Title: Here I Am

Author: Kiara Alexis Klay

Rating: Mature

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and it's characters are not mine.

Saved By The Bell

Max padded into the living room as if she had lived there for years instead of just visited a few times. She hadn't felt like getting completely dressed so she was simply attired in one of Alec's button up overshirts, which was long enough to cover all the important parts, and her own pair of socks she'd rescued from a corner in the bedroom. The hem of the shirt reached just a little past the top of her thighs, and she giggled again recalling the look on Alec's face when he saw her.

It had been huge on her, of course, even with as lean as Alec was he still was broader and more filled out. Even with it buttoned up all the way except for the top three buttons it billowed out, and she had to roll up the sleeves, which still hung a bit past her elbows. But hey, she was comfortable and it was light enough.

He had seemed more fascinated then with how 'short' the shirt was on her, as if he hadn't just taken her, enjoyed her body with less than that. He couldn't seem to stop wanting to touch her leg and stroke upwards, moving the cloth and seemingly mesmerized with the fabric upon her skin. Max had laughed and playfully smacked him, making sure to put an extra sway in her walk as she sashayed out the bedroom, delighted at the mock growling groan her mate emitted at her departure.

Her eyes took in for the first time the damage that they had caused and she winced as certain body parts tingled with memory and offense at being forgotten as they traveled and took note of certain furnishings. Her elbow in particular gave a nasty throb as she passed the part in the wall that had connected with the funny bone, it now being decorated with an indentation where she'd tossed Alec headfirst in retribution.

Max reached the kitchenette, and took a deep breath, before plunging onward and opening the refrigerator. Fortunately, Alec's wonderfully honed X5 survival instincts had kicked in, and he'd cleaned the contraption and there was a fully stocked fridge filled with beer, frozen dinners, and leftover take-out only a day or so old. There was even a box of some frozen fruit in one of those clear containers, surprisingly.

Left over Peking chicken is a lot better than sludgy pasta goo, she laughed silently at her lack of domestic abilities, even as she reached in and grabbed the leftover Max Orient boxes.

Though she might want to learn how to be a little more domestic, seeing as she didn't want to spend the rest of her life feeding her mate only take out. While interesting and filled with variety, it was also expensive, and she was just vain and prideful enough to want to do something natural and…homey, for her mate.

"Did I just think that?" she wondered out loud, laughing and shaking her head, starting to sort the food onto plates to heat up in the microwave.

"Depends on if it was about me or not," a cocky and sure voice joined in her laughter and she raised her head up to meet her lover's kiss.

"So was I?"

"Were you what?" Max repeated in somewhat of a daze, and not just from his kiss. He stood before her shirtless, barefoot, and clad only in a pair of black cargo pants that hung low enough on his hips that she knew there was nothing but him underneath.

It was really quite distracting and so totally unfair.

Alec smirked and chuckled, reaching to grasp her waist with both of his hands and bring her closer.

"In your thoughts," he whispered softly, voice gone low and sultry, hands gliding over her cloth covered abdomen.

He heard her heart skip a beat and thunk, and allowed the barest of smiles to touch his lips even as he brushed them against her ear.

"Always," she sassed his favorite line to him, breathless, but beginning to pull away as she started to refocus on why she'd come to the kitchen in the first place.

"I knew it," he laughed, catching her fist in one of his hands before it connected, and gently cradling it so that he brought it to his lips and kissed it softly with all the flair of a knight with his lady love, never taking his eyes off her.

"I have to get breakfast ready," she informed him, but couldn't break his gaze.

Amber tinged eyes sparkled at her, echoed by the smile on his lips, and the tilt of brow and head as he cocked his head sideways, observing her.

"Peking chicken and leftover takeout is my favorite breakfast," he grinned.

"Then you should appreciate the lengths I go through to please you," she teased, finally breaking the intense staring session before she forgot about breakfast completely.

Alec leaned back against the counter that opened up to the living room, which served both as a table and bar table, not bothering to step back or leave. Arms crossed, he was content to watch as Max moved about preparing the meal, amazed at how she seemed to fit in as if she had always belonged.

It felt so right, her in his place, in his kitchen, being with him. He was just a little surprised that she seemed to know where everything was stored, but then again, maybe she'd already scouted out before hand. Not that it mattered really.

"You standing there is not going to get the food nuked any faster, you know," she shot over her shoulder, casting him a smile and a glance that had his heart racing.

How could she do that with just an innocent look? He wondered even as came back with a fast remark.

"Will it get me a kiss?" he put on his best woeful look, eyes wide and entreating.

"No," she replied patiently and calmly, drawing the word out, as if speaking to a particularly annoying or troublesome child.

"Not even a little one?" he pouted.

"Not even a smidgen of a one," she cast him an arch look, smile twitching as she tried not to laugh at their banter. This of course all encouraged Alec even further.

"Not even if I tell you how wonderful you look, in your little socks, and in my shirt," his voice lost the little boy playfulness and dropped into something much deeper.

"Are you trying to seduce me, soldier?" she teased, casting a coy look his way.

Her eyes snapped a challenge even as her body mimicked it, hands resting on her hips, weight leaning on one leg, a brow arched.

Come and get me, she seemed to goad, and Alec was never one to leave a challenge.

"Who said anything about seduction," he let a coy smile of his own cross his face, even as he slowly, oh so slowly straightened up, letting his arms drop to either side and push himself away from the counter.

Like a bird watching the snake, oh so beautiful, but so deadly, Max stood as Alec stalked her. Points for her that she didn't back down, but her heart was racing a mile a minute, and she knew he could hear it.

Muscles teased under toned skin, rippling across and moving as if there were extra play to his muscles or more flexibility to do things that no human could ever hope to match. There was no trace of fat or wantonness on this tom cat, and he moved, secure in his own power and grace. He was breathtaking, awesome…even magnificent. And dangerous. Oh, was he ever dangerous.

She was shaking before he even reached her, and he tilted his head to one side again, considering. His eyes roved over her now so familiar figure, smiling, as he knew what was underneath and he couldn't wait to join again. She looked adorable, in just his oversized shirt and her socks, adorable and comfortable. He didn't want her comfortable.

"Seduction's for marks and those you use," he continued, voice deepening to an almost painful growl. He invaded the hell out of her personal space, coming close, scenting the air about her, having to reign himself in.

"And Max?"

"What?" she was hoarse, staring up at him, eyes wide and dilating to match her heaving chest.

"You're not a mark or something to use," he whispered, hand reaching out for the buttons on his shirt. She swallowed hard and took in a deep breath, holding it for a beat, then let it out slowly.

"In fact," he went on, finishing the last button, and reaching a hand through the fabric to the taunt skin underneath. "I'm planning on keeping you for a long time."

She was just about putty in his hands, and Alec knew he had her. Her eyes were riveted on his face, almost afraid to look away, body unconsciously offering itself to get closer, responding to the dominant vibe he was sending out.

A hairsbreadth separated their mouths and he leaned in to close the distance…just as the microwave dinged.

Max's eyes widened at the sound, jumping slightly, and coming out of the trance that seemed to have gripped her since Alec stalked toward her with that musculature that ought to be outlawed.

She came to herself and gave her mate a rueful look, nodding her head slightly in a tacit bow.

"Almost had me there," she acknowledged his mastery, sliding out of his reach and moving around him to get to the microwave, one hand bunching Alec's shirt closed slightly.

"Saved by the bell," he chuckled deeply, but his eyes following her movements promised that this wasn't over with yet.