deep down our Techie is a thrill seeker, looking for danger," Drew painted the unlikely picture.
The idea of sweet, sensitive Techie as a thrill seeker made them all laugh.
"So what do I do? I like the guy; he won't make a move if he's scared of me!"
"I don't know, I'd say its working!" Max sang with a knowing smirk.
"How's that?" they all turned to her.
"Oh come on, he's always looking to see where she is, he knows her timetable better than she does, when she walks in the room he doesn't dare look anywhere else. His eyes follow her everywhere. He's hooked, he just doesn't know it yet, but when he does-" Max predicted.
"Bam," Sunny said softly "Caught."
"But even when they're caught it doesn't mean that its plain sailing."
They all turned to Tara who bit her lip. Even after being with them for a few years now, she sometimes felt like the outsider. It happened less and less and she did think of them as family but she wasn't used to being centre of attention; but she had to say something.
"What is it honey?" Sunny asked in her usual motherly tone and Tara broke.
"Well see it's like this-"
~~
"Oh come on Tech, so Feen scares ya. At least you know she's interested!" Carrot said
"I thought you and Tara were going along great?" Alec frowned.
"We were!" Carrot began and then he turned to the door. "Do the guards know we're here?"
Alec shrugged and stood up, creeping up to the door and pulling it open. Several transgenics stood in the hall laughing at Biggs and Steve as they fell onto the floor. Pix and Aiden stepped over them.
"Huh, guess feline grace counts for nothing!"
"Or less!" Aiden agreed.
"What are you guys doing up?" Alec asked exasperated.
"Well I was walking off my D.N.A induced insomnia," B.J said from out in the hallway "When I saw Biggs creeping out of his dorm. I followed."
"He kicked my door and I came too," Flex shrugged kicking at Steve.
"I was in the lab and saw the procession go by," Aiden jumped on the sofa making Carrot move over "Wanted to see what the fuss was."
"I was just being nosy," Biggs shrugged with an easy smile.
Pix yawned and slumped to the floor "I was visiting-"
"Yeah?" Biggs snarled jumping to his feet, angry that Pix had been with Chance this late at night, what was the guy thinking? "You have no right to-"
Pix held up his hands "Hey if you and Zan have a thing I won't get in the way! I was only visiting him in med bay."
Biggs gaped and blushed "Shut up!"
Pix and Alec laughed.
"Get in here before we wake the guards," Alec motioned and they slunk into the rec room.
"So what are we doing?"
"Well currently, we've established that Techie is in love with Feen," Dek started.
"Old news!" yawned Aiden "Move on!"
"Hey!" Techie yelped.
"-and Carrot was about to fill us in on his love life." Dek finished ignoring Techie.
"Please continue!" Biggs said with a flourish.
"No," Carrot coloured.
"Aw have we embarrassed you?" Steve joked and Flex smacked him.
"Hey Steve, I wanna get busy with your sister, that okay?"
Steve choked; his eyes wide and Flex beamed at Carrot.
"He won't say a word for about ten minutes, go on."
"Well me and Tara have been getting on great."
"Details!" Biggs edged forward
Carrot rolled his eyes and a slight grin graced his features "She kisses amazing and I love holding her, you know, she's not angular like say Cece but she got curves," he laughed "In all the right places!"
"How far--?" Biggs started but Carrot shook his head.
"Come on man, she'd kill me. Anyway after I got shot I booted her in the chest."
"She forgave you already!" B.J said, "She's a lot more forgiving than some, oh say Anna!"
They looked at each other uneasily. They knew that B.J and Anna didn't get along- at all. They fought worse than Alec and Max had ever done. Most often their fights were trivial and ended in violence, usually Anna smacking B.J around the head. It was a shame because Anna was lovely and B.J could actually be a pretty decent guy- under the arrogance and sarcasm. If they could stand to be in the room for more than a few seconds they might find they had something in common, except for an explosive temperament.
"Ok so she said that she forgave me, then I said mmfta," Carrot mumbled.
"You said what?" Dek leaned forward, even with transgenic hearing he didn't get that.
"I said I told her mmfta," Carrot turned even redder.
"Say what?" Flex grinned
"I said I loved her okay?" Carrot spat it out fast and coloured again at the show of sentimentality.
"Huh."
"Uh."
Carrot was taken aback at the lack of mocking. He decided to try again- It was prodding a sore tooth to see if it still hurt.
"Then I asked her to be my mate."
Still nothing; there was contemplative silence which wasn't exactly what he had expected with his little outburst. Several of them looked intrigued and Pix bit his lip.
"Well, what did she say to that?"
Carrot threw up his hands "Nothing, nada, niente, zip, zilch, zero."
"So nothing then?" Dek summed up sarcastically.
Carrot glared at him "We kissed and were interrupted by someone,"
"Well she seemed pleased," Dek offered.
"So why didn't she say anything back? Isn't that what girls like? That mushy stuff?"
"Do I look like a therapist?" Dek shot back.
"He's right," Pix said from across the room.
"Exactly," Dek gestured to Pix.
"Besides he's as messed up as the rest of us,"
Dek nodded "Exactl- hey what's that supposed to mean?"
~~
"- So then he tells me he loves me and wants me to be his mate!" Tara wrung her hands.
"Wow!" Max's eyes widened and Sunny nodded.
"You go girl!" Coco clapped her hands.
"But that's like a huge commitment, what would Manticore say if they knew?"
"Screw Manticore!" Anna said and leaned forward "How do you feel?"
"I like Carrot, I do, I like him a lot and the thought that anything bad could happen-" she touched her chest "Hurts here. But Love? Are we even allowed that?"
The girls looked around at each other.
"Can they stop us?" Chance said into the sudden quiet.
"Chance?" Feen raised an eyebrow.
"I like Pix; I may even be in love with him. Manticore can't take that away from me…can they?" her eyes begged Max to tell her that it wasn't so.
"Never," Max promised and then took Chance's hand "They try to make you forget, and when they can't make you forget they try to make you not care. It's what they tried to do with my brothers. But all the Psy-Ops in the world could never make me forget Ben's stories and no amount of reindoc could ever make me not care about Zack, and Jondy. I love them, just like I love you guys. They can only take that we if let them."
There was silence as they absorbed that.
"Well let's face it; they gave us fantastic memories, what better way to use it than to screw them over?"
They liked Skye's proclamation and fell about, even as a few of them were uneasy with the treachery implied behind the words. They were growing up and they could see the horrors in Manticore for what they were rather than what they had been brought up to see and the walls that Manticore had built around their hearts was crumbling down.
"So what do I do?" Tara brought the conversation back even as she settled down with a pillow.
"Well I say, wait until lights out and then go to him," Coco waggled her eyebrows "Show him what your answer is!"
"Ahem, as C.O of Special Ops I'm not sure I can condone that kind of blatant disregard for the rules of Manticore!" Max feigned shock. She giggled as she was hit by Tara's pillow.
"So I should go and-" Tara faltered "What, really?"
"Go for it!" She was cheered on and felt a blush rise on her face.
"I don't know how," Tara confessed.
"It's easy."
Everyone spun to face Anna.
"Anna!" Max gaped "You've had sex?"
Anna looked uneasy "Yeah."
"When? Who?"
"I went into heat during a mission and he was…there was…look it doesn't matter who but sex is kinda… nice."
"Nice?" Emma laughed "It's more than nice."
"You too?" they looked at her in askance.
Emma shrugged "It was back when we first started here."
"Here? So it's someone we know?" Coco asked intrigued.
"It was Biggs."
Everyone stared
"What? I didn't really know him then. He was being nice and showing me around. He was cute and all so when he suggested we head back to his cell, I said yes."
"Biggs?" Sunny said in disbelief.
"It was good, he has a nice body." Emma chuckled remembering
"Biggs?" Sunny repeated.
"Yeah, of course he was just510 then,"
"Can we please not have details?" Chance looked a little grossed out.
"Ok!" Emma laughed knowing that it was unnerving for Chance. She also got strange conflicted feelings off Sunny and wasn't sure what the girl's problem was.
"Start with kissing," Anna offered Tara "Mouth, jaw line, ear if he's into that kind of thing."
"Carrot likes it when I do that," she blushed harder as if she couldn't believe she was sharing this with them.
"Then explore," Anna instructed "Things kinda come naturally after that."
"The guy takes control if you let him," Emma smiled "If you like that then okay but if not, make sure he knows who's in command."
Tara dropped her had into her hand "Oh God!"
Her actions were met with laughter.
"Do what you feel comfortable with," Max said and Tara lifted her head to meet her eyes with gratitude. "Soldier!" Max added teasingly and Tara sat up straight.
"Soldier, I am a soldier not a mouse," she pushed her shoulders back and smirked "He won't know what hit him!"
There were whistles and catcalls until Chance reminded them that guards still patrolled these halls.
"So now we have sorted out Tara's problem," Sunny continued "Why were you here Drew?"
Drew shifted uncomfortably.
~~
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dek glared at Pix who rolled his eyes.
"Come on man; name one Manticorian who is normal."
Dek closed his mouth and shrugged "Point taken."
"But she scares me!"
"There, there!" Aiden patted Techie's leg trying to hide his smirk at Techie's squeaky words.
Techie took a deep breath "You guys are wrong. I am not in love with her."
"How can you tell anyway?" Flex asked curiously. He'd heard songs about love and those types of feelings but he'd never experienced anything like that- at least he didn't think so. He saw these guys as his family, his brothers and was not only curious at their experience but also wondered how he'd be able to tell if he were to fall in love. He knew that he wanted it to happen one day.
"Yeah," Dek laughed "Enlighten us loveless fools."
"Less of the fool!" Flex laughed.
Alec stared at Carrot.
Carrot sighed "She's the first thing you think about when you wake up."
"Sorry man but the first thing I think about is breakfast!" Biggs got a roar of laughter at that. Even Alec grinned.
"After that," Carrot amended with a grin "You wonder if she's gonna be there, if she's okay."
"But that just means that you care right?" Dek said "I'm sure Biggs thinks like that about Chance."
Biggs raised his eyebrows in disbelief "My sister's welfare is important but trust me, she's not the first thing I think about."
Dek frowned. He was sure that his feelings for Drew were that of a brother and sister but they seemed to have a different relationship to Biggs and Chance and even to Steve and Skye. He was closer to Drew than the two men were to their sisters. She was the first thing he saw when he walked into the room, he would just check to make sure that she was there and she was okay. He put it down to her being so out of sorts with this whole Special Ops business and he being naturally protective of her- the same as she was with him. Besides he spent most of his time with her, when she wasn't in lessons or doing her rigorous studying schedule anyway and was more likely to pick upon changes in her moods. The thought of Drew with her dark hair bent over some book and her lips muttering in silent concentration sent a smile to his lips. The smile faded as he thought about it, neither Steve nor Biggs seemed to hang out with their sister that often and now that he thought about it, most of the time they had no idea where she was whereas he always knew where Drew was. But that was because they had similar timetables and when they weren't, they always had plans to meet up. That's all.
"What else?" Techie said nervously.
"Well you are aware whenever she's there; you keep a corner of your eye on her at all times, even if you're not aware of it. You know when something's wrong with her- when she's hurt or mad."
"With Feen, that's pretty much all the time," Techie said and they nodded thinking of the fiery transgenic.
"But you know if something's different even if you can't tell what it is or why she's mad," Alec added.
Dek couldn't see the big deal, he always knew when something was bothering Drew, it was because they had been brought up at the same place and had gotten close. Alec and Carrot sounded like women were some big mystery, all he had to do was tease Drew out of her mood and make her smile. It meant nothing more than you cared about the person.
Dek looked up at Pix whose face was carefully blank as he flicked his gaze between Alec and Carrot. He met Dek's eyes and smiled. It was a careful smile that Dek had never seen on Pix's normally expressive face and he knew what this was about. Chance.
Odds are that Pix wanted to join in on the conversation and either talk about falling in love with Chance or how he could tell if he was already there. But since Biggs was here there was little chance that he could spill his feelings without her brother going up in arms and starting a fight. The fact that he had to hide his feelings when he so obviously wanted to talk was why Dek had smiled in understanding.
He nodded to Pix to show that he got it and was rewarded by a genuine grin from his friend as he realised that Dek did understand. Those two were quite close, bonding in a three way friendship with Aiden who was as much of a joker as Pix, albeit less practical jokes, and as witty as Dek. The three of them together was enough to exasperate any Trainer and send any member of Special Ops into hysterics. It was like one of those 20th century stand up acts that they had seen on the outside.
"You get mad if you see her with another guy," Alec continued and smacked Biggs over the back of the head and Biggs moaned.
"Hey! I said that there was nothing between me and Max!"
Alec blinked innocently "I know!"
Biggs rubbed his sore head "Jerk."
Techie dropped his head into his hands "Not helping!"
"You find the dumbest excuses to be around her," Carrot rolled his eyes "And I mean the dumbest!"
"You find out everything about her. From her favourite colour right to her timetable," Alec laughed derisively "Thus making you the single most pathetic thing in existence, but you can't help it."
"And you'd move heaven and earth to keep her happy," Carrot finished.
Flex elbowed Techie, "This hitting home yet?"
"Shut up," Techie said from beneath his hands. "Love sucks."
"Yeah," Alec sat back "Especially if she'd rather kick your ass than kiss you."
"Or you say you love her and she says nothing back."
"It's sad to see a male so laid low by love!" Biggs shook his head "My fellow transgenics we must feel pity for our brothers."
"Asshole!" Alec's expression made Biggs laugh.
"Oh come on Alec there are plenty of women that, okay aren't transgenic but even some ordinaries have skills," he grinned "Like Lola!"
Alec rolled his eyes "Biggs-"
"Quiet!" Biggs cut him off, his eyes closed "I'm basking in the memory of Lola and her amazing acrobatic skills."
"Acrobatics?" Dek laughed and Biggs opened one eye and fixed him with it.
"She was going to be a contortionist in the Russian Circus, what that girl could do with her legs!!"
He shuddered in appreciation and the guys exchanged glances.
"Biggs, drool," Flex teased and Biggs swiped his chin with a glare.
"Well Tara may not be a contortionist but she has skills," Carrot waggled his eyebrows.
B.J leaned forward "At least you have girls to feel like that about, I mean seriously the other X's are okay for a bit of fun but our girls? As if, who are we supposed to be with huh? Feen is spoken for- obviously,"
Techie growled.
"Tara is too,"
"Touch Max and I'll break off all of your fingers and feed them to you," Alec said pleasantly.
"Ok so no Max," B.J gulped "Biggs will kill anyone who touches Chance."
Biggs looked searchingly at Pix who was avoiding his gaze staring at the grey carpet.
"Mets seems to have a little something going on with Drew,"
Dek frowned.
"Not that you'd touch Drew anyway!" Flex laughed "She'd eat you alive!"
"Hey!" Dek defended "Drew's not bad."
"No, the girl is hot. Very hot, but I think I speak for all when I say she's scary!"
"Only because you are a wimp," Dek smirked "She's a tough chick and knows her own mind!"
~~
"So Mets thinks I'm too unfeminine and he seems to want me to be this perfect little girl!" Drew finished with a sigh at her captive audience who were agape at the firm Drew being so flustered. "Then to cap it all off, while he was out of it he said something about fighting Dek for me, what was that all about?"
"Maybe Mets feels threatened because you and Dek are so close?" Max offered.
"But why, it's not like me and Dek are you know… anything."
Their relationship was hard to define. They were close, closer than anyone else she knew- even Max and Alec. They could finish each other sentences and always knew where the other was. She also knew if he was hurt or if something was bothering him. Even if she wasn't sure what it was. She thought about his odd behaviour the other day.
"More fool you, Dek is one gorgeous guy!" Emma said with a smirk bringing her back to the conversation.
"Oh and that whole bad boy thing?" Max waggled her eyebrows "That's nice!"
Drew's mouth dropped "Max!"
"I'm not blind, perfect vision, better than 20/20," Max defended.
"Still," Drew shifted uncomfortably. She knew Dek was good looking, but that was neither here not there.
"He's not your brother, Drew!" Chance hedged.
"He got real protective when Mets was hitting on me," Drew confessed.
"Alec does that, can you believe he thought me and Biggs were getting it on!" Max laughed. "Not that it's any of his business."
Cece and Feen stared at Max in patent disbelief "You're kidding right?"
Max didn't know what they were getting at "What?"
"You and Alec," Cece said "The guy adores you."
"So, I like him, I like Zan, I like Dek. Means nothing."
"What?"
"No way,"
"Girl you blind!"
Max ignored the chorus of denials and held up her hand "We are friends. That's all folks."
"So if I said that I liked Alec a lot?" Cece said teasingly and Max gave her a dark look but said nothing. "And that I wanted us to get together," She prodded.
Max grit her teeth but smiled "None of my business!"
"Girl you got issues!" Coco laughed out loud.
~~
"Ok so Dek is Drew's defender!" Flex said holding up his hands. "Go on B.J."
"Coco is just a scary as Max and Drew. Emma is a sweetheart but her empathy is a little freaky."
"Hey now, Emma is great!" Aiden protested and grinned.
"Cece is, ahem… otherwise occupied," B.J shot a sly glance at Alec who had sudden interest in his trousers.
He knew that Cece had a thing for him and to be honest it was partly his own fault. Before Special Ops he had encouraged the girl. He had been the best looking male in the facility and the girls had flocked to him. He had delighted in having the best looking girls, the most athletic and strongest, but of course that was before Max and since she had arrived he didn't even look at another girl. But before her, Cece had been one that he had encouraged.
B.J carried on unaware of Alec's thoughts "And Anna is a shrill, hot-headed, bitchy psychopath with manic tendencies and a temper to match."
"Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel!" Alec said his eyes wide.
B.J held his hands up "I call it like I see it."
"You missed Skye," Pix pointed out and Flex winced as Steve, who had remained stunned throughout the whole conversation, seemed to regain himself.
"Keep your hands to yourself you goddamn son of a bitch!" he punched Flex and Flex dropped off his chair laughing as he hit the floor.
"I think that says it all!"
Alec looked up as the light filtered in from outside.
"Damn boys we have to be up in like ten minutes!" Alec stretched "Drills are gonna be hell today!"
The sound of TAP's made them all stand and move towards the door.
Carrot stopped at the door and gave them a sly look "Wonder how Tara is?"
He ducked as he was pelted by pillows.
~~
Max jumped as the sound of the bugles heralded.
"Damn did we really talk all night?"
"Best get to it, full days training!" Coco yawned.
They stood up and stretched all of them heading for the showers and the mess hall.
Drew stopped before she left Max's room and turned to her friend.
"Thank you Max."
Max took her hand and squeezed it "Remember, we chose our own boundaries and set our own law."
Drew nodded "And guys suck."
"That they do!" Max laughed and shut her cell door heading out for another day. "Wonder what Alec's doing?"
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K- Milne- Thanks for your email honey, glad you like so much!!
Talichernin- Hope the cough goes soon, I know I hate being ill. More MA. Gee anyone would think I didn't write them enough.
Jade-K- Cheers pet, I'm glad it was appreciated and the whole group hug thing! The guys seem to have gotten all of the humor which is odd for me , I'm used to writing females more!
Lyndsay- Cheers pet, and hope that the email sorted out what Max was talking about to Drew, I didn't mean it to be so confusing. Your not the only one that has issues with Unit 6- Dozy cow about covers it for Simper! More Tara and Carrot in this chapter and more revelations about them all too. Did you see that Emma and Biggs thing coming- because I sure as hell didn't! The bad thing that made me stop writing Buffy- Uh that would be shudders Spuffy. Spike and Buffy- talk about against all laws of God and Man! No actually that made me stop watching Buffy, what made me stop writing it was something else- personal issues. Don't go there. LOL, do you really like the two parters- I guess it means you get more story in a week though!
Barcode-babe210- Ah she may act tough but we saw what she was like when Sketchy needed help. She was there!
Nat1- Of course there is more soon!
AcidBurn- I'm truly thrilled that I managed to make you review especially since you don't normally! The fact that you check that often really put a huge ass smile on my face. Its kudos indeed that you love it that much to keep checking! I think everyone by now knows my issues about how Max is usually portrayed. Good point about the mate fights- hello where is that whole female equality thing?? If my standards start to slip and it starts to suck- TELL ME, so I can do something about it. Max will kick butt soon too. Worry not. Enjoy!
Moonlite Star- I said it'd be here on friday and poof Friday, here we go.
Lanlie- LOL, a lazy ass bum. But you reviewed and I thank you for that so much. Yeah there should be a fanfics addict club- like the AA but with more net usage. I love Drew too, she rocks! As for MA- more soon, honest.
Nat452- now if it happens soon then Max and Alec will be together and my work will be done! long story and UST, M/A flirting, friendship and angst or short story and M/A loving- your call. Well actually my call.
Sigma1- LOL, buy recycled compliments, they work as well, especially if said author has a short memory.
Jenna- What Zan and Dek? LOL- Zan and Cece? She's a bitch. The pack mentality is enjoyable to write, like a vet book. Sorry random train thought there.
Ting- ain't he just. Ahh Alec. And Pix…and Dek…and Zan. So many transgenics to choose from!
Arwen-amy- Lydecker was always underused I feel, he could have been so much more!
Fangedangel- LOL, like I've said before I have Max issues with other stories. She is not evil people!!! It always bugged me and so my Max has always been more grounded that what they expect. Its good that its working!
Nora- That's okay and I directed it to you especially- grin More angst in Moving Ahead than in this one at the minute- need some funnies to lighten up before it gets too dark again. Alec was so damn smug at that wasn't he!
Ganko- the Wyoming lot had things way worse than those in Seattle and Lydecker really brings that home. Meeting the Wyoming Trainers and all- oh how much am I loving that idea!! I never really say Techie as a funny guy but damn if he hasn't revealed a fantastic personality under that shyness! Max as the mother hen- like she was with Joshua, nah she's just a great C.O. You want a request for more Pix? And Carrot and Tara and Dek/Drew/Mets. Doable.
Geminangel- I was so bored, but had to work so I didn't get chance to post early. Oh well, gave me time to try to think up new scenarios. I want to hurt the evil trainers as well. And Drew and Pix are cool characters- hope to see more of them soon!
Feenian- You growled!!!! LOL, worry not, I got that review too, pet.
Kat461- Poor you, I try to ignore my days and focus on my imagination- especially when my days suck! Oomph is a damn good word and I will have to use that. more from Pix and Biggs soon!!
Restive- Mob mentality- yeah I get that. The fewer people you work with the more emotive and intimate you feel with them. She does act like… I'd say mentor rather than Mom, which is how I felt Max was in the show- especially with Joshua and Sketchy. She was there when they needed her in a flash but was willing to stand back, after she'd ranted, and let them get on with it. I think my treatise on Max would take longer than the story, so I'm just glad that you are loving it as much as me!
Cheeza- Yeah Seattle guys seemed to get it easy! Sunny has so many different personalities doesn't she? She comes across well to me. As for Dek and Mets tension- girl you gotta read the next chapter. I'd love to know what you think!!
SGOU- Everyone has problems with ff.net- I'd recommend typing review in notepad and then pasting to ff.net- but that is way too much like hard work! They are still kids- teenagers and need to act like it sometimes. Yeah they are gonna have that conversation soon, not sure how soon but it will be coming. The Wyoming guys really do have a whole different mindset to the Seattle lot, Lydecker brings that out well. Yeah no pit in Seattle- boy they had it easy!
Its true Alec needs some motivation and he'll get it in dribs and drabs- enough to keep him interested anyway. I'd answer all your questions but all you need to do is read the chapter LOL. Ask again after you've read and I will do my best to answer!
Raven- Ahh, feet together in attention- I get it. not a military person at all- I don't even wear combats! More Drew and Max interaction here.
Poo- Girl talk, Guy talk- its all good. And fun fun fun. Big brother and the mommy- sounds like a tv show!
Chaosti- No pouts my dad said and I quote "after setting fire to your sisters t-shirt do you honestly think I'm gonna get you your own damn flamethrower. I think not." pouts some more Not fair!!!!! It's not like I didn't warn her to pick her damn clothes up. mutters darkly and goes off to kick the cat
Lynn- Chapter 15, ahh Dek my sweet. LOL have to wait and see! I hope my chapters continue to get better as well. MAL and MAH run quite close and its getting easier to tie the two in. Pix really did have it tough didn't he, Bless his heart! I'd hug him too. big smile look forward to hearing from you soon.
SGOU- it's Friday now. Now put your seatbelt on and stop hitting your sister. Don't make me turn this story around" Uh car…I meant car. J