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.


Stephen Parker regretted many things. He regretted leaving home at sixteen. He regretted getting a chick he slept with pregnant and leaving her to take care of the child herself. He regretted saying yes to Cornel Donald Lydecker.

That had been a moment of weakness. When he looked at that man and agreed to taking the job, he had signed his life away. He had sold his soul. Stephen didn't know what he was doing at first. Then it hit him. It was wrong he had known that, but after awhile, he had convinced himself otherwise. He had told himself it was just a job. There were no consequences. He was wrong. Boy how he was wrong.

Everything had changed. He had become a monster. A horrible monster. He'd hurt people, and he regretted it everyday of his life. He regretted it the twenty years he worked there. It was why he didn't have a wife. Why didn't have children, except for the one he had left behind.

"Another scotch!" he called out to the bartender. The bartender nodded, and poured Stephen another glass. He set it in front of him before turning to help others. Stephen downed his scotch. Here he was Forty-two years old. Hating himself. Hating the things he'd done, the things he'd seen.

"Bad day at work?" A voice asked from beside him.

Stephen turned. The girl couldn't be any older than twenty-one. Why did he recognize her? "You could say that," he shrugged at her.

"I'm Ellie, by the way," the girl stated extending her hand towards Stephen.

He smiled at her, and shook it. "It's nice to meet you Ellie, I'm Stephen." Why was this girl talking to him?

Ellie smiled in return. "Can I get a scotch and a beer?" she asked the bartender as he passed by. He nodded, and got the drinks for her. "Thank you." Ellie turned back the Stephen. "There you go. A scotch. That's what you were drinking right?"

"Uh... yeah. Thanks." Stephen nodded at her.

"No problem. I'm in the sharing mood." Ellie shrugged at him, as she took a swig of her beer.

Stephen looked over at her. This time really looking. She had shoulder length reddish-brown hair, and green eyes. Ellie wore a pair of light blue form fitting jeans. They were riddled with holes. Her shirt was black, a low neckline.

"See something you like?" Ellie questioned, her voice low, as Stephen's eyes roamed over her.

He turned away, his cheeks warming slightly. He'd been caught staring. She was half his age. This was wrong. Stephen felt Ellie's hand come to a rest on his thigh. It sent a jolt through his body. Was this really happening? He looked into her eyes, confused by what was going on.

"Kiss me," she whispered, her lips were right beside his ear. "I know you want to."

Stephen shuddered at the feeling of Ellie's warm breath against his ear. No she was half his age, he didn't want her. But deep down, he did. Deep down he wanted to kiss her. Right now, his 'deep down' self was winning. Before he knew it he had turned his head to Ellie's and kissed her. He felt the young girl's lips turn up into a smile against his.

Ellie pulled back and looked at him, "I told you. I knew you wanted to."

"You did." Stephen replied, turning way. Why did he let himself do that? Now he wanted to kiss her again.

"Want to know something else I know?" She questioned quietly, pressing herself into him.

Stephen swallowed hard, his gaze not moving from the wall in front of him. "What else do you know?"

"I know you want more than a kiss from me."

Stephen's eyebrows knitted together, as he turned to look at her. "How would you know that?" he paused. "You're a prostitute aren't you? Look I don't have money to spend on things like that."

Ellie sat back in shock, "Do I look like a prostitute to you?"

"In this day and age, you never know."

"Well I'm not." Ellie stated, a smile on her lips. "But what do you say you and I go back to my place... or yours... and we get to know each other better. Because personally, you are someone I'd love to get to know better."

Stephen was hesitant. After a few minutes, he nodded. "Alright, let's go to my place."

Ellie grinned at him. "Your place is perfectly fine with me." She leaned over and kissed him, a hand moving up to cup his face.


Logan wasn't taking this whole thing as well as he seemed. Sure around Max and her siblings, he was all smiles. As soon as he was alone though, Logan was seething. She hadn't said anything about it to him, that was what made things worse. But he knew. Logan knew she had chosen Alec over him. He knew by the look in Max's eyes. He knew by the way Alec stood protectively beside Max all the time.

The question was though : Why did Max choose Alec over him? Alec had nothing going for him, other than being a transgenic. Logan, well, Logan was rich... or at least he had been. Now, there were a few money problems, nothing serious though. Logan saved people, with the help of others. Why? Because he wanted to. Alec? He killed people. Why? Because he was told to. Now who seemed the better choice for Max? Logan, of course.

Logan was going to make sure Max, his Maxie, saw Alec for what he really was. A monster. He didn't know how long it was going to take. But he'd do it. He'd make sure Max saw Alec's "darker" side. He was about to turn away from the computer when something caught his attention. 'New Mail' a pop-up window stated.

Smiling to himself, Logan opened the e-mail.


Alec walked into the dark apartment. Where was Biggs? Alec shook his head, he was worried about him. Since the fire, Biggs just hadn't been himself. Okay, so none of them had totally been themselves. The loss of Mercy had hit them all pretty hard. But, Biggs, he'd become so secluded, barley talking, barley eating. He only got up off the couch to go to work, and the odd time he'd get up to go to Crash.

Tonight, Biggs hadn't been at Crash. Hell he hadn't gone to work. He hadn't been at work all week, and Alec was beginning to think Normal was going to can Biggs' ass. Well, Alec had bought Biggs some time at least. He told Normal Biggs had some family issues he had to get sorted out. Biggs, was probably sulking on the couch. He had to be, but the t.v. wasn't on.

Since Biggs had discovered re-runs of a show called 'I Love Lucy' he had basically glued his eyes and ears to the t.v. If one attempted to take the remote from Biggs they walked away with a broken hand. Basically Biggs had attempted to mend his broken heart with tv, and occasionally a box of donuts, when he wasn't working.

Alec glanced around again, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dark. "Biggs! You here?"

"Shh..." he heard Biggs' voice coming from the kitchen. "Alec...or...Ben... You guys there's someone in our apartment..."

Alec's eyebrows knitted together. What the hell was Biggs talking about? "Biggs...it's me."

"You guys, it's someone named Me. What a coincidence, my names me, too."

This couldn't be good, Biggs sounded odd, and really wasn't acting like himself. "No, your name is Biggs. And I'm Alec."

"Oh, Ben! Alec's home!"

"Ben isn't here Biggs. I just talked to him."

"Oh! Wait... you were already here?"

"Biggs...come here." Alec said as he flicked on the light.

Biggs walked out of the kitchen. No, he stumbled out of the kitchen. "Woah... who brought the sun in here?"

Alec looked at Biggs, "What's wrong with you buddy?"

"My name's Biggs," Biggs stated, with a grin on his face. "And, I'm an alchee-holic."

Alec stared at Biggs in disbelief. His friend had watched way to much tv...


"I don't get it," Amora mumbled running a had through her dark hair. "We don't get drunk."

"Well, I'm sure if we were to drink the right amount we could." Ben shrugged.

"And what's that? A truck load of scotch?" Amora questioned with raised eyebrows.

"Biggs, couldn't have possibly had that much to drink." Max shook her head as she sat down on the couch.

"This is Biggs we're talking about." Alec replied. "Anything is possible with him."

Amora sighed, "He's really hurting isn't he?"

"Yeah," Alec nodded. "He is, and I don't know how to help him. And it hard, 'cause he's been my best friend since we were kids."

"Time heals all wounds, boo," Original Cindy said walking into the room. "The boy's hurtin' and there ain't much you can do to fix that. You have to let him work it out himself."

"If I ever get like that, shoot me." Alec mumbled.

"I think that can be arranged," Max smirked.

Amora shook her head, and spoke before anyone else could. "So where exactly is Biggs now?"

"At our apartment." Alec replied.

"You sure it was a wise idea to leave him there alone, with alcohol?" Amora questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"First, he's passed out on the couch. Second, there's no alcohol left in that whole apartment." Alec replied. "Man, he drank all my scotch."

Ben shook his head, "It's still confusing me, how much could he have possibly drank to get himself drunk?"

"Well, we did have quite a bit of alcohol in the apartment..." Alec trailed off. Man, this sucked. Now he was going to have to restock their collection. That had cost him a fortune to get before.

"But not enough to get a transgenic drunk." Ben shook his head.

"Well he hasn't been at work the past couple of days," Max shrugged. "He's probably been spending time at Crash."

Original Cindy glanced around at the X5's. They could be so stupid sometimes. So much for genetic perfection, right? "You all need to keep an eye on your boy. He may down a dark road. Original Cindy has seen many broken hearts, and has suffered from a few herself. They can be dangerous things."


Biggs rolled off of the couch. His head was pounding. His body was sore. Where was the alcohol? He needed something to drink. He needed to numb the pain more. It worked earlier hadn't it? Biggs pushed himself up from the floor, and stumbled into the kitchen. He started to go through the cupboards, and fridge. Had he already drank everything they had in this place? Biggs let himself slide down the wall. Resting his head on his knees, he sighed, why was his life so screwed up? Why did he have to lose the one person he cared most about? Why couldn't he be in the drunken stupor he was in earlier?

"Biggs!" he heard a female voice say from the living room. Was that Original Cindy? Why would she be here? Biggs barley knew her.

Biggs chose not to answer.

"Biggs, you fool. Original Cindy knows you're in here."

Biggs still remained silent.

"Original Cindy ain't leaving until you answer."

"Go away O.C." Biggs' voice was quiet and scratchy. "I'd rather be alone right now."

Before he knew it the kitchen light had been switched on and Original Cindy was standing in front of him with a hand on her hip. "You look horrible boo."

"Jeez, thanks." Biggs mumbled, looking at the floor, avoiding eye contact with Original Cindy.

"Look, Original Cindy is here 'cause she's probably one of few who know how bad you're hurtin' You can't do this to yourself." Original Cindy stated. "Would Mercy want you to be acting like this?"

Biggs swallowed hard looking up at Original Cindy. "No," he replied quietly.

"Would she want you to sulk in a corner?"

"No." Biggs shook his head. "She'd want me to enjoy life... for her."

"Then get your sorry ass up, and start enjoying. 'Cause life is too short for you to be sulking."

"But how am I suppose to enjoy life when Mercy never will?"

"You just have to boo." Original Cindy sighed. "You might not be able to right away, but eventually it'll be easier."

He just looked up at her. Biggs knew she was right, but he wasn't ready. Not yet. Original Cindy shook her head. She'd tried to reason with him. "Fine. You sulk. But no more alcohol. Got it?"

Biggs nodded, and watched as Original Cindy left him alone, flicking off the light on her way out. He swallowed hard and let the words that had just been said float around his head. Mercy would hate this. She'd yell at him for this, and try to get him out of the apartment. He had to clean himself up now. If not for himself. For Mercy.


"It's busy tonight." Max mused glancing around. It was just her, Original Cindy, and Amora tonight at Crash. Ben and Alec were in 'keep an eye on Biggs' mode, and Max wasn't sure what her other siblings were up to.

"Well, at least busier then usual." Amora shrugged, glancing down at her glass of watered down beer.

"Max, we're having a dispute at the table," a male voice came from off to the side. Amora was guessing this was Sketchy. She hadn't exactly met him yet. "Maybe you and your fine new friend here can referee?"

Max smiled at Sketchy, and nodded. "Sure, Sketch. Break it down."

"The guys are dissin' on Eyes Only." Sketchy started to explain. "They're sayin' that Manticore place that burnt down a few weeks ago, letting out all those super freaks was really just a V.A. hospital." He paused and glanced at them. "Come on, defend a great mans honour."

Max glanced at Original Cindy and Amora. The three shared a look, before Max replied, "I try to stay out of that political stuff."

"Yeah," Amora spoke up. "Me too."

Sketchy raises one of his hands, a rolled up magazine. No, it was a tabloid magazine. "It says so right here." He told them. "They're out there, looking to feed."

Original Cindy rolled her eyes and snorted. "One too many forties and now he's seeing zombies among us."

"Not zombies," he shook his head. "Creatures made in labs. Some look just like us, some don't. They all got these barcode transmitters on the back of their necks, so that they can beam information about us to their headquarters."

"Wigga, you faded.," Original Cindy laughed.

"Come on. You can't believe everything you read, can you?" Amora added.

Sketchy looked at Amora. "If I was making creatures in a lab, I'd make them look just like you."

All of them laughed. If only Sketchy knew the truth, maybe then he wouldn't be laughing. "Really?" Amora questioned. "That-that's really sweet Sketchy."

"Leave her alone fool she's got a boyfriend, who would kick your scrawny white ass, from here to Canada." Original Cindy said, taking the tabloid magazine out of Sketchy's hands and hitting him over the head with it. "And stop readin' this trash, before you ruin what's left of your brain cells."

Max was laughing when she looked up and something caught her eyes. She took the tabloid out of Original Cindy's hand. Her face suddenly paled as she looked down, "I gotta go." Max quickly stood up and headed towards the exit of Crash.

Original Cindy sent a look towards Amora before she took off after her friend. "Max! What's the matter?"

Turning around to look at her Max shows Original Cindy the front of the tabloid magazine. "Mutant Attacks Continue: Creature on the Loose" the cover story read, with a picture of a growling dog-man on the cover. Joshua.

"Somebody you know boo?" Original Cindy questioned, looking from the cover to Max.

"His name's Joshua." Max replied in answer to Original Cindy's question. "He helped me and Alec get out of Manticore the night of the fire. This is bad."

"Nobody believes this stuff anyway, boo." Original Cindy tried to reassure her friend.

"Not yet anyway." Max shook her head, and headed for the door. Amora was immediately up from the table, and following her, shooting a glance at Original Cindy as she passed.


"Looks pretty dangerous." Logan mused from where he sat in his wheelchair, looking down at the tabloid Max had brought him.

Max looked away from the window. "He's not." she stated. A voice inside her head, told her she should have just gone to Alec. "Don't judge him because of the way he looks."

"Fine," Logan replied, throwing the tabloid onto the couch. "But he's apparently braking into people's houses." he paused. "Any idea why?"

"Maybe he's looking for a place to sleep. Or something to eat." Max replied, glancing over at Amora who was sitting on one of the chairs in the room, watching the scene play out. She looked back at Logan, her voice softer. "I have to find him before something really bad happens."

Logan sighed, caving in. "I'll see if I can get a hold of the police reports, and the addresses on the break-ins. They're probably all in the same area, near wherever Joshua is hiding."

"Should narrow things down, at least."

"I can boot up my police scanner. Monitor the calls." Logan suggested. "If he shows up somewhere else, maybe you can get a hold of him before the cops do."

"Thanks Logan." Max said, moving for the front door.

"You're leaving already?" Logan questioned, watching as Amora stood up and followed after Max.

"I have a few things to take care of." Max informed him. "Thanks again Logan."

"Anytime Max." Logan sighed, watching as Max and Amora left the apartment.

He'd have her. Logan would get Max back. He'd help her find her...friend, and she'd appreciate it and come back to him. Sighing he turned back to the computer, looking up anything he could find on 'Joshua', and more information on the e-mail he received hours ago.


"Ben so owes me ten bucks." Amora said nonchalantly with a smile on her lips. Max shot her a critical look.

"Do I want to know?"

"Oh, but you do know." Amora's grin grew. "We had a bet."

"Oh yeah?" Max gave a short laugh. "The two of you are always making bets. Let me guess. Which would happen first, Normal kissing Alec or Alec jumping off a building?"

"Even better," Amora stopped in the hallway. "He believed that you and Logan are 'just friends'. I said it was a load of crap."

"Well its not." Max shot her a glare and kept walking.

"Ooh, yes it is! I felt the awkwardness. You guys had something. Something big." Amora pried.

Max shook her head, getting into the elevator. "Don't know what you're talking about Amora."

Rolling her eyes, Amora got into the elevator aswell. "You my friend, are in serious denial." she stated as the doors closed, and they started to descend.

"And you're insane." Max shot back, watching the numbers change.

"Max, denial isn't a good thing. So spill, what's going on between the two of you?"

"Nothing." Max replied, stepping out of the elevator once the doors opened.

"Liar." Amora snorted. "Come on. Tell me. Promise I won't tell a soul."

Max gave her a skeptical look.

"I won't!" Amora almost shouted.

"It was nothing, alright?" Max rolled her eyes. She was getting a migraine.

"Ha! You admitted there was an 'It'." Amora pressed on as they exited the building.

"This would make an amazing companion for my baby," Max walked over to a parked bike similar to hers. "Although i dont know where I'd keep it. Or when I'd ride it." She slapped the side of it. "Sorry beautiful, but I'm loyal to my baby." Max paused, and looked over at Amora. "You want it?"

"No, You're not stealing me a bike, and don't change the subject. What happened between you and Logan?"

"Are you sure you don't want the bike?" Max questioned, ignoring Amora's question. "It's a beauty."

"I'm not going to leave you alone until you tell me." Amora stated, arms crossed at her chest. She had no problem being as stubborn as Max.

Max groaned, "Fine. The thing between me and Logan was complicated, and it's hard to explain."

"Well try to explain. It can't be that hard."

"Yes it can." Max said stubbornly. She rolled her eyes. "Well, it started when I tried to steal a statue of the Egyption Goddess Bast from him, to sell on the Black Market for some cash."

"Nice first date." Amora rolled her eyes at how very Max-ish this was.

"It wasn't a date. Anyways. I broke in and he caught me, and then he tracked me down. He used that friggen computer brain of his to figure out I was from Manticore and started helping me track down the others in return for favors. Mostly kicking thugs around and stealing things from the bad guys."

"How riveting." Amora noted.

"We just got close. And it was getting pretty serious. Some of the spaces are still blank, thanks to good ol' Manticore, but I know we were pretty serious."

"What happened?"

"That's when Manticore found me." Max had meant to say the last bit, but is came out as a whisper, and her eyes began to moisten.

If Amora hadn't been a transgenic, she might have not heard Max's last comment. "That was when you went after Ben, right?" Amora asked quietly, looking at her friend.

"Yeah," Max nodded.

"Then you met Alec, and the rest of us. And, you and Alec got closer..."

"I only let myself get closer to Alec, because I couldn't remember Logan." Max replied, shaking her head. Why did things have to be so bloody complicated in her life? Why the hell couldn't she be a normal person, with normal problems?

"If...if you'd have remembered Logan, would anything have happened between you and Alec?"

"I honestly don't know Amora."

Amora nodded slowly, "Do you still have feelings for Logan?"

Max felt flushed. Her heart raced, and her head pounded. A million thoughts flashed through her mind at once. She had asked herself these questions a million times, but hearing them out loud changed her reaction. She was terrified. She felt Amora's hand on her shoulder.

"I dont know," Max whispered again. "When I think of Alec, it's not even a possibility. But when I'm with Logan, its like it used to be." She closed her eyes tightly. Every touch, every hug, every joke, and every kiss all came flooding back.

"Max, do you want to go sit somewhere? If we go home, you're going to have to explain, and I dont think you're ready for that."

"There's nothing to explain, I dont even know what's going on in my life," Max remarked, disgusted.

"If you can't give a yes or no, there's something there,"

Max shook her head, she didn't know what to say, she was trying to put everything running through her head to rest. "Can you just, not tell Alec? Please."

"Max, I can't lie to him." Amora told her quietly. "I can't lie to Alec. I've known him to long."

"Please Amora."

"Max, you should talk to him about this. He has a right to know."

"You can't, he'll hate me," Max pleaded.

"I wont say anything." Amora agreed. "But I wont lie, either. If he asks, I'm not covering your tracks."

Max couldn't believe this. In a five minute conversation, it seemed her world had come crashing down. Should she tell Alec? Would he rather her tell him than Amora? Or, maybe- Should she tell Logan?

"I can cover my own." Max stated coldly.

"Look," Amora sighed. "I dont want you to get hurt. But I dont want Alec hurt either. I've known him since- well, since always. Just, think about it and do the right thing."

The right thing. More words that sounded foreign. She was never told to do the right thing, or what the right thing was. She was told to follow orders, no matter what they were, and not ask questions. "I'll try."


The sound of beeping made it's way to Max's ears, as she sat around Jam Pony. She knew she should probably get back to work, but since the conversation with Amora, she didn't have the energy. Looking down at her pager, Max shot up. Logan. Hurrying over to the pay phone. She hit it twice, and dialed Logan's number.

As soon as she heard the ringing stop she said, "What do you got for me?"

"Hello to you too." She heard Logan's voice.

"Sorry. Can you just lay it on me? I've got some work to do."

Max could hear Logan sigh. "I just hung up with my police contact."

That had to mean he had something good. "And...?"

"And, he managed to find the address of Joshua's last break-in."

"Where was it?" Max glanced around Jam Pony as she talked to Logan.

"Across town in sector six." Logan replied. "542 McCalister. Names Sandeman."

Max let Logan's words sink in. The address already stored in her memory. "Sandeman?" she repeated, remember her conversation with Joshua. When they first met, in the Manticore basement.

"Name mean something do you?"

"I think he founded Manticore or something." Max stated, lost in thought. "Joshua called him Father."

"If that's true then why would he turn Joshua away and report him to the cops?"

"I don't know." Max mumbled. "What about the other addresses? Did you get them?"

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?"

"They just don't add up. They're all over town. No pattern at all."

"So we've got nothing then?"

"Not nothing, exactly. You said the Sandeman guy meant something."

"Right. Well, bye." Max sputtered.

"Wait-"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really- happy...that you are back and all. I didn't get a chance to say that before."

"Thanks to you. I'll see you later," Max hung up the phone as soon as she spat out the words.

"481 MacGregor! Come on People, Bip! 481 MacGregor!" Normal shouted, waving a package around.

"Ill take it." Max grabbed the package. She just needed an escape.

"Oh, now missy miss is going to co operate?" Before Normal could finish, she was gone. "I got 312 Francis! 312 Francis!" Alec snatched the parcel as a ticket to leave. But his first priority was catching up to Max.

"Hey Max!" Alec called after Max as soon as he spotted her.

Max turned her head, to look over her shoulder, and slowed her bike down to a stop She was hoping she could avoid him a little bit longer, just until she had everything figured out.

Alec came to a stop beside her. "You avoidin' me or somethin'?"

"No." Max replied.

"I was hoping you'd say more than one word." Alec looked hurt, and it broke Max's heart.

"Nothing. Really," She said, leaning over to kiss him.

"Sure." He smiled, but Max knew it was fake. She couldn't keep avoiding him, but she couldn't face him either. It was too hard to tell him the truth. Too hard to tell him that her and Logan use to have...something between them. She placed on her foot on the pedal and pushed forward, Alec right behind her.

Alec pedaled a few feet behind. He couldn't understand it. Had he done something wrong? Had she? He couldn't place it, but there was something wrong with Max.


"It's official." Amora sighed, waltzing into the boys apartment and throwing her energy-less body on the couch.

"What is?" Ben asked from the kitchen.

"This week. It officially sucked."

"Tell me about it," Ben thought, thinking of Biggs.

"So what smells good?" Amora questioned, not bothering to get up.

Ben walked out into the living room. "Chicken." He replied. "I was over at the South Market today. Found a good deal. Thought I'd make dinner for everyone."

"Aww, how sweet." Amora smiled. "Might make this week a little less sucky."

"Might?" Ben questioned, moving back into the kitchen. "I was hoping you would say it would make this week less sucky."

"Well that, my dear, all depends."

"On what?" Ben lifted a lid and stirred something.

"Whether or not it tastes like crap." Amora smiled, getting up and following him into the kitchen.

"Ok, now I'm just offended." Ben said, glancing over at Amora, as she sat down on the counter.

"I'm kidding. I'm sure it will be delicious. Smells like it. Got any coffee?"

"Mhmm." He reached for a mug and filled it.

Amora took the mug and smiled, "Thanks."

"So what made your week so suckish?"

"Girl problems." She sipped her coffee then paused. "I never thought I'd be able to say that."

"I never thought I'd hear it."

"What about your week? Besides the Biggs thing," she added quietly.

"It just seems like we're all- I dont know-"

"Going no where fast." He loved how she could just know what he was thinking sometimes.

"Exactly." Ben replied, shaking his head.

Amora was silent for a moment, before she looked up at Ben. "Do you think we'll ever be able to live normal lives?"

Ben looked at her and smiled sadly, "There's no such thing as normal. Even those who look like they're living normal lives, have secrets and have done things that don't make them normal."

"Then, do you think we'll ever be able to live like the rest of the world?" Amora questioned, tilting her head to the side. "Not afraid to be who we are?"

"I want to say yes Amora," Ben started, "But I don't honestly know."


AN: Okay, so I'll be evil and leave it there, 'cause it's about time we updated this fic. I'm hoping you won't have to wait as long for the next chapter. It shouldn't take that long to get up. So, thanks for your support, hope you enjoy.