Disclaimer: No own anything.
Paring: None for now
Summary: Max finally seems to be pulling herself together but will it last? And why the sudden change?
Timing: Sometime after the funeral (Haven't decided yet)
A/N: This ch. turned out to be a lot more depressing then I had planned it to be. Oh and thanks 4 all the reviews. . Keep them coming.
Revised Borrowed Time:
Chapter 4,
The Day After Tomorrow
Review
Silently Alec walked and waited, a knowing keeping him close to the two women before him but not to close. Someday Max would find out about this but not today. Today Alec would follow her and OC and make sure her road to recovery began as easily as possible. And her smile was good enough proof for him that he was doing his job. After all Logan wouldn't have wanted max to be upset and more then he wanted her to be.
End Review
OC leaned over the kitchen counter her face twisted in surprise as she heard the faint rustling coming from Max's room. After a moment she pulled her body back and shook her head.
"It's about time." She said to herself as she poured herself a cup strong of coffee.
"About time for what?" A deep voice asked from the doorway. Startled OC spun around one hand going to her heat, the other holding on tightly to her coffee cup.
"Don't you ever knock?" OC smiled softly at the X5 as he shrugged.
"Nope, I don't think so." Alec replied as he strolled across their front room. "Got any thing to eat?" He asked, leaning across the counter across form OC.
"Not for you." She answered turning towards Max's door. "Max! Alec's here! See you later golden boy." OC said before leaving the room her fingers curled around her coffee cup.
"Gee, thanx." Alec responded, scratching the back of his head.
Just then Max ambled out of her room dressed in a tight, black, long sleeved shirt and baggy black pants with pockets all down it's sides. "What the hell do you want?" She snarled, pulling a black vest over her shirt and zipping it up.
"Nice to see you to." Alec said as he watched Max pull her hair up into a high pigtail.
Maturely Max stuck out her tongue before she turned her back to him. "Glad to see your since of humor hasn't suffered." Alec muttered, his eyes watching her as she gathered some things together.
"I heard that." The female X5 informed her unwelcome houseguest.
'As usual.' Alec thought. " So Maxie, where you headed?" Alec asked out loud.
"None of your bees wax." Max snapped back in reply. "And don't call me that."
"Fine, fine." Alec said, holding up his arms as if to fend off blows. "But you could at least tell me where you're headed. You know just in case."
"Yea, right. Like I'd need help from a screw like you. And if you must know I'm going over to Logan's."
"Ma-x." Alec began, pushing off the counter top with one of his hands. "I don't think…"
"Alec you never think." Max interjected while flinging a small backpack over one of her slender shoulders.
Angrily Alec clenched his hands into fists one at each of his sides. "For god's sakes Max, will you just listen to me for once." The male X5 said in a cool, emotionless voice, which caused Max to stop in her tracks.
After a moment she relaxed her tense muscles and turned smoothly on her heel to face him. "Fine, Alec, I'm listening." Impatiently the young woman tapped her foot against the floor and one of her hands automatically went up to rest on the gentle curve of her hip. If not for his anger Alec would have burst out laughing as the vixen before him reverted into her natural stance.
"It's to soon to go back there Max." Alec warned. His anger melting away, leaving him with only painful memories of another brunette girl. "Believe me I know." Max quelled the anger within her for a second as she remembered those eyes. Those sad, sad eyes that she had only seen once before. That she had seen that night, the night that Rachel had finally died.
'He did love her.' Max thought as she watched the swirls of emotion vanish from his dark hazel eyes. Once more he was the calm and cool transgenic that everyone loved. That was always all right and never needed help. Max sighed.
"What the hell do you want me to do Alec?" She asked, sounding defeated once more as she allowed her little backpack to slid off her shoulder to the floor. "Logan had a lot of secrets that no body should find out about. Who else is gonna go over there and take care of his stuff? It isn't like I have forever… his families' coming to collect his belongings the day after tomorrow. And it all has to be gone by then. Ever trace of Eyes Only. God he worked so hard at that." Max ended her little rant in a whisper, tears in her eyes as she gazed up at the ceiling.
"I'll go." Alec offered in a soothing whisper, one of his hands reaching out to the strong female across form him. Hastily Max backed away as if afraid of his touch, while she wiped the unshed tears from her dark eyes.
To cover up her moment of weakness Max snorted sarcastically, " You go? I know exactly what you'll do with all of Logan's expensive computer equipment. You'll fence it for the highest buck." Oblivious to Alec's reaction Max continued while picking her backpack up from the ground. "I can't let you do that after he worked so hard. After he did so much." With each work she stomped her foot as if to drive the words home, as if to prove her point. All it did though was cause Alec to finally snap. In a blur he crossed the room taking Max with him as he headed for a free space on the wall to pin her against.
"This time, Max, your gonna listen to me and listen good because I'm not gonna repeat myself." Max's eyes widened in terror at the cold tone of his voice, at the two strong hands gripping her forearms, and at the toned body trapping her helplessly against the wall of her own apartment. "No mater what you've got stuck in your think skull I am not a screw up. I completed every missions assigned to me expect for two. One was you. Yes, Max you were my mission… and…" He wavered for a second. His hazel eyes clouding and then returning to their previous rage. "Rachel." Max stilled in his grasps, her struggles to get free suspended and then abandoned at the look on Alec's face.
"Al-ec?" Max asked quietly, her chocolate brown eyes searching his as the silence grew between them.
"Shut up Max." Alec said releasing her after one final shake. "I don't need your pity. Why in god's name do I even stick around here?" Alec asked him self, stepping away from his captive. "You know what Max? Do whatever the hell you want but I warned you. Remember that the next time you go after me about being a screw up, remember that." He said poking his finger at the air in front of her. Sheepishly Max nodded her eyes wide still, with both shock and fright.
In a whirl Alec retreated from the apartment, slamming his door on the way out. Once he was gone Max's legs gave way and she crumbled to the floor, her hands flying up to her face to hide the tears that spilled forth from her eyes as her legs slid up to her chest. "Oh god what have I done?" She asked the empty room, her body shacking with each angry sob. "What have I ever done to you!?!" She screamed, lifting her eyes up to peer at the water-stained ceiling. Her fingers wrapped around her arms, holding herself loosely as she bowed her head once more in shame. Her knees sat just below her chin, her eyes examining then through her tears. "I am poison." She whispered to her self, her tears stopping as she said so.
On the other side of the apartment's door Alec sat, his head resting against the hard wood as one of his hands ran nervously through his dirty-blond hair and then down over his face. "Oh god." He whispered. "She didn't need this. Not now, not ever." Mentally he kicked himself as the sound of her sobs drifted though the door. "Err!" He groaned in frustration, his teeth clenching down on his lower lip. Max's last words before the tears ended stilled Alec as he sat there outside her door. "Oh god Max if only you knew." Alec whispered in return to her confession. "If only you knew."
A/N: Starving writer here, please review.