Autor's note : I know that by the end of the reading of this chapter, some of you might hated...but i just thought i wouldn't make it easy for them to get together...and it's time for Max to really now what is a heartbreak...time that she thinks about all the time he used our dearest Alec as punching ball...so please don't hate me... anyway, this is a MA fic, so don't worry, we'll get to that point...
Anyway, reviews all welcome even if it's for flaming...
Thanks to all the people who reviewed.
Chap 10 : Feeling weird.
Max didn't headed directly back to OC's. She still needed to clear her head. For what? Wouldn't know. She kept driving into the night, until the rain caught her.
She was still excited about everything they did, the dinner, their discussion, the motorcycle and the race...She wasn't sure she would be able to sleep.
She woke up that morning with a new feeling. She was good. Everything in her life was the way it was supposed to be. Well maybe not everything, but for the first time in a very long time, she felt free. And it felt good.
But there's never a perfect day, is it?
They had again new problems with the bathroom so she hadn't been able to take a shower before going. She ran out of gas in the middle of the streets so she had to push the motorcycle to TC. Then, because of a stupid reckless driver, she fell on the side of the road in the mud. So now, she was all muddy and dirty and wet. Then, she got caught by the rain. She was late for the briefing in TC, and late for the one with Lydecker.
She turned out finally at 9 in Lydecker's office still very pissed off.
"Where were you? You're not supposed to be late for the morning briefing!" the colonel yapped.
"Good morning to you too!"
He looked closely at the X5 in front of him, and then his expression softened.
"Got any problem?" he asked finally.
"Run out of gas in the middle of the road, fall on the side of the road..." she explained quickly. "Can i go to TC before coming back here? I need to change." She asked.
"You can." He agreed.
That morning, in command.
"What is she doing?" asked Luke. "She's never late usually for the morning briefing."
"Are you sure you didn't do anything to piss her off yesterday?" asked Tara to Alec.
"Why do you think that?"
"Well because you two always fight, and you're the last person who saw her yesterday. And you two got a date!" she stated.
"Well, i didn't piss her off!" he said coldly.
But the question ran through Alec's mind. Why was she late? Did he scared her off? But he decided not tell her anything about how he felt about her, so why she wasn't here with them!
0915 in TC's command.
She just took a bath in her TC apartment and changed her muddy and dirty clothes. She decide to go check on command before Lydecker lock her behind her desk,yet again.
"Hi everyone!" she cheered.
"Hi Max!" greeted Luke.
"Sorry for this morning, i got delayed." She didn't want to explain to everyone what happend to her this morning because she was still a little bit pissed off about it.
"We called you, you didn't answer your phone, Original Cindy said you left early." Said Alec.
"Yeah, i said i got delayed on my way over here! Now can we talk about something else?" her voice came harsher than she intended but she couldn't help it. She said she was sorry, it's not like it was a pleasure for her to be late. She got problems for God's sake. "Lydecker already gave me a telling-off, i don't need you to control what i do or scold me! I was late, so what? It happens! No big dealio!" she continued.
The rest of the day wasn't a succession of happy events either.
It was time for the monthly control of Lady Jesus. They inspected every inch of my skin for new runes, as if i would i hide it from them! I hate those moment, because, it's like once again, Manticore caught me.But this time, I know i'll die.
Then Mole rubbed her the wrong way by teasing her about the fact that she doesn't do guns.
Logan came to see her.
"What in, 'don't ever approach me again' don't you understand Logan." She snapped.
"I heard, you're searching for a mate." He stated.
"I don't see how that fact concerns you, but it's the case." She tried desperately to ignore the guy but he continued.
"I can help you. If you come back to me, then they won't force you to have a mate!" he cried.
"Who told you i was forced Logan? By the way, talking about mate, how's Asha? She's been waiting for so long to be with you. I hope she enjoys it!" there was a bitterness in her voice that she didn't manage to hide totally.
"By your tone, i would say you're jealous!" he exclaimed.
"I'm bitter Logan. Not jealous. Bitter because i know i can't kill you, even if i already have imagined an amazing different ways to kill you. I'm not a cold blooded killer. And you did me favor by doing that, cause truth to be told, i don't love you." She insisted on the negation. "I don't want to be with you! My ego will just have to deal with that."
"Don't worry, i'm patient. You'll be coming crawling back at me once they'll force you. They're animals..." That was too much for Max. She rose to her feet and punched Logan who was KO immediately. She asked two guards to accompagny him to his house. By insulting her family, he has insulted her.
Then, Asha came to visit.
"What did you do to him?" she asked, not saying hello either.
"What are you doing here Asha? Not afraid that i will snap your neck." The blond gulped but tried to maintain her stance.
Now, i don't like to use my position as a female alpha, she's just an ordinary, but i just am so angry today. Alec kept avoiding me, he acted really weird with me. I thought we had opened up last night. Anyway, i challenged her with my gaze. A gaze that i normally use only on my kind, when i need to impose one of my decision or my leadership.
Asha looked away the second Max raised her head to stare at her. Good. Max felt the fear overwhelming the blond girl.
"I said, what are you doing here?" Max repeated.
She saw the tears starting to form in Asha's eyes.
"You're not gonna cry!" the X5 said. "I hate that, i didn't cried and you're the one who took him away from me. Don't say you're sorry Asha, we both know you're not. As i said, it's fine." She paused. "Go away Asha. And don't come back around here. That would be better for both of us!"
All her day had been a succession of awful events.
When Alec entered her office, she was expecting the sky to stumble and fall on her.
"What now?" her tone was more harsh than she wanted.
"Nothing. I came by to say hello." Alec said gently.
"Hello Alec." She said without enthusiasm. Why am i mean to him? He's been very nice, and now he came to say hello. What's wrong with me? She asked herself. Maybe you don't know how to show him your affection, a voice said in her head. She shook her head off the thought she was having.
"Bad day, huh?" he tried.
It had taken him all his courage to come here, and try to talk to her about his feelings. Maybe, it's not a good day to tell her.
"What did you do Alec?" she asked as she pinpointed his nervousness. "I know you well by now, to say you have your voice of trouble. When you have troubles you always have that voice." She stated.
"Well not that kind of trouble." He replied.
"If it's not a problem with one of your scams, maybe you have a girl problem, then?" she continued. She hoped it wasn't that.
After a moment, Alec nodded and Max's heart broke.
"I kinda fell for this girl..." he started.
"Well that's it! Heard enough! Now it's official, i had the most horrible day of my life!" she yelled oblivious to the fact that the girl he was talking about was her. "Now get out!"
Alec was puzzled. Well who wouldn't be in this situation. One moment she's talking to him, the other, she tells him to get out of her office.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked quizzically.
I'm in love with you! That's what's wrong with me! Oh, God!I'm in love with Alec! a voice inside her head said.
"Nothing's wrong with me! Now get out!" she shouted.
Alec clenched his jaws and rose from the seat where he sat.
"You know i'm really tired of being your punching ball 24/7! Enough is enough!" he snapped back.
"Well nobody told you to stick around here!" she replied also raising her voice.
"You're right! Oh! And you don't know me that well!"
"Who's fault? Huh? You're the one avoiding to talk about Manticore! Not i!" she snapped back.
"Like you could understand!" he yelled back.
"Oh, i see : still the blame the 09er thing, the you don't understand cause you weren't there! Well fuck that Alec! Hell, i lived half of my life there! Who else than me could understand? Rachel maybe? Please!" she was grimacing...
"See! You're always making me saying things that i didn't even think! And what does Rachel has to do with it!" he growled. "She has nothing to do with you!"
"Yeah she has nothing to with me!"
"You're a bitch Max."
Alec stormmed out of the room.
Max took her head with her hands. She hit her forehead with her hands. Thump. Thump. Thump.
"You stupid!" she told herself.
Alec thought first about going to some bar and get drunk but he still had things to later on, a heist to score some box of tryptophan so he needed his head to remain clear. Though, he knew he couldn't get drunk because of his metabolism, he still could get an headache because of the bottles he would have drink. SO he opted for a physical release and headed toward the gymnase.
Fortunately, for Alec at least, Ledge was there.
"Ledge!" he yelled.
"Hey Alec!" greeted his friend. Ledge was a lot like Biggs, and he too, was in his former unit back at Manticore. "What's up?" Ledge asked.
"Got time for sparring?" Asked Alec.
"O...ok..." uttered Ledge. Deep down himself, he knew that it had made a mistake in accepting his friends' offer.
One hour later, Ledge's breathing was ragged and for once not because he had spend the night with Tara, doing something else but sleeping. He was covered with bruises, and all his muscles were sore.
"That's it!" screamed Ledge.
Alec stopped. He was calmer.
"I don't know what hit you today, but i'm outta here!" cried Ledge.
It seemed like Max did the same with Zane.
"Stop!" cried Zane. "I get it!"
"You get what?" she frowned.
"You're angry. I get it, ok? No need for you to kill me." He stated.
She took a deep breath. She was ready to talk. Once she started, she couldn't help but continue. Zane told her that everything was going to be okay and both, her and Alec needed time.
Terminal City – The mess Hall.
"Let me guess." Said a familiar voice from behind.
Ledge turned around to the male 09er.
"Alec." Zane stated.
"Max." Replied Ledge eyeing the bruises on the other X5. "What happened to them? The date was that bad?"
"Oh, no! She just woke up on the wrong side of the bed!" laughed Zane. He began telling Ledge what happened to Max during the day. By the end of the tale, Ledge couldn't help but laugh too.
Alec overheard the story and shook his head.
Lydecker's garage supply.
Max was scoring some gas for her new motorcycle. At least a ride on her new baby would calm her. She heard the footsteps approaching.
"Don't even start Deck! I just had the most horrible day of my life, i said i'm onto tax you a bit of gas, you won't die if i do so! Plus you owe me..." she stopped. This was not Lydecker's scent. This was Alec's scent.
She turned to face him.
"You." She said.
"Me." Replied Alec.
An awkward silence fell between then.
"Listen, i'm sorry for what i said back at my office..." she trailed off.
"Yeah. Me too. I'm sorry." Alec agreed.
"What happened to us?" she asked. "And why did you yell at me like that!"
"You yelled first." The tone was raising again.
"Ok, we're not going anywhere like that. I said i'm sorry. You said you're sorry. Everything ok then?"
"Ok." He paused. She moved on to what she was doing. "How was your day?" he asked. He knew already she had a bad day.
"Bad. But i'll live!" she declared. "Nothing that a ride on my new baby could not cure."
A warm invaded his heart to know that one of his gift could resolve "all"of Max's problem.
"You didn't answer my question. What happened to us?" she repeated.
"I guess, it's the consequence of a bad day." He said referring to the fight.
"No, i mean usually, we fight like that. Why do i feel so weird about it? Like i'm not suppose to yell at you anymore." She sighed. "I mean, usually, we fight, and then, without me saying sorry, we come back to our friendship?"
"It...it's sure weird." He conceded.
"I like it." She declared.
"You liked what?"
"Feeling weird." She smiled for the first time of the day. "Gotta jet!"
"Wait! What about a race again ?" he challenged.
"Uh...maybe another day..." she decided.
"A drink maybe? To forget this day?" he asked his head cocked aside.
"Sure. A drink will do." She agreed.
Alec's place.
He handed her a bottle of scotch.
"I forgot this is the only alcohol you drink." She stated. "Long time i haven't been to Crash. How people see us there?"
"Well, OC's opinion seems to have worked their ways. They have no problem giving a drink to a transgenic, and anyway, most of their clientele are Jam pony crew, so..." he explained.
"I see."
"How was your day?" he asked finally.
She signed but the alcohol helping, she told him everything that had happened to her. By the end of the 'tale', she was laughing at it.
They both were at their 5th bottle of scotch.
"Alec!" it was clear that she was starting to be drunk.
"Yes Max." And him too.
"Where did you got those bottles? And why do you have them?"
"Told you, i'm a business man."
"Yeah, a scam-man!" she snapped. "So why do you have so many?"
"It's to forget." He explained.
"Does it work?" she asked seriously.
"No. It never works."
"What are you trying to forget Alec?"
"This."
He took her head in his hands and kissed her. First startled she open her eyes in shock but then she kissed him back.
"hu...i think we drank too much...i'll go." She said quickly and ran away.
She was blushing from eye to toe when she ran into OC at the entrance of their building.
"Wow wow wow! Where you're running at boo? And do i smell alcohol on you?" her friend asked.
"Hum...i'm going home." Max managed to say.
"I'm going to Crash, you wanna come. Chrisette has finally decided not to celibate."
"I thought that story was one year ago." Max frowned.
"She just joined the all girl team. No more celibate. And she ain't going for both ways anymore."
"Maybe another day, ok? I'll...i need to sleep."
"But you never sleep!" yelled OC as her friend ran toward their appartment. OC shrugged her shoulders and took the opposite direction of Max.
Max woke up the day after with the worse headache of her life. She called command to say she wouldn't be there for the morning briefing and headed directly to her office outside TC. She still felt really bad about the day before, about the kiss. Not that it was not pleasant, and actually it was great. But, she was partially drunk and she needed to have all her wits to face Alec today. She didn't run away because she didn't feel the same, but because she didn't know how exactly she should react. She did had the guts to kiss Alec back, but not to tell him that she felt the same.
She was rehearsing her conversation with Alec, well the things she should tell Alec, when one of the guards came to see her.
"Excuse me Ma'am. But there's someone at the entrance who wants to see you."
"Who is it?"
"A girl ma'am. A civilian."
Max thought it was probably Original Cindy so she told the guard to let the girl come to her office.
"Hello." Said the brunette girl.
"H..hi." replied Max. "Oh my God."
"I...I'm Rachel Berrisford...i got your location from a certain Logan Cale. He said that you could get me to Simon, Simon Lehane." The girl was still a bit pale, but she was alive. All the hopes of Max vanished. Now, there was no chance for her to be with Alec. "He's one of you. Could you reach him? I mean no harm to him." The girl continued.
Max gaped. She couldn't believe her eyes, her ears. At that precise moment, Alec entered the office.
"Listen Max. Listen carefully cause i won't be saying this twice. I know you kissed me back yesterday..." he trailed off sensing the other person in the room. It was a familiar scent...Rachel's scent.
"Hello Simon..." said Rachel shyly.
"Rachel?" Alec was totally lost.
"I think i'm on to leave you two alone." Said Max and she closed the door behind her. She didn't want to cry, but the tears already ran down her cheeks and they wouldn't stop falling. She needed a comfort right away. This was one of the things that her baby could not cure. But her body wouldn't move so she stayed outside her office, crying silently.
In the meantime, Alec was facing a very alive Rachel Berrisford.
"Rachel? How? I mean the paper...you died..." he utter.
"I know, it was my father. A few week, after your visit a woke up. My father wouldn't let me approach you but now, i'm 21 and i can do whatever i want! She exclaimed. "And i want you Simon!"
"That's not my name." he said calmly.
"What?" she asked.
"My name is Alec. Not Simon."
Rachel closed the gap between their two bodies and caressed his left cheek.
"Alec, Simon, whoever you are, i love you." She declared.
She kissed him.
Max heard the words pronounced by Rache and her heart broke. Where would she find comfort? Home, TC? She decided to go to TC. To climb again on the top of the highest building. There she could cry without anyone bothering her.