Alec's War

By Shikasta

Spoilers: Anything's fair game in my view although this is an AU

Disclaimer: The characters of Dark Angel are owned by Twentieth Century Fox Television and Cameron Eglee productions. In laymen's terms: Don't own them but by god I wish I did.

A/N The chapter you have all waited so patiently for . . .

Italics = flashback

Chapter Thirteen – Reunion

Kelso, was a town that had become a haven for the post-pulse rich hiding from the broken world in a walled community stuck in the past. Max hadn't seen anything like it, this place looked like Disneyland, not that Max had ever been but she understood the analogy. What got her was how clean it was, how white it was overall incredibly sterile. As their car was staggering towards the town it became very apparent that driving through the front gates was not going to work, and what should have been a simple kidnapping was in fact going to require a lot more pre-planning.

Max and Thaddeus had parked their car in a field outside the town and camouflaged it with the surrounding flora. Now they sat on top of a water tower, looking out over the town deciding what their next move should be. The sun was high and as they basked in its heat they were unaware of the horror happening back in Seattle.

Thaddeus was sunbathing much to Max's annoyance, his shirt removed he was stretched out enjoying the heat, his eyes closed and an almost inaudible purr escaping his lips. Max was the complete opposite sitting in a tight ball staring out at the town, fear dripping off her like a wet dishrag.

"What are you afraid of?" Thaddeus asked breaking the silence.

"Do you think Faith will remember me?"

"Of course."

"What makes you think I'm afraid?"

"Come on Max, how long have we been doing this now? You always get afraid just before we go in."

"I suppose I'm afraid of tomorrow."

Thaddeus sat up "Why?"

"Because when we find Faith everything changes, I won't have anywhere to be."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"No, but I've been shirking responsibilities for so long, and finding Faith means I'd actually have to start being a mother and mate."

"And you don't want to be."

"It's just did I choose it or did it choose me?" Max looked at Thaddeus with a remorseful expression "I've spent more time with you over the past few years than my own family, I know you better than Alec."

"I sympathise Max but one day you were going to have to stop running."

"Is that what I've been doing?"

"Yes, on the subconscious level its exactly what you've been doing." Thaddeus scooted over to where Max was seated and casually put an arm around her "being afraid isn't a bad thing, geez even I've wondered what its going to be like without you constantly around."

Max smiled "you have, have you?"

"Now don't go getting any ideas," he joked in response "sure you're damn fine but-"

"But what" Max whispered leaning in close.

"Well, it just wouldn't work, I'm a lad and not the settling type ya know."

Max looked deeply at him attraction playing across her eyes and then she leaned in and kissed him ever so softly.

"What was that for?"

"For always being there."

"Well, it was nice and all but doesn't change anything."

"I know, just always wondered."

"Wondered what?"

"What it would be like" she giggled.

"So it was just an experiment?" Thaddeus breathed deep with relief sure he had thought about Max that way but really didn't relish the idea of fighting it out with Alec.

They sat in silence, both knowing this would be the last time they would sit in a high place together. Tomorrow their paths would split, both taking a moment to realise what that would mean.

"It's been fun hasn't it" Thaddeus teased.

"I suppose in some twisted way it has been."

"Lots of stories to tell the kiddies."

"Yes."

"We can finally contribute to the war."

"Sure."

"I can finally get some well deserved R & R."

Max turned to face Thaddeus and clasped his hand "I'll miss you too" she whispered before allowing the silence to return and dusk to slowly paint a pretty picture across the sky. They sat for a very long time waiting for night that would give them the invisibility to finish the journey that had brought them here.

Darkness warmly draped across the sky as Max and Thaddeus approached the tall wall that surrounded the town. They stood peering up at it height before commencing their ascent in perfect unison. When they reached the top they perched taking in their surroundings, unnoticeable to human eyes, blending into the night.

"Blain Street should be three blocks that way" Thaddeus pointed before silently leaping to the ground and landing gracefully on his feet.

Max followed "so lets get going then."

As they jogged Thaddeus asked "What's the plan then."

"I'm going to ring the doorbell.'

"Your joking right?" Max's determined face gave him his answer and he was beginning to hate this plan.

They came to Blain Street, the street sign the only thing distinguishing it from the other streets they had passed. Max was beginning to think it was too quiet, they weren't exactly being overly stealthy, the streets really didn't allow for it but she had expected at least some opposition by now.

"I don't like this" she whispered to Thaddeus.

"Now you say it, why not back before we jumped the wall."

"It's too quiet."

"Maybe this is what its like here, I mean the walls are so bloody high that they probably didn't anticipate genetically engineered super soldiers to bound over it in a single leap!"

"Okay let's push on then" Max irritated by Thaddeus's humour.

They approached the front door of the address Faith had provided them with and loitered briefly.

"So still planning on using the front door plan?"

"Yes" Max responded as she raised her hand and lightly tapped noticing before that there wasn't a doorbell.

Thaddeus began whistling as he swayed on the balls of his feet, Max knocked again but still no answer "Maybe I should pick the lock" she said before the door flung open startling both transgenics.

"Can I help you?" An angry George asked.

Thaddeus pushed past Max with his concealed gun now raised "Yes you can, just move slowly back into the house" he urged as he forced the man back.

"Is that really necessary" Max demanded.

"Hey better safe than sorry" he shrugged then at George "Who else is in the house?"

"Just my wife, daughter and a family friend."

Max took the gun from Thaddeus flicking the safety on "It's not necessary."

"What do you both want?" George asked with more insistence.

"I want my daughter."

The three stood frozen as Mary entered the living room "George who's at the door?" then she paused as she saw the gun in Max's hand.

Faith was upstairs in her room playing when she heard the familiar voice that she had almost forgotten, she leaped up off the floor swung her bedroom door open and ran down the stairs.

White walked in behind Mary gun cocked trained on the intruders "Well look what we have here" he drawled.

Max raised her gun, flicking the safety off "Now it's necessary."

Thaddeus was in fighting stance with the introduction of the new member to the party "Max you don't like guns remember" he whispered.

"I'm making an exception" then to White "Nice to see you White, its been what 5 years."

"5 ½ but who's counting. So George and Mary have a transgenic for a daughter and 452's daughter at that."

"Ames you know this woman?" George asked.

"We go way back" Ames responded still staring at Max and Thaddeus "looks like you've been keeping a little secret from me George."

"We didn't know" Mary interjected.

"So how's the cult thing treating you" Max quipped.

"Always were one for humour weren't you 452."

"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you my name's Max, brother."

"You're related?" George asked surprised.

"No!" Ames snapped out.

"Hey just because I'm the black sheep" Max retorted.

"Max I really think we should get what we came for a leave" Thaddeus offered to the discussion.

Faith had been listening from outside the room and had seen Mr White pull a gun, instinct told her not to enter the fray but she also knew she had to somehow help so was busy coming up with a distraction.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance" Max continued ignoring Thaddeus.

"Likewise 452."

Max suddenly spied Faith and all logic went out the window her only thought to get out of here fast and safe. Her gun aiming for Ames's heart she quickly pulled the trigger the force jolting her back slightly. Ames responded by pulling Mary in front of him as a shield the bullet penetrating and killing her instantly, she crumpled to the ground.

"Tut tut, 452, you should know better than that."

George ran to his wife crying and Max was mortified the hand holding the gun shaking all she wanted to do was fling the offensive thing aside. Thaddeus had been standing still all this time calculating the best move to get out of this awkward situation injury free. His opportunity opened up when Faith screamed distracting Ames, he blurred snatching the gun out of Max's hand and then fired one shot quickly taking Ames by surprise.

Ames stared vacantly ahead as a trickle of blood made its way down his face then he fell sideways dead.

"Now that's how you bring down an enemy" Thaddeus perked up but Max was still in shock.

"I killed her Thaddeus," she whispered.

"Ames killed her" then Thaddeus pointed to the little girl "we've found her Max."

Max came back to reality and looked at the little girl, Max smiled all the indication Faith needed to jump into her mother's arms.

"I knew you'd find me mummy."

"Told you she'd remember you" Thaddeus said smiling at the reunion "We've really got to go."

Max made her way over to George "I'm sorry for your wife." Then she grabbed Faith's hand and ran out the door after Thaddeus.

They had gotten back to the car without incident and were now speeding towards Seattle and safety. The silence was unbearable no one saying a word until Max finally cracked and turned to look at Faith in the backseat.

"Come here sweetie," she summoned as the little girl clambered over the seat into her mother's arms and Max started to examine her "did they hurt you?"

"No, they were really nice."

"That's good. I've missed you so much" Max whispered kissing the little girl's head and hugging her close.

"Where's Hope?"

"Hope's waiting for us, you'll see her soon."

"Where did you go?"

"I was sent away, I tried so hard to find you but you ended up finding me first" Max smiled.

"I got impatient" and Thaddeus laughed at the little girl's explanation.

TBC