A Second Chance

"You know what pisses me off about your dismissing of me, Alec? …You're doubting my strength. And in a sense, humanity's. Damnit, I'm a member of the S1W, not some helpless schoolgirl!"

Honestly, Asha hadn't meant to blow up at Alec when she saw him at Crash. She had meant to talk kindly and rationally to him.

But when she'd seen him sitting there, nursing a beer like he didn't have a care in the world, she'd found herself snapping. It didn't help that Logan was devastated because Alec was in an obviously fake relationship with Max. And if Alec had pulled away from her just for the sake of that, she wasn't going to be happy about it. What was it with transgenics in thinking their choices were superior to everyone else's?

"And while you are surely a strong fighter, Asha, you're still not as powerful as a transgenic." And Alec's voice still seemed to indicate that he didn't care. But Asha hadn't missed the way he had almost missed his mouth when going for the next sip of his drink, so she was clearly getting to him some. Either that, or transgenics couldn't hold their alcohol.

Asha decided to sit across from Alec now, as she hammered in her point more and looked into the eyes of someone she was beginning to care for. "But most of the people I'd deal with aren't even transgenic, but meatheads from the military. Right? And even most of the transgenics who escaped the fire don't seem to know how to live in this world, so I'd have a leg up on them, too."

And she must have gotten through his bravado, because here Alec slightly stopped acting like he was aloof and began whispering conspiringly to her, "Look, Asha. I don't really want to lay out my dirty laundry here or get all emotional... but a girl I loved died because of Manticore. And I really don't want to repeat that mistake." And if Asha had just seen correctly, Alec had pulled a certain worn chain further under his sleeve as he spoke. A necklace from the poor girl, perhaps?

A part of Asha wanted to comfort Alec about this, of course—and say something about lightning never striking in the same place twice—but she knew Alec was a cold military man and would want the facts first.

"But even with that, you're forgetting the monsters we humans are. We created the Atom Bomb and Project Manticore. Honestly, I think you guys should be afraid of us."

Up at the actual bar part of Crash, Asha now saw and heard Max and Logan having some sort of discussion. Apparently, Max had tried to be sarcastic and tell Logan she wanted a Stella to drink here, just because it reminded her of the stars she'd glimpsed out of his apartment numerous times. But apparently there had been just enough truth in her voice, that Logan had realized she was protesting too much and she was really still in love with him... even if Max was trying to deny it.

And it was when Max and Logan would find hope again, that Alec and Asha would, too.

"What are you hoping for with me, Asha? That we'll go quietly into the evening together and find whatever Max and Logan have together? Because I-"

And she must have made a face at that, because Alec simply trailed off and let Asha assert her intentions. "Uhh, no. Not yet, anyway. If ever. Still trying to get over Logan here, you know. But you're hot as hell, Alec, and you annoyingly know that you are. And I wouldn't mind having sex with you and seeing where it leads. Especially since I could do with some endorphins and a moment to forget that Seattle is falling apart with this anti-transgenic movement."

And Asha could tell by the look on Alec's face—a look she wanted there—of the cat that caught the canary, that she'd finally said something that had piqued his interest here.

"Now the sex and idea I could get used to."

And Alec leaned across the table and caught Asha's lips in an embrace that was thrilling to her.