DISCLAIMER: It sucks, I know, but Dark Angel isn't mine.

A/N: Special thanks to: darkangelgirl262, ani-maniac494, a7xvampire, RIP MuM I love you so much, less than angel, chance32, kiaaaaa, Night Aura, Pand, Transgenic-girl, angeleyes131, and Loisen for your reviews in the last few chapters. They are much appreciated and really make me want to continue the story (despite midterms). And for those who are interested, I've finished Till The Fat Lady Sings.

Chapter 6:

"We must act out passion before we can feel it."

–Jean-Paul Sartre-

Max found Alec in the armory with four other X5 males and Mole. They were simultaneously cleaning weapons and doing inventory. They also seemed to be doing some male-bonding, complete with asinine jokes about certain female anatomy, and their latest "conquests". She saw his laughing face, the amusement in his eyes, the wry grin on his lips. He was the center of attention—as he always was—regaling the men with a story about "Lola".

"Who's Lola?" she asked, making all the men whip their heads around, guilty looks on their faces. Except for Alec, who just smirked.

He shrugged, "Just some girl," he replied coolly.

She locked her eyes with his green ones, trying to read him. But she found that despite his seemingly friendly countenance, his eyes were unreadable. Maybe he was still mad from yesterday. She almost lost her nerve and left, but she steeled herself. She had to know the truth about what Joshua had said. So, she made herself regard him skeptically, playfully, with a raise of her eyebrow. "Just some girl, huh?"

He shrugged again, this time shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. "Yeah. What about it?"

Max had never noticed how well she really knew Alec. She knew that when he shoved his hands in his jeans like that, and pursed his lips in just that way, he was being defensive, or felt uncertain. She knew that he absent-mindedly chewed on the fingernail of his thumb when he was deep in thought. She also knew that he had the habit of looking up when he was exasperated—as if he were asking help from the heavens—a look that seemed almost exclusively hers. "Just wondering," she replied, lightly.

The other people in the room were now looking back-and-forth between Alec and Max and their strange little exchange. Finally Mole blew a puff of cigar smoke and grumbled, "Oh, get a room." Which caused the other transgenics to chuckle knowingly.

Alec half-expected Max to roll her eyes and say her ever-so-droll 'Whatever' so he was completely surprised when her expression softened and she said, "That might be a good idea."

Max watched Alec's eyebrows rise a fraction of an inch in surprise. She loved how he could convey so much with so little. She loved how, with a twist of his lips, a raise of his eyebrows, the darting of his eyes, or the wrinkle of his nose, he could tell her so much. She loved…loved? Oh, this was getting out of hand. "We need to talk," she offered as explanation.

There was a pause, then with a tilt of his head and an expansive shrug, he acquiesced, "Okay," he said. Then he smirked—the way only Alec can—and he regarded her with teasing green eyes, "Your place or mine?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "Yours," she said, picking up his teasing tone. It was funny how they could pick up on each other's vibe. He smirked again, "Right."

They walked over to his place in silence, almost side-by-side, Alec only a step behind Max. She realized that he was always by her side when they walked…but always a step behind, too. Like he had her back, no matter what. She smiled slightly at the thought.

"What? What's so funny?" he asked suspiciously, looking down at her from the corner of his eye. She glanced sideways at him, her smile widening. His brow furrowed, "Max, you know this strange new side of you is really scaring me."

She just smiled wider.

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"It is the passions that do and undo everything."

–Bernard Le Bovier Fontenelle

They were at his place now. Alec was really confused. She was acting strangely…nice…towards him. That wasn't something Max did often, if ever. It sent warning bells ringing in his head. He had a sinking feeling she was going to try to apologize again. He was sure he would snap if she did. Max really didn't have any concept of what letting go was. She was like a grey hound that had caught a scent…wouldn't stop until it was found.

Just his luck that what she would likely find was his bleeding heart. He cringed inwardly at the thought of her laughing in his face if she ever found out about his feelings.

She was standing by his kitchen counter, that strange smile still on her face. He raised his palms upward in a gesture that said, well, we're here, what now?

She hooked both her elbows on the kitchen counter, leaning back casually. "I've been thinking," she started. He opened his mouth to say something smart-alecky, but she raised her eyebrows in warning. So he shut his mouth. Damn. How come she knew him so well?

"Anyway, I found out something…interesting, earlier this afternoon. I just needed to know, from you…" she trailed off, an uncertain expression on her face.

Alec had no idea what she was talking about. He sighed, glanced heavenward, and looked pointedly at her. "Whatever it is I did, I swear I didn't do it," he said flippantly. "Or at least, I didn't mean to do it."

She chuckled quietly, "Yeah, I bet."

"Are you talking about the generator from Section 4 that we used to power that showcase fight between Drake and Chewie? I mean, I know we accidentally broke it, but I made serious bank off the bets. Which," he paused, his palms raised in innocence, "Of course, I promptly handed over to Gem to buy supplies for the kitchens."

Max narrowed her eyes at him. "What? You had a 'showcase fight'? You had bets on this fight? You broke Section 4's generator?"

Ooops. "No?" he offered, his face assuming a look of utter innocence.

She just put her hands on her hips and glared at him—giving him the Max look of disapproval. Great, Alec, way to stick your foot down your throat. His green eyes darted from side to side, thinking of a way to extricate himself from his verbosity. He sighed resignedly, this was Max. He wouldn't get away with it so easily. He frowned at her. "Look, I took care of everything. So, if it wasn't that…incident, then what are we talking about here, anyway?"

Max shook her head, suddenly looking slightly uneasy. "Nothing. Just forget it."

"Yeah. Right. 'Cuz I didn't really 'get it' in the first place." he quipped sarcastically.

"Look, I went over to Logan's this morning," she said, a slight frown marring her perfect brow.

At that point, Alec suddenly didn't want to listen. He shoved his hands into his pants pocket again, and shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. He couldn't look her in the eye. So he fixed his gaze on the handle of the cupboard just above her right ear. Why was she so insistent in sharing this edifying piece of information with him?

She seemed to be waiting for a reaction from him. What was he supposed to do? Tell her that he wasn't really interested in hearing how it felt to finally have Logan's lips on hers…his hands on her skin…their bodies touching…he bit his lip, the slight pain bringing him back to reality. He felt like he was having a heart attack.

Get a grip, Alec, she's watching you! He forced himself to shrug, "So, what are you doing back here, then?" He kept his eyes on that cupboard handle.

She tilted her head so that he was forced to look her in the eye. "It's a question I've been asking myself, too," she admitted softly.

His breath caught in his throat. He was afraid to hope. "What do you mean?" he asked softly. His heart was hammering so fast, blood rushing in his ears, he was afraid he was going to miss what she was going to say.

"Joshua told me something that made me…think…about," she paused, struggling to find the words. "…things."

He raised one eyebrow at her. "That really narrows it down."

She gave him a withering stare. "I meant that, it sort of opened my eyes…to what I've always known…but never really knew."

Alec scratched his head in confusion. "That really explains a lot, Max." he drawled.

"Shut up, and listen!"

He raised his hands in mock surrender. She was driving him nuts with her vagueness. What was she trying to tell him?

"I've always thought of you as a brother," she announced.

Alec blinked. He felt like he'd just been slapped. Here he was having wet dreams about her, and she thought of him as a brother? There was only so much a guy's heart and pride could take.

He strode forward and pulled her roughly against him. He saw her eyes widen in surprise. "Alec!" she cried. But he smothered any objections she might have had with a hungry, wildly passionate kiss. He felt her surprise drain away, replaced by a responding passion. She was kissing him back, and it was almost Alec's undoing. He should stop. God, he couldn't stop. She tasted so good, felt so right. He groaned, splaying his hands against her lower back, pulling her closer to him. Instead of resisting as he expected, Max slid her hands up over his shoulders, tangling in his hair. She unwittingly molded her softness against his hardness.

He was losing control, his hands becoming almost rough in his caresses. He slammed her against the wall, never once breaking contact. She moaned. Alec couldn't believe this woman in his arms was responding to him with such ardor, it was like a drug. Fighting down the wild urge to lay her on the ground and take her then and there, he dragged his lips away from hers, but dared not let her go.

He leaned his head on the wall by her head, his body still pressed intimately against hers, holding her hostage against the wall. "Max, I am not your brother." he whispered roughly into her ear.

He still couldn't look her in the eye, but he kept her where she was, unwilling—unable—to let her go just yet. Call him a coward, but he wasn't ready to see the look in her eyes again. The look that told him that he wasn't the one she wanted to be with.

Warm fingers touched his cheek delicately. He looked down at her, slightly wary. "You should have let me finish talking, Alec." she said, a small smile playing on her lips. "I was just about to tell you…that I don't think of you as a brother…at all."

Alec was actually speechless.

"I want you, Alec." she whispered into his ear. Then he felt her lips leaving butterfly soft kisses down his neck, her hands slipping under his shirt. His muscles leapt at her tentative caresses, a reaction to touch like only Max could elicit from his body. He gasped. He must be dreaming. "Are you sure?" he asked hoarsely.

Max's heart squeezed slightly at his very vulnerable question. Joshua was right. She loved this man…this man whose heart was hammering as wildly as her own, this man who was the only one who could make her burn with desperate need to be closer to him. This man who was asking her if she was sure she wanted him… "Yes." she whispered honestly into his ear. But he still didn't move. She felt him wrestling with his control. Maybe she had been wrong all along. Maybe Joshua had been wrong…it was her turn to be vulnerable. "Alec? Don't you want me?"

"Oh, God, yes," he whispered achingly, before he captured her mouth in a searing kiss. "Max, Max, Max…" he whispered, against her lips, her jaw, her neck… "I want you so bad…I can't control myself,"

Max arched her body against his. "Then make me burn, Alec."

"Passion is the fury of love in its finest hour…"

–anonymous-

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A/N: Please skip the next chapter if you're not interested in, or ineligible for, M-rated material. Thanks all for the support! All reviews are passionately welcome!