A/N: Thank you, as always, to all my reviewers! I love hearing your
feedback and knowing that you're reading, so keep it up!
This is the sad part of the author's note.. On Tuesday, I'm leaving for
Colorado for two weeks. Yes, I know, now you want to throw me into the pit
of despair for leaving for so long again- but I can't help when my parents
plan family vacations! I will get chapter 5 up as soon as I possibly can
when I get back, so this will just have to last you until then!
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Chapter 4: Life Brings Me Back
"You're sure you're ok?" Logan asked Lex for the millionth time as she wolfed down a bowl of Captain Crunch.
"Ten seconds ago, the answer was yes and the answer is still yes," Lex dramatized, getting slightly peeved.
"Well, it could have been dangerous, you don't know who you could have run into out there, especially at night," Logan reiterated, having not been able to sufficiently chide Lex the night before.
"Yeah, and like any of them stand a chance in hell against me," Lex mumbled through a mouth full of crunch berries.
"You could have gotten lost. Or what about all the biohazard stuff in Terminal City?" Logan wouldn't let the subject drop.
"No, I wouldn't have gotten lost. The high-rise district isn't exactly hard to spot, plus I have Mom's memory and sense of direction. And I'm immune to all that biohazard crap, you know that," Lex smirked.
"Well you had me really worried, Lex," Logan wasn't sure she grasped what he was saying.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Lex unleashed her bitchy side. "You were here pissing yourself and wanting to go follow Mom and Aunt Jondy. Well, I'm fine. And I think I'm a little more like mom than you realize. If she wanted to go out for a ride in the middle of the night, would have questioned it? No. I like it, it's fun, I don't sleep, and it helps me unwind. I can take care of myself and I don't need someone treating me like a baby. No matter who you are, I can still kick your ass. There might be people out there looking for Mom, no shit Sherlock, I grew up like that. So quit questioning me before you even know me," Lex ranted, all in one breath. Seeing the sudden hurt in Logan's eyes after that last statement, Lex quietly added, "I didn't mean it like. Just don't try to push this new set of rules on me before you know why I do things." She couldn't find exactly the right words for her rephrasing, but just backed out and headed down to the garage to see if Max was ready to go before she dug herself into an even deeper hole.
Logan stood, watching her go and trying to take in everything she had just said. Slowly, his look of hurt and confusion twisted into a small smile as he wondered whether he and Lex had just had their first father/daughter fight.
In the elevator, Lex stared back at her reflection on the silver doors, "Well that was just great," she mentally berated herself. "You just had to blow up at him. You just had to unleash the inner bitch. You really should go back and apologize. He didn't deserve it, he was just worried and he is your-. .Well, you shouldn't have blown up that."
Lex still couldn't bring herself to use the word father. She felt guilty and wondered if Logan had noticed how she'd never once called him 'Dad'.
"Sure, he's noticed," the nagging voice in her head cut into her thoughts again. "You saw how hurt he looked."
Staring down at her feet, unable to look herself in the eye anymore, Lex pushed her conscience back, "I'll deal with it later," she mumbled. "It's too late to go back now. And it's not like I'd know what to say anyway," was her last thought as she heard the elevator doors open with a ding.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"It's official, this city's a dump," Lex looked around sector twelve from in front of Jam Pony.
"We know that, sugga," Original Cindy laughed. "It neva gets any better, either." Looking behind them, she asked, "Where's Jondy?"
"She went to try and buy new parts for her bike off the black market," Lex took the keys out of the ignition.
"Guess some things never change," Max smiled as she looked around Jam Pony. "So who took my locker?" she asked as the three strolled down the ramp.
"You think Original Cindy would let someone take her boo's space?" Cindy brought Max to her same empty locker.
"Awww, and look at that, it still says my name," Max ran her hand over the carved strip of metal.
"Bip bip bip, people! This not social hour!" Normal's voice carried throughout the converted warehouse. "Cindy, package to sector four. Max, sector seven," he hurried past them, barely looking up. About three steps past their bench, he stopped short in his tracks. Slowly turning around in a state of shock, his mouth hung open as he crossed his arms.
Leaning back against the lockers and trying her hardest to contain her laughter, Max wiggled her fingers in a mock-wave.
"And just what excuse awaits me this time, huh? Maybe you got abducted by aliens? Or got sent back in time?" Normal still couldn't believe that Max was back, for years he was convinced she was dead.
"How about some whacked out cult had me on the run because I could take down everything they were working for and they wanted me dead in a big way?" Max knew Normal would never take it was the actual truth, even though it was.
"Well that's the worst excuse I've heard yet," Normal shook his head. "There was a time when people would give notice when they were going to leave a job, missy. They didn't just stop showing up," Normal's admonishing was cut off as Lex walked in front of him and sat down on the bench in front of Max.
"Since when does it cost seven bucks for a soda?" Lex stuck out her tongue as she popped the can open.
"Since the pulse, welcome to America," Max grabbed the can took a sip.
"And who are you?" Normal didn't think he could be surprised by anything after Max's return.
"Tinkerbelle," Lex quipped between gulps of soda.
"Normal, this is my daughter, Lex," Max answered after Lex's sarcastic profession.
"Great, as if one of you wasn't enough," Normal shook his head. "Now go home, employees only during business hours."
"Now Normal, you're not gonna give my boo her job back?" Original Cindy sounded like she had something up her sleeve.
"No, she's blown it," Normal challenged her to go any further.
"Well, what about what you were saying the other day? About what you wouldn't give for another messenger with a motorcycle? So you could keep that upped efficiency? And who here is willing to work for you and has that kind a ride?" Cindy crossed her arms.
Normal opened his mouth to protest, but couldn't think of anything to say to discharge what Cindy had said, "You need to redo all your forms and those deliveries better be faster than anyone else," Normal stomped off to his counter as Max followed him, high-fiving Cindy as she walked off.
"Now see, I'd think that pole up his ass would be longer than nine feet," Lex laughed, remembering Max's comment from the night before on the roof.
"Oh, he gets worse than that," Cindy laughed. "You remember hearing about Sketchy?" Cindy asked Lex as she spotted him coming through the door and fending off Normal's yelling about how he was late.
"Yeah, why?" Lex turned, following Original Cindy's eyes. "That him?" she gathered as Cindy nodded.
"You will never guess what happened to me last night," Sketchy came running up to Cindy. "I was at Crash and this really hot blonde -" he stopped mid- sentence when he saw Lex's face. "Hey, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were Max," he remarked with a smile.
"Sketchy," Cindy interrupted him. She pointed back to the desk he had just passed by.
Sketchy slowly recognized Max's profile and his eyes widened, "No way. Max!" he ran over to her. "Holy shit, what are you doing here?"
"Getting a job," Max hugged him back.
"As much a hate to cut this reunion short, you get your moronic self out to sector three," Normal said in a monotone and disinterested voice and handed Sketchy a package.
Taking the package, Sketchy turned around on his way to the door, "Hey, have you seen Alec yet?"
"No, fortunately. He still work here?" Max replied.
"That he does," Normal cut in as he shooed Sketchy away. "He's out on a run like the rest of you should be," he shouted back at the other messengers who were standing around holding packages.
"Just great," Max cooed, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she handed her completed forms to Normal and walked back to reclaim her locker.
"Who's Alec?" Lex asked Max as soon as she sat down. "And why didn't you mention him last night?"
"I was trying to spare your ears," Max smirked back.
"Now, Max, he has changed a little," Original Cindy stuck up for him. Off of Max's glare, she shrugged and changed her answer, "Ok, so maybe not, but you just flat out hate the boy."
"And with good reason," Max retaliated, pointing over to the entrance where Alec had just walked in with is same jerky smile indicating he had brought some ditz home the night before. As Lex gasped and jumped up, Max crossed her arms, "He look familiar Lex?"
"How'd you know that?"
"Cocky X5 who thinks he's all that; I'd recognize a description of Alec anywhere," Max said with disgust.
As Normal pointed Alec over in Max's direction after he had shown his clipboard, Lex assumed the same fighting stance she had used the pervious night. Alec strolled over with his cockiest grin, but his face fell the instant he saw Lex at Max's side.
"You," he uttered, shocked to see her again.
"Come back for more?" Lex raised her eyebrows.
"You know her?" Alec asked Max about Lex.
"No, not at all," Max smirked and rolled her eyes.
Turning back to Lex, Alec whispered, "Look, I know you're not just an average girl; an average girl couldn't do what you did last night. I will find out what series you are, count on that."
Smirking, Lex turned around and pulled aside her hair, revealing the blank back of her neck, "Care to tell me what series I am?"
"You don't fool me," Alec's voice became fierce. "You probably used a laser to get rid of it."
"Alec, she doesn't have a barcode," Max whispered so that only transgenic hearing could pick it up. "She never did."
"But that's impossible. Only Joshua doesn't have one," Alec protested.
"No, it's not. She's not an X series. She's my daughter."
Looking from Max's face to Lex's, everything finally downed on Alec; why Lex didn't know Seattle, why they looked so much alike, where Lex's sarcasm came from, but most of all where Lex's abilities cam from.
"And she thinks you're the father," Lex spit out at Alec's surprised face.
"W-what?! That's impossible!" Alec raised his voice.
"Alexa!" Max growled sternly, "That's enough."
Before any of them could say anything more, Normal shouted out, "Max! Unless you want to set the new record for getting fired, get moving!"
Rolling her eyes, Max picked up the package she a dropped down before, "Fifteen years and you think he'd have found something better to do."
"No such luck," Original Cindy agreed. "Baby boo, why don't you go check out the South Market. It's far, but it'll kill time."
"Why not? I could use something to do."
Max took Lex outside and pointed her in the direction she wanted. Waving as her mother disappeared out of site, Lex stored away the directions for later and looked out towards the Space Needle. Maneuvering her way through the crowded Seattle streets like a native, Lex reached the tower soon enough and scouted out the perfect spot to scale without getting noticed. Once on top, she pulled out her cell phone and was pleasantly surprised to find she could get a clear signal. Pulling a slip of paper out of her pocket, she dialed the number written on it.
"Hey," she smiled when the call went through.
"Hey," Kayla smiled back. "So how's Seattle?"
"Holy crap, I haven't been in this city for twenty-four hours and you would not believe what has happened to me already," Lex was so glad to hear Kayla's voice.
"Well, after your last little adventure back home, I think I could believe just about anything, but try me," Kayla laughed. "Oh, wait, Kyle wants to say hi," she handed the phone to her little brother.
"Les!" Kyle screamed into the phone.
"Hi Kyle. Do you like Boston?" Lex smiled at his enthusiasm.
"No. Want the old house," Kyle said frankly. "Bye bye."
"Bye Kyle," Lex laughed.
"He isn't taking to this too well, but at least he'll sleep in his own room now," Kayla reclaimed the phone. "So, let's hear about Seattle."
Lex spent the rest of the morning on top of the old Space Needle, reiterating everything to Kayla, basking in talking to her best friend again.
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A/N: Well, there you have. Now you have to live off of that for two weeks. I swear I will have chapter 5 up as soon as possible when I get home. Please leave me a review; you know how much I appreciate your input. The purple button needs some love! Lots of reviews and maybe you'll see chapter 5 sooner than you expect..
Chapter 4: Life Brings Me Back
"You're sure you're ok?" Logan asked Lex for the millionth time as she wolfed down a bowl of Captain Crunch.
"Ten seconds ago, the answer was yes and the answer is still yes," Lex dramatized, getting slightly peeved.
"Well, it could have been dangerous, you don't know who you could have run into out there, especially at night," Logan reiterated, having not been able to sufficiently chide Lex the night before.
"Yeah, and like any of them stand a chance in hell against me," Lex mumbled through a mouth full of crunch berries.
"You could have gotten lost. Or what about all the biohazard stuff in Terminal City?" Logan wouldn't let the subject drop.
"No, I wouldn't have gotten lost. The high-rise district isn't exactly hard to spot, plus I have Mom's memory and sense of direction. And I'm immune to all that biohazard crap, you know that," Lex smirked.
"Well you had me really worried, Lex," Logan wasn't sure she grasped what he was saying.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Lex unleashed her bitchy side. "You were here pissing yourself and wanting to go follow Mom and Aunt Jondy. Well, I'm fine. And I think I'm a little more like mom than you realize. If she wanted to go out for a ride in the middle of the night, would have questioned it? No. I like it, it's fun, I don't sleep, and it helps me unwind. I can take care of myself and I don't need someone treating me like a baby. No matter who you are, I can still kick your ass. There might be people out there looking for Mom, no shit Sherlock, I grew up like that. So quit questioning me before you even know me," Lex ranted, all in one breath. Seeing the sudden hurt in Logan's eyes after that last statement, Lex quietly added, "I didn't mean it like. Just don't try to push this new set of rules on me before you know why I do things." She couldn't find exactly the right words for her rephrasing, but just backed out and headed down to the garage to see if Max was ready to go before she dug herself into an even deeper hole.
Logan stood, watching her go and trying to take in everything she had just said. Slowly, his look of hurt and confusion twisted into a small smile as he wondered whether he and Lex had just had their first father/daughter fight.
In the elevator, Lex stared back at her reflection on the silver doors, "Well that was just great," she mentally berated herself. "You just had to blow up at him. You just had to unleash the inner bitch. You really should go back and apologize. He didn't deserve it, he was just worried and he is your-. .Well, you shouldn't have blown up that."
Lex still couldn't bring herself to use the word father. She felt guilty and wondered if Logan had noticed how she'd never once called him 'Dad'.
"Sure, he's noticed," the nagging voice in her head cut into her thoughts again. "You saw how hurt he looked."
Staring down at her feet, unable to look herself in the eye anymore, Lex pushed her conscience back, "I'll deal with it later," she mumbled. "It's too late to go back now. And it's not like I'd know what to say anyway," was her last thought as she heard the elevator doors open with a ding.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"It's official, this city's a dump," Lex looked around sector twelve from in front of Jam Pony.
"We know that, sugga," Original Cindy laughed. "It neva gets any better, either." Looking behind them, she asked, "Where's Jondy?"
"She went to try and buy new parts for her bike off the black market," Lex took the keys out of the ignition.
"Guess some things never change," Max smiled as she looked around Jam Pony. "So who took my locker?" she asked as the three strolled down the ramp.
"You think Original Cindy would let someone take her boo's space?" Cindy brought Max to her same empty locker.
"Awww, and look at that, it still says my name," Max ran her hand over the carved strip of metal.
"Bip bip bip, people! This not social hour!" Normal's voice carried throughout the converted warehouse. "Cindy, package to sector four. Max, sector seven," he hurried past them, barely looking up. About three steps past their bench, he stopped short in his tracks. Slowly turning around in a state of shock, his mouth hung open as he crossed his arms.
Leaning back against the lockers and trying her hardest to contain her laughter, Max wiggled her fingers in a mock-wave.
"And just what excuse awaits me this time, huh? Maybe you got abducted by aliens? Or got sent back in time?" Normal still couldn't believe that Max was back, for years he was convinced she was dead.
"How about some whacked out cult had me on the run because I could take down everything they were working for and they wanted me dead in a big way?" Max knew Normal would never take it was the actual truth, even though it was.
"Well that's the worst excuse I've heard yet," Normal shook his head. "There was a time when people would give notice when they were going to leave a job, missy. They didn't just stop showing up," Normal's admonishing was cut off as Lex walked in front of him and sat down on the bench in front of Max.
"Since when does it cost seven bucks for a soda?" Lex stuck out her tongue as she popped the can open.
"Since the pulse, welcome to America," Max grabbed the can took a sip.
"And who are you?" Normal didn't think he could be surprised by anything after Max's return.
"Tinkerbelle," Lex quipped between gulps of soda.
"Normal, this is my daughter, Lex," Max answered after Lex's sarcastic profession.
"Great, as if one of you wasn't enough," Normal shook his head. "Now go home, employees only during business hours."
"Now Normal, you're not gonna give my boo her job back?" Original Cindy sounded like she had something up her sleeve.
"No, she's blown it," Normal challenged her to go any further.
"Well, what about what you were saying the other day? About what you wouldn't give for another messenger with a motorcycle? So you could keep that upped efficiency? And who here is willing to work for you and has that kind a ride?" Cindy crossed her arms.
Normal opened his mouth to protest, but couldn't think of anything to say to discharge what Cindy had said, "You need to redo all your forms and those deliveries better be faster than anyone else," Normal stomped off to his counter as Max followed him, high-fiving Cindy as she walked off.
"Now see, I'd think that pole up his ass would be longer than nine feet," Lex laughed, remembering Max's comment from the night before on the roof.
"Oh, he gets worse than that," Cindy laughed. "You remember hearing about Sketchy?" Cindy asked Lex as she spotted him coming through the door and fending off Normal's yelling about how he was late.
"Yeah, why?" Lex turned, following Original Cindy's eyes. "That him?" she gathered as Cindy nodded.
"You will never guess what happened to me last night," Sketchy came running up to Cindy. "I was at Crash and this really hot blonde -" he stopped mid- sentence when he saw Lex's face. "Hey, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were Max," he remarked with a smile.
"Sketchy," Cindy interrupted him. She pointed back to the desk he had just passed by.
Sketchy slowly recognized Max's profile and his eyes widened, "No way. Max!" he ran over to her. "Holy shit, what are you doing here?"
"Getting a job," Max hugged him back.
"As much a hate to cut this reunion short, you get your moronic self out to sector three," Normal said in a monotone and disinterested voice and handed Sketchy a package.
Taking the package, Sketchy turned around on his way to the door, "Hey, have you seen Alec yet?"
"No, fortunately. He still work here?" Max replied.
"That he does," Normal cut in as he shooed Sketchy away. "He's out on a run like the rest of you should be," he shouted back at the other messengers who were standing around holding packages.
"Just great," Max cooed, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she handed her completed forms to Normal and walked back to reclaim her locker.
"Who's Alec?" Lex asked Max as soon as she sat down. "And why didn't you mention him last night?"
"I was trying to spare your ears," Max smirked back.
"Now, Max, he has changed a little," Original Cindy stuck up for him. Off of Max's glare, she shrugged and changed her answer, "Ok, so maybe not, but you just flat out hate the boy."
"And with good reason," Max retaliated, pointing over to the entrance where Alec had just walked in with is same jerky smile indicating he had brought some ditz home the night before. As Lex gasped and jumped up, Max crossed her arms, "He look familiar Lex?"
"How'd you know that?"
"Cocky X5 who thinks he's all that; I'd recognize a description of Alec anywhere," Max said with disgust.
As Normal pointed Alec over in Max's direction after he had shown his clipboard, Lex assumed the same fighting stance she had used the pervious night. Alec strolled over with his cockiest grin, but his face fell the instant he saw Lex at Max's side.
"You," he uttered, shocked to see her again.
"Come back for more?" Lex raised her eyebrows.
"You know her?" Alec asked Max about Lex.
"No, not at all," Max smirked and rolled her eyes.
Turning back to Lex, Alec whispered, "Look, I know you're not just an average girl; an average girl couldn't do what you did last night. I will find out what series you are, count on that."
Smirking, Lex turned around and pulled aside her hair, revealing the blank back of her neck, "Care to tell me what series I am?"
"You don't fool me," Alec's voice became fierce. "You probably used a laser to get rid of it."
"Alec, she doesn't have a barcode," Max whispered so that only transgenic hearing could pick it up. "She never did."
"But that's impossible. Only Joshua doesn't have one," Alec protested.
"No, it's not. She's not an X series. She's my daughter."
Looking from Max's face to Lex's, everything finally downed on Alec; why Lex didn't know Seattle, why they looked so much alike, where Lex's sarcasm came from, but most of all where Lex's abilities cam from.
"And she thinks you're the father," Lex spit out at Alec's surprised face.
"W-what?! That's impossible!" Alec raised his voice.
"Alexa!" Max growled sternly, "That's enough."
Before any of them could say anything more, Normal shouted out, "Max! Unless you want to set the new record for getting fired, get moving!"
Rolling her eyes, Max picked up the package she a dropped down before, "Fifteen years and you think he'd have found something better to do."
"No such luck," Original Cindy agreed. "Baby boo, why don't you go check out the South Market. It's far, but it'll kill time."
"Why not? I could use something to do."
Max took Lex outside and pointed her in the direction she wanted. Waving as her mother disappeared out of site, Lex stored away the directions for later and looked out towards the Space Needle. Maneuvering her way through the crowded Seattle streets like a native, Lex reached the tower soon enough and scouted out the perfect spot to scale without getting noticed. Once on top, she pulled out her cell phone and was pleasantly surprised to find she could get a clear signal. Pulling a slip of paper out of her pocket, she dialed the number written on it.
"Hey," she smiled when the call went through.
"Hey," Kayla smiled back. "So how's Seattle?"
"Holy crap, I haven't been in this city for twenty-four hours and you would not believe what has happened to me already," Lex was so glad to hear Kayla's voice.
"Well, after your last little adventure back home, I think I could believe just about anything, but try me," Kayla laughed. "Oh, wait, Kyle wants to say hi," she handed the phone to her little brother.
"Les!" Kyle screamed into the phone.
"Hi Kyle. Do you like Boston?" Lex smiled at his enthusiasm.
"No. Want the old house," Kyle said frankly. "Bye bye."
"Bye Kyle," Lex laughed.
"He isn't taking to this too well, but at least he'll sleep in his own room now," Kayla reclaimed the phone. "So, let's hear about Seattle."
Lex spent the rest of the morning on top of the old Space Needle, reiterating everything to Kayla, basking in talking to her best friend again.
________________________________________________________________________
A/N: Well, there you have. Now you have to live off of that for two weeks. I swear I will have chapter 5 up as soon as possible when I get home. Please leave me a review; you know how much I appreciate your input. The purple button needs some love! Lots of reviews and maybe you'll see chapter 5 sooner than you expect..