Tempest of Emotions
Chapter Six- Sleeping With Strangers
Max checked into the hotel, leaving Alec to lug the luggage in by himself. Flashing a killer smile at the clerk, he personally offered himself to help her hapless friend take the luggage up to their room. Smiling sweetly, Max accepted the offer and led the way, while the two men struggled with the heavy luggage, containing all of Max's "essentials". After giving the clerk a tip and literately pushing him outside, Alec closed the door with a sigh.
'The guy was drooling all over Max like he's never seen a perfectly genetically enhanced female. Well, you can't blame him; she is hot and knows how to strut her stuff. Hey, she was trained to do this. But I just wish she won't do that to every single guy on the road. It's starting to get on my nerves and what is in these suitcases?! What did she do, pack every single thing she owns and brought them along? I thought I told her, only the essential items. It's not like we're going on a vacation! This is not some fun road trip. Our mission is to track down White. It's a good thing that Logan got all that information off the hover drone cameras. But could he look more uncomfortable knowing that I was going with Max? I mean, if looks could kill, let's just say, Logan was not very subtle with his obvious distaste for me. Could that encounter had been more awkward with those two ogling each other? The whole "I love you, but I can't touch you" is really getting on my nerves. I mean, move on with your lives; there are other fish in the sea.' Alec thought exasperatedly while rearranging the multiple suitcases. He picked out his own, two small cases filled with spare clothes and a reading book. He looked at the other six gigantic cases and wondered what in the world Max put in them and why were they so heavy? He was so annoyed at Max that he didn't notice her gaping mouth and her unbelieving eyes directed at the single king size bed. When he finally looked in her direction he was puzzled over her expression.
"Max, what's wrong? You okay because you look like you swallowed a bug." Alec questioned, while missing the object which captured her attention and returned to his cases and unpacked what he would need later.
"Alec, look at the bed. There's only one, for both of us." She stammered.
"Huh? Only one? I thought you ordered a room with two beds. Max, are you coming onto me?" He teased.
"In your dreams!" She hit him on the shoulder. "Since we have to share a bed, seeing that there's not even a couch or chair for you to sleep on, let's not make this experience any worse than it needs to be."
"Why would I have to sleep on the couch or chair, if either were here? I need my beauty sleep! You, on the other hand, don't sleep nor do you need to sleep. I do!" Alec whined.
"Well... it's only proper that the gentleman gives up the bed to the lady when there is another place to sleep in."
"Max, you're not a lady and I am most definitely not a gentleman," he grinned and returned to unpacking his clothing.
Max groaned, took one her large suitcases and flung in on the bed. Opening it, she pulled out some clothing and announced she was commandeering the bathroom for at least half an hour. She marched inside and slammed the door loudly, to Alec's annoyance.
'What a bathroom hog' Alec thought, finishing his unpacking and took out his worn book and started to flip to the last page he was on. He was momentarily distracted with the sound of Max loud singing streaming clearly through the bathroom door. He didn't know she sang and it was kind of strange that she wasn't half bad. Shrugging off the thought, he returned to his book.
As promised, the bathroom door opened, accompanied by a cloud of moist steam and Max marching out of the bathroom half an hour later in a bath robe, drying her wet hair.
"Bathroom's yours, if you want it," plopping herself on the other side of the bed.
'Finally,' Alec thought, grabbing his clothes and rushed into the bathroom. He desperately wanted a hot bath. 'She better of not used up all of the hot water!' he hoped after stripping and turning on the water faucet, only to find it ice cold. He started panicking, he really, really needed a hot shower, but he sighed in relief when the water started to warm up after a couple of minutes and turned hot. "Yay!" he smiled entering the shower.
When he emerged from the bathroom, he found the room dark. It didn't bother him; with his excellent night vision he found the bed and crawled under the covers.
"Good night Max," he whispered to the silent form near him.
"Night Alec," came the soft muffled reply.
Sighing contently, Alec pulled up the blankets and fell into a deep and peaceful slumber full of wonderful dreams of a perfect world without any cares or sorrows.
As the first rays of morning crept slowly into the room through the dirt encrusted windows, in bad need of a wash, Alec unconsciously smiled and slightly shifted in his restful sleep. It was a good dream and even though it was beginning to fade, it left this wonderful and comforting feeling in the happy dreamer. With luck, he would be able to have another dream without the other occupant of the bed waking him up. His mind began to drift from the dingy room bathed in soft white light when his delicate ears picked up nearby murmuring. It seemed that he heard his name several times but then again he could be dreaming all of this. However, a loud earsplitting scream was sufficient to wake him and everyone within earshot. Groaning, Alec arose, rubbing his ears and the sleep out his eyes. His glance fell upon a disheveled bed caused by Max's tossing and turning. She must be having a heck of a nasty dream and I guess I must be in it. I wonder what's going on inside her head.
He shook her gently, "Max? Wake up Max. Come on, wake up. It's me, Alec. Max? Please wake up" he whispered. Why wasn't she waking up? Just as he started to panic, she bolted up right with a pained gasp. For many moments, the only sound was her labored breathing struggling to control the strained sob threatening to escape her throat. And his searching eyes, they scanned her face but found nothing to explain her pain. A small tear trickled unnoticed down her face and dripped on his hand reassuringly holding her palms together. Finally, a small whisper escaped into the silent atmosphere, "Zack.".
'So that was what caused such a nightmare.' Floods of memories returned to remind him of the night she told him about her big brother, Zack, whom she credited with saving her life more times than she could count. It was the same brother Zack who later shot himself to give his heart to save her life. It was Zack whom she later found to be alive, but not at all well. It was Zack she had to let go off, when Manticore's training come back to haunt her and Logan. It was Zack whom she had to make a terrible decision whether to allow him back in her life where she sorely missed him and need his brotherly guidance or lose the man she loved. She decided in favor of Logan's life and said farewell to him.
He was deep in thought and pondered what it must feel like to have kinsmen. 'What does it feel like to have family? What was it like to have friends who were closer than just friends, someone whom you could tell all your secrets and hopes to? Was there some sort of special bond between such people? I wonder if having family is such a precious thing that one would give up one's life to protect those one loves. Love, what a quaint idea. Voluntarily blinding yourself to the flaws of the object of your affection and putting both yourself and the beloved in danger. What a crazy concept.' He scoffed and was stunned at the scene before him. Max, oh the mighty, strong and iron willed Max, hunched over and weeping. Back home, They would have thrown her into solitary confinement for such a sign of weakness. Alec further stunned himself as he felt his own eyes well up with an unstoppable trickle of tears. Such an uncustomary sign of weakness, and yet, he did not bother to wipe his face. He was freed, he was human again. Reluctantly he encircled his arms around her and naturally, started to rock back and forth while patting her back. Her sobs subsided after a time and still clinging to him, they sank into sweet oblivion, comforted by their dreams of a better but impossible future.