Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters; they all belong to James Cameron and FOX.
Chapter 1

They'd decided to try again – try to go back to the way they used to be before her recapture and the virus. Although it was still there, they both believed that their love was strong enough to overcome the physical barrier. Logan tried his best; excited that she was giving him the chance to rekindle their love, he decided to make this the perfect evening. A home-cooked meal and pre-pulse wine… how could she resist?

There they sat, on opposite sides of his dining room table, with a candlelit dinner and some light chatter. So what was the problem?

Max wasn't there, not mentally anyway. Her mind was somewhere else - better yet, with someone else. Alec, the pain-in-the-butt- smart-ass. She could hear Logan talking in the background informing her of how the search for Sandeman and the cure was going, but frankly she didn't care.

Max, Alec, OC and Sketchy sat at their usual table in the corner near the pool table drinking their beer and chilling out after their hard day at work. OC, seeing Alec being all quiet, decided to question him.

"Hey boo, why don't you and Sketchy go and play pool, prove to him just how weak the male sex is," she smirked at Max.

"On behalf of all men, I resent that. We are not weak," Sketchy retaliated. Max and OC burst out laughing.

"Sure Sketch" Max replied. "Whatever you need to tell yourself. Come on, let's play; I'm in the mood for kicking ass."

"Sure, I'll play just to prove to you we're not weak," he said.

"Ok then… We'll see" Max said, strutting off to the pool table laughing with Sketchy following in tow.
Once they left, OC turned to Alec, who had been quiet throughout the whole mini-debate. It was very odd because Alec was normally the first person to defend the male gender.

"What's on your mind, hot boy?" OC asked. Alec stepped out of his trance on hearing her speak to him.

"What? No, nothing OC. Just thinking about things, that's all," he replied putting on a brave face.

"You sure you alright?" concern seeped through her voice.

"Hey, I'm always alright," Alec said with his cheeky grin in place. OC just shook her head, smiling to herself.

"So?" she asked, "you gonna tell her?" He looked at her, eyebrows furrowed, looking confused.

"Tell who what, OC?"

"Max. Are you gonna tell her?" she inquired again, not seeing Max and Sketchy behind her.

"Tell me what?" Max asked, making OC jump.

"Damn boo, back so soon?"

"Hell yeah! I was playing Sketch. Didn't expect me to be gone too long, did ya?" she laughed with OC while Alec just grinned. Sketchy threw himself down on his chair with a thump and just shook his head.

"Don't take it so hard, Sketchy. You know they're just tryin' to wind you up," Alec told him, patting his friend on the back.

"Easy for you to say. Dude, you're not the one getting dissed!" he mumbled in his mug of beer.

"Not now," Alec agreed, "but how long do you think that will last?" Sketchy looked up, hope flaring in his eyes, then grinned.

"True. Max does like dissing you." The way he said it and the look on his face made Max and OC crack up again.

"So what were you guys gonna tell me?" Max asked again.

"Nothing Max. I was just wondering if you could give me a ride home?" Alec jumped in before OC could say anything. Max eyed him suspiciously, but he just flashed his most charming grin at her. She smiled and shook her head, knowing he wouldn't let anything show.

"Sure," Max agreed, grabbing her beer and finishing it before saying, "I gotta blaze –I need to see Joshua anyway. Come on, let's go."

"Say hi to doggie-dog for me," OC said.

"OK. 'Night guys," she said before leaving with Alec.

Once outside, the cool air hit them both, a refreshing reminder that winter was on its way. They walked towards her ninja parked on the corner and climbed on. Alec slid his arms around her slim waist and held her tight. Max's heart skipped a beat. 'What the hell!' she scolded herself. 'This is Alec! Why am I feeling like this?'

'Why do you think?' a small voice in her head answered. 'You like him.'

Scared of the voice in her head, she turned to Alec and asked, "Are you ok Alec? You were real quiet tonight."

Alec just chuckled and said, "Max, come on. I'm always alright." She could see there was something bothering him, but decided to let it go. She shrugged her shoulders and gunned her bike, taking off at break-neck speed into the dead of the night. A few minutes went by, and they were outside Alec's apartment. "Thanks Max," he said, grateful for not having to walk home tonight, and smiled at her gratefully. He turned to walk into his building but suddenly stopped and turned to face her.

"Alec? What's wrong?" He stares at Max, debating in his head if he should tell her or not. Arguing with himself mentally and keeping his face in the Manticore mask so no emotion was visible, he asked himself 'How would she react?' The voice replied, 'Well, you won't know until you say something.'

'What if she hits me, or… worse, what if she runs away?'

'Well then you'll know that she doesn't want you.'

'What about Logan?'

'Fuck Logan! The guy can't even touch her.'

'That's not the point; she loves him.'

'If you don't tell her now, you'll never be able to do it again. This is your chance! Tell her while she's in a good mood, TELL HER NOW!' The voice screamed at him.
Alec, shocked at the voice's scream, blurts out…

"I love you, Max."