Disclaimer: Are you dumb? I didn't think so. Then you obviously know that Dark Angel doesn't belong to me
A/N: REVIEW PLEASE GUYS!
Max and Zack entered the lobby and the butler ushered them into the dining room. "The party's just starting," he said.
Max took a deep breath and linked her arm through Zack's. "Well, here goes nothing," she said.
The door opened and they walked in. Everyone in the room immediately fell silent making Max and Zack uncomfortable. Everyone was just stunned at how perfect the couple looked. Perfect features and all, looking absolutely picturesque, they looked like Barbie and Ken. Every woman in the room envied to be Max and wished it was herself on Zack's arm and all the men wished themselves to be in Zack's shoes. Eventually everyone realized that they were making the couple feel awkward under their intense gazes so the chatter started up again and both Max and Zack breathed a sigh of relief.
Another butler scurried up to them and showed them to their table. They nodded their thanks and found themselves seated with a woman who looked to be in her sixties, wearing a lavender dress with a matching necklace and earrings. She was plump, but in a nice way. Next to her was a man, who also looked to be in his sixties but slightly older. He had graying hair and was in a navy blue suit. He had a charming smile and seemed easygoing.
"Hello," she said. "My name is Marie Evans and this is my husband Caldwell."
"Hi. My name is Rosa Matthews and this is my husband, Jake," Max replied.
"Charmed," Marie said and held out her hand. Max leant over and shook it.
"So, how has your stay been so far?" Marie asked.
"We've only just got here, but everything seems spectacular," Zack said.
"Yes, this is quite a beautiful hotel," Caldwell said. "Almost paradise."
Max smiled. "Yes. Have you been here long?"
"Oh no, we've only just got here like you did," Marie said. She opened her mouth to say something else but a man walked towards them and sat at their table.
"Hello. My name's Zakes Hunarid, but you can just call me Zay," he said, looking directly at Max. "And who would you be?"
"Uh, my name's Rosa. Rosa Matthews," Max said. 'This guy gives me the creeps,' she thought.
Zakes was also wearing a tux but had his hair slicked back with way too much gel, and had a toothy grin. Max supposed some women might find him attractive but he just freaked her out.
Zack, immediately not liking how the guy was looking at Max, draped an arm around her and said, "I'm Jake Matthews."
The man looked surprised. "You're married? I don't see a wedding ring."
"Ye-yeah," Max stuttered. She wracked her brains for a reason why she wasn't wearing her wedding band.
"You left it on the nightstand, remember honey?" Zack lied smoothly. "When you were taking a shower."
"Oh, right," Max said. She quickly changed the subject. "So, what do you do, Mr. Hunarid?"
"Oh please," he said, waving his hand. "Don't call me Mr. Hunarid. That's my father, it's makes me feel old. Please, call me Zay. I work in the commerce district."
"You trade stuff like food or actual chemically thingys?" Max asked, feigning ditziness.
"Oh, this and that. It's not important," he said. His cell phone rang. "If you'll excuse me." He nodded to the others at the table and walked off.
Zack cleared his throat. "Be right back, just need to use the men's." He stood up and discretely slipped the signal to Max that he was going to follow Zakes.
While Zack left, Max chatted with the two elderly people for a while. 'They're really nice,' she thought. 'Too bad most of the people in the world aren't like them.' She learned that Marie used to be a schoolteacher and was now retired and that Caldwell ran an industry his father left him. They were both very friendly and talkative people and as Max spoke with them she almost felt as though she were normal. Soon Zack returned just as a slow song came on. He held out his hand to Max. "Dance?" he offered.
She looked at the Evans. "You don't mind?" she asked.
"Oh, heavens no dearie, you two just go straight ahead and have fun. We'll watch you," Marie said.
Max smiled and took Zack's hand. He led her to the dance floor and pulled her close, inhaling her scent. Max rested her head on his broad chest and sighed happily. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he wrapped his around her waist. They swayed to the music, and neither said anything for a while. Marie and Caldwell watched the two young people dancing, and remembered their own dating days. They looked at each other and smiled. They remembered the young love. It was in the air that night.
The song finally ended and Max and Zack were reluctant to pull away. When they finally did Zack said, "Zakes was making a call to some person about trading a bomb for some money at this warehouse tomorrow. We can break into his suite tonight, find out the info on where the other bombs are, then follow him to the warehouse tomorrow."
Max rolled her eyes. "Bad guys and their warehouses. Could they be less conspicuous? (obvious) I mean seriously, is there some bad guy manual or how-to that states they have to do the dirty stuff in abandoned warehouses? And what's with all bad guys being Mr. Tall, Dark, and Greasy?"
Zack shrugged. "Got me. Let's head back to the table and say goodnight. We should head back to break into Hunarid's suite before he comes up."
Max looked around the room and found him in a corner with a pretty blonde. "Something tells me he won't be up for a while," she said wryly.
They walked over to the table finding the Evans already standing up to go to their room. They shook hands with each other and promised to get together the next morning for breakfast. Just as Max and Zack were walking through the door, Marie stopped them and pointed upwards. "Mistletoe," she said.
Max blushed. "But it isn't Christmas."
Marie shrugged. "So? Today's the day of love, might as well use the stuff. Come on, get kissing or we'll be here forever."
Max, still blushing, which was very unlike her, turned to Zack.
He raised his shoulders half-assedly. "Oh, what the hell." Then he leant forward and captured her lips in his. He put an arm around her neck to deepen the kiss and tangled his hand in her hair. He had only meant to give her a peck but he stayed much longer and parted her lips with his tongue. She granted him entry and kissed him back hungrily.
'I've wanted this for so long,' Zack thought.
'Finally,' Max thought. 'Wait, hold up, finally? What about Logan? Oh, screw Logan, I don't even love him.' She turned off her thoughts with ease because since Zack was kissing her she couldn't really think properly.
They remained lip-locked for a few moments more then finally pulled back to see both Marie and Caldwell both sporting humongous smiles on their faces.
"Now that's a kiss," Caldwell stated, which made everyone burst into laughter.
They went their separate ways and neither Max nor Zack could stop thinking about the kiss. There had been such fire and electricity when their lips met but neither of them said a word to the other and they kept on pretending like it didn't happen.
'Who am I kidding?' Max thought on the way up to their room. 'I love the guy, with his baby blue eyes and his blond hair, and his body… God, he has a nice body. Tomorrow. I'll tell him I love him tomorrow.' 'Chicken,' she thought again. She snuck a glance at Zack and found him watching her. Their eyes met and they looked away.
When they reached their room, they quickly changed into their black leather outfits and snuck out their window, scaling the building and finally climbing in Hunarid's window. They went over to his computer, still not saying anything, and found the information they wanted, quickly memorizing it. They shut it off when they heard footsteps and quickly left by the window again, as if they were never there.
Max finally walked out of the bathroom after her lengthy shower, her small white towel barely covering her. Zack couldn't help but watch her as she moved around. His eyes traveled up her body, lingering in certain places.
Max felt his eyes on her, but let him watch her as much as he wanted to. She found her p.j.'s and went into the bathroom to change then came out again in short shorts and a tank top. Zack had already had his shower and sat on the bed, wearing only boxers. She let her eyes wander up his muscular torso then settle on his lips. 'I want him bad,' she thought. 'I don't know how I could have ever been with Logan. He's a whiny cyber journalist who wants to save the frickin' world for god's sakes.'
She walked over to the bed and slid under the covers. "Night Zack," she said.
"Night Maxie," he replied. Then he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
'Where am I?' Zack thought. He looked around and saw that he was at Manticore. On some level, he knew it was a dream but it still scared him. "Anyone there?" he asked. He finally heard shots and whirled around. He saw Max standing in front of the 9 year old version of herself. He knew immediately what would happen. The clone's gun tilted up a bit. "No!" he found himself yelling. He ran towards Max but it was too late. The bullet found its mark and pierced her heart. She screamed in pain and it rang through the darkness.
"No!" Zack screamed. He shot up in bed and his scream woke Max. His eyes were unfocused and he saw Max staring worriedly at him.
"Zack, what's wrong?" she asked.
He looked her over to find any cuts or blood. When he was satisfied that she was fine, he relaxed a little. Her scream of pain was still ringing in his ears. 'I didn't protect her,' he thought.
"Zack?" she asked.
"Nothing, just a nightmare." He pulled her into a hug. "You're safe, that's what matters."
She hugged him back but then said, "Of course I'm safe, why wouldn't I be?"
"It's nothing,' he assured her. He thought back to all the times when he could've protected her but didn't. When she slipped through the ice on the night of the escape. His heart almost stopped when Jondy had first told him that Max didn't make it. Then he failed Max when he couldn't save her from killing Ben. Then when she saw Tinga dead and finally when she got shot in the heart. 'All those times I could've prevented her pain.'
Max saw the turmoil in his eyes and guessed what he was thinking. "There was nothing more you could ever do for me. I already owe you my life."
Zack was surprised that she knew what he was thinking, but then again no one knew him like she did. "You don't owe me anything," he said gently, tucking a strand of her hair behind her hair. Her breath caught and he dropped his hand. "We better get some rest," he said. Max nodded and wrapped her arm around him.
"They're only nightmares, don't worry," she said. Her bare stomach touched his skin and the hairs on her arms stood up. She ignored them and they fell asleep.
A/N: Max and Zack hooking up next chapter. Hope you guys are still liking this. Please keep reviewing this. I really love reading them and I want to do everything to make this story better. REVIEW!
Thanks so much to –
hphotshot – LOL! Logan and Bling having an intimate moment, now that creates a wrong but hilariously funny mental picture. I might use your Max and Zack going into heat idea for another story that I'm going to do, but I gotta finish this one first. Thanks for reviewing!
kiwifruit03 – Thanks for your review. I just couldn't resist the honeymooners bit. I had it stuck in my head for a while.
Iridescent Twilight – LOL Once again, love your sense of humour. Probably because it's so much like mine. I also get the 'You're so cruel' comments but hey, it's in our nature right? LOL Go us! Thanks for your review!
willow98002 – Thanks for your review! I was thinking about having Max and Zack catch Logan in a pink tutu, whaddaya think? LOL
shygirl1 – Thanks for your review! I know, Zack in a tux. (sigh) My dream come true. LOL