A/N: No! Not the ((cue gasp)) ROTTEN TOMATOES! ((Ducks rotten tomatoes thrown by readers))

Disclaimer: Own nothing. This plot is loosely based on Lyra Silvertongue2's 'Trick Stair', a HP D/Hr fic.

Chapter 2: It Didn't Miss

"I swear, once I'm outta here O.C. will not be recognisable from a pool of goo."

One of Alec's eyebrows raised as he regarded the seething Max. "You wouldn't do that to your best friend, would you, Maxie?"

Flashing brown eyes looked up to glare at him and the transgenic gulped. Oh yes she would.

Max stood up and began to pace, muttering softly to herself as her feet beat out a steady rhythm on the linoleum.

"There's gotta be a way out of here." She commented, stopping suddenly. "Some sort of ventilation pipes or windows."

Alec smirked and jabbed a finger pointing up. Max let her eyes follow the direction, and groaned inwardly.

There was ventilation all right. But obviously that conniving, scheming and very likely going to be dead Original Cindy and company had thought of that and reinforced the plating. There was no way she was going to be able to break through that. Even with Alec's help. It'd take hours.

"Damn," she swore vehemently, "Bitch thought of everything, didn't she?"

"I'll say." Alec replied, craning his head to get a better view. "Don't mess with O.C."

The brunette directed a puzzled look his way. "How's that?"

He shrugged, then smirked again and waggled his eyebrows. "I got… sources."

Max came to her own conclusions. She advanced towards him menacingly.

"Did you have anything to do with this?" She asked suspiciously, backing the now very scared Alec into a corner. "Cause I swear, if you had anything to do with this I will get angry." Max hissed. "Very angry."

"Of course not!" He gulped as Max raised her arm and drew it back in warning. "Okay, maybe I helped with the ventilation grating. But not much more I swear." Alec added quickly as he saw the brown eyes flash.

Max's voice became a sibilant purr, soft, but deadly. "And why'd you do that?"

"Because they said noxious gases were leaking into the storage room from the air system?" It was a meagre offering, and he became painfully aware of it as Max hit him one.

"Idiot." she hissed. "Remind me why I didn't name you Unconscious."

"Unconscious?" Alec repeated nervously.

"Cause that's what you're gonna be if we don't get out of here." Max clarified with a growl and a leg heading for the side of his head. It would've gotten there to, if he hadn't ducked out of the way and blurred behind her.

Max felt him pin her arms to her side, and then he ducked so that his mouth was beside her ear. It was unnerving to feel his warmth, to have Alec so close.

"C'mon Maxie," His soft purr sent shivers down her spine. "You gotta admit it is a little bit fun being locked in a closet with me."

"You, Alec, are amazing."

"Why's that?"

"You're just too dumb brave to have any common sense," Max explained as she swung her leg backwards… and missed by a few inches.

"Dammit," Max swore when she didn't feel the connection. "Missed again – lucky bastard."

Alec regained his composure in two seconds flat. In the next millisecond, he was now a safe distance away from Max as she turned to face him.

"Aw, is Alec-y Walec-y scared of a widdle girl?" She asked in a condescending tone as she walked towards him menacingly.

The blond transgenic quickly took a step backwards for every step she took forwards. "Hell yeah."

Max laughed. "I'll remember that," she purred, "For future reference."

"Remember whatever you bloody well want, Maxie. Cause I, can always make up for it by saying what we did in the closet."

Max gawped. "You wouldn't dare."

Alec smirked at the horrified expression on the brunette's face. "I would."

She scowled. "You annoy me to hell and back, you know that, Alec?"

He pretended to tip and imaginary bowler hat. "Job accomplished."

Alec regretted that sentence, when Max tried the same kick as she did before. However, there was only one difference.

It didn't miss.