A/N: *sighs* It appears Helgz has gone to take a long break from writing fics so you'll have to watch this space for the NC-17 version of the last chapter.  When it's posted I'll tell you where you can access it.  The bits of speech between Erin and Skye that might look like spelling mistakes probably aren't- it's the way they speak; ya know- dialect and all that.

This chapter is dedicated to Marty for letting me use her 'puter to update the last chapter and for getting me through my withdrawal symptoms.

  *clears throat* The end is nigh…

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Chapter forty-five: Afraid To Love

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Alec: So, you got any deep thoughts you want to share? Any, uh, profound realizations about life?

Max: Yeah.  Love sucks.

-Max and Alec (Hello, Goodbye)

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'Love and sex and loneliness

Take what's yours and leave the rest

So I'll survive

God it's good to be alive'

-The Goo Goo Dolls (Big Machine)

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"Okay, so, I woke up feeling better than I had for a long time and I look over and see Alec's face.  I wanted to stay there- I really did, but I couldn't.  I'd stepped over the line.  The warm contented feeling I'd felt disappeared and I felt like I was gonna cry.  I shouldn't have let it happen, it was wrong.  So, like the coward I was, I got up, got changed and crept out.  Alec must've been really tired because he didn't stir once.  Go me.  Somehow, that didn't make me feel any better.  Anyway, so I leave and go back to my usual spot on the couch.  When I wake up, I'm shaking again.  This time it lasts for a bit longer, maybe five minutes and after I'm aching all over.  I know that a lot of it wasn't because of the shaking.  I'm not gonna go into details, but damn, that boy has some skills.  I stumble down the stairs, deciding that I'd have to avoid Alec.  I didn't know what he expected from me but whatever it was; I knew I couldn't give it to him.  In HQ Max and the others were talking, well, more like arguing with a load of X5s.  I figured that they were the ones that got caught or didn't leave in '09.  Max and the others seemed to be trying to make them realise that they weren't cowards or traitors for leaving.  I decided to leave them to it and headed over to the mess hall.  I call it the cafeteria but the others call it the mess hall and I guess it's started to stick.  When I get there, I got whatever it was we were having for breakfast- it looked like toast again, and sat down in a corner.  Dalton walks in and grabs a seat across from me, a really annoyed look on his face."

"You're mated to Alec" Dalton said quietly, watching Erin slowly eat her breakfast.  It looked like it was taking a lot of effort just to pick up the pieces of bread, chew and swallow.

Erin grunted in a very unladylike manner and continued to eat her toast.

"I told the others that you weren't." Dalton continued when he got no other response "You didn't even tell me! I thought you were my friend."

"I didn't know" Erin finally said after taking a huge gulp of coffee.  "I found out later when Jondy and Lee were talking to Max.  He didn't even give me a choice, Dalton." Erin looked wiped out.  She put down her food, pushing the plate away from her, her appetite suddenly gone.  "It just happened.  Next thing I know, I'm having to avoid him."  She looked up, her eyes pleading with his.  "I didn't know" she repeated.  "I would've told you if I knew, believe me."

Dalton sat back, his face unreadable as he watched her take another gulp of coffee in a vain attempt to wake up.

"You would've told me?" he asked after a lengthy silence.  She nodded and winced.

"I'm in some shit now, mate.  I've decided that if I see him, I'm gonna peg it."

Dalton looked at her quizzically "But you and him got together last night, right?"

Erin sighed heavily and put her head on the table.  "I wasn't exactly in my right mind then." She peaked up at him through her hair "How many people know?"

Dalton grinned now, fully enjoying his friend's plight.  "Don't worry; it's just the top of Command."

"Then how did you find out?" Erin realised, not for the first time that Dalton was 14.  This was not the sort of thing that you would usually discuss with a 14 year old.  She mentally shrugged.  He was smarter than her anyway; she guessed that would add a few years onto him mentally anyway.

"I was there when Alec came down this morning.  Max, Cindy and Jondy cornered him" Dalton shuddered "It was NOT a pretty sight dude."

Erin sighed again.  "This is such a mess."

"You can't avoid him, Erin." Dalton suddenly became serious.  "His instincts will demand that he be near you even more.  He'll be more possessive.  If he isn't, it'll effect his behaviour."

Erin sat up "This is not good."

"Nope" Dalton shook his head "You need to make up your mind about him."

"Yeah" Erin stared at the table top, lost in thought as Zero and Bullet joined them.

"Hey Dalton, Erin" Zero grinned at them, Bullet simply nodded.

"Hey" Dalton replied, pulling Erin's plate of toast towards him.

Erin simply nodded at them absently, chewing on her lip, still deep in thought.

Should she talk to Alec? Tell him that she couldn't be with him? Should she pretend that it didn't happen? What would he want from her? Would he want a relationship? Would he want to be friends with benefits? Could they just go back to the way they were before?

"Hey, Earth to Erin" Zero called out, pulling her out of her thoughts.

She blinked "Huh?"

"What's it like where you are?" Bullet grinned round a mouthful of cheese on toast.

"Slightly overcast with the chance of rain.  You?"

The boys rolled their eyes.

"Has Zane spoken to you yet?" Zero tucked into his food.  It was obvious that he liked her but it was also obvious that he realised she wasn't interested.

"No, why?" Erin frowned, examining a piece of hair for split ends.

"He was looking for you earlier.  Didn't say it was important though."

"Oh" standing up Erin smiled slightly "Guess I'll see you guys later.  People to talk to, people to avoid…"

Erin left them, grabbing her Styrofoam cup of coffee to finish off later.

"Who she avoiding?" Bullet looked up from his food at the same time as discreetly trying to steal Zero's.

"I'm saying nothing" Dalton shrugged as Zero blocked Bullet's attempts of kidnapping his meal.

"Hey" Zero frowned "did Erin smell more like Alec today, or was it me?"

Dalton shrugged again as he took a large bite from his newly acquired breakfast "She always smells like Alec."

Food sprayed all over his friends as he replied and he got glared at in return.

"That was NOT funny dude" Zero glared, wiping soggy bread from his face.

Dalton grinned.  Topic diverted- mission accomplished.

Erin left the mess hall quickly and almost collided with Joshua.

"Erin!" Joshua grabbed her by the shoulders "There was yelling and shouting and arrrrrgh!  It's all Joshua's fault!"  He seemed oblivious to all the curious looks he was getting from passing transgenics.

"Huh? Why? What happened? Calm down!" Erin covered her coffee quickly, the liquid burning her skin as Joshua shook her.

"I found Max's family- Max's other family, not Josh and Alec.  They started yelling!" To Erin's dismay, tears were filling Joshua's eyes.

"Joshua" Erin gently removed his hands from her shoulders as she craned her neck to look up at him "Come with me and I can explain some things to you."

Joshua allowed her to take his large hand in one of hers as she led him away from the mess hall.

"Where we going?"

"We're going to somewhere I go to think" Erin replied, leading him several blocks away from HQ into what had been labelled Sector B.  "No one else knows I come here."

She led him into the old apartment building she'd gone to several times.  "It's away from all the activity" She led him to the third floor and into the apartment she usually sat in.

Joshua looked around and spotted a few of the holes in the walls.  He turned to look at her and she shrugged sheepishly "Don't ask."

Erin finished off the rest of her coffee and threw the empty cup on a pile of rubbish.

Joshua shrugged his massive shoulders and sat down near the big window, pushing bits of paper and debris out of the way.

"Okay" Erin sat down cross-legged in front of him "I don't know why you think it's all your fault" she began but Josh wouldn't let her finish.

"It IS Josh's fault! I brought them to Little Fella! I found them!" He began to sniffle loudly like he was going to burst into tears.

"Big Fella" Erin moved to his side quickly "It's NOT your fault! You did good finding them! It's just the ones who stayed behind or were caught in '09 were brainwashed by the upstairs people to hate Max and the ones that made it out."

She brushed some hair from his face gently.  "It'll take awhile for them to get passed all the things that were put in their heads."

"But they were yelling!" Josh sniffled.

"So? Most families yell at each other.  It's pretty normal" Erin smiled softly at him as she moved to sit down opposite him again "I even argue with my brothers."

"You do?" Joshua looked at her curiously and Erin nodded.

"I did."

"So, not my fault?" he still sounded tentative.

"Not your fault Big Fella."

"But- but Zack looked really angry and he threatened to tie them to a chair and beat some sense into them!"

"So?"

"Then, he said if that didn't work he'd leave them tied up in a room with Logan!"

Erin smirked "Good ole' Zack.  He was just getting frustrated.  Don't worry about it, Josh, he wouldn't do that really." Erin's smirk disappeared as she actually thought about what she knew about Zack. 'Maybe.'

Joshua beamed at her before standing up and looking around him, changing the subject abruptly "Needs cleaning up."

Erin rolled her eyes as she stood up again "Dude, most of the buildings in TC do."

Joshua nodded absently, still looking around him.

"I have to go" Erin turned him around gently so he could see her "I need to go see Jondy about something.  You gonna be okay here?"

Joshua nodded and waved his hand at the door, still looking distracted.

Erin shrugged and left in search of Jondy.

Erin found Jondy a quarter of an hour later.  She'd gone to all the usual places she usually hung out before reluctantly going to the Infirmary last.

Jondy looked up to see Erin hovering in the doorway.

"Erin!" Jondy gave her a bright smile, trying to make the place seem welcoming.  "How are you today? You looking for me?"

"I'm cool- I… just wanted to ask you something."  Erin swallowed and forced her eyes to remain on Jondy as she took a couple of steps into the room.

"Ask away" Jondy said breezily as she moved around the room, straightening up little odds and ends.

"What are the effects of the chemicals here? I mean, what symptoms should I look out for?"

"Oh, you don't need to" Jondy grinned.  "I had Dix help me do some research on TC and stuff and I did some tests on Cindy and Sketch's blood.  Apparently, the toxins spilt here weren't as bad as they made out but the city council didn't want to pay for this place to get cleaned up so they made it out to be worse that it actually was.  The stuff that was split here has long been removed by the elements."

Erin blinked "Really? So, I shouldn't show any weird symptoms and stuff?"

"Yeah" the smile disappeared from Jondy's face "Why? Haven't you been feeling well?"

"I, uh…" to Jondy's surprise, Erin began to use sign language.  When Erin was extremely nervous, she sometimes reverted back to what she was used to.  When she was younger, she had gone through a stage of not talking because of what had happened to her.  She had taught herself sign language.  "I've just woken up a couple of times shaking and feeling really cold.  It's probably just muscle spasms- trapped nerves or something."

"Yeah, probably." Jondy frowned.  "How long have you been able to use sign language?"

"I taught it myself when I was younger.  I stupidly thought it'd be easier if I just mouthed the words to you guys instead of using it." Erin smiled slightly.

"Cool" Jondy nodded "So, if you have anymore spasms or anything, I want you to come see me, okay?"

Erin nodded.

"Great" Jondy smirked "So… spill the beans on you and Alec."

"Ah, bloody hell" Erin looked annoyed "it was just something that happened, okay?"

Jondy smirked, folded her arms and waited. 

Erin sighed "I don't know why I let it happen."

Jondy left the room and Erin followed her outside.  Jondy sat on the front step and patted beside her.  Erin sat down.

"Okay, so, I have issues." Erin picked up a stone and began to twirl it through her fingers.  "I have a LOT of issues.  I try not to get involved."

"Why?" Jondy sat back, watching the younger girl closely.

"It's 'cause of what happened to me.  I don't like people to get close." Erin gave her a bemused smile "Guess Alec has a knack for getting underneath my defences."

"Alec cares about you, you know.  He cares about you a lot."

Jondy watched as Erin began to play with the stone.  She'd seen Erin in all sorts of moods.  When she was chilled and relaxed, she could sit still and silent for hours, just watching everything and everyone around her.  Then sometimes, she would be fidgety- constantly moving and picking things up to examine with her hands.  Sometimes she would be a bit of both- sitting for hours until something catches her attention and she would become alive with movement.

Erin sighed and looked down at the stone "I know he does.  That's the problem.  If he gets too close, I can see myself falling for him." The stone skimmed across the cracked pavement as Erin threw it before looking directly at Jondy.  "I mean, I don't want to hurt him.  Do you honestly see us having a successful relationship together?"

Jondy shrugged "Don't you think it's worth a shot?"  Erin looked thoughtful for a second.

"I don't know if I should risk it."

"Well, I think you should, Erin.  I've seen the way he looks at you- like you're the centre of his entire world.  If you don't give whatever it is you have a try- you'll end up regretting it for the rest of your life.  You need to give whatever you have with Alec a chance." Jondy smiled and nodded to their right "And here it comes."

Erin looked around and saw Alec walking towards them.  "Oh shit."

She turned back and saw that Jondy was gone.  Erin narrowed her eyes "Traitor."

"We need to talk." Alec stopped in front of her looking extremely stubborn.

"Don't wanna" Erin stood up, brushed herself off and walked away.  Alec simply followed.

"We have to talk about what happened."

"Why?" Erin headed back to Sector B.  "It happened- simple as that."

Alec stopped "That's it? It happened?!"

"Yep, pretty much" Erin continued walking at a brisk pace until Alec jogged to catch up with her.

"No! It's not it!" Alec growled back, following her into the apartment building she had left Josh in.

Alec stopped and frowned "You've been here before." He could smell her all over the place.

"I come here to think" Erin jogged up the creaking stairs and into the usual apartment.  Luckily, Joshua wasn't there.

"Look Erin" Alec followed her in, his eyes taking in everything in a fraction of a second before settling on Erin again as she sat down, leaning against a wall filled with holes.  "I need to know what last night meant to you."  He fought to keep his voice even.  He slid down next to her.

"And why d'you need to know that, Alec?" Alec was the second person to be surprised that day as Erin began to use sign language again.

"I need to know because I want to know if it's going to happen again" Alec signed back.

Erin's eyes widened "You know sign language."

Alec shrugged "Of course I do.  How long have you known it?"

"Since I didn't talk after they found me" Erin signed and stood up quickly, moving away to look out of the window.  Surprisingly, this one still contained glass.

Alec didn't need to ask what she was talking about.

Alec watched her for a minute, watching the way her hair- slightly longer than it was when she'd arrived, brushed her shoulders as she moved her head.  Watching the way she stood in a defiant stance even when she was nervous.  Watching the way she clenched her fists, stopping herself from hugging herself and showing how she was effected by him.

Alec sighed, stood up and took a step towards her, noticing that she stiffened as he drew closer.  "I need to know what it meant to you, Erin" he repeated his earlier question.

Erin shrugged her shoulders and didn't turn around.  He read her lips in her reflection.  "I don't know."

Alec looked at her with disbelief written on his face "You don't know?!"

Erin shrugged again.  "It doesn't matter."

"That's the point, Erin" Alec moved silently to stand next to her "It does matter.  It matters to me and whether you believe it or not- it matters to you too."

"Why does it matter to you? You've had countless one night stands- why can't I be one of them too?  Why can't you forget it ever happened and move on?"

"I can't forget because it's you!" Alec practically roared and Erin flinched, taking a step away from him. "I can't forget because I want it to happen again!"

Erin shook her head, a bitter smile on her face "No, you don't."

Alec grabbed one of her hands, twining his fingers with hers "I do."

Erin looked down at their hands, hating herself for liking the way his touch made her skin tingle.  "No, you don't." She repeated and pulled away.

"I'm sorry it happened.  I'm sorry I stepped over the line of being friends.  I was being weak- I just needed to feel something different." Erin signed back, not looking him in the eyes for fear of being lost in them again like she had been the night before.

"No" Alec shook his head, his voice slightly rough now.  When Erin looked up at him she noticed he was paler than he had been when he'd started this.  "No.  I don't believe you.  Last night meant something!"  He started to move towards her again and Erin backed away, shaking her head.

"It didn't.  I can't let it happen again.  It won't happen again."

"Don't run away from this, Erin! Let me in.  Let me care about you!"

"I'm sorry, okay?" Erin turned away from him "I shouldn't have let it go any further."

"I won't give up on us" Alec pulled her around to face him "I won't give up on you.  You can't run away from this."

"Why not?" Erin's hands moved so fast that if it weren't for Alec's enhanced eyesight, he wouldn't have been able to catch what she was saying.  "It's my life and I'll do what I want and I don't want a relationship, Alec.  It wouldn't be fair to you."

"Why wouldn't it be fair?" Alec pulled her to him by her arms so she was flush up against his body and had to look up at him.  "I know you enjoyed last night.  Why wouldn't you want to do that again?"  Erin tried to turn away.  "No! Damn it!" Alec moved her arms behind her back and held her wrists in one hand, pushing her even closer to him.  His other hand grabbed her chin- not hard enough to hurt her but enough to force her to look at him "I know you want me!"

Erin glared back but stopped struggling knowing it was no use.  Alec gently released her chin and traced her jaw with a finger.  "You want me" he murmured "as much as I want you."  His finger traced her full lips now and he felt the shiver she wasn't able to hold back.  "I know you want this" he murmured and lowered his head to kiss her.

It was slow, gentle and incredibly soft.  Erin couldn't help it when she kissed him back.

"Mine" he purred in her ear as he licked at her earlobe "You're mine." His mouth moved back to hers.

She was drowning in Alec; the taste of him, the feel of his hard body against hers, the scent of leather and something else entirely Alec.  Her head was spinning as she felt her body react to his and then suddenly, he was gone.

Erin blinked and swayed slightly, looking up to see him watching her as they both breathed heavily.

"Tell me why you don't want that" Alec swallowed and straightened, his voice breaking as he spoke "Tell me why you don't want me?"

Erin shook her head "This isn't really about you." Shaking hands spelled out the words.

"Tell me what it's about then" Alec spoke more determinedly.

"No."

"Tell me!" he demanded.

"No!" Erin moved to the door but Alec blocked her way.

"We're not leaving until you tell me why you won't allow us to be together!"  Alec folded his arms and planted himself firmly in the doorway.

Erin shook her head again, tears blurring her vision "I… Damn it, Alec! I don't let myself get close! I can't let myself get close! If I do, it'll get taken away from me again!"

Her hands became a blur "I couldn't stand it if that happened! I can't loose you too! I'm sick of losing people I care about!" Tears began to make their way down her cheeks.  "Don't you get it?! The whole time I was there- the whole time they were touching me, raping me, hurting me- they were blaming it all on me!  "This is where family gets you, Erin." "Scream and we'll hurt him some more." "Hope you like pain." "That's life, girl.  You watch people you care about die and there's nothing you can do about it." They get taken away from me!" It was like a damn had broken and now there was no way Erin could keep it all in.  "And you know what? They were right!" Erin stopped suddenly, wiping away the tears from her face only to replace them again with fresh ones.  "So why take the chance? It'll just happen again.  It always happens again."  She turned to look at him and saw Alec staring at her silently, gripping the doorframe so hard it was cracking under his hands.

He swallowed "You..." he cleared his throat "You were raped?"

Erin turned away, moving back towards the window.  Her shaking hands reached out to touch the cool glass.

"The bastards not only tortured you, but they raped you as well?" He snarled, letting go of the door frame to stride towards her.

"They were trying to break me.  They were trying to make me crack.  It didn't work though- they kept us together.  My brother was the only reason why I didn't give up." Erin couldn't look at him.  "They shot him in the end.  They killed him right in front of me and there was nothing I could do to stop it.  My legs were broken."  Erin looked down at her legs, tears falling to the floor as she remembered the pain.  She could still feel it.  She could still feel then snapping, she could still hear her own screams.  And then there were arms around her and she was clinging to him with all her strength.

"It's over with" Alec murmured into her hair "It's done.  You're okay now.  They can't hurt you, no one can hurt you."

Erin pushed away from him abruptly "You can."

Alec stared at her in astonishment "Me? Why would I hurt you?"

"You'll get taken away from me and that'll be it."

"I won't" Alec tried to approach her but she backed away from him again.

"There's no way you can promise me that" Erin looked drained now, as if telling him all of this took a lot out of her.

"No, but there's no way you can promise me that you won't get taken away from me either."

Erin shrugged.

"You know what your problem is?" Alec said evenly "It's that you can't allow yourself to take chances.  You miss out on things by playing safe."

"I can't take the risk with my heart, Alec.  The price is too high."

"Like hell it is!  Don't you think I'm scared shitless about this? I know you know about Rachel.  You think I'd allow myself to knowingly take the risk if I would end up getting hurt like that again?! I don't want to hurt again, God, I wouldn't be able to live if something like that happened again!" Alec suddenly yelled "I wouldn't hurt you, Erin, because I know how it feels!"

*Flashback*

"You have to get out more!" Skye grinned at her over her sundae, cheeseburger and coke.

"What's the point?" Erin asked her moodily before taking a sip of her coke and turning back to stare out the window at the people outside.

They were sat in one of the many fast food restaurants in the town centre.  As per usual, as they sat people watching and somehow making their extremely unhealthy meals last well over the 10 minutes it would take any normal person to eat, Skye had brought the subject round to a party she'd been invited to.  This topic had predictably led to the subject of Erin not being invited to parties because she couldn't be arsed to go out most days except to play in the band and hang out with her brothers.  Okay, so she sometimes allowed Skye to dress her up and drag her out to a club but those weren't frequent occasions and Erin always ended up leaving early because the guys there had decided it was okay for them to try and grope her arse and spill drink on her chest to see if she was wearing a bra.  So not her idea of having a good time.  Anyway, as usual, the topic had then changed to Erin not allowing a guy the challenge of trying to reach her tonsils with his tongue.  And Skye honestly couldn't see why she didn't find the prospect alluring in any way.

"Honestly Dude" Skye poked at the air with an over salted fry.  "You need to relax around guys more."

"I am relaxed around guys!" Erin replied over a mouthful of chicken nuggets, blissfully ignoring the fact that they probably contained no chicken whatsoever.

Skye rolled her eyes as she removed the pointy ends off her fry before eating it.  The massacred remains of her fries littered to plastic tray before her.  Apparently, at the age of 6, she had choked on a pointy fry and had vowed never to eat anything pointy again.  And she says Erin has issues.  "Your brothers don't count and Dylan's my boyfriend- he thinks of you as his sister."

"He's male!" Erin smirked "Apparently."

Skye threw a fry at her before smiling mischievously "Oh, he's definitely male."

"Eew!" Erin pulled a face and crossed her eyes at her friend "I definitely don't wanna know what's going through yer 'ed, mate"

"Well you brought it up!" Skye continued, shrugging one shoulder "Now, back on track.  You've never even been kissed!"

"Interesting factoid for ya" Erin continued to eat her meal "Did you know that kissing a bog seat is more hygienic than kissing a person?"

"Gross but still not gonna stop me kissing Dylan.  Besides- thanks to me, he actually brushes his teeth."

"And washes his 'air more than once a month" Erin ducked the second fry.

"Look- you need to go out on dates.  You'll enjoy having a boyfriend.  I can guarantee it."  Skye said, trying to look wise.

Erin shrugged "Not interested."

"Why?!" Skye practically yelled, attracting a lot of attention from the other tables.  Erin and Skye stared back for several minutes before the customers went back to eating, muttering things about stupid punk kids.

"Because, that would mean they'd 'ave to get to know me.  It would mean that they'd want to know all about me."

"True, on campus you are considered pretty mysterious."  Skye had to give her that one.

"And at school?" Erin raised her eyebrows "I was considered as a total weirdo."

"Were not.  All the guys wanted to date you.  You were considered cool in a strange freaky way."

"Bull!"

"Actually, you're human" Skye sat back with a grin.  "Anyway, yep- all the girls used to be pissed off at you coz they didn't know 'ow you did it."

Erin simply shrugged, not believing it for a second.

"Look, you'll find someone like Dylan, who-"

"Hope not."

"You'll find someone who'll you'll end up wanting to spend the rest of your life with."

"Will not."

"Not if you don't allow yeself to go out and meet people!"

"Just face it, Skye.  There ain't anyone for me anywhere.  Simple as that." Erin folded her arms defiantly "And I'm perfectly okay wi' that."

"Of course you are" Skye replied good-naturedly "Just you mark my words girly…"

*End Flashback*

"Give it a chance, Erin.  Give us a chance" Alec looked at her pleadingly.  He swallowed again and when he spoke, it came out as a whisper, all his emotions pouring out in that one word "Please?"

Alec looked so lost then, not a soldier, not a smart ass with answers to everything and she knew that if she said no, it would break him like no torture he'd endured ever could.

Erin looked away and she could've sworn she felt him withdraw.  She heard him shuffle slightly and felt him give her a long look.

Alec felt like he'd been ripped to pieces inside as he gave Erin one last look.  He'd put his heart on the line- for the first time since Rachel and he'd had it crushed.  He turned away, running a shaking hand through his hair before leaving the room.  He couldn't even stand to be in the same building- it smelled of Erin and he knew he'd have to put as much distance between him and her as he could, maybe even leave Terminal City.

Right now, he was going to go have an extremely large drink of Scotch.  Hell, he'd see if he could steal a few bottles, hopefully he'd be able to beat his high metabolism and get drunk.  Putting his hands in the pockets of his jacket just to stop them making more holes in the wall, Alec made his way into the hallway, his head down and his jaw clenched.  She'd refused any chance to be with him and that was that.  Alec would rather have been shot.

He'd made it to the top of the stairs before he heard something.  His head shot up and he spun around just in time to feel a body hit him full force, causing him to stagger back into the wall.

Feeling dampness on his shirt, he looked down at Erin to see her face buried in his jacket as she held onto him tightly, crying silently.

*Flashback*

"When you find the right one, you'll know" smirked Skye "and there'll be nowt you can do to stop yeself from falling for 'im."

*End Flashback*

Alec smiled into her hair before she pulled back, her arms still around his waist.

Erin looked up at him, tears making tracks down her cheeks "I'm sorry.  I'm so, so sorry."

Alec smiled and gently wiped the tears away "You ready to take a chance?"

Erin smiled and then they were losing themselves in each other again, this time, nothing holding them back.

Several hours later

"Where are we going? Can I look yet?" Erin pleaded as Alec led her down a street with one hand over her eyes.

"Trust me" he said in her ear, causing her to shiver and a larger grin to appear on Alec's face.

They stopped in front of a warehouse and Alec nodded at Bullet stood by the door.

Bullet grinned and opened it wide so Erin and Alec could walk in.

"Okay" Alec removed his hand "Open your eyes."

"Holy shit!" Erin grinned broadly as she looked around her.

A warehouse had been converted.  In it was a large bar, a dance floor, TVs set up along one wall, old chairs, tables and sofas were set up around the place, and what caught Erin's attention the most was the large ramp everyone was crowded around.  They'd built a skating ramp.

"I figured you might like to use it when you get bored- and you and Dalton can teach the other kids so they don't go off getting into trouble."  Alec smiled as she beamed up at him.

"Didn't take us long to build" Mole shrugged "Everyone wanted to help get a bar set up and everything, so…" he trailed off before meeting her eyes.  "You like it?" he asked gruffly.

Erin grinned, walked up to Mole and threw her arms around him.  Everyone laughed at the look on Mole's face as he stared down at her in total shock.  Then, to everyone's surprise, he actually hugged her briefly back.

Erin danced away from him then, a smirk on her face "I knew you were a big softie!"

Mole growled and went to grab her "Am not!"

"Are too!" Erin ran and put Tawney between them.

"Hey!" Tawney jumped out of the way "Not wanting to get hurt by the giant lizard!"

Mole and Erin stopped and simultaneously rolled their eyes at him.

"Hey, don't I get a hug?" Zane put on his best puppy dog face and Erin gave him a grin before hugging him.

"It was my idea!" Alec looked put out "I don't even get a thank you!"

Erin smirked, walked up to him and pulled his head down by his t-shirt so she could give him a brief kiss.

Alec took the opportunity to pull her closer and deepen it, despite the fact that they had an audience.  He wanted them to know that she was his.  Alec grinned as people began to whistle.

Erin simply rolled her eyes again as she pulled away, walked over to Dalton and took the board from him, ignoring his grin before climbing up to the top of the ramp.

"Let's see how this baby handles" she grinned before skating down the ramp and back up again, repeating the process until she got good momentum and preformed a 360 spin in mid air with her right hand gripping the board.  There were a few claps and whistles, then the bar opened and no one cared what was going on anymore.

Dalton climbed up to the platform and smirked as Erin came to a stop next to him.  "Knew you'd get together."

"You knew how bloody stubborn he was" Erin handed him the board.

Dalton shrugged "But you did too."

Erin looked down at Alec talking with Zane, Jondy and Max.  As if sensing her gaze, he looked up at her and winked.

Erin grinned back as Sketchy climbed up to join them "Yeah, I guess I did."

Next Chapter: Never

Max glared up at White "Is there a point to me being tied up or are you just intending to babble at me?"

A/N: I'm baaaaack! Sadly, not for long though because I'm off to the scary place known as University. This means I won't be able to write as much and update for that matter but whenever I've got the time I'll try- honest.  I am NOT abandoning my DA fics.

Marty: *grins* Alec's hair is like it was a the end of season 2 so there's no scary Dawson's Creek hair *shudders*. Dude, will you QUIT calling Zack pancake face and pancakio?

Professional scatterbrain: Erin pretty much decided not to actually talk to them when she decided to go to TC dude.  It was in one of the chapters- she actually made a conscious decision.  Nope, Jax doesn't know that Erin can talk because they didn't tell him.  Remember? You see how they meet the thugs and sort them out. The trigger word when she was attacked was the one she said she remembered hearing before.  It was that whole "bide your time" statement. The scars on her skin are from when she was tortured.  Yep, she has a destiny and it ain't a happy one.  As for her abilities… well, you'll just have to wait and see.

Messymissy: I haven't decided what to include about Max or Zack yet, but something will happen between them.

Riley: I hope you get you're 'puter running again dude.

Sea Siren: Hope you did good on the test dude.  Yep, I know, the shirtless Alec was a bit of a distraction *daydreams for a few minutes* hopefully, more shirtless Alec will be included later on :P