Title:The Rift

Rating:PG13ish or R

Characters:Max, Alec, Logan, Joshua, a few baddies, and a little of the Jampony crew threw in occasionally.

Genre:Drama, angst, romance.

Summary: Slightly Au due to Max being cured of her virus. Max gets what she has always hoped for from Logan. Question is, why does it seem to effect her fellow X5 in such a negative manner?

Author's note:First DA fic, so be kind and R&R!

Disclaimer:Not mine.

The Rift

Ch.2

"Max, baby, are you okay?"Logan asked, rolling over and wrapping his arm around his fiancée who he without having to see it, knew was still awake.

"Yeah Logan, I'm fine." she replied distractedly, lost in her own thoughts.

"Can't sleep?"he pressed on, tickling her teasingly in the process."Maybe I can help do something about that."he offered before she could reply.

"Stop Logan."she said with a sigh, pushing his hand off and getting out of the bed, her body momentarily illuminated by the pale moonlight before she pulled on one of his shirts and walked from the room.

"Okay, what's bothering you ?"he asked a few minutes later, after deciding that something was really wrong and following her into the living room where she now sat on the couch with her legs folded beneath her."And don't tell me nothing, because if you just turned me down for no reason than my macho persona will definitely have taken a huge hit."he added jokingly, trying to cheer her up.

"Well...it's just. I don't understand what happened the other day."she answered hesitantly, not really wanting him to be the person she discussed this with for some reason or another, but needing to get it off her chest."He's a total asshole, I know that, but why would he just snap and turn on us all the suddenly?"

"Ah..this is about Alec."Logan murmured, sitting beside her and putting his arm around her, pulling her close to him."I thought you didn't care about what he said. At least that's what you told me the other night."he commented, watching her reaction to his words closely.

"I don't."she replied automatically, a stubborn look on her face.

"Then why are you up at 3:33 in the morning thinking about it?"Logan questioned matter-of-factly.

"It's just, it's been 2 weeks and we haven't seen or heard anything from him."she said, staring off into space, before admitting reluctantly."I'm, well... I guess I'm kinda worried about the little asshole."

"Alec's more than capable of taking care of himself."Logan stated."And anyway, why should you be worried about him in the first place? He's always been, well for lack of a better phrase, a loose cannon."

"But we were all getting along so well, and then the next thing you know he..."she started, then let her words trail off as she stared off once more.

"Max?"

"Oh, and I when I stopped in to see Joshua he said that Alec was staying out mostly all night now."she offered up next, looking as if this proclamation was a terrible thing.

"You'll have to forgive me Max, but I fail to see what is so bad about that."Logan said with a confused frown."He is a grown man after all. A single grown man."

"Oh I know that Logan."she said, narrowing her eyes at him in annoyance."That's not what I meant. Joshua also said he's been getting money, a lot of it, from somewhere."

"So, I still fail to see what all the concern is over, who knows, maybe he got another job."Logan offered with a shrug.

"No, he didn't. I know Alec, and somethings up."she argued with a shake of her head.

"No offense Max, but you obviously don't know him as well as you thought or we wouldn't be having this conversation would we?"Logan asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't talk to me in that condescending manner Logan."she snapped at him, her eyes narrowing into slits and flashing dangerously."I know what I know."

"Okay, sorry."he said raising his hands in defeat."I didn't mean to sound condescending."

"No, you're right."she agreed after another short introspective pause for thought."I guess I don't really know him, but I do know one thing for damn sure, he's upsetting Joshua and I don't like it."

"So... you're going to do what exactly?"he asked, knowing her well enough to anticipate that she wasn't just going to let it rest.

"The next time I see him, we're going to have a talk whether he likes it or not."she stated, her jaw set in determination.

"I don't suppose it would do any good for me to suggest that maybe it would be best to just let him have his space?"Logan asked, immediately answering himself when he saw the look she gave him, saying with a chuckle,"I didn't think so."

Having finally decided on a plan of action, Max's spirits automatically lifted, and she looked at Logan, asking coyly with a wicked grin,"So, do you still wanna? Or are you too tired now?"

"I'm never too tired for that, future Mrs. Cale."he replied, reaching out and pulling her close to him with a growl.

Trying to let herself get lost in the arms of the man she loved, Max found it odd that Alec stayed in her mind.

2 nights later at "Crash":

"So where's your man at tonight Boo?"OC asked Max as she took a sip from the straw in her drink.

"He got a big lead on one of my missing "family members" we've been trying to track down, so he's staying by his computer just in case anything else comes up."

"That man and his computer."OC said with a shake of her head.

"Nah, it's a good thing. I needed this."Max replied, meaning the girls night out she and OC had decided upon.

"I hear you Boo. Just like Original Cindy always says, men are nice, but sometimes a little female comp...Uh oh, don't look now girl, but if it ain't your best friend himself that just walked in."she stated, looking over Max's shoulder at the entrance door.

"Who...?"Max asked, turning around just as Alec and some attractive, but very skanky in her opinion, blond that was latched onto his shoulder passed by their table.

"Hey OC, how's it going?"Alec asked after he, to Max's surprise, stopped at their table.

"You know I'm good sugar, how's your fine ass been?"she replied, always quick to flirt with him even though she had no interest whatsoever.

"Couldn't be better."he replied with a grin, then said,"Well, see you around."and walked off, totally ignoring a fuming Max.

"That...argh...I can't believe...what a skanky looking..."Max muttered, her narrowed eyes following him and his hoe as they walked across the room and sat down near a pool table.

OC said nothing, just sitting there and waiting for her friend to cool off.

It was apparent that wasn't going to happen, because the longer Max sat there, the madder she got until finally15 minutes later, she stood up, setting her shoulders back and stalked over to where Alec sat with the woman perched in his lap, ignoring her friend's words of warning.

"I want to talk to you."she stated, stopping in front of the chair that both he and his female companion occupied.

"Sorry, but in case you didn't notice, I'm a little busy right now Maxie."he replied, not even turning his eyes from the woman in his lap to look at her.

"I said, I want to talk to you. Now."she demanded with a look of determination.

"He said he doesn't want to talk Maxie, so get lost."the blond spoke up with a venomous look, having the nerve to actually stand up and get in her face.

"Okay, first of all, fuck you, and secondly, if you know what's good for you, you'll take your own advice and get the hell out of my face before I whoop your nasty ass."Max growled at the woman, the dangerous glint in her eyes conveying the fact that she would do just that if she didn't do as she was told."Now!"she demanded with a hiss.

The woman jumped in surprise, then without another word, stalked away from the much smaller in stature X5, leaving her alone with a very pissed Alec.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?"he asked, standing face to face with her.

"I want to know what the hells up with your attitude problem . And I'm not moving until you give me an answer."she stated in reply, ignoring his question, raising her chin defiantly, and staring right back at him unflinchingly.

"I don't have a problem. You do obviously since it's you who came over here and ran my lady friend off."he replied through gritted teeth.

"Oh, is that what you call them nowadays? I prefer skank whores who's names you don't even know."she retorted, knowing she sounded immature, but letting the words slip out before she could stop herself anyway.

"What do you care who I talk to, skank whore or not?"he growled at her."Shouldn't you be at Logan's working on making a little happy family of X5, computer geek children?"

"Keep Logan out of this. This has nothing to do with him."she ordered, her voice rising slightly despite her not wanting to show that his words bothered her."Not 3 weeks ago your lazy, unemployed ass was parking itself on his couch every night, watching TV like you were his best friend. Now you're insulting him?"

"Let's get one thing straight Max..."he started, tilting his head slightly as he spoke, light shining on his neck for the first time.

She cut him off mid-sentence when she saw some faint, but still noticable bruising on it."What is that?"she demanded, reaching over and pulling his jacket down before he could stop her, revealing several finger sized, purplish black marks.

"It's nothing."he replied, quickly jerking away from her prying hands, pulling the coat back up once more.

"Nothing? That is bruises Alec. Where did they come from?"she asked, knowing that something or someone had to be very strong to have left any bruising on him since their advanced healing and metabolism made it hard to leave any marks on transgenics.

"I like my sex rough, so what's it to you?"he replied with a smirk.

"You're lying ."she said accusingly, her mind having just recalled one of the few times in the past that she'd ever seen any marks on him."You've been fighting again haven't you? That certainly would explain where you've been getting the money Joshua told me about."

"What if I have? It's not any of your concern, but it is nice to know you and the big guy spend your time talking about me behind my back."

"Don't you remember what happened last time you were doing that?"she questioned emphatically, actual concern for him evident in her tone.

"Hell yeah, how could I not? See, I'm much more prepared this time though. I see any guys that are wearing monkey suits in the locker room, I'll just have to kick their asses before they have a chance to do any cattle prodding."

"Alec, you know that as soon as White catches word that you're fighting, he'll send someone after you again."she argued, momentarily forgetting how mad she was at him and putting her hand on his shoulder.

Looking uncertainly at the hand on his shoulder, emotions passed over his face before it softened and he said," I can handle anyone that comes in the ring."

"Maybe so, but it's still a big risk for you to expose yourself like that."she said removing her hand due to unexplainable emotions she felt also just from touching him.

"You know what you said earlier about me being his friend?"Alec asked, changing the subject.

"Who? Logan?"

"Yeah, well I'm going to let you in on a little secret Max. He was never the reason I was there."

"Then wha..."Surprise and shock on her face as she suddenly realized the meaning behind his words.

And saying,"Alec, don't be crazy. You know how I feel about Logan."

"Yes, I do. And I couldn't understand what you see in him Max, so I kept waiting for you to figure out he was the wrong person for you."

"And you think you're the right one? Look what you did the other day, just walking out on a job that was safe to go back to fighting."

"Tell me you don't feel anything for me Max."he requested softly.

"I do feel something, but it's not that, it's concern and worry for a man who is like a brother to me."

"I'm not your brother. I might have the same face, but I'm still a different person on the inside."he snapped in annoyance, and I lo..."

"Stop it right there before you say something that you're not going to get the reaction that you want for."she said, pointing her finger at him.

"Know what? That's fine. Forget I said anything, but from now on keep out of my business."

"If that's what you want then okay, but just remember that I'm not the only one who's worried about you. Joshua is also, so if you want a good reason to stop doing that shit before getting hurt, think of what you're doing to him."

"Nice speech there, really inspirational, but if you don't mind I'll be going now."he said turning and walking away.

Max started to follow him, but decided against it, knowing it might only make matters worse. Instead she just watched him until he threw open the exit door and stalked out.

Never had she been more confused and conflicted by her emotions than she did now, walking towards and then past the table OC said at observing without saying anything, she too walked out the also.

He loves me. That's what he was about to say, she thought as she mounted and started her motorcycle.

But you love Logan don't you?

Things that had seemed so sure to her in the past days now only added to her confused mixture of emotions.

What if I really don't love Logan?

Later that night at Joshua and Alec's place

Yawning and stretching as he awoke, Joshua looked at the clock and saw it was after 3 am, and closed his eyes to try and drift off again, but was interrupted by a strange sound coming from the living room.

Peering around the corner of his door, he saw what was making it, and couldn't have been more shocked.

It was Alec, sitting slumped over on the couch, a beer in his hand that would soon be empty and then thrown to the floor where many others were already discarded.

That wasn't what shocked him through, it was the fact he appeared to be crying softly.

Alec never cry, he thought now torn between going to find out what was causing his strange behavior and just going back to bed as if he didn't see him.

He decided on the latter, and with a sigh, walked back and laid down.

Alec would never want anyone to see him acting in such an uncharacteristic manner.

Joshua talk to him in morning and find out what going on, he finally settled on as he drifted off once more.

TBC

Yes, I know, a little bit far fetched to write Alec reacting as he did, but at least I made him think no one was watching so he could keep up the macho visage.

R&R please!

Coming up: Alec fights again resulting indangerously unexpected consequences. White makes an appearance, and Max battles her conflicted emotions.