A/N: Just so you know, this story may include some references to the book 'Before The Dawn'.  However, it will not include any references to any of the siblings mentioned in there except for Seth.  It does not include any references from 'Skin Game' or 'After The Dark'.  

Great, a sappy chapter *rolls eyes and glares at the screen*

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Chapter thirty-eight: Bodyshock

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'I mean, why consummate two years of unbridled passion when you can have pasta?'

-Alec (Borrowed Time)

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'What's the time?

Well it's gotta be close to midnight

My body's talking to me

It says, 'Time for danger'

-From the musical 'Rent' (Out Tonight)

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Erin watched with a bored expression on her face as the others danced to some dance music she was sure was from the 90s.  Absentmindedly, she wondered if the music business was still going after the Pulse.

Several more transgenics began to join in and some more after that.  Soon, the dance floor was full of X series and anomalies, and the party finally kicked in.  Still, Erin sat in her chair with her head in her hands with a bored expression.

Krit had left her to go talk with someone- she hadn't bothered to ask who, so now, Erin wanted to be anywhere but there.

The music ended and another familiar song began.  Erin sat up.  How the hell did they get Mis-Teeq?  Erin usually hated this kind of music, enjoying rock, punk and alternative music to this kind of stuff, but still, she found her feet tapping to the beat of 'Scandalous'*.

Original Cindy approached her and held out her hand "C'mon girl- you gotta get your thang on!"  She grabbed her hand and pulled Erin to her feet.

"Do I have to?" Erin tried to sit back down.

"Yeah" Cindy's gaze ticked behind her before focussing on Erin again.  "We're gonna drive the men crazy.  And if I'm lucky, a few of the females too.  C'mon!"

Cindy pulled Erin to the centre of the dancers and began to dance close to Erin.  Picture if you will- the kind of dancing that turns any straight man into a puddle of drool at your feet. (No! I'm not talking stripping!) Erin had no choice but to dance too.  What she'd conveniently failed to tell the others, was the fact that she could dance.  Really dance.  Sad to say, Erin didn't really know the details of Max's dream so she didn't know that they knew this already.  Giving in to her fate, Erin let the music take control and began to move.

Alec stopped as soon as he laid eyes on Erin as she sat with her back to him in a chair.  From what he could tell, she's changed her clothes.  Krit spotted them and left Erin to come and talk to them.  Each of the males had his eyes on his mate, unconsciously looking for rivals to fight off if necessary.  Mole had already taken off for the alcohol table. 

The music changed and Erin sat up straighter in her chair.  Alec saw that she had a bottle of bear in her hand and when she turned her head slightly, he could see that she looked bored.  Cindy approached her and pulled Erin to her feet, taking the bottle from her and putting it on the chair.  Cindy's eyes met his for a second as she talked to Erin and then she pulled Erin to the centre of the moving bodies.  They began to dance.

Alec swallowed.  Sketchy had said she was different but he hadn't said how different.  Alec's eyes slowly looked her up and down from her hair to her clinging top to her leather pants.  She was dressed up and she looked different, older, and more… seductive?  Alec swallowed again.

Erin didn't seem to notice the looks she was getting from many of the males stood nearby, and she didn't seem to hear or see the other dancers move back, giving them more room as Syl, Lee and Jondy egged them on.  Erin seemed to be unaware of everything but the music.

"Ah, you've spotted her" Alec heard Krit speak in his ear.  "She told me that Max and the others kidnapped her, forced her to wear that stuff.  She didn't seem very happy about it."

Alec said nothing, just continued to watch.  Damn, he wished he was in Cindy's place right then.  They were dancing so close and if he didn't know her, Alec would have sworn Erin was batting for the other team.  Glancing around at the crowd, Alec's jaw tightened.  He wanted to kill every male that looked at her, and right now, that was a lot of males.  Didn't they know she was his?  Alec blinked and mentally socked himself one.  Where the hell did that come from? She wasn't his.  She could never be his.  He'd told himself this ever since he realised he was in danger of falling for her.  They couldn't be together.  They couldn't get involved.  Right?

The song ended and Erin stepped away from O.C, only now realising that they had been the centre of attention.  Oops, maybe her plan had worked a little too well.

Cindy winked at her as an X5 female approached Cindy, and grinning, Erin sat back down in her seat.  Her job was done.

A shadow fell across her and Erin looked up to see Alec.

"Hey" she looked away again.  He still hadn't apologised to her.

"Nice dancing" Alec sat down beside her and looked over at the dance floor.

Erin shrugged "Cindy wanted to attract a female.  My job is done."

"Listen…" Alec turned back to her and paused.  "I'm sorry about the way I've been treating you.  It was wrong."

Slowly, Erin sat back in her chair, her face unreadable as she stared at him.

Alec continued quickly, taking her silence as a sign that she didn't believe him.  "It's just I can't help it when it comes to you.  Anytime I think of you getting hurt…"

"Forget it" Erin interrupted with a wave of her hand.  "Just promise me, you won't do it again?"

Alec smiled slightly, "I can't promise anything, but I'll try.  Friends again?"

He held out his hand and Erin shook it, smiling.  "Friends."

Max took the pause in dancing as Erin left the dance floor, to go grab something to eat from the food table.  The party was working better than expected.  Glancing over to where Erin was sat, she smiled seeing Alec and Erin talking.  Talking was good.  Maybe they'll get passed that tonight?

Taking a bite of a sausage roll, Max felt a tap on her shoulder.  Turning around, she came face to face with Zack.  Blushing, she wiped the pastry away from her mouth.

The girl talk she'd had had given Max a lot to think about.  While it was true that she didn't like Logan in the way she thought she had, she still wasn't sure how she felt about Zack yet.  It was true she liked him as more than a friend, but she wasn't sure if she loved him.

Smiling, she raised her eyebrows at him questioningly.  As if on cue, a slow song came on and all the couples moved to the dance floor.

Holding out a hand, Zack smiled slightly "Dance?"

Smiling back, Max put down her food and accepted his hand.

Logan sat in his 'quarters' on the 6th floor, thinking and fuming.  Here they were in the middle of a siege and they were down in one of the warehouses having a party.  'Were they insane? Did they even know how to party?' Logan mused.  Somehow, he doubted that they had pre-pulse wine and crabsticks to nibble on before they got down to a 3 course meal prepared by someone who could actually cook.  Logan didn't understand how Max would actually go along with something like this.  It was obviously Alec's idea.  Glaring at his reflection in the mirror he'd found in some rubble several week s ago, Logan's thoughts turned back to when times were simpler and when it was just him, Max and the cause.  Why couldn't it be like that again? It had all been ruined when Tinga had been caught and Max and her 'siblings' had went to take down Manticore.  That was where it had begun to spiral out of control.  Then, after she'd come back, there was the virus.  Logan rubbed a hand over his scratchy stubble and thought about the way it used to be.

He and Max would banter back and forth, sneaking quick glances at the other when they thought the other wasn't looking.  They would sit down and have long conversations, while Logan masterfully taught Max how to be human.  They would go out on missions together, Logan doing all of the hard work while Max zoomed around doing the other stuff.

Didn't Max remember all of the things he'd done for her? She was the reason why he got put in a wheelchair.  She was the reason why his computer had been blown up by White…

Logan winced as he accidentally caught his hand on one of the many spikes he's arranged his hair into.  That reminded him, he'd need to stock up on hairspray and hair gel soon.  Okay, back to Max.  He needed to make her see that he was as good as the transgenics.  He needed to remind her what she owed him.

Think Logan, think…  Suddenly, a smile lit up his face, and Logan took a second to admire his reflection again.  Pulling his mind back to Max, Logan knew what he had to do.

Still smiling, he stood up- his exoskeleton making louder noises than usual as he pulled on his jacket, gave his reflection another once over and left the 6th floor.

A slow song came on over the speakers and Erin smiled briefly.  She knew this song too- it was Michelle Branch's 'Drop in the Ocean'.  Did they have anything that wasn't from her generation?

Love took me by the hand

Love took me by surprise

Love led me to you

And love opened up my eyes

Alec stood up and held out his hand "Dance with me?"

Erin looked over at the dance floor.  Syl and Krit were dancing, as were Jondy and Zane, Max and Zack.  All of the couples in TC were there dancing.  They weren't a couple- were they?

Erin accepted his hand and they moved on to the dance floor.

Alec pulled Erin close in his arms and Erin rested her head on his chest, her ear over his heartbeat.

"Krit tells me you were kidnapped by the others" Erin felt Alec's voice rumble beneath her ear.

She nodded slightly, bumping her head on his chin.  Erin moved her head so she could look up at him, "Syl dragged me off and they surrounded me.  They're dangerous when they're on a mission."

And I was drifting away

Like a drop in the ocean

And now I realise that

Nothing has been as beautiful

As when I saw heaven's skies

In your eyes

In your eyes

"That they are.  You look beautiful" Alec grinned and Erin blushed slightly.  Alec didn't see it as he was looking over at Max and the others as they danced.  He looked back down at Erin "Did they tell you why they did it exactly?"

Erin nodded and smirked.  "They wanted me to get dressed up for some guy.  I told them I didn't want to so they forced me."

"Who'd they want you to impress?" the smirk disappeared from Alec's face.

Erin continued to grin.  "I'll give you three guesses, but I'll give you a clue first.  He's an annoying sarcastic shit who enjoys getting on my nerves."

"Who?" Alec scanned his memory for someone, trying to hide his anger at someone else interested in Erin.  He wasn't expecting the hit to the back of his head.

"It was you, you idiot!  Well, that's what I think anyway.  I thought X5s were meant o be highly intelligent?" Erin put he head back on his chest.

"Me? They're tryin' to hook us up? Do they have lives?" Alec glanced over at the other couples and then pulled back from Erin.  "You do realise that they keep watching us when we're not looking?"

Erin grinned and nodded "I had noticed that, yes."

Alec's grin widened and he leant in close as if going to give her a kiss.  The couple could almost hear everyone hold they're breath.

"Let's give 'em a wave" he whispered and Erin had to stop herself from laughing out loud.

Simultaneously, they turned to their friends and waved cheerily at them.  The look of disappointment on all of their faces and the groan that was audible even over the music, had Erin and Alec in stitches.

And every time I drift away

I lose myself in you

And now I see I can be me

In everything I do

Erin and Alec went back to dancing again, this time with big grins on their faces.

Erin looked up at Alec with her chin on his chest.  "Do you think that Max and Zack are together?" Erin watched he friends dance.  Everyone appeared to now be focused on their own partners.

Alec looked down at her upturned face and frowned "I don't know.  It depends on Max, I guess.  Why?"

Erin shrugged and didn't move her head.  "I can tell he loves her.  I think they'd be good together."

"Can we talk about something else?" Alec suggested, not really wanting to talk about his best friends' love life.  He'd heard enough about it to last a lifetime.

"Like what?" Erin stared up at him.

"I don't know" his breath fanned her face.

They danced for a few seconds, both lost in thought.

'Cause I was feeling as small

As a drop in the ocean

And now I realise that

Nothing has been as beautiful

As when I saw heaven's skies

In your eyes

In your eyes

Alec nodded to himself as he decided to take the plunge.  They needed to talk about whatever it was that was happening between them.  He needed to know how she felt about him, and if she did feel anything, then where they would go from there.

"Erin, we need to talk" Alec looked down at seriously.

Love took me by the hand

Love took me by surprise

Slowly, she looked back up at him and the room seemed to disappear.  Suddenly, there was no one there but them and this was exactly how it was meant to be.

She waited for him to answer, lost in his eyes.  Only thing was, he wasn't looking at her eyes.  He was looking at her lips and whatever it was he had wanted to say seemed to have disappeared from his mind.  His head began to lower…

And I was drifting away

Like a drop in the ocean

And now I've realised that

Nothing had been as beautiful

As when I saw heaven's skies

In your eyes

In your eyes

They were millimetres away from kissing when all hell broke loose.

Next Chapter: The Sound Of A Bullet…

Max looked like she was restraining herself from beating some sense into him.  "Why d'you think they carry the guns, Logan? Because they're shiny?!"

A/N:  Sorry about that dudes *hides then sticks head out from behind the chair* It'll happen REAL soon, honest! *hides again*

Marty: I aim to please with Sketchiness.  But sorry *tries to look sincere* there will be NO nekkid Sketchy.  You do not own a halo dude.  But then, you wouldn't wear anything devil-like cuz that would have Man U suggestions *smirks*

MaxCat452: *looks scared* so… you like the story? *coughs* Ookay.  Um, yeah, she's short.  I'm actually 5'3 so I think of her as a tall person :P

Riley: Feel free to rant and rave :P  Sorry, you'll only have to wait *counts on fingers* not long. Um, I'm talking about the smoochies- sadly, not the Logan killing.

Messymissy: Uh…. Um…. No, I mean yes… Uh… lol Okay, um.  No comment?  I can't answer all of your questions!!!

Cat X5-989: *whispers* I think you're gonna love her abilities.  *grins* and everyone else is gonna see them.  Oh yeah, and also- when they're revealed- they're gonna hear her talk.  Or should I say swear?

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*MIS-TEEQ (Scandalous)

So, so, so scandalous
You know you wanna sing with us (baby)
That's why you know you should be scared of us (baby)

Non stop looks to kill
Straight talk sex appeal
One touch gives me chills and we ain't even close yet
Rough neck all around
Inking all over town
Show me how you get down
Cos we ain't even close yet

You got me feeling and you got me feeling weak
Listen as I speak cos I'm careful as I creep
You got me going crazy and you know I can't sleep
No fortune your moves and you hypnotise me
You got me trembling like a little baby girl
You're so special, you're like diamonds and pearls
You got me spinning and you got me in a twirl
You're my number one baby and you come to rock my world

You're dangerous
Just get it up
The way you move so scandalous
It's all about the two of us
A one night stand just ain't enough
I need some stimulation baby
A little conversation maybe
You got me spinning out like crazy
There goes my baby

Scandalous (baby)
So scandalous (baby)
Scandalous (baby)
So, so, so scandalous

Hot stuff, head to toe
Where you go, no one knows
You smile playing the dough and we ain't even close yet
Solid as a rock
How many ways can you hit the spot?
Show me what you got 'cos we ain't even close yet

You got me feeling and you got me feeling weak
Listen as I speak cos I'm careful as I creep
You got me going crazy and you know I can't sleep
No fortune your moves and you hypnotise me
You got me trembling like a little baby girl
You're so special, you're like diamonds and pearls
You got me spinning and you got me in a twirl
You're my number one baby and you come to rock my world

You're dangerous
Just get it up
The way you move so scandalous
It's all about the two of us
A one night stand just ain't enough
I need some stimulation baby
A little conversation maybe
You got me spinning out like crazy
There goes my baby

Scandalous (baby)
So scandalous (baby)
Scandalous (baby)
So, so, so scandalous

A little conversation goes a long, long way
Show a little patience
That you are here to stay
So show me that you're game oh

You're dangerous
Just get it up
The way you move so scandalous
It's all about the two of us
A one night stand just ain't enough
I need some stimulation baby
A little conversation maybe
You got me spinning out like crazy
There goes my baby

You're dangerous
Just get it up
The way you move so scandalous
It's all about the two of us
A one night stand just ain't enough
I need some stimulation baby
A little conversation maybe
You got me spinning out like crazy
There goes my baby

You know you wanna sing with us (baby)
That's why you know you should be scared of us (baby)
You know you wanna sing with us (baby)
That's why you know you should be scared of us (baby)