Disclaimer: Own it? I think not LOL
A/N: You guys still like this fic? Great! So review plz! LOL Sorry if I sound bossy it's just that I have a lot of fun reading your reviews.
"Hey stranger," a voice said.
Logan almost jumped out of his skin. He slowly turned around. "Max?" he croaked. "God, it can't be. H-how are you still alive? How did you escape?" He stood up to hug her. She hugged him back but before he could do anything else she pulled away.
"Oh, it was no big deal. When Renfro was pissed off at a certain I-wanna-save-the-world-wannabee, she blew the whole place up with us in it. But hey, we only had to run for our lives and duck bullets so no harm no foul right?" another voice said sarcastically.
Logan immediately knew who the voice belonged to. "Zack," he said dryly, not at all pleased that Max's "brother" was there too.
"Logan," he replied, just as dryly as he did.
Max looked between the two of them, noticing the tension so she changed the subject. "Uh, Logan, this is Alec. Alec, Logan."
Logan looked up at the other man in the room. "Hello."
Alec sized this Logan guy up quickly. Zack was right, this guy had the whole save-the-world look and complex. He had blue eyes, untamed blond hair, a light beard and glasses. He was wearing an exoskeleton and grinned inwardly when he noticed that Logan was observing him as well.
'Another good-looking guy in Max's life,' Logan thought. 'What am I talking about, I'm just as good-looking as he is.' (angelofdarkness78: coughnotcough LOL) He studied Alec. He had hazel-green eyes, dark blond hair, and a cocky smile. He turned to Max. "So, how do you guys know each other?"
Alec turned to Zack as if asking permission to play with Logan a little. Zack smiled a little and nodded slightly. Alec then turned back to Logan and before Max could get a word in he said, "Max and I were breeding partners."
Logan turned an unhealthy shade of purple. "What? You're kidding right?"
"Nope," he said, grinning.
"Nothing happened Logan," Max said, feeling a bad case of déja vue. "He's Ben's twin."
Logan scanned his memory for a Ben until he remembered. Now he paled. Alec had a Cheshire grin on his face that looked almost predatory. "Don't worry. I'm not psychotic. Yet." He laughed when he saw Logan's face. "Kidding. Ben was a product of the environment, it's not genetic. You can relax and breathe now."
Logan did as instructed. Then he watched with growing jealousy when Alec turned to Max.
"Hey Maxie. You got a place where I can stay? If you don't, that's fine, I'm sure I can find somewhere to go."
Logan's jealousy grew even more. 'Maxie? He calls her Maxie. I thought only her brothers and sisters call her that. I've only ever heard Zack call her that all the time. I don't even call her Maxie, why does he get to?'
"Well," she replied. "First I have to check in with my roommate, Original Cindy or O.C. for short, and if she doesn't mind both you and Zack can stay at my place. Still, it'll be sort of a tight fit to have 4 people in a small apartment." She looked at Logan. "Unless Logan doesn't mind one of you guys staying in his guest room."
Logan shook his head. "No, I don't mind at all. Make yourself comfortable."
"I'll stay here," Alec said, figuring that if Zack stayed at Max's place they could spend more time together.
Logan nodded. "Ok, I'll get everything set up for you." He walked up to Max. "I missed you."
Zack and Alec were both a little uncomfortable watching this, Zack more angry than uncomfortable. He was surprised when Max, who looked like a deer trapped in headlights, stepped back away from Logan and a bit closer to himself. "You too," she said nervously.
Logan frowned at her behaviour, then realized this was probably something that she didn't want to do in front of Zack and Alec. "Can we talk alone, Max?"
Max darted her eyes around the room, afraid to meet his for some unknown reason. "Um, maybe later, I need to see O.C., and sort of get my job back and stuff."
"But," Logan started.
"Later," she interrupted him.
He conceded. "Alright." He changed the subject. "So, how are you still alive, Max?" To his horror, she turned around and smiled at Zack.
"Heart transplant. I was lucky. I had someone who took a point-blank to the head for me," she said, still smiling at him. Zack smiled back at her.
Logan tried hard not to throw up. "You gave her your heart?" he asked.
Zack nodded. "Of course I did. Wouldn't you do the same thing in my place?" he asked, putting Logan on the spot. Max watched Logan for his answer.
"How could you ask such a thing?" he stammered. "Of course I would." He regained his composure. "If she has your heart, how come you're still alive?"
Zack laughed a little cruelly. "Trying to get rid of me so quick, Logan? If you have to know, Manticore brought me back."
Alec sensed that things were getting a bit out of control so he quickly diverted the attention to himself, getting a grateful smile from Max.
"Are any of you guys hungry?" he asked.
'Figures,' Max thought. 'It doesn't matter what age they are, men always have food on their minds.'
"Yeah," Zack said.
"Me too," Max added. "We could pick something at work. That's probably where O.C. is now."
"Ok," Alec said. "Nice meeting you Logan."
"You too," he replied. "Stop by later Max, I need to talk to you."
"Uh, I'll try," she said, and walked out the door.
'Why's Max acting so weird around Logan?' Zack thought. 'Oh well, as long as they're not sucking face.' He shuddered. 'Ok, bad visual. Well, I have seen them do that on the night we went to rescue Tinga." He saddened. 'That should have been me and Max.'
"Zack, you coming?" he heard her voice float down the hall.
"Yeah, hold on," and he left to join her and Alec.
"You get your filthy paws off that locker or I'll put the smack down on your ass, you know what I'm saying?" O.C said.
The new messenger looked at her. "The boss said that I had to find a locker and this one's free."
"No it ain't, so you better listen to that sista over there or I will lay a world of hurt on your ass," a voice said.
O.C. froze. "Oh god. It can't be." She turned around and found herself face to face with Max.
"How ya doing boo?" Max said, grinning profusely. She looked at her locker. "Nice to know you've been guarding my property."
O.C. launched herself on Max. "Damn boo, don't you ever do that dying thing ever again or O.C.'ll hunt you down and kill you herself."
Max laughed. "I missed you too boo." The messenger sighed and walked away to find another locker.
O.C. stepped back with tears in her eyes. "Now look, you got a sista blubbering." They both laughed again. O.C. finally noticed there were people with her. "Who are these two fine honeys? Damn, they're so hot I might just switch teams."
"Switch teams?" Alec asked, confused. Then realization dawned on him and he said, "Oh, I get it. You bat for your own team."
"Yup. O.C.'s a big, fat, ol' lesbo," she said.
Alec chuckled. "Hardly big, fat and old."
O.C. looked at Max for introductions.
"O.C., this is Alec, he's Ben's twin. The other blonde over there is my br – Zack."
Alec noticed how Max refrained from calling Zack her brother. 'Maybe she's finally realizing that he's not and that they just grew up together.'
"So I finally get to meet Mr. Soldierboy," O.C. said.
"Soldierboy?" Alec asked. Then he said, low enough so that only Max and Zack could hear, "She knows about us?"
O.C. didn't hear what he said but guessed what was on his mind. "Don't worry, I know all about you revved up hotties. O.C. would never betray her friend and knows when to keep her mouth shut," she said.
Alec nodded. 'She seems nice. Too bad she's interested in the other type.'
"Max!" Sketchy yelled. He ran over. "You're alive! This is a joyous occasion." He hugged her. "You scared me to death."
Normal walked over. "What's with all this commotion? These packages need delivering, so bip bip!" He spotted Max. "Well, look who's decided to show her face. You know, faking your death is a new low, even for you."
"I did not fake my death. I had a medical emergency. Is it my fault people exaggerate?" Max responded.
"A medical emergency?" Normal said. "Right, just like when your aunt died a few times, you were selected to participate in multiple contests, and when you were detained by the sector police for practicing witchcraft. Uh huh."
Both Alec and Zack raised their eyebrows at the last one.
"It's true," Max insisted.
"Sure," Normal said. "I'll believe that when-"
Max sighed and lifted up her shirt, giving them all an eyeful.
Zack's eyes widened, Alec stood in shock, and Sketchy slapped O.C.'s hand away when she covered his eyes.
Max pulled her shirt back down and Normal scratched the back of his neck. "That's a nice big, um, scar you got there."
"Yeah, well, enjoy it while you can 'cause it's fading fast," she replied.
Normal stopped grilling on Max and turned to Zack. "And you, I thought you were different but you turned out to be a lazy goose egg just like everyone else."
"I'm sorry Sir," Zack said, putting on his best good boy voice. "There was an emergency back home and I had to leave immediately. Give me another chance, you can put me on probation if you like."
Normal studied him. "Alright, but you better not screw up."
Alec spoke up. "Sir, can I get a job too? I'm a good worker and won't let you down."
"Fine, fine," Normal said impatiently. "I'll have your sector passes tomorrow, get a bike and don't turn out like the rest of these reprobates." He turned and walked away.
"Any of you want to ditch these packages and go have lunch?" Max asked. She was met with a bunch of cheers and they all left to go eat, packages forgotten.
A/N: How was that? You like? REVIEW PLEASE! I crave it. It's the highlight of my day. LOL Ok, I'll stop before you think I'm a nut with no life.
Thanks so much to –
kiwifruit03 – Thanks for always reviewing. For the whole eye shadow thing, I don't think she looked evil, just dumpy. LOL
shygirl1 – I can't thank you enough for reviewing my story. I would like to borrow Sasha for later on, but I feel kinda guilty using all your characters. But if you're REALLY sure that you don't mind, I would like to use Sasha for later. Thanks:)
Iridescent Twilight – Thanks for your review. I agree. That is a very Alec thing to do. LOL
REVIEW GUYZ! Thanks!