Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Thanks to: HoneyX5-452, tea, chance32, Indiana, Alana84, X5-459, g, Lizzie, ringo-gurl07, Lotamoxie, DemonicGambit, Alana84, Angel Of Darkness231, Anna, AmyLynn.

Grey Daze's Nirvana: I hope this answers your questions. Thank you so much for reviewing.

Lizzie: Thank you that review was really touching.

Candyabble: Max was a little emotional at the time, and also love (in my mind at least) tends to take away the logical part of your brain sometimes. Sorry if she seemed a little out of character, but Maz also tends to blame things on herself sometimes, you know? Perhaps it's just me. Thank you for voting, and sorry you didn't get your wish. Thanks soooo much for reviewing.

Lucie: Thanks for your suggestion. I really appreciated it, maybe this will surprise some of you or maybe not. Let me know. Thanks for the goodies (face smeared with chocolate, yummmmm.) ;). And thank you very much for reviewing.

Aotearoa Hiphop Grl: Thanks for the advice and I'll see what I can do! Thank you so much, and I really hope you enjoy this chapter.

Comments: Well the overall census seems to be happy ending. So here goes, this is probably the last chapter. If you want another let me know. Please review, and let me know what you think.

X-X-X

Max stretched out on her bed with a hand on her stomach and sighed. Those three months she had spent with Jace had been incredibly relaxing, and had helped to really clarify things for her. Jace had taught her some basic mother stuff, and she had gotten to spend some more time with her sister and little Max. But that hadn't been the biggest surprise of all. That had been that Zane had been there.

Apparently, when Zane had left L.A. he had gone to Mexico and bumped into Jace. Refusing to be separated from one of his sisters, especially a pregnant sister, Zane had stayed with her. He had planned on later coming down to Seattle to find Max, but she had found him first. With Jace settled in, but Max still pregnant, Zane had decided to come back to Seattle with her.

Original Cindy had been thrilled to see her with Zane, and really surprised. Max truthfully wasn't so surprised that Zane had come with her. He and Max had been the closest among all of her brothers and sisters. Zane was joking now that he should hire himself out as a pregnant woman protector, as that's what he seemed to be doing as of late. He was out going to go line up a job as a mechanic at a place he found in the classified ads in the paper.

Max had managed to get in touch with a few people, through Kendra, who wanted to learn Mandarin Chinese instead of Japanese. Since Kendra didn't know any Chinese and Max was looking for a job, she referred them to her. Max would have to stop by at T.C. soon, and see how everything was going. She had left with scarcely a goodbye to O.C., Joshua, and the whole crowd at T.C. She had only paused long enough to tell Normal that she quit, and then she had been out of there like a rocket.

On her way to Mexico and back from it, Max had found many transgenics and directed them to T.C., she really hoped they remembered her. Most of them had seemed like they would make great friends.

Zane was also out looking for a flat. He said he didn't want to impose on them officially any longer. But he would still be practically living at their place.

The brunette only prayed that he wouldn't run into Alec with the knowledge that he had knocked her up. Zane was very protective of Max and vice versa. In fact their protectiveness of one another had occasionally gotten them into trouble. And no matter how much he had hurt her, Max did not want to see Alec hurt. Stupid? Crazy? Perhaps. But then isn't that what love is? Who knew? The only thing Max could say for sure was that falling in love hurt when there was no one there to catch her at the bottom.

Clearing her thoughts Max decided to go to sleep, she had needed more of it since she got pregnant, and if she slept now she might be able to see the sunrise. Yes, sleep, that was a good idea.

X-X-X

Alec knocked on the door that had become as familiar to him as food, and patiently waited for Original Cindy to answer it. He had found out that Max had quit her job and skipped out on town from Normal of all people.

flashback

Alec hadn't seen Max in three days and was getting pretty desperate. He decided to ask Normal where Max was doing her runs so he could get a package in that area and catch her. Imagine his surprise that when asked Normal dismissively replied.

"Oh, her. She doesn't work here anymore. Burst in early the other day, and told me she quit and then disappeared out that door. Good riddance I say, eh?"

In shock Alec stared out the door. She had quit? Damn! How could he talk to here now?

End of Flashback

To his surprise it wasn't Original Cindy who answered the door, but a man. The man was the same height as him with less than an inch of difference if there was any. He was in his early twenties with dark hair that curled slightly over the collar of his shirt, and friendly dark eyes. He was lithe and lean, but all smooth muscled grace. Alec briefly wondered if O.C. had hired a bodyguard, but when he caught the slightly predatory scent on the air he understood. This man was a transgenic.

Then Alec caught a scent wafting past the man and out the door. Max, she was there. She was back from wherever she had disappeared to. Then he subconsciously took a challenging stance, she had come back, with this man. "May I please speak to Max?"

The guy raised his eyebrows, "Max hasn't been here for a while."

That could be taken two ways, "I need to speak with her. And I know she's home."

The guy lifted a sardonic eyebrow, "Oh, you're psychic now are you?"

Alec's eyes narrowed in irritation, yet he strove for a calm, quiet tone of voice. "No, I can smell her."

The guys own eyes narrowed in return and he took on a dangerous aura about him, "So you're the guy who knocked Maxie up huh?"

That threw Alec off balance. "What?"

"O.C.!" he called out without taking his eyes off of Alec, "Is this the guy?" he asked when she finally appeared.

"Yup." The black woman nodded confirmation.

"Huh. Listen, and listen well. Leave Maxie alone and she has enough shit to deal with without adding you into the mix. Don't come back got it?"

Alec never agreed, he just glared and walked away. Before he had known Max was pregnant he would have forcefully shoved his way into the apartment to talk to her. But now, he didn't want to risk Max, his precious mate, his love, having a miscarriage. He would be back another time. He'd find another way. He would!

X-X-X

Max was happy. She had also found a well paying job as a museum curator, thanks to her knowledge of all sorts of art from her days as a thief. She could work the linguistic lessons around it, and she would get paid for maternity leave from the museum! This was easily the best job she had ever had. Yes, she was happy. She was.

That hole in her heart would always remain empty, and longing for Alec. But that was not to be. She knew that now. And Max had made a decision to be happy in spite of it all. That, and her darling brother had brought home Hersheys kisses, and spicy peppers, half of which he had made into a sauce for the penne he had brought home as well.

Zane now had his own place, but he was at their place so often he only bothered stacking their fridge. He saw her to work, and to T.C. and back home, and in general took very good care of his sister. He helped out in T.C. and was generally liked by everyone.

Now Max had no way of knowing that Alec had already tried to see her 45 times in the past month. That was part of the reason for seeing her around, to stop Alec from getting close. The other parts were that he loved his little sister and enjoyed talking with her, and he wanted to protect her.

Terminal City as well helped Zane out after learning what had happened. They all liked Alec, but they loved Max. Whether she knew it or not, she was their leader. They trusted her judgement and she had taken a hold over all their hearts. But none of them could have planned for what happened that night…

Max, Zane, O.C., and Sketchy all made plans to meet at Crash that night. Max wore an oversized hooded sweater to hide signs of her pregnancy and claimed it was from the cold.

They all knew she was pregnant, but many others didn't and Max was in no hurry to inform them of that fact.

Now as luck would have it, Alec was sipping at his scotch in a dark corner in the bar where none would notice him. Sketchy and O.C. had already arrived and had a pitcher of beer on the table and four glasses filled. When Zane and Max walked through the door, Alec recognized her scent and looked up in time to see her reaching for a glass, and bringing it to her lips.

Before he knew it he had sprung to her feet, and snatched the glass out of her hand before slamming it back onto the table. Not even checking to see if he had made a commotion, he spoke quietly, vehemently at her "What were you thinking? Drinking alcohol, with a baby on the way? Were you even thinking at all?"

He saw her eyes fill with sadness and then anger as he spoke before a mask slammed down over her features. When she spoke it was coldly, "It's water you dumb ass. Besides which, you have no say in what I do."

He felt his cheeks heat up with anger or embarrassment, he wasn't sure which. "Don't I?" he pulled up a chair and continued heatedly "I'm that baby's father. You'd better damn believe I have a say in whether that kid lives or dies."

"You didn't want me, and you didn't want a child. You left me. Only now you probably feel obligated to care for the kid. Don't. Just leave. Me. Alone." She enunciated each word.

Alec's eyes had darkened with every word, "How dare you say that? How dare you?"

"How dare I?" she hissed back at him as she leaned forward, "I dare, because you walked out on me!"

Neither of them noticed the others leaving to go to the bar, where they could see what was happening, but not hear over the noise. It was private.

Alec continued "Didn't your dear friends tell you? I have been trying to reach you! Over 45 times in the last month alone! The only reason I didn't have a physical confrontation with that oaf who lives with you was because I didn't want to have you upset and miscarry. I assume it was the same for him. I came by everyday for three months, I wrote message and slipped them into your locker until I found out you had quit! I bugged O.C. and Joshua night and day. Hell, I even asked Logan until he told me he hadn't spoken with you since you had broken up with him, five BLOODY months ago!"

He really wanted to knock back a scotch but seeing as she couldn't drink alcohol he didn't see how that would be fair to her. That, and getting her angry wouldn't help his argument or the baby. The baby, at that all the anger drained out of him.

In a softer tone of voice he continued, "I'm sorry I walked out on you, I was wrong. I misread the situation. I didn't want to get blamed for a situation in which I didn't think blame should have been given. To me…to me that time was beautiful. It was the best time of my life, I didn't want to hear you desecrate it. I'm sorry." He stared at her with remorse filled eyes. Then he glanced at her stomach with concern "That didn't hurt the baby did it?"

Max half sighed, half laughed "No, Alec. It didn't hurt the baby." As she reached for her drink of water, Alec tenderly clasped her hand in his own.

"Max" he said softly, deeply. Curious Max looked over at him, and found herself captured by his eyes, swirling with emotion. He gave her a little smile, "I know this isn't the best place to say this Max, but…I love you." He lovingly ran soothing circles along the back of her slender caramel hand as he continued. "I want forever with you Max. You're my love, my mate, my everything. Mt world starts and ends with you, Max. I love you, and every part of you. I want a family with you. I want to love you, forever. Max."

Max's throat felt strangely tight, and her eyes shone with tears and repressed emotion. She opened her mouth but no sound came out. So she closed it and tried again, finally she got out "I love you too. I know it's not a great follow up to that, but it's-"

Alec gently cut her off, "All I ever wanted." He paused, "Do you want to go home, to talk?" he looked around self-consciously for the first time. "I don't know about you but I feel awkward having such a personal conversation here."

Max gave a warm chuckle, "Me too." The feisty brunette admitted.

He gallantly stepped up and held out his arm, "Shall we?" he bowed.

Max laughed, a rich, warm sound that filled his soul with warmth. She stood up and looped her arm through his, "We shall."

Nodding to Zane and their friends as they passed them before they set off for Max's apartment. As they walked home, they laughed and joked. It wasn't quite alright between them, not yet. But in time, it would be.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

So this is probably the last chappie, unless you guys REALLY want an epilogue. Well, let me know what you think, so PLEASE review. Ciao.