Disclaimer: We do not own any of the characters from Dark Angel the belong to James Cameron, Charles Eglee, and Fox. But, Mercy and Amora are ours, as well as any other characters you are not familiar with.


"Hey."

"Hey Alec." Max nodded as he sat down next to her. They were the first ones in the Mess Hall, and this was the first time they had been alone together since the kiss. Max had been feeling awkward about it, and the two hadn't spoken much. Every glance, touch, smile and word they spoke with the other seemed different in both eyes.

"The 'Manticore Mystery Blob' looks especially... Blobby today." Alec noted with a grimace. Max laughed softly, and took a drink of water. Her spoon slid off her plate and fell to the floor with an earth shattering 'clink'.Max reached down for it, and so did Alec. When their hands touched, they slowly looked up into the others eyes.

Alec felt the rush of anticipation he so often felt on missions, only more tingly. His fingers felt warm on top of Max's, and he felt himself blush. Max stared into the pools of hazel and felt her cheeks grow warm too, and quickly pulled her hand away.

"Thanks." She mumbled with a quick smile. Max rolled her eyes, feeling ridiculous at how something so simple could make her feel. This was stupid, it was just a spoon. Yet somehow, deep inside, there was a cheesy part of her with a fluttering heart, that had never been more excited about dropping silverware. Both of them turned back to their food as the others joined them.

Six and Ben were already deep in a conversation and were oblivious to everyone else. They had been spending alot of time together lately. Max had noticed a certain look in Six's eyes when she was with Ben, that she had never seen in her before. She wasn't her usual sarcastic cynical self, she seemed happier, and at times, almost girly.

Alec had noticed a change in Ben, too. He seemed alot more down to earth and sure of himself around Six. He wondered if thats how people saw him around Max. He felt amazing around her, even when her sarcastic humor was belittling him.

"You ok?" Biggs asked, putting a hand on Mercy's shoulder. She had been staring straight down at her plate the whole time, not saying or eating anything, just immersed in silence. It was almost as if she had been cut off from the group and was on her own. It was now she looked up and shook her head slightly, noticing all the eyes upon her.

"Nothing. I'm fine. I'm going to go get ready for the mission, I'll see you all later." With that she stood up, hugged and kissed Biggs quickly, and almost ran out of the mess hall, leaving her friends confused, her boyfriend even more so.


"So what was with Mercy?"

"Hum?" Six raised an eyebrow, sitting beside Ben on the cot in her cell. She handed him one of the bottles of water she took from the mess hall. "What do you mean?"

"She was quiet, like really, really quiet. She didn't look up from her meal the entire time, either." He took the bottle and twisted the cap off, and took a drink. "Not even to suck face with Biggsie." He smiled jokingly.

"Oh, that. I don't know," Six paused,laughing a little. Fingering the cap of her own bottle, she continued. "She was kind of weird last night, too. I mean, when I came back to our cell, she seemed off. Not herself. I called her a headcase and she just looked up at me and ignored it."

"Hm. Maybe something between her and Biggs?"

"Who knows. If that's the case, they seem fine now." Six took a gulp of her water and bit her lip. "It's strange."

"What is?"

"Our whole group. At first we were all just laid back, sort of hanging together for no reason, and now look at us. We're inseparable, and some of us more than just friends." She smiled. "I mean, Biggs and Mercy have their thing, and Max and Alec - well, I think they have a little more going on then we all think. Then, well, there's... Us." She turned her head and smiled at him, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear.

"Us." Ben looked into her green eyes and smiled back. In Ben's mind, that one word held a lifetime of meaning, and made his smile grow wider. "And what about us?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, are we just two independent individuals, or are we two freaks of nature being alone together, or- or something else?"

"Freaks of nature. Definitely freaks of nature. But I don't know about being alone together," She fingered the bottom of her casual wear shirt. Grey. Why was everything in Manticore grey?

"What do you mean?" Ben turned his shoulders towards her.

"Well, I mean we are usually together," A dimple flashed in Six's left cheek. "But I never feel alone." She smiled at him. "Sorry for getting all corny and girly on you."

"That's alright. I feel the same." Ben's face grew serious. "I really do."

"Yeah... I'm glad." Six spoke quietly now. Before she knew what was happening, Ben leaned towards her and kissed her gently. It held for only a moment, but the feathery touch was enough to make Six smile. She leaned her head on his shoulder as he grabbed her wool blanket, pulling it over their legs.

"You know, I think you do need a name. A real one." Ben smiled softly.

"Spare me, I've heard this before." Six shut her eyes.

"Well, why not? What's so bad about having a name, something that's yours and only yours?"

"What's the point? No one will care if I'm Six or Miss Polly Perfect."

"Me." Ben said firmly, using his own stubbornness against hers.

"What?" Six scrunched her brow.

"Me. I care. And I'm giving you a name."

"Oh great. Here I come, Polly Perfect." Six flashed him a very sarcastic thumbs up.

"If you like," Ben laughed. "But I was thinking Amora."

"Amora?"

"Yep. It means 'Love'. I figure you feel more love to make up for the pain you don't."

"That is the cheesiest thing anyone has ever said to me." She grinned. "But I like it."

Ben grinned back and put his arm around her small frame to draw her closer. They sat curled up together for what seemed like hours, even after Amora fell asleep on Ben's shoulder.

"My Amora." Ben whispered, kissing the top of her head before falling asleep beside her.


"Hey there." Alec waved slightly as he joined Max in the rec room. She had been sitting on the couch with her eyes closed.

"Hey." She managed awkwardly. "So..." She tried to break the ice, but didn't know what to say or do.

"Yeah, Um," Alec kicked the ground lightly. "About the other day-"

"I'm sorry!" Max interrupted him. "I shouldn't have done it." She drew her eyes to the ground, afraid to make contact with his.

"I wasn't going to ask for an apology or anything," Alec looked confused. "I just-"

"Just what?" Max gave him a skeptical look. She wished this conversation would hurry up and end. She drummed her fingers out of impatience and nervousness on the armrest of the couch.

"Making fun of me." Alec rolled his eyes and took a few steps in the opposite direction. "After the lipstick incident, I thought you were trying something again by doing what I wanted to-" He turned to face her, running a frustrated hand through his hair. Had he just said that? He cursed his big mouth silently as he wandered over to the couch.

"I thought you would think I was stupid," Max said as Alec sat next to her. "Wait, you wanted me to..." Max raised her eyebrow like a question mark.

"To run away? Nah." Alec gave his trademark smirk and the attitude he was named for.

"You know what I mean." Max softly slugged him in the arm, smiling. "Why didn't you go for it, then?"

"I was afraid it would be awkward." Alec looked at her. Max nodded slightly.

"Like it is now." Max looked into his face.

"Right now."

"Exactly."

"And I figured-"

"It made no sense anyways."

"And you would be totally-"

"Weirded out, and things would-"

"Suck."

"Worse than Manticore food."

"You know..." Alec cleared his throat. "One of us should say something. A real something."

"You're right." Max's hand clenched and unclenched and then slowly found it's way to Alec's shoulder, who she was now completely facing.

"Probably," Alec said quietly.

"Then shut up and say it," Max said firmly.

"How can I do that, Maxie, if I have to shut up?" Alec he asked sarcastically.

"Fine, I'll say it for you." Max smiled before leaning in to plant a warm kiss on Alec's lips. He put his hand on her hip, but this time no one flinched or ran away crying. Instead, they pulled away smiling.

"You did that, uh, awkward thing you do again," Alec raised an eyebrow at her. "Please don't cry."

"What do I look like?" Max glared jokingly and smirked. "A wuss? Guys hate it when girls cry, you know."

"Well maybe guys are too picky, then. Except for me of course, I'm perfect." Alec stated.

"Oh really now?" Max gave him a look of disbelief.

"How could I not be when I'm so perfect already on the outside?" Alec smirked back and kissed Max again, a wide smile still on his face. She kissed him back.

Suddenly, Alec and Max both bolted their eyes open, and looked to the right. Lips still pressed together, they saw an open door. Standing in the door was Ben and Amora, holding hands.

The four pairs of eyes grew wide and silent. Ben and Amora quickly shoved their hands behind their backs, pretending they never touched. Alec and Max darted apart and Max ran her hands over hair.

"I uh, lost a contact lens." Alec said, pointing to his eye and clearing his throat.

"Dude, you have perfect vision, you're genetically enhanced." Ben looked skeptical. "And I doubt it was on her mouth." he added.

"I'm not getting any younger, bro, and every body fades with age. Yes, even gods like myself," Alec shrugged. Max smacked him upside the head. "What's with you guys, anyways?" he asked, glaring at her and rubbing his head.

"Nothing." Amora rushed. "I have formally decided to give up just being a number, it's tacky. And Six is a stupid name. So I got a new one." She crossed her arms and spoke as if she were royalty, making everyone laugh.

"My brilliant idea, of course." Ben winked. "Introducing, Amora."

"I like it." Max smiled. The room filled with an awkwardness again.

"Fess up." Ben said as he sat down on a love seat with Amora.

"What?" It was Alec's turn to look skeptical.

"You guys have had something going on for a while."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Max smiled and quickly gave a hidden wink to Alec.

"Sure you don't. We gotta split, anyways. Our training session got moved up half an hour. See you guys at dinner." Amora stood up and Ben followed her. They left the rec room smiling.

"Where were we?" Max turned back to Alec. He slowly smiled and took her in his arms, kissing her. Finally the awkwardness was over. Max pulled away and looked into Alec's eyes. Then she remembered Logan again. Why was it he kept slipping away from her mind's grasp, yet when she was actually happy, the thought struck her down again? Sure, she had felt strongly for Logan- she might have even admitted she loved him. But that was so long ago, and it seemed like they would never meet. The thought completely engulfed her, and it seemed time had stopped.

Flashback

"Come here. I want to show you something." Logan took her hand and led her to a beautiful gold detailed mirror.

"American, neoclassic gold leaf detail, late 1800s. I could probably fence it for two or three grand." Max commented, smirking at the idea.

"No, I meant this." Logan gently laid his hand against her face, framing her chin. "Probably the most singularly beautiful face I've ever seen."

End Flashback

"What?" Max asked startled at the sound of her name.

"I asked if you were okay, you kind of spaced out on me there." He gave her a confused glance.

"Yeah. Fine." She shook her head slightly and shakily smiled, quickly kissing him again.


"Come on, come on," This had to work. He had tried everything, but nothing was getting even near Manticore's security data base on the network.

Running his tired hands through unwashed hair, a long sigh escaped his lips. He immediately sat forward again, typing fast and furious. This couldn't wait, it had to be done as fast as he could. He wasn't sure what he was trying to do, but he knew it was saving a life- a life of someone incredibly special. He paused for a second, almost in a trance. Just the thought of those deep chestnut eyes and full lips left his hands trembling and his mouth open. He closed his eyes, trying to stop tears. He should have moved on, but he couldn't. He couldn't move past it- past her. The one he wished for more than anything, Max.

"Logan." Logan's eyes darted open at the sound of a voice. "Logan Cale. You home?" He slowly turned his wheelchair around to face the girl standing in front of him holding a large brown paper bag.

"Oh." Was all he could say. He rubbed his eyes underneath his glasses. "What are you doing here? You just left an hour ago, I thought you were going to be gone all day,"

"I was. I've been gone for seven hours, Logan." She gave Logan a skeptical look.

"What? Oh. I must have lost track of time. What's in the bag, Asha?" Logan wheeled over to her. Asha set the bag down on the kitchen counter.

"Dinner. I went to that place we went to last week. The Chinese one. You said you really liked it, so I got two meals to go." Asha walked over to the tall black fridge. She looked up then down and closed the door, making her way over to the wine holder. She plucked out a bottle and set it beside the bag.

Tucking her chin length blonde hair behind her ears, Asha turned back to Logan. "What have you been doing all day, anyways? Have you contacted Eyes Only yet?" Asha had no idea Eyes Only was Logan Cale's alias, but instead thought Logan was just a helping hand to the S1W.

"Yeah."

"And? What did he say? Is he gonna help us or not?" Asha had been begging Logan to get Eyes Only to do a broadcast for the S1W, exposing a hold out on ration cards.

"He'll do what he can. Let's eat." Logan said, seeing Asha finish putting the place settings together. He wheeled his chair over to the table and stopped. Removing his glasses and setting them on the table, he rubbed his face again tiredly with palms that ached. All the muscles in his hand seemed to be screaming at him in sore agony, throbbing from hours of furiously typing. "What did you get?"

"Um, let's see," Asha stood from her seat and looked into the bag, leaning over the table to do so. "Egg rolls, chop suey, egg foo young," She placed each container on the table. "Steamed rice, noodles, and some weird vegetable thing in a purple sauce." Logan raised his eyebrows at this.

"Sounds... Interesting." Logan paused for a moment. "Just how purple is this sauce?" Asha laughed and sat back down, opening containers and dishing up food. They sat and ate, Asha talking away and Logan slowly growing less stressed and upset. He momentarily scolded himself for thinking and doing something other than hacking.

"See, funny thing is," Asha said in a wondering tone, "Im going to be around for another... forty, fifty years. That," She pointed with her fork at the computer Logan was staring at. "Will be around much longer. Maybe even a hundred years."

"It wouldn't last that long," Logan gave her a matter-of-fact glance.

"Not after I'm through with it," Asha mumbled. "Got any hammers, screwdrivers, anything?" Smiling at Logan's uneasy look, she grabbed a container. "Want another egg roll?"

Logan glared slightly then smiled. "No, Im good."

"I should go," Asha stood, and folded the containers closed. "I'll be by sometime tomorrow. There's a protest in the afternoon, so maybe in the morning," She drawled as she stacked and put the boxes in the fridge. "Later." She waved slightly and went out the door, shutting it quickly.

Logan followed in his chair. He heard her steps travel down the hall. That's how it always was. Everyone else walking ahead, not waiting for the "little man in the wheel chair". Maybe that's why he loved her. Max never considered him as the little man. She pushed him, made him strive, and saw him as an equal. He loved her sarcasm, her smile, her hair, the way she smelled - Why was he using the word love so much? Impatiently he shook his head and went back to his place at the computer.


"Attention!" The training officer barked loudly. Amora and Ben both stiffened their bodies and stood upright, saluting. The air was crisp, and felt sharp on their bare arms. "At Ease." Simultaneously the class shifted their legs and arms into the more comfortable, but still strict position.

"Today we're working on sparring. I want to see techniques we've learned and practiced, and you better do them right! I want to see no cheating, no eye gouging, just a good honest fight! Pair off, warm ups!" He yelled, pacing the two lines of soldiers. Everybody was still, and grim faced. After another salute, everyone went into pairs to warm up.

"Great. This is great." Ben rolled his eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" Amora smiled at him.

"I hate sparring. I always get paired with one of the guys with the DNA of a moose and a serious attitude problem."

"Aw, do the manly men intimidate you?" Amora winked as she slowly went through several moves, breaking them down in her mind.

"That's not it!" Ben paused and laughed. "It's just hard work."

"Suck it up." She gave him a huge smile again and lightly touched his arm.

"Circle around!" The officer screamed from the center of the sparring mat. "X5-640!"

"Sir!" Amora yelled back, saluting.

"X5-493!"

"Sir!" Ben did the same.

"On the mat, soldiers!" The officer stepped off the mat as the two came on. "Basic exercise. You get knocked out of this white ring, you lose. On my count!" Amora and Ben gave each other a helpless look. "Go!"

Immediately, Ben grabbed Amora around the waist. He flipped her over his shoulder, but gently, not wanting to hurt her. She easily landed on her feet, and, keeping her right foot planted, she kicked up and pivoted. Her boot hooked the curve of Ben's shoulder, dragging him to the ground. Ben swiftly rolled out of it and in turn hit her feet out from under her. She crashed hard, but didn't flinch. The times not feeling pain can come in handy. She thought to herself.

Amora shoved all of her weight and power into thrusting her body upwards, and then setting her torso upright. She was up quickly enough to surprise Ben and she turned and kicked high. Her foot hit his jaw, and he stumbled backwards. She was glad she hadn't hit him hard. He then tried to jab at her head, one hit after another. She blocked them expertly, left, right, left, right. He got one in, and Amora went reeling. She fell and slid towards the edge of the circle, narrowly missing it. She sprang back up and maneuvered around Ben's grasp, grabbing his arm and pulling it behind his back. She pivoted half way, and cemented her feet. In one quick move he was over her shoulder and on the mat- outside of the white ring.

"Halt! Soldiers!" The officer stepped into the ring. "Good hustle. 493!"

"Sir!"

"Put more effort into it! You were fighting like a girl!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Since you seem to agree, you can do another round! X5-601!" The officer turned to the rest of the class who had surrounded the mat.

"Sir!" A tall, large build X5 stepped forward and saluted. He had black hair and blue eyes. Amora had to stifle a laugh at Ben's face. He gave an angry snort as his glance shifted to Ben.

"X5-640, step back!" The officer told Amora.

"Sir, yes, sir." She stepped out and stood at ease. She watched as Ben put up a good fight. The training bell rang for class shifts to change. Ben and Amora met and walked back inside the main building again.

"Good fight." Amora said to Ben.

"You too."

"Even though I kicked your butt?"

"Not fair, you don't feel pain." Ben smiled at her. "See you later," He said, stopping at his cell.

"You bet."

"Save me a spot at dinner." He quickly gave her a small kiss and turned inside his cell. Amora felt her lips tingle and her face grow warm. She smiled and skipped the rest of the way to her cell.


"Joshua?" Max called once she reached the sub basement. She walked in a little ways, clearing cobwebs that had swung in her path, covering her view slightly. "Josh! Come here, big fella!"

"You come here, little fella." Joshua came to greet Max, gathering her in a huge hug. "Max happy to see Joshua?"

"Yeah, you bet." Max smiled at her canine friend. "I brought you some food." Max set her bundle on an old wooden shelf.

"Joshua thanks Max," Joshua said happily. "Max follow." He took off down a corridor, smiling widely as he did.

"Wait up big fella!" Max ran after him.

Max and Joshua took some twists and turns, following some dimly lit hallways with cell doors lining the sides. Scratching and hissing, growling and breathing were coming from the small barred windows on each door. A clawed hand reached out of one and tried to grab Max, a large yellow eye staring at her between the bars. She gulped. Nomalies. Was the first thought that sprang through her mind. Joshua looked back and saw the expression on her face.

"More like me, down here. Always. Hungry." Joshua banged a fist on the door of the cell the reaching arm was coming out of and barked in the creatures face. It growled back at him and went back in it's cell.

"Don't they feed 'em?"

"Sometimes. Sometimes I do. Like I told you before." Joshua kept walking.

Max crossed her arms and tried not to shiver. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and her senses became even more aware and cat-like. They kept walking until they reached what looked like a cabinet. "You found a cabinet? Wow. What's with the shelfage, fella?"

"Little fella, use key." Joshua reached into his pocket and dug out an old key the same brassy colour as the lock on the cabinet. Max took the key from him and looked at the cabinet. She unlocked it and stuck it in her pocket, just incase. She opened the doors to find it wasn't a cabinet at all. Instead, in the back of it was another door. Max turned the door knob and opened the door on its rusty hinges. There was a dark tunnel behind it.

"Wait little fella." Joshua ran out and quickly returned with a burning candle in one hand. "Fire for lighting." He smiled again.

"Thanks." Max took the candle from him and started down the tunnel. It was obviously made by someone in a hurry and without tools, it was rough and uneven. She guessed maybe one of the other creatures in the basement. She went through the tunnel, Joshua behind her until finally they came to a large dark room. Joshua went over and flicked on a single flickering light bulb. Max put the candle on a table and looked around.

Instantly, Max's heart stopped. She slowly dragged her eyes across everything in the room, which seemed all too familiar. The machines dumped in the room, collecting dust were enough to make her breathing heavier and fast.

Her eyes darted rapidly from machine to machine. Psy-Ops. This must be the old Psy-Ops room, before they relocated it. She saw the main door at the top of a flight of stairs. Max gulped.

"Window." Joshua pointed above himself on the east side of the room, where a small boarded up window was. He easily reached up and ripped off the boards, revealing a barred ray of light. "Max outside?"

"Thanks, big fella!" Max gave Joshua a huge hug. "Yeah, Max outside. That's the plan."

"Joshua outside?"

"I don't know..." Max looked up to face the hope in his eyes.

"You know. Max and Joshua. Outside. Both." Joshua nodded and smiled. "That's the plan?"

"Joshua... I don't know." She saw something in his eyes break, leaving them hurt and confused looking. "We'll see, big fella, we'll see."

"I see, little fella." Joshua smiled and led her back to his main section of the sub basement. They said their goodbyes, and Max headed up to her cell for the night.


"Come in," Renfro said without looking up after hearing the knock at the door. It slowly swung open. Max stepped inside and saluted. "State your designation."

"X5-452!" Max tried her best not to grimace. Renfro gave her a bone chilling smile. She stood up and walked over to Max. It wasn't quite a walk, more of a saunter.

Max froze all of her muscles as she listened to the click, click, click of Renfro's heels on the white tile. "Ma'am! You wanted to see me, ma'am!"

"Yes, 452, I did." Renfro slowly circled Max, eyeing her up and down like a hungry vulture. "How have you been?"

"Pardon, Ma'am?" Max blinked sharply in shock.

"How are you doing? Are you feeling alright, enjoying your cell and such?"

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am." Max said with a slight hesitation. "May I ask why?"

"Of course, dear." Max grimaced at the name. "You haven't been acting like yourself lately. No rebelling, no smart comebacks. Why," Renfro stopped and gave Max an even colder smile than before, "You're becoming the perfect X5 soldier. You haven't stepped out of line in quite a while." Renfro had a kind tone to her voice, but it seemed to conceal a hidden meaning.

"Now I see I was wrong about this place, and the escape was all my fault." Max gave Renfro a cheesy, sarcastic smile. "Im glad to be home. Can I just call you mommy now?"

Renfro's smile dropped instantly into a glare. She grabbed Max's jaw hard between her fingers and thumb and pressed deeply with her long red nails.

"Listen, 452, and listen well." Renfro hissed. "I know you're planning something, and it won't work. I'm watching you, Maxie."She spat the name out. Max grabbed Renfro's wrist.

"Don't you ever call me Maxie." Max turned Renfro's arm, grabbing at the elbow, flipping her lean body over and sending her to the ground.

Immediately, the two guards standing at the door fired their tazers at Max. She dropped to the floor, feeling her whole body shake and twitch with immense pain and shock. Max glared up into Renfro's eyes, who had now stood up and was brushing herself off.

"I'll give you one more chance, 452. Mess up in the least and you'll pay another visit to your friend down at Psy-Ops and get rewired." Renfro looked at the guards. "Take her to her cell."

The two guards each grabbed an arm and dragged Max's quivering and shaking body out the door. Renfro smiled and waved cruelly.


"What happened to you?" Max asked later that night. She had been sharing Amora's cell while Mercy was away, figuring it was better to have company then be alone.

"Huh?" Amora looked at her skeptically. She had just pulled on a clean shirt and was rolling it down her waist.

"That sucker on your hip." Amora looked down and saw a huge black bruise covering her left hip. She shrugged.

"I don't know, Ben must have hit me harder than I thought in training."

"Wait, you fought your boyfriend? Did he seriously hurt you? I will so hunt him down..."

"Nah." Amora smiled. "I kicked his whiney little butt to the curb." The two laughed about it until dinner. The meal was going normally, until Ben brought up training.

"Check it out!" Ben smiled proudly as he stood up. He lifted his shirt to reveal his left hip. Everyone's eyes widened at the sight of a huge black bruise, identical to Amora's. "Kinda looks like a cat, eh?" Ben smiled wider.

"Nah. More like a tree." Alec smiled at his twin.

"Weird, Amora, isn't yours shaped like that, too?" Max said, turning to her. Amora looked down. She shivered as her blood ran cold, yet her face burned.

"No." Was all she could say.

"What's wrong? So you have a bruise," Biggs gave her a strange look.

"I gotta go," Amora stood and walked as quickly as she could out of the mess hall, leaving everyone with puzzled looks on their faces. This can't be happening again, she thought. It can't.


AN: We hope you enjoyed this chapter. Leave us a review to let us know what you thought!