Summary: Mega might finally have found love only to find out that he will loose it if he cannot prove his love by midnight. With other complications in the Mall, will he ever manage it?

Pairings: Mava, Rega, Slebony, Jady and Lex/Ram – some only references to though.

Rating: PG-13 for this chapter I think, there is some mild language.

Disclaimer: I own nothing; the Tribe belongs to Cloud 9 and Mr. Thomas. All I do is destroy their characters in fanfic.

Chapter Two

A regret filled sigh escaped Mega's lips as he starred down into the amber liquid which filled his glass, wondering how much it would take to drown out his pain.

It was with a bitter laugh that he remembered the day that he had finally realised that he had feelings for Java, he had been so confused at the time wishing that he could block out all of his feelings for her thinking that it was the worst thing in the world, but it was not as he had found out. The worst thing was loosing her and living with the guilt of it.

"Damn her", he growled, "Why will she not just leave me alone? I did not ask for her to make me love her. I did not ask her to screw up my life. Damn her", he practically roared this time as his glass went flying, crashing into the wall and staining the wall.

He slammed his eyes out in an effort to block out the memories yet the vision of her long braids, dark eyes and evil smile taunted him.

Mega walked down the corridors as he always did trying desperately hard not to give any of the other Technos the slightest hint that something had changed, that he was not the same person as he was before.

He had fought with the idea ever since Java had pressed her soft lips against his, since he had found out how good it could feel to be held and since those teasing flirting eyes of hers had bewitched him. Ever since that moment, the only thing that he had been able to think about was her offer of what they could do that night.

It had taken years for Mega to get to the point where he felt that nothing could hurt him, until he had stamped out all human emotion, yet, with only a few words she had destroyed him.

Everything that he had worked for was lost in the second that he realised that he wanted her more than anything else but being Mega he knew that he could not allow that.

He remembered the way that his father had treated him, making him feel as if he was not worth anything, the way that his mother and Slade had just abandoned him and then how disgusting they all were. The way that they had allowed themselves to be controlled by their emotions, it was his lack of emotions that would stop him from becoming like them; it was that which would keep him strong.

Mega had advanced down the hallway now until he was coming up to Java's room, she would be expecting him, she would probably kiss him again if not more. Mega's pace sped up slightly as he was anxious to get to her, yet, then he realised that she would make him feel, make him weak and that his wanting her was like a plague that would destroy him.

He had to stop this. He could not allow himself to be destroyed and so he sped up even more, his fists clenching with determination as he passed her door and walked into the main control room.

There were a few men still in there, "Get out"; he ordered trying to keep his voice void of all emotions, until they left. Only then did he allow himself to sit down at his computer yet before his monitor even came on Java had polluted his mind once more.

"No, I will not give into you", he vowed, slamming his fist down onto his desk as his computer finally loaded up and he began to type, his mind repeating, "Do not think of Java, do not think of her, she will destroy you".

Java smile to herself as she finished her hair make up and checked her braids once more, her hands almost shaking with a mixture of nerves and excitement. She could hardly believe that she had never noticed how handsome Mega was when now he was all that she could think of.

There was nothing about him that did not draw her to him so why had she not noticed it before?

"I was so stupid", she admitted to herself as she toyed with her necklace hoping that everything would go alright that night. Java was the master of planning and manipulation, she had to be in order to survive yet she did not want to fool Mega, she actually wanted her to like her … well not like, she knew that he was not capable of that, she wanted him to value her.

Never before in her life had anyone valued her. There father had always liked Siva better, their mother had favoured Ebony, Siva had loved Ebony rather than her. But, as Java had always said, it did not matter, love and caring were not important, all that was important was power and revenge and she would have all of those things – although it might be nice to be loved, just for a little while.

Mega was right, she had been a fool to think that Ram would ever have loved her and he had died for it, as had her mother, father and soon so would Siva and Ebony … once they were of no further use.

Everyone who had hurt her would soon die, the thought caused an evil smirk to tug at her lips as an odd calmness flowed through her, Mega seemed to be the only person who valued her scheming ability and that was why she was determined to make things work with him.

Yet, as time ticked by she realised that he was not going to be coming yet giving into things was not in her nature and so she got up and automatically knowing where he would be walked into the computer room locking the door behind her.

She moved over to him so that she was standing behind him and ran one hand gently along his shoulder to get his attention, "I waited for you", she said simply.

Mega was so focused on what he was doing he did not even notice Java entering until he felt her rubbing his shoulder gently, his traitorous body relaxed under her caress but upon realising what was happening he forced himself to tense up. He could not let her know how he felt about her; he could not let her break down his defences.

"Why?" He asked, hoping the his voice did not betray how much it injured him to hurt her like he was about to, "Oh right that kiss thing, look Java I really think that you might have read too much into that". He ducked his head slightly and kept his eyes focused on the screen.

Java gasped slightly at his words, he did not want her, he never would, yet she would not be sad for long, her defence reaction kicked in and she moved his chair around lightly and grabbed his face in her hands making him look her dead in the eyes.

She looked at him for a minute, blinking slightly trying not to let the tears fall and her anger to reach its peak.

Mega looked into her eyes and wanted to kill himself, he should die a thousand, no a billion horrible deaths for making her look so sad but he knew that it could not be helped. He battled off the voices in his head which were telling him to forget about everything and kiss her and forced himself to utter the words, "It was just hormones, nothing more. I am incapable of love, of caring, of any type of emotions. It does not matter how evil, cunning, ruthless, beautiful or perfect you are I just cannot …"

As the list of her attributes came out the voices in his head reminded him of how wrong it was of him to give into his instincts yet after a moment Mega declared, "Oh sod it", and pulled her into his lap kissing her eagerly.

Java responded with equal desire, their tongues battled as they hungrily ripped off each other's clothes until they lay together writhing pleasures on Mega's computer desk.

"It was lust", Mega reflected, "it started as nothing but lust and admiration and that is how it should have stayed, I should never have allowed myself to become so bewitched by her".

"Bewitched", a voice broke through his thoughts, "you can only be talking about Java. Look I know how it feels to loose her, but you cannot drink yourself into oblivion".

Ram moved closer to Mega subconsciously taking in every line of the taller man's body wondering how the situation could be used to his advantage. He craved Mega and he had ever since he had first laid eyes on him, he had known just how dangerous Mega really was yet he had not denied him the resources that he wanted in the hopes that one day he could find a way into Mega's heart.

Of course at the time he had not known that he felt this way about Mega, no he had been in blissful ignorance as to why he would do those things yet then, one night about a month ago it had hit him and he knew that he had to make Mega his.

Ever since then he had been snooping around Mega waiting for a chance to be of help to him and to try and win Mega over and while it had never really worked out as he had hoped they were at least now on close enough terms that he could come over and talk to him about personal issues.

But this seemed like the perfect opportunity, Mega was hurting and confused, if only he could exploit it to his purpose then maybe this time his plan to make Mega his own may actually succeed.

"You know nothing. We fooled you into thinking that she died, you know that", Mega said with no feeling, "Do you really think that Java would be stupid enough to get killed like that? No, she is smart, and cunning, she would have shot Ebony in the back when there were no witnesses".

"Yeah. Look I know that I did not really loose her then, I mean I was there when she came back, we all saw her fighting at the battle but for a time I thought that the woman that I loved was dead, so I know what you are going through …"

Mega rebelled against him as he said that, the things that Ram had done for him in the past month made no difference as he began to rant his anger and hurt. "No you do not. Java dying would not have been as bad. Do you not get it? Everyone is talking about how good it was of me to go and fight virtual Zoot to save you all but I did not do it for you. I did it for Java. There was no way that she could have got out in time and I knew that I had to do something to help her because at the time the worst thing in the world that I could image was that Java would die, now I know that there are much worse things".

"Like waking up, expecting to find yourself in burning fire and hellish torment only to find out that you have awakened into something much worse. That the woman for whom your heart beats has used a risky version of paradise to save your life only to plunge herself into a coma. Do you know what it is like to sit there holding someone's wrists, your heart stopping in between each heart beat for fear that they have passed away and you would not know? All the time telling yourself that they will be fine but never really believing it. To have to take refuge with people that hate you in order to make sure that she is safe and to repay them for taking her in when they did not have to?" A tear rolled down Mega's cheek.

"Do you know what it is like to hear her scream out in pain and realise that she is in a night mare that you cannot wake her up from. To know that it should be you experiencing the pain that she is feeling and finally deciding to rid her of the pain, holding a knife to her heart preparing to drive it in and save her from the dream and everything bad in the world, but hesitating for just one minute, and then another and then another, convinced that she is going to wake up the next second", there was a pause.

Mega wiped away the tear which had fallen earlier before he continued, "And then, when she finally does wake up to see that there is nothing behind her eyes. You think that she has brain damage and that the woman that you love it gone but then everything comes back to her. That is almost worse".

He took a breath, "Do you know what the first thing that she did was? She looked up at me with joy, and reached up her hand, touching me as if to check that I was real. She was just so damned happy to see me, as if I was everything to her and all that I could do was sit there. Part of me wanted to hold her and never let her go and the other parts scream at her that I was not worth all of that".

A heavy silence gripped the café as Mega's tirade concluded. Ram swallowed slightly, hardly able to believe that he had just witness Mega opening up a little. Every thought about taking advantage of Mega vanished from his mind as he realised how much he needed Java and how much Java probably needed him in return.

Mega had always seemed to ice cold that he could not believe that felt so much for Java, without a second thought he announced, "You need to talk to her. Not doing so is going to kill you".

"But doing so might kill her. Every time I see her all that I can think of is how much I hurt her", Mega said, "I cannot let her be hurt like that".

"You do not think that she is hurting not being with you? Just take a chance on it", Ram advised as he got up and left Mega to think.

"He does not understand, but then how can he? I cannot live one more day seeing her and knowing that I can never be a part of her life. Knowing that I will only cause her even more pain", Mega thought as he stood up and walking up to the roof of the mall.

"I cannot do this", he finally admitted to the empty air, "While I am here she cannot move on and I cannot stop thinking about her", he walked up until he was out on the edge of the roof.

"Listen God, I have never asked for anything for you and I am not even sure if you exist but I guess that all of this hula blue about Christmas shows that a hell of a lot of people believe that you do. You know even Java believes in you and I cannot believe that everything that I feel for her is just chemicals or that she is on the earth by chance", he took a deep breath to collect his thoughts as the cold air whipped around him.

"Please God, look after her. Send me to hell once I am gone, take everything that you need to from me but see that she is happy", he pleaded as he let himself fall, never knowing what would happen next.