Disclaimer: I asked my lawyer and he told me nothing has changed. I still don't own Dark Angel and could I please stop harassing him.

A/N: This is coming to the end. sigh. As far as Max's outfit goes, I wrote myself into a corner again, so think Uma Thurman in The Avengers. Sort of.

Chapter 5

"You can come out now."

The words fell into the stillness of the square like well-placed stones into a pond, when the ripples spread and nothing you can say or do will stop them.

'This is it. No going back now.'

Alec straightened slowly. Thousands of feelings and thoughts were racing through his brain, all fighting for dominance. His face betrayed none of this though as he walked out of the shadows and into the false light of the square.

Max turning to face him, Alec sauntered towards her, tuxedo still immaculate after the exertions of the evening, the only concession to the events of the night his undone tie and mussed hair.

Silence fell as Alec walked up to within touching distance. For the first time that night, Alec was able to look at her up close. The front of her top was undone, exposing a creamy expanse of skin and the red tank top beneath. Above all she looked incredibly relaxed and happy in her skin, more in tune with her body than Alec had ever seen her. Max smiled up at him with not a care in the world, Alec was so mad he could have spit.

Narrowing his eyes ever so slightly, a warning that completely bypassed Max, he said: "Mystery Benefactor, I presume."

Max's smile rose a notch: "Does that make you the Stanley to my Livingston then?"

If anything Alec's face only went stonier. He said nothing, causing Max's smile to falter.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked.

"What do you want me to say?" Alec refused to play this game. He had never felt so betrayed in his life.

"I don't know. How about: Wow, Max I had no idea. Why did you do it?" Max's expression was shutting down as well.

Barely able to hide the irony in his voice, Alec intoned: "Wow, Max. I had no idea. Why did you do it?"

"Because it was fun!" Max was all smiles again.

"Well, I'm glad for you. I'll be going then. I am sure the great mysterious benefactor can find her own way home." Alec turned to go, not sure if he could take another minute without exploding.

"This is not going how I planned it." Max muttered.

'That's the last straw.' Alec whipped around, shouting even as he turned: "No? Oh, I'm so sorry. What did you expect me to say? I forgive you for lying to us, Oh great Max. Doing all this on top of the shit job she has tending all us freaks. Is that what you wanted?"

"No!"

Through a supreme effort of will, Alec managed to lower his voice. "You lied to us, Max." He sighed. "You lied to me. How long has this been going on? Did you laugh at me behind my back. Stupid Alec, will believe anything. Well, this is it. You beat on me for a year. A whole year. And I let you!" Alec clenched his fists by his side. "In the beginning it was because I felt responsible for the shitty turn your life was taking, what with the virus and all. Later I figured it was okay, because you needed an outlet, because you were worried and afraid and had no way of showing it. All that was a lie. All of it." Alec took a deep breath, willing himself to say what had to be said, even though it broke his heart.

"Well, I'm done. It's over. I refuse to be bullied and lied to. I thought we were friends. More fool me, eh?" He turned to go once more.

Max stood in the square, hand pressed to her heart, tears streaming down her face, struggling for words.

"Don't go. Please don't go."

The quiet, defeated tone in her voice, was just about the only thing that could have stopped Alec at that point. Turning around was another thing, though. 'It's easier if I don't look at her.'

"Why? So you can lie to me some more."

Max's head dropped. "How about the truth?"

"How can I trust you? I saw the chain, you know. Things like that are welded onto your body. It's not something you throw on to snow some people in a casino. It's a certainty, a sign of who you really are. And that is not the Max I know."

"But you do know me. Nobody knows me like you do."

"I thought I did. Obviously I was wrong. I'm as stupid as you always said I was."

"I didn't mean that. Why are you so boneheaded? Turn around so we can talk properly."

'God help me.' This time when Alec turned, he was in such a towering rage, Max took a step backwards.

"Why the bloody hell should I. In one evening you have taken everything I ever thought I knew and thrown it merrily on its ear. And if I stand here for one more minute and listen to you spin your lovely little stories, I am going to start to believe them."

Max looked shocked. "They're not lies."

"Oh, so now I get into the inner sanctum, where you decide what is truth or lie. Well, bollocks to that. I am not going to go through that. And you know why?"

Max looked heartbroken and whispered: "Why?"

"Because I would believe every word. Not because I thought it was the truth, but because I wanted it to be the truth. I love you!" His shoulders slumped in defeat, as all colour drained from Max's face.

"Now you know. You could tell me the sky was green and the sun was blue and I would believe you, because I want to believe everything you say. I love you more than life itself. I have had you up on a pedestal almost from the moment I met you. Perfect Max, who made it away from Manticore and did something with her life. Not just a soldier, but so much more. But you love Logan, and I was happy for you. Well, I tried to be happy for you. And I felt so guilty, because I was at least partly to blame that you couldn't be with him. I wanted to live up to your expectations, but it was never enough, was it?"

Max was unable to say anything.

"What? You aren't going to deny it? Well, that's to be expected. I mean I am Alec the screw-up. More fool me to ever think I could be worthy of you. And it was fine, until tonight, when you had to wear that dress. Now all I can think about is how good it would feel to strip that excuse of a dress off you and have you stretched out beneath me, flushed and gasping. To slowly take off all the layers between you and the world, until all that is left is that sexy little chain." Alec stared off into the distance, oblivious to the effect his words were having on Max.

"To stroke every inch of your skin, because let me tell you, Manticore was good at producing beauties but you definitely take the cake. With those lips and that skin. I want you gasping, as I ride you to a sweaty finish and you're begging me to go just that little bit faster, that little bit deeper, begging me in that husky voice of yours, until I think I can't take it anymore and you gasp and shudder. Until finally, finally you fall apart in my arms and I get to be there to catch you. I want to fall asleep with you in my arms and wake up with you and do it all over again." Alec shuddered as he threw off the vision and turned back to face Max. The sight in front of him, threw him off stride. Max had blushed a slight shade of rose and there was just the barest sheen of sweat on her upper lip. Eyes narrowing he saw that her body betrayed the effect his words had had on her. Taking one step forward, Alec invaded her personal space, eliciting a gasp from Max. She was panting ever so slightly as he leaned in and whispered: "Why, Max. I never knew you thought of me that way." He blew ever so slightly on her neck, sending a shudder through her entire body. His hands ached to touch her, to pull her in and tip her face up to his, her lips to meet his. Instead he shoved them deep into his pockets and took a step back. It was the hardest thing he had ever had to do.

Max came out of her daze, slowly. Taking a deep breath, she managed to make her lips work: "That was cruel."

Alec laughed mirthlessly. "That was cruel? You can honestly stand there after all I told you and say that was cruel? You have no idea. Cruel is playing an elaborate game with a friend, lying to him for months on end, letting him follow you around and try and find out something you already know, just for the heck of it. Cruel is, to then walk out and just say, oh guess what, it was me all along, isn't it funny, laugh with me as we make fun of how stupid you are. Well, I'm not going to live out your little parody. Are we done? Because if I hurry I'm sure I can be halfway to Canada by nightfall."

Max went dead white, swaying in her spot. "You're leaving?"

"What are you, an echo? What is there here for me? You don't love me and obviously you don't even think of me as a friend, what's left here for me?"

Max couldn't say anything.

"Exactly. I'll be along then. See you around." Alec turned around and walked off.