A/N: Man, will I EVER get this fic finished? um, no.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Chapter forty-seven: Helpless

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Male X5: What's the matter, 452? Still recuperating?

Max: Bite me!

Male X5: Must've given you a lousy heart.

-Max and an X5 (Designate This)

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

'What makes you laugh?

What makes you cry?

What makes our youth run

From the thought that we might die?

What makes you bleed?'

-Creed (Wrong Way)

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

The world was blurry and loud, or at least that's what it seemed like to Erin.

After Alec had caught her, he and Zack had taken her to the Infirmary where Jondy had immediately started to panic as she had no idea what was wrong with her. Jondy promptly started doing whatever tests she could without taking a blood test. They had to stop when Erin had gained consciousness enough to start panicking about being in the Infirmary so they'd agreed to take her up to her and Alec's quarters to do the tests.

By then, Dalton, Bullet, Zero, Sketchy, Cindy and several others of Max's family had heard that something was wrong. Zack had ended up forming a search party to go look for Max just to keep them away from Erin while Jondy started to do the tests again. The results weren't good. They weren't good at all.

"Hey, Ewok. You okay?" Zack sat down on the floor beside the mattress Erin was lying on.

"Five by five, Z-man. Five by five." Erin blinked up at him before shifting slightly to get more comfortable. A gasp of pain left her lips and Alec was there to help her get comfortable.

"I take it you haven't found Max yet?"

Zack shook his head "The others have gone to look for her. I'm beginning to think that something bad might've happened."

"Yeah, me too- Alec go talk to Jondy." Erin turned to the hovering Alec. She smiled at him as he opened his mouth to reply "Chill, I'll be fine. I'm not goin' anywhere."

Alec gave her a long look before nodding and walking out. As soon as he was out of sight, the smile slid from Erin's face.

"We're gonna make you better, Erin" Zack said seriously, surprising her by taking hold of her shaking hand. "You're gonna be fine- you'll see."

"I don't feel fine" Erin looked away from his eyes "it hurts real bad, Zack. It hurts a lot. I've got a fever- I feel cold. My head feels like it's gonna explode, everything's all loud and blurry."

"Don't worry" Zack smiled, putting his best reassuring brother face on "We'll figure this shit out."

Erin opened her mouth to say more but Jondy and Alec walked in and giving her hand one last squeeze, Zack walked out.

"What's wrong with her?" Zack asked Jondy as she walked out of Alec's 'room', running a hand over her eyes. Cindy and Joshua approached them, worried looks on their faces.

Jondy closed her eyes and opened them slowly again. Zack couldn't be certain, but he thought he saw the glimmer of tears in them.

"She's dying." Jondy's voice came out rough with confusion and unexpressed emotion.

Joshua let out a whimper that gradually turned into a howl and people on the lower floors looked up at him as he stood by the wall overlooking the courtyard.

Cindy patted his arm reassuringly. "We'll beat this bitch, big boo- don't you worry."

"Erin's temperature is steadily increasing and showing no signs of stopping. That's pretty much all I can tell right now without a blood test." Jondy continued.

Zack was quiet for a few minutes. Erin was dying and they had no idea why or how to stop it.

"Does he know?" They all looked into Alec's 'room'. Erin was in his arms, her back to his chest as he held her, talking to her quietly as her body jerked involuntary every so often.

"He knows" Jondy replied sadly "he just doesn't want to accept it. He said not to tell Erin but I think she's figured it out already."

They watched as Alec laid a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"He can't go through this" Cindy wiped away a tear "not again, not after what happened with Rachel. The boy won't survive."

"We know Cindy!" Jondy growled but they both knew she wasn't angry with O.C. "I might be able to find something in her blood work but Erin has a serious problem with needles as well as hospitals. I'm not surprised after they-" Jondy stopped.

"What happened to her?" Zack narrowed his eyes.

"I can't tell you" Jondy sighed "Alec gave me orders not to tell anyone. But I can tell you this. It's not just mental problems she has. They definitely left their mark on her. Or should I say several…"

"They?" Zack pressed and Jondy shrugged.

"I would assume it was a 'they'. Alec knows a hell of a lot more about it but he won't tell me the details. I've just seen her body and now you guys saw her reaction to the Infirmary."

They were silent again.

"Bad men hurt Erin?" Josh growled, baring his teeth.

"I think they did more than that."

More silence.

"Cindy, Josh, I want you to go to the mess hall and get as many bags of ice as you can" Zack slipped into soldier-mode. "We need to get her core temperature down, or at least slow it down until we can find away to stop this. After that, go tell Mole that we need more people searching for Max. Something's definitely happened to her."

Cindy and Joshua left, practically running in their haste to help in some way.

"Argh! If I could just get a blood test, maybe I could figure out her body's reaction" Jondy fell onto the couch with her head in her hands.

Zack nodded once and walked into Alec's 'room'.

"Tell me where my son is and all the pain will stop." White was getting stressed now as Max refused to give him any useful information.

"Kiss. My. Ass."

Max was a mess. Her lip was swollen and she had a black eye. So far, White hadn't used anything else other than his fists and the tasers but Max knew he was just working up to the big stuff.

"What d'you and the rest of the freaks know about our plans?"

"Bite me."

Slap.

"You don't want to push me, 452."

"My name is Max!"

Shock.

"Tell me what I want to know!"

Max glared up at White, knowing she was helpless against any physical assault but knowing he could never break her mind.

"Hop around on one leg and shout "I believe in fairies" and we'll see what I remember."

The punch knocked her head back but Max simply laughed as she began to shut down mentally, locking her mental self up- hiding it from the pain.

After that, the next punch didn't hurt so much and the blackness that engulfed her vision was a lot more welcoming.

"It's almost time now" they stood in the darkness again, under an invisible source of light that allowed them to see each other. "Don't be scared."

Max rubbed her arms as she looked down at her friend "It's so cold."

"That's the outside" Erin frowned "It's not here."

She was dressed like usual in her street clothes but her skin looked pasty.

"I've been tortured" Max reached out to touch Erin's forehead. "What's your excuse?"

Max had expected her hand not to touch Erin or to go straight through- after all, this was a dream. But that didn't happen. Max touched Erin and she felt real. Erin's skin was fever hot; her forehead was slick with sweat.

"What's wrong with you?" Max took a step closer so they were only a hands span apart. To Max, Erin looked very real and very alive.

Erin shrugged "The change has come."

"What change? What are you talking about?" Max stepped away from her then. The fact that Erin seemed so real here, scared her more than comforted her.

Erin gave her a know-it-all grin that she only used to annoy people. "Gotta prepare for war."

"With the Familiars?"

"Aye" Erin raised her eyebrows "Haven't you been listenin' to owt I've said? These dreams do have a purpose ya know."

Max stared at Erin for a moment. Even Erin's accent was more pronounced here. Max was no expert but she'd seen some British films when she was younger. She thought Erin sounded like she was from somewhere in Northern Britain which fitted with what little Erin had told Max and the others about her life.

"What change has come? What's happening to you?"

Erin shrugged and smiled that smile "You'll see soon enough."

Max rolled her eyes and folded her arms, sticking her hip out in the usual way she let people know that she was annoyed. "Is there a purpose to this dream or are you just here to annoy me?"

Erin raised her hands up in a gesture of surrender "Don't take it out on me, Max. It's not like I have a choice."

Max simply stared at her and Erin gave an overdramatic sigh.

"Okay, okay- maybe I do have a choice about the annoying thing, but the rest of it isn't me."

Erin looked at her all serious then "Do you think that I'm really Erin? The possibilities about this" she gestured to their surroundings "is endless."

"I don't wanna know about that" Max dropped her arms "I wanna know what you can tell me. What's gonna happen? What's your role in this? Hell, what's MY role in this?"

Erin smiled "I know that you're impatient, but you gotta pay attention here. Things can mean nothing but they can also mean everything."

She turned and walked away. Max had no choice but to follow.

Their surroundings faded into colour like an oil painting and suddenly they were in Terminal City. The streets were busier than usual and Max frowned.

"What's going on?"

"There're lookin' for you." Erin led the way into HQ. Like the dream about Erin's life, this one was silent and no one could see them. Max could see people's lips moving but no sound was coming out.

"This isn't all for me" Max continued to look around her.

"They know something's wrong. The others are preparing. It won't work though- not really." Erin led Max up the stairs and into one of the offices.

Zack was sat at his desk, his feet up on the surface as he stared at the wall deep in thought.

"Why d'you bring me here?" Max moved in front of Zack and waved her hand in front of his face. Zack didn't move.

"To show you what you mean to them- to him." Erin looked at Zack for a moment, a small smile on her face "He loves you, you know."

Max looked away from the X5 to look at the floor. "I know" her voice came out quieter than she meant it to.

"Do you really?" Erin turned to look at Max now "He loved you even though it was against everything he believed in. He looked out for you. He died for you. He's loved you since he first laid eyes on you. When you were all in Manticore, he didn't understand what it meant so he went along with the brother-sister thing. Even then, he treated you differently."

"I know, okay?!" Max glared at Erin "So, what has this got to do with everything?"

Erin moved to sit on the couch, her legs apart and her arms on her knees "If you were to die tomorrow, would you go to him?"

Max stopped and looked at Zack then Erin again. "I'm going to die tomorrow?"

Her voice came out small, almost childlike.

Erin smiled and shook her head "I never said that, but just supposing you were- would you go to him?"

Max frowned and Erin nodded at Zack. Max turned back to Zack and just looked at him.

His hair was messed up as if he'd been running his fingers through it. His eyes were narrowed and he bit his lip in concentration. Max longed to reach out and smooth the lines between his eyes and mutter reassurances that she was okay.

"Yes" Max whispered and turned back to Erin, her eyes wide at the realisation. "Yes, I'd go to him."

"Do you love him?" Erin spoke quietly, her eyes sparkling with some inner knowledge.

Max nodded "I… I guess I do."

Erin grinned then "The choice you make- with your heart or your head can mean a world of difference." She gestured to Zack "It could mean a chance of happiness. A chance of a love that could last."

The room faded and Erin remained seated. She was sat on the couch on the 6th floor. Max looked around her. Jondy, Original Cindy and Sketchy were stood in the entrance to Alec and Erin's quarters, their faces sad as they looked on. Erin remained where she was as Max moved to investigate what the others were looking at.

Erin was laid out on top of the mattress looking exactly like the other Erin. Her face was pasty and she was covered in sweat as her body shook like she was having a seizure. Bags of ice were packed around her.

"Oh God" Max whispered as she watched on.

Alec was sat next to Erin, holding her body close as he whispered in her ear. It wasn't Erin's look of pain that had made Max speak, it was Alec's.

He was holding onto Erin like she was a lifeline as he gripped one of her shaking hands and Max suddenly had a flashback to when she saw him with Rachel.

*Flashback*

Max looked into the room, not knowing what to expect. The sight that greeted her wasn't something she'd ever thought to see.

A beautiful girl- no more than 19 years old, lay in a hospital bed, her long brown hair spread out on the pillow beside her, her face peaceful yet pale.

A heart monitoring machine beeped quietly as it sat beside her bed.

Alec sat at her bedside, his face heartbroken as a lone tear ran down his cheek.

"I should've tried harder, Rachel. I should've fought them. I didn't understand." Alec bowed his head for a second before looking back up at the girls' peaceful face "I didn't understand how much I loved you" His voice broke as he put her locket into her hand, pressed her hand to his forehead as he closed his eyes.

He hugged her to him then, as all of his masks created over so many years disappeared in the blink of an eye. All for this one girl. All because he loved her.

Alec buried his face into her neck as he held her and soon Max heard him begin to cry with great wracking sobs that shook his whole frame and pierced something inside of Max's soul. Maybe he wasn't so shallow after all. Maybe he was just trying to get by in the world just like she was.

Max watched as her friend continued to cry and decided there and then, she'd cut him some slack. He deserved it. He more than deserved it.

Silently, Max left him to his grief as he said goodbye to the only person he'd ever loved.

*End Flashback*

Erin looked like she was dying and there was nothing that Alec or the others could do to save her.

"A single choice could also mean pain and death." Erin spoke from beside her and Max whirled around. She hadn't heard Erin move.

Erin was looking at herself in Alec's arms, an unreadable expression on her face. "Different choices, different outcomes." She looked up at Max. "You have a choice, Max. I just give the warnings- the advice." She moved away to the wall that protected from the drop into the large courtyard like area below. Max gave the scene one last look before moving to join her.

"There are moments in life that can change everything" Erin looked at her steadily as she sat up on the wall cross-legged. Max sat down facing her.

"This is how it's gonna be" Erin sounded very matter-of-fact now. "Choose your battles. You can't always play the hero. You can't always run. Sometimes you just have to step back."

"You say that every time, Erin." Max looked down at the drop over the wall to see even more transgenics moving about.

"I know" Erin smiled when Max looked back at her "But remember, things can mean everything or nothing here."

"Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"There isn't much time. The first battle approaches. Lines will blur and shades of grey colour hearts and heads. A warrior will come into play. Choose your battles and when all is done, know if you have an enemy or ally. Ask what is needed."

"What? But-" Max began but Erin cut her off.

She leant forward, her face intent "Wake up."

"What?"

"I said, wake up, bitch!"

Max woke up with a start and looked around her. The familiar feeling of dread entered her stomach as she realised that she was still strapped to the table and White was the one stood in front of her instead of her little sarcastic friend that somehow thought of herself as a post-pulse Yoda. It was a toss up who was the sane one.

"Good" White smiled down at her, turning the taser slowly in his hands. "We're gonna do this again."

Max sighed overdramatically, rolled her eyes and made herself shut down mentally again. Here we go again.

"Where's my son."

Shock.

Max's body jerked in it's restraints but Max didn't make a sound.

"Tell me where my son is."

Shock.

"Is he alive?"

Shock.

"Where did you take him?"

Shock.

Next Chapter: To Be A Leader…

"Alec" Erin coughed and winced as her body shook harder. "Alec" She began again, reaching out to hold his hand. "You have to go. You have to save Max"

"No, I won't leave you" Alec kissed her hand and held onto it harder "I can't leave you" he whispered.

A/N: Wow, things are just getting worse and worse aren't they? ^^ and I haven't really STARTED yet. :P

Marty: Yeah, sorry about that dude. Wait, no I'm not! You always use long words around me and then tell me to look them up in the dictionary…. True, they're usually funny and in many ways rude, but still! More info about Jake will come later on. Yes, the Conclave are those snaky peeps and yes, they are the bad guys. As you can tell, the previous preview in the other chapter was about this chapter, not four chapters later. I meant that, the actually freaky dream thing will be EXPLAINED in four chapters. Well, it's 3 now :P

Messymissy: Yep, lots of twists :P Yeah, Erin's gonna get her powers soon but it's gonna hurt getting them. The shaking is her body a) preparing for them and b) trying to reject them at the same time. I included Rain's POV in the last chapter to show what some of the transgenics might think about an Ordinary dating their SIC.

Max's dreams give her clues about what's gonna happen and what to do. It's up to Max to translate them. Erin's dreams aren't really about telling the future- more like telling the past.

The first thing out of Erin's mouth isn't gonna be too special. Some people might not consider it swearing either. I don't really. Consider the phrase more… sarcastic *smirks*

MirellaM: Hehe consider this first part of the trilogy an… introduction to the story. Erin's dream- well, some of it was memories and the rest of it was something else. It's building up to another part of the story. Some might even consider it a look into the past.

Cat X5-989: Nope, Erin's powers aren't like an X series… well, not really. You'll get to see in a little while dude.

Nefertiry: Yeah, this is actually the first part of a trilogy. Glad you like my fic dude :P

Elin: Sorry, you'll just have to wait and see