Title: Back to Right
Episode: Post Some Assembly Required
Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own anything related to Dark Angel. If I did I would be making more use out of the licensing, and not be so broke.
Chapter 1
Normally when I come and sit on top of the Space Needle I'm trying to feel like just one of the masses, a normal girl just trying to make it in a broken world. Sometimes I sit here in my High Place waiting for, maybe even expecting, the wonderful things Ben talked about when we were back at Manticore to come to me. Other times I come here to feel a sense of accomplishment; like the life I've made for myself, with all its bumps and bruises, has been worth it. After the past couple of days I've had though, I'd be happy with just some inner peace.
Tonight, the wind blows through the hair hanging loosely around my shoulders and the black expansive sky is dotted with dimly-lit stars. My attention however is focused on the battered city spread out below me. For a place that used to be one of the most built up cities in the US back before the Pulse Seattle is now mostly dark at nights. Oh sure, there's still a few lights visible and their infrequent glows make them really stand out from my vantage point. Guess it's kind of lost on everyone else most of the time, you know, the symbolism of the resilient things standing out because everything around them it so lost, 'cause I'm the only one that ever enjoys this view.
The whole dealio with the lights really seems to reflect how I'm feeling right now though. A lot of things in my life suck right now. This virus bitch. The whole Zack not being dead but I have to send him away to protect Logan deal. The fact that I'm practically forcing Joshua into house arrest just for being himself. The list just keeps going on and on. My life could be currently described as totally whack. It's like I can't run from the darkness that's chasing me anymore because it's slowly swallowing every part of my life.
But I realize there are bright spots every now and then. At least the virus isn't put out in the air when I breathe or cough, 'cause that would so royally blow. Joshua really enjoyed going out on the town for Halloween. And Zack is going to be happy and get to live the normal life he always wanted and always wanted for all of us. At least with those nanothingys in him he looks normal and can fit in now.
I've learned a lot about staying alive from my big brother, but I've also learned a lot about how I don't want to spend my life. I'm not gonna run anymore I've decided, White, Manticore, or the whole government be damned. I don't want to live scared of whatever is trying to sneak up behind me. I can't do anything about it so I'm not gonna waste another minute worrying about it. Manticore has hung over my head for too many years already and it will always cast a shadow over my world, but that doesn't mean I have to have act all soldierish like Zack always did.
It must be getting pretty late by now. Gradually some of the brighter lights spread out around Seattle are going out. Must be closing time for the bars then. I hung out at Crash with the Jam Pony gang for a while earlier. Hope Sketchy gets home alright. He was already pretty far gone when I left.
There's something bothering me, but I'm not sure what it is. You know that feeling like there's something you've forgotten or maybe there's some kinda puzzle you're missing the last piece to even though you just know you've seen it recently. I'm having that feeling. Oh well, if it's important it'll come to me later.
I had better get home soon or Original Cindy'll start to worry. Don't want my boo to get bent outta shape. I stand up and take another look around at the broken city. Most of the lights still on now are over in Sector 9, the high rise district. I wonder if Logan's still up. He's probably at his computer working on something. He could be in the kitchen washing the night's dishes. A little part of me, the part I fight against everyday when I have to remember not to touch him, hopes he's looking out his window toward the Space Needle. He knows me so well; he probably suspects I'm up here. Maybe he can feel my love for him across the darkness. I almost swear I can feel his all the time even though I can't actually feel him. My shoulders fall slightly, nothing I can do about any of that though.
I turn to leave the Space Needle and I'm still having that feeling that I can't identify. I walk toward the opening I use to get out on the Needle and I can almost hear the pieces click together in my head when I realize what it is that has been eluding me. That's it. Maybe I can do something about the crappy situation I find myself in.
I pull out my cell phone and check the time; nearly two in the morning. I hate to wake him up but this is important. For science and the happiness of the people in his life he'll forgive me. Mainly for the impact on science, but hey, I'll take whatever I can get. I punch in the number and wait forsomeone to come on the other end.
I hear a groggy male voice answer after a couple rings. "Dr. Carr here."
"Sam, it's Max. Do you still have a sample of the nanocytes that were in Zack?" I ask. I know there's some desperation in my voice and not just a little of the soldier I am coming through.
"Um, I think so Max." I can tell he still hasn't woken up completely when he responds, but he's getting there.
"Can you meet me at the hospital later?" I demand.
"Sure," I can hear him pick up his watch through the phone, "How about I meet you there in two hours?" he replies.
"That'll give me plenty of time to check in with my boo." I say.
"What's this all about Max? Is anybody hurt?" There is genuine concern in his voice. Sam has become a tremendous asset in helping all the transgenics I let loose when I burned Manticore down. Good to know there's still a few good ones still out there.
I just tell him, "I've got an idea" and disconnect the call. I smile out into the night a feel a little of the peace I've been looking for up here. I found the inspiration that might turn things in my world right side up again here tonight. Maybe this really is the High Place.
Author's Note: Hope everyone likes this. Thanks for reading. I'm excited about where this is going to go. Let me know what you think, good or bad. I'm going to go start the next part now. And I couldn't remember if Max already had the cell phone or not at this point in the season, so if she didn't we'll just pretend she did.