A/N: Thank you to those that reviewed. Here is the 2nd chapter. I hope that you like it.

Disclaimer: If someone were to sue me, I would viciously protect all that I have. All that I have 0.63, a stick of spearmint gum, a bottle cap, and a package of strawberry Pop Rocks. Scratch that. I just ate the Pop Rocks, and I am currently chewing the stick of gum. All that I have now 0.63, a bottle cap, a gum wrapper, and a package that once contained strawberry Pop Rocks. If anyone is actually reading this, the point is I own nothing. : )

Chapter 2

Max

Max's POV

When did I fall in love with Alec? That is a damn good question, but here is a better one: when did I stop loving Logan? Don't get me wrong, I love him like a brother, but the spark that was between us is now gone. I am not in love with him anymore. I love Alec.

When that first hit me, I was out on a ride to clear my head. I just about fell off of my baby. To tell the truth, the first time it occurred to me that maybe I was falling out of love with Logan was when I told Alec about Ben. Isn't it a little bit odd that I could tell a man that I had known less than a year (and considered a friend for far less time than that) about how my brother lost it, yet I couldn't bring myself to tell the love of my life?

When Logan asked if there was something other than friendship between Alec and me, I didn't deny it. Afterwards, when I questioned my actions, I shrugged it off as an attempt to push Logan away, to save him. Later, I decided it wouldn't be too bad to be with Alec. I finally realized that the reason I didn't bother to correct Logan was that I wanted to have a relationship with Alec.

That was when I realized that my feelings for Alec were changing. After I told him about Ben, I thought of him like I used to think of my brothers. Best friends that are so close they could be siblings. I stopped being such a bitch to him and our arguments were less and less actual arguments and more and more just playful banter. My mock hits to his shoulder were just an excuse to touch him. To tell the truth, I suspect it had always been like that. How could it not have been? When he walked into my cell I mistook him for Ben, but his eyes are so different. Worse, I felt guilty for being attracted to him after that. If I didn't see him during the day I found myself missing our sarcastic conversations. I found myself broadening my vocabulary just so I could be declared the victor of our next bout of banter. With Logan I always felt like I had to be so serious and hide the real me, I felt like he would be scared of the real me. But with Alec I feel like I can let my guard down and relax. That is probably why the best night of sleep I have gotten since the escape was when I told him about Ben and he stayed over.

Slowly, my feelings for Logan had dissipated. He was no longer the single most important thing in my life. I had a whole nation's future resting on my shoulders. Although, my new friends in Terminal City could bring a smile to my face. Whether it was Luke's and Dix's enthusiasm, Mole's cynicism, Joshua's innocence, or any of the city's new inhabitants' love of freedom. To see them happy made me happy. As time went on, they seemed to be the only thing that put a smile on my face. Thanks to the vigilantes we had to up security and I was no longer allowed to leave my (excuse me, our) Freak Nation unless it was of supreme importance. That meant no more late night heart-to-hearts with Original Cindy and that was a big loss what with my newly changing feelings. No more Crash. I was regretting ever accepting the job. Especially since Alec was allowed to go outside the fence. However, I didn't resent him for it. I just took him up on his offer to talk to him. That's how we became so close.

Sometimes I would feel so happy after spending a lot of time with him and I realized that he gave me that sense of family that my brothers and sisters did. I feel safe with Alec. Our sarcasm reminds me of Syl, and I can talk to him like I talked to Jondy. He is protective of me just like all of my brothers, but when we get done with a serious or painful conversation, his comforting reminds me of Tinga. Thinking of my brothers and sisters makes me smile sadly. I have yet to find most of them, and the ones that I did find, other than Syl and Krit (who technically I only saw), are dead or lost to me. Tinga and Ben are dead. Zack has no memory of us, and Brin has been brainwashed to hate all of us. Jace is in Mexico with a baby, but I haven't heard from her since she left. I miss them so much, but sometimes I think it would be better if I didn't find them because of my luck.

When did I fall in love with Alec? It could have been when he was so caring when we were fixing up Bullet. That was the first time that I saw him as more than a Manticorian or soldier. That was the first time that I saw him as a person.

Maybe it was when he decided that he would die rather than kill me. He almost killed Joshua, but then he came to do it to me. I looked up and I saw the regret and sadness in his eyes.

It could've been on any of the E.O. missions. The way that he was always ready and willing (granted that sometimes I had to bug him) to help surprised me. I was always glad for help because two heads are better than one.

When he asked me to tell him about Ben, I'll admit I was surprised. I mean here is this guy, which I thought was totally self-centered and incapable of human emotions, asking me to tell him about a "brother" that he had never known. I wasn't expecting sympathy or comfort from him, but I still accepted it.

I guess it doesn't matter when I fell for him. Only that I did. Although, because of the conclusion I decided to leave town for a little bit. I need to clear my head. I am hoping that I grow out of this because I can't expect Alec to have feelings for me. Ok, so I lied. A little part of me hopes that he has feelings for me, but I have been such a bitch to him, he couldn't. Maybe on this trip I will get some guts so that when I get back I can tell Alec how I feel. Yeah, right. Good one, Max. You are way too chicken for that, little girl. I decided to go tell HQ that I am leaving now.

After walking into HQ, I just stop to look at all of them. We went from being segregated by series to running as smoothly together as my ninja all in 6 months. I go over to the area where the boys (Dix, Luke, and Mole) usually are. I feel myself tearing up. Suck it up, soldier. It's not like you'll never see them again. You'll be back in a month. But another traitorous part of my mind spoke up. By the time you get back they could be dead. You never know. You've seen how the norms have been lately.

"Well, I guess that this is goodbye." All three of them look at me with sorrowful expressions. Well, Mole is as sorrowful-looking as I have ever seen him. Not that six-feet tall lizard men are ever very sad.

"We'll miss you," said Luke.

Dix said, "Travel safe."

"Just make sure that you come back alive," said Mole, "or Pretty Boy will get upset. Not to mention the whole population's fixation with you will cause us to suffer."

"Don't worry. I just want to go to the last known places my siblings were and spread the word of the Transgenic Underground Railroad so that our people get here." I smiled at them. "Hopefully, I'll find us some good recruits. Oh, tell Alec I'm sorry that I didn't tell him, but I'll talk to him when I check in or when I get back." And with that I said one last good-bye to the rest of HQ and went to get my baby. Luckily, I had already said good-bye to Joshua and the rest of my close friends. In other words, my extended family. Despite the fact that I was leaving my home, I couldn't help but to get excited at the thought of possibly seeing my siblings again.

I was getting ready to turn her on when a familiar voice stopped me.

"Max, wait a sec!"

TBC

A/N2: Nice cliffhanger, if I do say so my self. Please review.