Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. I am writing this purely for non-profit amusement.

A/N: This story picks up halfway into Hello Goodbye, modified to suit my liking!

Play-Along: Chapter 2

"Wh…" his eyes grew larger as she pulled his head down and captured his lips in hers.

What the hell! Alec stilled for a moment before his reflex kicked in. He moved his lips on hers tentatively. Then, growing bolder, his tongue reached out to caress hers. Soft and sweet. He closed his eyes and groaned as he felt blood rush from his head to his groin. He heard Max moan as he deepened the kiss, sucking her tongue and lips hungrily. His brought his hands up to weave his fingers in her hair, keeping her exactly where he wanted her to be.

The sudden wolf-whistle and cheers startled Alec into awareness. He lifted his lips reluctantly from Max and felt the fog slowly clearing his head. Then it hit him. Shit! What happened? This is MAX for goodness's sake! I am so screwed! He looked down at her, his hands still in her hair, trying to gauge her reaction.

He saw Max as she came back to reality and stiffened in his arms. She blushed for a moment, then glared up defiantly at him, "Don't you dare say a word! I said play-along!" she hissed, throwing a furtive glance across the room at Logan.

Logan! "Max, what are you doing? What are WE doing? Logan saw that!" Alec said desperately, looking at her with a frown of confusion. Then it dawned. He began to feel really uncomfortable with the suspicious thought in his head.

"Okay, Max, tell me now. What's with Logan?" he demanded, keeping his voice low. To all appearances, they were having a lover's conversation – her arms around his neck, his hands still caressing her head.

Max looked down, "I guess you're going to find out sooner or later. I told Logan you and I were together,"

Alec looked dismayed, "What? Are you kidding?"

"This virus thing isn't going anywhere, and I can't afford any more accidents," she explained.

"Why do you have to drag me into it?" Alec asked, annoyed now.

"I had to push him away"

"Yeah, so blame Alec, 'cause he's just the kind of jerk that'd steal another guy's girl… Max, whatever's going on with you and Logan has nothing to do with me, okay? I'm not going to be the bad guy," Alec said, loosening his grip on her head.

Max grabbed his hands, pleading "Please, Alec… Don't do this. Just help me this once,"

He had a soft spot for Max, and he knew it. But this is all so wrong! Alec sighed. He nodded, looking in Logan's direction. Logan did not look happy at ball. Surprise. Surprise. Alec also noticed OC and Sketchy looking at them with slack jaws. He groaned inwardly.

Logan was fuming. He could not believe that Max actually left him for that screw-up loser of a transgenic. Not wanting so see anymore love-play between Max and Alec, he stood up and stormed out of Crash.

……………………………..

Back at Joshua's, Alec was lying down on the couch, staring up at the cracked plaster on the ceiling, lost in his thoughts.

Flashback

At Max's cell in Manticore;

"We've been paired off. I'm your breeding partner" he had actually looked forward to it when he saw how hot she was.

At the lab tech's motel room;

"I owe you, Max. I know I screwed things…"

"Shut up! And listen, 'cause I'm only saying this once. That guy was the last chance for me and Logan. He's gone, and it's your fault. Don't think I'm ever getting over that" He never felt he could screw things up that much. He saw the hopelessness in her eyes and thought that he may be better off dead.

At the museum, stealing the baseball;

"Read my lips, pretty boy. Get a life, get a job, and stop sticking your nose into mine. Don't make me kick your ass!"

"You know, this whole tough-chick act thing is really unbecoming. 'I'm gonna bounce you on your ass. I'm gonna smack your bitch head.' It's so unfeminine" he grinned, actually finding her treatment of him rather refreshing after having a constant stream of girls simpering and throwing themselves at him.

His conversation with Logan in the sewers;

"It's just 'cause she's hot, you know" he had told Logan, "You honestly think we'd be down here in this mouldy dump looking for God-knows-what if she were ugly?" Thinking that Logan had to be blind if he could not see that. Now Alec was more than capable of appreciating a unique beauty like Max.

Outside the Blowfish Tavern;

"That's okay, there's a line around back. Girls show up, and management picks the good ones" he tried really hard to keep a straight face while saying that to a pissed off Max.

"No way!" she had protested, the expression on her face priceless.

"Come on, Max, don't sell yourself short. I mean, you've got a decent shot," more than decent, he had thought at that time. The management would PAY her to go in.

In a closet;

"Yeah, yeah. Tell me…tell me that he's worth all this trouble, Max. I mean, tell me how he...how he rocks your world. Something" he had asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. But Max remained silent. "Maxie? Hey. You and Logan have done it, right? I mean, before the whole virus thing, you knew each other for like, what, a year? Max?" He was incredulous at the thought that they had a YEAR and did NOTHING. If he was in Logan's shoes…

At her apartment;

"Hold me please," He could remember circling her soft body with his arms as she fell asleep. And the peace he felt falling asleep breathing in her scent, burying his face in her neck.

At Crash

His shock when she captured his lips in a kiss. Her soft lips caressing his, driving him to distraction. Making him want more. Hoping for more.

End Flashback

Alec sat up, running his hands through his hair helplessly, groaning as he realised his predicament. He was attracted to Max? Didn't see that coming did you, Alec? Great… just great! What do I do now?

I need to tell her… I need to tell her I cannot 'play-along'. I can't do this to myself…It's not fair to either of us.

t.b.c

A/N: So, any good? Please tell me what you think! Hit the review button!