Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters do not belong to me. This fan-fiction had been written purely for entertainment purposes. No infringement intended and no profit had been made out of this.

A/N: Thanks for reviewing the last chapter. (Winces) Yes…I know it had taken forever, again…But I've just arrived back in the UK on Tuesday and since then had been writing this. It's a bit short, but I figured I should upload it anyway. Hope you enjoy it! Future updates should be more frequent now that I'm back at home!

Rules Can Be Broken - Chapter 15

(by elle6778)

Zack smiled down indulgently at the grinning brunette in front of him, glad that he had finally managed to get both him and Max here as planned. It had been hard to keep it from Max, but he wanted to surprise her by bringing her to meet Jondy. He had always intended for Max to escape with Jondy so that the two of them could grow up together, watching each others back. And now they could.

Practically jumping out of her skin in excitement, Jondy asked him, "So, where are you hiding her? Can I see her now? I still can't believe it!"

Zack nodded, turning around to the bar where he had left Max earlier. A frown began to spread across his forehead as his eyes swept the room, looking for Max.

Max was nowhere to be seen.

"Zack?" Jondy prompted, a questioning look on her face.

Turning back to her, he replied, sounding confused, "She was there a minute ago. Maybe she went to the washroom or something. I'll go look for her." With that, he headed off in the direction where he had last seen Max, weaving past the gamblers who were too absorbed in their games to pay him any attention.

The neon sign pointing towards the washroom was ahead of him, not too far from the place where he had left her. Zack stopped and decided to just wait for Max. She should be out soon.

Ten minutes later, Zack began to have doubts. Maybe she had not gone to the washroom after all. His frown grew deeper as he scanned the room over and over again, wondering where she had gone. After a while, he made his way out of the building, thinking that maybe she went out for some air. He had told her to stay put, but somehow he was not too surprise to find that she had disobeyed him.

Again.

A small smile flitted across his lips. Max had never been one to follow orders. He should know that better than anyone. It was just her nature to be that way.

Another ten minutes had passed when Zack went back in and spotted Jondy walking towards him.

"Where's she?" Jondy asked, also looking around. Then, registering the worried expression on Zack's face, she added, "Something is wrong. Do you think something happened to her?"

"I don't know. I told her to wait here, but there's no sign of her anywhere. She can't still be in the washroom, it's been too long."

Jondy lowered her gaze thoughtfully for a moment before she looked back up at Zack. "Maybe she doesn't want to see me," she said softly, her eyes displaying her disappointment.

Zack gave her an incredulous look. "I'm not even going to ask how you thought that up. You know her. Do you think that she'd pass up the chance to see one of her siblings? Would you pass up the chance to see one of your siblings?"

Jondy tilted her head up at him. "Why else did she leave then?"

"Maybe she didn't. Maybe she's still somewhere here," Zack said, not quite convinced himself. Why would Max leave without a word to him? It did not make sense at all.

"I guess that we'll just have to find her then," Jondy said, her doubtful tone suggesting that she knew that it was going to be hard to find an X5 who did not want to be found.

Zack did not reply immediately. He looked around another time before turning to Jondy. "What time do you get off?"

Flicking a glance at her wristwatch, she replied, "Now, actually. I'll go with you."

"Grab your stuff then. We'll look for her together," he said, stepping towards the exit.

"Zack, you don't think that Manticore got hold of her in such a short time, do you?" asked Jondy suddenly.

Zack stopped short. "No, I think we'd have seen it, or heard it. Max wouldn't go quietly."

"I guess. I just wondered, that's all."

"No, I don't think that's it. But I still don't know why she would have gone without a word," Zack said, confusion marring his features.

There were two possible scenarios; either Max went willingly or she did not. And it was not easy to capture an X5. The only one who would want to do that was Manticore, and Zack did not think they were involved this time. So the only other explanation was that Max had left of her own volition.

But why?

That's it, Max thought, her face set in a look of determination. She was done chasing after Zack. Rejection after rejection, she had continued to push on, and look where it got her?

Nowhere.

Zack's heart was taken by that pretty brunette at the casino table.

A pang of jealousy coursed through Max, her heart twisting in a way she never felt before.

She had to leave. What could she have done anyway? Hang around and wait for Zack to introduce her to the very reason why he had not entertained her advances? She did not think that her pride could take the sort of bashing it would have received if she had stayed around. The two of them would probably look at her with pity in their eyes, and that was definitely something she did not want to see.

It hurt too much.

A part of her wondered how would Zack react once he found her missing. Maybe he would decide to look for her. But maybe he would just shrug and continue his reunion with the brunette. Max swallowed the lump in her throat, refusing to allow herself to continue that line of thought. But she did not know what to think now.

Anyway, if he really wanted to find her, he would know where to look. She had not made it a secret that she preferred to remain in Seattle.

She felt so stupid. Of all things, she had thought that he felt something for her. But all that was probably just Zack being Zack, the caring, over-protective brother. Nothing more but a brother. It was all just the product of her over-active imagination.

She exposed herself emotionally, thinking that it might lead somewhere. Maybe she should be just like Zack, emotionally closed up. Except, of course, he was not that way with the brunette. So much for rejecting all that so-called phoney sentimentality. Zack was just as susceptible to it as anyone else. He was just choosy over who he gave it to.

And that's not you, Max, a small voice inside her said.

Max's heart twisted again and she closed her eyes briefly in an attempt to block the unwanted pain.

It was better if she just returned to Seattle.

Thoughts of Logan suddenly entered her mind, making her grimace. At one time, she had thought that maybe there was something there. But what little thing she had felt for Logan paled in comparison with Zack.

Max sighed as she twisted the throttle, urging her bike to move forward faster. At least she has friends in Seattle. A twinge of guilt gnawed at her when she realised that she had barely spared a thought for Kendra, Original Cindy and Sketchy in all these time.

Maybe she was just meant to be alone.

Time to get your priority right, girl. And that's not Zack, she told herself.

Moving ahead steadily, taking only short breaks to refuel, Max finally approached Seattle when the sun was high up in the sky.

As the signboard whizzed past her, she forced a smile onto her lips. Okay, time for a fresh start, she decided. No more thinking of Zack. No more chasing after dreams. The tough chick façade was coming back up and this time, it was staying intact.

She would not be so stupid as to put herself in that sort of situation again.

Jampony was bustling with activity when she stepped in. Normal looked up with his usual frown, his eyes narrowing in obvious disapproval when he spotted Max.

"Now look what we've got here," he exclaimed sarcastically. "Little missy-miss decided to come in after her sudden leave of absence. What is it this time? Some major family emergency?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Max resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Nice to see you too, Normal," she said, her expression innocent. "And yeah, how did you guess about that family emergency?"

Normal gave her a piercing look. "You can't just waltz back in here and expect your job to wait around for you. I've taken on new, better bike messengers. You're not needed anymore. Now scram!"

Max put on her puppy-dog eyes. "Oh come on, Normal. You don't mean that."

"Yep. I do," he insisted, turning back to sorting out the packages in front of him.

Max closed the distance between them. "I can make it up to you."

Normal raised a pair of doubtful eyes at her. "Yeah, how?"

"I'll do overtime."

He shook his head. "No, you left and lost your chance to shine in this establishment. It'll set a bad example for me to take you back."

"Give me a chance, Normal," she coaxed, just as Sketchy and Original Cindy walked up to them.

"Hey, boo," Original Cindy greeted, her eyes full of unspoken question.

Sketchy did not have any reservation in asking, "Max, where have you been all this time?"

Max turned to face her friends. "I had a family emergency. A cousin of mine died and I had to go," she said, injecting what she hoped to be the appropriate amount of sadness in her voice just before she flicked a look at Normal.

Normal looked up from his packages, his eyes assessing Max carefully. He obviously did not know if he should believe her or not.

"Come on, Normal. It was really a sad time for me, and all I need now is to get back to work. You know, to get back into life," Max continued softly.

Sighing loudly, Normal finally relented, "Alright, alright. Just make sure that you don't do it again. Now get back to work. We have packages to deliver."

Grinning, Max gave Normal a grateful look. "Thanks, Normal. You're the greatest!"

Normal just looked at her, frowning slightly, before he turned back to the rest of his packages.

Original Cindy followed Max as she walked towards the locker. When she was sure that they were out of hearing range of the rest of the messengers, the afro-haired girl asked, "So, boo. Ready to tell me why you disappeared without a word for the last couple of weeks?"

"Long story," Max replied wearily as she opened her locker. Then turning to face Original Cindy, she continued, "I met up with one of my brothers."

"So, what's the dealio with him? You don't look too happy," Original Cindy observed shrewdly.

Max's lips curved in a half-hearted smile. "Yeah, things didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to."

Original Cindy narrowed her eyes as she assessed Max critically. "Boo, tell me that it's not what I think it is," she said in a low voice.

"What?" Max asked, feeling like she had been caught doing what she should not be doing.

"You sound like you got the hots for your bro," Original Cindy said, incredulous.

"So what? He's not a blood relative," Max defended.

"But still…"

Max interrupted her. "No, we didn't even know the concept of siblings when we started calling each other brothers and sisters. And anyway, it's kind of over now."

Original Cindy went silent for a moment and then her eyes softened in understanding. Laying a gentle hand on Max's shoulders, she asked, "Girl, anytime you want to talk, I'm here to listen."

Max smiled slightly, glad that her friend decided not to push. "Thanks."

Original Cindy inhaled and then exhaled loudly. Then, grinning, she said, "Well, you can always come and bat for the all-girl's team."

Max laughed. "I'll think about it."

"You do that, girl. Normal just hired this really sweet lickety-boo a week ago. She makes me feel hot just looking at her," Original Cindy said, fanning herself for effect.

"Oh, yeah? And?"

"And nothing. The girl's straight, and I think she's been making eyes at the new guy."

Max raised her eyebrows. "Normal got a new girl AND a guy? I thought he was kidding. Now I understand why he's so reluctant to take me back."

"There they are now," Original Cindy said, nodding towards the entrance.

Turning her head to peek around the corner of the locker, Max searched for the two newcomers, wondering what sort of people Normal had hired now. Considering his taste in messengers, it could be anyone.

When she finally caught sight of the new male messenger, Max gasped in surprise.

t.b.c.

A/N: Who do you think it is? (Grins) Please leave me a review and let me know what you think.